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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-31-2008 Continuation of Meeting 03-24-08MINUTES MAPLEWOOD CITY COUNCIL 5:00 p.m., Monday, March 31, 2008 Council Chambers, City Hall Meeting No. 09-08 A. B. C. D. L. CALL TO ORDER A meeting of the City Council was held in the City Hall Council Chambers and was called to order at 5:00 p.m. by Mayor Longrie. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ROLL CALL Diana Longrie, Mayor Present Erik Hjelle, Councilmember Present Kathleen Juenemann, Councilmember Present John Nephew, Councilmember Present Will Rossbach. Councilmember Present APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mayor Longrie moved to approve the agenda as submitted. This is a continuation of the meeting March 24, 2008. The council doesn't usually add items to the agenda, but can remove items from the agenda. Seconded by Councilmember Nephew. Ayes -All The motion passed. NEW BUSINESS 4. TH 61/Frost Avenue Intersection Improvements, City Project 07-30, Establishing Project Financing and Accepting MN/DOT Funds. a. Acting City Manager, Public Works Director, Chuck Ahl gave the report and answered questions of the council. Councilmember Hjelle moved to approve the Resolution that Accepts Mn/DOT funds and Establishes the Proiect Financing of TH 61/Frost Avenue Improvements, City Proiect 07-30, as part of the overall Gladstone Improvements. RESOLUTION 08-03-048 ACCEPTING MN/DOT FUNDS AND ESTABLISHING PROJECT FINANCING FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT TH 61/FROST WHEREAS, Mn/DOT has awarded funding to the City of Maplewood in the amount of $245,000 for the improvements at TH 61 and Frost Avenue, and WHEREAS, it is understood that the City shall conduct the preliminary engineering for these improvements and submit plans and specifications to Mn/DOT for review, and the project should be let by June 30, 2008 in order to receive Mn/DOT funding, and March 31, 2008 Continuation of March 24, 2008 City Council Meeting Minutes WHEREAS, it is proposed that intersection improvements at TH 61 and Frost Avenue be coordinated with Ramsey County and Mn/DOT, under City Project 07-30, as part of Phase 1 for the overall Gladstone Area Redevelopment Project, City Project 04-21. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA: 1. That Mn/DOT funding in the amount of $245,000 is accepted for TH 61/Frost Avenue Improvements. That the finance director is hereby authorized to make the financial transfers necessary to implement the financing plan for the project. A project budget of $709,995 shall be established. The proposed financing plan is as follows: TH 611 Frost Avenue -City Project 07-30 MSA-Bonds $ 406,120 57% Ramsey County $ 58,875 8% MnIDOT $ 245,000 35% Total $ 709,995 100% Adopted this 31st day of March, 2008. Seconded by Councilmember Rossbach. Ayes -All The motion passed. 5. Code Amendments -Procedures, Public Hearings, Applications and Initiation (First Reading). a. Planner, Ken Roberts gave the report and answered questions of the council. b. Jeremy Yarwood, Planning Commission member gave the Planning Commission Report on the Code Amendments. Councilmember Hjelle moved to adopt the (First Reading) of the Proposed Ordinance Amendments for Section 44-1096(a), Section 44-1096(b) and Section 44-1161 Amending Various Sections of the Maplewood City Code About Procedures, Public Hearings and Applications. Seconded by Councilmember Nephew. Ayes -All The motion passed. 6. Timeline and Selection Process for Maplewood City Manager. a. Mayor Longrie read aloud a five page memo she wrote that was in the council packet. Mayor Longrie moved to designate four councilmembers with the duty of contacting various entities or individuals with regard to collecting information to consider for the Selection Process for a new City Manager. Further recommending to compile information for the possible framework for evaluation to review. Also to provide to the council a copy of a previous memo regarding past employment practices for the previous city manager selection process. This information shall be reported to the Acting Citv Manager's Office to be discussed at the April 14. 2008. City Council Meeting. Seconded by Councilmember Rossbach. Ayes -All March 31, 2008 Continuation of March 24, 2008 City Council Meeting Minutes 2 The motion passed. Changes to Lawful Gambling Ordinance - (First Reading). Director of Citizen Services, Karen Guilfoile gave the report and answered questions of the council. Councilmember Nephew moved to approve the (First Reading) of the Lawful Gambling Ordinance Changes. Seconded by Councilmember Hjelle. Ayes -All The motion passed. M. COUNCIL PRESENTATIONS Sunshine Week -Mayor Longrie Mayor Longrie said on March 16, 2008, the Pioneer Press printed a story regarding Sunshine Week. The purpose of the article was to inform people about accountable government and the way citizens can request information from their local government. Mayor Longrie displayed binders that hold data practice requests to represent a small sampling of the amount of requests Maplewood receives requests.(Mayor Longrie asked that Mr. Ahl post a copy of this Sunshine Week article on the city website.) 