HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC MINUTES 090920141
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CITY OF ST. ANTHONY
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 9, 2014
CALL TO ORDER.
Mayor Faust called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
Mayor Faust invited the Council and audience to join him in the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL.
Present: Mayor Faust; Councilmembers Gray, Jenson, Roth, and Stille.
Absent: None.
Also Present: City Manager Mark Casey, Finance Director Shelly Rueckert, and City Engineer
Justin Messner (WSB & Associates).
CONSIDERATION, DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON ALL OF THE FOLLOWING
ITEMS.
I. APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER 9, 2014, CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA.
Motion by Councilmember Gray, seconded by Councilmember Jenson, to approve the City
Council Meeting Agenda of September 9, 2014.
Motion carried unanimously.
II. PROCLAMATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS - NONE.
III. CONSENT AGENDA.
A. Consider August 26, 2014, City Council meeting minutes;
B. Consider licenses andep rmits;
C. Consider payment of claims; and
D. Consider Memorandum of Understandine between the Citv of St. Anthonv Villaee and
St. Anthony New Brighton School District #282 for election services for their Special
Election which will be held in conjunction with the 2014 General Election.
Motion by Councilmember Jenson, seconded by Councilmember Gray, to approve the Consent
Agenda items.
Motion carried unanimously.
IV. PUBLIC HEARING.
A. Resolution 14-057; Setting the 2015 Proposed Tax Levy and General Operating Budget
for the City of St. Anthony Village.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
September 9, 2014
Page 2
1 Mayor Faust opened the public hearing at 7:02 p.m.
1)
3 Finance Director Rueckert stated that the proposed 2015 general operating budget and
4 preliminary tax levy were presented to the City Council on August 26, 2014, and no changes
5 have been made since that time. She stated that salary adjustments are estimated at 2015 union
6 settlement amounts, health insurance premiums will increase 10.5% with the City's share
7 estimated at 2015 union settlement amounts, the State has increased the PERA pension funding
8 requirements by 5.9% for police and fire and 3.5% for non -police and fire, workers'
9 compensation insurance costs are expected to increase 13%, property, casualty and liability
10 insurance costs will increase 12.25%, and utility costs are budgeted at a 5.1 % increase and reflect
11 proposed rate increases based on current consumption levels. She stated the 2015 overall levy is
12 $5,831,737, an increase of $218,900 or 3.9% over 2014. She discussed the impact of levy relief
13 and debt levy reduction and stated the average homeowner paid $813.14 for City services in
14 2014 or $67.76 per month and the average homeowner paid $460.70 for the road reconstruction
15 program during 2014 or $38.40 per month. She stated that since 1999 the City has received
16 approximately $18 million in grants and donations, or $2,276 per resident. She stated the 2015
17 general operating budget is $6,705,729, the increase in salaries, health insurance, and other
18 operating cost increases have been mitigated by the 2015 increase in LGA, liquor operation
19 transfers total $395,444, and the overall increase in all levies is 3.9%. She stated the Minnesota
20 Department of Revenue recently reminded taxpayers that money is being left on the table for
21 property tax refunds and urged residents to determine whether they qualify for a property tax
22 refund. She stated that another public hearing would be held on December 9, 2014, followed by
23 final adoption of the 2015 general operating budget and property tax levy at that time.
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25 Mayor Faust closed the public hearing at 7:21 p.m.
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27 Motion by Councilmember Roth, seconded by Councilmember Stille, to adopt Resolution 14-
28 057; a Resolution Setting the Proposed 2015 Tax Levy and General Operating Budget for the
29 City of St. Anthony Village.
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31 Motion carried unanimously.
32
33 B. Resolution 14-058; a Resolution Approving the Agreement for Residential Solid Waste
34 and Recycling Collection Services in Saint Anthony Village between the City and the
35 Consortium of Republic Services, Walters Recycling and Refuse, and Waste
36 Management and Authorizing the Mayor and City Manager to Execute Said Agreement.
37
38 Mayor Faust opened the public hearing at 7:22 p.m.
39
40 City Manager Casey explained that the recently enacted Organized Collection Statute requires an
41 exclusive 60 -day negotiation period with current licensed residential collectors and requires that
42 the City identify its priorities, that the collectors maintain their respective market share, and that
43 the terms of a contract be between 3-7 years. He advised that on April 30, 2014, the City began
44 its 60 -day exclusive negotiations with Allied Republic, Walters Recycling and Refuse, and
45 Waste Management, on June 30, 2014, the City Council received the initial proposal, and on
46 August 12, 2014, the City Council received a revised proposal and authorized staff to schedule a
47 public hearing on the proposal. He explained that the Organized Collection Statute is a
48 consumer driven statute intended to ensure consistent delivery of services, provide accountability
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
September 9, 2014
Page 3
1 in a transparent manner, and ensure that prices are absent of add-on fees such as fuel surcharges,
2 environmental or administrative fees and the City will ensure that all provisions of the contract
3 are enforced. He reviewed sixteen priorities developed by the City noting that one priority does
4 not carry more weight over another. He presented prices for small, medium, and large trash carts
5 and stated the contract has a five-year term with a Consumer Price Index adjustment in the
6 second year and pointed out that no surcharges or other fees can be charged other than normal
7 taxes currently paid by residents. He also presented comparative waste consortium rates from
8 Champlin, Vadnais Heights, and Little Canada, and stated the City would be divided into three
9 zones based on current market share of the collectors. He advised the collectors would handle
10 billing, customer service, and public education, the collection day is Wednesday with no
11 collection allowed before 7:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m., the contract provides for continued pickup
12 of recyclables and yard waste, snowbird status is available, the City has final approval of the
13 route, and alleys are required to be picked up first. He added that special pickup service is
14 available for those with a handicap or if someone needs assistance with their trash carts.
15
16 Ms. Mary Bonneville, 2801 Hilldale Avenue, stated she has had Walters for 54 years and they
17 make an accommodation for her and have been wonderful and she wants to stay with Walters.
18 She also asked about any charge for snowbirds.
19
20 Mr. Rich Hirstein, Allied Waste, stated all the haulers have agreed to accommodate special
21 requests, especially for seniors and those with a handicap or who have difficulty getting their
22 container to the curb and the haulers will not charge for snowbirds. He added that the haulers
23 would work with the City to establish the rules and make sure the rules are the same for
24 everybody and in the best interest of every citizen.
25
26 Ms. Lisa Wert, 2808 34th Avenue NE, stated she has had Waste Management for many years
27 and felt that residents should be able to pick their own haulers.
28
29 Mayor Faust stated the City has made a significant investment in its roads and the biggest
30 damage to roads comes from trash haulers because they cannot be limited to the amount of
31 weight they carry like other trucks. He stated the organized collection proposal means that
32 instead of having three haulers throughout the City there will be one hauler per zone, thus saving
33 wear and tear on the streets as well as being more cost effective, with those savings passed on to
34 residents. He stated the City has worked closely with the haulers and the prices shown are
35 transparent and he felt the proposed contract would serve the City well.
36
37 Ms. Jean Volna, 3501 Coolidge, stated she has been concerned for a long time about the trucks
38 rumbling through the streets especially after they had to pay for a new street. She commended
39 the City for the way it has handled all the issues and felt the City had done a good job.
40
41 Mr. Bill Volna, 3501 Coolidge, referenced Mn/DOT data that one garbage truck on a residential
42 street is equivalent to 10,000 cars and creates micro cracks that do not show up right away but
43 cause damage that shows up later. He expressed support for the organized collection proposal.
44
45 Ms. Lisa Wert asked if residents will see an increase in their bill or if they will stay the same.
46
47 Mayor Faust stated that a small trash cart and recycling is $15.97 per month plus tax and a large
48 trash cart and recycling is $20.14 per month plus tax with yard waste charged separately. He
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
September 9, 2014
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41 V
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43 VI.
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stated that Ramsey County offers a free yard waste drop-off site available to all St. Anthony
residents. He stated that organized collection is intended to level the playing field for everyone
so that all residents end up at the same price with the same level of service.
Mr. Mike Dommelly Waste Management, stated the haulers negotiated the rates based on the
entire City and residents are going to get a better rate because of efficiencies in this system.
Mayor Faust closed the public hearing at 7:50 p.m.
Motion by Councilmember Jenson, seconded by Councilmember Stille, to adopt Resolution 14-
058; a Resolution Approving the Agreement for Residential Solid Waste and Recycling
Collection Services in Saint Anthony Village between the City and the Consortium of Republic
Services, Walters Recycling and Refuse, and Waste Management and Authorizing the Mayor
and City Manager to Execute Said Agreement.
Councilmember Stille stated that a task force began discussing organized collection in 2008 and
at that time it was more slated toward an RFP process going to one hauler. He commended
Senator Marty for authoring the legislation and he felt this was going to be a win-win for
everyone. He stated most residents will see a savings on their bill, but reminded residents about
the intangible costs, i.e., the damage to the roads from the trucks, and organized collection would
eliminate a lot of truck traffic and environmental pollution. He stated he was in favor of the
proposal and felt it was going to be great for the City and its residents.
