5.a 2Draft minutes of the 01-04-2017 Work Session
January 4, 2017
The City Council conducted a Work Session on the above date.
Acting Mayor Bob Hegland called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. City Administrator Neil
Soltis administered the oath of office to Mayor Christine Maefsky and Council members Chris
Ness and Steve Kronmiller. Mayor Maefsky was elected to a two-year term of office and Ness
and Kronmiller were elected to 4-year terms at the November 8, 2016 General Election.
The following were present: Council members Bob Hegland, Jim Schneider, Chris Ness, Steve
Kronmiller and Mayor Maefsky. Staff members: City Administrator Neil Soltis and Deputy
Clerk Brenda Eklund.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Administrator Soltis announced that Agenda Item 3.a) Discussion on Special Event Permit
application for Meisters Hockey Day Minnesota event was withdrawn by the applicant. Ness,
seconded by Hegland, moved to approve the agenda as amended. The motion carried 5-0.
DISCUSSION ON CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS
The Council reviews City Council committee and commission appointments at the first meeting
of the year. By consensus, the Council made the following appointments:
Economic Development Authority
Council member Kronmiller will fill the vacancy on the Board due to Dan Lee’s expired term.
Council member Hegland will continue his appointment on the EDA Board.
Parks and Recreation Committee
Council member Schneider will serve as the Council liaison to the PRC for 2017.
Forest Lake Cable Commission
The City currently has no citizen or elected official representation on the Forest Lake Cable
Commission. Council member Schneider questioned if it is necessary to designate a
representative due to the City’s withdrawal from the Commission’s Joint Powers Agreement, a
2-year process concluding in June 2018. It was agreed to monitor the agenda content and
appoint a member to attend the meetings as necessary.
Planning Commission
Council member Ness will continue to serve as the liaison to the Planning Commission.
Wastewater Advisory Committee
Council members Ness and Schneider will continue to serve as representatives on the
Wastewater Advisory Committee.
Acting Mayor will be appointed at the January 17, 2017 Annual meeting.
January 4, 2017
Scandia City Council
Page 2 of 3
DISCUSSION ON COMPOSITION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE STEERING
COMMITTEE
Administrator Soltis explained that the Comprehensive Plan consultant, Bolton Menk, proposes
the establishment of a Steering Committee consisting of 10-12 members from a mix of staff,
elected and appointed officials, and community volunteers. The Committee is intended to act as
a sounding board for community issues, land use policies, and goals and will actively take part in
the development of the Comp Plan by providing high level guidance and recommendations. The
work plan calls for specific tasks to be completed over a series of 3 meetings.
Last month, the City solicited applications from interested residents; twelve applications were
received. Soltis recommended the Council determine the number of members and composition
that should make up the Steering Committee, and then review the applications for appointment
of citizens at a future meeting.
Mayor Maefsky stated that she would like to see 2 Council members, 2 Planning Commissioners,
1 EDA member, 1 Parks and Rec member, and 4 to 5 citizens appointed to the Steering
Committee. She added that the citizens should represent lake residents, an agriculture-based
interest, those with an environmental focus, business affiliated, and a resident with no particular
affiliation, as this allows for a broad view of perspectives in the community. Council member
Kronmiller said he could envision up to 14 people as a way to include more Planning
Commissioners, the Public Works Director, and business owners that may live outside of the
community. Council member Hegland said a smaller Committee works more efficiently, and the
average citizen may not have the knowledge to make recommendations on the entire scope of the
Comp Plan.
After much discussion and clarification that Administrator Soltis would be present at the
meetings as a facilitator and not an appointed position, the following motion was made:
Schneider, seconded by Hegland, moved to appoint 1 Council member, 2 Planning
Commissioners, 1 Parks and Recreation Committee member, 1 Economic Development
Authority member, and 4 citizens at- large to the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee.
Mayor Maefsky stated that at least 2 Council members should be appointed, as the Council needs
to buy into the final Comp Plan at the end and should be more involved in the planning process.
Maefsky called for a vote on the above motion. The motion carried 4-1, with Maefsky
opposed.
By consensus, Mayor Maefsky was selected to serve as Council representative on the Steering
Committee. Administrator Soltis will distribute the citizen applications for discussion at the next
meeting, with appointments to be made at the February 1 Work Session. Maefsky asked the
Council to be prepared for a thorough discussion of the applicants with statements of reasons for
their selections. Interviews could be scheduled if needed. The commission/committees will be
directed to select their representatives for the Steering Committee at their next meetings.
January 4, 2017
Scandia City Council
Page 3 of 3
DISCUSSION OF COMPOSITION OF A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE
Administrator Soltis explained that in 2016 the Council determined that review of the 5-year
Capital Improvement Plan could be done on a biennial cycle instead of annually, which was last
done by the CIP Committee in 2015 and was comprised of 5 citizens. The composition of a
committee to review the 2017-2022 CIP was discussed. Soltis said that a few citizen
representatives can act as a sounding board for long-range planning with department heads and
staff.
By consensus, it was determined that the Capital Improvement Committee should include the
Public Works Director, Fire Chief, City Administrator, a Park and Rec Committee member, and
3 citizens at-large. Council member Ness stated that priority for citizen appointments should go
to those applicants for the Comp Plan Steering Committee that were not appointed.
ADJOURNMENT
Ness, seconded by Schneider, moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 5-0.
The meeting adjourned at 7:13 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda Eklund
Deputy Clerk