Loading...
11-13-01 WSNovember 13, 2001 Page 1 MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION -NOVEMBER 13, 2001 A work session of the Hopkins City Council was held at 6:30 p.m. on November 13, 2001, at the City Hall. Council members present were Mayor Maxwell and Council members Brausen, Hesch, Jensen and Johnson. City personnel present were City Manager Mielke, City Manager Assistant Stahmer, Finance Director Yager, Public Works Director Stadler, Police Chief Reid, Fire Chief Beckering, Captain Liddy, and Facilities Director Strachota. Also present was Councilman-elect Bruce Rowan. Newspaper Racks Mr. Stahmer said that 70% of the sidewalk space would be off-limits to newspaper racks as the ordinance is drafted at present, leaving 30 % , which he considers a reasonable percentage. Ten feet is prohibited around trees because of the electrical outlet at each. Twenty feet is left clear at intersections for public safety. Answering Ms. Jensen, he said the block in front of HCA is off-limits, but there could be dispensers on the south side of the street there. All those presently in front of Michelangelo's would be prohibited. Some racks would probably shift to side streets, but the five-foot minimum clearance would keep them from residential streets. He still needs to meet with Mr. Stadler to see if his proposed layout would work for the street department. The ordinance would include a general provision that dispensers cannot be where they make snow removal difficult. Still to be worked out is how the master list will be run, fees and permits, how identification must be put on dispensers, etc. Answering Council members he said he still must also have the city attorney review the ordinance to make sure it meets the criteria of reasonable and stated purpose; dispensers cannot be attached to city property without approval of the Public Works Director. Mr. Mielke asked why racks would not be placed closer to trees, lamps, etc. to open more space. Mr. Stahmer said he had based his draft on the one worked out by St. Paul with distributors; he will discuss that possibility with Mr. Stadler at their meeting. Ms. Johnson asked if there could be a limit of racks per block; Mr. Stahmer will check with the attorney, but has not seen such a provision. Ms. Hesch said she felt the layout presented was perfect. Mr. Stahmer said he still needs to devise the division of responsibility, which will largely depend on whether enforcement should be by complaint (in which case the city clerk could enforce it) or total enforcement (which would mean the street department would enforce it). Also to be determined yet are the fees and appeal process. He concluded that his next steps are to meet with Director Stadler and Fire Chief Beckering; to devise the administration, fees and appeal process; to research legal issues with the City Attorney. Once this is done an informal letter will be sent to distributors describing the issue and asking for feedback. He will report back to Council in January or February. General Consensus: There was general approval of the work so far. Mr. Stahmer should go ahead as planned, being sure to check with the City Attorney if there can be a general provision of a certain limit of racks per block. November 13, 2001 Page 2 Public Worl~s, Police and Fire Facilities Discussion Police Chief Reid said they have tried to make the costs more concrete and have come up with a total of between $10 million and $11 million, rather than the original $12 million. Offsets from the depreciation fund may lower this. The communication system costs are still largely unknown. Public Works Director Stadler said while he feels the present plan is the best available for the site and his department could function with it, his staff has concerns as their square footage is smaller. He thinks other options should be looked at, such as removing the tennis courts, which need work soon anyway and which usage would help take school traffic off 17"'. He feels Katherine Curren school administration should be talked to. His concern is that there is no room for future flexibility if operation changes must take place years from now. Mr. Brausen asked why he had mentioned the stockpile area near Minnehaha Creek in his memo; Mr. Stadler said it is so close to the creek that in the future it could become an issue and there is no other room for it allowed anywhere. Chief Beckering said the present plan meets the fire departments needs for the next thirty years. He added that if more land were available from the school, tennis courts, etc., his station could be moved accordingly without problems. Chief Reid says he feels the plan allows room for his department for the next thirty years; his main concern now is that he has a communications system expert coming next week and needs to know where his system will be. This plan allows atwo-phase move so that the police department is able to function continuously. Ms. Johnson said she felt the school lot should be explored. Mr. Stadler said he feels that solves two issues: the danger to the children on 17"' if the fire trucks are called out; a driving loop could be kept