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Home My WebLink AboutCouncil Information Memorandum 01-11-2008CITY OF PLYMOUTH rp COUNCIL INFO MEMO January 11, 2008 UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS Metropolitan Council's State of the Region 2008 Event, 02/04/08 ........................................ Page 1 January, February & March 2008 Official City Meeting Calendars ...................................... Page 3 Tentative List of Agenda Items for Future City Council Meetings ....................................... Page 9 INFORMATION News Articles, Releases, Publications, Etc ... Wayzata Hockey Association Celebrates $725,000 Contribution, News Release ............... Page 11 New Laws Take Effect in Three Rivers Park District, News Release .................................. Page 12 Public Hearings: Relocation of Four Seasons Park & Ride Lot, News Release ................... Page 13 Beyond Wi-Fi, Governing Article......................................................................................... Page 15 Who Should Fund the Fight Against Milfoil? Star & Trib Article ....................................... Page 16 Suburbs Want New Recipe for How State Aid is Given, Star & Trib Article ....................... Page 18 Winona Big Winner of Tax Break Through State Aid Formula, Winona Daily News ArticlePage 21 STAFF REPORTS Hennepin County Adult Correctional Facility Population Report ...................................... Page 23 Engineering Department Active & Pending Public Improvement Projects .......................... Page 24 CORRESPONDENCE Email from Bob Stein to School Board, RE: Pilgrim Lane ................................................. Page 28 �, - y �,; T _ � ,. m:._ r .. �.. ..:<.. .- .m�.mmn,�an,.-.r.,emenenmrc :..,,.. h .. a:, , ,, .�,an r Page 2 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS . January 2008 Sunday I Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 Dec 2007 S. M T W T F S NEW YEAR'S7;00 DAY (City Offices PM PLANNING COMMISSION 1 closed) MEETING, Council 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Chambers 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 6:00 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING- Update with City 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE 7:00 PM PARK & REC ADVISORY COMMISSION (PRAC), Manager -Medicine (EQC), Medicine Lake Council Chambers Lake Room Rooms A & B 700 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 6:30 P.M. YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, County Chambers Board & Commissl11n InlenAeWs 6:30 pm Medicine Lake Room 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BIRTHDAY (Observed) - City Offices Closed 7:011 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, council Chambers 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT (PACT) 7:00 PM HRA MEETING Medicine Lake Room , Medicine Lake Room A 27 28 29 30 31 6:00 PM SPECIAL Feb 2008 COUNCIL MEETING- S M T W T F S Goals & Priorities - Medicine Lake Room 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 modified on 1/10/2008 Page 3 Page 4 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS February 2008 Sunday Monday Tuesday I Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Jan 2008 S M T W T F S Mar 2008 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 2:00 PM -7:00 PM FIRE & ICE FESTIVAL, Packers Lake 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 3 4 5 6 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, Council Chambers 7 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, Parkers Lake Room 8 9 7:00 PM PRECINCT CAUCUSES 10 11. s:30P.M. YOUTH AOVI YcouNCll, Council chambers 12 7:01 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 13 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EQC), Medicine Lake Rooms A & B 14 7:00 PM PARK & REC ADVISORY COMMISSION(PRAC), Council Chambers 15 7:30 AM MUNICIPAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION REGIONAL LEGISLATIVE MEETING (MLC); Radisson Hotel, Plymouth 16 17 18 PRESIDENTS DAY -6:00 City Offices Closed 19 20 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, Council Chambers 21 PM BOARD OF COMMISSION RECOGNITION EVENT, Plymouth Creek Center 22 23 24 25 ' 26 5:30 PM SPEC AL COUNCIL MEETING - Rental Licensing - Medicine Lake Room 27 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT (PACT) , Medicine Lake Room A 28 7:00 PM HRA MEETING Medicine Lake Room 29 ' 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 7:30 AM STATE OF THE CITY MEETING Plymouth Creek Center modified on 1/10/2008 Page 5 Page 6 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS March 2008 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday F Friday Saturday Apr 2008 S M T W T F S . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 Feb 2008 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 2 3 4 5 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, Council Chambers 6 7 8 9 10 11 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 12 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EQC), Medicine Lake Rooms A 8 B 13 7:00 PM PARK S, REC ADVISORY COMMISSION (PRAC), Council Chambers 14 15 16 17 18 19 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, Council Chambers 20 Environmental Fair 6:00 - 8:00 pm Sunset Hill Elem. School 21 GOOD FRIDAY 22 23 EASTER SUNDAY 24 6:30 P.M. YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL- Review Contest Entries Council Chambers 25 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Coundl Chambers 26 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMON TRANSIT (PACT) , Medicine Lake Room A 27 7:00 PM HRA MEETING Medicine Lake Room 28 29 30 31 modified on 1/10/2008 Page 7 Page 8 Tentative Schedule for City Council Agenda Items January 15, Special, 6:30 p.m., Medicine Lake Room • Board and Commission interviews January 22, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Project hearing on 2008 Street Reconstruction Project for West Medicine Lake Area (8101) • Project hearing on 2008 Mill and Overlay Project for Niagara Lane between Highway 55 and County Road 6 (8109) • Oath of Office to Firefighters • Announcement of Fire and Ice Festival on February 2 • Approve appointments to City boards and commissions • Public Hearing on Amending Park Dedication Fees • Approve final plat, site plan, conditional use permit, interim use permit and variance to allow construction of a pharmacy within the Taryn Hills commercial site located in the northeast quadrant of County Road 47 and Vicksburg Lane. Ryan Companies US, Inc. (2007092) • Approve revising and replacing a condition in Resolution 97-214 pertaining to outside trash enclosures. United Properties. 