Calling the meeting to order. Welcome to the August 19th, 2025 city council meeting. Um, members of the public may attend this uh, city council meeting in person or may watch and listen remotely by viewing the meeting on channel 8 wtv and at the city's website at weisetta.org. Public comment during the public forum and/or public hearing portions of the meeting may be provided in person at the meeting in advance or by logging into the team's call and raising your hand during the public hearing. When your name is called in the meeting, you will be seen and heard in our council chambers and the cable channel. You'll be asked to unmute and turn on your camera and then you may begin your comment. All public comments must include your full name and address. Uh, next item on the agenda is the pledge of allegiance. Stand if you are able for the pledge of allegiance. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Next item is uh roll call and let the uh uh record reflect that uh all are present with one excused ab absence of Mr. Alex Pleish. I need to also read a postclosed meeting statement. Um, on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., a closed meeting of the Weisetta City Council was held pursuant to Minnesota statute 13D05, subdivision 3B, uh, the attorney client privilege exception to the open meeting law to discuss the following litigation with the city. Lake West Development LLC 200 Lake Street East LLC and Kurt Freom Planiffs versus the City of Weisetta Defendant and Dre Trustee LLC versus the city of the Weisetta defendant. The meeting was closed to permit the city council to meet with its attorneys to review and candidly and openly discuss absolutely confidential and privileged matters related to the above reference litigation. Uh earlier this evening uh beginning at 4:30, the council participated in a workshop and discussed the following items. Uh discussion of the 2026 preliminary budget uh and uh levy number and uh an update on the bar and grill enterprise planned remodel. Discussion of proposed amendments to chapter 803, the subdivision ordinance. Discussion of the council vacancy that we're facing here um effective tonight. and uh the appointment process thereof to appoint a new council member and discussion of future council topics. Next is to approve the agenda for us tonight. Uh may I have a motion to approve the agenda or does anyone want to make any changes to the agenda? >> I'll move to approve that agenda as outlined, Mr. Mayor. >> Okay, a second. >> Any further discussion? All in favor say I. >> I the passes. Um, next on um the the agenda is our public forum and uh we only have one item on our public forum tonight which is a public safety update by our police chief Jamie Baker. And just to give a heads up to Mr. Savis, if you want to make comments after you've uh heard that presentation, you're welcome to and I would encourage you to come to the dis if you choose to. If you decline, that's fine as well. Okay, Chief Baker. >> Thank you, Mayor. I don't know which one of you are driving for me as a mean development director interim city manager. Thank you, mayor and council. Um I just going to go over the brief outline that we have here for you tonight for our public safety update. Uh we're going to do crime trends, traffic enforcement, and then discuss nuisance violations. Those are the three main topics. Um, I would like to make it noted that for this year's uh data, it is only until August 6th, though we don't obviously have a full year's data because we haven't had a full year yet. So, these are our total calls for service um comparable for the last three years. Um, we are sitting at about um 6,100. Our projection is over 10,000 for the year. These are uh a graph of our assaults. As you can see, they have gone down um in the last three years. And assaults are various um they include domestic assaults also unfortunately. Next one is oops not going burglary and property thefts. Um those are also down and they have um continued to trend downward in the last three years. Also, uh, on to traffic enforcement. Again, I want to remind you that these are only for, um, through August 6th of 2025. So, of traffic enforcement, um, our officers have had a total of,900 traffic violations. This includes citations, verbals, written warnings, and DWIs. Um, a total of citations written are 1,800 or 1,89. So, there's a difference between a traffic citation and a summon. That's a court thing. Um, citations are something you hand somebody and they can pay for it at the court level. A summon is they have to show up and appear for court. Um, citations increased by 66% since August of 2024. and we are um 653 citations at the same date last year. There have been uh 25 DWI offenses this year um as of to date. So, we're trending right on target for that. Also, I would also like to say that um the DWI offenses in the town are not any nothing to do related to the businesses or restaurants. That was one of the questions that somebody had asked. Um and the increased uh DWI arrests are sometimes um subject to grant funding. So this is the enforcement impact that our CSOS have had. Uh we had three part-time CSOS start in June of 2025. So we have a total of four currently. The CSOS have issued 22 citations in 2025. 55 of them are ordinance violations. So those include parking, beach parking, um various things like that. the state statute portion on here are also um basically those are expired registration. So I would like to point out that our our CSOS are not able to do actual traffic enforcement and stop vehicles that are moving. These are only unoccupied vehicles within the city limits. the ordinance um that it refers to on here with other ordinances with the 15% those are um csos taking calls for service for tall grass fence issues and other code enforcement issues. I just want to point that out. Um there is a portion where they may have um stopped and assisted officers on traffic stops that they're on for towing vehicles so the officer can free up quicker. So on to nuisance violations within the city. Um what are we doing? Most of the nuisance violations that we have in involve ebikes and also um exhibition and loud mo mufflers. Um what we are doing about excessive noise. So in May um the courts at the direction of the city council modified from paying a citation which means you get a fine and you have to pay it where you are then have to make a mandatory court appearance. So now anybody that has issued a citation within the city limits of Weisetta for loud muffler um or an ex exhibition driving have a mandatory court appearance. They have to show up to court at a certain date. um we are following those um through the court system, but currently 62.5% of those are still open pending a court appearance. So, they haven't had even their first court appearance yet. Only one juvenile offender was cited um in 2025. So, I'd just like to point out that the offenders of this are adults. Um and we haven't had any repeat offenders so far this year >> yet. >> Yes. Yet. So, um the other thing I'd like to point out is we did count written and uh verbal warnings um along with these. So, the the explanation I'd like to make is sometimes we stop a car for excessive noise and exhibition driving and it turns into a bigger crime. So, for instance, a DWI, but those are um we are keeping tabs on how many people were um stopping for those. Um the next topic is ebikes. What are we doing about them and what has been done? So in May of this year, the council passed an emergency ordinance regarding um helmets for juveniles and that they are mandated to wear them within the city limits. Um prior to the ordinance, we only had two repeat offenders that we um stopped and warned um regarding their helmets or not lack of helmets actually. Um and so what we are finding now is that when we are stopping call um stopping juveniles, it's not just one juvenile that we're coming in contact, it's multiple juveniles. So these numbers only count for one um case number that are reporting, but there could be three to five to six, upwards of six juveniles that we're dealing with at a time. Um, so keep that in mind when you're seeing these numbers that sometimes they show one one stop, but we actually are dealing with multiple juveniles and multiple sets of parents. Um, so we had 23 23 um parents that we contacts, excuse me, contacts that we had where we stopped and educated both the parents and the juveniles. um of those calls that we've had, we've had 10 calls um that we were not able to locate anybody on. So, citizens would call in, officers would respond to the location and they weren't able to find somebody. That doesn't mean that they weren't found later by the officer. It just means at that time when the call came out, they weren't able to find them. And then we had 8% which is only three calls for service where the officer was um tied up or on another traffic stop or some other type of call for service where they weren't able to respond. What are we doing about ebikes? We passed the emergency ordinance like we had spoken about. Um we are having regional meetings with stakeholders. The stakeholders involved in this are is too extensive to list on this PowerPoint, but I do want to point out that they um include many city council members, ours included, law enforcement commissioners, public works directors, parks and trail boards, park and trails members, three rivers, and state legislatures. um representatives. Also, it's an ongoing issue and we are not the only ones that are having it. The Lakes Area Chiefs, which I belong to, have monthly meetings and um there are a couple of cases that we're following through the court system. Um one other agency has charged parents with contributing to delinquency of a minor. So, we are currently monitoring and watching that. It hasn't made its way through the court system yet. Um we are personally calling parents and following up with them. Um if officers aren't able to get a hold of a parent that evening, they're usually following up with an aunt and uncle and then later on we're having another conversation with the parents. Um officers have made a flowchart for a quick reference guide due to the complexities of these um state statutes and it seems to be working pretty well. Um local stakeholders are pushing for legislative change at the state level. This is not new. Um, and by local I mean our city council members in this area. Our SRO is going to be uh new this year to the to the middle school. Um, and he is our bike safety officer, our bike patrol officer. And so he's creating educational and outreach programs in the city to get or in the school that he can go into classrooms and educate kids on the safety and our ordinance. And then I joined a National Highway Safety Transportation Safety Association um study group on these. So, like I said, it's not just a local issue. It is a nationwide issue. So, um that should be the results of that should be coming out probably next year is what they promised us. Next slide. Before I get into questions, which I'm willing to take um stamp for questions, I would like to give an update on Loki, our K9 that was recently retired with Jason German. Sergeant German. I talked to Sergeant German uh two days ago and he was excited to inform me that he had his 10th uh search and rescue find. He was uh asked to go down to Wabasha County and the ravines and uh located a gentleman that had been missing from his home for 5 days at the bottom of the ravine. So, >> thank you, Chief Baker. Before um I turn it over to questions, um I just want to offer a couple uh comments. one. First of all, I mean, when you look at what's most important to our community about keeping us safe, you know, those serious crimes are down, and that's due to your leadership, that's due to to your staff. And, uh, for context, uh, the police department has been resourced significantly higher in the last 5 years, more people on the street um, resourcing the uh, reserve officer program, which we have a bike cop, now it's a reserve officer, and our csos. And that's really helped, as you just outlined, address the nuisance issues. We just put on the books these new laws in May. So, we really haven't seen the full effect of these new laws, as you've already noted. And just to amplify what you've said about ebikes. Um, staff is working with staff and political is working with political. We we actually uh had a bill introduced at the capital this year that got bused by the lobbyists pretty quickly, but we intend to work with Senator Johnson and Representative Aim to put a new bill on the floor again this year to designate ebikes like what they are. They're like motorcycles and they shouldn't be on our sidewalks and everything else. So hopefully our legislature will see the light and and make that change. Um and second, we've had a partnership uh politically also with the school district. you know, this education program. I don't think parents really understand the risk they're taking on by buying these devices. They think their homeowners policy covers it. It doesn't. If you don't register it as a um like a car, you have liability when you crash. Um you know, they don't understand uh the safety and they don't understand the liability. And so we're going to do some education to our constituents, to the kids, and to their parents in Weisetta for at least Weisetta residents. If you're buying these devices, I am quite confident that parents have no idea the liability that they're taking on uh for their kid and for someone that their kid may hit or harm. Um so that's going to help. And then lastly, um we are working uh with Three Rivers too because the trail comes through town. So we're trying to hit this a number of different angles and thank you for your leadership on this. Thank you for tamping down nuisance. Thank you for tamping down more serious crimes. I think you're doing an excellent job only three months into your full-time chief job. So, great start and I commend you for it. >> Thank you. I would just like to piggyback on what the mayor said. The um Three Rivers has been a intricral part of this. They are part of the Lakes Area um chief's meeting and he does Josh does show up um to meetings and the commissioners are always available for us to answer questions to. >> Excellent. So, um I would open it up to questions from council. uh of Chief Baker about the data presented. Please, Miss McDonald. >> Uh Chief, thank you again. Just to reiterate what the mayor said, but um one quick question for clarification. >> Sure. >> The CSOS are not allowed to stop moving blank I would >> moving vehicles. They're not allowed to stop do traffic stops. They're not fully sworn. They're not armed, right? >> They don't have the legal authority to do that. But in this scenario, do the ebikes and the e- scooters count as moving vehicles or are the csos allowed to stop the the ebikes and the scooters? >> Because this is an ordinance and the they're juveniles, they would be allowed to stop. They're not considered they're not considered a motor vehicle in that sense. >> Okay, that's what I was hoping you to say. And then I couldn't tell from your slide, but what what is the total violations in 2025? I feel like I only saw percentages. Maybe that was >> of moving violations or which which portion are you >> maybe go back to that slide if you would. >> Yeah. >> The that too far. >> We're both we're both trying to control. Sorry. >> Oh, that's okay. >> A little forward. >> Okay. Thank you. >> There was it was a piraphph. Um not this one. This. No. Next. Sorry. Um, it must have been >> the nuisance. >> Yeah, this one. >> The nuisance