Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018/11/19 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Regular,/�St. Louis Park Official minutes M I N N E S 0 T A City council meeting k%ypor�cnoc WFE in -iho Fark St. Louis Park, Minnesota November 19, 2018 1. Call to order Mayor Spano called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Councilmembers present: Mayor Jake Spano, Tim Brausen, Steve Hallfin, Rachel Harris, Anne Mavity, Thom Miller, and Margaret Rog. Councilmembers absent: None. Staff present: Deputy City Manager/Human Resources Director (Ms. Deno), City Attorney (Mr.. Mattick), Director of Community Development (Ms. Barton), Inspections Director (Mr. Hoffman), Operations and Recreation Director (Ms. Walsh), Chief Financial Officer (Mr. Simon), City Clerk (Ms. Kennedy), Elections Specialist (Mr. Stokka), Management Assistant (Ms. Carrillo Perez), Westwood Nature Center Manager (Mr. Oestreich), and Recording Secretary (Ms. Pappas). Guests: Boy Scout Troup #738, League of Women Voters members. 1a. Pledge of allegiance — led by Boy Scout Troup #738 1b. Roll call 2. Presentations - none 3. Approval of minutes - none 4. Approval of agenda and items on consent calendar 4a. Approve second reading and adopt Ordinance No. 2546-18 vacating drainage and utility easements for Lot 1, block 1, Louisiana Alignment, and to approve the ordinance summary for publication. 4b. Approve second reading and adopt Ordinance No. 2547-18 rezoning property located at 3115 Ottawa Ave S and 3100 Natchez Ave S from R-3 two-family residence to R-4 multiple -family residence zoning district, and to approve the ordinance summary for publication. 4c. Moved to 8e 4d. Adopt Resolution No. 18-184 approving the final plat of Louisiana Alignment Second Addition. (Requires four affirmative votes,) 4e. Moved to 8d 4f. Approve the 2019 Acceptable Materials and Exemptions list and Administrative Rules. 4g. Approve a joint powers mutual aid agreement which provides a process for units of government to share public works personnel and equipment with other agencies within the State of Minnesota. 4h. Adopt Resolution No. 18-186 calling for a public hearing on December 17th regarding host approval for the Yeshiva project at 4411 Minnetonka Blvd and City Council Meeting -2- November 19, 2018 3115 Ottawa Ave South to be financed with revenue bonds to be issued by the City of Medina. 4i. Planning commission meeting minutes of October 3, 2018. 4j. Planning commission meeting minutes of October 17, 2018. Councilmember Brausen and Councilmember Harris requested that Consent Calendar items 4c and 4e be removed and placed on the Regular Agenda as items 8e and 8d respectively. It was moved by Councilmember Hallfin, seconded by Councilmember Mavity, to approve the Agenda and items listed on the Consent Calendar as amended, and to move Consent Calendar item 4c and 4e to the Regular Agenda as items 8e and 8d respectively, and to waive reading of all resolutions and ordinances. The motion passed 7-0. 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. First reading of ordinance amending city code related to the rules of conduct for municipal elections. Ms. Kennedy and Mr. Stokka presented the staff report. She stated once a city makes a decision to switch voting methods, they are required to provide the rules that will govern the administration of municipal elections because State law does not currently address the rules for conducting a ranked -choice election. She added the city will continue to be required to follow state law, where applicable. She explained staff met with the council at four separate study sessions to discuss and develop the rules of conduct for municipal elections. The discussions covered a range of topics, including ballot format, number of rankings, tabulation of votes, write-ins, method of resolving ties, counting procedures, voting systems, testing, reporting results, post-election review, and recounts. Staff has incorporated the direction provided by council into the proposed ordinance. The second reading is scheduled for December 3, 2018, and if adopted the proposed ordinance would take effect on December 28, 2018. The rules in the ordinance would apply to the 2019 municipal election cycle for the offices of mayor and city council. Ms. Kennedy noted that the ordinance would not apply to elections for federal, state, county, or school district offices. She stated extensive public outreach and education would begin in early 2019 in preparation for the use of RCV in November, 2019. Mr. Stokka reviewed the key concepts of the ordinance. He stated in 2019 voters would be allowed to rank up to three (3) choices per municipal office on the ballot. He noted the ordinance provides the city with the flexibility to possibly expand the number of City Council Meeting -3- November 19, 2018 choices in the future, up to six (6), when technology becomes available that can support tabulation of that many choices. He explained the ballot in 2019 would be a three - column design, noting that one side of the ballot would contain municipal races for mayor and city council using the ranked -choice method while the other side of the ballot