CC 2018 03 26CHANHASSEN CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
MARCH 26, 2018
Mayor Laufenburger called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The meeting was opened
with the Pledge to the Flag.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Laufenburger, Councilwoman Tjornhom, and
Councilman McDonald
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilwoman Ryan, and Councilman Campion
STAFF PRESENT: Todd Gerhardt, Chelsea Petersen, Kate Aanenson, Paul Oehme, Todd
Hoffman and Roger Knutson
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you and welcome to this council meeting. To those that are present
in the chamber, it’s spring break so our attendance is a little limited, and those watching on
Mediacom cable channel at home or also watching livestream via the website. And let the record
reflect that Councilmembers McDonald, Tjornhom and myself are present this evening.
Councilmembers Ryan and Campion are on spring break with their families and not present this
evening. First of all council members are there any modifications to the agenda this evening? If
not we will then proceed with the agenda as printed.
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mayor Laufenburger: First item on the agenda tonight is, we have a couple public
announcements that I’d like to make. First of all the City of Chanhassen is proud to present the
35th Annual. Let me say that again. The 35th Annual Easter Egg Candy Hunt. This is the second
in a year long series of special events that are sponsored by the City of Chanhassen park and
rec’s department and supported by local service organizations and the local business community.
I want to invite everyone to join me on Saturday, March 31st. That’s this coming Saturday at
9:00 a.m. at City Center Park for this annual event. This event is for children 12 and under and
will feature a candy hunt, coloring contest, prize drawings and a special visit from the Easter
Bunny. The cost is $5 per child. Pre-registration can take place at the Chanhassen Rec Center or
at City Hall, and we encourage that. You can also register the day of the event. We certainly
look forward to a fun event. Look forward to seeing everyone there and I have a pretty reliable
word from Mr. Hoffman that the weather will be fantastic.
Todd Hoffman: But wear your boots, galoshes and warm coats.
Mayor Laufenburger: Chantastic. The weather will be Chantastic. Your staff always does a
wonderful job with that Mr. Hoffman so please community come on out. And not only does
Chanhassen come out but I’ve seen families from surrounding communities come as well and
Chanhassen City Council – March 26, 2018
2
they make it a tradition as part of their Easter weekend so wonderful Easter Egg hunt and candy
hunt. Secondly, on behalf of the Chanhassen Lions Club and the Chanhassen Fire Department I
want to invite everyone to the Annual Pancake Breakfast held at the fire station on Sunday, April
8th. So that’s one week after Easter. Breakfast will be served from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. It
includes pancakes, eggs, and sausage. The fire department will have some fun kid activities and
of course they’ll be serving food by bringing it to your table so please join us for some great fun
and a great cause. It’s also a good fundraising event for the Lions Club and for the fire
department so that’s a week from this Sunday. Sunday, April 8th starting at 8:00 a.m. until 1:00
p.m. Now let’s move to the next item on our agenda.
CONSENT AGENDA: Councilman McDonald moved, Councilwoman Tjornhom
seconded to approve the following consent agenda items pursuant to the City Manager’s
recommendations:
1. Approval of City Council Minutes dated March 12, 2018
2. Receive Park and Recreation Commission Minutes dated February 27, 2018
3. Approval of 2018 Liquor License Renewals
4. The Arbors Second Addition: Approve Final Plat, Development Contract, and Plans and
Specifications with a Variance for Street Grade in excess of seven (7) percent
5. Approve Agreement with Carver County for Powers Boulevard Pedestrian Crossing
Improvements
6. Approve Cellular Antenna Agreements with Verizon Wireless
7. Approve Maintenance Agreement with the Riley-Purgatory-Bluff Creek Watershed
District for Lake Lucy Lane Drainage Improvements
8. Resolution #2018-27: Accept Bids and Award Contract for the 2018 Sealcoat Project
All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 3 to 0.
Todd Gerhardt: Mayor, council members?
Mayor Laufenburger: Yes.
Todd Gerhardt: I just want to make note of the cellular antenna agreements. Chelsea worked
hard with Verizon. Those are 3 locations and that’s roughly going to bring in $80,000 in new
revenue next year so that helps lessen that gap we were looking for going into 2019.
