All right, we have a quorum. So, I'm going to call this listening session to order. Tonight is what is it? Monday, October 20th. >> 20th, 2025. We didn't have anybody sign up, but we have a couple of people here who would like to talk. So, uh what we typically do is just welcome you up to [clears throat] speak and sit in front of the microphone and and tell us what's on your mind. And, uh we usually will parse out the minutes based on how much time we have, but we don't let anybody go over 10 minutes. So, uh, if you want to come up and and have a conversation, we'd be happy to. And, um, love to hear what you've got on your mind. And as I said, uh, it is a conversation, so don't be surprised if we have questions and a bit of a back and forth. So, please come on up. >> All right. I guess I'll hear I don't want to waste your time. >> And of course, you know, we need name for the record, the whole bit, and you can sign in when you when you're wrapping up. How about that? >> So, is this on tape or what? >> This is Yes, this is on uh >> really >> what is it on online? It's on. Yeah, >> it will be online tomorrow. >> It will be online tomorrow. >> Ordered right now. >> Yep. >> Can't write. My finger doesn't want to break. >> All right. Uh, my name is Dennis Ordall. I live at 908 West 80th and a half. The pink and purple house. The city wanted me to paint my house. Well, I I I I guess I feel a little picked on over the years. Um, and I don't know why why you're finding every all the community, you know, for little [ __ ] that, you know, I mean, I I was planning on painting the house, but I got like the yard work is a disaster and, you know, um, and I did tell them a year ago that I do have a disability and I needed um, accommodations and I don't think they got my message and I don't know what you have to do to make it clear to Josh that hey, get off my ass because I am trying to do stuff to the best that I can do it. Um, I got [clears throat] people that were sick and I needed help and you know, I take care of them and uh, like I say, you know, um, I got a lot of concerns. Um, the the community center is one. I guess I'd like to know why it's called a wellness fitness center or whatever. I don't I don't quite understand why it isn't a community center. >> Let Let's start first. Uh, I'm I'm sorry to hear about if you're taking care of others and you got >> No, I get that's that's that's that's what the community is for. Right. >> Exactly. Exactly. And and appreciate you doing that. And I just wanted to hear a little bit more about what uh what Josh or what the folks in community health might have concerns with with your house and if you know if there's ways we can find way to get help for you or I mean is it >> Well, I'm I'm I'm disabled. Um I I got medical conditions. I can't do that 90 degree weather anymore. So, I'm not gonna work my ass off. I'm not gonna kill myself or trying to paint the house and all that stuff, >> but um and yeah, it it does look a little little a mess, but you know, I I'm out there every day trying to get something done. >> And if they just stay off my butt, um you know, I I would get it done a little sooner. And um I know Josh wrote gave me a ticket last November to paint my house. Well, you can't paint it in November. And like I explained to him a year before that I can't do the work in 90 degree weather. I don't think any six year old should doing it anyways. But long story short, um yeah, I I'm one person. I have six grandkids, two kids, and you know, I try to make them the best people that they can be. But, you know, a lot of it's being part of their their daily routine. >> And um yeah, but I know this last time I I needed a little more time to get the house painted and I had my sister called Josh and I don't know what he said to her, but he got her up in arms. It's just I don't know, you know. >> Yeah. >> I I I don't quite understand that, you know. I I think what the community needs to do is get some of these younger kids to help these older people that can't do that stuff. You >> know, I mean, I'm one person and I got lots of stuff to get get done. I mean, my garage needs to be clean and if I could have got that done first, it would have been a lot less time to clean or do the house and, you know, but um I don't know. I got a lot on my mind. So, nobody's here, so it's a good time to get it off my chest. And and and I will say uh so so Josh and our other folks in community health, what they do, they they they just try and keep our neighborhoods looking good. I mean, Hold on, hold on, hold on. Ultimately, that's their goal. They're not trying to pick on people. They're not trying to be jerks. They they just want the community and neighborhoods to look good. >> I I I told >> And whether it's long grass or or peeling paint or junk in the yards, your neighbors don't want to look at that. Nobody's neighbors want to look at that. You can understand that. Uh I I understand if you're not able to get it done, your neighbors don't want to look at it either. So they want to that that's the idea is we're just trying to maintain the community in such a way that it's it's it it's looking good for everybody. And I agree also uh you know getting we look we need more options for people like you who needs need some help. And Dennis, I just heard six grandkids. So I'm I'm just wondering uh you know put a