07/07/1998 - City Council Special���y
1=1 1f'.
AGENDA
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Tuesday
July 7, 1998
5:00 P.M.
MUNICIPAL CENTER BUILDING
COMMUNITY ROOM
I. ROLL CALL & AGENDA ADOPTION
II. CITY WIDE TREE PLANTING PROGRAM
III. FAMILY AQUATIC POOL UPDATE/WATER
TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
IV. OTHER BUSINESS
V. ADJOURNMENT
t-_
MEMO
city of eagan
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
FROM: CITY ADMINISTRATOR HEDGES
DATE: JULY 2, 1998
SUBJECT: SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING/JULY 7, 1998 AT 5:00 P.M.
CITY WIDE TREE PLANTING PROGRAM
At the June 23 City Council work session, staff was directed to do some research regarding a city
wide reforestation program and report back at the next work session. Following that meeting, the
City Administrator directed the Director of Parks and Recreation and City Forester to discuss the
logistics of implementing a tree reforestation program this summer, which would make available to
the community a great number of trees, and to begin a reforestation effort as early as this fall. City
Councilmember Awada suggested that the number could be up to 10,000 trees if the availability
from nurseries and demand by the public would reach that number during 1998/1999.
At the Collaborative meeting held the same evening, June 23, a city wide reforestation project was
well received by those in attendance. It should be noted that the incoming President of Rotary,
Rick Waldeland, included as a part of his new President's message, a priority to replant trees in the
community for 1998/1999.
Staff is researching and will have information at the meeting on Tuesday about the variety,
diameter and availability of trees from area wide nurseries. The City Forester can comment on the
best and most effective time to plant trees.
The City Administrator's office will try to contact Katey Munson, who read her essay at the June
2'd City Council meeting encouraging each resident of the community to plant two (2) trees, and
invite her to attend the meeting on July 7'.
Staff will need further direction on comments that were made by the City Council at the June 23rd
workshop regarding how trees are to be financed; i.e. corporate donations, service organizations,
City participation and match by residents and how the public should be informed; should the
Wallace Group assist our Communications Coordinator to present the program to the community.
There are many themes that could be adopted such as "2000 by 2000", meaning that the community
will attempt to plant 2000 trees by the year 2000 which is approximately the number the City lost in
the May storms. Obviously, the number of trees purchased and planted could be higher depending
on the response from the community.
ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED:
To provide staff direction on the City wide tree planting program with the understanding that the
community will be informed that a program is being considered at the July 7 regular City Council
meeting and the details of the program will be worked up by staff, per direction of the City Council
and presented at a future City Council meeting.
FAMILY AQUATIC POOL UPDATEIWATER TECHNOLOGIES. INC.
Water Technologies, Inc. will be present for the special work session to review any and all
drawings, answer questions regarding the bids and respond to any questions the City Council might
have regarding the proposed Family Aquatic Pool Facility Project. This is an opportunity for the
City Council to further review all working drawings for the proposed project.
The Director of Parks and Recreation appeared at the Dakota County Board Meeting on Tuesday,
June 30, to request a right -of -entry onto library property during construction of the Aquatic Pool
Project and, further, a permanent easement to relocate a Dakota Electric line onto the library
property. A formal request for this Board review had been made in a letter by the City
Administrator which a copy is enclosed on page_ for your review. A permanent easement
to locate a portion of the Aquatic Pool Facility on library property was not granted by the County
Board of Commissioners due to the need to preserve all library property for their own future
expansion. However, the Board indicated that they would entertain a right -of -entry for construction
purposes if there is no interim or long term impact on their property.
The request for the permanent easement to relocate the electric line had been discussed between
City and County staff prior to the meeting, and it was the understanding of the City Administrator
from the Director of Parks and Recreation that there was agreement on the part of all the parties to
relocate the electric utility line onto the library property. Relocation of utility lines, electric, cable,
water and sewer is very common to capital projects.
It was apparent on Tuesday/Wednesday in phone calls with the chairperson of Dakota Electric and
County Commissioner Bataglia that there were a number of concerns about the relocation of the
electric line onto the library property. Commissioner Bataglia also shared concerns that members
of the County Board had about the potential impact on the existing library facility with the granting
of a right -of -entry to allow construction of the Aquatic Pool Facility. The City Administrator had a
lengthy conversation with Commission Member Bataglia on Wednesday and they both agreed to
schedule a meeting at the Eagan City Hall at 3:00 p.m. on Monday afternoon with Commissioner
Mueller, County staff and City staff to resolve any outstanding issues. The City Administrator and
County Commissioner have agreed to have a representative of Dakota Electric present for the
meeting as well.
For further information on the presentation at the County Board meeting, refer to a memo prepared
by the Director of Parks and Recreation referenced as pages _C� through _ . The City
Administrator will report on Monday's meeting at the special workshop on Tuesday, since there
will not be time to prepare a memo for the Administrative packet.
ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED:
To provide staff with direction regarding the Family Aquatic Pool Facility Project per
discussions/presentation by Water Technologies, Inc. and regarding the outcome of the meeting
between the City and the County on Monday.
OTHER BUSINESS
There are no other business items scheduled at this time.
/S/ Thomas L. Hedges
City Administrator
J
June 23, 1998
Mr. Brandt Richardson
County Administrator
Dakota County Government Center
1590 Highway 55
Hastings, MN 55033
Dear Mr. Richardson,
On behalf of the City of Eagan, I want to thank the Board of Commissioners for their recent
action to work with the City to provide a grading easement onto the library Troperty. 1
understand that County and City staff had a productive meeting on June 19 to review the various
issues involved as well as the County's concerns for future library expansion.
This letter formally requests that the City of Eagan be granted an easement to grade onto the
library property as reflected on the attached grading plan dated June 23, 1998. In order to
develop a simple legal description for this easement, the City is requesting that a line forty feet
north of the south library property line be described as the easement area. As the attached
grading plan reflects, the City of Eagan will not be grading this entire area, only a portion.
Dakota Electric is also requesting a ten -foot utility easement just north of the library's south
property line to re -install a primary electrical line. This service line provides electrical service to
the library and Eagan City Hall. As a result of this project, the service line will have to be
relocated within this ten -foot easement. This is a buried service line and will be well outside any
future construction zone for library expansion.
Again, thank you for your assistance with this project.
