City Council Minutes

Pursuant to due call and posted notice thereof, the regular meeting of the Victoria City Council was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Mayor Hershberger Thun in the Council Chambers at 7951 Rose.

Members Present: Mayor: Mary Hershberger Thun; Councilmembers: Tim Amundsen, Jim Paulsen, Kim Roden, and Rick Tieden.

Absent: None.

Staff Present: Steve Sarvi, City Administrator; Cara Geheren, City Engineer; Holly Kreft, Community Development Director; Jylan Johnson, Finance Director; and Mike Norton, City Attorney.

Others Present: Unsie Zuege, Chanhassen Villager; Sue Orsen, The Victoria Gazette; and others.
 

Councilmember Paulsen commended Mr. Mead for his work on the Planning Commission over the years.

Councilmember Tieden presented a certificate of appreciation to Ms. Hoelscher for her work on the Park and Recreation Commission.

Mayor Hershberger Thun presented Mr. and Mrs. Boorsma with certificates of appreciation for their work on the Senior Commission.

Mayor Hershberger Thun presented Mr. Nelson with a certificate of appreciation for his work representing Victoria at LMCD for five years.

Mr. Sarvi read an invitation for the Council to attend the Eagle Scout ceremony for Brian Sumack on January 27 at the Acorn House.
 

Mr. Sarvi noted that Ms. Mahnke is present this evening and may want to introduce herself during the discussion of the feasibility report for the recreation trail.

Mayor Hershberger Thun asked that the New Business be considered prior to the Consent Agenda because someone is present to speak about it.

A motion was made by Councilmember Tieden, seconded by Councilmember Paulsen, to adopt the Agenda as revised above. With all members voting in favor, the motion carried. Vote: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays.
 

Mr. Sarvi presented the staff report.

Jack Helscher, 920 Smithtown Terrace, stated the trail should be constructed because it is not safe to travel along Highway 7 to the park and LRT. He indicated that currently he uses Smithtown Road and Highway 7 to get to the LRT, but he is not allowed to travel there without his parents.

Ann Helscher, 920 Smithtown Terrace, stated there is overwhelming support for the trail in the neighborhood. She presented the Council with a neighborhood petition in favor of the trail.

Ann Mahnke, Parks and Recreation/Field House Director, stated the Parks Commission expressed unanimous support for the study.

A motion was made by Councilmember Tieden, seconded by Councilmember Paulsen, to authorize the intermediate trail feasibility study for a trail on the north side of Highway7 in an amount not to exceed $2,500. With all members voting in favor, the motion carried. Vote: 5 Ayes, 0 nays.
 

Mr. Sarvi provided an overview of the staff report.

Mayor Hershberger Thun highlighted a number of changes to the City 2008 calendar. She noted William Olson submitted an application for the LMCD position today.

William Olson, 6315 Maple Ridge, stated he is a 20-year resident of Victoria and has been boating on Lake Minnetonka for 30 years. He would like to represent Victoria’s best interests on the LMCD; he commented the protection of the lake is paramount.

Mr. Sarvi recommended adding Mr. Olson as the City’s representative to the LMCD.

A motion was made by Councilmember Paulsen, seconded by Councilmember Tieden, to add William Olson to Agenda Statement 08-01 as the LMCD representative for the City of Victoria.

The Council and staff discussed the critical issues of the LMCD as well as the financial ambiguity of the organization’s financial statements. They encouraged Mr. Olson to be bold in his representation of the City of Victoria.

With all members voting in favor, the motion carried. Vote: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays.

The Council discussed the possibility of having a primary and a secondary Council representative for the Planning Commission, given the significant time commitment. It was decided the Mayor and Councilmember Roden would both represent the Council at the Planning Commission.

Councilmember Paulsen stated he will join Councilmember Amundsen as a representative on the Business Development Committee.

A motion was made by Councilmember Paulsen, seconded by Councilmember Roden, to approve Resolution No. 08-01, a Resolution Approving the 2008 City Council Member Assignments, Consulting Staff Committee/Commission Appointments, Fire Department Officers, City Protocol and Miscellaneous items, while adding Jim Paulsen to the Business Development Committee, Kim Roden to the Planning Commission, and William Olson to the LMCD. With all members voting in favor, the motion carried. Vote: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays.
 

Mayor Hershberger Thun read aloud the items to be considered under the Consent Agenda.

