2021-10-26 CC Meeting MinutesMOUND CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
October 26, 2021
The City Council of the City of Mound, Hennepin County, Minnesota, met in regular session on
Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers in the Centennial Building.
Members present: Mayor Ray Salazar; Council members Phil Velsor, Paula Larson, Sherrie
Pugh, and Jason Holt
Members absent: None
Others present: City Manager Eric Hoversten, City Clerk Kevin Kelly, City Engineer Brian
Simmons, Marge Beard
Consent agenda: All items listed under the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine in
nature by the Council. There will be no separate discussion on these items unless a
Councilmember or citizen so requests, in which event it will be removed from the Consent
Agenda and considered in normal sequence.
1. Open meeting
Mayor Salazar called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
2 Pledge of Allegiance
3. Approve agenda
MOTION by Larson, seconded by Pugh, to approve the agenda. All voted in favor. Motion
4. Consent agenda
Salazar pulled Item C and Velsor pulled Item D from the consent agenda for discussion.
MOTION by Larson, seconded by Velsor, to approve the amended consent agenda. Upon roll
call vote, all voted in favor. Motion carried.
A. Approve payment of claims in the amount of $416,670.26.
B. Approve minutes: 10-12-21 regular meeting
C. Pulled.
D. Pulled.
E. Approve Pay Request #1 to AAA Striping Service Co. in the amount of $17,268.58 for
the 2021 Seal Coat Project, PW 21-07
4C. (Pulled) Cancel December 28, 2021 regular meeting
Salazar stated Item 4C, Cancel December 28, 2021 regular meeting, was pulled from the
consent agenda to state the December 28th Meeting is being canceled due to the Christmas
Holiday.
Mound City Council Minutes — October 26, 2021
MOTION by Larson, seconded by Holt, to approve Item 4C, Cancel December 28, 2021 regular
meeting. All voted in favor. Motion carried.
4D. (Pulled) Approve Pay Request #2 to Derau Construction in the amount of $33,012.50 for
the City Monumentation Improvements Project, PW 21-13
Velsor said he pulled Item 4D, Approve Pay Request #2 to Derau Construction in the amount
of $33,012.50 for the City Monumentation Improvements Project, PW 21-13, because the
contractor which is building the City Entrance Monument is not using the correct stone cap on
the monument and wondered if the pay request should be not approved. Simmons agreed with
Velsor that the contractor had not installed the proper cap and he has communicated with the
contractor who will replace the cap with the correct material. Simmons said the pay request is
for work which has been completed.
MOTION by Velsor, seconded by Holt, to approve Item D; Approve Pay Request #2 to Derau
Construction in the amount of $33,012.50 for the City Monumentation Improvements Project,
PW 21-13. All voted in favor. Motion carried.
5. Comments and suggestions from citizens present on any item not on the agenda.
None were offered.
6. Three Rivers' Park District, District 1 Commissioner Marge Beard providing an update on
Park system activities
Beard addressed the Council with a presentation on Three Rivers Park District (TRPD)
activities. Beard said she represents District 1 which is the western portion of Hennepin County
and portions of Scott County. Beard stated the TRPD was established in 1957 by the state
legislature and has seven elected and two appointed seats with the mission to promote
environmental stewardship and natural resources. Beard said the TRPD partners with other
agencies such as Scott County and the City of Bloomington to run golf courses on behalf of
those entities.
Beard listed the following statistics regarding the TRPD:
25 parks and reserves
27,000 acres in size
170 miles of region trails
300 miles of trails within parks
13.8 million visits per year
Beard stated the TRPD is most known for recreation activities but also has a natural resources
management team of scientists who have lead the re -introduction of the Trumpeter Swan in the
1960's and the Osprey in the 1980's. Beard added a current project is to protect turtle habitat
and turtle nests. Beard said there is ongoing natural resource work studying water quality and
the TRPD is also staffing 200 AIS watercraft inspectors.
Beard said the TRPD nursery grows the trees in the parks from seeds found within 25 miles of
Hennepin County.
Beard said the TRPD Parks and Trails continue to be very popular.
Mound City Council Minutes — October 26, 2021
Beard highlighted the TRPD Dakota Trail pavement prevention maintenance project this
summer and commended Mound for winter snow removal on the Dakota Trail. Beard added
that moving forward the TRPD would like to be looked at as a resource and if the City comes
across challenges Beard encouraged the City to reach out to the TRPD so the agency can be of
assistance.
