Agenda - Council Work Session - 08/06/2018

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WSB 701 Xenia Avenue South l Suite 300 l Minneapolis, MN 55416 l (763) 541-4800 July 5, 2018 Honorable Mayor and City Council Attn: Kurt Ulrich, City Administrator City of Ramsey 7550 Sunwood Drive NW Ramsey, MN 55303 Re: Proposal for Communications Plan for Road Funding Alternatives Dear Mayor and Council Members: WSB & Associates, Inc. is pleased to provide you with the following proposal for services related to a proposed Communications Plan that will assist the City with informing its residents, boards, commissions, and councils of the ways in which road funding alternatives could be utilized by the City for maintaining the City's streets. The City of Ramsey currently maintains 175-miles of paved streets, which is one of the largest assets of the City. City Council and staff recognize the importance of pavement management to reduce the long-term cost of maintaining this asset and the challenges of identifying consistent and sustainable funding for this purpose. Road funding options to be discussed include those currently being utilized, along with alternative options such as using utility franchise fees. WSB successfully assisted with the review of road funding alternatives in the City of Rogers in 2015, and are currently undergoing the process in the City of Princeton to assist them in finding alternatives for funding improvements to their parks and trails. We understand the steps that are necessary to create a successful program, including identifying the needs/program along with the required funding for the needs/program, evaluating all methods of funding and providing a comparison of those funding alternatives. Each step of the process is important and our experience in assisting communities to navigate the funding alternatives would be an asset to the community. If the City chooses to move forward in following this communication plan, there are a series of implementation steps that would need to be performed dependent upon the road funding option selected. WSB has a strong history of providing communications solutions for projects, plans, and sensitive political issues. All our projects involve some level of communication needs, and this demand is increasing. Recently, the City of Minnetonka hired WSB communications staff to help them lead community engagement and navigate a difficult trail project through the public process. WSB has also helped Mahtomedi through a collaborative communication process with key stakeholders on a controversial neighborhood sewer project. Another applicable example is that WSB staff provided support for several bond referendum projects, including a parks infrastructure referendum in Coon Rapids and Eden Prairie (both of which were successful). Our communications team includes planners, communication specialists, and technical leads to increase the likelihood of successful projects. The scope of services as described in this proposal is based on discussions with City staff: PROPOSED SERVICES & SCHEDULE The following tasks will be completed as part of a proposed eight (8) month communications plan for the consideration of road funding alternatives: Phase 1 - (Month 1 & 2) • Development of schedule and milestones • Assessment of current pavement management program • Assist the Finance Director to evaluate other funding methods and develop graphics to compare/contrast • Meeting with Charter Commission Building a legacy — your legacy. Equal Opportunity Employer 1 wsbeng.com