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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 2020/04/27APPROVED PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW CITY COUNCIL CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting April 27, 2020 Mounds View City Hall 2401 Mounds View Boulevard, Mounds View, MN 55112 6:37 P.M. 1. MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER Mayor Mueller reported due to the COVID-19 pandemic this meeting would be held virtually. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. ROLL CALL: Bergeron, Gunn, Hull, Meehlhause, Mueller NOT PRESENT: None. OTHERS VIRTUALLY PRESENT: Nyle Zikmund, Mark Beer, Don Peterson, Jon Sevald, Rayla Ewald and Scott Riggs. 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA A. Monday, April 27, 2020, City Council Agenda. MOTION/SECOND: Gunn/Meehlhause. To Approve the Monday, April 27, 2020, agenda as presented. ROLL CALL: Bergeron/Gunn/Hull/Meehlhause/Mueller. Ayes — 5 Nays — 0 Motion carried. 5. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approval of Minutes: April 13 B. Just and Correct Claims. MOTION/SECOND: Bergeron/Gunn. To Approve the Consent Agenda as presented. ROLL CALL: Bergeron/Gunn/Hull/Meehlhause/Mueller. Ayes — 5 Nays 0 Motion carried. Mounds View City Council April 27, 2020 Regular Meeting Page 2 6. PUBLIC COMMENT None. 7. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS A. MMKR Principal Aaron Nielsen presenting the 2019 Audit. Aaron Nielsen, MMKR, provided the Council with a presentation on the 2019 Audit. He reported the City's financial statements are fairly presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. He explained the City received an unmodified or clean opinion. He discussed the increase in the City's estimated market value and tax capacity. The financial position of the General Fund was reviewed, along with general fund revenues and expenditures. The balance within the City's utility funds was discussed further with the Council and Mr. Nielsen asked for comments or questions. Mayor Mueller requested a definition on the difference between a restricted and unrestricted fund. Mr. Nielsen provided the Council with the definitions for these fund types. Council Member Meehlhause questioned why the Police Departments expenditures had exceeded the budget in 2019. Finance Director Beer reported this was due to three different factors. He indicated these factors were the settlement with Officer Demarest, the retirement of Deputy Chief Menard and overtime payments. The consensus of the Council was to accept the 2019 Audit. Mayor Mueller thanked Mr. Nielsen for this thorough report on the 2019 Audit. 8. COUNCIL BUSINESS A. Public Hearing: Resolution 9257; Approval of a Conditional Use Permit for an Oversized Garage at 3016 Woodale Drive. Community Development Director Sevald requested the Council approve a conditional use permit for an oversized garage for the property at 3016 Woodale Drive. He reported the applicant was proposing to tear down the existing house and detached garage in order to build a new home with an attached garage. He explained City Code requires that any garage larger than 952 square feet have a conditional use permit. It was noted the applicant's proposed garage would be 1,117 square feet. In addition to the conditional use permit, the applicant also required a variance to reduce the front yard setback. He indicated the Planning Commission approved the variance. Staff commented on the request further and noted the Planning Commission recommended approval of the request. Mayor Mueller opened the public hearing at 7:08 p.m. Hearing no public input, Mayor Mueller closed the public hearing at 7:09 p.m. Mayor Mueller requested the address within the first "whereas" statement within the Resolution Mounds View City Council April 27, 2020 Regular Meeting Page 3 be corrected. Jennifer Oxendale, 3016 Woodale Drive, thanked the Council for their consideration. The plan to tear down the existing and to build the new house and garage stemmed from the family's strong desire to continue to live here in Mounds View. MOTION/SECOND: Gunn/Hull. To Waive the Reading and Adopt Resolution 9257; Approval of a Conditional Use Permit for an Oversized Garage at 3016 Woodale Drive. ROLL CALL: Bergeron/Gunn/Hull/Meehlhause/Mueller. Ayes — 5 Nays — 0 Motion carried. B. Public Hearing: Resolution 9266; Approval of a Conditional Use Permit for an Oversized Garage at 2520 County Road H2. Community Development Director Sevald requested the Council approve a conditional use permit for an oversized garage for the property at 2520 County Road H2. He reported the applicant was proposing to remove the existing detached garage in order to build a larger one. He explained City Code requires that any garage larger than 952 square feet have a conditional use permit. It was noted the applicant's proposed garage would be 1,196 square feet. Staff commented on the request further and noted the Planning Commission recommended approval of the request. Mayor Mueller opened the public hearing at 7:15 p.m. Hearing no public input, Mayor Mueller closed the public hearing at 7:16 p.m. Mike Ellefson, 2520 County Road H2, thanked the City Council for considering his request. Council Member Meehlhause asked if fewer vehicles would be stored outside after the new garage was constructed. Mr. Ellefson stated this would be his goal. MOTION/SECOND: Meehlhause/Hull. To Waive the Reading and Adopt Resolution 9266; Approval of a Conditional Use Permit for an Oversized Garage at 2520 County Road H2. ROLL CALL: Bergeron/Gunn/Hull/Meehlhause/Mueller. Ayes — 5 Nays — 0 Motion carried. 9. REPORTS A. Reports of Mayor and Council. Council Member Gunn stated the Suburban Ramsey County Emergency Coalition had been formed to assist the communities served by School District #621 and #623. She discussed the groups that were involved in this organization. The purpose of this organization was to raise funds to be used by local non -profits that serve the community, such as food shelves and CSC. She encouraged the community to consider supporting this organization through Minnesota Give. Mounds View City Council April 27, 2020 Regular Meeting Page 4 Council Member Meehlhause reported on April 201h Tara Jebens-Singh began as the President/CEO of NYFS. He encouraged the City Council to send an email to Jerry Hromatka wishing him the very best in his retirement. Mayor Mueller stated the NYFS Leadership Luncheon would now be held virtually on Wednesday, May 6th Mayor Mueller reported she virtually attended an eight mayors' meeting this afternoon. She explained the group discussed concerns regarding income and expenditures, along with future fears stemming from COVID-19. She commented all cities had similar concerns regarding lost revenues. She indicated most cities had waived late fees for utility bills and were talking about prorated fees for liquor licenses. She reported another major concern expressed was for small businesses and restaurants. She provided further comment on how cities were working through essential and first responder possible Covid-19 exposures while still providing essential services for residents. Mayor Mueller commented on the meetings she would be attending virtually in the coming weeks. Mayor Mueller stated she was proud to report the Ramsey County Emergency Communication Center has statistics that show there has been no drop in the level of services being provided to residents in the community. She explained workers in the emergency communication center have been able to social distance in the St. Paul location and all workers were remaining healthy. Mayor Mueller indicated she was sorry for all of the events that had been lost to COVID-19. She encouraged the seniors that were graduating from high school and college in 2020 to rise up and be the next greatest generation. She hoped when this was all over celebrations would be able to be held. Mayor Mueller encouraged all Mounds View residents to be counted and to fill out their 2020 census information. Council Member Gunn encouraged all residents to wear a mask when visiting retail establishments in the community in order to keep themselves and employees of the retail establishments safe. B. Reports of Staff. 1.) Personnel Manual Legal Update City Administrator Zikmund reviewed the items the City Council would be addressing at its upcoming worksession meeting. He commented staff had been working on a personnel manual update. He noted there was one item within the personnel manual that required discussion which was how the City categorizes non-union, non-selective bargaining employees. He stated in all cases Kennedy & Graven recommends the employees be `at will'. Mounds View City Council April 27, 2020 Regular Meeting Page 5 City Attorney Riggs discussed the `at will' recommendation in further detail with the Council. He explained this recommendation was supported by the League of Minnesota Cities. He reported the 'at will' standard offered the most simplified and flexible scenario for the Council. Human Resources Coordinator Ewald stated she was available for comments or questions from the Council. Mayor Mueller thanked the Personnel Committee and staff for their work on the personnel manual. She stated she was surprised to learn the City was not an `at will' employer. Council Member Meehlhause reported this distinction was new to him and he supported the recommendation of staff and the City Attorney. Council Member Hull agreed. Council Member Gunn recalled this matter was brought up some time ago and was not resolved. She was pleased this issue was being brought forward again. City Attorney Riggs confirmed that the City Council had discussions about `at will' in the early 2000's, but no consensus was reached to the best of his recollection. Council Member Bergeron stated he supported the proposed changes to the personnel manual. City Administrator Zikmund thanked the Council for the feedback and noted he would provide the Council with a copy of the new personnel manual prior to the May 4th worksession meeting. City Administrator Zikmund explained he received delivery confirmation on the certified letter to the Doll Property. He reported the clock ticks for the next 30 days and this information has been conveyed to the developer. Community Development Director Sevald stated a demolition permit would be received in the next week or two for Snyder's. He commented the Skyline property was in a holding pattern at this time. City Administrator Zikmund reported the Police Chief had prepared a statement on several events that occurred over the past weekend and placed it in the Council mailboxes. C. Reports of City Attorney. City Attorney Riggs had nothing additional to report. 10. Next Council Work Session: Monday, May 4, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. Next Council Meeting: Monday, May 11, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. Mounds View City Council April 27, 2020 Regular Meeting Page 6 11. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:57 p.m. Transcribed by: Heidi Guenther Minute Maker Secretarial