02-06-01A regular meeting of the Hopkins City Council was held on February 6, 2001, in the
Council Chambers of the Hopkins City Hall.
Present were Mayor Maxwell and Council Members Brausen, Jensen, Hesch, and
Johnson. Also, present were staff members Mielke, Genellie, Stadler, Kerrigan,
Anderson, Yager, Strachota, and City Attorney Jeremy Steiner.
I. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Maxwell called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
II. OPEN AGENDA -PUBLIC COMMENTS AND CONCERNS
There were none.
III. REPORTS -COMMITTEES/COMMISSIONS
1. Zoning and Planning Commission
Jay Thompson said that the Zoning and Planning Commission reviewed the schedule
for zoning amendments. They are breaking the categories down and discussing them
individually over the next several months. The amendments deal with the number of
cars that will be allowed on residential properties, also, boats, recreational vehicles,
RVs, trailers etc. Long-term development of Blake Road from Exc Blvd to Hwy 7 was
discussed. The Commission discussed the Metro Transit Hub and agreed with staff
recommendations. Steve Mielke said that a resident was concerned about the
necessity of having to attend several meetings to discuss the zoning amendments if
there was interest in all of the areas. Mr. Mielke said that he suggested that those
who couldn't attend all meetings send written comments.
IV. CONSENT AGENDA
1. Minutes of January 16, 2001, Regular City Council Minutes
2. Minutes of January 23, 2001, City Council Work Session
3. Miscellaneous License Applications
4. Ratify Prior Month's Disbursements
5. Approve Board of Review Date (Memo)
6. Accept Feasibility Report, Order Public Hearing Knollwood Pond
Improvements (CR2001-16)
7. Approve Final Payment Co Rd 3 Phase I, Landscape Project (CR2001-13)
8. Second Reading of Ordinance 2001-850 (Memo)
9. Continuation of the Second Reading of Ordinance 2001- 849 (Memo)
10. Contract -Transportation Study (CR2001-17)
February 6, 2001 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1
Council Member Johnson moved and Council Member Jensen seconded a motion to
approve the Consent Agenda. A poll of the vote was as follows: Council Member
Brausen, aye; Council Member Jensen, aye; Council Member Hesch, aye; Council
Member Johnson, aye; Mayor Maxwell, aye. The motion carried unanimously.
V. PRESENTATION
1. Quarterly Financial Report
Lori Yager, Finance Director, gave a brief presentation of the preliminary year-end
financial report. Ms. Yager said that General Fund revenues increased about 3%
while expenditures increased about 1 .5 %. Ms. Yager reviewed the various funds and
said that the City is in good financial health.
VI. NEW BUSINESS
1. Approve Transit Hub Design (CR2001-12)
Nancy Anderson said that as a result of a study conducted by Metro Transit, bus
service was restructured. As part of the restructuring, a transit hub needs to be
completed. Ms. Anderson said the City Council determined that the hub should be at
Exc Blvd and 8t" Ave last fall. Ms. Anderson reviewed three designs for the transit
_ hub. Ms. Anderson also reviewed the interim design. Construction will begin in the
summer.
George Serumgard and Steve Mahowald, Met Transit, and Stewart Krahn, RLA, came
forward to answer questions. Ms. Anderson responded that trail access will be
relocated. The total number of parking spaces on the final plan is 44. The restroom
will not be open to the public and the building will be screened. The City will be
responsible for the landscaping on the north and east side of the hub. The new
service will begin on March 31, 2001. All who have attended public hearings or
called will receive a packet of information. Met Transit will also do a direct mailing to
notify residents of the new service.
Council Member Hesch moved and Council Member Brausen seconded a motion to
approve alternative three for the transit hub south of Exc Blvd. A poll of the vote was
as follows: Council Member Brausen, aye; Council Member Jensen, aye; Council
Member Hesch, aye; Council Member Johnson, aye; Mayor Maxwell, aye. The
motion carried unanimously.
2. First Reading, Vacation of east half of 6t" Ave S (CR2001-1 1)
Nancy Anderson said that SuperValu requested a vacation of 6t" Ave S and Railroad
Blvd to allow for the construction of an addition to the perishable building. The
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vacation was completed in the fall of 2000; however, the Hennepin County Surveyor
discovered a mistake in the legal description. The legal description supplied by the
surveyor for SuperValu was for the west one-half of 6th Ave and none of Railroad
Blvd. The east one-half needs to be vacated as well as part of Railroad Blvd.
Mayor Maxwell opened the public hearing at 7:56. IVo one came forward.
Council Member Johnson moved and Council Member Hesch seconded a motion to
close the public hearing. The public hearing was closed by unanimous consent at
7:57 p.m.
