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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-14-09 Minutes CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS • 7:30 P.M. TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2009 CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES I. Call to Order/Pledee of Allegiance /Approval of Agenda: The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Beaudet. Present: Councilmembers Abrahamson, McComber, Swenson, and Runk. Staff present: Administrator Johnson, City Attorney Nodes, City Engineer Erickson, and City Planner Richards. Absent: None. Mayor Beaudet added "Approve Jorgenson Construction Payment Request No. 1" as Consent Agenda Item 1, "CEC Discussion" as Old Business Item B, "Discussion on HPP Funds" as New Business Item E, and "Stillwater Motors Resolution" as New Business Item F. Councilmember McComber, seconded by Councilmember Swenson, moved to approve the Agenda as amended. Carried 5 -0. Mayor Beaudet, seconded by Councilmember Swenson, moved to add "Bond Issuance to Complete City Hall" as New Business Item G. Carried 5 -0. II. Department /Council Liaison Reports; • A. Plannina Commission: City Planner Richards reported there was no meeting in July, and the deadline for applications for the August meeting was upcoming. He stated the next meeting is on August 13. B. Parks Commission: Councilmember McComber reported that the next meeting of the Parks Commission is on July 20 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. McComber reported that the first park program was quite well attended. She thanked Park Program Coordinator Gina Zeuli and everyone who attended the event. C. Cable Commission: No report. D. Water Management Organizations /Middle St. Croix:, Mayor Beaudet reported that the next meeting of the Middle St. Croix Water Management Organization is set for August 13 at 7:00 p.m. at the Washington Conservation District Office. E. Other Liaison/Staff Reports:, Councilmember McComber reported that she attended the Visual Quality Committee meeting the prior week. She reported there will be an open house 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. regarding the trail and observation towers on July 15 at Stillwater High School and July 16 at • Somerset High School. City Council Meeting Minutes July 14, 2009 Page 2 of 6 • Councilmember McComber also reported that the Metro Cities Municipal Revenues meeting was that day and that budget trends and unallotment documents will be provided to the City Administrator for the council to review. Mayor Beaudet reported that the MPCA did an inspection at the Fly Ash site and will provide a report. III. Visitors/Public Comment: Administrative Secretary Pinski reported that James and Karen Norum of 5552 Novak Avenue North were chosen as the recycling award winners. IV. Consent Agenda: A. Approve Bills & Investments B. Approve City Council Minutes — June 23, 2009 C. Approve City Council Minutes — July 7, 2009 D. Allow Autumn Hills Park to be Open Later for Movies in the Park E. Approve Resolution Authorizing Receipt of $100 Parks and Recreation Donation from Bonestroo, Inc. • F. Lake Elmo Comprehensive Plan Update G. Approve Tower Asphalt, Inc. 1 St Payment for 2009 Mill and Overlay H. Approve Contract Amendment w /Buetow and Associates — FEE REDUCTION I. Approve Jorgenson Construction Payment Request No. 1 Councilmember McComber, seconded by Councilmember Swenson, moved to approve the Consent agenda. Roll call vote taken. Carried 5 -0. V. Public Hearings: None VI. Old Business: A. Citv Hall Facilitv: Architect Randy Engel from Buetow and Associates provided a status report. He stated the project was in the seventh week of construction. He stated he will prepare a spreadsheet on furniture suppliers and the council can chose to interview some or all of the suppliers. Mayor Beaudet questioned running fiber optic cables to each office as opposed to running copper wire. He stated he thought it would be wise to • use fiber optic cable instead of copper wire in the new City Hall facility. City Council Meeting Minutes July 14, 2009 Page 3 of 6 • Engel reported that the distance that information needs to travel between locus points does not need that extensive and large of a capacity. He stated that the cost to change copper to fiber optic would be large. Engel reported that the cost could be greatly reduced in the future so the City could install it at a later date. Beaudet reported that the City of Monticello is retrofitting their City Hall with fiber optic cables. Engel reported he will check into that. Engel stated there was a request to consider elimination of the public works storage yard that is currently in the contract for construction. Engel stated he received a rough estimate of a credit from the contractor to eliminate the storage yard, and he thought it was not enough. Engel requested the council decide whether to direct him to obtain a firm price or to disregard the issue. Councilmember Abrahamson, seconded by Councilmember Runk, moved to disregard. Carried 5 -0. B. CEC Discussion: Mayor Beaudet reported that the City's waste hauler, Veolia, has submitted a bill to every residence. He stated that it probably has a lot of errors since it bills for 2006, 2007, and 2008, and does not take into consideration that some residents may not have lived in their home for • that entire time period. Beaudet reported that Veolia is charging for a county fee that is roughly $38 per year to keep the waste facility open. Beaudet stated that the fee used to be on property taxes, and the county removed it from property taxes to be the county with the lowest property taxes. Mayor Beaudet