HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Information Memorandum 11-01-1985CITY OF
PLYMOUTR
CITY COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
November 1, 1985
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS.....
1. CITY COUNCIL EXECUTIVE SESSION -- Monday, November 4, 7:00 p.m.
The Council will meet in Executive Session in the City Council
conference room to review the Law Enforcement Labor Services
1986-1987 collective bargaining proposal.
2. REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING -- Monday, November 4, 7:30 p.m. Regular
City Council meeting in the City Council Chambers.
3. HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY -- Monday, November 4, 6:30 p.m.
The Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority will meet in the
City Council Chambers. Agenda attached. (M-3)
4. CITY ELECTION DAY -- Tuesday, November 5, City Elections. Polls
open 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
5. CANVASS BOARD -- Wednesday, November 6, 5:00 p.m. The Council will
meet to canvass the ballots of the November 5 City election.
6. PLANNING COMMISSION -- Wednesday, November 6, 7:30 pm. The Planning
Commission will meet in the City Council Chambers. Agenda
attached. (M-6)
7. FORUM ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT STRESS: STATE SHORTFALLS AND CONTINGENCY
PLANNING -- Attached is an announcement from the State uditor's
office—on a forum for public officials scheduled for Friday,
November 8, from 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., at the Radisson Inn
Plymouth. Lloyd Ricker will be attending and has requested that
Council members interested in attending, should contact him as soon
as possible. (M-7)
8. VETERAN'S DAY -- City offices will be closed Monday, November 11 in
observance of Veteran's Day.
3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD, PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447, TELEPHONE (612) 559-2800
CITY COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
November 1, 1985
Page 2
9. MLC - REGIONAL BREAKFAST MEETING -- Wednesday, November 13. The
Municipal Legislative Commission northwest regional breakfast meet-
ing will be held at the Radisson Inn Plymouth beginning at 7:45
a.m. Meeting notice attached. (M-9)
10. TWINWEST CHAMBER ANNUAL MEETING -- Thursday, November 14. The 1985
annual meeting of the TwinWest Chamber of Commerce will be held at
the Ramada Renaissance Hotel in Minnetonka. Reception at 5:30 p.m.,
dinner at 6:30 p.m.
11. NOVEMBER CALENDAR -- A copy of the November calendar is attached.
M-11
FOR YOUR INFORMATION.....
1. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY WORTHLESS CHECK PROSECUTION POLICY --
Historically, our Police Department has routinely acted to prosecute
individuals passing worthless checks at business establishments in
Plymouth. During the first nine months of this year, 132 worthless
checks had been brought to the attention of the Police Department by
local merchants. One hundred and twenty-seven of these checks were
written in amounts of less than $250. Eighty-two percent (104) of
the worthless checks have come grocery stores. The City's costs in
the prosecution of these checks, both in terms of City Attorney's
office fees as well as manpower committed, is substantial. In an
attempt to control these costs, the department will altering its
policy effective December 1st. Commencing on this date, the depart-
ment will not prosecute cases of worthless checks for under $50.
The department has scheduled a seminar for local business persons to
be held at the City Center on November 13 at 10:00 a.m. The purpose
of that meeting will be to acquaint businesses with the new policy
as well as to heighten their sensitivity in accepting checks from
customers. A copy of the program for the seminar is attached.
(I-1)
2. WRIT OF CERTIORARI -- The attached writ was served on the City Clerk
y Larry Marofsky on behalf of Robert Lamson. The Council will
recall that the request of Mr. Lamson with respect to a proposed
change in the land use guide plan was originally presented to the
Council and subsequently denied. Mr. Lamson and his attorney are
seeking to have the court review the data presented in hopes that
the court might overturn the City Council's decision. This matter
has been referred to the City Attorney's office. I believe the
request is without merit. (I-2)
CITY COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
November 1, 1985
Page 3
3. NEW COUNTY ROAD 61 - UPDATE -- The contractor has completed the
construction of all of the concrete curb and gutter and bituminous
paving on County Road 61 from Old County Road 15 southerly to
Highway 12. The City of Minnetonka in conjunction with Hennepin
County is presently installing a traffic signal at the south end of
this project. This traffic signal is on New County Road 61 and the
frontage road connections along the north side of Highway 12. The
work on this traffic signal is to be completed next Tuesday or
Wednesday (November 5th or 6th).
New County Road 61 will be opened to through traffic at the comple-
tion of this traffic signal. We are expecting the opening can take
place on November 7th. With this roadway opening to traffic the
existing detours for County Road 15 and County Road 61 will be
eliminated.
4. MINUTES:
a. Planning Commission, October 23, 1985 (I -4a)
5. MUNICIPAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION -- The following material received
from the MLC is attached for your information:
a. Letter sent by MLC President Connie Morrison to legislators and
the Governor concerning the most recent State revenue forecast.
b. Article from the October 24 Minneapolis Star and Tribune regard-
ing the MLC's position on state budget cuts should a revenue
shortfall occur.
c. Minutes from the October 17 MLC Operating Committee meeting.
(I-5)
6. ENTREPRENEURIAL CITY -- The attached article from INC. magazine
features the City of Visalia, California as the "The Most
Entrepreneurial City in America". (I-6)
7. "GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER" -- The attached article provided by Dick
arlquist discusses the need for reform in today's juvenile Justice
system. (I-7)
8. SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL -- The Metropolitan Council "Wasteline"
newsletter, and Hennepin County "Special Report" are attached.
(I-8)
9. CITY PERMIT INFORMATION SHEET -- An information handout on plumbing,
sewer and water, and water permits has been prepared by the Building
Inspection division for distribution at the information counter. A
copy of the handout is attached. (I-9)
CITY COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL NEMORANDUN
November 1, 1985
Page 4
10. FLSA RELIEF -- Congress is moving toward a legislative compromise
that would provide significant relief for local governments under
the Fair Labor Standards Act. A compromise agreement negotiated by
the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties,
the National Public Employer Labor Relations Association, and
organized labor, has been approved by the Senate Labor and Human
Resources Committee and by the Labor Standards Subcommittee of the
House Education and Labor Committee.
The compromise would:
1) Eliminate the retroactive application of the overtime
provisions of FLSA;
2) Establish an effective date of April 15, 1986, for
application of the overtime provisions and give
Jurisdictions until August 1, 1986, to pay for the overtime;
3) Exempt volunteers from compliance;
4) Allow states and local governments to offer employees
compensatory time off on a time -and -a -half basis as an
alternative to overtime pay;
5) Exclude special detail assignments from the overtime
provisions with other employers for police and fire
employees (e.g., working at a sports event or parade);
6) Allow dual employment in the local government without
counting it as overtime under special circumtances; such as
a police officer selling tickets at a city sports event
after regular duties are over;
7) Allow an employee of one community to perform services on a
volunteer basis for another jurisdiction, even if the two
jurisdictions have a mutual aid agreement; and
8 Allow shift trading among firefighters and police officers
(with the employer's approval) without subjecting the
jurisdiction to overtime or special recordkeeping; and
The Senate legislation being considered is a substitute for S.F.
1570. Action by both the House and Senate may come by the end of
the month.
CITY COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
November 1, 1985
Page 5
11. COUNCIL FOLLOW UPS:
a. 530 Orchid Lane -- A resident recently contacted Councilmember
Schneider to express concern with regard to a fence constructed
at 530 Orchid Lane. Specifically, the resident was concerned
with the height of the fence and materials used in the
construction. On October 17, City staff inspected the fence and
found the fence to be in violation of zoning ordinance height
requirements. The fence was constructed with sheets of plywood
varying in heights of six to eight feet. The property owner was
notified by letter of the violation and was given until October
30 to come into compliance with the ordinance. On October 28
staff re -inspected the property and found the fence materials
removed. Correspondence and staff memorandums are attached for
information. (I -11a)
12. CITY EMPLOYEES -- I have receiving the following correspondence on
City employees:
a. Letter from Greentree West Homeowner's Association to Eric Blank
on improvements to the Green Oaks playground. (I -12a)
b. Letter from Mary E. Gilles to Plymouth Police Department
commending Community Service Officer bane Laurence. (I -12b)
c. Letter advising Niel Nielsen of his nomination by Dick Carlquist
for the 1985 Public Safety Award of Merit. Annually, the North
Memorial Medical Center sponsors a Public Safety Award Dinner to
recognize outstanding public safety employees in the metro-
politan area. (I -12c)
d. Letter to Mayor Davenport from Gordy Engel, Plymouth/Wayzata
Director M.A.A. Youth Football, to Mayor Davenport,
acknowledging assistance received from the Park and Recreation
Department during this year's football season. (I -12d)
13. CORRESPONDENCE:
a. Letter from Graydon Boeck, Chairman, Suburban Rate Authority, to
Mayor Davenport, requesting the City participate in intervention
through the SRA in the pending Northern States Power general
rate increase filing. (I -13a)
b. Letter from Roger Adams, Interim Superintendent of Wayzata
Schools, in response to City Manager's letter dealing with fire
lane parking violations at Wayzata Senior High School. (I -13b)
c. Letter to Barbara Bremer, 320 Zinnia Lane, from Public Works
Director, with regard to the completion of concrete curbing and
bituminous street in front of her property. (I -13c)
CITY COUNCIL INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
November 1, 1985
Page 6
d. Letter to Joyce McCaughey, from Mayor Davenport, thanking her
and the Medicine Lake Garden Club for planting and maintaining
the floral bed in front of the City Center. (I -13d)
e. Letter of congratulations to Diana Jobin, from Mayor Davenport,
on receiving the Congressional Award for personal and community
achievements. (I -13e)
f. Letter responding to Blair Tremere, from Jim Domoracki, First
Edition Restaurant, on the company's plan to develop a
restaurant facility in Plymouth. (I -13f)
James G. Willis
City Manager
JGW:Jm
attach
A G E N D A
PLYMOUTH HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
REGULAR MEETING.
November 4, 1985
6:30 P.M.
I. Roll Call
II. Approval of Minutes for October 17, 1985 Meeting
III. Public Hearing for CDBG Program Year X Changes
IV. Section 8 Program Update
V. Scattered Site Home Ownership Program Update
VI. Senior Citizen Site Development
VII. Other Business
VIII. Adjournment
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1985
WHERE: Plymouth City Center
3400 Plymouth Boulevard
Plymouth, MN 55447
CONSENT AGENDA
All items listed with an asterisk (*) are considered to be routine by the Planning
Commission and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of
these items unless a Commissioner, citizen or petitioner so requests, in which event
the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered in normal sequence on
the agenda.
PUBLIC FORUM 7:15 P.M.
1. CALL TO ORDER 7:30 P.M.
2. ROLL CALL
3.* APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Planning Commission Minutes, October 23, 1985.
4. PUBLIC HEARINGS
A. Saul Segal, Enterprise Properties for "Ivy Park Two". RPUD Concept Plan,
Preliminary Plan/Plat, Rezoning, Conditional Use Permit and Variance for
property east of 48th Avenue North and Valley Forge Lane. (84057)
B. Michael Freund for "Heritage West 2nd Addition". Rezoning, Preliminary Plat,
Conditional Use Permit and Variance for property northeast of 34th Avenue and
Xenium Lane. (85108)
C. Bob Fields and Brian Zubert for "U -Do Carwash". General Development Plan
Amendment, Site Plan, Conditional Use Permit and Variance at 28th Place and
Glacier Lane. (85109)
5. NEW BUSINESS
*A. Craig Freeman for "Willow Grove Shopping Center Phase 2". Site Plan for
property northeast of Nathan Lane and Betty Crocker Drive. (85100)
6. OTHER BUSINESS
7. ADJOURNMENT
10:00 P.M.
ARNE H. CARLSON
STATE AUDITOR
October 24, 1985
STATE OF MINNESOTA
OFFICE OF THE STATE AUDITOR
SUITE 400
555 PARK STREET
SAINT PAUL 55103
TO: Mayors and Councilmembers, City Managers and Finance Officers
FROM: Arne H. Carlson, State Auditor
SUBJECT: Forum on Local Government Revenue Stress:
State Shortfalls and Contingency Planning
Date: Friday, November 8, 1985
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Place: Radisson Inn Plymouth
- How will the state's revenue shortfalls affect local
government?
- What is ahead for local communities that depend on
agriculture and mining related jobs?
- How can local governments begin contingency plans to
accommodate revenue shortfalls?
Revenue stress is growing for local government. Each successive state revenue
forecast predicts fewer revenues and raises questions about the reliability of
state aids. The agricultural and mining outlook is the worst since the 1930's,
and that stress is reflected in local communities across Minnesota.
The purpose of this conference is to bring together local officials and some key
commentators to discuss these elements of stress. We have invited:
Jay Kedrowski - State Finance Commissioner
Tom Triplett - State Revenue Commissioner
(OVER)
Economic scenarios for
Minnesota in 1986-87 ...
alternative state revenue
forecasts ... economic impact
on local communities ... the
development of contingency
plans for state budget
shortfalls.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Forum on Local Government Revenue Stress (Continued)
Paul Hasbargen - Professor of Agriculture The outlook for the agri-
and Applied Economics, cultural economy .. what impact
University of Minnesota does agricultural stress have
on agri-dependent communities
and counties.
The Honorable Bill Schrieber -
Chairman, House Tax Committee
Legislative plans for dealing
with state revenue shortfalls
... decisions on local aids
and credits.
They will discuss economic and revenue projections for local communities and
the state. There will be ample opportunity for you to raise individual
questions concerning the short-term and long-term impact on your city or county.
In order that the Forum be self. -sustaining, there will be a $20.00 fee for the
meeting and luncheon. Travel directions to the Radisson Inn Plymouth are
printed below. Since attendance is limited, I urge you to return the enclosed
registration form today.
52 152 65 35
94
494 694
,T4 55
94
Radisson Inn
12
Plymouth To St. Paul
100
35W
Airport
52
A
N 494
RADISSON INN PLYMOUTH
2705 Annapolis Lane ° Highways I-494 and 55
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55441 ° (612) 553-1600
-
MUNICIPAL 7900 Xerxes Avenue South
LEGISLATIVE Suite 1500
Bloomingt rpinnesota-531
(612)338COM ISSION V
e
OCT
M E M O R A N D U M r�
TO: Mayors, City Managers, and Interested City Council Members'`1f�'
Member Cities of the Municipal Legislative Commission
FROM: Connie Morrison
DATE: October 2, 1985
RE: Regional Breakfast Meetings
During the next several months, the Municipal Legislative Commission
will be setting its legislative agenda and priorities for the 1986
Legislative Session. The operating committee and our legislative
counsel have suggested that it would be helpful to hold several
meetings for small groups of MLC members to discuss legislative
issues. The small groups would provide an opportunity for more
interaction and discussion than the formal board meetings and
operating committee meetings. The Local Government Finance Study
Commission, chaired by Representative Schreiber and Senator Doug
Johnson, will meet during the interim and report to the 1986 Legis-
lature regarding reform of the property tax and local government
aid systems. These issues are crucial concerns for MLC municipalities
and several members have suggested that we limit our 1986 legislative
agenda to these issues. We would hope to discuss this in detail at
the regional meetings and receive everyone's input.
We have scheduled three regional breakfast meetings and assigned
each member city to a region. City managers and all elected officials
interested in the activities of the MLC are invited to attend. How-
ever, we hope to have the mayor or MLC board member in particular
attend these meetings. If anyone is unable to attend the meeting in
their region due to schedule conflicts, you are welcome to attend
one of the other regional meetings. Please contact Deb Luebke at
338-6610, extension 549 to confirm your attendance.
SCHEDULE OF REGIONAL MEETINGS
1. Southwest Region
Bloomington, Burnsville, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Edina
November 7 at 7:45 a.m.
Ravels in the Registry Hotel
7901 24th Avenue South
Bloomington, MN
2. East Regional Meeting
Woodbury, White Bear Lake,
Moundsview
November 12, 7:45 a.m.
McGuire's Restaurant, Room
1201 W. Co. Road E, Arden
(1/2 mile south of 694 at
Shoreview, Roseville, Maplewood,
240
Hills
Lexington)
3. Northwest Regional Meeting
Blaine, Brooklyn Park, Minnetonka, Maple Grove, Plymouth
November 13 at 7:45 a.m.
Radisson Inn Plymouth
2705 N. Annapolis Lane, Plymouth
(corner of 494 and 55)
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nORTHLESS CHECK SEMINAR
PLYMOUTH DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
PROGRAM AGENDA
This brief seminar will take place at the Plymouth City Center on November
13, 1985, between 10:00 AM and 12:00 Noon. Coffee and rolls will be served.
Each speaker will briefly cover the subject areas assigned. A panel dis-
cussion will follow, where questions will be encouraged regarding the
program topic, or any other public safety concerns.
