DEEPHAVEN CITY COUNCIL

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2006

7:00 P.M.

 

 

1.                  CALL MEETING TO ORDER: Mayor Pro Tem Skrede called the meeting to order at 7:08 p.m.

 

PRESENT:       Mayor Pro Tem Paul Skrede, Councilmembers Kim Crockett, John Wheaton and Keith Kask

 

ABSENT:        Mayor Tom Anderson

 

STAFF:            Police Chief Virgil Gustafson and City Administrator Dana Young

 

2.                  APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA

 

Motion by Councilmember Crockett to approve the consent agenda, consisting of the minutes of November 6, 2006 and November 9, 2006, as amended, and the appointment of Darel Gustafson to the Park Committee effective as of February 2007.  Seconded by Councilmember Wheaton.  Motion carried 4-0.

 

3.                  MATTERS FROM THE FLOOR

 

Jeff Richards, 3635 James Avenue, was present to promote the use of screening on street lights to lessen the amount of illumination.  He stated that he had worked with City Staff to have Xcel Energy change the street light in front of the entranceway to City Hall to provide an example on potential benefits of lessening the glare from street lights.

 

Councilmember Wheaton stated that he and Mayor Anderson had discussed the possibility of decorative street lighting and this issue could be included within that discussion.

 

Councilmember Kask stated that perhaps this issue could be included as part of an overall lighting plan for the City.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Skrede thanked Jeff Richards for his interest in this matter and suggested including this issue as a future discussion item for the City Council.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Skrede thanked staff members Shelley Souers and Teresa Pendleton for repainting the women’s restroom at City Hall and thanked Bob Woodburn, John Dupont, John Wheaton, Bryan Sykora and John Flynn for their work in installing boards for the ice rink at Village Hall Park last weekend.

 

4.                  UNFINISHED BUSINESS

 

A.                 Discuss Appointment of LMCC Representative

 

Mayor Pro Tem Skrede stated that there is a current vacancy on the LMCC Board owing to the recent resignation of long-time Deephaven representative Dennis Stanga.  Administrator Young stated that a notice regarding the vacancy was placed in the October Newsletter and Bob Anderson, 20495 Summerville Road, and David Paulson, 20580 Carson Road, indicated that they would be interested in serving on the LMCC Board.

 

Motion by Councilmember Crockett to appoint Bob Anderson as Deephaven’s representative to the LMCC Board for a four year term of office.  Seconded by Councilmember Wheaton.  Motion carried 4-0.

 

B.                 Adopt Resolution No. 29-06, Approval to Issue Refunding Bonds

 

Administrator Young stated that the Excelsior Fire District Board’s gave preliminary approval to the decision to refinance the debt for the public safety facilities on November 15, 2006.  Mayor Pro Tem Skrede outlined the terms of the refunding and stated that the City of Shorewood is limited to issuing $10 million in debt in order to obtain a bank qualification so Shorewood may decide to refinance only $8 million instead of $10 million if they intend to issue any additional bonds themselves this year.

 

City Attorney Jerry Gilligan was present to explain the nature of the advanced refunding and that under federal law you can only use advanced refunding once.  He stated that the resolution needed to be adopted by the Deephaven City Council to grant preliminary approval of the refinancing and to make the appropriate amendments to the leases and subleases for the East Side station.

 

It was noted that the proposed refinancing could save the Excelsior Fire District and its member cities $299,557 in debt service savings with the refinancing of the Series 2002A and 2002C Bonds and $328,573 if the Series 2003A were included as well.  Mayor Pro Tem Skrede further noted that the current $140,000 surplus in the bond fund could be used to purchase outstanding bonds in 2009, resulting in additional debt service savings of $107,975.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Skrede stated that refinancing the outstanding fire station debt is viewed as a somewhat unique opportunity at this time due to the unusual combination of low long term rates combined with high short term rates.  He added that the result of the refinancing would be that the overall principal would increase but the interest would decrease resulting in paying less in debt service.

 

Council Elect Steve Adams asked if this resolution would grant perpetual approval or if there were a sunset date for the refinancing.  Mayor Pro Tem Skrede stated that it was intended that the debt be issued within the next month.  City Attorney Gilligan recommended that Section 2.02 (c) of the resolution be amended to include the sentence that bonds need to be issued no later than April 1, 2007.

 

Motion by Councilmember Kask to adopt Resolution No. 29-06, A Resolution giving Preliminary Approval to Issuance of Refunding Bonds related to East Side Fire Facility, subject to the amendment that bonds need to be issued no later than April 1, 2007 in Section 2.02 (c) of the resolution.  Seconded by Councilmember Wheaton.  Motion carried 4-0.

