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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSP July 30, 1991 ~ CITY of ANDOVER Special city Council Meeting July 30, 1991 7:30 P.M. 1. Call to Order 2. Award Seal coat Bid 3. Budget Discussion 4. 5. Adjournment ...-, .-- SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING - JULY 30. 1991 TABLE OF CONTENTS AGENDA . . . · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 1 AWARD SEALCOAT BID ResolutIon Rl13-91 <award to BitumInous Roadways. Inc.) · · · · 1 BUDGET DISCUSSION · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 1 Revenues · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 2 Expendi tures. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 2 EMPLOYEE ISSUES · · · · · · · · , · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 7 DEBT SERVICE FUNDS . · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · , , · · · 7 PIR FUND . . · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 7 PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT CAPITAL EXPENDITURES . · · · · · · · · · · 7 ADJOURNMENT · · · , · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 9 ~ CITY of ANDOVER SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING - JULY 30. 1991 MINUTES A SpecIal Meeting of the Andover CIty CouncI] was caJled to order by Mayor Ken Orttel on July 30. 1991. 7:30 p.m.. at the Andover CIty Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW. Andover, MInnesota. CouncIlmembers present: Jacobson, McKelvey. Perry, SmI th CouncIJmembers absent: None Also present: BuIldIng OffIcIaJ. Dave Almgren; CI ty P1anner, Dave Carlberg: City C1erk, VickI Volk; PublIc Works Supervisor. Frank Stone; Finance Director, Howard Koo I I ck; Fire ChIef Glenn Smith; CaptaIn Bob Peach; and CI ty AdmInIstrator. James Schrantz AGENDA It was agreed to add Item 4, Employee Issues, to the Agenda. AWARD SEALCOAT BID MOTION by Jacobson. Seconded by McKelvey, a Resolution accepting bids and awarding contract for the Improvement of Project No. 91-8 for sea]coatlng In the area of 161st Avenue, 157th Avenue, South Coon Creek DrIve. and PraIrIe Road. as presented. (See ResolutIon R113-91 to BItumInous Roadways. Inc., for $26,896.50) MotIon carrIed unanImousJy. BUDGET DISCUSSION The Counc II revIewed the JIst of goals and objectives prepared by the Finance DIrector. Item 2 of Goal #2. to assess for sealcoatIng projects, was debated. Because of the budget crunch. sealcoatlng has not been done for several years. This puts the CIty behind In Its road maintenance program. And if crackseallng Is elImInated thIs year In an attempt to balance the budget, that maintenance wIIJ lag even further behInd. Though I t Is not somethIng desIrable, several fe]t doing sealcoatIng as an assessment project Is the most JogIcal at thIs tIme. No specifIc actIon was taken. Item 3 of Goal #3, to fund $3,000 for the DARE program. was also debated. CouncIlmembers Jacobson and Perry felt that that cost should be Incurred by the county or the school dIstricts. especIaJly In light of the need to reduce the budget by $132.000. Mayor OrtteJ and Councllmember Smith felt the program Is Important enough that It should remaIn. No action was taken at thIs time. --, . __0· _..._ ".- - .-- Special Ci ty Counci 1 Meeting Minutes - July 30. 1991 Page 2 (Budget DiscussIon. ContInued) Mr. Almgren reviewed the proposed rate Increases for permits in 1992 noting the comparIson of rates wIth several surroundIng cities. Using a conservative fIgure of 275 new houses In 1992 averagIng $100.000. revenues would Increase by approxImate]y $20.000. After dIscussIng the proposa J . the Counc i I generally agreed with the proposed rate increases. Mr. A1mgren stated he would brIng It back for forma] action in the future. Objective 2 of Goal #7. adoptIng user fees when a servIce does not benefit the entire city. was changed to read: Use tax dol lars to support only those operations that do not unduJy benefit private property or specific groups. Any servIces or expendItures incurred that do not benefit the entIre city shouJd be funded through user fees. Counc i I then discussed the proposed 1992 budget. REVENUES Discussion was on the transferrIng of funds from the Administrative Trust Fund to the General Fund. Mayor OrtteI suggested that because the Staff does the majority of the work on any project within the first year or two of the project. the General Fund should be reImbursed for that work from the AdmInIstratIve Trust Fund at that time. The