2015.11.10 CC and WS Combined - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mayor Jacobsen wondered how the Council could get the public more engaged through voting as well as attendance at City Council meetings. Councilmember Burg believed that the public was engaged in the community and this showed through participation in National Night Out and other community events. Councilmember Strub was in favor of even year municipal elections due to the fact having more voters would benefit everyone. He was of the opinion that the community was more engaged with local elections due to door knocking and local engagement events with elected officials. Councilmember Bauman respectfully disagreed, as she believed residents were more engaged at a federal level than a local level. Councilmember Burg recommended that the Council hold elections on even numbered years and allow a petition to be formed if residents opposed the change. Mayor Jacobsen stated he had not been swayed to a change as of yet and was hoping to find a way to get the general public more engaged in local elections. He wanted to better understand what motivated voters. Councilmember Jacobsen questioned how the Council was to proceed. Haarstad reported she would need direction from the Council to draft an Ordinance to change the municipal election years and to address the Council term situation. Mayor Jacobsen commented that another concern of his was that the voters elected the Council to serve a two - or four-year term and he had concern with how the Council terms would be extended. Councilmember Burg supported the State default for the terms versus making the terms shorter. Councilmember Jacobsen agreed. Councilmember Strub was in favor of directing staff to draft an Ordinance moving municipal elections to even numbered years. Councilmember Bauman requested staff providing more financial information to the Council when the Ordinance was brought forward, along with information on how the school district elections would be impacted and to understand how the City would communicate the change to residents. Review CAT Recommendations on Deer Population Control Best Practices Hamdorf discussed a letter Director Brueur received regarding the wildlife population in Ramsey County. This letter was forwarded to Director Jacobsen and Lotter. He provided the Council with a summary of recommendations from CAT on how to address the deer population in the City of New Brighton. He explained a feeding ban has been recommended by the DNR, along with a deer survey. He stated the deer population in Long Lake Park was reviewed. The dangers of feeding deer throughout the winter was discussed noting this was good for the herd, drew them out from their natural habitat and was creating more deer/vehicle accidents. Councilmember Bauman questioned how the deer population moved through the City. Hamdorf understood the population followed water sources. He stated that an over flight study from Ramsey County would assist with discovering this further. He noted the over flight study would cost the City $300 and would provide the