Sincerely,
Tom Hedges
City Administrator
TH/cm
Attachments
TO
FROM
DATE:
city of eagan
CITY ADMINISTRATOR HEDGES
DIRECTOR OF PARKS & RECREATION VRAA
JUNE 30,1998
MEMO
SUBJECT: DAKOTA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS' ACTION RE:
REQUEST FOR CONSTRUCTION RIGHT OF ENTRY &
RELOCATION OF DAKOTA ELECTRIC LINE
I attended the Dakota County Board of Commissioners meeting today, June 30, for the purpose of
requesting formal action by the County Board to grant a right of entry to allow construction for the
aquatic pool facility project on a small portion of the library property. It was determined by the
County Board at a recent meeting that a permanent easement to locate any portion of the aquatic
pool project on library property would not be acceptable; however, a right of entry for construction
purposes would be given consideration. There were six of the seven County Commissioners
present for the meeting and the request for a construction right of entry was denied on a 3 to 3 vote
with Commissioner members Branning, Hams and Krause voting yes and Bataglia, Maher and
Mueller voting no.
Included as a part of the discussion and action regarding the right of entry was a request to relocate
a Dakota Electric line, which was included in a letter that was -sent to the Board when we requested
that this item be placed on the June 30 agenda. Our City Engineer, Russ Matthys, who was on
vacation this week, asked that I include, as a part of our request, a permanent easement to allow for
the relocation of a Dakota Electric line onto library property. Relocation of electric lines are
common to public facility projects, as well as street improvements. The relocation of the electric
line had been discussed with County staff on June 19 and appeared to be acceptable. Typically,
Engineering includes all the relocation of utilities, including Dakota Electric lines and Peoples
Natural Gas mains, as pan of the project detail.
In summary, the reason the City was pursuing the right of entry onto library property for
construction purposes is to reduce the need for an extensive retaining wall. Staff will need direction
from the City Council as to whether we should pursue this any further with Dakota County or
proceed ahead without the right of entry and confine all construction to the site. Again, it is
important to make a distinction between a right of entry for construction purposes, which is what
the City was requesting from Dakota County on library property, and a permanent easement
whereby part of the facility would actually be constructed on County property. When the County
Board said no to a permanent easement, it was the understanding of the City that the construction
easement would be acceptable, because the library would have full use of its property and it would
help the City blend the aquatic pool facility site with the library property. The issue regarding the
Dakota Electric line easement was a recommendation from Engineering; given the response of the
03
County Board, staff will continue to work with Dakota Electric to look for other alternatives to
relocate the electric line.
I hope this provides an explanation of the request that was made to the County and their action.
Director of Parks & Recreation
KV/vmd
'J
Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting July 7, 1998 page 1
MINUTES OF THE
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE EAGAN CITY COUNCIL
EAGAN, MINNESOTA
JULY 7, 1998
Present: Mayor Tom Egan, CoungilmeMber..F.W.Aw.gida, Councilmember Bea Blomquist,
Councilmember Sandy Masin, Coin Cilfneitif#®i: >3i.:Wachter, City Administrator Hedges,
Director of Parks and Recreation, Vraa, City Forester Hove, Intem to the City
Administrator Hertel.
Mayor Egan called the meeting to order at 5:05.
The agenda was approved and Mayor Egan suggested the Council proceed to the
Aquatic Pool Facility issue and return to the City Wide Tree Planting Program topic when
Councilmember Awada arrived;':.:....
ITOR9zi0 BE HEARD
Jeff Gregory, President of the VtCiiltlCteai;Rieowr3gi?s Association, spoke on behalf of
the assembled group, stating that Fie and'his nei hbtits felt they needed to pay close
attention to the process of the pool facility. Mr. Gregory further stated that they are
skeptical of the potential stand-by generator and may have comments on that at the
regular Council meeting.
City Administrator Hedges reviewed:#k 8;- fem gf d introduced the representative from
Water Technologies, Mr. Ken Ward, -Mr._ Hedot reported that the purpose of this
update was to review the bids the Cit ytiadteceived for the aquatic facility and give the
Council a chance to ask any additional gaestiorl$they may have. City Administrator
Hedges updated the group about the meeting which:fook place at the Municipal Center
between himself, Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa, Councilmember Blomquist,
members of the Dakota County Board of Commissioners and a representative from
Dakota Electric. He further stated that the group covered two issues, the first of which
was the relocation of the underground electric lines and the second of which was the
construction right of entry on Iibrary.,praperty.:Mr._Hodges stated that the meeting was
very successful and was plea satl'tii:iiifoFm tli2:gfovp that the electrical lines did not need
to be relocated onto County prc►g8lty, but{xlild be dropped lower in their current
location. He further informed tFie group tliet*the County Board, meeting as the Physical
Development Committee, voted;' -0 to gr >f the right of entry on the County property to
the construction site for the farii4jt ®E;c?tic:p90# #e?{ity earlier in the day. City
Administrator Hedges stated itini`:::: ' : ritiSi:ap{irvphate for Director of Parks and
Recreation Vraa and Mr. Ward from Water Technologies to review the bids.
Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa clarified that the project had been bid in two
packages; the first package included,th9.."..and the lazy river features of the facility,
and the second package was for Yk. -:$We teatures. Mr. Vraa explained that for
both packages, there were bothi ias2 bids and aitdinate bids, which would include
variations on the specified feat"ia He further e'iifileined that the bid the City received
from Wanzek was the lowest bid�:but that the City -had received word from them that
their bid was in error and they."l_ drew their:bid_�j*.ector. of Parks and Recreation Vraa
Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting July 7, 1996 page 2
then directed the attention of the group to the remaining bids for the pool and the slides.
He also indicated that the successful bidder for the water slides had also offered some
voluntary deducts, which are still under review.
Councilmembers Awada and Masin arrived at approximately 5:15.
Mayor Egan asked K the total projected cost had changed for bid package number one.
Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa replied that the current projected cost was
$3,080,000 for the first two packages, saying that the cost is still similar to the original
estimates. Mr. Vraa then reviewed an updated project budget and stated that the total
cost of the project is now expected to be about $6.8 million, down from the original
estimate of $7.1 million.
Councilmember Wachter asked 9 the entire cost of relocating the electrical lines could
be eliminated from the budget. Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa responded that
the cost could be reduced from the listed $15,000 to between $6,000 and $7,000, based
on the new information provided by Dakota Electric about lowering the lines.
Mayor Egan asked Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa to explain the additional costs
for landscaping. Mr. Vraa replied that he was referring to landscaping around the
outside of the facility, which will mirror the landscaping done within the facility. He stated
that the costs could be expected to increase to $70,000 for landscaping, which would
also provide for landscaping in the parking areas and the additional landscaping the
library was looking for.
