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Home My WebLink About2007-02-24 - Council Minutes CITY OF CORCORAN CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WORKSHOP February 24, 2007 The Corcoran City Council met on February 24, 2007, at city hall in Corcoran, Minnesota. Present were Mayor Guenthner, Councilor Grabowski, Councilor Call to Order Hudok, Councilor Jacobs, and Councilor Thomas. Also present was Administrator Vergin. Mayor Guenthner opened the workshop at 8:35 a.m. Roll Call Workshop Process Process Mayor Guenthner stated that he would like for each council member to identify their goals, and share their visions. That they would start with the broader issues and then narrow to the more specific issues. Guenthner  Guenthner Successful implementation of the Corcoran Business Park.  Achieve balance in the budget – return monies to the reserve account.  After the Corcoran Business Park is completed, start the review process on the Comp Plan.  Seek collaboration with the ISD #883 and the Lions to seek a larger public recreational facility.  Manage the council in a dynamic manner that is successful for the city. That good decision and outcomes happen through a process to get the best decisions. Willingness to recognize that some one may have a better idea. Thomas Thomas  Southwest District and Corcoran Business Park are important – bring in tax base and expand growth in that area.  Roads – Pavement Management Committee is looking at financing to improve and maintain roads within the rural areas. MUSA area will take care of itself.  Promote the downtown area – provide a long-term identity for the city. The Schendel and Hope proposed projects would participate in achieving that.  No agendas as to what else is going on. Wants to work with the city council to work for the city, not for individuals. Change is okay. Work through the issues and agree to disagree. Grabowski Grabowski  Short term and long term need to be defined and looked at carefully.  Within two years would like ordinances clarified – they are too complex and convoluted. Need to have ordinances that the residents can figure out. Hearing that people say they can’t develop in Corcoran (too complex).  #1 is the agreement with Medina to provide utilities for the Corcoran Business Park project. Project will increase resources to the City.  Focus on gravel management for the streets. City raised fees for park and trails; we can do it for streets, as there is more demand on the streets.  Public Works facility needs to be upgraded or located to a new location. Jacobs Jacobs  Reform government – provide core services, such at road maintenance. Parks and trails are luxury items. People come and go on roads. Budget more focused on public works and police department.  Return power to the residents - find better way to manage petitions; what are the people getting for the tax increases, if there is no increase to service, then Page -1- CITY OF CORCORAN CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WORKSHOP February 24, 2007 there should be no increase to taxes; don’t duplicate services if they are provided by the county or other entity.  Greater individual freedom on one’s property. This area is rural so therefore less controls more freedom.  Correlation between professional services. Cut back on some such as code enforcement. Let people be on the honor system. Codes have created friction to people.  Less emphasis on parks and trails, more emphasis on maintenance of roads.  Previously the city operated with smaller space and limited functions of staff at less costs. Now larger space, increased costs, but service has not gotten better. Hudok Hudok  Make Subdivision Ordinance easier to understand and manage. Different standards for residents and developers, and minor versus larger plats.  Avoid planning review process – simplify the process. Provide handouts.  Simplify, less restrictive as Corcoran is more rural in nature.  Reduce fees.  Reduce expenditures of the City.  Improve the quality by providing the more important services.  Create a policy of accountability of staff – improve public view of staff, “can’t fight city hall”, being more of a hinder then a help. Summation of Goals and Mayor Guenthner summarized that all council members had identified longer and Objectives Identified shorter-term goals. Need to react and manage external process, achieve consensus and focus. First would like to have council talk about the smaller and immediate matters and then move on to the broader more philosophical items. Identify where the areas are with challenges at city hall. For example a situation arose where trees were being removed within the utility easement and residents don’t always understand that they do not control what happens within those easements. Providing fact sheets to the public that identify when and why we do what we do. Information to clarify the rules and the policies that are in place. Mayor Guenthner stated that there appeared to be three main goals identified, Roads, Corcoran Business Park and the ordinances. Discussion pursued relative to the ordinances, on the subdivision and land use General Discussion application processes. It was suggested that the escrow account be renamed, perhaps “fee deposit”. Need to have a clear explanation of how the process works. Fact sheets on land use application processes. The city should be aware of what is their legal and ethical duty when the city provides incorrect information and vice versa when an applicant provides the wrong information. Human Resource matters were addressed. The Council indicated that they would support Administrator Vergin in obtaining some temporary services for the next 30 – 60 days during the process of filling the Clerk/ Treasurer position. Discussed in house planner and/or consultant planner. An in house planner could focus on the immediate issues such as the ordinances, and the smaller land use applications, while a consultant could be utilized for larger developments. A Page -2- CITY OF CORCORAN CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WORKSHOP February 24, 2007 planner can serve multi roles, such as planning and inspection services. The Council will need to identify the role of the planner, the level of planner experience, and wages for that position. The council will be addressing the RFP th process at the March 8 meeting, and can address this further during that process. Councilor Jacobs suggested that the Administrator budget be combined with the Clerk budget in 2008. The Council addressed the park funds and the ability to seek other funds for road maintenance. It was suggested that the City reduce the park dedication fee and off set that by the road (transportation) area charge. Should identify where the priority is, is it parks, or is it roads. It was suggested that the Council rank priorities and functions of the Parks & Trails Commission, Pavement Management Committee, and the Planning Commission, from most to least importance. Then each committee will be asked to do the same. th This information should be exchanged at the March 8 meeting and then discussed nd by the Council at the March 22 meeting. The code enforcement position will remain status quo until the city works through the planner matter. th The transportation area fee needs to be addressed at the March 8 council meeting, as John Jones has indicated that they would like to move forward with finalizing the Hodgin plat, and this fee is required before they can file the plat. Adjournment Adjournment MOTION by Thomas, seconded by Grabowski, to adjourn the workshop, 11:18 a.m. Voting Aye: Grabowski, Guenthner, Hudok, Jacobs, and Thomas. (Motion Carried 5:0) ______________________________ Susan Vergin, City Administrator Page -3-