HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974/10/21 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Joint MINUTES
JOINT STUDY MEETING BETWEEN THE CITY COUNCIL
AND THE SCHOOL BOARD
October 21 , 1974
City Counc i L members : Frank F lee tham
Rose -Mary G r iak
Richard Graves
Lyle Hanks
Seymour Druskin
Keith Meland
Councilman Thiel arrived at 7 : 10 p . m .
Schocjl Board members present :
Norm Friederichs
Elmer Kopp
Sally Olsen
Dr . Wm . Gardner
Robert Hanson
Sherrie Lindborg
Maher Weinstein
Also present were the Superintendent of Schools , the City Manager , and
additional School and City staff .
City Council and School Board that citizens in attendance
It was agreed by the
at the meeting should be permitted to ask questions of either group .
I that he Cunc
Pedestrian Concerns - The Superintendent of Schools informed and sixthlgradersthe
change in the walking distance regulations for fourth , fifth
has created some concern among the residents in the area westS �hooluBoardila cisol
and in the Eliot school area , west of Louisiana Avenue * conditions as they
also concerned about over all pedes hazards and walking
he entire community and would like to woranceoslansely with the
exist throughout t ro ections and long range P
Council in evaluating future tre. ff is p J
• Ko stated that the school administration
of the hazards .
School Board Chairman PP alleviate s
several recommendations to the Board which may
They includee.
signs along Aquila Lane north of 34th Street .
1 . Placing no parking g
2ion to snow removal and
. Giving special atten
tsanding along
student routes * on the east side of Pennsylvania
3 . Placing no parking signs
Street .
from Highway 12 to 18th uard at
° tion of anadulG school crossing g
4 . Considering the adds venues
Franklin and Lou isiana A flasher signal
. on o f insta. 11a. tion of caution
5 . Considerate
283
apparatus near the school crossing area on Louisiana Avenue
and requested that the Council consider these suggestions
The City Manager noted that the staffs of the City and School District have
met regarding parking studies and evaluation of
woad ?� � ostc�approximatPlposals to strl ,, t
parking .
He noted that an approved type si.gna . y
$ 5 , 000 ; while installation of a semaphore would bE' a. pproxl.ma. tely over $ 20 , 000 .
In. response to a question from Councilman Drub� is.tu.diedKopp
and thosestated
determined
Board has requested that all hazardous areas
as being most hazardous be so designated . Based on these designations the
Board will evaluate additional busing for safety factors versus mileage
because of the character of the existing urban environment and related hazardous
conditions .
The Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent , Dr . .James Gavenda , explained
the criteria under which the state determines spec: a. fic hazardous situations
which qualify for state aid . He listed the various hazards which meet the
criteria and outlined the particular local hazards that have been identified
by the school administration as being possible qualifying criteria . He noted
on. a map the specific areas identified as being hazardous and the busing being
done in association with these areas . He stated that the School District has
applied for these special state aids and has not yet received response on
whether or not they will be approved .
The City Manager noted that Louisiana Avenue , north. of Minnetonka, Boulevard ,
has not yet been reviewed by the Planning Commission and it is anticipated
that upgrading of this street will not occur for some years , dependent upon
the outcome of the proposed I - 394 .
Ora Held , 3314 Flag , stated that due to poor visibility and the fact that children
walk in the street along Aquila , children should be bused from that area to
Aquila School . She stated that stop signs , crossing guards , or other mechanical
safety devices will not get the children out of the street and on the buses ,
which in her opinion , is the only way to eliminate the hazard .
Mike Friedman , 1635 Pennsylvania stated that the installation of no parking
signs , as suggested by the School Board , on the east side of Pennsylvania
will not solve the problem in that area . He noted that the residents of the
area are concerned with the fact that children must cross Louisiana Avenue .
Bernard Simon , 9201 W . 34th Street , stated that he had done an in - depth study
of the revised busing plan of the School District and the accompanying financial
information . He noted that he feels it would cost approximately $ 21 , 000 to
restore all those children not being bused this year who were bused last year
due to the change in the required distance . He recommended that the School
Board set an arbitrary distance limit , such as . 6 miles , and then examine all
areas of the City to see what additional measures must be taken in order to
increase safety for the children . He recommended that the School Board appoint
a committee to look into such long range planning .
284
council Minutes , October 21 , 1974
Sally Olson stated that she wished to make the City Council aware of tl e
background on many of these itCtms and clarified several points regard ng
the previous busing plan and the costs involved . She icaLed she feels it: is
necessary for the School Board and the Council to work together in cedar to
evaluate future traffic projections which will assist the Beard ir. reviewing
vdriou ., q� tions for future transportation needs .
Mrs . Unis Burke , 3335 Gettysburg , stated that several years ago residents
in the Aquila Lane area requested sidewalks , however , these were not put in
by the City Council . Councilman Thiel stated that the Council did not take
action to install sidewalks because the residents could not agree whether or
not sidewalks were actually desirable and on what aide of the street they
should be placed . He noted that several traffic improvements in the area
havte reduced the traffic along Aquila . Mayer Fleetham outlined the problems
encountered by the City Council in considering installation of the sidewalks ;
the physical and mechanical problems ; the question of who should pay for
sidewalk installation ; and the question of who should be responsible for
maintenance ( i . eo snow removal , etc . ) .
Councilman DruskS.
in stated that it appears the School Board has both problems
acute and chronic to resolve . He suggested that the City Council should not
consider taking any action or expending funds until the School Board has
thoroughly evaluated its position on this matter .