Chanhassen City Council – March 26, 2018
3
Mayor Laufenburger: Great, great.
Todd Gerhardt: So good job by Chelsea and.
Mayor Laufenburger: Nice job Assistant City Manager Chelsea Petersen, thank you.
VISITOR PRESENTATIONS. None.
FIRE DEPARTMENT/LAW ENFORCEMENT UPDATE.
Mayor Laufenburger: Let’s begin with our law enforcement update. Lieutenant Kittelson.
Lt. Eric Kittelson: Good evening Mr. Mayor, council members. I have the monthly law
enforcement update for you this evening. The call for service summary for the month of
February. There were 41 Group A crimes, 16 Group B crimes, 311 miscellaneous non-criminal
incidents, 338 total traffic incidents, 58 administrative calls for service and a total of 756.
Arrests, citations and verbal warnings summary. We had 33 individuals who were arrested and
charged with 55 crimes in 28 separate incidents. The highest of those was we had 8 DUI’s, 4
fifth degree assaults, and 3 shoplifting calls just to give you a little sampling of what some of
those calls for service entailed. We had 114 citations issued and we had 175 verbal warnings and
150 of those were on traffic stops. Training update. All of our staff attended defensive and
controlled tactics training this past month and in addition to that Deputy Hastings and Deputy
Horvath are department field training officers and so they are training in several new deputies in
the months of March, April and May. We are full staff in Chanhassen but we have some
openings elsewhere and so they, those training officers throughout the county take turns and train
our officers in the various districts for a month at a time and so Deputy Horvath and Hastings are
training for the next 3 months with some of our new recruits so if you’re around during the day
in City Hall you might see some new faces. And as far as community relations update goes, I
participated in Responsible Beverage Server Training hosted by the City and sponsored by
Carver County Public Health on two different dates in the last month. Attended the Senior
Commission meeting on March 16th as well as the St. Patrick’s Day celebration at the Senior
Center on March 16th. Attended the County Road 61 Construction Project meeting to coordinate
emergency response to the area with the Eden Prairie Police Department for the duration of the
project. I also attended the State of the City presentation at the Chanhassen Rec Center and
although it doesn’t look like it or feel like it outside I can tell you with 100 percent certainty that
summer is around the corner because last week we had our first July 4th celebration planning
meeting so it’s got to be coming.
Mayor Laufenburger: That’s always a harborage of good times ahead right?
Lt. Eric Kittelson: Yes.
Mayor Laufenburger: Planning for 4th of July.
Chanhassen City Council – March 26, 2018
4
Lt. Eric Kittelson: That concludes my report. I’ll stand for any questions.
Mayor Laufenburger: Any questions of Lieutenant Kittelson? I just have, go ahead Mr.
McDonald.
Councilman McDonald: The only thing I want to do was just comment on some of the things
you’ve been doing. We’ve been interviewing people for commission positions and the Senior
Commission brought up there that you’ve been very good about attending and looking at the
scams that you know the elderly are constantly being bombarded with and I really want to
commend you for doing that and as I’ve said to the commission members, I would like a way
that we can get the word out because these scams constantly change and you get the word out
about one thing and they’ve changed the way that they do. I’ve had some people that I’m
involved with that have been touched by these scandals and these guys are very, very good and
so it’s a game you’ve got to stay ahead of. You can’t just put the word out and then not say
anything for a long period of time and I think it’s a real disservice to the senior community that
they get preyed upon this way because most of them, you’re looking at their life savings that
they’ve really put a lot of time and effort into and they’ve finally been able to retire and these
people come along and take it all away so I want to commend you for doing that and I really
want to encourage that you continue to do that and in working with our commissions I would
really take it as a great you know favor to the community if we could get the word out you know
whenever you know that some of these things are changing. I know you put a little piece in the
paper about all kinds of crimes and everything. I think it would be good if we would do
something there and then Senior Commission will try to also get the word out but it’s important
to protect our seniors.
