Jane B McWilliams, LWV Observer
Prior to the regular meeting, the council met in closed session to discuss with League of Minnesota Cities Legal Counsel Patricia Beety, litigation against the City of Northfield. All council members, along with Human Resources Director Elizabeth Wheeler and City Administrator Joel Walinski were present at that meeting.
All council members were present for the regular meeting. There were two presentations to the council. The first, led by Jordon Taylor of the Healthy Community Initiative, recognized John Schad, Mike Plank and Jimmi Brown, volunteers who played a major role in constructing the equipment in the temporary skate board park this summer. Joe McGowan of the Skate Board Task Force said the park has been a great success, and demonstrates the need for the facility. Autographed skateboards were presented to each gentleman.
Chief of Police Mark Taylor and Rice County Public Health Nurse Mary Ho reported on the collaborative efforts among various regional organizations to prepare for emergencies, and most particularly, a flu pandemic.
The council approved a long (12 items) consent agenda, which included approving a Request for Proposal for Prosecuting Services for the city. Local attorney Britt Ackermann spoke at the public comment moment, urging the council to offer the contract to Timothy Morisette who has served the city previously. “To lose him would be to lose a valuable asset,” according to Ackerman. Currently, the firm Lampe Law Group, provides both civil and prosecutorial legal service, with Morisette providing the latter. At their August 31 work session, the council learned that the selection committee wished to separate requests for proposal, as some applicants were interested in providing only in either the civil or the prosecutorial services.
In the regular agenda, the council gave direction to four advisory groups (Economic Development Authority, Park and Recreation Advisory Board, Environmental Quality Commission and the Planning Commission) to review the annexation request by Ken Prawer and Robert Gill. Specific areas of study and research are outlined and may be viewed on the city’s web site: http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/assets/p/Packet145.pdf, Item 16 on the Regular Agenda. They were given a January 2010 goal for reporting at which time the council will need to make a preliminary decision on the annexation request.
State law requires local governments to approve a preliminary budget and tax levy on or before September 15th of each year. These numbers are used to calculate notices sent by the county to property owners in November, prior to final setting of tax levies in December. Levies set now may not increase, but may decrease when final action is taken in December. At this meeting, levies under consideration are for the Housing and Redevelopment Authority, the Economic Development Authority and the City were under consideration, along with the preliminary 2010 General Fund Budget.
While the staff report recommended no increase in levies, Councilor Jon Denison, in order to provide funding for dealing with blighted and foreclosed properties, proposed that the HRA amount be increased $22,000, rather than $11,403 recommended by staff. His motion was approved, with Mayor Mary Rossing and Councilman Jim Pokorney voting no.
Finance Director Kathleen McBride noted that even if there were no increases in the levies from the 2009 level, taxes would increase because the tax base has been decreasing owing to the 8.2% drop of the housing market. This results in a shift of the tax burden from residential to those commercial properties, which don’t experience a reduction in valuation in 2009. (State law sets these policies.) Property tax levy and budget discussions are just now beginning, McBride notes. Detailed review of budget requests, operations and the five-year capital improvement and capital equipment plans will occur at virtually every Council meeting and work session for the next 2 ½ months.
In other action, the council approved application for funding from the American Recovery and Reauthorization Act for funds to make improvements at three intersections for pedestrian crossings, the Lauren Court transit hub, and certain traffic light modifications. They also approved new fee schedule for services, licenses and permits.
Before adjourning the meeting at 9:10, Mayor Rossing thanked city staff and community volunteers for their work during the Defeat of Jesse James weekend, noting that in the future, as they look at budget cuts, the city would need to look for efficiencies.
