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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002/09/17 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session 7/ST.ICTY Louis OFFICIAL MINUTES RK CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION September 17, 2002 The meeting convened at 7:45 p.m. Present at the meeting were Councilmembers Susan Sanger, Ron Latz, Sally Velick, Susan Santa and Mayor Jeff Jacobs. Staff present: City Manager(Mr. Meyer); Director of Public Works (Mr. Rardin); Engineenng Supenntendent (Mr. Moore); City Engineer(Ms. Hagen); and City Clerk (Ms. Reichert). 1. Human Rights Commission Cassandra Boddy, Knsten Siegesmund and Knstie Redilius-Palmer, Human Rights Commission members, met with Council and staff to preent their long-term work plan for the commission. Mayor Jacobs asked about the proposed "Human Rights Audit" and what that would entail. Ms. Ridelius-Palmer stated that the audit would follow a format used in the City of Moorhead and that details of how the audit would be carned out were still being developed and that a plan would be presented to the council for approval prior to implementation Councilmembers expressed support for the project. Ms. Siegesmuch asked that council consider allocating a standard operating budget for activities of the commission. Mayor Jacobs said that he would support a budget for the commission but would need to see a clear plan before council could authorize, which is the process used for all facets of the city budget. Mr. Meyer suggested that the commission develop a budget with identified needs for council to consider at a future time. Mr. Ridelius-Palmer asked that council reconsider their policy of limiting appointments to boards and commissions to city residents. She felt that the commission needed input from the business sector and felt many persons who may be interested in participating in commission activities were not residents, but only worked in the community. Councilmember Santa asked if the commission had contacted the SLP Business Council and suggested that a connection could be developed to bring that viewpoint to the HRC decision- making process. She commented that voices at the table do not necessarily have to be members of the commission and that there may be other community connections the commission could make to seek appropriate input. HRC members shared several ideas for increasing awareness of human rights issues in the community. They have developed a theme, "human rights is an everyday thing" and hoped to increase awareness through the use of public art and possibly a"human nghtsmobile" that could travel to city events and neighborhood meetings. 2. Stormwater Utility Mr. Rardin distributed a table with corrected figures for council to consider and explained the status of various stormwater projects to be funded. Study Session Minutes -2- September 17, 2002 Councilmember Sanger suggested that the city may want to consider the addition of a "sunset clause" to the flood project assistance funds if future projects proved a financial liability Councilmember Latz felt that the city had made a commitment to the community to assist those projects that met the critena. He felt the program should remain in existance unchanged. Following discussion, it was the consensus of council to continue the program unchanged. Mr. Meyer stated that the city is also committed to keeping rates the same in the near future. Staff believed that the stormwater utility was adequately funded at current rates and that there was no need to increase the rates. Mr. Meyer also informed the council of legislative actions that may affect the city's ability to fund certain projects already planned and how that funding would affect the schedule for project completion. 3. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 9:35 p.m. CitiSt Clerk Mayer '