WS 1999 09 20CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1999
MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Mancino, Council members Engel, Jansen, and Senn.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilman Labatt
STAFF PRESENT: Scott Botcher, City Manager; Todd Gerhardt, Assistant City Manager;
Phillip Elkin, Water Resources Coordinator; Bruce DeJong, Finance Director.
CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION: The council convened at 5:00 p.m. and promptly went into
closed executive session regarding threatened litigation from Lakeview Hills Apartments.
PIONEER TRAIL/TH 101 DRAINAGE PROJECT: At 5:30 p.m., the council reconvened in
a special city council meeting to authorize advertising for bids for the Pioneer Trail and TH 101
Drainage Project. Water Resources Coordinator Phillip Elkin presented the staff report and
stated that the construction estimate could fluctuate between $30,000 and $40,000 less than the
actual estimate. The council expressed concern about bidding a project that benefited so few
people on private property, that the project was not included in the budget, and that the council
did not have the opportunity to determine whether a project should be considered at all. Staff
explained that in 1998 the council received a memo stating that since the Lake Ann Park project
was not going to be completed that the Water Resources Coordinator would conduct a feasibility
study in this area. Photos were shown of the area in totally flooded condition that indicated the
septic systems were in danger of becoming inundated, as water levels were right up to the base of
mound systems. Staff explained that this type of flooding condition was not happening to this
extreme in any other part of the city.
Staff explained that this problem was created during county road construction and that there was
nothing the homeowners could do as individuals to alleviate the problem. The culverts in the area
need to be reinstalled or lowered to sufficiently drain the area. Mayor Mancino and
Councilwoman Jansen agreed that the city has a responsibility of working toward a solution, but
that the county should be contacted to have them do the work or at least share in the
responsibility.
A motion was made by Mancino and seconded by Senn to approve getting bids for simply
lowering the culverts and to contact the county regarding sharing responsibility. The following
voted in favor: Mayor Mancino, Councilmen Engel and Senn. Councilwoman Jansen voted no.
Motion carried.
Councilwoman Jansen stated that she felt the city should bid the project as designed to see what
the bids were and then make a decision whether or not to go ahead with the project.
At this time, the city council adjourned from its special city council meeting and began the work
session.
City Council Work Session
September 20, 1999
Page 2
HRA NOTIFICATION PROCESS: Staff members from Carver County HRA were present to
discuss the notification process. Manager Botcher indicated that he was not in favor of the
council holding public hearings regarding HRA development projects within the community as the
city's ability to deny or uphold HRA activity within the city was, candidly, quite limited. It was
felt that it would be counter productive to hold a public hearing under the guise that the city could
actually to do something about the proposal.
The HRA expressed a strong willingness to participate with the city in any notification processes
the council sees fit. Following discussion of many different options, it was agreed that both the
Carver County HRA and City staff will work closely together and Carver County HRA stood
ready to meet with the council any time to provide full and complete notification to it and its
citizens.
RESOLUTION REGARDING SCHOOL DISTRICT 112 REFERENDUM: Two members
of District 112 were present to seek council support for a resolution endorsing the District 112
referendum. Several council members and city staff expressed concerns about the propriety of the
city council endorsing a referendum for the school district. The consensus on behalf of the
council was that they could support a resolution indicating that citizens should become educated
and be active in the voting process, but that it was probably inappropriate to take a position one
way or the other on the referendum.
1998 AUDIT REPORT: Tautges Redpath, municipal auditors for fiscal year 1998, presented
the audit report for this same year.
Tautges Redpath initially discussed what an audit actually was and how it was performed. They
discussed briefly some of the sampling techniques utilized to ensure a full and accurate
representation of the financial transactions made by the City of Chanhassen in fiscal year 1998.
Following council and staff questions of the auditor, it was agreed that at some point in the future
the council would take action, probably on the Consent Agenda, to officially adopt the fiscal year
1998 audit.
At this time several small miscellaneous items were discussed and the work session was
adjourned.
Scott A. Botcher
City Manager