07/02/1991 - City Council Special
MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
EAGAN CITY COUNCIL
Eagan, Minnesota
July 2, 1991
A special meeting of the Eagan City Council was held in Conference
Rooms A and B of the Eagan Municipal Center building on Tuesday, July 2, 1991,
beginning at 5:00 p.m. Present were Mayor Egan, City Councilmembers Gustafson,
McCrea, Pawlenty and Wachter. Also present were Director of Parks and Recreation
Vraa and City Administrator Hedges. The purpose of the meeting was to review a
recommendation by the Citizens Recreation Advisory Committee.
CITIZENS RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
City Councilmembers Gustafson and McCrea reported on a meeting of the
Citizens Recreation Advisory Committee that was held on June 6, 1991, stating
that the committee is recommending that capital funds be designated for an ice
arena facility and, further, that a bond referendum to consider an outdoor
swimming pool be scheduled for a vote of the people as early as August, 1991.
Several members of the Citizens Recreation Advisory Committee were present and
stated their support for the recommendation. Councilmember Wachter expressed his
desire to have the community vote on the entire capital expenditure which
includes both the ice arena facility and the outdoor swimming pool. Mayor Egan
suggested the City advocate a public process that is accountable for fund raising
and promotion of the capital project and further stating that an appropriation
of community investment dollars to construct an ice arena facility without a
public referendum in a time of budgetary constraints would not be accountable to
the community. City Councilmember Gustafson expressed his readiness to proceed
with the capital expenditure stating that many decisions have been made to
acquire and develop park land for passive and active purposes without a public
bond referendum. He further commented that in a city of 50,000 there is no
enclosed community building that provides activities for youth such as an ice
arena facility and, therefore, suggested acceptance of the Citizens Recreation
Advisory Committee's recommendation. City Councilmember Pawlenty expressed his
support for the ice arena and outdoor swimming pool, however, he suggested
alternatives that include a referendum to determine whether bonds or community
investment funds should be used for the project. City Councilmember Gustafson
stated that any further review of the process or referendum will delay
construction and opening of an ice arena until 1993. City Councilmember McCrea
stated that a financial commitment by the City is essential for the success of
an ice arena/outdoor swimming pool project.
City Councilmembers discussed the feasibility of holding a special
election to consider expenditure of public funds and issuance of bonds for the
ice arena/outdoor swimming pool project and further expressed concern for the
timing and cost of a special election during the month of August. There were
also questions raised by the City Council regarding school bond elections that
may be held in the month of November for both operating levies and additional
schools. There was some additional discussion regarding a potential referendum
in November that would authorize the City to spend community investment funds for
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
JULY 2, 1991
PAGE 2
the ice arena facility and, further, that a bond election be held in the summer
of 1992 for the outdoor swimming pool project. After further discussion, the
City Administrator was directed to coordinate with the three (3) school districts
a schedule of school bond referendums in 1991 and, further, schedule this item
for further consideration by the City Council at the next regular meeting
scheduled for July 16, 1991.
OTHER BUSINESS
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:20
p.m.
TLH
July 2, 1991
Date City Clerk