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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-08-10 CC MIN��II_-ter The Birthplace at Minnesota 216 4th Street N, Stillwater, MN 55082 651-430-8800 www.ci.stillwater.mn.us CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES August 10, 2021 REGULAR MEETING 4:30 P.M. Mayor Kozlowski called the meeting to order at 4:32 p.m. Present: Mayor Kozlowski, Councilmembers Collins, Junker, Odebrecht, Polehna Absent: None Staff present: City Administrator McCarty City Attorney Land City Clerk Wolf City Planner Wittman Community Development Director Gladhill Finance Director Provos Fire Chief Glaser Human Resources Manager Robole IT Manager Holman Police Chief Mueller Public Works Director Sanders Library Director Troendle OTHER BUSINESS Organizational Review Presentation on IT Mike Indergard, True North Consulting Group, explained the process used for the IT organizational review. It included organizational structure, staffing and capacity/efficiency review, analysis of the potential for an enterprise wide software system, and the need for a communications/social media position for the City. Recommendations include adopting a single platform to streamline internal communications and reduce risk to digital assets; consolidating City applications into a single modular suite; adding another full-time employee to the City's technology staff to fulfill current needs, and partnering on certain technologies. Councilmember Odebrecht asked if the team did penetration testing and intrusion detection; and Mr. Indergard answered that was not part of this review but his firm does that. Councilmember Polehna inquired if Washington County was asked about contracting to do the City's GIS work; and Mr. Indergard replied no. On a question by Mayor Kozlowski about outsourcing the help desk and communication systems as many communities seem to be doing; Mr. Indergard responded that Stillwater's IT team has the capability to do a lot of network and maintenance tasks, but they do reach out for advanced services as needed. City Council Meeting August 10, 2021 Councilmember Junker asked if there were any particular discoveries due to the COVID changes in work processes; and Mr. Indergard answered that the review started a couple months ago, so employees were returning the office, but the pandemic drove some of the comments made about the need to consolidate data, ability to access data remotely, and adopt Cloud technology. Councilmember Odebrecht inquired if there is a recommended Cloud provider; and Mr. Indergard replied that it depends on the intended use. Many use either Google or Microsoft. Microsoft is commonly the government choice. Referring to the recommendation for an additional staff person, Councilmember Odebrecht questioned what tasks are not getting done today; and Mr. Indergard responded that it is more the speed of being able to get tasks done, rather than one thing that is falling into a chasm that is not being done. Councilmember Collins asked if there is a particular software recommended to streamline the issues of numerous communication tools and disconnected data; and Mr. Indergard answered that one possibility is Tyler Technologies Munis, which has all sorts of modules that can be added or removed as necessary. Mayor Kozlowski inquired about the legal requirements that the City must host onsite; and Mr. Indergard replied that there are some things that need not be Cloud based, for instance graphic intensive programs, like autocad, that need a lot of local processing power - those are the kinds of things that should remain on premises for the time being. Lighter applications such as Word files, databases, spreadsheets, emails, collaboration tools, and file storage all are prime targets for moving to the Cloud. IT Manager Holman indicated that the Department has budgeted to move its MS Office applications to the Cloud next year. Last year the City worked with Washington County on GIS, but the County is so busy already they do not have the time to do it. Regarding what is not getting done, a lot of it is security -related like penetration testing and keeping up with network maintenance. IT employees are assisting other staff every day and many things that are very important are not getting done. Shoddy Mill and Warehouse Redevelopment Considerations City Planner Wittman stated that staff has been approached by a local business owner who has interest in the Shoddy Mill and Warehouse buildings, located at 1250 Main Street South. It is their desire to lease the building and approximately 150' of land to the south, for use as a restaurant and event center with public boat docking. The interested party has indicated they would make all necessary site improvements in exchange for a low-cost