HomeMy WebLinkAbout5.c. Solid Waste Projects � • •
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iTEM # 5 �
April 28, 1989
T0: Mayor Hoke
Councilmembers; Napper
�xborough
Walsh
Wi.ppermann
FR�Ms Steghan Ji1k, Administr�tor/Clerk
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RE: Pro�ect Coordination
Pursuant to our discuasion on Apri1 18, 1989, regarding pro�ects
such as the Dakata County Resource Rect�verp Pro,ject, USPCI
Containment facili.ty, Oxbaw Pawer and potential �ievelopment of
University of Minnesota lande I offer the fo114��ing
recammendations and ideas for your consideration and discussion.
I. CONC$PT
City staff, in $ome cases and for some pro��cts, can not provide
the expertise and the time, to offer atl that is necessary ta
rer�gond to such pro�ects as w� now find ourselves dealing with.
Xou have heard it said manp timea, and rou have indicated
pourse3ves m�ny times that ci�ies our size, with cvmpa.rable aized
staff 'verp rarelq find ourselves attempting to deal with one of a
leind pro�ects auch as the Resource Recovery Pro�eet, the t3SPCI
Containment facilitp and Oxbow Power. These pro�ects, even if
technieal exp�rtise is ana3lable, require an immense amaunt of
staff time.
This time involvement comes fram attendin� meetings with cauntp
staff, ' county boards, priva�e d�velopers, U of M of£icials and
many hours of discuseion among ataff as to preparation for city
counci]. meetin�s, addressing city posttie►ns and general
ramific�tians a£ pro�ec�s such as these. Especiallp when staff
does not carry the necessary expertise to address all iasues, as
thep cam� uP. do these pro�ects require even mare time to do
re�eareh, make cantacts, etc.
Pro�ects such as the Respurce Recovery Pro�ect requires, on a
regular base�, about 50� of a �u11 time staff person now.
ActuaZlp this 50� is split up among several peopl.e such as Dean
Johnson, �ayseZ� and others. We are not dedicating S0� of ane
individua2' s time. Some weeks thi.s pro�ect has requir�d as much
as 40+ hours of t4ta1 �taff t3r�e because of. the need tp address
specific issues sueh as �aeeting with �he �ounty Board,
pregaration for meeting:s, etc. Gcring back several years the
invalvem�nt bp r_ity council members and citp stafE on this issue
alone has been immense with no visibl.e retarn on it' s investment.
Tr�veiin$ to Europe, 4regon, Michig�n, and' attend3.ng canferences
here in Minnesota has drawn on staff and eouncil exce�siv�lp,
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Such issues as picking up on a lead from USPCI, for instance,
when thep were op�nly considerin� a ash pelletization plant here,
then following up for several weeks in meeting�, contacts, etc.
can' t be ov�rlooked and yet takes staf£ time - many times arith
nothing to show far it except more time spent.
Dealing with the Rural Water prv,�ect and mpetings with the U of M
regents, their staff and engineering eonsultants consumed, for
se�►eral months much of staff time along with e3ty cvuncii member
time.
The U of M cantinues to be a time cvnsumer, aside from issues
such as Resaurce Recovery, because af i.nvolvement with the U of M
_ advisary council, eubcommittees, the tenants on the U af hi '
propertp, etc. Again, a ma�or issue which canno� be 3gnored.
This list can $o on and on - Koch Refining, Oxbow Power, USPGI,
etc. Pro�ects and 3ssues wh3ch must be addre�sa�d - by staff
which 3s, at beat , sufficient in si�e ta handle tvpical suburb -
in - grvwth prob].ems. It ahould be ao simple to �ust hire
su£ficient staff to minima�lp address these issues. We must,
though, deal with reality and financial canstraints due to limita
on aur operating bud�ets.
We have, to everqone' s understanding, �dded several staff
positions in the tast three years - these posttiong simplp ta
address our populetion and housing growth. When comparing
Rosemount to other cit3es in our class, as shown in the state
auditors repQrt, we rank anly slightl.y higher �n fu11 time staff
per 1000 of populatien and pet we all acknowled$e the real
specisl issues" facing us. We not on�.y r�cknowledge these
"special. issues" but have decided we want to take an active part
in the decieions invo3ving these "sgecial issues" .