reported that the City is not involved in the fee. He said it is a county fee that the hauler is to collect. Councilmember Abrahamson responded to Commissioner Gary Kriesel's editorial that was in the Stillwater Gazette. He stated that the City did not block Veolia from billing by not providing them with the addresses. Abrahamson stated that it is his understanding the City provided the addresses on at least three occasions, and county officials knew that. Mayor Beaudet reported that the City's position is that it is between the resident and the county if they decide to pay it or not. Councilmember Abrahamson suggested that the City be able to receive its recycling grant that the county has been holding on to. He reported the grant amounts to approximately $48,000. Councilmember Abrahamson, seconded by Mayor Beaudet, moved to direct the City Administrator to send a letter in response to Commissioner Kriesel's editorial that the statement that the City blocked the hauler from City Council Meeting Minutes July 14, 2009 Page 4 of 6 • getting the information necessary to bill the fee is wholly inaccurate and without substance. Carried 5 -0. VII. New Business: A. Xcel EnerQv — Amended Conditional Use Permit to Construct a Solid Waste Transfer Station at the A.S. Kinp- Power Plant,: City Planner Richards provided his planning report. He stated that the request is for a 3,600 square foot and 30 feet high solid waste transfer station. Richards reported that the Planning Commission recommended it favorably with four conditions. City Administrator Johnson stated that the council may want to consider a condition in the Resolution that Xcel Energy make a payment in lieu of taxes. Mayor Beaudet, seconded by Councilmember Abrahamson, moved to approve the Resolution. Roll call vote taken. Carried 5 -0. B. Tree Trimmins — ROW Permit Reauest Xcel Enemy: Dennis Fallon of Xcel Energy was present at the meeting and stated Xcel Energy would be doing some tree trimming north of Highway 36, south of 62" , and Osgood • to Oxboro. He reported the bulk of the work is in the City of Stillwater. Councilmember Swenson, seconded by Councilmember McComber, moved to approve the Right -of -Way Permit as requested. Carried 5 -0. Councilmember Swenson reported that he has had conversations with Pat Kline and John Wertisch of Xcel Energy about a possible cost -share to beautify the areas where the trees were clear -cut in the City. He stated he hopes to hear back in the next couple of weeks on that. John Wertisch of Xcel Energy was present at the meeting and stated he will follow up on it. C. Zoning Map Update: City Planner Richards reported that an updated zoning map was included in that evening's packet. Councilmember McComber, seconded by Councilmember Swenson, moved to approve a Resolution adopting the updated zoning map. Roll call vote taken. Carried 5 -0. D. Washington Countv Campus and Roadwav Transfer Ap-reements,: Mayor Beaudet stated that the City would like to add in the agreement that the City would like to coordinate any street reconstruction projects so that the City may replace water and sewer lines at Oxboro and 62 Street. City Council Meeting Minutes July 14, 2009 Page 5 of 6 • Councilmember McComber reported she thought the County was going to resurface 62 Street between Paris and Panama Avenues. She requested the City Administrator research that. Mayor Beaudet, seconded by Councilmember McComber, moved to approve the Agreement as presented with additional language to be drafted that allows the City to coordinate street reconstruction giving the City three to five years in advance to replace the water and sewer lines. Mayor Beaudet, seconded by Councilmember McComber, moved to amend the motion to direct the City Administrator to follow up on 62 Street from Paris to Panama if that has been constructed properly. Carried 5 -0. Main motion carried 5 -0. E. Discussion of HPP Funds: Councilmember Runk reported that he saw a preliminary draft of an outline on an agreement between the City and MNDOT that there had been funds appropriated for looking at alternatives to the Highway 36 corridor. He stated that it said that the City has no interest in looking at other alternatives. He stated that if there are funds • available to look at alternatives, the City should take advantage of it. He stated that he read in the newspaper that Lake Elmo has reached a resolution with MNDOT regarding the Highway 36 corridor through their City to provide separated grade intersections. Councilmember McComber reported that if the funds are taken for the study, the agreement was that the City of Oak Park Heights take the lead on it. Mayor Beaudet reported that there is a 20 percent match requirement. Councilmember Abrahamson reported that they can have a conversation with MNDOT on it. F. Stillwater Motors Resolution: Councilmember Swenson reported that he wants to publicly support Stillwater Motors. He read a proposed Resolution. Councilmember Swenson, seconded by Councilmember McComber, moved to approve the Resolution and have the City Administrator work with Stillwater Motors to see who to send it to, and to send it to the local representatives. Roll call vote taken. Carried 5 -0. G. Bond Issuance to Comt)lete Citv Hall: Councilmember Runk, seconded by Councilmember Swenson, move to initiate the process for a 10 -year, 1.2 million bond issue. Carried 4 -1, McComber opposed. City Council Meeting Minutes July 14, 2009 Page 6 of 6 VIII. Adiournment: Councilmember McComber, seconded by Councilmember Swenson, moved to adjourn at 8:47 p.m. Carried 5 -0. RespectfUPinskiL Agrogntent an o , del L, fifer David Beaudet Administrative Secretary /Deputy Clerk Mayor ICI