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02-14-2005 CC MIN . MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL HELD AT THE CITY OF ELK RIVER (UPPER TOWN CONFERENCE ROOM) MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14,2005 Members Present: Mayor Klinzing, Councilmembers Dietz, Farber, Gumphrey, and Motin Members Absent: None Staff Present: City Administrator Pat Klaers, Finance and Administrative Services Director Lori Johnson, Director of Planning Michele McPherson, City Engineer Terry Maurer, Street Superintendent Phil Hals, Building and Environmental Administrator Stephen Rohlf, and City Clerk Joan Schmidt 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 6:30 p.m. by Mayor Klinzing. 2. Consider 2/14/2005 Agenda . Councilmember Farber added to the agenda an item for discussion regarding the addition of personnel. . MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER FARBER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER MOTIN TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 3. Consider Consent Agenda MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER MOTIN AND SECONDED BY COUNCILEMBER FARBER TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING CONSENT AGENDA: 3.1. COUNCIL MINUTES · 2/7/05 REGULAR · 2/7/05 EXECUTIVE SESSION 3.2. CONSIDER SENIOR CENTER OFFICE FURNITURE PURCHASE 3.3. MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENT FOR NORTHWEST MEDICAL MASSAGE, 18336 JOPLIN STREET, AND MASSAGE THERAPIST LICENSE FOR FLORENCE .KAHLSTORF. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 4. Closed Executive Session . MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER MOTIN AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER FARBER TO CALL AN EXECUTIVE SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS ATTORNEY/CLIENT PRIVILEGE PURSUANT TO MINNESOTA STATUTE 13D.05 Subd. 3(b). MOTION CARRIED 5-0. City Council IvIinutes February 14, 2005 Page 2 . Mayor Klinzing recessed the regular City Council meeting at 6:31 p.m. for an Executive Session. Mayor Klinzing reconvened the City Council meeting at 7:05 p.m. Mayor Klinzing stated for the record the executive session was adjourned and that the City Council met with their attorney to discuss the Builder's Association lawsuit. 5. Open Mike Noone appeared for Open Mike. 6.1. Consider Proposal for Consulting Services for Highway 10 The Tinklenberg Group Elwyn Tinklenberg of the Tinklenberg Group explained his past government involvement both in transportation issues and with obtaining transportation funding. He distributed the analysis for the trunk Highway 10 Downtown Elk River design alternative as well as Federal Funding Request Documents and Processes informational form, which explained the work plan in trying to obtain funds. . He explained that he would work with the staff of Congressman Kennedy for submitting an application for funding, continue to work with the authorizing committees, and work with other members as well as local members of Congress who are supporting this application. He would also work with city staff to develop a large support group (Chamber, business groups, etc.) and work with this group. He emphasized that it is very important to build support in the community to help citizens understand and appreciate the importance of this funding and getting them behind this project. He explained that expenses would always be brought before Council for their approval prior to planning trips to \Vashington. He stated that the other part of his role is the attendance of fundraisers in Washington to get to know the people who are working with these projects. The city would not pay for attendance at these events, they are a business expense of the Tinklenberg Group. CouncilmemberMotin asked if the Councilmembers were to have direct contact with representatives or senators, is it appropriate to talk to them at that time, or does a meeting need to be scheduled. Mr. Tinklenberg stated that any time is appropriate and that Councilmembers could call him or his office to get background information. He stated that if Councilmembers were to be in Washington, D.C., he could help to arrange meetings with the senators and congressmen. Councilmember Motin asked if there is a match of funds. City AdministratorKlaers stated that there is a 20% local match. . Mayor Klinzing stated that transportation has been identified as the number one issue in Elk River and we need to be pro-active and very involved in the political process. She stated that she is convinced that unless we have other forces at work, we will not be successful. She stated because the state has not funded transportation adequately for some time now, City Council NIinutes February 14, 2005 Page 3 . everyone is looking for a means of funding transportation. She feels that we need to be pro- active not only with this project, but with many other transportation issues within the City of Elk River. She stated that she believes the City will be successful if we work at this. MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER DIETZ AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER GUMPHREY TO APPROVE THE PROPOSAL WITH THE ESTIMATED TIME OF ONE YEAR AT A COST OF $40,000 TO $55,000. MOTION CARRIED 4-0. (Councilmember Farber was out of the room.) 6.2. Council Open Forum Councilmember Farber questioned when the City would start the process of hiring a cable assistant. Finance and Administrative Services Director Lori Johnson explained that staff has put in place a plan with goals and deadlines and wishes to review this prior to hiring this position. This process will give an indication whether this position should be in a full-time capacity or one of fewer hours. She explained that Kristin Thomas currendy has help and even with the addition of the school board meetings she is not working more than her 40- hour-per-week time span. . Councilmember Motin inquired about the area south of J 75th Avenue as it related to a proposed townhome development. He was concerned of the intent to have townhouses or apartments in this location. He also stated his concerns of someone willing to pay fair market value for one parcel and then perhaps a different price for another parcel in the same area. Director of Planning Michele McPherson stated that the Planning Commission had looked at this issue in January and felt it appropriate for high-density residential in this area. The Commission felt the whole area should be included in the Urban Service District. They had studied how the area could redevelop. Councilmember Motin was concerned that there may be a non-fit and end up as a piecemeal project. Mayor Klinzing inquired as to how we would keep that from happening. Director of Planning Michele McPherson stated that the Council could take it out of the high-density land use. Council could also facilitate some type of redevelopment and/or say "no" to zone change requests until a developer has met the objectives of Council. Councilmember Motin inquired as to what would be an appropriate zone change. Michele McPherson stated that Council could initiate a process to change the zoning to R4, multi-family. She stated that if it was left in place the market will drive the development, it's a question of timing and whed1er Council wished to wait and discuss how to develop this area. She stated d1at Council does have the control. It was the consensus of the Council to look at this item again in the future. Councilmember Farber stated that he would be gone the third Monday of March and Councilmembers Gumphrey and Motin stated that they will be gone the third Monday of April. . . . . City Council NIinutes February 14,2005 Page 4 6.3. 6.4. Line Avenue Councilmember Motin stated that he had requested this item to be on the agenda for discussion as to whether Council wished to move forward. He wanted to know if there was support on the Council to close Line Avenue at this time. He stated tl1at he agrees that this street should be closed, but was concerned with the timing of the closure. He stated that Twin Lakes Road and County Road 12 is a bad intersection and that this is where the traffic would be directed. He doesn't feel there is a problem with Line Avenue. Councilmember Gumphrey also was concerned about more traffic being directed to Tyler Street and 197th Avenue and was opposed to the closing at this time. Councilmember Farber stated that he felt the same way; that currently we do not have east/west roads and that we will be creating more of a traffic problem. City Engineer Terry Maurer suggested that we complete the plans and then put tl1e plans "on the shelf' to a future time. He inquired whether the Council would be open to the closure of the median on Twin Lakes Road by the townhouses in that area. He stated that the median could be closed so that the left turn onto Twin Lakes Road would not be able to occur. Mr. Maurer will come back to Council witl1 dus illustrated for future consideration. Councilmember Farber also suggested perhaps just using sign age stating, "no left turn." Engineering Services Councilmember Farber had r.equested that this item be on the Council work session for further consideration. City Administrator Pat Klaers stated that the City has entered into a retainer agreement for full-time services of Terry Maurer. Itis felt that the City is getting a better financial deal and better services in this type of arrangement than with our previous relationship ~th Howard R. Green Company. Staff feels that it makes sense to continue dus relationship, but to also start establishing an Engineering Department from the bottom up, utilizing Terry Maurer and his expertise and experience. City Engineer Maurer explained that with dUs arrangement it has afforded him time to take over items d1at previously personnel from Howard R. Green handled, such as maintaining and updating the City's Municipal State Aid System, in depth involvement in City initiated projects such as the King Avenue parking lot and the 2005 street reconstruction project. He also is more available for other staff and citizens. Councilmember Farber asked if we were to hire technicians who would work on the City's projects, could all those projects be done in-house. Mr. Maurer stated that yes, if they had the right skills and even if, when they were hired, did not have all those skills, they could be trained and would eventually get to that point. Councilmember Farber inquired as to what would need to be continued to be farmed out to consultants. Mr. Maurer stated that anything that is unusual, such as the work at the Waste Water Treatment Plant. He stated that he also would never recommend hiring a survey crew because there would not be enough work year-around to maintain a crew, so this type of work would need to be farmed out. He stated that the Parks Department.could have these City CouncillVIinutes February 14,2005 Page 5 . technicians also work on plans, for instance, for building a tennis court or resurfacing of a park trail. Mr. Maurer stated that it would be his suggestion to build the department from the bottom up, that is starting to hire technicians that would be qualified to take over activities previously performed by Howard R. Green staff. He stated that if more than one technician were to be added and one of them was proficient at AutoCAD then we would greatly reduce the cost of preparing plans for City-initiated projects, such as annual seal coating, assessment overlay projects, or the 2007 pavement reconstruction project. These items could all be done in-house. His only concern would be that we would defeat the purpose of starting to build an engineering staff if their time was consumed by working on development related activities. Mr. Maurer stated that the City Engineer's Association does an annual salary survey and he could submit this information to Council. He felt that currently $19.00 per hour for an engineering CAD technician is reasonable. He stated that we could have two technicians with one more experienced, whereas the subordinate could learn from this experienced technician. Mr. Maurer will put information together and the Council was agreeable to look at this for budget discussion this summer for the budget of 2006. Mayor Klinzing stated her support for starting an Engineering Department "from the bottom up". . Councilmember Motin asked to see figures as to what we are paying currently and what would be saved. Mr. Maurer will put information together on what was paid on past projects versus what we are paying now and also measure that against what we would save by hiring City technicians. 6.4. Zoning Ordinance Text - Government Offices and Buildings/Facilities Regulations Director of Planning Michele McPherson reviewed with the Council the proposed changes to regulations for governmental offices and governmental buildings and facilities. Staff is suggesting that governmental offices be allowed as cond.i:tional uses in all districts except for the C4, Neighborhood Commercial District, and that governmental buildings and facilities be conditional uses only in the Commercial and Industrial/Business Park Districts. She also stated that as an alternative, the Council could establish a PI or Public/Institutional District. It was the consensus of Council not to put a PI District into place but to move forward with the proposed changes to governmental offices and governmental buildings and facilities regulations. 6.6. Discussion on Community Development Director Position . City Administrator Klaers reviewed the background of the Community Development Director position. Staff is now looking to Council to make a decision on how we are going to proceed with the selection of this individual. Council needs to decide whether we wish to have a professional recruitment fIrm and, if so, whether the City wished to use the Brimeyer Group or seek proposals from other firms for this work. It was the consensus of the Council to hire a professional recruitment fIrm to help the City attract, interview, and select the top two or three candidates for this position with Council conducting interviews and making the fInal decision. It was also felt that this would be a diffIcult position to hire since there may be several internal candidates and it would be diffIcult to be objective. Since Mr. Brimeyer has worked with staff closely in the past, it was felt that we should get proposals from other fIrms. City CouncillvIinutes February 14, 2005 Page 6 . Councilmember Farber asked if the position description was fInal and was concerned with the minimum qualifications. City Administrator Klaers will check the minutes to see if both the salary range and the job description were approved in November. Lori Johnson will review the other job descriptions for other cities to look at their language. She will make sure our job description for this position is similar to minimum qualifIcations acceptable in other communities. Council would like to have the consultant visit with them and inquire as to what their expectations of this candidate are prior to the start of this process. 7. Other Business City Administrator Klaers distributed the city budget to the Councilmembers. ----------------~----------------------- ---------------------------------------- City Administrator Klaers acknowledged that since we do not have any new commission members that we would forgo the 2005 orientation for new board and commission members. ---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- . Mayor Klinzing mentioned that at the Mayor's meeting someone had brought up the question of why Council is not interviewing for reappointments. She stated that she would like for us to be consistent in how we select the board and commission members and to set policy accordingly. Councilmember Farber stated that by interviewing all the people it gives the Councilmembers an opportunity to get to know these members. He also stated that he felt that without interviewing we discourage people from applying. Mayor Klinzing also stated that another issue to consider would be term limits. It was the consensus of Council to bring this item back for further discussion at a work seSSion. ----------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- Councilmember Dietz asked if the City Administrator is aware of rumors regarding the Elk River Country Club. It is rumored that someone would like to build townhouses in that area, and if that option fails, they would like to buy the Country Club. City Administrator Klaers stated that he is aware of this rumor and he has spoken to members of the golf course board. The Board has been told that the city is willing to continue discussions with them as needed. 8. Staff U pda tes 9. Adjournment . There being no further business, Mayor I<linzing adjourned the meeting of the Elk River City Council at 9: 18 p.m. . . . C cil Minutes City aun February 14, ~~_~~____ ----------------- Page 7 - /-"',. ;A' II /) / b (.. "rv'I.,/.. I c~ "-.'0/1 v'.VrL/ /', ,j oap Schmidt ',,9iY Clerk