HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-15-2000 SMMINUTES MAPLEWOOD CITY COUNCIL
7:00 P.M., Friday, September 15, 2000
Council Chambers, Municipal Building
Meeting No. 00-19
A.
B.
CALL TO ORDER:
A special meeting of the City Council of Maplewood, Minnesota was held in the Council Chambers,
Municipal Building, and was called to order at 5:00 P.M. by Mayor Cardinal.
ROLL CALL:
Robert Cardinal, Mayor
Sherry Allenspach, Councilmember
Kenneth V. Collins, Councilmember
Marvin C. Koppen, Councilmember
Julie A. Wasiluk, Councilmember
Present via the Internet
Present
Present
Present
Present
C. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
City Attorney Kelly explained that this meeting was a continuation of Monday nights meeting for
discussion of Items K2, Preliminary Approval of Proposed Tax Levy Payable in 2001, and K4,
Dispatching Equipment Budget, under New Business. This meeting was called pursuant to Minnesota
Statute 471.705 which states that there are four elements that need to be present:
1. All members of the public participating in the meeting, wherever their physical location, can
hear and see one another and can hear and see all discussion and testimony presented at any
location at which at least one member is present.
2. Members of the public present at the regular meeting location of the body can hear and see all
discussion and testimony and all votes of members of the body.
3. At least one member of the body is physically present at the regular meeting location.
4. Each location at which a member of the body is present is open and accessible to the public.
The Mayor is located at 2401 East El Segundo Boulevard, Suite 120, El Segundo, California and
according to all the provisions, with the video hookup, interplay and the testing, that the city has met all
of the provisions of the statute.
Acting City Manager Haider said that a levy resolution must be given to Ramsey County by later this
evening otherwise the tax levy remains the same as it was last year. Mr. Haider said that there were
some questions last time, particularly as it relates to referendums and financing of certain costs. The
city received a letter from Briggs & Morgan, the city~s bond attorneys listing the following options that
the city can use to finance equipment purchases, in particular, the dispatching equipment:
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1. Equipment Certificates -The city can utilize equipment certificates which can be issued by
action of the city council. They have maturities that shall not exceed five years. The city
council can do this by resolution and pay for the equipment in that fashion.
2. Lease Purchase -The city council can do this without referendum.
3. General Obligation Bonds -The city can utilize the longer term financing with general obligation
bonds. This would require a referendum on the part of the city and that can be held either as a
part of a general election, a special election, or a mail election such as the school district did
earlier this year.
Councilmember Collins said that the tax levy payable in 2001 is a proposed levy and not a final tax levy.
Councilmember Collins said that after the proposal is passed then the council could sit down together,
along with the finance director and the new city manager, to decide on how they can reduce the budget
and the tax levy.
Councilmember Koppen said that he had invited Mr. Bob Fletcher, Ramsey County Sheriff, to tonight~s
meeting because there had been some concerns from the police and fire departments about coordinating
the changeover with Ramsey County.
Councilmember Collins suggested that the council take care of the preliminary approval of the proposed
tax levy payable in 2001 first and then worry about the dispatch issue later.
Councilmember Allenspach said she made the motion on Monday night to go ahead and approve the
proposed budget and asked if Councilmember Collins was willing to make that motion.
Councilmember Collins moved to give preliminar~nnroval to the proposed tax levy of 16.6% Payable
in 2001.
The motion failed for lack of a second.
Councilmember Koppen suggested that by taking the $40,000 in the budget for the security system for
the fire stations, taking $60,000 out of the CIP Fund, and delaying dispatching, the budget could be
reduced to only a 12% levy increase. He said if the budget is cut anymore than this then either jobs or
programs or both will need to be cut.
Councilmember Koppen moved to take $60.000 out of the CIP Fund, take $40.000 in the budget for the
securit~ystem for the fire stations, and delay implementing ci , dispatching to reduce the levy increase
to 12%.
The motion failed for lack of a second.
Councilmember Wasiluk asked Police Chief Winger and Fire Chief Lukin how they felt about this.
Police Chief Winger said that in fairness to the police officers, firefighters, and citizens, the city needs to
make a decision one way or another regarding dispatching and go with that decision.
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Councilmember Collins reemphasized the fact that they were looking at a proposed tax levy and needed
to get something before the county. The council can sit down at another time and discuss what they
need to do to lower this tax levy.
Fire Chief Lukin said that he agreed with Police Chief Winger, in that the city needs to decide once and
for all about dispatching so that the best possible service can be provided to our citizens and our
employees.
Mayor Cardinal said he heard that the Ramsey County budget was approved and that they had a 4.2%
increase and asked if that was correct. Councilmember Allenspach said that was correct and that Sheriff
Fletcher was now present.
Councilmember Koppen said that in order to bring closure to this issue about dispatching there should
be a referendum. Mayor Cardinal said that it already had been decided that dispatching would be
coming back on January 1, 2001.