paintbrush in their hands and see what happens. I don't know. >> I did. They did. I have my granddaughters put in the house. They painted it pink and they love it. >> Great. you know, but they love it. >> I'm sure, >> you know, and they they'll remember that the rest of their life. >> Absolutely. >> Because that's my point is, you know what? That's community. That's what it's about. Getting involved, getting getting into the stuff >> without question. Without question. So, as I said, our community health, they're not doing it to be jerks. They're trying to just to maintain a level of of acceptability throughout the community. >> Well, I I think Okay. But the first thing, you know, the these these letters that you send, you know what? Go knock on my door. I told Josh, I said, "Hey, I'm out there in the yard. Come and talk to me. I'll let you know what's going on." You know, I'm not a computer person. I I work with my hands. Well, I lost one and no big deal. But, you know, I love working with my hands. I don't do that paperwork and phone stuff and, you know, >> and and I, you know, and I appreciate they probably would enjoy talking to you. >> Uh, there's some people who do not like a city official coming to their door and it gets a little tense sometimes. So, I think that's why they send >> I get tense when people tell me what I got to do. It's like, Dave, you know what? That's the last thing I need to do is paint my house. I mean, my yard is a pit. The neighbor was selling their house and, you know, and it's like, you know, I mean, I don't know. I I I my goal, too, is to get my garage clean. That's been 30 years, you know, and >> that's that's a whole another ball game, but that's that's the next on the tangent, another tangent I'm going to go on. So, >> Okay. And you also asked about uh community center versus community health and wellness center is what we're calling it. >> So, what it is is going to be a couple of different things. It's going to be health and wellness. So our our department of health, Bloomington has a department of health and we serve Bloomington, Edina, and Richfield. And right now they're in an I'm lost. They're in a building just over here and it's a crummy rundown building. And so one of the things that we're doing as we build this new center is we're going to have places within that center for our community health department. and they're going to be serving people, helping them with with food assistance and with with classes and with all all kinds inoculations, immunizations, all kinds of different things like that. So, that's where we thought, okay, we can call it a community center, but to be best most accurate to call it a community health and wellness center. And the wellness comes with the the the swimming pool, the track, the uh the gymnasiums, the opportunity for people to interact, the meeting rooms, all that is the kind of the community wellness that we're aiming for. So that's where we came up with community health and wellness center as opposed to just community center. Does that make sense? >> Well, to me it sounds like it's I don't know lining your pockets but not the communities, you know. >> How in the world, Dennis, would that be lining our pockets? How in the world? >> Well, okay. Okay. You're You say you're going to have pools in there, right? You got How many pools do we got in in here? How many lakes do we have? I can't even have a boat in my driveway out. But we got landed 10,000 lakes. Okay. Do don't you get uh money from the insurance companies for the silver sneaker programs? >> Uh I I I'm sure we do. I'm sure we do. >> You know, I mean, the community center to me, I I don't know. I guess I got a big beef about about um sending stuff out of the community like the rock thing or whatever. >> The the the rock tumblers. >> Yeah, that's that's down on Lake Street. I I I tell you, I I was part of that um Twin City Makers and they got a heck of a a program going down there, but you know what? The area isn't the best, >> you know, and I got six grandkids that I now I I I took care of somebody that had some rocks and you know, and now now I got to go down to Lake Street to do it. I'm not happy with that. Yeah. >> You know, uh and and I don't know, I I I went to vocational high school and I was a machinist for 37 years. And you know, long story short, had it not been for the teacher when I lost my hand bringing the whole class down and say, "Hey, when are you going to come back?" I probably would have never came back. >> That's great. >> You know, and I I think the community center is some >> something that we really need in this community is to get these old people that started these businesses in their garage or wherever the hell they started it that that, you know, moved kind of flowered out. I mean, we need more of that. >> Yeah. and the community center, the health and wellness center, I should say it correctly, the health and wellness center will have that. We'll have all kinds of meeting rooms. We're going to have all kinds of opportunities and classes and programming to get people together. I will say things like like the the rock shop and even the wood shop, >> there were so few people actually using that that from a cost from a cost perspective, the cost was much higher than we could justify to to dedicate space or equipment or room. It it worked in in Creekide