Mrs . Held stated that the residents of their area will not accept the present
decision of the School Board if it is not in their favor and provides for
busing children across busy thoroughfares .
t Funding Efforts - The Superintendent of Schools
Recreation Budget and Join
explained the rationale behind the decrease in. the participation of the
ion budget in terms of the difference in the
School Board in the joint recreat
fiscal years of the two groups and the need o sutures duets rtolng x
this difference
Pe noted that it is difficult to plan for exl
in. fiscal years and that the actual contrib �� ti-mUu �� fole schol r 1974o19B5ard was
approximately three - fourths of the requested a
Jtal
ted than he believes there are n �timer ° u ' arCaitI a.ndlschoolsing acould
Mr.° . Kopp sea. rn which the y
� xpendi. tures and operating expet1diLures ,
work more closely and cooperatively
to ma.lce. maximUm use ? f unds , and suggested
e s for the City and Schools research the legality of a
that the attorney
joint agreement of this nature
The City Manager reviewed the discussion
School - Ci. ty Public Information EfCouncil budget sessions regarding joint
ion
which. took place during the City
Li
nd noted that both staffs aretared1 that he willng some move
communications efforts a Councilman Thiel 5
an how to proceed in this matter . that: the staff. of the School Board and
at the subsequent City Council meeting
Q in the. various cooperative lile ° tosmemberson ch
the City prepare a. report outtha g ort be made avai. la
both groups could embark and that this rep
oi_nt meeting in December *
of the Council and School prior
to the j
2-85
Council Minutes , October 219 1974
somreh e; nhe. s . s ions :regarding the Joint
Councilman Griak stated that shedef. in teeth pins t io'n mist: be made: 1.n the
communications and feels
that a rega
Jo groups activit: i. es so as not to confuse the c 01ynoted rthag there
t� g P ro rams . Sally,
agency is .responsible for va. r1ous pont efforts in that It will permit
are also some advantages to these j
e �-
ionstituentbasis with separate s
S . She remarked t�� a. i�heets ,linsertedcould
more Issues to go to c
possi.bl. y be done on independent
containing news from the other urisdiction .
Maher Weinstein expressed
j
his support of the combined efforts in that they will permit
greater
frequency
of communication . He stated that a definite format woulddeveloped
to separate the identity of school and city news .
Councilman Druskin stated that he too has some serious reservations regarding
the fact that joint communications could cause confusion In the community .
He also stated that the benefits would have to outweigh the apparent liabilities
that seem evident at this time .
Statement by Sy Friedman - Mr . Sy Friedman , 2809 Zarth. an , addressed the Council
and read the following statement
" I hope you will give me a few minutes to present to you some of my thoughts on the
relationship between this Council and the School Board as I view it from the
standpoint of an interested private citizen .
In 1970 , when serious thought was being given to the launching of our Community
Education. Program , and when a few of us went to Flint , Michigan to study the
concept and philosophy of that idea , we came back with a strong commitment to
bringing about a marriage between the City Council and the School Boa rd in keeping
with the ideals of the founder of the Community Education philosophy , Such a
marriage took place , and we do have a Community Education program functioning
in. St , Louis Pad but it appears to me that it is a marriage of convenience , and
has a long way to go in order to erase the autononmy with which these two civic
groups operate . There is no doubt in my mind that our citizens could benefit
even more if , indeed , there were a healthier relationship that didn ' t merely
bring these two groups together on rare occasions to briefly discuss some of
the many problems that face the people of St . 'Louis Park and are so obviously
cf deep concern to the parents and taxpayers of our city ,
I call to your attention some very discomforting facts that we have too long
ignored , and should , in my opinion , be of great concern to all of our public
Officials , I refer to the fact that our school system is just as much the
responsibility of our City Council as it is to our School Board and Administration .
When, it is no secret that people have moved out of St . Louis Park in recent
years because of their dissatisfaction with the schools when we hear of families
that won ' t move into the Park because of our schools , and when we see a steady
growth in enrollment in our private and parochial schools , it seems necessary
for our civic leaders to put their heads together and begin to more than just
gloss over these facts . Our public school enrollment is declining , and although
other districts are facing the same problems to a great extent , I urge you to
do more than just contemplate curative measures to our problems , and begin to
take a realistic look at diagnosis and prevention of further decay .
286
C, ounc i l Minu as , October 219 1974
I em not here to p zeac: h to you
1 merely wish to point out that our d � I. l. ntend rc. tell yo ,' how to operate ,
of the fact that everyone called marriage is not wcrkin
; pier y is being g g � in
` g p ° 1LrF n. �0d cc,cperative wine burring
tsyues .
Y would propose that an ombudsman be appointed by the City Council and the
School board to make an in -. depth study of their relationship . Needless to
say , I would be the first to apply for such a position , since I have been
doing a. considerable amount of research in this area. for several years as
2 �7r, luatee. r who consistently raises the question " WHY" when most ocher people
merely rationalize and accept_ the problems ,
In closing , I would like to propose a rather extt° eme and unusual idea that
might be looked into , and one which might eery well put St . Louis Park in the
national spotlight if it could be developed . I s .� ggest that we investigate
the possibility of combining all elections into onto a year , with that day
being declared a holiday , and further , that we develop a plan for taxing
every eligible voter who does not vote , unless they can establish a good
reason for their non. � participation . Far out as chis ma.y seem , it is being
done in some other countries , and it might well be the solution to our
worst disease of all , APATHY .
Thank you for listening , and I hope I may be received favorably for these
comments " .
The Mayor indicated that the next joVmeetlng1d be i. December .
The meeting wa. s a. djou ned at 7 . 50 p . eetha_m , Jr . 4ayor
Acte - t :
1
Susan Workman ,, Ac tg . Secretary
287