97003 • Approve request of Plymouth Lions Club to conduct lawful gambling at Broadway Bar and Pizza, 13705 27th Avenue North (Tabled from January 8) • Approve Amendment to Engineering Services Agreement, Wood Creek Erosion Repair Project (6103) • Approve Reduction in Retainage for 2007 Street Reconstruction Project (710 1) • Approve Reduction in Retainage for 2007 Reconstruction Project (7107) • Approve Plans and Specifications, 2008 Sanitary Sewer Lining Project (8111) • Authorize payment of 2008 Membership Dues for the Elm Creek and Shingle Creek Watershed Management Commissions • Approve Environmental Quality Committee (EQC) 2007 Annual Report and 2008 Work Plan • Approve budgeted purchase of items that may individually or cumulatively exceed $50,000 January 29, Special, 6:00 p.m. Medicine Lake Room • Discuss 2008 Goals and Priorities February 12, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Consider restructuring of bus routes February 26, Special, 5:30 p.m., Medicine Lake Room • Discuss Rental Licensing Ordinance and Point of Sale Inspection February 26, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers Note: Special Meeting topics have been set by Council; all other topics are tentative. Page 9 Page 10 City of Plymouth PHOTO & CAPTION For Immediate Release Jan. 10, 2008 Contact Eric Blank, 763-509-5201 Wayzata Hockey Association Celebrates $725,000 Contribution to Plymouth Ice Center Expansion Representatives of the Wayzata Hockey Association attended the Jan. 8 Plymouth City Council meeting to celebrate the group's most recent and final monetary contribution to the cost of addition of the third sheet of ice at the Plymouth Ice Center. The Wayzata Hockey Association committed to contributing $725,000 toward the Ice Center's expansion a few years ago. The association recently made its final contribution of $50,000 to toward the project. To mark the final payment, the group presented Plymouth Mayor Kelli Slavik with an oversized checked for $725,000. Pictured in photo (left to right) are: Paul Hahn, vice president of administration; Plymouth Mayor Kelli Slavik; Jerry Trapp, past president of Blue Line Booster Club; Greg Gibson, Wayzata Hockey Association president; and Mike Tabery, board member and vice president of youth travel hockey. Looking on in background are City Attorney Roger Knutson and City Manager Laurie Ahrens. Page 11 ThreeRivers PARK DISTRICT January 8, 2008 . FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jason McGrew -King Intergovernmental Media Relations Coordinator 763/559-6779 jmcgrew-king(a)threeriversparkdistrict.org NEW LAWS TAKE EFFECT IN THREE RIVERS PARK DISTRICT Tobacco restrictions among revisions to Park District Ordinance The new year has brought changes to the Three Rivers Park District Ordinance. Some of the modifications concern use of tobacco in Park District areas, while others set guidelines for the supervision of children when they're using creative play areas, beaches, swim ponds and winter recreation areas. The Ordinance is the set of laws designed to provide for safe and enjoyable public use of Park District areas and facilities, and to protect and preserve the property, facilities and natural resources of the Park District. Tobacco -Free Park designations were approved for Gale Woods Educational Farm, The Landing and the Baker Near -Wilderness Settlement on a year-round basis. Hyland Ski and Snowboard Area and the Elm Creek Winter Recreation Area are designated as Tobacco -Free Parks during the winter season. Tobacco -Free Zones were established within the designated perimeter of all Park District creative play areas, beaches, swim ponds, water play areas, visitor centers and nature centers. Additionally, tobacco use is now prohibited within 25 feet of any Park District building's entrance, exit, windows or ventilation system. Also under the Ordinance revisions, a child age 10 or under must be supervised by a responsible person when the child is using a Three Rivers Park District creative play area, swimming beach, swimming pond or winter recreation area. The Three Rivers Park District Board of Commissioners approved the Ordinance revisions in the fall of 2007. The revisions took effect after they were published on Dec. 27, 2007, in the Park District's official newspaper. Violations of the Park District Ordinance are subject to citations and fines. Copies of the Three Rivers Park District Ordinance are available at the Administrative Center, 3000 Xenium Lane N., Plymouth, MN 55441; by calling 763-559-9000; or on the Park District's website at http://www.threeriversparkdistrict.org. About Three Rivers Park District Three Rivers Park District is a natural resources -based park system that manages park reserves, regional parks, regional trails and special -use facilities in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The Park District offers facilities for every season, including picnicking, swimming, creative play, boating, fishing, downhill skiing, snowboarding, golf, camping and sledding; extensive trails for hiking, biking, in-line skating, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, as well as program sites for nature, recreation, historic and farm education. Three Rivers" Park District's mission is to promote environmental stewardship through recreation and education in a natural resources -based park system. The Park District owns and operates over 27,000 acres and serves more than 5 million visitors a year. Page 12 City of Plymouth News Release For Immediate Release January 10, 2008 Contact: Bernie Maciej, 763-509-5535 Public Hearing to Focus on Proposed Adjustments to Metrolink Bus Service & Relocation of Four Seasons Park and Ride Lot The Plymouth Advisory Committee on Transit (PACT) will hold a public hearing on Wed., Jan. 23, 7 p.m., at Plymouth City Hall, 3400 Plymouth Blvd. PACT members will hear public comment on relocation of the park and ride lot, which has been at Four Seasons Mall, and a proposal to eliminate a six -block segment of Plymouth Metrolink route 793. The route 793 adjustment is needed to accommodate the change in park and ride location and address safety and accessibility concerns. Both changes are proposed to go into effect Mon., Feb. 18. Park & Ride Relocation: Due to prohibitive costs associated with continuing to use Four Seasons Mall as a park and ride lot, the City of Plymouth is proposing to relocate the lot to 4445 Nathan Ln. N. (behind the Cub Food store on 45th Avenue N.) The entrance to the park and ride would be on 45th Ave. N. just west of Nathan Lane. The City began looking for a new park and ride location after the Four Seasons Mall owner chose not to renew the contact at a comparable cost to past years. The requested contract amount made continuing to use the Four Seasons lot cost prohibitive, according to Transit Coordinator Bernie Maciej. Proposed Route Change: To accommodate the change in park and ride location, the City of Plymouth is proposing an adjustment to Route 793 that would eliminate a six block stretch of Route 793 on Nathan Lane from Schmidt Lake Road to 45th Avenue N. This would affect two morning and two afternoon trips that serve that segment. Page 13 Instead, Route 793 would start on 45th Avenue just west of Nathan Lane at the new park and ride location. Passengers would board the bus on 45'1' Avenue N., eliminating safety and accessibility concerns with having passengers board on the highly -traveled Nathan Lane. (There is not a feasible route and turn -around for route 793 to arrive on 45th Avenue North, to pick up riders from the park and ride.) Written comments can be directed to the Transit Coordinator at the City of Plymouth, 3400 Plymouth Blvd., Plymouth, N IN 55447. For more information, please call the Transit Coordinator at 763-509-5535. Page 14 MARK STENCEL For many local governments, the Wi-Fi gold rush ended last November. That's when Inter- ' net service provider Earthlink announced that "rther investments" in its mu - significant fu nicipal wireless business did not make sense for its shareholders. Earthlink's news was no surprise. Earlier, the Atlanta-based company had announced big layoffs and vague plans for reorganizing its municipal broadband group. Since Earthlink was the leading corporate player in the field, its troubles did not bode well for community wireless initiatives, some of which were abruptly put on hold. The end of the local Wi-Fi boom presents an opportunity for govem- I t F time ment leaders to shift their focus from this specific technology to a broader state n policy discussion about U.S. broad- leaders o band competitiveness and access. Wireless technologies of some sort making the' will likely be an important compo- nent of any national strategy to shore completitiv up and extend the nation's infra- structure for electronic networking. comes t Unfortunately, after the headaches and embarrassment that foundering Wi-Fi projects have caused in some places, local leaders elsewhere may be reluc- tant to risk political capital on questions about the fixture of broadband in their communities, especially if the W word is involved. And with telecom lobbyists asking hard questions about whether government should play any role in providing broadband access, there's a lot of political capital at stake. It's not that wireless services don't have a place in local gov- ernment. There are all kinds of ways cable -free Internet con- nections can help public agencies do business more efficiently or effectively. But meter reading, security cameras and remote Internet connections for government employees are a long way from the original goals of some of the more grandiose wireless proposals. Those plans looked to low-cost, if not free, wireless net- works to create new educational and economic opportunities. That's what early enthusiasts such as former Philadelphia CIO Dianah L. Neff had in mind when she helped former Mayor John F. Street sell Philadelphia's wireless venture as a tool for transforming that city's most poverty-stricken neighborhoods. As Neff put it, "How can any 21st -century city leave a third of their population behind?" Philadelphia's bold experiment, unfortunately, started a 64 JANUARY 2008 GOVERNING highly infectious case of press -release politics, in which mu- nicipality after municipality announced ambitious plans to go wireless. At a summit of local CIOs hosted by the Public Tech- nology Institute in Phoenix in November, the technology leader of one large local government recalled trying to talk a council member out of announcing a big wireless proposal. No luck. An overlapping jurisdiction had already unveiled its Wi-Fi plans and keeping up with the Joneses was more impor- tant than vetting business models. Like Philadelphia, many towns, cities and counties part- nered with Earthlink to turn their press releases into technical and financial plans. But the business case for those deals was far from dear, and now the future of r local, those initiatives is just as murky. ��After Earthlink's November announce- deral ment, Wireless Philadelphia, the non- profit organization that's overseeing the focus on Wi-Fi initiative there, reported that the U.S. ore company had already provided coverage to 75 percent of the city and was still hard e when it atwork- Butofficials also were hinting at the �'oadband. time that Earthlinlc might ultimately decide it wants out of the deal. As of early Decem- ber, the company's plans in Philadelphia were not known. Meanwhile, another Earthlink Wi-Fi partner, Houston, was making plans for a new "digital inclusion" project—funded with part of a $5 million contractual penalty Earthlink paid for delays in