00:00:23.567 --> 00:00:31.033 Let’s go ahead and call the meeting to order. Thank you. 00:00:31.033 --> 00:00:34.934 Ready? Montero if we can call the meeting to order. Council 00:00:34.934 --> 00:00:39.867 member Erickson. I think he just stepped out. OK, Council 00:00:39.867 --> 00:00:45.734 members young. Council member Klenowski. Mayor Winston, 00:00:45.734 --> 00:00:55.000 President. It Council member McGarvey. Remember Tran. Mayor 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:58.367 Winston, you have a quorum. Am I right? Thank you. So I know 00:00:58.367 --> 00:01:02.266 the first item is going to be the animal control facility 00:01:02.266 --> 00:01:15.467 final decision. We have Chief Mark Brewley. Good evening, 00:01:15.467 --> 00:01:18.734 Mayor Winston, Council members, Police Chief Mark Rui, quick 00:01:18.734 --> 00:01:21.467 presentation to recap where we’re at and the request for 00:01:21.467 --> 00:01:25.500 action on, uh, the Brooklyn Park Animal Control facility. 00:01:25.500 --> 00:01:33.100 Uh, a recap. Let’s move this other way quick. Uh, recap how 00:01:33.100 --> 00:01:37.834 we got here is, uh, starting back in 1991, we joined a 00:01:37.834 --> 00:01:41.233 consortium under a joint powers agreement with uh a facility 00:01:41.233 --> 00:01:45.367 called PUPs. It’s owned by the city of Maple Grove. It’s, uh, 00:01:45.367 --> 00:01:48.367 my joint powers agreement with, uh, multiple other cities that 00:01:48.367 --> 00:01:52.734 you can see there, um, and we all of us use that facility 00:01:52.734 --> 00:01:57.000 under this agreement for our animals and part of that is we 00:01:57.000 --> 00:02:02.300 have a cost sharing, so we share based on our usage. 00:02:02.300 --> 00:02:06.100 Currently, the animal control facility, um, is overpopulated, 00:02:06.100 --> 00:02:11.000 no longer serves us and quite honestly needs significant 00:02:11.000 --> 00:02:14.100 improvement, um, quite a bit, uh, of the board members had 00:02:14.100 --> 00:02:16.834 discussions about this over the last 18 months and landed on 00:02:16.834 --> 00:02:19.634 the point that it needed to be rehabbed and expanded to keep 00:02:19.634 --> 00:02:24.467 up with the needs, uh, of the facility. Um, Brooklyn Park 00:02:24.467 --> 00:02:28.500 contributes 44% of all the animals who were almost 50% of 00:02:28.500 --> 00:02:32.834 the usage of the facility, um, and again, it needs an 00:02:32.834 --> 00:02:35.133 expansion and improvements because the building is very 00:02:35.133 --> 00:02:38.567 dated, has not been updated, and does not meet staffing 00:02:38.567 --> 00:02:44.467 needs. Uh, we, uh, had a, the board, uh, over the JPA had a 00:02:44.467 --> 00:02:48.734 facility study conducted. It came back in, um, talked about 00:02:48.734 --> 00:02:53.567 the needs of approximately between 5.5 and $7.5 million to 00:02:53.567 --> 00:02:57.834 get the facility where it needs to be. Um, we would, uh, under 00:02:57.834 --> 00:03:02.634 that JPA be responsible for 44% of that, which is about 3.2 00:03:02.634 --> 00:03:06.367 million, really close, um, also our operating costs would be 00:03:06.367 --> 00:03:10.734 going from about 106,000 to $195,000 a year. that we would 00:03:10.734 --> 00:03:14.500 have an increase, uh, in operating cost. Uh, just to 00:03:14.500 --> 00:03:19.233 back up one, bit. So, um, when we first had this conversation 00:03:19.233 --> 00:03:23.000 about the 3.2 million that Brooklyn Park would have to 00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:25.800 contribute to this improvement that did not include, um, what 00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:29.400 recently happened, which is Champlain exit out of the JPA, 00:03:29.400 --> 00:03:32.367 meaning we will have to share cost Champlain’s portion of 00:03:32.367 --> 00:03:36.834 that, so we know the number is, uh, larger than 3.2 million 00:03:36.834 --> 00:03:43.900 that Brooklyn Park is responsible for. Um The, uh, 00:03:43.900 --> 00:03:46.900 one of thing just to consider that this is a building this 00:03:46.900 --> 00:03:51.834 investment of funds would be um investment into uh a building 00:03:51.834 --> 00:03:54.533 owned by the city of Maple Grove, meaning it would be a 00:03:54.533 --> 00:03:57.100 capital improvement of a facility in Maple Grove if we 00:03:57.100 --> 00:04:00.300 choose to get out or if quite honestly Maple Grove chooses 00:04:00.300 --> 00:04:04.033 not to have us no longer as a partner, um, they could remove 00:04:04.033 --> 00:04:07.767 us from the GPA, um, through the agreement, and we would 00:04:07.767 --> 00:04:11.734 have lost that investment of 3 plus $3.2 million into their 00:04:11.734 --> 00:04:18.734 facility. That brought us to the city’s uh council’s 00:04:18.734 --> 00:04:21.367 interest, all of your interests to look at options to have it 00:04:21.367 --> 00:04:25.100 built in the city of Brooklyn Park. We had vetted many 00:04:25.100 --> 00:04:27.634 different options of buildings owned by the city owned by the 00:04:27.634 --> 00:04:31.300 EDA, uh, potential attached in the fire department and all of 00:04:31.300 --> 00:04:35.467 that landed on the city’s culture interest to have it at 00:04:35.467 --> 00:04:38.166 the police department, um, where people already 00:04:38.166 --> 00:04:41.500 continuously come to look for their dogs when we pick them up 00:04:41.500 --> 00:04:44.834 and we would attach this facility to the North building 00:04:44.834 --> 00:04:48.300 here on our city camp. And as this map would show, this was a 00:04:48.300 --> 00:04:51.266 part of a feasibility study, um, that the council’s already seen 00:04:51.266 --> 00:04:54.233 a work session, but it shows the community that it would be 00:04:54.233 --> 00:04:57.900 added on to the south half of our building, uh, the parking 00:04:57.900 --> 00:05:01.667 would be expanded out, which is also um a secondary concern 00:05:01.667 --> 00:05:05.367 that we have is we are out of parking for our staff and 00:05:05.367 --> 00:05:08.100 vehicles, um, and are having a real parking issue so this 00:05:08.100 --> 00:05:10.300 would expand the parking because the parking has to be 00:05:10.300 --> 00:05:13.467 moved anyway and then that area on the left is the visitor 00:05:13.467 --> 00:05:16.567 parking, um, and there’s the potential to not. necessarily 00:05:16.567 --> 00:05:21.533 need that if the CAC project, um, continues forward, we 00:05:21.533 --> 00:05:23.200 likely could need that space and we’ll save some money that 00:05:23.200 --> 00:05:27.533 way. So the cost projection again, this is a feasibility 00:05:27.533 --> 00:05:31.033 study so this was an architect that really gave us best guess 00:05:31.033 --> 00:05:33.834 based on real information on space, location, um, and what 00:05:33.834 --> 00:05:37.467 they knew at the time we uh encouraged them and they agreed 00:05:37.467 --> 00:05:41.800 based on this that we should really um shoot high so that uh 00:05:41.800 --> 00:05:44.033 the council knows that this is really worst case scenario. 00:05:44.033 --> 00:05:47.500 Again, we already identified if we could save that parking lot. 00:05:47.500 --> 00:05:51.000 Those are about $10,000 apiece for each parking space, um, so 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:54.100 we will be looking to have cost but the truth is, uh, the worst 00:05:54.100 --> 00:05:55.567 case scenario on the low range. 