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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-26-2020 Council Minutes MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,May 26,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. ROLL CALL The Orono City Council met on the above-mentioned date with the following members present: Mayor Dennis Walsh, City Council Members Richard Crosby, III,Aaron Printup, and Victoria Seals.The following members were absent: Matt Johnson. Representing Staff were City Administrator Dustin Rief and Public Works Director/City Engineer Adam Edwards. Mayor Walsh called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF AGENDA CONSENT AGENDA 1. CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF MAY 11,2020 2. COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES OF MAY 11,2020 3. CLAIMSBILLS 4. WITHDRAWAL FROM THE LOGIS GROUP INSURANCE PROGRAM— RESOLUTION NO.7097 5. APPROVAL OF 2019 TRANSFERS 6. APPROVAL OF 2020 GARBAGE HAULER LICENSES 7. APPROVAL OF TRANSIENT MERCHANT LICENSE—RENAISSANCE FIREWORKS 8. APPOINT PUBLIC WORKS SUPPORT/UTILITY BILLING SPECIALIST 9. WOODHILL AVENUE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT This item was removed from the Consent Agenda. 10. RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR REALIGNMENT OF CSAH 15—RESOLUTION NO. 7098 11. POLICY FOR TEMPORARY OUTDOOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AREAS 12. 2021 STREET MAINTENANCE PLANNING AND ENGINEERING 13. 2020 ANNUAL STORMWATER IMPROVEMENT AWARD 14. AUTHORIZATION TO ACCEPT JASON BARNES RESIGNATION—RESOLUTION NO.7099 This item was removed from the Consent Agenda. Page 1 of 6 MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,May 26,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. 15. APPROVAL TO DISPOSE OF UNCLAIMED PROPERTY 16. APPROVAL OF A POLICE SERGEANT POSITION 17. LA19-000057—WAYZATA COUNTRY CLUB,430 OLD LONG LAKE RD—VARIANCE & CUP—AMENDED RESOLUTION/EXHIBIT—RESOLUTION NO.7100 Crosby moved,Seals seconded,to approve the Consent Agenda as revised,with Item Nos. 9 and 14 being removed from the Consent Agenda.VOTE: Ayes 4,Nays 0. Seals noted No. 11 is a policy on outdoor food and alcohol sales which allows City Staff to work with Orono's restaurants to be more flexible so they can stay in business. Although there are only a few restaurants in Orono, it is important to work with the businesses and residents. She hoped neighboring cities are doing the same because it is a tough environment. Walsh thanked Seals for her great idea. He hoped the restaurants in Orono can take advantage of the policy because Orono,as a City, wants to do everything it can to make things more forward better for everyone in the current economic situation. Rief stated Staff has been in contact with The Narrows and that Gary Anderst is aware the item is on the agenda this evening. Staff is working on it and will have something on his desk soon. Seals said anything the City can do to help The Narrows and Lulu's should be done. She stated that even though all of Fletcher's slips were full,the situation is"sucking big wind"and she did not know how some of the restaurants would keep things going. She hoped other cities are listening and they are doing the same for other restaurants in the area. Crosby stated one of the owners of The Narrows discussed with him possibly doing some outdoor entertainment and he thinks the City has to be flexible. There may need to be a time limit at night,but the businesses have suffered enough. The City needs to do whatever it can to help them. PUBLIC COMMENTS None. 14. AUTHORIZATION TO ACCEPT JASON BARNES RESIGNATION—RESOLUTION NO. 7099 Printup said he got to know Jason Barnes over the years when he was a Community Service Officer (CSO)and then became a Full-Time Police Officer. It has been a privilege getting to know him and seeing him out in the community, at school events,and out and about. He stated Barnes is an all-around great guy, and wished him and his family all the best in California. Crosby stated he knew Barnes when he was a Firefighter,before he became a Police Officer and CSO. He is a unique individual. When you meet him, his kindness comes out. He is never at odds with anybody. He exemplified everything about the Orono Police Department. He was also an exceptional Firefighter when he was on the Long Lake Fire Department. He wished him well and said they would welcome him/his family if they decided to come back. He read a resolution recognizing Officer Jason Barnes for Page 2of6 MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,May 26,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. his 13 years of dedicated service to the City as a Police Officer as follows: "Whereas,Jason Barnes was appointed to the position of Community Service Officer in August 2007; and Whereas,Jason Barnes hired as a Part-Time Police Officer on February 26,2013 and; Whereas,Jason Barnes was promoted to Full-Time Police Officer on May 14, 2013 and; Whereas, Jason Barnes was assigned as the Orono School District Liaison Officer and Investigator 2018 through May 2020 and provided valuable experience and played a significant role in the prosecution of many criminal cases and; Whereas, his years of service as Police Officer has been characterized by his dedication to providing the highest quality police service to the City and its citizens and; Whereas,Jason Barnes has provided service to the community in a fair, respectful, honest,trustworthy, and selfless manner and; Whereas,Jason Barnes is resigning from his position as Police Officer effective May 29, 2020.Now,therefore,be it resolved,that the Orono City Council does hereby recognize and commend Officer Jason Barnes for his leadership and dedicated service to the community as Police Officer. Be it further resolved that the Orono City Council does hereby extend its best wishes to Office Jason Barnes.Adopted by the City Council of Orono,Minnesota at a regular meeting held this 26th day of May, 2020." Seals moved,Printup seconded,to approve the resignation of Jason Barnes effective May 29,2020, and approve Resolution No. 7099 for 13 years of dedicated service to the City of Orono.VOTE: Ayes 4,Nays 0. 9. WOODHILL AVENUE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT Edwards noted Item No. 9 was tabled at the last Council meeting for additional information.The Community Service Director spent countless hours putting together the packet looking into the history of the Woodhill access issue.The Council action is focused on the temporary speed humps the City has been installing/uninstalling every year since about 2013.The City was requested to no longer put the speed humps in from residents who live at the end of the road and have to traverse the speed humps. Also,from the City Engineer's perspective, speed humps are not an effective means to control speed,particularly on a street such as Woodhill, and the installation/removal/maintenance costs $900-$1,000 yearly. Staff recommends removal of the speed humps. Since it is an emotional issue, Staff brought it to the City Council for a decision. Walsh said he did not think it was as much of an emotional issue as a community/neighborhood expectation from a lawsuit many years ago, and the resolution to have the access were the speed humps to slow traffic down.He noted he was at Janie Delaney's residence and saw a number of large and small vehicles slow down for the speed humps. The biggest thing that bothered him is when he did MapQuest coming from Golden Valley, it told him the quickest and most direct route was to go through Woodhill Avenue through the golf course and go against the one-way road. He stated people are not supposed to come from the other way and they are obviously doing so all the time. He was at Ms. Delaney's back door and there are people coming through there, especially on Friday and Saturday nights when there are lots of activities going on, and it is a parade of lights going past her house, etc. He said the speed humps were a condition of the Conditional Use Permit(CUP). Whether they lived up to it by putting them in and they somehow disappeared,he still thinks the nature of the expectation was that they were going to stay. Until the neighborhood completely says they do not need the speed humps and it should be changed to a two- lane road, it should probably stay the way it is because that is what was agreed to. He thinks speed humps slow things down,commenting that there was a similar issue on Crystal Bay Road because that was the shortcut going to Lafayette.Residents were very happy to see the speed humps put in at that location. Since MapQuest took him down a one-way road the wrong way, he also suggested somebody call Page 3 of 6 MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,May 26,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Google/MapQuest to let them know it is a one-way road and they stop directing people to go the wrong way on a one-way road. Edwards stated the CUP restricts access onto/out of the private property. Woodhill is a two-way street all the way through the public corridor. Walsh said MapQuest took him all the way to Janie Delaney's house from the golf course. Crosby clarified that Walsh went the wrong way through the one-way. The exit is a one-way coming in; he went the other way when going out. Edwards said he wanted it clear that the City road is a full-width,two-way street. The only restriction is the in and out based on the CUP,which he did not think Google or Mapquest would have access to or an algorithm to figure out. Walsh said no one would police it or put a gate up, but the expectation of the neighbors is that is what it is supposed to be. Crosby stated he understands the golf course uses it for deliveries and things of that nature. The problem is,the people that live in the area, instead of driving all the way around,make the shortcut go the wrong way. He was not for the speed bumps, but he has a better understanding of why they are there after seeing it in person. Ultimately,he would like Woodhill to be a true one-way. He did not think it would happen because everyone is looking for the straightest way to get to a point. He is in favor of keeping the speed humps with the CUP as part of the deal. Walsh noted that is part of what the City signed up for, and also managing the CUP and putting it in place. Printup moved, Crosby seconded,to keep the speed bumps on the roadway.VOTE: Ayes 4,Nays 0. MAYOR/COUNCIL REPORT Crosby said he wanted to talk about what Memorial Day means and represents to different people. People have lost family members both distant and not-so-distant. All of our country's veterans are heroes;the people that have died for this country are exceptional heroes.He personally is extremely