2009 Street & Utility Improvement Project
Click here to view the Power Point Presentation from the January 21, 2009 Assessment Hearing. The hearing will also be broadcast daily January 24 to February 24, 2009 from 10 a.m. to noon on Government Channel 16.
Centennial Lakes police rank-and-file are going public with gripes about their boss.
The patrol and sergeants unions are demanding action from community leaders after earlier passing a unanimous vote of no confidence in Chief Bob Makela, calling him a poor leader since he took the job three years ago. The department serves Centerville, Circle Pines and Lexington.
"The commission makes directives, and the chief follows those directives. Some ... might not be well-received," Capra said. "Change is hard."
Officers said problem-oriented policing was not a factor in their no-confidence vote.
They spelled out concerns about Makela in a letter to the police board two weeks ago:
He is indecisive.
He does a bad job of communicating.
He delegates his work.
He doesn't instill confidence in others, and union members avoid interacting with himm.
He has created a hostile work environment.
The letter asks the board to address the problems but does not seek the chief's ouster or suggest solutions.
Several members of the department have grown so frustrated that they have begun to look for other jobs. The unions warned the governing board — which includes the mayor and a city council member from each city the department serves — last month it could lose its trained officers.
The governing board shouldn't dismiss the no-confidence vote, suggested Dennis Flaherty, executive director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association.
"I think it signals in a very loud way to the city's policymakers or elected officials and the community at large that there are problems in the Police Department that bear very close attention," Flaherty said.
The unions notified the board of their no-confidence vote in October and requested a meeting. But the board responded a month later with a closed meeting. The unions were not invited.
Louise Edwards The Citizen
At the last Centerville City Council meeting of the year, council members spent considerable time in discussion over a request for $35,000 in additional compensation for construction observation services performed this summer by the city’s consulting engineers, Bonestroo, on Anoka County’s Main Street reconstruction project. Council held a similar discussion at its Sept. 24 meeting and tabled the matter.
City Engineer Mark Statz stated in a letter dated Sept. 16, 2008 that although the total budget for inspection services agreed upon at the beginning of the CSAH 14 project was $55,428, he said that the company provided additional services throughout the summer after city inspectors, who had planned to supplement Bonestroo’s efforts, were unable to assist because of higher-than-expected construction activity related to the hailstorm of May 25. “Our proposal was clear in saying that it was based on a [specific] number of hours per week,” said Statz. “Since our proposal was based on our expectation, and since we were directed to be out there more, I think [our request is] in line.”
“We would have expected them to step up and pick up any slack … because we wouldn’t have wanted the project to go on unsupervised,” agreed Council Member Linda Broussard Vickers. “We overestimated what our staff could do.” “Well, I’m concerned about the communication,” said Council Member Jeff Paar, referring to the delay before council was officially presented with the request in September. A motion to compensate Bonestroo for $21,000—the extra work for this past summer—of the $35,000 requested failed, 3-2. Mayor Capra and Council Member Broussard Vickers both supported the motion.
In reviewing the Council meeting, it is clear that Mr. Statz (City Engineer) working with Bonestroo was requesting additional payment of 12 oversight hours per week times 20 weeks. It was determined by the City that is was necessary to oversee the County on the CSAH 14 project. B-Vickers got out the calculator and determined that 12 hours per week at 20 weeks came to the grand total of $21,600 and not the $35,000 requested. Mr. Statz stated that he would have to look back at the records to see if Bonestroo had worked more than 20 weeks. Mr. Statz was afforded the opportunity to bring in documentation to back the additional work hours, which he declined, stating he wanted to resolve the issue that evening. This motion was not approved and scheduled to be discussed during the 1-7-09 work session which is not taped. For further information, please feel free to contact your City officials.
The council also adopted Ordinance No. 22, the city’s 2009 Fee Schedule.
Changes include a 5% increase in water and sewer rates and storm water drainage fees as well as changes to the way drainage fees are calculated for commercial and industrial property.
Taxpayers will also notice the addition of a $21 quarterly water base charge which represents the benefit of accessibility to hydrants for all city residents and business owners whether they have municipal water service or not.
Centerville has been upgraded to a Fire Class 5, effectively lowering fire insurance rates because of hydrant availability, Administrator Larson said.
