HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996/04/08 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session MINUTES
STUDY SESSION
ST. LOUIS PARK CITY COUNCIL
April 8, 1996
Mayor Dorfman called the meeting to order at 7 05 p m
Councilmembers present were Sue Sanger, Robert Young Jim Brimeyer arrived at 9 00
Also present were the City Manager(Mr Meyer), Deputy City Manager (Ms Kutzler), Suesan
Pace; Asst Finance Director (Mr Felton), Police Chief(Mr. Mitchell); Finance Director (Ms
McBride), Director of Public Works (Mr Rardin) Director of Community Development (Mr
Harmening), Economic Development Coordinator(Mr Anderson); Housing Coordinator(Ms
Quarfot) and Planning Coordinator(Ms Erickson)
1 Historically Underutilized Business Enterprises (RUBE)
Mr Felton presented the staff report and Brad Stevens, Park National Bank was present to
answer questions
Staff is interested in creating a program that would increase participation by RUBE in winning
bids for goods/services by the City Current deterrent to HUBE firms bidding include contracts
being too large for small business to perform; insufficient cashflows to finance projects, contract
specifications frequently skewed in favor of certain supplier with which the RUBE may not have
a relationship
Councilmember Young had some problem with the third barrier in that he would not want to see
any wholesalers cut out of the process
The Charter Commission has also expressed a desire for greater HUBE participation in the
bidding process
Mr Stevens explained the bank's role in helping this program become a reality
Council expressed its support for this program moving forward. Next step is to bring the report to
the Charter Commission on April 11
2 Adult Use Ordinance
Suesan Pace was present with Judie Erickson to discuss the Task Force report on sexually-
oriented businesses
A number of questions were presented to Council for discussion
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April 8, 1996
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The next step in the process is for the report to go to the Planning Commission on April 17 and
return to the April 22 study session
3 Traffic Study No 513 Traffic controls at T H 100 east frontage road (W 25 1/2 St to
Parkwoods Rd
Mr Rardin reviewed the traffic study results Based on the study, staff was suggesting the
following installation of"No U Turn" signs to discourage people trying to make U Turns which
block the intersection at Parkwoods , extension of the merge/acceleration lane north of W 25 1/2
St ; installation of"Reduced Speed" ahead sign for motorists exiting off of Hwy 100, and
installation of signage clearly indicating how to get to Cedar Lake Road Also, staff has spoken
with the school bus company and they are willing to load/unload at the rear of Benilde to
eliminate the congestion and danger of doing same on the frontage road
This item will be on the April 15 agenda for formal action.
4 Traffic controls on Brookside Ave south of Excelsior Blvd
Mr. Rardin said Council had directed staff to do a more indepth study of this neighborhood area
relative to stop signs
With no accident history and no traffic conditions to support the stop signs at W 41st and W
42nd, staff feels the stop signs do not alter overall traffic flow and are unnecessary
Mayor Dorfman asked if anything is unsafe with the two stop signs in place, Mr Rardin
responded there was not.
Mayor Dorfman said she was unwilling to have the two signs removed
No further action was required
5 NSP utility relocation agreement -Phase IL Cedar Lake Rd reconstruction
Mr Rardin said in light of the delays of last summer on the Cedar Lake Rd. Phase I
reconstruction, staff has tried to come up with a method to avoid a similar problem occurring this
year during Phase II NSP has verbally committed to an agreement covering the following basic
terms costs, completion date, handling of delays; incentives, extensions and prepayment Also,
NSP, US West, Paragon and Minnegasco will all share underground a joint trench
This item will be on the April 15 Council agenda for formal action
6 Twin Lakes dredging
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April 8, 1996
Mr Rardin reported this situation continues to be a problem with the Minnehaha Creek
Watershed District at odds with a number of Twin Lakes residents over the lakes final shoreline
location and shape He presented a number of options to consider in responding to citizens'
concerns
Before any further action is taken, Mayor Dorfman will be attending a meeting of the Cleanwater
Partnership Coordinating Board on April 18 and thereafter reporting back to Council where this
matter stands
7. Special Service District update
Dave Anderson gave an update to the Council on this District proposed between Excelsior Blvd ,
Park Center Blvd , 36th St W and Quentin Ave The required number of petitions have been
submitted by the property owners to allow the Council to set a public hearing
He said the District will maintain snow/ice removal, banners and landscaping as TIF cannot be
used for these purposes He noted the property owners preferred Option 2 of the service charge
allocation formula
This matter will be placed on the April 15 Council agenda wherein a public hearing will be called
8 Minnesota Housing Finance Agency(MHFA) Community Fix-up Fund Program
Application
Ms. Quarfot presented this report A request made by Norwest Banks to MI-IFA was denied
because the funding was not targeted to specific areas within the City She displayed a map
showing specific targeted areas so that reapplication can be made
Council consensus was to proceed with the application.
9 1997 Excelsior Blvd improvement project - Consultant selection
Mr Harmening presented this report He noted the portion of Excelsior Blvd. between Monterey
Dr and France Ave is scheduled for reconstruction during 1997 An engineering consultant will
be required to oversee this project Staff has interviewed six of the nine consultants responding
and was recommending to Council the selection of MSA/Hkgi He noted that on April 15 Council
will be asked to authorize staff to negotiate a specific scope of work and contract with this firm
Mayor Dorfman asked how this project and Livable Communities would interact. Mr Harmening
said there would be no change, per se, in the concept but staff will need to be aware of specific
LC concepts so they can appropriately mesh with this project
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April 8, 1996
Council asked if staff would provide them with a copy of the evaluation criteria sheets used
during the interviews
10 City Attorney services
Ms Kutzler discussed this report with Council The report targeted the four areas that Council
had discussed at the April 1 Council meeting (1) use of in-house counsel and/or private firms, (2)
core City Attorney services and specialized services, (3) City Charter and Ordinance provisions,
and (4) evaluation committee composition
After a discussion of in-house vs contract, it was the consensus to proceed with a RFQ for a
contract attorney. They approved the draft RFQ as prepared by staff and the consensus was to
move forward with the next step in the process.
The meeting adjourned at 11 10 p m
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