City Council - 09/13/1990 - Special Meeting APPROVED MINUTES
SPECIAL EDEN PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL kEETING
THURSDAY , SEPTEMBER 13 , 1990 5 : 00 PM , CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
7600 Executive Drive
COUNCILMEMBERS : Mayor Gary Peterson , Richard Anderson ,
Jean Harris , Patricia Pidcock and
Douglas Tenpas
CITY COUNC_L STAFF : City Manager Carl J . Jullie , Assistant
to the City Manager Craig Dawson ,
Finance Director John D . Frane , and
Recording Secretary Jan Nelson
I . CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
Mayor Peterson called the meeting to order . All members were
present .
II . APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Councilmernber Pidcock requested that an item regarding the
Landfill Advisory Ccmvnittee be added to item V . , Other Business .
MO':ION: Anderson moved , seconded by Pidcock , to accept the
Agenda as published and amended. Motion carried unanimously .
11I . T COMMUNITY SUEVEY CONDUCTEDE I
RESOURCES, LTD
City Manager Jullie introduced Bill Morris and Diane Traxler of
Decision Resources .
Bill Morris reviewed the results of the residential and business
surveys performed by Decision Resources . He said the residential
survey was based on 403 randomly-selected households . He
reviewed seven key findings resulting fro*:: the survey :
1 . This is "Gold Collar" community--affluent . well -educated and
very white collar .
2 . The City is very fiscally conservative on financial matters-
-54% said they would oppose a property tax increase to maintain
the current level of city services . Of th..ose surveyed , 70%.
considered their property taxes to be either relatively high or
excessively high.
3 . This is a community of ardent environmentalists . Fifty-two
percent said top priority should be given to the blending of new °.
development with the natural beauty of the area . When asked what
City Counci ? Meeting 2 September 13 , 1990
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they liked most about the Eden Prairie , 41% answered in terms of
the natural 'beauty and environment of the City .
4 . Respondents tended to favor ''baiancea or quality
development" with some concern expressed about the pace of
development . Very few were opposed to development . About 765
consider development in the community to be well -planned .
5 . Most City services rated above 80% in terms of excellent and
good designation . The only service receiving a moderate level of
criticism was street repair and maintenance . Street lighting and
property valuation and assessment were raised as issues by some
of the respondents .
6 . A majority of those surveyed support the concept of a City
newsletter . There was a low level of knowledge about what the
Mayor and the City Council are doing ; however , the name
recognition of the Mayor and Councilmembers was very high.
7 . 'There was a general sense of optimism about the future. The
quality of life was considered excellent or good by 98% of the
respondents .
Mr . Morris reviewed the findings of the Business Community
survey . He said there was , by and large , very little difference
between the business community and the residents . Business
owners and managers are even stronger fiscal conservatives than
residents . 'There were fewer business respondents who offered
opinions on City services . There was less contact with City Hall
and 1/3 were dissatisfied with their contact with the City ;
however , nearly all were dissatisfied with the content of the
response rather than the service they received. There was
support for a downtown area , along with strong support for a Post
Office in the downtown area .
Harris expressed surprise at the information starvation. findings .
She said she would be willing to try a newsletter but she would
also want a survey done to see how useful it was .
Tenpas asked if people respond more to highlights of programs
than details . Morris said that they definitely do .
Anderson asked if he was talking newsletter or communications .
Morris said they asked specifically about a newsletter and 54%
said they would like to see one. Anderson said we have budgeted
for cable television coverage of Council meetings and asked if
that was discussed . :Morris said those surveyed were asked if
they took cable television . He said in other communities that
televise City meetings , the newsletter tends to be the primary
source of information about the City .
Anderson said he was concerned about hiring staff for either
cable television production or newsletter production. Director
of Human Resources Natalie Swaggert said they have a need for
internal communication within City Hall that would compliment the
production of the suggested City newsletter . Morris said 49% of
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Cit7 CoLr.cii :Meeting 3 Septe:r.ber 13 , 1990
the respondents said they would be likely to read a City
newsletter ; whereas only 8% said they would be likely to watch a
cable broadcast .
Pidcock asked how the business community responded to the idea of
a newsletter . Morris said they did not test that issue with the
business community .
Peterson asked if the opposition was to increasing taxes in order
to continue services or to improve services . Morris said the
question was to continue the current services .
Peterson asked if there seemed to be a connection made between
the growing population and the requirement for additional
facilities to accommodate that population . Morris said that
connection does not seem to be made by most respondents .
Harris asked if respondents were aware of how their tax dollar is
distri!Duted . Morris said those surveved were asked what percent
they thought went to the City . and 40$ said 10-20% .
Harris asked about the new requirements to identify the level. of
tax authority . juliie said the notice of the hearing will
include the aroposed levy by agency , what it was last year and
the percent increase . He said he thought that will still be
misleading as it does not tell the homeowner what the change : n
his tax wi - 1 will be . Fe said the following year it will be
parcel -specific so that property owners will know exactly the
impact on "their property .
Anderson said he thoaght it was important to explain to the
public how much is being spent and on what .
