[0:05] HELLO BLOOMINGTON. I’M MAYOR TIM BUSSE AND THIS

IS THE COUNCIL MINUTE FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 5.

[0:10] HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! I HOPE YOU HAD A

GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON AND I’M HOPING THAT

[0:15] 2025 WILL BE A SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR ALL OF US

INDIVIDUALLY, AND FOR THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON.

[0:20] OUR COUNCIL MEETING ON MONDAY WAS THE FIRST

MEETING OF THE YEAR, AND THAT INITIAL MEETING

[0:25] ALWAYS INCLUDES A LOT OF HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS.

THE CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDED BASIC ITEMS THAT

[0:30] MOST CITIES GENERALLY TO DO LIKE DESIGNATING

AN OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER AND A DEPOSITORY FOR

[0:35] CITY FUNDS, AND APPROVING THE APPOINTMENT

OF A BOND COUNSEL AND AN EXTERNAL AUDITOR.

[0:41] WE ALSO MADE A NUMBER OF OFFICIAL COUNCIL

APPOINTMENTS FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. YOUR

[0:45] COUNCIL DOESN’T JUST WORK ON MONDAY NIGHTS,

EACH COUNCIL MEMBER ALSO REPRESENTS THE CITY

[0:49] ON OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT ARE EITHER

INTERNAL, LIKE THE HRA BOARD OR THE SUSTAINABILITY

[0:55] COMMISSION, OR EXTERNAL LIKE THE 494 CORRIDOR

COMMISSION, THE AIRPORT NOISE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE,

[1:01] OR THE STATE COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES

ADVISORY COMMITTEE. IN MY ROLE AS MAYOR,

[1:06] I ALSO SERVE ON THE BLOOMINGTON PORT AUTHORITY,

THE HENNEPIN COUNTY CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING

[1:11] COMMITTEE, AND ON THE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS

OF BLOOMINGTON MINNESOTA TRAVEL AND TOURISM,

[1:15] AND METRO CITIES. THOSE APPOINTMENTS ARE

PART OF OUR REGULAR COUNCIL RESPONSIBILITIES,

[1:20] AND ARE IN ADDITION TO THE DAY JOBS THAT

COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE AS WELL AS FAMILY AND

[1:25] PERSONAL COMMITMENTS. IN SHORT, YOU’RE GETTING

YOUR MONEY’S WORTH FROM YOUR CITY COUNCIL.

[1:30] ANOTHER IMPORTANT TASK ON MONDAY WAS TO APPROVE

THE 2025 CITY OF BLOOMINGTON LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM.

[1:36] THE TITLE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM SOUNDS VERY

FORMAL, BUT THE PLATFORM IS SIMPLY A LIST OF

[1:41] PRIORITIES THAT BLOOMINGTON WILL EITHER WORK ON OR

SUPPORT DURING THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

[1:48] NOW, SOME PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED THAT THE CITY HAS

LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES BUT IT’S PRETTY STANDARD

[1:53] PRACTICE FOR CITIES TO DO SO AND THERE HAS BEEN

A LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES DOCUMENT FOR BLOOMINGTON

[1:58] FOR AS LONG AS I’VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL.

OTHERS MAY WONDER IF IT’S APPROPRIATE FOR

[2:02] ONE LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT – THE CITY – TO BE

LOBBYING AT ANOTHER LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT – THE

[2:06] STATE – BUT AGAIN IT’S NOT AT ALL UNCOMMON.

THERE’S A SAYING IN THE PUBLIC POLICY WORLD:

[2:12] IF YOU’RE NOT AT THE TABLE, YOU’RE ON THE MENU.

I’D PREFER BLOOMINGTON TO BE AT THE TABLE.

[2:18] THE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM INCLUDES TWO ITEMS THAT

WE HOPE TO SEE INCLUDED IN THE STATE BONDING BILL;

[2:24] THE FIRST IS THE NORTH CENTRAL SANITARY SEWER

PROJECT THAT WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. THE PROJECT

[2:30] IS NEEDED SEWER UPGRADES ALONG 494 IN THE

SOUTHTOWN AND PENN AMERICAN AREA. THE TOTAL

[2:36] COST IS $26 MILLION, AND BLOOMINGTON IS REQUESTING

$13 MILLION FROM THE STATE TO COVER HALF THE COST.

[2:43] THE SECOND IS THE NORMANDALE BOULEVARD TRAIL WHICH

WAS PART OF THE CITY’S BONDING REQUEST LAST YEAR

[2:48] BUT AS YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THERE WASN’T A BONDING

BILL SO WE’RE BACK AT IT AGAIN. THE TRAIL WOULD

[2:53] BE A REPLACEMENT AND BIG UPGRADE FOR THE TRAIL

THAT RUNS ALONG NORMANDALE BOULEVARD BETWEEN

[2:59] 94TH STREET AND OLD SHAKOPEE ROAD. THE TOTAL

COST OF THAT PROJECT IS $9 MILLION AND AGAIN,

[3:05] THE CITY IS ASKING THE STATE TO CONTRIBUTE

HALF OF THAT COST OR $4.5 MILLION.

[3:10] OTHER PRIORITY ITEMS IN THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

INCLUDE LIFTING THE LIQUOR PROHIBITION AT DWAN

[3:15] GOLF COURSE. RIGHT NOW, STATE LAW ONLY

ALLOWS THE SALE OF 3.2 BEER AT DWAN.

