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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 04/12/2005 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES EDEN PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP & OPEN FORUM/OPEN PODIUM TUESDAY,APRIL 12, 2005 EDEN PRAIRIE LIBRARY 5:30—7:00 PM CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Councilmembers Brad Aho, Sherry Butcher, Ron Case, and Philip Young CITY STAFF: City Manager Scott Neal, Police Chief Dan Carlson, Fire Chief George Esbensen, Public Works Director Eugene Dietz, Parks and Recreation Director Bob Lambert, Community Development Director Janet Jeremiah, Communications Manager Pat Brink, Assistant to the City Manager Michael Barone, City Attorney Roger Pauly, and Recorder Lorene McWaters I. JOINT MEETING WITH HENNEPIN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RANDY JOHNSON AND LINDA KOBLICK Mayor Tyra-Lukens called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. Eden Prairie Library and Eden Prairie Service Center City Manager Scott Neal introduced Commissioners Koblick and Johnson and asked them to comment on the new library and service center. Commissioner Johnson said the library has met or exceeded all expectations. Checkouts have increased 60 percent over a year ago and more than 71,000 questions were answered by library staff last month alone. Johnson noted that the new Eden Prairie Library is midsized and of a different type than the County's two traditional libraries —the large "regional" Ridgedale and Southdale libraries and the smaller community libraries. The library was designed to meet three major goals: 1) early literacy, 2) school success, 3) and lifetime learning. Library initiatives that are helping to fulfill these goals include wireless internet access, homework support, the Eden Prairie Reads partnership, and a variety of internet classes. Johnson said the new Service Center in the old Eden Prairie Library is also exceeding expectations. The Service Center offers an array of licensing services and houses the University's Extension Service and Master Garden Program. Johnson said the County is open to exploring the possibility of hosting city permitting functions at the Service Center. Commissioner Koblick distributed a number of handouts including several "public affairs" fact sheets on human services, demographics, county board actions, and Council Workshop Minutes April 12, 2005 Page 2 ambulance response times. Koblick noted that for the first time, county probation staff is being moved into the community, in new offices off of Bren Road in Minnetonka. She said this is one example of the County's commitment to finding creative and cost effective ways to meet community needs. Koblick said one of her main focuses has been in promoting partnerships with cities, schools, and the University of Minnesota. Hennepin County Smoking Ban Mayor Tyra-Lukens asked what kind of feedback the Commissioners are receiving about the new County smoking ban. Koblick said she has received only a few complaints, which she believes this is due to the thorough process the Commissioners followed leading up to the legislation. Koblick noted that she saw overwhelming support for the ban from the cities she represents. Tyra-Lukens asked if the Commissioners think the County will stand firm on the ban even if the State does not pass a ban. Johnson said the County will stand by the ban. He said only two violation complaints have been received, both for the same establishment. He said it is clear that some businesses located on the County border are experiencing hardships, at least initially. For example, the county line runs through Rockford, resulting in one of four of Rockford's bars not being able to permit smoking. Johnson said he believes competitive pressure will eventually prompt adoption of a statewide smoking ban. Councilmember Case commended the Commissioners for"sticking their necks out" on this issue. Transportation Mayor Tyra-Lukens asked the Commissioners to comment on the status of federal funding for LRT and the possibility of a rail line that goes at least as far as Hopkins. Koblick said she is not able to say if the County will receive any federal funding for LRT. Open Houses are scheduled in May for the five communities on the four LRT alternatives currently under consideration. Johnson said he expects to see a rail line from Minneapolis to Eden Prairie in his lifetime, with one technology or another. Hennepin County Medical Center City Manager Neal noted that Commissioner Johnson directed a lot of attention to HCMC in his State of the County address. Neal asked what direction Johnson would like to see HCMC take. Johnson said he is a passionate supporter and advocate of HCMC. He noted that HCMC is a Level 1 Trauma center that serves the region and it is a premier teaching hospital that attracts quality medical professionals to our area. Johnson believes medicine and hospitals are businesses, and he feels the hospital board should be modified to a 13 to 15 member board that includes two County Commissioners. Stadium Issues Neal asked the Commissioners to comment on stadium issues. Johnson noted that Minneapolis and Hennepin County have not shown interest in a football stadium; Council Workshop Minutes April 12, 2005 Page 3 however, four of the seven Commissioners support a State/County/Minneapolis/Twins partnership for baseball. He said there should be a major announcement concerning such a partnership within about a week. II. OPEN FORUM No one appeared at Open Forum. III. OPEN PODIUM No one requested to speak at Open Podium. IV. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m.