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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-03-2022 City Council Work Session Minutes CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula Councilmembers John Murzyn, Jr. Connie Buesgens Nick Novitsky Kt Jacobs City Manager Kelli Bourgeois Public Safety Bldg—Training Room, 825 41st Ave NE Monday, October 03, 2022 6:00 PM MINUTES The following are the minutes for the Work Session Meeting of the City Council held at 6:00 pm on Monday, October 3, 2022, in the Public Safety Training Room 825 41st Avenue NE, Columbia Heights, Minnesota. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Mayor Márquez Simula called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm. Present: Mayor Márquez Simula; Councilmember Buesgens; Councilmember Jacobs; Councilmember Murzyn, Jr; Councilmember Novitsky Also Present: Aaron Chirpich, Community Development Director; Kevin Hansen, Public Works Director; Jesse Hauf, IT Director; Sara Ion, City Clerk/Council Secretary; Joe Kloiber, Finance Director; Dan O’Brien, Assistant Fire Chief; Will Rottler, Community Engagement Specialist; Charlie Thompson, Fire Chief; Keith Windschitl, Recreation Director. WORK SESSION ITEMS 1. Refuse Update. Public Works Director Kevin Hansen gave an update on the contract they have been able to pull together for Council’s approval at the October 24th meeting. It will be a combination of services provided by Haul Star and Walters so that we are able to continue to have our allies serviced. There will be an increase in the costs for services but that is as expected with any provider we would utilize moving forward. We will be discontinuing our services with Waste Management at the end of the year. Councilmember Buesgens stated that we have been doing well for the pricing with our garbage pickup. She inquired about the increased use of robotics on the trucks and how that impacts the labor shortage and pickup in allies. Director Hansen stated that there is a shift away from allies. Mayor Márquez Simula stated that she was glad we have an option besides Waste Management. Councilmember Jacobs inquired about the increased costs for recycling. Director Hansen stated that the main increase is based on tipping fees, as we are now going to Walters for tipping. We also must consider the costs related to continued pickup in out allies. City of Columbia Heights MINUTES October 03, 2022 City Council Work Session Page 2 2. 2023 Budget Presentations by Division. Recreation Recreation Director Keith Windschitl gave an overview of the 2023 Recreation Budget. The presentation will be available online on the Finance page. Director Windschitl stated that the over increases in the budget were related to wage increases for the part time custodians, and that there will be significant rental fee increases for 2023. There were no questions from Council. Fire Assistant Fire Chief O’Brien gave an overview of the 2023 Fire Department Budget. The presentation will be available online on the Finance page. Councilmember Jacobs inquired as to how close we are to staffing the thirty paid on call fire fighter positions. Fire Chief Thompson stated that currently at 26 paid on call, 4 in the hiring process. Assistant Fire Chief O’Brien stated that there were a few people on leave currently as well. Fire Chief Thompson then led a live narrated review of equipment needs related to the replacement considerations. This was a live presentation so that Council could ask questions as the information was presented. One of the biggest considerations related to the equipment needs are correlated to the staffing needs. We need to be able to transport the staff we have to the events they need to respond to. We have equipment that is catastrophically failing, and we are not sure why this equipment is failing. Councilmember Buesgens asked where the new engine was in relation to the study. Fire Chief Thompson clarified that the new engine, is engine three. Fire Chief Thompson stated that it is important to focus on buying the correct equipment at the right time for the City. We need to purchase to the specifications for the city, this gets us the extra life of the equipment. This equipment needs to be ordered 30 months out. The cost increases as of November 1, 2022. Councilmember Buesgens asked if we can approve these costs this far in advance, so we do not get hit with these cost increases. Finance Director Kloiber stated that he would clarify the question with the City Attorney. Mayor Márquez Simula clarified when the last purchase when they could have spent the additional $40,000 on the vehicle to extend life of the equipment. Chief Thompson clarified that the purchase would have been 2004. Director Kloiber asked if the big change in cost is being driven by inflation or by technology? Chief Thompson clarified that it is a couple of factors. It is staffing, supply chain, and an City of Columbia Heights MINUTES October 03, 2022 City Council Work Session Page 3 example was given to him that there is an issue with rebalancing when the product can be offered and at what price. Councilmember Buesgens would like to lock in the price by ordering the equipment. Councilmember Murzyn feels that this would save us money in the long run, he would like to speak with the Attorney and make sure that we can get this taken care of. Councilmember Novitsky would also like to take care of this now. Community Development Director Chirpich inquired as to how many stories the new truck can access. Chief Thompson confirmed that it will be able to access ten floors. Director Kloiber stated that the Council could amend the budget for equipment fund 431 to also adopt the contract. This would be a procedural order. He would like a little more time to mull over the best process related to the fire truck process. Councilmember Jacobs would like to make sure that we do not loose transparency in the process of approving the budget. Councilmember