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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 2000/01/24PROCEEDINGS OF THE MOUNDS VIEW CITY COUNCIL CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA Regular Meeting ~ i { ~ ~ January 24, 2000 ~~ ~~ ' ,,U~ Mounds View City Hall 7~~~' ~ ~ ~ ~~, __. _~, 2401 Highway 10, Mounds View, MN 55112 7:01 P.M. 1. MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER Z. ROLL CALL: Coughlin, Marty, Quick, Stigney, and Thomason. NOT PRESENT: None. 3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA A. Monday, January 24, 2000, City Council Agenda Mayor Coughlin asked the Council if anyone would like to add items to the agenda. Mayor Coughlin requested the addition of Consent Agenda Item 7C, Approving the Recommendation for Planning Commission Chair. MOTION/SECOND: Stigney/Thomason. To Accept the January 24, 2000, City Council Agenda as Amended. Ayes - 5 Nays - 0 Motion carried. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Monday, January 10, 2000, City Council Minutes Council Member Stigney requested a correction to Page 12, second paragraph, first sentence, to indicate "Council Member Stigney explained he has already served as liaison to the Economic Development Commission, and the Parks and Recreation and Cable Commissions and has served as Liaison to the Planning Commission during the previous year." City Attorney Long requested a correction to Page 10, third paragraph, third sentence, to indicate "...Doctrine of Discretionary Immunity." Mayor Coughlin requested Page 9, fourth paragraph, first sentence, be amended to indicate the correct spelling of the name "Kate Drewerv." Mounds View City Council January 24, 2000 Regular Meeting Page 2 Council Member Marty requested a correction to Page 4, second paragraph, first sentence, to indicate "...the maximum driveway width in the R-1 Zoning District would increase from 35 feet to 35 feet or, the width of the garage plus 12 feet--whichever is greater." MOTION/SECOND: Marty/Stigney. To accept the January 10, 2000 City Council minutes as corrected. Ayes - 5 Nays - 0 Motion carried. 5. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS A. State of the City Address Mayor Coughlin presented the State of the City Address as follows: "Members of the City Council, Former Mayors, and Fellow Residents of Mounds View: In keeping with the rules and traditions of the City of Mounds View, the Mayor is required to address the residents at the start of every year. This is in order to provide yet another means to communicate the goings on within the City to the residents. In the past year, this Council has dealt with several items of considerable note. One of the first things done by this Council was to set time limits on its own meetings. Although this seems to be a small thing at first blush, having reasonable time constraints provided some motivation to cut to the chase and be efficient with the time that we have together. In addition to providing a new level of efficiency, having meetings end at a reasonable hour protects the overall process by keeping important and critical decisions from being made after the Council Members and staff are tired and fatigued. Great strides have been made in the past year in the way this community is communicated with by its Council. This Council passed a broad and extensive Cable broadcast policy by which, for the first time in the City's history, the various City commissions and boards were televised. Because much of what is done at the City level is discussed at the commission level, it is of great benefit to the community to have the opportunity to witness first hand, all levels of our City government. When concerns were raised that even this new policy was not extensive enough, an even broader policy was passed, to include all groups meeting in this building, which are subject to the State meeting laws. In addition to radically changing the broadcast schedule for our local cable access channel, the Council gave its blessing to the continued expansion of our Internet and e-mail capabilities. When I took office last year, the City's WebPage was generic and out of date. In one year, we now have a Website that contains vast amounts of information about the City's operations, and staff now receives more E-mail correspondence than it does telephone calls, on any given day. Now all members of this City Council and every staff member can be reached by E-mail. This • acceptance of the new communication technologies has provided more information into the hands of residents than at any time in the past. With much discussion, this Council adopted a new street reconstruction and replacement policy. Gone are the days when the City tells the residents what is going to happen to their streets and Mounds View City Council January 24, 2000 Regular Meeting Page 3 neighborhoods. With the help of a group of residents making up the Streets Committee Task Force, this Council adopted aresident-first policy for streets. Instead of having the project formulated by engineers and consultants who may not even Live in the City, the new policy sets up a three-year process by which City staff meets with residents to discuss the wants and needs of the neighborhood in regard to its streets. Also, gone are the days of the cookie-cutter "one size fits all" mentality, which imposes a single standard for width and extras, without regard for the needs and desires of a particular area and