Minutes - Council Work Session - 10/21/2008

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3) Impact of MSA Assessment Policy City Engineer Jankowski distributed a list of streets that do not have concrete curb and gutter, but noted that there are some on here in rural areas. He stated that there are 12 miles of MSA streets without concrete curb and gutter. Councilmember Dehen stated that he recalls that the City was going to try to make policy decisions as to what parts ofthe City was not likely to get sewer and water, so in those parts, the City would try to make a stronger pitch to get concrete curb and gutter. He stated that there should be some priority to what will get reconstructed to ensure the City gets concrete curb and gutter. He stated that he feels the Council is getting caught up in the Andrie Street discussion and not focusing on the City, as a whole. Councilmember Elvig stated that he thinks Andrie Street got the discussion started and now the Council has seen that this is more of a global issue. He stated that there was some discussion about a blanket policy for assessing people across the board. Public Works Director Olson stated that staffleft the last work session with the impression that they were to come up with different scenarios, based on the discussion, for the assessment amounts. Councilmember Elvig stated that if assessments cost more from one area and less for another, he would be ticked off if his was more. Councilmember Look stated that there is also the issue of certain neighborhoods that have people outside of the neighborhood driving through, such as the truck traffic on Andrie Street. Councilmember Elvig stated that is why there was discussion about everybody paying, for example $200, across the board. Public Works Director Olson stated that would basically be a Transportation Utility. He stated that as a City Engineer's Association, they have been pushing for this because they see the inequity of using general tax dollars for street maintenance programs, for example. He stated that they haven't been able to get it through the legislature, however, Lakeville has done something like this. Councilmember Dehen stated that he wouldn't be averse to implementing something like this. Public Works Director Olson stated that it is hugely controversial, because it does put more emphasis on businesses than residential. Councilmember Elvig stated that Andrie Street is an arterial road and benefits others, not just the neighborhood. He asked if the City can take a look at what other cities are doing. Public Works Director stated that there are two issues, a revenue stream for street maintenance and also one that says all residents pay the same assessment. City Council ,Work Session I October 21, 2008 Page 7 of 11