Lino Lakes Ledger
Feasibility Studies Accepted; Hearing Slated
In an effort to keep pace with the schedule required to put two road reconstruction projects on an upcoming city-wide referendum ballot, the Lino Lakes City Council accepted engineering feasibility reports at its meeting of June 11 and ordered that public hearings be scheduled for July 9.
"We have been advised to try to carry these projects forward and work with the system that we have," said Council Member Jeff Reinert.
The hearings for the $5,583,000 West Shadow Lake Drive Street, Storm Sewer, Sanitary Sewer and Watermain Improvement Project and the $2,156,635 Shenandoah Area Street, Storm Sewer, and Watermain Improvement Project will be held on the same evening, and will draw upon feasibility reports that have been freshly updated from those prepared for prior public comment in June 2005.
City Engineer Jim Studenski explained that costs for the two projects have each increased by over 15 percent since the 2005 feasibility reports were prepared. Mayor John Bergeson abstained from discussion and voting as he owns property along one of the project routes.
Early Site Grading Get Thumbs Down
What city staff considered a routine application for a fast-tracked site grading development contract by the developers of "The Preserve," found council members unwilling to authorize the work without identifying specific borrow sites and subsequent haul routes on Birch Street. The Preserve received preliminary plat approval on August 28, 2006.
The Integra Homes project, which will construct 31 residential units on a 52.56-acre parcel located south of Birch Park on Pheasant Run South and Killdeer Drive, will require in excess of 60,000 cubic yards of material be hauled onto the site, according to City Engineer Jim Studenski.
After an agenda item identifying a possible source of borrow materials was pulled from the evening's agenda, council was clearly reluctant to approve the agreement. Council Member Donna Carlson estimated that the project would require up to 200 trucks per day on the residential street.
Hours of hauling, visibility, and possible traffic conflicts from slow-moving trucks on Birch, which is signed at 50 mph, were all council concerns.
The issue was tabled unanimously to the next meeting.
"If there's not an issue with waiting, let's wait," said Council Member Jeff O'Donnell.
In other action, the council:
. Authorized the preparation of a performance agreement for Taylor Corporation (Ad Graphics), 2300 Main Street, relating to its planned conversion of production space into additional office space.
. Accepted by a 5-0 vote the 2006 Audit Report prepared by LarsonAllen, LLC, a fi rm of licensed certified public accountants whose role is to review the city's fi nancial statements. The audit forms the basis for the City of Lino Lakes 2006 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, prepared by Finance Director Al Rolek.
. By a 5-0 vote made a conditional offer of employment to Heather Meyer for the position of Police Officer, contingent on passing physical exams and background checks.
. Approved plans and specifications and authorized advertisement for bids for the Lino Park Grading and Trail Improvement project, to begin construction in August.