neighborhood. The new standard is to start with a more realistic approach to the size and character of the streets, and that is, to begin at a point where the road presently exists, unless you and your neighbors, and/or City staff determine that something different is needed. This policy puts the power back in the hands of the people, which is where it always belonged. When discussing the ongoing needs to rebuild and improve the streets in our City, this Council took on the task of finally setting up a long-term fund to help pay for all of the necessary street renovations that will require to be done in the future. This is an aging City, with a variety of infrastructure needs, and road repair is one of the most basic of those needs. This Council sought to look far into the future, and provide for future Councils and future residents, a funding source that will help offset the steep cost of such repairs. And so, for cone-year period, this Council increased the franchise fee on utilities by one and one-half percent, or approximately eighteen dollars per year, per household, on average, in order to raise the seed money needed to start such a fund. • The franchise fee was not increased without serious consideration of the situation. Nobody likes fees to increase, thus nobody on this Council is jumping up and down with glee over the prospect of a fee increase. However, facing the future of increased needs for street repair, along with limited sources of money for street renovation funds, the Council saw this need to prepare for our City's future as a goal of very high priority. We are not just planning for today, we are planning for our City's future. This Council recognized that because a previous Council set up a bond payment schedule for our golf course that made even our successful course unable to meet its debt obligations, additional sources of revenue had to be sought. It was decided, after much discussion and debate, that billboards would be permitted on golf course property for a limited period of time, so as to provide some or all of the necessary funds to pay down the debt of those golf course bonds. Again, nobody on this Council is a big fan of billboards, however, the limited use of billboards was seen as the most cost-effective means of raising some or all of the additional revenues needed to counter a poorly constructed debt arrangement at the golf course. However, even now, I want to remind the people that our golf course is doing very well, and is being operated at top efficiency by golf course staff. The original development and financing package may have been dreadfully done, however, the course itself is exceeding all expectations, and is viewed as one of the best executive courses in the region." . Mayor Coughlin spoke to the issues the City continues to face, as follows: "Probably the most disheartening of conversations that I have had in this past year, were with local officials and staff of other municipalities. The perception of our City from the outside is Mounds View City Council January 24, 2000 Regular Meeting Page 4 not a very flattering one. As one person told me, "Mounds View is made up of two types of people, those who don't care, and those who are fervently opposed to basically everything." I recognize such comments are unfair to the many people who do care about, and work towards making this City a good place to live. There is an entire audience full of Lions' Club members that speak to this. However, we can not completely discount the perceptions that others have of our City. I personally have witnessed individuals crossing the line from policy discussions into personal attacks, even wishing harm to come to particular people, and that is not just wrong, that is evil. Along with the City facing elements of apathy and irrational anger, I am also concerned that we face increased racial prejudice. In the past year or so, I have heard an increase in racial jokes and slurs. I have even received some telephone calls from people who are also concerned about this problem. Mounds View, in the past few years, has become home to individuals and families of a variety of ethnic and racial backgrounds, however, let me remind you that diversity is not a goal, it is simply a fact. None of us had a choice as to who are families are, where we were born, or what color God painted us. Intolerance should not be tolerated in Mounds View. How do we combat the elements of intolerance, apathy and anger that is in our community? There are no easy answers, however, I would like to make a few suggestions. Communication is the key to understanding. The more opportunities we can provide for people to interact and get to know each other, the better, and through this interaction there will be far less fear and mistrust. • This Council has provided many new and unique ways of communicating with the residents, however, we must all realize that it is everyone's responsibility to stay informed, and to have confusing information explained. Some of the negative responses to items that have been considered by this City and this City Council were the result of misunderstandings and lack of education on a subject. We can provide all of the information in the world, through the televising of meetings and the Internet, however, if residents do not take the time to understand that information, the goal of communication falls flat. In addition to our yearly Festival in the Park get together, I believe there are