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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 05/28/1985 - Joint Meeting APPROVED MINUTES SCHOOL/CITY JOINT MEETING TUESDAY, MAY 28, 1985 6 P.M. , SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION BOARDROOM CITY COUNCIL: Mayd� Gary D. Peterson, Richard Anderson, Georg- Bentley, Patricia Pidcock and Paul Redpath SCHOOL BOARD: Chairman Dave Anderson, Robert Higgens, Claude Johnson, Phyllis Posner, Cutis Turner, Frederic, Wolf, Jack VanRemortel , and member-elect Darlen9 Wegner i PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL Chairman Marty Jessen (a) , Bud Baker, Pat RESOURCES COMMISSION: Breitenstein, Moe Cook (a) , Gary Gonyea (a) , Jerry Kingrey, and Jesse Schwartz (a) PLANNING COMMISSION: Chairman Ed Schuck, Julianne Bye (a) , Christine', Dodge, Virginia Gartner (a) , Bob Hallett, Stan Johannes, and Dennis Marhula (a) 1 CITY NEEDS STUDY COMMITTEE: Chairman Carolyn Lyngdal , Moe Cook (a) , Bob Hallett, Curt Connaughty, Merle Gamm, Fred Hoisington, Skip Lane (a) , Gary Soderberg (a) , i John Parrington, Gene Haberman, Swede Rasmus- sen (a) , Rich Anderson (a) , Sue Osberg, John Frane, and Bob Lambert ATHLETIC FACILITIES SUB-COMMITTEE: John Reedy (a) , Lonnie Anderson (a) , Gary Soderberg (a) , Rob Woodcock (a) , Gene Haberman, Larry Schuster (a) , John Komula (a) , Jim Osten- son (a) , and Swede Rasmussen (a) CITY STAFF: City Manager Carl J. Jullie, Director of Public Safety Jack Hacking , Director of Plannin Chris Enger, Recreation Superintendent Chuck Pappas, Assistant to the City Manager Craig Dawson, and Recording Secretary Karen Michael SCHOOL STAFF: Superintendent of Schools Gerald McCoy and Assistant Superintendent of. Schools Judy Cooper I . ROLL CALL Those attending the meeting were those listed above unless otherwise noted with an (a) following their names. Mayor Peterson welcomed those attending and asked Director of Community Services Lambert to review the role of the City Needs Study Committee. l JOINT MEETING MINUTES -2- May 28, 1985 Lambert stated the Parks , Recreation and Natural Resources Commission had received several requests from groups within the community to consider ex- pansions of or additions to various recreation facilities in Eden Prairie. The Commission reviewed these requests and recommended that the City appoint a committee to study capital improvement projects which might require referen- da within the next five years. Lambert spi d the City Council directed that the Committee be made up of two representatives from the School District, four members of the community at-large, one representative from the Planning Commission, one representative from the Parks , Recreation and Natural Resources Commission, one representative from the Chamber of Commerce, two representatives from the City, two representatives from outdoor recreation facilities and two representatives from indoor recreation facilities. The Council furthermore directed the City Needs Study Committee to have a sub-committee made up of all of the representatives from the various athletic associations; this sub-committee would elect the four recreation facility representatives. Lambert then introduced Carolyn Lyngdal , Chairman of the City Needs Study Commi ttee. II . CITY NEEDS STUDY COMMITTEE REPORT } Chairman Carolyn Lyngdal introduced members of the Committee who were present. She outlined what had been reviewed by the Committee at its various meetings . Lyngdal stated the recommendations of the Recreation Facilities Sub-committee which were reviewed by the City Needs Study Committee at its meeting on April 18, 1985. �* Lyngdal noted that the Committee had spent time reviewing statistical information, verifying facts and questioning Staff regarding ;reports , statistics , etc. Each Committee member then voiced his or her opinion "regarding various priorities . The following motion was passed unanimously by the Committee: 1. Assuming the City can acquire the additional 30 acres at Miller Park without a referendum, and that that acquisition process would begin during the summer of 1985, the first referendum would be in the Spring of 1986 for Preserve Fire Hall and three 1250 gallon pumpers and new City Hall with acquisition of the Purgatory Creek Recreation Area. 2. Spring of 1987 a referendum for the development of Miller Park and a Community Center addition. , 3. Sometime beyond 1988 a referendum for an additional public safety and fire hall needs . i Lyngdal called attention to the fact that the Committee had voted unanimously in support of the motion. She said she felt each Committee member had come to the meetings very well prepared. Another motion which was passed unanimously by the Committee was ; That this Committee voice its support of the City Council for these future referendums and indicated that representatives of this Committee would be willing to serve on future bond referendum committees that would help to educate people of the community regarding the need for these facilities. JOINT MEETING MINUTES -3- May 28, 1985 Director of Community Services Lambert distributed an up-dated report on the cost of various referenda to a homeowner. Lambert noted this was based on the final-report figures. Lyngdal noted the Committee had used population figures provided for the City which nearly matched those released this.4week as part of the special census just completed. The special census indicated a population of 24 ,042. Executive Director of Business Services Gamm indicated the cost for all of the needs noted by the School District would come to about eight and a half mills. Bentley thanked the Committee for the work it had done. He asked the School Board how what was proposed fit in with its plans. School Board C►iairman Anderson said this was the first time he had seen the proposal. He indicated the Board would have to discuss it themselves. He said he had questions re- garding the Round Lake athletic facilities proposal ; the School District and the City would probably have to enter into a joint powers agreement which he did not think was something the School District had done before. Anderson also questionned the need for lighting the baseball fields. Lambert said the area under discussion is actually owned by the School District. He said the lighting of the baseball fields would allow them to be used over a greater 4 period of time. Anderson said his concern would be who was most appropriate to do this -- the City or the School District. Bentley said that is the type of thing he would like to see the School Board review and get back to the City with its response. Superintendent of Schools McCoy stated this was the first time the Committee had reported and this meeting tonight was just "he first step in the process of reviewing the report and the recommendations included, He said he would expect the School Board would get back to the City with its response very soon. School Board member Johnson expressed concern regarding timing of a referendum; he said there might be competition if an elementary school and park were on the same ballot. Redpath said, historically speaking, it would not be a good idea to provide a shopping list but to rather have a plan for what is needed and when it should be put before the voters. Bentley said he felt the priorities which had been presented by the Committee were good; there was some logic to their order. Council member Anderson said he felt a question should be what is the best means and the most efficient means of putting the facilities needed to use. He said he felt the facilities should be able to be used by all; the public then feels a genuine cost benefit. He said he hoped the City and the School Board could work together to make these most reasonable and useful . Y r^ �i JOINT MEETING MINUTES -4- May 28, 1985 F School Board member VanRemortel expressed concern about an article which had appeared in the Minneapolis Star and Tribune this morning. He said it sounded to him as though the School Board and the City Council had "cast in stone" a $41 million referendum. He said he hoped it could be shown that this will stand on its own merits when the time comes. He said things must be done one step at a time and cautioned that theAkind of reporting as demonstrated this morning might alienate a segment of the community. Pidcock said she has been concerned because 'of Eden Prairie' s reputation of being a high-priced place to live. She expressed concern about what this will do to the homeowner/tax-payer. Pidcock said sheds concerned about the roads ' in Eden Prairie. She said taxes have to be kept in line. Redpath said most of the roads which are of concern are under the jurisdiction of the State or Federal Departments of Transportation. Peterson said he felt the concern about the image conveyed should be noted. McCoy said he felt, as public bodies, the job of the School Board and the Council was to plan and project needs. It is then up to the community to determine whether or not to accept those plans. Peterson asked if it was possible for the School Board and the City Council to recommend their needs 18 - 24 months in advance. McCoy said he felt it was possible to do so. Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources Commission member Baker asked if the Committee had looked at the cost and/or advantage of having a full -time fire department. Director of Public Safety Hacking indicated this issue has been studied from time-to-time and noted a full-time fire department would be very costly to the City; building more fire stations throughout the community would be less costly in the long run. Hacking indicated Bloomington has the lowest insurance rates in the metropolitan area and it has a volunteer fire department. Peterson said he found it very interesting that a Committee representing such diverse groups came to this consensus. He thanked the Committee for its work. III. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:55 p.m.