Councilmember Wachter asked if the amount listed for the cost of the retaining wall was
the most expensive that it had been. Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa stated that
this was a reduction from other discussions of the wall and that the cost of the wall had
been calculated to cost up to $108,000, but, given this design, the retaining wall is not
expected to be that costly.
Mayor Egan asked if there was a connection between the reduced costs of the project
and the move to line item budgeting. Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa responded
that the City's estimates were more refined now, giving everyone has a better indication
of the scope of the project.
Mr. Ward of Water Technologies stated that the pools and slides were under budget or
very Gose and directed the Council's attention to the alternate bids, suggesting they
consider those options as well. Mr. Ward explained how it was possible to use wood in
place of metal for the support struts of the slides and may potentially save the City
money. Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa stated that the City is still looking into this
possibility and that alternatives including wood should be considered. Mr. Vraa
explained that offered deduct was for an all -wood structure for the slide support system
and said that the use of wood may necessitate more maintenance than metal. Mr. Vraa
indicated that using wood may also mean having more support beams on the structure,
potentially impeding walking and Guttering the deck area. Mr. Vraa stated that he was in
favor of considering wood as part of the structure because it would complement the
materials being used in the rest of the facility, but that valve engineering along with a
Loser review by the consultants was needed first.
Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting July 7, 1998 page 3
Councilmember Wachter asked his fellow councitmembers to not discount wood as a
material or be overly concerned about its safety and relayed his experience working at
Valleyfair, where the rollercoasters are built of wood. Mr. Ward supported his comment
and stated that it was possible to tiaVe a structure with both wood and metal for optimal
performance. Councilmember Masi Y supported the use of wood, saying that wood
doesn't get as hot in the summertitrte;:;fgctlrrieiuber:Blomquist expressed concern
that wood may be more slippery +e"responded that the walking
surface would remain a slip -resistant fiberglass composite. Councilmember Wachter
asked for clarification about the fib.ftlass. Mr. Ward responded that the surface is
designed for deck surfaces.
Mayor Egan asked if there were further questions and stated that this issue would be
formally dealt with in Old Business at the Regular Meeting.
Councilmember Blomquist expresioieid concW that the latest plans were not in the
packet and therefore still showed thi pool k.0 ect encroaching on the library's property.
Director of Parks and Recreation Visa disoi** ed the construction plans and indicated
the sand play area that had been:Mpdified:jn;the new. plans. Councilmember Blomquist
asked if the fence was exactly on;il ie: jlp(sertyX}e::Jii'ector of Parks and Recreation
Vraa explained that there were some areas where the.fence was on the property lines
and others where it deviated; he was unable to be clearer because the drawings were
only of the facility itself and not the surrounding properties. Councilmember Blomquist
expressed the concerns of the residents who were present, stating that it was very
important to them to know how close to their proPerty>tbis facility would be situated and
asked again for the distance between the fence.:afidfiie other properties. Director of
Parks and Recreation Vraa restated.tttat:letid trijfhave that exact information at his
disposal, but could provide it.
Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa aslSeiiti?.;share the preliminary plans with the
Council for the entryway to the aquatic facility:::,MijyS}Egan allowed the request and the
Council reviewed several different perspectives of tlf6:' roposed entry. Councilmember
Blomquist asked if the entryway designs were in the bid packages. Director of Parks
and Recreation Vraa stated that these plans were not in the bid or in the current budget,
this feature would be bid separately and wanted to share these plans with the council.
Mr. Vraa indicated that the proposed entryway display would have an estimated cost of
$120,000. Mr. Ward added that theso'id signs.were rAeant to be a focal point and a
means of identification for the facilf y '1r113yQr. gamest ed if it would cost more to add the
entry features at a later date. Mik�64)arsori M Greystone indicated that the additional
cost for doing it in the future woutd.be minimill.
Councilmember Wachter expresse<;fii-fg-" iQaiii tifxkt the deck in the pool facility,
asking if the facility's concrete wGl) rieet!'a'seaTet&'some kind and if that was in the
budget. He expressed further concern about durability and cracking issues, but was
informed that Graystone was looking into all those issues.
CITY WIDE TREE -PLANTING PROGRAM
City Administrator Hedges introduccdtl*3 ti �§i6*q* 1a:.13em. Mr. Hedges reviewed the
extensive loss of trees in the Eagai Community it :10. -past two years' storms, especially
the May 15 and May 30 storms. hAr` Hedges state4. t in recent conversations with
City Council members on this isstW.; there have beerYsuggestions to plant anywhere
from 2,000 to 10,000 trees, look: *.Ihe. Kea(:2Q0 as a target date for completing the
Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting July 7, 1998 page 4
reforestation efforts. Mr. Hedges asked the Council to provide direction for staff to
further research this potential program, including direction on tree diameter, funding,
distribution and timelines. He further.stated that the Council that he had already asked
City Forester Gregg Hove to do research on this issue and asked Director of Parks and
Recreation Vraa to give an overvi6W:*of forestry issues in Eagan.
Director of Parks and Recreation1!f$a t fps? e j tts ;>':0 ncil that spring is the preferred
time for planting due to availability,:quality and diversity of trees. Mr. Vraa reminded the
dfic
Council of the yearly tree sale conted through the City and discussed several options
for tree -diameters and their respe8Ve costs. He further stated that bare root trees can
be purchased for $15420, 1 '% inch diameter trees in ten-gallon containers can be
purchased for $40450 and that there were more varieties available at that size, and 2 to
3 inch ball -and -burlap trees cost approximately $2504300 per tree.
City Forester Hove asked the Council to thK-:about how they would want to distribute
the trees, relaying experiences froitf:the tre ;$ale and offering several potential means of
distribution. He also suggested Oe Council ironsider what types of properties they will
be targeting. Mr. Hove further suWested;:that.th.:pragram is spread out over several
growing seasons, with akick-off tflia;211;;3kia:phtigiarii;Cauld run in Fall 1998, Spring and
Fall 1999 and end with a finale in Spring 20b0: "
Mayor Egan asked if the trees would be purchased at "cost." City Forester Hove said
yes. Councilmember Awada asked if the City could get a price break for ordering such a
substantial number of trees. Mr. Hove stated that the. -City should be able to get as many
trees as they request, but the price break w'it (*J eiTd on a variety of factors, including
type and time of year.
City Administrator Hedges stated'that.ft.prograi'o can't be developed until staff have
the numbers on tree diameter and irigiifreil; atiout additional handling issues with the
various sizes of trees. City Forester Hove corlii fi.ed that the bare -root trees were more
challenging to transport and plant and stated that fi :wouldn't be able to negotiate on
prices with the wholesalers until he had some indication of size and quantity.
