Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-01-09 Minutes CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS • 7:00 P.M. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009 CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES I. Call to Order/Pledee of Alleuiance /Approval of Agenda: The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Beaudet. Present: Councilmembers Abrahamson, McComber, Runk, and Swenson. Staff present: Administrator Johnson, City Attorney Eid, City Engineer Long, City Planner Richards, Finance Director Holst, and Public Works Director Kegley. Absent: None. Councilmember McComber, seconded by Councilmember Swenson moved to approve the Agenda. Carried 5 -0. II. Department /Council Liaison Reuorts: A. Planning Commission: City Planner Richards reported that the last meeting was November 12 and the Planning Commission discussed design guidelines. He reported that the next meeting of the Planning Commission was scheduled for December 10 at 7:00 p.m. B. Parks Commission: Councilmember McComber reported that the next Parks Commission meeting was set for December 21 at 6:30 p.m. at City is Hall. C. Cable Commission: Nothing to report. D. Water Manas_ ement Oreanizations /Middle St. Croix: Mayor Beaudet reported that the next meeting of the Middle St. Croix Water Management Organization was set for December 10, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. at the Washington Conservation District Office. E. Other Liaison/Staff Reports: Mayor Beaudet reported that Breakfast with Santa was to be held at the Valley Ridge Mall on December 12 from 9:00 a.m. until noon. He stated there will be crafts, and the breakfast donation is $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for children. III. Visitors/Public Comment: Administrative Secretary Pinski reported that Anthony and Gina Watry of 5616 Osgood Avenue North were chosen as the recycling award winners. IV. Consent Agenda: A. Approve Bills & Investments B. Approve City Council Minutes — November 10, 2009 • City Council Meeting Minutes December 1, 2009 Page 2 of 5 • C. Approve Fiscal Year 2010 Budgets for Central St. Croix Valley Joint Cable Commission D. Approve Selected Winter Rink Attendants for 2009 -2010 Season Councilmember Swenson pulled Item D from the Consent Agenda. Councilmember McComber, seconded by Councilmember Runk, moved to approve the remainder of the Consent agenda. Roll call vote taken. Carried 5 -0. Mayor Beaudet, seconded by Councilmember Runk, moved to approve the selected winter rink attendants for the 2009 -2010 season. Carried 4 -0 -1, Swenson abstained. V. Public Hearings: A. Truth in Taxation: Mayor Beaudet reported that staff began compiling the 2010 budget in June. He stated that problems at the State level have precipitated in the City not receiving state funds, and the budget preparation had to be started without any information on the market value of the homes in Oak Park Heights based on a new computer system at the County and changes in State law. Beaudet reported that the only guide they had when preparing the budget up to that point was the maximum • levy allowed by state law. He stated that residents were sent a property tax statement showing the increase at the maximum levy. Beaudet reported that the City was not going to levy to the maximum. He reported that the council cut approximately $350,000 from the budget at their last budget worksession resulting in a negative tax increase. Beaudet stated that since that worksession, the City received information from the State which would result in a $41.00 tax increase from the City on a home valued at $200,000. He also reported that the year- over -year levy increase, including the debt levy, was 3.5 percent. Beaudet reported that the largest reason for the increase was that Xcel Energy's property value went down seven percent. He stated that Xcel Energy pays approximately 60 cents out of every tax dollar the City levies. Finance Director Holst reviewed the budget process and presented the general fund revenue summary and the general fund expenditure summary. She reported that revenues decreased .60 percent from last year and expenditures decreased .60 percent from last year. Jim Kremer of 5475 Oakgreen Place North questioned whether the taxes would decrease by 2.8 percent without the debt levy. Finance Director Holst reported that the summaries did not include the debt levy. Holst • confirmed and stated that the debt levy was approximately $502,000. City Council Meeting Minutes December 1, 2009 Page 3 of 5 Finance Director Holst reported that residents received tax statements that indicated a large tax increase but that was before adjustments were made. Tom Huninghake, a resident at Sunnyside, questioned whether the statement he received was accurate. Mayor Beaudet reported that the tax increase will be less than what the statements indicated. Curt Warren, owner of Action Rental, questioned if the tax rate would decrease for businesses as well. Mayor Beaudet confirmed it would. Syd Stephan, owner of the property at 5302 Stagecoach Trail, stated that he objected to the 19.7 percent increase for the City of Oak Park Heights reflected on his statement. He stated that any tax increase was too much. Jim Wright of the VFW stated he had a membership meeting upcoming and wanted to know an accurate figure for his tax percentage increase for that meeting. Mayor Beaudet suggested Mr. Wright speak with Finance Director Holst after the meeting for a more accurate figure. Jim Kremer came forward again and stated that the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that the average tax increase in Minnesota was 3.5 percent. He • requested that council look into cutting the budget further. Councilmember Abrahamson reported that before they received information from the County on tax values that day, the council was prepared to notify the public that taxes would not increase. Mayor Beaudet reported that there are hidden taxes in other cities such as streetlight fees and taxes on utilities that the City of Oak Park Heights does not have. Councilmember Swenson, seconded by Councilmember McComber, moved to close the Public Hearing. Carried 5 -0. VI. Old Business: A. Proposed 2010 Budget and Tax Levies — Review and Discussion,: Mayor Beaudet, seconded by Councilmember McComber moved to schedule a joint worksession with the Planning Commission for December 8 at 5:30 p.m. for one hour and a budget worksession for 6:30 p.m. Carried 5 -0. B. City Hall Facilitv Update: Randy Engel of Buetow and Associates reported that he received response to a price request to update lighting on the exterior of the new City Hall building. He stated that the contract had metal hay lights under the canopy and compact fluorescent lights on the overhang soffits. He reported that an upgrade to LED lights under the I City Council Meeting Minutes December 1, 2009 Page 4 of 5 canopies would be $1,041, and he estimated based on his calculation than an upgrade to LED lights at the soffits would be $13,083. Engel stated that the LED lights would last 20 to 25 years without needing to be changed. Mayor Beaudet, seconded by Councilmember Swenson, moved to approve the LED lighting under the canopy and the change for the LED lights around the perimeter of City Hall for $13,083. Carried 4 -1, McComber opposed. Engel provided an update on the construction of the new City Hall. He reported that the project was in its seventh month of construction. He reported that anticipated competition of phase I was mid -May, and that phase II would take approximately three months for completion. Mayor Beaudet directed staff to look into when a decision should be made on whether the election should be moved to another location in the event phase I1 was not completed in time for the primary election. City Administrator Johnson reported that a request for quotes was sent out for relocating seven light poles from the existing City Hall parking lot to parks with an alternate for installation of new lights at Oak Park Boulevard. Mayor Beaudet, seconded by Councilmember Swenson, moved to approve the base bid and to allow the council 60 days to decide between alternates 1 and 2 if acceptable to the contractor, with the relocation of the existing lights and the installation of new lights to be completed the following year, and the City Administrator to execute the contract and the Mayor to sign. Mayor Beaudet, seconded by Councilmember Swenson, moved to amend that the funds for the work come from budgeted projects — outdoor storage. Carried 5 -0. Main motion carried 5 -0. VII. New Business: A. Schedule Workshop with Planning Commission — Desian Guidelines: This agenda item was handled under Old Business Item A. VIII. Adiournment: City Council Meeting Minutes December 1, 2009 Page 5 of 5 Councilmember McComber, seconded by Councilmember Abrahamson, moved to adjourn at 8:15 p.m. Carried 5 -0. Respectfully_ submitted, Oaudet t ontent and Jennifer Pinski Administrative Secretary /Deputy Clerk Mayor