The Edina City Council advanced two major bonding proposals totaling nearly $12 million during its June 17 meeting while deferring action on a controversial townhome development until July 15.

The council moved forward with public hearings on $3 million in street reconstruction bonds for the Highway 100 interchange project and up to $8.9 million in tax abatement bonds for aquatic center renovations. Both matters will return for final action on July 15 following a public comment period closing July 6.

The aquatic center project addresses critical infrastructure failures that have plagued the 67-year-old facility. Assistant City Manager Ari Lens told the council that staff has "lost confidence in the infrastructure and our ability to make temporary repairs" following multiple system failures in 2024. The project would construct a new 3,000-square-foot building to house updated filtration equipment and enlarged balancing tanks required by current building codes.

Council members expressed concern about the project's cost, which has more than doubled from initial $4 million estimates due to code requirements discovered in 2023-2024 and potential tariff impacts. The tax abatement financing mechanism would designate 328 residential properties south of the aquatic center, though residents in that area would not face additional taxes beyond the citywide levy increase needed to service the debt.

The council also approved applying for a federal SAFER grant that could bring $4 million in funding for 12 additional paramedic firefighters over three years. Fire Chief [name not clearly stated] said the grant would help the department meet national staffing standards, increasing shift staffing from 12 to 18 firefighters. The city would contribute approximately $1.65 million over the grant period, with full funding responsibility beginning in year four.