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11-27-2023 City Council Meeting November 27, 2023 7:00 PM Fridley City Hall, 7071 University Avenue NE Minutes Call to Order Mayor Lund called the City Council Meeting of November 27, 2023, to order at 7:00 p.m. Present Mayor Scott Lund Councilmember Dave Ostwald Councilmember Tom Tillberry Councilmember Ann Bolkcom Absent Councilmember Ryan Evanson Others Present Walter Wysopal, City Manager Joe Starks, Finance Director Jim Kosluchar, Public Works Director Beth Kondrick, Deputy City Clerk Brandon Brodhag, Assistant City Engineer Pledge Of Allegiance Approval of Proposed Consent Agenda Motion made by Councilmember Bolkcom to adopt the proposed Consent Agenda. Seconded by Councilmember Tillberry. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously. Approval/Receipt of Minutes 1. Approve the Minutes from the City Council Meeting of November 13, 2023. 2. Receive the Minutes from the City Council Conference Meeting of November 13, 2023. 3. Receive the Minutes from the Environmental Quality and Energy Commission (EQEC) Meeting of October 10, 2023. 4. Receive the Minutes from the Planning Commission Meeting of November 15, 2023. City Council Meeting 11/27/2023 Minutes Page 2 New Business 5. Resolution No. 2023-142, Receiving Feasibility Report and Calling for Public Hearing on the 2024 Street Rehabilitation Project No. ST2024-01. 6. Resolution No. 2023-145, Authorizing Approval of the Anoka County Special Weapons and Tactics Team Joint Powers Agreement. 7. Resolution No. 2023-143, Approving Gifts, Donations and Sponsorships Received Between October 14, 2023 and November 17, 2023. Claims 8. Resolution No. 2023-144, Approving Claims for the Period Ending November 22, 2023. Open Forum, Visitors: (Consideration of Items not on Agenda – 15 minutes.) No one from the audience spoke. Adoption of Regular Agenda Motion made by Councilmember Tillberry to adopt the regular agenda. Seconded by Councilmember Bolkcom. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously. Regular Agenda Public Hearing(s) 9. Truth-in-Taxation Public Hearing, Proposed 2024 Budget and Property Tax Levy Motion made by Councilmember Ostwald to open the public hearing. Seconded by Councilmember Tillberry. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously. Joe Starks, Finance Director, reviewed the City’s portion of the property taxes. He reviewed the budget goals and objectives, financial strengths of the City, the 2024 budget process, economic expectations, and general assumptions. He provided an overview of the proposed levy and reviewed the net tax capacity by property class. He provided additional information on general fund revenues, local government aid, general fund expenditures, general fund balance history, debt service levies and fund arbitrage, special revenue fund, capital project funds, and enterprise funds. He also provided more specific information on the proposed 2024 property tax levy and highlighted 2023 tax bill changes. City Council Meeting 11/27/2023 Minutes Page 3 He recommended that Council hold the public hearing to accept comments on the proposed 2024 budget and levy, noting that Council would consider final adoption on December 11, 2023. No public comments were made. Motion made by Councilmember Bolkcom to close the public hearing. Seconded by Councilmember Tillberry. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously. 10. Ordinance No. 1417, Public Hearing and First Reading Amending the Nominations and Elections Chapter of the Fridley City Charter Motion made by Councilmember Tillberry to open the public hearing. Seconded by Councilmember Ostwald. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously. Beth Kondrick, Deputy City Clerk, provided background information noting that the Charter Commission began its review of Chapter 4 in February of 2023 and continued discussions for six meetings, making its recommendation for proposed amendment at its November 6 meeting. She reviewed the information found within Chapter 4 and highlighted the proposed amendments. No public comments were received. Motion made by Councilmember Bolkcom to close the public hearing. Seconded by Councilmember Ostwald. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously. New Business 11. Resolution 2023-138, Approving a Regional Solicitation Grant Application to the Metropolitan Council for Mississippi Street Reconstruction from University Avenue to Stinson Boulevard Brandon Brodhag, Assistant City Engineer, presented background information on the proposed Mississippi Street roadway modification, noting an estimated project cost of $14,500,000. He reviewed the proposed project elements and grant opportunities. He provided details on the regional solicitation grant, local road improvement program grant, and highway safety improvement program grant, highlighting the project elements that would be eligible for each grant. He provided additional details on proposed project funding and tentative schedule. He reviewed the recommendations to approve each of the three resolutions which would provide approval to apply for the different grant funds. Councilmember Bolkcom asked if the project would move forward if grant