Council Minutes

Minutes of Grand Forks City Council/Committee of the Whole
Monday, April 26, 2010 - 5:30 p.m._________________ __

The City Council met as the Committee of the Whole on Monday, April 26, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers in City Hall with Mayor Brown presiding. Present at roll call were Council Members Bjerke, McNamara, Glassheim, Gershman (teleconference), Christensen, Kreun 6; absent: Council Members Bakken - 1.

Mayor Brown commented on various items during the past week and upcoming events:
Condolences to the Moe family for the passing of RaeAnn Moe, she passed away last week at the age of 58. As owner of the Hub Bar RaeAnn has been a vital part of our community, before being a business owner she lettered in four sports at UND and her support for local teams continued after her playing days.
Last Thursday he attended the groundbreaking for the new corporate headquarters of the AE2S and ICON Architectural Group along the 42nd Street destination corridor, the new 42,000 sq.ft. building is slated to be completed by the spring of 2011.
He had the pleasure of attending the 2010 Women With a Heart brunch that honored 3 outstanding individuals chosen as this year's extraordinary women - Congratulations to Kristy Hall-Juran, Kate Kenna and Sharon Wilsnack for having given so much of themselves to our community to make our community better.
Another event at the Alerus Center is the Grand Forks School District's Read Everyday and at today's event is award winning author, Susan Stevens-Crummel and she will give a presentation at 6:30 p.m.
It is time for Spring Cleanup Week, everything starts Saturday, May 1, with UND's Big Event and the City's electronic recycling, curbside pickup starts Monday, May 3, residents can place appliances, brush, furniture and other household items for pickup free during the week, have everything out on your normal collection day. The landfill has extended hours next week from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
This is our final committee of the whole meeting tonight, that the city council voted to change our meeting schedule and will see council meetings on the first and third Monday of each month; finance/development committee will meet on the second and fourth Monday and service/safety committee will meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month - meetings will start at 5:30 p.m. and will be televised on GFTV Channel 2.

Mayor Brown recognized officially the first recipient of the Green Business Showcase, and the Showcase will recognize businesses in our community that goes the extra mile in going green.
and awarded a plaque to Coca Cola Bottling Company, Bill Leier.

2.1 Application for exemption of remodeling improvements to commercial and residential buildings at various locations._____________________________
There were no comments.

2.2 Midcontinent Cable Television Franchise.
There were no comments.

2.3 Approve election officials (inspectors) and polling hours for June 8, 2010 election._______________________________________________________
There were no comments.

2.4 Budget amendment and internal financing for Project No. 6594, Police Building Addition for PSAP expansion.___________________________
Council Member McNamara stated this has been going on for awhile and there
was a question whether we could because of the current tax sunsets before the bond and had to find alternate ways to finance it, the project itself comes off the northwest (glass) side of the building and the tower sites independent of them and that is what they were wrestling with over the course of the last year.

2.5 Architectural Service Agreement for Project No.6594, Police Building Addition for PSAP expansion.__________________________________
There were no comments.

2.6 Create Special Assessment Dist. No. 183, Project No. 6584, Street Lights on 6th Ave.N. (N. 53rd to N. 55th St.)___________________________________
There were no comments.

2.7 Create Special Assessment Dist. No. 644, Project No. 6595, N. 36th Street paving extension.________________________________________________
Dean Rau, asst, city engineer, reported change in the project - that North 36th Street is a
classified or collector street, the only way projects are requested by the property owners and concurred that this is a good project. That Philadelphia Macaroni would have that expansion put onto the building and their new loading base will be off the end of the existing concrete and need to extend the roadway to allow the trucks to get onto that area - the property on the east side will be sold to Simplot and they will need access to their new treatment plant - according to our policy 20% of the street is picked up by the City and balance special assessed.

2.8 Plans and specifications for Proj. No. 6484, Dist. 643, S. 18th Street reconstruction from 24th Ave.S. to 28th Ave.S._________________
There were no comments.

2.9 Consideration of bids for Project No. 6520, 2010 Watermain Replacement Project_________________________________________________________
There were no comments.

2.10 Speed Zone Review and approval at various areas of the city.
Jane Williams, traffic engineer, reported the information in the packet is technical
information that has been presented and accumulated based on technical recommendation. The first 3 streets, Washington, 42nd and Gateway are part of our signal coordination project and are major streets included in the packet, the remainder of the streets are collector streets and are not in the signal coordination so two different projects they were working on - worked with the police dept. to gather information, and the project is presented as a recommendation based on technical merit.

Council Member Kreun asked if they could do a post analysis in 6 or 8 months to make sure that all things result in what they anticipated; and is a good project.

Council Member Gershman thanked Ms. Williams for responding in detailed terms to constituents and other concerned citizens who had questions about this.

