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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020 06-22 CCM Regular SessionMINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA REGULAR SESSION JUNE 22, 2020 1. INFORMAL OPEN FORUM WITH CITY COUNCIL CALL TO ORDER INFORMAL OPEN FORUM The Brooklyn Center City Council met in Informal Open Forum called to order by Mayor Mike Elliott at 6:45 p.m. The meeting was conducted via Webex. ROLL CALL Mayor Mike Elliott and Councilmembers Marquita Butler, April Graves, Kris Lawrence - Anderson, and Dan Ryan. Also present were City Manager Curt Boganey, Deputy City Manager Reggie Edwards, City Clerk Barb Suciu, and City Attorney Troy Gilchrist. Mayor Mike Elliott opened the meeting for the purpose of Informal Open Forum. There were no comments. Mayor Elliott stated the City Council would go into recess Terry Robertson, C-Alan Homes, stated he joined the meeting. 2. INVOCATION Councilmember Lawrence -Anderson stated it is difficult to try to bring inspiration in a time of so much turmoil in the world. She offered a quote from an unknown author as the Invocation: "My friends, love is better than anger, hope is better than fear, optimism is better than despair, so let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic and we will change the world." 3. CALL TO ORDER REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING The Brooklyn Center City Council met in Regular Session called to order by Mayor Mike Elliott at 7:00 p.m. 4. ROLL CALL 06/22/20 -1- Mayor Mike Elliott and Councilmembers Marquita Butler, April Graves, Kris Lawrence - Anderson, and Dan Ryan. Also present were City Manager Curt Boganey, Deputy City Manager Reggie Edwards, City Clerk Barb Suciu, and City Attorney Troy Gilchrist. 5. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 6. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Elliott stated he meant to raise an issue related to meeting minutes during the Study Session. He added Councilmember Ryan made a comment at the last City Council meeting which he and Councilmember Butler took issue with. He noted his objection is reflected in the minutes, but Councilmember Ryan's comments, that he took issue with, are not reflected in the minutes. Mayor Elliott stated he wants to make a motion to have the secretary and clerk review the records and bring the minutes back with that comment reflected in the minutes. City Clerk Barb Suciu asked if there is something different than the last paragraph on page 7 in the meeting minutes. Mayor Elliott stated Councilmember Ryan's comments are not correct. He added Councilmember Ryan did not say there was a correlation between the City's diverse and vibrant population and a reduction in income. He noted, in his review of the meeting record, the direct quote was that diversity brought lower income. Councilmember Butler stated the actual quote was that diversity brought poverty. Mayor Elliott stated this whitewashes what was said. He added it is important to capture the statement that was made. He noted the statement was repeated, and attributed to him, but the original statement was made by Councilmember Ryan, and should be attributed to Councilmember Ryan. He added the record should accurately reflect the statement. Councilmember Ryan stated he has no objection to having the secretary review the recording and having some wording changed. He added, going back to before the Mayor was elected, the City Council would on occasion have extensive discussions about racial economic disparities. He noted this issue has been central to the discussion about many underlying tensions, and has given rise to our current troubles, initiated by the murder of George Perry Floyd. Councilmember Ryan stated he was trying to highlight a real challenge that the City faces. He added if you want to use this for some other purpose, he has no control over that. He noted he does not have a problem with having the secretary go back and get an exact verbatim record of that exchange and get it into the minutes. Councilmember Ryan stated, if he spoke in a way that anyone might feel was insensitive, he wished to apologize for perhaps not being sufficiently cognizant of how fiaught emotions are at this time, and the sensitivity of those who may be listening. He added the point he was trying to make was 06/22/20 -2- that which so many economists and sociologists have observed, which is an increase in poverty in suburbs nationwide. He noted he was trying to highlight that as a significant challenge for the City going forward, and that the City Council needs to address that challenge to support the City's sustainability, both financially and fiscally. Councilmember Ryan stated if someone insists on questioning the motives of a member of this Council for simply presenting certain inconvenient facts in the context of having a frank and open discussion on a vital City issue, then that could have a less than positive effect on our future discussions City Attorney Troy Gilchrist stated, from a procedural perspective, the most orderly way to address this is to pull the minutes from the Consent Agenda to be addressed during the Regular Agenda, and make a motion to have the secretary review the minutes and bring it back at the next City Council meeting. Mayor Elliott moved to have the secretary go back and review the record and more accurately update the minutes to be brought back at the next meeting. Ms. Suciu requested clarification from Mayor Elliott regarding whether all the minutes will be removed, or just the June 8, 2020 Regular session minutes. Mayor Elliott stated only the June 8, 2020 Regular Session minutes are being pulled. Councilmember Graves moved and Councilmember Butler seconded to approve the Agenda and Consent Agenda, as amended, with the removal of the June 8, 2020 Regular Session minutes to be considered as Agenda Item 1 Oa, and the following consent items were approved: 6a. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. May 26 Continuation of meeting held on May 29, 2020 2. June 8, 2020 Study Session 3. June 8, 2020 Regular Session This item was considered as Agenda Item 1 Oa. 6b. LICENSES FIREWORKS -TEMPORARY TNT Fireworks 4003 Helton Dr Florence, AL 35630 GARBAGE HAULER LICENSES Allied Waste Services of North America Aspen Waste Systems Inc Cub Grocery Store 3245 Co Road 10 Brooklyn Center, 55430 8661 Rendova St NE Circle Pines MN 55014 2951 Weeks Ave SE Minneapolis, 55414 06/22/20 -3- MECHANICAL LICENSES Cl Plumbing, Inc Airtech Thermex All Appliance Installation Plus Avid Heating and Cooling 6217 W. Lake St, St. Louis Park 55416 4918 W. 35th St, St. Louis Park 55416 PO Box 166, Cambridge 55008 7700 County Road 110 W, Minnetrista 55364 Bonfe's Plumbing Heating & Air Service, Inc. o SHardman Ave, South St. Paul 55075 Comfort Solutions Heating & Cooling 11 1" Street NW, Osseo 55369 Dean's Professional Plumbing Inc. 7400 Kirkwood Ct N, Maple Grove 55369 G.V. Heating &Air Inc. Henderson Heating and A/C LLC J-Berd Mechanical Contractors, Inc. Larson Plbg Liberty Comfort Systems Majestic Custom Construction DBA Majestic Custom Heating Munsell Realty, LLC Patton Heating Ridley Heating &Cooling River City Sheet Metal, Inc Total Comfort SIGNHANGER'S LICENSE 5182 West Broadway, Crystal 55429 3515 Dakota Ave, Woodbury 55125 ndustrial Blvd, 1 I Sauk Rapids 56379 3095 162°d La NW, Andover 55304 627 East river Rd, Anoka 55303 8800 Royal Ct NW, Ramsey 55303 10425 Vessey Rd, Bloomington 55437 589 Swan Lk Ln NW, Cedar 55011 3110 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis 55411 8290 Main Street NE, Suite 39, Fridley 55432 8818 7th Ave N, Golden Valley, 55429 06/22/20 -4- Resolution Graphics, Inc Nameless Signs 3770 Dunlap St N Arden Hills, 55112 9639 Wyoming Circle, Bloomington, MN 55438 RENTAL INITIAL (TYPE IV— one-year license) 7225 Kyle Ave N Josephine Gurley / Caring Nurses INITIAL (TYPE II —two year license) 6424 Fremont Ave N Stephen Yeboah RENEWAL (TYPE IV —one year license) 5444 Humboldt Ave N Froyum Trust - missing CPTED 7131 Kyle Ave N Philip Littlefield - missing CPTED & CFH RENEWAL (TYPE III —one year license) 1217 54th Ave N Jay Moua - Missing CPTED RENEWAL (TYPE II —two year° license) 6342 June Ave N David Swartout Jr RENEWAL (TYPE I —three year license) 6712 Beard Ave N Morris Matthews 5332 Morgan Ave N James Waters 7207 Willow La N Arl Woods 6c. RESOLUTION NO. 2020-054 ACCEPTING BID AND AWARDING A CONTRACT, IMPROVEMENT PROJECT N0.2020-OS, LIFT STATION 6 REHABILITATION PROJECT 6d. RESOLUTION N0.2020-055 APPROVING CHANGE ORDER NOS. 19-27, IMPROVEMENT PROJECT NO. 2018-05, BROOKLYN BOULEVARD CORRIDOR PROJECT PHASE 1 6e. RESOLUTION NO. 2020-056 DESIGNATING POLLING PLACES FOR THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER FOR 2020 PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS 6f. MODIFICATION OF BROOKLYN CENTER PERSONNEL POLICY —10.3 REDUCTION IN FORCE/LAY-OFFS 6g, AMENDMENT TO THE 2020 CITY COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE Motion passed unanimously. 06/22/20 -5- 7. PRESENTATIONS/PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS/DONATIONS 7a, RESOLUTION NO, 2020-057 EXPRESSING RECOGNITION AND APPRECIATION TO PATTI PAGE FOR OVER 371/2 YEARS OF DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER Mayor Elliott read in full a Resolution in recognition of Patti Page's retirement from the City of Brooklyn Center on Jun 12, 2020, after more than 371/2 years, and expressing sincere appreciation for her dedicated public service. Mr. Boganey expressed his appreciation of the City Council's willingness to recognize the service of long-term employees. He added he is pleased to have this recognition for Patti Page, after 371/2 years of service to Brooklyn Center. He noted a few words that describe Ms. Page are "professional" and "positive". Mr. Boganey stated he appreciated and admired Ms. Page for the way she went about her duties on a daily basis — always professional and positive. He added she is already missed, and many employees turned out during the pandemic to recognize her retirement a few weeks ago. He congratulated Patti for her recognition which is well -deserved. Mr. Edwards stated, as Supervisor of the Human Resources Division, he has worked with Ms. Page since he began working for the City of Brooklyn Center, and it has been an honor and a privilege to work with her and get to know her. He thanked her for her service. He added, when he thinks of Ms. Page, the words that come to mind are "Swiss Army knife" and "salt". He noted these words are evocative of foundation, survival, and utility. Mr. Edwards stated Ms. Page embodies utility, and value of the organization. He added she kept Brooklyn Center going in many ways, and was instrumental in enacting changes in employee onboarding, as well as sustaining and retention of employees. He thanked Ms. Page and recognized her for the value she has brought to the City of Brooklyn Center. Mayor Elliott stated he got to know Ms. Page a little bit in his tenure as Mayor. He added he appreciated how closely she worked with Mr. Boganey and Mr. Edwards. He noted he appreciated getting to know Ms. Page, as she has always been kind, and she will be missed. He thanked Ms. Page for all the years of dedication to Brooklyn Center. Councilmember Graves moved and Councilmember Ryan seconded to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 2020-XX Expressing Recognition and Appreciation to Patti Page for Over 371/2 Years of Dedicated Public Service to the City of Brooklyn Center. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Elliott asked Ms. Page if she would like to say a few words. Patti Page expressed her thanks to the Mayor, City Council, and City Staff for the nice Resolution, with many kind words. She added she really liked Mr. Edward's apt statement comparing her to 06/22/20 -6- a Swiss army knife. She noted she always remembers things that have happened in the City, and why and how they were done, keeping them in her toolbox for when they might be needed again. Ms. Page stated she has enjoyed her time with the City of Brooklyn Center. She added she is enjoying her retirement but misses the daily communication with everyone she worked with. She noted she hopes everything goes well for the City, and she prays for City Council and City Staff and the City's residents, that Brooklyn Center can become all that it should become. She added she plans to stop by City Hall in the near future, when she can come in and say hello. Mayor Elliott asked whether Ms. Page has a second act coming up. Ms. Page stated she is enjoying her retirement, and her husband will be retiring in less than a month. She added they plan to hang out with grandkids and see some friends, and hopefor better days when they can travel. 8. PUBLIC HEARINGS -None. 9. PLANNING COMMISSION ITEMS -None. 10. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ITEMS 10a. DISCUSSION OF DUNE 8, 2020 REGULAR SESSION MINUTES Mayor Elliott stated this item was placed on the agenda at his request. Mayor Elliott moved and Councilmember Butler seconded to have the secretary review the minutes and more accurately reflect what was said during the course of the discussion, particularly comments made by Councilmember Ryan, that Mayor Elliott and Councilmember Butler objected to, to be reflected in the record. Councilmember Ryan stated if you insist on questioning the motives of another member of this Council for presenting an inconvenient fact in the context of having a flank, open discussion on a vital City issue, that could have a less than positive effect on the City Council's future discussions. He added if the body wants to go back and have a verbatim account of his comments, then so be it. He noted they are his words, and he stands by them. Mr. Boganey stated, with regard to the motion itself, the way it was stated by the Mayor sounds as if the City Clerk would review the records and provide her interpretation of what she heard. He added he thinks that what the Mayor may have been asking for was a verbatim record of what was actually said, and not the City Clerk's interpretation. He noted the City Clerk can provide a verbatim record, but he is unsure whether the Mayor would want the City Cleric to interpret the City Councilmember's statements. Mayor Elliott agreed that his motion would be to have the City Cleric incorporate the verbatim record into the minutes, for the City Council to vote on at its next meeting. 06/22/20 -7- Councilmember Graves stated she thinks it would be helpful if the Mayor's comments and Councilmember Butler's comments were also transcribed verbatim, so the conversation in its entirety would be included. She added she realizes that transcribing is very difficult, but she is in favor of getting the full conversation. Mayor Elliott agreed. Motion passed unanimously. 11. COUNCIL REPORT Councilmember Ryan expressed his appreciation to the City Council for moving forward with support for legislation in the U.S. Congress to make Juneteenth a national holiday. He added he looks forward to reviewing the Resolution from City Staff. He noted he hopes that the bill, introduced by U.S. Senators Corey Booker and Kamala Harris, passes the House and is signed into Law by the Senate. Councilmember Graves stated on Friday June 19, 2020 she attended a meeting with the Mayor, City Staff and representatives from US Bank who have expressed an interest in helping entrepreneurs and microbusinesses in Brooklyn Center. She added this was a preliminary discussion, but it held a lot of promise. She thanked City Staff for pulling it together on short notice, and the Mayor for trying to move it forward to provide important resources for our small businesses, especially right now. Councilmember Graves stated she attended a rally at Brooklyn Park City Hall, organized as a Juneteenth celebration and rally in support of ending police brutality. She added the event was well attended, and included individuals seeking office, as well as elected representatives from the area. She noted she spoke briefly and read a poem. Councilmember Graves stated she attended a Slow Roll bike ride for black families organized by Free Black Dirt and other organizations. She added participants met at Theodore Wirth Park railhead in North Minneapolis and road their bikes 16 miles to the George Floyd memorial site at 38th and Chicago, where George Floyd was murdered. She noted she was able to bring her son Israel and her daughter Jasmine. Councilmember Graves stated she hoped everyone had a blessed Juneteenth weekend. Mayor Elliott expressed gratitude to City Staff for pulling together the event on such short notice. He added the event was well -attended, and he thanked Councilmember Graves for attending and being a part of the discussion. Mayor Elliott stated he attended a Juneteenth rally in Phelps Park in Minneapolis, organized by a group of young people. He added hundreds of people gathered to mourn and grieve the loss of George Floyd and thousands of other black bodies that have been brutalized by police officers across the United States. He noted, when he came back from the rally, he reflected on the energy that the young people had — the wisdom with which they spoke, how bright their eyes were, and how bright their future can and should be. 06/22/20 -8- Mayor Elliott stated he thought about why it is that we have the highest inequalities, the highest gaps in housing, access to loans, education, health care, and other basic necessities. He added he looked at the book that was recommended by Councilmember Graves at the last meeting. He noted it was eye-opening, as the author pointed out that it is no accident that we have the widest gaps in life outcomes for black people, and this is unacceptable and criminal. Mayor Elliott stated it is a result of the racist system, and it emanates from that, and policies are set within that. He added it is not to make blame, but after four hundred years in this country of being slaves and creating wealth that they themselves could not enjoy, that they were robbed of, with disrespect, and having a lot of those inequalities continue to today, it is time to make a serious effort to make sure that policies are not malting assumptions and marginalizing people, and shutting them out of opportunity. Mayor Elliot stated we need to malte sure that we are malting a concerted effort to lift people up, instead of treating them as a disease. He added he is speaking about the City's black population, Asian population, and white population. He noted Dr. King's Poor Man's campaign was not about black or white, and we need to genuinely think about how we lift all the people up in our City, and make it our priority, and be a shining example to cities everywhere. He noted there are Ways that the City has done that, and he applauds those efforts, but the inequalities are still so grave that we need to redouble our efforts. Mayor Elliott thanked the City Council for all the actions they have taken so far, including the small business loan program, and other programs. He added he wants to call on the City Council to redouble, even triple our efforts, and make it our business to lift up people in our community, more than ever before. He noted we know that there is still work to be done. 12. ADJOURNMENT Councilmember Lawrence -Anderson moved and Councilmember Graves seconded adjourmnent oI the City Council meeting at 7:38 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. 06/22/20 -9- STATE OF MINNESOTA) COUNTY OF HENNEPIN) ss. Certification of Minutes CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER) The undersigned, being the duly qualified and appointed City Clerk of the City of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, certifies: 1. That attached hereto is a full, true, and complete transcript of the minutes of a Regular Session of the City Council of the City of Brooklyn Center held on June 22, 2020. 2. That said meeting was held pursuant to due call and notice thereof and was duly held at Brooklyn Center City Hall. 3. That the City Council adopted said minutes at its July 13, 2020, Regular Session. Barbara Suciu, City Clerk Elliott, Mayor 06/22/20 -10-