HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017 [05] May 15 May 15, 2017
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Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City Council for the City of St. Joseph met in regular session
on Monday, May 15, 2017 at 6:00 PM at the St. Joseph Government Center, opening with the pledge of
allegiance.
Members Present: Mayor Rick Schultz, Councilors Dale Wick, Bob Loso, Troy Goracke, Matt Killam.
Administrator Judy Weyrens.
Others Present: Joseph Mueller, John Huebsch, Frank Osendorf, Dennis Dunphy, Craig Vaughn, Sam
Markman, Murray Mack
Citv Representatives Present: City Engineer Randy Sabart, Police Chief Joel Klein, Finance Director Lori
Bartlett, Public Works Director Terry Thene, Community Development Director Therese Haffner.
Public Comments:
Approve Aaenda: Wick made a motion to approve the agenda with the deletion of item 4a and
addition of Joint Planning Board under Mayor Reports.The motion was seconded by Killam and
passed unanimously.
Consent Aaenda: Loso made a motion to approve the consent agenda as follows; seconded by
Wick and passed unanimously.
a. Bills Payable-Approved check numbers 052054-052053, Payroll EFT#001349-001355 and
Accounts Payables EFT#001781-001783.
b. Treasurer's Report-Accepted the April 2017 Treasurer's Report as presented.
c. Donations-Accepted the donations and their purposes as presented.
d. School Resource Officer-Authorized the Mayor and Police Chief to execute the Joint Powers
Agreement between the City of St.Joseph and ISD 742 for providing the Cooperative Funding of
the School Resource Officer Program.
e. Annual Report-Accepted the 2016 Annual Administration Report as presented.
f. Premise Permit-Authorized the Mayor and Administrator to execute Resolution 2017-019,
approving the Premise Permit Application of the Granite City Lumberjacks to allow lawful gambling
at Sal's Bar and Grill.
Communitv Center Uqdate. Murrav Mack, HMA: Schultz stated over the past few months the Community
Center Committee has gathered input from residents about what they would like to see in a community
center through an open house and joint meeting with the City Council. After reviewing the final concept
plans for the repurposing of the former colts facility, the Committee is recommending that the Council
divide the project into two phases with the first phase including the construction of a recreation center
including three gyms with a second level walking track. The second phase would consist of remodeling
the former colts space for the food shelf, historical society and senior/youth space.
Murray Mack, HMA Architects approached the Council to review the concept plans as recommended by
the Community Center Committee. Mack showed the council the model developed for the community
center starting with the focus groups over a year ago and slowly narrowing the ideas down to come up
with the present day model. Mack added the design is schematic only. Plans include remodeling of the
current Colts Academy building, incorporating the Historical Society, food shelf, and Little Saints
Academy. The existing gym would become a multi-purpose space available to rent out. Other existing
areas of the building will be turned into senior/youth meeting spaces with the specific uses to be
determined. The expansion to the east of the current building would include three gyms with an elevated
walking track. Additional options would be a kid's zone and a climbing wall.
The proposed name of the recreation center is The Jacob Wetterling Recreation Center. Along the South
side of the recreation center shows a plaza with the number 11 as well as the traits listed that Jacob lived
by. In the elevator tower, a lantern would be lit 24 hours a day. As part of obtaining the funds to construct
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the facility, donations will be sought in Jacob's name. Mack added that designs are visionary only and not
set in stone.
The parking lot has approximately 135 spaces with room to expand for an additional 50 spaces.
Estimated costs for the facility show it around $13 million. Project alternatives include the third gym,
climbing wall, kid's zone, and additional parking. The alternatives are estimated at$2.6 million. The base
budget included renovations to the community rooms,food shelf, and historical society. The historical
society alone is estimated to cost almost$600.000.
Schultz stated there isn't much more HMA can do in regards to the new recreation center.The committee
decided to do the project in phases in order to allow for additional time to decide the intent of the current
building.
Weyrens presented the Council with a financial synopsis illustrating the use of sales tax as the primary
revenue source. Based on the sales tax collection and existing fund balance, approximately 50% of the
facility will have to be funded through private donations. Weyrens also presented an illustration if a small
levy were used to supplement the construction.
Loso stated his main concern is the operational costs and his second concern is how the building will be
funded in the future. Loso added he has not seen the need for the building in the community. Neighboring
towns are building similar facilities and doesn't believe it will be utilized to its full potential. Loso believes it
is overbuilt for the community. Schultz agreed that the operational costs are of concern and they are not
yet determined.
Loso again stated there is not a big enough market in St. Joseph to utilize the facility to its full potential.
Loso stated he would be willing to dedicate'/�of the project costs from sales tax and '/z from fundraising
efforts. Schultz stated he would like to allocate$6 million of sales tax money towards the facility.
Jane Conrad, East Central Labor Council:Conrad approached the Council as the head of the fundraising
efforts for the Jacob Wetterling Recreation Center. Conrad stated that this is a time for people to come
together and the Recreation Center would be a great tribute.
Wick stated the Council needs to allocate some sales tax towards the project in order for the fundraising
to begin. Goracke questioned who is going to take over the marketing for the facility. Schultz stated as of
right now, staff is responsible for the marketing.
Weyrens stated in order to keep the process going, the Council needs to decide how to move forward.
