[0:05] HELLO BLOOMINGTON. I’M MAYOR TIM BUSSE, AND THIS  IS THE COUNCIL MINUTE FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 17TH.  [0:10] ON MONDAY NIGHT, THE CITY COUNCIL HAD A  GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW TO USE A NEW   [0:15] STATE REVENUE SOURCE CREATED SPECIFICALLY  TO PROVIDE HOUSING THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD.  [0:20] BACK IN 2023, THE MINNESOTA STATE LEGISLATURE  APPROVED A SALES AND USE TAX FOR THE SEVEN-COUNTY   [0:26] METRO AREA. REVENUES COLLECTED FROM THE TAX  ARE DISTRIBUTED TO CITIES AND COUNTIES AS   [0:32] LOCAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING AID, OR LAHA FOR SHORT. LAHA FUNDS CAN SUPPORT A WIDE VARIETY OF PROJECTS,   [0:39] AND HOW THE FUNDS GET USED IS UP TO THE CITY.  BLOOMINGTON RECEIVED $567,000 OF LAHA IN 2024 AND   [0:47] THE BEST ESTIMATE IS THAT THE CITY WILL RECEIVE  AROUND A MILLION DOLLARS EACH YEAR GOING FORWARD.  [0:52] BLOOMINGTON HAS NO SHORTAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING  ACTIVITIES THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM THIS FINANCIAL   [0:56] ASSISTANCE. BACK IN DECEMBER THE COUNCIL,  HRA, AND PORT AUTHORITY MET FOR A FACILITATED   [1:03] DISCUSSION ON HOW LAHA FUNDS COULD BE BEST USED. STAFF CREATED A PROPOSAL FOR HOW TO USE LAHA   [1:10] BASED ON TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT DISCUSSION, AND THE  PROPOSAL WAS BROUGHT TO THE HRA AND PORT AUTHORITY   [1:15] IN FEBRUARY, AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON MONDAY. THE PROPOSAL, APPROVED BY RESOLUTION OF THE CITY   [1:21] COUNCIL, SPLITS OUR ANNUAL LAHA FUNDS –  50 PERCENT FOR AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP   [1:27] PROGRAMS AND 50 PERCENT FOR AFFORDABLE  HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION.  [1:32] SO, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE? FOR HOMEOWNERSHIP, THIS COULD MEAN HELPING   [1:37] FAMILIES MAKE THEIR DOWN PAYMENT ON A  NEW HOME, OR SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT   [1:41] OF NEW AFFORDABLE SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES. FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION,   [1:46] THIS COULD BE REHABILITATION OF EXISTING  AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO KEEP IT IN GOOD CONDITION,   [1:50] OR FUNDING NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS  THAT ALIGN WITH THE CITY’S GOALS.  [1:54] THE BLOOMINGTON HRA WILL ADMINISTER  THESE FUNDS AND REPORT TO THE COUNCIL   [1:58] EACH YEAR. I’M EXCITED THAT THESE FUNDS  WILL BE PUT TO WORK IN BLOOMINGTON TO   [2:03] SUPPORT HOUSING THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD. ALSO ON MONDAY NIGHT, OUR CITY’S SUSTAINABILITY   [2:08] COMMISSION PRESENTED ITS WORK PLAN FOR 2025.  AS YOU’VE HEARD ME SAY OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS,   [2:13] EACH CITY BOARD AND COMMISSION COMES IN FRONT  OF THE COUNCIL ANNUALLY TO PRESENT THEIR WORK   [2:17] PLAN FOR THE COMING YEAR. WE’VE BEEN WORKING OUR  WAY THROUGH OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OVER THE   [2:22] PAST FEW WEEKS, AND IT WAS NICE TO HEAR FROM  THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION ON MONDAY NIGHT.  [2:26] IN 2025, THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION WILL FOCUS  ON FIVE KEY PRIORITIES TO MAKE BLOOMINGTON A   [2:32] GREENER, MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITY. THE COMMISSION  AIMS TO ENHANCE ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION,   [2:38] INCENTIVIZE SUSTAINABLE BEHAVIOR, EDUCATE AND  ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, REVIEW AND UPDATE POLICIES,   [2:44] AND SUPPORT ONGOING OUTREACH AND EDUCATION. THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION IS ONE OF THE   [2:49] MORE HANDS-ON COMMISSIONS HERE IN BLOOMINGTON  AND THE IMPORTANT WORK THEY DO HELPS ENHANCE   [2:54] RESIDENTS' QUALITY OF LIFE, PROTECT OUR CITY'S  NATURAL RESOURCES, AND ENSURE LONG-TERM ECONOMIC   [3:00] AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCE. THE CITY COUNCIL  FULLY SUPPORTS THE COMMISSION’S AMBITIOUS PLAN   [3:05] AND LOOKS FORWARD TO SEEING THESE INITIATIVES  DRIVE POSITIVE CHANGE ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.  [3:10] FRANCHISE FEES HAVE BEEN A CRITICAL PART  OF FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN   [3:14] BLOOMINGTON SINCE 2016. ORIGINALLY IMPLEMENTED  TO SUPPORT STREET OVERLAYS, SEAL COATING,   [3:20] AND TRAIL MAINTENANCE, THESE FEES HAVE HELPED  KEEP OUR ROADWAYS AND PATHWAYS IN GOOD CONDITION.  [3:26] AND BECAUSE A VISUAL IS ALWAYS NICE, HERE  IS A MAP SHOWING THE STREETS THAT HAVE BEEN   [3:31] SEALCOATED SINCE 2016, AND THIS MAP SHOWS THE  STREETS THAT HAVE HAD OVERLAYS DONE SINCE 2016.   [3:38] DOING THIS KIND OF PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE  WORK AND UPKEEP KEEPS BLOOMINGTON STREETS   [3:43] IN GOOD CONDITION AND HELPS EXTEND THE LIFE OF  THE PAVEMENT. FRANCHISE FEES PAY FOR THIS WORK   [3:49] AND THERE’S NO DOUBT IT’S MONEY WELL SPENT. AT MONDAY'S MEETING, WE REVIEWED POTENTIAL   [3:54] ADJUSTMENTS TO FRANCHISE FEES FOR 2026 AND BEYOND.  A KEY PART OF THIS DISCUSSION WAS THE INTRODUCTION   [4:01] OF TWO NEW FUNDING CATEGORIES – RETAINING WALLS  AND SUSTAINABILITY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY. IN A   [4:07] NUTSHELL, BLOOMINGTON HAS A LOT OF RETAINING  WALLS IN THE CITY THAT ARE IN NEED OF REPAIR,   [4:12] AND THIS WOULD BE A FUNDING SOURCE TO HELP DO  THAT WORK. FROM THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY SIDE,   [4:16] STAFF PROPOSED A CITY-WIDE LOAN PROGRAM  THAT WOULD HELP HOMEOWNERS ADD INSULATION   [4:21] TO ATTICS AND IN THEIR WALLS. THE GOAL IS TO  REDUCE HOME HEATING COSTS, CARBON EMISSIONS,   [4:27] AND STRESS ON THE ELECTRICAL GRID. WITH THESE PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS,   [4:31] MONTHLY RESIDENTIAL FRANCHISE FEES WOULD RISE  FROM $5.95 TO $6.88 PER UTILITY STARTING IN 2026,   [4:40] WITH SIMILAR INCREASES FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES. WE’VE NOTIFIED AREA MANAGERS AT CENTERPOINT AND   [4:45] XCEL ABOUT THESE PROPOSED CHANGES, AND NOW WE  WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT   [4:50] WILL TAKE PLACE THROUGH APRIL, INCLUDING A  DEDICATED PAGE ON LET’S TALK BLOOMINGTON THAT   [4:55] WILL BE LIVE SOON AND A PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE. THE  COUNCIL WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 19,   [5:01] BEFORE FINAL DECISIONS ARE MADE. ANY CHANGES  WOULD TAKE EFFECT STARTING IN JANUARY 2026.  [5:07] WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO ENSURE A  BALANCED AND SUSTAINABLE FUNDING MODEL   [5:11] FOR BLOOMINGTON’S FUTURE. PLEASE STAY ENGAGED  IN THIS DISCUSSION, ASK QUESTIONS, AND SHARE   [5:17] YOUR INPUT AS WE WORK THROUGH BOTH THIS  FRANCHISE FEE DISCUSSION, AND THE LARGER   [5:22] DISCUSSION OF BLOOMINGTON’S FINANCIAL FUTURE. THAT WRAPS UP THIS WEEK’S COUNCIL MINUTE.   [5:27] THANKS FOR TUNING IN, AND UNTIL  NEXT TIME, STAY SAFE, BLOOMINGTON!