Call to order the meeting on Monday, March 2nd, 2026 at 6 p.m. Please rise for the pledge. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Roll call, please. Jenny, >> Mayor Vogle, >> here. >> Council members Robinson >> here. >> Here. >> Bonis >> here. Melbower >> here. >> Uh, approval of tonight's agenda. Do I have a motion? >> I'll make that motion. >> Motion by Councilman Mulebower. Do I have a second? >> A second, Mayor. >> Second by Councilman Robinson. >> All those in favor signify by saying I. I. pull the same sign on to the consent agenda. Do I have a motion to accept tonight's consent agenda? >> I'll make that motion. >> Motion by Councilman Odig. Do I have a second? >> I'll second, Mayor. >> Second by Councilman Robinson. Any discussion? >> I have one if I may, mayor. I think it's toward Kate, please. Uh WSB, we wrote a check for 30,000. Is that part of Highway 47? uh the traffic counts and whatnot >> alongside I register. >> Yeah, mayor and council, I would have to look into that. It's on page 26. >> Didn't mean to catch up guard. >> Yep, that's I had written that down, too. It's on page 26, I think. >> I'm sure it's allowed. That was just I forgot Darcy wasn't here. Otherwise, I would have saved it. We can bring it up next time. >> The 21,000 of that was for Highway 47 another 2000. So it's actually divided between the highway 47 design and environmental and the bridge street uh the traffic study. >> Okay. >> Which should be completed and they're looking to come to council and present that probably the end of April. >> All right. And aside question uh traffic count does the county help with any of that? Are they will they be able to use any of that data or help pay for any of that data? Mayor Council, they won't help pay for any of the data. Right now, they're reviewing the the design to or the information to see if they can give us some input on what they could ever see that they would do at that intersection. So, they're part of the data, but they're not going to help pay for the data. >> Unpaying partners anyway. >> Correct. >> Okay. I appreciate Thank you, Kate. >> That's all, sir. >> Anybody else? >> All right. Uh, all those in favor tonight's agenda signify by saying I. >> I. I pull the same sign. Motion passes. Meeting open to the public. Please step forward. If you would like to speak, >> hello Dina and Carol. Um just call I wanted to ask um not sure if this is the right area to do it or what it is but you know as you guys know we live right off of Ambassador and wondering if there if it be the city or the county that would have to do it but we're wondering if there's a sign that can be put up there for semis that says no Jake breaking because there are so many nights where we get woken up by that because it's so loud and so annoying. So, I don't know if that's something you guys would take care of or >> don't want to throw you under the bus, Paul. I mean, I I recognize you don't have an immediate. Is that you want to address that or >> assume it's the county? >> Actually, that's a great question. It is a county road. Yes. Uh but I'm not sure if if JK break would be covered by the road or with the city as an ordinance. Kate, maybe you could. >> Mayor and council, I don't have a direct answer with that. That is probably something we could reach out to the county and ask u but we may be directed to create an ordinance. So >> yeah because it's I don't know who lives over there but I know it's very annoying and very loud. So thank you. >> Thanks. Thank you. Real quick, how would we go about that? >> Mayor C, do you want to hold one second? Sorry. >> You you made a comment. Is it a is it a resident or is it just general traffic? just general semis going by. >> Okay. At all times. At all times. >> All times. But you know, we even hear it at night. And there's, as you all know, Mike used to be a truck driver and he says there's absolutely no reason to Jake break there. That's meant for mountains, not for side streets. So, >> okay. >> Thank you. >> Is that something you or Paul or I don't know who would it? Okay. >> I'll look into it. >> Thanks, Paul. Absolutely. >> Well, Mike, >> I gota do my name and address again or just your name. >> Mike Powell. Um there's a couple things I wanted to address. It's been a while since I've been in here. Um last time I was at the council meeting, we were all talking and um one of the responses we got from a few of you was, "Well, you aren't here or you're not at the council meeting enough." So, I decided to share some personal information with everybody to kind of do it. My dad's in Chicago. He had a stroke. My stepdad's right there. He can't breathe. Um, I've got a bad shoulder. I haven't worked in six weeks. Tina's got to go and get a knee replacement. So, when you guys sit there and say, "Well, if you ain't meeting me and your voice don't count, I that sucks." I mean, because there my neighbor across the street or to the side of me to the north of me, he is uh on hospice. Does that mean his voice don't count? Because he can't make it to the meetings. Um, you made a thing to Tina. Well, when I moved in, I was involved in the meetings right away. Well, she moved in here in the fall of 2024, started the meetings the 12 uh spring of 2025. I've been here longer. So, if you want to direct that towards me, go ahead. But there are reasons I can't be to every meeting. Um, last meeting you guys had when it was really empty when I was watching it on the screen, I was in the emergency room. So when you guys say things like that on Facebook, I mean, I I've heard it from from you and especially on Mr. Rogers back there. If you ain't at the meeting, I don't want to hear it. Well, you know what? I'm telling you why I can't make it to every meeting. And I don't think it's fair that that is being brought to our attention. And the other thing is with the the taxes, Mayor Vogle proposed proposed a thing where he said, well, he wanted to do more of a symbolic vote for the taxes for,000 um chairs out there or $80,000 landscaping that's done twice in two years or cutting down six acres of trees. So, we don't worry about the bats, but we can haven't seen an eagle since. I mean, so we're spending money before we've got authorization. for building for uh for uh bu progress that those wanted. Mike Rogers and Joe Malbower have been very clear that the Eid that they can't give that property away for more than $5,000. If we've got to give $2 million tiffs or we've got to give uh our $2 million tax breaks or 26 year tiffs to get them to come in here, what are we gaining from that? So, we're building when people uh builders don't want to come in. And what I've seen in these meetings, I haven't seen anybody that wants a ton of growth here. So, we're building for all this expansion that I can't see. I mean, if I'm wrong, we can't you couldn't give the property away for a dollar. Then it went to 5,000 and then we Michael tell us, well, it's worth getting a million dollars. Well, what do we got invested to get that million dollars? How long do we take to before we get money back? I mean, because we already got all this stuff is already done. I mean, we can't take any of it back, but what I want to do is stop it from going further where we keep overbuilding for something when people don't want it. I mean, if we can't get builders in here without bribing them with $2 million, what are we getting? I mean, I'm a capitalist. I get it. I mean, there is a things you got to give tax breaks to business to get them in. But most of the time, we get something back for that. I mean, if you give Quick Trip a tax break, at least almost everybody in the community or anybody drives through it gets part of that. That building there at uh Vista, what's it charge? $2,000 to $10,000 a month to be there. Okay. I've got a family member in Anoka. They're paying $5,000 a month. Got a family friend of 40 years in Monaceel in a home uh because he's got dementia. So, he's in a in there and that's like $7,500 a month. One thing I have never asked of my neighbor, my community, or my city council is to pay $2 million so I don't have to drive to Monaceel or In Noa. I mean, we've got to spend this back. And I mean, I take it personal when it becomes there. I mean, Mike's really good at saying, "Well, we get a million dollars for that property if we' have got that apartment building. Well, we gave we got that apartment building down there. We didn't get anything for that. Why should we trust that any builder's going to give us anything?" I mean, this is you guys pay the same taxes and I mean, I even heard some of you complaining about the taxes last time, but we couldn't even get a symbolic vote on stopping stupid spending like on thousand benches in front of a building. I mean, to say that we built the building while everybody else did it, so I had to. I mean, I'd rather you stand on your principal and say no. I mean, because that's what I do. I'll I'll die on a hill if I think I'm right. And I hope you guys do, too. I appreciate every one of you. Every one of you do an amazing job. I can't even if I wanted to run for council with my health and the stuff I've got going. So, every one of you are very well appreciated and I vote for all of you again. We just got to talk to each other and come up with a better answer than what we got going. I mean, I haven't heard anybody say they want more bigger fancy things. We don't need dog parks. I mean, I was told that uh I was insinuated that dog park would could be sold if it was bought or if they if they made the property there, at least it could be used till somebody bought it. We asked the council last time that's not true. That's not up for sale. So, I I mean, I got misrepresented on that. So, I mean, it's uh you guys ask for open and honesty and that's all I'm trying to do. I mean, I like I said, I can't I respect all of you. all of you and I would vote for all of you again. I just wish we could all come on the same page on spending less money. I mean, that's all I want. And I'm sure that's what you guys want. Like I said, you guys all live here, too. I mean, I can't say, well, you guys want to build an apartment on my road cuz it doesn't affect you. That's just as unfair as the council hearing, while you're on wellwater, you're not paying it. That wasn't fair to them either. So, I mean, we've got to just kind of all work together. That's all I ever want. So, thank you for your time. I appreciate it. Thank you. >> Thanks, Mike. Anybody else? All right, moving on to new business. Council meeting schedule and just just for opers on this real quick. I know Kevin's talked about it a little bit and I've talked a little bit about it with Kate and so I'm gonna toss it over to Kate, but Kate's done a little just a little bit of research and we want a general there's no decision tonight. is just a general discussion about our meeting schedule. So Kate, >> yep, mayor and council. So before you tonight is the topic of of our