04-06-98 Worksession
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Study Session
April 6, 1998
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Kirsch at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
City Council
Members Present:Martin Kirsch, Mayor; Russ Susag; Kristal Stokes, Michael Sandahl
and Susan Rosenberg.
Staff Present :Steven Devich, Acting City Manager; Thomas Ferber, City Clerk;
Michael Eastling, Public Works Director; William Fillmore, Liquor
Operations Director; Dan Scott, Public Safety Director; Bruce
Nordquist, Acting Community Development Director; Dawn Weitzel,
Communications/Special Projects Assistant; and Corrine Thomson,
City Attorney.
Item #1ANNUAL MEETING WITH ADVISORY BOARD OF HEALTH
Advisory Board
of Health Members
Present:Janet Pierson, LaVonne Seeman, Bill Swanson, Elisabeth Kingdon,
Judy Thul, Katherine Breeggman, Patricia Daniele, Denise Eckerman,
Youth: Kyanne Thul, Hazel Wnek, and Kaylynn Breid.
Others Present:Betsy Christensen, Health Administrator; Jean Flesher, Health
Licensing/Specialist; and Jan Bernards, Bloomington Health
Department.
Janet Pierson, Co-Chair of the Richfield Advisory Board of Health, summarized the
Advisory Board of Health’s 1997 Annual Report.
Study Session Minutes-2-April 6, 1998
Judy Thul, Co-Chair of the Richfield Advisory Board of Health, reviewed the 1998
goals of the Advisory Board of Health. She presented and discussed a letter to high school
parents and students regarding the consequences related to the provision of alcohol to
minors during prom activities.
Discussion followed regarding the sponsorship and distribution of the letter. The City
Council offered to have Public Safety Director Scott as an added signatory on the letter. The
City Council suggested that if the Advisory Board of Health felt it would be helpful, the letter
could be printed on City letterhead.
Item #IIDISCUSSION OF DEVELOPMENT OF ORDINANCE RESTRICTING
TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL ADVERTISING ON BILLBOARDS WITHIN CITY
OF RICHFIELD. STUDY SESSION LETTER NO. 20
Acting City Manager Devich reviewed Study Session Letter No. 20 regarding issues
and information that would affect the City’s ability to restrict tobacco and alcohol advertising
on billboards. He stated that the City Attorney recommends the following three steps prior to
developing an ordinance:
x
Review the current location of billboards within the City to determine which billboards
would be subject to an ordinance regulating tobacco and alcohol advertising. Specific
consideration would be given to particular areas where children were expected to live,
play, and attend school or religious institutions.
x
A plan for gathering information should be implemented. The information should
include the review of studies detailing effects of tobacco and alcohol advertising on
minors and identifying correlation between advertising and use of tobacco and alcohol
products by minors. These studies would be listed as part of the Record of Decision
regarding any Council action regulating tobacco and alcohol advertising.
x
After the first steps are completed, the City Attorney’s office would contact the
Baltimore city attorney’s office to obtain more information about the process used to
enact the ordinance regulating tobacco and alcohol advertising. This action would be
taken in order to enhance the possibility that the City of Richfield ordinance would
withstand a legal challenge.
City Attorney Thomson reviewed issues and answered questions regarding the impact
of the City’s ordinance which will eliminate non-conforming outdoor advertising displays in
the year 2000, the First Amendment and Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, the
Baltimore ordinance and identification of signs which would be impacted by such an
ordinance.
After discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council that the City should proceed
with a review of the current location of billboards within the City to determine which
billboards would be subject to an ordinance like Baltimore’s, which ones would be outside
that ordinance, and to obtain information/studies from Baltimore on the effects of tobacco
Study Session Minutes-3-April 6, 1998
and alcohol advertising on minors and the correlation to the use of these products by minors
for the Advisory Board of Health.
Council Member Stokes noted that some sign owners voluntarily restrict advertising
content and the City Council may wish to acknowledge them for their efforts.
Item #IIIDISCUSSION OF NEED FOR SECOND JUVENILE INVESTIGATOR/SCHOOL
LIAISON OFFICER POSITION. STUDY SESSION LETTER NO. 21
Acting City Manager Devich reviewed Study Session Letter No. 21 regarding the need
for a second Juvenile Investigator/School Liaison Officer position.
Public Safety Director Scott reviewed discussions with school district staff, juvenile
crimes and activities, juvenile case load assignments, and funding issues related to the need
for a second Juvenile Investigator/School Liaison Officer position.
