July 2, 2012 Council Meeting

1. CALL TO ORDER – Mayor Reinhardt called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL – Stone, Williamson, Reinhardt, Hughes. Widmer excused.
3. INTRODUCTIONS – Mayor Reinhardt introduced the council to the viewing public. Administrator Tolsma, Clerk Lewin, Engineer Pearson and Attorney Beck.
4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
5. ADOPT AGENDA – Williamson makes a motion and Hughes seconds to adopt the agenda. All votes ayes, motion carries.
6. ADOPT CONSENT AGENDA – Williamson makes a motion and Stone seconds to adopt the consent agenda with the changes. All votes ayes, motion carries.
a. City Council Meeting Minutes from June 18, 2012 – Hughes said there is a correction needed to page two under 11a, reports. He said the citation is to the person without the seatbelt, not the driver. Williamson said on page one under 10a. he said there “Already is an emergency plan with Hennepin County…” not Homeland Security.
b. City Council Work Session Minutes from June 25, 2012
7. PUBLIC FORUM – No one.
8. PRESENTATIONS AND & GUEST SPEAKERS
9. PETITIONS, REQUESTS & APPLICATIONS
10. ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS
a. Resolution 12-13: No Fault Sewer & Water Back-up Coverage – Reinhardt said
Tolsma had a memo explaining. He said it’s additional coverage and an extra safeguard. Tolsma said if there is a sewer back-up with a no fault claim, the claim could be eligible to $10,000. Hughes asked about a homeowner who needs a sewer pump and how this would cover. Tolsma said he’s not sure but a LMCIT investigator would investigate. Williamson recalls a water main break and an undermined driveway that threatened the foundation and LMCIT found the city not negligent. He believes the modest increase to $25K would be worthwhile and Williamson makes a motion to adopt the backup coverage and increase the level of coverage to $25K. Hughes seconds. All votes ayes, motion carries.
b. Resolution 12-14: Appointment of Election Judges – Hughes makes a motion and Stone seconds. Williamson had some general questions about training judges. All votes ayes, motion carries.
11. REPORTS OF OFFICERS & COMMITTEES
a. Mayor and Council – Reinhardt said there is a proposal for a bike event on the trail for July 21st. She explained it’s a multi-day ride and one of the stopover rest stops is Spring Park and Thor Thompson Park. A special event permit application is being explored and discussed. Hughes wonders about the numbers of bikers (135) and whether they’ll be expecting to use the city’s Port-a-Potty. Reinhardt said the event organizers would probably bring in another. Hughes said he wants to compliment city staff and encourages residents to stop by city hall. He said this building was a former school house and staff brought out from hiding a vintage storage cabinet formerly used during the school days for storing school supplies and lunch supplies.
b. City Administrator
c. Entrance Sign Design Options – Tolsma said what’s displayed on the overhead is based upon feedback from the last work session. He said there is a comparison spelling out Spring Park versus the logo that has the SP. Stone likes the one where Spring Park is spelled out but questions the absence of the flying gull (bird). Reinhardt said she could go either way. Hughes agrees with Stone and said it needs the bird back in. Williamson also prefers the one with Spring Park spelled out but he’s okay either way. Hughes moves to approve the sign with Spring Park spelled out but with the addition of the bird. All votes ayes, motion carries.
i. Street Light Report From Barr Engineering – Tolsma said there is a report and it’s detailed regarding existing conditions, installing conduit options, industrial versus decorative light poles, LED versus high pressure sodium, and the options available with pricing. Hughes said whatever is decided, a good size access panel is critical. Reinhardt said she thinks staff is looking for a narrowing of the options. Reinhardt said reusing existing wiring or conduit needs to be decided upon and LED versus high sodium needs to be explored. She said pole height and pole style needs to be decided upon. She was surprised that the 10% savings was not higher so she feels more specifics are needed. She also wants more information on the life length of the LED lighting. She likes the idea of a lower pole if it meets approval with the county. Williamson agrees something more definitive needs to be on the LED’s and sodium. He said there is no detail to the 10% savings and he thinks more is needed in order to compare. He asked about durability about the lamp and the pole. He said the lights, right now, are okay; it’s the poles that are deteriorating. Hughes is concerned about the securing bolts and he wonders about epoxying those. Williamson said some of the poles also support the traffic semaphore. He wonders if there will have to be something sturdier to support those signals. Reinhardt said she doesn’t believe those are being replaced. Williamson said $282,000 is for the wiring and conduit and he suggests this not be done as it’s too costly. He said wire in the ground might last a century. He said most coaxial cables are buried in the ground and there is no sign of deterioration when they’ve been exposed. Stone said money could be budgeted later on to cover the cost of deteriorating wires. Reinhardt would like to see a hybrid. She said there’s an opportunity to place more decorative lighting by the Drive-in and a few more by The Mist Lofts. She said the rest of the corridor could have a utilitarian pole. Hughes thinks they should be more uniform in style. He agrees with not replacing the wiring – if it’s okay - but he thinks it needs to be investigated more. Stone wondered if there is something in between. She said she’s never really noticed street lights up until now and never realized how unattractive they are. Reinhardt said it sounds like they would look to reuse existing wiring, a 25 foot decorative pole, and pricing LED versus sodium plus get more detail regarding cost savings. Williamson reminded that the neighboring community needs to be consulted to see about a joint project.
d. City Engineer -
e. City Attorney -
i. Draft Illicit Discharge Ordinance – There is a new draft. Beck said she reformatted it to fit into the city code. She said it’s still in draft form and there are a few changes that need to be added. She said construction activity definition needed to be changed to one acre instead of five acres. Beck outlined various other changes made. She said there are options for enforcing. Reinhardt said on page three under illegal discharge there is a placeholder still inserted. Williamson said he thinks Beck has done a terrific job due to the complexity. Williamson would like this to proceed yet says it’s not ready for adoption. He wonders if this needs a public hearing and Beck said no, just when it’s a zoning change. Hughes is concerned that this might have gotten complicated. Williamson likes the discretion.
f. Utility Superintendent – Reinhardt said Lift station five needed some repairs. Williamson said there have always been two spare pumps on the shelf and they become the new pumps and the old ones are rebuilt and put back on the shelf so they are rotated.
12. UPCOMING MEETINGS & TRAINING
a. July 11, 2012 – Administration Committee – 11:00 AM
b. July 11, 2012 – Planning Commission – 7:00 PM – Tolsma said there will be a public hearing on the Shoreline Drive boulevard landscape plan.
c. July 16, 2012 – City Council – 7:30 PM
d. July 18, 2012 – Police Commission – 8:00 AM
Williamson is wondering about a July work session. Tolsma said he’s planning on one, he just didn’t put it out that far. Williamson said it can always be canceled but thinks it should be scheduled. Tolsma said there will be a rough draft budget presented at the work session in July. Hughes would like to see added the LMCD and LMCC meetings.
13. UNFINISHED BUSINESS -
14. NEW BUSINESS & COMMUNICATION
a. Bills & Payroll – Hughes makes a motion and Stone seconds to approve the bills. Hughes wants to include the additional claim in front of the council for BP. All votes ayes, motion carries.
15. MISCELLANEOUS (Information Only)
a. 2012 Liquor Licenses
b. Channel 8 & 20 Schedules
16. ADJOURNMENT – Stone makes a motion and Hughes seconds to adjourn at 8:39 p.m. All votes ayes, motion carries.