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2013-11-26 CC Meeting MinutesMOUND CITY COUNCIL MINUTES November 26, 2013 The City Council of the City of Mound, Hennepin County, Minnesota, met in regular session on Tuesday, November 26, 2013, at 7:00 p.m. in the council chambers of the Centennial Building. Members present: Mayor Mark Hanus; Council members Mark Wegscheid, Heidi Gesch, Kelli Gillispie and Ray Salazar Members absent: None. Others present: City Manager Kandis Hanson, Fin Dir /Clerk /Treasurer Catherine Pausche, Patricia Nauman, Katie Henning, Molly Schufman, Cassidy Taylor, Aurora Fonzl, Veronica Spurbeck, Courtney Casher, Paul Locker, Zach Altman, Mason Kenny 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 Hanus called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. 2. Pledae of Alleaiance 3. Approve agenda MOTION by Salazar, seconded by Wegscheid to approve the agenda. All voted in favor. Motion carried. 4. Consent agenda Hanson requested Item 4H be added to the Consent Agenda. MOTION by Salazar, seconded by Wegscheid to approve the consent agenda as amended. Upon roll call vote, all voted in favor. Motion carried. A. Approve payment of claims in the amount of $402,006.35. B. Approve minutes of the November 12, 2013 regular meeting. C. Approve pay request by American Engineering Testing, Inc. in the amount of $1,937.09 for engineering and construction testing services for the 2013 Street, Utility, and Retaining Wall Improvement Project, City Project No. PW- 13 -01. D. RESOLUTION NO. 13 -105: RESOLUTION ORDERING PREPERATION OF REPORT ON LIFT STATION REPLACEMENT PROJECT FOR 2014 — CITY PROJECT NO. PW- 14-03. E. RESOLUTION NO. 13 -106: RESOLUTION APPROVING AN EXTENSION OF THE LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH HENNEPIN COUNTY REGARDING ELECTRONIC PROPRIETARY GEOGRAPHICAL DIGITIZED DATA BASE (EPDB) Mound City Council Minutes — November 26, 2013 F. Approve second installment payment of $30,000.00 to the Gillespie Center for 2013. G. Approve pay requests by Lake Minnetonka Association for the East Phelps Bay Plan Inventory in the amount of $1,500.00 and the 2013 Milfoil /Curly Leaf Pondweed Treatments for $3,000.00. H. (Added) RESOLUTION NO. 13 -107: RESOLUTION APPROVING SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DEFERRAL FOR 2612 TYRONE LANE (PID 19- 117 -23 -23 -0029) 5. Comments and suggestions from citizens present on anV item not on the agenda. None were offered. 6. Patricia Nauman, representing Metro Cities Association of Metropolitan Cities, presenting member benefits and introductory membership offer. Patricia Nauman, Executive Director of Metro Cities Association of Metropolitan Cities ( MCAMC), explained the history of the organization and highlighted what issues her organization worked on that are important to Mound. Nauman highlighted the work done on Local Government Aid and helping metro cities get some of the funding. MCAMC is the primary oversight body of the Met Council and Nauman stated it is important for Mound to have a voice on issues like Inflow and Infiltration (I &I). MCAMC has statutory appointing authority for the Met Council Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) and GIS boards as well as the GEARS Board. Nauman stated the City could play a role in, or have a voice on, those committees. Other MCAMC services include an on -line newsletter, legislative alerts, a legislative bill tracker, and salary and permit /license fee surveys. Although MCAMC does not lobby for City specific projects, it can help cities navigate through the legislative process. The MCAMC Board has authorized a 50% discount on the first year dues as an incentive to join. Mayor Hanus stated the City wishes the Local Government Aid program would go away but they are not going to turn away money. Regarding I &I, the City has been struggling with other Cities and the Met Council feeding into our lines causing our charges to increase. Hanus asked if MCAMC lobbies regional jurisdictions like watershed districts. Hanus said cities that get the most LGA appear to be the most wasteful, like Minneapolis. Nauman said as an organization, MCAMC supports the LGA program and focuses on the fairness from a geographical perspective. Minneapolis and St. Paul have their own lobbyists and Nauman does not see LGA going away anytime soon. MCAMC has also spent time on advocating for state funds for cities. Sub - regional meetings are under consideration to be able to further define issues unique to area cities. Hanus stated mandates such as the sump pump check were done by Mound and nothing came of it. Nauman stated the MCAMC continues to challenge many Met Council initiatives. Hanus asked how MCAMC decides what issues to take up. Nauman stated the board adopts many policy issues each year and then works with staff to determine which ones to focus on. Nauman said 2014 is a bonding year and the session will be shorter because of it. Hanus asked if Nauman could share the list of priorities so Mound could determine to what extent the City may benefit from