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, July 13, 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 6:30 p.m. 2 Roll Call Quorum Present. ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Clark Arneson; Planning and Community Development Director Bryan Schafer; Finance Director Joe Huss; Economic Development Coordinator Erik Thorvig; Public Services Manager/Assistant City Manager Bob Therres; City Engineer Jean Keely; City Attorney Patrick Sweeney; Communications Technician Roark Haver; Senior Engineering Technician Al Thorp; and City Clerk Catherine Sorensen. Present: 7 - Councilmember Hovland, Councilmember Clark, Councilmember King, Councilmember Garvais, Councilmember Jeppson, Mayor Ryan, and Councilmember Swanson 3 New Business 3-1 WS 17-43 UPDATE ON JUDICIAL DITCH NO. 1 MAINTENANCE AND STATUS OF CULVERTS EAST OF HASTINGS STREET Public Services Manager/Assistant City Manager Therres stated staff contacted Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD) to gain a better understanding of the maintenance schedule for Judicial Ditch No. 1 (JD1). RCWD cleaned JD1 south of 85th Avenue and west of Coral Sea Street in the City of Mounds View in the fall of 2016. A section was also cleaned north of 85th Avenue and west of Xylite Street in the summer of 2016. Staff has asked for a schedule for future maintenance of the system in the City of Blaine but has not received any additional information from RCWD. Public Services Manager/Assistant City Manager Therres reported the culverts east of Hastings Street and south of Highway 10 are part of the County Ditch 41 system. The ditch system through the large parcel east of Hastings Street is a private ditch system with a plastic 15” culvert under a trail. During the inspection, the culvert was clean and free of debris. The City of Blaine Page 1 City Council Workshop Minutes - Final July 13, 2017 property in which the culvert is located is owned by the Spring Lake Park School District (SLP). Staff has contacted the SLP School District to discuss the culvert on their property and was informed that SLP is in the process of selling the parcel. Public Services Manager/Assistant City Manager Therres explained the ditch system then flows to the north from this parcel under US Highway 10 towards County Ditch 41-1 and 41 (CD 41) through a series of wetlands and then into CD 41 in the airport property. Coon Creek Watershed District did not identify any major ditch maintenance concerns that would result in significant drainage benefit, but has scheduled to excavate excess channel vegetation within Ditch 41-1 this year. Further discussion ensued regarding JD1 and the work needed in this ditch in Mounds View. City Engineer Keely explained that after speaking with the watershed districts, they concurred that the heavy rains the City had last fall and this spring have led to an increase in the water table and localized flooding. Councilmember Hovland asked if the ditch within the school property would have to be cleaned after it was sold. City Manager Arneson stated this would be a requirement. Councilmember Clark recommended staff contact Mounds View to learn more about the maintenance that would be conducted on JD1 and for staff to report back to the City Council. Council consensus was to direct staff to work with Mounds View regarding the maintenance of their portion of JD1. Direction given to staff. 3-2 WS 17-44 LIMITS OF COUNCIL AUTHORITY AT WORKSHOP MEETINGS City Manager Arneson stated at a recent workshop, Councilmember Hovland had inquired about workshop procedures and if Council should be stating how they intend to vote on future items that will be coming before them. Our City Attorney and a Staff Attorney at the League of Minnesota Cities both concluded that if the meeting is open to the public and has been legally noticed, Council is free to discuss how they intend to vote on future items. All workshop meetings are noticed and open to the public according to State Statute. Councilmember Hovland and Councilmember Garvais thanked staff for providing the clarification. City of Blaine Page 2 City Council Workshop Minutes - Final July 13, 2017 Councilmember Clark believed it was within the Council’s discretion to provide staff direction within a workshop meeting. Discussed OTHER BUSINESS City Manager Arneson provided the Council with an update on the water damage on Hastings Street. He stated no progress was being made. The Council supported this project being completed as soon as possible and suggested the Council address this matter further at a future closed session meeting. Mayor Ryan stated he would like the Council to consider directing staff to gather cost estimates to consider the potential rehabilitation or replacement of the senior center. City Manager Arneson commented on the City’s Master Plan and explained staff could speak with a contractor regarding an estimate. Councilmember King said he did not support the City building a new senior center as this had already been voted down by the public. Councilmember Garvais and Councilmember Jeppson agreed. Mayor Ryan said the Council should consider some way to help the seniors as the City has replaced all of its parks which were used by families with children. He was of the opinion the seniors within the community deserved the same. Councilmember Clark stated he was inclined to go to a referendum for this issue. Councilmember Swanson said he anticipated the City would have to do some extensive review in order to understand how to proceed with any potential senior center rehabilitation. City Manager Arneson stated staff would report back to the Council with some preliminary information at a future meeting. Councilmember Hovland commented on the driveway apron corrections that were needed on Able Street and requested staff investigate this matter further. Public Services Manager/Assistant City Manager Therres stated it was his understanding the sidewalks would have to be removed in order to change the angle of the aprons. Councilmember Hovland said he was in favor of the Council reviewing the City Code in order to create an easement for maintenance purposes on both sides of a fence between property owners. Councilmember Clark requested an update from staff on the water system City of Blaine Page 3 City Council Workshop Minutes - Final July 13, 2017 improvements and on the Metropolitan Council housing requirements. Discussed. ADJOURN The Workshop was adjourned at 7:23 p.m. Adjourned City of Blaine Page 4