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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996 11-18 CCM Special Work Session MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA SPECIAL WORK SESSION NOVEMBER 18, 1996 CITY HALL, CONFERENCE ROOM B CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center City Council met in special work session and was called to order by Mayor Myrna Kragness at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Mayor Myrna Kragness, Councilmembers Kathleen Carmody, Debra Hilstrom, Kristen Mann, and Charles F. Nichols, Sr. Also present: City Manager Michael J. McCauley, Public Services Director Diane Spector, and Council Secretary LeAnn Larson. I. . COUNCIL ITEMS Councilmember Hilstrom updated the City Council on her attendance at the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities (AMM) meeting last week. At that meeting all of the proposed policies for the AMM legislative agenda passed. There was brief discussion relating to some of the AMM legislative goals. Councilmember Carmody reported that she had attended the Orchard Lane West Neighborhood meeting last week. The response from the vast majority of the residents in attendance at the meeting was very positive toward the project. Mayor Kragness inquired as to whether other Councilmembers besides herself would be attending the public private partnership meeting in St. Paul on November 19. Councilmembers Carmody and Hilstrom indicated that they thought they would be attending. II. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS PRESENTATION ON NORTH METRO CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU City Manager McCauley asked that Mr. Patrick Laniel's presentation regarding the North Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau be added as the first item. Mr. Laniel, Executive Director, provided the Council with an overview of the operations of the Convention & Visitors Bureau. The Convention & Visitors Bureau serves the northern suburban communities of 11/18/96 -1- Blaine, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Fridley, and Maple Grove. Mr. Laniel also discussed the efforts of the Convention & Visitors Bureau to utilize the Earle Brown Heritage Center. The Earle Brown Heritage Center was estimated by Mr. Laniel to be responsible for roughly 30 percent of the hotel bookings in Brooklyn Center. Mayor Kragness commented on the 0 marketing effort of the Convention & Visitors Bureau using the "Discover the Quiet Side" slogan. UPDATE ON BROOKLYN BOULEVARD MEETINGS WITH Mn/DOT AND HENNEPIN COUNTY Public Services Director Diane Spector updated the Council on recent meetings between her staff, Hennepin County, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation. In those meetings, an alternate concept was discussed. The alternate concept would build the original project from 69th Avenue North on Brooklyn Boulevard north and from I -694 south on Brooklyn Boulevard. The modification would be that only existing right -of -way would be used between the I -694 interchange and 69th Avenue North. This would result in three lanes of travel and dedicated turn lanes with the center median and no intersection at 68th Avenue North. This would also mean that the enhancements between I -694 and 69th Avenue North would not be feasible within the available right -of -way. Ms. Spector used a drawing to show the locations of the potential improvements on a modified plan. The modified plan would require acquisition of the Pilgrim Cleaners property and several of the adjacent properties, but would not require acquisition of property from the auto dealers. After the discussion of some of the pros and cons of proceeding, the general consensus of the Council was that they were not interested in having a project pursued that would not have the enhancements relating to plantings and trails constructed. The Council's preference was for staff to pursue having the existing roadway improved with a mill and overlay and possible median strip to reduce accidents from left turning traffic between the freeway and 69th Avenue North. As part of the discussion and presentation, Ms. Spector advised the Council that the City would lose the ISTEA funding for the enhancements and that pursing the original design would put the project off at least five to ten years. There was also discussion relating to the traffic needs of the project and the enhancement request. As part of the discussion, it was identified that the exact costs of the modified project were unknown and that the current Phase One environmental study being conducted by Hennepin County ould assist in providing that information. The City Manager explained to ty p g tY g P the Council that the request of the Council had been simply to find out whether or not the Council would have any interest in a modified plan. As indicated in the discussion, the exact cost and source of funding was unknown as to this part of the project, as well, since this had arisen in the conversations between City staff and Hennepin County. The City Manager wanted the Council to be advised of those discussions and to set the course for staff response to those discussions with Hennepin County and the Minnesota Department of Transportation. 