Approved Minutes 9-10-2003Page 1 of 5
SUMMARY MINUTES OF THE
SAINT PAUL CITY COUNCIL
Wednesday, September 10, 2003 - 3:30 p.m.
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 3RD FLOOR
City Hall and Court House
15 West Kellogg Boulevard
Web Index
• Consent Agenda
• Communications and Administrative Orders
• For Action
• For Discussion
. Ordinances
The meeting was called to order at 3:35 p.m. by Council President Bostrom
Present - 6 - Benanav, Blakey, Bostrom, Coleman, Harris, Lantry
Absent - 1 - Reiter (excused)
Suspension Items:
Councilmember Coleman moved suspension of the rules and approval of the following resolution:
Resolution - 03 -833 - Approving the canvass of election returns and declaring the results of the City
Primary Election held on September 9, 2003 in the City of Saint Paul.
Adopted Yeas - 6 Nays - 0
Councilmember Coleman moved suspension of the rules and approval of the following resolution:
Resolution - 03 -833 - Approving the canvass of election returns and declaring the results of the City
Primary Election held on September 9, 2003 in the City of Saint Paul.
Adopted Yeas - 6 Nays - 0
MISCELLANEOUS
18. Swearing in of Fire Chief Doug Holton.
Fire Chief Doug Holton was introduced to the City Council by Mayor Kelly and was sworn in by
Council President Dan Bostrom.
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Suspension Item:
Councilmember Coleman moved suspension of the rules and approval of the following resolution:
Resolution - 03 -835 - Extending the City Council's gratitude to Kevin Ducschere, for his professional
contribution to the work of City government as a news reporter for the Star Tribune and wishing him
well on his new position.
Adopted Yeas - 6 Nays - 0
CONSENT AGENDA (Items 1 -12)
NOTE: ALL ITEMS LISTED UNDER CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE
MOTION. THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF THESE ITEMS. IF DISCUSSION IS
DESIRED BY A COUNCIL,MEMBER, THAT ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT
AGENDA AND CONSIDERED SEPARATELY.
Councilmember Blakey moved approval of the consent agenda.
Adopted Yeas - 6 Nays - 0
COMMUNICATIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE ORDERS
1. Claims of Howard Hicks, Douglas Lee, Quincy Lewis, Trumanue and Cynthia Lindsey, Larmcie
Stevenson, and Hue Yang .
Referred to the Risk Management Division
2. Letter from the Office of License, Inspections and Environmental Protection announcing a public
hearing before the City Council on September 24, 2003, to consider the application of Daniel Burns,
homeowner at 230 Mississippi River Blvd., for a sound level variance to allow amplified music played
by a disc jockey under a tent during a wedding reception on September 27 -28 from 8:30 p.m. to 12:00
midnight.
3. Letter from the Real Estate Division announcing a public hearing before the City Council on
September 24, 2003 to consider the petition of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority to vacate part
of Blocks 10 and 11, Holmcroft Addition to facilitate residential and commercial development for the
Gateway Village Project.
FOR ACTION
4. Approval of minutes of August 27, 2003.
Adopted Yeas - 6 Nays - 0
5. Resolution - 03 -823 - Approving the Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Saint Paul and
the Lakes and Plains Regional Council of Carpenters and Joiners for the 2003 Wage and Fringe
Adjustment. (To be laid over one week for adoption)
Laid over to September 17 for final adoption
6. Resolution - 03 -824 - Approving a STAR grant to construct a basketball court at Dunning Recreation
Center.
Adopted Yeas - 6 Nays - 0
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7. Resolution - 03 -825 - Authorizing the Police Department to enter into an agreement with Professional
Parking Solutions for a new ticket writer system, and establishing a 2003 financing and spending plan.
Adopted Yeas - 6 Nays - 0
8. Resolution - 03 -826 - Establishing a financing and spending plan to accept a federal grant for the
Small Business Resource Center at the Lexington Branch Library and the Homework Centers at the
Lexington, Riverview and Sunray Branch Libraries and to accept a cooperative grant for the Science
Museum and Library for an on -line database of community -based science organization.
Adopted Yeas - 6 Nays - 0
9. Resolution - 03 -827 - Amending Council File 03 -588 to correct the legal description of three parcels
of vacated property at Seminary Avenue.
Adopted Yeas - 6 Nays - 0
10. Resolution - 03 -828 - Releasing a sewer easement on the petition of the East Side Neighborhood
Development Company for the east 20 feet of Lot 13, Stinson's Subdivision of Block 36, Arlington
Hills Addition to Saint Paul.
Adopted Yeas - 6 Nays - 0
11. Resolution - 03 -829 - Approving the purchase of six parcels of land on the bluffs along South
Wabasha Avenue for preservation and stabilization of the bluffs.
