Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Meeting of the Elk River City Council <br />Held at The Bank of Elk River <br /> <br />Wednesday, May 23, 2018 <br /> <br />Members Present: Mayor Dietz, Councilmembers Olsen, Ovall, Westgaard, and Wagner <br /> <br />Members Absent: None <br /> <br />Staff Present: City Administrator Calvin Portner, City Clerk Tina Allard, Parks and <br />Recreation Director Michael Hecker, Recreation Manager Steve Benoit <br /> <br /> <br />1.Call Meeting to Order <br /> <br /> <br />The meeting of the Elk River City Council came to order at 8:32 a.m. <br /> <br />2. Recreational Facility Improvements Listening Session <br /> <br /> Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Debbi Rydberg welcomed <br />everyone and asked each person to provide their name and business affiliation. <br /> <br /> Community member Charlie Blesener facilitated the discussion about the current state <br />of the city’s recreational facilities and engaged the people in attendance about what <br />they would envision for the future of Elk River. <br /> <br /> Comments made during the Q&A session of the meeting. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Clarity on the plans being voted upon. <br /> <br /> <br />Whether there will be consideration of any new plans other than the three options <br />presented at this meeting. <br /> <br /> <br />Discussion on the two options to pay for recreational facility improvements: local <br />option sales tax or property taxes. <br /> <br /> <br />Need to consider positive economic impact a facility will bring to the community. <br /> <br /> <br />It’s not my experience that Elk River is identified as a hockey town. <br /> <br /> <br />Need solid numbers/statistics as to how many people are involved in hockey. <br /> <br /> <br />Council’s plan if the local option sales tax or the bond doesn’t pass. <br /> <br /> <br />The focus of a facility should be toward the whole community’s needs. <br /> <br /> <br />Moved to Elk River for the schools and its strong hockey program. <br /> <br /> <br />Need to invest in our kids. <br /> <br /> <br />Concerned about how the new Highway 169 freeway improvement will affect the <br />sale tax revenue because people won’t stop locally from a freeway. <br /> <br /> <br />Elk River hockey has a positive identity with others outside the community. <br /> <br /> <br />Feasibility of privatization. <br /> <br /> <br />People won’t notice a 0.5% sales tax on their bills and the city should go bigger <br />than making the minimum repairs. <br /> <br /> <br />All for investing in a community center, but not one with only one focus. <br /> <br /> <br />Against activity center moving to the YMCA and would like to see it continue at its <br />current location. <br /> <br />