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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006 06-26 CCM Work Session MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND i THE STATE OF MINNESOTA WORK SESSION JUNE 26, 2006 CITY HALL — COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center City Council /Economic Development Authority (EDA) met in Work Session and was called to order by Mayor /President Myrna Kragness at 7:45 p.m. ROLL CALL Mayor /President Myrna Kragness and Councilmembers /Commissioners Kathleen Carmody, Kay Lasman, and Diane Niesen. Councilmember /Commissioner Mary O'Connor was absent and excused. Also present were Interim City Manager /Executive Director Curt Boganey, Director of Fiscal & Support Services Dan Jordet, and City Clerk Sharon Knutson. ACTIVE DISCUSSION ITEMS: 1. Discussion of 2007 Goal Setting Date and Process The Council /EDA discussed whether to schedule a date for a 2007 goal setting session and the use of a facilitator. There was discussion regarding setting a date late in the year to allow for inviting the newly appointed City Manager and winning candidates to the session. It was Council consensus to tentatively schedule Saturday, November 11, 2006, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a 2007 goal setting session and to direct the Interim City Manager to report back on potential facilitators. 2. Discussion of Draft Policy on City Council Commitment to City Charter The Council /EDA reviewed the draft resolution declaring commitment to the Brooklyn Center City Charter. It was Council consensus to place the draft resolution on the City Council agenda at the first meeting in January. Miscellaneous Tim Gaffron, Production Manager /Government Liaison with Northwest Community Television/Channel 12, addressed the Council to inform of the live cable signal outage that occurred at approximately 7:15 p.m. He said that a squall with high winds that had passed through the area shortly after 7 p.m. may have caused a very local power outage that affected a portion of the line that carries the signal from Brooklyn Center City Hall back to the Brooklyn 06/26/06 1 Park facility. He said the meeting was taped in its entirety and would be replayed at its normally scheduled times. 3. Discussion of Draft Policy on Prior Authority to Purchase Items for Council Travel Councilmember /Commissioner Lasman stated the draft policy seems to be inviting Council Members to purchase training materials, which opens the door for more spending. She suggested modifying the language to make it clear that this is not an expectation. Councilmember /Commissioner Carmody said the policy should be more broad and include other purchases not related to travel (i.e., online books). Councilmember /Commissioner Niesen said the City is a member of the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) and inquired if LMC might have CDs, tapes, or training materials from the National League of Cities conferences or other types of training materials that the City could borrow. She said if this is the case, the policy could direct Council Members to the LMC for training materials. Mayor Kragness stated she doesn't think the policy is necessary. It was Council consensus to direct the Interim City Manager to find out from the League of Minnesota Cities what training materials are available to the City at no expense and report back to the Council. 4. Discussion of Centerbrook Golf Course Funding Recommendation Councilmember /Commissioner Lasman said there was agreement to keep the golf course as a recreational amenity for the community and this proposed plan addresses the financing plan for the golf course. Mr. Boganey said the financing plan was drafted as a result of the direction given by the Council at its joint meeting with the Financial Commission in March. He said the proposed financing plan addresses capital improvements, as well as the loan repayment and having sufficient funds p p p � g su to operate the golf course on an ongoing basis. He reviewed the three components as follows: • $49,000 contribution from the Storm Sewer Fund to the Golf Course Fund establishing a Capital Reserve; • annual operating revenue of $50,000 for capital purchases, cash flow requirements, and contingency; and • a revised loan repayment policy based on a formula that assumes loan repayments that will be made from a cash flow after covering annual capital reserves and capital expenditures. Councilmember /Commissioner Niesen raised the issue of having the City's auditors do a special audit of the golf course and look at its financing. 06/26/06 2 Councilmember /Commissioner Carmody said she thought the City's financial advisors would be more appropriate to do such a review. The Council /EDA reviewed the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for Centerbrook Golf Course and noted discrepancies in some of the columns. Mr. Boganey responded that the totals should agree and he would have staff review the spreadsheet and bring back the financing plan with a revised CIP. Mr. Boganey reviewed the three components of the $50,000 annual operating revenue reserve as follows: $17,500 for capital purchases, $25,000 set aside for expenditures at the beginning of the year, and $7,500 contingency, which takes into account unknown expenses. The Council/EDA discussed circumstances when the golf course or parts of it had been closed due to construction of ponds and reconstruction projects. There