HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-22-2021CITY OF LAKEVILLE
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES
November 22, 2021
1. Mayor Anderson called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
Members present: Mayor Anderson, Council Members Hellier, Bermel, Lee, and Volk
Members absent: None.
Staff present: Justin Miller, City Administrator; Allyn Kuennen, Assistant City Administrator;
Jerilyn Erickson, Finance Director; Dave Olson, Community & Economic Development Director;
Tamara Wallace, Deputy Clerk
2. Moment of Silence and Flag Pledge.
3. Citizen Comments
Mark Ulmen, 18805 Iden Way
Expressed frustration with the process for a shed variance request.
4. Heritage Library - Annual Update
Stephanie Opstad, Heritage Library Branch Manager, provided a brief update on the state of the
library, including new service offerings available to residents such as Wi-Fi Hotspots &
Chromebook kits, various digital resources, meeting/ study room reservations, calming and quiet
spaces, curbside pick-up, and expanded hours. Ms. Opstad also indicated that the Heritage
Library was a finalist in the "2021 National Medal for Museum & Library Service."
Additionally, Loretta Elsworth, Chair of the OneBook OneLakeville committee and board
member of the Friends of the Library, attended the meeting to provide the Council with a hard
copy of the Onebook title "If You Lived Here, You'd Be Home by Now." The author event will be
held on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at the Lakeville Area Arts Center.
The Council congratulated the Heritage Library on their finalist nomination and thanked Ms.
Opstad and Ms. Elsworth for providing an update on the resources and materials available to the
community.
5. 2021 Year End Financial Preview & Final 2022 Budget and Tax Levy
Ms. Erickson provided an overview of the 2021 yearend estimate which indicates a fund balance
savings of approximately $3.3 million dollars and a projected year end fund balance of 67.6%.
Ms. Erickson also presented the 2022 proposed General Fund budget and the property tax levy to
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support general services. The new plan reduces the property tax levy increase from the
preliminary increase of 7.5% to 4.95%. The reduction was a result of utilizing General Fund
reserves to support capital expenditures in the equipment, technology, and park improvement
funds, American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act funds to offset funding demands and debt issuance, and
significant adjustments to health insurance premiums. The proposed property tax levy would
result in an estimated $30 increase on the median home value ($360,900).
Ms. Erickson also outlined other ideas on how to use ARP funds as well as the challenges staff
would need to address in 2023 to include: personnel additions due to community growth,
equipment replacement, debt issuance, and the significant tax levy increase needed in 2023 to
maintain the building, technology, park/ trail improvement funds.
The Council reviewed several budget line items within the Finance/ Human Resources/ City
Clerk departments, and discussed when the voter -approved City Park Bond Referendum would
reflect on taxes as well as the projected tax levy increase for 2023. The Council thanked staff for
their work in reducing the preliminary tax increase and finding additional spending cuts. The
final step in the budget process will be a public hearing held at the Monday, December 6 City
Council meeting to formally adopt the 2022 Budget & Tax Levy/ Fee Schedule.
6. City of Lakeville Legislative Priorities
Mr. Kuennen presented the draft 2022 Legislative Priorities, a document intended to
communicate the City's legislative position on a variety of issues pertaining to transportation,
local control, municipal revenue and taxation, economic development, and housing. The
document also includes an appendix listing other initiatives of concern/ priority for the City.
Staff has reviewed the document and complied two lists of priorities:
• "Primary Priorities" which include the establishment of a regional public safety training
facility, state mandates on local authority, the expansion of wine and strong beer sales in
grocery/ convenience stores, County Road 50/ Interstate 35 Interchange capacity, and
storage of railroad cars within urban residential areas.
• "Additional legislative priorities" which include local control/ municipal revenue/
taxation, legislative redistricting, absentee voting, Met Council governance, revenue
restrictions, the Data Practices Act, fiscal disparity fund distribution, targeting property
tax relief directly to individuals, transportation system improvements & maintenance
funding, expansion of broadband highspeed internet, economic development such as
expansion of the Job Creation Fund (JCF) and Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF), Tax
Increment Financing (TIF), and defining the City's role within housing.
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The Council reviewed the document and discussed the best way to position the construction of
a regional public safety training facility, and the possibility of adding in a pandemic policy- for
example a separate line item under local control that indicates business closures should not be
treated all the same. Prior to finalizing the document, the Council directed staff to invite state/
local legislators to a joint work session meeting preferably in December with the option to
attend via Zoom. The meeting would allow the Council to obtain feedback on the priorities
identified, and how they align with the legislator's agenda for the upcoming session.
7. Items for Future Discussion
• A strategic planning session to push forward the public safety training facility; possible
partnership with a lobbying firm.
8. Committee/ City Administrator Updates
Council Member Hellier - The DBB is in the process of hiring a firm to do an update of the
"systems plan" which will include a community survey; in December board members will begin
working on the definition and policy for the Commercial Network (C -Net).
The Liquor Committee discussed store leasing opportunities and creative staffing solutions due to
pressures in the labor market; the fourth liquor store is doing well.
Council Member Lee - The Public Safety Committee is working on some policy changes and
discussed the police department's community engagement team that is in its forming stages.
I -35W Solutions discussed the opening of the Orange Line extension into Burnsville - there will
be a ribbon cutting to mark the beginning of this transit service on Saturday, December 4.
Council Member Volk - The Arenas Board also talked about creative staffing ideas such as a
fundraising opportunity where the skating associations would work concessions to raise money
for their particular organization.
Construction on the Ames Arena project is still underway with an anticipated grand opening
event once all work is completed.
Mr. Kuennen - Police Chief Long and Fire Chief Meyer were given an opportunity to present a
bonding request for the development of a public safety training facility at the state legislature.
Mayor Anderson - The MLC has continued their work on a housing legislation proposal to
advance forward the State's need to address the housing shortage. The MLC along with the
League of Minnesota Cities and Metro Cities all have been working on their legislative priorities
ahead of the next legislative session.
The Regional Council of Mayors had a meeting that Mr. Miller attended. The group spoke
specifically about the decrease of office rental in downtown Minneapolis, and how things like
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autonomous vehicles, working from home, and electric cars will continue to impact the
downtown commercial leasing market.
The Dakota County mayor/ manager meeting was well attended with guest speaker Secretary
Steve Simon discussing various election matters.
Mr. Miller - City Hall will be closed Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26 in
observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
9. The meeting adjourned at 7:49 p.m. to a closed session to consider an offer for the sale of
property located at Outlot G, Kenwood Trail Business Park (Minn. Stat. 13D.05, subd.3(b)(3))
Respectfully submitted,
Ta a Wallace, Deputy City Clerk
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Douglas P. Anderson, Mayor