11-13-1995 CC - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

UNAPPROVEJIF Page 10 October 23, 1995 Mounds View City Council 1 Mayor Linke stated he has received only a few calls and one letter in opposition to the bridge. The work 2 sessions that the council has had have been very positive. He noted however,that the council needs to hear 3 from the residents in regard to their feelings about the proposal. 4 5 Ms.Hankner stated she has had heard many people talk in opposition of the bridge. She has had only one call 6 in favor of it. She is not sure where the people live who support the proposal. She stated she is still inclined 7 to support a zero percent tax increase and if the residents show an overwhelming support of the bridge,she 8 would like to see something drop.ed from the bud.tet to allow for it. 9 10 Ms. Trude stated the main purpose of the bridge is to allow safe transportation for the children across the 11 highway as well as provide a link for the bike trail system. There are people in the senior center without 12 vehicles who would like to patronize the businesses on the other side of the highway. This would provide 13 them with a safe alternative to crossing a busy roadway. She stated the people that she has talked to not only 14 feel it is a safety issue but also an enhancement to the city. 15 16 Ms.Olson asked if a study has been done to determine how far from the area the kids who will use the bridge 17 actually are. 18 19 Ms. Trude stated this is part of the proposal that the engineers offered. 20 21 Ms.Olson pointed out that the residents could end up with a 3%levy on the property taxes prior to any 22 feasibility studies even being done. The decision would be made prior to the studies. 23 24 Mayor Linke stated yes,the money will be used to do the engineering studies. 25 26 Ms.Trude stated before the council's last work session 500 letters went out to inform some of the area 27 residents what was being proposed. She stated after these went out,she only had one response which was 28 signed by about 20 people in opposition to the bridge. 29 30 Ms.Hankner stated she is still inclined to say that she wants to vote for a 0%levy increase. If there is a lot of 31 support for the bridge,she would vote to have it replace another line item on the budget as she feels there are 32 a lot of people in the city who cannot afford to have a tax increase. 33 34 Mayor Linke took this opportunity to read a letter he had received from Mr. Gene Wagner,representing the 35 Silver Lake Woods Homeowners Association,dated October 19, 1995. This letter which was signed by the 36 residents stated that the homeowners in the Silver Lake Woods Association would like to see the pedestrian 37 bridge stopped. 38 39 Gene Wagner,2647 Lake Court Circle,asked where the pressure came from to pursue the bridge. It sounds 40 as though there was perhaps a lot of pressure from the trailways people and it has expanded from that to 41 include safety issues,etc. • 42 43 Mayor Linke stated it was put in the budget because the council looked at various ways to finance it and it was 44 decided that a 3%levy increase was probably the most feasible way to finance it. 45 46 Mr.Wagner stated there are a lot of residents who do not feel the need to increase taxes for something that 47 they do not feel is necessary. There are lots of other things an increase could be used for before a pedestrian 48 bridge. He has not heard one person stand up at the council meeting in support of the bridge,and in 49 comparison he has heard a lot of opposition.