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08/24/2004 - City Council Special MINUTES SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY AUGUST 24, 2004 5:30 P.M. EAGAN ROOM - EAGAN MUNICIPAL CENTER City Councilmembers present: Mayor Geagan, Councilmembers Carlson, Fields, Maguire and Tilley. City staff members present: City Administrator Hedges, Assistant to the City Administrator Miller, Director of Administrative Services VanOverbeke, Chief Financial Officer Pepper, Forester Hove, Superintendent of Recreation Asfahl, Parks and Recreation Administrative Coordinator Mesko, Superintendent of Streets Struve, Chief Building Official Schoeppner, City Planner Ridley, Battalion Chief Diloia, Director of Communications Garrison, Police Chief Therkelsen, Captain McDonald, Director of Community Development Hohenstein, Superintendent of Parks Olson and Public Works Director Colbert. I. ROLL CALL & AGENDA ADOPTION Mayor Geagan called the meeting to order. City Administrator Hedges noted that item III. Contract 04-04 Lexington Ave. - TH 55 to Lone Oak Road - Street Improvements (Contract Award) is asked to be continued to September 7 due to timing issues associated with MnDOT. City Administrator Hedges requested that the City Council add a tobacco license request for CVS Pharmacy to their agenda. Hedges also noted that the City received a ruling from the Court of Appeals that the City prevailed in the Dahline v. the City of Eagan lawsuit. Councilmember Tilley moved, Councilmember Maguire seconded a motion to adopt the agenda as modified. Aye: 4, Nay: 0 (Councilmember Fields not yet present) II. VISITORS TO BE HEARD There were no visitors to be heard. Special City Council Minutes August 24, 2004 Page 2 of 4 III. CVS TOBACCO LICENSE City Administrator Hedges distributed the tobacco license application of CVS Pharmacy. CVS is requesting the license at the August 24 Workshop because their grand opening precedes the next regular City Council meeting. Councilmember Carlson moved, Councilmember Maguire seconded a motion to approve the tobacco license application of CVS Pharmacy. Aye: 4 Nay: 0 (Councilmember Fields not yet present) IV. CONSIDERATION OF DRAFT 2005 GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND PROPOSED 2005 LEVY CERTIFICATION City Administrator Hedges introduced the item noting that preparation of the 2005 Preliminary General Fund Budget began this past June. Since that time, the budget team has met with each of the departments on two occasions to finalize the City Administrator's recommended budget. Hedges informed the Council that the City must certify a proposed levy to the County Auditor, adopt a proposed budget, and select dates for the initial and continuation Truth and Taxation Hearings no later than September 15. Hedges noted that formal City Council action to comply with those requirements is currently scheduled for the September 7,2004 regular City Council meeting. Hedges added that the purpose of the workshop is to consider the Preliminary General Fund Budget only; and, the Enterprise Funds will be before the City Council for their consideration later this year. City Administrator Hedges provided background on the 2005 Preliminary Budget and noted that Department Directors were instructed to target an inflationary 3 percent increase or less in each department. Hedges noted that the Preliminary Budget that is certified can be decreased, however, the amount certified cannot be increased. Hedges noted that the City of Eagan has historically been a relatively low service delivery-City committed to limited government. He also cited the recent community-wide survey undertaken in the summer of 2002, which showed that Eagan compares very favorably, meaning a higher percentage of approval, compared to Eagan's neighboring cities and Dakota County. Hedges noted that Eagan is the lowest in per capita spending in Minnesota cities over 50,000 in population. Hedges informed the Council that per their direction, the 2005 Preliminary Budget does not include revenue calculations for the Homestead Market Value Credit. The supplemental funding sources included with the 2005 Preliminary General Fund Budget were summarized, including the Public Utility Fund Balance, General Fund Renewal and Replacement, and the Part II CIP. Hedges concluded by highlighting the proposed City market value, tax capacity, and Community Center bond debt service. City Administrator Hedges introduced the Department Directors to provide overviews of the departmental budgets being recommended by the City Administrator. Director of Community Development Hohenstein, Chief Building Official Schoeppner, and City Planner Ridley provided an overview of the Community Development proposed budget. The Council discussed the proposed budget and inquired about the increase in conferences, training, dues and memberships. Special City Council Minutes August 24, 2004 Page 3 of 4 City Administrator Hedges provided an overview on the Mayor and City Council and Administration budgets. City Administrator Hedges reminded the Council that should the Council wish to adjust the compensation for the Mayor and City Council, the change in compensation would go into effect