Peterson asked if it would be possible to include a trailing with
the tax notices that would explain more about the taxes . Jullie
said the notices come from Hennepin County but we could send a
separate notice. Pidcock said she thought it would be more
effective coming in the same envelope . Jullie said he would
check it out .
Tenpas said he thought the dissatisfaction with the City ' s
property valuation and assessment occurs in correlation with the
feeling that the property taxes are too high .
Harris said she is concerned that there is no easy solution to
the comments regarding the traffic problem. Peterson asked if
the questions focused on inter-city or intra-city transportation .
Morris said it was a composite of bot:� .
Tenpas asked if the traffic problems are related to major
highways or just to internal streets . Morris said the
frustration seems to center on the major highways and arteries .
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Anderson said he thinks the problem has moved to Highway 494
since the flow of traffic through the community has been improved
as a result of the improvements to Highway 5 and other roadways .
City Coun�_ 1 Meeting 4 Septe^ ^er 13 , 1990
Pidcock said the Regional Transit Board is talking about bus
serv,-ce alcng .494 and `he Bloomi.^.gton strip .
City Manager Dawso.- asked i t there are an_r c t..er
communities in the metropolitan area that are considered gold
col i ar or w otie surveys have produced similar responses . Morris
said there is nc _=e:Zticai comparison . He said the responses
regarding the environment are very similar to those from
Shoreview residents and the fiscal conservatism is simmilar to
Plymouth .
Tenpas said he thought the survey was very informative and he
would hope to continue to do this periodically . Pidcock said she
thought the survey gives the pulse of the community .
Morris said he will deal with action steps in the final report
where the numbers are broken down by regions , longevity of
residence , etc . he said there is an immediate need to deal with
the communication issue . He said they recommend doing such a
survey every three years , or every two years in rapidly growing
communities .
Anderson said a was pleased with the overall high rating of the
qua- -- of life is the City .
:V . DIISC SSIQN OF 'Y FE-OALE LI0UOR QPERATIO=
Peterson noted that we are in the liquor business and asked how
much income was generated ast year . Finance Director John Frane
said it generated $145 , 000 in income last year .
Pidcock said she thought we should not be in the business , but
51% of the community approves of it .
Anderson said the community did vote for the liquor operations ,
and he would vote to change it only if the issue was voted down
on another ballot .
Tenpas said he saw no reed to change because of the 51% in favor
of the business and because the loss of income would probably
require a tax boost to compensate . He said we should take a look
at how to make the operations more profitable .
Harris said she agreed. She noted that there is a hard
opposition base of 20%, which means that 80% are comfortable with
the continued operation. She said she looks on it as a way to
control the potential proliferation of such businesses .
Tenpas asked what the gross sales were . Frane said they were
$2 . :5 million , but we will do better this year because sales at
the Prairie Village Mall location were off last year due to the
construction .
Anderson noted that he did not think the two locations are the
best places for liquor stores . Frane said staff had previously
discussed with the Council. the hiring of a consultant to do a
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City Counc_ ? Meeti..ng September 13 . _990
study , but the hiring was placed on hold . F?e said it would cos'
515 , 000 to do a good study on it .
Tenpas said we know where the retail areas are in this corrmunity
and we should put one in the major center area . He said he
thought the Preserve Center location should be moved .
Discussion followed regarding alternative sites for the current
stores and locations that might added.
Tenpas asked Jf $15 , 000 was the blest price for such a consultant .
Frane said he is the pest one for the job , based on
reccmmendaticns from other cities .
MOTION : Tenpas moved , seconded by Harris . to hire a consultant
to evaluate the City liquor operations . Motion carried
urani^nous : 1 .
V . QTHER 3USIIZEE
A. Landfill Adyjzor7 Co.,_nmittee
Pidcock asked if the Council would consider giving plaques or
certificates to those people who served on the Landfill Advisory
Conurittee .
Jullie said he thought framed certificates would be acceptable
and 'Less costly than plaques .
Tenpas said he had a problem with giving them something and
thought some kind of special event might be more appropriate .
Pidcock said the people gave their time and effort on the project
and she thought they deserve recognition.
Anderson said he thought we had started a tradition of awarding
certificates for efforts i:: the community . He said he would go a
along with awarding certificates , but not plaques because of the
expense .
Tenpas said there may be others who contributed to the effort but
who did not serve on the committee . Anderson said this has been
an issue since 1982 and he wouldn ' t want to overlook someone .
Harris said she had no problem with recognition , but would not
want to limit it .
Pidcock said we gave Susan Varlamoff a key to the City and a
certificate for her efforts when she left , and these people have
consistentl.y given their time and efforts alsu .
Pidcock said the last meeting is scheduled for October 5th . She
thought it would be-appropriate to give then: certificates at the �
meeting in gratitude for their participation . '
240TION : Anderson moved , seconded by Pidcock , to give
certificates to the members of the Landfill Advisory Committee .
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City Council Meeting 6 September 13 , 1990
Tenpas said he would like to have staff some thought into
this `o i;ome up with some special appreciation for all those
involved .
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VOTE CH THE MOTION: Mat i on carried unanimously .
V1 . ADJOURRMENT
MOT Iorz: Tenpas moved , seconded by Pidcock , to adjourn the
meetirag at 6 : 35 PM. Motion carried unar.irnousl _y .
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