Loading...
09.f1 Administrators Report March 21 2023Staff Report Date of Meeting: March 17, 2023 for March 21, 2023 City Council Meeting To: Mayor and City Council From: Anne Hurlburt, Interim City Administrator Re: City Administrator Report City Administrator Recruitment After direction given at the special City Council meeting on March 10, at which 5 candidates were interviewed, we (Charlene Steven of GovHRusa and I, with assistance from City Attorney Eric Larson) have negotiated an employment agreement with Kyle Morell to serve as the new City Administrator. Approval of the agreement is an action item on the March 21 Council agenda. If the agreement is approved, Kyle will begin his position on April 17, 2023. I will continue working with him for a week or two after that to ensure a smooth transition, and be on call if needed thereafter. Interim Ordinance/ Moratorium on Solar Energy Systems In 2022, the Council adopted an interim ordinance placing a moratorium on new solar energy systems, pending a study by the Planning Commission and possible ordinance amendments. The moratorium will expire on April 13, 2023. No extension is possible. The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on a draft zoning ordinance amendment to establish a Solar Overlay District at their meeting on April 4, 2023. If they finish their work on the ordinance at that meeting, the usual schedule would have the City Council consider it at the April 18, 2023 regular meeting. If the Council is concerned that the moratorium will expire prior to acting on a new ordinance, you would need to act prior to April 13. The matter could be placed on the agenda for the April 5 work session, or a special meeting could be scheduled. Consideration on April 5 assumes action by the Planning Commission on April 4, and little time for making any changes. We are expecting no applications, and find it highly unlikely that a complete application could be submitted between April 13 and April 18, the next regular Council meeting. There are some technical barriers right now (based on capacity of electrical substations) that would prevent an applicant from submitting the required agreement with a utility company. Hasty action may not 1 be necessary, but if the Council is concerned you could decide to consider the matter on April 4 or at a special meeting. Group Home at 22640 Meadowbrook Ave. N. After the March 1 City Council meeting, a letter and copy of the staff report were sent to Community Living Options (CLO), the owner of the group home at 22640 Meadowbrook. The letter received from CLO in response it attached. A letter was also sent to the Washington County Community Services Department which is responsible for licensing the home (also attached). No response has been received to that letter. This matter will be placed on the agenda for the next Council work session meeting (April 5, 2023). Parks Plan Update After receiving additional comments from the Parks and Recreation Committee (PRC) chair, consultants MSA transmitted a new partial draft of the plan to the city on March 14. It will be reviewed by the PRC at its April 3, 2023 meeting. We are still waiting for the Action Plan section, which will include the park/trail recommendations, their cost estimates, and potential funding/grant opportunities. If the PRC is satisfied with this draft, the next step will be to review it with the City Council, and then to schedule a public hearing before the Planning Commission to begin the formal process of incorporating it into the city's' Comprehensive Plan. It would also be considered by the Capital Improvements Committee and during the upcoming 2024 budget process. 2023 Legislative Session —Lobbying Efforts Lobbyist Bill Strusinski has been keeping the mayor and staff informed in his efforts to keep the city's priorities for this session (LCCMR Grant for the Gateway Trail, Bliss Wastewater System Improvements, and the Scandia Watertower Barn Regional Art & Heritage Center projects) in front of the legislature. The LCCMR grant is in the bill expected to pass. We are advocating for additional funding for the PSIG program, which will increase the chance our sewer project will be funded. Funding for the Watertower Barn project is also progressing. Gateway Trail A meeting was held on Tuesday, March 14 with Washington County Commissioner Fran Miron, County PW Director Wayne Sandberg, Mayor Maefsky, lobbyist Bill Strusinksi, and staff (Hurlburt, Fischer and Goodman) to discuss coordination of the Gateway Trail project and the need for additional funding. Some work (such as wetland delineations) will get underway this year (using funding previously approved by the MnDNR) and construction could begin in 2025. Washington County Scandia City Center Study Washington County Public Works will be launching a project identified in their 2023 County CIP - a "Scandia City Center Study". This study is meant to bring together three agencies - the County, Scandia, and MnDOT to explore options and recommend improvements related to bicycle, pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the city (see the attached excerpt from the County CIP). Meetings will be held soon with staff. Public Works Director Fischer and Engineer Ryan Goodman will be involved. The city has ongoing projects related to this work (including the Gateway Trail and Watertower Barn project.) It will be a good opportunity for the new administrator to get familiar with all the related issues and projects. Rustic Roots Winery Issues Staff has been working with the owners of Rustic Roots Winery on a plan to resolve issues with their Conditional Use Permits and building permits, along with issues concerning the watershed district and MnDOT/access to Highway 95. The issues were detailed in a letter sent in early February. Since the last Council meeting, we have had a couple of meetings with the owner to clarify requirements for site plans, and the Building Official has reviewed preliminary plans for the building that was