4.1 DRAFT MINUTES (2 SETS) 08-15-2022City of
Elk -�-�
RiVer
Members Present:
Members Absent:
Mayor John Dietz, Councilmembers Garrett Christianson, l��ike
Beyer, Matt Westgaard, and Jennifer Wagner
None
Staff Present CittT Administrator Calvin Pormer, Public Works Director Justin
Femrite, City Attorney's Peter Beck and Jared Shepherd via Zoom,
and City Clerk Tina Allard
I. Call Meeting to Order
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River Cit�r Council
�vas called to order at 6:30 p.m. byT MayTor Dietz.
2.
3.
4.
Meeting of the Elk River City Council
Held at the Elk River City Hall
Monday, August I, 2022
Pledge of Allegiance
Pledge of rlllegiance was recited.
Consider Agenda
Mayor Dietz thanked everyone for their work on Elk RiverFest.
Moved by Councilmember Wagner and seconded by Councilmember Beyer
to approve the agenda. Motion carried 5-0.
Consent Agenda
Moved by Councilmember Westgaard and seconded by Councilmember
Wagner to approve:
4.1 July 18 and Monday July 25, 2022, minutes
4.2 Check register as outlined in the staff report.
4.3 Adopt Resolution 22-44 approving notice of summary publication of
Ordinance 22-17, an ordinance outlining an increase in the permitted
accessory structure maximum square footage for parcels one to fve
acres in size
4.4 Solid Waste Faciliry License for Waste Management as outlined in the
staff report.
Motion carried 5-0.
5. Open Forum
Gary Stritesky, 12808 Orono Road, expressed concern about lake `veeds after the
Yecent d�edging pYoject.
Cit�r Council Minutes
August 1, 2022
Council directed iVir. Portner to provide information about the `veeds.
6.1 Introduction of Elk River Municipal Utilities General Manager
Deput�r General Manager Mark Hanson introduced himself.
Council welcomed Mr. Hanson.
6.2 Retirement Recognition: Dawn Swanson
Ms. Allard discussed Ms. S�vanson's historyT with the city.
Page 2
MayoY Dietz read and pYesented a plaque to Ms. Swanson and thanked heY foY heY
service.
7. I Consider Issuance of Competitive Cable Franchise by Tekstar
Communications, Inc. (Arvig)
Ms. Allard presented the staff report.
Mayor Dietz opened the public hearing. _
Joel Smith, Manager of Video Operations �i�ith r�rvig — Provided a historyT of his
companyr. He stated the TV service they'd like to offeY is app-based and can be
streamed on devices. He stated they want to provide services in Elk RiveY to
customers currentl�T being ser�red with their telephone and internet services.
Ma�ror Dietz questioned if Arvig would be serving the same locations Spectrum
cuYYentl�r serves.
N1r. Smith stated no. He stated they are inteYested in providing service in aYeas wheYe
the�� alread�� have fiber facilities within the cit�T. He stated as new areas are brought to
them, that they can build a business case around, they would look to offeY the same
ser�rice in those aYeas.
Councilmember Christianson asked when theyT could start layTing fiber.
Mr. Smith stated they could enable the TV service at anyTtime with the existing fiber
structure. He stated theyr could offer service the day after an agreement is formalized.
(Mr. Fraser spoke regarding a different topic.)
Scott Fraser, 11678 200`�� Avenue, stated there is no way for Yesidents in the
BYentwood Subdivision to access Highway 169 when the Highway 169 project will
be complete. Public Works Director Justin Femrite assisted Mr. Fraser with his
conceYns outside the Council meeting Yoom.
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Cit�r Council Minutes
August 1, 2022
8.1
9.
MayTor Dietz closed the public hearing and asked iVir. Shepherd if he had anyT
additional comments.
Page 3
Mr. Shepherd stated there is no further action needed from Council tonight and the
attorneyT �vould come back later with a full report.
Council recessed at 6:51 p.m. to go into worksession and reconvened at 6:53 p.m.
Discuss Work Session Items
Mr. PoYtneY reviewed the staff YepoYt.
