e e e e e follow me order 631 Al Al to the flag unit States of America thank you very much um roll call please council member Cole here council member schwe here council member Wong here council member nordby here mayor mongi here a motion to adopt the agenda please so moved so moved council member Cole second council member schweer all those in favor say I I I thank you thank you mayor uh consent agenda item a is June 18th 2024 Workshop minutes Item B is June 18th 2024 regular meeting minutes item C General claims of1 1,3,4 2488 item D is HRA claims of $1,676 item e is May building permit report item f is the special event permit for Newman's vintage Speak Easy Inc thank you very much any of the members like to pull any at this time if not can I get a motion to accept the agenda so moved so mve council member Norby second second council member Cole all those in favor say I I hi thank you very much and I'd just like to pause real quick and just thank the uh Community director the community development manager for digging into the Newman's piece there were some questions that that we had and I just want to he's not here but I want to thank him for clarity thank you very much all right at uh 6:33 um we'll open to the public John schul I'll ask permission to approach the bench give it out anyway thank you okay thank you thanks Sean the subject is submitting a data request why I submitted it oh John shamal 2750 Chisum Avenue okay I submitted a DAT request and I have no idea why I did it but I just did it and I asked for the sack whack fees and the park dedication fee for all the developments that have happened and surprise a surprise one of them didn't pay a park dedication fee surprise why so I uh asked and uh the answer came back it was waved by the city manager now I don't know what city manager whatever but two hours later I got an answer that says no no no no it wasn't waved by any city manager so uh I continued I said well what's the rules and regulations on waving we got to have rules and regulations when you wave something everything I tried got back there's none there are none it was just wave but there's no rules but it was wave so I started I gave up on that part of it and I went to a park uh meeting and handed this out and the park meeting oh wow isn't that something what could they do so I asked the advisor to the park dedication me uh group the council member schwe what's going on can you help and she got back to me and said uh it's in uh she went to the city manager present city manager and the answer was it's in the hands of the City attorney and that is like saying that the consiliary to Don kolone is going to give me an answer and it'd be like that conary going to the FBI and saying whoa the mafia's got a problem it ain't going to happen it's a fox in charge of the chicken house so at the present time what's the answer why did these the developers who are good old boys in the North St Paul group uh population they didn't pay a park dedication fee why thank you thank you like a chance to respond to that sure um one of the great things about being a City attorney is you become quite accustomed to a number of analogies a fox in a hen house in a Consul are is not something I've received yet John so I'd like to thank you for that um in terms of answers and no answers it's something we're looking into um I don't believe some of the members on the council were here um when those decisions were or W weren't made and so we're looking into it I think any indications of not knowing knowing when people weren't here aren't necessarily Fair John uh and sometimes those things do take times to dig out so uh appreciate your patience on that appreciate the way you you come up and highlight that and choose to name call but it is something we'll look into and get to the bottom of thank you appreciate it yes I that's right this is a whole new Council so thank you for what you're looking into s thank you all right I will close and now as he walks up the man the myth Morgan the city engineer uh thank you Mr mayor members of the council so uh this next item before you on City business is uh the beginning of uh working towards what is in the capital Improvement plan currently is adopted by Council uh 2024 2033 Capital Improvement plan as the next uh full reconstruct project on the list scheduled for 2025 is the construction year um as a first order of business with that uh is need to uh refresh data collected back in 2019 where uh a feasibility study was completed at that time so building on that um updating some information since at that time uh the project was put on hold and delayed within the capital Improvement plan till uh 2025 as it currently sits within the plan uh and uh prepare updated estimates right so um uh there's a need to uh look at the number in the capital Improvement plan for a project cost that has been the number that has been uh from the original feasibility study but then just adjusted for um you know assumed inflation rates year over-year since that time 2019 so um the number is in the ballpark but I think it needs to be better than Ballpark and so that would be the first order business would be to again kind of freshen up some of the um existing conditions information necessary to move forward with the project update that feasibility study uh represent that to council with an updated cost uh which we are anticipating would be about September time frame and then council could consider uh potentially ordering you know the improvements public Improvement project formally moving forward with more detailed design preparation of construction documents with a an assumed timeline of bidding that out early in 2025 for reced of bids um around the March time frame uh potentially awarding a contract and then looking at construction to likely last uh through the Full Construction season of 2025 so that would be an assumed May to November time frame for most of the work with some minor cleanup uh and final wear Paving uh likely in 2026 which would be the typical uh cycle uh just review of the streets included which haven't changed since uh 2020 2019 for this first phase uh it's in the Casey Lake area north of Casey Lake Park uh bule Avenue Gerald Avenue uh Shaunie drive all three of those roads are uh from a pavement standpoint in poor condition uh we did Advance some sewer lining