This charge will appear on municipal April 1 quarterly drainage and/or sewer & water statements.
It's not a tax increase, it's a new water charge... Something we look forward to this New Year!
The Citizen 12/24/2008
Update From City Administrator in Response to a Copy and Paste of The Citizen News Article Linked Above
Centerville's rank of 14th-highest in city tax rates was good news: The city has been the highest-taxed city in the past. "It's a huge improvement for us," Mayor Mary Capra said. She said the average property owner has seen an increase in city taxes of only $63 in the past seven years. The city is getting creative. Today, the city is sponsoring what Capra calls "our own little economic stimulus package." The event, called Dash for Cash, includes a drawing for $500 in "Cougar Cash" that can be spent only in Centerville businesses. The idea is to promote city businesses and the city overall. "We have a bare-bones staff," Capra said. "This city council is conservative."
HIGHEST OVERALL TAX RATES
1. Carver
2. Victoria
3. Centerville
4. Savage
5. Circle Pines
6. Lexington
9. Dayton
7. Golden Valley
8. Farmington
10. Minneapolis
Pioneer Press-12/9/2008
If you want to see the Minnesota Capitol lit up at night, go there before 11 p.m. That's when they turn off the lights.
State officials used to illuminate Minnesota's most famous building all night. Commissioner of Administration Dana Badgerow said Monday her department recently reduced the hours of lighting as part of an effort to cut energy consumption in the Capitol complex by 10 percent.
"The TV crews can still do their shots for the 10 o'clock news," Badgerow said.
From July through October — the first four months of the program ordered by Gov. Tim Pawlenty — energy use at "Capitol campus" buildings has decreased by 3.5 percent, said David Fielding, plant management director for the Department of Administration.
The state spent $9.3 million to heat, light and power the 4.7 million square feet of space in those 16 buildings last year. If administration officials meet their conservation goal, they'll save taxpayers nearly $1 million this year.
Asked if they'll reach that goal, Fielding replied, "It won't be for lack of trying. I think we've got a very good chance."
The program started with the simple step of asking state employees to get rid of their space heaters, fans, microwave ovens and other personal appliances. "We deprived them of a few conveniences — maybe," Badgerow said.
A city-by-city look...
Communities across Minnesota are being forced to cut back and lay off staff as they prepare for the new year.
The League of Minnesota Cities warned Tuesday that many cities are scrambling to cope with the slumping economy, declining revenue and rising costs.
In addition, the state could experience one of its biggest deficits, and that "could really wreak havoc on city budgets for 2009 and beyond," said Gary Carlson, the League's director of intergovernmental affairs.
The state economic forecast is due out Thursday.
"I think cities are a little bit on edge," Carlson said.
City leaders fear the Legislature may reduce state contributions to local governments to meet its own budget. Many communities rely on Local Government Aid to finance basic services. And cutting state Market Value Homestead Credit reimbursements, which make up for homestead tax breaks, can leave a hole in city coffers.
Lino Lakes faces making midyear budget cuts if it loses its reimbursement, which adds up to about $240,000, said city administrator Gordon Heitke. The Legislature has made such cuts in the past.
"Our greatest concern for 2009 is whether the Legislature will take some action to adversely affect our budget as they deal with their fiscal challenges," he said.
Cities across the east metro are looking for ways to make the painful cuts:
Pioneer Press
By Brady Gervais and Mary Divine
"I am the best candidate with the most experience and have proven I can handle difficult issues and make tough decisions. I make all of my decisions based on all of the residents of the city, not just one special interest group. I have been elected twice because I keep my promises, I am honest, and the residents trust me. "Agreed to submit a grant application through the Safe Routes to Schools program in the hope that the old adage, “Third time’s a charm” will be true for this particular project. The application for funds to construct a tunnel crossing under CSAH 14 near Centerville Elementary School has been rejected twice previously, but city engineer Mark Statz said the city had been given a “wink, wink, nudge, nudge” from MnDOT that the application would likely succeed this time around. Council members expressed concern that if successful, the project would require the digging-up of a section of the newly relaid Main Street, but agreed that they would make a decision on whether to proceed if the funds were allocated to Centerville. “I’m just baffled at how this stuff works,” said Council Member Jeff Paar, commenting on the news that the application might be successful after the reconstruction of CSAH 14 had occurred.
The Citizen
