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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 1995/03/20~~ ki ~ R ~ ~~ ~ ~. • PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting March 20, 1995 Mounds View City Hall 2401 Hwy. 10, Mounds View, MN 55112 CALL TO ORDER The Mounds View City Council was called to order by Mayor Linke at 7:00 p.m. on March 20, 1995. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ROLL CALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Linke, Councilmembers Trude, Blanchard, Quick, and Hankner MEMBERS ABSENT: None ALSO PRESENT: Samantha Orduno, City Administrator; Tim Cruikshank, Assistant to the City Administrator; Paul Harrington, Community Development Coordinator; Mike Ulrich, Director of Public Works; Mary Saarion, Director of Parks, Recreation and Forestry; Don Brager, Finance Director; Jennifer Bergman, Housing Intern; Police Officer Thomas Baumgart ADDITIONS TO AGENDA: Samantha Orduno, City Administrator, advised that she wished to add consideration of Resolution No. 4736, which would approve the transfer of funds from the Contingency Fund to the Police Crime Prevention Account. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: MOTIONLSECOND: Trude/Hankner to Approve Regular Council Meeting Minutes from February 27, 1995, as Submitted VOTE: 5 ayes 0 nays Motion Carried ACCEPTANCE OF ADVISORY COMMISSION MINUTES: There were no Advisory Commission Minutes for this meeting. Mounds View City Council Page 2 • Regular Meeting March 20, 1995 SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS: Consideration of Resolution No. 4736 Authorizing a Plan to Secure a Dedicated D.A.R.E./Community Oriented Policing Vehicle from Community Donations and Further Authorize an Interfund Account Transfer Mounds View Police Officer Tom Baumgart, the City's Drug Awareness Resistance Education Officer, explained that Saturn Corporation of St. Paul has provided the opportunity for the D.A.R.E. Program to purchase a used vehicle valued at $15,000 through a special promotional finance package. Saturn will contribute $5,000 and is asking the City for a $5,000 down payment to be made by March 23. Officer Baumgart said that approximately $1,000 has been received in cash donations, leaving a balance of $4,000 still needed to meet the down payment. Collectively, with everything available to trade-in and sell, and with checks from local businesses that have promised money, the D.A.R.E. Program will have approximately $6,300 for the purchase of this vehicle. Baumgart anticipated that, after further fund raising in the area, the remaining balance would be secured by the November deadline. Saturn Corporation needs to clear this vehicle off their books and must either turn it over to the City or sell it outright; therefore, the transfer of $4,000 is requested to meet the down payment with the understanding that the funds will be repaid from the anticipated donations. MOTIONLSECOND: Quick/Trude to Adopt Resolution No. 4736 Approving a Contingency Fund Transfer in the Amount of $4,000 to the Police Crime Prevention Account to be Used for the Purchase of a Vehicle for the D.A.R.E. Program Councilmember Trude felt this was a wonderful opportunity to give support to the D.A.R.E. Program, making it more visible in the community. She commended Officer Baumgart for the initiative he has taken in this matter. Officer Baumgart said that Mounds View was setting an example for other communities to follow in obtaining a vehicle for the Program. VOTE: 5 ayes 0 nays Motion Carried CONSENT AGENDA Samantha Orduno, City Administrator, read the Consent Agenda as follows: Mounds View City Council Page 3 Regular Meeting March 20, 1995 A. Adopt Resolution No. 4724, Step Adjustment for Wally Mortenson, Maintenance Worker B. Adopt Resolution No. 4725, Step Adjustment for Larry Decheine, Maintenance Worker C. Adopt Resolution No. 4726, Step Adjustment for Gary Kardell, Maintenance Worker D. Adopt Resolution No. 4732 Approving Just and Correct Claims Against City Funds E. Licenses for Approval HVAC - Expires 6~30J95 Churchill's Home Heating/Cooling - New R & S Underwood Htg. & A/C - New Silvernail Enterprises, Ltd. - New Vern's Service & Supply, Inc. - New Gavic & Sons Plumbing - New r~ SEWER/WATER Webster Co., Inc. - New MOTION/SECOND: Hankner/Quick to Adopt the Consent Agenda as Presented VOTE: 5 ayes 0 nays Motion Carried • RESIDENTS REOUESTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR: Mayor Linke explained that this portion of the meeting was designated for anyone who wished to speak to the Council on items that were not on the Agenda. Ed Donatelle, 5269 Jeffrey Drive, representing Donatelle's Supper Club, requested the Council to consider Resolution No. 4735 which would allow the Lake Region Hockey Association to conduct charitable gambling at Donatelle's Restaurant. MOTION/SECOND: Quick/Hankner to Adopt Resolution No. 4735 Approving Premises Permit Application to Conduct Charitable Gambling (Pull Tab Sales) at Donatelle's Restaurant Councilmember Hankner noted that this item had been discussed