The Blog from City Hall

For today’s post, I will share my Friday Report for August 31, 2007 that will be distributed later this afternoon to the City Council and City staff. Enjoy:

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OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER½Friday Report

DATE: August 31, 2007

TO: Mayor and City Council

FROM: Scott H. Neal, City Manager

RE: Friday Report for August 31, 2007

1. Special Budget Workshop - I mentioned this in my Friday Report last week, but just as a reminder, the Council Workshop for September 4 will begin at 4 pm with a presentation and dialog with the BAC concerning their Final Report. At approximately 5 pm the workshop will shift into a discussion among the Council concerning budget philosophy and goals. We will wrap-up the Workshop at 6:30 pm. We have a number of speakers for Open Forum and Open Podium.

2. Senior Advisory Council - The Senior Advisory Council will provide the Council with a special presentation on their activities and plans at the Council meeting next week.

3. Watershed Board Meeting - I will be meeting next week with Michael Cassonova, chair of the Riley-Purgatory-Bluff Creek Watershed District. We will be discussing ways in which our respective organizations can improve our working relationships.

4. Seniors and Preservationists -I met this week with the seniors at the Senior Center to talk with them about the BAC recommendation to move their operations from the Senior Center to the Community Center. I also met this week with representatives of the Eden Prairie Historical Society to provide some insight to them on the City’s plans for several of our historic sites.

5. Students on Commissions - Mike Barone coordinated the annual Students on Commissions orientation meeting this week. I welcomed the students and gave them a general description of the program Mike told the students about the structure of city government and the general expectations of the program. Each student then met with their respective commission liaison to hear a more detailed description of their commission’s duties and expectations.

6. Xcel Energy - I described a meeting last week the Mayor and I had recently with officials at Kroll OnTrack regarding their concerns about the unreliability of their electrical power supply from Xcel Energy. I had a meeting this week with a resident from the Boulder Pointe neighborhood regarding the same issue. I am getting a meeting together with Xcel to talk about the general issue of the reliability of their Eden Prairie infrastructure.

7. School District Meeting - Our annual joint workshop with the School Board is planned for September 18 from 5-6pm at City Center. If you have any potential items for that agenda, please let me know at your earliest convenience.

- end -

I went over to the Senior Center yesterday with our Parks & Recreation Director Jay Lotthammer to visit the folks that use the Senior Center. The purpose of my visit was not merely social. I was there to get an ear-full, and I went away with two ear-fulls.

I was there to tell the seniors about a recommendation from our Budget Advisory Commission to study the idea of closing the current senior center and moving the activities and programs currently provided there to the new Community Center. The recommendation was recently presented to the City Council. The Council hasn’t said anything about the recommendation yet, but City staff said that we’d study it.

So I was the messenger yesterday to tell the group of 150+ people about the Budget Advisory Commission, the budget process, the proposal to study the idea, the City Council’s position, etc. The purpose of the meeting was for me to share information with them and for them to share their feelings with me. The purpose of the meeting was accomplished, I can assure you of that.

It is an under-statement to say that the seniors at this meeting did not think much of the idea of moving their operations into the Community Center, even if meant getting all new facilities. They like where they are now. The parking lot it small and close to the building. There are gardens close to the building. They are concerned about the potential loss of the community wood shop. They don’t like the idea of being “lumped” into a much larger facility that is dedicated to athletics. They’ve done their time with loud sweaty kids. They’d prefer not to have to deal with that on a daily basis.

I heard that they’ve paid their taxes for years. They believe they’ve more than paid for their facility and they don’t want to sacrifice in order to save the City’s taxpayers a few more bucks. I hear many comments about the fact that there is more to the senior center than just “square footage”. It’s their home and they like it.

Closing the current senior center facility and moving them and their programs into the Community Center may, or may not, be a good idea. I don’t know right now. We haven’t started the study. All I know right now is that there is not enough information currently available to us to make this decision. We’ve now heard from the seniors. We know what they think. Next step is to talk to the architect and construction contractor at the community center to see if it’s effectively too late to be starting this conversation now. We definitely don’t want to slow down the big Community Center project by adding a complicated new element into the it at this late date. It may well be that we’ll need to wait to talk about this proposal until sometime in the future.

The meeting had a little hostility in it, but all in all, I thought it went pretty well. We even shared a laugh or two near the end. I heard what they had to say. I think that’s what they’d like to hear today.

