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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024.04.22 CCM WORKSESSION4/22/24 -1- DRAFT MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA WORKSESSION APRIL 22, 2024 CITY HALL – COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center City Council met in Worksession called to order by Mayor April Graves at 6:13 p.m. ROLL CALL Mayor April Graves and Councilmembers Marquita Butler, Kris Lawrence-Anderson, Dan Jerzak, and Teneshia Kragness. Also present were City Manager Reggie Edwards, Director of Public Works Elizabeth Heyman, Development Director Jesse Anderson, Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Barb Suciu, and City Attorney Jason Hill. COUNCIL MISCELLANEOUS DISCUSSION ITEMS Mayor Graves noted the Council has discussed decorum multiple times, and she has heard the Council wants to be more involved in selecting Commissioners. Mayor Graves stated that applications and information on the open positions have been provided to the Council and would be discussed at the following meeting. Mayor Graves stated that the Cultural and Public Arts Commission was established by resolution at the last meeting. In that resolution, additional language was not included in the other commission's by-laws. Dr. Edwards provided copies of the resolution. This additional language has expectations for commissioners to comply with the City's Respectful Workplace Policy. She added that she would like the expectations regarding respectfulness to be included in the by-laws of each commission. One component of respectfulness is regular attendance. There was no disagreement from the rest of the Council. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated she wants more Council involvement in the Commission appointments, but she hesitates to discuss Commissioners in an open format. She suggested the appointments be considered via email. Mayor Graves agreed to the suggestion. She asked for Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Barb Suciu to create a digital form to record and chart the input of Councilmembers. Councilmember Jerzak asked if Mayor Graves' recommendations would be included in the 4/22/24 -2- DRAFT process. Mayor Graves explained she would provide input in the same way and that the form created by Ms. Suciu would be visible to all council members. Mayor Graves stated it would be hypocritical for the Council to discuss the decorum of Commissions without considering the Council's decorum. She noted there was an article regarding the censuring of a Brooklyn Park Councilmember for speaking disrespectfully to the City Manager. It was the second time the same Councilmember was censured. She explained the issue of respect is not unique to Brooklyn Center. Mayor Graves explained a citizen's advisory work group created Brooklyn Park's process. The process was presented to the Council, and the Council provided feedback on it. Mayor Graves provided printouts of portions of the process to the rest of the Council. She stated the Council needs to show up at the highest level of conduct as elected officials. Mayor Graves pointed out that Brooklyn Park's Code of Conduct highlights civility and professionalism, honoring the role of the Mayor, avoiding personal attacks, promoting problem- solving, succinctness, and staying on topic. She read a portion of the policy related to the Council's treatment of Staff and then a portion regarding the Council's interactions with the public. She suggested some of Brooklyn Park's policies be integrated into Brooklyn Center's policies. Mayor Graves noted the Brooklyn Park Councilmember was offered training opportunities as a form of accountability. He refused the offering and was instead removed from acting as a liaison to certain commissions. Brooklyn Center's Council also needs a process for accountability. Councilmember Kragness asked how Brooklyn Park's policy differs from Brookl yn Center's existing policy. Mayor Graves stated the current policy doesn't have any guidelines on how the Council should be held accountable. Brooklyn Park even has a flow chart detailing the procedure and read some of the accountability measures. CITY MANAGER MISCELLANEOUS DISCUSSION ITEMS City Manager Reggie Edwards stated the City's contract with Common Sense has supported the Council's retreats and consulted on other work. One of their employees will be moving and will only be available remotely. If Councilmembers want to have one-on-one conversations with that particular staff member, it must be done before she moves away. After the consultant moves, a different consultant would be made available to the Council for one-on-ones. Councilmember Kragness stated she would like to know the timing of the employee's move because she would like a one-on-one before she leaves. Mayor Graves stated she would also like a one-on-one before the move. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson asked when the employee would be moving. Dr. Edwards stated he didn't know the details. 4/22/24 -3- DRAFT Dr. Edwards pointed out there are a couple of outstanding issues related to Commissioners. He asked when the Council wanted to address the concerns. Mayor Graves stated she would be open to discussing Commission expectations immediately, but it can also wait until the next meeting. She asked Dr. Edwards or City Attorney Jason Hill to summarize best practices for Commissioners. Mr. Hill stated the best practice to follow up on a Commissioner violating expectations or by-laws would be some form of due process. The Commissioner should have a chance to speak up for themselves along with an opportunity for finding of facts. The Council could add a process similar to the Council's accountability process to by-laws. Options could include removal from a Commission or not allowing the Commissioner to serve in the same capacity for a certain number of years. Mayor Graves stated she wants people to have a chance to grow and improve. Her aim is not punitive. Instead, the City could offer training opportunities or relationship-based resolutions. There was no objection from the Council. Mayor Graves requested that Staff create a draft accountability policy for the by-laws. Dr. Edwards confirmed that the Staff would put something together for the Council to review. DISCUSSION OF WORK SESSION AGENDA ITEMS AS TIME PERMITS ALTERNATIVE EXPANDED RESPONSE PILOT This item was addressed at the Work Session meeting. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT DOWN PAYMENT FUNDING REALLOCATION DISCUSSION Community Development Director Jesse Anderson explained Staff is seeking direction regarding the allocation of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. Brooklyn Center receives an allocation each year. CDBG funds are provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funds are intended to help with community development activities that benefit low- and moderate-income persons. The funds are primarily intended for bricks and mortar improvements, as opposed to public service activities. Mr. Anderson pointed out that in March of 2023, the City Council reallocated funds from the Down Payment Assistance Program to the Hennepin County Homeowner Rehabilitation program. At the time Hennepin County staff had agreed they would be able to spend down the additional funds. Hennepin County has been unable to spend down the funds as fast as they had anticipated. The County has failed to meet the federal timely CDBG spending test and has indicated that they will need to reallocate the remaining extra funds of $135,000. 4/22/24 -4- DRAFT Mr. Anderson stated the County is starting a new Down Payment Assistance program and has suggested they could reallocate the funds to that program. They have given the City until the end of April to indicate an alternative re-allocation. In 2024, the City Council Allocated $214,488 to the Hennepin County Rehab program. Those funds remain in place and the program will continue with 2024 program funds. Mr. Anderson stated City Staff have reviewed options for spending down the remaining $135,000 before the end of the year. Generally, federally funded CDBG programs have some challenging requirements and the short spend-down window makes most funding options infeasible. Mr. Anderson noted Staff proposes a feasible alternative to the County's proposal, which is to spend the funds on capital improvements at City Parks. CDBG funding can be allocated to park enhancements within a qualified low-moderate income census tract. Community Development and Engineering Staff have identified critical needs for park improvements. To successfully deliver an unplanned project in 2024, Staff is recommending focusing on capital improvements to existing park buildings. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson asked what the projects would be. Director of Public Works Elizabeth Heyman explained in order to utilize the funds in 2024, the City would have to apply funds to pre-existing parks. At the amphitheater, there are some improvements needed to extend its usefulness such as brickwork and tuck-pointing. They are also considering improvements to existing playground equipment. Councilmember Jerzak asked if the funds previously allocated to down payment assistance had been used. He also asked if the program would disappear without the allocation. Mr. Anderson stated when the City switched its allocation in 2023, the final few pending homes were addressed. Since then, there have been two applications. The County's program is separate from the City's Down Payment Assistance Program. Mayor Graves asked if the funds could be added to the home maintenance offering. Mr. Anderson stated the funds wouldn't be able to be spent in 2024 if it was allocated to home maintenance. Mayor Graves stated she supports spending the funds on park improvement projects. Councilmember Kragness asked if something else on the Capital Improvement Plan could use the funding. Ms. Heyman stated the funds must be used on public park facilities. They reviewed the upcoming projects and selected which ones could be completed in 2024, partly due to the State's pre-bid contracts. There are other pending projects, but the ones proposed to the Council are the most pressing and would save the City the most money in the long run. It was the consensus of the Council to allocate the CDBG funds to park improvements. Mayor Graves called for a brief recess at 6:52. 4/22/24 -5- DRAFT ADJOURNMENT Councilmember Jerzak moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded adjournment of the Work session at 6:57 p.m. Motion passed unanimously.