meeting schedule. So current you speak into the microphone. >> Thank you. >> Currently we hold two meetings a month. Um the last three meetings you've seen we've had fairly light agendas. I looked I did look back at last year's meetings and there's possibly six to eight that we potentially could have canled if if we didn't have um the set schedule. This is a conversation that that I had spoken with the mayor briefly about. We learned of a city of about 12,000 that has just recently dropped down to one meeting a month. Um there are other cities out there. Before staff spends a lot of time, we just wanted to gauge council, is this something that is worth researching? Do you are you comfortable with the two meetings and just want to stay where we're at or are you interested in dropping to one meeting, leaving that second week open for work sessions, special meetings if we need it for ordinances or contracts or something of the like? Um, and just some general direction to staff. Do you want this looked at further or are we happy where we're at? So, with that, I'm happy to answer any questions, but again, this is real high level and just kind of gauging, do we want to look at this further or not? >> Kevin, you want to start us up? Sure. I was just I would it might be too wishful thinking. I was hoping for more meat and potatoes on meeting that we do have. Again, there again, we've had stuff as probably as little as 16 minutes and as long as well, at least in my time here, probably as long as an hour and a half or better and some good good constructive discussion. But I guess I would say if we went down to one meeting, is is there a charter issue? Is this a charter issue that needs to be addressed? Mayor, council. So, the biggest issue with the charter would be our ordinances because the charter requires we do two readings. Uh, that's where we would probably make sure that when we do a first reading, especially on items of land use, we would have to call that second meeting just to do the reading of the ordinance. >> If it's just general housekeeping, say we're just updating like every year we do just a housekeeping list, that could be held another month. But anything related to land use would likely force us to a second meeting. >> Sure. And if we had, speaking of land use, if we had more stuff going on, more some things bubbling out there and really a lot of stuff, we we'd probably require two meetings a month. I mean, PNZ meetings, when was the last time we had a P&Z meeting? Like forever. None. >> So, mayor and council, PNZ, their schedule always brings everything to the first meeting of the next month. Um once in a while we'll have a final plat that doesn't require you know a planning commission meeting or something that delays it. But again we would always know that first meeting that we need the second meeting um because of how the planning commission lines up with their schedule anyway. So it is something I would never want to give up a second meeting date and have it always on our calendar as a tentative. But whether or not we would always need that second meeting date is really do we want to permanently have a second date or do we want the flexibility to call a second date if required. >> Sure. >> So, >> all right. Well, I'm I'm not going to be a martyr here, but I would say if we had half the meetings, we'd get half the money, half our paycheck. I mean, we I feel bad sometimes already. I mean, we do other stuff, ancillary stuff outside of this. Everybody's got some obligations, excuse me, at least two or three times in the month for other areas that concern the city. So, we are doing something. Um, and I think, you know, what they do, what we do get is modest at this time. But, I would take half the money for half the meetings. That's the first thing. But, uh, again, as far as the budget situation, it'd be nice to take a a department and take 30 minutes. We'd have a block of 30 minutes and talk about a line item type stuff and look at it. And if it doesn't make any change or we can't save any money or we can't move any money around then but at least we discussed it and it was on open uh forum and it's recorded for posterity. I mean work sessions do that too. We record that in an audible sense but um from budget standpoint if we use meeting time again block it so it doesn't go on forever but pick some and we can say that we vetted it. not to say that we we've actually vetted stuff out to the point where it was out and open and um whether it be a you know maybe a police budget would take two meetings or or you know two 30-minute blocks or 45minute block or whatever and just talk about it and so people understand more and embrace what we're doing here as far as come August September when we talk about um money and budget Terry stuff and I as I've looked over this stuff the last couple months as well it still seems cola cost of living which everybody is usually be um getting in a workplace. That's going to be their biggest thing this year as well. Our contract contracts are quiet now for a while, but um I guess I'd like to reserve the second meeting for a must must do situation, but it'd be nice to have some concrete stuff for the meetings that we do have um at at a glance. So, that's all sir. >> Yeah, I had I had I had raised the the thought of pay too. I'm not saying uh I think we would have kind of discussed that because I felt that way too. I'm like if I'm but then how do you do that? Because then if we're consistent if we have two meetings then does it that that makes for a budgeting nightmare. So I that is I guess something we'd have to figure out. But um I'm and also I'm guessing that moving to just the one meeting a month that would make our meeting that one meeting probably is going to be a bit longer bountiful. >> Yeah. It's going to it's going to you know >> whether we have end up having two reports from different departments or one. >> Sure. >> Um you know right now it's generally one sometimes none. Um but that might then double up for that meeting so that's going to make it longer too. Um and you know I I guess I don't know have do we know at all if the other I mean is that the kind of the format that the big lake has? Do they have that second meeting at all or are they just strictly one meeting and that's it? >> So mayor and council they went down to strictly one meeting with the ability to call a special meeting if needed. Okay. So, same kind of structure. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> So, and I mean it would be interesting to see, you know, if they've done it for I don't even know when they started, but to kind of look and see how often they're bigger than us, so there's a chance that they might have to call, but it would be kind of interesting to see if they've had to call any thus far. We could look and see how many special meetings they had to call. But, >> and mayor council, they're not a charter city, so when passing ordinances, they don't require the two readings. They haven't put that in their in their line of needs. >> Okay. Okay. >> In general, I mean, I know she's just to your to your point, she's just asking, are we at least >> think it's a possibility? So, she should spend the time doing it. I >> I mean, I think it's okay to listen to. I don't >> Yeah. Go, Amy. Um, well, I guess my first thought was, "Oh, wow. That would be great just to have one meeting, but then I thought about it." And what I would I I think I would I would like to keep the second meeting as tentative or on the calendar and then we could cancel it if we really didn't need it. Um, but I would like to see like kind of like what Kevin said that maybe we could use that second meeting as work session instead of having our work sessions on another Monday or whatever day. Um because I do think it's reasonable for us to have two meetings per month, but sometimes when we have a couple work sessions, you know, like this month or next month, you know, then there's three meetings in a month and that that can get to be kind of a lot where I think that if we had the work sessions on the same night that we had a meeting and maybe it's specifically on those second meetings, you know, that that tentative one um versus having three meetings in a month. I guess I'd like a happy medium, not go to one but not have three. So, however the wording is on that, I I would be good with that. But I did like what Kevin said about um maybe we could on that second meeting um we could you know maybe learn about learn a little bit more about something in a department or um kind of like we learn about things in a work session. Um I I guess I would like to see the work sessions be moved to that second meeting. Maybe not all the time, but um I I think I I think I would stick with the two meetings. And if we could ever cancel that second one, we could always cancel it. It's better to cancel it than not have it on the books, I think, on the calendar. >> Yep. And mayor and council, the one thing is to to cancel meetings is sometimes a little tougher than to schedule them. >> Oh. So let me speak with uh our legal team about that because there are different requirements on both sides. So um I would just want to say let me look into that before we go too far. >> Okay. So >> that makes sense. Well, and I and thirdly about the charter, I if that was if that would be where we went to one meeting and somebody said, "Oh, yeah, see that's there's another reason for us to get rid of the charter, I would not be up for that at all." Um I I if if because we're having only one meeting if that's what we chose and then we couldn't do that second reading and then of the ordinances that we need to and it just stretched it out even longer. I I don't I don't want to stretch out any charter requirements any longer than they are. So I definitely would not be up for one meeting if it was going to cause any difficulty with the charter. that that's how I that's how I can >> I have no problem going to one meeting and leaving the second one tentative as needed. I think what we run into um often with the public is we're often accused of hiding things or you know pushing things through things like that which I wouldn't agree with being a part of the process. Um when I was on their side of the table I probably felt the same way not going to lie about that. Um but I think too it's with as long as the land use stuff is going to require to um that's the biggest I think vocalenness that we get from the public is when it comes to land use things or buildings going in. Um I don't like the way our process is set up. We do it by the rules but I and it's all by state law. But I think it it's it drives me nuts just the way you don't really hear from the public. Granted, I do think the public could be more aware of things and we all have busy lives. I get that too. Um it's it's priorities and where we put our priorities and then at the last minute we always get the push back with land use things because