Councilmember Gray stated this has always been a contentious subject for cities and because of
the change in the law, the City has an opportunity to get an agreement in place that takes care of
everybody, even though it might not make everybody happy and some residents might lose their
current hauler, but overall he felt it was best for the City.
Councilmember Roth stated he would not support the resolution because some residents will end
up paying more for collection services and he felt the City could save more money and achieve
all of its goals by going to an RFP. He expressed concern about the 30% difference in price and
felt the community would be better served by doing an RFP.
Mayor Faust stated the City has to look out for the entire community and the City Council's job
is to make sure everyone is treated the same and to make sure there is a transparent level playing
field, adding he felt that the five-year contract in totality was going to be more advantageous to a
much higher percentage of residents than those who might currently have lower rates.
Motion carried 4-1 (Roth opposed).
REPORTS FROM COMMISSION AND STAFF - NONE.
GENERAL BUSINESS OF COUNCIL.
A. Resolution 14-059; a Resolution for the 2015 Street and Utility Project Receiving
Feasibilityport, Order Plans and Specifications. Justin Messner, City Engineer (WSB
& Associates)- presenting.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
September 9, 2014
Page 5
1 City Engineer Messner presented the 2015 street and utility improvement project for the
2 reconstruction of 36`h Avenue from Silver Lake Road to Highcrest and Chelmsford Road from
3 36`h Avenue to 37`h Avenue as well as alleyway pavement rehabilitation south of 291h between
4 Coolidge and Silver Lake Road and mill and overlay on St. Anthony Boulevard from Ridgeway
5 Parkway to the Minneapolis Diagonal Trail. He explained the project includes reconstruction of
6 the pavement, replacement of the sanitary sewer, replacement of the water main, and drainage
7 improvements. He advised the estimated street reconstruction cost is $1.4 million with 35% of
8 the cost assessable to residents, the estimated cost for sanitary sewer improvements is $350,000
9 with the entire cost borne by the City, the water main improvements are estimated at $346,000
10 with approximately $50,000 assessable to residents for replacement of the curb stop, the storm
11 sewer improvements are estimated at $191,000 with approximately $67,000 assessable to
12 residents, the mill and overlay project is estimated at $200,000 with the entire cost borne by the
13 City, and the alleyway improvements are estimated at $170,000 with 100% of the cost assessable
14 to benefiting properties, for a total estimated project cost of $2.6 million. He pointed out the
15 City is looking to add a backyard drainage improvement project between 34`h and Belden Drive
16 and explained that adding this into the 2015 project is intended to take advantage of economies
17 of scale and would be funded through the City's flood improvement program and a portion
18 assessed to benefiting property owners. He presented the project schedule, noting that several
19 public information meetings will be scheduled and once the contract is awarded, construction is
20 scheduled to begin in May 2015 with substantial completion in October 2015.
21
22 Councilmember Roth asked if any fire hydrants would be added as part of the project.
23
24 City Engineer Messner stated that the City analyzes its fire flow protection system with all street
25 improvement projects to make sure the system conforms to the fire code and one additional
26 hydrant will be required on 36`h Avenue.
27
28 Councilmember Roth requested the City Engineer look at the sidewalk along St. Anthony
29 Boulevard toward the interstate because it looks like the sidewalk has sunk and asked that the
30 City determine if the sidewalk can be repaired as part of the mill and overlay project.
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32 Councilmember Jenson asked about the criteria used to select the alleyway as part of this project.
33
34 City Engineer Messner explained that this is a T alley with entrance off Silver Lake Road and a
35 sharp turn to the north and the alley has numerous drainage problems and the haulers are
36 destroying the pavement because of the tight T. He stated the sharp T is not easily mitigated
37 because the City does not have sufficient right of way, adding that having one hauler in the area
38 will help; in addition, the City is exploring other pavement options at the intersection.
39
40 Motion by Councilmember Gray, seconded by Councilmember Roth, to adopt Resolution 14-
41 059; a Resolution Receiving Feasibility Report and Ordering Plans and Specifications for the
42 2015 Street and Utility Improvements.
