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MINUTES
COTTAGE GROVE CITY COUNCIL November 2, 2016
COUNCIL CHAMBER
12800 RAVINE PARKWAY SOUTH
REGULAR MEETING - 7:00 P.M.
1. CALL TO ORDER
The City Council of the City of Cottage Grove, Washington County, Minnesota, held a
regular meeting on November 2, 2016 at Cottage Grove City Hall, 12800 Ravine
Parkway. Mayor Bailey called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The audience, staff, and Mayor and City Council Members recited the Pledge of
Allegiance.
3. ROLL CALL
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: Charlene Stevens, City Administrator; Korine Land, City Attorney-
LeVander, Gillen & Miller, PA; Ryan Burfeind, Project Engineer; Joe Fischbach, HR
Manager/City Clerk; Jennifer Levitt, Community Development Director/City Engineer;
Robin Roland, Finance Director.
4. OPEN FORUM
Mayor Bailey asked if anyone in the audience wished to address the Council on any
item that was not on the agenda.
As no one wished to address the Council, Mayor Bailey closed the Open Forum.
5. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Motion by Council Member Olsen, second by Council Member Thiede, to adopt the
agenda. Motion carried: 5-0.
6. PRESENTATIONS — None.
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City Council Meeting Minutes
November 2, 2016
Page 2
7. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Approve the August 24, 2016 City Council Special Meeting Minutes.
B. Approve the October 5, 2016 City Council Meeting Minutes.
C. Receive and place on file the approved minutes of the August 22, 2016
Planning Commission meeting.
D. Adopt Resolution 2016-165 levying assessments for petitioned streets and
utilities construction for Summers Landing 1 st Addition.
E. Adopt Resolution 2016-166 levying assessments for offsite improvements
to Hadley Avenue and 95th Street pursuant to the Summers Landing
amended Development Agreement.
F. Pass Ordinance 971 repealing City Code Title 8, Chapter 2, regarding
individual sewage treatment systems effective December 31, 2016.
G. Approve the Cottage Grove Water Conservation Plan.
H. Adopt Resolution 2016-167 approving the feasibility report and
establishing a December 7, 2016 public improvement hearing date for the
65th Street, Geneva Avenue, and new Oltman Middle School
improvements.
Council Member Thiede wished to pull Items D and H for further discussion and/or
comment.
Council Member Thiede stated he was surprised that they were assessing for street
repairs, etc. over five years rather than putting the assessments in homeowners'
mortgages, thereby allowing the City to have the money right away. Finance Director
Robin Roland stated that the developer is responsible for the assessments that they're
covering regarding this agreement. They've already priced the assessments that we're
addressing in the price of the lots and the homes they're selling. Those amounts will be
certified to Washington County, and as the lots sell, the developer will be responsible for
paying the assessments up front, and the City will get the money. The only reason they
filled in five years and the interest rate is just in case the developer can't sell all of the
lots. As times goes on, the interest accrues and they have to pay more interest with the
special assessments, which covers the City's risk in building the infrastructure for them
and getting the costs back. They will collect those assessments as the lots are sold.
Mayor Bailey asked the Council Members if they could pull Item H for separate vote.
Motion by Council Member Olsen to approve the Consent Agenda, except for Item H,
second by Council Member Thiede.
A. Approve the August 24, 2016 City Council Special Meeting Minutes.
B. Approve the October 5, 2016 City Council Meeting Minutes.
C. Receive and place on file the approved minutes of the August 22, 2016
Planning Commission meeting.
City Council Meeting Minutes
November 2, 2016
Page 3
D. Adopt Resolution 2016-165 levying assessments for petitioned streets and
utilities construction for Summers Landing 1 st Addition.
E. Adopt Resolution 2016-166 levying assessments for offsite improvements
to Hadley Avenue and 95th Street pursuant to the Summers Landing
amended Development Agreement.
F. Pass Ordinance 971 repealing City Code Title 8, Chapter 2, regarding
individual sewage treatment systems effective December 31, 2016.
G. Approve the Cottage Grove Water Conservation Plan.
Motion carried: 5-0.
Council Member Thiede had questions on Item H, the 65th Street, Geneva Avenue, and
new Oltman Middle School improvements, regarding who's paying for what and when.
Engineer Levitt stated tonight they're looking to approve the feasibility report and call for
a public hearing on December 7. She stated on November 9 there would be a
neighborhood meeting where the City, County, and School District would be present to
talk about the proposed improvements. She provided a cost synopsis for the School
District, Cottage Grove, Newport, and St. Paul Park. City Administrator Charlene
Stevens stated Newport had agreed to participate in their share in the cost of Geneva
Avenue, and they're working with St. Paul Park to see if they will participate in their
section of the project. Mayor Bailey asked who plowed that road; Engineer Levitt stated
Cottage Grove plows Geneva Avenue to the south. They hope they'll be able to do a
Joint Powers Agreement with Newport and St. Paul Park for the future maintenance.
