Good evening and welcome to the EDA meeting for July 6. Call to order. I mean roll call. Kim, I'm sorry. >> Thank you. Commissioner Bashore >> here. Commissioner Bud >> here, >> Commissioner Bson >> excitedly here, >> Commissioner Boddwin >> here, >> and President Ferris >> here. Uh, can we um can I have a motion to approve the agenda? >> So moved. >> I'll second that. >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. And can I have a motion to um approve uh approve the consent items? >> A minute. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I went over the minutes. My apologies. Can I have a motion to approve the minutes? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I >> consent items. Um can I have a motion to approve the consent items? >> I motion to approve the single consent item as presented. Second. >> All in favor? I >> I. >> No public hearing, no regular business, no communications. This meeting is adjourned. Boom. the fastest. >> I know. Good evening everyone and welcome to the city council meeting um July 6, 2026. Um roll call please. Kim. >> Council member Bodwin >> here. >> Council member Brosen >> here. Here. >> Council member Bud >> here. Council member Bashore >> here >> and Mayor Proen Ferris >> here. >> Could you please join us for the pledge of allegiance if you are able and willing to do so? >> Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America [clears throat] and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. So, can we have uh can I have a motion to approve the agenda? >> I would like to uh approve the agenda with an amendment. And that is I would like to pull uh off the consent agenda item number 5D and move it to 7A as um we do need uh an additional council member here in order to pass that item. and council member Angel King is on his way. [laughter] So, I'd like to pull that off of the consent agenda in the event that he doesn't get here before we get to the consent agenda. Um, so that would be my motion. >> I'd second that motion. >> All in favor? >> I >> I >> opposed. So, the agenda is what? >> It's approved as amended. Um, oh, we have two presentations tonight. My apologies here. We have two pre presentations. Uh, we have a proclamation observing National Disability Independence Day. Uh, that'll be read by uh, Council Member Baldwin. >> Yes. Thank you. um as a in my day job a pastor of a church with a a member um who is of the blind community or the unsighted community who she and I have had many conversations around these issues. I am proud to read the proclamation observing national disability independence day. Whereas this mar month marks the anniversary of the American dis Americans with disabilities act ADA, the 1990 law that codified civil rights and access for disabled Americans. And whereas the acknowledgement of disability and access requirements has allowed increased independence for those with disabilities because of the because the AD ADA enforces their rights to full participation in society. And whereas approximately 27% of the United States population and 52% of the population who are 65 years of age and older have a disability as defined by law. And whereas ADA requirements improve daily life for all people through accessible sidewalks, buildings, workplaces, and public spaces. And whereas despite the ADA, barriers in health care, employment, transportation, and social attitudes continue to limit full access and recent federal actions threaten essential supports. And whereas disabilities impact the lives of individuals and families in complex ways, often involving navigation through stigma, legal challenges, benefit systems, and continued advocacy for accommodations. And whereas National Disability Independence Day celebrates the significance of the ADA, encourages all residents to see disability, and work to ensure every person can access and enjoy life in the park regardless of ability. And now, therefore, let it be known that the mayor and the city council of the city of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, hereby honor July 26th, 2026 as National Disability Independence Day in our community. Thank you, council member. Would anybody like to say anything? >> Yes, I would. Um, as as the parent of a couple of boys and a number of grandchildren that has disabilities, um, this is an important proclamation. It's important for us to note the existence of widespread disabilities among the populace and also the need to not only recognize them but treat them and educate the public about them. It's very important. Uh personally, I'd like to thank the St. Louis Park School System for dealing with my two sons that have tourett syndrome. So, um they worked really hard at at mainstreaming my kids and making sure they got a high quality education and they're fully functional members of American society today. and uh I'm I'm proud of them and proud of our school system. So, I'm happy we're doing this type of declaration. >> Thank you, council member. Anyone else? Go ahead. >> I just want to thank staff for putting together the resources in our packet um and in the public packet around this um proclamation because there's all kinds of great information in there, including how all of us benefit by some of the um modifications included in the in the uh protections. So, >> thank you. Thank you, council member. Um I would also Anybody else? I'm sorry. I would like to share um probably for the last 30 years I've been working with people with disabilities. Um and it's amazing. Um they some wonderful smart people. Um you know um that's been like family members to me. So um thank you to the city for this proclamation and um for for the people that love them and take care of them. Okay, next we have the recognition of donations. So, Lighthouse Management Group, Inc., we'd like to thank them for a donation of $2,800. Donation for a memorial bench in Westwood Nature Center honoring Monnique Yea Mandra. >> Nemanandra. >> Nea Nemanandra. Okay, my apologies. Nemanandra. Uh Joe and Gio Bo >> Boier Terry, my apologies. I'm I'm doing the best I can here. Sorry for chopping up their names, but um $28 uh $2,800 donation for a memorial bench at Westwood Nature Center honoring 30 years of marriage. Premium Waters, $130 donation of water and dispensaries for the annual fire department openhouse. Johnny Pop, $750 donation of popsicles for the annual fire department openhouse. And Lindstöm Restoration, uh, donation of used furniture for burn room demonstrations at the annual fire department openhouse. Okay. Thank you for the donations, everyone. Um, like to go see the benches at Westwood. That would be nice. Yeah. Okay. Um, so can I have a motion to approve the minutes? >> Oh. >> Oh, I suppose. >> I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> A motion to approve the three sets of minutes as presented. I'll second that. >> All in favor? >> Oh, I'm sorry. Wait, wait, wait. >> Any amendments? No amendments. Right. So, um, all in favor, my apologies. >> I [laughter] >> oppose. Um, the minutes are approved as presented. Uh, we have a number of consent items. I have heard of Oh, we did pull off by D. Okay. So, how do we go about that? I'd make a motion to approve the consent agenda as amended. >> Second. Okay. Uh, >> all in favor? >> I >> opposed. I understand that. Okay, there we go. Do I have to say that? Okay, >> sure. >> Okay. >> Um, Madam Chair, can I comment on the the consent agenda? >> Absolutely. So, of course, we're approving city dispersements and as always, it's $3.3 million well spent. So, I'm happy to see that. And um it we're doing a number of u approvals of of uh grant agreements, a grant agreement for Cedar Lake Road in Louisiana, which was nice to see. It's always nice to get money from other sources to pay for it. And and in reviewing the uh Cedar Lake, Louisiana project, I'd note that it ran almost $29 million, but the city itself only had to pay about $9 million. That's that's a remarkable leveraging of available resources to get it built. So, thank you to all those other entities including the federal government and the state that helped us build that big project in Ward 4. So, those are my comments. Thank you. >> Thank you, council member. Anyone else? >> Um, I'll just say that um we also have some pretty exciting grant applications on the consent agenda. So, for some uh two different affordable housing projects that uh we have hopefully in our future and excited to see that we're taking full advantage of that. >> Thank you, council member. >> Um madam, >> I'm sorry. >> Thank you. Absolutely. >> I just wanted to throw out it's a little item there at the end, but just uh the approval of replacement of lights at Keller baseball field in Dakota Park where our varsity baseball team plays. And I know we've updated the lighting in this softball fields around there recently. So, it's uh this is just another good use of dollars for for public good that um I know gets used quite a bit between varsity baseball and our town ball and all of that. So, woohoo, better lighting. Anyone else? Okay. Um, so we do have a public hearing for a new liquor license for the Best of India restaurant. Miss Amanda will be assisting us with that. >> Thank you, Mayor Prom. Uh, good evening everybody. I am Amanda Scott Lerall, deputy city clerk. Uh, this public hearing relates to an on sale 3.2 malt liquor license and an on sale wine liquor license for Best of India Incorporated. doing business as Best of India. The city received an application from Best of India Incorporated for on sale malt liquor and wine liquor licenses for their property located at 8120 Minnotonka Boulevard. This business is currently operating as a restaurant. The owners of the restaurant had uh had a liquor license for on sale liquor and wine from 2006 to 2021 and decided not to renew their license in 2022. Because their liquor license was not renewed in 2022, a public hearing for the new liquor license is required. Uh their St. Louis Park restaurant location is described on the application as a fullervice restaurant. The premises comprises approximately 1,726 square ft of indoor only seating with a capacity of 45 diners. The owners of Best of India are Atul Mandal and Romesh Sheragar. Mr. Mandal will serve as the designated store manager. The police department has run a full background investigation and nothing was discovered that would warrant denial of the license. The application also meets requirements of the zoning and building divisions. So madame prom you are asked first to open the public hearing take public testimony and close the public hearing then consider a motion to approve the application from best of India incorporated. I will stand for any questions. Thank you. >> So before I open the public hearing do any of my colleagues have any clarifying questions? >> Okay. Uh, so I don't have any blue cards for this item. Is there anyone who wishes to speak? [laughter] So I will open the um Okay. So I open the public hearing. Anybody wish to speak? Going what Nadia say? Going once, going twice. [laughter] So this public hearing is closed. Um, okay. Okay. Now, let's go over. >> Okay. Is there a motion to approve the new liquor license for the best of India? >> I'll move approval. >> I'll second. >> Move and second. Any discussion? All in favor? Oh. Oh, I'm sorry. >> I just wanted Thank you, Mayor Prom. I just wanted to um say that this is uh pretty exciting um to see them back um back um applying for this and uh in the Texatona shopping center where things are just hopping these days. So, it's really exciting to uh to see that they're um pursuing this as well. And uh I've enjoyed their restaurant many times. Their food is delicious and now their libations will be as well. Okay. Okay. >> Madam Mayor Pro, >> um, >> yes, sir. >> Yeah. I just wanted to say also thrilled to see I'm applying for this. I'm imagining this will increase uh some in in-house dining um and improve business, which we love. And uh I'll just also throw out if you are like me and you like truly spicy food, their India Hot is the real deal. >> Anybody else? My apologies. Um so um can we have a we had a motion to approve. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Um all in favor >> I >> oppose. So the new like new liquor license is approved. >> Thank you. >> Mayor Pam, I've just gotten an update from Council Member Angel King. He's still about 20 25 minutes out. So my recommendation um with your support and the attorneys would be to recess this meeting so that we can move on to the special study session, invite our guests, our first item up and when that is completed then we could come back together and finish this meeting so anyone else who needs to leave can and then go on to our second study session item. >> Does that sound like an okay plan to you may prom or >> yes attorney? >> I'd make a motion to recess. >> Second. >> And I just clarify we are recessing. We will readjourn or reconvene. Sorry. Thank you. Uh immediately following the uh St. Louis Park School District community engagement item. >> Okay. >> Oh. All right. Motion a second. >> Oh, yeah. We got a vote. [clears throat] >> Oh. All in favor? Oh. I I recess. Okay.