Minnetonka City Council — Transcript
Monday, June 8, 2026
Story
Minnetonka Students Propose E-bike Safety Regulations to City Council
Story
Minnetonka Urged to Bolster Critical Blood Supply Through Red Cross Drives
Story
Minnetonka City Council Proclaims June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month
Approval of the Agenda
Approval of Minutes
Special Matters
Monarch and Pollinator Awareness Month Proclamation
Legislative Recap
Areas of Interest (7)
- Minnetonka City Council deliberates on ebike regulations proposed by local students, highlighting safety concerns and policy gaps.
- Former Mayor Brad Wearsome advocates for blood donation, linking the Red Cross drive to community well-being and offering incentives like Valley Fair passes.
- City council formally recognizes LGBTQ+ Pride Month and Monarch & Pollinator Awareness Month, reflecting community values and environmental concerns.
- State Representative Patty Achim provides an update on legislative successes, including funding for HCMC, the establishment of an Inspector General office, and capital investments for Minnetonka's fire department.
- Student presentation on ebike policy proposes a 4-hour permit class, safety education, and a tiered fine system, indicating a proactive approach to youth safety and regulation.
- Concerns raised about illegal e-motors being ridden as legal e-bikes, creating inconsistency in enforcement and safety.
- The city is considering a special assessment for a 'Clean Energy' project at 12501 Whitewater Drive, with proposed changes to the finance period from 30 to 29 years.
Votes (2)
Approve the agenda as amended
Moved by Council Member Calbertt · Seconded by Council Member Maxwell
Approve the April 20th, 2026 study session minutes, the May 11th, 2026 study session minutes, and the May 18th, 2026 regular meeting minutes.
Moved by Council Member Calvert · Seconded by Council Member Romey
Notable Quotes (23)
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Um, first of all, if you are here to speak on item eight, you um can fill out a note card in the back of the room indicating that you're here for that and we will take comment.
We ask that comments be limited to three minutes and we'll we will um stop you then regarding the items 14 B and E. I'm going to ask everybody to keep their comments to two minutes if they can and we will um end the comment period at 3 minutes.
A couple items for your consideration on tonight's agenda. First is related to item 6E, which is the ebike policy student presentation. Uh this item is proposed to be added to the agenda, so it was not originally part of the packet that went out last Thursday.
And then moving on to item 10D which is the proposed assessed clean energy special assessment for 12501 Whitewater Drive. There are two suggested changes to section 2.06 06 of the resolution really clarifying a couple things. One is the finance period rather than 30 years in the original resolution, it is 29 years. And then the second item uh because of the one-year less time frame changes the acrual date to January 1st, 2027.
Thank you, Mayor. I make the motion to approve the agenda as amended.
Thank you, Mayor. I'd like to move approval of the April 20th, 2026 study session minutes, the May 11th, 2026 study session minutes, and the May 18th, 2026 regular meeting minutes.
Um, now, Council Member Achim was on the coun or excuse me, Representative Achim was on the council when we started at 6:30. So, I hope she knew. Perhaps she didn't know our meeting start at 6:00. So, we will um table that item.
Yep. Uh Mayor, you you can move on to the next item and you can come back. So, I think you can skip it.
The need for blood is continuous and relentless. And an amazing thing is that um blood is required in the United States every two seconds.
And the thing um in my years of public service, one of the things that I always focused on was if if I could do something that would save a life, that was something I really wanted to do. And being a blood donor saves lives.
And um uh if you can't donate blood and not everyone can um there are other ways to support the Red Cross. Um they are always looking for volunteers um and that can be um relief for um natural disasters or um other many other things.
Minnetonka has some great programs that um helps residents uh plant and purchase uh pollinator plants. That's how I got my start with my native garden. So, highly recommend that uh you know if you have an at all an interest in that um that can be super helpful.
Um, you guys are in for a treat on this one. I had a sneak peek on the ebike policy student presentation from the Vantage program and I'm going to invite the group up along with their teacher advisor Kim Mian to give a brief introduction about what the students worked on here.
So, we wanted to go over some problems with current legislation right now and cities are having trouble with. So, here are the major concerns that are coming up for local policy makers and enforcers regarding ebikes. So, the first one, there are major safety concerns as trauma reports a surge of ebike and scooter injuries.
So our group proposed a required 4-hour permit class um focusing on education first. And so this course will be provided by schools and community education centers and will focus on road safety and ebike regulations.
So here's a highintensity areas map that um, we kind of made. We found three key points where we saw a lot of ebike crashes or different um, altercations with police department members.
