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HomeMy WebLinkAbout[04a] Minutes April 6 April 06, 2015 Page 1 of 8 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City Council for the City of St. Joseph met in regular session on Monday, April 6, 2015 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, Bob Loso, Matt Killam, Renee Symanietz. City Administrator Judy Weyrens City Representatives: City Engineer Randy Sabart, Police Chief Joel Klein, Finance Director Lori Bartlett Others Present: Tom Klein, Wayne Birkholz, Scott Mareck, Jen Warnert, Abe Warnert, Ryan Nothnagel, Margy Hughes, Amy Bonfig, Becca Sauerer, Phil Barnes, Logan Gruber, Ryan Marwitz, Aaron Rieland, Kay Lemke, Rachel Haaland, Soren Haaland, Tom Boulton, Judi Boulton, Joyce Abeln, ShyAnn Jamison, Lisa Marie Thomas Life Safety Award: Police Chief Joel Klein stated that he along with Fire Chief Jeff Taufen and Assistant Fire Chief Justin Honer would like to present a life safety award to five year old ShyAnn Jamison. Fire Chief Taufen stated on February 24, 2015 the Fire Department was called to an apartment fire. Upon arrival, there were indications that a fire had occurred in the apartment complex. Taufen stated that ShyAnne was smart, brave, and was trained enough to get help. It is for this reason that the Police and Fire Department are presenting ShyAnn with the Life Safety Award, a personalized backpack and a gift card to McDonalds. Public Comments Steve Frank, 606 Birch Street W approached the Council to express is concerns on the proposed water amenity. Frank stated he has always supported a free splash pad, but is unsure how it got to being a $6 million feature that charges $6.00 per person. Frank added that he unsure how this project is related to other projects that are currently being discussed. Frank stated that after looking at the facility committee report he supported the suggestions of that group that a Community Center and Police Department should be of higher priority. Frank also noted that a water amenity was listed as a low priority. Frank stated that other area amenities need to be taken into account as well especially the ones that do not charge to use. In regards to the surveys, the survey conducted was a non-probability survey, not a true random survey. Frank stated it is doubtful that college students will be using the facility as many do not stick around during the summer. Frank stated that in the context of the community center, police department, and the water amenity an idea of what the cost to each resident would be on their property taxes should have been included in the surveys. Additionally, allocating the sales tax monies to the water amenity, in his opinion would use all the sales tax proceeds. Frank added that he is unsure about the role of USAquatics. Frank believed that they were not going to be involved the design and building of the facility. Frank stated that in the majority of pools and aquatic facilities, USAquatics plays a major role. When it comes to the bidding process, there will be fewer bids. Margy Hughes, 128 Able Court approached the Council with concerns regarding the water amenity. Hughes thanked Frank for his comments and concerns regarding the water amenity. Hughes believes it is a large project that the City would be undertaking. Additionally, the small window in which the facility will actually be open, in her opinion, will not be enough to keep up with the costs of maintaining the facility. Hughes stated there have been talks regarding a high school in St. Joseph. If the water amenity is approved the high school will not happen. Hughes added that the Community Center and Police Department should continue to be the main focuses for the City moving forward. Jen Warnert approached the Council as a member of the Water Amenity Committee. Warnert stated in the early planning stage where a splash pad was the main concept, concerns were brought regarding the limited age group the splash pad would focus on accommodating. Warnert added that as the project April 06, 2015 Page 2 of 8 progressed, the excitement of the group and community grew as well. Warnert stated the committee did dream big but they wanted the amenity to be safe and unique to the community. Wick made a motion to approve the agenda with the addition of items 9b, Approval of the Agenda: Contract Payment – 2014 Lift Station Improvement, and 11f, Designating Authority for the City Attorney to access BCA records; deletion of items 11c, Performance Standard Survey and 11d, Equipment Certificate. The motion was seconded by Symanietz and passed unanimously by those present. Symanietz made a motion to approve the consent agenda. The motion was Consent Agenda: seconded by Wick and passed unanimously by those present. a. Minutes – Approved the minutes of March 16, 2015. b. Bills Payable – Approved check numbers 049054-049117, Payroll EFT #0001043- 0001052 c. Interim Use Permit – Accepted