2016.02.16 Work Session Packet (1st)Is 4141 Douglas Drive North • Crystal, Minnesota 55422-1696
CITY of Tel: (763) 531-1000 • Fax: (763) 531-1188 • www.crystalmn.gov
CRYSTAL
Posted: February 12, 2016
CRYSTAL CITY COUNCIL
FIRST WORK SESSION AGENDA
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
6:30 p.m.
Conference Room A
Pursuant to due call and notice given in the manner prescribed by Section 3.01 of the City
Charter, the first work session of the Crystal City Council was held at p.m. on Tuesday,
February 16, 2016 in Conference Room A located at 4141 Douglas Drive, Crystal, Minnesota.
I. Attendance
Council members Staff
Libby Norris
Parsons Therres
Peak Revering
Adams Gilchrist
Dahl Serres
Deshler
Kolb
II. Agenda
The purpose of the work session is to discuss the following agenda items:
1. Constitution Week
2. EQC Work Plan
III. Adjournment
The work session adjourned at p.m.
Auxiliary aids are available upon request to individuals with disabilities by calling the City Clerk at (763)
531-1145 at least 96 hours in advance. TTY users may call Minnesota Relay at 711 or 1-800-627-3529.
Memorandum
CITY of
CRYSTAL
DATE: February 10, 2016
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Anne Norris, City Manager
SUBJECT: Task Force — Constitution Week
At its last work session, the City Council discussed a request Councilmember Parsons
received from a resident to create a task force committed to hosting a "Constitution
Week 2016."
The resident has a small group of folks interested in planning and hosting a Constitution
Week event this year. Below is a series of emails from the resident outlining plans for
the event.
From January 2016:
Just wanted to keep everyone in the loop for what is happening for Constitution
Week 2016.
So far I have not heard any definitive answers from anyone about how they
would like to proceed. I need to hear from the city that there will be a task force
or what I need to do to start the task force (not just that it is a good idea) or I
need to hear from people that "Yes, I want to do something and here is my
contact information, " so I can schedule meeting times. I have contacted my
contact from School District 281 and we will be meeting in February. I included
the e-mail I sent back in October 2015, just as a reminder of why I'm starting
things this early. Also my idea for the Theme for 2016 is. -Arguments against the
Constitution- (1)Do we see any from the time of the founding that have come true
or (2)Which ones from the time of the founding are still going on today or (3)How
do today's arguments against the Constitution compare with those at the time of
its founding? (I haven't picked one yet) I am happy to discuss other topics as
well. I just want to get the ball started, so that no one is rushing to do things and
everything is a lot better planned out and publicized as much as possible.
From October 2015:
I'm looking to start a Constitution Week Task force for 2016. 1 want to do it
through a task force rather than a commission so that no one has to spend 3
years on a commission, working on a bunch of different things all because they
just want to be part of this one event. I spoke with Olga Parsons (Crystal section
2 rep) and Pat Frigerio (Robbinsdale Area Schools Community Education Youth
and Development & Adventure Club Program Assistant) and they are both on
board for doing another Constitution Week event in 2016 and creating a task
force to run it.
I know that the event itself is still months away, but the biggest complaint I have
heard with every event I've been involved with is that it does not have enough
publicity. That means we have to start recruiting now, so that we have people
and can start publicity planning in early 2016.
The deadline for getting into the summer 2016 "The Crystal Connection" is
March 2016. 1 assume that the deadline for school program publications and
anything other publications we want to be in are going to be similar. We want to
be in the summer publications, and perhaps the falls ones too, because the event
starts in the beginning of September and that's normally when the fall books
come out. We want people to already have Constitution week on their minds, so
that they are already planning to attend the event before the fall issues come out
and haven't already planned to do something else. Then if the event is in fall
issues, it reinforces promotion for the event.
So anything you guys can do to start recruiting efforts for people, including
yourselves, that may want to participate in this, that would be great.
The City Council agreed that it was interested in supporting the effort but that creation of
a task force was not necessary. The City Council also requested a brief discussion with
the organizer; Carolyn Maristany will be at the Februaryll 6 work session for that
discussion.
Memorandum
CCHY
VAL..
DATE: February 10, 2016
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Anne Norris, City Manager"
SUBJECT: Work Plans, Ideas and Suggestions for Project and Assignments for
Advisory Commissions — Environmental Quality Commission
At its November 12 work session, the Council discussed ideas for projects and
assignments for the advisory commissions to be used in providing guidance to the
commissions. After that discussion, Councilmember Parsons, Liaison to the
Environmental Quality Commission drafted the attached Work Plan Ideas. This was
discussed at recent EQC meetings, attached are minutes from the December 17 EQC
meeting.