Council Member Glassheim stated he is concerned that everything is going up 5 mph and what was looked at in terms of safety. Ms. Williams reported the speed zones tonight are the ones that are going to change, they did look at some speed zones that are not going to change - that some on Gateway, on S. Washington, University and DeMers are not going to change and not everything they looked at were recommending a change because they were posted in what people are driving at now. The survey that was done was in looking at how people are driving on the roads and the idea is to post the speed zones to try to get people to move together in a pace - 10 mph pace - this facilitates traffic so that it moves in a reasonable manner, fast enough so don't have people being impatient and trying to get around people - and actually eliminate or reduce traffic accidents. That is the premise behind these engineering concepts of looking at speed people are driving and doing speed zone at 85th percentile which is usually at the top of the pace of the 10 mph that people drive - trying to get people to move together rather than spread out.

Council Member McNamara stated that the street that is close to a school where the speed is being increased is 17th avenue South from 34th to 42nd, west of Century School. Ms. Williams stated this was not done as a survey of individuals but based on technical information so did not survey community as such - she received an e-mail from a constituent in that area and responded to that person - that the area in front of the school is still posted at 25 mph and not recommending that be changed either on S. 34th or 17th Ave.S.

Council Member Christensen asked if there was some way they could get some information out or a press release that speed limits are being proposed in those specific areas so citizenry will get an idea that this is happening - get something in the paper with maps. Mayor Brown stated that Mr. Dean will accomplish that.

2.11 Tactical Communications Unit specifications and sole source request.
There were no comments.

2.12 Equipment for squad cars and sole source request.
There were no comments.

2.13 Public Works Facility Renewal Project, Project No. 6572, construction bids, construction administration service authorization and associated budget amendment.______________________________________________________
Council Member Bjerke wanted verification on the only amount that is going to be
borrowed is from the Water to Wastewater and that the $305,000 will be paid back within 5 years. Todd Feland, director of public works, stated his goal is to do it in one year if can, but if not, between 1 and 5 years.

2.14 Repairs to 1550 South 48th street (Noah's Ark Building).
Mr. Hoover stated that $306,000 for the actual project plus some set aside. Mr. Bjerke stated that if take the two together, this item and the next one, looking at almost half million dollars that we are going to spend to maintain commercial buildings that we own, and we're going to do it to maintain buildings that have nothing to do with the role of the city - not police building, etc. commercial buildings where businesses operate but we happen to own them - we could be using this money for other things and if we own them we have to maintain them but bring it out as discuss the budget for next year - half million for two commercial buildings.

Council Member Christensen stated the money that is being spent is money that was either earned in the form of excess revenues from rental income, the sale of buildings that we own, when Mr. Hoover first came, we started selling some of our buildings because we didn't want to own buildings, these buildings were built after the flood - Noah's Ark - there were some issues as to the quality of construction that gives rise to some of these repairs - need to keep our properties in good repair. The money that we are spending for this, is a result of the collection of sales tax which we allocate for this fund - and are going to make the improvements.

2.15 2010 CDBG Program.
There were no comments.

3. INFORMATION ITEMS

3.1 Request of $2,000 from the GFAFB in support of Air Show on May 22, 2010.
Information only.

6. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS

1) Council Member Bjerke stated he had asked some questions concerning VenuWorks and wasn't on the finance committee and wasn't on the Alerus agenda - that the next finance meeting is May 10 and over the 6 month mark and still waiting for an answer.

Council Member Christensen stated they are waiting for the audit and when the audit is finished, will have a report the auditors as to plus or minus as to the Alerus and will be overlaid as to the contract and will give the audit report to the Alerus Commission and ask them to review the report and come back with recommendations, and asked the Mayor to asked that Mr. Duquette would follow up. The Mayor asked Mr. Duquette to follow up.

Mr. Bjerke asked if had date, and that 2008 audit report been in for a year and need answer to that one. Mr. Christensen stated the issue is have good idea as to what the 2008 issues are and also have some similar issues in 2009, and then asked the Alerus Commission to look at that and get back to us as to recommendations if there is a shortfall, and how it is going to be paid and if so when, and source will be.

2) Council Member McNamara questioned appointment of the new executive director of the Alerus. Mr. Kreun stated that the permanent replacement is Mr. Roger Swanson, and he was interviewed at the same time as Mr. Hyman and several others were two years ago, and they worked for VenuWorks. Were aware of VenuWorks decision to bring in Mr. Swanson and he was our second choice two years ago. background checks and other information that was required had been done and was employed by VenuWorks at this time and Mr. Peters transferred Mr. Swanson into this position and on Wednesday morning we will have a discussion and either yea or nay for Mr. Swanson.

Mr. McNamara stated they have been talking about a meeting of the Pension Comm. and the city auditor stated she is not sure of the date but getting date in May. Mr. McNamara stated he has several e-mails re. audit that was announced last week by the Lt. Governor and that the last look we had that our stuff is very solid but probably will get updated number and information the first week of May.

3) Council Member Glassheim mentioned noticing large blue signs going up - very attractive and easy to read - street signs. - good addition.

4) Council Member Kreun stated signs is part of retro-reflectivity program and some of the federal monies that were made available through the Reinvestment Act.

ADJOURN

It was moved by Council Member Glassheim and seconded by Council Member Bjerke that we adjourn. Carried 6 votes affirmative.

Respectfully submitted,



Saroj Jerath
City Auditor