ITEM 3.2A 9.28.2015 MinutesITEM 3.2A
OTSEGO CITY COUNCIL MEETING
OTSEGO PRAIRIE CENTER
SEPTEMBER 28, 2015
7:00 PM
Call to Order.
Mayor Jessica Stockamp called the meeting to order at 7:01 PM.
Roll Call: Mayor Jessica Stockamp; Councilmembers: Vern Heidner, Doug Schroeder, Jason
Warehime and Tom Darkenwald.
Staff: Lori Johnson, City Administrator; Daniel Licht, City Planner; Ron Wagner, City Engineer;
Andy MacArthur, City Attorney; Adam Flaherty, Finance Director; and Tami Loff, City Clerk.
Pledge of Allegiance: Mayor Stockamp led in the Pledge of Allegiance.
1. Open Forum.
No one present.
2. Consider agenda approval.
City Administrator Johnson requested to pull Item 3.6 for City Attorney and City Staff to
research and add Item 7.1 Request from Wright County Sheriff regarding an unresolved issue.
CM Heidner motioned to approve as amended. Seconded by CM Schroeder. All in
favor. Motion carried.
3. Consent Agenda. (Non -controversial items
3.1 Approve Claims List.
3.2 Approve City Council Meeting Minutes.
A. September 14, 2015 Meeting.
B. September 14, 2015 Special Meeting.
3.3 Received Commission Meeting Minutes.
A. Heritage Preservation Commission August 11, 2015.
B. Public Safety Commission August 11, 2015.
C. Planning Commission September 8, 2015.
3.4 Adopt Resolution 2015-51 setting Packard Improvement Project Assessment Public
Hearing for October 12, 2015.
3.5 Adopt Resolution 2015-52 No Fault Insurance.
3.6 Adopt Resolution 2015-53 Approving Metro Appliance and Recycling as Approved City
Vendor. - REMOVED
3.7 Approve MMUA Contract Renewal.
3.8 Approve application for MN OSHA Safety Grant.
CM Heidner motioned to approve as amended with removal of Item 3.6. Seconded
by CM Schroeder. All in favor. Motion carried.
4. Community Development:
4.1 Kittredge Crossings 12th Addition: (Resolutions 2015-54 & 55)
A. PUD Development Staae Plan and Preliminary Plat realattina an area approved
for 44 attached townhome dwellings for development of 25 detached townhome
dwellings.
B. Final Plat.
City Planner Licht presented the staff report.
Applicant, Bill Gleason, Essay Holdings LLC, said the development agreement states a
requirement of two trees for every unit. He said they have planned on one tree and plantings in
front of each unit. City Planner Licht said the landscape plan that is approved as part of the
PUD will supersede that language in the development agreement; he further stated they will
substitute that in the final document with the applicant.
CM Darkenwald asked the applicant regarding the current market; he said you hear a lot about
townhomes not being the ideal situation right now have you seen a change in that. Mr. Gleason
replied he agrees with that statement; he said when the market went the opposite direction
than where it was at; there was a lot of ways people were trying to come up with affordable
housing and townhomes seemed to be the best at that time and that has kind of went away.
He said when they looked at this project they wanted to come up with something that made
more sense for the market today and the detached is more of a single family feel. He also
stated that insurance for homeowners is a lot more reasonable with detached rather than
attached. He further stated the benefit of having the lawns mowed and streets plowed. CM
Darkenwald asked on the price range. Mr. Gleason said around $250-275,000 is the goal.
CM Heidner said he wants to reiterate what some of the Planning Commissioners mentioned;
they want to make sure these are truly the single family detached townhomes where in that
they own a pad underneath but all the grass and common area is an association. City Planner
Licht said correct. CM Warehime asked if this will be a private drive and on the plowing. City
Planner Licht said it will be maintained by the homeowners association.
CM Heidner motioned to approve a PUD Development Stage Plan, Preliminary Plat
and Final Plat of Kittredge Crossings 12t" Addition based on the findings of fact and
decision dated September 23, 2015, adopting Resolution 2015-54 approving a
development agreement, and adopting Resolution 2015-55 vacating existing
drainage and utility easements. Seconded by CM Schroeder. All in favor. Motion
carried.
5. Administration:
5.1 Preliminary 2016 Property Tax Levy:
A Adopt Resolution 2015-56 Reducing the Property Tax Levy for Taxes Payable in
2016 in Relation to Debt Service.
B. Adopt Resolution 2015-57 Setting a Preliminary Property Tax Levy for Taxes
Payable 2016.
C. Motion to set the Truth in Taxation Public Hearing.
Finance Director Flaherty presented the Preliminary Property Tax Levy for 2016. CM Heidner
asked how many new houses this year and how many new houses last year. City Planner Licht
said a little over 150 this year and just fewer than 200 last year. CM Heidner said that is why
we can't keep it the same; we need to build new roads and then the maintenance and plowing.