that's when the notices go out. So a lot of it has to do with the process and the way that's set up. So, as long as we're doing what we need to do to let them know um what we need to let them know um and can act with that, I think you can always call a special meeting or a work session and have that. But the special meeting situation cannot be one of those types of situations. Um even when we're as open as we are and do everything by the book, we still get accused of nobody told me about this, things like that. So to avoid those type of situations, it's best to be more proactive in those situations. But keeping attentive makes sense because obviously you have to have something there if you need it and to schedule one isn't that difficult. Notices, it's three-day notice, I think. So as far as pay, I have no issue with that either. Um I don't know if that's a charter in the charter or not, the way they structure that or not, but something to look into. >> Can I say one more thing? >> Yeah, absolutely. Um just kind of what um Joe was saying too, you know, I I I don't want I wouldn't want to just have one meeting and we come and we just vote on things and have no discussion and kind of looks like we're having the meeting before the meeting or having the meeting after the meeting and just coming here to vote. Um I I I don't want I wouldn't want that to be um in any chance seen that way. So, um I would be more likely probably to stick with the the second meeting also. But what the school board does is they have two meetings per month and they're they it's scheduled out at the beginning of the year. Their first meeting of the month is a regular meeting where where people can speak, you know, just like we have the open um session. And then the second one is always a work session. And um and so again, it does make it so that the public can't speak at that one, but that is what the school board does and has for quite some time. And so I I don't that's just the way and I'm not familiar with how you said we can't just have a special meeting for those reasons, Joe. So like I don't know the reasons why we can call a special meeting or why we can't. >> You can call a special meeting for anything pretty much. Maybe I one me well no one member and well the mayor can call one. I think it's two members of council need to call one >> and mayor and council I think we would have to make that call at the first meeting like as a group of five. I I would never want to be trying to schedule anything like that after. So that would either be made at that first meeting where staff would would actually have to ask for it if it's an ordinance situation that we need that second meeting. >> But I believe that would be something that we would have to call at that first meeting. um otherwise it's going to not only get really messy but it could get really questionable with transparency. So >> that would be just a standing item you know with the administrative report. Do we need the second meeting or not is how I see that. I wouldn't want to be chasing after Yeah, >> that's good. >> Um so yeah that's >> and I think too just to address uh something you just mentioned as well a lot of it is public perception. Um, again, I had a completely different perception when I was on the other side of the table. Um, you know, so I I do understand where where people are coming from with a lot of things. I think our first meeting or the one scheduled meeting originally scheduled meeting would probably be longer um because we'd have more to discuss on those items. Um, but with with calling that second meeting and perception and all that, I mean, I think that's that's the biggest hurdle that we have is perception and what's going on, what doesn't go on. So when you vote on something, I encourage everybody, members of council, residents, whatever. I a lot of times I call and I talk to staff on questions that I have so that I understand it. Um we get the packets Thursday. We kind of digest them. You can digest them over the weekend, whatever. And then Monday, I'll make the phone calls that I need to make. That way I have a little bit of time before the meeting too to kind of if I have questions or I'm, you know, debating something with myself as far as what does this mean, how does this affect things, I have that time ahead of time. So when we do vote for things and it looks like we're just voting, um that's not necessarily the reality of what it is, but I can understand that the perception can be that. So I just wanted to clear that up, too. I'm hearing everybody and I I'm kind of somewhat in between. I I'm not opposed to researching it. My general thought is I I'd be perfectly happy sticking with two meetings a month and just not any work sessions. All the work session stuff would come to regular meetings. I I don't I mean we've done a lot of 15 minute half an hour meetings that just doesn't seem worth the time to open the doors and and do it. Whereas I'd rather I I I personally I I I don't see a lot in work session that can't happen in general meeting. I know I I somebody can maybe speak better to that but so I'd rather just keep two meetings and basically eliminate all you can't eliminate all of them. There may be something special that pops up here or there but I'd rather not have any of those special meetings and just put it as part of the agenda. I don't know what really happens in a I've been in multiple of them already, but what happens in a a special meeting that can't happen at a regular meeting? >> Mayor Council to call a special meeting is essentially a regular meeting. The work session is usually items >> work session using the wrong terminology. >> Usually work sessions are just discussion items, introductions, um you know, we could have put a topic like this, right? To to talk through a topic like this. Uh we have been talking as our department head group of getting all of the items on regular meetings. So I know Darcy had looked at scheduling some work sessions for budget. We've moved all of that to regular meetings. Um fanning that out, right? Trying to get pieces at their appropriate times throughout the year. But no work sessions, right? They they require a lot of of scheduling. They you know timing is a lot of times the issue. We don't have to have work sessions. It's just usually topics that are more of a discussion than a vote. And the voted items are typically go straight to council, but we can have discussion items on a regular council meeting as well. >> Work sessions just typically go longer, I think. So for the >> I mean, and I'm not obviously we're we're dedicated to be here for this purpose. So I mean, if they end up going till 10:30, that's what it is, right? >> People can tune out, too, you know, and they can go back there and check out check up pick up where they left off. But that would be I think the I'm guessing that's one of the main reasons you have them do. >> I still think you get more attend let's just say you had two regularly scheduled meetings that had everything. We always put our work sessions and everything on them. I think you'd get slightly more attendance at that than scheduling a special work session outside of the nor outside of the norm. I don't know. That's my my feeling. And again I I'm I'm here. I'm in. If if I just feel if we're here take advantage of it. If we got to go two, three hours, I don't want a three-hour meeting, but if that's what it's got to be, I'd rather I'd rather do that than come back for another >> here another day. So, >> right. I'd rather do that than come back another time. So, that's just >> Well, with essentials, too, like Dave maybe wouldn't have to be here for a work session or the whole work session, but the whole meeting, you know, Dave wouldn't have to be here. We're imposing on some people's time, but like Joe said, we're you said, we're committed to the cause. We're here for for whatever purpose is needed of, you know, our our obligation. But I think it'd be more of a burden too for Kate and Jenny and Darcy to try to bundle stuff up for the first meeting and then some stuff trickles in later on to make sure it's a a bountiful meeting and something happen, you know, something comes in later on for the second meeting. So the bulk would be on you or would you change some calendar items too or Jod as far as oh we really got to get this talked about and but we we're going to have a meeting and oh you know it's I think it'd be easier to make a work session as part of the regular meeting and include those things. Like I say we're here for the duration. We're here for the cause. So >> and I mean it just it lends some regularity to it both for our schedule and the public schedule. We always we know it's going to be first Monday and the third Monday. >> Yeah. all and unless it's a holiday and >> and we do it on Tuesday. I know some cities that don't do Tuesdays, they get paid anyway. I always disagreed with that, but uh >> and occasionally occasionally I know there'll be something even outside of maybe those two regular scheduled meetings, but I I personally I'm perfectly comfortable having these kind of discussions right at a regular board meeting. So >> I don't I would agree that helpful. Do we leave it clear as mud again or >> Yes, absolutely. Um no. So, Mary Council, so what I'm understanding is we leave our two meetings and we put all work session items on there or we have one and like you you all gave a very different answer. So, is that where consensus is to leave it? Keep the two standing meetings and just put all items and get rid of work sessions. >> As long as it's doable, I think that's probably the best. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Okay. Why don't you go first, Mark? What's that? Why don't you go first on voting? >> It's a lot of time. >> Sorry. I always respect I always want to hear you guys' perspective. So, all right. >> No, thank you. >> Thank you. Uh, now we're on to item new business. Item B, adopt resolution requesting general election post election review. And I mean, I'll kind of address this first. It's exactly what I It's sad. I I know Sarah and you and I have talked about it. I don't like generally using resolutions to try and communicate, but we sent it out to Enoka County and I checked with Kate again today. We got nothing. >> We got nothing from them. >> And and and there are seven other cities that have already done this because they have the same concern we do. And as for the general public, really what it comes down to is this. A NOA County I may have Jenny speak to it better but a post-election review is where you request right now it's just done randomly by the county and I think what is it eight cities Jenny I'm sorry >> state statute requires four >> four things county in the last general election did pull an additional four at the request of I mean I don't think it was a formal request us, but they just wanted to show a good faith of counting ballots and doing a post-election review. >> So, there's four. >> The state statute requires only four precincts in Anoka County. >> So, state requires four random and in noa counties allow bumped it up to eight random. But I I still believe I can't understand why the resistance to if a city wanted to do a review, why they couldn't pay for it and do it. And the other catch about the whole eight that when it when the county just does eight randomly, it's only doing the top of the ballot. It doesn't come down to city elections. It doesn't go all It does not go down ballot. It only does like the top >> two or three >> two or three races. And I think that's wrong. If we if if it ever came up, I don't I don't, as I've said before, I don't see any evidence of it or I'd be screaming bloody murder. But if if we ever had concerns about our election system, and we wanted to do basically what's it's a per post election review is like a hand count and we as a city would have to pay for it if we requested it. But they're denying us to to see it. And I don't understand why why if we wanted to pay to see it, why can't we see that? So that's that's what this resolution in a nutshell, that's what this resolution is about. So anybody want to weigh in? Feel free to weigh in. Joel, I'll start with you. Well, I was reading it and to me, excuse me. Um, it says that if we were selected, we'd request to have all. So if they select if they happen to select one of us, one of our precincts, we'd want the rest of them done. That's basically what it said. So it doesn't necessarily say anything other than that. So if we're not selected, it doesn't matter so to speak from what I read. If I'm >> Yeah. And I wish Dave Dave were you here. >> Mayor Council. So item number two is if we are not selected >> right >> that they pull a second lot that includes us. >> Okay. And then the third one is that. So one of them is if we are selected and then if we aren't selected. So >> they do. Yeah. This is the same resolution that many other cities use. So >> right. >> Correct. >> Hey, where'd it come from? >> Thank you, Dave. >> Dave's here. >> Your disembodied voice, Dave. >> Anything else, Jill? >> Uh, no. I just when I was reading that I was like that doesn't make much sense to you know why would they not do that but that clears it up for me as far as that goes. So then if we're not selected we say do one of ours anyway or do all of them anyway. I mean help me understand that better. So in the event that we're says in the event St. Francis election precinct is not selected for a post-election review of the general election the city council request that an OKA county canvasing board perform a second lot selection that includes us. So it says St. Francis precinct. So that's all of them. >> So we want it done no matter what based on the mass. >> Correct. >> Yes. >> No, I'm I'm good now. I know I missed that, but All right. >> All right, Amy. >> I don't have any questions. Um I I guess Well, what is the cost if we ask for that? >> Boy, it was >> I guess I did have a question. >> It was roughly thrown out the last I heard like a couple thousand dollars if we decided to do that. I don't know if that's accurate or not. That's just the rough number that some >> somebody else's numbers though too, right? That was AC. It couldn't be. Yes, that's the only numbers I >> So, I don't have a good answer to that. I don't know. >> And is it really handc counted or did they just put it through the machine? Again, it's handcounted. >> Hand count. There's election judges are pulled and they if if our city is selected in a post-election review, we as a city are required to send election judges down there and they hand count every ballot from each precinct. >> Okay. >> You have sir. No, I again I'm just gonna say that I we can do a resolution or you can choose to do this resolution, but if Anoka County says you can't do it, we still can't do it. Correct. >> That is correct. >> So again, I'm not in favor of putting things on a record just to put something on a record because we have no teeth behind it. It does nothing except for say we want to do it and noa county is saying no and to me that's not worth the resolution. So that's where I stand on it. Just I mean to kind of answer that I'm not answering it completely but to kind of answer that I mean Adoka County is presenting itself as they are election official for us and if we have and several other cities which there are at least seven that have passed this already are all saying the same thing I would I would hope that local county would represent us and then appeal it to the state and go to the state and say hey we've got eight cities now that are asking for this >> and I guess if I saw NOA county doing that, I would be more likely to support a resolution. To have a resolution just for the sake of having a resolution when there's nothing you can do about it to me doesn't make sense. That's >> that's where the bottom up movement is with these resolutions is the idea that I understand that. But I'm still I mean I think every county in Noa could do it. And if noa county doesn't want to do it because it is more work for them. It is more money. It is it's time. It's are we going to get election judges who will do that? Because 90% of elected judges are on the way out and we're not getting a whole lot of new ones in. It's hard to get election judges. It's hard. So when you start putting extra hours and and some nights even without just waiting for everything to get done, they're these election judges who are 80 years old are out till 10, 11, 12, 1,2 in the morning. I'm not sure that you're going to get them to do anymore. I'm just that's where I'm at. And I I just if I saw Mila County being willing, but I I've seen no movement on their part and I don't think that they're going to. I just don't I mean I think a lot of cities could tell them what they want and still logistically for them it doesn't make sense. >> Fair. Thanks, sir. >> Kevin, >> that one where Dave popped in. Is that on part of his retainer? >> They actually do. I didn't >> um I think no reply from the county speaks volumes. You know, as much as we've talked about in the other cities that have requested, we're willing to pay for it. We're willing to tow the line. And like Joe said, it's from the bottom up. If enough people ask about it, maybe they'll change a tune, but they didn't answer. They haven't replied at all. Not at all. And so that that to me that that tells you everything you need to know that all the more reason to go for it and then rather than vote against it. So, anybody else? Anything else you want to say? >> I just had a general question. So, how many election judges do we have? And are they always the same? Do you And do they get paid like >> paid? Yeah. >> Okay. So, we are required to have four election judges per precinct. >> Okay. >> We do have more than that. They are not always the same. I do have to do quite a bit of marketing and calling around and trying to get election judges back. As Sarah mentioned, most of my election judges are at a a higher age. Um, and it is it can be a very long day, especially the general election is could be up to 16 to 18 hours depending on what they've signed up for. They don't have to sign up for that, but most of them do. And yes, they do get paid. So, we have an election judge um pay and then a head election judge because each precinct requires a head election judge to run, which they everybody goes through training. But there really is no such thing as a volunteer anymore when it comes to elections. I have had one person opt out of being paid. Um but >> yeah, that's and the and they have to live here in our precinct. No. Oh, okay. >> Nope. They can they can live in Minneapolis and come up here. They can live in Duth and come down here. Um the only thing is they cannot they cannot serve in a precinct if their name is on the ballot or if they have a next of kin on the ballot which is an immediate relative. So a spouse, a sibling, a child, a parent. So just an example, I'm not on the ballot this year. I could be an election judge. >> I believe so. Yes. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. It was I was just curious. >> Kind of weird. It >> was kind of weird. >> I would have to look into that. I guess I've never had anybody question that. I don't know if a standing elected official could. >> Um >> I feel like someone in check that get back to you. >> Okay. I was just curious. >> Any other questions? >> I have one. >> Go ahead. >> I don't think the judges should really have a bearing on it. I mean, we need to raise the salary or again, everything costs money. People's time costs money. you're you're a valuable asset as well, but this isn't really a judge issue. This is a integrity issue and it's a request by a city to the mothership to can we do this if we're willing to tow to the line. >> We actually lead the salary amount or wages amount for city and in noa county because we were having issues and you guys had raised the wages. >> Important job. Um, but yeah, I mean, these people have to take time off of their regular job, which is the vacation day. They don't get paid from their regular job for it. Um, their employer has to let them take the time off. But, I mean, it's a personal choice and it's not it's not nobody has ever said, "Well, they I don't make enough money." It's just the fact that I don't have available people that are willing to do it. and some of the people that I do have last minute something comes up and then I'm in a frenzy trying to reschedule and it's it yeah I mean it's it's it's a workaround and I mean the election judges that I have are absolutely amazing. I appreciate all of them very much. It's just sometimes they can show up for the primary but can't make it for the general and you know it's training in a new election judge is it's timeconuming and they go through their two hours of training but having experienced election judges does help the process go a lot faster. So >> sure I understand I appreciate the heck out of those guys too but to me this is not a judge issue. This is a voter integrity issue and that's where my focus would be on it. Any other discussion? So, do I have a motion to approve resolution 202608 requesting general election post review election? >> I'll make that motion. >> Motion by Councilman Fonis. Do I have a second? >> A second, Mayor. >> Second by Councilman Robinson. This is a roll call vote. Is that correct? Nope. >> Resolution. >> Okay. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Pull the same sign. >> I >> forward to one. It passes on to meeting open to the public. Anybody wishing to speak, come forward, please. >> Hello, Aaron. >> Hello, Mayor. Council members, thank you for passing this resolution. As said, thank you very much. And the citizens, thank you. The citizens I've spoken with, thank you very much. Um, I don't know. Uh, I remember sending some of you guys the video too that also discussed the statute about what Anoka County is ignoring. Um, and that might pertain to some of the stuff too that we were talking about. But, you know, again, again, thank you for very much for uh passing this, but it's like to me, where is the controversy in having integrity in your elections to reverify them? you know, yeah, it does cost money and it's just like, yeah, I I get it. There there's not a lot of people that want to do civic duty things anymore and um I think that falls kind of not ne a little bit baby on the city, but you know, it falls kind of on the schools. You know, you know, they're more busy about teaching things that don't pertain to civics um and or governance that doesn't pertain to our type of governance. So, but again, thank you very much. I appreciate you guys. I appreciate everything you guys do. Thank you. >> Sarah, >> can you leave your name and number with Jenny for Judge Chip? If you're not precinct already, >> Hello, Mike. Hello, Mayor, Council, Staff. Um, Mike Roger. Thanks for uh the newsletter. Um, I read it and I have a few questions. Uh thanks Todd. Uh your in-depth report was appreciated and uh keep up the great work you and your team. Same with you Paul. Um couple things that struck me on there was uh one um Mr. Mayor you wrote that highway 47 was going to be started in 27. Further in another article in that paper it says 28. So which is it 27 28? >> A little of both. But I just had this conversation with Kate. So you got to keep in mind when I write the article I had to write that over a month ago. So at that point in time it was 2027 and they were we had seen the pre first prelimin that may be 2028. So that's that's really what it comes down to. So my understanding is is that we got grant um the state takes care of everything above ground and we're responsible for everything below ground. So if we don't get a grant from the state for stuff below ground, what how do you plan on paying for it? >> Are you going to ask Mikey Powell to pay more money? >> I mean taxation, >> right? Our taxes go up, but we get less. Right. >> That's right. >> You want me to go ahead? >> Yeah. Rough answer is we we're working on it and we've already secured some money. I'll let Kate talk about that. She mentioned in her article, we've secured some and we're waiting right now. We went down and we made our appeal here. One was at summer here. I kept Mr. Robinson, myself, staff went down there. We tried, we're lobbying our legislature to uh get more grant money for the underground portion. So, it's in it's in process. We're doing everything we can. We've got a lobbyist forum. We're working with them on that. But Kate, do you want to give them some numbers to that or? >> Yep. Mayor and council. So, so far we've secured $2 million federal appropriations for the underground work. >> Do we have an estimated cost of what it's going to cost for the underground stuff? And are we going to take Musa up to further north of town so we can possibly maybe promote selling that 40 acres we own? That 40 acres is way too far, Mike. That's Steve's dream that I that's I can discuss that with you later, but it's it's Steve had a nice thought, but I mean, you're looking at millions of dollars to get that pipe down to the that business district area. Um, I know we wanted to, but it's I mean realistically that's not going to happen for a long long time if it does. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, to touch on what Tina Carol said, don't we have a noise ordinance in this city? So, why can't we enforce that? Put noise ordinance enforced and maybe stop some of them from waking them up. >> I'm not familiar with the ordinance, so sorry. I don't I can't answer that. I don't Maybe >> because I know I got a guy that lives next door to me. He's a tenant and he he parks his semi in the driveway. It's it's really nice waking up at 4:00 in the morning to hear something like that firing up. You know, Mark, maybe I'll give you a call when he fires that up and you can share a cup of coffee with me at 4:00 in the morning. >> I I don't know. I plead not I'm not pleading ignorance, but I don't notice it, Todd. Or Kate, do you know anything about the or our current noise? Excuse me. >> Well, I can hear that sound I go through every night. Every night you go. I can write it down if you want me to, but I can hear it. >> That's an illegal noise. >> Yeah, there's no reason for him to put a Jake break on at 4:00 in the morning. >> Um, being with codes, uh, I was looking I'm sorry, Jody, I kind of stealing some of your thunder here. Um I was looking at codes in uh code enforcement. We in 2020 we had 120 properties. In 2025 we got 73. Um why such a big difference? Or are we not just enforcing the codes anymore? >> 2020 in 2020 everybody was home. a lot of people were home and um and there was a lot of home sales between 2020 and 2022 as well and so people were a little more particular on all of the parked cars on lawns and junk and debris is what my guess would be. >> Did we have a code enforcement officer in 2020? Uh I believe that we had Lyall helping just helping uh with some of the >> courtesy calls or >> courtesy. Yeah. Yeah. >> Um the other thing I uh I read in your report was that uh permit fees are down. Um and I did the math for you. 944,190.50. How do we recover that? >> Permit fees were down. Well, they were up because we had two prop two projects. Uh the first being Vista Prairie at Eagle Point. Um and the Autozone permit as well. >> And that was for 2024. >> For 2024. >> For 2025, we don't uh our permit fees are down. Um property values are down 5.4%. Yet our taxes are up 16.5% per city. I mean, that's like going to the drive-thru uh McDonald's drive-thru and getting shorted French fries. We pay more and we get less. When are we going to stop paying more and getting less? If we can't find anywhere to cut money, we have to have a plan to create money. I mean, if I need extra money, I go out to the garage, fire up my saws, and I build something and sell it. Um, obviously, the city can't do that. But there are steps that we can take to ease some of the bleeding that we got going on. Um, Kevin, you talked about colas. What is the cola going to be for this year? Um, 3% >> probably. So, >> 3%. So, we have to find another 3% for the next year's budget. Am I correct? >> I mean, it's your taxes. I I can say this straight face to anybody. Your taxes are always going to go up. >> Yet, we don't again, we're going through the drive-thru. We pay more and get less. Um, I was I was in agreement with with Mike Powell when he said that we spent extra money. landscape in this place. Uh um we really should have never redid those wood chips because they stopped using fabric under wood chips many years ago. Um that was money to me that I thought was poorly spent. Um those are the kinds of things that uh we need to stop. We got we got to start getting creative. You know, we got the sandy land we could sell, but you talk about the bow waste. Why not why not pay a farmer and give them some property tax relief to have it spread there and generate some income? I had spoken with uh some other neighboring cities and uh one of the things I was told was that Rogers has a city tax. Um we got to do 47. Correct. No way about it. Who uses 47 besides the citizens of St. Francis? Oak Grove. Now then people in Oggovie, Bradford, how come they going to help pay for it? That's my question. I mean, it's something to think about. Yeah, I hate that adding a tax, a wheelage tax, any kind of tax, but if it's going to help us here, um I think everybody should have to pay to use the road, period. You know, I mean, there's reason why Mike, you said you're from Illinois, correct? They got toll boots down there. Um, one of the other things I said and seen in the um, that's something to think about, Mark. Um, I also heard Cambridge is doing that. An interesting fact about Cambridge is they haven't raised property taxes up there in the city in since 2020. And I mentioned this to you before. or did you happen to have a chance to call up there and find out what they're doing different? >> You might want to make sure that that's so the tax rate compared to the tax dollars are very different. I think with costs of um everything going up that they're probably getting more money, I'm guessing, but they and maybe they're building more as well, obviously. Um but I would double check that because I I used to always get confused on the tax rate versus the tax percentage. It's goofy the way they do it. >> Maybe commercial's getting the burden, too, and the residents don't see it. >> That could be, too. >> That's very possible, but we should find out what they're doing different than we are. Um, so severe weather a war awareness month. Is that this month? April. Um, I' I've been up here before and I said this, when I sit in my yard, I can't hear the siren. Um, and last time they put a siren east of town and they can hear it, but if you listen well enough, and as I get older, I don't hear as well. Um, but you can very faintly hear it. Um, and I'd like to see something done about that. Uh, so we can hear a warning siren and not be caught with our pants down around our ankles trying to find shelter. back then I uh I questioned uh how the golf course warns their golfers out there when there's inclement weather like that and they have a horn or siren or something there. Um, maybe the city can team up with the golf course and put a tornado siren up there and uh make it a, you know, double amenity deal where everybody gets to enjoy the benefit of it or or go or Oak Grove for that matter. But we all know where that will go. Um, that's all I have. Um, I think we need to start coming up with a plan. Rather than uh worrying about a flag that hangs from the flag pole, we should start worrying about how we're going to stop the bleeding uh out of everybody's pocketbooks here. That's all I have for you. Thank you. >> Thanks, Mike. It's all good. It's all good. >> As Mike told you, replacement. Um, again, Tina Carol, um, just a few different questions. One, Jenny, how do you go about getting new um, voting judges or election judges? >> Um, so I put in our uh, quarterly newsletter, I will put an ad. We use social media also to push it out and then I ask the collection judges to ask anybody that they know. >> Okay. I was just curious how you get that word out. So, >> y >> um and as far as you guys were talking about the meetings, one meeting, two meetings, I have to say I liked you guys' idea of maybe trying to push everything into one me like the main meat and potatoes into one meeting if we can and leave the second meeting more so for you know because right now you have work sessions where people can't really say anything at those work sessions which is not right in my opinion because you're here talking about things. We should be able to put our input in. But maybe on that second meeting you have where something special can come