All right, let's call the meeting in order. Stand for the pledge of allegiance, please. 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 much. Roll call, please. >> Council member Nordby, >> here. >> Council member Woods, >> here. >> Council member McKenzie >> here. >> Council member Schwear is absent. Mayor Mongi >> here. >> Thank you very much. May I have a motion to adopt the agenda, please? >> So moved. >> So moved. Council member Norby. >> Second. >> Second. Council member McKenzie. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mayor. Uh, next up is our consent agenda. Item A, July 21st, 2026, city council and workshop minutes. Item B, July 16th, 2026 HRA special meeting minutes. Item C, general claims of 4,681,143.40. Item D, HRA claims of $242,551.60. Item E is EDA claims of $9,682.50. Item F is special event permit for the fall roundup parade. Item H is building permits for July of 2026. And item H is resolution accepting donations for July of 2026. >> Thank you. Would anybody like to pull any at this time? If not, can I have a motion, please? >> So moved. >> So moved. Council member Woods. >> Second. Council member McKenzie. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Thank you very much. >> We'll move on to open to the public. We have limit of three minutes per person. Um Rachel, >> welcome. >> Thank you. Hello. I'm here to talk to you guys. My name's Rachel Lucas. I'm here to talk to you guys about flock cameras and also the ADU code that you updated a couple months ago. Um, I think as a a citizen of North St. Paul, I would like to know where the flock cameras are located within this city. Um, how much is North St. Paul paying to access these third party cameras that are watching the public? And then what is entailed with the approval process for having third party cameras installed in the public. Um, next topic is ADUs. So you guys updated the ADU size minimum to 40% of square footage on ground level or 300 foot men. Based off of that, a single floor, singlestory house that's 750 square foot cannot build an ADU on their property. Which would also mean if you have a twostory 1500 foot home, you do not meet the 40% or 300 foot limit to build an ADU on your property. beyond having um regulations on like impervious versus pvious ground per parcel of land. I'm not really sure why we need a minimum limit on ADU size at all. I think ADUs are great because um it gives the property owner more livable space. Um it offers additional affordable housing whether it be a multifamily unit or um like rented out. and then it would increase the property tax value of that parcel of land, therefore getting the city more money based off taxes. Um, so I think the city should make ADU building not only more accessible but actively encourage um increasing housing density. That's it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. Um, John Schmall, John Schmall, 2750 Chisum Avenue. Evening, uh, mayor and council. I had made a pledge never to go to a budget meeting because uh uh well I'll tell you because of why but uh I received some information that said there's no budget for the community center which means the community center doesn't exist. So uh I guess the information that it's going to be sold is uh uh interesting that no one has been in uh told about that. Anyway, um when it comes to the budget, you go back and you uh get these payments that were made out of the blue. Uh $80,000 uh dollars for the um park dedication fund that you never knew that you were going to have to pay and it came up. No problem. 80,000. We got that. And then there was $90,000 for a consultant for the former um multicultural and no problem. It's amazing. And then we just had the 57,000 to move the uh backbone for the uh fiber optic fund. No problem. And other cities, they're wondering where they're going to get money, but every once in a, you know, it comes up these uh extra payments and we have no problem. What kind of a slush fund do we take forward every year is a question that I have. And second item is that I suggested because of what happened at the last meeting that there was an introduction of the new um uh city attorney uh person and uh couldn't hear it. Uh so I went to Jenny and said, "You know, you might not like it, but maybe you ought to tell the city manager when his mic isn't on. It would be a nice thing to do." And I was uh because I didn't know who there I couldn't read it and I was told it's very clear uh the uh name is on the front of the dis so no worry. Then I said yeah but the what about the people that were watching it on TV or the whatever the YouTube is and uh they can't read that. Well let them read it in the uh minutes. Oh, well, I'm not going to make a suggestion anymore. I've learned my lesson. And the last item is uh today watching the uh activity at the house that was just purchased. Uh up walks the city manager and looks me straight at me and walks away. I