[3:07] Michele Hanson (Mayor): We don't have innovation but it's work. [17:15] [Music] [17:26] Michele Hanson (Mayor): [Music] Good evening, I'd like to call to order the Bayport City Council meeting of January 6, 2020. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Matt, will you please call the roll? [18:12] Matt Kline (City Administrator): There's a Norris—here. Councilmember Dolph—present. Councilmember Buckley—here. Councilmember Hansen—yeah. Councilmember Carlson—here. All present. [18:12] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Thank you. That takes us to the approval of tonight's agenda. Does anyone have any questions or additions or changes? I have one item I'd just like to add: the topic of perhaps scheduling a joint City Council meeting with the City Council of Oak Park Heights to discuss a variety of different topics. We've had one of these in the past and there's a few topics that are kind of pertinent and relevant to us now—the Highway 95 work with MnDOT, Xcel Energy on their horizon, and fire support. Perhaps, you know, we've been talking to Anderson Elementary, so it might be time. The other members of the council may have topics. Mary McCumber and I have kicked this around for a little bit and just wanted to see if the council had interest in gathering with their council and having an open discussion. Again, we were at one a couple years ago. Was that all three cities, though? [18:57] Councilmember: That one was Stillwater, wasn't it? [18:57] Michele Hanson (Mayor): This one would at least be Oak Park Heights, Stillwater would not. So, okay, great. Is that sufficient, Matt, or do I need to add it to the consent agenda? [19:44] Matt Kline (City Administrator): I would recommend just adding it as maybe item 10 on the consent agenda: Joint meeting with Oak Park Heights. [19:44] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Okay, thank you. Okay, any other items? If not, would someone like to make a motion to approve tonight's agenda? [19:55] Councilmember Carlson: I'll make a motion approving the January 6 agenda. [19:55] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Thank you, Connie. Is there a second? [19:55] Councilmember: Second. [19:55] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Thank you, John. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Carried. That takes us to our proclamations, accommodations, petitions, and announcements for this evening. The December recycling award recipient is Suzanne Miller. Should that be January, or do we do it one month in reverse? Okay, Suzanne lives at 207 3rd Street North. She'll be awarded for her recycling efforts with funding made possible from a grant from Washington County. Just a reminder that pet license registrations for 2020 to 2021 are due February 1st. All pets over 4 months of age must be licensed with the city; that can be taken care of at City Hall. Priority park reservations for 2020 are now being accepted for city residents. General park reservations for non-residents will begin on January 15th. And so with that, we'll move on to our open forum. We set aside 15 or so minutes every meeting to address the council on topics that are not on tonight's agenda. So if anyone would like to come forward and state their name and address for the record. We do have a special guest this evening, our State Representative Shelly Christensen, who will address us first, and then we'll follow that with anyone else who would like to address the council at this time. Please come forward. [21:28] Shelly Christensen (State Representative): Yes, thank you. Okay, Shelly Christensen, I'm from Stillwater on North Second Street. Welcome. I haven't been to one of your council meetings—I believe I graduated from high school with someone sitting here. I’m just here to introduce myself and let you know that I'm losing my voice for one thing, and that I'm available to you whenever you need any kind of help or have questions. I would love to join in some of the discussions and meetings you have in terms of the highway out here and the safety issues. I am having a community conversation with Gary Kriesel and the bonding committee at the State Capitol. We're trying to get MnDOT involved because the most common questions or angry constituent calls I get have to do with highway and road safety. It's changed a lot around here, as you really know. There are safety issues, so it's high on my agenda. I'm the author of the 36 and Manning bill and also the 36 and DeRahl intersection bill. I would love to join your joint council meeting if that's open. I'm here to represent every single one of you. On February 8th, I am going to have a forum, so I hope some of you can join. I know there are Bayport folks that feel very strongly about safety issues. [23:47] Michele Hanson (Mayor): And you are having a meeting on the 3rd? [23:47] Shelly Christensen (State Representative): Yes, with DOT. I'll be joining that too. I'm a lifer in the area—I was more Marine, but I'm a Stillwater grad and I'm just pleased as heck to be representing the people that I grew up with. Thanks much. [24:33] Matt Kline (City Administrator): Madam Mayor, if I may be allowed to provide a bit more information. Thank you, Representative, for coming. I did invite the Representative to come tonight. As the public probably knows, recently in December there was a tragic accident on Highway 95 that resulted in a fatality. Highway safety for 95 has been a serious issue for quite a few years. The city has been trying to work with MnDOT to demand some type of action or change. The addition of the St. Croix Crossing bridge definitely added to the traffic volume. We've been asking for a traffic study for more data. There are two issues: pedestrian safety and traffic safety volume in town. Now with this recent tragedy, the time has come to at least have something done. We haven't had much success getting anywhere in the past, but fortunately, they are listening to us now. I have been very busy speaking to the MnDOT Commissioner’s staff and Representative Christensen. On February 3rd, our next regular City Council date, we're having a workshop with MnDOT staff. I've asked them to bring options to the city—whatever those options are, we can go through them with the City Council. We're also inviting Andersen Windows, Andersen Elementary, and the bank—community liaisons that have an impact on 95 traffic. Representative Christensen, we’d love to have you there as well. We need to know what is possible and what the cost is for each option. As everyone knows, Highway 95 is a state highway. The city of Bayport has no jurisdiction on 95. We have to obtain a permit just to put a sign out there. But the city takes this matter to heart. It appears we have MnDOT's attention and the Governor's office. At least we have them here and we're talking to the right people. [28:26] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Thank you. If there's anybody tonight that would like to share personal feedback, Representative Christensen is happy to hear that. Any questions or comments from the council? [29:14] Councilmember: I think one of the questions I would have for Representative Christensen and Matt—when things like these tragedies happen, people feel called to action. Do you have suggestions for residents, whether it be a petition to keep the pressure on the state to move things forward? [30:16] Shelly Christensen (State Representative): The fact that you're having a meeting with them is a start. Usually, they come out and watch the intersections and evaluate. Sadly, it took a fatality, but you're starting right with the DOT there, and then the state comes in because we provide the funding. [31:01] Matt Kline (City Administrator): I would add that any feedback directly to MnDOT helps. We have the contact information for the East Manager, Adam Josephson, who is open to direct feedback from the public. If a petition can be presented, we can deliver it directly. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. I would encourage everyone to follow up verbal comments in writing so there's a record. [32:34] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Thank you. I know you have been very diligent. We've been looking at the 2020 project for over two years now asking for safety measures. We've made minor progress with a planned median between Perro Park and the elementary school and a flashing light, but I don't think those will be enough. This next meeting will be critical. Thank you for attending and for your commitment. Just FYI, we did host an open house for the businesses along 95 that will be impacted by the construction in 2020. Matt, when is the general public meeting slated for? [33:15] Matt Kline (City Administrator): That will be in March. We don't have a specific date yet, but it will be a MnDOT open house. Construction is expected to start in May. [34:01] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Earlier this evening we hosted a workshop about bonding. There will be an opportunity for us to do joint work with MnDOT while the road is uncovered to upgrade lighting, water, and sewer. That is another topic on the agenda. Anyone else for open forum? [34:47] Rob McManus (Resident): I see it’s on the agenda, but I've been informed you’re speaking about chemical applications to city property. I've been haranguing my neighbor Michele here and city staff with various articles. I’m very concerned about the huge insect loss around the world and bird loss in North America. I have a Washington Post article titled "Hyper Alarming Study Shows Massive Insect Loss." Insects are the basis of food webs and 30% of human food crops are pollinated by insects. This loss is driven by toxic pesticides, specifically neonics (neonicotinoids). I know they are being used on city property according to Matt Kline's list. There is one called Merit (Imidacloprid) which is a neonicotinoid. They’ve been banned in Europe. They remain toxic for more than 1,000 days in the environment. North America has lost three billion birds, a 30% loss. We need birds and insects. Bayport puts chemicals on the grass and they go right into the river. The main drivers of decline are habitat loss and pollution by synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Minnesota will pay residents to be sanctuaries, and I believe city staff knows about that. I’m going to submit this information to you for review. [42:42] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Thank you very much. This is a topic we will be addressing later. Anyone else? Okay, then that takes us to tonight's consent agenda, items 1 through 10. These include minutes, payables, building permits, refuse licenses, a squad vehicle purchase, impound services, library appointments, and scheduling the joint meeting with Oak Park Heights. Any changes? [43:28] Matt Kline (City Administrator): Madam Mayor, I would like a change to item number 6, the purchase of the replacement squad vehicle. There was an older memo that was updated. As council will see, the price increased because the Dodge Charger was no longer available, so we are proposing a Ford Interceptor (Explorer) hybrid version. It was a couple thousand dollars more for the hybrid, which will benefit the environment and fuel savings. The graphics and equipment costs also increased as we couldn't just swap everything from the old model to the new one. [45:48] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Questions from the council? If not, would someone like to make a motion? [46:36] Councilmember Carlson: I'll move to adopt the resolution and the January 6, 2020, consent agenda as presented with the addition of the joint workshop with Oak Park Heights. [46:36] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Thank you, John. Is there a second? [46:36] Councilmember: Second. [46:36] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Thank you, John. All in favor, aye. Opposed? Carried. That takes us to unfinished business: considering a resolution rescheduling a public improvement hearing for city infrastructure work as part of MnDOT's 2020 Highway 95 project. Matt? [46:36] Matt Kline (City Administrator): Madam Mayor, members of council, as the memo indicates, we were unable to acquire the specific bid numbers from MnDOT in time for the feasibility study to present to residents for assessment. We have those numbers now. This resolution just reschedules that hearing for February 3rd. [48:08] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Any questions for Matt? If not, would someone like to make a motion? [48:08] Councilmember Carlson: I'll move to adopt the resolution rescheduling the public improvement hearing date to February 3rd. [48:08] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Thank you, Connie. Is there a second? [48:08] Councilmember: Second. [Roll call taken, motion passes]. [48:55] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Item number one under new business: consider a resolution for issuance of a bond to fund city infrastructure improvements. Matt? [48:55] Matt Kline (City Administrator): Thank you, Madam Mayor. Tonight we have Tammy Omdahl from Northland Securities here to present the proposed bond sale. [49:41] Tammy Omdahl (Northland Securities): Thank you. Northland Securities is serving as municipal advisor. The resolution this evening sets the sale for approximately 1.2 million dollars of general obligation bonds for the water and sewer portions of the improvement project. Repayment would be from 2021 through 2030. The estimated true interest cost is 1.87%. The bonds are not proposed to be subject to prepayment because the term is so short (10 years). We are recommending seeking a rating; the city's existing GO bonds are rated Aa3 by Moody's. We will take bids on the morning of February 3rd and present the results that evening. [52:48] Matt Kline (City Administrator): Just to give the public some background, the city is bonding because the water/sewer costs are significant (around a million dollars) and we've decided to add two generators to the bond to realize interest rate savings rather than using just our cash balance. [54:19] Tammy Omdahl (Northland Securities): To respond to the question on the rating, the city's current rating of Aa3 is very strong. Moving to Aa2 would require consistent trends in financial management and maintaining cash balances. [59:18] Matt Kline (City Administrator): Madam Mayor, there are two motions here. One for the municipal advisory service agreement and one for the resolution providing for the sale of the bonds. [1:00:05] Councilmember Carlson: I'll move to adopt a municipal advisor service agreement with Northland Securities. [Seconded and passed]. [1:00:50] Councilmember Hanson: I'd like to move to adopt the resolution providing for the sale of general obligation utility revenue bonds. [Seconded and passed]. [1:00:50] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Item number two: consider an amendment to City Code to delete the short-term rental prohibition. Matt? [1:00:50] Matt Kline (City Administrator): This is a straightforward cleanup. Now that we have approved permitting for short-term rentals, the prohibition section is no longer needed. [1:03:12] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Just to be clear, we had a prohibition in place until we had a policy that protects residents and neighbors. That policy is now in place, so this removes the prohibition. [1:03:12] Councilmember Hanson: I move to adopt the amendment to Chapter 38. [Seconded and passed]. [1:03:59] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Item number three: amendment to Chapter 46 relating to storage and disposal of bulk materials. Matt? [1:03:59] Matt Kline (City Administrator): This modifies the bulk dumpster permit. If the dumpster is not in the public right-of-way, there is no permit requirement. We are also looking at how long they can stay on a property (30 days) and how we handle Bagsters. [1:06:17] Councilmember: I guess I don't remember talking about removing Bagsters from it. If we take them off the list, someone could have a Bagster in their yard all the time. [1:07:49] Matt Kline (City Administrator): If we leave them on the list, they would be subject to the 30-day limit like a regular dumpster. [1:11:03] Michele Hanson (Mayor): I think we're all comfortable leaving Bagsters in the regulation without the fee. Would someone like to make a motion? [1:11:03] Councilmember Hanson: I move we adopt the amendment to Chapter 46. [Seconded and passed]. [1:11:48] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Item number four: consider awarding a quote for the demolition of structures on the parcels acquired for a Land and Water Legacy Project. Matt? [1:11:48] Matt Kline (City Administrator): This involves removing residences, outbuildings, and concrete at the legacy site. Some foundations with historical significance (old ice house) will stay. We received two quotes: $75,000 and $58,650. Staff recommends awarding the quote to Miller Excavating in the amount of $58,650. [1:16:40] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Any other discussion? If not, a motion? [1:16:40] Councilmember Carlson: I'll move to