Speakers - Mr. Richard J. Carlquist
Director of Public Safety
City of Plymouth
Sgt. Lawrence Rogers
Investigations Supervisor
Plymouth Police Department
Ms. Susan Minsberg &
Mr. James Stromann
Assistant City Attorneys
City of Plymouth
Inv. Bill Hanvik
Investigations Section
Plymouth Police Department
Officer Bob Nesbitt
Crime Prevention
Plymouth Police Department
Will provide a perspective
into policy, and explain
the necessity for change.
Program coordination, and
orientation on the new
"Fraudulent Check Report".
Will provide perspectives
into the prosecutors role,
problems, necessity for
change, and civil remedies.
Orientation on supportive
evidence/forms required to
support a complaint.
Orientation over -view on a
variety of retail crimes,
and prevention measures.
Director Carlquist, and the program participants look foward to seeing you.
You are encouraged to call us at 559-2800 to confirm your attendance.
RJC:ler
PLYMOUTH DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
- CHECK PROSECUTION POLICY -
MERCHANTS ADVISORY
Due to increased costs, the Department of Public Safety has revised it's
prosecution policy regarding worthless checks. Accordingly, the follow-
ing guidelines will become effective on December 1st, 1985:
Checks Declined:
1. Single, or multiple checks
under $50, over 60 days old.
2. Postdated, 2nd & 3rd party
checks.
3. Checks from banks and passers
that are out-of-state.
4. Checks wherein partial resti-
tution has been accepted.
5. Checks where passer's identity
cannot be established.
6. Checks wherein the Fraudulent
Check Report is not complete.
7. Checks issued for past consid-
eration, except payroll checks.
8. Checks denied when the accepting
person's initials are not present.
Checks Accepted:
1. Single, or multiple checks over
$50, less than 60 days old.
2. Attach original check/s and notes
to the Fraudulent Check Report.
3. Record positive ID in the form of
a MN drivers license number, or
4. Full name and DOB supported by an
alternate ID that's specified.
5. Checks in which the following
documents have been completed:
a. Fraudulent Check Report
b. Demand For Payment Notice
c. Registered Mail Receipt, or
d. Mail Service Affidavit
e. Witness Statement/s
f. Forgery Affidavit
(if applicable)
Upon completing -the Fraudulent Check Report, submit the entire packet, with
the original check, to the Department of Public Safety, 3400 Plymouth Blvd.,
Plymouth, MN 55447. Do not make restitution arrangements. Refer these
inquiries to the Plymouth City Attorney's Office, 333-0543. If you require
additional information, please call the Police administrative number during
regular business hours, 559-2800, or 559-2835.
RJC/ler
10/85
STATE OF MINNESOTA DISTRICT COURT
COUNTY OF HENNEPIN FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Lamson,
Petitioner,
VS.
City of Plymouth,
Respondent.
WRIT OF CERTIORARI
Court File No. -
TO: City of Plymouth, State of Minnesota
Greeting:
WHEREAS, on the petition of Robert Lamson, Petitioner,
it has been made to appear to the District Court, within and for
said county, that you have exceeded your jurisdiction as City
Council and are proceeding illegally in the matter of Robert
Lamson in that you have failed to authorize an amendment to the
Guide Plan of the City of Plymouth;
You are therefore hereby commanded to certify and return
fully to our court at the Special Term thereon, on or before
a transcript of records and proceedings with
reference to Petitioner, and all facts relating thereto, as fully
as the same are now before you, and have you then and there this
writ.
WITNESS the undersigned Clerk of said Court this ='S
day of ` ' -�', I�r. -� . 1985.
Clerk of District Court
STATE OF MINNESOTA DIST,Ricl' COURT
COUNTY OF HENNEPIN FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I
Robert Lamson,
Petitioner,
VS.
ORDER FOR ISSUANCE OF
WRIT OF CERTIORARI
City of Plymouth, ,,
Court File No.
Respondent.
Upon reading and filing herein the verified petition of
Robert Lamson for a Writ of Certiorari to be issued by this court
to the respondent, City of Plymouth, requiring the respondent to
certify to this court a transcript of the record and proceedings
and before the respondent, on the ground therein stated that in
said proceedings against Robert Lamson, the respondent exceed the
jurisdiction of the City of Plymuth and it appearing from the
petition that the writ therein prayed for should be issued,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that a writ issue out of and under
the seal of this court addressed to the respondent commanding
said respondent to certify and return to this court at the
Clerk's office in the City of Minneapolis, County of Hennepin,
State of Minnesota, on J,rp /SSS, a full and complete
transcript of the record and proceedings held September 23, 1985
in order that the same may be reviewed by this court as to the
claim of petitioneri4fthe proceedngs were in excess of the
jurisdiction of respondent, and requiring respondent in the mean-
time to desist from further proceedings in the :natter to be
reviewed.
Dated
Judge of District Court
CITY OF PLYMOUTH
PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
OCTOBER 23, 1985
The regular Meeting of the Plymouth Planning Commission was
called to order at 7:30 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Steigerwald, Commissioners
Wire, Magnus, Plufka, Mellen and Pauba
MEMBERS ABSENT: Commissioner Stulberg
STAFF PRESENT: Community Development Coordinator
Sara McConn
City Engineer Sherm Goldberg
-MINUTES
MOTION by Commissioner Wire, seconded by Commissioner Plufka *MINUTES - OCTOBER 9,
to approve the October 9, 1985 Minutes as submitted. 1985
VOTE. 6 Ayes. MOTION carried. VOTE - MOTION CARRIED
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Chairman Steigerwald introduced the request by Wesley Walton WESLEY WALTON d/b/a
for a Conditional Use Permit for furniture restoration and YANKEE ARTISAN
retailing of antique furniture and furniture supplies. CONDITIONAL USE
Reading of the October 9, 1985 staff report was waived. PERMIT (85111)
Chairman Steigerwald introduced Mr. Walton who had no
questions or comments.
Chairman Steigerwald opened the Public Hearing, as there was
no one present to speak on the item, the Public Hearing was
closed.
MOTION by Commissioner Pauba, seconded by Commissioner
Magnus to recommend approval for the Conditional Use Permit
Amendment for Wesley Walton, d/b/a Yankee Artisan, subject
to the conditions in the October 9, 1985 staff report.
Roll Call Vote. 6 Ayes. MOTION carried.
Chairman Steigerwald introduced the request by Ben Stroh,
Superior Ford, Inc. Reading of the October 8, 1985 staff
report was waived.
Chairman Steigerwald introduced Mr. Ben Stroh and his
consultant, Greg Frank, McCombs -Knutson.
W#RA
MOTION TO APPROVE
VOTE - NOTION CARRIED
BEN STROH, SUPERIOR
FORD, INC. -
CONDITIONAL USE
PERMIT AND VARIANCE
(85105)
Page 240
Planning Commission Minutes
October 23, 1985
Commissioner Pauba inquired about signage. Coordinator
McConn stated the application does not include any changes
regarding signage.
Chairman Steigerwald opened the Public Hearing, as there was
no one present to speak on this item the Public Hearing was
closed..
MOTION by Commissioner Wire, seconded by Commissioner Pauba
to recommend approval for the Conditional Use Permit and
Variance for Ben Stroh, Superior Ford, Inc., subject to the
conditions as stated in the October 8, 1985 staff report.
VOTE. 6 Ayes.
NEW BUSINESS
MOTION carried.
Chairman Steigerwald introduced the request by Centrum Co-
ordinators for Tiffany Partnership. Reading of the October
8, 1985 staff report was waived.
Chairman Steigerwald introduced Bruce Anderson, representing
the petitioner. Mr. Anderson had no questions or comments.
Commissioner Plufka noted that the variance requested is
very modest, however, because the Commission must base their
recommendation on the six variance criteria he would like an
explanation as to why this variance is requested.
Mr. Anderson stated that the Site Plan used calculated
dimensions, however, when they staked the site it was found
the north and south boundaries angled in toward each other
and it wasn't noticed until they actually laid the building
out on the site and started construction that they would be
short the footage needed for the parking spaces on the south
side of the building.
Commissioner Pauba inquired if this building meets the Ord-
inance parking standards. Coordinator McConn explained that
approval of the site plan included shared parking and drive
areas with an adjoining building; Ordinance required parking
is provided.
It was confirmed that there would be adequate space between
the building and the parking for people to pass through and
enter the building.
Commissioner Wire inquired if this error was the result of a
survey. Mr. Anderson stated it was basically due to the
dimensions used when preparing the site plan and the error
was not discovered until they were under construction.
NOTION TO APPROVE
VOTE - NOTION CARRIED
CENTRUM COORDINATORS
FOR TIFFANY PARTNER-
SHIP FOR PARKING LOT
VARIANCE (85110)
=---)-A C�,_
Page 241
Planning Commission Minutes
October 23, 1985
Commissioner Plufka stated that in his opinion the variance
criteria are not met in that the criteria would not cover an
error that is made once approval is granted; and, though
this is a modest request, he does not agree that you build
first and subsequently request the variances.
Mr. Anderson explained they explored all alternatives and
this was the best solution to their problem.
Coordinator McConn reminded the Commission that originally
this plan was reviewed as the "Alpine Office Building" where
a significant number of variances were requested. The pres-
ent application was reviewed with fewer variance requests.
Commissioner Wire noted that it did not seem the error was
made intentionally, and that he could support this request
in light of their reducing the number of variances from the
original proposal.
MOTION by Commissioner Wire, seconded by Commissioner Plufka MOTION TO APPROVE
to recommend approval for the Variance request by Centrum
Coorinators for Tiffany Partnership, subject to the con-
ditions as stated in the October 8, 1985 staff report.
VOTE. 6 Ayes. MOTION carried.
OTHER BUSINESS
Chairman Steigerwald requested that Coordinator McConn dis-
cuss the Public Forum to be held at 7:15 P.M. at the Novem-
ber 6, 1985 meeting. She stated there were persons inter-
ested in attending this Forum to discuss a potential devel-
opment on Lancaster Lane. These people are interested in
developing housing for the elderly. They had discussed
their plans informally with staff, however after reviewing
the City of Plymouth Ordinance they felt the Ordinance
standards for density calculation are not generous enough
relative to housing for the elderly. They feel this type
housing is specialized and are proposing to submit an appli-
cation to Amend the City's Ordinance with respect to density
calculations for elderly housing projects. They want to
meet with the Commission at the Forum to request your input
as to what type of information would be needed for an appli-
cation to amend the Ordinance density calculation for hous-
ing for the elderly.
Coordinator McConn explained that with the Commission's next
Agenda Packet, a summary memorandum would be prepared
identifying what information they want to review with this
application; and, proposers will prepare a letter for Com-
mission review explaining their reasons for the request.
VOTE - MOTION CARRIED
Page 242
Planning Commission Minutes
October 23, 1985
They understand that any application will be reviewed in
depth by the Commission and that a Public Hearing and
Council action is required. However, they are hesitant to
come in with a formal application for an Amendment to the
Zoning Ordinance until it has been identified and clarified
what type of information needed for that review.
Commissioner Plufka inquired about the density in the R-4
(high density multiple residence) District. Coordinator
McConn confirmed the density at 10 to 20 units per acre;
that the land in question is not of sufficient size for a
Planned Unit Development; and, that the proposal is looking
for density substantially higher than 10 units per acre.
She inquired if they had ideas on the information they want
for review.
The Commission discussed the following items for inclusion:
- Traffic; sewer; amenities; green space and impervious
surface, parking/building; building height (heat, light
and air); variance criteria; and their concerns
regarding the "Ripple" effect that increased density
would have on other development standards.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 8:40 P.M.
MUNICIPAL
LEGISLATIVE
COMMISSION
TO: MLC Board of Directors
OCT
1985
FROM: Larkin, Hoffman, Daly & Lindgren, Ltd.
7900 Xerxes Avenue South
Suite 1500
Bloomington, Minnesota 55431
(612) 338-6610
RE: Revenue Forecast Legislative Letter
Operating Committee and Board of Directors Meetings
DATE: October 25, 1985
Please find attached a letter sent by the MLC President
Connie Morrison to the 39 legislators that represent the
16 MLC cities, legislative leadership and the Governor.
Also enclosed is a newspaper article that appeared in the
Minneapolis Star and Tribune on October 24 quoting Mayor
Connie Morrison regarding MLC's position on the state bud-
get cuts should a revenue shortfall occur.
I've also included a press release that was prepared by
Christopher Miller & Associates. This release was sent
to all the metro area media.
Please find the minutes from the Twenty-sixth MLC Operating
Committee Meeting enclosed.
Please note that the next MLC Operating Committee and Board
of Directors Meetings have been changed due to a conflict
with the League of Minnesota Cities' Retreat. The Operating
Committee Meeting will meet at 3:00-5:00 p.m. on WEDNESDAY,
NOVEMBER 20 at the Decathlon Club in Bloomington. The
Board of Directors Meeting is scheduled to follow the Operat-
ing Committee Meeting at 5:00 p.m. A tentative agenda and
the minutes from the previous Board Meeting will be sent to
you prior to this meeting.
RG R : dh 1
Enclosures
ILUOL C MllNICIP�II,
CCMMMION
October 25, 1985
The Honorable Rudy Perpich
130 State Capitol
St. Paul, Minnesota 55155
Dear Governor Perpich:
7900 Xerxes Avenue South
Suite 1500
Bloomington, Minnesota 55431
(612) 338-6610
The most recent revenue forecast from the Department of Finance
reveals that the State -of Minnesota may experience significant budget
shortfalls over the next 21 months.
As President of the Municipal Legislative Commission (MLC), I am
writing you to express our concern over this deteriorating revenue
situation. The Finance Department is now estimating that the "most
likely" scenario will result in a $736 million shortfall by June 30,
1987. After taking into account the $450 million budget reserve, the
state will still be short $286 million necessary to pay for programs
that were funded during the 1985 Legislative Session.
The 16 mayors and 73 councilmembers of the MLC understand the
difficult role you may have to play during the next few months. We
struggle with balancing the budgets each year. Most of us also
experienced the disruption that occurred during the last budget
crisis. Therefore, we respectfully ask that you consult with us if
any of your budget decisions affect local government finances.
We realize that it would be inappropriate for our organization to ask
that funding to cities be exempt from potential budget cuts. All
recipients of state tax dollars must share in the cutbacks that may be
required. However, we strongly believe that the state budget should
not be balanced by placing an excessive amount of the burden on local
units of government. If cuts are to occur, they should be fair and
uniform.
on behalf of the MLC and the 530,000 Minnesotans it represents, we
thank you in advance for your support in assuring equitable treatment
during the budget reduction process.
Best personal regards,
Connie Morrison
Mayor of Burnsville
President of the Municipal
Legislative Commission
ph
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CHRISTOPHER MILLER & COMPANY, INC.
100 North Sixth Street • Suite 901-B • Minneapolis, MN 55403 • (612) 338-4969
Contact:
Karen Knepper or Robert Renner, Jr.
Christopher Miller & Larkin, Hoffman, Daly & Lindgren, Ltd.
Company, Inc. (612) 338-6610
(612) 338-4969
F011_SMMEDIBTE-RELEASE
MLC CALLS FOR FAIR. UNIFIED BUDGET CUTS
MINNEAPOLIS, October 25, 1985 -- If state budget cuts are
necessary, they should be across-the-board, according to
Municipal Legislative Commission (MLC) President Connie Morrison.
In a letter to legislators representing the 16 MLC -member
suburbs, Morrison said the commission realizes that it would be
"inappropriate for our organization to ask that funding to cities
be exempt from potential budget cuts." Morrison, who is mayor of
Burnsville, said the MLC believes all recipients of state tax
dollars must share in the cutbacks that may be required.
"However," Morrison wrote, "we strongly believe that the
state budget should not be balanced by placing an excessive
amount of the burden on local units of government. If cuts are
to occur, they should be fair and uniform."
Recent -Minnesota Department of Finance revenue forecasts
suggest that the state may experience significant budget
shortfalls over the next 21 months. The most likely scenario,
according to the Department, will result in a $736 million
more...
MLC CALLS FOR FAIR, UNIFIED BUDGET CUTS
October 25, 1985
Page 2
shortfall by June 30, 1987. Taking into account the $450 million
budget reserve, the state still will be short $286 million
necessary to pay for programs funded during the 1985 legislative
session.
"The 16 mayors and 73 council members of the MLC understand
the difficult role you may have to play during the next few
months," Morrison wrote to state legislators. "We struggle with
balancing budgets each year. Most of us also experienced the
disruption that occurred during the last budget crisis."
That crisis, Morrison said, resulted in inequitable budget
cuts for local government units. In 1980, she said, the
administration cut $195 million out of the state budget, $20
million of which came from local government aids. That 8.3
percent cut would have been only 2.5 percent if the cuts had been
across-the-board.
The MLC was formed in 1983 to counteract political imbalance
between the suburbs and central cities. It has lobbied
continuously for equitable local government aids funding. Member
suburbs include Blaine, Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Burnsville,
Eagan, Eden -Prairie, Edina, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Minnetonka,
Mounds View, Plymouth, Roseville, Shoreview, White Bear Lake and
Woodbury. The commission's lobbyists are Richard Forschler and
Robert Renner, Jr., of the law firm of Larkin, Hoffman, Daly &
Lindgren, Ltd.
MLRK1024
MUNICIPAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION
TWENTY-SIXTH MLC OPERATING COMMITTEE
Thursday, October 17, 1985
9:00 a.m.
"4INUTES
Vice Chair, Tom Hedges, called the Twenty -Sixth MLC Operating Committee
Meeting to order at 9:15 a.m.
Members Present: Jim Andre, Roseville; Linda Barton, Burnsville;
Charles Darth, Brooklyn Park; Craig Dawson, Eden Prairie; Ken Haider,
Maplewood; Tom Hedges, Eagan; Dick Henneberger, Brooklyn Park; Jim Lacina,
Woodbury; Jim Miller, Minnetonka; John Pidgeon, Bloomington, Doug Reeder,
Maple Grove; Ken Rosland, Edina; Mark Sather, White Bear Lake; and
Jim Willis, Plymouth.
Also Present: D.J. Leary of Media Services, Inc.; and Bob Renner, Jr.
and Deb Luebke of Larkin, Hoffman, Daly & Lindgren.
John Pidgeon moved to approve the minutes from the previous MLC Operating
Committee Meeting. That motion was seconded by Ken Rosland and was
unanimously passed by the MLC Operating Committee.
Bob Renner explained the MLC membership analysis and the criteria used
for this analysis. Based upon the criteria, the cities being considered
as potential MLC members are: Inver Grove Heights, Lakeville, Shakopee
and Cottage Grove. The points raised regarding the recruitment of
additional cities to MLC included: 1) was the criteria used in this
analysis agreeable; 2) should we consider cities that don't necessarily
meet the criteria, but might be valuable additions to our organization;
3) how important is it to maintain a balance between the northern and
southern suburbs; and 4) does the MLC really want to increase their
membership? It was suggested that Connie Morrison contact Jim Krautkremer
to aet a sense of the "political climate" of the northern suburbs prior
to the MLC Board of Directors Meeting. It was decided to bring up the
topic of expanding MLC membership at the next MLC Operating Committee
and Board of Directors Meetings.
Jim Willis handed out the public relations subcommittee report for con-
sideration by the Operating Committee. Willis mentioned that while
Christopher Miller & Associates may not be the public relations firm
we finally agree upon, they have agreed to assist the MLC establish
their public relations objectives and guidelines. It was agreed, however,
it would be advantageous to either continue working with Christopher Miller
& Associates or -with a consultant that possesses a strong background in
local government._ Hiring a consultant on a "project basis" was suggested
as a possibility. A recommendation was made and agreed upon that in the
future we discontinue using the term "public relations" and use the term
"communications" instead since the connotation is less limiting.
D.J. Leary volunteered to serve as an advisor to the Communications
Subcommittee as they continue this restructuring process. It was
decided to present the Communications Subcommittee's most current findings
at the MLC Board of Directors Meeting. Ken Rosland made a motion to
accept the communications report and to charge the committee with having
their final recommendations ready by December in order for the MLC to r
make their decision before January since the 1986 Legislative Session
begins in February.
MLC Operating Committee Meeting Minutes
October 17, 1985
Page 2
Willis made the motion that Larkin, Hoffman, Daly & Lindgren and Media
Services, Inc. remain consultants for the MLC. This motion was seconded
by Jim Lacina and was unanimously passed by the MLC Operating Committee.
Their recommendation will be presented to the MLC Board of Directors
for final approval.
It was suggested that a letter be sent out under Connie Morrison's name
addressing the concerns the City of Plymouth raised in their recent
letter since other MLC cities share these concerns.
Renner briefly pointed out the revision that occurred in the MLC budget
due to the Cities of Blaine and Mounds View withdrawing from the MLC. The
MLC budget is currently calculated to be $132,546 for calendar year 1986.
The MLC Operating Committee reviewed the 1986 Legislative Issues list
to designate which issues should be actively lobbied, monitored or
disregarded. It was unanimously agreed that Larkin, Hoffman, Daly &
Lindgren should continue to actively lobby legislation regarding local
government aids. It was also decided to monitor: levy limits repeal;
fiscal disparities; and property tax reform. The Operating Committee
felt the remaining issues did not need any attention at this time.
The Operating Committee decided to retain the composition of the sub-
committees and appoint individuals to chair these committees. The
following chairs were appointed: Dick Henneberger, Local Government
Finance Subcommittee; Jim Miller. Development Finance Subcommittee;
Ken Rosland, Metropolitan Governance Subcommittee; and Carl Jullie,
Solid Waste Control Subcommittee. A chair was not appointed to the
Transit Subcommittee.
Jim Willis suggested that a letter be sent out under Connie Morrison's
name to the MLC legislative delegation and government officials regarding
the Revenue Department's forecast,with the strong recommendation that in
the event of a budget deficit, the cuts be made across-the-board and that
local government aids not be singled out. It was decided to issue this
letter, along with a press release, after the Revenue Department's press
conference on Tuesday, October 22. A copy of this letter should be sent
to all councilmembers as well. This suggestion was adopted and was passed
unanimously.
Future meeting dates for the MLC were decided. The next MLC Operating
Committee Meeti7rg_was scheduled for Thursday, November 21, 3:00-5:00 p.m.
at the Decathlon Club, to be immediately followed by the MLC Board of
Directors Meeting at 5:00 p.m. It was also decided to schedule a MLC
Operating Committee Meeting for Friday, December 13, 9:00-11:00 a.m.
at the Edina City Hall. Don Slater of the League of Minnesota Cities,
and Vern Peterson of the Association of Minnesota Municipalities have
been invited to attend the December meeting as an effort to maintain
good communications between the three organizations.
It was suggested that after the city elections that background information
be sent to the councilmembers prior to the Regional Meetings. The city
managers agreed to contact their councilmembers and mayors and invite
them to these meetings.
MLC Operating Committee Meeting Minutes
October 17, 1985
Page 3
Renner discussed the MLC Property Tax Survey draft and asked for input
from the Operating Committee. A few minor alterations were suggested
which will be incorporated into the form. The revised form will be
distributed shortly.
The handout on the Governor's Advisory Council on State -Local Relations
was pointed out for the Operating Committee's information. It was men-
tioned that the League of Minnesota Cities was covering this issue.
The MLC Operating Committee Meeting was adjourned at 11:15 a.m.
THE MOST
ENTREPRENEURIAL
CITY IN AMERICA
Welcome to Visalia, California—a city that could
teach most companies a thing or two about good
management. BY DAVID OSBORNE
ed Gaebler watched with admira-
tion as the trap sprang shut, al-
though he found himself in its jaws.
Only weeks before, the California legisla-
ture had voted to return $338 million to
local governments. Visalia, the city
Gaebler managed, was to get $1.4 mil-
lion—almost exactly the amount the local
school district needed to build a new
school and stave off double sessions. In the
six years since Proposition 13, the district
had been unable to finance any major con-
struction, so Gaebler expected an immedi-
ate raid on his treasury. Sure enough, there
it was in the evening paper: "City Should
Fund New School."
Gaebler's choices were obvious: Hand
over a check for $1.4 million, or earn the
wrath of every parent in town. But Ted
Gaebler isn't your typical city manager.
"I've never forgotten when I worked at
Columbia [Md.]," he tells audiences, re-
ferring to the "new town" built by lames
Rouse, the legendary developer who also
did Boston's Quincy Market and Balti-
more's Harborplace. "We would be wail-
ing and gnashing our teeth about some
horrible social problem, and Jim Rouse
would come in and muse philosophically,
'How can I profit from this problem' "
When the school district sprang its trap,
Gaebler asked his staff the same question.
Months later, after a series of negotiations
and land purchases, a four -parcel swap and
sale left the district with $1.2 million and a
prime site for its new school—and the city
with commercial property that it expects
to sell for a tidy profit.
54 INC./SEPTEMBER 1985
The deal was without precedent else-
where, as far as anyone in Visalia knows.
But for Gaebler and his staff, it was not
unusual. This is a city, after all, that
stepped in and ran a minor-league baseball
franchise for six years—the only munici-
pally owned professional baseball team in
the United States at the time—after the
Mets pulled out and no private buyer
turned up. It is a city that won the scram-
ble to buy an Olympic training pool last
summer, at a savings of $400,000, because,
after hearing about the deal on a Thurs-
day, it was able to cut a check the follow-
ing Monday.
Visalia, in other words, is what Don
Borut of the International City Manage-
ment Association calls "one of the most
entrepreneurial cities in America." Borut
may not have taken a scientific survey be-
fore bestowing that honor, but from all the
evidence, he could not be too far off.
One of my dreams is to run a
SWAT team forgo vernment—
take 10 of the best people I've ever
worked with and go into any state
or city that's in trouble and turn it
around. You get a no -cut contract,
and you guarantee them you can
save them $X million a year. "
At first glance, "entrepreneurial govern-
ment" seems a contradiction in terms.
Many entrepreneurs consider govern-
_=— �E-'
ment, by its very nature, to be inefficient,
unwieldy, and bureaucratic—the antithe-
sis of entrepreneurial. Hence the wide-
spread belief, in business circles, that the
government is best that governs least. Ted
Gaebler and his colleagues have proven
that there is another way.
Gaebler, whose glasses and deadpan de-
livery bring fleeting images of a taller
Woody Allen, is a fanatic on the subject.
He speaks in rapid, precise bursts, with the
zeal of an apostle. If an entrepreneur is
someone who knows there is a better way
and will risk everything to prove it,
Gaebler fits the definition perfectly. He
does not think of the city manager's posi-
tion as a job, he says, but as part of a mis-
sion "to change the nature of city govern -
ment." He took that mission to new
frontiers last month, when he became city
manager of San Rafael, Calif., the seat of
affluent Marin County.
Gaebler first arrived in Visalia a decade
ago, after a career that included The Whar-
ton School, two years under Rouse in Co-
lumbia, and service in five city govern-
ments. He could hardly have landed in a
better spot. Visalia boasts a 30 -year tradi-
tion of farsighted city councils and manag-
ers, and its people fairly burst with civic
pride. Clean, well laid out, and tree -lined,
it sits like a green oasis on the eastern edge
of the San Joaquin Valley, in the shadow of
the High Sierras. Its population, fueled by
an influx of refugees from overcrowded
coastal California, has doubled since 1970,
to 59,000. But rather than succumbing to
sprawl, its leaders have adopted a man-
aged -growth plan and stepped up their
beautification efforts, preserving Visalia's
reputation as "the jewel of the Valley."
The new city manager took office a
month before Proposition 13, which
drained local California coffers of $7 bil-
lion during its first year alone—and ended
forever, Gaebler believes, the era in which
people looked to government for more and
more services. Proposition 13, he says,
showed that "we're not going to go the
Swedish route and let government take
50% of our pay. We're going to put a limit
on at 38%." That means the fundamental
mission of government must change, from
providing services to facilitating them,
VISALIA CITY MANAGER Ted Gaebler
set out to change city government,
getting the workers to think like
owners, and not like bureaucrats.
making sure they are provided by others.
"Be a catalyst," Gaebler urges other gov-
ernment officials. "Bea broker. Don't be a
doer. My ideal concept of city government
is a $ 150,000 -a -year city manager and five
$ 100,000 -a -year assistants. Period. They
do nothing but broker the community's
services."
More important, he stresses, govern-
ment officials must learn to take risks and
seek profits, "think outside the box,"
avoid paperwork and regulations. Manag-
ers must be given autonomy and encour-
INC./SEPTEMBER 1985 55
aged to continually rethink
their "product mix." They
must learn to "leverage the
maximum benefit out of
[their] dollars by using other
people's money." They must
be willing to divest services—
''we gave the library to the
county, the ambulance to a pri-
vate hospital, day care to the
churches and the junior col-
lege"—but they must also
thrust city government into
roles not ordinarily considered
its province. And all the while,
they must be given room—and
must give their subordinates
room—to make mistakes.
"I am trying to get people to
think like owners, not bureau-
crats,'' Gaebler preaches. "To
have the mental set, 'If this
were my money, would I really spend it
this way?' "
"Other cities do a project and see what
the expense is," adds John Biane, Visalia's
real estate manager. "We do a project and
figure how much money we can make."
BY GIVING EACH officer his own car --and letting him take
it home—the police department slashed maintenance costs.
rre have an operating slogan
that says, `Get off the fix
by '86. No more federal or
state money.' To hell with it—
we' -e going to get off it quicker
than they're going to dry it up. "
Gaebler was fortunate to work for a city
council that thought along similar lines.
One of his first moves, at the council's
urging, was to adopt a budget system that
encouraged entrepreneurial behavior.
Visalia was already using "enterprise ac-
counting" for some of its departments,
treating them as businesses responsible for
generating enough revenue to cover their
own costs. Still, the council and Gaebler's
staff spent months poring over every line
of every budget, as traditional govern-
ments do. A remember debating late at
night with the airport people whether or
not they needed a new typewriter and desk
out there," says councilman Bonnel Pryor.
Gaebler found a solution in Fairfield,
Calif., which had just adopted a budget
system in which each department would
automatically get the same amount every
year, adjusted for inflation and population
growth. (Characteristically, Visalia
changed the formula to include only half
the inflation rate.) The departments got to
keep any savings—thus eliminating the
year-end rush to spend their entire bud-
gets in order to avoid future cuts.
This system, called "expenditure -con-
trol budgeting," gets the city council out
of the typewriter -and -desk business, free-
ing councillors to focus on such broad poli-
56 INC /CFPTFMRFR 199S
cy issues as housing or downtown beautifi-
cation. It also forces managers to make the
tough choices for which they are paid. If
the police chief wants more squad cars, he
must come up with the money himself.
Arne Croce, Gaebler's assistant city
manager before he became manager of Los
Altos, Calif., calls the system a "budgeting
revolution" that has profound effects on
management behavior. Examples range
from complex new financing schemes to
something as simple as sweeping the
streets less often.
"Our standard for street sweeping, with-
out much thought, was every three
weeks," says Gaebler. "With this system,
the departments had an incentive to care-
fully check their service levels. So the guy
began testing it—without anyone else
knowing, he went to four weeks, under
the guise of equipment being broken
down. Then he slipped to five weeks. At
five weeks, there was a little bit of bitch-
ing. At six weeks, there was a lot of bitch-
ing, so he went back to five, and eventually
to four."
The police department saved money on
its squad cars by developing a lease -pur-
chase program now copied by other cities.
It also switched from a system of three
officers sharing each car on revolving
eight-hour shifts to one in which each offi-
cer has his own car and can take it home.
With one stroke, this put more police cars
on city streets and improved maintenance,
because officers felt a new sense of owner-
ship. The average car now lasts five years,
compared with 18 months before the
change.
After five years of expenditure -control
budgeting, Gaebler had a statistical analy-
sis done to see, in retrospect, which depart-
ments had gone into the process lean and
which had gone in fat. Based on the find-
ings, he retroactively took back $1.9 mil-
lion in savings from departments that
didn't need the funds. "Now, I think the
system is clean," he says. "When I started,
we didn't have any model, oth-
er than a few months' experi-
ence in Fairfield. And that was
the beautiful part: We didn't
have to have a finished prod-
uct. That's one of the things
that causes the inertia in gov-
ernment—unless you- have
something that is absolutely
proven, you don't ever start
anything. The council here
and the staff were willing to
take a flier—let's see how it
works, let's see what happens.
Obviously, that means you
make some midcourse correc-
tions, which we did."
The effects of the new sys-
tem are perhaps best illustrated
by numbers: Visalia is now well
below average in employees per
capita, and it boasts $20 mil-
lion in surplus and reserves—almost as
much as its total annual operating expen-
ditures. Part of the credit must go to its
strong economic base; as the retail center
of Tulare County, Visalia garners 40% of
all sales taxes collected in the county. But
tight budgeting did not hurt, either.
On the personnel side, Gaebler and the
council imported several private -sector
strategies to motivate people. The first was
an Employee Development Program, de-
signed to help talented people move up
within the organization. Rather than hav-
ing outside consultants run the program,
however, they used volunteers from the
City's ranks.
Carol Cairns was a youth -development
officer for the police department when she
signed up. Today, she runs Visalia's hu-
man -resources department. And Cairns
isn't unique. Two other department heads
have come from the police force, and
when the airport manager left, his secre-
tary won the job. "Ted fosters a climate
where people can come in and say, 'Hey,
I'm here, here's what I have to offer,' "
says Arne Croce. "A lot of people have
taken him up on that.
Although Visalia's pay system is still
fairly traditional, its bonus program is not.
Department heads are eligible for unlimit-
ed bonuses, while their employees can
earn up to $1,000 apiece. The first round,
awarded two years ago, was used to reward
outstanding group efforts. "The theory
was that individual effort has people
hoarding information and competing with
each other," explains Gaebler. "Group ef-
fort is what you want to foster—people
sharing things and doing things together."
Last summer, the principle was extend-
ed. If an employee comes up with ideas
that make or save money for the city, he or
she gets to keep 15%—with no cap on the
total figure. Groups will divvy up 30%.
The results? Morale is high, employees
work hard, and city government bubbles
with ideas. Vic Dossey, a local banker who
spent a month working on staff, shakes his
head in amazement: "You wouldn't find
mans instances in which people put forth
that much time and effort in the private
sector."
There's no way they can come to
me and say, 7need more money
for the same level of service.'
1 say, 'Not me. You want to
spend more money on people
and quit spending it on bullets,
or you want to spend all your
money on street sweeping and
not on asphalt? It's your
decision. You make it "'
Mike Ramsey, an earnest, burly 41 -year-
old who runs Visalia's Department of Gen-
eral Services, has had an unusual career -
Ramsey studied for the ministry, but be-
came a police officer instead. It is still easy
to imagine him walking a beat, the neigh-
borhood cop who is known and liked by
all. But after five years of frustration with a
court system he believes favors the crimi-
nal over the victim, he moved into city
administration.
Ramsey supervises three city functions:
public transit, solid -waste collection, and
maintenance of the city's fleet of 300 vehi-
cles- Ramsey- himself set up the transit sys-
tem, which contracts with a private com-
pany to run a fleet of vans. The solid -waste
system was in good shape when he took
over, a fact he proved to his satisfaction by
working the garbage trucks at four a.m.
every Thursday for four months. When a
large private company looked at the books
in the hope of convincing the city it could
do the job for less, it walked away without
even making an offer.
In the fleet -maintenance division, how-
ever, Ramsey inherited trouble. A supervi-
sor had created severe morale problems be-
fore he was fired by Ramsey's predecessor,
and a great deal of management turnover
had followed. Meanwhile, the shop was
running up deficits of $20,000 to $45,000
a year.
Ramsey told his 13 employees he was
going to do three things. In three years, he
said, he would start letting city depart-
ments take their vehicles to private repair
shops if they preferred, thrusting the city
shop into a new world of competition.
Meanwhile, to get productivity up, he
would begin tracking each employee's
"applied time"—the percentage of total
hours spent on each specific job. Any em-
ployee who had 100% applied time for
four weeks in a row would earn a steak
dinner at the time and place of his choos-
ing, as Ramsey's guest.
Finally, Ramsey announced a new sys-
tem of participatory management. Every
month—more often if necessary—all em-
ployees would meet to talk about their
work. Ramsey promised that 85% of all
management decisions would be made at
those meetings, where he would have only
one vote. Ten percent would be made with
input from the meetings, and 5% would be
his decisions alone.
Ramsey's plans were met with great
skepticism. No other manager had stuck
around long enough to provide stable
management, his employees pointed out,
much less good management. Why should
they expect him to be different? In re-
sponse, Ramsey promised to stay at least
three years.
In the more than 3 years since then, he
says, "I've probably terminated more em-
ployees than my predecessors did in 10
years." But among those who remain, mo-
rale is high. Head-to-head competition
with private shops began in July, and ev-
eryone appears convinced the shop can
hold its own. Applied time is up from 83%
THE STREETS OF VISALIA were in
better shape than the street sweepers
when Mike Ramsey (inset) took over
vehicle maintenance in 1982.
INC./SEPTEMBER 1985 57
to well above 90%. The garbage trucks and
street sweepers are on line 97% of the time,
compared with 85% nationwide, and they
are lasting 2 to 3 years longer than the
national average. The entire deficit has
been paid off.
Ramsey's employees cite two keys to
their success: new equipment and the ap-
plied -time system. Before Ramsey arrived,
they say, they had to rely on shoddy, anti-
quated tools, the cheapest that manage-
ment could buy. Using their new power
under participatory management, they
asked for a larger tool allotment. "I
showed them the department budget, and
asked them where we were going to get the
money," Ramsey remembers. "At first,
they didn't understand a lot. But lights
began turning on, and they went to work
on it. "
They contacted tool vendors and drew
up lists of what they needed, then exam-
ined every account in the budget for sur-
plus funds. Gradually, they focused in on
energy expenditures.
For years, one heater had blown hot air
outdoors, yet no one had ever bothered to
mention it. "This is a classic example of
ownership," says Ramsey. "For years, it
was just a joke. Now they said, ' Why don't
we shut that son of a bitch off?' " They
also repaired the limiter switches on other
heaters and kept the shop's huge vehicle
doors closed during the winter, cutting
small doors for people to use. After a year
and a half, they had reduced energy con-
sumption by 30%. The savings went into
their tool allotment. Today, because man-
agement buys what the employees recom-
mend—"right down to the brand name
and number," as one mechanic puts it—
they have what they need in order to do
their jobs.
Ramsey took the energy audit to his su-
periors, proposing a $125 bonus for every
employee. Visalia's bonus program did not
yet exist, however, and he met a stone
wall. Only after nine months, when Ram-
sey threatened to pay the bonus out of his
own pocket and tell his employees the city
had let them down, did his superiors re-
lent. The day he handed out the cash, he
says, "There were broad smiles all the way
around that table."
The maintenance workers don't com-
pare their jobs to heaven, but they do feel
that a great deal of progress has been made.
The new equipment makes their work
both easier and more productive, they say.
The employees don't complain about the
applied -time system, because they realize
that it lets management track the perfor-
mance of each worker and each vehicle,
and thus learn if either needs to be re-
placed. With this kind of scrutiny, says
one, "If there's something extra that needs
doing on a truck, you can bet your sweet
ass it'll be done. Because if it comes back,
they'll be lookin' for whoever worked on
it. Comebacks are a no -no here."
(,(1 MC /CFPTFMRFR IQRS
I would stack up my ability
to manage anything—and the
competency of my employees—
against anybody in the private
sector. I don't care if we're
making widgets, Ford cars,
computers, or satellite systems
We could take the resources, the
goals, put the team together, and
bring the project in on time. "
For Ramsey, Gaebler, and crew, importing
techniques from the private sector was not
enough; they believed in turning the pub-
lic sector itself into a hotbed of enterprise.
When a group of private developers build-
ing a local industrial park needed to un-
load part of their land, the city bought it,
put in streets and sewers, and sold it for a
$600,000 profit. When the city wanted to
expand its convention activities and bring
in a downtown hotel, it bought up $2.8
million worth of land and sought out pri-
vate bidders to construct and operate the
hotel. When the convention staff wanted
more cultural life in Visalia, it co -ventured
with private promoters, limiting their risk
in bringing headliner acts to town by put-
ting up half the capital and taking half the
profits.
Perhaps the best example is in housing,
however. Several years ago, a citizens' task
force found a dearth of affordable, moder-
ate -income housing in Visalia. A typical
government response—if not silence—
might be to get federal funds to build a few
large apartment buildings, which would
quickly degenerate into low-income eye-
sores. Instead, the city council created a
private, nonprofit organization called Vi-
salians Interested in Affordable Housing
(VIAH), loaned it $100,000, and sold it 13
acres of excess land. Fifteen months after
VIAH's first board meeting, 89 families
moved into Twin Oaks, the organization's
first residential development.
VIAH's board set out to avoid a public -
housing image. Every house has a two -car
garage, and to keep the neighborhood
looking trim, the homeowners' associa-
tion takes care of everyone's front lawn.
Today, Twin Oaks looks like any other
development, although the houses are
small. The difference is that a two-bed-
room house goes for $33,000, a four-bed-
room house for $53,000—and the owners
earn $9,000 to $18,000 a year. With inter-
est rates as low as 4.75%—depending on a
buyer's income and the availability of fed-
eral mortgage money—monthly pay-
ments, including taxes and homeowners'
dues, range from $256 to $360.
Already, VIAH has broken ground on
its second housing development, which
will ultimately include some 200 houses
and a commercial center. Again, the city
—T _-' �4_'
played a role—loaning VIAH the money at
11% to buy the land and creating a mort-
gage -revenue bond program to make fi-
nancing available at below-market rates.
(Private developers will get most of the
$44 million the bond program will raise
this year; only 10% will go to VIAH.) With
no advertising, 180 names are on the wait-
ing list.
"VIAH has already gone far beyond
what anybody thought it could be," says
Bob Hamar, a planning department official
who works closely with the organization.
Hamar gave up a summer vacation to shep-
herd Twin Oaks to completion, but he
calls his position "the most exciting job in
the city."
Visalia's public servants have one prob-
lem few in the private sector ever face:
When they get too entrepreneurial, the
local business community rises up in arms.
Those who build low-end housing, for in-
stance, believe VIAH has preempted part
of their market. Businesspeople also worry
that Visalia will ultimately lose money on
its hotel project and convention -center ex-
pansion. ("That's what they said about
the baseball team," Gaebler retorts. In
fact, the city made a small profit when it
sold out to two local businessmen.) The
loudest fireworks came when Gaebler
floated a trial balloon on municipal home-
owners' insurance, an idea that works in
other cities. But there is no consensus on
these issues ---some developers have sup-
ported Gaebler's ventures 100%; others
have mixed reactions.
Burl Gann, who chairs a business watch-
dog organization called the Visalia Legisla-
tive Group, raises perhaps the most sophis-
ticated objection. So far, he agrees, the city
has not lost money on any of Gaebler's
deals. But what about Gaebler's succes-
sors? Will they have the same business
acumen? Once the principle is established,
what will keep the city from getting in
over its head? "The city is not as good at
making investments as the private sec-
tor—it just can't be," Gann insists. "Their
bottom line is not profit. They don't have
to go through the same analysis that the
private sector does. "
"That is a valid criticism," admits
Gaebler. "I guess my only answer, feeble
as it is, is would you prefer to have govern-
ment stay the way it is? I think you need to
take some risks."
Gann's group has taken a survey of bu-
sinesspeople in town concerning the city's
intervention in the marketplace, and he
plans to present the results to the city
council. Before Gaebler took the job in San
Rafael, there was talk of one or two "anti-
Gaebler" candidacies for council this fall,
although no one predicted such cam-
paigns would succeed. Even among the de-
velopers, the desire was to see the city
manager corralled, not fired.
The bottom line, says Board of Realtors
president Larry Gilbert, is that Gaebler de-
(i
e -
livered efficient government and superb
city services. "Unless you're directly im-
pacted by the city's activities in private
enterprise—and I doubt that the average
citizen is—then you're probably not going
to be convinced that there is a problem."
Bill Evans, another developer, believes
that for most of his colleagues, the real
problem wasn't Gaebler's specific actions,
but that "he'd accumulated so much pow-
er.... Was he really interested in Visalia,
or was he interested in creating what he
wants—a new kind of city government?"
Gaebler's personality only fanned the
flames. He likes the limelight and is quick
to engage in battle. Being a visionary, he is
forever rallying his troops to new entrepre-
neurial frontiers—talking, for instance,
about the city as a corporation, himself as
its chief executive officer, and the council
as its board of directors. ''It was a little
scary to some of the folks outside, who
heard my internal pep talk words and took
them literally,'' he says. But that is the
price you pay. "Would Martin Luther
King have made any changes if he'd kept
his mouth shut?"
Others, even Gaebler's staunchest sup-
porters, see it slightly differently. "Ted
just says stupid stuff," shrugs Greg Col-
lins, one of his closest allies on the city
council. "I don't know if it's a sign of im-
maturity, or what. He's got a lot of good
ideas, but sometimes he just engages his
mouth before he engages his mind."
The classic example came when Gaebler
grabbed statewide television coverage by
proposing to rebate $25 of Visalia's budget
surplus to every citizen as a "share" in the
city. The police, who wanted higher sala-
ries and better retirement pay, were out-
raged. And the city council, which had
never passed on the idea, was embarrassed.
"In most places,'' says Collins, "Ted
would probably have been fired. But his
value is in promoting his approach to gov-
ernment, and we thought that outweighed
his blunder. So we slapped his wrists and
told him not to do that anymore."
We see a model•
entrepreneurship. It's not the
perfect model, but it's a hell
of lot better than what we have.
And we can use the model—we
can talk about corporate reports,
profit centers, and all those kinds
of words—to get people not so
much to become entrepreneurs,
but to quit being bureaucrats "
Although some in town believe he wanted
out before the November elections,
Gaebler says he and his wife had always
planned to leave Visalia when their youn-
gest child graduated from high school, an
e1 vv *r /cr`+-rr Non n inoc
event that took place in June. Gaebler sees
the job in San Rafael as one that will give
him seven years or so to "transition" into a
new career: writing, speaking, consulting,
spreading his message.
Meanwhile, his handpicked successor,
Don Duckworth, faces some serious inter-
nal problems. The staff Gaebler leaves be-
hind is in the midst of a transition from the
excitement of start-up to the plateau of
sustained achievement. The novelty has
worn off, people are stretched thin, and
the strains are beginning to show.
In many ways, it seems, Gaebler fits the
stereotype of a charismatic entrepreneur
who can inspire people with his vision, but
who lacks the patience to manage a suc-
cess. His style is to throw a lot of balls in
the air and let his staff handle what comes
down. In Visalia, he defined his role as
90% "external"—dealing with the coun-
cil and the community at large—and re-
lied on three assistants to run the organiza-
tion. "Ted is an idea man," says Carol
Cairns, "not an operations man. "
"If a person is going to be an external
manager, then he or she should have the
ability to allow people beneath him to
make decisions," adds John Biane, the real
estate manager. "And that was not always
the case."
A key factor, according to most manage-
ment people, was that Gaebler's first gen-
eration of assistant city managers had
moved on, and his new crop was not as
strong or as much in tune with his philoso-
phy. "They weren't risk -takers," says one
staff member. "They didn't have a lot of
interest in facilitating entrepreneurial be-
havior." Beyond the assistant city manag-
er ranks, perhaps only two thirds of Visa-
lia's 45 to 50 management people bought
his approach, and only half of those really
put it into practice. No one expected that
Gaebler could completely transform his
staff in seven years, but because his revolu-
tion was not complete, his most creative
and entrepreneurial managers were also
his most frustrated. Some were already
running small businesses on the side, and
one could almost feel their itch to get into
the private sector and show their stuff.
"Ted works hard to find the best people,
but he doesn't set up the reward system to
keep them," argues Mike Ramsey. "He
does a good job of creating an environment
in which they can grow. It's when they
succeed that they get frustrated."
Curiously, such criticism is probably a
healthy sign. Visalia will never undergo a
complete transformation from bureaucra-
cy to enterprise for, at bottom, govern-
ment cannot and should not operate exact-
ly as a business does. If it did, democracy
would go out the window. Government
will always move too slowly for the real
entrepreneurs, and it will no doubt lose
some of them to the private sector. But as
measured against the typical city govern-
ment, the frustrations in Visalia are more
IN MANY WAYS, Gaebler fits the
stereotype of the visionary
entrepreneur who lacks the patience
needed to manage a success.
symptoms of success than those of failure.
The proof is that the model is spreading.
Already, Gaebler is invited to preach his
sermon nationwide, and cities from
Hampton, Va., to Pueblo, Colo., are imitat-
ing his programs. Lawrence Mulryan, the
mayor who brought him to San Rafael,
expresses the respect with which
Gaebler's philosophy is increasingly
viewed. "Traditionally, smaller cities have
left the aggressive, entrepreneurial devel-
opments to the private sector, but frankly,
we have to realize that that's not going to
be enough," Mulryan says. "We recently
got S 12 million in redevelopment funds,
and there's a lot of opportunity—buying
properties and assembling properties and
reselling them—to shape the destiny of
our community. We need strong leader-
ship to accomplish that."
"I always start my speeches," Ted
Gaebler says, "by asking, 'Who in this
room wants government to stay exactly
the way it is?' I've never seen one hand go
up, not at a Rotary Club, not at a PTA. And
then I say, 'I gotcha, because that means
you, like me, are agents of change.' "
"For years, I thought I was selling
ideas," he muses. "But it turns out what
I'm selling is hope." ❑
David Osborne is a Connecticut-based
writer specializing in political and eco-
nomic affairs.
Children commit nearly one-third of serious crime in
America. Our system of rendering justice for their crimes,
however, is antiquated and largely incapable of dealing
with the offenses they commit. Disliked by the public, by
those who work in it, and even by many offenders, the
juvenile justice system, which is supposed to act only in the
"best interests of the child," serves neither the child, his
victim, nor socien•. Juvenile crime rates since the 1950s
have tripled, yet the theories and policies we use to deal
with such crime fail to hold offenders accountable and do
not deter crime. At best, they are outdated; at worst, they
are a total failure, and may even abet the crimes they are
supposed to prevent.
Some people still refuse to accept the fact that juveniles
commit crimes. Prevailing social theory during much of the
20th century has been based on the belief that children
under 18 do not have the mental capacity to distinguish
between right and wrong, and thus should not be held
accountable for their behavior, as are adults. Those who
administer this social policy even use different language to
enunciate the difference between children and adults. In
the jargon of the juvenile court, children do not commit
crimes, but "acts of delinquency." They are not found
guilty by the court, but are "adjudicated delinquent." After
adjudication, they are not punished, but are "treated." If
secure confinement is necessary, it is not a jail or prison,
but in a "detention center" or a "training school." When
juveniles get out—usually not when they have completed a
sentence, but when a social worker finds them "cured"—
their records do not become pan of the active police
records, but are scaled to all the world.
Despite attempts by some to treat juvenile crimes as
trivial indiscretions committed by misguided youth, the
statistics suggest something different—a grave problem on
a national scale. There are currently about 15 million
Americans between 14 and 17, or about seven percent of
the entire U.S. population; but about 30 percent of all
people arrested for serious crimes are juveniles—a total of
some 1.5 million arrests per year. (Police generally estimate
that there are at least five offenses for each arrest.) The
violence and intensity of these crimes is staggering. Of
those arrests, 2,000 were for murder, 4,000 were for rape,
Reprinted from Fall, 1985 issue of Policy Review
GETTING AwAy WITH.MURDER
Why the Juvenile Justice System Needs an Overhaul
ALFRED S. REGNERY
and 34,000 were for aggravated assault. Despite the beliefs
of certain social theorists, juveniles do commit crimes at a
rate significantly higher than the rest of the population. In
fact, 16 -year-old boys commit crimes at a higher rate then
any other single age group. These are criminals who hap-
pen to be young, not children who happen to commit
crimes.
Institutional Jargon
Traditional juvenile justice policy could be said to have
been inspired by Jean Jacques Rousseau, the French phi-
losopher who argued some 200 years ago that human be-
ings are incapable of evil unless they are corrupted by the
institutions of bourgeois society. And if society is the prob-
lem, it can also be the solution: Rousseau believed that
properly structured government could inculcate goodness
and virtue in man. Many juvenile justice professionals take
this seriously; they believe that no matter how heinous the
crimes committed by young people, no matter what patho-
logical symptoms they demonstrate, they do not pose a
threat to society; they, should not be locked up but simply
"brought into line" with the mainstream of sociery—in
other words, they should be educated in civic vinue.
In a paper issued by the Carter Administration Justice
Department in 1979, for example, youth crime was attrib-
uted to the effect of "large impersonal institutions—
schools, juvenile justice systems, employment channels,
public and private human service agencies, and others—on
the development of young people, especially low income
and minority. youth." The paper concluded that all too
often the "policies and practices of these institutions tend
to inhibit the satisfactory development of young people.
Many of the youth then turn to patterns of delinquency
and crime."
The main solution advocated was development pro-
grams which, in the words of another Caner Adminisrra-
tion Justice Department report, would seek the "cultiva-
tion of the three human social responses: the sense of
ALFRED S. REGNERY is administrator of the Office of Juve-
nile justice and Delinquency Prevention, the federal
agency charged with reducing crime by juveniles.
Getting Away With Murder 65
confidence, the sense of beiongingness, and the sense of
usefulness." The report went on to suggest that youth
should be offered "mechanisms which offer them the
communication, coping, and decision-making skills they
need to enter the mainstream of society; value clarification
experience; opportunities for artistic self-expression;
meaningful work experience; and involvement in commu-
nity service and community decision making."
The violence and intensity of
juvenile crimes is staggering: 2,000
arrests for murder, 4,000 for rape,
and 34,000 for aggravated assault.
But these buzzwords (and they are little more than that)
hardly come to terms with the reality of juvenile crime. A
New fork policeman recently profiled for me a typical
candidate for juvenile arrest. Fourteen years old, the boy
has already been arrested a dozen times. He dropped out
of school years ago and cannot read or write-, he has no job
skills nor any hope of getting them. He is most likely black,
possibly Hispanic, born to an unwed teenaged mother on
welfare, living in public housing or a tenement, and has
more than five siblings. A series of men have lived in his
mother's house; the boy has not developed a rapport with
any, and has tended to be regarded as a nuisance by the
adults. He has been physically abused since early child-
hood, and he has spent a good deal of time living on the
street. His only way of getting anything of value is either by
theft or by going on welfare. This boy will survive, for
most of his life, at the taxpaver's expense.
The bulk of our crime—probably 75 percent of all seri-
ous offenses—is committed by someone like our profiled
youngster. Known as chronic offenders, these people com-
prise fewer than 10 percent of the population; in the case
of juveniles, probably closer to seven percent. Yet because
of the high rate at which they commit felonies, sometimes
as many as 100 or more a year, they are responsible for a
great proportion of robberies, burglaries, .muggings and
aggravated assaults, car thefts, rapes, and even a significant
number of murders.
A University of Pennsylvania research project found that
seven percent of the juvenile population committed over70
percent of all the serious juvenile crime. The research also
revealed that there was an 80 percent certainty that boys
arrested more than five times would continue to be ar-
rested, again and again, well into their adult years.
Profiles in Carnage
Such children present problems to the juvenile justice
system which evade all philosophical notions about crime.
They present a problem which neither the social theorists,
nor the police and prosecutors who would like to lock
them up, can hope to alleviate more than temporarily.
Chronic offenders pose the greatest threat to society and
66
� -7
the greatest challenge to juvenile justice programs across
the country.
Consider, for example, two typical juvenile cases, which
appeared recently in Miami's juvenile courts. The first in-
volves "Lester," a 15 -year-old recently "adjudicated" by
the court for burglary. Lester is black and has been arrested
12 times. His mother abandoned him at an early age, and
he grew up in the streets of Miami, with occasional stops
for a hot meal at a grandmother's house.
His record shows he has been placed in 20 shelter
homes, and has run away from each of them. He com-
monly breaks into homes, steals cars, and hustles, then
robs, homosexuals. He has rarely gone to school, is illiter-
ate, and has been in and out of Florida's court system since
he was 11. The first criminal charge was brought against
him when he was 12. He was arrested for loitering, prowl-
ing, and finally burglary, for which he was sentenced to be
"rehabilitated" in the state training school for six months.
He was declared rehabilitated, but two weeks after return-
ing to Miami, Lester was back in court for grand larceny.
Lester has been counselled, analyzed, rehabilitated, and
trained. He has undergone therapy, and been placed in
foster homes, state schools, socializing programs, and vir-
tually every other sort of service available. None have
made much difference. In 1981, his psychiatrist described
Lester as an emotionally disturbed youngster who re-
sponded to his deficits by becoming distrustful, by decreas-
ing verbal communication, and by increasing use of fan-
tasy. The therapist concluded that all Lester was seeking
was a warm and lasting relationship with an adult.
In 1982, a psychologist found him charming, affable,
and fairly bright (he was found to have an 1Q of 93) and
just trying to survive. In 1983, a teacher at the state training
school described him as disruptive and totally lacking in
motivation.
The second Miami case involves a Hispanic male, 15
years old, recently convicted of armed robbery. Call him
Marco. He has been arrested 12 times, is a member of a
housing project gang, and is actively involved in drugs,
burglary, and robbery. He has been described by his social
workers as easygoing and with considerable potential, but
is said to defy all efforts to socialization. He has also been
analyzed as envisioning himself as a desperado, modeled
after Al Pacino's role in Scarface. His father disappeared
years ago, but his mother remarried, and his stepfather is
presently serving a jail sentence in New Jersey for robbery.
His mother is on welfare, and has seven children. Marco,
who is slight for his age, cries whenever he is first locked
up, but soon starts to thrive within the training school. As
soon as he is released, he goes on a drug binge.
Marco has been in at least half a dozen programs, and in
each case he promptly rises to a leadership position; as
soon as he is released, he is back on drugs, and is shortly re-
arrested for breaking into a house or stealing a car. His
stepfather has consistently helped Marco in his criminal
undertakings, but also beats Marco unmercifully. when
something goes wrong. After the last beating, Marco not.F
fied the F.B.I. of his stepfather's whereabouts, resulting in
his arrest and conviction.
Sadly, the juvenile justice system has shown little ability
either to help such youngsters or to protect society from
Policy Review
their crimes. In most of our major cities (where most seri-
ous juvenile crime exists), there is virtually no chance that
juveniles who are first or second offenders will be pun-
ished. The lesson that the system provides to the offender
is that he can continue to commit such acts because there is
no penalty. The criminal's punishment is limited to listen-
ing to the psychobabble of social workers and therapists.
Folly of Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation has been the premise of the juvenile court
system throughout the 20th century, but it has failed miser-
ably. The late Robert Martinson reviewed the results of
over 200 separate efforts to measure the effects of pro-
grams designed to rehabilitate convicted adult offenders.
Martinson concluded, in what has become one of the most
quoted phrases in modern criminology, that "with few and
isolated exceptions, the rehabilitative efforts that have
been reported so far had no appreciable effect on recidi-
vism." Martinson did his review in the late 1960s; since
that time, rehabilitation has sunk further in esteem, both in
the eyes of the public and the professionals. The criminal
justice system has all but given up on the concept. Virtually
no successful juvenile programs—those that reduce recidi-
vism to an appreciable degree—rely on rehabilitation.
Knowing what we do about the young people who fi-
nally wind up in correctional institutions, it is little wonder
that we are unable to tum them back into good little boys
(which they probably never were in the first place). As
Harvard professor James Q. Wilson has said:
It requires not merely optimism but heroic assump-
tions about the nature of man to lead one to suppose
that a person finally sentenced after (in most cases)
many brushes with the law, and having devoted a
good part of his youth and young adulthood to mis-
behavior of every sort, should, by either the solem-
nity of prison or the skillfulness ora counselor, come
to see the error of his ways and toexperience a
transformation of his character. We have teamed
how difficult it is by governmental means to improve
the educational attainments of children or to restore
stability and affection to the family, and in these
cases we are often working with willing subjects in
moments of admitted need. Criminal rehabilitation
requires producing equivalent changes in unwilling
subjects under conditions of duress or indifference.
Some advocates of rehabilitation thought a better idea
would be to build a society so devoid of evil that young
people would not be inclined to do wrong. If crimes are
committed because of societal forces beyond the control
of the individual offender, the logic runs, then remove
those forces and change society. What better way to do so
than to use the power, and the money, of the federal
government?
A report issued by the Justice Department in 1976 had
several recommendations for such changes. It cited three
approaches to understanding and tackling juvenile crime.
First, the individual approach, which "focuses on the pa-
thology of the individual ... including the identification of
the emotional, motivational, and artitudinal factors that
could explain delinquency." The solutions recommended
Getting Away With Murder
were "psychotherapy, social casework, individual counsel-
ling, or behavior therapy as a means by which clients
would be able to resolve their personality conflicts and
assume a positive orientation towards society."
Second, the criAronmental approach "views situational
conditions as the dominant factor in stimulating and per -
Described as easygoing by his social
workers,"Marco' has been arrested
12 times, is a member of a housing
project gang, and is actively
involved in drugs, burglary, and
robbery.
petuating delinquent activity." Solution? "Remodeling and
reorganizing the community so that potential offenders
can find positive alternatives to delinquent activity. Pro-
grams using this approach attempt to deal with significant
social institutions like the school or family and illegitimate
institutions like gangs, street comer groups, and pool
halls."
Finally, there is the theoretical approach, which "consid-
ers most delinquency programs harmful as well as ineffec-
tive ... fundamental to this approach is the observation
that delinquents are frequently not different from non -
delinquents. Virtually all youth in the community have at
some time been guilty of delinquent misconduct. Singling
out only some of those delinquents may contribute to their
behavior, however." Recommendation: "Prevention activ-
ities must -avoid the effects of labeling and should strive for
a universality of application to all children." In other
words, everyone is a delinquent.
Notably absent from all of this is the deterrent ap-
proach, which views punishing the criminal as the best way
to prevent future violations, protect the community, and
achieve justice. Such notions are anathema to the social
theorists, much of whose work has been a vain search for
the institution which excuses aberrant behavior by young
people. Thus poverty, racism, sexism, frustration from any
number of problems, failure to do well in school, learning
disabilities, inability to accept love, child abuse and ne-
glect, adverse peer pressure, and a desire to be different
have been identified as causes for children going astray.
Obviously, some of these are contributory factors. But
the criminal justice system, adult as well as juvenile, must
realize that ultimately crime is a matter of choice. It is not
always true that criminals make conscious calculations that
the benefits of crime exceed the risks. Yet there is a calcu-
lus of risks and rewards in the criminal mind, evidenced by
the fact that as society diminished the certainty and dura-
tion of punishment for crime in the last few decades, crime
rata soared.
67
Value of Deterrence
What can be done to ameliorate the problem of juvenile
crime? First, the deterrent approach should be the main
focus of the justice system. This does not mean that we
should not continue to look for rehabilitation programs
that actually work, even if the record does not give us
grounds for optimism. It does mean that rehabilitation
should not be a substitute for justice.
For the past 85 years, the courts have been making
decisions about juveniles based almost exclusively on
"what is in the best interests of the child." Ironically, the
remedies proposed have not measurably helped children's
interests. Our juvenile courts should continue to act for the
benefit of children, but they should also seek justice and
consider the rights of the victims of crime.
The juvenile justice system should abandon its practice
of scaling the records of young criminals when they be-
come adults. The rationale for this practice was the idea
that these youths should have "learned their lesson" by the
time they turned 18, and should be permitted to begin their
new life as adults without previous errors being held
against them. The only problem is that the most fertile age
for crime, statistics show, is between 16 and 24. Thus many
juvenile criminals are just getting started on a career of
crime. To seal their records is to conceal from the police
and prosecutor their previous actions, and crime preven-
tion becomes more difficult.
Nor is it obvious that sealing juvenile records helps the
juveniles themselves. As Charles Murray points out in Los-
ing Ground.
By promising to make the record secret, or even
more dramatically, by actually destroying the physi-
cal record, the juvenile justice system led the youth
to believe that no matter what he did as a juvenile, or
how often, it would be as if it had never happened
once he reached his 18th birthday. Tight restrictions
on access to the juvenile arrest and court records
radically limited liability for exactly that behavior—
chronic, violent delinquency—that the population at
large was bemoaning.
So not only do police find it tougher to identify crime
subjects, but juveniles enter adulthood under the illusion
that they can get away with criminal behavior—get away
with murder, so to speak. To their shock, many of them
discover that this is not the case after age 18.
Another step that juvenile justice professionals should
consider is reducing the traditional distinction between
juveniles and adults. Criminals should be treated as crimi-
nals. It is true that environmental factors may contribute to
some juvenile crimes, but this is also true of adult crimes.
Society may wish to be lenient with first offenders, particu-
larly for lesser crimes, but there is no reason that society
should be more lenient with a 16 -year -ofd first offender
than a 30 -year-old first offender. Anyone familiar with the
nature of juvenile crime will not make the argument that
juvenile crimes differ in their magnitude or brutality than
adult crimes; in many cases the reverse is true. So the
68
current approach, which makes a radical distinction be-
tween criminals under 18 and those over 18, is often coun-
terproductive.
Local Initiatives
Various states are experimenting with innovative ap-
proaches to controlling juvenile crime. Many large cities,
for example, are beginning to focus their resources on
chronic offenders, who commit most violent crime. Tech-
niques include improved record keeping, specialized crime
analysis techniques, and "vertical prosecution"—where
one prosecutor sticks with a case from arrest through sen-
tencing.
The results are encouraging. In Cook County, Illinois,
400 juveniles with four arrests each for serious crimes were
tried according to this approach in a 10 month period; 90
percent were convicted and sentenced. Assuming that the
juveniles committed five crimes for each arrest, a conserva-
tive estimate, the 360 convicted youths had already com-
mitted 7,200 serious crimes. It's about time they were
stopped.
Another promising state initiative is restitution, a pro-
gram in which property offenders are required to reim-
burse their victims. This has the advantage of giving the
community back some of the goods it loses through theft
and vandalism, but it also helps teach accountability and
responsibility to the offender. Prince Georges County,
Maryland, collected over 5750,000 for victims of juvenile
offenders in the past three years, at a cost to the county of
about five cents on the dollar.