lease. The buildings are not in good condition. If used for year-round use, the warehouse would have to be rebuilt. The mill is in better condition, but cracking has increased. The City has always intended to use the buildings for some type of public use. The St. Croix River overlay district does not allow for conditional uses. It may be eligible for a heritage preservation use variance. Several federal, state and local agencies have review authority due to the location within many overlapping districts. Ms. Wittman reviewed site redevelopment options including ownership restrictions, contemplated uses, allowable uses, site amenities and limitations; review and permitting considerations, rehabilitation costs, potential funding opportunities; and conclusions and alternatives for the Council's consideration. Traffic and Page 2 of 11 City Council Meeting August 10, 2021 parking issues are among the biggest challenges. A big concern currently is safety and security. Mayor Kozlowski pointed out that he does not see the City coming up with $4 million to renovate the buildings, unless someone is willing to lease them to offset all or most of that cost. Community Development Director Gladhill stated for clarity of the record, there is someone interested in doing all the improvements and borrowing the money to pay it off. Staff recommends refining the master plan for Bridgeview Park, looking at the various options, then doing a Request for Proposals (RFP) that would draw other interested parties as well. Councilmember Junker noted there is much legwork to be done to obtain jurisdictional agency input to determine what is even remotely possible before spending resources. A woman interrupted the meeting and stated, it is not going to go through because of taxpayers' dollars. Mayor Kozlowski stated the Council is not looking at public input currently. He thanked her for her comments. The woman stood and exclaimed the Police Department is corrupt. The democrats won't protect the women but the republican party does and then she departed. Mayor Kozlowski stated he is not overly concerned about the lack of parking at the site because the proposal represented boaters, bikers and trail users as generating the bulk of the business. Perhaps the scenario proposed can be shown to the permitting agencies to ask, if the City wants to do something like this, is it a hard no or is it possible. Councilmember Junker commented that prior to COVID there were discussions with Discover Stillwater, the Chamber, and potentially MnDOT and the National Park Service, about incorporating the buildings into public use to showcase area artifacts and history. He agrees that the buildings are in pathetic shape and it would be difficult for the City to invest $2-4 million to allow the Chamber or Discover Stillwater to use them. But any private expense to do that kind of project would need high annualized sales for return on investment, so this would not be a casual small business. Any private use would need to be a big operation. Councilmember Odebrecht remarked that the City made a commitment to keep the buildings up, so there is some level of cost, plus they give the opportunity to highlight Germanic Jewish history which is important. He would like to bring the buildings up to a minimum level of security and see if the City can find private sector funding for their use. Mayor Kozlowski stated the Council needs to discuss how many dollars it will cost to shore it up and keep it from getting worse. Councilmember Polehna stated nothing has been done with the buildings for 8 years and they are an eyesore. The one thing he would like to do is move forward on a public dock as there is a lot of demand. He would like to talk to legislators about grants and funding. Mr. Gladhill summarized the Council consensus: obtain regulatory agency feedback on the current proposal for a concession vendor, bring those findings back to the Council and have discussion on the next step for opening it up to interested parties, determine what Page 3 of 11 City Council Meeting August 10, 2021 amendments to the capital plan need to be done, and look at other use options in re- evaluating the master plan. Councilmember Junker remarked, whatever happens with the buildings, parking is out of the question due to lack of space and safe access in and out of the site. Councilmember Polehna questioned why not consider some parking; and City Planner Wittman responded that any sort of higher intensity use than a park, visitor center or wayside rest, will necessitate parking. The requirement is in the zoning code. Mayor Kozlowski asked staff to look at whether variances to parking requirements may be incorporated into a historic preservation use variance, if granted. Lumberjack Landing Park/Aiple Property