Beard listed Fun Facts regarding the top TRPD uses of Mound residents:
No.1 is the Dakota Trail
No. 2 Gale Woods Farm
No. 3 Baker Park Reserve
Beard said Mound residents take advantage of annual seasonal passes at two local swim ponds
at Elm Creek and at Lake Minnetonka Regional Park in Minnetrista. Beard said the Lake
Minnetonka Park has a natural swim pond which uses filtered lake water and has a playground
and public boat launch. Beard said the second highest use pass is at Dog Off -leash Parks and
the third is cross country ski passes.
Velsor asked about the dog park locations. Beard said there are eight Dog Parks within the
TRPD. Velsor said residents of Mound would like a dedicated Dog Park near the City or
another dog focused area closer to town as there isn't the space within the City to house a dog
park.
Velsor asked about the purchase of the Camp Christmas Tree site on Dutch Lake. Beard said
the TRPD did purchase Kingswood Park.
Hoversten said Kingswood Park is on Little Long Lake and is connected to and close to trail
infrastructure already in place. Beard said the TRPD doesn't have plans to develop the site and
the lake water is very clean and is being protected. Hoversten said Little Long Lake is a no
motor lake but does have AIS.
Beard said the TRPD has a 10-year Master Parks Plan and systems plan and those plans are
used to request acquisition funds which come from the Metropolitan Council.
Pugh said one of her long term issues is around signage and she said the Dakota Trail goes by
historic sites in Mound and would like to see signage along the trail to demark sites such as the
original Mound High School and the former Tonka Toy factory.
Holt said the Baker National Golf Course is one of the best public golf courses he plays on and
he frequently bikes and roller blades the Dakota Trail and noted the need for the Shoreline Trail
crossing improvement. Beard said the TRPD sent a letter of support of the City plan for the
crossing.
Pugh said the City could purchase trees for new Mound Harbor Park from the TRPD and
Hoversten said the TRPD nursery staff harvest walnuts for the nursery from a tree at Mound
Union Cemetery.
Salazar thanked the assistance of the TRPD for helping with the Dakota trail crossing at
Shoreline Drive. Beard said she has biked the trail and has firsthand experience of the crossing
as well as driving through the area and will keep working on this project.
7 City Engineer Brian Simmons requesting approval to begin Feasibility Studies for 2022
Infrasctructure Capital Improvements. Approve Resolutions Ordering Preparation of Report of:
Mound City Council Minutes — October 26, 2021
Simmons addressed the Council with a presentation on the three capital improvement projects and the
resolutions pertaining to the capital planning projects.
A. 2022 Lift station Replacement Project; PW 22-03 (R-1, Island View Dr.)
Simmons said the lift station and force main work at the end of Island View Drive is one of the projects
staff is seeking permission to begin the study of and would like to get survey work done this year to
prepare for the next year.
Velsor asked if Roxbury Lane will have to be torn up to complete the project. Simmons said the
feasibility study will determine the scope of the project but said he prefers underground improvements if
possible.
MOTION by Larson, seconded by Velsor, to approve the following resolution. All voted in favor.
Motion carried.
RESOLUTION NO. 21-106: RESOLUTION ORDERING PREPARATION OF REPORT ON
LIFT STATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR 2022
B. 2022 Lynwood Watermain Replacement Ph2; PW 22-01 (Birch — Southview)
Simmons said this is phase two of the Lynwood project which is to improve water distribution
throughout the city by upsizing pipe. Simmons said this is a trenchless project.
MOTION by Larson, seconded by Velsor, to approve the following resolution. All voted in favor.
Motion carried.
RESOLUTION NO. 21-107: RESOLUTION ORDERING PREPARATION OF REPORT ON
LYNWOOD BLVD WATERMAIN IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (BIRCH TO SOUTHVIEW)
C. Surfside Park Parking and Sidewalk Repairs; PW 22-09
Simmons said the third project includes the hardscaping and heavy infrastructure work of the Depot
parking lot improvement project. Velsor asked about the parking lot improvement which Simmons said
would be included in the feasibility study.
MOTION by Velsor, seconded by Pugh, to approve the following resolution. All voted in favor.
Motion carried.
RESOLUTION NO. 21-108: RESOLUTION ORDERING PREPARATION OF REPORT OF
SURFSIDE PARK IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
8. City Manager/Public Works Director Eric Hoversten with an update on the one-year extension
for Disposal services with the Mulch Store/SET.
Hoversten said he would break this discussion into two pieces; the first being a one-year
extension of the City contract with Specialized Environmental Technologies, LLC. (SET)/The
Mulch Store and the other item a discussion of a price increase from SET for these services in
future years. Hoversten said the language of the agreement is the extension of the five-year
contract with SET for the $13,300.00 flat rate in 2022 for leaf and grass clipping drop off from
May through November.
