HomeMy WebLinkAbout[04a] MinutesC.[T\ OF yT. J[]SIP.YH
Council Agenda Item 4 a
MEETING DATE: September 4, 2008
AGENDA ITEM: Minutes -Requested Action: Approve the Council minutes of
August 11 and August 21, 2008
SUBMITTED BY: Administration
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
BUDGET/FISCAL IMPACT: $
ATTACHMENTS: Minutes of August 11 and August 21, 2008
REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION: Approve the minutes of August 11 and August 21, 2008
August 11, 2008
Page 1 of 5
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City Council for the City of St. Joseph met in special session
on Monday, August 11, 2008 at 7:00 PM at the St. Joseph City Hall.
Members Present: Mayor Alan Rassier, Councilors Renee Symanietz, Dale Wick, Rick Schultz and Steve
Frank, City Administrator Judy Weyrens
Citv Representatives Present: Finance Director Lori Bartlett, Public Works Director Terry Thene, Police
Chief Pete Jansky, City Engineer Randy Sabart
Others Present: Mike McDonald
PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE AGENDA
Mike McDonald, 213 13<h Avenue SE, approached the Councilors and stated that he attended the Council
budget workshop and found it to be very informative and requested that the Council consider televising
the same. McDonald stated that much of the information presented at the workshop is the basis for the
decisions that are made at the Council meetings.
Approve Agenda: Symanietz made a motion to approve the agenda as presented. The motion was
seconded by Wick and passed unanimously.
Consent Agenda: Wick made a motion to approve the consent agenda as follows:
a. Change Order -Approve change order No. 1 for the 2007 Jade R ad Improvements.
b. Bills Payable -Approve check numbers 040532-040632 an umbers 000189-000198
8~ 000439.
c. Election Judge Appointment -Appoint election ' forth eptember 9, 2008 Primary
Election.
The motion was seconded by Frank.
Discussion: Syma ue ne the ele'jOdges receive some sort of training.
Weyrens advi a ci
conducted by t Stearn u r.
relating to electi 'udges o
judges; Pay has incr ed ov
Weyrens stated that St. Joseph has been fortunate and we actually have residents volunteering
then spaces available. Wick questioned whether the same judges will serve for the primary and
the general elections. According to Weyrens, the list of judges will be the same; however, they
must be approved separately prior to each election.
The motion passed unanimously.
re quired to attend a two hour training session
Fra ted that the media has reported on national trends
of the issues regarding election judges include: Aging of
er the years; Very little training; Higher percentage of voting.
CITY ENGINEER REPORTS
Water Treatment Plant Update: Sabart reported that he received the correspondence regarding the
structural analysis of the beams at the Water Treatment Plant. The analysis has been submitted by the
engineer for Timberweld, the vendor supplying the beams. The report verifies that in their opinion, the
beams are not overloaded and the checking occurring in the glue laminated beams is normal. The report
did identify that there are three connections to the supporting columns that need to be reinforced.
Previously, the Council suggested hiring an independent firm to provide the City with another engineering
opinion regarding the checking in the beams. Sabart stated that the estimated cost for such an opinion
would be somewhere between $1,000 and $2,000. Sabart provided the Councilors with some pictures of
a building in St. Paul where similar cracking is occurring. He stated that some cracking is natural.
August 11, 2008
Page 2 of 5
Frank made a motion to approve the expenditure of up to $2,000 to hire an independent engineer
to review the beams at the Water Treatment Plant. The motion was seconded by Wick.
Discussion: Schultz questioned whether cracking will still occur if the supports are put in place
and whether they were missed during the construction. According to Sabart, they were not
required in the original construction. The addition of the support beams is a different situation.
The motion passed unanimously.
Graceview Issues: Frank questioned whether Sabart was looking into the ingress/egress issues relating
to the proposed Graceview development. Sabart replied that the concern was that of additional traffic.
Given the nature of the proposed development, they have completed traffic calculations based on the
average number of trips per day. Symanietz questioned whether 4th Avenue is wide enough for this type
of traffic. Rassier advised the Councilors that this issue is still being discussed by the Planning
Commission and it is not yet ready for Council discussion.
