Minutes - Council - 02/08/2016 - Laserfiche WebLink

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stated that Highway 10 will continue to be pushed, including safety improvements and. congestion relief, noting that the Highway 10 coalition continues to make progress. She stated that she is cautiously optimistic that something will occur for Highway 10. She stated that if there is reform on property taxes she would like to see that done in a comprehensive manner rather than piecemeal. She welcomed any comments and questions from residents. Representative Scott thanked the Council for allowing them to be present tonight. She stated that Highway 10 is a top priority, noting that there is a bipartisan coalition of support for the issue. She stated that she is Chair of the Civil Data Practices Committee and has been working on the police worn body cam policy. She stated that some departments around the state are already using the technology and noted that there should be a statewidepolicy with some flexibility left to the local community. She stated that real ID is also an issue she has been working on and hoped that the moratorium would be removed so that it can be known what it would cost to implement that type of system. She welcomed any questions and comments from residents. Mayor Strommen thanked the representatives for their attendance and discussion tonight. She noted that Ramsey is currently without Senate representation and advised that the special election is taking place the following day. 2.01: 2016 State of the City Address Mayor Strommen provided the State of the City Address for 2015 and stated that as the City moves forward in 2016, she feels that the City has never been stronger nor had a brighter future. She noted that three years ago the City made media waves for financial and general discord. She stated that the City now is making positive progress moving forward with development, business retention, business expansion, and new business and employment opportunities. She stated that a mix of single family homes, townhomes and apartments have also been developed, noting that the total amount of residential and commercial development in 2015 reached a total of $87,617,160. She noted that significant improvements have been made to the budgeting process, which looks at the current year as well as the five year projection, which allows the Council to make more informed decisions. She advised that each and every Councilmember takes part in the budget discussion. She stated that the City has worked to build connections and relationships with neighboring communities, the County and other agencies in order to secure the Armstrong interchange project. She stated that updating Highway 10 is critical for the safety and development ability of the City and therefore the City will continue to work diligently to secure funding. She stated that the City had failed to find a long-term plan for road improvement projects, noting that in 2015 a method was put into place to fund needed road improvements. She provided updates on Northstar ridership and trail connections. She noted that the last resident survey showed high scores for the police, fire and customer service departments. She provided a brief list of programs implemented by the police department to continue to reach out and establish relationships with the residents. She encouraged residents to participate in the process to develop the next version of the Comprehensive Plan. She provided an update on Heart Safe Ramsey, which has trained more than 10,000 people in Ramsey and the surrounding communities that will continue to help in saving lives. She provided an update on the new data system put into place by the police and fire departments, which align with the regional 911 centers. She noted that e-permits are also going to be put into place by the building department. City Council / February 8, 2016 Page 3 of 6