10-11-2004 CC MIN - JOINT
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL
HELD AT THE LIONS PARK CENTER
(JOINT MEETING WITH THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS)
MONDAY, OCTOBER 11,2004
Members Present:
Members Absent:
Staff Present:
EDA Members:
Heritage Preservation
Members Present:
HRA Authority:
Ice Arena Commission
Members Present:
Library Board
Members Present:
Parks and Recreation
Members Present:
Planning Commission
:tvfembers Present:
Utilities Commission
Members Present:
Mayor Klinzing, Councilmembers Dietz, Kuester, Tveite, and Morin
None
City Administrator Pat Klaers, Director of Planning Michele McPherson,
Director of Economic Development Cathy Mehelich, Director of Builcling
and Environment Steve Rohlf, Director of Parks and Recreation Bill
Maertz, Utilities General Manager Bryan Adams, Librarian Mick Stoffers,
and City Clerk Joan Schmidt
Pat Dwyer, Jeff Gongoll, and Larry Koenig
Lance Lindberg, Jeff Gongoll, Pat Dwyer, and Cynthia Olson
Jean Lieser and Larry Toth
Dave Halgren, Ronald Johnson and Dale Martin
Leslie Anderson, Michael Hangaard, Allison Olson, Anne Schroeder, and
Karen S telk
Dave Anderson, John Kuester, James Nystrom,
Duane Peterson, and Dawn Polston-Hark
Dana Anderson, Pete Lemke, Leo Offerman, Howard Ropp, Kevin Scott,
and Matthew Westgaard
Jerome Takle and Jim Tralle
1. Call Meeting To Order
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River City Council was called
to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Klinzing.
2. Goal Setting- Worksession with Boards and Commissions
Mayor Klinzing introduced the council and herself and thanked the board and commission
members for atrencling this joint meeting. She stated that the council is interested in hearing
the goals, hopes and desires of the groups as well as commission members also are
interested in this exchange of ideas. She stated that council has heard that it is felt that the
council doesn't communicate as much as they should and she stated that the council felt this
City Council Minutes
October 11, 2004
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Page 2
joint meeting would help. She stated that each board and commission has also recently had
a council liaison appointed, which also will help with communication with the council. She
stated that quite possibly a list will come out of this meeting of items that may need to be
talked about again. She assured the members that they could leave this meeting knowing
that they were heard and that there will be follow-up by the council.
Each board and commission member was introduced and the Chair of each board or
commission shared their goals. An open questions/ answer session followed the
presentation of each group's goals.
Goals identified by the Planning Commission:
.
Insufficient transportation for infrastructure - need to establish traffic patterns,
identify corridors and secure them -- ask MnDOT to give more specifics regarding
future highway improvements;
Lack of available retail office commercial space (land that could be developed now);
Need for citywide trail system for hilting and bilting (believes Riverfront could be a
great asset).
.
.
Goals identified by the Parks and Recreation Commission:
.
Need to update current Master Plan and take the Natural Resources Inventory and
move to identify lands, etc. for protecting and acquiring;
Use the Natural Resources Inventory to develop a strategy for future development,
and work with the Planning Commission and City Council to implement it --
development of trails;
Develop a comprehensive CIP plan that goes out 5-10 years;
Show the public that park development is worth supporting by finishing off what
has been started and making it showcase worthy.
.
.
.
Goals identified by the Economic Development Authority (EDA):
.
Industrial Development - promote Elk River as the Light Industrial Hub of the
Northwest Metro; provide financing options and site options for industrial
businesses;
Transportation - Advocate and support proactive planning for improvements to
the local and area transportation system;
Commercial Development - Encourage desired commercial development in
identified areas;
Central Business District (CBD) - improve viability.
.
.
.
Goals identified by the Heritage Preservation Commission:
.
Educate citizens of Elk River with respect to the historic and architectural heritage
of the city via written/ oral history (especially urgent is the oral history);
Conduct a continuing survey of all historic areas, places, buildings, structures, or
similar objects in the City (i.e., the recent archaeological survey);
Find incentives to encourage property owners to voluntarily create a historic
district;
Identify potential land acquisition(s) of a property with local historical or cultural
importance.
.
.
.
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October 11, 2004
Page 3
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Goals identified by the Ice Arena Commission:
.
To oversee management of the Ice Arena facility by making recommendations to
the Elk River City Council regarding setting policies and procedures on facility use
and rental, setting of policies for ice rental rates, establishment of priorities of ice
rental to customers, and marketing of the space for rent for various activities;
Identify ways to increase revenue on the use of the facility for rental of space for
dry land activities as well as increasing the usage of the ice over non peak hours;
Assist in resolving any potential conflicts in use and priorities of use of the facility;
Support the November bond referendum for the School District.
.
.
.
Goals identified by the Municipal Utilities Commission:
.
Reliability and preparedness for future growth in the Elk River area;
Secure contracts with power suppliers;
Ongoing training for employees;
Cooperate with city, state, and county departments;
Coordinate and cooperate with neighboring utilities.
.
.
.
.
l'vlayor Klinzing thanked the group for their involvement and support in conservation
programs and renewable resources. She stated that Energy City could put Elk River on the
map nationally.
Goals identified by the Library Board:
.
Start project proposal to expand the facility;
Play Advocacy Role -- Continue to educate public in use of library and importance
of library.
.
Goals identified by the Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA):
.
Implementation of the Downtown Revitalization Project with MetroPlains
Development;
Completion of the Downtown North of Highway 10 Visioning Plan;
Continue to monitor the housing needs of the City;
Transportation - Be proactive in east/west corridor development.
.
.
.
Mayor Klinzing thanked everyone for his or her input and for coming. She stated that she
would like to continue these meetings and encouraged the members to talk within their
groups as to how the members felt on having these types of joint meetings in the future.
She wanted them to discuss if they felt it added value. The Mayor also encouraged the
groups to discuss "cross over" goals that they have in common with other groups.
The meeting recessed, at 8:30 p.m. and reconvened at 8:40 p.m.
3. Council Open Forum
City Administrator Klaers stated that the council had received a memo from Fire Chief West
regarding the purchase of a vehicle to be used for emergency response, equipment, and
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October 11, 2004
Page 4
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fIrefIghter transport by the Fire Department and for use by the Fixe Chief. The total cost of
this project will be $28,376.40, which is less than the $30,000 included with the staff adchtion
request for 2005.
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City Administrator I(laers stated that he wished to clarify the direction given by council last
week regarding the public safety-building project.
Councilmemher Dietz stated that no payments from the bond can be made for the public
safety-building project after November 9, 2004 and so all payments would have to be taken
out of the general fund. Mr. Dietz stated that last week Gary Lore had provided Kraus
Anderson with a list of the items that still need to be completed and at this time half or
more of the items are done. 1v1.r. Lore will continue to work with Kraus-Anderson until
these issues are resolved. It was felt that the only leverage the city has is to work with
Kraus-Anderson to get these items completed since most of the contractors and subs have
their money. The council concurred with Councilmember Dietz that nothing written needs
to be sent at this time. It was further noted that payment to Kraus-Anderson is still being
withheld.
l\1r. Dietz noted that reimbursement for the $19,000 water damage will have to come from
Collins Electric's insurance company and that Attorney Beck should provide some feedback
to the council as to whether the city can continue to hold that money.
Councilmember Kuester stated that she would like a penalty clause to be written into future
agreements like this.
3. Adjournment
There being no further business, Mayor Klinzing adjourned the meeting of the Elk River
City Council at 8:57 p.m.
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Joan Schmidt
City Clerk