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CCM 08/12/2013 CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF FRIDLEY AUGUST 12, 2013 The City Council meeting for the City of Fridley was called to order by Mayor Lund at 7:05 p.m. ROLL CALL: MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Lund Councilmember Barnette Councilmember Saefke Councilmember Varichak Councilmember Bolkcom OTHERS PRESENT: Wally Wysopal, City Manager James Kosluchar, Public Works Director Darin Nelson, Finance Director Scott Hickok, Community Development Director Darcy Erickson, City Attorney Kay Qualley, Environmental Planner PRESENTATION: Certificate of Appreciation to Medtronic, Inc. APPROVAL OF PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA: APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 1. City Council Meeting of July 22, 2013 APPROVED. NEW BUSINESS: 2.Receive the Minutes from the Planning Commission Meeting of July 17, 2013. RECEIVED. 3.Special Use Permit Request, SP #13-06, by Scenic Sign Corporation, for Mighty Mites III, LLC, to Allow a Free-Standing Electronic Message Center Sign, Generally Located at 5401 East River Road N.E.; and FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 12, 2013 PAGE 2 Resolution Approving Special Use Permit, SP #13-06, for Scenic Sign Corporation, on behalf of Mighty Mites III, LLC, the Property Owner of Furniture Mart, Located at 5401 East River Road N.E. (Ward 3). Wally Wysopal , City Manager, stated this is for an electronic sign. There will be no other images on it. APPROVED SPECIAL USE PERMIT, SP #13-06. ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 2013-37. 4.Special Use Permit Request, SP #13-07, CBRE, Inc., for FirstCal Industrial 2 Acquisitions, to Allow Outdoor Storage of Storage Containers and Roll-Off Boxes within the rear Parking Lot, Generally Located at 5155 East River Road N.E.; and Resolution Approving Special Use permit, SP #1307, for CBRE, Inc., on Behalf of FirstCal Industrial 2 Acquisitions, the Property Owner for the Property Located at 5155 East River Road N.E. (Ward 3). Wally Wysopal , City Manager,stated this will allow outdoor storage containers and roll-off boxes within the rear parking lot. APPROVED SPECIAL USE PERMIT, SP #13-07. ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 2013-387. rd 5.Receive Bids and Award the Matterhorn Drive Watermain Project No. 427 and 53 Avenue Sewer Forcemain Project No. 433, Including the Alternate Bid Deduction, to Penn Contracting. Wally Wysopal , City Manager,stated the City combined two reconstruction projects with an alternate bid. Staff recommends awarding the project to Penn Contracting in the amount of $246,160. This recognizes a deduction of $9,000 in their bid to allow for the delay of completion until June 30, 2014. These two combined projects are the Matterhorn Drive rd Watermain Project at $156,810, and the 53 Avenue Sewer Forcemain Project at $98,350. RECEIVED BIDS AND AWARDED THE CONTRACT FOR THE MATTERHORN RD DRIVE WATERMAIN PROJECT NO. 427 AND 53 AVENUE SEWER FORCEMAN PROJECT NO. 433, INCLUDING THE ALTERNATE BID DEDUCTION, TO PENN CONTRACTING. 6.Receive Bids and Award the Main Street Sidewalk Project No. ST2011-22, to Sunram Construction, Inc. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 12, 2013 PAGE 3 Wally Wysopal , City Manager, stated this is for the Main Street Sidewalk Project No. ST2011-22. Staff recommends awarding the project to Sunram Construction, Inc., in the amount of $126,660. RECEIVED BIDS AND AWARDED THE CONTRACT FOR THE MAIN STREET SIDEWALK PROJECT NO. ST2011-22 TO SUNRAM CONSTRUCTION, INC. 7.Approve the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization Fund Agreement for the City of Fridley Tree Inventory. Wally Wysopal, City Manager, stated staff asks for Council’s approval of the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization Fund Agreement for the City of Fridley Tree Inventory Program. It will provide $7,000 to hire an intern for 12 weeks to provide a computerized inventory of trees on City property. APPROVED. 8. Claims (160461 - 160711). Councilmember Bolkcom requested clarification of the following claim entries:  Check No. 160582, Metro Fire - Turnout Gear  Check No. 160625, American Made Election Equipment – Ballot Bags on Wheels  Check No. 160660, Kay Park-Rec Corp – Grills for Nature Center  Check No. 160704, Yale Mechanical Inc. – Repair Humidifier Councilmember Varichak requested clarification of the following claim entries:  Check No. 160510, Taho Sportswear – Sports T-Shirts  Check No. 160679, Pro Staff – Temp Receptionist Councilmember Saefke explained the turnout gear is referring to the coats, pants, helmets, and boots firefighters wear. APPROVED. 9. Licenses APPROVED THE LICENSES AS SUBMITTED AND AS ON FILE. 10. Estimates: Ron Kassa Construction th 6005 East 250 Street Elko, MN 55020-94447 2013 Miscellaneous Concrete Project No. 429 Estimate No. 3 ................................................................................ $ 3,278.92 FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 12, 2013 PAGE 4 Northwest Asphalt Corporation 5929 Baker Road, Suite 420 Minnetonka, MN 55345 2013 Street Rehabilitation project No. ST2013-01 Estimate No. 2 ................................................................................ $266,184.47 APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA: MOTION by Councilmember Barnette to approve the proposed consent agenda. Seconded by Councilmember Varichak. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA: MOTION by Councilmember Bolkcom to approve the agenda. Seconded by Councilmember Saefke. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. OPEN FORUM: No one from the audience spoke. NEW BUSINESS: 11. Resolution Approving an Active Transportation Plan for the City of Fridley. Kay Qualley , Environmental Planner, thanked the participants and those who provided advice and hard work for this project. She would like to particularly thank the Fridley Active Transportation Citizen Advisory Group consisting of Donna Bahls, Justin Foell, Mary Gute, Teresa Hanson, Craig Malm, Ron Mattson, and Michelle Zwicky. Mr.Mattson and Mr. Foell are in the audience tonight. Ms. Qualley stated the plan is a shared image for the community based on the projections from the census on what our future city is going to look like and the best use of resources for roads, walks, trails and paths designed for all users. Ms. Qualley stated this plan needs to align with goals and objectives from the Met Council, from Fridley’s own 2030 Comprehensive Plan, from MnDOT, and implementation of complete streets based on the state legislature passing complete streets legislation. In addition, the SHIP grant that helped with much of the research and audits for the Active Transportation Plan has indicated that over the last 30 years, obesity has been on the rise throughout the country. We do not run errands on foot or by bicycle as we once did. The kids do not walk to school. Because of that, FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 12, 2013 PAGE 5 the necessity for safe and convenient networks for walking and biking to school have become even more important in order to try and reverse that trend. These social interactions increase eyes on the street and possibly the future demand for additional local businesses. Ms. Qualley stated in the last ten years, as far as non-auto commuters, Fridley’s increase is greater than that of Anoka County. Fridley also has a higher percentage of renters. Ms. Qualley stated Fridley’s own 2030 Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 6 – Transportation, talks about seeking convenient transportation options. We need to be planning for them, and we have made some strides. Hopefully we will make more with this plan. Ms. Qualley stated MnDOT and the Met Council have emphasized that cities need to meet the daily requirements of residents by assisting in the efforts to live and work without relying on automobiles. A high percentage of the City has one or no cars available to them. In fact, as transportation options improve, these can be budgetary decisions by others as well. Ms. Qualley stated MnDOT has started to incorporate complete streets legislation and action steps into a lot of their plans. They are starting to have more bike/ped coordinators and people in the structure of MnDOT who are looking at the streets being constructed slightly differently than they may have been in the past, still keeping in mind that auto, truck, and bus traffic needs to be an integral part of the whole system. Ms. Qualley stated as mentioned earlier, the complete streets legislation was passed by the State Legislature in 2010. Why is it important for us to look at it in the future if Council decides to accept the Active Transportation Plan? We have a little greater flexibility in both obtaining grants and with interactions with MnDOT if the City has transportation policies that are more aligned to their policies. Ms. Qualley stated she has been participating in the Met Council’s process. The City of Fridley is the smallest community invited to participate in this regional bikeway transportation network. Corridors and linkages across rivers and community boundaries are the more difficult things to coordinate for city budgets. The Met Council is really looking at how the metro is moving transportation cyclists and those who are not going to use an auto to get to work across these kinds of borders, recognizing that bridges and river connections are difficult. The City had the opportunity to provide input about key regional designations like its Mississippi River Trail structure and other things in terms of destinations, as well as historical features of the community working with regional players. That was something the City will have a positive outcome from when this project concludes at the end of the year. Ms. Qualley stated mobile disabled individuals working in the community or working in other communities who live in our community are having a tough time with the City’s winter maintenance policies and procedures. Ms. Qualley stated the City established an Active Transportation Committee. They created some new partnerships and moved some aspects of the Comprehensive Plan forward and will continue to do so if this plan is accepted. New commercial/industrial projects are being proposed. A Transit Oriented District has been created. Strong regional employment, because it has a net FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 12, 2013 PAGE 6 gain of commuters, takes place in Fridley. Fridley has a forward-thinking City Council. It is a Mississippi River town. It has regional trails and parks. The HRA has marked areas like thst University Avenue between 57 and 61 Avenues for a higher-density development by parcel assembly. The City’s prized Northstar train stop provides an easy travel option to downtown Minneapolis. Ms. Qualley stated Fridley does have weaknesses or areas of susceptibility as well. Plan and policy changes in regard