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12-13-2004 CC MIN MEETING OF THE ELK RIVER CITY COUNCIL HELD AT THE ELK RIVER CITY HALL MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2004 Members Present: Mayor Klinzing, Councilmembers Dietz, Kuester, Motin, and Tveite Members Absent: None Staff Present: City Administrator Pat Klaers, Finance and Administrative Services Director Lori Johnson, Building & Environmental Administrator Stephen Rohlf, Ambulance Coordinator Steve Dittbenner, Environmental Technician Rebecca Haug, 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 6:40 p.m. by Mayor Klinzing. 2. Consider Council Agenda MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER TVEITE AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER KUESTER TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 3. Consent Agenda MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER TVEITE AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER DIETZ TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING CONSENT AGENDA: 3.1AUTHORIZATION TO HIRE JEFF SMITH AS FIRE PREVENTION SPECIALIST 3.2CONSIDER PERSONNEL COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS 3.3. AUTHORIZATION TO HIRE TRISTAN NICKA AS IT SUPPORT SPECIALIST 3.4. APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 04-101 IN SUPPORT FOR OLIVER KELLY FARM 3.5. AUTHORIZATION TO HIRE PERRY MILLESS AS MAINTENANCE I EMPLOYEE 3.6. CONSIDER ANNUAL RENEWAL OF FIREWORKS LICENSE FOR COBURN’S MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 4.0. Open Mike No one was present for Open Mike. 5.0 Worksession City Council Minutes Page 2 December 13, 2004 ----------------------------- 5.1. Consider Resolution Setting the Final Tax Levy for Taxes Payable 2005 and Consider Motion Adopting 2005 Budget MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER MOTIN AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER DIETZ TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 04-102 AUTHORIZING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR COLLECTION IN 2005. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER TVEITE AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER KUESTER TO APPROVE ADOPTING THE 2005 MUNICIPAL GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 5.2. Council Open Forum No additional items were discussed. 5.3. Ambulance Service Update – Steve Dittbenner Ambulance Coordinator Steve Dittbenner updated the Council on the program that was developed for the Elk River Fire and Ambulance Service by the ambulance board. This program will address the immediate needs of the community. He stated that the option of getting out of the business had been mentioned, which was a viable option, but unanimously voted down. The program that was put together by the ambulance board was to have a second transporting ambulance for service with a start-up date of April 30, 2005. This date was established to coincide with Allina’s medics bidding for shifts. The second ambulance #5602 was ordered on December 3, 2004 with a guaranteed delivery of 120 days. This unit will have an advanced life support with minimum staffing of one paramedic and one EMT. It will be utilized as a power shift vehicle in service from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. seven days a week. This unit is expected to do approximately 15 runs per month. Councilmember Dietz asked the cost for the unit and how long it will take to pay for it. Mr. Dittbenner replied that it was $112,000 for the truck and $40,000 for the equipment and that they would be able to pay for it right away. Councilmember Motin asked how long is it estimated that the ambulance would last. Mr. Dittbenner replied approximately 5 years. Mayor Klinzing asked why this vehicle would not be located at the new station. Mr. Dittbenner replied that Station 1 is more centrally located; also for control reasons as it was felt that this unit should start off at Station 1; and another factor is the current living arrangements for the medic. 5.4. Environmental and Land Use Updates A. Landfill Expansion Building and Environmental Administrator Steve Rohlf updated the Council on the proposed landfill expansion with the approximate timeline. Staff anticipates the landfill to make application for the expansion late in 2005 or early 2006. The city can’t take action on the landfill’s request to expand until the environment review process is completed. City Council Minutes Page 3 December 13, 2004 ----------------------------- Councilmember Kuester noted some of the concerns with the residents being odor and gas, lack of screening, and existing contamination. Mr. Rohlf stated that he feels that it is not practical to keep the landfill below the tree line. He stated that another concern was truck traffic. Mayor Klinzing stated that this might be the opportunity to say “no, we don’t want to expand the landfill”. She asked when do we say no to future requests if this one is approved. Steve Rohlf stated that 221 Avenue us the logical southern boundary for the landfill. The st Mayor stated that she would like to have staff look at the host fee and “making it worth our while.” The Mayor further stated that the city should look at this issue as to how it relates to the city’s image. B. Hamilton Property The history of this property is that it was formerly used as an automobile salvage yard called Custom Motors. A phase II environmental assessment of the property was conducted in 1993 and residual contamination from the junkyard was found and has yet to be cleaned up. The type of contamination found did not pose an immediate threat since the contaminants don’t migrate rapidly. But it has been long enough ago that staff is concerned that clean up should take place soon. The property was purchased by Russell Hamilton and he was made aware and received a copy of the environmental assessment. Staff did an inspection on July 9, 2002 and ordered the buildings on the property razed or repaired and the contamination to be removed. A meeting with Mr. Hamilton, his attorney and city staff on November 5, 2003 established a timetable for removing the buildings on the site and the clean up of the contamination. This was supposed to have been accomplished by October 31, 2004. After having difficulty getting a work plan approved by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, it is now late in the year for the potential clean up. Mr. Hamilton’s environmental consultant contends a new realistic deadline for the clean up of August 31, 2005. Mr. Hamilton would like the city to sponsor a contamination remediation grant. This grant would pay up to 75% of the cost of investigating the extent of the