Minutes - Council Work Session - 07/08/2003

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WORK SESSION CITY OF RAMSEY ANOKA COUNTY STATE OF MINNESOTA The Ramsey City Council conducted a work session on Tuesday, July 8, 2003, at the Ramsey Fire Station Number I, 15050 Armstrong Boulevard NW, Ramsey, Minnesota. Members Present: Mayor Thomas Gamec (arrived at 5:45 p.m.) Councilmember Todd Cook Councilmember David Elvig Councilmember Patti Kurak Councilmember A1 Pearson Councilmember Sarah Strommen Councilmember Gerald Zimmerman Also Present: City Administrator James E. Norman Assistant City Administrator Heidi Nelson Director of Public Works/Fire Chief Dean Kapler Principal Planner Patrick Trudgeon Police Chief James Way Transportation Consultant Len Levine CALL TO ORDER Councilmember Zimmerman called the City Council work session to order at 5:35 p.m. CITIZEN INPUT There was none. TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION 1) 2:00 a.m. Bar Closing Police Chief Way stated that the 2003 Minnesota Legislative Session passed legislation to allow for the sale of alcoholic beverages on the liquor licenses premises until 2:00 a.m. on all days of the week effective July 1, 2003. The City of Ramsey, as the local licensing official, would have to change the City Ordinance to allow for the sale of alcoholic beverages until 2:00 a.m. from the current 1:00 a.m. closing time. A later bar closing will affect the City of Ramsey in several ways. First, it would mean fewer patrols to other areas of the City because of the extended closing time. Officers would spend less time providing residential and commercial checks. Secondly, it would create a need to change shift coverage from the current format. The Police Department currently has a shift that starts at 6:30 p.m. and ends at 3:00 a.m. This shift provides additional coverage to the City during peak hours of calls for service. The 3:00 a.m. end time is usually sufficient to City Council Work Session/July 8, 2003 Page 1 of 5