City Council - 04/09/2002 - Workshop APPROVED i1HNUTES
EDEN PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP/FORUNI
TUESDAY,APRIL 9,2002 CITY CENTER
5:00- 6:25 PM,HERITAGE ROOM H
6:30—7:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBER
CITY COUNCIL:
Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Councilmembers Sherry Butcher, Ron Case,David Luse and
Jan Mosman
CITY STAFF:
City Manager Carl Jullie,Public Safety Director Jim Clark,Public Works Services Director
Eugene Dietz,Director of Parks and Recreation Services Bob Lambert, Community Development
and Financial Services Director Don Uram, City Attorney Ric Rosow, and Recorder Lorene
McWaters
Heritage Room H
I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
Mayor Tyra-Lukens called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m.
II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
IV. SERVICE AREA DIRECTOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND GOALS
This discussion was a continuation of the March 19 Workshop.
PUBLIC WORKS SERVICES
Public Works Services Director Gene Dietz reviewed a March 15 memorandum to
Council that outlined 2001 accomplishments and 2002 goals for Public Works divisions.
Mayor Tyra-Lukens asked Dietz for his impression of the first"sector meeting," a
meeting regarding a public works project that was held in the neighborhood in April
2001. Dietz said he thought the meeting went well,but felt that better visuals and
acoustics could have been achieved had the meeting been held in the Council Chamber.
Councilmembers noted that the meeting was very well attended by residents.
Councilmember Luse asked the Council to consider changing the City Code to include
sidewalks as part of special assessment projects. He suggested holding a Work-shop on
the topic. City Manager Jullie said he would review the Workshop scheduled with staff.
Tyra-Lukens asked what staff has done to revamp the annual"Clean Up Day." Dietz
referenced a memo sent to council by Enx ironmental Coordinator Leslie Stovring
outlining the problems that were encountered last year and what can be done to avoid
them in the future.
Luse asked whether or not staff and/or Council had considered outsourcing some
services, such as fleet services. Case said he would like the departments to prepare a
couple of examples for study and possibly provide comparisons with what other cities are
doing. Lambert said Parks and Recreation already outsources quite a bit of work. He
also mentioned a self-assessment program the Parks and Public Works union employees
are working on to determine costs and efficiencies.
PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES
Clark referenced materials he had distributed to Council at the April 9 Workshop. He
said Police are still conducting daily security checks at points throughout the City
(including the wells,water tower, etc.). While crime was down slightly in 2001, calls for
service were up significantly. He said it is hard to pinpoint why the call volume has
increased, especially since medical calls are included in this count. Clark said the
department has increased its forensic computer work, and has on staff one the leading
experts in this area. Clark said the department is working actively on a"Less Than
Lethal"program. This program helps police officers deal effectively with potentially
violent mentally ill individuals without using deadly force. All police supervisor cars
carry 40mm guns with rubber bullets. The department is planning to hire a full-time fire
chief by the end of the year. A record number of building permits were issued last year,
and permit issuance is above the expected level so far this year.
V. COUNCILMEMBER DISCUSSION OF 2002 GOALS
Mayor Tyra-Lukens asked the Council to delay their goals discussion until the next
Workshop, since they had run out of time.
VI. OTHER TOPICS
Council Chamber
VII. OPEN FORUM (Scheduled participants, 6:30-6:50 p.m.)
No one was scheduled to speak at the Open Forum.
VIII. OPEN PODIUM (Unscheduled participants, 6:50-7:00 p.m.)
No one requested to speak during this portion of the meeting.
IX. ADJOURNMENT