to active transportation will be dependent on the City’s financial conditions and budgets. MnDOT and Anoka County transportation are jurisdictions that may not allow the recommended changes on roadways they control. As much as possible, the City tries to recognize that with this plan. Ms. Qualley stated Fridley’s numbers of elderly people are increasing. The City has few bus shelters that exist on its busiest roadways. Oftentimes the benches are positioned virtually just a few feet from busy cars in the winter, because of the way things are right now and how unstructured that type of thing is. The City was originally developed without walks. Its ADA compliance is advancing only slowly and does require some additional research and prioritization. Ms. Qualley stated Fridley has a lot of opportunities. She could go on for the remainder of the time tonight about why it is a great place, i.e., affordable housing, it has a TOD district that is innovative and ready to develop parcels that are available, and developmental project interest along East River Road and University Avenue is heating up and moving forward. Ms. Qualley stated safety on shared roads and traffic speeds being very high on key roads continues to be a concern. Development in the TOD will worsen non-auto problems because it will bring housing and structures closer to roads and place people in closer proximities to traffic. There needs to be some coordination here, and hopefully, the City will be able to achieve that by working with partners in other jurisdictions. Ms. Qualley stated a plan to aid children, elderly, and those without cars can be side lined by lack of easement permissions such as local residents who do not want a sidewalk, for instance. Lack of ability to provide maintenance funds may not allow the City sometimes to accept grants to add trails or walks in priority areas. Ms. Qualley stated as to public participation between September and April, there was the work session in April this past spring, interactions with the Fridley school system, the Home and Garden Show, input from the Senior Center, and a new business survey to the North Chamber of Commerce from Commute Solutions of Anoka County, and Fridley Planning. Ms. Qualley stated at the Home and Garden Show, people had a map on which they were able to put post-it notes about things that disturbed them or they thought were challenges in the community or things that needed some work. For example, traffic being too high at key crossings, sidewalks not plowed or not plowed in a timely fashion or trails not plowed or not useable. Trains stops and bus stops not cleared properly of snow being dangerous to walk. All of these things have timetables and priorities. These are just comments made in sort of a general way and were recurring. People felt the City needed more coffee shops and small retail. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 12, 2013 PAGE 7 Ms. Qualley stated there was more than one senior listening session, one of which was combined with some public private partnerships for training exercises with new styles of bicycles that are suitable and safe for seniors. Participants stated in a previous listening session that walking on the road felt unsafe, and they preferred sidewalks. They indicated they do not always remember how to ride a bike. If the City is going to make it easier for them to get around, there may have to be some educational pieces also. Ms. Qualley stated a recent national study from 2010 showed that the majority of older adults prefer to remain in their homes. Minnesota scores even higher than most of the rest of the country. To point out healthwise the bottom point, adapted in-community facilitation is better than remedial occupational therapy. Basically, seniors who are getting out and getting exercise in their neighborhoods have a higher satisfaction rate. The deterioration is being mitigated before occupational therapy is needed. It is a two-part thing. In terms of burgeoning health costs and just the overall satisfaction of remaining in one’s home longer, it is a very important point to include. Ms. Qualley stated our state is one that, depending on the study (being either a 20 or 30-year study) showed a trend of obesity that can be arrested, halted, or possibly even reversed. Some of the things found by an Active Transportation Committee showed during a walk audit of Hayes Elementary School that perhaps restricting some parking for parents so kids do not leap out into traffic and cross without a crosswalk, maybe some additional countdown timers, some of Safe Routes to Schools funding from the first round provided some great things, and they may want to continue that in other schools when the budget becomes available. Ms. Qualley stated adult traffic is a problem in terms of air pollution and safety of children. Maybe by making it a little less convenient for kids to be brought to school, walking school buses and other innovative national ideas can be used here. Ms. Qualley stated they have tried to understand that transportation cyclists want to be as close to or on high-speed major corridors. Therefore, the combination of safe traversing of high-speed corridors, like Highway 65 rebuilt underneath I-694, will have to include a way to have bicyclists get underneath I-694 safely and get to an intersection. That is in process for 2014. Ms. Qualley stated helmets, education, and expanding the bike rack program, which made significant progress in 2010 by racks going into all the parks