02-09-10 WorksessionJ
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Special Worksession
February 9, 2010
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Goettel at 5:37 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Council Members
Present: Debbie Goettel, Mayor; Pat Elliott; Fred Wroge; Sue Sandahl; and Tom
Fitzhenry.
Staff Present: Steven L. Devich, City Manager; John Stark, Community Development
Director; Barry Fritz, Public Safety Director; Brad Sveum, Fire Services
Director; Bill Fillmore, Municipal Liquor Operations Director; Chris Regis,
Finance Manager; Kristin Asher, City Engineer; Pam Dmytrenko, Assistant
to the City Manager; and Nancy Gibbs, City Clerk.
Item #1 DISCUSSION WITH LOCAL LEGISLATORS
State Senator Ken Kelash, District 63, and State House Representative Linda Slocum,
District 63B, discussed the Council's concerns with items scheduled to be discussed during the
upcoming legislative session. The topics that were discussed included:
• Financiallmpacts
o Need for balanced budget
o Consequences of unallotment
o Levy limits
o Need for cities to maintain a reasonable fund balance
o Bonding for planning 77th Street tunnel and Richfield Parkway
o First responder funding legislation/reimbursement
o The Buy American statute -costs and problems
• Request new laws to prohibit auto operation while texting or talking on phone
• Remove 494/35W project from #17 on USA's worst traffic delays list and
make priority
Special Worksession Minutes -2- February 9, 2010
• Eminent domain
Representative Slocum stated that she thinks next year will be worse financially than this
year.
Senator Kelash agreed with Representative Slocum and added that he thought cities would
have their Local Government Aid cut again this year.
Senator Kelash stated that the 494/35W project is currently not a top priority because other
projects, like the Highway 62 project, need to be completed before another major project can
begin.
Representative Slocum stated that she would like to meet with the City Council after the
legislative session ends.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned by unar
Date Approved: February 9, 2010
Nancy Gib
City Clerk
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