Loading...
08-01-2018 Work SessionAugust 1, 2018 The City Council conducted a Work Session on the above date. Mayor Maefsky called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. The following were present: Council members Bob Hegland, Steve Kronmiller, Jim Schneider and Mayor Christine Maefsky. Staff members present: City Administrator Neil Soltis, Fire Chief Mike Hinz, Public Works Director Adam Hawkinson, Engineer Ryan Goodman and Treasurer Colleen Firkus. Council member Chris Ness was absent. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA The following additions were made to the agenda: #8) Discussion Layton Ave. stormwater issues. Hegland, seconded by Kronmiller, moved to approve the agenda as amended. The motion carried 4-0. APPOINTMENT TO TERM ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY The only applicant for the open 3 -year term on the City's EDA was Kirsten Libby. Mayor Maefsky expressed her desire to conduct an interview as Libby is a relatively new resident of Scandia and she may not have an understanding of the City's mission and vision as expressed in the comprehensive plan. In a motion by Maefsky, seconded by Hegland, the interview was set for 6:30 p.m. in the Heritage Room before the next Council meeting on September 181. The motion carried 4 — 0. NOMINEES FOR VACANCIES ON COMFORT LAKE FOREST LAKE WATERSHED DISTRICT BOARD Administrator Soltis informed the Council that the County Board would need a list of nominees by August 3 for consideration of the two expiring terms to the Comfort Lake Forest Lake Watershed District Board and that Jen Oknich has applied for the appointment and has requested a recommendation from the City. Kronmiller, seconded by Hegland moved to recommend Jen Oknich as a Scandia resident nominees to the Comfort Lake Forest Lake Watershed District Board. The motion carried 4 — 0. GREENSTEP CITIES PROGRAM Administrator Soltis reported that the City has achieved Step Two recognition and outlined the three best practices that need to be implemented to be recognized as a Step Three City. Best Practice Action 29.1 — Prepare to maintain public health and safety during extreme weather and climate -change -related events, while also taking a preventive approach to reduce risk for community members. This will be achieved when the work on the emergency Operations Plan and continuity of Operations plans are completed using the BOLD Planning software from the County. Best Practice Action 15.1 —Adopt a sustainable purchasing policy or administrative guidelines/practices directing that the city purchase at least: a. EnergyStar certified equipment and appliances and, b. Paper containing at least 30% post -consumer recycled content. Soltis indicated the city would need a policy providing guidelines, but purchasing these types of appliances is not a regular occurrence. Soltis estimated the cost of the city purchasing recycled paper to be about 60% to 80% more and impact the budget $3,000 to $4,000 annually. Council member Hegland expressed his concern about staff time being used to implement these steps and August 1, 2018 Scandia City Council Page 2 of 4 questioned what the benefit would be to the city. Hegland stated that the city has done enough with the achieving Step Two status. Soltis said the more elusive benchmark is Best Practice Action 24 - Adopt outcome measures for Green Step and other city sustainability efforts, and engage community members in ongoing education, dialogue, and campaigns. Use a committee to lead, coordinate, and report to and engage community members on implementation of sustainability best practices. One of the two required actions was achieved by the Friends of Scandia Parks and Trail establishing a Green Step subcommittee, but would need to do another best practice which could include performance measurement or tracking the City's Comprehensive Plan goals, both of which would take staff time. Mayor Maefsky indicated this could be accomplished by volunteer time instead as was done in the City of Marine. The action could also be achieved through community education led by a volunteer committee. Maefsky indicated the Scandia Parks & Trails group is already doing some of this. Public Works Director Hawkinson also reported that youth volunteers are being utilized each summer in some park maintenance work. Mayor Maefsky expressed her desire to have more of a connection with the community's youth through partnering with the school and felt this may provide that opportunity. Kronmiller suggested the Green Step committee could provide some guidance on what would be necessary to achieve Step Three. Two committee members in attendance, Mary Hooley and Lisa Schlingerman, felt that the Friends of Scandia Parks & Trails could help to implement this best practice. Hooley reported that the state coordinator indicated the City was not required to purchase recycled paper if it was cost prohibitive, but only needed some written guidelines indicating the City would give consideration to purchasing recycled paper when financially feasible. The same would apply to purchasing EnergyStar appliances, just need guidelines indicating they will be considered as an option. Hooley felt with respect to #4 Community Involvement, like support education in action, it would be possible to achieve in a volunteer capacity. Schlingerman said Action 4 is already being achieved by Scandia Parks & Trails. Soltis indicated he could write an amendment to the City's Purchasing Policy to satisfy BP 15. Kronmiller suggested Scandia Parks & Trails group submit a list of their activities that would fulfill BP24. Hegland expressed his opposition to moving forward on Step Three as a waste of the City's staff time and resources. Schneider also expressed his concern over the amount of staff time this will take up. Soltis indicated it would not take long to draft an amendment to the City's Purchasing Policy, but there is also an ongoing utility data report he needs to complete monthly in some benchmarking software for a previously completed step. Maefsky, seconded by Kronmiller, moved to forward with seeking recognition as a Step Three Green Step City. Discussion ensued as to the specific role of Scandia Parks & Trails and potential cost to the City and for staff time required Staff will continue work on the Bold Planning and will have an updated purchasing policy for review at the Council meeting. The GreenStep Committee will work to identify the action that they will be taking to implement an additional action with regard to community engagement. Kronmiller, Schneider and Maefsky voted yes, and Hegland voted no. The motion passed 3-1. 