021324 CAC Agenda PacketCitizen Advisory Commission Meeting
New Hope City Hall, 4401 Xylon Ave N
February 13, 2024
7 p.m.
1. Call to Order.
2. Roll Call.
3. Approval of January 9, 2024 minutes.
4. Police Department update with Chief Tim Hoyt and Community
Relations & Crime Prevention Officer Brad Kallio.
5. Discuss 2024 agenda items.
6. Brainstorming — Ideas to bring attention to New Hope.
7. Parks and Recreation project updates.
8. Other business.
9. Adjournment.
If you are unable to attend the meeting, please contact Susan Rader at 763-531-5152 or srader@newhopemn.gov
Citizen Advisory Commission
Regular Meeting
CALL TO ORDER
CITY OF NEW HOPE
4401 XYLON AVENUE NORTH
NEW HOPE, MINNESOTA 55428
Chair Kulzer called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.
January 9, 2024
New Hope City Hall, 7 p.m.
ROLL CALL Present: Commissioners Jeffrey Harper, Randy Herman, Jill Kaufman,
Scott Kulzer, Carrie Neuburger, Bill Wills
Absent: None
Staff Present: Susan Rader, Staff Liaison
Sarah Larson, West Metro Fire -Rescue District Chief
APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Wills made a motion to approve the minutes of the December
12, 2023 meeting as written. Commissioner Kaufman seconded the motion.
Voting in favor: Commissioners Harper, Herman, Kaufman, Kulzer,
Neuburger, Wills. Opposed: None. Absent: None. Motion carried.
APPROVAL OF 2023 ANNUAL A motion was made by Commissioner Herman to approve the 2023 Annual
REPORT Report as written. Commissioner Neuburger seconded the motion. All present
voted in favor. Motion carried.
WEST METRO FIRE -RESCUE Chief Sarah Larson addressed the commissioners and reported that 1,909 calls
DISTRICT UPDATE for service had been received between January 1 and November 30. She
further explained that 799 of those calls had occurred in Crystal, while 1,047
were in New Hope. She added that many of New Hope's calls had been to the
local nursing homes.
Chief Larson informed the commissioners that the West Metro Fire -Rescue
District (WMFRD) had received a SAFER grant through FEMA to cover the
cost of hiring three full-time firefighters. She explained that the positions
would be fully funded for three years and reported that a hiring process had
recently been completed and those individuals would start on February 26.
She added that all three of the individuals had previously been paid -on -call
firefighters with WMFRD.
Chief Larson reported that Police and Fire Command staff met quarterly and
had recently discussed the active shooter training that had taken place at New
Hope Church as well as a few other topics including calls for service and 2024
emergency management training. She added that emergency management
training with Police, Fire and City Hall staff was conducted two times per
year.
Chief Larson highlighted a few of the many public events and community
outreach programs that had been held in 2023, including WMFRD's 2511,
anniversary open house on July 6 and the Tri-City Santa Parade on December
9. She also reported on their involvement with the Be a Santa to a Senior
program, an annual event that collects gifts for residents of Good Samaritan
and North Ridge care centers.
Staffing was then discussed. Chief Larson reported that there were currently
eight full-time staff and 58 paid -on -call firefighters, seven of whom were
currently on a leave of absence. She added that the district would be hiring
and training additional paid -on -call firefighters in 2024 and explained that a
class of 10 individuals would attend firefighter academy training along with
recruits from the cities of Plymouth, Golden Valley, and Maple Grove. She also
reported that a pinning ceremony had been held in December to promote
apprentice firefighters from the class of 2021 to the rank of firefighter.
Chief Larson shared photos of live fire training and mass casualty/active threat
training conducted in 2023 and briefly discussed the importance of hands-on
training. She also displayed a photo of one of the four new engines that had
been leased and placed into service in 2023. She reported that all four of the
old engines had been sold at higher than anticipated prices.
Chief Larson briefly reviewed fire prevention inspections within the city and
stated that staff's goal was to inspect all commercial buildings every three to
five years. She added that some facilities were required to receive annual
inspections including liquor stores, gas stations, and places of assembly.
Fire prevention education was then discussed, and Chief Larson noted that
programs were conducted at every elementary school in New Hope and
Crystal. She also reported on the Adopt a Hydrant program, in which
residents adopt a hydrant near their home and keep it clear of snow in the
winter.
Finally, Chief Larson reported that 35 fire investigations had been conducted
in 2023 compared to 50 in 2022. She briefly reviewed some of the incidents that
had been investigated.
Commissioner Wills wondered about the financial feasibility of leasing rather
than purchasing the new engines. He also inquired about the length of the
lease.
Chief Larson felt that it had made financial sense as prices and interest rates
had been lower at that time. She added that the lease would run for 10 years,
followed by the option to purchase with a balloon payment or return the
vehicles.
Commissioner Kaufman asked whether the SAFER grant positions would be
retained and funded after the grant had expired.
Chief Larson replied that staff would utilize the three-year period to determine
the value of those added positions and commented that if retained, those
positions would need to be funded through WMFRD.
New Hope Citizen Advisory Commission January 9, 2024
Page 2
Commissioner Kaufman also wondered how buyers had been found for the
used engines.
