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HomeMy WebLinkAbout[04a] Minutes, August 19th August 19, 2019 Page 1 of 4 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City Council for the City of St. Joseph met in regular session on Monday, August 19, 2019 at 6:00 PM at the St. Joseph Government Center, opening with the pledge of allegiance. Members Present: Mayor Rick Schultz. Councilors Brian Theisen, Bob Loso, Troy Goracke. Community City Administrator Kris Ambuehl City Representatives Present: City Engineer Randy Sabart, Police Chief Dwight Pfannenstein, Finance Director Lori Bartlett, Community Development Director Therese Haffner Others Present: John Fahning, Tom Opatz, Bruce Batzer, Cory Ehlert, Kevin Cox Public Comments: John Fahning, 2485 Acorn Rd: Fahning requested to speak and have open discussion on item 7) Caribou Coffee – Findings of Fact. Approve Agenda: Goracke made a motion to approve the agenda, pulling item 4g. Temporary Alley Closure, for discussion. The motion was seconded by Theisen and passed unanimously. Consent Agenda: Loso made a motion to approve the consent agenda with the changes to the minutes as noted; seconded by Schultz and passed unanimously. a. Fire Hall Rental Fee Waiver – Authorized use of the St. Joseph Community Fire Hall at no charge for the Women of Today contingent upon the submittal of a completed reservation form and $200.00 damage deposit. b. Bills Payable – Approved check numbers 054973-055030 and Payroll EFT# 111715-111731 and Accounts Payables EFT#001891 & 001893. c. Treasurer’s Report – Accepted the July 2019 Treasurer’s Report as presented. d. Donations – Accepted the donations and contributions as presented. e. Pay Application – Authorized the Mayor to execute Pay Application No. 5 for the MN Street Trail and authorize payment to RL Larson Excavating, Inc. in the amount of $161,225.69. f. Employee Reimbursement – Approved payment to reimburse the employee in the amount of $405.41 from account 101-41941-210. g. Temporary Alley Closure – Authorize the Mayor and Administrator to amend the Outdoor Permit with the conditions identified by the Police Chief for the events to be held on August 23, 2019 and September 7, 2019 at the La Playette. h. Professional Services Agreement – Executed the professional services agreement between the City of St. Joseph and SEH for construction phase engineering services for the 2019 Street Improvements. g. Temporary Alley Closure – Pfannenstein stated the applicants are requesting the closure of the alleyway to make more room for the events. Loso made a motion to approve consent agenda item 4g. Temporary Alley Closure and authorizing the Mayor and Administrator to amend the Outdoor Permit with the conditions identified by the Police Chief for the events to be held on August 23, 2019 and September 7, 2019 at the La Playette. The motion was seconded by Theisen and passed unanimously. Bond Sale, General Obligation Bond Series 2019A: Bartlett reported the bonds were sold today on the market at an interest rate of 1.65%. The GO Bonds are two parts: the 2019 Street Improvement Project and the 2019 Industrial Park Improvements. The City has retained Blue Rose Capital Advisors in Minneapolis. The bonds are for a period of ten (10) years with an equal payment installment each year. Schultz made a motion authorizing the Mayor and Administrator to execute Resolution 2019-056 providing for the issuance and sale of the $4,365,000 GO Improvement Bonds, Series 2019A pledging for the security thereof special assessments and levying a tax for the payment thereof. The motion was seconded by Buckvold and passed unanimously by those present. August 19, 2019 Page 2 of 4 AED Grant Acknowledgement: Sharon Mensor with Centracare, approached the Council thanking the City for approving five AEDs for safe stations. Batzer Second Addition/Astech Corporation, Preliminary & Final Plat Request, and Conditional Use Permit Request: Haffner reported the City Council had tabled discussion and approval of the items presented in order for staff and the applicants to work together on outstanding easement issues. Sabart stated he, along with Public Works Director Terry Thene, met with the applicant and developer to discuss reserving a corridor for future sanitary sewer and water improvements to service nearby properties. All parties have agreed to have permanent and temporary construction easements. The temporary construction easement is for ten (10) years. If no development is completed after ten (10) years, then further discussion will be had at that time for a possible extension of the temporary easement. Sabart added there are a few outstanding items that need to be worked out related to stormwater management however those items will not affect the preliminary and final plat. Schultz made a motion authorizing the Mayor and Administrator to execute Resolution 2019-048 and 2019-049 approving the Preliminary and Final Plat. The motion was seconded by Loso and passed unanimously. Schultz made a motion authorizing the Mayor and Administrator to execute Resolution 2019-050 adopting findings of fact and approving a conditional use permit for outdoor storage. The motion was seconded by Loso and passed unanimously. Caribou Coffee, Findings of Fact: At the August 5, 2019 meeting, the Council denied both the variance and conditional use permit (CUP) requests. Since that time the applicant and developer have approached staff in order to have them reconsider additional options that might be available in order to go forward with both requests. Administrator Ambuehl stated he was contacted by the applicant and developer who requested the City Council th look at additional factors that they may not have been privy to at the August 5 meeting. John Fahnling and Tom Opatz, Applicant and Developer: Fahnling stated there is a purchase agreement in place for the property. The purchase agreement is not specifically for a Caribou Coffee, rather for the development of the property. There are multiple other uses that could go on that parcel. At the time the purchase agreement was entered into, they were not made aware of the potential denial of their variance and CUP requests. Opatz stated he called the City of St. Joseph looking for a parcel that would be ideal for a coffee shop with a drive thru. The City agreed to sign a purchase agreement with no conditions. Opatz reiterated that even if the Council votes no to the variance and CUP, the property can still be developed with a permitted use. Buckvold made a motion to conduct a second