2019 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGETS Soltis started the discussion of the 2019 Budgets with reports on Budget Assumptions and General Fund Changes which were acceptable to the Council. Based on these inflationary August 1, 2018 Scandia City Council Page 3 of 4 increases and minor adjustments to departmental expenditures, the 2019 General Fund expenditures (net of any transfers) would be $1,667,200 which is $95,900 less than the 2018 budget. The tax levy needed to support these levels of service provided by the General Fund would be $1,375,800 which is $29,480 greater than the amount levied for 2018. The levy for all funds, which includes debt service and the Local Road Improvement Fund, would be $2,291,080 which is $36,708 (1.63%) greater than the 2018 levy. Notable changes in General Fund revenue are the allocation of Cable Franchise Fees to a Special Revenue fund and a reduction in estimated Fines and Forfeitures. Budgeted changes to General Fund expenditures changes are reduction in support for Lakes Area Television, no equity transfer to the EDA, decrease in election spending based on no federal or state elections, reduction in Planning costs due to completion of Comp Plan update, reduction in Public Works for salt, road maintenance supplies and contracted maintenance & repair, increase in fuel costs, increases in Parks for seasonal wages, and increases in the wages allocated to the Community Center. No notable changes to the Fire budget other than an overall decrease of $12,000. Council members agreed with the numbers. Kronmiller requested consideration for funding the expansion of internet service noting that the feasibility study will have a budgetary cost estimate. Soltis indicated there is sufficient funds in the Capital Improvements Fund that could help to fund the project. It was left for further discussion once the feasibility study report is available. Soltis outlined changes to the Capital Funds. Only levies to capital funds are $30,000 to Equipment Replacement and $316,180 for Local Road Improvement. Projects in the Capital Improvement Plan for this fund is a Bliss Stormwater Plan, Skateboard Ramps, replacement of Roof and HVAC at Fire/PW Building as well as LED lighting both interior and exterior. Energy savings would be transferred over to the Capital Improvement Fund to repay the cost of the project. The Bliss Stormwater Plan presumes that half of the cost of the stormwater will be funded by the Watershed District. Terry Gorham reported on Park Capital Fund expenditures that came about from the Park & Rec Committee's inventory of the park properties. Improvements to existing facilities requested to consider are concrete slabs under bleachers at Erickson ballpark, expansion of the pleasure rink expansion, improvements to the Settlers Monument, and the addition of doors to the pavilion at Lions Park and the extension of water from the Hay Lake School's well to the pavilion. Also requested were funds for clearing and trails at undeveloped parks by Bone Lake and Orwell Court and for wetland restoration at Lilleskogen. The requests were based on using a portion of the $100,000 transferred to the fund. Approval will be brought to the Council on a project -by - project basis. Revenue is minimal from park fees for two new lots and ballfield advertising, and assuming a grant for the skateboard ramps. Council gave Gorham the go ahead to get the cost estimates for extending the water supply to the Lions Park by Hay Lake. The addition of $50,000 for engineering in the Local Road Improvement Fund was proposed to allow for pre -design work on the 2020 road improvement projects which will allow for the project to be bid earlier in the year. Based on the favorable bid for the 2018 project plus the projected 2019 levy, the fund would end 2019 with balance of nearly $1.2 million and would allow for a 2020 of $600,000 to $700,000. Soltis reported the Equipment Replacement Fund has a plow truck replacement. Hinz indicated radio replacement would probably be pushed off another year. The County has parts to fix the August 1, 2018 Scandia City Council Page 4 of 4 radios now, but the manufacture of the current radio parts has been discontinued and new radios will need to be purchased eventually. ROAD STRIPING POLICY Engineer Goodman reported that City's 2014 street striping policy was reviewed as plans for the 2018 Street Improvement project were being prepared. The policy update would clarify the roads that would be striped and the length of the road segments. This will allow for more accurate budgeting for Public Works. The updated policy will be placed on a future Consent Agenda. LAYTON AVENUE STORMWATER ISSUES Engineer Goodman reviewed for the Council the changes made to the drainage on the Schlundt property. Water has been redirected from adjacent properties by the addition of a retaining wall, piping and swales. It was suggested changes to the adjacent property could improve things by removing some trees, a large compost pile and build a retaining wall. It was pointed out that with major snow and rain events there could be runoff issues. The ditching project to be performed in 2018 should also help to alleviate the problem. ADMINITRATOR UPDATES Soltis updated on the Council on a few items. 1. Staff has solicited proposals for a new cleaning contractor as the current one withdrew his services as of August 31. 2. The City's electrical inspector Brian Nelson is retiring as of September 30. 3. May Township has billed the City for dust control for the access to the Veteran's Camp. Staff is trying to confirm if this is an actual platted city road or the camp's driveway. 4. Staff received a request to remove a large downed tree from a platted street that has never been developed, but is used for the resident's access. Soltis said there are many of these unplatted roads in the city that are used as driveway accesses by residents. Staff is looking for direction as to how Council wants to address issues on these unplatted roads. It was suggested the road policy be updated to address this issue. Council asked staff to get a legal opinion about liability. 5. The Star Tribune interviewed Soltis on the City's Tourism Assessment and there will probably be an article on this in next Sunday's paper. ADJOURNMENT Hegland, seconded by Schneider, moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried 4-0. The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Colleen Firkus Treasurer