The juvenile system also needs to rely more on the
private sector, as well as on volunteer citizens to assist
young offenders, instead of placing total reliance on gov-
ernment and professionals. A number of privately owned
and operated correctional programs now exist, for exam-
ple, usually at substantially lower costs than public institu-
tions; these programs are often more responsive to the
needs of both the offender and society, and are much more
innovative than public programs. The private sector is also
increasing its role and influence in probation services, ei-
ther by assisting public systems, or by actually running
probation on a contract basis. These programs use parents
and other volunteers to work with marginally delinquent
youth. Yet officials within the system, and public employee
unions, often do everything in their power to torpedo such
services, usually out of fear that volunteers will displace
their salaried positions.
Through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention, the federal government has been encouraging
these initiatives. The primary responsibility to tackle the
problems of juvenile crime tests with state and local gov-
ernments, though the Justice Department will continue to
encourage pilot programs across the country.
But we need the help of juvenile justice professionals,
state legislatures, and the public to place justice, reason, and
common sense above social experimentation. if we do, the
victim, society, and even the offenders themselves will
benefit. If we don't, there will be more of the same. T
Policy Review
WASTELINE
SPECI
L BU
THE NEW TRASH DISPOSAL SYSTEM -
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR BUSINESS
Now is the time for Twin Cities Area businesses to look at
what happens to what they throwaway, and at how much
they pay to make it happen. Even businesses that play no role
in the solid waste management industry, and those that
haven't given a second thought to sending their trash off to a
landfill in the past, need to be aware of changes that will leave
only a minor role for landfills in the region's disposal system.
Inside, we discuss the many ways businesses can stem the
coming growth in disposal prices—and get more deeply
involved in a developing system with a new need for the
participation of the private sector.
Steering the Twin Cities Area away from using more and more
land as a repository for trash is no longer just a good idea —it's
the law. The Metropolitan Council, which oversees manage-
ment of the region's trash, set a 1990 deadline on the landfill-
ing of unprocessed trash when it adopted its new solid waste
policy plan last March. Since then, the state legislature has
turned the prohibition into law.
Why the get -tough policy? During the past few years, concern
has grown steadily about using good land—especially farmland
—for trash disposal and about the groundwater contamination
that landfills usually cause. Public opposition has become a
major obstacle to siting new landfills as space in existing ones
runs out. But changes have been slow in coming, and limited in
significance.
According to the new plan, by 1990 most of the area's trash
will be burned or made into fuel, recycled, or composted.
Only "residuals"—the byproducts of processing—and materials
that can't be processed will be buried in area landfills. That
means a completely new—and diverse—solid waste manage-
ment system must be put in place over the next few years.
The seven metropolitan counties bear mostof the responsibility
for developing the alternatives to land disposal.
Hennepin County, for example, has planned a large central
incineration facility, to be supplied by four transfer stations
where haulers will drop waste. Ramsey and Washington
Counties have teamed up to build a plant where trash will be
turned into fuel—"refuse-derived fuel," or RDF—or recycled.
Municipalities are getting plenty of "low-tech" programs
started—opening drop-off sites for recyclables or yard waste
(for compost) or starting curbside pickup programs. But these
programs handle only materials that have been specifically
separated from other trash. (Continued on page 4.)
An old refrigerator, among some other "white goods,'"
in the recycler's terminology.
COUNCIL WORKS TO DEVELOP CONTACTS
WITH BUSINESS COMMUNITY
Last spring the Metropolitan Council adopted a new, radically
different plan for managing the Twin Cities Area's trash
and is making efforts to inform and work with businesses
on solid waste issues now and in the next few years. This
outreach will ensure that its new policies are carried out, and
let businesses know what to expect and how to take advantage
of changes in the regional disposal system. If the region is to
break its dependence on landfills, the involvement, knowledge
and cooperation of private businesses is essential in the effort
to develop alternatives.
The new system will increase the cost of disposing of trash—
particularly for businesses, which often pay according to
volume. As a result, many businesses will want to find
methods to reduce the quantities of solid waste they produce,
and to recycle or reuse as much trash as possible. The Council
can assist businesses in these efforts. (Continued on page 4.)
IN
BUSINESSES CAN REDUCE, RECYCLE AND RECOVER
RESOURCES FROM TRASH -FOR SAVINGS, PROFIT, OR JUST
GOOD PUBLIC RELATIONS
Everyone throws things away, and today most of what people
in the Metropolitan Area throw away goes to landfills.
Estimates of trash production range from one ton per house-
hold to one ton per person annually. Much of what people
throw away is valuable, or at least useful for something other
than piling up in the ground. Many people have begun
separating such materials from the rest of their trash at home
—some have done it for years—even when it won't save or
earn them any money.
Businesses, however, generally throw out much more than
households, and will face more sobering increases in their trash
collection and disposal costs in the future—costs which are
tied to the quantities of trash involved. Furthermore,
businesses often discard large amounts of specific kinds of
solid waste—corrugated boxes or yard waste, for example.
Such materials are particularly easy to dispose of separately,
and businesses with a steady stream of them to get rid of can
realize substantial savings by doing so. Boxes can be sold for
recycling, leaves and clippings composted or dropped at
composting sites.
Many businesses can cut solid waste disposal costs by setting
up office paper recycling programs. At its most basic, such a
recycling program is simply a matter of getting employees to
throw out high-grade office paper in separate containers and
arranging for it to be picked up. Even with today's com-
paratively low disposal prices, some larger companies have
saved considerable sums with this type of recycling alone.
3M started recycling office paper in 1977; last year they
recycled 3,160 tons. "We are saving a lot of money," said
Ed Ronkowski, an area supervisor for 3M. "In 1984, we saved
$112,000 in landfill costs."
3M recycled both to cut landfilling costs and to demonstrate a
concern for the environment, said Ronkowski. "With a
company this size, it's easy to get a program going, and it
serves to show people there's a better way to deal with paper
waste," he said.
BUSINESSES CAN HELP SOLVE THE REGION'S
SOLID WASTE PROBLEM BY:
❑Reducing the amount of solid waste they produce
❑Recycling or recovering resources from the solid
waste they produce
OUsing solid waste or recyclables in the manufacture
of products
❑Using the byproducts of solid waste processing in
production
❑Embarking on enterprises that involve recycling or
resource recovery
Another way to get at the same problem is to reduce the
volume of throwaway office paper: simply cutting back on
memos written or copies distributed, or copying longer docu-
ments on both sides of paper, can dramatically decrease waste.
Also, computer terminals where available can be used as
message systems, and electronic mailing has become a reality
for some businesses; computerization may be leading to the
"paperless office."
The Bloomington office of Apple Computers, Inc., for
example, uses an electronic mail service to communicate with
their dealers, sending graphics or text to the office of their
choice at any time. "In" and "out" baskets appear on the
computer terminal screen. General Electric Information
Services, which may market this service as a package, has
provided it for Honeywell, Inc. "Our service especially appeals
to businesses with more than one office in different places,"
said Jennifer Abraham, a field representative for G.E. Infor-
mation Services. "A number of such services are available for
use within a given office."
Another way to reduce any type of waste involved in produc-
tion is through the "quality assurance" and "quality control"
processes. Businesses use them to set standards for efficient
manufacture of good products and to see they are met in
practice. Planning and overseeing production so that things
are done right the first time reduces waste—and the expense
of waste.
While the shift away from land disposal of solid waste means
businesses will pay more to have the stuff hauled away, it also
means opportunities are opening up for established businesses
to play new roles and for new businesses to get under way —
picking up recyclables, processing trash, finding ways to get
value from the varied things we throw away or to market
products derived from them.
Some businesses have already reached profitably into the solid
waste management system to draw waste out of the stream
that travels to the area's landfills. Champion International
Corp. and Pioneer Paper Co. buy waste paper. Richards
Asphalt Co. of Savage burns mixed solid waste to fuel
production processes. S.B. Foote Tanning Co. purchases steam
from the nearby Red Wing municipal garbage -burning plant
7 for energy for its operations. (Continued on page 4.)
A SPECIAL
DISPOSAL PROBLEM
Og�S70 _��
If James Bond were going into the solid waste business, he'd
probably want a job involving destruction of confidential
records. Although it isn't silver -screen espionage, getting rid of
certain documents is a matter of spy -like care and secrecy.
One way of assuring that records remain private even when
the need to keep them has passed is to burn them—and the
incineration of confidential records is something for which
businesses are willing to pay a lot of money.
Rohn Industries, Minneapolis, is one organization that
supplies such services. Ron Mason, owner and president,
explained the process.
He sends a truck to pick up the records a business wants
destroyed. The truck is securely locked and driven back to the
incineration facility he uses. After the records are taken out
of the truck, Rohn Industries employees, or someone
especially dispatched from the client business, personally
witnesses their burning. The process is controlled to ensure that
documents are thoroughly burned. Mason provides the client
company with a certificate that confirms the destruction of
the records.
Mason charges companies $2 to burn a cubic foot of
confidential documents, which weighs about 35 lbs. So far this
year, Mason estimated he's incinerated about 100 tons of
confidential documents.
Mason said it costs about $480 to burn the same amount of
material it would cost $100 to recycle. But his client
companies, which include IBM, Control Data, Northern States
Power Co., Prudential Insurance and Arthur Anderson, don't
mind paying that price. Mason estimates that burning probably
costs them 20 to 30 percent less than the internal shredding
programs they would have to rely on without his service.
Mason said he tries to encourage his clients to have their
confidential documents recycled instead of burned, but
because the paper actually gets milled at another site, a process
he doesn't personally witness, Mason won't certify that kind
of destruction. "Most clients want the incineration," he said.
Mason got into the business of confidential record incineration
at the beginning of this year. He does work for businesses
throughout the Metropolitan Area and will even travel 60 to
70 miles out of the Metropolitan Area to serve a client,
although the longer the distance, the higher the price.
Businesses have another alternative in Red Wing, where they
can bring their confidential records straight to the city's
trash -burning plant, according to Werner Schneider, plant
manager. This facility provides a lower, but cheaper, level
of service. The city won't pick up the documents, but
companies are welcome to bring their own and can witness the
burning themselves, Schneider said. He estimated the cost at
about $10 a ton and said arrangements have to be made
through City Administrator Dean Massett.
MARKET DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM UNDER WAY
As Metropolitan Area citizens turn to recycling, the members
of the new Solid Waste Market Development Group are turn-
ing to the question of what to do with recyclable materials
once they're collected.
That group—with members from the Minnesota Department
of Energy and Economic Development, the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency, the Waste Management Board,
the Minnesota State Planning Agency and the Metropolitan
Council—is in the process of determining what kind of
markets exist for recyclable materials, how to meet
demand for them where it's not being met now and how to
increase demand where there's an excess supply. The group
will do that with help and advice from the businesses involved
in processing recyclable materials.
For materials like glass, the demand for recyclables exists,
but the problem of getting enough of the material to the
companies that will use it needs attention. The group will
explore ways to bridge supply and demand in such situations.
For other materials, such as waste motor oil, only small
percentages are currently recycled. A possible way to change
that is to offer financial incentives, to attract another re -
refinery of the oil to the Twin Cities area, for example. One
incentive that will help companies that process recyclable
materials is a sales tax exemption for the processing equipment
they purchase. (Continued on page 4.)
BUSINESS CAN PROFIT cont. from pg. 2
Other businesses are busy carving out new niches in the
changing system. Northern States Power Co. will own and
operate the plant that will turn most of Ramsey and Wash-
ington Counties' trash into refuse -derived fuel (some will
be recycled at the plant); ground was broken earlier this year.
3M is negotiating with the same counties over a proposal to
burn its own trash —about 120 tons per day. The incineration
would produce steam for company use, allow the company to
avoid the rising costs of landfills and other disposal options in
the future, and harmonize with a company policy of solving
its own pollution problems.
For more than three years, Waste Energy Systems has been
working on a project to incinerate about 200 tons per day of
trash at a New Brighton location. Steam and electricity gener-
ated at the plant would be sold to nearby industrial users.
The company is going through the complicated process of
getting the necessary permits and approvals. 'Nile can't keep
dumping trash in the earth forever," said Waste Energy
Systems president Pete Van Hull. "We think this project can
be profitable."
Businesses like these deserve to be commended for finding
creative ways to use trash or simply taking the time to put
tried-and-true techniques into action. Such efforts can not
only save or make money but improve the image of a
particular business and even of the business community in
general. Developing environmentally safe and useful methods
for dealing with its solid waste is a tangible demonstration of
a company's commitment to the area, just as is dealing
responsibly with hazardous waste. Trash, after all, is
everybody's business.
NEW SYSTEM cont. from pg. 1
One certain implication of this new system will be higher
disposal prices for everyone using it—Twin Cities area
businesses included. Depending upon how much a county's
new solid waste management methods cost and how those
costs are met—with subsidies to new processing facilities or
simply through higher fees to haulers dumping at such plants
—the increase in disposal prices will vary.
Obviously, the next couple of years will be a crucial time for
businesses to explore ways to reduce the amounts of waste
material they generate, and to recycle, reuse or recover
resources from appropriate types of solid waste.
MARKET DEVELOPMENT cont. from pg. 3
For yet a third category of recyclable materials, including
newspapers, there's a large amount generated and collected
in the area, but little demand for them. The group will look
at possible ways of stimulating the demand, and monitor
developments that might change the outlook for markets for
these materials.
The group is going to take a hard look at the markets for
recyclable materials now and in the future. It plans to have
a report discussing existing recyclable market conditions
ready by the middle of October. Between October and
March, 1986, it will come up with specific recommendations
for a regional market development action plan, and for
priorities for distribution of grant and loan funds for market
development available through the Council.
4
BUSINESS OUTREACH cont. from pg. 1
The Council can also help businesses interested in using solid
waste or products derived hom solid waste in their operations
fur savings, profit or public service. Increasinyly, as laird
disposal of trash is abandoned in favor of a variety of other,
more environmentally sound options, there will be room in the
solid waste management system for private enterprise (see
page 2). In the future, Council grants and loans for projects
that divert waste from landfills may be available to businesses.
More generally, businesses can turn to the Council for infor-
mation about recycling, resource recovery and the changing
ways the Twin Cities area will manage its trash in the future.
The Council has available various publications on specific
solid waste issues and topics, and can send speakers to address
groups on those subjects.
In addition to assuring that the policies in its solid waste
management plan are carried out, the Council's outreach to
businesses will help its staff work to make the new system
it calls for healthy and efficient. For example, making contacts
and forming relationships with the business community will
make it easier for Council staff to develop markets for
recycled materials, and to get accurate information about
what's in commercial solid waste.
In its effort to communicate with businesses about these
issues, the Council will initially work through the leaders of
trade associations and local chambers of commerce, who will
be invited to an Oct. 29 forum on solid waste to be co-
sponsored with the Minnesota Association of Commerce and
Industry (MACI). A survey of MACI members will follow the
forum; businesses will be asked to report anonymously about
the composition of the trash they generate, their disposal
costs, what recycling they are doing now or may be interested
in doing in the future, and related issues.
The Council's effort to let businesses know about the dramatic
change in solid waste management policy and help them deal
with it effectively is part of a larger endeavor to draw the
private sector into all aspects of Council planning and
policy-making.
Printed on recycled paper.
!WHOM TO CALL FOR WHAT
AT THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL
General Information, Communications 291-6464
Recycling Hotline Department
Business Outreach Shirlee Smith 291-6481
Technical Assistance, Jim Uttley 291-6361
Speakers
Information about Grants Katy Boone 291-6421
and Loans for Abatement
Projects
Market Development for Susan Von Mosch 291-6389
Recycled Materials
County Solid Waste Plans Wayne Nelson 291-6406
a. qnpni a.l rPnnr�= x
Hennepin Cour Solid Waste Disposal e r .<>
P P coverer,
On energy -recovery system '
Environmental impact statement "r7111
to be completed earl nextyears==
p Y
Important considerations in making sure
that Hennepin County's waste -to -energy
project remains on schedule are the prep-
aration of an environmental impact state-
ment and the subsequent securing of
regulatory permits.
Both the environmental impact statement
(EIS) and necessary permits must be
approved before construction can begin
next summer on the 1,000 -ton -per -day
resource -recovery facility at the Grey-
hound bus -garage site near downtown
Minneapolis. The plant will be constructed
and operated by Hennepin Energy
Resource Co., Limited Partnership, of
which Blount Energy Resource Corp., of
Montgomery, Ala., is the general partner.
The EIS will evaluate the environmental
aspects of the plant at the Greyhound site
and four proposed transfer stations, which
are to be located in Bloomington, Brooklyn
Park, Hopkins and south Minneapolis. The
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will
issue the needed permits for the project
only after the EIS has been approved by
the Metropolitan Council.
"The reason for an EIS is the full acknowl-
edgement and disclosure of all of the
environmental impacts of a project," said
Warren Porter, project manager for the
county Department of Environment and
Energy. "The EIS is not a decision docu-
ment, but it does help decision makers to
consider all of the impacts of a project,
whether they be positive or negative."
