Agenda Packets - 2006/06/12 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council May 22, 2006 Regular Meeting Page 2 1 City Administrator Ulrich stated the Council recognizes street repairs as their top priority and the 2 City is progressing aggressively to address that issue. 3 4 Public Works Director Lee explained staff does not want to spend too much time and money to 5 patch streets because street rehabilitation is the best remedy. 6 7 Mayor Marty stated the Council has been trying to move this forward for years and it is now the 8 time to “take the bull by the horns” and the City will have to deal with Item 7F tonight. 9 10 6. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS 11 12 A. Senator Betzold and Representative Bernardy would like to speak to the 13 Council in regard to this year’s legislative session. 14 15 Mayor Marty welcomed Senator Betzold and Representative Bernardy to the meeting. 16 17 Senator Betzold stated that Councilmember Thomas was also at the Capitol and has spent long 18 hours there. He provided a recap on the legislative session that started March 1st and explained it 19 was a short session since it was not a budget year. He stated this past week they had some long 20 days and finally finished last night. He stated that last year the emphasis was to pass the budget 21 and education so a lot of things carried over to this short session. Senator Betzold reported on 22 the projects approved included in the Bonding Bill and other programs they were able to fund 23 through the $400 million Tobacco Health Impact Fund. He then reported on other actions 24 undertaken during this short session including passage of an open air Twins stadium paid by 25 sales tax, and a Gopher stadium with a land exchange and naming rights. Regarding the Viking 26 stadium, the action designates Blaine as the stadium site and that there can be a sales tax but not 27 until the Legislature approves that tax. Senator Betzold advised of bills that did not get passed in 28 this session and noted the next regular session starts in January and it is an election year. 29 30 Representative Bernardy explained that it turned out to be a good session and was more 31 cooperative and bipartisan than previously. She reported the fiscal bill passed to fix language for 32 County Road J and she worked with Councilmember Thomas on that issue so the $24 million 33 will now go to the right place and that project can be started. She explained it is not an easy task 34 to get money for roads at the State level and the Department of Transportation is now down to 35 bear bones, hardly able to make payments, and contractors are being asked to carry the project for 36 three years which costs a lot in interest money. 37 38 Representative Bernardy stated she worked hard to do scopeing and design work on 35W but that 39 bill was not passed because there was not a transportation bill. She noted this is one of the 40 highest deficient areas in the State and that project is not on Mn/DOT’s 20 or 30-year plan. 41 42 Representative Bernardy stated she is disappointed about property tax relief and had wanted 43 permanent property tax relief, not just a gimmick check that comes out right before the election. 44 The proposal she voted against in the House was for a one-time refund and now there will be an 45