Before I start today’s post about the City’s first hybrid vehicle, I want thank my guest bloggers from last week: Brenda Uting, Luke Fischer, Andrew Sullivan, Lorene McWaters, and Steve Sinell. They did a wonderful job. Thank you!

The City’s 20-40-15 energy conservation program has two primary components: increasing the energy efficiency of our buildings and increasing the overall energy efficiency of our vehicle fleet. The ‘20′ in 20-40-15 refers to our goal of increasing the energy efficiency of our buildings by 20%. The ‘40′ refers to our our goal of increasing the energy efficiency of our vehicle fleet by 40%. And the ‘15′ is a shorthand reminder that we want to accomplish both of these goals by 2015.

We’ve take a couple of important steps toward meeting the vehicle efficiency goal this summer. The first move was our decision to begin the change over in our police patrol vehicle fleet to the new Dodge Charger. After a year of testing and comparing, our officers tell us that they like the Charger. They tell us that it’s roomier and has better handling than the Ford Crown Victoria, which has been the standard in police fleets for over a decade. I like the Charger too, but not just because it looks sharp. It also has a feature that allows the vehicle to idle at 4 cylinders instead of all 8. This decreases fuel consumption; increase energy efficiency; and does it all with no trade-off in vehicle performance. We ordered six of them this summer, and there’s more to come too.

This is Outside Utilities Supervisor John Carlon with his new work vehicle - a Ford Escape Hybrid. The City purchased the vehicle earlier this spring. It is our first hybrid vehicle. John’s job involves supervising lots of projects simultaneously all over town. His vehicle must be able to carry tools and supplies. His driving involves stopping, starting, stopping, starting, etc. Lots of short trips. Before the hybrid, John drove a conventional medium duty pickup truck that averaged 12 mpg. The Escape Hybrid, after 2,000 miles, is averaging 29 mpg. An increase in fuel efficiency of over 140%. A few more of these and we’ll meet our 40% goal sooner than we planned.

Increasing the energy efficiency of the City’s buildings and vehicles is an important goal for our city. I hope we can also decrease our energy overall costs, but I doubt that we will be able to do that. Unit prices of energy will continue to rise as we continue to decrease our consumption of energy. But if we can decrease our energy consumption, we can at least hold our costs steady as prices for energy increase. And, we can be a better steward of our natural resources in the process.

My name is Lorene McWaters and I am City Manager Scott Neal’s executive assistant. I’ve worked for the City for nearly 8 years, which means Scott inherited me when he joined the City 5+ years ago.

I think we make a pretty good team - in a ying-yang way. Scott comes in whistling at 7:00 a.m., certain this is going to be another great day. I yawn my way to my desk about an hour later, steeling myself for whatever fires will need to be extinguished before the sun sets.

I like my job for a number of reasons (in addition to the paycheck that comes every two weeks).

I get to serve the public in the town I also live, attend church, and send my daughter to school in. (Along the way I’ve learned to avoid getting into traffic arguments in Eden Prairie. The guy who just cut me off on Prairie Center Drive is likely to be my pastor, my daughter’s math teacher or the mayor.)

I know a lot about what is happening in the community as it happens. (I’ve also learned to avoid discussing my job at my daughter’s soccer games. I’ve had a team mate’s parent corner me and demand to know why the road in front of his house needs to be widened by the City.)

My job includes a lot of variety. Twice a month I prepare the City Council meeting agenda and supporting materials. This packet can include up to 100 separate documents and run 400 or more pages. After all of the materials have been gathered and formatted, they are converted into one big electronic file that is e-mailed to the City Council and staff and posted on the City’s web site.

I help maintain the City Manager’s calendar, which often includes half a dozen meetings in just one day and last minute pleas for “just a couple of minutes” of his attention.

One of my most important duties involves what we call “phone triage.” I answer the main Office of the City Manager phone line as well as the City Manager’s direct line (when he is in meetings or away from his desk).

People call our office for a number of reasons:

• They may not know who to call with a question or request. After seven years on the job I can almost always point them in the right direction.
• The caller may already have spoken to someone else at the City but is not satisfied with the response they received. In these cases, I can help clarify our policies, redirect the caller to another staff member, lend a sympathetic ear (which is often all a person needs) and/or put them in direct contact with the City Manager.