would contain the races for school board using the traditional voting method. He stated the ranked -choice method requires a candidate to reach an established threshold in order to be declared the winner of a race. In St. Louis Park the threshold will be calculated as 50%+1 of the total ballots cast for an office. He noted the only exception to this is if no candidate reaches the threshold and only two candidates remain, the candidate with the most votes will be declared the winner. Councilmember Rog asked staff for an example of a fun activity which will be available to the public related to RCV. Ms. Kennedy stated there will be several mock elections that voters can participate in, to help folks learn about RCV, how it works and when it will be used. Mayor Spano reiterated that RCV will not be used for school board elections, but only for city council elections. He added the city intentionally limited outreach and education on RCV prior to the mid-term elections, since it will not be utilized until November 2019 and the city wanted to avoid confusion about the voting method that would be used in the 2018 election cycle. Councilmember Brausen stated the first opportunity to use RCV will be for the mayoral and two at -large councilmember seats in 2019. He encouraged as many candidates as possible to run and also acknowledged the work that past councilmember Sue Sanger had done on implementing this policy. She was adamant that the use of RCV would expand the base of democracy, and add more choices for voters. Councilmember Mavity also shared appreciation for former councilmember Sue Sanger, and added that both Fair Vote MN and the League of Women Voters have done an excellent job in educating folks during this process — including the charter commission and city council. It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Mavity to approve first reading of an ordinance amending St. Louis Park City Code Chapter 10 related to the rules of conduct for municipal elections and to set the second reading for December 3, 2018. The motion passed 7-0. 8b. Bid tabulation: award bids for the Westwood Hills Nature Center project. Ms. Walsh gave the report. Councilmember Rog asked about the costs around other professional and associated construction costs and if other councilmembers might like to see these costs of $4 City Council Meeting -4- November 19, 2018 million broken out more. Ms. Walsh stated these costs can be provided in more detail if needed. Mayor Spano asked what percentage of the budget is contingency. Ms. Walsh stated 7%. Councilmember Brausen stated he is excited by the results of the bids tabulations and that there were 65 bidders on the open bid portion. He recognized the work by the Parks and Recreation group, the Environmental Sustainability Commission, and staff. Councilmember Brausen stated he does not take lightly the cost of this project, which commits residents in the community to pay $650,000 per year over the next 20 years in bond indebtedness. He added this is a big and bold commitment, and he has heard many of his constituents and others say this is a necessary and desirable community project and they are willing to take on the costs to build it. He thanked the citizens of St. Louis Park for giving him the opportunity to take this step and be a part of building this nature center. Councilmember Rog expressed her support for staff and all the consultants and the hard work done by all. She noted she has taken the position that this project is too costly and has not changed her position on that. Councilmember Rog noted she continues to have issues with the loss of access for students to use the nature center, stating that 65% that use the center currently are from districts outside of St. Louis Park, adding there is lack of equity across the district currently. She pointed out the burden of funding these field trips for students falls on the PTOs and she has trouble supporting the capital expenses for this project, when she knows kids go door-to-door to collect money for field trips. Councilmember Rog added buses and entry fees cost $40,000 per year for every student K-5 in St. Louis Park to visit the nature center two times. She noted she has shared this with her colleagues, and gotten general support for further research on this, and is also asking staff to look into this further. She also asked that this topic be a future study session agenda topic as well, as she wants to ensure this investment benefits the city's youngest citizens. She stated she will vote against this, adding this does not demonstrate her lack of support of staff or the consultant, or this wonderful program. Mayor Spano stated the Park and Recreation Advisory group and staff have done great work, and he will support this. He added this is an important step not just for St. Louis Park, but also regionally and pointed out the Jr. Naturalists who come from across the area to volunteer at the center. He stated for the city, given passage of climate action plan, and the fact that this is a net zero energy building, this will help the city reach its carbon neutrality goals for 2040 and renewable electricity by 