HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-04-2024 City Council Work Session
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
Mayor
Amáda Márquez Simula
Councilmembers
Connie Buesgens
Kt Jacobs
Rachel James
Justice Spriggs
City Manager
Aaron Chirpich
City Hall—Shared Vision Room, 3989 Central Ave NE
Monday, November 04, 2024
6:00 PM
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Márquez Simula at approximately 6:30 pm.
Present: Mayor Márquez Simula; Councilmember Buesgens; Councilmember Jacobs; Councilmember
Spriggs
Absent: Councilmember James
Also Present: Aaron Chirpich, City Manager; David Cullen; Street and Park Superintendent; Mitchell
Forney, Community Development Director; Kevin Hansen, Public Works Director; Sulmaan Khan,
Assistant City Engineer; Joe Kloiber, Finance Director
WORK SESSION ITEMS
1. 2025 Budget Presentations by Division.
Community Development
Community Development Director Forney led the presentation on the Community
Development Department Budget. The information will be available online on the Finance
page on the City website.
Mayor Márquez Simula asked why there was a jump in downtown parking expenses from
2023 to 2024.
City Manager Chirpich replied it was due to a contract cleaning service that had a
contractor who did not show up. Community Development Director Forney added that
snow removal was not included since there was not a harsh winter.
Mayor Márquez Simula noted that businesses have requested directional signage in the
parking ramp and asked if it would be something the City could look into. She added that
there are some bushes by the ramp that needs “sprucing up”.
Finance Director Kloiber provided more information regarding the increase in expenses for
downtown parking. He mentioned that contracted maintenance went down in 2023.
Mayor Márquez Simula asked if the downtown parking budget would be consistent
throughout the years.
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Finance Director Kloiber replied that it should be and that it is annual operating costs.
Public Works
Public Works Director Hansen led the presentation on the Public Works Department
Budget with the assistance of Assistant City Engineer Khan and Street and Park
Superintendent Cullen. The information will be available online on the Finance page on the
City website.
Mayor Márquez Simula noted she prefers the street light tone to be consistent. Public
Works Director Hansen replied that Xcel changed most of the street lights to LED in the
City.
Mayor Márquez Simula mentioned there was a street sign that was deteriorating on
Central Avenue and asked if the City would need to replace it.
Public Works Director Hansen replied that the City would be responsible but suggested
waiting until the Central Avenue reconstruction. He noted that the current signs are
florescent and would need to be replaced with LED which can be expensive.
Councilmember Buesgens asked if the Urban Forester position was salaried or hourly.
Public Works Director Hansen replied that he was hourly.
Councilmember Buesgens mentioned that there is a different increase from the previous
year due to water usage, sewer increase, and the amount of garbage that is getting picked
up. She asked why there was an increase in water flow for the sewer.
Public Works Director Hansen replied it is due to inflation, and an increase in the measure
of the flow in the system. He added that he could find the Met Council letter to get a full
understanding of why there is an increase.
Councilmember Buesgens asked if the anticipated increase for the Refuse collection is
where it is now. Public Works Director Hansen replied that he would be coming back to the
Council during the second meeting in November to review the utility rates.
Councilmember Buesgens asked if the City would be affected by Walters having concerns
expanding their temporary disposal site.
Public Works Director Hansen replied that they had not been notified by Walters that it
would affect the City and should not affect the ability to serve Columbia Heights.
Mayor Márquez Simula asked if there was a dumpster on-site at the Public Works building.
Street and Park Superintendent Cullen replied that there was.
Councilmember Buesgens noted that the City will be adding machinery throughout the
years and will need to be mindful of making sure there will be enough space at the new
Public Works building.
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Councilmember Buesgens asked if the Public Works Department would begin budgeting for
the bonding for the first phase of the new Public Works building for the next budget in
April.
City Manager Chirpich replied that if the City is unsuccessful, then the City would need to
consider alternative phase options.
Councilmember Buesgens asked if the new Public Works building construction would be
broken into phases.
Public Works Director Hansen replied that it depends on the cost of building, and if the City
receives the funding.
Councilmember Buesgens explained that she thinks the City should continue moving
forward regardless of if the funding from the State comes through, and break up the
project in phases.
Mayor Márquez Simula mentioned she noticed some piles of rock-like material in the
library parking lot and asked what it was.
Assistant City Engineer Khan replied that it was material that the contractor used for the
lot.
Mayor Márquez Simula asked if the contractors were storing the material in the parking
lot. Assistant City Engineer Khan replied they were.
Mayor Márquez Simula asked Assistant City Engineer Khan if the parking lot would still
have the hill.
Assistant City Engineer Khan replied that the entrance to the lot would be on the south
end. The hills going into the existing parking lot will still be there.
Mayor Márquez Simula asked if there would be more landscaping on the hill.
Assistant City Engineer Khan replied that there would be a rain garden installed on the
north side of the lot.
Councilmember Buesgens wondered if the City could still bond for the projects in the same
year as receiving the $12 million bond. She asked if the Council would need to discuss the
matter by April. City Manager Chirpich agreed.
Councilmember Spriggs asked if the City could request more than the $12.5 million since
the City may not receive the full amount.
