2003.12.01 CC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council meeting of December 1, 2003 Page 3 APPROVE RECOGNITION OF 2002 WATER FLUORIDATION QUALITY AWARD FROM THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH The City of Hugo's public works department provides water fluoridation for the City's water system. The Minnesota Department of Health has awarded the 2002 Water Fluoridation Quality Award to the City of Hugo for successfully maintaining optimal fluoride levels in meeting the fluoridation monitoring requirements of the State of Minnesota for all 12 months in 2002. Adoption of the Consent Agenda accepted the award and publicly recognized the Hugo public works department for its excellent work. APPROVE CAPITOL CITY MUTUAL AID AGREEMENT FOR HFD The HFD and the City of Hugo are members of the Capitol City Mutual Aid Association. As Council is aware, mutual aid associations allow cities to have immediate access to local fire departments under a reciprocal agreement, which provides emergency fire fighting services. The association has revised its agreement over the past several months, and provides a new agreement for approval by the City. The agreement includes a mutual aid fee schedule, which specifies an apparatus/vehicle rate per hour for fire fighting equipment. The agreement has been reviewed by the City Attorney for conformance with standard City agreements. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the Capitol City Mutual Aid Agreement for fire fighting services. TRUTH IN TAXATION PUBLIC HEARING In accordance with Minnesota state statute, cities with a population over of 2,500 must hold a public hearing in order to give residents the opportunity to provide public comment on the proposed 2004 City budget. At its September 2, 2003 meeting, Council scheduled Monday, December 1, 2003 to hold the Truth in Taxation public hearing. Mayor Fran Miron opened the public hearing to allow any and all residents the opportunity to provide continent on the proposed 2004 City budget. Julie Williams, director of the WBL Counseling Center, thanked Council for its support in the past, and asked for its financial support in the future. There were no other oral or written comments. Mayor Miron closed the hearing and allowed Council discussion with direction to staff regarding the adoption of the budget and tax levy at the Council's regular meeting on December 15, 2003. DISCUSSION ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY At its September 2, 2003 meeting, Council accepted staffs recommendation and hired Carolyn Krall and Landform to proceed with the final concept and design for the Hugo Downtown Project. Staff provided information at that meeting regarding the City's Economic Development Authority, which currently is the full City Council. Involvement of an EDA in the downtown project is important. Council directed staff to collect information regarding economic development authorities and to bring that information back to Council for discussion. CD intern Derrick Jensen researched the issue and collected information to share with Council. Minnesota State Statute regulates how economic development authorities may operate, which are generally responsible for business retention, business expansion, and business attraction. While there are other communities like Hugo where Councils function as the EDA, many communities appoint residents, who serve at the pleasure of 'the Council.