City Council - 03/20/2007 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP
& OPEN FORUM/OPEN PODIUM
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2007 CITY CENTER
5:00—6:25 PM, HERITAGE ROOM II
6:30—7:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBER
CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Phil Young, Council Members Brad Aho, Sherry Butcher, Jon
Duckstad, and Kathy Nelson
CITY STAFF: City Manager Scott Neal, Police Chief Rob Reynolds, Fire Chief George
Esbensen, Public Works Director Eugene Dietz, Parks and Recreation Director Bob Lambert,
Community Development Director Janet Jeremiah, Manager of Recreation Laurie Obiazor,
Manager of Parks Stu Fox, Communications Manager Joyce Lorenz, Assistant to the City
Manager Michael Barone, City Attorney Ric Rosow, and Recorder Lorene McWaters
PARKS, RECREATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION: Geri Napuk;
Vice Chair; Randy Jacobus; Tom Bierman; Lee Elliott-Stoering; Rob Barrett
GUESTS: Brian Recker—RJM; Bob Jossart—RJM; Del Erickson, Architect
Heritage Room H
I. COMMUNITY CENTER BIDS
Parks and Recreation Director Bob Lambert introduced Bob Jossart of RJM Construction,
the construction manager for the Community Center and Round Lake projects. Jossart
reviewed the role of the construction manager and explained how the bid process works.
Jossart said bids were opened on Thursday, March 15. He said 120 bids were received on
32 bid packages. The bids came in where RJM expected, with the exception of three or
four packages. He said staff is not asking Council to award bids for individual projects
tonight. Instead, staff recommends holding a special Council meeting on Tuesday,
March 27, to award bids and approve a guaranteed not-to-exceed price for RJM.
Lambert reviewed a letter from RJM dated March 19, 2007, and a Council Agenda cover
memo that includes a bid summary and a list of alternates along with funding options.
The Parks Commission met on Monday night and they recommend that 14 of the
alternates be included in the project. The RJM project proposal base price consists of:
Construction Costs $11,882,745
Construction Contingency 397,255
Design & Development Costs 1,420,000
$13,700,000
Lambert noted that the cost for the Baseball Stadium cost is incorrect on the list of
alternates. The alternates, including the corrected cost for the Baseball Stadium, are as
follows:
Amount to Delay or Alternate Parks Commission
Description Include Funding Source Recommendation
1 Construction Contingency $197,000 Expand with re-bids
Include if Baseball Assoc.can
commit to reimbursing City
2 Ball field Stadium $376,000 $188,000 by end of 2009.
3 Built-up Roofing $80,000 General Fund Budget 2008
Baseball Field Sand Base&
4 Drainage System $163,000 Include
Re-bid fencing&netting for better
price,but include in project$12,000
5 Field Netting&Fencing $167,000 funding by Baseball Assoc.
Re-bid lighting. $90,000 for softball
funded by softball fees. $95,000
6 Ball Field Lighting $263,000 funded by Baseball Assoc.
Include.Existing bleachers will
7 Aluminum Bleachers at Rink I $210,000 need to be replaced.
Include.Provides options for multi-
use,especially March 15 -May 1 for
8 Concrete Slab at Rink III $81,000 indoor soccer/lacrosse revenue.
9 Re-Roof Rink I $231,000 General Fund Budget 2008
Radiant Heat Replacement in Re-bid and fund from General Fund
10 Rink I $66,000 in 2008
Exterior Walk Snow Melt
11 System $10,000 Include
Delay for 2008 General Fund
12 Auxiliary Generator $410,000 Budget
13 Birch Island Park $142,000 Include
Expansion of Ice System for
14 Rink II $46,000 Include
15 Planter Wall at Entry Plaza $50,000 Include
Delay for matching grant or make
16 Walking Track $391,000 decision at this time.
TOTAL $1,885,000
($2,276,000 needed if Walking Track is included.)
Staff recommends rejection of the fencing and netting bids and the pre-cast structural
concrete bids, along with authorization for RJM to re-bid those items. The ball field
lighting bids were not opened due to issues with the specifications provided by the
electrical contractor. RJM also recommends rebidding the ball field lighting. RJM also
recommends that Council delay a decision on including or eliminating the walking track
for 120 days. In addition, the auxiliary generator would be delayed for inclusion in the
2008 general fund budget.
Bob Jossart said the recommended alternates can be cut,but he said the City would not
like the final product. Lambert and Jossart provided background on how costs were
calculated. The roofing work and auxiliary generator were included because costs are
lowered by already having the contractors on site for the other project work.
The Hockey Association has raised $1 million to help pay for the third rink and they have
committed to buying a certain amount of ice time on the third rink. The Baseball
Association has committed to paying for 50 percent of the ball field lighting costs and for
50 percent of the stadium.
Council and Parks Commission members discussed the merits of a walking track.
Council Member Butcher said a good indoor walking track will be valuable, particularly
with the community's aging population. She asked if there are grants that might help pay
for the walking track. Lambert said there is a remote possibility that the walking track
may qualify for Blue Cross Blue Shield grants for projects that encourage exercise. Staff
will explore that possibility. Mayor Young said he thinks a walking track is as important,
if not more important, than racquetball courts. Councilmember Nelson said many
seniors already walk at the mall. Lambert said surface material is an issue with some
walkers. The Community Center walking track would have a soft surface designed to be
easy on joints. Councilmember Duckstad asked Lambert if he recommends including the
walking track. Lambert said he supports inclusion of the walking track.
Councilmember Nelson asked if these projects would drain the park fund. Lambert said
the park fund will be depleted and Council will have to be more conservative with
commitments to other park projects until the fund can be built up again. Lambert said the
Community Center and Round Lake Park is the hub of the City's parks and recreation
system, and that the investment in them today will be appreciated for the next 50 years.
Councilmember Butcher said the City made a mistake in cutting corners when the
Community Center was built 25 years ago, and she does not want to see a similar mistake
made now. Jossart said he can guarantee that what is not built now will increase in cost
later.
Mayor Young adjourned the workshop portion of the meeting, and said the Community
Center will be discussed in more detail in the regular council meeting.
Council Chamber
II. OPEN FORUM
A. Flying Cloud Airport
1. Gary Demee
Mr. Demee said he is a 23-year resident of Eden Prairie and a business owner. He
asked why the City is advocating for an airport expansion that is supported by the
Chamber of Commerce when it would diminish the quality of life for residents.
2. Don Anderson
Mr. Anderson, 9389 Shetland Road, suggested that the City ask MAC to take
funds that would be used to expand Flying Cloud Airport to expand an airport that
is not as busy.
3. Michael Neuharth
Mr. Neuharth, 9610 Eden Prairie Road, said the City should retract the letter
regarding Flying Cloud Airport that was distributed in to legislators in
Washington, DC.
4. Pat MulQueeny
Mr. MulQneeny, president of the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce, said he
considers his organization a partner to the City. He said Flying Cloud Airport is
key to many businesses in Eden Prairie and the southwest area of the Twin Cities.
5. Pat Tibbetts
Mr. Tibbetts said he lives in the Shetland Road area and is a business owner. He
asked the Council Members to state their positions on the airport. Mayor Young
said Open Forum is not the appropriate venue for debating issues. He said City
Manager Scott Neal will respond to the issue during the Reports of Officers
portion of the regular Council Meeting.
III. OPEN PODIUM
No one requested to speak at Open Podium.
IV. ADJOURNMENT