membership. Wegscheid asked Nauman to describe how cities can participate. Nauman said the board has a nominating committee for the appointments to the Met Council TAC, GIS and GEARS boards. Mound City Council Minutes — November 26, 2013 Usually, nominees had some level of interaction on a MCAMC policy committee or governor task force or participated in one of the forums. Nauman stated the MCAMC staff consists of three full -time lobbyists and one full -time office manager. Salazar asked Nauman to describe the LGA program and Met Council's approach. Nauman said many legislators agreed the system was broken so a coalition, including Greater Minnesota Cities, MCAMC, and the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC), developed the criteria using regression analysis in an attempt to make the formula more equitable using a scientific basis. MCAMC pointed out metro cities have needs as well, including aging infrastructure and housing. The last time the LGA formula was reviewed was 20 years ago. Hanson described a few instances in the last few years where she felt the City would have benefited from membership. Nauman agreed that being a liaison between the cities and the Met Council is a key objective of the MCAMC. Hanson stated that with I &I, the Met Council did add a few meters but it will take time to determine a baseline and it just seems the rates continue to rise. Mound has made significant strides in lining the system but any decrease in I &I was offset with rate increases. Met Council is holding listening meetings that Hanson has attended as transportation options in the area are diminishing. Hanson sees the need for a marketing /education component to encourage ridership. Mound feels it is losing services to light rail. Staff feels the affordable housing requirements need to be viewed in conjunction with jobs and transportation. Hanson stated that is where Mound could benefit from a larger voice. She would like to see Met Council funding for WeCab who is filling the transportation void. Hanson stated those are some of the reasons why Staff would like the City to be a member. Hanus said the City Council would not vote on membership tonight and that it could be brought back to the next meeting. Salazar asked the Mayor to describe the service levels when the City used to be a member. Hanus said he does not recall specifics but times have changed. Nauman said the issues mentioned by Hanson are issues that MCAMC are proactive on. MCAMC is lobbying the Met Council to streamline comprehensive plan requirements. Hanus asked if the affordable housing targets had been changed. Hanus wonders how other cities comply if Mound, with all of its affordable housing, is struggling to meet the targets. Nauman said the methodology to set affordable housing targets changed in 2006 and MCAMC is calling for the state to fund the creation of more affordable housing. When the Met Council tried to increase the requirements for Livable Community Grants, the MCAMC defeated the initiative. 7. Catherine Pausche, Director of Finance and Administration, requesting action on a Cable Franchise Agreement with Mediacom Minnesota, LLC. Pausche stated Chapter 66, Article 11 of the Mound City Code covers the granting of a cable franchise and that the City's 15 -year cable television franchise agreement with Mediacom Minnesota LLC expires in 2013. Pausche stated negotiations began in 2011 as required by the Federal Communications Act. Pausche stated she has taken feedback from citizens regarding the quality of services and customer satisfaction levels and has relayed that feedback to Mediacom. Staff has also reminded citizens that the franchise agreement is non - exclusive and that the City has attempted to attract other providers to produce competition to no avail. Staff has been told the capital investment required to build the necessary infrastructure is cost - prohibitive for the area. Pausche stated the objective of the negotiation was to renew the terms of the existing agreement and that Mediacom appears to be in agreement with that but their legal department still has to sign off. Therefore, the agreement will need to be brought back to the next meeting Mound City Council Minutes — November 26, 2013 for Council approval. Hanus requested that Staff monitor changes at the LMCC to identify any potential impacts to the City due to changes in membership and funding. 8. Information /Miscellaneous A. Comments /reports from Council members /City Manager Hanson stated Harbor Wine and Spirits is having a sale on December 5th to honor the 80th Anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition. The sale includes 15% off any alcohol and many samples will be available. Hanus reminded the public that as a municipal liquor store, profits are used to lower property taxes. B. Minutes: C. Reports: WeCAB — October 2013 Finance Department — October 2013 D. Correspondence: 9. Adiourn MOTION by Salazar, seconded by Gesch to adjourn at 8:00 p.m. All voted in favor. Motion carried. �V ZL' - Mayor Mark Han Attest: Catherine Pausche. Clerk