because the cost of the Creek Side building was like a buck.95, you know, that. >> Well, yeah. Yeah. I I you know, I signed up for that woodworking and, you know, I I have six grandkids, you know, and right now that or back in the years prior, they were part they were a big part of my life. And you know what? I I spend a lot of time scraping my goddamn windows off when I could have went to the wood shop and made my own windows, you know, >> but I don't know where they are now. I think they're in Egan or something. >> They're over in Eden Prairie, aren't they? But but I mean they're going to bring all that that shop stuff back, right? I mean >> I don't know. I don't think it's going to go back into that uh into that building. There's talks about different ways of using different spaces, whether it's in the schools uh backstage here at Artistry. I know there's wood woodworking equipment there. There's different possibilities we're looking at, but we're trying to find the highest and best use for the space that's in the community health and well. >> Well, I I think the community I mean you're you're you're losing the community. You're getting the big dollar stuff out here and the tax dollar. you know, all you want is to raise the value so you get the tax money and that's, you know, I don't know. I I guess the last meeting I was at, you said something about building $500,000 houses and charging them $300,000. Well, hey, give me $200,000 and I'll build my I'll I'll have the house that I wanted 30 years ago, you know, but that's besides the point. >> Dennis, we're at 10 minutes now that you and I have been talking and appreciate the conversation. Like I said, I want to kind of I want to make sure that we we don't go overboard here. >> Well, nobody's here. I mean, it's I don't want to waste your time. I mean, I got a lot of concerns about a lot of people. A lot of us, you know, is uh the the the things that are being done. I mean, I don't know. The traffic in Bloomington is getting a nightmare. I mean, I can't get off on 82 82nd Street, you know. It gets pretty busy there. And I got to I don't know. I got to kind of dodge cars to get out there, otherwise I got to sit there all day. >> Yeah. And and as long as they're working on 494, that's we've had traffic. >> Yeah. I mean, >> as long as they're working on 494, that's going to continue. And so we got a few years left on that project. So >> Dennis, I'm going to have to cut you off and move on to our next speaker here. >> All right. >> All right. Thank you for coming in today. >> Yeah. Well, I you know, like I said, I my community, you know, I mean, I I've lived here for over 30 years and the reason I lived here was because some small businesses and stuff and they're going away. the big corporations are taking a hold of them and we need we need the younger people to keep their butts working, you know, >> having fun doing it to have somebody measure them. >> Agreed. Agreed. Good evening. >> Hi there. So, I just >> If you could tell us your name, please. >> Yeah. My name is Jodie Channon. C H N I N. And I moved to Bloomington almost two years ago recently. Um, and I was concerned about a couple things. The taxes seem to be going up. That concerns me. Um, I'm a vet. I'll probably retire soon. And I'm worried about that. So, the property taxes seem to be going up quite a bit. That's my concern. Let's just take one at a time because I have about three or four things, >> okay? >> And I just don't understand that. And I know I realize that taxes are going up everywhere. But then I heard about the community center and I kind of like going to that old community center. I went there. I played bridge. That was nice. I thought it was okay. And then I heard about this new community center and I thought, well, is this going to cost us more money every for taxes for this? And where's the money going is kind of like what I'm concerned about. >> So, uh, a few questions there. U, yeah, the community health and wellness center, it was part of our Bloomington forward initiative. And you might I'm founders member at Lifetime Vet. >> I don't even I there's a lot. >> Let me finish. Let me finish. Our Bloomington Forward uh initiative. Uh we we asked the community if they wanted to impose a half cent sales tax, a half cent, half a percent on on all purchases in Bloomington and we'd use that money to pay for the community health and wellness center for the Bloomington Ice Garden and for a renovation down in the NM Creek. >> Okay. >> Area. >> So, it's not going to raise my property taxes. >> Your property taxes are not at all affected. Yep. Now, the operating costs, I mean, there's going to be operating costs for the uh for the community health and wellness center. I think by year three, they expect it to be in the black. And so, that's that's pretty good. And they'll uh they're going to figure out the programming for it. And so, that's no no tax no property tax dollars are going into the construction of the community health and wellness center, >> but to maintain it, it will >> well, yes, there will be operating costs to it. Yes. And like I said, >> so it's not it'll be self-sufficient after three years. And by three, by year three, the the the expectation is that it's going to be in the black. Yes. >> By year when? >> By year three. >> Year three. >> Year three. >> Okay. Got it. >> Sean