reImbursement would be from the three percent administrative fee charged to that project and would be receIved in the year they are earned. Now It Is beIng reimbursed on a pcercentage of assessments paid method. whIch has nothing to do with the tIme spent by Staff on the project. The subject was discussed agaIn later in the meetIng. Discussion was on the license and permIt fees. Mr. Koolick stated that the proposed changes wIJ] generate onJy $300 to $400 of revenue. The City's fees are in Jine wIth the surroundIng cIties except for the on-saJe J iquor license. Ms. VoJk dId not thInk It should be changed unt i I the City's costs regardIng that lIcense can be determined over the next year. Counc i I agreed to the proposed changes In fees as wel J as charging homeowners for SpeclaJ Assessment searches in the amount of $12. EXPENDITURES Escrow for Staff Time by Developers - Mayor Orttel sugested the Counc I I and Staff consIder the proposal of requIring developers to escrow for Staff's tIme. Right now the Staff can spent many hours working with a developer. but none of that time Is reimbursed. An hourly rate should be determined and the funds escrowed up front by the developer. ..-,. - ., Special City Council MeetIng Minutes - July 30. 1991 Page 3 (Budget Discussion. Continued) Me-. Koolick was asked to check with other cities as to their policy regarding escrow polIcIes for Staff time. Mr. Schrantz stated he has been In favor of raising the administrative and assessIng fees for several years to cover those costs, but he also agreed with an escrow for Staff time. Page 1. City Council. Insurance - Mr. Koolick didn't know why the increase was so much. but he wi I I check It out. Page 2, Newsletter, PrintIng - The School DIstrict had always shared in the cost by providing the postage. SInce It Is now delivered free of charge, Counc i I asked that It be researched as to what portion of costs for the newsletter Is beIng provIded by the district. It was felt the schoo] distrIct should continuing their share. As a cost-savIng measure. another suggestIon was to reduce the number of pages from four to two If necessary. Page 6. AdmInistration. Dues/RegIstratIons - Council questIoned the increase. It was noted throughout the review of the budget that dues and registrations Increased In most Departments. Mr. KoolIck agreed to provide a separate report on what each of the dues and registratIon budgets represents. Page 6, FinancIal AdmInistratIon, Dues/RegistratIons - CouncIl questIoned the Increase. Mr. KoolIck stated part of It Is for his CPA license, whIch was required as a part of his employment. Page 10. Assessing. Professlona] Services - Council felt the Increase over the past three years has been hIgh. Mr. Koollck revIewed the rate increase by the Assessor's Office. and noted there has also been an increase in the number of parcels. Page 11 , Attorney - Council questIoned whether $51.000 for a City Attorney is in lIne with what other cItIes the size of Andover pay. One suggestion was to consIder contracting wIth lower-cost attorneys for prosecutIons. Page 22. Planning and Zoning, Dues/Registrations - Council questioned the Increase. Page 23. Data ProcessIng. Professional Services - Mr. KoolIck explaIned that cost Is for the maintenance contract on the hardware and software of the computers and the copIes. Counc I ] asked at what point Is It cost effectIve to pay for servIce ca]ls and repairs rather than continue a maIntenance contract. though no change In poJlcy was made at this time. þ-' . Special Ci ty Counci I Meeting MInutes - July 30, 1991 Page 4 (Budget DIscussion. ContInued) Page 26, Fire StatIon BuIlding. RepaIr/MaIntenance - Supplies - ChIef Smith explained wIth the additIon of two more fIre statIons. the supplies and labor costs have been Increased. Counc i ] felt that wI th much of the new Items beIng under warranty, that there is some room to reduce the figures. Page 26, Fire Station BuildIng, Telephone - Mr. Peach explained the phone system of three lines comIng Into the maIn statIon and one lIne into each of the remote statIons. ChIef SmI th thought StatIon 3 would retain the exIsting two lInes. The $4.300 budgeted should be reduced to refJect the correct amount. Page 26. FIre Station BuiJdIng. Insurance - Chief Smith stated he was not able to contact the Insurance carrier and estImated three times the exIstIng rate for the Department. Mayor Orttel suggested he contact North Star Risk to get the co~rect costs. Page 30. SenIor Citizen's