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Home My WebLink About12-04-2017 Work SessionMeeting of: COLUMBIA HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL Date of Meeting: December 4, 2017 Time of Meeting: 7:00 PM (Following the EDA Meeting) Location of Meeting: Conference Room #1 Purpose of Meeting: WORKSESSION CALL TO ORDER /ROLL CALL - The meeting was called to order at 7:20 PM Present: Mayor Schmitt, Councilmembers Williams, Murzyn Jr., Buesgens and Novitsky Also Present: Walt Fehst; City Manager, Kelli Bourgeois; Human Resource Director /Assistant to the City Manager, Joe Kloiber; Finance Director, Joe Hogeboom; Community Development Director, Elizabeth Holmbeck; City Planner, Keith Dahl; Economic Development Manager, Lenny Austin; Police Chief, Gary Gorman; Fire Chief Renee Dougherty; Library Director and Katie Bruno; City Clerk Comprehensive Plan update from Mark Koegler Mark Koegler, Hoisington Koegler Group Inc., gave an update of the Comprehensive Plan process, indicating they are slightly ahead of schedule. Community engagement opportunities have included Social Pinpoint and Survey Monkey. Key areas of consideration include; 40th & Central, 49th & Central, University (between 37th and 40th), and 40th Ave. Two to three concepts were shared for each site. Koegler clarified these are only concepts at this time, there are no development plans reflective of the concepts shared. The review committee indicated a need for employment opportunities within the city. The review committee will be looking at options for the Huset Park area including a new City Hall. Mayor Schmitt commented that the additional parking area for Murzyn Hall should remain. Mayor Schmitt also indicated that we currently have a lot of varied housing, and would prefer anything other than housing. Community Development Director Joe Hogeboom stated that the steering committee will next meet on December 18th. Drafts will be coming to the council in early 2018. Planning and Zoning Commission Bylaws — Proposed Changes Community Development Director Joe Hogeboom reported the City's Planning and Zoning Commission operates under a set of Bylaws that was last amended on February 14th, 2000. Based on changes that have occurred during the past seventeen years, staff proposes the following changes: • Increase Commission membership from five to seven members. This would provide better discussion, as well as increasing the likelihood of having a quorum. • Formally change the name of the commission to the "Planning Commission." Developers have expressed confusion, as the term Planning Commission is the standard. • Formally create a "Vice Chairperson" and a "Secretary /Treasurer" position. • Require that officers are elected annually. • Change meeting start times from 7 :00 pm to 6:00 pm. • Create an attendance requirement. If a quorum is not available, that can cause delays for developers. Hogeboom indicated that if council agrees, a formal request will be presented in January, 2018. Councilmember Murzyn, Jr. questioned if the attendance requirements would apply to all advisory commissions. Hogeboom clarified these changes are proposed for the Planning & Zoning Commission. Public Safety Staffing Study Kelli Bourgeois, Human Resource Director /Assistant to the City Manager explained that City Council Worksession December 4, 2017 Page 2 of 3 Chief Austin has expressed interest in doing a staffing study of the Police Department in 2019. Internally, staff has been discussing how to best manage property maintenance and multi - family licensing inspections. Currently, the Fire Department conducts these activities, but staff has discussed moving these activities to Community Development. At this time it is thought that there are benefits to keeping the licensing and inspections with the Fire Department. These benefits include: Fire Department has the necessary software and vehicles to manage these activities. The Fire Department has more potential to vary the tasks of their full time staff. By conducting rental property inspections firefighters have better knowledge of the buildings they may have to respond to fire calls at, and the Fire Department can work closely with the Police Department as a Public Safety Division to better enforce and manage property violations and enforcement actions. With this thought, there is concern about the workload the Fire Department has with regard to their fire duties and proactively enforcing the City's property maintenance and rental licensing regulations. On the police side as discussed by Chief Austin has noted, there have been significant changes in types of calls and other activities the Police Department performs now than in the past (community policing, how cases are processed, etc.). With these changes it is important to look at how the activities are completed, by whom, and if there is appropriate staffing at each level within the organization. For these reasons staff is proposing the staffing study discussed by the Police Department be expanded to include the Fire Department as a Public Safety staffing study, and that the study be budgeted for in 2018. Staff is asking the City Council to consider including approximately $70,000 from the Fund Balance in the 2018 budget to accomplish this staffing study. This is an estimate that will be confirmed by the Dece,ber 11th City Council meeting. Bourgeois clarified this allocation would only designate the funds to the possible completion of the study in 2018. Before an RFP for the study would be distributed, the City Council would be asked to vote on the study itself. Mayor Schmitt asked if there is a plan to combine the Police and Fire departments. Bourgeois indicated there may be some administrative services that can be combined, noting she still envisions two separate departments. City Manager Walt Fehst indicated the budget would need to be expanded and the Fund Balance would be used, there would be no increase in taxes. Police Chief Lenny Austin indicated the Police and Fire Departments have partnered to do code enforcement, and have seen very good results. Councilmember Murzyn, Jr. agreed, stating he thinks it is best for inspections to be completed through the Fire Department. Finance Director Joe Kloiber explained the transfer can be included with the 2018 budget resolution being considered on December 11th, or as a budget amendment later in 2018. Kloiber indicated it may be better to include it in the December 11th resolution for financial reporting purposes. Review of minor revisions to proposed 2018 expense budget Finance Director Joe Kloiber reported the annual budget preparation schedule requires using many estimates that are prepared six to nine months before the Council adopts the annual budget each December. A handful of these estimates are revised prior to adoption of the budget, to better reflect actual or expected activity. For 2018, the following revisions from the amounts initially proposed by the City Manager have been identified, and be incorporated into budget resolution 2017 -130, which will be presented at the public hearing December 11, 2017. City Council Worksession December 4, 2017 Page 3 of 3 Increase Fund Dept (Decrease) Explanation 101 General 42100 Police (10,000) Adjust to actual 2018 costs of County Public Safety Data System (PSDS) 101 General 42200 Fire 10,000 Adjust to actual 2018 costs of County Public Safety Data System (PSDS) 101 General 45129 Murzyn Hall 36,000 Carryover parking lot repair budgeted in 2017, that will be performed in 2018 201 Planning 42400 Protective 10,000 Add temporary PT intern for increased building activity, & Inspections Inspections with costs equal to the related increase in permit revenue 602 Sanitary Sewer 49480 Disposal (29,000) Adjust to actual 2018 costs of Met Council sewage treatment Explanation of how the Area -Wide Fiscal Disparities Subsidy effects changes in local property taxes Finance Director Joe Kloiber gave an overview of how the Area -Wide Fiscal Disparities Subsidy effects changes in local property taxes. Kloiber indicated the Truth in Taxation Notices sent to property owners, will likely have a levy amount (city portion) different than the city's proposed 4.9 %. This is due in part, to the fact that all taxing jurisdictions are included on the tax statement. Another reason is because of change in property value. Fiscal Disparities were explained as a program that shares tax base across the metro area. The amount varies, causing the local share to change. Kloiber indicated when there are spikes; it makes the budget process difficult. The process was summarized, noting the levy adopted is not the levy paid, a single year approach cannot be taken, and in the long run, it's OK. Mayor Schmitt questioned if a large spike would trigger a refund, and if there are ways the City can assist residents with filing. Kloiber stated there are ways the city can publicize and provide information to residents. Other Items Councilmember Buesgens requested the council review their Strategic Goals at the February work session. Meeting Adjourned at 9:28 PM Respectively Submitted, ��au �- Katie Bruno, Council Secretary /City Clerk