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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988/02/08 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session 4c MINUTES 111111 CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION ST. LOUIS PARK, MINNESOTA February 8, 1988 1. Call to order The meeting was called to order by Mayor Lyle Hanks at 6:30 p.m. 2. Roll call The following Councilmembers were present: Bruce Battaglia, Tom Duffy, Allen Friedman, David Strand, Lyle Hanks, Larry Mitchell . The following Cable Commission,' members were present: Bruce Browning, Art Summerfield, Sharon Larson, Gerry Quilling, Harold Haskovitz, Frank Abramson. Sandy Beach of Park Cable Works also was present. Also present were the City Manager, Assistant City Manager, Administrative Assistant and Gary Matz, attorney for cable matters. Following discussion of the cable franchise, the City Council discussed the appointment of a committee for the purpose of reviewing the franchise. 4. Pump well No. 4 The Mayor, updated the Council on the pumping well No. 4 into the chain of lakes and informed the Council that he was sending a letter to the Mayor of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Park Board requesting their review of the City's proposal . 5. Tree house The City Manager updated the Council on. the court appearance with Mark Tucker which occurred on Feb. 5. 5. Governance Committee The City Manager stated that the language regarding special assessments has been modified to reflect the discussions held at the Feb. 1 City Council meeting. Council asked that the City Attorney be contacted regarding the legality of enforcement of alley assessments as they are proposed and whether or not it can be recorded on a title without the owner' s permission. The Council discussed boards and commissions. Councilman Strand highlighted areas of concern such as no area of consistency among boards and commissions in terms of power; length of terms; power and duties and what their proper charge is; appointment of chair; size of commissions; terms of IL members and maximum consecutive terms. Mayor Hanks asked which boards and commissions are required by law. Council- member Strand responded that the Governance Committee identified some boards and commissions required by law but has not researched the issue. He recommended that the Governance Committee attend one of each of the boards/commission meetings to discuss what Council 's direction is and to facilitate long-range planning. 411111 Mayor Hanks recommended that staff provide all board and commission members copies of duties and responsibilities of all boards and commissions so as to identify inconsistencies among the boards and commissions. He stated that focus should be universal and not focused to one commission. He further recommended that in a presentation to ask for a written report by the commission. Councilmember Friedman stated that by asking boards and commissions what they are doing would be sending a mixed message and that policy decisions should be kept at the City Council level . The City Council concluded that the aforementioned concerns addressed previously by Councilmember Strand should be first addressed by the City Council prior to meeting with any boards and commissions and to schedule the discussion of this issue for a Feb. 29 study session meeting. Councilmember Strand addressed the issue of long-range planning for the City Council and discussed a retreat, perhaps sometime in April . The City Council discussed this concept and concluded to hold the meeting on a Thursday mid-afternoon and continue it into Friday evening and to invite department heads to meet with the Council during this long-range planning session. 7. Fees and charges 411/ The City Manager brought up the issue of fees and charges particularly as they relate to Parks and Recreation. The City Council discussed the issue in terms of the cost for programs as they relate to self-supporting and in terms of the total scheme of City operations. The City Council expressed an interest in needing more detailed information of programs, fees and profits/deficits. The Council decided that it would address this issue at its long-range planning session in April . 8. Advertising on park benches This item was discussed by the Council and referred to a future study session. 9. Mrs. Litzke's property Councilmember Strand identified three engineering approaches for the solution to the flooding of Mrs. Litzke's property and the recommended approach by the Director of Public Works being to slope the property from the back door and added that this project would be partially funded by the Department of Natural Resources. It was the consensus of Council to proceed with that approach. 10. Recruitment for Community Education Director The City Council discussed the process the School District was pursuing for the Community Education Director and recommended that the City Manager participate on the interview panel for this position as well as the Superin- tendent of Schools participate on the panel for selection of Director of Parks and Recreation. 11 . Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m. ( 064r-1/N244 Carmen J. Kapl 144— Recording Sec etary