Loading...
The URL can be used to link to this page
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Home
My WebLink
About
Council Information Memorandum 12-23-2005
Dummy CITY OF PLYMOUT r COUNCIL INFO MEMO December 23, 2005 UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS December 2005, January and February 2006 Official City Meeting Calendars ................... Page 3 Tentative list of agenda items for future City Council meetings .......................................... Page 9 FOR INFORMATION... News Articles, Releases, Publications, etc ... City news release announcing Plymouth's 2005 Make A Difference Human RightsAward....................................................................................................................... Page 11 Article on wireless computer communications; forwarded to Councilmember Slavik from resident Dave Roy............................................................................................Page 13 Minnesota Environmental Initiative report on clean water efforts in Minnesota; forwarded by Environmental Quality Committee member Terrie Christian ....................... Page 14 National Assessing Organization article on property taxes; provided by CityAssessor Nancy Bye.................................................................................................... Page 15 Invitation to farewell reception for Minnetonka Mayor Karen Anderson .......................... Page 19 Watershed Management Commissions report on discussions about capital improvement project funding for Shingle Creek and West Mississippi Watersheds .......... Page 20 Staff Reports Police Department monthly statistical summary................................................................ Page 25 Fire Department monthly report .......................................................................................... Page 31 Minutes Youth Advisory Council December 5 meeting................................................................... Page 39 Correspondence Letter from Hal Broxey regarding local government operations ........................................ Page 41 Letter to residents regarding a request for an interim use permit from William Thompson (2005146)............................................................................................ Page 42 Letter to residents regarding a request for a planned unit development amendment for Champion Patio Rooms (2005145)........................................................... Page 43 Letter from the presidents of the hospitals and clinics comprising the Maple Grove Tri—Care Partnership regarding a proposal for a new hospital inMaple Grove................................................................................................................... Page 44 CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO December 23, 2005 Page 2 Notice from the Metropolitan Council announcing Plymouth's award of a $300,000 grant for the Vicksburg Commons housing project .......................... Page 49 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS December 2005 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 ? J Nov 2005 S M T W T F S Jan 2006 S M T W T F S 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Plymouth Creek Center Conference Room 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 27 28 29 30 29 30 31 4 5 6 7 8 9 .10 2:00 PM OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS - Plymouth Historical Society Building 7:00 PM TRUTHIN TAXATION PUBLIC HEARING, Plymouth Creek Center, Black Box Theater 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Plymouth Creek Center, lower level Conference Room 2 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT (PACT), Plymouth Creek Center 7:00 PM PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION (PRAC), Plymouth Creek Center Classroom A 9:30 AM 2005 HUMAN RIGHTS DAY EVENT, Plymouth Creek Center, Plymouth ROOM 7:00 PM JOINT COUNCIL -PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: LAND USE PLAN FOR NORTHWEST PLYMOUTH CREEK CENTER, Plymouth Room 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 7:00 PM JOINT COUNCIL -PLANNING COMMISSION LISTENING SESSION, Plymouth Creek Center Ym 6:30P SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: CONSIDER BOARD & COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS, Ply— Creek Center Confer.nu Rm 3lower lave) 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EDC), Plymouth Creek Center Classroom A 7:00 PM CHARTER COMMISSION ANNUAL MEETING, Plymouth Creek Center Conference Room 2 7:00 PM REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, Black Bo. Th.ater. Phmeum Greek Center 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA), Plymouth Town Square 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 7:00 PM YOUTH CHRISTMAS ADVISORY COUNCIL, Plymouth Creek Center, lower level Conference Room 2 EVE 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 CHANNUKAH CITY OFFICES BEGINS AT CLOSED IN SUNSET OBSERVANCE OF CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS DAY HOLIDAY modified on 12/23/2005 s, OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS January 2006 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 S 6 7 NEW YEAR'S DAY CITY OFFICES CLOSEDIN OBSERVANCE 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, Plymouth Creek Center Conference Room 2 OF THE NEW Black Box Theater, YEAR HOLIDAY Plymouth Creek Center 8 9 10 11 12 13 .14 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL,COUNCIL Plymouth Creek Center, lower level Conference Room 2 5:30 PM SPECIAL CITY MEETING: DISCUSS STREET RECONSTRUCTIONASSESSMENT POLICY, plymouHl Creek CenUr Confe- Room 3 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EQC), Plymouth Creek Center Classroom A 7:00 PM PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION (PRAC), Plymouth Creek Center Classroom A 7:00 PM REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, Bock Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center .15 16 17 18 19 20 21 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BIRTHDAY Observed - % City Offices Closed 6:00 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: COUNCIL GOALSB OBJECTIVES, Plymouth Creek Center Conference Room 2 lower level 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center 7:00 PM HOUSING 8 REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORRY(HRA), Plymouth Creek Center, Meeting Room 1 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Plymouth Creek Center, lower level Conference Room 2 1145 AM PLYMOUTH BUSINESS COUNCIL, sn.raw, Minneaedn West 12201 Rklyee.H oa.. ft-- 5'.30 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: CITY MANAGER ANNUAL EVALUATION, PLYMOUTH CREEK CENTER CONF. RM 2 7.00 PM REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, —K eev Theelar, Ply— Crwk Cellar 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT (PACT), Plymouth Creek Center 29 30 31 Feb 2006 Dec 2005 6:00 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 PLYMOUTH AREA LEGISLATIVE 1 2 3 4 CANDIDATES, Plymouth Creek Center, Q 5 6 7 8 9 10 5 G 7 8 9 10 11 Fireside Room 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 26 27 28 modified on 12/23/2005 5 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS February 2006 Sunday Monday I Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 Jan 2006 S M T W T F S Mar 2006 S M T W T F S 7:00 PM PLANNING 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS 2:00 PM -7:00 PM FIRE & ICE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 COMMISSION, COMMISSION - FESTIVAL, 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Council Chambers Medicine Lake Parkers Lake 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Room 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 2.5 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 31 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 6:00 PM SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING: DISCUSS HOUR 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE . 7:00 PM PARK & REC ADVISORY RESTRICTIONS ON (EQC), Council COMMISSION WEEKEND CONSTRUCTION; Medicine Chambers Chambers Council Lake Room Chambers 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Council Chambers 7:00 PM PLANNING 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, MedicinneRLake Room Council Chambers 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PRESIDENTS 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH DAY - City ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON Offices Closed TRANSrr(PACT)- Council Chambers 26 27 28 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Council Chambers 7:30 AM MLC REGIONAL LEGISLATIVE MEETING, Plymouth Radisson, 3131 Campus Drive 11:45 AM TWINWEST STATE OF THE CITY LUNCHEON, Ply..N Creek Center 7 00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Counnl Chambers modified on 12/23/2005 Tentative Schedule for City Council Agenda Items January 10, Special, 5:30 p.m., Conference Room 2, Plymouth Creek Center lower level • Discuss Street Reconstruction Assessment Policy • Set future study sessions January 10, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center lower level • Approve Plymouth Metrolink Dial -A -Ride rate increase • Approve Change Order No. 1 for Plymouth Metrolink Station 73 Transit Facility (3125) • Approve 2006 Tobacco Licenses • Approve 2006 Gasoline Station Licenses • Approve 2006 legal services agreement • Approve 2006 amusement licenses • Approve 2006 health officer • Designate 2006 official newspaper • Appoint official depositories • Approve annual surety bonds • Appoint Council Secretary • Approve transit funding and close public improvement projects completed in 2005 • Approve agreement for use of the parking lot at St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church, 17205 County Road 6, as a backup park and ride facility • Approve modifications to legal descriptions to previously approved resolutions for Vision of Glory Church • Approve final plat for "Bassett