HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-01-14 PACKET ALLMinnes
To: All Cottage Grove Advisory Commission Members
Mayor and City Council
From: Ryan R. Schroeder, City Administrator
Date: January 5, 2012
Subject: January 14, 2012 All Commission Meeting
For the past many years the City Council has attempted to meet with every Advisory
Commission once each year in an effort to maintain contact and to provide information on
topical issues. In March, 2011 the Council attempted a new format which was to bring all
members of the Advisory Commissions together in one team building event. With the belief
that the 2011 event was well received the Council is again requesting your time and advice on
January 14, 2012.
As was the case last year the event will be held at the City owned River Oaks Golf Course.
Doors will open at 8AM and we will plan on starting our conversation at 8:30 AM. River Oaks
will be providing continental style food and beverages. Our goal is to adjourn the event at
11AM.
The event agenda is attached. There will be presentations to provide information on current
and future construction projects and budget matters. Additionally, we will have an opportunity
to receive your ideas on proposed uses for the Thompson Grove Community Building (former
outdoor pool). We are also hoping to receive feedback on some proposed changes in our
marketing and communication initiatives.
We received great feedback last year and have moved toward implementation of several of the
ideas and suggestions that we received from those in attendance. We look forward to another
productive meeting on January 14, 2012!
To assist in our planning for the event please take the opportunity to confirm your expected
attendance. We ask that you do so by contacting Sandy Pinski at 458 -2843 or via email at
SPinski(c�cottage- cgrove.org Thank you for all that you do for the citizens of Cottage Grove
and thank you in advance for your attendance and participation on January 14.
RSVP: Sandy Pinski
458-2843
SPinski(a�cottage -c rove.org
PSCH Construction /Project Schedule
1. Excavation, footings, foundation
2. Utilities
3. Project Financing
4. Slab
5. Steel /Plank
6. Interior framing
7. Masonry
8. Electrical
9. HVAC
10. Drywall
11. Sdw /Ext lighting
12. Finishes
13. Landscape
14. Punchlist /Commissioning
15. FFE
16. Roofing
17. Final
Oct 11- Feb 2012
Oct - Nov 2011
Dec 2011
Mar 2012
Feb - Apr 2012
Mar - Jul 2012
Apr - Sep 2012
May - Jun 2012
May - Jun 2012
Jun 2012
Jun 2012
Jul - Aug 2012
Jul - Aug 2012
Aug - Oct 2012
Sep - Oct 2012
Sep - Oct 2012
Oct - Nov 2012
To view the construction via our on -site webcam, go to
http://oxbIue.co!m/pro/open/CottageGrove
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To: Mayor /Council and City Commissions
From Ryan R. Schroeder, City Administrator
Date: January 9, 2012
Subject: Update of Financial Metrics and Initiatives
Fiscal issues within Minnesota state and local government have been at the forefront of
media coverage for the past ten years as the state has struggled with structural
imbalances within its' own budget and operation. For decades prior, cities supported
the partnership between the state and local government as the partnership brought with
it a pass through of funds intended to moderate local property taxes. That relationship
and downward flow of funds has changed dramatically. In the case of Cottage Grove
we have moved from a reliance on state funds that at one point supported about 30% of
our budget to the current situation within which the City does not receive any non-
restricted state dollars into our general fund.
The City of Cottage Grove has aggressively sought out improvements in its fiscal
operations over this past decade to prepare for or react to threats to our financial
stability. It is as a result of many of these operating and policy adjustments that Cottage
Grove has been able to "motor on" through the "crises" of this decade of diminishing
resources to local government without significant taxpayer impacts.
Following are our top ten most Significant Initiatives:
1. In 2002 the Council amended its Fund Balance Policy to include specific
allocations and targets for those years within which revenues exceeded
expenditures (which to date has been every year since). This policy has
provided the mechanism for the City to create stable funding for future equipment
purchases (in earlier years the City often borrowed in order to acquire larger
trucks and fire apparatus). This policy has also resulted in the City setting aside
significant funds for debt retirement, pavement reconstruction, and building
rehabilitation and replacement.
2. The City has also had a practice in recent years of budgeting to create fund
reserves for future expenditures. Over the past decade this approach has
provided funds for future improvements in park playgrounds and shelters
(including, for instance, the Highland Park building reconstruction in 2011) and
landscape improvements at City Parks. The City has also specifically budgeted
for building replacement, future infrastructure, and for expected losses of state
transfer payments (such as a set aside in 2012 to be used in 2013). Between
these first two items we have experienced significant growth in cash position
which has further increased investment income in support of our general fund
beyond what had previously been available to stabilize property taxes.
3. The City takes an aggressive approach to management and retirement of Debt
Obligations. Included is that we generally structure our debt with a rapid payoff
schedule and early calls (ability to retire the entire debt obligation with cash).