The state has designated the Metro Coun-
cil to be the governmental unit responsible
for preparing environmental impact state-
ments for waste -to -energy projects in the
Twin Cities metropolitan area. Conse-
quently, Hennepin County is paying the
Metro Council, along with the consulting
engineering firm hired by the council, to
produce the EIS.
The EIS process involves three major
steps: preparation of a draft EIS, prepara-
tion of the final EIS and acceptance of the
final document by the Metropolitan
Council.
The county's technical adviser, Henning -
son, Durham and Richardson, Inc., has
prepared reports dealing with environ-
mental aspects of the Greyhound facility
and the proposed transfer stations. Areas
covered include project description, solid
waste, land use, noise, terrestrial ecology,
geology/hydrology, air quality, human
health, historial/archaeological resources,
socioeconomics/aesthetics, transportation
and utilities.
These reports are being used in the prep-
aration of the draft EIS, which is due in
early November. Public meetings on the
draft will be held by Metropolitan Council
staff later this fall.
The final EIS is to be completed by late
February or early March 1986, with the
Metro Council board scheduled to act on
the adequacy of the final EIS in late April
1986.
Blount then must obtain permits for the
project, such as for air quality, from the
state Pollution Control Agency. Although
they will not be issued until the final EIS is
approved, Blount is in the process of
making application for the permits.
County officials emphasize that the best
available technology, called "dry scrub-
bers," will be used in the Greyhound facil-
ity to minimzie its impact on air quality.
Based on this commitment, the Pollution
Control Agency has exempted Hennepin
from the requirement of formal pre -
construction air-quality monitoring.
However, the county has selected a firm to
assist the Department of Environment and
Energy in developing an air-quality moni-
toring program with the Pollution Control
Agency, and carrying out the program.
The Greyhound site is between Fifth
Street North and Seventh Street North
and between Sixth Avenue North and the
Burlington Northern railroad tracks. The
14.5 -acre site is just northwest of down-
town Minneapolis.
Recycling
The Hennepin County Board has adopted a + hof IMPP " ting activities which will yield
the county a recycling level of 16 percent by the St. Louis Park recycling
ram, which features containers for th+s* �a of recyclable
program, materials. (See article on
reverse side.)
LbbSS NW '43nowAid
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a special report
Hennepin seeks waste supply
for resource -recovery system
Hennepin County is working on assuring
an adequate waste supply for its solid -
waste energy -recovery and transfer -
station system, which is to be in operation
in 1989.
What Hennepin is seeking is "designa-
tion"—designation of facilities as places
where garbage and trash haulers will
deliver solid waste. Major components of
the designation process are preparation of
a county designation plan, approval of the
plan by the Metropolitan Council, a public
hearing on designation, contract negotia-
tions with haulers to secure waste, and a
designation ordinance.
The county's designation plan was
approved by the Metro Council in April.
The plan described the county's intent to
establish a 1,000 -ton -per -day waste -to -
energy facility at the Greyhound site near
downtown Minneapolis and supporting
transfer stations. A transfer station is a
facility where small garbage -collection
trucks transfer their loads to a larger semi-
trailer truck, which in tum will haul the
waste to the Greyhound plant. The plan
also established the need for designation
of these facilities.
(Three private companies plan to operate
their own resource -recovery projects,
independent of Hennepin County's waste -
to -energy system. Collectively, they could
use about 700 tons of waste a day, an
amount guaranteed them by the Metro-
politan Council on the same day that
the council approved Hennepin's desig-
nation plan.)
Following an Aug. 22 public hearing on
designation, the county Department of
Environment and Energy mailed draft
copies of the county's proposed contract
with haulers to all hauling firms which
operate in Hennepin County and all munic-
ipalities. The county held four informa-
tional meetings and invited haulers to
make appointments with the county to
negotiate contracts.
Regardless of the outcome of contract
negotiations, the county, in accordance
with state law, expects to pass an ordi-
nance requiring that solid waste be deliv-
ered to its system of transfer stations
and the waste -to -energy plant. A hearing
on the proposed ordinance will be held
Nov 7.
After the ordinance is approved by the
County Board, it will be reviewed by the
Metro Council. The ordinance will not
take effect until the designated waste -to -
energy plant is ready for start-up, which is
scheduled for late 1988.
Hennepin plans to have transfer stations
in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Hopkins
and south Minneapolis.
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County approves
plan to increase
recycling programs
The County Board has adopted a recy-
cling concept plan which is intended to
increase the kinds of recycling programs
and the participation in such programs in
Hennepin County.
The plan, approved Sept. 17, was recom-
mended following a comprehensive recy-
cling study and waste -composition
analysis, which was conducted for the
county by Pope -Reid Associates, of St.
Paul.
The study included an evaluation of six
recycling scenarios. Scenario four was
approved as the general recycling plan for
the county. Assuming that all assumptions
are met, scenario four will yield Hennepin
County a 16 -percent level of recycling by
1988. That portion of the county's solid
waste would amount to about 400 tons
a day.
Strategies in the concept plan include
buy-back recycling centers, curbside and
alleyside recycling in county communities
through city contracts with firms providing
pick-up services, drop-off yard -waste
composting sites, curbside collection of
yard waste and the composting of such
waste, demonstration projects for the
recycling of office paper and corrugated
containers, and recycling promotion and
technical assistance.
The board also adopted the goal of imple-
menting additional activities which would
yield the county a recycling level of 25
percent by 1990.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT �
plumbing permits
sewer and water permits
water meters
WHEN ARE PERMITS REQUIRED?
A Permit must be obtained from the City before you perform any plumbing work inside or
outside of a building, or any work involving sewer and water services, including pri-
vate septic systems and private wells (information on private systems is available
separately from the Building Inspection Division).
WHO MAY OBTAIN A PERMIT?
A permit will be issued only to a plumber who is licensed by the State of Minnesota
and who has verified the current license with the City, except that a person who, at
the time of application, owns and occupies a dwelling unit may obtain a Permit to per-
form plumbing work inside that dwelling unit or on the premises outside of that dwel-
ling unit.
A person who, at the time of application is the owner and occupant of a dwelling unit
may obtain a Permit for sanitary sewer installation and repair between the municipal
sewer main and that dwelling unit; and, such person may obtain a Permit for water line
installation or repair between the curb stop box on the property and that dwelling
unit (NOTE: Connection to the municipal water main and installation or repair of the
water line between the municipal water main and curb stop box may ONLY be performed by
a licensed plumber).
All persons who apply for and obtain Permits are subject to the requirements of City
and State Codes and are responsible for demonstrating proper working knowledge of
plumbing and sewer and water systems.
HOW ARE FEES DETERMINED?
The fees for all Plumbing Permits and all Sewer and Water Permits are established by
the City Code. Plumbing fees for new work are based upon the number and type of fix-
tures to be installed. Fees for repair are based upon the job cost. A copy of the
City Code Fee Schedule is available at the Public Service Counter.
Sewer permits may require payment of additional Metropolitan Waste Control Commission
charges. These are determined during review of specific applications. There is a
surcharge collected by the City for the State.
= _ q
WHAT ARE THE CODES AND REGULATIONS?
The code is the City Building Code which adopts by reference the Minnesota State
Building Code and the Plumbing Code produced by the Minnesota Department of Health. A
copy is available at the Public Service Counter for review and copies may be purchased
from the State Documents Division in St. Paul.
The City Public Works Department publishes an Engineering Manual which contains design
specifications for public sewer and water line installation.
The City Code requires submittal of a financial guarantee and insurance for work that
involves construction in and/or disruption of public streets.
Before a Permit may be issued for excavating for plumbing in any public streetway or
alley, a corporate surety shall be deposited with the City Clerk in the sum of
$2,000.00 and it shall be conditioned that the person taking the Permit will perform
faithfully all work with due care and skill in accordance with the laws, rules, and
regulations established under the authority of the City pertaining to the Plumbing
and/or Sewer and Water work. The bond must be in force and executed for a period of
one year as explained in the City Code.
In addition to the corporate surety, insurance policies shall be deposited with the
City Clerk insuring the City, it's officers and employees against property damage in
the sum of at least $100,000.00 and the policy of public liability insurance shall be
submitted with a coverage of not less than $100,000.00 for each person and $300,000.00
for each accident. The City shall be a named insured in such policies and the poli-
cies shall provide that the insurance carrier shall give the City ten days notice of
the cancellation of such insurance.
WHAT IS REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A WATER METER?
A complete application must be submitted using the forms provided by the City. The
application form calls for the appropriate meter size and it is important that this be
accurately calculated and represented. The size should be indicated for one and two-
family dwellings and the size is determined by the length of the water line run and
the number of fixtures. Persons who are owner/occupants of the dwelling involved at
the time of application should check with a licensed plumber if there are questions
regarding the appropriate meter size.
The meter size for multi -residential buildings and for non-residential buildings
should be indicated on the form and the size is based upon the information in the pro-
posed or approved plans.
Meter sizes for other uses such as fire suppression should be indicated on the form
and are based upon proposed or approved plans.
Fees for water meters are set by the City Code a copy of which is available at the
public service counter. The fees vary by size of meter and the fees are periodically
adjusted to reflect actual costs.
Meters should be applied for with the application for water connection and should be
taken when the water connection permit is issued.
-7--G
WHEN ARE PLANS REQUIRED?
Detailed plans are required with applications for all work involving
multi- residential, commercial, and industrial property and buildings. The Building
Inspection Division may also require plans for one and two-family dwellings, when it
is necessary to verify the number and type of fixtures.
Permits for work involving multi -residential, commercial, and industrial buildings and
property will not be issued until the plans have been reviewed and approved by the
Building Inspection Division.
INSPECTIONS
All work will be inspected in accordance with the applicable codes and regulations and
all work must meet or exceed the adopted standards before final approval will be
granted.
Inspections are scheduled through the Building Inspection Division (the Development
Services Clerk) on a 24 hour advance notice basis. A "rough -in" inspection (when
plumbing has been installed but no fixtures are in place) and a "Final" inspection
(when all work is completed) are required for plumbing work.
A "Final" inspection is required for all sewer and water line work, and it must be re-
quested and performed before the line(s) is covered.
QUESTIONS?
Questions regarding the fee schedule and calculation of fees for a particular item
should be directed to the Building Inspection Division Clerk/Typist.
Questions regarding City Code requirements and standards should be directed to the
Plumbing Inspector, Building Official, Assistant Building Official or, in cases in-
volving municipal utilities, the City Engineer or Director of Public Works.
Suggestions as to how we can improve our service, and questions about the permit ap-
plication and issuance process, should be directed to the Building Official or to the
Community Development Director at 559-2600, or by mail at 3400 Plymouth Blvd.,
Plymouth, MN 55447.
bldg/formats(permitinfo)1-3
Mr. Steve Laursen
530 Orchid
Plymouth, MN. 55447
To Whom it may Concern:
It has come to our attention that you are maintaining or allowing on
your property a condition which constitutes a public nuisance. An
inspection of your property was made on by a Coe pity
Service Officer who observed the following v o at
Maintaining a fence or wall in excess of six feet high in between yards in a
residential'district. (Plywood wall on the north end of lot between 530 orchid
and 540 Orchid)
Plymouth Zoning Ordinance Section 10, Subdivision D, Paragraph 2.
A copy of the Plymouth City Ordinance which pertains to the above violation
is enclosed for your review. Your property will be inspected again on
October 30 1985which gives you ten business days to abate the nuisance.
a ure to comply after this period will be considered a misdemeanor and
you will be issued a citation.
If you have any questions or extenuating circumstances regarding this
wetter please contact our office.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Sincerely,
Thomas C. Saba
Ser gea nt
PLYMOTUH POLICE DEPARTMENT
BY: Thomas M. McKenzie #66
Cowmunity Service Officer
3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD, PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447, TELEPHONE (612) 559-2800
ed
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'rYk 4.
PLVWTR. ZONING ORDINANCE'.,.
ay C. 4.
Section 10 is .ws
WWWO14 FENCES AWWALLS
f.,d ]_V"<
Readence DIstriett;*ront Yarf.:_
Corner., lots.- No- fence* wall or planting shall rise over three (3) feet In -
height' above the street curb level within twenty (20) feet of any street
.,.o,.:,_rIght-of-way *corner.. so as to interfere with traffic visibility._
b. Interior side lot'llnes. No fence,, wall or shrub planting or more than three
(3) feet In height above the level of the street curb level shall be erected
on any Interior lot within the front yard as required in each district.
hart- Z. Re3ldence- 013trlcts-;SJLde;. Yard
his
%
Mai.. fence.: or wall i others- than ai retaining wait, along a side line of a lot In -at
...residence (ititrIct., shaU be -higher than six (61 feet unless the adjoining lot - is,,
not In a re3identla2, dIstricti,
3. Residential Districts -Rear Yard.
all
.1.1
Fenc'es.havq lna height ot six (6):.feet or less may be -1 ocated within the requiree
reary ards: to any Residence 013tilct.
-4. Non -Residence Districts --Palls Ils ad Fence.
of Required ia,116 or.. fences used on screens between a Residence District and a Mon-.•
Ml- Residence District shall be of not less than ninety (90) percent opacity and not
Por less than five (5) nor more than seven (7) feet In height above the level of the
ots residential district boundary. The height regulations shall not apply to screens
ing of parking. -and loading areas which are regulated In Section 10., Subdivision C.
-
S. Plantiho, a t
Scree4i plantings way be substituted for walls or fences, provided such plantings
ict are of. such type- as to permit a minimum of ginety (90) percent opacity during all
er- months of the year.
IN;
n
10-36
Ing
A% 06
CITY OF PLYMOUTH
3400 PLYMOUTH BLVD., PLYMOUTH MINNESOTA 55447
TELEPHONE (612) 559-2800
MEMO
DATE: October 18, 1985
TO: Blair Tremere, Director of Community Development
FROM: Joe Ryan, Building Official J2—
SUBJECT: FENCE AT 530 ORCHID LANE
On October 17. 1985 I performed an inspection of the subject
property in the presence of the owner, a Mr. Steve Laursen.
After some discussion with the owner it became apparent that he
installed a number of 4 x 8 foot sheets of plywood along the
northerly side property line in order to partially screen or
block the view of his neighbors's property. The heights of the
sheets vary from approximately six to eight feet. There is a
stack of cut wood which helps support these sheets from the
inside of Mr. Laursen's property.
There did not appear to be a violation of the Zoning Ordinance
with respect to the location of this barrier on the property
since it is set back approximately six feet from the side
property line: however, the Zoning Ordinance does not permit a
fence to exceed six feet in height along a side lot line.
A letter has been sent by our Police Department on October 16,
1985 to Mr. Laursen, indicating that the fence is in violation of
the Zoning Ordinance and asking compliance by October 30, 1985.
I have also spoken with Mr. Laursen who indicated to me that he
would have all the sheets of plywood removed no later than
October 25, 1985.
I will see that a re -inspection of the property is made on
October 25, 1985 and will inform you of our findings.
Thank you.
CITY OF PLYMOUTH
3400 PLYMOUTH BLVD., PLYMOUTH MINNESOTA 55447
TELEPHONE (612) 559-2800
MEMO
DATE: October 29, 1985
TO: Blair Tremere, Director of Community Development
FROM: Joe Ryan, Building Official JQ,
SUBJECT: FENCE AT 530 ORCHID LANE
Yesterday Arnie Rasmusson performed a re -inspection of this
property and verified that the sheets of plywood which were used
for fencing material have been removed and therefore is no longer
a violation of the Zoning Ordinance.
I have also provided you with a copy of a Memo dated October 18,
1985 concerning this matter.
Thank you.
cc: Sgt. Tom Saba
Frank Boyles
Sunday, October 20, 1985
Dear Mr. Blank,
On behalf of the Greentree West Homeowners' Association,
we want to thank you for the outstanding improvements
in the Green Oaks playground.
A number of our members have commented on the work
being done there, and they are already starting
to use it. This improvement is very welcome in
the community.
These days it seems as if most letters written to
governments are lists of complaints and problems,
and we wanted to be sure to express our appreciation
for the time, effort and expense that went into
this improvement.
Si c ely
Mike irvis
Secretary, Greentree West
Homeowner's Assocation
2840 Alvarado Lane
Plymouth, ISN 55447
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AN:Si.1TIVE .AST 7AMF
PARK CC51fdfSS!3N
.C•.TY ATTORNEY
VI HER InARK A. P 91&Z
DATE
�. - 1 ND .
Plymouth Police Administration
3400 Plymouth Boulevard
Plymouth, MN 55447
To whom it may concern:
Thank you for having employed
such a kind and gentle employee as
Jane Lawrence. She is definitely an
asset to the Plymouth Police Depart-
ment. I think you all do a superior
job, but Jane is nice for a woman to
talk to.
Sincerely,
3W, gn.
