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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-10-2025 City Council Meeting Minutes CITY COUNCIL MEETING Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula Councilmembers Connie Buesgens Laurel Deneen Rachel James Justice Spriggs City Manager Aaron Chirpich City Hall—Council Chambers, 3989 Central Ave NE Monday, March 10, 2025 6:00 PM MINUTES The following are the minutes for the Meeting of the City Council held at 6:00 pm on Monday, March 10, 2025, in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 3989 Central Avenue NE, Columbia Heights, Minnesota. WELCOME/CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Council President James called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm. Absent: Mayor Márquez Simula Present: Councilmember Buesgens; Councilmember Deneen; Councilmember Spriggs; Councilmember James Also Present: Aaron Chirpich, City Manager; Sara Ion, City Clerk; Joseph Kloiber, Finance Director; Scott Lepak, City Attorney; Tenzin Ihamo, Representative from the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota; Shireen Karim, Representative from the Islamic Center of Minnesota; Greg Logacz, City resident; Larene St. Gabriel Dargay, City Resident; Bisharo Jama, Representative from the Islamic Center of Minnesota; Dewayne Morrell, City resident; Jigme Ugen, Representative from the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota. MISSION STATEMENT Columbia Heights is a vibrant, healthy and connected City. We are here to actively support the community, deliver equitable services, build and strengthen connections, improve upon our past, and uphold our successes. We strive to be better and ensure Columbia Heights is a great place for everyone, today and in the future. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." APPROVAL OF AGENDA Motion by Councilmember Buesgens, seconded by Councilmember Spriggs, to approve the Agenda as presented. All Ayes, Motion Carried 4-0. PROCLAMATIONS, PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITION, ANNOUNCEMENTS, GUESTS City of Columbia Heights MINUTES March 10, 2025 City Council Meeting Page 2 A. Tibetan Uprising Day Proclamation. Receiving Proclamation: Jigme Ugen and Tenzin lhamo from the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota. Council President James proclaimed March 10, 2025 as Tibetan Uprising Day and read the City’s proclamation Tenzin Ihamo, Representative from the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota, explained 66 years ago in Tibet’s capital, Tibetan people from all three provinces rose up against the illegal occupation of Tibet and China’s brutal and inhumane policy and practices. Under the violent suppression of Chinese forces, over a million Tibetans lost their lives. Approximately 80,000 Tibetans were led into exile and was marked as one of the darkest periods of history for Tibet. In 1959, following the Chinese People’s Liberation Army invasion of Tibet and the subsequent political upheaval, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, fled Tibet and sought refuge in India. She explained that they honor the brave martyrs and express solidarity with those inside Tibet who continue to languish under the oppressive Chinese government. She noted the establishment of the democratic system in the Central Tibetan Administration was a significant development in the history of the Tibetan people in India. The transition was guided by the Dalai Lama. Tibetan people remain committed to the path of nonviolence and dialogue in finding a lasting and mutually beneficial solution to resolve the Sino-Tibetan conflict through the Middle Way approach. Minnesota is home to one of the largest Tibetan communities in the United States. The Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota establishes and promotes Tibetan culture, language, tradition, and fosters a sense of community among Tibetan Americans in Minnesota. It was founded in 1992 and serves as a cultural and social hub for Tibetan immigrants, refugees and their families who have made Minnesota their home. Today, they gather to mark a pivotal moment in Tibetans’ struggle for autonomy and resistance against China’s control by recognizing the proclamation of March 10th. The proclamation signifies the history of Tibet, and symbolizes the Tibet cultural and religious struggles. She thanked the Council for support and for issuing the Proclamation. Jigme Ugen, Representative from the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota, provided more history around March 10th. Tibet was illegally and forcefully occupied by the Chinese Communist Party in 1949. If Tibet was a free, independent country today, it would be the 10th largest country in the world. In 1959, when Tibetans heard that the Dalai Lama’s life was in danger from the colonizing