After that meeting and commission discussion, Councilmember Parsons prepared the
following 2016 Work Plan:
Environmental Quality Commission Proposed 2016 Work Plan
Theme: Recycling "Waste Education"
Community/Local Business Education Events on Waste Reduction: Tech Dump, Value
Village (May 21 Sr). Further education on reducing the use of Styrofoam, encourage
Green Purchasing Policy for businesses, and composting.
City of Crystal: Research Green Purchasing Policy, focus on reducing use of Styrofoam
and other disposable products (use of actual reusable glass mugs/cups/containers).
Members of the EQC have been invited to attend the February 16 work session to
discuss their 2016 work plan ideas with the City Council.
Attach:
Environmental Quality Commission Work Plan Ideas
A few weeks ago the city council met to discuss work plans for commissions. The
council directed that each commission should develop a work plan in partnership with
their council liaison. The plan should cover at least one year, but longer range plans are
encouraged where possible. The idea is to create a document that can be easily updated
each year so the annual planning process is streamlined.
Commissions are encouraged to pick a theme for the year, then identify a small number
of projects that can be achieved in the year. Plans should be action -oriented and focus on
Crystal.
The entire council was polled and submitted a list of potential ideas for the commission
based on their priorities. This list was then combined with the commission's ideas to
create this combined list.
The commission should develop their work plan based on the ideas on this list.
How this list can be used:
1. Pick a theme for the year (recycling, park clean up, watershed, etc).
2. Pick two or three realistic projects/initiatives that can be completed in a year. Can
also pick a long-term project to stretch over a year.
If necessary, partner with appropriate groups and/or recruit volunteers from the
community (Crystal Fund for Comm. Progress, Parks and Rec, Watershed
District, Recycling groups, Crystal Lions, VFW, Nextdoor.com members, etc).
Community Watershed Cleanup/Watershed Education
Adopt a Storm Drain
Community Education/Events on Waste Reduction
Tech Dump
Value Village
Paper shredding
Small business recycling
Work with Tim Pratt
New Technology Ideas- help the City reduce resource burdens.
Green Purchasing Policy
Help with MAC Park
Rain Garden Maintenance
Park and Street Cleanup
Invasive Species Removal
Beautification Projects- Public Gardens, etc
Backyard Gardening Education
Simplifying maintenance
Reducing use of Fertilizers/Pesticides
Compost education
This can be done for parks as well
Pollinator Health Awareness
Participate in Arbor Day
Tree Health Awareness
12.17.2015
7:00 p.m. Crystal City Hall
Meeting called by
Robyn Browning, EQC Chair
Type of meeting
City of Crystal, Environmental Quality Commission Meeting
Note taker
ReNae Bowman
Attendees
Robyn Browning, ReNae Bowman, Kyle Turner, Dave Anderson, Leigha Haywood
Council Liaison: Olga Parsons, City Staff Rep: Anne Norris, City Manager
[Time allotted] General Discussion
1. Approve Minutes I Moved by Kyle with a second provided by Leigha.
2. Report 2016 EQC Work Plan: First presentation of the city council work list.
Action Items Person Responsible 1 Deadline
[Time allotted] General Discussion
Discussion 2016 EQC Initiatives
Conclusions The list presented below was emailed to commission members for discussion during the
December meeting and used to compare and work with council work plan idea list.
EQC 2016 Initiatives
1. Bike lanes- identify lanes that need to be marked to bring Crystal into compliance with the Hennepin County
plan/map. Council does not want to act on this issue, need to contact Hennepin County if we want action on county
roads.
2. Green purchasing policy- to obtain another Green Steps standard for the city. Council will support only if it saves
money, no other elaborations from the council.
3. Information session with Tim Pratt- coordinate efforts with the new Recycling Coordinator for the city; scheduled to
take place at January EQC meeting.
4. Waste Education: Shredding, recycling education, compost and small business recycling- focus on connecting with
small businesses to promote recycling, composting, and stopping the use of styrofoam containers.
5. Annual MAC Park and Cavanagh rain garden clean-up - late May or early June.
6. Rain Garden Project: Longer term project because it is a big project, perhaps this is a 4 year project, it would
depend upon how the city was divided up to address the Issues of: current state of each, helping citizens with
Information, etc. Perhaps for this year a project plan would be adequate (or 2017).
7. Tech Dump Day: May 21.
Action Items Person Responsible Deadline
Need to discuss what will be presented to the council as a work plan. Utilizing the Chair lar.uary 22
attached council work plan.
[Time allotted] T[Presenter]
Discussion None
Conclusions Meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
Action Items
Next meeting: January 21, 2016
Person Responsible Deadline