The Consent items were as follows:

Minutes of the December 27, 2007 City Council Meeting
Minutes of the January 2, 2008 Planning Commission Meeting
Payment of Bills $153,237.78

-A- Fire Department’s request to purchase one set of Extrication Equipment (Jaws of Life)

1. Agenda Statement No. 08-02
2. Exhibits

-B- Approval of Second Amendment to Legal Services Agreement

1. Agenda Statement No. 08-03
2. Exhibits

-C- Sanitary Lift Station 1 Improvements ~ Payment Request No. 2

1. Agenda Statement No. 08-04
2. Exhibits

-D- Victoria Lions Club request for a 1-day Temporary Liquor License

1. Agenda Statement No. 08-05
2. Exhibits

-E- Employment contracts for Ann Mahnke, Victoria Parks and Recreation/Field House Director, and Holly Kreft, Victoria Community Development Director

1. Agenda Statement No. 08-06
2. Exhibits

-F- Vacation Carry Over Update

1. Agenda Statement No. 08-07
2. Exhibits

Councilmember Roden removed Item 5-F from the Consent Agenda.

Councilmember Amundsen removed Item 5-A from the Consent Agenda.

A motion was made by Councilmember Tieden, seconded by Councilmember Roden, to adopt the Consent Agenda as amended. With all members voting in favor, the motion carried. Vote: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays.

Councilmember Amundsen clarified the request is to approve the purchase of one set, for a total of two pieces, of extrication equipment.

A motion was made by Councilmember Amundsen, seconded by Councilmember Tieden, to approve the purchase of one set of Extrication Equipment from Clarey’s Safety Equipment in the amount of $32,143.83 as budgeted in the Capital Improvement Plan. With all members voting in favor, the motion carried. Vote: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays.

Councilmember Roden recalled, for the benefit of the public, the reasons for the significant accumulation of vacation carryover for the City Administrator, due to his service in Iraq.

A motion was made by Councilmember Roden, seconded by Councilmember Amundsen, to approve Agenda Statement No. 08-07, and Vacation Carry Over Update. With all members voting in favor, the motion carried. Vote: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays.
 

(6) VISITORS PRESENTATION:

None.
 

(7) OPEN FORUM:

None.
 

None.
 

Ms. Geheren provided the staff report.

The Council and staff discussed the insufficient documentation of the prior verbal agreement regarding payment of this sewer extension.

The Council and staff continued discussion regarding the staff’s approval process in this situation.

With all members voting in favor, the motion carried. Vote: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays.

Ms. Kreft presented the staff report. She also noted the business development committee met last night and recommended unanimously to move ahead with the Shingobee plan.

Mr. Sarvi also recommended the City move ahead with the Shingobee plan, and he suggested the Business Development Committee take over as the lead committee in this process.

Ms. Kreft noted that staff met with the CEO of Shingobee, who would be the primary contact moving forward, as well.

The Council discussed the City’s development selection process, the Shingobee proposal, and its possible impact on existing businesses in Victoria.

The Council discussed the pros and cons of the Shingobee proposal.

With 3 members voting in favor, the motion carried. Vote: 3 Ayes (Hershberger Thun, Roden, Tieden), 2 Nays (Amundsen, Paulsen).

Mr. Sarvi noted staff will clarify for the Council the specific role of the Business Development Committee in this process.

The Council thanked staff for its hard work on these proposals.
 

This item was previously considered following the adoption of the agenda.
 

Mayor Hershberger Thun reported that ISD 112’s Community Education is considering how to involve young people in governmental committee work. She indicated she will continue working with this effort.

A Holy Family student indicated he is present on behalf of a government class, and suggested the Council contact area schools to continue to encourage student participation and observation at governmental meetings.

Councilmember Roden reported she will not be at the next Council meeting.

Councilmember Paulsen discussed the Council’s recent goal-setting workshop. He discussed connectivity in Victoria in terms of transportation and school districts.

Councilmember Amundsen reported on the value of calling Gopher State One Call prior to digging.

Mr. Norton provided an update regarding the Field House agreement with ISD 112.
 

Mayor Hershberger Thun recessed the regular Council meeting at 8:22 p.m. to hold a Closed Session to discuss the City’s strategy of the Kuske Mediation Claim as well as the City Administrator’s performance review.

A motion was made by Councilmember Roden, seconded by Councilmember Amundsen, to adjourn the meeting at 9:20 p.m. With all members voting in favor, the motion carried. Vote: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays.
 

Respectfully submitted,

Allison Burr
TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc.