06/12/2001 - City Council Special
Minutes of a Special Meeting of the Eagan City Council
June 12,2001
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MINUTES OF A
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE EAGAN CITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY, JUNE 12,2001
5:00 P.M.
EAGAN MUNICIPAL CENTER COMMUNITY ROOM
Present: Mayor Awada, Councilmembers Bakken, Carlson, Fields and Tilley, City
Administrator Hedges, Director of Parks and Recreation Vraa, Director of Public Works
Colbert, Civic Arena Manager Vaughn, Assistant City Administrator Duffy, Cable
Coordinator Reardon, Assistant City Administrator Verbrugge, Administrative Specialist
Hertel, Administrative Intern Lord.
ROLL CALL & AGENDA ADOPTION
Councilmember Carlson moved, Councilmember Fields seconded a motion to adopt the
agenda including Goals Update, 4th of July, Tree Debris Pickup, History Committee and
Joint APC-City Council Meeting as additional topics. Aye: 5 Nay: 0
VISITORS TO BE HEARD
No members ofthe audience addressed the Council on non-agenda matters.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS UPDATE
Cable Commission Vice-Chair Maggie Jensen addressed the Council and gave a
presentation about the Burnsville - Eagan Telecommunications Commission.
Councilmembers Carlson and A wada provided information about the Council
subcommittee's interest in expanding cable programming and encouraged the expansion
and improvement of the quality of programming. Vice-Chair Jensen thanked the Council
for the opportunity to meet.
CIVIC ARENA BUDGET
City Administrator Hedges gave an overview of the item, noting that the operations of the
budget run from September to September because of the nature of the enterprise. He
further noted the increased revenues that will result from the equipment washing machine
and the exceptional increases in energy costs that have impacted the fund balance. He
stated that the Council could employ any of several options to balance the budget,
including reducing the funds available for a security system, reducing the R & R fund,
and/or raising the ice time rates to a level competitive with neighboring facilities.
Councilmember Bakken stated that the equipment washing machine would ultimately pay
for itself, but inquired for more details on maintenance costs over time. Mayor A wada
inquired about the upfront costs of $15,000 and how those would be covered. Director of
Parks and Recreation Vraa stated that the funds could be borrowed from the Renewal and
Minutes of a Special Meeting of the Eagan City Council
June 12, 2001
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Replacement Fund and paid back to the fund over three years, as had been done with the
previous bleacher purchase. Councilmember Bakken expressed support for the purchase
of an ice machine and inquired about the details of maintenance costs.
Councilmember Bakken inquired about the ice time rate increase. Director of Parks and
Recreation Vraa reported that Eagan remains one of the least expensive locations,
compared to Apple Valley ($150), Burnsville ($145) and Inver Grove Heights (average
of surrounding facilities). The Council reached the consensus opinion that a $5 per hour
increase in ice time fees was acceptable.
The Council considered the costs and benefits of a security system. Civic Arena
Manager Vaughn reported the theft ofa vending machine and the inability of workers in
one arena to adequately supervise the other arena without a camera system. Director of
Parks and Recreation Vraa emphasized the importance of a visual connection to the entire
building. After discussion, the Council reached the consensus opinion that in order to
balance the budget for 2002, the security system purchase would be postponed to a future
year.
Mayor A wada summarized the Council's recommendation, stating that the equipment
washing machine would be purchased with a 3-year payback, the ice machine would be
purchased, no security system would be purchased in the 2002 budget, a $5 per hour
increase to the ice time rate would be approved and the Renewal & Replacement Fund
and a transfer from previous years' profits to balance the 2002 budget. City
Administrator Hedges clarified that the transfer would occur at the end of the operating
year.
Councilmember Carlson asked that the Hockey Association and the School Districts be
notified of the rate change and that there has been no increase for two years.
Councilmember Tilley asked that the security system be brought back for consideration
in the future.
1940 SILVER BELL ROAD
City Administrator Hedges gave a brief overview and stated that if the item required
discussion, that discussion must occur in the context of an Executive Session.
Councilmember Bakken moved, Councilmember Tilley seconded a motion to approve
the Purchase Agreement for 1940 Silver Bell Road. Aye: 5 Nay: 0
COMMUNICATIONS TRACKING
City Administrator Hedges gave an overview. He reviewed the action taken at the
November 21,2000 regular City Council meeting. He stated that the objective of
creating a communications tracking system ought to be to improve and account for
responding to citizens. He further noted that a second purpose of such a system, if
created, would be to alert the City Council to issues brewing within the community.
Minutes of a Special Meeting of the Eagan City Council
June 12,2001
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Councilmember Bakken stated that he had always been satisfied with the manner in
which staff brings issues to the attention of the City Council. He further noted that the
staff is always able to find the research information requested and creating a system of
centralized bureaucracy would be irrelevant. He stated that such a system would be a
move toward more micromanaging.