one. Okay, let me get you the numbers. I have them written down. >> I I've noticed. >> So, this is a total of 38. So, this is where I was talking about how um so there's 38 total and so there's 14 were citations, eight were written, and 16 were verbal. But some of these count towards they could be a higher level of crime or it could be that they were a higher level of crime and then that these were added on. >> Okay. >> Is that making sense? >> That makes sense. It does. I appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Other questions of Chief Baker. Um I would invite John Savis to come to the podium if you wish. Please. >> Am I pronouncing your name correctly? >> Okay. Thank you. Uh John Sabus 663 Bush away. Um thank you mayor and council. Nice to see you again. Good to be here. And Chief Baker, thanks for the report. Uh I was here at the last meeting uh with my wife um talking about public safety along Bushway and enforcement relative to speed and noise. Um I was happy to be here last uh meeting and learn about uh the steps the council has taken with the upgraded ordinance. We were interested to hear the safety report tonight which I think was informative and helpful. Um I think the one thing that may add some value um would be geographically. You know where are these violations being enforced? Um, I think I think all of us in in the in the Wisetta community would want to know make sure that you know deterrence is spread around. Um, because it is deterrence that's really going to keep things in check. Um, and uh, yeah, I'm just super happy to see the upgraded ordinance. I think um, to know uh, that you all are taking that seriously and taking steps uh, to to tap that down is a big deal. Um, I would just say, you know, we were at dinner at Gianis on a Wednesday night, a week ago was crazy the amount of noise on the cars. And so, I guess I guess just going back to enforcement and the actual numbers. I think the numbers are important. I think we should look at those closely and and we should be tracking where that enforcement is taking place. I don't think it's a a big ask to have someone one night a week sitting with a decibel meter down at that uh stop sign and pulling people over. It sounds like we're getting some other um offenders, some bad actors in the course of doing that, which is great. So, just want to thank you again for the steps, the data, and uh keep it up. Thanks. >> Thanks. Um I do have one update on your request from that last council meeting. Both Chief Baker and I have been in contact with Commissioner Eden and then the staff of the county and they have committed to put a uh speed monitor device, I don't know what the right terminology is, Chief Baker on 101 North as well as some school zone enforcement and we formally made the request to add another one on 101 South Bushway. Um the answer we got back was it's on the list. Don't know if we can get to it quickly, but we will add it. So at least that was the political answer. I don't know if we got a concrete staff answer, but your commissioner committed to to to doing that. Um, so that'll help a little bit for one of your requests, but all the other feedback is well taken. >> Thank you. Appreciate the followup and and great work. >> Thanks. >> Okay. All right. Thank you, Chief Baker. I guess there's no other questions. Thank you very much. Do you have anything else you'd like to add, Chief Baker? >> I do not. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Could I mention uh Mr. Davis's comment made me think of something that I've been considering as I am at my home. Um I I've noticed the the presence on the panway which is was asked for and is needed and I think maybe this is what Mr. Davis was saying too is that can't be I know it's not the only place we're enforcing but when it comes to um exhibition driving and the speeding I think they they show off Lake Street and then zoom out of town on Weissa Boulevard and I would dain to guess Bushaway Road as well and so it's not imperative to get right now but it would be interesting to see where some of those violations are taking place more specifically than just um because I think we all kind of just think of Lake Street, but I would assume um there's a lot of violations outside of correct. So sometimes what happens is a violation will happen on Lake Street and the officer can't catch up to them till another area or it's not a convenient place to have somebody stop. Um, I would say Lake Street probably isn't a convenient place to have somebody stop due to the the flow of traffic. It impedes it quite a bit. So, um, depending on how the officer puts in the information into our system, it it can say that it was the stop was at Lake Street and such and such or that they stopped them somewhere else. So, I've just noticed when it starts to get a little dark and maybe there's fewer people to impress with your loud car or whatever the motivations are. Um, I think they would be easier to to nab, per se, you know, up on Weissa Boulevard or when they're scooting out of town. So, just a little suggestion. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh, Mr. City Manager, have anyone on teams that wanted to comment on this topic? >> We do not. >> Okay. Um, let's move on to new agenda items. Um, does anyone on council have a new agenda item that they'd like to bring up at a future meeting? Okay, hearing none, we'll move on to the consent agenda. The next item is the approval of the consent agenda. An honor consent agenda tonight is approval of city council workshop and regular meeting minutes of August 6, 2025. Approval of the check register, approval of municipal licenses, receipt of the police activity report, receipt of the building activity report, approval of change orders for fire protection system for Clapric Park warming house. Adoption of resolution 30 2025 uh authorizing participation in the MCEES grant program for the mitigation of inflow and ill infiltration in the public sanitary sewer system. Say that three times in a row. Approval of tree planting proposal by legacy trees. The acceptance or maybe we'll deny this I don't know Jeff. Um acceptance of the resignation from council member Jeff Parkhill. Approval of proposal from Metife for paid family and medical leave. Adoption of resolution 292025 extending the PUD general plan PUD CUP for moments of Wisetta at 163 Weisetta Boulevard West. Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda as uh presented or do we need to amend or um pull any items? Mr. Park Hill. >> Um I would request that we move 7F um to the discussion and new business on uh item number A. Okay. Okay. >> Considering approval of change order for additional landscaping retaining wall at Clapbridge Park. I think we should discuss all of Clappage Park. >> Okay. >> At the same time and potentially after some presentations >> noted, Mr. Sorenson. >> Um, yeah. And I would like to pull item K for a comment and suggestion. >> Okay. So, I would accept a motion to pull items F, which is the fire protection item, and item K, which is the resolution 25 extending the PUB general plan. Um, I would accept a motion for that. >> So, moved. >> Second. >> Any further discussion? >> All in favor say I. I. >> I. Okay. Um, public hearing. We have no new items. Maybe let's just address if you're okay with it. Go ahead. >> Uh would you like to act on the rest of the consent agenda before moving on to the >> Oh, thank you. Yes, we do have to approve it now that we've amended it. So now I would accept a motion to approve the amended consent agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Further discussion? >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. Okay. I have a process question for city manager. Just trying to knock down item K. Are we okay if we take that first so that we can just get it off the list and then move on to the regular uh item and join item F to item 9A? Would that be acceptable? >> Yes, Mr. Mayor. >> Okay, Mr. Sorenson, you had questions on item K from the consent agenda. >> Yeah, item K, just make sure you understand, but it looks like there's a pass through balance to the city of a little over $16,000. And um what I think I understand is that these are um mainly uh due to the city for reviews we've done in the past associated with this development. >> That's correct. >> And um there are about 10 months that were due last October. >> Uh council member, that is correct. However, doesn't reflect some of the full scope of this as they have had several projects that have been brought forward. So they've actually been passed due in some nature for some form of their projects since around 2023. They've come up to date with past projects and then simultaneously moved into past due on current projects. Does that help clarify? >> I'm not sure I got that, but I think the point is it's these are maybe 10 months old or more. >> Correct. >> Okay. And regardless of this, this project uh receives financing or not or moves ahead or not, these monies are due. >> That is also correct. >> I'm just want to make sure I'm not missing something. Um so they're asking for us to um have a resolution extending the permit, but they haven't paid $16,000 for 10 months. And unless there's more to the story, I mean I my suggestion would be that we give them conditional approval upon receipt of of this back payment. >> So the one aspect of this is that their approval does expire upon the one-year extension or upon their one year of approval. So that would be early September. Staff has strongly encouraged them to pay their past due bills prior to that date. Uh in fact, staff tried to reach out to them on several occasions uh noted in the memo. We've sent certified mail on several occasions uh to try to discuss this and encourage that prior to the council meeting so that we could bring forward a they are working on a payment plan. They are working on options. They are uh able to present something. you have all the materials that they have responded with. And so at this time, uh, contingent extension, I I would defer to whether that would be possible from the city attorney because their extension or their approvals expire September. Before we get there, before we get there, >> um, I just want to note the packet does have a letter from the applicant stating that their preference would be, and I'm not saying that we need to agree to it, but but >> but their preference is to have this role to when their financing is approved and that >> they would pay it at that time. So that's their request. Doesn't acknowledge why they haven't paid it, but that is their request. >> Yeah. And it's not the dollar amount so much. It's just the principle of the thing. I mean, I this development development's been going on for quite a while. They've incurred significant expenses and I just I'm puzzled as to why they wouldn't they think they'll need to pay the city $16,000 for the last 10 months. So that so my suggestion to council would be that we instead of approving this as a consent issue that we approve it conditional um that we make a conditional approval upon receipt of the back payment. >> Okay. uh how do others feel about that? Others weigh in on how they feel about that uh revised proposal. >> I would be happy to weigh in if May. I I too was going to ask to pull this item from the consent agenda and um >> I will I will not vote to support this extension without good standing financially with the city. Um full stop. Okay. I also would implore the c this council to consider doing uh if there was an extension of course and that contingency that perhaps they only get to October 31st of this year since that's the time they need or they are expressing in this letter but um I won't vote for a 12-month extension. >> Okay. So, you're adding one additional contential for consideration. Mr. Parkley, you have any comments? >> Uh, no. I agree with Molly and our council member, Molly McDonald. >> Y Okay. I I personally don't have an issue. We just um extended this uh a similar uh situation to another uh development applicant that had the same request for financing. Um I I do note that someone from the moments is here. don't have to come uh to answer, but if they they're invited to comment if they wish to, they can politely decline as well. Um, but there is a representative here from the moment that could perhaps address these questions. Uh, welcome, uh, Miss Wright. >> Hold on. I got to get your mic on. Sorry. Green means go. >> There you go. Yeah. And if you could just state your full name and who you represent. >> Elizabeth Wright. Uh I represent the TMSC of Weisetta, the moments of Weisetta. Um I am here. Uh apologetically, we have been working on trying to get financing in place and have spent over 7.5 million on this project to date. Um, we're requesting a uh cons uh a continuation or not a continuation but an extension of the request for 12 months. I will uh pledge that we will be brought paid in full by the end of October, but I'm looking for another 12 months. I do not currently have financing in place and I don't know many banks that will get me financing in place in about a month which is kind of what you're asking to only extend to the end of October. So I would respectfully ask that uh we uh have that extension for another 12 months. Um and uh we will get it brought current hopefully before the end of October. >> When just to clarify on the bill, you mean one year from October or this? >> No, this October. >> Okay. So just I want to make sure I clarify so I get it on the record properly. You're asking for a one-year extension, but you're pledging that you will address the receivable by October of this year. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. With that, with that, thank you for that clarification. So, now we have one member that wants it addressed, one member that wants the date changed. So, I think we just have to go through a a discernment process to see where we land here. >> Can I ask a clarifying question to staff? Um the the applicant um just said getting I just would like you to remind the public and us when this was approved. >> I'll let Director Sharpie answer that question. >> For this iteration, this was approved in I believe August of 2024. Okay. All right. Well, let's see if we can take this in two parts. Um, first, uh, I'll address issue number one. Mr. Sorenson, based on the applicant's response of bringing the receivable current by October, does that address your concerns or would you like to leave your position as now? >> Well, I I would like to leave it um under condition that we approve it conditional upon receiving the payment. >> Okay. Um, let's just go down the line. You've already weighed in that you would support that. You've weighed in that you would support that specific provision. >> Not not the totality of the thing, just that specific provision. Okay. You've weighed in. I've said no. That's going to hold. Now, we move to the change of date. Miss McDonald has asked that we cut it from a year to 3 months, >> right? Because this letter, this is where I didn't just pick that out of a hat. It says they intend Oh, no. Back where you were. Well, I guess this is background. or maybe I think it says both in both places but states that um initial financing is secured something about breaking ground in October. So maybe it is the next page. Sorry, >> that's in the letter. >> Yeah, >> sorry, director. Um you're reading my mind already. Uh, so I would assume if you're break ground in October of this year, um, that would mean your financing is in place. So I don't see why you need 12 more months. >> Yeah. Okay. So the request is for 12 months. Do you want to alter 12 months or would you want to make it shorter? >> Um, yeah. I I understand that it's a tough time for financing. Um, you know, I if we make it shorter, I wouldn't I'd say end of the year maybe, but I I'm generally okay with the year. >> Okay. We know what your position is. Your position. >> I have one question for staff. Um, are we getting interest on this and do we have the ability to lean the property with these fees? >> If you want to start. So, I had a similar question. Uh, no, we are not gaining interest with these. U I don't know that I can answer the additional fees because I'm not sure what additional fees you're referring to at this time. >> The fees question. >> Oh, the past due. Do we have the ability to assess them against the property >> is the question. >> Yeah. >> Uh, >> great question. An item for future discussion. We've typically not done that in the past speaking with Pete. um we were trying to look into other ways of being able to collect this. Traditionally, we have sent out the letters, worked with the applicant, and largely received payment. And so, we haven't had to move to adding them to assessor roles or determine whether that is possible from the development process. >> Does that answer your question? >> So, it's possible that we could do it, but you try other methods first. Is that what I'm hearing? We haven't asked the question to determine what the legal process for adding it to an assessment role would be for a development application. So I don't want to commit 100% to something that we haven't been able to fully research because we haven't hit an impass where we haven't been able to collect them through the standard practice. >> Legal council, >> do you know? >> Mayor and council member, I I I agree with uh director Sharp. We've never had to do that. We have a number of legal tools that we could use if we have to start a collection action. That's kind of a policy level decision on how we would want to handle that. But we we could certainly bring everything that we would have the legal authority to do. >> Okay. Okay. >> All right. So, back to my question at hand. Um duration of the extension, how do you see it? >> Well, I understand the difficulty for financing right now, too. Um I don't mind extending it a year, but I would like to see the payment in the next three months. >> Yep. Okay. So, I'm at a year. So, now I would accept a motion, I think coming from council member Sorenson to extend this one year, but to put a condition on there associated with payment of the AR rears uh amount. I would accept a motion of that. To that end, >> Mr. Mr. Council, you have you >> mayor, I just just to uh maybe help with that particular motion. And I I think I if that is something that a member would want to make, I think it would be adoption of resolution number 29205 with a condition that the city re receives payment that is due uh no later than December 31st of this year. >> Is that acceptable to you? Is that the motion? >> You say December >> December 31st of this year. Is that what you >> That's what you said. >> Yes, >> that's what you said, but I think he went earlier. >> I I would I would say the end of October. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I mis I misheard you then. Okay. So then yeah just whatever date it would be. So that that would be the nature of the motion to approve. >> Yeah. >> Subject to >> receiving payment by whatever date you would. >> All right. So I would accept a motion uh articulated in the fashion that our council outlined for adoption of resolution 2925 with that condition. >> I would make that motion. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Further discussion. >> Mayor, just for the record, that condition would be receiving payment by the end of October. right >> of this year, >> right? >> Uh no, no further discussion, just clarification. I I'm going to vote against this um not because of the demand and um pressure to get them into good financial standing with the city, but because of the 12 months. >> Understood. So, I had motion second and further discussion. Let's just just I'm starting to get cloudy. Let's just do a roll call vote. Do you approve this or not? Roll call vote, please. Mr. City Manager. Council member Park Hill, >> I. >> Council member McDonald, >> nay. >> Council member Sorenson, >> I. >> Mayor Mullen, >> I. That passes. So, um, the applicant will, uh, bring the account current by October, and they will be granted a one-year extension on the application. Moving on to the next item is new business. Consider approval of change order for additional landscaping and retaining wall at Clapric Park. Um, I know there's a number of people that want to speak on this topic. So just for education, the way this works is the staff presents. Uh we get a chance to ask questions. Uh the public are given an opportunity to comment. Then we bring it back for a discernment process and a decision just so you kind of know the order of operations because I know we have little kids here and everything else. We we'll go through it as efficiently as we can, but that's kind of the order of operations. Just just so we all know. >> I can kick things off, Mr. Mayor. uh you moved one item from the consent agenda also to be included in this item. I'd like to understand if you'd like us to go through the presentation for this particular change order, receive public comment. >> No, I'd actually like >> ask any questions you might have on the >> No, I think bring it together as one. So you you've got two change orders. Put all the information for the two change orders on the table. Let the council ask questions on those two change orders. Let the public comment on those two change orders and then we move forward. >> Sure. uh our presentation that we have put together is based on our uh the item under new business. I will bring up the uh at least mention the topic. I don't have a presentation prepared for our consent agenda item. Uh that item is to consider two change orders for the addition of a fire suppression system at the warming house. Uh it was determined after bidding that fire suppression would be necessary as part of the warming house building per state building code. Somewhere along the line, our uh consultant had in in their assumptions in preparing our plans, my understanding is that they were reviewing a previous version of code where fire suppression was not required. So, what we're bringing forward to you this evening, two change orders. One is from our site contractor to extend the water line or extend a water line from the street to the building. The second change order is to make the connection to that outside line, bring it in and provide an interior uh fire suppression system for the newly renovated warming house. The overall total for that is approximately $150,000. um $140,000 uh overall our contingency and Nick will go into this again as part of his presentation on the landscaping. Uh as part of the overall project we had budgeted 197,0001,970,000 approximately um of which $170,000 was contingency. This change order request falls within the change order or contingency amount. Nick will talk a little bit about the additional change order which brings that total to just under the overall contingency amount of 170,000. We wanted to make you aware of that that we are using the majority of that contingency for these two items. >> Um I think I'll stop and I'll stand for any questions that you have related to the fire suppression system. >> That's a good plan. Uh questions of staff on change order one related to fire suppression. >> Mr. Sorenson. Um yeah, I mean I I guess I asked to pull this because uh it's seems extremely unusual that we would get to the point of where we're 20% into construction or wherever we are and then a change order surfaces of this magnitude and uh this is a change order that I think we primarily correct me if I'm wrong we rely on our consultants either architects or architects consultants that deal with uh mechanical systems, fire suppression systems, and that's why we hire them to understand these codes. So, I think we have no choice but to approve this. I just bring it up because um it's irritating and a great amount of displeasure that we're positioned now where we started $2 million project with most our contingency gone. It's just not a good way to start a project. And we're here, I think, largely because um of the situation we just talked about. So, you know, I guess my ask would be that um that this pleasure gets forwarded on to the right people. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you, Mr. Parker. >> Yeah. Um okay, so let's assume that the architects did this. Um when was the code changed related to the fire code? When was the new code adopted? Is it >> Mike? >> Do you have an answer? >> Yeah, council member Parkill. So, in speaking with our building official, a little bit maybe more clarity to this, too. Um, it was approved in 2005 by ordinance. So, this specific building code section is a volunteer voluntarily um approved ordinance by a city. And so, not every city has this specific requirement. and we approved it in 2005 is when it became part of our building code. >> Makes it worse. >> It makes it really bad. Do they have does do these architects have I mean uh errors and emissions insurance and maybe that can cover some of this with that because this is we made a decision based on the information they gave us and they should know better. 20 years this code's been in place and it's it's like 150,000 bucks or and maybe we would have designed it differently or they should have designed it differently under 2,000 square ft versus 2300 square feet. Maybe we could have pulled the bathrooms outside in a separate building. You know, it's it's like that might have been worth it instead of spending this 150,000. And I might add that 150,000 for this is rather rich where it's a very small area to to put, you know, fire suppression in. And I understand 40 or 50 of that is the 4 inch line getting to the thing, but that's still a lot for a 4-in line. And so I I'm really disappointed. I approved this project and the budget for this project because it had come down and it had been significantly less than the original amount. And so I I'm kind of at a loss to exactly how to handle this and all of our contingency is basically being completely annihilated especially if we go ahead with the retaining walls and the trees. So, I don't know. It leaves us really in a bad spot. And I I really think we should send a letter asking something about their errors and emissions. >> Yeah. >> Send them a You know, I don't I I mean, I don't want to heir the the architect out here, but >> he just did. But that's okay. >> I don't know who it was. I don't know who the architect was, but do are they here that they could defend themselves? >> So, I'm going to make a suggestion, and I appreciate where you're coming from, and I actually agree with you. 100% and you as well. This isn't the first time this has happened. The magnitude of this on Panaway was profound. So, we got to get our house in order. Um, and what I would recommend is a way to try to take action on this if if staff would work with the city attorney to review the contract and the terms and conditions of the contract pertaining to the T change order and a mistake, right? this is an error or a mistake and and evaluate uh our chances of pushing that clause and triggering an insurance payment for their mistake. So just explore it. I'm not saying you know you can't you can't magically make that happen, but you certainly can explore the terms and conditions. You can make the inquiry. You can press them and hold people accountable for decisions. I know when I was in consulting, if I made a mistake like that, one of my clients would be on me in 15 seconds. >> Exactly. It's not it's not okay. >> So, ju just a quick note just because it's irritating, right? Um what you pay for something like this via change order is likely quite a bit different than if it were done on initial bid. So, there's a delta there that the city is paying a premium for because of this. I think that's I think that's part of the discussion with with our architects >> come off their fees. >> Mr. City Attorney, is that a reasonable request? Uh, Mr. Mayor, it's certainly reasonable for us to look into it. Um, get get more uh facts uh from the folks we hired to to advise us in this area and to execute >> errors and emissions. >> Right. Right. And look at the contract and I'll visit with staff on more of the details too. >> Okay. Does that I mean I know it doesn't resolve it but at least a course of action to address your concerns >> and that is the consensus of council on that one. Yeah, >> I agree. >> I have no issues with All right. >> Yes, sir. I I just want to clarify one point to council member Park Hill's comment about the budget. We did come in under we had originally allocated about $2.4 million for this project overall. The project that you approved in May included construction costs as well as that contingency at around 1.97. So we still are significantly under budget. I think we should all be proud of that. We do understand that this error is significant to the contingency that you budgeted and we'll look into it. >> Yeah. I'm just as a rebuttal to that, I'm worried that we're going to have another contingency and I'm I'm worried that this this isn't the first time this has happened. It went all through Panaway and there was constant stuff and I'm just like who's looking out for us? It really irritates me that that we're we're I just feel like the citizens end up paying for this with their taxes and it's like it's up to us to sort of, you know, pick contractors and uh consultants that have our best interests in in their pocket. And it's like sometimes I don't feel that. >> Yeah. Not to pick at the scab, but I'm going to because I this is a hot button issue for me as well. It's going to be unacceptable for me in the future to hire construction managers that did a worse job than that. Because when you look at PANA, we had a construction manager fee. We had change orders. We had budget overages. We didn't have bids. So, we got to get our house in order uh to to small and large projects, not to jam it on the taxpayer. And I appreciate what you concern about the the budget. It's all out of a budget that the taxpayer pays for. Period. Full stop. End of story. >> Okay, enough of that. And we're we're go ahead. >> That is some nice color though that interim city manager highlighted that and I appreciated the the full picture and that isn't to diminish this important conversation but that other point was also important >> and I think you get the message of who we're hiring and then holding them accountable. So okay moving on. Okay, just one one quick. I think part of this is Mike a discussion about our procurement um processes because there are other there are options out there and how you bring how you go about a project and how you hire designers, engineers, consultants, design, build etc. Um so there's a lot a lot to that discussion but it's a good thing it kind of wraps this discussion up a bit that we go back and talk about all that. I think >> that's fair. I mean I think I think that is the moving from the you know the the pews to the pulpit right is the core you know process change that we need to figure out to get our arms around this in future projects. So I think you get it and hopefully you're not personalizing the feedback. It's no >> fix the problem. >> We understand fully. >> Okay cool. Let's move on to the next change order and um we'll walk through that. >> So >> will we vote on this one or will we vote on together? >> I think we'll vote on them together. Right. So, so we're going to bring it back as a package after we get feedback from the public and after we, you know, we have two change orders in front in front of us, we have to approve both change orders to proceed. So, go ahead. >> Understood. Thanks. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. for this item related to the additional landscaping and retaining wall. Uh council directed us at our workshop uh two weeks ago to bring forward uh option two which was additional landscaping uh to the north side of the hill as well as the hill. Um and I'm going to turn presentation over to uh environmental planner. It's close. Yeah. >> Thank you. Thank you, manager Kelly, Mr. Mayor and council. So again, this is just the presentation will be going over the proposed change order for additional landscaping and retaining wall work at Clappers Park. So start briefly here. Again, I know we've had some background at the last council workshop as well, but just a little bit less detailed background here. Uh the parks and trails board has worked on the Clapper Park project uh starting in 2021. In May of 2025, council awarded contracts to start construction for the project. in June. So shortly shortly after construction started, staff started to receive significant concerns from the neighbors uh north of the park regarding the construction of the project and specific uh aspects of the project. To hear those concerns a little bit more, a neighborhood meeting was held on July 2nd. That neighborhood meeting also included some council members, parks and trails board members, and city staff. Some of the concerns that were heard at that neighborhood meeting, the first two are probably the most significant ones here. The first being the tree tree removal on the northwestern hillside of Clappage Park and the amount of hillside or amount of trees that were removed and the impacts of that. The addition of the hillside slide and stairs on that hillside and and the connection of that stairway to Park Street, the parking and traffic concerns. Um, again going with the new amenities there, having some concerns over parking to access those amenities and traffic concerns going along with that parking communication kind of lack of fr or frustration of lack of communication of the overall project and these specific items that we noted above. the overall budget cost of the project, which we also just talked about, and also school parking, mainly during drop off pickup times with folks parking on work street. So, at the August 6 council workshop, city council reviewed these neighborhood concerns, reviewed the proposed solutions, the parks and trails board recommendation, and the public comments at that workshop. As manager Kelly noted, council directed staff to bring forward option two of those proposed solutions. Option two was to keep the hillside slide and stairs as approved, but add a significant amount of landscaping to the hillside and top of the hill. With that option, council also noted to add as much landscaping as possible uh to the top of the hillside and to ensure that landscaping is wellmaintained. So, with these notes, we'll go over the proposed landscaping plan here in a second, but we added one additional spaded tree that you'll see. We're also looking at also adding water access to the top of the hill to help with the maintenance of those with that landscaping and possibly some equipment maintenance as well. So, we added this slide in here just for context of what we are talking about. So this is the best representation that we received from our playground vendor of what that propo proposed slide would look like. So it's 40 ft in length. If you look at the bottom right image, it's a little bit less than 40 ft. That 40 ft includes that that entrance, that bamboo slate entrance that's noted there as well. 18 feet in vertical height. It's dark green color. And the slide was ordered alongside all the other playground equipment in May of 2025. So, with this landscaping plan, again, it's similar to what was in the council workshop, but with some slight changes here. The four spaded trees to the north of the proposed stairway or proposed slide location. Um, also have a retaining wall around that location. Mainly, we just need more of a flat surface to plant those spaded trees. Those spaded trees would be 16 to 20 feet tall. We also add five arborvite trees to the northeast of that slide location and east of the stairway. Those would be about 5 to 6 feet tall. We also be looking at adding 10 1 and 1/2 in deciduous trees along the hillside along with 16 additional saplings there as well. The proposed retaining wall would essentially match the existing new retaining wall that was put in there with the project right now. Getting into cost, the main cost is the retaining wall. That's just a little under $20,000. The deciduous trees on the hillside, $4,700. The forest baited trees, just over $10,000. The five five arborite trees with the approved landscaping plan, we're essentially just taking five of five trees out of that uh plan that we were proposing to plant in the beginning. Uh so that's just a net wash with the five arborvite trees that we're planning with this proposed landscaping plan. The total would be uh $34,730. Sped trees, just as a couple notes here, spaded trees would go through a separate contract. It's more of a unique item. We have existing relationship with the tree farms to reduce the cost for those spaded trees and the additional saplings we already have uh at our city's gravel bed nursery as well. So there no additional cost for those parks and trails board recommendation. So the board attended that July 2nd meeting. The board discussed that feedback and the potential options at the July 8th meeting. At that meeting, the parks and trails board voted to recommend option two for the hillside stairs and slide and also recommended to essentially monitor the parking and traffic on Park Street after construction to determine if indeed there are any actions that are needed. Um, at that in the council workshop agenda packet, there was also additional information from the board as well on the recommendation, reasoning, and timeline. So lastly here, public comments. So again, we have the neighborhood meeting and the workshop in this meeting uh to respond to those concerns that we've heard at that July 2nd neighborhood meeting before this packet was published. Staff received 26 public comments. Generally speaking, 17 of those comments were against the hillside stairs and slide. Nine of those comments were in general support of the approved plans. We received four additional public comments after the packet was published. Um so they're printed out uh up front to if folks want to read those. In general, three of those were in support of the project as approved with one comment noting potential revision to not connect the stairway to Park Street. And just for more clarity, the council workshop had a total of 32 public comments and this item was discussed as well. Three of the three of those comments were in opposition to the hillside stairs and slide and 29 of those comments were in general support of the project. So with that, I'll bring it back to Mr. Mayor on council for any questions. Okay, questions of style. >> Okay, >> I do. >> Okay, Mr. Parkill. >> So am I right to assume that you >> Oh, your your mics off. Am I right to assume that uh the retaining wall is only there to put the spaded trees in for the additional blockage? >> Correct. Council member Parkco. Yes. >> Okay. And um spaded trees are about $2,500 each worth versus the 1.5 in deciduous trees are maybe what's that? 500 each. >> Correct. >> So it's an eight grand increase. Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Um before we take public comment, I'm just going to read something. Um topics often generate passionate responses that that come before us and we're really fortunate to have an engaged community and welcome your input on these complex issues. As we discuss them, I ask for respectful civil discourse. Embracing competing perspectives makes our community stronger and if done right, actually allows civic friendships to thrive. And with that, I'm gonna uh open the public comments on this project. Tori Schuli and Fred Gian. I think this is actually the spirit of what I just said because I know one of you is for it and one of you is against it. So, let's have it. Well, with that context in mind, I'm Tori 290 Ridge View. I'm one of the uh insensitive overreaching uh board members who I think Fred may have thought must hate mature beautiful trees and I'm joined by Fred of Park Street. Uh one of the nimi crotchety neighbors in Facicious, sorry. who who I I think I may have initially assumed may hate the sound of children's laughter after but we um I think despite the >> keep it civil Tori >> I think despite those initial differences and assumptions uh tried to stake out kind of a compromise option that could avoid a contentious vote uh which I'll get to in a minute for context Fred was kind enough to invite me to walk Clappert again last Friday I had convinced board member uh Sarah Randolph to join both to listen to some of the neighborhood concerns and also to act as a witness in case Fred tried to kidnap me. Um, which thank you Fred. The um, but so the two of us walked the site with three neighbors. I think it was yourself, Harold, and Bob. But the conversation was kind of left stuck. Uh, Fred was kind enough to pick up the phone yesterday. So, this is hot off the press. Uh, and we were talking about it feels like council's kind of forced into a contentious vote. Is there not some middle ground? Uh, since both of the parties desires don't appear to be mutually exclusive. So, the neighbors are saying they don't want to see the slide or have people park in front of their house. Uh, parks board and trying to do what's best for the for the residents is is very fine with that. Uh, the board wants to let residents utilize the steep hill in an engaging unique way. The neighbors, you know, not not inherently anti-slide, fine with that. So, we had kind of mocked up a middle ground option. Fred was uh floated it past the neighbors and it sounds like of the seven kind of vocal houses that had opposed it, they would be in support. I floated it past the board members or about four of the seven members said they could support it. So, what we're specifically requesting is if council could table this second change order uh and ask staff for about two weeks and ask staff to draft three additional changes. The first is removing the sidewalk from the top portion from the entrance of the slide to the to the sidewalk. Uh replacing some of that with additional tree coverage. Part of the hope would be would some of the cost of hardscape potentially uh pay for the trees. And then third, we wouldn't install maybe perhaps if we need to delay installation of the topper on that roof because some of the height may make it visible to the neighbors. Uh I'll note it's not perfect. It keeps a slide, which Fred has qualms about since it's ADA compliant but not ADA accessible. It delays things further, which I don't like. I wasn't planning on speaking. I was just excited for this to move on, but this actually further delays it. The third thing I'll note is it removes a convenient pathway for neighbors beyond Park Street, which is why the three board members had said they oppose it. So they think gardener, etc. residents would like to access Clappage from Park Street and now they're forced to create a a dirt cow path, which is both inconvenient for them and not a great visual. So at the same time, it could serve as a middle ground, kind of tone down the conversation and prevent a potential all or nothing decision if that's in the interest of council. So our intent wasn't to complicate things last minute though this May. Our intent was really just to see if we could go along to get along and bridge two groups and and scrap together kind of a hailmary middle ground. So, thanks for considering our request and I'll I'll turn it over to Fred. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. Thanks, J. Fred Guy, 359 Park Street East. And yes, it's it's true that all of us are in agreement, the neighbors, to say this would be possibly a great plan. If we could uh get this delayed for two weeks and work it out, work the kinks out. I think we could present you something that wouldn't have a lot of problems to it. >> Okay. Um I think we'll continue to take public input, but we will note that as a recommendation for us to consider. Next up, um I have uh Lydia Mal >> M. Thank you. Thank you. >> Mom, I am a mom. >> Yes. Welcome. >> Hi. Uh I'm Lydia mom. I put Violet up. Mom on, but she had to go as so did Duke because it was bedtime. So I brought two of the slide users to try to kind of influence you guys, but they had to. >> I had ice cream with them at the MUN, so I heard them out. >> You did. Um I am at 343 Bridgeview Drive. I am one of the kind of mama mafia who we pretty much run that street and we have been promised I think I was we were promised that that park was going to be starting to be remodeled when I was pregnant with Violet. So here we are. We're sitting. We're waiting. We love that park. It's so much closer to where we can go. We can walk a pedestrian crosswalk and we can be there and we don't have to walk all the go get in a car go all the way down to the beach. Um, and a lot of times the beach is overcrowded, etc. So, we just are here to voice our support. I pretty much represent Ridge View and and and uh Margaret Circle in terms of we really want the the parks to be built, but we don't want it to be built at the um expense of other people who have to who live there and also have to hear the screams of joy by the children, but also to make sure that it's it's fair for everyone. But it sounds like Tori was able to come up with hopefully something that um we can all agree on because I think we all agree we're all part of the community. We all pay taxes. We all want to see happy kids smiling and we all want to be, you know, happy neighbors. >> Uh thank you. Next, uh Bob Fischer. >> Welcome. >> Thank you and appreciate your time. So, um, we, um, thank you for the opportunity to share perspectives. Um, and I'm Bob Fischer, and my wife Kim and I moved to Weisetta about a year ago from Tonka Bay. And, uh, we love the city. We love, you know, the activities that are available. And Clapper Park was one, you know, a a big plus for us when we bought the house. We're the little house on the hill um just directly um opposite where the slide will be and uh um we're here transit wisetta. So we really like the city. Um we're we're a little shocked to see when when the pine trees came down. Uh we we weren't aware that that was going to happen and happened all in a day and and what it did for our house which sits on the hill looking south towards the park and and Weisetta Boulevard. It opened up, you know, just a vast window of light and uh activity that hadn't been there when the pine trees were there. Um, so we were a little shocked when that happened. Um, and um, let me just see what I where I'm at. Well, oh, we're grateful that the city is considering, you know, sort of a robust coverage for some of the light pollution the way we look at it coming off of Weissa Boulevard and as people pull into the park, you know, the headlights are coming straight up the hill towards our house. Um, so I think I think we can live with the proposal that of dropping, you know, the the slide down a little bit