shells, shall be continued. Moving signs to reflect new bike routes and loops and budgeting for those changes would all be part of the bike action steps. Ms. Qualley stated the Active Transportation audits found that people moving through the community have created their own pathways and their own ways of getting around. For example, at Target south of I-694, there is a broken chain link fence for people to get through. Ms. Qualley stated Council saw the bike/pedestrian study recommendations last September, and the key points and the things Council emphasized the most have been incorporated into the FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 12, 2013 PAGE 8 Active Transportation Plan, but there are still some other things that may be pulled out of there as well. Ms. Qualley stated the Safe Routes to Schools and Transit for Livable Communities are the granting agencies that have provided some of the progress they have seen along Main Street, near Stevenson School, and other locations like Hayes in the last year and will see in the next year. Ms. Qualley stated anticipated redevelopment projects and sidewalks and inter-connectivity that might accompany that will also be valuable. The 2010-2012 SHIP has been extremely important. Ms. Qualley stated a lot of this is about safety. Anyone who has been driving in this town has seen some potential areas of concern. Some have seen pedestrians moving on University near I-694 coming from getting groceries, trying to get across on timers that may not be long enough on major roadways. Ms. Qualley stated the 2010-2012 SHIP, the walk audits, the consultants at SRF who studied intersections, are some of the things which provided design solutions that have been used already. There are the partnerships that continue today with Fridley schools, and Allina Health System completed a park user survey, and provided consultant assistance to look for grants as well as for featured grants. They completed the bike/walk study. Other consultant assistance was extremely instrumental in helping the City obtain a $1 million TE grant to construct a pedestrian bridge over I-694 in 2015. MnDOT is just starting to map that and, because the City started it right away when it first became available as a program and have continued it this spring, the City will have seen very significant data that will help it in its planning process. Ms. Qualley stated this past year, the Active Transportation Committee was formed. The committee has been invaluable as far as looking at maps, bicycling routes, walking routes, and doing walking audits of the schools. They have been a great volunteer resource. They completed the bike/ped counts in April for round two with MnDOT, and they will see the last draft of a new Active Transportation bike map for the City of Fridley. SHIP will pay for 1,500 hard copies of that and the map will also be on the website, along with new information about the Active Transportation Plan depending on what input they have tonight. SRF Consulting was the consultant who helped to identify some gaps in the system and some areas in the City they needed to focus on. Many of the trails that are important for youth are also useful in terms of access for seniors to get to senior lunches, bingo, and activities that are educational at the Senior Center. Ms. Qualley stated the 2013 review of the business survey was designed in connection with the Anoka County Health Department through SHIP and Commute Solutions of Anoka County. Commute Solutions goes to businesses and talks to them about how they can better prepare their business to accommodate those individuals who like to get to work by means other than a car. One of the advantages to that is if the business grows in Fridley, they do not need to change their parking requirements and outgrow their site as quickly. The survey looks at commuting practices. Manufacturing industries responded more than service industries. Basically only 20 percent of the businesses had bike racks. Many of them had storage areas for helmets or bikes where they could be brought into the building. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 12, 2013 PAGE 9 Ms. Qualley presented the draft of a map that will be published and printed soon. Because of the linear shape of Fridley, there was room to indicate historical buildings in Fridley. The map will eventually be a more interactive map. The goal for the next phase of the map is to have locations on the map indicating a restaurant, a grocery store, medical center, etc., such that if you click on it on-line, it will then provide the name, address, and exactly what business it is. In the meantime, they do have a hard copy which will be placed on the web. Ms. Qualley stated the Active Transportation Plan work session Council held in April reviewed elements of the Comprehensive Plan and winter maintenance goals and issues. Shown at that time were things indicated such as bus shelters being clogged, a bus stop that is slippery and difficult to stand on and users having to wait in the street, sidewalks near the bus stops being plowed but then subsequently other jurisdictional vehicles plowing them back in again, and homeowners or businesses not taking the time to send someone out or alert the City. Basically, it made much of the City unwalkable or unbikeable for a long time after a storm event. Ms. Qualley presented a map showing on the right proposed change from the left side including additional plowing of trails and walks and the status on how many