Center. Telephone - Staff reported the need for their own phone line because I t Is desIgnated as an emergency center. Page 30. Senior CItIzen's Center - Mr. Koollck stated the addition of congregate dInIng wIll Impact the budget because there wIll be more use of the bui Jdlng. He didn't know If that would generate any Income for the City. Mr. Carlberg stated the kItchen wIll have to be remodeled for commercIal facIlIties before they can have congregate dIning. No specifIc dIrectIon was gIven. Page 34. Eng I need ng, Dues/RegIstratIon - Council questioned the increase. Page 35, Police Protection. Contract - Council was concerned about the $15,150 increase In the contract and dIscussed the Issue of when It becomes cost effective for the City to support I ts own Pol Ice Department. It was noted that the Increase of three percent Is maInly for wages, and i t is anticIpated the State will reimburse the CIty for $28.743. which Is shown In Revenues. Page 35, PolIce ProtectIon. Crime Watch - Mayor Orttel stated the reduction for thIs Item reflects more accurately the amount that has been spent by Community School for the CrIme Watch/Key Communicator program. Page 35. PolIce Protection. DARE Contribution - Though It was suggested the $3.000 be removed In an effort to balance the budget. no action was taken at this tIme. Page 36, Fire ProtectIon. Sa J ar I es - Mr. KoolIck and Chief SmIth reviewed the caJculatlons for arrIving at the $94.475 figure. - ' Special City CouncIl MeetIng Minutes - JulY 30, 1991 Page 5 (Budget DIscussIon. ContInued) Page 36, FIre ProtectIon. Relief AssociatIon - Mr. KoolIck revIewed the expenditures for this Item are $22,000 from the State and $350 peç firefighter from the CIty based on 50 fIrefIghters. The Counc i J noted that polIce and fIre protection are the largest Items In the budget. asking how It compares wIth other citIes. Mr. KoolIck did not know. but felt one-third of the budget Is not unreasonable. He can check wIth other cities to compare theIr pub]Ic safety budgets wIth Andover's. Pages 36 and 37. FIre ProtectIon, RepaIr/Maintenance - Supplies and Labor - ChIef SmIth explained that the Department hires an outsIde consu]tant to do a I I the maIntenance of the vehicles. Mr. Stone felt that with the number of vehIcles, It may be cost effective for the City to hire Its own mechanIc on staff. After some discussion, the Counc II suggested he look a t a I I the maIntenance lIne Items and make a recommendation to them. Page 37. Fire Protection. UnIforms - Chief Smith stated this is for the dress unIforms and coveraI]s for the personnel and theIr replacements. The budget Is based on the addition of 15 more personne I . Page 44, AnImal Control - Discussion was that because of the lack of anImal control agencies. there Is lIttle the CIty can do: though Ms. Volk noted an IndIvIdual Is looking Into the possIbIlity of establIshIng a dog pound In the City. and he would contract wIth the CIty for $300 a month. The Counc II suggested the possibilIty of havIng AnIma] Control charge for the pickup and return of an anIma] as a source of Income to the City. No specifIc actIon was taken. Page 46. Streets and Highways. Crackseallng - There was some discussion as to whether thIs type of maIntenance should be assessed. Those opposed to assessing felt that maIntenance should not be assessed any more than snow plowIng or grading Is. that road maIntenance Is expected to be a part of the CIty servIces. Mr. Stone stated the $50,000 Includes labor. The Counc II was also reluctant to elIminate cracksealIng and get even further behind In the road maintenance program. This Item was dIscussed again later In the meeting. Page 48. Snow and Ice Removal, Dues/Registrations - Mr. Kool ick wi II report on the Item along wIth the other departments. Page 51, Street Lighting - Mr. Koo]Ick reviewed the Installation of new semaphores In the City and the cost of electricIty for them. Counc II suggested the possibility of changing the polley to assess the usage to the neIghborhood of a street lIght at the Intersection of the county road when lightIng Is Installed in the neighborhood. It was agreed to discuss that at a future date. Special CI ty Counci I MeetI ng Minutes - July 30. 