constructed without a permit. The Building Official has ruled that an architect must sign off on plans for the commercial building, which will take some time. The owner has been working with the City Planner on a CUP amendment application, which could be submitted for Planning Commission review as early as the May 2 meeting (due by April 11.) If progress is being made, staff will recommend that the Council consider an agreement with the owner to allow permits and inspections of the new building as soon as the Building Official signs off, potentially at the April 18 Council meeting. Trash and Recycling Services On Tuesday, March 14 four members of the city's Waste and Recycling Committee (Hurlburt, Benson, Fischer & Larson) held the first negotiation meeting with Waste Management (WM) representatives Pat Cosgrove, Area Public Sector Manager and Jason Hartman Public Sector Sales Representative. The agenda for the meeting, which includes the list of topics discussed, is attached. Based on our discussions, WM will transmit a proposal by Friday, March 24, to be discussed at a second meeting of the same group on Tuesday, March 28 (3:00 p.m.) The results of that meeting will be reported to the City Council at its April 5 Work Session meeting. The negotiation period will end on April 9, 2023. If by then it appears we will not reach an agreement with Waste Management, the city may move to the next steps of appointing a committee to study options, preparatory to developing an RFP for waste and recycling services. Reminder—Board of Appeals Meeting on Monday, April 17 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. In preparation for the 2023 Board of Appeals meetings, Washington County has released its 2023 Assessment Report. It is included in your packets. You may wish to review this material prior to the meeting. Attachments: 1. Letter dated March 6, 2023 from Community Living Options 2. Letter dated March 3, 2023 to Jennifer Castillo, Washington County 3. Excerpt from Washington County 2023 CIP, Scandia City Center Study 4. Agenda, City of Scandia/Waste Management Meeting, March 14, 2023 5. Washington County 2023 Assessment Report 3 Community Living Options 26022 Main St Zimmerman, MN 55398 March 6, 2023 Christine Maefsky City of Scandia 14727 209th St N, PO Box 128 Scandia, MN 55073 RE: Group home at 22640 Meadowbrook Ave N., Scandia, MN Dear Ms. Maefsky, Thank you for your correspondence regarding the impact on public safety services from our residential foster care home at 22640 Meadowbrook Ave. The data compiled was thorough and detailed. We appreciate the time and effort it took to analyze the data into graphs and charts by the City Administrator. It is accurate that we have a number of homes throughout Scandia and a home in Hugo that was referenced in the analysis. Many of the individuals we serve are diagnosed with severe mental health issues, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and physical limitations. We serve a variety of conditions and challenges in each of our homes. The population we provide services to is increasingly challenging. Many of our referrals have long histories of challenging behaviors and crisis behavior. This is the trend in human services today. Another consistent trend is the lack of adequate staffing. In an article published by the Institute on Community Integration through the University of Minnesota, they outline the desperate need for Direct Support Professionals and the impact the staffing crisis is having on providers in our state. https://legacy.nationalcoreindicators.org/upload/aidd/community-supports-in-crisis 2.pdf While the article is lengthy, it does a good job of summarizing how our organization has been impacted by staffing shortages and how we are looking at plans to increase the workforce and provide quality services to the individuals who are in need. With all of this being said, Community Living Options is committed to providing quality services to adults challenged with behavioral and mental health diagnosis. We are also dedicated to being upstanding members of our communities. We have worked with many of our neighbors, at all of our homes, to resolve issues, provide education, and make sure we maintain communication. When issues arise, we are prompt to correct any deficiencies and keep in communication to better our community. You have requested that we provide a plan to properly staff our homes and support the residents with the appropriate level of services and supervision to reduce the call for emergency services. I can assure you that is our goal as well. However, most of the emergency calls are not due to lack of supervision. The Minnesota Department of Human Services has provided an Individual Rights and Responsibilities to every Vulnerable Adult. Through those rights, individuals have the right to make phone calls, access their own personal possessions (cell phones), and reach out to others if they feel they are in crisis. We are unable to "take away" their phones unless there is a restriction of their rights which is approved by DHS. In some cases, we have followed the procedure to obtain that restriction. Of the calls made from the Meadowbrook home, most are calls made by the individuals themselves, requesting to go to the hospital because they feel they are a threat to themselves or others. Our policy is to resolve any mental health crisis with the individual through use of our therapeutic interventions, contacting the Washing County Crisis Response team, or positive behavior support. Of the calls made, our staff have called for severe physical interactions, elopement in which we are unable to locate the vulnerable adult, and medical emergency need. Our future plan to reduce the calls for emergency services includes utilizing the Washington County Crisis Response team, continuing to train our staff in redirection and negotiation to reduce challenging behaviors, and our continued effort to recruit and retain staffing. I would also like to offer a meeting with