miles of sidewalks the City has and how many miles of paths and trails are on there. Ms. Qualley stated City Engineering is working on its first condition assessment. She asked Mr. Kosluchar if he had any comments. James Kosluchar , Director of Public Works, replied, no. They have added $100,000 per year in the streets CIP starting this year for connections, walks, and trails. They also have started an assessment of trail conditions. Ms. Qualley stated they are considering an evaluation of the Code language about what an owner’s responsibility would be, especially in regard to de-icing. Ms. Qualley stated as to park trails, the City is not connected or considered to be part of the Active Transportation network unless they provide a mobility function, a cut-through if you will, for transportation use. Ms. Qualley stated in terms of providing a level of service that is customary in the surrounding areas, they try and look at what is usual and regular. Ms. Qualley stated they are working on personnel, budget, developing ordinance language, and developing enforcement and notification processes in an evaluation format like that used on streets to assess trail and walk conditions for repair annually. Ms. Qualley stated based on 10 average plowings a year, the trails will be passable during the winter season, but streets still need to be plowed first. The sequencing of things would be similar to what takes place now, but perhaps they would add the additional priority of making property owners make sure they are subsequently cleared of ice; and the City has a regular procedure for doing so. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 12, 2013 PAGE 10 Ms. Qualley stated some contractor services could be required occasionally. Prioritization of other maintenance in order to achieve higher snow removal services, along with public awareness through the website and the City newsletter, will do a better job so that those who need to be able to get around to work and to essential services are able to do so safely. Ms. Qualley presented a map indicating where the City currently has bus benches and shelters. They found the problem was that the maintenance in terms of snow removal and actual care of the benches has been sporadic. Oftentimes, the bench vendors are not licensed with MnDOT, with the County, and are actually quite random in their siting instead of in priority routes where constituents or residents wish they would be sited. With either licensing or franchising arrangements and placement within the priority routes, improving accessibility and removal of litter could be achieved. The City could coordinate an annual review for quality and consistency. When they are well-maintained and in the right spots, they are used. Ms. Qualley stated to summarize the Active Transportation Plan, they would seek to achieve the goals of Fridley’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan transportation goals and to continue the initiative the City has begun with the SHIP grants to provide safe and effective transportation choices for those who cannot, are unable to, or prefer not to drive in the City of Fridley; to use the priority map she just showed them for walks and trails to budget for improvements and maintenance for walks; and to ensure non-auto access to jobs, schools, and essential services. “Not all modes and all roads” has been discussed because it is not practical nor desirable to do all these thing on every road, which is why the priority road system was a part of the Active Transportation Committee recommendations, staff recommendations from departments working together to determine this important component. Councilmember Saefke stated just recently the newspaper had an article stating Anoka County is declining $1 million in SHIP grants. Does that affect anything in Fridley? Ms. Qualley replied, it definitely did affect things in Fridley. It was a very unfortunate decision by Anoka County because, for instance, way-finding signage would have been one thing available to Fridley. To continue the next phase of active transportation would have been possible for staff with that funding. Another thing that could have gone forward was planning for a farmers market someplace in the City for access to healthy produce and to create the kind of thing that would have been a nice walking and biking destination in the City. Councilmember Saefke asked whether the City receives the SHIP grant directly from the State or does it have to filter through the County. Ms. Qualley replied at this point her understanding is that it filters through the County, but that is an excellent question and worth investigating. She was told at one point that Fridley’s participation in two rounds of SHIP projects and the fact it accomplished so very much even compared to some other jurisdictions indicated that it would be a strong candidate in its grant application for a third round of funding. Councilmember Saefke stated, in other words, the County action was deleterious to the City’s plans? FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 12, 2013 PAGE 11 Ms. Qualley replied the Active Transportation Plan’s time horizon is not immediate, whereas a grant funding would be immediate for some highly-targeted projects. It would not be deleterious to the overall plan, but in being able to move something specific forward quickly, it certainly would be. Commissioner Barnette stated it is also true that money will be spent someplace else. Is that correct? Ms. Qualley replied, she believed that the money the State receives would go to other communities that are able to access the funds Councilmember Bolkcom stated Fridley’s County Commissioner voted to accept the SHIP grant. Commissioner Barnette stated he did receive a phone call today from Craig Malm to let him know he was in full support of this whole plan. He represents Allina Hospitals. Ms. Qualley stated Mr. Malm also sent her an e-mail in support. Councilmember Bolkcom referred to page 82, second paragraph, on the right hand side, “add facilities like additional countdown times. . .” Is that what that is called, facilities? Ms. Qualley replied a Public Works’ term such as “facility” is really something that is a component. Councilmember Bolkcom asked whether additional countdown times means giving people a longer time to get through an intersection. Ms. Qualley replied also to maybe expand into other elementary schools, etc., to have some countdown timers there. Also, looking at the times already set. Councilmember Bolkcom referred to page 85, the photo with the pedestrian created access to the Cub. Would it make sense to put something underneath that stating it is not something the City is promoting? Ms. Qualley replied that would be a great addition. They are trying to regularize and formalize some of these paths. Councilmember Bolkcom referred to page 89 where it states, “Created partnership with Fridley schools and Allina Health Systems.” What was this partnership? Ms. Qualley replied just the fact that Mr. Malm has been a participant in the Active Transportation Committee has allowed Planning to see things from the prospective of a business, an industry that has grave concerns about the obesity epidemic and is a member in good standing as a business in the community. Councilmember Bolkcom stated but they are not doing any programming in the City’s schools. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 12, 2013 PAGE 12 Councilmember Barnette stated he believed they are. Ms. Qualley replied, yes. Councilmember Barnette stated Allina works directly with the physical education teachers. Ms. Qualley stated some of the SHIP program dollars have been allocated towards changes in diet at schools, too, and getting input from nutritionists who are associated with some of these committees has certainly been an element, too. Councilmember Bolkcom stated on page 93, on the right hand side, under “Weaknesses” the word dependent is spelled wrong and there is a gap between the financial and condition. Also, under ‘Threats’ it states “Lack of ability to provide maintenance funds may not allow us to accept grants to add trails and walks in priority areas.” She wanted to point out as a City Council they all voiced that is something they are doing and believe it is in the City’s budget. Councilmember Bolkcom stated she is a little concerned about the bus shelters. They are not going to have the minimum of riders as the City is not in a metro area. She believes the benches serve a purpose and need to be maintained, but she is concerned they do not get rid of those. Her recommendation is be careful how they tread down that path. Ms. Qualley stated that is an excellent point to try and get more benches on priority routes, not with the idea of eliminating benches, but with the idea of making benches available as much as possible for people using the route. Making sure they are usable in terms of winter and even summer maintenance on them is really more the goal. Councilmember Bolkcom stated at Night to Unite a gentleman came up twice to her who expressed concern about one of the bus stops and thought the City should have an Adopt-a- Shelter program. Mr. Kosluchar replied the Met Council does have a program, and anyone interested should contact Kay Qualley or the City of Fridley. Councilmember Bolkcom asked what it entailed. Mr. Kosluchar replied, typically they ask for someone to pick up trash around the bus stop. They provide liners. Councilmember Bolkcom asked who picks the trash up. Mr. Kosluchar replied, typically Met Council will provide a can and pick up the trash. Councilmember Bolkcom asked why is the City’s policy for ice and snow removal included in the presentation packet. FRIDLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF AUGUST 12, 2013 PAGE 13 Ms. Qualley replied, she just included it for re-reading and as they review the next iteration it will be conveniently at hand to compare the two. Councilmember Barnette asked what the County Commissioners’ rationale was in turning down the SHIP dollars. Ms. Qualley replied, the City called and asked the County Health Department and the only information she has is that there was a 2-1 vote and there was not a lot of information forthcoming to that department that would have been the recipient of the funds. MOTION by Councilmember Saefke to adopt Resolution No. 2013-39. Seconded by Councilmember Bolkcom. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 12. Informal Status Report. Councilmember Bolkcom wanted to thank everyone for Night to Unite including all the volunteers, the Fire and Police Departments, the block captions and the businesses who made donations. ADJOURN: MOTION by Councilmember Barnette, seconded by Councilmember Varichak, to adjourn. UPON A VOICE VOTE, ALL VOTING AYE, MAYOR LUND DECLARED THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY AND THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 8:10 P.M. Respectfully submitted by, Denise M. Johnson Scott J. Lund Recording Secretary Mayor