The City also finances many obligations internally in order to limit and time entry
into the bond market.
4. The City has made significant improvements in its Capital Planning and
infrastructure replacement programs. With the assistance of our initial citizen led
pavement management task force which later morphed into the Infrastructure
management task force we now have a fifty (50) year schedule for future
infrastructure repair and replacement. Our five year Capital Improvement
Program allows staff to plan and engineer projects within the first two years of the
plan. Increased emphasis has also been placed on receiving third party funding
for all of our major infrastructure projects.
5. The City spent $334,000 on fuel for its fleet in 2011. Aggressive management of
fuel use is important to our operating bottom line. As important in this era of
rapidly fluctuating fuel prices is pricing stability. This is why four years ago the
City of Cottage Grove played an active role in creation of a public sector fuel
purchasing consortium which now has over 40 participating governments and
school districts. We believe our average savings from market pricing exceeds
$50,000 per year.
6. The City has long been a market leader in health insurance redesign to the
benefit of our bottom line and also to that of our staff. We were among the first to
enter the Health Reimbursement Account insurance option and we created the
HDHP Health Savings Account option in the first year that it was legally available.
Beginning in 2011 our sole medical plan option is the HDHP HSA with an
employer funded HRA on top followed by an (ER /EE) 80/20 plan to fund the first
$11,600 in medical liability before Medica has medical exposure risk. While this
plan amalgam creates additional risk for the City which we fully fund the result
was that our premium for 2011 was reduced to $566,196 from the 2010 premium
of $913,855.
7. The City has been aggressive in seeking partnerships with other
governments to increase efficiency in service delivery. Our more recent joint
powers and service agreements include (note, in many cases we are providing
services to others or managing the buying of services with others to gain pricing
enhancements, in other cases we are receiving services from other
governments):
Afton, City of: Street Seal coating
Century College: EMS and Post Training
Denmark Township: Building Inspections and Code Enforcement
Denmark Township: Street Seal coating
Grey Cloud Township: Ambulance services
ISD 833: Ice Arena and Recreation services
Inver Hills Community College: Paramedic Training
League of MN Cities: Property, Casualty and Work Comp Insurance
League of MN Cities: Storm water planning
Maplewood, City of: Hazmat Response Vehicle joint use
Metropolitan Airports Commission: Law Enforcement Personnel
Metropolitan Council: Transit District
Metropolitan Council: Sanitary Sewer Treatment
MN BCA: CJDN network access
MN High Speed Rail Commission: High Speed Rail Planning
Newport, City of: Building Inspections
Newport, City of: Street Seal coating
Red Rock Rail Coalition: Commuter Rail Planning
South Washington County Telecommunications Commission: Cable
administration
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South Washington Watershed District: Storm water management
St. Paul, City of: Traffic Signal maintenance
St. Paul Park, City of: Building Inspections
St. Paul Park, City of: Street Seal coating
Washington County: Individual Sewage System Inspections Services
Washington County: Property Assessment
Washington County: 800 MHz radio system management
Washington County: Public Safety Communications Center
Washington County: Public Safety Records management
Washington County HRA: Section 8 housing program management
Washington County HRA: multi - family recreation programming
Washington County Sheriff: Code Red Joint Powers Agreement
Woodbury, City of: Sustainability Specialist services
The City pays close attention to performance metrics within its self created peer
group of 35 metro suburbs between 20,000 and 60,000 in population. We track
how we compare in operating spending, debt, staffing and the like, which
surprisingly is not generally the norm for these other communities. What this
provides to us is an ability to quickly gauge our operations compared to the
market so that adjustments, if necessary, can be implemented.
About ten years ago the City created the Economic Development Trust Fund
which receives revenues from donations, land sales, and similar activities of the
Economic Development Authority. This Trust Fund has provided the City with
access to cash, when necessary, to provide the opportunity to assist business
development in the Business Park and redevelopment districts within the
community.
10. Beginning in 1997 the City Council set a course of tax base growth and
diversification. At that time we had the lowest tax capacity per capita of any of
the 35 cities to which we compare (dead last). In 1997 the City optioned 40
acres within the business park that provided the opportunity to compete for and
win the corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility for Renewal by
Andersen. This has been followed by 13 additional plant locations plus two
expansions. This was followed in 2000 by creation of the Gateway Development
District. The result of development efforts has been significant growth in our tax
capacity such that we now compare favorably to the mean tc /capita among our
peers.
