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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024.09.09 CCM STUDY SESSION9/9/24 -1- MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA STUDY SESSION SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 CITY HALL – COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center City Council met in Study Session called to order by Mayor April Graves at 6:01 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 Community Prevention, Health and Safety LaToya Turk, Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Barb Suciu, and City Attorney Siobhan Tolar. COUNCIL MISCELLANEOUS DISCUSSION ITEMS Mayor Graves suggested the Council hold off on discussing the Daunte Wright and Kobe Dimock- Heisler Community Safety and Violence Prevention Resolution until the next meeting because there will be a Staff presentation at that time. There was no objection from Council. Mayor Graves noted the Council has a proposed Code of Conduct document to discuss. Councilmember Jerzak stated he doesn’t have a copy, though he asked for a copy from Dr. Edwards. City Manager Reggie Edwards went to make copies of the document. Councilmember Jerzak asked for an update on the meter repairs. In the latest Friday update, it was reported over 1,000 residences will be billed for outstanding charges. He asked for more statistics on how much the City is owed and if the numbers are higher than in previous years. It is concerning for so many people to be struggling with basic water bills. Dr. Edwards confirmed he would gather the data to provide to Council. Councilmember Jerzak asked if there would be an update on the accounts receivable related to FLIK Catering. Councilmember Jerzak requested a presentation on the events permitting process. He also asked if Brooklyn Center would receive a share of the new tax revenue through the County. Brooklyn Park received a substantial sum. Dr. Edwards stated Staff has an upcoming presentation on FLIK Catering and they can create a presentation for the events process. He will also gather information on the new tax revenue for the Council. 9/9/24 -2- Councilmember Jerzak asked if he could ask another question related to the Economic Development Authority. There was no objection from the Council. Councilmember Jerzak pointed out there have been complaints about the inability to bring personal food to the Heritage Center. He asked if the new contract allows for outside food to be brought in. Parks and Recreation Director Cordell Wiseman stated outside food is not allowed in the new contract, but it is something they are looking to implement in the future Request for Proposal (RFP) process. The City would be able to set the terms of what they desire. The proposed contract will get the City through the end of the year. Councilmember Jerzak requested Mr. Wiseman mention the RFP process when the Enterprise Funds are being presented to the Council. Councilmember Butler noted Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson is supposed to handle the Invocation during the Regular Session, and there is a misprint in the agenda. Mayor Graves asked if the Council would consider newer folks to be represented on the Wall of Fame. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson agreed the Wall is rather dated. However, the Brooklyn Center Historical Society oversees the Wall of Fame. The historical component is important, but there are new community leaders that should also be recognized. Councilmember Kragness suggested current Councilmembers be featured somewhere. Councilmember Butler noted her agreement with Councilmember Kragness and pointed out Brooklyn Park has a wall with current Councilmembers near the entrance. Councilmember Butler added the criteria for features on the Wall is unclear. Councilmember Jerzak asked what the process is to nominate people for the Wall of Fame. Mayor Graves stated she would reach out to someone at the Brooklyn Center Historical Society to request a presentation on the background and criteria for the Wall of Fame. Dr. Edwards pointed out the Arts Commission could work with the Historical Society. It was the consensus of the Council to feature current Councilmembers on a wall somewhere in the City Hall. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson noted the hall outside of the Council office area would be a good location. Dr. Edwards stated Staff would find a place for photos of the Council and pointed out there would need to be a photo shoot scheduled. Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Barb Suciu asked if the photo would be of the entire group or individual photos. It was the consensus of the Council to take individual photos. Ms. Suciu stated the Communications Department could take the photos. 9/9/24 -3- Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson requested Consent Agenda Item 6e. Resolution Authorizing the City of Brooklyn Center to Enter into Contracts with Hennepin County Human Services and Public Health Department and Canopy Roots for Expanded Response Team Pilots and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute Such Contracts to Council Consideration Items to allow for additional discussion. She also requested the item be broken up into two separate motions. Councilmember Butler stated the Council already agreed to move forward with both programs. The motion is a final formality in the process. Dr. Edwards stated only one overarching program is being proposed. Councilmember Jerzak pointed out he only received a copy of the contract after 8:00 p.m. on Friday night. There is an error in the contract citing a $300,000 payment due in July, though the month has already passed. The contract has a number of inaccuracies. He would prefer the items be separated because the Hennepin contract is ready to move forward. Councilmember Jerzak asked why there are two contracts but allegedly only one pilot