11/18/96 -2- SCHEDULE FOR COMMISSION MEETINGS IN 1997 There was discussion of the proposed schedule for commission meetings in 1997. Councilmember Carmody indicated that the months chosen were fine but she preferred to have the meetings on the regular commission meeting dates rather than on the proposed third Monday. The general consensus was in favor of scheduling the meetings on the regular commission meeting dates during the months selected. The City Manager advised that this matter would then be put on the City Council agenda for formal action. COUNCIL RETREAT IN 1997 General discussion of this item indicated that scheduling a meeting for a Council retreat in February would appear to be the general preference. The City Manager will contact Carl Neu regarding available dates in February to schedule a meeting during the week beginning after 2:00 p.m. or on a weekend, if possible. METROPOLITAN COUNCIL GROWTH OPTIONS City Manager McCauley then brought up the draft regional growth statement prepared by the North Metro Mayors Association (NMMA) regarding a draft regional growth statement of the Metropolitan Council. The City Manager advised the Council that the NMMA was working on a response to the Metropolitan Council's growth management strategy proposal. The basic thrust of the NMMA was to deal with urban sprawl and the impacts of leap frog development beyond the seven county metropolitan area. There was some general discussion amongst the Council regarding the impacts of growth and a few specific sections of the NMMA statement. III. BUDGET ITEMS COMMUNITY CENTER WADING POOL The first budget item discussed was the community center wading pool. City Manager McCauley advised that the current draft budget contains $75,000 to renovate the wading pool to comply with the requirements of Henn ' Hennepin County. ' p Y q p ty m the Council's materials was the letter that they had previously received from Hennepin County advising that the pool would be closed unless it was renovated to meet the standards described in the letter. There was discussion regarding supervision of the wading pool and the inability to see from the pool area into the wading pool due to the solid partial wall. There was discussion with respect to whether or not a project could be constructed that would replace the solid wall with some type of see - through material to improve visibility and safety. There were questions from the Council of Ms. Spector regarding the possibility that the County might allow additional time to complete the renovations; Ms. Spector will contact ontact the County. 11/18/96 _3_ The Council generally felt that they wished to have a more comprehensive plan relating to the wading pool /community center as a whole and the potential project for the police station and additional City offices. The desire to have a comprehensive approach to all of these building needs indicated that the $75,000 should be removed from the draft budget at this time so that the resolution of the wading pool issue could be part of the overall building plans. i EARLE BROWN HERITAGE CENTER The next item of budget discussion was the Heritage Center. City Manager McCauley advised the Council that the proposed budget for the Heritage Center predicted that operations would cash flow. He also advised, however, that this would not cover the capital cost needed for improvements at the Heritage Center. And, the current numbers indicated that there was a strong likelihood that the Heritage Center would be able to cash flow operations in 1996, also. The bookings year -to -date for 1997 events are roughly $300,000, as compared to $200,000 worth of bookings at the same time in 1996. The City Manager recommended that the budget provide for approximately $50,000 from the tax increment fund to cover capital cost in 1997 for the Heritage Center. These monies would be dispersed at the end of 1997 to the extent needed based on the actual operations at the Heritage Center. The tax increment financing project was designed to provide capital monies for the Heritage Center. The specific capital projects that would be undertaken at the Heritage Center would be the computer equipment described in the proposed budget, the carpet extractor, the carpeting for the Carriage Hall, Tack Room, and lower level hall, and the electronic door closures. Deferred would be the fire alarm system upgrade and the upgrading of signage. There was some discussion with the Council regarding the reasons for the exclusion of some items and the inclusion of others. The City Manager outlined that the computer equipment was generally required for the Heritage Center to function as indicated in the narrative. The carpet extractor was necessary for the turnaround use of the facility, and that currently rental of a unit was being done on an uneconomical basis as compared to ownership. The carpeting was required in order for the facility to function, and have bookings. The electronic door closures related to a safety issue of smoke, as well as the amenities of not having doors propped open for a conference center of this type. The fire alarm system upgrade and signage upgrade were deferred so as to make the cost manageable in 1997. I City g McCauley Manager McCaule discussed some of the modifications that he had made to the proposal that the Council had in their materials. Approximately $40,000 of expenses in the proposed Heritage Center budget will be recommended for removal by the City Manager. These generally related to the capital items discussed and a substantial decrease in monies for advertising at the Inn and the use of an advertising agency. Some money was left in to allow flexibility for the use of professional advertising assistance in developing materials but at a greatly reduced amount. 