When meetings and calls slow down a bit, I turn my attention to the dreaded records management. As the City Clerk reminds me on a weekly basis, a number of state statutes govern the retention and maintenance of data, which includes everything from phone messages, to e-mails, to book length reports. I print, sort and file thousands of documents generated by and for the City Council and City Manager each year.

The rest of what I do is covered by the last line of most job descriptions: “Other projects, as necessary.” I pitch in and do whatever needs to be done when there is a city, state or federal election. I’m also on an event planning committee. And last, but not least, I proof Scott Neal’s memos and letters. He is a very good writer, but we’ve got a couple of unresolved issues. I’ve tried and tried to get him to stop using the word “that” so much and to not arbitrarily make up words by converting perfectly respectable nouns into can’t-be-found-in the-dictionary verbs.

This job is interesting, challenging and (often times) fun. I hope to have the opportunity to keep doing it for a long while.

I came to work in Eden Prairie on October 3rd, 1978 as an appraiser and I was appointed the City Assessor in 1984. My education background includes a BS in Business Administration with Finance Concentration from Mankato State. As the City Assessor my job is to make sure the annual assessment for property tax purposes is completed correctly and on time. Every year the Assessing Division values all of the property in the City for property tax purposes.

I came here because I sensed opportunity and room for personal growth. What I found was a City poised to accept rapid growth and change. I also discovered that although at first glance it seemed that Eden Prairie was being developed with a random shotgun pattern there was indeed a Comprehensive Plan for housing, business development, sewer and water expansion, transportation, parks and open spaces.

The issues that stand out from that time were highway congestion, taxes, the Flying Cloud Landfill, the gas shortage, inflation, and did I mention Taxes? But, despite all of these things the development of Eden Prairie chugged along as 1,000’s of housing units were built, the City’s office and industrial parks came into their own, and Eden Prairie steadily moved towards what it is today.

Today Eden Prairie is in many ways a top ten city. The park and open space plan has been mostly implemented. The Eden Prairie Schools are top-notch. There are many places for residents to work and shop. The City, private developers, Hennepin County, and the State of Minnesota have invested millions into improving transportation including Hwy 169 and the Bloomington Ferry Bridge and the road that many didn’t think would ever be built, the new Hwy 212/312 Freeway through Eden Prairie to Carver.

Along this journey of development it wasn’t always straight ahead, sometimes it was two steps forward and one step back. The debate over the proposed expansion of the Flying Cloud Landfill filled many meeting hours. The question of making Hwy 212/312 a toll-road made for some interesting discussions and meetings. The proposed expansion of the Flying Cloud Airport has had its share of meeting and discussions. Oh, did I mention taxes, the debate over wants and needs and who should pay for them has waxed and waned every since I came here.

The Eden Prairie City Councils have made a lot of good choices over the last 40 years, City staff has done an excellent job of following through and implementing these choices and our growth cycle was phenomenal.

Now most of our residential and commercial/industrial neighborhoods are in a stable period in their life cycles and some are ready for redevelopment. So looking forward the City is reviewing the Comprehensive Plans, setting a framework for redevelopment of the Major Center Area and the Golden Triangle Area, and generally fine-tuning the “Plan”.

What do these musings have to do with the City Assessor? As Scott Neal has said numerous times “the Assessor reports the news, he doesn’t make it” well everything I’ve talked about effects market values and how values change over time. In 1980 we had 9,000 parcels (1/2 of them vacant land) and the estimated market value of the City was $528 million as compared to 2007 with 22,285 parcels worth $9.97 billion with a tremendous diversity of rental and ownership housing types, very successful office and industrial parks, and tremendous shopping areas.

Of course no place and no time is perfect, we still have traffic issues, people are concerned about home values, gas prices are sky high and the stock market and retirement accounts are in turmoil.

As I look ahead I’m confident that the current and future City Council members will also make good decisions and Eden Prairie will continue on the path of excellence and that it will continue to be an interesting and challenging place to be the City Assessor and continue as a top-ten city. Oh, and did I mention Taxes?

My phone is wireless, my pager is wireless, and so is this shiny new macbook I am typing on…so why not 18,000 outdated water meters? As it turns out there was no reason at all water meters couldn’t be wireless. Matter of fact, the benefits and cost savings were so significant we had no choice! So began the rather long & arduous task of changing out some 18,000 water meters to AMR (automatic meter reading). Here we are 17,996 meters later (Aug 2007) and Eden Prairie’s AMR program is in full swing!

