Wayzata City Council — Transcript
Tuesday, December 2, 2025
2026 Property Tax Levy and Budget Approval
Environmental Remediation Grant Support for 200 Lake Street East
City Boards and Commissions Appointments
Clapbridge Park Redevelopment Update
Votes (8)
Consideration of Adoption of Resolution 532025 Certifying Final Property Tax Levy for 2026 and Adoption of Resolution 542025 Approving Final 2026 Budgets
Dissent: Mayor (on Resolution 532025 certifying the levy)
Moved by Unidentified Council Member [00:19:07] · Seconded by Unidentified Council Member [00:19:12]
Finance Manager Peter Zimmerman presented the final 2026 budgets and the proposed 4.9% levy increase, down from a preliminary 14.5%. Drivers included a new Fire Chief, COLA, and police union increases. A comparison showed Weisetta's levy increase was lower than the average of comparable cities. The Mayor highlighted the external burden of county and state tax increases, Weisetta's significant property value appreciation (22.1%), and the potential impact of a school district referendum, expressing a preference for a lower city levy increase in the 3% range. Council Member Pleish commended staff for reducing the levy without sacrificing public safety. Council Member Sorenson praised the collaborative and productive budget process.
Consider Adoption of Resolution 452025 Approving Support of a Grant Application for Henipin County Environmental Response for the Property at 200 Lake Street East
Dissent: Unidentified Council Member [00:32:41]
Moved by Mr. Cook [00:32:04] · Seconded by Mr. Sorenson [00:32:07]
Community Development Director Alex Sharp explained the resolution would certify the city's support for Lake West's application for a $1.7 million grant to remediate contamination at 200 Lake Street East. The contamination (petroleum, lumber mill remnants) requires significant remediation for proposed housing, more so than for previous commercial use, due to stricter regulations. It was clarified that this is a county grant, with a future state grant expected. Questions addressed the premature claim in the application that the city 'will sign' and the historical context of the site's environmental issues.
Consider Adoption of Resolution 472025 Appointing Planning Commissioners
Moved by Unidentified Council Member [00:34:04] · Seconded by Unidentified Council Member [00:34:07]
Interim City Manager Joerger presented the staff recommendation for Planning Commissioners. No further discussion on this specific appointment.
Consider Adoption of Resolution 482025 Appointing Heritage Preservation Board Members
Moved by Unidentified Council Member [00:34:42] · Seconded by Unidentified Council Member [00:34:45]
Interim City Manager Joerger presented the staff recommendation for Heritage Preservation Board members. No further discussion on this specific appointment.
Consider Adoption of Resolution 492025 Appointing Public Art Committee Members
Moved by Unidentified Council Member [00:36:20] · Seconded by Unidentified Council Member [00:36:22]
Interim City Manager Joerger outlined the recommendations for the newly established Public Art Committee, including staggered two-year and three-year terms. Council Member Pleish inquired about potential conflicts of interest for council members being appointed, to which the city attorney advised it was within council's prerogative. The title 'Steering Committee' was clarified to be simply 'Committee'.
Consider Adoption of Resolution 502025 Appointing Parks and Trails Board Members
Moved by Unidentified Council Member [00:37:11] · Seconded by Unidentified Council Member [00:37:14]
Interim City Manager Joerger presented the staff recommendation for Parks and Trails Board members. No further discussion on this specific appointment.
Consider Adoption of Resolution 512025 Recommending Charter Commission Appointments
Moved by Unidentified Council Member [00:37:57] · Seconded by Unidentified Council Member [00:38:00]
Interim City Manager Joerger presented the staff recommendation for Charter Commission appointments, noting that these are recommendations to the Fourth Judicial Court, which makes the final appointments. No further discussion on this specific item.
Consider Adoption of Resolution 522025 Appointing Energy and Environment Committee Members
Moved by Unidentified Council Member [00:38:40] · Seconded by Unidentified Council Member [00:38:43]
Interim City Manager Joerger presented the staff recommendation for Energy and Environment Committee members. No further discussion on this specific appointment.
Notable Quotes (6)
We're about to approve a 4.9% increase, but I'd like the the viewing audience to realize what went into that is uh we still invested very well into public safety and police and fire and our city staff. Uh and we didn't shortcut that at all and yet we still came in at 4.9% which I believe initially started at what 14.5% or something like that. So we were able to get that down to 4.9% uh and still not sacrificing public safety. Just want to put that on record.
I'm going to vote no uh on this tonight. Um, and I wanted to state my reasons. Um, I I very much appreciate all the work that went in going back to June or July to take us from 14.5 down to 4.9. But uh there's some unique circumstances going on uh for forces outside of our control right now at the county and state level pushing a significant uh burden to our property tax. And it's the spending, but it's also the redistribution of value. Weisetta received a on average 22.1% increase of value, which was the highest in the entire county system.
I, you know, I just on the budget process, I think, you know, if you remember early in the year, we we said we we need to use this year to um to really make a deep dive in our budget. And I think overall, we did a a really nice job with that. I compliment staff. We had I don't know how many meetings, but it was a constant topic throughout the year. Um, so I think I think we we did take a hard look. We ask a lot of hard questions. Um, and it's a very collaborative process and I think productive.
Essentially what uh the council's asked to do is certify the approval and a resolution of support for a grant application to the Henipin County environmental response fund for 200 lake uh here within the community. They've got some existing contamination within the site due to some of its past uses, namely petroleum, but there was also lumber mill yards and a number of things.
Uh mayor, council member, there's two factors for that. Uh the first being that uh they did some reme remediation underneath the existing building that's present. Uh the majority of the additional contamination is underneath the parking lots that were sealed with asphalt. Additionally, when you're putting housing over the top of contaminated sites, you have a greater responsibility for remediation than what you do for an office or business environment.
Considering that two of the council members are in that motion, do we need to withdraw from the vote?
Ordinances & Resolutions (12)
Certifying to the county auditor the final property tax levy for taxes payable 2026.
Approving the final 2026 budgets.
Approving support of a grant application for Henipin County Environmental Response for 200 Lake Street East.
Appointing Planning Commissioners.
Appointing Heritage Preservation Board members.
Appointing Public Art Committee members.
Appointing Parks and Trails Board members.
Recommending Charter Commission appointments to the Fourth Judicial Court.
Appointing Energy and Environment Committee members.
For a classification and comp study (approved on consent agenda).
Doing business as Grizzly Tree Care (approved on consent agenda).
For Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force (approved on consent agenda).