the recommendation of the Planning Commission and issued an Interim Use Permit to Michael and Florence Loso for a non-owner occupied rental at 26 Birch Street West. d. Interim Use Permit – Accepted the recommendation of the Planning Commission and th issued an Interim Use Permit for an owner occupied rental to Molly Walz at 216 – 17 Ave SE. Public Hearing, Storm Water Permit: Weyrens stated the City is annually required to hold a public hearing to review the management of storm water. As part of the MS4 Permit, the City had to establish best management process for storm water and include public education and awareness. The area Cities have formed an organization entitled Central MN Water Education Alliance (CMWEA) whose purpose is to combine resources for education and outreach. The City of St. Cloud serves as the coordinator of the group and prepare an annual report of activities, of which is then included in the City annual report. Schultz opened the public hearing, and as no one present wished to speak, Schultz closed the public hearing. Wick made a motion authorizing staff to complete and submit the 2014 Storm Water Annual Report. The motion was seconded by Symanietz and passed unanimously. Request to Turn of Water Tower Lights: Wayne Birkholz, 447 Elena Lane, approached the Council to request the City permanently turn off the water tower lights that illuminate the logo. Birkholz stated that everyone knows about climate change and that changes to lifestyles are needed to protect the resources that are available. Birkholz added that it costs nothing to shut off the lights on the water tower and would nd like the Council to add an Ordinance regarding lighting in the City. Birkholz presented a video of 2 graders at Kennedy Elementary during and Earth concert that was held in 2014 whereby they sang a song encouraging everyone to “turn it off”. Schultz stated the water tower is one of the focal points of the City. Loso stated that the lights serve as a security measure and the cost to leave them on is minimal. Weyrens stated that when the tower was constructed, based on the cost of energy, it was estimated that the energy would the cost approximately $470/year and it was based on 7 hours a day. Loso added he does not see a need to have the lights turned off. Loso made a motion to reject the request to have the water tower lights turned off. Loso withdrew the motion. Loso made a motion to table discussion on the request for the lights on the water tower to be turned off in order to have a chance for additional community members to provide input. The motion was seconded by Wick and passed unanimously. April 06, 2015 Page 3 of 8 Water Amenity Report – USAquatics: Tom Schaffer, USAquatics, approached the Council to present the aquatic feasibility study. Schaffer stated the results of the process are due to the committee and their hard work. USAquatics met with the Water Amenity Committee on seven different occasions to discuss the feasibility of an outdoor aquatic amenity in St. Joseph. A survey was conducted in which 7.9% of the population responded. Of those that responded, 71% showed it as a high priority to the community. Shaffer stated that the facility is geared towards a variety of age groups. The older population enjoys exercising at water facilities as it is easier on their bodies and they like to bring grandchildren. A site selection process was conducted where ten sites were looked at. The sites were narrowed down to three and of those three one was chosen. Three options were created for the design of the facility, of which one was chosen by the committee. Two of the sites were eliminated right away as they were swampy. Each site was scored on seven essential categories which included: size, cost, location, utilities, zoning/restrictions, non-toxic, and whether the site was within a wetland or not. Site 8R was selected as the top site, providing the following advantages: lower purchase cost, ample room for future expansion/other uses, close proximity to controlled intersection at CR75/Elm Street, and high visibility on HWY 133. Three concept plans were developed and pieces of each were put together by the committee to form a hybrid plan. The hybrid plan was scaled back some, but still included many unique features including: lazy river, shade structures & rental tents, zero depth entry splash area, 6 lane lap pool, climbing wall, zip line and water slides. Shaffer presented the proposed cost estimate showing the price of the project at $6.1 million. The base of the project is about $4 million. With the added alternates, fundraising, and possible City projects, the total cost increases to the $6.1 million. The schedule for construction shows a grand opening date of June 11, 2016 with a soft opening date over Memorial Day weekend. Shaffer added the schedule is aggressive but doable. Shaffer stated in Minnesota, outdoor water facilities hope to be