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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.b. Minutes of the January 5, 2016 Special Work Session Meeting ProceedingsROSEMOUNT CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL WORK SESSION PROCEEDINGS JANUARY 5, 2016 CALL TO ORDER Pursuant to due call and notice thereof a regular work session of the Rosemount City Council was held on Tuesday, January 5, immediately following the Regular City Council meeting, in the Conference Room at City Hall, 2875 145th Street West, Rosemount. Mayor Droste called the meeting to order at 7:42 p.m. with Council Members DeBettignies, Nelson, Weisensel and Demuth attending. Staff present included City Administrator Johnson, Chief of Police Scott, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Wrase, Community Development Director Lindquist, Parks and Recreation Director Schultz, Finance Director May and City Clerk Hadler. Guests in attendance included Andy Brotzler and Greg Johnson of WSB. DISCUSSION 2.A. 1.5 Million Gallon Storage Tank Director of Public Works Wrase outlined the history of the 1.5 Million Gallon Reservoir cost estimates. The final estimates are significantly higher than the preliminary cost estimates were. The preliminary estimate was $4.138 million and the final is approximately $6 million. WSB has provided an alternative option, to allow a domed roof as an alternate to the bid. There is also the opportunity for sales tax rebates, which would help save money. Mr. Wrase stated that staff recommends moving forward with seeking bids on the alternate option in addition to the original bid specification for an underground tank. Council member Nelson inquired if this is going to be a visible domed roof. Staff explained the alternate design would be partially underground, so the domed roof would show above-ground. Council member Nelson inquired whether there would be a cost savings if the tank was built at the same time as the water treatment plant that is planned for 2019. Community Development Director Lindquist explained the storage tank was necessary to maintain growth. Mr. Wrase explained the need for the tank when Well 16 comes online to dilute that water with that of other wells. Council and staff discussed development patterns and the need for future facilities. Council member Weisensel inquired about the change in cost and how much of it was because of the tank being submerged. Greg Johnson, of WSB, stated it was about $750,000. He explained it was also the booster station, site constraints, and other factors. The original cost estimate was based on quotes from the tank manufacturer. Mayor Droste expressed concerns with the increase in costs and questioned what other increases might come up and what costs we have incurred so far. Mr. Greg Johnson stated that design fees to date should be approximately $125,000. Andy Brotzler, of WSB, gave an overview of the existing Comprehensive Water Plan, and the planned water treatment facilities in that. Mr. Greg Johnson explained the need for the tank to be lower than the water filters, so that the water may flow downhill. ROSEMOUNT CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL WORK SESSION PROCEEDINGS JANUARY 5, 2016 Council members generally agreed with bidding to include the alternate. Mr. Wrase explained the next steps. 2.B. STAR Communities Community Development Director Lindquist inquired whether Council would like to continue participating in the STAR Communities program. Staff spoke with department heads and developed a list of items to add to “routine business”. Staff is recommending incorporating certain STAR metrics into daily business, but not participating in the STAR program, in addition to doing the Comprehensive Plan update in the near future. The recommended items would hopefully raise the level of sustainability in the community. Council member Weisensel stated he feels this leads into some questions for the Comprehensive Guide Plan. He likes the program for marketing purposes. Council member Demuth stated she is concerned that some things would go by the wayside if we do not participate in the program. She inquired about the GreenSteps program. Mayor Droste discussed the importance of metrics to show how you’re managing an organization. Ms. Lindquist encouraged the Council to decide what priority they would like to give environmental/sustainability endeavors. Council member DeBettignies stated that the program isn’t very widely utilized nationwide and that we can utilize the metrics without participating in the program. 2.C. Resilient Communities Community Development Director Lindquist summarized the discussion. She stated there’s not much more that staff could move forward on, other than the Comprehensive Plan concepts and some Parks and Recreation and Economic Development items, unless the Council would like to see something in particular. Council member Weisensel asked about feedback given to the University on projects we’ve implemented. Parks and Recreation Director Schultz stated that the University has been gathering feedback from staff. Mayor Droste discussed other communities’ visioning processes, and issues around diversity and inclusivity. Council member Demuth discussed projects that recommended a sustainability staff person, or a sustainability commission. The commission could prioritize projects. Mayor Droste asked City Administrator Johnson to summarize the RCP projects. Mr. Johnson reiterated what Ms. Lindquist had stated and that the projects can be reviewed going forward. Mayor Droste inquired how the asset-based development project could be leveraged. Ms. Lindquist stated that the Port Authority would be heading up economic development items. She stated the process would be helpful in the future. Ms. Lindquist discussed proposed processes / work plans for the upcoming Comprehensive Plan processes and how certain areas are already covered under existing AUAR’s. ROSEMOUNT CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL WORK SESSION PROCEEDINGS JANUARY 5, 2016 2.d. Legislative Priorities City Administrator Johnson outlined the Legislative Priorities that were drafted and presented to Council. Staff and Council discussed various issues around each proposed legislative priority, including the railroads blocking street intersections, police body cameras, expansion of the Family Resource Center, and regulation of drones. UPDATES 3.A. CDA Application Update Community Development Director Lindquist updated the Council on the planned grant application. Staff plans to apply for a grant to update the Downtown Development Plan. She stated there may also be a need for a housing study. Council members discussed the demand for rental housing and were generally supportive of the grant application as recommended. 3.B. Ribbon Cutting Steeple Center / Activity Center Parks and Recreation Director Schultz proposed dates for the grand opening for the Activity Center. 3.C. Private Streets Community Development Director Lindquist updated the Council on a neighborhood that wants to turn over their street to the City. She outlined the process and the drawbacks of proceeding, including the difficulty in gathering the documentation for that many homes, as well as the private streets connecting to the proposed street. Ms. Lindquist stated that she was not in support of taking the street. Council member Demuth asked if the street met the criteria that the Council had discussed previously. Ms. Lindquist stated it does not. Council members stated that those criteria were not formally adopted. UPDATES Council member Demuth discussed conferences and meetings she will be attending. Mr. Wrase updated Council on the Safe Routes to School project. Council member Weisensel will not be at the Feb. 16th Council meeting. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the City Council and upon a motion by Droste, second by DeBettignies, the meeting was unanimously adjourned at 10:06 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Clarissa Hadler, City Clerk