11/18/96 -4- The City Manager also discussed the reorganization in the budget presentation which created an administration division and the attempt to have the presentation more readily provide a marginal analysis for the cost of operating Earle's. Councilmember Hilstrom stated that she believed good measurable goals for each division should occur to allow measurement of achievements in the budget. The Council inquired as to the relative profitability of the catering operation versus other operations. The City Manager suggested that the conference center and catering need to be viewed as one entity. That entity, combining the conference center and catering, is generally providing the cash flow. The office rental provides a contribution to the operation, but the Inn and Earle's is in a loss position. The City Manager also discussed the need to find a successor tenant to the tenant that will be leaving the D barn in 1997. The proposed budget has only a partial year's revenue but does have the entire year's expenses, since the expenses will continue past the lease. Councilmember Hilstrom inquired whether or not the costs of the work done by the Finance Department were spread out in each department. The City Manager advised that the administrative charges were charged out in the Heritage Center budget. There were questions also about the liquor stores and golf course. The City Manager advised that the liquor store and golf course budgets do contain an administrative service charge for other work performed by the Finance Department. GENERAL FUND AND OTHER FUNDS ROUGH DRAFT The Council then had further discussion of the need for measurable goals in the budget. The City Manager outlined the changes that have occurred in the budget and suggested that the larger picture should be viewed in this context. There has been a substantial change in the format of the budget which has been more time consuming than he had anticipated and that the goal setting within the budget document did vary from each department but that this did represent substantial progress toward a usable document. Councilmember Nichols discussed the need to use the budget as a planning tool for addressing goals. Councilmember Hilstrom stated that she felt there was a need for improvement in the goals within the budget in order to have accountability for those operations and to have the Manager accountable for his performance in that regard. TRUTH IN TAXATION HEARING The Council then discussed the Truth in Taxation hearing that will be held on December 4, 1996. City Manager McCauley inquired as to setting an additional Council work session for December 2 so that staff could provide the improvements to the budget document and inquire of the Council as to any final changes in the document prior to the December 4, 1996, Truth in Taxation hearing. The City Manager also indicated that there would be a rough overview of what would be presented at that hearing so that any items that the Council wished to have 11/18/96 -5- i included in the Truth in Taxation presentation could be added prior to the Truth in Taxation hearing itself. Councilmember Hilstrom raised the issue of whether the final levy should be reduced from the four percent levy. Councilmember Hilstrom discussed the tax increases that have been experienced by residents. The City Manager outlined that the tax capacity of the City had decreased for taxes payable in 1997 which has the result of increasing the percentage increase in taxes, especially for homeowners whose properties have increased in value. He also outlined that with a number of houses going over the $72,000 valuation there would be on a percentage basis a disproportionate increase in those people's property taxes simply due to the change from one percent to two percent tax capacity rate for the value more than $72,000. The City Manager discussed the potential difficulties in developing a 1998 budget if the proposed 1997 levy were reduced in that, if a bond referendum passed for a fire /police building, an operational levy increase for 1998 would be overshadowed by the increased levy for the bonds. Since no increase in the levy for 1998 above the bond referendum levy might be necessary, the proposed 1997 level of funding would be important to go into the 1998 budget. The Council had questions regarding the average house value in Brooklyn Center, as well as the distribution of increases in property taxes. The Council wished to have information provided regarding the number of households receiving property tax increases of ten percent or more. The City Manager indicated that he would inquire of the assessor as to this information and provide the information at the work session. ADJOURNMENT A motion by Councilmember Carmody and seconded by Councilmember Nichols to adjourn the meeting at 10:59 p.m. passed unanimously. City Clerk Mayor Recorded and transcribed by: LeAnn Larson I 11/18/96 -6-