## City of Blaine ## City Council Workshop August 3, 2026 | 5:00 PM ## Blaine City Hall ## 10801 Town Square Drive NE ## Blaine, MN 55449 ## AGENDA ## NOTICE OF WORKSHOP MEETING In accordance with the provisions of Section 3.01 of the Blaine City Charter, a Council Workshop meeting is scheduled for the following purpose: 1. Call to Order ## 2. Roll Call ## 3. New Business 3.1. 2026-152 Closed Session Pursuant to MN Statute 13D.03 Subd. (1)(b) - Labor ## Negotiations Update (30 Minutes) ## Sponsors: Scott Johnson, Director of Administrative Services 3.2. 2026-153 Community Engagement with FlashVote (30 Minutes) ## Sponsors: Ben Hayle, Communications Manager ## 4. Other Business 5. Adjournment Page 1 of 20 ## City of Blaine ## Staff Report ## File Number: 2026-152 ## Agenda Date ## Status August 3, 2026 ## In Control ## File Type ## City Council ## Workshop Item ## New Business - Scott Johnson, Director of Administrative Services Agenda Item # 3.1 Closed Session Pursuant to MN Statute 13D.03 Subd. (1)(b) - Labor Negotiations Update (30 Minutes) ## Background Labor Attorney Lida Bannink will attend the Closed Session virtually to provide an update on labor negotiations with the Deputy Police Chief Union and the new LELS bargaining unit. ## Staff Recommendation ## Questions for Council ## Attachment List ## None Page 2 of 20 ## City of Blaine ## Staff Report ## File Number: 2026-153 ## Agenda Date ## Status August 3, 2026 ## In Control ## File Type ## City Council ## Workshop Item ## New Business - Ben Hayle, Communications Manager Agenda Item # 3.2 ## Community Engagement with FlashVote (30 Minutes) ## Background One year ago, staff began the onboarding process with FlashVote to provide a new method for community engagement through short issue-based surveys. Through summer and early fall 2025, staff worked alongside FlashVote to build the system and grow the survey panel. The initial goal was to have 300 residents sign up for the survey panel. This would allow for statistically valid data for a city the size of Blaine. By the time the first survey launched in fall 2025, nearly 500 residents had signed up to be on the survey panel. Today we have over 900 residents on the survey panel, and we see growth each time we conduct a survey. Surveys are intended to be conducted quarterly with the option to do two additional surveys each year if a need arises. Surveys are sent by email, text message, or by phone. When signing up, the resident is able to choose how they receive the survey notification. FlashVote surveys are always five questions and are designed to be completed in less than one minute. The survey is open for 48 hours and then the results are delivered to everyone who took the survey. The results can be broken down by council ward, police patrol districts, and other standard demographics. ## Completed Surveys ## • Community Satisfaction • Communications • Parks Page 3 of 20 As a part of the workshop presentation, staff will show how information gathered through the surveys has informed decisions and provided new opportunities to educate and engage. ## Staff Recommendation ## Questions for Council Does council have topics that they would like to see covered in future surveys? ## Attachment List ## 1. FlashVote Workshop Presentation Page 4 of 20 ## FlashVote: One Year Later ## Community Feedback That Helps Inform City Decisions Page 5 of 20 Why FlashVote? ## Community Feedback That Helps Inform City Decisions Email Phone Calls Public Meetings Community Events Social Media FlashVote Page 6 of 20 What is FlashVote? ## Community Engagement with Valid Feedback Residents can participate by: Email Text message Phone call Five questions One minute Results in 48 hours Page 7 of 20 ## How It Works ## Join ## Panel ## Receive ## Survey ## Complete ## Survey 48 Hours ## Later ## Results ## Shared ## Put Data to ## Use Page 8 of 20 ## Building the Survey Panel ## Summer 2025 ## Goal 300 ## Residents ## Launch 500 ## Residents ## Summer 2026 900 ## Residents ## Continued ## Growth Page 9 of 20 ## Strong Participation 49-55 percent participation rate Goal –less than five percent margin or error Two surveys at five percent One at four percent Page 10 of 20 ## Survey Topics Community Satisfaction Communications Parks Page 11 of 20 ## Community Satisfaction Residents Value Parks and Trails Public Safety Retail Options Community Appearance 71 percent enjoy living in Blaine Page 12 of 20 ## Communications ## Top ChannelsHot TopicsWhat We Did City Newsletter City Website Email/Text Social Media Road Projects Economic ## Development Public Safety Feature Hot Topics on ## Preferred ## Channels Page 13 of 20 ## Parks Largest survey so far Residents told us to take care of what we have Focus on maintaining and enhancing existing parks before adding new parks Page 14 of 20 ## Not Just Numbers I'm very satisfied with my way of life in Blaine. I'm 81 yrs old, moved here from Michigan in 1986. I have everything I need within 5 miles of my townhome...Thank you, Blaine! I appreciate the helpful communication around road construction as well as what a great job city staff do with maintaining our roadways - both through construction and snow removal! I have been into City Hall many times over the past year and every time I go I am treated with respect and helped immediately. Page 15 of 20 ## Not Just Numbers I am noticing many of the trails could use grinding down with new asphalt overlay as they are beginning to wear down after 20 years of use I use Lochness park frequently and have been very disappointed in the poor upkeep of this nice park. The trail needs upkeep, It is being overgrown, and the climbing vines are killing MANY trees! Please protect the resources we already have with proper maintenance. Get rid of the trashy portable toilets in neighborhood parks. Page 16 of 20 ## Not Just Numbers I think a giant statue, doesn't matter who. In Detroit they have a statue of Robo-Cop, the people love it. When I went to Cancun I saw statute of Jim Carrey as "The Mask" and the people love it. I'm thinking some amateurish looking golfer, large belly post swing slightly off balanced, yaknow an everyman representing the sports theme we got going here with a touch of comedy as this gilded statue of one of us is there. We can name him something annoying like Derek or Chad. Man I want this! Page 17 of 20 ## How Staff is Using FlashVote Validate assumptions Measure community sentiment Improve communication Inform future planning Support Council discussions Page 18 of 20 ## Looking Ahead Continue quarterly surveys Continue growing the panel Use FlashVotewhen timely resident feedback would be valuable Measure trends over time Page 19 of 20 ## Council Feedback What topics or community issues would the Council like staff to explore through future FlashVotesurveys? Page 20 of 20