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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 03-21-1995 SpecialMINUTES SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 21, 1995 A special meeting of the Plymouth City Council was called to order by Mayor Tierney at 6:15 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the City Center, 3400 Plymouth Blvd., on March 21, 1995. PRESENT: Mayor Tierney; Councilmembers Lymangood, and Helliwell. ABSENT: Councilmembers Anderson, Edson, Granath, and Wold. STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Johnson, Assistant Manager Lueckert, Public Works Director Moore, Community Development Director Hurlburt, Public Safety Director Gerdes, Finance Director Hahn, Park and Recreation Director Blank, and Administration Senior Clerk Typist Hoffman. No quorum was present. The following informal discussion was held: REVIEW OF 1995 CITIZEN SURVEY Assistant Manager Lueckert gave a brief background report on the Citizen Surveys in Plymouth. The proposed survey combines past questions to track changes, as well as new questions that reflect growth and changes in the City. The survey would be conducted by telephone and would last about 20 minutes, according to Assistant Manager Lueckert. Concerns from Councilmembers and Staff over the length of time were answered by Assistant Manager Lueckert. She said interest will be piqued after an explanation that the survey is not trying to sell anything. Mayor Tierney asked if park & recreation related questions could be expanded in spite of a survey done by the Park & Recreation Department in 1993. Park Director Blank said the initial questions in the survey are demographic questions and are important not only to gauge shifts in population, but for cross tabulation purposes. Councilmember Lymangood said that a follow-up question might be inserted after questions 16 and 17, asking if respondents are moving, why? Councilmember Lymangood felt that question 18 should be phrased "as you MAY know..." Councilmember Lymangood asked about different phrasing in question 35, since some streets such as cul-de-sacs may not be affected by traffic speeding. He suggested phrasing the question around the issue of speeding in city vs. speeding in respondent's streets. Public Works Director Moore suggested using the phrase "your Neighborhood" instead of "your street". Special Council Meeting March 21, 1995 Page 2 Councilmember Lymangood asked whether Council and City Staff ratings should be included in the survey, as presented in questions 37-45. Councilmember Helliwell called for them to be left in. Assistant Manager Lueckert said that questions about parks and recreation would not go beyond questions 46-48 since the '93 Park & Recreation Department survey data is still fresh and usable. Mayor Tierney suggested that some question about what kind of Community Center buildings people would like might be appropriate. She said that ties in with the questions about a Downtown Plymouth. Planning Director Hurlburt said Downtown -related questions may get answers that would influence what kind of resources the City may put into studies or plans. Councilmember Lymangood felt that the downtown -related questions need some work. City Manager Johnson said people may think of Downtown as just architecture. Councilmember Helliwell said there are too many ways to interpret the questions. They need better focus. She said it is an interesting way to have input from the public, though. Councilmember Lymangood said question 65 was an ambiguous question. Mayor Tierney and City Manager Johnson called it an effort to get responses on interest in extending the MUSA line. Planning Director Hurlburt said that most folks don't know what MUSA is. She said the question might ask if residents thought growth should proceed into the Northwest area of the City. City Manager Johnson suggested phrasing "into the rural parts of the City." Community Development Director Hurlburt questioned whether there are rural parts of the City. Councilmember Lymangood suggested the question: "Are you content with the City today?" Councilmember Lymangood: suggested rephrasing question 70, "Would you be willing to pay an additional fee per month for these materials to be added to the recycling program.?" Councilmember Helliwell: suggesting addition of a follow-up question related to the use of fertilizers. She suggested asking if residents use a commercial lawn service. Mayor Tierney: said questions on transportation should also ask how our major transportation routes are serving people, and not just questions about public transportation. She suggested questions about perceived levels of congestion on I-494, Highway 55 and Highway 169. City Manager Johnson: suggested rating the freeways and transportation routes, and then shade the responses. Councilmember Lymangood said question 93 (water quality) leads people to think there are options to improving water quality, when there aren't. He said there is too much vagueness in option offered, and doesn't see what we would gather from the question. City Manager Johnson said the option of a fee would be in the form of taxes or special utility fees and we may not have options, based on legislative action. Special Council Meeting March 21, 1995 Page 3 Councilmember Helliwell said people notice the condition of water. She thinks it's an important question. Councilmember Lymangood said then we should ask a related question and bring the question about phosphorus use and fertilizers down to this point. Mayor Tierney said maybe "small stormwater management fee" would be a better phrase. Public Works Director Moore suggested asking what opinion residents have of water quality in Plymouth, then follow up with a question like the one about fees. Mayor Tierney said open space related questions were included in the 1993 Park and Recreation survey. Park Director Blank asked about ranking citizen opinion of open spaces with other City facilities. He would like to add questions about golf courses. He said it would be useful to learn how important it might be to residents to have a City maintained golf course, open to the public, whether privately or publicly owned. Councilmember Helliwell added that it would be useful to learn reaction to golf courses, a municipal swimming pool, and a municipal hockey arena. Councilmember Lymangood suggested ranking question 94 about open space with those other items, including how important it may be to retain several facilities. Park Director Blank said we need to start planning to take steps now to guarantee a golf course, to be prepared if all the private clubs should close. Mayor Tierney asked if we should be more specific in what or how public funds are used for golf courses. Park Director Blank said questions about golf courses and municipal pools, both indoor and outdoor, need shading in the responses. Councilmember Helliwell asked when the survey would be ready. Assistant Manager Lueckert said early April, perhaps for approval at the April 4 Regular City Council Meeting. Initial results would be in by the first part of May, with a full report by the last half of May. The plan is to contact registered voters. Mayor Tierney adjourned the meeting at 6:54 p.m. Kurt Hoffman Sr. Clerk Typist, Administration