Public Works Director Hansen replied that the City has received guidance from the lobbyist
to limit the ask to half of the project costs because it will be better received.
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Mayor Márquez Simula stated she would like to have the budget presentations available in
order to follow along during the presentation and process after.
Finance / General Government / Liquor
Finance Director Kloiber led the presentation regarding the Finance Division 2025 Proposed
Budget. He noted that there are four separate divisions which include the Finance
Department, the General Government, Utility Billing, and Municipal Liquor. The
information will be available online on the Finance page on the City website.
Mayor Márquez Simula mentioned that she likes that the Finance Department will be
allocating IT funds to each department in order for there to be more transparency and
accuracy. She asked if the goal was to start the process during the next budget year.
Finance Director Kloiber replied that it was the goal.
Councilmember Jacobs asked if the old City Hall building would be maintained so that
Public Works employees could work there during the construction of the new Public Works
building.
Finance Director Kloiber replied that it would be maintained. HVAC, electricity, and alarms
are on in the building. City Manager Chirpich added that the boxing gym is occupying the
building. The Public Works Department may be able to rely on the old City Hall because of
the acquisition of the JBS lot that has now allowed the existing building to remain in place.
Finance Director Kloiber reviewed the debt service payments. Councilmember Buesgens
asked if money would be taken out of other accounts since the residential water meters
were being funded internally.
Finance Director Kloiber replied that the utility funds would be able to cover the project
and no money would be moved between accounts.
Councilmember Buesgens asked if the bond was paid out of the liquor service. Finance
Director Kloiber agreed and noted it was about $475,000.
Mayor Márquez Simula noted that only $10,000 from the municipal liquor services went
towards the Police Community Program and added she thought it would be higher.
Finance Director Kloiber explained that the origin of the $10,000 towards the Police
Community Program was originally to get the DARE program restarted. He added that the
figure should be reviewed in the future.
Councilmember Buesgens mentioned there needs to be a balance between the percentage
of the debt and the value of the City.
Finance Director Kloiber pointed out that there is a statutory limit. Councilmember
Buesgens asked what the limit was. Finance Director Kloiber replied that the State and
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Charter language does not count all of the debt against the limit. If there is a dedicated
revenue source to pay for it is excluded from the calculation of the debt limit. He
mentioned that the audited financial statement is on the City’s website. He showed the
Council the Legal Debt Margin Calculation for Fiscal Year 2023 from the audited financial
statement.
Councilmember Buesgens inquired about the unemployment rate during 2020 in the
audited financial statement. Finance Director Kloiber replied that he would follow up with
Councilmember Buesgens.
Finance Director Kloiber stated that there is a possibility that a liquor store will be included
in the redevelopment of 43rd Avenue and Central Avenue. He reviewed the 2028
reconstruction of the Central Avenue project, and store 3.
Councilmember Jacobs asked if there was a way to make the liquor store with store 3 more
unique from the other liquor stores in the area.
Finance Director Kloiber added that during the Central Avenue construction, there could
potentially be a warehouse sale arrangement since an additional staff person would be
available. Councilmember Buesgens mentioned that a cannabis dispensary would add a
unique value to liquor store 3.
The Council discussed whether or not the City relies on a surge of customers from store
one in 2028 due to the construction on Central Avenue, or making liquor store 3 a
dispensary.
Administration
City Manager Chirpich led the presentation regarding the Administration Department 2025
proposed Budget. The information will be available online on the Finance page on the City
website.
Councilmember Buesgens mentioned negotiations with other cities for employees and
asked if there would be an increase beyond 3%.
City Manager Chirpich replied that he could not disclose the information at the time.
Finance Director Kloiber explained this was the last scheduled budget work session before
the public hearing on December 9th when the 2025 budget would be adopted. Staff do not
have any changes to make to the preliminary budget. He asked that the Council provide
City Manager Chirpich, the City Clerk, or Finance Director Kloiber with any proposed
amendments to the budget before the Resolution is brought to the Council on December
9th.
2. Council Corner. (15 Minutes)
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Councilmember Buesgens stated she would not be able to attend the December Council
work session.
Councilmember Buesgens reminded the Council about Chris Bower’s meeting with
residents on Thursday at 4:00 pm in the community room at City Hall.
Councilmember Buesgens shared that she asked Chris about the two-way round-a-bouts
and was able to observe at 66th Avenue and Portland Avenue during rush hour and noted
that it flowed well.
Mayor Márquez Simula mentioned that the Parks and Recreation Commission asked about
ordering books. She asked for a status update from City Manager Chirpich. City Manager
Chirpich replied that he had not heard an update, but he left his card with one of the
commissioners.
Councilmember Jacobs asked what the Council would consider in the future aging in place.
Other communities have grant programs that revamp bathrooms for accessory use, and
various projects around Columbia Heights focuses on affordable housing, and young people
moving to the community. An aging-in-place program could benefit the community. Many
older people are not able to afford to move to a place like the Legends, so having a
program could help people remain in their homes.
3. Old Business.
There was no old business to discuss.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Márquez Simula adjourned the meeting at approximately 9:55 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
______________________________________
Sara Ion, City Clerk/Council Secretary