other ways that residents can interact with each other at different times of the year. One suggestion I would ask the Council consider helping to coordinate, would be an all-City garage sale. On a selected weekend, all of the residents wishing to participate in an all-City garage sale would have their garage sales listed in the City newsletter and in the local newspaper. Not only would this provide a citywide event in which the residents can participate, it would also provide a positive view of our City to our surrounding neighbors. Finally, and most importantly, we must recognize that hearts and minds will not magically change, just because we want them to. We need to seek the face of higher wisdom for help and guidance, and today I would call upon the local churches, their leaders, and their membership, to join together to help sponsor a series of prayer breakfasts here in Mounds View. In an era when so many social ills plague our society, gathering churches together to pray for our community seems like something that is long overdue. In the meantime, I would ask that those inclined to do so, please pray for our community. This is a good community, and at its core there are good people, wonderful people, who call this City home. Let us all pray that the best of who we are can continue to flourish in Mounds View. Mounds View City Council January 24, 2000 Regular Meeting Page 5 . I thank you in advance for those prayers, and for your attention." B. Recognition of Sergeant Jerry Johnson, recipient of a Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, Lions Club International Foundation. Mayor Coughlin presented Sergeant Jerry Johnson with the Lion's Club International Foundation Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, for his dedicated humanitarian services. He extended his congratulations to Sergeant Johnson, adding that this is the rarest of rare awards in the nation. Mayor Coughlin indicated the Chief of Police, although unable to attend this presentation due to along-scheduled prior commitment, has issued the following statement: Dear Sergeant Jerry Johnson, On January 7, 2000, Mr. Ray Long of the Lion's Club informed me that you had been selected to receive the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award. Mr. Long also explained to me the meaning of the award, and the prestige that is involved. It is therefore, with profound pride that I congratulate you on your reception of this award. Your community work and dedication to the community you serve are exemplary. The example you set for the entire Police Department in humanitarian deeds and public service is outstanding, and one that I hope everyone strives to achieve. I commend you for your unselfish actions that led to this international award, and encourage you to keep up the good work. Your actions certainly reflect favorably on the Department. Sincerely, William A. Clark Chief of Police of Mounds View Mayor Coughlin presented Sergeant Johnson with a Certificate of Appreciation, which was signed by Police Chief Clark and himself, in further acknowledgement of his service to the community of Mounds View and the surrounding area. Sergeant Jerry Johnson stated it has been his pleasure to serve the community for 25 years. He indicated that this is a great community, and although he was not born Mounds View, he considers it his home. Ed Nelson, President of the Mounds View Lion's Club extended his congratulations to Sergeant Johnson. He indicated their club is a hard working, fun-loving family, and everything they undertake as part of their service to the community is approached in this spirit. He stated Lion Jerry Johnson is a prime example of this. 6. REPORTS Council Member Stigney reported that at the Charter Commission meeting on January 13, 2000, the Commission responded to the proposed Charter Amendments presented to them by the City Mounds View City Council January 24, 2000 Regular Meeting Page 6 Council. He indicated those responses had been directed to the City Administrator, and should Council Member Stigney reported that he, as well as all of the Council Members, had attended the joint meeting of the Economic Development Authority and the Economic Development Commission, which was held on January 20 for the discussion of Tax Increment Financing policies. be coming before the Council for review, in the near future. Mayor Coughlin reported that in addition to the joint Economic Development Authority/Economic Development Commission meeting, which was televised, a computer seminar was held at City Hall to provide a rudimentary working knowledge of the E-mail system. He explained that this would be an ongoing learning process. He added that this was also meeting was also videotaped, and anyone interested in viewing this information was invited to do so. Mayor Coughlin reported he attended the January 19 meeting of the Planning Commission, in his capacity as rotational Council Liaison. He stated the only item before the Commission was the issuance of a variance for property located on Old Highway 8. He advised that this road requires a 40-foot setback, and the setback of the structure on the property was found to be 37.33 feet. He explained that the property was changing hands, and the variance was required in order to provide for a clean transfer of ownership. He stated he had also attended the Economic Development Commission meeting, during which, the Commission elected their new officers. • Mayor Coughlin