Renaming Request Tracy Maki, Heather Rutledge and Greg Seitz presented a request to consider a different name for Lumberjack Landing, one that better reflects Stillwater's character beyond the lumbering days, and sets the tone for a recreational site. They surveyed the community and found there is a high level of interest in a name reflecting Native or Ojibwe heritage. They reviewed suggested names submitted. Mayor Kozlowski remarked that many of those names were considered previously. The problem lies in the process, not the number of names submitted. A huge amount of time was spent on this subject. Lumberjack Landing, Riverside Park, Croix Nature Park, Tamarack House Park, Old Mill Park, and Peavey Park were among the names considered. Ms. Rutledge pointed out that there were no lumberjacks here - the lumberjacks worked 300 miles north. Stillwater was a mill town. She acknowledged it is a difficult process. They would like more consideration given. Ms. Maki stated many people are striving to come up with a name that will stand the test of time. The process used was not a particularly robust, community -centered process; she questioned its integrity, value, and depth. Feedback from their survey indicated that respondents really want acknowledgment of the history of the area. Councilmember Odebrecht stated he feels it was an incredibly community -centered process with a lot of engagement from the public, schools, and hundreds of suggestions on Facebook alone. Mayor Kozlowski added the Council worked with two different schools, the community, the Parks Commission, and had open forums about it. He does not know how else to collect input, or how to decide how to weigh certain factors in choosing a name. Councilmember Junker commented this is a 15-acre, gorgeous riverfront park with 1600 feet of linear shoreline, hence the name landing. He got six emails or phone calls today from people who stated they love the name Lumberjack Landing. No matter the process, there will be debates on what is the right fit. He likes the name Lumberjack Landing. Mr. Seitz agreed an incredible process went into name selection including polls, meetings and Facebook posts. Almost all the input was ignored when the decision was made. Mayor Kozlowski responded that there also were many conversations between Councilmembers, staff and Commissions. Council packets are prepared well in advance of the meetings, so decisions are not off the cuff. Page 4 of 11 City Council Meeting August 10, 2021 Mr. Seitz stated Lumberjack Landing was not one of the suggestions; and Mayor Kozlowski replied that Landing was a theme and Lumberjack was a theme and the two were put together based on the list of suggestions. Ms. Maki stated it is the Council's prerogative, but she cautioned that there is much work going on regarding how Stillwater shows up as a community. The narrative that reflects primarily European White history can be problematic going forward. That is not a threat, but something heard every day at Valley Outreach and she knows Councilmembers are hearing it from constituents as well. Mayor Kozlowski stated one member of the group put him in contact with someone who talked about a federal Native land designation. He asked if one of the group members can help with that. Mr. Seitz replied he feels that should come from a Native perspective, he does not think the group should initiate that. Councilmember Odebrecht offered that he has a friend who is an active Native attorney who may be able to help. Ms. Rutledge remarked that the space is filled with cottonwood trees, there is not a lumberjack that has been on that site. The name is disconnected. Councilmember Odebrecht stated selecting the name was a two-year process. Mr. Seitz stated he understands not wanting to re -decide things. They have been hearing from many people who object to the name Lumberjack Landing. They are here on behalf of 85 people. Mayor Kozlowski invited them to email him. He also asked for assistance to get a Native Land designation for the park. Class Comp Market Rate Review iscussion City Administrator McCarty stated that it is increasingly difficult to recruit talented individuals to fill vacant positions, and to retain talented employees due to non-competitive wage rates for some City positions. Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the issuance of a Request for Quotes/Request for Proposals (RFQ/RFP) to solicit qualified quotes/proposals from consultants to conduct a comparative market analysis of the City's compensation rates and provide recommendations for any necessary adjustments. Motion by Councilmember Collins, seconded by Councilmember Junker, to proceed with a request for proposals for a market analysis of compensation rates. All in favor. Workplace of Tomorrow Flexible Work Arrangement Policy City Administrator McCarty presented a proposed Flexible Work Arrangement Policy recommended by the Workplace of Tomorrow Team. Staff recommends the City adopt a pilot flexible work arrangement policy starting September 1, 2021 on a one-year trial basis within the approved 2021 budget parameters. Human Resources Manager Robole reviewed the proposed policy. Councilmember Polehna asked how it will be decided who will work from home. For instance, how could maintenance employees or drivers work from home and how is work Page 5 of 11 City Council Meeting August 10, 2021 measured; and Ms. Robole responded that the Departments will need to determine coverage needs. Employees will need to describe how they will do that as part of their request. It is an interactive process, not an entitlement. Councilmember Odebrecht noted this is what his office has been doing for the past 15 months and it worked well. He supports it. Councilmember Junker questioned if, in some cases, an employee could work almost full time from home; and Ms. Robole responded that is an option. In the coming year, staff will learn more about whether it is possible to situate someone 100% offsite and continue to be productive. Councilmember Junker inquired how to hold staff accountable when working from home; and Ms. Robole replied that each department will need to explore those answers deeper, but for the most part, the supervisors and department heads have had experience with this for the past year. The City may need to provide refresher training on accountability. Smart goals can be rolled out at any time for each department. Mayor Kozlowski noted the policy allows department heads to approve working offsite, it does not guarantee it is going to happen. The City is a customer service organization. On recommendation from the technology audit, the City will be providing more self-service options for residents, so they do not have to come to City Hall in person, which will lessen the need for onsite staffing in the future. Councilmember Odebrecht asked if there is an option to pull back if a job is not being performed adequately; and Ms. Robole answered that the policy allows the department head to rescind any approval on short notice, and satisfactory performance is a criterion for applying to work offsite. Councilmember Collins recognized a lot of work went into the policy. It is proactive versus reactive. Councilmember Polehna expressed it is a good policy, but he is struggling with the accountability aspect. Ms. Robole added there are safety nets in place to discuss things that are not working and come up with solutions as a team, or if someone is not cut out to work in a flexible work arrangement. Motion by Councilmember Odebrecht, seconded by Councilmember Collins, to adopt Resolution 2021-099, Approving Flexible Work Arrangement Policy. All in favor. STAFF REPORTS Public Works Director Sanders stated the loose rock on the bluff at the north end of the City has been stabilized. He gave a progress report on the Maryknoll Drive Improvement Project. The Fire Department is OK with a 28-foot-wide street with surmountable curbs. The contractor will start work next week. Motion by Councilmember Polehna, seconded by Councilmember Odebrecht, to approve moving forward with the Maryknoll Drive Improvement Project as presented in the last meeting. All in favor. Page 6 of 11 City Council Meeting August 10, 2021 Police Chief Mueller informed the Council that mental illness cases have increased significantly. The dialogue and discussion with the Human Rights Commission and other groups should continue, to eliminate stigma surrounding mental health issues. Traffic issues and speed related deaths have increased in the metro area. He gave event updates and commended Community Resource Officer Brad Junker and Sergeant Brian Bruchu for their outstanding work on events. Fire Chief Glaser updated the Council on the applications for paid on -call staff. The fire danger rating is moderate - safe for fireworks. Finance Director Provos stated the proposed budget packet will be ready for the Council on August 11. The Finance Department received a Certificate of Excellence for 2019. Community Development Director Gladhill stated the Chestnut Street Plaza project should begin summer 2022. He updated the Council on other development projects. City Clerk Wolf reminded the Council of the Boards and Commissions picnic August 11. She stated City recognitions have been installed in the Council Chambers. City Administrator McCarty stated the Council budget workshop is August 17. The City's tax abatement request to the County is in process. Library Director Troendle informed the Council of a used book drive August 19, and a Valley Winds Concert August 19. RECESS Mayor Kozlowski recessed