says, "Hey, how about saying hello?" Kept right on going. Boy, when you get on that list, you get treated really nicely. Thank you, >> Eileen. Yep. I have two items here. One and two. And I was >> got three minutes. So I'll Yep. Come back to the next meeting for item number two. >> Sounds good. >> Okay. My name Eileen Stever, 2387 South Avenue. Oh, excuse me. Regarding the Boulevard and South Sex Street, I was told by the m Mr. Randle that the council today uh the city council in 1996 was doing a favor by having the public works department mow the boulevard along my property and has been for ever since. On the contrary, if any favor was given out, it was given to the city. As you may recall, I first asked in 1972, Second Street was uh redone why a retaining wall was not put in on the steep side of the east side of the street. I was told it was because of the prohibitive cost involved. Because of the circumstances occurring in my family in 1971 through 1973, I was left to care for my family and my home, my house, and I continued to mow it myself. I was uh much younger and stronger then until 1996 when I fell and twisted my ankle trying to keep the lawnmower from tipping over. I then went back to the council meeting and I again asked if a retaining wall could still be installed because of the safety issue. I told them I was uh was not willing to become injured or disabled by doing it myself. I was told again the cost would be too prohibitive. The council however did not ignore the safety issue and it was then decided to have the city works department uh mow the boulevard which they have been doing um over until a year ago when the secretary and I was told that the c the city works department doesn't have a secretary I don't know who answers the phone for them told me that I have to have a letter stating that it was uh the coun was the uh city works department's responsibility to mow it. There is no letter. There was no letter. I believe it must have been to um then that at the that time was um they were told by the council maybe the city manager at the time I don't know um that they were responsible to mow it. I would hate to see anybody myself or whoever I get to mow that hill or anyone from the city crew um get injured or worse. My still my son uh uh almost fell. He slipped and almost fell trying to get the lawnmower from tipping the last time he mowed it. That was about a month and a half ago. Okay. I wanted to ask the city. Is it over? >> Let's Thank you. >> Can I finish? >> We're done. Thank you. >> I just have just one line left. I was going to ask the city c the ask you again for the public works to uh mole. Yep. Um >> you asked that before. So yeah, we you want to say it again? Go ahead. But yes, >> m the the part that he did not mow because it's really long and they have the uh equipment to do it and I do not. >> Okay. >> So, >> thank you. >> Okay. >> All right. Close that. >> All right. City business. >> City business action items. Um, item A is the Mung House Restaurant and Banquet LLC request and extended business hours. Um, Sue is here this evening. We have uh the background is the Mung House uh restaurant banquet hall LLC located at 2112 11th Avenue East. It's requesting approval to operate until 2 a.m. uh 7 days a week primarily to accommodate weddings, banquetss, receptions, celebrations, and other private events that may extend later into the evening. The request extension would provide guests additional time to conclude scheduled events without requiring an early departure. The city of North St. Paul's ordinance uh state statute 110-08 or 008 states that unless otherwise allowed by the city council, license which allow customers to come onto their premises shall be closed to the public between hours of 1:00 a.m. and 7 a.m. every day. So this is what is from in front of you. Do you would you like to add anything there, sir? Good evening, mayor and uh members of the city council. So, we would like to also add um we want to point out um other businesses out there um that are uh nearby and offering similar services in ours. Um, for example, in Unison, um, cup and chairs are currently open till 2:00 a.m. And, um, other >> Sorry. >> Can you repeat that? Who was that? >> Uh, Unison, uh, Unison restaurant and banquet and Cup and Chairs International Sports Bar and Restaurant. They're currently open till >> 2:00 a.m. And um other restaurants and banquet and bars are that are um within a 3m radius uh like uh Lucky Golden Dragon Restaurant, Puzzle Bar, Restaurant, Banquet, and Dog House Bar and Grill. They're open around 2:00 a.m. and having uh a lot of those businesses um close to us creates a lot of competitions. And um uh we want to uh us as Mo House want to have the opportunity to remain competitive and also giving our customers um the flexibility uh for the hours. Um, yeah. And so, yeah, we don't we want to uh be able to have uh have people be able to choose our