HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC MINUTES 031020151
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CITY OF ST. ANTHONY
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
MARCH 10, 2015
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 Brever, Gray, Jenson, and Stille.
Absent: None.
Also Present: City Manager Mark Casey, Fire Chief (Mark Sitarz), Liquor Operations Manager
(Mike Larson), and City Engineer Todd Hubmer (WSB & Associates).
CONSIDERATION, DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON ALL OF THE FOLLOWING
ITEMS.
APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 10, 2015, CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA.
Motion by Councilmember Gray, seconded by Councilmember Brever, to approve the City
Council Meeting Agenda of March 10, 2015.
Motion carried unanimously.
I. PROCLAMATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS - NONE.
H. CONSENT AGENDA.
A. Consider February 24 2015 City Council meeting minutes;
B. Consider licenses and permits; and
C. Consider payment of claims.
Motion by Councilmember Stille, seconded by Councilmember Jenson, to approve the Consent
Agenda items.
Motion carried unanimously.
III. PUBLIC HEARING.
A. Resolution 15-025 • a Resolution Ordering Improvements for the 2015 Street and Utility
Improvement Project Todd Hubmer, WSB & Associates, presenting.
Mayor Faust opened the public hearing at 7:02 p.m.
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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
March 10, 2015
Page 2
City Engineer Hubmer explained that the 2015 street and utility improvement project includes
street reconstruction of 36`h Avenue from Silver Lake Road to Highcrest and Chelmsford Road
from 36th Avenue to 37`h Avenue, as well as backyard drainage improvements on Belden Drive,
alleyway improvements south of 29th Avenue between Coolidge Street and Silver Lake Road, an
LED pedestrian crossing at Kenzie Terrace, and mill and overlay on St. Anthony Boulevard from
Ridgeway Parkway to the Diagonal Trail. He advised that the City is aware of special needs and
events in this year's project and urged residents to contact the City as soon as possible if there
are other events the City needs to be made aware of. He stated that notices have been sent to
residents advising them that CenterPoint Energy will be replacing their gas lines during this
year's project and noted that CenterPoint is obligated to televise all gas mains as a precautionary
safety measure and the company performing this work is Mi -Tech Services. He stated that the
City will replace the portion of driveways removed during reconstruction and residents have the
option of obtaining an estimate from the contractor for replacement of their entire driveway. He
stated construction is anticipated to begin in April or May with substantial completion in
September 2015. He reviewed the project costs and funding breakdown and stated the total
project costs are estimated at $2.8 million with approximately $621,000 assessable to residents
and the remaining costs paid by the City. He advised that the backyard drainage improvement
project was brought by resident petition and will be funded from the City's flood grant program
with 35% assessable to residents or $32,447 and the City paying $80,753. He reviewed the
assessment calculations used by the City as well as the City's policy related to street and local
drainage improvements. He explained the City's method for determining front footage and
presented examples of how the City calculates front footage. He stated that residents can pay off
the entire assessment in the first year by November 30`h or they have the option of making a
partial payment by November 151 of the first year to avoid future interest charges; otherwise the
assessment is applied automatically to property taxes payable over 15 years at an interest rate
that is 2% over the True Interest Cost. He presented an assessment payback table listing several
examples. He also presented a map depicting the assessed parcels in the 2015 project and stated
that notices will be sent to residents advising them when the project will start.
Ms. Eugenia Voytovich, 3300 36th Avenue NE, asked about the impact to her underground
sprinkler system.
City Engineer Hubmer advised that the contractor will remove a portion of the sprinkler system
and plug it off so that the rest of the system remains operational and when the project is done, the
contractor will put the sprinkler system back in place.
Mr. Rod Rabine, 2800 34th Avenue NE, asked if the Belden Drive drainage project was set to go
and stated he was not in favor of this project and did not think there was a problem.
Mayor Faust stated that the City Council considers these projects in a holistic manner and
acknowledged that some improvements do not always impact all properties and that is why the
City assesses at 35%. He stated the City Council believes this policy represents good
government and aims to treat all residents fairly and equitably, adding that the City Council will
make its decision based on what is best for the entire City.
Mr. John Froehle, 2812 34`h Avenue NE, stated he is being assessed for drainage improvements
because the water runs off his land but he has made no changes to his property. He stated when
the houses at the bottom of the hill were built, someone should have put in this drainage at that
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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
March 10, 2015
Page 3
time or should have figured out not to build in that area. He stated the City is assessing people
benefiting from this but he does not benefit one iota from this, adding he was glad something is
being done so neighbors can have dry basements but he does not have a wet basement and this
does not benefit him. He asked if there was anything offered to the residents who said no to this
project and reiterated he does not want to pay for it, adding that his taxes are already paying for it
through the 65% share.
Ms. Sherry Stenberg, 2816 34`h Avenue NE, stated she is opposed to the drainage improvements
and wanted to know what else was considered. She asked if rain gardens or other ways to utilize
water were considered. She stated she lives on a hill and has standing water at the bottom of her
yard and she has landscaped it to make use of that water. She felt if the residents asking for
these improvements needed this project, they should get it without assessing the others, adding
this project would not help her at all.