2030. It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Mavity, to designate 15 different contractors as the lowest responsible bidders, as identified in the staff report, and authorize execution of contracts with those firms for the building at Westwood Hills Nature Center - Project No. 36190002. The total value of the contracts are $6,864,868.04; to reject bid category 682, Southern Yellow Pine glue -lam beams. The City Council Meeting -5- November 19, 2018 project was bid with two options. Staff is recommending awarding 681, Alaskan Yellow Cedar glue -lam beams, because of the natural decay resistance of the lumber. This lumber avoids the need to use chemical sealants to preserve the wood. The 6B1 bid category is included in Motion #1; to approve bid alternate 2B of the Westwood Hills Nature Center contract in the amount of $94,591 to upgrade the base bid frit pattern to Ornulux, a bird friendly glass that is visually appealing to humans and effective for birds; and, to approve SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) certified glue -laminated beams in the amount of $13,911. The motions passed 5-2. (Councilmembers Miller and Rog opposed) 8c. Bond reimbursement resolution for Westwood Hills Nature Center Project. Resolution No. 18-187. Mr. Simon presented the staff report. He stated this is a reimbursement resolution and follows past practice. It was moved by Councilmember Hollfin, seconded by Councilmember Brausen, to adopt Resolution No. 18-187, declaring the official intent of the City of St. Louis Park to reimburse certain expenditures from the proceeds of bonds to be issued by the city. The motion passed 5-2 (Councilmember Miller and Rog opposed.) 8d. Award of the 2019 Arts and Culture Grants. Resolution No. 18-188. Councilmember Harris stated she wanted to speak to the collaboration between St. Louis Park Friends of the Arts, St. Louis Park Community Foundation, Discover St. Louis Park and city staff for their efforts in building collaboration around the arts. She thanked them for their leadership in the community, noting the proposed projects will reach hundreds of people, and will make the community stronger. Councilmember Brausen stated a robust arts scene is essential to the city's fabric, and he would like to push for more money to fund the arts and encouraged thinking about increasing this amount to more than $20,000 per year. He added when the city uses TIF, it requires public art in the project as well, and pointed out the requirements for the nature center project will be to direct $50,000 in funds toward including arts in the project. Mayor Spano agreed there are more ways to include art in projects and stated this will be a discussion for a later time. It was moved by Councilmember Harris, seconded by Councilmember Brausen, to adopt Resolution No. 18-188, authorizing the award of the 2019 Arts and Culture Grants. The motion passed 7-0. City Council Meeting -6- November 19, 2018 Be. Bid tabulation: rehabilitation of water treatment plan #6, Zarthan Avenue — project no. 4019-5000. Councilmember Brausen stated this project is located in Ward 2 and is a nearly $1 million project. He noted the fine work done by staff in planning and procuring services under the capital plan. He added this particular water tank had a useful life for 20+ years, was regularly monitored and inspected, and is proposed to be refurbished in order to extend its life and allow the filtering of water to continue. He stated the bids were lower than cost estimates, and it is a testament to staff that they do a marvelous job in budgeting and forecasting, and making sure we stay on top of these things. He noted it is not the most visible thing done here at the city, but it does benefit the city greatly. It was moved by Councilmember Brausen, seconded by Councilmember Mavity, to designate Classic Protective Coatings the lowest responsible bidder and authorize execution of a contract with the contractor in the amount of $939,950 for water treatment plant #6 rehabilitation- Project No. 4019-5000. The motion passed 7-0. 9. Communications Councilmember Brausen stated he along with three other council members attended the National League of Cities Summit last week in Los Angeles. He noted they attended various workshops on budgeting, transportation, housing, environmental issues, taxation, citizen engagement, and racial equity. Councilmember Brausen said St. Louis Park was featured at the summit for their work on racial equity. He said this is an ongoingjourney, and he thanked the citizens of St. Louis Park for giving him and the other councilmembers the opportunity to broaden their knowledge, understand these issues, and meet with others from across the country on these topics. Ms. Deno noted that Small Business Saturday is Saturday, November 24, and encourages folks to support the city's small businesses. She also noted various Thanksgiving activities on the city website, adding that city offices are closed on Thursday and Friday. Mayor Spano wished all a Happy Thanksgiving, adding this is a special time to be with family and friends and give thanks. 10. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m. OA A Melissa <ennedy, City Clerk