1991 Page 6 (Budget DIscussion, Continued) Page 59, CommunIty School and Summer SchooJ Programs - Mayor Orttel reported that after severai meetIngs with the school dIstrict. they have agreed to allow the CIty to retaIn Its Community School program as it presently exists. that Is costs shared one-third by the CIty. one-thIrd by the School District and one-thIrd by user fees. In addItIon. he has been told that the School DIstrict has a fund balance for Andover's Community School whIch can be used to offset thIs expenditure. He suggested Mr. Koollck research how much that Is. Mayor Orttel also noted another Issue of Andover payIng a portIon of the coordinator's salary for Washington School because there are Andover residents goIng there. He didn't thInk that that Is what the poJlcy has been. noting there are also Ham Lake and Coon RapIds residents attendIng Andover schools. He asked that that also be researched further. Page 60, Trees and Weed Control. Professional ServIces - Mr. Stone explaIned the CIty Is Just getting started In this program and has taken down trees In the parks and boulevards where necessary. Counc II agreed that use of the county's vIbrating pJow on prIvate property should be paid for by the property owner. Page 67. Lower Rum RIver - Council noted that including thIs In the CIty's levy affects the amount the CIty can levy for servIces. Mr. Schrantz stated the county can levy up to a certaIn amount for water management organizations Instead of doIng It this way. Counc i I recommended he look Into that optIon further. feeJIng that would be preferable. Counc I I recessed at 10: 13; reconvened at 10:25 p.m. Counc I I then dIscussed varIous options to baJance the budget. The followIng was agreed to: A smaJ 1 savings by filling employee vacancies wIth those at a lower pay scale Increase revenue by $20,000 In the BuIldIng Department based on fee adjustments presented by Mr. AJmgren thIs evening Transfer approximately $40.000 from the AdmInistrative Trust Fund based on the polIcy of transferring 3/4 of the admInIstratIve fee of a project In the fIrst year Reduce expenditures In Park and Recreation by $10.000 Reduce expenditures In FIre ProtectIon by $10.000 allowIng the Department to make the approprIate lIne-item cuts Reduce crackseallng by $35,000, leaving $15,000 for patching and maIntenance Special CI ty CouncIl Meeting MInutes - July 30, 1991 Page 7 (Budget DiscussIon. Continued) With those changes. It was felt the budget Is close to beIng balanced. Mr. KooJIck was asked to present a Dues/RegIstratIons report and make other suggestions to balance the budget. It was agreed to dIscuss the budget agaIn at the August 20, 1991, regular CouncIl meetIng. EMPLOYEE ISSUES Counc il akcnowledged the resignation of Karen Tommerdahl. They also discussed the request of Dale Mashuga. PubJIc Works. for a one-year leave of absence to take a job at the Vo-Tec. After some dIscussIon. the Counc II agreed to deny the request to take another job as leaves for that purpose are generally not given In busInesses and the Staff is not large enough to hoJd the posItIon for that perIod of tIme. MOTION by Jacobson, Seconded by Perry, that based upon the July 30. 1991. letter by Dale Mashuga askIng for a leave of absence for a peIrod of one year, that the Counc II deny to offer that leave of absence; but at the same tIme the CouncI] commends Mr. Mashuga for his work and wIshes he would choose to stay wIth the CIty Instead of leavIng. MotIon carrIed unanImously. DEBT SERVICE FUNDS Counc II reviewed the Debt Serlvce Fund InformatIon presented by Mr. Koo lick. No specIfic actIon was taken by the CouncIJ. PIR FUND Counc II revIewed the Permanent Improvement RevolvIng Fund InformatIon presented by Mr. Koo J I ck . Mr. Peach agreed that the two flags and poles for $1.570 should be taken out of the bond money. not out of the PIR fund. Because of the late hour:'. It was agreed to tabJe the Item to be dIscussed at another time. PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT CAPITAL EXPENDITURES Counc I I reviewed the proposed capItal Improvement Items for PublIc Works as presented by Mr. Stone. He also noted hIs recommendatIon to not purchase the motor grade this year, whIch leaves a capital improvement expenditure of approximately $190.000. Special CI ty CouncIl MeetI ng MInutes - JulY 30. 1991 Page 8 (Public Works Department CapItal ExpendI tures. ContInued) Mr. KooJick stated some fundIng can come from the PIR fund; the rest can be funded through CertifIcates of Indebtedness. or fund all of it through Certificates. Counc i I agreed to act on thIs at a future date. MOTION by McKelvey to adjourn. Motion carrIed unanImously. MeetIng adjourned at 11 :23 p.m. Respectfully submitted. ~~~~UL Marcella A. Peach Recording Secretary ~-, .