City Council Workshop

Blaine City Hall City of Blaine 10801 Town Sq Dr NE Blaine, MN 55449 Anoka County, Minnesota Minutes City Council Workshop Thursday, July 19, 2018 6:30 PM Cloverleaf Farm Room A SBM Fire Department Ladder 1 Display at 6:15 p.m. 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; Public Works Director Jon Haukaas; Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Brian Podany; Finance Director Joe Huss; Economic Development Coordinator Erik Thorvig; Public Services Manager/Assistant City Manager Bob Therres; City Attorney Patrick Sweeney; Senior Engineering Technician Jason Sundeen; Community Standards Director Bob Fiske; and City Clerk Catherine Sorensen. Present: 6 - Councilmember Hovland, Councilmember King, Councilmember Garvais, Councilmember Jeppson, Mayor Ryan, and Councilmember Swanson Absent: 1 - Councilmember Clark 3 New Business 3-1 REVIEW OF CITY HALL SPACE NEEDS STUDY Attachments: City Hall Space Needs Study PowerPoint Public Services Manager/Assistant City Manager Therres stated earlier this year the City Council authorized a space needs study to be done for City Hall and develop a plan for occupying the 3rd floor. 292 Design was selected to do this study. The City asked 292 Design to look at the space needs program in two-phases, short-range improvements and long-range improvements. The short-range improvements are improvements that can be implemented relatively quickly with City of Blaine Page 1 City Council Workshop Minutes July 19, 2018 few structural changes that will help the City maximize the efficiency of the existing space in City Hall. Mr. Therres commented the long-range improvements are the improvements that are needed to occupy the third floor and handle the long-range needs for City staff and space. Some of the highlights of the short-range improvements include filling in recessed atrium space near the Police Department and Parks and Recreation to get more office space, expanding evidence storage and moving the Roll-Call room in the Police Department, creating a fitness room from City/PD break room space and creating another large conference room right outside the City Council Chambers. The City Clerk's Office would move up to the second floor and Utility Billing would share space with Engineering. The long-range improvements include moving portions of the Police Department to the second floor, trading spaces between Engineering and Community Standards, and moving Finance and Administration up to the 3rd floor. It would also create stairs in the atrium that would access the third floor. Further discussion ensued regarding the City’s short and long-range improvements. Councilmember Jeppson questioned if a consultant was making the space needs recommendations or if this was being done by staff. Mr. Therres reported 292 Design has been assisting staff with the space usage at City Hall. He explained 292 Design was the original architect for the City Hall building. Councilmember Hovland asked how closely staff had analyzed the needs and wants at City Hall. He inquired if City Hall needed a workout gym space. Mr. Therres commented the recommendations before the Council were based on discussions that were held with all department heads, while also considering 292 Design expertise. He reported most Police Departments had a workout space for their officers. He indicated the breakroom was currently underutilized and could benefit the Police Department by being repurposed. He noted the proposed plans were concepts and could be redefined. Councilmember Garvais asked why staff was proposing to have separate Police and City Hall lunchrooms. He commented he supported the idea of a shared gym space. He recommended the lunchrooms be combined in order to allow for the gym space to be expanded. He also inquired if the training room was properly sized. Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Podany indicated a shared lunchroom may not serve both entities well. He stated the training room was necessary and would serve as an emergency operation center in the event of a catastrophe. For this reason, he recommended the space remain as is. Mayor Ryan questioned what the price tag was for the long-range improvements. Mr. Therres stated the long-range improvements would cost $3.2 million. He City of Blaine Page 2 City Council Workshop Minutes July 19, 2018 noted the short-range improvements would cost $720,000. Councilmember Jeppson questioned what the timeline was for these improvements. Mr. Therres reported the short-range improvements were being proposed to be completed now and the long-range improvements were still several years out. Councilmember Garvais questioned if the City should forego the short-range and jump to the long-range improvements. Councilmember Hovland stated this could save the City money in the long run by only having to bond once for the entire project. Finance Director Huss commented the City would save money doing the entire project all at once. Councilmember Swanson supported all of the work being done now versus waiting, especially given the low interest rates at this time. Councilmember King requested staff investigate how the City could fund the long-range improvements now and report back to the Council at a future worksession. Councilmember Jeppson stated she was more apt to support the long-range plans as this would provide the City with a space that was ready for the future. She commented she wanted this long-range space to be ready for the future in order to provide employees with open work spaces, etc. Councilmember Hovland explained he also supported going straight to the long-range improvements as it would provide the City with cost-savings and noted the space would eventually be filled. He agreed with Councilmember King and indicated the Council would benefit by seeing the numbers before moving forward with this matter. City Manager Arneson stated the City would be receiving a check from the hospital district at some point in the future and these funds could be set aside to assist with City Hall improvements. Council consensus was to direct staff to review how to finance the long-range improvements on the short-term and to report back at a future worksession meeting. 