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4.1. DRAFT MINUTES (4 SETS) 08-05-2019 VA City of Elk Meeting of the Elk River City Council River Held at the Elk River City Hall Monday, July 1, 2019 Members Present: Mayor John Dietz, Councilmembers Garrett Christianson,Matt Westgaard, and Jennifer Wagner Members Absent: Councilmember Nate Ovall Staff Present: City Administrator Calvin Portner, Public Works Director Justin Femrite,Recreation Manager Steve Benoit, Liquor Operations Manager Joe Audette,Human ResouNElkRiver n Wipper, and City Clerk Tina Allard I. Call Meeting to Order Pursuant to due call and notice thereof,the meetingy Council was called to order at 6:33 p.m. by Mayor Dietz. 2. Pledge of Allegiance Pledge of Allegiance was recite 3. Consider Agenda Item 10.2, Liquor Operations Reorganization Plan was added to the agenda. Moved by Councilmember Wagner and seconded by Councilmember Westgaard to approve the agenda as amended. Motion carried 4-0. 4. Consent Agenda Nqo Mayor Dietz requested a change to the minutes regarding funding for the Lake Orono Improvement District item. Mayor Dietz asked staff to research and provide more information regarding the $25,000 invoice from Elk River Municipal Utilities for the wastewater treatment plant. Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember Wagner to approve: 4.1 June 17, 2019, closed and regular (with changes) minutes. 4.2 Check register, check numbers 9984- 9987 and 110868- 111014 as outlined in the staff report. 4.3 Resolution 19-23 acknowledging contributions to City of Elk River for Farmer's Market and Elk RiverFest. City Council Minutes Page 2 July 1,2019 ----------------------------- 4.4 Temporary On-Sale Liquor License to Fraternal Order of Eagles 3264 for a car show scheduled July 20, 2019 with the condition alcohol must be confined to an area enclosed by a fence with a secured, controlled access. Wrist band control is required for patrons 21 and over. 4.5 Resolution 19-24 accepting federal funding for Twin Lakes Road and Yale Street Extension Project. 4.6 2019 Mineral Licenses. 4.7 Settlement Agreement 19-14 for City of Elk River, SNL Island View Properties, LLC, and John and Elaine Dryer. Motion carried 4-0. S. Open Forum No one appeared for Open Forum. 6.1 Proclamation: Steve Tillmann Day, Jdly 5, 2019 Mr. Audette discussed Steve's history with the city over the last 35 years. Dave Potvin, former manage oke to Steve's emplo:, ent and how fortunate he was to work with him. Alice Tillmann, Steve's wife, stated he was always excited to go to work and was very loyal. She stated he loved his job and his proud of him. Mayor Dietz read and presented a plaque to Steve. Moved by Councilmember Wagner and seconded by Councilmember Westgaard to proclaim July 5, 2019, as Steve Tillmann Day. Motion carried 4- 0. 7. Public Hearings' There were no public hearings. 8.1 Active Elk River Project: Multi-Purpose Facility and Lion John Weicht Park Improvements Mr. Femrite presented the staff report. He discussed construction cost estimates, owner cost estimates, total project estimate, and the land exchange. Mayor Dietz stated the Active Elk River project was sold to residents as a $27.5 million project and he expects to hold firm to the budget. Mr. Femrite discussed the contingency cost,which is likely to be utilized during the construction. UREJ City Council Minutes Page 3 July 1,2019 ----------------------------- There was discussion on the rejected bids,breaking out some of the bid packages into smaller components,and value engineering some items in order to reduce some costs. Councilmember Westgaard noted the bid climate is currently at a high level and Council could consider funding the overage from a different source. Councilmember Wagner stated it is priority to honor the budget provided to the voters. There was discussion on lowering the project cost and whether to remove the owner's contingency or evaluating a breakdown of some of the bid options to quote categories. It was also noted there is still a lot of revi w to be, one on the bids and items can be tweaked to help reduce costs. Tom Betty,292 Design Group, stated it's up to the Council's comfort level on how they feel about a contingency. He stated some owners like to keep the contingency as it allows for flexibility during construction. He noted this is a large project and unknowns can occur. Mayor Dietz stated the project must remain at$27.5 million. He stated if an issue arises in the future,then staff will need to come back to Council. Mr. Femrite explained the bids for the lease space came in high and no recommendation is being made at tonight's meeting.He stated it will be reevaluated and it is not part of the project cost presented tonight. Councilmember Westgaard questioned if Councilmember Ovall submitted any comments or questio., about this agenda item. Mr. Portner stated no comments were received. Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember Christianson to award contract 3b.3. Motion carried 3-0. Councilmember Wagner abstained due to conflict of interest. Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember Wagner to approve the remaining bid packages with removal of the owner contingency of$169,971 and increasing the anticipated value engineering line item to $166,000 to a total project estimated cost of$27.5 million Motion carried 4-0. Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember Wagner to adopt Resolution 19-25 awarding contracts for the multi-purpose facility and Lion John Weicht Park improvements and reassigning the contracts to RJM Construction. Motion carried 4-0. UREJ City Council Minutes Page 4 July 1,2019 Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember Christianson to approve design fee adjustment for 292 Design Group as outlined in the staff report. Motion carried 4-0. ------------- Mr. Femrite stated this agreement relates to the shared use of the softball field and outlines responsibilities for maintenance and use. He noted costs for the pond are undetermined at this time and not part of this project as it will be part of the school district project,but there will be some costs to the city related to it in the future. Mayor Dietz stated he would like a future discussion on what to do with the senior center property located at 413 Proctor Avenue.ioe .;C� Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember Wagner to approve Joint Powers Agreement 19-15 with Independent School District No. 728 for mutual use and maintenance of Lion John Weicht Park. Motion carried 4-0. ------------- Mr. Femrite stated this agreement gives the city 75 dedicated parking stalls for daytime use and allows rights to cross school district property to access the city's facili"T. Moved by Councilmember Christianson and seconded by Councilmember Wagner to approve First Amendment to Reciprocal Easement Agreement 19- 16 with Independent School District No. 728. Motion carried 4-0. Moved by Counc mem er Wagner and seconded by Councilmember Christianson to adopt Resolution 19-26 approving a land exchange agreement with Independent School District No. 728. Motion carried 4-0. ------------- Moved by Councilmember Wagner and seconded by Councilmember Christianson to approve a special meeting at 4:00 p.m.,July 19, 2019, for groundbreaking. Motion carried 4-0. Councilmember Westgaard thanked RJM for their work. p 0 W I R I O 0 Y NATUREJ City Council Minutes Page 5 July 1,2019 ----------------------------- 8.2 Field Use Allocation Policy and Procedures Mr. Benoit presented the staff report. Council questioned how the selection process would be handled if there were two rival soccer associations under Group 3. Mr. Benoit explained how the decision would be made based on the various criteria outlined in the policy. Council questioned if youth organizations had a chance to review the policy. It was noted they did Council noted Group 2 and Group 4 referred to "club" and "clubry teams" and there may be questions about which organization fits into either definition.:. Dave Williams,youth association representative, stated Group 2 en co asses the school district and would be a school related club. Moved by Councilmember Christianson and seconded by Councilmember Westgaard to adopt the Field Use Allocation Policies and Procedures as outlined in the staff report. Motion carried 4-0. 8.3 Field Use Fees Policy Mr. Benoit presented the staff report. ., Council requested the policy be sent out to all organizations. Councilmember Wagner, liaison for the parks and recreation commission, stated she was happy with the process for policy development as it was very engaging with multiple meetings and open participation. She noted the soccer group did not attend meetings or provide any feedback. Councilmember Wagner stated there previously was not any equity with the fees policy and felt she needed reasoning as to why a certain user fee is charged differently from another user fee. She stated what was not shown in the numbers is that some groups paid for capital improvements and others none. She stated the capital improvements have been significant in the park system. Councilmember Wagner stated the intent of collecting fees into one managed fund is so improvements can be made,there could be collaborated projects,and there would be better transparency. She expressed concerns with the fees going into the Park Improvement Fund and getting mixed with other park funded projects. She noted the associations concern with the funds as they should be designated to maintenance for fields. POWERED 9r UREJ City Council Minutes Page 6 July 1,2019 ----------------------------- Mr. Williams stated he would prefer a separate fund setup that can only be used for maintenance. Mr. Benoit stated it can go into the Park Improvement Fund and still be tracked and reported separately utilizing a special code. Moved by Councilmember Wagner and seconded by Councilmember Westgaard to adopt the Athletic Field Use Fees Policy as outlined in the staff report. Motion carried 4-0. 8.4 Rivers Edge Commons Park Master Plan Upd Mr. Benoit presented Mr. Hecker's staff report. Council questioned if downtown business owners were informed and able to provide input on the plan amendment. Mr. Benoit stated he was unsure but noted the Rivers Edge Association has been involved with dock discussions. Council suggested staff communicate this change to the businesses. Councilmember Wagner suggested keeping the original site for the dock as an option in the plan as a possible pier or observation deck. Councilmember Westgaard stated the DNR may have issues with a permanent structure in the floodway,which should probably be explored further. Moved by Councilmember Christianson and seconded by Councilmember Westgaard to amend the Rivers Edge Commons Park Master Plan as outlined in the staff report. Motion carried 4-0. 