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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-02-13 MINUTES AGENDA COTTAGE GROVE CITY COUNCIL FEBRUARY 13, 2001 SPECIAL MEETING - 6:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER – Mayor ROLL CALL – City Clerk 1. COUNCIL GOAL SETTING SESSION 2. CLOSED WORKSHOP—UNION NEGOTIATIONS AND NON-REPRESENTED PAY PLAN 3. OTHER BUSINESS ADJOURNMENT f � SPECIAL MEETING COTTAGE GROVE CITY COUNCIL February 13, 2001 CALL TO ORDER The City Council of the City of Cottage Grove, Washington County, Minnesota, held a special meeting on Tuesday, February 13, 2001, at the Cottage Grove City Hall, 7516 80th Street South. Mayor Sandy Shiely called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Mayor Sandy Shiely Council Member Rod Hale Council Member Cheryl Kohls Council Member Pat Rice Council Member Jim Wolcott Also Present: Ryan Schroeder, City Administrator Mayor Shiely presided over the meeting. GOAL SETTING SESSION Mayor Shiely called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. She asked that Council members identify their one-year action plan goals and that her expectation is that Council would hold another meeting with the same purpose one year from now. She stated that her top priority goal was to attract a quality department store and quality restaurant to the community, and further, that we should use a grass-roots effort and other means available to us to ensure that that happens. She expressed some interest in pursuing redevelopment, and also expressed an interest in creation of a task force to work on the community center/athletic complex idea including representation from all sectors of the community. Councilmember Wolcott declared that his top priority was to use whatever means we had at our disposal to ensure that the Highway 61 reconstruction project moves forward and that perhaps we could discuss reopening the JAR Bridge with other agencies. He further expressed a high interest in tax base creation of all types, including commercial, industrial, high end housing and townhomes, which would include empty nester townhome development. Councilmember Hale agreed that Highway 61 is a top priority, followed by making an alignment choice for the proposed SWWD storm water project. He also expressed a desire to recreate the position of Park Director. He further stated a desire to create a task force to plan for the Highway 61 construction period congestion, which could deal with enhancements in transit, park and ride and other ideas. He also stated that Council should send a letter to School District 833 recommending the naming of the projected new school as Cottage Grove Elementary. � Special Meeting—February 13, 2001 Cottage Grove City Council � Page 2 Councilmember Rice stated that City parks needed updating. The buildings and fields have been neglected over the years causing a need to give them more attention at this time. He also has heard concerns that we need to provide more storage for Recreation programming materials, need to revisit proposed trail construction projects and need to ensure that park sprinkler systems are functioning properly. He also expressed a goal of creation of high-end housing and a continuation of development within the industrial park. Councilmember Kohls expressed that her top goal was to ensure that Cottage Grove is the location of choice for business development in future years and that staff provide a plan on how to get there (without subsidy). Also, Senior citizens are a priority of hers, including the areas of housing, nursing homes, housing campus developments and transportation. Further, she would be supportive of land grants in order to facilitate development in this area. The Council also discussed staff proposed redevelopment and planning districts including what were referred to as Keats Corner at Keats and Highway 61, Langdon Square at Jamaica and Highway 61, and two Gateway districts at 80th and Highway 61. Council expressed their greatest preference for the Gateway Districts delaying significant activity on the other two districts absent something causing that activity, such as a commuter rail station or large department store development. There was interest expressed in combining the two Gateway districts into one with direction that planning activities should be initiated on these. There were also expressions that planning should occur to ensure Council maintained a large amount of design and land use control, ensuring that the District was planned and built in an interconnected way. Motion by Rice, second by Kohls to close the meeting to discuss labor negotiations. The discussion occurred with direction to staff on bargaining positions. MOTION BY RICE, SECONDED BY KOHLS TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE THE SPECIAL MEETING. MOTION CARRIED. 5-0. CLOSED SESSION—UNION NEGOTIATIONS AND NON-REPRESENTED PAY PLAN MOTION BY WOLCOTT, SECOND BY KOHLS TO REOPEN THE SPECIAL MEETING. THE MAYOR ASKED THAT STAFF PROVIDE A COMPILATION OF THE WORKSHOP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE DISCUSSION OF THE APPARENT TOP GOALS OF COUNCIL. ADJOURNMENT MOTION BY WOLCOTT, SECOND BY RICE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 10:45 PM. Respectfully submitted, Ryan R. Schroeder City Administrator