Creek Crossing," 28 new townhomes and one existing single family home located at 10 Zachary Lane North. Charles Cudd Company. (2005093F) • Approve site plan amendment and conditional use permit amendment and variances for a church addition at Plymouth Covenant Church located at 4300 Vicksburg Lane North. Welman Sperides Architects. (2005 111) • Approve site plan amendment and conditional use permit amendment to allow a two-story addition containing 9,600 square feet at St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church, 17205 County Road 6. PCL Construction Services, Inc. (2005133) • Approve the 2006 Pay Equity Implementation Report • Approve final payments on Ice Center project • Accept donation from Plymouth Crime & Fire Prevention Fund • Approve Council Coordinating Representatives and Deputy Mayor • Adopt ordinance amending the City Code relating to licensing of massage • Application of Asian Mill, Inc. d/b/a Tea House Chinese Restaurant, for On—Sale and Sunday Liquor License • Adopt ordinance amending the City Code relating to not allow partial payments on liquor licenses • Approve 1-494 Corridor Commission annual dues • Approve termination of a declaration of covenants for Lots 1 and 2, Block 1, Woodview Heights (4525 and 4520 Zachary Lane N) January 17, Special, 6:00 p.m., Conference Room 2, Plymouth Creek Center lower level • Update Legislative Priorities and Goals Council; 1 he topics are tentative. Note: Special Meeting topics have been set by Cou c , al other op January 24, Special, 5:30 p.m., Conference Room 2, Plymouth Creek Center lower level • City Manager's annual evaluation and update January 24, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center lower level • Approve 2006 Liquor Licenses January 31, Special, 6:30 p.m., Fireside Room, Plymouth Creek Center • Meeting with legislative delegation February 7, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers February 28, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Update on I-394 MnPass Project (Nick Thompson, from the Minnesota Department of Transportation) IC) City of Plymouth News Release For Immediate Release December 22, 2005 Contact: Jeanette Sobania, 763.509.5070 Plymouth Presents Human Rights Award It was more than good works and a kind heart that earned Rev. Dick Ellis, Associate Pastor at Messiah United Methodist Church in Plymouth, the City of Plymouth's 2005 Make A Difference Human Rights Award. The award was presented on Dec. 13 the Plymouth City Council meeting. To be sure, Ellis does more than his share of good works. His choice of a pick up truck as a personal vehicle attests to that. Owning a truck makes it easier for Ellis to deliver the beds, couches or other items he picks up for those who need them. The Human Rights Commission, organizers of the award program, noted that what set Ellis apart from others who step up in times of need was Ellis' work to: Provide affordable daycare to low-income families; Mentor and motivate his congregation and community to acts of service; and Assist in the resettlement of refugees. His response to last year's disastrous hurricanes in the gulf was unique and far-reaching. He organized individuals and businesses to join in the effort to fill a semi truck with cleaning supplies for flood victims. The idea caught on, and soon stores and churches throughout Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Wisconsin were taking part in the project. Due to Ellis' efforts, children from low-income families receive day care scholarships, parishioners participate in Interfaith Outreach Community Partners' sleep out and refugees are welcomed and integrated into the community. The Human Rights Commission, a citizen advisory group to the City Council, initiated the award program to recognize individuals who have had a positive impact on their community by promoting improved understanding of people of different backgrounds. The commission used the slogan, "Not everyone can be Mother Theresa or Martin Luther King Jr., but anyone can make a difference," to promote the award program. I WiMax Versus Wi-Fi: Which One Will Be The King Kong Of Wireless? Posted on Dec 16, 2005 at 03:25 PM by Elena Malykhina A mix of testosterone, coffee, and a really hot wireless topic got everyone's blood boiling at one panel discussion during this week's Interop conference, taking place in New York City. It was a King Kong (WiMax) versus T -Rex (WI-Fi) debate where even the most level-headed executives took a stand. Wi-Fi is quickly becoming a norm. Hot -spots are in coffee shops, airports, and even public parks. Dozens of municipalities are deploying wireless mesh networks. Businesses have wireless LAN networks that visitors and employees can use when they're not tethered to their desks. The world seems to be doing well with Wi-Fi, some argue, so why do we need WiMax? "Wi-Fi volumes are huge and WiMax is still not here," said Keerti Melkote, Aruba's co-founder and VP of product marketing, during the panel. However, Tom Tofigh, senior technical specialist at AT&T Labs and chair of the WiMax Forum, argued that a standards-based technology like WiMax is needed to allow people broadband access whether they're in San Francisco or Hong Kong. Wi-Fi cannot provide such global coverage, he said. Additionally, WiMax offers longer ranges and faster data speeds than Wi-Fi, so it can potentially span across entire cities. Then there's the quality -of -service issue. According to Tofigh, there are certain types of applications that will work only with WiMax, but cannot be enabled with Wi-Fi today. An example includes digital life-size videoconferencing, which requires good quality and a lot of bandwidth. There's also the mobility component. Specifications for fixed WiMax (802.16d) have been finalized and a mobile WiMax (802.16e) standard has been approved by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) earlier this month, with certification testing expected to start in the first quarter of 2006. Mobility is a big step forward because it will enable Internet access in the most unlikely places like on public transportation. Whether people are ready to replace their newspapers and magazines with laptops during the morning commute is another story. Similar mobility can be achieved with a combination of Wi-Fi and third - generation cellular networks, which Cingular, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless already built out. Most cell phones will come standard with Wi-Fi starting next year, according to Melkote. And while WiMax is promising to revamp interactive gaming, voice and video conferencing, streaming media, IM and Web browsing, and media downloads, "Wi-Fi and cellular will be the client technology of choice," said Cyrus Irani, VP of marketing and strategy at Strix Systems. But all hope is not lost. Some are optimistic that Wi-Fi and WiMax can co -exist. "WiMax can be deployed where there's licensed spectrum and Wi-Fi can be deployed where there's unlicensed spectrum," Irani said. Integration of Wi-Fi and WiMax chips in laptops will enable people to go to any city and get broadband, Tofigh added. That's a great future vision for a world where instead of hot -spots there's ubiquitous wireless coverage. The truth is, however, we probably won't know which technology will rule all for another several years. 1j Subject: Clean Water Act (TMDL's) Below is a report from Minnesota Environmental Initiative. In regard to this, we have good news for Medicine Lake. The Bassett Creek Watershed Management Commission has chosen two lakes designated as impaired waters to do the TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) studies in. One of these lakes is Medicine Lake. They have budgeted $25,000-$30,000 to do this study. An issue that AMLAC has had with pollution in the lake is sedimentation. TMDL's include this important pollutant. This will help us move toward our goal for a healthier lake. Terrie Christian CLEAN WATER LEGACY GAINS MOMENTUM A recent court case and projected state budget surplus have the Clean Water Legacy partners focused on 2006. Each year Minnesota falls farther behind its federal obligations to test, study and restore surface waters across the state. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) expects the number of polluted, or "impaired," waters to reach the 2,300 mark in 2006, and eventually total more than 10,000 once testing is complete. Because the federal Clean Water Act restricts additional pollution from entering these impaired waters until clean-up plans are in place, hundreds of cities and businesses across Minnesota could face restrictions on growth. In 2002, the Legislature recognized both economic and environmental concerns regarding impaired waters and directed the MPCA to develop a comprehensive strategy for policy and funding. In turn, the MPCA asked MEI to convene and lead a diverse group of stakeholders to develop a set of consensus recommendations. By mid -2003, MEI had assembled a diverse group of business, agriculture, environment, and state and local government representatives to transform the federal Clean Water Act mandate into an efficient, accountable path to clean water in Minnesota. Over the course of two years, these stakeholders developed a policy framework and funding proposal called Clean Water Legacy. The stakeholders' innovative policy proposal was widely embraced by Governor Tim Powlenty and the Legislature, but the proposed fee-based funding mechanism met substantial resistance. During the long and contentious 2005 legislative session, Clean Water Legacy was the focus of debate in a series of committees and ultimately appeared in final negotiations among the House, Senate and governor's office. In the end, the budget compromise did not include the Clean Water Legacy Act. Only weeks later, the Minnesota Court of Appeals breathed new life into the effort. In August, the court cited the impaired waters section of the federal Clean Water Act to block a permit issued by the MPCA for a proposed Annandale -Maple Lake wastewater facility. As a direct