open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. After analyzing similar facilities, the committee chose to be conservative by basing projections on a 78 day season out of a possible 105 days. Admission rates are based on a fee of $6.00 per person. The estimated revenue of the facility amounts to $285,705 and the estimated expenditures is $253,764. The operating revenue would be $31,941. Shaffer added that there are many important things that need to happen in order for there to be an operational subsidy. Comfort while in the facility is key as well as a full concession stand. Shaffer closed with that some cities just want to break even on the facility and have been able to reduce the admission rates. Symanietz stated she had spoken with the Mayor in Waite Park regarding their splash pad. The splash pad was not open a lot last year and there are multiple problems associated with water amenities. Symanietz questioned who is responsible for taking care of the issues that arise. Shaffer stated the Waite Park Splash Pad costs around $20,000 to operate with no revenue. Schultz questioned if the facility comparison done in the feasibility report was truly an outdoor to outdoor comparison. Shaffer stated it was and expenses were estimated based on each unique project. Schultz questioned if the committee had looked at the safety of other types of transportation other than by motor vehicles. Shaffer responded that the committee had discussed the concerns and it did weigh into the scoring system. Schultz added that by bringing the extra people into the community it will result in increased traffic loads which could be a safety issue. Schultz added that by bringing a regional project to the City, St. Joseph will lose part of its small town vibe and it is something that needs to be considered. Schultz questioned if an amenity will help to attract new businesses and residents to the City. Shaffer stated that some of the communities that have constructed a water amenity have experienced growth as families are attracted to amenities such as the one proposed. April 06, 2015 Page 4 of 8 Schultz requested Shaffer clarify the relationship between the City and USAquatics in response to concerns expressed by Frank earlier. Shaffer stated he never said USAquatics does not design facilities, rather that the proposal for the feasibility does not lock the City into using them for the design of the facilities. Loso stated that reading the comments by residents on the survey, about 90 percent of the comments are negative. He would like to have had that addressed in the report. Loso added that he agrees with Frank’s analysis of the survey and that survey results can be skewed based on how they are interpreted. Wick stated that the amount of attendance to the facility is conservative and realistically the amount of people in Stearns County is around 200,000. Shaffer stated that they like to be conservative on the numbers to account for slower days. Schultz stated that some of the comments were that money should be spent on building a high school. He added that building the high school is under the control of District 742, not the City of St. Joseph. Weyrens stated that the Council needs to decide whether to move forward with further planning of the amenity. Additional, Weyrens has received comments and questions regarding the use of sales tax. Weyrens stated that with the City is projected to receive approximately 3 M in sales tax proceeds under the current legislation and the extension will add an additional 11 to 13 M over a 20 year period. The current proceeds exceed the projections that were calculated in 2004 so the trend continues, the City will receive in excess of 3 M under the current legislation. Weyrens reminded those present that sales tax proceeds can only be used for capital projects that are regional in nature. The proceeds cannot be used for maintenance or local street improvements. Schultz stated he would like to have an open house to get more people in front of the project. Loso agreed as he would like to receive more feedback from the public. Wick stated that the construction costs are not known and detailed estimates are needed in order to completely grasp the costs. Wick added that it may be harder to fundraise at this time of year as many business follow a July to June calendar year and there donation budgets may be exhausted. Symanietz questioned if the half cent sales tax can be used for wages. Weyrens stated it cannot. Weyrens stated that fundraising cannot happen unless there is a commitment made by the Council to move forward with the project. Weyrens added that the design documents will be paid through the sales tax funds. The next design documents will not be the final construction documents, but will be in more detail than what is in the feasibility report. Symanietz stated she would like to have the open house prior to spending any additional sales tax money on the