Agenda Packets - 2003/07/07 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Administrator’s Report July 7, 2003 Page 3 Jim on Vacation. I wanted to wait until AFTER the new administrator started before I scheduled any vacation, but I am no longer able to wait without jeopardizing the ability to have enough time with the kids this summer, so I have set aside the final two weeks of July as my vacation which will provide for a full week with Mr. Ulrich assuming he starts on July 14th. The resolution the Council directed me to draft regarding my lost vacation time will be on the July 14 consent agenda. As background for your information, I lost 32 hours of vacation at the end of the year that I was unable to use. (The policy states an employee may “carry over” two weeks of vacation plus the amount of vacation time earned that year.) If for some reason we are without an administrator toward the end of July, Charlie would step in to ensure everything runs smoothly in my absence. (I will be in Yellowstone with my kids!) Pawnshop Ordinance. I had intended to provide the Council with a draft of the ordinance that would create an overlay district for pawnshops at the July worksession. Because there was not a consensus on the location of the overlay (either north of Highway 10 or south of County Road H in the Mustang Drive industrial park) and because we are considering adding other uses in the overlay (Councilmember Stigney suggested that we add adult uses, check cashing facilities, tattoo and piercing establishments, gun shops, etc.) I would like to bring the issue before the Planning Commission to get their opinion on the issue of creating such a district, the uses it would include, and the location. This will be before the Commission on the July 16 meeting. If a recommendation is forthcoming at that meeting, the item would be back before the Council for first reading on July 28, 2003. MV School District. A question was raised at the Council’s last regularly scheduled meeting in response to the County Road H sidewalk discussion regarding the availability of subsidized busing. I traded voice-mail messages with Superintendent Witthuhn who did confirm that subsidized busing IS available for those families that qualify (I did not ask what the qualifications were.) I also asked about the rumor that some district schools would be closing next year. Ms. Witthuhn did respond that if their levy does not pass, they would consider closing one elementary school and one middle school, especially if district enrollment continues to decline. There has been no discussion however regarding which of the schools would be candidates for closure. I’ll try to remain informed on this and will keep the Council informed as well. Housing Resource Center. Staff from the Housing Resource Center (HRC), a division of the Greater Metropolitan Housing Corporation (GMHC), will be on hand to give the Council a brief overview of the organization and the benefits afforded to Mounds View residents. Attached to my report are two spreadsheets showing activity in two HRC programs—the MHFA Rehab Incentive program and the Mounds View Manufactured Home Community Revitalization and Acquisition program. While we certainly will need to look critically at all expenditures for 2004, this years the $10,000 HRC membership fee has resulted in residents receiving $61,500 in rebates and deferred loans with 180 households being served altogether. The “value” of the construction projects undertaken by residents through the HRC amounts to $188,000.