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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-07-2017 WSCH COLUMBIA HEIGHTS City of Columbia Heights 590 40th Avenue NE, Columbia Heights, MN 55421 -3878 (763) 706 -3600 TDD (763) 706 -3692 Visit our website at: www.columbiaheightsmn.gov Meeting of: Date of Meeting: Time of Meeting: Location of Meeting Purpose of Meeting: NOTICE OF WORK SESSION Columbia Heights City Council August 7, 2017 7:00 PM (Following the EDA Meeting) City Hall- Conference Room No. 1 Worksession Mayor Donna Schmitt Councilmembers Robert A. Williams John Murzyn, Jr. Connie Buesgens Nick Novitsky City Manager Walter R. Fehst • Report from Goff Public, Communication Audit • Police Department Information Meetings • MN /DOT Economic Development Program Grant for Central Avenue • Authorization to seek bids Keyes Park • Solar gardens subscription • Refuse cart purchase (garbage and recycling) • City Hall Master Plan Auxiliary aids or other accommodations for disabled persons are available upon request when the request is made at least 48 hours in advance. Please contact the City Clerk at 763 - 706 -3611 or kbruno @columbiaheightsmn.gov, to make arrangements. C,� COLUMBIA HEIGHTS City of Columbia Heights I Administration 590 40th Ave NE, Columbia Heights, MN 55421 • Ph: 763 - 706 -3610 ■ Fax: 763 - 706 -3601 • www.columbiaheightsmn.gov MEMORANDUM To: Mayor and City Council From: Kelli Bourgeois Date: August 2, 2017 RE: Communications Audit Sara Thatcher from Goff Public will present the recently completed Communications Audit at Monday's Work Session. Enclosed please find a copy of the completed Audit document and Sara will have a power point presentation at the meeting. Thank you! C� CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS Communications audit June 2017 Prepared by: / GOFF V PUBLIC Introduction As a small, highly diverse, first -ring suburb of Minneapolis, the City of Columbia Heights faces a unique set of communications challenges. The City does not currently have dedicated communications staff. Communications tasks are delegated to staff people with little or no communications experience and other full -time job responsibilities. This has resulted in a decentralized and reactive approach to the City's communications. Recognizing that it needs to improve its communications efforts, the City hired Goff Public to conduct a communications audit. In addition to reviewing the City's existing communications infrastructure, Goff Public met with eight departments (Administration, Community Development, Finance, Fire, Library, Police, Public Works, and Recreation). Goff Public also researched the communications efforts of nearby cities of similar sizes and demographics. Goff Public interviewed communications staff or city administrators in Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Fridley, New Brighton, and Robbinsdale. These conversations have made it clear that departments are stretched and additional communications resources are needed if Columbia Heights wants to achieve its goal of being more proactive and strategic with its communications. The following report reviews Columbia Heights' and its peer cities' current communications approaches and outlines recommendations for how the City can improve its communications. With additional resources, training, coordination, and clear protocols, we are confident that Columbia Heights will be able to accomplish its communications goals and improve its reputation as an All- America City where people want to live, work and play. Recommendations Communications staff Columbia Heights Currently, Columbia Heights does not have a communications person on staff. Communications functions are handled by staff in each department who are not formally trained in communications. This can be challenging for two reasons: (1) staff members do not have the experience necessary to be strategic and proactive with communications; and (2) staff members have other job responsibilities and often struggle to balance the demands of their normal job tasks and the add -on communications tasks. Communications are decentralized; each department determines how and when they communicate with residents, and many departments reported that they are not aware of what other departments are doing. The City recently created a communications work group to guide the website redesign project. This work group is a great way to coordinate communications among city departments, but it can be challenging when the staff assigned to the work group do not have full -time communications experience. Peer cities While some peer cities are in a similar position as Columbia Heights, other cities have more robust communications departments. Those with at least one communications coordinator (e.g., Crystal, Fridley, Brooklyn Center, and Brooklyn Park) are able to be more proactive and strategic about their communications. Brooklyn Park is the only peer city that has multiple communications staff members (two full -time staff, two interns, and one graphic designer that serves the Recreation Department). This has allowed Brooklyn Park to proactively pitch stores to the media, easily manage the website, engage residents on social media, and respond with one voice. Some peer cities have hired a communications consultant or interns to augment their in -house staff. Recommendations It is clear from the stakeholder interviews that departments feel stretched when it comes to communications. They admit that they do not have the resources or expertise within their department to do communications effectively or proactively. We recommend that Columbia Heights hire one communications staffer at a Communications Coordinator level who reports to the City Manager or Assistant to the City Manager. This person should have at least five years of experience and should be able to develop strategy, craft messages, write compelling stories, and pitch story ideas to the media. (A sample job description is included at the end of this document.) Based on the need expressed in stakeholder meetings, the City may want to consider augmenting this role with a communications consultant so that you don't overwhelm the new communications staffer. The communications work group should continue to exist, but it should be led by the communications staffer. Each department should have a communications liaison that will coordinate with the communications staffer on departmental communications and participate in the work group. The work group should meet on a monthly basis to coordinate messages, share stories that could be pitched to the media, and discuss and prioritize upcoming communications opportunities. Transitioning from a reactive, decentralized communications approach to a proactive, centralized communications approach can be challenging. The new communications staffer needs to be fully 2 supported by the City Manager and department heads, and needs to have decision - making authority (and be comfortable making decisions). Communications plan Columbia Heights Columbia Heights does not currently have a strategic plan to guide communications efforts. Communications efforts are decentralized and handled on an ad hoc basis. Additionally, Columbia Heights does not have citywide key messages that are used consistently among departments. Peer cities Many of the cities we talked to are more planful and strategic about their communications efforts. Whether it is through an earned media plan, a social media calendar, or a newsletter story list, the cities are strategic about how and when they communicate with their key audiences. Recommendations Effective communications require the investment of time and a shared, forward - thinking vision. Developing a strategic communications plan will be important to set the stage for reimagining how Columbia Heights can communicate with its residents and other key audiences. A communications plan will help keep the work moving forward in a clear direction and with specific goals, and it will help departments understand the importance of a coordinated strategy. The plan should outline audiences, goals, key messages, tactics, and timing. Using consistent messages and strategically executing the communication tactics outlined in the plan will ensure that the City's messages are widely received by residents and businesses. The City should also develop or update its crisis communications plans to help staff prepare for the many potential crisis scenarios that the city might face — from natural disasters to community relations issues to staff misconduct. The plan should be detailed enough to provide a clear course of action, but flexible enough to empower the City to act at a level that is appropriate to the situation. It is important to note that a crisis communications plan is different from an operations plan. The crisis communications plan would detail how the City would respond in the event of a crisis. Additionally, staff should be trained on crisis communications either by the emergency management team or through a tabletop exercise. Media relations Columbia Heights With the exception of the media blitz around the All- America City Award, Columbia Heights does not proactively pitch positive stories to the media. In recent years, positive media coverage has been limited to hyperlocal publications (Sun Focus and Northeaster) and sometimes the Star Tribune. Crime stories do get covered more broadly. Because there is not a single point of contact for media, requests are sent to multiple departments — most often to the Community Development Department. In general, media requests are fulfilled in a timely manner, but there is not a coordinated effort to have consistent messages or responses among departments. 