Ms. Bobbie Ann Fredsall, 3318 Belden Drive, stated she is one of the benefitting residents. She
stated she bought her house in 2003 and it never occurred to her or her neighbors to the east that
they would have so much of a water problem. She stated they have put in thousands of dollars
and are still not guaranteed this will fix the problem.
City Engineer Hubmer advised the City looked at different alternatives for the drainage
improvements and one of the options was to restore an open channel flow, however, because of
all the fences, landscaping, trees, etc., that option is more expensive than the current option and
is more disruptive and the proposed option was the least expensive and least intrusive.
Mr. Mike Johnson, trustee of Elmwood Church, stated that during last year's project the
contractor parked their vehicles in the church parking lot and asked if that will happen again.
City Engineer Hubmer advised that City staff are working with church staff on reasonable
accommodations for parking of contractor vehicles during construction.
Mayor Faust closed the public hearing at 7:35 p.m.
Motion by Councilmember Stille, seconded by Councilmember Jenson, to approve Resolution
15-025; a Resolution Ordering Improvements for the 2015 Street and Utility Improvements.
Councilmember Stille acknowledged the drainage improvements should have been done when
these homes were originally built and it is hard to go back and correct that. He stated the City
has been through this before and there needs to be a level of consistency with these projects and
the way that the improvements are assessed.
Mayor Faust stated the City has always used a 35%/65% formula for assessing. He stated the
City Council has previously heard the argument about being on top of a hill, but those homes are
contributing to the issues downstream and he wants people to have safe, dry homes.
Motion carried unanimously.
B. Resolution 15-026• a Resolution Adopting and Confirming Assessments for the 2015
Street and Utility Improvement Project Todd Hubmer, WSB & Associates, presenting.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
March 10, 2015
Page 4
Motion by Councilmember Gray, seconded by Councilmember Stille, to approve Resolution 15-
026; a Resolution Adopting and Confirming Assessments for the 2015 Street and Utility
Improvements.
Motion carried unanimously.
IV. REPORTS FROM COMMISSION AND STAFF - NONE.
10 V. GENERAL BUSINESS OF COUNCIL.
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12 A. Resolution 15-027• a Resolution Awarding a Bid for the 2015 Street & Utility
13 Improvement Project Todd Hubmer, City Engineer (WSB & Associates), presenting.
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15 City Engineer Hubmer advised the City received six bids for the 2015 street improvement project
16 and the lowest responsible bidder was Latour Construction, Inc. with a bid of $2,299,956.95.
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18 Motion by Councilmember Stille, seconded by Councilmember Brever, to approve Resolution
19 15-027; a Resolution Awarding a Bid for the 2015 Street and Utility Improvements.
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21 Motion carried unanimously.
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23 B. Resolution 15-028• a Resolution Approving the Amended North Suburban Cable
24 Commission Joint and Cooperative Agreement for the Administration of Cable
25 Commission Franchise. Mark Casey, City Manager, presenting.
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27 City Manager Casey explained that the Joint Powers Agreement was amended to reflect current
28 practices and to create consistency and clarity as well as to reflect the withdrawal of the City of
29 Shoreview from the North Suburban Communications Commission. He stated the Joint Powers
30 Agreement was also revised to change the withdrawal schedule from October 15 to July 1 to
31 better manage the budget process.
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33 Councilmember Gray stated that the Joint Powers Agreement was last amended in June 1999 and
34 includes several minor refinements with the biggest change being that if a member city wants to
35 leave the commission it must do so by July 151 and may withdraw at any time up to October 15"'
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37 Councilmember Jenson asked if the withdrawal of Shoreview would have any financial impact
38 on the City.
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40 City Manager Casey replied there would be no direct impact to the City.
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42 Motion by Councilmember Jenson, seconded by Councilmember Gray, to approve Resolution
43 15-028; a Resolution Approving the Amended By -Laws of the North Suburban Communications
44 Commission and North Suburban Cable Commission Joint and Cooperative Agreement for the
45 Administration of a Cable Communications Franchise.
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47 Motion carried unanimously.
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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
March 10, 2015
Page 5
C. St Anthony Fire Department Annual ReportMark Sitarz Fire Chief, presenting.
Fire Chief Sitarz presented the 2014 Fire Department annual report and presented the Fire
Department's organizational chart and stated there were two promotions during 2014. He
discussed the responsibilities of the Operations Division and stated there were 1,363 total calls
for service in 2014, a 51 % increase, and also discussed the types of calls responded to by the Fire
Department. He stated that the average patient age is 70 years and the Fire Department had an
average response time of 2 minutes 33 seconds, which is consistent with prior years. He stated
that the OSHA mandate for training is 24 hours per year and last year the Fire Department's
average training was 130.8 hours per member. He stated that the Fire Inspections Division
conducted 256 general fire inspections in 2014 and it is the goal of the Fire Department to get
into every building in the City every two years. He stated that fire prevention and public
education is an important part of the Fire Department's role and during 2014, 731 adults and
1,112 children received the Fire Department's message through school visits, fire safety
presentations, CPR training, and the annual open house. He stated that Mattie Jaros has taken
over responsibility for the open house and last year there were 500 people who attended the Fire
Department's open house. He also discussed the Code Enforcement Division's responsibilities
handled by Rick Lundeen and Jim Hoska. He stated that all of the Fire Department employees
have demonstrated their desire to give back to the community and to make a difference in the
lives of others and the men and women of the St. Anthony Fire Department are true examples of
what "committed to serve" means.
