3.1. DRAFT MINUTES 09-20-2010MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL
• HELD AT THE ELK RIVER CITY HALL
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2010
Members Present: Acting Mayor W'estgaard and Councilmembers Zerwas and Motin
Members Absent: Mayor Klinzing and Councilmember Gumphrey
Staff Present: City Administrator Lori Johnson, Finance Director Tim Simon,
Environmental Administrator Rebecca Haug, Environmental Technician
Nicki Blake-Bradley, Fire Chief John Cunningham, Building Official Bob
Ruprecht, Accounting Clerk Lori Stich, and City Clerk Tina Allard
Call Meeting To Order
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River City Council was called
to order at 6:31 p.m. by Acting Mayor Westgaard.
2. Consider 09/07/2010 A eg nda
MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER MOTIN AND SECONDED BY
COUNCILMEMBER ZERWAS TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. MOTION
CARRIED 3-0.
• 3. Consider Consent Agenda
MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER MOTIN AND SECONDED BY
COUNCILMEMBER ZERWAS TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING CONSENT
AGENDA:
3.1. COUNCIL MINUTES.
^ AUGUST 2, 2010 REGULAR.
^ AUGUST 9, 2010 WORKSESSION.
^ AUGUST 13, 2010 JOINT W/SHERBURNE COUNTY.
^ AUGUST 13, 2010 CANVASSING BOARD.
^ AUGUST 1G, 2010 REGULAR.
3.2. CHECK REGISTER AS OUTLINED IN THE STAFF REPORT.
3.3. SOLICITOR LICENSE TO BRIAN SMITH, AMEN ROOFING AND
CONSTRUCTION, LLC, VALID THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2010.
3.4. CHANGE JULY 12, 2010 COUNCIL MINUTES AS OUTLINED IN THE
STAFF REPORT.
3.5. SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT TO ELK RIVER HIGH SCHOOL FOR A
HOMECOMING PARADE ON FRIDAY
OCTOBER 1
2010 WITH THE
,
,
FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:
1. GARBAGE CLEAN-UP SHALL BE COMPLETED
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE PARADE.
2. SIGNS SHALL BE FURNISHED AND INSTALLED ON
SEPTEMBER 24 AS DETAILED ON THE ATTACHED FIGURE
IN THE STAFF REPORT. UPON COMPLETION OF THE
City Council Minutes
September 7, 2010
Page 2
PARADE, ALL SIGNS SHALL BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED.
• THE SIGN SHEETING SHALL BE ORANGE WITH BLACK
LETTERING, REFLECTIVE, AND MOUNTED ON A 30X30
ALUMINUM PLATE. THE SIGNS SHALL BE MOUNTED ON A
TYPE 2 BARRICADE, AS PICTURED ON THE ATTACHED
FIGURE, OR APPROVED EQUAL. THE BARRICADES SHALL
BE SECURED TO AN EXISTING SIGN OR POLE TO
PREVENT THEM FROM BEING REMOVED OR TIPPED
OVER.
3. POLICE AND RESERVE SUPPORT WILL BE PROVIDED FOR
TRAFFIC CONTROL.
4. NOTICE OF THE EVENT MUST BE GIVEN TO AREA
CHURCHES AND APARTMENT COMPLEXES AFFECTED BY
THE PARADE ROUTE.
5. CANDY MAYBE HANDED OUT AT THE PARADE BUT IS
NOT ALLOWED TO BE THROWN FROM MOVING OBJECTS.
3.6. PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 17-23, 2010 AS CONSTITUTION WEEK.
3.7. PURCHASE SKI-DOO SKANDIC GROOMING SNOWMOBILE IN THE
AMOUNT OF $9,725.63.
3.8. CONTINUE ANNUAL MONITORING OF THE OLD CITY DUMP.
MOTION CARRIED 3-0.
4. Ogen Mike
No one appeared for Open Mike.
• 5.1. Lake Orono Draw Down to Reduce Curl Leaf Pond Weed Public Hearin
Ms. Blake-Bradley presented the staff report.
Acting Mayor Westgaard opened the public hearing.
Paul Sheets, 1766 5th Street -President of the Lake Orono Improvement Association
stated the Association supports the draw down request.
Gerald Plummer, 13538 Islandview Drive -Stated he is opposed to the draw down and
expressed concern for fish, turtles, and lake structure changes. He stated the lake is starting
to come back after the last draw down.