3 Peer cities While most peer cities focus primarily on the hyperlocal news outlets that serve their communities, those with communications staff are able to proactively pitch positive stories to a broader range of media outlets that reach a larger audience. Additionally, the communications staff serve as the single point of contact for the media and are able to filter requests and prepare the right spokespeople to talk to reporters. For this reason, several peer cities make press releases and contact information for their communications staff readily available on their website. Recommendations Columbia Heights has great stories that could be pitched to the media to help attract residents and businesses to the area. Additionally, the media can be an effective way of sharing information with current residents, helping shape their perception of the City and provide alternative messaging to those shared on Next Door. A full -time communications staffer can help identify story opportunities, pitch them to the media at the right time, and prepare spokespeople for interviews. The communications staffer can prepare talking points for spokespeople to ensure consistent messages. Additionally, the communications staffer can serve as the media contact to help filter media requests. Cross - departmental coordination and a strong media strategy will be critical to the success of any media relations efforts. To ensure a wide distribution of media content, press releases and media stories can also be shared with residents through the website, social media, the newsletter, and utility bills. The Police and Fire Department often receive media requests at all hours related to crimes, fires, and ongoing investigations. Because these requests are incident - specific, they should continue to be handled by trained public information officers. However, the communications staffer could help pitch proactive stories about the Police and Fire Department's public safety messages and community engagement efforts. Social media Columbia Heights Columbia Heights has eight social media accounts: six on Facebook and two on Twitter. The main City Facebook page has the least number of followers — likely because the Facebook page features content posted directly from the City's website. The Police Department's Facebook and Twitter pages have the largest following, post messages more frequently, and feature the most original content. Peer cities Peer cities that are most successful on social media, with the highest number of followers and engagement, have centralized their accounts under primary Facebook and Twitter accounts. These successful accounts consistently post content several times per week, and the content is specific to each outlet and uses pictures and video to help engage residents. Recommendations Columbia Heights would benefit from consolidating its social media accounts. Ideally, the City should have one main account on both Facebook and Twitter, and separate accounts for the Police and Fire Departments because they have very specific public- safety related content. All other department - specific content can be shared on the main City accounts. The communications staffer should create and manage a content calendar for social media. While social media content can be generated from the website, the two outlets should not be directly linked. Instead, content should be tailored to Facebook and Twitter and should include a mixture of written content, videos, and compelling images and infographics to keep followers engaged. The communications staffer will want to set goals and strategies for the timing and the amount of content shared on social media. Additionally, the City could improve the reach of its messages by increasing its social media following through organic methods (e.g., tagging partners and /or using hashtags), targeted advertising, or by using a digital application, such as SMB Tweets. At a minimum, the City will want to consistently promote its social media accounts through newsletter articles and in- person outreach at City events. City cable channel Columbia Heights The City operates a cable channel that broadcasts City Council meetings and shares event and programming information through static slides. Administrators reported that people watch the City Council meetings, but it is unclear if residents seek additional information through the cable channel. Additionally, the Library has a second cable channel that it uses to share news in its building. Peer cities Most of the peer cities also operate cable channels to stream public meetings and share information. Several of these cities repurpose this content on their website and social media, as well as post the content online for residents to watch on- demand. Recommendations While it is unclear how effective the cable channel is at sharing information about the City broadly, it does serve an important purpose of broadcasting City Council meetings. We recommend continuing to use the cable channel for this purpose. We also recommend exploring other opportunities to broaden the content that is shared on this channel. For example, you could produce videos about the City and share them on this channel, or host interviews with City employees. Any video content created for the cable channel could also be shared on social media. Newsletter Columbia Heights Columbia Heights currently mails a 24 -page newsletter to all residents quarterly. The black- and -white newsletter is text -heavy with very few images. Content is submitted by departments, which can lead to similar (if not exactly the same) content appearing in multiple issues. The newsletter is edited and designed by a freelance consultant, who has expressed interest in updating the newsletter. Peer cities All of your peer cities distribute a printed newsletter to residents; however, some have transitioned to also offering the newsletter electronically. Other cities supplement their printed newsletter with smaller, weekly e- newsletters. Additionally, some cities send a printed newsletter more frequently — on a monthly or bimonthly basis. For example, Robbinsdale publishes a weekly newsletter online and mails a printed newsletter to residents semi - annually. Recommendations A newsletter is an important way to communicate with residents; however, the size, graphic design, and sheer amount of content of the current newsletter can make it intimidating, especially if they are not native English speakers. Columbia Heights should reimagine the newsletter, considering its communications goals and objectives, the types of content shared, the graphic design, and the frequency of the publication. The City should consider a more modern, colorful design for the printed version. An e- newsletter could be produced more often, decreasing the number of pages and amount of content that needs to be shared in each publication. This will help eliminate repetitive content from issue to issue. Preference should be given to human interest stories and photos that help highlight the City's key messages and demonstrate the value of City services. Email blasts and e- newsletter Columbia Heights Currently, Columbia Heights does not have a coordinated way to reach residents via email. After the website was redesigned, departments lost the ability to email interested parties when content on specific pages was updated. Additionally, any email lists that had been developed through the old website were lost in the transition. Peer cities Your peer cities differ in the sophistication of their email communications with residents and key audiences. While most send their printed newsletters to residents online, the most effective cities are ones that utilize an email distribution service to send targeted emails to residents. For example, Brooklyn Park, Fridley, and New Brighton all have several email lists that residents can sign up for so that they receive the information that they want via email. Recommendations Columbia Heights should set up the infrastructure to be able to send emails to residents. Granicus (formerly GovDelivery) is a popular email distribution system used by governments of all sizes. The service allows cities to create distribution lists targeted to specific topic areas which residents select. For example, Brooklyn Park has distribution lists for residents interested in general City information, recreation services, recycling, public safety, and more. Email content should go beyond the newsletter and website updates. The communications staffer can draft project updates or short stories for each distribution list on a regular basis. Content that is shared through email could also be shared on social media. Branding and graphic design Columbia Heights Columbia Heights recently invested in a new brand and website; however, the brand has not been uniformly implemented across the City. Staff serving in communications roles do not have access to or M training on design software (e.g., InDesign and Photoshop), so communications materials do