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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988/11/28 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session 1111 MINUTES CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION - ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA ,`• November 28, 1988 } 1 . Call to order M6yor Hanks called the meeting to order at 8:30 p.m. 2. Roll call The following Council members were present at roll call : Bruce Battaglia, ;4'l Thomas - Duffy, Allen FriedmantA Keith Meland, Larry Mitchell , David Strand and Lyle Hanks. Also present were the City Manager, City Attorney and Director of Public Works. 3. Proposal for representation re 1989 legislative program 4111 The City Manager referred to the proposal from the City Attorney relative to the City's representation in the 1989 legislative program. He said the firm was proposing to fulfill a coordinating and monitoring role for the City and their memo outlined the firm's perception of that role and its budgetary impact. City Attorney Lee Sheehy introduced Bob Johnson, an associate with the Popham firm. He said Mr. Johnson started his work in government representing the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and currently heads Popham's legislative team. Mr. Johnson addressed Council and gave a brief background of his experience. Councilmember Friedman said that two years ago what impressed him was that the legislative liaison spent almost 100% of the time at the Legislature. He wondered how other legal matters intervention would impact Mr. Johnson's relationship with the City. Mr. Johnson felt it important to ascertain the issues that the City is primarily interested in and go from there. The City Attorney said that Pat Jensen, legislative liaison two years ago, is no longer with the firm. The issues outlined in the attorney's memorandum attempt to address the gamut of monitoring issues, both the high profile 411/ issues and the special legislative bills. In answer to a question from Councilmember Friedman, the City Attorney said the legislative liaison rate will be substantially below the firm's hourly rate. -1- City Council study session November 28, 1988 Councilmember Battaglia asked if the liaison would be giving paper or verbal reports to the Council . 1111 Mr. Johnson stated he felt it was a question of what Council needs. The firm is able to do whatever it is the Council would desire. Councilmember Meland noted that the League of Minnesota Cities and AMM would be representing the City on taxation and property matters. The Mayor said the next step was for the item to appear on a Council agenda for formal action. 4. Discussion of Highway 7/Minnetonka Blvd./France Ave. intersection Mr. Grube referred to a color rendering of the intersection in question. Councilmember Friedman thought the first suggestion in staff's report was a good one. He asked if staff could find out from MnDOT why they don't need our approval , why are they proceeding over the City's objections and if the City continues to object, is MnDOT going to continue to push. Councilmember Mitchell said it seemed to him MnDOT must be having some problem with that intersection and they obviously can't get the City, to cooperate. He was curious as to what legal basis there is for their pursuing this project. Mayor Hanks asked if the City wanted to modify or accept any aspect of the proposal . He had a hard time with the two left turn lanes going north at Joppa and the bulge in the curb on Minnetonka as described by the Director of Public Works. On the legal question, it was the opinion of the City Attorney that since they are the state, they pre-empt any local land use approvals which may be required. Councilmember Friedman felt the City should ask the state under which statute they feel they can proceed without the City's approval and then turn it over to the City Attorney for his opinion. Councilmember Battaglia felt that in many instances the neighborhood is more effective in bringing about changes than the Council is. Councilmember Strand felt the neighborhood should be notified of this latest proposal . 5. Miscellaneous items - Proposal for Evru - Mayor Hanks wondered why this was taking so long. Council- member Friedman said they enacted the plan only a month ago. The congregation had to make sure the City didn't have any legal problems with the proposal . Changing Council agenda - Mayor Hanks noted that at the Nov. 21 Council 1111 meeting, with a chamber full of people, some items had been brought up from the agenda and were heard before the public hearings. It was his opinion it was not a good idea to move agenda items out of order. He cited the -2- City Council study session 1111 November 28, 1988 fact that people often call City Hall to find out when they appear on the agenda. Secondly, people come to the meeting, see the agenda and then the meeting proceeds in a different order. Councilmember Meland felt that after the public hearings were finished, if a large group was present, move the item up. But he felt the public hearings should remain as published on the agenda. Councilmember Strand felt that in setting up the agenda, those items that staff supposed would cause many people to show up could be placed earlier on the agenda. The City Manager said that would not be a problem. Councilmember Friedman asked if people had complained. The Mayor said yes. Councilmember Friedman felt .-having a large number of people wait for an item that was way down the agenda was not the best approach. Councilmember Mitchell liked the idea of retaining a measure of flexibility in moving agenda items around. 4111 6. Adjournment - The meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m. , l► i At ' 'at Smith Recording Secretary 4111 -3-