HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-01-02 City Council Meeting MinutesMINUTES
OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE
EDINA CITY COUNCIL
JANUARY 2, 2024
7:00 P.M.
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Hovland called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. then shared the procedure for public hearing and
community comment.
11. ROLLCALL
Answering rollcall were Members Agnew, Jackson, Risser, Hovland.
Absent: Member Pierce.
III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
IV. MEETING AGENDA APPROVED AS PRESENTED
Member Jackson made a motion, seconded by Member Agnew, to approve the meeting agenda
as presented.
Ayes: Agnew, Jackson, Risser, Hovland
Motion carried.
V. COMMUNITY COMMENT
Ralph Zickert, 4311 Cornelius Circle, asked questions regarding current water rates and how it was 38%
less for commercial rates than residential rates. He spoke about the falsehood of commercial accounts that
state they use less water than less metered accounts and how 2023 commercial rates had decreased. He
expressed frustration about the ongoing series of non-replies and responses from the City to specific
questions such as actual water rates.
David Frenkel, 4510 Lakeview Drive, shared data on profits of Edina liquor stores and felt they were sliding
toward insolvency as profits had been cut in half in the last five years. He said the City needed a plan to
address impacts from the large retailer Total Wine otherwise the City would need to begin the public
process to dissolve municipal liquor in the City.
Jimmy Kopens, 6221 Bellmore Lane, thanked the Council and staff for their work then inquired about the
recent tax increase which was quite large and shared his property had not appreciated by 18.8%. He said
he attended all meetings allowed to object to the proposed increase then spoke about an inappropriate use
and taxation of funds and noted residents had to pay these increases. He said Minnesota had the seventh
highest taxes in the entire country and while residents received great services, he was concerned where the
funding was going. He shared frustrations about the need for multiple road projects for Blake Road and felt
funding was being misused.
V.A. CITY MANAGER'S RESPONSE TO COMMUNITY COMMENTS
Interim Assistant City Manager Uram responded to past Community Comments.
VI. CONSENT AGENDA ADOPTED AS AMENDED
Member Jackson made a motion, seconded by Member Agnew, approving the consent agenda
as amended, removing Items VI.R., Request for Purchase; Change Order #2 for Grandview
Pedestrian Bridge and VI.S. Request for Purchase; Change Order #2 for Grandview Pedestrian
Bridge Engineering Services:
VI.A. Approve Minutes of the Worksession and Regular Meeting of December 19, 2023
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Minutes/Edina City Council/January 2, 2024
VI.B. Approve Claims for Payment for Check Register Claims Pre-List Dated December 15,
2023, totaling $1,839,989.57 and Check Register Claims Pre-List Dated December 22,
2023 totaling $2,994,180.83
VI.C. Adopt Resolution No. 2024-01; Designating Official Newspaper for 2024
VI.D. Adopt Resolution No. 2024-02; Signatory Resolution
VI.E. Adopt Resolution No. 2024-03; Designating Official Depositories
VI.F. Adopt Resolution No. 2024-04; Designation of Director and Alternate Director of
LOGIS
VI.G. Adopt Resolution No. 2024-05; Designation of Director and Alternate Director of
Suburban Rate Authority
VI.H. Adopt Resolution No. 2024-06; Authorizing Facsimile Signatures by Public Officials
VI.I. Annual Appointment of Assistant Weed Inspector
VI.J. Adopt Resolution No. 2024-07; Approving Parking Restrictions
VI.K. Request for Purchase; 2023 Mercedes Metris, awarding the bid to the recommended
low bidder, Morries Maplewood, $41,761
VI.L. Accept Traffic Safety Report of December 13, 2023
VI.M. Request for Purchase; Building Energy Benchmarking Services, awarding the bid to the
recommended low bidder, Touchstone IQ, $42,400
VI.N. Request for Purchase; Police Department EV Charging Station Underground
Infrastructure, awarding the bid to the recommended low bidder, Egan Company,
$23,350
VI.O. Request for Purchase; Change Order #1 for Sanitary Sewer Lift Station No. 3
Construction Phase Services, awarding the bid to the recommended low bidder, Bolton
& Menk, $19,000 for a total contract of $99,480
VI.P. Request for Purchase; Change Order #1 to Bury Overhead Power Lines on the Blake
Road Project, awarding the bid to the recommended low bidder, Xcel Energy,
$198,927.80
VI.Q. Request for Purchase; Change Order #1 for Blake Road Reconstruction Construction
Services, awarding the bid to the recommended low bidder, WSB, $149,564
Services
VI.T. Approve 2023-2025 Union Contract for IBEW Local 292 Electricians
Rol!call:
Ayes: Agnew, Jackson, Risser, Hovland
Motion carried.
ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA
VI.R. REQUEST FOR PURCHASE; CHANGE ORDER #2 FOR GRANDVIEW PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE
— AWARDED
The Council asked questions regarding both change orders for the Grandview pedestrian bridge which they
were not aware until receiving a resident email. It indicated the report was inadequate, stressed the need
for more transparency and information in the report, and spoke about the project scope to access from the
upper deck from the ramp across tracks to Arcadia Avenue and felt this was a myopic project as it was not
ADA accessible. The Council indicated as part of a TIF project, the bridge was supposed to benefit the area
and this did not and should meet basic ADA requirements and that while they understood that phase would
be pursued in 2024, it was not good enough now and asked how to stop creating situations that were non-
compliant.