Council Liaison Updates
Councilmembers provided updates as outlined in the respective advisoryT boards'
minutes.
I 0.1 Highway I 0 Access Study
Mr. Femrite presented the staff report and introduced SRF Consulting Group
Project Manager Molly Stewart.
Ms. Stewart discussed the stud�r and highlighted the following in her pYesentation:
■ PYoject schedule
■ Study area
■ Characteristics
■ Study goals
■ Issues and needs
■ Engagement efforts
■ Long term alternative development pYocess
■ Next steps
She noted the stud�� would be a guiding document as development occurs until
funding becomes available foY conveYsion to a fYeeway system. She stated a second
phase of the project is woYking with MnDOT on interim solutions to Yelieve traffic
issues until the freeway can be built She asked foY Council feedback on the study.
Mr. Femrite updated Council on conversations �vith MnDOT regarding interim
solutions for the highway. He stated MnDOT �uould like to eliminate the signal at
171s` Avenue and install a Reduced Conflict InteYsection (RCI). He stated MnDOT is
strongly supportive of the RCI concept, but an agreement was never reached on this
solution because our focus groups, local businesses, and area trucking companies
don't feel this type of inteYsection will woYk foY them. He explained theYe are no
recommendations in the stud�T because agreement couldn't be reached on interim
road improvement solutions. He further explained the secondar�T studyT and the need
to develop alternative interim solutions to high`va�T issues.
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Cit�r Council Minutes
August 1, 2022
Page 4
Councilmember Westgaard expressed concerns `vith ho`v the studyT reads `vith stating
access points will be closed and there is no agreement in the document on tyTpes of
allowable inteYsections. He noted the study shows 171s` Avenue as being closed and
questioned if the recommendation is to close it He stated when discussed
previously, Council talked about maintaining access at 171s` Avenue due to business
densityT. He stated to move the access to Twin Lakes Road, and traffic passing them
by, the opportunityr is lost to get back to these businesses. He'd like to tryr to
maintain the 171s` Avenue access. He felt this study shows the access as being closed
and he wants to be caYeful to show theyr aYe accepting of the study.
Mr. Femrite stated the city doesn't have to accept the study and tonight is about a
first Yeview before bringing it back to MnDOT for comments. He stated we can set a
pYocess on what we would like to see and Yeengage public feedback. He stated
language could be added to the final stud�- to support �i�hat the communit�T feels and
wants to see.
CouncilmembeY WestgaaYd quesrioned if there was enough right-of-way on the
south side of High��ay 10 in the noYthern segment stud�r area to put in a frontage
Yoad, noting it seemed like a lot of acquisition would be needed. He stated the
southeYn segment of the study area is even more complicated, as it ties into the Cityr
of RamseyT, noting traffic gap issues.
1VLr. Femrite noted the purpose of the study is to help answer questions and guides us
as development occurs and before there is funding and mone�r available to conveYt
Highway 10 to a freewa��, which is iVInDOT's goal. The stud�r will assist the cityr in
getting dedicated right-of-wa�r needed ahead of freewa�r development.
MayoY Dietz noted there are a lot of access points suggested to be closed along the
route.
NLr. Femrite stated we have heaYd concerns on this and should have a response back
to NInDOT on communit�r wants/needs.
Mayor Dietz stated he would like to preserve as manyr access points as possible.
Councilmember �X�agner stated she is assuming that the feedback received doesn't
correlate ��ith the study, otherwise the room tonight wouldn't be full.
1�1s. Stewart stated during their engagement effoYts theYe was a lot of suppoYt for
grade separation over maintaining signals due to operational and safenT issues. She
said this is a high-level planning stage document and the concerns are about the
details of the project She outlined the phases of a complex project like this before
getting to the point of closing access. She stated the document helps guide futuYe
development She stated as the communityT gets to the design and development
phase theYe is more one-on-one engagement.
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Cit�r Council iVlinutes Page 5
August 1, 2022
CouncilmembeY WagneY stated once a plan is in ink, it's in ink; and this study does
not fit with where Elk River is feeling curYentlyr. She stated she doesn't support the
studyT and feels more `vork is needed. She questioned if `ve could do a stoplight at
High`vayT 10 and T`vin Lakes Road.
