The Lakeville City Council held a work session Monday covering five major topics, including discussions with state legislators about unfunded mandates and competing proposals for downtown food truck festivals.

State Representative Mary Liz Holberg, Senator Zack Duckworth, Representative Jeff Witte, and Dakota County Commissioner Bill Daly joined the council to discuss the city's 2025 legislative priorities. The group focused heavily on concerns about state mandates that shift costs to local governments, particularly paid family leave requirements and PTSD claims for first responders.

"Pay leave is the biggest one right in terms of actual dollars," said City Administrator Justin Miller, noting the mandate doesn't take effect until next year but represents a significant looming cost for the city.

Two separate groups presented competing proposals for food truck festivals in downtown Lakeville. One group, led by Dan Tschida and partnering with the Lakeville South Boosters Trap Team, proposed a May event at the Art Center parking lot with 36-40 food trucks. A second group, represented by Jess and Tom from the Minnesota Food Truck Association, proposed an August event on Holyoke Avenue with street closures and an estimated 10,000 attendees throughout the day.

Both proposals drew questions about parking, public safety staffing, and potential impacts on existing downtown businesses. The council directed staff to connect both groups with the Downtown Lakeville Business Association for feedback before making any decisions.

The Lakeville Fire Relief Association requested changes to pension vesting schedules, reducing the requirement from 20 years to 15 years of service. The change would benefit nine current paid-on-call firefighters converting to full-time positions and reflects current firefighter tenure patterns. The association also requested compensation for two unpaid trustee positions at $1,000 annually each, requiring city approval under state law.