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weekly Notes- November 8th 2019_
CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS— KLY TE r: Nove ber 8th 2019 - TO: City Council Me bers& a FROM: Eric Johnson, Ad Zoninc&Development Items: 1. No new applications have been received;Staff will seek to lanning Commission meeting for 11/14 if the Chair has no objections. 2. Gov. Walz Office provided opportunity to present information on various Bonding Bill requests;the City was able to attain a slot on 11/7 at 11:30 AM in State Capitol Room 316. Enclosed was the final handout and the event was attended by Mayor McComber Lee Mann and Myself. We believe it was well received by the Committee — which was chaired by MMB Commissioner Myron Franz. Next up is the HOUSE BUS TOUR Event—Plan for 8 am Thursday—Come to the TENT that will be set up next to the Panera site. Dress warm.The City did secure a written permission from the owner—copy enclosed. The Mayor has indicated to me that information on a possible Senate Tour may be forthcoming soon. Other Items • Chief DeRosier did supply the October Police Activity Report. • The Council desired to respond to Rep.Marquarfs invitation to offer input on various taxation impacts and decision points. I have enclosed a very rough draft for some further input if you have any. I hope to finalize this next week for the Mayor to sign. • A communication has been sent regarding the solid waste containers—95 Gallon cost/switch. To date we have approximately 60 responses, with about 2/3rds seeking to reduce their bin size. The letter sent to the 450 - households is enclosed. • The aerator pump has been removed from the pond in Autumn Ridge pond. It was received positively from the neighbors and it will be put back next year. Mayor McComber provided: 1. National League of Cities—Federal Advocacy for 11/5/19&Community Engagement Resources 2. NLC"the weekly"publication for 11/2/19 3. METRO CITIES News for 11/8/19 Please let me know if you have any questions-651-253-7837 Call Anytime. 1 of 34 CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS Project Summary: Norell Ave. and State Frontage Road (60" street) Realignment DOCUMENTS TO: Tim Walz, Governor Myron Frans, Commissioner of Management and Budget PLANNED HEARING DATE: November 7t'', 2019 2 of 34 INTRODUCTION: For the City's proposed Norell Ave. and State Frontage Road (60th street) Realignment, the City has submitted a funding request through the required MMB Submission Portals for possible consideration by the State of Minnesota in the 2020 Bonding Bill of $794,400. The following data provides an overview of the submission. PROJECT SUMMARY: Due to high volumes of traffic, significant delays and high incidence of crashes with above average severity, the City of Oak Park Heights is requesting $794,400 from the State of Minnesota to implement safety and traffic improvements to 60th Street and Norell Ave. The total Project cost is estimated to be $2.23 Million. 60th Street will be relocated southerly away from the Trunk Highway 36 to a new point of connection with Norell Ave. where a roundabout shall be installed. The map below (Figure 1) shows the Project layout with the new roadways. (larger image on last page). Figure Safety and DtlaV Issues Mn Gp.♦J.NA MI 1' e a o � r New Roadwaylocations shown in YELLOW HIGHLIGHT-"Backage Road"Roundabout with _ relieve stacking,reduce congestion and reduce crashes. � r4. Milm t ^ A TH 36 Badcage Road Oak Park Heights,MN i 4 Preliminary Concept-ror Discussion layout N 3 of 34 Figure 2 LEVEL OF SERVICE DEFICIENCIES: Due in part to the new St. Croix River Crossing, the traffic load upon State Trunk Highway 36 at this intersection now 11300 , exceeds 34,000 cars daily and is expected to intensify. „_.. ...S.tateH,i�hw�a Traffic (AADT) data from 2012 to 2017 with projection to 2040 is shown in Figure 2. (Additional area data on page 5) `1ar3,41000 2040 31 000 With such increasing traffic load, the Level of Service (LOS) %29 000 for the intersection at 60th Street and Norell Ave. is generally at a grade of "F - or very poor (and likely to worsen). The 26,500 eet_ intersection experiences tremendous delays and back-ups ma�bm,!!*29,500 I�I�����Ps due to increasing volumes on all roads. See Figure 3 below. �$�SQd yl�����'� The Project is expected to significantly improve these conditions. Figure 3 Table I-LOS Queue Lengths for TH 36&Noreli Ave/Washington Ave PM Saturday 115- 591. Delay/ MVMT 95% Delay/ MVMi Intersection Direction Movement queue Vehicle LOS LOS LOS Queue Vehicle LOS LOS LOS Let 758' 128, . EB Thru 7' 93.9 F 911' 164.0 F F {1058.2) (931.5) Right 57' 120.0 F 42' 107.5 F Left 12' 56.9 F - --_ W3 Thru 16' 761.1 F F 595' 349.3 F F (731.6) (365.5) 60th St N& Right 16' 789.6 F F Narell Ave Left {123 42' S.6 A NB Thru 53.7 F F 215' 24.3 C (53.4) (24.3J Right Z45' 25-3 D Left 73' 8.9 .4 51' 6.1 .4 SB Thru 51' '1.5 .4 24' 1.5 A A (2.4) ti2.0) Right 14' '1.2 .4 15' 1-3 A SAFETY AND CRASH DATA DEMONSTRATES CONCERN: The intersection of 60th Street N & Norell Avenue N well exceeds the critical CRASH RATE and SEVERITY RATE for similar intersections-see data in Figure 4 below. The predominant crash types were as follows- Right Angle (41.7%), Read End (33.3%), and Sideswipe Passing (16.7%). The high frequency of crashes at this intersection is attributed to the roadway design and the close proximity to the TH-36 & Norell Avenue N intersection. The Project is expected to significantly improve these conditions. Figure 4 Crash Rate Severity Rate Location Calculated State Avg. Crifical Calculated State Avg. Critical 60 Street N & 1.76 8 0.42 2.53 G.='' 0.50 Norell Avenue N Number of Crashes(201 1 -2015) Personal Injury* Type Type Type Property Total Intersection Fatal A B C Damage Crashes 60--Street N & Norell Avenue N C'' - = 4 of 34 FUNDING REQUEST TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES: The Total Project Cost to correct and solve these problems is estimated to be The MNDOT funds of S644,00 $2.23 Million for which the City has secured a MNDOT Local Agreement must be fully expended by Program Grant in the amount of $644,000. The City has also committed to 2021 or these funds would be provide $794,392 in local funds (non-MSA). These current commitments reallocated by MNDOT. provide $1.44 Million or 64%of the needed funding. The SOURCE AND USE data is below in Figure 5. The City of Oak Park Heights, being a non-MSA recipient, is seeking the remaining $794,400(rounded) to fill the funding GAP and is the basis for legislative request in in the 2020 Bonding Bill as submitted. Without these additional funds, the Project cannot proceed. Figure 5 City of Oak Park Heights 60th Street and Norell Ave.- Frontage Road -Estimated SOURCE AND USE SOURCES MND T LOCAL AGREEMENT City of Oak Park USES PROG. Heights GAP TOTAL Soft Costs(Eng 90%/admin 15%/Legal 5%) $ 130,098 $ 138,229 $ 138,229 $ 406,556 Construction (Incl.30%contingency) $ 513,902 $ 556,162 $ 556,162 $ 1,626,227 SUBTOTAL FOR DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION $ 644,000 $ 694,392 $ 694,392 $ 2,032,783 Right of Way $ - $ 100,000 $ 100,000 $ 200,000 P ROJ ECT TOTA LS $ W000 $ 794,392 $ 794,3 $ 2,2 783 (NOTE: ALL FIGURES ARE ROUNDED) PROJECT TIMELINE: If requested funding can be secured in the 2020 Legislative cycle, the City expects to finalize design and engineering by the end of 2020, with bidding and construction in early 2021. The new roadway is expected to be open by October 2021. 5 of 34 �1• � 1 V CD C) V Q v s G7 10 CC) 0Ln ) Ln "sa ad CL a v _' u U O C. « y� E � D H 4D f �..:. ' u _ .. a i • 1 O x~ �♦ 1 � r• ! i N� .y, i N 1 7 � 2 000404 enuanyu AMMO........... O� X004 1 , � rrr Nig I 4..ai..:, v GC]b4 •:" 1 ryrl�r•�. 1 6 of 34 I , / 7, s � T t� A mdEI rI , Z� ro ZT } r € c r a r'F y 0 0 � c3 N � 3 w �• i� I rrr a X � -.: ❑ i I I � V J Y f9 T f � EicraN - f J .22 Z Z N w, z 5 m I y J i y I y x .. 5u r, r n a r ° d XT 1 ' rr � w r 7 of 34 RELEASE OF CLAIMS&INDEMINFICATION The Owner,RMOECREST OAK PARK HEIGHTS I LLC,does authorize the City of Oak Park Heights to hold an informational event relating to a possible 2021 Frontage Road Alignment upon the Property of the Owner. The city anticipates approximately 50 attendees.The Owner agrees to no compensation for such use from the City. The Property is further identified-Washington County PIN#0502920210042 and the City's use shall generally remain on the grass-areas lying south of the Panera Bread building and shall not unreasonably interfere with any on site operations.See map with highlighted area that may generally be used. Such event is permitted for Nov 141,2019 between the hours of 7:30 AM and 12:01 PM. The City may erect a reasonable size party tent through a commercial vendor to house any participants. Such event attendees may park in the adjacent lots as also owned by the Owner. Except for willful or intentional acts by thety Owner,the Ci of "� ..y,•w= :.,• "�� ;` Oak Park Heights does release and fully discharges the Owner from any and all liability,damages claims and obligations of any kind or character arising or resulting from the City's use of land, ; y .,:tk `;: 'f including any from its invitees,guests and/or the general public. r ; N. �,s,: .► The City does also indemnify the Owner related to any claims j�•:,••-r.a;� .• . � ' �}' C,,.�:: that may be brought against the Owner should any arise relative to the City's permitted use. S p I OWNER:RIC GECREST AK PARK HEIGHTS I LLC '°'$ !_ f 'iA. PRINT NAME i "' "' =.� �.�X���'.: .,.yam. .,:. •`��'}••~'�e•��� ' '^' S' DATE �= �. � ��,��a�� ,.:;,Y�'�`'��:,'�_.:<. � .;*�f• �_., �� �'I't SIG ATURE ;, .41 NOTARY C.Sn Date MUST AFFIX STAMP> , BREW C.SNYDER f ,,T• WTARYPU9UC•MMNMTA ' City of Oak Park Heights: ,tantq�l51•? C2G12 L rlSv'7 ' PRI M 1517 DATE JENNIFER M.PINSKI NOTARY PUI9LIC-MINNESOTA My E> NO /Date 1110-10m Jan.31,1022 MMW MUST AFFIX STAW> 8 of 34 CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS POLICE DEPARTMENT 14168 Oak Park Blvd. N., P.O. Box 2007 41 Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 November 5, 2019 To:Eric Johnson,City Administrator From: Brian DeRosier,Chief of Police Subject:Police Activity Report—October 2019 This overview report is the activity of the Oak Park Heights Police Department during the month of October 2019. Officers responded to and generated 1,717 calls for service in the City of Oak Park Heights during the month. The department responded to many incidents during the month. This is a summary/sampling of some of the cases we responded to and investigated:"we had a fairly routine month—knock on wood..." 1. Arrested domestic assault with strangulation suspect. 2. Responded to complaint of a Bear being sighted in tree in residential area behind city hall. Officer found it was a squirrel nest...... 3. Investigating a stolen motorcycle from garage of residence. 4. Recovered a stolen vehicle out of OPH in Minneapolis. It was found while doing their street sweeping. S. Conducted several death investigations. 6. Cited driver of vehicle during traffic stop for possession of MJ. The bag of MJ was spotted by officer partially hidden on center console. Suspect claimed he had a prescription for it and it was EBD etc.etc. Officer explained that MN prescription MJ is not in a sandwich baggie and not in leaf form to smoke.... We did community outreach at the Boo Bash hosted by Kowalski's. Hundreds of kids attend this popular event. Officers handed out candy from the squad cars on Halloween night. Officer Tennessen was on standby as part of the Mobile Field Force Riot Control team. A request was made for the team as part of the presidential visit to Minneapolis. As you saw the issues at the event were minimal and the team did not need to respond. 9 of 34 CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS POLICE DEPARTMENT 14168 Oak Park Blvd. N., P.O. Box 2007 III Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 We had a biannual audit by the MN BCA of our records system access. They check for authorized purposes on access to criminal history checks,DVS records,computer security and access to PD etc. No issues found. Due to ongoing issues with the police records system that we contract from WC, I have returned the officers to using paper daily activity logs. Officers document routine daily activity not requiring an incident report on these logs. For the last 10 years we had been doing this using computer logs as part of the records system. We continued this when we switched to the new system, however it has shown to be not usable in the new system. Information was not being recorded in a usable format, not searchable,and extremely difficult to review by myself or supervisory staff on a daily basis. A general issue with the system.......... A letter was given to all merchants selling gasoline. This is the third letter over the years given to them as we have again seen an increase in the number of what are determined,after considerable time by officers investigating them,to be false gas drive off complaints. This is a 100% preventable incident and also has civil remedies available to the merchants without police intervention. Generally,the issue becomes that the merchant is preauthorizing pumps when patrons credit cards are not accepted, however the patrons do not necessarily know it was not accepted as they did try and swipe the card. The patron leaves without knowledge the charge did not go through. This is wasting considerable time of the police department for incidents that are preventable and not criminal,with merchants using the police department to act as a collection agency. We participated in Safe and Sober details. We had several bouts of issues with email problems that required IT service to fix. We had 3 days during the month we were at full staff due to vacations,sick leave,and training. Officers attended training courses during the month: 1. All Officers received training on Emotional Wellness for Officers 2. Officer Wynia attended SWAT training for a week at Camp Ripley. 3. Sgt Givand and Sgt Vierling attended training on Data Practices. 4. Sgt Givand and Sgt Vierling attended training on Drug Death Investigations S. Sgt Givand,Sgt Vierling, Inv. Paradise attended training/case review of large burglary ring. 6. Inv Paradise attended conference on School Safety 7. Officer Tennessen attended Mobile Field Force Riot Control quarterly training as part of the team. Chief DeRosier 10 of 34 City of Oak Park Heights 14168 Oak Park Blvd. N•Oak Park Heights,MN 55082•Phone(651)439-4439•Fax(651)439-0574 November 4,2019 Rep.Paul Marquart,District 04B 597 State Office Building St.Paul,MN 55155 RE: Public Input-Joint Tax Committee and Property Tax Division-Winona Event Dear Representative Marquart: We understand you very generously took public input on various costs that are increasing for local governments and the impacts these have on our local communities. Unfortunately, we could not attend that event but wanted to share with you some of our experiences relevant to such matters: 1. Lack of Transportation Funding: Oak Park Heights is metro-city of 4,800 that experiences the typical congestion and delays associated with being in a densely populated area.With over 26 miles of roadways that interface with busy State and County roads our ability to fund and sustain these is limited.In essence,the City is largely left to its tax levy and/or special assessments to generate revenues. This is further exacerbated by the reality that cities under 5,000 receive no Municipal State Aids(MSA)for transportation. Considering this, we would ask that the State consider both a dedicated funding source for smaller communities to support transportation networks AND consider legislation that may offer alternative funding capacity to smaller cities. Such aid would reduce local tax burden. 2. Apportionment of Local Government Aid: Similar to the MSA relationship,Oak Park Heights does not receive LGA or other state-aid.This is largely the case due to the location of the Xcel Energy-Allen S.King Plant and its significant tax base to the local community and its Fiscal Disparities contribution. This situation may be changing in the near future. We would offer that as Xcel Energy begins to explore the retirement of this coal -facility-possibly for 2028,that LGA be extended to the City and in an amount reasonably comparable to our adjacent cities of Bayport and Stillwater.This LGA funding would provide meaningful assistance to defray such tax-revenue loss to the balance of other taxpayers. 3. Utility Valuations and Reporting: Xcel Energy has sought tax relief from the MN Dept of Revenue (DOR) by seeking reductions in their taxable values. Unfortunately, the DOR has consistently agreed to various reductions of these values without affording an opportunity to discuss these requests with the communities that are decisively 11 of 34 impacted. Moreover, these decisions by the DOR lack transparency and without an opportunity for the public to weigh-in and clearly shifts this Xcel Energy tax burden to other payers.The City has related these concerns to the DOR in our August 61, 2019 letter(copy enclosed) which we have previously copied to your Office.To date,we have not received a response nor an acknowledgement from the DOR. A further concern is that the process and timing of these decisions has a profound impact on the City's ability to establish its levy and report effectively under its Truth in Taxation(TNT)obligations. We relate to you that in May 2019 the DOR supplied preliminary values for Xcel Energy to Washington County to use for property tax calculations which are then used by the City. After the DOR's receipt of an August petition from Xcel Energy to reduce their tax burden—shifting it to other property tax payers, the DOR negotiated(without affording the City an opportunity to review or respond)a new value for Xcel Properties which included a$11,620,600 reduction in the market value and was a 4.7%decrease from the Preliminary Values. These amendments must then be inculcated into the local budgeting process. Nevertheless,as TNT notices and tax bills are generated by Washington County which utilizes an immense amount of parcel data that is impacted by such a valuation change the County and City cannot react on this impact in a matter of days and in a fashion that would enable us to plan or establish a prospective budget in proper concert with TNT notices. We would ask that the State support policies that requires effective and timely communication to local units of government from DOR regarding utility valuations of properties similar to Xcel Energy;and to advocate for a more transparent approach by the DOR prior to any values being amended. 4. Comprehensive Planning; The requirement of cities in the seven-county metro area to engage in a Comprehensive Planning exercise every decade is a reasonable concept. Proper coordination of zoning, construction, parks, and utility systems, for example can be accomplished in that process. However, the rules and parameters for such processes could be amended to better engage the circumstances each community actually faces. Oak Park heights is largely at full-build out and is land-locked. Cities such as ours do not approach the COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING exercise in the same methodology that a growing community such as Hugo or Hastings or Farmington must engage. Yet, we are required to mirror the same elements. This is expensive and offers no meritorious benefit. We would offer that if"truncated"set of parameters could be established for cities such as ours,significant taxpayer funds—perhaps$50,00 in our case. could be saved and would prevent the unnecessary exercises of"checking the boxes"for the MET COUNCIL. It is greatly appreciated that your Office is taking the time to consider these thoughts and we look forward to any further conversations you might desire to have regarding these.Please let us know if you would like any further clarifications or have questions. Sincerely DRAFT MAYOR 12 of 34 City of Oak Park Heights Page I oft 14168 Oak Park Blvd. N•Oak Park Heights,MN 55082•Phone(651)439-0439•Fax(65I)439-0574 August 6`h,2019 Commissioner Cynthia Bauerly Minnesota Dept of Revenue 600 N.Robert street St. Paul,Mn 55101 *** ALSO VIA EMAIL ** RE: Xcel Energy Valuations Dear Commissioner Bauerly: We understand your Office has received the enclosed letter (dated 8/5/19) outlining concerns