Councilmember Wasiluk asked the Mayor that if he wanted dispatching back would he approve the
increase. Councilmember Koppen repeated the question to the Mayor asking if he was willing to vote
for the 16% increase.
Mayor Cardinal answered by saying that last Monday he made two motions fora 0% budget increase
which could be done by reducing the budget by the $1,255,000.
Councilmember Collins moved to approve the proposed tax levy limit, payable in 2001, at 16.6%.
Seconded by Councilmember Allenspach with the comment that she was not opposed to taking the
dispatching to referendum.
Ayes -Councilmembers Allenspach, Collins
Nays -Mayor Cardinal, Councilmembers Koppen,
Wasiluk
The motion failed.
Councilmember Koppen moved adoption of the following resolution which will set the levy limit at
12% by taking $60.000 out of the CIP Fund, taking $40.000 that was in the budget for the security
system for the fire stations, and dela, iy ng implementing dispatching until the city can have a referendum:
RESOLUTION 00-09-087
RESOLUTION PROVIDING PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF A PROPOSED
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TAX LEVY PAYABLE IN 2001
WHEREAS, State law requires that the City Council give preliminary approval of a proposed tax levy
for 2000 payable in 2001 by September 15, 2000, and
WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed the Proposed 2001 Budget and has determined the amount
of the proposed tax levy payable in 2001 which is the maximum amount that will be levied, and
WHEREAS, the proposed property tax levy certified must be after the deduction of the homestead and
agricultural credit aid (HACA).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
MAPLEWOOD THAT the proposed tax levy for 2000 payable in 2001 in the amount of $8,471,410 is
hereby given preliminary approval.
Ayes -Councilmembers Koppen, Allenspach,
Wasiluk
Nays -Mayor Cardinal, Councilmember Collins
Councilmember Wasiluk said the only problem she had with this motion is that the city would have to
work with the county to continue the dispatching.
Councilmember Koppen said one of his real concerns is that the time line to get dispatching up and
running by January 1 st only gives the city about 90 days to buy equipment, hire staff, train staff and
make all the transitions necessary and he didn4 think it could be done. He said that Bob Fletcher was
present and should be asked to comment on the time line and whether he would be willing to work with
the city if this is taken to a referendum. Councilmember Wasiluk also wanted to hear from Sheriff
Fletcher.
Sheriff Fletcher said that if a referendum were held and it brought final closure to this issue by virtue of
a public decision, the county, via the Sheriffs Department, would extend the contract until there was
closure through that referendum. He said if there is not a referendum and the debate was going to
continue it was the county~s hope that they bring this to a closure on January 1st whether the city is able
to resolve the equipment issue or not.
Councilmember Allenspach asked Councilmember Koppen what exactly they would be cutting out of
the CIP. Finance Director Faust said the option that Councilmember Koppen has proposed is that the
city reduce the levy for the Capital Improvement Project Fund by $100,000. This would be done by
taking away the $40,000 that was to finance a security system at the fire stations and by taking away
$60,000 which would eliminate money that was planned to be used for financing future projects in the
five year capital improvement plan. The other part of Councilmember Koppen~s proposal is to reduce
the General Fund Tax Levy by $253,170 which is the increase in the budget that was caused due to the
cancellation of the Ramsey County dispatching contract. The changes together total $353,170 and
causes the proposed levy to go down to a 12% increase from a 16.6% increase.
Councilmember Wasiluk seconded the motion made by Councilmember Koppen.
Ayes -Councilmembers Allenspach, Koppen,
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Wasiluk
Nays -Mayor Cardinal, Councilmember Collins
The motion passed.
Councilmember Allenspach asked City Attorney Kelly if the council needed to decide on the
referendum. City Attorney Kelly said the council may want to refer it to staff on which method is going
to be used pursuant to the Briggs & Morgan report and also report with respect to time lines and the
desire of the council.
Mayor Cardinal asked Finance Director Faust what his opinion was regarding the bond referendum.
Finance Director Faust said that relative to the referendum the city council needs to decide what the
timetable is going to be. The letter from Briggs & Morgan indicated that there were three election
options: a special election, amail-in ballot, or else to have the election done in conjunction with the
regular November election. Another decision that needs to be made is wording on the ballot and the key
thing there would be the dollar amount that the council wants to include on the ballot for the cost of the
dispatching equipment. A decision on these items could be tabled until the neat regular meeting.
Councilmember Collins moved to table the bond referendum issue and put it on the September 25th
Council Meeting agenda.
Seconded by Councilmember Allenspach Ayes -all
The motion passed.
Acting City Manager Haider suggested that this issue be scheduled on the September 25th
Council/Manager Workshop Meeting first so that alternatives could be discussed and a conclusion
reached so that at the council meeting action could be taken on this issue. Mayor Cardinal agreed.
D. ADJOURNMENT
Councilmember Allenspach moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:45 P. M.
Seconded by Councilmember Collins Ayes -all
Karen E. Guilfoile, City Clerk
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