2021.03.23 WS Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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believe the air quality in the community center was bad, she stated these improvements would greatly enhance the air quality. She discussed how it would benefit the NBCC to be bringing more fresh air into the space. Mr. TRANE REP stated when the HVAC units were installed only two areas were covered with UV lights. He explained these improvements would continue to enhance the air quality in the NBCC. Councilmember Allen stated he supported the City investing in its infrastructure and to prepare for the future. He wanted to see the City keeping its tenants, visitors and staff safe. He believed this type of project made a lot of sense and noted federal dollars may be able to assist with these type of improvements, along with future UV bulbs. Mayor Niedfeldt-Thomas stated thanked staff for providing the Council with the CDC guidelines within the staff report. She requested staff break down the expenses further for the Council to define what items were repairs and which were COVID related. Councilmember Abdulle commented he supported the proposed improvements for the NBCC. He thanked staff for bringing this item forward. Fink thanked the Council for their feedback and support. Parks Comprehensive Plan Implementation Strategy Discussion Massopust stated in 2018, the City Council authorized the Parks and Recreation Department to begin work on a new Strategic Comprehensive Plan for the Parks System. The plan took over a year to complete. The process included significant and frequent community engagement opportunities. It was adopted by the City Council in September of 2020 and has been added to the City's 2040 Comprehensive Plan as an amendment. Fink explained the Comprehensive Plan identifies a 10-20 year plan for improvements to local parks and recreation trails, buildings and facilities. This plan is ideally updated every ten years in conjunction with the City's Comprehensive Plan. This plan identifies projects and plans that will happen in a shorter time frame as well as those that may not come to fruition during the duration of this plan. The City Council has stated their goal to begin implementation in part of this plan. In addition,New Brighton residents made clear in a city-wide survey in 2017 that while 9 in 10 residents used the park system, only 1 in 10 were satisfied with them. This information, along with recommendations from the Parks Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee and the Parks, Recreation and Environmental Commission have helped to shape the recommendations for implementation. The emerging themes received by staff from the public had to do with establishing a sense of place, creating places to play, pedestrian/ADA safety and creating desired recreation. Park assessments results were discussed at length. The recommendations from the consultants and staff were reviewed in further detail with the Council and staff requested feedback from the Council on how to proceed. Davitt stated this plan was extremely monumental to her and she was excited to be before the Council again. She then discussed the financing options for implementing the Parks Comprehensive Plan. It was noted the internal options available to the Council include the Parks Non-Fleet Capital Asset Replacement Fund, the Pavement Management Internal Service Fund, the Closed Bond Fund, the Community Reinvestment Fund and the Municipal Development Fund. The external options would include a voter referendum bond, lease revenue bonds with the EDA, or abatement bonds. She described what happens when a TIF District decertifies. She reviewed a potential financing plan that would finance the park projects from for Phase I and II from 2021 through 2034. She noted the financing example includes all items in the plan, but this could be adjusted and refined by the Council over time as the parks are further discussed. She discussed how bonding could be used to cover the cost of projects over the next five or six years and described what the payment would be for these bonds. She reported staff recommends a bond be issued in 2021 and again in 2023 to move the Parks