Adopted Yeas - 6 Nays - 0
12. Resolution Approving Assessment - 03 -830 - In the matter of the assessment of benefits, costs and
expenses for the Margaret /Atlantic Area Paving and Lighting Project, and setting date of public hearing
for October 22, 2003. (File No. 18961)
Adopted Yeas - 6 Nays - 0
FOR DISCUSSION
13. Resolution - 03 -831 - Adopting a maximum annual tax levy and an adjusted tax rate for 2004.
Greg Blees, Fiscal Policy Director, appeared and stated the Council had met earlier in the day and took a
position to change the city's tax levy as recommended by the Mayor. The Council was recommending to
increase the library's portion of the levy by transferring $129,624 from the city's portion of the levy.
This would not be an increase to the total levy. He pointed out that by law, the levy was required to be
set by September 15, however, the final recommended levy would not be approved until after the joint
tax levy hearing held in December.
Bob Kessler, Council Research Policy Analyst, presented two charts; one showing the recommended
changes to the levy for 2004 and one noting the history of the amount of the city's levy for each year
since 1991.
Councilmember Coleman stated he believed the levy should be increased proportionately for inflation.
Leaving the levy at a zero increase did not allow the ability to make any serious changes that may arise.
Councilmember Benanav stated he agreed the levy should be increased as he believed it was poor
management to allow it to remain at no increase. It was his opinion there would be cuts that will affect
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citizens in a negative manner.
Councilmember Blakey stated he agreed with the recommended levy. Cuts were being felt everywhere
and he believed the city should remain fiscally responsible.
Councilmember Harris stated he agreed with the recommended levy. He did not believe that the Council
was being irresponsible as alleged. The city needed to remain affordable for all its citizens.
Councilmember Lantry stated she agreed with the recommended levy. She felt confident that if the
Council prioritized the mayor's recommendations, they should be able to guarantee that the library,
parks, fire and police are adequately funded.
Councilmember Lantry moved introduction of substitute and adoption.
Yeas - 4 Nays - 2 (Benanav, Coleman)
14. Resolution - 03 -812 - Ratifying the City Council's intent to acquire the Meritex Property by use of
eminent domain, including "quick- take" proceedings, the financing for these proceedings, giving
authority to acquire certain property from BNSF and to convey a portion of the same to Meritex to
mitigate damages caused by taking Meritex's property, and if required by the MPCA, to remediate
environmental conditions on the property acquired from BNSF. (Laid over from September 3)
Council President Bostrom stated they had met earlier and discussed this issue.
Councilmember Blakey stated he was concerned about the County's parking proposal. If it were surface
parking he was opposed; he preferred building a ramp.
Peter White, Real Estate, appeared and stated the proposal was for one -level surface parking. One lot
would accommodate 180 to 200 and the other lot would accommodate 35 to 40.
Councilmember Blakey believed this was a poor efficiency of public funds. He suggested decking, in
the alternative, as opposed to taking property for surface parking. He said it was known that there was
going to be a parking crunch and didn't believe they should go to court to resolve these issues. He
suggested they needed to go back and talk with the County. He said that he was not the sharpest tool in
the tool box but in reviewing the diagram, the parking should be decked or a ramp should be built.
Council President Bostrom stated the city will go back and try to work with the County on a joint use for
parking. However, this would keep the process going in case they cannot reach agreement on the
parking issue.
Councilmember Harris stated some joint use with the County should be approached on this issue.
Councilmember Lantry stated there was no choice but to approve the resolution and if not, there would
be no parking at this facility.
Councilmember Harris moved approval.
Adopted Yeas - 4 Nays - 2 (Benanav, Blakey)
15. Resolution - 03 -763 - Approving the appointments, by Mayor Kelly, of Tim Fuller and Richard
Nicholson, and the reappointments of Susan Bartlett Foote, Gar Hargens, and Lee Meyer to the Heritage
Preservation Commission.
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(Laid over from August 27)
Councilmember Lantry moved approval of a two week layover.
Laid over to September 24 Yeas - 6 Nays - 0
ORDINANCES
NOTE: AN ORDINANCE IS A CITY LA W ENACTED BY THE CITY CO UNCIL. IT IS READ AT FO UR
SEPARATE COUNCIL MEETINGS AND BECOMES EFFECTIVE AFTER PASSAGE BY THE
COUNCIL AND 30 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION IN THE SAINT PAUL LEGAL LEDGER.
16. Third Reading - 03 -778 - An ordinance memorializing City Council action amending Chapter 60 of
the Saint Paul Legislative Code pertaining to zoning for the City of Saint and the zoning maps thereof
for Mary Morelli and the East Side Neighborhood Development Company to rezone property at 565 and
573 Payne Avenue. (Public hearing held July 23, 2003)
Laid over to September 17 for final adoption
17. First Reading - 03 -832 - An ordinance amending interim ordinance Council File 01 -648, adopted
November 20, 2000, which imposed a moratorium on the use of property in the area presently under
study for the Arcade Street Area Study pending completion of the study and any possible amendments
to the City's Comprehensive Plan or Zoning Ordinance deemed necessary to give effect to the study.
(Dollar Tree Store)
Laid over to September 17 for second reading
Councilmember Blakey moved to adjourn the meeting.
ADJOURNED AT 4:40 P.M.
Daniel Bostrom, Council President
ATTEST:
Minutes approved by Council
Mary Erickson September 24, 2003
Assistant Council Secretary
vms
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