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2.5 Update on Ramsey Rail Station <br />Director of Public Works Olson stated that he and City Administrator Ulrich have been working <br />with Commissioner Look, participating on the Ramsey Rail Station Project Management Team <br />(PMT), over the past months. There are four topics staff would like to discuss with Council this <br />evening: Request for additional capital from the Metropolitan Council; Waiving of the building <br />and plan review fee; Ridership marketing campaign to manage transition of riders to rail; and <br />continue contract for bus service. With regard to the request for additional capital from the Met <br />Council, they indicated they expect to see approximately $295,000 annually from Ramsey <br />residents when the City opts into the transit - taxing district. He pointed out that with the <br />uncertainty of the Governor's bonding bill and the lack of a $4 million investment from the <br />State, the PMT has discussed the possibility of requesting additional money from the Met <br />Council in the form of a revenue bond that would run over the course of ten years. An annual <br />payment of $295,000 over 10 years could generate $1.81 million in capital that could be <br />requested instead of the $1.32 originally discussed. We will make that request as we go through <br />the transit tax agreement but we are not so sure it's worth requesting. <br />Mayor Ramsey stated they do not even know if they will have a job — why are we sending them a <br />request for money. <br />Mr. Olson talked about not moving forward with anything until July. <br />City Administrator Ulrich stated that with regard to the Met Council, this brings operational <br />money into their system — so in working with us and building a station, they are making <br />operational dollars. Timing is important but we do not need this agreement signed for a year or <br />so. We will continue to negotiate that with this in mind. <br />Councilmember Elvig stated that if we are generating them money for capital expenditures, we <br />want to be first to the door to get that back. <br />Mr. Olson stated reiterated Mr. Ulrich's statement that we are going forward and asking but we <br />have a year or so to make that decision. <br />Mr. Olson continued with the second topic — waiving of the building and plan review fee. There <br />has been a request by the PMT to ask for Council authorization to waive the building permit fee <br />to try to keep costs of the project down. Staff researched other public buildings that has been <br />constructed in recent years and there have been various methods of paying for the building <br />permits. In all but one example, the contractor was required to pull a building permit and pay for <br />it within their overall bid. The exception was the Ramsey Municipal Facility. Staff has <br />estimated that waiving of the fee would amount to a decrease of the project costs by $44,382.64. <br />Councilmember Wise inquired how that would work if we contract our inspections out. <br />Mr. Olson responded that it's more building permits and plan reviews that we contact out. <br />City Council Work Session — June 7, 2011 <br />Page 7 of 14 <br />