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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes March 24, 2009 Page 4 2 A. Consider Resolution 09-030 Awarding the Bid for Emerald Park. Jean Garborini, Close 3 Landscape, presenting. 4 5 Mayor Faust noted the proposed resolution was before the City Council two weeks ago. He has 6 reviewed the minutes and the video of the meeting. He asked whether the Council would like 7 another presentation by Ms. Garborini of Close Landscaping. 9 Consensus of the Council was that another presentation on the Emerald Park Project is not 10 necessary. 11 12 Motion by Councilmember Stille, seconded by Councilmember Roth, to adopt Resolution 09- 13 030; Awarding the Bid for Emerald Park Reconstruction with the Splash Deck. 14 15 Councilmember Gray stated his objection to the splash deck portion of the project. He stated he 16 is willing to move forward with the park improvements, but does not support $200,000 for a 17 water feature when there is a feature like this at Central Park. St. Anthony is a community that is 18 2 '/z square miles and Central Park is close to everyone in the community. He stated his position 19 that including the splash deck sends the wrong message at this time; he pointed out the recession, 20 and that people are losing their jobs and having their homes foreclosed on. He stated that the 21 children that were here tonight to receive their junior achievement certificates will be adults and 22 paying for the splash deck when the payments are due in years 13, 14 and 15 according to the 23 way the debt is structured. 24 25 Mayor Faust stated his support for including the splash deck in the park improvement project. He 26 stated as far as foreclosures, there are currently nine houses being foreclosed on in the City that 27 has a population of 2,500. Comparing this to the adjacent city of Columbia Heights, that city 28 should have approximately 30 foreclosures, but the actual number is 450. He stated the actual 29 cost of the payment on the debt will be about $3 per month per household when the payments 30 come on in years 13, 14 and 15. He stated if the splash deck is not done now it may never be 31 done. He commented on the positive aspects of children playing in the water. He stated 32 approximately 40% of the community is located in the area of Emerald Park with a high density 33 of young children in the area He stated his support of the children playing in the park with a 34 splash deck, drawing them out of the confines of a few hundred square feet in the nearby 35 apartment buildings during the heat of the summer. He pointed out that when he joined the City 36 Council the decision had already been made on the city hall building. He stated his position that 37 had they raised the price of the building 20% more they would not be having the issues they are 38 currently having with the building in relation to space and the gymnasium. 39 40 Councilmember Thuesen stated he still supports the renovation of Emerald Park, which is long 41 overdue for a major rehab. He stated his position that although the economic times are bringing 42 challenges to St. Anthony, it would be doing a disservice to the residents by continuing to serve 43 the community with a substandard park. The City would be getting into a situation that they 44 would regret if they were to delay this project. The bids came back favorable on this project and 45 a renovation at Emerald Park will serve the residents, especially the residents north of 37°i 46 Avenue. Fewer children will need to cross a very busy intersection if they renovate this park. 0