beginning January 2005. Hedges also noted that per the direction of the Council, an organizational study is currently underway to determine appropriate resource allocation within the City. The City Council requested that staff provide the Council with a spread sheet that identifies shifts in the budget for one department to another. Councilmember Fields arrived at 6:l5 p.m. Director of Administrative Services provided an overview on the Information Technology, City Clerk and Finance Department budgets. The City Council asked staff to provide a best estimate on the potential costs if the Charter is adopted. City Administrator Hedges provided an overview on the Legal Services budget. The City Council asked Hedges to bring back information as to why Legal Services has increased significantly since 2002. Director of Communications Garrison provided an overview on the proposed Communications budget. The City Council discussed the budget and, in particular, discussed the City providing live web casting of City meetings which would allow a digitized, searchable video record of each meeting available to the public. The City Council recessed at 7:00 p.m. The City Council reconvened at 7: 1 0 p.m. following a short break. Police Chief Therkelsen and Captain McDonald provided an overview of the proposed 2005 Police budget. Police Chief Therkelsen noted the attrition levels anticipated within the next decade. Therkelsen provided an overview of the proposed reorganization within the department. The City Council discussed the proposal, and inquired about the percentage of non-sworn staff within the department as well as the depth of the Dispatch Center. City Administrator Hedges introduced the proposed Fire Department budget and noted that Chief Bob Kriha was out of town. Hedges introduced Day Battalion Diloia to summarize the Fire Department proposed budget. The City Council discussed the proposed addition of a Dispatcher within the Police Dispatch Center in order to handle the fire dispatch responsibilities. City Administrator Hedges noted that the full-time Fire Chief position continues to be studied by the Fire Department, but is not included in the 2005 budget proposal. The City Council discussed firefighter recruitment, including the number of firefighters available during the day and night shifts. The City Council also discussed the depth within the Dispatch Center and the importance of not burning out valuable Dispatchers. Special City Council Minutes August 24, 2004 Page 4 of 4 Public Works Director Colbert and Superintendent of Streets Struve provided an overview of the three Public Works Budgets, including Engineering, Streets and Highways, and Central Services. The City Council discussed the proposed implementation of a salt only ice removal experimental program in a portion of the City. Struve noted that by going to a salt only program, the clean up costs and environmental impacts associated with winter sanding would be reduced. The City Council voiced their support for the experimental program. The City Council recessed at 8:00 p.m. The City Council reconvened at 8:l5 p.m. following a short break. Parks and Recreation Administrative Coordinator Mesko, Superintendent of Parks Olson, Superintendent of Recreation Asfahl, and City Forester Hove provided an overview on the Parks and Recreation and Tree Conservation budgets. The City Council discussed the proposed maintenance position within tree conservation. The Council inquired as to whether the position could be contracted. The Council also asked staff to come back with a break down as to the actual increases or decreases within the Parks and Recreation Department that take into account revenue offsets. Upon completion of the departmental presentations, the City Council discussed the public policy issues pertaining to the 2005 Preliminary Budget. The City Council directed that the Truth and Taxation Hearing dates be scheduled for Monday, December 6, and Monday, December 13. City Administrator Hedges noted that the preliminary tax levy will be scheduled for consideration at the September 7,2004 regular City Council meeting at which time the Council will be asked to adopt a preliminary levy. It was again noted by City Administrator Hedges that the preliminary levy will serve as a starting point and can be adjusted downward; however, the levy cannot be increased once the preliminary levy is adopted. The Council affirmed their support in the use of the supplementary funding sources for the non-reoccurring appropriations included in the proposed budget. The Council also reaffirmed its determination on the use ofthe fund balance as a contingency for operations and as a savings account. The Council requested that they be provided information regarding how funding levels within the contingency have changed over the past few years. Staff was directed to bring back responses to questions raised at the August 24 Workshop to the September 13 City Council Workshop. V. OTHER BUSINESS City Administrator Hedges distributed an unofficial copy of the Opinion which states that the City prevailed in the Dahline v. City of Eagan Court of Appeals case. VI. ADJOURNMENT The City Council adjourned at 9:00 p.m.