[3:21] EXTENDING FOR ANOTHER SIX YEARS THE PROPERTY

TAX EXEMPTION FOR THE RAMADA PROPERTY. THAT’S

[3:25] THE OLD THUNDERBIRD HOTEL SITE THAT IS A

PRIME DEVELOPMENT SITE OWNED BY THE CITY

[3:30] AND WE’RE ASKING FOR A BIT MORE TIME TO

DETERMINE THE BEST USE OF THE PROPERTY.

[3:34] FUNDING FOR THE INSTALLATION OF ROOF-TOP SOLAR

PANELS ON CITY BUILDINGS, INCLUDING BLOOMINGTON

[3:38] ICE GARDEN, CIVIC PLAZA, THE 82ND STREET WATER

RESERVOIR, AND THE PUBLIC WORKS NORTH GARAGE.

[3:45] AND FUNDING FOR BLOOM IN BLOOMINGTON,

BLOOMINGTON’S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

[3:50] BEYOND THE BLOOMINGTON SPECIFIC ITEMS,

THE ENTIRE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM SPEAKS

[3:54] TO THE CITY’S PRIORITIES ON BROAD TOPICS LIKE

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE ENVIRONMENT, HOUSING,

[4:00] AND PUBLIC SAFETY. THE CITY USED A NEW PROCESS

THIS YEAR TO DEVELOP THE PLATFORM THAT INCLUDED

[4:05] A NEW STAFF LEGISLATIVE ACTION TEAM. THEY

WORKED CLOSELY WITH OUR CITY LOBBYING TEAMS,

[4:11] THE CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE, AND THE COUNCIL

TO CREATE A LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM THAT

[4:15] REFLECTS BLOOMINGTON’S PRIORITIES AND NEEDS.

AND FINALLY, THE COUNCIL HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION

[4:21] ON A VARIETY OF STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS IN

BLOOMINGTON CITY CODE THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO

[4:26] SMALL BUSINESSES WHICH CAN SOMETIMES PRESENT

BARRIERS TO BUSINESSES OPENING AND OPERATING

[4:32] IN BLOOMINGTON. THE COUNCIL ADDED THIS PROJECT TO

THE PLANNING COMMISSION WORK PLAN LAST YEAR WITH

[4:36] THE GOAL OF IDENTIFYING AND POSSIBLY CHANGING

SOME OF THESE STANDARDS. THE RESULTS OF THESE

[4:41] EFFORTS COULD POTENTIALLY MAKE IT EASIER AND LESS

COSTLY TO START A SMALL BUSINESS IN BLOOMINGTON.

[4:47] THE STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS WE TALKED

ABOUT WEREN’T ANYTHING BIG OR FANCY;

[4:51] IT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY MUNDANE ITEMS INCLUDING

EXTERIOR BUILDING MATERIALS, PARKING AND LOADING,

[4:57] ROOFTOP EQUIPMENT SCREENING, TRASH AND RECYCLING

STORAGE, ODOR CONTROL, AND GREASE INTERCEPTORS.

[5:05] NOTHING ON THAT LIST MAY JUMP OUT AT YOU, UNLESS

YOU’RE AN ENTREPRENEUR TRYING TO GET YOUR SMALL

[5:09] BUSINESS OPEN. THE COUNCIL AND STAFF HAVE BEEN

WORKING HARD TO FIND WAYS TO MAKE BLOOMINGTON MORE

[5:14] SMALL BUSINESS FRIENDLY AND THESE PROTENTAIL

CODE CHANGES ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT.

[5:19] THE LIST OF ITEMS DISCUSSED MIGHT ALSO

JUMP OUT AT YOU IF YOU’RE THE OWNER OR

[5:24] RESIDENT OF A NEIGHBORING PROPERTY THAT

COULD BE IMPACTED BY THESE CHANGES.

[5:28] THE TRICK OF COURSE, IS TO BALANCE THE POTENTIAL

BENEFITS TO SMALL BUSINESS WITH ANY POTENTIAL

[5:33] NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND

WELFARE OF THE LARGER COMMUNITY. AS YOU MIGHT

[5:39] EXPECT, THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS, AND THOSE

CONSIDERATIONS VARY GREATLY FROM SITE TO SITE

[5:44] AND BUSINESS TO BUSINESS. THERE IS CERTAINLY

A DESIRE TO HELP ENTREPRENEURS, BUT THE CITY

[5:50] ALSO NEEDS TO PROTECT PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE OR

LIMIT NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES.

[5:56] THAT’S WHY THERE HAS BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE

A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ON THIS

[6:01] TOPIC. THE PLANNING COMMISSION PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED

THIS INFORMATION AND WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING IN

[6:05] MARCH, AND THE CITY COUNCIL HAS A PUBLIC HEARING

TENTATIVELY SET FOR APRIL. AND OF COURSE, YOU CAN

[6:11] LEARN MORE AND WEIGH IN AT LET’S TALK BLOOMINGTON.

THAT WILL DO IT FOR THIS WEEKS COUNCIL MINUTE.

[6:16] THANKS FOR JOINING ME TODAY. UNTIL

NEXT TIME, STAY SAFE BLOOMINGTON.