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03/09/2009 - 29225CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF FRIDLEY MARCH 9, 2009 The City Council meeting for the City of Fridley was called to order by Mayor Lund at 7:32 p.m. ROLL CALL: MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Lund Councilmember-at-Large Barnette Councilmember Saefke Councilmember Varichak Councilmember Bolkcom OTHERS PRESENT: William Burns, City Manager Fritz Knaak, City Attorney Jack Kirk, Director of Parks and Recreation, PROCLAMATION: Minnesota Food Share Month: Mayor Lund read the proclamation. Councilmember Saefke mentioned the Empty Bowls fundraising event on March 24, 2009, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Columbia Heights. APPROVAL OF PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA: APPROVAL OF MINUTES: City Council Meeting of February 23, 2009. Councilmember Varichak pointed out the name of the councilmember making the motion on page 4, under "Adoption of Agenda" is missing. Councilmember Bolkcom indicated she was the one who made the motion. APPROVED AS AMENDED. NEW BUSINESS: 1. Resolution Accepting a Federal Recreational Trails Grant in the Amount of $15,000 as Partial Funding to Upgrade and Improve the Innsbruck Nature Center Recreational Trail, Recognizing the Grant Requirement of Local Matching Funds. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 9, 2009 PAGE 2 Williams Burns, City Manager, stated in 2007 the City applied for and was told we were eligible for a$15,000 Federal Recreational Trails Grant for constructing mountain biking trails in Innsbruck Park The Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists Association had indicated an interest in forming a partnership with the City through which they would maintain the trails. Prior to beginning the project in 2008, the Parks and Recreation Commission had a meeting with neighborhood representatives who, although not objecting to bike trails, did want to preserve their ability to walk in the park. Dr. Burns stated after investigating the compatibility of the two uses, staff determined that since the uses were not compatible and there appeared to be more support for walking trails than bike trails, the City would be better served by redirecting the project toward building walking trails. Staff has asked the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources if the grant funding could be redirected to the building of walking trails. The DNR spokesperson said that it could be considered if Council were willing to approve a resolution accepting the revised grant under the new terms and agreeing to pay the local match. Dr. Burns said we have budgeted the $15,000 needed for the local match of the $15,000 federal grant in the 2009 budget. With Council's approval of the resolution, we will begin construction of the new trails at Innsbruck Park during the current construction season and try to complete it this year. We believe the new trail system can easily be maintained with existing staff and with minimal increased costs. Staff recommends Council's approval. THIS ITEM WAS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA AND PLACED ON THE REGULAR AGENDA. 2. Receive Bids and Award Contract for the 2009 Cooperative Maintenance Contract, Project No. ST2009-10. William Burns, City Manager, stated for several years, the City has purchased seal coating, sweeping, and the painting of traffic markings on City streets through a joint powers agreement with five other cities. The bid for Fridley's share of the cost for seal coating came in at $174,387.40. We have budgeted $180,000 in the General Capital Improvements budget for this work The work would be completed basically in the northwest part of the City, north of 73ra Avenue and east of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks. Fridley's share of the sweeping portion of the contract is $12,240. This money is budgeted in the Street Division operating budget. Our share of the street striping work is $5,075 and is also budgeted in our operating budget. Staff recommends Council's approval. RECEIVED BIDS AND AWARDED CONTRACT FOR THE 2009 COOPERATIVE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT, PROJECT NO. ST2009-10. 3. Approve Change Order No. 2 for the Commons Park Water Treatment Plant Improvements, Project No. 379. William Burns, City Manager, said staff recommends change orders amounting to a net cost of $17,011 to the City's contract with Shank Contractors, Inc. The items include piping and FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 9, 2009 PAGE 3 electrical changes ($13,761), air wash pipe modifications ($2,573), and removal of old media from the under drain ($3,577). There is also a$2,900 credit for filter nozzle replacements that was determined unnecessary. APPROVED. 4. Claims (140786-140933) APPROVED. 5. Licenses. APPROVED THE LICENSES AS SUBMITTED AND AS ON FILE. 6. Estimates APPROVED THE FOLLOWING ESTIMATES: Shank Contractors 3501 — 85th Avenue North Brooklyn Park, MN 55443 Commons Park Water Treatment Plant Improvements Project No. 379 Estimate No. 4 ............................................. $246,579.15 Colt Construction Services, LLC 285 Forest Grove Drive, Suite 126 Pewaukee, WI 53072 85th Avenue Trail Project Project No. ST 2007-04 Estimate No. 1 ............................................. $152,300.64 APPROVAL OF PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA: Councilmember Bolkcom asked that Item No. 1 be removed. MOTION by Councilmember Barnette to approve the consent agenda as presented with the removal of Item 1. Seconded by Councilmember Varichak. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 9, 2009 PAGE 4 ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA: MOTION by Councilmember Bolkcom to approve the agenda with the addition of Item 1. Seconded by Councilmember Saefke. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. OPEN FORUM: No one in the audience spoke. 