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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-07-15 MINUTES MINUTES COTTAGE GROVE CITY COUNCIL COUNCIL CHAMBER 12800 RAVINE PARKWAY JULY 15, 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; Jennifer Levitt, Community Development Director/City Engineer; Korine Land, City Attorney-LeVander, Gillen & Miller, PA; Joe Fischbach, HR Manager/City Clerk. Lisa Weldon, 8611 Ironwood Avenue South, addressed the Council regarding code enforcement issues at a vacant property located at 8583 Inwood Avenue. Mayor Bailey said City staff would look into the issue and help resolve it. 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 15, 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 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 15, 2015 Cottage Grove City Council Page 2 Also present were: Craig Woolery, Interim City Administrator; Korine Land, City Attorney- LeVander, Gillen & Miller, PA; Jennifer Levitt, Community Development Director/City Engineer; Joe Fischbach, HR Manager/City Clerk. 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 - None 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. July 1, 2015 Regular Meeting Mayor Bailey and members of the City Council approved the minutes as presented. 4. CONSENT CALENDAR Council Member Olsen pulled Item C to acknowledge donations to the City and thank all of the donors. Mayor Bailey pulled Item B to read the Night to Unite Proclamation. Council Member Dennis pulled Item D to acknowledge departing Economic Development Director Danette Parr and to discuss the proposed pay increases for the Interim City Administrator and Community Development Director/City Engineer for assuming additional workload. He suggested amending the request so that the Interim Administrator’s salary would be at 10% above his base salary (currently at 3% above base salary for Interim City Administrator duties), and the Community Development Director/City Engineer’s salary would be at 10% above her base salary. Council Member Thiede asked whether other individuals are carrying more responsibilities associated with these and other vacancies and if that should be looked at as well. Mayor Bailey replied that it could be revisited if they discover that’s the case. Motion by Council Member Olsen to approve the Consent Calendar with proposed changes to Item D; second by Council Member Thiede. A. Accept and Placed on File the Following Minutes: July 15, 2015 Cottage Grove City Council Page 3 i. Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes from May 13, 2015. B. Proclaim Night to Unite 2015. C. Adopt Resolution No. 2015-080 recognizing donations to the City from January 1 – June 30, 2015. D. Approved a 10% total pay increase above base salary for Interim City Administrator Woolery and a 10% increase above base salary for Community Development Director/City Engineer Levitt for taking on additional economic development duties, as amended by Council Member Dennis. Motion carried: 5-0. 5. RESPONSE TO PREVIOUSLY RAISED OPEN FORUM ISSUES – None. 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS – None. 7. BID AWARDS - None. 8. UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS A. Consider adopting the resolution denying the rental license at 8850 82nd Street South. City Attorney Land provided an overview of the rental license application for the single-family residence located at 8850 82nd Street South. She stated that after failing to address four property violations discovered during a rental property inspection, a notification of license denial had been sent to them, which the applicants appealed. The Administrative Law Judge who presided over the appeal upheld the compliance order and ruled that the violations were based on a correct interpretation of the code, and that the applicants had received proper and timely notifications. The Interim City Administrator agreed with the recommendation of the Administrative Law Judge and determined that failing to correct the violations warranted a denial of the rental license application. The action requested by the Council was to adopt a resolution memorializing the findings of fact and reasons for denial of the rental license application. City Attorney Land added that if the violations were corrected the applicants would have to submit a new rental license application in order to license the location as a rental property again. The applicants were not present at the hearing. The City Council discussed strengthening the code to better protect renters and ensure timely correction of violations. July 15, 2015 Cottage Grove City Council Page 4 Motion by Council Member Olsen, second by Council Member Peterson, to adopt Resolution No. 2015-081 memorializing the findings of fact and reasons for denial of the rental license application at 8850 82nd Street South. Motion carried: 5-0. 9. RESPONSE TO PREVIOUSLY RAISED COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REQUESTS – None. 10. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REQUESTS Council Member Dennis announced that Night to Unite will take place on August 4. Council Member Dennis thanked City staff for their work through many recent staff changes. Council Member Olsen asked about traffic light synchronization on East Point Douglas Road near Target and Cub Foods as those intersections tend to back up. Council Member Olsen requested that Council be provided with an Economic Development project updated. Council Member Olsen recognized City staff for an award-winning Green Step Cities process, which started in 2010, and is about the City becoming more environmentally conscious. Council Member Olsen said the public is invited to a Town Hall Meeting on July 30 hosted by Council Member Dennis and himself in the Council Chamber. Council Member Peterson reminded the public about the Farmers’ Market every Thursday at the United Church of Christ parking lot. Council Member Thiede asked if others were aware of the play, “The OzFather,” being performed at the City Hall amphitheater in July. Council Member Olsen replied that it was advertised on the Arts Commission’s “Art Beat” page. Mayor Bailey reminded the public about the Green Garden Award nominations for their gardening/landscaping efforts. Mayor Bailey announced that the Ravine Regional Park master plan open house will take place on July 28 at the Washington County Service Center. Mayor Bailey announced that at the end of the budget discussions this year there will be an all commission Town Hall Meeting regarding the budget on August 19. July 15, 2015 Cottage Grove City Council Page 5 Mayor Bailey thanked departing Economic Development Director Danette Parr and Code Enforcement Officer Emily Schmitz for their hard work with the City. Mayor Bailey gave a brief update on the City Administrator recruitment process. 11. PAY BILLS A. Motion by Council Member Thiede, second by Council Member Olsen, to approve payment of check numbers 191943 through 192154 in the amount of $506,732.45 and EFT Payment of $36,011.33. Motion carried: 5-0. 12. WORKSHOP SESSION – OPEN TO PUBLIC – None. 13. WORKSHOP SESSION – CLOSED TO PUBLIC – None. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Council Member Thiede, second by Council Member Dennis, to adjourn the regular meeting at 8:29 p.m. Motion carried: 5-0. Minutes prepared by Judy Graf and reviewed by Deputy City Clerk Neil Belscamper.