Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Council members sworn in and discussion of city code, joint lobbying,Tom Hedges, Bea Blomquist,Ted W - 9/1/1984Council discusses city code, joint lobbying
By JEFF BURRILL
The first Eagan City Council
meeting of 1984 was held Tues-
day, Jan. 3, and featured a city
code update reported by City Ad-
ministrator Tom Hedges.
"1984 will be the biggest year
yet for changes in the city code,"
Hedges explained. "There will be
a major housecleaning, along
with implementation of all the
amendments voted on by the
council during the,past year."
All ordinances passed by the
council during 1983 have been for-
warded to codifer Rodger Jensen
for inclusion in the city code up-
date, while there are additional
pending ordinances which are
eligible to be included in the up-
date, subject to council approval.
These ordinances include:
dangerous weapons and articles
- carrying and transporting
firearms (Ordinance 9 ) ;
dangerous weapons and articles
-use of bow and arrow (Or-
dinance 11); curfew - provision
for 16 -and 17 -year olds (Or-
dinance 12); and a fire alarm or-
dinance (not yet numbered).
Two ordinance changes are
also under consideration and will
require hearings. They are: day
care facilities (Ordinance 6) and
subdivision requirements - lot
splits (Ordinance 13). These or-
dinances, however, will not be in-
cluded in the current code up-
date.
"All the ordinance changes will
be outlined and made available to
the council for its approval,"
Hedges continued. "We will be
meeting with Rodger Jensen Jan.
5 to hopefully complete the code
update."
Council members then discuss-
ed the curfew ordinance and
decided that some changes
should be made in it, if, in fact, it
is even constitutional.
"Well for one thing, there are
kids working at restaurants at
night who are under 18," Council
Member Jim Smith said. "They
certainly don't qualify as curfew
breakers. And if we use the
curfew just as a sweep once a
month, does it really belong on
the books ?"
Council Member Jerry Thomas
added, "The idea of the or-
dinance is to use it as more of a
tool to deal with loitering."
Council, see page 3
SWORN IN for their new terms of office on the Eagan City Council by City Ad-
ministrator Tom Hedges, left, were, from left, Council Member Jim Smith, Mayor
Bea Blomquist and Council Member Ted Wachter. Smith and Wachter were
reelected to four -year terms, while Blomquist's term is for two years. All four can-
didates ran unopposed in last November's election.
Eagan
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Council continued from front
"But the state has come up
with a law that says age cannot
be a factor for some acts," coun-
cil member Ted Wachter offered.
"In effect, it says that just
because you're 16 doesn't mean
you have any less right to stand
under a light post late at night
than a 19- year -old. I feel we
should sit down and discuss this
ruling before putting our curfew
ordinance into effect. And if we
do put it into effect, we must sure-
ly make provisions for youths
who work night shifts."
Under the city code update, the
council also discussed penalties
for businesses with faulty fire
alarm systems, including provi-
sions for reimbursement to the ci-
ty for the cost of sending out fire
equipment on false alarms.
The council will again address,
then decide on the curfew and fire
alarm ordinances in the near
future.
Concerning the city code up-
date, the council voted to direct
Hedges to proceed with the an-
nual review of the city code,
which will be voted on at a later
date.
The council also discussed the
possibility of becoming involved
in a joint lobbying process with
other metropolitan area cities.
"What we're addressing here is
combining efforts to cut down ex-
penses by sharing costs with
other cities to hire a qualified lob-
byist to pursue restoration of
local government aid we've lost,
along with additional aid we're
expected to lose," Hedges said.
"There are 10 to 12 metro area
cities who have met to discuss a
joint lobbying effort, which
would give us the strength of
about 500,000 people being
represented. We've brainstorm-
ed as to whether 12 or more cities
could work together in a joint ef-
fort, or if it would be better if we
lobbied in lots of three to five
cities, putting together cities with
comparable needs. I wanted to
bring these options to the Eagan
council to see what its thoughts
are, though I do feel if we go it
alone, the cost of paying our own
lobbyist would be very
expensive."
Following discussion by the
council, Smith moved Hedges
continue attending the joint lob-
byist meetings and the council
consider the idea of the joint lob-
bying venture. The motion pass-
ed. (Following a study, the cities
Eagan would like to work with
will be determined, with those
cities seeking fiscal disparity
similar to Eagan's sought out.)
IN OTHER ACTION, THE
COUNCIL:
SCHEDULED an open house
for the new city hall for Sunday,
Feb. 5, from 1 to 3 p.m. (Further
information concerning the open
house will be carried in a later
issue of Thisweek newspaper.)
SCHEDULED Tuesday, Jan.
10, at 7 p.m. to interview new
planning and park commission
candidates. Interviews will be
held in the city council chambers.
SCHEDULED an HRA meeting
for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7 in
the council chambers, with the
council meeting to follow at 6:45.
APPROVED the final resolu-
tion for the Fish Lake Park grant
application.
APPROVED the sale of the us-
ed police car to Metro Auto
Salvage for $1,675.
APPROVED the landscape
plan and outdoor storage for •
Equipment Rental Business.
DENIED Gabbert Develop-
ment's request for preliminary
plat approval for Westbury
development.
CONTINUED consideration of
another Gabbert Development
request for Westbury
preliminary plat approval until
after the company's represen-
tatives meet with the Eagan park
board concerning a landlocked
strip of land on the property in
question.
APPROVED acceptance of
utilities installed in Norwest
First Addition.
APPROVED acceptance of
utilities installed in Oakwood
Heights Addition.
CONTINUED consideration of
public official's liability in-
surance.
THISWEEK JANIIARY,9, 1.984 $