All right. Calling to order the November 18th, 2025 meeting of the Lakes City Council. Good evening everyone. It's 6:33 p.m. and all council members are present this evening. Item number two is um pledge of allegiance. Please join me. Okay. Item three or I'm sorry, item three is mayor's comments, lawnmic news, meeting review and uh updates for as far as what has occurred since our last meeting about two weeks ago. Uh we just city council just finished a work session where the primary topic was reviewing the draft of 2026 budget and levy. We have um some preliminary numbers we're working on there and our our staff has done an excellent job putting together a a draft budget and quite a um some changes as compared to last year. So we're um especially when it comes to capital improvements. So we're looking forward to officially adopting that at our um first meeting in December. Correct. Be first meeting. Um first meeting in December will be the truth and taxation formal presentation followed by adoption of final levy at the second meeting in December. >> Got it. Thank you for clarifying that. That was the work session. Otherwise other updates um on Mondays uh staff and myself and council member Felman met with two representatives from Congresswoman Kelly Morrison's office, our US representative. So that was a good meeting. um relay this information for residents. If a resident is ever in need or business owners ever in need of assistance from the federal government, maybe um they're having difficulty communicating with a certain government office. Uh getting benefits from the VA or Social Security or those types of things. Um Congresswoman Morrison's office is more than welcome to assist with that. just contact them and there's a process in place for them to reach out to federal agencies to try to get an answer to your question or get movement on an issue. So that was a a good reiteration of of that. Uh good being there. And then last last Wednesday I participated in the monthly meeting of the Northwest League of Municipalities with a great guest speaker from Hen County on tree grants and uh I'll be reporting staff information on that shortly. got good programs out there from the county when it comes to um obtaining tree grants and assisting with tree inventories and things like that. A lot of interest from cities on that with all the emerald dashboard issues going on. So that's the main updates for in the last couple of weeks here and u maybe touch on a couple more as the meeting goes on. So with that, I'll move on to item four, which is to approve this evening's agenda. I'll make a motion to approve tonight's agenda. Second. >> Thank you. Motion in a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carries unanimously. Thank you. Item five is consent agenda. We have items A through F on the consent agenda this evening. A couple of of non-typical ones are e approving the 2026 Roland Fire Department operating budget and capital improvement plan and then appointing Erica Leechman as chair and Mark pre pressing as secretary of the park board for 2025. Any questions for staff including the fire chief fire chief on any items on the consent agenda? All right. If not, I entertain a motion on this evening's consent agenda. >> I will make a motion to approve tonight's consent agenda. >> Thank you. Motion a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I opposed. Motion carries unanimously. Thank you. Okay. Item six, open correspondence. Open correspondence is an item on the agenda in which the public may address the city council. No formal action is taken by the city council and comments shall be limited to five minutes or less and open correspondence comments may also be emailed to city staff by noon on the date of the meeting. Any uh wish to approach for open correspondence this evening and no submitted. Okay. All right. With that we'll move out of the regular business starting with 7A. approve request or approve payment request number one or final for the 2025 pavement rehabilitation projects at Linda Wood Lane. This going to be Janette or >> Thank you, Mayor and Council. Um, as you recall, this was an item on our last meeting agenda. Um, this uh the request is for uh payment number one and also full final payment to Asphalt Surface Technologies Corporation or ASPC Corp. Um, the 2025 pavement rehabilitation project which was um Lindwood Lane and reclaiming that and nice new paving and uh a much better roadway in the end result. But um one issue that certainly um had arisen during the discussion was that there was a driveway drainage issue that um was occurring at 250 Linda Wood Lane um which was the site of a new home built and having our sending city engineers here, which was actually our judgment call, so we apologize for that. Um, we didn't have anyone to fully respond to that drainage concern. We followed up by email. Um, Rachel is here tonight with WSB. Um, and Rachel, I don't know if you might be able to provide some short clarifying comments there on that issue. I know you um all received an email that Rachel was kind enough to send our way to fully explain the situation there. And I do want to say the contractor had contacted me directly. We spoke by phone and he confirmed the same thing. He confirmed that he had observed that the driveway was paved actually inverted. He did mention that he'd um gone to the builder and offered to fix that situation that had been left by their contractor. Um, but it sounds like the builder wasn't necessarily receptive to that. So, yes, yes, that's correct that Janette said. Um, and I'm sure you all saw my email, but we did meet with the builder of the house back in September when the issue was brought to our attention. Um, and it was determined in the field alongside with our contctor aspect that the driveway was to be converted. And so, >> what does that mean? Inverted, >> it was draining in on itself. So, it wasn't >> from the side. >> Yes. Yeah. Yep. It's coming down towards the street and instead of draining out of the driveway, we don't have curve on that road at least in front of that driveway there. We only have it where the storm sewer is. That's The only way for that water to get off is to be seated across the driveway, but instead they paved it so that it sits in the middle of the driveway. >> Okay. Yeah, I saw the the graph that was provided. I didn't quite understand it was kind of like a thing or something, but but that means that the middle the drainage is occurring in the middle there. Okay. >> So, why would um why why was it built? I I know it's a stupid question, but why possibly was it built so that it kind of uh was inverted and kind of collected in the center? >> Um, well, they tied into the old road which had settled and eroded over time. And in the image that you guys were just looking at, the existing drainage shows that the road had settled there. And so they paved the driveway to match into the existing roadway that was falling apart. And so in >> the driveway was put in before the roadway was redone. >> Correct. >> So they did what I just would have expected them to do. Right. >> We would rather have them speed across like the water's not going to go anywhere. I think it was just setting in the road because the road was falling apart there. So if the water was already sitting there, but they should have paid the road knowing that our project was coming and we communicated with them to tie into our new road and leave it there until we built the new road. So >> So they collect the gravel theoretically or something until that communication to my understanding that I' had been advised of. I'm not sure if that was between WSB and the builder at the home or if that was between the two asphalt contractors, but I do recall hearing that there was some communication about, hey, you know, you want to be sure this ties in with the new roadway and here are the effects. >> Um, so I thought that they were provided with that by someone. I just don't recall who that was, but >> So, could could somebody repave the driveway if they wanted to and correct it >> and it wouldn't require any changes to the road itself? >> No. So, is it unusual? How common is it to have an inverted driveway? >> That's not common at all. Either draining off of it or draining into the roadway if there is curb to take that. But because there isn't curb in front of that driveway, then it just needs to >> drain off to side the lawn essentially. >> Correct. >> Instead of them building to where the road would have been, Yes. >> But even if they didn't, if they built it just to clarify, even if they put in the driveway before the road came through, it still would have if they scoped it, right, it still would have drained to the lawn. >> Correct. Yeah. >> Oh, they didn't want it on the lawn. they wanted. >> That's how they're proposing to drain and but they had a swale plan to go through that which they did construct but with the driveway draining in on itself then it's not directing that water to that. >> Sorry. So there was actually like a drainage plan or something that would have been part of the >> Yes. Yes. initial and as surving for it. >> So it was never it was never going to go into the road but off to the side. Correct. Yeah, because the road is draining in the same direction that their driveway would be draining to the low point. So, of course, the primary question that we had before us at the last meeting was we had some concern over approval of a payment request and final payment to a contractor if if there was some responsibility there on the part of the city's contractor that we weren't aware of because we weren't fully informed of what had happened out on site at that particular property. So, if if that question is answered for council this evening, we would be looking to approve the pay request. >> I have to make a motion to approve the pay request. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Can you just >> Yeah, you >> motion to approve payment number one final asphalt surface technologies cor in the amount of 173 $183 for the statement. >> All right. >> All right. Motion in a second. Any further discussion? >> Yeah, I have another question. So, you said that they they put in the driveway to the old road, which would have been a lower point, but yet it's inverted. So, so if they um that they built it a year ago and they didn't want to have gravel for a whole year, which Yeah. I mean, I I I read that it says causing a low point on the east side of the street, but I I thought I heard you say that's the driveway being inverted and put the water in the middle of the driveway. But which is it? Is it is it in the east side of this on the east side of this the road? The east side of the street is where their house is, right? >> Correct. So, I think there's a cup at at the end of their driveway in the front of the road. >> There is a cup in their driveway and when they match into the existing roadway, which has settled over time, that's how it was in the road. Now that we've gone through, restored the crown, our grade is going down. >> Oh, so it pushed that back water more into their driveway now. >> They're crown on the new roadway, but their driveway has >> Yeah. The driveway been constructed to I believe what was the plan you mentioned where it would be slanted in some manner to defer water to the drainage well correct >> which was to the side of the driveway. >> Yeah. Was on the south side of the driveway >> south >> where the road that their land kind of dropped off there. >> Yeah. Regardless of the tie-in, had the asphalt contractor for the builder completed the driveway, not inverted, but planted to tie into the drainage as was the intent, it would be functioning significantly better. How hard is it to get? Because I'm assuming if you have an inverted driveway, can you just repay go through and repave the top of a top of it and then invert and slope it? That seems like it would be pretty easy. >> It might be a little >> Is it Is it an asphalt driveway or concrete? >> It's an asphalt driveway. It's very flat. Um less than 2% in most areas. So the best solution for them was likely to be removing the patch. I think it was like 8 to 10 feet where that drainage area is the concern and just saving that across the sheet into the swale. >> And is it better it goes into the swale anyway? >> Yeah. >> Is the swale which side is on here is on the right side or the left side of this image? No. It's hard to tell. Sorry. Are we able to put it up on the screen by chance or not? Okay. >> Okay. I think kind of off off the screen. Um, what has the homeowner weighed in on this about what? >> I have not heard from the homeowner. I was just going to text them now, but my phone died, so I can't. >> I know. >> The only message that I received from the homeowner essentially, I believe, was what you had forward in that exchange and that they're, you know, had been considering what they're going to do with the driveway to, you know, make changes in the spring and potentially replace with concrete. >> So, and this is to pay the contractor to do the job. a contractor that did the city's job. >> They sue us because they performed according to the contract and all of a sudden they're not getting paid. >> We're still in a good window for payment. Okay. >> Um we're still in a good window for that. And actually the check is if approved the check is ready for payment. >> Okay. >> We're waiting for today to be mailed tomorrow morning. >> And I spoke with the contractor on the phone and uh he was appreciative that it was uh immediately being Okay. All right. We had a motion. We had a second. Any further discussion? All right. All those in favor? I opposed. Motion carries unanimously. Thank you for joining us tonight, Rachel. Appreciate that. Okay. Item number seven B and boy is consider approval of an appointment and employment agreement for the position of city administrator. Janette's going to kick off this conversation right. >> Thank you mayor. I really want to just defer and ask you to do it. >> Only levity. Sorry. Um as of course the council is aware we do have a vacancy um for the position of city administrator. Um currently, uh our city administrator resigned effective September 19th of this year. We were aware that um as we were considering what we were going, what direction we were going to move forward in and um starting to um review a number of proposals from search firms. Um, we also were aware that we were going to have an internal candidate and it was an internal candidate that had um proven themselves to grow within their position and have a very excellent knowledge of the city's finances and um a really solid work ethic and openness to community engagement and relationships. Um, someone who is a team builder and uh we began to discuss the possibility of maybe we already had the right candidate with us and maybe we wanted to consider promoting an internal candidate and what that process would be. So with that this evening, um, Mayor Meyer had emailed myself and city attorney's fame recently and suggested that perhaps the time had come to arrive at a conclusion on the position of the city administrator and I don't think I could possibly support that more wholeheartedly. Um, so with that in mind, city attorneys and I work together uh to be prepared with some input based on our books um and and myself and just kind of knowledge of you know employment history and benefits and stuff. Um we prepared an employment contract that is standard with our prior contracts but also reflective of the fact that an internal candidate already has accumulated leave. Um so the terms reflect that. Um we also talked about um the need to update the position description for the city administrator which hadn't been updated in some time. Um, I prepared an updated position description that was inclusive of um and better reflective of the finance duties that would remain with the position moving forward. Um, and last but not least, I spent a little time on the phone confirming that a mentoring and coaching services uh proposal that we'd received was valid because uh it would be really wonderful to help quite frankly any new city administrator get off on the right foot um with resources from years of experience. Um so with that before you this evening I actually uh have three recommended motions. A motion to adopt a resolution formally appointing Amanda Noasi to the position of city administrator for the city of Long Lake. Also, a separate motion to approve the updated job description for the city administrator position revised November 15th of this year. And last but not least, requesting authorization to contract with Bart Fisher, management consultant with CDA human resources for new city administrator mentoring and coaching services in an amount not to exceed $4,750. I apologize that that three motions came before you because I know that that's a lot of motioning. Um, I I'm happy to answer any questions. I know there were a lot of documents and pages I included in this packet. Um, I did also provide an early uh draft before the council packet went out to our appointed HR subcommittee members, council members newcomer and Feldman, um, to see if you had any questions or concerns um, anything comes to mind, we'll be happy to try to answer that for you. >> All right. Great. Yeah. Um um I think time has come to move forward on this. We I know you two have been working very hard in city hall here. Just two people in the work of of what has been three in the past and uh Amanda has done a terrific job the last uh couple months you've been in in this role and doing my research and talking to other uh whether it be mayors or city attorney other officials. There's, you know, I think I think it's clear the best candidate was right here in front of us all along. Um there's um only a limited pool of applicants out there for city administrator and city manager tech position, especially in a city of our size. So, and you're coming up here on your almost 50 year anniversary in about two weeks or six year anniversary now. I might get that wrong. Yeah. >> Six years. So, that's a heck of a of a sort of audition for the the uh position. >> I think you've gone above and beyond too. I think really um you with the timing of everything that was going on really stepped up. >> Absolutely. Yeah, you proved that in the work session among other times as well and working very hard in the fire situation and working with Chief Chief Highland on the transition fire department and getting good very good feedback on that as well. I know that's taking up a lot of your time. >> I'd say Mandy and I um we when Scott resigned, we kind of joint went to meetings together and um I'd say I'm extremely comfortable with this. So yeah, not much. >> Are you going to make a motion? >> Motion. All right. Resolution 20 uh 25-41 West for the position of city admin for the city of Longway. >> Second. >> All right. Motion second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I opposed. Motion carries unanimously. Congratulations. >> Yes. Yes. Keep going here unless people have questions. Move to approve the updated job description for city edition revised November 13, 2025. >> Second. >> All right. Thanks. Motion and a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carries unanimously. >> I would say I just started motion. Um a motion authorize staff to contract with large fish air management consultant d human resources inc for new city admin mentoring and coaching services in the amount not to exceed 4750. >> Second. >> All right. A motion second. I know there's information or packets about timeline with that and everything that will get started fairly soon. But I know you have a couple of vacation coming up. Pre pre-planned vacation coming up. >> Correct. We looking to start it in January or February because we are going to start audit right away in December when I get back from vacation. So, >> okay. >> Well, you're learning by fire. >> Literally. Yeah. >> We're looking at Okay. All right. There is the motion second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I opposed. Motion carries unanimously. All right. Congratulations. >> Thank you. Thank you. I've really enjoyed the last month, few months. Um, I've learned a lot and I'm really really excited about the possibilities of what is to come in the next couple years. >> Thank you. >> Great to have you and thanks team Janette for all your work. You've put a lot of work into this point and >> preparing all this information. And thank thank you to the council too for um a a vote for this was a vote for the team and I think I think we're going to continue to be able to do our best this way. I really did believe I wouldn't have put forth the recommendation if I didn't fully and wholeheartedly believe that this was the right fit for our community. um you can't help after you work somewhere for over 20 years, you can't help but feel very invested in the community and um so it it was really wonderful uh to be able to um see this come to fruition because I just I just can't I've worked with a few administrators and I honestly this is the first one I've been excited about. But I just want to say too, it's been mentioned that just how much you guys have had on your plate, especially recently. Um, it's noticed. I mean, we you are literally drinking from the fire hose right now, I feel like. Um, so it's uh it's fantastic. >> And you redid everything. I mean, you put pie charts and you kind of had capital funds. We did the entirety of the budget while we're doing a fire transition and learning everything would be job at the same time is not easy. So >> this work I won't make a motion but I'll give staff direction to order a new >> confidently. an actual class. >> Does it stay in >> interim? >> I made a temporary paper when we see as serving as our interim and of course I never actually expected I'd be sitting up at this seat but truth is with as we're trying to embrace our use of technology a little better. This works really well. Um so I think I have to invest in my own name plate too. >> Yes, they got you up here. All right, that's fabulous. So, let's move on to the next item which is 7 C adoption of 2026 video utilities and recycling rates. >> Mayor, I will be taking this one. Um, full disclosure, I kind of forgot that this this was even on here. I feel like we talked about long ago. >> So, tonight I will be bringing um forth for council approval the 2026 city utility rate. Um, we discussed this in depth last work session. If you recall, I did um inform council that the 2026 treatment cost for the Metropolitan Council was going to see uh quite a large increase of 23.75%. Our annual cost for the Metropolitan Council is going to be going from $351,000 per year up to over $434,000 per year. So when I was working on our utility rates, I needed to be very mindful of our residents and how this impacts would how this would impact their bill um on a monthly basis. So I have I had brought to council a few suggestions. Um the first of the suggestions was our water rate. I I'm going to recommend that we just keep our water rate increase at a 1.75%. This was pre-approved a few years ago. um as a standard escalator. Um and my recommendation is just to keep the water rate at that escalator of 1.75% for our residents. I'm also recommending on all apartment per unit charges that it goes from 80% of base rates down to 75% of base rates. And I will explain that a little bit further in my explanations. One other increase that we were notified of is the Minnesota Department of Health water testing fee is going um it's going to be going up $15.22 a year per connection. And so our residents are going to see an increase of 80 from 81 cents up to $1.27 for this water testing fee. So, in sewer rates, as I mentioned, with the TW with the 23% increase in our metropolitan council fee, I was trying to find how I could look out for our residents. So, I am proposing a decrease of 10 cents on our base rate. I'm also going to um decrease the per unit metropolitan council to 75% as I mentioned and completely remove the $448 per unit base rate to help offset the impact that the metropolitan council fee will have on our apartment unit. So, with this with this um fee recalculated, our fee will be going from 29 I'm sorry, we'll be going to $39.20 per household and departments are going to see a per unit rate of 29.4. Um, I'm also going to try to um I'm also going to add the Metropolitan Council fee to all unmetered residential properties in order to try to disperse this cost amongst more of our users. >> Is that in the unmetered fix charge? >> Correct. Um, yep. It's going to be in the unmetered fix charge. It was a new line item that was increased. >> So, you'll why it went from 150 to 189. >> Correct. >> Yep. That will be a direct it's directly the Metropolitan Council fee. If you also recall, as far as Metropolitan Council, this is a pass through fee and so hopefully with future capital improvements to our sewer system, we can get this fee down for our residents. >> Can I ask a question? So, if it's 150, we added just the net council fee, which is basically a pass through. Is did we want to raise the uh $10 charge. >> We were >> I believe we were just going to start with this, >> okay, >> right now and um to see how the account how it affected the account and maybe re-evaluate that again next year because we did if you recall we did quite a large this unmetered fix was >> pretty large >> pretty new and it was a pretty large jump and so we felt like this this jump was justified um but not >> okay >> un unheard of. Um the other fee that I would that I am proposing that we increase would be on our surface water our storm fund 603. Um we started to see a deficit in the last couple years in this fund and so I was proposing a 7 and 12% increase. However, this is only 35 cents to our residents. So with my proposals, the average household, residential households will see a rate increase um around $9 per month. And I would like to point out that that is a direct correlation to the metropolitan council increase. Everything else we've tried to just absorb within the city commercials will see they will also see an increase. Do you see do you know what the other cities in Henipin County pay for the um the Met Council fee >> based on volume? It is it is and I can get that information. >> I'd be curious to see that if you could hold that. >> I can email that to council. I'll email you all the latest information we have. And actually today Janette went online. And is that only uh from the INI the or is it also based on you know property values or population or >> it's going to be based on flow >> usage >> usage and so it's usage and INI so not necessarily property values or um anything it's going to be slow >> flow meter data >> slow meter >> yeah there was like an overtime one too where looking at like long lakes usage as a fraction of all users that was interesting one because there's a correlation with correct >> soil saturation >> and over the year. Doesn't it have a look back if it's a couple years old? >> But they're monitoring the water we use, right? Versus the water that they treat. >> No, they're monitoring waste water that they treat. >> I know. But >> yes. >> Okay. So, how do they know if if it's ini or if it's just water that's coming through? >> I don't know. I don't know how I don't know how they're how they calculate what our INI is based on that, but they it must have some >> Don't they defeat it all? >> Well, they do, but you say how do they how do they know how much they're charges for INI if there if >> I don't think >> isn't there a penalty for a volume? >> I thought it was just total volume, right? And then we know a component has actual >> and the other component. They don't separate. >> They don't care where it's coming from. They just start treating a certain volume. Yeah. And as a city, we know how much of it's ini because we know how much water is pumped from our >> right. Okay. So, we use that information say okay we we pump this much water but we're being built for this much water then yes it has to >> the delta the difference is how much is coming in from >> irrigation >> that goes a right but we can monitor the irrigation. >> We can especially now that they're separately metered. It does allow us to monitor a lot. For a little clarity, um for example, if our wastewater treatment um bill there were to if that charge were to go up reflective of an additional 25 million gallons going through the system, it is very unlikely that the water tower would see an increase in of 25 million gallons and gallons pumps. Usually we're kind of always somewhere between the 63 to 77 mark on a bit busy year so far um in my experience. Um so explain that tonight. So uh with the water pump um only how much percent hits the pipe? >> I don't know that. I don't know that. I I don't know that there's a way to know that. What I do know is that I and I was going to mention that I could tell earlier that I spent a little time for fun today um creating a login to the MCES customer portal so I could take a look at some of our information and one of the first things I noticed was over the last few years um in months that have had high rainfalls, our flow meter data has spiked correlating with those high rainfall months quite a lot. Not a little quite significantly, >> but I wonder how other cities that they're seeing that too or or >> and that's the thing I don't >> like everybody else or are we different? I think we we are um this is one of the reasons that we would qualify for the INI grant through the metropolitan council is because we are on the higher end of flow. >> So we had >> two years ago or maybe it's longer ago now but we added 10% to our population with >> the sacks above. So that increases water usage, right? I mean, so >> this is probably going to be our first really good year of a good analysis of full occupancy. Um because at year end, um I'll be working through our reports that I see received from Sean on what was pumped monthly and um we report that to the states um our annual drinking water report. So I'll have a good idea from this year to last year and the year before that what volume has increased as far as what we've >> pumped. And then the you said the net council portal had a bon >> meeting. Okay. Because the things that we had seen before I think were just annual, right? >> That'd be interesting to look at too. >> I can actually um I downloaded the I download I meant to download one image and I ended up with six or eight pages of charts. So I would be happy to forward that. Can you download like CSVs or anything to get the tables >> that I don't think I >> I don't think I could I don't think I received CSVs. What I received is just PDF format, but I'd be happy to share it. >> Mike, do you remember did they actually you know I know it's a percentage of you know your percentage of use of the metropolitan area. Um but wasn't there some sort of factor if you were pumping more than what they thought you should like a penalty factor? >> I don't I don't remember how math worked out. >> It seemed like they was something like okay Europa that you're kind of contributing too much >> and do they do that by population or they do it by like >> there was some sort of factor that >> I don't remember but >> I don't remember clearly but >> when we had a resident um that actually met with me yesterday I believe and offered to kind of be a he offered to volunteer and work with the metropology council a little bit and going to be that you know whatever need to be done if we needed >> yes a leaison to um to try to get to some of the >> yeah I I just want to understand it better because like when when you have the two numbers there from last year to this year is there also a volume number that goes along with those >> yes they did I do have a report that they had given me I don't have >> so so the volume went up yes >> and also the rate went up probably >> right the volume almost doubled in two years. >> Really? >> Because because we went up 100,000 from 24 to 25, right? >> Yes. When you look at the volume, the meters below volume. >> Yeah. But I I'm more interested in volume like Yes. >> Because they can make it go up just by increasing their rates. >> And there was that. >> I'd like to see >> and I thought we might have looked at a chart that showed what other communities were seeing as far as their increases as well with the last work session. I'll see if I can track that down and send it. Like I said, I do have the um when they send out their preliminary, which they send out mid year, they do let us know what what our flows are. Um and so I have that as well, and it did show a large increase of flow. Now, as you mentioned, we did have higher population, but I I think there's right, we didn't double our population. Um and I think that this is I think we're just starting to see some of the infrastructure. I can tell you when they were doing the televising from district one, there were areas that the water was pouring in the sewer line. I mean, it was pouring. >> And so, >> I don't I do think that we look at some infrastructure repairs, I think that we're going to be on the right track. >> Wasn't there like when we went to that meeting too, didn't like it was um Lorettto, they they found issue that was like really um some sort of leakage in some sort of um holding pond or >> in one of the ponds and that was one of our concerns too is that there was a there was there's this view under one of our ponds. I can tell you that I talked to Sean about the water man break that we talked about last week um in one of the manholes and he said that he can already tell just since that's been repaired a difference in um water pump. that we were losing a lot of water and where that where does that water go? You know, >> we were losing a lot. >> But what holding ponds? How how do you what is that just leaking >> if there's underneath? >> And what do you do about that? Well, you >> got to line them. You got to line them. >> Can we see other cities? Um can we only see ours other than >> I only have access to Long Lake data. Um >> it's not like it's super proprietary data. I'm sure other I'm just curious how what the correlation to that rainfall would be. >> Oh, I will. >> We know our soil is pretty rough. >> I I suspect that's similar to a lot of my, you know, Department of Health reporting and ESP water reporting and stuff. Your ability to log into the portal is likely specific to your municipalities results. I was unable in the quick browsing I was doing today to find anything but Long Lake. Um but that doesn't mean we can't spend a little time on their website pulling some data. So I have some notes here. I'll follow up with some sending some information to the full council tomorrow >> and I think you can kind of look because they like I forget what the >> I believe it's two years >> two years and so if you go back even further maybe it does kind of correlate to Yeah, I think the two things that look back is that for the charges, but then you're looking at monthly meter numbers, right? So that was >> what I had seen was three years. So it was 432 and it was by month rain by month. So what my head is this wonderful like you know bar graph of rain spike by month >> correlating to a very rising orange line corresponding with every rain spike. So >> large snowfall melted as well. >> We have that that was I actually >> said to $30,000. >> Exactly. Exactly. From across the room, I literally said, "Hey, Amanda, look at this." That was the simplest way to point it out for me than I than I think I've ever seen. So, And I noticed too, it seems like uh you kind of reduced the rates for uh apartments, the base rate and um the sewer eliminated the base, but one charge that the the residents aren't getting is the commercial industrial per acre, which really kind of >> redistributed the the cost uh to the apartments in addition >> in this in the for storm water. >> Yeah. Yep. So their bills because I I looked at your um chart and that's that's a half fee. >> Yeah. >> For an incre increase. So their uh increase is $21. >> Well, like I I talked to a resident this week that had actually received the packet and he just had some questions. They were wonderful questions. And as I explained to him, I said, I think when we first started, um if you recall, I think it was the year before I I joined the city of Long Lake, um the proposal was just to do a a pretty large face charge and a lot of our residents were pretty upset about that. And so what we've been trying to do since then is try to find um rates that were fair and equitable and made sense and being transparent. So like you said our residents I didn't 7 and a half% for a storm water increase seems very high but it was a 35% increase and I kne I knew that um I felt that when our storm water effect is not our residential properties those are going to your um commercial and industrial properties that don't have a green space. Um, so the water for that is going right into the the roads and and right into the storm system. And so that is why they are going to their rate um they're going to see the bigger effect of the 7 and a half%. Unfortunately, like I said, for a resident, a single, you know, resident with single family or whichever, the Met Council fee will will be impactful. And so we were just we were trying to be mindful of that when setting the other fees. around that there's nothing that we could really do in the metropolitan council. Unfortunately, our sewer fund doesn't have um enough of a buffer that we couldn't do a pass through. We we needed to do a direct pass through. Um but there were other areas that we we could definitely be mindful of the rate. >> All right. Were you done with your >> I believe I am unless anyone has any questions. Like I said, >> I just reiterate that I I appreciate having that itemizant thing, not that we've added extra staff to deal with external >> completely cost that's landing on the city. And I think it's important too for our residents to see, especially now that it's um it's separated out, that not only do we recognize that there is a fee that continues to increase, but they can also see in our budget discussions that we're working as a as a city and as a council to fix these problems, too. We know that's a problem and we are looking, it is a priority for us as well and what we can do for our sewer lines um to make sure that it doesn't continue to become a problem. So, I think that It's nice for our residents to see that yes, there's an issue, but we are working very hard to fix it. So, >> we've gotten better every year and making it more fair and equitable and trying to ensure that you know it's there across the board to >> right >> our users. So, appreciate your work on that. >> I got my card in the mail saying I might have a water leak and does that come out automatically or do you just send that to me? >> No, I did send that to you. >> Oh, you got one too. We actually did a data log and you do have a very large so we will talk about that as well. >> I have a large leak. >> Are you sure it's not that our four kids that take multiple showers a day? >> Send you a data log. >> Yeah, I know. It's like middle of the night or something like >> something and we'll have to look at it. >> Okay. >> Water softener. >> There is there is something >> it does. I put a lot of salt in there. It's always going down like at a really fast rate. >> So we will look at that. >> Thank you. All right. Um, I'll make a motion to adopt resolution 2025-40, establishing water, sewer, and storm sewer utility rates and establishing curbside residential recycling and residential organic recycling rates. >> I'll second that. >> Thank you. Motion in a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor? I opposed. Honestly, thank you for your work on that. >> All right. So, with that, we'll already move into uh item eight. Other business council newcomer >> fabric. I don't want to throw your thunder at the job posting at that. >> Okay. more. Okay, >> I'd like to say welcome to our new city administrator and uh I'm very pleased with the progress and or you know accomplishments that you've already achieved uh as interim and um we look forward to continuing that success. So thank you and then also want to say congratulations to the Orno women's swim and dive team. They took third place in the state tournament last weekend at the University of Minnesota. And um and also congratulations to the Orno High School football team uh as they are making it to the or they will be in the state championship game for the first time ever. Uh and that's this Friday at 1:00. So good luck to them. >> That's awesome. Congrats, guys. >> And if you didn't see the the semiinal game, it had a pretty uh exciting I was there and I This is at US Bank Stadium and I was there and uh I don't think anybody expected that uh that finish. It was the last last play overtime two-point conversion corner of the end zone pass. >> It was a sophomore that caught it. >> Wow. >> Yeah. Lincoln Steiner. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, uh, exciting. >> You know, football game of inches and and a game of like a single play sometimes like that happens and it happened to fall our way this time. So, >> so fun to watch when you get to see those moments when it's so down to the wire like that. >> Yeah. >> Cool. >> Congrats. That's awesome. Hope they can pull it off on Friday. >> Hopefully, we'll see. >> We put people can't make it, is it going to be on 45, you know? >> Uh, yeah. I don't know. I We we there's this uh subscription service called NSPN that we signed up for so we could watch all the high school playoff games but maybe the final will be on Yeah. on something like 45. >> Yeah. >> What's that? >> Who do they play? >> Casten >> County something or other. They're down by Rochester. Oh, I'm not familiar with. They beat Grand Rapids. Uh yeah, we beat Marshall, by the way, which was the number one seed and uh yeah, so that was a big big win. We beat them by one point and in the regular season, they beat us by one point. So >> yeah, that's awesome. So all right, look forward to seeing the game on Friday. Um just want to mention tree lighting. You know, the park board, maybe Chad was going to mention that park board met the day and and identified Friday, December 5th at 5:30 p.m. as our annual tree riding ceremony over park. Hopefully everybody can can make it. I'm sure we'll get a cornice out and I know the park board's working hard to put together that maybe Santa and Mrs. Claus might uh join us again this year. were hit last year and hopefully the Long Lake Fire Department will partake in their very last uh event at the Long Lake Fire Department at least. >> Absolutely. >> Excellent. And hopefully get some snow by then. Make a feel more wintry. I walked by the tree the other day and I think I'm actually taller than the tree now, which is a big improvement over last year. So the tree >> tree is maybe either I'm shrinking or the tree is growing. >> Tree is taller than you now. >> Yeah. Did I say that wrong? Yeah, >> puzzle. Yeah, there's a good event and Thanksgiving won't be before then. So, it'll be next next week obviously. So for me, um the LMC moved into their new um space in the public works building and we have scheduled a retirement party for Jim Lumber. >> Uh it's going to be make sure that I get all my dates right. Uh December 4th, 5 to 7 at Carboni. >> Oh, perfect. >> Okay. >> So hope to see you all there. >> Is that a Saturday or >> I think it's a Wednesday. It's Thursday. Thursday. >> That's the day before the tree lighting. >> What? >> 5 to 7. Yeah. >> All right. >> So, and the chamber is having their Christmas party, too. >> Oh, is that date? >> Yes, it's December 11th. And that that's the Wednesday one, I'm pretty sure. Hold on just a second. >> 11th is a Thursday, but maybe it's um or maybe it's the 10th. I think it's usually on Wednesday. >> Okay. The chambers the 10th. Yep. 10th 6 p.m. at Burkus. >> Where's Burton's retirement? >> Is that where your daughter? >> Yeah, I know. >> I just didn't hear the name. >> All right. That's always a great >> calendar. And congratulations, Amanda. You the administrator >> so I was just going to give once again thank you council for this promotion I'm extremely excited about um about the opportunities that we have in front of us I think that I think a lot of good things will be coming shortly so bear with me um I also want to give a quick update the transition to the newly formed JPA has been going really really well. I've been working closely with Orno staff and Long Lake staff. Um we we meet quite often. Um but the transition is going wonderful. I had the opportunity to go to our fire member event Monday. It was a regular meeting. I don't know why we haven't done those before because the food was amazing. Um I was completely spoiled and that was that was a it was a treat. It was it was wonderful to see the firefighters and to kind of let them know what was happening um and to you know build that bridge. Mr. Dick join you. >> Yeah, it was that was a really good time. That awesome food. >> Well, they they have different groups do it each time, right? Yeah. >> Made was making it. >> A good cook. Yes, I did say I said we might have to recruit him for our next um meeting, you know, our close sessions if they ever have any that we have to have food. We're going to get >> firefighters involved in that. So, no, that was it was a it was a pleasure to be there and so I do I thank them for welcoming me and they went they went easy on me or didn't give me too much of a hard time. So, it was a pleasure. I really enjoyed that. So, yes, other than that, everything else is going good. I also want to let council know I will be on vacation um the first week of December. So I get to miss all the funds. >> There's an operating or operation committee meeting tomorrow, right? >> Tomorrow's operation committee. Yes. >> Yep. And then >> for the >> Yeah. For the Long Lake for the people at you and Axelson and then >> correct >> Adam Edwards and Chief Corey. >> Chief Corey and then I believe Maggie will be there as finance because she's still um assisting us with some of those details. Yeah. >> Yeah. Um and then the following Wednesday there will be a board meeting. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Special thanks to Jud Aston for stepping up a planning commission member to be on the operating committee. It's a big time commitment and hit the ground running with that. >> Yes. We hope we did promise him that it would calm down a little bit in the future. So I'm hoping to follow through with that promise. But he's already been a wonderful asset to the the team. Great. >> All right. Great update. Thank you, Janette. >> It's running full steam ahead with renewals and uh getting uh very heavy into um final stages I think with development of our e-ermitting portal. Um I have meetings weekly now uh with the development team and um working on finessing a lot of things. So, we're getting closer and closer. I still feel confident we're looking at launch by January one. Um but yeah, the the work continues there and it's moving forward faster and faster. So, um excited to be getting ready to roll that out. It's kind of funny all the things that are affiliated with that that I knew were coming, but then you find yourself in the middle of it. things like um it's a great opportunity to update your commercial building permit checklist before you link to it and it's a great opportunity to update your residential home improvement project handout before you link to it on your new portal. So, it's been a good opportunity to be able updating our information and our um just what plans might be required per project and um get a little more current um and simplify some language too. that makes it a little easier to read. So, I've been doing a lot of that associated with the portal so that when it launches, it launches the right way. So, yeah, that work is continuing and ongoing. So, and I'm actually um I have been tasked with assignments for the holiday free writing this year. I will be bringing cookies. >> Wow. >> Wow. >> I'm uh going to be uh printing flyers and coordinating. Some members are going to be distributing um flyers at local businesses and just asking if they can do that. So, I'll probably actually be printing those tomorrow. Um, and working on a few little blasts here and there to see if we get any nibbles or interest on potential holiday crafters participating this year if they chose. >> So, we'll see if we get any nibbles on that. >> Yeah, it's a good idea. Great. >> About it for me. I'm busy as always. Thanks for the updates. >> Working on promoting my new boss. >> Right. With that, >> Chief Highland, thank you for joining us. Yeah. >> Congratulations, Amanda. >> Thank you. >> We still have a lot of work to do obviously. No, it's been great working with you. I'm looking forward to it. And just so you know, John, we are on standby for a victory parade for Friday. the fire department all set and just the last three years working with you guys has been awesome. It's been a grind the whole way and and pleasure working with you and and um I'm just looking forward to the next chapter really. But thank you guys. You always hung in there and supported us going >> the next chapter of being shoreline. Not a chapter in your life, right? >> Thank you. I appreciate you saying that. Thank you. And for all your hard work the last several years here and for being such a good a good uh coach to the team that you've been to to the fire fire department, the firefighters. >> I always refer to you as a players coach. >> Yeah. >> Kind of a >> good analogy. >> It's been good. I've enjoyed it. We'll see where it goes. Great. >> Right. Right. Has everybody talked yet of having some kind of an open house like in the spring or something when it gets a little warmer out like welcome to, you know, Shoreline Fire open house? >> I actually think um at one of the meetings that I was at, I don't remember which one, it was mentioned that there there could be maybe an event that we put together with like a ribbon cutting or something. >> I know that that was mentioned offhandedly. I can bring it up again tomorrow. Um but I think that that was kind of the intention to type of event. >> Super fun to do that like with the roll out of like the first big engine with the logo on it, the new logo, something like that. >> We did have somebody out yesterday and they're kind of going over all of our trucks. They're going to see what's the price and what's going to cost. They have them all rebranded and stuff like that. And um >> the building I mean the >> Yeah. All the Monday they came out with the five new rooftop units and installed them all and hooked them up today and they're all ready to go. It was a two-day project. All five of them up. Old ones gone, new ones up. >> You're talking about the HVAC unit. >> Yep. It's all done. >> Oh, >> and we got the new masks and regulators in. So, thank you for your support on that, too. And we distributed them last night and tried them out, trained with them. A great addition. So things are awesome. >> Great to hear. Great to hear. Good update. >> All right. >> And you're looking for a deputy chief. >> Oh, yeah. >> Correct. We put we put uh we put the job posting out on last Friday and we're wrapping it up next Friday. So, we'll give it a few weeks and I'll keep you posted on that one. >> Where is the job posted? Is it like league of Minnesota cities or own website or >> it's on cities websites and then I posted it on Hannah myself and then posted on the league of Minnesota and some other things. >> So it is on the league of Minnesota police or >> actually not yet but it will be tomorrow. >> I wasn't sure who was taking the lead on that >> or was or something but yeah they want to duplicate. Yeah, exactly. >> I'll double check that. >> Great. All right. >> So, there aren't that that's pretty much, you know, where they need to where it needs to be. There aren't other Craigslist or anything kind of a state network versus. >> Okay. Telephonegraph. >> What's that? >> Telephone. Telegraph. Telephone. >> All right. Last call from council. All right. So, our next meeting will be on Tuesday, December 2nd at 6:30 p.m. >> Boy, that is going to be a busy week. >> Don't forget the fourth, the fifth, >> right? Something seeing a lot of each other. >> Right. Right. All right. In the meantime, every have a great Thanksgiving. Lots to be thankful for this year. And um so if there's no objection, I'll adjourn the meeting by general consent. Hearing none, meeting is adjourned at 7:37.