West question. >> Can I just add, mayor, that the amount that uh in year 1 and two is comparable to what we had previously been subsidizing Creekide Community Center. >> Good to hear. Then that makes me feel better. Okay. Right there. >> Then I'm I'm good. >> Okay. That that's really good to hear. So then you should be equally breaking even or making money. Is that a fair statement after year three? Okay. Well then that sounds like a really good thing. Like I said I go to Lifetime Fitness in Edina. I don't even use this. I won't use it. I went there to play bridge >> and I thought it was a great I I just was sort of surprised when I heard about it and I thought my gosh my taxes are going up also. Um so that's done. Okay. So then I have another u couple complaints. Um, you know, it seems to me there are some really rundown hotels. Um, and the one over by Culver's right over back there. I kind of like don't even feel safe. I don't know what's going to happen there. Geez, I wish you'd tear it down and build up a apartment building or something. Also, um, there's a couple of them there and that concerns me and I thought, well, I don't know what we can do. Um, it seems like a lot of homeless people are moving in there. I drive by there every day right on Nicllet Avenue and American Boulevard. >> That concerns me. Also, I've called the city inspector, I think once or twice. There's a laundromat there. Nothing works. This is shocking to me. The big there's a laundromat there. Uh right. There's a little mall there next to the gas station, >> you know, Nichollet Avenue. And I've been in there because I I have a very very small washing machine and so I try to go in there to um launder some big linens and I cannot believe nothing works. That's shocking to me. And so again, I've called the city twice and it doesn't seem like anything's been done. It could be way better. There could be so it could be so much better. it's run down and none of the machines work and I don't know who owns that business and I think it's a shame. >> So from a a city perspective, what our folks will do, they'll be going they'll go in there and make sure that all the the health and safety and the building code and all that is up to speed whether or not they have a good business and are running a good business. That that isn't something any city inspects for and and regulates. >> Broken down machines, all the machines are broken down, doesn't >> that's not something any city would inspect for. We we want to make sure that the that that the you know the plumbing works that the electricity is not going to shock anybody when you turn lights with them. I know that. >> Yeah. But in terms of it would be no different uh you know do we do we shut down a a body shop because they don't do good work on a car. We don't we don't do that either. We just make sure that they have they they meet the expectations in terms of health and safety. >> That's why that's why nothing's been done. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Well, that surprises me. >> Yeah. >> All the big washing machines, there's maybe one that works out of about eight. >> Yeah. There are there are other laundromats in town. I know there are. >> Well, yeah, I know, but like this is the closest one to me. And I thought, okay. So, um, and I'd like to meet I mean, I'm not sure. I live near 84th and uh 3rd. Who is my city council member? Are they here tonight? >> I think that would be Victor. Uh, Victor Rivas. And Victor is not here tonight. He had a he had a death in his family, so he's not able to join us tonight. >> Okay. Well, I was hoping to meet him. Yeah. >> Well, okay. Well, >> you said you said you also had questions about property taxes just in general. >> Yeah. I just would I can tell you 9 and a half% is what we're going up this year. That's what I heard. That's what I read. >> That that's what it's set at now and we're trying to bring that down based on we're trying to bring that down. See what that is. >> I'm really glad to hear that because when I moved into this neighborhood, let me be clear. All my neighbors I've got 80 year old women living in their houses alone. I've got 75. I mean, they've been there all their lives since the 60s and they've been able to stay there and not go into a nursing home or senior care. They've been able to afford to live in these small tiny houses >> and I think it's fabulous and I would really hate to see that. I know that property taxes, I mean, that's a lot of money every month for me, for them >> and yeah, that concerns me a lot. >> It is. >> And I know they're going up everywhere else. I get, you know, >> you know, Crystal's gone up 19 and a half%. I get it twice last year, this year. I get it. I understand that. But whatever we can do to keep those taxes down, it seems like we're living really grand. And I think you took COVID money for the bathrooms. It just seems really grand. And I guess I'm just thinking, oh my gosh, I think we've got hard times ahead and I'm worried about that. And yeah, of course that bothers me. If uh so let me just say so our of our property tax general fund property tax spending 85% of that goes to police, fire, public works, park and recreation and community development. So not a lot of what those folks do is grand. I mean we we have the best police department in Minnesota. Will tell you the best police department