contamination clean up. However, the city would be responsible for the other 25% of these costs. This site was also the location of illegal burning of refuse by the R.C. Rolloff Company in 2002. Contamination from that incident was remediated at a cost of approximately $75,000 in the summer of 2002 by MPCA. The City of Elk River reimbursed MPCA. Mr. Rohlf wished to have direction from the Council whether the city should agree to the August 31, 2005 deadline or immediately start legal action. Councilmember Tveite stated that if we are offering an extension, we need to have a work plan in place as to when this could be cleaned up. Mr. Hamilton has to follow the work plan and progress needs to be shown. It also needs to be stated that in the event that there is a default of the work plan in this time frame, Mr. Hamilton will have to pay legal fees if the city would need to go to court on August 31, 2005. Mr. Rohlf also wished to know if the city wanted to participate in a 25% cost-sharing grant for cleaning up this site and if a workforce housing was an appropriate use in this location. City Council Minutes Page 4 December 13, 2004 ----------------------------- It was the consensus of the Council that the city would not pay the 25% and they felt it was not a viable location for workforce housing to be located. Mr. Rohlf also wanted direction whether the city would assess the costs of R.C. Rolloff clean up to the property. It was the consensus of the Council to do contractual agreements with deadlines, Council indicated a dollar amount to look at. C. Energy House III Building and Environmental Administrator Stephen Rohlf reviewed his staff report updating the Council on the proposed Energy House III. This house will be set up for demonstration purposed with tours specific for three years. It was the consensus of the Council to use Landfill Abatement Funds in the range of $50,000 to $60,000 if the house is used for recycling education, that the city would not use tax rebate financing, that the city did not wish to delay the building permit fees, and when the three years are up that the house does need to be sold. The staff needs to set a deadline with specific issues to that location, and that screening may need to be provided from County Road 1 or from the neighborhood. 5.5. Follow-up on October Joint Meeting with Boards/Commissions Mayor Klinzing stated that she felt is was important for the Council to go through the items brought up by individual boards and commissions and to determine the direction that the Council wished to give to them. It was the consensus of the Council that this information would be taken back to the individual commissions through their Council liaison. Planning Commission Councilmember Kuester stated that she would like to see statements that are goals and not problem statements. This group may need to be challenged with the problem and asked to provide possible solutions. In dealing with the citywide trail system for hiking and biking, it was suggested that the Planning Commission should meet with the Park and Recreation Department to see what they plan to do in this regard. It was also stated that the Planning Commission needs to look at their role in the development review process. For example, they may need to look at their role and examine why a lot of variances are coming forward. In this regard, perhaps an ordinance change is an area they may need to look at closer. Councilmember Kuester stated that they are also advocates. Park & Recreation Commission This group has been working toward accomplishing the goals identified and spending park funds on improvements. It was stated that this group has been very aggressive, even thoughts have come forward about a referendum. They are planning to have meetings in January to assess and prioritize projects and that a very good presentation of revenue projection was done by staff. It was suggested that this group could work with the Planning Commission with some of their projects. EDA It was the consensus of the Council that this group is working toward and achieving their goals. City Council Minutes Page 5 December 13, 2004 ----------------------------- HPC Councilmember Kuester stated that members have volunteered to go out and talk to the citizens with respect to the historic and architectural heritage of the city. It was suggested that in one of the goals of encouraging property owners to voluntarily create a historic district that the groups of the EDA/HRA and HPC need to work together on this possibility. In identifying a potential land acquisition, the group would like to work with the Holton’s for the possibility of a park since there is a lot of history in that area that could be integrated along with the Parks & Recreation goals. Ice Arena Commission The goals of this group are on-going. Staff does talk to other cities as to their ice skating needs and issues. It was stated that the ice arena could easily sell another 200 hours of prime ice time if available. There are several school groups getting additional traveling teams. Dry land activities: one that was identified was in the opening of a shooting gallery. The goal of this group, and they are doing a great job of it, is to provide a facility for community activity that isn’t too costly. Councilmember Tveite also mentioned one goal that was not listed was how to recognize alumni of the Elk River Ice Arena and currently there are photos being displayed. Municipal Utilities Commission Councilmember Dietz stated that these goals won’t change and will continue to be on-going and that is to provide the best service at the best price. Library Board There is a project proposal to expand the facility and they would like to see more library related information on the web page and also on the cable station. Councilmember Dietz stated that they have recently had some training and that they will be acting as advocates and be preparing a document to take to the county and hoping to educate the county on the importance of the library. HRA It was the consensus of the Council that the HRA are working toward and achieving their goals. Also, the Council is in support of these goals. Councilmember Kuester stated that she feels the Council should have two categories in the future for the commissions to consider. One: their goals for their group and two: goals for the whole city. 6. Other Business There was no other business. 7. Staff Updates There were no staff updates. 8. Adjournment There being no further business, Mayor Klinzing adjourned the meeting of the Elk River City Council at 8:55 p.m. City Council Minutes Page 6 December 13, 2004 ----------------------------- Joan Schmidt City Clerk