City Council Workshop

Blaine City Hall City of Blaine 10801 Town Sq Dr NE Blaine MN 55449 Anoka County, Minnesota Minutes City Council Workshop Monday, November 18, 2019 6:00 PM Cloverleaf Farm Room A NOTICE OF WORKSHOP MEETING 1 Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Mayor Ryan at 6:00 p.m. 2 Roll Call Quorum Present. ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Michelle Wolfe; Community Development Director Erik Thorvig; Public Works Director Jon Haukaas; Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Brian Podany; Communications Director Ben Hayle; Finance Director Joe Huss; Budget Analyst Ward Brown; Public Services Manager/Assistant City Manager Bob Therres; Planning/Economic Development Technician Elizabeth Showalter; Recreation Manager Nate Monahan; Senior Center Director Shelley Johnson; Water Resources Manager Rebecca Haug; City Attorney Patrick Sweeney; City Engineer Dan Schluender; Senior Engineering Technician Jason Sundeen; and City Clerk Catherine Sorensen. Present: 7 - Councilmember Garvais, Councilmember Jeppson, Mayor Ryan, Councilmember Swanson, Councilmember Robertson, Councilmember Paul, and Councilmember Hovland 3 New Business 3-1 2020 PROPOSED CHARITABLE GAMBLING FUND BUDGET - LOCAL FOOD SHELVES Finance Director Huss stated at the November 4, 2019 workshop Council requested that representatives from the three local food shelves scheduled to receive charitable gambling funds make a presentation at a workshop. Representatives provided information on their organizations such as area serviced, pounds of food donated annually, and other pertinent information. Staff provided a presentation providing the Council with the opportunity to provide additional direction on the 2020 Charitable Gambling Fund budget before the budget is brought forward for formal adoption at an upcoming meeting. City of Blaine Page 1 City Council Workshop Minutes November 18, 2019 Pastor Al Goracke thanked the Council inviting him to attend tonight’s meeting. He reported he represents Hope for the Community which was a food shelf that operated out of Hope Church. He explained the food shelf started in 2010 as a response to the great recession and was a separate non-profit organization from the church. He commented on their three food shelf locations which include Blaine, Elko-New Market and Anoka Technical College and reported 28,000 families were served in 2018. He estimated the retail value of the food and the number of residents served in Blaine by this food shelf. Councilmember Jeppson asked if the need at the food shelf was increasing or if the outreach was expanding services. Pastor Goracke explained 15% of people struggle with food security issues, even in this strong economy. Councilmember Garvais asked if donations made in Blaine stayed in Blaine. Pastor Goracke reported this was the case then explained how every $2 donated provides 50 pounds of food due to economies of scale. Mayor Ryan thanked Pastor Goracke for all of his efforts on behalf of the community. Sue Rosendahl, Salvation Army representative, stated the Salvation Army began a food shelf at the Blaine Human Service Center just over a year ago. She discussed how this was a new experience for her and estimated 300 to 350 families are served each month. She reported many of the volunteers for her organization came from local churches then discussed the homeless outreach being conducted by the Salvation Army in coordination with the Blaine Police Department. Councilmember Hovland asked if there were certain times of the year when there was a greater need in the community. Ms. Rosendahl explained families with children had a greater need during the summer months when school was out and commented there was a growing need among the elderly or senior community as well. Bridget McPhillips, Centennial Community Food Shelf Director, explained their organization was a non-profit that served 240 families per month. She reported the food shelf was open on Mondays and Thursdays from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and explained how they ordered food from Second Harvest every two weeks. She discussed how the organization worked to keep costs low in order to provide as much food as possible for those in need. She stated her clients really appreciate being able to select items on a weekly basis. She commented 12 area churches support her food shelf and volunteer their time. Ron Koon, Centennial Community Food Shelf President, indicated while the number of families being served on a weekly basis was roughly the same, there was turnover. He explained no one was turned away from the Centennial Community City of Blaine Page 2 City Council Workshop Minutes November 18, 2019 Food Shelf then discussed the number of visitors to the food shelf that were from the City of Blaine. Mayor Ryan thanked the representatives for their efforts on behalf of the community. Julia Anderson, Centennial School District representative, stated in 2013 the school district began a program called Power Pack in collaboration with the Centennial Community Food Shelf. She reported this program provides food from Second Harvest for Centennial students to have on the weekends. She stated 290 packs were delivered on a weekly basis. She explained the school district has been very appreciative of this program. Councilmember Robertson supported the City allocating an additional $850 per organization given the need in the community and because the City had the ability to help. The Council supported this recommendation. Council consensus was to increase funding to the City’s three food shelf organizations by $850 and to provide additional funding in the future, if possible. 