City Council Workshop

Blaine City Hall City of Blaine 10801 Town Sq Dr NE Blaine MN 55449 Anoka County, Minnesota Minutes City Council Workshop While this is a public meeting where interested persons are welcome to attend, it is a work session for City Council and staff to discuss issues before them. It is not for the purpose of receiving public input. Monday, June 20, 2022 5:30 PM Cloverleaf Farm Room A NOTICE OF WORKSHOP MEETING 1 Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Mayor Sanders at 5:30PM. 2 Roll Call PRESENT: Mayor Tim Sanders, Councilmembers Wes Hovland, Julie Jeppson, Tom Newland, Richard Paul and Jess Robertson. ABSENT: Councilmember Chris Massoglia. Quorum Present. ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Michelle Wolfe; Senior Recreation Manager Jerome Krieger; Public Works Director Jon Haukaas; Police Chief/Safety Services Manager Brian Podany; Finance Director Joe Huss; City Engineer Dan Schluender; City Attorney Chris Nelson; Deputy Finance Director Allison Bong; and City Clerk Catherine Sorensen. Present: 5 - Councilmember Robertson, Councilmember Paul, Councilmember Hovland, Sanders, and Councilmember Jeppson Absent: 1 - Massoglia 3 New Business 3-1 Closed Session Pursuant to Minnesota Statute 13D.05, Subd. 3(b) to Discuss Threatened Litigation Regarding the Blaine and Lexington Water System Interconnections The Council met in closed session to discuss threatened litigation regarding the Blaine and Lexington water system interconnections. Discussed City of Blaine Page 1 City Council Workshop Minutes June 20, 2022 30 Minute Closed Session 3-2 Aquatore Bandshell Attachments: Original Bandshell Plan Budget 2022-06-20 26335 Concept Review_V2 - Reduced Senior Recreation Manager Krieger stated at the May 2, 2022, Council workshop meeting Council requested that staff and ISG look at reducing the square footage of the bandshell. Staff has been working with ISG Inc. and the Blaine Festival Committee on a preliminary revised design concept of the bandshell. The revised design plan has reduced the square footage by 1,500 square feet for the project. Along with the design of the bandshell, ISG is also working on the trails and park lighting within the park. Representatives from ISG will present a revised preliminary design of the bandshell, location, site work. The total project budget is $1,347,500, as approved by Council on January 19, 2022. Included in that total is $922,500 for design and construction of the bandshell and restrooms; $175,000 for lighting and $250,000 for trails and pavement improvement. Staff met with ISG and the Festival Committee to discuss interior products for the bandshell and ISG provided an update of the cost estimate for the project. As Council is aware, since the development and adoption of the budget, building material and other construction related costs have dramatically increased. Staff reviewed the revised plans and costs with the Council in further detail and requested direction on how to proceed. Finance Director Huss commented on the additional funds that could be allocated for this project. He reported the City would have park dedication funds coming in for several multi-family projects and the amounts would be higher than originally anticipated. He stated the scope of the building has been reduced, and the gap was now only $600,000. Councilmember Hovland asked if a separate funding source could be used for the work that was needed on the trails. Mr. Krieger explained the project would be funded through park dedication funds, the park development fund, along with the parks and trails account. Councilmember Robertson indicated she objected to the plans that were presented in May. She stated she wanted to make sure the objectives of the festival committee were being met through the bandshell which included storage, a staging area, and redoing the restrooms. She explained she liked the original design for the bandshell. She commented she did not want this project delayed and noted she could City of Blaine Page 2 City Council Workshop Minutes June 20, 2022 support the additional cost. However, she recommended the project move back to the original design. She asked if the storage space could be moved underground for cost saving purposes. Bob Mickelson, ISG, indicated this was looked into and stated it would be more cost efficient to have extra storage space as proposed, versus having underground storage. Councilmember Hovland questioned if this building needed to be heated. Mr. Krieger stated the City does not have any buildings that are heated in the winter except for the warming houses and MAYC. He indicated it was preferable to have this space heated, because it would open the space up for additional programs. Councilmember Hovland stated he did not see a reason to heat the bandshell space. Mr. Krieger stated additional preschool programing could operate out of the bandshell if the space were heated. Councilmember Newland questioned why the bandshell did not have a clamshell style roof for acoustic purposes. Bob Mickelson, ISG, explained the angled walls would help project sound, but noted anything was possible for the bandshell design. Steve Kane, Blaine festival committee member, commented he did not support the proposed bandshell design. He explained these plans defeat the whole purpose of the original intent. He stated the festival committee was not willing to put $500,000 to $700,000 into the proposed plans. He requested the City circle back to the original plans. Councilmember Jeppson stated something got lost from where this project began to where it is today. She supported the bandshell plans moving back to the original renderings. She asked if the bathrooms were removed from the bandshell and built in a separate building, would this reduce costs. She indicated this would allow the City to pay for the separate building that would house the restrooms. Bob Mickelson, ISG commented the City would then be paying more for siding and exterior finishes. In addition, there would be an additional cost for trails and sidewalks. He indicated the restrooms could be designed so they could be winterized. He commented further on the proposed plans but noted the plans could be scraped and redone if not meeting the Council and festival committee member’s needs. Councilmember Paul thanked the consultants from ISG for all their work on this project. He supported the scope of this project being narrowed in order to make it work. City of Blaine Page 3 City Council Workshop Minutes June 20, 2022 Mayor Sanders supported the bandshell moving back to the original renderings and that cost specs be provided to the Council. Council consensus was to direct staff to pursue costs for the original design of the bandshell for future consideration. 30 Minute Discussion 3-3 Traffic Commission Discussion and Review - Joint Workshop With The Traffic Commission and the City Council Attachments: 1 - Traffic Commission Ordinance 2 - Traffic Commision Organizational Meeting (Do's & Dont's) 3 - Traffic Commission Meeting History 2020-2021 4 - Traffic Commission - Traffic & Engineering item process City Engineer Schluender stated staff is seeking input from both the City Council and traffic commission on potential modifications to the purpose, objectives, and schedule of the traffic commission. Specifically, staff is looking for direction from the City Council and traffic commission on what the schedule for traffic commission meetings should be and what, if any, expanded role(s) traffic commission should have beyond the current role of reviewing neighborhood traffic concerns on local streets, define issues, review alternatives, look at costs, hold public hearings and make recommendations to the City Council. Mayor Sanders thanked the traffic commission members for attending this meeting. Councilmember Jeppson stated she did not believe the Council could set a schedule for the traffic commission given the fact situations can arise and would need to be discussed. Councilmember Newland commented on the lack of engagement and asked if people show up to speak at the traffic commission meetings. Traffic Commission Chair Todd Haas explained there has been some groups that have come in to address the concerns they have with speeding in their neighborhoods. He discussed how well staff worked to address concerns as well. Councilmember Hovland stated he appreciated the fact staff was addressing these concerns first prior to bringing the matters to the traffic commission. He indicated he wanted to see more collaborative work between staff and the board. Councilmember Jeppson commented the agendas for the traffic City of Blaine Page 4 City Council Workshop Minutes June 20, 2022 commission were dictated by the traffic complaints received by City staff. She explained no other commission works in this manner. She questioned if the traffic commission wanted to continue in this manner, or should other topics be coming before this group, such as TH65, 105th Avenue, and 109th Avenue. She supported bringing this group to the same level as the City’s other commissions. Chair Haas reported when the traffic commission was formed they were told they would be dealing with traffic complaints/concerns and would not be dealing with TH65 or any other county road. He anticipated there would be interest in discussing 105th Avenue and 109th Avenue. Councilmember Robertson indicated there would be city street issues or impacts from TH65 that should be discussed by the traffic commission. Traffic Commissioner Wifler stated he would support the traffic commission having agendas with more items to address than resident complaints. Traffic Commissioner Wifler explained he liked receiving updates from the Blaine Police Department at each meeting. Commissioner Jeppson thanked the commissioners for their feedback. Police Chief Podany stated some of the challenges have to do with City streets intersecting with county roads and TH65. He anticipated the arterial roadways were causing the most concern in the City. Councilmember Robertson supported the City reidentifying the role of the traffic commission, especially given the additional tools that were available to the Blaine Police Department. Mayor Sanders stated the commission could help the Council with addressing why some neighborhoods were having traffic concerns. He indicated he cared about results and he wanted Blaine to have the safest, most efficient roadways. He appreciated the goals that were presented and stated staff and the commission would now have to work on how to make this worth their time. He thanked staff and the police department for always being responsive to concerns that were raised regarding speeding. Councilmember Robertson proposed the traffic commission study the various traffic patterns for one quadrant of the City each quarter. She indicated this would help the City address problem areas in the community. Council gave direction to staff and commission on ways to better utilize the City of Blaine Page 5 City Council Workshop Minutes June 20, 2022 traffic commission through review of purpose/process and review/sharing of information. 60 Minute Discussion 4 Other Business None. ADJOURN The Workshop was adjourned at 7:31PM. Adjourned City of Blaine Page 6