around the school and parking moved to 16"', which would give his department the extra .space they need. Mr. Mielke suggested the green area by the warming house. Mayor Maxwell suggested that perhaps the snow storage area near 169/Excelsior Blvd could be fenced and used for plow storage in the summer. Ms. Jensen added the city actually owns the school parking lot. Ms. Johnson said a stoplight at 17~' for the fire department would add safety for the schoolchildren. She added she has never seen the tennis courts in use. Maximizing the space needs to be done by moving the shack, the tennis courts, the school parking, the outside hockey arena, and using some of the abundant green space. Mr. Stadler said he feels the traffic pattern for the school should decide the reconfiguration so the city can show the school "this will also be better for you." Ms. Yager noted that this is a huge project that will cost $900,000 a year for the next twenty years so the_city needs to be sure it meets all departments' needs for 30-50 years. Mr. Brausen asked about the Knox site; Mr. Mielke said selling the present site would probably not cover its cost. Ms. Hesch said the beginning parameters had been that the police had to be able to operate continuously, which they could do if they took over the fire department building, and the fire department had to be at 17"' so the volunteers could come on call. This leaves the only problem as meeting Public Works needs fora 40-year term, which could be solved by the expansions suggested. Ms. Jensen said she was concerned about the split among the staff and wondered if other sites shouldn't at least be investigated. General Consensus: This site is the best available option; Katherine Curren school should be approached. Costs of other sites should be investigated, as well as the selling price for the public works present site. November 13, 2001 Page 3 2002 Budget Discussion Finance Director Yager said staff had cut where they could and came up with $29,000. This means there is no money for an additional police officer, which would cost $55,000. Ms. Jensen asked about the December referendum. City Manager Mielke said what will be mailed out to taxpayers will not include either referendum. He said he had found out the cable fund can be used for any purpose, not just communication as he had thought. However, the state is saying it might be taking over such funds so no annual budget item should come from it. Mr. Rowan asked why the extra $29,000 couldn't be used for a new policeman starting in June; Ms. Hesch agreed that was a good idea. She added she would like to see the departments' "cut lists." Mr. Mielke said in December there will be a personnel analysis by program. Ms. Jensen said if there must be choice between a recreation program and a policeman, the police need is paramount. Mr. Brausen said the public won't argue the police need; but what is being lost in the budget discussion is generating revenue. So Hopkins should get the officer in June, and that gives the recreation programs time to figure out how to generate revenue to keep them going. City Manager Mielke said all the recreation programs are already re-evaluating their programs and membership fees, etc. Ms. Yager said the $100,000 HRA levy replenishes the Economic Development Fund; lowering it would affect the levy increase but not affect the general fund. General Consensus. The levy could stay at 9.8%. A police officer should be added in July, unless additional funds can be found. The Council will look at the departmental cut lists to see if they can cut anything else. When Ms. Yager presents the budget at the Council meeting, she should include figures at the 9.8 % level. Arts Center Discussion Mr. Strachota was called home for a medical emergency before this could be addressed. By general consensus it was decided to discuss this from 6:00-7:30 November 20 so that Mr. Strachota could be present. Other Walser property Mr. Rowan said Walser is fencing its property, which will eliminate pedestrian access. Mr. Mielke said that the city can do nothing about that. Mr. Rowan further asked if since Walser is not putting a building on the land they have acquired, if they are within legal land/building ratio, as he feels the new property would not be "grand fathered" in. Mr. Mielke will check into that. Ms. Johnson asked about the building across from Walser as it is gutted inside. HCA Ms. Jensen suggested that Ms. Hesch be anon-voting participant throughout the work involving HCA; Mr. Brausen agreed. Mayor Maxwell said it would need to meet everyone's comfort levels, including Ms. Hesch's. Ms. Hesch said she will consider the possibility. Miscellaneous City Manager Mielke said an appellate court has ruled that Richfield's TIF district for Best Buy is invalid. This may have future implications for all TIF districts. Ms. Hesch asked about Dorothy Boen's wish list. Mr. Brausen said he would talk with her. November 13, 2001 Page 4 Ms. Hesch moved adjournment; Ms. Johnson seconded. Meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m. Kasey Kester, Secretary ATTEST: ~~=~% -~- Eugen . Ma well, Mayor COUNCIL MEMBERS