extended his appreciation to Pinewood Elementary School Teacher, Mrs. House, and her third grade class. He stated he had the opportunity that date, to instruct this class regarding all different levels of government. He indicated he had been asked many questions regarding a variety of topics, and this was a fun time. He noted that the students had all obtained his autograph, E-mail address, and telephone number at City Hall. He wished the students well, adding that they should feel free to contact him regarding any questions they may have. Mayor Coughlin advised that the previous Friday evening, a significant water main break had occurred in the City. He noted such incidents are not uncommon in municipalities, and a variety of these occur throughout the course of the year, during which time, the municipalities combine their efforts to resolve these situations. He explained that Council Member Thomason had obtained a videotaped news report which depicted the events surrounding this incident and acknowledged the hard work of the Public Works Department, and the expeditious manner in which the problem was resolved. With the permission of Care 11 Television, the videotaped report was presented to the Council at this time. Mayor Coughlin stated this particular report was selected because the sentiments expressed echoed his own. He explained that everything he had witnessed was the best that the City has to offer. He extended his appreciation to the Police Dispatch, who had provided him with information to pass on to a number of concerned residents who had contacted him in regard to this incident. He congratulated Public Works Director Michael Ulrich, and Crew Chief Tim Pittman and his staff, who had done a marvelous job in a very short period of time. He commented that this broken water main was located 7 feet below frosty ground. Mounds View City Council January 24, 2000 Regular Meeting Page 7 Acting Administrator Ulrich stated he had been kept occupied by reporters during the water main break, however, the crew had done an excellent job. He indicated they did not view themselves as the heroes that many people may, as they consider this to be a part of their fob, and perform this work oftentimes during the winter. He noted that a water main break had also occurred in the city of New Brighton on the day of this incident, and two more had occurred that date. He added that during the previous week, there was a water main break on Long Lake Road, however, this event had gone relatively unnoticed by everyone except the crew who had shut it off. He pointed out that anytime there is a break in a large water main, and a gas leak occurs, it will attract some attention. He reiterated that the crew had done an excellent job. He stated they know what they are doing, and do it very well. Mayor Coughlin extended further appreciation to the Fire Department, Police Department, and Northern States Power, who also had a crew onsite. Acting Administrator Ulrich stated the procedures that were followed had worked very well. He indicated that he and a previous staff member had attended a training session pertaining to emergency operation centers, and although this incident was a small exercise in this regard, it mimicked the types of scenarios that can occur. Community Development Director Jopke announced that the Planning Commission would be holding a public hearing on the updated Comprehensive Plan, at 7:00 p.m. on February 9. He invited the citizens to attend this meeting, and learn about the new Comprehensive Plan. No further reports were considered. 7. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approve Just and Correct Claims B. Licenses for Approval C. Approve Recommendation for Planning Commission Chair. Mayor Coughlin asked the Council if anyone would like to remove Items for discussion. MOTION/SECOND: Stigney/Thomason. To Approve the Consent Agenda for Items A, B, and C, as presented. Ayes - 5 Nays - 0 Motion carried. 8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None. 9. RESIDENTS REQUESTS AND COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR . Former Mayor, Duane McCarty stated he believed the entire community applauded Mayor Coughlin's message, in that it is correct, they should attempt to find the things that are right, and work together to further the positive aspects of Mounds View. He indicated that he was in complete agreement with a statement made by former President Bush, as it relates to "a kinder and gentler Mounds View." He stated however, by the same token, they must summon the Mounds View City Council January 24, 2000 Regular Meeting Page 8 courage to make those things that are wrong, right. He presented the Council with a written statement which he had prepared for consideration, and read the statement as follows: "A week before the January 13th meeting of the Mounds View Charter Commission, I learned that meeting had been changed to a place outside of City Hall. I called a Charter Commissioner to verify whether the customary City Hall meeting place had, in fact, been changed. I was assured the meeting place had not been changed, on the basis of what that Commissioner knew at the time. I arrived at City Hall about 6:45 p.m., on January 13th, intending to observe Charter Commission proceedings, only to find City Hall dark and locked. There was no notice regarding any change in the meeting place posted on the front door. I mentioned to the Charter Commission Secretary, who