[Music] Heat. Heat. Good evening everyone. Tonight is Monday, March 24th, 2025. Yes, it is. I think this is a um study session of the Minnitankka City Council. Um I'll call the meeting to order and uh we will go around the room um and get everyone introduced. And we'll start with Sarissa. Cersa Falls, senior management coordinator. Brandon Domin, assistant city manager. Mike Vaughn, city manager. Darren Nelson, finance director. Kimberly Wilburn, city council at large. Ky Ky Kley, W four. Rebecca Shack, W two. Brad Whisam, mayor. Pauly, w three. Hy, four. Deb Calbert, at large CPA, public director. Julia Wishnack, community development director. Eric Nelson, city attorney. Kelly OD, recreation director. Scott Borman, police chief. Kevin Fox, fire chief. Derek Bater, deputy fire chief. Melanie Putt, city assessor. Matt Ka, park manager. Well, good. Well, thank you everyone. Will, you already identified yourself, so I was sitting there thinking, okay, I was waiting for you. Pardon me. You're all all set. So, um, well, welcome everybody. Um, busy times these days. I want to thank all the all the staff. I thought the city the state of the city really went well and I appreciate all the participation of all the staff. It was it was a lot of fun. So, I thought it was fun. And I hope you thought it was fun. Um, so, uh, let's see. We've got, um, uh, well, we first have, um, DEI commission interviews, and I believe we only have one candidate tonight, correct? So, they should go fairly quickly. And, um, we'll just do it the the usual way. Um, have the candidate come in, introduce herself, and then we'll run through these questions, and we'll take it from there. And Brad, if I can just we're waiting just for the next few seconds here. Just want to mention that tomorrow morning uh the mayor was invited uh to the Vantage program. There's a the Vantage kids at 8:15 tomorrow morning. I do a presentation to the mayor. We learned that all council could be are invited as well. So tomorrow morning 8:15 are available at the Vantage Building is a presentation, right? Yeah. It starts at 8:15 and everyone's invited. Um we we kind of got the notice. Um this has been a dynamic thing. Just ask Sarissa. So things uh got got nailed down at the 11th hour, but please feel free to come. But if you can't make it, no problem. The notice is so late. We we get it. So anyway, thank you. Thank you. Welcome. How are you? Oh, good. How are you doing? How How are you all doing today? Well, we we are Yeah, this is this kind of we This is a study session and uh so we've got a larger group than normal and uh in the interest of time. We won't have everyone go around, but we will have our council members um will run down and uh and then we've just got a handful of questions for you and um uh we really appreciate uh your being here and then we'll ask you a few questions and we won't take too much of your evening. Sounds good to me. All right. And so, uh, Dr. Wilburn, Kimberly Wilburn, at large, Kyopi, war, Rebecca Shack, W two. Brad Whome, mayor. Paul Rome, W three. Pat Foster Bolton, W one. Deb Calbert at large seed day. And so that's that's the council. And then around we have all all the staff members. And we have on our agenda tonight after you leave uh we're going to get um reports from all of the different departments um as we look toward uh preparing our budget. So we've got a big group here tonight, but um we're not here to intimidate you. Anyway, but so we've got a we've just got f um four questions for you and um we appreciate one, you are applying for the DEI commission and um I know that we've all read your application and yeah um and so we'll just uh the first question is uh not too tough. Please tell us about yourself and what in your background makes you the right person for a position on the DEI commission. Definitely. Well, I'll start. My name is Alyssa Dean. and I use she her pronouns. Um, so a little bit about me. I identify as queer, white, cisgender woman. Um, I kind of come from Minnotonka as far as I spent part of my middle school here and then graduated from the high school as well. Wandered around in my 20s and then came back to Minnetonka to live and then also work at the U of M Twin Cities. Um, there I work with undergraduate students in the college of liberal arts. Um, I also help advise OSTEM, which is our LGBT student organization connected to students in STEM careers. Um, and I also do a lot of work with both DEI at work, but also uh looking at the larger community of Minnesota and volunteering and getting involved and connected there as well. Um, I'm also someone that's often seen as a connector. And so bringing folks together to build community, whether it be uh through crop art is something I'm uniquely involved with, uh, or DEI initiatives and like building a DEI resource library at work, which is our first one that we've ever had. Um, so as far as what's in my background, um, showing up in community is a big thing for me. So, I volunteered at Pride this past year and was also helped in organizing it as well. Um, and then also regularly show up to community events. One of the things if I were to take on this role, I have rainbow shoes that I like to show up in at community events because it's a really easy tell to someone else like, "Hey, you might be someone that I can talk to and trust." It also gives me an opportunity if I'm inviting community members in, especially from the LGBT community. Hey, you can find me in the rainbow shoes. There's not a ton of folks that wear rainbow shoes around. And so bringing in that connection and showing that continued involvement. Um being uh having experience as youth in this community as well as an adult, I've been able to see Minnotonka grow and develop in their DEI. When Jace was hired, I was like, "Oh my gosh, like th this is amazing." And so really being able to see Minnetonka embrace uh DI and look at how we can bring that forward to welcome all members of our community even more than maybe what I experienced in the past as a as a youth or a teen member of this community. Um and then ongoing growth with development in the LGBT identity as well as connection to identities that uh I don't hold. And so one of the pieces is that I look at DEI as ongoing development and growth. And so showing up and learning and passing the mic on to folks that don't share the same identities as me, as well as folks that have intersectional identities that I don't have and really taking the time to listen. Um, something that I've talked with Jace about is wanting to do a a listening session with queer folks and folks that want to come show up to kind of learn from their voices, not just mine, what folks are interested in seeing in the city of Minnetonka, so that I can help pass that mic to them and bring that back to community meetings here as well. Great. Thank you. In um in your review of the Minnetonka City Code um section 150.0 015 powers and duties section three. Describe I'm sure you've studied that really like like the like the rest of us have. Um describe in your own words what it is to be an inclusive and equitable community for everyone who lives, works, or recreates in the city. What's that all mean to you? Uh, for me that really comes down to being welcomed, valued, supported, and seen within the city of Minnotonka. And so, how can we create spaces, experiences, opportunities where all the members of our community can feel all of those things? Um, and when I think about welcoming, I think about continuing to welcome, welcoming you again to this event, welcoming you again to this other opportunity so that folks continue to feel invited into the opportunities that we have as an amazing community here in Minnetonka. And so some of the things that I think about, what would I see in Minnotonka that would communicate that to me? And so some of that is members having a voice in decision-making. One of the things that I loved about the sustainability work here in Minnotonka is I kept on showing up to events and seeing a sustainability table or folks asking me what do you think about sustainability and I was like wow you people really care about sustainability. So kind of encouraging that engagement and asking for perspectives. Um also seeing a rainbow flag in city hall like seeing those visual cues even within our city hall having vendors or food from a variety of different cultures. Um, I know Jayce has done a lot of work to kind of help bring that into our community events. So, to me, that also shows that. Um, having accessible buildings and so really thinking about the ways that we can show that, not just through the things that people interact when they're talking with us, but also what they're seeing and experiencing in their experiences here at Minnetonka. Great. Thank you. So, um, third question, and I think you saw these before. So, um, what excited you about being on the DEI Commission of Minnotonka? Collaboration. Really, for me, I love being able to be in a community of folks doing the work so that we can collaborate and connect with each other and the many different perspectives that brings on an issue that comes up in the city. So, I'm going to see something from my perspective and my lived experience, but being able to hear it from multiple perspectives and take into account the entire community and conversations and what we might be able to do and how we can support. And when there's moments where I I need to step back, like I'm a white sis woman, like there are moments where I need to step back and listen. And then there are also moments where I can step forward as a queer po person and share and connect in different ways. And so really looking at that collaboration not only in being able to build something within our our group and advising folks but also being able to show up in community as well. Thank you. So we're to the last question already. Based on your understanding of the commission, what do you think will be an individual challenge for you as well as and also what do you think will be a challenge for the group? Yeah. So individual challenge for me as I've kind of talked about a little bit through all this, it's relationship building is huge for me. I want to build trust with the other folks on the commission and they've been meeting for a while. And so a challenge for me right out the gate is going to be building that trust in that relationship so that folks feel comfortable in doing the work together with me because it can be messy and it can be hard and you know things can happen where folks can not necessarily intend to but do hurt each other in the process of doing DEI work and so my core foundation is building that trust so that we can do that collaborative work together and so that's that initial challenge that I see in my work. Great. When I think of the the bigger work of the commission, um, in my conversations with folks in the community and also at the U, uh, there's a lot of challenge that comes with the complex nature of executive orders and what the president posts on X. And regardless of political affiliation, the groundwork is there's a lot changing all at once all the time and a lot of different perspectives popping up all over the place. And that's especially impactful for our diverse communities that we have here in Minnetonka. And so kind of I think the challenge of the commission is in their work or in our work if I'm allowed to join is to navigate through that with our community and have their voices share what they're experiencing here in Minnetonka. example that I gave is if a community member reads something on X and sees that as law, but the real law that we have in our city and in Minnesota is different and we have a police interaction. How are we going to work through that? What does that look like? And how can we move forward through that experience in that situation? And I think over, you know, the years that's going to become more and more complex and so we need to kind of figure out how to navigate that as a community. Thank you. So, um, we're done with our questions, but, um, if you have a question you'd like to ask of us, um, feel free. Mayor, yes. I I talked with Mr. Funk earlier today, and I actually have one more question. Okay. All right. Well, then, um, I'll let you answer my I'll let you ask a question, then I'll go to Council Member Calbert. Okay. So, my question is, you know, you all have been able to see the work so far of the DEI commission. What excites you most about that work and what do you hope for a year down the line to see coming out of that group? All right. Would would would any council members like to grab that? Otherwise, I'm happy to take a stab. Anyone? I mean, I think we've had some wonderful events where people in the community have just felt seen, which I think, you know, is half the battle. And um and I just think that there is there's been excellent attendance at many of the events that center on celebrating diversity and the tapestry of our community. So, um, and it, you know, it's not that we never did it. It's just that it just puts a little spotlight on it and we're able to and and I also just think that um having especially the young people on the commission be it events and the events like some of the family events have just been had really fun uh activities to sort of have people approach the the table and um think about, you know, being welcoming and I just think it's been really creative. Chase has done a wonderful job. So, I'll I'll just add a little bit. Um the um you know, we've since I've been mayor and for a long time, Minnetonka has really works to be, you know, an an inclusive and welcoming community. And one of our six pillars um of our strategic plan is that we are an inclusive community. And and I believe we've worked hard at that for a long time. But I will say that since the the DEI commission was established and connected, I think and I think Jace to your point is, you know, has added brought in a new level of welcomeness and and and including groups that frankly hadn't shown up at city hall very often in the past and now they are. And I think I think that's been a transition. I give a lot of credit to both uh our city for recognizing that we need to take that initiative but to Jace personally for his interpretation of what his role is and it's not just about race or it's not just about you know particularly particular ethnic groups. It's about it's about really reaching out broadly and and making I mean everyone is welcome here and I think I think the way the city has pursued that and we have a long way to go. We're not a particularly diverse community. I mean, you look at our demographics, we have a lot of we have a lot of diversity, but you know, we're still predominantly Caucasian. Um, and so, and and again, it's not just race either. But I think I think we are really embracing our differences and getting to know people who are truly different than we are and and and connecting with people that maybe in the past didn't connect get connected as much with. And I think I think that's an important role. So, I hope that answers the question a bit, but it's a work in process. We it's it's a journey, not a destination. And then Deb, you had a question. Thank you. Thank you, mayor, and thank you for being here and thanks for what you do. And this is a little bit of an uncomfortable question for me. Um, but I felt I had to ask it. So, uh, and and especially in light of the executive orders and the things that I find, you know, incredibly reprehensible. Um, at the College of Liberal Arts, there were several faculty members who really engaged in pretty um, blatant anti-semitism. It wasn't just anti-sionism, it was anti-semitism. and they had published articles and one person was just um uh didn't get hired um as dean um and one uh resigned um an anti-sionist resigned um and so I just I just want to um just get your read a little bit on that experience in that department. Maybe it predates you. Um maybe not. But um those are the as as the only Jewish person in this room. Um it's something that is very important to me. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. And and thank you for sharing and thank you for the bravery too and sharing. Um so I've been working at the U for 10 years. I will say that the college of liberal arts is gigantic and so some of the things that happen um I I am lower level and so my my say into things is different but how I experience things like that is through my students and so when they're showing up in my office in tears because of what they're experiencing on campus and things like that it's being there to listen and hold their experience and being able to talk through what are options that the the student can take if they want to. what are options that I can take as a staff member that I have the ability to and then where are the folks in both the community on campus but I also echo the community off campus too um that they can connect in with to find support connection shared identity shared experience um because I think while it's pushing back it's also finding that safe place in that home in community to be able to navigate through the incredibly challenging things, whether it's happening on campus or a city or in the the greater world, we need those recharge opportunities with our community while we're also pushing back. And so, you know, as a staff member, I, you know, had the opportunity to share my voice and I have the opportunity to walk by folks on campus and know who they are and be able to share things verbally that maybe I would not be able to share through email. And so, it was both that support of my students and also kind of the navigating where are my opportunities to share my voice in that situation. um and kind of navigate that. Does that help to answer that question? Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you so much. That was not on our list, but um anyway. Okay. But but um well, thank you very much for being here and um I u we will get back to you very quickly this week and so you'll know you'll know what their status is. But I you know I want to thank you for coming in and I um you're in uh your enthusiasm's um contagious. So that's uh that that's that's that's working for you. Yeah. Awesome. Thank you so much, folks. Thank you so much. Do I need to turn this off? I'll take care. Okay. Have a good night. You get to go home now. We We're going to be here. We're going to be here for a while. Cold, but it's very night. It's pretty out. Yes. Yes. Oh, I will take this. We I used to live in northern Wisconsin and we would like wear shorts in this weather, so I'm embracing it. All right. So, that brings us to um business items uh number 3B, uh director budget presentations and uh Mike, uh you get to kick that off. Yeah. Uh thank you, Brad. Council, good evening. So we have, as acknowledged with our introductions this evening, our directors are here and other supporting staff from our our various departments. Tonight, as you know, is the first part of our budget. It's not officially our budget kickoff, but this is kind of the prelude, if you will, to our budget kickoff. Just really up on the slide, I want to walk through with you just really what the next nine months look like. And I know many of you know this, but it's always hard to imagine how much time we spend on our budget. It's it's one of the most important things you do as a council and we do as a city. So, just giving you a sense of what the calendar year is going to look like. So, with tonight, March 24th, we have our director presentations. Um, and what you'll hear from directors is really succinct type of presentation. The sense that every director I think has five or six slides. They're very they're very the same theme. So, what you'll hear from directors tonight is a quick overview of their organization within the department just to remind you of their organizational structure. They will highlight 2024, some of the activity in 2024. I know you've heard some of that through our year-end strategic plan uh presentation, but uh individually, you'll hear from them on some of their 2024 accomplishments. We'll look at 2025. So, what's on again on the horizon for this year? We want to then also identify challenges because even though things are really great in the city, it's not it's um we still have our challenges and so we certainly want you to identify those to you. So again, as we go into our budget so you have an understanding of some of the the challenges that we're facing from a staff perspective and then last we also want to touch on federal impacts and I talked I think all of you have mentioned to me uh with the administration the new executive orders what does that mean for the city? And so the departments will each kind of highlight if if we've identified a potential impact that'll also get noted. And then at the at the very end turned over to Sarissa and you had seen the grant spreadsheet earlier. So we I think I've mentioned to all of you that we've updated that to really give you a sense of where there might be some risk um with grants. And so Sarissa's done a look back at 24 and this far into year to date 25 what what that has looked like and where again where there might be some potential um risk with future grant implications. So with that up on the overhead screen is the timeline for this year. Uh next is in May when we'll actually do the official kickoff. So Darren and I will have a much lengthier presentation. We're not doing that this evening because tonight is just presentations. Like I mentioned, we need another month or so just to get a little further into the year and some more numbers in place before we can really start to hone in on on real finite details. But we will be back in May for the official kickoff. Also then have the community survey coming forward. Also at that May study session with the community survey. We'll also have Peter Leman Leatherman talk about the business survey and a couple of you got a prelude to that at the last week's Weissa business partner meeting. So we'll have that community survey. That's really always good feedback for you council as you start to shape up priorities and thoughts for the budget. Uh then in June we'll have our capital improvement plan and the economic improvement plan. So that'll be a big study session. In June where we'll lay out those two documents. Then in August is when we'll hone in on the operations side of um our our budget. And then in September, we'll have to identify a preliminary tax levy. Uh and then in November, we really could bring back that operational budget. And then we also dive into the enterprise fund. So we'll certainly talk about utilities and our special revenue accounts or enterprise funds accounts in November. December is the public hearing and then final final levy also in December. So it's a high level snapshot and virtually every month we're talking budget between now and the end of the year. So we don't get much of a reprieve as you know when we talk about budgets. So with that I don't want to spend any more time talking. I really want to get into our director presentations. We have eight of them this evening. They're about 10 minutes each. So for about the next hour 20 uh where you'll hear from directors and then at the end of that we'll have time um for feedback that we'll want to hear from you just based on what you're what you're hearing from us tonight. Thanks Mike. really want to kick it over to Miranda who's going to start with admin. There's no special flavor of the order tonight other than it's alphabetical. So admin will be up first and then we'll go from there. So we reverse that next year, right? Administrator goes last. Okay. Just wondering. Alphabetical besides legal, we let Eric go last. Okay. Grace the first year. All right. So I wear dual hats. I'm the assistant city manager. I'm also the director of admin services. Um so I generally hit on admin services this evening. Admin services consists of four different divisions, five t different divisions. So the one is the city manager division that consists of Mike and I, Sarissa and Jace. Um and then we have the city clerk division, the IT division, communications and human resources. And that's our mighty IT department in the corner. So 2025 key measures. Um so for mayor and council we do the some of the community survey results which is rating the quality of life and that has been or so then percentages or numbers are projected for 2025. So they've either met them for 25 or they projected for 25. So we're anticipating a 95% um rating on the community survey and we'll find out here in May. Council meeting dates regular and study session. We're anticipating about 40 meetings this year. um sounds worse than I think it actually feels but about 40 meetings um boards and commission appointments reappoints we are anticipating about 25 and then BIPAC board and commission members about 45% of our total board and commission members the city manager division the DEI events hosted we're hoping to host about 10 this year um DEI commission meetings they are slated to meet every month this year so 12 um action steps in the strategic plan 76 grants received. We're anticipating 15. And then of course the grant spreadsheet will help us keep us up to date. The city clerk division. So we're anticipating what? 24,000 calls to the front desk. Um total number of ballots cast. We're anticipating 13,500. It is a municipal election, so we'll see um what our voter turnout will be there. Registered voter turnout percentage. We're anticipating a 35% voter turnout. We do get really good turnout for municipal elections. So, I am hoping we can get 35% or more. And then data practice requests, we're anticipating about 175. Our communications division, our city email subscribers, has reached 40,000. Um, that's awesome. I feel like it actually crept a little bit above that most recent number, but they're projecting 40,000 for 25. Um, Minnetonka memo remains at about 50% of our preferred communication here in the city. Uh Peter Leman always has a really good number on that too during the community survey results. Our social media engagement rate is 7.5% and then video content produced. We are doing a lot more videos than historically done and we're anticipating creating about 175 of those. A quick question was um when he was interviewing, did did anyone tell Eric that there were 175 data practice requests? All right, you don't have to answer that question. It's kind of rhetorical. Just jump in real quick. We back up. One of the things in our budget books that you know historically we spent so much time in the numbers but we do spend a great deal of time in our data and having performance metrics and we haven't really highlighted those to great detail the last couple years. So you will see that from directors tonight. This a little more emphasis on some of the on the things that we keep track of and monitor and report in our budget books. And and just to add I mean I think this is important. I mean I I mean I just look at the information desk phone calls. I mean, that's over 400 a week. I mean, when you consider I mean, you know, people aren't sitting on their hands wondering what to do. Um, there's real work here. I will say, too, when the front I used to oversee the front desk staff and do see them now on a greater distance, but people when I sit up there and fill in and you answer, people go, "Oh, you answered the phone. Somebody's answering the phone. I can talk to somebody." I mean, in our community, that really matters. when they call our front desk, recreation, any of our front desks, no matter what it is, somebody's answering the phone and it's very rarely that we miss a call and they note that when you call and that's a big deal. So, but people people expect voicemail and when you pick up and I know that when I when I pick up my phone, whoa, this is really a live person. I mean, you're the mayor really, you know, I mean, it it matters. Yeah. So, we work hard on making sure we have always coverage on the phones going into the last two divisions. So, our human resources division. Um, so city positions are regular full-time, regular part-time, and our paid on call firefighters. We reach 396 um positions in the city. Our employee turnover rate um we anticipated about 5% for 2025. We'll see where that number takes us. workers comp mod factor. This is something we watch really really closely because this impacts our insurance. Um so for 2025 that is a solid number. It came in at 087. So that was what it was for 2025. Um increase or decrease in our annual health insurance premium. We saw a 10.8% increase from 24 to 25. I don't know what we're going to anticipate for next year. Um but that's what we had this past year. So, our BIPO city employees are regular, full-time, part-time paid on call, we are at 8%. BIPOX city employees for seasonal, temporary, and flex part-time we are at an increase of 13%. And then our average payroll count depending on the time of year depending what's going on. We can have anywhere our average I guess is 594. I would say like August when we have like paid on call we have we have an elections we have election judges we have seasonal staff and lifeguards and all the things we can be around 900 to a thousand so so up and down council members are included in the payroll count yes we consider our counors as seasonal temp flex part-time employees fall into that category so seasonal yeah yeah what season do we what season do we get to take off But yeah, we that separate separate discussion of our flex part-time I think what they consider is my guess. Um so IT division so help desk requests about 4,158. We monitor that one pretty closely um depending on what's going on. And then our field home remote connection supported is 560. Right? So it's all your iPads, sports and commission iPads, all of our city issued cell phones, um laptops, all the things. So it's a lot of a lot of equipment that is forever changing and moving. So going into our 2024 department highlights, so administered five successful elections. That was a feat for election staff. Um they're enjoying this quiet time to get all their backload work done and get records work done. So last year was a huge um lift for them and they did a really really good job. Um in 2024 we launched the DEI commission. Jayce developed a work plan with them. That was a that was a success as well. We revived our safety committee. So Kila, she's right here. She is our safety and wellness coordinator. So she's housed out of public works and um was able to revive our safety committee and they're doing some really great work. I think that was in the Friday update as well. So there's some more information there, too. um talent management and development. So we have spent a lot of time kudos for HR staff on staff developments. We're hosting um supervisor manager trainings and board trainings. We recently had a training with our union supervisors and supervising union employees. So really spending more time on our staff development and um trainings there. Strengthen Menanka brand. So much more videos, quick videos on our Facebook pages, Instagram pages. um and so forth. Um successfully navigated um negotiations with two unions. Um those don't always go so smoothly. So when we have a really great year with our unions, we celebrate those because um it's a big deal and we have really great relationships with our unions. So proud of those dynamics. Um we did review um the city's business cyber networks looking for ways to expand and teaming up with our school districts and ways we can better connect with one another on that. um continued focus on DEA initiatives and trainings. Um you saw Jason's work. I think your eyeballs would come out of your head. He's doing so much and we'll soon have help here. But um he's definitely continue to move that momentum. Prioritize technology security and enhancement. So cyber security has been a real focus this past year and continues to be a focus going forward and just making sure that we are secure. um when we have technology moving around campus and off of campus just making sure that we are secure and then if something happens that we have the plans in place to back us up. Um I would say um across the board probably every single person in this room on the staff side had a hand in completing a limited English proficiency plan. This was a state requirement. Karine led the efforts. Um Sarah and Jacece were heavily involved along with many other employees. So that has been done and Jayce is doing the training right now developing it. That was a really big lift before Karine left. Um we enhanced our internship program. So how can we make our internship program more of a networking opportunity for them to each other? How can we continue to build that um candidate pool for future employees? I was an intern. Kelly was an intern. Susan Thomas was an intern. There's tons of us throughout the organization that grew up as interns here. Came here as an intern. Maybe left and came back. So, how can we continue to enhance that program um to make people have a really great experience so they can consider us moving forward? So, um we have enhanced that and going into this year there's a whole plan in place for our interns and a program uh officially developed. We improved an updated vacation plan. Um we were behind the mark compared to our comparables on our vacation plan. So, we worked really heavily to make sure that we were competitive on vacation. um our we sent out a form that people had to sign and we have never seen something return so fast in our lives. Uh so raised um you know people were really excited about that and making sure that we continue to express and value our employees mental health and personal lives as well. Um we improved the use of Mucka Matters platform. So a lot of our active projects will now be found on Mntucka Matters. We've been using it more frequently and marketing it more as well. And then as mentioned before, Sarissa developed a grant tracker. We never really knew what's coming in and out. And so being able to really track that in a more way that many of us can view that without having to call Darren and bug him for what grants were coming in um made much more of a seamless process across the board and allowed more staff to enter in their grants coming in and more transparency as well. So 2024 was a big year for admin and um continuing into this year. So our challenges for 25 and 26 is recruitment and retention. So you'll probably hear from every single person in this room about recruitment and retention. Where it's different on the admin side is HR is supporting the recruitment and retention. So any employee that needs to be hired, we're rolling through HR. So our talent acquisition specialist gets inundated with seasonals. She does all of the um posting. She goes to job fairs. She's really busy. So, not only is admin, we have are trying to recruit retain our own employees, we're also supporting the organization with recruitment and hiring efforts. Um, embracing technologies disruptions. I don't know if I've used the word disruptions, but um emerging tech such as AI and analytics, it's all happening so fast and we're trying to stay on top of the trends and trying to stay um in touch with what's going on. So, embracing it and then also trying to navigate it. And then of course continuing with the rising cost of medical care, technology, subscriptions, costs are rising. Um it's been a theme and continuing that data practices. Um just the volume. I think when I came here last year, our key measure anticipated a 100 data practice requests. We're anticipating 175 this year. They're ugly. They're big. the citywide request ones, which our city attorney does get involved in the citywide ones. They're tough and it's a lot of time and a lot of effort and a lot of money that we don't get back on those efforts. So, um really watching that and tracking those and um just navigating our way through those. A quick quick question when when we track it, do we track our costs associated with those? We don't right now. I would love if we we if there was a purpose to do. We don't. I mean, I could pro we could probably back on the napkin do it. We do track citywide verse Becky gets a call and she turns it around in an hour, right? There's a difference there. Yeah. Well, I mean, I'm just thinking if we could track the hours or whatever and and because I think it's relevant when you go to the capital to talk about things that are holding cities back and and affecting the way we do our business. I mean, understanding the the the size of those requests and the co the real cost in terms of time and money. I mean, if there was a way to track it that wasn't overly burdensome, I I I think that would be good data to have. Just speaking as somebody that does data practices, that easier said than done. It is. Yeah. And I believe it. I'm just I'm just thinking out loud a little bit because it I I just get irritated when they they come in and some of them are so nonsensical. They just make you jump through hoops and nothing ever comes of it. Yeah. It's just punitive. Yeah, that's right. That's right. Yeah, we can try to track it. It gets difficult especially across different departments and payroll system isn't set up that way. So, it' be spreadsheets. So, not that we can't track I'm good. I'm good. I just I would just add to it that it um because we can't recover the dollars. It's that's why you don't track it. It's so we limited to what we can actually recover. So it's like copies copies like that most folks want want their data practice request digitally you can't charge for. So it's basically spending all the time and you put it on a flash drive and it gets handed over and you don't you can't build and it's gone. Okay. Thank you. I think if we knew that answer somewhere on there and like a lot involve our engineer and public works staff and all Julie gets a lot and gathering emails and you're looking at who's doing them and most of the time our leadership team well and maybe the way to do it too is just track the number like we're doing how many do we get and you know kind of taking a guesstimate of what's the average one like and then you can do the arithmetic on that and have a sense I think it's safe to say it's six figures easy six figures I wouldn't doubt that. Continuing on, cyber security I think will be a theme going forward for us and really um focus effort there. So the pace of digital technologies and how we deliver them. Uh staff space. So this has been more rising recently. Staff want to be in the office. Um which is great. If you walk around city hall, there's obvious a lot of people around city hall. Um but we're running out of space. we're cozy and trying to figure out if we can bring in some interns, where are they going to go? We're maxed on space. So, um navigating that um growth of communication channels, videos, graphics internally and externally. Um as we try and find more seamless and easy digestible ways to communicate, oftentimes it's graphic and videos. And so, just meeting those needs and then reaching out to our hardto-reach audiences. So, how do we reach those we're not hearing from is another challenge that we're gonna really try and tackle, but not sure how we're going to get there yet. Um, so our 2026 goals and new initiatives, it's kind of crazy to think we're talking already next year. Um, but our goals for next year kind of in draft format are improve the performance management system. So, how we do performance management with our employees, hoping to improve that. Um, strengthen our record management. I think that has been on our list for a long time and how do we continue to strengthen our public records and then continuing to provide a professional development through training programs, creating a robust cyber security incident response plan. Um what if we do if something severe hits us and then promote DEI through ongoing training initiatives develop a successful planning strategy for continuity. We've had a lot of retirements and we're going to continue to see those. So, how can we continue to succession plan for what's coming? Um, there is a new ADA title 2 compliance which is an audit digital asset. So, basically we have to scrub our entire website for it to meet these compliances and it's a big undertaking. So, that is going to be on our list. Um, innovate and expand marketing strategies to continue to grow our city brand. enhance technology efficiencies with Microsoft 365 and the potential AI policies. Um and then again maintain focus on our internships, our ACE programs to strengthen interesting candidate pools and then improve our customer service responsive technology upgrades. So how can we if Julie gets an email, how can we route it through the right people without just emailing everybody, right? And so how can we better streamline that process? I did want to point out over here this is our communication staff. This is Jessica Case. Scott might mention her as well. She is our new public or PIO around police department. So that was a position that we took an officer position and made it a PIO. They report to admin, but they live over in police. So student's getting her feet underneath her right now and eventually we'll be more in the community and um trying to help our recruitment efforts and all those things. And she'll move over to admin um once we get that up and running. Is that the same position that Olivia was in? That is a different position. Yep. That is PIO as public information officer. Yeah. Yep. Has that position been filled yet? Um, are you touching on that? I wasn't, but I can. So, the the the Olivia's was with Henipin County. We are now re-implementing our our officer U CEO, community engagement officer, and then we're bringing on a second. We're going to assign a second officer next year. have two officers that work with Jace in the in the city uh efforts. I can expand on it more once we get Okay. Yeah. So, Jessica trying similar she's working with admin. She has her at the admin team and but is based over and can focusing on public safety. And that was all I had. And this is our great two employees, Jason Sarissa for the city management division to the and the PowerPoint. Thank you. Questions, councel. Pretty straightforward, but thank you. Thorough. Yeah. Well done. Julie's up next. You ready, Mayor? Julie's up next. Rock and roll. Well, you know what? I have a lot of time in front of you, so maybe I can go a little bit quicker. You're good. Yeah. Um, this is our org chart. Um, we actually have everybody's name plugged in. You'll notice there's four vacancies right now in my department. And so that'll lead into my next slide about recruitment and retention. Um so basically we have three division managers. One sits in the building area. That's Dale Granberg. He runs everything and the inspections. Uh we have Alicia who does all of the economic development and housing work. And then our third manager is Susan Thomas. Uh we used to have a split for the assistant city planner. We've removed that. Um so now we just have three active managers in the in the community development department. In terms of key measures, uh some of the things we track our total planning applications, we had about 91 last year and uh we expect around the 100 mark this year. Um something that happens uh occasionally when the economy is a little jumpy and that's what I'm going to call the economy right now. um it'll hover around 100 no matter what for some reason. And we've watched the um these numbers uh are pretty consistent year after year after year. Even in downturn um years, there's definitely always strong applications. The planning division looks at about 700 building permits per year. They look at a few grading permits and then they go to about 82 public meetings. So, if you think about what um Miranda was saying about just council meetings, then you add the EDAC, you add planning commission, you add the sustainability commission and neighborhood meetings and uh zoning meetings and whatever else. So, um that number gets up there. In terms of general community development and building is in this kind of mix, we have about 8,600 permits that are issued in a year. That's followed up with about 14,000 inspections. Uh construction value last year was 370 million, which is a pretty strong number. I'll show you some of the history of what's going on in construction numbers. Plan reviews, they said about 2600 agenda items prepared. We had 205 items prepared last year or this year we were expecting. And then public meetings, again, 82. Then under environmental health, there's about 570 not quite um establishments. There's 380 food inspections that happen. And then we have our follow-ups where maybe we have some problems and we have some challenges and they need to meet the standards. And so we're following up with those establishments. And that can be anything from a school to a restaurant to anybody who serves food. And so that's food trucks as well. We do follow-ups with food trucks as well. Um, nuisance complaint. I'm a little sad about this number. This has crept up over the last year. It's um we're expecting uh it'll stay around 550. Our highest ever I think was in the 600s, but uh during the pandemic and some of those down years it was hovering around 400. And so I do watch this number closely to see um I don't know general community happiness or lack thereof. um neighbors. This is usually an indicator. And then we have about 42 days to resolve. And that sounds like a long time, but if you think about some of the complaints that you all get from neighbors, um it does take some time, especially if it's a complicated, maybe it's a lot of junk on somebody's uh property or maybe we've got some cars to tow. There's just a lot going on. This can take a while. So, average uh number of days resolve is 42. So last year's highlights again that construction being really strong. You can see what's happening in that chart below that shows you the last five years of construction and it does kind of fluctuate. And so you think about some of those stronger valuation projects like apartment projects and that's why our numbers were really high last year. You think about um Marsh Run 2 was permitted last year. Kia dealership. Um the other two apartment buildings, the Grey Star and the Hillrest site were permitted last year. So that's where you get kind of a high construction year. I did the math is about 1.4 billion over the last five years. So pretty amazing when you add it all up. And that kind of goes with the assessing report that um the crew had last week with values and and the strength of that continuing. Um we also this past year had a lot of variety of in the planning projects. We had a lot of single family that was a little bit uh controversial. We also had the um twin home project that was controversial. So there was some things going on there that weren't the norm. We're used to apartments, but we've shifted gears a little bit. There's also a strong rhythm for sustainability actions. There's the climate action plan. There's lots of events happening. Work plan progress is occurring. And you always hear our housing stuff, so I don't need to tell you. We're working on ownership. We're working on rental. Naturally occurring is something we're trying to give more attention to. And then environmental health is pretty steady as we've talked with compliance uh increasing. Our challenges again staffing especially in the inspections area um plumbing permit a plumbing application for our plumbing inspector who is retiring um this next month. I think we had maybe five people and so and that isn't a they don't want to come to Minnotonka. that is the market's still pretty strong for contractors and they don't want to work for, you know, they'd rather be in the field than work for government. So, that's that's the problem we have with finding inspectors. It's too lucrative to be um in the contracting field. Uh electrical, we got lucky. We had a few more applications and so we'll be filling that one shortly. Um but it it is a tough uh tough competition out there for just about every job planning. um we got I think we had like 80 applications so that was a much higher job um attraction but those contracting type positions are the ones we struggle with. Um I think our challenges too on the climate action is just a lot going in with one person who's who's leading the work. Um we're working on getting green core members for the next year and so that will always help offset some of the workload. So that's something we're looking forward to. And then with construction costs soaring, how will that maybe impact what we're seeing for projects? Um, we have been seeing strong tenant improvements in existing office buildings, which is an interesting dynamic. I wasn't expecting that, but that's been happening over the last year, seeing if that might continue. And then the vacancy that we have around the city, you know, how are we spending time and resources kind of managing attracting some new occupants to those buildings is on our minds. And then finally in the goals and new innovations, um really trying to elevate that housing work um talking about this legacy program. I think it came up yes last year in the EIP. We're going to talk about it again and getting a little bit further on the implementation of that. I'll talk more about that in a couple of months. Um, making meaningful progress on climate and then that zoning work group. Let's not forget about all the work they have to do and getting some momentum there. Um, and then again monitoring and adjusting for construction activity. That I'll stop. Hopefully that was Thank you, Julie. That was succinct. Um, questions for Julie and her team. You got a big group there. I do. Are you hanging in there with your vacancies? It's been It's been bumpy this year. It's been It's really It I think that what's really interesting is everybody just steps up, which is pretty cool. You know, everybody just kind of fills in the gap and that's really um cool. But at some point, yeah, people will get a little burned out. So, we're working on that. Who's next? All right. All right. Whoever's in charge. The thing the workshop, the seminar this Oh, I didn't even update the beginning one. Gosh. Yeah. Adminance. This is finance. Are you Are you going to go is that over in golden valley again? Right. What day is it? Thursday. All right. So, good evening. Just want to quickly go to the finance uh org chart. No changes from last year on that end of it. We have two divisions within the finance department. We had our city assessing side of things which Mel and her staff or Mel was at the council meeting last week for the um assessment report on that end of it. Um and then on the accounting side of it or on the finance division side of it, we kind of have our accounting side and then we have our utility billing as well too. And so, uh Joel Mary, our assistant is our assistant finance director and then Liz Ber is the other manager there as an accounting coordinator. Um, looking at our 2025 key measures, so these are coming strict straight from the budget from for finance and assessing. Looking at our monthly uh vendor payments, we pay about 660 check payments a month on that end of it. We pay about 38% of those electronically. We have kind of we monitor those a little bit. We don't automatically do electronic payments on that end of it. we have uh are are the right vendors that we know that are so we can kind of cut down on our potential fraud on on some of those things as well too. So we do um kind of push checks even though checks are are susceptible to fraud as well too. So um you know unless we know for sure that there's a it's a legitimate vendor and we've gone through all their due diligence to prove that they're um who they are and their bank account information is correct, we kind of push them to the check side of things. Looking at our utility customer accounts, we have over 17,000 utility customers and so we bill those residential quarterly and the commercial monthly. Um about a third of those customers utilize online billing. So that's good on that end of it. So we don't have to mail out their bills. They get their bills emailed to them or texted to them or um any of those types of formats. And about three4s of the customers do pay electronically. So we see um big payments coming through either via credit card or a from their checking account on that end of it. So that has helped uh with processing over the last number of years on that end of it. Annual rate of return on investments u about 3.74% for um 2024. So that was a good good year couple years ago 2021 I think it was one and a quarter percent. So um 2 and a half% is actual is real money on that end of it and helps general fund along with all of our other funds as well too. So um and I'm not expecting that number to really the feds may drop a percentage or a a couple basis points throughout the year but or a couple cuts but um our percentage should stay somewhat similar for 2025 here going forward. Um and always our Moody's credit rating we always have that as an indicator as well too. We do that with the strategic profile and there again it's the the AAA bond rating there and then we also um track our GFOA award for excellence in financial reporting and that was awarded again just recently for last year's report here probably a month ago or so and that was our 41st consecutive year of of receiving that award. So good work. And then on the assessing side, um kind of heard some of these numbers last week as well, but the um citywide market values up to just under$ 14 billion thanks to kind of Julie and her staff. And then market conditions play a role in that as well. And then our sales ratio is the ratio. And Mel's here, she's going to catch me tomorrow if I do this wrong, but this is the value of the ratio needs to be between 90 and 105% of the actual market value. And so, uh, we always kind of shoot for that 95% range. So, if the value of the home is the true sales price of the home is $500,000, we want to be just under that at 95% of that is kind of where we want to be at a range. And so, um, when we look at all the values, they all cumulatively cumulative cumulatively come together at 95.5%. So, which is a good spot to be. And then commercial tax petitions, I'll talk about a little bit about that as well too coming up, but um, we we're expecting 80 of those this year. Um, and those are numbers are likely to to increase moving forward or as well a little bit. So, and then we um our assessors when they're out in the field as well too, they do provide a survey to all of our residents when they're out on site and to our our businesses as well. And so, we kind of shoot for a rating there of 95% of uh of excellent or good on that on-site visit rating. So looking at our 2024 department highlights, I don't know if implementing Gazsby 94 and 96 is necessarily a highlight to anybody, but we uh were required to do them. So the government accounting standards board um came out with new two new pronouncements last year. And so this was dealing with public private and public public partnerships recognizing those as um a balance sheet item and then our subscription based um technology arrangements as well too. So if we have a multi-year agreement with Microsoft, you need to pick up the asset and the liability on those. And so a lot of accounting work for not a whole lot of change in your bottom line of your balance sheet. So um our report gets continues to grow year after year after year. And I don't know that it's a lot of beneficial information that's coming out of out of that that area, but it is what it is. Um we had a promotion of Aaron Castner to our commercial appraiser. She would have been our one of our residential appraisers. And so then backfilling her is Michelle Lee um who was started with us this last fall. Um we also began the first phase of the water meter change out. Um Will will probably mention that as well too, but utility billing staff is is involved with that as well too. So we had a kind of a good little test run. We had it kind of started late in the fall and got us, you know, several hundred meters changed out and so have a process in place to hit the ground running here this spring. Um there again the the GFOA um the ACT for is the U financial report and so obviously we produce that each and every year and we're working on that right now. Auditors are actually in this week so um look forward to bringing that to council in June sometime when that report gets um final draft on that end of it. And then we're also working on a process and procedure pro project within the finance and the accounting division side of it. So, we're really looking to document all of our processes, procedures, and looking at doing it in a uniform and consistent manner along with creating a calendar of events that happen on a daily, weekly, quarterly, monthly basis. On that end of it, we have a long-term employee of 31 plus years that's going is retiring this summer. And so, um, that was kind of a project to try and understand all of what she does that, um, has changed over the time and and making sure that we are able to keep on going when she's no longer here. So, Um that's been a nice project to kind of see what everybody does does and kind of keep it all in a nice uniform manner. So and then probably our favorite event of the year is that the finance department helps out with the senior book sale every year. So uh we help on the day of collection and sorting and all that type of stuff. And it's I usually spend the day outside helping c or helping people bring in books and unloading books from their cars and all that type of stuff. And it's a kind of a breath of fresh air cuz I don't get a whole lot of calls to the finance department. I was wondering what the I was wondering what the picture was, you know, and how that related to the finance department. But now you're you're connecting the dots for me. They're saying, "Thank you. This is the greatest event ever." And I'm like, yes. I'm like, I like it. What about your property taxes? No. That's awesome. So that's always a fun event for us. We've been doing that for the last couple three years, I think, on that end of it. Um so looking at challenges and I should mention our pictures here. So it's the first year for pictures. So that is a picture of our some of our finance and assessing staff there at the book fair and this is our um finance accounting division. We had a couple members absent that day but um it was a good opportunity to have the background picture there. And then so our challenges are tax court petitions. Um, you know, obviously with commercial industrial property values kind of stagnant or decreasing or depends on what kind of segment you're in. Um, we're likely to see some increase in petitions there. Um, as as we adjust to the market values and and property owners maybe think that values should adjust one way quicker than than they than they really are on that end of it. So, um, we got a good staff working on those to make sure that we do a fair and equitable, um, valuation on those properties as well. Then, as I mentioned, we have a a finance accounting staff member that's retiring after 31 years. So, that'll be a big change for us in in our area. And then we have a couple more Gazsby pronouncements again this this year as well, too. So, um, there's job security in those. It is. I I started in government back when Gazsby was 29 and 31 and so it had taken them I think like 30 or 40 years to get to that. In the last 25 years they've gotten 75 more pronouncements in place. So it's they're going at breakneck speed on this end of it. So what is GA stand for government accounting standards board. So they provide our financial reports have to abide by all of their pronouncements that come out on a regular basis. So and then we have a couple other challenges. Our ERP um implementation that we started a couple years ago um that unfortunately didn't go as planned on that end of it. And so we're working Logist is looking at an exit plan on that and we're um obviously be working with them to help them um deal with that situation and try to try to move on from from there. Um, we also have an ongoing IRS audit issued related to a 2016 um, bond that we issued and so we working with IRS for the last, it came out on July 4th and uh, so we've been dealing with them for a while on that end of it and uh, we had a big meeting the end of December and then I just get monthly updates from them that you know it's still in process being reviewed. So, um I'm not sure how many more months it will be, but well, if you wait long enough, they'll lay off. I I actually but I actually I actually talked to the agent last week cuz she calls on the 14th of every month and uh the first in February 14th was on Valentine's Day and then um sure enough it was March 14th again. And um I talked to her and I said, you know, I assume that things are pretty hectic in on your end. She goes, yeah, they're they're more than crazy. So I'm like, well, glad to hear your voice anyway from a personal standpoint anyway. Not necessarily from the IRS standpoint, but um even there's nice people even at the IRS. Yeah. Right. Right. So need them, right? Yes, we do. And then the last item we have on there is just the kind of the future with assessing services. I know the council's kind of aware about the situation with Henipin County on that end of it and such. So, um I think just kind of keeping that on the in our back minds as well too and and figure out what the future of that lies if it's you know something um that we'll be dealing with over the next number of years I would assume on that end of it. So, and then 2026 goals and and new innovations that's pretty much focused around a lot of software um innovations um utility billing software that was part of the ERP process with Logis. that's a separate software company and so we are still moving forward with that. Um that process is going well for the the couple pilot cities that have I think they're almost probably ready to go live and the next cities are getting ramped up to go into that. Um probably sounds like our implementation will probably be in 2026 sometime probably later in the year. Um talking with what with Logis and their their game plan there. Um the water meter change out process that that'll continue now for the next couple years as well too. So that'll be um busy with our staff as well too, making sure the bills are accurate with um the old meters and the new meters coming in and any estimates that had went out to to residents on bills. And then if we do wrap up the ERP system with Logis, we need to start a look at we still have an old system in place and so we need to start looking at um a new ERP and and human capital management um applications there as well too. So, we'll probably start looking at that later this year as far as developing an RFP um late this year, early next year, and then try to get that out on the street next summer sometime and and figure out a game plan for implementing that. And then we're also looking at um the program and priority based budgeting system as well too. I know that's been a that's a priority of the council with strategic plan and such like that. Um there is a a software application that I I think some of you have seen it um at NLC potentially on that end of it and um we're working with them a little bit to see making sure that it's a program that works for us but will help us also kind of identify those programs and priorities throughout the the city as well too and helping us get through that that process and get us to a better spot to be able to rep prioritize all of our um our sources and uses on that end of it. and such. And then one last one is our CIP, our capital improvement plan um software that we currently use made a conversion to a web-based platform this last year. So um when the CIP comes out to you in June here at our study session that'll be have been created on a new new platform as well too. So um lots of lots of stuff going on on that end. I missed one there with the Logis and the property data system assessing site is going through an upgrade on their side of it as well too with their property data system and loss um revamping the current system they have in place there. As far as federal grant impacts, um finance doesn't necessarily have any. We don't apply for a lot of grants, but we are heavily involved with each and every department on those. So, um, we are also keeping our ears to the ground on on a lot of that, making sure that we're aware of what's happening at federal, state, and local areas on that end of it. So, that's all I have. Thanks, Darren. Um, council, any questions for Darren? I have a really quick question. Yes, go for It feels like if 77% of people are paying their utility bill online, but only 33% are getting their their bill online, by my math, we've got a 34% opportunity of people who are willing to engage online. I would even argue it's a 44%. Excuse me. 44%. You're right. Bad bad math. But um I estimate that maybe that is a $50,000 savings if we could convert those people annually. And is there any you know if every bill all in is with paper envelope postage 50 cents? Is there a way we can incentivize that? And because it's really a one-time thing, right, to get them converted and it is. Yes. Um absolutely. And we have seen that number growing. We've been working with communications on getting messaging out about the online piece of that. Um the incentive piece of it is I know I've had communication or discussions with other cities as well too about that and um you know some have done like a $5 credit here or there and it doesn't I don't know if it necessarily moves the needle much on on some of that stuff, but I think it's more the the communication piece because once you go that direction, it's the only way to receive bills is is to get them that that way it seems like. but makes life a little bit easier on on that end of it. And it would save us um substantial um costs on on that end of it. And it would be would help us too if we're looking at potentially moving to a monthly billing piece of it. If we can get rid of those costs from a post office and from printing bills, that would definitely help from that cost side of it. Um we still have a a staff timing piece of that, but um definitely an area of opportunity for us. So, thanks Rebecca. Um, Deb, so it this may not be just you, but I'm just thinking about some of the larger um assets. Um, things like like fire trucks and takes four years to build one nowadays and they're extremely expensive now. And now there are tariffs um with some of our partner countries that produce the parts and the raw materials and everything. So what are what is your what are you seeing coming down the road on us being able to replace the our assets that need to be replaced? Global stabilitation. No stabilization. No. Yeah. Um I don't know. Um I think we're have to play by ear. I don't know what what will or Kevin has seen on on on his side with the equipment side of things. I haven't heard much on, you know, regular vehicle standard vehicles yet, but um I think we'll it'll definitely impact it. I mean, it's either we have to look at extending lives of of equipment or um there's no other option. The dollar amount is the dollar amount. We either got to find a way to do it or we delay. So, um, and we've been sort of delaying last year a little bit with some of our equipment. So, um, we'll have to keep an eye on that as well. Darren, my I any other questions? the the the question I had is um on the ERP thing, I know that's been a big pain in probably a lot of places. Um but um are we thinking of going um alone on an ERP consideration or are we thinking of still kind of working through a consortium loss or another for um you know the ERP question or is that all TBD? um a little bit TBD, but for the most part, I am convinced that we're going to go alone on it. Um I think that's Lo just doesn't really have a plan moving forward for a financial system. Yeah. Um they'll probably hang on to the current one they have for probably five, six years until it's not feasible for them to to do it any longer. Yeah. So, um I just think that the way of the world is that there isn't a need for locus in that space that space for for that. Everything's hosted nowadays. So, um yeah. Okay. I was just curious. Yeah. And just compare with Darren that more than likely it's going to be we're on our own. And one of the I think one of the primary reasons for that is when you're in a consortium like we are with Lois now there's 52 or three cities within Logis and I think eight is it 18 or so cities that had the our financing software package in today's world we need to have the ability to have flexibility in our programming of that software package and so with with Logis how you get 18 cities to buy the same software ware package is you have the same software package which means it isn't very possible, right? And so we have complex operations where we need to have ability to work with the vendor in in not having a one-sizefits-all software package. And so that's why we're going to be more than likely going on our own because we have to be able to have a software where we can fit it to how we operate, right? And not have to change our operations for it to fit a software. Well, also I mean if LO is loses just that's a Minnesota thing, right? It's not it's not multi-state and so if there's 52 participants, well, you know, there's a pretty good size good range of city sizes and then you're kind of you're kind of constrained by what the the smallest or smallest budget can handle. And so you may be stuck with doing things not in the way that's best for you but in the way that the all the members can handle and sometimes you become you know you kind of have a system that's built around the weakest link right would be my right and we kind of seen that across and this application and some other applications where it's the innovation doesn't come as quickly as as some of the the more sophisticated cities would like on that because they got to bring everybody along on that end of it and we are like I mentioned we are still going with logist utility billing application, but it's a little bit different. It's pretty much a pretty straight and simple process. Everybody has utility billing. Utility billing. So, once you have the statements up and the and the customer data in there, it's it's pretty straightforward on that end. Well, I I support what you guys are doing, but I I I think I think being able to be nimble and rightsize for our community makes sense because we are we're not one of the less sophisticated communities. We're um and I think we need we need what we need and I think what we're going to look for best in class probably between the human capital management side of it, the HR side of it and the and the finance side of it because um it's just we thought there there'd be the best of both worlds out there and there's there really still isn't. That's big stuff. Well, good luck with that. Thank you. All right, next. All right, that's me. Good evening, mayor and counsel. Uh chief, so tonight we'll kind of go over the the fire department here. U moving through the organizational chart. Uh the fire department, we run three divisions within the fire department. So we have our operations division, which is the largest division. That's pretty much where all personnel on the response side, equipment, stations, all funnel down from that. And then we have our emergency management division and our fire and safety division which has the fire marshall and deputy fire marshals. Um our fire department key measures are a little different as not as much numberbased as they're really largely focused on the public safety master plan that is in place and and in 25 we are entering into year two of that plan. Um so as part of that we are on in the process of onboarding nine new time or nine full-time firefighters which will bring us up to uh a total of 36 full-time uh fire employees. That'll go along with our we are at 58 paid on call firefighters at the moment. Once we bring those nine online, that's going to bring our uh fire station five online, which is up off of Carlson Parkway and 394. And that's really primarily to focus on the Ridgedale area, which remains our busiest area of the city. Um that and then Opus is our is our second busiest area, but we currently staff a station down there. So that'll give us three staffed fire stations 24 hours a day with uh anywhere from three to five trucks on depending on how our staffing with our paid on call is. Um in April we will be coming to the council with our service level objectives document and a look at the fire station analysis that W architects did. Um really for 2026, that's our fire stations are going to be kind of our focus as as we we go through the budgeting process to get those up and running for 24-hour staffing. And then the service level objectives, they they really dive into the numbers portion uh of our key measures that talk about response times, uh effective firefighting force, uh which put is determines how many people you got to have on scene in a certain amount of time. And it's dependent on the type of call. So EMS calls require fewer people on scene. Larger fire incidents require more firefighters on scene. So both of uh those items will be coming to you in April. And then uh a lot of work is continuing on the EMS issue at both the local and the state level. uh city manager Mike Funkin, myself are working doing a lot of uh collaborative work at the uh particularly at the district 6 level in Henipin County with uh uh Commissioner Eden and then also Henipin County Ambulance. We're doing some we have some ideas that we're we're kind of working through at a small scale in District 6. Again, just as a reminder, that's us in Hopkins, Excelsier, Eden Prairie. So, um, hopefully we'll have some good things that'll come out of that. And then at the state level, the the PSA issue continues to to chug along at a at a pretty slow pace. They have a bill, I believe, right now, that's dealing with some funding for outstate ambulance services, so they haven't really begun to tackle the the PSA portion yet, but, you know, a little bit of progress is better than no progress. So, we're still still hopeful on that. uh our 2024 department highlights is uh we implemented our new records management system and our analytics software. So that's that was a big project for us. Uh our records management we didn't intend to replace that but they discontinued our our other one and stopped supporting it. So we did uh move to a new system which was actually a good thing because it allows us to do a lot more than we were able to do before. And then our analytics which is then tied to our what's what will be our service level objectives and allows us to track in real time uh uh things like our response times uh busiest periods uh busiest locations things like that. It'll identify if we have certain addresses that are uh using up a lot of resources if it's a type of congregate care facility things like that. Um, we brought new station alerting online at our central station and our fire station 3, which is an automated system tied right to Henipin County dispatch. And that has uh just through that process that's shaved about anywhere from 60 to 90 seconds off of our response times because now uh as soon as the dispatch dispatcher starts entering the information, it automatically pushes out to our fire station. So, um, we're not so dependent on on a actual person pushing the call out to us. So, that's that's helped with our response times. And then, uh, emergency management conducted four crisis management drills for the city, uh, which included severe weather. We did a mass casualty incident and a a couple of other incidents there. And that'll be ongoing also in 2025. Um, we implemented an automatic external defibrillator loaner program. So, what that is is most all of our public buildings and most buildings you go into in the community have AEDs uh located in them, but we have gaps throughout the city, particularly in like parks and uh when people have large even large events at their homes. And so what we have is now because we replaced a bunch of our AEDs, we had some of our existing ones that we kept. And what people can do now is they can come in and borrow one from us. So if they're having a graduation party or a family reunion, things like that that are going to be primarily outdoors, they can come in and get one of those from us and have it on site at their uh event, which then as everybody knows, you know, in sudden cardiac events, uh it's very important to have uh fast shock capabilities with those. So we're pretty excited about that. And then again, we did respond to another uh nearrecord number of calls for last year at 5,700 and and we did uh over 8,500 hours of training. Some of our challenges moving into 2025 and 2026 is call volumes are going to continue to increase, but even more so what we're seeing now is over 30 and I think I looked today and it's actually closer to 35% right now of our calls are overlapping. So, uh, over a third of of the calls have at least two or more calls going on, and it's not uncommon to have three or four calls going on at once. And if you look at the way we staff currently, uh, a lot of days we have two, maybe three trucks on. So, you get two calls, three calls going at once, and now we're pulling office staff out and, uh, it's starting to stretch us pretty thin. So um and we really do anticipate that those are going to continue to increase. Another uh curious thing that has come up is mutual aid dependency is becoming difficult. Uh we rely heavily in the metro area on mutual aid for larger incidents. Basically any fire we have brings in mutual aid and and vice versa. But what we're seeing now is more and more our neighbors and we've even done it too have had to deny service on a mutual aid call because we're all in the same boat. We're all seeing record numbers of calls. We all are running kind of bare bones on our staffing. And so it's not uncommon that if an a jurisdiction gets a fire and they ask reach out for help from us that uh there are times we can't send any help because we don't have anybody to send. we can call back our our onduty personnel, but that takes, you know, by the time they get in and then respond, that's 15 or 20 minutes sometimes. And in a fiery event, that's not a lot of time that that you have. So, uh, that's kind of been a new problem that's popped up recently. And then, uh, EMS and mental health response will continue to be a challenge. Uh, Chief Borboom will will touch a little bit more on kind of what our plans are going to be for for mental health response moving into the next year or two. um recruitment and retention pretty common theme there. Uh paid on call side, it's a pretty demanding job to come in on the paid on call side and it's becoming more difficult for people to work that into their personal life. So recruitment's becoming difficult there. On the full-time side, it's it's a battle out there. Everybody's hiring. It's never been like this before. probably since the end of World War II. Um we've never seen hiring opportunities like this. So we're losing people on our hiring list before we can even hire them. That includes our internal paid on call people. Um they're on our hiring list as as soon as we can ask them if they want to come in and interview, they've already accepted a job uh elsewhere. So it's it's very very competitive out there and there's just not enough new people coming in to the market that that want to do this currently. So, uh, we'll we'll keep fighting the good fight. You know, the the good news is with the city of Minnitonka and our organization, uh, it's a place, it's kind of a city manager Mike Funk has has said it, we're we're almost a destination employer. We have a strong reputation, so that does help us. Some we've been able to uh pull a few people from other departments away from there and draw them in. So, uh, but it's going to continue to be a challenge. And then um potential impact of the new OSHA emergency response standard that's slated to probably come out this year. So we are directed by NFPA, which is the National Fire Protection Agency, and they kind of lay out our standards as far as how you respond, how what equipment you have to have, how it's made, all of that stuff. But that's a guiding document that's not bound by law. Well, OSHA has decided to adopt that and make some changes to it and then essentially it puts it into law. Um, that has a lot of impact on a lot of departments. Some departments it's more of a financial impact for us. Uh, we're in a pretty good position as far as that side goes and the things we've already done. So, but it's going to be a lot of administrative stuff and and how we track things. So, uh, we're keeping a a pretty close eye on on what comes of that. There's a lot of push back on it. So, we'll see what the final document looks like, but it could be a could be an issue. Our 2026 goals and new innovations. Uh, so we'll continue to use our data analytics to really look at how we're deploying our resources as we start to staff up, especially since not all of our fire stations can accommodate 24-hour staffing. We can look at what areas of the city during peak times are we seeing seeing calls and that'll allow us to kind of move resources around and and at least stage them during those busy times to to help minimize th minimize those response times. Uh continue to implement the public safety master plan with really 2026 focusing on the fire stations and coming up with a plan uh on how to address those and get those to where we need them for that staffing. uh continue to work with our care facilities with the goal of reducing lift assist. We go to a lot of care facilities for lift assist and they have pretty specific requirements to their licensing that they have to abide by that deals with how many staff they have to have on and really what is their responsibility with with their uh residents and a lot of them don't abide by it. a lot of them they just default to calling the fire department and police departments to come pick their residents up when they when they fall and things like that. So, uh our life safety division is really doing a hard educational push with these facilities in 2025 to really uh help them understand what are their requirements and and you know what do they need to do and and with the goal of really starting to reduce those calls. We've some of our neighbors have begun working with their facilities and they're starting to see a pretty good drop off. So, we're we're pretty hopeful that that's going to work for us, too. And then, uh, the last one there is continue to advance our health and wellness initiatives with our firefighters focusing on cardiac health and cancer prevention. Those two items remain the number one uh killer of firefighters. Firefighters are three times higher than the national average for uh cancer. Uh right now the last stat I saw is about 67% of all firefighters will get cancer. Um cardiac health cardiac is still the number one killer of firefighters. So um we do a pretty good job of of how we do screenings with our firefighters annually, but uh we need to do a little better on the cardiac and the cancer side. So we're going to do a lot of work with that this year. And then last I have is the uh federal grant impact. So we rely on safer and AFG. Safer grant is the staffing grant and the AFG is the equipment grant and those are two grants that we uh typically apply for. Uh there's a lot of uncertainty uncertainty with them. The AFG grants did open and close and we applied for it but there there hasn't been any movement since on that. we have. So, we don't know what's going on with that. And then the safer grant, which is usually open and closed by now, has not even opened yet, and we don't know if it's going to or when. Um the grant writers seem to think if we can get it open in May still, uh we'd be okay, but if it goes much past May, it'd be really hard for them to get it all wrapped up even by the end of the year. So, not sure what's going to happen with that. Um the National Fire Academy which is our premier educational institute in the fire service. Uh a lot of departments rely on classes there for promotional processes. The executive officer fire officer program stuff comes out of there. Uh they shut that down two weeks ago. Um that's the feds. Yeah, that's the feds. Uh the national fire academy is out in Emittsburg, Maryland. Um, so we don't know when or if that's going to open back up. We we had some people that were registered for classes uh to go out there and that's a 100% was 100% federally funded. So that's kind of a wait and see for us. And then another unique thing that that came up uh recently it that uh the discussions we're having in the metro here is potential changes with Medicare and Medicaid. Um, depending on what comes with that, we're anticipating a spike in EMS calls because as people find it more difficult to get appointments at their clinics and start seeing their primary doctors earlier, they're going to sit at home and their illnesses are going to get worse until it's to the point where they're going to have to call 911 and go to the hospital. So, we're starting to have some discussions on how we might have to address that. So I believe that is what I have questions. Thanks Chief. Council questions for Chief Fox. I guess I guess I have one question. Um you had mentioned about um recruiting and just shortage of firefighters. I'm just wondering do you partner like the police department partner with the schools to go recruit high school students? Yes, we actually are starting some talks with the Vantage program at Minnetonka. That's our our first stop and we're trying to see if we can develop a pathway program that will and the technical college is actually getting involved, too. So, the hope is to offer up some opportunities while they're in the Vantage program to get things like their uh EMT certification and maybe some basic fire stuff that not only gets them a a head start when they graduate to get into the fire service, but they can earn possibly some college credits along the way, too. because uh yeah, that's one of the things we identified is we got to start reaching out to these these students when they're still in school and really try to get them interested in it and let them know there's uh some good opportunities out there. So, uh once we figure out what we're going to do with Vantage and then we'll be reaching out to the Hopkins School District, too. I think that's good. I think that's the sooner you can start earlier, you know, the good, right? Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. Because they just have they have to be 18 to join. So, Yeah, council. Other questions? But once again, there are layoffs in the forest service, so maybe some wildland firefighters will start migrating over possibly. You know, I did have one question. You know, as you're reviewing some of the stats on um some of the things that you're facing, you know, multiple calls at the same time and everything. Are you finding the length of calls, any change there? Are they getting longer or any change or are you tracking that in any way? Uh we do we do track time on scene for our calls and uh our EMS calls our on scene time is a little bit longer but part of that too is uh we're doing more on scene now too. So we have working through our medical direction um we have more interventions that we're able to do on scene. So, um, even if the ambulance is there quick, between the paramedics and our staff, we're able to do a lot more prehosp stuff, which then increases their chances at the hospital. So, yeah, we're we're spending a little bit more time on scene. And then on on the fire side, not much has has changed there. It's really dependent on the type of call that we encounter, but yeah. Yeah. One more question. Um you you know that um lift assists are kind of my um um an issue for me. Um we charge people for false alarms. Can we go back and charge these um these facilities for um lift assists? I don't have an exact answer for you. I know there's some provisions um that allow us to bill for for certain responses that we do. Um, I'd have to look and see what exactly the parameters are, but potentially. Well, I'm, you know, I'm just curious. I mean, you know, I think, you know, if clearly want to get somebody off the floor and but but I think that there's probably variation between some people. I mean, they, you know, they're transferring the risk onto the public sector. That that if they're going, that's fine. If they want to do that, that's fine. But they're going to pay for it. It's not going to save them money. um you know uh but I it bothers me when when I see a private profitm entity shifting their costs on to us. So that's it's very similar to the fire alarm billing because you know the residents contract with a third party for a service and then the third party provides the service of responding to a call which is us. So we become the uncompensated kind of third party. So anyway, we don't have we don't have to solve that tonight. But plus they they're supposed to I mean there are certain regulations they're supposed to have certain things and they're not complying. Is there some consequence for that? Yes. And it's I don't know where the oversight on that has come because you know they're they're managed by the state. Um, so I don't know how often how aware the state is this, but yeah, they got to have, you know, a lot of them will go down to minimum staffing or below at night, but they're required to to have a certain level of staff and then they are required to to provide some service to the residents. Most care facilities their licensed nursing staff goes home sometime in the evening and then the overnight staff is primarily uh licensed at a lower level than than what they have during the day. So they their capacity to do some things is diminished and that's when we start seeing a lot of the calls that we're seeing. So I do know um I'm sorry. So with the cancellation of the National Fire Academy amongst the chiefs. I mean, what what's the plan? We don't have one yet because we didn't see that one coming. Um, and it just happened. um you know there's other educational opportunities out there for us but there was a lot of people that you know were h you know the executive officer program there that's a a three or fouryear program sometimes and a lot of cities when they're hiring at the at the chief level require that stuff and so it it puts a hamper on the promotional processes and some of these people that were halfway through their program are are suddenly put on So, we're in a wait and see. Yeah. Um Paula, um yeah, I was just curious going circling back to the lift. Um how many you said that's increasing and you know, is that like a fairly substantial percentage of you know kind of the calls right now? Do we have any like ballpark on that? I did speak while you're looking for that to um recently with another council member and I'll have to look back and see who it was in what city because they are starting to charge for lift assist. Yeah. So we're at 129 for the year so far. So far um yeah it's it's hundreds and hundreds. So you know we're it's not insubstantial. No. Okay. But those are not all at care facilities either. We do a lot of private residences, too. Yeah. But I can I can get those numbers. We have All right. I'll see if I can find out. Yeah. And let's let's move on a little bit. But you have just just real quick. So on the lift assist is isn't there some aren't we talking with um dispatch and uh Henipin County about finding personnel that are not necessarily firefighters or police to help like does dispatching just for that sort of in a separate kind of there hasn't been a lot of not at Henipin uh Henipin County ambulance They they've been trying to do some work on it, but they've had staffing challenges, too. Um, on the dispatch side, not really. They their jobs just to code the call and and and push it out. So, it's really up to us to figure out how to deal with these. Great. Well, we're going to keep moving on because we have more reports. So, thank you. Um, so who's next? Mike or Chief Police? Maybe. Chief Borboom. Scott, good evening. Should I turn that on? All right. So, first I'll go over our organizational chart. I'm sure you know this uh from previous presentations, but we have a deputy chief that really oversees day-to-day operations, including all hiring um and training, policy development, accountability. Um, our other division is uh uh patrol services which is our biggest division. It's where there's about of our 65 sworn strength, there's 47 of our officers and sergeants and other staff in in patrol. So, it's the largest division. Those are the folks that wear uniform that work pretty much 247. And then the remaining are in the detective or support services division. Detectives, we have two people at Minnitaka High School. We have one person assigned to the drug task force uh office and we have two folks uh assigned to Ridgedale that work out of Ridgedale and then we have a partnership with the uh Secret Service on electronics crimes work group and that detective works out of downtown Minneapolis. Getting into some of our key measures, these are some um these are some data points that we've been collecting uh probably over the last decade. We did add mental health and training hours here probably in the last uh se last few years, but for the most part um it I'm going to highlight a couple of them. One is we we took a little decrease. We got to pick up our community service satisfaction. A little disappointing that we went to 96. We're going to go for 97 next year. Working on that. Uh calls for service, as you would expect, uh has continued to go up. uh uh type A and type B uh criminal offenses. Those are your your type A are like burglary, assault, robbery, you know, higher more person crime and type B is more property crime. And you can see as we report consistently relatively flat over the years. Um and so not a I mean it's we're a very safe community period. And so but I you know a couple things I'm sure uh you know that have come up in the past. Just want to highlight as we stopped there for a second like theft for motor vehicle, auto theft and burglary. We have uh we have turned the corner on that. Um down in in our 2024 annual report just went live today. So there's a lot of information. There's like 18 pages. So feel free to go online to see more detail on anything I talk about here. Um but I mean that's important. I think you're seeing in the news with even Minneapolis and other jurisdictions that is dropping and um I can contribute part of that towards there's there's more of targeted enforcement and so we have an autotheft detective that works with Henipin County Sheriff's Office and they've done um details and I and I think over the last probably eight months they've done four of them. So that's a detail is they go out for about eight or 10 hours and specifically uh you know seek out stolen vehicles, those that are engaged in that behavior. And just with those four details alone, they recovered 40 uh stolen vehicles, 15 guns, and and you know, while it's, you know, there's there's a lot of work that's happening in other parts of the metro, these folks are always are still coming out in the suburbs. And so that's probably the biggest impact has been more um more direct uh targeted enforcement on on folks that they've identified are the frequent fires. And so that's causing these numbers to drop. And it's not just here in Minnetonka. Uh medicals, we still respond to medicals. We are the primary responder. And then fire will assist us on significant medicals like cardiac arrest, stroke, breathing, and when we're not available. And so obviously it's something in our public safety study that was called out. At some point we're going to hand the baton to fire. As they bring on more personnel, it does free up our our time because then we're not duplicating his efforts by having police respond, fire respond, and then EMS. That's that's a lot of resources. And so I think um we're getting close as as they bring on more firefighters. traffic stops have um you know we've done you know we it's the number one complaint in the city and so really pushing that out to our officers you know get out there and as you'll see uh traffic stops are roughly you know 6,400 and less than a thousand are traffic citations so we do a we do a lot of education um you know there are times when someone someone is going to get a ticket but that number is you know relatively low uh compared to how many stops we're making mental health continues to to rise. And then in 2024, there was a big jump. Um and that is because if you recall last year, we required everybody to be trained in crisis intervention training. That was a 40hour class. And so now everybody in the department has received that training in 2024. So now we're going to get back to more of the um you know, realistic um training hours that we what we what we would expect. Uh some highlights, not necessarily a highlight, but certainly a significant event for the police department is we had a a sergeant who had had passed away from cancer, left a huge void in our agency, was a was just an excellent mentor, a training officer. I mean, he did everything um and did it well. And so that was a huge void for us and um a significant event that we that we dealt with here uh in in the police department. And then kind of be because of that there was the legacy of of Ryan. And so we created this spirit of of of uh of the police department award. And then we've been doing a lot of more internal focused uh work with we have a lot we've had a lot of uh hiring. In fact in the last two years we've hired 13 officers. We currently have seven vacancies and so that's a pretty big turnover. Uh in our sergeants group, we have a total of uh 12 sergeants and eight of those sergeants have less than two years and then we had a captain that was promoted. And so a lot of the work we do is kind of around that when you have a lot of turnover. Uh we've been working on um you know insights discovery, trying to make sure that group knows how to work together and that's really important especially with the with the amount of um you know influence they have on our on our people. And so we wanted to make sure that there's some alignment and consistency with with with all these new folks. And so that's really important. Our professional standards sergeant has been very busy making sure that, you know, we we implement best practices, we have the the latest policies and making sure not only do we have the policies, we're adhering to these policies. And so that takes a lot of effort. Uh, you know, we review all our body camera footage. We do audits. We make sure, you know, just we just do random checks, watching how our officers interact because, as I noted before, you know, we we have a 1% we got to increase that 96 to 97. So, we want to make sure we cover everything we can. Uh, police academy, that was something we hosted here. It's a nineweek academy. We had about 40ome residents that participated. Um, always always a a fun uh opportunity for us. And then we brought our own our own social worker. And I'll speak a little bit more about that as I get into the mental health, but that has been huge for us because it allowed us to really redefine the um the job description and and and look beyond just the afterare and what we've been doing for for years. some challenges and I think it was kind of mentioned over uh with admin is that we have we have fairly good floor space but we didn't maximize each of the space we have and so now we're finding ourselves re re um put new furniture in there or take you know where we had two cubicles now we're putting four in. We've done some things because we've kind of changed the staffing model and we've added some people. And so because of that, we've had to uh just look at space a little differently because we're kind of squeezing people in and and they're getting cozy, but you know, it's it's uh it's actually it's working well. It just, you know, unfortunately they c it costs money when you when you do that and surprisingly I'm actually shocked at how much it costs to do that. Um, and then as with with this technology changes and so we're really trying to become more efficient with our technology and it's it's great and our officers and the morale when they see new technology like we have new axon the body cameras and the and the and the uh squad cameras and our tasers and our and our handguns. We have everything talks to each other. So, we have these Bluetooths connecting, but you have to learn how to use all these tools where, you know, if if I remove my gun from my holster, it sets off everybody's camera and it and then afterwards it all kind of collects it in one in one place. All that comes with with training and then training the new equipment. Um, we have this new VR headset which um it's you put it on and it it it's scenarios. And in fact, we had the Hopkins High School, our MAC program come in and they participated with the VR headsets. And I was talking to Jace and he said that was the best thing that that they've ever experienced just going through that what it what it because it puts people in position to see what the officers will do. And so we're going through that as well and it takes a lot of time. And then with all these new hires, every new officer takes about 18 weeks with a training officer. And so our training officers are, you know, especially have if you have somebody who's maybe struggling a little bit. It it's a lot of work when you're working with somebody for 12 hours in a car and it just it's a it's you know burnout. We want to make sure that they they don't get burned out and uh but we also um you know need folks to be trained to a pretty pretty important level. And then as I'm sure everybody in here has mentioned the cost of maintaining technology and the equipment cost it doesn't it doesn't get cheaper with time. Um, and so that's something that we're paying attention to. And then ultimately when you have this many new sergeants and new officers, we're a very young department. And so, uh, you know, it it it's not like you get a call where they'll say, "Okay, I want somebody with 15 years of experience to respond. We have we have a shift that may have everybody has less than two years on and, you know, they have to respond as if they have the experience of a 25-year officer." And so that's not always easy. But I think they're doing a really good job with that. Um, some goals and some uh, innovations. And so I'm going to kind of back up and maybe expand on the on the first one beyond our community engagement efforts just because council member Kley had asked about Olivia. And so just to back up a little bit, our our public safety study that we did um, called for two community engagement officers. And what we did is each year when we look at that, we try to see if if if we need to pivot or be flexible because that's they're very expensive to add officers. Officers are not cheap. I know that we we have to outfit them with equipment and um and sometimes each officer is a chance for give me an extra another headache, but besides the point. Um, and so what we did is we looked at other opportunities and I knew other cities were working with Henipin County in partnership to bring in somebody to kind of fill that role to do outreach efforts. And so what we did is we brought in um Olivia was one of those um that was eventually came in to work with us. And what I found during her short time here is we have a very um strong presence in the city with Jace and the team that he is well that I mean he does it alone and he's going to get a team because he needs a team but there there was we needed um it seemed like we were doing there was some duplication of efforts and what was happening is I would have Olivia represent police and then Jace would be there as well. Well, it was very clear to me that I needed an officer in uniform to make those connections. She did a phenomenal job, but she's not a police officer. So, what we did is we we decided to um pivot and have an officer in the role to work closely with Jason and his team, but then we're also going to bring on a second one. And um and you know, if you know Elelliana Wells, she's from Hopkins. She was a newer officer who did this work at Hopkins. So, she's going to fill that role immediately. And then officer Justin Johnson is going to step in in uh in January or first quarter to also fill that role. So, we're able to really be intentional about the work that we do because to to connect with kids and um you know uh in our community sometimes you need that person in uniform to make that connection. It just has to be the right person. And right now I've got two outstanding people that are really interested in doing that. So, and really it's going to then augment what this what Jace does at the city so we're all like in alignment because a lot of this work has fallen under Jace and um I think this will actually this this will actually make our the work that we do more um more meaningful. Yes, I had a question. when we first um approved um I guess another employee I at the time it seemed like it was under under the assumption that it'd be more like a like a community engagement person but now it sounds like we kind of made it into a officer. So it seems like to me that instead we're not getting really a community engagement person, we're getting another officer to take the place of an engagement person. And so that feels a little different than what we originally spoke of when we agreed to hire another person. Yeah. So that's a good question and that actually so what what was happening is and when I when I met with the organizer who kind of oversees the the program at Henipin County what we discovered if if you're a city that lacks the presence of like a DEI um coordinator at the city then you need somebody strong like like from the county like what Olivia did. If you have a strong presence at the city like what Jace does, then Jace is technically the one going to make those connections on our behalf and then we're gonna be with him to fulfill that need also. So, we're kind of working closely with him and as his team starts to grow instead of having two people doing the same work, we're going to align oursel and and work under under the city umbrella. Um, and so we really didn't add an officer. We actually just took we never um the partnership with Olivia was a a split with us in the county and then we just we actually rolled that the c that communication officer into patrol instead of adding somebody. So the ask would be next year is for the extension of that with like with Justin to fill that role as well. So it is come the actual addition is coming before the council for consideration in our budget for next year. But you're right, you did a the agreement that was with um the county did fit that role. It just seemed to me that what Jacece was doing is what Olivia was doing, right? And we were missing and we were going to supplement that with officers that were like community engagement unit, but because we've been short, I often found that it was Jace and Olivia doing the work and we didn't have our staff there to to supplement and be that be that presence. So really what it is is Jason Jason his team as he grows his team they will be the making those connections that we need them we need their help and then our officers uh Justin or Elelliana will be that as you know as that presence for police. Okay. So that's kind of what happened there. Okay. Jason is just too good. I'll be honest with you. I sat on meetings and he pretty much ran he pretty much was the run running the show. And that's when it clicked on me that I we need to fall in line with the work that he does and make sure we're in alignment and I need to support with some staff to really help him. And so we're actually doubling down. I I actually think we're actually be more intentional and the work we're going to do is going to be more um I think it's going to be just because I know how how his work is being done. Um it's pretty remarkable. Hi Scott. Um and then um as we look at again we look at our public safety study, we're not always trying to personnel are not always the answer and so where can we find efficiencies without hiring people that are consistent and so we're just looking at we do have what we call as a real crime real real time crime center. Um we do a lot with intelligence and making sure that we we just we you know we direct our officers to the right place at the right time and you know we're not just driving around. And so that's something that we already have in place, but we're really looking at enhancing that, looking at what that looks like. You know, mostly has to do with space and some technology. If you're familiar with our Axon draft one is our AI reporting that we received. We're going to be going into the pilot stage of that right now with a limited number of people on on like low-level uh crimes that really there's no arrest. We want to make sure our partners with the with with with the legal team and you know it it meets your satisfaction because with AI you know there's obviously some some concerns and so we're we're starting that as a pilot right now but full implementation will will will be efficient and then we're just starting to look at what what what else is what else is is kind of up and coming and you know drones for first responders is very new. It's not here in Minnesota, but really what it does, it it positions these these like nests and when a call comes in to dispatch of a you know a lost child or a fire or that that drone is sent immediately to that area within a minute and a half and providing real-time information to us. So we're we're looking at ways to be just more efficient. And so that I mean that's we know technology changes a a lot but we're just trying to find ways can we can we implement technology in lie of you know police officers people and that kind of goes in with uh al alternative mental health response as as the fire department starts to staff up with with uh Kelly's position. Just preliminarily, we're looking at um can we can we partner with some local universities and colleges that have students that want to be social workers and they want to come under her leadership and her supervision be interns and we can partner them with firefighters who are already on duty that we already have working. And so the public safety calls out a mental health unit of police officers. Well, it's my intent to see if we can actually move those dollars towards firefighters that are already here and then we supplement them with with uh social workers who uh are up and coming or um you know something like that. So, our goal is to have this implemented by next year. And so, Kelly right now is just working out how what does it look like, what kind of training, how does it impact the fire department and things like that. So, that's kind of where we're at with with that. We also recognize that we can never have a 247 like group that are on doing that work. So, we always have to make sure our officers have some level of proficiency and in um training when they're dealing with uh folks in crisis. And then in addition to that, if there's any indication of a weapon or a threat, the the alternative response will not happen. It'll be by police anyway. So, we have to make sure we still have that as a as a consideration. uh Axon RMS implementation that's another kind of as as Mr. Funk had mentioned with Logis uh our records management system has has been um has been pretty much stagnant forever and so we that's built into what we had purchased last year and so we'll have our own uh RMS system that'll be implemented next year and that'll be a big undertaking for us to do it just to transfer all our records over uh grants impacted by the federal government. We have uh we have some significant grants out there, but when we looked at any impact, as you can see, the one that we were paying attention to that we actually were we saw the RFP come out and we were going to apply for it and then we went back in to apply for it and guess what? It was gone. Yeah. So, that one's not not there, but that was going to uh help us create this mental health response and and pay for some of those costs. uh DW DWI traffic safety officer that is uh that travels through the federal government through Nitsa and through the state I should say from Nitsa that is a position that's in the public safety study for a traffic officer. This is currently being funded through this grant. So we'll have to monitor to see what happens there. And then uh the UAZI grant, we really don't have anything for that, but what we do is that we apply for that grant if we have a need for like like we ask for a drone. We we can apply for that. It's uh it's it's administered through Henipin County, but it comes through uh FEMA and uh you know there's no more applications for this year. The rest of those we we currently have those grants. Um but we don't see any uh any impact to those. And that is it for mine. Any questions? Thanks, Scott. Any questions for Scott? I think we asked some as we went along, but any others? Anyone? All right. Thanks a lot. Lot going on. Appreciate it. Will you next? Oops. is P R A B C P U this was alphabetical I guess I Okay, Kelly, sorry. Sorry about that. I I just I'm just watching people grab the the clicker. I mean, we were in alphabetical order. We aren't guess uh hi everybody. Good evening. Uh recreation department has 33 full-time staff members over six divisions. Three of the divisions are our three big facilities. So, the Marsh, the Willis Center, and the ice arena. Um our admin division oversees uh marketing, communication. Uh we publish three brochures per year. Um they also uh administer our special events. So summer festival, kids fest, things like that. Uh recreation division. So the programming division, we've got programming from folks who are ages six months all the way to 100 plus years old. So they're are very busy. And then the last division is our community facilities division. So they off office office out of the community center oversee the community center as well as some other facilities including Grace Bay Marina, Glenlike Activity Center. It also houses our senior services program. Some of the key measures from 2025 I'll start in the top left. So youth scholarships in the past three years we have approved an average of 80 per year. Um those scholarships are geared for youth that live in Hopkins or Minnetonka. The value for each scholarship is $100. So that shows the $8,000 value. I was trying to think about the last time we've denied a scholarship and I cannot remember when we have. So, uh, we're in good shape with our scholarship fund. Um, we raise funds throughout the year to support that and we have not denied a scholarship in many, many years. Two highest uses for those would be youth soccer and swimming lessons. Uh, the Marsh was busy this past year. I think we're actually up to almost 7,000 members right now. So, very busy at the Marsh. We have another thousand or or so that take advantage of the Marsh and Willis Center membership. uh and with that number rising that means that revenues are increasing as well. So uh the numbers for me membership specifically and fitness have have gone up dramatically over the past year. Willis center has been busy as well. I think that was one of the things that we were maybe nervous about when we took on the marsh is what was going to happen to Willis and Willis has stayed really consistent. Um Willis has over 10,000 members which is very very busy. You know 275,000 visits per year. So that's, you know, 900 to a,000 a day. In the winter, it's more like 1,200 to,400. So when you think about how busy that, a lot of people coming through the doors at Williston. From the top right, our adult sports teams have really um I would say increased over the past three years. We have over 500 teams. You know, adult volleyball is the one that seems to be growing uh the most lately. We've got some outdoor sand volleyball leagues that have have really expanded. And then our special events attendance. Um, so over 11,000 people have attended our special events. Summerfest, KidsFest, Burwell Spooktacular, some to name a few. You know, it really depends on the the weather, but we've had some pretty good weather. We've dodged a few storms, things like that, especially KidsFest. The last two years it's been, you know, like 50 degrees in February and so um people are definitely coming out uh and I think very very appreciative of the events that are free, too. I think we hear that quite a bit. Some highlights uh from 2024. Willis had a good year. talked a little bit about that. You know, Darren's got to run the official numbers year end, but we're anticipating, you know, about $300,000 uh exceeding, you know, revenues exceeding expenditures. So, that's that's a good thing. It's classified as an enterprise fund, which means it's covering its operation. But when we come back and look at our capital, those capital items, the treadmills, the HVAC units, that comes out of the Willis fund. That's not a a tax levied fund. That's the Willis Center fund. So, we're really proud of that. Um the marsh um you know memberships are up you know 30 to 40% from 2023. Um like I said we're we're almost 7,000 members just at the marsh we did bring on two new staff members a fitness center man a fitness manager and a program and special events coordinator. So if you remember when we took on the marsh in 2023 we kind of piece meal it together. We had you know four or five interim positions a lot of part-time staff members. We contracted some things and so now we're bringing on a few new staff members which has really helped helped operations over there. I mentioned, you know, membership uh bringing in quite a bit of money, but um the personal training revenue just in 2024 at the Marsh was $140,000. So, we're definitely seeing a lot of folks over there that want that type of service um which is definitely more than the Willis Center. And then the last highlight from 2024 would be our sauna and the parks program. So, that's the picture on the top right. That's our sauna. Um, we had over 2,000 reservations. Um, and I know some of you have been out there, which is it. It's an amazing program. It's been on the news. Um, I know we've had videos. It seems like my face is showing up in the videos. I don't know why that's happening, but not just your face. I don't know if that's riding it or not. I Anyway, so it's a little too much information for a Monday night. Turn around. I'm like, am I going to be in there or not? And I am. So, um, with those reservations though, you know, we we want it to be affordable to people, but we're also bringing in a pretty good chunk of money, too. So, $70,000 in revenue for the season. That's cool. That's incredible. So, the ROI on that is is Yeah. You know, we were planning, you know, we bought the sauna, you know, I told Darren, I asked Darren if we could buy that. We the plan was to pay that back in two years, and we're we're on pace to do that. So, yeah. Uh, some of the challenges, um, funding for facility improvements. We talked about that at a study session last year. We're going to come back and talk about that again in May. So, I'm not going to dig into that deep, but you know, there's uh we have some older facilities, which leads to kind of the point number two, the costs of those facilities and the maintenance of those. You know, we're balancing those, which which is difficult. And so, we know there's some big ticket items out there and we know we have to talk through that and work through that and figure out the best way forward and we'll plan to do that here when we come back in May and hopefully we can come up with a good plan. And as others mentioned, seasonal staffing or staffing in general for us, it's seasonal staffing has been a challenge over the years. I think it was three years ago when the lifeguard shortage really hit us. Lifeguards have actually come back. We are not having any issues finding staff members at Shady Oak Beach, but we still have a lot of other park programs that are are we're still looking for folks. So the seasonal staffing, we hire anywhere between, you know, depending on the season, 250 to 350 staff members. So that's a lot of folks that come in. We just presented to the DE DEI commission and talked about the makeup of our seasonal staff, which was interesting because most people think it's high school and college age. We had over 20% of our folks were 55 plus. So, um, you just don't think about that, but we have a lot of people who either maybe just retired and want some part-time work. Uh, a lot of our adult sports or softball instructor or softball officials are are people who are 55 plus. So, that's an interesting fact. some goals for 2026. We have a recreation app coming. So on your phone, which is we're really excited about this as an app. This will help with a number of things within our department. Number one, facility check-in. So we have three facilities that have a membership. So Williston, the Marsh, and Shady Oak Beach. So instead of having a membership card, you'll just be able to use your app and scan in at those facilities. Uh program registration. You think about the number of calls that we have the day before summer registration. I can't get into my account. I forgot my password. You know, all that. If you have the app, it's one of those facial recognition things. Once you're in your phone, you're in. So, you hopefully that will reduce the number of calls. You can then it should be much much easier to register for programs through the new app. Um, again, getting on your account and then marketing. We're going to work closely with uh our communications division with the app. There's just u we have such great opportunity to market our events, our programs, our facilities. So, we're really excited about that. Couple other things for 26, uh, rink B refrigeration, we had put that on hold, uh, two years ago, hoping to do that in 2026. The sauna and and beach improvements, you know, with with the amount of interest we had in in sauna in the parks, we want to just make sure that we continue to maintain that and enhance that experience for our users. A big thing for us with the farmers market. Um, so relocating the farmers market, uh, that was a tough tough decision. Uh, we had that market here at city campus. along with music in the park. Um moved it out to Ridgdale Commons which is an amazing park, an amazing setting, but people were not coming. The attendance was down probably anywhere from 40 to 50%. Really? So which was so we heard that and you know we we did evaluate that people were telling us that and so uh we are going to try to do it in the Marsh parking lot starting this year. One of the the main uh one of the things that we heard most about when we had it on city campus was it was hidden down by the amphitheater. But now that we have an opportunity to put it right on Minnetonka Boulevard on the east parking lot of the marsh, we're excited excited about that opportunity. So now we are still trying to backfill program more programming out at Ridgale Commons because we know that's an amazing park. We've seen more rentals out there and we want to make sure that is still vibrant. But people weren't coming out there and it was really interesting to hear that. I was surprised by that. But we wanted to be nimble. Um we had to we're trying to, you know, go where the people are and where they want to be. So that is a change that will happen here this year. I mentioned facilities. Uh and then lastly, we do apply for, you know, a number of grants. Most of the grants that we apply for are through Henipin County andor our professional organizations. So we don't have any um federal ties to our the grants that we apply for. So it's the Henipin County Youth Sports Grants that are applied for most. Trying to get us back on track. Appreciate it. We did a nice job, Kelly. Any any question for Kelly? No, I was just thinking that that the that the marsh or the uh civic campus is it's more centrally loc. It's kind of more in the middle. Ridgedale's kind of the northeast corner and maybe it's just, you know, doesn't seem as far. Yeah, I I agree. It's more centrally located. I People had were somewhat nervous about driving to Ridgeville. I I think we heard that. Um I know I know um it's only two and a only 1.2 million that do it every month but um no I know so we're but I get it attendance and so um well and and you look at the demographics and the uh and the psychoraphics of um um farmers market attendee that may be different than a you know serious mall um shopper. So, but but the other thing I it was interesting because I've been to the farmers market at at Ridgel Commons and I think the vendors really liked it. I you surprised me when you told me that that the numbers were down. But I also think that there's synergy between the farmers market and music in the park. And I think by having those two close together, I think there's there's a benefit there because I I I know that there are people who who go to the farmers market kind of late and the food truck and thing and then the music in the park and it's just a nice extension. Agreed. So anyway, well, I just I wish you well. Those are both all great programs and thanks for your report. We'll do a rain dance for money for all the things at the marsh. Sounds good. Among other things. Make it rain. All right. Let's see who's next. Is it the science will tell public works? Here we are. You're up. Well done. But three weeks in, two weeks in. All right, Eric. We're looking forward to this. No pressure. It's It's new for me to still be engaged in adult conversation at this time. Okay. Well, hope you're not hope you're not past your bedtime. Yeah, forgive me. All right, so all right, here is our what I I will you'll hear me say a lot is our small but mighty legal office and legal staff. Um there are three attorneys and four support staff. Uh one of the support staff is our legally required victim witness leaison, Rachel Daniels, who I thought did a great job at stage. She did. That was very interesting. It was great. Um the the story of our office of course um is turnover right now. An office that has really I think historic tenure um on both the civil and criminal sides. U twothirds of the attorneys are turning over. So Ralph is retiring in May. Um he's listed there as the associate city attorney. Um it's really the deputy city attorney function that he's been performing. Anna has now been officially named the deputy city attorney. She's a role. Yep. Which is wonderful. And then we are back filling Anna and we're in the midst of that interview process right now. Um we didn't get a uh I I don't have a good context for historic numbers obviously and the office hasn't had to do hiring, but it wasn't a large number of applicants, but the quality was really good and we've got two really good finalists right now. Excellent. Um still interviewed. So 2025 budget key measures. the the top four lines are criminal law related and the remaining are civil. Uh the the one of the interesting things is we've historically received the suburban statistical overview from the court systems in February each year which guides these numbers and we haven't received that this year. There's a everybody is waiting for it. There's a big delay. That is the one set of statistics that allows us to compare apples to apples with other municipal in-house prosecution offices to determine if our staffing ratio is is in line with the number of cases. The story of the criminal case load is that it's up to historic levels. So, the one line we can know with definitive um knowledge is the 2024 actual number um of cases opened and processed by staff. And that is an all-time high for the office. It's never been that high. Um, we could all surmise a bunch of reasons, potential reasons for that. Uh, it's hard to say. I I think if we're looking at estimated and projected numbers going forward, no surprise, a prosecution function will often track somewhat with your law enforcement personnel numbers and and both state patrol and police are are bringing on additional personnel and we can anticipate that our case volume will go up correspondingly. Um, the last three lines are are civil measures. civil law practice in a government setting is is is a a real conundrum to come up with any sort of quantitative measure. It doesn't lend itself to that. It's really qualitative work. It's work that's done in support of the rest of the enterprise. And so if the if the city is doing well and the enterprise is doing well, the legal underpinnings are typically there. Uh and that's the good work. So this is something that I actually also did in Minneapolis, which is base it more on customer satisfaction. customer being our clients which is everybody in the city yourselves included department heads uh and staff um and then we also include a satisfaction measure with the charter commission which which I staff as well um this again is just trying to reconcile we're dealing talking to Ralph a lot today we're trying to just figure out numbers that would actually be meaningful and without the suburban statistical overview we're kind of going a little bit with projection here um so this gives you another idea of of um some of those projections. One thing you'll note is is the m sort of the big areas of the criminal case volume are DWI, domestic uh and theft. And um as staffing numbers increase in our law enforcement partners, you will see DWI numbers go up because that is a fact of life that if you're out in the field more, you will you will you will find those cases. Domestic cases don't typically track staffing. there is kind of a um unfortunately a sort of a just a consistent number um that are there. So you see that's why that number we projected to remain the same 2024 department highlights these have been mentioned and and that is no surprise as I mentioned the legal the legal staff on the civil side really functions in support of the enterprise so successes by other departments or by the city enterprise uh also are are um can be attributed to the legal work. So the leap plan that Kareem led on is one of the big ones. A lot of our contractual u drafting and review is is a is I've I'm quickly realizing is a big area of focus. Uh and then again repeat staff open the greatest number of criminal cases in recorded legal department history. Um so as you can imagine a lot of the evidence and and the work of criminal prosecution has gone into a digital format. So, we have a a lot of staff time that's geared towards the review of body warn camera video and squad video. Um, and the court system, Henipin County courts at least, have implemented a digital um, exhibit system at the end of last year downtown for criminal cases. And so, we're also having our staff have to enter in all of this digital evidence into the the computer systems in advance. It it makes the the court process when you get there more streamlined, but is a ton more front-end work that we're not most prosecution offices aren't historically used to. Um, noting the uh transitional period again, twothirds of the attorney staff are turning over. Um, and so we're going to be working through that uh uh onboarding this year and getting acquainted. And as you can imagine, you have a you have a criminal team of two prosecutors who have been at tandem. They've been a dynamic duo for all these years. 19 years for Anna. So, they've worked together for that long. Ralph's had a, you know, 30 plus year tenure. You haven't told Ralph that he can't retire yet? I know. I know. You haven't done that yet. I know. I I thought Mike had that at the top of your list. I know. I know. I just enjoy having him around. I love talking to him. So, I don't want him to leave on a personal level either. Um, so, uh, bringing on a new person will be will be a challenge. I mean, they're just so used to to almost it's an unspoken way. They kind of back each other off noticed and and cover for each other and and um and and so that's going to that's going to be very new and and and a definite challenge. Um and then with civil work, you you always, you know, I areas I might be proficient in or have some knowledge in are going to be different than Karine's. And she was she was an amazing lawyer and but had some definite expertise areas that I I perhaps don't have. And so, uh, it's it's me learning those areas and and and doing that work where I can and then by that same token trying to minimize our use of outside council legal assistance. Yep. I'm learning that there is a vast network out there that I can avail myself of, though. Um, both a network that I've created through my tenure as a lawyer, but also through the League of Minnesota Cities and and and uh friends who are also city attorneys in some of the suburban communities. Uh we do not receive any federal funds, glad to say, and so we don't have any implications there. Uh again, we're going to be keeping a an eye on the prosecution numbers and getting a better idea when that suburban analysis comes out to see where we stand in relation to our our um suburban colleagues. uh that is something that we do need to keep an eye on for the future in terms of staffing whether it's an additional attorney or a a parillegal somebody that can do a lot of the the the functions that that might bring that along. Um I mentioned the digital exhibit system and all the inputs that are required there and then we also have the continued adjustment with the police to the axon system which is the body warn camera. All right, questions. Well, thank you. Welcome. Good to hear your first report. Appreciate it. Um, council questions for Eric. Um, question. Yeah. I don't know if this um will impact um your department, but there's like um a new I guess um it's not a commission, but it's like a new department where they're going to be expuning the um marijuana. Yeah. And so I'm just wondering, do you think that's because it's like 950,000 cases. So, I'm wondering is that gonna impact the workload for our city? Great. That's that's interesting. There's actually it's a former Minneapolis city attorney who leads now the the expungement. So, Jim Routder leads the expungement office there. um you know uh the pro the prosecutors do have a role in expungement but a my understanding is a lot of that is going to be handled sort of automatically based on certain categories of offense and and um and but I I I I can certainly get some detail on that for you and get back to you. Yeah, I was just um wondering because I know like um um the job is going to be where there's going to be parallegals going through the different cases, but if there's a charge that's tied to like just if it's not just cannabis, then it may get like um appealed or maybe you might say, well, I don't agree with this case being yeah expuned. So, right, I would imagine there's going to be a lot of cases like that and I'm wondering like if the cases are going to be like that, how many will we be looking at as a city to um object those cases? Yep. So, yeah, that's a great question. I'm I'd be happy to get info on that for you. Just just curious, just a brief comment. I I mean, the the evidence piece, the trial evidence and exhibit piece to me sounds like a big problem and and a need for a parallegal. As much as I hate to say it, but I can tell my colleagues that that's like a very big deal and it is a lot of work. And so, you know, I'd hate to see the work compromised and, you know, the evidence lacking because you don't upload it, you're kind of in trouble. It's it it is it is a definite area of increased front-end work. had a conversation with the Bloomington city attorney this week and Bloomington is actually they've got a larger staff but they're they're loading in all their evidence at the earliest possible appearance. Right now the way the system is set up by Henipin County courts is they're only requiring it once you get to a certain stage of the criminal proceeding. It's post arraignment um and definitely before trial but there's a there's a later period where it's it's required. The anticipation is they're going to keep moving that up um earlier in the process. So, Bloomington is putting everything in right now, even when they don't have to. Um, I think they think there's there are certain advantages to doing that for their staff and their prosecutors. We wouldn't have the capacity to do that right now. Keep us posted on that. That's a big deal. Yep. And I would just quickly add to that, when we come back in May for our budget kickoff, we'll talk a little bit about our people plan. Miranda Domin as our assistant city manager working with our directors on a fiveyear what we're calling a people plan of a think of your CIP but for our staffing and so we've identified in legal just to your point Rebecca about needing parallegal so we have we're building in a parallegal position into our our plan so we're projecting additional assistance with paralleal All All right, public works. I finally got there. Well, I think it might have something to do with me getting done kind of late, so that might be why I'm All right, that that all works for us. This isn't conf This This This isn't This isn't confession. So, I'll move pretty quick. Um, you know, public works, we've got 84 full-time folks. Um, but not only do we have our full-time employees, you know, we've got 20 to 30 seasonals on top of that, as well as we have three ICWC crews. Um, we have up to eight interns. We work with the green core, the climate corps. We do have eight to 10 Henipin County folks working on the public workshop. And then in addition to all these employees, we also have a number of extensions with our contractors, our vendors, and our consultants. So, That's in addition to the folks that are fulltime at the city. Um, you know, we have a lot of key measures. I did try to highlight some of the really important ones. We do a lot of project notifications. Um, in the past two years, we've reached up to 50,000 notifications. So, those are emails and newsletters, mostly emails, uh, text, different methods that we use. We have a lot of volunteer hours in our natural resources department. Ashtrees and Josh mentioned that's the state of the city. That's a huge deal. For us right now, it's peaking. It's going to continue to peak. So, this is just the city piece of it. Uh our facility folks, they're looking at, you know, greater than 3,000 work orders every year. So, they're busy every day. Um our maintenance folks are busy as well. There's a lot of miles of recon and refurbishment. Our trails, which talk about later, you know, got a project this year on Boulevard. We maintain more sidewalks and trails than we have. So, we have at the city, but we also do for other jurisdictions. Kind of want to highlight the water pumps. We pump around 2.1 billion with a B gallons of water. Um, it's a lot of water. I put the graph in here too, though. So, in the last 20 years, we we reduced that amount by a billion again. And so, with water conservation, it's really tended to go down, which is great. We average around 4 million gallons a day of usage at the city depends down. Uh we get out do a lot of sewer inspections inspections and then our fleet they manage around 3,000 different repairs and work orders a year as well. Um some of our highlights. So our main highlight um you know we're always running our core services. So drinking water, sanitation, utility streets, storm water facilities and parks and trails. So those are core services and public works. Won't read all the numbers to we have over 300 miles and 250 miles of streets as part of that. Matt's here tonight. He's working on our park habitat restoration plan strategy as well which you're familiar with. Phil's here. Phil, our city engineer crossro trail is completed in 2024. We did receive a relief grant which you've all seen working on assisting residents with dash forward throughout. Um last year our street maintenance department paved more than they've ever done inhouse considered around 24 million miles which is a lot for them as a crew internally consulting that work out. Um our water cleaner replacement which Darren mentioned earlier. We completed our lead service line inventory for the EPA just to check um how things are looking in the city. And then we recently saw our first rooftop solar as well as our ground array. Uh challenges we're just continuing to balance our resources like everyone our emerald ash board as well as huge peing as I mentioned. Uh Julie had mentioned the cost of projects. You know the cost is not going down on anything. So we're continuing to manage that as much as we can. Uh regulation as well for wershed county and state continues things that are constantly looking at we're always balancing our decision making with a number of different factors. Well going back to that picture to ask but what is that is that are those flushable wipes there? They are flush. You know that's you know flushable. You know, I I was concerned that that's what they were because every time I walk through Costco, it really irritates me when I see them selling flushable wipes that are not flushable. Well, they're flushable. They just don't go through the pumps. Yeah. They get stuck in the top, which is what picture. So, that's a lift station. Those are flushable wipes. We have to pull the pumps all the time and clean out the flushable wipes. So, a real source of irritation. Real story, right? So, don't use flushable wipes. just throw on the garbage. And don't use non don't use non flushable ones either. Compostable ones. They have compostable ones. Yeah, maybe better. Just our goals. We'll talk about it some more. Our water meters will continue. We did around 700 last year start. We don't do those in the winter only because if there's any complications where we place a meter, we don't want to run into frozen situations. You know, if we were to have to shut down the water. So, we'll start that back up. type of trail is going to start up with power line burial here shortly partnering with Henipin County. Uh one of the things we'll really look at this year is our GIS based systems. So our natural resources department and forestry as well as engineering are looking at rightway management options through those systems as well as some of our park information. Our GIS is heavy in utilities right now. So we use it all the time for utilities. our whole system available online in the field, but we're going to keep continue to branch out in different areas. And then we'll still continue to look at energy conservation and then some of our solar mentioned before with all federal funding, same as others have mentioned, it primarily affects us for grant application. So, we'll continue to look at options as they come up. There's nothing right now that we're seeing that's at this point but certainly could change as the application. It's dynamic. It is dynamic. Yes. You know some of them some of the applications are managed through other branches. So everyone and what kind of question? Oh thanks any any questions for Will? We appreciate quick but very All right. Any questions for Will? All good. All right. I think we're done with director presentations, correct? Or am I missing something? We we are done. Yeah, we are done. I'll just conclude by saying thank you, council, for allowing staff here this evening to present here. I thought an hour and 20 minutes, but it's I guess we've miscalculated the volume of information that was being presented tonight, but I I think it hopefully you find it valuable in as I teed it up, taking a look at not only what we did in 2024. Again, you've heard of looking ahead in 2025, some of the challenges that have been outlined. Again, I'm just really proud of our team. I think, you know, I'm going to say we've got a great team here. I think that goes without saying that our professional, thoughtful, deliberate, forward thinking. I think that's really encompasses our commitment to excellence is that we're we're not just reactive to today's world. That we are, if you see in these slides, really looking at um the horizon and really being um again, I think really in tune with what what's on the horizon and some of those what those challenges look like because when you think about our budget, it's more than just the strategic plan. You know, how much emphasis we put on the strategic plan. But what we can get a sense of tonight is yes, there's a complete body of work around their strategic plan and that's extremely critical work. But there's work beyond that that uh also touches on our core services. Uh and our core services are are changing the sense of some of our budgetary pressures aren't by our own decision-m sensing that it could be decision that's made at the federal level. There could be a change at the state level maybe legislatively. It's Gazsby. It's it's new requirements. And so we're we're having to adjust our own ways of doing business just based on things that are not in our control. So again, I think you see this this this whole body of work that that is happening. I appreciate your time in this. I know we went longer than I expected, but I think it really kind of sets the foundation for the next nine months as we come back and really kind of kick this off with in May. So with that, I know it is 8:40. I would may just offer this to you mayor and council that if you want to take a few minute break, we do have a discussion teed up on trails. If it interests you, maybe the decision you have tonight if you want to maybe spend 30 minutes on trails tonight. Just looking ahead at Monday's agenda. I think we have a little room on Monday night's council meeting. If you want to make a business item, we could certainly present uh the same information Monday if you want to push that to Monday's conversation. Yeah, I was. So, what's your your call? Well, I was going to um kind of ask for a little process check here. I think we should take a fivem minute break and then Yeah, let's let's look and see what we can do to um you know, I mean, do we want to move something? Do we want to say, "Okay, let's stop here and come back." Um um you know, I I mean, the trail improvements um important. I don't think it has to be real long, but if we wanted to move that to another night, we could do that and then and then do the 30 minutes of open time and and um and then do it that way. But um I mean, council, do you have do you have preferences? Um does that work? I mean, you think we f have time on Monday's calendar? Let's then I'm sure Will won't be too disappointed if we move if I think it's probably more about Phil. So Phil. Okay, Phil. Will Phil will buy you lunch for coming Monday night. Well, so now you got to come up. Is this an is that an extra night for you, Phil? We push our 30 minutes open time. Can we adjourn and do a 30 minute study session at the end of the meeting? I don't know. Um I'm going to defer to our city attorney. I think that would be considered a special meeting and we could do that if we would we need to advertise 72 hours in advance which we could do. Well, or or but couldn't you just make that I mean let's let's look at I mean how many times do we have an audience at the end of a meeting almost zero. So why don't we just why don't we just make that an agenda item the 30 minutes of open time at the end of our it make it a business item 14 whatever it is going to be and put it at the end and make it part of our regular meeting. I think you can I just want to I think you can mayor that's a good suggestion. I just want to double check the rules of procedure. Yeah. If that is allowed under the council, I think it's Yeah, because it's better to use our staff that's here and let them Right. Right. Yeah. Right. Okay. I mean, I'm I'm f I'm indifferent, but I think we're we're kind of run out of time, so let's let's do let's do what what makes the most sense. And I'm fine either way. I I'd love to have the, you know, the trail discussion now, but it doesn't Well, is would it be easier? I mean, you tell me. You make a recommendation. I think we'll be open to it. I think what I'm hear So we can cover one of those tonight. Either one about the same amount of amount of time. So it's probably irrelevant. Which one do you want to do tonight? Other than you do have staff here to maximize staff time. Yeah. I would suggest let's do the trail conversation tonight. Okay. I'll work with our city attorney on the best format for bringing the 30-minut open time to Monday's meeting. So either agenda item or a special meeting. Either way, we'll we'll we'll tee it up. Okay. and we've got enough time because we're a week weekend away. Okay, let's we would have to post it by Thursday. Yeah. So, we can get that decision made. So, I'll tell you what. We're going to take five minutes right now. We can make a little bathroom stop there talking about. All right. We're going to go anyway. All right. Um well, we will continue. Sorry we're running uh so late, but I want to say everyone's reports were they were great. They were really well done and very informative. So, they were long, but they were they were worth it. So, thank you very much. So, we and we've adjusted a little bit. So, we're going to do the trail um improvement plan. Mike, I don't know if you want to kick it off or should I just give it to Will? Thanks, Brad. Yeah, we'll just kick it over right Bill or Bill and Will. Phil and Will. The ills will take care of All right. All right. The the usual the usual We've been working on this trail stuff for a long time. The usual suspects will now take it over. Yeah, Matt, too. Good to see you, Matt. All right, I'll start out. Bill's gonna take over the presentation and just kind of run through, you know, the background of the trails plan, the priorities, why the city has done things historically, kind of talk about 2016, why the system came to be, and then why it's beneficial for different things. And so, we would like to have your feedback. It's your plan. We're going to kind of run through everything. the current system does work well for us and I do want to mention that but certainly if the council wants to we're absolutely open to whatever you'd like to discuss and that's why we're here answer questions and so Phil will kind of run through everything and then we'll turn it back to you got one question we want to make sure you consider and we'll throw that up first and get started unless there's anything take it away that's good just to jump in I'm sorry Phil I'm just going to jump in real quick again with this with tonight's presentation on trails this was again part of what was teed up during your building of your 2025 study session work plan. So this was this conversation period up through you and so this is kind of not obviously not a staff driven or led conversation. We're responding to an item that you wanted to talk about at the council. And so tonight, as Will just mentioned, we'll present to you kind of the history, why we do what we do, and then um because what you're going to learn is it's very prescriptive, right? It's it's prescriptive, still still somewhat subjective in what we do, but very prescriptive. And so if you want changes to this policy and to the way that it's done, then that's what will be direction. Yeah. So the the question we have is does uh council support the trail improvement plan and the trails identified in the capital improvement plan. So I'll just walk through both those uh now. So just high level is the city has 102 miles 105 if we go off a wheels presentation a minute ago. Um and 93 of those are included in winter maintenance. Uh so that does include regional trails. Um from the the trail improvement plan uh process. There's a lot of history here. So, going back um pretty heavily in the 70s, there were a lot of articles. Basically, the whole city was developed without um a real good trail network. And so, um these these articles just show there's a lot going on in the history. Uh from a planning perspective, I think the first trail was 1971 that was put in place as a city project. So after development um trying to retrofit these in um 1973 uh the loop trail system you can see some iterations there. I think the interesting thing here is the 1976 trail map which shows a lot of those collector roads um that we've recently built actual trail segments on. So 101, Shadyo, Kamitanka Boulevard, Hopkins Crossroad, those are all shown as future proposed segments on that map that just got done within the last, you know, 5 to 10 years. in 2006, taking this last 2007 missing links map, um a couple other versions in between there, trying to figure out how to prioritize those uh links so that we could start to plan for construction projects. So, uh a group trails team group internally in this, uh made up of city staff was developed. uh someone from uh each of the departments at the city came up with this uh priority system. So really the original way that trails were being completed was the easiest cheaper segments were being done and so these major um high use segments that everyone knew needed to be built were never on the list because they were expensive and they were hard. So this priority system, it has degree of difficulty, cost effectiveness included, but it's a very low number compared to the trails that are nature of use and community areas which are connecting our our neighborhood um city village centers um train transit oriented schools that type of thing. So um overall this was put together and then each of those segments the 71 segments that were included on the map were then rated in a yes no situation um and came up with a score. And so on this map to the right, the red are the higher and this is an older map so some of these are now complete but the higher uh rated s uh segments are in red, the lower are in blue and everywhere in between there. Uh then in 2018 realizing that we needed some more funding to actually start to construct those uh trails that came to the top franchise fees uh were introduced at the council level and approved. So gas franchise fee being 450 u for household service and electric franchise at a dollar um dedicated towards trail expansion that uh last year generated about $2 million in revenue for that fund. Um CIP pages for trail expansion and the crosswalks are developed off that number. And then the thing to note that is over these years the expenses are higher than the the annual revenues or sorry the the revenues from the franchise fees and so that's been going on for a number of years. The way we've supplemented that is with um grants and so been pretty um successful with the grants that have come in in order to keep the projects coming in uh at the same time. Um then last uh last summer, June 10th, uh reviewed those franchise fees and kind of talked about, you know, the rate at which trails are being built and if uh we should speed that up and and uh currently working on that as funding allows, we're adding them in the CIP. So, lots has been done since 2018, though. Um, not only are the trails that we've built with the trail expansion money, but also with uh roadway reconstruction projects, which are funded probably through street money, um, developments, and then other partners. So, Three Rivers, for example, built a trail segment, uh, Mindot built a trail segment that was funded through MDOT. So, lots of different ways those are happening um using grant funding opportunities and collaboration with our our partners. And then since 2018, we've had $5.9 million in grants that have gone into trail expansion. So, that's a map of those segments. They're a little bit hard to read through. Basically, all over town, they've they popped up somehow some way. So um not only that uh so moving forward uh 25 to 29 CIP uh Hopkins Crossroad is planned to 25. We actually accelerated that project and is was constructed in 24. So uh the 25 project is actually just burial on Minnotonka Boulevard in advance of the 26 project which is from the marsh to Tonka wood. Uh then 2728 is Excelsier and we have 29 is Hopkins Crossroad. Um moving forward what we're proposing in the CIP is the same except in 2030 we're actually not proposing to complete a project because at the end of 29 we have a deficit of $2.6 million. So really not coming into a positive fund balance until 2031. Um I think that these numbers might be a little bit um improved by some grants that we currently have out there and then as we develop um some of these feasibilities that are going to come forward too we'll refine the numbers. So Excelsier Boulevard as we're working through with Henipin County finalizing those numbers this number will change and probably in the positive but right now not proposing anything in the CIP given where the fund is at given reality. Yeah. Uh, also is the crosswalk page. That was a new page added last year. Uh, that adds $100,000 annually uh for um new crosswalks and upgraded crosswalks. And so, uh, one thing is that with say the Minnetonka Boulevard project with the Tonka Woodcraft project, there was a new crossing added at the mall. And so we've did uh pedestrian counts last year, found that actually a lot more people use that that we're planning to. Uh so we're actually going to be proposing to add a a flashing crossing at that location. Um so whether that's used through this funding or we actually have some savings on Taco Warcraft 2. We might be able to fit it in there. But uh just from a process standpoint are re-evaluating those crossings even after we add them in. uh unfunded segments. So this is the long list of segments that we have in the CIP that were generated off of the original uh priorities. A closer look here if still hard to see. Um in general, this is the document that we use to put together the CIP. Um one thing to note, I can't see it either, but go to my notes here. Um so number 18 hillside that did get completed out of order. Um and be that was because that was part of the Hopkins Crossroad Trail project. And so really by doing that out of order that allowed us to apply for grant funding since it directly connected to the school. So there's a very specific reason why that was included with the project so that we could connect and then do better on the grant application. Uh another example where maybe we're not exactly following is number nine was the segment completed by MIDOT. Uh they were doing a a project right at 101 and seven and w we got them to wrap that into their work and so that was part of that. And then uh other examples are Baker Road is number one and number two. That is a three park um project coming up here in 2027. and at the same time number 26 is rolling and so that will be part of their project as well. So um more or less following sequence except where um where we had some opportunities to construct earlier. Um one other example is the Kinsel neighborhood is number 65 and 67. That project is currently proposed in the CIP under streets in 2027. So, uh would be part of a feasibility review and analysis and then would be constructed with street money as part of that project. Um other projects um the the numbers up here are correct. The ones that were in your report are a little bit off. Henip County is uh reconstructing Gleon Lake Road in 2028 and they would have a trail project with that um reconstruction project. Um Mandot has some work at Richfield Drive and Westside Boulevard. And then Free Rivers Park, two things, Baker Road and Hopkins Crossroad. Uh here's a map that shows a little bit better. So Gleason Lake is in the upper left corner. That's 28. And then uh the north side of Ridgdale Drive, Moisetta Boulevard is is the 26 project. Um so pretty substantial projects that'll be happening in town. Um for the most part, these are not included in any kind of cost share. We might have one uh with MDOT on the um on the intersection, but um for the most part, these are are going to be completed without the trail improvement fund. Uh mentioned Baker already. uh McGinty Road and we've been talking with Three Rivers Park for quite a while on that one. Uh so Henipa County is planning to repave that road in 25 and actually coming up here. I think they want to do it in May. So we'll find out their schedule soon. Um but Three Rivers Park is starting the planning process in 26 for that segment. And um meaning that once they do that planning process, then they can start to apply for grants. And so that's the same process they used on Baker Road a number of years ago where they went forward did the planning process then went out for grants and now a couple years later um you know going into construction. So I know at the time we had talked about Baker Road being constructed I think in 18 time frame and it'll be constructed in 27. It's probably similar for McGinty but it's a little bit out of our control too about how successful they are in their grant applications. Um, one other item that we've been working on is uh Vine Hill Road on uh it's a border of Shorewood and Minnetonka. Uh Shwood's going to be replacing the trail on the south side of it's a fairly long road, but the south half of that road. And then um on the north end in 2031, there's an opportunity to construct a trail on on the Minnitonka side to really make that north south connection uh along Shorewood Mitanka border uh and up to the high school area. So, uh, high level, um, from the trail improvement plan standpoint, uh, having that plan, um, you know, is a good way to, I guess, prioritize. It shows us for the most part, we follow the plan. We get requests in from residents. We, you know, typically, uh, take some time to walk through it, but then understand the justification for why the decisions were made they were, the way they were. Um, and it allows us with early coordination with other jurisdictions really to set us up for grant funding. You know, a lot of these grants take four, five, six years early to start to line up. Otherwise, the fund it's it's difficult to start to apply for them. So, we can do some early work, get the grants ready, apply for them, and then they're a couple years beyond that. So, um, Hopkins Crossroad, I thought we were early on. We were right on the border of that one. So, um, and I think we applied three or four years early on that one if I remember right. Uh, and that is what I have. So, any other comments? Yeah, I mean, we'll just turn it back to the council, Mike, if anybody has certainly discussion. Um, you know, I'll I'll make a quick comment and then yet turn it back over the council. Um, you know, I I we need to we owe these people who've been working on this for a long time, working on our trails, an answer to this question. But, uh, council, any thoughts or comments on on, um, you know, the prioritization system, the formula, things like that? Um, yeah, I I actually had several uh questions. So, um, you know, you talked about the uh, Baker Road and um, there was a neighborhood safety meeting. Paty and I were there and um a lot of people people from the county and the neighborhood uh is very interested in a a little trail segment and it's it's in the it's in the plan is number 49 um between Wyola Road and Baker Road on Orchard Road. So, it's literally a little segment between the the driveway on Orchard to the middle school and where the where the you know, let's let's not get too executional. Let's talk about the formula because because I mean we all have every one of our every one of these council members has I'm sorry I talked so long but I'm just explaining that the neighborhood wants this and I really appreciate what the um order is uh that the priorities that we have for making the decisions. So, what I'm wondering is with uh with something like Baker Road or like with with um Hopkins Crossroad and you did the Hillside Lane, are we going to be waiting for that because the the for for that little section? I mean, is that something that we could, you know, maybe incorporate in um just like you did with Hillside Lane and Hopkins Crossroad? the neighborhood wants it now because it's really really unsafe. Um, but I'm just wondering, I asked Mike earlier, is that something it that does sound like that's something that we do when we have these big projects coming through? And yeah, I you know, one thing is the verifying that once that segment is added in on Baker Road, what what does it do to the the priority ch, you know, does it adjust one way or the other to be a missing segment? I think we can look at that. Okay. Uh the hillside piece was um all under the city project. So, um, we're talking with, uh, you know, Three Rivers Park about what the scope of their work is and and the crossing that's there at at the school. So, adding some of those components in, um, if it's possible, but not necessarily a standalone project. I think that would be something we'd take feedback on if that if we want to make those changes. But, um, typically we would just rerate it and then it adjusted up or down. I would think since it's so low, it's probably not going to rise into a situation where it's funded doing it this way. So, go ahead, me. Um, you know, I'm really reliant on this plan and this schedule as we have it. I will say it is my number one communication tool. I'm sure you guys know what segment I want and my neighbors want. um and it is coming up and it would be devastating to see it pushed down the priority list. It's not it's not even when I say coming up maybe 2032. Um, but it makes sense and people do, you know, when you explain the situation and you explain why it is the way it is and sometimes I say, "Take a look at that list and go drive past those areas and if you can articulate for me why this segment should be accelerated over these other areas um because of where it is, you know, and challenge people to say, you know, what kid do you love best kind of a Um, it it is helpful in that conversation. I wish we could accelerate all of this, but I think this was so deliberately done and I think we've relied on it. And we want to be nimble. If something comes up, I think we can talk about the Minnitanka Boulevard swap. Um, and we were swapping for a neighborhood, too. You know, that makes a lot of sense. The neighborhood wanted the swap. It was in the same area. it was, you know, and it it finished some connections to school and, you know, those kinds of things make a lot of sense, but I think we have to be really careful about taking something that we've had in place for almost 10 years and saying, you know, well, we kind of want these other things instead. So, that's my two cents. Other other comments, anyone? Well, if the if we I mean, I support it as well. If the question is, do does the city council support the trail improvement plan? The answer is yes for me. And well, let's just go down and ask everyone. Do do they support the trail improvement plan as a consensus? Then we can make any other comments that we have. But do we all agree that this is a good methodology? I think it is. I do because it is nimble and you know it is. And so one of my other questions was we have this Highway 7 safety study. Yep. And one of the trails is a is like an underpass across Highway 7. And I just didn't know you know how far you know h what what is that going to do to that? How far down the road? Well, I think there are things there are things that can change this as have been de demonstrated in the pink section of the sheet. If all of a sudden there's money for something, it moves up the priority list. And so, if it's connected to a project, if it's connected to Highway 7, and Highway 7 is not going to happen for at least 10 years. I promise you that. But at that time, if there are meaningful improvements funded by the federal government and the state government to improve Highway 7, you know, whatever we have on this list, it can accelerate to the top. But I was going to also I wanted to make a comment too because I talked to Mike about it and and I I um I told my wife, I said, you know, I think back looking at the plan um it looks like my favorite segment is going to happen in 2026. And then I realized, oh no, red, that was 2030 to 2032. And and both Will and Phil know what my favorite segment or my my my request segment is. And I haven't done anything other than lean into Three Rivers a little bit to accelerate that segment. I I want to be fair, but the other thing I did was I looked at the individual pages um of the plan and you know the criteria that put it where it is. And I had a couple questions on that. I said, 'Well, gee, there's an asterisk here. Rather than a Y or a an why, a yes or a no, there's an asterisk. What does that mean? But then I I said, you know, um you know, who's who's doing the assessing? And you know, we talk about village centers. One of the one of the things about this this segment of trail along McGinty Road, it connects to the path to downtown Weisetta. Well, it based on this analysis, it looks like we don't consider downtown Weisette as a village center. Now, it may not be a village center for Minnetonka, but you know, in terms of the residents of Minnetonka, it's it's a it's a destination. It's a place where they go for commerce and recreation and things like that. So, you know, if I wanted to, couldn't I say, well, let me just challenge some of the yeses and nos on here in the assessments. Maybe this should be included. And if you can improve the lie, you know, if you can play Donald Trump and kick your ball into the freeway, I mean into the fairway, um you can uh you know, you you can improve your score. And I think that's legitimate. We're using the system to say, well, I've got a little different, you know, difference of opinion on this. Can we can could we adjust this by looking at it a little differently? That help that's that's true to the system, but it says, you know, maybe there's some judgment involved in how we score. And I think that's that's a fair if you have your favorite project that's a fair question to ask. And I didn't mean to imply like just because my neighbors No, no, no, no. We all have them. We all have them. And and it really wasn't that. It's that because there's like just Well, not just the meeting. The fact that Three Rivers is going to be putting a trail in right there just like Hopkins Crossroads was going in and Hillside was was perpendicular to that. That's why I brought it up like you know if if we have a big project coming through abs you know and yeah and I think there are opportunities like that right at school you know exactly and and I mean and and the so I think I mean we all agree that the system is good you know we all have I mean I think we all can identify if we could pick one trail segment that we'd like to accelerate we all know what it is um and you know I think we should use that and use the scoring system but but stay true to the system and then let's look for money because money is the one thing that can accelerate the process. But I just think of the amount of work like how many sections there are and it's not even everything. These are the ones that have been identified and just the amount of work that goes into it and then the massaging when there is an adjustment. Well, trust me, in 2016 I was on the council and our trail analysis was about the loop trail system and about recreation. And I think I and perhaps some other council members talked about, well, you know what, trails are getting used more and more for transit and for transportation to village centers. And I know Gerylyn was not happy with me when I raised this idea that maybe we ought to rep prioritize because we need to reflect the needs of the community to get, you know, to get to Ridgedale, to get to our village centers, to get to transit, get to those things because it kind of upturned the apple cart. And I think it created a lot of work for these guys. But you know what? It was the thing that that was the right thing to do. And and I think that's what we have to do is what are the needs of the community? we do not have enough resources to do all the stuff we want to do. But if we can if we can work together to make sure that we're prioritizing in the right way, you know, we're gonna we're gonna we're going to be using our residents, it's becoming resources appropriately issue. So it is to to Rebecca's point, you know, even sitting at state of the city, my neighbor at my table was asking about her favorite. Of course she was. Yeah. I mean, I had I got a question about that, too. I mean, because we all do because people in our community are passionate about trails and then they all and and I might I talked to Mike about a different one a little bit to do and you know, I mean, we all have our priorities that we think makes sense, but I think having a having an objective system like this really serves us well. It allows us to explain to the residents we can't keep happy. Yes, Dr. Wilburn. So, I have a question that's tangential. tangential but since we have staff here um I I was talking to Mike and I understand that it's a separate money comes from separate place for but do you have a similar ranking system for existing trails when it comes to uh re repairing maintenance maintenance and repair um repair more Yeah, good question. We we do it's not as it's not as good as this one. I mean to be honest, usually we respond, you know, we got people on trails plowing them, you know, we got people that way. We don't have specific we and age primarily, but we don't have a system quite like this to do. It's more for new construction. And I would just even add to that will one of the things that I mentioned Dr. Wilburn was you think of trails just to be spec specific for tonight we have trails and then there's sidewalks and so sidewalks for example if you use answer about sidewalks because sidewalks are a little more in depth where we do inspect because sidewalks are treated a little bit different than trails because sidewalks you have to really inspect for trips and falls. You have tree roots that can create unevenness in your sidewalk. So we correct me if I'm wrong, we talk once you explain the sidewalk instruction. Yeah, correct. So we look at trails also, but the sidewalks we have folks that go out and look at ADA compliance for sidewalks. You know, sometimes you'll see the sidewalk is ground down in some areas as part of the maintenance, but yeah, we make sure that everything is up to speed where trips and falls on public areas and there's a lot of connections to private as well. We don't touch those of course, but yeah, we're making sure we track it. Okay. So, um, I was telling Mike, so I I took a segment of trail last year. I rode out to Purgatory Park and I just went the way Google Maps told me. So, it wasn't a way I had gone before. And there is a section of trail that was it was brutal. It was it was not a fun ride at all. Just like tree roots all over the place. And it like I was I thought if my cargo hadn't been strapped down, I wouldn't have had cargo by the time I got to the end of it. Um, so like if we come across that, should we just uh let you know? Yes, absolutely. Okay. I had a question about funding because you know there have been a lot of programs that have just been uh ended recently and you know we got a kind of sobering budget forecast for the state as well and so I'm just wondering you know we have so many worthy sections and so few dollars and you know we do have a separate funding stream but what are you see you know have have you heard heard any word about, you know, how what kind of grant funds might still be available? Are those going to dry up? We haven't. I mean, we don't know yet. It's you know, the money we got for Hopkins Crossroad was federal, you know, so that that was administered through someone else. It's federal money that went through, you know, another organization through the state, but we don't have anything yet. We're certainly tracking that. We'll continue to apply for anything. Yeah, I would I would add that we've been pretty successful with Henipin County, too. And I think those funds are maybe a little more secure, at least in the short term, but longer, that's maybe unknown. So, we're we'll actually be applying for a couple grants here by May. Um and I think we'll do pretty well for say the the section boulevard from the marsh to ton wood but longer range what are those implications that haven't heard you know a related question is I mean you know when when a road project you know you lived in a state you you have a big highway project going on and the economyy's in the tank and you sit there and say well gee why are they doing this when the economy stinks the way it does. It's because it was approved three years ago and that that money is allocated and I think we're in a mode now where we're working off money that's been allocated. It's it's future allocations that are that are going to be challenging. Is that is that a fair statement? So things are still happening because they were approved um before things changed dramatically and that's that's very typical in government. But I did have a couple of one of the funding questions I had and I and and I know we covered this in our study session previously and and there wasn't a big appetite for proposing increases to the franchise fees at that time and but I I was thinking about franchise fees in the context of the storm water utility. I mean, I remember when the storm water utility was implemented and it was $3 um a household a month and now it's over double that. And it's because it's indexed. And maybe that's something we should consider, you know, for the future is perhaps indexing our franchise fees and just say we're going to index them to the power rates and the and the gas utility rates that they charge and we're just going to go up the same percentage they do when they do because that would at least keep pace with inflation without us taking a big controversial out of out of whack um vote. So that's that's an idea that not for tonight, but one that I throw out there as a possibility. No, you can tell me that you can tell me that that's illegal. No, no, it's it. So the franchise fee is something that would have it's an ordinance, so you'd have to have a change with that, right? Um with the utilities for both Centerpoint and Excel on the end of it. Um I I love the idea of it because that the flat feed doesn't index ever. So it's flat from whenever you set it back in 2018, right, 2019. Um, but could we pass one ordinance to index it at the same rate as the utility rates go up so we don't have to keep voting on it time and time again? Absolutely. You said it as a percentage and not a not a flat fee. Yeah. You said as a percentage, say it's 3%. Whatever Excel or centerpoint raises their rates by, you 3% rate. And and and guess what? That's going to go up at higher than the rate of inflation. Right. So I mean solar, pardon me, unless we all go solar. Well, trust me that that yeah, I don't think we have to worry about that anytime soon. So, anyway, I I just I think maybe taking another look at some point because I think I mean, we know the costs have gone up. We we know we know the total tariff has gone up and you know, we can keep going at the pace we are, but we'll never catch up and and maybe we'll never catch up anyway, but maybe we get closer if we get creative about how we're gonna how we're going to fund it. So that was part of that conversation that the last study session and there was not an appetite in the council to kind of move in that direction. We did present it that way. Okay. Well, pardon me. Forget. Well, anyway, maybe another good question. If you want to move in that direction, it would take not it would take two things. One, as Darren mentioned, an ordinance change. And then second, Excel Energy would have to sign an agreement and agree to it and then have an agreement executed. Mhm. So, it' be a negotiation with Excel. And it's not really even a negotiation. It's just basically us telling them basically on that end of it. And Excel will push back and say it's illegal, but it's not illegal because it says it's straight in the state statute. So, we can do whichever we want. Well, and when they put it on the bill as a city fee, it's not like they're taking credit for it. Right. So, anyway, food for thought. I'm not I'm not proposing that, but but and pardon my um Anyway, change your mind. Well, and I think, you know, I mean, I think the reality of the list and and this provides context. Um, because I think every one of us has a trail segment that we'd like to put at the top of the list. Every one of us. All right. Anything else or should we call it a night? I think you've answered I think you've answered our question. And then I'll just go back to the to Deb's point earlier on that trail segment when for any project and I think you got a flavor of that from our engine from Will and Phil and Matt that when there's a county project well first let me say it this way the county is a really good partner to us in the sense that from a staffto staff perspective uh the county staff and our staff meet and there's lots of coordination that occurs because we share our fiveyear capital improvement plans they share theirs and so that's a really in it's a really important conversation to have for from a planning perspective. So in the essence like for Baker Road with you know those three rivers there's lots of partners in that and so when that happens Deb to your point and to any project we're going to look at our trail improvement plan and we'll work to see if there are ancillaries roadways that abuted that where you can expand and try to tackle some of those projects at that time. It's probably hard to commit today whether yes, that's going to get done or not get done, but I assume it'll get looked at. It was it was more it for me it was more broader like how often do we do that and we do it fairly often, you know, and is it so just thinking about prioritizing that small sections. I I I will say I I believe our team, Matt and Phil and Will, are quite opportunistic at finding ways to get more segments done in our city. I I I believe that. So, all right, we're done. Thanks everybody. We do have I'm sorry, mayor. Oops. So, we do have one other thing we we have to review next we have to review next month. Yep. Yep. Okay. Just to affirm in April. So in April we have Chief Fox will be here be primarily all about fire. So we'll have a fire station analysis. So we'll be talking about what that looks like with our all five stations but certainly our new central isn't done. So it's really kind of looking at the four existing stations and then along with that fire service level objective. We'll be talking for you council. You'll need to decide what that looks like in terms of what is our standards for respons for response to EMS calls. So that'll be discussed and then Miranda will tee up the city manager review process. So that's April and then May real quick is the budget kickoff and then we'll have Peter Leman here for the annual community survey and then business survey and community facilities in May. So April and May very busy. June is CIP and EIP. Oh, that's good. So, lots of stuff going on the next three months. If you want to make a change to that schedule, this is your time to tell us the staff. No. Well, that looks good. Um, just one comment. I was really encouraged by what Kevin said tonight about, you know, if we're going to have two three of our five firehouses capable of having overnight staff, that means we've got two left. Now, I know that there's big issues with those remaining two, including one may have a location challenge. So, there's still big expense out there, but to me, having having the ability to have firefighter, I mean, two things I heard tonight that really brightened my day. One was the um opportunity with our new technology to take um you know, um 60 to 75 seconds off a response time from a particular station. That is huge. I mean, fire doubles in size every every minute. So, I mean, that means we're we're going to have fires that may be half the size they otherwise would be. That was great news to me. And then the fact that knowing that we have big fire station needs, that three of our five um can handle overnight staff. That was new news to me, too. That was really good news. Trying to handle overnight staff. Well, that's it. I I'm I'm I'm confident they're not everything they should be and we haven't you know there's a lot I haven't seen the station study but I was encouraged by that. All right, I'm done. Sorry.