Council Minutes

Minutes of Grand Forks City Council/Committee of the Whole
Monday, June 9, 2008 - 5:30 p.m._________________ __

The City Council met as the Committee of the Whole on Monday, June 9, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers in City Hall with Mayor Brown presiding. Present at roll call were Council Members Hutchison, McNamara, Glassheim, Gershman, Christensen (teleconference), Kreun - 6; absent: Council Member Bakken - 1.

Mayor Brown commented on various items during the past week and upcoming events:
Congratulations to Michael Hedlund, that after 22 years with the Grand Forks Police Department Lt. Hedlund is leaving to begin his new position as chief of police in East Grand Forks; Michael Ferguson will be promoted to lieutenant and Derek Zimmel promoted to sergeant; the Police Department will host a farewell and promotional ceremony on Thursday, June 12, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. - formal swearing in and reception will take place in lower level of the Police Building. Everyone is welcome.
This weekend is Art Fest - encourage everyone to attend, thanks to organizers and volunteers.
This week we will host a delegation of members of the St. Bernard's Parrish south of New Orleans, they will be accompanied by FEMA representatives and will be talking with people around the community to share some of their experiences, good way for us to give back.
Barb Sturner, FEMA, was in the audience and that she was instrumental in our recovery and thank her for getting the message out.
Barb Sturner, public affairs officer with FEMA out of Denver office, stated they are very excited about this trip that is coming up this week with St. Bernard Parrish government coming to look at Grand Forks and learn your recovery story. She stated that the first time she did a story about Grand Forks you were shy of third year mark, and the story they wrote about Grand Forks was "journey of hope", and now just a couple months from Hurricane Katrina's three year mark and for St. Bernard Parrish this is their journey of hope. She stated on behalf of FEMA and herself they have had a lot of support from the City, staff, etc., hard to plan a trip for 17 people from 1700 miles away, had great support from the City and St. Bernard is very excited, they have seen your story and have a lot of good thoughtful questions and thanked City in sharing your story as going to touch hearts, and minds and lives this week. Mayor Brown stated it is a remarkable story and we have a lot to be proud of.
This week they are doing traffic counts and timing of the red lights on 32nd Avenue South starting tomorrow, can find further information on the city website.
There was a wonderful article on the greenway this weekend in the Herald, official grand opening of the dog park on Saturday and thanks to Council Members Glassheim and Gershman for being there, and for the whole council for listening to the idea and to Roaming Paws groups for driving this issue forward. A special thank you to Melanie Parvey-Biby and that after working all day on the dog park opening, she goes to the hospital and has her baby - that is what we expect out of our city employees, above and beyond - Julia Elizabeth is one of our newest citizens.

2.1 Refunding of Refunding Improvement Bonds, Series 1999B; General Obligation Bonds, Series 1999A; and Sewer Reserve Revenue Bonds, Series 1995D_______
The city auditor reported that the finance committee had met on this matter on May 21 and the committee moved to go ahead with these sales.

Ms. Krueger, Springsted, Inc., reported that they went to the finance committee and talked extensively about refunding opportunities, these are refunding opportunities that they have identified to proceed with at this time with savings opportunities. There are 3 issues they are looking at refunding and resolutions are before you, one to refund some Refunding Improvement Bonds that are supported by special assessments, General Obligation Dike Bonds supported by tax levies and a Sewer Reserve Revenue Bonds supported by sewer revenues. The market has been somewhat more stable in the last month or two and settled down somewhat and that they will continue to monitor the market conditions between now and taking bids on July 7 and if anything changes, they will talk to Mr. Schmisek immediately and decide how to proceed, but at this point in time recommend that you proceed with these refundings.

The question was asked to amount of savings for the City. Ms. Krueger stated that based on current conditions the Refunding Improvement Bonds supported by special assessments, cash flow savings will be about $1.2 million with a present value benefit of about $189,000; the G.O. Dike Bonds would be a cash flow savings of between now and when they mature of about $1.9 million with a present value benefit of $490,000; and the Sewer Reserve Revenue Bonds, small issue but current refunding and is most opportune time to refund this issue, would have cash flow savings and a net present value benefit of about $35,000.

2.2 Issuance of Refunding Revenue Bonds on behalf of Altru Health Systems.
This matter has been withdrawn.

2.3 Bids for Project No. 6199, Bikepath on Columbia Road from Pinehurst Drive to Deacons Garden Addn. and Project No. 6228, Bikepath Maintenance.________
There were no comments.

2.4 Create special assessment district for Project No. 6309, Dist. No. 301, Watermain on 2500-2800 blocks of S. 42nd Street and 4100 block of 29th Ave.S.________________
There were no comments.

2.5 Matter of Amendment No. 7 to the Defined Contribution Pension Plan document and matter of Amendment No. 9 to the Defined Benefit Pension Plan document.
The city auditor reported these are changes that had to be made in these planned
documents after the agreement was reached to allow employees to choose to go to the NDPERS Plan with no costs or any obligation to the City, simply to allow employees that opportunity to give them the choice within those documents, where it wasn’t allowed before to roll their money out; the pension committee met on this and recommended approval.