Hoversten said SET is pursuing a price increase for a new contract. Hoversten said the City
could pay the increase of $4,000.00 per year or look for somewhere else. Hoversten said there
Mound City Council Minutes — October 26, 2021
are no other local collectors of this material nearby so a vendor would have to come to the City
which would make this activity much more expensive than the current cost.
Velsor asked if the City has talked to Orono about the McCulley Road drop off site. Hoversten
said there is a possibility to do branch and brush debris there but the facility doesn't take grass
or leaves.
Hoversten said another option would be a different service structure as SET has observed that
most of the Mound drop off in the summer is lake weeds such as milfoil instead of leaves or
grass clippings. Hoversten said this arrangement could have a free resident drop off time for
the spring and fall but no free service in the middle of the summer. Hoversten said the summer
lake weed drop off is used by a smaller subset of residents and could be set up as a pay as you
go option. Hoversten said the resident with lake weeds would pay SET for lake weed disposal
as a specialized use rather than the cost being born by the average Mound resident. Hoversten
said SET could charge these residents their typical cubic rate fee.
Salazar asked if this is a five-year contract and Hoversten said this is the sixth year and a one-
year extension of the existing contract. Hoversten said the resolution being considered is for
the one-year extension.
Discussion ensued regarding SET charging for small branch and brush drop off in which the
resident pays a service charge per cubic feet of debris versus the City contract for leaf and
grass drop off which the resident doesn't directly pay a fee. Hoversten said staff have asked
SET to better track who and what is being dropped off by Mound residents so the City will have
data to make a more informed decision on the contract.
Holt said when he lived in St. Michael the system there was tracked by the City and he wasn't
sure if he paid for the service. Holt added he has always paid for brush and tree branch drop off
at SET. Holt said the whole thing should be pay as you go. Hoversten said that could trigger
more dumping in the City. Holt and Hoversten talked about the need for better data tracking.
Salazar said he agrees to approve the one-year extension but added that a price increase
needs to be justified by documentation from the vendor.
Salazar said the City does not want to deal with illegal dumping. Salazar said he finds people
dumping into his restaurant dumpsters all kinds of items. Salazar said eliminating the free
service could lead to more illegal dumping.
Hoversten said he is seeking Council guidance to pursue the same price and accept adjustment
in service with the need for more data from SET to make a good decision.
Velsor said he would go with only spring and fall free drop off and find out how the drop off is
being used from May to July.
Pugh said she drops off leaves in spring and fall and doesn't use the Mulch Store in the summer
months.
Larson said her company works with SET and she said there is machinery and staff at SET to
collect better data for the City. Larson said they receipt the entire drop off by her business and
noted SET does a fine job.
Mound City Council Minutes — October 26, 2021
Hoversten noted SET is at the end of Hennepin County and can only take certain items from the
area due to the metro quarantine lines for wood products.
MOTION by Velsor, seconded by Larson, to approve the following resolution. All voted in favor.
Motion carried.
RESOLUTION NO. 21-109: RESOLUTION APPROVE ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SPECIALIZED ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
AND THE CITY OF MOUND
9. Information/Miscellaneous
A. Comments/reports from Council members/City Manager: Salazar said he attended the
October 15th Gillespie Center 201h Anniversary Dinner. Salazar said the Gillespie Center is
offering services to all the community and not just seniors and encouraged residents to go
check out the events there and rent out their space.
Salazar said the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District has purchased buoys to mark the 150
feet go slow zone from the shore at Surfside Park. Hoversten said there are two markers and
they will be placed to create a visual marker for boaters to recognize the extent of the go slow
zone.
Hoversten listed the following dates:
• November 201h - WCC tree lighting ceremony with an expanded parade of Santa on
emergency vehicles throughout the community with Santa and Mrs. Claus present for
photos at the parking garage and ceremony.
• November 6th - Tonka Brewfest at Gale Woods
• Nov. 1 — City Hall summer hours end
• Nov. 15th - City winter parking restriction begin
• November 11 th Veterans Day - City Hall will be closed
B. Reports: Fire Department —September 2021
Finance — September 2021
Engineering — 09/30/2021 YTD
C. Minutes:
D. Correspondence: Gillespie Center Sweepstakes Tickets on Sale
Metro Mosquito Control District Report of Activities
10. Adjourn
ACTION by Velsor, seconded by Holt, to adjourn at 8:13 p.m. All voted in favor. Motion carried.
Mayor Raymond J. Salazar
Attest: Kevin Kelly, Jerk