06-27-2016 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, dune 27, 2016 7:00 o'clock p.m. CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT 14. HENNEPIN COUNTY ASSESSING AGREEMENT Loftus stated the City's agreement with Hennepin County to perform assessing services is set to expire soon. In April of this year, the Council had a presentation from the Hennepin County Assessor's Office as well as had an opportunity to discuss this at their May work session. Loftus stated the item in front of the Council this evening for consideration is a 4 -year contract at a cost of $172,000 for 2017. Staff recommends approval of the agreement. Walsh stated the reason he took it off the Consent Agenda is that he does not see a reason to do more than a 1 -year agreement with Hennepin County since a longer agreement would preclude the City from having the opportunity to look at other vendors as they become available. Walsh stated this might be a really good opportunity to look at other options and perhaps save some money. Walsh stated by entering into a 4 -year contract, the City precludes other options being pursued, and that there is no financial incentive for the City to do more than one year at a time. McMillan noted a representative from the Hennepin County Assessor's Office is not here to address this tonight and that they do make investments in hiring assessing staff. Loftus stated it is promising to have new businesses enter this field but that of the ones that exist right now, she is not sure that a 1 -year track record would make her more comfortable to go with them. Loftus indicated she would prefer over a two year track record. Loftus stated since the Council last met, she was informed by the new company that they have secured a contract with the City of Greenwood, which would provide Lake Minnetonka experience, and that perhaps Orono could look at contacting them a couple of years down the road. Levang stated she would like to go along with Staff's recommendation and that it is a good agreement and a good department to be working with. Levang stated there are advantages to working with Hennepin County and that the Council needs to be extremely careful about the people who enter Orono residents' homes. Levang stated in a few years the City could take the time to look at something else or they can put this out as an RFP. Levang stated since there is a cost associated with the RFP process, she would rather not do that every year or two years and that perhaps it could be a 4 -year rotation. Levang moved, Cornick seconded, to approve the Hennepin County Assessing Agreement. McMillan stated when she became Mayor, she looked at a number of their assessments and they were close to the market. McMillan stated the Hennepin County Assessor's Office provides a good service and that they do have to hire people based on their agreements and that she would hate to check up on them every year or leave them in limbo. McMillan stated in her view four years is okay for the term of the agreement. Printup asked if in the past it has been on a 4 -year rotation Loftus indicated it has been. Page 19