the meeting at 6:35 p.m. RECESSED MEETING 7:00 P.M. Mayor Kozlowski called the meeting to order at 7:10 p.m. Present: Mayor Kozlowski, Councilmembers Collins, Junker, Odebrecht, Polehna Absent: None Staff present: City Administrator McCarty City Attorney Land City Clerk Wolf Community Development Director Gladhill Finance Director Provos Fire Chief Glaser Police Chief Mueller Public Works Director Sanders Assistant Public Works Director Abdullah PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Kozlowski led the Council and audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. Page 7 of 11 City Council Meeting August 10, 2021 RECOGNITIONS OR PRESENTATIONS Community Thread Budget Request - Sally Anderson, Executive Director Sally Anderson, Executive Director of Community Thread, explained the services provided by Community Thread. She requested $16,000 for general operating expenses and $5,000 for the Connector Bus Loop. Washington County Historical Society Budget Request - Brent Peterson, Executive ❑irector Councilmember Collins acknowledged he is on the Board of Directors of the Historical Society. Mayor Kozlowski stated it was noted at the 4:30 meeting that there were not any lumberjacks in Stillwater. He asked Mr. Peterson for clarification. Brent Peterson, Executive Director of the Washington County Historical Society, answered the term lumberjack is an overall term for anyone who works in the lumber industry. The lumberjacks who cut the trees down in northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin probably did not work in Stillwater, but the logs they cut followed the tributaries of the St. Croix and down the St. Croix to the boom site. Those who handled the logs would have been working in Stillwater. There were several lumbermills in Stillwater, so if used as a generic term, yes there were lumberjacks in Stillwater. The tree cutters also had specific names: sawyers, teamsters, cooks, managers and all were considered lumberjacks. Mr. Peterson provided an overview of services and showed artifacts recently donated to the Washington County Historical Society. The Society is coming close to completing Phase 1 of the building project and the building on Greeley Street will open in mid -October. He requested a contribution of $7,500 for 2022. Youth Service Bureau Budget Request - Lacey Thompson, Behavioral Health Program Director Lacey Thompson, Behavioral Health Program Director of the Youth Service Bureau, reviewed the programs offered. She requested $11,500 for general operating expenses in 2022. OPEN FORUM There were no public comments. CONSENT AGENDA July 20, 2021 regular meeting minutes Payment of Bills Community Development Block Grant Program Cooperative Agreement Amendment #2 Resolution 2021-100, Resolution Establishing Hourly Pay Rates for Paid On -Call Fire Personnel Resolution 2021-101, Approving Contract with RES Pyrotechnics for Stillwater Fireworks at the Stillwater Lift Bridge & Loop Trail Celebration on August 14, 2021 Rivertown Fall Art Festival Temporary Liquor License Small Cell Telecommunications Services Agreement with SEH St. Croix Valley Rec Center Zamboni Purchase Request Waste Management Revised Amendment Agreement Page 8 of 11 City Council Meeting August 10, 2021 Andiamo Electric Service Relocate Agreement Motion by Councilmember Junker, seconded by Councilmember Odebrecht, to adopt the Consent Agenda. All in favor. PUBLIC HEARINGS Project 2021-06 to consider sidewalk rehabilitation on the 2021 Sidewalk Rehabilitation, Project Assistant Engineer Abdullah presented a report on the proposed sidewalk rehab project. 28 properties are proposed for repair, approximately 2,869 square feet. The estimated construction cost including removal, replacement, and restoration is $45,540. It is proposed to assess 50% of the costs. This amounts to an assessment rate of $7.94 per square foot. The remaining share would be paid for by the City. Construction would occur in September - October 2021. Mayor Kozlowski opened the public hearing. There were no public comments. Mayor Kozlowski closed the public hearing. Motion by Councilmember Polehna, seconded by Councilmember Odebrecht, to adopt Resolution 2021-102, Ordering Improvement and Preparation of Plans & Specifications for the 2021 Sidewalk Rehabilitation Project (Project 2021-06). All in favor. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Strategic Plan Summary 2021 City Administrator McCarty stated that the Council conducted its annual Strategic Plan work session July 8, 2021. The Strategic Plan Summary 2020-2025 has been updated to incorporate next year's priorities/additions. The City's Mission Statement, Core Values and major Strategic Plan goals all remain consistent moving forward. Motion by Councilmember Collins, seconded by Councilmember Junker, to approve the updated Strategic Plan Summary 2020-2025. All in favor. NEW BUSINESS Summer Tuesdays Event Extension and Waiver of Fees Request City Clerk Wolf stated that Summer Tuesdays, Inc. had to cancel three of their event dates this year due to weather and they are requesting to add a makeup date of Tuesday, August 17. They also have requested to have the $500 event fee waived by the City Council, but would still pay for City services/fees for parking, trash service, electrical box service and use of the amphitheater stage for a total of $179.50. Motion by Councilmember Junker, seconded by Councilmember Polehna, to adopt Resolution 2021-103, Approving Amendment to the 2021 Summer Tuesdays Special event Contract. All in favor. Chicken Permit Application for 1201 Lecuyer Circle Community Development Director Gladhill stated that a complaint was received about keeping chickens without a permit. Property owner Marilyn Gustafson subsequently Page 9 of 11 City Council Meeting August 10, 2021 applied for a chicken keeping permit. Four objections from neighbors were received. The application meets all the requirements of the City Code. Staff feels the issues can be resolved and recommends approval with nine conditions. Councilmember Odebrecht suggested the Council revisit the code stating the coop must be at least 20 feet from other dwellings. This coop is 55" from the property line fence, which severely hinders the neighbors' enjoyment of their yard. Mayor Kozlowski suggested adding a provision that if they were keeping chickens without a permit, they are automatically disqualified from receiving a permit. Councilmember Junker noted with four of the five neighbors voicing a major problem, the issue probably will not resolve itself. Councilmember Collins remarked one of first things to do if someone is serious about keeping chickens, would logically be to check with the municipality on regulations. Councilmember Polehna stated chickens do not belong in the City. Motion by Councilmember Polehna, seconded by Councilmember Junker, to deny a chicken keeping permit for 1201 Lecuyer Circle. All in favor. St Croix River Riverbank Stabilization and Riverwalk Project Accept Bids & Award Contract Public Works Director Sanders stated that the bid opening for the St. Croix River Riverbank Stabilization and Riverwalk Project was August 5. The low bid was submitted by Sunram Construction Inc. in the amount of $2,911,041. The engineer's estimate was $2,850,000. The budget for the project is $3.6M, of which $1.65M is from a DNR Grant, and the remaining coming from City funds. With engineering and construction, the total cost of the project is estimated at $3.9M. An additional $300,000 would be needed for the project. It is possible the difference could come from 2021 or 2022 capital projects bonding. Per the City Administrator, this seems workable. Staff recommends that the City accept the bids and award the contract to Sunram Construction Inc. Mayor Kozlowski asked if there is a possibility of requesting more funding from the State; and Mr. Sanders answered that he can ask, but the grant was for a set amount of $1.65M, not for a percentage of the project. Overage was due to design challenges, permit challenges, having to do some surveys for mussels in the area, endangered species survey, cultural resources survey - all part of the permitting process. The earliest the contractor may start is September. Some staging will be in Bridgeview Park and Parking Lot 1. Motion by Councilmember Polehna, seconded by Councilmember Odebrecht, to adopt Resolution 2021-104, Accepting Bid and Awarding Contract for 2016 Riverbank Stabilization and Riverwalk Project (Project 2016-06). All in favor. COUNCIL REQUEST ITEMS Councilmember Polehna reminded the Council and community of the Lift and Loop Celebration August 14. Page 10 of 11 City Council Meeting August 10, 2021 ADJOURNMENT Motion by Councilmember Odebrecht, seconded by Councilmember Junker, to adjourn. All in favor. The meeting was adjourned at 8:09 p.m. , Ted Kozlowski, Mayor ATTEST: Beth Wolf, City Clerk Resolution 2021-099, Approving Flexible Work Arrangement Policy Resolution 2021-100, Resolution Establishing Hourly Pay Rates for Paid On -Call Fire Personnel Resolution 2021-101, Approving Contract with RES Pyrotechnics for Stillwater Fireworks at the Stillwater Lift Bridge & Loop Trail Celebration on August 14, 2021 Resolution 2021-102, Ordering Improvement and Preparation of Plans & Specifications for the 2021 Sidewalk Rehabilitation Project (Project 2021-06) Resolution 2021-103, Approving Amendment to the 2021 Summer Tuesdays Special event Contract Resolution 2021-104, Accepting Bid and Awarding Contract for 2016 Riverbank Stabilization and Riverwalk Project (Project 2016-06) Page 11 of 11