up if it needs to. But set it up where you do discuss the budget at that second meeting and bring in a head of one department and you go through line by line because I have reviewed that budget and I'm sorry when you see miscellaneous or other because it doesn't fit in one of the ca in the little things. I don't know what it is and I should be able to know where that money is going and I have to call Darcy in order to find that out and she's not gonna send me a list of every single item that falls into that other I just I can't see it. But I'm that I think you would get more community input as well to help try and save money because there is a lot of bleeding and we need to stop. I mean, I don't know what your guys's thoughts are on that, but I am I do I believe that the community needs to be involved in the budget. Yes, we we elect you to do that, but we should be allowed to understand it and know where that money is going and maybe help try and save money because we do. We need to stop spending so much money. So, thank you. No. Anybody else? >> Yes. >> I'm Wend Gordon. I've been here four years now and I've been sitting listen to this. I'm 88 years old, probably older than anybody in this room. And I've been around the world and back and I was on the Champlain probably over 20 years of commission there. And I think we're the cities are spending too much money elsewhere. And I just don't know where all this money is going. It just keeps dragging. Like the gentleman said, uh, you're paying more and getting less to wherever you go. So, I'm I don't have too much else to say, but the only thing I do have to say about the city, and I read it on my phone, I don't have a computer. I don't need one because I've got along this many years. But I do have to say that I congratulate you for keeping that state our state flag up. How I'll ask anybody. How did the state ever pass that new flag ordinance without having the consumer vote on it? I've been over the capital and boy, you talk about getting a runaround over there. You can't get an answer out of anybody over there. They well go here, go there and whatever. It's like getting on your phone and you get 10 different numbers. So, how did we come about that was able to keep our flag? Now, are we going to go eventually and put the state the new state flag up or not? >> Currently, the tention is no. So the state statute does not require state statute does not require us to fly any flag state flag at all and there's no specifics that they have to fly whatever one they adopted at the capital but the cities are left at their own discretion. >> So we we're left with this one. That's good. I'm glad to hear that. Thank you. >> Thank you Wendell. Anybody else? Moving on. Uh Jody, >> you're gonna skip Kate. >> Oh, sorry. Sorry, Kate. >> Didn't want to skip Kate. Sorry, Kate. >> That's okay. >> Go, Kate. >> Uh, just a couple updates. We've already briefly talked about MDOT. Uh, just to let you know, the pre-esign and environmental is out for staff signatures. They are about to take that over at the state and it will go to final design and then they will go out to bid in 2027. Uh we are working on the website the new website they have given us a go live date that I don't believe we're ready for. What they did is they took our old website they picked it up and they plopped it in a new platform and it is a mess. So there are three of us working a lot of different hours trying to get it to make sense. We'll see how far we can get before it goes live, but it'll be a continuous improvement on that website. I I would guess for three to six months. We'll be messing around in there. So, it's on its way. It's a lot easier to find things. Um, but right now things are kind of everywhere. So, we're working on that. And then also the March 23rd work session is scheduled for interviews for the finance director. So, um, just to remind you of that one, that that is scheduled and its purpose. And with that, I'm happy to answer any questions. >> I don't even know if I could go need to go in order. Anybody got questions for Kate? >> I have no questions this time. Appreciate the report, Kate. >> Nothing. Thank you. >> Thanks, Kate. Now, Joey, >> sorry, >> mayor and councel, before you tonight is a 2025 annual department report for community de community development. Um the core functions of community development include building and code inspections, uh planning and zoning, economic development, communications, code enforcement, and rental and housing uh programs, vacant pro housing programs. Uh the department has four positions that administer and complete responsibilities of all programs and work closely together to keep St. Francis competitive, successful in its development, and successful in its development needs. The department also relies on support and efforts of city's consultants including planning, engineering, and legal. >> Jody, I'm gonna interrupt you real quick. I'm sorry to interrupt you. Can Can we share screen on on on that that report? >> Mark's computer doesn't >> No, it's not even that. I'm just saying even the public can't public can't see it when she's discussing it. So, I don't Is it possible? I don't know. >> Yep. May >> Sorry, Jody. I just I for the public's sake and anybody watching, I I can get my computer back up. That's not a problem. >> Sure you can. >> You just had bad luck. >> I already read it. >> Mike already read it. Wendell and Aaron probably want to see it. >> See, there we go. If we can't, we can't. But I just I would love that. Okay. Super. Thank you. I get it. Super. Thank Thank you, Jenny. Thanks, Jody. >> Yeah, no problem. So, I'll walk you through the report to highlight a few items starting with economic development. Um the econ the department uh continues to work with project concepts and property sales for economic growth and opportunities. Um I did put the city hall on there only because uh it is currently being used for uh the city council and fire uh district meetings but it also is a space where the um chamber of commerce monthly meetings are in this space here. It's large enough. Uh the meetings have grown. Um we will be hosting our senior uh resource fair here and so this uh building has uh become an invaluable community asset for sure. Um the property to the north of city hall across the street uh Northshore Development Partners, we are working with them currently. Um they have uh somewhat shown us uh that they plan to submit a concept for a townhouse community. Um and as I said, we're still working uh through some um engineering and uh planning questions that they have. Um the property at 3518, this is a property south of Casey's. Um, this is listed for sale and we've recently had um some inquiries come in about the property. Um, staff is still working with the Rum River Inn, uh, the new owners for the Rum River Inn. Um, they've come in to talk to us a few times and we've offered a guide to help them with the various uh, city, local, state codes governing the site. Um, more information will be shared with them. They want us to work through uh some of their ideas as well. Um 3503 was the former Hiller property uh known as the Rum River Preserve of St. Francis. Uh most recently I've uh had some contact with them. They've asked for some comprehensive stat statistical and demographic data to help assist in them finding uh some high quality commercial tenants and some businesses. Um let's see. uh with initiatives and marketing. Um staff continues to reach out to uh commercial developers and residential developers for some projects. Uh we've had them reach out to us as well. Um we continue to work with the Anoka County Regional Economic Development Group. Um and we also partner with uh the St. Francis Chamber of Commerce um providing logistical, strategic, and practical support for their efforts. as well. As for broadband, um I did, you know, add some of the projects that they had pulled some rightaway permits. Um I'm not seeing that it really extends it throughout the throughout the the the northern part of the city, but they are upgrading their fiber optic cable lines um to the following projects that I have on here. Um the St. Francis Economic Development Authority had two meetings in 2025. Uh during the meetings they uh entered into a purchase agreement with the Northshore Development Partners Group and they um also gave uh the economic or the executive director um I guess the authority to list the property at 3518 Bridge Street. Um the farmers market is in its third just completed its third season. We actually had record uh setting attendance and about 450 visitors each week over the 16 week season. Um nine community groups uh registered and as well as uh 25 vendors. Um this year we in 2025 uh we added live music um to make the market a special gathering even better place for people to come and we got a lot of positive feedback about that. So, we will be doing that again. Um, as far as residential, uh, development, uh, housing inventory remains constrained mostly because of low inventory. Um, the sales price in St. Francis did drop 5.4% from 2024 down to 338. However, that is 12.5% higher than the 2021 level. Um, this change suggests stabilizing. the market is stabilizing um due to several years of strong appreciation. Um and then as far as land use development, staff continues to provide tech technical assistance to housing developers. Uh the bluffs of rum river um had their uh amended their preliminary plat and for approval in August of 2025. The final plat was uh submitted in 202 September of 2025, but it was deemed incomplete. We continue to work with them on providing the um materials that were needed um by engineering planning and the county. Um Eagle Point Vista Prairie, the senior living project, welcomed its first tenant um November 12th of 2025. Um this uh building consists of uh 65 independent, 40 assisted living, 24 memory care, and eight care suites. Um the property at 3731 which is directly across the street um is we're in talks with them again about the townhouse community that they're going to be presenting likely by the end of March. Um River's Edge development uh in 2025. Their eighth edition final plat uh was approved. This final plat includes 29 lots on the west end of the development. This is their final phase, so they will be complete after their eighth edition. Um, Dalton River Villas, the final plat was approved November of 2025 for 19 uh lots. Construction began in December and is located off of Ambassador Boulevard in Woodvine Street. As far as commercial development, um, we had a couple of large projects. The First Baptist Church um, started construction on a 6,000 square foot building edition. You may have seen it. uh they just completed that in January. Um and the op medical building also did a a lower level uh construction uh project and uh compound fitness gym is actually occupying it right now and doing well. Um the planning commission met six times in 2025 