building a wireless network there. The city's new plan included creating or expanding Wi-Fi hot spots in certain neighborhoods. "One of the goals was to bridge the digital di- vide," Mayor Bill White has said, "and because of the city's good contract, we have substantial money to invest in that" That's well and good, as is the sustained enthusiasm of other Wi-Fi advocates, such as MuniWireless.com founder Esme Vos, who makes a strong case for the technology's con- tinued potential in small to medium-size communities. But it's time to look beyond this one technology. Policy makers at all levels of govermnent—local, state and federal—need to j oin with the private sector to develop a coherent strategy for in- creasing the availability, affordability and performance of all broadband services. Wireless technologies will play a part in that future, but only a part. Mark Stencel can be contacted at mstencel@governing.com. He also edits Governing's Managing Technology Letter, a free monthly e-mail from which this month's column was adapted. Subscribe at governing.com/xtras Page 15 Who should fund the fight against milfoil? Minneapoli B _. St. PauL 14innesota http://www.printthis. clickability. com/pt/cpt? action=cpt&title=Who+ ia PIRINTTHIS Powered by 9 .. bi a Click to Frinl_ I SAVE THIS I EMAIL THIS I Close Who should fund the fight against milfoil? A plan has been proposed to clean Lake Minnetonka, but should lakeshore owners bear the cost or should others share the burden? By JENNA ROSS, Star Tribune Last update: January 4, 2008 - 9:00 PM A nasty, invasive plant might be blasted with herbicides in three Lake Minnetonka bays if a plan fashioned over eight months and talked about for years gets approval -- and funding. The lake's homeowners group, the Lake Minnetonka Association (LMA), and the lake's official overseer, the Lake Minnetonka Conservation District (LMCD), have drafted a plan to kill off Eurasian water milfoil, beginning with a treatment of herbicides early this spring. Those herbicides are meant to be selective -- reducing the amount of the nonnative milfoil, which forms dense canopies and annoys boaters, but leaving native plants. "The trick will be the balance," said Dick Osgood, LMA executive director and a lake biologist. The plan is based on the overall success of a 2006 test treatment in three bays -- Carman, Gray's and Phelps. All except Carman showed significant decreases in the amount of milfoil crowding the water. This year's liquid herbicide applications could cost as much as $90,000 for Carman Bay, $70,000 for Gray's and $130,000 for Phelps, according to the draft plan. But no one is sure who would pay. The LMA will likely apply for a grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to cover a small percentage of those costs. Then, lakefront -property owners would be asked to pay the rest -- voluntarily. If 70 percent of property owners participated, they could pay as much as $1,400 each in 2008, with additional costs for maintenance treatments in future years, Osgood estimated. The LMA will gauge interest among homeowners and begin a letter -writing, door -knocking campaign to collect funds. There's a tight deadline: To be effective, the herbicides must be applied when the water is still cold, in late April or early May. As with street assessments, some lakeshore owners have questioned the idea that property owners should bear the cost of improving a resource many people use. At a meeting this week, homeowners asked if people who own boat slips -- many of them in Gray's Page 16 1 of 3 1/7/2008 10:34 AM Who should fund the fight against milfoil? http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Who+... Bay -- would be considered property owners. Richard Gay, who has lived on Carman Bay for 10 years, suggested that all boaters who use the lake should pay for milfoil treatments through an annual fee. "There needs to be some kind of equity," he said. Chip Welling, coordinator of the water milfoil program for the Minnesota DNR, said boaters already do pay a fee, in a way. Because much of the DNR's revenue comes from a surcharge on boat registrations, "all boaters in the state are paying to do management," he said. "If you're putting your boat on, say, Lake of the Woods, you're paying for milfoil treatment on Lake Minnetonka." And while almost 200 Minnesota lakes have Eurasian water milfoil, the majority of them do not receive treatment funded by the DNR. Access to Lake Minnetonka is free and should probably stay that way, Welling said. The LMA has at times promoted the idea of charging for access to the lake, proceeds from which would pay for projects on the lake. But the DNR and LMCD have insisted on open access. The agencies have been battling milfoil for years. Since 1989, the LMCD has run a milfoil harvesting program. Each year, people on large floating harvesters spend the summer pulling mats of milfoil from 500 acres of the lake. This work would be suspended -- at least within the three bays -- if the treatment program occurred. In addition, many homeowners get permits to apply chemicals to the lake close to their properties and do the work themselves or with contractors' help. Unlike the larger treatments proposed, those applications don't target particular plants. "You clear everything," Osgood said. In developing the management plan, the LMA and LMCD surveyed homeowners, business owners and others. They sent surveys to 755 people, 101 of whom responded. About 44 percent of respondents said harvesting was only a "short-term, small-scale" solution to milfoil. About 66 percent said lakeshore owners' individual treatments were "OK as one element," and 17 percent said those treatments would not address the "larger problem." About 74 percent of respondents said doing nothing in response to milfoil is "not an option." Jenna Ross • 612-673-7168 Get the Star Tribune delivered to your hoine each, day'. C1.1ok bora to sut,-scriio. + Find this article at: http://www.startribune.com/local/west/1310711 l.html?pt=y Continue to next C k page Page 17 2 of 3 1/7/2008 10:34 AM Suburbs want new recipe for how state aid is given , a i , e