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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022/08/15 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Regular Official minutes City council meeting St. Louis Park, Minnesota Aug. 15, 2022 1. Call to order Mayor Spano called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 1a. Pledge of allegiance 1b. Roll call Councilmembers present: Mayor Jake Spano, Tim Brausen, Sue Budd, Lynette Dumalag, Nadia Mohamed, and Margaret Rog Councilmembers absent: Larry Kraft Staff present: City Manager (Ms. Keller), City Attorney (Mr. Mattick), Engineering Director (Ms. Heiser) Guests: Stacy Kvilvang, Ehlers 2. Presentations 2a. Recognition of junior naturalists Mayor Spano noted there are 33 junior naturalist volunteers this year who are 7-12th graders. Ms. Fleck presented the youth, thanking them for their volunteerism, and noted this was the highest number of students who served for the first time at Westwood Nature Center. Each student was introduced and presented with a certificate of recognition. Councilmember Brausen thanked the students and noted there have been members of the council that began their service to the city as junior naturalists, adding this group are all fine example of service. 2b. Recognition of donations Mayor Spano noted the donations of up to $2,000 from the National Association of Web Professionals for travel expenses for IT Manager Jason Huber to attend the 2022 National Association of Web Professionals Conference in Little Rock, AR. 2c. Recognition of HR director Ali Timpone’s years of service Mayor Spano recognized Ms. Timpone’s 19 years of service with the city and wished her good luck in her new position with a new community. DocuSign Envelope ID: 956BF80A-A526-44B0-AE64-CA2EB311B056 City council meeting -2- Aug. 15, 2022 Ms. Timpone thanked the council and the HR staff, all of whom impacted her. She stated she is invested in the city and will always support St. Louis Park, noting she and her family are residents of the city. Councilmember Mohamed thanked Ms. Timpone for her work with the hiring of the city manager. Councilmember Rog also thanked Ms. Timpone for her service in the hiring of the city manager which demonstrated her care, thoughtfulness, and careful handling of the hiring process. Councilmember Budd also thanked Ms. Timpone for her welcom e to the council, her help, and guidance. Councilmember Dumalag thanked Ms. Timpone for her service and managing the process of hiring, especially in her work with hiring the new city manager. Ms. Keller added Ms. Timpone was the first person that greeted her during her hiring process and noted her can-do attitude, poise, and forward thinking, which has been a wonderful addition to the leadership team. Councilmember Brausen stated Ms. Timpone has had a tremendous impact on the city and thanked her for her service. Mayor Spano thanked Ms. Timpone for her work with the annual retreat every year. He noted this is a loss for the city and thanked her for her years of service. 3. Approval of minutes – none 4. Approval of agenda and items on consent calendar 4a. Adopt Resolution No. 22-117 approving an update to the employee personnel manual to recognize Juneteenth as a city paid holiday. 4b. Adopt Resolution No. 22-118 accepting work and authorizing final payment in the amount of $51,698.00, project no. 4021-5000, Park Glen Water Tower Rehabilitation, Contract No. 09-21 4c. Approve temporary on-sale intoxicating liquor license for Church of the Holy Family at 5925 West Lake Street on September 10, 2022. 4d. Adopt Resolution No. 22-119 authorizing the special assessment for the repair of the sewer service line at 3348 Sumter Avenue South, St. Louis Park, MN. P.I.D. 17-117-21-223-0071. 4e. Adopt Resolution No. 22-120 authorizing the special assessment for the repair of the sewer service line at 2905 Dakota Avenue South, St. Louis Park, MN. P.I.D. 09-117-21-3-0210. 4f. Adopt Resolution No. 22-121 authorizing the special assessment for the repair of the water service line at 1601 Virginia Avenue South, St. Louis Park, MN. P.I.D. 06-117-21-41-0015. DocuSign Envelope ID: 956BF80A-A526-44B0-AE64-CA2EB311B056 City council meeting -3- Aug. 15, 2022 4g. Adopt Resolution No. 22-122 accepting donation from the National Association of Government Web Professionals (NAGW) for expenses for Jason Huber to attend the 2022 NAGW conference. 4h. Adopt Resolution No. 22-123 approving a Collateral assignment of planning development contract with Beltline Residences, L.L.C. for the Beltline Residences multifamily housing development. 4i. Adopt Resolution No. 22-124 approving a Collateral Assignment of Tax Note and Redevelopment Agreement in connection with the Contract for Private Redevelopment with Beltline Residences, LLC for the Beltline Residences multifamily housing development. 4j. Adopt Resolution No. 22-125 approving labor agreement between the city and the patrol officers bargaining group, establishing terms and conditions of employment for three years, from 1/1/2022 – 12/31/2024. 4k. Adopt Resolution No. 22-126 approving Louisiana Avenue bridge funding agreement with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (city project no. 4018-1700). 4l. Accept human rights commission minutes of May 17, 2022. 4m. Accept human rights commission minutes of June 21, 2022. Councilmember Mohamed asked to make a comment regarding consent calendar item 4a. She noted the city is now recognizing Juneteenth as a paid holiday, which shows the city’s commitment to its black American neighbors. She stated everyone, as a city, will celebrate and pause for a day to reflect as a community. Mayor Spano commented on consent calendar item 4j regarding the labor agreement between the city and patrol officers. He stated contract negotiations can be challenging but noted Ms. Timpone had a hand in this work. It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Mohamed, to approve the agenda as presented and items listed on the consent calendar; and to waive reading of all resolutions and ordinances. The motion passed 6-0 (Councilmember Kraft absent). 5. Boards and commissions – none 6. Public hearings – none 7. Requests, petitions, and communications from the public – none 8. Resolutions, ordinances, motions and discussion items 8a. Adopt Resolution No. 22-127 awarding the sale of taxable general obligation (G.0.) housing improvement area bonds, Series 2022B. Ms. Kvilvang presented the staff report. DocuSign Envelope ID: 956BF80A-A526-44B0-AE64-CA2EB311B056 City council meeting -4- Aug. 15, 2022 Councilmember Rog asked how much was added to the percentage for homeowners and why this was done. Ms. Kvilvang stated 100 basis points are added and this is to have coverage on the bonds, to cover fees and deferrals of assessments. She noted that homeowners are typically aware of these fees. Councilmember Brausen noted it is good to hear the city does not profit from this and that residents benefit from the lower interest rate from the city’s AAA rating. He added he appreciates the work setting up this program where the city funds some deferred maintenance with homeowners’ associations, and they are undertaking responsibility to pay. He noted some had pre-paid their own costs, which was good news and it’s also good the city can fund this for repairs. Mayor Spano added as part of this agreement, the association was required to present a plan for ongoing maintenance, so they don’t fall into this situation again. It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Dumalag, to adopt Resolution No. 22-127, awarding the sale of taxable general obligation (G.0.) housing improvement area bonds, Series 2022B. The motion passed 6-0 (Councilmember Kraft absent). 8b. Authorize execution of a contract with PICA Corporation in the amount of $323,000 for their SeeSnake® technology to evaluate pipe wall thickness on watermain located under portions of Minnetonka Blvd, Cedar Lake Rd and Louisiana Ave. Ms. Heiser presented the staff report. Councilmember Budd asked about the details of the technology and access points. Ms. Heiser stated there is a flow within the pipe itself, adding an access point will be set up on the west and east sides of town and the pipe will be monitored watching for positive flow. Councilmember Budd noted the first water main incident in May that failed, the pipe had eroded and would this type of technology be able to detect issues within the pipe . Ms. Heiser stated yes. Councilmember Budd asked if this technology has been used elsewhere, especially since this will be the first time it’s used in Minnesota. Ms. Heiser stated the city has references from other areas of the country and all have noted success. Councilmember Budd asked if this is in addition to the lining. Ms. Heiser stated yes. Councilmember Rog asked why there has been no history of breaks in these pipes. Ms. Heiser stated cast iron pipes can last 100 years and watermains break randomly, whether older or newer, and can break under different conditions, including hot soils or pressure. She noted the city has a replacement plan for this in place. DocuSign Envelope ID: 956BF80A-A526-44B0-AE64-CA2EB311B056 City council meeting -5- Aug. 15, 2022 Councilmember Rog