1. Resolution Accepting a Federal Recreational Trails Grant in the Amount of $15,000 as Partial Funding to Upgrade and Improve the Innsbruck Nature Center Recreational Trail, Recognizing the Grant Requirement of Local Matching Funds. Councilmember Bolkcom stated she was surprised they were headed down the path of a biking trail. Some time ago, she thought they had some problems with the Innsbruck trail and put up a sign and heard from little to no one about walking trails. She was surprised that there were so many people interested in it. Dr. Burns mentioned there will be little to no maintenance. She asked if they feel comfortable with a$15,000 match from us for the staircases to prevent erosion. Jack Kirk, Director of Parks and Recreation, replied he knows they put up signs several years ago at the Sand Dunes. At Innsbruck, when we were considering doing the biking trails, the Parks and Recreation Commission held some neighborhood meetings and about 18 people showed up. All of them wanted to walk in the park No one had an interest in biking. They were not opposed to biking. Their big concern was whether the bike trails would cause conflict with people walking. After investigation, they felt it likely would be a conflict with a narrow path. During the year and a half they were looking at this project, he did not receive one call from anyone who really wanted to bike in the park. He did receive calls from neighbors who wanted to walk inside the park After they reviewed it again, they felt they should be looking at this as a walking path through the park. Councilmember Bolkcom asked if the money would be sufficient to build the staircases to handle the erosion. Mr. Kirk said they believe they could do it. Staff will be meeting with the Tree Trust Organization this week They will give us an estimated cost to do the work at a very, very reasonable price. It is a youth training program with adult supervision. The organization did some wonderful work in the nature center in St. Louis Park It is very similar terrain. The terrain at Innsbruck has been the biggest problem. It is very steep in places, and the erosion on the paths makes it almost unsafe to walk on. The staircases should really solve that problem and make it a nice walking area for that neighborhood. Councilmember Bolkcom asked what they would do if they find out it costs more than $15,000. Dr. Burns said they would bring it back to Council if the costs exceed our expectations. He said he was not sure they would want to do it if it is much in excess of $15,000. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 9, 2009 PAGE 5 Councilmember Bolkcom asked if there was a possibility that the grant might not happen. Mr. Kirk stated our original application specifically stated that mountain biking would be part of the trails. He has redone the application as requested by the DNR representative who also asked that the resolution by Council be adjusted to have no reference to mountain biking and specifically state it is for walking. Both of those will go to the DNR. It is not a sure thing, but it sounded promising that they will consider our application. We have $15,000 budgeted. If we get the other $15,000 from the State, we have $30,000 and we should, based on past estimates from the Tree Trust, be able to put in a nice walking trail that will be sustainable over time without facing erosion. Councilmember Varichak asked if there will be signs saying there are no bikes allowed. Mr. Kirk replied they could put up "No Biking" signs. Occasionally people ride in there, but it would not be advertised as a mountain biking trail. It would not be laid out as a mountain bike trail which has dips and different terrain. They have put up signs on some of the trails at Springbrook. MOTION by Councilmember Bolkcom to adopt Resolution No. 2009-17. Seconded by Councilmember Saefke. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. NEW BUSINESS: 7. Informal Status Report. Councilmember Bolkcom stated on Saturday, March 14, there will be a reception at Banfill- Locke for an artist who will be displaying paintings related to the hurricane in New Orleans. On April 7 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. there will be a meeting at City Hall regarding the erosion in the area of Glen Creek A letter will be going out to residents in that area. Councilmember Barnette stated the Fridley Historical Society will be having a potluck dinner on March 17 at 6:00 p.m., and there will be discussion of the early businesses in Fridley. Councilmember Barnette stated last Tuesday they had the big groundbreaking ceremony for the Fridley citizens for the Northstar commuter rail. There was a huge turnout of residents. Also, there was a get-together at City Hall which was well-attended. The plan now is for the construction to begin when the frost is out of the ground, and it is expected to be completed by November 2009. Councilmember Bolkcom stated there was a meeting on the ne�t day about the University Avenue upgrade and widening of the shoulders for the buses. At some time parts of University FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MARCH 9, 2009 PAGE 6 Avenue will be closed from Friday night until 5:00 a.m. on Monday morning. They promised there will be signs up a week ahead of time, and we will try and put a link on our website. Councilmember Saefke asked about the status of the fence along University Avenue. Councilmember Barnette stated one of the issues they have talked about for many years has been the chain link fence along University Avenue. He said they have received a lot of support to take the fence down. The State has declined to take the fence down. The gentleman from MnDOT stated they do construction on roads and do not do fences. If there are residents out there who have a feeling one way or another about the fence, the Council would like to hear about that. Mayor Lund stated on the second Thursday of each month throughout the rest of this year, there is going to be a food distribution at the Fridley Community Center. They will have greatly reduced food, 40 to 50 percent. Everyone is welcome. There are no age or income restrictions. ADJOURN. MOTION by Councilmember Barnette, seconded by Varichak, to adjourn the meeting. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:53 P.M. Respectfully submitted by, Denise M. Johnson Scott J. Lund Recording Secretary Mayor