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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-23-93 CMW CITY COUNCIIJMANAGER WORKSHOP OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MAPLEWOOD 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 23, 1993 Maplewood Room, City Hall MINUTES A. CALL TO ORDER The Council/Manager meeting of the Maplewood City Council was held in the Maplewood Room, City Hall. The meeting was called to order by Acting Mayor Juker at 5:02 p.m. B. ROLL CALL Mayor Gary Bastian Present (Amved at 5:05 p.m.) Councilperson Dale Carlson Present Councilperson Fran Juker Present Councilperson George Rossbach Present Councilperson Joseph Zappa Present Others Present: City Manager Michael McGuire Assistant City Manager Gretchen Maglich Finance Director Dan Faust Community Development Director Geoff Olson C. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The following items were added to the `agenda:. G. FORMAT FOR FUTURE MEETINGS 1. Meeting Schedule H. USE OF OFFICE SPACE AT PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING 1. Ramsey County Board 2. Maplewood in Motion letter 1 Councihnember Zappa moved that the agenda be approved as amended. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Carlson and was approved. Ayes: Carlson, Juker, Rossbach, and Zappa Absent: Bastian Mayor Bastian arrived at 5:05 p.m. D. USER FEE STUDY _ Finance Director Dan Faust introduced Mr. Dennis Pond, the representative from David M. Griffith & Associates, the consultant that performed the user fee study for the City. Mr. Pond reviewed the purpose of the study - to determine the actual costs (indirect costs, labor, supplies and materials) associated with fees charged by the Community Development Department and to compare these costs with the user fee charged by the City. Following some questions and discussion, Councilperson Zappa moved that staff be directed to prepare recommended fee structures for Community Development user fees based on the David M. Griffith & Associates study with different fees for residential and commercial properties. These recommendations should be placed on a re ular Council meeting a e~ nda. The motion was seconded by Councilperson Carlson and approved. Ayes: Bastian, Carlson, Rossbach and Zappa Nays: Juker Public Works Director Ken Haider and Assistant City Engineer Bruce Irish arrived at 5:25 p.m. Director of Community Development Geoff Olson left the meeting at 5:30 p.m. E. WHOLESALE WATER CONTRACT WITH ST. PAUL WATER UTILITY Ciry Manager McGuire introduced the topic and Public Works Director Haider reviewed the history of negotiations with the St. Paul Water Utility for water service, the current retail contract, and the proposed wholesale contract. Mr. Haider stated that because the construction season is starting soon and the status of the water contract will greatly impact the design of many of the City's sewer and water construction projects, the City Council should act on the proposed contract as soon as possible. There was some discussion about sewer and water rates, the rates and fee study being conducted by Virchow, Kraus & Co., the necessary expansion of the City's sewer department, and the advantages of more efficiency and better response times. Councilperson Carlson moved that the proposed wholesale water contract with the St. Paul Water Utility be faced on the next recTular City Council meeting agenda and that the consultant be authorized to complete the study by developing rates consistent with the terms of the wholesale 2 agreement and the estimated operatin cg osts• The motion was seconded by Councilperson Zappa and approved. Ayes: All Director of Public Works Haider and Assistant City Engineer Irish left the meeting at 6:30 p.m. F. HAZMAT/FIRE DEPARTMENTS' 1993 CONTRACTS Mayor Basilan left the meeting at 6:35 p.m. City Manager McGuire introduced Mr. Steve Laible, a representative from KPMG Peat Marwick, the independent auditor that conducted the 1991 audits of the three fire departments. There was considerable discussion about fund balances, investments, past and present budgeting practices, and the lack of information about the Parkside Volunteer Firemens' Fund. Councilperson Zappa moved that the C~ Manager negotiate with KPMG Peat Marwick to perform an audit of the Parkside Volunteer Firemens' . Fund, and if the Parkside Fire Department will not cooperate with the City's auditor, that the Minnesota State Auditor be contacted about this situation. The motion was seconded by Councilperson Rossbach and approved. Ayes: Carlson, Juker, Rossbach and Zappa Absent: Bastian Councilperson Zappa moved that Mr. Laible provide the Citv Mana eg r with recommended policies concerning the amount of appropriate fund balances for all three fire departments. The motion was seconded by Councilperson Rossbach and approved. Ayes: Carlson, Juker, Rossbach and Zappa Absent: Bastian City Manager McGuire provided an update about the 1993 Budget requests that had been submitted by the three fire departments. He stated that before the budget requests could be evaluated, he needed fund balance recommendations from the auditor. Mr. McGuire stated that past policy was to pay the fire departments their first quarterly check at the end of March, and he recommended that the City give each fire department the first quarter payment at the end of March based on the 1992 contract amount. He also stated that the only change in the 1993 contracts was the addition of a termination clause. Mayor Bastian returned to the meeting at 7:38 p.m. Councilperson Juker recommended some minor changes to the contract wording. 3 There was some discussion about the status of the City's hazardous materials protection. Mr. McGuire reported that the City's fire departments will not provide this service under the current contractual arrangement and that the City of St. Paul and private vendors have been contacted about this service. Councilperson Carlson lefr the meeting at 8:08 p.m. Councilperson Zappa moved that the City Manager be directed to invesd ate the formation of a municipal volunteer fire department and other possible organizational alternatives to the existing Public Safety arrangement to go into effect by January 1. 1994. The motion was seconded by Councilperson Rossbach and approved. Ayes: Bastian, Juker, Rossbach and Zappa Absent: Carlson G. FORMAT FOR FUTURE MEETINGS This item was not discussed. H. USE OF OFFICE SPADE AT PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING Councilperson Rossbach asked about the schedule for the Mayor's message in Maplewood in Motion. I. FUTURE TOPICS This item was not discussed. J. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:17 p.m. 4'