CM Darkenwald asked what the percentage increase for the median value residential homes is
between 2015 and 2016. Finance Director Flaherty said that value increase in 9.1 percent and
that is an estimate that was given from Wright County. CM Darkenwald asked how much the
property tax portion is increasing. Finance Director Flaherty said for a median value property
2.3 percent increase. So the value of the median value home has gone up 9.1 percent. City
Administrator Johnson said just to be clear that 9.1 percent is an average increase, some may
go up more some may go down and the 2.3 percent tax increase will fluctuate as well.
City Administrator Johnson said one item she would like to note is that the LGA is not being
used for operations but is being used for one time expenditures. Those one time expenditures
would be funded through a tax levy without LGA so it is helping to offset a tax levy increase.
CM Schroeder motioned to approve Resolution 2015-56, reducing the property tax
levy for taxes payable 2016 in relation to debt service to an amount of $640,000.
Seconded by CM Heidner. All in favor. Motion carried.
CM Schroeder motioned to approve Resolution 2015-57, setting the maximum total
preliminary property tax for taxes payable in 2016 in the amount of $5,020,206.
Seconded by CM Heidner. All in favor. Motion carried.
CM Darkenwald motioned to set the Truth in Taxation public hearing for taxes
payable 2016 for 7:00 PM, on Monday, December 14, 2015, the meeting will be held
at Otsego Prairie Center. Seconded by CM Warehime. All in favor. Motion carried.
CM Heidner said a few weeks ago he asked about the tax abatement and if you look at the
Resolution 2015-57 the general revenue and the tax abatement and bonds built into the levy
that way and he said in the past we hadn't done it that way we only have done that in the last
two years. He asked if there was there a change in state law that required us to start doing
that. City Administrator Johnson said no there was not; she said she thinks in the past it was a
budget line item in the general fund so it was levied but in a different manner.
5.2 Call Special Meetings for CIP and Utility Budgets.
City Administrator Johnson is recommending October 26 and November 9 directly following the
regular scheduled meeting to review the Utility Department Budget and the 2016-2020 CIP.
Mayor Stockamp motioned to set October 26, 2015 and November 9, 2015 directly
following the regular City Council meeting to review the Utility Department Budget
and the CIP. Seconded CM Heidner. All in favor. Motion carried.
5.3 Administration and Finance Department Reorganization.
City Administrator Johnson reviewed the staff report which included the recommendation of
reorganizing the Administration and Finance Departments. Finance Director Flaherty distributed
and reviewed the job description for the recommended Accountant position. CM Darkenwald
questioned the wording on the qualifications. After discussion the consensus was to leave as is.
Mayor Stockamp said she doesn't see receive applications listed on the Human Resources
Generalist/Deputy Clerk job description. City Administrator Johnson said that would be covered
under the Employee Recruitment and Selection section of the position description.
CM Heidner motioned to approve the reorganization of the Administration and
Finance Department as outlined in item 1-9 in the September 28 staff report which
included the Accountant Job Description. Seconded by CM Warehime. All in favor.
Motion carried.
City Administrator Johnson said City staff will be bringing back at a later date a request for
office cubicles and that the State contract amount is around $2,500 apiece.
6 CiDI Council Reports and Updates.
6.1 Commission Liaison Updates.
A Heritage Preservation Commission Liaison Mayor Stockamp.
Mayor Stockamp said at the last meeting the Commission was getting ready for the Otsego
Prairie Festival they also have been working on boards and a video for the 25th Year Anniversary
event.
B. Parks & Recreation Commission Liaison CM Schroeder.
CM Schroeder said the last commission meeting was canceled.
C. Planning Commission Liaison CM Heidner.
CM Heidner gave an updated on Planning Commission recommendations. He also stated the E-8
application has been tabled until October 5 per the applicant.
D. Public Safety Commission Liaison CM Warehime.
CM Warehime said at the last meeting the Commission was getting ready for the Otsego Prairie
Festival. He said Rogers Fire will hold a practice burn; Elk River Fire had their Fire Fighter
Graduation and will be holding an Open House in October which all City Council is invited. He
also said that next month the Commission will be doing their road cleanup of Nashua Avenue.
7. Staff Reports and Updates.
7.1 Request from Wright County Sheriff regarding an unresolved issue.
City Administrator reviewed the request from the Wright County Sheriff to move a bank of four
mailboxes due to an ongoing issue. If approved the Sheriff Department would be taking the
lead on the move and is working with the Postmaster. City staff is requesting up to $1000.
CM Darkenwald motioned to approve up to $1000 for the move of the mailbox.
Seconded by CM Schroeder. All in favor. Motion carried.
Other:
City Engineer Wagner said we are about three weeks away from the opening of County Road
37. He asked the City Council if they would like to hold a Grand Opening. The City Council
concurred. A date will be set as the project draws near.
8. Adjourn.
CM Darkenwald motioned to adjourn. Seconded by CM Warehime. All in
favor. Motion carried. Adjourned at 8:07 PM.
ATTEST:
Tami Loff, City Clerk
Mayor Jessica Stockamp
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