8.5 Picnic Pavilion Standardized Designs Mr. Benoit presented Mr. Hecker's staff report. The Woodland Trails Subcommittee preferred a natural, earth toned roof over the pavilions. The Parks and Recreation Commission voted 3-2,with two members absent, for the earth tone color. Councilmember Wagner stated she prefers a red roof similar to the colors used at the Rivers Edge Park in downtown. She discussed the importance of have consistent brand standards with buildings and signage. She noted how the red roof downtown stands out and people know it as Elk River. She stated the Council shouldn't break its own standards right at the start of policy implementation. She stated the Woodland Trails Park upgrades will be amazing and increase park usage. She stated red is a color in nature and it won't take away from the beauty and nature of the park. She noted the close vote with two members missing. POWERED 9r UREJ City Council Minutes Page 7 July 1,2019 ----------------------------- Councilmember Westgaard expressed concerns with creep from the standard,noting there are other more natural parks that may have pavilions in the future. He questioned if there would be a push for differing colors then. He stated he would prefer one standard color but didn't have a preference between red or a natural color. He agreed consistency is important and helps draw people and shows everything belongs to the same city. Councilmember Christianson asked why there can't be two colors in the standards; a natural color for nature parks and red for more social parks. Councilmember Westgaard suggested choosing one nature tone color for all the pavilions. Parks and Recreation Commissioner Dave Anderson discussed an earth tone red versus a bright red. He believes the city could have a standard shelter design but feels the roof color can be differing. He suggested the downtown structures be red but the Woodland Trails Committee felt strongly the roof should be earth toned. Councilmember Wagner suggested if a design is not going to be agreed upon tonight that this item be scrapped and reviewed again so Cour � doesn't break its own rules. She discussed the need for brandin and consistency. Mayor Dietz felt everything else with the pavilion design shouldn't be scrapped if the roof is the only issue. Councilmember Wagner stated a brand can be built utilizing differing colors but it hasn't been vetted. ' . Councilmember Wagner discussed the plan for the city has a whole and how branding with the red sends a strong message and creates a wow factor. She stated it lets you know where you are and that you are in Elk River. She stated the natural roof creates a different meaning and is not a keystone look. Moved by Councilmember Wagner to approve a standardized pavilion design for parks that are consistent with the framing and a red roof design standard. Motion dies for lack of a second. Council continued this item to a future meeting so staff can bring back true renderings of options for pavilion design. 8.6 Discuss Work Session Items Mr. Portner presented the staff report. The following were requested as future work session items: UREJ City Council Minutes Page 8 July 1,2019 ----------------------------- ■ Arena Commission Review ■ City Hall Security ■ Snow and Ice Control Policy 9. Council Liaison Updates Council provided updates on the activities of the various boards and commissions as also noted in the respective board's minutes. 10.1 Compensation Plan Amendment and IT Division Staffing Mr. Portner presented the staff report. He discussed the advantageous of a phased retirement plan. He further discussed how the transition would work for the IT manager. He stated bridging the retirement with the hiring of a new manager would be helpful for succession planning. Council concurred on changing the policy and bringing the item back for consideration at a future meeting. Council questioned the financial impact. Mr. Portner stated there would be an impact in the IT Division with the hiring of a manager,but the current manager's salary would be reduced in half due to reduced hours. He stated the rest of the benefits, such as vacation would be reduced proportionately for the current manager. 