City Council Workshop

WORKSHOP OAKDALE CITY COUNCIL February 24, 2020 Attendance The City Council held a workshop on Monday, February 24, 2020, at Oakdale Municipal Building, 1584 Hadley Avenue North, Oakdale, Minnesota. The meeting began at 5 PM. Present: Mayor Paul Reinke Council Members: Jake Ingebrigtson Susan Olson Colleen Swedberg Kevin Zabel Also Present: Susan Barry, City Clerk Brian Bachmeier, Public Works Director/City Engineer Craig Dawson, Interim City Administrator Chelsea Petersen, Administrative Services Director Bill Sullivan, Chief of Police Joint Meeting with the Environmental Management Commission Also Present: Jen Hassebroek, Senior Community Development Specialist Keith Miller, Chair, Environmental Management Commissioner Karen Jackson, Environmental Management Commissioner EMC Chair Miller reviewed the commission’s priorities and work plans for 2020. In reviewing the proposed work plan relating to electric vehicles, Council Member Swedberg asked that staff confirm that the actions and descriptions match that which was discussed by City Council on January 14. Council Member Ingebrigtson inquired whether the noted zoning code update related to allowing backyard solar panel structures 20 feet off the ground, for which he expressed a concern. EMC Chair Miller explained that the code change referred to allowing rooftop mounted panels and that the commission would continue reviewing options for ground mounted panels. Senior Community Development Specialist Hassebroek added that staff was looking at adjusting the allowed size of ground-mount solar bases. In response to a question from Mayor Reinke, Senior Community Development Specialist Hassebroek noted that the electric vehicle ride-and-drive event was being considered to be part of the City’s annual Touch a Truck event. She added that staff has been in contact with an organization interested in offering the ride-and-drive. In response to a question from Council Member Zabel, Senior Community Development Specialist Hassebroek noted that she would contact Xcel Energy to request Oakdale customer participation data in Xcel’s energy rebate programs. Workshop February 24, 2020 Page Two In response to a question from Mayor Reinke, Senior Community Development Specialist Hassebroek noted that City serves as a conduit between Washington County and multi-family facilities to promote recycling and related programs. EMC Chair Miller provided a brief overview of the City’s new Adopt-a-Drain program and noted that there are over 200 storm water management areas in Oakdale. EMC Chair Miller provided a brief overview of the City’s next steps in the GreenStep Cities program that will focus on the bike and pedestrian plan. Mayor Reinke asked staff to consider having a designated bike parking area at City Hall. EMC Chair Miller commented on installing additional GreenStep Cities signs in the community; however, cities must cover the cost of the signs. Council Member Ingebrigtson noted that it would be nice to include the GreenStep logo on water towers. Senior Community Development Specialist Hassebroek announced that a student representative would be joining the Environmental Management Commission in March. Joint Meeting with the Economic Development Commission Also Present: Bill Burns, Economic Development Commissioner Linnea Graffunder-Bartels, Senior Community Development Specialist Dave Halper, Economic Development Commissioner Holly Koep, Economic Development Commissioner David Lewis, Economic Development Commissioner Gary Livingston, Economic Development Commissioner Scott Oechsner, Economic Development Commissioner Frank Orsello, Economic Development Commissioner Bob Stiglich, Economic Development Commissioner EDC Commissioner Halper asked what more the commission could be doing for the City. Mayor Reinke thanked the EDC members for meeting with prospective businesses and on the business visitation program. EDC Commissioner Burns supported increasing the number of businesses that are visited. Mayor Reinke provided an overview of the City’s local sales tax being proposed to fund the police department expansion and new public works facility. EDC Commissioner Orsello noted that the Oakdale Area Chamber of Commerce is supportive of the tax. EDC Commissioner Burns indicted that the commission may have been able to offer additional options for financing the projects. Workshop February 24, 2020 Page Three EDC Commissioner Halper agreed that the EDC would have liked to have been involved in the process. Mayor Reinke spoke about the crucial timeline for getting the proposed bill to the Legislature. EDC Commissioner Orsello asked that the commission be involved in the Willowbrooke project. EDC Commissioner Burns suggested that the commission could focus on developing a plan for the remainder of the Oakdale Marketplace commercial area south of Willowbrooke. He suggested having the EDC work with the Oakdale Area Chamber of Commerce on developing a plan. EDC Commissioner Livingston inquired whether the increased property taxes from the Willowbrooke project would offset the need for additional City services and staff. Mayor Reinke noted that Administrative Services Director Petersen would be developing a 10-year financial plan for the City that would address this. Interim City Administrator Dawson added that plan projections would identify tax revenue and expenditures and help determine whether tax levy adjustments might be needed. In response to a question from EDC Commissioner Livingston, Mayor Reinke noted that the Slumberland headquarters is based in the former Imation building and that additional development to the north was still being contemplated. Senior Community Development Specialist Graffunder-Bartels noted that Slumberland had planned to expand but instead has adapted to the existing space. In response to a request from EDC Commissioner Oechsner, Mayor Reinke asked staff to provide the EDC with business news on a semi-annual basis. Police Department Update and Overview Police Chief Sullivan provided an overview of the department’s promotional process currently being developed that will also assist with succession planning. Council Member Ingebrigtson asked that the City Council be provided with information on the ranks within the department. In response to questions from Mayor Reinke, Chief Sullivan talked about ways mental health is being addressed, future retention projections, and challenges in recruiting minorities. Chief Sullivan noted that Captain LaTour would be establishing a comprehensive employee wellness strategy for the department prior to her retirement in early 2021. Chief Sullivan noted that the department planned to contract with the new Hero training center in Cottage Grove for the next few years. Workshop February 24, 2020 Page Four In response to a question from Council Member Zabel, Chief Sullivan noted that the police department expansion would still include training space. In response to an inquiry from Chief Sullivan, the City Council supported holding off on making any changes to the City’s tobacco ordinance relating to raising the age to purchase products until the Legislature has taken action on the matter. In response to a question about compliance checks, Chief Sullivan explained that compliance checks could be conducted but would not be chargeable at this point in time. Mayor Reinke asked that tobacco license renewal requests include information on any compliance check issues. Council Member Olson indicated that she would not support changing the age to purchase tobacco products to 21. In response to a question from Mayor Reinke, Chief Sullivan explained the department’s crisis management philosophy and stressed the importance of the City Council and staff to withhold comments until news conference preparation has taken place. In response to a question from Council Member Ingebrigtson, Chief Sullivan explained that when incidents occur in the community, the City Council is contacted in a timely manner. He asked council members to contact him with any questions or concerns that may arise at other times. He added that Fire Chief Anderson serves at the City’s emergency management director. In response to a question from Council Member Swedberg, Chief Sullivan shared that he potentially plans to retire in July of 2021. Walton Park Ball Complex Baseline Fencing and Concrete Footings Public Works Director/City Engineer Bachmeier followed up on discussion that took place at the January 14 City Council workshop regarding replacing the pavement surface, base line fencing foundations, and backstops in the Walton Park ballfield complex. He explained that the pavement surface is over 30 years old and has numerous patched areas and that, over time, the concrete baseline fencing foundations have risen out the ground due to the high water table and now pose safety concerns. Public Works Director/City Engineer Bachmeier indicated that the recommended course of action would be to proceed with repaving the paved areas, and removing/replacing the baseline fencing. The baseline fencing concrete foundations would not be installed, instead the fence posts will be pushed into the ground hydraulically. Total project has an estimated cost of $180,000. In response to a question from Council Member Zabel, Public Works Director/City Engineer Bachmeier confirmed that the original perimeter fencing had foundations that also heaved and had been replaced in 2016. Council Member Zabel expressed concern with the amount of money and resources needed to correct the problem with the likelihood that issues would continue at the complex due to the high water table. Workshop February 24, 2020 Page Five Council Members Olson and Swedberg expressed safety concerns with not fixing the concrete fence foundations. Council Member Zabel commented on the cost estimate difference from January 14 and asked that discussion relating to the use of park reserve fund versus general obligation funds take place in the very near future. Mayor Reinke supported the $180,000 expenditure due to the frequent use the complex receives, especially for tournaments. Council Member Olson supported the $180,000 expenditure and asked that more information be provided on the need to replace the backstops. In response to a question from Council Member Zabel about an option to install fencing in front of bleacher areas, Public Works Director/City Engineer Bachmeier noted that a structure would be needed to support the fencing; he supported Park Superintendent Koesling’s recommendation to not replace the backstops at this time as they are functional; however, it would be more cost effective to replace the backstops concurrently with the paving. Council Member Swedberg supported the $180,000 expenditure. Council Member Ingebrigtson agreed provided that the backstops component was not included. In response to funding the improvements, Interim City Administrator Dawson noted that staff could provide options. Council Member Zabel agreed with the $180,000 expenditure. The City Council supported an $180,000 expenditure from park reserve fund to replace the pavement surface and fencing foundations in the Walton Park ballfield complex (fields 1 to 4). Council Discussion Council Member Olson shared a desire for a four-way stop sign at Helmo and 23rd. Public Works Director/City Engineer Bachmeier noted that pedestrian crossings would be evaluated as part of the City’s bike and pedestrian plan project. Council Member Zabel asked that the City Council revisit the Oakdale Marketplace planned unit development and discuss updating it. Mayor Reinke noted that he met with Lake Elmo to discuss the 180-acre site near the Lake Elmo Public Works facility and potential options of promoting it jointly. Mayor Reinke noted that he met with Minnesota Pollution Control representatives to discuss matters relating to drinking water. Adjournment The workshop adjourned at 6:52 PM.