03-23-10 WorksessionJ
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Special Worksession
March 23, 2010
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Goettel at 6:02 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; Barry Fritz, Public Safety Director; Mike
Eastling, Public Works Director; John Stark, Community Development
Director; Jim Topitzhofer, Recreation Services Director; Brad Sveum, Fire
Services Director; Bill Fillmore, Municipal Liquor Operations Director; and
Cheryl Krumholz, Recording Secretary.
Item #1 DISCUSSION REGARDING 2010 BUDGET ISSUES
City Manager Devich discussed the following:
• State aid cuts are unknown until May or June and there are differences in the
Governor's proposed reduction versus the legislature's.
• Proposed transfer of 2009 year-end General Fund surplus to Capital Fund to be
used in 2010
• Proposed employee early retirement incentive
• Review of service levels
• Possible one-time option to levy back the loss of 2011 state aids
• Dispatching services
o Possible use of Special Revenue Funds for capital costs of new building to
retain dispatch center
o Unknown costs of Hennepin County dispatch services
o No other cities want to move their 9-1-1 service to Richfield
o Bloomington and Edina preparing cost estimates to move Richfield dispatch
center to their facility
Special Worksession Minutes -2- March 23, 2010
• Process of dispatching of emergency responders by Richfield and Hennepin County
o Process/create time
o Dispatch time
Council Member Fitzhenry stated he liked the personal touch of Richfield dispatchers to
provide updates during calls.
Mayor Goettel expressed her disappointment with WOLD for their under-estimating the bid
for the new dispatch center.
City Manager Devich stated the monopole cost was unanticipated.
Council Member Wroge said he did not condone moving dispatch to Hennepin County
without knowing the cost.
Mayor Goettel said there were too many unknowns and expressed concern regarding the
type of service provided by Hennepin County.
City Manager Devich stated he brought this issue to the City Council so they could make a
conscious decision with building the new City Hall and dispatching services.
Council Member Fitzhenry reviewed his researched costs and impacts with Ramsey and
Dakota Counties dispatching services.
Council Member Sandahl stated raising franchise fees could be an option.
City Manager Devich suggested if there was the ability to levy back what is lost in state
aids, the City should do it.
Council Member Wroge stated he did not support increasing franchise fees. The City
should put services on taxes and get off of Local Government Aid (LGA). If LGA continues, that
should be used to pay off debt.
Council Member Sandahl responded that there is a benefit to the community to finance
projects.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 6:45 p.m.
Date Approved
March 23, 2010
Cheryl Kfumholz ~ e L. Deg
Recording Secretary City Manager