in the United States. I think it is the best and I agree a thousand% fire department is is costing us money now because we are going to a full-time fire department >> because the volunteer paid on call model that we had wasn't even coming close to working. You would you don't even want to know how many times trucks would roll >> with one firefighter on that truck >> that it was not safe. I believe that it was dangerous and we were putting people at risk and so we're paying for that. >> Okay. our public works, you know, we're >> 53% of the levy right now increases for the >> Yes. Yes. of the levy increase. So that's of our of our entire budget are those five things. That's 85% the levy increase more than half of the levy increase that 9 and a half% that you're talking about is related to police and fire. >> Oh, I think that's great. I I have to say I commend you. I mean >> the police department here when you dial 911, boy, they are there. They are >> no question. It's it's so very different elsewhere. They work respectfully and they're embedded. They they're good community members. Absolutely. >> And we have that expectation and they meet it and and we have the expectation that we're going to keep people safe with our fire department too and they're doing a nice job with that. We have the expectation that >> when it snows we plow the streets and not everybody does that. We know that. >> I think that's really a good thing. I don't think we ne necessarily need to plow sidewalks anymore. I'd be happy to get rid of them. >> Yeah. We we had that conversation back and forth. >> Well, just so you know. >> Yeah. Not too long we had that conversation. Yeah. >> Well, yeah, I will. >> I I mean, you know, I vote for get get rid of it because everybody walks the street. It's a it's a safe, friendly area to walk in. Everybody's walking their dogs. They walk and it's >> a really safe neighborhood. Other than you get down to Nicollet Avenue behind Culver's or over on Lindale, um you know, there's some >> Yep. >> really seedy stuff going on. >> Yep. And and that's that's not news to our police. They know that. They they work that. We try and work with the property owners. >> Uh we we try and make sure that uh >> in addition to that's one thing we can do in in addition to the health and safety kind of things that falls under safety and we can work with those hotels and I know our police do our police and community health do work with those hotels basically to say you need to have correct procedures in place. You got to have somebody on staff 24 hours a day. You got to you got to you got to check uh Oops. You got to check folks. you can't just you can't just let them be in there and and let them run wild. I mean, there there's a lot that we can do uh from that perspective. We continue to work with them, but um >> do they hire Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt. Now, aren't there certain areas and places and I've seen this in Minneapolis where they they have to hire a offduty police officer? >> I don't know that we've got any requirements of requirements of hiring. There are a number of places that do require offduty police officers for for security and so on, but I don't think we require anybody to do that. >> Okay. Okay. >> Yeah, >> we we we do have contracts. They're not required, but they are they're they're contract at their expense. >> Yeah, it's at their expense. Absolutely. >> Yep. >> Yeah. Well, I love Livingston. Now, can we talk about the Mall of America and what's going on there? Do we do we make any money with that or how does >> We make uh a ton of money on that. >> Okay. Well, I want to hear that because, you know, everybody's complaining. You know, I've got neighbors, too. And they're everybody's we're all talking about it. And everybody >> It surprises me how uh ignorant everybody is about that without the Mall of America and the property tax that that generates from the mall itself, from the ticket tax that we charge, from the property taxes of our 47 hotels, our bars, our restaurants, uh the folks who come into this community. The Mall of America is is generally we can say about about 19 or 20% of the city's revenue is a result of the Mall of >> I am so happy to hear that. Well, this is one of the reasons why I moved to Bloomington. I thought, well, they've got the mall, they've got the airport, it's got to be, you know, this has got to be a good thing. One of the things I am disappointed with is that I was able to rent a room in my house on Airbnb and I was a fivestar super close. I'm not able to do that. >> We we don't allow that in Bloomington. I don't understand why. If I lived in Richfield, I could do it. >> You could, but Richfield doesn't have 47 hotels that pay all those property taxes and all those uh bed taxes that uh that help us. So, >> yeah, >> Jody, we are at we are at 6:15 and we got to get downstairs for our meeting. So, I'm going to have to stop you here, but thank you for the conversation. >> Okay. >> I do appreciate it. And feel free to come back anytime. You too, Dennis. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. and then communities or the wellness fitness center. Now the >> we got to get downstairs. I'm going to look for a motion to adjurnn tonight. >> We're still paying sales tax. >> We have a motion to adjurnn. Second. >> We have a second. All in favor?