Community Living Options, yourself, City Administrator, Fire Chief, any Washington County Sherriff deputies, and M Health Fairview to brainstorm any additional ideas anyone may have as to best resolve the city's concerns. Perhaps when calls come in to 911, they could be screened for police response and not fire? I'm not very familiar with the process but it certainly would reduce the fire calls. I would be happy to meet with the city council to educate people about the services we provide and discuss any additional questions or suggestions they may have. We are very open to hearing suggestions of how to address the excessive demands for public safety services we are utilizing. Thank you very much for bringing this to our attention and we look forward to working with you to resolve these concerns. Sincerely, Kris Millerbernd Program Director- Community Living Options Program.director.south@clomail.com Cell Phone: 320-282-6166 SCANDIA March 3, 2023 Jennifer Castillo Director of Community Services Washington County Government Center P.O. Box 6 14949 62nd Street North Stillwater, MN 55082-6132 RE: Group Home at 22640 Meadowbrook Ave. N., Scandia MN, License # 1070490 Group Home at 21523 Oland Ave. N., Scandia MN, License #1070497 Dear Ms. Castillo: I am writing you regarding the above two group homes licensed by your department in the City of Scandia, both owned by Community Living Options. The Scandia City Council has received a report from staff concerning the significant impacts on public safety services from the home at 22640 Meadowbrook. The report is enclosed, along with a copy of the letter we have sent to the owner. The Council was concerned to see the data from 2022. We also heard that the record for the beginning of 2023 is showing the same pattern, with an incident including assaults on first responders in February. Calls also appear to increasing at another home owned by the same company 21523 Oland Ave. N. We would like to hear from you about your role in licensing these homes. How do you ensure that these facilities are properly staffed and provide appropriate services to their residents? We are concerned about the health and safety of the residents as well as the impact on the community. We look forward to your response. Sincerely, Christine Maefsky Mayor cc: Fran Miron Washington County Commissioner District 1 Enc: Report to City Council for March 1, 2023 Meeting City of Scandia 14727 2091" St. N. PO Box 128, Scandia, Minnesota 55073 Phone (651) 433-2274 Fax (651) 433-5112 http://www.ci.scandia.mn.us +: --w. 41 IN - 2023 Capital Improvement Plan 2023 thru 2027 Washington County, Minnesota Project # RB -2680 Project Name Scandia City Center Study Location Scandia District# 1 Description Total Project Cost: $100,000 ncc scope of this study is to investigate the existing and future pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular needs in the downtown Scandia area in order to leve [up a transportation planning vision for county routes through the City of Scandia. Washington County, Scandia, and MnDOT can then use lzc agreed-upon recommendations to implement phased improvement projects. Justification , Washington County, in cooperation with Minnesota Department of Transportation and the City of Scandia, has identified deficiencies in pedestrian and bicycle accommodations in the City Center area of Scandia. This study will allow the three agencies to work together to explore options and make recommendations for phased improvements that benefit the public. Expenditures r Department Capital Road & Bridge Project Contact PWD Type Construction Useful Life 5+ years Category Road & Bridge Location Scandia District# 1 Description Total Project Cost: $100,000 ncc scope of this study is to investigate the existing and future pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular needs in the downtown Scandia area in order to leve [up a transportation planning vision for county routes through the City of Scandia. Washington County, Scandia, and MnDOT can then use lzc agreed-upon recommendations to implement phased improvement projects. Justification , Washington County, in cooperation with Minnesota Department of Transportation and the City of Scandia, has identified deficiencies in pedestrian and bicycle accommodations in the City Center area of Scandia. This study will allow the three agencies to work together to explore options and make recommendations for phased improvements that benefit the public. Expenditures 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 Total Planning / Design 100,000 100,000 Funding Sources Total 100,000 2023 2024 100,000 2025 2026 2027 Total Local Contributions State Aid 50,000 50,000 50,000 50,000 Total 100,000 100,000 Budget Impact/Other I Chis study will not increase operation and maintenance costs. There is no anticipated change within the Road & Bridge Division operating budget. 110 -kF mR- -m- N - - -- I---- - � -W-� �y - r 1 - 1:711 City of Scandia/ Waste Management Meeting Tuesday, March 14, 10:00 a.m. 1. Introductions ■ City • Waste Management 2. Topics for Discussion/ Potential Agreement • Services (MSW & Recycling, Res & MFR) • Routes • Frequency of Collections/ MSW • Frequency of Collection/ Recycling • Hours of Collection • Missed Collections—Timing for Return/Pick-up • MSW/ Carts (sizes) • MSW/ Overflow, Extra Pickups • Recycling/ Carts (sizes, quantity) • Recycling/ Overflow • Materials to be Recycled (County list or more?) • Recycling Education • Walk -Up/ Valet Services Available? • Services to City Properties • Annual Clean Up • Special Community Events • Problem Materials Collections • Equipment and Personnel—what are standards/practices? • Customer Service Standards/Practices o Billing o Phone/ Web Site o Vacation Credits, Cancellations o Customer Complaints & Reporting o Consequences for Failure to Perform (Liquidated Damages?) • Rates/Fee Schedule(s) • Rate Increases (frequency, inflation index, etc.) • Performance Bond, Insurance 3. Next Steps 0 Future meeting?