05-16-2018 Listening Session - Laserfiche WebLink

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Meeting of the Elk River City Council Held at the YMCA Wednesday, May 16, 2018 Members Present: Mayor Dietz, Councilmembers Olsen (6:15 p.m.), Westgaard, and Wagner Members Absent: Councihnember Ovall Staff Present: City Administrator Calvin Portner and Deputy City Clerk Jessica Miller I. Call Meeting to Order The meeting of the Elk River City Council came to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. Recreational Facility Improvements Listening Session Mr. Portner facilitated a discussion about the current state of the city's recreational facilities and engaged the people in attendance about what they would envision for the future of Elk River and what role they might play in creating that future. Comments made during the Q & A session of the meeting. • Moving forward with the project when it was voted down by the voters. • Discussion took place on the three options. • Space allocation for senior activities in the three options. What would be done with the current senior activity center building? ■ Annual operation cost and reserves to repair/replace when necessary. ■ Suggested the reserve fund should be augmented by user fees. • Would like a quantitative study of how a new recreational facility would impact the entire city (home values, property taxes, etc.). • Issues with current locations for the recreational facility. Suggested looking deeper at locations. ■ Corridors of Commerce impact on the recreational facility project. ■ Concerns about students who don't have transportation getting to practice. Would like to see the facility located at Lions Park. Felt the $7 million soil correction cost would be worth it to have the facility located near the high school. • If Elk River doesn't build a recreational facility people will continue to go to other communities for the amenities. ■ Rushing the project when so many questions remain. • Council's authority to make expenditures without voter approval. • Concern about increasing construction and interest costs with Council's delayed decisions. • Liked the idea of sales tax revenue paying for the facility. • Asked the Council to make the best economic decision, not necessarily the cheapest option. • Encouraged leaders to make people aware of the project, how it's funded, and its benefits before any proposed votes.