POLICE CHIEF REPORTS
Joint Powers Agreement - 2008 Republican National Convention: Jansky advised the Council that the St.
Paul Police Department is requesting aid from other Minnesota Cities for the 2008 Republican National
Convention. Due to the size of the venue, additional officers are needed to assist for the four days of the
convention. They are requesting 6,000 extra police officers. Jansky stated th t the City of St. Paul has
received federal funding to offset the cost of the convention. The funds sed in part to cover
overtime costs for additional security. Jansky stated that three o requested to participate in
providing security for the RNC. Jansky stated that he will b ing as II as he would like to see
how a large event handled for security. ~. ~
Cities providing Officers must execute Pow e t with the Cit~°"of St. Paul. The Joint
Powers Agreement has been draft th ssis he ague of Minnesota Cities. Jansky
stated that he and Sergea ne ein re ed t o Powers Agreement and they do not
see any concerns. As ult, s e ing approval of the agreement as he feels this would
be a good opportunity f he offi
Symanietz made a moti gut zing the Mayor and Administrator to execute the Joint Powers
Agreement between the St. Paul and the City of St. Joseph for public safety related to the
2008 Republican National Convention. The motion was seconded by Schultz.
Discussion: Schultz questioned whether other area cities will be providing officers, to which
Jansky stated that he is aware that the City of Avon will be providing two officers. He added that
other agencies throughout the State will be participating as well. Schultz then questioned whether
St. Joseph has enough coverage in the event that there is an emergency in town. Jansky stated
that if there is an emergency that requires more coverage, the officers will be sent back to St.
Joseph. Rassier clarified that the officers that have volunteered to go to St. Paul are not
scheduled to work in St. Joseph as they are on their days off.
The motion passed unanimously.
SUV Purchase: Jansky stated that the Council previously authorized the Police Department to purchase
an SUV provided the vehicle and equipment did not exceed $ 35,000. Jansky reported that the City
recently purchased a 2007 GMC Yukon from Miller Auto Plaza for $ 23,000. The vehicle was a lease
vehicle from the State of Washington. The Yukon will be sent in for painting and graphics over the next
week. He stated that this is a good addition to their fleet.
August 11, 2008
Page 3 of 5
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR REPORTS
Sewer Line Evaluations: Public Works Director Terry Thene approached the Council to discuss the
evaluation of sewer lines. Thene stated that the staff is currently working on jetting the sewer lines and
have encountered many areas where roots have slowed the process To help determine if the lines are
root grown or in need of repair, Thene is recommending the Council televise the lines in areas where staff
has encountered difficulty. He further stated it is his understanding that the sewer fund budget includes a
line item for sewer lining and suggested the funds could be better used for televising to determine where
lining or repair is needed. Thene presented the Council with a map of an area he would like to have
televised.
Based on the map presented, Rassier questioned Sabart as to the area from College Avenue N east to
3ro Avenue NE (in alley). Rassier stated that it is his recollection that the 2002 Street Improvement
project initially included sewer replacement/repair but it was determined that sewer lining was as affective
as sewer replacement. Before funds are expended Rassier stated that he would like Thene to verffy the
completed street project. Thene stated that he is unfamiliar with previous projects in the City and he
would like to see the shape of the pipe to make sure that lining is required. Sabart stated that, he too, is
unfamiliar with this project, but he assumes that they may have done some televising at that time.
Schultz clarified that the purpose of the televising is to prioritize which areas need to be lined first. Thene
stated that with the funds available, they will be able to complete the propose root killing and televising.
Thene added that there are some areas in town where there is unfavor ess to the sewer lines due
to sheds, bushes, fences, etc.
Wick made a motion to re-allocate the funds for ewer I ng a proc with the root killing and
televising of the proposed areas after checking revi isions ated to the 2002 project.
The motion was seconded by Syma '
Discussion: Fra
that data. Them
condition of the
The motion passed
~~ 5-6 years ago and the relevance of
to see those pictures and the current
Backhoe/Loader Purchase:~'Thene advised the Council that the City's Capital Improvement Plan allows
for the purchase of a front-end loader. He; however, is recommending that the City purchase a
tractor/backhoe rather than afront-end loader. The Maintenance Department would like to purchase that
piece of equipment this year and have the current loader equipped with a plow and wing to be used for
snow plowing. Thene stated that they have been demoing machines from different vendors. He stated
that by purchasing a backhoe, the Maintenance Department will be able to operate more self-sufficiently.
