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Meeting
Minutes
Tuesday, May 27, 2008, at
6:30 p.m.
1. Introductions/Roll
Call
Commission
members present: Jan Vanderwall, Ernie Willenbring, and Jim DeBenedet
Commission
members absent: Dwayne Stenlund
Staff
present: Duane Schwartz, Public Works Director; Deb Bloom, City
Engineer;
Tim Pratt, Recycling Coordinator
Others
present: 2 members from the Planning Commission; Jim Tolaas; Ramsey County
Public Works
Randy Neprash has notified staff that he is resigning from the Commission because of work
conflicts.
2. Public
Comments
None
3. Approval of
April 22, 2008, Meeting Minutes
Chair
DeBenedet requested a change at the bottom of Page 1. It was recorded that
he suggested taking a van trip of Rice Street before discussions began, but
he said he meant that a van trip had already been taken.
Member
Willenbring moved to approve the minutes of the April 22, 2008, meeting of
the Public Works, Environment and Transportation Commission. Member
Vanderwall seconded.
Ayes: 3
Nays: 0
Motion
carried
4. Communication
Items
Spring
Cleanup Day
Tim
Pratt, City Recycling Coordinator, updated the Commission on Spring Cleanup
Day.
Chair
DeBenedet suggested the hours go later in the day. Mr. Pratt said
historically there haven’t been many people showing up later in the
afternoon.
Watersmart
Landscaping Workshop
Deb Bloom, City Engineer, updated the Commission on the workshop held recently at City Hall.
Member
Willenbring asked about rain barrels and whether they were going to be
regulated in the near future. Ms. Bloom said there wasn’t currently anything
in the City Code and nothing was in process.
Comprehensive
Plan Update
Duane Schwartz, Public Works Director, updated the Commission on the plan and said there would
be a draft of the update available in a few weeks. Chair DeBenedet said he
had missed the last meeting, but the steering committee was going to two
meetings a month starting in June to try and wrap things up.
Mary
Bakeman, who also serves on the steering committee, was in the audience and
updated the Committee on what happened at the last meeting.
Twin Lakes Update
Mr
Schwartz updated the Commission that the last proposal for the Twin Lakes area was canceled by the developer.
City
Project Updates
Ms
Bloom updated the Commission on the County Road C Streetscape Project and the
mill and overlay project. Both projects are progressing well.
Joint
Meeting with City Council
The
meeting is scheduled for June 9 [this was later changed to June 30] and is a
time to inform the Council of any concerns or ideas.
Pathway
Committee
Chair
DeBenedet asked Member Vanderwall to fill them in on what was happening with
the meetings. Member Vanderwall deferred to Mr. Schwartz, who updated the
Commission on the last meeting.
5. Shoreview Green Community
Awards Program Presentation
Two
members of the Shoreview Environmental Quality Committee, Karen Eckman and
Tim Pratt. Mr. Pratt informed the Commission that this community program is
expanding into Roseville. The program is all about clean water, and operates
by encouraging more best management practices usage and providing community
education. For more information please visit www.ci.shoreview.mn.us
6. Rice Street Road Design Concept Presentation by Ramsey County Staff
Mary
Bakeman and Barbara Martinson from the City Planning Commission joined the
PWETC at the table for the presentation.
Jim
Tolaas, Ramsey County Engineer, spoke on the Rice Street design concept.
Ms.
Bakeman questioned whether the Rice Street design was going to be wide enough
to accommodate other modes of transit, including a light rail system should
that arise. Mr. Tolaas said the design would not accommodate light rail, but
it would accommodate far side bus stops, although bus lines don’t necessarily
want far side stops.
Ms.
Bakeman commented on the plan switching between three-lane sections and
four-lane sections and how confusing that could be for drivers.
Chair
DeBenedet said one thing the City needed to be aware of was protecting their
right to build sidewalks and to be able to have a landscaping plan for the
boulevards and that it was all about coordination.
Chair
DeBenedet said to accommodate all other requirements the plan has to do away
with having medians except at certain intersections.
Member
Willenbring asked about the two railroad bridges south of Hwy 694 that were
rebuilt a few years ago and if they were built wide enough to accommodate the
plan. Mr. Tolaas said they were in good enough condition to not need
widening or rebuilding.
Member
Vanderwall said a bike commuting and walking path would be a good addition to
this route; there are immediate customers out there to use it.
Chair
DeBenedet said the City should keep moving towards burying power lines.
7. Public
Works Strategic Plan
Mr.
Schwartz shared the plan staff has been working on, which is a plan to
accomplish goals the department has for the next few years.
Chair
DeBenedet pointed out that if he were writing this report he would put the
comment about doing quality projects to the 2nd or 3rd
item on the list.
8. Public
Works Proposed 10-year Capital Improvement Plan
Mr.
Schwartz presented the proposed Public Works 10-year Capital Improvement
Plan.
Member
Vanderwall said he would like the Commission to make a recommendation to the
Council about deteriorating infrastructure. Chair DeBenedet said he agreed.
9. Preliminary
2009 Public Works Budget Request Presentation
Mr.
Schwartz reviewed the 2009 Public Works budget. The biggest changes are in
regard to fuel costs. Fuel purchase costs have increased 120% since 2005.
Mr.
Schwartz handed out copies of the City annual report
10. Agenda for Next Meeting –
June 30, 2008
The
June 30 meeting will be at the City Council meeting. Discussion was had on
what they would talk about at that meeting.
Member
Vanderwall wanted to discuss the investment the City is making in its
infrastructure and find out what the Council feels about the current
situation.
Member
Vanderwall also wanted to ask the Council what they expected of the
Commission and find out if there was more they could do. Chair DeBenedet
agreed that he wanted to find out what the Commission role was within the
city governing structure.
Member
Willenbring brought up cases when the Commission asks for additional
information and research to be done by staff and that they shouldn’t be
putting large time demands on staff and maybe Commission Members could do
their own research.
11.
Adjournment
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