asked if the problem is not related to external conditions ; it seems like that should be addressed beneath the ground. Ms. Heiser stated with 160 miles of watermain, it’s hard to figure out if there is a problem beneath the ground without an inspection such as this. She noted pressure monitoring is also being looked at to monitor pipes. Councilmember Rog asked how the city will know if this technology works. Ms. Heiser stated success will be getting a report back showing some leaks, which will be repaired, and if it’s in the location it shows in the report, then it works. Councilmember Rog asked if it does not work, is there any guarantee. Ms. Heiser stated this technology is available and anything larger than an inch can be detected and within a foot of accuracy, so they make the guarantees they can. She added with the recommendations received from other states and organizations, the city is optimistic . Councilmember Rog asked if wall thickness loss is the primary or only cause. Ms. Heiser stated they are looking to understand the pipes themselves and detecting leaks, and wall thickness is one way to determine how long the pipe will last . She added they will also look at pressure monitoring and leak detection . Councilmember Rog clarified that going forward, when the city does a pavement management project, the proposal is to replace segments rather than the whole watermain based on what is seen, and that will be a cost savings. Ms. Heiser agreed. Councilmember Rog asked if there will be disruption to residents. Ms. Heiser stated yes there will be a short time the watermain will have to be out of service. She added there will also be two access points, so there will be some traffic control as well. Councilmember Brausen appreciated the information, and the fact staff is looking at these emerging technologies; however, he is not happy with the pricing as it’s significant with unanticipated budgetary pressures, but it is certainly warranted. He stated with the claims being paid related to the watermain break in May, anything that can be done to get out in front of this is helpful. He stated he is supportive of this. Mayor Spano added he is supportive of this also and likes the pilot approach. He stated one concern has been the issue of inspecting the inside of a pressurized contained system, adding he likes this technology as it is precise and specific. He added he appreciates this is happening in conjunction with the lining technology . He stated this technology is important to minimize cost, impact, and prevent more serious problems. Councilmember Dumalag added she sees this as a way to improve the city’s capital improvement plan. She stated if there is a way to forecast the budget going forward in a better way, she would like to see that integrated. Councilmember Budd asked how many miles are in the pilot area. Ms. Heiser stated there is 160 miles of total water main in the city, and 40 miles of that is 12-inch pipe. She noted the pilot inspection will look at 5 miles of 12-inch pipe. DocuSign Envelope ID: 956BF80A-A526-44B0-AE64-CA2EB311B056 City council meeting -6- Aug. 15, 2022 It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Budd, to approve authorization of execution of a contract with PICA Corporation in the amount of $323,000 for their SeeSnake® technology to evaluate pipe wall thickness on watermain located under portions of Minnetonka Boulevard, Cedar Lake Road and Louisiana Avenue. The motion passed 6-0 (Councilmember Kraft absent). 9. Communications Ms. Keller thanked everyone for voting last week as well as the election workers, noting the city had a high percentage of voter turnout compared to the state and Hennepin County. Ms. Keller stated Fishing with a Cop is next week from 10 – 2 p.m. at Wolfe Park and there is more information on the city website. Mayor Spano noted Ms. Keller has been city manager for one year now and the council appreciates the time and effort she has put in, adding her hiring was the right decision for the city. Councilmember Brausen noted the Turning the Page for Peace Art Walk at Wolfe Park which runs through the month of August, ended yesterday. Mayor Spano noted he was out of town during National Night Out and found out there were many cities that only had 6-10 events to attend, while St. Louis Park had 100s of events. He thanked all those involved in the city’s events, including residents, councilmembers, and police. 10. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 7:08 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Jake Spano, mayor DocuSign Envelope ID: 956BF80A-A526-44B0-AE64-CA2EB311B056