2018-01-02 Council Work Session - Closed Session MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
DAKOTA COUNTY
STATE OF MINNESOTA
Minutes of the City Council Closed Session and Work Session
Held January 2, 2018
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a meeting of the City Council, City of Mendota Heights,
Minnesota was held at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, Minnesota.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Garlock called the meeting to order at 5:30 pm. Councilmembers Duggan, Miller, Paper,
Petschel were also present.
CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS LABOR NEGOTIATION MATTERS
A motion to adjourn to a closed session pursuant to Minnesota Statute §13D.03 for Attorney Client
Privilege for discussion of labor negotiations strategy. Those present included Mayor Garlock,
Councilmembers Duggan, Miller, Paper, and Petschel. Also in attendance were Assistant City
Administrator Cheryl Jacobson, City Attorney Tom Lehmann, and City Administrator Mark McNeill.
A motion was made by Councilor Miller and seconded by Councilor Duggan to adjourn the closed
meeting and to return to the open meeting at 6:05 pm. The motion passed 5-0.
It was stated that no official action was taken by the Council in the closed session meeting. The
Council will provide a summary of the closed session at a regular Council meeting as required by
Minnesota Statutes.
OPEN SESSION
Salary Discussion
Staff presented the compensation study results from consultant Springsted, Inc. Assistant City
Administrator stated that a study had been commissioned with Springsted for a classification and
compensation study for non-union employees. The City needed to report its Pay Equity status by
January 31st, and that as a result of this study, it appears that the City's pay plan would be in
compliance. The pay plan as proposed by Springsted would reduce the number of pay grades from
the existing 44, to 22, and would expand the number of steps from the current five, to seven. She
also discussed implementation, and the transition to the new plan.
Ms. Jacobson said that the adoption of this plan would be on the January 16th City Council agenda.
Village Lots Discussion
Mr. McNeill asked that the Council discuss what it would like to see done about the Village lots. He
said that the preliminary KLJ North-South traffic study which had been presented at the December
19th City Council meeting had addressed the traffic impacts of the development of these lots on Dodd
Road.
Councilor Duggan indicated that he would like to see condominiums at that location, and would not
want to see rentals. Councilor Miller said that he was concerned about traffic impacts and density at
that location. Mayor Garlock said that he would like to see what we could live with, and then market
it. Councilor Petschel said that the Comp Plan shows a lack of housing, and especially senior
housing; she felt that townhouses wouldn't address those needs. Councilor Duggan didn't feel that
the City needed to provide for all aging people in Mendota Heights, and that the City was now
getting a nice mix of younger people who were maintaining quality homes. Councilor Petschel said
that the merchants in the Village should be involved, and that they should be invited to a meeting to
discuss the topic in the early summer.
The Council reached no consensus as to the next step for the Village lots.
2018 Fireworks
Mr. McNeill stated that, following an announcement in the Heights Highlights, he and several
members of the City Council had received contacts from members of the public who were concerned
about the discontinuance of July 4th fireworks. Some had volunteered to make donations. Councilor
Miller said that firefighter Jay Taylor is willing to pursue it on behalf of the City.
Mr. McNeill reviewed previous expenditures by the City, and the results of an on-line survey that he
had done of other Minnesota cities. The consensus of the City Council was that the fireworks should
continue for 2018, and that the city would contribute $10,000 of a $12,500 budget, if others were
willing to do fundraising to cover the balance.
2018 Fee Schedule
Due to a lack of time, this agenda item was not discussed.
ADJOURN
Motion Mayor Garlock and seconded by Councilor Paper to adjourn the meeting at 6:58 pm. Motion
carried 5-0.
Neil Garlock, Mayor
Sy, 0
Lorri Smith, City Clerk
Jan 2, 2018 Council Closed Session/Work Session page 2 oft