Wick made a motion to approve the re-allocation of funds to allow the Maintenance Department to
purchase the requested backhoe. The motion was seconded by Schultz and passed unanimously.
Other Matters: Thene commented that staff has been doing a great job and he has seen improvements at
the parks, especially Millstream.
MAYOR REPORTS
2009 Budget: Rassier reported that the City has begun the budget process for 2009. The Council has
received a rough draft of the budget and it will be available on the website for public review. He urged
those with input to address the proposal with either staff or members of the Council.
August 11, 2008
Page 4 of 5
FRANK
COUNCIL REPORTS
Budget: Based on comments made by McDonald, Frank stated that, he too, agrees that the budget
workshops should be televised. He liked the suggestion.
Graceview Issues: With respect to comments made by residents at the Public Hearing on the proposed
development in Graceview Estates, Frank stated the following:
• The City needs to better identify zoning areas on the maps.
• There needs to be more effective ways of letting residents know of changes such as zoning.
Intergovernmental Meeting: Frank stated that the City of Sartell is in the process of replacing some of
their holding ponds with rain gardens. He suggested that we wait and see what they have learned through
the process.
Ordinance Changes: Frank questioned when Ordinance changes are considered. Rassier replied that it is
an ongoing process. They are first reviewed by staff and then forwarded to the related boards for
approval. He then questioned how the City can change the length of terms for the various boards.
Rassier stated that he believes the matter would need to be placed on the ballot before change can
occur. With regard to advisory boards, the matter can be handled through a rdinance Amendment.
SCHULTZ
Televising of Meetings: Schultz stated that he agre with k a McDo d that meetings, such as
those dealing with the budget, should be televised. as a at, in o r to televise those
meetings, the Council would be requir ange a icy.
Fire Board: Schultz ac
information will be pro
payroll issues that are
the department's Pers
WICK - No Report
SYMANIETZ
~oard'e~itly reviewed the preliminary budget and
Budget meeting. He added that there are some
:ouncil may be seeing some additional changes in
Intergovernmental Meeting: Symanietz reported that she attended the lntergovernmental Meeting as well
She stated that they discussed a sustainability plan as well as various ways to preserve the history of the
City.
St. Cloud Regional Library: Symanietz advised the Council that the grand opening for the St. Cloud
Regional Library is scheduled for September 20, 2008.
Legislative Session: Symanietz stated that she received a copy of the latest legislative report and that
copies have been given to Weyrens.
ADMINISTRATOR REPORTS
Buildino Assessment: Weyrens stated that she has asked SEH to provide a budget for completing a
space needs study as it relates to the potential use of Kennedy School. SEH has submitted a cost of $
5,000 which includes a peripheral view of the mechanics.
August 11, 2008
Page 5 of 5
Frank made a motion to approve the expenditure of up to $5,000 to complete aspace/needs
assessment for the City. The motion was seconded by Symanietz.
Discussion: According to Sabart, it is best for the City to first look at the City's needs before doing
an assessment of the Kennedy building. Wick was under the understanding that the 1 ~` phase of
the assessment included a mechanical evaluation. Sabart stated that it did not; rather the 1 ~
phase included only a needs assessment for the City. According to Rassier, the City needs to
assess its future needs. Sabart advised the Council that they can do more; however, they
understand the need to minimize up-front costs. Schultz clarified that the different locations will be
assessed after the needs study is completed.
Frank made a motion to table the approval of the space/needs assessment until further
information is received to clarify what the $5,000 proposal includes. The motion was seconded by
Wick and passed unanimously.
Agreement Release -128 7th Avenue NW: Weyrens stated that has received a request to release an
agreement that has been recorded on the property located at 128 - 7th Avenue NW. The agreement
required connection to the municipal sewer system including an understanding of the cost sharing.
