HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/08/2013 Regular OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY,JULY 8,2013
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL HELD AT 7:00 PM
ON MONDAY,JULY 8,2013 IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS,CITY HALL, 590 40TH AVENUE N.E.,
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS,MINNESOTA.
1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL/INVOCATION
Mayor Peterson called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.
Members Present: Mayor Peterson, Councilmember Schmitt, Councilmember Diehm,
Councilmember Williams and Councilmember Nawrocki.
Staff Present: City Manager Walt Fehst, Assistant to City Manager/HR Director Linda Magee,
City Attorney Jim Hoeft and City Clerk/Council Secretary Tori Leonhardt.
Pastor Dan Thompson of Heights Church gave the invocation.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Recited
3. ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO MEETING AGENDA
Nawrocki indicated he has some items to add under the City Manager report.
4. PROCLAMATIONS, PRESENTATIONS,RECOGNITION,ANNOUNCEMENTS, GUESTS
Mayor Peterson talked about the 781h birthday celebration of the Dalai Lama that he was invited to
and indicated they had a picnic and he was asked to cut the birthday cake. They sang the Tibetan
National Anthem and had a little girl about 8 years old sing our National Anthem and she sang it just
beautifully. There are over 500 Tibetans living in Columbia Heights. If people do not take part in
other cultures, they are truly missing something. They had a wonderful buffet with over 3,000
people in attendance. City Manager Fehst also attended the celebration and stated the food was great
and they had various ages of people dancing and they all seemed to have a smile on their faces and
seemed very happy. Peterson encouraged everyone to celebrate the diversity that we have in our
community.
5. CONSENT AGENDA
Councilmember Nawrocki asked that items C, D, and F be removed from the Consent Agenda for
further discussion.
City Manager Fehst took the Council through the remaining items on the Consent Agenda.
A. Approve City Council Meeting Minutes of June 24, 2013
MOTION: Move to approve the City Council Meeting Minutes of June 24, 2013.
B. Accept Boards and Commissions Meeting Minutes
MOTION: Move to accept the Library Board meeting Minutes of June 12, 2013.
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C. Adopt Resolution 2013-57, 2013-2014 IAFF Labor Agreement - Removed
D. 2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report - Removed
E. Approve Business License Applications
MOTION: Move to approve the items as listed on the business license agenda for July 8, 2013 as
presented.
F. Payment of Bills- Removed
Motion by Williams, seconded by Schmitt, to approve the Consent Agenda items with the exception
of items C, D, and F which were pulled for further discussion. Upon Vote: All ayes. Motion
Carried.
Items Removed from the Consent Agenda:
Item C: Adopt Resolution 2013-57, 2013-2014 IAFF Labor Agreement
Motion by Diehm, seconded by Williams, to waive the reading of Resolution 2013-57, there being
ample copies available to the public. Upon Vote: All ayes. Motion Carried.
Motion by Diehm, seconded by Schmitt, to adopt Resolution 2013-57, regarding the Labor
Agreement between the City of Columbia Heights and the International Association of Firefighters,
effective January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2014.
Discussion:
Nawrocki indicated he objects to approving this item and it should be discussed at a work session.
He believes the only previous discussion was on the amount of salary increases, nothing else in the
contract. There are other items in this agreement that are being changed; therefore the expenditures
are going to be more than 2%.
Motion by Nawrocki, to move Item C to a Council Work Session, Peterson called for a second to the
motion. Motion died for a lack of a second.
Diehm confirmed this contract is within the parameters that were discussed at the previous Executive
Sessions.
Peterson added Magee is our chief negotiator and works very hard and has been doing it for a long
time and does a tremendous job of negotiating.
Nawrocki remarked if you compare these adjustments to other cities, we are on the high side.
Roll Call Vote: Schmitt; aye, Williams; aye, Diehm; aye, Nawrocki; aye, Peterson; aye. 5 ayes - 0
nays. Motion Carried.
Item D: 2012 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report
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Motion by Schmitt, seconded by Williams, to recognize that the 2012 Comprehensive Annual
Financial Report, including the independent auditors report, was distributed to the City Council and
move to schedule a presentation by the auditor for the August 12th Council meeting.
Discussion:
Nawrocki inquired if at the first meeting in August, would the Council be able to ask questions.
Fehst indicated the Auditor will make a brief report and if you have questions to ask, you can ask
them. Nawrocki raised the issue that this is important and feels we need more than a brief report and
plenty of time to ask questions.
Schmitt added she appreciates this report going on the August 12t" agenda so they have a better
chance to look at it.
Upon Vote: All ayes. Motion Carried.
Item F: Payment of Bills
Motion by Diehm, seconded by Schmitt, in accordance with Minnesota Statue 412.271, subd. 8, the
City Council as received the list of claims paid covering check number 148404 through 148573 in
the amount of$551,033.81.
Discussion:
Nawrocki stated in the motion it states the Council has received a list of claims paid, implying that
the bills are already paid. Fehst stated this is correct. Nawrocki indicated it was his understanding
that bills were not to be paid until approved by Council.
Finance Director Joseph Kloiber responded by saying, the State Statue and our Charter does provide
for us having the option of designating bills to be paid to the City Manager and Council then
receives a list of bills that were approved in that manner for their review. It can be done in two other
ways; however, both provide a false sense of approval from the Council. The goods and services
have already been provided, therefore they are due payment. A number of bills cannot wait 2 weeks;
liquor store invoices have to be paid within 10 days. Fehst added that there are State Statues that
will fine the City if they are paid late.
Nawrocki stated the question is if the goods were actually received, or what was supposed to be done
by contract was completed. It is his believe that years ago it was done by Council action and does
not recall that there was a change approved by Council.
Kloiber mentioned there are procedures in place that managers make sure that goods and services are
received and contracts are completed. Fehst stated we escrow for projects that are done and if we
have poor services we can draw from the escrow. He gave an example of when the City did this on a
sign for the liquor store.
Kloiber clarified that there is a purchase order that is attached that the recipient has to sign stating
goods and or services were received in order for the claim to be paid. Fehst stated his surprise that
Nawrocki was bringing this item up at this time, as we have done it this way for many years.
Nawrocki indicated he has been paying more attention to the language of things in the agenda. He
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Monday,July 8,2013
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also brought up that Council took out travel expenses three years ago from the budget and no money
has been budgeted since. He previously asked the City Manager to check with the City of Fridley as
to what their reimbursement policy is. Nawrocki indicated he would like to know when this item
was added back in. Diehm stated she believed a motion was made at a budget session to take it out
of that particular year's budget and if it was added back in on the following year it was voted on and
approved as part of the budget. Nawrocki stated no money has been put back in budget specifically
for travel and food that he is aware of, including the budget this year.
Upon Vote: All ayes. Motion Carried.
6. PUBLIC HEARINGS
There were no Public Hearings.
7. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION
A. Other Ordinances and Resolutions - None
B. Bid Considerations - None
C. New Business and Reports -None
8. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
Report of the City Manager
Fehst reported the power went out here at City Hall over the weekend and unfortunately our hard
drive was damaged and we are unable to video our Council meeting tonight. Apparently the switch
that was supposed to work, failed. We will try and make sure that there is a report that goes out to
Public Works if this happens again to ensure they get over to City Hall right away to get it fixed.
Nawrocki asked the City Manager what was happening with the new Library/City Hall.
Fehst conveyed that on July 7th the City was informed they were to receive a feasibility report for the
property located at 40th and Central from the owner; however, we do not have it yet. There was a
meeting scheduled for this Thursday, but it has since been moved to August 1St. Fehst went on to
say, depending on the outcome of that meeting, information will be brought back to the Council at
the August 5t1'work session.
Nawrocki mentioned at the last meeting it was brought up that there was water damage to the
basement in the library. He met with Dougherty at the library and she indicated that there was
ponding by the back door and the rug was soaked, but there was no standing water. Nawrocki also
stated that a resident told him the library had some people solicit parade goers to sign a form
indicated they wanted a new library. The resident also stated he was told that the approximate costs
would be around $20 per person. Nawrocki also inquired as to when the next newsletter is to be
distributed. Fehst stated he would look into it and get him that information.
Report of the City Attorney- none
9. CITIZENS FORUM
Nile Harper, 1437 Glacier, who is a member of Library Task Force along with Jane Bona,
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emphasized there were three comments they wanted to share with the Council. One, is they are glad
the Council is continuing the pursuit of the possibility of the site at 40th and Central, Two, the Task
Force continues to believe this is the time and the place for a new library that will provide all of
citizens with a wider variety of important informational and educational opportunities, and lastly,
expressed their thankfulness for the Council's patience in this process and encouraged them to stick
with it.
Nawrocki reiterated that he feels we need to have some information as to what this is going to cost.
Harper responded to Nawrocki that he agrees this is an important matter and reminded him in the
report that was submitted, a professional architect provided approximate price ranges for
construction on four different sites and maintained his confidence that the Council knows what they
are doing.
Barb and Dan Charboneau, 1200 44 '/ Ave NE, raised the issue of trees and overgrown yards to the
Council, stating that it is not just because of the recent storms,but during routine walks around the
city, they have noticed several properties that have overgrown trees that block the ability to see
traffic. Specifically on 44th and Tyler you have to pull way out in order to see if anyone is coming.
Charboneau asked the Council, who's responsibility is it to get property owners to cut trees. They
are very frustrated in that there are so many over grown trees throughout the city. Fehst expressed to
them that if they have specific corners that they are aware of,please give us a list and we can have
Public Works go out and look at them, especially if they are dead trees that are dangerous or
diseased.
Peterson confirmed he also has some concerns with 37th and Buchanan and indicated he would like
to have our CSO look at this and if they notice any areas that the view is prohibited, to make a note
and get it to our forester to look at. Fehst commented he will follow up with Police Chief. Nawrocki
remarked that he would like to see a copy of the criteria that the forester uses to determine what trees
are bad or not. He also questioned if the garbage hauler is supposed to leave a note as to why
something is not picked up. Fehst responded, not for trees and branches. Nawrocki asked who
residents can call to have stumps removed. Schmitt reported that she had received a list of licensed
tree services from Sue Schmidtbauer. Fehst informed Nawrocki that he would get a list for him.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Peterson emphasized that need to keep our service men and women in our thoughts and
prayers and the families of the recent 19 firefighters that died. He encouraged everyone to do a
random act of kindness.
Peterson adjourned the meeting at 7:54 PM.
t'
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Tori eo dt, City Clerk/Council Secretary
City Council Meeting Minutes
Monday,July 8,2013
Page 6 of 6
RESOLUTION 2013-57
REGARDING LABOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS AND
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS, LOCAL 1216
WHEREAS, negotiations have proceeded between the International Association of Firefighters
(IAFF), Local 1216, representing Firefighters of the City, and the City's negotiating team, and said
negotiations have resulted in a mutually acceptable contract for calendar years 2013 and 2014, and
WHEREAS, changes to the current contract are attached, and a copy of said contract is available at
the Office of the City Manager, and is made a part hereof by reference;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the contract agreement, as negotiated, be and is
hereby established as the salary and fringe benefit program for calendar years 2013 and 2014 for IAFF
bargaining unit employees of the City; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor and City Manager be authorized to execute this
agreement.
Passed this 8t1i day of July 2013