Laserfiche WebLink
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes <br />November 23, 2010 <br />Page 2 <br />2 Motion was made by Councilmember Roth, seconded by Councilmember Gray, to approve the <br />3 Consent Agenda items with the above amendment to the November 9, 2010 Council meeting <br />4 minutes. <br />5 <br />6 Motion carried unanimously. <br />7 <br />8 IV. PUBLIC HEARING. <br />10 None. <br />11 <br />12 V. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION AND STAFF. <br />13 <br />14 None. <br />15 <br />16 VI. GENERAL BUSINESS OF COUNCIL. <br />17 <br />18 A. Update from Congressman Keith Ellison. <br />19 <br />20 Congressman Keith Ellison provided a legislative update. He stated he would like to begin by <br />21 discussing appropriations. There have been a number of earmarks they were not able to fund, <br />22 and unfortunately they were not able to get the funding request fulfilled for the Silver Lake <br />23 Water Quality Improvement Project. He assured the City Council that his office values this <br />24 project and they will continue to work together on this project. He noted there are other ways to <br />25 fund projects other than through the earmarking process. <br />26 <br />27 Congressman Ellison provided information on the following appropriations that were approved <br />28 which affect the City of St. Anthony: 1) $500,000 for the design and construction of the Grand <br />29 Rounds National Scenic Byway Project that will connect St. Anthony Parkway with the East <br />30 River Parkway; 2) $20 million for the Bottineau Transit Feasibility Study; 3) hyperbaric oxygen <br />31 chamber replacement at the Hennepin County Medical Center; 4) key piece of medical <br />32 equipment for the new regional pediatric trauma center at Children's Hospital/Clinics in <br />33 Minnesota. <br />34 <br />35 Congressman Ellison stated earmarks are often misunderstood and that he is proud to stand next <br />36 to any earmark that he asks to be funded. He stated it is not spending above the budgetary cap; it <br />37 is congressionally directed funding. He stated it is important to mention that earmarks account <br />38 for less than %2 of 1% of total federal spending and stated his support of earmark funding as a <br />39 method to fund important local projects. He discussed projects funded through earmarks and <br />40 stated he has committed to transparency with all appropriations. <br />41 <br />42 Congressman Ellison provided an overview of the following legislation passed by the 111°i <br />43 Congress: <br />44 • Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act <br />45 • American Reinvestment and Recovery Act <br />46 9 Affordable Care Act <br />3 <br />