04-24-07 Special
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Special Concurrent City Council/Richfield
School Board Meeting
Apri I 24, 2007
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Goettel at 5:33 p.m.
Council Members
Present: Debbie Goettel, Mayor; Susan Rosenberg; Fred Wroge; Bill Kilian; and
Sue Sandahl.
City Staff Present: Steve Devich, City Manager; Bruce Palmborg, Community
Development Director; Mike Eastling, Public Works Director; Brad
Sveum, Fire Services Director; Jim Topitzhofer, Recreation Services
Director; Pam Dmytrenko, Assistant to City Manager; Jay Henthorne,
Police Lieutenant; and Cheryl Krumholz, Recording Secretary.
School Board
Members: John Easterwood; Nancy Rowley; David Lamberger; Todd
Nollenberger; Marc Jenkins; and Sandy Belkengren.
School Staff Present: Barbara Devlin, Superintendent; Jim Bradley, Business Manager; Kate
Trewick, Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Technology; and Stephen
West, Richfield Middle School Principal.
Item #1
. Graffiti/Gang Activity
Police Lieutenant Henthorne discussed gang activity and graffiti incidents in the City.
He said there has been progress in arrests for graffiti. Richfield Public Safety has a liaison
assigned to the Gang Task Force and initiated an intelligence report to keep patrol officers
informed.
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April 24, 2007
Police Lieutenant Henthorne also discussed a proposed ordinance restricting paint sales
by businesses, similar to Minneapolis and St. Paul, to reduce graffiti.
Police Lieutenant Henthorne said there is no exact number of gang members in
Richfield because it fluctuates. Most are not Richfield residents and are over 18 years old.
Council Member Kilian said he is glad arrests are being made because that is the most
effective way to stop graffiti, which has been around for years.
School Superintendent Devlin stated there is a good working relationship with school
staff, Richfield Public Safety Department and the school liaison.
Wroge stated he didn't think graffiti was around Richfield before but rather that is now
coming to the community.
. Wi-Fi
City Manager Devich discussed the two Wi-Fi models options: Chaska invested in
infrastructure and owns/operates their own system; Minneapolis partnered with the private
sector, US Internet. Richfield staff has met with Minneapolis staff and when Minneapolis moves
forward on the project, Richfield could partner with them but may not have the same installation
approach. There is an exploratory meeting with US Internet on April 15.
Council Member Kilian said anybody can buy the service.
Mayor Goettel said it made sense to tag onto Minneapolis and have the service move
south.
School Board Member Nollenberger asked about the Minneapolis contract precluding
competition in Richfield and creating a monopoly.
Assistant to the City Manager Dmytrenko said competitors can make offers.
School Superintendent Devlin said some wi-fi applications may lend itself to the school.
School Director Trewick added security is the primary issue.
Council Member Kilian asked about the percentage of students who have the Internet at
home.
School Director Trewick said an access survey is underway.
. Proposed Joint Facilities Use Agreement Revisions
Recreation Services Director Topitzhofer stated he and School Business Manager
Bradley are updating the agreement with how the City and school district work together,
including facilities use and programs. The written agreement will be brought to the City Council
and School Board.
. Proposed 76th Street Metro Sewer Project
Public Works Director Eastling discussed the proposed preliminary route of the sewer
project. The Edina and Richfield sewer travel through the same pipe and is at capacity. A
second, parallel pipe is proposed.
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April 24, 2007
Public Works Director Eastling stated a bicycle route is also proposed to be included
with the project since the street is being disrupted. The 76th Street bridge over 1-35W work is
be begin first in 2008. The other work is in 2009/2010.
Mayor Goettel stated residents have provided good input on this project at public
meetings.
Public Works Director Eastling said this is a Metro Sewer project with the City taking the
lead. The Metropolitan Council is funding the project. The street disruption will be block-by- .
block and while the bridge is down, the access to school will be impacted. The new bridge will
include special pedestrian and bicycle access with a median and signal intersection crossing.
Public Works Director Eastling discussed the Crosstown reconstruction, including a
contractor is in place who will create timelines and determine access restriction to local streets
during the work.
Mayor Goettel stated a federal appropriation has been requested for the 77th Street
tunnel.
Item #1
. EnrollmenUDemographics
School Superintendent Devlin discussed the gender and ethnic enrollment statistics,
limited English proficiency enrollment, free and reduced price lunch report and open enrollment.
Most school diversity is from within Richfield, not outside the City.
. Student Achievement
School Director Trewick discussed the annual report on curriculum, instruction, and
student achievement.
. Dual Language Immersion Program
School Director Trewick discussed the Richfield Spanish dual immersion program,
including key features and benefits.
fy1ayor Goettel asked,about the impact of the two schools not meeting the adequate
yearly p'roc.e$s~YP) gliidelir:1es...,
School Director Trewick explained that if a school has two consecutive years of not
meeting A YP, there must be a written achievement plan to meet compliance.
School Superintendent Devlin discussed the federal No Child Left Behind program. She
added that the most diverse schools were labeled as not making A YP.
Council Member Wroge asked how the School District handles putting the responsibility
on school teachers when students are not doing their work at home and parents are not
helping.
Middle School Principal West explained that the Richfield school district accepts no
excuses and teachers and staff put forth their best efforts each day.
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April 24, 2007
. Richfield Middle School Changes
Middle School Principal West discussed several Richfield Middle School changes being
considered for implementation, including staffing and key changes that would help address
district objectives and strategies related to student achievements.
. Elementary Space Decisions
School Board Member Easterwood discussed the elementary space options, including
continuing the existing buildings as they are now and dual language immersion at Elliot
Education Center. This is a quick fix for the short-term and monitor enrollment trends for the
long-term.
. Richfield High School Tennis Courts
School Business Manager Bradley discussed the need to close the tennis courts on 70th
Street due to an unsafe surface and the consideration of a long-term renovation. Because the
site is one-court short for competition events, the school is considering the option to expand
partially onto City property into Augsburg Park property. He added these courts are used
extensively by the school and City.
School Superintendent Devlin said there is a grant program in which the school and City
could work together.
Council Member Wroge sajd the City's Community Services Commission is concerned
about small parkland pieces being lost. He suggested the Community Service Commission be
asked to review this option regarding Augsburg Park. He also suggested the seventh court
could be located behind the sixth court, which would be less controversial than taking parkland.
He said people don't want two City parks, of which Augsburg in one, to be touched at all.
Mayor Goettel concluded the meeting by stating the schools are the backbone of the
community and the City is a partner with a vested interest.
The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 6:54 p.m.
u ~
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Chery~ OIZ~
Recording Secretary
Date Approved: May 8, 2007