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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC MINUTES 07081975 Meeting Sheet IIIIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIVIIIIIIIIIII 105704 Box: 35 Folder: CC MINUTES AND AGENDAS 1975 Document: CC MINUTES 07081975 CITY OF ST. ANTHONY COUNCIL MINUTES July 8"-, 1975 The meeting was called to order by Mayor Miedtke at 7:30 P.M. The following were present for roll call: Sauer, Miedtke, Haik and Sundland. Absent: Stauffer Also present: Jerry Dulgar, City Manager Jim Fornell, Adm. Asst. Since he was absent when the motion to accept the agreement with District #282 for the leasing of Park View School was made June 24, 1975, Councilman Sundland asked that he be allowed to enter his opposition to the action into the Council minutes for that date. He said he based his opposition to a lease of such short duration and felt that there should have been more consideration given to the comparison of costs of remodelling Park View and the upgrading of the present City Hall. There was some discussion with Councilman Haik on the 4th condition attached to the approval of the Seils Sterling Circus as contained in page 5 of the minutes and it was indicated that sufficient security was being provided. Mr. Dulgar also reported that his contacts with Rochester had indicated that City had no problems with the circus during their recent stay there. He did, however, report that he had discovered that the circus intended using a smaller tent at Apche than they had previously used and that the owners had reluctantly agreed to have the City provide fire watchers with the circus paying the costs of the safety measure. He said the Fire Department felt this was a necessary precaution since it was anticipated that 2,500 persons would attend each performance. Motion by Councilman Sauer, seconded by Councilman Sundland to approve the June 25, 1975 Council minutes with the inclusion of Councilman Sundland's opposition to paragraph 6, page 5. Motion carried unanimously. The Human Relations Committee minutes for June 9 and 17th were discussed. Councilman Haik relayed the query from the Committee whether the City of St. Anthony employed an Affirmative Action Policy in hiring personnel. Mr. Dulgar said there was not a definite policy at present but that he anticipated one would be initiated soon. He said that, though most hiring is done independently, testing for the Police and Fire departments was done by either Minneapolis or Minnesota State employees. The minutes were directed filed. Motion by Councilman Sundland, seconded by Councilman Sauer to adopt Resolution #75-034. RESOLUTION 75-034 A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE TRANSFER 4 OF REVENUE SHARING MONIES Motion carried unanimously. s -2- The Manager said he was compiling a complete listing of projects for which Revenue Sharing funds had been used as well as the amount the City may anticipate receiving for 1975-76. The Council discussed Mr. Dulgar's comments and recommendations regarding the replacing of boulevard trees lost to disease, etc. Before acting on the measure, the Council asked the Manager to provide a cost analysis as well as a report on how other communities handle their similar problems of tree replacement. Councilman Sundland questioned whether the City might end up replacing any tree which died of old age or whatever cause and wondered if the City would be assuming complete responsibility for the trees it planted. Action on budgeting for tree replacement was tabled to enable the Manager to provide a cost analysis as well as a report on how other communities handle the same problem. Motion by Councilman Sauer, seconded by Councilman Sundland to adopt the Rules and Regulations for the Police Department as presented by the Manager. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Councilman Haik, seconded by Councilman Sauer to adopt the recommend- ations of the Manager regarding the hourly salary to be paid to the City's parttime firefighters. Motion carried unanimously. A •group of residents who had water and sewage backed up in their basements at various times during the heavy downpours experienced throughout the metro area the last few months were in attendance to discuss their problems with the Council and ask what the City was doing to prevent a recurrence of the flooding. Among these were Dick Fillion, Dale Myhran, Mr. & Mrs. Michael Fitzgerald and Martin O'Brien of West Armour Terrace; Norman Cavanaugh and Gerhard Bentler of 29th Avenue N.E.; Frank Budnicki and Ray Eklund of Wilson St. N.E. and Rodger Ness of Pahl Avenue N.E. The points they raised included whether the problem could have resulted from the hooking up to the new storm sewer system; the possibility of the storm or sanitary sewers being damaged when Hwy 8 was being reconstructed; whether the Industrial park sewage had overtaxed the lines, and whether a break in the sanitary sewage lines allowed storm water to infiltrate. The Manager told of the City's efforts to lower the catch basins and rod all the lines where a problem had developed. He said the City planned to borrow a closed television system from Columbia Heights and City Maintenance personnel were being trained in its use so that the lines could be televised in an effort to spot trouble areas. He stated he didn't believe the sanitary system for the Office Park was in any way connected with that which served West Armour Terrace and did not think the installation of the catch basins on 29th Avenue would solve the problem. Mr. Cavanaugh, a former member of the City Council, said he felt the wrong decis- ion was made by the Engineer when the sanitary system for the city proper was combined with that of the Industrial Park. He and several of the others present did not believe the drain tile flow into the sanitary system could be the cause of the problem since the flooding occured with such a force all at once many of them experience no similar incidences in identical storms previous years. / '3` Mr. Cavanaugh was opposed to the ordinance being considered by the Council which would prohibit the disposal of any runoff of ground water into the sanitary system. Councilman Sauer pointed out that the main sewage lines into Minneapolis were so clogged during the storms that the waste waters from St. Anthony were carried out of the City fast enough and backed up. There was a discussion of the high water table of St. Anthony and the fact that the drainage down the hilly areas of the City could have caused a backup into the homes at a lower level. The Manager said the Fire Department was compiling a list of trouble spots in the City from calls received from the residents and urged those present to alert City officials the minute they noticed backups into their homes. He said he had initiated a quicker response timetable for the Maintenance Department explaining the difficulty of getting all the workers on the job immediately after a crisis. He also said the