Director of Engineering Millner responded staff would add more specificity in change orders and how the
HRA had reviewed concepts for this bridge and how with the ramp being constructed in the 1980s all ADA
elements would be a future phase. He noted the sidewalk and access pedestrian ramps were all ADA
compliant but the top level of the ramp was not and would be a future phase or extend a trail facility to the
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Minutes/Edina City Council/January 2. 2024
north towards Vernon Avenue and include changes for bad soils, fill, concrete grade beam, decorative lighting
and panels, etc.
Member Jackson made a motion, seconded by Member Agnew, to approve a Request for
Purchase; Change Order #2 For Grandview Pedestrian Bridge, Awarding the Bid to the
Recommended Low Bidder, Pember Companies, $269,489.
Ayes: Agnew, Jackson, Hovland
Nays: Risser
Motion carried.
VI.S. REQUEST FOR PURCHASE; CHANGE ORDER #2 FOR GRANDVIEW PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE
ENGINEERING SERVICES — AWARDED
Member Jackson made a motion, seconded by Member Agnew, to approve a Request for
Purchase; Change Order #2 For Grandview Pedestrian Bridge Engineering Services, Awarding
the Bid to the Recommended Low Bidder, Kimley Horn, $70,000.
Ayes: Agnew, Jackson, Hovland
Nays: Risser
Motion carried.
VI.T 2023-2025, UNION CONTRACT FOR IBEW LOCAL 292 ELECTRICIANS — COMMENT
The Council confirmed Item VI.T 2023-2025, Union Contract for IBEW Local 292 Electricians, did not
include negotiations but approved the labor agreement. Mr. Millner responded the agreement was in
response to the electricians wanting to form a union then explained they used to be in the 49ers Union but
wanted to separate to better provide training and pay and not have the responsibility of plowing snow.
Mr. Uram explained the new bargaining unit consisted of four members whose pay was outlined in Appendix
A- I and included a 3% increase over 2023 consistent with all City employees.
VII. SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
VII.A. HENNEPIN COUNTY SHERIFF DAWANNA WITT UPDATE — PRESENTED
Police Chief Milburn introduced Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt and their partnership in response
to the fentanyl crisis and other regional crime. He said Sheriff Witt was passionate about the fentanyl crisis
and shared the Edina Police Department continued to have a great relationship with the Sheriff's Office.
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt shared her background and that of the Sheriff's Office that included
820 employees under five bureaus. She outlined challenges facing law enforcement that included pay and
current politics of the County but said being in a great County and City like Edina they had the tools to
attract people. She spoke about difficulties such as lack of trust in the community and policing and the need
for transparency then shared their strategic priorities of violent crime reduction, opioid overdose
prevention, programming and reform, recruitment and retention, and community outreach. Sheriff Witt
outlined their legislative priorities that included jail programming, juvenile task force, 1115 waiver, and
forensic science lab equipment and stated public safety was a top priority that included enforcing the law
while preventing crime and intervening where needed then spoke about the ongoing partnership to address
carjacking incidents that were occurring throughout the metro area.
The Council asked questions and provided feedback.
VIII. REPORTS/RECOMMENDATIONS
VIILA. RESOLUTION NO. 2024-08; ACCEPTING DONATIONS - ADOPTED
Member Jackson introduced and moved adoption of Resolution No. 2024-08, accepting
donations. Seconded by Member Risser.
Rollcall:
Ayes: Agnew, Jackson, Risser, Hovland
Motion carried.
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annes . Hovland, Mayor
Minutes/Edina City Council/January 2, 2024
VIII.B. 2024 STATE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM — REPORT RECEIVED
Mr. Uram shared an introduction of the 2024 state legislative platform and noted the items that had been
removed and their work to engage more community input for possible action at the January 16 meeting.
City Management Fellow Straub shared more details about the 2024 state legislative platform and process
for approval and how the platform was shared with legislature. She said the City annually adopts a State
legislative platform to allow the Council and staff to identify changes in state law that could better achieve
goals of the City and the community. She said these were typically funding requests and policy changes that
the City would like approval for from the State and explained staff first introduced the 2024 draft State
legislative platform at the December 19, 2023, work session and following discussion and direction of
Council, Items 2.4 and 2.5 were removed from the draft agenda for future consideration by the HRA. A
draft platform was made available to the public on Better Together Edina.
The Council asked questions and provided feedback.
IX. COMMISSION CORRESPONDENCE (MINUTES AND ADVISORY COMMUNICATION) —
Received
IX.A. MINUTES; ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT COMMISSION, NOVEMBER 9, 2023
IX.B. MINUTES: TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, NOVEMBER 16, 2023
IX.C. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION 2023 WORK PLAN INITIATIVE 1.6.4:
ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES
IX.D. PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION 2023 WORK PLAN INITIATIVE 1.6.5:
COMPARABLE COMMUNITY PARKS/RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
IX.E. ADVISORY COMMUNICATION: COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMISSION STOP THE
BLEED INITIATIVE
X. MANAGER'S COMMENTS — Received
X.A. PREP MEMO FOR JANUARY 2, 2024
XI. MAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMENTS — Received
XII. ADJOURNMENT
Member Jackson made a motion, seconded by Member Risser, o adjourn the meeting at 8:30
p.m.
Ayes: Agnew, Jackson, Risser, Hovland
Motion carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Minutes approved by Edina City Council, January 16, 2024.
Video Copy of the January 2, 2024, meeting available.
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