06-28-21 Special City Council MinutesCITY OF OTSEGO
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY, JUNE 28, 2021
5:30 PM
OTSEGO PRAIRIE CENTER
Call to Order.
Mayor Jessica Stockamp called the Special Meeting to order at 5:30 PM.
Mayor Jessica Stockamp; Councilmembers: Tom Darkenwald, Jeff Dahl and Brittany Moores.
City Staff: City Administrator/Finance Director Adam Flaherty; Streets Operations Manager Kevin
Lamson; City Planner Daniel Licht; and City Clerk Audra Etzel. CM Tina Goede arrived at 5231
PM.
This meeting is preceding under MN State Statute 13D.021 allowing members to appear by
telephone or video conference due to the ongoing health pandemic and state of emergency.
Those indicated with a (*) attended via video conference.
1. Emer4ency Services.
Jerry Streich, CEO from Capstone Public Sector Solutions and Retired Fire Chief/Emergency
Manager. Mr. Streich has met with staff and reviewed current emergency contracts.
Findings to Date:
1. The community continues to grow. Risks are increasing.
2. There appears to be a need for focus on public safety.
3. Otsego contracts its fire department services.
4. Otsego contracts its law enforcement services.
5. Otsego uses the Wright County EOP.
6. There is currently no staff focusing on fire code/all-hazard issues.
7. There is a desire and need for staff training.
The 2018 BeaconGIS Study was reviewed:
• City is "well covered for rural coverage, less for suburban".
• Using the NFPA standards to measure response times.
• "City is not well served for distance from fire stations that factor into property insurance
rates".
• There is a need for a prevention program within the community.
• Review contracts and fire service boundaries as new stations are built near the border of
Otsego.
CM Darkenwald asked if the contracted fire departments are inspecting buildings for state fire
code? The City Council had a discussion that the fire code inspections are not part of the
current contracts and there is not a dedicated person/departments doing fire inspection of
buildings. The Fire Marshall would know how to better prepare for an emergency based on the
building inspections information. Mr. Streich stated there should be an inspection process
specific to Otsego for public safety and the benefit of the community. The contracts could be
written to provide the inspection services for a cost and if the contracted departments are
unable to provide, the City would need to look at alternatives to protect the community.
CM Dahl asked if there were any issues with emergency calls from cell phones. Mr. Streich said
the systems are smarter and use the latitude and longitude. It may also depend on each
person's cell phone. Mayor Stockamp stated the recent edition of The View included language
to have those calling state they are calling from Wright County.
CM Goede is concerned that the proposed station would not be able to respond to all areas of
the City equitably.
Mr. Streich review the short-term, mid-term and long-term recommendations from the Beacon
Study.
The emergency management cycle was reviewed, now need to review the emergency
operations plan — which should include specific rolls of staff and council. Mr. Streich and staff
are meeting with Wright County to discuss expectations of their roll within an emergency.
CM Darkenwald said the City does have an emergency operations plan. Mayor Stockamp
agreed there is an emergency operations plan, but it has been a long time since the plan was
reviewed and staff have been trained. Mr. Streich said the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP)
would include essential functions. The current plan needs to be more detailed.
Mr. Streich asked what are the next steps. Focus on improving the emergency operations plan
and training? Focus on the fire department evaluation and implementation?
Mayor Stockamp said the emergency operations plan is important and it has been a while since
there has been any training. Would like to see both steps worked on side -by -side. CM
Darkenwald thought getting everyone up to speed on training.
Streets Operations Manager Lamson stated the staff needs to be brought up to speed on NIMS
training. Mr. Streich said the NIMS trainings are free and he could provide the link and work on
trainings with Mr. Lamson.
CM Goede agrees with updating the Emergency Operations Plan and moving forward with the
Fire Department evaluation and implementation.
Mayor Stockamp would like to know what is involved in the fire department evaluation and
implementation. CM Moores thought training is very important and wants to know what the
next steps are to move forward. CM Darkenwald said in the past some costs were prepared,
but that was a while ago.
Mr. Streich asked if the council wants to put something on the land purchased? Mayor
Stockamp noted the City Council is looking for direction on how to build out the property. Mr.
Streich feels Otsego is ready to move forward with development of the property for a fire
station with staffing.
Staff will provide the City Council with a copy of the PowerPoint reviewed tonight.
Mayor Stockamp at 6:56 PM motioned to reconvene this special meeting following
the 7 PM City Council meeting, seconded by CM Dahl. Roll Call: In favor; Goede,
Stockamp, Darkenwald, Moores and Dahl. Against: none. Motion carried 5-0.
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Mayor Stockamp motioned to reconvene the special meeting at 7:55 PM, seconded
by CM Darkenwald. Voice Roll Call: In favor; Goede, Stockamp, Darkenwald, Moores
and Dahl. Against: none. Motion carried 5-0.
zu 2022 Budget, Tax Levy and Capital Improvement Plan Review.
City Administrator/Finance Director Flaherty presented the budget meeting #3 materials in
detail which included.
• Pavement Management.
• Trail Management.
• Parks Equipment Replacement
• Capital Equipment Revolving
• Fire Station Reserve
• Storm Water
• Capital Improvements
• City Buildings & Property Maintenance fund.
• Tax Levy Summary
The City Council concurred as presented.
City Administrator/Finance Director Flaherty discussed Franchise Fees. Over the course of the
past few years budget discussions, the City Council and City staff have discussed using
franchise fees as an additional revenue source to finance the City's pavement management
program. Staff reviewed a fee revenue analysis completed by Ehlers and a source and use cash
frow projection that includes franchise fee revenues. The franchise fee revenue analysis showed
an estimate of $787,272 annual fee revenue. The City Council reviewed the proposed fees for
different types of uses. They also reviewed the sample tax fee impact analysis on properties
(annual franchise fee vs. levy impact). This fund will increase as more properties are
developed. The City Council will need to approve the Franchise Fees Ordinance, Agreements
with the Providers and Fee Schedule by the end of September to be in place for January 2022.
If the City Council moves forward, staff would create information for the residents and
businesses regarding the franchise fees for the website. Staff will prepare a chart of franchise
fees of surrounding communities.
City Administrator/Finance Director Flaherty reviewed the Fund Balance Policy -Calculation of
Transfer; he stated the policy outlines that any balance more than the defined 45% minimum
can be transferred to a capital reserve fund at the Council's discretion. There is balance of
$2,434,846; of which $616,000 is CARES funds. Recommends putting into Capital
Improvement Revolving Fund. The Council concurred to wait on approving the respective
transfer until more is known about the CIP Expenditure budgets later in the budgeting process.
Future budget meetings are scheduled for: August 9th, August 23rd, and August 30th. The
Council would adopt the Preliminary Tax Levy for Taxes Payable at the September 13th meeting.
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3. Adjourn.
CM Darkenwald motioned to adjourn the meeting at 8:55 PM, seconded by CM
Goede. Roll Call: In favor, Dahl, Darkenwald, Goede, Stockamp and Moores.
Against: none. Motion carried 5-0.
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