City Council Workshop

Blaine City Hall City of Blaine 10801 Town Sq Dr NE Blaine, MN 55449 Anoka County, Minnesota Minutes - Final City Council Workshop Thursday, March 2, 2017 6:30 PM Cloverleaf Farm Room A NOTICE OF WORKSHOP MEETING 1 Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Mayor Ryan at 6:32 p.m. 2 Roll Call Quorum Present. ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Clark Arneson; Finance Director Joe Huss; Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Chris Olson; Police Captain Dan Szykulski;; Public Services Manager Bob Therres; City Engineer Jean Keely; Communications Technician Roark Haver; Senior Engineering Technician Al Thorp; and City Clerk Catherine Sorensen. Present: 5 - Councilmember King, Councilmember Garvais, Councilmember Jeppson, Mayor Ryan, and Councilmember Swanson Absent: 2 - Councilmember Hovland, and Councilmember Clark 3 New Business 3-1 WS 17-14 MANDATED AEDS IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES Safety Services Manager/Police Chief Olson stated in December 2016, a citizen appeared before the Council requesting that AEDs be mandated to be placed in all apartment complexes. Council requested staff to bring this matter to a workshop meeting to discuss the feasibility of the request. Staff has determined that there are 52 apartment complexes in the City of Blaine and if an AED was required to be on each floor of these complexes that would be total of 144 floors (AEDs). It was noted a single AED unit costs approximately $2,000. Staff reviewed the legality and liability questions raised by Council as it relates to the Good Samaritan Law. Safety Services Manager/Police Chief Olson explained the Blaine Police Department and the SBM Fire Department have been working to increase AED awareness and the training of bystanders in CPR. He reported emergency personnel were working to make the City of Blaine a Heart Safe Community. Additionally, all patrol vehicles and fire vehicles are equipped City of Blaine Page 1 City Council Workshop Minutes - Final March 2, 2017 with AEDs and police officers and firefighters are trained as Emergency Medical Responders, EMTs or Paramedics. Staff reviewed with Council the nature of this equipment, training and programs. The objective of this information is to make the Council aware that there are significant advances of AED awareness and placement making a mandatory AED ordinance possibly not necessary. In addition, staff was not aware of any community that had enforced an AED ordinance. Bob Nelson, 701 85th Avenue, stated AED’s have come down in price and were closer to $1,200 per unit. He commented on the Good Samaritan law amendment and said he believed landlords should not be held liable for having an AED unit. City Attorney Sweeney advised that if an AED unit were to work improperly or if an individual failed to use it correctly, a landlord could be held liable. Councilmember Jeppson understood a maintenance plan was also necessary for AED’s in order for them to be properly serviced for three years. Safety Services Manager/Police Chief Olson reported this was the case and noted the City had a three-year service plan for each of its AED units. In addition, the City had to make sure that it had the correct sized pads for each AED unit. Councilmember King asked if any senior living or apartment complexes in the City already had AED’s. Safety Services Manager/Police Chief Olson showed a map of all AED’s in the City and stated while he was uncertain, but it could be possible. Mr. Nelson said he did not see the presumed liability of having an AED in an apartment complex. Councilmember Garvais questioned the life expectancy of an AED if not properly maintained. Mr. Nelson stated the battery life was 10 years. Safety Services Manager/Police Chief Olson reported the City was replacing its AED units every seven years. Councilmember Garvais stated he had two concerns with a proposed AED ordinance that being the burden of the expense of the units and the liability it would place on the landlords. He explained he would rather have this issue addressed by the State rather than local government. Councilmember King asked if the City currently had any City Code that addressed AED’s. Safety Services Manager/Police Chief Olson stated the City had no language in place. Councilmember King questioned if the Council could support the City encouraging landlords to install AED’s but not making this a requirement. City of Blaine Page 2 City Council Workshop Minutes - Final March 2, 2017 Safety Services Manager/Police Chief Olson stated the City could make this recommendation. Mayor Ryan inquired if compressions were enough to keep oxygen flowing until emergency responders arrived. Safety Services Manager/Police Chief Olson reported this was the case. Council consensus was to request an opinion from the League of