09-08-98 WSWork S salon Minut s
S pt mbar 8,1998
A City Coundl Work session was held on Tuesday, September 8,1998, in the
Raspberry Boom at Hopkins City Hall. Present were Council members Gene Maxwell,
Fran Hesch, Diane Johnson and Karen Jensen. Mayor Chuck Redepenning arived at
7:07 p.m. Also present was staff member Steve Mielke, City Manager.
The meeting was called to order by Mayor pro tempore Fran Hesch at 6:35 p.m.
Stalling for the Hopkins Center for ~ Arts
The first item of business was staffing for the Hopkins Center for the Arts. Jay
Strachota, fadlity manager, and Rk:k Brausen, chair of the operations board, presented
a report to the City Council indic:atlng a request for additional budget authority to hire an
additional part-time individual to handle day~o-day acdvitles. It is hoped that Would free
up the arts ooordinato~ and facility manager's time to deal with fund raising, long fierm
planning, and membership gr~oMrth. Discussion of the topic centered around the need
for the additional staff, and the ability to utilize volunteers and board members on a
larger scale. The question was raised whether or not the 14 hours of additional time
was adequate. Strachota indicated he would research that issue and report bads.
Window Signage, Dos~awn Area
The next item of discussion was that of window signage in the downtown area.
Nancy Anderson, Planner, r+evie~wed the curnerrt zoning requirements on window
signage, indicating that cement signage allows windows to be completely covered with
signage, if desired, by the business owner. She reviewed ordinance compass to
other communities and found that some do limit the peroentage of window coverage to
certain amounts. She also stated that in the City Atbomey's opinion, the dty cannot
discriminate on the type of window signage, such as dgar+e~ttes and alcohol, but instead
must deal with all advertising equally. After discussion, the Coundl asked staff to
investigate a chy-wide approach to t~esudficatbn of the city by looking at issues such as
temporary signage, eMor+cemer~t of signage issues, and other community-wide
beautifificatbn issues, and to review them with HBCA.
Trail Connection, Hutchinson Spur
Then xt item of discussion was a proposed trail connection along the Hutchinson spur
of the old Burlington Northam railroad right-of-way.
Ray Vogtrnan, Parks Superintendent, and Stenre Stadler, Public Works Director,
informed the Council of a pending project by the City of St. Louis Park and Hennepin
Parks Board, to construct a trail connection firom Excelsior Boulevard near the Hopkins
Depot, to the dty of Minneapolis, folkywing a corridor know as the Hutchinson spur.
This corridor runs along Highway 169 in Hopkins, and then veers north and east
through St. Louis Park. Hopkins has been invited to participate in the project ~
allowing Hennepin Parks to construct and pay for a trail connection through Hopkins, in
partnership with the city of St. Louis Park, who has purchased right~f~vay, and has
received grarrt funds for the construction of the trail portion in St. Louis Park.
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A joint poem agreement will be developed between ail of the parties and brought to
the City Coundl in October or November, for approval. A neighbort~ood meeting of
affected areas will also be scheduled in October to receive public input on the proposed
project.
Discussion induded a ooncem about crossings of County Road 3, and fo keep a bridge
crossing in mind as a possible traN improvement in the Tulare.
Soclal Sarvics Budps~tlng
The nest item was sodal service budgetlng. City Manager Steve Mielke reviewed prior
Coundl action wherein the Coundl asked the staff to consider a funding oonc~ept in
which department budgets would be altered by inducting sodal service funding in their
budget requests. Mielke informed the Coundl that the staff felt the concept was
feasible ff the funds that were previously designated for sodas service funding
accompanied the expense to each departrnerrt, and additionally that several of the
social service organizatlons would receive staff support for conntinued funding while
some would nat.
After discussion, the issue of funding a~n~~nying the department designatbn was
undear, and the Coundl instead asked the City Manager to recommend a list of social
service organizatlons to fund at hall of the 1998 funding amount. Therefore, with the 50
per~oent reduction in funding, the City Manager wNl bring bads a proposed list of funding
levels for Coundl considera8on.
Oth r
Coundl member Fran Hesch infom~ed the Coundl that the Depot boani had been
invited to the meeting, and that the Depot had opened last week. Discussion was held
on several areas of Depot operatbns and adminisaation.
A matlon was made by Council member Johnson, seconded by Coundl member
Jensen, to adjourn. All voted in favor. The meetlng was adjourned at 10:35 p.m.
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CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS:
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