CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES January 4, 2016 5:30
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES January 4, 2016 5:30 p.m.
1) Call to Order Mayor Whalen called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Present – Council: Mayor Lisa Whalen, Patricia Thoele, Mark Vanderlinde, Pam Mortenson, and Bob Christians; Staff: City Administrator Michael Barone, Finance Director Brian Grimm, Community Development Director David Abel, Director of Public Safety Paul Falls, and City Clerk Kris Linquist; Consultant – City Engineer Paul Hornby, WSB Engineering 2) Discussion of vacancies on the Parks and Planning Commissions Community Development Director Abel overviewed the need of commissioners. He stated that there are two vacancies for the Planning Commission but he does have two applications to fill those vacancies. The Parks Commission also has two vacancies and the city has not received any applications for those two vacancies. Mayor Whalen suggested to extend the recruitment period for the Parks Commission vacancies until the first part of February. There was discussion on the number of commissioners that would be needed to have the Commission still functional. Mortenson suggested that if any council members that are attending Homeowner Association (HOA) Annual meetings that they could try to recruit new members that way. The council decided to interview the potential Planning Commission members at the next meeting and to extend the recruitment period for the Parks Commission until the middle of February.
3) Comprehensive Plan Discussion Community Development Director Abel overviewed the Comprehensive Plan process. He is looking for direction from the council in how they want to proceed with the process in getting the Comprehensive Plan done. He Minnetrista Work Session Minutes – January 4, 2016
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stated that there were several options that the council could look at. Those options are: Doing an Request for Proposal (RFP) to find a firm to complete the Comp Plan Work with our current engineering firm WSB Abel stated that the City of Medina is working with WSB on an ala carte basis which would allow the City to pick and choose which module of the plan the City would need help with. Barone stated that the last time the Comp Plan was done was in 2006 and the City used NEC Planning Consultants. He wanted the council to be aware that there are two components to a Comp Plan, one being a Planning component and the other being an Engineering component. WSB would be assisting whomever is chosen to work on the Comprehensive Plan. Christians questioned what other cities such as Eden Prairie do. Barone stated that Eden Prairie had nine on-staff planners. Mayor Whalen suggested to do an RFP for ala carte services. Abel stated that it is very time consuming to get that type of RFP together and the city would probably not get very many responses since it is costly for a consultant to put together an RFP. Vanderlinde questioned if the Planning Department will have time to assist with the Comprehensive Plan. Abel stated that they would. Abel stated that usually there is a steering committee that would consist of 10 – 14 people including at least one councilmember, local organizations, citizens at large, and planning commissioners. Consensus was to use the ala carte services with WSB. Abel will bring back a proposal for council review at a future meeting. 4) Adjourn Mayor Whalen adjourned the meeting at 6:11 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Kris Linquist, City Clerk
Minnetrista Work Session Minutes – January 4, 2016
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1) Call to Order Mayor Whalen called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Present – Council: Mayor Lisa Whalen, Patricia Thoele, Mark Vanderlinde, Pam Mortenson, and Bob Christians; Staff: City Administrator Michael Barone, Finance Director Brian Grimm, Community Development Director David Abel, Director of Public Safety Paul Falls, and City Clerk Kris Linquist; Consultant – City Engineer Paul Hornby, WSB Engineering 2) Discussion of vacancies on the Parks and Planning Commissions Community Development Director Abel overviewed the need of commissioners. He stated that there are two vacancies for the Planning Commission but he does have two applications to fill those vacancies. The Parks Commission also has two vacancies and the city has not received any applications for those two vacancies. Mayor Whalen suggested to extend the recruitment period for the Parks Commission vacancies until the first part of February. There was discussion on the number of commissioners that would be needed to have the Commission still functional. Mortenson suggested that if any council members that are attending Homeowner Association (HOA) Annual meetings that they could try to recruit new members that way. The council decided to interview the potential Planning Commission members at the next meeting and to extend the recruitment period for the Parks Commission until the middle of February.
3) Comprehensive Plan Discussion Community Development Director Abel overviewed the Comprehensive Plan process. He is looking for direction from the council in how they want to proceed with the process in getting the Comprehensive Plan done. He Minnetrista Work Session Minutes – January 4, 2016
Page 1
stated that there were several options that the council could look at. Those options are: Doing an Request for Proposal (RFP) to find a firm to complete the Comp Plan Work with our current engineering firm WSB Abel stated that the City of Medina is working with WSB on an ala carte basis which would allow the City to pick and choose which module of the plan the City would need help with. Barone stated that the last time the Comp Plan was done was in 2006 and the City used NEC Planning Consultants. He wanted the council to be aware that there are two components to a Comp Plan, one being a Planning component and the other being an Engineering component. WSB would be assisting whomever is chosen to work on the Comprehensive Plan. Christians questioned what other cities such as Eden Prairie do. Barone stated that Eden Prairie had nine on-staff planners. Mayor Whalen suggested to do an RFP for ala carte services. Abel stated that it is very time consuming to get that type of RFP together and the city would probably not get very many responses since it is costly for a consultant to put together an RFP. Vanderlinde questioned if the Planning Department will have time to assist with the Comprehensive Plan. Abel stated that they would. Abel stated that usually there is a steering committee that would consist of 10 – 14 people including at least one councilmember, local organizations, citizens at large, and planning commissioners. Consensus was to use the ala carte services with WSB. Abel will bring back a proposal for council review at a future meeting. 4) Adjourn Mayor Whalen adjourned the meeting at 6:11 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Kris Linquist, City Clerk
Minnetrista Work Session Minutes – January 4, 2016
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