funds were not received. She asked if other projects would be impacted if the grants were not received. Mr. Brodhag confirmed City Council Meeting 11/27/2023 Minutes Page 4 that the City and Anoka County agreed that the project will move forward, even if the grants are not received. He provided additional details on how the cost would be split between the City and County, noting that the County would take on more than half the cost of those remaining costs if the grants were not received. He stated that Finance would need to provide additional review on whether other projects would be impacted. Jim Kosluchar, City Engineer, commented that if the grant funds were not received, there would be significant impact on other projects. He noted that there would probably be delays to this project if the grant funds were not received in order to determine how that gap would be funded. Councilmember Bolkcom asked if the City could apply in a future round of funding if the funds were not received. Mr. Brodhag noted that these grant cycles run every two years, therefore if the City were not successful it could try again in 2026. Councilmember Ostwald asked what would happen if two of the three grants were received. Mr. Brodhag replied that would be a benefit to the project, noting that the regional solicitation grant would be the most helpful, as it has the highest maximum award. Motion made by Councilmember Tillberry to adopt Resolution 2023-138 Approving a Regional Solicitation Grant Application to the Metropolitan Council for Mississippi Street Reconstruction from University Avenue to Stinson Boulevard. Seconded by Councilmember Bolkcom. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously. 12. Resolution 2023-139, Approving a Local Road Improvement Project Grant Application to the Minnesota Department of Transportation for Mississippi Street (CSAH 6) Reconstruction from East River Road (CSAH 1) to University Avenue (TH 47). Motion made by Councilmember Bolkcom to adopt Resolution 2023-139 Approving a Local Road Improvement Project Grant Application to the Minnesota Department of Transportation for Mississippi Street (CSAH 6) Reconstruction from East River Road (CSAH 1) to University Avenue (TH 47). Seconded by Councilmember Tillberry. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously. 13. Resolution 2023-140, Approving a Highway Safety Improvement Program Grant Application to the Minnesota Department of Transportation for the Mississippi Street and Monroe Street Intersection Project. Motion made by Councilmember Ostwald to adopt Resolution 2023-140 Approving a Highway Safety Improvement Program Grant Application to the Minnesota Department of Transportation for the Mississippi Street and Monroe Street Intersection Project. Seconded by Councilmember Tillberry. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously. City Council Meeting 11/27/2023 Minutes Page 5 14. Resolution 2023-141, Approving a Regional Solicitation Grant Application to the Metropolitan Council for the Safe Routes to Schools Improvement Project Mr. Brodhag presented a request for the Council to consider approving a regional solicitation grant application to the Metropolitan Council for the Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) Improvement Project and provided background information. He provided details on the proposed SRTS improvement project and SRTS program. He reviewed the City’s Active Transportation Plan and provided comparisons of the existing conditions to the proposed conditions. He provided details on public outreach and grant opportunities. He reviewed the tentative schedule and recommendation to approve the draft resolution. rd Councilmember Ostwald referenced the section from 63 to Mississippi which does not currently have a sidewalk and asked if there was sufficient space to add a sidewalk without taking from front yards. Mr. Brodhag confirmed that there is space, as they would be removing the parking lane. Councilmember Bolkcom asked for input on the opposition received from one resident. Mr. Brodhag provided additional details on that input. Motion made by Councilmember Tillberry to enter the written public input into the record. Seconded by Councilmember Ostwald. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously. Councilmember Bolkcom asked and received confirmation that this is not a project that would move forward if the grant funds were not received. Motion made by Councilmember Tillberry to adopt Resolution 2023-141 Approving a Regional Solicitation Grant Application to the Metropolitan Council for the Safe Routes to Schools Improvement Project. Seconded by Councilmember Bolkcom. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously. Informal Status Reports Councilmember Bolkcom thanked staff and the Fridley Lions for their contributions during the recent events. Councilmember Ostwald reminded residents that winter parking is in effect. Adjourn Motion made by Councilmember Ostwald to adjourn. Seconded by Councilmember Tillberry. City Council Meeting 11/27/2023 Minutes Page 6 Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 8:08 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Melissa Moore Scott J. Lund City Clerk Mayor