related to the valuations of Xcel Energy facilities. As our City's tax base is profoundly impacted by these decisions, we must support a coordinated and open dialogue to review any submitted figures prior to any agreements or decisions being made. As you know,we were one of a group of cities that expressed particular concern about the lack of transparency in the administrative appeals process after our city was negatively impacted by it last year. While we appreciated the work of your staff in attempting to develop better communications systems so that we have access to certain information,I have to note that our most urgent questions went unanswered last year. In particular,we never received a satisfactory answer as to the methodology the Department used to determine the final valuation in last year's agreement. Moreover, you are also aware that we supported legislation to advance the timeline of the administrative appeals process to keep it from disrupting our local budgeting process,as it did last year. Due primarily to the pushback from the Department,the final result was a date change that will have no practical impact in protecting local governments at all. To be clear, we feel that any entity—including Xcel—should be able to engage in discussion with the Department regarding their tax burdens,however we also believe that this should be performed in a transparent and open process. Accordingly, we would ask that our City be provided the data presented to your offices from XceI Energy that disputes any valuations the Department has preliminarily determined. With this data, our City would provide to your offices some further analysis of Xcel Energy's proposed values. As our community has been engaged with Xcel Energy for many years, we believe our insight may prove valuable to the Department as you deliberate these prior to any final position on values. 13 of 34 Lastly, the City can understand how using the administrative process to avoid potential tax court or other litigation may conserve time and alleviate risk, such as in the 2018 Agreement (see attached); but the fact remains that on occasion the use of tax court to engage these debates may be the last-best and most transparent methodology if mediation and dialogue cannot produce a settlement. To that end, we would ask that no prior Agreement be put in place until such time as all parties, including the City has had reasonable opportunity to understand the Xcel Energy request and provide the Department feedback. Find Regard f M or Vkombkee � CC: VIA EMAIL&US MAIL Senator Karin Housley Representative Shelly Christensen Senator Roger Chamberlain,Chair,Senate Taxes Committee Representative Paul Marquart,Chair,House Taxes Committee Representative Dianne Loeffler,Chair,House Property and Local Tax Division Senator Ann Rest,Ranking Minority Member,Senate Taxes Committee Representative Greg Davids,GOP Lead,House Taxes Committee Representative Jerry Hertaus,GOP Lead,House Property and Local Tax Division Senator Andrew Mathews Senator Gary Dahms Senator Andrew Lang Senator Bruce Anderson Senator Mike Goggin Representative Marion O'Neill Representative Shane Mekeland Representative Chris Swedzinski Representative Tim Miller Representative Barb Haley Hue Nguyen,Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Legislative Affairs,Office of the Governor Emily Letholz,Policy Advisor,Office of the Governor Cynthia Rowley,Assistant Commissioner,Department of Revenue Jon Klockziem,Property Tax Division Director,Department of Revenue Wendy Tien,Tax Division Manager,Office of the Attorney General 14 of 34 Becker Cohasset• Fergus Falls +Granite Falls•Hoyt Lakes• Monticello* Oak Park Heights• Red Wing August 5,2019 Commissioner Cynthia Bauerly Minnesota Department of Revenue 600 North Robert St. St.Paul,MN 55101 Dear Commissioner Bauerly, I am writing on behalf of the Coalition of Utility Cities(CUC),which represents eight cities that host large power plants across Minnesota.It has come to our attention that as part of Xcel Energy's administrative appeal of its 2019 utility property tax assessment,a conference between the company and Minnesota Department of Revenue(DOR)has been scheduled for August.7. As you enter negotiations with Xcel and come to a final determination,we are hopeful that you will consider the serious ramifications your decision will have on our local taxpayers. Last year,after appealing its preliminary valuation from DOR,the equalized market value ofXcel's electric utility system was reduced from$5.83 billion in 2017 to$5.63 billion in 2018.The CUC communities of Becker,Granite Falls,Monticello, Oak Park Heights and Red Wing host Xcel power plants and were impacted by these valuation changes.The most dramatic impacts were felt in Red Wing and Monticello,where the value of power plant property declined from 2017 to 2018 by 16%and 9%, respectively. These are just the year over year changes and are not reflective of the even larger drop from the 2018 preliminary values.As we have discussed previously,the challenge of reacting to these reductions was compounded by the timing of the administrative appeals process,which left several of our cities learning of significant loss of tax base just days after setting preliminary levies. Our cities are incredibly dependent on the property tax revenue from the power plants we host.In my city of Becker,the Sherburne County Generating Station is responsible for nearly 75%of our levy. This means that three-fourths of my city's budget is subject to a state-assessed property valuation process that the city has no say in.Other CUC cities are in similar situations with between a third and half of their budgets tied to the value of the power plants in their communities. While the 2019 preliminary values published by DOR would increase utility property market values for most CUC members,values will either remain below 2017 assessments or nominally higher. As a coalition,the uncertainty around state-assessed property values has made it difficult for our communities to plan for the future,which was already challenging given that several of our members are facing plant closures in the coming years.More importantly,it creates a burden for our non-utility taxpayers—such as local small businesses and homeowners—if they are faced with sharp property tax increases as the result of a significant adjustment in utility property value. Minn.Star 273.372,subd 5 states"When it appears to be in the best interest of the state,the commissioner may settle any matter under consideration regarding an appeal filed under this section." Protecting local taxpayers and local governments is in the best interest of the state and we hope that this year you will take that under consideration as you make a final determination. 