7.0. SR 05-14-2001MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
Mayor and Council
eMa;:l:~:s'~strat°r
SUBJECT: Staff Updates
Item 7.0
There are a number of brief updates that should be given to the City Council on Monday,
May 14, 2001. These updates include:
Ci(y Hal/Expansion Committee... A number of department heads have been meeting
to review the space needs and issues associated with a city hall expansion project.
The goal is to begin construction on an expansion project in mid to late 2002 and to
occupy the expanded space in early 2003. In order to get to the next step in the
process, we have asked Gary Tushie of the architectural firm, Tushie-Montgomery &
Associates, Inc., to submit a proposal for services to analysis our city hall space and
programming needs. This firm has experience in programming work, has done city
hall expansions, and was the architect for our 1997 liquor store project. Gary will be
meeting with the city hall expansion committee on Wednesday, May 16, to discuss
our project. We hope to get his proposal for services to the Council within a few
weeks. Additionally, staff is requesting that one or two Councilmembers "volunteer"
to be added to the city hall expansion committee.
CellPhone Program... A month ago or so, Councilmember Dietz had some questions
on our telephone bills, and while one bill related to the MDC in the police vehicles,
the other bill related to our cell phones. I would like to give the Council an update
on the plan that we have, the provider, and the number of cell phones in use. In
brief, we use AT&T and are using the government plan as approved by the State
contract.
Everyone should bring his or her calendar to this meeting so that we can set up our
summer schedule. I'm especially interested in budget meeting dates, as it is
imperative that all five Councilmembers are present for budget discussions.
River
13065 Orono Parkway
Elk River, MN 55330
TO:
FROM:
MEMORANDUM
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
STEPHEN ROHLF, BUILDING AND
ZONING ADMINISTRATOR
DATE:
SUBJECT:
MAY 14, 2001
FUNDING REQUEST FOR LAKE
ORONO ACTIVITIES
As the Council is aware, staff has been working with the Lake Orono Water Quality Task
Force on an ongoing basis. The goals and objectives of this group are attached to this
memo. Projects this group has been involved in so far have included: continued
monitoring of the Lake's water quality, phosphorus fertilizer prohibition and education,
and goose trapping. This summer they will begin an inventory of erosion sources in the
Elk River upstream of Lake Orono and they will be creating a vegetative buffer strip
demonstration adjacent to the Lake using their own funds.
The Task Force is requesting funding from the city for two additional projects in the
summer of 2001. The first is goose trapping, which will take place in late June or early
July. Last year, 114 birds were removed from Lion's Park and Lake Orono. The goal is
to reduce the population to acceptable levels. The city also altered its regulations to open
up additional areas to goose hunting. The young geese are relocated and the adults are
used for area food shelves. In the past, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) has required that all the butchered birds go to the regional distribution center for
allocation to area food shelves. Staff is looking into whether or not we can make sure our
birds go to C.A.E.R. locally. '
Trapping needs to be an ongoing effort to be affective. Each year less birds will be taken,
therefore, the cost will decrease. The estimated cost of this year's trapping is $2,500.
Staff is recommending the Council allocate Council Contingency Funds for this
purpose.
The second funding request from the Lake Orono Water Quality Task Force is for
stocking the Lake. So far this year, the DNR has stocked Lake Orono with 404 crappies
and 35 Bluegills. The Lake Orono Improvement Association is going to spend $1,000 of
their own money to stock approximately 1,400 additional Bluegills from a private source,
Ron Rademacker Ponds out of Waconia, Minnesota. Staff recommends the CounCil
match the Lake Associations efforts with an additional $1,000 from Council
Contingency Funds. This seems appropriate since the city does have a fishing pier in
Lake Orono. All of the fish mentioned above are pre-spawn so more than the actual
number of fish stocked will be added to the Lake.
The total request is for $3,500.
Phone: 763.441.7420
Fax: 763 441,7425
www. ci.elk-riven mn.us
MIS~ION 8TATEM]ENT
(A_p_P_f_oved June 7t200~)j
To improve and protect the water quality and depth in Lake Orono
and to affect the attitudes of the public regarding both
Goal #1 - Protect and/or improve the water quality in Lake Orono
Objective - Reduce the sources of phosphorus entering the Lake
Tasks
· Reduce the number of local geese using the Lake - trapping by
July 31, 2000 and gaining approval of hunting in safe areas in
the current ~'no hunting zone" in time for the early goose season
in 2000
· Encourage the use of buffer strips around the Lake and' other
contributing waterways through education and the construction
of a demonstration buffer strip by spring 2001
· Encourage the Elk River City Council to ban fertilizer containing
phosphorus before the end of 2000 and educate the public on
the high phosphorus conten't occurring naturally in the soil in
Sherburne County
· Explore ways to reduce the amount of leaves entering the Elk
l~iver and Lake Orono prior to fall of 2000, i.e. more frequent
street sweeping and education about dumping leaves in the
River or storm sewers
· Identify (inventory in the City of Elk. River by fall of 2001) and
eliminate sources of farm run-off into the Elk River (working
with the Elk River Watershed Board and Sherburne County
Water Plan Committee) and Lake Orono (working with the City
of Elk River) - ongoing
· Participate in MPCA Citizen Lake Monitoring Program (SECCFU
Disk monitoring May through September of each year)
· Monitor phosphorus in the Lake in June and August of each
· year and encourage the Sherburne County Soil and Water
Conservation District to monitor phosphorus at the County
Road #15 monitoring ·station and Tibbits Brook once a year
· Encourage volunteerism regarding water quality issues
Objective - Reduce coliform in Lake Orono
Tasks
· Reduce the number of geese using the Lake (see task above)
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