venue based on our um services and experience. Um, and uh without operating with the operate operating hours putting us at a disadvantage. So that that's something that we also would like to conclude as well. >> Yes, these business are in Maplewood. Is that correct? >> Uh yes, around Maplewood. >> Puzzles, you said that's the only one that I saw. What is Puzzles closing? >> At one, don't they? >> Yeah, they're not open past one. >> Midnight I thought it was. >> Oh, okay. >> Midnight. >> Puzzles closes at midnight. >> Yeah, >> we were checking around North St. All. Oh, okay. >> All the little joints here in town are in the midnight one or the latest one. >> Okay. >> Generally, what the going times are. >> Um, yeah. Uh we did notice Unison uh and Copen chairs do close 2:00 a.m. Um that is one of the biggest uh I'll say comparison between us and I guess we want to have customers uh um come and uh stay in North St. Paul and we'll love to serve North St. Paul as uh a location for the customers. >> Yeah. Any questions? We >> just looking for your guys' feedback and then vote on whether or not you want to move forward with that. Currently, right now, um, as I read, our current ordinance is pretty straightforward. Uh, that, uh, how does it read here? to our 27th week. Where do you see it? Oh, unless otherwise allowed by city council resolution, licenses which allow customers to come up on their premises shall be closed to the public between hours of 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. So, um in actuality, our ordinance says that only mentions um what like gas stations that you guys can give that permission to. Otherwise, the ordinance is pretty straightforward. It's just between 1 and seven. you you're not open. So, we would have to address the ordinance itself. >> Okay. >> All right. You can have a seat. Thank you. Appreciate it. So, I guess I I wouldn't mind saying a few words if um I I I I do agree um that that um our 1 a.m. license does potentially put our local business, our local liquor businesses at a potential disadvantage for the surrounding areas. Um, however, uh, what I would say is that was also in place, um, when they rented their and, um, first one in there. So, it's not like it's a new um that being said, um my suggestion would be that um we direct staff to see if on the AGED license, it doesn't specifically state, but could we meet in the middle, especially on some several holidays, and see if um there is interest and if it's allowable um to allow some of the establishments that serve liquor to be able to be open for a limited number of days a year. I'm thinking three um just to compete um three five so they can compete with um local establishments especially like on New Year's you know could we allow our bars to be open till 1. So that would be my thought is um to to slightly negate some of the disparities um that that local businesses face um to surrounding areas to see if there's a limited option um not a full option that we could allow. One thing I'd like to add to that is I think we have to understand the implications to the city staff >> um to police department especially and other staff that may need to be available um and I guess should issues arise during that time. I mean it is only an hour but an hour three days a year um what are the you know what is what is the potential impact on you know our police department or other staff that we need to make sure that are aware of that and available. So I guess >> I'm not opposed to it but we need to understand it better. So it may behoove us to table this kind of address it later or address it, you know, separately and kind of determine what what do we want to do and how do we want to accomplish this. I guess for me, if I was the business owner, you'd always you always got to remember that last hour, no matter how much alcohol you put in front of that individual, if there's an incident between 1:00, which should be closed, and you we allow you to stay till two, that owner is going to be at a higher risk for any potential problems out on the road. And I that would that could cost your business license, your liquor license and all that stuff is what I'd be looking at. And I would like to coincide with his our council here and maybe talk about it, table it. Let us talk about this for a little bit. Um, a lot of our businesses already fall within the 1:00. I prefer to keep it at 1:00 a.m. myself. I think that's long enough for as far as everything else. >> Just to clarify too, to the extent that you're looking at selling alcohol after 1:00 a.m. That would require an ordinance amendment. So, that can't be done by this resolution. So, the resolution would only be for operation. So to the extent that there's interest in looking into or having a staff directive to look at that, it would have to come via amendment. >> I I maybe misunderstood when you met when you explained it to me, Brian, it was just for