Loading...
07-10-1989 CC MIN e e e MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL HELD AT THE ELK RIVER CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM MONDAY, JULY 10, 1989 MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Tra11e, Councilmembers Holmgren. Kropuenske. Schuldt. and Dobe1 MEMBERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Lori Johnson. Finance Director; Stephen Rohlf. Building and Zoning Administrator; and Tom Zerwas. Police Chief 1. 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 Tra11e. 2. Consider the 7/10/89 City Council Agenda Under Other Business, Mayor Tra11e requested that a resolution opposing changes in the gambling law be added. Counci1member Schuldt requested the Personnel Coordinator be added under Other Business. The Finance Director requested approval of payment for a bill to the Federal Signal Corporation for a civil defense siren and a resolution approving the Sale of a Loan to Community Reinvestment Fund also be added. COUNCILMEMBER DOBEL MOVED TO APPROVE THE 7/10/89 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA AS AMENDED. COUNCILMEMBER HOLMGREN SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 3.1. Consider the 6/19/89 City Council Minutes COUNCILMEMBER HOLMGREN MOVED TO APPROVE THE 6/19/89 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES. COUNCILMEMBER KROPUENSKE SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRED 5-0. 3.2. Consider the 6/22/89 Joint City Council and Fire Department Minutes Mayor Chief Tra11e requested that the motion regarding the Full Time Paid Fire Selection Committee be changed to read "majority" rather than unanimous. COUNCILMEMBER SCHULDT MOVED TO APPROVE THE 6/22/89 JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND FIRE DEPARTMENT MINUTES AS AMENDED. COUNCILMEMBER KROPUENSKE SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 3.3. Consider 6/26/89 City Council Minutes Mayor Tra11e noted a spelling error on Mr. Soltis' name. COUNCILMEMBER DOBEL MOVED TO APPROVE THE 6/26/89 CITY COUNCIL MINUTES. COUNCILMEMBER KROPUENSKE SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 4-0-1. Counci1member Schuldt abstained due to his absence at that meeting. City Council Minutes July 10. 1989 Open Mike e 4. Stephen Rohlf. Building and Zoning Administrator. and Gary Santwire were present to discuss the Barrington Place PUD and the uses that were allowed within the PUD. Steve Rohlf distributed a memo giving staff interpretations for the PUD Agreement. Mr. Gary Santwire also explained the situations and stated that he was in agreement with the Building and Zoning Administrator's memo. The City Council also concurred that the uses in the PUD should change to meet the current ordinance. Mayor Tra11e also stated that all PUD's should be similar and not each have a separate addendum attached with its own set of rules. Councilmember Kropuenske also stated that it was logical to have the PUD's concur with current day ordinances. The Council also agreed that conditional uses would be required to go through the conditional use process to be allowed in a PUD. COUNCILMBMBER KROPUENSKE MOVED TO APPROVE THE STAFF INTERPRETATION AS SET OUT IN THE JULY 10. 1989. MEMO FROM THE BUILDING AND ZONING ADMINISTRATOR AND THAT ALL CURRENT PUD · S WITH EXCLUSION OF BARRINGTON SQUARE BE ADDRESSED IN THIS SAME MANNER. COUNCILMEMBER HOLMGREN SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 5. Hillside Park e Mayor Tra11e stated that Mr. Ronald Black. representing George Carlson. requested authorization to purchase .38 acres of Hillside Park due to a building owned by the Carlson's being inadvertently placed on City park property. Because it was a sale of city property. public notification was required. Mayor Tra11e opened the meeting for public comment. No one spoke for or against the sale. COUNCILMEMBER DOBEL MOVED TO SELL .38 ACRES TO GEORGE CARLSON FOR $380.00 BY QUIT CLAIM DEED. COUNCILMEMBER HOLMGREN SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 6. Consider Ordinance to Increase the City's Landfill Fee Mayor Tra11e discussed legislation passed allowing the City to increase the Landfill tax from $.35 to $1.00 per cubic yard. Counci1member Schuldt questioned Chris Kreger of the Elk River Landfill as to whether or not the garbage haulers would be paying for this increase. Mr. Kreger stated that they would. Mayor Tra1le questioned Mr. Kreger as to what percent of the trash in the Landfill is generated from Elk River. Mr. Kreger stated the amount is minute. e Page 3 City Council Minutes July 10. 1989 e Mr. Kreger then suggested the City determine the need and use for the tax before increasing the fee. Councilmember Kropuenske stated that the funds were needed for street replacement due to the damage caused by the garbage trucks. Mr. Kreger stated that the County is not increasing the Landfill Fee until September 1 and requested that the City do the same so that he would have adequate time to notify the garbage haulers. Mayor Tralle questioned where the funds go. Lori Johnson. Finance Director. responded that currently $.10 of the fee is credited to the Street Improvement Reserve Fund and the remaining $.25 goes to the Landfill Fund. Mayor Tralle further stated that he would like to see the extra $.65 go into a separate fund and possibly be used for recycling. Mr. Kreger then questioned what the conversion ratio would be from weight to cubic yards. Steve Rohlf. Building and Zoning Administrator stated that he could offer a conversion formula at the next Council meeting. Mayor Tralle suggested that the item be tabled until staff could research the weight versus cubic yard issue. the effective date. and the ordinance language regarding the funds going into the General Fund. COUNCILMEMBER HOLMGREN MOVED TO TABLE THIS ITEM UNI'IL STAFF RESOLVES THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FUNDS. THE EFFECTIVE DATE. AND THE WEIGHT VERSUS CUBIC YARD MEASUREMENT. COUNCILMEMBER KROPUENSKE SECONDED THE MO'l'ION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. e 7. Consider Employee Group Health Insurance Mayor Tralle briefly stated that the City is considering changing insurance carriers. Finance Director. Lori Johnson. further stated that due to a 35% increase in premiums with our current carrier. Blue Cross and Blue Shield. the City had bid out group health insurance and had received seven proposals. She further noted that the staff was