result of the decision, six other cities and businesses around the state had their permits immediately revoked. The future of dozens of other projects, including new ethanol facilities, electric power plants and regional airport expansions around the state, became uncertain. Overnight, impaired waters - a well -understood environmental problem - had become an equally serious economic matter. Members of MEI's Clean Water Legacy stakeholder group have been conducting outreach to legislators to explain the real and potential consequences of the court decision. Evidence of widespread economic restrictions resulting from impaired waters has led several legislators to suggest the problem has become sufficiently urgent to merit an allocation from any General Fund surplus available as a result of the November state revenue forecast. The stakeholders have requested an initial allocation of $40 million to launch Clean Water Legacy in 2007, combined with $80 million of base funding in subsequent years. Fortunately for the impaired waters effort, the announced General Fund surplus was even larger than expected. On November 30, the Finance Department released its report indicating the state could expect approximately $1 billion of additional revenue between 2006 and 2008. While most of these dollars have already set aside for education, more than $300 million remain to be allocated at legislators' discretion. The Clean Water Legacy stakeholders are realistic about the prospects for long-term general fund dollars for the clean water effort when education, social services and other groups are seeking resources. Still, the partners see the surplus as the best opportunity yet to establish this initiative in law and set the stage for a serious conversation among legislators in 2007 about secure long-term funding for the impaired waters effort. --Peter Frosch, Environmental Policy project manager 2M e article is reprinted with permission from the author. It originally appeared in the Washington Post on nday, February 13,2005; page B01, Outlook Section. It can be accessed online athttp://www.washingtonpost.com/ -dyn/articles/A18480-2005Febl2. html. he devastating news has hit again, as it does around this time every few years. Sometimes, the media de- liver it somberly, like casualty reports from a distant battlefield, with photo spreads of depressed Americans shak- ing their heads in despair. Other times, it's delivered like a call to arms, quoting angry citizens demanding that their government do something to alleviate their suffering. No, it's not news of war, disease, poverty or crime. The terrible news is that ... property values are increasing. That's right. This collective unhappiness is a reaction to the property tax assessments going out around the area, informing people that—gasp!—their houses are worth more. Mine certainly is. The assessed value on my house in Northern Virginia is up some 70 percent over what it was three years ago. I, for one, am celebrating. But so many other people seem suddenly to have forgotten that this is a good thing. I know that lots of us don't view purchasing a home the same way we view investing in the stock market. But the economic effect is just the same. If you buy a house for $250,000 and it doubles in value in a couple of years, you've just made a remarkable return on your investment. If it doubles again, you could be a millionaire. You can sell your house for a substantial (and, for most Americans, a tax-free) profit. You can borrow against it on favorable terms. You can leave a substantial inheritance to your loved ones. You are—in short—rich. Yet this decidedly good news is invariably spun into a very depressing tale, with a familiar, dreaded villain: the property tax. Once those assessments come out, all we can talk about is how we'll have to shell out more for property taxes. Yes, there are some homeowners, particularly older ones on a fixed income, who struggle to absorb a bigger tax bill. But that's why many state have caps of various sorts to help ease their pain. The rest of us, amid our complaining, lose all focus on the upside. Yet our fear and loathing of the property tax Ib There is no economic justification for limiting property tax rates and assessments. is largely unwarranted: It is, in fact, the ideal way to raise money for local government services. Unfortunately, not everyone agrees. The property tax has long been among the most unpopular ways of raising revenue, largely because it's so visible. You can see how much your assessment has risen each year, and how much you'll have to pay. If you've paid off your mortgage and no longer pay your property tax in monthly installments, you get a large tax bill every year—lots of Americans used to get them right before the holiday gift -giving season. Who appreciates that? And the system was plagued for much of the last century by shoddy administration, which meant that identical houses were sometimes assigned vastly dif- ferent values. Though most of those problems have long since been addressed, the property tax remains an object of public scorn. But it shouldn't. We all want well -staffed police and fire departments, well -paved roads, regular trash collec- Fdir & Egtutdble - nNember 200513 tion and, above all, good schools. The property tax is the one tax that provides a stable, continuous stream of revenue to localities to ensure that these services are adequately funded. To me, its visibility is a virtue—even if it's often painful. Homeowners know exactly what they're paying out, and they can see what they get in return. In this regard, the property tax is capitalized into your housing values; that is, your property's value goes up because of the services being provided as a result of the taxes you pay on your property. The correlation between good public services and high prop- erty values is no coincidence. just ask any real estate agent. proach. Lots of states have decimated their property tax systems. California's Proposition 13, which was passed in 1978, was the granddaddy of the movement to restrict the tax. On its heels, 43 more states enacted some form of property tax limitation. While politically popular, the results in Cali- fornia have been devastating for local government, and particularly hard on the state's once -excellent public school system. After Proposition 13 came into force, per pupil spending in the state, usually a good measure of school quality, fell from fifth in the nation to 40th. Test scores dropped and private school attendance sky- rocketed. From state to state, there are wide variations in the taxes levied by local governments. New York and Connecti- cut have among the highest per capita state and local tax burdens in the country. Alabama and South Carolina have among the lowest. Guess what? New York and Connecticut spend the most money per capita on public services, while Alabama and South Carolina spend the least. Most people choose where they want to live. I live in Fairfax County, and I pay a lot in property taxes. But we have one of the best public school systems in the nation, and safe streets. I could move to a place with lower taxes, but I like what I'm getting for my money. So do lots of other folks. Despite all the grumbling about property taxes, we don't see a trail of vans heading out of the D.C. area to lower-tax—and lower There is no economic justification for limiting property tax rates and as - If we help the poor and elderly meet public service—environments. The property tax is simple to ad- minister and to pay. We don't spend a lot of time on it. There are no forms to file, and no accountants need be hired. And it can't be evaded. This helps minimize the government's ad- ministrative costs. But honest taxpay- ers should appreciate it as well. We rarely think of these virtues, though. Instead, opponents continue to demonize the tax and call for more limitations on local governments' abil- ity to levy it. their property tax burdens, all legitimate complaints about the property tax dissolve. sessments. Such limits keep revenue artificially low and merely shift th burden of paying for governmen to other types of taxes, such as stat income and sales taxes. Indeed without a strong property tax, loc governments are at the mercy state (or in the case of the Distric federal) aid to pay for fundamen services, which virtually guarante that local government services w' be underfunded. The politicians Richmond and Annapolis, no matt how well-meaning, simply won't spe as much as we would like on our 1 cal services. We should pay for the ourselves. And lest we forget, all s and federal money comes with stri attached. The lawmakers who gi local governments money also like tell them how to spend it. I -/L The next reaction to rising prop- erty taxes is usually to propose larger homestead exemptions, which allow homeowners to exempt a portion of the value of their residences from taxation. But larger homestead ex- emptions, of the type that Virginia leg- islators are proposing, do nothing but reduce local tax revenue and provide relief to rich folks living in mansions along the Potomac, who get the tax relief from homestead exemptions just like everybody else, even though they probably don't need it. All this said, I do concede that there remains a problem with the property tax: its effect on low- and fixed-income homeowners. Rapidly increasing real estate values often mean that property tax burdens rise faster than income. Low-income homeowners and those on pensions or other fixed incomes do struggle to pay the property tax. While Maryland, Virginia and the District all offer some form of tax relief for elderly and low-income taxpayers, the focus at assessment time is rarely on helping those who need it most. And more relief can be provided without dismantling the local public finance system. Govern- ments, for instance, can enact circuit breakers, which limit property tax liabilities to a certain percentage of one's income. The income thresholds and reduction limits vary from state e to state, but circuit breakers