Weyrens stated that this property has already connected to the municipal sewer system. A title company
working on behalf of the property owner is requesting release of the agreement if the terms have been
satisfied. Weyrens stated that at this time there is no reason to not release the agreement.
Wick made a motion to release the sewer agreement filled and the prope y is connected to the
municipal sewer system. The motion was seconded by Frank and unanimously.
Field Street: Weyrens updated the Council on a recent me arding Id Street. Citystated that, at
the previous meeting regarding Field Street, they di usse a two Iterna s. The alternative that
extended over the interstate was changed due to v s ch h othe adways. There is only one
alternative left and that will be brought a fu a etin
Ad' :Wick made a mo ' a ur con y Dietz and passed unanimously.
August 21, 2008
Page 1 of 5
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City Council for the City of St. Joseph met in regular session
on Thursday, August 21, 2008 at 7:00 PM at the St. Joseph City Hall.
Members Present: Mayor Alan Rassier, Councilors Renee Symanietz, Dale Wick, Rick Schultz and Steve
Frank, City Administrator Judy Weyrens
Citv Representatives Present: Finance Director Lori Bartlett, City Engineer Randy Sabart
Others Present: Ryan Pekarek, Bob 8 Ellen Wahlstrom
Public Comments: No one present wished to speak.
Approval of the Aoenda: Symanietz made a motion to approve the agenda with the following
changes/additions/deletions:
Delete 5 Representative Larry Hosch, Legislative Update
Add 9d Front End Loader -Equipment Request
Add 9e Extension of Land Use Deadline
The motion was seconded by Schultz and passed unanimously..
Consent Agenda: Wick made a motion to approve the consent agenda as follows:
a. Minutes -Approve the minutes of June 19 and July 17, 2008.
b. Bills Payable -Approve check numbers 040633-040660 a umbers 000199-000203.
c. Application for Payment -Authorize the Mayor to ex ay Ap tion #7 for the 2007 Jade
Road Improvements and authorize payment to R.L. rson Excava in the amount of
$13,038.75.
d. Treasurers Report -Accept the J 2008 rer eport includi he donations for disc golf,
camping and in kind fire h
e. Donation - Accept t on n of rns to fund the purchase of a video camera
for the GMC S t
f. Interim Use Pe it - Acc t t reco tion of the Planning Commission and issue an
Interim Use Per to Keit is schenk, 1306 Iris Lane to operate an owner occupied rental with
a maximum dens of tw na s.
g. Interim Use Permi pt the recommendation of the Planning Commission and issue an
Interim Use Permit Ryan Pekarek, 114 - 1~ Avenue SE to operate an owner occupied rental
with a maximum density of two tenants.
h. Interim Use Permit -Accept the recommendation of the Planning Commission and issue an
Interim Use Permit to Katherine Hultquist, 510 Fir Street East to operate an owner occupied
rental with a maximum density of two tenants.
The motion was seconded by Symanietz.
Discussion: With respect to the Bills Payable (b), Schultz questioned the charges from K & L
Lawncare. Weyrens advised Schultz that K & L is hired by the City to cut private lawns that have
received weed notices.
The motion passed unanimously.
CITY ENGINEER REPORTS
Sabart stated that he had no report; however Schultz questioned the following:
1. Laminated Beam at WTP: He questioned the status of the independent inspection that was to be
completed. Sabart advised the Council that they have requested that the company they
August 21, 2008
Page 2 of 5
recommend submit a proposal to the City prior to performing any inspections. The City should be
receiving that soon.
2. Jasmine Lane: Schultz questioned the construction of Jasmine Lane. According to Weyrens, they
have been working with the developer on this issue.
Frank arrived at 7:05 PM.
MAYOR REPORTS - No Report
SYMANIETZ
COUNCIL REPORTS
Park Board: Symanietz stated that the Park Board recently met and they are continuing to work on the
Master Park Plan. The Park Board has requested that the City look at cleaning up the holding ponds
within the City. Sabart advised the Council that he has been working with the Public Works Director on a
maintenance schedule for the ponds as there are some ponds that can be burned and others that may
need re-seeding.
Great River Reoional Library: According to Symanietz, the grand opening for the new library is scheduled
for September 20, 2008.