To become activelp and effecti,velp involved and became pro-active
ra�her than remain reactive ir� theae issues, staff must not onlp
exp�nd ta allow sufficient time i.nvotvement hut must acquire
technical expertiae to deal wi�h theee issues effect�.velp.
Because of the role aetively played bq citp staff and council in
the past we may find ourselves with some of the best edueated
people in the s�ate af Minnesota rega.rding pr�o3ects auch as
Resource Recovery. But as we a11 xeslize, more each day, the
stakes maq be high and the expertise to deal with these issues
effectivelp can' t be overplayed.
II. SFECZFIC ISSUSS
Gitp Cauncil and staff have discussed specifie pro�ecta and
ge,�eral coordinarion/development iseues invnlving these pra�ects,
We have discussed in the past the formation �f a Port Autharity,
and eleetric utility, extensive use of tax i.ncrement financic�g,
industrial parks and athers to �ake fult a�lvantage of some 4f
these pro�ee�s. .
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We have consensus that in some cases �re �ttap be able to "make �
silk pur�e ont of a svw' s ear" bp creating industrial development
from and around these pxo�ects.
We have alao indicated our need to be tlie catalyst to make this
h�ppen - if it ia gving to ha�pen. Na ane hsa the interest of
Rosemount more in mind than Citr Council and staff. We mus� make
it happen but dv it effeetivelq, creativ�lp and yet proCeeting
the cammunity.
All o� this takes t3.me, money and expertise.
III. RBCUMMSNDATIONS _
1. To deal with speeif3.c environmental and legal issues,
suthorize staff to procure pro�osals and quotes from
indivfduals and/or firms to provide experti.se tv citp staff
and city couneil, Individuals and/or firms which have
backgronnd in pro,�ect manageroent, contracts,
intergovernmental activities, waste management activities
and posei.bly facility siting issues.
Bt�cause of other pro�ects and issues in the Metro area, such
as the Resaurce Recoverp and USPCI, there are persoz�a
quali�3�d to provide this Cype of guidance.
Arrangements for payment by the haur (not to exceed a
certain amount) by retainer and hourly or a f�.xed contract
fee are all options which could be consictered. Staff would
obtain quotations for optional methads of payment.
2. To deal with L�conomic Develogment, put �ogether a "tesm" of
city staff to draft development proposals and to work with
the countp, the U of M, and other companies. Most, if not
all, of thE ideRs brought out in Joe Walsh' 4 mema, 1 hel3eve
have merit r�nd should be addxessed as these pro�eets unfold.
I believe we must th+�rou�hlq invegtigate the ideas of:
a. An electric utiX� ty
b. Industrial Park developme�it - near U of M and Grief
Brothers
c. HRA involvement
d. Por� Autt�oritp status
e. Ecanomic Dev�:lopment Authority (EDAj
f. Deuelop a financial assistance �ackage fpr
development incentives
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None of these are reallp new i�ieas for us. We hane, at one time
or another, discussed g11 vf these. They were the basis for the
Maqor' s pre�entatian to the county laet �a1I. They are part of
discussions surrounding the potential con�Gruction of �he
Resvurce Recovery pro,ject.
To act pro-actively we must be nble to cievelop a "game plan" £or
these types of pro�ects. We must deveiop an overal.l concept to
set direcCion for an economic development program.
We must somehaw foeus on the mexits of al.l possibil�.ties before
t�a and pet develop an overall policy on how involved we want to
be and haw creative we must be.
Having staff ti.me and resaurces to accomplish a pro�ram
development appro�ch wi11 be a eommit�nen� on your behalf. As in
the pa�t dealing with pro,�eets and programs like �he�e there are
no guarsnteed resultss. We w3,ll b� risking �3.�e and moneq with
only hope f4r positive resnita.