not look as professional as they could. Peer cities Ensuring brand consistency is a challenge for all large organizations, especially ones with multiple departments. Your peer cities are no different. Nevertheless, many of them have graphic design capabilities in -house or on contract so that they can create professional communications materials when needed. Recommendations The launch of the City's new brand provides an important opportunity to standardize the design of communications across the City. Recognizing that the new communications staffer will likely not be able to create every communications piece, Columbia Heights should create or update existing email, flyer, brochure and form templates to make it easy for departments to create professional, highly visual communications materials on their own. The communications staffer should provide oversight over the production of materials to ensure that all departments adhere to the City's new brand standards. The communications staffer should also be available to assist with writing, design, proofreading and other tasks as needed. Ideally, the new communications staffer should be proficient in design software, but does not need to be a graphic designer. Website Columbia Heights The City's new website is aesthetically pleasing and is organized in a way that makes it easy for users to find the information they need. However, because the City does not have communications or IT staff dedicated to managing the site, managing the website can be challenging. The site is currently managed by a member of the Community Development Department. He spends a significant amount of his time helping other departments with technical issues, managing the news section on the home page, and proofreading new content. This work is not a part of his job description and should be the role of a communications staffer, with assistance from departmental staff. Additionally, departments reported that there are some functionality issues with the website, including the ability to send email notifications when new content has been added to the site and the cross - linking of department calendars. Analytics show that the website is used heavily, with more than 8,000 unique visitors each month. About two- thirds of users access the website on a desktop community, and one -third of users access the website on a mobile device. Mobile access will likely increase in the near future, so it will be important that the website continues to be mobile responsive as it is updated. Peer cities Columbia Heights' website outperforms most of its peer cities because it was recently redesigned. However, many are following suit and redesigning their websites as well. Like Columbia Heights, these cities struggle with managing the large amount of content that should be on their websites. Communications staff fort hese cities are inch a rge of managing the webs ites and generally spend between 25% -40% of their time on website - related tasks. Recommendations The City's new communications staffer should manage the website. Departments should continue to update their own content pages, but the communications staffer should oversee the site to ensure consistency among website pages, proofread and approve content, select stories to highlight in the news section, and provide technical assistance when necessary. The communications staffer should work with a website vendor to fix functionality issues. Because your IT department is not involved in the technical administration of the website, you may want to keep your website vendor on a small contract so that they can help if issues arise. You may also want to consider adding the ability to add emergency banners to the home page. These banners could be used to share public safety information about storms and downed power lines and could also advertise events, like the community picnic or recreation programming. While many departments expressed the desire to send notifications to subscribers when they have updated a webpage, we recommend that departments repurpose the new content into an email blast or newsletter. Residents will be able to read information directly in their email instead of taking an extra step to click on a link. Community engagement Columbia Heights Engaging community members and businesses through events, such as the annual community picnic, and other in- person outreach opportunities is one of the best ways to generate trust within a community and raise awareness for the many important services the City provides. The Police and Fire Departments also host other community engagement opportunities throughout the year. Peer cities Community engagement is a key part of your peer cities' communications strategies as well. Many hold events that are similar to your community picnic. Robbinsdale takes its community engagement a step further and is working with apartment building liaisons to help engage renters. They have found this to be an effective way to communicate with more transient populations, many of whom are not native English speakers. Recommendations Columbia Heights should continue to host the community picnic, and consider hosting similar events multiple times a year. The picnic provides an important opportunity to put a face to the City and promote City services, and it would be even more effective if hosted multiple times a year. Additionally, the City should consider hosting neighborhood- specific events that would draw people who might not typically attend a citywide event. We understand that the City and individual departments provide giveaways at the community picnic. Giveaways are an important incentive for residents to visit booths at the picnic; however, departments reported that they can be an afterthought in the planning process. The new communications staffer should be engaged in conversations about giveaways from the beginning, thinking strategically about what types of giveaways will be attractive to residents and help keep the City top of mind. 0 Columbia Heights should also consider other unique community engagement opportunities — especially at places and events where people are already congregated, and potentially adopt Robbinsdale's apartment building liaison strategy. Several departments noted that it was hard to communicate directly with renters, because they only had contact information for the property owner or building manager. A liaison should be a trusted member of the community to help bridge any cultural divides that exist. Electronic signage at City Hall and the municipal liquor stores should be used to promote community events. Columbia Heights should also consider adding electronic signage to the new library because it is located on a highly trafficked road. The City may want to consider conducting a brief survey of residents and businesses to see if they think they are receiving the information they need from the City in the right formats. This could help prioritize resources and communications tactics. For example, if the survey shows that residents want to receive more information online, you may want to bolster your social media and email communications. Translation Columbia Heights Columbia Heights has a very diverse population, and can struggle at times to communicate with residents who are not native English speakers. Residents who want to interact with the City will often come to City Hall in person with a family member as a translator, but those who call the City can struggle to understand the phone conversation without a translator. While the City offers Google Translate to visitors on all of its webpages, Google Translate does not work for PDFs on the website, such as the Heights Happening newsletter or permit applications. It also doesn't work on outside links, such as the American Legal Publishing Corporation website that houses the City Code or the outside server that houses the City Council meeting notes and agenda. Peer cities Translation services is a major challenge for all of your peer cities, including larger cities with diverse audiences like Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center. To help translate phone calls, many cities use Language Line, which offers on- demand phone translation services in more than 240 languages. Many cities have hired staff who speak multiple languages and can help translate when needed. Recommendations While some departments already use Language Line to help translate phone calls, all departments should have access to and training on this useful tool. Additionally, Columbia Heights should look for opportunities to hire community members as contractors to help translate materials into Spanish, Somali, Hmong and other languages commonly spoken in Columbia Heights. This will help ensure residents are aware of and can access services they might benefit from. At a minimum, the newsletter and City Council materials should be translated. Ideally, flyers for the community picnic and recreation services should also be translated. J Sample job description The following sample job description is adapted from a job description for Crystal's Communication Coordinator. CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS POSITION DESCRIPTION Position Title: Communications Coordinator FLSA Status: Exempt POSITION OBJECTIVE Provides professional assistance to City departments by assuming primary responsibility for coordinating the management and development of the City's communication programs. Ensures high quality and timely distribution of accurate, consistent and relevant information to stakeholders and promotes a positive public image for the community. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES • Leads the planning, coordinating and implementation of internal and external communications for the City, from concept through production. • Researches, develops, implements and provides support for a marketing and branding program. • Develops communication policies and procedures for the City. • Advises and supports staff on communications and media relations issues; anticipates and helps manage key communications issues. • Responsible for coordinating content, design, publication and distribution of quarterly City newsletter and other email communications. • Manages and maintains the content and design of the city website; posts news items, agendas, minutes, links and calendars; reviews content to ensure accuracy; analyzes and executes needed design changes. • Develops and manages the content of the City's social media tools. • Prepares and distributes press releases and ads to appropriate news media in a consistent and proactive manner at the direction of management staff. • Coordinates the programming with the City's cable channel. • Assists with preparation of talking points, speeches, and presentations. • Takes photographs and maintains a file of photographs which help chronicle municipal events, activities, programs and services. • Coordinates and /or participates in community events, and city ribbon cuttings, groundbreakings, open houses, volunteer recognitions and other similar events. • Coordinates and oversees design and production of City forms, certificates, flyers, manuals, brochures and other printed material for all city departments. • Trains department staff on communications tasks (e.g., social media, website updates, and other related tasks to be performed by other staff members). • Measures effectiveness of communications efforts through surveys, web /social media analytics, etc. • Attends city council, commission and other meetings as needed. • Assists with preparation and monitoring of the annual communications budget. • Manages communications - related contracts. • Performs special projects, research, and other duties as assigned. 10 KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES Technical Knowledge: Knowledge of the organization and functions of City departments. Extensive knowledge of computers including ability to work with graphic design software, Microsoft Office, social media applications and equipment. Knowledge of communication and marketing principles and practices. Ability to use a digital camera, video camera and video editing software. Technical Ability: Must be able to keep accurate records, to assemble and organize data and to prepare standard reports from such records. Must be able to use the computer for word processing, spreadsheets, database packages and other various computerized packages as assigned. Ability to create visual displays utilizing software including presentations, flyers, posters, brochures and other graphic publications and displays. Communications: Must have the ability to actively listen to others for understanding of their needs and situations; ability to speak, read, and write English clearly. Must possess writing expertise for marketing, editorial, electronic /social media, and public /media relations purposes. Must be able to effectively represent the organization to management and the public; able to speak effectively in public. Decision Making: Must use good judgment. Must be able to assess problems and situations, able to anticipate needs and evaluate alternatives. Interpersonal Relationships: Must be consistent in dealing with people; must exclude personal biases from work performance; must have the ability to accept criticism and /or discipline; must have tact and diplomacy; must strive to promote a cooperative atmosphere in the department; must have a positive attitude. Must be able to establish and maintain effective and respected working relationship with employees, supervisors and management. Must have ability to work as a team member in the department and organization. Professional Attitude: Must have commitment to the organization; willingness to take initiative; dependability; maturity in relationships with others; and self confidence. Must represent the organization to the public with a courteous, helpful, accurate and business -like attitude in all telephone and personal contact. Quality of Work: Must be able to produce quality, accurate work. Must be able to detect and correct errors. Must be able to utilize work time properly and productively, including prioritizing work. Must be able to self- direct activities, work independently on a wide variety of projects and assignments to meet goals and objectives. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 50 pounds of force; work regularly requires speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms and repetitive motions; frequently requires standing, walking, sitting, pushing or pulling and lifting and occasionally requires stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling; work requires close vision, distance vision, ability to adjust focus, depth perception, color perception, night vision and peripheral vision; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and /or to make fine distinctions in sound; work requires preparing and analyzing 11 written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and /or small parts, use of measuring devices, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work occasionally requires wet, humid conditions (non- weather) and working near moving mechanical parts; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic). MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS — Bachelor's degree in journalism, public relations, communications or related field. — Five years of experience managing projects in communications, public relations, community affairs or related field, preferably in a municipal setting. — Responsible experience in communications including writing and editing articles and preparing professional presentations. — Writing expertise for marketing, editorial, electronic /social media and public /media relations purposes. — Experience maintaining and updating websites using content management systems and /or HTML. — Experience utilizing social media and preparing flyers and brochures or equivalent. — Proficiency with desktop and web publishing software. — Experience with designing and writing newsletters. — Able to type 40 words per minute. — Experience with word processing and spreadsheet software applications in a Windows environment. — Experience with Adobe Acrobat, Adobe InDesign, and photo- editing software such as Adobe Photoshop. EXTENT OF SUPERVISION OR GUIDANCE PROVIDED Works under the supervision of the [CITY MANAGER OR ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER]. Has considerable leeway and must work independently. RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUBLIC CONTACT Position requires extensive public contact in person, on the telephone and in writing. SUPERVISION OF OTHERS [LOWER LEVEL STAFFER OR INTERN ?] 12 COLUMBIA HEIGHTS POLICE DEPARTMENT .fjahq V'. MEMORANDUM To: Donna Schmitt, Mayor of Columbia Heights Members of the Columbia Heights City Council From: Lenny Austin, Interim Chief of Police Subject: Ride Along with the Columbia Heights Police Department Date: August 2, 2017 I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to participate in a ride along with the Columbia Heights Police Department. This is a wonderful opportunity for the police department to show all of you the interesting, complex, and at times very unpredictable nature of police work. Attached to this memo is a department ride along form. If you are interested in participating, complete the form, sign it and return it to me and I will schedule the ride along. Evenings and weekends are usually the popular times to participate in a ride along since the call load is higher. Summertime is also the popular time of year however we will work around your busy schedule and make any time frame that you would like available. The police department is also in the process of scheduling a "City Council Academy." This will allow the police department to acquaint you further with the inner workings of the police department and provide more information on how the police department operates, common police misconceptions, and how the Columbia Heights Police Department endeavors to reduce crime and increase public safety. I will be reaching out to you in the near future to work on tentative dates for the academy. The department's goal will be to start the academy in mid - September. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (763) 706 -8113. cc: Walt Fehst, City Manager Kelli Bourgeois, Human Resources Director /Assistant to the City Manager CHPD Sergeants PO 123 Ride -Along Program Attachment A COLUMBIA HEIGHTS POLICE DEPARTMENT CIVILIAN RIDE -ALONG PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS AND OVERVIEW RIDE -ALONG PROGRAM To promote trust between the police and the community, the Columbia Heights Police Department encourages open and candid police operations. Citizens of the community are therefore encouraged to ride with officers during a four -hour tour of duty. The ride -along program is one of the most effective programs the police department uses to help citizens become aware of police roles and functions. If you are interested in participating in the ride -along program, please read the following instructions and overview. INSTRUCTIONS AND OVERVIEW Dear Citizen: As a courtesy to the citizens of the community, the Columbia Heights Police Department has established a policy of allowing a limited number of persons to observe patrol operations of the police department. We are pleased to be able to extend this courtesy to you. Please keep in mind that while participating as an observer, you will be under the direct control of your host officer at all times. Due to our concerns for your safety, the safety of our officers, and to assure that we can continue to deliver effective service to all of our citizens, we must place certain restrictions on this privilege. These restrictions are as follows: • With a few exceptions, you must be eighteen (18) years of age or older to participate in the program. Prior to your ride, you will be required to sign a waiver of liability form. The form is intended to release the City of Columbia Heights, the Columbia Heights Police Department, and any individual officer from civil liability for any and all injuries suffered by you as a result of your association with the department as an observer. In the case of persons between the ages of 16 -18 years, this waiver must be signed by both the individual wishing to ride and their parent or legal guardian. The police department requires that you be physically able to perform the observation function without assistance from the host officer. You will be required to maintain a neat, clean, and businesslike appearance. Please beep in mind that your appearance while in the company of our officers will be a reflection upon the police department. If a question arises about the suitability of your appearance, the supervisor will snake a final decision about your continuation in the program. THIS DECISION WILL BE FINAL. PO 123 Ride -AIong Program Attachment A • Under no circumstances may you be armed with a weapon. • The United States Supreme Court has ruled that under most circumstances civilian observers may not accompany police officers into private residences or businesses without the permission of the occupant(s). When circumstances permit, your host officer will introduce you to the occupants and ask for permission; however, you may not enter the premises until it is granted. When it is not, you will be asked to remain in the patrol car or at a safe location. + You may accompany the officer during prisoner transport and booking process if in the officer's opinion it would not constitute a hazard to any of the persons involved or interfere with an investigation. + You shall not participate in any police activity or converse with any prisoner, suspect, witness, or any other person contacted on police business unless your host officer has granted permission. + You shall not inquire as to why an officer handled a complaint as he /she did until completion of the call. + You shall not make any audio or video recordings during your tour. Now that we have discussed the restrictions placed upon the riders, we would like to familiarize you with certain procedures, which may help keep you safe and may assist the officer with whom you are riding. • Become familiar with the operation of the radio linking you with dispatch—IT IS YOUR LIFELINE! Know your officer's unit designation number (i.e., 1HII) --or at the very least —his name. In case the officer is incapacitated, you need to know how to use the radio to call for help. Know where you are by street name and approximate hundred block. This could be crucial should you need to call for help. Be aware of the street signs as you turn from one street to another and watch for landmarks, such as major businesses, which will pinpoint your location.. Be self - sufficient. Do not become a liability to the officer with whom you are riding. Keep in mind that they have important duties and should not have to be constantly concerned with your welfare. • Establish a rapport with your host officer. Make sure that you both understand what is and what is not expected of you. Know ahead of time if you are expected to stay in the car on particular calls or incidents. ® Think ahead. Your host officer might like you to jot down the license number, time, and other pertinent details while he /she is making the initial contact on traffic stops. Double check the license number for accuracy. This small contribution might help all concerned if something unexpected happens. + Enjoy yourself. We hope this will be a learning experience for you and give you an insight into the duties of police officers. We wish to thank you for giving us the opportunity to demonstrate the services performed by our police department. PO 123 Ride -Along Program DATA PRACTICES RIGHTS ADVISORY Attachment B As an applicant for ride -along with the police department or the City of Columbia Heights, you are being asked to provide information about yourself, which will be used in consideration of your application. The purpose of this request for information is to obtain information about you to permit the police department to complete local and State of Minnesota background check(s), outstanding warrant(s) checks, and when applicable, to ensure that you possess a valid Minnesota driver's license. Applicants under consideration for a ride -along must have no misdemeanor arrests in the past three years; in addition, no felony convictions in the past ten years. You are being requested to sign these documents and complete the information in order to be considered for a ride- along. The Columbia Heights Police Department Policy requires the information contained in the Ride -Along Release and the Non - Disclosure and Indemnity Agreement. If the information is not furnished, processing of your application will not proceed and the ride -along will not be permitted. The data you are being asked to provide is defined under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. Under the Data Practices Act, some of this data is classified public data and the remaining information is classified as private data or confidential. As a result of the classification of this data, the Columbia Heights Police Department will not release to any person other than public officers and agencies who have a need to know such information in order to process and make a decision on the approval of your application. The purpose and intended use of the information provided to the Police Department is to determine whether authorization for your ride -along should be approved. If a ride -along is granted, the data supplied by the ride -along applicant will become public. Public data is data that is available to any person upon request. The release of information that you have signed and the data you provide maybe conveyed to third parties. To the extent they reveal private information, they will be disclosed only to the extent that is necessary to complete the required application processing. I have read and understand the above: Signature of Applicant Date PO 123 Ride .Along Program Attachment C CIVILIAN RIDE -ALONG RELEASE, NON - .DISCLOSURE AND INDENINI.TY AGREEMENT WHEREAS the undersigned has voluntarily elected to ride as a passenger in the police department vehicles of the City of Columbia Heights, Anoka County, Minnesota and to accompany police officers of said city while engaged in the performance of their duties, to study and observe his/her own benefit the functions and operations of the Columbia Heights Police Department and its personnel; and WHEREAS the undersigned desires to do so at his/her own risk and recognizing the possible and inherent danger to his/her person and property resulting therefrom; and WHEREAS in connection with this observation of the Police Department, the undersigned may become privy to certain information that should not be disclosed to other individuals and which may include data which is classified as private, confidential, or non - public under State and Federal law; and WHEREAS the City of Columbia Heights does not wish to be liable for any damages arising from personal injuries and/or property damage sustained; NOW, THERFORE, in consideration of the premises and other good and valuable consideration, the undersigned does hereby for himself/herself, his/her wife/husband, heirs, executor or administrator and personal representatives: A. Agree to refrain from disclosing to a spouse, parent, friend, or any other individual information of any nature that the undersigned may obtain through his/her observation of the Police Department; B. Assume full responsibility for any personal injury or damage to his/her person or property which may occur — directly or indirectly—while in, on, or about such police department vehicle, the police department premises or any part thereof, at the Columbia Heights City Hall, the Columbia Heights City Garage, and all other City -owned property, or while accompanying any police officers of the City of Columbia Heights while in the performance of their duties; C. Fully and forever release and discharge the City of Columbia Heights, its agents and employees from any and all claims, demands, damages, rights of action or causes of action, present or future, whether the same be known, anticipated or unanticipated, resulting from or arising out of the undersigned's being in, on, or about such police department vehicle or at any or all of the premises and places aforesaid or while accompanying any police officers of the City of Columbia Heights as aforesaid; D. Indemnify and hold harmless the City of Columbia Heights, its agents and employees for any acts or conduct of the undersigned of whatever kind of nature whatsoever while in, on, or about any such police department vehicle or at any or all of the premises and places aforesaid PO 123 Ride -Along Program Attachment C or while accompanying any such police officer as aforesaid or disclosing at any time or place information learned while observing the operation of the Columbia Heights Police Department; E. Agree to defend and to pay any costs or attorney's fees as a result of any action brought by or against the City of Columbia Heights, its agents and employees for any acts or conduct of the undersigned of whatever kind of nature whatsoever while in, on, or about any such police department vehicle, or at any or all of the premises and places aforesaid, or while accompanying any such police officer as aforesaid or disclosing at any time or place informationn learned while observing the operation of the Columbia Heights Police Department; F. State that he /she is as of the date of the execution hereof, the age of eighteen (18) years or older, or that he/she is under eighteen (18) years of age and that his/her parent/guardian has agreed and explained the terms of this agreement to him/her; and G. Agree that it is the intent of the undersigned that this Ride -Along Release, Non - Disclosure and Indemnity Agreement be in full force and effect at any time after the execution hereof. PO 123 Ride -Along Program Attachment C CIVILIAN RIDE -ALONG RELEASE, NON - DISCLOSURE AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT FULL NAME DATE OF BIRTH FIRST MIDDLE LAST ADDRESS RACE SEX CITY /STATE/ZIP OCCUPATION HOME PHONE # WORK. PHONE # DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBER DATE/TIME REQUESTED FOR RIDE -ALONG I certify that the foregoing information that I have provided is true and correct: DATE SIGNATURE * * * * * *IF UNDER 18 YEARS OLD, PARENT /GUARDIAN MUST COMPLETE BELOW * * * * * * ** As parent/guardian of , I hereby state that I have read this agreement and explained its terms to my child. I hereby accept this agreement on behalf of my child and on my own behalf. I agree that all references to agreements or statements of the volunteer shall be considered to be references to me as well as my child and that for purposes of this agreement, I shall also be considered a volunteer. DATE PARENT WITNESS * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** *CHIEF OR HIS/HER DESIGNEE COMPLETES * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Permission is hereby granted to the person named herein, and whose signature is affixed above, to be a passenger in a Columbia Heights Police Department vehicle as follows: Date /Time ride -along begins: @ hours Date /Time ride -along ends: @ hours Officer Assigned Open -ended ride -along approval. To be renewed annually. Approved by Date: Signature * * * * * * * * * * *x * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** *OFFICER COMPLETES* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** Actual time ride -along begins Actual time ride -along ended 9/7/04 CH COLUMBIA HEIGHTS AGENDA SECTION WORK SESSION ITEM NO. WS3 MEETING DATE AUGUST 7, 2017 CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS - COUNCIL LETTER ITEM: Central Avenue Transportation/ Economic Development (TED) Grant Proposal DEPARTMENT: Community Development CITY MANAGER'S APPROVAL: BY /DATE: Joe Hogeboom, 08/01/2017 BY /DATE: BACKGROUND: The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) administers the "Transportation / Economic Development" grant program, or TED for short. TED funds up to $10 million per improvement project to a state highway. The improvement(s) must enhance or modify the roadway or right -of -way area, and lead to a measurable contribution to job creation or retention in the area. Staff has identified the area along Central Avenue, between 47th and 43rd Avenues, as an area that it would like to focus on for the grant, extending the safety improvement work that is planned to occur north of 47th Avenue further south into downtown Columbia Heights. The work, if funded, would likely include new sidewalks, street lighting, decorative concrete treatment to roadway medians, enhanced pedestrian crossing(s), enhanced bus facilities and potential minimal right -of -way acquisition. The TED grant provides for 70% of total project costs. The City may also consider burying the utility lines along Central Avenue. TED grant applications are due for submittal to MnDOT on September 15th. The Community Development Director and Economic Development Manager would coordinate the application material, which would include outreach to area commercial property owners, data collection, and narrative writing. In order to complete the application properly, staff would like to utilize the engineering services of SEH. SEH was the selected professional service provider for the Central Avenue project north of 47th Avenue, and has the project history and ability to facilitate with the potential extension of the project to 43rd Avenue. Specifically, staff would need SEH to perform the following duties: 1. Provide grant application documents including a location map with surrounding businesses and conceptual layout drawings and typical section renderings that illustrate the proposed sidewalk, lighting and other enhancements. 2. Prepare a high level project cost estimate including a review of right of way needs and costs. 3. Attend a meeting with staff to review costs and layout. 4. Prepare a technical memo summarizing methodology and assumptions of the layout and cost estimate. The proposed fee associated with SEH's work is $8,000 and would be funded through the State Aid Maintenance Fund. Staff seeks guidance from the City Council in moving forward, in partnership with SEH, to prepare TED grant application material for an improvement project along Central Avenue, between 47th and 43rd Avenues. ATTACHMENT 1. Professional Services Proposal Letter from SEH, dated July 28, 2017 (2 pages) Central Avenue Transportation/ Economic Development Grant Proposal -A. SEH Ruildin�, n Better world fc, All of Us July 28, 2017 Joe Hogeboom Community Development Director City of Columbia Heights 590 40th Avenue NE Columbia Heights, MN 55421 Dear Joe: RE: City of Columbia Heights Central Avenue Corridor Enhancement - Grant Assistance SEH No. 14.00 Thank you for your request for a proposal from SEH, Inc. for grant assistance for Central Avenue Corridor Enhancements between 47th Avenue NE and 43rd Avenue NE. It is our understanding the City is interested in pursuing grant funding for improvements similar to those recently designed for Central Avenue between 47th Avenue and 51St Avenue. The project would focus on various improvements to the Central Avenue corridor including sidewalk, American with Disability Act (ADA) improvements and enhancements to lighting and bus stop facilities, in addition to hardscape enhancements such as colored /textured concrete. The project would be funded through the MnDOT Transportation Economic Development Program (TED) grant if successful. The City is requesting that SEH assist city staff in preparing the grant application due September 15, 2017. Our fee estimate includes the following tasks: 1. Provide grant application documents including a location map with surrounding businesses and conceptual layout drawings and typical section that illustrate the proposed sidewalk and lighting and other enhancements. 2. Prepare a high level project cost estimate including a review of right of way needs and costs. 3. Attend a meeting with staff to review costs and layout. 4. Prepare a technical memo summarizing methodology and assumptions of the layout and cost estimate. The lump sum fee of $8000 including reimbursable expenses is compensation for our services and the agreed upon scope of work as described above. Additional services if requested would be at their additional cost. In addition, the City is looking for very high level engineering fee estimates for the preliminary, final and construction services that would be part of the overall cost of the project. For the purposes of the proposal, we are basing the engineering fee estimate by prorating the recent work we just completed on the corridor from 47th to 51st Avenues to a fee per lineal foot and applying it to the new project. Please understand these are very high level estimates. The final scope of work could fluctuate depending on a more detailed review given additional needs of the project that have not been identified at this time. Engineers I Architects I Planners I Scientists Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc., 3535 Vadnais Center Drive, St. Paul, MN 55110 -5196 SEH is 100% employee -owned I sehinc.com 1 651.490.2000 1 800.325.2055 1 888.908.8166 fax Joe Hogeboom July 28, 2017 Page 2 Factors that could affect this would be the amount of right of way required, street and storm sewer needs or other streetscaping desires. High Level Engineering Services Fee Estimates: Preliminary Design $63,000 Final Design Construction Services $72,000 $91,000 Thank you for the opportunity to submit our proposal and we welcome any questions that you have. Please contact me at 651.490.2018. Sincerely, SHORT ELLIOTT HENDRICKSON INC. Susan M. Mason Principal smm c: Kevin Hansen, Scott Haupt s:\ ae \c \colht\common',proposals \ted grant sdwk and lighting th 65 43 to 47\central ajenue grant assistance proposal_sdh edits.docx CH COLUMBIA HEIGHTS AGENDA SECTION WORK SESSION ITEM NO. MEETING DATE AUGUST 7, 2017 CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS - COUNCIL LETTER ITEM: KEYES PARK FINAL PLANS DEPARTMENT: Public Works CITY MANAGER'S APPROVAL: BY /Date: Kevin Hansen / August 4, 2017 BY /Date: BACKGROUND: In 2016, the Park and Recreation Commission developed a Master Plan for Keyes Park. The Park Planning consulting firm of ISG prepared the Master Plan including the following elements: 1. Realigned athletic fields (2) 2. New playground 3. Reconfigured parking lots 4. Rain gardens /infiltration basins for water quality 5. Walking path from parking lot to facilities 6. Addition of a paved walking trail around entire park 7. Sidewalk along the east side of McLeod from 44th to 45th Avenues 8. Remodeling of the existing warming house 9. Adding a medium -sized picnic shelter to the warming house 10. An outdoor adult fitness area 11. Site landscaping 12. Preserve sliding hill 13. Introduction of a soccer field (partial) The City Council accepted the Master Plan at their August 22, 2016 meeting and authorized the preparation of plans. $350,000 is budgeted in the 2017 Parks Capital Improvement Fund for Keyes Park, and $75,000 from the Storm Water Fund. At their July regular meeting, the Park and Recreation Commission reviewed the plans and made a motion recommending plan approval and bidding to the City Council. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: The base bid includes items 1 -5, 10, 11 and 12 above, and 6 and 7 as an add alternate in the bidding documents. RECOMMENDED MOTION(S): Move to approve the final Plans and Specifications and order Advertisement for Bids for Keyes Park Improvements, City Project 1610. ATTACHMENT(S): Site Plan Bidding Documents i I I I I I I I I I I I II I I I I I I r - - -- — — — — — — — --------- - - - - -- — — - I I RL�CR �'0/R BLVD 0�® I...._...._....—....—....—....—. ..._....— ....— ...._...._...._.. I r p ----------------- $ I I I i I ` y i 1 I 1 - �- it l ,fir I PCc R::. T I I 1 I �- I I ---------- I--- — — — --a 0 W J U LL Elm E Y� 4sn` J F Q cc W z Q C a o U o' a `_ p x a t7 R f R � a r ■ V IA � LL �< s=_ s Vh i I I I I I I I I I I I II I I I I I I r - - -- — — — — — — — --------- - - - - -- — — - I I RL�CR �'0/R BLVD 0�® I...._...._....—....—....—....—. ..._....— ....— ...._...._...._.. I r p ----------------- $ I I I i I ` y i 1 I 1 - �- it l ,fir I PCc R::. T I I 1 I �- I I ---------- I--- — — — --a 0 W J U LL Elm E 0 o t-6 0 i J 2 w I L — I r- - I I L_ I I I r- I I L — I I I I I I I I I I I I > I I I I } $ 0 gg S YW � S U$ F o z Z a J G 11 w LU F l a 8Zp W w w LL w W o o m r ¢ CH COLUMBIA HEIGHTS AGENDA SECTION WORK SESSION ITEM NO. MEETING DATE AUGUST 7, 2017 CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS - COUNCIL LETTER ITEM: SOLAR GARDENS SUBSCRIPTIONS DEPARTMENT: Public Works CITY MANAGER'S APPROVAL: BY /DATE: Kevin Hansen / August 3, 2017 BY /DATE: BACKGROUND: The City of Columbia Heights has the opportunity to subscribe to a community solar garden through Xcel Energy's Solar Rewards Community Program. There are no costs to the City for subscribing. The City can subscribe for up to 2,760,000 kWh, which is the annual amount of electricity the City purchases, less the amount of electricity that is being generated in the City by solar panels. For each kWh that is subscribed, the City will receive a bill credit and a Renewable Energy Credit. The bill credit will be equal to the rate that Xcel Energy is charging its customers. Currently the bill credit is worth 10.3 cents /kWh. Xcel Energy has a desire to obtain the Renewable Energy Credits that are associated with the electricity that is produced by the Solar Garden, and they will pay the City 2 cents for every kWh produced as a Renewable Energy Credit. This means that for every kWh that is produced and is in the City's subscription, the City will receive a credit on their bill for 12.3 cents (10.3 cent bill credit plus the 2 cent Renewable Energy Credit). The Solar Garden is being built and paid for by a Third Party Tax Investor. Because the City pays nothing for the Solar Garden or the subscription, they must buy the electricity that the Garden is producing from the owner of the actual Garden (the Third Party Tax Investor). The subscription states that the City will pay the Garden owner 11.3 cents for every kWh that is produced and is in the City's subscription. The end result is that the City will receive 12.3 cents from Xcel Energy for every kWh and pay the owner of the Solar Garden 11.3 cents for every kWh. This leaves the City with a net profit of 1 cent for every kWh they subscribe for. Xcel Energy loses 1 cent for every kWh that is produced in the subscription, but they acquire the Renewable Energy Credits without the associated cost of building the systems generating the power. Because they get the Renewable Energy Credits, Xcel Energy effectively gets to take credit for the solar power being generated through the Solar Garden. This helps them meet their renewable energy goals without the cost of building the solar systems. The following table shows the bill credits and solar payments the City will make under this subscription. City of Columbia Heights - Council Letter Community Solar Garden Cashflow Model Inputs Page 2 PPA Rate: $ 0.1130 REC Yearly Escalator: Bill Savings= kWh x (Bill Credit + REC) 0.00°/ Total Subscription (kWh): 2,760,000 Bill Credit $ 0.1030 Term (Years:) 25 Grid Escalator: $0.1130 2.75% Degradation Factor: 0.50°/ REC $ 0.02 2,746,200 Total Bill Credit (Year 1) $ 0.1230 $345,561 Year Total kWh Bill Credit* edi t* REC PPA Rate Bill Savings= kWh x (Bill Credit + REC) Solar Payments= PPA x kWh Annual Savings Cumulative Savings Year 1 2,760,000 $0.1030 $0.02 $0.1130 $339,480 $311,880 $27,600 $27,600 Year 2 2,746,200 $0.1058 $0.02 $0.1130 $345,561 $310,321 $35,241 $62,841 Year 3 2,732,469 $0.1087 $0.02 $0.1130 $351,786 $308,769 $43,017 $105,858 Year 2,718,807 $0.1117 $0.02 $0.1130 $358,157 $307,225 $50,932 $156,790 Year 5 2,705,213 $0.1148 $0.02 $0.1130 $364,679 $305,689 $58,990 $215,780 Year 6 2,691,687 $0.1180 $0.02 $0.1130 $371,354 $304,161 $67,193 $282,973 Year 7 2,678,228 $0.1212 $0.02 $0.1130 $378,185 $302,640 $75,545 $358,518 Year 2,664,837 $0.1245 $0.02 $0.1130 $385,176 $301,127 $84,050 $442,568 Year 9 2,651,513 $0.1280 $0.02 $0.1130 $392,332 $299,621 $92,711 $535,278 Year 10 2,638,255 $0.1315 $0.02 $0.1130 $399,654 $298,123 $101,531 $636,810 Year 11 2,625,064 $0.1351 $0.02 $0.1130 $407,148 $296,632 $110,515 $747,325 Year 12 2,611,939 $0.1388 $0.02 $0.1130 $414,816 $295,149 $119,667 $866,992 Year 13 12,598,879 $0.1426 $0.02 $0.1130 $422,663 $293,673 $128,989 $995,981 Year 14 2,585,885 $0.1466 $0.02 $0.1130 $430,692 $292,205 $138,487 $1,134,469 Year 15 2,572,955 $0.1506 $0.02 $0.1130 $438,909 $290,744 $148,165 $1,282,633 Year 16 2,560,090 $0.1547 $0.02 $0.1130 $447,316 $289,290 $158,025 $1,440,659 Year 17 2,547,290 $0.1590 $0.02 $0.1130 $455,918 $287,844 $168,074 $1,608,733 Year 18 2,534,553 $0.1634 $0.02 $0.1130 $464,719 $286,405 $178,315 $1,787,047 Year 19 2,521,881 $0.1678 $0.02 $0.1130 $473,724 $284,973 $188,752 $1,975,799 Year 20 2,509,271 $0.1725 $0.02 $0.1130 $482,938 $283,548 $199,390 $2,175,189 Year 21 2,496,725 $0.1772 $0.02 $0.1130 $492,364 $282,130 $210,235 $2,385,424 Year 22 2,484,241 $0.1821 $0.02 $0.1130 $502,009 $280,719 $221,289 $2,606,713 Year 23 2,471,820 $0.1871 $0.02 $0.1130 $511,875 $279,316 $232,560 $2,839,273 Year 24 2,459,461 $0.1922 $0.02 $0.1130 $521,969 $277,919 $244,050 $3,083,323 Year 25 12,447,164 1 $01975 $0.02 $0.1130 $532,296 $276,529 $255,767 1 $3,339,090 The Solar Garden Subscription is a 25 year agreement. As indicated in the table, for each of the years we are predicting that Xcel Energy's rates will increase by 2.75 %. This is far lower than their 15 year historical rate increases of 3.3% (see the table below). It is important to note that while we are expecting Xcel Energy rates to rise at a rate lower than their 15 year historical increases, the Solar Garden subscription rate that the City pays is locked in and will not change over the 25 year term. If Xcel Energy's rates increase at a rate higher than the predicted 2.75 %, the City will save more money than what is shown on the table above. If Xcel Energy's rates increase at a rate lower than the increases we are predicting, the City will save less money than what the table above indicates. The positive is that even if Xcel Energy's rates don't increase at all over the next 25 years, the City will save over $27,000 a year. If Xcel's rates increase at the escalation rate in the table above (which is 0.55% lower than their historical increases), the City's savings will increase City of Columbia Heights - Council Letter Page 3 each year. By Year 10 the City will be saving over $100,000 a year, and by year 20 the City will be saving over $200,000 a year. Over the 25 year contract the City will save a total of more than $3.3 million. Average Xcel Energy Minnesota Retail Rate Change 2000 -2015 12 °l0 10% 8% I 6% 4 %\,,� Average 3.3% 2% V201O2 0 °1° 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 O/ - to -4414 - -- - - - -- - - -- _ _ Source: EEI - Includes base rates, fuel adjustments -84/0 - - - -- - -- - — - -- -- - -- -- and riders EEI rate summaries may vary slightly from Solar'Rewards Community bill credits due to timing of Annual Change Average calculations and rate class variations. Future rates may vary. CH COLUMBIA HEIGHTS AGENDA SECTION WORK SESSION ITEM NO. MEETING DATE AUGUST 7, 2017 CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS - COUNCIL LETTER ITEM: REFUSE CART PURCHASE DEPARTMENT: Public Works CITY MANAGER'S APPROVAL: BY /DATE: Kevin Hansen / August 4, 2017 BY /DATE: BACKGROUND: Staff is currently preparing an RFP for refuse services as our current contract term will conclude at the end of 2017. One item that staff has reviewed is the carts and ownership of the carts. Currently Advanced Disposal owns all of the carts for all services, with a count as follows: CH RESIDENT CART COUNT SIZE TYPE QTY 35 GAL TRASH 465 65 GAL TRASH 1217 95 GAL TRASH 4650 35 GAL RECYCLE 25 65 GAL RECYCLE 5661 95 GAL RECYCLE 517 ALL YARD WASTE 301 TOTAL: 12,836 In the last contract, approximately eight years ago, all new carts were purchased and provided by the vendor. The price of carts depends on: 1. The price of plastic resin at the time the carts are bid. 2. The size of the carts. 3. Special cart add -ons (e.g.: micro - chips, four -color City logo, recycling instructions permanently imbedded in the lid, etc.). 4. The size of the cart order (volume discount). 5. Services accompanying cart purchase (assembly of carts, placement of carts at homes, construction of a database with the address, cart ID, micro -chip ID, education of customers, etc.). We have seen 90- gallon carts sell new for $60 - $80 each. The typical useful life of a garbage cart is 13 -20 years, depending on the quality of the cart and the care that is taken by the owner. There are over 50,000 carts in Minneapolis that are still in use that were put into service in 1987. Factors that decrease the life of a cart include putting hot ashes or combustible chemicals in the cart, running over a cart with a truck or car, or freezing the cart into snow banks causing the wheels to come off the axels when the cart is pulled out. Carts are very repairable. Common repairs include replacement of axels, wheels, hinges and lids. Less common repairs include plastic "welding" of cuts in the cart body. Staff has reviewed the condition of our carts and would opinion that over 98% of them have at least another 7 -10 years of life — or at least through the next contract round. Staff then researched the value of 7 -8 year old carts along with our Environmental Consultant, Foth. Their opinion is as follows: City of Columbia Heights - Council Letter Page 2 "Foth has performed cost - benefit analyses on cart ownership for several cities who specified RFP alternates with and without city cart ownership. In each case, without fail, cart ownership by the City was the best long- term alternate, assuming that the city had sufficient capital or bonding capacity for the capital expense. When a company supplies the carts, they amortize the cost of the cart over the contract life... typically 5 -7 years. They charge the city the full price of the cart over that time. If the company is not successful in retaining the contract, they collect the fully paid for carts and provide them to other customers. Often the carts still have their factory warranty attached. These carts still have in excess of 10 years of "life," and have been paid for by the first (city) customer. If another company is selected by the city for the subsequent contract, the city "pays for" new carts again, and at the end of the contract the "new" carts are again fully amortized and paid for. If the some company is retained by the city, I have not seen the hauler's price decrease to take into account the fully-paid-for carts. Breaking this cycle by purchasing the carts allows the city to receive the full benefit of their purchase of the carts. The city can maintain the carts using city personnel, or the city can require the hauling company to maintain the carts and the cart inventory. If the hauling company is responsible for cart maintenance and inventory control, strict language in the contract and follow -up are required to make sure that the company adheres to the performance standards in the contract for cart maintenance, carefully tracks warranty issues and inventory, and reports to the city on a monthly basis the disposition of all carts. A good model is the cart tracking report that is used by the City of Minneapolis, which lists by serial number all burned carts, all carts broken beyond repair, stolen carts, new carts placed, and the number of carts repaired each month." Therefore, staff recommends that the City purchase carts that are now in service, and specify that all carts purchased should: 1. Be recorded by serial number. The new contract will state any additional carts that are delivered to the City will be owned by the City at the end of the contract. If more carts are removed than delivered those cart counts will be considered City -owned carts stored offsite .... we'll figure out the disposition of them at the end of the contract. For example, one month 10 carts were removed and 5 delivered. The company knows they owe us 5 carts ... if it were the end of the contract. But the next month 10 carts might be delivered and only 5 removed. Month Delivered Removed Offsite January 5 10 5 February 10 5 0 2. Be in good working order, without splits in the cart bodies or lids and with functioning axels, wheels and lids. 3. Have applicable warranties transferred to the City. 4. Have a sufficient number of lids, hinges, axels, and wheels available to repair those particular carts. (Recommend 5 — 10% per part of the number of carts purchased.) Not too concerned about this, the new contractor will have to repair /replace carts per contract. 5. The cost of the carts at $10.00 each. City of Columbia Heights - Council Letter Page 3 City ownership of the carts will be reflected in the next proposals received in the next contract round. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Authorize staff to execute a purchase contract with Advanced Disposal Services for the purchase of 12,836 carts at $10.00 each. Funding will be provided by the Refuse Fund. RECOMMENDED MOTION: Move to approve the purchase of 12,836 carts from Advanced Disposal Services at a price of $10.00 each, with funding from the Refuse Fund 603. CH COLUMBIA HEIGHTS AGENDA SECTION WORK SESSION ITEM NO. WS7 MEETING DATE AUGUST 7, 2017 CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS - COUNCIL LETTER ITEM: CITY HALL MASTER PLAN DEPARTMENT: Public Works CITY MANAGER'S APPROVAL: BY /Date: Kevin Hansen / August 3, 2017 BY /Date: BACKGROUND: In 2014 staff contracted with Braun Intertec to perform a building envelope analysis of City Hall, considering the exterior masonry and windows. This originated from leakage and water intrusion in the older part of City Hall in both the Community Development and Finance Departments. The recommendations of that report were included in a 2015 five -year building needs identification listing presented to the Council in the form of a CIP. It identified over $640,000 of recommended repairs or mechanical replacements to the building. Staff has delayed any major investment in the building considering the age, condition and deficiencies of the current structure, and instead has focused only on keeping the building mechanical systems running. During the 2017 Council goal setting process, the replacement of the existing City Hall was discussed and a short -term objective was established to create a City Hall Master Plan. The creation of a Master Plan would be similar to the scoping study process used for the new library and would involve: • Site Evaluation and Selection — provide an analysis of three or more sites in the City that may locate a new City Hall. • Site Assessment and Site Development — includes building layout, site access, parking, integration of stormwater needs on the site, and review foundation needs based on soil borings. • Concept Layout Development - develop preliminary building layout drawings including building square footage, exterior materials, building height, primary interior spaces, and quality of construction. • Develop preliminary building systems: This will include the building structural systems, HVAC systems, electrical systems and roofing systems. • Develop a detailed cost estimate based on the preferred site. • Develop funding scenarios based on the detailed cost estimate. This report, along with preliminary drawings (conceptual), will be prepared and presented to the Council. This level of work will provide a more accurate assessment of the construction cost of a new City Hall and how it might be funded. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the preparation of a City Hall Master Plan, as identified in the 2017 Council goals. RECOMMENDED MOTION(S): Move to authorize staff to prepare a City Hall Master Plan.