project. Symanietz added that other things could be bought with $71,000 such as playground equipment. Wick made a motion to move forward with the design documents, contracting with USAquatics not to exceed the amount of $71,000.00. The motion was seconded by Killam. Motion carried. Aye: Schultz, Killam, Wick Nay: Loso, Symanietz Motion carried: 3:2 Facility Committee Report – WSB: Phil Barnes, WSB Representative, approached the Council to present the report of the St. Joseph Facilities Taskforce. Barnes stated his role is to present the findings and recommendations of the taskforce. Barnes added that the taskforce was charged with looking at the facility needs of the City while considering: financial health, quality of life, quality of government services, budget priorities, communication, and private sector health. April 06, 2015 Page 5 of 8 Schultz interjected that the facility taskforce was created after the process with the government center was rejected. WSB was brought in to facilitate what members of the community would like to see in the City. Barnes continued and stated when prioritizing the needs of the community, the group indicated that a community center is the first focus with the improvements to the police department secondary. The taskforce acknowledged the need for other projects within the City but that those projects could be done in phases. With the community center, the taskforce believes the following should be included: gym, multi-purpose room, formal connection to the Great River Regional Library system, space for young families to be able to congregate, accessibility to those with disabilities and those without motor vehicles, and a small area outside with picnic tables for limited outdoor gatherings. The inadequate facility for the police department was a high-level concern for the taskforce. The police need evidence space, interview space, storage space for vehicles and property, a safe environment for victims, and will likely need more staff in the future. The taskforce recommends that the city be efficient as possible managing less visible, high-level needs like the Police Facility. The City Administration needs are also recognized, but are a lower priority for the taskforce. The taskforce recommends meeting the City Administration needs after an assessment for affordability and meeting Community Center and Public Safety needs. Barnes stated the third major recommendation of the taskforce is the city to make sound financial decisions and plans for fulfilling all facility needs. The taskforce recommends the investigation of utilizing existing building for government services when feasible. They are also concerned about the impacts of building new community facilities on other projects in the CIP. As previously stated, Barnes mentioned the taskforce consider a phased approach for meeting all government services needs and whether all facilities can be completed at this time to ensure the community’s quality of life is not exposed to undue risk due to overspending. Schultz stated the first couple of meetings with the taskforce had larger turnouts and by the end the group was smaller and they had come to the same conclusions. Schultz added that the similarity between the taskforce and the water amenity committee is to look after the younger generation of families for years to come. Loso stated he was hoping the expansion of the current facility building would have been addressed. Symanietz stated it was brought up at the meeting but is further down on the list of priorities. Barnes stated when he came on board, there were many positions taken regarding different community projects. Barnes added his job was to try and find the top priorities for the City as recommended by its residents. City Engineer Reports 2015 Street Improvements: Sabart presented the Council with two resolutions relating to the 2015 Street Improvements, declaring the costs to be assessed and setting the public hearing for the final assessment. th Sabart stated that bids will be opened at City Hall on Thursday, April 9and the final assessment rates will be calculated based on the actual bid price. Loso made a motion authorizing the Mayor and City Administrator to execute resolution 2015-011 Declaring Costs to be Assessed and Ordering Preparation of Proposed Assessments for the 2015 Bituminous Street Improvements. The motion was seconded by Symanietz and passed unanimously. Wick made a motion authorizing the Mayor and City Administrator to execute resolution 2015-012 Hearing on Proposed Assessment on May 4, 2015 for the 2015 Bituminous Street Improvements. The motion was seconded by Symanietz and passed unanimously. April 06, 2015 Page 6 of 8 Application for Payment: Sabart presented the Council with the pay application for payment for the Main Lift Station in the amount of $12,730.00, Geislinger and Sons. The pay application also includes a change order for some minor modifications