Tp accompZish �his €rom a s�affin� s�andpoint, I wauld sugg�st a
phased approach. First of aI1, t would su�gesfi: that most of thia
"team" is in place. I see the kep Players, as f�r as staff is
concerned, being mpself, Dean Johnson, Mike Wozniak and Tracie
Pechonick. That is HRA and Cvmmun3.tp Development, The
coordinatian of HRA and City wi11 be essential and depending on
the HRA involvement, �.t may be critical.
Expansian o� this team will require staf£ing in the area of one
additional person with a "background" in develogment pro�ects,
their £inancing, Ganstruction and manage�nent. Another map be an
addit�.onsl planning persan to �ssist Mike Woznisk so as to
alleviate mare of �ean' s involvement in the straight planning
ig�uss.
F'inallp, additional clerical staff of at least one person wi11 be
necessarp. This clerical ass3,stance wi.l,l. be shared between
Communitp Dev�lopm�nt and $eneral support. Aa these programs
develope, there wi7.1 be added work fvr both my department and `
Communitp Development. Additional clerieal help, bepond the
first posi�ion, may be best served bp administrative interns to
mp pos3tion to lighten my responaib3.lit:tes in attending cerCain
meetinga, dealing with reparts and researching pxa,�ects. Of
course, a3�. departments will be affected bp anq raa�or pro�ects as
they develop.
In addition to these staff pos3tions, addit3onal assistance from
1ega1 and f3nancial consultants wt1l. be necessary. Working with
a ].obbpist of our own and the League o£ Minziegota Citi.es wt11 be
necessary. We h�ve now in p1.�ce RQger Knutson for lega]. serv3.cea
an�d S�ringated Inc. for financia� $erv3ces. I would suggest that
there may come a time when altarnat�.ve financing services would
l�e su�;geeted because of speciali��Cion techn�.c��t�s ot� certain
isst�es. .
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Develdpment af this expanded team shouZd not take place
immedietelp or a11 at ance. At the present time, to init3ate
inve8tigation of these pr4�ects w3,1]. require a lot of Dean' s time
and my time. theae r�sponsib3liCies can be shared somewhat with
Tracie Pechonick but contacts with c��npanies such as Combustion
Engi.neering, USPCI, Oxbow Power, etc. shoul.d be maintained bp
Dean or I.
The 3.nitial steg, I be�.ieve is the hiring of one additi.onal
clerical, pos�tt3.an for the Cammunitq DeveZogment D��artment and
$eneral staff. Thi� will allow the freeing ug of time now b�:ing
spen� bp Tracie and Mike as they are doing clericai work and give
assiatance to I3�anna Quintus. Then Donna might give mare of dap
to da' assistence to Dean, Tracie and Mike �lso.
Tracie, Mike and Desn wi11 then be more available to begin to
dev�lop contacts, legislative efforts on PUr� Au�horitp, and
overall plannin� for pro�ect i.nvolvement. As these pro3ecta
unfold and develop add3.tional staff wil.1 be addre�ssed.
Funding for this posit:t.on and others need to be addressed. i can
suggest only that we will need to overru�i our i�uciget for l.9$9 for
thi.s €irs� pasit�.on. �his is not to say, based upon buil.ding
pro�ections that sufficient funds wi:tl not bA available from 1989
revenue but t�i.s extra position is not budgeted for and so wi�.1
be an overrun.
Additional cost:s map be incurred for some of£ice furnishings.
The location of this peraon's work area may be anather matter.
You have another report dealing with apacial needs and
recomm�ndations fnr investigation and determination o� those
needs includi.ng the expansian of City Hall.
�n th� interim we have investigated t}�e posstbilitp of moving
personnel into the pql3ce quiet room dc�wnstairs and remodeling
the ,�ail ce11s, which are not being used, into office s�res for
police to free up existing offices for a quiet room. This is
feasible and would work out well.
This is not to say we must re�aodel the poliee offices to h3re one
more person, but we must begin to digcuss that igsue in 3ight of
this staffing discussian and other future needs.
I would he pleased to discuss this entire mai:ter with qou prior
to and at Tueeday' s meetin�.
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