00:05:55.567 --> 00:05:59.100 is 5.2 million to 6.3 million to add this facility onto the 00:05:59.100 --> 00:06:03.667 North Building. And again, just to recap uh right here that 00:06:03.667 --> 00:06:07.300 this is a, this is the feasibility we are now with 00:06:07.300 --> 00:06:10.033 this council’s uh approval would be moving to actual 00:06:10.033 --> 00:06:13.367 drafting and costing out the project and and looking at what 00:06:13.367 --> 00:06:15.900 the real heart cost would be. 00:06:15.900 --> 00:06:18.767 Uh, so we’re really the next steps we’re here requesting 00:06:18.767 --> 00:06:20.734 councils to vote on the withdrawal from the joint 00:06:20.734 --> 00:06:24.400 powers agreement. I’ve already spoken with Maple Grove that um 00:06:24.400 --> 00:06:27.634 they’re absolutely gonna allow us to stay as long as we need 00:06:27.634 --> 00:06:30.834 to under the current agreement to continue to house our 00:06:30.834 --> 00:06:33.000 animals there until our facility is up and running and 00:06:33.000 --> 00:06:36.734 we’re able to make the transfer, uh, but the, the vote would 00:06:36.734 --> 00:06:39.900 allow us to enter an agreement with them to exit the joint 00:06:39.900 --> 00:06:43.767 powers agreement and not be responsible for the 44% of the 00:06:43.767 --> 00:06:46.834 improvements and only to extend our lease uh as long as. We 00:06:46.834 --> 00:06:49.734 need to, to build our facility and get it ready. Uh, I also 00:06:49.734 --> 00:06:51.900 need you to vote on the approval of the North Precinct 00:06:51.900 --> 00:06:54.500 condition that we’re going to go ahead and move this on to, 00:06:54.500 --> 00:06:57.634 um, the next phase, which is the drafting and costing of the 00:06:57.634 --> 00:07:00.734 project, uh, and decisions on these are the reason we’re here 00:07:00.734 --> 00:07:05.500 tonight is the JP agreement is due on July 25th. The board is 00:07:05.500 --> 00:07:07.900 meeting on July 25th, and we need to have an answer whether 00:07:07.900 --> 00:07:11.033 we’re staying in the JPA or exit in the JPA with Maple 00:07:11.033 --> 00:07:14.734 Grove and all the other cities with that I will stand for any 00:07:14.734 --> 00:07:28.767 questions you might have. Any questions? From council members. 00:07:28.767 --> 00:07:31.734 I know we’ve discussed this extensively, so. There may not 00:07:31.734 --> 00:07:36.500 be a ton of questions, so. 00:07:36.500 --> 00:07:41.834 Maybe you’re just that convincing, Chief, really. Um, 00:07:41.834 --> 00:07:47.734 Does anybody care to make a motion? OK Johnsonembowski. 00:07:47.734 --> 00:07:50.467 Thank you, Mayor. And thank you, Chief Burley and team for all 00:07:50.467 --> 00:07:56.367 the work on this. Like to waive the reading and adopt 00:07:56.367 --> 00:07:59.400 resolution 2025 to approve the expansion of the Brooklyn Park 00:07:59.400 --> 00:08:03.100 Police Department, North Precinct to accommodate an 00:08:03.100 --> 00:08:04.800 animal control facility and withdraw from the joint powers 00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:07.367 agreement with the City of Maple Grove for pets under 00:08:07.367 --> 00:08:14.000 police security. All right, the motion was made by Commissioner 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:17.300 Klinowski, seconded by Commissioner Zheng, uh, all 00:08:17.300 --> 00:08:25.734 those in favor say aye. I, any nas? OK. Any abstentions? All 00:08:25.734 --> 00:08:31.100 right, the eyes have it. All right. So next, we’re gonna go 00:08:31.100 --> 00:08:35.934 move to Uh, the request by myself to travel to Brooklyn 00:08:35.934 --> 00:08:40.033 Park’s sister cities in Liberia and Nigeria, August 17th 00:08:40.033 --> 00:08:56.033 through 25th, 2025. Good evening, Mayor Winston, members 00:08:56.033 --> 00:08:58.000 of council Jtro city manager here in the City of Brooklyn 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:03.533 Park. Um, I’m here before you to continue the conversation 00:09:03.533 --> 00:09:06.734 that started last week at the city council meeting with 00:09:06.734 --> 00:09:12.734 regard to a potential uh sister city visits, um, in August. So 00:09:12.734 --> 00:09:18.033 just as a bit of background, um, well, walk through for folks um 00:09:18.033 --> 00:09:20.734 who may not have seen some of the background about our Sister 00:09:20.734 --> 00:09:24.033 C program just briefly walk through that. The opportunity 00:09:24.033 --> 00:09:28.100 that’s before the council this evening, uh, potential schedule, 00:09:28.100 --> 00:09:31.834 some cost considerations, some updates of um based on 00:09:31.834 --> 00:09:33.634 conversations that have taken place over the last week and 00:09:33.634 --> 00:09:38.400 then a little bit on the value of this uh type of trip and 00:09:38.400 --> 00:09:43.567 then questions that the council might have. Um, again, this is 00:09:43.567 --> 00:09:45.767 a repeat from last week, but for our community members that 00:09:45.767 --> 00:09:50.567 may not have seen it, um, we do have, um, a sister city of 00:09:50.567 --> 00:09:54.233 formal sort of process and approach that we use when we 00:09:54.233 --> 00:09:59.166 form Sister City relationships that started back in 2019, um, 00:09:59.166 --> 00:10:02.367 this is, uh, a presentation or pulled from a presentation that 00:10:02.367 --> 00:10:07.200 we, um, city staff made to city council back in 2023, really 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:10.767 talking about some of the objectives around a sister city 00:10:10.767 --> 00:10:14.467 relationship in turn, in terms of economic development 00:10:14.467 --> 00:10:16.133 opportunities increasing community awareness of some of 00:10:16.133 --> 00:10:21.000 those, um, sister cities in the countries that they reside in, 00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:24.634 um, opportunities for residents, uh, sharing best practices 00:10:24.634 --> 00:10:28.367 among the local government and then developing education, 00:10:28.367 --> 00:10:31.634 cultural and people exchanges. 00:10:31.634 --> 00:10:36.000 In terms of the sister cities that um Brooklyn Park has has 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:39.033 had or considered, uh, Brooklyn Park at one time, I don’t know 00:10:39.033 --> 00:10:41.934 the exact dates, used to have a sister city relationship with 00:10:41.934 --> 00:10:47.166 Maitland, Australia. Uh, the most, the longest serving or 00:10:47.166 --> 00:10:50.467 the longest um term sister city relationship is with Kakata, 00:10:50.467 --> 00:10:54.567 Liberia, um, established back in 2012. Um, the council did 00:10:54.567 --> 00:10:59.467 consider back in 2019, a sister city relationship with Garraway 00:10:59.467 --> 00:11:03.233 Somalia that was ultimately not consummated by both, uh, 00:11:03.233 --> 00:11:06.367 parties, um, and then more recently in the last few years 00:11:06.367 --> 00:11:09.734 have formed Sister City relationships with Banjoel in 00:11:09.734 --> 00:11:13.233 The Gambia and then Udu, the local government area in 00:11:13.233 --> 00:11:18.634 Nigeria. And as I mentioned previously, um, the city 00:11:18.634 --> 00:11:21.300 council sort of formalized the process and the criteria for 00:11:21.300 --> 00:11:27.734 establishing a sister city relationships back in 2019. In 00:11:27.734 --> 00:11:32.000 terms of the opportunity, um, the mayor and his wife will be 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:35.400 traveling to Nigeria in the middle of August, um, these 00:11:35.400 --> 00:11:39.634 plans were solidified in late June. Um, there is, um, Part of 00:11:39.634 --> 00:11:44.767 the Situation here is that um the horrific murders of the 00:11:44.767 --> 00:11:46.900 Hortmans and the shootings of the Hoffmans was a factor in 00:11:46.900 --> 00:11:52.367 terms of Delaying in terms of exactly uh the finalizing those 00:11:52.367 --> 00:11:57.033 plans, um, the airfare from, uh, Minneapolis to Lagos, Nigeria 00:11:57.033 --> 00:12:01.300 is at the personal expense of of the of the mayor and his 00:12:01.300 --> 00:12:05.033 family. Um, and so the question that was posed to the city 00:12:05.033 --> 00:12:08.867 council was since the mayor’s going to be in West Africa. 00:12:08.867 --> 00:12:13.166 Could the city uh support any visits to our sister cities or 00:12:13.166 --> 00:12:16.767 perhaps um one of the questions that’s been posed to me has 00:12:16.767 --> 00:12:21.100 been, um, what if it was only a City trip uh within Nigeria. 00:12:21.100 --> 00:12:25.000 And again, please note we recognize that the time horizon 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:29.100 for this trip has been compressed, um, and it was 00:12:29.100 --> 00:12:35.567 somewhat impacted by those tragedies in mid June. Um The 00:12:35.567 --> 00:12:38.734 original estimates from last week in terms of high range 00:12:38.734 --> 00:12:42.200 estimates from last week was about $9500 in travel expenses 00:12:42.200 --> 00:12:45.634 for the mayor and city manager to visit sister cities in 00:12:45.634 --> 00:12:48.300 Nigeria and Liberia, um, that does not include any 00:12:48.300 --> 00:12:51.233 consideration relative to, to gifts. Those are just travel 00:12:51.233 --> 00:12:55.400 expenses. Um, if we were to look at something more specific 00:12:55.400 --> 00:12:58.467 to Nigeria specifically, um, I have polled, uh, information in 00:12:58.467 --> 00:13:01.734 the next slide around that. Uh, my understanding is that the 00:13:01.734 --> 00:13:04.834 mayor, um, would still have an interest in. And visiting 00:13:04.834 --> 00:13:09.233 Liberia, um, but may, uh, but would not use sister would not 00:13:09.233 --> 00:13:12.934 use city resources if that were the case. So if we look at a 00:13:12.934 --> 00:13:19.834 potential schedule for Nigeria only. Um, from Lagos, uh, to a 00:13:19.834 --> 00:13:24.100 saba Aaba is the essentially the capital city of Delta State 00:13:24.100 --> 00:13:27.300 and uh Delta State is the state where our sister city is 00:13:27.300 --> 00:13:32.567 located, um, Udu. And um there would be meetings on Monday, 00:13:32.567 --> 00:13:37.000 August 18th, um, with Delta State governor and other 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:39.567 officials, um, they’re in Asaba. 00:13:39.567 --> 00:13:43.000 There would be driving from Osaba to Udu, um, and then 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:46.266 spending the rest of the day with Udu officials in our 00:13:46.266 --> 00:13:50.767 sister city. Um, and then finally flying back from Ware 00:13:50.767 --> 00:13:55.834 to Lagos, um, on Wednesday, August 20th, um, for this type 00:13:55.834 --> 00:14:03.734 of um reduced or this type of schedule in Nigeria, um, the 00:14:03.734 --> 00:14:08.367 potential costs specific to airfare would be about $200 for 00:14:08.367 --> 00:14:11.667 those two one-way flights from Lagos to Ossaba and then Ware 00:14:11.667 --> 00:14:16.934 back to Lagos, um, hotels for 3 nights, um, please know that, 00:14:16.934 --> 00:14:20.767 you know, potentially the hotel costs or the lodging costs, uh, 00:14:20.767 --> 00:14:25.033 may be reduced, um, depending on if, uh, the merit were to be 00:14:25.033 --> 00:14:28.166 hosted, so the, the potential cost for lodging. could be 00:14:28.166 --> 00:14:30.567 significantly reduced, we just don’t have that detail at this 00:14:30.567 --> 00:14:37.166 time. Uh, meal and travel per diem cost could be um for 4 00:14:37.166 --> 00:14:41.467 days would be approximately $145. 1 thing, as I mentioned 00:14:41.467 --> 00:14:44.200 last week, was that if the council did want to request it, 00:14:44.200 --> 00:14:50.000 that it could be, um. Meal expenses could be based on a 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:54.233 receipt, uh, basis and so the cost per day could be less than 00:14:54.233 --> 00:14:58.233 $145 if requested. And then potential supplemental council 00:14:58.233 --> 00:15:03.300 pay if requested. Um, with council approval would be 00:15:03.300 --> 00:15:09.400 approximately $200 total for 4 days at $50 per day. Um, so for 00:15:09.400 --> 00:15:13.100 potential total of up to $1580. 00:15:13.100 --> 00:15:17.166 Again, um, The, the cost for the flights could fluctuate, 00:15:17.166 --> 00:15:20.467 but in looking at those a couple times here the last week, 00:15:20.467 --> 00:15:24.166 um, they’ve been fairly stable. 00:15:24.166 --> 00:15:28.667 Uh, in terms of additional cost considerations, um, for Sister 00:15:28.667 --> 00:15:31.867 City visits, we typically do have some small exchange of 00:15:31.867 --> 00:15:35.000 gifts, um, at times we’ve been given a really beautiful pieces 00:15:35.000 --> 00:15:39.767 of art, um, at times, you know, it’s more smaller trinkets, um, 00:15:39.767 --> 00:15:43.934 we have historically given things like our city flag, um, 00:15:43.934 --> 00:15:48.166 scarves and other branded small cost items, um, based on the 00:15:48.166 --> 00:15:50.500 the council conversation last week. Um, I think that that 00:15:50.500 --> 00:15:53.166 would probably be the path that I would recommend at this stage, 00:15:53.166 --> 00:15:55.100 something along those lines. 00:15:55.100 --> 00:16:00.500 and then as a reminder, there was uh $30,000 allocated in the 00:16:00.500 --> 00:16:05.367 2025 budget related to a sister city trade trip. Um, in terms 00:16:05.367 --> 00:16:08.533 of an update or a number of updates since our last meeting 00:16:08.533 --> 00:16:11.300 last Monday, there have been a number of continued 00:16:11.300 --> 00:16:15.500 conversations. As I mentioned previously, um, you know, we 00:16:15.500 --> 00:16:19.667 expect, uh, meetings with the Delta State governor and U do 00:16:19.667 --> 00:16:22.467 local government officials in Asaba, Nigeria, and then 00:16:22.467 --> 00:16:25.734 additional meetings and tour of the Udu local government area 00:16:25.734 --> 00:16:30.467 in Nigeria. Um, one of the conversations um that we had on 00:16:30.467 --> 00:16:36.800 Tuesday of this last week and then he followed up with a Uh, 00:16:36.800 --> 00:16:40.000 communication on Thursday was from, um, The executive 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:46.100 director of Minnesota Africans United, uh, Basil Ajo, um, uh, 00:16:46.100 --> 00:16:49.567 that organization actually is involved in a specific project 00:16:49.567 --> 00:16:52.266 um called the Minnesota Africa Connection Commerce, Trade and 00:16:52.266 --> 00:16:57.266 Foreign Affairs. And they have received um financial 00:16:57.266 --> 00:17:01.300 assistance to really try to bridge some of the gaps between 00:17:01.300 --> 00:17:05.634 Minnesota and Africa and specifically Liberia and 00:17:05.634 --> 00:17:10.400 Nigeria or two of the countries, um, that he had highlighted of 00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:13.634 the countries within Africa that they’re focused on. And so, 00:17:13.634 --> 00:17:18.500 um, it’s a really good conversation with Brazil and he 00:17:18.500 --> 00:17:21.567 is also subsequently um reached out to the State Department. He 00:17:21.567 --> 00:17:26.467 has a contacts there. And has reached out to them in terms of 00:17:26.467 --> 00:17:30.734 uh potentially for setting up a business visits, um, with the 00:17:30.734 --> 00:17:34.533 ambassadors and consulate generals, um, in Nigeria and 00:17:34.533 --> 00:17:38.734 potentially Liberia as well, depending on where the 00:17:38.734 --> 00:17:42.100 conversation goes, um, last week, Council member Erickson 00:17:42.100 --> 00:17:45.634 mentioned this concept, this idea of a student exchange, um, 00:17:45.634 --> 00:17:49.634 so I did reach out to, uh, Northam Community College 00:17:49.634 --> 00:17:54.367 president, uh, Rolando Garcia, um, he talked about. when he 00:17:54.367 --> 00:18:00.033 was, uh, in a leadership role in the community college in 00:18:00.033 --> 00:18:05.367 South Florida that, um, he had his college then, Brown College, 00:18:05.367 --> 00:18:10.367 had a number of um, Relationships with outposts 00:18:10.367 --> 00:18:14.000 across the globe and really warmed up to this idea that was 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:18.767 suggested in terms of some kind of um sister city. Uh, forming 00:18:18.767 --> 00:18:22.500 Sister City education partners, uh, potentially in the cities 00:18:22.500 --> 00:18:26.800 or in the countries that we’re highlighting, um. And then 00:18:26.800 --> 00:18:29.100 potentially offering online courses and our support for 00:18:29.100 --> 00:18:32.300 student visas kind of both directions, um, as a starting 00:18:32.300 --> 00:18:34.634 point, so I just want to provide an update based on that. 00:18:34.634 --> 00:18:40.033 Suggestion made by council member Eriksson, um, I also 00:18:40.033 --> 00:18:44.300 wanted to highlight, um, with regard to Liberia, we have been 00:18:44.300 --> 00:18:47.634 working closely with OLA, executive director Kamari Dion, 00:18:47.634 --> 00:18:50.233 uh, in terms of, uh, potential. 00:18:50.233 --> 00:18:56.033 Um, opportunities of connection there, and he, um, has been in 00:18:56.033 --> 00:19:00.934 contact with the Kakata Maoribo, um, and is expecting a formal 00:19:00.934 --> 00:19:03.634 invitation, possibly soon and providing some recommendations 00:19:03.634 --> 00:19:07.867 on lodging as well. Um, one note that I left off of here, 00:19:07.867 --> 00:19:13.233 um, is the Chief Brewley has also been in contact with the 00:19:13.233 --> 00:19:17.567 Liberian national police chief, um, and, um, if any type of 00:19:17.567 --> 00:19:21.400 excursion were to happen to Liberia, would be. Supporting 00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:25.533 both um from a security standpoint, but then also in 00:19:25.533 --> 00:19:27.667 terms of potential uh meetings with any federal officials as 00:19:27.667 --> 00:19:33.467 well. And then finally, I’d mentioned last week that we had 00:19:33.467 --> 00:19:36.166 previously had conversations, um, that Monday with the 00:19:36.166 --> 00:19:39.000 Minnesota Department of Employment Economic Development 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:41.567 Trade Office and previously with the Minnesota Department 00:19:41.567 --> 00:19:44.800 of Agriculture, um, we still expect them to send the 00:19:44.800 --> 00:19:49.033 follow-up information that they, uh, we discussed. In terms of 00:19:49.033 --> 00:19:54.367 value, um. Uh, as it has been highlighted this evening. 00:19:54.367 --> 00:19:56.567 There’s clearly an educational, cultural, and relationship 00:19:56.567 --> 00:19:59.900 building component to a sister city relationships, um, but we 00:19:59.900 --> 00:20:02.300 also seek, and I know that this has been something that the 00:20:02.300 --> 00:20:05.500 council has been interested in and that we’ve heard from the 00:20:05.500 --> 00:20:08.834 community about in terms of what are some of those economic 00:20:08.834 --> 00:20:13.000 development opportunities for Brooklyn Park and our, um, 00:20:13.000 --> 00:20:16.233 sister cities cities and a host countries and so these are just 00:20:16.233 --> 00:20:20.000 a few of the things, um, that we’ve talked about the Nigerian 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:22.734 delegation has been very interested in Trying to find 00:20:22.734 --> 00:20:25.900 synergies, uh, again in some of the fields around medical, 00:20:25.900 --> 00:20:29.734 energy, water, agriculture, industrial, um, Nigeria is home 00:20:29.734 --> 00:20:33.367 to a population of over 300 million, so a very large 00:20:33.367 --> 00:20:37.567 country and one of the largest, if not the largest economy in 00:20:37.567 --> 00:20:41.400 Africa. Um, and then we continue to work with our city 00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:45.634 staff does work with our sister city host organizations and 00:20:45.634 --> 00:20:48.367 Minnesota Africans United and other organizations around 00:20:48.367 --> 00:20:53.033 possible business connections, so wanna make sure that. Point, 00:20:53.033 --> 00:20:55.734 um, and then just to highlight, I shared this last week, but 00:20:55.734 --> 00:21:01.667 there was a previous visit to Sister City, um, by Mayor Mundy 00:21:01.667 --> 00:21:05.867 Council member Rich Gates, city manager Rugie and fire chief, 00:21:05.867 --> 00:21:11.233 uh, back in 2012, um, in terms of how that was paid for, um. 00:21:11.233 --> 00:21:14.634 The mayor and customer paid for their travel and other expenses 00:21:14.634 --> 00:21:17.567 were covered by the city and the city paid for all expenses 00:21:17.567 --> 00:21:20.467 for the city manager. Um, but at that time there was only one 00:21:20.467 --> 00:21:24.233 sister city, so there’s no travel outside of of Liberia at 00:21:24.233 --> 00:21:27.567 that time, so. With that having to take any questions that the 00:21:27.567 --> 00:21:38.200 council might have. Uh council member Kowski. Thank you, Mayor. 00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:42.800 Um, thank you to the community for speaking out. We’ve had a 00:21:42.800 --> 00:21:47.634 lot of Emails, people speaking, both sides, and I think it’s 00:21:47.634 --> 00:21:50.800 great to have an engaged community. people coming out to 00:21:50.800 --> 00:21:54.200 share their opinions and their thoughts. It will, however, say 00:21:54.200 --> 00:21:57.867 that I I don’t love the position that we find ourselves 00:21:57.867 --> 00:22:01.734 in and had we had proper planning and communication from 00:22:01.734 --> 00:22:04.634 the get-go could have alleviated a lot of this. It’s 00:22:04.634 --> 00:22:07.233 a lesson that’s painful, but we learn it when we’re up here 00:22:07.233 --> 00:22:10.500 sometimes that and also a prevention really does work. 00:22:10.500 --> 00:22:13.934 I’ll also go on the record and say that most of the people up 00:22:13.934 --> 00:22:17.200 here are very supportive of engaging in our sister city 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:21.834 relationships. We find it to be impactful and meaningful. And I 00:22:21.834 --> 00:22:24.900 also want to say, For me personally, and I’m going to 00:22:24.900 --> 00:22:28.634 assume quite a few people up here too. It’s been really 00:22:28.634 --> 00:22:32.400 troubling to see the accusations against Um, 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:37.166 neighbor against neighbor. Um, Neighbors against our mayor. Um, 00:22:37.166 --> 00:22:40.934 there’s been some really horrible Rhetoric around this, 00:22:40.934 --> 00:22:41.900 that’s really heartbreaking. 00:22:41.900 --> 00:22:44.133 Brooklyn Park deserves better than that. We’re better than 00:22:44.133 --> 00:22:51.500 that as a city. And I will say that I Thank you. OK. All right, 00:22:51.500 --> 00:22:53.800 I usually cut everybody else, I guess so I got to do the same 00:22:53.800 --> 00:22:59.033 with this one too, so. I don’t often get cheers up here, so 00:22:59.033 --> 00:23:05.100 thank you. Um, I do want to say that, um, You know, I chose 00:23:05.100 --> 00:23:07.100 Brooklyn Park because of our diversity. I think it’s one of 00:23:07.100 --> 00:23:09.266 the best cities on the planet. 