generally t target those who need help the most. e In the District, for instance, only those ' earning $20,000 a year or less qualify Li for the program. of t There's lots more that can be t11 done. The states and the District es could provide property tax rebates t11 to low-income homeowners, in the to form of either income tax credits—as matt( Maryland, for one, provides—or a nd check. Virginia and Maryland could o- also make use of deferral programs m like those used by 24 states and the tate District. These programs allow senior ngs citizens to defer payment on property ve taxes until their homes are sold, at to which time the accrued taxes are paid out of the sale proceeds. I know—if their heirs will no doubt complain Help Students Achieve Success about the property taxes. But at least p there would be no threat of Grandma her house to By Rick Stuart, CAE being forced to sell pay them. The problem with deferrals in All managers and supervisors, who send employees to class, want those employees knowledge, and pass the test at week's end. the District and elsewhere is that most to learn, be able to apply that new I often hear students say, "I was told that, even if I did not pass the test, I would senior citizens don't know about them and so don't apply for them. learn something." The manager is trying to take pressure off the student, but are they not also projecting a lack of confidence in the student's ability? If we help the poor and elderly meet their property tax burdens, all legiti- One of the most common complaints I hear from students is that they are training. An important part of working with mate complaints about the property thrown into their work without personnel is educational development. Educational development includes off - tax dissolve. For all of you who still have a problem with your taxes, there site as well as in-house training. Off-site training such as workshops, courses, and seminars can help employees to grow within and beyond the requirements are three choices. of their immediate positions. You can sit back and think about what you're getting for your tax dol- A book written by Robert E. Kelley, How To Be A Star At Work, has some great The book about as a result of some con- Lars. Are the schools good? Is the snow material related to this topic. came sulting work that attempted to answer the following question: "What Leads To lowed? Does someone answer the Star Performance?" phone when you dial 911? You just may be convinced that the price of The author interviewed workers and managers and found 45 factors that fit your civilization is not terribly high. nicely into three main categories: Still unhappy? Then write your local 1. Cognitive factors, such as higher IQ, logic, reasoning, and creativity. politicians and ask them to lower the 2 Personality factors, such as self-confidence, ambition, risk taking, and a tax rate. Just because assessments are feeling of personal control over one's destiny. going up doesn't mean the govern- ment has to collect more taxes. Call 3. Social factors, such as interpersonal skills and leadership. them up and see if they'll lower the rate. If enough people call, maybe The categories seemed reasonable, but not all the results fell into neat catego- ries. "The results also highlighted that no one—not the stars, not their bosses, they will. and not the average workers—knew what actually leads to high productivity "stars or star performance." Ultimately, the answer came down to the fact that Alternatively, move to a place that are made, not born." has a smaller tax burden and fewer services. Alabama, may- As managers and supervisors, we can help to develop these stars. As a Senior government be? ■ IAAO Instructor, I teach the IAAO 101 course about five times a year. In 101, you have students for whom this is their first day of work, and some who have been on David Brunori is the recipient of the job for three months. You also have personal property clerks, cartographers, This a wide range of experience levels that this year's IAAO Journalism Award for writing this article. The award and experienced appraisers. creates must be accounted for when providing instruction. recognizes excellence in coverage of assessment and property tax top- Some of the most successful students come from jurisdictions where manag- ers and supervisors have spent time in advance, preparing the students. This ics by the media. advance preparation can consist of briefly going over the material and hitting the high points to help the student begin studying. It may consist of giving them the The citation is awarded to an in- textbook to read and then reviewing the student reference manual with them. It dividual or organization in a news could also be as simple as giving the student the textbook and student reference medium that has produced an manual and letting them study on their own. original work that contributes to a better understanding of assessment If any of these avenues are used, it gives the student a big head start on success - administration. ful learning and can limit the frustration that students often feel when tackling is limited to IAAO 101. It can be a successful David Brunori, a contributing edi- new information. The process not approach for all IAAO courses. Managers and supervisors frequently express for to State Tax Notes magazine and a concerns about the high cost of training. Spending a little time up front may research professor of public policy r eGeorge pay large benefits and help the student to understand the course material bet - University, at Washington University, is ter, apply it on a daily basis, and save on additional training costs in the future. the author of several books state Preparation is the key to everything from a successful job interview, delivering and local tax policy. a speech, or defending a value. Preparation is also the key to helping turn your Author's e-mail: employees into stars. ■ dbrunori®tax.org Fair & Enuitable - november 200515 A ter 20 years off- exceptional service to the citJ of N/jinnetonka, Minnesota, 12 of those as mayor, (Vja�or (`wrenJ. Anderson is completing her third and Final term in office. Please loin us at a reception honoring Major Anderson's outstanding local, state and national cc) ntributions. `re W d Wednesday, January 25, 2006, 7 to 9 p.m. (program at 7:45 p.m.) ;; MinnctonLa Community Center ter 40100 MInnetonk a Pjoulevard M -a orAn� ersoi� innetonkaM , Iv1inne5t o a Please RSVP 6�) Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2006, to Karen Telega at ktelega@eminnetonka.com or call (,952-)959-821 1. lF you have Fond memories or thoughts you would like to share, please send your written comments to Karen Telega, 14600 Minnetonka glvd., Minnetonka MN, 55397 6J Wednesday Jan. 1 1. These comments will be assembled into a memory book for Mayor Anderson. An opportunity to share written memories also will tue availaole at the reception. 4tdoi � � 94y v �4•. � � y �✓ � i L i � WATERSHED MANAGEMENT COMMISSIO 3235 FERNBROOK LANE • PLYMOUTH, MN 55447 . TELEPHONE (763) 553-1144 • FAx (763) 553-9326! December 21, 2005 1. Member Cities ` Shingle Creek / West Mississippi Watershed Management Commissions Hennepin County, Minnesota Dear City Managers: i b Attached is a progress report on continuing Shingle Creek and West Mississippi Watershed Commission discussions regarding the funding of capital improvement projects in the watersheds. The purpose of this report is to keep you apprised of discussions underway by the Commissions' Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to define policies to guide the revision of the Commissions' Capital Improvement Program. The TAC is using a structured decision-making process that is broken down into a set of discrete tasks (see the progress report for this detail). At periodic milestones in the process the TAC will make a progress report to the Commissions and the cities on the discussions to date. The intent is to provide an opportunity for input and consensus at all steps in the process so that all facets of the final policy have been discussed prior to its consideration as a whole. The TAC has completed its first milestone and has made a progress report to the Commissions. Discussions to date have centered on: 1. What types of projects should be considered for potential Commission funding? 2. How should projects be prioritized for potential Commission funding? 3. What policies should the Commission enact regarding establishing and amending the CIP? Detail is provided in the progress report attached to this letter. At this time the Commissions are not asking for formal city review and comment on the progress report, but we welcome your comments and encourage your TAC representative to attend the meetings and participate. Discussions will now begin to focus on identification of specific projects and integration with TMDLs, so continued city staff participation is important. The next meeting of the TAC is on January 12, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. at Edinburgh in Brooklyn Park, prior to the Commissions' regular January meeting. Thank you for your time and effort, and your staff dedication to participating in the TAC. We will continue to provide you with progress reports as we work toward completion of the revised Capital Improvement Program. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Commissions' engineer, Ed Matthiesen of Wenck Associates, at 763.479.4208 or ematthiesengwenck.com. Sincerely, Mark Hanson, City of New Hope Chair, Shingle Creek Watershed Commission cc: Commissioners Technical Advisory Committee SHINGLE CREEK WATERSHED MANAGEMENT COMMISSION BROOKLYN CENTER- BROOKLYN PARK- CRYSTAL- MAPLE GROVE - MINNEAPOLIS - NEW HOPE- OSSEO- PLYMOUTH - ROBBINSDALE WEST MISSISSIPPI WATERSHED MANAGEMENT COMMISSION BROOKLYN CENTER - BROOKLYN PARK - CHAMPLIN - MAPLE GROVE - OSSEO '3 � Shingle Creek and West Mississippi Watershed Management Commissions Technical Advisory Committee CIP Policy Discussion Progress Report 1: December 2005 Revision of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is the final step to completion of the Commissions' Water Quality Plan (WQP). Drafted in 2003-2004, the WQP sets forth numerical water quality goals for the streams and each of the 16 lakes in the watershed and an implementation plan for improvement, including operating programs and a draft CIP. For the past year the Commissions and the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) have been discussing how to finalize the CIP so that the WQP can be adopted as a Major Plan Amendment to the Commissions' Second Generation Watershed Management Plan. The TAC is charged with drafting policies for identifying and prioritizing capital projects that have a watershed benefit; sharing the costs of those projects; and integrating the CIP process with the TMDLs now underway or required in the future in the watershed. The chloride TMDL for Shingle Creek has been completed. Nutrient TMDLs are being completed for 13 of the watershed's lakes. TMDLs are also required on Bass Creek for impaired biotic community and on Shingle Creek for low dissolved oxygen. As expected, the draft 2006 State Impaired Waters list proposes listing Shingle Creek for impaired biotic community. The Commissions' CIP is oriented toward achieving water quality goals. The Commissions' Water Quality Plan and associated Implementation Plan and CIP are intended to help address water quality and TMDL issues in a coordinated and systematic way so that all member cities mutually benefit and can report progress as a group effort. Previous CIP and Cost Sharing Discussion A draft cost-sharing policy developed by the TAC a year ago was reviewed by the cities earlier this year, and comments have been generally supportive (see attached table). That proposed policy would allocate cost sharing responsibility for projects that meet agreed-upon criteria as follows: 25% Based on watershed benefit 25% Based on direct benefit (such as % of lakeshore, % of stream length) 50% Based on contributing/benefiting area The cost of the watershed -benefit share would be allocated across the entire watershed. Potential sources of funding for this share of project cost as detailed in the Joint Powers agreement would be county ad valorem tax levy, the Commissions' general budget, or a special allocation to all member cities. The remaining 75 percent of cost would be allocated to member cities on the basis of benefit or contributing area as described above, or in accordance with an agreed-upon cost share between the benefiting cities. The proposed policy would limit participating projects to those that were identified in a TMDL or lake, stream, or wetland management plan. The proposed policy suggested limiting the amount of Commission contribution in any one year to $250,000. Progress Report 1 The TAC has met three times to discuss a policy for identifying and prioritizing projects. Discussion has centered on three questions: 1. What types of projects should be considered for potential Commission funding? 2. How should projects be prioritized for potential Commission funding? 3. )What policies should the Commission enact regarding establishing and amending the CIP? Regarding the first two questions, the TAC discussed a number of potential metrics for considering and prioritizing projects, and agreed that there should be two phases of evaluation: a "sorting" phase and a "prioritizing" phase. Projects submitted for potential Commission funding must receive a certain minimum score on "sorting" questions before they would be considered further. These "sorting" questions would give greater weight to projects that result from a regulatory mandate such as a TMDL; those that are already in the CIPS of the city or cities that will be responsible for paying for it; and those that have multiple benefits (for example, water quality and erosion control). Projects meeting that minimum score would then be analyzed more closely on a set of metrics that would prioritize the projects for consideration. The prioritization would be based on three metrics: the cost/benefit of the project; the percent of a TMDL or other goal to be achieved by project; and a measure of regional significance. The TAC agreed that water body prioritization should not be used as a factor in prioritizing projects, but should be used as a "tie-breaker" when projects score similarly. The TAC would have responsibility for reviewing, sorting, and prioritizing projects and making a CIP recommendation to the Commissions. The CIP developed through this process would be a five year CIP, but the Commission may consider amending it in the interim through the budget process with the agreement of the cities. The Commission may also consider mid -year amendments such as an unexpected opportunity arising from a development or redevelopment project. Projects on the CIP would be limited to "bricks and mortar" projects that would be eligible for the county tax levy. Small projects or projects not eligible for the levy (such as rough fish management, aquatic vegetation control, etc.) may be considered by the Commissions through the budget process. While projects in the CIP would be identified in the CIP for a particular year, the TAC proposes that the Commission be allowed the authority to move projects between years or to make minor cost adjustments without having to go through a Minor Plan Amendment. Any project, regardless of whether it is being proposed for construction in the CIP year or some other year, would be required to follow the notice and public hearing requirements set forth in the JPA and statute. Bassett Creek's CIP contains a similar provision. Future Discussion At upcoming meetings, the TAC and the lakes TMDL Technical Advisory Committee will meet together to review TMDL results and to identify potential projects. Cities will also be asked to submit projects from their CIPs which they would propose to have considered for the Commission CIP. It is the Commission's goal to have a draft CIP ready to start the formal review process by April 2006 (see the TAC Schedule for Completing the Water Quality Plan). Because adopting the Water Quality Plan and CIP would require a Major Plan Amendment, the review process will take several months, with final adoption expected in about April 2007. ') 7, TAC Schedule For Completing the Water Quality Plan («'OP) Meeting Date Tasks October 2005 • Review WQP water body prioritization and amend if necessary • Review and discuss potential metrics used to prioritize projects November • Recommend water body prioritization • Review and discuss potential metrics used to prioritize projects, recommend if ready • Discuss policies for identifying and submitting projects, amending CIP December • Recommend metrics used to prioritize projects • Recommend policies for identifying and submitting projects, amending CIP • Send report of discussions to date to cities for review January -March 2006 • Review TMDL results • Identify potential projects • Generate prioritized Implementation Plan/CIP • Send report of discussions to date to cities for review April • Recommend draft WQP including Implementation Plan/CIP • Commissions adopt draft WQP including Implementation Plan/CIP • Propose Major Plan Amendment incorporating the WQP and Implementation Plan/CIP into the Second Generation Management Plan May -July • Initial city/agency Plan Amendment review period August • Public Hearing on Plan Amendment September -December . Final city/agency Plan Amendment review period January -March 2007 • BWSR final review and approval of Plan Amendment April 2007 • Commissions adopt Major Plan amendment incorporating the WQP and Implementation Plan/CIP into the Second Generation Management Plan 0�J J C -r m a U o Ln U a c3c3 cz ^ U O C�l O U� O O ._. cz 'O U � n O p 5 G U y i U VD U cC• •--> >, U v G bq .r. c�~3 •� O cC U c6 Uk bn � a bA ❑ a U 'a U =" .^~. O a :33 O to O 0 O p O U O �1 0 ^ u~nl C7 v, zs a s s Cl 00., in U O., b4 bA O., bD a s a a o a a a � p to (n ,•: i ro cz CZ U c3 c� O c? •-= cs r �^. cG U U c3 N G U O U O cC C U c• U r U U U U U .: to LI) to w ^�„ O G O O tiCL Ln n CLn OZi G O O Zo ZI Zi i.r U - L C U �' .° :3 O O_ O = ^� ro — Ui _G cn e) to O CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Sumamry SUMMARY STATS WORKSHEET: November Total Calls & Officer Initiated - 4,509 (YTD - 57,912) Offense subtotal TOTAL YTD , ,,, Nov =04 Arson 1 11 0 Assault 27 304 22 2nd degree 2 3rd degree 1 4th degree 2 5th degree 15 domestic assault 4 terroristic threats 3 Attempt to evade taxation 2 8 0 Attempted homicide 0 0 0 Burglary 19 300 32 Apartment 3 Business 3 Garage 7 Home 6 Storage Locker/Area 0 Attempt (no entry made) 0 Other 0 Conservation violation 0 0 0 Crime against family 0 22 2 Criminal sexual conduct 1 29 3 Criminal vehicular operation causing injury 0 2 0 Death investigation 9 45 0 Disorderly conduct 12 96 5 Driving after cancelation (GM only) 2 15 3 Drugs 14 139 16 cocaine 0 marijuana 10 methamphetamine 0 paraphernalia 4 prescription 0 other 0 DWI 13 184 14 Underage dk & dry (18-21) 2 4 2 Underage dk & dry (under 18) 1 3 1 Escape/fleeing officer 1 10 0 False information to police 0 17 6 Falselyreportinga crime 0 0 0 CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Sumamry Offense subtotal Total' YTD Nov -04 Fighting on school property 1 2 0 Forgery 14 61 8 Harassment 10 122 11 Homicide 0 1 0 Impersonate police officer 0 1 0 Interfere with emergency call 1 3 2 Juvenile alcohol offense 3 26 3 controlled substance 0 0 0 curfew 2 29 0 runaway 10 100 14 tobacco 3 19 0 Furnishing alcohol to underage - cc 0 10 1 Furnishing tobacco to underage - cc 0 9 6 Kidnap (incl deprive parental) 0 2 0 Leaving scene of accident (hit & run) 12 146 12 Liquor/underage consum tion/poss 4 65 3 Obscenity /indecent exposure 3 13 0 Obstructing legal process 0 8 0 Possession stolen property 1 11 3 Criminal damage to property 56 513 50 Robbery 0 17 4 Solicitation 0 0 0 Theft general 38 gas no pay 3 identity 5 items/parts from MV 9 employee 1 shoplifitng 7 by check 4 by fraud/swindle 8 mail 2 bicycle 0 77 1196 122 