was also waiting outside City Hall, what I had heard, and wondered if it weren't true, after all. By checking the informational packet she had in her briefcase, we discovered that the meeting had been changed to another location, something she hadn't noticed before. When we finally located the Charter Commission ready to call to order in a side room of a local pub, I was both offended and outraged. This change from the customary meeting place had been ordered by the Charter Commission Chairperson, who took full responsibility, with explanation added. What I found particularly troublesome was that two Charter Commissioners justified their own consent to meeting away from City Hall by publicly charging this City Council with past actions of like kind. Quote: "The City Council does this all the time, making decisions in secret away from City Hall." Ordinarily, I take such statements in spontaneous debate to be basically well • meaning human error devoid of critical malice. But in this instance, the condemnation came from two court-appointed officers of the Charter Commission. This City Council represents the citizens of Mounds View, and any loss of trust by this elected body, unfortunately, has an insidious way of negatively reflecting upon the very people you have sworn to honorably serve. I don't think it is overly dramatic at this time, to take some advise from Shakespeare's Othello, where Iago proclaimed ...Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls: Who steals m~purse steals trash; `tis something, nothing; `Twas mine, `tis his, and has been slave to thousands: But he that filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him And makes me poor indeed. This City Council is being robbed of your good name. Also, experience has it that negative reflections on your membership oftentimes brands our larger community as well. I am petitioning this City Council to meet your responsibilities under Sec. 2.08 of the City Charter. Investigation of City Affairs. "The Council may make investigations into the affairs of the city and the conduct of anY city department, office or ag_ency and for this purpose may subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony, and require the production of evidence." • I do not believe public accusations like those I mention here can be swept under the rug, because they were made behind the scenes when the citizenry's ability to observe first hand was in effect curtailed. This isn't an off the cuff closed club winking situation. I clearly heard a public charge of violations to the open meeting law by this council. I hold that must be either proven an appropriately correct, or disproved and put to rest on behalf of the citizens of Mounds View." Mounds View City Council January 24, 2000 Regular Meeting Page 9 • Mayor Coughlin stated he was concerned regarding the accusations that have been thrown around, and has heard rumors of such, himself. He suggested however, in light of the State of the City address, and in having a good Christian attitude toward this, the Council take the high road, and simply assume that the individuals making these statements are ill informed. He explained that this would be preferable to calling people to come in, and subpoenaing them, thereby falling into the same play of "guilty until proven innocent." He suggested that a kinder and gentler approach would be to sit down and clear the air with the membership of the Charter Commission that appears to have this problem with himself, or other members of the Council. Mayor Coughlin stated for the record, the people who have indicated their discontent have never, ever contacted him in this regard, or discussed these things with him. He pointed out that although there are a variety of means available to contact him, he has never heard from any of these people, therefore, he is concerned that allegations should be made, without having the opportunity to confront the accusers, which is a tradition of this Country. Mayor Coughlin stated he respected Mr. McCarty's position, as a grandfather of the Charter, and having authored a portion of the document, however, it would be best to deal with this in a less confrontational manner, to determine if it is simply a bad misunderstanding Mr. McCarty stated he had no problem with this. He explained that he simply feels very strongly that the officials of the City, in particular, have a higher calling to accuracy and responsibility for what they publicly state, as these statements reflect back onto the City. • Mr. McCarty indicated he was aware of the origin of this situation. He explained that the City Council had held team building seminars outside of City Hall, as did his council, the council before them, and council's all around the Metropolitan area. He stated those team building seminars were conducted with appropriate notification to the public, and in fact, were attended by the public at one time, and out of this, some misperceptions have grown. Mr. McCarty stated he agreed with Mayor Coughlin, in that if the Charter Commission could come in and meet with the Council, and find some common ground, this would be a better solution. He pointed out however, the Council does have the authority, under the City Charter, to take testimony, administer oaths, and clear the air on behalf of the citizens of Mounds View, and if this is viewed as a last resort, he will bow to that decision. Mayor Coughlin stated that if there are just particular individuals who are having these problems, he would further suggest that instead of taking this matter to the level of a meeting between the two groups, he would publicly request these individuals contact him. He indicated that he is available at City Hall on Mondays, having set aside one day a week to meet with citizens. He explained that all day long, citizens come in and out of his office, and he encourages and enjoys this, because it provides him with the full pulse of the City. He added that he actually comes to City Hall almost every day, and would attempt to accommodate any work schedule to resolve this matter. He reiterated however, it would be best to deal with this in the least confrontational manner possible, recognizing that Section 2.08 of the Charter reserves the right of the Council to go beyond that if need be. Mr. McCarty requested the Council keep him abreast of what occurs in this regard. He stated he was hopeful for a positive outcome, however, he does not believe the Council can afford to let Mounds View City Council January 24, 2000 Regular Meeting Page 10 these things slide, as they have gone on too long, and in too many ways. He stated the Council i owed it to the citizens of Mounds View to keep the slate clean. Mayor Coughlin stated in keeping with his tradition, he will continue to attempt to communicate with everyone who comes before the Council during this portion of the meeting, and will honor this by keeping Mr. McCarty informed in this regard. There were no further requests or comments from the floor. 10. COUNCIL BUSINESS A. Second Reading of Ordinance No. 637, an Ordinance Amending Chapter 1008 (Signs and Billboards) of the Mounds View Municipal Code Pertaining to Permitted Signage in PF Public Facilities and CRP Conservancy, Recreation, Preservation Zoning Districts. City Attorney Long requested consideration of this item be laid over until the next meeting of the City Council. He advised that some changes were necessary, which although not substantive, pertain to Sections of the Code, and therefore, should be incorporated into this ordinance, to provide it is in proper form. Mayor Coughlin inquired if it was the consensus of the Council to lay over consideration of this item until the next City Council Meeting. • The Council agreed. B. Consideration of Resolution No. 5410, a Resolution Adopting Right-of--way Permit Fee Schedule. Director of Public Works Ulrich stated several weeks ago, the City Council adopted the new Right-of--way Ordinance. Through this ordinance the City has the right to manage the public rights-of--way, and to charge a permit fee for any type of construction, maintenance or repair of any of the private or public utilities within the right-of--way. Director of Public Works Ulrich stated the resolution before the Council adopts the Right-of--way Permit Fee Schedule, as well as some rules and regulations pertaining to the governance and maintenance of the rights-of--way. MOTION/SECOND: Marty/Quick. To Approve Resolution No. 5410, a Resolution Adopting Right-of--way Permit Fee Schedule. Ayes - 5 Nays - 0 Motion carried. C. Consideration of Resolution No. 5411, a Resolution Amending Personnel Policy Manual. Assistant to the City Administrator Reed stated Resolution 5411 removes all references to insurance continuation from the Personnel Manual. She explained that in December, the Council received a memorandum from Karen Carlson, of Kennedy and Graven, which indicated that it Mounds View City Council January 24, 2000 Regular Meeting Page 11 might be inappropriate for the City to terminate health care benefits after an employee has been on workers' compensation leave for six months. Attorney Carlson has therefore, officially recommended that those sections and references to insurance continuation be removed from the Personnel Manual. MOTION/SECOND: Quick/Marty, To Approve Resolution No. 5411, a Resolution Adopting Changes to the City of Mounds View Personnel Policy. Council Member Stigney pointed out that some of the terminology of the memorandum appeared to indicate that they would deal with these matters on a "one-on-one" basis. He inquired how it would be possible to apply different treatment to the individual cases. Assistant to the City Administrator Reed stated Attorney Carlson had advised that the blanket statement pertaining to insurance continuation should be removed, as the decisions regarding workers' compensation were not solely up to the City. She explained that this insurance is utilized for different reasons, and other parties, such as Berkley Administrators, are involved in the decision making process in these cases. Ayes - 5 Nays - 0 Motion carried. Mayor Coughlin reiterated his appreciation to City staff and the Public Works Department for an exemplary job, as well as the Police and Administrative Departments, who do much work behind the scenes, and should be commended in that regard. Council Member Stigney advised that the Council/Staff Retreat would be held on January 31, 2000, at the Northland Inn, and would be open to the public. 11. Next Council Work Session: Monday, February 7, 2000 - 6:00 P.M. Next Council Meeting: Monday, February 14, 2000 - 7:00 P.M. 12. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Coughlin adjourned the meeting at 7:54 p.m. Transcribed and recorded by: Trish Pearson Timesaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. • MOUNDS VIEW CITY COUNCIL MEETING ~ o~ d Please sign in N~111 F. ADDRESS