Minutes - 08/17/2010 WSPage 1
MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
Raspberry Room
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Mayor Maxwell called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm. Present were Mayor
Maxwell and Council members Kristi Halverson, Rick Brausen, Cheryl Youakim, Bruce
Rowan, Hopkins City Manager Rick Getschow, Building Official Christopher Kearney
and Finance Director Christine Harkess.
RENTAL LICENSING PROGRAM DISCUSSION:
Building Official Kearney is following up at this Council Work Session from a prior
Council Work Session where the entire rental licensing program had been discussed.
At the previous Work Session staff and Council discussed the effectiveness of the
program, the number and types of units that have been inspected, what have been
found in the units and the financial feasibility of the program. At that time Council
directed staff to look at some fee changes based on the operations of the program.
Even though the program is paying for the additional position that was hired in 2007
there are other costs of the program that are not being captured through program
revenues.
• Building Official Kearney provided a report on potential fee changes and also
provided the fee's of the neighboring communities that have a rental licensing
program. Changes for fees proposed that would raise the license fee and also
would raise inspections beyond the initial rental inspections.
Council and staff discussed the proposed fee changes. It was recommended that
the license fee begin at the next rental registration cycle be increased from $35.00
per building to $50.00 per building. The per unit fee increase is from $5.00 to $7.50
with a guarantee that the fee's would not be raised for three years after this
change.
Staff will consult with the Hopkins Apartment Managers Association (HAMA) to
receive input on the proposed fee changes. The fee increases would be placed on
the September 7th council meeting agenda.
2011 BUDGET:
Finance Director Christine Harkess and City Manager Rick Getschow discussed the
2011 preliminary budget and levy that needs to be approved at the September 7th
city council meeting.
At this time, there is a proposed 2.5 % levy increase which equates to approximate
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2% increase in the overall city budget.
Due to the decrease in property values the City tax rate will still increase however,
due to the decertification of a TIF district and the use of dollars that were saved in
the 2009 budget, the city was able to keep the levy and tax rate lower than what
normally would occur with a decrease in property value city wide.
Staff also stated that their hope is to reduce the levy further between now and the
September Th meeting understanding that it will probably fall somewhere between
2 and 2.5%.
Council directed staff to prepare that levy and budget and also be sure to include
information about the TIF District decertification and savings on other city capital
projects such as the street and utility improvements.
Staff will follow-up and place this item on September 7th agenda.
With no further business, motion by Brausen, second by Youakim to adjourn at 7:14
p.m.
• Rick Getschow, Secretary
CITY COUNCIL
ATTEST:
Eugene J. Maxwell, Mayor