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08-15-2023 City Council MeetingHOPKINS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING PROCEEDINGS AUGUST 15, 2023 CALL TO ORDER Pursuant to due call and notice thereof a regular meeting of the Hopkins City Council was held on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1010 1st Street South. Mayor Hanlon called the meeting to order with Council Members Balan, Beck and Garrido and attending. Council Member Hunke was absent. Others attending included City Manager Mornson, Assistant City Manager Lenz, City Clerk Domeier, Finance Director Bishop, Police Lieutenant Pilon, Police Captain Kreiling, Fire Chief Specken, Economic Development Director Elverum, Public Words Director Autio and City Attorney Riggs. ADOPT AGENDA Motion by Beck. Second by Hunke. Motion to Adopt the Agenda. Ayes: Balan, Beck, Garrido, Hanlon, Hunke Nays: None. Motion carried. PRESENTATIONS III.1. Proclamation Recognizing August 16 as YouLEAD 2023 Day in Hopkins; Hanlon Mayor Hanlon shared information about program and read the Proclamation. Motion by Beck. Second by Garrido. Motion to Adopt a Proclamation Recognizing August 16 as YouLEAD 2023 Day in Hopkins. Ayes: Balan, Beck, Garrido, Hanlon, Hunke Nays: None. Motion carried. CONSENT AGENDA Motion by Hunke. Second by Beck. Motion to Approve the Consent Agenda. 1. Minutes of the August 8, 2023, City Council Regular Meeting Proceedings 2. Approval of Temporary Liquor License for Hopkins Education Foundation; Domeier 3. Second Reading: Ordinance Amending Chapter 30 of the Hopkins City Code by Adding a New Section Prohibiting Cannabis and Hemp Use in Public Places and amending Chapter 32 by Adding a New Section to Chapter 32 Prohibiting Smoking in City Parks; Domeier/Lenz 4. Second Reading: PUD Rezoning Ordinance and PUD Agreement for 314 Mainstreet (Walser Chrysler); Krzos 5. Approval of Grant of Easement between Hovander Foods, Inc. and the City of Hopkins; Autio 6. Letter of Commitment for EECBG Application; Imihy Bean HOPKINS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING PROCEEDINGS AUGUST 15, 2023 Ayes: Balan, Beck, Garrido, Hanlon, Hunke Nays: None. Motion carried. NEW BUSINESS VII.1. Review 2024 General Fund Budget and Tax Levy; Bishop Finance Director Bishop provided City Council with levy options that included 9%, 7% and 5% increases. Captain Kreiling, Officer Harriman, Sergeant Rice spoke to the Police Department public safety funding requests. Discussion was held about the squad car purchase costs, previous K-9 program, fundraising opportunities and opportunities for Metro Transit/Met Council funding. The City Council generally supported the addition of a K -9 program. Fire Chief Specken spoke to the Fire Department public safety funding requests. The City Council generally supported the Fire Command Position and additional equipment and technology. Discussion was also held about cost recovery models. Public Works Director Autio spoke to the forestry position request. Mayor Hanlon talked about various grant programs. Mr. Autio provided information on the grant requests and associated paperwork and maintence. The City Council generally supported the addition of the forestry position. Further discussion was held about delaying the activity center roof replacement. Mr. Autio was comfortable waiting one year to replace the roof. Mayor Hanlon supported a 5% levy increase and finding funding opportunities with grants. Council Member Beck supported selling City owned parcels, supported a 5% levy increase, he also wanted the truth-in-taxation statements to be as accurate as possible, reduction in department spending and council salaries. Council Member Hunke stated that while he supported a 7% levy but noted that after the preliminary levy there are opportunities to reduce the levy. He cautioned pushing maintenance projects to future years. Council Member Balan supported a 5% levy. Finance Director Bishop will provide additional budget options on September 12. VII.2. Franchise Fee Proposal Based on Utility Revenues; Bishop Finance Director Bishop provided the City Council with options for the franchise fees based on utility revenues. Mayor Hanlon supported any opportunities where more funding could be in the climate solution funds and less in staffing/consulting and unallocated fundings. Council Member supported moving the allocated funds into the General Fund or for the Burnes Park reduction. Council Member Hunke supported Council Member Beck’s comments and offered other suggestions for the unallocated funds such as the permanent improvement levy. Mayor Hanlon proposed that the City use the same Climate Solution Fund grant program for its projects. Council Member Beck and Balan supported that some of t he unallocated funding go to the Mainstreet light project and the general fund. Finance Director Bishop will bring back the proposed ordinance on September 5. HOPKINS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING PROCEEDINGS AUGUST 15, 2023 PUBLIC COMMENT Hilary Minor, Hopkins resident provided comments about the 17th Avenue Reconstruction Project. She supported a boulevard between walkers and bikers. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Hanlon reviewed the upcoming meeting schedule. Mayor Hanlon announced that the last item on the agenda was the performance evaluation of the City Manager. Motion by Garrido. Second by Balan. Motion to Close the meeting for the purpose of conducting a performance evaluation of the City Manager Mike Mornson pursuant to MN Statute 13D.05 subd. 3(a). Ayes: Balan, Beck, Garrido, Hanlon, Hunke Nays: None. Motion carried. The City Council will summarize its conclusions at the September 5, 2023, regular meeting. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the City Council, and upon a motion by, second by, the meeting was unanimously adjourned at 8 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Amy Domeier, City Clerk