Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout[04a] Minutes December 5, 2013 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, December 5th, 2013 at 6:00 PM in the St. Joseph City Hall, opening the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. Members Present: Mayor Rick Schultz, Councilors Dale Wick, Renee Symanietz, Bob Loso, Steve Frank, City Administrator Judy Weyrens City Representatives: City Engineer Randy Sabart, Finance Director Lori Bartlett, Chief Joel Klein, Public Works Director Terry Thene Others Present: Tom Klein, Murray Mack, Tom Peck, Steve Platenburg, Preston Earle Public Comments As no one was wishing to be heard, Schultz closed the public comments portion. Wick made a motion to approve the agenda. The motion was seconded by Approval of the Agenda: Loso and passed unanimously by those present. Loso made a motion to approve the consent agenda as follows; seconded by Consent Agenda: Wick and passed unanimously by those present. a. Minutes – Approved the minutes of November 21, 2013. b. Bills Payable – Approved check numbers 047251 – 047293; payroll EFT # 000873 - 000877 c. Liquor License – Approved the Non Intoxicating, Tobacco, and Amusement Licenses. d. Financial Report – Accepted the October Treasurer Report as presented. Facility Presentation – HMA: Murray Mack, Tom Peck, Steve Plantenburg, representatives of HMA Architects and RA Morton, approached the Council regarding the designs of the new city facility. Mack stated that what is seen tonight is not the final design, but it is very close. Mack stated that in order to maximize the size of the lot, there is a parking lot with both parallel and perpendicular parking. There will be a refuse area as well a strip of green space going around three sides of the building. The main lobby will have access to all the main areas including; City Hall, the Police Dept., the Council Chambers, and the Community Room. There will be seating for 40 people in the chamber, with overflow seating in the lobby and community room. In the community room there will be a small kitchenette and storage area with a seating capacity of 128. The room will be able to be split into two spaces using a retractable wall. For the City Administration section, Mack stated there will be a secured entrance, a large conference room, and separate offices for the Building inspector, City Administrator, Finance Director, and EDA Director. On the PD side, there are many similarities to that of City Hall. There is a secured entrance, conference/interview room, and additional offices for PD staff. The PD garage has space for 3 vehicles with access to the evidence room. There is a sally port on the South side of the building to allow for drive- thru of police vehicles. The facility is 17,885 square feet. The existing site is around 9,000 square feet. Mack added that due to budget constraints, they have ruled out the option that included a basement. Loso asked whether anything in the current building could be salvaged to save money. Plantenburg responded that the demolition contractors put salvageable items into their bid and the bids are adjusted for that. Mack added that the cable TV system will be reused as well as some of the other technology currently in use. Schultz expressed his concerns with the amount of space designated for storage in the new floor plan. He is concerned about whether the City will eventually outgrow the building due to lack of storage. Mack stated that if additional storage is needed in excess of what is already delegated, they would then look to the community room for storage, given the probability of another Community Center being built in the future. Mack added that there are 2 additional spaces for staff expansion in City Hall and 3-4 in the Police Department. Schultz stated that he felt the floor plan was a little closed off and he made the suggestion December 5, 2013 Page 2 of 5 of the possibility of having someone in the lobby to direct traffic in the building. Mack responded that in today’s world, security is more of an issue and floor plans with higher security in mind are becoming more common in city buildings. Mack then presented the inside of the facility in a 3D model. Loso stated that the north side of the building would be the perfect place for a LED digital informational sign for the residents. Mack stated that they can look at putting a free standing sign on College Avenue. Platenburg stated that the first plan they were looking back was in August of 2012. He added that the staff and architects have really dug into providing an efficient cost-effective facility plan. The materials used in the facility are durable and have a long life and will do well in serving the community for quite some time. th On November, 13, there was a schematic done which came back with an estimate of $4.7 million. A table was provided where the allocation of the cost are broken down by department. To get that $4.7 million down, HMA and the Facility Committee have looked at alternative ways of getting that down to the expectations set forth in the budget while still providing quality work. Platenburg stated that they are looking for approval from the Council to move forward on the project. He added that in the first quarter of the year is the best time to get bids on projects by contractors that are looking to secure projects at the beginning of the year. Peck stated there are 14 alternatives that were looked at to reduce the cost that will give the City more flexibility as bids start coming in. Weyrens asked if the 4.7 number reflected the reductions previously discussed, such as reusing the Cable and phone systems. Platenburg stated that it did not, but would drop the cost, bringing it into the target range. Weyrens presented two different illustrations showing the impact on tax rates. They included impacts from Park Terrace. On a 50/50 assessment rate from 2013-2020 there will be an increase of 3.942% which includes Park Terrace and assuming no growth. The second illustration shows a 40/60 split assessment rate and the increase will be 4.47% as there would be a larger contribution to Park Terrace. Mack stated that the goal would be to get the project out for bidding by the end of March. Bidding would be about a month and then construction would start. Platenburg added that he wants to aggressively market this project out to contractors to get it in by the first quarter of the year. The approvals tonight are to get the architects through the bidding process. Wick