 

C.                 Discuss Holiday Lights at Village Hall

 

Motion by Councilmember Wheaton to authorize City Staff to install holiday lights on the White Pine tree located in the planter at the entranceway to Village Hall.  Seconded by Councilmember Kask.

Motion carried 4-0.

 

It was further recommended that the cost of the lights don’t exceed $100.00, the holiday lights are not blinking, and to survey the immediate neighbors on their thoughts on installing the lights.

 

D.                Review 2007 Water Fund, 2007 Sewer Fund & 2007 Storm Water Fund

 

Administrator Young presented the 2007 Water Fund, 2007 Sewer Fund and 2007 Storm Water Fund for Council review.  There are no rate increases proposed in the utility funds for 2007.

 

E.                 Review Five-Year Utility Fund Projections

 

Administrator Young presented the Five-Year Utility Fund Projections for Council review.

 

F.         Review 2007 Park Improvement Fund & 2007 Recycling Fund

 

Administrator Young presented the 2007 Park Improvement Fund and the 2007 Recycling Fund for Council review.  Discussion was held on whether to proceed with the repair and/or replacement of the paddletennis court for 2007.  Administrator Young stated that the Park Committee intended to discuss this issue at their upcoming meeting.

 

G.          Review 2007 Capital Improvement Fund

 

Administrator Young presented the 2007 Capital Improvement Fund for Council review.  Proposals from Nancy Anderson on landscaping improvements to the Village Hall sign and from Police Chief Gustafson on converting a restroom into a woman’s locker room were reviewed.  The Council requested that Chief Gustafson obtain bids on the project for Council review at their next meeting.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Skrede asked the Park Committee to consider whether to replace the Main Beach dock with a swimming buoy, like the one there now.  Councilmember Crockett added that it would be interesting to obtain input from the lifeguards on whether the removal of the Main Beach docks would improve their ability to patrol the beach.  She stated that she would also check with several Deephaven Mom’s who use that beach extensively.

 

H.        Review Capital Improvement Plan

 

Administrator Young presented the Capital Improvement Plan for Council review.

 

I.          Other

 

Councilmember Crockett stated that she had received several complaints regarding the noise of the band during Octoberfest at St. Therese Church.  Discussion was held on the event and whether the City should require the band to end earlier than 11:00 p.m.  No decision was made at this time.

 

5.                  NEW BUSINESS

 

Mayor Pro Tem Skrede stated that the public is invited to attend an open house to bid farewell to Officer Ron Liners on December 22nd from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  He added that he would post this invitation on the City’s website.

 

Councilmember Wheaton asked if a vacuum truck could be used during the fall leaf pickup instead of requiring residents to bag their leaves.  Mayor Pro Tem Skrede stated that he has seen a vacuum truck in operation and it worked very well unless it happened to be windy or if there was rain.  He added that he didn’t think that Waste Management had such a vehicle.

 

Police Chief Gustafson stated that he had received an email from Councilmember Crockett on the request to install barricades across Walden Beach to prevent vehicles from crossing the beach during the winter months.  It was decided that the issue should be reviewed before the Public Works Committee.

 

6.                  REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES

 

A.        Public Works Committee

 

Administrator Young presented a summary of the November 1, 2006 Public Works Committee meeting, which included a discussion on a simulated OSHA inspection, a request for a crosswalk at Highland & Minnetonka Blvd from Steve Sopczak (17995 Highland Avenue), a request for one-way streets on Cottagewood Avenue and Lakeview Avenue from Doug McDougal (19705 Lakeview Avenue, Amesbury Pond improvements and discussion on 2006-2007 storm sewer improvements.

 

B.                 Park Committee

 

Administrator Young presented a summary of the November 1, 2006 Park Committee meeting, which included a discussion on holding interviews for prospective Park Committee candidates in February 2007, approval of Darel Gustafson as a new Park Committee member, improvements to the paddletennis court, a plan to landscape the Children’s park fountain area, ice rink plowing & maintenance, a request for an archery range from Doug McDougal (19705 Lakeview Avenue) and the 2007 Park Improvement Fund Budget.

 

C.                 Boat Committee

 

Administrator Young presented a summary of the November 8, 2006 Boat Committee meeting, which included discussion of the October 16th St. Louis Bay Dock plan, revised recommendations on the St. Louis Bay Dock plan, and a discussion on the November 6th Council meeting on term limits.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Skrede suggested that each Council Liaison should thank each Committee member for all their hard work at their upcoming meetings.

 

7.                  ADJOURNMENT

 

Motion to adjourn by Councilmember Crockett, seconded by Councilmember Kask.  Motion carried 4-0.  The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Dana H. Young, City Administrator