Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-27-03 WS COUNCIL WORK SESSION MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2003 FIRE STATION N0.2 5:30 P.M. In attendance: Mayor Robert Johnson and Council Members Laurie Rieb, David Luick, Mark Bellows, and Wendy Wulff. Also in attendance: City Administrator Robert A. Erickson, Assistant to City Administrator Brian Anderson, Assistant Fire Chief Jim Kill,. Director of Operation and Maintenance Don Volk, Finance Director Dennis Feller, and residents Bill Nelson and David Wood. General Discussion: Item No. 1 Review potential remodeling project at Fire Station No.2 Assistant Fire Chief Jim Kill guided the Council on a tour through Fire Station No.2. He pointed out the items staff has proposed to replace or remodel, such as the apparatus doors and door openers; generator; dispatch room; bathroom walls and. vanity; mechanical room lights, heater, and window;. day room kitchen, floor, walls, ceiling, • lights, and window trim; and the meeting room walls, ceiling, lights, window treatments and trim, and carpet. The Council agreed that Fire Station No.2 was in definite need of the proposed upgrades. City Administrator Bob Erickson then briefly went over the costs and funding necessary to complete the remodeling project, as outlined in the packet. Council Member Wulff questioned if the fire station would be operational while under construction. Mr. Kill assured the Council that construction would not interfere with their daily operations. Mayor Johnson then inquired on the time frame in which the project would start and get completed. Mr. Erickson stated that it would start immediately and should be completed within 60 days. The Council agreed to allow staff to proceed with the remodeling project. Item No. 2 Review 2004-2005 Proposed Budget Mr. Feller presented the 2004-05 Proposed Budget relating to the Special Revenue, Capital Projects (Equipment and Building Funds) and Enterprise Funds. Mr. Feller also distributed the Proposed Adjustments to Preliminary Budget as of October 24, 2003 Mr. Feller stated that consistent with past practice of soliciting audit proposals every three years, a Request for Proposals was forwarded to eight auditing firms. The City received six responses to the RFP. A summary of the audit service quotes was distributed to the City Council. The low bidder, Eide Bailly LLP, had audited the City from 1994 to-1999. Mr. Feller asked the Council if they had an interest in interviewing the • firm. The Council stated it was not necessary to interview the auditing firm due to their previous audit experience with the City of Lakeville and stringent audit guidelines that they must comply with. Council directed staff to include the Audit Service Agreement with Eide Bailley LLP on the next city council agenda. Item No. 3 Consider request for speed bumps on Hominy Path and Hudson Avenue in the Vermillion Springs neighborhood Vermillion Springs resident Mr. Bill Nelson began his presentation to the Council by introducing his neighbor Mr. David Wood. Mr. Nelson then proceeded to tell the Council he has lived at 16174 Hominy Path for about a year and one-half and is concerned about the motorists failing to stop at the stop sign located at the intersection of Hominy Path and Hudson Ave. His primary motivation for pursuing a neighborhood petition for the installation of speed humps stems from the safety for his children. He stated there are currently 32 kids under the age of 13 that live in his neighborhood. Mr. Nelson then played his home video that shows vehicles rolling through the stop sign at the intersection of Hominy Path and Hudson Ave. He states he doesn't mind the volume of traffic but feels his street is being used as a throughway for residents living in the neighborhood west of Vermillion Springs. By traveling on Hominy Path, motorists can easily get to Highview Ave. and onto 160th Street, which allows them to circumvent having to wait at the stoplight at the intersection of Highview Ave. and 160th Street. Mr. Erickson noted that being a stop sign already exists at this intersection and is not being complied with by motorists, he proposed staff should develop a speed hump policy similar to the Stop Sign Policy that was adopted by a previous Council. The Council, along with Mr. Nelson and Mr. Wood, agreed with Mr. Erickson's recommendation. • Mr. Nelson then stated he has interviewed residents. in Burnsville who have speed humps in their neighborhood. Those neighbors feel the speed humps are doing a good job of reducing vehicle speeds and the cut-through traffic. Mayor Johnson asked Mr. Nelson if he has talked to the Police Department to perform a directed traffic patrol periodically in his neighborhood. Mr. Nelson said he was told the Police Department is currently short of traffic enforcement personnel and will be able to address his concern next spring. Mr. Erickson then suggested to the Council they request the Police Department pursue immediate traffic enforcement at this intersection. Mr. Wood stated he feels a directed traffic patrol would work for about a week and then the problem would arise again. He appreciates the gesture, however, he feels a speed hump will take the place of a 24hr. officer patrolling the intersection and would like the police department better utilize their time pursuing more important crimes in Lakeville. Mayor Johnson stated as speed humps slow down traffic, they would also slow down emergency vehicles and City maintenance vehicles. In addition, they could also cause major damage to these vehicles while performing their daily tasks. That's the other side to slowing down motorists. Council Member Rieb then asked Mr. Volk if speed humps slow down snowplowing duties and if they can damage the equipment. Mr. Volk stated they would slow down snowplowing duties and could cause damage to the equipment and the road. Council Member Wulff felt speed humps would not necessarily make motorists stop at the .stop sign because they may construe that as lost time, and then speed to make up • that time. She stated another issue is that Hominy Path is a minor collector roadway, which means it was designed to handle more traffic. That's why it was designed a little wider with a sidewalk installed on one side. Installing speed humps on Hominy Path would divert traffic to other neighborhoods that were never intended to receive high volumes of traffic. • Mr. Wood again stated the volume of traffic is fine, but he wants to see the motorists slow down and stop at the stop sign. He didn't feel motorists would divert because they were forced to slow down. Mr. Erickson stated one of the elements of the upcoming speed hump policy would be for Mr. Volk to talk to SRF, Lakeville's traffic consultant, to ensure a minor collector roadway wouldn't inadvertently be created on adjacent local streets due to the installation of speed humps. Council Member Luick questioned the global picture of installing speed humps in neighborhoods and worries it will be a president setter for other neighborhoods wanting the same traffic control devices. Further more, he worries about the source of funding becoming an issue and that the City may be asked or forced to assume the assessment costs. Mr. Erickson stated Attorney and Hominy Path resident Paul Reuvers agreed with Lakeville's policy of receiving 100% of the neighborhood signatures, which would waive their right to any hearing, .before assessing properties for such improvements. Mr. Erickson also stated City Attorney Roger Knutson felt the City could not prove the value of a speed hump meets the test needed to asses a home under State Statue 429. Both attorneys agreed the homeowner would need to sign a waiver in order to be assessed for the cost associated to a speed hump. Mr. Wood then asked if the other residents could pick up the cost for those that would not want to pay their share. Mr. Erickson stated the City hasn't allowed that practice • thus far: Mayor Johnson stated with homes selling as quickly as they are in Lakeville, the new owner would assume the assessment. In addition, the original assessment would also have to include the removal cost of the speed hump. Council Member Luick felt once a speed hump would be removed, the road would never be as smooth as it originally was and a reverse speed hump would then be created. It then becomes an aesthetic issue, snowplow issue, and a pothole issue. Mr. Erickson stated those issues would be addressed as part of the draft policy. Mr. Nelson then brought up the issue of Burnsville only requiring 60% of the neighborhood's signatures on their petition. Once 60% of the signatures are received, the City Council would be advised to commence a special assessment procedure in accordance with MN Statue Chapter 429. Council Member Rieb inquired about the actual perimeter of the neighborhood. Mr. Erickson said that would have to be defined on a case by case basis. Mayor Johnson again .raised the concern of diverting traffic off the designed minor collector roadway and onto other neighborhood streets that were not designed to handle high volumes of traffic. The problem then gets pushed onto other neighbors who may want speed humps to divert traffic away from them, and the ripple effect occurs. Mr. Erickson recommended the Director of Operations and Maintenance could develop a draft policy and have it ready for review by the November 24`h Council Work Session Meeting. Council unanimously approved Mr. Erickson's proposal. Mayor Johnson then thanked Mr. Nelson and Mr. Wood for their presentation and their patience • demonstrated during this process. ~r • Item No. 4 Other Business No other business was discussed. Item No. 5 Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 7:10 PM Respectfully submitted, ~ ~ ~ s Brian J. Anderson Assistant to City Administrator • • 4