working its way through code updates and developments. Uh the planning commission had one vacancy pretty much the whole entire year and it was filled in December. Um during the year they um made recommendations to council on developments which was the bluff subbrum rivers edge 8 Delton river and the St. Francis apartmentsman's concept. They also touched on the IUP for the uh solar uh farm, the north of Grimman uh Cedar Creek Energy solar farm driveway and uh as well as ordinance um amendments to housekeeping the housekeeping updates that we do every year and then a text amendment to solar energy systems uh accessory structure sizes and storm water management. There was also a resoning and comprehensive uh plan amendment for the 20 the property the chiropractic building at 23671 and that was reszoned and from I1 general industrial to the B2 general business uh commercial district. As far as building department, um permit revenue is down um and down this year um compared especially compared from last year due to um the in 2024 they had a couple of large commercial permits that had come through um one being Vista Prairie and the other one being Autozone. This year it is the permit revenue is down. Um and mostly because of um from what we can tell um maybe um increased cost in permit fees um and that type of thing. Um permit revenue does not necessarily correlate with the number of permits um and workload by staff. In 2025, 75% of the city's permit fees were flat fee permits, which typically require a review, do not require a review, and only require one inspection. These permits require almost as much administrative time pre primarily completed by Lisa Stol to process the permits that require evaluation. In 2025, there were a total of 568 permits, a decrease in 13.8%. Um it's about 91 permits year-over-year and difference. Um below is the historical data for all single family construction permits. Um the highest year tracked was in 2017 with 70 new home permits in a single year. Um every permit brings a value to the community through through improvement supporting sustainability and ongoing value. and the improved structure. In 2025, we saw a strong increase in residential improvement activity, indicating reinvestment in existing housing stock. While new construction slowed slightly, um commercial valuation declined from 2024 levels. Last year's commercial totals were influenced by a single one-time project. The Vista Prairie project brought in $29 million. Um higher material and labor costs may be contributing to the shifts. Um code enforcement is on and is is an ongoing uh function of staff and managed by the community development uh specialist with inspection support from the building official. You'll see in uh 2025 there were 73 properties to address complaints that required an administrative notice be sent. Of the notices, six properties received citations. The top three complaints were vehicles uh parking issues, junk and debris, and work without a permit. Um there was one large code enforcement case that required city council re review in 2025 um the property at 243rd Avenue um had come to council here and requested a um an extension. They worked with staff to clean up the property. To date the property met the requirement of each interim checkpoint and is considered a code enforcement success. Um we continue with the transition of BSNA. Um it was implemented in 2023. We're still working through um implementing online the online permitting system. Um rental license the rental license program. Um this year or this as of right now we have 119 rental properties registered with the city and this is a slight increase from 2024 which had 114. Um the vacant uh registration program is another one that we do manage. Um there is one known property uh that we track and that's Rum River Inn. There were also four properties that registered that have since been reoccupied. And um this concludes my report. With that, I'm happy to answer any questions you have. >> Thanks, Jody. >> Thank you. >> U just want to go down the line. Joel, >> I have no questions. Thank you very much. >> Amy, >> um I just have one question about the farmers market. Was in previous years was it more along 47 in the parking lot and this year it was more in the park? >> Yes. >> Did you notice any changes there? >> Um at the beginning of it we noticed a little bit. Um it was harder for people to get up into the park all the way. Um we had some weather issues, things like that. Um but I did bring it back down to the parking lot. um not in the parking lot, but to um kind of off the the trail that that intersected with the the parking lot. Great feedback on that. Actually, attendance picked up and people loved it. And so I'm going to do that again this year. I'm just going to start it right there. >> Oh, good. Because there because it being in the parking lot, there was not that many places to park then, right? >> I mean, there was plenty, but um so yeah, I that that was good. I wasn't able to attend after you made the change. So, >> yeah, you'll have to come have to come this summer. Um, as I said, I received tons of feedback after we moved it and people really really enjoyed it. And then we started the live music and, you know, we consistently had two or three food trucks. Um, yeah, and it it just ended up being a nice a nice event every single week. Um, and so this year we're going to start with live live music as well. and uh it'll be located there. But yeah, yeah, the parking lot was it ended up just it kept expanding and three4s of the parking lot was being taken up by >> right >> by the by the vendors and so I had people complaining that there was no place to park. So yeah, and I understood that. >> Thank you. >> Sarah, >> I do not have any questions either at Graveyport and I'm looking forward to the farmers market. That's one of my favorite things that happens at the park. Kevin. >> Uh yeah, good report, Jody. Um also, a little birdie told me Vistr Prairie's exceeded their their benchmarks as far as occupation. >> Yeah. Yeah, that's what I I heard the same thing that they had they had already I believe their assisted living is already full and so >> that's something that's really something. >> Yep. >> U Midco uh you stated some MidCo projects that were completed or almost under or going to be underway. How about forecasting for the future? I was thinking back, you know, four or five years ago, we had COVID and that was a big deal about internet access. Has ML given you any commitment or have they enjoyed enjoyed their time here? Have they talked about any more time here? >> No. Um, from my understanding that was grant- based and something with with them, the reason they were extending was through grants. >> When the money's gone, they're gone. They're they're stopped. >> Yep. Yep. >> Interesting. I know Centry Link is not even worth talking about because there you can't talk to a live human anywhere or even get a phone number to talk to a human. But >> well, I'm not sure if Verizon and T-Mobile have now taken on some of that as well. I know that you can get internet through them as well. >> Is it worthwhile looking down the road outside of Midco or from a city standpoint to reach out and say, "Hey, we still have some blind spots here that need help. Can we put that on the things to-do list down the road?" >> So, mayor council, I'll address this. Um, with with the broadband and fiber, they want enough rooftops. So, that is a great deal of why Midco is also not expanding. They require a certain number of housing units before they'll pull the line. >> Um, so until we have some of that growth, we won't get the new lines that are expanded out >> is is a lot of it. They do have um some grants that they've worked through to make expansions, but they've been to subdivisions that didn't have a line at all yet. So, they they watch our growth. They continually check in and kind of feel where we're at, but until we have the housing numbers, they don't pull new line. >> That's understandable. It's got to pay for itself to put it out there. So, >> um violations, um that University Avenue resident has caused you some grief over the last couple years. How's that? What's the status on that? It doesn't look >> We haven't had any complaints on the property recently. Um they did uh complete their completion up to 50 60%. Really >> and so Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But that was a year year and a half ago. Um but we haven't had any new complaints on the property and so it is complaint based >> complaint driven and left anonymous as opposed to other cities if you say something they're going to expose you to your neighbor. So >> Right. Right. >> All right. Um, and remember Ren, I've noticed I'm as you drive through town, you see some trucks parked over there, not so much at the hardware store. So, they're either not doing commerce, uh, or they're looking at the Run River. They are they investigating that? I know it's a ton. It's a heck of an investment, but they had some structural things, people looking at that. Again, I'm only >> I haven't heard if they've had anybody in to look at the structural. Um, we're waiting for them to uh they kind of working through the hardware store and then they'll come over and talk to us about a little bit more. >> Again, it's a huge undertaking. I appreciate them taking the holding their nose and diving in as it were. So, >> yeah. >> All right. Um, that's that. That's all I have for now. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, >> Kevin. Thanks, Jody. My only add in is I just appreciate you for what you do because I know you get in some tough situations and >> I I've heard nothing but good about how you smooth smooth things over. I appreciate that and I appreciate your community engagement with the community as well. So showing up to the >> Holden retirement party even it just >> it says something and I appreciate that. So thank you. >> On to uh council member reports. Uh Kevin Um, I visited our sign that we talked about our last meeting and Paul, you're right. The thing is got a splint on it. It's holding its own. I'm going to do some independent take a peek as far as being able to jack it that existing sign and recreate what's there, what's broken. But again, the top part again, the visibility portion as far as just knocking the whole thing down. As far as saving money, our job to try and save money. I want to take a peek at that with you at some point and bring some numbers to you and talk about that down the road. The top part could probably be cut off and some caps welded on. The foundation didn't look as bad. The two brick pillars on either side, but again, uh we don't know what 47's going to bring as far as havoc and mayhem there. So, but I'll be back to you on that. I attend the Rem River Fire District meeting. Um things are still percolating very long. Um, not much new to report other than um there there's no news really to report other than the chief has had some inquiries about other departments wanting to know the template that we used or how we put it together and he shared some information with them um on how we went about it. So um maybe more to report later on. Uh I attended a work session also. Um, just another reminder, daylight saving time's coming up this weekend. I saw today, which is kind of the harbinger of spring, at least around in Minnesota here. Anyway, I stopped in and saw Peter at the St. Francis Barber Shop. He did an awesome job. Nice young man. Uh, I've never in my 68 years next month, um, had a hot towel on my face and he shaved the actual back of your neck. Um, but he's a good guy. the prices aren't the same as Bill used to have, but nothing's nothing stays the same, but he's a nice young man and you should take the opportunity to visit him and uh check it out. So, um that is all I really have at the moment. Sorl, >> um I attended the work session as well. Um I did I didn't do as much investigating to the sign as you did, Kevin, but I did I did make sure I stopped and peeked at it and saw that yes, it is indeed in disrepair. So, um I guess I don't pay you again, you get so used to seeing something, you don't really even look at it that close. It's just like, "Oh, there's a sign." And then >> now I was driving into town a couple times. I'm like, "Okay, I can see that." >> Um and then, um I also uh just met with Kate to discuss some stuff this week, this past week. So, >> thanks, Sarah. Amy, >> um I don't have a lot to report. I was out for with some medical stuff for a couple weeks and I'm glad that's over and um uh I just have heard a lot of good feedback about the about the flag. So I guess that's all I have to report. >> Excuse me, Joe. >> Uh well, I attended the work session as well. I don't have a ton to report. I did want to address a couple things that were said tonight. Um I wish Mike was still here. Mike, I'm not talking behind your back. I hope you I hope you see it on the video. Um, one of the things is that we as a council at some point say that if you not here, your voice doesn't matter. That is I've never heard that from anybody sitting here ever. Um, what we ask for is involvement. And there's many different ways you can be involved. Um, nobody sitting up here, I don't believe, would ever say that. Anybody's voice doesn't matter. That's what we're elected to do. So, I will say that. Um, I think you know we have emails, we have phones. I've said it millions of times. Hundreds of times. Probably not millions. That's exaggeration. But hundreds of times as far as you want us to represent you and we can't represent individuals. For every person that says the dog park doesn't matter. Could be another person too that loves a dog park and uses it. Um, so it's it's not just one-sided there. Um, but again, we have emails, we have phone numbers, um, you can come to meetings. Um, you know, there's multiple ways that you can be involved. Um, you can join some of the committees that we have. Um, lots of different ways to be involved. So, we encourage everybody to be involved. Uh, I don't think it was ever presented for it to come off that way that somebody's voice doesn't matter if somebody ever took it that way. I just want to correct that and say that that's completely false. Um, the one thing is is if if you're sitting at home and you're flipping through channels, I have no idea how you feel about anything. Um, if you shoot me an email or anybody on the council, again, we're we all have emails on the website. Hopefully, our website will work great. Um, but we all have emails on the website, you know, phone numbers that route to us. Um, many different ways to get a hold of us. It's not, you know, we all have, most people, not all, most people have, uh, smartphones to where they can somehow use an email hopefully, um, you know, or whatever you can do. So, I just want to encourage people to be involved, stay involved, and I do thank everybody that does show up when they can show up. Um, it's greatly appreciated. Uh, usually tax time is when we get the most involvement, and that's understandable, I guess, too. Um, to address some of the tiff and all that stuff, again, I think there's a lot of misunderstanding with what tiff and abatements are, and you can still be against it, and that's 100% okay, but you're not actually paying their taxes for them. We do not generate new revenue from the taxes that would be there if they built on their own, but we still get the money as an empty lot. Um, so there is still some revenue there. It just doesn't increase until that tiff is over or they refinance or abatement or whatnot. Um, it's a little deeper than that, but it's not that serious to get into. Um, so just that that's just some of the things I think too that it's it's again we we want your involvement. We need to know what you're thinking when it comes to these things. I don't think anybody up here wants to raise taxes ever. We go through this every year. Um, taxes are probably always going to go up as costs go up like the mayor said. Um, trying to reduce that or stabilize that somehow is what, you know, we're always looking for reasons to do that. Uh, real numbers don't come in from the county until a little bit later too for us to have more numbers to work with. um from the state and whatnot. So, it's not like I mean we can talk about generalized things, but it doesn't it's not real work on taxes until we have the data that we know what we're working with. Um and property taxes. I when I was at that town hall, I heard one gal say that, you know, property taxes no reason anybody should pay property taxes. You bought your property. And for me, I used to think, you know, I prayed for something, why should I pay for something else or continue to pay for it? and I didn't understand it at one point in time. To me, property tax is one of the most reasonable taxes for me that I understand where my money is going. Um, I understand some people might not know where all of it's going and whatnot, but you know, to pay for emergency services, police, fire, um, public works staff with parks and roads. Um, you know, the enterprise fund is the water fund. So, if you're not on water, you don't pay for the water system, the fresh water and the sewer. uh there. Um there is the MS4 and that's a whole another ball game which confuses people all the time. But I know where my money is going for property taxes, so to speak, or at least what departments it's going to or what the purpose of my money is going to. Um we can get into the penalties of not paying your property tax and whether or not I agree with that, but that's a whole another ball game. But property tax, I understand where my money is going. We don't have special funds for um special interests or subsidizing things necessarily like states and feds do. Um so when you talk about waste and all that, I don't think cities have that. So just please keep that in mind when we're talking about the budget. Um you know, and we can always argue where we can reduce increases or whatot and I'm sure we intend to do that this year as well. Um you know, I've been looking into a few things. What comes out of it, I guess we'll find out. Uh the way a city can generate revenue is by building permits um and by growth and getting new more people or more businesses to spread the cost of running a city. So let's say a city costs $10 million to run a year and I'm just throwing that number out there. Don't quote me on that's whatever. I'm just it's an example. But if it costs $10 million to run a city and you have 5,000 homes here, that has to be split up between those people based on valuation. It's not all even, but it gets spread across them and the businesses. Okay? So, if you once you grow, if that number stays the same, the cost to run the city, it stays the same. Your portion becomes less because you have more people to share that cost. Um, that doesn't mean we want to turn this into a sprawling, you know, downtown area with skyscrapers and all that. Uh, we always hear it wants to be Minneapolis. We want it to be Minneapolis because we want to grow and that's not the case. Um, but if we don't have growth, costs are going to go up. We talked about that when we talked about the tiff that you have to be willing to pay the price of not growing if you want to stay the same because as costs go up you don't have more people to share those costs to lessen your burden or your percentage of that burden. Um who listens to this I don't know but I've said it many times felt the need to say it again but that's all I have. >> Thanks Joe. Uh so for me I went to the February 3rd to an NOA chamber meeting with Jod and Kate. I just it's always interesting. I always encourage you guys to go go to these things just to if nothing else it's just make connections and it's interesting hearing other cities presentations at that. So found that kind of helpful. Afterwards, I too also stopped at the barber and met him and I just same kind of thing that you were saying, Kevin. He's just very engaging and he was at the retirement party. He's just become a part of our community and it's it's it's very nice to see somebody take something and pick up the baton and and he's a hardworking young man. So, I appreciate him. Uh February 23rd, we had the work session. I thought that was a really good work session. We got I think we made a few things clear as mud, but we we at least talked through a lot of things. So, that was good. Uh February 24th, I went with the fireboard with Kevin. There were just a few things I took away from the fireboard meeting. They're hope shooting for a date of March 19th to get the website up and running. They showed us a they showed us a preliminary of the website. I thought it was very well done. So, hopefully March 19th somewhere around there. They'll get that up. They they are also hoping for a uh midsummer is when they're hoping to start live streaming their meetings. That's that's their goal. They're shooting for that. And two other things they talked about doing quarterly reports. So they would come to Bethl and they'd come to St. Francis quarterly to give to give a report. So that should be coming soon. And lastly, there's they continue working on burn permits. They're not 100% sure how they're going to facilitate those yet, but they are working on it. So, and lastly, I lastly, I was able to go to the holding retirement thing from boys from the hardware store and very well attended. It was just a really good community event. So, app kudos to all those who put that out there and and made it happen. So, that's all I've got. Anybody else? Anything? So then I'm looking for a motion to adjurnn. >> I'll make that motion, Mr. Mayor. >> Motion by Councilman Muar. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Second by Councilman Thonis. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Pull the same sign. Meeting is adjourned at 7:37