10.2 Liquor Operations Reorganization Plan Mr. Audette presented the staff report. He noted they have an unusual situation where they received a significant,number of higher qualified candidates than expected. He stated he anticipated they would be hiring internally for an assistant liquor operations manager but would like to change the organizational structure and hire a manager for each liquor store because they had two very good external candidates. He further discussed the advantageous of how this change would help to free up his time to focus on the liquor operations as a whole. There was discussion on the budget impact,which was unknown due to many variables. Mr. Audette noted,via attrition,he wouldn't be replacing certain positions, which would help reduce the budget impact. Councilmember Wagner stated she would like to see a return on investment brought to the liquor operation if this change were approved. Mr. Audette felt this could be difficult to quantify. UREJ City Council Minutes Page 9 July 1,2019 ----------------------------- Mr. Portner noted the odd situation as this is the first time in a very long time the liquor stores have been fully staffed. He stated,historically the stores haven't utilized their full allotment of part-time hours. He discussed some future retirements that could occur. He noted this is an enterprise operation and when there are part-time/ full-time vacancies it can create stress and pressure. He stated this change would create some stability and allow for more flexibility in the interim. Mayor Dietz stated he believes the organization change is worth it if there are good, qualified managers but it would be different if it affected the city budget versus the enterprise fund. Councilmember Wagner expressed concerns with future competition so she is unsure about changing the structure. She stated there are not enough details on knowing the full impact of these changes. She stated the budget increase takes away from investment into the park and recreation improvement fund. She would like the added position to pay for itself. Mr. Audette discussed the customer service aspects of a city liquor operation,noting a fully-staffed, highly-trained,management team is important. Councilmember Westgaard st he has no issues w the request noting it is difficult to find good employee Councilmember Christianson stated he would like more information and suggested further discussion at the next Council meeting. Mr. Audette expressed concern with losing candidates if this item is delayed. Mr. Portner stated competition and legislative changes will cause evaluation of the liquor operations regardless of the organizational changes being considered tonight. Councilmember Wagner stated there are no numbers of how this change will affect the budget and profits. Mr. Audette stated part-time hours will be reduced which will help offset some costs. Councilmember Wagner stated she will support it but when it comes to budget planning she will expect further review. Council consensus to move forward with the organizational changes. II. Adjournment There being no further business,Mayor Dietz adjourned the meeting of the Elk River City Council at 9:17 p.m. UREJ City Council Minutes Page 10 July 1,2019 ----------------------------- John J. Dietz,Mayor Tina Allard, City Clerk p 0 w I R 1 0 0Y UREJ City of Elk Special Meeting of the Elk River City Council River Held at the Elk River Arena, 1000 School Street Wednesday, July 10, 2019 Members Present: Mayor John Dietz, Councilmembers Garrett Christianson,Matt Westgaard, and Jennifer Wagner Members Absent: Councilmember Nate Ovall Staff Present: City Administrator Calvin Portner, Parks and Recreation Director Michael Hecker, Public Works Director Justin Femrite, Recreation Manager Steve Benoit,Arena Manager Rich Czech,Senior Communications Coordinator Kaylin Clement, City Clerk Tina Allard, and Deputy Clerk Jessica Miller I. Call Meeting to Order Pursuant to due call and notice thereof,'t e meeting of the Elk River City Council was called to order at 4:01 p.m. 2. Multipurpose Facility Groundbreaking Mr. Portner began by thanking everyone who supported the project to this point. Mayor Dietz, Councilmember Westgaard;Wagner,and Christianson also spoke about the process and thanked individuals for their support. Various groups gathered for photographs. 3. Adjournment 404'There being no further business,Mayor Dietz adjourned the meeting of the Elk River City Council at 4:28 p.m. Iw Minutes prepared by Jessica Miller. IY John J. Dietz,Mayor Tina Allard, City Clerk VA City of Elk Meeting of the Elk River City Council River Held at the Elk River City Hall Monday, July 15, 2019 Members Present: Mayor John Dietz, Councilmembers Garrett Christianson,Nate Ovall,Matt Westgaard, and Jennifer Wagner Members Absent: None Staff Present: City Administrator Calvin Portner, City Attorney Peter Beck, Stormwater Coordinator Brandon Wisner,Environmental Coordinator Amanda Bednar,Planning Manager Zack Carlton, Police Chief Ron Nierenhausen, Park Maintenance Supervisor Tim Sevcik, Finance Director Lori Ziemer,Assistant City Engineer Jenna Fabish, Public Works Director/Chief Engineer Justin Femrite, and Records Specialist Katie Porath. Call Meeting to Order Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River City Council was called to order at 6:04 p.m. b _Ma or Dietz. 2. Pledge of Allegiance Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 3. Consider Agenda Moved by Councilmember Ovall and seconded by Councilmember Westgaard to ap ,rove the agenda. Motion carried 5-0. Ovall, Westgaard 4. Consent Agenda Moved by Councilmember Ovall and seconded by Councilmember Wagner to approve: 4.1 Check register, check numbers 111015-111189 as outlined in the staff report. 4.2 Temporary On-Sale Liquor License for Church of St Andrew for July 20, 2019. 4.3 Appoint Jeff Hartwig to the Economic Development Authority for a term beginning immediately and expiring December 31, 2023. 