The City also benefits by a stability within the community beyond that of many
peer cities throughout the state. For instance, some financial metrics that are of
interest are:
Metric
Cottage Grove
Unemployment (Nov /11)
4.8%
Poverty Rate (2010)
2.2%
Median HH Income (2010)
$87,547
Among Owners
$90,529
Among Renters
$43,641
Home ownership rate (2009) 91.0%
Minnesota United States
5.9%
9.0%
7.8%
12.3%
$60,402
$54,595
$69,890
$63,664
$33,190
$35,685
74.9%
66.9%
Note: unemployment source: economagic.com
Poverty and HH income source: areavibes.com
Ownership rate source: US Census Bureau
In an effort to receive feedback in relation to our community identity and
assist with determining our marketing message, we recently conducted an
online survey. We had nearly 220 participants answer seven questions,
one of which was the following:
If you could create a slogan for Cottage Grove, what would it be? (Example: Cottage
Grove... a great place to live, work, and play).
PLEASE CHECK OFF YOUR TOP 5 CHOICES OR ADD ANOTHER SUGGESTION:
Li Cottage Grove ... a community with values, opportunity and diversity.
Li Cottage Grove... NOT a bedroom community!
Li Cottage Grove... a place to grow.
Li "'Cottage Grove - on the Grow ".
Li Small town atmosphere, with big city amenities at your finger tips
Li Live quietly near the action
Li Cottage Grove ... where community spirit and opportunity meet.
Li Cottage Grove, its simple, its welcoming, its home!
Li A great community town.
Li CG - safe, friendly and growing with your family.
Li Cottage Grove, close to the metro, but far enough away to still be peaceful.
Li Cottage Grove ... a family city.
Li COTTAGE GROVE....... WELCOME HOME.
Li Cottage Grove ... A great place to live, work, and play.
Li Cottage Grove a place with great wildlife.
Li Cottage Grove.... Community Focused, Vision for the Future!
Li Close enough to the big cities yet far enough away.
Li Cottage Grove... a place where families call home.
Li Cottage Grove: Peaceful living for all generations.
Li Cottage Grove, the small/big town.
Li Cottage Grove, big town, tight community.
Li Industry, farm, homes, GREEN.
Li A community of pride.
Li Cottage Grove ... You're home!
Li Cottage Grove ... a place where diverse people come together in community.
Li Come visit and stay in Cottage Grove.
Li Home of the post it note
Li Groovin in the Grove.
Li Middle American living.
Li We welcome your business.
Li Open for business.
Li Let's do business.
Li Cottage Grove, a place to come home and relax after city stresses.
Li Cottage Grove... Great people, community and living!
Li Relaxing, enjoyable, and well looked after.
Li Cottage Grove - A Breath of Fresh Air.
Li Cottage Grove: Quietly the best.
Li Cottage Grove -Big enough to provide necessities, small enough to be personal.
Li Cottage Grove... home of the Cottage View Drive -In.
Li A place to call home with all the amenities within reach!
Li Cottage Grove - Why not call it home?
Li Cottage Grove .... where your family is home.
Li Cottage Grove - Just feels like home
Li Cottage Grove: a great place to get involved!!
Li Cottage Grove ... Where Families LIVE,WORK,and PLAY
Li Cottage Grove ... A great place to live!
Li "Simply nice"
Li Cottage Grove .... where the community is your family.
Li Close enough to where you want to go, but far enough away to enjoy tranquility.
Li Cottage Grove - Be a part of a bright future!
Li Cottage Grove - Best Kept Secret in Minnesota!"
Li Cottage Grove.... a place to grow your life, work and families.
Li Da Grove, why live anywhere else?
Li Cottage Grove..... everything you like in a big town, but with a small town feel.
Li The opportunity community.
Li Cottage Grove - the biggest small city in the Metro.
Li Get to know your Community.
Li Small town feel... with some big city amenities.
Li Cottage Grove ... the best things come in small packages.
Li Cottage Grove - you will never want to leave.
Li Come and join in the spirit of Cottage Grove.
Li Cottage Grove, a peaceful oasis in the South Metro.
Li Cottage Grove, come for the affordable living, stay for the neighbors!
Li "Cottage Grove a progressive community where neighbors know neighbors ".
Li Cottage Grove... its home!
Li Cottage Grove..... Great parks, trails and open space.
Li Cottage Grove - If you lived here you'd be home by now.
Li Cottage Grove -Where families know families!
Li "You are here."
Li Cottage Grove - come meet the people!
Li It's Great To Live Here.
Li Who needs to go anywhere else, all you need is in Cottage Grove.
Li Cottage Grove: An open community for everyone to enjoy and prosper.
Li Cottage Grove... pride through community and service.
Li Cottage Grove, a place to live.
Li Cottage Grove, a quiet community exploding with opportunity for family, business
and you!
Li Friendly people.
Li Cottage Grove... where you know you are HOME.
Li Small town soul, big city access.
Li Where small town soul meets big city opportunity.
Li Small town soul within reach.
Li More than just a great place to live.
Li Not as far as you think.
Li Close to everything.
Li Other...