Tampering with MV 0 18 3 Trespass 0 16 0 Unlawful deposit of garbage 0 10 0 Vehicle theft 5 68 7 Violation order for protection 9 49 3 Weapons 3 23 1 TOTAL 318 3,727 359 C, CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Sumamry ARRESTS f#ense " TOTAL'S . YTD Nov -04; Adult aiding & abetting 0 0 0 assault 6 103 10 attempted homicide 0 0 0 attempt to evade taxation 2 8 0 burglary 2 7 0 conservation (fish without license) 0 0 0 crime against family 0 2 0 criminal sexual conduct 0 4 0 criminal vehicular op causing injury 0 1 0 driving after suspension (GM only) 1 14 3 disorderly conduct 2 19 2 drugs 10 107 15 DWI 13 173 14 Underage drinking & driving 3 11 2 escape/fleeing officer 2 6 0 false information 0 11 5 forgery 4 8 1 furnishing tobacco to underage 0 2 6 homicide 0 1 0 impersonating police officer 0 1 0 interfere with emergency call 1 2 2 leaving scene of accident (hit & run) 2 22 1 Liquor/underage cons 16 165 5 obscenity/ indecent exposure 0 2 0 obstructing legal process 1 10 1 possess altered DL 0 0 0 possession stolen property 2 11 2 Criminal damage to property 3 7 1 robbery 0 2 0 solicitation 0 1 0 tampering with motor vehicle 0 4 0 theft 4 65 8 trespass 0 6 0 unlawful deposit of garbage 0 2 0 vehicle theft 0 2 0 violation order for protection 2 11 1 warrant 17 81 1 weapons 0 ill 0 TOTAL 93 8821 80 W CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Sumamry Juvenile Offense TOTAL YTD 1Vov-04. assault 8 51 4 burglary 1 5 0 criminal sexual conduct 0 4 0 disorderly conduct 7 60 2 false information to police 0 3 0 fighting on school property 2 8 0 harassment 0 1 0 indecent exposure 0 1 0 interfere with emergency call 0 1 0 leaving scene of accident (hit & run) 0 2 0 obstruct legal process 0 0 0 possess altered DL 0 1 0 possess stolen property 0 2 1 Criminal damage to property 3 16 1 robbery 0 0 6 terroristic threats 0 0 0 theft 3 32 3 trespass 0 11 0 underage drinking & driving 1 9 2 vehicle theft 0 1 0 warrant 0 6 0 weapons offense 1 5 1 alcohol 16 135 11 controlled substance 6 36 1 curfew 7 51 4 runaway 6 43 9 tobacco 4 19 0 TOTAL 651 5031 45 CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Sumamry CITATIONS Offense TOTAL YTD NOV-04' Speeding 151 4,059 430 Careless/ Reckless driving 1 37 9 Disobey signs or signals 24 318 34 Stop sign violation 19 434 55 Improper passing 9 157 2 Improper turning 3 65 11 Improper lane/wrong wa /HOV 9 68 5 Fail to yield 4 99 8 Follow too closely 5 44 5 Improper/no signal 0 18 0 Open bottle 0 25 2 Defective/improper equipment 9 146 17 Inattentive driving 7 129 10 Other hazardous violation 4 62 3 School bus stop arm violation 3 53 4 TOTAL 248 5,714 595 Fire lane/hydrant parking violation 15 224 22 Snow removal parking violation 4 7 0 Other parking violation (2 to 5 a.m.) 103 1,191 83 Handicapped parking violation 3 67 6 Junk/abandoned vehicle 0 0 0 Other non-moving violation 1 23 0 TOTAL 126 1,512 111 Driving after suspension/ cancelation /revocation 81 893 70 No DL 24 205 15 Other DL violation 26 301 15 Improper registration 69 645 61 Motorcycle endorsement requirement 0 8 0 Overwidth/overweight (truck) 0 17 1 Blocking & obstructing traffic 0 2 0 Lea /unsecure load 1 8 0 Unreasonable acceleration 1 11 0 Other non -hazardous violation 6 27 0 Seat belts 25 378 17 Child restraints 0 4 0 No insurance 101 1,029 104 Crosswalk/fail to yield for pedestrian 0 4 0 TOTAL 334 3,532 283 11 CITY OF PLYMOUTH Police Department Montly Statistical Sumamry ACCIDENTS Offense TOTAL YTD Nov -04 Fatal 0 0 0 Pi 8 131 12 PD 130 968 86 TOTAL 138 1,099 98 PLYA/ 'itMAN a -01v I MONTHLY REPORT OCTOBER 2005 PLYMOUTH FIRE DEPARTMENT MONTHLY REPORT October 2005 Monthly Synopsis Year-to-date (YTD), the Department answered 1113 calls for service. This compares to 1112 calls for service in 2004 (YTD). The highest call volume in October occurred between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Thursday was the busiest day of the week. Fifty-seven percent of calls occurring in October were "Duty Crew" calls. Responses were divided between the fire stations as follows: Station I (13205 Co. Rd. 6) 20 Station II (12000 Old Rockford Rd.) 42 Station III (3300 Dunkirk Ln.) 45 October 2005 in-service and on -scene (total response) times for emergency events are as follows. Duty Crew and non -duty crew times, as well as station responses, are noted. Significant or Unusual Events In October, the following responses are notable: October 7 Vehicle accident with entrapment (2:07 p.m.) October 29 Assist police department with rescue (8:44 p.m.) During the month of October, six calls were paged general alarm. The average attendance for these calls was twenty-two members of the Department. Training During the month of October, six topics were offered during fourteen regularly scheduled in- house training sessions. These topics included Rope Rescue, Ventilation, Ladders, Tactics, Firefighter Safety and Survival, and SCBA. Additional training opportunities were offered during Rookie Training and Duty Crew, and for members of the Hazardous Materials Team and RAD team. Sixty-four members participated in training activities during the month. The total number of hours spent on in-house and outside training activities was 616.5 — an average of nine hours per participating member. 32- 1St Truck 1St Truck 2nd Truck 2nd Truck Duty Crew In -Service On -Scene In -Service On -Scene # Calls 1:09 5:40 1:22 7:23 12 Non -Duty Crew 6:02 10:58 8:27 11:57 6 Station I 8:12 13:59 N/A N/A 2 Station II 6:00 9:42 7:57 11:40 2 Station III 3:53 9:15 9:29 12:32 2 Significant or Unusual Events In October, the following responses are notable: October 7 Vehicle accident with entrapment (2:07 p.m.) October 29 Assist police department with rescue (8:44 p.m.) During the month of October, six calls were paged general alarm. The average attendance for these calls was twenty-two members of the Department. Training During the month of October, six topics were offered during fourteen regularly scheduled in- house training sessions. These topics included Rope Rescue, Ventilation, Ladders, Tactics, Firefighter Safety and Survival, and SCBA. Additional training opportunities were offered during Rookie Training and Duty Crew, and for members of the Hazardous Materials Team and RAD team. Sixty-four members participated in training activities during the month. The total number of hours spent on in-house and outside training activities was 616.5 — an average of nine hours per participating member. 32- Recruitment During the month of October, sixty-four paid -on-call firefighters served the City of Plymouth. No members left the department. We conducted the physical ability test for the next class of probationary firefighters. Duty Crew The Duty Crew Program was in operation on all 21 weekdays during the month. Thirty-seven members participated in the program. In October, 84% of all shifts were fully staffed with at least four firefighters. During our busiest time period (3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.), 95% of the shifts were fully staffed with four firefighters. A staffmg summary for the month, by shift, is included below. Staff: 0600-0900 0900-1200 1200-1500 1500-1800 1800-2100 5 Firefighters 0% 10% 5% 0% 5% 4 Firefighters 90% 86% 76% 95% 52% 3 Firefighters 10% 4% 19% 5% 43% No Staff 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 2 7� Plymouth Fire Department Public Education Programming 2005 ❑ January ❑ May ❑ September ❑ February ❑ June © October ❑ March ❑ July ❑ November ❑ April ❑ August ❑ December Programs Number of Programs Hours Averaged per Program Total Monthly Program Hours Children's Programming ■ Station Tours 1 1 1 ■ The Birthday Club ■ Bookmobile Literacy Project 1 4 3 1 3 4 ■ Preschool Visits 9 1 9 ■ K-6 Education 15 j 1 j 15 ■ Career Talk Family Programming ■ Bike Helmet Sales ■ Car Seat Check -Ups 12 .75 9 ■ Assist with North Memorial with Helmet Sales ■ Smokebusters for Seniors 1 .75 .75 ■ Smokebusters for Families 4 .75 3 • Ski Helmet Sales ■ Adopt a Hydrant Campaign ■ Adopt/Restaurants Outreach ■ Block Parties ■ Parades ■ National Night Out ■ Fire Department Oen Houses 1 7 7 Business Programming ■ Fire Extinguisher Training 6 1 6 ■ Business Safety Fairs 1 2 2 ■ Business Fire Drills 2 1.5 3 3 7� Staff Development • Public Education Training for Fire Personnel ■ Public Education 1 PC&FPF 2.5 5 Meetings 1 North Memorial 2 2 SAFE KIDS 1 Poster 2 2 Contest • Literature Drops 5 .5 2.5 Recruitment Sign Project ■ Diversity Outreach Fire 10 10 Prevention Grant ■ Mi.sc. Community 1 firefighter 6 6 Programming Survey Results • Special Projects Along for 2 2 the Ride TV - PFD sponsored the 32 -hour Segment — Child Passenger Safety Car Seat Course during September. Program No staffing time was required for the class. 8 CPS Chiefs technicians graduated. Conference 7 7 Number of Total Monthly Percent of a 325 Hour Work Programs Program Hours Month was Dedicated to Public Education 64 99.25 30.5% 7� Station Comparison 60 45 50 42 40 30 20 ❑ Oct -05 20 10 0 --- 1 2 3 Response Time for Emergency Calls 16:48 14:24 12:00 9:36 7.12 10:58 5:40 p Oct -05 4.48 2:24 0:00 Duty Crew Not Duty Crew Fire Loss Summary Year -to -Date $1,700,000_ $1,302,190 $1,392,900 $1,200,000 _ — $700,000 - ---- $200, 000 1/1/04-10/31/04 1/1/05-10/31/05 Total Calls Year -to -Date 1600 1112 1113 1200 800 — 400 -- — 0 111/04-10/31/04 1/1/05-10/31/05 12/21/2005 PLYMOUTH FIRE DEPARTMENT MONTHLY REPORT Calls by Time of Day 30 -- — -- ------------------ - i 0 Oct -04 20 °_ ■ Oct -05 10-- 0 0 0 0600-0900 0900-1200 1200-1500 1500-1800 1800-2100 2100-0000 0000-0300 0300-0600 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Calls by Day of Week Events By Category Other Fires Overpressure/ 2% 1 % Explosions 2% Rescue/EMS Severe Weather 9% 0% Hazardous Conditions 14% Service Calls 10% False Alarms 34% Good Intent Calls 30% 12/21/2005 D Oct -04 ■ Oct -05 DUTY CREW STAFFING MOW October 2005 El 5 Firefighters ❑ 4 Firefighters El 3 Firefighters CALLS FOR SERVICE October 2005 .. fr 43% ED Duty Crew ........... . ........