Agenda - Council - 11/28/2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Councilmember Kuzma asked the typical award on a major claim. Mr. Lenz replied that it would depend on the type of claim. He stated that the best indication for the private sector can be found in the newspaper. He stated that private businesses look at the issue very differently because public entities have the ability to levy for the funds to pay a judgement. City Administrator Ulrich provided additional information on the insurance fund that the City has that assists with paying premiums and can be used for judgement if needed. He noted that the insurance fund is outside of the general fund and therefore taxes do not have to be raised. He recommended this additional coverage. Councilmember Kuzma asked the cost for the additional coverage. Finance Director Lund provided cost information on the different levels from the previous year. It was the consensus of the Council to increase the current liability cover by $1,000,000 for a total of $3,000,000 in liability coverage. Finance Director Lund continued to review elements and line items of the proposed 2018 budget. City Administrator Ulrich provided additional information on the Metro Cities organization. He recommended a one-year membership, noting that the cost would be reduced by 50 percent for the first year. Mayor Strommen noted that there are a lot of Anoka County communities in the organization and stated that Ramsey is notably missing. She stated that the interests in this group may be better tuned to the needs of the City than the generality of the League of Minnesota Cities. She echoed support for joining the organization. Councilmember LeTourneau agreed that it would be nice to "have a seat at the table", noting that perhaps someone would be able to get on a Board or Committee. Mayor Strommen agreed that would be helpful. She stated that perhaps staff can pass on the opportunities to the Council when they arise to provide a more strategic participation. She stated that while Family Promise provides a great service in the community, there are a variety of organizations that serve the community and the issue of homelessness and therefore she would agree with staff to remove that fund. Councilmember Kuzma asked for additional details on the fee for the Lower Rum River Water Management Organization. He stated that this fee seems low. Finance Director Lund stated that this is the fee that she received from the City of Anoka. City Council Work Session / November 14, 2017 Page 2 of 7