4.4 Pay Estimates as outlined in the staff report. 4.5 Adopt an amendment to Resolution 18-72, 2019 Compensation Plan. 4.6a Hire George Brenzel to the position of Planning and Code Enforcement Intern effective July 16, 2019. City Council Minutes Page 2 July 15,2019 ----------------------------- 4.6b Hire John Colotti to the position of Liquor Store Manager effective August 19, 2019. 4.7 Withdrawal of application for Pines at Elk River, LLC— 18461 Twin Lakes Road ■ Zone Change from Business Park (BP) to Planned Unit Development (PUD) ■ Conditional Use Permit for PUD ■ Preliminary Plat for a townhome development to be known as Tall Pines PUD 2nd Addition ■ Final Plat of Tall Pines PUD 2nd Addition Motion carried 5-0. S. Open Forum Ben Pollich, 19164 Johnson St, stated his neighborhood is undergoing roundabout construction projects. Traffic is being re-routed but there appears to be a stretch that has been paved and he is hoping it can be opened up sooner. Council directed staff review and response back to Council by the August 5, 2019, council meeting. 6.1 City of Elk River Volunteer of the Month Abp Mayor Dietz presented the July Vol of the Month award to Linda Krieger. He highlighted the following: ■ Member of Guardian Angels Board of Directors since 2003 ■ Guardian Angels Board Chair for 11 years ■ Served on the following committees for Guardian Angels: Ethics,Executive, Finance &Audit, Fund Development,Nominating,and Strategic Planning Co-Chair of Guardian Angels Gala Committee for 12 years raising more than $1,000,000 Represents Guardian Angels at LeadingAge Minnesota Organization ■ Along with husband Dan,received 2018 Life Enhancement Award from Guardian Angels ■ Co-Chair of the women's group at Trinity Episcopal Church ■ Involved with Vacation Bible School, singing in the choir,assisting at worship services and a reader and chalice bearer at Trinity Episcopal Church 6.2 Oath of Office: Wyatt Studniski Police Chief Nierenhausen presented the staff report. Mayor Dietz administered the oath of office to Officer Wyatt Studniski. UREJ City Council Minutes Page 3 July 15,2019 6.3 Introduction of New Employees Mr. Carlton introduced Building Inspector Mark Pistulka. Mr. Sevcik introduced Maintenance Mechanic Christopher Decker. Council welcomed the new employees to the city. 7.1 Easement Vacation: Western Avenue in Westwood Subdivision Mr. Carlton presented the staff report. AOO' Mayor Dietz opened the public hearing. There being no one to speak to this issue, Mayor Dietz closed the public hearing. Moved by Councilmember Wagner and seconded by Councilmember Christianson to adopt Resolution 19-27 to vacate a portion of the right-of-way platted as Western Avenue. Motion carried 5-0. 7.2 Ordinance Amendment: Institutional Uses Mr. Carlton presented the staff re ort. Moved by Councilmember Christianson and seconded by Councilmember Westgaard to continue, by motion, the Ordinance Amendment: Institutional Uses public hearing to the August 19, 2019, Council meeting. Motion carried 5-0. 8.1 Issuance of$33,735,000 General Obligation Sales Tax Revenue Bonds, Series 2019A , 000416k, Ms. Ziemer presented the staff report. Mayor Dietz clarified the city had 24 months to complete the entire project. He questioned if the city can pay the bonds off early if it collects more sales tax than anticipated. Ms. Ziemer stated it would be possible as the bonds will have a 10-year call date, so 2029 would be the earliest date to call the bonds. If the city collects more than needed, this additional amount will be put into a debt service fund. Councilmember Christianson asked if it made sense to make one issuance or two. Ms. Ziemer stated this is under review. row € R19 0 NATURE] City Council Minutes Page 4 July 15,2019 ----------------------------- Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember Wagner to adopt Resolution 19-28 for the issuance of$33,735,000 General Obligation Sales Tax Revenue Bonds, Series 2019A. Motion carried 5-0. 8.2 Hilltop Woods Estates Second Addition, 20655 Victoria Drive ■ Easement Vacation ■ Plat of Hilltop Woods Estates Second Addition Mr. Carlton presented the staff report. Staff recommends a condition requiring the creation of a covenant that would prohibit future development of the newly-platted lots prior to a second connection for Victoria Drive to surrounding street network, ensuring Victoria Drive is no longer a dead-end cul-de-sac. Councilmember Wagner asked how long,in general,a development agreement is valid. Mr. Carlton explained a development agreement is meant to govern they development of a property. Once the property is no longer being developed,the agreement no longer exists. Mr. Beck confirmed that, once the improvements are accepted,the development agreement is released. Ongoing changes bject,to a covenant. Councilmember Wagner asked about the warrant-period. Mr. Carlton explained the warranty period was two years from accepted improvements. Mayor Dietz expressed concern that the development agreements do not clearly state when the in effect and felt they should contain language explaining when they e r. Beck agreed this would e a good addition to future development agreements. auncilmember Wagner felt adding this type of language would be beneficial going forward and there was misinformation among the neighbors who thought the development agreement was forever. Councilmember Westgaard agreed it was not consistent with what was originally intended and communicated with the residents of Victoria Drive. Unfortunately, there wasn't a binding mechanism in place to ensure there was not any future development. The plan under consideration shows one additional driveway and one additional buildable lot. Mr. Beck stated there was not a sufficient legal basis to deny the request. l F 0 W I R 1 0 0 Y UREJ City Council Minutes Page 5 July 15,2019 Councilmember Wagner clarified the request before council was not about planning seven homes and adding a roadway. The issue is to approve a right-of-way to be dedicated but not built right now. Councilmember Westgaard clarified the language proposed could help in future situations where applicants are requesting a lot split. Moved by Councilmember Wagner and seconded by Councilmember Westgaard to adopt Resolution 19-29 to approve the proposed vacation of existing roadway easements on Lot 4, Block 1, Hilltop Woods Estates. Motion carried 4-1. Mayor Dietz opposed. Moved by Councilmember Wagner and seconded by Councilmember Christianson to adopt Resolution 19-30 to approve the plat of Hilltop Woods Estates Second Addition adding a condition restricting further subdivision of the parcels platted as part of Hilltop Woods Estates Second Addition until a public street is extended and connected to the north. Motion carried 4-1. Mayor Dietz opposed. 8.3 Lake Orono Restoration and Enhancement (LORE) Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) Ms. Bednar introduced Shawn Williams, Senior Environmental Scientist for WSB & Associates. 1W ""40- Councilmember Ovall asked if the recommendations from the Department of Transportation would require an Environmental Impact Study (EIS). Mr. Williams said the comments were advisory, making the city aware they would need to secure permits and approvals,but none of the comments were controversial or would trigger an EIS. Mr. Beck added none of the commenting agencies requested an EIS. Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember Christianson to adopt Resolution 19-31 issuing a negative declaration of need for an Environmental Impact Statement for the Lake Orono Restoration and Enhancement Project. Motion carried 5-0. Mayor Dietz publicly thanked the Park and Recreation Department and Karen Wingard for all of their efforts in organizing the 2019 Elk RiverFest. He stated an estimated 7,000 people attended and there was positive feedback and few incidents. Council recessed at 6:53 p.m. in order to go into work session. Council reconvened at 6:58 p.m. p 0 W I R I U 0Y NREI ATU City Council Minutes Page 6 July 15,2019 9.1 Orono Lake Improvement District (OLID) Board Member Appointments Ms. Bednar and Mr. Wisner presented the staff report. Councilmember Westgaard explained the difficulty of determining who to appoint to the board based only on the written statements. The board should consist of people who are comfortable developing a budget and have the goals of the entire lake in mind. Moved by Councilmember Christianson and seconded by Councilmember Ovall to appoint Chris Rock as the West area Orono Lake Improvement District Board Member with a term to expire in 2022. Motion carried 5-0. ' N401 Moved by Mayor Dietz and seconded by Councilmember Ovall to appoint Patrick Plant as the Upper area Orono Lake Improvement District Board Member with a term to expire in 2021. Motion carried 5-0. Moved by Councilmember Ovall and seconded by Councilmember Westgaard to appoint Chris Bickman as the Middle area Orono Lake Improvement District Board Member with a term to expire in 2020. Motion carried 4-1. Councilmember Christianson opposed. Moved by Mayor Dietz and seconded by Councilmember Christianson to appoint Ed Bury as the East area Orono Lake Improvement District Board Member with a term to expire in 2022. Motion carried 5-0. Moved by Councilmember Christianson and seconded by Councilmember Westgaard to appoint Tom Binsfield as the At-large area Orono Lake Improvement District Board Member with a term to expire in 2021. Motion carried 5-0. Nk "4� 9.2 Outdoor Ice Rink at Spectrum High School Mr. Hecker presented the staff report. Ryan Eason,President of Elk River Youth Hockey,was in attendance. Elk River Youth Hockey has agreed to purchase dasher boards for use at the proposed rink at Spectrum High School recreation facility. The city would be responsible for flooding the rink and provide a staff person to staff the warming house. Spectrum would provide the lights. The rink would be used for Spectrum hockey teams after school and a schedule would need to be determined. Councilmember Ovall did not realize the city would be responsible for providing a staff member. p 0 W I R 1 9 ® r NATURE City Council Minutes Page 7 July 15,2019 ----------------------------- Mr. Hecker stated staff from the Lion John Weicht Park rink would be transitioned to the new rink. He believes the newly proposed rink would have a greater utilization rate due to the full set of dasher boards. Mr. Hecker asked the council about getting rid of the Kliever Lake Fields Park. It costs about$5,000 to flood each year and seems to have low usage. Councilmember Wagner addressed the issue of people having to cross County Road 12 to use the Spectrum rink if the Kliever Lake Fields Park rink was no longer available. The Parks and Recreation Commission recommended closing both the Lion John Weicht and Kliever Lake Fields Park rinks but a final decision has not been made. Councilmember Westgaard appreciated the collaborative effort with Elk River Youth Hockey. He recommended writing down the arrangements to avoid confusion in the future. Mr. Portner stated they would not need to make a decision about closing Kliever Lake Fields Park rink at this time. Mr. Eason said his only concern was being squeezed out of rink usage. He will have to go to the Elk River Youth Hockey board for final approval. He asked about the timeline for an agreement. Mr. Portner said he would be in contact with Spectrum and Spectrum is anxious to begin working on the project. 9.3 US 10 Reconstruction and Multi-Use Trail Project Update ebish an Mr. Femrite presented the staff report. has agreed to construct a multi-use trail from Simonet Dr. to Lowell Ave. The city must provide 20% of the cost.The new trail would be lit with pedestrian lighting. Mayor Dietz asked about the timeline between this project and the CSAH 1 project and whether the areas constructed in 2020 have to be torn up again for the project in 2021. Mr. Femrite talked about the merits of combining the projects. Although they are two independent projects, there is a potential for them to be combined. They would aim to be completed ahead of the 169 Redefine project beginning. UREJ City Council Minutes Page 8 July 15,2019 ----------------------------- Mr. Femrite outlined that the project would include a double left turn lane from east Highway 10 onto west Proctor Ave. There would be a shorter signal time and two receiving lanes on Proctor Ave. 9.4 County State Aid Highway (CSAH) I (Proctor Avenue) Reconstruction Project Update Ms. Fabish presented the staff report. Mayor Dietz asked if a third lane on Proctor Ave was scheduled down the road for 2020. Mr. Femrite said the project would include a full pave ent.x ; onstruction. 9.5 Sidewalk Snow Plowing Mr. Sevcik and Mr. Femrite presented the sta" `report. v In order to meet the ordinance requirements of clearing sidewalks of snow within 24 hours,the Streets Department would need to purchase at least one additional sidewalk plow and hire an additional employee. Ho , sidewalk plow machines are not reliable and are expensive. Mayor Dietz asked if the city should change the ordinance to increase the amount of time allowed to clear sidewalks. Councilmember Westgaard agreed the city should abide by the same timelines as requested of residents. =;...... Councilmember Christianson asked how many miles of sidewalks could be cleared within the 24 hour timeframe. At current equipment and staffing levels, 12-15 miles could be cleared of a 4 inch snowfall within 24 hours. Councilmember Christianson asked about the percentage of sidewalks neighboring cities plow. Common practice seems to be that residential property owners are responsible for the sidewalk in front of their property. Councilmember Christianson stated he gets comments from residents that certain properties are plowed while others are overlooked. He asked about reducing the number of miles the city maintains so they can comply with the ordinance requirement. UREJ City Council Minutes Page 9 July 15,2019 ----------------------------- Councilmember Westgaard commented that cutting the number of miles of sidewalk maintained would make even more residents frustrated. Councilmember Wagner stated that reducing the miles the city maintains would put the burden on residents and businesses. Another option would be to purchase more equipment and hire more staff. Councilmember Westgaard stated sidewalk snow plowing is a recurring topic of discussion. Mayor Dietz asked why the city couldn't adjust the ordinance to allow more time for residents to clear their sidewalks. Councilmember Wagner addressed the new path that is being added,how will that be maintained? Mr. Sevcik said, since the new path is a trail rather than a sidewalk,it would be maintained by a different type of equipment that doesn't have as much demand on it. Mr. Femrite added every additional piece of trail, sidewalk, and road is incremental to needing additional plow routes. Councilmember Ovall said that,with the aging population and the promotion of a walkable community,having cleared sidewalks is a public safety issue. When it comes to tax dollar to attract businesses and new residents,it is an expectation to have sidewalks plowed. Councilmember Christianson asked about the expense to plow all city sidewalks. Mr. Sevcik estimated the city would need to finance three additional sidewalk plow machines as well as three additional operators. Councilmember Ovall would be interested in looking at the additional cost of the equipment and staff. Mr. Femrite agreed there are countless calls from aging residents saying they are not able to do certain things to maintain their property. Councilmember Ovall felt it was more of an expectation