Mayor Awada commented that tracking the considerable volume of calls received each
day would be cumbersome and expensive. Councilmember Tilley stated that it would be
useful to know how many people called on a given issue to guage its importance.
Councilmember Fields stated that the volume of calls would make the information
impossible to manage.
Councilmember Tilley moved, Councilmember Carlson seconded a motion to negate the
monthly communications reports motion of the previous Council made at the November
21, 2000 meeting and to defer action on this matter pending a report from staff on a
newly formed LMC group of city representatives meeting to address this matter. Aye: 5
Nay: 0
OTHER
N.O.I.S.E. CONFERENCE
Councilmembers Bakken and Carlson reported they will be attending the N.O.I.S.E.
Conference. Mayor Awada stated that she will be unable to attend the Conference, and
suggested that Ted Gladhill, Chair of the Airport Relations Committee, go in her place if
he so desires. Councilmember Bakken stated he was hesitant to use travel money
allocated for the mayor to send Mr. Gladhill to the Conference. Mayor Awada
emphasized that sending Mr. Gladhill to the conference would be a one-time occurrence,
and in no way would set a precedent for the future. Councilmember Bakken requested
Mr. Gladhill give a report to the community upon his return from the conference. All
councilmembers agreed that if Mr. Gladhill declines the invitation to the conference,
nobody would go in the place of the Mayor.
Council member Bakken moved, Councilmember Carlson seconded a motion to allocate
funding to send Ted Gladhill, Chair of the Airport Relations Committee, to the N.O.I.S.E.
Conference. Additionally, Mr. Gladhill's offer to attend the Conference is contingent on
him providing a report to the community upon his return. Aye: 5 Nay: 0
GOALS UPDATE
Mayor Awada suggested the Council provide the community with a midterm report of the
Council's accomplishments in 2001. The Council agreed that the report would be done in
a social atmosphere, similar to the format of the State of the City event. The Council
agreed that the midterm report social event will be held on Tuesday, July 10, at 4:30 P.M.
in the Council Chambers. Mayor Awada suggested that the Council present a Power
Minutes of a Special Meeting of the Eagan City Council
June 12,2001
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Point presentation of the Council's accomplishments in 2001. Mayor Awada stated it is
her hope that at least 80 people will be in attendance at the event. Mayor Awada also
suggested that punch and cookies be served. City Administrator Hedges suggested that
the midterm social event take place for approximately one hour, and the regular City
Council Special meeting could follow immediately after the event.
CENTRAL PARK GROUNDBREAKING
Mayor A wada stated that she would like to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for Central
Park prior to the firework display on July 4th. Mayor Awada suggested that an area be
roped off in Central Park and a public address system be installed so that she could speak
to the crowd just before the firework display about the importance of Central Park.
Mayor Awada also suggested that all persons who worked on the Central Park Task
Force be invited to the groundbreaking event on July 4th. Councilmember Bakken
suggested that both the groundbreaking and the firework display be broadcast on public
access cable television.
TREE DEBRIS
City Administrator Hedges stated that as a result of the strong wind and rainstorm on
June 11, the City received 50-75 calls from Eagan residents on June 12 regarding the
pick-up of tree limbs and debris. Mayor Awada also noted that she received numerous
calls about storm debris. City Administrator Hedges explained that the current policy of
the City is to pick up tree limbs and debris only when a community wide disaster has
been declared. Since a disaster was not declared for the June 11 storm, City staff did not
pick up tree limbs and debris from residential sites. City Administrator Hedges stated that
the City has a list of private contractors that pick up tree limbs, as well as sites where
residents can drop off the debris on their own. Mayor Awada suggested that the list be
posted on the Reader Board at City Hall, the City's web site, and on the public access
cable channel. Mayor Awada suggested that the City continue with its current policy of
only picking up tree limbs and other storm debris when a community-wide disaster has
been declared. The Council reached consensus to leave the policy as it is currently stated.
HISTORY COMMITTEE
City Administrator Hedges stated that the History Committee has requested to meet with
two or three Council Members to discuss community issues as well as the possibility of
becoming an endorsed City Commission. Council Member Carlson and Mayor A wada
volunteered to meet with the History Committee, and report back to the Council with the
outcome of the meeting.
APC ZONING UPDATE
The next APC Zoning meeting will be held on July 17 at 4:30 p.m., one hour prior to the
Council's listening session.
Minutes of a Special Meeting of the Eagan City Council
June 12,2001
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ADJOURNMENT
The Special Council Meeting adjourned at 7:25 P.M.
Date
City Clerk
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