Minutes - Council - 03/22/2016 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Councilmember Riley asked why the case was brought to the Council at the beginning of this meeting. Mayor Strommen stated that she told staff that she believed it would be okay to add the item to the agenda, noting that there is a deadline for grant applications that the City would need to meet. She noted that there has been a lot of discussion regarding Highway 10 in the past and therefore she did not believe there would be a problem. Councilmember Riley asked if this is in cooperation with the County. City Administrator Ulrich stated that the County is focused on the rail grade separation. He noted that the Highway 10 separation is a bit different. He used the example of Anoka in which they bared the cost of creating the Anoka solution for the Thurston interchange, noting that the • County has left the decision to the cities as to whether they would like to take the extra steps. He identified the top priorities for the County in regard to Highway 10, noting that the City has made an agreement with the County to not request State bonding funds for the rail crossing and therefore the City is pursuing federal funds. He stated that the City is working with the County to coordinate this project, specifying that the County has funded the design for the rail crossing but is not as concerned with the Highway crossing and therefore that would fall to the City at this point. Mayor Strommen agreed that this interchange is not the highest priority for the County and therefore the City has been allowed to pursue alternate funding options. Councilmember Shryock stated that the City has agreed to attempt to obtain funding for the rail crossings and therefore it would only make sense to also look into the options for the Highway as well. Motion by Councilmember LeTourneau, seconded by Councilmember Shryock, to authorize Bolton & Menk, Inc. to evaluate Highway 10 and Ramsey Boulevard intersection grade separation alternatives at a cost not to exceed $16,768. Motion carried. Voting Yes: Mayor Strommen, Councilmembers LeTourneau, Shryock, Johns, Kuzma, and Williams. Voting No: Councilmember Riley. 8. MAYOR, COUNCIL AND STAFF INPUT Mayor Strommen introduced Senator Jim Abeler and invited him to make a short presentation. Senator Abeler provided a brief update of the recent activity during the legislative session. He stated that the Highway 10 matter continues to press upon the community and commended the City for working together with the County. He noted that the House and Senate currently have conflicting bills and positions on transportation. He stated that Highway 10 is not currently on the 20 year plan for MnDOT or the Metropolitan Council, which continues to perplex him, and noted that he has a meeting the following day on the topic. He welcomed input from the Council and residents noting that he can be contacted with any comments or concerns. City Council / March 22, 2016 Page 10 of 11