43
44 Motion carried unanimously.
45
46 B. Resolution 14-060: a Resolution Ordering Improvements and Awarding a Bid for the
47 2014 Municipal Fiber Optic Installation Project. Justin Messner, City Engineer (WSB &
48 Associates), presenting.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
September 9, 2014
Page 6
2 City Engineer Messner presented the proposed municipal fiber optic installation project and
3 stated the project extends fiber from City Hall to the public works building, from public works to
4 Silver Lake Village Liquors, from City Hall to Market Place Liquors, and from City Hall to the
5 fire station. He stated the project would help establish and maintain a robust technological
6 foundation for the City and eliminate dependency on existing service providers with a goal to
7 eliminate potential increasing rates to the City. He explained the project will expand and ensure
8 current capabilities of the Police Department's record management system, liquor store inventory
9 management and security system management, City Hall records management, and park facility
10 management, including security systems and video surveillance. He advised that bids were
1 I opened on August 28, 2014, with a low bid from AEI Construction, Inc., in the amount of
12 $203,452.95 and the project will be funded primarily through a loan from the Water Filtration
13 Fund. He stated the project is scheduled to begin in October 2014 with substantial completion
14 the end of November 2014.
15
16 Councilmember Roth asked if the City has had any experience with AEI Construction.
17
18 City Engineer Messner replied that the City has not worked with AEI Construction, but noted
19 that the company's more common name is Arvig Construction and the City of Roseville has
20 done a lot of work with them and they are a well-known company in the industry.
21
22 Councilmember Roth noted that the engineer's estimate was approximately $300,000 and
23 suggested that some of the future phases be added to take advantage of economies of scale, given
24 the lower than expected bid received from AEI.
25
26 Mr. Bill Volna, 3501 Coolidge, approached the City Council and stated he works with a
27 company dedicated to protecting the national power grid and discussed a phenomenon called
28 electro magnetic pulse (EMP) from a solar flare that would shut down all electronics and their
29 company works on special enclosures that can protect electronics from EMP. He stated that fiber
30 optics is immune to EMP if the structure on each end is thoroughly protected.
31
32 Motion by Councilmember Roth, seconded by Councilmember Gray, to adopt Resolution 14-
33 060; a Resolution Ordering Improvements and Awarding a Bid for the 2014 Municipal Fiber
34 Optic Installation Project to AEI Construction, Inc., in the amount of $203,452.95.
35
36 Motion carried unanimously.
37
38 VII. REPORTS FROM CITY MANAGER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
39
40 City Manager Casey reported that the website contains a project information sheet about the
41 LED pedestrian safety improvements at Kenzie Terrace and 27th. He stated this project would
42 provide a flashing in -pavement signal similar to the LED signal adjacent to City Hall
43
44 Councilmember Roth — no report.
45
46 Councilmember Stille — no report.
47
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
September 9, 2014
Page 7
1 Councilmember Gray reported on his attendance at the September 4`h North Suburban Cable
2 Commission meeting and advised that the Strategic Planning Committee will be discussing the
3 decrease in funding for CTV, adding that the franchise agreement expires in October and will be
4 extended for six months.
Councilmember Jenson - no report.
8 Mayor Faust reported on his attendance at the September 8 Regional Council of Mayors meeting.
9 He also reported on his attendance at the September 9 MWMO board meeting. He announced
10 that the City would be expanding its services to MWMO effective October 1, 2014.
11
12 VIII. COMMUNITY FORUM.
13
14 Mayor Faust invited residents to come forward at this time and address the Council on items that
15 are not on the regular agenda.
16
17 Mr. Robert Lundeen, 3912 Fordham Drive, asked about the recent lawsuit filed by the Federal
18 government and requested information about the City's position related to the lawsuit.
19
20 Mayor Faust directed Mr. Lundeen to the City's website for information and indicated it would
21 be inappropriate for the City Council to talk about the lawsuit given the attorney-client privilege.
22
23 IX. INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
24
25 City Manager Casey invited residents to attend an open house on Monday, September 15, from
26 4:30-6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers regarding the pedestrian safety improvement project
27 planned as part of the City's receipt of the Highway Safety Improvement Program grant.
28
29 Councilmember Stille presented a flyer announcing an opportunity for Hennepin County
30 residents to get rid of household hazardous waste from September 18-20 at 2904 Fairmount
31 Street SE from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day. He stated he was not sure if Ramsey County
32 was hosting a similar event and asked staff to look into this.
33
34 X. ADJOURNMENT.
Ib`.
36 Mayor Faust adjourned the meeting at 8:54 p.m.
37
38 Respectfully submitted,
39 Barbara Hughes (TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.) j T C
40
41 ATTEST: Mayor
42 City Clerk