in the amount of $3,150.00. Wick made a motion approving the Mayor execution the application for payment and change order number three for the Main Pump Station project approving payment to Geislinger & Sons in the amount of $12,730.00. The motion was seconded by Loso and passed unanimously. Sabart stated he was questioned by Councilmember Loso for an update on Park Terrace. Sabart stated he had questioned the contractor about accelerating the restoration of the project from fall to spring, and they are receptive. As soon as a schedule is formulated the residents will be notified. He stated there are still eight property owners that need to hook-up. Committee Updates Park Board: Killam reported the Park Board had been working on a park survey which is out on Facebook and the City website. The purpose of the survey is to find out which parks need improvements. Administrator Reports Ordinance Amendment – Brewery/Tap Room: Weyrens stated the City has been approached about opening a brew/taproom in the Millstream Shops and Lofts. The City does not have a provision in the Ordinance for such a license; therefore the proposed amendment would provide for licensure. Loso made a motion authorizing the Mayor and Administrator to execute Resolution 2015-013, amending Ordinance 71 Licensing and Regulation of Consumption of Intoxicating Liquor. The motion was seconded by Symanietz and passed unanimously. Wick made a motion authorizing the Mayor and Administrator to execute Resolution 2015-014 Resolution Authorizing Summary Publication of Ordinance 71 Licensing and Regulation of Consumption of Intoxicating Liquor. The motion was seconded by Schultz and passed unanimously. Amendment to Fee Schedule: Weyrens stated that it became apparent that the fee schedule regarding the transient merchant need to be modified. The current Ordinance only includes a provision for 14 days and the City has received an application for a summer permit. Therefore the proposed amendment would add the following fees: 14 days - $ 50.00; 30 days $ 75.00; 60 days $ 125.00; 90 days $ 175.00 and annual (Jan – Dec) $ 500.00. Schultz made a motion to adopt the proposed 2015 fee schedule amendment. The motion was seconded by Loso and passed unanimously. Update on Entrance Sign: Weyrens reported staff had spoken with Xcel Energy to see if a sign can coexist with the site where their transformers are located. Xcel has requested the City complete a site survey after which an easement could be prepared. The estimated cost of the survey is $2,000. Wick made a motion to move forward with surveying the lot owned by Xcel Energy for Entrance Sign location. The motion was seconded by Schultz and passed unanimously. Attorney Resolution: Weyrens stated she was contacted by the City Attorney, Matt Stahling and in order for the St. Cloud City Attorney’s Office to access BCA records, the City needs to approve an enabling resolution. The resolution appoints the St. Cloud City Attorney’s office as the prosecuting attorney for the City of St. Joseph. April 06, 2015 Page 7 of 8 Wick made a motion authorizing the Mayor and Administrator to execute Resolution 2015-015, Approving State of MN Joint Powers Agreements with the City of St. Joseph on Behalf of its City Attorney. The motion was seconded by Symanietz and passed unanimously. Mayor Reports Schultz stated he would like the Council to get together to discuss the water amenity and city facilities. Schultz added that there is criticism out there but believes it is a bigger issue then simplifying it with a yes and no question. Loso stated if four out of five people say no, then that’s a no to him. Planning Commission: Schultz reported two interim use permits were recommended for approval by the Council and were on the consent agenda. Schultz added that a brief discussion was had on beginning the process for updating the Comprehensive Plan. Fire Relief: Weyrens reported the fire relief would like the City to increase their annual contribution to the retirement funds. Weyrens added that there are alternatives that the City can look at and numbers will be gathered and presented to the Council. Metro Bus: Schultz reported staff had met with CSB and Metro Bus about the possibility of extending routs in St. Joseph. It will go into the same cost-sharing plan that is in place at St. Cloud State. th Town Hall Meeting: Schultz stated he will be hosting a town hall meeting on Saturday, April 18 9-10 AM at the Fire Hall. Wick made a motion to enter into a closed meeting to discuss the purchase of the Closed Meeting: property located off of CR133 and Elm Street East to be used for the water amenity pursuant to MN Statute 13d.05. The motion was seconded by Schultz and passed unanimously. Symanietz made a motion to adjourn at 8:30 PM. The motion was seconded by Wick and Adjourn: passed unanimously by those present. Judy Weyrens Administrator THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK