03/23/04 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

City Administrator Norman indicated if they looked long enough they would likely find something, and they may be able to ask for help from the architect in that process. Councilmember Strommen commented there would likely be more of a community space that could be shared than the actual civic space. Assistant City Administrator Nelson explained a large amount of community meeting space has not been envisioned in this facility due to the possibility of a joint venture with Lifetime Fitness or a private club with community space. Councilmember Zimmerman commented a City Hall with a large meeting room that is empty for five of the seven days during the week is not utilized very well. Assistant City Administrator Nelson indicated this type of partnership opportunity has not been researched and would take quite some time to flush out. She noted the Lino Lakes facility has a shared Police Department, City Hall, and Early Childhood Education Center. Councilmember Zimmerman stated the City will expend millions of dollars into Town Center. Researching this would give them time to be sure they get what they want. Councilmember Strommen indicated she shares some of Councilmember Zimmerman's concerns and has questions regarding the overall project. She thinks it is worthwhile to move forward on the process and let the public weigh in and have some visioning. She requested that time be set aside to look at all the finances cumulatively of the projects going on. City Administrator Norman stated normally a City Hall becomes some type of political football, but this design process will take months. He has a concern that they come back, by at least later in the spring, and talk about the design development stage. He explained this is not authorization to send out for bid or award a bid. All these design issues are important. Staff negotiates with Town Center and they need to know what the Council is looking for. He believes there is agreement that at some point City Hall will be built, and this will not be money wasted. Funding will have to come from the Inter-fund Loan and put into a bond. They are only studying at this point, and they will likely proceed to the next stage in a couple of months. He suggested this not be a topic in the fall months. Councihnember Strommen stated she would advocate this being an open process, at least initially. City Administrator Norman replied he would caution that, and there should still be some boundaries. In any public process, whether building a City Hall or not, the public will say there is nothing wrong with the current building. Chairperson Elvig stated he thinks this is part of the planning process, and the building of a City Hall would likely be a three to four year program. In a project ofthis scale he can imagine the Finance Committee/March 23, 2004 Page 4 of 6