program. Dr. Edwards stated there is only one pilot effort. The City is operating the program as a singular effort providing the same services. The Council already provided direction to Staff on the contracts, and it is being brought before the Council again. Councilmember Jerzak noted he isn’t disputing an alternative response for Brooklyn Center. However, there are errors in the contract and it has only recently been provided to the Council for review. It is a priority of the City to maintain financial stability and integrity. Staff told Council the programs would be entirely funded through grants, but now some funding is coming out of the budget. He reviewed the budget to learn details through the line items, but it was unclear. Dr. Edwards explained ten percent of the total funding is from the City’s budget, which the Council already knew of because it was a match for the County. There is a small portion of the General Fund is for supplies. The information is available on the cover sheet. Director of Community Prevention, Health and Safety LaToya Turk stated there was a requirement for the City to provide an $89,000 match for one of the models. Both of the models had equipment needs that came out of the General Fund. The City has just under $100,000 budgeted. Dr. Edwards added the American Rescue Plan Act funds went toward some equipment needs. Ms. Turk pointed out the Canopy Roots contract error is minor and can easily be remedied. There are representatives from Canopy Roots present. Councilmember Jerzak stated the errors are on page two. Councilmember Jerzak noted he has ongoing concerns about the longevity of the program. He asked if it is sustainable and what the budget plans are to build capacity. The levy request is 14.22 percent. If the grants dry up, then the City can’t afford to provide the services as it stands. The community will come to rely on the program offerings. 9/9/24 -4- Dr. Edwards stated the levy presentation was not for 14.22 percent. The 14.22 percent levy increase was an example if all of the Departmental requests were granted. Dr. Edwards added as for the sustainability of the program, the concern has already been discussed with Council multiple times. It costs around $700,000 for the pilot program. After the pilot is complete, the City will know the best approach to continue the programming and the best hours to implement alternative responses. It is likely the program will cost closer to $350,000 in future years. There is also a plan to build financial capacity by setting aside funds for future sustainability. When the grants are complete, Brooklyn Center will have some funds built up. There are also opportunities for other grants. Mayor Graves pointed out she is involved in the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Federal Group through the National League of Cities to advocate for ongoing funding for alternative response strategies. She has recently decided to apply for the National League of Cities Board of Directors and will receive endorsement from the Minnesota League of Cities. Part of the expectation for receiving and using grant funds is ensuring the long-term stability of programming, so Staff has likely been planning for capacity building for quite some time. Councilmember Jerzak stated Dr. Edwards is saying that at the end of the pilot program, data will be reviewed and presented to the Council. Then it will be determined which model is a better fit for Brooklyn Center. One pilot provides a mental health professional while the other provides a paramedic. He would like to see the metrics on a regular basis. Councilmember Kragness stated the metrics will not determine which program is better suited for Brooklyn Center; it is not a competition. Instead, the City will assess which components of each program best serve the City and build their own program from there. The end goal is collaboration. Brooklyn Center was just in the unique position to have two different pilot programs. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson asked why the City would be purchasing vehicles for the program and what the City’s liability is in the programs. Dr. Edwards stated the City isn’t purchasing any vehicles though each program has the need for vehicles. The City Attorney can speak to any concerns about liability. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated it is unreasonable for the City to purchase vehicles and then have someone else insure the vehicle. City Attorney Siobhan Tolar stated that organizations are required to have insurance under the contracts. Should there be an issue with a vehicle, the respective organization’s insurance would be employed. Dr. Edwards reiterated the City would not be purchasing any vehicles for the program. Each organization will be purchasing their own vehicles and providing their own insurance. 9/9/24 -5- Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson asked if Ms. Tolar read the contract and asked if there is mutual indemnification in the contracts. Ms. Tolar confirmed there is mutual indemnification included in the contracts. Councilmember Butler stated it was disrespectful and passive-aggressive to ask the City Attorney if she read a contract. She asked if the Hennepin model is only using ambulances for transportation. Ms. Turk stated it depends on the type of call and the outcome of the call. A North Memorial Hospital ambulance or regular vehicle may transport someone as needed. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson noted she didn’t intend to be disrespectful to Ms. Tolar by asking if she had read the contract. Ms. Tolar is new to working with Brooklyn Center, but the contract has been in the works for several months. She apologized to Ms. Tolar for her comment. Councilmember Jerzak asked if lifts will be included in vehicles to increase accessibility to services. There was a discussion about lifts being added to the contracts. Each lift would cost at least $10,000. Ms. Turk stated there are a number of items in the contract that would require additional external funding, such as the lifts. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated the contracts don’t specify the hours of service for each program. Ms. Turk explained law enforcement mapped when the need for mental health services was the highest. The County’s model was unable to provide a team during that time. 911 Dispatch will receive the call and triage the call. Any calls for service will be sent to the Police Department. Then from there, law enforcement will decide whom to send. The alternative response programs and law enforcement will work closely together. If police are already on the scene, they can also ask for alternative response to come to the scene if appropriate. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson pointed out she supports the program, but she has concerns about sustaining the program down the line. Councilmember Jerzak noted the hours are 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays and 4:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Mayor Graves asked how the hours would be communicated to the public. Ms. Turk stated there is a robust communications plan that includes community engagement, town hall meetings, and working with community partners. Councilmember Kragness stated the language needs to be cleaned up. The contract refers to both an alternative response and an expanded response. The term “alternative response” implies only one entity or another would respond. Mayor Graves noted her agreement with Councilmember Kragness. Language is powerful. Councilmember Jerzak stated he doesn’t feel the need to pull the item from the Consent Agenda anymore. 9/9/24 -6- Mayor Graves pointed out that the Council received copies of the Code of Conduct and other proposed policies. She asked for the Commission policies to be sent out to the Council as well. She requested the Councilmembers review the four documents and prepare for a discussion at a future meeting. Dr. Edwards stated one document is related to Boards, Commissions, and Committees, one document is to Council, and one document is the existing procedure. He asked what the fourth document was. Mayor Graves stated there were only three documents, and she miscounted. Councilmember Kragness asked if they have a copy of the Brooklyn Park policy. Mayor Graves stated she would forward a copy of Brooklyn Park’s policies to the Council. They were used at the beginning of the process. CITY MANAGER MISCELLANEOUS DISCUSSION ITEMS Dr. Edwards requested the first two items on the Work Session be switched. There was no objection from the Council. Work Session Item 1. Hennepin Recycling Group (HRG): City-wide Organics Collection became Work Session Item 2. Hennepin Recycling Group (HRG): City-wide Organics Collection and Work Session Item 2. Concept Proposal: 6500 Camden Avenue North (Jambo Africa) because Work Session Item 1. Concept Proposal: 6500 Camden Avenue North (Jambo Africa). Dr. Edwards noted there is a budget meeting coming up on Wednesday. He asked if Council had specific questions they would like Staff to prepare for. Mayor Graves pointed out she was not present when Council requested an additional budget meeting. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson explained she would like the Directors present to be available to explain various portions of the budget. An open-ended dialogue would be helpful for the Council to understand how Departments are being planned. Mayor Graves asked if Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson would like all Directors present at the meeting. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated that is a decision for Dr. Edwards to make. Mayor Graves noted Councilmember Butler will be unavailable for the meeting. Councilmember Jerzak stated he has a list of questions prepared, but he wasn’t sure what the protocol was to submit questions. It would be his preference for the questions to be answered as soon as possible and potentially avoid another meeting. Mayor Graves pointed out there is only two days before the proposed additional meeting. She suggested there be discussion at the next scheduled budget meeting on September 23, 2024 instead of adding another meeting. 9/9/24 -7- Dr. Edwards stated the September 23, 2024, meeting is when Council will be asked to approve a preliminary budget. If Staff were to receive the questions via email, then they could determine if the answers could be provided via email rather than a meeting. Mayor Graves stated it is unrealistic for Staff to review and prepare answers for the questions as they have not received any questions yet, and the proposed meeting is in 48 hours. She stated the meeting will not be held. She suggested a meeting be held September 18, 2024, instead if necessary. Dr. Edwards explained he is unavailable on September 18, 2024. However, he is available on September 19, 2024. He added not all Directors will be available to attend the meeting. Mayor Graves pointed out Councilmember Butler is unable to attend a meeting on September 19. Dr. Edwards added Staff is working to prepare packets for the September 23, 2024, meeting. Mayor Graves noted Council will submit their questions to Staff. In the best-case scenario, the questions can be addressed via email. Any questions that require additional conversation can be handled at the start of the September 23, 2024, meeting. There is no need for a September 19 meeting with all that Staff has going on. Councilmember Jerzak asked when the Enterprise Funds will be provided to the Council. Dr. Edwards stated he would need to confirm the timeline with Director of Fiscal & Support Services Angela Holm. He stated it would be November 18, 2024. ADJOURNMENT Councilmember Jerzak moved and Mayor Graves seconded to close the Study Session at 6:55 p.m. Motion passed unanimously.