and not having it and with the trees that are being not having it be right up at the street level. Um, we're a little worried about traffic. you know, we get a lot of cars that come through um and turn around and come into, you know, partway into our our driveway. So, that's a that's a very common thing and it probably happens to a number of our neighbors as well. I could see an increase in that depending on the usage of uh the slide and and how, you know, where that's positioned. So, um, we'd be happy to have any of you come over and look from our house if you want to take a peek at what it, you know, what it looks like and how it gets impacted at different times of the day. So, with that offer, we just ask for um, you know, some of the changes that you've noted and I think other neighbors have uh, can speak to it as well. So, thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. Next up, I have uh Jenny Sergeant, please. >> Welcome. >> Hi, my name is Jenny Sergeant. I live at 215 Chicago Avenue North. Um I have four kids, ages 2 and a half to 17. Um I've lived here for about 8 years. Clappage Park, though the area itself is loved. I would say the playground itself is not well utilized. There's lots of ground bees that were in the sand. It was not a spot that families felt safe taking their little kids. It was not kept up well. it wasn't easy to access. This has been a plan that has been being developed for many, many years. They spoke to the date of when it first started. Um, and I do appreciate the complaints of the people that live right above it saying that those trees were taken down. Being at the last meeting, there were three options presented. It was my understanding that you guys were for the majority vote 3 to one in favor of option two. putting in more landscape to provide both visual barriers as well as um some dampening of sound. I would imagine when at least the trees are green and um I would hope that they would take um when you're voting into account of everyone in this community. This park will be used for years to come for kids that have not been born yet. There are many things to do in Weisetta as an adult. There is a playground at Weisetta Beach and there is Clapbridge Park if you want to go to a playground with your child if you want to be able to walk to it. Um I would hope that I don't know how to make it better known with communication. I never come to these meetings. I've now been to two in a row in two weeks. >> Congratulations. >> That like to know that I'm because this is important I think and people do need to be present making their v voice known. I'm just worried that I'm going to miss another meeting now if there's another one that needs to keep I need to keep coming and showing my support. Um, and so I don't quite understand the three options that you said. Um, but you talked about taking out the sidewalk. Would that be the entire sidewalk? Like what about kids walking to school? >> The connection. >> I don't know how to >> Let's Let's address it later. We can address it. And then separately like parking right now. The biggest issue with parking on that street right now, is not the playground. It is not the middle school. It is people playing pickle ball. If you go there when it's pickle ball time, they are parked along both sides and it actually is unsafe. So a separate discussion if you're worried about safety on that street and increasing children walking to this wonderful new playground, it would be analyzing that parking issue because it is a little bit out of control if you go there at the right time. I think it's Monday mornings um to see what's going on. I believe this is a compromise. They have paused the building to discuss how to make this better for people that live above that street. I can appreciate I have been in Weisetta for eight years. I live on two dead end streets. There have been at least I think four houses built while I've been there. There is always construction right now. That's kind of how I said it is. There's always things changing. I I appreciate that you woke up and all of a sudden the trees were gone. I do feel like option two, putting in those trees, spending additional $20,000 to compromise to try to make it the best for everybody is doing due diligence. And if you are going to continue to vote on this and make additional plans, I think there needs to be another forum with more back and forth discussion versus just being able to comment so that everyone can understand what they're voting on or what they're, you know, trying to speak for. >> Sure. >> Thank you, Miss Sergeant. Next up is Gareth Goodall, please. >> Hi. >> Welcome. >> Hi. Thank you. Thanks for having me. Nice to see you all. My name is Gareth Goodall. I live at uh 627 Park Street East. So I'm at Park Street um resident and I'm the father of a six-year-old boy and a six-month-old um girl. Um so as a father of two, to me it's kind of evident that a slide is more than just a piece of plastic and metal or whatever it is, bamboo, but actually it's a source of great joy and delight um and fun for children. And you know when I look on the Wazetta uh site, you know, we we repeatedly call this place a village. It says the word village many times on the way site. And of course there's the the famous proverb that it takes a village to raise a child. So I would ask and I come here tonight like you. I don't didn't feel I would come to many of these meetings, but um I would ask that we keep that in mind when we make a decision. I want a decision that's fair to my neighbors and fellow community members. Um I too have also lived through I feel like a lot of construction so I understand >> just a wee bit this summer just a wee bit >> just a small amount. So I understand and I want but my my ask would be that when you make a decision you do it in a couple of ways. One is I think we should separate this issue from the issue we just talked about as we're it would be easy to conflate two costs add them together and be like well this now is a really expensive difference to me the first cost I don't know the details but it seems like an attitude this is a different matter and I would ask that they get treated separately I would also ask that you make a decision that sends a signal to the children of this village and the children who live here now and the children who may live here in the future that uh in this town they matter. Um so thank you. >> Thank you Mr. Goodall. Uh next up is Greg Landram. Do I have that right? >> Yes. >> Okay. Welcome. >> Uh Greg Landram 337 Park Street. And first of all, I want to say thank you for giving us the opportunity to speak again. Uh you all have had opportunities to listen to us already. So, thank you for that. And first of all, I want to say I don't think that there's anybody on Park Street that is against the playground being renovated in in Clapri. The issues on the table that Tori and Fred talked about were the three Nick, you raised, which are primarily the ones that are the contentious issues. That's what we we've been talking about. Uh the trees or the lack of trees, the stairs and the slide. We would be, my wife and I would be in full agreement with what has been proposed at the very beginning here that Fred and Tori you raised is that we take some time to step back. I think they've come up with, from what we've seen, a reasonable solution that would be a compromise that would uh meet the requests that we have that are living on Park Street as well as still allow to have what has been designed as a very good uh playground. So, we would be very much in support of that. Hopefully, we've taken this much time. We can take two more weeks that won't be that much more so that we can develop a plan that will meet all of our needs. So, thank you very much. >> Oh, thank you, sir. Uh, Mr. City Manager, do we have anybody on teams? >> We do not. >> Okay. Um, can you uh put the slide back up where it showed the number of feedback, you know, the the slide, Nick, that you had, you know, four against or whatever? So, while he's doing that, I'll start start something here. First of all, you guys did great. I mean, wow. Civil civil discussion. It was amazing. So, I'm going to double down. Um, uh, before we begin our deliberations, and also maybe for those of you who might be tuning in about Airbnbs and VBOS's and short-term rentals, um, I just have a statement I'd like to read. So when we, your city council members, and I, your mayor, sit up here and consider the decisions before us, we are weighing a vast and often complex array of information, a critical part of that is the public feedback we receive. We listen intently to the voices of our community, whether they come to us as prepared statements during a public hearing, as letters, as texts, as phone calls, as candid conversations in the hallway of this building, one-on-one, in community meetings, and in focus groups. the qualitative feedback and I stress the word qualitative uh because we get into this us versus them and counting which to me is irrelevant and I'll tell you why this is qualitative which should include surveys, polls and it's absolutely essential for us to get the narrative, the context, the personal experiences, the information our packet alone can never convey. It tells us not just what people think but why they think it and what a particular decision means for them. The reality is unless we were to hold a referendum on every single decision, a process that is neither practical nor frankly the model for governance that we have, the responsibility falls on us, your elected representatives. Our job is to use the imperfect process of representative government to balance the qualitative information we hear from you, the expert analysis we receive from our dedicated city staff and advisers, and we must take all this and make a decision that we believe is in the best interest of the entire city. a solemn responsibility for all of us and it's not easy and we're committed to listening, learning, and leading with integrity. We may not always get it perfect, but please know that your input is valued and a fundamental part of every decision we make. And thank you for being active and I hope you do come back to one or two more meetings when you find something of interest. And with that, I'm going to turn it back over to the council for deliberations. I think we have to need to go through both change orders and kind of get a sense of how people feel about each of them. And then we've got some new information that was introduced about a potential consideration of tableabling tableabling this. Um I don't know how I feel about that yet, but let's let's bring out uh some people's comments and if you would try to would you prefer that we take them oneonone or are you guys comfortable providing feedback on both change orders at the same time? >> Um well just comment that. Mer to me they're two separate things. I mean >> so let's just go through >> the same project but they're >> okay. So, let's go through them one one by one. >> I mean, that that'd be my suggestion, but if people want to do it different, I'm okay. >> I'm fine with that. Let's do that. Let's start with fire suppression change order. Invite uh council to start that deliberation, please. >> Would like to start. >> I don't think we I will. Um I don't think we have an option to not approve it. Um it's super unfortunate, but I'm worried that um with these additional costs related to the retaining wall and the trees that our uh our contingencies completely wiped out. >> So, um my my recommendation as we go forward would be to consider removing the retaining wall and the spaded trees to help cover some of that cost and then we still have contingency left. But >> and does that include leaving the slide and stairs in place? >> Okay. So, we're going to do them both at the same time. >> Well, you're comingling them. So, >> I am. >> Uh >> I'm just trying to draw it out because it'll help us all with deliberations as we go. >> Yeah. Um I I believe that um we have a we have a decision to make. I don't I've I've discussed the thought of or the prospect of um delaying the project. I think it's cumbersome. I think that I think we can we've had lots of information here. So, I do believe that we could come to a compromise this evening. Um personally, I'm okay removing the steps to park. Um, I think removing the roof on the the slide is a good thing. It it's nothing appealing about that roof and it's also probably causes it to be more visible from the homes on park. >> Um, I also am for um removing the retaining wall and removing the spaded trees and adding some more fast growing trees like evergreens. >> Thank you for being >> to maybe compromise that. So that saves in my calculations 28 grand which would allow us to have some sort of um contingency remaining for the project. >> Thank you for those comments, Mr. We'll come back to you too if you want to make further comments about item two >> of the two changes. >> I think I covered it. >> Okay, but you'll get another shot if you want one. Who would like to go next on fire suppression? I can thank you. Uh, real similar to council member Park Hill, I don't see that it's a it's really an option. >> Um, we have to be able to put out a fire if there's a bunch of children or any humans in warming house. So, I do support um the ideas that council member Park Hill raised with staff that says, "Let's sharpen our teeth with these vendors or this um consultant." So, I will be optimistic that there will be um a reduction, but I do support the fire repression system suppression. >> Thank you, Mr. Sorenson. >> I don't think we have an option other than to uh approve the change order for fire suppression. We talked about it enough. I think we're just going to overpay for it because of an overlook, but um >> maybe I'd vote to approve the change order. >> Maybe we'll get it on ENL. You never know. >> Maybe, probably not, but we we we're going to try. Okay, I don't have anything further to add um about fire suppression. We'll come back and take motion in two parts. Motion one, motion two, but let's move on to deliberations about change order two, which is about I think what staff's proposed some new information has been presented. So, I would ask each of you to weigh in on how you feel about the change order. Do you still support it? Is does any new information you got tonight adjust that perspective uh persuade you to to table it or or take it a different direction? would like to start. >> Um, I'll start. Council >> member McDonald. Thank you. >> Um, a lot of lot of time thinking about this one. Um, I what I first and foremost just really want to appreciate um the hard work from the parks and trails board, the the immediate neighbors, the broader community, city staff, this body up here, um, and whoever I might be missing. A lot of work went into this and a lot of um and all of this engagement and these updates and a hopefully a a swift response um coming from this collective group can yield some really great compromises and um what I hope results. I I'm a little hesitant at the tableabling idea. It's actually would be 3 weeks until our next meeting, not just two weeks because of the Labor Day holiday. So, um that said, um in terms of new information received last night, um the landscaping, the spaded trees, yes, yes, yes, 100%. Um, I I live right there as a lot of you know, and it is a it's a jarring change and I'm excited and optimistic about healthy big trees that will um bring some of that screening back and then of course I do hope um some of that noise buffer because what I think is is sometimes is not lost but overlooked maybe um in this broader clapper's playground discussion is the the ice ring all winter long which I've lived in my house 10 years and every winter there's 100 children across the street some adults do of course um and I I personally think that that's a great thing so I think the park proves that in the winter time it can handle that and still keep the Park Street area safe. And so these trees will make a big difference. Um probably, you know, where the other where I live, it's more deciduous, so you really have a have a view of of the skating rink and the lights. And if you don't have it before, they are promptly turned off right at 10. So there's um never been an issue there. Um but back to the sort of extra options that came last night um in collaboration with parks and trails and um the immediate neighbors. Um so I said yes to the landscaping already um scrapping that top hut done. I think it's seems unnecessary anyways. And as I envision it, there's this landing pad at the top of the slide where a few kids can gather. And I just picture anticipation and excitement, waiting their turn to go down. And as I as I understand it from from these photos and speaking with staff though that that that sort of landing pad where you'd get into the slide without the hut makes it not visible from the street. Um and I think that's really important to note that it it doesn't start at the at the sidewalk. And I tried to ask that question in the workshop so that it was clear to the public. But I think maybe it got a little bit lost. Um, the one I'm really struggling with is the connection, the stair connection, that top portion of the steps. Um, I've been reiterating quite a bit that that connection should be quaint almost um almost like it's just peeking out of this beautiful new landscaping. And the reason why I'm struggling with the idea of it not being there is this is a big project. We have spent I was in this position in 2018 talking about a broader park plan. So, this is something that we've been talking about for so long that I just can't wrap my head around spending $2 million and my neighbors still can't get to the park without walking down a really dangerous severe grade gravel hill that um actually can be really quite slippery even when it's dry. That sounds crazy, but it's true. Um, or that they walk all the way down Weisetta Boulevard. And if you walk that that strip of Weisetta Boulevard, it's there's no buffer between Weisetta Boulevard and the sidewalk. And then the other side is a is a big drop off hill. So, I'm really I I want to say that that's not important for the compromise, but I I just after all of this time and all this money, there's the strollers and the bags and the kids and they still can't get down there unless you drive and park. It just doesn't it doesn't square to me. So, um yes, yes, yes, landscaping. no to the hut. sure that there's no visual at the top of the slide from the Park Street neighbors and um just make that connection or consider and I ask you guys to consider that connection and its importance and how we can make it subtle and not um this like glaring thing just sort of like a peak if you know, you know, kind of thing. So, that would be um a suggestion I would love to hear feedback from from this body. So, >> can I ask just one clarifying question to make sure I have your position? So, I think you're clear about option two with a tweak and you'd prefer for us to try to drive consensus tonight as opposed to tableabling and working on it further. >> I would if it's possible. I I I think the one public comment from my neighbor on Chicago Avenue of it's asking a lot it's asking a lot of the immediate neighbors. It's asking a lot of the broader community. I mean selfishly I think it's asking a lot of us and staff. Um we're in budget time too. Uh so I think we would all just feel better if this project could just move forward. the quicker we can get this done, the quicker those trees go in and start growing and flourishing. So, I would I I don't want to have to table it, but if we do, then that's the right thing, too. And that's that's important, too. So, not totally against it, but hoping was counting on a resolution this evening. So, >> thank you, Miss McDonald. Mr. Sorenson. Um on the tableing issue, I think I'm not sure. Um I think it's important we decide tonight one way or another. Um we've got contractors working out there. Um Mike and I talked a little bit about it today. He can comment more on it, but I think I think we should be concerned about now make decision tonight and think we're going to make one in two weeks. And >> um so that'd be my suggestion is let's kind of figure out what we want to do do tonight and make a decision. I also um someone made the comment we've been designing this since 2021. So we've been out a long time, right? And I would uh I think parks and um I think parks done a really nice job trying to get this to this point. It's been a a lot of work. Um because of all that I'm not inclined to think we should adjust the scope of this pro or minim to uh to do anything to reduce the scope of the project. You know, I've tried to be open to listen to all sides of this issue. I had direct conversations with um a few of the neighbors and my gosh, we got plenty of letters. Um, you know, there seems to be a lot of consternation, speculation, um, concern about what's going to happen on Park Street if we run the stairs up all all the all all the way. And, um, you know, I've heard things I've heard people describe what they're concerned about. I guess I'm just not overly convinced that it's going to be as bad as people think with nuisance and safety issues that are being pointed out and a bunch of kids and pedestrian traffic and maybe cars. Cars might be an issue that we can deal we that we might need to deal with if we run the stairs all the all the way up. But, you know, I'm trying to really understand what's this going to be like when if we run the stairs all the way up. if we do option two here, I just don't think it's going to be as bad as people think it's going to be. Um, so to me, like the ideal situation is that we connect the park to Lake Street and see how it goes. >> Park Street >> to Park Street. >> That'd be a long way. >> That' be a long way. Um, I don't think it's going to I don't think the concerns that are being expressed very passionately are going to materialize in that way and and and let's go there and do that and we can always adjust and monitor. >> Okay. >> Um, so I guess I'm in favor of deciding tonight not delay option two. >> Okay. And would you would you support uh removing the top of the slide to uh I think that's an easy tweak that Molly suggested that Jeff was okay with this. The top of the box. >> The top of the box. >> There's a little like >> move Oh. Oh, just >> Yeah, that little thing in the top. >> Sure. We can take >> Okay. Okay. Great. >> Yeah. >> One last chance for a bite of the apple before I get to go. >> Go ahead. >> Okay. I have two questions of staff before I make my comments. one relates to ADA. Um, so I I'm not an expert in ADA, but I know an analysis was done to make sure that the changes that we were making were ADA compliant. And then there's a standard that you have to meet for all of the playground equipment, but not every piece of playground equipment has to be accessible to people with disabilities. Did I get that right? Or can you help help amplify or clarify the rules around ADA? >> Mr. Mr. Mayor, yes. Uh to answer the ADA question, obviously the hillside slide is not ADA compliant and in providing the hillside slide, we needed to provide an equal experience that was ADA compliant and that has been included as part of the overall construction and alternate that was the hillside slide. So, just above the um retaining wall, I'm going to ask Nick if he can maybe swirl the the mouse a little bit just to show there is a slide shorter and ADA accessible on the northwestern portion of the park >> y >> that was pro provided in addition at the same time as the hillside slide so that the experience was equal for all abilities. Okay, thank you. And then my next question is to our council uh city attorney. Uh this is with regard to liability. So in general, how do we cover liability of people using our park system? they injure themselves, they fall, and then is there any part of our insurance, which I believe is with the league, um that they look at certain elements one way or another that, oh, well, if you add this amenity, your liability goes up and we're going to rate your insurance higher because you've as added a 40ft slide as an example. >> I think he directed it at you. >> Well, either of you can take it, but I I gave it to you because I I know you understand risk. >> Well, sure, Mr. Mayor. Yeah. So, the the key thing with risk is that we design it well. I mean, we we want to avoid we want to create safe spaces for our children and families and folks using the park. So, that goes into the design process um every step of the way. Um you know, when unfortunate accidents happen, that's why we have insurance. That's why we post signs about things. So, the city follows all those things. I don't know if there is any specific review by uh the league of the designs or plans. Nick, do you know? >> Yeah, Mr. Mayor and Council, just maybe a couple notes here. So, talking with our playground vendor, the playground has to meet safety standards, which this playground does. They also noted if we're just talking about the specific hillside slide. There's plenty of hillside slides around the nation that they noted, some even longer than this, quite longer than this. So when it comes to safety and liability, at least the playground is safety compliant. It is ADA compliant um for the entire playground. >> Okay. Thank you. Um my position really hasn't changed and I I I've been out front listening and talking to folks um all the way along. As you may note, I didn't vote for the park plan in the first place, but that was due to budget, a completely different situation. Uh my original vote was about money. Um I am probably as pro parks uh as you can look to in my 17-year voting record. Um and then when you move to this, um I I just look at this and say we're spending $2 million. You're taking out a small stairs and a slide. You have two additional slides. Park equipment, flattening the park, adding fire pits, adding an expanded warming house, adding uh an outdoor bathroom, adding sidewalks, adding parking. Right? And if this is the tipping point, and I I use this example in the workshop. It's not equivalent, but it's how I am reaching my decision. I worked for eight or nine years to move the Panaway project forward and we got to a vote like tonight where we were going to um the original scope it was recommended by the consultants. We'd gone through nine years of community engagement, more surveys, more input, more meetings, more than you can imagine. And ultimately the tipping point for people near there was we were going to touch the little park down there, the beach park. We were going to change it. We were going to add a diving pier and that became nuclear. And we had move on.org or positions and we got locked up and the council completely switched at the at the last minute to say well we're not going to do that um and we're going to end it um at the transient docks and and you know for for the the you know Alen Alas and all that. So that was disappointing to me. I mean I I'm sitting here I've worked for nine years and it gets undone in one vote. What happened six years later? We remodeled the little beach park. So I'm just using it as an example for context. I haven't changed my position, but I also want to make sure that we don't get into some sort of not being able to move forward. So, I I want to ask my colleague, Mr. Park, a question just to clarify so I understand your position um before I render where I'm going to go with this. I heard from from uh Council Member Sorenson and Council Member McDonald that they want to move forward tonight. They want to move forward with option two. They would accept a tweak to the top of the slide as one one additional mitigation step, but they want to move forward. What I heard from you was concern about that landscaping. Um, but I know you want to mitigate it. So, is there a a ground between you and I that we can get to so that we can get to moving forward? >> Well, I I haven't been the one as close to this as uh Council Member McDonald has. Um, and I'm not the one that lives across the street from it either on both contexts. Um, I too struggled with trying to understand the safety issues. I walked that place twice um on the phone with one of the neighbors trying to really be discerning and trying to really uh feel the passion and feel understand the safety issues and I struggle with that. I have to say um I hear loud and clear that it would be uh a disservice and a service so to speak for the steps up but because I don't see the the safety issues as much as some of the people that live there. Um, I I believe that there should be a second connection to the park. Um, I would love to save $28,000 on the spaded trees and the retaining wall. I think that that's but I think maybe that's the compromise I make um is to go ahead since we're spending 2 million already to um agree to spend that so that the neighbors do have some immediate protection um from the visibility and the ghastly void that uh appeared in their front yard. I mean, that was just I can imagine the shock. It was I looked up there and I'm like, you can see for miles now from these people have beautiful trees. So, hopefully we can replace those trees and get some nice good trees in there for them so that they have the visibility. So, I am in agreement with council member McDonald and Sorenson on their proposal. And would you also accept the the tweak to the top of the slide? Okay. So, I think we've got consensus on both issues. So, let's take um a vote on separate issues just so it's very clear for the record that we've approved both change orders. So, the first motion I would accept is an approval of change order number one related to fire suppression with the condition of directing staff to work with the related parties that made the mistake to explore airs and missions and and recovering some of those costs. I would accept that motion. I'll make that motion. >> I have a second. >> Second. >> Further discussion. >> All in favor say I. I. Okay. That change order is approved. Now for the second change order, I'll try to frame it and if I get it wrong, please help me. Um, so so what I heard consensus for is moving forward with option two, which is the additional landscaping with a tweak to remove the I don't know what the right language is. top of the box of the slide roof or visual the roof. It's not Yeah. >> cover to to mitigate the the visuals. >> Um >> and I think that's it. >> And and just thought one more thing. Um it I think it would be prudent and pertinent that when I assume our city forester Bennett Myin is going to be kind of plotting this out to um give the Park Street neighbors a heads up so that they can um just be more involved with where the trees will actually go. I think when you live across the street and you knew what it was before, you're going to um have better information than maybe um a staff member. So, if that's I'm sure something really easy to do. >> Sure. I think I appreciate the additional comment. So, I would accept a motion uh consistent with what I suggested. Who would like to make that motion? >> So, moved. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Any further discussion? I have one. I'm going to continue to vote no only for consistency. I want my record to reflect consistency. I'm not for or against either side of it. And I hope tonight and throughout the process we demonstrated we do listen, we do make changes and we try to balance it. So with that, um I'll hear a a vote. Um so move seconded further discussion. Uh all in favor say I. >> I. >> One no. Passes 3 to one. So the direction we've been at this since 4:30. I'm going to request a two-minut one function break to clear the room and move on because I need to clear my head to get after the next thing. So, uh just adjourn for 2 minutes one function break please. calling the meeting back to order after our brief break. Next on our agenda is consider adoption resolution 2020 2020 2025 creating a public art committee. Uh over to city manager. >> Thank you Mr. Mayor and council. Uh Nicker is going to lead this discussion. >> Thank you manager Kelly. Mr. Mayor and councel. So we're switching gears here a little bit. So, like the mayor noted, this is the presentation will go over resolution 2020 2022 proposing to create a public art committee. So, again, I'll start with a little bit of background here. Um, the establishment of a public art committee is listed in the 2024 2026 strategic plan as a specific strategic initiative. Currently, how the city operates is actually under a public art policy that was created in 2015. What that policy really does is creates an ad hoc committee for each public art proposal as proposed around town. One of the more recent ones you could say is the Big Water Art piece in the roundabout uh east on Lake Street there. In September of 2024, the city council established a public art steering committee. really they task that steering committee with determining if a long-standing public art committee should be within the city and if so how that structure or how that would be formed. So in fall of 24 staff solicited applications alongside all the other board and committee openings for that steering committee. So the public art steering committee was created. The members on that steering committee were council member Alex Bleish who was chair. I wish he was here tonight for this conversation. Um, council member Molly McDonald and then three residents, Joanie Cunningham, Roger Miller, and Jud Nelson. As a note, city staff members also attended those meetings as well. The steering committee met five times in 2025 to discuss the future of a public art guard committee and drafted the bylaws that were attached to the city council packet. At their July 14th meeting, the steering committee unanimously approved the draft public art committee bylaws. So this is important. I think the mission so within the bylaws, we'll go over the bylaws now. So the in the bylaws, there is a mission statement. There's mission items and then there's responsibilities. I think those are each important sections. I don't want you to be bored with me um going verbatim for all of those. So, we picked out a few of the um highlights for each of those here, but all of them again are in those bylaws. So to start, the mission of the public art committee is to advise the city of Wisetta on advancing a cohesive, elegant, and community rooted public art program that enhances the city's identity, quality of life, and cultural vibrancy. The committee shall support art that is timeless and reflective of Wisetta's unique character, emphasizing walkability, discoverability, and the integration of public art with the city's history, natural features, and community values. So that's the mission. And again with any border committee with any kind of decision we always go back to these mission uh statements or the mission roles whenever a decision or recommendation is made. So with that mission itself the committee shall carry out its mission in a manner that enhances the city's identity, civic pride and quality of life through elegant, accessible and enduring artistic expressions. supports Wisetta's values of community, walkability, family friendliness, restaurant and retail distinction, and historic integrity. And the last being creates a sense of place and serves as a cultural center that encourages residents and visitors to explore and appreciate Wisetta's public spaces. So that's just three of those. There are six total uh within the bylaws. As we move on here to the next session, next section, the public art committee responsibilities. So again, there are nine of these. We just pulled out four here to highlight uh for council tonight. First being develop and recommend a long-term strategic plan for public art in Weisetta. Advise on the selection, commissioning, placement, and maintenance of public art in city- owned spaces and properties. Review and make recommendations on public art and private development applications involving art in the public realm to ensure public art supports the city's values and complements its parks, restaurants, shops, and historic environment. and the last being identify and help secure funding for public cart initiatives including public private partnerships, grants and sponsorships. So I think those are important sections again uh important sections as part of the bylaws. So I wanted to go into those a little bit more detail. The rest of the bylaws um a little bit more standard here. So to start the public art committee would meet regularly. We didn't necessarily put a meeting date in there really just to be a little bit more flexible based on the applicants that we get uh for that committee. Same kind of um thing with the number of members. So we put five to seven members for the public art committee. Really again having a little bit of flexibility just based on the number of applicants that we would get. Up to two of those members could be a nonis non-residentisetta. We put a list within the bylaws that members could be um as a a part of. It's not limited to these um groups or these members, but just kind of a starting point. So, it could be council members, Wisetta residents and business owners. Could be representatives of Wisetta art organizations or vested located in or vested in Weisetta. Same with artists located in or vested in Weisetta. Wisetta civic organizations and also student members as well that are in Weisetta schools or in the Weisetta school districts grades 9 to 12. Term length would be three years. We actually um staggered the initial terms kind of half and half with two years and three years just so at the end of three years there's not everybody coming up for reappoint. And then the additional bylaws are essentially very similar if not the exact same to other boards and committees with that being chair and vice chair roles um standards of conduct those types of things. So next steps if the resolution is approved the public art committee openings would be advertised along with the additional openings additional board and committee openings this fall. Once those openings are filled, again, those exact meeting dates would be determined and added to the city calendar. The meetings would start in 2026, and at that time, the public art committee would start discussing and ultimately uh potentially recommend specific art installations or initiatives to council. And as kind of the final note there, the council did create a new public art CIP fund. And within that fund, there's already allocation of $100,000 >> from the past, not this year. >> Correct. >> Okay. Correct. Got it. >> So, and with that, I'll bring it back to Mr. Mayor and Council for any questions. >> Questions of staff. >> Okay. Hearing none, I'll bring it back to council for discussion. Um, seems pretty straightforward to me. I mean, I if people want to comment, uh, Molly, you led the committee. Maybe you could just offer a couple comments and then we could see if there's support to move it forward. >> I would be delighted. I feel like I'm going to try to fill Council Member Pleish's shoes with my comments. um as he actually was the chair of this committee and feels very passionate about it and that passion I think um really just emulated and translated so well with the entire steering committee. So, we were we had a an artist who lives locally who does sculpture for other cities um all over the country, which was a great um resource for us. We also had another committee member who was on that big water um uh committee. I'm not exactly sure. >> Sounds like a work group. Yeah, >> a working group. And um she was invaluable. And lastly, a newer um well, new in Weisetta terms resident maybe, but um a great appreciator of art and had experience in public service. So, and um a lot of enthusiasm from staff. Nick was great. Liv um joined in. Um Director Sharp was there often. So fun to see a lot of enthusiasm um in city hall and then of course with the residents and and then um at the council level. So in I'm I am enthusiastically endorsing this. I can't wait to vote yes on it and I dare to speak for C council member Plekish, but he this is something he's been um looking forward to and excited about for quite some time and it's it's really important to him and and I would say something that the work he's and I are quite proud of. So looking forward to approving this. Well, thank you for that context and thank you to the committee and thank you to you and uh council member Plleish for your leadership in moving this forward. >> I guess if people can weigh in if they want to or we could I would accept a motion to move it forward. So it's it's up to trying to if you want to comment. Nope. So I would accept a motion to approve resolution 2025 creating a public art committee. >> Uh so moved, Mr. Mayor. >> Do I have a second? >> Second. Further discussion? All in favor say I. I. That passes 4 to zero. Um, next on our agenda is consider approval of an updated panway naming and dedication plan. I believe we start with staff or is it going right over to you, Mr. City Manager? >> Yeah, I'll give a quick intro, Mr. Mayor and Council. Uh, before you tonight, we have a request from the conservancy to provide an update to their naming opportunity list. Uh for a little context, the city adopted a policy on naming and dedicating city-owned lands and facilities back in 2021. Uh later in 20 or additionally in 2021, um design standards were drafted for panway naming and dedication which was updated in 2023. Um before you tonight, uh Peter Hitch is here from the conservancy to talk to you a little bit about the request to include some additional opportunities um to that naming and or naming and dedication opportunity list uh both for continued support of phase one and phase 2 and future support of our phase three projects. So with that, I would ask Mr. Hitch to come to the podium. Um most of what he's probably going to add to is in our packet. We've provided a copy of that list with some highlights of the proposed new items which are really intended to provide uh lower cost opportunities for dedication. Um we've provided some maps and I know Mr. Hitch has uh provided you with >> uh an example of what the railing etching >> could and might be. So that if if you have anything else to add, Mr. Hitch, we'd be happy to have you come up. >> Before you do that, I'm just going to add a couple comments. You can go to the DAS and I'm going to tee this up a little bit. Um having spent a number of years on the other side and actually having Mr. Hitch's role, I want to just add a couple other uh comments for the public in context. Both Molly and I who serve on the steering committee or whatever it's called for the partnership reviewed this and provided feedback and the conservancy was very open to that. I believe Mr. Sorenson in your in your role uh reviewing uh monthly their board meetings you you had some visibility into this. So we already had input and and second and lastly um this inventory list is to give flexibility and options to help raise money. It is not the intent that this is to be sold out because often we've heard or sometimes we've heard well if you if you had all these dedications it would look like a graveyard or signage everywhere. That is not the conservy's intent. They just need some flexibility to try to give them options to raise money and that's what this is about. Um and lastly, we always have the right to turn away um a request. Our naming and dedication policy um allows staff to approve it at lower than 50,000 if the conservancy follows the guidelines. If it's more than 50,000, it goes to the council, but the staff or city council at any time for any reason can turn back a request if if necessary. So, with all that, Mr. Hitch, take us through what you'd like to add and let's go raise some money for Panway, please. >> Good evening, Mr. Mayor. Thank you very much. Council members, thank you very much. Um I I'd like to just step back one stage and that is that this decision you just made with respect to the public arts committee is really helpful for us also in that we've had over well where well we've had exactly three requests for public art on panoay over the last three years that I've been involved and we've had to say well we're trying to get that worked out and we'll get that worked out with a committee but it's not something for us to decide at this time and these items were not on our naming and dedication So, they'll be coming your way soon, I'm sure. Um, also like to say, uh, what a nice day today was. Does anybody else get out there? I mean, gosh, unbelievable. >> Was in the salt mine. Sorry. Um, it it reminds me of something I used to say at my BNI meetings at the Weisetta Yacht Club years ago when I was uh the owner of data doctors and that is simply how lucky are we to work and live in Weisetta. >> It's amazing. So Mike gave us a good uh uh start as to where we've been with this thing and uh I can tell you that he's was right on that back in 2023 the next set the second set of design standards was approved by this then council and uh these standards and naming lists were the basis of our fa fundraising up till today and that included the lakewalk and and the municipal docks. Remember though that in 2023, it was expressly anticipated that as we moved along with the project and finished the Lakewalk and the uh municipal docks, we'd have to take another look at what was going to happen with the future of our project as the new features were added that we're trying to get finished now uh for the eco park, the um section for hous and the depot park. As fundraising has continued, ideas for additional items have been discussed at regular meetings of the partnership and the partnership committee and also of our check-in meetings which we've had with staff regularly over the last three years. We tried to uh help people understand that we had reasons for adding to the list that we then had. And it should be obvious looking at this that we had number one a gap. Meaning we had a number of items $5,000 or less and some 25,000 and above. Which meant that when donors came to us there was a wide gap between five and $25,000. and they often were looking at a $10,000 level or something like that and it wasn't available. So, they simply defaulted to the $5,000 level, not wanting to step up to the $25,000 level. >> And also, if you look at the list, there were and by the way, these are noted in blue the the new items for new construction that we might have down the way, but there was nothing associated with these additional project features. And so we wanted to have something that they could go there. And the last reason was wayfinding. We needed I thought we thought and it would be nice to have wayfinding for where's the Broadway dock, where is the depot dock, is there a trail down to the Sandville learning center or section form and house, that sort of thing. And so wayfinding was something we wanted to have available as some for someone to use as their guests. So the conservancy is asking the council to consider this list of items which by the way because of the railing items is significantly less than was there in 2023. We've reduced the number of reading railing items needed uh because we think we'll probably be working in the neighborhood of 60 items over the next couple of years. We'd also like to point out that uh installed items, meaning those plaques or whatever are chosen by people, are very useful in that somebody sees them, they go, "Gee, that's nice." And sure enough, they come and ask us for something just like it. and the stepdowns which is listed there. And we've tried we've like to add two step down items because we've have two requests for step down items like we already have and they are separated on either side of the step downs. The same thing happened with respect to the stone benches. Uh those have been very popular. We're almost out of the opportunity to do that, but also we've had a couple of requests for other locations and one of those is at the middle of the stone bench at the uh children's home. So hoping that this gets approved. Uh this list will be given to Catas because they'll need to be able to figure out where these are going to go as we design the eco park and the depot park. And from there it'll go to HGA which has helped us design the standards for these. And we want all of our signage, all of our memorials and dedications to be consistent. We want them to look nice. We want them to be what HGA thinks is right. And so that would be the next step along the way. >> Yeah, I think you covered it pretty good. >> I'm almost there. >> Yeah. >> The uh conservancy has produced new collateral materials. >> Oh, yeah. >> Which I've passed out to you. >> Yes. They're beautiful. >> Those are there and are raring to go to get out to the public so that we can move along. And uh it includes everything in there. and I think it's been most recently drafted. Um, and lastly, we went out and did the work to figure out what the railing etching would look like and that is there for you to look at. The idea would be that that would be stretch those uh etchings would be stretched along the railing as we gain them. Um, and they would be approx since each board is 15 feet long, these would be approximately 30 feet apart as you go along the uh the the railing. Uh, we have two that are people who have said they'd like to do that and have donated money to get that, but I believe that getting that out on the rail railing will be an amazing draw for people. the uh the uh the dollar amount for that etching is pegged at $1,000 and people would I think step up for that amount of money to have a name put on the railing. So with that I simply ask if there's any questions. >> No before we get to that um I just want to make one other clarification based on my own personal experience. Any of those future items you know you typically would tell a donor subject to council approval of of that part of the project right? So when you're selling futures, we trust that Peter and his team will say, "Hey, there's some other steps to get the final form and function of phase two." So we don't set >> We have a 25step uh process of getting these donations >> t. >> Yeah, just wanted to add that. So cool. Any questions of staff or Mr. Hitch? Thank you for that great presentation. Any questions? >> Don't see any questions. Oh, sorry, Miss McDonald. >> Um I have a question, Mr. Rich, uh, in terms of just the overall fund, uh, fundraising from the conservancy, you know, as I see as I look at this table, I don't see a lack of inventory. I think that's probably a poor choice of words, so I apologize, but that's um, the one that's coming to my head. there seems to be a lot of supply and so to me supply doesn't look like an issue. Maybe pricing is an issue. So, I'm curious if one question if a if you looked at just re-evaluating how you're pricing these things um in terms of using existing approved locations and tweaking the price. Off the top of my head, just listening to you speak, I agree. I think these these turned out beautiful and they're going to be in demand. Maybe that price goes up, maybe a few prices go down so that you can hit that between five and 25 or five and 20, whatever the what we were lacking or what you were lacking in. Um, I also was thinking back at um the big gala party you guys threw at Six Smith and it seemed successful. It was busy. People had a great time. I was there. I enjoyed myself thoroughly. Um I for some reason I just assumed that had been that would be something that would continue to move forward. Maybe not at sixmith or something. So to me the supply is already exists but broadening the aperture of ways to fundra seems to be lacking from from my from my chair. So, um I'm wondering if you could comment on any sort of diversification on how you guys fund raise. >> Sure, I'd be happy to. We have been discussing this new list for three years now. >> I mean, aside from this this supply, a different a different avenue. >> We have uh been well, getting this list approved will help us now jump off with new fundraising using our new fundraising package. And we also have planned a event on Panaway. It's a dinner event uh using Panaway for next summer. We've talked about putting together a family picnic on Panaway to do the same thing. Um so that we can have people involved with Panaway and understand what we're trying to accomplish. We we have been literally been waiting to get this process to get this list approved and we have a contract with Fuzzy Duck here in town to do an 18-month strategy for fundraising including strategy and uh tactics as well as a whole social media presentation over the next 18 months. So, we're ready to go >> and that's what we're trying to accomplish. >> Right. So what I'm hearing is I I mean when I was a liaison on the conservancy the big table dinner was brought up quite a bit. It seems like there is a lot of hurdles in that otherwise I would have assumed it would have happened already. Um, so what I'm hearing is not really, you know, like I have a store and I get solicited by charities all the time about silent auction donations and that leads to me to believe that those sort of events work. And I I'm having a hard time approving plaques in areas that aren't designed yet, let alone funded. So, I think that would be I would guess I would imagine that would be a deterrent to a potential donor because maybe they make it subject to these approvals, but it doesn't feel very concrete. So, I I there's a few that I that I can get behind. the Lakeshore Restoration, the the Sanvold Learning, the big ones, you know. Um, but the ones that are in locations that aren't designed or funded is is not something I feel super comfortable with. >> So, thank you for that feedback. >> Any other questions? >> I think Yeah, I think we'll just leave that at at the feedback. Um I I just want to offer one uh perspective based on my own personal experience uh both on this project and just in a number of capital campaigns. It is a very customary practice to offer uh you know sponsorship opportunities for futures that that are not quote unquote fully funded or approved. And it's up to the 501c3 to set those expectations really really clearly so that that uh it becomes a restricted gift in part like you know subject to a future approval. Um I would encourage us not to clip that off um because then you never get to fundraising and and and you never no fundraising no project and it's this vicious cycle. >> Well I I'm suggesting that there's another way to fund raise in addition to >> No, I heard that too. I heard that too. So, your other suggestion was don't rely solely on this tactic. Maybe there's some other things. And I would take that back to your board uh as as you know, solid counsel from uh Council Member McDonald that do this, but we'd like to see other tactics as part of your mix and and I think that's the spirit of what you're you're trying to convey. Did I get that right? >> Correct. Thank you. >> Cool. So, any other questions of of uh staff on this topic before we move on to approve this or not? >> Not a question, but just a couple comments. >> Sure. >> Um uh first of all, I think you know uh we do appreciate the work of the conservancy. You guys try to do some heavy lifting here and it it it's not always easy. And I've been around this a little just a little bit. When I saw this list, I thought, man, we're gonna have our own Disney World here with all these signs. So, but as I understood it and as your introduction, I do think we need to monitor as we go. Yeah. >> And especially um >> uh keep an eye on it so that we >> don't be too successful. We'll we'll govern you back. And we should and we should. >> So, we'll govern you back and and especially the ones that aren't designed yet, the all the phase three things. There's a lot of there's a lot of dots on the on the map. So we just, you know, working together need to just make sure we be our >> pleasure are comfortable with all that. But in the meantime, go sell like crazy. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Any further comments or questions? Okay. I would accept a motion. I think there's consensus to move forward. Um I would accept a motion to approve this uh adjustment to the naming and dedication inventory list. Who would like to make that motion? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Second. >> Okay. further discussion. >> Um, just to reiterate what I said, I um in in terms of that 2023 meeting where we were really trying to limit visual um distractions and Disney World style plaques everywhere. I I'm gonna vote no because of all of these additions, but I don't I think it could be honed in and I think pricing could be tweaked and I think there's opportunity here, but so don't take my no as a cart blanch. Don't approve, but just this specifically the way this is laid out, I can't support. >> Thanks for that clarification. So, it's been moved and seconded for the discussion. All in favor say I. I. >> I. >> You're going to register now, right? Okay. So, three to one and it moves forward. Thank you, Mr. Hitch. And >> thank you very much. >> Good luck with everything and let us know we can help. This looks really good, by the way. I worked on a previous version of it and it's a major upgrade. So, nice job. >> Looks really good and the I love this. >> Yeah, the the quality of that looks really nice. Okay, so next uh is city manager report, but I've got a couple things before you go, Mike. Just got to find my uh yes, my notes. Okay. So, as as was noted uh earlier tonight uh in the consent agenda and acknowledged in our workshop, we're sad to have Mr. Parkill departing us and and moving out of state. Um we're going to honor his service on the September 23rd prior to the council meeting. So, the public is welcome and we'll notice that to the public and encourage folks. And I'm hoping that you'll give me uh Karen's number so that I can make sure that she roasts you uh if you buy us your your your lovely bride. I'm just kidding. But uh many of us many of us will will will be glad to uh sing your praises that evening and the public will be welcome. Um with that earlier this evening, we decided to post the council position to the public. So, the city clerk in the very near future will publish size on our website. Any eligible applicant that wants to put their name forward for council is welcome to do so. We will then call those applications uh in a workshop and interview and then ultimately select somebody to replace uh Mr. Parkill no later than the first meeting of October. It may even be done the the night that you you step down if we if we can get there. um you of course would have to recuse yourself from that uh per our charter but um anyway that's so to the public there's an open council position all are welcome to apply it will be posted please note that and apply if you're interested um lastly um I wanted to report some news about Jud Frost Clothingers um there's there's a gentleman there named Warren Lester who uh is retiring after 64 years in the apparel industry and with city staff's help. We sent him a a good wishes uh proclamation uh late last week. So, he's hanging up his tape measure on September 1st, one month shy of his 82nd birthday. Um so, I'm just going to read just briefly a couple things that people said about him that were included in that that proclamation. Warren style is timeless. His attention to detail is second to none. He has the rare gift of being able to fit all sizes and shapes, including this one, to make them look their best, ensuring every customer leaves with a smile and says, "That was a great experience." As one admirer put it perfectly, if you want an impeccably made piece of artistry and a dose of wisdom that will you will carry with you for the rest of your life, go see Warren at Jud Frost. And the city of Wisetta wishes to formally acknowledge and celebrate Warren's outstanding accomplishments which uh bring immense pride and recognition to our community. We honor and thank Warren for his inspiring representation of well-dressed folks to represent our city on both the state, national, and world stages. And if you if you've ever been in Jud Frost, that's true. You can see people dressed in various habedasheries all around the world um where they got it here. And uh on behalf of the entire Wisetta community, I want to thank Warren for his decades of service to this community. He lives right on Lake Mitanka, one town over. Uh his commitment to quality, and we wish him a happy retirement. With that, I'll turn it over to the city manager. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh I appreciate you covering uh both the open house uh for Mr. Park Hill and our pending uh solicitation for council appointment. Um just a couple additional items. Uh on Thursday, this Thursday at 7:30 a.m. the chamber and the city are hosting a business council meeting uh at Fenas. Uh so >> that's Joseph Fenas. It's just the other side of it, right? >> It is. It's internal to Josephas. Got it. >> Um so if you're available, please attend. uh the mayor, myself, the chamber, Alex, uh director Sharp will be there as well. Um update again, it's been mentioned before, our next city council meeting is not the 2nd of September. It is the 9th of September. Just a reminder, we have about 3 weeks before uh that next meeting. And we anticipate considering our preliminary levy approval at that meeting. And then lastly, um I'm looking forward to receiving our proposals for recruitment firms for the city manager position. They are due on Monday afternoon. >> The search. >> The search. >> Gotcha. Okay. >> Um any questions? I'd be happy to take them. >> Questions. >> What was the time for the Thursday morning? >> 7:30 to 900 a.m. >> You know, you can bring your dog. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. City Manager. I I would like to uh compliment our staff and uh my colleagues. We had five hours of deliberation tonight and you guys did a great job and we stayed even and and got through all of it. So, thank you for for all of your hard work today. We tackle tackled quite a few issues and some gnarly ones at that. So, uh thank you for that. With that, I will accept a motion to adjourn our meeting. Who would like to make that motion? >> I'll make that motion, Mr. Mayor. >> Great. Do I have a second? >> Second. Further discussion. All in favor say I. I. The meeting's adjourned. Thank you.