031497 CC SP Min
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CITY OF SHOREWOOD
SPECIAL MEETING
FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 1997
PERKINS RESTAURANT
HIGHWAYS 101 AND 7
7:30 A.M.
MINUTES
1. CONVENE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
Mayor Dahlberg called the meeting to order at 7:50 a.m.
A.
Roll Call
Present:
Mayor Dahlberg; Councilmembers O'Neill and Garfunkel. Also present State
Senator Ed Oliver, State Representatives Barb Sykora and Tom Workman, and City
Administrator Hurm
Absent:
Councilmember Stover and McCarty
2. DISCUSSION OF ISSUES
Metropolitan Transit System
Property owners in Shorewood pay $309,000 toward mass transit this year. Although it is levied
under the Metropolitan Council line on the property tax bill, it is approximately 18 % of the total
municipal levy. There was some general discussion on the possibility of the City of Shorewood
being able to opt out of the transit system and provide transit service by other means such as
through the Southwest Transit System serving Chanhassen, Chaska and Eden Prairie. It was
noted that Shorewood residents can use several Park-n-Rides for service to downtown
Minneapolis, but the service is not very good. The transit redesign program is suggesting a dial-a-
ride service be provided for Shorewood.
The area legislators indicated they would work together in researching any possible ways of the
City opting out of the current system.
Municipal State Aid (MSA) Fundin~ System for Street Reconstruction for
Certain Collector Streets in Shorewood
The Council voiced concern that current MSA standards would require either curb and gutter with a
wide street or clear cutting trees and bushes a significant distance off the edge of the road. The
legislators were asked to intervene on the part of Shorewood with the Minnesota Department of
Transportation in an attempt to allow the rules to be more flexible so that MSA funds can be
utilized to reconstruct roads which are more in line with a "Shorewood standard". This would
mean without curb and gutter and with minimal disturbance to trees and bushes.
Finally the Mayor raised concern with the legislators with the current law regarding open bidding.
Now contractors can bid low, then come back to municipalities late in a project and demand
additional payments, even threatening to take them to court. He voiced concern that even with
having a number of experiences such as this, the municipality must consider that contractor an
eligible bidder, and in fact, award another bid to them if they are again low bid.
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CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
MARCH 14, 1997 - PAGE 2
3. ADJOURNMENT
. There being no further business, Councilmember Garfunkel moved, Councilmember
O'Neill seconded to adjourn the special meeting at 9:00 a.m. Motion passed
unanimously.
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ATTEST:
T
LBERG,MAYOR
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