CITY OF RIVER FALLS: 7/10/12 COMMON COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS

July 10, 2012

Mayor Dan Toland called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers located in City Hall.

City Council Members Present: David Cronk, Christopher Gagne (arrived 6:33), Randy Kusilek, Scott Morrissette, Jim Nordgren, David Reese

City Council Members Absent: Tom Caflisch

Staff Present: Bill Thiel, City Attorney; Julie Bergstrom, Finance Director/Assistant City Administrator; Carl Gaulke, Utility General Manager; Lu Ann Hecht, City Clerk; Karen Bergstrom, Human Resources Director; Caitlin Stene, Management Analyst; Paul Fagin, Management Analyst; Tony Steiner, City Planner; Mike Noreen, Conservation and Efficiency Coordinator

Others Present: Charlie Carlson, Jeanne Zirbel

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

June 26, 2012, Regular Meeting Minutes

MSC Cronk/Morrissette move to approve minutes as submitted. Unanimous.

APPROVAL OF BILLS:

City Bills -$1,739,812.06

MSC Kusilek/ Nordgren to approve bills subject to the comptroller. Unanimous.

PUBLIC COMMENT, PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS:

No comment.

PUBLIC HEARING:

Ordinance No. 2012-05 – Ordinance to Create §8.20.080 of the City Code – Frequency of Fire Inspections – Second Reading and Disposition

Mayor Toland recessed Council at 6:32 p.m. and went into a public hearing. At 6:33 p.m. with no one else wishing to speak for or against this issue, Council reconvened into Open Session for disposition. MS Morrissette/Cronk to approve ordinance.

Kusilek asked if insurance policies require businesses to have a certain number of yearly fire inspections and does the City need to do those? If the City does them, will we be charging? Morrissette felt that usually insurance companies would send out a third party to do an inspection for businesses or they may hire a vendor.

Attorney Thiel said the Council would be changing the ordinance that deals with the public interest in regard to the statute and administrative code which allows the City to lessen the number of inspections. He said a private contractual interest could be satisfied by themselves.

Nordgren asked if the Department of Health required more inspections for nursing homes, would the City be responsible for the cost? Thiel said he would need to look into it.

With no further discussion, the Mayor asked for a vote. All voted in favor of the ordinance.

Ordinance No. 2012-06 – Ordinance Suspending Enforcements of §10.16.020 of the Municipal Code of the City of River Falls – Parking Meters – Second Reading and Disposition

Mayor Toland recessed Council at 6:35 p.m. and went into a public hearing. The Mayor introduced Mr. Paul Fagin who had a presentation. He gave a history of the parking meters. He noted three main problems: operational; equipment and a changing marketplace. Fagin gave a financial overview about the parking meter fund. He reviewed previous studies on parking meters. He discussed public outreach and soliciting feedback. Fagin said they would like to do a yearlong moratorium on parking in order to give a recommendation to Council regarding the future of parking meters. He said the Police Chief would maintain temporary parking enforcement powers. He asked Council for questions.

Gagne asked if Council would receive updates. Fagin said the goal is provide quarterly updates to Council.

Nordgren asked about the three zones the study was going to look at. Fagin explained it covered on and off street parking and surface lots. He asked about the zones in Red Wing.

Fagin said Red Wing has established one and two hour parking zones which have been in place for about 10 years. Nordgren asked about monitoring the zones. Fagin said they chalk tires. There was further discussion about enforcement. Reese asked about university involvement in the study. Fagin said there would be an outreach to the university but he was unsure of actual university involvement. Reese said there is concern about student parking.

At 6:52 p.m. with no one else wishing to speak for or against this issue, Council reconvened into Open Session for disposition. MS Morrissette/Cronk to approve ordinance.

Nordgren said there are many reasons to pass the ordinance. He felt Council needs to listen to any complaints and feedback and respond. Cronk said that is why we are doing it – to get feedback. Morrissette echoed Nordgren’s concern. Reese noted an editorial change on the ordinance. Gagne asked who should get feedback. Fagin said to direct comments to him or Police Chief Leque.