made a motion to authorize the Mayor and Administrator to execute an agreement between the City of St. Joseph and HMA for final design plans, including construction documents and to approve the project to be bid when the plans are complete with anticipated bid date in early March. The motion was seconded by Loso and motion was carried. Aye: Schultz, Loso, Symanietz, Wick Motion Carried: 4:1:0 Nay: Frank Discussion: Loso asked if the cost of staff re-location is included in the estimate. Platenburg stated there is an allowance of $50,000 allocated to the relocation of staff. Loso asked how close the preliminary costs are to what the actual costs will be. Platenburg responded that on the schematic plans, he had double- checked the costs involved and he feels pretty good about the numbers. He again stressed the st importance of having bids in within the 1 quarter. He has seen on average a 5% swing in either direction that can occur. They will work hard to establish alternates that would help guarantee the project is within the budget. Mack added that he has high confidence in RA Morton’s estimates. Frank stated that he is going to vote no on moving forward with the construction documents and bidding process. He stated he appreciated all the work done by the architects, but he feels very rushed. Frank added he is very uncertain about the financial situation especially with Park Terrace. He asked what the square footage of the actual office space is in the current facility. Weyrens stated that there is 9000 total square feet so about 4500 square feet for both City Hall and the Police Department. Frank added that he is not sure of how much space the City is actually gaining with the new plan. Frank had concerns about whether the Community Room would fill the need for what residents want. Schultz stated that the Community Center is a separate project, but the sales tax can still be used for the Community Room. December 5, 2013 Page 3 of 5 Frank stated that he sees redundancy if the City has both a Community Room and a Community Center. Schultz stated that the Community Center would allow for more activities rather than just having it serve as a meeting space. Frank stated that he cannot see the new plan being able to keep up with growth over the next 40- 50 years. Weyrens stated that the Police Department side is more than double the current size for square footage. Frank stated that he is not ready to jump into it yet. Loso added that this is not the final decision, that there will be additional meetings and additional decisions that need to be made regarding the project. Schultz feels the City has taken the time needed and doesn’t think the City rushed into the decision. Mack stated that the square footage in the current City Offices building is 1,260 square feet. The new facility would have 2,850sq. ft. For the Police Department the current square footage is 1,650 square feet. In the new plan there will be 5,000 square feet not including the garage or the sally port. Loso asked what the cost would be to move the building to another location. Platenburg stated that they looked at 16 different variations. To build on the alternate sites, there would be some savings as there would not be demolitions and there might be a sale on the current property. However, on the new property there would need to be numerous tests done on the land and soil that would add costs. Loso stated that he has spoken with residents, some asking why the current building is being demolished. Mack stated that they have gone through the discussion and that it would be difficult to build the new facility on a different property. 2014 Proposed Budget Hearing: Mayor Schultz opened the public hearing for consideration of the 2014 General Fund Budget and Levy. Weyrens stated that the final budget presented includes an approximate reduction in the tax rate of 2%. The proposed budget maintains staffing levels and includes capital construction and equipment. Weyrens stated that she received written testimony from Mike McDonald, th 213 13 Ave SE and proceeded to read the email. The email questioned the past and proposed employee wages and benefits as well as suggesting he Council could have done more to reduce the budget further. In addition to comments on the proposed budget, McDonald reviewed the past and proposed utility rates. Frank stated that information in the Council packet discussed potential property tax refunding methods and questioned how residents would be aware of the programs Weyrens stated that the programs referred to are State programs that most people would be made of aware when completing their end of year taxes. The City would have no way to determine who is eligible as they are property and income specific. Bartlett added that the City estimated a savings of about $30,000 in sales tax that impacts the general levy and utility rates Frank stated that when looking over the fees, one piece that caught his eye was an increase in street lighting fees. Lori Bartlett, finance director, stated that there is a $.70 proposed increase which would allow the City to break even on that account. Frank also brought up the garbage fee to which Weyrens stated that the garbage contract is up at the end of 2014 and the bid will be in October. Frank stated that other area cities have negotiated for lower rates. Wick made a motion to authorize the Mayor and Administrator to execute Resolution 2013-061 Adopting the Proposed 2013 Tax Levy, Collective in 2014. The motion was seconded by Loso and passed unanimously. Discussion: Frank asked if anyone else on the Council has heard any feedback from the residents. Schultz stated that people are thankful that rates have been held pretty consistent but are a bit concerned regarding the future and future bonds and projects. Fee Schedule: Schultz opened the public hearing on the Fee Schedule. As no one was wishing to speak, Schultz closed the public hearing for Council discussion. The fee schedule includes a list of general City fees plus four appendices for police fines, building permits, utility rates and compensation. The2014 fee December 5, 2013 Page 4 of 5 schedule includes increasing the Water Access Charge $ 100.00, create a fee for an administrative hearing and background checks and establishing a zoning permit. Frank stated that after looking over the fees St. Joseph charges compared to area cities for amusement licenses, he found that St. Joseph is right in the middle. He also questioned if the conversion of water meters