grateful for their sacrifices and thinks about it often.Their sacrifices are never made in vain.They helped give our citizens their freedom,going back to the times of the Revolutionary War, and the United States has done more to liberate the world and give other countries freedom than anybody else on the planet. We need to be very proud of our veterans, especially the men and women that perished in battle. Printup stated he is very happy that Orono is open and opening further, and also happy with the resolution helping restaurants with flexibility to make Orono open and great.Economic recovery needs to begin in the State because it is becoming less of a health issue and more of an economic travesty. There was concern about how to open up and what City Hall/Council Chambers would look like, and you can run into more people getting gas at the gas station or waiting in line at the grocery store. It has been proven that great things can be done in Orono. Road construction is getting started, and he thanked Edwards for his help with a potential drainage/flooding issue due to construction on his street. With the success and popularity with Spring Clean-Up/Dump Day,they are starting to work on a Fall Clean-Up/Dump Day for Page 4 of 6 MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,May 26,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. junk that people have when they clean out their houses and garages, etc. He asked the Council to let Staff know to start working on that so something can be done in September/October. Crosby said he thinks it is a great idea to have a Fall Clean-Up Day. Printup stated,with the weird year everyone is having,the City needs to do whatever is possible to help residents more. The City does a lot, and many things go unseen because it is pipes and utilities under the roads to keep everything going.He said it was important that the City does things residents can see. Seals thanked everyone for the support regarding Orono restaurants; she thinks it is a step in the right direction. She encouraged anyone with the means to get take-out and tip well; it is needed. She thanked City Staff for not closing down things like parks. She found out there were residents searching for open parks in the area and was shocked to learn one of the neighboring cities has orange tape around their playgrounds. She commented that she thinks that is odd,because one place people should be is outside, playing and getting exercise. She thinks it is great when she hears kids playing in Bederwood Park. Walsh thanked Crosby for the Memorial Day tribute and Printup and Seals for bringing up the great things the City of Orono does and will continue to do. He said Claire Berrett,whose youngest daughter is graduating, is putting together a graduation ceremony and they have been giving her ideas to help her out because the school grounds could not be used. They are going to use Trinity Lutheran Church's parking lot, and they are figuring out a drive loop so kids can have some kind of graduation celebration. Walsh moved, Crosby seconded,to waive any fees,whether it is permit or special event fees,for anything put together through the City regarding high school graduation events. VOTE: Ayes 4, Nays 0. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT None. CITY ADMINISTRATOR REPORT Rief said road construction is starting to get busy. There are some traffic issues on 15/19, but the Narrows Bridge closes on Monday which will eliminate a lot of that travel. The Police Department will now pick up some of the South Lake Police Department area that is on the island south of Mound, but it will also limit some traffic problems on Kelly Avenue. He noted there was a 30-plus-minute wait that morning in that area. Seals asked Rief if he knew when the parking lot would be opened on Bederwood. She noticed a lot of people are parking on Stubbs Bay Road and nearly getting hit as there is no room for parking,because the parking lot was redone and then taped off. Rief said he would ask Edwards and thought it might be because striping needs to be done. Walsh and Seals commented that the park looks great. Rief said the City will start doing the mill-and-overlays, depending on the rain situation. Road construction will start all over the City and will be slow-going,kind of like the economy right now. Page 5 of 6 MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday,May 26,2020 6:00 o'clock p.m. Walsh commented that the first quarter financial reports will be at the next meeting. Permits look strong. Rief agreed with Walsh.He said the middle of June is when the City gets their tax deposit. Then they will see how much was paid in,figure out a percentage, and kind of know where the City will be at the end of the year. Seals asked if the City could find out what Minnehaha's preventative maintenance is on the Gray's Bay Dam which was built in 1979. She said a few residents that live on the lake asked the question based on the failures of the dams in Michigan and the massive flooding and destruction. Mr. Richie Anderson, LMCD Representative, said the dams that broke were earthen dams and Gray's Bay Dam is concrete.This dam also has a natural spillway so it is not comparable. ADJOURNMENT Printup moved, Seals seconded,to adjourn the Orono City Council meeting at 6:29 p.m.VOTE: Ayes 4,Nays 0. ATTEST: Anna Carlson, City Clerk Dennis Walsh,Mayor Page 6 of 6