01-24-2022 City Council Work Session MinutesCHANHASSEN CITY COUNCIL
WORK SESSION
MINUTES
JANUARY 24, 2022
Mayor Ryan called the work session to order at 5:31 p.m.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Ryan (in person), Councilwoman Rehm (via
Zoom), Councilman Campion (via Zoom), Councilman McDonald (via Zoom), and
Councilwoman Schubert (in person).
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Laurie Hokkanen, City Manager; Matt Unmacht, Assistant City Manager;
Kate Aanenson, Community Development Director; Charlie Howley, Public Works
Director/City Engineer; George Bender, Assistant City Engineer; Kelly Strey, Finance Director;
Jerry Ruegemer, Park and Recreation Director; and Kim Meuwissen, City Clerk.
PUBLIC PRESENT: None.
DISCUSS COMMISSION INTERVIEW PROCESS
City Manager Hokkanen provided an overiew of the current Commission application process and
suggested a new format of conducting group interviews. Groups would consist of 4-5 applicants
and about 20 minutes would be allowed for the interview. The benefit of group interviews shows
how candidates interact in a group; however, there is less individual interaction. Group
interviews will save a lot of time as well.
Council Discussion:
All Council members were supportive of the group interviews suggestion. It was pointed out that
in a group interview setting, applicants tend to give the same answers or agree with another. A
suggestion was made that all candidates submit videos answering the typical commission
application questions in advance of the in-person interviews. It was noted that this option would
require the City Council to commit to watching the videos on their own time outside of a Council
meeting. It was then suggested that each commission prepare a list of questions targeted to that
specific commission to be answered by the applicants in advance of the group interviews.
Administrative staff could do this through email and compile the information to present to
Council prior to the interview sessions. City Council really appreciated the commission input
provided last year.
Council directed staff to collect three commission-specific questions from each commission and
email them to the applicants to answer prior to their scheduled group interview time.
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PARKS REFERENDUM DISCUSSION
Mayor Ryan provided instructions on things Council should think about during the presentation.
Parks & Recreation Director Jerry Ruegemer provided a PowerPoint presentation on the
proposed park referendum and addressed the following:
• Guiding principals of stewardship, connectivity, engagement, and adaptibility.
• Relationship to Strategic Priorities of Financial Sustainability, Asset Management, and
Operational Excellence.
• 2019 NCS community survey results
• Referendum planning documents: 2017 Parks & Recreation System Plan and 2019 Lake
Ann Park Preserve Feasibility Study
• Referendum timeline (January through November 8-Election Day)
o Task Force:
Applications (online)
Interviews
Appointments
Meetings
o Ballot languge
o Social media/advertising
o Notice to Carver County Auditor
o General Election Day – November 8, 2022
• Task Force make up – two residents from three different zones (total of 6), City Council
and Commission member representatives, and liaisons from local athletic associations
• Financing
• Comparison of neighboring cities’ facilities and amenities (Chaska, Victoria, Eden
Prairie, and Minnetonka)
• Parks & Recreation System Plan Priorities
• Next steps:
o Advertise Task Force application, conduct interviews, appoint members
o Staff/Task Form to define parameters of project scope and capital investment
o Identify grant opportunities and project partners
Council Discussion
Mayor Ryan thanked Jerry Ruegemer for the presentation. A question was asked about the
capital and operating components of the referendum. Specifically, how would the operating costs
be funded and is bonding going to affect the City’s AAA boond rating? Hokkanen stated
operating costs would be funded through the levy. Referendums are usually just for the capital
investment. Finance Director Strey said that depending on the size of the project, the City has the
capacity to issue debt for this. A maximum amount has not been addressed but can be looked
into. A concern was raised about the cost of street projects and would it have an impact on the
City’s bonding and bond rating? Strey stated the City has a pretty significant amount of bonding
available. Street projects are funded by special assessment revenue which has less impact on debt
capacity. Strey didn’t believe this would impact the City’s bond rating and that we needed to
look at the scope to vet that question. We can lay it out in a debt study and get our municipal
advisor involved (Ehlers) after key projects have been identified, or we can do it earlier as there
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3
are many ways to structure a bond issue. We will need the project scope but can come up with
options.
Another concern was how we come with a plan in such a short period of time. Smaller projects
could be included but bigger projects should be part of a long-term plan and we should be
thoughtful about it. The Rec Center may need more time to think through.
Mayor Ryan said the Task Force would identify the projects and, with Kelly’s help, see if there
is funding, and if the referendum passes then come up with details of the plan? Hokkanen
commented that we should find out if there is community support to breaking down the project
as opposed to doing all the work up front.
A question was asked about the recent City of Lakeville Referendum. Ruegemer replied that
Lakeville had a really strong social media campaign and did have specific projects. A comment
was made that it would be helpful to see what other cities are doing. Parks, trails and
neighborhood parks are different than facility improvements like a Community Center or ice rink
or swimming pool. Mayor Ryan said we should focus on what residents want as a levy as
opposed to a specific plan. The Task Force would work toward what’s included in the
referendum and use the Parks & Recreation System Plan as an outline for potential projects.
Ruegemer stated that this plan still has a lot of relevance and was created as a long-term
document. The Plan is available on the City’s website.
Hokkanen stated that this will be a fairly intense endeavor to obtain community feedback,
engage the City Council and ask the community to work with the Task Force.
Mayor Ryan stated she was part of the 2017 Parks & Recreation Plan committee. It was an
exhaustive process with a lot of representation, including open houses. What was identified as
potential needs has not changed. It was a strategic long-term plan and there had never been a
plan done before; this is the first one. We also have the Lake Ann Park Preserver Feasibility
Study which was community driven.
Mayor Ryan questioned whether the Task Force interviewing team should include the
Environmental, Senior, and Planning Commission members.
Mayor Ryan solicited Council for a list of specific items or priorities they would like to be
considered or if there was anything missing from the list.
• Expect to see smaller improvements or additions to neighborhood parks that might be
included
• Increase the amount of greenspace downtown for dogs and walking?
• Increase the number of swings in parks.
It was stated that the scope of the plan was to be thinking about the future. One thing that was
left out of the report was how to prioritize all of this; however, a lot of the groundwork has been
done. The study would help us to meet the schedule we are looking at. We’ve already laid out a
plan and we should follow it. Mayor Ryan said the Task Force will use the Parks & Recreation
System Plan which includes a priorities list.
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Mayor Ryan asked who is interested in being City Council designees on the the Task Force.
Councilmembers Schubert and Rehm volunteered. Councilmembers McDonald and Campion
also expressed interest.
Mayor Ryan asked Ruegemer if any oth er feedback was needed and when do you anticipate
rolling out the application process. Ruegemer said he would like the online application to be live
by the end of this week.
Mayor Ryan suggested that the Council be aware that referendum news will be rolled out this
week. Hokkanen stated that a web page would be created and would include links to the studies.
A FlashVote survey will also be available to promote referendum awareness and provide
feedback.
Ruegemer stated that the Task Force would meet on either Tuesday or Wednesday nights.
FUTURE WORK SESSION SCHEDULE
January 31, 2022 Strategic Planning Session
February 14, 2022 Active Shooter Training Presentation
Electric Vehicle Charging Station Proposal
February 28, 2022 Commission interviews
March 14, 2022 Commission interviews
City Manager performance review
March 21, 2022 Facilities Study discussion
April 11, 2022 ARPA Discussion
April 25, 2022 Public Safety Staffing Update
The meeting adjourned at 6:52 p.m.
Submitted by Laurie Hokkanen
City Manager
Prepared by Kim Meuwissen
City Clerk