Michael Clemmons, 12897 Orono Road -Stated he is opposed to the draw down and
expressed concern for lily pads and the fishing if the draw down is to occur every couple of
years. He stated the lake is starting to come back after the last draw down.
Isabel Smith 18252 Concord Street -Stated other options should be considered to
eliminate the weed and expressed concerns for fishing.
Jim Thomas, 1536 Main Street -Stated the water quality of the lake had diminished over
the years and expressed concerns for fishing. He requested the State and the Association to
look at removing the carp from the lake.
City Council Minutes Page 3
September 7, 2010
Andrew Hulse, 18862 Concord Street -Vice President of the Association, stated he
• supports the draw down and noted that 75 percent of the riparian landowners signed a
petition for the draw down.
Gerald Plummer, 13538 Islandview Drive -Stated he would like to see rules put in place
regarding boat motor sizes and speeds due to curly leaf pond weed growth being increased
when it is chopped up by boat motors.
Acting Mayor Westgaard closed the public hearing.
Ms. Blake-Bradley discussed the curly leaf pond weed. She explained that there are no other
alternatives for reducing the weed in the lake other than hand pulling them. She explained
that the city does utilize this method but noted the difficulty of keeping up with the weed
population due to the water surface size. She discussed a chemical method that is available
but wouldn't be allowed on Lake Orono by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
due to the Elk River flowing through the lake and washing the chemicals downstream.
Acting Mayor Westgaard asked if staff could get feedback from the DNR on whether it is a
losing battle to fight the weed due to the size and type of watershed of the lake. He
questioned if at some point costs need to be weighed against the benefits.
Ms. Blake-Bradley stated the DNR would ask what the city wants for the lake, whether it be
a sportsman's lake (for fishing) or a recreation lake (for boating) in order to determine how
the weed should be controlled. She stated if it is to be more of a recreational lake, then there
would need to be regular draw downs of the lake to control the weed.
• Councilmember Zerwas stated lake owners have requested that the city apply for a permit
for the draw down and that the city should send the request to the DNR who are the
experts on when or if a draw down should occur. He stated he felt the weed needs to be
controlled.
MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER ZERWAS AND SECONDED BY
COUNCILMEMBER MOTIN TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO SUBMIT A PERMIT
APPLICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES TO
ALLOW THE TEMPORARY DRAW DOWN OF LAKE ORONO TO HELP
CONTROL CURLY LEAF PONDWEED. MOTION CARRIED 3-0.
5.2. Discuss Council Worksession A endas
Ms. Johnson presented the staff report. She noted that Acting Mayor Westgaard requested
to add an update regarding the Public Works Master Plan. Council concurred with the draft
agenda items.
Council took a recess at 7:30 p.m.
Recess to Budget Worksession -Upper Town Conference Room
Council reconvened at 7:37 p.m.
Ms. Johnson presented the staff report.
City Council Minutes
September 7, 2010
Page 4
The Council reviewed budgets for Building Safety, Energy City, Environmental, Surface
• Water Management, and the Library.
Ms. Johnson noted that Economic Development Assistant Annie Deckert would be
spending some time to lead the marketing of Energy City as an economic development tool.
Council concurred with the idea but stated they wanted to make sure the position still
maintained its economic development marketing focus and didn't become more of an
Energy City/environmental position. Ms. Johnson reaffirmed that there was no intent to
move Ms. Deckert into the Energy City coordinator position, but rather to allow her, in her
current position, to use Energy City to attract economic development.
Councilmember Motin expressed concern with the definition of the "Travel, Conferences,
and Schools" line item in the budget. He thought it was only for training of employees and
asked staff to review this before the budget is finalized.
Chief Cunningham reviewed the duty officer program.
Council concurred to move forward with this program for 2010 and to continue it in 2011.
There was discussion on the Ice Arena vessels.
MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER ZERWAS AND SECONDED BY
COUNCILMEMBER MOTIN TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF THE ICE
ARENA VESSELS IN 2010. MOTION CARRIED 3-0.
7. Other Business
• There was no other business.
8. Council Updates
There were no Council updates.
Staff Updates
Ms. Johnson stated Mn/DOT is sponsoring a Mississippi Trail Ride on September 14 in
response to the city's request, along with Ramsey and Anoka, to be included as part of the
Mississippi River Trail and noted Council could attend if they were interested.
10. Adjournment
There being no further business, Acting Mayor Westgaard adjourned the meeting of the Elk
River City Council at 8:35 p.m.
Tina Allard, City Clerk
• Stephanie Klinzing, Mayor