Lt. Eric Kittelson: Absolutely. Well said. Detective Possard put together something, so he’s our
investigator in the city, he put together a presentation that he delivered to the Senior Center last
fall and as you said just speaking with the Senior Commission the other day they recommended,
and we actually just scheduled that today. He’s going to go give a similar presentation to
Centennial Hill and we’re going to see if we can get him to get out to some of the other senior
communities and then we’ll circle back to the senior center for the at large community but we’ll
target some of those audiences that are communities onto themselves and looking for that so
Detective Possard will be doing another similar presentation at Centennial Hill in April and we
will definitely look to continue that and expand on that.
Councilman McDonald: Thank you.
Todd Gerhardt: Mayor, council members. It’s not just our senior population. The Mayor and I
also experienced a scam that an individual tried to pull over on the city and my response to them,
when they asked me are you going to send that, wire that money I said no but the Carver County
Sheriff’s office will be in contact with you. And we have.
Chanhassen City Council – March 26, 2018
5
Mayor Laufenburger: Just a further comment on that and Lieutenant you do a good job and I
would ask you to continue to do that. Promoting or helping people understand the ways in which
scams or phishing or whatever it might be. There is a population in the world that desires to
improve their own status by decreasing somebody else’s. Whether it’s by identity theft.
Whether it’s by stealing funds, scams, we just have to be ever vigilant about that and I appreciate
that you are there to support people. Sometimes that means a 911 call but sometimes it may also
mean knocking on the sheriff’s office and saying this is what’s happening to me so I just, I thank
you for being available but I also encourage all of our citizens to be just vigilant and very aware
of what can happen with, because of the ill intended consequences that people all over the world
have for using other people’s resources. Money. Identity. Whatever it might be so thank you
very much.
Lt. Eric Kittelson: Absolutely.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you.
Lt. Eric Kittelson: You’re welcomed.
Mayor Laufenburger: I see that Chief Johnson is probably still at training this evening. Is there
any comment on Chief’s fire department report?
Chelsea Petersen: Mr. Mayor, Chief sends his regrets. He had a last minute issue that he had to
attend to. I’d be happy to pass along any questions, comments, concerns that the council may
have.
Mayor Laufenburger: Alright, thank you very much Ms. Petersen. Any questions or comments
on the fire department report? Alright there being none that moves to our next item on the
agenda which is commission appointments.
COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS.
Mayor Laufenburger: Just as a way of a little bit of education for our citizens, every year the
Chanhassen City Council appoints members of the community who have come forward and
made application to any of our four commissions. We have a Planning Commission, a Senior
Commission, an Environmental Commission, and a Park and Rec’s Commission and each of
these commissions act in some advisory capacity or recommendation capacity to the City
Council. Each of these commissions have at least 7 members. Park and Recreation also has
room for youth representation and the Senior Commission can accommodate 8 members so at
this time every year the City Council engages in interviews with a number of people who come
forward and say I’d like to serve. I’d like to serve in different capacity. We spent the last 3
work sessions interviewing probably over 20 candidates for the approximately 10 positions that
were available on the different commissions and surprisingly and this seems to go in cycles but
we have, we had a lot of people who applied for the Planning Commission even though there
Chanhassen City Council – March 26, 2018
6
were only 2 spots available and I would say that I speak on behalf of the council to say that the
caliber of people who are committed to coming forward and serving the city is exemplary. We
have a good decision to make in that unfortunately we’re going to say no to some people who are
very, very qualified but for some reason we just, we can’t put 4 people into 2 different spots so
I’m about to make the commission appointments and I’ll make that in the form of a motion. So
for the record beginning with the Senior Commission we are appointing 3 individuals to 3 year
terms. Dorina Tipton, Barbara Nevin, and Mack Titus to 3 year terms and also to one 2 year
term, Jerry Cerchia and of course all of these are members of our community so that’s the Senior
Commission. Next is the Environmental Commission and we have three 3 year terms on that
Environmental Commission. Number one is Don Vasatka. Number two Kristin Fulkerson.
Number 3 Greg Hawks and to a one year term Bill Chappell. Next to the Park and Recreation
Commission we have two 3 year terms and we are appointing to the first of those 3 year terms
Jim Boettcher. To the second 3 year term Joe Scanlon and to the youth representative term, this
is a 1 year term we’re asking Grant Schaeferle to return for one more year. And on the Planning
Commission we have two 3 year terms that are expiring and number one we are appointing Mark
Randall for a 3 year term and number two Mike McGonagill for a 3 year term so I submit those
names in the form of a nomination. Is there a second?
