2016-12-20 Council minutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
DAKOTA COUNTY
STATE OF MINNESOTA
Minutes of the Regular Meeting
Held Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the regular meeting of the City Council, City of Mendota
Heights, Minnesota was held at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights,
Minnesota.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Krebsbach called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The following members were present:
Councilmembers Duggan, Petschel, and Norton. Councilmember Povolny arrived at 7:55 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Council, the audience, and staff recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
RECOGNITION OF MAYOR KREBSBACH
AND COUNCILMEMBERS POVOLNY AND NORTON
On behalf of the City of Mendota Heights, staff, and the Council, Councilmember Duggan presented
Mayor Krebsbach and Councilmember Norton with gifts of appreciation for their service to the City.
Councilmember Petschel, speaking from her heart, expressed her appreciation for the privilege of
working with Mayor Krebsbach and Councilmember Norton. She also shared experiences,
accomplishments, skills learned, and relationships with each of them.
Councilmember Petschel then presented each of them with a plaque of recognition and appreciation
from the City.
AGENDA ADOPTION
Mayor Krebsbach presented the agenda for adoption. Councilmember Duggan moved adoption of the
agenda.
Councilmember Petschel seconded the motion.
Ayes: 4
Nays: 0
Absent: 1 (Povolny)
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CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Krebsbach presented the consent calendar and explained the procedure for discussion and
approval. Councilmember Duggan moved approval of the consent calendar as presented and
authorization for execution of any necessary documents contained therein.
a. Approval of December 6, 2016 City Council Minutes
b. Approve Tobacco License Renewals
c. Approval of Banking Authorization Signatory Change
d. Approve Resolution 2016-103 Rescinding Term Limits for Membership on NDC4 Cable
Commission
e. Approval of Firefighter Appointments
f. Authorize Purchase of Turnout Gear
g. Approve Purchase of Lexipol Policy Manual for the Police Department
h. Approve Resolution 2016-104 Granting a Temporary Permit to MnDOT for TH110 City -owned
Rights of Way, and Drainage and Utility Easements
i. Approve Resolution 2016-102 Accepting Work and Approving Final Payment for the Marie Avenue
& 35E Storm Sewer Improvements
j. Acknowledgement of November 2016 Fire Synopsis
k. Approval of Claims List
Councilmember Petschel seconded the motion.
Ayes: 4
Nays: 0
Absent: 1 (Povolny)
There were no public comments.
No items scheduled.
No items scheduled.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
PRESENTATIONS
PUBLIC HEARING
NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A) ACCEPT RESIGNATION OF FIRE CHIEF
City Administrator Mark McNeill explained that staff received a Letter of Retirement from Mr. John
Maczko, Fire Chief, noting that he would be stepping down as Fire Chief effective February 28, 2017.
Mr. Maczko has been a firefighter for more than 39 years. He has been Fire Chief since 1985.
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While he was chief, he has overseen the recruitment and training of dozens of firefighters and the
Mendota Heights Fire Department has also been awarded the Minnesota Fire Department of the Year
twice, most recently this last year.
The replacement process is recommended to be an internal promotion. Staff recommended approval of
the notice of the availability be posted. Anyone in the department who is interested could then apply for
the position by December 30, 2016. At the next Council meeting, staff will recommend that a selection
committee be appointed which would include two members of the City Council, members of the fire
department, a chief from an adjacent city, the Police Chief, and the City Administrator.
Mayor Krebsbach took this opportunity to express her appreciation to Chief Maczko and publicly thank
him for his outstanding service to the community.
Fire Chief John Maczko came forward and stated his appreciation for the opportunity to serve with such
a great fire department and with great firefighters.
Councilmember Petschel provided expressions of appreciation and well wishes to Chief Maczko.
Councilmember Duggan moved to accept with regret the resignation of John Maczko as Mendota
Heights Fire Chief, effective February 28, 2017.
Councilmember Petschel seconded the motion.
Ayes: 4
Nays: 0
Absent: 1 (Povolny)
Councilmember Petschel moved to direct that a job posting of the Fire Chief vacancy be made, and
forwarded to the firefighters.
