Minutes & Agendas
Minutes - March 11, 2010
MINUTES OF HIGHLAND DISTRICT COUNCIL
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Meeting Minutes
March 11, 2010
Members of the Highland District Council Board of Directors met on Thursday, March 11, 2010 at the Hillcrest Recreation Center, 1978 Ford Parkway, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55116. Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. Board members present were: Tia Anderson, Arline Datu, Mark Forsberg, Jennifer Taylor James, Paul Krech, Tim Puffer, Katherine Soderberg and Loren Sorenson. Bill Poulos was seated as designated alternate for Ray Cleveland and Georgia Dietz was seated as designated alternate for Robert Brandtjen. Alternate Gary Thompson wase seated.
Appointment of Temporary Secretary
Tim Puffer was appointed to serve as temporary secretary for the meeting.
Approval of Agenda
Motion was made and seconded to approve the agenda for the meeting as presented. Bill Poulos moved and Georgia Dietz seconded to amend the agenda by adding the Pledge of Allegiance. Motion on the amendment failed. A question about the Grid 4 lection was raised but deferred to new business. Motion to approve the agenda as originally presented prevailed.
Approval of Minutes
Motion was made and seconded to approve minutes from the February 4, 2010 board meeting as presented. Corrections regarding Arline Datu's excused absence and the date of the annual meeting were suggested and minutes were approved as amended.
Special Presentations
Officer Julie Maidment of the City of Saint Paul Police Department presented an update on the new additions to the city camera system. Ninety-three new cameras have been added in St. Paul and many are in the Highland Park area. The cameras are part of a wireless mesh cloud system and were paid for through federal Department Homeland Security waterway security funding. The purpose is to help monitor river and port areas and main thoroughfares. The new cameras run along Ford Parkway from the river to Snelling and areas along West 7th and the Mississippi River to downtown. Images from the cameras are stored for 14 days and area available to help investigate incidences occurring in the monitored areas. Camera images can be made available to the public through a viewing station located at Western District offices. There are now about 185 such cameras used by the police department in St. Paul
Glenn Pagel, bridge engineer with the City of Saint Paul, presented an update on the replacement of the Edgcumbe Road bridge (connecting to Hamline Avenue between Highland Parkway and Montreal near the Highland Golf Course). The bridge is eligible for historic designation because it is believed to be designed by Martin Grytbak who also designed the Ford Parkway bridge. A historic review of the Edgcumbe Bridge is expected to be completed by mid-April. Because of the historic implications, there are restriction on how the bridge can be replaced or restored and still be eligible for federal and state funding. The city bridge division is of the opinion that the bridge should be replaced by a soil-filled ready-made bridge which would cost approximately $400,000 in construction expenses. To re-do the bridge as a historical project would cost closer to $1.2 million. There is currently about $930,000 available for the bridge project from multiple sources. If the bridge must be restored as a historic project, additional funding must be secured which will delay the project. Currently, the bridge is inspected every 30 days, is deemed safe for up to 5 tons and is expected to have a couple more years of use in its existing state. Future updates on the project will go through the HDC transportation committee.
Public Comment
There was no public comment.
Treasurer's Report
Paul Krech presented final year-end financial statements, recommendations for the 2010 HDC organizational budget and the completed 2009 IRS Form 990 for HDC. After questions and discussions, a motion was made, seconded and adopted to accept the 990 as presented. A motion was made, seconded and passed to approve the 2010 HDC organizational budget as presented.
Community Organizer's Report
Kathy Carruth reported on the annual Home Improvement Fair which will take place at Cretin Derham Hall High School April 10th. Volunteers are still needed. Contact Kathy to volunteer.
Informal information sessions for prospective HDC board members were offered on March 19 and 24. Approximately 6 people attended the sessions which were facilitated by existing HDC board members, the city's district council coordinator Diane Wanner and Kathy.
Walgreen will present their revised site plan for the property at Ford Parkway and Finn to the HDC Community Development Committee 6:30 pm on March 16 at the Hillcrest Rec Center.
HDC held a special community meeting on underground gas pipeline safety concerns March 10th which was well-attended by neighborhood residents and the media and featured representatives from Xcel Energy and state and city fire, safety and public works.
HDC is looking for someone to represent the organization in a Capital Region Watershed project in which HDC is a partner. The volunteer position would be a 20 hour commitment over the next year. Contact the HDC office to express interest or make recommendations.