1 15 of 34 Thank you for your time. We have appreciated the work of your staff to help improve the communication between the Department and local governments.We look forward to continuing to work with you on improving the administrative appeals process so that cities across Minnesota can have the certainty necessary to craft budgets,and so that local taxpayers are not left holding the bag for decisions made by the state. If you or your staff has any questions,please reach out to our legislative representative, Shane Zahrt,at sazahrt0flaherty-hood.con or 651-225-8840. Sincerely, ,4, 5 Greg Pruszins�e,Becker City Administrator President, Coalition of Utility Cities Senator Roger Chamberlain, Chair,Senate Taxes Committee Representative Paul Marquart, Chair,House Taxes Committee Representative Dianne Loeffler;Chair,House Property and Local Tax Division Senator Ann Rest,Ranking Minority Member,Senate Taxes Committee Representative Greg Davids, GOP Lead,House Taxes Committee Representative Jerry Hertaus,GOP Lead,House Property and Loral Tax Division Senator Andrew Mathews Senator Gary Dahms Senator Andrew Lang Senator Bruce Anderson Senator Karin Housley Senator Mike Goggin Representative Marion O'Neill Representative Shane Mekeland Representative Chris Swedzinski Representative Tim Miller Representative Shelly Christensen Representative Barb Haley Hue Nguyen,Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and.Legislative Affairs,Office of the Governor Emily Lefholz,Policy Advisor,Office of the Governor Cynthia Rowley,Assistant Commissioner,Department of Revenue Jon Klockziem,Property Tax Division Director,Department of Revenue Wendy Tien,Tax Division Manager,Office of the Attorney General 2 16 of 34 AGREBAU T AS TO FINAL RETE WWATION OF PROPERTY VALUATION PURSUANT TO MINNESOTA STATUTES SECTION 273.372,SUBD.S. THIS AGREEMENT,is entered into by and between Northem States Power Company (Minnesota)—(hw System(hwcfnaft =&&red to as"Property Owner'j,and the Commissioner of Revenue of the State of Minnesota(hereinafter referred to as"Commissionee). 4 WHEREAS,there has been at issue between the parties to this agreement the 2018 taxable Minnesota Apportionable Market Value of Property Owner's operating property,and WHEREAS,Property Owner and Commissioner have settled and resolved the items at issue between themselves under the authority of Minnesota Statutes Section 273.372,subd.5. THEREFORE IT IS MUTUALLY AGREED,by and between Property Owner and Commissioner as follows:• 1. The 2018 MinnesotwApportionable Market Value of Property Owner's operating Property shall be set at$460,000,000 and shall be equalized and apportioned to the various taxing districts in which Property(honer operates. 2. Nothing in this Agreement shall constitute an admission by the Properly Owner or the Commissioner as to the substantive factual.and Iegal issues involved in the appeal,and nothing in this Agreement shall bind either party with respect to any tax period,tax type,or tax issue that is not specifically addressed in this Agreement. 3. This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties and is intended to be a final and conclusive settlement of all issues that have been or could have been raised by the parties in relation to the Commissioner's 2018 valuation of Property Owner's operating "arty. 17 of 34 4. That Property Owner admowledges having fully read the provisions of this Agreement and having fully understood its terms and conditions. 5. That each party to this Agreement covenants,and represents that the individuals signing on its behalf is fully empowered to bind the party to the obligations and commitments set forth therein. 6. That the terms,provisions,interpretations,and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota. 7. ' . This Agreement is not effective until Hilly executed,but the parties agree that this Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts,each of which when executed and delivered shall constitute a duplicate original,but all counterparts together shall constitute a single agreement. Dated: 9 1 r 3 A 8 Dated: �1131zo) NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY COMNIISSIONER OF REVENUE (MINNESOTA)-GAS SYSTEM STATE OF MINNESOTA -,., Directo ;�� Property TwDivision BY J A Minnesota Department of Revenue. 600 North Robert Street ITS VSaint Paul,Minnesota lc;e ��At- Terns 18 of 34-- AGREEMENT AS TO FINAL DETERMINATION OF PROPERTY VALUATION PURSUANT TO MINNESOTA STATUTES SECTION 273.372,SUBD,5. THIS AGREEMENT,is entered into by and between Northern States Power Company (Minnesota)—Electric System(hereinafter referred to as"Property Owner"),and the Commissioner of Revenue of the State of Minnesota(hereinailer referred to as "Commissioner"). . WHEREAS,there has been at issue between the parties to this agreement the 2018 taxable Minnesota Apportionable Market Value of Property Owner's operating property,and WHEREAS,Property Owner and Commissioner have settled and resolved the items at issue between themselves under the authority of Minnesota Stahrtes Section 273.372,subd.5. TBEREFORE IT IS MUTUALLY AGREED,by and between Property Owner and Commissioner as follows: 1. The 2018 Minnesota Apportionable Market Value of Properly Owner's operating Property shall be set at$5,900,000,000 and shall be equalized and apportioned to the various taxing districts m which Property owner operates. 2. Nothing in this Agreement shall constitute an admission by the Property Owner or,the Commissioner as to the substantive factual and legal issues involved in the appeal,and nothing in this Agreement shall bind either party with respect to any tax period,tax type,or tax issue that is not specifically addressed in this Agreement. 3. This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties and is intended to be a final and conclusive settlement of all issues that have been or could have been raised by the parties in relation to the Commissioner's 2018 valuation of Property Owner's operating party. 19 of 34 4. . That.Property Owner acknowledges having fully read the provisions of this Agreement and having fully understood its terms and conditions. S. Thgt each party to this Agreement covenants and represents that the individuals signing on its behalf is fully empowered to bind the party to the obligations and commitments set forth therein. 6. That the teams,provisions,interpretations,and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota. 7. This Ag mement is not effective until fully executed,but the parties agree that this Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts,each of which when executed and delivered shall constitute a duplicate original,but all counterparts together shall constitute a single agreement. Dated: f/ j�J Dated: 9 •''�•. 2-t.5.� NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY COMMISSIONER OF REVENUE (MINNESOTA)—ELECTRIC SYSTEM STATE OF MINNESOTA Director -� mperty Tax Division BY G_\_ Minnesota Department of Revmue 600 North Robert Street ITS 1C. 1' -Q S►ae.Mi7, 11 1-K Saint Paul,Minnesota 20 of 34 City of oak Park Heights 1 168 Oak Park Blvd. N•Oak Park Heights,MN 55082.Phone(651)4394439•Fax(651)439-0574 November 4,2019 Cop .r Dear 95-gallon trash container user. In total, the City expends over$250,000 annually in solid waste disposal, recycling services, and spring/fall clean-up costs, and generally handles over 2,000,000 lbs. of trash and 500,000 lbs. of recycling. Prior to 2009, these costs were billed directly to residents through a monthly billing based on garbage-bin sizing with each property paying a correlating rate for a requested size of bin being a 35,65 or 95 Gallon. However,since 2010 the City has directly paid for 100% of the monthly solid waste collection costs through its general property tax levy and the City has not billed a price difference based on requested cart size. Unfortunately,solid waste costs for disposal of this tonnage(tipping fees)has dramatically increased and is now at$81 per ton with more increases on the horizon. Further, the City's ability to continue to fully fund these costs through the general property tax levy is declining. Therefore, the City must evaluate cost savings options, BUT MUST also ensure that a balanced solid waste collection system is kept in place. Commencing in 2020,the City will continue to pay 100%of the cost of 35 and 65-gallon bins.However,if residents desire to continue to use the 95-gallon solid waste container they will be responsible to pay the cost differences between the 65 and 95-gallon which is based on per-ton fees.As of October 1.2019,that price difference is$2.95 monthly.These fees would be billed to you quarterly by the City and would be noted on your water bill. To assist the City in coordinating these shifts a timely transition, we are asking that you please respond to us via the enclosed document as soon as possible, and no later than November 20. If the City does not receive a response back from you, we will assume you are keeping the 95-gallon container, and the direct billing will commence in early 2020. If you do request a smaller container,it will be switched for you AFTER the holidays,as we understand there is more waste generated during that time. As you may consider these issues,please also note: • That the majority of households in the City have the 35 or 65-gallon container. • If you give a smaller container a try and find that it does not meet your needs,you can switch back to a larger unit. • If you have the occasional extra bag of garbage,it is$1.75 per bag and could be a cheaper option when necessary. • Residents may put out an unlimited volume of recyclables and may use any reasonable container. • You may bring larger items to"clean-up"days in spring or fall. • The Washington County Environmental Center is available to dispose of other items that may be eligible. The City understands there may be challenges to a transition. We hope these can be resolved though more recycling and less generation of solid waste where possible and that adequate lead-time will be helpful. We are not requiring you to change bin sizes, just requesting you consider your needs and understand that we will have to bill for those costs. Please let me know if you have any questions,and I will do my best to answer them. Kind regards Jennifer Pinski City Clerk 21 of 34 0 City Of Oak Park Heights November 4, 2019 To: Property Address: The City has implemented certain fees for the continuation of utilizing a 95-gallon solid waste container (See the enclosed communication dated November 4, 2019. We are asking that you please provide your selection below as it will assist the City in coordinating these shifts a timely transition. If the City does not receive a response back from you, we will assume you are keeping the 95-gallon container, and the direct billing will commence in early 2020 on your quarterly utility bill. Please select ONE: Please switch my 95-gallon container to a 65-gallon container. This will result in NO additional fees. Please switch my 95-gallon container to a 35-gallon container. This will result in NO additional fees. would like to keep the 95-gallon container. This will result in a monthly fee of$2.95 (billed quarterly), but may increase or decrease slightly based on Tipping Fees assessed to the City. Name of Person Completing this Form:____.----- __----Date: You may return this document by November 20, 2019 in one of two ways: Mail it to: City of Oak Park Heights Attn;Jennifer Pinski, City Clerk 14168 Oak Park Blvd N. Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 Or You may scan or snapshot it and email it to jpinski@cityofoakparkheights.com 22 of 34 Eric Johnson From: Mary Mccomber<marymccomber@aol.com> Sent: Tuesday, November 5,2019 4:33 PM To: Eric Johnson Subject: Fwd:Cities Lobby Congress on Substance Use, Mental Health and Homelessness - Federal Advocacy Newsletter-Week of November 5 For weekly notes ----Original Message----- From: National League of Cities<advocacy@nlc.org> To: marymccomber<marymccomber@aol.com> Sent:Tue, Nov 5, 2019 3:46 pm Subject: Cities Lobby Congress on Substance Use, Mental Health and Homelessness-Federal Advocacy Newsletter- Week of November 5 If this message is not displaying properly,please view the online version FEDERALNATIONAL LEAGUE WLIC OF CITIES ADVOCACY NEWSLETTER Cities Lobby Congress on Substance Use, Mental Health and Homelessness On October 30, NLC held a briefing on Capitol Hill so local leaders could tell Congress what communities across the country need to address the intersection of mental health, homelessness and substance use in our nation. Local Leaders Share Innovations & Community Best Practices NLC, Local Allies Oppose Wireless Petitions Before FCC 23 of 34 NLC has joined a number of local governments and municipal organizations in opposition to recent proposals from the Wireless Industry Association (WIA) and the Communications Technology Industry Association (CTIA). Keep Fighting Against Telecom Preemption nk Preparing for Drones to Fly in Cities All that's holding major industry actors—UPS, Amazon, Uber to name y a few—from launching drones at scale are the safety rules for drone flight. Next Steps For Cities SNAPSHOT • On October 30, NLC hosted Cities Lead the Way on Mental Health,Substance Use and Homelessness, in partnership with Sen. Joe Manchin (WV). • From October 28-29, the Georgia Municipal League participated in a Federal Advocacy briefing at NLC in Washington, D C before completing their Fly-In by meeting with federal leaders on Capitol Hill, The next Federal Advocacy Newsletter is scheduled for November 99 Water Infrastructure Bills Advance in House . _ . Last week, two bipartisan water infrastructure