What exactly is AMR you ask?

Well, at a basic level AMR technology enables accurate and timely meter reading with blinding efficiency. Translation: It’s fast!

But how does that benefit:

• The Customer?
• The Sewer & Water Utility?
• The City?

Okay, besides the obvious benefits like; no more walking house to house in three feet of snow, no more jumping fences, no more crawling around dark spaces with giant spiders lurking about, no more stepping in doo-doo, and no more frozen fingers that can barely grip a pencil let alone write out a 9 digit number.

Yes, besides all these wonderful aforementioned benefits here now are the top 10:

Top Ten Benefits of an AMR system:

1. Less People with Fewer Vehicles: We used to send out 2 to 3 vehicles sometimes 4. We worked in 2 person teams. Given the right conditions just one of those meter readers– on foot– can typically read 200 to 300 meters during an eight-hour shift. Today, just one reader in one vehicle can read thousands of meters in an outing–in any condition!
2. Safety: Lower incidence of injuries due to slips and falls, climbing over fences, the occasional mean dog/s, crawling into small spaces, have I told you about the spiders? Today, meters can be safely read–hands off–from the vehicle as we drive by. I did spill hot coffee in my lap last time out!?
3. Reduced error rate: The results are in. A computer is thousands of times faster than a human and has a 0% error rate– if properly inputted. The readings are gathered by a wireless mobile unit that is hard wired into the vehicle, which in turn triangulates with 10 satellites. This data (readings) zapped from sometimes blocks away is later downloaded into another computer that spits out the bills. Welllllll…….there is more to it than that; but you get the general idea.
4. Less Intrusion on our Customers: You know, in today’s post 911 World, it is just not safe to be snooping around people’s window’s looking for meter readings. Every year we hear stories about how criminals– posing as meter readers– gain entry into a home supposedly looking for meter readings. AMR systems give our customers an added measure of safety knowing that in Eden Prairie our meters are wirelessly read. With AMR, once our staff installs a meter, we typically will not need access to that home for several years. From that point on we will get all our readings without stepping foot onto the property! Note: My apologies to those people who had more than one visit during the meter change-out process. We had some issues with a third party installer that was hired in an effort to save time and money. What can I say? Sometimes you get exactly what you pay for. That contractor was of courselet go and City Staff took over all change-outs.
5. Revenue: By the time a City is considering an AMR system the existing meters are usually outdated and running slow. Several studies show that meters in the 10-15 year range operate at 80% efficiency. That means for every dollar of water used we were only collecting .80 cents! Now, I understand we are a “not for profit entity” but we still need dollars to run the business that is water. There is no greater satisfaction than increasing margins by employing good old fashion bootstrapping!
6. No more Spiders: Crawling around with a flashlight in my mouth while brushing away spider webs every bit as strong as dental floss creeps me out!
7. Shortened reading cycle: AMR gives us the option to shorten the reading cycle (i.e. monthly billing). Mind you, this initiative would take considerably more resources than we have at the moment: but it is nice to have the option. Lets face it a 30.00 monthly bill is easier to handle than a 90.00 quarterly bill. An additional benefit is that we can use the bills to communicate important information– like conservation efforts.
8. Upgradable: Because of some good choices as to which AMR technology Eden Prairie would invest in we have been able to grow lock step with certain advances in AMR technology. For instance: The ERTs (end point radio transmitters) that are currently being installed have a battery life equal to the life expectancy of most meters. When it comes time to replace the battery it will be time to replace the meter.
9. Conservation: With Eden Prairie still growing, our water supplies shrinking, and regulatory bodies insisting that a City be accountable for every gallon of water produced (and disposed) the job of running a water/sewer utility is getting tougher. Who would of thought that AMR technology and the little old water meter would play a key role in meeting these new challenges? Eden Prairie did! Simply put, an AMR system enables us to more accurately track where the water is going. When the data shows that a certain area, or individual customer, has abnormally high readings, we can send someone to find out exactly what is going on. Many times, the high usage is a leak that the customer was unaware of. A trained Meter-Tech can then take steps to lessen excessive usage by (deep breath) retrofitting, repairing, reprogramming, educating, regulating or offering conservation incentives. One more thing, we will soon be joining other Cities that will use the AMR system to catch sprinkling violators. A bit Orwellian I know; but our/your wells are dangerously close to sucking nothing but air. Scares me more than spiders!