work uh underneath Gerald Avenue uh that was originally going to be included in this project but some of the state of the sewer in terms of tree roots growing into it and clogs and backups was such that uh we had an opportunity to include that in 2022 with an overall sewer lining project so some of the work's been done that was planned for that was uh identified need uh but had to be done at that time because it really couldn't wait any much longer and um we know staff knows from comments received from the public the state of the pavement on Gerald Avenue is extremely bad so uh the project really couldn't come soon enough so um I'll stand for any questions I can't make a recommendation for my own services but the item in your packet is uh proposal for Professional Services from the city City's engineering consultant WSB for that feasibility study um I'll hand it to Brian for you know recommended action but certainly I'll stand for any questions the council might have at this time thanks Morgan appreciate you digging into this and looking at it it's definitely an area that uh looking for improvement thank you me thank you so it is staff's recommendation to approve the Professional Services proposed by WSB for a feasibility study and preliminary design for the 2025 Street and utility Improvement project uh which will be city project CP 25-1 can I get a motion for that please so moved so moved council member Wong second second council member Cole all those in favor say I I I I thank you very much thank you very much thank you Morgan all right reports city manager departments thank you mayor uh first up Electric's been doing a lot of work out there on the Jennifer Lane area um as they're going they've been pulling in wire and switching over to the newer Transformers as they go they've been putting down well over 2 miles of new primary wire about 12,000 ft and about 1,000 ft of secondary wire as well uh Taco Bells moving along they have the foundation poured um they're really quick builds kind of like the quick trips were they're about a 3 to four month build so they're looking at getting the they already have temp power installed but they'll be getting the Transformer over there relatively soon uh I was looking for a 3 to four month build time and there was already probably a couple months behind them they're probably looking at September maybe early October at the latest for having that up and going um the week of the 15th they'll be taking uh Weber school out a power uh we putting a new Transformer in there for the uh school it's minor sing that they're bringing down from which is now located in Maplewood um at Harmony to that school U so they're getting ready for that um The Lily building or article 7 is looking at uh permanent power probably early September for getting that Transformer in there and getting the overhead wires out of the way um we are looking for a website upgrade that uh AA is looking into um you know we're still getting input from from other employees to see where problem spots are and where we can make improvements and so we're just starting into that process right now it's actually um a free upgrade for the most part from a contract that we already have in place so there'll be some minimal costs that go along with that not much uh Finance of course has been working hard on the budget um we're looking to get from the department heads by this Friday the Sip uh monies of what they're going to be putting in for for the budget um Community development's been working with uh Planning Commission trying to get uh meeting scheduled for uh before hopefully next week so we can get that information to you guys by the first meeting in August so we can get keep that project Rolling Along um Public Works has been busy with uh trying to plan the site that we have at six3 and 7th Avenue for um a new student build um project we'll be looking probably for some variances there um it's it's kind of a small odd-shaped lot but uh these same variances for the most part were given to the house that already exists there that was a student built project um back in 2014 15 yeah and that went from a dup duplex to a single family correct correct they redid it it did you're nice yep um we had the the new St dumpsters in place with the new fence around rounded out there at Casey Lake um and we've also done some maintenance out there um fixed up damage that was done on our unfortunate weekend where we had a shooting out there and uh so far it it looks came out really well without having to do some major reconstruction out there so um still working with the EAB uh how' you like to stand come up on that one Ron you got lots of stats on that you can do it make Randy do itand yeah really dump it on him um EAB uh for our Boulevard trees our our first contractor we bit out 40 trees at the very beginning that contractor is still working in there's still eight left to go kind of little bigger project than uh he's used to um so there's still eight trees left to go but we bid out and or excuse me that was 50 trees the first round the second round is 40 trees we had that bit out um we just awarded that bid for that contractor uh just last week uh for the uh the other 40 on the boulevards um those we gave him kind of a deadline of October 1st to have all those done he said that shouldn't be no problem so for all those Boulevard trees that's taking the tree down um grinding the stumps and Hauling away the grindings and then we also have to order the trees to replace those because for every tree we take out we got to replace replace those trees so we have we have a I don't know if we had the the contractor lined up yet but to come in and plant those trees and you know replace those trees before the end of the year also on the uh residence side of the trees we've had I think 32 applications for that um which is about 70 trees and we actually are pretty much at our Max right now with the money we had $100,000 um for those trees um and we're not quite there but we actually closed um the sign up for that or the registration for that because we want to make sure we stay under that money um once we get closer here and get the rest of the bids in for that um we'll we'll see where we're at but we we're pretty pretty close to using that $100,000 up the contractor that we've had for that has been great um to work