With no further discussion, the Mayor asked for a vote. All voted in favor of the ordinance.

Cronk asked when the moratorium starts. Fagin said July 23, 2012, through July 22, 2013. He said decals affixed would be used to inform the public about the moratorium.

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS:

Resolution Approving POWERful Choices! Contributions Towards Update at River Falls High School

MS Nordgren/Morrissette move to approve resolution. The Mayor asked for discussion.

Nordgren was against the idea of paying people to save money. He felt it was time to review the allocations of POWERful Choices! and the idea of having a portion of everyone’s utility bill going to a fund to pay people to save money.

Morrissette agreed. He was looking for more information. He was not opposed to this particular request.

Reese asked if this request was for a study or implementation of savings. Mike Noreen said it was for implementation. Reese asked if this money was going to be used to buy items to get a cost savings. Noreen said yes, it was going to purchase items that would provide a cost savings. Reese felt if a building needs new equipment felt the owners of the building should purchase it and not ratepayers. He talked about providing a loan as an alternative.

Noreen gave some background about the process and why the amount has changed. There was further discussion by Council members. Julie Bergstrom gave clarification and explanation on how payment would happen. She said more information could be provided to Council to help answer questions. Gaulke provided further clarification on the program.

MSC Kusliek/Gagne to table resolution. Unanimous.

REPORTS:

Presentation Regarding the Compensation and Classification Methodology

Charlie Carlson from Carlson Dettmann Consulting came to give a presentation to Council regarding the study they are preparing for the City. He said many communities are doing this due to the Act 10 legislation. They have done studies for Fond du Lac and Oshkosh. Carlson explained the process including obtaining information about jobs, studying markets, where the City wants to position itself in terms of pay and employee raises.

Carlson talked about comparable cities regarding compensation. He told Council that he would need to discuss the residency requirement with them. He explained the next steps in the process. He asked Council for questions. Nordgren asked clarifying questions on parameters. Mayor Toland asked about equalized value. Gagne asked if the median income included university students. Carlson would check but noted if it included students, that would lower the number. Morrissette asked if the university was included in equalized value figure. Carlson didn’t believe it did as the figure came from the tax roll. He said he would return to Council with updates.

Historic Preservation Report

City Planner Tony Planner came to give the Council a presentation regarding historic preservation. He talked about the establishment of historic preservation commission, the commission composition and its duties. In 2003, a historic preservation plan was adopted. He talked about a citywide inventory that was being done.

Steiner talked about recognizing local historic buildings/ properties. He gave an example of the process involving North Hall at the university. He talked about the plaque program which started in 2007. He said there are about a dozen plaques in the downtown area. There is also a program to recognize significant residences. The Historic Preservation Commission also attends community celebrations to provide information.

Steiner noted the upcoming 75th anniversary celebration of the Glen Park Pool on August 15, 2012.

Administrator’s Report

Bergstrom called Council’s attention to the City Clerk’s report on the cost of elections.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Mayor’s Appointment

BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT

New Appointment of Amy Halvorson through July 2015

MSC Nordgren/Morrissette move to approve appointments for Business Improvement District Board. Unanimous.

CLOSED SESSION:

MS Nordgren/Kusilek move to recess into Closed Session at 7:53 p.m. per Wisconsin State Statutes § 19.85 (1)(e) and (g) for the following purposes:

“Deliberating or negotiating the purchase of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session; to-wit: TID 7” and

“Conferring with legal counsel for the governmental body who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved; to-wit: update on pending legal matters.”

The roll call vote to recess into Closed Session was unanimous.

Council had discussion on items for Closed Session consideration.

RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION AND ADJOURNMENT:

MSC Nordgren/Cronk to reconvene into open session. Unanimous.

Motion by Cronk to adjourn meeting.

Respectfully submitted, Kristi McKahan, Deputy City Clerk

(Pub. 08/02/12)

WNAXLP

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