Agenda Packets - 2000/03/27 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council March 13, 2000 Regular Meeting Page 3 I attended a meeting facilitated by Representative Barbara Haake last Friday pertaining to safety issues involving Highway 10. Representatives from MNDot and Ramsey County were there along with the principal of Edgewood Middle School, Police Chief Bill Clark, Public Works Director Mike Ulrich, and Councilwoman Lynne Thomason. Also in attendance were three young teenagers, two of which were present when the thirteen-year old was killed recently. May items were discussed and lots of good information came out of that meeting. My thanks to Representative Barbara Haake for setting up that meeting, and also thanks to everyone who took time out of the Friday evening to be a part of that group. Finally, I would like to extend a word of thanks to Roger Stigney for filling in for me this evening.” Acting Mayor Stigney reported he attended the Charter Commission meeting, at which there was discussion pertaining to the clarification and enhancements of three Charter amendments, in attempts to make them less ambiguous. He indicated there was also consideration of some changes to the Charter Commission Bylaws, which are required to be completed during the month of March. Acting Mayor Stigney reported the Council/Staff Retreat would be held on Thursday, March 23, at 5:00 p.m., in Council Chambers, rather than the Northland Inn where the previous Retreat was held. He stated this meeting was open to the public, and requested the Council direct the City Administrator to post the appropriate notification. Council Member Marty indicated this Retreat was tentatively scheduled to take place at the Community Center, in order to provide the Council Members with a tour of the new showers and locker rooms at the facility. Acting Mayor Stigney stated the Council Members could tour the Community Center, after which they could return to Council Chambers for the meeting, in order that it be broadcast. Council Member Marty indicated there would be no City business conducted at the Retreat, therefore, he would prefer it be held at the Community Center. He stated he appreciated the candidness that has come forward in the past Council/Staff Retreats, and believed that in light of some of the editorials that have appeared in the local papers pertaining to airing of the City’s “dirty laundry”, this candidness and openness might not be as forthcoming. He explained that staff might be less likely to offer their criticism in order to fine-tune the Council Members as they had at the previous meeting. Council Member Marty indicated the previous Retreat was very informative, in that he had believed the Council was doing better than they actually were, however, they were apparently falling into some of the traps that occurred in the past that they were attempting to avoid. He pointed out that one of the Department Heads who has attended Council Meetings for a number of years indicated the meeting prior to the retreat was the worst he had ever seen. He stated this information has provided the Council with a wake up call, and the Council has been attempting to utilize this criticism to improve. He advised that this frank discussion would not occur if they were to meet in the Council Chambers, in that everyone would be more inhibited in front of the