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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-02-1998 CMW COUNCIL/MANAGER WORKSHOP CITY OF MAPLEWOOD 5:00 p.m. Monday, March 2, 1.998 Maplewood Room, City Hall MINUTES A. Call to Order Mayor Rossbach called the meeting to order at S:OO p.m. B. Roll Call Mayor George Rossbach Present Council member Dale Carlson Present Council member Kevin Kittridge Present Council member Marvin Koppen Present Council member Sherry Allenspach Absent Others Present City Manager Michael McGuire Assistant to the Manager Tim Busse Community Oriented Services Coordinatof Colleen birkswager Public Works Director Ken Haider C. Approval of Agenda City Manager McGuire requested the addition of a variety of Manager notes, if time permitted. Mavor Rossbach moved approval of the a@enda Council member Carlson seconded the motion. Ayes: A1L D, Update on City Information Assistant to the City Manager Tim Busse told the Council of the work being done to update the city information available to residents. Currently, three publications include a variety of information about Maplewood and Maplewood city government. Mr. Busse said the information in each is very similar, and it would make sense to combine the publications into a single source of information. The Maplewood Area Resident Guide is published by Press Publication and features a glossy cover, general community information and advertising. In addition, the city produces two publications in-house. Mr. Busse met with a representative of Press Publications and he was very supportive of the idea to include more city information in the Maplewood Area Resident Guide. Mr. Counci]/Manager Workshop March 2, 1998 page 2 Busse said he would be working with that Press Publications to do longer articles specifically on Maplewood Open Space and Community Oriented Services, and would help update the other information in the Guide. Mr. Busse asked the Council for their input on items to change, include or delete. Mr. McGuire reminded the Council of a discussion a few years back regarding advertising and city information publication. At that time, the primary issue of concern was that of political advertising in a city publication. Mr. McGuire stated that issue would not be a concern because the Resident Guide is not a city publication and the annual publication date makes political advertising impractical. He also stressed that MapleN~ood in Motion would not change. Council member Kittridge asked about the level of revenue that could be generated by advertising in city publications. Mr. McGuire said that the revenue would offset some of the printing costs, but the total would not be significant. E. Update on Workshop Mr. McGuire reminded the Council that the retreat is set for March 19-20. Barbara Strandell, the retreat facilitator will be contacting each Council member to discuss possible retreat topics. Mr. McGuire will be meeting with Ms. Strandell to finalize the agenda next week. Ms. Strandell will be using the DISC exercise and Mr. McGuire said members of the Council would be asked to complete the exercise the morning of the 19th. F. Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District Cliff Aichinger and Louise Watson of the Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District provided an overview of the Watershed District's philosophy, current projects and future goals. Mr. Aichinger told the Council that the District's recently adopted a watershed management plan includes components of three major schools of thought. Integrated Resource Management is an approach that recognized natural resource management as it is integrated with economic development needs. The Collaborative approach is an acknowledgment that it is necessary to work together to accomplish things. Finally, district education of non-point source is becoming increasingly important. Plans for 1998 include a revegetation of the Gervais Lake shore land, an inventory and monitoring of purple loose strife, and continued work with city staff on the city watershed plan. Mr. Aichinger also updated the Council on the District work being done in the Kohlman Basin close to the Ramsey County compost site on Beam Avenue. Recent activity in the area has prompted some resident phone calls, however Mr. Aichinger stressed that the District is not removing hazardous materials or doing anything out of the ordinary. Mr. Aichinger reviewed a map of the Kohlman Basin and explained the work underway and Council/Manager Workshop March 2, 1998 page 3 Aichinger reviewed a map of the Kohlman Basin and explained the work underway and in the plans for the area. He said the work has been planned for some time and the District will be completed by next yeaz. Mayor Rossbach said that he is concerned that the trees removed in the course of the work has exposed the compost site and has prompted some resident complaints. Mr. Aichinger explained that small cotton wood and poplaz trees were removed, and that replanting of trees, wildflowers and native grasses would improve the look of the area. G. Maplewood Parks and Recreation Commission Members of the Maplewood Parks and Recreation Commission distributed copies of their 1997 Annual Report; and asked the Council for their input on a number of issues. The Council and the Commission members discussed a variety of issues surrounding the parks referendum scheduled for 1999. Commission chair Peter Fischer said the Commission believes that a short term task force to work on and promote the park referendum was the most effective way to approach the issue. Mr. Fischer said the Commission was hoping for a referendum totaling $3 million, and Mr. McGuire discussed other issues including the timing of a vote and other possible issues on the ballot. Mr. Fischer brought up the idea of community athletic play fields to relieve the stress on neighborhoods that results from the intense use of neighborhood parks. Mayor Rossbach said he has always been wary of focusing baseball or soccer fields in one area. In addition, lighted fields bring about their own set of problems. Mr. Fischer responded that those are the types of questions a task force could address. 1VIr. Fischer said the Comprehensive Parks and Open Space Plan proposes acity-wide sidewalk and bicycle trail system. The Council discussed the differences between a recreational trail system and a transportation system and the costs and benefits of building and maintaining each. Mr. Fischer responded by saying that the Commission envisions bringing city parks and open space together through a comprehensive trail system. The Commission also asked the Council for direction on the development of open space. Mr. Fischer said that development so far has been limited to promoting native vegetation and other natural aspects and not the development of pazk space and picnic sites. Parks and Recreation Direction Bruce Anderson told the Council that signage identifying parcels as open space has been installed at two sites and has met with mixed reaction from neighbors. Finally, the topic of naming parks and open space parcels was discussed. The Council and Commission agreed that the process should be part of a community wide contest. Council/Manager Workshop March 2, 1998 page 4 H. Community Oriented Services Update. Community Oriented Services Coordinator Colleen Dirkswager updated the Council on recent community oriented services activities. Ms. Dirkswager reported on efforts to update the lobby area and provide an exterior drop box. She told the Council about recent resident meetings on a variety of subjects, and Mr. Haider reported on recent meetings with residents on possible public works projects. Ms. Dirkswager told the Council that the next issue of Maplewood in Motion would include a story on Schroeder Milk as part of the Business Retention program. The Ramsey County Fair will move to Harriet Island this year to coincide with the opening of the Wabasha Bridge. Ms. Dirkswager said she has been working with Bob Wenger and City Attorney Patrick Kelly regarding an idea to have Transfiguration School students volunteer to scrape and paint homes in Maplewood. The mall service center will open March 23 and will be staffed by police officers, volunteers and city staff. Mr. McGuire asked the Council to try and free some time to spend at the service center. L Other Business J. Adjournment Mayor Rossbach adjourned the meeting at 7.00 p m