04-09 Work Session
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Special City Council Work Session
April 9, 2019
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Regan Gonzalez at 5:16 p.m. in the Bartholomew
Room.
Council Members Maria Regan Gonzalez, Mayor; Edwina Garcia; Mary Supple; Simon
Present: Trautmann; and Ben Whalen.
Staff Present: Katie Rodriguez, City Manager; Kristin Asher, Public Works Director; Jeff
Pearson, City Engineer; Melissa Poehlman, Assistant Community
Development Director; and Jared Voto, Executive Aide/Analyst.
City of Bloomington Gene Winstead, Mayor; Tim Busse, Council Member; Shawn Nelson, Council
Present: Member; Patrick Martin, Council Member; Jamie Verbrugge, City Manager;
Karl Keel, Public Works Director; Julie Long, City Engineer; and Amy Marohn,
Civil Engineer.
Item #1 DISCUSS I-494 CORRIDOR PROJECT WITH BLOOMINGTON CITY COUNCIL
Richfield and Bloomington City Councils and staff members introduced themselves.
Richfield City Engineer Pearson and Bloomington Civil Engineer Marohn presented on I-494:
Airport to Hwy 169 project including a project overview, project schedule, the regional transportation
goals, and staff-developed local goals (transportation and economic). They introduced the local goals
and asked for feedback from policymakers.
Mayor Regan Gonzalez asked about adding a communication effort to the “minimize impacts
to businesses during construction” item and if stormwater impacts were included in these goals
generally, since it was specifically called out.
Bloomington Council Member Busse commented on thinking about businesses and minimizing
business impacts during construction as a top priority, while also thinking about using the design of
494 as an economic development tool for the corridor.
Bloomington Public Works Director Keel commented that staff has been thinking about that
there will be impacts to properties and how to guide those impacts so that there are developable
parcels and more long-term positives for the corridor.
Bloomington Mayor Winstead agreed that communication is key for businesses and residents
during construction.
Council Member Whalen commented that there are two goals with “et cetera” and thought it
would be worth clarifying and making them more measurable to ensure we can look back at goals and
determine if we succeeded with the project.
Special Council Work Session Minutes -2- April 9,2019
Council Member Supple commented on the importance of working together with Bloomington
as what is good for Richfield is good for Bloomington and vice versa.
Council Member Trautmann agreed with all the comments and wants to set the goal of positive
outcomes for the corridor, not the least, worst choice. He commented we should work to minimize
impacts while maximizing opportunities.
Mayor Regan Gonzalez thanked staff from both cities for pulling these goals together and
moving the cities forward together.
Bloomington Mayor Winstead discussed having a reality check at some point and prioritizing
goals and pieces of the project since currently $200 million of funding is available for a $400 million
project. Whether it be a prioritization issues/goals, getting additional funding, or phasing the project.
Mayor Regan Gonzalez asked staff about the next steps in the goals and project.
City Engineer Pearson stated that staff will work through and prioritize the goals with their
respective City Councils and asked MnDOT to speak about the project.
Amber Blanchard, Project Director for 494 Corridors of Commerce project, spoke about
upcoming internal MnDOT meetings to discuss the state of funding for this project and the funding
gap and stated she would come back to give an update when they had this information available.
Council Member Supple asked Ms. Blanchard if she was referring to the 494 project only, or
the underpass and 82nd as well.
Ms. Blanchard responded it includes 494 and 82"d, but the 77th Street underpass is a local
project.
City Manager Rodriguez gave a brief history of the 77th Street Underpass project, for the
benefit of the Bloomington City Council, and provided an update on the construction schedule, current
funding, and funding gap.
Bloomington Mayor Winstead discussed the importance of the 77th Street Underpass project
as it ties together other elements in the corridor.
Public Works Director Asher discussed the underpass's importance to Richfield and its
development as part of the commitment to the ring route solution, and stated her belief that it has
more value to the region than it does to the city.
ADJOURNMENT
The work session was adjourned by unanimous consent at 6:04 p.m.
Date Approved: April 23, 2019 CIA.V1. `-n3
Maria Regan Gonzalez v
Mayor
K /"PT
ed Voto Katie Rodriguez
Executive Aide/Analyst City Manager