2. Ramsey County League of Local Government- Councilmember Rossbach Councilmember Rossbach said the purpose of mentioning this item was to invite people to a Ramsey County League of Local Government meeting that has since passed. The meeting was regarding Word Smithing and how to get your point across to groups. The meeting was well attended. Councilmember Rossbach volunteered to host the May meeting. The next Ramsey County League of Local Government meeting will be to report what happened during the legislative session and how that affects the community. 3. The Rock Nightclub- Smoking Theatrical Performances -Councilmember Hjelle Councilmember Hjelle did not have the information with him this evening but the purpose of adding this item to the agenda was to caution the City of Maplewood against singling out one business in Maplewood amongst several in Minnesota that found a loop hole in the Indoor Clean Air Act that prohibits smoking in bars and restaurants. 4. Additional Information regarding the Eureka Recycling Article in City News -Mayor Longrie Mayor Longrie said in the recent Maplewood City Newsletter there was a full page article regarding Eureka Recycling and Postconsumer Recycled Copy Paper. Mayor Longrie asked where this article originated from whether it was an inquiry by staff or if Eureka Recycling approached Maplewood to inform the citizens of Maplewood regarding this subject matter. Environmental Manager, DuWayne Konewko, said staff found this information on Eureka Recycling's website and submitted it to be printed in the City Newsletter. The Recycling Copy Paper is available to everyone, not just to Maplewood residents. 5. Update on Historical Preservation Commission Meeting -Mayor Longrie March 31, 2008 3 Continuation of March 24, 2008 City Council Meeting Minutes Mayor Longrie said she is a liaison on the Historical Preservation Commission. There has been a lot of discussion regarding Maplewood becoming a certified local government. If the Maplewood Historical Preservation Commission meets the appropriate qualifications the commission may qualify for grant money for the City of Maplewood. If Maplewood achieves a local government status the commission would have the ability to designate historic districts which then enables the City of Maplewood to get grant money for historic districts. However, Councilmember Rossbach said the grant money could only be used administratively. 6. Information about Court Transcripts -Mayor Longrie Mayor Longrie inquired about the cost to get a Court Transcript due to some comments that were allegedly made by Nancy Lazaryan regarding Maplewood Police Officers during a recent trial in Ramsey County. City Attorney, Alan Kantrud said he would inquire about the cost to get a copy of the jury trial court transcript from the criminal trial involving Ms. Nancy Lazaryan and bring that information back to the council. City Newsletter -Mayor Longrie Mayor Longrie said City Clerk and Director of Citizen Services, Karen Guilfoile already answered the question regarding City Newsletters. 8. Questions from Citizens Regarding Updates for Ordinances -Mayor Longrie Mayor Longrie said people have contact her regarding looking for revised city ordinances for the past four years. Mayor Longrie asked if there was a way to get these Ordinances posted on the website for citizens to view. Ms. Guilfoile said the city will not be doing a recodification of the Ordinances this year. The city is going to be revising the City Website and until that has been taken care of the Ordinances will not be posted on the City Website. The Ordinances are saved as PDF files already so it will be a matter of having enough space on the City Website and putting those files on the website in the very near future. 9. Senior Friendly Development Article -Mayor Longrie The League of Minnesota Cities publishes an article called Minnesota Cities that the Mayor and Council receive in the mail. Mayor Longrie said there are some good articles in this Minnesota Cities article which the Mayor felt would be interesting to pass along to the Housing Redevelopment Authority members. 10. Sniffers Article -Mayor Longrie Mayor Longrie said on March 17, 2008, the Pioneer Press had an article on the front page about Sniffers. Sniffers are people who are trained and hired for pay to sniff certain things. 11. Update on Conservation Easements -Mayor Longrie March 14, 2008, the Pioneer Press published an article about Conservation Easements in Dakota County. March 31, 2008 4 Continuation of March 24, 2008 City Council Meeting Minutes Environmental Manager, DuWayne Konewko stated that the Parks Commission is going to be discussing this topic at their meeting April 16, 2008. Following that meeting additional information will be passed onto the city council. Mayor Longrie wanted to make sure that information would be posted on the city website under Conservation Easements. Mr. Konewko assured the council it would get posted. N. ADMINSTRATIVE PRESENTATIONS Staff Update on the 2ntl Reading of Televising Meetings Ordinance. City Attorney, Alan Kantrud addressed the council. The (second reading) of the ordinance will come before the council on Monday, April 14, 2008. Acting City Manager, Public Works Director, Chuck Ahl addressed the council. Councilmember Rossbach inquired what the cost is to tape the video and audio of the meetings or the cost of just taping the audio of the meetings, especially those held in the Maplewood Room. O. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Longrie adjourned the meeting at 6:46 p.m. March 31, 2008 5 Continuation of March 24, 2008 City Council Meeting Minutes