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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-07-01 MINUTES MINUTES COTTAGE GROVE CITY COUNCIL COUNCIL CHAMBER 12800 RAVINE PARKWAY JULY 1, 2015 OPEN FORUM – 7:15 P.M. The following were present: Mayor Myron Bailey, Council Member Steve Dennis, Council Member Justin Olsen, Council Member Jen Peterson, Council Member Dave Thiede. Also present were: Craig Woolery, Interim City Administrator; Joe Fischbach, HR Manager/City Clerk; Korine Land, City Attorney-LeVander, Gillen & Miller, PA; Robin Roland, Finance Director; Les Burshten, Public Works Director; John McCool, Senior Planner; Ryan Burfeind, Project Engineer. Mayor Bailey asked if anyone in the audience wished to address the City Council on any topic not on the regular City Council agenda. As there were none, Mayor Bailey closed the Open Forum. REGULAR MEETING – 7:30 P.M. CALL TO ORDER – Mayor The City Council of the City of Cottage Grove, Washington County, Minnesota, held a regular meeting on July 1, 2015, at Cottage Grove City Hall, 12800 Ravine Parkway. Mayor Bailey called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The audience, staff, and the Mayor and City Council members recited the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL – City Clerk The following were present: Mayor Myron Bailey, Council Member Steve Dennis, Council Member Justin Olsen, Council Member Jen Peterson, Council Member Dave Thiede. CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE 12800 Ravine Parkway Cottage Grove, Minnesota 55016  www.cottage-grove.org 651-458-2800 Fax 651-458-2897 Equal Opportunity Employer  July 1, 2015 Cottage Grove City Council Page 2 Also present were: Craig Woolery, Interim City Administrator; Joe Fischbach, HR Manager/City Clerk; Korine Land, City Attorney-LeVander, Gillen & Miller, PA; Robin Roland, Finance Director; Les Burshten, Public Works Director; John McCool, Senior Planner; Ryan Burfeind, Project Engineer. Mayor Bailey presided over the meeting. 1. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Motion by Council Member Olsen, second by Council Member Thiede, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried 5-0. 2. PRESENTATIONS A. Eagle Scout Award-Aaron W. Jenkins, Troop 286. Mayor Bailey advised that Aaron was not present at that time, but if he arrived later on, they would present him with his Eagle Scout Award. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. June 17, 2015 Special Meeting B. June 17, 2015 Regular Meeting Mayor Bailey and members of the City Council approved the minutes as presented. 4. CONSENT CALENDAR Council Member Peterson asked to pull Item F regarding acceptance of a donation from the Cottage Grove VFW in the amount of $500 on behalf of the Cottage Grove Lions Club for the 4th of July fireworks and she thanked them for the donation. A. Accept and Place on File the Following Minutes: 1. Planning Commission Meeting Minutes from May 18, 2015. B. Approve replacement of Unit No. 70-1505-04 with a 3/4-ton pickup with a plow for the purchase price of $37,384.74. C. Adopt Resolution 2015-076 approving final payment in the amount of $5,000.00 to Hardrives, Inc. for the Hinton Avenue project. D. Approve Change Order No. 1 in the amount of $86,663.68 for the 2015 Pavement Management Project. July 1, 2015 Cottage Grove City Council Page 3 E. Adopt Resolution 2015-077 awarding the quote for the 2015 Sanitary and Storm Sewer Cleaning and Televising Project to Pipe Services Corporation in the amount of $62,090.10. F. Adopt Resolution 2015-078 accepting a donation of $500.00 from the Cottage Grove VFW on behalf of the Cottage Grove Lions for the 4th of July fireworks display and authorizing staff to send payment to the Cottage Grove Lions. Motion by Council Member Thiede, second by Council Member Dennis, to approve the Consent Calendar. Motion carried 5-0. 5. RESPONSE TO PREVIOUSLY RAISED OPEN FORUM ISSUES – None. 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. Hold the public hearing and consider authorizing issuance of a massage business license and massage therapist license to Holly Darling at 9042 Upper 81st Street South. City Clerk Joe Fischbach stated that Holly Darling had applied for a license to operate a massage business at her residence, 9042 Upper 81st Street South, and that Public Hearing Notices had been sent to properties within 500 feet of the location. A background check completed by the Police Department revealed no basis for denial of the licenses. Mayor Bailey opened the Public Hearing; as no one wished to speak, Mayor Bailey closed the Public Hearing. Motion by Council Member Olsen, second by Council Member Peterson, to approve issuance of the licenses. Motion carried 5-0. 7. BID AWARDS A. Consider adopting a resolution awarding the bid for the 2015 Trail and Parking Lot Seal Coating Project to Fahrner Asphalt Sealers, LLC, who submitted the lowest of four bids in the amount of $116,625.00, including Alternate 1. Project Engineer Burfeind outlined the project area and noted that Alternate 1 was for trails on the west side of Kingsborough Trail. Four bids were received with the lowest from Fahrner Asphalt Sealers and therefore the staff recommendation was to award the bid to Fahrner. July 1, 2015 Cottage Grove City Council Page 4 Council Member Olsen asked if the City had contracted with Fahrner previously. Project Engineer Burfiend replied that the City has worked with Fahrner before with good results. Motion by Council Member Dennis, second by Council Member Thiede, to adopt Resolution 2015-079 awarding the bid for the 2015 Trail and Parking Lot Seal Coating Project to Fahrner Asphalt Sealers, LLC in the amount of $116,625.00, including Alternate 1. Motion carried 5-0. 8. UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS – None. 9. RESPONSE TO PREVIOUSLY RAISED COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REQUESTS – None. 10. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REQUESTS Council Member Dennis announced that the Citizens’ Academy would be postponed until October as they didn’t have enough people to fill the roster. Council Member Dennis stated that Joanne Bixby had retired from the City after 41 years and he thanked her for her dedicated service. Council Member Dennis questioned why the City was purchasing concessions food for the Ice Arena from Sam’s Club in Woodbury and felt the municipality should lead by example by shopping locally. Director Roland replied that the City makes such purchases based on cost. Mayor Bailey said he’d prefer local purchases when there is that option and requested some cost comparisons. Council Member Dennis suggested looking at alternatives such as working with the school district to form a larger purchasing group in order to get better pricing. Council Member Olsen asked how other cities treat elected officials in regard to employee status, compensation and benefits. Mayor Bailey asked for a motion to direct research. Motion by Council Member Olsen, second by Council Member Dennis, to direct HR Manager Fischbach to research elected officials’ wages and benefits in other local communities and to report back to Council. Motion carried 5-0. City Attorney Land commented that communities take the position that elected public officials are not considered employees and therefore do not receive benefits, with the exception of cities where those positions are full-time jobs. Council Member Olsen thanked staff members for working with residents on landscaping concerns with the St. Rita’s Church expansion project. He also thanked Administrator Woolery for addressing a citizen concern at a rain garden site. July 1, 2015 Cottage Grove City Council Page 5 Council Member Olsen announced that LeafLine Labs and their partner in Eagan are now able to distribute their medicines and he credited staff making the building project go smoothly. Council Member Peterson stated that every Thursday the Farmers’ Market takes place at United Church of Christ. Council Member Peterson announced that the 4th of July fireworks will take place at Kingston Park and thanked the Cottage Grove Lions for their contribution to the event. Council Member Peterson said the next Fare For All discount grocery-buying opportunity will take place on July 9 at All Saints Lutheran Church. Council Member Peterson asked Administrator Woolery to speak about fireworks safety. Administrator Woolery outlined the types of banned fireworks and asked residents to use common sense and be respectful of neighbors. Council Member Thiede commented on the recent Strawberry Fest events and he and Mayor Bailey thanked all the volunteers and city staff involved. Mayor Bailey said Safety Camp is July 21 and 22 at Hamlet Park and that citizens can contact City Hall or the Recreation Department for more information. Mayor Bailey announced that Night to Unite will take place on August 4. 11. PAY BILLS A. Motion by Council Member Olsen, second by Council Member Thiede, to approve payment of check numbers 191699 through 191942 in the amount of $1,646,187.07 and EFT Payment of $152,427.03. Motion carried 5-0. 12. WORKSHOP SESSION – OPEN TO PUBLIC A. City Administrator Search Update. City Attorney Land updated Council on the search timeline. She indicated that after an initial screening process, applications and questionnaires would be presented to a subcommittee of the council in order to narrow the field of candidates rather than the Council as a whole because of open meeting law and data practices issues. The subcommittee would also decide on an interview process, select dates and conduct first-round interviews. She asked for appointees to the subcommittee, confirming that it could comprise of only two elected officials, but that a staff member could also be appointed and that she was also willing to sit on the subcommittee. July 1, 2015 Cottage Grove City Council Page 6 Council Member Thiede asked when the entire Council would be involved. Attorney Land replied that the subcommittee would do first-round interviews of five to seven applicants and recommend finalists to the Council. Once finalists had been selected for interviews, those names would become public and the Council would become fully engaged in the process. Attorney Land suggested it would be helpful to have the senior-most members of Council on the subcommittee. Council Member Dennis and Council Member Peterson removed themselves from the running for the subcommittee. Mayor Bailey suggested that he and Council Member Olsen, along with Administrator Woolery and Attorney Land, could make up the subcommittee. Council Member Olsen asked if the subcommittee should be an odd number just in case they got to a point where they needed a majority opinion. Attorney Land replied that she did not have to be a voting member. Mayor Bailey said once they got down to a couple finalists, he would like open houses for staff and the community to provide input. HR Manager Fischbach, Attorney Land, and Council Members discussed reviewing the questionnaire before it went out. HR Manager Fischbach asked whether Council wanted to pay travel expenses for out- of-town candidates. Council Member Olsen and Mayor Bailey replied that they would probably only consider that for finalists. Administrator Woolery asked whether the consultant would handle all the management assessments, personality profiles, criminal histories and backgrounds. Attorney Land confirmed that those are the consultant’s responsibilities. She said either the consultant or the City could respond to media requests once the finalists were made public. 13. WORKSHOP SESSION – CLOSED TO PUBLIC – None. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Council Member Olsen, second by Council Member Dennis, to adjourn the regular meeting at 8:42 p.m. Motion carried 5-0. Minutes prepared by Judy Graf and reviewed by Deputy City Clerk Neil Belscamper.