with um he's really worked with some of the residents there was one resident that had 13 ash trees on their property and it was there was $5,000 per residence that was allotted that was a Max that someone could have it was well over that but the contractor actually worked with the person um and basically came in at that and ended up taking those 13 trees down for for that money so he's been they've been great to to work with so far so that's kind of the quick update off off the top of my head here for that so and then in the future here we have you know 40 trees slated for next year and the following year but it depends on how much the in where the money comes in at um we'll see where we're at uh next year we have to have all of our uh submitt in before the earlier the better but before December so we can get reimbursed for that money for the year we have $300,000 to spend on that um I I don't know the number off hand where we're we're at now um with the cutting the trees down and then replacing them but we'll see where we're at on that so question for you so because we were allotted such a amount and there were stipulations around who was able to receive those trees and those dollars would the contractor be open to giving a some sort of a discount to uh the residents in North St Paul that would like those trees taken down I know I've had some community members come to me and say well why why such stipulations um um but they clearly want those taken down as well so I don't know if that's something there there something I could talk to the contractor about in and and see um but I think you know for us to get the pricing that we got what we did is we went out we we we took like 10 applications and we said all right give us a price on these you know 10 after we went out you know double check that I was an ashre you know made sure you know everything was cool and met met everything um so he went and gave us a price for you know hey here's 10 trees or 15 trees or whatever it would be but it's something that I I could we could ask him about and just see where he's at with that I think it'd be worthwhile just for the sake of the individuals that would like to get their removed we may not be able to offer them that that grant that we were giving individuals but at least say hey we can we we asked the contractor this and we could get you could get your tree removed for you know less than that yeah and the one thing to consider with this too is that we've bid bid like we bid the 50 trees out for the for the boulevard trees and then we did don't quote me on these numbers I think we had 10 residents we had another you know we had this could have been the same contractors going and bid them for the residential trees because for the residential trees all we're doing is we're cutting the trees down we're not removing the stumps we don't have to replace the trees um so there was one contractor for the first 40 there was a different contractor for the residential trees and now there's a different contractor that was a lower you know that bid on all this stuff before so you know it's not like we have one contractor that got all this stuff so I mean I don't know how I'm I'm just throwing that out there that there's been three different contractors so I mean we can definitely inquire about that and I can uh you know let you know but I hear you I'm just problem solving trying to figure out something for our community members I get that you know I think it would be and who knows they might offer something like that but um we can definitely touch base with them and and find out okay since we got you i' would like to tell us how the uh ball field was filled in out at Hy and then when you were out there during that process okay um so uh howy Park uh the pickle ball courts are in the fence is up um the seed is in uh blanketed um if you guys got any question or if you anybody asking you why is nothing going on when they put the black top down they got to wait 30 days before they can paint it stripe it it's got to be rained on multiple times it's kind of funny because when we had the pre pre-con meeting for that the contractor said hey if it doesn't rain in 30 days you know we're going to have to figure out something cuz that it has to be like wet down like at least three different times so we had a plan we could bring our tanker truck out there and spray it down but we don't have a problem with the rain this year so um we we got to be getting really close to that 30 days I don't know where we're at but um so if anyone has question why is nothing happening up there we're about that 30-day Mark I'm thinking after the holiday week here um they'll probably be in you know soon to do that um but part of uh us get receiving the grant for the these pick ball carts we had to take out the little ball field that was in there was a little t- ball field otherwise we would have had to made that ada8 and it would have been I think another $100,000 or something to get a you know a sidewalk or whatever it needed down there so we had to take out the ball field take out the a back stop for that and then we filled it all in with uh black dirt and then we head to black dirt and seed that um to meet the requirements um we we did that and it was less than 12 hours Randy and I were out driving around looking at some stuff and we just perfect timing a uh van pulled into where we seated into howy and drove down they thought it was black top and it was all fresh dirt and they pulled in and got stuck and it was kind of bad it was a it was a um a a group with special needs adults in it and they were coming to have a picnic and the lady driving thought it looked like black top and she drove right in into the black dirt so it got stuck so we had now have a barricaded off so no one can drive in there we made the repairs and um yeah so they were able to get out okay no they had to get a tow truck oh man yeah they're stuck pretty bad so and what's left now though now that's ready is painting striping and then putting the Nets up and then it should be good to go y so it should be you know once once that once they're at their their 30 days it it should go pretty quick everything else is pretty much wrapped up there'll be some touch-up seating and stuff to do that will we have to go over with the contractor but for the most part like I said