public hearing September 16, 2019 on the variance and conditional use permit requests submitted for a Caribou Coffee by John Fahnling, Applicant and Tom Opatz Developer. The motion was seconded by Loso. Aye: Theisen, Buckvold, Loso Motion Carried: 3-2 Nay: Goracke, Schultz The hearing notice will be sent out at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting to landowners within three hundred and fifty (350) feet of the property. Outdoor Liquor Event – Rocktoberfest: Ambuehl stated a request was received by the St. Joseph Booster Club for Rocktoberfest, an event on September 28, 2019 from 4:00 PM to 11:00PM. The Ordinance requires a public hearing for music events that extend beyond 10:00 PM and allows the music to go until midnight. The application was reviewed by the Police Chief with the following recommendations: perimeter fencing; hiring of one (1) off-duty office; and that the music will end by 11:00 PM. Loso made a motion authorizing the Mayor and Administrator to execute the Outdoor Permit pending the outcome of the public hearing on September 16, 2019 with the conditions identified by the Police August 19, 2019 Page 3 of 4 Chief for an event to be held on August 23, 2019. The motion was seconded by Goracke and passed unanimously. 2020 Budget – Engineer Capital Improvement Plan: Bartlett presented the five (5) year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Staff is looking for the Council to set priorities for the projects like in previous years. Sabart met with Finance Director Bartlett and Public Works Director Thene to go over future projects in the City for the next five (5) years. The CIP summary is broken down into streets, parks, corridor streets, water, sanitary sewer, and storm water. The numbers show the original opinion of cost at the time the project cost was estimated. Future project costs include yearly inflation. Schultz stated he would like to see detailed information and costs for the downtown area block by block for beautification and improving the current conditions along MN Street. Thene added the design needs to be completed in order to narrow down the costs of the project. Loso stated he would like to see the costs of repairing what is there rather than tearing out all the trees. Thene stated the existing trees cannot be salvaged and need to be torn out. For the project, there are preventative measures that can be taken to make sure the roots do not come to the surface and damage the concrete and blocks on top. Buckvold asked what the components of the ADA Transition Plan are. Sabart responded that the Federal Highways Administration had imposed a requirement that any City receiving federal dollars had to have an ADA plan on file unless they were exempt. The ADA Transition Plan is for the entire City, not limited to just streets. Sabart added that staff has put in projects that have been referenced in the past by Councilors to get them on the list and to put a price point on the project. Goracke stated he would like to see the Klinefelter Park Utilities project moved up from 2022. CLC – Developers Agreement Discussion: Jovanovich stated the City still has not received a completed letter of credit from the developer. The bank sent a letter of credit, which Jovanovich had reviewed. The letter lacked signatures and would not be signed for another two weeks due to some refinancing. Because of this, the notice to proceed has not been issued for the 2019 Industrial Park Improvements. Loso asked what would happen if the Council issued notice to proceed without the letter of credit. Jovanovich stated the letter of credit confirms that the bank would make the bond payment if the land is forfeited on or the sale does not take place. Kevin Cox and Cory Ehlert, CLC Partners: Cox stated there were three (3) outstanding issues they have been working on in order to have the notice to proceed issued. Cox added they have been approved for the loan, the letter of credit required additional information and that is what is taking the additional time. Loso made a motion to approve the letter to proceed for the 2019 Industrial Park Improvements. The motion was seconded by Schultz and passed unanimously. th Committee Reports, Fire Board: Loso reported the Fire Board met on August 12. The Board approved the preliminary budget for 2020 and approved the attendance of two fire department members to attend the Fire Chief’s Conference. Loso added the Chief’s pay was increased to $6,000 and the Assistance Chief to $3,500. The future of the fire department was discussed including having a full-time chief due to the amount of time it takes to run the department. One member of the department retired. Two new members were approved and there is an opening to make the department fully staffed. Loso stated that even though the Fire Board approved the preliminary budget, St. Joseph Township did not approve the budget. August 19, 2019 Page 4 of 4 Department Reports, Engineering: The preconstruction meeting was held on the 2019 Street Improvements and construction will begin the first week in September. Project updates will be sent to property owners. Department Reports, Administration: Ambuehl reported that he has been in the position a week and thanked the department heads for their help in making him feel welcomed. Department Reports, Community Development: Haffner reported the bike racks for the Bike Share Program have been ordered and will be received mid-October at the Wobegon Trail Head. th Department Reports, Finance: Bartlett stated Sami, the new Finance Technician, started on August 12 and has been catching on quickly. The City has received a Revolving Loan Fund application from Crewe Restaurant. The EDA will review the application for approval. Bartlett added the operational budget will be coming soon for the Council to review. Department Reports, Police Department: Pfannenstein reported Officer Milostan finished his field training. The nd students move back in on August 22. Department Reports, Public Works: Thene stated the wood decking was replaced on the bridges in Klinefelter Park. Mayor Reports: Schultz reported on the following:  There were three hundred and seven (307) bikers that attended the event that began and ended in St. Joseph. After the event the group donated a bike rack to the City.  The CVB met and discussed additional marketing strategies. Adjourn: Loso made a motion to adjourn at 7:16 PM; seconded by Buckvold and passed unanimously by those present. Kris Ambuehl Administrator THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK