00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:11.634

All right, so we can go ahead and um. call the meeting to 00:00:11.634 --> 00:00:16.200

order. Actually, I don’t, I guess. I’ll go ahead and read

00:00:16.200 --> 00:00:22.500

it, but, um, and then we can go ahead and do roll call. Do we 00:00:22.500 --> 00:00:26.300

have a council member Tran. OK, well, I’ll read it anyways. As

00:00:26.300 --> 00:00:32.166

previously noted, council members. OK As noted council 00:00:32.166 --> 00:00:34.767

member Maria Tran of the city council may be participating in

00:00:34.767 --> 00:00:39.634

this special, you know, in the she’s here in person. Oh, OK,

00:00:39.634 --> 00:00:41.166

we don’t need to read this. 00:00:41.166 --> 00:00:47.000

person All right. I guess we can go ahead and head into roll

00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:50.166

call. Council member Erikson. 00:00:50.166 --> 00:00:57.800

He Memory’s young. Council member Klianowski. Mayor

00:00:57.800 --> 00:01:02.567

Winston. Council member Page. 00:01:02.567 --> 00:01:06.400

Council member McGarvey. And Councilmember Tran. Mayor

00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:10.033

Winston, you have a quorum. All right, so we can all stand for 00:01:10.033 --> 00:01:41.500

the Pledge of Allegiance. All right, so we can go ahead and 00:01:41.500 --> 00:01:44.634

head into public comment. First we start with the response to

00:01:44.634 --> 00:01:49.000

prior public comment. After that, we will have public

00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:55.900

comment, um, in which, uh, um, Well ask folks to limit remarks 00:01:55.900 --> 00:01:59.634

to 3 minutes for a regular standard, uh, but if we can go

00:01:59.634 --> 00:02:03.033

ahead and go to response to prior public comment. Yeah, 00:02:03.033 --> 00:02:06.200

thanks, Mayor. um, there’s one public comment at the last city

00:02:06.200 --> 00:02:11.467

council meeting, uh, that public comment was really, uh, 00:02:11.467 --> 00:02:13.567

um, some words of appreciation for the police chief and the

00:02:13.567 --> 00:02:18.467

police department and their response to tragic homicides of

00:02:18.467 --> 00:02:24.300

the Hortmans and the shootings of the Hoffmans. Thank you. All 00:02:24.300 --> 00:02:29.133

right, so we’ll go ahead and head into public comment. Uh,

00:02:29.133 --> 00:02:33.467

so again, if folks can go up there, state your name, uh, 00:02:33.467 --> 00:02:37.033

your address and then limit it to 3 minutes, again, limited to

00:02:37.033 --> 00:02:39.734

3 minutes. Uh, I know there’s some folks that want to speak

00:02:39.734 --> 00:02:46.133

directly to Let’s see, there’s an item regarding the trip to, 00:02:46.133 --> 00:02:50.900

uh, to Africa, uh, any folks who wanna push that off till 00:02:50.900 --> 00:02:54.233

the actual item just uh let me know and then we, you can speak

00:02:54.233 --> 00:02:56.233

during that piece, uh, but I know there’s some folks that

00:02:56.233 --> 00:02:58.900

want to speak a little bit earlier as well. So I’ll go

00:02:58.900 --> 00:03:02.200

ahead and call folks’ names off and again 3 minutes, name, 00:03:02.200 --> 00:03:10.233

address. So we’ll go ahead and we will start with uh And go uh 00:03:10.233 --> 00:03:18.734

we start with a Shartina Shields. Right there. Yeah, so

00:03:18.734 --> 00:03:29.900

if you want to speak, I step up there and speak. Thank you. OK. 00:03:29.900 --> 00:03:33.734

Good evening, Mayor Winston and esteemed city council members. 00:03:33.734 --> 00:03:38.900

My name is Chartina Sharie Shields. I reside at 3641

00:03:38.900 --> 00:03:42.166

Brookdale Drive North in Brooklyn Park. I am here today 00:03:42.166 --> 00:03:47.033

as a concerned resident and a voice for my neighbors in

00:03:47.033 --> 00:03:50.233

Parkwood Terrace, Homeowners Association community. Our 00:03:50.233 --> 00:03:55.000

community struggles. We are proud to call Brooklyn Park our

00:03:55.000 --> 00:04:01.100

home. We work hard, we care for our families, we And we want to 00:04:01.100 --> 00:04:05.834

contribute positively to our city. However, we are facing

00:04:05.834 --> 00:04:07.934

serious challenges that threaten our safety, our

00:04:07.934 --> 00:04:12.033

well-being, and the value of our homes. Our ACT management 00:04:12.033 --> 00:04:18.000

company. Continues to collect payments for residents, but in

00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:21.166

return we are not seeing the basic services and maintenances 00:04:21.166 --> 00:04:27.133

that we are promised and expected. Many of us have

00:04:27.133 --> 00:04:31.367

experienced water damage to our homes that goes unaddressed 00:04:31.367 --> 00:04:34.500

dete deteriorating, I’m sorry, conditions including failing

00:04:34.500 --> 00:04:40.400

decks, roofs, and sidings that put our families at risk, 00:04:40.400 --> 00:04:44.634

neglect of basic needs such as snow removal which is either

00:04:44.634 --> 00:04:48.834

delayed or non-existent during the winter months. The impact

00:04:48.834 --> 00:04:53.734

on residents, these issues are not just inconveniences, they 00:04:53.734 --> 00:04:57.500

are hazards. Our homes are becoming unsafe, and we are

00:04:57.500 --> 00:05:01.800

left to shoulder the burden or mismanagement, many residents 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:06.100

simply cannot afford to pay for repairs that should be handled

00:05:06.100 --> 00:05:10.300

by the management company. We feel unheard, overlooked and 00:05:10.300 --> 00:05:16.166

alone in our struggle. Our request here for our help. We

00:05:16.166 --> 00:05:18.300

are here tonight because we believe in the power of

00:05:18.300 --> 00:05:21.500

community. And the responsibility of our city 00:05:21.500 --> 00:05:25.900

leaders to ensure that all residents are treated fairly

00:05:25.900 --> 00:05:29.100

and with dignity. We respectfully ask for your help

00:05:29.100 --> 00:05:31.567

in the following ways. 00:05:31.567 --> 00:05:34.834

Investigate the practices of ACT management company and hold

00:05:34.834 --> 00:05:37.100

them accountable for their responsibilities to our

00:05:37.100 --> 00:05:41.233

community. Supporting us in finding solutions that will 00:05:41.233 --> 00:05:46.133

restore safety, dignity, and pride to Parkwood Terrace. Help

00:05:46.133 --> 00:05:49.033

amplify our voices so that we are no longer ignored or

00:05:49.033 --> 00:05:54.500

dismissed. Clothing. We love Brooklyn Park and we want to 00:05:54.500 --> 00:05:58.033

continue building our lives here. We are not asking for

00:05:58.033 --> 00:06:03.266

special treatment. Just for the basic respect and support that 00:06:03.266 --> 00:06:06.000

every resident deserves. We look forward to working with

00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:10.133

you and your staff to resolve these urgent issues and to make 00:06:10.133 --> 00:06:14.367

Parkwood Terrace a safe place, welcoming place for all. Thank

00:06:14.367 --> 00:06:21.300

you for your time and your commitment to our community. 00:06:21.300 --> 00:06:26.033

All right, thank you. So just so folks know, we, we generally

00:06:26.033 --> 00:06:28.867

unless absolutely necessary, we don’t apply, we’ll apply that

00:06:28.867 --> 00:06:32.033

day, uh, to public comments, but we will have a response and 00:06:32.033 --> 00:06:34.567

then often our staff will follow up or sometimes our

00:06:34.567 --> 00:06:41.166

staff will follow up with you even sooner than that, uh, 00:06:41.166 --> 00:06:47.000

right now, so all right. So next we have um Uh, it’s

00:06:47.000 --> 00:07:09.500

Coletteaet Hempel. Good evening, Mayor and city council members 00:07:09.500 --> 00:07:13.800

of the public. I live here in Brooklyn Park. I want to read 00:07:13.800 --> 00:07:19.667

to you what I sent to the state legislature today in order to

00:07:19.667 --> 00:07:29.100

honor Mr. and Mrs. Hortman and Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman. Good day 00:07:29.100 --> 00:07:32.533

legislative members. I am sending all of you the same 00:07:32.533 --> 00:07:37.934

email. As Republicans and Democrats, senators and

00:07:37.934 --> 00:07:44.634

representatives. I am a Republican. Who resides in 00:07:44.634 --> 00:07:50.533

Brooklyn Park for over 20 years, I was of the 32 years, my home 00:07:50.533 --> 00:07:57.367

was considered represented by the state. Senator Hoffman and

00:07:57.367 --> 00:08:04.467

Representative Hartman’s district. I have respectfully 00:08:04.467 --> 00:08:09.634

emailed them and, and then, um, I’m changing the wording a

00:08:09.634 --> 00:08:15.000

little bit, but regarding, regardless of political 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:18.734

opinions, sharing and, and talking on the other side of

00:08:18.734 --> 00:08:26.166

the aisle is important. I’m walking. I am asking that you 00:08:26.166 --> 00:08:31.567

consider honoring them by passing house file 971 and 00:08:31.567 --> 00:08:40.033

Senate file 1186. This was asking for 9.4 million for the 00:08:40.033 --> 00:08:43.834

Northwest Regional Athletic Center to be added on to our

00:08:43.834 --> 00:08:49.634

current community center in Brooklyn Park. These bills were

00:08:49.634 --> 00:08:54.500

co-authored and supported by both Representative Hotman and 00:08:54.500 --> 00:08:59.500

Senator Hoffman as well as all of the other Brooklyn Park

00:08:59.500 --> 00:09:06.734

Legislative members. This would be the big community um bring 00:09:06.734 --> 00:09:13.166

together area that the Hortman children asked us to do To 00:09:13.166 --> 00:09:17.467

honor the both Mark and Melissa, along with John and Yvette

00:09:17.467 --> 00:09:24.133

Hoffman. This would allow for the community event center for 00:09:24.133 --> 00:09:31.834

cultural. Sporting, educational and community activities for 00:09:31.834 --> 00:09:35.367

socializing as a diverse community to learn about each

00:09:35.367 --> 00:09:41.000

other. And, and, uh, and to be around people that weren’t the 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:49.000

same. As us. This is to me, I’m gonna go and skip to the end

00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:56.900

because I’m sure I’m running out of time. Um, Brooklyn Park 00:09:56.900 --> 00:10:00.634

residents and council members want to remember both families 00:10:00.634 --> 00:10:06.567

in a positive manner, a family, friends, and community. May God

00:10:06.567 --> 00:10:11.500

bless these families for their sacrifices and may they always 00:10:11.500 --> 00:10:15.100

feel our love and friendship.

00:10:15.100 --> 00:10:22.000

Thank you for consideration of this idea, or others as we 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:28.533

learn to show more respect for those with different life

00:10:28.533 --> 00:10:34.834

experiences and cultures. Maybe we work together instead of a 00:10:34.834 --> 00:10:40.166

part to collaborate and compromise for the best 00:10:40.166 --> 00:10:43.133

interests of all Minnesotans from all districts and all

00:10:43.133 --> 00:10:45.500

political parties. parties.

00:10:45.500 --> 00:10:51.500

Poet guy at Hempel, Brooklyn Park. So, and like I asked, uh, 00:10:51.500 --> 00:10:58.300

a garden and a pavilion and plaques. At these gyms would be

00:10:58.300 --> 00:11:03.734

the city’s part. So again, thank you. So rarely do I speak 00:11:03.734 --> 00:11:05.800

on these diseases. Thank you for bringing that up. I will

00:11:05.800 --> 00:11:09.567

say this, um, because you have a number of people in the room

00:11:09.567 --> 00:11:14.834

who knew um the Homans very closely. I think we want to be 00:11:14.834 --> 00:11:17.734

uh extremely careful as we go down any path in terms of how

00:11:17.734 --> 00:11:20.734

we remember them and we’re taking, we’re taking into 00:11:20.734 --> 00:11:25.033

account the wishes of the children, uh, and the family,

00:11:25.033 --> 00:11:28.767

uh, and the community at large, I think I’m very much in in

00:11:28.767 --> 00:11:32.000

support of the uh CAC, but I just want to throw that out 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:33.266

there that there’s been a number of ideas that came

00:11:33.266 --> 00:11:35.834

forward, so this is one of the ideas. There’s been a number. I

00:11:35.834 --> 00:11:40.100

think we need to make sure that we are moving in lockstep with 00:11:40.100 --> 00:11:44.867

uh the family, uh, as we Uh, honor that, uh, honor those

00:11:44.867 --> 00:11:49.033

legacies. So I, I’ll leave it at that, on that one, Thank you.

00:11:49.033 --> 00:12:02.567

Next we have Cindy Hill. Good evening, Mayor Winston. City 00:12:02.567 --> 00:12:05.667

council members, excuse me, I have a cold that I’m working

00:12:05.667 --> 00:12:12.567

through. I’m a Brooklyn Park resident. My name is Cindy Hill. 00:12:12.567 --> 00:12:18.000

I stand before you. Not just as a concerned citizen, but as

00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:21.734

someone who lives, breathes, and builds in Brooklyn Park 00:12:21.734 --> 00:12:27.000

every single day. Today, we are not just mourning, we are

00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:34.033

standing in a gap to protect a legacy. Melissa Hortman. Didn’t 00:12:34.033 --> 00:12:40.233

just hold a seat. She held a standard. A standard for 00:12:40.233 --> 00:12:44.567

leadership, for progress, for community first thinking. She

00:12:44.567 --> 00:12:49.000

was a force for progress. Her commitment to justice,

00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:55.734

education, Public safety, equality shapes policies. That 00:12:55.734 --> 00:12:57.900

move our communities forward.

00:12:57.900 --> 00:13:03.300

And that legacy doesn’t end with her passing. It lives on 00:13:03.300 --> 00:13:06.767

In the work, she championed, and then the people she

00:13:06.767 --> 00:13:13.100

inspired. Whoever fills that seat must be ready to continue 00:13:13.100 --> 00:13:20.467

her mission, but bring new ideas. In perspectives. We 00:13:20.467 --> 00:13:24.834

can’t afford to go backwards, not with our students, not with

00:13:24.834 --> 00:13:27.767

our seniors, not with our small businesses and not in our

00:13:27.767 --> 00:13:32.100

community. Not with our future. 00:13:32.100 --> 00:13:36.467

We need someone who knows this city. Not by name, but by the

00:13:36.467 --> 00:13:41.867

neighborhood. Someone who has been present, not just in 00:13:41.867 --> 00:13:44.367

pictures, but in policylicies.

00:13:44.367 --> 00:13:50.767

In people’s lives. Ask yourself, What have they already done for 00:13:50.767 --> 00:13:54.467

Brooklyn Park? What’s the track record? Are they solution

00:13:54.467 --> 00:14:00.467

forced? Do they amplify Working instead of tearing it down. We 00:14:00.467 --> 00:14:12.266

need Policies That continue what we are doing here. We need 00:14:12.266 --> 00:14:16.900

someone who’s ready to serve, who understands the climate,

00:14:16.900 --> 00:14:22.233

but um. I, I, I understand the sentiment, but to make 00:14:22.233 --> 00:14:24.934

political endorsements or for political campaigns. I know

00:14:24.934 --> 00:14:27.900

you’re not. Um. But just, you know, I don’t think you’re

00:14:27.900 --> 00:14:30.834

going to do that, but I just want to point out that we try 00:14:30.834 --> 00:14:34.567

to keep it as kind of apolitical as we can. Thank you.

00:14:34.567 --> 00:14:38.367

And it’s Brooklyn Park deserves leadership that listens,

00:14:38.367 --> 00:14:42.200

leadership that shows up, leadership that executes. Let’s 00:14:42.200 --> 00:14:47.367

be loud about what we want, let’s be clear. What we need

00:14:47.367 --> 00:14:52.900

This is about our future. And I just want to say, Melissa was 00:14:52.900 --> 00:14:58.734

my friend. I felt compelled to do something to honor her for

00:14:58.734 --> 00:15:01.300

what she did for Brooklyn Park. 00:15:01.300 --> 00:15:06.634

Because she was ours first before she was the state. I

00:15:06.634 --> 00:15:13.033

wanted to honor her with An honor signed salute. So the day 00:15:13.033 --> 00:15:17.800

when they had the visual at the state Capitol. I was the one

00:15:17.800 --> 00:15:23.166

with my group that put those 200 signs. Because I wanted 00:15:23.166 --> 00:15:26.467

people that came in and out of our community that day that we

00:15:26.467 --> 00:15:31.166

all were feeling the same thing that this was a way to uplift 00:15:31.166 --> 00:15:34.467

us and know we feel what you’re feeling. And I just want to say

00:15:34.467 --> 00:15:36.667

I did that. She was my friend.

00:15:36.667 --> 00:15:43.467

Thank you. All right. Thank you. 00:15:43.467 --> 00:15:49.634

Next we have um Godfrey, I’m not gonna attempt the last name.

00:15:49.634 --> 00:15:57.467

Uh, Not because I can’t say it, it’s how it’s written, so, um, 00:15:57.467 --> 00:16:01.734

but 3, yeah, 3 minutes and then uh stayed. Neighborhood or 00:16:01.734 --> 00:16:08.567

where you’re from. Thank you.

00:16:08.567 --> 00:16:14.467

the mayor. Good evening, uh, council members and uh fellow 00:16:14.467 --> 00:16:19.233

community members, uh. I, my name is Gottfried Ferrari. I

00:16:19.233 --> 00:16:24.033

lived in, uh, I live in, uh, 3807 Globe Flower Circle, North. 00:16:24.033 --> 00:16:32.734

I’ve been in Brooklyn Park for 30. 6 years now. Of uh visited 00:16:32.734 --> 00:16:36.800

this hall before it was renovated and, and, and being

00:16:36.800 --> 00:16:40.100

You know, be what it looks like right now. So I’ve been here 00:16:40.100 --> 00:16:49.100

for a very long time. Uh, I rise in support of The travel

00:16:49.100 --> 00:16:52.634

of our mail and I probably did some of the council members 00:16:52.634 --> 00:16:56.634

going to because So I may I just can’t pronounce my name,

00:16:56.634 --> 00:16:59.734

my last name. Maybe if he had gone to this travel I would be

00:16:59.734 --> 00:17:04.734

able to pronounce the name. So, I’m in support of that for 00:17:04.734 --> 00:17:12.634

several reasons. And uh first. 00:17:12.634 --> 00:17:16.900

A mirror or the council attending living in Brooklyn

00:17:16.900 --> 00:17:22.233

Park to attend to visit Africa is not new. Uh, we’ve had 00:17:22.233 --> 00:17:27.100

Mayors from big, you know, larger cities like LA, Atlanta,

00:17:27.100 --> 00:17:32.467

you name it, they’ve gone and does, you know, do those kind 00:17:32.467 --> 00:17:39.567

of visits and there’s a benefit for doing it. Yes, some of the

00:17:39.567 --> 00:17:54.166

compelling Benefits. Warned Leaders visiting Africa helped 00:17:54.166 --> 00:17:58.533

bridge the gaps between the continent and its diasporas,

00:17:58.533 --> 00:18:03.467

people like us that came to this country. Over 40 something 00:18:03.467 --> 00:18:08.166

years ago served in this country. You know, put our life

00:18:08.166 --> 00:18:16.634

at risk for this country. As a veteran Collaboration. And 00:18:16.634 --> 00:18:19.400

share goals like education, public health, business, and

00:18:19.400 --> 00:18:27.834

youth empowerment. Has when leaders. Go and visit Where 00:18:27.834 --> 00:18:31.033

there are large communities or the community people around 00:18:31.033 --> 00:18:34.767

them are from. If I come to your house today, I’ll know

00:18:34.767 --> 00:18:38.500

more about you than you gonna know about me. Because coming

00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:42.767

to your house make me understand you more. So I want 00:18:42.767 --> 00:18:47.567

the mayor and the council, uh, people like city manager or

00:18:47.567 --> 00:18:51.867

people that can go and try and see what it looks like over 00:18:51.867 --> 00:18:57.166

there. So that’s one thing. And I understand as a retired, I’m

00:18:57.166 --> 00:19:02.033

retired now. I’m retired from the school district, then in 00:19:02.033 --> 00:19:05.767

the education for forty-something years. Just

00:19:05.767 --> 00:19:09.667

retired last June and knowing I was. Administrator or as a

00:19:09.667 --> 00:19:15.367

teacher. They do send me. To attain some staff development. 00:19:15.367 --> 00:19:18.934

You know, I just said the mayor could not even pronounce my

00:19:18.934 --> 00:19:21.767

last name. You didn’t attempt to, but I guarantee you when he 00:19:21.767 --> 00:19:25.500

comes back, you’ll be pronouncing that name very

00:19:25.500 --> 00:19:28.767

fluently, but, so, um, thank you. I’m gonna have to ask you

00:19:28.767 --> 00:19:32.500

to um finish in like 1015 seconds because we ran over. I 00:19:32.500 --> 00:19:36.734

rise in support of the mayor.

00:19:36.734 --> 00:19:41.567

Visiting Africa and any of the council, uh, city manager or 00:19:41.567 --> 00:19:45.233

the council, uh, men or women that wants to do that, we

00:19:45.233 --> 00:19:49.100

should all support them because that this is gonna bring good

00:19:49.100 --> 00:19:52.233

development. To me, in my community and my community will 00:19:52.233 --> 00:19:54.734

applauded. I’m talking about the African community. Thank

00:19:54.734 --> 00:20:27.367

you very much. All right, so next we have Marvin D Ralph. 00:20:27.367 --> 00:20:31.367

They, there Hollis and the Brook Park City Council. I’m 00:20:31.367 --> 00:20:36.100

Marvin Roth. I live down on 3,0704th Avenue North, and I’m

00:20:36.100 --> 00:20:41.300

here to gripe about our franchise fee that we pay to 00:20:41.300 --> 00:20:48.266

the city, we pay $168 a year between the gas and electric,

00:20:48.266 --> 00:20:54.767

and then I still pay an additional $6 a month for the 00:20:54.767 --> 00:20:58.900

underground line coming to. my house. I think it’s, I think

00:20:58.900 --> 00:21:02.166

it’s a little outrageous. I think we’ve, the city should 00:21:02.166 --> 00:21:05.900

think about quitting nickel and diming us to death so we can

00:21:05.900 --> 00:21:10.767

afford to live here. I’ve been here in Brooklyn Park now 42 00:21:10.767 --> 00:21:14.567

years, and I feel I live in the best area of Brooklyn Park

00:21:14.567 --> 00:21:23.000

House. And I’m really happy with my area where I live. Uh 00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:27.900

And then the other thing is, is, uh, their Hollis was talking

00:21:27.900 --> 00:21:33.634

about going on a trip to get some artwork or whatever it is,, 00:21:33.634 --> 00:21:39.500

$30,000 I think we could find plenty of artwork right here in

00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:41.767

the metropolitan area without having to go out of the country 00:21:41.767 --> 00:21:47.000

to get it. I’ll do it.

00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:51.367

Fortunately, when I built my house, I did a lot of extra 00:21:51.367 --> 00:21:55.100

thinking on it, so I use very little air conditioning, which

00:21:55.100 --> 00:21:59.467

I couldn’t afford it if I didn’t have it. Uh, a friend of

00:21:59.467 --> 00:22:02.100

mine gave me the air conditioning unit, and I don’t 00:22:02.100 --> 00:22:11.033

use it, but maybe 1 or 2 hours a year. They, in my gas bill is 00:22:11.033 --> 00:22:14.767

$78 a month and my electric runs me about $40 a month, and

00:22:14.767 --> 00:22:21.266

I don’t think anybody here can live under that expense. With 00:22:21.266 --> 00:22:26.000

our franchise fee, I don’t know what you charge the 100 unit

00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:32.000

apartment buildings, but they should have to pay you $16,800 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:36.634

a year for franchise fee compared to what we do as an

00:22:36.634 --> 00:22:40.900

individual persons. I’ve talked to a few people about this 00:22:40.900 --> 00:22:46.233

franchise fee and I can’t seem to get an answer on any of it.

00:22:46.233 --> 00:22:50.634

I guess that’s just about the part that I’m, I’m really 00:22:50.634 --> 00:22:53.166

concerned about us. My grandmother taught, taught me

00:22:53.166 --> 00:22:56.367

you, you say, you watch the pennies and the dollars will

00:22:56.367 --> 00:23:00.133

take care of yourself, and I’ve been doing it my whole life, 00:23:00.133 --> 00:23:11.900

and that’s why I can afford to live like I do now. Thank you. 00:23:11.900 --> 00:23:22.734

All right, thank you. So next we have um. Uh, Chuck. Or is it 00:23:22.734 --> 00:23:34.500

OK OK. Forgive me. Could have been the Western and uh members 00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:42.300

of the council. Uh, my name is Chuck OTP. I live here in 00:23:42.300 --> 00:23:48.133

Brooklyn Park, 7100, 14th Avenue North. That’s Brooklyn

00:23:48.133 --> 00:23:54.567

Park, uh, when I, uh, heard that the mayor and the city 00:23:54.567 --> 00:23:59.567

manager will be uh Going to Africa to see the uh sister

00:23:59.567 --> 00:24:03.734

cities. I was so excited. And I mention this in my community. 00:24:03.734 --> 00:24:07.634

They were all going, wow, that’s great, you know, because

00:24:07.634 --> 00:24:12.467

if you look at the city and the way it’s set up, you’ll notice 00:24:12.467 --> 00:24:15.467

that uh it’s really diverse.

00:24:15.467 --> 00:24:20.867

And uh there is no way you can mention 5 cities in the whole 00:24:20.867 --> 00:24:25.233

of the US, uh, being diverse cities without polling the city

00:24:25.233 --> 00:24:31.033

of Brooklyn Park. And uh I told them I was coming for this 00:24:31.033 --> 00:24:35.166

meeting. I had about 10 people volunteering to come. I said,

00:24:35.166 --> 00:24:38.900

no, no, no, no, this is not that kind of meeting where you

00:24:38.900 --> 00:24:44.233

come stay uh uh protest somewhere, you know, where here 00:24:44.233 --> 00:24:50.033

to uh make it clear that uh we do appreciate the fact that the 00:24:50.033 --> 00:24:56.533

mayor is considering this. And uh it’s uh willing to go. Uh,

00:24:56.533 --> 00:25:00.367

Mayor Weston, I salute your courage for taking this bold 00:25:00.367 --> 00:25:06.233

step. Uh, I don’t think you’ve been to Africa before. But uh

00:25:06.233 --> 00:25:11.567

this visit will kind of help to open your perspective. And uh 00:25:11.567 --> 00:25:15.734

my understanding is that uh the sister cities reps, who is the

00:25:15.734 --> 00:25:21.233

mayor from the other side, I visited. And uh from my record, 00:25:21.233 --> 00:25:22.634

they visited sometime last year.

00:25:22.634 --> 00:25:26.467

I’m not too sure of the date now. But the fact of the matter

00:25:26.467 --> 00:25:30.934

is, once you are in a sister city arrangement. There’s the 00:25:30.934 --> 00:25:37.100

fact and the need for you to go see your other sister city. And

00:25:37.100 --> 00:25:39.767

get a clearer understanding of where they’re coming from, so

00:25:39.767 --> 00:25:43.634

that you guys can bridge the gap. You know, and I think this 00:25:43.634 --> 00:25:49.900

visit. should be well applauded and should be well encouraged

00:25:49.900 --> 00:25:54.133

so that uh we can uh have it on file that uh mayor have been to 00:25:54.133 --> 00:25:58.500

Africa. The other aspect I want to talk about about this old

00:25:58.500 --> 00:26:01.734

sister city arrangement is the benefit that the city of 00:26:01.734 --> 00:26:05.533

Brooklyn Park would derive from it. Uh, the that’s what is

00:26:05.533 --> 00:26:08.100

called the cultural exchange.

00:26:08.100 --> 00:26:12.500

Uh taking part of this visit will mean seeing what is 00:26:12.500 --> 00:26:16.567

obtainable in Africa. And comparing it to what you have

00:26:16.567 --> 00:26:20.367

here. We give you a broader idea of how to bridge the two. 00:26:20.367 --> 00:26:25.734

So that they can be intercommunication between the

00:26:25.734 --> 00:26:28.000

governments of the city of Brooklyn Park, and of course

00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:33.834

your sister city. Then 2, the case. There are a lot of things 00:26:33.834 --> 00:26:37.467

that the kids can benefit from this visit. These are issues

00:26:37.467 --> 00:26:41.367

that you bring back home and used to mentor the children 00:26:41.367 --> 00:26:42.900

here, so that they can grow.

00:26:42.900 --> 00:26:47.033

Whether I like it or not, we do have African case here. Oh, I

00:26:47.033 --> 00:26:51.867

haven’t been to Africa, but will benefit from your visit. 00:26:51.867 --> 00:26:56.100

So I’m encouraging you to uh embark on this trip. So that

00:26:56.100 --> 00:26:59.800

when you come back, you have a bigger perspective and uh be

00:26:59.800 --> 00:27:01.200

ready to move this city forward. 00:27:01.200 --> 00:27:19.734

Thank you. All right, next we have uh Ray, uh Memene. Good 00:27:19.734 --> 00:27:26.567

evening, uh, Mayor and our council members and uh you know, 00:27:26.567 --> 00:27:33.000

everybody uh got here this evening. Um, the last time I 00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:38.533

remember standing here, uh, was to, uh, Have, uh, make a

00:27:38.533 --> 00:27:48.467

presentation on Why we have uh white Brooklyn Park and the Udu 00:27:48.467 --> 00:27:52.634

uh uh city of Vodu uh uh the relationship. I remember 00:27:52.634 --> 00:27:55.634

because I don’t want to go. You know, so many speakers about

00:27:55.634 --> 00:28:00.266

the benefits. I just want to touch on, uh, some of the Very 00:28:00.266 --> 00:28:03.467

important that questions that were asked at that time. Which

00:28:03.467 --> 00:28:09.367

was what had the benefits? Why is the city going to sister

00:28:09.367 --> 00:28:15.233

city relationship. And one of the real uh uh. question then 00:28:15.233 --> 00:28:20.467

from one of the council members, uh, I forgot her name, but. She 00:28:20.467 --> 00:28:24.300

was more particular about how does that benefit the small

00:28:24.300 --> 00:28:26.834

businesses in Brooklyn Park.

00:28:26.834 --> 00:28:32.734

And I’ll tell you this, uh, reading about the mayor’s visit 00:28:32.734 --> 00:28:34.834

to, to Africa, I can tell you.

00:28:34.834 --> 00:28:40.166

Yeah So many opportunities. 00:28:40.166 --> 00:28:43.900

Within the small business community in Brooklyn Park.

00:28:43.900 --> 00:28:47.367

That you, you will see the business relationship that will

00:28:47.367 --> 00:28:49.734

be developed. Just on one visit.

00:28:49.734 --> 00:28:55.734

Because they are hungry for this, the opportunities are 00:28:55.734 --> 00:29:01.066

there. We need to go beyond just having a lip service about 00:29:01.066 --> 00:29:05.367

sister cities and get into the the the economic aspect of it.

00:29:05.367 --> 00:29:08.133

So I only have 3 minutes. I won’t have enough time to

00:29:08.133 --> 00:29:10.800

really go into the technicalities of what I’m 00:29:10.800 --> 00:29:19.166

saying here, but The bridge Have to be made. We have to

00:29:19.166 --> 00:29:24.467

bridge the gap here, bridge, the relationship between this 00:29:24.467 --> 00:29:26.900

sister cities from Africa and Brooklyn Park. Thank you so

00:29:26.900 --> 00:29:38.867

much. All right. Seeing that there is no further. Public 00:29:38.867 --> 00:29:44.467

comment. Let’s see, we can go ahead and move to approval of 00:29:44.467 --> 00:29:49.734

the agenda. I know that. Uh, we need to add item. 4 points

00:29:49.734 --> 00:30:04.233

Winston, excuse me, we have one more. Oh, OK. Hello, Mayor and 00:30:04.233 --> 00:30:06.734

council. My name is Ashley Riddle, and I live in the East

00:30:06.734 --> 00:30:12.100

District. I am here to ask for consideration of a humane pet 00:30:12.100 --> 00:30:15.867

store ordinance. This ordinance prohibits stores from selling

00:30:15.867 --> 00:30:20.634

puppies and kittens from commercial breeders who despite 00:30:20.634 --> 00:30:24.867

having USDA licensure, um, are often really horrible places.

00:30:24.867 --> 00:30:28.033

Instead, stores would partner with local shelters and rescues

00:30:28.033 --> 00:30:32.367

and host adoption days. Um, to my knowledge, there are no 00:30:32.367 --> 00:30:34.567

current stores in Brooklyn Park that are selling puppies and

00:30:34.567 --> 00:30:37.634

kittens, so this would be really easy legislation to pass.

00:30:37.634 --> 00:30:41.300

It would be a preventative measure to protect animals as 00:30:41.300 --> 00:30:45.100

well as protect consumers. Um, I’ve emailed everybody an

00:30:45.100 --> 00:30:47.867

example of the Roseville ordinance language and would

00:30:47.867 --> 00:30:51.100

love to see us join several neighboring cities and passing 00:30:51.100 --> 00:30:52.200

the humane pet store ordinance.

00:30:52.200 --> 00:31:03.300

Thank you. All right, so we can go ahead and thank you for that. 00:31:03.300 --> 00:31:05.233

Um, and also thank you for keeping it brief. Appreciate it.

00:31:05.233 --> 00:31:09.734

Uh, so, uh, we can go ahead and approve the agenda so I know

00:31:09.734 --> 00:31:13.900

we’re gonna have, we wanted to prove the agenda, but, but also 00:31:13.900 --> 00:31:19.867

add 4.9 to that agenda and pull 4.4 and have that push back to,

00:31:19.867 --> 00:31:20.900

uh, next week for consideration. 00:31:20.900 --> 00:31:26.233

I think there’s some, some, um, The 28. So having that push

00:31:26.233 --> 00:31:28.567

back to the 28th because there’s some outstanding

00:31:28.567 --> 00:31:33.166

questions around that. Is there a motion? Um, to approve the 00:31:33.166 --> 00:31:37.767

agenda. Right, the motion was made by Councilman McCanowski,

00:31:37.767 --> 00:31:41.634

seconded by Councilmember McGarvey. All those in favor 00:31:41.634 --> 00:31:46.500

say aye. Aye. Are there any, uh, nas, any abstentions. All right,

00:31:46.500 --> 00:31:52.900

the eyes have it. All right, so next. We will move to the 00:31:52.900 --> 00:31:54.533

public presentations proclamations portion. Uh, so

00:31:54.533 --> 00:32:36.734

let’s head down and uh for introduction of new employees. 00:32:36.734 --> 00:32:41.100

Thank you so much. Um, I want to introduce, uh, Mahmoud Ahmed. 00:32:41.100 --> 00:32:46.233

Um, he was recently hired on May 19th as a program assistant

00:32:46.233 --> 00:32:48.800

one in the administration department, human resources

00:32:48.800 --> 00:32:53.467

division. He recently earned his bachelor’s degree in 00:32:53.467 --> 00:32:58.567

business administration. With the concentration in HR, human

00:32:58.567 --> 00:33:00.467

resources management from southern New Hampshire 00:33:00.467 --> 00:33:05.500

University. He brings valuable experience from his ongoing

00:33:05.500 --> 00:33:07.934

role as a human resources specialist in the US Army

00:33:07.934 --> 00:33:13.266

Reserves. Where he has been responsible for managing 00:33:13.266 --> 00:33:17.300

personnel records, ensuring data accuracy in HR systems and

00:33:17.300 --> 00:33:20.634

supporting both soldiers and leadership with HR matters. In 00:33:20.634 --> 00:33:23.734

the two months that he has been with the city of Brooklyn Park.

00:33:23.734 --> 00:33:28.533

He has exemplified our customer service excellent standards,

00:33:28.533 --> 00:33:32.266

providing exceptional customer service to fellow employees, 00:33:32.266 --> 00:33:34.634

candidates, candidates and the public. We’re looking forward

00:33:34.634 --> 00:33:39.467

to. Um, to have the skills and perspective that he brings from

00:33:39.467 --> 00:33:42.900

his time in the army reserves and are excited to have him 00:33:42.900 --> 00:34:07.200

join the HR team. Um, please welcome Amud. OK Mayor Winston 00:34:07.200 --> 00:34:10.100

calls members, good evening, Mark Brui, police chief. Uh, 00:34:10.100 --> 00:34:13.367

it’s my pleasure to introduce Keaton Sandberg. He was hired

00:34:13.367 --> 00:34:17.166

as a cadet intern in August of 2024 and recently was hired as

00:34:17.166 --> 00:34:22.467

a police cadet on May 28th. He graduated from spring, uh, this 00:34:22.467 --> 00:34:25.100

spring from University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s

00:34:25.100 --> 00:34:28.834

degree in criminal justice for the last 6 years, Keon has also

00:34:28.834 --> 00:34:32.000

worked at Rush Creek Golf Club and Maintenance. Keen enjoys 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:34.667

fishing, hockey, hiking, watching crime documentaries

00:34:34.667 --> 00:34:36.467

and spending time with his friends and family. Please

00:34:36.467 --> 00:34:59.367

welcome Caden. Thank you and congratulations to our new 00:34:59.367 --> 00:35:33.500

employees. We’re happy to have you on board. That Alright. So 00:35:33.500 --> 00:35:39.300

we have a special proclamation proclaiming July 26, 2025 as

00:35:39.300 --> 00:35:43.567

Liberian independence Day and Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and 00:35:43.567 --> 00:35:47.400

celebrating the 178th anniversary of Liberia’s

00:35:47.400 --> 00:35:51.667

declaration of independence, whereas July 26, 2025 marks the 00:35:51.667 --> 00:35:55.634

178th anniversary of Liberia’s declaration of independence and

00:35:55.634 --> 00:35:58.000

whereas Liberia, which means the land of the free, was the

00:35:58.000 --> 00:36:01.734

first African nation on the African continent to gain its 00:36:01.734 --> 00:36:02.934

independence on July 26th, 1847.

00:36:02.934 --> 00:36:06.734

And whereas Liberians living in the city of Brooklyn Park and

00:36:06.734 --> 00:36:09.400

in Minnesota are making enormous contributions to the

00:36:09.400 --> 00:36:12.033

development of the workforce, cultural diversity, arts, and 00:36:12.033 --> 00:36:14.100

economic growth, and whereas Brooklyn Park is proud to be

00:36:14.100 --> 00:36:17.767

called home by one of the largest populations of

00:36:17.767 --> 00:36:20.467

Liberians outside of the Republic of Liberia and has 00:36:20.467 --> 00:36:22.667

greatly benefited from many residents who have taken an

00:36:22.667 --> 00:36:26.834

active role in local organizations, city commissions,

00:36:26.834 --> 00:36:29.500

and city government and whereas Brooklyn Park recognizes the

00:36:29.500 --> 00:36:31.734

rich and strong Liberian community that is making our 00:36:31.734 --> 00:36:34.834

city a thriving, vibrant, and diverse community. And whereas

00:36:34.834 --> 00:36:38.567

Liberia’s independence Day is a day to honor and highlight the

00:36:38.567 --> 00:36:40.834

current and historical relationship between the United 00:36:40.834 --> 00:36:43.467

States and Liberia, and the vital contributions Liberians

00:36:43.467 --> 00:36:46.634

make to the United States, to Minnesota and to Brooklyn Park,

00:36:46.634 --> 00:36:50.900

and whereas the organization of Liberians in Minnesota is 00:36:50.900 --> 00:36:54.100

organizing community events uh for the July 26th weekend to

00:36:54.100 --> 00:36:57.233

celebrate the holiday. Now, therefore, I hollis once in

00:36:57.233 --> 00:37:01.066

mayor of the city of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, do hereby 00:37:01.066 --> 00:37:04.734

proclaimed July 26, 2025 shall be observed as Liberian

00:37:04.734 --> 00:37:13.300

Independence Day in the city of Brooklyn Park. So I’m gonna say 00:37:13.300 --> 00:37:20.266

a few words. I mean, um, You know, the African heritage 00:37:20.266 --> 00:37:22.934

community is large in uh Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center.

00:37:22.934 --> 00:37:25.834

It’s growing throughout the state, uh, but the Liberian

00:37:25.834 --> 00:37:29.367

community has also been extremely key within that, uh,

00:37:29.367 --> 00:37:32.734

diaspora, and I think in terms of uh the number of businesses, 00:37:32.734 --> 00:37:37.266

the homes, the contributions that have been made. I think In

00:37:37.266 --> 00:37:40.266

many ways, the community has helped stabilize, uh, Brooklyn 00:37:40.266 --> 00:37:42.634

Park. I know we went through some difficult times even

00:37:42.634 --> 00:37:45.300

through the housing crisis. And I think a number of the people

00:37:45.300 --> 00:37:49.100

who are buying those homes were from uh the Liberian community.

00:37:49.100 --> 00:37:52.567

And they’re also building businesses, uh, quickly in 00:37:52.567 --> 00:37:55.467

Brooklyn Park. So I think when we look at it from that angle,

00:37:55.467 --> 00:37:58.734

um, it is true that the Liberian community has made

00:37:58.734 --> 00:38:02.367

some enormous contributions, uh, to our city. I also think if we 00:38:02.367 --> 00:38:06.367

look at it from uh a historical perspective. I know Liberia, uh,

00:38:06.367 --> 00:38:11.000

was in the news. because there’s a a a comment made at 00:38:11.000 --> 00:38:13.100

the White House, uh, to them.

00:38:13.100 --> 00:38:18.867

Uh, I will say this, um, uh, the history of Liberia is very

00:38:18.867 --> 00:38:23.100

much of Liberia is in many ways intertwined um with what we 00:38:23.100 --> 00:38:26.900

have experienced as African Americans in Minnesota, and I

00:38:26.900 --> 00:38:30.300

think many people overlook that particular uh connection that 00:38:30.300 --> 00:38:36.100

we have if folks don’t know, um, many of the former slaves went

00:38:36.100 --> 00:38:39.367

back to Liberia, um. And helped to found that country of

00:38:39.367 --> 00:38:43.533

Liberia. So there’s a lot of history between not only 00:38:43.533 --> 00:38:46.467

America, but between our particular uh communities so

00:38:46.467 --> 00:38:50.467

when we talk about Liberian independence Day, I think 00:38:50.467 --> 00:38:52.500

that’s incredibly important because when you look at the

00:38:52.500 --> 00:38:55.867

history of what Africa dealt with or the African diaspora,

00:38:55.867 --> 00:38:58.900

uh, even. You can talk about Haiti, Jamaica, you talk about

00:38:58.900 --> 00:39:01.767

Nigeria, other countries. I think it was very much a 00:39:01.767 --> 00:39:05.367

struggle for people to get any form of independence and the

00:39:05.367 --> 00:39:08.100

fact that Liberia did it so early, and I know it has not

00:39:08.100 --> 00:39:12.300

been an easy ride, but it’s never an easy ride, uh, when 00:39:12.300 --> 00:39:14.634

you are actively fighting for and declaring your independence.

00:39:14.634 --> 00:39:18.533

So I think in terms of uh persistence and a beacon to the

00:39:18.533 --> 00:39:23.734

world of what it looks like, uh, to take responsibility for your 00:39:23.734 --> 00:39:28.467

own future. I think people need to look beyond just to

00:39:28.467 --> 00:39:31.100

celebration of Liberian Independence Day, but realized 00:39:31.100 --> 00:39:34.000

that historically, they made a statement when it was unpopular

00:39:34.000 --> 00:39:36.634

for them to be making that statement, uh, and all the

00:39:36.634 --> 00:39:40.667

honor has to be be given for that along with the myriad 00:39:40.667 --> 00:40:07.367

contributions they have made as a community. So thank you. All 00:40:07.367 --> 00:40:14.900

right. Next we have an update uh from CCX, uh. Oh, a couple 00:40:14.900 --> 00:40:18.100

of folks that I recognize. So if you guys could uh introduce

00:40:18.100 --> 00:40:20.800

yourselves and head into the presentation. Thank you. 00:40:20.800 --> 00:40:21.867

Absolutely. Thank you, Mr.

00:40:21.867 --> 00:40:24.000

Mayor and council, city staff.

00:40:24.000 --> 00:40:27.166

My name is Shannon Slatten Schwartz. I’m the executive

00:40:27.166 --> 00:40:29.834

director of CCX Media. It’s a position I’ve been in for about

00:40:29.834 --> 00:40:33.634

2.5 years, but I’ve been with the organization for almost 18, 00:40:33.634 --> 00:40:37.233

primarily working in the news department and joining me, Dave

00:40:37.233 --> 00:40:40.100

Kaiser, our government and community affairs liaison, 00:40:40.100 --> 00:40:43.233

familiar face as well, Dave, how many years have you been

00:40:43.233 --> 00:40:47.533

with our organization? About 40, so he’s been covering Brooklyn

00:40:47.533 --> 00:40:50.266

Park for that long, very thankful to be here. I hope 00:40:50.266 --> 00:40:53.834

today just to give you a brief overview of some of the

00:40:53.834 --> 00:40:56.533

different ways CCX Media serves our community and to tell you a

00:40:56.533 --> 00:41:03.033

little bit about some of the challenges that we face. All 00:41:03.033 --> 00:41:07.100

right, first, the map on your screen, CCX Media’s coverage

00:41:07.100 --> 00:41:10.500

area includes the nine cities north of 394 and west of 00:41:10.500 --> 00:41:14.233

Highway 100. It’s an area that has about 350,000 people. So if

00:41:14.233 --> 00:41:17.934

you compare that to other peg channels across the state.

00:41:17.934 --> 00:41:21.667

We’re #2. We’re right between Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Um, 00:41:21.667 --> 00:41:25.266

we were founded, we were called Northwest Community Television,

00:41:25.266 --> 00:41:29.634

and now we’re called CCX Media, which stands for Connected

00:41:29.634 --> 00:41:32.367

Community Experience, and the story goes that 40 years ago, 00:41:32.367 --> 00:41:33.100

our 9 communities came together.

00:41:33.100 --> 00:41:36.567

because there were local stories to tell that were not

00:41:36.567 --> 00:41:40.367

being told. And so we continue to tell those stories today and 00:41:40.367 --> 00:41:43.533

speaking of stories, our news department is a department that

00:41:43.533 --> 00:41:45.133

you’re probably familiar with.

00:41:45.133 --> 00:41:48.300

We have a traditional news department that puts out

00:41:48.300 --> 00:41:51.133

stories every day online and on our channel, and you might be 00:41:51.133 --> 00:41:55.300

surprised to learn that some of our most uh viewed stories are

00:41:55.300 --> 00:41:56.867

actually development related.

00:41:56.867 --> 00:41:59.533

People are very interested to know what’s going on at the end

00:41:59.533 --> 00:42:02.233

of their street, what developments coming in and 00:42:02.233 --> 00:42:05.033

bonus points if it’s a restaurant. Um, because those

00:42:05.033 --> 00:42:08.233

stories do really well. Uh, here’s two examples of popular

00:42:08.233 --> 00:42:10.500

stories in Brooklyn Park that generated a high number of 00:42:10.500 --> 00:42:14.467

views. Uh, one was the golf course at Edinburgh USA

00:42:14.467 --> 00:42:16.233

transitioning over, that story was at the beginning of the

00:42:16.233 --> 00:42:20.266

year, and the other was on Highway 252 freeway conversion 00:42:20.266 --> 00:42:24.100

plan. We’ve done many stories on that project over the past

00:42:24.100 --> 00:42:28.100

few years. We have a sports department. We’re very

00:42:28.100 --> 00:42:30.500

fortunate there, and we cover high school sports. Not only do 00:42:30.500 --> 00:42:33.900

we get out and broadcast live events, but we do features

00:42:33.900 --> 00:42:37.533

which do pretty well. Here is a feature that generated over

00:42:37.533 --> 00:42:40.767

10,000 views on Park Center Spring sports, featuring the 00:42:40.767 --> 00:42:43.934

boys volleyball team. First year for that sport and Park

00:42:43.934 --> 00:42:45.667

Center’s team did really well, making it to the state

00:42:45.667 --> 00:42:49.834

tournament. Uh, for cities, Dave’s worked in that, uh,

00:42:49.834 --> 00:42:54.000

department quite a bit, so I’m gonna let him talk about that. 00:42:54.000 --> 00:42:57.200

Thank you, Shannon. Good evening everyone, and it is a

00:42:57.200 --> 00:43:00.900

pleasure to speak to you today to talk a little bit about CCX 00:43:00.900 --> 00:43:05.233

Media and one of the big reasons we exist is for you

00:43:05.233 --> 00:43:08.000

right here and transparency of government meetings. And not

00:43:08.000 --> 00:43:10.800

only on the channels, which again you see some of the views 00:43:10.800 --> 00:43:13.367

that we see at the different meetings and we’re covering

00:43:13.367 --> 00:43:16.567

about a meeting a week on average here in the city of

00:43:16.567 --> 00:43:19.300

Brooklyn Park, but also streaming meetings, able to

00:43:19.300 --> 00:43:23.367

view meetings, video on demand at a later point as well. Some 00:43:23.367 --> 00:43:26.567

of the other stories you see that we work with cities very

00:43:26.567 --> 00:43:29.300

closely on Shannon mentioned restaurants and you see some of

00:43:29.300 --> 00:43:32.467

our restaurant features of some of the cultural restaurants 00:43:32.467 --> 00:43:35.767

here in town again, very favorable response and getting

00:43:35.767 --> 00:43:38.100

people to go to those businesses and try them out.

00:43:38.100 --> 00:43:41.500

And I get the pleasure of meeting with the mayor on every 00:43:41.500 --> 00:43:43.800

two month basis to conduct the mayor’s minutes, a chat to find

00:43:43.800 --> 00:43:47.900

out what’s new in the city and give people a reason to stay in

00:43:47.900 --> 00:43:51.233

touch. Other things that we do as well are the history special 00:43:51.233 --> 00:43:54.300

we have done for the city. And again, candidate forums.

00:43:54.300 --> 00:43:57.734

partnering with the League of Women voters, so our city work

00:43:57.734 --> 00:44:01.367

for the city of Brooklyn Park and the other 8 cities is 00:44:01.367 --> 00:44:07.166

ongoing effort. Thanks Dave, you might not be familiar. One

00:44:07.166 --> 00:44:10.934

of the best kept secrets that we have is we still operate a 00:44:10.934 --> 00:44:13.767

traditional public access, uh, department, and so if you are a

00:44:13.767 --> 00:44:15.867

resident in the city of Brooklyn Park, you can come to

00:44:15.867 --> 00:44:18.900

our station, we’ll teach you how to make television or a

00:44:18.900 --> 00:44:21.734

podcast, which is really popular right now, and then you 00:44:21.734 --> 00:44:25.300

can create it and it goes out on our channel. Um, one of the

00:44:25.300 --> 00:44:27.834

podcasts in the corner, she speaks to ladies that come in

00:44:27.834 --> 00:44:32.200

and do what I would call a mom podcast. Um, we also have 00:44:32.200 --> 00:44:34.300

Northwest City Politics, you can see there in the corner and

00:44:34.300 --> 00:44:37.000

Three Rivers Park. district move their podcast production

00:44:37.000 --> 00:44:39.667

to our studios, and they produced The Wondering

00:44:39.667 --> 00:44:46.100

Naturalist. Uh, so residents created 595 programs in 2024. 00:44:46.100 --> 00:44:49.300

We also have a creative services, finally, and this was

00:44:49.300 --> 00:44:52.100

our last department, that was kind of founded because uh we 00:44:52.100 --> 00:44:54.667

would get requests that really didn’t fit in anywhere else,

00:44:54.667 --> 00:44:56.867

and that’s where we would have cities and nonprofits that

00:44:56.867 --> 00:45:00.567

would come to us with a video need and we said that’s 00:45:00.567 --> 00:45:03.367

something we can do. So our state of the cities falls under

00:45:03.367 --> 00:45:07.500

this umbrella. Sometimes the city will come to us and have

00:45:07.500 --> 00:45:10.634

um need for something to be recorded, to be used only 00:45:10.634 --> 00:45:12.800

internally, somewhat video on demand, so we’ve done that as

00:45:12.800 --> 00:45:15.800

well, so we’ve worked with school districts and nonprofits

00:45:15.800 --> 00:45:22.033

in our creative. ’ s arm. And I think one thing that uh the 00:45:22.033 --> 00:45:25.467

folks before me were really, really smart on is that we are

00:45:25.467 --> 00:45:26.533

available just about anywhere.

00:45:26.533 --> 00:45:29.867

We were not content just to be a cable television station. It

00:45:29.867 --> 00:45:33.567

was more important to be relevant, and so we are out um 00:45:33.567 --> 00:45:36.367

on websites on over the top apps, so if you don’t have

00:45:36.367 --> 00:45:39.400

cable, and we know most of you don’t, um, you can still

00:45:39.400 --> 00:45:42.166

download our app and stay just as relevant as before. We have 00:45:42.166 --> 00:45:45.667

email marketing, so our purpose is really just to get the

00:45:45.667 --> 00:45:49.467

information out and be relevant to the people at home. And

00:45:49.467 --> 00:45:53.133

finally, in your packet tonight, you have a one page handout 00:45:53.133 --> 00:45:56.367

that we’ve been um showing to cities that’s titled Funding

00:45:56.367 --> 00:46:00.300

and Policy needed to save Community media. Our funding is 00:46:00.300 --> 00:46:03.900

going away. We are founded off of cable franchise fees, so

00:46:03.900 --> 00:46:07.100

which each person that cuts the cord on traditional cable

00:46:07.100 --> 00:46:10.834

television, we lose that revenue. We’ve lost about 35% 00:46:10.834 --> 00:46:15.767

of our revenue since 2017, and we have absorbed those losses

00:46:15.767 --> 00:46:18.500

by eliminating positions, trying to um have a few

00:46:18.500 --> 00:46:19.367

channels of sustainable.

00:46:19.367 --> 00:46:23.266

revenue, and we’ve developed a strategic plan to help guide us 00:46:23.266 --> 00:46:26.867

as um as we shrink and as we plan for the declining revenue.

00:46:26.867 --> 00:46:30.533

We’ve also been very active with the state legislature, 00:46:30.533 --> 00:46:32.867

working legislatively on a solution as well. We’ve

00:46:32.867 --> 00:46:36.000

testified several times, um, on behalf of peg channels. I think

00:46:36.000 --> 00:46:40.767

Dave’s gonna lean into that just a little bit more. If 00:46:40.767 --> 00:46:43.634

you’re interested to find more information, we have contact

00:46:43.634 --> 00:46:46.667

with the League of Minnesota cities that has been a great

00:46:46.667 --> 00:46:50.834

partner, especially on the broadband and and franchising 00:46:50.834 --> 00:46:54.000

broadband, so that is obviously what is replacing cable TV for

00:46:54.000 --> 00:46:57.800

a lot of people, but they’re streaming their programming,

00:46:57.800 --> 00:47:00.500

but those broadband companies do not pay a franchise fee to 00:47:00.500 --> 00:47:04.266

use that right of way in your city. And in fact this is

00:47:04.266 --> 00:47:08.500

something that’s coming up at other commissions and cities

00:47:08.500 --> 00:47:12.300

right now in the end of July, the city of Woodbury will be 00:47:12.300 --> 00:47:16.000

hearing some discussion about franchising broadband companies,

00:47:16.000 --> 00:47:18.634

so Shannon will keep you informed about that and

00:47:18.634 --> 00:47:22.367

certainly the city of Brooklyn Park has 2 members on our cable 00:47:22.367 --> 00:47:26.100

commission, so they can keep you informed as well. There is

00:47:26.100 --> 00:47:28.266

an organization called MACTA.

00:47:28.266 --> 00:47:31.533

It is a Minnesota-based organization of both city 00:47:31.533 --> 00:47:34.367

communications people and community. te le vision systems

00:47:34.367 --> 00:47:37.033

like ours and a great part about the city of Brooklyn Park

00:47:37.033 --> 00:47:41.033

is you have a fine facility like CCX Media, and at the end 00:47:41.033 --> 00:47:44.934

of the month, we will be hosting the statewide

00:47:44.934 --> 00:47:49.533

conference here at our facility at 6900 Winnetka Avenue North.

00:47:49.533 --> 00:47:52.767

So certainly you are all welcome to attend and there 00:47:52.767 --> 00:47:58.100

will be some specific workshops to talk about the future of

00:47:58.100 --> 00:48:00.734

franchising and also some of our work at the state capitol. 00:48:00.734 --> 00:48:03.567

Shannon and I have spent many hours down at the State capital

00:48:03.567 --> 00:48:08.767

over the past few years to look at some state efforts around

00:48:08.767 --> 00:48:11.567

getting this funding modernized, and again, we have not been 00:48:11.567 --> 00:48:14.634

fortunate the past couple of years in those efforts, but we

00:48:14.634 --> 00:48:17.567

know it takes time, but we think a key to the effort is

00:48:17.567 --> 00:48:22.734

cities. And again, we encourage cities to look at franchising 00:48:22.734 --> 00:48:25.000

as an opportunity because broadband companies are coming

00:48:25.000 --> 00:48:28.667

in, and they are building in your community under no

00:48:28.667 --> 00:48:31.233

franchise, which means they can pick where they would like to 00:48:31.233 --> 00:48:34.467

serve, so if they would like to serve a certain portion of the

00:48:34.467 --> 00:48:37.667

city and not the other portion of the city that is something

00:48:37.667 --> 00:48:41.300

they can do without a franchise, so we encourage the city to 00:48:41.300 --> 00:48:44.500

learn more about that. Please ask us questions. We’d be happy

00:48:44.500 --> 00:48:47.734

to answer them and join us at the conference right here in

00:48:47.734 --> 00:48:53.133

your hometown, end of July. And thank you for your support. 00:48:53.133 --> 00:48:55.734

We’re happy to answer any questions now or at a later

00:48:55.734 --> 00:49:03.233

time. Thank you. Are there any particular questions or? 00:49:03.233 --> 00:49:10.133

Councilor McGarvey. Thank you, Mayor, and thank you folks for 00:49:10.133 --> 00:49:13.100

that. fine presentation. Um, Just a couple of questions. One,

00:49:13.100 --> 00:49:18.200

Uh, what are the numbers when you look at them for folks

00:49:18.200 --> 00:49:22.467

downloading the app and participating that way with CCX. 00:49:22.467 --> 00:49:25.767

We have all of those numbers in our annual report, which I’m

00:49:25.767 --> 00:49:28.367

happy to pass along to you. I can’t tell you off the top of

00:49:28.367 --> 00:49:32.200

my head because we’re on 5 different apps. So I, I don’t 00:49:32.200 --> 00:49:35.166

know that directly, um, but, but we do try the best we can

00:49:35.166 --> 00:49:39.000

to keep up with our analytics from not only YouTube and

00:49:39.000 --> 00:49:41.634

Facebook and website and over the top apps, so I can tell you 00:49:41.634 --> 00:49:45.467

our website gets over a million views every year. Um, so we are

00:49:45.467 --> 00:49:49.634

relevant. We’ve worked really hard on that. So it’s not a

00:49:49.634 --> 00:49:52.834

separate CCX app you’re available on the other 00:49:52.834 --> 00:49:55.734

streaming apps. You have to download the app on those apps,

00:49:55.734 --> 00:49:58.834

and then you can go there and scroll through city council

00:49:58.834 --> 00:50:02.734

meetings to watch which one you want or stories or sports as 00:50:02.734 --> 00:50:07.834

well. I’m gonna do that, um, second question, are you

00:50:07.834 --> 00:50:12.634

legally prohibited then from running ads or providing 00:50:12.634 --> 00:50:15.233

advertisements for are you able to do that? Question, we, we

00:50:15.233 --> 00:50:19.100

don’t, um, run ads on our community access channels. We,

00:50:19.100 --> 00:50:22.367

um, those aren’t, we can’t run ads on those, but we can on CCX 00:50:22.367 --> 00:50:26.634

one, which we have over the years. people cutting cable in

00:50:26.634 --> 00:50:29.233

that audience shrinking. It’s not as much as we would like.

00:50:29.233 --> 00:50:32.367

Uh, we’ve also done some work in sponsorships, trying to go 00:50:32.367 --> 00:50:35.567

out and find community businesses to sponsor our

00:50:35.567 --> 00:50:39.834

content. And what we found is that we resonate with the same

00:50:39.834 --> 00:50:42.734

types of small businesses that might support your, your hockey 00:50:42.734 --> 00:50:45.233

teams or your sports teams or people that believe in

00:50:45.233 --> 00:50:47.834

supporting the community and attaching their name to a

00:50:47.834 --> 00:50:50.567

community product, so that’s good. Unfortunately, it’s not 00:50:50.567 --> 00:50:53.634

tipping the scales on sustainability. Yet, but we

00:50:53.634 --> 00:51:01.767

have hope. And then finally one, Oh, do you have any way of 00:51:01.767 --> 00:51:06.033

tracking how many of those 500+ podcasts are actually listened

00:51:06.033 --> 00:51:12.033

to. When people create a podcast on, on, um, in our 00:51:12.033 --> 00:51:15.100

studio, we, we put it on our channel, but as far as

00:51:15.100 --> 00:51:17.367

dissemination on other platforms, that’s kind of up to

00:51:17.367 --> 00:51:21.000

them. So they’re the ones that can market and do whatever they 00:51:21.000 --> 00:51:25.834

want to with that product. So, short answer, no. Thank you

00:51:25.834 --> 00:51:29.500

very much. You’re welcome.

00:51:29.500 --> 00:51:34.834

Council member Kowski. Thank you, Mayor. No questions. I 00:51:34.834 --> 00:51:38.567

just want to say thank you, um, in a time where media is under

00:51:38.567 --> 00:51:42.400

attack sometimes. It’s really great to have local 00:51:42.400 --> 00:51:44.100

community-based news to keep us informed. So thank you for what

00:51:44.100 --> 00:51:48.867

you do. Thank you. So, yeah, I’m going to second that, I

00:51:48.867 --> 00:51:53.000

think, um. You know, I don’t always get along with the media, 00:51:53.000 --> 00:51:56.734

which means the media is probably doing their job, but,

00:51:56.734 --> 00:51:59.834

um, thank you for, uh, you know, the local stories that you do,

00:51:59.834 --> 00:52:01.734

I think often you’re getting facts out there that other 00:52:01.734 --> 00:52:05.300

people are just not getting out there, uh, from that local

00:52:05.300 --> 00:52:10.166

perspective. So I think that’s important. I do, um, feel, uh, 00:52:10.166 --> 00:52:14.900

for you in terms of the, the diminishing revenue sources. So

00:52:14.900 --> 00:52:17.166

I think maybe uh I, I don’t make any promises on this

00:52:17.166 --> 00:52:20.166

because this all has to fit within our larger approach as a 00:52:20.166 --> 00:52:24.000

city, but I’ll see. If anything does make sense with us, um, if

00:52:24.000 --> 00:52:26.200

there’s anything that we can do, but again, we’ve got to put

00:52:26.200 --> 00:52:28.800

that in with all of our priorities and, you know, as a

00:52:28.800 --> 00:52:33.634

city, we’re not the uh it seems like a Northwest region thing. 00:52:33.634 --> 00:52:36.467

We’re not as flush as perhaps we should be, uh, and we’re

00:52:36.467 --> 00:52:39.634

working on that. So, um, but thank you again for that

00:52:39.634 --> 00:52:42.200

coverage, um, and if we can do more with you to get the word 00:52:42.200 --> 00:52:45.300

out about what we’re doing, uh, in Brooklyn Park. We’re looking

00:52:45.300 --> 00:52:47.900

forward to that. It’s, you know, the more we can educate

00:52:47.900 --> 00:52:50.567

residents in terms of what we’re actually doing, uh, you 00:52:50.567 --> 00:52:54.400

know. versus the conspiracy theories that seem to abound,

00:52:54.400 --> 00:52:57.634

that would be uh, I think it’s a, it’s a good public service.

00:52:57.634 --> 00:53:10.033

So thank you very much. All right, so next, it looks like 00:53:10.033 --> 00:53:15.367

uh. Going to have a presentation on Minneapolis

00:53:15.367 --> 00:53:18.033

Northwest Tourism, uh, with director Gladhill and Leslie

00:53:18.033 --> 00:53:21.100

Wright, president and CEO of Minneapolis Northwest, uh, 00:53:21.100 --> 00:53:25.000

tourism. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, members of the council. I’ll do

00:53:25.000 --> 00:53:29.100

a very brief intro and then turn things over to Ms. Wright,

00:53:29.100 --> 00:53:32.300

um, whose team does an amazing work, uh, marketing Brooklyn 00:53:32.300 --> 00:53:36.133

Park and Brooklyn Center, and the tourism and recreation

00:53:36.133 --> 00:53:38.900

opportunities we have from our perspective, the foundation

00:53:38.900 --> 00:53:45.100

that allows us to do this is a lodging tax, 3% lodging tax tax 00:53:45.100 --> 00:53:48.467

that gets applied to each hotel stay in the cities of Brooklyn

00:53:48.467 --> 00:53:52.567

Park and Brooklyn Center. Uh, this is a tool that’s enabled 00:53:52.567 --> 00:53:56.533

through the state’s economic development chapter, um, local

00:53:56.533 --> 00:54:00.266

lodging taxes and allows us to fund a convention and visitors 00:54:00.266 --> 00:54:03.734

bureau, often known as a destination marketing

00:54:03.734 --> 00:54:06.500

organization, and the intent here is to promote the city as

00:54:06.500 --> 00:54:10.233

a tourist or convention center, um, and more importantly, this 00:54:10.233 --> 00:54:13.934

has a secondary effect of, uh, economic boost to our

00:54:13.934 --> 00:54:17.634

restaurants and shops. So that’s why it exists in the

00:54:17.634 --> 00:54:19.133

economic development lens, and it’s something a lot of

00:54:19.133 --> 00:54:22.367

different cities. throughout the state, um, are able to 00:54:22.367 --> 00:54:25.166

employ. One thing I just want to frame up as we have good

00:54:25.166 --> 00:54:28.867

ideas in terms of what can this lodging tax be used for? How

00:54:28.867 --> 00:54:32.800

can we support as the city, um, this work, um, really, it’s 00:54:32.800 --> 00:54:36.400

about marketing, so marketing visitor’s guide, social media,

00:54:36.400 --> 00:54:39.000

um, they do have staff that goes out and tracks events to

00:54:39.000 --> 00:54:42.567

come here, such as Gus Macker, um, but also more importantly, 00:54:42.567 --> 00:54:46.500

one thing, there are things that we cannot use this for our

00:54:46.500 --> 00:54:48.867

our standard capital improvement plan. We can’t use

00:54:48.867 --> 00:54:52.367

these dollars to be. by the area. There is a little bit of 00:54:52.367 --> 00:54:55.567

flexibility in terms of public art, if you can make that tie

00:54:55.567 --> 00:54:58.734

directly to marketing and tourism, and then some

00:54:58.734 --> 00:55:01.100

communities have done special legislation similar to what 00:55:01.100 --> 00:55:04.767

we’ve done with tax income and financing to expand that use as

00:55:04.767 --> 00:55:07.567

well. So I just put that disclaimer out as well. So with

00:55:07.567 --> 00:55:10.567

that lens, I’m gonna turn things over to Leslie to talk a 00:55:10.567 --> 00:55:17.100

little bit about Minneapolis Northwest itself. I just Just

00:55:17.100 --> 00:55:21.634

these arrows back. Good evening, good evening, uh, Mayor Winston. 00:55:21.634 --> 00:55:28.367

And City council members, thank you for having me. My name is

00:55:28.367 --> 00:55:32.500

Leslie Wright, and I’m the president and CEO of 00:55:32.500 --> 00:55:35.667

Minneapolis Northwest Tourism, which represents the cities of

00:55:35.667 --> 00:55:43.667

Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center. Thank you, um, Mr. 00:55:43.667 --> 00:55:47.367

Gladhill for talking about some of the things of what how we’re

00:55:47.367 --> 00:55:50.033

funded, but I just wanna tell you a little bit about who we 00:55:50.033 --> 00:55:53.767

are. We’re destination marketing organization that

00:55:53.767 --> 00:55:58.033

focuses on the promotion, management, and development of

00:55:58.033 --> 00:56:03.467

a specific travel or tourism destination, so a DMO as he 00:56:03.467 --> 00:56:08.233

talked about their primary role is to attract visitors, improve

00:56:08.233 --> 00:56:10.367

the visitor experience and ensure sustainable. Tourism 00:56:10.367 --> 00:56:16.800

growth. DMOs typically represent a city or a region we

00:56:16.800 --> 00:56:20.000

represent Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center, and they work 00:56:20.000 --> 00:56:24.233

in collaboration with local businesses, governments, and

00:56:24.233 --> 00:56:27.634

other stakeholders to foster tourism and drive economic

00:56:27.634 --> 00:56:34.467

development. When we think about All that we do, we have a 00:56:34.467 --> 00:56:41.300

small and mighty team. Um, I’m on that team. Jin Dirda Johnson 00:56:41.300 --> 00:56:45.033

is our destination sales director and community

00:56:45.033 --> 00:56:48.767

engagement coordinator, Emily, Emily Kanakua is our

00:56:48.767 --> 00:56:51.000

administrative assistant and honestly the person that holds 00:56:51.000 --> 00:56:55.166

the glue together and does pretty much everything. And

00:56:55.166 --> 00:57:00.000

Mary Louer is our marketing consultant, so it’s 4 of us. We 00:57:00.000 --> 00:57:05.900

have actually 3 full-time staff that manage the organization.

00:57:05.900 --> 00:57:09.634

We’ve already talked about how we are funded, so I won’t go

00:57:09.634 --> 00:57:15.000

into this. This is just so you will know. That it is not paid 00:57:15.000 --> 00:57:19.233

by residents. Many people feel that this tax, the lodging tax

00:57:19.233 --> 00:57:23.133

is paid by residents. It is actually paid by the visitors 00:57:23.133 --> 00:57:26.734

in the hotel, so that’s an important note when we look at

00:57:26.734 --> 00:57:35.767

what we can and cannot do. What we measure We measure occupancy 00:57:35.767 --> 00:57:40.033

and average daily rates of hotels, because that’s where we 00:57:40.033 --> 00:57:45.367

get our funding from, so that’s an important thing to note, but

00:57:45.367 --> 00:57:49.033

we also analyze the spending in Brooklyn Center in Brooklyn

00:57:49.033 --> 00:57:53.467

Park, so that we can know if we’ve made an impact, um, these 00:57:53.467 --> 00:57:59.767

days, a cell phone can tell you pretty much. Anything, and

00:57:59.767 --> 00:58:04.567

there are many companies that give us data, and we have one 00:58:04.567 --> 00:58:08.533

company’s article that gives us data on how much spending is

00:58:08.533 --> 00:58:12.500

taking place, we can look at it this year versus last year, we 00:58:12.500 --> 00:58:16.367

can compare to determine if we’re making strides and

00:58:16.367 --> 00:58:19.734

getting people to come to the area as well as to spend in the

00:58:19.734 --> 00:58:25.900

area. What we’re doing now, we do a lot of marketing and we do 00:58:25.900 --> 00:58:31.367

a lot of promoting of events, so we focus on media, um, I 00:58:31.367 --> 00:58:37.033

have been in CCX a few times, um, media specifically for

00:58:37.033 --> 00:58:42.500

events in both cities, pedal jam, Ebel Fest, Liberian day 00:58:42.500 --> 00:58:47.767

and Gus Macker. Newsletters and blogs to make sure that our

00:58:47.767 --> 00:58:52.100

constituents and our residents know what’s going on. Community 00:58:52.100 --> 00:58:54.734

engagement and communication with both cities, we meet

00:58:54.734 --> 00:58:58.000

regularly with the city so that we can have an understanding of

00:58:58.000 --> 00:59:02.867

what we’re doing and what needs to be done. Quarterly hotel 00:59:02.867 --> 00:59:05.467

sales directors meetings so that we can keep updated on

00:59:05.467 --> 00:59:09.033

what’s happening in our hotels, social activities with our

00:59:09.033 --> 00:59:12.533

board members and our stakeholders, proactive selling 00:59:12.533 --> 00:59:17.166

is what Mr. Gladhill talked about. We go out and try to get

00:59:17.166 --> 00:59:22.000

conventions to come here, albeit small, we work closely 00:59:22.000 --> 00:59:25.166

with the Heritage Center so that we can try to bring

00:59:25.166 --> 00:59:29.467

business to this area. lead qualification and distribution

00:59:29.467 --> 00:59:31.634

to make sure our hotels in Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn 00:59:31.634 --> 00:59:35.834

Center. I don’t know what just clicked, maybe you all are

00:59:35.834 --> 00:59:39.634

telling me to keep, OK, I’m going back to what we’re doing.

00:59:39.634 --> 00:59:43.834

Um, so lead qualification and distribution to make sure that 00:59:43.834 --> 00:59:47.567

our hotels are getting those leads that want to and are

00:59:47.567 --> 00:59:50.467

interested in our area, and then Gus Maer. Gus Macker takes 00:59:50.467 --> 00:59:54.100

up quite a bit of our time, and I’ll talk about that in just a

00:59:54.100 --> 01:00:00.467

few minutes. What’s upcoming a potential board retreats so 01:00:00.467 --> 01:00:06.300

that our board will be fully aware of how they can be more

01:00:06.300 --> 01:00:10.100

engaged, a rebranding of M&W is just something that we are 01:00:10.100 --> 01:00:14.834

talking about now, and we’ll look at for next year, as you

01:00:14.834 --> 01:00:19.166

know, Minneapolis Northwest tourism is our name, and many

01:00:19.166 --> 01:00:22.834

people will say, think we’re Minneapolis because we have 01:00:22.834 --> 01:00:26.634

Minneapolis in our name, so I’m not saying that that’s not an

01:00:26.634 --> 01:00:30.767

attraction that is, but what I am saying is how do we elevate 01:00:30.767 --> 01:00:33.567

Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center, as Minneapolis

01:00:33.567 --> 01:00:38.300

Northwest tourism. And thank you publicly to um. I don’t

01:00:38.300 --> 01:00:44.367

want to say to Mr. Gladhill about um how he’s champion 01:00:44.367 --> 01:00:49.467

championing some of this with us, so we can do something like

01:00:49.467 --> 01:00:54.000

Two Brooklyn’s one visit, one vision, how can we really work 01:00:54.000 --> 01:00:55.900

together to make sure that people know that we are

01:00:55.900 --> 01:01:01.367

Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center. We’re also looking at a 01:01:01.367 --> 01:01:04.734

familiarization tour we call that in the industry a fam tour

01:01:04.734 --> 01:01:07.166

and bringing Event planners.

01:01:07.166 --> 01:01:13.100

Sorry 2 Brooklyn Park or Brooklyn Center and showing 01:01:13.100 --> 01:01:16.767

them the area, showing them what we have, so that they can

01:01:16.767 --> 01:01:20.533

know how far we are from the cities, from the airports, etc. 01:01:20.533 --> 01:01:24.500

so they can bring meetings here, updating our insider’s guide,

01:01:24.500 --> 01:01:28.734

which is what we send to meeting planners, implementing

01:01:28.734 --> 01:01:31.300

a board newsletter so that the board in between meetings since 01:01:31.300 --> 01:01:36.500

we only meet 4 times a year, we’ll know what’s going on, and

01:01:36.500 --> 01:01:39.900

then after Gus Macker leaves August 4th, we’re going to

01:01:39.900 --> 01:01:43.934

start working. on an ROI board got smacker to make sure that 01:01:43.934 --> 01:01:50.900

it is something that we can continue moving forward. 01:01:50.900 --> 01:01:56.233

Promoting tourism, we do that through. Excuse me, our social

01:01:56.233 --> 01:01:59.000

media, Google ads, we do advertise on Google so that we

01:01:59.000 --> 01:02:03.800

can drive people to our website, newsletters and blogs, 01:02:03.800 --> 01:02:07.100

conferences and events, communicating with event

01:02:07.100 --> 01:02:13.900

planners, and then we also offer As limited as um 01:02:13.900 --> 01:02:19.233

Sometimes we have to be free marketing and promotion of

01:02:19.233 --> 01:02:25.634

events for our area events in our restaurants. We have worked 01:02:25.634 --> 01:02:29.367

with CCS again on bringing many of the restaurants to the

01:02:29.367 --> 01:02:32.100

forefront and bringing many of those things so that people can 01:02:32.100 --> 01:02:37.900

know what we’re doing. And what they’re doing specifically.

01:02:37.900 --> 01:02:42.233

Engaging council members. And I have to give a shout out to 01:02:42.233 --> 01:02:48.033

council member Page, who met with me just to get to know me.

01:02:48.033 --> 01:02:52.300

Not for anything on an agenda, so thank you. But how can we 01:02:52.300 --> 01:02:57.734

engage council members in what we do. Attending events. People

01:02:57.734 --> 01:03:04.100

don’t want to see me. They love to see you, so attending events 01:03:04.100 --> 01:03:08.367

that are specially um attended by many of our residents. Tell

01:03:08.367 --> 01:03:12.367

us what you’re hearing. I will be attending the town hall 01:03:12.367 --> 01:03:16.900

meetings, but it is important if you hear something that is

01:03:16.900 --> 01:03:19.100

outside of those, let us know.

01:03:19.100 --> 01:03:25.467

Continue to learn about what we do. This is just continuous. 01:03:25.467 --> 01:03:28.100

Gus Macker sponsorship Shameless sponsorships and

01:03:28.100 --> 01:03:31.367

contacts if you have any, we certainly would love them so 01:03:31.367 --> 01:03:37.734

that we can carry on um the success of Gus Macker.

01:03:37.734 --> 01:03:41.100

Understanding the state statute and Mr. Gladhill talked about 01:03:41.100 --> 01:03:44.233

that earlier, but that’s a really important thing about

01:03:44.233 --> 01:03:50.500

what we do. You all are giving me more hints. And then 01:03:50.500 --> 01:03:53.166

subscribing to our monthly newsletters and following us on

01:03:53.166 --> 01:03:59.233

social media, so you will know what’s happening. A quick gusm

01:03:59.233 --> 01:04:03.367

Macker update. Many of you know Gus Macker is going to be here 01:04:03.367 --> 01:04:08.166

August 2nd and 3rd. It’s a 3 on 3 outdoor basketball tournament,

01:04:08.166 --> 01:04:11.934

even though it says 3 on 3, we need 4 people just in case 1 01:04:11.934 --> 01:04:14.567

person has to be subbed in.

01:04:14.567 --> 01:04:18.300

It’s a national event held throughout the country, and

01:04:18.300 --> 01:04:23.634

this is the 51st year and the 50th year was the first year it 01:04:23.634 --> 01:04:27.533

was back in Minneapolis, um, Brooklyn Park, Minneapolis

01:04:27.533 --> 01:04:32.200

Northwest sponsored it for Brooklyn Park. Um, last year, 01:04:32.200 --> 01:04:38.567

we had many local partnerships, we can still use more, and we

01:04:38.567 --> 01:04:41.800

gave $37,500 to 6 nonprofits. 01:04:41.800 --> 01:04:44.467

Last year, and we need additional sponsorship. So we

01:04:44.467 --> 01:04:49.834

will be able to support those nonprofits again this year and

01:04:49.834 --> 01:04:54.100

volunteers. We are doing very well on our volunteers, but we 01:04:54.100 --> 01:04:58.300

do need more. It’s a tournament that will be all day, it’s

01:04:58.300 --> 01:05:01.567

right down the street at North Hennepin Community College, and 01:05:01.567 --> 01:05:06.000

it will be a great event for family fun and a little

01:05:06.000 --> 01:05:11.734

basketball. Any questions, and I don’t know, I didn’t tie 01:05:11.734 --> 01:05:20.734

myself, but I’ve tried to be quick. Any questions from 01:05:20.734 --> 01:05:27.767

council? No, I just say thank you for um. Uh, you know, for

01:05:27.767 --> 01:05:30.367

for stepping into this role, moving it forward. I think it 01:05:30.367 --> 01:05:33.667

is important, uh, that I think a lot of times people think

01:05:33.667 --> 01:05:37.300

that business just comes to the city, right? And so I think you

01:05:37.300 --> 01:05:41.100

are helping to highlight what makes us unique as a city is 01:05:41.100 --> 01:05:43.667

incredibly important, uh, to filling up those hotel rooms

01:05:43.667 --> 01:05:45.934

and helping people understand what we do, but also just folks

01:05:45.934 --> 01:05:48.500

coming in and understanding what we do, whether it’s the

01:05:48.500 --> 01:05:50.567

farmers’ market or some of the other programming that I have, 01:05:50.567 --> 01:05:53.767

we have. So I want to thank you, um, for that piece. I’ll leave

01:05:53.767 --> 01:05:57.100

it at that for now. I I see that, uh, Councilor Page. Uh,

01:05:57.100 --> 01:06:03.533

I’ll make a statement or a question. Thank you, Mayor, and 01:06:03.533 --> 01:06:08.367

thank you for um coming to see us and explaining to us. How

01:06:08.367 --> 01:06:11.000

you’re helping get some attention to our city or more. 01:06:11.000 --> 01:06:15.400

Um, just a really basic question only because I don’t

01:06:15.400 --> 01:06:19.533

know this question when you do your tax, um, for the room tax.

01:06:19.533 --> 01:06:22.734

Is there any difference in a single night stay versus a 01:06:22.734 --> 01:06:25.467

length of a lengthier stay. Is it the same tax per night? Is

01:06:25.467 --> 01:06:28.634

that how that works? It’s the same tax per night, and we

01:06:28.634 --> 01:06:32.834

don’t do it to be very honest with you. That is done by the 01:06:32.834 --> 01:06:37.634

hotels, sit directly to the cities and then the city sends.

01:06:37.634 --> 01:06:39.734

The appropriate amount to us.

01:06:39.734 --> 01:06:41.934

So then how do we audit that or? 01:06:41.934 --> 01:06:50.467

We are looking at that. That’s a very, right now there is not 01:06:50.467 --> 01:06:53.100

an audit process in place. OK.

01:06:53.100 --> 01:06:59.033

So something you’re working on to see. Yeah, and from the

01:06:59.033 --> 01:07:01.266

city’s perspective, and I know a lot of cities that have 01:07:01.266 --> 01:07:04.100

lodging taxes are looking into this. There’s great software

01:07:04.100 --> 01:07:05.667

that can track some of this too.

01:07:05.667 --> 01:07:08.200

I still think it’s a partnership on, you know, we

01:07:08.200 --> 01:07:10.300

wanna make sure we’re collecting the right things. 01:07:10.300 --> 01:07:14.033

And then to your other question in terms of is there any

01:07:14.033 --> 01:07:17.634

difference in night or length of day statutorial, it’s kept

01:07:17.634 --> 01:07:20.867

at 3%, and that’s what we collect. So it’s just 3% on 01:07:20.867 --> 01:07:24.200

your receipt, um, if you go into any area, some states have

01:07:24.200 --> 01:07:27.266

larger, um, caps, you’ll see that local tax on there, that

01:07:27.266 --> 01:07:30.500

lodging tax. There Some communities in Minnesota 01:07:30.500 --> 01:07:33.200

they’ve gotten special legislation to do more than 3%.

01:07:33.200 --> 01:07:38.000

So, um, but the baseline statue is 3% of your overall bill.

01:07:38.000 --> 01:07:40.367

Just, if you don’t mind me or if I could just ask one more 01:07:40.367 --> 01:07:45.033

question. So do we engage in conversations with those, I

01:07:45.033 --> 01:07:49.767

know a lot of those hotel groups or restauranters. It’s

01:07:49.767 --> 01:07:53.000

an entity rate. Do we have conversation or open 01:07:53.000 --> 01:07:57.233

communication on like, hey, we would love to put You know, a

01:07:57.233 --> 01:08:02.533

short term rental or a short term, like a Express Hotel, 01:08:02.533 --> 01:08:06.767

motel, whatever, um, up to some of the living hotels. I’m going

01:08:06.767 --> 01:08:08.367

to say Martta only because my daughter works there, but so

01:08:08.367 --> 01:08:11.634

like you have a Spring Hill and you have a town place and you 01:08:11.634 --> 01:08:15.300

have a whatever, um, to say, hey, we really for our criteria

01:08:15.300 --> 01:08:18.467

to be in your city, we need to have this type of restaurant,

01:08:18.467 --> 01:08:21.166

this type of activity or whatever, those conversations 01:08:21.166 --> 01:08:25.000

that were actively having with those groups, and is that

01:08:25.000 --> 01:08:29.734

something we can work together on. Yes, we are having those

01:08:29.734 --> 01:08:33.467

conversations and we talk with the hotel specifically and then 01:08:33.467 --> 01:08:36.100

they take that information back to their ownership group. The

01:08:36.100 --> 01:08:40.834

one thing that comes across loud and clear here recently is 01:08:40.834 --> 01:08:41.533

around sit-down restaurants.

01:08:41.533 --> 01:08:45.200

People that stay in, that’s not something new you all have all

01:08:45.200 --> 01:08:48.367

heard that people stay in hotels, and when we think about

01:08:48.367 --> 01:08:53.634

when we go and stay in a hotel, you want things that are easily 01:08:53.634 --> 01:08:56.500

accessible to get to and enjoy when you’re not in your meeting.

01:08:56.500 --> 01:09:01.200

So they talk about. That a lot around what is there to do if 01:09:01.200 --> 01:09:05.500

people are to come here, how easily it is, is it to get

01:09:05.500 --> 01:09:11.400

there? Are things walkable? I think it’s very, um, Acceptable 01:09:11.400 --> 01:09:14.567

right now to not have everything walkable because in

01:09:14.567 --> 01:09:18.300

some cities you’re walkable and in some cities you’re not.

01:09:18.300 --> 01:09:22.166

However, how easily is it and how far do people have to go? A 01:09:22.166 --> 01:09:27.367

resident. can be a visitor can become a resident, a resident

01:09:27.367 --> 01:09:33.166

can welcome a visitor and it’s a vicious circle and a very 01:09:33.166 --> 01:09:36.634

weird just a weird circle around who influences what and

01:09:36.634 --> 01:09:40.133

what comes first, the chicken or the egg, but it’s critical, 01:09:40.133 --> 01:09:44.900

which is why I go to the town hall meetings for residents to

01:09:44.900 --> 01:09:49.767

know how the important role that they play. Of making

01:09:49.767 --> 01:09:53.000

visitors feel welcome, and we’ve all gone places and when 01:09:53.000 --> 01:09:56.300

you don’t feel welcome, you don’t have to go back. There

01:09:56.300 --> 01:09:58.300

are other options for you to do.

01:09:58.300 --> 01:10:02.634

So we want them to feel welcome and to come back here, and I 01:10:02.634 --> 01:10:07.467

just attended a convention and got back on Saturday, and it

01:10:07.467 --> 01:10:10.100

was really centered around. 01:10:10.100 --> 01:10:13.000

destinations, and we talked a lot about welcome programs and

01:10:13.000 --> 01:10:17.033

many people are working on welcome programs with their

01:10:17.033 --> 01:10:19.867

businesses and residents to make sure that they recognize

01:10:19.867 --> 01:10:24.533

the importance of tourism. And did you learn from that, that, 01:10:24.533 --> 01:10:27.734

um, event, what’s really driving a lot of cities. What,

01:10:27.734 --> 01:10:32.533

what is the destination? What is the, what is the thing? Um, 01:10:32.533 --> 01:10:36.767

it’s attractions and things to do. Um, it’s really what can

01:10:36.767 --> 01:10:41.634

you do outside the convention was in Chicago, and there were 01:10:41.634 --> 01:10:44.767

over 2000 destination marketing professionals from all over the

01:10:44.767 --> 01:10:48.300

country that were there, but it’s things to do when you’re

01:10:48.300 --> 01:10:54.400

not meeting. That drives people to come back. The diversity, 01:10:54.400 --> 01:10:56.634

the different cultural restaurants, so we have a lot

01:10:56.634 --> 01:11:06.166

to offer. For that group of people. Thank you. Thank you. 01:11:06.166 --> 01:11:19.634

Council member Tran. Thank you for coming in, uh, you know, uh, 01:11:19.634 --> 01:11:24.900

do the representation. Um, my question is that, um, Do you 01:11:24.900 --> 01:11:31.233

have like, uh, do you use the Mediear system for advertise. 01:11:31.233 --> 01:11:35.667

globally or I’m sorry, could you say that again, which

01:11:35.667 --> 01:11:41.900

system do you use the media system for advertisement. 01:11:41.900 --> 01:11:47.767

nationally and globally. So I wouldn’t say globally, but we

01:11:47.767 --> 01:11:52.567

do use it regionally, and we advertise in those cities that 01:11:52.567 --> 01:11:57.467

frequent our area the most, so Chicago, Nebraska. North and

01:11:57.467 --> 01:12:03.400

South Dakota, so we do some targeted media. In those areas 01:12:03.400 --> 01:12:08.634

so that we can show them what we have to offer. We also give

01:12:08.634 --> 01:12:10.767

that newsletter to meeting planners throughout the country 01:12:10.767 --> 01:12:16.100

that are on our list, and it’s about 6000, so that they can be

01:12:16.100 --> 01:12:19.900

continually updated on what we are doing and what we have. We

01:12:19.900 --> 01:12:24.634

don’t have a budget that’s so large that we can do nationally. 01:12:24.634 --> 01:12:27.834

We also advertise in some publications so that we can

01:12:27.834 --> 01:12:30.500

make sure that we’re doing. 01:12:30.500 --> 01:12:33.834

That due diligence, and then we do apply for grants from time

01:12:33.834 --> 01:12:38.500

to time that allow us to increase our visibility and one

01:12:38.500 --> 01:12:44.867

was for Gus Macker we were able to advertise, and if you try to 01:12:44.867 --> 01:12:49.233

If you went into it actually on social media, you started to

01:12:49.233 --> 01:12:52.367

appear, um, and see ads, so we’re trying to do that a 01:12:52.367 --> 01:12:58.233

little bit more of targeting for specific events. I saw that

01:12:58.233 --> 01:13:01.634

um like tourists in other countries, they just use 01:13:01.634 --> 01:13:05.767

Facebook and they make very good successful, uh, you know,

01:13:05.767 --> 01:13:10.533

Uh, with victory. So why don’t we because Facebook is not 01:13:10.533 --> 01:13:15.634

expensive. Facebook isn’t expensive, and we do advertise

01:13:15.634 --> 01:13:20.734

on Facebook, um. But your frequency could be very 01:13:20.734 --> 01:13:23.634

expensive, so the, it’s, it’s not the actual ad, it’s how

01:13:23.634 --> 01:13:29.233

frequent. It is, and that’s why I’m saying if we are having an

01:13:29.233 --> 01:13:30.834

event or having something. 01:13:30.834 --> 01:13:35.100

That’s when you push that out to Facebook, but just to drive

01:13:35.100 --> 01:13:39.900

people to our website and then what? So we’re really trying to

01:13:39.900 --> 01:13:43.634

focus on events or partnerships with our hotels or businesses 01:13:43.634 --> 01:13:50.634

to say what can we Start doing so. And, and how is the um The 01:13:50.634 --> 01:14:02.900

benefit Um, accounting. To compare 2023, 2024. So we are 01:14:02.900 --> 01:14:07.734

working with our board, treasurer. On how we’re

01:14:07.734 --> 01:14:11.500

comparing 2023 to 2024 from an occupancy in an average rate 01:14:11.500 --> 01:14:15.500

perspective from a visitor spend and also visitor

01:14:15.500 --> 01:14:19.467

frequency, and we look at that data on a monthly basis to

01:14:19.467 --> 01:14:21.000

determine how we’re doing. 01:14:21.000 --> 01:14:26.000

There are reports that indicate Um, how we did last year

01:14:26.000 --> 01:14:30.200

compared to this year in the variances in then working with 01:14:30.200 --> 01:14:34.900

the hotel specifically. On their budget so that we can

01:14:34.900 --> 01:14:37.734

budget correctly on what they are anticipating occurring in

01:14:37.734 --> 01:14:50.934

the city. Yeah, can, so can you tell us Up or down or just what 01:14:50.934 --> 01:14:52.667

do you, what are you comparing?

01:14:52.667 --> 01:14:57.900

You mean an average rate and occupancy, the profit. The

01:14:57.900 --> 01:15:03.767

profit we’re we’re a nonprofit so we don’t make a profit, um. 01:15:03.767 --> 01:15:09.634

So hotel people, the tourists don’t pay. Yes, the tourists

01:15:09.634 --> 01:15:15.734

pay, but in terms of annually, do we make a profit, we don’t, 01:15:15.734 --> 01:15:19.834

however, we. Have to make sure that we control our spending so

01:15:19.834 --> 01:15:23.567

that we don’t have a deficit, um, from the revenue that are 01:15:23.567 --> 01:15:31.000

in. So in 2023 and in 2024, we did not operate at a deficit, 01:15:31.000 --> 01:15:35.900

even though we did not make the anticipated lodging tax revenue

01:15:35.900 --> 01:15:40.133

in those years, but we then had to control expenses so that 01:15:40.133 --> 01:15:44.834

they would not be higher than the revenue that we brought in

01:15:44.834 --> 01:15:49.834

2025 is on track to be slightly down. In terms of the lodging

01:15:49.834 --> 01:15:52.900

tax received, but we will manage expenses accordingly so 01:15:52.900 --> 01:15:58.200

that we will be OK. for me to Is hard to compare. So it’s

01:15:58.200 --> 01:16:04.033

hard to compare in those cities and Probably over 10 years ago, 01:16:04.033 --> 01:16:07.033

we had 11 cities that participated in Minneapolis

01:16:07.033 --> 01:16:13.734

Northwest tourism. So it truly was a Minneapolis Northwest, 01:16:13.734 --> 01:16:16.734

and then those cities started getting and developing their

01:16:16.734 --> 01:16:21.266

own. destination marketing organization, and it was left 01:16:21.266 --> 01:16:26.567

with Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park in Brooklyn Center. And then in

01:16:26.567 --> 01:16:32.533

2020, right before the pandemic, Maple Grove started their own 01:16:32.533 --> 01:16:35.634

DMO, and it was solely just Brooklyn Park in Brooklyn

01:16:35.634 --> 01:16:39.867

Center. So when you’re looking at revenue from even 5 years

01:16:39.867 --> 01:16:45.166

ago, it’s going to be different because not only was there a 01:16:45.166 --> 01:16:49.367

pandemic, which caused a deep Change in revenue. It was also

01:16:49.367 --> 01:16:54.800

a change in the cities that participated. Thank you. And, 01:16:54.800 --> 01:17:00.100

um, like you said from the beginning, um, You want a 01:17:00.100 --> 01:17:04.166

council members city and one more. So whenever you need help,

01:17:04.166 --> 01:17:07.133

you need us, just let us know.

01:17:07.133 --> 01:17:08.367

Excellent. Thank you so much.

01:17:08.367 --> 01:17:17.800

Thank you. All right. Again, thank you for the work you do. 01:17:17.800 --> 01:17:21.500

I know that you’re beginning to focus more and more on um some 01:17:21.500 --> 01:17:23.000

of the different cultural institutions we have in

01:17:23.000 --> 01:17:27.367

Brooklyn Park. We wanted, uh, We wanted you to play that out

01:17:27.367 --> 01:17:30.200

more so, um, thank you for leaning more and more into our 01:17:30.200 --> 01:17:34.834

strength. I think that’s gonna be, uh, Differentiator that

01:17:34.834 --> 01:17:36.634

helps us long term be competitive, so we very much

01:17:36.634 --> 01:17:43.834

appreciate it. All Um, so next we are going to move to the 01:17:43.834 --> 01:17:48.367

legislative debrief presentation? Uh, we have our

01:17:48.367 --> 01:17:52.567

state lobbyists, uh, Melissa Reed is going to be, uh, 01:17:52.567 --> 01:17:55.634

leading this from collective efforts and I know we had Troy

01:17:55.634 --> 01:18:00.133

Olson on, but uh he was unable to make it. Due to something 01:18:00.133 --> 01:18:06.867

with his uh personal manner. So thank you. Thank you, ma’am.

01:18:06.867 --> 01:18:09.667

Thank you and uh good evening, council members and mayor. I’m

01:18:09.667 --> 01:18:13.834

thrilled to be here. My name is Melissa Reed. I’m a founding 01:18:13.834 --> 01:18:16.467

partner with Resolve Strategies, and with me today is my partner,

01:18:16.467 --> 01:18:22.300

uh, Ian Marsh. And we’re gonna be walking through a recap of 01:18:22.300 --> 01:18:25.000

the 2025 legislative session or sessions, I should probably say

01:18:25.000 --> 01:18:29.767

plural. Um, we have a lot of information included in this

01:18:29.767 --> 01:18:33.133

presentation. Um, there’s a lot of written content, and that’s 01:18:33.133 --> 01:18:36.233

really there then for uh for council members, mayor, for the

01:18:36.233 --> 01:18:39.400

community to really have as a reference and a leave behind,

01:18:39.400 --> 01:18:41.634

we’re not gonna be um reading through all of this. We just 01:18:41.634 --> 01:18:44.867

want you to have it, and then for documentation and for

01:18:44.867 --> 01:18:50.567

reference going forward. Um, so first we would like to start by 01:18:50.567 --> 01:18:54.000

thanking the, the members of the Brooklyn Park Legislative

01:18:54.000 --> 01:18:58.033

delegation that is, of course, Speaker emerita Melissa Hortman,

01:18:58.033 --> 01:19:00.767

uh, Senator John Hoffman, Senator Susan Pa, 01:19:00.767 --> 01:19:04.500

Representative Samantha Vang, and Representative Holda Mamani

01:19:04.500 --> 01:19:09.300

Hilsley, um, the, the city and its residents are, are greatly

01:19:09.300 --> 01:19:13.567

served by this delegation. Um, we, uh, work with them on a 01:19:13.567 --> 01:19:16.634

daily, sometimes hourly basis and I think it’s important for

01:19:16.634 --> 01:19:19.667

um. Uh, the city’s elected officials and for the community

01:19:19.667 --> 01:19:23.233

to know how hard you’re elected officials work on behalf of the 01:19:23.233 --> 01:19:26.533

city every day, um, they take our calls, they interrupt

01:19:26.533 --> 01:19:29.133

everything. If I say it’s for Brooklyn Park, they, they come

01:19:29.133 --> 01:19:33.834

running, um, and so, um, it is, uh, we really thank the 01:19:33.834 --> 01:19:37.567

community for sharing them with us, particularly Speaker

01:19:37.567 --> 01:19:41.000

Hortman and Senator Hoffman. Um, we are both very close with 01:19:41.000 --> 01:19:45.567

them, uh, friends with their spouses and um it’s, it’s been

01:19:45.567 --> 01:19:48.767

a really uh difficult month, uh, but we really appreciated the

01:19:48.767 --> 01:19:51.634

support of the city, um, and just know everyone at the state 01:19:51.634 --> 01:19:55.367

capitol, um, is there with you, um, that this, uh, we

01:19:55.367 --> 01:19:58.000

appreciate you sharing her with us. I appreciated Ms. Hill’s

01:19:58.000 --> 01:20:01.367

comments, um, and just know our, our hearts are here, um, with 01:20:01.367 --> 01:20:04.300

you in Brooklyn Park and, and we thank you for your

01:20:04.300 --> 01:20:09.300

leadership as a community. So with that, um what were our

01:20:09.300 --> 01:20:12.367

legislative priorities going into this session. We have a 01:20:12.367 --> 01:20:15.000

detailed legislative agenda that I would point everyone to,

01:20:15.000 --> 01:20:18.834

um, online. We have fact sheets, we have lots of information

01:20:18.834 --> 01:20:23.233

that are issues specific to the city, um, but our, our overall 01:20:23.233 --> 01:20:25.834

um priorities in a legislative session are these buckets you

01:20:25.834 --> 01:20:30.100

see in front of you around public safety, significant key 01:20:30.100 --> 01:20:34.867

community investments, um, development, um, housing

01:20:34.867 --> 01:20:37.033

investment and reinvestment, uh, financial stability of the Uh,

01:20:37.033 --> 01:20:40.634

excuse me, of the city, uh, critical infrastructure 01:20:40.634 --> 01:20:46.100

projects and other local government issues. So one image

01:20:46.100 --> 01:20:49.100

that we like to show a lot, we probably need to go back and

01:20:49.100 --> 01:20:53.900

update this, but I bring this to every meeting. This is what 01:20:53.900 --> 01:20:57.266

we are focused on every single day when we go to the state

01:20:57.266 --> 01:21:00.834

capitol. What is the revenue that is coming back to the city 01:21:00.834 --> 01:21:04.634

of Brooklyn Park from the state of Minnesota, and what is it

01:21:04.634 --> 01:21:07.467

that that we’re contributing and where is that balance and

01:21:07.467 --> 01:21:11.133

that imbalance, and when we look at um this is going back 01:21:11.133 --> 01:21:13.467

to 2024 and there are lots of revenue streams that kind of go

01:21:13.467 --> 01:21:16.367

in and out between the city and the state, but the biggest one

01:21:16.367 --> 01:21:19.767

that we really like to look at is local government aid and

01:21:19.767 --> 01:21:23.300

local government aid in 2024, you can see the orange dot. 01:21:23.300 --> 01:21:27.500

There being Brooklyn Park that um that we were uh bringing in

01:21:27.500 --> 01:21:32.000

um for local government aid uh per capita versus the taxable 01:21:32.000 --> 01:21:35.734

net tax capacity per capita that the city is not um

01:21:35.734 --> 01:21:38.300

collecting as much in local government aid as we think that

01:21:38.300 --> 01:21:41.033

we should. We think that there should be some larger 01:21:41.033 --> 01:21:44.734

conversations about how that formula, um, how those dollars

01:21:44.734 --> 01:21:48.400

are allocated. The goal of the formula is to create an even

01:21:48.400 --> 01:21:51.567

distribution of services around Minnesota and to help 01:21:51.567 --> 01:21:53.767

communities with their commercial property. taxes and

01:21:53.767 --> 01:21:57.000

what we see in Brooklyn Park is that we’re really trying to

01:21:57.000 --> 01:22:00.834

work to raise our commercial property values here, um, in 01:22:00.834 --> 01:22:05.033

our community, um, to then offset some of the potential um

01:22:05.033 --> 01:22:10.367

property tax increases that could hit residents. So our big 01:22:10.367 --> 01:22:13.000

legislative issues, number one top priority that we love

01:22:13.000 --> 01:22:16.233

talking about all the time is, of course, the Northwest Metro

01:22:16.233 --> 01:22:19.834

Regional. It should be an O in there, um, athletic facility,

01:22:19.834 --> 01:22:22.567

um, as many of the people in this room have worked very hard 01:22:22.567 --> 01:22:26.300

for. We secured $5 million a couple of years ago for the

01:22:26.300 --> 01:22:29.467

initial round of improvements to the, to the building, and we

01:22:29.467 --> 01:22:34.300

are now pursuing the additional 9.5 million to truly create a 01:22:34.300 --> 01:22:37.100

community activity center, um, in the Northwest Metro, um,

01:22:37.100 --> 01:22:41.266

that can be the epicenter of activity. um national 01:22:41.266 --> 01:22:44.467

basketball tournaments, hockey tournaments, community events,

01:22:44.467 --> 01:22:49.266

um, space for our, um, our, uh, elderly and elder community, uh,

01:22:49.266 --> 01:22:54.033

for everyone to congregate and come together. Um, 2026 that we 01:22:54.033 --> 01:22:57.233

are approaching the legislative session, those even numbered

01:22:57.233 --> 01:22:59.900

years are traditionally considered bonding years at the

01:22:59.900 --> 01:23:01.567

state capitol. We do bond. 01:23:01.567 --> 01:23:05.400

Pretty much every year, but the big bonding bills come in even

01:23:05.400 --> 01:23:08.533

numbered years. And because this year, and we’ll cover it,

01:23:08.533 --> 01:23:12.233

uh, at the end, the bonding bill that was passed at the 01:23:12.233 --> 01:23:16.500

Capitol in 2025 was relatively small, um, for the state, it

01:23:16.500 --> 01:23:19.100

was only 700 million and for local projects it was almost

01:23:19.100 --> 01:23:24.500

nothing. So there’s gonna be a tremendous demand next year for 01:23:24.500 --> 01:23:27.100

local government projects like the Northwest Regional Athletic

01:23:27.100 --> 01:23:32.000

Facility. Our second bonding priority, uh, are there two 01:23:32.000 --> 01:23:35.133

items, one, and they’re both having to do with water and

01:23:35.133 --> 01:23:38.400

water infrastructure, um, water infrastructure funding of 4.5

01:23:38.400 --> 01:23:41.634

million, we’re seeking to support the expansion of the 01:23:41.634 --> 01:23:43.800

biotech innovation District and the water that’s going to be

01:23:43.800 --> 01:23:48.500

needed there. Um, that’s a water connector that would go

01:23:48.500 --> 01:23:50.867

um under 169, and then a water tower that would also be needed 01:23:50.867 --> 01:23:54.634

in that area, both for drinking water and for fire suppression

01:23:54.634 --> 01:23:56.767

and safety issues if we’re gonna be um expanding there,

01:23:56.767 --> 01:24:00.834

we’re gonna just need more water access. One item that we 01:24:00.834 --> 01:24:06.166

are working on in collaboration with um many other cities in

01:24:06.166 --> 01:24:08.900

the Northwest Metro is the concentration of congregate

01:24:08.900 --> 01:24:12.100

care facilities here in our community, um, the city of 01:24:12.100 --> 01:24:15.500

Brooklyn Park faces an overconcentration of congregate

01:24:15.500 --> 01:24:18.634

care facilities, and this has placed a tremendous strain, um,

01:24:18.634 --> 01:24:22.166

on all of our emergency services and our local 01:24:22.166 --> 01:24:25.367

infrastructure. It’s a significant portion of the

01:24:25.367 --> 01:24:28.033

city’s responses in emergency situations and it really is

01:24:28.033 --> 01:24:30.233

putting the city in the place of sub. subsidizing some of the 01:24:30.233 --> 01:24:33.400

work that that these providers should be, should be offering.

01:24:33.400 --> 01:24:36.667

So we’re very pleased to be working alongside of the other

01:24:36.667 --> 01:24:39.367

cities in the, in the Northwest Metro to try to address this at

01:24:39.367 --> 01:24:45.233

the state level. Um, so our, our primary goal, um, when we 01:24:45.233 --> 01:24:49.367

are looking at all of these investments both in terms of

01:24:49.367 --> 01:24:52.567

capital investment, um, local government aid, um, all of the 01:24:52.567 --> 01:24:55.367

different uh economic tools that we’re gonna be talking

01:24:55.367 --> 01:25:01.200

through is really to establish Brooklyn Park as a vibrant, 01:25:01.200 --> 01:25:05.533

healthy community that can take trips and plan these types of

01:25:05.533 --> 01:25:09.634

exchanges and bring those back um to our small businesses and

01:25:09.634 --> 01:25:11.900

build our own here and have our workforce development pipelines. 01:25:11.900 --> 01:25:15.634

Um, and really grow a vibrant ecosystem where young people in

01:25:15.634 --> 01:25:19.300

Brooklyn Park can grow up here, live here, see a workforce

01:25:19.300 --> 01:25:20.900

development pipeline for themselves, have all of the 01:25:20.900 --> 01:25:24.200

bells and whistles around them that they want and that we have

01:25:24.200 --> 01:25:26.166

that economic foundation um that’s needed to build on that.

01:25:26.166 --> 01:25:29.467

So we’re looking at that foundation of um local tax

01:25:29.467 --> 01:25:32.634

authority talking about the lodging tax, sales tax, um, and 01:25:32.634 --> 01:25:35.900

tools to catalyze development and build local wealth through

01:25:35.900 --> 01:25:38.000

community infrastructure, tax increment financing, and

01:25:38.000 --> 01:25:43.300

special taxes. So just a quick check of where we’ve been the 01:25:43.300 --> 01:25:47.133

last couple of years, um, all of those real foundation pieces,

01:25:47.133 --> 01:25:49.900

um, that, that we’re looking at to not all of them but a lot of

01:25:49.900 --> 01:25:52.900

them that we’re looking at to really build the foundation of 01:25:52.900 --> 01:25:55.100

the next economic development chapters for Brooklyn Park.

01:25:55.100 --> 01:25:58.767

We’ve checked a lot of them in the last couple of years in

01:25:58.767 --> 01:26:02.634

2024 and the jobs bill, we passed statutory language that 01:26:02.634 --> 01:26:05.467

established the Brooklyn Park Biotech Innovation District in

01:26:05.467 --> 01:26:09.166

law. So it is a geographically established location, and when

01:26:09.166 --> 01:26:13.233

we have that, that allows then to direct funding and projects 01:26:13.233 --> 01:26:16.533

and actually use that as a site reference. So we established

01:26:16.533 --> 01:26:20.233

that in law last year. Um, also, last year we were able to 01:26:20.233 --> 01:26:23.367

secure a million dollars in the jobs bill, um, and it was $2

01:26:23.367 --> 01:26:27.767

million the year before that and 23 and then in 2025, um,

01:26:27.767 --> 01:26:31.400

again thank you to the Brooklyn Park legislative delegation, 01:26:31.400 --> 01:26:34.634

the jobs bill this year was very, very skinny, and our

01:26:34.634 --> 01:26:37.266

ability to spend out of the workforce development fund,

01:26:37.266 --> 01:26:41.500

which is the traditional uh funding mechanism for our work. 01:26:41.500 --> 01:26:43.400

development initiatives with significantly constrained. The

01:26:43.400 --> 01:26:45.934

state was tapping that for other resources. So the fact

01:26:45.934 --> 01:26:48.634

that we are able to secure a million dollars out of that

01:26:48.634 --> 01:26:51.233

fund for our workforce development programming, um, 01:26:51.233 --> 01:26:53.900

the small business center, our youth entrepreneur programs,

01:26:53.900 --> 01:26:56.467

that’s a a real testament to the city’s work. So thank you

01:26:56.467 --> 01:26:58.634

to the staff for giving us something so easy to talk about

01:26:58.634 --> 01:27:02.367

because it’s a great success and to our delegation for, for 01:27:02.367 --> 01:27:06.634

saying this has to happen. Um, and then finally, um, in this

01:27:06.634 --> 01:27:10.467

tax bill in 2025, we’re thrilled that we were able to 01:27:10.467 --> 01:27:14.867

establish um the three separate TIFF districts that will really

01:27:14.867 --> 01:27:18.000

catalyze development and allow the city um special funding

01:27:18.000 --> 01:27:21.033

mechanisms to help offset the cost of those public 01:27:21.033 --> 01:27:22.567

infrastructure investments that go along with private

01:27:22.567 --> 01:27:33.467

development. So the timeline of a 2025 session. or 2 sessions 01:27:33.467 --> 01:27:36.634

or 3 sessions. We’ve lived many cat lives this legislative

01:27:36.634 --> 01:27:39.800

session. It feels like it was 10 sessions rolled into one. We

01:27:39.800 --> 01:27:43.467

have this history here just for your review. Um, I don’t know, 01:27:43.467 --> 01:27:47.166

but I’ll stop talking. I knows the history tremendously uh in

01:27:47.166 --> 01:27:49.834

detail and all the, all the.

01:27:49.834 --> 01:27:52.500

All the round stuff you go through the timeline. Well, it 01:27:52.500 --> 01:27:54.667

was a very wild start to the legislative session, as you

01:27:54.667 --> 01:27:58.634

know, there’s lawsuits over the majorities and with the tide

01:27:58.634 --> 01:28:02.100

house and the very closely aligned Senate with uh the 01:28:02.100 --> 01:28:05.400

death of Carrie Dizik that left the Senate tide, and so there’s

01:28:05.400 --> 01:28:09.634

power sharing in both bodies that really led to a a messy

01:28:09.634 --> 01:28:12.900

start to session, um, it ended up with, uh, power sharing 01:28:12.900 --> 01:28:15.166

agreement between the House Republicans, Senate Republicans.

01:28:15.166 --> 01:28:20.200

And they were able to eventually pass uh the budget 01:28:20.200 --> 01:28:24.500

and, and get things and get things done. There’s also

01:28:24.500 --> 01:28:26.567

election challenges that resulted from very close

01:28:26.567 --> 01:28:30.500

elections in Saint Cloud and the Southwest Metro. And, um, 01:28:30.500 --> 01:28:33.133

but they were able to eventually get those resolved

01:28:33.133 --> 01:28:34.634

through the court, and, uh.

01:28:34.634 --> 01:28:40.500

Pass a budget, so. Never seen a majority change so many times 01:28:40.500 --> 01:28:43.867

in one legislative session. So as everyone knows, we did not

01:28:43.867 --> 01:28:48.100

end on time at the end of May, um, because of the late start

01:28:48.100 --> 01:28:51.266

and because it’s a budget year, um, the legislature did not 01:28:51.266 --> 01:28:54.033

have to end on that constitutional adjournment

01:28:54.033 --> 01:28:57.033

deadline, they’re able to go into a special session and the

01:28:57.033 --> 01:29:00.200

governor waited until there was a budget agreement to call 01:29:00.200 --> 01:29:04.567

everyone back. So we had that special session on June 9th. It

01:29:04.567 --> 01:29:08.300

was a marathon 21 hour special session with the House and

01:29:08.300 --> 01:29:11.667

Senate passing the 15 bills, um, that are needed to fund 01:29:11.667 --> 01:29:15.467

government. for the next biennium. This was by and large

01:29:15.467 --> 01:29:20.033

a lights on budget. No new big exciting spending whatsoever, 01:29:20.033 --> 01:29:22.400

um, some cuts that will take effect in the out years because

01:29:22.400 --> 01:29:26.467

we are looking at a $5 to $6 billion dollar deficit in the

01:29:26.467 --> 01:29:30.867

next biennium, uh, but for, for this session at least, um, it 01:29:30.867 --> 01:29:32.867

was uh fairly lights on budget.

01:29:32.867 --> 01:29:36.567

So these are all the budget bills that were passed, um, in

01:29:36.567 --> 01:29:40.900

that one day special session on June 9th. We have slides on all 01:29:40.900 --> 01:29:43.734

of them. We’re not gonna run through. all of them, um, but

01:29:43.734 --> 01:29:46.767

just a few of the top highlights, all of these do

01:29:46.767 --> 01:29:50.634

have notes on them about the impact on the city of Brooklyn 01:29:50.634 --> 01:29:53.133

Park in particular. So I would encourage you to take some time

01:29:53.133 --> 01:29:55.367

and, um, and go back and take a look, but a few of the

01:29:55.367 --> 01:29:59.000

highlights, of course, the big linchpin for session, um, ended

01:29:59.000 --> 01:30:04.900

up being house file one in the special session, which stripped 01:30:04.900 --> 01:30:07.734

undocumented adults from Minnesota cover it. Minnesota

01:30:07.734 --> 01:30:11.467

Care coverage. That coverage was preserved for children. Um, 01:30:11.467 --> 01:30:14.634

so because of That action by the state. We know that the

01:30:14.634 --> 01:30:17.734

city, of course, does not directly provide healthcare. We

01:30:17.734 --> 01:30:20.900

know, however, that many, many of our residents are 01:30:20.900 --> 01:30:24.100

undocumented residents in Brooklyn Park will lose

01:30:24.100 --> 01:30:27.467

Minnesota care coverage, um, and that might increase

01:30:27.467 --> 01:30:30.000

uncompensated care needs at our local hospitals and clinics. 01:30:30.000 --> 01:30:32.400

The hospitals were very concerned about this provision

01:30:32.400 --> 01:30:39.100

and non-compensated care. Um, Health and Human Ser excuse me,

01:30:39.100 --> 01:30:42.467

the health and Children and Families Finance bill, um, very 01:30:42.467 --> 01:30:46.533

much lights on, very minimal spending. Um, there were some

01:30:46.533 --> 01:30:50.166

improvements here in mental health services and the 01:30:50.166 --> 01:30:52.367

emergency medical services, um, is continuing to receive

01:30:52.367 --> 01:30:57.000

additional funds for their grants. Um, the human services

01:30:57.000 --> 01:31:01.567

bill, um, this is where we try to uh make some progress on the 01:31:01.567 --> 01:31:02.800

congregate care facilities.

01:31:02.800 --> 01:31:07.367

There are, um, changes in the human services bill again, that

01:31:07.367 --> 01:31:10.033

could impact our residents, um, local nursing homes and group 01:31:10.033 --> 01:31:14.867

homes are gonna see um a lower, um, uh, their rate increase,

01:31:14.867 --> 01:31:17.500

their planned rate increase will be curtailed to save those

01:31:17.500 --> 01:31:20.300

dollars in the out years, and so we just want to make sure 01:31:20.300 --> 01:31:23.467

that we are in touch with any of our um partners who are

01:31:23.467 --> 01:31:27.667

providing those services for residents in the city. Um, in

01:31:27.667 --> 01:31:30.467

the commerce bill, one thing I wanted to point out, um, a 01:31:30.467 --> 01:31:33.634

couple of things. The Office of Medical, uh, excuse me, the

01:31:33.634 --> 01:31:36.166

cannabis Management Office is finally up and running. I think

01:31:36.166 --> 01:31:39.500

we have an interim executive director right now. It’s been a

01:31:39.500 --> 01:31:43.200

revolving door there, but I think we have someone there, um, 01:31:43.200 --> 01:31:46.867

the conversation earlier tonight about the um the HOAs,

01:31:46.867 --> 01:31:49.500

uh, the homeowners associations, uh, I think, uh, we’ll connect

01:31:49.500 --> 01:31:55.367

with, um, uh, Mr. Gladhill on this, but um there’s a new 01:31:55.367 --> 01:31:57.033

homeowners association ombudsperson. Who is now in

01:31:57.033 --> 01:32:00.233

place at the Department of Commerce to help residents 01:32:00.233 --> 01:32:03.467

address problems and challenges with their HOAs. This is a

01:32:03.467 --> 01:32:07.133

statewide issue, so we’re happy to um connect you and residents

01:32:07.133 --> 01:32:15.934

to um to that need. um, K-12, um, again, kind of a, uh, uh, 01:32:15.934 --> 01:32:20.500

increase going along with inflation at the 4.8%, um, and 01:32:20.500 --> 01:32:23.800

some very small cuts um for the out years, but that will have

01:32:23.800 --> 01:32:27.033

to be coming back to, um, education at some point in the

01:32:27.033 --> 01:32:31.266

future. One thing that’s significant here, um, is that 01:32:31.266 --> 01:32:35.400

our districts here that we have ASIO and Anoka Hennepin, um,

01:32:35.400 --> 01:32:38.233

will, will see, we’ll see some sta stability in their funding

01:32:38.233 --> 01:32:41.300

numbers for the next couple of years. They should not be. any 01:32:41.300 --> 01:32:45.000

drastic cuts, um, as we were able to preserve the um

01:32:45.000 --> 01:32:47.367

inflationary factor on the education formula. There was

01:32:47.367 --> 01:32:50.033

some discussion about taking inflation out, but that was 01:32:50.033 --> 01:32:54.133

kept and so that, uh, funding should be stable for them. Um,

01:32:54.133 --> 01:32:57.400

Hiera just to call out to North Hennepin Community College, of

01:32:57.400 --> 01:33:02.300

course. Um, they were able to avoid any significant cuts, um, 01:33:02.300 --> 01:33:05.367

and some some funding for student support, um, increased

01:33:05.367 --> 01:33:08.567

funding for student support, um, and the student grant program.

01:33:08.567 --> 01:33:11.900

The energy bill was largely lights on, just funding the 01:33:11.900 --> 01:33:14.133

state regulators, uh, Department of Commerce and

01:33:14.133 --> 01:33:18.166

Public Utilities Commission, the main policy change was

01:33:18.166 --> 01:33:22.467

allowing natural gas utilities to securitize debts in case of 01:33:22.467 --> 01:33:25.634

a price spike caused by an unexpected natural disaster,

01:33:25.634 --> 01:33:28.867

act of terrorism. So it, it would allow them to, to sell

01:33:28.867 --> 01:33:31.667

bonds to secure ties and spread those costs over a longer 01:33:31.667 --> 01:33:36.033

period of time to try to avoid major, uh, ratepayer price

01:33:36.033 --> 01:33:39.533

impacts and that was pushed by Centerpoint Energy and, uh,

01:33:39.533 --> 01:33:46.033

Brooklyn Park is a Center Point Energy, uh, community. Natural 01:33:46.033 --> 01:33:49.033

resources was largely a lights on bill with the closely

01:33:49.033 --> 01:33:52.300

divided legislature, not a lot of controversial things were 01:33:52.300 --> 01:33:55.000

included. The main, uh, provision that got the most

01:33:55.000 --> 01:33:57.100

discussion was permitting reform that was pushed by the

01:33:57.100 --> 01:33:59.667

Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, primarily the business

01:33:59.667 --> 01:34:04.166

community, although it will impact and hopefully streamline 01:34:04.166 --> 01:34:06.767

permits when municipalities need to go to the Department of

01:34:06.767 --> 01:34:09.900

Natural Resources or pollution Control Agency to get permits

01:34:09.900 --> 01:34:13.166

for water or air projects. 01:34:13.166 --> 01:34:17.367

Finally, we have a tax bill has file 9. This is the bill that

01:34:17.367 --> 01:34:20.133

carried Brooklyn Parks tiff provisions, so we are thrilled 01:34:20.133 --> 01:34:23.300

that this got over the finish line. Our TIFF provisions were

01:34:23.300 --> 01:34:27.133

included in the 2024 bill, but that bill did not pass the full

01:34:27.133 --> 01:34:30.900

legislature. So included in here are TIFF districts, um, 01:34:30.900 --> 01:34:33.467

and the Brooklyn Boulevard corridor, um, 6, 10 and Zane,

01:34:33.467 --> 01:34:37.166

and then up north at the Biotech Innovation District. Um,

01:34:37.166 --> 01:34:39.834

big change in here that’s covered in the next slide is

01:34:39.834 --> 01:34:42.734

around data centers. They are no longer gonna be tax exempt. 01:34:42.734 --> 01:34:47.834

They’re not gonna have to pay tax. On their energy uses. And

01:34:47.834 --> 01:34:52.634

just a quick map of um the TIF districts that we proposed and 01:34:52.634 --> 01:34:54.266

that we’re successfully included in the tax bill,

01:34:54.266 --> 01:34:59.166

geographically, you can see where they are. And then, uh,

01:34:59.166 --> 01:35:04.634

the biotech district. Right, revisor’s technical bill, we 01:35:04.634 --> 01:35:06.100

always have a clean up bill.

01:35:06.100 --> 01:35:08.634

Everybody makes mistakes.

01:35:08.634 --> 01:35:12.467

Nothing interesting in there, um, transportation, um, an 01:35:12.467 --> 01:35:14.567

important um item in transportation is that the

01:35:14.567 --> 01:35:18.367

municipal state aid, uh, funding, um, did remain stable.

01:35:18.367 --> 01:35:22.033

There are some questions about MSA funding, um, and because 01:35:22.033 --> 01:35:24.800

there are lower gas tax receipts coming in, that is

01:35:24.800 --> 01:35:28.000

gonna be an ongoing trend, um, that the state is just going to

01:35:28.000 --> 01:35:32.300

need to figure out how we’re gonna pay for roads and bridges 01:35:32.300 --> 01:35:35.133

going forward as gas tax receipts continue, um, continue

01:35:35.133 --> 01:35:40.734

to drop. Um, let’s see, there was some discussion, um, that 01:35:40.734 --> 01:35:46.100

was uh taken off the table at the end of session about um

01:35:46.100 --> 01:35:48.734

shifting the regional transit text and directing all of that

01:35:48.734 --> 01:35:53.834

to the Met council that did not move forward. The counties went 01:35:53.834 --> 01:35:57.734

bananas about that. proposed provision. It impacted all the

01:35:57.734 --> 01:36:01.533

counties, but it hadn’t been, so it’s very, very messy. Um, 01:36:01.533 --> 01:36:05.400

another one of our favorites, the workforce and labor um

01:36:05.400 --> 01:36:07.934

omnibus bill, um, key highlight in the workforce bill, of

01:36:07.934 --> 01:36:11.834

course, is the million dollars invested into Brooklink, um, 01:36:11.834 --> 01:36:14.834

the city’s successful workforce development program. Um, there

01:36:14.834 --> 01:36:18.200

are a whole host of competitive workforce development programs

01:36:18.200 --> 01:36:21.934

at Deed, um, that the city can also be and has pursued in 01:36:21.934 --> 01:36:26.300

addition to our, our uh direct appropriation, um, as an

01:36:26.300 --> 01:36:30.367

employer for the city. there were some changes made to the 01:36:30.367 --> 01:36:33.133

um uh paid leave and earned sick and safe, um, that just

01:36:33.133 --> 01:36:37.300

changed the rates of accrual of wages, um, and things about

01:36:37.300 --> 01:36:41.100

reasonable absences and some technical things in that space, 01:36:41.100 --> 01:36:44.266

but no real uh large changes in those two categories this year.

01:36:44.266 --> 01:36:46.634

We mentioned the data center regulation and if you wanna add

01:36:46.634 --> 01:36:51.767

anything to. Um, to the energy tech companies love Minnesota 01:36:51.767 --> 01:36:55.133

for data centers, deployment because we have colder than

01:36:55.133 --> 01:36:57.500

normal weather, uh, than the rest of the country and so

01:36:57.500 --> 01:37:01.467

that’s, uh, less cooling costs for them, um, data centers use 01:37:01.467 --> 01:37:03.734

an incredible amount of electricity and water, so this

01:37:03.734 --> 01:37:07.300

bill just put a regulatory framework around how you’re

01:37:07.300 --> 01:37:13.100

gonna, uh, recover costs for, for those uh large projects. 01:37:13.100 --> 01:37:15.900

And then another favorite, the capital investment bill. We

01:37:15.900 --> 01:37:19.467

like building things, um, so we frequently will have two

01:37:19.467 --> 01:37:23.233

capital investment bills, one is cash. General fund cash and 01:37:23.233 --> 01:37:27.500

the other is a geo bond, general obligation bonds. The

01:37:27.500 --> 01:37:30.734

differences cash is cash, um, and general obligation bonds 01:37:30.734 --> 01:37:35.000

have a whole host of statutory, um, and constitutional

01:37:35.000 --> 01:37:36.634

requirements attached to them and they’re backed by the full

01:37:36.634 --> 01:37:38.734

faith and credit of the state.

01:37:38.734 --> 01:37:41.900

So they, they, they’re much harder to actually 01:37:41.900 --> 01:37:44.100

operationalize. They’re there for cities, um, but therefore

01:37:44.100 --> 01:37:48.300

they’re, they’re very very specific projects. Um, this

01:37:48.300 --> 01:37:50.900

last session in 2025, um, as we mentioned before, the state 01:37:50.900 --> 01:37:55.233

only ed to authorize 700 million in general obligation

01:37:55.233 --> 01:37:57.000

bonds really for state projects.

01:37:57.000 --> 01:38:01.100

So those are your state bridges, your correctional facilities, 01:38:01.100 --> 01:38:05.000

higher education, um, local projects like like the um the

01:38:05.000 --> 01:38:08.233

CAC and our water projects and really every other city’s local

01:38:08.233 --> 01:38:12.300

projects did not make the cut in 2025, so we expect a very 01:38:12.300 --> 01:38:17.100

large local government focused funding bill in 2026. And so

01:38:17.100 --> 01:38:20.467

then that will be the, the, the geo part. The cash bill and the 01:38:20.467 --> 01:38:25.100

in previous years, uh in 2023 was used to fund a lot of

01:38:25.100 --> 01:38:27.033

nonprofit organizations in Minnesota and their capital

01:38:27.033 --> 01:38:29.467

investment needs because they don’t qualify for GEO, but we

01:38:29.467 --> 01:38:37.500

don’t have the cash that we used to have. All right. We’re 01:38:37.500 --> 01:38:42.734

gonna whip through this one real quick, uh, summary of the 01:38:42.734 --> 01:38:46.533

one big beautiful bill that passed Washington, um, I think

01:38:46.533 --> 01:38:49.233

the biggest, there’s a lot of takeaways um from this, but I

01:38:49.233 --> 01:38:52.834

think one that we for sure wanna make sure is on the 01:38:52.834 --> 01:38:58.166

cities’ radar is that that, you know, with, with the shifts in

01:38:58.166 --> 01:39:02.567

eligibility for um Medicaid and some Medicare shifts that those 01:39:02.567 --> 01:39:05.266

will eventually make those costs and that care does make

01:39:05.266 --> 01:39:10.500

its way down to the county level and we and our residents 01:39:10.500 --> 01:39:13.133

should be preparing for potential property tax

01:39:13.133 --> 01:39:17.467

increases on the parts of our counties to cover this care. Um,

01:39:17.467 --> 01:39:19.734

the association of Minnesota Counties, the National

01:39:19.734 --> 01:39:22.934

Associate of Counties has been very clear of that, uh, on that 01:39:22.934 --> 01:39:24.400

point, the bill comes due.

01:39:24.400 --> 01:39:27.533

Someone will have to pay the bill. Um, and so that is a

01:39:27.533 --> 01:39:30.767

conversation that we want to be having, um, in an ongoing 01:39:30.767 --> 01:39:34.567

manner with our partners at Hennepin County, um, because

01:39:34.567 --> 01:39:40.367

that, these changes are, are on their way. Um, and then Pause 01:39:40.367 --> 01:39:51.033

there for questions and discussion. And thank you for 01:39:51.033 --> 01:39:59.033

the presentation, um, council member Page. Thank you, Mayor.

01:39:59.033 --> 01:40:04.000

So this is the first time that I’m seeing you guys, so bear 01:40:04.000 --> 01:40:06.100

with me because I have some questions that may not make

01:40:06.100 --> 01:40:09.867

sense to you, but they do to me, so maybe we can sort it out

01:40:09.867 --> 01:40:14.166

together. So, You went really fast. So there’s a lot of 01:40:14.166 --> 01:40:18.300

information. It sounds like you do a great job and I’m not

01:40:18.300 --> 01:40:21.467

questioning that. I just don’t understand where I see all 01:40:21.467 --> 01:40:24.634

these millions of dollars and why can’t we get $9 million for

01:40:24.634 --> 01:40:28.533

our kiddos. I don’t get it. I don’t understand it, and I see

01:40:28.533 --> 01:40:33.767

stuff on here where we talk about rehabilitation of housing, 01:40:33.767 --> 01:40:37.500

and we have water, we have wetlands, we have all of that.

01:40:37.500 --> 01:40:41.200

Oh, but is it clear that we have to have things for kids to 01:40:41.200 --> 01:40:45.000

do and for people to do and for families to do so we can raise

01:40:45.000 --> 01:40:47.567

really good humans to put more money into our economy. Do we

01:40:47.567 --> 01:40:50.467

have that? I just don’t see. 01:40:50.467 --> 01:40:54.166

Where someone heard we meet, it’s nothing compared to all

01:40:54.166 --> 01:40:56.266

these dollars you’re saying. So why do we struggle so hard to

01:40:56.266 --> 01:40:59.734

get this money? Thank you, Councilor. It’s a great

01:40:59.734 --> 01:41:03.367

question. Um, I would say it is our that project is our top 01:41:03.367 --> 01:41:06.100

priority, um, and we are successful in securing the

01:41:06.100 --> 01:41:09.800

original 5 million a couple of years ago. Um, that project,

01:41:09.800 --> 01:41:12.367

it’s not about the project itself whatsoever. It’s about 01:41:12.367 --> 01:41:15.767

the politics of a bonding bill, um, a general obligation

01:41:15.767 --> 01:41:18.767

bonding bill takes a supermajority in the

01:41:18.767 --> 01:41:20.500

legislature to pass. Hold on just a second. I just need you 01:41:20.500 --> 01:41:25.166

to slow down just a little bit for me to understand, OK? So

01:41:25.166 --> 01:41:27.400

you start with the bonding where you said that I just, I

01:41:27.400 --> 01:41:32.166

just want to understand, let me go back here. So if we’re 01:41:32.166 --> 01:41:39.100

talking about the 2nd. Grouping down here of general obligation

01:41:39.100 --> 01:41:43.467

bonds and infrastructure in Minnesota, um, is frequently 01:41:43.467 --> 01:41:48.100

paid for with various types of bonds. Um, and there are ways

01:41:48.100 --> 01:41:51.300

that the city could issue its own bonds to pay for 01:41:51.300 --> 01:41:54.567

infrastructure in the city and we, and we do frequently. Um, a

01:41:54.567 --> 01:42:01.467

project like this. Um, is Um, historically the about bonding 01:42:01.467 --> 01:42:04.867

bill um is really only for regional projects. So they have

01:42:04.867 --> 01:42:10.000

to have a regional significance and not just be like a local 01:42:10.000 --> 01:42:13.367

community center. So that is also why you’ve seen us start

01:42:13.367 --> 01:42:16.867

to talk about the regional, the Northwest Regional Athletic

01:42:16.867 --> 01:42:19.200

Facility and all of the amenities that go with it, and

01:42:19.200 --> 01:42:21.834

we’ve been working with the departments to track the data 01:42:21.834 --> 01:42:24.634

about where visitors are coming from and all the different

01:42:24.634 --> 01:42:29.233

teams from the region to show how regional this is. Um, we’ve

01:42:29.233 --> 01:42:31.867

had very positive reactions for the project. We have 01:42:31.867 --> 01:42:33.500

legislators supporting the project from all across the

01:42:33.500 --> 01:42:37.033

region, because They know that their communities utilize this

01:42:37.033 --> 01:42:40.467

facility. Um, our community members have done a tremendous 01:42:40.467 --> 01:42:43.100

job organizing. So it’s, it’s absolutely nothing to do with

01:42:43.100 --> 01:42:46.834

the validity or strength of the project. It’s that it is to be

01:42:46.834 --> 01:42:49.533

funded with general obligation bonds, and we haven’t had a

01:42:49.533 --> 01:42:53.767

bonding bill in 2 years, in 2 years. There hasn’t been a 01:42:53.767 --> 01:42:56.400

bonding bill. So we’re very confident that when there is,

01:42:56.400 --> 01:42:57.300

there hasn’t been a bonding.

01:42:57.300 --> 01:43:00.734

There was one this session, but it was only for state projects. 01:43:00.734 --> 01:43:03.767

So we’re very confident that in 2026, when there’s another

01:43:03.767 --> 01:43:07.166

bonding bill. It will be very heavy and local projects, and

01:43:07.166 --> 01:43:13.634

that’s where this would That’s where this would be funded. OK, 01:43:13.634 --> 01:43:18.367

so then what can we do to support that. Thank you for

01:43:18.367 --> 01:43:23.734

that. um, I, I think, you know, working with us on um uh the 01:43:23.734 --> 01:43:27.734

outreach plan and getting, you know, your residence in your

01:43:27.734 --> 01:43:32.266

ward, um, to submit, you know, letters of support, um, to our 01:43:32.266 --> 01:43:37.033

delegation, to the committee chairs, um, capital investment

01:43:37.033 --> 01:43:40.233

is not really like any other type of legislation. Nobody 01:43:40.233 --> 01:43:43.934

really supports each other’s projects very often because

01:43:43.934 --> 01:43:46.900

it’s a small pie and very hyper parochial. We are very

01:43:46.900 --> 01:43:50.100

fortunate that a lot of people use our facility. from around 01:43:50.100 --> 01:43:53.233

the region. So we’ve had great success in getting the hockey

01:43:53.233 --> 01:43:56.834

teams basketball teams, the figure skating clubs, um, to be

01:43:56.834 --> 01:44:01.667

submitting, um, you know, letters of support, testifying, 01:44:01.667 --> 01:44:05.000

um, um, op-eds, um, talking about the importance of, of the

01:44:05.000 --> 01:44:08.033

project. So we just need there to be a bonding bill that funds

01:44:08.033 --> 01:44:09.867

local projects and we’re very confident this will be included.

01:44:09.867 --> 01:44:12.367

So we did that before, right? 01:44:12.367 --> 01:44:17.634

There were, there was a lot of community input. So is there

01:44:17.634 --> 01:44:20.400

something different or just more of the same. There’s 01:44:20.400 --> 01:44:23.467

always new and different for sure. Um, we’re always looking

01:44:23.467 --> 01:44:27.767

at, you know, new and creative ways to communicate and and

01:44:27.767 --> 01:44:30.567

engage and we welcome kind of all that input if it’s through 01:44:30.567 --> 01:44:34.367

your newsletters or Facebook or whatever it might be, um, you

01:44:34.367 --> 01:44:38.900

know, it’s really just around there being a local government.

01:44:38.900 --> 01:44:41.834

oriented bonding bill. So when you say we a lot, I, I haven’t 01:44:41.834 --> 01:44:45.900

met you guys before, so then do we go through city manager for.

01:44:45.900 --> 01:44:49.467

questions or is that how we communicate, we communicate or

01:44:49.467 --> 01:44:53.400

how do, how do we do that? We, we, we meet weekly with the 01:44:53.400 --> 01:44:57.667

city manager, the mayor, and some city staff. OK, got it.

01:44:57.667 --> 01:45:02.734

Thank you for sharing that with me. Appreciate it. City manager 01:45:02.734 --> 01:45:05.200

trouble and then I’m gonna say a few words quickly. Yeah,

01:45:05.200 --> 01:45:10.200

thank you, Mayor Winston, just for a reminder of, of counsel’s 01:45:10.200 --> 01:45:14.266

benefit and folks who might be watching, um, each year, the,

01:45:14.266 --> 01:45:17.900

the city council adopts a legislative agenda with

01:45:17.900 --> 01:45:21.734

priorities in that agenda. The city council also identifies 01:45:21.734 --> 01:45:24.300

legislative liaisons in this case, Mayor Winston and

01:45:24.300 --> 01:45:27.033

Klonowski are the two legislative liaisons

01:45:27.033 --> 01:45:30.367

representing the city council, um, and then there’s additional 01:45:30.367 --> 01:45:35.033

city staff. So, um, have, um, moved to sort of a weekly

01:45:35.033 --> 01:45:38.767

cadence in terms of our focus and energy and attention around

01:45:38.767 --> 01:45:43.033

this work. And so that’s, uh, we’re basing our work based on 01:45:43.033 --> 01:45:45.634

the council approved legislative agenda, and then

01:45:45.634 --> 01:45:50.100

the council, uh, legislative liaisons which are Mayor 01:45:50.100 --> 01:45:52.800

Winston and Coleowski. So just a little bit of filling

01:45:52.800 --> 01:45:56.533

everybody in up for some of the new folks on council. to Yeah,

01:45:56.533 --> 01:46:00.100

I’ll just reiterate that really quickly because I, I heard a 01:46:00.100 --> 01:46:02.867

few things, um, none of which I disagree with Councilor Page,

01:46:02.867 --> 01:46:05.634

but I would say, you know, we have the two liaisons and that

01:46:05.634 --> 01:46:08.133

two meets on a regular just to kind of keep things moving

01:46:08.133 --> 01:46:11.634

along just like we have maybe our liaisons to the different 01:46:11.634 --> 01:46:17.233

commissions. Uh, what I would also say, however, is, um, And

01:46:17.233 --> 01:46:19.100

uh I don’t know if you need to speak to this at all, Melissa,

01:46:19.100 --> 01:46:23.200

but a lot of times, you know, a bill is not most of these bills 01:46:23.200 --> 01:46:27.900

are not accepted on the first, uh, try, uh. I mean, rarely, I

01:46:27.900 --> 01:46:30.634

think when you have a decent sized *** or they accepted on 01:46:30.634 --> 01:46:33.233

the first try, I think often you have to kind of build the

01:46:33.233 --> 01:46:35.934

coalition, plug away at it. I think the other piece is this,

01:46:35.934 --> 01:46:38.634

is that we did create a task force and we asked folks to be

01:46:38.634 --> 01:46:44.033

involved in this, and part of my um Part of my concern, I 01:46:44.033 --> 01:46:47.300

think, is that when I’ve talked to other legislators about

01:46:47.300 --> 01:46:50.300

Brooklyn Park. They have said, this is the first time that you 01:46:50.300 --> 01:46:53.500

guys have really asked for anything the last 2 to 3 years,

01:46:53.500 --> 01:46:56.233

they’ve said, well, you guys didn’t used to really ask for

01:46:56.233 --> 01:47:01.066

much and not a lot was brought to us, uh, and so influence was 01:47:01.066 --> 01:47:03.233

built off that because Brooklyn Park was not always asking for

01:47:03.233 --> 01:47:07.100

theirs. So I think the state has to get used to Brooklyn

01:47:07.100 --> 01:47:12.300

Park, um, leadership, uh, and You know, I’m not the one up 01:47:12.300 --> 01:47:13.367

there making those laws, right?

01:47:13.367 --> 01:47:16.266

So I’m not referring to myself at the, at the municipal level,

01:47:16.266 --> 01:47:20.367

yes, we are leadership at the council, but I think at that 01:47:20.367 --> 01:47:25.000

legislative level, our local electeds have to go uh and make

01:47:25.000 --> 01:47:26.934

sure these things happen and you know, we give them grace

01:47:26.934 --> 01:47:28.934

knowing that it’s not going to always happen that first year,

01:47:28.934 --> 01:47:33.100

but it has to be an extreme uh priority, especially when it 01:47:33.100 --> 01:47:36.367

comes to this. But I also think um when legislators are telling

01:47:36.367 --> 01:47:38.900

you they’re not used to Brooklyn Park asking for things.

01:47:38.900 --> 01:47:41.166

I think what legislators are used to is Brooklyn. part kind 01:47:41.166 --> 01:47:43.367

of eating itself when it wants something, we will go to war

01:47:43.367 --> 01:47:46.634

internally. Saying, well, we should have this and we must

01:47:46.634 --> 01:47:48.634

have this and why don’t you deliver on this, and we’re

01:47:48.634 --> 01:47:52.367

looking at the budget saying, well, we just did $10 million 01:47:52.367 --> 01:47:56.033

for a teen center. Now we have to do 12 million so we can uh

01:47:56.033 --> 01:47:59.734

13 million so we can accommodate everybody and we

01:47:59.734 --> 01:48:03.567

need the remaining 9.5 million of that or 14, 9.5 million of 01:48:03.567 --> 01:48:09.400

that to make that 14.5 or $15 million. Work and I think

01:48:09.400 --> 01:48:13.033

instead of internalizing that which Bloomington and some of 01:48:13.033 --> 01:48:15.800

these other cities do not, their residents literally will

01:48:15.800 --> 01:48:20.000

write the letters, go visit, build a coalition and say we 01:48:20.000 --> 01:48:23.166

deserve this, and I, and I cannot tell you how tired I get

01:48:23.166 --> 01:48:29.033

of going up there and um Uh, Minneapolis is, you know, it’s

01:48:29.033 --> 01:48:31.734

another Minnesota city, so, uh. 01:48:31.734 --> 01:48:36.000

I love them as as neighbors, but I get tired of going up

01:48:36.000 --> 01:48:40.367

there and seeing so many residents up there going to war 01:48:40.367 --> 01:48:44.000

for these particular issues, uh, Saint Paul to a lesser extent,

01:48:44.000 --> 01:48:46.634

but Bloomington and Prairieman talk, they have something, they

01:48:46.634 --> 01:48:50.467

are there, uh, but in Brooklyn Park, we seem to have folks who 01:48:50.467 --> 01:48:53.033

make up stories and this and that and go to war with one

01:48:53.033 --> 01:48:55.734

another and say, well, I’ve talked to the mayor or I’ve

01:48:55.734 --> 01:48:58.934

talked to this person, and they haven’t, right? But I didn’t

01:48:58.934 --> 01:49:02.867

get X, Y, and Z. That needs to be focused. Outward because I 01:49:02.867 --> 01:49:06.467

think some of those graphs are telling you that it isn’t that

01:49:06.467 --> 01:49:10.767

the city isn’t delivering because I don’t recall $10 01:49:10.767 --> 01:49:12.900

million being set aside for youth in the past the way it is

01:49:12.900 --> 01:49:17.634

now. It is that historically, people have not delivered, the

01:49:17.634 --> 01:49:20.467

state has not delivered to the Northwest region. It’s not just 01:49:20.467 --> 01:49:25.100

Brooklyn Park, it’s the entire Northwest region that has been

01:49:25.100 --> 01:49:27.567

underinvested in Maple Grove just found some leadership that

01:49:27.567 --> 01:49:30.266

was able to help develop them economically. So now some of 01:49:30.266 --> 01:49:32.634

these things, they just say, Yeah, we’ll go to legislate,

01:49:32.634 --> 01:49:35.767

but other stuff, they just come out of pocket. But Brooklyn

01:49:35.767 --> 01:49:39.500

Park has developed the economic portion, but this portion that

01:49:39.500 --> 01:49:42.200

we’ve been underserved in, we have to get that piece too. So 01:49:42.200 --> 01:49:47.133

I think it’s, it’s, it’s, uh, I think we have to continue

01:49:47.133 --> 01:49:49.567

tweaking that approach, but I think that as a council, we

01:49:49.567 --> 01:49:52.467

need to be aggressive. I also think residents need to be 01:49:52.467 --> 01:49:55.200

aggressive, and they need to say, hey, listen, you’re

01:49:55.200 --> 01:49:58.734

elected for X, Y, and Z. This is one of our top priorities.

01:49:58.734 --> 01:50:03.800

Don’t just go have a relationship with the, uh, um, 01:50:03.800 --> 01:50:05.834

with the state senator or state house rep, and then when you

01:50:05.834 --> 01:50:08.500

meet them in person, you’re, you’re, you’re having a great

01:50:08.500 --> 01:50:11.567

time. You need to make, bring it up and say, hey, this is a 01:50:11.567 --> 01:50:13.200

top priority for my city.

01:50:13.200 --> 01:50:15.467

What’s going to happen about this? What do you need? for me

01:50:15.467 --> 01:50:19.200

to do that. That is something that has been missing um from

01:50:19.200 --> 01:50:23.467

our city, and I know that, um, you know, as our lab being, uh, 01:50:23.467 --> 01:50:27.100

as a lobbyist, that’s not always going to be pointed out,

01:50:27.100 --> 01:50:31.400

um, but that is more so uh at a, at a council level, right? We 01:50:31.400 --> 01:50:37.166

have to continue to get the community to say this is what

01:50:37.166 --> 01:50:39.834

uh what Brooklyn Park needs uh to, to use council member

01:50:39.834 --> 01:50:43.033

McGarvey’s language. This is a need. This is what we’re 01:50:43.033 --> 01:50:45.734

requesting because it serves a specific need within our city.

01:50:45.734 --> 01:50:48.567

So I think that’s part of the gap that we have seen with

01:50:48.567 --> 01:50:52.200

Brooklyn Park. I think that LGA formula is a component of that, 01:50:52.200 --> 01:50:56.834

right? The formula that they use for that. Puts it puts us

01:50:56.834 --> 01:51:01.233

at a disadvantage. We’ve got I don’t know if Hibbing still 01:51:01.233 --> 01:51:05.000

gets $10 million right? But hitting, there’s a formula in

01:51:05.000 --> 01:51:09.367

place where Hibbing gets $10 million a year. I know Hibbing

01:51:09.367 --> 01:51:13.533

is not doing $10 million of anything to need $10 million a 01:51:13.533 --> 01:51:17.266

year for LGA and if they got a problem, give me a call, right?

01:51:17.266 --> 01:51:21.000

Brooklyn Park is maybe getting $900,000. So when people are 01:51:21.000 --> 01:51:24.233

looking and saying, I, the $10 million check you wrote isn’t

01:51:24.233 --> 01:51:27.567

good enough. I want another $10 million. I need a $20 million

01:51:27.567 --> 01:51:29.500

check. Look at the legislator.

01:51:29.500 --> 01:51:34.533

That has a formula that has said Hibbing gets $10 million a 01:51:34.533 --> 01:51:37.000

year Duluth, which is not growing, I believe the way

01:51:37.000 --> 01:51:40.834

Brooklyn Park is growing. I think they get 30 or 40. They 01:51:40.834 --> 01:51:46.100

get $40 million a year. Deluth gets 40. Hibbing gets 10

01:51:46.100 --> 01:51:51.300

million. Brooklyn Park gets $900,000. That tells you a lot 01:51:51.300 --> 01:51:54.000

of what’s happening here. Uh, and so if we take that economic

01:51:54.000 --> 01:51:57.467

burden and we just start paying for all these other things, we

01:51:57.467 --> 01:51:59.367

aren’t necessarily in the situation of other people who

01:51:59.367 --> 01:52:04.266

are getting a $10 million check from the state. Right Uh, 01:52:04.266 --> 01:52:06.000

disproportionately from Minneapolis, Saint Paul,

01:52:06.000 --> 01:52:09.000

Brooklyn Park, and some of these other surrounding suburbs,

01:52:09.000 --> 01:52:11.166

right? We’re paying for hibbing. 01:52:11.166 --> 01:52:14.900

We’re paying for Duluth. Those dollars are not returning back

01:52:14.900 --> 01:52:18.233

to Brooklyn Park. Um, the other piece I want to point out, um,

01:52:18.233 --> 01:52:23.367

quickly. Uh, uh, is that, uh, you know, people have been 01:52:23.367 --> 01:52:26.233

saying youth, youth, youth, and I understand that it’s

01:52:26.233 --> 01:52:31.033

incredibly important, uh, I have 3 of my own. What I, what 01:52:31.033 --> 01:52:33.734

I will say is that we have gone to the Capitol and this wasn’t

01:52:33.734 --> 01:52:36.467

necessarily covered here because we, uh, I think that

01:52:36.467 --> 01:52:40.000

this was the greatest hits version, but we went and we 01:52:40.000 --> 01:52:42.166

actually had some legislation that asked for some dollars on

01:52:42.166 --> 01:52:45.934

a number of things. One was for some technology, um that would

01:52:45.934 --> 01:52:50.033

help us push down crime in uh we built a coalition with some 01:52:50.033 --> 01:52:52.367

surrounding cities and they were on board with that. And

01:52:52.367 --> 01:52:57.033

the state said, Wasn’t a priority this year. Again, talk

01:52:57.033 --> 01:52:58.033

to your state legislators.

01:52:58.033 --> 01:53:01.934

We’re happy to, we’re happy to support those conversations. 01:53:01.934 --> 01:53:06.734

The second piece was, uh, and, um, I’m tired of our chief of

01:53:06.734 --> 01:53:09.467

police Mark Bruley shining like this, but he made a good point.

01:53:09.467 --> 01:53:15.367

He kept saying, hey, listen, These dollars for public safety 01:53:15.367 --> 01:53:18.400

should be allocated according to needs, the needs of the

01:53:18.400 --> 01:53:21.734

particular cities and and that should be also a little bit 01:53:21.734 --> 01:53:23.800

aligned with the size as well.

01:53:23.800 --> 01:53:27.000

Uh, and we wrote some language and we talked to some people

01:53:27.000 --> 01:53:30.133

about that and they said, that’s a great idea. Nothing 01:53:30.133 --> 01:53:32.634

happened with it. The reason that that money is important is

01:53:32.634 --> 01:53:35.634

not that it would just go to law enforcement. When we talk

01:53:35.634 --> 01:53:39.233

about, I’ve heard a lot of folks talking about violence

01:53:39.233 --> 01:53:41.500

intervention and these best practices and we have found a 01:53:41.500 --> 01:53:44.033

way. to fund that long term within our city. We had to

01:53:44.033 --> 01:53:46.900

bring it in-house. Had we not, we’d have been relying on

01:53:46.900 --> 01:53:50.533

grants from outside of the city, brought it in-house. Still, 01:53:50.533 --> 01:53:54.734

that is something that is on our budget now. So if we get

01:53:54.734 --> 01:53:58.000

something that goes according to size and need, that means

01:53:58.000 --> 01:54:01.734

they’ll serve that violence intervention money that we have, 01:54:01.734 --> 01:54:05.233

we can expand that to serve more youth or our alternative

01:54:05.233 --> 01:54:09.166

response team. We can expand that to serve more youth. That

01:54:09.166 --> 01:54:11.834

was all voted down as a sideshow at the legislature. 01:54:11.834 --> 01:54:15.266

Right? So when we’re talking about the basic blocking and

01:54:15.266 --> 01:54:18.834

tackling of what we deal with as a city. We’ve been going up

01:54:18.834 --> 01:54:23.634

there, um, but people are not necessarily used to our voice, 01:54:23.634 --> 01:54:26.767

so, uh, I didn’t mean to go on this long about it, but people

01:54:26.767 --> 01:54:29.467

are not necessarily used to hearing our voice. So we have

01:54:29.467 --> 01:54:31.100

to build that political muscle. 01:54:31.100 --> 01:54:34.900

That muscle will be a lot stronger, um, when residents

01:54:34.900 --> 01:54:39.033

start saying no, I get, I get this legislative agenda. It

01:54:39.033 --> 01:54:41.200

makes sense. I’m going to go up there as well and I’m gonna 01:54:41.200 --> 01:54:43.934

start visiting with my legislators and some of these

01:54:43.934 --> 01:54:47.166

folks that maybe don’t even live in Brooklyn Park that I’ve

01:54:47.166 --> 01:54:50.200

written a donation to or this and that. I need them to get 01:54:50.200 --> 01:54:52.900

behind and have a meeting with me and they need to understand

01:54:52.900 --> 01:54:55.634

what’s important to Brooklyn Park as well. That’s kind of

01:54:55.634 --> 01:54:59.400

how this works. And I think that’s just the reality of what

01:54:59.400 --> 01:55:00.834

we’re dealing with as a city. 01:55:00.834 --> 01:55:03.634

So, you know, a lot of the things that uh people are

01:55:03.634 --> 01:55:06.800

saying we want X, Y, and Z. We have written that legislation.

01:55:06.800 --> 01:55:10.634

If we put that on our budget, Um, I don’t even want to think 01:55:10.634 --> 01:55:14.834

about what taxes would look like next year, uh, and I think

01:55:14.834 --> 01:55:19.767

it would be regressive, uh, tax because in Brooklyn Park, um,

01:55:19.767 --> 01:55:22.367

we’re not really working with the sales tax that we can get 01:55:22.367 --> 01:55:26.634

money from other folks on. So I, I will leave it at that, um,

01:55:26.634 --> 01:55:30.300

but we need more involvement, uh, from, from residents on 01:55:30.300 --> 01:55:34.667

this as well, because as a council, they know uh they know

01:55:34.667 --> 01:55:37.467

our faces, they know our lobbyist faces, they know that

01:55:37.467 --> 01:55:39.667

we really care about this. Now they need to start seeing

01:55:39.667 --> 01:55:42.000

residents go up there. And once they start seeing residents, 01:55:42.000 --> 01:55:43.900

there’s a whole different force that they’re going to have to

01:55:43.900 --> 01:56:00.166

deal with. Conran. Right. Um, I, I have a question like how the 01:56:00.166 --> 01:56:04.233

Homeowners association Ombudsperson. Um, how resident

01:56:04.233 --> 01:56:12.166

rezone. This bill. So how is this relate to Individual 01:56:12.166 --> 01:56:19.033

health insurance market. The I’m sorry, individual health

01:56:19.033 --> 01:56:23.800

insurance market. Yeah, they’re not related. Yeah, the, the 01:56:23.800 --> 01:56:27.567

ombudsperson is for the homeowners association, they

01:56:27.567 --> 01:56:31.033

were probably both included in the commerce omnibus 01:56:31.033 --> 01:56:34.300

appropriations bill. So they, they moved in the same piece of

01:56:34.300 --> 01:56:38.634

legislation, but they’re not related. Let’s see, here we go.

01:56:38.634 --> 01:56:44.000

Um, yeah, so there’s the, the new homeowners association on 01:56:44.000 --> 01:56:48.233

Bud’s Person’s office. Um, so that is gonna be a new position

01:56:48.233 --> 01:56:51.467

um at the Department of Commerce. So if someone like 01:56:51.467 --> 01:56:54.567

our resident who spoke earlier was having challenges with

01:56:54.567 --> 01:56:57.467

their HOA. This is very new, but I think this is probably

01:56:57.467 --> 01:56:59.734

where the first place I, I would maybe suggest that we

01:56:59.734 --> 01:57:06.467

look. So when, when do they start to Um, probably, well, I 01:57:06.467 --> 01:57:10.200

mean it went it went into law August 1st, I’d have to look at 01:57:10.200 --> 01:57:13.467

the statute to see, you know, by what day they need to be up

01:57:13.467 --> 01:57:17.100

and running and what they’re hiring timeline is, but fairly

01:57:17.100 --> 01:57:23.000

quickly, I would think. And so you will inform us like Yes, 01:57:23.000 --> 01:57:26.100

yeah, yes, cos we can definitely follow up, um, and

01:57:26.100 --> 01:57:29.000

do a little background on that and and let the team know, uh,

01:57:29.000 --> 01:57:31.000

the status of that office. 01:57:31.000 --> 01:57:37.500

Thank you, because there’s a lot of uh um Homeowner in our

01:57:37.500 --> 01:57:40.033

neighborhood, you know, um. 01:57:40.033 --> 01:57:46.367

They have uh damage. Storm them 23 years like what the damage,

01:57:46.367 --> 01:57:54.000

uh, roof, uh, damaging lied and still no fixing. Yeah. Yeah. 01:57:54.000 --> 01:58:00.467

And the, the free keep increasing, uh. Yeah, this 01:58:00.467 --> 01:58:03.233

would probably be a good, yeah, I’d be happy to follow up

01:58:03.233 --> 01:58:17.000

certainly. Thank you. Gossamer page. Thank you, Mayor. We went 01:58:17.000 --> 01:58:19.734

on a lot of different directions there with that last,

01:58:19.734 --> 01:58:23.266

um, section. So I just, this may be a city manager question, 01:58:23.266 --> 01:58:25.867

it might be, um, our representatives, it might be

01:58:25.867 --> 01:58:29.800

you, so I’ve got a couple more questions. Um, The first

01:58:29.800 --> 01:58:33.367

question is, how often do we hear from you as a council as a 01:58:33.367 --> 01:58:36.734

whole is that yearly or quarterly or what is the What’s

01:58:36.734 --> 01:58:41.900

the Um, I think probably twice a year, maybe beginning of 01:58:41.900 --> 01:58:44.567

session and then after session.

01:58:44.567 --> 01:58:51.467

Sounds good. And then For, for what are their cities have you, 01:58:51.467 --> 01:58:55.767

you’re from. Are they like cities like ours or what other

01:58:55.767 --> 01:58:57.133

cities have you worked with?

01:58:57.133 --> 01:59:01.233

Certainly, thank you. Um, I spent 11 years in house at the 01:59:01.233 --> 01:59:04.634

city of Minneapolis as their senior lobbyist for the city

01:59:04.634 --> 01:59:08.200

there, um, I’ve represented also the cities of Saint Louis

01:59:08.200 --> 01:59:15.100

Park and Cologne. I’m super familiar with Cologne. Um, OK, 01:59:15.100 --> 01:59:18.000

so my last question is, and again, this, this is me

01:59:18.000 --> 01:59:22.100

learning, so it’s a learning curve here. What is in those 01:59:22.100 --> 01:59:26.400

cities the benefit of having a stronger foundation for other

01:59:26.400 --> 01:59:31.033

resources, is that something you have seen work well with 01:59:31.033 --> 01:59:35.834

other cities for those dollars that aren’t through the bonding

01:59:35.834 --> 01:59:37.634

or what’s your experience with that? Could you share a little

01:59:37.634 --> 01:59:39.800

bit about that? And if not, maybe a follow up later. I

01:59:39.800 --> 01:59:42.100

don’t want to put you on the spot with that it’s a great, 01:59:42.100 --> 01:59:46.000

great question. I, I always just really go back to the

01:59:46.000 --> 01:59:49.300

diver diversification of funding sources. You should

01:59:49.300 --> 01:59:52.367

always be having a bonding, having bonding projects, always 01:59:52.367 --> 01:59:57.166

have something in the pipeline for a bonding project. Um, it’s

01:59:57.166 --> 02:00:02.100

important to stay um in the, in the lane of sight to lawmakers, 02:00:02.100 --> 02:00:06.367

um, kind of to the mayor’s point about constantly asking

02:00:06.367 --> 02:00:09.533

for whatever that regional project may be, even if it’s 8

02:00:09.533 --> 02:00:12.467

years down the road, is there predesign and design we should 02:00:12.467 --> 02:00:16.233

be asking for. And so you always have that bonding cycle

02:00:16.233 --> 02:00:19.467

churning, um, whether it’s now or looking at projects down the

02:00:19.467 --> 02:00:22.867

road, um, but then you also wanna have those local funding 02:00:22.867 --> 02:00:25.934

mechanisms that that you guys can control, um, whether that’s

02:00:25.934 --> 02:00:29.400

that, uh, a lodging tax, um, we’ve talked about a sales tax

02:00:29.400 --> 02:00:31.900

for that’s might not really work for Brooklyn Park right 02:00:31.900 --> 02:00:33.000

now. Different TIFF districts.

02:00:33.000 --> 02:00:34.734

I was surprised that there weren’t when we started working

02:00:34.734 --> 02:00:37.767

with the team that there really weren’t those tiff districts in

02:00:37.767 --> 02:00:41.500

place to give you some of that flexibility, um, as part of the 02:00:41.500 --> 02:00:44.767

establishment of the biotech innovation District. We also um

02:00:44.767 --> 02:00:49.000

got Port Authority for the city, um, because we are on, on a

02:00:49.000 --> 02:00:51.734

waterway and they’re landlocked cities in Minnesota that get 02:00:51.734 --> 02:00:54.300

Port Authority. And that comes with some, some extra authority

02:00:54.300 --> 02:00:57.467

when it comes to property tax abatements and, and things like

02:00:57.467 --> 02:01:01.367

that. So all those real basic foundation blocks. I think we 02:01:01.367 --> 02:01:05.567

need to go back and look at the LGA formula. There are

02:01:05.567 --> 02:01:08.734

different formulas depending on the population size of the city,

02:01:08.734 --> 02:01:11.634

there isn’t one for like medium sized cities, and we’re all 02:01:11.634 --> 02:01:15.734

kind of in one big bucket. So, um, there are factors in there

02:01:15.734 --> 02:01:18.400

that don’t necessarily help the city of Brooklyn Park. They

02:01:18.400 --> 02:01:19.500

might steer money other places.

02:01:19.500 --> 02:01:22.634

Maybe there are new factors that we should be suggesting 02:01:22.634 --> 02:01:27.934

that could tilt that formula more in our direction and who

02:01:27.934 --> 02:01:29.834

makes that decision lawmakers lawmakers do. And so it’s up to

02:01:29.834 --> 02:01:33.767

us then to, you know, to bring them the data and you know, 02:01:33.767 --> 02:01:36.000

really advocate for why we should, you know, push this

02:01:36.000 --> 02:01:39.734

button and pull that lever and make these changes and why this

02:01:39.734 --> 02:01:42.300

formula is really not modern enough to be reflective of the 02:01:42.300 --> 02:01:48.266

needs of Of a of a community, um. It has the things we do. In

02:01:48.266 --> 02:01:52.000

a little uh binding, uh, contexts in a normal 02:01:52.000 --> 02:01:56.767

legislative session, excuse me, be between 5 and $7 billion of

02:01:56.767 --> 02:01:59.467

local projects introduced for various cities, counties around

02:01:59.467 --> 02:02:04.367

the around the state and, uh, they will probably do a billion 02:02:04.367 --> 02:02:07.500

dollar-ish um bonding bill for local projects. So there’s just

02:02:07.500 --> 02:02:13.367

a lot of uh pressure for those, for those dollars. That’s all I 02:02:13.367 --> 02:02:15.000

have for right now. Thank you.

02:02:15.000 --> 02:02:19.767

Thanks for your patience.

02:02:19.767 --> 02:02:31.667

Councilman McGarvey. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Guys for this 02:02:31.667 --> 02:02:35.867

great report. And to follow up, I mean, it kind of segued into

02:02:35.867 --> 02:02:40.033

my question, which was, I know that at least a portion of the 02:02:40.033 --> 02:02:45.900

formula for LGA has to do with the age of public buildings or

02:02:45.900 --> 02:02:50.734

just house housing in general or housing pre 19948, looking 02:02:50.734 --> 02:03:02.000

at I don’t have 194878. 378 She’s Thank you. It’s 48 Ti 02:03:02.000 --> 02:03:05.867

discs they’re pre 78s. Yes, thank you, the year is, I’m

02:03:05.867 --> 02:03:08.367

sure we’re not the only city.

02:03:08.367 --> 02:03:14.233

That is kind of brushing up against aging, yet not aged 02:03:14.233 --> 02:03:19.033

enough. housing stock, and is there, do we know if there’s a

02:03:19.033 --> 02:03:23.300

coalition forming of other cities like us. That are 02:03:23.300 --> 02:03:27.166

pushing to have that, at least that part of the formula

02:03:27.166 --> 02:03:29.233

addressed because that’s a big piece of why we don’t get any

02:03:29.233 --> 02:03:33.467

money, right? I mean, we don’t have old buildings. I mean, 02:03:33.467 --> 02:03:35.800

really old buildings here in Brooklyn Park, not too many of

02:03:35.800 --> 02:03:39.233

them anyway. Thank you, Councilor. Another., another

02:03:39.233 --> 02:03:44.367

great question. Yes, we, we are historically the coalition that 02:03:44.367 --> 02:03:47.300

Brooklyn Park would be aligned with when it comes to local

02:03:47.300 --> 02:03:49.467

government aid is Metro cities.

02:03:49.467 --> 02:03:53.166

Typically, the kind of the 1st and 2nd rank suburban cities 02:03:53.166 --> 02:03:55.834

have gone up and down and on the formula and off the formula,

02:03:55.834 --> 02:03:59.734

they have the most kind of change and and and ebb and flow

02:03:59.734 --> 02:04:02.367

when, when we’ve changed the factors on the formula. 02:04:02.367 --> 02:04:05.634

Typically, the iron range does quite well. They have specific

02:04:05.634 --> 02:04:09.367

set asides. Um, so yes, there is very much when you look at

02:04:09.367 --> 02:04:11.900

the numbers and again kind of going back to that chart that 02:04:11.900 --> 02:04:16.166

we were looking at, um, where our funding per capita is that

02:04:16.166 --> 02:04:19.500

we can generate locally versus what we’re then supplemented

02:04:19.500 --> 02:04:21.233

from the state. We have other cities that are in the same 02:04:21.233 --> 02:04:25.033

bucket. Um That I, I think would, would come together with

02:04:25.033 --> 02:04:29.500

us. So when like the mayor mentions hibbing or Duluth. I

02:04:29.500 --> 02:04:33.734

mean, they’re very old cities with very old housing stock, 02:04:33.734 --> 02:04:37.100

and we’re just simply not that, and so, great, good to know

02:04:37.100 --> 02:04:40.100

that other people are facing this, and we can maybe all get 02:04:40.100 --> 02:04:45.000

together and go down there and Convince some people. I was

02:04:45.000 --> 02:04:51.467

gonna say bash heads, but the more the merrier. And the one 02:04:51.467 --> 02:04:54.634

thing I will add also on local government aid, there was a

02:04:54.634 --> 02:04:57.300

proposed reduction to the overall local government aid

02:04:57.300 --> 02:05:00.467

formula, um, that was held off in the tax bill, so that was, 02:05:00.467 --> 02:05:03.634

that would have impacted all cities overall reduction in the

02:05:03.634 --> 02:05:07.100

formula allocation, so I’m happy about that. Uh, Council

02:05:07.100 --> 02:05:12.800

member Klinowski. Thank you, Mayor. I am no expert on this, 02:05:12.800 --> 02:05:14.900

but from the time that we’ve been working together, one of

02:05:14.900 --> 02:05:17.634

the things I’ve come to understand with the LGA formula

02:05:17.634 --> 02:05:22.100

and the housing stock is the years that LGA was set into 02:05:22.100 --> 02:05:27.734

place in the first place, which I think was the 70s. That

02:05:27.734 --> 02:05:30.000

number though for 19408 has stayed static. It has not 02:05:30.000 --> 02:05:33.634

adjusted this time, it’s moved on. So cities like ours that

02:05:33.634 --> 02:05:37.867

developed in the way they developed with a lot of 1950s,

02:05:37.867 --> 02:05:41.634

1970s, 1990s, 2000s were left out of the equation because we 02:05:41.634 --> 02:05:44.233

were farmland. That doesn’t mean we don’t have aging

02:05:44.233 --> 02:05:45.367

infrastructure and other needs.

02:05:45.367 --> 02:05:49.233

It just means this formula is a problem for a lot of cities

02:05:49.233 --> 02:05:53.233

like ours. And it’s gonna be one hell of a challenge because 02:05:53.233 --> 02:05:56.266

there’s a lot of cities that get. A good chunk of change

02:05:56.266 --> 02:05:59.200

from it, they’re not going to want to see it change, but it,

02:05:59.200 --> 02:06:02.500

it’s been a passion in this committee. I think it’s 02:06:02.500 --> 02:06:05.166

something we’re all ready to to really dig in and fight for and

02:06:05.166 --> 02:06:07.767

maybe it’s something we can have a work session on in the

02:06:07.767 --> 02:06:10.533

future with counsel to and maybe some of the other North 02:06:10.533 --> 02:06:13.634

metro cities also being harmed by the formula. Because it’s

02:06:13.634 --> 02:06:16.233

shocking that such a diverse city like ours and Brooklyn

02:06:16.233 --> 02:06:19.467

Center, two of the most diverse cities serving large immigrant

02:06:19.467 --> 02:06:23.300

populations that have high congregate care populations get 02:06:23.300 --> 02:06:27.000

so little. We get no financial resources for the congregate

02:06:27.000 --> 02:06:29.734

care facilities and the increased needs for the police

02:06:29.734 --> 02:06:33.367

and fire either so there’s room to change this formula. And I 02:06:33.367 --> 02:06:36.033

just wanted to say thank you to the team for all the work you

02:06:36.033 --> 02:06:39.233

guys have done. It’s not an easy and glamorous job, and it

02:06:39.233 --> 02:06:42.500

takes just an incredible amount of work from so many people to 02:06:42.500 --> 02:06:47.834

our city staff. Thank you, but I also just want to say to It’s

02:06:47.834 --> 02:06:51.634

because of our current mayor and city manager that were 02:06:51.634 --> 02:06:54.233

doing this work in the first place. This is a new initiative

02:06:54.233 --> 02:06:56.934

that the city has put forward and it’s because we have

02:06:56.934 --> 02:06:59.166

leaders that understand, we’re not at the table, other people

02:06:59.166 --> 02:07:02.934

are at the table asking for that money. And we have a duty 02:07:02.934 --> 02:07:05.500

to our residents and to our city to be there and to

02:07:05.500 --> 02:07:09.166

advocate, so. I do want to acknowledge um the mayor and

02:07:09.166 --> 02:07:14.000

Jay and that it’s been instrumental. Well, thank, 02:07:14.000 --> 02:07:16.634

thank you. I, I appreciate that.

02:07:16.634 --> 02:07:21.634

Um, um. Yeah, I think to, to your point on the, on the LGA, 02:07:21.634 --> 02:07:24.634

right? I think there, there is this notion of people always

02:07:24.634 --> 02:07:27.834

want to roll out fiscal responsibility, but then all of

02:07:27.834 --> 02:07:31.033

a sudden when you get to cities like Brooklyn Park or you get 02:07:31.033 --> 02:07:34.367

to diversity, people. I, I don’t know. The fiscal

02:07:34.367 --> 02:07:37.100

diversity goes out, I mean, uh, responsibility goes out the

02:07:37.100 --> 02:07:40.233

window and it’s like if you have created a formula for 02:07:40.233 --> 02:07:46.000

aging infrastructure. How long do you continue to revamp that

02:07:46.000 --> 02:07:48.634

aging infrastructure, or are you using those dollars

02:07:48.634 --> 02:07:51.834

inefficiently for something else, right? Then the next wave 02:07:51.834 --> 02:07:55.133

should come in, and they should be revamping that aging

02:07:55.133 --> 02:07:58.233

infrastructure as well. So I think there’s uh an important

02:07:58.233 --> 02:08:01.900

argument to make there. The, the other piece, um, I think is 02:08:01.900 --> 02:08:04.834

I, I am happy that we got our tax increment financing or TIFF.

02:08:04.834 --> 02:08:10.734

I think we, I, you know, um, we want, of course, um, uh, 02:08:10.734 --> 02:08:13.734

Director Gladhill will make a, make sure we do this. Correctly,

02:08:13.734 --> 02:08:17.734

uh, Director Green as well with finance, but Whatever best

02:08:17.734 --> 02:08:19.734

practices we need to use for that tip because in the past, I

02:08:19.734 --> 02:08:24.367

think we have. Kind of rolled that out and we haven’t seen 02:08:24.367 --> 02:08:27.500

the return on investment, uh, that we would have liked from

02:08:27.500 --> 02:08:29.734

different folks, and I know there’s some rules and I’m not

02:08:29.734 --> 02:08:32.000

a subject matter expert on that, but I do think it’s gonna be 02:08:32.000 --> 02:08:35.033

incredibly important when we talk about our biotech district.

02:08:35.033 --> 02:08:37.233

I also want to for folks who are saying, well, you’re

02:08:37.233 --> 02:08:39.834

focusing on the Northwest, focusing on the Northwest

02:08:39.834 --> 02:08:42.000

upright. There’s also some other areas, and I think one of 02:08:42.000 --> 02:08:44.367

those is Brooklyn Boulevard where we’re able to get some

02:08:44.367 --> 02:08:46.900

tiff, um, exceptions or carveouts there as well. So

02:08:46.900 --> 02:08:50.567

that’s gonna be important for kind of how we address that 02:08:50.567 --> 02:08:55.300

area. as well, which I know is um which is uh a priority as

02:08:55.300 --> 02:09:01.467

well, but I think, you know, doubling down on this economic 02:09:01.467 --> 02:09:04.533

development piece. I just, I want to caution people from

02:09:04.533 --> 02:09:06.634

thinking of Brook that thinking that the Brooklyn Park you see

02:09:06.634 --> 02:09:09.767

in front of you now is going to be the Brooklyn Park that’s

02:09:09.767 --> 02:09:14.634

going to be here in 5 to 10 years. That for one is 02:09:14.634 --> 02:09:18.467

unsustainable. 2, I think when it comes to communities that

02:09:18.467 --> 02:09:23.100

are um, you know, more, uh. 02:09:23.100 --> 02:09:25.834

stereotypically working class or diverse, people often think,

02:09:25.834 --> 02:09:28.667

well, we’re not going to see that level of economic

02:09:28.667 --> 02:09:31.266

development. Well, I think the TIFF and some of the other 02:09:31.266 --> 02:09:35.367

things we’ve gotten in terms of a biotech district. Uh, I would

02:09:35.367 --> 02:09:38.033

encourage people to think what that looks like 5 to 10 years

02:09:38.033 --> 02:09:40.900

and you have another 10,000 jobs and you have some new 02:09:40.900 --> 02:09:45.000

housing units, right? All sorts of housing units. And that

02:09:45.000 --> 02:09:48.166

takes care long term of some of the issues that we are seeing

02:09:48.166 --> 02:09:51.900

um within our community in terms of, um, poverty, uh. 02:09:51.900 --> 02:09:55.133

youth not necessarily having opportunities to move forward,

02:09:55.133 --> 02:09:58.400

small businesses struggling to get into a real network. Uh, so

02:09:58.400 --> 02:10:01.634

I think we have to look at it from that perspective of 02:10:01.634 --> 02:10:05.767

bringing the opportunities, um, to Brooklyn Parker or

02:10:05.767 --> 02:10:06.634

attracting those opportunities.

02:10:06.634 --> 02:10:09.233

So thank you for your work on the TIFF. I think you guys know

02:10:09.233 --> 02:10:12.734

that last year when we didn’t get it, I, I, I blew a gasket. 02:10:12.734 --> 02:10:16.500

I didn’t show it in front of the residents, but I was, I was,

02:10:16.500 --> 02:10:20.233

I don’t not gonna use that word, but I was upset, we’ll say that. 02:10:20.233 --> 02:10:22.100

I was upset, um, but I’m glad that it got through. this year

02:10:22.100 --> 02:10:24.500

because I think that’s going to be one of the linchpins in

02:10:24.500 --> 02:10:28.734

terms of that biotech district and giving that next generation

02:10:28.734 --> 02:10:32.100

the opportunities that they need and then making our city 02:10:32.100 --> 02:10:35.200

um sustainable. So that going through, I think was incredibly

02:10:35.200 --> 02:10:38.367

important. And now I think it turns to what are the next

02:10:38.367 --> 02:10:42.100

steps to to continue to build that area and make sure we get 02:10:42.100 --> 02:10:46.000

people um here for that. Um, so thank you for that. Council

02:10:46.000 --> 02:10:49.100

member, um, oh, and the other pieces, I’m sorry, um, but I

02:10:49.100 --> 02:10:51.500

will say this in terms of the development, in terms of the 02:10:51.500 --> 02:10:55.467

vision for the biotech and in a lot of that, I will say that

02:10:55.467 --> 02:10:58.634

that is not possible, um, without the overall council

02:10:58.634 --> 02:11:02.467

having that vision, but also, um, Councilman McCanowski has 02:11:02.467 --> 02:11:05.634

been incredibly important in those conversations in terms of

02:11:05.634 --> 02:11:07.834

helping us envision what that would look like. I don’t come

02:11:07.834 --> 02:11:13.634

from that world. Uh, I come from, uh, different med tech, 02:11:13.634 --> 02:11:14.734

uh, insurance background, right?

02:11:14.734 --> 02:11:19.200

Um, so I don’t necessarily see it the same way, uh, and

02:11:19.200 --> 02:11:21.300

sometimes I think, um, Councilor Merman Kanowski says, 02:11:21.300 --> 02:11:23.900

well, that’s but that’s not really how it works. Let’s,

02:11:23.900 --> 02:11:27.033

let’s kind of dial it back and bring it back to reality and

02:11:27.033 --> 02:11:30.800

then we can build the dream. So thank you for that. I, I very 02:11:30.800 --> 02:11:35.500

much appreciate that. Uh, council member Erickson. Not

02:11:35.500 --> 02:11:38.634

sure if this is a question for you folks or maybe for the

02:11:38.634 --> 02:11:43.500

Mayor Jay, but Is there a place to find the counter proposals 02:11:43.500 --> 02:11:47.033

that have been shared for local government aid formulas or are

02:11:47.033 --> 02:11:55.233

we mostly at the stage of the one we have is wrong. And Um So, 02:11:55.233 --> 02:11:56.467

so what proposals are out there?

02:11:56.467 --> 02:11:57.500

What suggestions have been made?

02:11:57.500 --> 02:12:08.634

So that is not a mere city manager question, uh, you know. 02:12:08.634 --> 02:12:12.900

Oh, Councilor Mayor Erickson, thank you, um, there, there 02:12:12.900 --> 02:12:16.133

have been different proposals, um, over the years, um, that,

02:12:16.133 --> 02:12:19.767

you know, we’d be happy to share with you. I mean,

02:12:19.767 --> 02:12:24.734

everything from, you know, creating a, a, a new category 02:12:24.734 --> 02:12:30.000

of population bracket, um, with different formulas we’ve used, 02:12:30.000 --> 02:12:34.300

um, uh, traffic accidents as a proxy for public safety for

02:12:34.300 --> 02:12:37.100

years, um, cause that’s supposed to, you know, kind of

02:12:37.100 --> 02:12:41.166

take density or something. So there are, and we can, we can 02:12:41.166 --> 02:12:43.934

certainly share with you, um, some of the different ones that

02:12:43.934 --> 02:12:54.567

have have moved around over the years. All right. uh, thank you. 02:12:54.567 --> 02:12:59.300

I know we went a little long on that, but you know, I think uh

02:12:59.300 --> 02:13:02.033

There’s just a lot to learn and a lot to do in this space. So I 02:13:02.033 --> 02:13:05.200

very much appreciate your, your efforts and your successes in

02:13:05.200 --> 02:13:06.500

this as well. So thank you.

02:13:06.500 --> 02:13:12.467

Thank you. And one second before we move on to the next 02:13:12.467 --> 02:13:33.000

item. That All right, so let’s see. Uh, next, we’ll go ahead 02:13:33.000 --> 02:13:39.500

and move to the consent agenda again, um, we removed 4.4, and

02:13:39.500 --> 02:13:41.467

that’s going to be on July 28th. 02:13:41.467 --> 02:13:49.734

And then we added 4.9 to it. Is there a motion to approve the

02:13:49.734 --> 02:13:54.834

consent agenda. All right, so the motion was made by council 02:13:54.834 --> 02:13:58.033

member Erickson, seconded by Councilman McCannowski. All

02:13:58.033 --> 02:14:06.734

those in favor say aye. Right Any names? Any abstentions? All 02:14:06.734 --> 02:14:14.634

right. All right, so, um, uh, Consent agenda passes. Looks 02:14:14.634 --> 02:14:24.233

like 7 to 0. All right, so next we will move to. Let’s see, 7.1 02:14:24.233 --> 02:14:29.734

appointments to the Brooklyn Park. One second. It’s 1000

02:14:29.734 --> 02:14:35.133

pieces of paper. So we’re gonna move to simple one appointments 02:14:35.133 --> 02:14:38.133

to the Brooklyn Park Development Corporation board,

02:14:38.133 --> 02:14:44.000

uh, and then after that there’s 7.2. Uh, and then, um, We 02:14:44.000 --> 02:14:47.367

entertain emotion for 8.1 and 8.2 to see if we want to move

02:14:47.367 --> 02:14:50.634

those back, uh, since we’ve kind of had a long agenda. Uh, 02:14:50.634 --> 02:15:01.634

but for now we’re going to 7.1, um. So let’s see. Did you have 02:15:01.634 --> 02:15:04.934

any words on this, uh? City manager stroll or did you want

02:15:04.934 --> 02:15:09.166

me to just, OK. So, again, this is going to be to appoint two

02:15:09.166 --> 02:15:14.467

board members to serve on the Brooklyn Park, um Development 02:15:14.467 --> 02:15:16.634

Corporation board of directors, one representative affiliate

02:15:16.634 --> 02:15:18.734

with the financial institution working with businesses in

02:15:18.734 --> 02:15:20.634

Brooklyn Park and one representative affiliated with 02:15:20.634 --> 02:15:23.133

the small business located in Brooklyn Park, so we took the

02:15:23.133 --> 02:15:27.033

votes, got the votes together, and so, um, I’m just gonna go

02:15:27.033 --> 02:15:29.000

ahead and read these in if somebody wants a second, then

02:15:29.000 --> 02:15:33.634

we can go ahead and vote them in. So the first one is a 02:15:33.634 --> 02:15:36.000

motion to appoint Jeffrey A to the Brooklyn Park Development

02:15:36.000 --> 02:15:39.000

Corporation. ation as the financial representative for a

02:15:39.000 --> 02:15:41.767

two-year term effective immediately through June 30th, 02:15:41.767 --> 02:15:45.367

2027. All right, so the motion was made by myself, Mayor

02:15:45.367 --> 02:15:48.567

Winston, seconded by council member Kanowski. All those in

02:15:48.567 --> 02:15:56.033

favor say aye, I. Any nays, any abstentions? So one abstention. 02:15:56.033 --> 02:16:02.000

Uh, the abstention, um, council member Page. All right, so, uh, 02:16:02.000 --> 02:16:06.233

Next, we will go to motion to appoint Edna McKenzie to the

02:16:06.233 --> 02:16:08.300

Brooklyn Park Development Corporation as a small business

02:16:08.300 --> 02:16:10.533

representative for a two-year term effective immediately 02:16:10.533 --> 02:16:13.166

through June 30th, 2027.

02:16:13.166 --> 02:16:18.000

Alright, motion was made by myself, Hollis Winston,

02:16:18.000 --> 02:16:18.767

seconded by Councilman Kanowski.

02:16:18.767 --> 02:16:26.000

Um, all those in favor say aye, a, any nas. Any abstentions? 02:16:26.000 --> 02:16:29.734

All right, so 6 eyes, uh, 1 abstention from Councilman Page.

02:16:29.734 --> 02:16:33.367

The motion passes. All right, so next we will go ahead and 02:16:33.367 --> 02:16:39.567

move to Item 7.2. Uh, which is a request by Mary Winston to

02:16:39.567 --> 02:16:42.467

travel to Brooklyn Park’s sister cities in Liberia and 02:16:42.467 --> 02:16:48.367

Nigeria August 12th through 25th, 2025. I know that uh Uh

02:16:48.367 --> 02:16:50.467

City manager struggle was going to go ahead and open up and 02:16:50.467 --> 02:16:52.734

talk about what this is and maybe fill in some of the

02:16:52.734 --> 02:16:57.467

questions that people had around it. Good evening. Thank

02:16:57.467 --> 02:17:00.900

you, Mayor Winston, members of council, uh, Jaro city manager 02:17:00.900 --> 02:17:05.000

here in Brooklyn Park. I have a, a presentation for you this

02:17:05.000 --> 02:17:08.734

evening, also provided copies to the city council members if

02:17:08.734 --> 02:17:12.900

you need to refer to those. So just a little bit of background, 02:17:12.900 --> 02:17:16.166

this particular item has has raised some questions, uh, with

02:17:16.166 --> 02:17:19.900

regard to kind of. What is, what is the sister city, what

02:17:19.900 --> 02:17:21.634

is that relationship look like? 02:17:21.634 --> 02:17:26.300

Um, and so I wanna start out with that, um, provide a little

02:17:26.300 --> 02:17:29.000

bit of additional information in regard to this specific

02:17:29.000 --> 02:17:32.300

opportunity, um, talk about a potential schedule for the 02:17:32.300 --> 02:17:35.367

mayor, some of the cost considerations related to this

02:17:35.367 --> 02:17:38.266

request, uh, some of the value related to this request and

02:17:38.266 --> 02:17:41.233

then take any questions that the council might have. So 02:17:41.233 --> 02:17:44.934

first I wanted to start out in, and I pulled this from a

02:17:44.934 --> 02:17:49.867

presentation from back in June 2023, uh, in terms of this

02:17:49.867 --> 02:17:51.900

conversation around, uh, you know, what do we want out of 02:17:51.900 --> 02:17:55.667

these sister city relationships has been a conversation. Uh,

02:17:55.667 --> 02:18:01.000

you know, for quite some time back in 2019, we, uh, the city 02:18:01.000 --> 02:18:04.834

council sort of firmed up the policies and approach around um

02:18:04.834 --> 02:18:09.000

what, what it means, um, and what the process is to become a

02:18:09.000 --> 02:18:10.567

sister city with another city. 02:18:10.567 --> 02:18:14.834

And, but these are really highlighting some of those core

02:18:14.834 --> 02:18:18.033

relationship or the objectives around uh Sister city

02:18:18.033 --> 02:18:21.734

relationship might be in a few of the highlights, economic 02:18:21.734 --> 02:18:24.767

development synergies, um, increasing community awareness,

02:18:24.767 --> 02:18:29.000

um. provide more options for residents experience,

02:18:29.000 --> 02:18:32.500

understand and appreciate other cultures, share best practices 02:18:32.500 --> 02:18:36.166

with the government and then develop and support educational

02:18:36.166 --> 02:18:37.734

cultural and people exchanges.

02:18:37.734 --> 02:18:41.567

So again, um, this particular slide was, uh, from June of 02:18:41.567 --> 02:18:45.367

2023 that I thought was relevant today. In addition, um,

02:18:45.367 --> 02:18:49.634

this slide was also used in 2023. There’s a little bit of

02:18:49.634 --> 02:18:52.734

background, the city of Brooklyn Park has had a number 02:18:52.734 --> 02:18:54.767

of different sister city relationships over the course

02:18:54.767 --> 02:18:59.100

of history. I don’t know exactly when our relationship

02:18:59.100 --> 02:19:02.900

with Maitland Australia began and ended, um, but that was one, 02:19:02.900 --> 02:19:05.900

that’s been identified as a, as a previous sister city

02:19:05.900 --> 02:19:09.800

relationship. We’ve had a long relationship with Kakata,

02:19:09.800 --> 02:19:18.367

Liberia, um, I believe going back to 2012. Uh, there was 02:19:18.367 --> 02:19:20.634

conversation about Garraway Somalia being a sister city, 02:19:20.634 --> 02:19:24.800

our relationship. Uh, that was approved by the city council in

02:19:24.800 --> 02:19:30.266

2019, but never formally executed um by the community of 02:19:30.266 --> 02:19:32.867

Garraway and then ultimately by the community of Brooklyn Park.

02:19:32.867 --> 02:19:37.567

So, uh, that was the first city to to use that new process and

02:19:37.567 --> 02:19:41.400

criteria that was established back in 2019. And then the most 02:19:41.400 --> 02:19:45.033

recent to um that have uh Brooklyn Park has joined in

02:19:45.033 --> 02:19:49.467

terms of sister cities is a banjoel and The Gambia, uh,

02:19:49.467 --> 02:19:53.667

back in the fall of 2022 and then more recently Udu, the 02:19:53.667 --> 02:19:56.800

local government area in Nigeria, which is approved and

02:19:56.800 --> 02:20:01.100

executed in the winter of 2023. 02:20:01.100 --> 02:20:05.500

So the um the process of becoming a sister city has, um,

02:20:05.500 --> 02:20:09.233

you know, we, the city council did step up the rigor with

02:20:09.233 --> 02:20:14.100

regard to how that process looks like and uh that includes 02:20:14.100 --> 02:20:18.200

sign agreements, um, supported by um the city council with a

02:20:18.200 --> 02:20:21.000

local sponsor organization and also with the sister city 02:20:21.000 --> 02:20:25.100

itself, I did provide the city council example of those two

02:20:25.100 --> 02:20:29.467

agreements that were approved by the council, um, back in

02:20:29.467 --> 02:20:35.400

2023, February 2023. um related to the Udu, um, Nigeria sister 02:20:35.400 --> 02:20:40.033

city relationship. Our relationship with Kakata 02:20:40.033 --> 02:20:45.367

preceded this new process, um, but we have a, had a long

02:20:45.367 --> 02:20:49.100

history um with Liberian um country as a whole and Kakata

02:20:49.100 --> 02:20:51.767

specifically. The other thing to note about these 02:20:51.767 --> 02:20:56.033

relationships is that oftentimes these are um are

02:20:56.033 --> 02:20:58.233

initiated with a grassroots group of community members. In

02:20:58.233 --> 02:21:02.533

fact, that’s part of the process is to have a group of 02:21:02.533 --> 02:21:05.166

community members come forward and really express their

02:21:05.166 --> 02:21:09.000

interests. I believe that there is a requirement of Uh, I think

02:21:09.000 --> 02:21:15.300

25 signatures as well as the uh formation of a 501c3 or some 02:21:15.300 --> 02:21:19.133

sort of formal nonprofit organization to support this

02:21:19.133 --> 02:21:22.767

relationship. Um, during my tenure, we’ve probably had 5 to 02:21:22.767 --> 02:21:27.000

7 delegations from Liberia, maybe more, um, and then in the

02:21:27.000 --> 02:21:30.867

last couple of years, we’ve had a visitors from uh Banjul, the 02:21:30.867 --> 02:21:33.567

mayor has come a couple times, and then the last couple of

02:21:33.567 --> 02:21:38.767

years, we’ve had um at least 2 delegations from in Nigeria

02:21:38.767 --> 02:21:45.166

come to visit us here in Brooklyn Park. Um For this 02:21:45.166 --> 02:21:48.367

particular opportunity, uh, Mayor Winston and his wife are

02:21:48.367 --> 02:21:51.100

planning to travel to Nigeria from August 12th through the 02:21:51.100 --> 02:21:55.400

25th. Uh, these plans were sort of solidified in terms of those

02:21:55.400 --> 02:22:00.200

specific dates in late June, um, and the mayor and his wife are 02:22:00.200 --> 02:22:03.467

paying at their personal expense, their airfare from

02:22:03.467 --> 02:22:05.166

Minneapolis to Lagos, Nigeria.

02:22:05.166 --> 02:22:08.800

So that, that is sort of set in stone that is happening. Uh, so

02:22:08.800 --> 02:22:11.900

the, the question before the council tonight, are one of the 02:22:11.900 --> 02:22:15.166

key questions for the council is, since Mayor Winston will be

02:22:15.166 --> 02:22:19.367

in West Africa, specifically Nigeria, um, could the city

02:22:19.367 --> 02:22:21.767

support visits to our sister cities in Liberia and Nigeria, 02:22:21.767 --> 02:22:26.934

um. There was a consideration of, of visiting Banjo in The

02:22:26.934 --> 02:22:32.100

Gambia, um, but given sort of the relatively tight time frame 02:22:32.100 --> 02:22:35.900

and um that that was not an option, so, uh, the other

02:22:35.900 --> 02:22:39.834

recognition here is that we are working on a relatively

02:22:39.834 --> 02:22:42.467

compressed time frame and so things are moving pretty quick 02:22:42.467 --> 02:22:46.033

with regard to this specific request, you know, in the

02:22:46.033 --> 02:22:49.300

perfect world, um, we would have some additional time to

02:22:49.300 --> 02:22:50.834

consider this opportunity, um. 02:22:50.834 --> 02:22:55.634

Uh, but we’re doing the best we can in terms of of uh seeing if

02:22:55.634 --> 02:22:59.500

this is a possibility, uh, for, for a visit to these uh two

02:22:59.500 --> 02:23:02.800

sister city communities. In terms of a potential schedule, 02:23:02.800 --> 02:23:05.767

uh, this is a little bit more specific. Some of these are,

02:23:05.767 --> 02:23:10.233

are details, a lot of details are still being worked out, um, 02:23:10.233 --> 02:23:15.400

or specifically, um, And Sunday, August 17th, uh, there would be

02:23:15.400 --> 02:23:19.166

traveling from Lagos to Ossaba to visit with the governor of

02:23:19.166 --> 02:23:22.467

Delta State, um, Delta State is sort of like Minnesota in a 02:23:22.467 --> 02:23:25.533

sense, that’s sort of the equivalent. And so visiting the

02:23:25.533 --> 02:23:30.834

governor, um, there in Delta State in Asaba, um, in addition, 02:23:30.834 --> 02:23:33.734

our understanding is that, uh, the local government officials

02:23:33.734 --> 02:23:38.467

from Udu would also be part of that gathering in Asaba, and

02:23:38.467 --> 02:23:43.800

then there’d be uh travel to Udu by car. And to have 02:23:43.800 --> 02:23:46.900

additional conversation specifically with the local

02:23:46.900 --> 02:23:52.767

government officials in Udu, um, and then returning back to 02:23:52.767 --> 02:23:58.100

Lagos on August 20th and uh traveled to Monrovia, Liberia

02:23:58.100 --> 02:24:03.000

on the 21st and then, um, planning visits in Monrovia and 02:24:03.000 --> 02:24:06.300

Kakata. Again, a lot of details still to be worked out and

02:24:06.300 --> 02:24:10.467

especially um Uh, with this potential trip here to, to 02:24:10.467 --> 02:24:13.100

Liberia. We’ve begun conversations with a number of

02:24:13.100 --> 02:24:16.400

the librarians, um, but in terms of providing exact

02:24:16.400 --> 02:24:19.467

details, uh, this evening aren’t able to do that. And

02:24:19.467 --> 02:24:25.900

then flying back to Lagos and flying back to Minneapolis. So 02:24:25.900 --> 02:24:30.400

potential costs related to to the mayor’s. trip and again, um, 02:24:30.400 --> 02:24:34.667

Mr. Oser and I, uh, ended up, uh, You know, identifying sort

02:24:34.667 --> 02:24:38.200

of what we see as potentially the highest range costs related

02:24:38.200 --> 02:24:42.467

to these, we have been working with the travel agent to 02:24:42.467 --> 02:24:47.367

provide some specifics around the passable, uh, costs related

02:24:47.367 --> 02:24:51.634

to the intracontinental airfare, again, traveling towards uh the 02:24:51.634 --> 02:24:58.500

Delta State and the Uru region and then traveling to um. To

02:24:58.500 --> 02:25:02.166

Liberia and back to Nigeria, so the, the specific cost related 02:25:02.166 --> 02:25:08.567

to. The intercontinental air is, is a little less than $1200.

02:25:08.567 --> 02:25:12.367

The cost for hotels for 8 nights is um at the high end is 02:25:12.367 --> 02:25:17.834

estimated at $200 per night. Um, I would note that there is a

02:25:17.834 --> 02:25:23.033

conversations um that we’ve had with, um, potentially some of 02:25:23.033 --> 02:25:27.767

our host uh partners, um, that in some cases lodging might be

02:25:27.767 --> 02:25:31.567

covered without any expense, um, and specifically I, I can note 02:25:31.567 --> 02:25:36.000

that um we had conversations with Ah, leaders from OLM

02:25:36.000 --> 02:25:39.033

whoever um you know having conversations in terms of

02:25:39.033 --> 02:25:42.367

trying to get lodging accommodated for um without um 02:25:42.367 --> 02:25:47.133

cost. And that is also a possibility in Nigeria, um, but

02:25:47.133 --> 02:25:51.834

we want to put Um, this particular cost amount in here 02:25:51.834 --> 02:25:53.800

just for council’s awareness that this is could, could be

02:25:53.800 --> 02:26:02.000

what it, what it is. In terms of um per diem, uh, there are, 02:26:02.000 --> 02:26:04.734

um, the federal government outlines, uh, for cities in the

02:26:04.734 --> 02:26:08.000

United States and for cities internationally specific per

02:26:08.000 --> 02:26:12.166

diem amounts, um, for 6 days. 02:26:12.166 --> 02:26:17.000

In the Nigerian area, um, the per diem amount is in the Lagos

02:26:17.000 --> 02:26:24.467

area is $145 and then in the days in Liberia, um, it’s more 02:26:24.467 --> 02:26:27.634

uh more specifically, it’s about $110 so a little bit less.

02:26:27.634 --> 02:26:36.166

One option here if there’s some, um, Uh, one option. In lieu of 02:26:36.166 --> 02:26:39.500

the daily per diem is to get reimbursed up to the per diem

02:26:39.500 --> 02:26:45.266

amount, but on the actual expenses. So if there’s $15 02:26:45.266 --> 02:26:50.634

paid for breakfast,,, $20 paid for lunch, an additional $25 02:26:50.634 --> 02:26:54.467

paid for, for dinner, um, on a particular day rather than

02:26:54.467 --> 02:26:59.800

taking the per diem of $145 or $110 with receipts that that

02:26:59.800 --> 02:27:04.734

could be a $60 expense to the city versus 145 or 110. So that 02:27:04.734 --> 02:27:06.800

is something that, that we could do if council had an

02:27:06.800 --> 02:27:12.000

interest in that. Um, we did also identify a potential for 02:27:12.000 --> 02:27:15.300

$450 supplemental council pay with council approval for the 9

02:27:15.300 --> 02:27:19.000

days that it would have a focus around the sister city

02:27:19.000 --> 02:27:21.667

relationships, um, not sure ultimately if the, if the mayor 02:27:21.667 --> 02:27:24.867

would request that or not, but that has been identified again

02:27:24.867 --> 02:27:29.033

as a potential as we think about the high range. And

02:27:29.033 --> 02:27:33.500

potential trip cost in total um with these expenses estimated 02:27:33.500 --> 02:27:39.767

at over $4400. Um, as part of this process, um, during the

02:27:39.767 --> 02:27:44.166

way, um, there was an invitation extended to myself 02:27:44.166 --> 02:27:48.233

to participate, um, by the Nigerian folks who have been

02:27:48.233 --> 02:27:52.500

helping organize the trip, um, and I would highlight that, um. 02:27:52.500 --> 02:27:55.734

Over my tenure as city manager, um, and in the visits that

02:27:55.734 --> 02:27:59.000

we’ve had from Liberians, there’s frequently been

02:27:59.000 --> 02:28:02.767

requests, um, for me to come visit Liberia, so. But this is 02:28:02.767 --> 02:28:06.834

completely at the discretion of the council, um, if, if they

02:28:06.834 --> 02:28:10.100

were to uh approve the marriage’s expenses if they 02:28:10.100 --> 02:28:14.300

would want me to join as well, um. Just leave that out there

02:28:14.300 --> 02:28:18.100

in terms of my expenses, a little bit higher, a little bit

02:28:18.100 --> 02:28:21.834

shorter time frame, um, but a little bit higher because of 02:28:21.834 --> 02:28:26.634

the international travel costs related to um to my expenses.

02:28:26.634 --> 02:28:31.033

Uh, additional cost considerations, um, Many times 02:28:31.033 --> 02:28:34.667

sister city visits often include an exchange of gifts,

02:28:34.667 --> 02:28:38.367

um, an example, actually 3 here over to the right of me are

02:28:38.367 --> 02:28:41.266

some examples of some of the artwork that we’ve received 02:28:41.266 --> 02:28:45.300

from some of our relationships in Nigeria and in Liberia and

02:28:45.300 --> 02:28:49.567

so wanted to bring those in person just as an example.

02:28:49.567 --> 02:28:54.934

Typically, um, we’ve provided, um, You know, gifts have 02:28:54.934 --> 02:28:59.767

included things like our city flag, uh Brooklyn Park, um,

02:28:59.767 --> 02:29:03.634

scarves, other branded small cost items. We did in this, uh, 02:29:03.634 --> 02:29:08.834

in this particular case, um, Uh, consider the idea of, uh, one

02:29:08.834 --> 02:29:13.133

of our local mulist muralists and artists, um, Chino Oku, 02:29:13.133 --> 02:29:17.367

who’s done a number of murals in town, tech College, lived in

02:29:17.367 --> 02:29:20.634

Brooklyn Park for many years, uh, currently resides in Saint 02:29:20.634 --> 02:29:26.000

Paul. And was formerly for, from Nigeria did have a, a

02:29:26.000 --> 02:29:30.734

conversation with him about um if we were to potentially 02:29:30.734 --> 02:29:33.467

commission any art for this type of trip, um, what would be

02:29:33.467 --> 02:29:37.100

a potential price. Again, uh, we have this particular quote

02:29:37.100 --> 02:29:41.900

of about $1000 per piece, that could be an opportunity uh 02:29:41.900 --> 02:29:45.166

related to this trip if the, if the council were in support of

02:29:45.166 --> 02:29:49.467

that, um, alternatively, we could um go the direction that

02:29:49.467 --> 02:29:51.500

we’ve continued, that we’ve been uh doing historically. 02:29:51.500 --> 02:29:54.734

with uh a little bit smaller cost items, um, which also

02:29:54.734 --> 02:29:58.533

would be an item. And then I would note that the city

02:29:58.533 --> 02:30:01.734

council did allocate, there was some conversation about this 02:30:01.734 --> 02:30:06.567

type of trip, um, as part of the 2025 budget process, um,

02:30:06.567 --> 02:30:10.767

and so there were some resources set aside um for this 02:30:10.767 --> 02:30:16.734

type of trip and uh Of approximately $30,000. Terms of

02:30:16.734 --> 02:30:21.734

value, um, Uh, as highlighted earlier in some of the comments 02:30:21.734 --> 02:30:25.734

made, uh, at the beginning of the meeting, uh, obviously

02:30:25.734 --> 02:30:27.567

educational, cultural relationship building are some

02:30:27.567 --> 02:30:32.100

of the key values of a potential trip like this. Uh, 02:30:32.100 --> 02:30:35.467

the additional opportunities, uh, we’re really around

02:30:35.467 --> 02:30:40.266

economic development and We have, um, The Nigerian 02:30:40.266 --> 02:30:43.867

delegation in particular has expressed interest in exploring

02:30:43.867 --> 02:30:45.734

synergies around some particular sectors around

02:30:45.734 --> 02:30:48.734

medical, industrial, agricultural, energy, and water.

02:30:48.734 --> 02:30:53.100

Um, we have had conversations on Friday and then again this 02:30:53.100 --> 02:30:55.033

morning with some of our.

02:30:55.033 --> 02:30:58.734

Colleagues from the state of Minnesota, um, in particular,

02:30:58.734 --> 02:31:01.100

uh, this morning I had a great conversation with the folks 02:31:01.100 --> 02:31:04.200

from Deed or the Department of Employment and Economic

02:31:04.200 --> 02:31:07.634

Development, um, 3 of those folks were part of the uh Japan

02:31:07.634 --> 02:31:12.166

trip. That, uh, Brooklyn Park was invited to participate in 02:31:12.166 --> 02:31:17.634

in terms of the uh governor’s trade mission there and um they,

02:31:17.634 --> 02:31:22.834

it was a great conversation this morning, strongly support 02:31:22.834 --> 02:31:27.100

this work and um, are providing some technical support and some

02:31:27.100 --> 02:31:29.767

additional ideas and suggestions to make the trip

02:31:29.767 --> 02:31:35.100

successful, um, if we’re able to, to make this happen. Um, uh, 02:31:35.100 --> 02:31:39.467

Mr. Director Gladhill and others from our community

02:31:39.467 --> 02:31:43.100

development department or uh doing currently doing some 02:31:43.100 --> 02:31:44.834

additional work around engagement of our local

02:31:44.834 --> 02:31:50.000

chambers, local businesses. Um, and then some other 02:31:50.000 --> 02:31:53.800

organizations within, uh, the community and within the state,

02:31:53.800 --> 02:31:57.533

um, to also get their input as we consider this trip again,

02:31:57.533 --> 02:32:01.367

pretty fast moving. Um, timeline here, so and a lot of 02:32:01.367 --> 02:32:04.567

that work is still underway, but, um, if this trip were to

02:32:04.567 --> 02:32:07.467

go forward, um, we would continue to work with these

02:32:07.467 --> 02:32:10.767

organizations to, to see, um, How we could maximize the 02:32:10.767 --> 02:32:15.634

opportunity. And then lastly, um, uh, for folks awareness, I

02:32:15.634 --> 02:32:21.033

think it, um, in particular of note, Nigeria is home to 02:32:21.033 --> 02:32:24.233

roughly 300 million people and is one of the largest economies

02:32:24.233 --> 02:32:27.734

in Africa, potentially the largest, um, depending on, I

02:32:27.734 --> 02:32:31.800

was reading the other day, it’s part of it’s really dependent 02:32:31.800 --> 02:32:35.100

on the exchange rates at any given time, um, but it’s among

02:32:35.100 --> 02:32:42.834

the largest. And then lastly, um, in terms of, um, previous 02:32:42.834 --> 02:32:46.100

visits to sister cities, uh, there was a delegation of the

02:32:46.100 --> 02:32:49.233

mayor or a council member, city manager, fire chief that went

02:32:49.233 --> 02:32:52.500

to Liberia back in 2012, I believe, to sort of commence 02:32:52.500 --> 02:32:55.734

the original sister city agreement with Kakata. Uh, the

02:32:55.734 --> 02:32:58.467

mayor and council member at that time paid for their own

02:32:58.467 --> 02:33:03.767

air travel. In expenses once they were in country, uh, I 02:33:03.767 --> 02:33:05.934

believe for my understanding and talking with with

02:33:05.934 --> 02:33:09.300

Commissioner L Lundy we’re covered by the city, um, in

02:33:09.300 --> 02:33:12.367

this particular trip, the city did pay for expenses related to 02:33:12.367 --> 02:33:16.100

the city manager, um, and they did not venture outside of

02:33:16.100 --> 02:33:18.900

Liberia because at that time there was only one sister city,

02:33:18.900 --> 02:33:25.367

so. Without having to take any questions. Um, Turn it back 02:33:25.367 --> 02:33:31.033

over to the mayor. Yeah, I’ll say a few brief words. So I 02:33:31.033 --> 02:33:34.734

think, you know, this kind of grew out of initially my wife

02:33:34.734 --> 02:33:41.634

and I, uh, we’re just going to take a trip to um Uh, Nigeria, 02:33:41.634 --> 02:33:48.634

uh, Just to kind of the history and to reconnect, um, and I

02:33:48.634 --> 02:33:52.834

think we eventually. Um, well, I eventually brought up to Jay 02:33:52.834 --> 02:33:55.634

and I just said, hey, you know, to our city manager, and I said,

02:33:55.634 --> 02:33:58.166

is there in terms of reaching out to embassies or anything

02:33:58.166 --> 02:34:00.767

else, is there, is there something we should be doing 02:34:00.767 --> 02:34:04.233

because we’ve been overseas, not really used to this, um,

02:34:04.233 --> 02:34:06.934

and then it kind of grew from there was saying, well, maybe

02:34:06.934 --> 02:34:09.400

you should also consider doing this, and maybe you should

02:34:09.400 --> 02:34:11.567

consider doing some of these other pieces that occurred, so 02:34:11.567 --> 02:34:13.133

I, I wanna put that out there.

02:34:13.133 --> 02:34:17.000

I think there was some misnomers going around that

02:34:17.000 --> 02:34:21.734

this was 100% paid for by the city and the reality is the the 02:34:21.734 --> 02:34:26.000

Its to Nigeria, um, have already been purchased by the

02:34:26.000 --> 02:34:30.367

family, uh, and, um, uh, and, and quite a few other costs 02:34:30.367 --> 02:34:34.100

that we’re we’re coming out of pocket for, uh, but I did, as I

02:34:34.100 --> 02:34:35.266

was talking through it, I think.

02:34:35.266 --> 02:34:42.033

You know, I think we’ve had a number of cities come to 02:34:42.033 --> 02:34:44.367

Brooklyn Park numerous times, and I understand that, um,

02:34:44.367 --> 02:34:46.400

there’s a number of people who say, well, yeah, they should,

02:34:46.400 --> 02:34:49.467

they should pay us homage and this and that, and there’s that

02:34:49.467 --> 02:34:52.834

perspective out there. But I also think that sometimes 02:34:52.834 --> 02:34:57.100

that’s important for us to, to um move in good faith, uh, to

02:34:57.100 --> 02:34:59.734

reach out to other folks, uh, and let them know that, you

02:34:59.734 --> 02:35:01.367

know, we’re interested as well. 02:35:01.367 --> 02:35:05.033

Again, it didn’t start out that way, but I think that’s kind of

02:35:05.033 --> 02:35:08.200

what this um grew into in terms of just building good faith

02:35:08.200 --> 02:35:11.634

with some of our Sister cities uh building along those 02:35:11.634 --> 02:35:14.567

cultural lines and then as we’ve been talking to Deed and

02:35:14.567 --> 02:35:18.800

other folks uh and folks within the um different delegations,

02:35:18.800 --> 02:35:22.367

right? I think we continue talking about um economic 02:35:22.367 --> 02:35:25.367

opportunities, and I’m not gonna go too far into this, but

02:35:25.367 --> 02:35:30.000

there are some real economic opportunities and as we were 02:35:30.000 --> 02:35:31.734

talking to Deed uh and I know we’ll be talking to the

02:35:31.734 --> 02:35:35.934

Department of Agriculture. I think Brooklyn Park kind of

02:35:35.934 --> 02:35:39.100

being the, the tip of the spear or the leader on this, there’s

02:35:39.100 --> 02:35:42.300

some real opportunities for us to bring those opportunities 02:35:42.300 --> 02:35:46.200

back to Brooklyn Park for our residents to build businesses

02:35:46.200 --> 02:35:49.367

off of, build success off of, I, I think that’s really what

02:35:49.367 --> 02:35:53.000

we’re, we are trying to make those connections and help lead. 02:35:53.000 --> 02:35:56.367

And I think the, uh, had some encouraging words and thoughts

02:35:56.367 --> 02:35:59.400

around that. They thought it made sense themselves,

02:35:59.400 --> 02:36:02.133

especially given the demographic makeup of of 02:36:02.133 --> 02:36:04.033

Brooklyn Park. I’ll leave it at that. I know. there’ll be other

02:36:04.033 --> 02:36:06.900

questions and I have some other, you know, there probably be

02:36:06.900 --> 02:36:11.734

other thoughts, but I will, uh, I will leave it at that, uh. 02:36:11.734 --> 02:36:20.834

Can’t remember Mugabe. Thank you, Mayor. Um So I have a few 02:36:20.834 --> 02:36:28.233

questions. One, not my own. And then a point of Maybe I need to

02:36:28.233 --> 02:36:32.500

take umbrage with something, uh, but we obviously received 02:36:32.500 --> 02:36:37.934

several emails on this, all of us. Um With some good questions.

02:36:37.934 --> 02:36:44.934

So the questions of my own are first and foremost, um, number 02:36:44.934 --> 02:36:48.567

one, why, why is this timeline compressed to make this

02:36:48.567 --> 02:36:55.033

decision, which you mentioned, city manager struel. Um, Mayor 02:36:55.033 --> 02:36:58.634

Winston, uh, Councilor McGarvey, part of the compression of the

02:36:58.634 --> 02:37:02.467

timeline in this case is, is the fact that the, that the 02:37:02.467 --> 02:37:04.033

mayor has purchased the tickets.

02:37:04.033 --> 02:37:12.033

We know the beginning and the end, um, and Uh. If those time 02:37:12.033 --> 02:37:14.300

frames were moved out 2 or 3 months or if a decision had

02:37:14.300 --> 02:37:18.000

been made 2 or 3 months ago to to do this, but the decision

02:37:18.000 --> 02:37:22.300

was largely sort of finalized at the end of June, but perhaps 02:37:22.300 --> 02:37:25.000

Mayor Winston can speak more specific, but, but that, that’s

02:37:25.000 --> 02:37:29.734

why we didn’t have certainty that this trip was gonna happen

02:37:29.734 --> 02:37:37.634

until later in June was based around a trip. Not I mean Based 02:37:37.634 --> 02:37:40.367

around a personal trip that was, that was gonna be added on to, 02:37:40.367 --> 02:37:44.133

to do. So yeah I would ask folks in the audience, I know

02:37:44.133 --> 02:37:48.867

you have opinions and bias some some. Reasonable on that, but I

02:37:48.867 --> 02:37:52.000

would ask that, uh, if you want to speak, maybe run for office 02:37:52.000 --> 02:37:55.767

and you can come up here or during the personal public time

02:37:55.767 --> 02:37:59.000

you had ample time to speak, but I get it. That can be a

02:37:59.000 --> 02:38:02.900

little stressful. Um, but to your point, uh, Councilor 02:38:02.900 --> 02:38:08.533

McGarry, um, yes, so what this came out of initially was, um,

02:38:08.533 --> 02:38:12.233

I don’t want to have to talk over people, so. If I have to 02:38:12.233 --> 02:38:18.233

disinvite. So what I’ll say is, um, Yes, when I first was

02:38:18.233 --> 02:38:20.834

talking to the Nigerian delegation about this. It was 02:38:20.834 --> 02:38:24.100

basically, hey, you know, we’re going to do this trip, right?

02:38:24.100 --> 02:38:27.533

And go back and rebuild some relationships and then reaching

02:38:27.533 --> 02:38:30.367

out to our city manager, then it became, well, maybe consider 02:38:30.367 --> 02:38:33.200

this, this and this, and it grew into that, right? So that

02:38:33.200 --> 02:38:36.500

was kind of what it came out of, and it was like there there’s

02:38:36.500 --> 02:38:39.567

the state isn’t necessarily funding this thing, um, and

02:38:39.567 --> 02:38:43.767

even with, uh, when, um, We talk about precedence because I 02:38:43.767 --> 02:38:46.033

think people are forgetting that when it came to Mayor

02:38:46.033 --> 02:38:49.734

Lundy, right? It was like a lot of those expenses came out of

02:38:49.734 --> 02:38:52.233

pocket with that trip, and then the city assumed some. So I 02:38:52.233 --> 02:38:55.000

think it was kind of about that same mindset, like you’re gonna

02:38:55.000 --> 02:38:57.800

pay for X, Y, and Z. Maybe the city can assist with these

02:38:57.800 --> 02:39:00.834

things in the same way they did with that former trip. And I 02:39:00.834 --> 02:39:03.634

said, well, if it, if it, if it works, it works. If it doesn’t,

02:39:03.634 --> 02:39:05.800

it doesn’t, right? But the trip is still gonna happen. So

02:39:05.800 --> 02:39:08.400

that’s kind of the approach that I was thinking. Yeah, no,

02:39:08.400 --> 02:39:11.166

that makes sense to me, and I was just, that, that’s why my 02:39:11.166 --> 02:39:18.000

question was why the timeline, and that makes sense, um. The

02:39:18.000 --> 02:39:23.467

second question that I have, uh, Is In the information presented 02:39:23.467 --> 02:39:26.266

to us that says Nigeria is one of the largest economies in

02:39:26.266 --> 02:39:29.834

Africa and just out of curiosity, what is that economy

02:39:29.834 --> 02:39:33.467

based on? And then that bleeds into one of the questions from 02:39:33.467 --> 02:39:37.166

one of the emails, which is what deliverables are expected.

02:39:37.166 --> 02:39:46.266

From this Yeah, yeah, Mayor Winston, Conor McGarvey. Uh, my 02:39:46.266 --> 02:39:51.033

understanding is that Nigeria’s got a very diverse and robust 02:39:51.033 --> 02:39:55.867

economy, um, I think it’s largely based on Raw materials,

02:39:55.867 --> 02:40:00.667

oil, industry, um, they’ve got some very, very large cities, 02:40:00.667 --> 02:40:05.500

um, some modern nature, uh, we do have some representatives

02:40:05.500 --> 02:40:08.233

here that are from or have close connections to Nigeria

02:40:08.233 --> 02:40:10.300

that maybe could speak more. 02:40:10.300 --> 02:40:14.133

Specifically than I could, um, I just in my research, I know

02:40:14.133 --> 02:40:19.900

that um, It, it is one of the largest economies in Africa. Um,

02:40:19.900 --> 02:40:24.300

if not the largest, it’s a population of 300 million 02:40:24.300 --> 02:40:29.500

people, and in talking to uh the representatives from the

02:40:29.500 --> 02:40:31.200

Department of Agriculture and Department of Employment and 02:40:31.200 --> 02:40:38.233

Economic Development. They to see opportunity, um, for

02:40:38.233 --> 02:40:43.900

further, um, expansion of economic development 02:40:43.900 --> 02:40:48.200

opportunities between Minnesota and um Nigeria, and Liberia for

02:40:48.200 --> 02:40:53.100

that matter. Thank you. Yeah, I just didn’t know if they were 02:40:53.100 --> 02:40:56.367

like medical device uh heavy like some of the other places

02:40:56.367 --> 02:41:02.567

we’ve we’ve got relationships with here within the city, but 02:41:02.567 --> 02:41:06.467

fair enough, it’s a very broad question. I understand that. So

02:41:06.467 --> 02:41:11.867

thank you. Um. Then one more question and then I’ll, I’ll 02:41:11.867 --> 02:41:16.533

make my statement. uh. But then why uh so my question is why,

02:41:16.533 --> 02:41:22.300

what, what value do we get from the city manager going on this. 02:41:22.300 --> 02:41:24.500

Yeah, Mayor Winston, uh, Councilor McGarvey, members of

02:41:24.500 --> 02:41:26.667

council, I, I don’t have to go.

02:41:26.667 --> 02:41:32.634

I mean, this was an invitation that was extended to me, um, 02:41:32.634 --> 02:41:35.867

relative to the to the visit to Nigeria, as I mentioned

02:41:35.867 --> 02:41:39.000

previously, um, during my nearly 10 years here at the

02:41:39.000 --> 02:41:43.767

city. Um, I’ve been part of hosting a number of Liberian 02:41:43.767 --> 02:41:46.900

delegations. Um, I always thought one day if there’s an

02:41:46.900 --> 02:41:50.100

opportunity to visit Liberia, um, that would be a, a great 02:41:50.100 --> 02:41:56.467

privilege. Um, I think, you know. Personally for um Me, um.

02:41:56.467 --> 02:42:02.100

You know, being able to when these Trips and I saw this in 02:42:02.100 --> 02:42:05.100

Japan and I’ve heard it from the folks at Department of

02:42:05.100 --> 02:42:08.834

Employment and Economic Development, the trade office.

02:42:08.834 --> 02:42:13.100

Um, typically in these international trips, um, having 02:42:13.100 --> 02:42:15.734

somebody to support like the mayor or the governor, I mean

02:42:15.734 --> 02:42:19.000

the governor travels with the larger entourage, um, but

02:42:19.000 --> 02:42:21.367

having a a staff person to support the mayor in this type 02:42:21.367 --> 02:42:25.667

of thing, I think could be a benefit for the mayor, um, and

02:42:25.667 --> 02:42:28.867

also would help with not only the on-site relationship

02:42:28.867 --> 02:42:32.834

building, but then the follow up of whatever the expectations 02:42:32.834 --> 02:42:36.867

are, um, you know, once we return back to, to Brooklyn

02:42:36.867 --> 02:42:40.300

Park. So, uh, because I think the opportunity is not only 02:42:40.300 --> 02:42:46.100

about Uh during the trip days, but also really how we can sort

02:42:46.100 --> 02:42:50.200

of further uh the opportunities for the Brooklyn Park community, 02:42:50.200 --> 02:42:53.033

business park businesses, and this relationship among our

02:42:53.033 --> 02:42:58.367

sister cities as well. Thank you. And then finally I had to

02:42:58.367 --> 02:42:59.500

write all over the place here.

02:42:59.500 --> 02:43:02.734

I think this is the last of my questions, but I just, I wanted 02:43:02.734 --> 02:43:06.834

to take, so like I said, we, we did receive several emails on

02:43:06.834 --> 02:43:11.100

this. Some of them had good questions in them. Uh, but I do 02:43:11.100 --> 02:43:14.266

want to take umbrage with one of them that said, please

02:43:14.266 --> 02:43:18.200

understand my intent is not to discredit the value of cultural

02:43:18.200 --> 02:43:19.200

and international relationships.

02:43:19.200 --> 02:43:28.133

However, in a time where many feel our local needs are unmet. 02:43:28.133 --> 02:43:31.266

I, we’re always going to feel like our local needs are unmet, 02:43:31.266 --> 02:43:35.367

but, um, particularly around youth safety, community

02:43:35.367 --> 02:43:39.367

wellness, and concerned city leadership not being present.

02:43:39.367 --> 02:43:42.133

And I would just like to say if that person is listening 02:43:42.133 --> 02:43:44.734

because they said, I appreciate your time and look forward to

02:43:44.734 --> 02:43:47.500

hearing thoughtful discussion and answers to these questions

02:43:47.500 --> 02:43:54.266

in tonight’s meeting. Uh We got as many, if not more emails 02:43:54.266 --> 02:43:59.667

than on this subject. When we committed $10 million. To

02:43:59.667 --> 02:44:05.033

developing a youth. Center at Zanewood. And so I take umbrage 02:44:05.033 --> 02:44:07.934

with this statement that the leadership, city leadership is

02:44:07.934 --> 02:44:10.100

not present. We’re not investing in our community or 02:44:10.100 --> 02:44:15.834

our youth. Um I do believe I do agree with the final sentence

02:44:15.834 --> 02:44:20.467

of that. paragraph, which says, I believe this financial 02:44:20.467 --> 02:44:24.767

investment deserves, which is a word I hate. Needs rigorous

02:44:24.767 --> 02:44:28.200

scrutiny. And clear justification. I don’t disagree

02:44:28.200 --> 02:44:30.934

with that, but I do take umbrage with the accusation 02:44:30.934 --> 02:44:34.367

that we are not present, not.

02:44:34.367 --> 02:44:37.033

Investing in our community or our youth, and I’ll leave it at

02:44:37.033 --> 02:44:43.934

that. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, City manager Strubel. Uh 02:44:43.934 --> 02:44:47.266

Yeah, and I’ll just say quickly to, to Jay’s point, I think,

02:44:47.266 --> 02:44:50.867

you know, if I’m going to have these different meetings, um, 02:44:50.867 --> 02:44:54.634

Yes, it would be very helpful to have Jay there in terms of

02:44:54.634 --> 02:44:58.367

when we do meetings here and when we conduct business in

02:44:58.367 --> 02:45:02.233

Brooklyn Park. I think having someone that can give me input 02:45:02.233 --> 02:45:05.367

in terms of how our city works, how we’re going to follow up,

02:45:05.367 --> 02:45:07.100

how we’re going to aberrationalize these things

02:45:07.100 --> 02:45:10.133

and then just making sure that when we’re done, we have more 02:45:10.133 --> 02:45:12.800

than one person who understands it. They can keep us honest in

02:45:12.800 --> 02:45:16.500

terms of the discussion. I always think that’s important,

02:45:16.500 --> 02:45:19.266

especially when you’re dealing with um uh international

02:45:19.266 --> 02:45:23.400

opportunities. I think one of the questions you asked. Um, 02:45:23.400 --> 02:45:26.166

council member, um, McGarvey was kind of what they have,

02:45:26.166 --> 02:45:29.900

right? And they’re asking for stuff, uh, you know,

02:45:29.900 --> 02:45:33.533

agriculture products or people here who can help with um 02:45:33.533 --> 02:45:36.800

figuring out different staffing models, you know, how can they

02:45:36.800 --> 02:45:39.133

work with our particular colleges North Hennepin or

02:45:39.133 --> 02:45:42.867

Hennepin Tech, right? So there’s different industries 02:45:42.867 --> 02:45:46.567

where it’s agricultural, um, or other industries that they’re

02:45:46.567 --> 02:45:48.767

trying to stand up, and it can’t even be like clean water,

02:45:48.767 --> 02:45:53.800

right? Some of those things that we kind of say, ah. Right, 02:45:53.800 --> 02:45:57.634

I think it’s moving those to another level and having it the

02:45:57.634 --> 02:45:59.800

expertise is what I’m kind of hearing is what folks are

02:45:59.800 --> 02:46:13.667

looking for. Um, council member, uh, Erikson. My comments are In 02:46:13.667 --> 02:46:15.100

general, more about sister city.

02:46:15.100 --> 02:46:20.767

Programming and the $30,000 we’ve budgeted for them. But 02:46:20.767 --> 02:46:24.934

I’m gonna start out with saying that If we’re going to

02:46:24.934 --> 02:46:28.166

interrupt the mayor’s already planned vacation. With a visit

02:46:28.166 --> 02:46:33.400

to some place that he’s already near. Then I think we should. 02:46:33.400 --> 02:46:38.200

Pay the expenses related to that. Um, do I agree with

02:46:38.200 --> 02:46:45.200

expanding the trip, um. I’m Honestly, not sure if I do or 02:46:45.200 --> 02:46:53.734

not. Um, but If we do I think it should have a clear Um, 02:46:53.734 --> 02:46:59.567

deliverable. And In thinking about what kind of deliverables

02:46:59.567 --> 02:47:05.000

I would like to see from our sister city relationships and, 02:47:05.000 --> 02:47:07.300

um, obviously I’m not the arbiter of what we should or

02:47:07.300 --> 02:47:17.200

shouldn’t see. Um. I’m thinking about Several people have 02:47:17.200 --> 02:47:24.367

Juxtaposed Sister City spending and youth. And I’m going to 02:47:24.367 --> 02:47:30.000

suggest that the delivery will be, will be combining them. Can 02:47:30.000 --> 02:47:33.367

we develop a robust youth exchange program with our

02:47:33.367 --> 02:47:41.200

sister cities. Um I think $30,000 annual fund would go a 02:47:41.200 --> 02:47:47.166

long way towards building a Strong representation of kids

02:47:47.166 --> 02:47:51.800

either going there or coming here, um, I realize that’s 02:47:51.800 --> 02:47:54.367

incredibly complex. There’s State Department travel

02:47:54.367 --> 02:47:58.233

advisories. There’s the current Environment in Washington where

02:47:58.233 --> 02:48:02.533

kids are less and less likely to get visas. I mean, this is 02:48:02.533 --> 02:48:05.367

Terribly complicated and we would have to lean on our um

02:48:05.367 --> 02:48:06.800

federal legislators to help us.

02:48:06.800 --> 02:48:12.133

pull this off probably. Um, but I think that there are a lot of 02:48:12.133 --> 02:48:15.033

existing organizations in Brooklyn Park that have

02:48:15.033 --> 02:48:19.634

relationships in these places that might help us support such

02:48:19.634 --> 02:48:24.934

an effort, um, organizations of Liberians in Minnesota, Ibofest, 02:48:24.934 --> 02:48:27.767

um, the Lutheran churches in Minneapolis have relationships

02:48:27.767 --> 02:48:30.266

with Lutheran churches in Nigeria that go back a long way. 02:48:30.266 --> 02:48:33.533

Maybe they would want to participate in some way. But

02:48:33.533 --> 02:48:38.266

can we identify young people from Brooklyn Park. Um. Whether

02:48:38.266 --> 02:48:43.166

it be through coaches or teachers who identify these 02:48:43.166 --> 02:48:48.934

kids as leaders in their own community and as As good

02:48:48.934 --> 02:48:50.100

diplomats for Brooklyn Park. 02:48:50.100 --> 02:48:54.367

And can we send a diverse group of Brooklyn Park kids to meet

02:48:54.367 --> 02:48:57.133

their peers in our sister cities, and can we support

02:48:57.133 --> 02:49:01.367

bringing a group of kids to Brooklyn Park to do the same 02:49:01.367 --> 02:49:08.200

thing. Um, host family exchanges, etc. etc. So That

02:49:08.200 --> 02:49:11.400

would, if we’re going to have a deliverable, which I think we 02:49:11.400 --> 02:49:15.200

should whenever we engage in travel. That would be my

02:49:15.200 --> 02:49:17.266

suggestion for deliverable, and that I think would be a

02:49:17.266 --> 02:49:22.100

worthwhile use of $30,000 here. 02:49:22.100 --> 02:49:25.100

So just quickly, just to make clear, the trip isn’t 30 300,

02:49:25.100 --> 02:49:29.000

um. But I, I hear what you’re, yeah, yeah, I hear what you, I

02:49:29.000 --> 02:49:31.233

hear what you’re saying. I just want to clarify that for some 02:49:31.233 --> 02:49:35.400

folks because some people have been misrepresenting the number,

02:49:35.400 --> 02:49:39.200

um, but, uh, I will also say this, so I have talked to uh

02:49:39.200 --> 02:49:42.800

some of the delegation, not not just Nigerian, but Liberian in 02:49:42.800 --> 02:49:46.200

terms of saying it may, it could be a component of sending

02:49:46.200 --> 02:49:49.200

kids over that would be expensive and we’d have to, you

02:49:49.200 --> 02:49:51.734

know, folks would have to come together, but also with Zoom 02:49:51.734 --> 02:49:54.634

and some of the other technologies we have, right? Go

02:49:54.634 --> 02:49:56.834

over there and establishing a regular program. I know. that

02:49:56.834 --> 02:50:02.900

we had um Uh, uh, R&D who came from a Nigerian health youth 02:50:02.900 --> 02:50:06.367

understand what it looks like to get into that entertainment

02:50:06.367 --> 02:50:09.567

space, right? So we’ve already done some of that. Um, but I

02:50:09.567 --> 02:50:12.867

also think that there’s a component that we can do 02:50:12.867 --> 02:50:14.367

relatively inexpensively with Zoom and other things, so I

02:50:14.367 --> 02:50:17.734

think we got to work that piece out, um, as well, but I

02:50:17.734 --> 02:50:20.200

completely hear what you’re saying. I would say other thing 02:50:20.200 --> 02:50:24.133

and then um I’m gonna call on cos Iran after I say this, uh,

02:50:24.133 --> 02:50:27.300

I think one of the deliverables makes sense if it’s youth, but

02:50:27.300 --> 02:50:30.567

I also think that When we went to Japan, I think people said 02:50:30.567 --> 02:50:32.900

what it delivers what deliverable was deliverable.

02:50:32.900 --> 02:50:36.266

And one of the things that came back out of Japan, it didn’t

02:50:36.266 --> 02:50:40.033

happen right away, but Takeda is going to expand. They’re 02:50:40.033 --> 02:50:42.166

going to do a large expansion.

02:50:42.166 --> 02:50:44.367

And we’ve also built relationships with some other

02:50:44.367 --> 02:50:46.934

Japanese companies and with some Japanese institutions that

02:50:46.934 --> 02:50:50.233

help bring business. So part of this is that, and you don’t get 02:50:50.233 --> 02:50:54.000

a 2 to 3 month turnaround necessarily from that. Those

02:50:54.000 --> 02:50:58.266

are sometimes you have to begin to implement those, uh,

02:50:58.266 --> 02:51:01.367

relationships is one way that I would look at it. So, um, I 02:51:01.367 --> 02:51:04.634

agree with that, but I also agree that there’s this other

02:51:04.634 --> 02:51:07.800

component that takes up diplomacy and some time as well.

02:51:07.800 --> 02:51:20.100

Uh council member Tran. Um I have one question for you, the, 02:51:20.100 --> 02:51:31.467

um, I saw here the Somalia Garoi. Um A bro but never a 02:51:31.467 --> 02:51:40.900

sigh. Executive. So Can you explain about this one? Uh, 02:51:40.900 --> 02:51:45.266

Mayor Winston, Councilor Tran, members of council, um,

02:51:45.266 --> 02:51:49.934

Garraway was a city in Somalia that we had begun the process

02:51:49.934 --> 02:51:53.266

of forming a sister city relationship with, uh, the 02:51:53.266 --> 02:51:57.400

initial stages of that, um, were approved by the city

02:51:57.400 --> 02:52:03.867

council on September 2019. Um, Garraway did, did not finish 02:52:03.867 --> 02:52:07.867

the process to formalize that relationship on their side they

02:52:07.867 --> 02:52:17.867

quit. Yeah, they quit. And then another one. Um No longer 02:52:17.867 --> 02:52:19.867

active, so that means expire.

02:52:19.867 --> 02:52:26.200

Yes. So how many years? one term Yeah, um, Mayor Winston 02:52:26.200 --> 02:52:29.533

council member and members of council. I don’t know a lot of

02:52:29.533 --> 02:52:34.266

history about the the Maitland, Australia, sister city 02:52:34.266 --> 02:52:37.100

relationship, um, uh, that’s something that we could try to

02:52:37.100 --> 02:52:42.867

find out. No, like this one right now, we have active uh 02:52:42.867 --> 02:52:53.467

Nigeria, Gambia. And uh So how, how many years to be expired. 02:52:53.467 --> 02:52:58.467

Right now, we have a Contract with them. Yeah, I understand

02:52:58.467 --> 02:53:01.133

your question, um, Mayor Winston, customer train members 02:53:01.133 --> 02:53:05.266

of council. I, I understand your question. Um, there is not

02:53:05.266 --> 02:53:09.667

necessarily an end date to these uh relationships, uh,

02:53:09.667 --> 02:53:11.400

when, when they’re initiated. 02:53:11.400 --> 02:53:15.934

As long as they’re active. As long as there are those, you

02:53:15.934 --> 02:53:20.200

know, local engagement and then engagement from the sister city, 02:53:20.200 --> 02:53:25.100

um, that is, uh, essentially it continues on and as long as

02:53:25.100 --> 02:53:27.634

there’s a commitment on behalf of Brooklyn Park and a

02:53:27.634 --> 02:53:31.400

commitment on behalf of the other city. So for how long 02:53:31.400 --> 02:53:36.734

that that’s uh you can see, you can see the no active like 3

02:53:36.734 --> 02:53:39.934

months, sick man, no contact.

02:53:39.934 --> 02:53:44.734

Yeah, um. Uh, Mayor Winston, customer Tran, members of 02:53:44.734 --> 02:53:48.500

council, I’d have to go back and look at the original

02:53:48.500 --> 02:53:51.300

process that was established by the city council to identify 02:53:51.300 --> 02:53:58.634

what that time frame is. Um Next, um, I have some part that

02:53:58.634 --> 02:54:07.734

I want to share with um resident and Kaho College. Um, 02:54:07.734 --> 02:54:12.533

As the members of the Brooklyn Park City Council, I 02:54:12.533 --> 02:54:17.867

respectfully have some thoughts to use of the public fund for

02:54:17.867 --> 02:54:25.867

the proposed travel by my young Winston and CT manager. Um, to 02:54:25.867 --> 02:54:30.634

Brooklyn Park City C sister city in Liberia and Nigeria and 02:54:30.634 --> 02:54:37.634

Gambia. Um, why I acknowledge the symbolic and cultural value

02:54:37.634 --> 02:54:42.400

of maintaining sister city relationship. This proposed 02:54:42.400 --> 02:54:47.734

trip raised several serious concerns regarding fiscal

02:54:47.734 --> 02:54:51.934

responsibility, equity and accountability to the resident 02:54:51.934 --> 02:54:56.800

of Brooklyn Park, uh, number one is the lack of direct

02:54:56.800 --> 02:54:57.467

measurable benefit to residents.

02:54:57.467 --> 02:55:05.400

The travel lack of a clearly articulated strategy or outcome 02:55:05.400 --> 02:55:09.634

that would deliver measurable benefit to the people of

02:55:09.634 --> 02:55:16.100

Brooklyn Park. In the absence of specific goals, partnership 02:55:16.100 --> 02:55:24.634

or deliverables such as Um Educational exchange program or 02:55:24.634 --> 02:55:29.400

development initiative this trip appear largely ceremonial.

02:55:29.400 --> 02:55:35.266

City fund must be prioritized for wrestling this. That 02:55:35.266 --> 02:55:39.567

directly serve our residents, including public safety,

02:55:39.567 --> 02:55:44.367

affordable housing, youth service infrastructure repair 02:55:44.367 --> 02:55:49.133

and community development. Uh, this trip doesn’t meet that

02:55:49.133 --> 02:55:53.467

standard. Uh number 2, excessive and and justified 02:55:53.467 --> 02:56:00.867

cost. The estimate cost for the trip up the trip over 10,000 02:56:00.867 --> 02:56:10.533

including airfare, hotel, but allowance and 4500 gift, does 02:56:10.533 --> 02:56:21.800

rere like good and stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Um Um The 02:56:21.800 --> 02:56:31.367

number 3 Uh Another And number 2, I want to add more, is that 02:56:31.367 --> 02:56:36.133

given the city manager full time administrative

02:56:36.133 --> 02:56:39.867

responsibility. There is no compelling over operational

02:56:39.867 --> 02:56:45.734

need for both Mayor and city manager to travel together. 02:56:45.734 --> 02:56:52.634

Number 3, violation of spirit of travel policy. See, they 02:56:52.634 --> 02:56:56.634

travel policy establish 2500 guidelines for our upstate

02:56:56.634 --> 02:57:04.467

travel. By elected official to ensure that the expenditure 02:57:04.467 --> 02:57:08.734

remained within reason. So why did this trip may be

02:57:08.734 --> 02:57:13.000

categorized as international or special circumstance, is 02:57:13.000 --> 02:57:17.467

grossly exceed that limit and risk setting an unsustainable

02:57:17.467 --> 02:57:24.200

resilient. Number 4, timing and public perception. In the 02:57:24.200 --> 02:57:30.000

current climate of economic uncertainty and increasing the 02:57:30.000 --> 02:57:34.867

demand on local service resident rightfully expect that

02:57:34.867 --> 02:57:39.734

public official exercise restraint and lead by example.

02:57:39.734 --> 02:57:44.467

This trip, especially in the absence of transparency and 02:57:44.467 --> 02:57:48.734

community engagement may be perceived as self-serving or

02:57:48.734 --> 02:57:49.634

disconnected from the challenge.

02:57:49.634 --> 02:57:54.100

our residents face daily. 02:57:54.100 --> 02:58:01.533

Number 5, alternative solution available. Shoot the Mayor and 02:58:01.533 --> 02:58:05.567

city manager believe strongly in the value of this engagement,

02:58:05.567 --> 02:58:14.367

um, They are encouraged to seek external funding or grant 02:58:14.367 --> 02:58:19.667

opportunities, collaborate collaborate with nonprofits or

02:58:19.667 --> 02:58:23.467

cultural foundations personally covers a greater portion of the 02:58:23.467 --> 02:58:29.800

cost. Postpone the trip until a more strategic purpose. It

02:58:29.800 --> 02:58:30.467

developed and publicly reviewed. 02:58:30.467 --> 02:58:38.367

Conclusion that you are public resource for this city, the

02:58:38.367 --> 02:58:41.767

city travel is neither justified nor responsible at 02:58:41.767 --> 02:58:50.100

this time. I urge. And I want to make a motion to table and I 02:58:50.100 --> 02:58:57.634

urge my cultural college and my and city manager to To take

02:58:57.634 --> 02:59:01.500

that because we want to see this trip, but maybe another 02:59:01.500 --> 02:59:07.266

time, and I wish that You, your family have a wonderful trip

02:59:07.266 --> 02:59:18.367

this summer. But uh, can we make the motion to table. I 02:59:18.367 --> 02:59:20.900

would just say going forward, please leave my family out of 02:59:20.900 --> 02:59:24.000

you. Don’t mention my family.

02:59:24.000 --> 02:59:33.367

Um, council member. Kleanowski. 02:59:33.367 --> 02:59:39.233

Thank you, Mayor. Um, I want to thank Councilman McGarvey for

02:59:39.233 --> 02:59:42.400

some good points. Council member Erickson always has 02:59:42.400 --> 02:59:44.634

interesting ideas and appreciated. I love them. Mr.

02:59:44.634 --> 02:59:48.500

Mayor There’s a motion on the floor that has not been

02:59:48.500 --> 02:59:53.667

seconded. It hasn’t been seconded, no. OK, so dies for 02:59:53.667 --> 02:59:59.033

failure to be seconded. Thank you. It’s OK. It’s a point of

02:59:59.033 --> 03:00:06.000

order. That’s how those go. um, um, yeah. Gangy man was my 03:00:06.000 --> 03:00:09.667

train of thought. Thanking you, thanking him and thank Maria

03:00:09.667 --> 03:00:11.934

Tran, Council member Tran, for some of her thoughts as well. 03:00:11.934 --> 03:00:15.100

And I also want to say thank you to the residents that sent

03:00:15.100 --> 03:00:17.166

emails and also to the gentleman that came up and

03:00:17.166 --> 03:00:21.900

spoke to you in favor of the trip. That’s democracy. 03:00:21.900 --> 03:00:24.100

Democracy is incredibly important and I also want to

03:00:24.100 --> 03:00:28.166

say that I feel like this kind of trip is great is great. It’s

03:00:28.166 --> 03:00:30.634

good to be building these relationships with our sister 03:00:30.634 --> 03:00:34.500

cities, and I Really believe in doing that, but I do believe in

03:00:34.500 --> 03:00:37.900

doing it in a thoughtful and planned way. And I think

03:00:37.900 --> 03:00:42.100

democracy has to be at the heart of that as well. I, I 03:00:42.100 --> 03:00:44.266

recognize that the mayor was already planning to travel

03:00:44.266 --> 03:00:48.467

there and was willing to interrupt his vacation with his

03:00:48.467 --> 03:00:51.667

family to bring value to the city, and I think that’s noble, 03:00:51.667 --> 03:00:55.400

but I also think that to plan this and spend the money on it,

03:00:55.400 --> 03:00:59.634

we should do it in a thoughtful way that brings in those

03:00:59.634 --> 03:01:01.533

grassroots community members who wanted these sister cities, 03:01:01.533 --> 03:01:04.667

we should invite them. back and have a conversation, have a

03:01:04.667 --> 03:01:07.834

conversation with us as council because we’ve never discussed

03:01:07.834 --> 03:01:10.500

this. And Jay, you’d mentioned that this was budgeted 03:01:10.500 --> 03:01:13.634

specifically for a trip in mind if that was important or

03:01:13.634 --> 03:01:15.834

something we wanted to do, it should have shown up on an

03:01:15.834 --> 03:01:20.000

agenda. It should have been a work session. It should have 03:01:20.000 --> 03:01:21.567

been discussed and planned. Um.

03:01:21.567 --> 03:01:25.934

And while I, I do honor and recognize the flexibility that

03:01:25.934 --> 03:01:28.100

you are willing to take. I think it’s not in the best

03:01:28.100 --> 03:01:32.367

interest of our city to do something like that, typically 03:01:32.367 --> 03:01:36.100

we spend time as a group planning, hearing each other

03:01:36.100 --> 03:01:39.100

out and doing things the right way and, and asking our

03:01:39.100 --> 03:01:40.800

community to come in as well. 03:01:40.800 --> 03:01:43.567

Um, and I, and I do think that for something is important as

03:01:43.567 --> 03:01:47.634

this, we should be planning it properly. I do also think there

03:01:47.634 --> 03:01:50.533

should be other people brought into the conversation to 03:01:50.533 --> 03:01:52.500

perhaps go on a trip like that.

03:01:52.500 --> 03:01:55.834

Um, broader than just two representatives. And I also

03:01:55.834 --> 03:02:00.100

feel We should have been building some of these 03:02:00.100 --> 03:02:03.233

relationships over Zoom, we should be engaging with these

03:02:03.233 --> 03:02:06.000

people and these communities and these leaders more

03:02:06.000 --> 03:02:08.200

regularly, and that is something that we haven’t done

03:02:08.200 --> 03:02:11.734

is really formalized a plan for what it means to be Brooklyn 03:02:11.734 --> 03:02:16.000

Park as a sister city to these groups. We should do it with

03:02:16.000 --> 03:02:20.900

meaning and intent. Um I also take crazy notes. Council 03:02:20.900 --> 03:02:24.100

member McGarvey, they’re kind of all over, so bear with me

03:02:24.100 --> 03:02:29.500

for a second, um. Actually I think I might be caught all my

03:02:29.500 --> 03:02:35.767

points, um. I also do think that um it’s important to have 03:02:35.767 --> 03:02:39.166

as many of us here, including the city manager right now

03:02:39.166 --> 03:02:42.734

following some of the tragedy that happened in our community. 03:02:42.734 --> 03:02:47.000

We as a council haven’t sat down to discuss and work

03:02:47.000 --> 03:02:50.100

through, um, what had happened here in our community. It’s 03:02:50.100 --> 03:02:53.467

something we’ve asked for to have a meeting with us in our

03:02:53.467 --> 03:02:55.500

broader delegation to discuss what went wrong, what went

03:02:55.500 --> 03:02:59.367

right, how to recognize the staff involved. I think those

03:02:59.367 --> 03:03:01.634

are things that as a council and as a city manager take 03:03:01.634 --> 03:03:07.300

priority. Right now and this time than this, um. And if

03:03:07.300 --> 03:03:10.533

there were a broad council support to enhance the mayor’s 03:03:10.533 --> 03:03:15.834

trip. I also don’t think this is a gross, uh, amount of money.

03:03:15.834 --> 03:03:19.033

I think it’s reasonable. I just don’t think the planning

03:03:19.033 --> 03:03:20.767

process is reasonable and I don’t think it’s done in a 03:03:20.767 --> 03:03:25.100

democratic way. But in a democracy here we vote. If the

03:03:25.100 --> 03:03:29.166

council votes to send the mayor, I’m not in support of sending.

03:03:29.166 --> 03:03:32.300

Uh, the city manager, even though he is. Really an 03:03:32.300 --> 03:03:35.166

important piece of it. I think we need to do things more

03:03:35.166 --> 03:03:38.367

thoughtfully, um. And I, and I really do want to, again, just

03:03:38.367 --> 03:03:42.000

say I believe that we should be starting off planning and how 03:03:42.000 --> 03:03:46.233

we get youth connected youth here, youth there, and start

03:03:46.233 --> 03:03:48.000

building long-term relationship and bridges between our our

03:03:48.000 --> 03:03:52.166

cities, our sister cities, and us. And I also want to say, If 03:03:52.166 --> 03:03:56.367

Deed supports this, I’d like to see Deed cut a check. They have

03:03:56.367 --> 03:03:59.033

money too. We don’t have to shoulder the costs for

03:03:59.033 --> 03:04:02.367

everything if other people feel it’s really meaningful. Um, I 03:04:02.367 --> 03:04:05.500

don’t think support means giving us literature. It means

03:04:05.500 --> 03:04:09.233

giving us money, so it’d be great to see them supported

03:04:09.233 --> 03:04:12.634

financially. And also, good people who work well together 03:04:12.634 --> 03:04:15.300

can disagree, and I, I do want to say I’m really honored to be

03:04:15.300 --> 03:04:20.100

up here and to have these discussions, we can disagree 03:04:20.100 --> 03:04:23.634

tactfully and with respect, and I think that’s a great. of the

03:04:23.634 --> 03:04:24.634

functionality of this council.

03:04:24.634 --> 03:04:35.367

So thank you. So next we have uh. You know what, I’m going to 03:04:35.367 --> 03:04:39.734

make a, I’ll make the motion if we can um. I, I still want to

03:04:39.734 --> 03:04:42.767

hear your thoughts, council member page, but I want to make 03:04:42.767 --> 03:04:49.233

the motion to maybe table this to next week, um. Because I do

03:04:49.233 --> 03:04:52.467

think there is some work that needs to be done around maybe 03:04:52.467 --> 03:04:58.233

some of these deliverables. I will say that, uh, um. rush

03:04:58.233 --> 03:05:03.800

came more so from me initially just planning a vacation with 03:05:03.800 --> 03:05:06.900

the family to, to kind of go back home in some regards. And

03:05:06.900 --> 03:05:10.033

then this idea coming out of it, but I think maybe there’s some 03:05:10.033 --> 03:05:13.867

work to limit what we can do in terms of scope. I, I don’t

03:05:13.867 --> 03:05:19.800

necessarily wanna um. Go over there and not Uh, visit, you

03:05:19.800 --> 03:05:22.467

know, Liberia just because they have visited us a number of 03:05:22.467 --> 03:05:26.734

times, but I do think that if we just a motion to table this

03:05:26.734 --> 03:05:30.900

to, uh, next week, um, makes sense, so that maybe if 03:05:30.900 --> 03:05:32.900

possible, we can, and if we can’t work through it, you know,

03:05:32.900 --> 03:05:36.934

for me it’s no hard feelings, right? Cause I think I realized

03:05:36.934 --> 03:05:39.000

that I realized before, I think I was telling Jay I said if we

03:05:39.000 --> 03:05:40.100

make it work, we make it work. 03:05:40.100 --> 03:05:43.367

If not, I’m still going. I got my ticket, right? Um, but I

03:05:43.367 --> 03:05:46.533

think we can put in some, see if we can put in some work to

03:05:46.533 --> 03:05:47.934

talk about those deliverables.

03:05:47.934 --> 03:05:50.767

I do want people to, um, and I’m not disagreeing with what 03:05:50.767 --> 03:05:55.467

you’re saying, what other folks saying on this regard, but I do

03:05:55.467 --> 03:05:59.734

want to think beyond um. The liberals just being, you know,

03:05:59.734 --> 03:06:03.400

youth program or this or that, and I think sometimes um and I 03:06:03.400 --> 03:06:05.767

don’t think you’re doing this council my Mary so but people

03:06:05.767 --> 03:06:09.000

pimp out youth for a certain reason, right? Uh, they want to

03:06:09.000 --> 03:06:12.500

insert them in certain things and you don’t need to be 03:06:12.500 --> 03:06:15.400

inserted in everything that occurs, right? Like sometimes

03:06:15.400 --> 03:06:19.000

you just need to grow up in a family that knows who they are

03:06:19.000 --> 03:06:21.100

and there’s some prosperity there. So I just, I want to 03:06:21.100 --> 03:06:24.367

make that clear. That’s kind of how I, I, I grew up, but I

03:06:24.367 --> 03:06:26.567

think there’s some work. I think there needs to be an

03:06:26.567 --> 03:06:30.734

understanding that just like with uh Japan, right? You’re 03:06:30.734 --> 03:06:33.667

not gonna always come back with a deal. The deal sometimes

03:06:33.667 --> 03:06:36.834

comes on the back end where they say, listen, uh, we’re

03:06:36.834 --> 03:06:39.233

gonna be dealing with this Brooklyn Park company, that

03:06:39.233 --> 03:06:41.000

Brooklyn Park Company, this business or that business that 03:06:41.000 --> 03:06:43.500

we built out those relationships, right? So I want

03:06:43.500 --> 03:06:45.800

to encourage people to think of it that way, uh, in terms of

03:06:45.800 --> 03:06:50.000

leading that. I agree with you on the deed component, um. But 03:06:50.000 --> 03:06:54.266

you know, I, I’ll be honest, uh, and the African American in the

03:06:54.266 --> 03:06:56.100

African community has dealing with, been dealing with this

03:06:56.100 --> 03:07:00.533

for quite some time, and this is, this precedes me, um, 03:07:00.533 --> 03:07:04.467

Nigerian delegation, Liberian, Gambian, so many Ghana, Sierra

03:07:04.467 --> 03:07:09.166

Leone I can tell you that they have brought up to the state

03:07:09.166 --> 03:07:12.367

and many other people, we would like to have a official trade 03:07:12.367 --> 03:07:16.634

mission, go back to Africa. And um even some of the people out

03:07:16.634 --> 03:07:18.533

here who have criticized in the audience, right? They kind of

03:07:18.533 --> 03:07:21.634

say, well, there’s nothing over there. And reality situation is 03:07:21.634 --> 03:07:25.233

there’s a lot over there, but they often get put in and I see

03:07:25.233 --> 03:07:28.900

someone in the back of the ring, right? They are, that community

03:07:28.900 --> 03:07:32.667

often gets put into the perspective of it’s got to be a 03:07:32.667 --> 03:07:35.400

cultural exchange, not a business exchange. Right? So

03:07:35.400 --> 03:07:39.100

it’s not as if people have not tried this before, but there’s

03:07:39.100 --> 03:07:43.233

some very real prejudice out there in terms of what people 03:07:43.233 --> 03:07:47.634

think can occur in in Africa and what people think can be

03:07:47.634 --> 03:07:51.300

built in Africa. And so when people are saying, well, it 03:07:51.300 --> 03:07:53.500

hasn’t happened or this this organization do this and do

03:07:53.500 --> 03:07:56.200

that. It’s been brought. Maybe there has to be some

03:07:56.200 --> 03:07:59.634

discussions in terms of what they think are actual

03:07:59.634 --> 03:08:01.467

possibilities. And I think some of the people, there needs to 03:08:01.467 --> 03:08:06.767

be some soul searching from folks as well in terms of um

03:08:06.767 --> 03:08:09.634

When criticizing, uh, and I’m not, I said I’m not going after

03:08:09.634 --> 03:08:14.200

counsel, but I have heard some feedback, right, from folks. 03:08:14.200 --> 03:08:15.867

When criticizing and saying there’s nothing over there,

03:08:15.867 --> 03:08:22.767

there needs to be some soul searching in terms of Uh, and 03:08:22.767 --> 03:08:26.100

I’m discussing the trip. You made a motion and then you went

03:08:26.100 --> 03:08:28.800

right into discussion. OK, well, I’m discussing my motions. I’ll

03:08:28.800 --> 03:08:30.367

tie it up. I’ll tie it up then. 03:08:30.367 --> 03:08:34.500

But I think there needs to be some soul searching in terms of

03:08:34.500 --> 03:08:37.233

how you look at particular communities and what they bring

03:08:37.233 --> 03:08:38.800

back. So I’ll leave it at that.

03:08:38.800 --> 03:08:44.233

I made the motion to push it back to consideration for, uh, 03:08:44.233 --> 03:08:47.467

at the next, in next week’s meeting. Another point of order.

03:08:47.467 --> 03:08:52.100

Uh postponement till next week would be better than 2 people 03:08:52.100 --> 03:09:05.000

don’t have to take it off the table. I Uh, yes, Mr. Mayor, uh, 03:09:05.000 --> 03:09:07.300

uh, when you, uh, tailoring it to a certain date, that’s

03:09:07.300 --> 03:09:10.000

actually a motion to postpone it until that day. So that, 03:09:10.000 --> 03:09:12.467

that would be the proper motion, but it would be need to be

03:09:12.467 --> 03:09:17.834

seconded and voted upon. So I hear you can remember page, I

03:09:17.834 --> 03:09:20.100

mean, but there, there’s a motion, so I just put a motion 03:09:20.100 --> 03:09:23.734

on the tape to postpone it to next week. That’s all. OK point

03:09:23.734 --> 03:09:30.634

of order. After that If we vote on this motion, does council 03:09:30.634 --> 03:09:33.367

member Page, if we vote to postpone it to next week, is

03:09:33.367 --> 03:09:38.100

she still able to speak? I’m because this is not a motion to

03:09:38.100 --> 03:09:40.767

table, it’s motion postponed council members can speak on 03:09:40.767 --> 03:09:48.367

the motion. Excellent. Thank you. Did you want to speak on

03:09:48.367 --> 03:09:56.166

this motion or? OK. So motion was there. I can’t speak on the 03:09:56.166 --> 03:10:08.467

motion. Yeah, thanks, Mayor. 03:10:08.467 --> 03:10:14.467

What I’m talking about, so I’m just going to talk. Um. I, I, I 03:10:14.467 --> 03:10:17.634

just, I’m, I’m not understanding when we have a

03:10:17.634 --> 03:10:20.300

person involved and that person is directing the meeting and 03:10:20.300 --> 03:10:23.467

directing the conversation. So I’m struggling with that and I

03:10:23.467 --> 03:10:27.200

am learning. So, um, I’m just going to say my thoughts and,

03:10:27.200 --> 03:10:29.867

and we can see where that goes.

03:10:29.867 --> 03:10:34.634

So I absolutely think that this travel is important. I 03:10:34.634 --> 03:10:39.000

absolutely think that going is important. The concern I have

03:10:39.000 --> 03:10:42.133

is council member Tran said to everyone said things that I 03:10:42.133 --> 03:10:46.033

agree with, um, the transparency. Um, the, the need

03:10:46.033 --> 03:10:50.367

to rush. It, it’s all very strange. I never heard anything 03:10:50.367 --> 03:10:54.367

about this until we got the agenda and then it was, you

03:10:54.367 --> 03:10:58.567

know, communicated to me that it was a family vacation and

03:10:58.567 --> 03:11:00.834

again respectfully, that it was a vacation and that this was a 03:11:00.834 --> 03:11:03.634

good idea. I love cutting costs.

03:11:03.634 --> 03:11:08.367

I love, I mean, He’s paying for his own ticket. I love that.

03:11:08.367 --> 03:11:11.867

However, perception is important, and there’s emails 03:11:11.867 --> 03:11:14.867

here to deed as well as from one of our directors, Malcolm

03:11:14.867 --> 03:11:20.033

Hicks, about how this was a delegation trip, not about a 03:11:20.033 --> 03:11:23.834

vacation. So I, the minute you start questioning those things,

03:11:23.834 --> 03:11:27.567

I think it’s fair for all of those emails to come in for, I,

03:11:27.567 --> 03:11:31.934

I’m prepared to vote. I am a procedure person. Not enough 03:11:31.934 --> 03:11:37.634

time. It’s not thought out or planned. It looks like from the

03:11:37.634 --> 03:11:41.367

first of July until present, city staff has been Working 03:11:41.367 --> 03:11:45.100

very hard to get this done when we have so many other things we

03:11:45.100 --> 03:11:48.000

should be doing. So I don’t want to discount anyone’s

03:11:48.000 --> 03:11:51.500

purpose. I don’t want to discount anyone’s work. I think 03:11:51.500 --> 03:11:54.734

it’s all really important thing for us to do. But the way this

03:11:54.734 --> 03:11:59.000

is handled was hurry up and let’s go and, and I just don’t

03:11:59.000 --> 03:12:02.767

think that’s the way to go. If I look at the policy, it talks 03:12:02.767 --> 03:12:05.033

about, I’m only reading out of state, not about a country. So

03:12:05.033 --> 03:12:08.767

if you guys want to direct me to the right place. It’s 2500.

03:12:08.767 --> 03:12:10.200

We’re not dealing with that. 03:12:10.200 --> 03:12:12.634

The time frame. is different than what we talked about. So

03:12:12.634 --> 03:12:16.200

it’s not exactly what we’re dealing with. So I don’t think

03:12:16.200 --> 03:12:19.834

that there’s anything in my mind this week or next week

03:12:19.834 --> 03:12:23.100

that’s going to um sway my decision and at the end of the 03:12:23.100 --> 03:12:26.734

day, it doesn’t matter what I think, because I’ve had the

03:12:26.734 --> 03:12:30.000

residents come and tell us that this is something they’re not 03:12:30.000 --> 03:12:33.734

supporting, so as a council person, I just want to do my

03:12:33.734 --> 03:12:37.467

job and I just want to support the residents that have reached

03:12:37.467 --> 03:12:40.367

out, um, and then also look at the information that I agree 03:12:40.367 --> 03:12:45.467

more. planning needs to be done, um. It’s just a, it’s a tough

03:12:45.467 --> 03:12:51.300

situation, but I do support. 03:12:51.300 --> 03:12:54.734

And I do support the cultural exchanges. I don’t know if it’s

03:12:54.734 --> 03:12:57.800

art pieces from someone who doesn’t live in BP. That’s

03:12:57.800 --> 03:13:01.734

another conversation I’m sure for another time, but I do 03:13:01.734 --> 03:13:08.467

support, um, This effort, I just don’t I just don’t support

03:13:08.467 --> 03:13:12.734

it right now. So I just want to say that and I appreciate your 03:13:12.734 --> 03:13:20.400

time and your additional explanation. Uh, Council 03:13:20.400 --> 03:13:24.467

members young. Thank you Mayor.

03:13:24.467 --> 03:13:29.233

um, actually a question as we are putting on the table to

03:13:29.233 --> 03:13:33.000

postpone it, um. If within the next meeting, can we expect to 03:13:33.000 --> 03:13:37.400

see a more narrow down itinerary. So that we could

03:13:37.400 --> 03:13:43.667

have a more. You know Yeah. Is that it me, or, I mean, 03:13:43.667 --> 03:13:48.400

depending on who I think it would be more uh you know, more

03:13:48.400 --> 03:13:52.800

narrowed down, and I think, uh, the lodging and stuff would 03:13:52.800 --> 03:13:56.467

probably be more narrowed down as well, right, uh. I mean,

03:13:56.467 --> 03:13:58.400

that would be why we would take the extra time and then I think

03:13:58.400 --> 03:14:01.834

some of the the liberals that uh council member Eric Semer 03:14:01.834 --> 03:14:02.900

was referring to as well, so.

03:14:02.900 --> 03:14:12.533

You. So I know there’s a, there’s a motion on the table, 03:14:12.533 --> 03:14:17.300

uh, it was, uh, Made by myself, Mary Winston, and second, it

03:14:17.300 --> 03:14:21.567

was at uh council member McGarvey, uh, to postpone till 03:14:21.567 --> 03:14:26.300

next week, uh, with more information. So I guess all

03:14:26.300 --> 03:14:32.233

those in favor, say I. I, are there any names? Any 03:14:32.233 --> 03:14:35.367

abstentions? All right, the ayes have it 6 to 1. Uh, so I

03:14:35.367 --> 03:14:39.100

think, uh, Jay, there’s, there’s work to be done in

03:14:39.100 --> 03:14:44.133

terms of narrowing down, um, getting uh a better hold of the 03:14:44.133 --> 03:14:49.266

costs, uh, as well as, um, the itinerary. And I just want to

03:14:49.266 --> 03:14:52.100

make clear that, uh, um, yeah, I’ll, I’ll leave it at that 03:14:52.100 --> 03:14:53.567

particular piece, so. All right.

03:14:53.567 --> 03:14:57.300

So I think we were talking about for the next one,

03:14:57.300 --> 03:15:05.367

Councilman said, can we move 8.1 and 8.2. Uh, to what, in 2 03:15:05.367 --> 03:15:10.867

weeks, the 28th. Yeah, can we, can we have a motion to table 03:15:10.867 --> 03:15:14.367

those 22 weeks from now, the 28th, because this meeting kind

03:15:14.367 --> 03:15:18.200

of went along. All right, so motion was made by myself. Oh

03:15:18.200 --> 03:15:22.033

wait, did I make, you made the motion. So I’ll second it. So 03:15:22.033 --> 03:15:26.734

the motion was made by council member Klodowski, seconded by

03:15:26.734 --> 03:15:31.000

myself, Mayor Winston, all those in favor say aye. I. 03:15:31.000 --> 03:15:36.800

Innes Uh, any abstentions? So it sounds like the eyes have it

03:15:36.800 --> 03:15:41.634

7 to 0. Uh, and then we have Council member reports? Are 03:15:41.634 --> 03:15:48.400

there any council member reports? I have council member

03:15:48.400 --> 03:15:54.467

McGarvey. And I apologize to add to the length of this 03:15:54.467 --> 03:15:58.266

meeting. However, this is a short one compared to what

03:15:58.266 --> 03:16:04.266

we’ve had in the past. um This is Grandpa Tony’s, uh, pet 03:16:04.266 --> 03:16:09.400

peeve time. And I would just like to point out that I’ve

03:16:09.400 --> 03:16:13.166

noticed a proliferation, at least in Southwest Brooklyn 03:16:13.166 --> 03:16:19.567

Park of yard signs. Advertising businesses. I noticed 3

03:16:19.567 --> 03:16:22.800

different junk removal companies, to pay 2 different 03:16:22.800 --> 03:16:26.467

painting companies, buildings for rent, military recruitment,

03:16:26.467 --> 03:16:30.767

to pest control companies, Tree Care and Landscaping. Now 03:16:30.767 --> 03:16:33.467

hiring signs, moving companies.

03:16:33.467 --> 03:16:38.867

And power washing, a power washing company. If Last

03:16:38.867 --> 03:16:44.100

Tuesday night, my neighborhood was inundated. With, uh Lawn 03:16:44.100 --> 03:16:48.000

service and snow removal signs for a lawn service and snow

03:16:48.000 --> 03:16:52.166

removal company. Every other yard had signs placed in it. I 03:16:52.166 --> 03:16:55.834

went to 11 of those houses and no one had given anyone

03:16:55.834 --> 03:16:59.567

permission to put those signs in their yards. So I want to

03:16:59.567 --> 03:17:02.300

encourage residents that if the sign shows up in your yard in 03:17:02.300 --> 03:17:05.266

the morning or in the public right away between the sidewalk

03:17:05.266 --> 03:17:08.934

and the road that’s not allowed, that’s against city ordinance,

03:17:08.934 --> 03:17:14.100

us. Political candidates can’t put them there. If these are 03:17:14.100 --> 03:17:18.800

legitimate businesses, they can advertise legitimate I mean

03:17:18.800 --> 03:17:21.000

legitimately is my uh concern. 03:17:21.000 --> 03:17:24.367

And uh also it’s disrespectful to just put your sign in

03:17:24.367 --> 03:17:30.033

someone’s yard. So if you see a sign in your yard, I, I advise 03:17:30.033 --> 03:17:35.367

you to throw it away. Secondly, This is the last time I’ll say

03:17:35.367 --> 03:17:39.367

this, the uh wheelchair Olympics are this week here in

03:17:39.367 --> 03:17:44.667

Minnesota. And the bowling is at our own bolero. I have been 03:17:44.667 --> 03:17:49.767

announcing that it was July 17th, that’s when the whole

03:17:49.767 --> 03:17:52.767

event starts citywide, but the bowling is actually Saturday 03:17:52.767 --> 03:17:56.233

and Sunday, and I’ll be volunteering both Saturday and

03:17:56.233 --> 03:18:00.500

Sunday at Bowleo with the uh disabled veterans wheelchair 03:18:00.500 --> 03:18:04.734

Olympics. Thank you, Mayor.

03:18:04.734 --> 03:18:10.634

Tonsil member Kowski. Thank you, Mayor. We finally get the 03:18:10.634 --> 03:18:14.834

elusive dates from council member McGarvey on the bolero

03:18:14.834 --> 03:18:17.634

event, um, I just want to say thank you to the staff and the

03:18:17.634 --> 03:18:20.734

community that showed up for the Central District cleanup, 03:18:20.734 --> 03:18:25.133

and then the arts, um, activities at the, the business

03:18:25.133 --> 03:18:30.834

park, um, well, well thought out, it turns out a couple 03:18:30.834 --> 03:18:33.467

really amazing Brooklyn Park staff had a great idea. They

03:18:33.467 --> 03:18:36.166

wanted to do something for the community with arts and

03:18:36.166 --> 03:18:39.000

entertainment for kids and get people. and they took

03:18:39.000 --> 03:18:40.634

initiative and started working on it. So I’m going to 03:18:40.634 --> 03:18:44.100

encourage everyone to look for those dates, bring your kids,

03:18:44.100 --> 03:18:46.000

bring people out there. I don’t know if Brad, you know what the

03:18:46.000 --> 03:18:49.533

dates are off the top of your head all the way back there.

03:18:49.533 --> 03:18:54.400

There’s 2 more coming, um. But show up and give these women 03:18:54.400 --> 03:18:59.200

some support they believe in Brooklyn Park and wanted to, um,

03:18:59.200 --> 03:19:02.000

provide something meaningful for our youth too, so it’s a 03:19:02.000 --> 03:19:05.166

great free activity and the food trucks were there and ice

03:19:05.166 --> 03:19:08.900

cream truck, who doesn’t want that? Um, also, again, just

03:19:08.900 --> 03:19:11.567

wanted to say thank you specifically to Cindy, who’s 03:19:11.567 --> 03:19:15.200

not here, Devenish for her work on the Central District cleanup.

03:19:15.200 --> 03:19:19.000

She was out there, helped clean the whole time, engage with the

03:19:19.000 --> 03:19:21.834

community out there, um, and is working to establish a longer 03:19:21.834 --> 03:19:24.767

relationship. to help keep Central Park clean. So well

03:19:24.767 --> 03:19:32.233

done to our city staff. 03:19:32.233 --> 03:19:41.900

Councilman Tran. Thank you, Mayo. Um, I just want to He 03:19:41.900 --> 03:19:52.000

called the uh. Tony, just say because um A lot of resident 03:19:52.000 --> 03:19:54.133

homeowner in Brooklyn Park.

03:19:54.133 --> 03:19:58.634

There was a view from on the right. At the time I was

03:19:58.634 --> 03:20:03.233

running, I find out a lot of people like put the sign not 03:20:03.233 --> 03:20:06.533

just political, but you know, on kind of side onto people,

03:20:06.533 --> 03:20:11.233

yeah, I never asked their permission and they talk the 03:20:11.233 --> 03:20:16.567

city did that CT did that. So that’s why, you know, we

03:20:16.567 --> 03:20:19.467

encourage uh movement pack resident to practice your right.

03:20:19.467 --> 03:20:26.233

Um, you have the right to be a homeowner and whoever put the 03:20:26.233 --> 03:20:35.233

anything onto your, I have to ask your permission. Thank you. 03:20:35.233 --> 03:20:38.233

All right. Next we have city manager reports and

03:20:38.233 --> 03:20:41.100

announcements. Thanks, Mayor Winston. Uh, Mayor Winston, 03:20:41.100 --> 03:20:44.834

members of council, just a few things this evening. Um, first

03:20:44.834 --> 03:20:51.000

of all, there is gonna be a special election for District 03:20:51.000 --> 03:20:56.834

34B for um Representative Portman’s seat, um, it’s gonna

03:20:56.834 --> 03:21:00.834

move fast and so folks are aware there will be a 03:21:00.834 --> 03:21:05.200

Potentially a primary August 12th and then a general on

03:21:05.200 --> 03:21:09.000

September 16th, so, um, I know our city clerk is scrambling

03:21:09.000 --> 03:21:11.100

trying to trying to make that work, but just so folks are 03:21:11.100 --> 03:21:14.834

aware that that is going to be happening soon. And then we do

03:21:14.834 --> 03:21:17.467

have 3 town hall meetings coming up here in the next week.

03:21:17.467 --> 03:21:21.667

We can have, uh, the first one is. Here in the council 03:21:21.667 --> 03:21:26.100

chambers this Thursday evening starting at 5:30. And um the

03:21:26.100 --> 03:21:29.166

mayor and Councilor Klowski, Council Page will be there, and

03:21:29.166 --> 03:21:33.467

then we’ve got the West District meeting next Tuesday 03:21:33.467 --> 03:21:36.634

at 6 o’clock at Technical College in the auditorium and

03:21:36.634 --> 03:21:40.934

the next Wednesday, the following day, East District, 03:21:40.934 --> 03:21:44.667

um, town hall meeting will be held at 5:30 at Edinburgh, USA,

03:21:44.667 --> 03:21:48.367

so hopefully people can come out that’d be great. Thank you.

03:21:48.367 --> 03:21:53.367

All right, and then we will recess to room 8203. Discussion 03:21:53.367 --> 03:21:56.100

in Brooklyn Park alternatives, the pets under police security,

03:21:56.100 --> 03:21:56.900

so meet up there in a few