bills that advance NLC's Rebuild With Us infrastructure campaign saw action in the House. Learn More About What This Legislation Would Do For Your City 2 24 of 34 ANNOUNCEMENTS Applications Open for NLC Committees, Councils and Constituency Groups! NLC is now accepting membership applications for Federal Advocacy Committees, Member Councils, and Constituency Groups. Serving as a member of a committee, council, or constituency group gives you the opportunity as a municipal leader to get involved with NLC and represent your community at the national level.Applications are now open-submit yours today! To Access the Application, Click Here&Select Membership Application on the Menu Webinar I Commercial PACE is Taking Off(in partnership with NLC and NACo) This webinar will focus on Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy(C-PACE), which is now widely available throughout the United States. Participants will learn about different ways to implement C-PACE in their communities, the roles of market participants in building scale, emerging standards and best practices for C-PACE implementation, trends in how C-PACE is being used, and examples of C-PACE projects. Register Now for the November 12 Webinar Webinar I May Statutory Annotations by Copyrighted? In Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org Inc. the Supreme Court will decide the deceptively simple question of whether statutory annotations may be copyrighted. Webinar speakers will cover the implications of this case for state and local governments, the policy and legal arguments each side is making before the Supreme Court, and how this case may impact the legal publishing industry. Register Now for the November 13 Webinar NEWS Exclusive: Cities see signs of recession on the horizon Axios- October 23. 2019 Can autonomous scooters solve sidewalk clutter? Curbed-October 23, 2019 Seeking Attention For City Priorities From 2020 Presidential Candidates RouteFifty- October 25, 2019 How Can Cities Handle The Oldest Population In History?New Report Tells Policy Makers To Embrace It Forbes-October 29. 2019 Wireless Industry Pushing FCC Rules Too Far, Utilities Say Law360-October 30. 2019 3 25 of 34 Eric Johnson From: Mary Mccomber <marymccomber@aol.com> Sent: Tuesday, November 5, 2019 11:02 AM To: Eric Johnson Subject: Fwd: New Resources on Community Engagement For weekly notes ---Original Message----- From: National League of Cities<news c@nic.org> To: marymccomber<marymccomber@aol.com> Sent: Tue, Nov 5, 2019 10:51 am Subject: New Resources on Community Engagement If this message is not displaying properly,please view the online version. New Resources on Community Engagement From the National Civic Review, new tools of leadership in local government! Published in partnership with the Charles F. Kettering Foundation, this quarter's content brings examples of effective community engagement. To access this edition, follow the link below. When prompted, enter your unique access code: NLC19 26 of 34 uthwestip The official airline of the All America City awards Public Art and the Art of Public Participation Public art plays an invaluable role in community building. Not only does it beautify public spaces, it expresses and supports a sense of neighborhood history, culture and identity and helps drive economic vitality. Decatur Georgia: Building a Culture of Community Engagement Community-based planning takes time, but it's better to make an effort up front, instead of having to overcome anger and mistrust because the community was not involved. -- Can Liberal Arts Colleges Aid Local Problem Solving? �• Equipping students to facilitate community deliberations can bridge the chasms between higher education and local neighborhoods. W LEASMape. Elm i 27 of 34 You may opt out of email communications from NLC at any time. Update your communication preferences. This message was intended for: marymccomber@aol.com 660 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 450 1 Washington, DC 20001 Privacy Policy I©2019 NLC, All Rights Reserved Powered by Higher Logic 3 28 of 34 Eric Johnson From: Mary Mccomber <marymccomber@aol.com> Sent: Saturday, November 2,2019 8:46 AM To: Eric Johnson Subject: Fwd: Six New Cities Selected to Address Root Causes of Poor Health For weekly notes -----Original Message— From: National League Of Cities<news@nlc.org> To: marymccomber<marymccomber@aol.com> Sent: Sat, Nov 2, 2019 6:01 am Subject: Six New Cities Selected to Address Root Causes of Poor Health View in browser. NATIONAL NLC or Tne weekly 9t r New Report: City Fiscal Conditions 2019 In NLC's 2019 City Fiscal Conditions report, it is clear that communities across the country — and their residents and businesses — are experiencing varying economic realities. In large cities, almost two in three finance officers are predicting a recession as soon as 2020. i 29 of 34 DON'T WAIT TO REGISTER NLC SOUP FOR CITY SUMMIT TIME IS RUNNING • R1)EGISi`ER Six New Cities Selected to Address Root Causes of Poor Health These cities will take a holistic approach to the factors that affect health, including housing, economic opportunity, and city planning and design. Four Ways City Leaders Can Help Veterans With Employment { While a majority of small business owners want to hire .r veterans_ fewer than half have actually rin ne so and dust 10% have intentionally recruited veterans. Preparing for Drones to Fly in Cities All that's holding major industry actors— UPS, Amazon, Uber to name a few—from launching at scale are the safety rules for drone flight. News Newsletter: Cities See a Recession Coming Wall Street Journal- October 24, 2019 How Can Cities Handle The Oldest Population In History? New Report Tells Policy Makers To Embrace It. Forbes - October 28, 2019 How to Get Rich by Buying a Franchise (Really) 2 30 of 34 New York Times - October 25, 2019 Announcements Raise Your City's Voice; Attend NLC's Annual Business Meeting Give a national voice to your city, town and village at the National League of Cities Annual Business Meeting. Register a delegate to attend the ABM and add your voice on NLC policies. Register your delegate here. Free Webinar: Addressing The Racial Wealth Gap in Cities This webinar will examine the impact that historical and current wealth disparities can have on cities. It will also explore how the City of Tacoma, WA created an "Equity Index" to map out inequities and move toward solutions. Register here. New Grant Opportunity: City Resilience Looking for a way to fund an innovative resilience project in your community? NLC is now accepting applications from U.S. cities for the 2020 Leadership in Community Resilience grant program. The application process is easy, but the deadline is December 20, 2019. Apply now. Free Webinar: Best Practices for Solar & Electric Bus Charging Interested in