   And finally (David Letterman top ten drum-roll) the number one benefit of an AMR system (but is numbered ten)
   

10. Did I mention no more spiders? Those big brown ones (?) you know the ones (?) they’re very fast and flit around just out of sight. They look remarkably similar to the poisonous “Fiddle Back” aka the “Brown Recluse.” Just got one last thing to say: “Goodbye, my furry eight-legged friends!”

Well there you have it, my top 10 benefits of wireless AMR systems.

PS: Did you know you are three times more likely to be killed by a flying Champagne cork than you are to be killed by the bite of a venomous spider? Heard that from the Science Channel. Somehow I do not feel any better!

A City Employee for 16 years Andrew was born and raised in Eden Prairie. Andrew works as a Meter Tech in the Utilities Division asullivan@edenprairie.org Andrew also spent 5 years in the tech sector during the height of the internet boom and has a truck load of worthless company stock options to prove it!

Some of my friends are interning in Washington D.C. this summer. They are working for congressmen, senators, various departments and lobbying firms. They were called to make the voyage half-way across the nation in hopes of impacting public policy in some substantive way. Perhaps they have. They ask me what I am doing and I launch into stories of protesters to blog entries, budgets to geese, finite details to impact reports, they just roll their eyes. As I prepare to conclude my summer on the Prairie as Scott Neal’s intern, it behooves me to at least say a few words about my experience. You see, things have been interesting to say the least.

“Not in my backyard” or “NIMBY” is a popular term I have spent a great deal of time learning about. It describes a feeling people have about a policy that would derogate their life in some way. I think it is a sense of disdain towards government employees who aren’t supposed to care about the people they are affecting. But things have been different around here. I have worked with residents over the course of the summer and listened to countless conversations with city staff about how to best limit the negative externalities on the lives of residents in Eden Prairie. It is evident that active stewardship is very alive among the staff. I think it is something that my friends in D.C. miss out on because they don’t see their constituents in the grocery store or in church on Sunday morning.

That is what makes local government so exciting. It epitomizes accountability. While it may be easy to pass an omnibus tax bill or cut a department hundreds of miles away from your constituency, it is much more challenging to raise taxes or lower services in a community in which you know your neighbor. The debate which follows policy proposals is had out in backyards, coffee shops and at athletic games. The impacts of each governmental decision are very real. Groups organize and dissolve and the factions James Madison spoke of flourish. Each community becomes an incubator of this whole notion of a democratic republic.

Local government seems to require a careful hand and a tendency towards a nuanced policy making position. The “good life” isn’t as definable as a black and white response which we have all become accustomed to. I have liked that part and what it has meant for Eden Prairie during my time here. It has been great to be mentored by a professional staff that has consistently worked to improve the community. This summer has shown me that local government is the place where the action happens-it isn’t in D.C. I am thankful that Scott Neal, City Staff and the City Council were willing to give me a chance.

Hi, my name is Brenda Uting. I am the Administrative Assistant for the Parks and Recreation Department. My number one job is customer service. I’m usually the first point of contact when you call our office or stop by. I receive a variety of phone calls ranging from questions about trees to where is the closest tennis court. Over the years I’ve learned just enough general information to know when to provide a general answer or when to pass the caller onto someone with more information. It’s that variety that keeps my job very interesting.

Tuesday, August 21 is the first day for fall program registration, so I’m receiving many phone calls regarding recreation programs and services. I also answer the ‘live help’ instant messaging communications from people who need some assistance on eConnect, our online registration system. Most of the calls or messages are requests for a family account number and personal identification number. These numbers are used to identify the participant when they register online or via the automated phone system.

I receive a few calls that are beyond my scope of Parks and Recreation. Last week someone wanted to know if I knew of any good resorts in northern Minnesota; and about twice a year I get asked if we have a citywide garage sale (by the way, we don’t - but a lot of neighborhoods hold big sales.)

Occasionally I get the “angry caller”. You might think that would ruin my day, but I know those angry callers are upset with the situation, not with me. I also find that they can be nice folks to talk with once we get to the point of the conversation where we can determine what needs to be done to address their concerns, or at least have their concerns heard.