Executive Committee Report
Loren Sorenson reported that at its last meeting, the HDC executive committee set the March board meeting agenda, discussed the election process for the annual meeting, reviewed plans for the pipeline safety community meeting and reviewed recommendations for HDC bylaws changes developed by the bylaws committee.
The following recommendations for bylaws changes were then presented to the board:
4.14 Removal of Directors. A Director may be removed at any time for "cause" upon the affirmative vote of a majority 60 percent of all Directors then in office, excluding the Director proposed for removal. For this purpose "cause" means (a) the Director's Unexcused Absence from three consecutive regular Board of Directors or Standing Committee meetings, (b) the Director's Unexcused Absence from five regular Board of Directors or Standing Committee meetings during any term year, (c) the Director's conviction of a felony or commission of fraud or other serious misconduct involving dishonesty, (d) willful conduct by the Director that materially injures HDC, (e) the Director's breach of, or non-adherence to, any contractual agreement with HDC or the Director's duty of loyalty to HDC, or (f) the Director's violation of Sections 12.1 through 12.4. Upon such removal, the seat shall be deemed vacant and subject to the provisions of Section 4.7.
After discussion, a motion was made, seconded and passed to call the question. A motion to accept the bylaw 4.14 amendment and forward to the full HDC membership for adoption at the 2010 annual meeting was made, seconded and passed.
4.5 Procedures for Election of Grid Representatives and At-Large Directors. Ballots that contain more names than positions up for election shall be invalid. If a ballot purports to vote for a candidate more than once, only one vote, will be counted for the candidate. In an election where there are three or more nominated candidates, if two or more candidates receive the highest number of votes, a tie-breaking election among such candidates will be held immediately. If there are only two candidates and there is a tie vote, the election shall be determined by coin flip or another method agreed by the two candidates. The Board of Directors may adopt such additional election rules and procedures as they consider appropriate. Elected Director may serve no more than 3 Consecutive Terms, however they may run for additional terms if there is no opposing candidate.
After discussion, a motion was made, seconded and passed to call the question. A motion to accept the bylaw 4.5 amendment and forward to the full HDC membership for adoption at the 2010 annual meeting was made, seconded and passed.
3.4 Quorum. Ten (10) Members shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of Members for the purpose of taking any action other than adjourning such meeting. If a quorum of Members is not represented at a meeting, the Members present shall constitute a quorum for the sole purpose of adjourning such meeting, and the majority of the Members so present may adjourn the meeting to such date, time, and place as they shall announce at the time of adjournment. Any business that might have been transacted at the adjourned meeting if a quorum had been present, may be transacted at the meeting held pursuant to such an adjournment and at which a quorum shall be represented. If a quorum is present when a duly called or held meeting is convened, the Members present may continue to transact business until adjournment, even though the withdrawal of a number of Members leaves less than the number otherwise required for a quorum. If a special meeting is called under Article 3.2, at least 30 members or 10% of the registered members from the last annual meeting must be present, whichever is greater, to constitute a quorum.
Through discussion, the suggestion as made to clarify the amendment by adding the words "a number representing" between the work "or" and "10%" in the last sentence. The change was accepted by acclamation. A motion was made, seconded and passed to call the question. A motion to accept the bylaw 3.4 amendment and forward to the full HDC membership for adoption at the 2010 annual meeting was made, seconded and passed.
12.4 Official HDC Positions. No Director, HDC employee, or other person appointed by the Board of Directors to act as a representative of the HDC, when acting as a representative of the Board or the HDC, shall knowingly make statements or representations to governmental bodies related to actions of the Board unless clearly stating, where true, that the position he or she is expressing or advocating is different from adopted HDC positions or that the HDC has adopted no position with respect to the issue. Only policy statements, positions, or other requests adopted by the Board of Directors are the official positions and actions of the Board.
A motion to accept the bylaw 12.4 amendment and forward to the full HDC membership for adoption at the 2010 annual meeting was made, seconded and passed.
Due to extensive discussions on bylaws changes and 9 p.m. closing time for Hillcrest Rec Center, there was no time for remaining agenda items with included Community Services, Community Development and Transportation Committee reports; Business Representatives and City Council report and New Business.
Adjournment
A motion to adjourn was made, seconded and passed. Meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Tim Puffer, Acting Secretary