07-22-16 Worksession CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
• Richfield, Minnesota
;the Orb.)))Hometown
Special City Council Worksession
July 22, 2016
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Goettel at 8:36 a.m. in the Bartholomew Room.
Council Members Debbie Goettel, Mayor; Michael Howard; Edwina Garcia; and Tom Fitzhenry.
Present:
Council Member Pat Elliot
Absent:
Staff Present: Steven L. Devich, City Manager; Kristin Asher, Public Works Director; Melissa
Poehlman, Acting Community Development Director; Jay Henthorne, Public
Safety Director; Wayne Kewitsch, Fire Services Director; and Pam
Dmytrenko, Assistant City Manager/HR Manager/Acting City Clerk.
Item #1 DISCUSSION WITH U.S. 5TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE
KEITH ELLISON
Congressman Ellison shared the status of the Appropriations Bill but it is unlikely to pass the
end of September. He strongly supports improving our infrastructure. Affordable housing is a top
problem in our area/identified as a key issue. We need to increase available housing stock overall.
Richfield needs help from the federal government to fund Section 8. We need more funding for
senior dining and, ideally, transportation. A Bipartisan Policing Strategies Working Group has been
established and will convene in September. Ellison wants on-the-ground ideas
Congressman Ellison discussed the Degrees Not Debt Act, including federal matching dollars
to public universities to lower tuition (help students be debt-free) reiterating everyone needs a base
education.
ADJOURNMENT
The worksession was adjourned by unanimous consent at 9:32 a.m.
Date Approved: August 23, 2016
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Pam Dmytrenko -t- -- L. Devich
Acting City Clerk City Manager