If you need some assistance in the Parks and Recreation Department, give me a call (952-949-8442) or send me an email (parks@edenprairie.org). I’ll be happy to help you - with all of your questions, concerns, comments.

I have a surprise next week for all of my loyal blog readers: Guest bloggers. I am making way all next week to give some other folks around here their shot at blog-immortality. I think that it will be nice for readers to get another voice out of this blog. A different point of view. I put out an email to city employees and had ten quick responses. I’ve got five lined up for next week, and five more in mid-September Here’s the line-up for next week:

In the Monday morning lead-off position is Parks & Recreation Department Administrative Assistant Brenda Uting. Tuesday, it’s City Management Intern Luke Fischer on the last day of his summer internship. On Wednesday, you can look forward to a view of Eden Prairie through the eyes of Outside Utilities guy Andrew Sullivan. Look out for Thursday because its my Executive Assistant Lorene McWaters. I promised her no pre-posting editing. I may be eating that promise before the end of the day on Thursday. We wrap up the week with the man who doesn’t make the news, he only reports it: City Assessor Steve Sinell.

I’m just kidding about the pre-post editing. I made that promise to everyone. I gave them all some general tips about what it’s like to write and blog and what, in my experience, people have found interesting in this forum. That’s about it. I don’t want to inhibit their creative thinking with too many rules and parameters. They’re all smart people. They can handle it.

So enjoy your week of guest bloggers next week. I know I will.

The City’s Budget Advisory Commission (BAC) wrapped up its work after a four hour meeting on August 9. The BAC approved a list of twenty recommendations for the City Council and staff to consider. I will be presenting the BAC’s list of recommendations to the City Council at their August 21 Workshop. When I make that presentation I will also be including a “City Manager Response” to each recommendation with that presentation. Today’s post is the list of BAC recommendations without the City Manager responses, which are still under development:

Recommendations of the Budget Advisory Commission:

Fess for Service

1. Fees for Utilities and Other Services - Water and sewer charges cover operating expenses, but not depreciation; there is no provision for funding replacement of major equipment. Other fees, such as rentals for meeting rooms and park facilities, and cell tower rental may not reflect market rates.

It is recommended that a comprehensive review is made of all fees to achieve cost recovery and provide for scheduled replacements.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye”.

Wages and Benefits

2. In 2007, wages and benefits are budgeted to total $18,151,649. The 2008 version 2 budget increase is 4.1%: 3.0% base and 1.1% step and performance, amounting to $599,000. The 2009 increase is 3.8%: 3.2% base and .6% step and performance, amounting to $584,000. By the end of 2009 the total cost of the 2 year increases above 2007 would be over $1,780,000, reflecting the 2008 increase in each of the 2 years, and the 2009 increase. (Figures are not adjusted for changes in number of FTE’s, the PERA schedule, or benefits not tied to wages.)

If the increase in 2009 was 3.4%: the 2 year cost would be reduced by $70,000. An additional significant impact would be the annual effect of the lower base; this is not a one or two year cost reduction.

It is recommended that wages be increased, as scheduled in version 2, for 2008, and by 3.4% for 2009; a reduction of $70,000 from the version 2 budget.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye” and with Proops voting “nay”.

3. Personal Time Off (PTO) is an employee benefit program which combines sick leave with vacation time.

already uses the concept through the use of Personal Leave, which includes vacation time. Sick leave has some inherent problems relating to when it can be used. The EP Employee Handbook lists 6 circumstances in which it may be utilized. One of them states. “Up to three days of sick leave may be used for critical illness of an immediate family member other than a spouse, parent, or dependent child. Immediate family for this purpose includes brother, sister, spouse’s parent, grandparents, spouses grandparents…etc”.

The concept of PTO is that an individual is allocated a certain amount of time for personal business, sickness, vacation, or days off, to be used at their discretion with few rules, few restrictions, and no decision about “how sick is sick”. Another problem with sick leave is unused time. An analysis of converting to PTO with a self funded Short-term Disability (STD) may provide cost saving and reduce the number of sick days used. The first 90 days could be covered by at-risk self insurance vs. fixed and accrued sick days.

It is recommended that an analysis be made during 2008 of converting to a PTO policy for implementation in 2009.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye”.