M n eapebs - St Paul, IvTinnesota Suburbs want new recipe for how state aid is given Page 1 of 3 Eta PIRINTTH Powered by Vickauk They say the current formula is preventing them from properly providing essential services. By LORA PABST, Star Tribune Last update: January 10, 2008 - 8:30 PM When the mayor and city manager of Fridley think about the future of the aging inner -ring suburb, they hope it won't bring canceled recreation programs, fewer police and more potholes. But without more money, they say, these fears could become reality. Many cities are able to provide these basic services because the state's coffers deliver millions of dollars in aid every year. But other cities have seen their aid slashed in recent years and are now demanding a bigger piece of the pie. As the legislative session approaches, officials from Fridley and other cities will lobby for more money from the state to provide better police and fire service and keep up with repairs on crumbling infrastructure. Larger organizations such as the League of Minnesota Cities have also started discussing ways to change the formula the state uses to give out local government aid (LGA). "I'm trying to get people to understand where.the inner -ring suburbs are coming from," said Fridley City Manager Bill Burn. "We have a lot of the same issues as bigger cities." Gary Carlson, intergovernmental relations director for the League of Minnesota Cities, leads an LGA study group of several city associations, including the North Metro Mayors Association, the Minnesota Association of Small Cities and the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities. The associations represent cities from Minneapolis to small towns in northern Minnesota. "Legislators are hearing from their cities again to see if we can come up with some common ground," Carlson said. Formula changes stir the pot In 2003, the state changed the formula it uses to dole out the approximately $485 million in local government aid to cities every year. Many cities have seen drastic cuts in their aid since then -- Fridley went from $1.3 million in 2003 to zero in 2006 and back up in 2007 -- but some cities have ended up receiving more. Last year, Fridley, which has a population of about 27,100, received $382,341. Winona, population of about 26,600, received a little over $10 million. The reason for the disparity is based on a complicated formula that tries to balance how much help a city needs to provide basic services with how much money it can generate from its tax base. Burns and Fridley's mayor, Scott Lund, say the state should consider determining need by looking at how much a city spends to http://www.printthis.clickability.comlpticpt?action=cpt&title=Suburbs+want+new+recipe+for... 1! Page 18 Suburbs want new recipe for how state aid is given provide services for its residents. Winning cities, losing cities Page 2 of 3 Any proposal to change the formula is often contentious because it has to balance the interests of three main groups of cities: greater Minnesota cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul, and suburban communities, said the state's Commissioner of Revenue Ward Einess. He has met with officials from several city associations and individual cities, including Fridley. "We need to find a formula that works and has a shelf life more than a couple years," he said. "Every time you tweak [the formula], there's a winner city and a loser city." Mayor Lund said local government aid was set up to aid cities with providing basic services, such as police and fire protection. According to 2006 state crime statistics, Fridley had 110 crimes per police officer while Winona had 60 per officer. That factor isn't taken into account, he said. "Our officers are twice as busy," he said. "We need more cops and more government aid because police are a basic service." Winona City Manager Eric Sorensen said cities such as Winona need more local government aid because they serve as regional centers, unlike metro suburban communities that can rely on Minneapolis and St. Paul for services such as libraries and parks. Rising property taxes One of the biggest issues for cities has been an increase in aid one year followed by a dramatic loss the next, several city officials said. This is, in part, because factors such as the number of traffic accidents can change drastically from year to year, said the League of Minnesota Cities' Carlson. "Put yourself in a council member's shoes," Carlson said. "They see their [state aid] going up one year and they pass it along as a tax reduction, but then they have to turn around and raise taxes [the next year]." Both Minneapolis and St. Paul officials have been vocal about the impact their LGA cuts have had on city residents. St. Paul lost $13 million in LGA and Minneapolis lost about $26 million when the formula changed in 2003. Since then, both cities have gone through periods of higher and lower LGA funding, but in 2007 they were millions of dollars below what they received before the formula changed. St. Paul Council Member Kathy Lantry said changing LGA distribution is the city's top legislative priority. "There is a direct correlation between a decrease in LGA and the shift in property taxes in St. Paul," she said. New Hope Mayor Martin Opem said that when his city's local government aid dropped from almost $600,000 to $100,000 in 2007, the Council had difficult spending decisions. "What we end up doing is increasing property taxes and postponing [repairs] on other things," Opem said. Officials from some cities that don't get any local government aid, such as Maple Grove, are willing to help fellow suburbs lobby for a fairer system. Maple Grove Mayor Mark Steffenson, who is also the president of the North Metro Mayors Association, said he understands that inner -ring suburbs have.a greater need for the aid so they can provide basic services. http://www.printthis.clickability.comlpticpt?action=cpt&title=Suburbs+want+new+recipe+for... 1; Page 19 Suburbs want new recipe for how state aid is given Page 3 of 3 Carlson said his group is beginning to work to fix the formula - a difficult