11-23-04 WS-- November 23, 2004
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MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION -November 23, 2004
A work session of the Hopkins City Council was called to order by Mayor Gene Maxwell
at 6:35 p.m. on November 23, 2004, at the City Hall. Council members Brausen, Johnson,
Rowan and Thompson were present. City personnel present were: Acting City Manager Jim
Genellie; Director Jim Kerrigan and Stacy Unowsky of Planning and Economic Development.
Also present was Jim Brimeyer.
City Manager Position
Mr. Brimeyer narrowed the candidates to eight and has given Council members atwo-page
summary on each of them. The job to be done at this meeting was to further narrow the choices to
those who will be going through the interview process. He cautioned the Council that the Data
Privacy Act protects all information on these candidates until they have been notified and agree to
be finalists. Once they accept, Council members will be notified and may check with people they
know about the candidates. He then gave further information and his impressions of each of the
eight candidates.
Mayor Maxwell said the first thing to determine was the number to be chosen, noting 5 or
6 had been interviewed for the police chief position. Mr. Brimeyer said that although he had setup
the schedule for 5, it could be altered to fit 6 candidates by shortening the interview sessions.
After general discussion six finalists were chosen. Mayor Maxwell suggested that in the interview
rotation the sixth candidate be interviewed by staff or former council members.
Mr. Brimeyer then discussed the actual interview schedule. He has blocked out Friday
morning for candidates to meet with city staff by department: police, fire, administration, finance,
public works. Mayor Maxwell suggested the sixth interview group could be school representatives.
He will put out a notice immediately with a deadline of December 2 for people to volunteer to be
part of the process. Based on the response, Mr. Brimeyer will adjust the schedule.
Interviewees will then lunch with department heads and school administrators. Mayor
Maxwell said this will be catered in at either the fire department or, if that is unavailable, the
pavilion.
The interviewees will then be given a bus tour, then meet with school representatives and
real estate people to give them a feel for the community.
At 3:45 there will be coffee at the fire department or pavilion. Council can attend that as
well as other staff and anyone who helped with the profile.
A change in the proposed schedule will be to move the reception at the Art Center to 6:00
p.m. This will be hors d'oeuvres. There could be a cash bar for beer and wine if the Council
wants it.
On Saturday the Council will do their personal interviews. Interviewers will have been
given a list of questions they cannot ask according to law. The sixth candidate could be
• interviewed by a group of former council members or whomever the Council chooses. Ms.
Johnson suggested a representative of HBCA, Ms. Munchow from the library, Mary Hatcher from
Zoning & Planning. Mr. Brimeyer suggested Fran Hesch and Bob Miller.
November 23, 2004
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Mr. Brimeyer noted the final decision does not have to be made Saturday. Council may
want to bring some back for further interviews.
General Consensus: Mr. Brimeyer will contact the final six candidates as soon as possible
and inform Council as he does so, thereby giving them time to do their own investigating. Staff
will volunteer to be part of the interview process by November 30. The Friday morning interviews
will involve the schools. Council members should give their suggestions for people in the sixth
group for Saturday to Mr. Genellie by Monday. The general outline of the schedule was felt to be
good.
Mr. Brimeyer then went over the benefit list, noting he was not asking for a final list at this
session. Specific items that will need to be decided are salary, the car option, start date, flex leave
(usually managers are given a certain amount of years credit at the start), tuition reimbursement,
severance pay schedule, retirement fund (state law allows some choice for PERA and deferred
comp), performance review schedule (he suggested 6 and 12 months, then annually thereafter),
professional dues paid by city (this would be a budget item). General discussion was held on the
area of residency and moving allowances. While no definite decision was reached, general feeling
was that candidates would be helped with moving expenses only if they resided in Hopkins within
a year and that if they moved within four years a prorated amount would need to be repaid.
Interview packets will be to the Council by the end of next week. Mayor Maxwell said
there would be further discussion after the council meeting on December 7.
20"' Avenue Townhomes
Mr. Kerrigan said a needs assessment for public housing units had shown that the 20"'
Avenue townhomes need many improvements. There are many federal regulations that need to be
met. Ms. Unowsky discussed the information she has received from HUD and the Met Council.
General Consensus was for staff to continue pursuing alternatives to repairing the units.
Mayor Maxwell asked that staff make a list of people Council members could contact.
Other
Mr. Thompson asked about the Goodrich right of way from Blake to Meadowbrook. Mr.
Genellie said staff found that all the Interlachen right of ways have different widths, varying from
58 1/z to 80 feet. Mr. Stadler sees no public need to keep the Goodrich right of way at 80 feet and
feels it could be narrowed to 60 feet. Mr. Genellie will check into the process for doing so.
Mr. Thompson asked about Goodwill. Mr. Genellie says they have not responded.
Mr. Thompson asked if there had been any responses to the notice of possibly vacating
certain right of ways. Mr. Genellie will check with Mr. Stadler.
Mayor Maxwell asked if there were any questions on the public works and fire department
budgets. There were none.
Mr. Genellie informed the Council that the 9 Mile Creek petitioners have sued the city.
Attorney Wynn Curtiss has checked with the League of Cities, and they will defend the city. If the
case is lost, Hopkins only needs to order an EAW, which Mr. Parker would have to pay for. Mr.
Parker was scheduled to go to the Watershed District to get input from them.
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Mayor Maxwell reminded the others that the tree lighting will be at 6:0'0 p.m. Friday.
Ms. Johnson moved adjournment. Mr. Thompson seconded. On a 5-0 vote, the meeting
adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
Kasey Kester, Secretary
ATTEST:
Eugen J. axwell, Mayor