food to be open from 1 to two. >> That is correct. It was modified at first. They were asking for the alcohol and >> and when you're up there talking, you talking food? >> Okay. >> Oh, food. Oh. That's what the resolution would be. But if there was in if >> Oh, okay. >> It sounded like there was an interest in exploring the issue of alcohol sales for businesses after 1:00 a.m. and that that wouldn't be able to come through resolution. That would have to come through an ordinance amendment. So, you'd just be selling food between one and two, but then again, you still have to serve alcohol or something as a drink or something, but is you're going to cut your alcohol off at one:00. >> What prevents them buying five different drinks, >> right? What prevents them from buying five bottles of beer while they're waiting for their food? And the code does the the code on alcohol does pro prohibit consumption after 1:00 a.m. So it's not just sales. No alcohol can be consumed on the premises after 1:00 a.m. >> How do we monitor it? >> Usually it's done by having a sale cut off that's significantly in advance of 1:00 a.m. >> What do you cut it off now? What time? >> 45 minutes. So 12 12:15 is when you guys end it. >> Well, Shard, is isn't it either way this would have to be an ordinance update even if it was just for that, right? because of the way the current ordinance reads that nothing >> from 1:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. >> unless specifically allowed by council resolution for and that would not be for any kind of alcohol sales. >> And is that one specifically under the um convenience stores or is >> this is this is 1108? Um >> Oh yeah. Okay. I'm sorry. You're correct. >> Yep. Yep. So I guess we have to figure it out now. We got a we got all different me one o'clock I think is done working the way up to uh hold off or a few holidays. So, >> it'd be nice to have input from the PD and maybe looking at neighbors neighboring cities and seeing what they're doing as well and what that does to the operation hours and what it does to >> So, that's pushing it then. >> Okay. >> Do you mind if I say something real quick? Um, >> basically all they're asking for right now is to stay open from 1:00 till 2:00. >> Yep. >> So, and then if it were to come back and you wanted the three days, that would have to come back at a different time. So, right now, if you approve that, that would approve this resolution um to allow them to stay open, their restaurant portion, restaurant and banquet hall to stay open from 1 to 2 am with no consumption or sales after 1:00 a.m. >> on our books. We have 1:00 a.m. So, >> so I'm I don't want to pass I want to wait for all of it. I don't want to say till 2 o'clock on the food myself. I wanted to make it one time shot, not peace meal it and discuss it. Right. So, we'll table it unless somebody else has any objections. No, >> I'm good with tableabling it and getting more information from PD start and take and do stuff and just let's clean it up and be right and be done. >> Do you guys have security after 1:00 a.m. for any of your events? >> Private or local? Seven to one. Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Okay. >> All right. What do I have? Do we do have to do anything to table it motionwise? >> Voted to table it. >> Okay. Do I have a motion to table at this time? >> I'm move to table this. >> Okay. >> Resolution. >> Thank you. Second. >> Second. Woods Norby. All those in favor say I. >> I. Thank you. >> Thank you. We'll discuss and get back to you. >> Want to get it right the first time and make sure we're good. So, we're not saying yes, we're not saying no. >> More info. >> All right. Next item up, item B is the 2050 comprehensive plan update, work plan and approval. And I'll turn that over to Ken Roberts, community development director. Mr. Mr. Mayor, members of the council, before you this evening is a request for approving a work plan to update our comprehensive plan. Little background information for everyone. The city in North St. Paul and all cities in the seven county area are required to complete an update of their comprehensive plans by October of 2028. As I think the council is aware, this is a large undertaking. And so with that, we've been working, city staff's been working with WSB to formulate a work plan on how to get that done to make sure it meets the requirements of both the MEC council and meet the deadline of October 28 28. And so tonight, we're asking for permission or approval of the proposed work plan and the budget for the work plan as prepared by WSB to take on this required task. A little background for those who don't know, the seven uh excuse me, the Met Council has informed the city and as I said all cities that they are required to update the comprehensive plans. They uh start this process. They started it back about a year ago, a little more than a year ago, and they started it by reviewing and updating their regional development guide. All comprehensive plan updates will have to be consistent with this new regional development guide. And as they say in their quote, one of the biggest responsibilities of the Met Council is to create a regional development guide every 10 years. And what that gets into is land use densities, sewer systems, road systems, park systems, and how they as a met council project those should grow and change through the year 2050. They they met council were created by state law in I think 1967 to create or to coordinate and organize planning and conduct problem solving. So no one community can do it alone. It's a region, really a regional agency that oversees again the major systems in the area, the land use, sewer systems, transit systems, highway systems, and the regional park system. And that's all governed by state statute. When we do our comprehensive plan update and again for all the agencies they have to be consistent with the goals, policies and plans of the regional development guide that was adopted by the metropolitan council. So what does this mean? We have to go through we have a 2040 comprehensive plan that was adopted in 2019. the staff and uh however the process goes we have to update all the chapters in that we have to add a new chapter about climate and climate effects and climate change again these are mandates from the Met council and to do all that uh I determined with my staff that internally we're not capable of doing all of the work and so we reached out to WSB to have them put a work plan together to get this done. They are the natural consultant for the city to do that sense of all their work and background and experience with the city. Uh and they have done of course all the engineering work for the city and the uh street and utility planning, surface water, water system, sewer system updates are all part of our comprehensive plan update. And so they have the value of having the background information on all that on all those systems. I've been working closely with the WSB staff and and my staff to put together the work plan again that will meet the requirements of the Metropolitan Council and serve the interests of North St. Paul. uh we went we their consultant team and myself primarily went back and forth several times and we uh reached a a plan now that I'm very comfortable with moving forward. As part of that, the uh city staff will be doing some of the initial work uh researching and providing background information and doing some data collection and writing uh at least six of the required 11 chapters in the comprehensive plan. So, for example, there's a community profile chapter and the introduction and uh the electric chapter. Well, we can do all those and a parks chapter. Well, with the city staff, we can put that together. So, we included in the work plan and in the budget that city staff will be taking on those elements of the plan to try to minimize the costs of having the consultant because they would have been charging us for all that work. major tasks of the work plan and I included those in your packet but quick summary we'll be having a uh starting a kickoff and research uh elements uh part of that will hopefully yet this year we'll have a joint meeting with the plane commission and city council to go over kind of the vision and goals of what the city sees now going out the next uh 20 years 25 years to 2050 50. There will be several elements of public engagement, some of which done by WSB, some done by uh Ava and myself. The big task then becomes drafting the plan, putting all the data, all the information, all the updates together into a document. And again, city staff is taking on writing six of those chapters. The next big thing is after some preliminary reviews and approvals by staff and planning commission, the city council, there's a review process with adjacent jurisdictions and the Met Council gives a preliminary review. If there's changes, we make those and then it gets a final approval by the city council and gets adopted and then finally the delivery of the final comprehensive plan. This whole process takes they're estimating up to two years and we have a deadline of October 1st of 2028 to get all this work done. So, the cost for WSP to complete the update uh with the work plan that I'm proposing this evening is just under $125,000. That also includes a $5,000 contingency fund to cover any unforeseen work that we may have missed in this work plan. So, the minimum charge or cost of WSB to do the work is 100 just under $120,000. And we're able to do this project and this work plan with WSB as an extension of our existing professional services agreement with WSB. Uh and this will be the next item on the agenda. The city is eligible for a $40,000 grant from the Met Council to assist with the cost of preparing the comprehensive plan. And I will talk about that more in the next agenda item. So that helps offset that 100 20 or $25,000. I other I can take questions. Otherwise, we're requesting tonight approval of the proposed work plan uh that was prepared by WSB dated August 10th, 2026. And so there's a motion there for your consideration that be a motion and a second to approve the work plan and budget uh as prepared by WSB to updated August 10th, 2026 to complete the North St. Paul comprehensive plan update. This approval includes a maximum budget project budget of $124,830. And with that, I'll take questions if you have them. >> Is that for the two-year cycle of their work? Then >> that's a complete start to finish. >> Ken, what happens if we don't meet the goal? >> Well, we get put on the Met Council naughty list. Uh the biggest thing is in the next item, the grant item, if we don't make that deadline, we lose out on half the grant money, which would be $20,000. It's mandatory. They're going to give us a grant to help is pretty much is what we >> Yes. Okay. >> But with some conditions including completing on time. >> Correct. >> So, we got to do it. So, let's get some money to help. >> Absolutely. >> All right. >> And it's all doable. Correct. >> As far as >> WSB and I believe so. We I'm saying so because that's why I'm sitting here. >> There's not really a choice. We got to do it. So, >> right. But the the timeline is important. And so we >> we've already started doing some of the writing and background work in anticipation of this. So we're we're getting a jump on as much as we can at this point. All right. So first one is the 2050 comprehension update work plan approval. Do I have a motion for that? >> So moved. >> So moved. Council member McKenzie. >> Second. >> Second. Council member Woods. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. Thank you. >> Should I go right into the next one? >> Would you please appreciate that? >> Thank you. So, as I touched on, uh, the city was I'll get to that. city was notified that uh we're eligible for a grant to help prepare the comprehensive plan. And this is a new thing I've not ever seen the Met Council do before, but they identify North St. Paul and 50 other 59 other cities in the seven county area as being eligible to receive a non-competitive planning assistant grant of $40,000. So, it's not like the DNR grants where we go into a pool and we may or may not get it. If we do some minimum requirements, we get the money. Uh the biggest thing is we need council approval to submit for the grant. And again, the grant can only be used for costs directly associated with preparing the plan update that occur between December 17, 2025 and December 31, 2029. But again, we're our goal is to be done by October 1st of 2028 to meet the deadline. Uh, and the grant is paid out in two installments. One is when they get the initial application and the request and they approve the work plan, which I expect they will do. And then the second is after the entire comprehensive plan is adopted and approved by the Met Council and the uh city council. So that's it in a nutshell. And to make the grant application submitt, we have a resolution for your consideration and hopeful adoption tonight. This resolution authorized city staff to apply to the Met Metropolitan Council for a $40,000 grant to provide the city with financial assistance to complete the required 2050 comprehensive plan update. >> Sounds good. Just one quick question about the GR. How big is this plan when it's done comprehensive? How big is you know we talking binders type of stuff? >> Yes. >> I can remember the 2040 would look like it was pretty good size. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Do we have a motion? Any questions on the grant? If not, can I have a motion to go after the money? >> So moved. >> So moved. Council member Norby. >> Second. >> Second. Council member Woods. All those in favor say I. >> I. Hi. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate it. >> Thanks, Ken. >> All right. Next up is uh reports from city manager and departments. So, uh we will have the open house this Thursday from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. for the uh student build house located on the corner of Third and 7th Avenue. Hope to see people there. And it's nice to always see the kids come down and show all the work that they did. Uh we have two fiber companies working in town right now installing cable around town. Um it's putting extra man hours on the guys trying to do locates around town to stay ahead of the the work. Um notices have been sent out for the new bulk pickup uh process that takes effect on September 1st. Um we have had a lot of phone calls that have come in now just due to the extremely hot weather for the utility bills last week. So, high bills complaints, but uh >> yeah, >> all due to the AC. >> Y >> I mean, they were breaking records and it was a long period of time. >> Um >> we also have the candidate forum coming up on September 8th, um which will be here in the council chambers. Um and that information will be posted online. Um the city closed on the property at uh 2119 Eldridge uh last Friday. So, we are been there yesterday and today cleaning up the property. Um, there was a lot of code violations that were there that we're trying to get cleaned up. So, uh, now it is on us and we are over there cleaning it up and making it look a lot better. >> That's two lots. So, we're >> And that is two lots. >> Yep. It's a dual lot. So, we will as we purchase that, we will survey it and then split it and make it two separate lots. Yep. For two different homes. Um, electric department has been uh busy with their crews uh working um with pipe cleanup. We had a bore contractor that came in, put conduit around, so they're getting that buried and put in place, getting wire pulled in. Uh communication's been busy. Ava's been busy with upcoming events. Planning is underway for the autumn arts festival on September 12th and the fall roundup parade on September 17th. Always good outcomes on those. Um also set out construction notices uh updates are going on that include the notices related for the fiber fiber installations. HR that Jenny's been busy with the uh personnel policy. She put a tremendous amount of work into that. Um that has finally been approved. That all went through Jack when he was still here um back and forth and getting that updated and that was sent out to the employees today for signatures. So that was a long time coming. Good job, Jenny. Uh we're also looking at the health insurance. City will be issuing an RFP for the upcoming health insurance for next year. Finance of course been busy with the budgets. Um yeah, like I said, they've been seeing a lot of phone calls over there explaining people's power bills to the to our residents. Um, police has had two candidates that are currently undergoing background checks with uh final decisions upcoming. Um, they got uh coffee with a cop coming up, an event that they're planning for October uh potentially outside the police department on their uh out by the garages and out there that people can can uh intermix with the PD which is nice. Um, they also had a great outcome with the fishing with the cop at Silver Lake. Really successful there. I mean, they were thinking probably 250 people at least were out there. Um, really good event. Uh, public horses has been busy and they were already losing summer help. Geez, was a summer ago. >> Yeah, they've already lost one last week. They lost their horiculturist today and they'll be losing another one uh today. Um, staff are continuing to patch work and uh moving into the alleyways around town. Um, water service is now in at the cow school and the road work is complete as well for their um, updated installations or add-ons. Um, for their hiring, they uh, had eight candidates that they were interviewed. They've got that whittleled down to four for second round interviews that they're working on now. Um, Mcnite, they've started on the soil borings um, as part of the engineering study out there and are expected uh, later this week or next week. Uh the fire department now has their employees are are full-time employees I should say uh are CPR certified. So they are reertifying the fire department staff over there and uh probably working on um doing other departments and um actually making potentially making that available to the public. Um police first aid they uh fires working with police to get officers first aid certified. Um they also been doing hose testing. Yesterday they did that for 10,000 ft worth. Um fire training. They also have a line live burn that's scheduled for tomorrow. Uh both morning and evening sessions. And the pay on call relief group openhouse. The group's planning a fire department openhouse and the fundraiser on September 18th from 5:00 to 7:00 with a focus on educating the public about what all the fire department does. Uh, community development has been busy with the ebike ordinance. Um, passed that over to the attorney. She we got feedback from them. We're going through that now and hopefully have that back to you in September. Um, they're also putting together a tree brochure for information for homeowners on, you know, appropriate places to put them and working with electric as well so people aren't planting under trees or under power lines. Um, so everybody's staying busy and doing a good job. >> Good. That's all I got. >> Yeah, summer's winding down. All right, thank you very much for that information. Give me one second here. Now, the next is reports from council commissions. Rachel, were you at the parks? Can you come up and give us a a synopsis, please? As long as uh >> Cassie the whatever whatever you guys did for the meeting, whatever you've talked about, is there anything important for as long as uh council member Cassidy is not here today? >> Um we were told that there was going to be uh a dialogue between council and parks and wreck on the third street property. Uh Sarah has emailed us that uh student build is not proceeding with the third street property. So that's null at this point. Um, we discussed Colby Hills has a a little annex area across the street from the main facility. Um, and we did a social media Ava did a social media poll with um Sarah about what people are interested in seeing in that annex area. So, we got uh feedback on that and we're exploring a couple options. We're limited by the the size of that area and then also wanting to prioritize proceeding with Mcnite. Um, also limitations on maintaining ADA accessibility. Um, I think right now they're looking into seeing if we fenced that area, how much that would cost. Um, and have a ramp up to the bench that's there. Um, we did our parks reviews. Uh, I think that's the highlights. >> Okay. Well, thank you. I appreciate that information. >> Thank you. >> You, sir. I don't think we have anything, do we? >> Well, >> except for EDA reports. >> Yeah, EDA is coming up on the ETH. That's it. >> Okay, thank you. Woods. Um, Arts and Culture Met. >> It's a long time ago, isn't it? You guys >> Yeah, it's been it's been a while. Um, >> month that day off or that week off. Uh I don't remember what we discussed, but uh oh, we talked about um one of the big items that we talked about was replacement of the the banners um within the city that hang from the light poles. >> Um so just talked about different uh potential plans for those. So that's one of the big topics. >> I did see one um when I drive by Silver Lake, they got a butterflies or something looks like a decal on one of the electric boxes. >> Yeah. >> Yep. So, um, we've done that one. Um, that was the most recent one I think that we've done, the electrical box wrap. >> Nice. >> Thank you. >> Any update on your penny press? >> The penny press. I need to follow up on that. Um, last I heard there was a delay from the vendor that we're waiting on from that >> back orders stuff, I think. Yep. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Trey. >> Um, the next planning commission is on September 3rd. However, I'm going to defer to Ken because as last I heard, there was nothing on the agenda. So, I'm not sure if it's still on or not. >> It's still on the calendar, but at this point, if I was a betting person, I would be bet that we will have the night off. >> All right, that's all right. Does anybody have any general business? >> Well, I went to the Fishing with the Cops and I went to the National Night Out >> and the Fishing with the Cops was fabulous. It was just a wellreceived with all the kids. The kids all went home with polls, things like that. So, it was it was good. >> Thank you for all the effort you put into that. >> Yeah. Well, I just I like to do that. And um we drew over 250 people were out there and it was it was well well attended. So, >> it's awesome. >> National out. Where were you at to your >> I went with the police department. Yeah. They put me under the hood. >> Oh, I was going to say Back of the car again like normal, huh? All right, that makes sense. Yep. >> Thank you for your donation of 40 fishing poles for the children. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Yep. >> That was awesome. >> My wife and I like to do that. >> It was a great turn. It was fun. >> Anything else? I was also at both with with you as well. So that was I national night out was up at this um the city city hall here. So we had a couple hundred by the time I left. So, I it was very well attended here and you know it's nice to be able to see all the kids there having fun. Also, um for myself, I'm I'm going to apologize now to my buddy. I I actually went it's called Above and Beyond award. We received um there were some big hitters there for um the different uh businesses u Starky um Metronics and um some other uh companies for as far as above and beyond for our veterans. So Jakamo, did I say it right? >> Yep. >> I can't believe it. I did it. DJ Jakamo. So I'm glad he has it in both spots. The front he just puts a dei in front of his last name. So that helped me out there, too. So he uh put in um because of how happy he was and um proud he was of North St. Paul, how when he was deployed, how things were handled. And so he's a great guy. I was uh very honored to be there to accept the ward and uh with him and uh all the other people that serve our country and um businesses that are above and beyond to be able to help them and their families and uh transition back in and just take care of them. So it was an honor to be there and I was it was great. All right. >> Anything else? If nothing else, it looks Let me tell you when the next meeting is so that way we got September 1st. >> Right. Smack dab. All right. Nothing else. I'll ask for adjournment. >> So moved. >> So move. Woods. McKenzie. All those in favor say I. >> I. Thank you all.