task considering the variety of cities his group represents. He doesn't expect the group to give a recommendation to the Legislature until its 2009 session. Other cities say they don't have that much time and want to approach their legislators this session. Fridley can survive on its reserves only for another five to seven years, Lund said. "We've lived with this for four years, and we can't continue to draw down our reserves to nothing," he said. Lora Pabst • 612-673-4628 Get the Stax shyers y0whome each d WA Cfirk here to subscribe, Find this article at: http://www.startribune.com/politics/local/l 3693591.htm I?pt=y D Check the box to include the list of links referenced in the article. Continue to next E' page Page 20 http://www.printthis.clickability.comlpticpt?action=cpt&title=Suburbs+want+new+recipe+for... 1/11/2008 Printable Version Prrnt Page Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www. winonadailynews.com Published - Wednesday, January 02, 2008 Winona big winner of tax break through state aid formula By Mark Sommerhauser I Winona Daily News The city of Winona needs more money per resident than most Minnesota cities to maintain services, analysts say. The city has less property value to tax per -resident than the state average. Yet Winona residents fork over less in property, -taxes compared to residents of most other Minnesota cities. How is this possible? Strange as it sounds, the answer is — in part — because Winona's streets are lined with aging houses. A fuller answer lies in the formula used to calculate Local Government Aid, a state program that distributes taxes. to cities. After weighing numerous variables, the formula aims to subtract the amount a city can afford to pay from the amount it needs to provide services. The difference, then, is to be doled out in the form of LGA. It's little surprise that the formula has been a political football; it's been revamped three times since 1990. In the current LGA -formula sweepstakes, Winona is one of Minnesota's biggest winners. The city is certified to receive about $9.9 million in LGA in 2008. That accounts for nearly 25 percent of the city's total budget. In fact, Winona gets more aid per -capita than any Minnesota city with a population of more than 20,000. "That's a big reason why Winona is in the lower half of property taxes," said Assistant City Administrator Judy Bodway. With rising property taxes now a hot -button issue in Minnesota, some municipalities want more state help to relieve the burden on local funding sources. And some of the losers in the LGA sweepstakes aren't enthusiastic about the current formula. More affluent cities — particularly wealthy metro suburbs— don't receive any state aid under the formula. The Municipal Legislative Commission, which represents 14 Twin Cities suburbs, questions that arrangement. Page 1 of 2 Page 21 http://www.winonadailynews.com/articles/2008/01 /02/news/04statcaidO2.prt 1/4/2008 Printable Version Page 2 of 2 "(MLC cities) say: 'Why does Winona get so much per capita, and we get zero?'" said MLC spokesperson Bill Schreiber. The current formula was developed using complex economic and statistical analyses to determine key predictors of a city's need, said said Tim Flaherty, spokesperson for the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities. A major formula component adds to a city's aid based on its percentage of housing that was built before 1940. Nearly half of Winona's homes meet that criteria, or roughly three times the state average, said Rachel Walker, spokesperson for the League of Minnesota Cities. Winona also benefited from a 2001 formula overhaul that designated it as a "regional center" in outstate Minnesota. The regional centers receive a set amount in base aid on top of the formula aid. The regional centers have been a point of contention with suburban cities that can't earn that designation, Flaherty said. Flaherty argues that regional centers operate airports, libraries and other government services that "suburban communities do not provide." Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL -Winona, said LGA is an annual hot topic in the Legislature. In 2007, Gov. Tim Pawlenty vetoed a bill that would have, added $70 million to the LGA pie. With the state revenue forecast looking grim in 2008, Pelowski said it's unlikely the LGA formula will be revised next year. It "cannot be tweaked without (new) revenue," Pelowski said. "Otherwise there will be winners and losers." Contact Mark Sommerhauser at mark.sommerhauser@Iee.net or (507) 453-3514. All stories copyright 2000 - 2006 Winona Daily News and other attributed sources. Page 22 http://www.winonadailynews.com/articles/2008/01/02/news/04stateaid02.prt 1/4/2008 MEMO CITY OF PLYMOUTH 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD, PLYMOUTH, MN 55447 DATE: January 9, 2008 TO: Laurie Ahrens, City Manager cc: Steve Juetten FROM: Barbara Sennes§; Planning Manager SUBJECT: Hennepin County Adult Correctional Facility (HCACF) Population Report Hennepin County Community Corrections staff has submitted their monthly report on average daily population for the month of December, 2007. The average daily population reported for the Plymouth facility was 548, less than the occupancy limit of 601 set by the Conditional Use Permit. The difference from the recent months when the numbers exceeded the 601 limit comes from a lower number of County - incarcerated (versus short term offenders transferred from MN Department of Corrections facilities) in the both the Men's and Women's sections and in Work Release. The chart below shows the average monthly population since June of 1999. HCACF Monthly Population Report 700500 O CUPllml C 0 V ■ Averepe Count Q - 600 400 300 200 100 0 g 4' manthfyear Page 23 Page 23 Revised: 1/8/2008 City of Plymouth Engineering Department Active and Pending Public Improvement Projects 5102 S CR 101, CR 6 to CR 24 DC/BM Henn. $17,000,000 Preliminary layout of CR 101 approved by City Co. Council on 10/11/05. The plan is 30% complete. Met with Hennepin County 4/4/06. City staff will do engineering for watermain replacement. EAW comments received and approved by County. The plan is 90% complete. The County has sent out property acquisition letter to affected property owners. City working on watermain replacement plan. Condemnation has been initiated by the -T County. Current schedule anticipates receiving Bids in May 2008 and starting construction in August, 2008 Page 24 Page 1 C:\Documents and Settings\lbaird\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK181Wct_Pndng_Proj_Rpt_1_8_08_SHORT_FORM.xls ouem�n�.:...rc��ef�............:...............................................................:..............................................................................................................................:.:.:. 