army, 30,000 citizens voluntarily acted as a human shield to protect the Dalai Lama and demand Tibet’s independence. What followed was one of the most brutal military crackdowns in modern history. March 10th is commemorated as the Tibetan uprising Day. The Dalai Lama and thousands of Tibetans were forced into exile. The 14th Dalai Lama is 90 years old and his life is still in danger from the agenda of the Chinese regime. The resistance in Tibet continued until July 1959. At the end, 87,000 Tibetans were massacred and old monasteries and religious artifacts were destroyed. Throughout the years, 1.5 million Tibetans have been killed and countless more have been imprisoned or disappeared. Today, Tibetans inside occupied Tibet are living under the shadows of a surveillance state so extreme that even possessing a photograph of the Dalai City of Columbia Heights MINUTES March 10, 2025 City Council Meeting Page 3 Lama and the Tibetan national flag can result in up to 20 years of imprisonment, torture and execution. Over a million Tibetan children are forced into colonial boarding schools with generations of cultural memory being erased. In 2007, the regime implemented a law making all reincarnations of Tibetan spiritual leaders illegal without their approval. It created complete control over the religion, including interfering with the Dalai Lama. The 2025 Freedom House report ranks Tibet as the least free country in the world. He explained that people inside occupied Tibet refuse to be those who have been conquered. 168 Tibetans have self-immolated calling for Tibet’s independence and the return of the Dalai Lama. March 10th is the day that Tibetans stood up, and their voice was heard around the world. March 10th proved that Tibetans are not conquered people and they reject the false narrative that Tibet has been a part of China. Chinese government fears March 10th because it embodies the unyielding spirit, the collective memory, and the relentless quest for freedom. He expressed his gratitude to the City for recognizing March 10th as Tibet Day and standing with Tibetans in pursuit of justice. He added that soon the Dalai Lama will be able to return back home to Tibet. B. Ramadan Proclamation. Council President James proclaimed March 2025 as The Month of Ramadan and read the City’s proclamation Islamic Center of Minnesota representatives Bisharo Jama and Shireen Karim received the proclamation and thanked the Council for the proclamation. COMMUNITY FORUM Greg Logacz and Larene St. Gabriel Dargay, City residents, addressed the Council. Mr. Logacz informed the Council about a tentative proposal to hold a music and cultural celebration in the City during fall 2025 or 2026. The celebration would be a one or two-day multicultural event. The site, days, hours, and other details are yet to be determined, but Murzyn Hall would be the ideal location. Musical, theatrical, artistic, and food vendors would be invited. The priority would be Columbia Heights organization. The Sister City committee understands that the event would require substantial human and financial resources. Columbia Heights Sister City will hold fundraising events. If the Council approves the event, the Columbia Heights Sister City committee will initiate steps to publicize the event, recruit people, raise money, and meet legal requirements. He explained that they are looking for a positive reaction from the Council. Ms. St. Gabriel Dargay added that the committee has support for addressing the event as a festival. The committee has not voted on the event yet, but wanted to see what the reaction was from the Council. She noted that the committee would like to see more multicultural festivals moving forward because they want to embrace all cultures in the City. Festivals are a wonderful place to join together and celebrate others’ cultures. She noted that she has contact information regarding funding for a proposal she had in 2024 about an art center. Dewayne Morrell, City resident, asked if the Mayor had office space in the facility. Council President James replied that all of the Councilmembers and Mayors have office space to utilize in the building. Mr. Morrell asked who owns the water meters that are being removed. Council President James replied that it would be discussed later in the meeting. Mr. Morrell stated the City has paid too much on the impound lot. He added that there is a conflict of interest with the City and Hilltop Trailer Sales and the City is being too generous. He added that there have been a number of violations that have City of Columbia Heights MINUTES March 10, 2025 City Council Meeting Page 4 not been addressed due to the conflict of interest. He mentioned that he thinks the owner should have been required to put the lot up for public auction or sale and let the public determine the value of the property. He questioned if Public Works Director Hansen knew the value of the property. He asked if the City needs another Public Works building. The reason for the new Public Works building has been due to the building deteriorating. He mentioned that the City has not been critical enough of the Public Works staff to raise the performance level so that a new Public Works building is not needed. Councilmember Buesgens stated that it is preferred that specific staff names are not mentioned. Mr. Morrell mentioned that there used to be a rule where violators could not profit off of their violations. He asked if a new installed water meter becomes a real property. CONSENT AGENDA Motion by Councilmember Deneen, seconded by Councilmember Spriggs, to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. All Ayes, Motion Carried 4-0. 1. Approve February 24 City Council Meeting Minutes. MOTION: Move to approve the February 24, 2025 City Council meeting minutes. 2. Approve February 27 & 28 Special City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes. MOTION: Move to approve the February 27 and 28th, 2025 Special City Council Work Session meeting minutes. 3. Approve the March 3, 2025 City Council Work Session Meeting Minutes. MOTION: Move to approve the March 3, 2025 City Council Work Session meeting minutes. 4. Accept February 3rd, 2025 Regular EDA Meeting Minutes. MOTION: Move to accept the February 3rd, 2025 EDA meeting minutes. 5. License Agenda. MOTION: Move to approve the items as listed on the business license agenda for March 10th, 2025 as presented. 6. Rental Occupancy Licenses for Approval. MOTION: Move to approve the items listed for rental housing license applications for March 10, 2025, in that they have met the requirements of the Property Maintenance Code. 7. Review of Bills. MOTION: Move that in accordance with Minnesota Statute 412.271, subd. 8 the City Council has reviewed the enclosed list to claims paid by check and by electronic funds transfer in the amount of $884,007.49. ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION Ordinances and Resolutions. City of Columbia Heights MINUTES March 10, 2025 City Council Meeting Page 5 8. Resolution 2025-31, Establishing a Surcharge on Noncompliant Water Meters. Finance Director Kloiber stated in 2023 and 2024, the City Council awarded contracts for the replacement of approximately 6,600 water meters citywide and certain concurrent utility inspections. Those replacements and inspections began November 2024. The volume of upcoming installation and inspection appointments voluntarily scheduled by customers has dropped off considerably in recent weeks. For three prior utility projects requiring entry into private homes and businesses from 1999 through 2014, the City utilized a penalty or surcharge to incentivize compliance by customers who failed to respond to requests to schedule appointments or failed to appear for appointments. In most cases, the surcharge functioned as intended and achieved compliance. For a certain customer segment, however, the surcharge did not change their behavior or achieve compliance, even when aggregated over multiple years. It is noted that the current project is not billed separately to the customer but is paid through routine monthly charges on the utility bill. Finance Director Kloiber mentioned as of March 1, 2025, approximately 70% of the installations and inspections have been completed and 400+ appointments are scheduled through the first week of March. Every nonresponding utility customer has been issued three notices by mail, plus attempted phone calls and emails if those contact methods are available. Approximately 98% of nonresponding customers have had a representative door knock at the customer’s service address. If there was no response to the door knock, the representative adhered a notice to the door of the service address. During the first weeks of March, the remaining 2% of service addresses will be door-knocked and notice-posted. The notices have been made available in English, Spanish, and Somali. These customer- specific contacts are all in addition to the City’s general publicity of this project through its website, newsletters, and messages on all customer utility bills. Approximately 1,000 customers have not scheduled appointments yet. Finance Director Kloiber noted timely compliance with this citywide project is necessary to avoid the costs of maintaining duplicate meter reading equipment and processes, as well as utilizing the efficiency of contractors to perform the installations and inspections – while the contractors are still available. City water and sewer staff will have limited availability to perform these installations and inspections in addition to their ongoing responsibilities. Furthermore, the new meters provide a dramatically greater ability to detect potential health and safety issues