CC 2016 01 11
CHANHASSEN CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
JANUARY 11, 2016
Mayor Laufenburger called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. The meeting was opened
with the Pledge to the Flag.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT:
Mayor Laufenburger, Councilman McDonald,
Councilwoman Tjornhom, Councilwoman Ryan, and Councilman Campion
STAFF PRESENT:
Todd Gerhardt, Chelsea Petersen, Kate Aanenson, Todd Hoffman, Greg
Sticha, and Roger Knutson
Mayor Laufenburger: For the record all members of the City Council are present for this
evening’s meeting. I want to welcome everybody to the council meeting. To those present here
in the chamber as well as those watching on cable channel 8 or 107.2 in the warmth comfort of
their home tonight and as some of you might be able to see we have a very sparse attendance
tonight but we still have things to do so we will continue doing that. Council members is there
any modification to the agenda for this evening? If not we will then proceed with the agenda as
printed.
ORGANIZATIONAL ITEMS.
Mayor Laufenburger: We have some organizational items to cover this evening. Four
organizational items and we’ll deal with those in 4 separate actions. First of all we have a
responsibility to designate an official newspaper for the coming year 2016. We must designate
this newspaper to meet qualifications of a state statute. The Chanhassen Villager has submitted a
request for this designation. Their price per column inch is $12 for the first insertion and $8.75
per column inch for subsequent insertions. And just as a reminder all residents of Chanhassen
can either subscribe or request a free subscription to receive the Chanhassen Villager in their
home. Would anyone like to make a motion to designate the Villager the official newspaper for
the City of Chanhassen?
Councilman McDonald: So moved.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright, thank you Mr. McDonald. Is there a second?
Councilman Campion: Second.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you Mr. Campion. Any discussion?
Chanhassen City Council – January 11, 2016
Councilman McDonald moved, Councilman Campion seconded to designate the
Chanhassen Villager as the official newspaper for the City of Chanhassen. All voted in
favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 5 to 0.
Mayor Laufenburger: The next action for organizational items tonight is to appoint an Acting
Mayor or Deputy Mayor. The council should select one of it’s members to serve as an Acting
Mayor. The Acting Mayor will preside over council meetings, stand in at ceremonies and
execute official city documents in the absence of the mayor. Last year I was pleased to have
Councilwoman Tjornhom act as Deputy Mayor and she acted in my stead and did that job very,
very well so thank you very much Councilwoman Tjornhom for doing that last year. Is there
anybody who would like to make a motion for Acting Mayor for 2016?
Councilwoman Tjornhom: I would Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright Councilwoman Tjornhom.
Councilwoman Tjornhom: I would like to nominate Jerry McDonald.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright, I have a motion. Is there a second?
Councilman Campion: Second.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you Mr. Campion. Any discussion? Just for the record, I view this
role of Acting Mayor, Deputy Mayor as an important one in the, very important one for the City
of Chanhassen. I anticipate that we will see much activity in the coming year and I know that
there will be times that I will be unable to be present. I will do my very best to make every
council meeting but I anticipate that you never know when something might come up that would
make it not possible for me to be there so this is an important role for this coming year, as it is
every year.
Councilwoman Tjornhom moved, Councilman Campion seconded to designate
Councilman Jerry McDonald as Acting Mayor. All voted in favor and the motion carried
unanimously with a vote of 5 to 0.
Mayor Laufenburger: The next is to appoint a member to the Fire Relief Association Board of
Trustees. The Chanhassen Fire Relief Association Board of Trustees oversees all financial and
pension matters for the Fire Relief Association. This includes oversight of pension investments,
amendments to by-laws and a special discretionary fund that is raised through donations and
fund raising. In fact the Fire Relief Association is in the middle of a fund raising activity right
now preparing for the erection of a memorial for identifying fire fighters that have served the
City of Chanhassen. This board meets quarterly and state statute requires that the board have 3
municipal trustees including one elected official, and currently Councilman McDonald served in
that role last year. One elected or appointed official. Elected or appointed official and that
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Chanhassen City Council – January 11, 2016
currently is being served by Greg Sticha and then the Fire Chief. Currently Chief Johnson. So is
there a nomination of a member of the City Council to serve on this Fire Relief Association?
Councilman McDonald: Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Laufenburger: Yes Mr. McDonald.
Councilman McDonald: I would like to nominate Councilwoman Tjornhom to take over for me
on that committee.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright, we have a motion. Is there a second?
Councilwoman Ryan: Second.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you Councilwoman Ryan. Councilwoman Tjornhom are you
prepared to serve in this regard?
Councilwoman Tjornhom: I am. I’m very honored Mayor, thank you for this opportunity.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you. Any discussion?
Councilman McDonald moved, Councilwoman Ryan seconded to appoint Councilwoman
Tjornhom as the elected official on the Fire Relief Association Board. All voted in favor
and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 5 to 0.
Mayor Laufenburger: Lastly is the Southwest Transit Commission. We as a city participate in
the joint powers agreement which constitutes the Southwest Transit Commission. Currently
Councilman McDonald serves, is actually completing this second year of a 3 year term. He was
appointed a year ago to serve on that commission. On tonight’s agenda the council will be
amending the by-laws of the Southwest Transit Commission allowing a second council member
be appointed to the board. The council should select another of it’s members to serve a 2 year
term and just to clarify the City of Chanhassen has had 2 representatives on that commission for
the past several years. One of those members was an appointed member who was a citizen but
the by-laws are changing now requiring that the 2 appointments to the Southwest Transit
Commission that the City makes be elected officials so that’s why we’re doing another elected
official. Is there anybody that would like to make a nomination for the second representative on
the Southwest Transit Commission?
Councilwoman Ryan: I would Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Laufenburger: Councilwoman Ryan.
Councilwoman Ryan: I would nominate you Mr. Mayor for the position.
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Chanhassen City Council – January 11, 2016
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright. Is there a second?
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Second.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you Councilwoman Tjornhom. Just for the record, the current
make up of the Southwest Transit Commission includes Mr. McDonald you can clarify this for
me. Does this include 2 elected officials from each of the other cities?
Councilman McDonald: No it doesn’t Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Laufenburger: Are those cities in the process of taking this action do you know?
Councilman McDonald: Chaska is not.
Mayor Laufenburger: Oh they’re not so they’re going to be at, they will have one elected
official?
Councilman McDonald: Well it may go on, the current seat is for one more year and at that
point they’ll make a decision at that time as to which way they want to go.
Mayor Laufenburger: How about Eden Prairie?
Councilman McDonald: Eden Prairie has two elected officials.
Mayor Laufenburger: And is their mayor one of those elected officials?
Councilman McDonald: Their mayor is one of those elected officials.
Mayor Laufenburger: And then also a council member is that correct?
Councilman McDonald: That’s correct, okay. Alright. Any further discussion?
Councilwoman Ryan moved, Councilwoman Tjornhom seconded to appoint Mayor
Laufenburger as the second council member to serve on the Southwest Transit Commission
for a two year term. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of
5 to 0.
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS:
None.
CONSENT AGENDA: Councilwoman Ryanmoved, Councilman McDonald seconded to
approve the following consent agenda items pursuant to the City Manager’s
recommendations:
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Chanhassen City Council – January 11, 2016
1. Approve City Council Minutes dated December 14, 2015
2. Receive Park and Recreation Commission Minutes dated December 8, 2015
Resolution #2016-01:
3. Approve Resolution Accepting $500 Donation from Charter Bank
for Senior Holiday Party.
4. Approve Temporary On-Sale Intoxicating Liquor License for February Festival, February
6, Chanhassen Rotary Club.
Resolution #2016-02:
5. Call for Sale, 2016A GO Water Revenue Bonds and Refunding of
2008A GO Bonds.
Resolution #2016-03:
6. Approve Resolution for Advancement of State Aid Funds for
2016 Projects.
rd
Resolution #2016-04:
7. Liberty on Bluff Creek 3 Addition: Accept Street and Utility
Improvements on the Public Portion (Commonwealth Boulevard).
Resolution #2016-05:
8. Pioneer Pass: Accept Street and Utility Improvements.
9. Approval of 2016 Police Contract with Carver County Sheriff’s Office.
10. Approval of Fifth Restated Joint Powers Agreement, Southwest Transit.
11. Approval of Purchase Agreement for Lot 2, Block 1, Zamor Addition, Chanhassen
Shoppes, LLC.
All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 5 to 0.
VISITOR PRESENTATIONS.
None.
COUNCIL PRESENTATIONS.
Mayor Laufenburger: Any council member wishing to make a comment or presentation this
evening? I have two things that I would like to say. First of all just a reminder to all citizens that
at the last meeting of the year last year the City Council approved a budget that did not include
the printing of agendas for City Council and Planning Commission in the Villager. However that
doesn’t mean you can’t get them. I would encourage anybody who’s interested in seeing what
the agenda items are for City Council or for Planning Commission, any of the commissions in
the city, you can get that information by simply going to our website. Go to the transparency
page and ask to be included in the notification of when agendas and meetings minutes, etcetera
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Chanhassen City Council – January 11, 2016
are printed and we’ll make sure that your email address is included on that so we encourage you
to take advantage of that. And also just a reminder that the Villager can be delivered to you at no
charge. You simply contact the Villager and they will give you a free subscription and that
subscription will be for one year. You will have to renew that. Of course we’d prefer as would
the Villager that you voluntarily subscribe to the Villager for a year’s period of time at a very
nominal fee and it’s your, you get not only the printed edition but you also get access to their
online edition as well. Lastly I would say that as we turn this page of the City Council calendar
of activities and open the 2016 chapter of city business I’d like to take just a moment to look
back and recall some of the highlights of 2015. Though there were many activities and
milestones far too numerous to mention all of them here are 5 events that in one person’s mind is
worthy of remembering in 2015. This is just one person’s considered opinion. You may have
your own so this is the top 5 for 2015. Number 5, for the fourth biannual evaluation in a row
CNN Money Magazine recognized Chanhassen as a top 10 best places to live in America. This
round we notched in at number 7. It’s not something that we seek but rather a confirmation of
that which the community of Chanhassen already knows. We like it here. Number 4. Your city
website now has a single page from which citizens can find that is going on inside the city from
council meeting agenda, minutes, financial statements, annual budgets, projects underway and in
the planning stages, department staff, upcoming events for seniors and any of our festivals. This
transparency page was recently given an A+ by an independent organization that watches
government entities for their openness to citizens desiring transparency. Thanks to staff for
making this a priority and delivering it with excellence. Number 3. We welcomed the Bernard
Group to Chanhassen. This very successful direct marketing organization took over the building
on Lake Drive originally built as a CPT manufacturing plant in the early 80’s and most recently
known as the Super Valu building. With the occupation of this building and the consolidation of
other offices along Powers Boulevard they now have close to 600 employees in Chanhassen.
Our job growth in Chanhassen continues on an upward path now with close to 15,000 jobs in the
community. And where do these employees go for lunch and their lunch hour dining? Well
many of them choose from the newest array of dining choices which is number 2 on our list.
New restaurant choices for the busy employees and families in and around Chanhassen. In 2015
we welcomed Potbelly, Smash Burger, Davanni’s, Noodles and Piada to the cuisine landscape of
Chanhassen and all of them in the downtown business area. Hopefully building traffic into this
important retail environment of our city. The number one highlight has to be the opening of the
101 highway bridge connecting Shakopee, Scott County to our southern gateway. I’d like to
acknowledge my predecessor Mayor Tom Furlong and former Shakopee Mayor Schmidt, both of
whom worked with their respective city managers and staff to focus attention on Highway 101 as
the best river crossing project for the neighboring counties and cities. They advocated with Scott
County Association of Leadership and Efficiency known as SCALE and then State Senator Clair
Roebling and State Representative Mike Beard got Governor Dayton to visitor the road bed that
had been flooded numerous times in the last 15 years. Governor Dayton recalled the flood of
1965. It was 50 years ago and his own efforts alongside his mother to help with sandbagging.
While noting that he was a little surprised that the road was not yet fixed he proclaimed let’s
build a bridge and make it 4 lanes. And just 16 months after the project began we now have a
completed bridge that by all historical records will stand long into this century as a symbol of
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Chanhassen City Council – January 11, 2016
engineering, perseverance and continuing cooperation and commerce between our two
communities, Shakopee and Chanhassen and our two counties, Scott and Carver. No doubt next
year at this time I’ll be recalling the highlights of 2016. We are well on our way to continuing
the trajectory for this city. A city for life providing for today and planning for tomorrow. My
thanks to the council and to the entire professional staff for a great 2015. Now let’s commit to
making 2016 an even better year and based on what we’ve seen in early activity 2016 will be
another Chantastic year. Thank you council members.
ADMINISTRATIVE PRESENTATIONS.
Todd Gerhardt: Boy I don’t know if I want to follow that at all. The ice rinks are open.
Mayor Laufenburger: Bingo.
Todd Gerhardt: And so get out and skate and have fun with your family and friends and thank
our park maintenance department found the formula for how to make ice and cold weather upon
us here has been perfect in getting the rinks open. Also would like to invite the public to our
th
January 19 Legislative Priorities meeting with our local legislators. Anybody interested in
getting up at 7:30 in the morning and coming to City Hall in the Fountain Conference Room.
Just across from our senior center. We’ll be meeting with our legislators, county commissioners,
Met Council reps to talk about our legislative priorities for 2016.
Mayor Laufenburger: Great.
Todd Gerhardt: That’s all I have.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you Mr. Gerhardt. May we have a motion to adjourn?
Councilwoman Tjornhom moved, Councilman McDonald seconded to adjourn the
meeting. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 5 to 0. The
City Council meeting was adjourned at 7:20 p.m.
Submitted by Todd Gerhardt
City Manager
Prepared by Nann Opheim
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