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6. SR 06-07-2010Item #6 fiver MEMORANDUM TO: City Council FROM: Lori Johnson, City Administrator DATE: June 7, 2010 SUBJECT: Joint Meeting with Sherburne County Board of Commissioners We look forward to hosting the Sherburne County Board of Commissioners, County Administrator Brian Bensen, and Sherburne County staff at a joint County Board/City Council on Monday to discuss items of mutual interest. The County and City staffs have excellent working relationships and partner often to bring efficiency to our respective organizations and to better serve our residents. Recently we have worked together on Northstar marketing, the proposed VA clinic, joint equipment use (a long standing practice), economic development initiatives, environmental issues, several joint public safety initiatives, and emergency management to name a few. I believe I can speak for all City staff in appreciation of the professionalism of the County staff, for their willingness to work together, and for offering their assistance when asked. It is critical now more than ever that we continue to build on the strong cooperation that already exists between the City and County elected officials and staff in order to provide services to our residents with fewer and fewer resources. Below is a list of possible discussion items for the meeting. In addition to the items listed, I expect that the County Board and City Council will have other items to bring up at the meeting. • Update on County's Transportation Plan - At the last joint meeting, the County staff gave an overview of the recently adopted County transportation plan. The City is interested in an update from the County on any changes to the transportation plan that may affect the City and the progress that has been made. • Board of Equalization and Assessor Update -Following the recent Board of Equalization meetings there were a few questions that came up about the application of assessment laws and how those apply to different types of parcels. Although it is unlikely that we will delve into specific laws at the joint meeting, the Council can S:\Public Bodies\Council\Loxi\2010\Joint Meeting w County 06 07 l0.doc identify their questions and request the County Assessor and his staff to provide additional specific information at a later date. ~ Pedestrian Trail Funding for Trails along County Roads -The Ciry Council most recently discussed this topic on Apri15, 2010, in relation to the Line Avenue area trail project where a trail connecting two neighborhoods is proposed along County Road 13. The City Council requested that the County participate in funding of that trail. I have not yet had an in depth discussion with County staff regarding funding this project; however, the County staff and County Board can give us an update on their policy and their willingness to jointly fund this trail next to their County road. • Household Hazardous Waste Facility -The City and County have previously had discussions about locating a household hazardous waste facility in the City of Elk River. This item is included for discussion simply to reiterate to the County our interest in having a more convenient location for Elk River residents and residents of eastern Sherburne County to dispose of their household hazardous waste. We look forward to cooperating with the County on this project. • Park Funding -The Council requested an update from the County Board on County park planning. The City is aware that the County is working towards extending the Great Northern Trail north to the County border. The extension of this trail will make this trail an even greater amenity and benefit to the area as it becomes a destination for biking and walling. The Council is interested in learning about park and trail plans that the County has and discussing ways that we can work cooperatively to enhance our respective trails and parks system. • SCORE Funding -See attached memo from Phil Hals. As I stated earlier, this list is a starting point for discussion and it is expected that elected officials and staff will have other items at the meeting. S:\Public Bodies\CouncIl\Loxi\2010\Joint Meeting w County 06 07 10.doc liver MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Phil Hals, Street Superintendent DATE: May 18, 2010 SUBJECT: SCORE Funding for Composting In light of recent budget cuts by the state, there is a strong possibility that SCORE funding for the compost and brush grinding will be severely cut or completely eliminated in 2011. Currently, the cities of the Sherburne County Recycling Board (Becker, Big Lake, Elk River and Zimmerman) contribute the machines and manpower to maintain each site, but each city would not have the budget to cover the grinding costs. Annual grinding costs run $12,000 to $15,000 per year, per site. With the threat of the emerald ash borer on the horizon, grinding costs could potentially triple. I would like to request that Council address the funding shortage when they meet on June 7 with the Sherburne County Commissioners. The County seems to be the key player in the compost funding dilemma and would they have funds to assist the Sherburne County Recycling Board with grinding costs? Options the county could explore: ^ Funding a grinder to be used throughout the County. ^ Cover the annual grinding costs for each compost site. ^ Installation of a gate system so that the cities involved can continue offering a compost site that is user funded. It should be noted that a gate system does come with a high cost of installation of approximately $18,000 to $20,000 per site. The cities of Elk River and Zimmerman are moving forward with a sticker program that was approved earlier this year by the respective City Councils. This pilot program will provide some indication of the public response to a user funded system. With the County's assistance, we are optimistic that we can come up with a funding solution to keep the compost sites operational in the future. The compost sites are extremely popular with Sherburne County residents and reduce green waste that would end up in the landfill or fill in wetlands, lakes and streams.