1013 S Fernbrook Ln. - 27th to 34th - Design & ROW & DC/BM SRF $5,741,000 SRF Consulting Group, Inc. designated as Construction engineer. Engineering Agreement approved. Begin Preliminary Design. Public Information meeting held 4/27/06. Representatives of four properties in attendance. Staff determined watermain replacement. Approval from Bassett Creek Watershed has been received. Right of way acquisition in progress. Final plan approval requested from MnDOT. City Council approves condemnation proceeding to acquire right-of-way on 11/28/06. Sixteen of twenty properties acquired. R/W condemnation hearing on 3/12/07. Right of entry set 3/27/07. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approval received. 6/24107.- bid opening. FHWA contract approval required. Contract awarded to Eureka Construction on 6/27/07. Construction started on 7/16/07. Medians removed traffic shifted to center of road. Temporary traffic signal installed at Highway 55 and Fernbrook intersection. Widening started. Replacement of trunk water main is completed. Pond grading is completed. Storm sewer construction is underway. Still waiting for Xcel to complete pole relocations. Anticipate 4145 S. S. Shore Drive Bridge Replacement RB BRA $350,000 Final plans have been submitted to MnDOT. 1 Wiating to see when it will be eligible for funding. 5102 S CR 101, CR 6 to CR 24 DC/BM Henn. $17,000,000 Preliminary layout of CR 101 approved by City Co. Council on 10/11/05. The plan is 30% complete. Met with Hennepin County 4/4/06. City staff will do engineering for watermain replacement. EAW comments received and approved by County. The plan is 90% complete. The County has sent out property acquisition letter to affected property owners. City working on watermain replacement plan. Condemnation has been initiated by the -T County. Current schedule anticipates receiving Bids in May 2008 and starting construction in August, 2008 Page 24 Page 1 C:\Documents and Settings\lbaird\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK181Wct_Pndng_Proj_Rpt_1_8_08_SHORT_FORM.xls Revised: 1/8/2008 City of Plymouth Engineering Department Active and Pending Public Improvement Projects 5122 S CR 24, Olive Ln. to 32nd Avenue DC/BM Henn. $2,500,000 Co. Preliminary layout approved by City Council 6/14/05. Construction scheduled for 2008. Design in progress. Received Draft Layout 2/21/06. Met with Hennepin County design staff on 5/2/06. City staff will do design engineering for watermain replacement. Met with utility companies on 5/24/06. Received draft plan on 5/23/06. City watermain replacement plan completed and submitted to the County. Project has been put on indefinate hold by Hennepin County. 6108 S Intersection Imp. - CR 47 & CR 61 RB $1.2 million Curb and gutter is complete and base course paving has been done. Intersection (including the new turn lanes) is open for traffic for the winter. Next spring the concrete islands will be installed, the final lift paved and all restoration completed. 7101 S 2007 Street Reconstruction Project - Hawthorne JR $3,620,000 Project is complete, with the exception of minor Ponds Area. punchlist items 7104 S 2007 Mill & Overlay - Vicksburg Lane DC 566000 Final Restoration, minor ped ramp work and hand work $418,300 for striping needs to be completed yet. October 1 is final completion date. Milling, paving, and striping has been completed. Assessment hearing to be held on 10/23 Only minor clean up items left to complete 7107 S 2007 Street Reconstruction Project - City View JR $4,245,000 Project is complete, with the exception of minor Acres punchlist items 8101 S 2008 Street Reconstruction Project JR $8,100,000 Public information meeting held on 11/29/07. Preliminary Engineering Report will go to the Dec 11 Council meeting. Public Improvement Hearing will be on Jan. 22, 2008 8103 S Sunset Trail Retaining Wall Project RB WSB $110,000 Plans are 50% complete. All right of entries have been obtained by staff. 8106 S 2008 Temporary Overlay Project RB $370,000 Plans and specifications to be approved by Council on 1-8-08. Bid opening 2-11-08. 8109 S Niagara Lane Mill & Overlay Project RB $600,000 Public Improvement Hearing scheduled for 1-22- 08. 8108 SS 28th Ave. Lift Station Upgrade RB/SN Bonestr $600,000 Bonestroo's field review shows that the existing 00 lift station can not be salvaged after all. Full design of new system to begin in January and will be bid out as an individual project, versus as part of the 2008 Street Recon bid. 8111 1 SS 2008 Sanitary Sewer Lining Project RB $373,0001 Plans are 95% complete. Televising is 20% Page 25 Page 2 C:\Documents and Settings\lbaird\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK181\Act_Pndng_Proj_Rpt_1_8_08_SHORT_FORM.xls Revised: 1/8/2008 City of Plymouth Engineering Department Active and Pending Public Improvement Projects 8113 WR 2008 Minor Drainage Improvemetns DT/DA WSB $200,000 10 minor drainage projects have been selected for posible work in 2008. These include 315 Alvarado, Miller/Sunset, Camelot Overlook, 18th & Zanzibar, 305 Magnolia, 41st & Goldenrod, 28th & Everest, 805 Ithaca, Cimarrom Ponds and 12th/Harbor LN> WSB to perform topo survey work on the 18th/Zanzibar, 41st/Goldenrod and 12th/Harbor LN locations. Permits are being coordinated with the respective watershed districts. Most propjects will be sent out for quotes from contractors. 3105 WR Plymouth Creek Pond RB/DA Wenck $900,000 Wenck is working on 50% plans which are to be submitted to the City before the end of December. Wenck has completed 50% plan set and is working on the EAW. A 50% plan set meeting will be schedule for the middle of January. KES is working on a before and after functions and values assessment due to the City bv 1/11/08. 4135 WR CR 61/CR 9 Erosion Site DC BRA $350,000 Options and estimated costs received 10/27/05. Three options considered. Additional concerns raised by Three Rivers staff. Consultant directed to investigate drainage concerns south of County Road 9. Three Rivers requesting City to proceed with additional investigations south of County Road 9. Meeting held 7/26/06 to discuss downstream drainage issues with Three Rivers Parks staff. Three Rivers preparing draft agreement for review. The City has received funding through BWSR. Further funding discussions at City Council level are necessary. Agreement approved by Council on 8/14/07. Final Plans & Specs ordered. 1/1/08 waiting for plan review comments from Three Rivers Park staff. 6103 WR Repair Erosion - Wood Crk. DT/BM WENC $425,000 The final design has been completed. The K Homeowner's Association (HOA) has approved the required easement. Two site meetings being held with HOA members week of 9/24 to ID valued trees and creek shaping. The City Council approved plans on 11/13/07and project was out for public bid. Bids were received on 12/14/07. The apparent 3 lowest bidders are being reviewed at this time for recommendation to City Council. The Council will vote on January 8, 2008 upon the final recommendation. 6113 WR Wickman Erosion Project RB $250,000 Project is complete. We will review again in spring to see if additional seeding is required. Page 26 Page 3 C:\Documents and Setting s\l ba ird\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK181Wct_Pndng_Proj_Rpt_1_8_08_SHORT_FORM.xIs Revised: 1/8/2008 City of Plymouth Engineering Department Active and Pending Public Improvement Projects 7111 WR Mooney Lake Pump Project DT/BM WENC $250,000 Project included in MCWD CIP for 2007 K (permanent solution). Final design approved. Design bid and quotes were opened on 9/28/07. Dave Perkins Contracting is doing the work. Cooperative agreement with MCWD has been executed. The underground pipe is completed. Contractor is working on manholes and pump stations. Final park restoration work will occur in the s rin . 7135 WR Wild Wings Wetland Cleaning DA $175,000 Project proposes to excavate 2.88 acres of channels to provide for water flow and flood protection to area homes. Project is currently being done in house. Have had several meetings with DNR. EAW expected to go to Council in January or February. 7138 WR TH 55 Culvert Replacement and Wetland RB/DA S.E.H. $485,000 S.E.H. will be designing the culvert replacement Cleaning Proejct under TH 55 and this will be bid out as a separate project. S.E.H. is currently in design which is to be submitted to MnDOT Feb. 1 to set up Cooperative Agreement. — The wetland cleaning will be be done with PW crews either in January/February 2008 or December 2 01 anuary 2009. 8107 WR 26th Avenue Bridge Replacement JR Bonestr $250,000 Preliminary engineering report is completed. 0o Desi n will be done by Bonestroo. 8115 WR Timber Creek Improvements RB/DA ??? $375,000 An RFP for design and construction is currently being put together. W-2 I I W (Lake Road Vicksburg Ln. - CR.47 to Schmidt I * I I $750,000 Dependent on development. W-3 I W lWatermain -Cheshire Ln. -Glacier Vista to CR I 1 1 $370,0001 Dependent on development. Page 27 Page 4 C:\Documents and Settings\lbaird\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK181\Act_Pndng_Proj_Rpt_1_8_08_SHORT_FORM.xls -----Original Message ----- From: Bob Stein Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 4:07 PM To: school_board@rdale.kl2.mn.us Cc: Council Members; Laurie Ahrens; stan_mack@rdale.kl2.mn.us Subject: Pilgrim Lane I'm sorry I havenOt had a chance to discuss with any of you the options that the you are considering Monday due to the failed referendum. I've'been made aware that even though the Administration has recommended that Pilgrim Lane not be closed, the School Board will still be considered that as an option on Monday for a vote on Tuesday. As a home owner in the District, a proud parent of two successful Armstrong graduates, a supporter of the referendum and as member of the Plymouth City Council I want you to know that I'm opposed to closing Pilgrim Lane. Closing Pilgrim Lane would have a devastating effect not only on the students attending Pilgrim Lane, but also on the Pilgrim Lane neighborhood and the entire city of Plymouth. I realize that the same arguments can be made for all of the proposed schools to be closed, but as the Sun Sailor quoted Stan Mack, by closing Pilgrim Lane the school district may loose many students choosing to attend Wayzata or Hopkins schools rather than transfer to other Robbinsdale schools. Once these elementary school students transfer, what chance does the District have in getting them back to attend a middle or high school? Wouldn[It this result in additional lost revenue to the district? I know that.much has been made of the east -west disparities in the school district, and maybe the School Board would be sending a message to district residents by closing Pilgrim Lane. However, I would like to point out that Plymouth was only one of two cities that supported the referendum. By closing Pilgrim Lane what message would the School Board be sending to Plymouth residents that voted in favor of the referendum? Would Plymouth support the next referendum? And without Plymouth's support can any referendum be passed? If closing Pilgrim Lane is to be seriously considered, I would suggest that a meeting with the Plymouth City Council and Administration be held so that any ramifications to Plymouth due to to the closing of Pilgrim Lane can be discussed and considered before a vote is taken. I will be unable to attend Tuesday's vote, but I can attend Monday's work session if you. think that my presence would be beneficial. Bob Stein 2740 Medicine Ridge Road Plymouth City Council Ward 3 1 Page 28