City Council - 03/15/2005 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES
EDEN PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP &
OPEN FORUM/OPEN PODIUM
TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2005 CITY CENTER
5:00—6:25 PM, HERITAGE ROOM II
6:30—7:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBER
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 Ric Rosow, and Recorder Lorene McWaters
Ric Rosow and Dan Carlson were absent. Rob Reynolds was in attendance.
Heritage Room H
I. DISCUSSION WITH STATE LEGISLATORS
Mayor Tyra-Lukens called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. Representative Maria Ruud
was present. City Manager Neal said Representative Paulsen and Senator Hann were on
their way to the meeting and would arrive shortly.
Rep. Ruud said she would have to leave the meeting at about 6:15 to attend a meeting of
the Regulated Industries Committee. Ruud said also serves on the Education Policy
Committee and that as a freshman Representative and member of the minority party she
is not eligible to serve on a finance committee. Ruud said she appreciates the e-mails she
has received from Scott Neal about Market Value Homestead Credit program cuts. She
understands these cuts are not good for Eden Prairie and she will be fighting them.
Neal said the Clean Water Legacy legislation has been raised as a concern by MLC. Neal
said many cities are concerned that they are going to be the mechanism though which
fees are assessed,but they won't be involved in setting the fees or determining how the
funds are spent. Ruud said she feels there is room for negotiation on this issue. She is
aware that the State is getting resistance from communities on the proposed mechanism.
On the other hand, she is getting input from some constituents asking her to support the
legislation.
City Council Workshop
March 15, 2005—page 2
Mayor Tyra-Lukens said that when she first came on Council there were fairly heft tax
increases because taxes had been artificially kept down during the preceding recession.
Since then, the City's financial policy has been to pay for what needs to be done on an
ongoing basis; however with the loss of Market Value Credit and with levy limits, it is
increasingly difficult to adhere to this policy. Tyra-Lukens asked what the legislature can
do to give communities tools to keep up with what needs to be done, such as removal of
levy limits and street utility funds. (Tom Poul of MLC joined the meeting at 5:55 p.m.)
He said the business community has been vocal in opposing street utility funds. Poul
believes the resistance is based in part on misinformation and in part on principle.
Councilmember Case said he is frustrated with State Auditor Patricia Anderson's praise
for counties that are spending down their reserves. He said if an organization spends
down its reserves, it is blasted for not thinking ahead;but if it maintains reserves,it is
criticized.
Councilmember Aho said he is struck by the bleakness of the funding outlook for
transportation. He stressed the need to find creative ways to fund projects that will
strengthen the infrastructure.
Mayor Tyra-Lukens asked Ruud what, if anything, is on the horizon in relation to a
statewide smoking ban. Ruud said she has received many calls from constituents on this
issue. She does not foresee any smoking legislation this year,but thinks something will
be passed in the near future. Ruud noted that in her short time in the legislature, she has
noticed political differences are more geographic in nature than along party lines.
Councilmember Butcher asked Ruud and Poul to comment on the Governor's turbotax
proposal. Poul said the bill has been introduced in both the House and the Senate. Since
Rep. Krinkie introduced it, it is likely to get a hearing. Ruud said she does not think it is
a good idea. Councilmember Case said it should be tied directly to another postcard that
gets sent back to the Governor, otherwise the policy would be unfair. Case said he is
concerned about the erosion of representative democracy reflected in some of these
proposals. (Senator Hann joined the meeting at 6:20 p.m.) Hann said he also is not a fan
of the turbotax concept. He has had a lot of conversations with school districts about it.
There are a lot of questions about the mechanics of how it would work. He believes the
Governor's intent is to put a check on what local government entities can do.
Neal asked if it would be possible to have a bill drafted this year to conduct a study of the
fiscal disparities program. Poul said the senate has included this proposal in its finance
bill. Rep. Lenczewski is carrying the bill in the House, and it will likely be part of the
omnibus tax bill.
(Rep. Paulsen joined the meeting at 6:25 p.m.) Hann said he feels the legislature should
make a commitment to continue to support transit, at least as far as buses are concerned.
He is less enthusiastic about LRT. Paulsen said he would like to hear the City's
perspective on transportation funding. He said MnDOT currently disburses the funds,
and some people distrust them. He asked how the City feels about the Chamber's
City Council Workshop
March 15, 2005—page 3
proposal to switch to project-specific funding. Public Works Director Gene Dietz said he
feels MnDOT is unbiased and that making the process political would be a nightmare.
Paulsen said he thinks making the process project-specific might get the public more
involved because they would see projects in their area being funded. Aho said he
believes a menu approach would be divisive.
Paulsen said the Market Value Homestead Credits will be in the mix in the House. He
feels the property tax freeze initiative is more dangerous. Pogemiller is adamant about
pushing this issue because he seems to want to "starve education in the suburbs."
Paulsen said he will be introducing the bill supported by the City to allow for the use of
silencers on guns used in the deer management program. He and Hann believe the bill
will pass this year.
Council Chamber
II. OPEN FORUM
A. AIRPORT ISSUES —VICKI PELLAR-PRICE
Ms. Pellar-Price called earlier to say she had decided not to speak at Open Forum.
B. FLYING OF THE FLAG—JOHN MALLO
Mr. Mallo addressed Council about flying of the flag.
III. OPEN PODIUM
No one requested to speak at Open Podium.
IV. ADJOURNMENT