SPECIAL BROOKLYN PARK CITY COUNCIL MEETING. 6:15 p.m th Avenue North

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1 SPECIAL BROOKLYN PARK CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, November 4, 2013 Brooklyn Park Council Chambers 6:15 p.m th Avenue North CALL TO ORDER Mayor Lunde PRESENT: Mayor Jeffrey Lunde; Council Members Rich Gates, John Jordan, Elizabeth Knight, Bob Mata and Mike Trepanier; City Manager Jamie Verbrugge; Assistant City Manager Mike Sable; Police Inspector Mark Bruley; and City Clerk Devin Montero. ABSENT: Peter Crema (excused). Mayor Lunde stated the council was meeting in an executive session to receive security briefings and discuss issues related to the city s security systems and stated was a closed session. MOTION LUNDE, SECOND GATES TO CLOSE THE MEETING PURSUANT TO MINNESOTA STATUTES, SECTION 13D.05, SUBDIVISION 3(D) TO RECEIVE SECURITY BRIEFINGS AND TO DISCUSS ISSUES RELATED TO THE CITY S SECURITY SYSTEMS. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. At 6:20 p.m. the council met in a closed executive session in the Administration Conference Room. The closed Executive Session ended at 6:59 p.m. and reconvened to the council chambers. At 7:00 p.m. Mayor Lunde reconvened the meeting and stated the Council met in a closed executive session and received security briefings and discuss issues related to the city s security systems. ADJOURNMENT With consensus of the Council, Mayor Lunde adjourned the meeting at 7:00 p.m. DEVIN MONTERO, CITY CLERK JEFFREY JONEAL LUNDE, MAYOR

2 REGULAR BROOKLYN PARK CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, November 4, 2013 Brooklyn Park Council Chambers 7:00 p.m th Avenue North Greetings to the City Council (DVD) Mr. Brad Pitlik CALL TO ORDER Mayor Jeffrey Lunde PRESENT: Mayor Jeffrey Lunde; Council Members Rich Gates, John Jordan, Elizabeth Knight, Peter Crema, Bob Mata and Mike Trepanier; City Manager Jamie Verbrugge; City Attorney Jim Thomson; Acting Community Development Director Mike Sable; Finance Director Cory Kampf; and City Clerk Devin Montero. ABSENT: None. Mayor Lunde opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. 2A RESPONSE TO PRIOR PUBLIC COMMENT City Manager Verbrugge stated there was one resident, Ms. Collette Guyott Hempel, who addressed the Council and didn t think it required a response. He stated he thought the Council understood her comments regarding the budget discussions unless there was direction from the Council to follow up. 2B PUBLIC COMMENT Ms. Janet Shallbetter, th Trail N., addressed the Council and concerned with the rezoning for development of 95 single family homes in her neighborhood. She stated she sent letters a month ago regarding the preliminary plat and rezoning development that was going on. She was concerned with the density and stated next week the builder was coming back and proposing a new plan because the last plan was met with negative feelings from the neighborhood. She stated the plan was for 95 lots and confusing to her to how it could happen because it seemed like a dramatic departure from conventions in the city. She stated she looked at the zoning and land use maps and counted houses in various neighborhoods and none of the neighborhoods, some R4 zoned between 12 to 390 units, had one point of access. She stated the proposed development would have one point of access for the 95 homes. She stated all R4 neighborhoods were located adjoining higher density of land or adjoining business districts where there was a main access point. She stated the places she looked at had an excess of 100 units and four of the neighborhoods had a minimum of five access points and