was discussion about the direct/associated cost of the closures of the golf course to the projects and whether the transfer of funds from the Storm Sewer Fund would be appropriate and whether it should cover the lost revenues. There was also discussion on whether the $49,000 was a one -time transfer or if there is a potential for future transfers due to reconstruction projects that could result in golf course closure. Councilmember /Commissioner Carmody requested the following information be brought back to the Council: • the history as to how much time is lost on average per year due to golf course closure; • whether the flooding of the course is due to a design issue of the ponds and can anything be done to relieve it; • clarification of bullet 3 on the Proposed Centerbrook Funding Formula and whether it relates only to the $49,000 transfer or if it is a proposal for the future; and • an amended CIP spreadsheet. Councilmember /Commissioner Niesen recommended to have as art of the budget discussions a P g request for an operational audit of the golf course by Tautges Redpath. Councilmember /Commissioner Lasman said she did not support the recommendation. She said she is comfortable with the financing plan proposal and it makes logical sense. Councilmember /Commissioner Carmody said she doesn't think an audit is appropriate, but rather a financial manager would d be more appropriate for this type of review. It was Council consensus not to request Tautges Redpath to prepare an operational audit of the golf course. It was Council consensus to direct the City Manager to prepare responses to the questions outlined by Councilmember /Commissioner Carmody and bring back to the Council on a future agenda. 06/26/06 3 Councilmember /Commissioner Niesen offered to contact Tautges and bring information back to Council as to what types of information an operational audit would provide. Mayor Kragness requested that it be put in writing. 5. Discussion of City Council Salary Recommendation from Financial Commission Mayor Kragness said the recommendation from the Financial Commission makes sense and the City Council salary is above the median. It was Council consensus to direct the City Manager to place this item on a Regular Session agenda for action. 6. Discussion of Performance Review Form per Request of Councilmember Niesen and 7. Council Process for Placing Items on the Agenda per Request of Councilmember Niesen Councilmember /Commissioner Niesen said she had reviewed proposals in response to the RFP for City Manager recruitment and there were groups that indicated they would help prepare a City Manager review form. She said this is the time to have an evaluation form, whether in conjunction with The PAR Group or using the current form or a modified version. Councilmember /Commissioner Carmody said this was already discussed at a Work Session and as stated in previous minutes Councilmembers Lasman and Carmody and Mayor Kragness wanted to table the evaluation form until 2007. Councilmember /Commissioner Lasman said the Council had already made the decision to table the City Manager evaluation form until February 2007. Councilmember /Commissioner Niesen said she just wanted a good form and did a lot of research to prepare a revised evaluation form. She discussed the business of the Council and reviewed the intent of Work Sessions. She said business is done at a Regular Session, not at a Work Session. She said as an elected official, a Council Member has the right to add an item to the Regular Session agenda for discussion. Councilmember /Commissioner Lasman said the Council has power as a group, not as an individual. She said Council consensus was to table the evaluation form; the decision was made as a whole, not individually. She stated the Council has agreed on a way to bring items before the Council in a concise, clear fashion. She further stated the Council Member has an obligation to respect the decision of the Council. Councilmember /Commissioner Carmody said the practice has been to place items on the agenda through the City Manager. She said there needs to be a set policy. 06/26/06 4 Mayor Kragness referred to Mr. Boganey's memorandum regarding placing items on the City Council agenda, which states that any proposed policy matter by a Council Member would be placed on a Work Session agenda for direction by the Council. Councilmember /Commissioner Carmody said that the City Manager should be removed from deciding whether an item brought forth by a Council Member be added to the agenda. She stated there needs to be a policy to address this issue. It was Council consensus that if a single Council Member wishes to have an item placed on an agenda for the Council to vote on, then the City Manager would have that item placed on a Work Session which allows that Council Member an opportunity to speak to her issue with the Council and the Council can give direction on the issue. The Council /EDA requested the City Manager to e-mail Councilmember O'Connor regarding the CVS Pharmacy fence decision to let her know the situation has been resolved and find out if it can be removed from the Work Session agenda or if she has other questions. ADJOURNMENT Councilmember /Commissioner Lasman moved and Councilmember /Commissioner Carmody seconded adjournment of the City Council/Economic Development Authority Work Session at 9:44 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. City Clerk Q Mayor /Pre dent 06/26/06 5