Minnesota Cities on this issue. Discussed 3-2 WS 17-15 WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT PLAN AND ORDINANCE UPDATE Police Captain Dan Szykulski stated at the December 15, 2016 City Council workshop staff presented information regarding the management of wildlife specifically deer in the City of Blaine. It was the DNR’s recommendation to have 15 to 20 deer per square mile in the City and staff recommended this number be reduced to 12. Additionally, there was discussion about creating an ordinance to minimize the feeding of wildlife. He reviewed a draft Ordinance and the Wildlife Management Plan, along with an ordinance to minimize wildlife feeding. Staff believed these Ordinances would be great tools to assist in educating the public. Councilmember King supported the recommendations made by staff. Mayor Ryan agreed and understood the City needed to address the deer population in Blaine. Discussed 3-3 17-0079 2017 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MAYORAL APPOINTMENTS Mayor Ryan reviewed the 2017 Board and Commission appointments, stating it was his opinion that the term lengths should be increased to eliminate the need for the Council to turn away so many qualified candidates. He recommended Daphne Ponds, Daniel York and Maisa Olson continue their service on the Planning Commission. He suggested Rex Markle, Prad Das and Tom Walsdorf be appointed to the Park Advisory Board. He stated Dottie McKinley, Sam Villella, Christopher Perkins, Mary Jo Truchon, Steve Theisen and Kirsten Genet would serve on the Natural Resource Conservation Board. Mayor Ryan recommended Harley Wells and Andy Westerberg serve on the Fire Board. He suggested Randi Erickson, Patrick Grengs, Maisa Olson, Lynda Riley and Mary Wells be appointed to the Special Board of Review. Mayor Ryan stated William Wilkes, Joanne C. Lero, Nellie Spexet, Martha City of Blaine Page 3 City Council Workshop Minutes - Final March 2, 2017 Caouette, Jerry Schilling, Patricia L. Sandin, Shirley Knoll, James D. Grant, Rebecca Sales, Douglas Kurpiers, Kathryn Helmke, Stephen Steiner, Abdul Basit, and Sue Ouellette serve on the Senior Advisory Council. He understood that several Coon Rapids residents served on the Senior Advisory Council and while he encouraged their continued involvement in this group, he recommended that in 2018 only Blaine residents be appointed to serve on this Board. Mayor Ryan requested feedback from the Council on who should be appointed to the Traffic Commission. He recommended that Todd Haas be appointed as Chair of the Traffic Commission. After much discussion, the Council recommended Todd Haas, Terry Wold, Kevin Chmielewski, Khuram Mahmdi, Loren Hill, Chad Maschke and Nick Skarich be appointed to the Traffic Commission. Councilmember Swanson questioned the term lengths for the Traffic Commission. City Clerk Sorensen explained the terms would be staggered between two and three years. She encouraged the Council to make that determination. Councilmember Swanson said he was comfortable with the Traffic Commission board members making this decision. Councilmember King questioned if the Council should further discuss the term length for Commission and Board appointments at a future meeting. The Council supported this item being placed on a future workshop agenda. Councilmember Jeppson asked if the City would maintain a list of individuals interested in serving on the City’s Commissions and Boards. City Clerk Sorensen reported staff would maintain this list for a year. The Council consensus was to announce the Board and Commission appointments at the Council meeting. Discussed Other Business Councilmember Swanson recommended that each Councilmember be prepared to discuss one item of concern at the Council retreat. Councilmember King agreed with this suggestion. City Manager Arneson stated last year he requested each Councilmember provide him with three areas of concern and these were then compiled collectively for the Council retreat. Mayor Ryan stated his main concern at this time was staffing. City of Blaine Page 4 City Council Workshop Minutes - Final March 2, 2017 Mayor Ryan discussed the traffic counts at 105th Avenue/Highway 65 and noted he would address this at the Council meeting under Communications. City Clerk Sorensen requested the Council postpone Item 10.2 on to the March 16th City Council meeting. Councilmember Jeppson questioned the status of the concert at the National Sports Center. City Manager Arneson explained this event was being postponed until 2018. Mayor Ryan noted trees were being removed on a lot along 117th Avenue south of Wal-Mart. He explained these trees were being removed to prep the lot for sale. City Manager Arneson reported the workshop meeting for March 9th would be canceled. ADJOURN The Workshop was adjourned at 7:20 p.m. Adjourned City of Blaine Page 5