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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />City Council NIinutes <br />February 14,2005 <br /> <br />Page 4 <br /> <br />6.3. <br /> <br />6.4. <br /> <br />Line Avenue <br /> <br />Councilmember Motin stated that he had requested this item to be on the agenda for <br />discussion as to whether Council wished to move forward. He wanted to know if there was <br />support on the Council to close Line Avenue at this time. He stated tl1at he agrees that this <br />street should be closed, but was concerned with the timing of the closure. He stated that <br />Twin Lakes Road and County Road 12 is a bad intersection and that this is where the traffic <br />would be directed. He doesn't feel there is a problem with Line Avenue. <br /> <br />Councilmember Gumphrey also was concerned about more traffic being directed to Tyler <br />Street and 197th Avenue and was opposed to the closing at this time. Councilmember <br />Farber stated that he felt the same way; that currently we do not have east/west roads and <br />that we will be creating more of a traffic problem. <br /> <br />City Engineer Terry Maurer suggested that we complete the plans and then put tl1e plans <br />"on the shelf' to a future time. He inquired whether the Council would be open to the <br />closure of the median on Twin Lakes Road by the townhouses in that area. He stated that <br />the median could be closed so that the left turn onto Twin Lakes Road would not be able to <br />occur. Mr. Maurer will come back to Council witl1 dus illustrated for future consideration. <br /> <br />Councilmember Farber also suggested perhaps just using sign age stating, "no left turn." <br /> <br />Engineering Services <br /> <br />Councilmember Farber had r.equested that this item be on the Council work session for <br />further consideration. City Administrator Pat Klaers stated that the City has entered into a <br />retainer agreement for full-time services of Terry Maurer. Itis felt that the City is getting a <br />better financial deal and better services in this type of arrangement than with our previous <br />relationship ~th Howard R. Green Company. Staff feels that it makes sense to continue <br />dus relationship, but to also start establishing an Engineering Department from the bottom <br />up, utilizing Terry Maurer and his expertise and experience. <br /> <br />City Engineer Maurer explained that with dUs arrangement it has afforded him time to take <br />over items d1at previously personnel from Howard R. Green handled, such as maintaining <br />and updating the City's Municipal State Aid System, in depth involvement in City initiated <br />projects such as the King Avenue parking lot and the 2005 street reconstruction project. He <br />also is more available for other staff and citizens. <br /> <br />Councilmember Farber asked if we were to hire technicians who would work on the City's <br />projects, could all those projects be done in-house. <br /> <br />Mr. Maurer stated that yes, if they had the right skills and even if, when they were hired, did <br />not have all those skills, they could be trained and would eventually get to that point. <br /> <br />Councilmember Farber inquired as to what would need to be continued to be farmed out to <br />consultants. <br /> <br />Mr. Maurer stated that anything that is unusual, such as the work at the Waste Water <br />Treatment Plant. He stated that he also would never recommend hiring a survey crew <br />because there would not be enough work year-around to maintain a crew, so this type of <br />work would need to be farmed out. He stated that the Parks Department.could have these <br />