Jane McWilliams, LWV Observer
All councilors were present.
Goal Confirmation. This meeting was devoted solely to discussion of the Safety Center issue. KKE Architect Consultants Michael Clark and Cliff Buikema led the discussion. They asked each councilor to briefly state their goals for the project:
Mayor Mary Rossing: Presenting a solution within budget, reflect history, show we value public safety.
Councilor Erica Zweifel: An energy efficient, ecologically friendly, economically affordable building inspired by the Implementation Section of the Comprehensive Plan. Wants a policy for municipal building from this project.
Councilor Betsey Buckheit: Agreed with Zweifel. This is an opportunity to create incentive for private builders.
Councilor Rhonda Pownell: Don’t look too small incase there is a regional possibility.
Councilor Vohs: LEED Qualified, economically and financially sustainable.
Councilor Jon Denison: Concern that it can’t be done within budget and whether fire station can be built on site, which has implications for police site.
Councilor Jim Pokorney: Wants common sense, not marketing sustainability. Design reflecting community: small town, college, friendly, not scary. Preserve current fire station.
City Administrator Joel Walinski will put these together for the council to review later.
Overall Project Process
Project Schedule and Work Plan. The consultants distributed project schedules outlining the overall project schedule from April through November 2012 with the anticipated completion of the fire station. Another schematic design schedule illustrates more detailed components of the project from April through July of this year. At issue is the compressed time frame necessitated by the anticipation of a public referendum in November, although the council has yet to make a firm decision about whether to go to a referendum. They could make an independent decision to sell bonds, but that would be subject to a referendum by petition. In order to prepare for a referendum, the council will need to decide in June on the amount of the financing and the components of the projects.
The consultants also distributed a schedule of anticipated meetings and workshops in preparation for discussion on June 15 of the schematic design drawings, cost estimate, and referendum process and project schedule. A generic scheme for community meetings gave the council a possible plan for this part of the process. Mr. Walinski noted that there will be a project website soon where the public can follow the project. (We will give notice when the site is up and running.)
Councilor Pownell asked what would happen if it were determined that the safety center site couldn’t be used. Mr. Buikema noted that they will look at this as soon as possible, that they’re in conversation with Minnesota Department of Transportation about using contiguous land, which would be necessary to make using that site feasible. In response to Councilor Pownell’s question, Mr. Buikema said having the facilities together would cost less. Mayor Rossing noted, “we’ll move along with the current project.” However, Mr. Clark said they will add a line to the criteria matrix (see below) “room for future fire station.”
Two teams will work on the process. A design team consisting of the police and fire chief and other staff, and a council representative will work on the floor plans and functions. For a broader approach, a steering committee will assist, more broadly representative. Mr. Walinski and the chiefs may be a part of this committee as well. Mayor Rossing will appoint the teams.
Police Department Site Selection. At their last meeting, the council narrowed the sites for a police facility to 5: North Edge Auto; Q block – West; Cowles Property; Gleason Property; and City Hall. Tonight they reviewed a scheme for establishing criteria for coming up with a final site: size, location, site development costs, security concerns, site characteristics and sustainability. After a discussion, the council asked for more weight on “sustainability.” The consultants and the design team will work on applying the criteria in preparation for the decision about the police site.
Fire Department Site. The choice on the police site depends on this decision. Options include re-use, demolition or relocating the fire department. Access for emergency vehicles and flood mitigation are important considerations. The consultants said they will be working on the analysis of the present site during the next week and they hope to hear from MNDOT about availability of the area for expansion. If the department rejects it, the consultants will come back to show what still can be done and a list of pros and cons. If it turns out that the site can’t be used, they will have to go back to the police facility location selection process, even, perhaps consulting the Safety Center Task Force Study for possible sites. They hope to have information ready for next week’s council meeting, but if not, a week later. Councilor Pokorney said he would not be at that meeting, and Councilor Vohs noted he is on jury duty and may not be on hand, either.
There were several St Olaf College students who have been working with Councilor Zweifel on developing a policy for sustainability in the audience. They were all smiles when the council raised the weighting for this in the council goals and site selection criteria.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:45.