Murzyn would like to make sure that we get this approved. Mayor Márquez Simula feels that the council is in favor of both vehicles and would like to get this approved at one of the October meetings. She would like to see this mentioned during the City Manager update portion of the meeting. She asked where specifically the funds would be coming for this purchase. Chief Thompson stated that he would not be able to get the vehicle approval documents ready for the October 10th meeting. Director Kloiber stated that the funds would be coming from various funds that the City holds. There are some funds in the LGA accounts. There will not be a deficit in the account after the fire truck purchases but there will not be a surplus. The City will need to do some long-term financial planning to work towards replenishing the account for future purchases. Z Information Technology IT Director Jesse Hauf led the presentation on the IT Budget. The presentation will be available online on the Finance page. Councilmember Buesgens stated that she was excited to have our first IT Director here to present the budget. Mayor Márquez Simula asked for additional information about the IT Governance Committee. Director Hauf clarified that this committee helps to let city staff know more about what different departments are doing, their needs and to know what other technology staff is City of Columbia Heights MINUTES October 03, 2022 City Council Work Session Page 4 utilizing. The only cost is staff time, and the IT department can talk through what they are doing and help the city work more efficiently. Mayor Márquez Simula also inquired about real time network performance. Director Hauf clarified that IT can check not only the internet connectivity, but the speed and the issues that are occurring. It gives IT the insight and ability to correct what is occurring while it is occurring. Community Development Community Development Director Aaron Chirpich lead the presentation regarding the Community Development budget, the presentation will be available online on the Finance page. Mayor Márquez Simula inquired about online licensing. Director Chirpich stated that ideally that we would bring everything online and have it integrated with Laserfiche. It has been clunky, and it could be better. It has been more staff intensive than we would have liked. It is a priority for us to get everything in a better place to serve our residents. Liquor Jason Schultz Liquor Operations Manager and Joe Kloiber Finance Director lead a presentation on the Liquor budget. The presentation will be available online on the Finance page. Mayor Márquez Simula stated that she likes the idea of online ordering. Operations Manager Schultz stated that he would like to have online ordering implemented in 2023. Mayor Márquez Simula stated that she likes that we have NA beers Operations Manager Schultz stated that we will soon has NA Spirit options as well. Finance Assistant Finance Director Jackie Zilmer and Finance Director Joe Kloiber lead the presentation regarding the Finance Budget. The presentation will be available online on the Finance page. There were no questions from Council. Miscellaneous Items Director Kloiber stated that the remaining departments will have presentations at the November work session. There are three things that will take place in-between now and then. There will be a resolution on Monday October 10th to clarify the project budget for City Hall, staff is recommending this because it has City of Columbia Heights MINUTES October 03, 2022 City Council Work Session Page 5 been a long path to get where we are now. We would like to have one specific resolution to point to for this specific item. At the first regular meeting in November, we will have a resolution related to increasing the 2022 budget. We will make a best estimate related to budget amendment, this will not change taxes, it will just shift account balances. Third item that will need to be addresses is related to the Fire Trucks, and this will occur at the October 24th meeting. Councilmember Jacobs brought up Todd Estrem day in Columbia Heights, they are having a birthday party for him on October 19th. This proclamation would be presented before the normal timeline. Even though his business is in Hilltop, they have done a lot for Columbia Heights. They opened in 1963 Councilmember Murzyn stated that he has done a lot of fundraising, there is no cure for his cancer, and it would be nice if we could do a proclamation or do something for him. Mayor Márquez Simula clarified that this is the owner of Tasty Pizza. She stated this valuable, and she would be happy to present this if the wording was sent to Sara for review via email. Council Member Jacobs stated that former City Manager Malcom Watson’s family is requesting a plaque at Silver Lake, this has been requested in the past. Malcom’s health is failing, he has fallen twice recently She feels that there is a little more time to complete this task, maybe proclaiming a day for Malcom might be appropriate. Mayor Márquez Simula has talked to Liam at Public Works and Parks would like a bench at Silver Lake Park. She would like to follow up with Public Works and Kevin about the process of having benches in our parks. Director Chirpich asked if Council would be available on November 15th to tour the space prior to the Grand Opening at 4pm of Ratio Apartments. Councilmember Buesgens asked about a restaurant in the space. Director Chirpich stated that they are still working on that space and the restaurant partner. Mayor Márquez Simula also asked about the new assisted living space off of Huset Park. Director Chirpich stated that they will work on a date for a tour for that space and that they need to be respectful of the residents. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Márquez Simula adjourned the meeting at 8pm. Respectfully Submitted, ______________________________________ Sara Ion, City Clerk/Council Secretary