3-2 PROPOSED 2020 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT FUND BUDGET Attachments: 2020 Facilities Fund Budget Finance Director Huss stated in 2019, as part of the City’s efforts to stabilize its general levy and provide a mechanism for ensuring long-term funding of facilities improvements is in place, the City Council authorized the creation of an internal service fund to account for Facilities Management and established a 2019 Facilities Management Fund Budget. Internal service funds are used to account for the financing of goods and services provided by one department or activity to other departments or activities of the government on a cost reimbursement basis. The facilities managed under this fund include City Hall and attached garages, Public Works and the cold storage facility, the Police training facility and the Mary Ann Young Center. As activity in this fund was previously accounted for in the General Fund, Council authorized a transfer from the General Fund to the Facilities Fund to provide the new fund with a start-up balance of $250,000. This funding provided a contingency reserve for emergency or unforeseen repairs that might be needed before the fund has had sufficient time to build reserves. Mr. Huss stated operating expenditures in the 2020 Proposed Facilities Budget are up 4.75% with the most notable change from 2019 being the additional space to be maintained in the new Mary Ann Young Center. Internal fees have likewise increased, but, again, most of the increase is due to the increased space to be maintained at the MAY Center. Proposed capital spending totals $155,550 and City of Blaine Page 3 City Council Workshop Minutes November 18, 2019 includes $50,000 for additional video security at the Public Works building as well as $15,000 for masonry work at the Public Works cold storage facility. At City Hall there is $13,500 appropriated for exterior caulking work as well as $26,400 for scheduled replacement of HVAC components. Also, in the proposed budget is $50,000 for sealcoating the public and police parking lots at City Hall. Councilmember Hovland stated he would like to better understand if it would be in the City’s best interest to have a full-time position versus contractors to assist with facility operation. Mr. Huss estimated the City was spending less on a contractor than it would if the City were to hire a full-time employee to complete all of the tasks for a facilities manager but that staff continues to analyze that question. Councilmember Robertson requested further information regarding the custodian position. Mr. Huss discussed how the City’s custodial services were growing with the increased building size of the Mary Ann Young Center, Police Department and expansion of City Hall to the third floor. Councilmember Jeppson recommended that a portion of room rental fees be used to assist with covering the custodial fees. City Manager Wolfe commented on the wide array of tasks the City’s custodians were completing on a daily basis at City Hall. Councilmember Robertson recommended staff speak with Twin Cities Gateway to learn more about the market rates for room space in the north metro area. She asked when the Council would be further discussing room rates for the Mary Ann Young Center. Public Services Manager/Assistant City Manager Therres reported this issue would be coming before the Council in December. Councilmember Garvais requested further information regarding the maintenance work that would occur in 2020. Public Works Director Haukaas described the work that would be completed in 2020. Further discussion was held on funding for facilities through room rental fees and the Council requested comparison information as to the expense of having City positions versus contractors at an upcoming worksession. Informational: no action required 3-3 FAIR HOUSING POLICY Attachments: Attachments Community Development Director Thorvig stated the Metropolitan Council's Housing Policy Plan calls for local governments to adopt fair housing policies to be City of Blaine Page 4 City Council Workshop Minutes November 18, 2019 eligible to receive Livable Communities Act (LCA) funds. Additionally, all recipients of federal funds are required to certify that they will affirmatively further fair housing. The city previously utilized LCA funds for the Woodland Development through the tax base revitalization fund. Adopting a fair housing policy at this time will prepare the city for any future grant awards by certifying that it will affirmatively further fair housing. Mr. Thorvig explained the proposed policy was adapted from a model fair housing policy produced by the Metropolitan Council with assistance from the Housing Justice Center. Similar policies have been adopted by the cities of Coon Rapids and Shoreview. The purpose of the policy is to ensure fair housing issues brought to the attention of the city are responded to appropriately and that the city takes proactive action as necessary to remove barriers to fair housing and reduce potential for disparate impacts. It was noted the proposed policy recognizes that the city has a limited role in the implementation of the Fair Housing Act. Since the city has a rental licensing program, some tenants will contact the city with fair housing complaints. The policy outlines a process to document and respond to these complaints. The process relies on referrals to agencies that directly enforce the Fair Housing Act or that are experts in fair housing concerns and can provide advice and assistance in addressing fair housing issues. The city will also provide fair housing information in multiple forms to interested parties. Councilmember Robertson commented on the Metropolitan Council’s requirements on cities but said she understood the need for a fair housing policy. Mr. Thorvig noted the Council would be taking action on this item at the upcoming Regular meeting. Informational: no action required 3-4 2020 COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS Attachments: 2019 Council and Commissions 2019 Council Liaison Appts 2019 SBM Board of Directors Outline of Commission Structure and Terms - City Code Draft Council Policy - Board and Commission Appointments City Clerk Sorensen stated Council reviewed the 2020 Board/Commission and Council appointment process at the October 14 workshop, particularly in light of upcoming vacancies on the SBM Fire Board. After discussion, Council directed staff to bring forward language for review regarding possible term limits and a path for serving outside designated Council Wards in the event suitable candidates were not identified within a Ward; to allow time to review the annual Council appointments to organizations, especially in light of anticipated changes after the City of Blaine Page 5 City Council Workshop Minutes November 18, 2019 2020 election; and to bring forward for review Fire Board applications received to date for scheduling interviews. Staff commented further on the proposed language regarding term limits and requested feedback from the Council. Councilmember Swanson recommended the Fire Board applications have a question or statement reminding the member to keep in mind the importance of serving the needs of the City of Blaine. Action on this item was postponed to a future workshop meeting. Postponed OTHER BUSINESS None. ADJOURN The Workshop was adjourned at 7:27 p.m. Adjourned City of Blaine Page 6