extensively at a previous Work Session. Mounds View City Council Page 4 Regular Meeting March 20, 1995 Councilmember Blanchard requested clarification from staff as to the procedures required to adopt this resolution. Samantha Orduno, City Administrator, explained that the Lake Region Hockey Association had met all of the required qualifications including the necessary documentation to be provided to the State and the lease arrangements they would have with Donatelle's. This is an organization that has been in existence for many years and far exceeds the statutory requirements. Blanchard asked if this was a county-wide effort or strictly within the City of Mounds View. She also requested an explanation of how the profits would be distributed. Frank Sager, New Brighton, addressed the Council as a member of the Lake Region Hockey Association Board of Directors. He explained that the boundaries of this Premises Permit would follow the borders of the school districts. The formula that would be used in the disbursement of the funds is a 50/50 split of all donations between Irondale and Mounds View. VOTE: 5 ayes 0 nays Motion Carried PUBLIC HEARINGS: There were no public hearings scheduled for this meeting. COUNCIL BUSINESS: A. Consideration of Approval of Bid Award for Purchasing Park's Mowers and Park's Truck Mary Saarion, Director of Parks, Recreation and Forestry, reported that Park's Worker Steve Dazenski had done a great deal of research as to what type of mowers would best serve the parks. He prepared specifications and solicited bids. Ms. Saarion summarized the bids which were received and recommended the purchase of a 16' mower and a 72" mower from Midwest Specialty. In addition, she requested the Council to approve the purchase of a new deck for one of the old mowers at a cost of $2,800 and a new Park's truck which is under the same bid. All of the three equipments are within the 1995 budget under Capital. Councilmember Quick commented that the last Parks Department mower was purchased five or six years ago and revolutionized Mounds View City Council Regular Meeting Page 5 March 20, 1995 grass mowing in the parks in the city of Mounds View. A mower will pay for itself in time and labor savings. Ms. Saarion also addressed the importance of safety of the mowers since they are operated even when there are park users present. MOTION/SECOND: Quick/Blanchard to Approve the Bid Award for Purchasing Park's Mowers and Park's Truck VOTE: 5 ayes 0 nays Motion Carried B. Presentation of Housing Stock Analysis Jennifer Bergman, Housing Intern, delivered a presentation of the housing stock analysis with the assistance of visual aids provided by Community Development Coordinator Paul Harrington. Ms. Bergman reported that the housing study was requested by the FOCUS 2000 Housing and Neighborhood Committee that was formed last year. The purpose of the study was to find avenues to stabilize and improve the condition of the houses in the city of Mounds View. Housing studies from other cities were reviewed to find out what types of issues were considered by those cities; information was gathered from the U.S. Census Bureau; property revenue and taxation from Ramsey County was reviewed; information was obtained from the St. Paul Realtors' Association and the Metropolitan Council, along with inhouse research which included a windshield survey to determine a basic overview of the condition of each house. Ms. Bergman reported that, according to the U.S. Census, the bulk of the income range is between $35,000 and $49,999; and 25~ of the population has an annual income below $25,000. Approximately 6~ of the total population of Mounds View is considered to be living in poverty. Ms. Bergman provided information regarding the types of homes and value of homes, as well as the condition of homes within the City. She pointed out that the total units of housing in the City of Mounds View is 4,837, the majority of which were constructed in the 1950's and in the 1970's. As a result of the information that was compiled, several recommendations for improving housing stock were provided. • Those recommendations included: encourage and assist multifamily property owners to apply for housing Mounds View City Council Regular Meeting Page 6 March 20, 1995 rehabilitation assistance, continue to explore funding possibilities that the City could use for multifamily rehabilitation, establish a revolving loan fund for citizens of Mounds View for single family rehabilitation, promote first time home buyers and closing cost/down payment assistance programs, sponsor a remodeling fair to encourage housing rehabilitation, explore the benefits and drawbacks of a Truth- In-Housing or Point of Sale program, and assist in establishing a property managers' coalition. There will be copies of the documentation available for the public to view at City Hall as well as a copy at the library. Mayor Linke thanked Ms. Bergman for the work she had done in obtaining and presenting the Housing Stock Analysis. He remarked that the analysis would be valuable in handling the