Councilmember Wachter said he would prefer doing a program with the 1 % inch
diameter potted trees and his suggestion was met with consensus from the rest of the
Council.
Mayor Egan said that it was impdftnt for ft:Council and the City to be very clear about
the objective of this program: to replace tree$.that had been lost through storm damage
in the past two years. Mayor Eg :.e haSiZ-ed that he did not want the City to be
competing with private firms for iiidiuit k:laiid.. .... 'business. Mayor Egan stated
g'r'oiips
that through his interactions with 3ryrvicA',irf Ei ban, he knows there is a lot of
interest in and support for this program; for that reason, he believes it is crucial that the
City outline a definable program with reasonable timelines that can work in coordination
with other groups in the community.
Councilmember Blomquist asked if:tf?e' iii)gfait?;e3i luId start in the fall. The consensus
among the group was yes.
Councilmember Awada asked howmany trees had been lost to storm damage. City
Administrator Hedges responded#3sdtayel...4. tr 5.'had been damaged.
Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting July 7, 1998 page 5
Councilmember Awada suggested a target of 10,000 trees and corroborated Mayor
Egan's comments about interest from the business community.
Director of Parks and Recreation Vita stated that there are an infinite number of ways to
organize this program and asked for direction on how to set priorities. Councilmember
Blomquist suggested that the Courae .gei a mmtrlA .:of interested citizens from the
Collaborative Meeting together, sfi8: yititioC si33e t tW.-'j;oncem over the losses of trees in
Eagan parks and though the progrAm should be comprehensive, and that the committee
should include representatives frO* i the Advisory Parks Commission.
Mayor Egan stated that he would like to see the Council adopt a policy about how to
distribute trees through this program, develop a way to quantify and identify the losses
suffered and then a policy for how to remedy those losses. Mayor Egan restated that he
thought the Council needed to bepQry Gear about the direction of the tree planting
program and the objectives of the:C;ouncil.::::
Councilmember Wachter expressed conceftaabout the types of trees that would be
available through this program, due.to ttZe.t cent.development of the yellow spruce fly
infestation in the area. CouncilmQi' . achio .:$tafed that the Council should limit the
number of spruce trees allowed to be'.
e plan ted.so ttiat'fhis program doesn't self-destruct
in a matter of a few years; he further stated that the Council should modify its policies
about landscaping for all kinds of development to respond to this infestation. Mayor
Egan shared Councilmember Wachter's concerns about the spruce and said they should
be regulated in the future. Mayor Egan also stated .that the Council needed to identify
priorities for the tree planting. CouncilmemberfVlasin $fated that she thought the
developers already needed to get their.VeidtldsC OIN plans approved and questioned the
X.
need for a new policy. City ForeSleeiioconfirired that there is an existing policy, but
that the spruce tree is currently ori .the list: of recoinmended trees and it is a popular tree
that provides good coverage and that is:why Uevelopers like to use it. Councilmember
Masin asked that staff prepare an amendmenf>ttitt2current landscaping policy to
regulate the number of spruce trees.
Mayor Egan asked if this was enough direction for staff to proceed with the planning of
the tree -planting program. City Administrator Hedges responded that staff would work
with City Forester Hove to develop plans to be reviewed by the committee of interested
citizens. Councilmember Blom qui.st::(pi}ated 113af: thought representatives from the
Advisory Parks Commission shoujq:#3e'8n:fl1:offiii3ittee. Councilmember Awada asked
that members of the business co.hMunity Fs jtiGuded on the committee; she also asked
City Forester Hove to feel out the -market foi. trees and get an indication of projected
costs. Mr. Hove said he would dgthat, buk$kso warned that planting trees over several
growing seasons means the Co(iiGifiiay:7ltei?eiica3:fluctuating costs. City
Administrator Hedges suggested:Dtiyiiiig'a'Vatietyofspecies and working with the
wholesalers to lock in a price over the coming growing seasons. Councilmember Awada
stated that she thought businesses would certainly be willing to lock in a price on such a
substantial order.
Mayor Egan emphatically urged tht;>r"giiiC$ tti tgilain Gear on the objective of the
program because that clarity will.betiiore condui ii®10 finding price breaks and keeping
other groups involved who may 6i3'8eterred if the Cdiji. strays from its objective. Mayor
Egan also thought the committeO.'Oduld have repretsentatives from the Garden Club.
Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting July 7, 1998 page 8
OTHER BUSINESS
Councilmember Masin asked the rest of the Council and City Administrator Hedges if
they had received numerous cells:A.Wut the 4'" of July celebration and inquired if there
was a means of tracking those cal(. Op know how extensive the response has been.
City Administrator Hedges stated itytaifi'@csived a few calls from
disappointed citizens prior to the ceietiratfor.-,.: t f fsaif,ritt received any calls since.
Councilmember Blomquist said s*had received many calls and that the City needs to
find a place to do an aerial display;$fie stated that personally, she thought the fireworks
were high and beautiful and that this was one of the best displays ever. Councilmember
Masin stated that she had received many calls, which indicated to her the importance of
fireworks and the importance of the newspaper as a means of communication. Mayor
Egan said he had spoken to Roy Wallace about the article in the paper and had learned
that the reporter who wrote the st¢ijk was unfamiliar with the Eagan beat and had spoken
to individuals who did not officialli*preser t;$ieir entities on this issue; this resulted in
poor reporting and embarrassed the.. City audio Ms. Carlin of the Convention and
Visitors Bureau. Councilmember:4tada stated that members of her staff had informed
her that the fireworks were lame. ;�pfri iiia iCMon :C.*Ordinator Foote was in the
audience and stated that the newspoOft: iaQ begirt sW complete and accurate press
releases that they chose not to use. Councilmember Blomquist informed the group that
there was low turnout, but repeated that she considered this year's celebration one of
the best ever and said she was pleased. Councilmember Masin said that there was a lot
of attendance lost this year due to the bad press, and that the organizers of the
celebration will have to do something big next yeu;{Cregain the community's support.
Councilmember Blomquist said she wantedtb;tie�ogniie the Police and Fire
departments for their efforts. Cownoil{iiei ir:`Aw+ada suggested the Council reconsider
this holiday and its importance. CisiincjlfnembeffVlasin responded that this was perhaps
the City of Eagan's most important "'izfay; gaping it a homecoming for many past and
present Eagan citizens.
The meeting adjourned at 6:13 p.m.