Acting City Manager Devich discussed the issue of separating actions on the revised
budget and proposed budgets in order to be able to revise the budget in a timely manner
when needs such as this arise during the year. He suggested that because the Truth and
Taxation hearing for the proposed next year’s budget is in December, it would be more
appropriate to have a hearing on revising the current year’s budget earlier in the year to take
action on appropriate budget adjustments within the already budgeted funding allotment.
It was the consensus of the City Council to support the idea of reviewing the revised
current year budget adjustments at an earlier mid-year time.
It was the consensus of the City Council that consideration of the proposed second
Juvenile Investigator/School Liaison Officer position be scheduled for action at an upcoming
regular City Council meeting.
Item #IVSTATUS PRESENTATION OF RICHFIELD CABLE TELEVISION FRANCHISE
UPGRADE. STUDY SESSION LETTER NO. 22
Acting City Manager Devich reviewed Study Session Letter No. 22 regarding the
upgrade of the Southwest Suburban cable system.
Matt Haviland, Paragon Cable Vice President of Engineering, reviewed and answered
questions regarding the implementation of the system upgrade which includes new fiberoptic
distribution cable, new amplifiers, and new converter boxes. He reviewed the upgrade
impact on customers and Paragon’s communications plan for the project.
Council Member Stokes asked about the utility work currently occurring in the
boulevard on Bloomington Avenue and 12th Avenue.
Study Session Minutes-4-April 6, 1998
Acting City Manager Devich stated staff would identify this utility work in the Status
and Information report.
Item #VREVIEW OF 1998 BOARD OF EQUALIZATION PROCEDURES. STUDY
SESSION LETTER NO. 23
Acting City Manager Devich reviewed Study Session Letter No. 23 regarding the 1998
Board of Equalization which will convene at 7:00 p.m. on May 4, 1998.
Larry Miller, Hennepin County Principal Property Appraiser, presented information
regarding the 1998 Board of Equalization including:
x
Revaluation areas by assessment year
x
History of Richfield residential growth
x
Mean and median sales/assessment ratios
x
MLS average residential home sales prices
x
Samples of subject property information, comparable sales, and adjustment grid
x
Summary of Local Board duties and responsibilities
Item #VIDISCUSSION OF SPECIAL ASSESSMENT FOR CURRENT SERVICES
RELATED TO ALLEY MAINTENANCE. STUDY SESSION LETTER NO. 24
Public Works Director Eastling reviewed Study Session Letter No. 24 regarding the
special assessment for current services related to alley maintenance. He suggested that the
alley maintenance assessment be terminated, that regular snowplowing and minor
maintenance be financed through the General Fund, and that any future major reconstruction
could still be assessed to the property owners.
After discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council that City staff should
proceed to terminate the special assessment for current services related to alley
maintenance.
Item #VIIDISCUSSION OF STATUS OF AIRPORT RELATED ITEMS. STUDY
SESSION LETTER NO. 25
Communications/Special Projects Assistant Weitzel reviewed the status of the
following airport issues:
x
Runway 4-22 litigation.
Study Session Minutes-5-April 6, 1998
x
Increased use of Runway 4-22 during reconstruction and resulting increase in
noise complaints.
x
Scheduled May closing of Standish Avenue.
x
Proposed Runway 17-35 Environmental Impact Statement and low frequency
noise impacts.
x
Community meeting schedule for resident input/participation in development of a
mitigation report and comments from the first team meeting of residents.
x
Airport complaint calls.
Council Member Stokes reported on the March 31 meeting of MASAC.
Item #VIIDISCUSSION OF CITY COUNCIL SALARIES. STUDY SESSION LETTER
NO. 26
Mayor Kirsch presented Study Session Letter No. 26 regarding Council salaries.
Council Member Sandahl spoke in support of reasonable increases at regular
intervals. He proposed that the City Council consider a salary increase of 3% which is the
same increase given to employees in the General Services and Management pay plans in
1998.
After discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council that first reading of an
ordinance proposing to increase Council salaries by 3% be scheduled for the April 13 City
Council meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
Council Member Susag stated tickets are now available for the April 24 FOWL Annual
Dinner Show.
CouncilMember Sandahl stated he would read the Council’s response to the
additional maintenance facility questions at the April 13 City Council meeting.
The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 8:46 p.m.
Date Approved: 4/13/98Martin J. Kirsch, Mayor
Thomas P. Ferber, City ClerkSteven L. Devich, Acting City Manager