Mr. Femrite stated indications from MnDOT is theyT do not support additional
stoplights on this corridor.
Councilmember BeyTer concurred with previous Council comments.
Councilmember Christianson stated a plan is needed to guide the area going forward
and he is glad the community is in attendance tonight participating in the pYocess.
Mayor Dietz recommended sending the study back for more work and suggested a
specific chapter addressing each access point.
Chad Lundquist, Riverview SpoYts, expressed concerns with this being a final study
and not considering the aYea businesses in a focus group. He stated he was not
infoYmed of this process and should have received letter notifications.
Mayor Dietz noted the Council was not in favor of accepting the studyr as dYafted as
the have the same conceYns as the people in the audience tonight He fuYtheY noted
it's a guiding document being re�rie`ved in a�vorksession meeting where action
couldn't be taken.
Brandon Wistrom, owner Deano's Collision and r�utomotive, thanked Council for
their support and noted ever�rone in the audience was conceYned the studyr was going
in a diffeYent direction. He stated there were conceYns with language in the study
about it being a final repoYt. He would like to have input and be notified.
Council would like to make sure the aYeas affected are notified and can provide
input.
Ms. Stewart stated the�r do maintain an email list and can contact people in other
formats. She suggested if people are interested, they can contact her or NIr. Femrite.
II. Adjournment
There being no further business, MayTor Dietz adjourned the meeting of the Elk
River Cit�r Council at 8:00 p.m.
John J. Dietz, Ma�ror
Tina Allard, CityT Clerk
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City of
Elk -�-�
RiVer
Members Present:
Members Absent:
Mayor John Dietz, Councilmembers Garrett Christianson, Mike
Beyer, and Jennifer Wagner
Councilmember Matt Westgaard
Staff Present Cit�T Administrator Calvin Pormer, Finance Director Lori Ziemer,
Parks and Recreation Director iVlichael Hecker, Multipurpose Facilit�r
Superintendent Tim Dalton, Library Services Coordinator Lori
Lundstrom and Patron Services Supervisor R�-an i�ZcCormick �vith
the Great River Regional Library (GRRL) S�rstem, Recreation
CooYdinatoY Natalie AndeYson, Recreation Coordinator WaYYen
Ellingworth, Recreation Coordinator Karen ��'ingard, Public Works
DirectoY Justin Femrite, Engineering Project Manager Brandon
WisneY, Street and Park Superintendent Tim Sevcik, Wastewater
TYeatrnent Chief OpeYator Matt Stevens, Fire Chief Mark Dickinson,
Deputyr Fire Chief of Administration Joe Libor Jr., and SY.
Administrative Assistant/Recording SecretaryT Jennifer Green
�
2.
Call Meeting to Order
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River Cityr Council
was called to order at 4:31 p.m. by Mayor Dietz.
Pledge of Allegiance
Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
3. 2023 Budget
Ms. ZiemeY pYesented her staff YepoYt. Various staff pYesented their proposed goals
and budget foY 2023.
The Council discussed the follo�ving and asked for clarification from staf£
Discontinue 5-STear contract paying the Great River Regional Library for 3
additional operating hours per `veek; contract will not be renewed. It was
consensus of Council to remove the 3 additional hours from weekday evenings,
closing an hour earlier, and stayTing open on SaturdayT until 3:00 p.m.
Orono Park ka�Tak rentals: research rental options and consider a Request for
Proposal.
Facilities Maintenance: Clarification with Performance Measure "PM Work
Order completion rate at 30%" — Council asked �vhyT are on1yT 30% are being
completed? i�lore information.
Special Meeting of the Elk River City Council
Held at the Elk River City Hall
Monday, August 8, 2022
Cit�r Council Minutes
August 8, 2022
4. Adjournment
Page 2
There being no further business, Mayor Dietz adjourned the meeting of the Elk
River CityT Council at 7:12 p.m.
Minutes prepared by Jennifer Green.
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