Councilmember Gray stated that the open house was a great event and Mattie Jaros did a great
job. He commended the Fire Department's handling of the carbon monoxide incident last year
and stated he is convinced that lives were saved because of the way the Fire Department handled
the situation.
Councilmember Stille stated it is evident that the Fire Department staff is compassionate about
what they do and that is a reflection of the Fire Chief. He thanked Fire Chief Sitarz and all of the
members of the Fire Department for their service.
Councilmember Brever stated the City is very fortunate to have Fire Chief Sitarz and thanked
him for his willingness to serve.
Councilmember Jenson commended Fire Chief Sitarz and all the Fire Department employees.
Mayor Faust expressed thanks and appreciation on behalf of the City Council and all residents to
Fire Chief Sitarz and everyone on the Fire Department for their dedication and service to the
community.
D. St Anthony Liquor Department Annual ReportMike Larson Liquor Operations
Manager, presenting.
Liquor Operations Manager Larson presented the 2014 Liquor Operations Annual Report and
recited the mission statement and vision statement. He stated the profits of the municipal liquor
operation are used to reduce the City's property tax levy and provide funds for special projects
and equipment purchases for all City departments. He presented a graph of the five-year and ten
year profit history and indicated that 2014 profits were lower due to expansion of a national
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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
March 10, 2015
Page 6
liquor store chain into the market and the closing of retail stores at Silver Lake Village. He
reviewed sales by category and stated that 34% of gross profits comes from the sale of beer. He
advised that the turn ratio is six times per year and the City's liquor operations are ranked 7`h in
the State and 6`h out of 19 in metro area net profits. He stated the liquor operations staff
participated in goal setting in February 2014 to determine short term and long term goals for the
liquor stores. He advised that the liquor stores received the Lillie Suburban Readers Choice
Awards for Best Wine and Best Beer selection and received the Sun Focus Newspaper award for
Best Liquor Store. He discussed 2014 events and upcoming 2015 events including the spring
wine sampling on March 281h from 2:00-5:00 p.m. He stated the Liquor Operations staff
appreciates the support it receives from City departments as well as the City Council. He stated
there is no doubt that 2014 brought many challenges with the expansion of the national liquor
store chain and the closing of the Wal-Mart and they will continue to experience major changes,
including possible legislation to allow grocery store sales and Sunday sales and they will adapt to
the new normal through goal setting, maintaining their vision to provide a unique retail
environment while providing safe, clean stores that drive long-term customer loyalty.
Mayor Faust acknowledged that 2014 was a tough year for the Liquor Operations and implored
the Liquor Operations staff to stick to their vision. He expressed the City Council's thanks and
appreciation to all of the Liquor Operations staff for doing an outstanding job.
VI. REPORTS FROM CITY MANAGER AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
City Manager Casey reported on the "Cops v. Kids" basketball event on March 3`d. He reported
on the Police and Fire Departments' participation in the Polar Plunge at Lake Calhoun on March
7`h He advised that on Monday, March 16` , the Fire Department will be conducting a training
exercise at the Wal-Mart building. He stated that the City recently sent a trifold mailer regarding
organized collection that starts April I" and indicated another postcard will be sent next week.
He reminded residents to leave their garbage cans out on March 25, 26, and 27 and the haulers
will be switching the cans for those residents who will be changing haulers. He noted that
garbage can be left in the containers and encouraged residents to call with any questions.
Councilmember Brever reported on her attendance at the Sister City meeting on March ls`.
Councilmember Jenson reported on his attendance at the City Council work session on March 91h
and the City Council joint meeting with the Parks Commission.
Councilmember Stille reported on his attendance at the City Council work session on March 9`h
where the City Council discussed solar panels. He also reported on his attendance at the March
9`h joint meeting with the Parks Commission where the City Council's goals were presented.
Councilmember Gray reported on his attendance at the March 9`h City Council work session and
the March 5`h North Suburban Communications Commission and Access Corporation meetings.
Mayor Faust reported on his attendance at the following:
• February 25`h focus group meeting hosted by the League to discuss technology
• March 5`h Legislative Day and a meeting with elected officials regarding taxes
• March 91h City Council work session and joint meeting with the Parks Commission
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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
March 10, 2015
Page 7
• March 10`h MWMO meeting.
VII. COMMUNITY FORUM.
Mayor Faust invited residents to come forward at this time and address the Council on items that
are not on the regular agenda. Hearing none, Mayor Faust moved forward with the agenda.
VIII. INFORMATION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
Mayor Faust reminded residents to leave their garbage cans out on March 24, 25, and 26.
IX. ADJOURNMENT.
Mayor Faust adjourned the meeting at 8:31 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Hughes
(TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.)
�G. 2All,..A�44N4 .�
Mayor