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080607 CC WS MinCITY OF SHOREWOOD CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 2007 MINUTES 1. CONVENE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD COUNCIL CHAMBERS 6:00 P.M. Mayor Lizee called the meeting to order at 6:02 P.M. A. Roll Call Present. Mayor Lizee; Councilmembers Callies, Turgeon, Wellens and Woodruff; Administrator Dawson; Finance Director Burton; Planning Director Nielsen; Deputy Clerk Panchyshyn; and Engineer Landini Absent: None B. Review Agenda Wellens moved, Woodruff seconded, Approving the agenda a presented. Motion passed 5/0. 2. 2008 SLMPD BUDGET Administrator Dawson explained on July 19, 2006, the Coordinating Committee of the South Lake Minnetonka Police Department (SLMPD) recommended the 2008 proposed budget for consideration by the four member cities' councils. The member cities' councils needed to act on the proposed budget by September 1, 2006. He then reviewed the budgetary process as outlined in the Joint Powers Agreement that governed the SLMPD. Dawson then explained the SLMPD 2008 proposed budget requested the member cities contribute a combined amount equal to $1,726,900, a $95,375 (5.8%) increase from 2007 to 2008. The City's requested contribution was $863,450 (50% of the operational costs, a formula based on the outcome of the SLMPD Funding Formula Binding Arbitration). He noted the major cost drivers on the expenditure side were for salary and overtime costs, PERA (which reflected increases mandated by the Legislature), health insurance, and fuel (which was shown under "supplies"). Dawson also explained the lease on the building was apportioned among the cities on a tax capacity basis. The City's share for 2008 would be $244,003 (55.33%); its share was $249,509 (56.45%) in 2007. Dawson went on to explain the SLMPD had prepared a separate proposal to provide expanded community service officer coverage; that coverage would include providing animal control services. The expanded CSO coverage was premised on hiring two part-time community services officers (CSOs) who together would work 40 hours-per-week. The cost would increase the SLMPD operating costs in 2008 by $45,000; the City's share would be $22,500 (50%). The City was paying $21,325 to Orono for animal control services in 2007; if the adjustment were 3% in 2008 it would pay $21,925. The City also paid an annual $1,200 retainer to an impound facility. If the four cities did not come to agreement on the expanded CSO coverage by September 1, 2007, it could be continued for discussion/revision further into the fall and be considered at a later time as an amendment to the budget. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 6, 2007 Page 2 of 11 SLMPD Chief Litsey was present, and he reviewed the highlights of the proposed 20008 Operating Budget and the Summary of Funds Supporting Operations (as detailed in those documents). He stated he appreciated the budget process being reviewed by the Operating Committee, comprised of all member city administrators and managers, and then being considered for recommendation by the Coordinating Committee. He explained there would be two action items for the Council to consider at its August 13, 2007, regular meeting -the 2008 Operating Budget, and the proposal for expanded CSO coverage. He commented the expanded CSO coverage would only be provided if all four member cities approved the proposal. Chief Litsey made the following noteworthy comments and clarifications (in addition to the budget narrative provided) regarding the proposed 2008 Operating Budget. - There were data to support the SLMPD was understaffed based on comparing the number of officers to the number of residents. There were times when there was only one officer available for a shift, and that caused safety concerns; the goal was to have two officers per shift. Litsey would like to have enough staffing to provide proactive services (e.g., traffic monitoring). - There had been a previous decision by the Coordinating Committee to increase the contribution to the Designated Technology Fund from the Operating Fund by $2,000 per year from 2002 through 2008. That contribution was not keeping pace with the needs. Adjustments would need to be made in 2009. - There were two significant technology purchases that must be planned for. The current record management system did not interface with other law enforcement agencies' systems that it needed to, and the technology platform the system used would not be supported in the future. The cost of a new record management system was anticipated to be in excess of $100,000. Approximately $125,000 would be needed to replace existing equipment over the next 7 - 8 years. - It may be possible to use funds from the DWI Forfeiture Fund to support the purchase of anew record management system because the new system used in the squad cars would be used for DWI enforcement. - There were a number of capital and specialized funds which supported the operating budget. The replacement schedule for each of the funds identified the projected capital needs; there was not a separate Capital Improvement Program document combining all of those funds. - The SLMPD strategic planning process would more precisely identify future capital needs. - The need for a Building Fund for long-term maintenance and replacements to the building had been discussed when the buildings were being built, but the need had not been addressed. - There were not enough officers to guarantee traffic enforcement services even if the cities requested those services for an additional cost. The topic of adding a traffic squad would be discussed as part of the strategic planning initiative. - The SLMPD utilized the State's bid for vehicle replacement. - The Vehicle and Equipment Funds receive transfers from Capital Outlay; the Technology Fund receives transfers from Equipment Leases; the Building Fund does not receive any transfers at this time; and the member cities make contributions directly to the Reserve Officer Fund. - The average hourly charge for providing supplemental policing services for BayView Event Center/Bayside Grille and Maynard's Restaurant was $62 and that figure included all related personnel costs. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 6, 2007 Page 3 of 11 - The Deephaven Police Department had chosen to use Delano's firing range rather than the SLMPD range. - The SLMPD attempts to supplement its resources through donations and grants. Donations are tracked through the Equipment Fund. Councilmember Turgeon and Councilmember Wellens requested along-term capital plan (similar to the EFD's CIP) be prepared to reflect a replacement and purchase schedule. Litsey stated he did not think there was a need to project capital needs 25 years into the future because the capital needs of the SLMPD were not as significant as those of the EFD. Councilmember Callies stated the Strategic Planning initiative would identify future capital needs, including technology, and a replacement/purchase timetable. Chief Litsey stated the proposal for expanded CSO coverage was a good value and would be a more effective use of the financial resources the cities were currently paying. The following noteworthy comments and clarifications were made with regard to the proposal for expanded CSO coverage. - 4 PAWS animal control coverage was a response and periodic directed control coverage, but it was not general patrol like that provided by Orono. 4 PAWS did provide 24/7 coverage, and it did come and pick up the animal. - If the expanded CSO coverage was approved by all four member cities it would be included as part of the 2008 Operating Budget, and remain as part of the operating budget in future years. - Part-time CSO positions were frequently filled by aspiring law enforcement individuals. Chief Litsey did not think it would be appropriate to have apart-time CSO oversee range operations if the firing range were used by private parties. - Animal control services would be a small portion of what would be provided as part of the expanded coverage. - Shorewood had specialized needs for inspecting horse stables and licensed dog kennels. - The two-part time CSOs would not do all the tasks performed by the full-time CSO. Councilmember Turgeon requested a list of what the exact animal control services provided by the SLMPD would be; she wanted to ensure the SLMPD would provide, at a minimum, the same level of animal control services currently provided to the City's residents. Mayor Lizee thanked Chief Litsey for his efforts and for attending the meeting. 3. 2008 DRAFT BUDGET Administrator Dawson stated staff had prepared and distributed to Council a first draft of the 2008 General Fund Operating Budget and a budget overview document. He explained Council needed to adopt a not-to-exceed property tax levy by September 15, 2007; the last Council meeting prior to that deadline was September 10, 2007. He commented, for the fourth year in a row the Legislature had not imposed local levy limits for the next calendar year. He stated he thought the draft budget was responsible and as "lean" as possible. Dawson explained the draft operating budget showed an increase of $185,054 (3.71 %) in expenditures and transfers to capital funds. A property tax levy of $228,554 (5.2%) would be required to support that increase. The draft budget included the use of $100,000 from the balance in the General Fund to support the 2008 sealcoat and overlay programs per direction from Council. Police and Fire account for CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 6, 2007 Page 4 of 11 approximately 40% (or 1.5 percentage points) of the change; other City activities account for the remaining 60% (or 2.21 percentage points) of the changes. Dawson explained the City was exempted from the truth-in-taxation process if its levy increase was no greater than the implicit price deflator (IPD) for the government sector published by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The IPD (i.e. inflationary change) for the 2008 tax levy was 1.0428453 (an approximate 4.3% change). Dawson highlighted the draft budget overview document distributed to Council. The key increases in the 2008 General Fund expenditures included: salaries and insurance; fuel costs; transfers to capital funds; and cyclical activities. The draft budget overview memo included a summary of changes in levels of expenditure at the department/division level. for non-personnel related expenditures, unless there was a significant change from salary and benefit adjustments. He then stated a draft policy regarding the General Fund Balance was also distributed to Council for review and discussion. Councilmember Wellens stated the draft budget overview document was well done. Mayor Lizee agreed Councilmember Turgeon stated there was a debt service payment of $37,544 budgeted for 2008 in the Municipal Building/City Hall budget. She questioned where the $11,000 the City was supposed to receive from the County Road 19 project was reflected; those funds could be used to pay off the debt service. Administrator Dawson clarified the City was only scheduled to receive one-half of the $11,000, and Director Burton stated the funds were probably included in miscellaneous revenue, but she would verify that. Councilmember Turgeon questioned where the income from the City-owned house was reflected. Director Burton stated she would add the rental income minus associated expenses to the Municipal Building/City Hall budget. Councilmember Turgeon questioned the combined increase of 12% - 15% for insurance premiums. She suggested staff try and adjust the benefits or deductibles such that the total premium costs remain the same. Director Burton stated that information she had gathered indicated that increase was not unusual; the budgeted increase would be the maximum. Burton explained for employees governed by the AFSCME contract, the City paid up to two-thirds of the cost of a family plan. Burton also explained the final insurance premium costs would not be known until October and the Benefits Committee would be convened to discuss this topic. Administrator Dawson stated insurance quotes provided by the City's insurance broker were reviewed annually. Councilmember Woodruff stated he would like to be presented with insurance options; he would like to evaluate the impact of maintaining the current maximum contribution, but he was not suggesting that was what should be done. Councilmember Turgeon stated the budget reflected a 2% economic adjustment on January 1 and July 1. She questioned what happened to the pay-for-performance approach initiated in 2006; she did not think an economic adjustment reflected that direction. She also stated an indicator had not been established yet for increases for employees who met or exceeded expectation. Director Burton clarified a 2% increase twice a year approximated a 3% annual increase; and the pay-rate charts reflected a market rate that increased yearly by an inflationary factor. Burton questioned if it was inappropriate to adjust the pay ranges annually to reflect inflation; that adjustment would allow persons at the top of their pay range to receive an inflationary adjustment to maintain their position in their pay range. Councilmember Woodruff stated that was a philosophical question Council had to answer. Administrator Dawson stated if an employee exceeded performance expectations they could receive an increase .5% - 1.0% higher than the semi-annual 2% increase, and the 2% semi-annual increase was based on the past practice. Woodruff then stated there were two items that must be addressed: a) an amount of money must be identified for CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 6, 2007 Page 5 of 11 the combined salary increases; and b) a method must be determined for allocating that pool of money at a later time. Woodruff suggested staff ask other communities what types of salary increases they were considering in 2008. Burton stated the amount of money budgeted for salary increases was adequate to cover any approach that was used to allocate the raises. Turgeon stated it must be made clear to employees that a specific raise amount was not guaranteed. Woodruff stated if the combined raises did not exceed 3% of the 2007 salaries he was okay with that pooled amount for allocating raises. Councilmember Wellens stated the City had a trend for growing the General Fund reserves and there had been some discussion to reduce the reserves. He suggested maybe a permanent change should be made to stop the growth trend. Administrator Dawson highlighted his draft policy memo regarding the General Fund balance. He stated the latest position of the State Auditor regarding fund balances was the General Fund balance should be between 35% - 50% of operating revenues or not less than five months of operating expenditures. He explained bond-rating agencies prefer to see very strong and healthy balances because they indicate fiscal prudence and an ability to weather revenue volatility (including tax levy limits); healthy balances also confer higher credit ratings which result in lower interest costs. He went on to explain the City's undesignated fund balance had steadily increased over the past several years as a result of careful spending within the amounts authorized and unanticipated fee revenue. If the City were to maintain a balance of 55% - 60%, the reserves would be able to handle unexpected expenditures or emergencies, particularly if the practice was continued to use the balance rather than the budget for contingencies. It was important to view surpluses (i.e. funds above the 55% - 60% level) as one-time revenues. Relying on surpluses to subsidize on-going revenues would develop a dependence on a variable source of revenue. In the proposed policy, the fund balance in excess of 60% could be used immediately for capital projects or transfers. If the fund balance fell to 55% - 60% then none of the fund should be use for purposes other than cash flow and contingencies. If the undesignated fund balance fell below 55%, then that balance should be restored by budgeting no more than two percentage points annually until the 55% level is attained. In 2007, $330,000 of the reserves would be designated for specific purposes ($100,000 would be transferred to the Roadway Fund, and $230,000 would be designated to the Public Works addition); that would result in a reserve level of 56%. Councilmember Wellens suggested that the rate of increase to the fund balance be reduced by adding more to the Park Improvement Fund. Director Burton commented $15,000 would be transferred to the Park Improvement Fund; $5,000 would come from the existing Land Use Fund. A summary of Councihnember Woodruff's noteworthy comments, concerns and questions, as well as associated comments from others were as follows. - Woodruff suggested Council discuss the pros and cons of employer paid long-term and short-term disability versus reimbursing the employees for it at a future work session. - Woodruff questioned the $38,819 in year-to-date revenue in General Government Charges for Service. Director Burton explained revenues include special assessment searches, copies, zoning fees, subdivision fees, and pass-through account activities; the pass-through account funds were distributed to the appropriate account at year-end. Burton suggested the 2008 budgeted amount be adjusted to $8,000 - $10,000. - Woodruff suggested that Mayor and Council Support Services be reduced by $10,000; 2005 and 2006 actual expenses were approximately $10,000 less than the 2008 budget. Director Burton explained that approximately $43,000 was for various memberships; and $7,000 was for travel, conferences, and the year-end volunteer appreciation function. Woodruff suggested the budgeted amount be reviewed for appropriateness. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 6, 200'7 Page 6 of 11 - With regard to Woodruff s question about the year-to-date amount for Administration Supplies/Materials, Director Burton clarified that entry was an error and would be reclassified. - With regard to Woodruffs question about the budgeted amount for City Clerk Supplies/Materials, Director Burton stated she would determine what the reason was for the budgeted increase in 2008 and she would establish a general category for that line item. - Woodruff questioned the City Clerk Support Services 2007 budgeted amount of $35,835 when the 2006 actual was $29,454 and the 2005 actual was less than that; he suggested that be reviewed again. It was noted that the 2008 proposed. budget was $4,000 less than the 2007 adopted budget. - With regard to Woodruff's question about the year-to-date amount for Elections Supplies/Materials, Deputy Clerk Panchyshyn clarified that was for maintenance on election equipment that was added. - Woodruff questioned the Finance Staffing budgeted amount of $176,272 compared to prior years. Director Burton explained the 2008 budgeted amount was less than the 2007 budgeted amount because ahalf--time position was not filled in 2007 and was eliminated in 2008. Burton also explained that some of the Accounting Clerk's salary was allocated to other departments; she stated she would do an audit of how the Clerk's time had been spent. Woodruff asked that it be reviewed. - Woodruff stated he took a verified claims list from July 29, 2007, and on that list 51 % of the checks and 61% of the verified claims were related to liquor operations. He would like an approximation of what portion of Accounting Clerk's time and Finance Director's time was spent on liquor operations activities; he wanted all liquor operations costs to be identified to fairly evaluate the true costs of liquor operations. - With regard to Woodruffs question about Professional Services Support Services, Administrator Dawson stated none of those expenses were offset. Director Burton stated much of the year-to-date amount was front-end loaded. Burton explained the 2008 budgeted amount reflected an approximate $7,000 increase for the assessor, approximately $6,000 more for the city prosecutor (whose fees had remained the same for a number of years), and there was an approximate $11,000 increase in legal expenses. Councilmember Wellens suggested an increase be included for the auditor. Woodruff suggested the City obtain proposals for audit services. Councilmember Callies stated it could be appropriate to obtain proposals for a number of contract services, but that was not part of the budget process. Councilmember Turgeon suggested the contracts for service be put out for proposals by year-end. Callies stated before the proposal process was done, she would like to review a list of the services the City was contracting for; she surmised it was likely the prosecutor was not paid a significant amount of money even with the proposed increase. Woodruff stated Staff should provide Council with reasons why certain contracts should not be put out for proposals; he thought it was healthy to request them for auditing services. - Woodruff questioned the Planning Staffing budgeted amount of $195,291 compared to prior years. Director Burton explained salary increases as well as additional insurance benefits for a second part-time person were part of the reason. Woodruff suggested that it be reviewed. He also suggested the Planning Supplies/Materials be reviewed as it appeared too low; Director Nielsen thought the amount was appropriate. Director Burton explained the $2,450 for Planning Capital Outlay was for a desktop computer and software for a Planning Assistant. - With regard to Woodruffs question about Municipal Building Transfers year-to-date and 2008 budgeted, Director Burton explained the $11.0,000 was for a transfer of $60,000 to CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 6, 2007 Page 7 of it the Sewer Fund for the past purchase of the City-owned house and $50,000 for Public Facilities Fund. Burton stated she would update the Transfers description. - With regard to Police, Director Burton clarified that $4,000 was included in the budget for over-time costs paid by the City, and funding was included in Police Support Services for the Reserve Officers Fund. - Woodruff questioned the City Engineer Staffing budgeted amount of $162,214 compared to prior years, and he stated the staffing allocations for 2008 were not included. Director Burton stated the 2008 staffing allocations would be the same as 2007, although there had been some reallocation of Director Brown's time and other Public Works employees' dine. Burton explained there was an elaborate spreadsheet that was used to allocate employees' time and to calculate projected salary and insurance increases. Engineer Landini explained the rationale for all the capital outlay items in this budget. - Woodruff questioned why the Public Works Service Staffing budgeted amount of $261,837 was less than the 2007 year-end projected amount of approximately $294,000 yet the staffing level remained the same. Director Burton explained the salaries reflect the timesheets submitted. Woodruff requested the budgeted amount and staffing levels be made consistent. Woodruff questioned where the labor savings from the Radio Read Meter project were reflected in 2008; Ile requested staff provide information on how that savings would be deployed. Woodruff suggested Council have discussion prior to the end of August with regard to the proposed Public Works building addition; the $170,000 in Capital Outlay for 2008 could remain in the 2008 budget for the next few weeks until the decision for an addition was reconsidered. Administrator Dawson stated the addition was first discussed in 2005. - Woodruff questioned the Streets and Roadways staffing and the budgeted amount of $122,973. Director Burton stated it may be helpful for her to provide Council with a staffing allocation chart for two utility maintenance workers, one utility lead, an engineering technician, and the Public Works Director. Burton explained that Support Services in this budget reflected an additional $8,000 to dispose of materials in landfill from street sweeping (not included in 2005 and 2006 actual amounts), in addition to increased expenses for roadway striping, traffic control and emergency signing. Burton noted she would fix a mistake in the Transfers amount. - With regard to Snow and Ice Removal, Woodruff stated the metrics had remained the same in 2004 - 2006, yet the Supplies/Materials budgeted amount adopted in 2007 was more than twice the 2005 actual and more than triple the 2006 actual. He explained he researched recent years' significant snow falls events (an event of l inch or more) from the Minneapolis Saint Paul Airport statistics. There were 10 in 2004, 24 in 2005, 9 in 2006, and 8 in the first half of 2007 (or 16 annualized for 2007). Based on the actual amounts for 2004 - 2006 and the number of events, the cost per event would be approximately $3,000 - $3,700. The projected event costs for 2007 were approximately $5,000. He questioned how the money was used. He stated the 2007 actual year-to-date spending was greater than in all of 2005 and 2006. Administrator Dawson stated the sand and salt costs had increased, and the transportation costs for the materials had increased significantly. Woodruff requested that staff provide cost-per-ton information for 2005 - 2007. Director Burton stated she would audit the account to determine if anything other than salt and sand was included in it. - With regard to Weed Control, Woodruff stated the City had 50 miles of roadway but he did not believe it did not spray that many miles. He questioned why the 2008 budgeted amount for staffing was one-fourth the 2007 year-to-date actual. - With regard to Tree Maintenance, Woodruff stated the Staffing budgeted amount was significantly less than the 2007 adopted budgeted amount yet the 2007 and 2008 staffing level was the same. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 6, 2007 Page 8 of 11 - With regard to Parks and Recreation, Woodruff questioned if there was a reduction in services provided because the staffing of the Light Equipment Operator position was reduced. He thought Parks was one area where the residents received a benefit for their money. In response to a question from Councilmember Callies, Director Burton stated there was $10,000 budgeted in Municipal Building Supplies/Materials for minor building maintenance and that may be subject to change based on information she was waiting to receive from Director Brown. In response to another question regarding the major renovation/rebuild of City Hall, Administrator Dawson stated the funding sources would be identified once a decision was made on which option would be pursued. Dawson stated if the renovation were to occur in 2008, it most likely would be fimded by using some type of debt instrument and the first payment would not be due until 2009. Councilmember Woodruff stated a portion could be funded through a bond and the rest could be levied. Director Burton stated she did not think she would be able to answer all of Councilmember Woodruff s questions by the August 13, 2007, Council meeting. Woodruff stated there was a month to have that completed. Mayor Lizee recessed the City Council work session at 9:00 P.M. Mayor Lizee reconvened the City Council work session 9:09 P.M. 4. CITY HALL DISCUSSION Administrator Dawson stated at a July 23, 2007, Council meeting Council requested BKV Group only updates to the construction costs for the 2004 bridge concept, the 2005 renovation/addition option (12,200 square feet would be added to the building), and the 2005 new/replacement option (which would be 11,000 square feet larger than the existing building). Dawson reviewed the information provided by BKV Group about the updated construction costs which were based on a 5% per year increase for the construction costs. - The updated construction costs for the 2004 the initial bridge concept (which included short-term maintenance costs) were conservatively estimated to be $851,000. That was intended to be a band-aid solution for City Hall. The costs did not provide for a council chamber nor were set up and moving costs for an off-site chamber area. - The updated construction costs for the 2005 renovation/addition options ranged from $2,052,000 to $2,228,000. - The updated construction costs for the 2005 new/replacement option ranged from $2,500,000 to $3,100,000. Dawson stated at the same July 23 meeting, Council requested staff provide a sketch of how the building spaces might be used in the expanded bridge concept. Director Nielsen coordinated the effort and submitted a sketchy sketch of that space. A final plan would need to be prepared by a registered architect. In response to a question from Councilmember Callies, Mayor Lizee clarified that Council had suggested that under the bridge concept all public meetings would be held off-site and the existing chamber area would be used for other purposes. Director Nielsen stated that the sketchy sketch he prepared was a hybrid of a couple of BKV Group's plans. All the bathrooms would be ADA compliant, the break room would be larger, the size of the office CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 6, 2007 Page 9 of 11 spaces was similar to the size suggested by BKV Group in plans, approximately one-half of the existing chamber area would be used. for a conference room which could be subdivided, and there would be an addition to the entry for a vestibule. He commented the HVAC for City Hall was very poor and needed to be addressed (it was inefficient and did not work well for the employees) and the drainage issues must also be addressed. He stated staff discussed the tradeoffs of moving the chamber off-site and using that area for other purposes or leaving the chamber as is; it had not determined that would be the better choice. Councilmember Turgeon questioned the $250,000 figure BKV recommended to use for budget purposes for the construction or accommodation of a new chamber in a remote location. Administrator Dawson stated he had not discussed that figure with Mr. Baxley, but he thought it may reflect establishing a chamber area similar to the existing chamber. Councilmember Woodruff stated when he suggested conducting public meetings at the Southore Center, the meetings would be set up with tables and chairs and some City audio visual equipment. Administrator Dawson stated based on his experience Councilmembers were treated with more respect when they sat on a raised platform than they were if the were seated on the floor level with the public looking down at them. Woodruff stated he thought that a number of meetings could be held at City Hall in the conference room area mentioned above. Dawson stated there must be adequate space for the public at public meetings. Councilmember Callies stated from her vantage point Council should consider aself-contained City Hall which was a decent public structure, and she thought that could be accomplished in a cost effective manner. She stated the facility should convey respect to the Council, employees and the residents, and be effective for Council to work in. She clarified that she was not purporting that City Hall be larger than need be. She stated from her perspective the only advantage to the bridge concept was it may be the cheapest when an "apple-to-apple" comparison was done. She did not think a "patch job" approach should be embarked upon; the money to do that would be poorly spent. Councilmember Wellens stated there was no guarantee that the sketchy sketch option would work; there were many unknowns with the current structure. Mayor Lizee questioned why the bridge concept was being considered, as it was ashort-term option. She also questioned if Council should consider tl~e future use of the Southshore Center for City meetings. Councilmember Woodruff commented that for the price of a new building the City could purchase the Southshore Center. He stated based on what he heard during the last election campaign from some of his constituents the message was they did not want a new City Hall. He stated he would not have a problem explaining the need to make repairs and improvements. Councilmember Wellens stated he would prefer a "small Mayberry-type setting". He liked the idea of having the Councilmembers seated at floor level with the public looking down on them when speaking. Councilmember Woodruff stated the condition of City Hall was a travesty that should have been dealt with a long time ago. He commented he was ashamed to come into City Hall. Councilmember Wellens suggested Council consider astep-by-step approach. In 2008 drain the could be installed around City Hall, the next year siding could be replaced, etc. With that approach the City may find out that there were serious structural problems which would not be solved by taking the short-term maintenance/bridge concept approach; the cinder blocks could have deteriorated to a point beyond repair, there could be rot and mold in the walls, etc., that could render the building useless. Councilmember Callies stated she agreed it was not possible to know the non-visible condition of the building until work began on the structure. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 6, 2007 Page 10 of 11 Mayor Lizee stated resolving the drainage problems required more than just drain tile; it required the installation of a drainage system based on a grading plan. She questioned if Council thought Mr. Baxley should be invited to discuss his perspective on the longevity of the building and answer Council's questions. Councilmember Turgeon stated a Council Chamber could be added north of the existing Council Chamber. She then stated from her vantage point previous BKV Group plans contained wasted space (e.g. a large lobby for no apparent reason). There was ensuing discussion as to whether the bridge concept was a short-term solution or if it would extend the life of the building substantially. There was also ensuing discussion as to what the next step should be. Councilmembers Wellens, Turgeon and Woodruff stated they wanted to move forward on a step-by-step approach to repairs to City Hall; they wanted to solicit bids for making the repairs. Mayor Lizee and Councilmember Callies stated they wanted to understand the return on investment approach to making repairs and improvements to City Hall. Director Nielsen stated architectural drawings had to be done before the City could solicit for accurate bids. Councilmember Woodruff questioned if BKV Group was the correct firm to assist the City. From his vantage point BKV's budget estimate for a remote chamber area similar to the existing area was too high. He did not think the City could afford to use BKV Group. He thought another firm should be used. He commented that Mr. Baxley had not returned his phone call. Mayor Lizee noted that BKV Group was not on a retainer with the City, and Council had previously agreed that questions and requests should be directed to BKV Group via Administrator Dawson. Woodruff stated he never agreed to that protocol. Councilmember Callies stated if that protocol wasn't followed, it would cost the City money for each call and it would result in confusion. Councilmember Wellens stated he wanted to move forward with installing drain tile. Councilmember Woodruff stated someone needed to make a motion at an upcoming Council meeting. Administrator Dawson stated it was a drainage system not just drain the that would be needed, and Council could consider having an engineering firm do a structural analysis around the building prior to installing a drainage system. Councilmember Turgeon stated another approach would be to have an architect review Director Nielsen's sketchy sketch to determine if it would work. Councilmember Callies stated it was appropriate that topic be discussed at a cablecast Council meeting so the public could hear everyone's perspective. 5. OTHER There was no other business for discussion. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING August 6, 2007 Page 11 of 11 6. ADJOURN Wellens moved, Turgeon seconded, Adjourning the City Council Work Session Meeting of August 6, 2007, at 9:43 P.M. Motion passed 5/0. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Christine Freeman, Recorder a_~ ° ~. Est ~~ ~-' ATTEST: ~ _' Craig W. Dawson, City Administrator Clerk Christine Lizee, Mayor