to computer read is completed or if the project is still being financed. Weyrens stated that the City paid for the conversion with water funds and has been completed. Schultz made a motion to adopt the 2014 Fee Schedule as presented; seconded by Symanietz and passed unanimously. Committee Updates EDA: Frank reported that there was a large discussion regarding services out at County Road 2 for the project referred to as Gateway Commons, as well as the facility plan. Wick stated that the EDA is on board with the facility plan as presented earlier in this meeting. Frank added that there was discussion on the Hotel possibility, but nothing was decided. Schultz stated that as the EDA works with the developer for Gateway Commons he would like to see the improvements extend to the current downtown area to tie the areas together. He added that the proposed development is a great opportunity for the City. Symanietz concurred and stated that something as simple as adding flower baskets to the development would help connect the areas. Planning Commission: Schultz reported that the Planning Commission conducted a hearing for McDonalds to increase the height of their advertising sign and that matter will come before the Council at the next Council meeting. The Planning Commission did recommend the Council approve the request. The Planning Commission also considered an Interim Use Permit for a non owner occupied rental which will also be forwarded for the next Council meeting. In addition, the Planning Commission has scheduled a special meeting for December 16 to discuss sign Ordinance regulations. Weyrens stated that the staff has compiled data on the existing signs on the major corridors and they are being mapped for the Planning Commission discussion. Administrator Reports Liberty Point Lots: Weyrens stated that the City has seven lots in Liberty Point that are in the foreclosure process. The lots are small and included in a homeowners association. All the lots have an outstanding assessment slightly over $ 8,000 and an additional $ 8,000 in past due delinquent fees. These fees are in addition to the lot price, making the lots unattractive to build. To help encourage the sale of the lots, staff is recommending the Council waive the delinquent fees as they are not anticipated when the assessments are levied and that would help lot sales. Frank questioned whether or not the lots could be combined to create a larger lot. Weyrens stated that the property is part of an association, so property owners only own the building, the underlying property is owned by the association. Therefore, to combine lots would require an additional property purchase. Schultz made a motion to remove the delinquent assessment charges on the Liberty Pointe properties. The motion was seconded by Wick and passed unanimously. Meeting Schedule: Weyrens stated that the meeting schedule has been something the Council had discussed previously. Most cities find that 6pm is as convenient for residents as 7pm and have moved their meeting times up. Weyrens added that some cities only meet once a month and reduce their meetings in the summer. The goal is to have a new schedule decided by the beginning of the year. The change would require an ordinance update. Symanietz stated she would like to continue having two meetings a month with the possibility to cancel any meetings if need be. Loso would like the Council strd meetings to stay on the 1 and 3 Thursdays of every month as all other meetings are scheduled around them. He added that he is in favor of the 6pm start time. December 5, 2013 Page 5 of 5 Weyrens will bring back a red-lined ordinance to the next meeting with the meeting time change for Council approval. st Property Purchase: Weyrens stated that the City was approached to purchase the home at 33 1 Ave NW in the amount of $60,000. The City currently owns a police garage and water filtration plant adjacent to st the property, therefore the property at 33 1 Ave NW could be combined at some point in the future. The st City will always have a facility located on 1 Ave NW. Loso stated that it would be a good idea and could be a place for the historical society. Frank asked what would be done with the property, what are the future plans with it. Weyrens responded that it could be used for the historical society, it could be used for parking, or could be used for another business. Wick stated it could be used as temporary storage if the new government center is approved. Wick asked if the purchase would be done by the EDA. Weyrens stated that the City would purchase the property. The lot is 100x130 totaling 13,000 square feet. Frank asked how much additional money will need to be put into the property to keep it going. Weyrens stated that the building would first need to be handicapped accessible and up to building codes. The Council would like to have an inspection done to make sure the structure is sound prior to the official purchase. st Loso made a motion to purchase the property on 1 Ave NW contingent upon the findings of the inspections made by Inspectron. The motion was seconded by Schultz and passed unanimously. Mayor Reports APO: Schultz reported that the APO met and Bill Hanson will be the interim Executive Director. Hanson will be working part-time, 20 hours a week, starting in January. The application process is hoping to be completed relatively quickly and the APO is hoping to have someone in place late February, early March. New Business Frank: Frank stated that he has been doing google searches on sign ordinances and he can show a handful of cities that are banning digital signs. He is not sure if it is a trend. Frank added that there was a law put out to ban them, but he is not sure how far that will go. There is a differential between having digital signs for a business as opposed to having a digital billboard for on premise advertising such as gas prices. The brightness of the signs are regulated in the ordinances. Symanietz: Symanietz reported that she has been getting calls from people driving on County Road 2 that are having issues seeing when they are wanting to turn left towards the interstate. Frank stated that the County is going to have to look at it. Chief Klein stated that there have been consistent complaints from residents since the intersection was opened. Motion made by Wick to adjourn at 8:10 PM; seconded by Loso and passed unanimously Adjourn: by those present. Judy Weyrens Administrator THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK