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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986/03/03 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study SessionMINUTES CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA March 10, 1986 1. Call to order The Mayor called the study session to order at 1:05 p.m. 2. Roll Call The following members were present at roll call: Thomas Duffy Allen Friedman Larry Mitchell David Strand Lyle Hanks The Assistant City Manager, the Director of Public Works and the Director of Planning were also present. 3. Feiges property The Assistant City Manager described the problem that has occurred at 2732 Lynn Ave. due to an easement encroachment. She indicated that the agreement drawn up by the City Attorney was acceptable to the property owner and to the lending institution. Staff was instructed to bring the agreement to the March 17 City Council meeting for consideration. 4. Temporary signs The Assistant City Manager told Council members that she and the zoning administrator had visited Phil Eder at the Leaning Post to get more information on his request for some relief from the temporary sign regulations in the new sign ordinance. Mr. Eder's request for relief from the ordinance was based on difficulties his business was experiencing due to the development proposed by Boisclair. The Assistant City Manager presented some ideas for structuring a policy allowing for the development of private signage plans by businesses affected by road construction or construction in development districts. She noted that Mr. Eder would support a provision that allowed private signage plans to go into effect once a development contract had been signed rather than the actual start of construction. Council members discussed their ideas of how a policy allowing the development of private signage plans should operate. They agreed that the purpose of a private signage plan should be to direct customers to a business area affected by roadway construction or construction in a redevelopment district. Such a sign would counteract any confusion as to whether the establishments in the area were open for business. Under such a plan, it was agreed that product advertisement would not be allowed. Council members also stated that temporary signs displayed as a result of a private signage plan should have a uniform format and color. Staff was asked to prepare language incorporating these ideas into an ordinance form. Minutes Study session March 10, 1986 2. 5. Front end loader Frank Doherty of Minneapolis Equipment and Kurt Stevens of Borchert Ingersoll were present to discuss this item. Both men are representatives for heavy equipment distributors. Mr. Doherty told the Council that there was a considerable difference in the initial bids received on the front end loader. He discussed some of his concerns about buy-back provisions and questioned if the buy-back guarantees would be available in five years. He noted that many contractors used to conduct total cost bidding but have since stopped that practice. He was questioned as to why he did not submit a bid for the second set of specifications that were developed for the front end loader. Mr. Doherty responded that in his estimation, the second set of specifications were written specifically for the Caterpillar loader since it did not meet the first set of specifications that were developed. Kurt Stevens told the City Council that he had furnished staff with a legal opinion from the South Dakota Attorney General and a letter concerning an opinion issued by a former Minnesota Attorney General in which problems resulting from total cost bidding procedures were highlighted. He explained that he objected to total cost bidding on the basis that it does not take the time value of money into consideration and it prevents companies that are unable to secure bonds from submitting bids. In response to a question from Councilman Friedman, Messrs. Doherty and Stevens said that their companies would have submitted bids if the bidding process had not required the guaranteed repurchase. Councilman Strand asked why other companies have not offered guaranteed repurchases. The equipment vendors said that this practice was not more prevalent since distributors are usually the ones to put up the bond. It was represented that Caterpillar put up the bonds for its distributors but the Director of Public Works noted that Ziegler, a distributor for Caterpillar, had put up the bond on the St. Louis Park bid. Councilman Friedman said that staff needed to provide an analysis of the bid and the guaranteed repurchase that included amortization as well as present and future values. He suggested that the specifications provide for bids to be submitted both ways to maximize competition and to allow staff to conduct a full analysis of the alternatives. Councilman Mitchell said that he also favored increasing competition on this item. In response to questions from the Council, the Director of Public Works said that the specifications had been developed around Caterpillar equipment since it is a known quantity. He noted that vendors were allowed to submit deviations from the specifications to the City for consideration. Mayor Hanks asked how important the buy-back provision was. The Director of Public Works replied that it is an insurance policy that the piece of equipment purchased is not a "lemon." He also stressed the advantages of being guaranteed a $6,000 repair ceiling. Study session minutes March 10, 1986 Mayor Hanks said in bidding for the should be retained 6. Reception area that the Council front end loader. as an alternative. 3. would like to see wider competition He noted that the buy-back provision The Assistant City Manager said that the need to remodel the reception area had occurred as a result of the new direct inward -dial telephone system. The new telephone system has freed the receptionist from answering all incoming calls and made it possible to assign other tasks to that employee. However, the ability to make new work assignments was limited due to insufficient work space. The Assistant City Manager explained that the proposed reception area would provide ample space for the telephone console, a typewriter and a microcomputer. She said that the height of the new reception area would be 31 inches. Council members questioned if the area visitors to City Hall might be inclined to The Assistant City Manager said that some against or sit on the desk. However, she secured and that with the exception of the could be stored and locked at night. would be secure and if some sit on the receptionist desk. people might very well lean noted that the area would be computer screen, all equipment Councilman Strand questioned why the bid exceeded the estimate. The Assistant City Manager said that the plans had been refined since their original development last summer when a $5,000 estimate was programmed in the Central Building Maintenance budget. She said that staff would adjust the allocation for the purchase of replacement chairs to absorb any overrun. Councilman Friedman said that given the need for austerity, he could not vote in favor of the reception area. lie noted that no justification was given for the size of the area which he observed was a large enough space for two people to work. 7. Pick a Pop offer Upon reviewing the offer presented for the Pick a Pop property, Council asked that the City Manager meet with them at 7 p.m. on March 17 to discuss why the offer exceeded the amount authorized by Council. 8. Excelsior Blvd. traffic study The Mayor suggested that this item be held over until it is known if Boisclair puts up the required amount of money by March 15. 9. Hwy. 7/Minnetonka Blvd. intersection The Public Works Director presented a plan for improving the Highway 7/Minnetonka Blvd. intersection. Councilman Friedman noted that he had no objections to closing the Glenhurst crossover, but he was opposed to restricting Minnetonka Blvd. west of Glenhurst to one lane. Councilman Friedman said that the City should not be .improving an intersection that is already working. rrr"' Study session minutes March 3, 1986 4. Councilman Mitchell said that he had a problem with not making any , improvements. He felt that the Highway 7/Minnetonka Blvd. entrance to St. Louis Park contributes to an image problem. in explaining the intersection improvement plan, the Director of Public Works noted that a traffic island had been proposed at Glenhursc to prevent traffic from crossing Minnetonka Blvd. and then going west on Highway 1. Councilman Friedman said ie cid no, feel -:-e _.-af;"c ::;and was necessary. Mayor Hanks asked if there was enough room to install a trumpet island similar to the one on Louisiana Ave. and 32nd St. The Public Works Director is to report back with revised plans. 10. Dog kennels Council decided to defer discussion of this item. 11. Recycling i Council members asked that this item be moved to another study session when all Council members could be present. 12. Neighborhood associations The Assistant City Manager distributed a list of known neighborhood associations and the last contact person known for each association. Council members discussed the list and noted several changes that should be made to it. Councilman Strand discussed the importance of putting a package together to assist people who want to address the Council on an issue and to provide pointers on setting up neighborhood associations. Council members brainstormed on some of the things to be included in the package: - how to bring an issue to Council's attention - how to interact with the City Council * to call them * to present a petition - how to form a neighborhood association - how to present your point of view II - hints for making a presentation before City Council Councilman Strand also noted that sufficient detail had not yet been attained on City Council agendas. r,*-- --a Study session minutes March 3, 1986 5. 13. March 24 study session Mayor Hanks advised the Council that he would not be present at this study session. Items for the March 24 study session are a presentation by the Regional Transit Board, a discussion regarding the HRA and a review of the recycling program. 14. Adjournment The study session adjourned at 9:30 p.m. i Ahan G. Klumpp Recording Secretary