00:23:09.266 --> 00:23:13.500 I, I choose to be here and I wanted to step up and run for 00:23:13.500 --> 00:23:17.300 city office to help us get some of the resources that we all 00:23:17.300 --> 00:23:21.500 need and deserve, Tony. We deserve some of them, um, and 00:23:21.500 --> 00:23:25.166 I’ve had a great opportunity to work with this mayor and this 00:23:25.166 --> 00:23:28.467 council, and A lot of the things that have been said are 00:23:28.467 --> 00:23:31.634 really nasty. Um, I don’t question anyone’s intention in 00:23:31.634 --> 00:23:35.100 how this went down. I think it’s an unfortunate set of 00:23:35.100 --> 00:23:38.634 circumstances. And missing communication and also a 00:23:38.634 --> 00:23:40.367 terrible tragedy that did happen right in the middle of 00:23:40.367 --> 00:23:47.100 this. That is one thing. The other thing is, when we do 00:23:47.100 --> 00:23:50.300 these international visits and focus on delegation. We do owe 00:23:50.300 --> 00:23:53.467 it to our community here and the communities we’re visiting 00:23:53.467 --> 00:23:56.000 to do it properly and with intention and good planning. 00:23:56.000 --> 00:24:00.000 And I think we can all agree on that. With the proposal in here 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:04.934 to limit the The visits to Nigeria, I think that’s the 00:24:04.934 --> 00:24:08.467 right choice. That can be done properly in this shortened time 00:24:08.467 --> 00:24:10.634 frame to make sure that they’re meaningful trips and that our 00:24:10.634 --> 00:24:13.767 mayor is safe in his travels, which I know all of us were 00:24:13.767 --> 00:24:16.533 concerned about his safety traveling. And then I would 00:24:16.533 --> 00:24:20.200 also ask that If that’s what the council wants to do, that 00:24:20.200 --> 00:24:24.233 we also put on our agenda meaningful planning for 2026 00:24:24.233 --> 00:24:27.634 and what that looks like. So that we can do this the right 00:24:27.634 --> 00:24:30.467 way with our community leaders that are here in Brooklyn Park 00:24:30.467 --> 00:24:33.000 to make sure we’re doing this the right way too, and that it 00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:37.767 is engaging for both parties. I think that doing it with 00:24:37.767 --> 00:24:39.900 intention is always important. 00:24:39.900 --> 00:24:42.100 So that’s all I have to say and and that’s the proposal that I 00:24:42.100 --> 00:24:47.467 would make is to council. that we would approve the, the trip 00:24:47.467 --> 00:24:49.834 to Nigeria with the costs outlined here understanding 00:24:49.834 --> 00:24:54.367 that there would be some Potential changes, um, based on 00:24:54.367 --> 00:24:56.767 the agenda and also I would ask that the city would provide us 00:24:56.767 --> 00:24:59.667 with an agenda when it’s finalized, so we know what, 00:24:59.667 --> 00:25:01.900 what our mayor is doing and where he’s going to represent 00:25:01.900 --> 00:25:07.634 us. That’s not an official motion, but I can make it one. 00:25:07.634 --> 00:25:13.033 With the help of our attorney. 00:25:13.033 --> 00:25:16.934 Move to approve the travel limited to Nigeria as outlined 00:25:16.934 --> 00:25:25.400 in Council item packet 3.2 presented today. Uh, council 00:25:25.400 --> 00:25:29.533 member Glenal still has the floor. I believe I can make the 00:25:29.533 --> 00:25:33.000 motion and you can speak, um, it needs to get a second before 00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:38.100 it can be voted on. You, you can. Yep, you’ll be able to. 00:25:38.100 --> 00:25:41.266 We’ll make sure that you have a chance to speak to. Yes, if 00:25:41.266 --> 00:25:45.734 there were a second, there would still be an opportunity 00:25:45.734 --> 00:25:48.166 for debate amongst council members, so I put the motion on 00:25:48.166 --> 00:25:56.100 the floor if anyone cares to second it. OK. Made by Kaser 00:25:56.100 --> 00:25:59.300 Mkanowski, seconded by Council member Young. Because I’m 00:25:59.300 --> 00:26:15.467 trying. Thank you, Mayo. Um My, um, I have a question for uh 00:26:15.467 --> 00:26:27.900 City manager. If You are invited. Are you going to go on 00:26:27.900 --> 00:26:36.834 this trip. Mayor Winston, um, Councilor Tran under this 00:26:36.834 --> 00:26:41.634 proposal, you know, the, the support is specific to the 00:26:41.634 --> 00:26:47.467 mayor, um, so my plan is not to go, um, as part of this as part 00:26:47.467 --> 00:26:58.266 of this request. Um Yeah Just want to say that uh I believe 00:26:58.266 --> 00:27:07.133 that Uh This is not the good timing. Because, uh, the 00:27:07.133 --> 00:27:12.100 government have the physic. At on level and we just have a lot 00:27:12.100 --> 00:27:20.033 of uh disaster. A lot of people lose home. And um Even the 00:27:20.033 --> 00:27:27.000 insurance on go up, how insulin go up like 10 times. And I 00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:33.900 don’t think that we we have to prepare for the works. So, uh, 00:27:33.900 --> 00:27:40.767 On the budget very tightening, and recently, you see we have 00:27:40.767 --> 00:27:46.734 the um legislator being killed just because, you know, She 00:27:46.734 --> 00:27:48.233 wrote on the tightening budgets. 00:27:48.233 --> 00:27:56.834 Um It will come to the To the level We have to prepare for 00:27:56.834 --> 00:28:01.667 the works. Um, it’s not that I don’t support this because I 00:28:01.667 --> 00:28:05.900 believe that, you know, I want to support this by my personal 00:28:05.900 --> 00:28:10.867 fun, but not to you, the public fund. And I believe that, you 00:28:10.867 --> 00:28:19.467 know, I want to, um, I want to come for our resident whoever 00:28:19.467 --> 00:28:23.567 could please, um, you know, if you could donate something for 00:28:23.567 --> 00:28:30.000 my ya to bring to Africa. You could But not, I believe that 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:37.467 not all of us can do that, but we appreciate because um. On 00:28:37.467 --> 00:28:41.200 the 3rd world country, we are not good here, but You know, 00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:46.467 over there, people even uh very terrible life. So if we could 00:28:46.467 --> 00:28:54.133 tell them, We should However, to this trip, I, I don’t 00:28:54.133 --> 00:28:58.367 support because I have to take up the uh Brooklyn Park 00:28:58.367 --> 00:28:59.834 resident first prioritize them. 00:28:59.834 --> 00:29:06.300 So I support by my personal fun, but not by the public fund. And 00:29:06.300 --> 00:29:11.266 uh that’s it. Um, I just want to say before I vote. Thank you. 00:29:11.266 --> 00:29:26.100 Councilor Page. Thank you, Mayor. Oh, here we are, right? 00:29:26.100 --> 00:29:29.400 Um, I don’t. Know how we got here that we thought it was 00:29:29.400 --> 00:29:34.033 this side against this side, um, the things that are being said 00:29:34.033 --> 00:29:37.367 online is not really how we should govern, um, but I want 00:29:37.367 --> 00:29:41.634 to address some of those statements. I think it is 00:29:41.634 --> 00:29:44.767 absolutely, um, awful, the things that are said about our 00:29:44.767 --> 00:29:48.467 mayor, I think that the trips are necessary. I think it’s 00:29:48.467 --> 00:29:53.867 been far too long. I think we do have to have um. More 00:29:53.867 --> 00:29:56.934 conversations about this. When we were voting last week, it 00:29:56.934 --> 00:30:00.767 wasn’t about going. It was, do you approve the trip and how 00:30:00.767 --> 00:30:03.900 much is it going to cost? 00:30:03.900 --> 00:30:07.867 What’s the policy? How much will it be? What’s going to 00:30:07.867 --> 00:30:10.367 happen? And now we hurried, hurried, hurried, and we didn’t 00:30:10.367 --> 00:30:12.533 have any of that information. 