3 BROOKLYN PARK COUNCIL MEETING; NOVEMBER 4, 2013 Page 2 most were off major thorough ways. She stated the development was going to be basically landlocked within some of the lowest density housing within the city and was going to exceed most of the R4 counts with 95 homes and would be one road into it. She stated her concern was that it seemed like the development and the Planning Commission were force feeding it into her neighborhood and didn t understand why and thought it would be a detriment in her neighborhood. 3A MOTION GATES, SECOND CREMA, TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS SUBMITTED BY THE CITY CLERK. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. 3B1 Acting Police Chief Craig Enevoldsen presented the Citizen s Award to Mr. VanSloun, Vested Interest in K9s (VIK9) for donating a bullet and stab resistant vest for our K9 Ozzy. He also presented the Citizen s Award to Shawn Simpson who acted courageously and selflessly by saving two officers from further injury and providing protection for other students and staff at Hennepin Technical College. Chief Enevoldsen introduced Army Sergeant McBride and he read an Army Commendation narrative and Army Captain Bilig presented the United States Army Commendation Medal to Sergeant Shawn Simpson for his heroic actions. 3B2 Acting Police Chief Craig Enevoldsen introduced Andrea Jensen, Bradley Swenson, and Juan Sanchez Lara as new employees to the Police Department. Recreation and Parks Manager Jan Ficken introduced Emily Knewtson as a new employee to the Recreation and Parks Department. 3B3 Police Inspector Mark Bruley briefed Council on the contributions to the City of Brooklyn Park from Cabela s, Full Throttle Fishing, Target Corporation and the local Target Store. He presented appreciation awards to Mr. Steve Lonn, Cabelas and Mr. Mark Shutz, Full Throttle Fishing, who were in attendance. 3B3 MOTION LUNDE, SECOND GATES, TO WAIVE THE READING AND ADOPT RESOLUTION # ACKNOWLEDGING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF BROOKLYN PARK. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. 3B4 Recreation and Parks Manager Jan Ficken and Deputy Chief Police Jeff Ankerfelt gave an update on the Brooklyn Park Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (YVPI). 4.0 MOTION GATES, SECOND LUNDE, TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATIVE CONSENT ITEM: 4.1 MOTION GATES, SECOND LUNDE, TO WAIVE THE READING AND ADOPT RESOLUTION

4 BROOKLYN PARK COUNCIL MEETING; NOVEMBER 4, 2013 Page 3 # DETERMINING VALIDITY AND SUFFICIENCY OF PETITION, ORDERING PREPARATION OF FEASIBILITY REPORT FOR THE EXTENSION OF LOUISIANA AVENUE NORTH OF COUNTY ROAD 30 FOR BPP LLC AND CSM PROPERTIES INC. 4.2 MOTION GATES, SECOND LUNDE, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE BROOKLYN PARK CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF OCTOBER 21, 2013, AS PRESENTED BY THE CITY CLERK. 4.2 MOTION GATES, SECOND LUNDE, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE BROOKLYN PARK CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF OCTOBER 28, 2013, AS PRESENTED BY THE CITY CLERK. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. 7.1 City Manager Jamie Verbrugge briefed the Council on the resolution establishing a Sister City relationship with the City of Kakata, Liberia. He stated it was the same resolution passed by the Council in July, 2012 to establish the Sister City relationship and the difference was the Articles of Understanding regarding the Sister City relationship had been incorporated to reflect the desires and ambitions of the Kakata City representatives. He stated they had not passed their formal agreement and the purpose of taking action tonight was for the city delegation traveling to Liberia including Council Members Gates and Knight would participate in a formal signing ceremony to formalize the agreement. 7.1 MOTION LUNDE, SECOND, GATES, TO WAIVE THE READING AND ADOPT RESOLUTION # RESTATING ESTABLISHING A SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF KAKATA, LIBERIA. Council Member Mata stated he didn t see the value of the Sister City relationship and thought the city could do a lot more with the money if it was spent on the Liberians in the city rather than spending money for a delegation to Liberia. He asked how the Sister City relationship would benefit the city because it was benefitting the City of Kakata with representatives from Hennepin Technical College helping with their college. He stated that helping just one small group of minorities rather than all of the other groups thought it was going against the city s mission, inspiring pride where opportunities exist for all. Council Member Mata questioned the resolution stating, Brooklyn Park is estimated to have as many as 10% of its residents being of Liberian decent, and asked how many were from Kakata. He stated the city sent a delegation last year with Mayor Lunde and City Manager Verbrugge and asked what it brought back to the city that would manifest going out there again in 15