°.. , �, 57% Non -Duty Crew YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES DECEMBER 5, 2005 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH CREEK CENTER Council Members Present Absent Kristen Letich X Mark McKee X Patrick Heffner X Anne Gottwalt X Christopher Fei X Heather Gaudette X Aneesh Sohoni X Lindsey Beste X Anna Berg X Trevor Haag X Neha Singh X Deputy City Clerk Kurt Hoffman was also present. Aneesh called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Presentations: There were no presentations. Approvals: a) Kurt requested the addition of an item to discuss December and January meeting dates. Heather made a motion, seconded by Anna, to approve the agenda as amended. The motion passed in a unanimous voice vote. b) Aneesh made a motion, seconded by Anne, to adopt the minutes of the November 21 meeting. The motion passed in a unanimous voice vote. Council Update: Kurt gave an update on issues under discussion by the City Council. He reported that The Council and Planning Commission are in the process of considering an update of the City Comprehensive Plan, which will take several months. Special Items: a) Sleep—out Event Kurt reported that following discussions between Park and Recreation Department staff, City Manager Ahrens, and Mayor Johnson, the decision was made to cancel the event. He said the decision came because of the low registration numbers. Park and Recreation staff had created thank—you letters which were mailed out to residents who had volunteered to chaperone. He said staff was very impressed with the good job the Council did at finding volunteer chaperones for the event. 0i Youth Advisory Council December 5, 2005 Meeting Page 2 b) Service Awards program plans Council members reviewed the application materials from the previous year and agreed to spend the largest portion of the December 19 meeting considering what guidelines to put in place for the 2006 program. They also agreed to finalize the letters and lists of possible award providers such as financial institutions in the community. c) Youth Leadership program plans Council members reviewed the list of possible speakers. Aneesh reported he had several letters prepared to send to possible speakers. d) Intergenerational activities Heather reported that she and Patrick attended a meeting with members of the Seniors Council earlier in the day. They plan to hold a roundtable discussion on Saturday, February 25 from noon to 2:30 PM at the Plymouth Creek Center. They hope to have 12 to 15 seniors and an equal number of youth, to discuss the theme, "Does that really happen? Did you really do that?" comparing home life in past and present times. Council members expressed an interest in participating, and Heather said all participants should register by calling the Park & Recreation Department. Adjournment Heather made a motion, seconded by Patrick, to adjourn the meeting at 7:20 PM. The motion passed in a unanimous voice vote. L� C -j Hal Broxey 12425 42ndAvenue N—Plymouth, MN 55441-763-553-1295-dbroxey@comcast.net December 18, 2005 Ms. Laurie Ahrens City Manager City of Plymouth 3400 Plymouth Blvd Plymouth MN 55447 Dear Laurie: While attending the end -of -the -year City Council meeting the other evening, I was reminded how truly blessed we are to have the level of expertise and competency that is represented by our city government. I am also aware of the extreme time commitment these jobs require. As a proud citizen, I don't want to take this for granted as you don't have to look very far to see evidence of discord and clumsy decision-making in other city governments. I had some friends at the meeting, due to the Human Rights award, and they too commented on the efficiency of our government. Thanks to all of you for the outstanding work you do on our behalf. I don't agree with all decisions, but I do feel confident that the issues are weighed carefully and responsibly so that the decision ultimately represents the best interests of Plymouth. Thanks for a good year of governing and our best wishes for an even better 2006. Best re, ,gards, I Broxey 4-1 SUBJECT: INTERIM USE PERMIT FOR WILLIAM THOMPSON (2005146) Dear Property Owner: Pursuant to the provisions of the Plymouth Zoning Ordinance, this letter is to inform you of a request by William Thompson, under File 2005146, for an interim use permit for approximately 3,000 cubic yards of fill that was placed to match the existing contours of the property at Glory of Christ Lutheran Church, 4040 County Road 101 North. Hennepin County records indicate your property is within 500 feet of the site of this proposal. You are hereby notified of, and cordially invited to attend a Public Hearing to be held by the Plymouth Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m., on Wednesday, January 4, 2006 at the Plymouth Creek Center located at 14800-34`h Avenue North. The public will be invited to--offer.-questions and comments concerning this application at that time, or feel free to call the City Planning Department at (763) 509-5450 for more information. INFORMATION relating to this request may be examined at the Community Development Information Counter, at Plymouth City Hall on Mondays and Wednesday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except holidays. If you have any questions about the specifics of this proposal, please contact the Community Development Department at (763) 509-5400. Sincerely, 'LX4 e 1 A Barbara G. Senness, AICP Planning Manager 2005146propnotice PLYMOUTH Additg Quafittl to Life 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 • TELEPHONE (763) 509-5000 ®vrawrc oia raecvc..eo anaea www.ei.olvmouth.mn.us SUBJECT: PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT AMENDMENT FOR CHAMPION PATIO ROOMS (2005145) Dear Property Owner: Pursuant to the provisions of the Plymouth Zoning Ordinance, this letter is to inform you of a request by Champion Patio Rooms, under File 2005145, for a planned unit development amendment for an 11 -foot by 15.5 -foot patio room addition for property located at 15660 17th Avenue North. The proposed addition would encroach 3 -feet into the required 10 -foot rear yard setback and be set back 7 -feet from the rear property line. Hennepin County records indicate your property is within 750 feet of the site of this proposal. You are hereby notified of, and cordially invited to attend a Public Hearing to be held by the Plymouth Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m., on Wednesday, January 4, 2006 at the Plymouth Creek Center located at 14800 -34th Avenue North. The public will be invited to- offer questions and comments concerning this application at that time, or feel free to call the City Planning Department at (763) 509-5450 for more information. INFORMATION relating to this request may be examined at the Community Development Information Counter, at Plymouth City Hall on Mondays and Wednesday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except holidays. If you have any questions about the specifics of this proposal, please contact the Community Development Department at (763) 509-5400. Sincerely, Barbara G. Senness, AICP Planning Manager 2005145propnotice PLYMOUTH Adding Quality to Life 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 9 TELEPHONE (763) 509-5000 Park Nicollet ,g� i+a.u�ite C�aov,e � L HOSPITALS AND CLINICS '!dd't�'� o} Minnesota .58i!,') Uith Avenue North F Maple Grove, lvNt 35369 e TSI. ?63 1.99 1/apie�rt crsti'are.ctm,u �' „ ALLI NA. ,..} . Hospitals & Clinics To: Ms. Laurie Ahrens From: David Wessner, President and CEO, Park Nicollet ^Health Services Alan L. Goldbloom, M.D., President and CEO, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota Dick Pettingill, President and CEO, Allina Hospitals & Clinics Date: December 19, 2005 Re: Your leadership in helping to break the hospital deadlock After nearly a year of debate, Northwest Metro Area residents still have no new hospital in Maple Grove. The Tri -Care Partnership — Park Nicollet Health Services, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota and Allina Hospitals & Clinics — has offered an innovative proposal to enter into formal negotiations with North Memorial and Fairview to build one joint hospital. Our proposal accomplishes the following: • Breaks the hospital deadlock; • Heals the division within the community; • Delivers an even better hospital with access to a greater number of physicians and specialists; and • Helps get a hospital approved and under construction in 2006. Please find enclosed a copy of our proposal, which we presented to the Maple Grove Mayor and City Council on November 30, as well as a press release about the proposal. To date, North and Fairview refuse to explore a five -party hospital with us. They say it's too complicated. Hospital partnerships in other communities have proven successful and are an innovative and smart way to meet the community's health care needs. Clearly, the benefits of forming a hospital partnership for the community far outweigh the business challenges. We hope you will carefully review the proposal and its benefits, and consider supporting this innovative and collaborative approach that can deliver an exceptional hospital to Northwest Metro residents. You have an opportunity to take a leadership role in breaking the legislative deadlock and delivering the most innovative, effective hospital experience in your region, and possibly in the country. If you have questions or need more information about the Maple Grove Tri -Care Partnership, please contact Mick Johnson, president, Park Nicollet Foundation, at 952-993-5026. 761 Maple Grove 11"RI-CARE partnership 15800 95th Avenue North • Maple Grove, MN 55369 • Tel: 763-236-2199 MapleGroveTriCarexom FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jeremiah Whitten Park Nicollet Health Services 952-993-6057 Park Nicollet coil ;Zxps- HOSPITALS AND CLINICS M MInn�Ma TALLINA. Hu."ab h clinic, Tri -Care Partnership Proposes Five -Party Hospital Partnership Unique collaboration would end legislative deadlock, deliver a hospital to Maple Grove Minneapolis, Minn. (Nov. 30, 2005) – The Maple Grove Tri -Care Partnership — Park Nicollet Health Services, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota and Allina Hospitals & Clinics — proposed entering into formal negotiations with North Memorial and Fairview to build a collaborative hospital in Maple Grove that would be jointly owned and operated by all five parties. The proposal was presented to the Maple Grove City Council at a special meeting Wednesday night. "The Tri -Care Partnership was proud to have pioneered a partnership approach to building a hospital when we submitted our proposal a year ago," said David Wessner, president and CEO of Park Nicollet Health Services. "Partnerships and alliances represent the hospital business model of the future. We are prepared to give up some ownership and revenue to make the hospital a 'win-win' for the community, area families, employees and all who would be served by this important asset." For the past year, the Tri -Care Partnership and the recently formed alliance of North Memorial and Fairview have been competing for the right to build a hospital in Maple Grove. Legislators worked on selecting a hospital provider during last year's regular session but members of the House and Senate couldn't reconcile their approaches so no provider was chosen. Complicating the issue further is the fact that the state hospital moratorium law does not spell out how to resolve competing proposals to build and operate a hospital in the same market area. - More - q S' "We are asking the City of Maple Grove to convene these negotiations and seek a neutral mediator to facilitate the discussions," said Wessner. "If we can finalize an agreement we can organize a joint lobbying effort with the city and all five health care organizations to seek speedy legislative approval and get the hospital project approved and under construction. Northwest Metro Area residents have waited long enough for a new hospital." The Tri -Care Partnership Park Nicollet Health Services is an award-winning integrated care system that includes Methodist Hospital, the Park Nicollet Foundation and the Park Nicollet Institute. Park Nicollet also operates 24 clinics, including locations in Maple Grove, Brooklyn Center and Plymouth. Many of the clinics offer pharmacies, optical and health care stores. Park Nicollet is actively engaged in the Maple Grove community through its Healthy Community Initiative. www.parknicollet.com Proudly serving as Minnesota's children's hospital since 1924, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota is the eighth largest pediatric health care organization in the United States. Each year, Children's provides care through more than 13,000 inpatient visits and more than 200,000 emergency room and other outpatient visits. An independent, not-for-profit health care provider, Children's has 319 staffed hospital beds and offers a full range of pediatric specialty services, critical care and clinics to serve premature infants through older teens. www.childrensmn.org Allina Hospitals & Clinics is nationally recognized for providing a full continuum of care throughout Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. Allina owns and operates 11 hospitals, 65 clinics, plus oxygen and equipment, pharmacies and emergency medical transportation systems. Allina's hospitals include Abbott Northwestern, Mercy & Unity and Buffalo, and it operates clinics in Maple Grove, Buffalo, Champlin, Coon Rapids, Elk River, Plymouth and Ramsey. www.allina.com -30- L�6 Maple Grove TRI -CARE partnership 15800 95th Avenue North • Maple Grove, MN 55369 • Tel: 763.236-2199 MapleGroveTriCare.com November 30, 2005 Dear Mayor and Members of the Maple Grove City Council: Park Nicollet Children`s. HOSPITALS AND CLI M ICS .I MInn�Nw ALLINk Hmpiral., s Chnic, As you know, securing a new hospital in your city ranks as one of the most important issues for the people of Maple Grove and families throughout the growing northwest metro region. During the last year, due to the significance and complexity of this decision, policymakers and residents have been exposed to competing hospital proposals and numerous claims. Two conclusions are apparent to us based on the extensive feedback we have received: 1. Some Maple Grove political leaders have favored granting North Memorial the license to build a new hospital because North Memorial has operated its hospital nearby for several years. We would be remiss, however, to not point out that the combined patient usage of our hospitals among your area residents far exceeds that of North Memorial and we also operate seven clinics in this region. 2. Area residents, including those in Maple Grove, overwhelmingly favor getting the best hospital. Among those who have formed an opinion about the competing proposals, they also indicate a marginal preference for the Tri -Care Partnership proposal. In fact, in a scientific survey of area residents conducted in June, 72% said it was more important to select the best hospital proposal while only 15% would give a preference to a nearby hospital such as North Memorial. This conflict of expectations is further exasperated by the fact that the state hospital moratorium law does not spell out how to resolve competing proposals to build and operate a hospital in the same market area. There is no question that for those of us competing for the right to operate the Maple Grove hospital, this is a big issue. But it is an even more important decision for your residents and the community. You will live with this decision for decades — it is critical to "get it right." In the spirit of trying to resolve this deadlock and get a new hospital approved and under construction as quickly as possible, we are making the following proposal: 1. The three health care organizations represented by the Tri -Care Partnership are prepared to enter into formal negotiations with North Memorial and Fairview with the goal of developing a collaborative hospital in Maple Grove that would be jointly owned and operated by all five parties. 2. We would formally request that the City of Maple Grove lead this effort by convening the negotiations and seeking a neutral mediator acceptable to all parties to facilitate the discussions. To the extent the City would incur costs for professional services, we would offer to pay half. 3. A deadline should be established so that all parties could finalize an acceptable agreement with enough time to organize a joint lobbying effort involving the City of Maple Grove along with all five health care organizations. We would seek to secure speedy legislative approval of the Maple Grove hospital whether in a special session or as soon as possible after the legislature convenes its regular session March 1St Partnerships and alliances represent the hospital business model of the future for several important reasons. A partnership: ■ provides enhanced medical care to patients due to the pooling of the respective strengths and specialties offered by different hospital providers, ■ allows doctor -patient relationships that have been established over many years to continue uninterrupted, ■ gives patients more choices when selecting a physician or specialist, ■ reduces the amount of financial capital and risk that would otherwise be assumed by one entity, and, ■ minimizes the incentive to duplicate expensive medical technology and services among competing health entities in the same market. The three entities comprising the Maple Grove Tri -Care Partnership are proud to have pioneered this new hospital model when we submitted our proposal a year ago. The recent announcement that North Memorial and Fairview have formed a partnership underscores the value of this approach. We are prepared to give up some ownership and revenue to make this hospital a "win-win" for the community, area families, employees and all who would be served by this important asset. We would respectfully ask you tonight to maintain a position of neutrality with respect to specific proposals and, instead, pass a resolution asking all five health care organizations to enter into a formal negotiation process that is led by the City. The Maple Grove hospital is one of the most significant issues facing your community. It's time to put this controversy aside and get the hospital project approved and under construction. Thank you for your time and consideration of our compromise proposal. Sincerely, - �/ d�l __ David Wessner President and CEO Park Nicollet Health Services Alan L. Goldbloom, M.D. President and CEO Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota Dick Pettingill President and CEO Allina Hospitals & Clinics it Metropolitan Council Building communities that work December 21, 2005 Mayor Judy Johnson City of Plymouth 3400 Plymouth Blvd Plymouth, MN 55447 RE: Livable Communities Local Housing Incentives Account Application — Vicksburg Commons Dear Mayor Johnson: On December 7, the Metropolitan Council approved grants to local units of government to support affordable housing development and preservation. These grants are funded through the Council's Livable Communities Local Housing Incentives Account. We are pleased to inform you that the city of Plymouth has been awarded a grant of $300,000 to support the Vicksburg Commons housing development. This grant is one of six the Council approved in the final LCA funding cycle of 2005. The Metropolitan Council is pleased to work with local communities through the Livable Communities programs. Working in partnership we know we can build better communities and a stronger region that will provide continued good quality of life for all our citizens. Congratulations on the award of this grant. Do not hesitate to contact us whenever you wish to discuss regional issues. Sincerely, Peter Bell Chair cc: Anne Hurlburt, Director, Community Development Division Doug Mayo, CommonBond Communities Guy Peterson, Director, Housing and Livable Communities LO www.metrocouncil.org Metro Info Line 602-1888 230 East Fifth Street • St. Paul, Minnesota 55 10 1-1 626 • (651) 602-1000 • Fax 602-1550 • TI 291-0904