from significant water leaks inside a home or business. Staff recommends implementing a surcharge of $100 per month on the utility bill ($300 per quarterly bill) for noncompliance, together with updated customer notifications reflecting this surcharge. To emphasize that the surcharge is only to achieve compliance and not for revenue generation, staff recommends that the surcharge be refunded on the utility bill when the customer comes into compliance or is disconnected from water service. To simplify the refunding of the surcharge, it would also not be subject to the 7% late fee otherwise included in the utility bill. Councilmember Deneen mentioned that the water meters are an infrastructure part of the house that has a life span. The current water meters are not working anymore since they do not give an accurate reading. She encouraged residents to remind each other to get it City of Columbia Heights MINUTES March 10, 2025 City Council Meeting Page 6 done. Councilmember Spriggs agreed and added that more information can be found on the City’s website as well as the number to call to schedule the appointment. Councilmember Buesgens noted that the new water meter will be more efficient and accurate, which will help residents see how much water they are using, and it will save City staff time. Council President James expressed her gratitude for the letters that have gone out and for City representatives for going door to door. She added the surcharge is a last resort to ensure the water meters are all updated. The decision to replace the water meters was made by the Council because it will be more efficient and the City will be able to test for lead in the pipes. Motion by Councilmember Spriggs, seconded by Councilmember Deneen, to waive the reading of Resolution 2025-31, there being ample copies available to the public. All Ayes, Motion Carried 4-0. Motion by Councilmember Spriggs, seconded by Councilmember Deneen, to adopt Resolution 2025-31, being a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Columbia Heights establishing a surcharge on noncompliant water meters. All Ayes, Motion Carried 4-0. CITY COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS Report of the City Council Councilmember Buesgens mentioned she attended the MWMO meeting, the neighbor’s Tex-Mex cooking class, the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, the leadership training with the Council, and the CoHi Con event. She gave her condolences to Dalores Strand’s family. Ms. Strand was very involved in the community. She expressed her condolences to Gary Peterson’s family. Mr. Peterson served the City for many years as a councilmember and mayor. Councilmember Deneen stated she attended the EDA meeting, the Council work session, the Council leadership training, and the CoHi Con event as a volunteer. She thanked those who were involved with the CoHi Con event. Councilmember Spriggs noted he attended the EDA meeting, the Council work session, the Council leadership training, and a meeting with the Opioid Reduction Specialist at Anoka County. He added that he had an opportunity to speak with a group called Advocates for Better Health. He mentioned he attended a virtual meeting with the Council of Foreign Relations. Council President James expressed her condolences for the family of Gary Peterson. She stated she attended the Council leadership training, had resident meetings, the Advocacy Day for cities at the Capitol, a meeting with Representative Fiest, a meeting with Representative Koegel, and a meeting with Senator Kunesh. She noted her children participated in the recreation ski day at Wild Mountain and she participated in the library puzzle contest. She added that she attended the Regional Council of Mayors meeting. She wished everyone a happy Lent for those who were celebrated. She thanked the City of Columbia Heights MINUTES March 10, 2025 City Council Meeting Page 7 Public Works Department for the recent snow removal and the Police Department for the work on the homicide case in the City. Report of the City Manager City Manager Chirpich reminded community members that the Arbor Day tree sale is underway. Tree sales began on March 3rd and 41 of the 60 trees have been sold. Residents can go to the City’s website for additional information. Winter parking restrictions are ending on Saturday, March 15th, but between March 16th and May 1st, it is unlawful to park between 2:00-6:00 am if snow has accumulated to two inches or more. Nominations are due for the City’s business of the year and outstanding citizen of the year awards. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Councilmember Buesgens, seconded by Councilmember Spriggs, to adjourn. All Ayes, Motion Carried 4-0. Meeting adjourned at 6:55 pm. Respectfully Submitted, ______________________________________ Sara Ion, City Clerk/Council Secretary