Parks and Recreation

4. Combining the Community Centers - The Community Center currently under expansion, will be primarily oriented towards athletics. It will provide for fitness training as well as hockey and swimming practice and events. Residents utilizing the facilities will be predominately participants or spectators in these activities. There are five flexible-use rooms designated as “multi-purpose”, as well as a 7,400 square foot gym and 6,725 square feet of unfinished floor space. Present planning is to have these rooms available for rent for special activities, such as birthday parties and corporate meetings. These activities will increase awareness of the Community Center and create memberships as well as income. In addition, some community activities will be designated for this location. The expanded Community Center operating cost is budgeted to increase $890,000 per year, compared to 2007.

There is a second community center, designated as the

. While it is host to numerous senior activities, it also functions as a community center for activities for residents of various ages. Utilization of the rooms in the is highly variable; at times there is little activity, other times there are several events in progress simultaneously. The need to open, close, and staff the building is constant.

The Senior center facility cost about $100,000 per year to operate for maintenance, utilities, insurance, etc. Staff time is required for travel between the

and Community Center. Needed major repairs have been identified, estimated to cost $95,000, for furnace and bathrooms.

It is recommended that the

be closed and the programs currently

offered there be transferred to the Community Center, subject to the completion of a feasibility study by the end of October 2007.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye”.

5. Community Center Budget - All costs of completing, maintaining, and operating the Community Center over the next 5 years should be consolidated in a single budget to inform the City Council and residents of the total financial outlook. Revenue should be projected at several levels, since there is no historical basis for projections. (The current revenue projections appear too optimistic.) An analysis of the market should be made to identify needs and to refocus on programs which are not offered by the private sector, or where there is insufficient capacity. Funding sources for costs that exceed revenue should be identified, as well as an analysis of the possibility for a break-even operation.

It is recommended that all costs of completing, maintaining, and operating the Community Center over the next 4 years should be consolidated in a single budget. We recommend that Staff provide and establish a time frame for the Community Center to become self sufficient or establish cost recovery levels for Council approval.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye”.

6. The Parks and Trails are wonderful contributors to

’s quality of life. It is, however, time to determine when the development will be complete and major projects will end. Since 2000, the trail system has expanded by 55% by the addition of 39 miles of trails; 7 new parks have been added, bringing the total to 43; acreage has increased 25%, and now totals 2,500. This growth requires acquisitions, planning, development, and ongoing maintenance. The proposed CIP expenditure for Parks and Recreation in 2008 is $4,685,000.

It is recommended that a review be made of the master plans trails and parks and the cost of the remaining growth be reviewed and published.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops and Kardell voting “aye” with Kantor voting “nay”.

7. The Recreations Program offered is very extensive. Some of the programs are not fully utilized, and others serve only very few residents. Based on a quick analysis, the programs appear to cost the city $850,000 per year, not including operation of the Community Center or the ice rinks.

It is recommended that Staff provide a plan for the recreation programs to become self sufficient or establish cost recovery levels for Council approval.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye”.

Community Development

8. The Housing and Community Services provided by

may duplicate services available from other county, state, or federal governmental agencies. In addition, ethnic based service organizations have been established, where, in many cases, none previously existed.

It is recommended that the management of The Community Development Department review the services provided with an emphasis on those which duplicate those available from other organizations or are deemed nonessential. This will modify the Version 2 recommendation.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye”.

9. The objective of Heritage Preservation has been very successfully accomplished by acquiring and restoring several sites. The sites provide working, useable facilities and at the same time present an opportunity for current and future generations to learn about earlier life in

.

a. It is recommended that no further sites be acquired at this time.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, and Kardell voting “aye” with Kantor voting “nay”.

b. It is further recommended that a review of the ownership of historical properties be conducted to determine if title could be transferred to a unique business or a historical society. Since these have a historical designation, they would continue to be protected.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye”.

10. Major Center Area Streetscape Way Finding is in the Capital Improvement Plan with a cost of $1,750,000 for each of the next 4 years. No funding source has been designated. Discussions are being held with the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce for funding.

It is recommended that the costs of these improvements be born primarily by the developers/businesses that benefit, with the City’s share limited to an amount not to exceed $400,000 or 10% of total project costs, whichever is less.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye”.

Police

11. The Police Department is currently undergoing an internal review of the organization. One of the unfilled positions is that of Captain, which may not be required.