recommending the Physicians Health Plan (PHP) proposal be accepted as PHP's policy is very similar to that of Blue Cross and Blue Shield. but at a much lower premium. She then introduced Mr. Rick Nelson of PHP and Mr. Barry Rosenberg of Allied Group Insurance who had been working with the City on the group health insurance proposals. Mr. Rosenberg went over the pluses and minuses of the various policies and concurred that PHP was the best option for the City at this time. Mr. Nelson of PHP further explained the PHP plan and noted that their brochure had contained inaccurate information regarding the co-pay for prescriptions. That amount should be $7.00 and not $5.50 as stated in their bid document. Councilmember Schuldt stated that the County has PHP and they have had no problems with PHP in this area. e Mayor Tralle questioned the differences between the two proposals received from Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Mr. Rosenberg explained that the only difference was the co-pay amount and the provider network. The Flexible Benefit Plan was then discussed. Lori Johnson explained the positives of employees having a Flexible Benefit Plan and that it would enable the City to keep its insurance costs within reason allowing the employees to tailor an insurance package to their needs. Page 4 City Council Minutes July 10. 1989 e Tom Zerwas. Police Chief. was present to express his desire for such a plan. He also stated that all of his employees are in favor of the plan and would like to see it implemented. COUNCILMBMBER HOLMGREN MOVED TO APPROVE THE PHP PLAN EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1. 1989. COUNCILMEMBER DOBEL SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 8. Other Business 8.1. Approve Payment of Civil Defense Siren Lori Johnson. Finance Director. requested approval of a siren to Federal Signal Corporation in the amount of $8.240.30. Councilmember Schuldt questioned whether this had been approved previously. Ms. Johnson stated that the purchase was approved at the May 10. 1989. City Council meeting. COUNCILMlMBER HOLMGREN MOVED TO APPROVE THE PAYMENT OF THE CIVIL DEFENSE SIREN TO FEDERAL SIGNAL CORPORATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $8.240.30. COUNCILMlMBER KROPUENSKE SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 8.2. Discussion on Legislature Making Changes on Gambling Law e Mayor Tralle stated that the legislature is considering making changes in the gambling law. He stated this would have an adverse effect on the City and other organizations that benefit greatly from the contributions from organizations who collect revenues from gambling. COUNCILMEMBER KROPUENSKE MOVED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 89-46. A RESOLUTION OPPOSING CHANGES IN THE CHARITABLE GAMBLING LAWS. COUNCILMEMBER HOLMGREN SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 8.3. Discussion of Personnel Coordinator Councilmember Schuldt questioned whether or expressed his concern consultant. stated his not the over the concern position method regarding this position and was necessary. He further of selecting this employee or There was discussion regarding the advertisement for the Personnel Coordinator. Councilmember Schuldt felt the advertisement should have been in the Star and Tribune and League of Minnesota Cities magazine. Councilmember Kropuenske pointed out that advertisement placed in the Elk River Star News met all legal requirements. e There was then discussion regarding a Personnel Consultant versus a contracted employee. Councilmembers Schuldt and Holmgren felt a consultant should be explored. Councilmember Dobel concurred. Councilmember Kropuenske felt a consultant would be too expensive and was more comfortable with a one year contracted employee. Councilmember Dobel suggested that the advertisement for a contracted employee be placed in the Star and Tribune for two Sunday's and that the deadline for applications be 5:00. July 28. 1989. e e e Page 5 City Council Minutes July 10. 1989 Mayor Tra11e stressed that staff was acting at the direction of the City Council and that it was unfortunate that Counci1member Schuldt had not been able to attend the meeting on this discussion and appreciated him bringing it up. He also requested that the Finance Director draft a Request for Proposal for Personnel Consultant and send those requests to consulting firms requesting their rates. COUNCILMEMBER HOLMGREN MOVED TO ADVERT I SE FOR A CONTRACTED PERSONNEL CONSULTANT IN THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR AND TRIBUNE FOR TWO WEEKS USING THE SAME AD AS PRINTED IN THE ELK RIVER STAR NEWS WITH APPLICATIONS TO CLOSE AT 5:00 P.M. JULY 28. 1989. AND THAT STAFF DRAFT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR A PERSONNEL CONSULTANT AND SEND THAT REQUEST TO AT LEAST TWO OR MORE CONSULTANTS IN THE PERSONNEL AREA TO PERFORM THE PROJECTS OUTLINED IN THE JUNE 19. 1989. CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S MEMO. COUNCILMEMBER DOBEL SECONDED '!'HE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 8.4. Sale of Loan to the Community Reinvestment Fund Finance Director. Lori Johnson. stated that Community Reinvestment Fund. a Corporation interested in purchasing the A11too1 Loan. is requesting that a resolution be passed authorizing the Economic Development Coordinator to sign the Qualified Seller Agreement between Community Reinvestment Fund and the City of Elk River. She further stated that this resolution does not bind the City to authorizing that loan. but merely authorizes Dick Fursman. Economic Development Coordinator. to sign the agreement. Mayor Tra11e requested that the issue return to the Council before the Economic Development Coordinator signs any documents. COUNCILMEMBER DOBEL MOVED TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 89-47, A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SALE OF LOAN TO COMMUNITY REINVES'l'MENT FUND. COUNCILMEMBER HOLMGREN SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 9. Adjournment There being no further business. COUNCILMEMBER HOLMGREN MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING OF '!'HE ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL. COUNCILMEMBER DOBEL SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 5-0. The meeting of the Elk River City Council adjourned at 9:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted. Lori Johnson Finance Director