deploying an electric bus fleet in your city? Join us for a webinar on November 12 to learn how you can electrify your bus system and integrate solar-powered bus charging. Register here. Events November 20 - 23 NLC 2019 City Summit (San Antonio, Texas) Job Postings City Attorney -- Bethel, Alaska City Manager-- City of Clarksburg, West Virginia 3 31 of 34 Finance Director -- City of John's Creek NWMIMMIAL 111FIIIIIIIIIIIIIII LKAGM OPMES Iola 0 MmTG,CFM You may opt out of email communications from NLC at any time. Update your communication preferences. This message was intended for: marymccomber@aol.com 660 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 450 Washington, DC 20001 Privacy Policy ©2018 NLC, All Rights Reserved Powered by Higher Logic 4 32 of 34 Metro Cities News 11/8/19 Pagel of 2 CMETRO Member Login 8 Searcn our site... p4IES iuin4�p.pba Home Metro Cities News About Us Meetings&Events Membership Advocacy Policies&Resources MAMA Return to the dog Upcoming Events Metro Cities News 11/8/19 bT.Kimberly Clarrocchi Thu Nov 14,2019 Category:Newsletter MAMA LuncVleon Cattgory:MAM Nov A Thu Nw 14,2019 _,_,,....__._ Metro Reolonal Meetinc/Peliw 08 In This Issue: AdgMlon ii ine Category:Meatinp Metro Regional Meeting/Metro Cities Policy Adoption Meeting Is Next Week! wed D-11,2019 2020 Draft Legislative Policl-c I MAMA Hollddy22" ReleasesMetropolitan Council Plat Monitoring Category:MAMA • 2018 Aaricuitural Preserves Report Now Available View Full Calendar Announcements Metro Cities' are now Metro Regional Meeting/Metro Cities Policy Adoption Meeting is Next Week! available for review.The draft policies were recommended by Join your colleagues for the Metro Regional Meeting and Metro Cft!es'Policy Adoption Meeting on members through Metro cities' Thursday,November 14,2019 in Minnetonka!The Metro Regional Meeting is jointly hosted by LMC and four policy committees and were Metro Cities.Metro Cities membership also meets to approve the 2020 Legislative Policies.The approved by the Metro cities Board of Directors at their October meeting will be held at the Sheraton Minneapolis West in Minnetonka.Several state agency meeting.The policies will be commissioners will present at the regional meeting.The afternoon concludes with a networking social adopted by Metro Cities hour. membership at the Policy Adoption Meeting/Metro Regional A membership quorum is required for the adoption of Metro Cities'policies,so each member city Meeting on Thursday,November should make sure to have a representative present.Click for more information and to register.We 14,2019.Please be sure to mark look forward to seeing you there! your calendar and plan to attend! 2020 Draft Legislative Policies Metro Cities'Draft 2020 Legislative Policies are now online for review.The draft policies were recommended by members through Metro Cities'four policy committees and were approved by the Metro Cities Board of Directors at their October meeting. A memo,link to the draft policies and Metro Cities'policy adoption protocol has been mailed to city administrators/managers.The policies will be adopted by Metro Ctt!es'membership at the Policy Adoption Meeting on Thursday,November 14,2019.Please be sure to mark your calendar and plan to attend!Click bate to read the agenda and register. Each member city has one vote,with one additional vote for each 50,000 population above the initial 50,000.Once the policies are adopted,they will serve as the framework for Metro Cities'work at the Legislature and Metropolitan Council in 2020. We hope to see you next Thursday!Comments or questions on the proposed policies should be directed to simberly0metiocnresmn.orp or 651-215-4000. Metropolitan Council Releases 2018 Plat Monitoring Report 33 of 34 hqs://www.metrocitiesmn.orghndex.php?option=com dailyplanetblog&view=entry&yea... 11/8/2019 Metro Cities News 11/8/19 Page 2 of 2 An updated 2018 report on platting activity in cities across the metropolitan region was released by the our Tweets Metropolitan Council and discussed at the November 4 Community Development Committee meeting. This annual report tracks development patterns in developing communities.The plat monitoring Tweets by program currently includes 44 participating cities and one township,up from the 12 participating @MetroCitiesMN communities when the program started in 2001. IS Metro Cities The report shows 45 participating communities approved 131 plats on over 1,900 acres of developable @MetroCidesMN land.68 percent of platted units were single family while the remaining 32 percent were multifamily Today's Met Council Community units resulting in a net density of 3.1 units per acre. Development Cmte recommended two cities place their 2040 comp plan updates Council staff explained the annual report tracks data not available anywhere else.Platting activity takes into etrect-Oak Park Heights place before building permits are issued.Thus the report can show the Intent of cities and where they and Brooklyn Center.Final Met are preparing for residential development,whether the private market builds housing or not.The Council review and authorization can pe tounc on the Council website. is scheduled for Dec 11. Nov 4,2019 2010 Agricultural Preserves Report Now AvailableNo Meso cities frMetrocitiesMN The Metropolitan Council's on metropolitan land enrolled in the metropolitan Monday night's Met Council agricultural preserves pre was presented at the November 4 Community Development Committee Community Development Cmts meeting. recommended five cities to place their 2040 comp plan updates The program,in existence since 1960,encourages and preserves areas planned and zoned for long- term agricultural use.Enrollment eligible land must reflect agricultural land use with a maximum density Embed view on Twitter of one unit per 40 acres on the Future Land Use Map. The 2018 report showed steady enrollment,with minimal changes In overall enrolled acreage.Six of the seven metro counties have enrolled properties,while Ramsey County does not due to It being fully developed.The maps and tables in the report show enrollment trends as well as where the preserved properties are located. One program change not included in the 2018 report but impacting the program in future years,was made by the 2019 legislature.The 2019 tax bill,signed into law,allows for early termination by a landowner(with a majority vote of the applicable zoning authority)for land located in a metropolitan agricultural preserve.The land must be enrolled for at least eight years and notice to the authority with a property description and desired date of termination must be provided. Share this post: Metro Cities(Association of Metropolitan Municipalities) 145 University Ave W,Suite 125 St.Paul,MN 55103 6511-2154000 Back to top 4% Powered by Q NM*WCidts 34 of 34 hos://vvn