5 BROOKLYN PARK COUNCIL MEETING; NOVEMBER 4, 2013 Page 4 months. Council Member Mata questioned the resolution stating, It s creating an atmosphere which community engagement, and asked how it was done. He asked if it could be done by engaging the residents that were in the city rather than traveling to Liberia. He asked if some left because of the 14 year civil war, if it was still going on or over and how safe it was to send a delegation there. He stated he was concerned for sending the delegation there if they were still engaged in a civil war. He asked what business connections had been made and if any businesses were in the city because of the relationship with the City of Kakata. He stated the Articles of Understanding drafted ensured there was no inferred or obligated financial impact to the city but Articles, #1, 2, 3, and 4 stated through the exchange of delegations and Article #5, stated sending city delegations will be responsible for travel expenses. He stated it went directly against what was stated in the financial issues because it inferred there would be financial obligations to send people there. Council Member Mata stated because of those reasons he would like to see the city spend more time and money to not only meet with the Liberians in the community but also with the Somalians, Kenyans, Asians, Mexicans and all of the other different groups to educate them, for example, on emergency calls because the Fire Department said a lot of their calls were from people calling for any reason to get a vehicle out there to get a ride to the hospital. He stated he was not going to support the motion. Council Member Knight stated she appreciated Council Member Mata s comments but respectfully disagreed. She stated when 10% of the city s population belonged to a particular group, it was a significant core group of the city. She stated the Liberian population was heavily engaged and some were members of the MAC, JCPP, Core Planning team, on different teams of the Community Engagement Initiative and were very present in the nonprofit and faith community. She stated she also understood his concerns about the financial implications and her personal investment in making the trip far outweighed any kind of city or donated funds. She stated she believed strongly in making the trip and anytime the city could increase the understanding and create strong ties with a community group it was making an impact. Council Member Gates stated the war had been over for several years and didn t think the city would have sent a delegation in a time when it was bad. He stated 10% of the population being Liberian was a big deal and the people were very dedicated to the community.

6 BROOKLYN PARK COUNCIL MEETING; NOVEMBER 4, 2013 Page 5 He stated the delegation was going over there to engage with them and give presentations to let them know how city government worked so they could work together. He stated the work of the first delegation was a huge success for both groups. He stated the city didn t single out one population, but worked with everyone and the Liberians happened to be the biggest population in the city. He stated when the delegation came back they would have great things to discuss and share with everyone on how the city was strengthening the bond with the members of the community. Mayor Lunde stated Council Member Mata had good questions but having gone there, he understood the link with the Liberians that were in the city. He stated some would stay and some would go back but the city had the deep connection between their country and they came to the city because it was a welcoming environment for them. He stated the first trip helped reach an understanding within minutes of leaving the airport because the idea of homeownership in Minnesota was different than Liberia and that was some of the disconnect that was occurring in the city as in forms of complaints about home ownership, lawn upkeep and the code enforcement issues. He stated those kinds of things had value and also gave a sense of commitment to the Liberians. They saw and understood and the city could go to the Liberians now and say they expected more of them. He stated it was the street credibility that gave the city the ability to ask them to do more or do something and talk about what was needed in that community. He stated that understanding the culture was the first rule of making progress and if the city didn t understand how culturally the people worked and vice versa, how the city worked, the money spent would be a lot less efficient. He stated it also had given the city credibility with other cultures and stated the Nigerians recently hosted a Nigerian national festival and was economic development that came to the city to spend money. He stated there was also a connection with the Mexican consulate, the city was unique in Minnesota with a large diverse population and had a lot of new Americans. He stated when the city understood where people came from it made everything done by the city more efficient. He stated the limited money that was spent had value and the city wanted to do something different and have a relationship with a similar size city and learn a lot. He stated that learning how to work with different cultures, the city got better, people understood what they had to learn and what they needed to do and the city would become more efficient when dealing with the Asian America community, African community and other groups. Council Member Crema stated the city did get an investment from the citizens of Liberia that may intend to return and stay forever. He stated it was a new program and was building

