2022-08-16 City Council Minutes - Work SessionCITY OF MENLiu TA HEIGHTS
DAKOTA COUNTY
STATE OF MINNESOTA
Minutes of the City Council Work Session
Held August 16, 2022
Pursuant
to due call
and
notice thereof, a work
session of the City Council, City of Mendota
Heights,
Minnesota
was
held at City Hall, 1101
Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, Minnesota,
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Levine called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.in. Councilors Duggan, Mazzitello, and
Miller were also present.
Staff in attendance included City Administrator Cheryl Jacobson, Public Works Director Ryan
Ruzek, Finance Director Kristen Schabacker, Assistant City Administrator Kelly Torkelson,
Parks and Recreation Manager Meredith Lawrence, Natural Resource Coordinator Krista
Spreiter, and City Clerk Christine Lusian.
OHEYAWAHE /PILOT KNOB TASK FORCE
Task force representatives Dale Bachmeier, Al Singer, Autumn Hubbell, and Chris Soutter
presented their work and recommended actions.
Work conducted by the task force focused on three interrelated areas: capital improvement
planning, natural resources, and interpretation. The task force explained that their
recommendations for 2023 budgeting include a $4,000 increase for invasive and natural resource
improvements, $10,000 cash match for interpretive planning, and $25,000 cash match for
property acquisition.
The task force will continue to engage with indigenous advisory group and ensure their voice is
represented. Singer expressed praise and shared that his observation is that Mendota Heights has
done more for natural resources for its size than some larger Dakota County cities.
MENDOTA HEIGHTS ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (MHAA)
Mayor Levine opened the discussion
with city
council
members, MHAA representatives John
Masica, Dan Novak, Adam Crepeau
and Tom
Stevens
and city staff.
Participants had an opportunity to share ideas and solutions to improve communication and the
overall relationship between the Association and the City. MHAA representatives expressed
frustration with the limitations of the city's field and facility use policy and the maintenance
provided by staff on the city ball fields. Staff expressed challenges responding to numerous
requests from multiple members of the athletic association community, many of which go above
and beyond what city plans and budgets allow. In addition, staff shared concerns about
communication between the association and city staff and the association's park maintenance
and improvement requests.
The association agreed that the city's field and facility use policy is necessary but would like to
see maintenance standards improved by the city. Public Works Director Ruzek clarified the
maintenance practices the City is responsible for, which are reflected in the City's policy.
Councilor Mazzitello requested a more in depth 15-year capital improvement plan that includes
funding for routine maintenance for the city's fields and facilities. The city council asked that
staff, MHAA, and Park and Recreation Commission work together to develop these plans and
bring forth a document to the council to review.
City Administrator Jacobson clarified that the city has afive-year asset management plan and
capital improvement plan and explained that planning work has started to develop a longer -term
plan. The current short-term plans were developed based on prior MHAA requests and a parks
and recreation commission priority project document which was distributed along with lists of
MHAA requests from June, May, and October, all of which have been incorporated into the
city's planning documents.
MHAA requested the following from the city:
• Earlier permitting for field use, a specific date was not provided. The current permit due
date is January 1. The Association would like to have an earlier date to support
marketing of their tournaments.
• Parking waivers for association events for overflow parking.
• City support for association fundraising and sponsorship in order to purchase items like
scoreboards and positive acknowledgement of the work that Association is doing with
Mendota Heights youth athletes.
City Administrator Jacobson requested the following from MHAA:
• That the Association identify one spokesperson to interact with the Public Works
Director to report field improvement and maintenance requests. Jacobson also requested
that the Association work within the Association to identify request priorities and
communicate those priorities within the Association and then to the city.
• That the Association ask questions to the city in order to clarify information and to
research the Associations ideas and suggestions. It was noted that city staff are networked
with other city Parks and Recreation professionals and are able to verify or research other
city's policies and practices with relative ease.
The city and MHAA felt that the following requests from each party were attainable moving
forward.
MHAA disclosed that a
merger with West St. Paul is in process and a name
change is
forthcoming, which will
better describe the inclusivity
of the association.
I:\�fIIIJ_7r•!
Mayor Levine adjourned the meeting at 5 A4 pm.
ATTES .
Christine Lu i City Clerk