The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2023/07/17 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Regular Official minutes City council meeting St. Louis Park, Minnesota July 17, 2023 1. Call to order Mayor Spano called the meeting to order at 6:28 p.m. a. Pledge of allegiance b. Roll call Councilmembers present: Mayor Jake Spano, Tim Brausen, Sue Budd, Yolanda Farris, Nadia Mohamed, and Margaret Rog Councilmembers absent: Lynette Dumalag Staff present: Deputy city manager (Ms. Walsh), city attorney (Mr. Mattick), finance director (Ms. Cruver), community development director (Ms. Barton), public services superintendent (Ms. Fisher) Guests: None. 2. Approve agenda. The agenda was approved, as presented, by general consensus. 3. Presentations. a. Recognition of donations. Mayor Spano accepted donations on behalf of the council, and parks and recreation, for memorial trees to be planted in Wolfe Park: Parker Trostel who donated $300 in memory of Lorraine Bloomquist and Linda Bell who donated $250. b. Proclamation celebrating Aug. 5-6, 2023, as Slavic Experience Weekend. Mayor Spano read the proclamation into the record recognizing August 5-6, 2023 as Slavic Experience Weekend in the city. 4. Minutes. a. City council meeting minutes of May 15, 2023 b. City council study session minutes of May 15, 2023 c. Special city council meeting minutes of May 26, 2023 DocuSign Envelope ID: 2306E1E6-26D9-4FEC-BC47-AAA6BA4A752E City council meeting minutes -2- July 17, 2023 d. City council meeting minutes of June 5, 2023It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Rog, to approve the city council and study session meeting minutes of May 15, 2023, the special city council meeting minutes of May 26, 2023, and the city council meeting minutes of June 5, 2023, as presented. The motion passed 6-0 (Councilmember Dumalag absent). 5. Consent items. a. Approve city disbursements for period ending June 30, 2023. b. Resolution no. 23-083 to accept $89,000 in grant funding from the Hennepin County Municipal Broadband Expansion fund. c. Resolution no. 23-084 accepting donations to the parks and recreation department for memorial trees to be planted in Wolfe Park. d. Approve first reading of an ordinance approving amendments to chapter 36 of the city code pertaining to floodplain regulations and set second reading for August 7, 2023. e. Resolution no. 23-085 approving amendment to the redevelopment contract – Central Park West LLC (Ward 4). f. Approve a temporary on-sale intoxicating liquor license for the Church of the Holy Family’s event on September 9, 2023. It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Budd, to approve the consent items as listed and to waive reading of all resolutions. The motion passed 6-0 (Councilmember Dumalag absent). 6. Public hearings - none. 7. Regular business. a. Resolution approving the sale of real property at 1639 Utah Drive. Mr. Walther presented the staff report. Councilmember Brausen asked if the well located on the property had any purpose for keeping the pond full. Mr. Walther stated yes, the well was used by residents in the area to pump water into the pond when the water levels dropped. He added it is expected that the water level of the pond will change and drop over time and return to more of a natural state. It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Mohamed, to adopt Resolution no. 23-086, approving the sale of real property to the owner at 1639 Utah Drive. The motion passed 6-0 (Councilmember Dumalag absent). b. Resolution designating Waste Container Systems (WCS), LLC as the contractor for residential yard waste collection and authorizing the execution of a contract. Ms. Fisher presented the staff report. DocuSign Envelope ID: 2306E1E6-26D9-4FEC-BC47-AAA6BA4A752E City council meeting minutes -3- July 17, 2023 Councilmember Budd asked if this process is consistent with how the city has been managing yard waste, and if the hauler drops it at the site. Ms. Fisher confirmed that has been the process since 2014 so the hauler does not have to haul the waste offsite. She noted the compost will continue to go to the same site. Councilmember Rog thanked staff for their work. She stated moving people to every other week collection was discussed, especially during low usage months. She noted this was considered as a possible strategy to lower the vehicle miles traveled within the city and better align this service with the city’s climate action goals. She stated staff will look into this option further for consideration when the next contract is negotiated. Councilmember Rog shared that she was under the impression that council would get to review emissions reduction impacts of going to every other week collection during low utilization months, prior to providing final approval for this contract. She said she hopes this will be a consideration in the next contract. Mayor Spano asked if this contract coincides with the trash and recycling contracts or if this will be on a different timeline. Ms. Fisher stated all contracts will be on the same schedule and all services will start on Oct. 1. Councilmember Brausen agreed with Councilmember Rog’s comments and stated he is not in favor of yard waste collection at all, adding it is an unnecessary expenditure by the city and citizens to collect something that can be composted in people’s yards. He stated this might not be what everyone prefers to do, but it does have a significant climate impact. He stated while he will support this contract, he would like to review again in a couple of years as it relates to carbon emissions. Mayor Spano stated if the city approves this contract now, a subsequent review would be dependent on the hauler agreeing to review the contract before the 5-year term has expired. Councilmember Brausen stated he is not suggesting the contract be changed before the 5 years is up, but that the contractor reduce the level of service and the city continue to pay the same amount. It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Mohamed, to adopt Resolution no. 23-087 designating Waste Container Systems (WCS) LLC as the contractor for residential yard waste collection and authorizing the execution of a contract. The motion passed 6-0 (Councilmember Dumalag absent). 8. Communications and announcements. a. Minutes of April 12, 2023, Board of Zoning Appeals meeting DocuSign Envelope ID: 2306E1E6-26D9-4FEC-BC47-AAA6BA4A752E City council meeting minutes -4- July 17, 2023 b. Minutes of April 12, 2023, Planning Commission meeting c. Minutes of April 19, 2023, Planning Commission study session d. Minutes of May 3, 2023, Planning Commission meeting e. Minutes of May 17, 2023, Planning Commission study session f. Minutes of June 21, 2023, Planning Commission study session Ms. Walsh noted that watering restrictions are in place in the city due to drought conditions. No watering is allowed between the hours of 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. and odd-even watering days are being observed. Mayor Spano complimented his colleagues and Mayor Pro Tem Mohamed on their work while he was out the last few weeks. Mayor Spano also thanked the St. Louis Park police department for their work on a recent case with the Hopkins police department to successfully and peacefully negotiate with a person to surrender a weapon. 9. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 6:50 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Jake Spano, mayor DocuSign Envelope ID: 2306E1E6-26D9-4FEC-BC47-AAA6BA4A752E