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CITY OF LAKEVILLE
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES
May 26, 2020
1. Mayor Anderson called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Members present: Mayor Anderson, Council Members Hellier, Lee, Volk, Wheeler
Members absent: None
Staff present: Justin Miller, City Administrator; Allyn Kuennen, Assistant City Administrator;
Mike Meyer, Fire Chief; John Hennen, Parks & Recreation Director; Joe Masiarchin, Arts Center
Manager; Paul Oehme, Public Works Director; Jerilyn Erickson, Finance Director
2. Citizen Comments
Chris Erickson, 18791 Inland Road, Lakeville
Attended the meeting as a member of the Friends of the Environment to support the Greensteps
Cities initiative, and indicated the organization is happy to help the City in any way possible.
3. Fire Department External Review
Staff is proposing the completion of a comprehensive study on the fire department to assess
response time, role in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) incidents, as well as staffing, apparatus,
and facility needs to ensure the continued efficient operation of the department. The study
would also analyze the current Paid-on-Call (POC) hourly pay structure for current firefighters;
and evaluate the need for future funding by exploring the desired outcome for an emergency and
whether current fire fleet and stations meet those growing needs.
Staff has obtained two cost estimates for the comprehensive study: Baker Tilly Municipal
Advisors at a cost of approximately $40,000 - $70,000, and Citygate at a cost of $50,000. Upon
completion of the firm’s recommendations, findings would be presented to administration staff
and Council for further feedback.
The Council clarified other neighboring cities who have undergone this process, current pressure
to train and retain volunteer firefighters, overall recruitment costs/ guidelines/ return on training
investment, response time statistics, how far out the study will look into the future, overall cost
for the analysis, outstanding fleet needs inside the CIP, scope of the study recommendations,
service objectives, ambulance service, and ability to maintain service levels in a growing
population.
City Council Work Session Minutes, May 26, 2020 Page 2
Staff will begin creating the Request for Proposal (RFP) to bring back to the Council in late
summer to ensure it addresses all questions the Council has, and ultimately to use as a tool to
determine if this study is appropriate to include in next year’s budget.
4. LAAC Strategic Plan
In 2019, Aurora Consulting facilitated workshops between City staff, members of the Arts Center
Advisory Board, and Friends Board to discuss the current and long-term vision for the Lakeville
Area Arts Center (LAAC). Inside of those discussions, the group worked to identify three
strategic directives: strengthening community commitment to the arts, deepening participation/
engagement/ retention/ volunteerism, and reaching new participants through expanded
programming. Using the current downtown development guide update, the group reviewed their
5-year vision, the barriers blocking these visions, and strategic directives to develop and expand
the facility through enhanced marketing and social media presence. The findings of the study
were compiled into a 2019 – 2023 Strategic Plan to provide framework and a direction for the
LAAC moving forward. Mr. Hennen and Mr. Masiarchin presented the draft Strategic Plan
document to the Council for initial feedback, with the goal to bring the document back to a June
City Council meeting for formal approval.
The Council discussed how the Downtown Development Guide was used to create this plan,
expansion of facilities to the adjacent ISD 194 building, financial constraints, grants as well as
other funding campaigns/ endowments, outreach and/ or leasing in other sections of the city to
offer programs to new participants closer to their homes, partnerships with other organizations
such as the school district or community band, and programming available year round. The
Council thanked staff for their work in creating this plan.
5. Sustainable Purchasing Policy/ Green Step Cities Update
Mr. Oehme provided an update on the Greenstep Cities initiative, a program designed to help
cities evaluate sustainability and quality of life goals using 29 best practices and approximately
175 actions. The individual city determines when they would like to implement these best
practices which seek to focus on cost savings and energy reduction; the City is presently at step
two. To achieve step three, staff is proposing the implementation and adoption of a living streets
and sustainability purchasing policy; and continued work towards promoting green businesses,
participating in a buy local campaign, and hazard mitigation/ emergency management plans.
Staff provided an overview of the draft Sustainable Purchasing Policy which offers guidelines to
encourage the purchase of goods and services that have less environmental impact. Some of these
areas include waste reduction, recycled content products, energy/ water savings, cleaning
products, and construction and renovations; and the role each City department would play in
purchasing reusable, recycled, or environmentally preferable products/ services where possible.
City Council Work Session Minutes, May 26, 2020 Page 3
(Step four would include five additional metrics/ best practices, as well as annual reporting
showing sustainability achievements and what actions the City is taking to maintain them.)
The Council discussed the inclusion of buying local being included in the Sustainable Purchasing
Policy where applicable, phasing out reusable utensils/ implementation of biodegradable
materials, current cleaning supplies used, impacts of metro transit due to Covid-19, how to
construct green streets without narrowing the right-of-way, cost impact to putting in these formal
practices, language used in the document, and outreach/ messaging to the community on what
this policy means. The City has incurred minimal financial impact to achieve the benchmarks
thus far in the Greensteps Cities program; these steps have primarily been obtained by
documenting practices the City already was using.
Chris Erickson, 18791 Inland Road, Lakeville
Wanted to express his support of the new compost site and electric car connections but indicated
ultimately the City would have to reduce its dependency on fossil fuels to realize the full scope of
environmental sustainability and savings.
The Council clarified that the Sustainability Purchasing Policy does not force the City to only use
environmentally sustainable products and services, but rather encourages their use where
possible. Staff will review and implement the feedback and comments provided by the Council
and bring the policy/ resolution back to a future Council meeting for formal approval.
6. 2021 Street Improvement Project Update
As part of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), the 2021 Street Improvement project is set to
begin construction on six miles of residential streets within the city next year. Staff is proposing
the City delay this street improvement project, and instead use these budgeted dollars to complete
a larger mill and overlay project next year. The redirection of this plan would see the City
improving more miles of streets, plans/ specifications could be completed in house by staff, and
these repair costs are proposed not to be assessed to the property owner.
The Council clarified the thought behind not assessing the costs to the property owner, history of
mill and overlays/ seal coating in the City, street maintenance for the neighborhoods that would
not get reconstructed under this new direction, and scope of the proposed work. Staff will obtain
more information to include which streets would potentially receive mill and overlay work and
bring this item back to a future work session meeting during the budget process.
7. Bond Issuance Update
Ms. Erickson provided an update on the 2020A Bond Issuance after the Council expressed
concern with the 4.5% increase in the debt service levy at the April work session meeting. Staff,
City Council Work Session Minutes, May 26, 2020 Page 4
alongside Northland Securities, took another look at the structure of the bond to reduce the first
principle payment in 2021 as well as some cash balances in the debt service funds, and were able
to find adjustments to reduce the estimated levy for the 2020A bond from $930,000 to $548,000.
Factoring in these adjustments, the 2021 debt service levy is estimated at $8,160,396 which
represents a 2.56% increase based on the total 2020 property tax levy. Also included in the 2020A
bond issuance will be a public hearing held at the June 15 City Council meeting on the proposal
to abate taxes levied by the City within an abatement area.
No adjustments were made to the estimated 2020B debt levy which is anticipated to be a joint
funding effort with ISD #194. The 2020B bond issuance would include the Lakeville Arenas
energy savings improvement project as outlined in the APEX contract presented/ approved by
the Council in April; and would likely use tax abatement authority to issue bonds. Tammy
Omdal, from Northland Securities, was on hand to answer any Council questions.
The Council discussed the long-term impacts to rates due to Covid-19, the reason for a public
hearing, potential support from the legislature for the 2020B project, and spoke extensively about
how to proceed with the Lakeville Arenas project improvements as well as whether to restructure
the loan/ reduce payments in 2021 in anticipation of future financial impacts. The City Council
was in favor of moving forward with the 2020A bond issuance under the terms presented by staff,
as well as the 2020B bond issuance contingent on an agreement with ISD #194.
Break from 8:15 – 8:20 p.m.
8. Covid- 19 Update
Staff is proposing the approval of a Policy for Temporary Outdoor Customer Service Areas which
would allow any business located in a commercial or industrial zone to establish drive-up/ drive-
thru areas, customer ordering, waiting or pick-up areas, or customer seating or service areas on
its property to adhere to federal and state orders/ guidelines. Though City permits would not be
required, businesses must adhere to the following requirements: Prepare a traffic management
plan, ensure waiting areas do not block sidewalk usage or disabled person parking spaces/ ramps,
and must not cause inconvenience to neighboring businesses.
Additional signage, temporary tables, tents, and sun shelters are permitted and must adhere to
state building and fire codes. In instances where alcohol will be consumed on site, the licensee
must submit plans to the City indicating the type of barrier used as mandated by state statute and
City code. Violators would be subject to suspension or termination of temporary permit.
The Council clarified the staff review/ approval and appeals process should a restaurant deviate
from City guidelines, the ability for seating to expand on to grassy areas and parking lots, and the
need to diligently work to accommodate restaurants creatively where possible.
City Council Work Session Minutes, May 26, 2020 Page 5
Motion made by Volk, seconded by Hellier to approve the revised policy for temporary outdoor
customer service areas.
Roll call was taken on the motion. Ayes – Volk, Anderson, Wheeler, Hellier, Lee
Mr. Miller also shared the City’s Covid-19 Preparedness Plan which includes safety and health
measures that will be implemented in the building. Employees that have been working remotely
will start returning to work on June 1 with staggered schedules; City Hall is anticipated to open to
the public in mid-June. The Council also discussed the format for future meetings.
9. Items for Future Discussion
None.
10. Committee/ City Administrator Updates
Mr. Miller listed off all current chair positions on each of the advisory committees as previously
requested and provided an update on the City’s funding through the CARES Act.
Mayor Anderson has continued to have conversations with other local mayors and spoke to the
number of advocacy groups who have worked together inside of recent events. Also announced
former Mayor Duane Zaun’s Memorial Service which will be held on Wednesday, May 27, and
will include a procession from All Saints Church to All Saints Cemetery beginning at noon.
Council Member Hellier attended the recent Dakota Broadband Board, which is currently
reworking the bylaws, and clarified when the IRU Agreement would be coming back to a future
work session meeting. He also has participated in a weekly listening session with representatives
of the White House which has offered updates on the CARES Act and funding available to cities.
Council Member Volk attended the Fire Relief Board meeting and discussed having a drive-thru
waffle breakfast fundraiser. She also updated that the DCC is delaying the budget as they are still
working on realizing the Covid-19 expenses; however, they have developed a task force that
Council Member Volk and City Administrator Miller will be part of.
11. The meeting adjourned at 9:19p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
__________________________________ __________________________________
Tamara Wallace, Deputy City Clerk Douglas P. Anderson, Mayor