Councilmember Norton seconded the motion.
Ayes: 4
Nays: 0
Absent: 1 (Povolny)
B) APPROVE LOGIS AGREEMENT FOR IT SERVICES
City Administrator Mark McNeill explained that the City has been operating without an IT professional
since the former IT manager resigned in August. Since that time, staff has been able to get by with using
LOGIS, however the City needs to look for something more permanent. A number of options have been
reviewed.
LOGIS is a consortium of mostly municipalities in the Twin Cities area; there are 40 different
jurisdictions that are partnering on that. The City of Mendota Heights has been using LOGIS for
maintenance needs and for updates; however, the City needs to look at where it would be going from
here.
A proposal to serve as the city's IT professional full-time was received from LOGIS. This would
provide the City everything from the IT help desk issues to longer-term strategic planning LOGIS has
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given the City an estimate based on the number of hours they believe they would have to invest. The
total cost in the proposal is $114,000 and the 2017 budget amount for IT professionals is $131,000. They
have proposed to have meetings with City staff every other week to see how things are going and a
review in four months.
Councilmember Duggan asked what LOGIS would be able to do for the City that is not now being done.
Administrator McNeill replied that since August the City has been treading water; they haven't looked
at what the longer-term issues are but have been doing maintenance as needed. However, a more
proactive approach is needed to prevent problems in the future and to ensure that the investment made in
the IT structure remains. The agreement with LOGIS would begin on January 1; however, they are
available and they have explored the transition over the last couple of weeks.
Councilmember Petschel asked for clarification that management of IT would fall under the new
Assistant City Administrator. Administrator McNeill replied that she would be the contact person from
the City to LOGIS.
Councilmember Duggan moved to approve the LOGIS agreement for IT services.
Councilmember Petschel seconded the motion.
Ayes: 4
Nays: 0
Absent: 1 (Povolny)
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
City Administrator Mark McNeill made the following announcements:
• City Hall will be closed on December 23`d , December 26th, and also January 2, 2017.
• The ice rinks opened at on December 20, 2016.
• Christmas lights can be recycled at City Hall until February 3, 2017.
• The City is accepting applications for the two vacancies on the Parks & Recreation Commission.
Applications due by December 30, 2016.
COUNCIL AND STAFF COMMENTS
City Administrator Mark McNeill recognized Mayor -elect Neil Garlock who was in attendance, and
Council -elect Joel Paper and Jay Miller who will be starting their job on January 2, 2017.
He also shared the Athenian Oath, which was used 2,000 years ago by the City of Athens for their
residents, to instill loyalty and commitment to their City. It is used often times now as a timeless code
for civic responsibility.
Councilmember Duggan shared a poem he hoped would bring memories back to people that had run into
challenges.
Councilmember Petschel gave a special thank you to the staff as they have been working short-handed
for a long time. She also wished the residents Happy Holidays.
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Mayor Krebsbach, closing out 24 years of elected life, exclaimed that this is a good moment in terms of
things coming together. She read prepared comments to ensure proper recognition of people and events.
She also noted things that she looks back on in terms of how she made decisions:
• The new should never take away from what is already there
• The plan needs to connect; whatever is coming in needs to connect with what is existing
She then provided examples of these decisions in action, what she would like to see happen in the future,
and provided expressions of appreciation.
Councilmember Povolny arrived at the meeting and thanked staff.
Councilmember Duggan presented Councilmember Povolny with a gift of appreciation and
Councilmember Petschel presented a plaque of appreciation from the City. As she did with Mayor
Krebsbach and Councilmember Norton, she shared experiences and accomplishments with
Councilmember Povolny.
ADJOURN
Councilmember Duggan moved to adjourn.
Councilmember Povolny seconded the motion.
Ayes: 5
Nays: 0
Mayor Krebsbach adjourned the meeting at 8:09 p.m.
Q
Neil Garlock
Mayor
ATTEST. Lc
Lorri Smith
City Clerk
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