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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 12/05/2023 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP & OPEN PODIUM TUESDAY, DECEMBER 05, 2023 CITY CENTER 5:00 – 6:25 PM, HERITAGE ROOMS 6:30 – 7:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBER CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Ron Case, Council Members Kathy Nelson, Mark Freiberg, PG Narayanan, and Lisa Toomey CITY STAFF: City Manager Rick Getschow, Police Chief Matt Sackett, Fire Chief Scott Gerber, Public Works Director Robert Ellis, Community Development Director Julie Klima, Parks and Recreation Director Amy Markle, Administrative Services/HR Director Alecia Rose, Communications Manager Joyce Lorenz, City Attorney Maggie Neuville, and Recorder Sara Aschenbeck Workshop - Heritage Rooms I and II (5:30) I. STATE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION DISCUSSION WITH SENATOR CWODZINSKI, REPRESENTATIVE KOTYZA-WITTHUHN, AND REPRESENTATIVE PRYOR Case welcomed State legislative delegators Senator Cwodzinski and Representative Kotyza- Witthuhn. Representative Pryor joined midway through the discussion. Getschow stated the City Council and State legislative delegators meet annually prior to the legislative session. Tonight’s meeting is to discuss current legislative issues affecting the City. Specific issues include local autonomy and community characteristics, infrastructure and transportation investments, property tax relief and tax policy, and public safety. Local Autonomy and Community Characteristics Getschow stated bills brought forward in the legislature have proposed mandates for certain types of upzoning including requiring duplexes and triplexes, disallowing cities to administer Planned Unit Developments (PUDs), and disallowing property dedication fee collection. Nelson noted the City has approved an affordable housing policy and would not like to lose its authority. Getschow added if a developer is requesting a PUD, the City negotiates more affordable units. Infrastructure and Transportation Investments Getschow explained the City is seeking State funding for an interchange at the intersection of Minnesota State Highway 5 and Eden Prairie Road. Senator Cwodzinski noted the traffic lights are easy to misjudge and can be dangerous especially with a pedestrian crossing. Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn noted she introduced a bill including MnDOT funding for this interchange. Ellis stated MnDOT is working on its 2050 transportation policy plan, which identifies this intersection as a top priority to convert to an interchange. Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn stated eastern Carver County population has grown, and more people are commuting back into Hennepin County than ever. City Council Workshop Minutes December 5, 2023 Page 2 Property Tax Relief and Tax Policy Getschow stated the City does not receive Local Government Aid (LGA) and is one of the largest contributors to Fiscal Disparities. If there is a major review of the LGA formula, legislators should consider Cities that currently do not receive any LGA. The City also supports property tax relief provided directly to homeowners, and the simplification of the process for a city to apply for sales tax exemption. Representative Kotyza-Witthuhn noted the City has a low tax rate compared to surrounding cities. Getschow added Hennepin County property owners pay higher county taxes than Carver County property owners, but the City and the School District both have competitive tax rates. Public Safety Getschow stated the recent change in State statute regarding Student Resource Officer (SRO) authority has caused some cities to remove SROs from schools. The City has not had to remove SROs from schools but is looking for clarification in the State language. Additionally, the City would like to have a say in which licensed ambulance service provider serves the City. Hennepin Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has provided inadequate ambulance response times over the past year. Senator Cwodzinski noted the spirit of the recent SRO law is prone restraint holds can’t be used on children in school, however the letter of the law is not clear. Cwodzinski has met with the Commissioner of Education and the Commissioner of Public Safety on drafting legislation to clarify the SRO statute. Rep. Pryor stated recent SRO legislation was meant only to emphasize that certain restraints are only to be used in accordance with the POST board’s highest standards. Improper restraint and hold usage are a public safety and education concern. This legislation intended to ensure student rights are protected. When the statute is examined in a larger context with all statutes covering peace officer force, it became unclear. County attorneys are interpreting the Attorney General’s opinion differently. Rep. Pryor stated her commitment to introduce a bill providing more clarity. There have been several meetings with lawyers, public safety representatives, and education representatives to draft legislation, though progress has been slow. Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn expressed gratitude to Chief Sackett and the Eden Police Department and noted she had not been contacted regarding SROs until the County Attorney addressed the topic. This is a testament to things running smoothly in the City. Rep. Pryor agreed the City has demonstrated good use of officers and strong relationships in the school district. Sackett noted the SRO legislation is confusing as it mentions “imminent threat of bodily harm”, which is difficult to discern. Rep. Pryor stated the use of “imminent” may be removed from legislation. Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn asked for an update on automobile theft and car jacking in the City. Sackett stated there was one occurrence of carjacking in 2021. Auto thefts have decreased this year. Police has seen many stolen vehicles come into the City. Senator Cwodzinski asked for an update on City Council Workshop Minutes December 5, 2023 Page 3 catalytic converter theft in the City. Sackett stated recent legislation has greatly decreased catalytic converter theft. Getschow stated juvenile crime has been a growing discussion throughout the County. Case added there is not enough proactive funding for after school resources for students at risk. There are also not enough alternatives to jail for juveniles. Funding alternatives to jail before and after the offense would help rehabilitate juveniles. Senator Cwodzinski stated investing money in juveniles at a young age saves money in the long term. Rep. Pryor noted her support for early childhood investments including childcare. Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn stated the importance of collectively ensuring people are supported at every stage of life. Case stated juveniles who commit their first criminal act are often jailed and released to an unsupportive home life. There are currently no alternatives to jail, which often only solves the problem in the short term. Rep. Pryor noted there is a new Department of Children, Youth and Families looking at ways to reach families most at risk to deliver needed services. Case noted when an offender commits a crime and is arrested, the State could be proactive and offer a program to provide job training, addiction training, and other social services. He encouraged the legislators to propose a bill creating such a program. Doing nothing or sending the offender to jail are not long term solutions. Narayanan added children begin displaying behavior issues at a young age so it’s important to invest early on. Toomey asked for more information on the City’s diversion program. Sackett stated the City has an internal juvenile diversion program for misdemeanor level crimes. Eden Prairie Police works with the County Attorney to refer juveniles at a very high referral rate. The County works with juvenile offenders to provide pre-trial services to the family on a voluntary basis. Case stated a bill proposed in the legislature could define types of perpetrators and offenses and assign alternative outcomes to each level of offense. A lower level or first time offender may be assigned to a diversion program as an alternative to jail. There would be a high level of suburban support if a program such as this could be provided at a reasonable cost. Senator Cwodzinski noted the Education Committee allocated a large amount of funds toward youth mental health and wellness; however he was frustrated to hear the majority of funds were supporting administrative level employees who don’t meet face to face with children. The funds should have supported social workers, therapists, and school counselors. The State is 45th in the nation in the ratio of students to counselors. Case stated public safety is a paramount concern, and social media can create fear. Investing in preventative measures is important, but the legislature must also propose a bill to address juvenile crime after it’s been committed to promote the feeling of safety. Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn stated carjacking was not previously categorized as a crime, it was designated in the previous legislative session. Case noted the County Attorney will not take juveniles who have committed car theft. The legislature must step in with a plan to change these juveniles’ lives. Juvenile offenders are not being jailed but there are no programs or support services available, leading to recommitted offenses. City Council Workshop Minutes December 5, 2023 Page 4 Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn asked for information on the juvenile diversion program at the County level. Sackett stated the Eden Prairie Police Department will refer juvenile offenders to the County, who eventually contacts the City social worker if the juvenile is a City resident. Juveniles who continually commit auto thefts eventually turn to larger criminal offenses. A request to strengthen penalties for fleeing is on the chief’s legislative agenda. Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn asked for more information on how ambulance calls within the City work logistically. Gerber noted primary service areas were developed in the 1970s and haven’t changed since then. Primary service areas are the only component the City has no input in. Hennepin EMS is the City’s ambulance provider. There have been issues with response times. There are on average 335 medical calls per month within the City. An ambulance called to the City may be coming from a far distance such as Minneapolis or Richfield. The City would like to be involved in conversations to choose an ambulance provider. Nelson stated the City Police and Fire team are skilled and trusted in the Community and can be used as a resource when drafting legislation. Other Matters Narayanan noted the City has a Sustainable Eden Prairie plan with a goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. The City needs assistance from legislatures to realize its goal. Rep. Pryor stated going carbon neutral is not free, but not going carbon neutral is costly. Having home-based Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers is helpful in private homes and new construction, or at the very least have electric power in the garage. Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn noted lack of EV chargers in multi-unit housing has been an issue. Rep. Pryor noted State building codes are due for revision for energy efficiency and less dependence on carbon based fuels. It is an important discussion to start, however it will add to the cost of building and purchasing homes. Getschow stated the City’s Sustainable Building Policy could not be implemented as an ordinance due to State building codes. Narayanan stated the Met Council administers Metro Transit and is also the overall policy maker for other suburban transit companies, determining which transportation companies receive funding. There is contention due to the dual role. It is important to ensure all transportation companies are receiving adequate funding as public transportation is an important community resource. Case expressed his gratitude to Rep. Pryor, Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn, and Senator Cwodzinski for representing the City. Rep. Pryor, Rep. Kotyza-Witthuhn, and Senator Cwodzinski thanked the group for their time, conversation, and expertise. Discussion followed regarding scheduling a town hall session for the State legislatures at City property in January. Open Podium - Council Chamber (6:30) II. OPEN PODIUM III. ADJOURNMENT