HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007/02/20 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study Session IISTILou%CTY OFFICIAL MINUTES
RK CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
February 20, 2007
The meeting convened at 6.30 p.m.
Councilmembers present: Mayor Jeff Jacobs, John Basill, Phil Finkelstein, Paul Omodt, Loran
Paprocki and Susan Sanger
Councilmembers absent: C Paul Carver
Staff present: City Manager(Mr. Harmening); Management Assistant (Ms. Honold)
Others present: Vic Moore, Rider Bennett
1. Transportation Discussion
City Manager Harmemng reviewed the staff report and resolution in support of transportation
funding. He also reported that AMM (Association of Metropolitan Municipalities) released
information regarding an effort for a 0.5% sales tax dedicated to transportation.
Councilmember Paprocki expressed concerned about the resolution going forward without
council discussion. Councilmember Finkelstein was glad it was pulled from the council meeting
as it is worthy of discussion. Council inquired of the weight such a document has on the
legislative level. Mr. Moore stated a resolution can be an effective tool.
Mayor Jacobs asked "Is it worth it?" "Does council support it?" Councilmember Sanger asked
if it would be detrimental to St. Louis Park if we did not sign on and our surrounding
communities did. Mr. Moore stated that 20 cities have signed resolution.
Mayor Jacobs asked what message does that send to the legislature and agreed that we must do
something more specific to Highway 100. However, he wouldn't want St Louis Park to be only
city not to sign. Believes we should have a run at sales tax, gas tax.
Councilmember Omodt would prefer sending a letter to a resolution to our legislators
Councilmember Basill concurred and feels they are ineffective Councilmember Basill wants to
be specific in how we handle these types of requests going forward and outside the Council's
scope or authority.
Councilmember Finkelstein believes there are good parts to the resolution and wants it modified
to include information about our situation. He states that Council should make residents aware
of what our needs are. Councilmember Finkelstein also believes we need to increase gas tax or
other get some other funding source. MVST is not enough to fund all necessary transportation
projects. It was discussed that MNDOT does not have enough money.
Councilmember Sanger wants language amendment to include specific information on Highway
100, Wooddale and 7 and the Southwest LRT. Councilmember Paprocki wants to make
language more generic— increase revenue source
Councilmember Finkelstein talked about including a sales tax by municipality, not gas tax.
Councilmember Sanger indicated we must get our residents involved on Highway 100, and City
Manager Harmening discussed a strategy meeting being held on Fnday, February 23. Council
Study Session Minutes -2- February 20, 2007
inquired if we need to look at PCA ruling to install noise barriers on Highway due to noise
violations that must be done by 2015 and indicated that Highway 100 is still on for 2014 in the
current 10-year plan even though MnDOT is proposing to extend the project past 2015 It was
agreed that Council and staff would talk further about transportation and communication needs
after Friday's meeting.
Mr. Moore discussed upcoming meeting with MNDOT and legislatures Councilmember Basill
wondered if our own engineers could look at bndges and publish that information re: viability
and let us know what shape they are in.
Staff will make modifications based on the Councils' requests and bnng to a future meeting.
2. Climate Protection Agreement
Mayor Jacobs discussed the Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement and asked
Council if they should direct staff to look at this further. City Manager Harmening believes the
agreement originated in Seattle and so far 200-300 cities (9 from Minnesota) have signed the
agreement nationwide. Councilmember Basill would like to follow the visioning process.
Council agreed to continue looking forward at issues referenced in the Climate Protection
Agreement that are part of the vision process and directed staff to research and return to Council
with more information on costs and implications of possible compliance with the Climate
Protection Agreement and the vision process. Council agreed not to move forward with the
Climate Protection Agreement at this time as they don't have enough information
The meeting ended at 7:15 p.m
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