that all sidewalks are plowed. Mayor Dietz asked about the cost of additional staff including benefits. Mr. Femrite will pull together some budget information for the council to review. Councilmember Christianson asked about keeping the ordinance at 24 hours or extending it. POWERED 9r UREJ City Council Minutes Page 10 July 15,2019 ----------------------------- Councilmember Westgaard mentioned two operators could clear the sidewalks within 48 hours instead of four operators needed for 24 hours if the ordinance time limit was changed. Councilmember Ovall asked if there were insurance implications for not clearing the snow within the 24 hour period. Mr. Portner said we are insured and the caution is in the hands of the individual, not the property owner. The city does it's best to mitigate vulnerability. Mayor Dietz directed Mr. Femrite to prepared information to include in the proposed budget. If it is not a budget item,the city can,make changes to the ordinance or plow routes. Councilmember Ovall recommended developing clear guidelines that can help facilitate communication to the residents. Mr. Portner asked the council if they are willing to start the budget discussion meetings scheduled for July 22 and 29, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. The council agreed to a 4:00 p.m. start time. Mr. Portner discussed the council attending one of the Farmer's Market dates. A calendar was provided to the council members and they can determine if they are able to attend to meet residents and answer their questions. Councilmember Ovall asked about a future work session to discuss the medians and prairie grass. 10. Adjournment There being no further business,Mayor Dietz adjourned the meeting of the Elk River City Council at 7:55 p.m. Minutes prepared by Katie Porath. John J. Dietz,Mayor Tina Allard, City Clerk UREJ City of Elk Special Meeting of the Elk River City Council River Held at the Elk River City Hall Monday, July 22, 2019 Members Present: Mayor John Dietz, Councilmembers Garrett Christianson,Nate Ovall,Matt Westgaard, and Jennifer Wagner Members Absent: None Staff Present: City Administrator Calvin Portner,Wastewater Treatment Facility Chief Operator Matt Stevens, Stormwater Coordinator Brandon Wisner, Human Resources Manager Lauren Wipper,Recreation Manager Steve Benoit,Police Chief Ron Nierenhausen,Building Maintenance Supervisor Gary Lore, Public Works Director Justin Femrite, Street and Park Maintenance Manager Tim Sevcik, City Clerk Tina Allard, Patrol Captain Darren McKernan,Detective Sergeant Joe Gacke,and Administrative Captain Bob Kluntz I. Call Meeting to Order Pursuant to due call and noti ereof,the meetin e Elk River City Council was called to order at 4:00 p.m. or Dietz. 2. Pledge of Allegiance Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 3. 2020 Budget Ms. Ziemer presented her staff report. Various departments presented their proposed budgets as outlined in the staff report. Parks and Recreation'. Mr. Portner noted staffing levels for the multipurpose facility are still under review. Council asked if the paths near the Dave Anderson Athletic Complex were going to be paved. Mr. Portner stated the Parks and Recreation Commission should have a needs analysis completed,and then work on developing a master plan for the complex. Police Stafng Police department staff explained their request for a part time investigative assistant position and how this position would handle the clerical end of investigative work. Staff further requested to change one of the juvenile detective positions to a supervisory role to lighten the workload and limit the span of control for the detective sergeant. It was noted Spectrum may be interested in a juvenile detective City Council Minutes Page 2 July 22,2019 ----------------------------- and when the school contract expires there may be a possibility to partner with the school district and Spectrum on a shared position. Chief Nierenhausen stated the types of calls handled in schools have become more critical and involve more mental health issues. Sidewalks Mr. Femrite outlined various options for citywide sidewalk plowing. He discussed other city processes. A number of in-house options were discussed surrounding expected levels of service and the corresponding budget impacts. Mr. Femrite further discussed the option of outsourcing,which staff was directed to look closer at in order to learn the potential costs. Council requested the following: ■ Total assumption amount be presented at a future meeting.ry ■ Updated and more detailed performance metrics for the recreation department. Further discussion on benchmarking. Separate performance metrics for events versus programs. Unique visitors versus total visitors. Resident versus non- resident participation. ■ Evaluate current recreational programming and what is sustainable before adding new programming, but still considering interests and trends. ■ Research and cost analysis on,outsourcing citywide sidewalk plowing and policy or contract language design fox;it., s such as priori xQutes, timelines, etc. 4. Adjournment There being no further business,Ma r Dietz a ourned the meeting of the Elk River City Council at 7:00 p.m. a° Jo ietz,Mayor Tina Allard, Ci rk UREJ