���y
1=1 1f'.
AGENDA
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Tuesday
July 7, 1998
5:00 P.M.
MUNICIPAL CENTER BUILDING
COMMUNITY ROOM
I. ROLL CALL & AGENDA ADOPTION
II. CITY WIDE TREE PLANTING PROGRAM
III. FAMILY AQUATIC POOL UPDATE/WATER
TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
IV. OTHER BUSINESS
V. ADJOURNMENT
t-_
MEMO
city of eagan
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
FROM: CITY ADMINISTRATOR HEDGES
DATE: JULY 2, 1998
SUBJECT: SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING/JULY 7, 1998 AT 5:00 P.M.
CITY WIDE TREE PLANTING PROGRAM
At the June 23 City Council work session, staff was directed to do some research regarding a city
wide reforestation program and report back at the next work session. Following that meeting, the
City Administrator directed the Director of Parks and Recreation and City Forester to discuss the
logistics of implementing a tree reforestation program this summer, which would make available to
the community a great number of trees, and to begin a reforestation effort as early as this fall. City
Councilmember Awada suggested that the number could be up to 10,000 trees if the availability
from nurseries and demand by the public would reach that number during 1998/1999.
At the Collaborative meeting held the same evening, June 23, a city wide reforestation project was
well received by those in attendance. It should be noted that the incoming President of Rotary,
Rick Waldeland, included as a part of his new President's message, a priority to replant trees in the
community for 1998/1999.
Staff is researching and will have information at the meeting on Tuesday about the variety,
diameter and availability of trees from area wide nurseries. The City Forester can comment on the
best and most effective time to plant trees.
The City Administrator's office will try to contact Katey Munson, who read her essay at the June
2'd City Council meeting encouraging each resident of the community to plant two (2) trees, and
invite her to attend the meeting on July 7'.
Staff will need further direction on comments that were made by the City Council at the June 23rd
workshop regarding how trees are to be financed; i.e. corporate donations, service organizations,
City participation and match by residents and how the public should be informed; should the
Wallace Group assist our Communications Coordinator to present the program to the community.
There are many themes that could be adopted such as "2000 by 2000", meaning that the community
will attempt to plant 2000 trees by the year 2000 which is approximately the number the City lost in
the May storms. Obviously, the number of trees purchased and planted could be higher depending
on the response from the community.
ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED:
To provide staff direction on the City wide tree planting program with the understanding that the
community will be informed that a program is being considered at the July 7 regular City Council
meeting and the details of the program will be worked up by staff, per direction of the City Council
and presented at a future City Council meeting.
FAMILY AQUATIC POOL UPDATEIWATER TECHNOLOGIES. INC.
Water Technologies, Inc. will be present for the special work session to review any and all
drawings, answer questions regarding the bids and respond to any questions the City Council might
have regarding the proposed Family Aquatic Pool Facility Project. This is an opportunity for the
City Council to further review all working drawings for the proposed project.
The Director of Parks and Recreation appeared at the Dakota County Board Meeting on Tuesday,
June 30, to request a right -of -entry onto library property during construction of the Aquatic Pool
Project and, further, a permanent easement to relocate a Dakota Electric line onto the library
property. A formal request for this Board review had been made in a letter by the City
Administrator which a copy is enclosed on page_ for your review. A permanent easement
to locate a portion of the Aquatic Pool Facility on library property was not granted by the County
Board of Commissioners due to the need to preserve all library property for their own future
expansion. However, the Board indicated that they would entertain a right -of -entry for construction
purposes if there is no interim or long term impact on their property.
The request for the permanent easement to relocate the electric line had been discussed between
City and County staff prior to the meeting, and it was the understanding of the City Administrator
from the Director of Parks and Recreation that there was agreement on the part of all the parties to
relocate the electric utility line onto the library property. Relocation of utility lines, electric, cable,
water and sewer is very common to capital projects.
It was apparent on Tuesday/Wednesday in phone calls with the chairperson of Dakota Electric and
County Commissioner Bataglia that there were a number of concerns about the relocation of the
electric line onto the library property. Commissioner Bataglia also shared concerns that members
of the County Board had about the potential impact on the existing library facility with the granting
of a right -of -entry to allow construction of the Aquatic Pool Facility. The City Administrator had a
lengthy conversation with Commission Member Bataglia on Wednesday and they both agreed to
schedule a meeting at the Eagan City Hall at 3:00 p.m. on Monday afternoon with Commissioner
Mueller, County staff and City staff to resolve any outstanding issues. The City Administrator and
County Commissioner have agreed to have a representative of Dakota Electric present for the
meeting as well.
For further information on the presentation at the County Board meeting, refer to a memo prepared
by the Director of Parks and Recreation referenced as pages _C� through _ . The City
Administrator will report on Monday's meeting at the special workshop on Tuesday, since there
will not be time to prepare a memo for the Administrative packet.
ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED:
To provide staff with direction regarding the Family Aquatic Pool Facility Project per
discussions/presentation by Water Technologies, Inc. and regarding the outcome of the meeting
between the City and the County on Monday.
OTHER BUSINESS
There are no other business items scheduled at this time.
/S/ Thomas L. Hedges
City Administrator
J
June 23, 1998
Mr. Brandt Richardson
County Administrator
Dakota County Government Center
1590 Highway 55
Hastings, MN 55033
Dear Mr. Richardson,
On behalf of the City of Eagan, I want to thank the Board of Commissioners for their recent
action to work with the City to provide a grading easement onto the library Troperty. 1
understand that County and City staff had a productive meeting on June 19 to review the various
issues involved as well as the County's concerns for future library expansion.
This letter formally requests that the City of Eagan be granted an easement to grade onto the
library property as reflected on the attached grading plan dated June 23, 1998. In order to
develop a simple legal description for this easement, the City is requesting that a line forty feet
north of the south library property line be described as the easement area. As the attached
grading plan reflects, the City of Eagan will not be grading this entire area, only a portion.
Dakota Electric is also requesting a ten -foot utility easement just north of the library's south
property line to re -install a primary electrical line. This service line provides electrical service to
the library and Eagan City Hall. As a result of this project, the service line will have to be
relocated within this ten -foot easement. This is a buried service line and will be well outside any
future construction zone for library expansion.
Again, thank you for your assistance with this project.