00:30:12.533 --> 00:30:17.266 So we basically last week had a blank check. I support 00:30:17.266 --> 00:30:22.166 everything, but we have no new information today than what we 00:30:22.166 --> 00:30:29.567 had last week. Our sister cities deserve. Proper planning 00:30:29.567 --> 00:30:32.767 A larger budget, and I think he should spend more time there 00:30:32.767 --> 00:30:35.767 with our sister cities. This time frame could have been 00:30:35.767 --> 00:30:40.233 solved. I know that the council members talk about this, and I 00:30:40.233 --> 00:30:43.467 know some of you didn’t talk to me at all, not at all, and I 00:30:43.467 --> 00:30:47.133 would have supported all of this, but we have different 00:30:47.133 --> 00:30:51.100 ways of going about things and that’s OK, but I have talked to 00:30:51.100 --> 00:30:56.834 everyone. Except for two people and we all agree how important 00:30:56.834 --> 00:30:59.667 this is. I also want to say I believe in the character of our 00:30:59.667 --> 00:31:04.233 mayor. I believe in his vision and I believe what he wants to 00:31:04.233 --> 00:31:09.100 do for Brooklyn Park, but the vote was for the travel and the 00:31:09.100 --> 00:31:11.634 expenses was last week, so I’m gonna say this just so I don’t 00:31:11.634 --> 00:31:15.367 miss anything. I want to first thank our city staff. The work 00:31:15.367 --> 00:31:18.734 you do is invaluable. It’s difficult, it’s often hurried, 00:31:18.734 --> 00:31:23.533 it’s overwhelming. We have tragedies happening. We have 00:31:23.533 --> 00:31:28.166 immediate needs. So for that, I think the city staff as council, 00:31:28.166 --> 00:31:31.900 we’re strongest when we lead with open communication. This 00:31:31.900 --> 00:31:36.166 is an example there was not open communication here. There 00:31:36.166 --> 00:31:40.200 was confusion, however, for the most part, I feel there’s 00:31:40.200 --> 00:31:43.834 mutual respect, and I think we all share in the responsibility 00:31:43.834 --> 00:31:49.000 for the people of Brooklyn Park to give clear. Explanations as 00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:52.233 to what we’re doing. These values are guiding our work and 00:31:52.233 --> 00:31:56.100 they build the trust for all of us, the minute somebody said 00:31:56.100 --> 00:31:59.900 that our mayor was shady, I was offended. Our mayor is not 00:31:59.900 --> 00:32:03.900 shady. But when we don’t have the full picture, no matter who 00:32:03.900 --> 00:32:07.767 you are, we start to question everything. That’s the problem 00:32:07.767 --> 00:32:11.033 that we have today. It’s not that anybody did anything wrong. 00:32:11.033 --> 00:32:15.200 It’s just we tried to do too much at once. So I’m not here 00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:20.467 to assign blame. I do not believe this is about race. I 00:32:20.467 --> 00:32:24.233 love this trip idea. I love everything about it except for 00:32:24.233 --> 00:32:26.567 the planning for the partnership and for the process. 00:32:26.567 --> 00:32:30.033 Again, I’m gonna say I believe in the mayor’s vision, his 00:32:30.033 --> 00:32:32.767 dedication to Brooklyn Park, absolutely. I recognize the 00:32:32.767 --> 00:32:36.033 value of building these relationships, but the 00:32:36.033 --> 00:32:40.266 relationships start here. A simple email or phone call 00:32:40.266 --> 00:32:43.133 would have solved a lot of these problems and we didn’t 00:32:43.133 --> 00:32:47.166 get that. So here we are assuming, trying to figure out 00:32:47.166 --> 00:32:51.200 who’s on what side, and I’ve seen us all actually on the 00:32:51.200 --> 00:32:56.834 same side. But in social media, we’ve got all these people who 00:32:56.834 --> 00:32:59.934 are keyboard warriors that are just gonna don’t let them bring 00:32:59.934 --> 00:33:02.667 you down. This is our city. 00:33:02.667 --> 00:33:05.300 This is our narrative and it’s the problem right now with 00:33:05.300 --> 00:33:07.634 Brooklyn Park is we’re looking at each other going, you think 00:33:07.634 --> 00:33:10.200 this because of the way you look, you think this because of 00:33:10.200 --> 00:33:14.367 the way you look, that’s not fair. Every single person in 00:33:14.367 --> 00:33:17.100 this room took time out of their life. It’s the most 00:33:17.100 --> 00:33:21.367 valuable thing you’ll ever have is your time and you’re here to 00:33:21.367 --> 00:33:24.033 talk about a serious issue, and for that I want to. think 00:33:24.033 --> 00:33:26.934 everyone, no matter what you believe. I think it’s essential 00:33:26.934 --> 00:33:31.100 for us to ask questions to offer input to walk along our 00:33:31.100 --> 00:33:34.667 mayor, not behind him. I want a phone call. I want an email. I 00:33:34.667 --> 00:33:37.300 want a brief conversation. I want a smile. I want kindness 00:33:37.300 --> 00:33:40.734 when I walk in the door. None of us want to feel excluded, 00:33:40.734 --> 00:33:44.934 and that’s what’s happening right here. People don’t feel 00:33:44.934 --> 00:33:47.634 heard and we’re changing that in Brooklyn Park. That’s what 00:33:47.634 --> 00:33:50.734 we’re doing tonight is we’re saying, we hear you. I don’t 00:33:50.734 --> 00:33:53.000 know anyone who doesn’t value the trip, but I think we all 00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:56.200 value. information and transparency, and I know that’s 00:33:56.200 --> 00:34:00.500 a tough word, but I want to say directly to the mayor, you have 00:34:00.500 --> 00:34:04.166 incredible ideas. You have passion, you have vision. This 00:34:04.166 --> 00:34:07.767 trip is inspiring to me and to my family, but there is a way 00:34:07.767 --> 00:34:11.467 to communicate it and we’re not there and because of that, 00:34:11.467 --> 00:34:14.166 that’s why people are questioning this, and I say 00:34:14.166 --> 00:34:17.667 again, I would, I would, we have a $30,000 budget we keep 00:34:17.667 --> 00:34:20.567 talking about should be used for this, this is exactly what 00:34:20.567 --> 00:34:24.300 it should be used for. But let’s plan, let’s prepare. and 00:34:24.300 --> 00:34:25.900 let’s have the most amazing. 00:34:25.900 --> 00:34:31.233 Bridging Um, experience that we possibly can and let’s do it 00:34:31.233 --> 00:34:33.934 more often. Let’s not wait. 00:34:33.934 --> 00:34:36.200 Let’s not have all of this conversation and all these 00:34:36.200 --> 00:34:39.800 feelings when we all want the same thing, so with that I 00:34:39.800 --> 00:34:43.533 wanna say this is something that we can and should and 00:34:43.533 --> 00:34:46.166 continuously revisit. I think with the right groundwork and 00:34:46.166 --> 00:34:49.900 engagement, I would support this effort on a yearly or 00:34:49.900 --> 00:34:52.734 every other yearly basis, but right now I have to listen to 00:34:52.734 --> 00:34:56.367 the residents and I have to say I can’t vote for an open check. 00:34:56.367 --> 00:34:58.467 I need details. I need process. 00:34:58.467 --> 00:35:01.467 and I respect the process of the council, so I appreciate 00:35:01.467 --> 00:35:15.033 your time. Council member McGarvey. Thank you, Mayor. 00:35:15.033 --> 00:35:22.467 I’ll be brief. I just We’ll say that I do believe that, 00:35:22.467 --> 00:35:25.166 absolutely, it would have been nice. I mean, this, this all. 00:35:25.166 --> 00:35:30.500 came because of the compressed time. Uh, line along the 00:35:30.500 --> 00:35:35.800 arrangements of the originally proposed trip. Um, but there 00:35:35.800 --> 00:35:42.300 again, we were in the midst of dealing with Uh A catastrophe 00:35:42.300 --> 00:35:49.233 of national level. Uh, which Which All of the oxygen out of 00:35:49.233 --> 00:35:57.734 the room and uh Kind of led us to this point, I believe. With 00:35:57.734 --> 00:36:03.634 that said, um, I would, yeah, I would absolutely like to have 00:36:03.634 --> 00:36:10.033 more. Time to consider these these types of things and, and 00:36:10.033 --> 00:36:13.166 not disagreeing with anyone’s statements so far. I just 00:36:13.166 --> 00:36:20.634 believe that This The consideration of of of Limiting 00:36:20.634 --> 00:36:25.500 the travel to a place that the mayor is already going to be 00:36:25.500 --> 00:36:33.000 Makes a lot of sense. Um, I think it would be Just I know 00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:36.834 that people are excited. For our mayor to finally connect 00:36:36.834 --> 00:36:44.233 with Uh People, uh, and, and the governments of our sister 00:36:44.233 --> 00:36:47.367 cities, especially when they come, when many, many of our 00:36:47.367 --> 00:36:49.000 residents come from near there. 00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:55.867 Um, I get that, I get that. And so I’m, again, concur with 00:36:55.867 --> 00:37:00.734 council member Page. I’m all for this, uh, and I do believe 00:37:00.734 --> 00:37:05.667 that this is a an acceptable compromise. And I will be 00:37:05.667 --> 00:37:12.000 voting for it. It’s just what I wanted to say. Thank you. 00:37:12.000 --> 00:37:24.767 Council member Erikson. I think I want to start by echoing. 00:37:24.767 --> 00:37:29.166 Some of what my colleagues have said that Some of the emails 00:37:29.166 --> 00:37:34.400 we’ve received. used atrocious language to speak about their 00:37:34.400 --> 00:37:39.734 neighbors. Some of the emails came from people who have a 00:37:39.734 --> 00:37:42.467 personal vendetta against the mayor. And said terrible things 00:37:42.467 --> 00:37:48.367 about him as a person. Some of the emails. We’re based in a 00:37:48.367 --> 00:37:52.567 lack of information. And that’s partly our fault. Our job is to 00:37:52.567 --> 00:37:57.233 deliver the information, and we need to own that. Um Next thing 00:37:57.233 --> 00:38:01.767 I want to say is that I appreciate my colleagues 00:38:01.767 --> 00:38:08.100 working together to come up with a compromise plan. Um And 00:38:08.100 --> 00:38:09.734 I’m sure that there’s some people that are still going to 00:38:09.734 --> 00:38:13.634 be mad about it, but I think it’s a pretty common practice 00:38:13.634 --> 00:38:17.767 in the world. For people to tack a business visit onto a 00:38:17.767 --> 00:38:21.367 vacation or to tack a vacation onto a business visit. I’ve 00:38:21.367 --> 00:38:22.467 done it. My wife has done it. 00:38:22.467 --> 00:38:27.266 My dad’s done it. Lots of people do it. This is not a 00:38:27.266 --> 00:38:29.934 moral failure. This is an efficiency of something that’s 00:38:29.934 --> 00:38:33.867 already happening. And so I also will be voting in favor of 00:38:33.867 --> 00:38:42.266 this evening. So I guess I’ll say a few things just to, to 00:38:42.266 --> 00:38:48.500 clarify, um, You know, after we took the trip to Japan and, and, 00:38:48.500 --> 00:38:51.467 and, uh, actually Japan was a success. One of the businesses 00:38:51.467 --> 00:38:54.000 that’s here is going to really expand quite a bit and a lot of 00:38:54.000 --> 00:38:57.634 that has to go to our, our business relationship with them, 00:38:57.634 --> 00:39:01.567 and then I know Malcolm Hicks may have left earlier, um, but 00:39:01.567 --> 00:39:05.467 he’s been instrumental in kind of building this relationship 00:39:05.467 --> 00:39:09.567 with Japanese, um. Uh, organizations and businesses to 00:39:09.567 --> 00:39:11.767 see what we can do in Brooklyn Park. But I think after that 00:39:11.767 --> 00:39:15.467 trip, we kind of said, well, what can we do, um, because we 00:39:15.467 --> 00:39:18.467 have a large African heritage population in Brooklyn Park. We 00:39:18.467 --> 00:39:21.834 have a number of, uh, sister cities that are important to us 00:39:21.834 --> 00:39:23.300 there and we shopped it around. 00:39:23.300 --> 00:39:26.634 We shopped it around to the state. Um, and the state said, 00:39:26.634 --> 00:39:30.300 well, let’s make it a cultural mission, and I think looking at 00:39:30.300 --> 00:39:36.100 some of the uh folks of African heritage, uh. I guess, I guess 00:39:36.100 --> 00:39:42.500 it gets all mixed up. So, folks in the most recent diaspora. 00:39:42.500 --> 00:39:47.634 They’re business folks. So yeah, they want culturallyan exchange, 00:39:47.634 --> 00:39:51.033 but in some ways it’s disrespectful to tell people 00:39:51.033 --> 00:39:56.367 that all we see Africa is about is a cultural exchange. There’s 00:39:56.367 --> 00:40:01.166 a business portion to this. And so part of this was saying look, 00:40:01.166 --> 00:40:04.900 we’re not getting the support we need from other places. So 00:40:04.900 --> 00:40:07.100 we will take a trip over there. 00:40:07.100 --> 00:40:09.767 And then people said, well, you need to bring your wife for 00:40:09.767 --> 00:40:10.867 your first trip over there. 00:40:10.867 --> 00:40:13.000 That was literally what you got to bring her over there if 00:40:13.000 --> 00:40:16.734 you’re going to start these conversations. And then from 00:40:16.734 --> 00:40:21.133 there it grew into um further efficiencies when I notified 00:40:21.133 --> 00:40:23.934 city manager Strobel that, hey, we’re going to be visiting this 00:40:23.934 --> 00:40:26.467 place and this place. So I want make that very clear that we’re 00:40:26.467 --> 00:40:29.500 paying for our ticket there and we’re paying for our, we’re 00:40:29.500 --> 00:40:33.233 paying for our tickets there and our tickets back. And no 00:40:33.233 --> 00:40:37.033 dollars are going towards my um wife, even though people 00:40:37.033 --> 00:40:39.266 consistently want to bring this up and act like I’m going to be 00:40:39.266 --> 00:40:42.500 reimbursed for my tickets there and my ticket back. I haven’t 00:40:42.500 --> 00:40:45.467 asked for that. And my assumption was not that getting 00:40:45.467 --> 00:40:50.000 into this. I want to make that extremely clear, um, but my 00:40:50.000 --> 00:40:53.133 bride does, you know, have the right to attend some of these 00:40:53.133 --> 00:40:55.100 trips with me. I will say that. 00:40:55.100 --> 00:41:05.467 um, I want to make this clear to um To LIB Uh I will be going 00:41:05.467 --> 00:41:11.734 to um To Liberia. Uh, I’m not gonna go to, OK, we, uh, you 00:41:11.734 --> 00:41:15.467 know, I gotta keep it even. Got to keep it even. But I think, 00:41:15.467 --> 00:41:19.634 you know, I, I made that clear when I got into early into when 00:41:19.634 --> 00:41:22.000 I got elected. So I’m going to keep that. I will be going and 00:41:22.000 --> 00:41:25.233 that will come out of pocket as well, but I will also visit the 00:41:25.233 --> 00:41:27.767 sister city as well, because that’s incredibly important to 00:41:27.767 --> 00:41:32.100 me. I just want to make that very clear to that particular 00:41:32.100 --> 00:41:35.734 community. Uh, and then I also want to thank, um, you know, 00:41:35.734 --> 00:41:37.734 majority of city council members for kind of seeing this. 00:41:37.734 --> 00:41:41.634 Um, seeing what was going on, seeing, understanding the 00:41:41.634 --> 00:41:44.734 nuances of what was happening in the community. I do want to 00:41:44.734 --> 00:41:47.533 say this. People have, you may have a personal vendetta with 00:41:47.533 --> 00:41:51.266 me. That is fine. But when you begin to make, when you begin 00:41:51.266 --> 00:41:56.033 to say you are an ally of African heritage or African 00:41:56.033 --> 00:41:59.533 American communities. But then you are coordinating with 00:41:59.533 --> 00:42:03.100 people who use some very ugly language about African heritage 00:42:03.100 --> 00:42:07.133 peoples. You were going down a path of no return, and there’s 00:42:07.133 --> 00:42:12.033 nothing I can do. about that because you have now slipped 00:42:12.033 --> 00:42:15.367 into an agreement with people who are criticizing the artwork 00:42:15.367 --> 00:42:20.567 on the Black Lives Matter mural at the library. They’re talking 00:42:20.567 --> 00:42:23.767 about Africa and saying it’s in the 6th century, right? They 00:42:23.767 --> 00:42:28.834 have some very ugly things to say about Uh The people that 00:42:28.834 --> 00:42:35.000 I’m descended from. Right? And the people and, and, and a a 00:42:35.000 --> 00:42:39.800 group of people that represents 30 to 35% of Brooklyn Park. 00:42:39.800 --> 00:42:43.500 There’s a large number of people of not just African 00:42:43.500 --> 00:42:47.767 descent, but specifically West African descent. So when you 00:42:47.767 --> 00:42:51.500 say nasty ugly things thinking that you’re just getting at me 00:42:51.500 --> 00:42:55.233 about these particular people, you are going after a group of 00:42:55.233 --> 00:42:59.000 people whose history is much, much, much older than the 00:42:59.000 --> 00:43:01.567 history of America. And my history does not begin with 00:43:01.567 --> 00:43:05.667 slavery. There is a history for me that began well before 00:43:05.667 --> 00:43:08.166 slavery, and I am a continuation of that. And so 00:43:08.166 --> 00:43:11.934 this is very much a part of that. So for there are for 00:43:11.934 --> 00:43:14.100 communities, for some communities, this is very much 00:43:14.100 --> 00:43:18.367 a healing moment as well, which is why we initially undertook 00:43:18.367 --> 00:43:20.934 the trip and then it became something else. So, you know, 00:43:20.934 --> 00:43:25.200 I’m not gonna go very long on this, but I, I understand, I, 00:43:25.200 --> 00:43:28.834 well I appreciate the majority of the council, um, 00:43:28.834 --> 00:43:33.200 understanding the nuances on this. I do not appreciate. Um, 00:43:33.200 --> 00:43:38.500 folks attacking, um, My motives on this when generally, not 00:43:38.500 --> 00:43:42.300 even generally, when I come up here and make decisions, I’m 00:43:42.300 --> 00:43:46.634 making decisions on behalf of the city and and building 00:43:46.634 --> 00:43:48.634 something that works for all of us, and people may not agree 00:43:48.634 --> 00:43:53.367 with it, they may disagree, but that is the assumption that All 00:43:53.367 --> 00:43:57.166 of us are making when we come up here is that we are doing 00:43:57.166 --> 00:43:59.233 something on behalf of the entire community and we’re 00:43:59.233 --> 00:44:03.500 doing the best that we can. So when you besmirch my reputation, 00:44:03.500 --> 00:44:08.400 um, And you want to make up lies about this or that, right? 00:44:08.400 --> 00:44:12.133 That does not build the world that people say they’re trying 00:44:12.133 --> 00:44:17.467 to build, just coming up with boldfaced lies, your word when 00:44:17.467 --> 00:44:21.734 it goes goes forth, even as weak as may, some people may 00:44:21.734 --> 00:44:27.567 feel. It produces fruit and so when you lie, bold faced lie. 00:44:27.567 --> 00:44:31.934 About a family or the council or anyone, that brings back 00:44:31.934 --> 00:44:35.500 rotten fruit. It does not allow the community to come together 00:44:35.500 --> 00:44:38.367 and heal and do the things that we need to do. So I’m not for 00:44:38.367 --> 00:44:40.634 everybody. I got a friend, I’ve got friends that have said, 00:44:40.634 --> 00:44:42.000 well, you ain’t for everybody. 00:44:42.000 --> 00:44:46.367 I’m very aware of that. But that doesn’t mean that it’s 00:44:46.367 --> 00:44:50.567 necessary to lie about my character or when I’m doing for 00:44:50.567 --> 00:44:54.233 the council or what the council is seeking to do. I think when 00:44:54.233 --> 00:44:58.500 you hear the council speak, I have a lot of respect because 00:44:58.500 --> 00:45:01.367 They’re coming from a place of wisdom that often I don’t 00:45:01.367 --> 00:45:06.500 possess. That’s why we have 7 instead of 1 or 2 or 3. So I 00:45:06.500 --> 00:45:12.100 just want to give a uh uh credit to, um, The Council for 00:45:12.100 --> 00:45:14.533 understanding that, I think going forward, we will have a 00:45:14.533 --> 00:45:20.467 more robust process as we talk about these trips, uh, move 00:45:20.467 --> 00:45:24.200 forward with these trips, but I also want to say to many in the 00:45:24.200 --> 00:45:28.467 council, you know, one of my concerns was, I don’t want to 00:45:28.467 --> 00:45:32.367 be treated different than a former mayor. I don’t, I don’t 00:45:32.367 --> 00:45:34.233 respond well when people treat me differently. And I don’t 00:45:34.233 --> 00:45:37.734 care if you say it’s because of this or it’s because of that. 00:45:37.734 --> 00:45:41.233 When I look and I’ve talked to the former mayor about his 00:45:41.233 --> 00:45:44.100 previous trip, and we’re using pretty much the same process, 00:45:44.100 --> 00:45:47.634 and I get treated differently, right? There’s a word for that. 00:45:47.634 --> 00:45:50.033 And those who haven’t figured that word out, maybe you got to 00:45:50.033 --> 00:45:54.567 look in the mirror and do some soul searching, but I don’t 00:45:54.567 --> 00:45:57.266 approve of being treated differently from other people. 00:45:57.266 --> 00:46:00.000 And I don’t respond well to that. And I don’t think my 00:46:00.000 --> 00:46:02.100 community responds well to that anymore. We are not our 00:46:02.100 --> 00:46:04.667 ancestors, not because our ancestors were weak, but 00:46:04.667 --> 00:46:07.367 because our ancestors were strong enough to give us the 00:46:07.367 --> 00:46:11.166 ability to make different decisions and to respond 00:46:11.166 --> 00:46:13.934 differently than those who came before. We are a progression of 00:46:13.934 --> 00:46:18.200 those who came before. So this is an important trip. Uh, to 00:46:18.200 --> 00:46:20.767 bring those things together. So I will leave it at that. I know 00:46:20.767 --> 00:46:25.667 that we have a um motion on the floor. So I will, um, Call, go 00:46:25.667 --> 00:46:28.266 ahead and call for the motion. 00:46:28.266 --> 00:46:32.500 Um, all those, it was, wait, the motion was made by council 00:46:32.500 --> 00:46:36.834 member Kanowski, seconded by council members young, um, all 00:46:36.834 --> 00:46:40.500 those in favor say aye. I, I got to recuse myself. I’m sorry. 00:46:40.500 --> 00:46:44.767 So forgive me, I got to recuse myself from this. All those in 00:46:44.767 --> 00:46:50.767 favor say aye. Any names? All right, so we have, uh, it looks 00:46:50.767 --> 00:46:56.000 like we have 4 eyes and 2 nays and no abstention. Well, I, I 00:46:56.000 --> 00:47:00.767 guess I abstained or recused myself. So the motion passes. I 00:47:00.767 --> 00:47:05.033 mean, Mary Winston was that those that voted no was council 00:47:05.033 --> 00:47:06.266 member and council member Page. 00:47:06.266 --> 00:47:12.033 Thank you. All right, Mayor. 00:47:12.033 --> 00:47:15.266 Just one quick note I know before you close the meeting, 00:47:15.266 --> 00:47:20.166 Chief really wanted to, to share some arts. Winston 00:47:20.166 --> 00:47:23.100 council members, I just have to make a point of clarification. 00:47:23.100 --> 00:47:27.166 What I heard council member Tran say when she was speaking 00:47:27.166 --> 00:47:30.133 is that Melissa Hortman was killed because Lance Bolter’s 00:47:30.133 --> 00:47:33.634 motive was, um, to address her voting for tightening of the 00:47:33.634 --> 00:47:37.634 budget. I want to be clear. The Brooklyn Park Police Department 00:47:37.634 --> 00:47:40.834 is in a joint, uh, investigation that is ongoing 00:47:40.834 --> 00:47:44.567 with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the Minnesota 00:47:44.567 --> 00:47:47.367 Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, there is no evidence of that 00:47:47.367 --> 00:47:52.634 has been released. That is the opinions of Maria Tran and not 00:47:52.634 --> 00:47:56.834 of the investigation that is ongoing, so that is not 00:47:56.834 --> 00:47:59.734 information that should be considered by the public or 00:47:59.734 --> 00:48:00.567 anybody watching to be true. 00:48:00.567 --> 00:48:17.200 Thank you. Get All right, so seeing that, um, There are no, 00:48:17.200 --> 00:48:18.467 let’s see, further items, the