City would continue to pump out the manholes and then would respond to resident6'1 requests for pumping out their flooded basements. Mayor Miedtke invited all to use his home phone number in the event the emergency numbers for the City were busy. The residents then discussed with the Council members the hazards of having electrical and gas fixtures inundated with backup water as well as the health problems of having sewage in the basements or the physical and mental stress experienced by residents who have to pump out their basements and clean up the • debris. The Sun reporter, Jim Richardson, was asked to inform his readers of the potential hazards. The Manager said he would investigate the feasibility of different devices residents could use as shutoff valves on their sanitary systems. The Fngineer was to be consulted on what could be done to prevent further flooding of residences and the residents were invited to attend the July 22nd Council meeting to ascertain the results of these investigations. The meeting was recessed at 9:15 and resumed at 9:25 P.M. for consideration of turning Silver Lane back to the City by Ramsey County. It was decided to table action on this proposition until the lst meeting of the Council in September to allow for the completion of reconstruction of Silver Lake Road. Mr. Donald Cottle, 2919 Silver Lane, then protested the Council's inc%ction to prevent Ramsey County from rebuilding Silver Lake Road "right up to six inches of his property line" and allowing the center island to be constructed which now forces him to make "4 turns into heavy traffic to reach his own driveway and the erection of "huge semaphore" which were like "Christmas trees" flashing on and off in his front yard. He said a disability provided only a limited income and the rebuilding of his driveway and garage door because of the new construction resulted in a financial hardship he felt he should not have to bear. He also expressed his dissatisfaction with the Council's threatening of condemnation • proceedings to secure "even more of my front yard" for a walkway and their decision to prohibit an adjustment of his side property line with his neighbors. -4- Mr. 4-Mr. Dulgar told of his contacts with the Ramsey County Highway Department to ascertain whether they could change their plans for widening that corner to that extent and said they appeared reluctant to change their plans. He also advised the Council that the City would probably have to bear the cost of any change order which might result from Ramsey County's agreeing to such changes. Mr. Keith Enrooth, 290+ Silver Lake Court, also protested the extent to which the corner was being widened and showed the Council a drawing illustrating what he thought were changes which could be made in Ramsey County's plans to lessen the amount of their encroachment on land for the new roadbed. Mayor Miedtke pointed out to them that a puhlic hearing had been held before the construction of the road was started and no one had mentioned any such objections with the exception of Mr. Cottle who only protested the placement of the island in the middle of the roadway which would cut off his entrance to his driveway. He said that all residents who were present at the hearing were primarily concern- ed that traffic control be established at that point and that Ramsey County only acceeded to the City's request for semaphors there after much City persuasion. He said the Council, hearing no objections to Ramsey County's plans for the road construction had accepted the plans and the contracts had already been awarded and construction started. Councilman Haik said she didn't understand how far Ramsey County intended cutting into the corner of Silver Lane and Silver Lake Road when she voted to approve the plans and questioned whether so much land was actually required for the turns, citing County Road E as an example of a similar corner, where Ramsey County had not required such an extensive usage of land. She said the semaphors at County Road E did not require the amount of protection which the highway department now • said was necessary for those they were installing at this intersection. No further action was taken. Motion by Councilman Haik, seconded by Mayor Miedtke to approve the agreement with Ramsey County for the construction of concrete walks across the intersection islands. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Councilman Sauer, seconded by Councilman Haik to approve the agreement with Ramsey County for construction of a left hand turn into the Hedlund property subject to the receipt of a signed agreement and payment for the work from Mr. Hedlund. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Mayor Miedtke, seconded by Councilman Haik to withhold approval of the resolution suggested by the League of Minnesota Municipalities which supported the intent of the Open Meeting Law but listed changes in the law which the League felt should be considered by the State Legislature. Voting on the motion: Aye: Haik, Miedtke, Sundland • Nay: Sauer Motion carried. . -5- Motion by Councilman Sauer, seconded by Councilman Sundland to approve the changes in bus routes through St. Anthony as presented by the Metro Transit Commission. Motion carried unanimously. Following_ a discussion of under what conditions the City might have to underwrite the expenses for the Bicentennial dance in February the following motion was made: Motion by Councilman Sundland, seconded by Councilman Haik to direct the City Manager to contact the Chairman of the committee sponsoring the Bicentennial dance to request a tentative budget anticipated for the dance. Motion carried unanimously. Councilman Sundland reported on his attendance at a convention in Kentucky where he heard the details of Senator Huddleston's bill #1769 which would create a National Fire Prevention and Control Board and the ramifications of its effect on the building codes and standards for the municipalities. Motion by Councilman Sauer, seconded by Councilman Sundland to grant all licenses listed in the July 10, 1975 agenda. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Councilman Sundland, seconded by Councilman Haik to approve payment of $2,499.81 to the Dorsey Firm for services rendered during May, 1975. • Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Councilman Sauer, seconded by Councilman Sundland to approve payment of dues amounting to $940 to the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Councilman Sundland, seconded by Councilman Haik to approve payment of all the verified claims listed in the July 10, 1975 agenda. Motion carried unanimously. There was a discussion of the sales receipts for the two liquor stores and the "2 for 1" promotions at each as well as the addition of lunches served at noon at Store �''l1. Motion by Councilman Sauer, seconded by Councilman Haik to adjourn the meeting at 10:45 P.M. Motion carried unanimously. _ , f Mayor •C/G�f� ATTEST• Clerk q/A • X& )C' Mander-