And then one thing that I just wanted to highlight quickly with um with regarding the legislation, the session has concluded. So some of those different things move past. Um, so that's all on the revisor's website if you are interested in kind of seeing what the state did this past session.
I appreciate being here and for the opportunity to meet my actual board member. So, congratulations on your new role and um happy to be here with you tonight.
One of the biggest one of the most important to me was um some stability funding for HCMC to ensure that our safety net hospital will remain open.
The other that I think is worthy is passing of the office of the inspector general. Uh I think we all know the impacts of fraud that we have faced here in Minnesota.
And then the last of the top my top three is um we passed a really robust um capital investment bill and which included a project for Minnotonka with your transition from um part-time uh fire to um full-time fire department and expansion of um the uh cross county 73 yeah um fire station.
Also um I will because the issue of affordable housing is such an important one um maybe just mention that um preventing um the re the zoning reform bill which didn't ensure um affordability um preventing that from passing was something that I'm I'm glad we did.
People (15)
Miss LarsonClerkCalled roll for meeting attendance and vote.
Called roll for meeting attendance and vote.
Mr. FunkStaffPresented agenda items and recommendations.
Presented agenda items and recommendations.
MayorMayorChaired the meeting and called for motions.
Chaired the meeting and called for motions.
Council Member CalberttCouncil MemberMade motion to approve agenda and minutes.
Made motion to approve agenda and minutes.
Council Member MaxwellCouncil MemberSeconded motion to approve agenda.
Seconded motion to approve agenda.
Council Member RomeyCouncil MemberSeconded motion to approve minutes and read a proclamation.
Seconded motion to approve minutes and read a proclamation.
Council Member KleyCouncil MemberAsked a question regarding age limits for blood donation.
Asked a question regarding age limits for blood donation.
Council Member WilburnCouncil MemberRead the LGBTQ+ Pride Month Proclamation.
Read the LGBTQ+ Pride Month Proclamation.
Representative Patty AchimRepresentativeProvided a legislative recap.
4 quotes
Provided a legislative recap.
“I appreciate being here and for the opportunity to meet my actual board member. So, congratulations on your new role and um happy to be here with you tonight.”
Apologizing for being late and acknowledging a board member.
“One of the biggest one of the most important to me was um some stability funding for HCMC to ensure that our safety net hospital will remain open.”
Highlighting funding for HCMC.
“The other that I think is worthy is passing of the office of the inspector general. Uh I think we all know the impacts of fraud that we have faced here in Minnesota.”
Discussing the Office of the Inspector General.
“And then the last of the top my top three is um we passed a really robust um capital investment bill and which included a project for Minnotonka with your transition from um part-time uh fire to um full-time fire department and expansion of um the uh cross county 73 yeah um fire station.”
Mentioning a capital investment bill for Minnetonka's fire department.
Former Mayor Brad WearsomeFormer MayorPresented about the Red Cross Blood Drive.
5 quotes
Presented about the Red Cross Blood Drive.
“Um, as um is on the screen um um one of the things former mayors try to do is try to stay busy.”
Explaining his continued involvement after mayorship.
“And um I am now on the board of the Twin Cities Red Cross. And you know, the Red Cross has blood drives throughout the region, uh many many each year, but the board um uh handles or um sponsors two blood drives each year.”
Introducing his role with the Red Cross.
“The need for blood is continuous and relentless. And an amazing thing is that um blood is required in the United States every two seconds.”
Emphasizing the constant need for blood donations.
“And being a blood donor saves lives.”
Highlighting the life-saving impact of blood donation.
“And um uh if you can't donate blood and not everyone can um there are other ways to support the Red Cross. Um they are always looking for volunteers um and that can be um relief for um natural disasters or um other many other things.”
Suggesting alternative ways to support the Red Cross.
Kim MianTeacher AdvisorAdvisor for the Vantage public policy students.
Advisor for the Vantage public policy students.
Owen BeckersStudent PresenterPresented ebike policy recommendations.
Presented ebike policy recommendations.
Graham WoodardStudent PresenterPresented ebike policy recommendations.
Presented ebike policy recommendations.
Natalia EureoStudent PresenterPresented ebike policy recommendations.
Presented ebike policy recommendations.
Lou VerhostStudent PresenterStudent presenter for ebike policy recommendations; unable to attend.
Student presenter for ebike policy recommendations; unable to attend.
Places Mentioned
Events & Meetings (1)
- June 8th, 2026, Regular Meeting of the Minnetonka City Council