It is recommended that consulting assistance be offered to the Police Chief to assist in the organization planning. This may provide the opportunity to determine if the position of Captain can be eliminated or deferred. If accepted, this could result in additional expenses to Version 2.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye”.

Communications

12. Life in the Prairie is the most widely used media for communicating with residents, based on a survey. Plans are under way to double its size from a single folded sheet. There is duplication in distribution; it is included with the Eden Prairie News and mailed. Eliminating this duplication could offset the cost of increasing the size.

It is recommended that LIFE IN THE PRAIRIE be the primary media for communicating news and information to City residents and that streaming video and major redesign of the website should not be pursued.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye”.

Technology

13. An Optical Fiber Connection to remote sites and LOGIS would replace wireless communication and significantly speed transmission of data. The cost for the installation is $100,000. The existing or potential applications include; permits and inspections, property data/special assessments, and utility billing.

It is recommended that this project be deferred until the Community Technology Task Force has reported, and a study has been made of alternatives to LOGIS.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye”.

14. Mobile Computing and Telephony Strategy - Various policies are in effect to reimburse employees for all or part of the costs of wireless phone cards, mobile phone monthly charges, wireless connections, etc. These costs will increase as usage grows. A single provider may be able to provide a wide range of uniform service at an advantageous cost.

It is recommended that an analysis be made of the overall mobile computing and telephony requirements of the staff and a single provider be selected, if feasible.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye”.

15. The e-billing Project offers potential cost savings in the processing of billing and receipts. Residents will have the option to utilize the system to simplify their bookkeeping. The system should provide capacity for all city functions which can benefit. If expanded use of credit cards occurs, the impact of the issuer’s service fee should be evaluated. Most utility companies do not accept credit cards due to the lost income from the 2-3% service charge.

It is recommended that the e-billing project be pursued, and that all city functions be considered for inclusion.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye”.

Capital Improvement Fund

16. The Capital Improvement Fund has a balance of about $8,000,000. The sources of the funds are the profit from the liquor operations and part of the tax levy, $1,000,000 in both 2006 and 2007. A second fund of about $2,600,000 is titled Economic Development Fund. This money is the proceeds from the sale of the

and other property. It is segregated for the broad category of “economic development”, a category which includes numerous undefined uses. This has a drawback, in that expenditures of the fund for a project do not require the project to compete for priority with other possible uses of the capital.

It is recommended that the two funds be combined, and the Tax Levy for the CIP be temporarily eliminated. Funding for capital improvements would continue to come from the CIP, which would be about $10,600,000 after combining the funds. The 2007 Total Tax Levy is $29,917,000. The 2008 version 2 Total Tax Levy increases by 5%, $1,496,000. By eliminating the $1,000,000 CIP levy, the increase would be approximately $496,000, less than a 2% increase in the Total Tax Levy.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King and Proops voting “aye” with Kantor and Kardell voting “nay”.

17. Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Format

It is recommended that the CIP budget be modified:

1. All CIP projects should require justification to include a Return on Investment (ROI) calculation.
2. The CIP summary format should clearly indicate the City’s share of the total budgeted for projects.
3. The practice of requesting projects for “placeholder” position should be eliminated.

The motion was approved on a roll call vote with Muilenburg, King, Proops, Kantor and Kardell voting “aye”.

18. CIP Project Comments

#08229-$125,000 for signage and exterior monument the amount seems excessive and the essentiality of this expenditure is questionable

#08201 and 10201-$502,000 and $75,000 to replace the main roof on the

. The anticipated life of this replacement is 10 years; the useful life is stated as 20 years. We recommend an evaluation of longer term solutions.

#08600 and 08601-$450,000 each for pumper truck replacement. The useful life of the equipment is stated as 20 years and the policy for replacement is 20 years. The CIP requests funding at 18 years, 10% early. Recommend extending the life of the trucks, not decreasing it.

#15102-$1,950,000 for

Development. The lease on this property will be for 30 years. The time limit on the lease the investment may not be justified.

#05081-$1,360,000. Unspent annual allocations are carried forward to fund larger projects. Recommend denial of funding for this project until accurate total requirements are available.

#08294, 08295, 08299-Carpet cleaner, floor scrubbers, ice resurfacer. Can existing equipment be utilized, rather than duplicating equipment?