HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-01-22 Council Work Session MINUTES
OF THE WORK SESSION OF THE
EDINA CITY COUNCIL
HELD AT CITY HALL
JANUARY 22,2013
5:36 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
Mayor Hovland called the meeting to order at 5:36 p.m. in the Community Room of City Hall. Answering
rollcall were Members Bennett, Brindle,Sprague, Swenson and Mayor Hovland.
Attending from the Donations & Naming Working Group of the Park Board were: Chair Ellen Jones, Andy
Otness and Bob Kojetin.
Edina City Staff attending the meeting: Jennifer Bennerotte, Communications and Technology Services
Director; Susan Faus, Assistant Parks and Recreation Director; Ann Kattreh, Parks and Recreation Director;
Ari Klugman, City Manager Intern; Karen Kurt, Assistant City Manager; Debra Mangen, City Clerk; and Scott
Neal, City Manager.
Working Group Chair Jones reviewed the Draft Naming and Dedication of City Facilities and the Donations
policies with the Council. She noted the group is recommending adoption of a formal donations policy, a
citywide donations application and acceptance agreement, a pamphlet and public relations/outreach
encouraging donations, including volunteer time, a separate sponsorship and advertising policy, and
enhanced recognition to be more encouraging of donations and consistent in the handling of them. It
would be helpful to inform residents how decisions would be made relative to naming of city facilities, the
potential for recognition of donations and potential sunsets of naming. She pointed out that the draft policy
defined various terms that would, if adopted, have standardized meaning. The Council and Working Group
members discussed various aspects of the proposed donations policy including use of the Edina Community
Foundation as a conduit for handling donations, handling of pledged gifts and receipt of a pledged gift, and
recognition of gifts. On naming, Ms.Jones noted that one of every five Edina parks has been renamed in the
past 50 years, most of them for retired city officials. She added that research showed that natural and
historic names had more "bonding" power for residents. The Working Group was recommending more
deliberation in the naming of city facilities, the passage of time and public input before a city facility was
named or renamed after a person, and consideration of branding, place-making and naming-related
donations. It was agreed that other cities' policies be reviewed in further detail before reconsideration of
the draft policies."
Mayor Hovland declared the meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
D bra A. Mang n, Ci Jerk
Minutes approved by Edina City Council, February 5, 2013.
Ja es B` Mayor