Minutes - 12/21/10A regular meeting of the Hopkins City Council was held on December 21, 2010, in the
Council Chambers of the Hopkins City Hall.
Present were Mayor Maxwell and Council Members Youakim, Brausen, Rowan, and
Halverson. Also, present were staff members Getschow, Genellie, Harkess, and City
Attorney Jerry Steiner.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Maxwell called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Mayor Maxwell announced the
death of Henry Pokorny, former mayor and council member.
[I. OPEN AGENDA -PUBLIC COMMENTS AND CONCERNS
There were no comments
III. CONSENT AGENDA
1. Minutes of the November 9t' Joint Work Session Between the City Council and
the Hopkins School Board
2. Minutes of the December 7t', City Council Meeting
3. Minutes of the December 7t' , 2010 Work Session after the City Council Meeting
4. Minutes of the December 14th Work Session
Council Member Brausen moved and Council Member Rowan seconded a motion to
approve the Consent Agenda. A poll of the vote was as follows: Council Member
Youakim, aye; Council Member Brausen, aye; Council Member Rowan, aye; Council
Member Halverson, aye; Mayor Maxwell, aye. The motion carried unanimously.
IV. NEW BUSINESS
1. Adopt Resolution 2010-084, Approving the 2011 Tax Levy and General and
Special Revenue Fund Budgets; Harkess (CR 2010-1.35)
The City Council and staff have held a number of meetings during 2010 to prepare for the
2011 general fund budget and 2011 tax levy. Thebudget in its current form recommends
spending in the general fund at $10,299,327 and a total tax levy of $10,138,414. The levy
includes provisions for general fund. operations, PERA contributions, MV HC unallotment,
and debt obligations. In addition, a HRA levy of $125,000 was a separate action item by
the HRA Board.
Council Member Rowan moved and Council Member Halverson seconded a motion to
adopt Resolution 2010-084 approving the 2011 tax levy and adopting the 2011 General
and Special Revenue Fund budgets. A poll of the vote was as follows: Council Member
Youakim, aye; Council Member Brausen, aye; Council Member Rowan, aye; Council.
Member Halverson, aye; Mayor Maxwell, aye. The motion carried unanimously. .
2. Adopt Resolution 2010-078, Approving Proposed Sanitary Sewer. Utility and
Refuse Rate Increases, Harkess (CR 2010-130)
In 2007 staff prepared a Utility Master Plan which sets forth operational, debt and capital
requirements of the sanitary sewer system for the next 10 years. As a result of that plan
staff presented a schedule for rate adjustments over that same period of time that will
allow the City to meet the needs of the utility system while maintaining the utility
infrastructure.
The present refuse rates currently do not fully fund the operation of the refuse program.
Operating costs overall have increased from $793,520 in 2008 to an estimated $929,994 in
2011 primarily due to contractual obligations and fuel related costs. Currently the disposal
fees are subsidizing the recycling program in addition to the yard waste/leaf, bulk and
brush collection programs. With the proposed refuse rate increase staff is projecting a
2011 refuse fund net income of $22,376. Staff is also recommending an increase in the
sanitary sewer rates. A large amount of the sanitary sewer budget goes to pay the
Metropolitan Council for waste treatment.
The proposed action will result in increasing the sanitary sewer rate from $3.40 to $3.60
per 1,000 gallons of water used, and the refuse rates to $16.85 fora 30 -gallon container,
$19.85 for a 60 -gallon container, and $23.15 for a 90 -gallon container per month effective
January 1, 2011.
Council Member Brausen moved and Council Member Youakim seconded a motion to
adopt Resolution 2010-078 increasing sanitary sewer and refuse rates effective January 1,
2011: A poll of the vote was as follows: Council Member Youakim, aye; Council Member
Brausen, aye; Council Member Rowan, aye; Council Member Halverson, aye; Mayor
Maxwell, aye. The motion carried unanimously.
3. Approve the 2011 City Council Meeting Calendar;. Getschow (CR 2010-136)
It has. been customary since 1998 for the City Council to adopt prior to or at the first
meeting of the year its meeting calendar for the upcoming year. This is good practice since
there are invariably several conflicts during the year where normal meeting dates and
times need to be adjusted.
Council Member Youakim moved and Council Member Brausen seconded a motion to
approve the 2011 City Council Meeting Calendar. A poll of the vote was as follows:
Council Member Youakim, aye; Council Member Brausen, aye; Council Member Rowan,
aye; Council Member Halverson, aye; Mayor Maxwell, aye. The motion carried
unanimously.
V. ADJOURN
There being no further business, Council Member Halverson moved and Council Member
Rowan seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. The meeting was adjourned by
unanimous consent at 7:50 p.m.
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Respectfully Submitted,
Jim Genellie, Assistant City Manager
COUNCIL MEMBERS
ATTEST:
Eugene J. Maxwell, Mayor
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