Chief Larson replied that WMFRD had contracted with Brindlee Mountain
Fire Apparatus, a company that specializes in buying and selling used fire
trucks and equipment.
Audience member Rick Riley wondered why New Hope did not wrap its fire
hydrants as some neighboring cities did.
Chief Larson replied that the intended purpose was to reduce corrosion, but
staff had determined that it had a limited effect.
Chair Kulzer mentioned the live fire training and wondered how the
neighborhood had been notified.
Chief Larson replied that nearby residents would receive written notification
and noted that it would also be posted through social media and other outlets.
Mayor Hemken requested the floor and asked Chief Larson to discuss the
steps that are taken leading up to live fire training.
Chief Larson explained that the first step would be asbestos abatement
followed by the removal of all fixtures and appliances. Extra sheetrock would
be placed in targeted burn areas and was sometimes placed along a property
line to assist with containment.
Commissioner Neuburger inquired about emergency management training.
Chief Larson explained that for the past two years senior staff from WMFRD
and the cities of New Hope and Crystal had participated in lecture -based
training presented by the State of Minnesota.
Commissioner Harper inquired whether all firefighter positions were
currently on an on -call basis.
Chief Larson replied yes and noted that firefighters must live within six
minutes of a station, but those who lived within four minutes would receive a
hiring preference. She also mentioned that those who were selected would
receive 200 hours of training during their first year.
The commissioners thanked Chief Larson for her presentation. She excused
herself from the meeting at 7:31 p.m.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS Commissioner Wills nominated Scott Kulzer to serve as Chair in 2024.
Commissioner Neuburger seconded the motion. There were no other
nominations. All present voted in favor.
New Hope Citizen Advisory Commission January 9, 2024
Page 3
DISCUSS 2024 AGENDA
ITEMS
BRAINSTORMING - IDEAS
TO BRING ATTENTION TO
NEW HOPE
Chair Kulzer nominated Randy Herman to serve as Vice Chair in 2024.
Commissioner Neuburger seconded the motion. There were no other
nominations. All present voted in favor.
Commissioner Kaufman nominated Carrie Neuburger to serve as Secretary in
2024. Commissioner Harper seconded the motion. There were no other
nominations. All present voted in favor.
Chair Kulzer noted that a police department update was scheduled for
February 13.
Commissioner Kaufman informed the commissioners that she had reached out
to Cooper High School staff and the student council president but had not
received a response regarding a joint clean-up project. She suggested
postponing this topic for the immediate future.
Following a brief discussion, Ms. Rader stated that she would attempt to
schedule a Community Development update for the March meeting, and
tentatively schedule an Emerald Ash Borer update for the June meeting.
No new ideas were brought forward.
PARKS AND RECREATION Ms. Rader informed the commissioners that there would not be a playground
PROJECT UPDATES equipment replacement project in 2024. She added that outdoor fitness
apparatus might be added this summer at Northwood Park, near the
playground. She stated that parks staff would install the concrete pads.
Ms. Rader also mentioned a few other planned projects including some court
surface repairs, trail improvements at Victory Park, and minor improvements
at the Ice Arena and Golf Course.
Chair Kulzer inquired about flooding outdoor rinks.
Ms. Rader stated that staff were scheduled to flood rinks this weekend, as
colder weather had been in the forecast.
OTHER BUSINESS Ms. Rader reported that a Winter Golf event would be held on January 27. She
also mentioned that open skating attendance numbers were up at the arena.
Chair Kulzer noted the city clerk's upcoming retirement and wondered what
that would mean for elections.
Ms. Rader replied that the end date was open and noted that the city clerk
planned to train the new hire prior to officially retiring.
New Hope Citizen Advisory Commission January 9, 2024
Page 4
ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Herman made a motion to adjourn the regular meeting of the
Citizen Advisory Commission. Commissioner Neuburger seconded the
motion. All present voted in favor. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at
8 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Penny Spitzer
Recording Secretary
New Hope Citizen Advisory Commission January 9, 2024
Page 5
CAC AGENDA ITEMS FOR 2024
AS OF 2/1/24
The following is a tentative listing of major agenda items that have either been assigned to the CAC, a
CAC member has asked that the item be discussed, or city staff has asked that the item be discussed by
the CAC.
February 13 - Police Dept Update with Chief Hoyt & Community Relations and Crime Prevention
Officer Kallio
March 12 - Community Development Update with Director Sargent
April 9 - Three Rivers Parks 2 People Initiative (tentative)
May 14 - Adopt a Park? Plant planters later in month?
June 11- EAB Update with Shawn Markham, City Forester
July 9 -
August 13 - No meeting
September 10 - Adopt a Park?
September 16 - Council Work Session
September TBD - Commissioner Bus Tour?
October 8 -
November 12 - No meeting
December 10 - Budget Update
*Note: A meeting may be cancelled if there are no agenda items.
On -going
• Continue to sponsor Snowman Contest, City-wide Garage Sale
• Ideas to bring attention to New Hope
• Promotion of existing City programs: In Focus, RAVE, Outstanding Business
• Volunteering at P&R/City events
• Adopt a Park (2x/year)
Updates
• Park/Facility Projects
Possible Future Topics
• Community Development update
• P&R update
• THC Ordinance update/discussion
• PW 10-year pavement management plan
• Cooper High School students