3-2 CODE ENFORCEMENT UPDATE Attachments: PowerPoint Community Standards Director Fiske provided the Council with an update on the City’s code enforcement activity. He reviewed the City’s current program and highlighted the changes that have been made since 2014. He explained the term City of Blaine Page 3 City Council Workshop Minutes July 19, 2018 “code enforcement” had been changed to neighborhood services. He indicated the majority of the City’s complaints are submitted anonymously. He stated it was his role to educate the public on the City’s Ordinances in order to bring properties into compliance. He provided further comment on the process followed for violations that occur in the City of Blaine, noting the number of inspections has increased dramatically in recent years. He reviewed photos of properties with violations and asked for questions or comments from the Council. Councilmember Garvais stated he was pleased that the number of inspections throughout the City was on the rise. Councilmember Swanson stated the reason he wanted this issue brought forward to the City Council was to address the difference between active and passive enforcement. He reported he wanted staff to be able to take action on visible code enforcement issues without receiving a verbal complaint from a resident. He commented further on a situation that occurred in the City where a mattress and box spring were in a driveway along a main thoroughfare in the City. He encouraged staff and Police Officers to submit complaints when they see violations to City Code. Further discussion ensued regarding code enforcement concerns in the City. Mayor Ryan and the entire City Council thanked Mr. Fiske for his dedicated service to the City addressing code enforcement issues in the City. Discussed. 3-3 2019 BUDGET UPDATE - INITIAL FINANCE REVIEW Attachments: 2019 Budget Update - PowerPoint Mr. Huss presented an overview of the 2019 General Fund Budget that incorporates initial departmental requests. At the budget workshop of June 14, staff presented Council with a quick overview of department head requests and confirmed the Council’s direction to begin 2019 budget planning under the assumption that the overall combined tax levy for the City and EDA will match that of the 2018 overall tax rate for the City and EDA. As of July 10, after preliminary Finance review, with allocation of the 2019 preliminary levy based on the most recent Anoka County valuation data, the General Fund Budget has a funding gap of just under $200,000. Mr. Huss explained the 2019 Preliminary Budget is currently under City Manager review. It is expected that the City Manager’s recommended 2019 General Fund Budget will be reviewed with Council at the August 9 Workshop. As part of the review process, the City Manager and staff will be reviewing division level City of Blaine Page 4 City Council Workshop Minutes July 19, 2018 responsibilities and identifying programs and activities that fall within the City’s budgetary guiding principles. Requests will also be considered relative to their fit in the City’s five-year budget model. Mayor Ryan and the City Council thanked Mr. Huss for his thorough update on the 2019 Budget. Discussed. 3-4 SECOND HAND GOODS DEALER LICENSE City Clerk Sorensen stated since the requestor had not been in contact with the City since their initial request regarding second hand goods dealer license that this item be removed from the agenda and brought back to a future worksession if requested. Postponed to future meeting. 3-5 REVIEW OF THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE ORDINANCE Attachments: ARTICLE IX LICENSING & REGULATION OF THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Podany stated at the December 2017 workshop staff reviewed additional changes to the therapeutic massage ordinance that has been discussed over the past several months. At this time staff is presenting a final draft for Council input prior to bringing it forward at a future Council meeting for formal consideration. It was noted the final ordinance amendment and dates of first and second readings will be forwarded to all license holders. Councilmember Jeppson asked how staff came about with the proposed cap of 10 licenses. Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Podany stated there was no geographical specifications but noted 10 would be easier for the City to regulate. Ms. Sorensen reported the City used to have no limit on the number of licenses which was amended in 2015 to restrict the number of licenses based on City population but now was being proposed to limit to a finite number instead. Councilmember Hovland stated he was concerned with setting a limit or cap on the number of businesses. He asked if chiropractors would be required to be licensed. Ms. Sorensen reported chiropractors and other medical uses are currently exempt from licensing. Mayor Ryan indicated he supported the City moving to 10 enterprise licenses. Councilmember Garvais agreed limiting the number of enterprise licenses to 10 made sense. City of Blaine Page 5 City Council Workshop Minutes July 19, 2018 Councilmember King questioned how the City would get down to 10 licenses. Ms. Sorensen stated the only way would be to address how businesses are sold and transferred in the City. Councilmember King commented he supported the City limiting to 10 enterprise licenses but wanted this to happen naturally or through attrition for new businesses while allowing existing businesses in good standing the ability to sell. Councilmember Jeppson agreed. Councilmember Hovland stated he was happy with the amendments that were being proposed within this Ordinance. Councilmember King commended staff on their efforts to amend this Ordinance in a manner that addressed the City Council’s concerns. Councilmember Garvais agreed. Council consensus was to direct staff to move forward with the Ordinance amendment and to notify current license holders of the Council’s upcoming consideration of this Ordinance. Other Business Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Podany provided the Council with an update on the recent loss of a Minnesota Corrections Officer who was killed in the line of duty. Councilmember Hovland suggested that temporary signs be allowed for longer periods of time for the purpose of “help wanted” signs that would allow banners, etc. Further discussion ensued regarding the City’s current sign policy and consensus of the Council was to maintain the current policy. Councilmember Garvais requested the Council consider implementing quarterly one-day retreats in order to better establish City and staff goals. Council consensus was to suggest potential dates in October for the first quarterly retreat. Discussed. ADJOURN The Workshop was adjourned at 8:24 p.m. City of Blaine Page 6