2.6 Budget amendment - Mayor's Office - Base Retention.
There were no comments.

2.7 Public Works Department: Wastewater Division lagoon rehabilitation material bid.
There were no comments.

2.8 Public Transportation Job Access/Reverse Commute and New Freedoms Program Funds applications submittal to enhance fixed route and Dial-A-Ride/Senior rider services._______________________________________________________________
Todd Feland, director of public works, reported that last year they went through a city
council procedure with Job Access/Reverse Commute, and with the grant money looked at expanding the bus route system to the south and southwest areas, those were unmet service areas for city bus, and that grant is to continue that route, and with the enhanced route that fit the need of our trying to get people to and from work and other opportunities. The second one is the New Freedoms Program that is to try to get people serviced in the community and particularly ADA, and one of the challenges is that they have to continue to replace Dial-a-Ride vans and first part of the request is that they would get an additional ADA van and that is the same request that they had last year. As part of the New Freedoms grant in addition to trying to service on Saturday and start at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday and proceed through 10:00 p.m. and that adds 2 service hours and as part of the proposal because concerned about cost is that in lieu of the current fixed route system on Saturday that runs until 6:00 and are going to stop all the routes at 4:00 and then continue on with the night bus from 4:00 to 10:00 rather than 6:00 to 10:00. He stated the only thing they are adding is the new Dial-a-Ride van and the additional service hours from the night bus for coverage; ADA capital is 80%, federal and 20% local and on operating with the federal government is 50% local and 50% federal grant, and what asking today is that they submit an application to the Department of Transportation as did previously - no service changes but meet the needs under the same application process. These are more urban monies and are working with the cities of Bismarck and Fargo with these requests and that the DOT will make a final resolution.

Glassheim stated that the cost to the City is $85,000 for the JARC match and about $7,000 for the New Freedoms match, and if the $85,000 will increase ridership to be worthwhile. Mr. Feland stated that we just started the route last summer to the south and west and if looking at the Aurora Medical Complex that is being built up and the things that are going up around there with multi-family and residential and is route that will grow and service the needs of the city. They have routes on the periphery of the city and those routes are used to get people into the city and interconnect or transfer to another route for work, medical appointments, etc. He stated they have this budgeted this year and hope to do it next year also, and that public transit has been well funded by the federal government and the State has also stepped up with additional monies, have done some service reductions and deferred the school busing programs to Dietrich and saved some money there, have also combined the Senior Rider and Dial-a-Ride system which has also saved money, and also have some revenue enhancements from other governmental entities and that public transit is a good deal because of State and federal money (that we have to match it), and we also get federal money to pay for capital.

Council Member Gershman asked for a report on ridership within the next month or six weeks. Mr. Feland stated they would do that, and that in March ridership was up about 5% from previous year; Dial-a-Ride and Senior Rider have also increased - seeing an increase in population and people moving to town that have special needs, senior citizens or ADA people and from 2000 to today seeing increase in demand on our services. Another challenge we are going to have is with the cost of fuel, government is one place where people go and that's why seeing people reduce their operating costs by reducing their transportation, and will continue to come to senior rider and dial-a-ride which will increase our costs, and are going to have a lot of demands on our systems and be aware of that.

Kreun stated that the Cottage Apts., housing unit close to the Aurora Medical Complex, tax credit program, has 96 units and 95 are filled and a lot of those people require special needs and are a mixed income group, that is one of the reasons the southend route was chosen in order to accommodate those people and their needs.

2.9 Request from CPS, Ltd. on behalf of Visim, LLP for final approval (fast track) of Replat of Lots 3 and 4, Block 1, Aurora Plaza Addn. (located in 2800 block of S. 42nd St.)._____________________________________________________________
There were no comments.

2.10 Request from Visim, LLP for approval of an ordinance to annex a portion of Replat of Lots 3 and 4, Block 1, Aurora Plaza Addn. not previously annexed to the city, (loc. in 2800 block of S. 42nd St.).___________________________________________
There were no comments.

2.11 Request from Dale M. Raatz, et al, for approval to vacate a 15-ft. screening easement adjacent to Lots 1 through 9, Blk. 1, Congressional Second Resubdiv. (loc. along N. 55th St.). _______________________________________________________
There were no comments.

2.12 Request from CPS, Ltd. on behalf of Visim, LLP for preliminary approval of ordinance to amend the zoning map to exclude from Golden Valley PUD (Planned Unit Development), Concept Development Plan, Amendment No. 2 and to include within the Golden Valley PUD (Planned Unit Development), Concept Development Plan, Amendment No. 3, Lot 1, Block 2, Aurora Plaza Addn., all of Amundson's Second Resubdiv., Nodak Resubdiv. and Golden Valley First and Second Addns., and Lots 3 and 4, Block 1, Aurora Plaza Addn. (loc. in 2800 blk. of S. 42nd St.)____
There were no comments.

6. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS

1) Council Member Hutchison stated the dedication events this weekend for the dog park and the greenway and thinks the dog park has been great addition, and that it was a compromise by Mr. Glassheim that made this happen for the council, park board, Roaming Paws and the neighborhood and thanks to Mr. Glassheim. He encouraged everybody to vote as those things have a definite effect on your day to day life.

2) Council Member McNamara stated that we honor our veterans and the members of our armed forces that have been killed on election day because it is truly the day that we celebrate our democracy, unique right, and to go out to vote tomorrow.

3) Council Members Christensen, Kreun and Gershman also urged everyone to go out to vote.

4) Council Member Gershman stated dedication of dog park great event, and go out to vote.

5) Howard Swanson, city attorney, stated that election is tomorrow for council members and advised that at the next council meeting, June 16, under your procedure you cannot give final approval to any ordinances and that any second readings that are on the agenda for the 16th will be considered but final action will have to be deferred until your meeting on July 7; can introduce ordinances on the 16th but cannot give final approval.

He also advised that there will be an organizational meeting of the new council June 24, and that the election of president, vice president of council as well as election for committees, including Growth Fund, committee appointments, committee chairs, etc. has to occur sometime prior to August 1.

ADJOURN

It was moved by Council Member Gershman and seconded by Council Member Kreun that we
adjourn. Carried 6 votes affirmative.
Respectfully submitted,


John M. Schmisek, City Auditor