WICK
Millstream Arts Festival: Wick advised the Council that the
last Sunday in September. This year, they plan to have 30
they expect somewhere around 4,000 people to be in attei
Planning Commission: Wick stated that
discussion of the City's Comprehe
estival will take place on the
11 f vendors. He added that
will meet o~i4ugust 27 to continue their
~g the Chapter relating to Housing.
St. Cloud Economic D P • Wi reported'that the SCEDP will be hosting the annual
golf outing on Septemb 11. Th i e take a of the investors, builders; etc on a tour and the
new Kennedy School wi a inclu i e tour.
2AM bar closino: Wick sta a has been receiving requests again relating to the 2AM bar closing.
According to Wick, the City ay want to consider holding a public hearing to get public input regarding
the request. Rassier stated that, he too, has been receiving requests relating to such change; however,
he was waiting for a formal request before bringing it to the Council for review. In the past, staff has
recommended that a public hearing be held, although not required, to allow for everyone to voice their
opinions. Weyrens stated that to allow for the 2AM bar closing, there would be a minor changed needed
to the Ordinance. Schultz suggested that this be discussed at a Council Work Session prior to holding a
public hearing. Symanietz stated that she would like to see a public hearing held to hear from both those
in favor and those against the proposed change. Weyrens suggested that if a public hearing were to be
held, it would be best to put the information in the next newsletter and hold the meeting in October.
Rassier and Schultz suggested that this item be added to the list of items for discussion at the next work
session.
SCHULTZ - No Report
FRANK
Minutes: With respect to the minutes of July 17 relating to the Gateway Commons Developer and Field
Street, Frank stated that he reported that the Developer needs access from County Road 2 and the
access is Field Street. The Developer does not care where the access is located so long as he can
August 21, 2008
Page 3 of 5
develop the property. Frank stated that this report does not mean that he supports Field Street, in fact he
is not in favor of any of the proposed alternatives for Field Street.
Immiaration Ceremonv: Frank reported that he attended the Immigration Ceremony for Rassier. He felt
that the ceremony was very moving and stated that there were 100 people there from 60 different
countries.
ADMINISTRATOR REPORTS
Space Needs Studv: Weyrens stated that, previously, the Council considered a proposal from SEH to
conduct a space needs study to help determine the needs for future City space. At that time, there were
some questions relating to what was included. Based on the input from the last meeting, a revised
proposal has been submitted listing options of services the Council could consider.
Weyrens stated that since the last Council meeting she has had an opportunity to meet with an architect
who performed an analysis of all District 742 facilities including Kennedy School. The analysis included a
detail review of the physical space and condition of each facility. Weyrens stated that she has contacted
a representative from District 742 to see if the City could secure a copy of the study.
Frank asked for clarification of whether or not the funds that have been received from the'/z cent sales
tax have been moved from the fund designated for a community center and put in another fund. Weyrens
stated that all funds received from the sales tax are placed in a special revenue fund and can only be
used for uses allowed through the Legislation.
Rassier questioned the Council as to whether or not they want to s estimated $5,000 to conduct
such a study. Wick questioned where these funds would co to whi Weyrens stated that there
are funds available in the Capital Improvement Fund for Fa y Planning.
Schultz stated that he feels the scope of tudy be arated into t following:
• Space needs study which a to in h he City owns, what is operated from
each facility as well ne ass me cu t ff. Weyrens stated that City staff can
provide that in
• Inspection of K edy S o d wh r not it fits the needs of the City.
Sabart stated that the inf atio at S ultz is requesting would require a more critical analysis than
what was proposed. He a e Council that they could provide the City with a more detailed analysis
if it were requested. Schul stated that he believes it is wrong to focus solely on Kennedy as there may
be other options. Rassier questioned whether Kennedy is the ideal space. Frank stated that he would like
to see staff envision different growth scenarios when looking at the future growth of the City. Wick
questioned the timeline for SEH to complete such a study to which Sabart stated the process can begin
immediately and dependent upon availability of staff and resources the study could be completed in a
short period of time.
Schultz stated that the driving factor for doing this study is to look at a community center. Weyrens
suggested that the Sales Tax Committee help define what a community center means to the residents of
St. Joseph. Schultz stated that the Council should provide them with direction as to what they see as a
community center. Frank agreed that the City needs to come up with a common definition for such.
Sabart stated that they have done this type of study for various other cities. Wick suggested that the City
Council and Sales Tax Committee hold a town hall meeting to see exactly what the City wants in a
community center.
Sabart questioned whether the following five bullets capture what the City is looking for:
• Provide an Architect's review of the building including cursory inspections of the roof and shell for
weather tightness, and of the structural, mechanical, and electrical systems. This review will not
be in-depth, but it will identify items that we observe that might be of concern.
• Analyze the building for Building Code concerns in the area of Life Safety and Accessibility.
August 21, 2008
Page 4 of 5
• Interview staff to determine the current and future programs for the City regarding its use for the
building. How much space do those functions require?
• Determine that the building has spaces that are suitable for those programs.
• Provide other communities experiences at using excess spaces to generate income.
Schultz stated that in his opinion the first two items are secondary to the determination of need. Wick
stated that he would like to see the Community Center definition move forward and be included in part of
the needs assessment. .
Wick made a motion to accept the proposal of SEH for a space needs study with the addition of a
community center to be combined with item 4 and to direct the Sales Tax Committee to conduct
public input sessions on the definition of a community center. The motion was seconded by
Symanietz and passed unanimously.
Televising of budget meetings: Previously, it was requested that the Council consider televising the
budget meetings/workshops. Weyrens questioned whether the Council is in favor of such. Wick stated
that if they are to be televised, they must keep on track. Rassier added that they need to be run in the
same manner as a regular council meeting. Schultz stated that the Council would need an agenda to
follow. Frank stated that he is in favor of televising the meetings. He also stated that the regular meetings
need to be held on the 1 ~` and 3rd Thursdays as scheduled. Rassier stated that it is rare that meetings are
changed.
Schultz made a motion to begin televising the budget meetings be on August 26, 2008. The
motion was seconded by Frank and passed unanimously.
Terms of Office: Weyrens stated that she has previo sly be aske what tters can be placed on the
ballot for election and how the City could change t m le a May She stated that the
Council can change the length of term f may b an the Ordinan . It cannot affect the
current mayor and the change mus p a m i f f weeks prior to the closing date for the
filing of affidavits of candid The rm o ice no nged for the upcoming election.
As to what matters the uncil a to th through election, the Council is limited to items that
have statutory authority. a Lea a innesota Cities is working on finalizing a table illustrating which
matters can be placed on alto ong ith the Statute reference.
Front End Loader -Equipment Request: Weyrens stated that the Public Works Director is recommending
that the current loader be equipped with a wing and plow for snow removal purposes. Rassier questioned
whether or not the grader will be up for sale to which Weyrens stated that after this year, it will be sold.
Symanietz made a motion to approve the purchase of the wing and plow for the existing loader as
requested by the Public Works Director. The motion was seconded by Schultz and passed
unanimously.
Extension of Land-Use Deadline: Weyrens stated that S & H has submitted a final plat, PUD Amendment
and Special Use Permit application for Graceview Estates 2. The application has been submitted to
construct multiple family dwellings. Minnesota Statute requires municipalities to act on land use matters
within 60 days of submitting a completed application. Municipalities have the option of extending the
timeline an additional 60 days if additional information is requested. If action is not taken and the time
line is not extended the application is considered complete.
The S & H application was considered complete on July 29, 2008 and the public hearing was conducted
on August 4, 2008. At the public hearing the Planning Commission requested additional information
relating to landscaping, elevations and access and requested the Council extend the land use deadline
an additional 60 days. At this time the City Council should consider the request and notify the property
owner that the deadline has been extended and the reasons for extension.
August 21, 2008
Page 5 of 5
Wick made a motion to extend the Land-Use Deadline for the S 8 H Land Use Application an
additional 60 days to provided the Planning Commission with the additional information listed
above. The motion was seconded by Schultz and passed unanimously.
Adjourn: Symanietz made a motion to adjourn at 7:55 PM. The motion was seconded by Schultz
and passed unanimously.
Judy Weyrens
Administrator