Mary E. Gilles
North
Memorial
Medical
Center
3300 Oakdale North
Robbinsdale, Minnesota 5E
612/520.5200
October 23, 1985
Neil Neilson
Route 2, Box 368
Rockford, Minnesota 55373
Dear Neil:
M•A• a
&r,f F00-'*
October 30, 1985
David Davenport, Mayor
City of Plymouth
3400 Plymouth Blvd.
Plymouth, MN 55447
Dear Dave,
At the end of our M.A.A. Youth Football season, I want to
acknowledge the great assistance we received from the
Plymouth Park and Recreation Deaprtment.
This season we faced more obstacles than usual due to the
extremely wet fall which made it necessary to reschedule
many games. Without the superior efforts of Rick Bush,
Eric Blank and the field maintenance people, who did every-
thing possible to meet our needs, we could not have finished
our season.
On behalf of the players, who benefited from a positive
football experience this fall, I want to thank the City
of Plymouth for providing such excellent playing facilities.
t
Plymouth Police Administration
3400 Plymouth Boulevard
Plymouth, MN 55447
To whom it may concern:
Thank you for having employed
such a kind and gentle employee as
Jane Lawrence. She is definitely an
asset to the Plymouth Police Depart-
ment. I think you all do a superior
job, but Jane is nice for a woman to
talk to.
Sincerely,
.*� 4:2
Mary E. Gilles
North
Memorial
Medical
Center
3300 Oakdale North
Robbinsdaie, Minnesota 5f
612/5265200
October 23, 1985
Neil Neilson
Route 2, Box 368
Rockford, Minnesota 55373
Dear Neil:
It is with great pleasure that I request the honor of
your presence at the 1985 Public Safety Awards Dinner
to be held Thursday November 21st, at North Memorial
Medical Center.
Your name was submitted by Chief Richard Carlquist as
potential recipient for the exemplary manner in which
you have performed your duties as a Plymouth Police
Officer. Upon reviewal by the Public Safety Committee,
we whole-heartedly concur that you have gone that extra
:Wile in order to resolve situations, promote community
awareness, the image of your department as well as a
sincere dedication to duty.
We, therefore, wish to cite you for the Public Safety
Award of Merit at this year's ceremonies.
Enclosed you will find invitation and R.S.V.P. cards.
Should you have any questions on this proposal or the
selection process, please feel free to contact me.
Sincee. ,
Douglas . Hoppenrath.
Chairman, Public Safety Awards Committee
Enc.
C
CITY C)�
PLYMOUTR
May 16, 1985
Douglas E. Hoppenrath
Systems Liaison Emergency Medical Services
North Memorial Medical Center
3300 Oakdale Avenue North
Robbinsdale, Minnesota 55422
Dear Doug:
It gives me great pleasure to nominate Investigator Niel Nielsen of
the Plymouth Police Department for the Award of Merit. I am nominating
him for this award based upon the exemplary manner in which he has
performed in a consistent, outstanding manner for the past four years.
Niel has received four Department Letters of Recognition the past four
years. In all cases, he was recognized for his performance in clearing
multiple cases involving a total of over 175 felony crimes and the arrest
of 52 suspects. This enormous total was as a result of only eight individual
case assignments! I have included a brief synopsis of the past four years
concerning Investigator Nielsen's accomplishments.
In my opinion, one definite observation that can be made of an excellent
investigator is his ability to clear cases in a multiple fashion. It
requires a person who has not only the ability to assemble and collate
crimes in our community and other places, but, a particular interrogative
skill that literally mentally disarms the criminal suspect. Investioator
Niel Nielsen is blessed with both these tenacious qualities. I am proud
to recommend him for your Award of Merit.
Sincerely,
C rd J. Carlquist
Public Safety Director
PLYMOUTH PUBLIC SAFETY
RJC:tsw
1400 PLYNIOUTH BOULEVARD. PLYMOUTH. MINNESOTA 55447. TELEPHONE (612) 559-2800
tA•A..q
dry Foots
October 30, 1985
David Davenport, Mayor
City of Plymouth
3400 Plymouth Blvd.
Plymouth, MN 55447
Dear Dave,
At the end of our M.A.A. Youth Football season, I want to
acknowledge the great assistance we received from the
Plymouth Park and Recreation Deaprtment.
This season we faced more obstacles than usual due to the
extremely wet fall which made it necessary to reschedule
many games. Without the superior efforts of Rick Bush,
Eric Blank and the field maintenance people, who did every-
thing possible to meet our needs, we could not have finished
our season.
On behalf of the players, who benefited from a positive
football experience this fall, I want to thank the City
of Plymouth for providing such excellent playing facilities.
Yours sincerely,
AJY
Gordy Engel
Plymouth/Wayzata Director
M.A.A. Youth Basketball
SUBURBAN RATE AUTHORITY
In addition, NSP proposes to eliminate the municipal
pumping rate. SRA has previously committed $7,500 to a
group of municipal pumpers which has intervened with the
purpose of saving the municipal pumping rate.
The minutes of the recent SRA meeting will be sent to
your city in the next two weeks. The SRA has been
involved in other matters which may interest you. For
instance, two of our members have participated on a
committee which is proposing a re -design of sewer rates.
2000 FIRST BANK PLACE WEST • MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55402 • (612) 333-0543
October 28, 1985
MEMBERS
BLOOMINGTON
BROOKLYN CENTER
BROOKLYN PARK
BURNSVILLE
Mayor David Davenport
CHAMPLIN
City of Plymouth �I
CIRCLE PINES
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
3400 Plymouth Blvd.
DEEPHAVEN
Plymouth, MN 55447 -
EDEN PRAIRIE
- ----- "
EDINA
EXCELSIOR
Dear Mayor Davenport:
FRIDLEY
GREENWOOD
HASTINGS
At its quarterly meeting on October 16, the Suburban Rate
HOPKINS
LAKE ST. CROIX BEACH
Authority authorized intervention in the pending Northern
LAUDERDALE
LORETTO
States Power any Com electric general rate increase
P
MAPLE PLAIN
filing with the Public Utilities Commission. The SRA
MAPLEWOOD
authorized an expenditure of $20,000 for the case. SRA
MINNETONKA
MINNETRISTA
will join with the City of St. Paul and perhaps with some
NEW BRIGHTON
outstate cities in this effort.
NORTH ST. PAUL
ORONO
OSSEO
William Wilson, councilmember from the City of St. Paul,
PLYMOUTH
RICHFIELD
may have contacted you urging your city to join in an
ROBBINSDALE
intervention. Several SRA member cities responded to his
P
ROSEVILLE
ST. ANTHONY
letter, encouraging the effort, but indicating their
ST. LOUIS PARK
participation would be through the SRA.
SHAKOPEE
SHOREVIEW
SHOREWOOD
SPRING PARK
NSP proposes an increase in its revenues of 13.44%. Its
VADNAIS HEIGHTS
proposed increases according to customer class are as
VICTORIA
follows:
WAYZATA
WOODLAND
Residential 15.0%
Commercial & industrial 12.4%
Sales to public authorities 16.1%
Street lighting 9.0%
In addition, NSP proposes to eliminate the municipal
pumping rate. SRA has previously committed $7,500 to a
group of municipal pumpers which has intervened with the
purpose of saving the municipal pumping rate.
The minutes of the recent SRA meeting will be sent to
your city in the next two weeks. The SRA has been
involved in other matters which may interest you. For
instance, two of our members have participated on a
committee which is proposing a re -design of sewer rates.
2000 FIRST BANK PLACE WEST • MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55402 • (612) 333-0543
Your continued support of the SRA is appreciated.
Very truly yours,
Graydon R. Boeck
Chairman
GEP:md
I Va
Z ta
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Independent School District 284
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES 210 NORTH STATE HIGHWAY 101 P.O. BOX 660
October 29, 1985
James G. Willis, City Manager
CITY OF PLYMOUTH
3400 Plymouth Boulevard
Plymouth, MN 55447
Dear Jim:
ROGER M. ADAMS, Ph.D.
Interim Superintendent
WAYZATA,
90 (612) 475-4501
During my absence from the District, your letter of October 14, 1985,
dealing with fire lane parking violations at Wayzata Senior High School was
received in this office. I totally agree with the need to enforce the fire
lane ordinances and with the need to periodically remind our public of
these regulations.
I have asked our building principals to incorporate your suggestions and to
inform the community of these regulations in announcements of events, news-
letters, and by use of the public address system when appropriate. Addi-
tionally, we will develop articles concerning parking regulations for use
in District publications.
My only other thought on this topic comes from a recent personal experience
in another municipality. In that situation, a public announcement was made
that the police were on the scene and would proceed to tag cars that were
not moved immediately from no parking areas. While I was not a "violator,"
I observed that this produced immediate results. If our reminders don't do
the job in the future, this technique may be worth a try if it is
logistically possible for the police. Certainly, the threat of a parking
tag has a somewhat more positive public relations implication than the
actual receipt of such a tag.
Please be assured of our intent to fully cooperate in this matter. Thank
you for calling the situation to our attention.
Since y,
Roge Adams, Ph.D.
Interim Superintendent of Schools
RMA: 1mb
Al: 143
cc: All Building Principals
Bruce Halgren
Stan Tikkanen
Jim Brandl
Ralph Turtinen
October 14, 1985
Dr. Roger Adams
Acting Superintendent
Independent School District 284
210 Highway 101
Wayzata, MN 55391
Dear Roger:
9
CITY OF
PLYMOUTH+
It has come to my attention that a number of parking tags were issued by Plymouth
police officers last week at the Wayzata High School open house. These tags were
issued to persons parking in fire lanes. Given the turnout at this event, plus the
weather conditions, I am sure that the limited parking on your site was totally
occupied, as well as parking on the adjacent public streets. In any event, however,
those persons who were tagged obviously felt that there was nowhere else to park.
Fire lanes are, of course, established for a specific purpose. They are important
to insure that the public safety forces can respond promptly in the event of an
emergency at one of the school buildings. Because we recognize the importance of
insuring that fire lanes are available for emergency response, our Police Department
actively polices them.
Given the unfavorable public relations which the issuance of such parking generates,
I wonder if we might try to better communicate with the persons using your
facilities so that they might be aware that fire lane ordinances will be actively
policed by our Public Safety Department. May I suggest that you recommend to the
building principals that they announce the fact that fire lanes have been estab-
lished and marked, and cars parking within them are subject to being tagged by the
Police Department. If such an announcement could be made as part of your infor-
mation materials going home, as well as announced over the P.A. system on the night
of the event, we might hopefully bring greater public awareness to the vital nature
of fire lanes. For our part, I believe we should make a greater effort to inform
our citizens of the necessity to establish and police fire lanes through "Plymouth
on Parade".
Obviously, neither the School District or the City desire to create ill will as a
result of having our citizens use school facilities. Perhaps we can learn from this
most recent event and hopefully "educate" our citizens on the need for fire lanes
and the fact that they are policed.
Thanks for your help in this
assistance to you or any of the
lanes, please give us a call.
Best regards,
6Jas G.Willis
Manager
matter. If Dick Carlquist or I can be of any
building principals regarding the matter of fire
3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD. PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447, TELEPHONE (612) 559-2800
CITY OF
PUMOu i' t
October 29, 1985
Ms. Barbara Bremer
302 Zinnia Lane
Plymouth, Minnesota 55441
11
Subject: Carlson Center 3rd Addition and Adjacent Area Improvements
City Project No. 426
Dear Barbara:
On October 14th I spoke with you on the telephone with regard to the completion
of the concrete curbing and bituminous street in front of your property on
Zinnia Lane. During our conversation I stated that I did not know the exact
schedule from the contractor but I would request one from our consulting
engineer. Attached is a letter received from the consulting engineer stating
the contractor's schedule. Although the work on installing the curb did not
start yesterday as stated in the letter, the contractor will be starting on
Wednesday, October 30th.
If you have any questions with regard to the schedule, please let me know.
Sincerely,
��
Fred G. Moore, P.E.
Director of Public -Works
FGM:kh
Enclosure
cc: James G. Willis
David J. Davenport, Mayor
Plymouth City Council
3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD, PLYMOUTH. MINNESOTA 55447, TELEPHONE (612) 559-2800
STRGAR-ROSCOETAUSCH, INC.
CONSULTING ENGINEERS
TRANSPORTATION • CIVIL ■ STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS ■ LAND SURVEYORS
October 25, 1985
Mr. Fred G. Moore, P.E.
Director of Public Works
CITY OF PLYMOUTH
3400 Plymouth Boulevard
Plymouth, Minnesota 55447
Dear Fred:
RE: CARLSON CENTER THIRD ADDITION AREA
PLYMOUTH PROJECT NO. 426
File No. 0840469
We have been in contact with Bury & Carlson, Inc. concerning an
updated construction schedule for the above mentioned project.
They anticipate curb and gutter will be placed on Berkshire Lane,
Zinnia Lane and the Old County Road 15 frontage road on Monday,
October 28, 1985. They estimate the paving will follow shortly
thereafter, as soon as the remainder of the crushed rock is placed
and toleranced.
At this time 5th Avenue North is still very wet. It may or may not
be completed this year depending on how long the weather holds.
Bury & Carlson are still making every effort to complete it this
construction season.
If 5th Avenue North cannot be completed this year, we propose to
build a portion of Berkshire Lane south of the Old County Road 15
frontage road to allow buses to turn around within the development.
If you have any questions, please contact us.
Very truly yours,
STRGAR-ROSCOE-FAUSCH, INC.
mes R. Dvorak
roject Engineer
JRD/ ial
630 Twelve Oaks Center, 15500 Wayzata Blvd., Wayzata MN 55391 (612) 47®
October 30, 1985
Ms. Boyce McCaughey
3905 Lancaster Lane
Apt. 103
Plymouth, MN 55441
Dear Boyce:
CITY OF
PLYMOUTH+
I would like to take this opportunity to personally
Medicine Lake Garden Club for planting and maintaining
ment in front of our City offices. I know you and your
spent many hours, sometimes under adverse conditions, to
entrance to our building.
thank you and the
the floral arrange -
fellow members have
Insure a beautiful
I know that at times you may believe that your work goes unnoticed, however,
I can assure you that this is not so. We have received many, many
compliments from City staff, local residents, and business persons entering
our building. Your work is truly beautiful, and appreciated.
On behalf of the City Council, I am enclosing a check for $100 as a small
token of our appreciation for your club's efforts. Once again, thank you
for making Plymouth a "beautiful place to live."
DOD:jm
encl
3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD, PLYMOUTH. MINNESOTA 55447, TELEPHONE (612) 559-2800
October 28, 1985
Ms. Diana Jobin
2330 North Troy Lane
Plymouth, MN 55447
Bear Diana:
Congratulations on receiving the Congressional
your personal and community achievements. It
a thrill for you and your family to travel to
September 26th for the special occasion.
Award recognizing
must have been quite
Washington on
Having spent 3,445 hours in community service work with the
Girl Scout program you are certainly most deserving of this
honor, Diana. Since you were only one of two people from
Minnesota to receive the award, we in Plymouth take special
pleasure that you are a resident of our good community.
Congrat at o agai iana.
Si ce ee ,
L
David J. avenport
Mayor
DJD:mlc
x: Jim Willis
idnn PI YAA01 ITH RCN It FVnRf1 01 YMCA ITN AAINNFRCITO 55dd7 TP FPHCING IRM RSQ.7Rnn
r.
FIRST EDITION
REti AI RANT & BAR CORPORSHON
October 30, 1985
Ms. Blair Tremere
Director, Community Development
City of Plymouth
3400 Plymouth Blvd.
Plymouth, MN 55447
Dear Ms. Tremere;
Jim Domoracki
PRESIDENT
I have just received your letter of October 28, 1985 concerning
the inquiries you have received since the Minneapolis Tribune
published a brief article stating that First Edition planned to
develop a restaurant facility in Plymouth. Please accept my apologies
for any inconvenience the article may have caused.
First Edition is in the process of preparing all the necessary
documents to present to the proper departments to pursue our
applications and approvals for constructing a restaurant facility.
We are aware that many requirements must be met before we can
begin the construction and it is not our intention to make repre-
sentations that these requirements have been met.
Unfortunately for us, when other people begin to talk about
what First Edition's future plans are, they don't always differ-
entiate between that which is speculative and which is concrete.
Again, please accept my apology for any problems caused by
the misimpressions in the article and please rest assured First
Edition will only progress through the guidelines set forth by
the City of Plymouth.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to working with
you in the near future.
Sincerely
iM �,yyy�7GL�
Jim Domoracki
JD/ps
cc: City Manager James G. Willis
Sara McConn, Community Development Coordinator
Wnnrlh;ii vin—, C,,;t,- inn% 1,4571 Niahw5tv7. Minnetnnka Minnegnta 55141. 617-911-6RIn