housing inspections process as well as providing necessary information to consider options for improving the housing stock where needed. C. Consideration of Resolution No. 4727 Transfer of Funds for Labor Relations Services Rendered in the Matter of Interest Arbitration Between the City of Mounds View and the Minnesota Teamsters Public and Law Enforcement Employees Union, Local 320 Tim Cruikshank, Assistant to the City Administrator, reported that Labor Relations Associates, the City's retained consultant for organized labor relations issues, has submitted an invoice for arbitration services rendered. This Resolution would transfer funds from Contingency to Personnel to pay for the services. The amount that has been billed to the City is $3,026. This transfer is primarily the result of the police arbitration in their latest contract settlement. MOTION/SECOND: Trude/Blanchard to Adopt Resolution No. 4727, Transfer of Funds for Labor Relations Services Rendered in the Matter of Interest Arbitration Between the City of Mounds View and the Minnesota Teamsters Public and Law Enforcement Employees Union, Local 320 VOTE: 5 ayes 0 nays Motion Carried D. Consideration of Action on Ordinance No. 556 Amending the Nuisance Chapter of the Mounds View Municipal Code Mounds View City Council Regular Meeting Page 7 March 20, 1995 Paul Harrington, Community Development Coordinator, explained that Ordinance No. 556 was introduced by the Council on February 27, 1995. The Ordinance is an update of the Nuisance Chapter of the Mounds View Municipal Code. The update was a result of the FOCUS 2000 community-wide visioning process which took place in the summer of 1992. At those forums, all residents were invited to share their ideas and concerns for the future of the City. One of the strong sentiments that was expressed at those forums was the desire of the residents to do away with what they perceived as "nuisances" in their neighborhoods, including business that may be operating outside the bounds of what our Municipal Code allows as well as residents, in the storage of certain items on properties. Items that were discussed were inoperable vehicles that may be stored on properties as well as any debris that could cause hazards to residents--both health and otherwise. As a result, the City Council directed staff to do a rewrite of the Nuisance Code. A number of meetings were attended at the Staff Planning Commission and City Council levels to discuss the Nuisance Ordinance. The only change in the Ordinance from the time of introduction was made at the request of the Planning Associate Code Enforcement Officer. The verbiage was provided by the City Attorney regarding entrance on to property. Councilmember Trude requested clarification as far as any changes relative to what residents with motor homes can or cannot do under the new Ordinance. Harrington replied that the Ordinance has to do with inoperable vehicles. Storage of recreational vehicles, boats, etc. , will still be allowed on properties according to how the Municipal Code is written now. Trude explained that the Ordinance had been revised to enable the City to enforce Municipal Codes relating to nuisances. Linke also commented that the Ordinance would now give residents the opportunity to talk about various violations. Harrington advised that the Ordinance was not intended to cause anyone hardship. The City will be willing to work with residents on the nuisance issues as long as progress is being made to correct the situation. • Mounds View City Council Page 8 Regular Meeting March 20, 1995 George Grone, 8430 Knollwood Drive, stepped forward to address the Council regarding an incident last year where a large area of his property had been mowed by the City. He explained that he had property on which various types of grasses and wild flowers grew. After being notified by the City that the property should be mowed, Mr. Grone made no contact with City staff even though it was his desire to leave the property native. Eventually, the property was mowed by the City. Linke explained that the revised Nuisance Ordinance would inform residents when there was concern of a nuisance and would afford them an opportunity to come in and talk to the staff about possible solutions. Roger Westphal, 8232 Greenwood Drive, expressed concern over City Code regarding parking on the street. • MOTION/SECOND: Quick/Trude to Adopt Ordinance No. 556 Amending the Municipal Code of Mounds View by Repealing Chapter 604, Entitled "Nuisances", and Amending Title 600 by Adopting a New Chapter 607, Entitled "Nuisances" ROLL CALL VOTE: Mayor Linke - yes Councilmember Blanchard - yes Councilmember Quick - yes Councilmember Hankner - yes Councilmember Trude - yes VOTE: 5 ayes 0 nays Motion Carried E. Consideration of Water Shut Off Policy Don Brager, Finance Director, presented the Formal Introduction of Ordinance No. 551 Relating to the Procedure for Shutting Off Water Service for Delinquent Accounts and Amending Title 900, Chapter 906, Sections 906.11 and 906.13 of the Mounds View City Code and Consideration of