7 BROOKLYN PARK COUNCIL MEETING; NOVEMBER 4, 2013 Page 6 momentum with those citizens and trying to build on it. He stated he agreed with Council Member Mata that maybe next year or the year after, but we don t need to go to Liberia every year. He stated that right now the city was building that investment, connection and momentum and he would support it today but might not support it next year. 7.1 THE VOTE ON THE MOTION PASSED (6 TO 1). COUNCIL MEMBER MATA VOTED NO. 7.2 Mayor Jeffrey Lunde briefed the Council on the removal of a Commissioner from the Budget Advisory Commission. 7.2 MOTION LUNDE, SECOND GATES, TO REMOVE BENARD MUKO FROM THE BUDGET ADVISORY COMMISSION DUE TO LACK OF ATTENDANCE. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. 8.1 Finance Director Cory Kampf briefed the Council on the Finance Department Budget. Council Member Trepanier stated that much of the increase in the budget was the increase in technology to make the employees more efficient. Mayor Lunde questioned the mechanisms being implemented for e services and if they could be used city wide. Finance Director Kampf stated that the same programs might not be able to be used by different departments Acting Police Chief Craig Enevoldsen briefed the Council on the Police Department budget. Mayor Lunde questioned how the radio communications would be handled between the Operations and Maintenance Department and other departments if the police radios were encrypted. He stated there might be a disconnect between the departments if the Police went with the encryption. Chief Enevoldsen stated that only a few of the channels would be encrypted and the remaining stations would remain public and communications with different departments could continue. Council Member Knight questioned who sought out the grants and stated she was interested in seeing the trends between state and federal grants. Chief Enevoldsen stated that Ms. Stephanie Heiberger was the grant coordinator but specific individuals would seek out the grants based on their areas of expertise. He stated the Extraordinary Coaching grant numbers had been going down and the VOWA grant would be expiring and they sought those out. He stated that overall it was spread out over the department.

8 BROOKLYN PARK COUNCIL MEETING; NOVEMBER 4, 2013 Page 7 Mayor Lunde questioned if the lack of transmitters and communications in public buildings, specifically Champlin Park High School caused concern. Chief Enevoldsen stated that it was a concern at that school and there had been other concerns at other schools that had been addressed. He stated the school district had been made aware of it and they had considered putting another antenna in Champlin Park High School. Mayor Lunde stated that area was a highly concentrated school zone area and was surprised nothing had been done to fix it. Chief Enevoldsen stated they were now attending Emergency Preparedness discussions and were beginning to implement the Emergency Preparedness Manual. Mayor Lunde questioned that now that money had been approved for domestic abuse in the last year and the cases had gone up if there was a point of turning the corner and seeing results and a measurement of the success of the program. He stated once people were aware of the resources they could begin to utilize the program. Chief Enevoldsen stated it had been discussed and the reports were up but it is still early in the educational outreach stage and there might be an increase in the reports but would be fair to look at numbers next year and evaluate it. 9A COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Council Member Knight asked when the next meeting of the Public Safety Task Force would be. City Manager Verbrugge stated staff was polling the group of the next meeting date. He stated at the first meeting a week and half ago, the group decided to meet on a monthly basis. He stated they zoned in on the 4 th Thursday and this month was Thanksgiving Day and were looking at a different date that worked because of some commission scheduling issues. He stated they would be setting a regular meeting schedule soon and would be providing the meeting updates to the Council as well as the Task Force. Council Member Trepanier stated there was an article in the newspaper on crumbling asphalt because of using a State approved formula. He asked if the Council needed to start doing additional set aside to cover it as bills come due. He also asked if there was a way of doing additional types of maintenance to extend the life of the asphalt. City Manager Verbrugge stated the same issue was identified for the Council during the Operations and Maintenance Department budget review. He stated Director Ruiz talked about the challenges the Streets Superintendent was running into. He stated they were seeing areas of the city and was a specific time period when a certain type of mixture was used that was

9 BROOKLYN PARK COUNCIL MEETING; NOVEMBER 4, 2013 Page 8 breaking down a lot sooner than estimated. He stated the Department was at work trying to figure out how much that impact was going to be and expect it would be reflected in the future CIP. He stated they didn t have a good estimate of what it meant except that some of their planned rehabilitation was going to be accelerated. He stated he would have the Department respond to the Council. 9B CITY MANAGER ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REPORTS City Manager Verbrugge stated that weather advisories had three to five inches tomorrow night and since the overnight parking ban went into effect a couple of weeks ago some were wondering how that would be enforced. He stated that when the three to five inches of snow started in the evening and into the morning he was going to need the resident s cooperation to get the cars off the street. He stated the first one of the year was usually the one that took the most reminding. He stated what the Police Department did the first couple of weeks, when the overnight ban went into effect, was tried a softer approach of advising people who were parking on the street without necessarily issuing citations. He stated that as soon as the snow starts to come, residents needed to pay attention and get the cars off the street. ADJOURNMENT With consensus of the Council, Mayor Lunde adjourned the meeting at 9:19 p.m. DEVIN MONTERO, CITY CLERK JEFFREY JONEAL LUNDE, MAYOR