Councilwoman Tjornhom: Second.
Mayor Laufenburger: Thank you Councilmember Tjornhom. We have a motion and a second.
Is there any discussion?
Mayor Laufenburger moved, Councilwoman Tjornhom seconded to approve the following
commission appointments:
Senior Commission: Dorina Tipton, Barbara Nevin and Mack Titus to 3 year terms.
Jerry Cerchia to a 2 year term.
Environmental Commission: Don Vasatka, Kristin Fulkerson and Greg Hawks to 3 year terms.
Bill Chappell to a 1 year term.
Park and Recreation Commission: Jim Boettcher and Joe Scanlon to 3 year terms.
Grant Schaeferle to a 1 year term as a youth representative.
Planning Commission: Mark Randall and Mike McGonagill to 3 year terms.
All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 3 to 0.
COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS.
Mayor Laufenburger: Are there any council presentations this evening? I have just a couple that
I want to mention. First of all on March 28th, which is Wednesday evening the doors of
Chanhassen City Council – March 26, 2018
7
Chanhassen Inn will be closing for the final time after 36 years. Larry and Jean Zamor have
managed the Chanhassen Inn for all of that time. Managed it with hospitality and humility and if
you haven’t seen it already FOX 9 Reporter Amy Hockert did a wonderful news piece that was
shown last night on FOX 9 about the Chanhassen Inn. It tells a nice story about some of the
people that Larry and Jean Zamor served over the last 36 years so hats off to Larry and Jean as
they close the door to Chanhassen Inn and of course if you’ve been following the council
proceedings you know that Panera Bread will be opening a restaurant there. They will actually
take possession of that property on April 15th and they will tear down the Chanhassen Inn and
replace it with a Panera Bread. Secondly Monday of last week I gave a Chanhassen update
called Chan-Happenings update. It was about a 35 minute presentation followed by 35 minutes
of questions and that was recorded so if you’re interested in hearing about some of the projects
that are underway in Chanhassen you can go to our website. Just look for Chan-Happenings
update and you can see that video. And then the last comment I want to make is I’m wearing my
Ryder Cup tie today because I heard that this morning that our neighbor, Chaska will be hosting
the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine Golf Course again just 12 years after they hosted it 2 years ago. This
is an exceptional vote of confidence and thanks to the people at Hazeltine, both the membership,
the committee Chair and the pro there Chandler so I’m excited that that’s going to be brought
back to our community and I know that Chanhassen will get a lift from that and just remember
folks before Hazeltine Golf Course was in the city of Chaska, it was Chanhassen Township.
ADMINISTRATIVE PRESENTATIONS.
Mayor Laufenburger: Mr. Gerhardt do you have any administrative presentations this evening?
Todd Gerhardt: I have one Mayor. We’ve been having neighborhood meetings regarding our
proposed franchise fee as a funding mechanism for our street reconstruction. We had one on
February 8th in the Chanhassen Library in the Wilder Room. Our next one is Tuesday, April 10th
from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in the Chanhassen Library in the Wilder Room again. There’ll be a staff
presentation and then we will break into an open house to be a little more informal. We’ll take
one on one questions so just so the public’s aware that it will be an open house forum after
staff’s presentation.
Mayor Laufenburger: Okay very good. Anything else?
Todd Gerhardt: That’s it.
CORRESPONDENCE DISCUSSION. None.
Mayor Laufenburger: I just, before we ask for adjournment I just wish everybody a safe Easter
and Passover and we’ll see you back here in Chanhassen on Monday, April 9th at the council
meeting.
Chanhassen City Council – March 26, 2018
8
Councilman McDonald moved, Councilwoman Tjornhom seconded to adjourn the
meeting. All voted in favor and the motion carried unanimously with a vote of 3 to 0. The
City Council meeting was adjourned at 7:23 p.m.
Submitted by Todd Gerhardt
City Manager
Prepared by Nann Opheim