Resolution No. 4692 Outlining Collection Policy for Delinquent Utility Bills. • The new collection policy for delinquent water service bills would eliminate sending notices by certified mail. The customer would be allowed 30 days after the bill is mailed before a reminder notice would be sent. The reminder notice would ask the customer to pay within 10 days or service would be discontinued. The new policy provides that anyone with a delinquent water service bill would have the right to come Mounds View City Council Regular Meeting Page 9 March 20, 1995 before the City Council and present evidence as to why their service should not be discontinued. Brager summarized the changes in the new collection policy which include the elimination of one request for payment which would have been sent under the previous policy. Conciliation Court would no longer be required to collect delinquent bills from multifamily accounts. Brager emphasized the need for residents with delinquent water service bills to contact the City staff so that financial arrangements can be made. MOTION1SECOND: Hankner/Blanchard to Approve the Formal Introduction of Ordinance No. 551 Relating to the Procedure for Shutting Off Water Service for Delinquent Accounts and Amending Title 900, Chapter 906, Sections 906.11 and 906.13 of the Mounds View City Code and Adopt Resolution No. 4692 Councilmember Trude expressed concern regarding the new water . shut off policy which would provide only two notices for delinquent bills as opposed to the previous policy which would provide four notices. If residents of an apartment building were to see a water shut off notice in the hallway of their building, they would be able to come to City Hall and file a written request for a hearing to slow the process until arrangements for payment were made. Trude felt the policy would put a heavy burden on residents of multifamily buildings. Mayor Linke commented that approximately $30, 000 had just been certified onto taxes because of delinquent water bills not being paid. He felt it was unfair that the taxpayers of the community were required to pay for those delinquent accounts. Councilmember Hankner related that the proposed collection policy would complement the community's goals of establishing a tenants' organization so those people will be afforded the opportunity to accept responsibility for things that are happening to them, rather than counting on government to take care of things for them. It would compel the start-up of a tenants' organization as well as an owners' organization, allowing those members to be responsible. Hankner said the important part of this policy change is to offer an appeals process so that anyone who disagrees will be able to bring the issue before the Council to explain. That would require apartment owners to be accountable for the Mounds View City Council i Regular Meeting Page 10 March 20, 1995 delinquent charges and to explain before the Council why they have not paid their water bill. Hankner felt this policy change was a step forward for the City. Trude said an automatic payment plan should be offered to avoid water shut off because of lost or misplaced bills. VOTE: 4 ayes 1 nay (Trude) Motion Carried F. Consideration of Resolution No. 4728 Transferring Funds from Continctency Account for Purchase of Furniture for Police Department Tim Cruikshank, Assistant to the City Administrator, reported that this item was a follow-up to a request that the Police Department had made at the March 6 Work Session. The Police Department has been in the process of outfitting their area with office furniture. Although they have been very frugal in doing so, additional funding in the amount of $1,800 is needed for the purchase of furniture. • MOTION/SECOND: Blanchard/Hankner to Adopt Resolution No. 4728 Transferring Funds from Contingency Account for Purchase of Furniture for Police Department VOTE: 5 ayes 0 nays Motion Carried G. Consideration of Resolution 4730 Appointing Diane Wuori and Public Works Director Mike Ulrich to the Rice Creek Watershed District Citizen's Task Force and Technical Advisory Committee MOTION/SECOND: Quick/Hankner to Adopt Resolution No. 4730 Appointing Diane Wuori and Public Works Director Mike Ulrich to the Rice Creek Watershed District Citizen's Task Force and Technical Advisory Committee VOTE: 5 ayes 0 nays Motion Carried H. Consideration of Purchasing and Adopting a Pavement Management Program Mike Ulrich, Director of Public Works, explained that at the March 8th Infrastructure meeting, staff expressed the importance of purchasing a Pavement Management Program for the City's streets. The adoption of this program would provide the means for forecasting future construction projects and • methods of pavement management. The system would be able to rate each segment of street in town according to the need in Mounds View City Council Page 11 • Regular Meeting March 20, 1995 terms of the type of repair or preventative maintenance. This program would provide a funding mechanism to estimate the funds required to do the pavement work. This would be a computer software program which would be funded from the Silver Lake Woods Fund. Although Mounds View would have the total software package and would be fully in charge of their own system, some of the training costs would be shared with SEH. Councilmember Quick commented that this Pavement Management Program would save the City money in the long run. Councilmember Blanchard requested clarification of the quote received from SEH for the purchase of the program. She also questioned if there were other firms which would furnish quotes for such a system. • Ulrich replied that there were no other firms that could furnish this system. He affirmed that approximately 10 or 12 other communities in the metro area presently use the system and are very pleased with it. MOTION/SECOND: Hankner/Quick to Approve the Purchase and Adoption of a Pavement Management Program from SEH Quick summarized that this program would provide staff and residents the information and guidance required to maintain the City's streets. VOTE: 5 ayes 0 nays Motion Carried I. Consideration of Resolution No. 4729 Appointing Members to the Joint District 621/City of Mounds View Partnership Task Force Samantha Orduno, City Administrator, offered a review of the District 621/City Partnership Task Force, advising that the membership appointments were removed from Resolution No. 4718 at the February 27 Council meeting to allow for discussion at the March 6 Work Session. At the March 6 Work Session, Councilmember Trude was recommended to represent the City Council, Councilmember Hankner to serve as Commissioner of the Economic Development Authority, and Dan Nelson to serve as the EDC representative. Councilmember Quick felt that the word "partnership" should be changed to "alliance" in the Resolution. Mounds View City Council i Regular Meeting Page 12 March 20, 1995 Councilmember Quick was named as an alternate and Councilmember Blanchard was named as a second alternate. MOTION/SECOND: Quick/Blanchard to Adopt Resolution No. 4729 Appointing Members and Alternates to the Joint District 621/ City of Mounds View Alliance Task Force VOTE: 5 ayes 0 nays Motion Carried REPORTS 1. Report of Councilmembers: Councilmember Quick: No report. Councilmember Blanchard: No report. Councilmember Hankner inquired as to whether any notification would be sent out with the water bills concerning the new water shut off policy. • Samantha Orduno, City Administrator, stated that it would be printed in the Newsletter to go out this month as well as being broadcast on Cable and it will be published in the New Brighton Bulletin. Councilmember Trude reported that a committee was being formed to write a manufactured housing park closing ordinance which would give people rights if parks would be closed. She had received calls from people concerned that there were not enough Mounds View residents on that committee. Samantha Orduno, City Administrator, explained that the managers of each of the three manufactured housing parks had been contacted and requested to furnish two names of residents to serve on this committee. Those people who would like to be on this committee need to contact the manager of their manufactured housing park and express their desire to serve. • Report of Mayor Linke: a. Reported that he had taken a trip to Washington, D. C. last week with the City Administrator for the National League of Cities Conference. Mayor Linke stated that the Conference was very informative and cited as an example a bill in Congress regarding "takings by cities," H.R. 925. Mounds View City Council i Regulaz Meeting Page 13 March 20, 1995 Councilmember Quick mentioned that explosives are stored on the property, which would impact the proposed plans. b. Commissioner Wedell attended the last Work Session and discussed the reconstruction of the intersection at Highway 10, Old Hwy. 8 and County Road H. The work was scheduled to be done by the County in 1996. That has been put back to 1997 because of funding. Report of Administrator: a. The Community Appreciation Dinner will be March 31 at the Bel- Rae Ballroom. Tickets are $10 per person and must be purchased by March 27. They will not be sold at the door. b. The Golf Course Superintendent has accepted a position in a different community, compelling the City of Mounds View to advertise to fill the position. c. The draft Environmental Assessment Report for the Proposed Airport Air Traffic Control Tower at the Anoka County/Blaine Airport had been received in the mail. A copy of the draft will be available at the library and one will be available at City Hall for the public. The hearing on this project is scheduled for April 19, at 7:00 p.m. , at the Blaine City Hall. Report of Staff: No report. Mayor Linke announced that the next Council Meeting will be March 27, 1995, at 6:00 p.m. The next Council Work Session will be April 3, 1995. ADJOURNMENT' There being no further business before this Council, Mayor Linke adjourned the meeting at 8:48 p.m. Respectfu~.ly submitted, udyVRi er ecordi g Secretary imeSaver Off Site Secretarial •