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Thursday, September 02, 2010
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| 10/15/2009 7:51:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | North Branch joins two other local cities; restricting offender residency
BY DENISE MARTIN
With all city council members present Monday night this week, North Branch got a sexual predator residency ordinance passed, 3-2.
At the last council meeting the motion to adopt the ordinance died on a 2-2 vote, with Peter Holmes absent.
Council member Larry Erickson voted with Kathy Blomquist to oppose the ordinance presented. Erickson had also opposed it earlier, with Blomquist. Erickson added that this tactic of calling for a council re-vote was "outside of standard practices for this council."
Blomquist argued the illusion of safety in placing restrictions on where sexual predators may reside; saying it drives them "underground." They still will live, she said, where they are not legally allowed to live and will just avoid contact with authorities, she said. She added that law enforcement wasn't asking for this ordinance and county prosecutors advised against this.
Council member Peter Holmes said just because it won't protect all children, if it keeps one child safe from becoming a victim of criminal sexual behavior, he supports it.
North Branch joins Taylors Falls and Wyoming with sexual predator residency restrictions on the books. North Branch now restricts the residency of a Level III offender to further than 2,000 feet from schools, daycares, parks and playgrounds and further than 1,000 feet from places of worship or "Sunday schools." Offenders who already live in the city are not affected. Residency is defined by 14 days living in one place and does not imply property "ownership."
In public comment a resident on 415th Street complained of the council balancing the budget "on the backs of" residents of the old town of Branch. The outlying areas that consolidated with the urban core of North Branch about 15 years ago, continue to bear the brunt of cuts, he said. North Branch gravel budget went to half of what it has been, he pointed out, for a net "loss" in gravel services.
Three people spoke about the need for the city council to keep certain things in mind when meeting with LS Power representatives about use of North Branch wastewater for a planned electric station. The city needs to "manage the risks" to the city in cooperating with LS Power. A relationship between a government unit and a for-profit company has to be approached carefully to protect taxpayers. The city also should mandate LS Power do an Environmental Impact Statement.
City Engineer Julie Dresel advised council the bid opening is October 19 for the new freeway bridge.
Council heard from a financial advisor that a negotiated bond sale with Piper Jaffray is proceeding and a special meeting of council October 15 should still be on track for a vote on a resolution authorizing the bonds.
The council is refinancing debt and avoiding a large payment that was coming due at the end of 2009, related to the ESSBY redevelopment area.
Planner Alan Cottingham asked for and got authority on a 3-2 vote to spend money for an appraisal on a parcel sought for parks and open space. The city already has some money awarded through a Metro Greenways grant to buy the Carlson site, but is applying for additional funding in a new grant that requires an updated appraisal.
Council members Furman and Holmes voted no because of pressing issues elsewhere in the budget and that this is not a priority.
Furman questioned a $5,000 expenditure on street sweeping. Engineer Dresel explained the city's sweeper is a regenerative air based system and is not suited to the road surface cleaning that the city needed to do on sealcoated sites. Furman asked if it was something that could be addressed with a new attachment to the city's sweeper and Dresel said it's more complicated than that.
City Administrator Bridgitte Konrad reported the staff has developed a flu response plan. Service levels have been prioritized and daily operations should not be impacted if the city experiences abnormal absenteeism from sickness. Konrad said council probably should do a "dry run" on a remote meeting to see how this might work in case city business needs to be conducted and council members can't physically attend a session. There's an interactive television process the city is researching.
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