the the fences are all up in and pretty much uh just waiting for that any quick update on the lead pipe service checks um lead service lines I think we're at just about 500 reported and that's with us going out on Mondays and Fridays looking at people's Leed service lines we're still I mean we still probably have about 3400 unknowns I think it's right around there um our deadline um to get that in I believe I read something they extended it I think a a month but I think it it's still it's yeah that's kind of about where we're at with that right now great thank you yep um while you're here a question for howy and I I don't remember I saw I apologize if this was already addressed if we have a cold winter this winter is how is he still going to be a candidate for the ice rink or or does this construction eliminate that I'm I'm thinking it's it probably won't be a good candidate for it um we're g to T we're going to take the curb cut out so people I mean it was a just an unfortunate incident that happened with that but um I think now that that it's going to be all grass um it's probably not the ideal place I mean maybe we can look at doing it you know at Casey or I mean we it could still be done there I didn't really have a preference I just know I had been asked so I wanted to get the information yeah thanks Ron uh PD had coffee with the Cup last Thursday downtown which was nice to have the public come in and sit with them um they have two positions that they'll be interviewing for that they got applications on so that's good hopefully turns out well and they will also have a um trailer camera set up at Casey Lake in the parking lot for the 4th of July to keep an eye on things out there um and speaking of housy Park we're in the process of doing uh ribbon cutting um on that for the new field we'll have more than likely you have somebody there to kind of teach pickle ball for people who might be interested and then also working on a potential uh movie night out there to uh blow up screen and have somebody come out and do that so that'll be nice uh more information to come on that uh we're also working with tennis on a two-year extension contract which was part of the original contract that we have um most everything will stay the same they have they can charge up to a 3% increase per year for the the two-year contract but uh they've been good to work with so that's all I have thank you very much appreciate uh your update and Ron to okay reports for Council commissions and committees council member Norby um the Planning Commission is looking at possibly a special session um in the month of July um more details to come and that notice will come out if it happens thank you very much number one yeah um the arts and culture commission is staying pretty busy there was a paint along and then there's another one here coming up on July 11th and there's music in the Parks um in which the art cart is at um and then there's another paint Along on July 22nd um August 29th and October 24th um and uh uh the Autumn Arts Festival is also on September 14th so all of those things are in the works our meeting on July 3rd was moved to July 10th here in the chambers at 6:30 and that'll be the next meeting thank you very much council member I unfortunately missed Parks and Rec due to being at the council Retreat so next meeting next month thank you remember Cole uh next Ed meeting is a week from today uh it will be the 9th uh at 4 o'clock here in council chambers all right mind if I had one more thing so yeah not only are we having the PD putting their trailer camera out there um you know we've had some issues out there the past couple years um some excessive partying you might say and uh so cops will be making good drive-bys along their route through the city that night as well so just want to put the information out there that's great to hear thank you all right General business council member Norby just want to wish everyone a happy and a safe 4th of July please stay safe thank you council member Cole long geez Louis I was doing so well too wasn't I that's what happens when you fly too close to the Sun always burn um I must answered wish it would have it would have helped um as for um uh other business um I just wanted to bring uh attention to our native plant uh policy and ordinance um it's actually a permit process um I think it's something for us to perhaps discuss it's um quite restrictive when we look at other types of plants um and just something I think we should we should really re-evaluate because it's like eight pages long and is pretty extensive and if we're talking about um you know our flood plan and and what our Watershed district is informing us as well then um I think uh removing some of those barriers to planting native plants could be helpful for you know mitigating any floods and um you know providing uh opportunities for pollinators so just wanted to bring attention to that and hopefully have a discussion about it at some point thank you um we there was a few of us that attended the uh city council Conference in Rochester I found it very beneficial for all of us there were many cities many many cities that um attended and we had all kinds of good things to share what cities are doing um and meeting with some of our outside um contractors so it was very beneficial it was nice to have everyone and see everyone there uh other than that I just wish everybody a happy and safe Fourth of July my comments are toir everyone else up here on Council just to have a very very safe and great Fourth of July and U we'll see you after the weekend also I'm excited about the website upgrade we were at this uh League of Minnesota cities and they were talking about how to get information out all the news all the letters or the excuse me the newspapers Lily and all the other ones are all gone so what we have is our is our site and that's pretty much Our Town Newspaper is our website as our web page and all the information we can get out so I appreciate that that's going to be great to we've always had it good so be nice to be able to keep that going and keep that updated so like I said everybody have a safe Fourth of July the next meeting will be held July 16th so thank you very much I call for chairman so moved council member Cole second second council member s all those in favor say I hi hi thank you all