04-09-96 WSwol~csESS1oN MInIUTEs
Apr119,1996
7 p.m.
A Council work session was held on Tuesday, April 9, 1996 in the Raspberry Room at Hop-
kins City Hall. Present were Mayor Redepenning and Council members Gene Maxwell, Fran
Hesch, Karen Jensen and Diane Johnson. Also present were City Manager Steve Mielke,
and staff members Susan Newville, Debbie Vold, Sharon Nelson, Jim Kerrigan, Paul Stein-
man, and Dave Johnson.
The meeting was called to orcler at 7 p.m. by AAayor Redepenning. The first item of discus-
sion was an update on the Hopkins Activity Center. Susan Newville and Dave Johnson re-
viewed, for the Council, the current level of activity enjoyed at the Activity Center.
Discussion was held on policy questions such as whether or not the Council wished to insti-
tute fees or other revenue generating mechanisms; an indication by the staff that they would
like additional personnel, allowing them to expand on the scope of services at the center,
and whether or not the current boundaries for Activity Center irnolvement should be
changed from their current School District boundaries.
It was the consensus of the Council that the boundaries for the Activity Center should not
change, and there was a consensus that additional research was necessary before a deci-
sion could be reached on the institution of fees, additional staff, or programming. The Activ-
ity Center staff will research these issues and bring them back to the Council.
The next item on the agenda was a discussion about the Hopkins arts center.
City Manager Steve Mielke reviewed a listing of the next steps necessary in orcler to com-
plete the arts center project. Major topics ofi discussion included: 1. ownership,
operatioNmanagement issues; 2. design and construction; 3. fund raising; 4. funding com-
mitments. Mielke indicated that the fund development committee and the facility committee
would be working on these issues and bringing recommendations back to the Council at the
end of this month for adoption some time in May. Mielke asked if there were additional is-
sues which needed to be reviewed in the next 30 days as part of the package of issues.
None were recommended.
The next item was a proposed reorganization of the Community Development and City
Clerk/Assistant City Manager departments.
Mielke reviewed with the Council the proposed reorganization. The reorganization would
split the cxament Community Development Department divisions and place Inspections and
Assessing under a new department called Community Services. Planning and Economic
Development would remain as an independent division under the direction of the City
Manager.
The Community Services Department would also include the City Clerl~s aFfice, as well as
the receptionist. Mielke outlined the benefits of this revised proposal, as well as told the
Council of the process which included significant input from the various divisions. The pro-
posed reorganization also would replace the current Community Development Director
position with anon-supervisory position called Assistant to the City Manager. Mielke out-
lined the duties of this new position.
The Council indicated generally favorable reaction to the proposal and asked for more spe-
cifics on the financial impacts of the proposal, which is projected to save money.
The final item of discussion was that of setting an additional work session in April to deal
with a variety ofi issues which; due to time constraints, have not received attention.
A motion was made to adjourn by Fran Hesch. It was seconded by Karen Jensen.
There being no additional business, the Council adjourned the meeting at 10:05 p.m.
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