John Kooyman, 6749 Geneva Avenue, had some questions on the feasibility report. 1)
If St. Paul Park chooses not to participate in the Geneva Avenue improvement, would
the Cottage Grove residents still be assessed? The City was actively working with three
property owners on assessment waivers; he wondered which property owners those
were and what was being waived and why. 2) Parking is currently being proposed
along the east side of Geneva, between 66th and the south side of the school property;
in previous meetings, that item had been removed and the school parking lot to the
north was going to be used. Regarding parking on the east side of the road, he
suggested a different turnaround perhaps could be where St. Paul Park and Cottage
Grove meet, basically the end of the school property, and have people turn around
there. 3) City park: Mr. Kooyman stated Mr. Vogel from the School District is insistent
that this is not a City park; he indicated it would be owned by the School District with a
maintenance and use agreement with the City; he asked if that was also the City's
understanding. 4) He also spoke above the repaving of Geneva Avenue and felt that
wasn't necessary.
Richard Light, 9163-65th Street South, stated he got an assessment letter today for
$45,483.35 to replace the road in front of his house that's in perfect condition. Mayor
Bailey stated the School District did the referendum and they're the ones working
through this project; he would need to address this with the School District.
City Council Meeting Minutes
November 2, 2016
Page 4
City Administrator Stevens stated they could respond in writing to both Mr. Kooyman
and Mr. Light to give them some feedback on their concerns and questions.
Motion by Council Member Olsen to Adopt Resolution 2016-167, approving the
feasibility report and establishing a December 7, 2016 public improvement hearing date
for the 65th Street, Geneva Avenue, and new Oltman Middle School improvements,
second by Council Member Dennis. Motion carried: 5-0.
8. APPROVE DISBURSEMENTS
A. Approve payment of check numbers 198444 to 198658 in the amount of
$992,904.37 and EFT Payment of$87,634.38.
Motion to approve disbursements by Council Member Dennis, second by Council
Member Thiede. Motion carried: 5-0.
9. PUBLIC HEARINGS — None.
10. BID AWARDS — None.
11. REGULAR AGENDA— None.
12. COUNCIL COMMENTS AND REQUESTS
Council Member Dennis stated the official grand opening of The Eagles Bar and Grill at
River Oaks Golf Course will take place in approximately two weeks. It's a community-
owned business and they're pushing hard to encourage people to shop local and enjoy
having dinner there.
Council Member Dennis shared that Cottage Grove was named 2016's 46th Best Small
City in America in a study by WalletHub. They looked at housing costs, quality of the
school systems, number of restaurants per capita, and other measures. Cottage Grove
was measured against 1,268 different communities, whose population ranged from
20,000 to 100,000. He felt it was a reflection of the excellent work and management
done by the City Council and the City staff.
Council Member Peterson stated the next Fare For All for the month of November is on
November 10 at All Saints Lutheran Church; that's an opportunity for everybody to buy
frozen meat and fresh produce at bargain prices. It also helps support a nonprofit, the
Food Group, a warehouse that also helps supply food shelves. There will also be
Thanksgiving holiday packages available for $30.
Council Member Peterson stated the Harvest Wine Dinner fundraiser will be on
Wednesday, November 9, at River Oaks; it will be a fundraiser for the Stone Soup Thrift
City Council Meeting Minutes
November 2, 2016
Page 5
Shop in St. Paul Park. The tickets are $55 each and information is available on
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on Facebook. She hoped they'd have a good turnout.
Council Member Olsen stated that Tuesday, November 8, is election day. He wanted to
remind everyone that we live in an amazing country; he encouraged everyone to get
out and vote and reminded citizens that absentee voting is currently available. He
stated there were some awesome local candidates this year and many great choices
were available to the voters. He stated it was everyone's obligation to make certain
their voice was heard, and he asked everyone to please vote.
Mayor Bailey stated on November 11 there will be a Veterans' Day ceremony, open to
the public, held at Park High School at 10:00 a.m. He stated it's a great tribute and
encouraged everyone to attend, especially those who hadn't previously experienced it.
Mayor Bailey stated regarding "My Cottage Grove", on November 15, at 8:00 p.m.,
there will be a virtual community visioning forum via Facebook Live at 8:00 p.m. on the
City's Facebook page. He encouraged citizens to participate.
Mayor Bailey stated on Saturday, November 19, at the American Legion in St. Paul
Park, there will be a spaghetti dinner, a Holiday Train fundraiser for the Friends in Need
Food Shelf. A prize offered will be the ability to ride on the Holiday Train with Mayor
Bailey from Hastings to Cottage Grove.
Mayor Bailey stated "Hale to the Bird," a 5K fun walk and run, a fundraiser for the
Friends in Need Food Shelf, will take place on Thanksgiving Day morning at Hamlet
Park. The race starts at 9:00 a.m., and Mayor Bailey will be there to pardon the turkey.
On Sunday, November 20, Mayor Bailey and Cottage Grove Council Members will be
bagging groceries at Cub Foods. There will be a free will offering taken, and the
proceeds will go to the Friends in Need Food Shelf. He invited citizens to come have
some fun with the Council Members at Cub Foods.
13. WORKSHOPS — OPEN TO PUBLIC — None.
14. WORKSHOPS — CLOSED TO PUBLIC — None.
15. ADJOURNMENT
Motion by Council Member Thiede, second by Council Member Dennis, to adjourn the
meeting at 7:43 p.m. Motion carried: 5-0.
Minutes prepared by Judy Graf and reviewed by Joe Fischbach, HR Manager/City
Clerk.