award the quote of $58,650 to Miller Excavating. [Seconded and passed]. [1:17:26] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Item number five: assessment of street light upgrades for the Highway 95 project. Matt? [1:17:26] Matt Kline (City Administrator): There is about $200,000 in the project for lighting, with $90,000 that could be assessed. At the workshop, the council felt the lighting should be paid for by all city residents rather than just a select few, as that corridor is used by everyone. Staff recommends not assessing the street lights for this project. [1:21:23] Michele Hanson (Mayor): I agree, it’s a safety aspect for the whole community. Would someone like to make a motion? [1:21:23] Councilmember Hanson: I move to not assess the street light upgrades for the MnDOT Highway 95 improvement project. [Seconded and passed]. [1:22:11] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Item number six: consider options for chemical treatment and fertilizer applications on city property. Matt? [1:22:11] Matt Kline (City Administrator): Our three-year service agreement is up. We spend about $8,000 annually. We have three options: 1) retain the current agreement, 2) keep a contractor but reduce the treated areas and look at organics/clover, or 3) eliminate chemical applications entirely. We also use a spray for goose control, which has been effective at the beach. [1:29:24] Councilmember Carlson: I think kids and pets are a concern. Maybe we can pick a few areas and go chemical-free or organic and see how it looks. [1:30:59] Michele Hanson (Mayor): I like option two—being more responsible with what we use and testing out alternatives in areas like Lakeside where the grass is struggling anyway. [1:36:21] Matt Kline (City Administrator): From what I'm hearing, we'll look into option two and I'll come back with some ideas. [1:41:06] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Thank you, Rob McManus, for bringing this to our attention. Item seven: City Council liaison assignments for 2020. Does anyone want to change their appointments? [1:41:52] Councilmember: No changes. [1:42:40] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Okay, then let's move to meeting dates for 2020. Matt? [1:42:40] Matt Kline (City Administrator): These are the proposed dates. We have a couple of variations on Tuesdays/Mondays due to Labor Day and the general election. [1:45:48] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Would someone like to make a motion to approve the dates? [1:45:48] Councilmember Carlson: I'll make a motion to approve the 2020 regular City Council meeting dates. [Seconded and passed]. [1:45:48] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Liaison reports. John? [1:45:48] Councilmember Carlson: I have a Brown’s Creek Watershed meeting this Thursday. I'll reach out for advice on plantings for flooded areas. [1:46:34] Councilmember: The Library Board met. I want to thank Pam Clemens who retired and welcome Susie Danielson. Circulation is up. There’s a snowman art class on the 16th and new board members Lisa Shute and Jenny Erikson. [1:48:53] Matt Kline (City Administrator): This is the 30th year of the library in its current location. Also, Chief Jackson was instrumental in getting the new cameras there. Chief Jackson? [1:50:14] Jay Jackson (Police Chief): Good evening. We had reserve officers at the lighting of the green. We completed our cold weather shoot at the DOC. Our Toys for Tots drive was a great success; the Legion donated $2,000. We hired Brian St. Clair as a CSO starting today, and we are conducting full-time officer interviews on the 14th. Be careful driving on bridges in this winter weather. [1:55:55] Gabe Kinney (Fire Chief): For December, we had 117 calls. 2019 was our third busiest year with 1,254 calls. We had a successful car seat clinic. Safety tip: check your furnace vents for snow buildup and make sure you have a working CO monitor. [1:57:29] Councilmember: Has Oak Park Heights moved forward with their medical emergency call policy change? [1:57:29] Gabe Kinney (Fire Chief): They are still discussing it. We are trying to meet with them before they take action, as it has broad implications for the communities we serve. [2:00:34] Joe Hansen (Public Works Director): Public Works has been busy with snow. Please move your vehicles after a storm so we can plow effectively. Regarding the ice road—it is not open. Please do not move the barricades. The ice rinks are a challenge with the 40-degree weather we had, but we are working on them. Finally, we identified 10 ash trees infested with Emerald Ash Borer on public property. We are working on a management plan, which will likely involve removal and replacement with diverse species. [2:08:04] Sara Taylor (Assistant City Administrator): We have been busy with the Land and Water Legacy Project, including utility disconnections and asbestos inspections. We completed the archeological review which showed no adverse effects. Also, the 2040 Comprehensive Plan was resubmitted to the Met Council. Reminder: the polling place for the March primary has moved to the new fire station on 5th Avenue. [2:11:06] Matt Kline (City Administrator): Short-term rental applications should be available January 15th. We are having an open house for the Lakeside Park Phase 2 equipment on January 21st from 4:30 to 6:30. Also, a reminder of the Highway 95 safety workshop on February 3rd at 4:30 PM. [2:16:33] Joe Hansen (Public Works Director): Regarding the rinks—lights will be on a timer from dusk until 9:00 PM once the ice is safe. [2:20:25] Michele Hanson (Mayor): Thank you to the staff for their hard work. Is there a motion to adjourn? [2:21:11] Councilmember Carlson: I move we adjourn. [Seconded and passed].