City Council

HOPKINS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING PROCEEDINGS JULY 21, 2020 CALL TO ORDER Pursuant to due call and notice thereof a regular meeting of the Hopkins City Council was held on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 at 7 p. m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1010 1St Street South. Mayor Gadd called the meeting to order with Council Members Beck, Brausen, Halverson and Hunke attending. Others attending included City Manager Mornson, Assistant City Manager Lenz, City Attorney Riggs and Finance Director Bishop. Mayor Gadd provided information on the meeting format and other opening remarks. ADOPT AGENDA Mayor Gadd proposed adding another new business item for an Emergency Ordinance Relating to Face Covering Requirements within Specified Indoors Spaces with the City of Hopkins, Minnesota. Motion by Brausen. Second by Hunke. Motion to Adopt Agenda as modified. Ayes: AII. Nays: None. Motion carried. NEW BUSINESS 111. 1. Finance Update; Bishop Finance Director Bishop provided a presentation on the CARES Act including the guiding principles on eligible expenses and a plan for how Hopkins could utilize the funds. Mayor Gadd requested clarification on the use of the funds and how or when the audit occurs. Mr. Bishop stated that the threshold for an audit is $ 750, 000. Discussion ensued regarding the documentation that will be needed for the audit and other programs available. Mr. Bishop stated that if the City offers any additional programming further Council consideration will be required. Council Member Brausen questioned the next steps. Mr. Bishop stated that the funding will be discussed as part of budget and basis. City Manager Mornson on an as needed stated it was anticipated that the business loan program may be considered as soon as August 4. Mayor Gadd questioned the estimated categories that total more than what was allocated to Hopkins. Mr. Bishop stated staff is reviewing what is exactly eligible for the funding but we are not looking at spending more money than we are receiving. Assistant City Manager Lenz estimated that there will be over $ 1. 5 million but some of the items were in our budget normally so there will be shifting of funds to help with deficit.  HOPKINS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING PROCEEDINGS JULY 21, 2020 Council Member Hunke thanked the staff for working on ways to assist the local businesses. 111. 2. General Fund Budget and Tax Levy; Bishop Finance Director Bishop provided an overview of the 2021 General Fund Budget and Tax Levy. Mr. Bishop noted that an additional request of$ 150, 000 for the COVID- 19 Contingency. The funds could be transferred to any other fund due to the impacts of the pandemic. Council Member Beck questioned the past use of contingency funds. Mr. Bishop stated that in 2018 all of contingency was used but that none was used in 2019. Council Member Beck shared concerns about the increase in the budget given the financial impact to business and residents in the City. Council Member Hunke shared concerns about increasing contingency as well. The capital levy and equipment replacement are the huge increases for 2021 and given the hard times could we pump any purchases down the road. Mr. Bishop shared that staff will review the proposed expenditures. Assistant City Manager Lenz stated is a preliminary budget and levy and it is anticipated that more information about Covid- 19 related expenses will be known before the final budget. She added that there are too many unknowns at this time. Mayor Gadd commented that the revenue is significantly down on the charge for services and other fees due to Covid- 19. Council Member Halverson questioned the increase in equipment purchases. Mr. Bishop stated there was a tax levy plan for 2020 and 2021 for equipment purchases. Staff will review the equipment purchases. Council Member Brausen stated it will take additional discussion to work through the changes. He thanked staff for their extra work and noted that people will have the chance to weigh in on the proposed budget. Mayor Gadd requested that the budget presentation be posted to our website. Finance Director Bishop reviewed the next steps: Virtual Budget Engagement Meeting on 17 from 6 p. m. to 7: 30 p. m.; first review of ERP and CRP and the first review August of Depot, Arts Center & Pavilion budgets of August 18; and the Adoption of Preliminary Budget and Tax Levy on September 15. 111. 3. Emergency Ordinance Relating to Face Covering Requirements within Specified Indoors Spaces with the City of Hopkins, Minnesota; Mornson Mayor Gadd introduced the item by sharing his thoughts on the requirements of face coverings and invited City Manager Mornson to provide details on the proposed emergency ordinance. City Manager Mornson stated that City Council and staff have received comments since the July 14 meeting from businesses and residents requesting the City to implement a  HOPKINS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING PROCEEDINGS J U LY 21, 2020 facial covering policy.The emergency ordinance requires that facial coverings be worn indoors and places of public accommodations. Mr. Mornson summarized the details of the proposed emergency ordinance which will be posted on the City' s website, social media and press releases: customers inside bars and restaurants will be required to wear masks while not actively eating or drinking; customers inside gyms, fitness centers and sports facilities are required to wear masks at all times when customers are indoors and within six feet of others; customers in indoor entertainment facilities must wear a mask when not in their assigned seat or speaking to the audience; and masks will be required in indoor common spaces of multi- family residential, multi- tenant and city buildings. Mr. Mornson stated that include: exceptions Facilities operated by the county, state or federal government or a political subdivision of the state of Minnesota ( other than facilities operated by the city of Hopkins); Personal care services/ salons that already have state face covering requirements; Children five (5) years of age and under; Individuals actively eating or drinking.; Individuals temporarily removing the face covering for identification purposes; Individuals unable to wear a mask due to medical, disability or developmental reasons; Individuals unable to remove their face covering without assistance.; Individuals speaking to someone who is deaf or hard of hearing and requires the mouth to be visible to communicate effectively; Participants in youth sports activities; Places of worship, so long as these establishments have written COVID- 19 Preparedness Plans that are in compliance with State Guidelines; Public and private school facilities, so long as these establishments have written COVID- 19 Preparedness Plans that are in compliance with State Guidelines; Individuals, with approval of the public accommodation, speaking to a group of individuals, or testifying in front of an audience are not required to wear a mask while speaking, as long as the speaker remains six feet or more away from other individuals and other individuals are wearing masks.; Any public safety personnel actively engaged in an emergency response situation.; and Polling locations, no voter may be told to leave the premises for refusal to wear a mask. The City will be purchasing 500 masks with the CARES funds that will be available for residents to pick up at Resource West. The ordinance will go into effect on August 1 and the ordinance will be in effect for 61 days unless Governor Walz enacts an order that will take precedent over the City' s ordinance. City Attorney Riggs commented that ordinance is similar and consistent to what other cities have adopted. Mayor Gadd shared his concerns and conversations about enforcement and access to masks. He requested that staff work with businesses to get them signs for to post consistently throughout Hopkins. Council Member Hunke shared he was happy to see the ordinance. He requested that the website include information about the ordinance and easy to print items for businesses to use. He confirmed with staff that the ordinance could be extended beyond  HOPKINS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING PROCEEDINGS JULY 21, 2020 September if Governor Walz does not have an order in place. City Manager Mornson commented yes. Council Member Beck shared his concerns about the enforcement and requested that the ordinance should instead be a resolution. He felt it would be difficult for the police to enforce the ordinance and shared possible interactions businesses may have with customers. Council Member Halverson commented that people are wearing masks to protect the next person. Council Member Brausen questioned if the City will order more masks when the supply runs out. Assistant City Manager Lenz stated the City will order additional masks. Mayor Gadd shared the two virtual meeting comments submitted: Marti My partner, Bob Grider, and I would like the Council to discuss a mask Priest - mar date in the City of Hopkins. We are both in favor of this. We are aware that large nationwide businesses, such as Target and Walmart, are issuing their own mask orders for in- store shoppers. We also know that our neighbor city, Edina, has a mask mandate and Minneapolis has a mask mandate. If Hopkins Council chooses to enact a mask mandate, our city will show community support with a reasonable public health step to keep Hopkins residents and business owners safe. Bob and I are regular and loyal shoppers at the Hopkins Farmer' s Market, Amy' s Cupcakes, Samba Grocery, Ace Hardware and Pub 819. When we shop in these Hopkins businesses ( whom we love), we mask to keep vendors, staff and employees safe while we are with them. We would like all people in Hopkins to mask, too. Ellie Kretz - As cities around us continue to mandate masks when inside public places, can we in Hopkins do the same? This will help us in three ways 1) keeping business in Hopkins as I, along with others, are traveling out of the city to do shopping to ensure we are in a city that mandates masks, 2) alleviates retail workers from asking people to wear masks, and 3) most importantly, has been proven to reduce the risk of transmission. Mayor Gadd shared that the ordinances allows businesses to ask a person to wear a mask entering their establishment and share the City' s requirement to wear a mask or leave. Similar calls are received by the Police Department. Discussion ensued regarding mask enforcement, business enforcement and businesses that do not want enforce a mask ordinance. Mr. Beck stated the ordinance takes control away from the businesses. Mayor Gadd stated that the ordinance empowers businesses as well. He wants to do what is best for public health and Hopkins. Mr. Beck stated he supports wearing mask but prefers it be a resolution and not an ordinance. Council Members Brausen, Hunke and Halverson stated that it should be ordinance. Motion by Halverson. Second by Hunke.  HOPKINS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING PROCEEDINGS J U LY 21, 2020 Motion to Approve Ordinance 2020 - 1155 Making an Emergency Ordinance Relating to Face Covering Requirements within Specified Indoors Spaces with the City of Hopkins, Minnesota. Ayes: Brausen, Gadd, Halverson, Hunke Nays: Beck. Motion carried. ANNOUNCEMENTS The following announcements were shared: the next regular City Council meeting will be on Tuesday, August 4 at 7 p. m. City Manager Mornson provided commented on staff' s efforts working on the budget, COVID- 19 planning and HREI events. ADJOURNMENT There being no further information to come before the City Council and upon a motion by Brausen, second by Hunke, the meeting was unanimously adjourned at 8: 09 p. m. Respectfully Submitted, Amy Domeier, City Clerk ATTEST: son add, Mayor Amy Do eier, City Clerk