Mack stated HMA was retained in order to develop a vision for what the Community Center group wanted
the Community Center to be. Goracke stated he would like a pool in the facility. Schultz stated he would
like to focus on phase one of the project. Weyrens stated the concept needs to be decided upon in order
for the fundraising to begin.
Wick made a motion to continue the Community Center Project, allocating a$12 million budget
with $6 million from sales tax and a minimum of$6 million raised through donations with a sunset
date of May 2019; authorizing staff to enter into an agreement for architectural design services to
be brought back to the Council at a later date for the conceptual drawings presented to the
Council.The motion was seconded by Schultz and passed unanimously.
Weyrens added the fundraising efforts will begin tomorrow.
Citv Enpineer Reports:Wick questioned when the final lift on Minnesota Street is taking place to which
Thene stated that according to Knife River the final lift will take place the week of May 22"d weather
permitting. Loso stated he would like to see what phases 2 and 3 would be for the alley improvements in
the downtown for upcoming budget.
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Administrator Reports:Weyrens stated the Intergovernmental meeting will take place on May 30�n
The appliance and electronic drop off will take place off of Baker Street to the north of the Government
Center with a limit of finro per household.
Mavor Reports:
• Joint Planning Board—Loso reported the Joint Planning Board met to consider two public
hearings. One CUP request was approved to construct a solar garden. The construction on the
farms will begin in June. Schultz added the board had been waiting for almost a year for
Innovative Power Systems to come back with their request.
• YMCA Opening—Schultz stated the Council is invited to tour the new YMCA on May 18th 4:30
PM—6:30 PM. A community open house is on May 20th at 9AM.
• June 4�h Sister Susan Rudolph will be installed at the gathering place from 2PM—4PM.
Pedestrian Crossing Workshop: Craig Vaughn, SRF:Vaughn shared with the Council the County Road
75 Pedestrian Crossing Study. Vaughn stated the purpose of the workshop is to provide an overview of
study to date and obtain feedback from the Council moving forward.
Locations for the pedestrian crossing include: College Avenue, 4�h Avenue, 12th Avenue, 20th Avenue, and
Grade Separated Location. Vaughn stated the purpose of the study was to understand existing
conditions, evaluate the feasibility of ways to improve safe pedestrian and bicycle crossing of CSAH 75,
and to consider enhance at-grade crossing treatments and grade separate concepts.
An open house was held on March 23, 2017 where feedback was received from residents. Some
comments included interest in a grade separated crossing, CSAH 75 is a barrier between the residential
neighborhoods to the north and south of the highway, removal of sand off the major corridors to help the
bike community.
A pop-up event was held at the College of Saint Benedict on April 18�". Comments received at the event
included having more bike lanes and sidewalks, the pedestrian signal on College Avenue is not long
enough for people crossing CSAH 75.
Vaughn highlighted all potential crossing as identified below:
College Ave& CSAH 75 Crossing:
The intersection of CSAH 75 and College Avenue has been updated with the new ADA regulations.
Potential mitigation options for this intersection include a no right on red sign, accessible pedestrian
signals, and an increased pedestrian walk time.
Wick questioned if the County would be receiving the same information as the Council. Vaughn
responded that the County is a partner in the study and SRF would work with them and the MnDOT on
changing anything at the intersection.
Schultz questioned where the sidewalk connectivity issues are along College Avenue.
Sam Markman, SRF stated the feedback received was about the lack of sidewalk north of the Wobegon
trail for those accessing the farmer's market. People are having to use the road shoulder.
4`h Avenue Crossing:
There is a lack of sidewalk to the north of CSAH 75. Also, the Cedar Street intersection creates unsafe
pedestrian conditions. Those on bicycles have a greater difficulty of pushing the pedestrian crossings as
they are attached to the light pole.
Potential mitigation options include marking crosswalks, push button activators on separate poles,
truncated domes, median refuge island, stop bar for traffic, no right on red sign, and sidewalk
connectivity.
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12tn Avenue Crossing:
The 12th Avenue crossing includes large right turn lanes for merging traffic. Mitigation options include
push button separate poles, relocate marked crosswalk to align with the median, increase pedestrian
walktime, relocating the Lake Wobegon Trail crossing to the north of approach of the intersection.
Weyrens questioned if having a left turn flashing yellow arrow would change any mitigation
options. Vaughn stated it would not change their analysis of the intersection.
20th Avenue Crossing:
The crossing has low existing pedestrian demand, but will likely increase when the Wobegon trail extends
to the east. There are no trail/sidewalk connections north or south and no pedestrian signal heads. There
are push button activators and median refuge islands in the intersection.
Mitigation options include having marked crosswalks, stopbars, sidewalk connectivity, pedestrian
countdown timers, and truncated domes.
Grade Separated Crossing Location:
Vaughn stated the ideal location for the grade separated crossing would be near the 4th Avenue
intersection and presented to the Council eight variations.
Markman stated if a grade separated crossing were constructed, enhancements would still need to be
made to the intersections. Pedestrians and bicyclists would still have the option of crossing at the
intersections.
Wick questioned if any one of the eight versions is preferred over the others. Vaughn stated there is not
one favored over the other at this point.
Next steps include discussions on right of way impacts, utility conflicts, costs with the hopes of having a
presentation to the Council in July. A timeline will be presented at that time for moving forward.
Adiourn: Loso made a motion to adjourn at 8:00 PM; seconded by Killam and passed
unanimously.
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