Sincerely,
Tom Hedges
City Administrator
TH/cm
Attachments
TO
FROM
DATE:
city of eagan
CITY ADMINISTRATOR HEDGES
DIRECTOR OF PARKS & RECREATION VRAA
JUNE 30,1998
MEMO
SUBJECT: DAKOTA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS' ACTION RE:
REQUEST FOR CONSTRUCTION RIGHT OF ENTRY &
RELOCATION OF DAKOTA ELECTRIC LINE
I attended the Dakota County Board of Commissioners meeting today, June 30, for the purpose of
requesting formal action by the County Board to grant a right of entry to allow construction for the
aquatic pool facility project on a small portion of the library property. It was determined by the
County Board at a recent meeting that a permanent easement to locate any portion of the aquatic
pool project on library property would not be acceptable; however, a right of entry for construction
purposes would be given consideration. There were six of the seven County Commissioners
present for the meeting and the request for a construction right of entry was denied on a 3 to 3 vote
with Commissioner members Branning, Hams and Krause voting yes and Bataglia, Maher and
Mueller voting no.
Included as a part of the discussion and action regarding the right of entry was a request to relocate
a Dakota Electric line, which was included in a letter that was -sent to the Board when we requested
that this item be placed on the June 30 agenda. Our City Engineer, Russ Matthys, who was on
vacation this week, asked that I include, as a part of our request, a permanent easement to allow for
the relocation of a Dakota Electric line onto library property. Relocation of electric lines are
common to public facility projects, as well as street improvements. The relocation of the electric
line had been discussed with County staff on June 19 and appeared to be acceptable. Typically,
Engineering includes all the relocation of utilities, including Dakota Electric lines and Peoples
Natural Gas mains, as pan of the project detail.
In summary, the reason the City was pursuing the right of entry onto library property for
construction purposes is to reduce the need for an extensive retaining wall. Staff will need direction
from the City Council as to whether we should pursue this any further with Dakota County or
proceed ahead without the right of entry and confine all construction to the site. Again, it is
important to make a distinction between a right of entry for construction purposes, which is what
the City was requesting from Dakota County on library property, and a permanent easement
whereby part of the facility would actually be constructed on County property. When the County
Board said no to a permanent easement, it was the understanding of the City that the construction
easement would be acceptable, because the library would have full use of its property and it would
help the City blend the aquatic pool facility site with the library property. The issue regarding the
Dakota Electric line easement was a recommendation from Engineering; given the response of the
03
County Board, staff will continue to work with Dakota Electric to look for other alternatives to
relocate the electric line.
I hope this provides an explanation of the request that was made to the County and their action.
Director of Parks & Recreation
KV/vmd
'J
Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting July 7, 1998 page 1
MINUTES OF THE
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE EAGAN CITY COUNCIL
EAGAN, MINNESOTA
JULY 7, 1998
Present: Mayor Tom Egan, CoungilmeMber..F.W.Aw.gida, Councilmember Bea Blomquist,
Councilmember Sandy Masin, Coin Cilfneitif#®i: >3i.:Wachter, City Administrator Hedges,
Director of Parks and Recreation, Vraa, City Forester Hove, Intem to the City
Administrator Hertel.
Mayor Egan called the meeting to order at 5:05.
The agenda was approved and Mayor Egan suggested the Council proceed to the
Aquatic Pool Facility issue and return to the City Wide Tree Planting Program topic when
Councilmember Awada arrived;':.:....
ITOR9zi0 BE HEARD
Jeff Gregory, President of the VtCiiltlCteai;Rieowr3gi?s Association, spoke on behalf of
the assembled group, stating that Fie and'his nei hbtits felt they needed to pay close
attention to the process of the pool facility. Mr. Gregory further stated that they are
skeptical of the potential stand-by generator and may have comments on that at the
regular Council meeting.
City Administrator Hedges reviewed:#k 8;- fem gf d introduced the representative from
Water Technologies, Mr. Ken Ward, -Mr._ Hedot reported that the purpose of this
update was to review the bids the Cit ytiadteceived for the aquatic facility and give the
Council a chance to ask any additional gaestiorl$they may have. City Administrator
Hedges updated the group about the meeting which:fook place at the Municipal Center
between himself, Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa, Councilmember Blomquist,
members of the Dakota County Board of Commissioners and a representative from
Dakota Electric. He further stated that the group covered two issues, the first of which
was the relocation of the underground electric lines and the second of which was the
construction right of entry on Iibrary.,praperty.:Mr._Hodges stated that the meeting was
very successful and was plea satl'tii:iiifoFm tli2:gfovp that the electrical lines did not need
to be relocated onto County prc►g8lty, but{xlild be dropped lower in their current
location. He further informed tFie group tliet*the County Board, meeting as the Physical
Development Committee, voted;' -0 to gr >f the right of entry on the County property to
the construction site for the farii4jt ®E;c?tic:p90# #e?{ity earlier in the day. City
Administrator Hedges stated itini`:::: ' : ritiSi:ap{irvphate for Director of Parks and
Recreation Vraa and Mr. Ward from Water Technologies to review the bids.
Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa clarified that the project had been bid in two
packages; the first package included,th9.."..and the lazy river features of the facility,
and the second package was for Yk. -:$We teatures. Mr. Vraa explained that for
both packages, there were bothi ias2 bids and aitdinate bids, which would include
variations on the specified feat"ia He further e'iifileined that the bid the City received
from Wanzek was the lowest bid�:but that the City -had received word from them that
their bid was in error and they."l_ drew their:bid_�j*.ector. of Parks and Recreation Vraa
Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting July 7, 1996 page 2
then directed the attention of the group to the remaining bids for the pool and the slides.
He also indicated that the successful bidder for the water slides had also offered some
voluntary deducts, which are still under review.
Councilmembers Awada and Masin arrived at approximately 5:15.
Mayor Egan asked K the total projected cost had changed for bid package number one.
Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa replied that the current projected cost was
$3,080,000 for the first two packages, saying that the cost is still similar to the original
estimates. Mr. Vraa then reviewed an updated project budget and stated that the total
cost of the project is now expected to be about $6.8 million, down from the original
estimate of $7.1 million.
Councilmember Wachter asked 9 the entire cost of relocating the electrical lines could
be eliminated from the budget. Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa responded that
the cost could be reduced from the listed $15,000 to between $6,000 and $7,000, based
on the new information provided by Dakota Electric about lowering the lines.
Mayor Egan asked Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa to explain the additional costs
for landscaping. Mr. Vraa replied that he was referring to landscaping around the
outside of the facility, which will mirror the landscaping done within the facility. He stated
that the costs could be expected to increase to $70,000 for landscaping, which would
also provide for landscaping in the parking areas and the additional landscaping the
library was looking for.
Councilmember Wachter asked if the amount listed for the cost of the retaining wall was
the most expensive that it had been. Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa stated that
this was a reduction from other discussions of the wall and that the cost of the wall had
been calculated to cost up to $108,000, but, given this design, the retaining wall is not
expected to be that costly.
Mayor Egan asked if there was a connection between the reduced costs of the project
and the move to line item budgeting. Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa responded
that the City's estimates were more refined now, giving everyone has a better indication
of the scope of the project.
Mr. Ward of Water Technologies stated that the pools and slides were under budget or
very Gose and directed the Council's attention to the alternate bids, suggesting they
consider those options as well. Mr. Ward explained how it was possible to use wood in
place of metal for the support struts of the slides and may potentially save the City
money. Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa stated that the City is still looking into this
possibility and that alternatives including wood should be considered. Mr. Vraa
explained that offered deduct was for an all -wood structure for the slide support system
and said that the use of wood may necessitate more maintenance than metal. Mr. Vraa
indicated that using wood may also mean having more support beams on the structure,
potentially impeding walking and Guttering the deck area. Mr. Vraa stated that he was in
favor of considering wood as part of the structure because it would complement the
materials being used in the rest of the facility, but that valve engineering along with a
Loser review by the consultants was needed first.
Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting July 7, 1998 page 3
Councilmember Wachter asked his fellow councitmembers to not discount wood as a
material or be overly concerned about its safety and relayed his experience working at
Valleyfair, where the rollercoasters are built of wood. Mr. Ward supported his comment
and stated that it was possible to tiaVe a structure with both wood and metal for optimal
performance. Councilmember Masi Y supported the use of wood, saying that wood
doesn't get as hot in the summertitrte;:;fgctlrrieiuber:Blomquist expressed concern
that wood may be more slippery +e"responded that the walking
surface would remain a slip -resistant fiberglass composite. Councilmember Wachter
asked for clarification about the fib.ftlass. Mr. Ward responded that the surface is
designed for deck surfaces.
Mayor Egan asked if there were further questions and stated that this issue would be
formally dealt with in Old Business at the Regular Meeting.
Councilmember Blomquist expresioieid concW that the latest plans were not in the
packet and therefore still showed thi pool k.0 ect encroaching on the library's property.
Director of Parks and Recreation Visa disoi** ed the construction plans and indicated
the sand play area that had been:Mpdified:jn;the new. plans. Councilmember Blomquist
asked if the fence was exactly on;il ie: jlp(sertyX}e::Jii'ector of Parks and Recreation
Vraa explained that there were some areas where the.fence was on the property lines
and others where it deviated; he was unable to be clearer because the drawings were
only of the facility itself and not the surrounding properties. Councilmember Blomquist
expressed the concerns of the residents who were present, stating that it was very
important to them to know how close to their proPerty>tbis facility would be situated and
asked again for the distance between the fence.:afidfiie other properties. Director of
Parks and Recreation Vraa restated.tttat:letid trijfhave that exact information at his
disposal, but could provide it.
Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa aslSeiiti?.;share the preliminary plans with the
Council for the entryway to the aquatic facility:::,MijyS}Egan allowed the request and the
Council reviewed several different perspectives of tlf6:' roposed entry. Councilmember
Blomquist asked if the entryway designs were in the bid packages. Director of Parks
and Recreation Vraa stated that these plans were not in the bid or in the current budget,
this feature would be bid separately and wanted to share these plans with the council.
Mr. Vraa indicated that the proposed entryway display would have an estimated cost of
$120,000. Mr. Ward added that theso'id signs.were rAeant to be a focal point and a
means of identification for the facilf y '1r113yQr. gamest ed if it would cost more to add the
entry features at a later date. Mik�64)arsori M Greystone indicated that the additional
cost for doing it in the future woutd.be minimill.
Councilmember Wachter expresse<;fii-fg-" iQaiii tifxkt the deck in the pool facility,
asking if the facility's concrete wGl) rieet!'a'seaTet&'some kind and if that was in the
budget. He expressed further concern about durability and cracking issues, but was
informed that Graystone was looking into all those issues.
CITY WIDE TREE -PLANTING PROGRAM
City Administrator Hedges introduccdtl*3 ti �§i6*q* 1a:.13em. Mr. Hedges reviewed the
extensive loss of trees in the Eagai Community it :10. -past two years' storms, especially
the May 15 and May 30 storms. hAr` Hedges state4. t in recent conversations with
City Council members on this isstW.; there have beerYsuggestions to plant anywhere
from 2,000 to 10,000 trees, look: *.Ihe. Kea(:2Q0 as a target date for completing the
Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting July 7, 1998 page 4
reforestation efforts. Mr. Hedges asked the Council to provide direction for staff to
further research this potential program, including direction on tree diameter, funding,
distribution and timelines. He further.stated that the Council that he had already asked
City Forester Gregg Hove to do research on this issue and asked Director of Parks and
Recreation Vraa to give an overvi6W:*of forestry issues in Eagan.
Director of Parks and Recreation1!f$a t fps? e j tts ;>':0 ncil that spring is the preferred
time for planting due to availability,:quality and diversity of trees. Mr. Vraa reminded the
dfic
Council of the yearly tree sale conted through the City and discussed several options
for tree -diameters and their respe8Ve costs. He further stated that bare root trees can
be purchased for $15420, 1 '% inch diameter trees in ten-gallon containers can be
purchased for $40450 and that there were more varieties available at that size, and 2 to
3 inch ball -and -burlap trees cost approximately $2504300 per tree.
City Forester Hove asked the Council to thK-:about how they would want to distribute
the trees, relaying experiences froitf:the tre ;$ale and offering several potential means of
distribution. He also suggested Oe Council ironsider what types of properties they will
be targeting. Mr. Hove further suWested;:that.th.:pragram is spread out over several
growing seasons, with akick-off tflia;211;;3kia:phtigiarii;Cauld run in Fall 1998, Spring and
Fall 1999 and end with a finale in Spring 20b0: "
Mayor Egan asked if the trees would be purchased at "cost." City Forester Hove said
yes. Councilmember Awada asked if the City could get a price break for ordering such a
substantial number of trees. Mr. Hove stated that the. -City should be able to get as many
trees as they request, but the price break w'it (*J eiTd on a variety of factors, including
type and time of year.
City Administrator Hedges stated'that.ft.prograi'o can't be developed until staff have
the numbers on tree diameter and irigiifreil; atiout additional handling issues with the
various sizes of trees. City Forester Hove corlii fi.ed that the bare -root trees were more
challenging to transport and plant and stated that fi :wouldn't be able to negotiate on
prices with the wholesalers until he had some indication of size and quantity.
Councilmember Wachter said he would prefer doing a program with the 1 % inch
diameter potted trees and his suggestion was met with consensus from the rest of the
Council.
Mayor Egan said that it was impdftnt for ft:Council and the City to be very clear about
the objective of this program: to replace tree$.that had been lost through storm damage
in the past two years. Mayor Eg :.e haSiZ-ed that he did not want the City to be
competing with private firms for iiidiuit k:laiid.. .... 'business. Mayor Egan stated
g'r'oiips
that through his interactions with 3ryrvicA',irf Ei ban, he knows there is a lot of
interest in and support for this program; for that reason, he believes it is crucial that the
City outline a definable program with reasonable timelines that can work in coordination
with other groups in the community.
Councilmember Blomquist asked if:tf?e' iii)gfait?;e3i luId start in the fall. The consensus
among the group was yes.
Councilmember Awada asked howmany trees had been lost to storm damage. City
Administrator Hedges responded#3sdtayel...4. tr 5.'had been damaged.
Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting July 7, 1998 page 5
Councilmember Awada suggested a target of 10,000 trees and corroborated Mayor
Egan's comments about interest from the business community.
Director of Parks and Recreation Vita stated that there are an infinite number of ways to
organize this program and asked for direction on how to set priorities. Councilmember
Blomquist suggested that the Courae .gei a mmtrlA .:of interested citizens from the
Collaborative Meeting together, sfi8: yititioC si33e t tW.-'j;oncem over the losses of trees in
Eagan parks and though the progrAm should be comprehensive, and that the committee
should include representatives frO* i the Advisory Parks Commission.
Mayor Egan stated that he would like to see the Council adopt a policy about how to
distribute trees through this program, develop a way to quantify and identify the losses
suffered and then a policy for how to remedy those losses. Mayor Egan restated that he
thought the Council needed to bepQry Gear about the direction of the tree planting
program and the objectives of the:C;ouncil.::::
Councilmember Wachter expressed conceftaabout the types of trees that would be
available through this program, due.to ttZe.t cent.development of the yellow spruce fly
infestation in the area. CouncilmQi' . achio .:$tafed that the Council should limit the
number of spruce trees allowed to be'.
e plan ted.so ttiat'fhis program doesn't self-destruct
in a matter of a few years; he further stated that the Council should modify its policies
about landscaping for all kinds of development to respond to this infestation. Mayor
Egan shared Councilmember Wachter's concerns about the spruce and said they should
be regulated in the future. Mayor Egan also stated .that the Council needed to identify
priorities for the tree planting. CouncilmemberfVlasin $fated that she thought the
developers already needed to get their.VeidtldsC OIN plans approved and questioned the
X.
need for a new policy. City ForeSleeiioconfirired that there is an existing policy, but
that the spruce tree is currently ori .the list: of recoinmended trees and it is a popular tree
that provides good coverage and that is:why Uevelopers like to use it. Councilmember
Masin asked that staff prepare an amendmenf>ttitt2current landscaping policy to
regulate the number of spruce trees.
Mayor Egan asked if this was enough direction for staff to proceed with the planning of
the tree -planting program. City Administrator Hedges responded that staff would work
with City Forester Hove to develop plans to be reviewed by the committee of interested
citizens. Councilmember Blom qui.st::(pi}ated 113af: thought representatives from the
Advisory Parks Commission shoujq:#3e'8n:fl1:offiii3ittee. Councilmember Awada asked
that members of the business co.hMunity Fs jtiGuded on the committee; she also asked
City Forester Hove to feel out the -market foi. trees and get an indication of projected
costs. Mr. Hove said he would dgthat, buk$kso warned that planting trees over several
growing seasons means the Co(iiGifiiay:7ltei?eiica3:fluctuating costs. City
Administrator Hedges suggested:Dtiyiiiig'a'Vatietyofspecies and working with the
wholesalers to lock in a price over the coming growing seasons. Councilmember Awada
stated that she thought businesses would certainly be willing to lock in a price on such a
substantial order.
Mayor Egan emphatically urged tht;>r"giiiC$ tti tgilain Gear on the objective of the
program because that clarity will.betiiore condui ii®10 finding price breaks and keeping
other groups involved who may 6i3'8eterred if the Cdiji. strays from its objective. Mayor
Egan also thought the committeO.'Oduld have repretsentatives from the Garden Club.
Minutes of the Special City Council Meeting July 7, 1998 page 8
OTHER BUSINESS
Councilmember Masin asked the rest of the Council and City Administrator Hedges if
they had received numerous cells:A.Wut the 4'" of July celebration and inquired if there
was a means of tracking those cal(. Op know how extensive the response has been.
City Administrator Hedges stated itytaifi'@csived a few calls from
disappointed citizens prior to the ceietiratfor.-,.: t f fsaif,ritt received any calls since.
Councilmember Blomquist said s*had received many calls and that the City needs to
find a place to do an aerial display;$fie stated that personally, she thought the fireworks
were high and beautiful and that this was one of the best displays ever. Councilmember
Masin stated that she had received many calls, which indicated to her the importance of
fireworks and the importance of the newspaper as a means of communication. Mayor
Egan said he had spoken to Roy Wallace about the article in the paper and had learned
that the reporter who wrote the st¢ijk was unfamiliar with the Eagan beat and had spoken
to individuals who did not officialli*preser t;$ieir entities on this issue; this resulted in
poor reporting and embarrassed the.. City audio Ms. Carlin of the Convention and
Visitors Bureau. Councilmember:4tada stated that members of her staff had informed
her that the fireworks were lame. ;�pfri iiia iCMon :C.*Ordinator Foote was in the
audience and stated that the newspoOft: iaQ begirt sW complete and accurate press
releases that they chose not to use. Councilmember Blomquist informed the group that
there was low turnout, but repeated that she considered this year's celebration one of
the best ever and said she was pleased. Councilmember Masin said that there was a lot
of attendance lost this year due to the bad press, and that the organizers of the
celebration will have to do something big next yeu;{Cregain the community's support.
Councilmember Blomquist said she wantedtb;tie�ogniie the Police and Fire
departments for their efforts. Cownoil{iiei ir:`Aw+ada suggested the Council reconsider
this holiday and its importance. CisiincjlfnembeffVlasin responded that this was perhaps
the City of Eagan's most important "'izfay; gaping it a homecoming for many past and
present Eagan citizens.
The meeting adjourned at 6:13 p.m.