Council Member Brausen moved and Council Member Jensen seconded a motion to
adopt Resolution 2001-07, approving Ordinance 2001-851, vacating the east one-half
of 6th Ave S and Railroad Blvd. A poll of the vote was as follows: Council Member
Brausen, aye; Council Member Jensen, aye; Council Member Hesch, aye; Council
Member Johnson, aye; Mayor Maxwell, aye. The motion carried unanimously.
3. Approve HMEA Contract (CR2001-14)
Jim Genellie said that negotiations with HMEA have been completed for 2001. The
contract calls fora 3.25% wage increase effective January 1, 2001 and a 540.00
increase for health, life and dental insurance. Mr. Genellie said that this is 56,800
over the 2001-budgeted amount. The average settlement in the metro area was
3.0%. The insurance increase is in line with what other bargaining units have settled
for.
Council Member Johnson moved and Council Member Brausen seconded a motion to
approve the 2001 Contract for the Hopkins Municipal Employees Association. A poll
of the vote was as follows: Council Member Brausen, aye; Council Member Jensen,
aye; Council Member Hesch, aye; Council Member Johnson, aye; Mayor Maxwell,
aye. The motion carried unanimously.
4. Approve Reciprocity agreement for Skate Park (CR2001-15)
Steve Stadler said that since the end of December, the Parks and Recreation staff
from St Louis Park and Hopkins facilities staff have been discussing an exchange
program where the residents of St Louis Park will have access to the Skate Park at
the resident rate and Hopkins residents will have access to the St Louis Park
Recreation Center family Aquatic Park at residential rates. Mr. Stadler said that even
though the cost will go down for a number of users, the expectation is that more will
use the facility. It is not expected that revenues will drop. Hopkins residents that
use the St. Louis Park facility will notice a significant drop in the cost of their use.
February 6, 2001 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3
Council Member Jensen asked if the daily fee has been reviewed by the Park Board.
Mr. Stadler said that he didn't know if that had been done, but that he would make
inquires and bring the information back to the Council. Council Member Jensen
asked, if the additional use causes a need for additional security, will St. Louis Park
help with those additional costs? Mr. Mielke answered that this agreement will have
no effect on additional security. It only gives the same rates to St Louis Park
residents that Hopkins residents have. If the City decreases rates for residents, this
agreement will also decrease rates for St. Louis Park residents.
Council Member Johnson asked if the Park Board has reviewed the rate structure and
said that she would like that to be done before the Council acts on this agreement.
Jay Strachota, facilities manager, came forward and said that the recreation mailers
for both cities will be going out around the middle of this month. The agreement
needs to be done so that it can be advertised in those mailers. Council and Staff
discussed the rates for resident use of the Skate Park. Council Member Hesch said
that there are two issues. The first is the agreement; the second is the philosophy
and policy of how decisions are made. Council Member Hesch said that she did not
want to hold up the agreement.
Council Member Hesch moved and Council Member Jensen seconded a motion to
adopt .Resolution 2001-9, authorizing reciprocity between the City of Hopkins and the
City of St. Louis Park for the joint use of the St. Louis Park Aquatic Park and the
Overpass Skate Park with the additional directive that within 90 days, staff brings
forward alternatives for discounting rates. A poll of the vote was as follows: Council
Member Brausen, aye; Council Member Jensen, aye; Council Member Hesch, aye;
Council Member Johnson, aye; Mayor Maxwell, aye. The motion carried
unanimously.
5. Authorize Civic Organizing Expenditure (CR2001-18)
Steve Mielke said that staff is asking the Council to approve an expenditure of
$5,OOD. to create a pilot project to work on an active citizenship initiative with the
City of Robbinsdale School District. The initiative is intended to teach and assist
community leaders in creating a new and more active citizenship in setting and
carrying out civic policies. Typically, decisions are made without input from the
effected people. This process will train the participants to organize citizens who are
effected to give help with the decision making process. Council Member Hesch said
that this program offers a way to insure sustainability of citizen participation. Council
Member Brausen said that he feels that this program is a good follow through of the
vision process and the citizen's academy.
Council Member Hesch moved and Council Member Brausen seconded a motion to
approve an expenditure of $5,000 toward civic organizing, including payments to
Civic Organizing Inc. for the purpose of participating in a community and professional
February 6, 2001 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4
development training process called civic organizing. A poll of the vote was as
follows: Council Member Brausen, aye; Council Member Jensen, aye; Council
Member Hesch, aye; Council Member Johnson, aye; Mayor Maxwell, aye. The
motion carried unanimously.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, Council Member Jensen moved and Council Member
Hesch seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned by
unanimous consent at p.m.
Respectively Submitted,
rry O~.~fi`naier, City Clerk
ATTEST:
_~~
Euge J. Maxwell, Mayor
February 6, 2001 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 5