I hereby call to order the Roseville City Council meeting for Monday, January 5th, 2026. Mr. City Manager, would you call the role, please? >> Council member Grath >> here. Council member Bower >> here. >> Council member Stron >> here. >> Council member Schroeder >> here. >> Mayor Ro >> here. Uh and with us at the dis we have our city attorney Rachel Tuni who's on my right at the very end. Uh and city manager Pat Trejudan is on my left at the other end and we'll make other introductions of uh participants in the meeting as agenda items come up. I would note for members of the public that we do have extra copies of the agenda on the back table under the big clock by the back door. Uh if you do want a copy for your own uh reference to to track the progress of the meeting. Uh we also do have a uh big three- ring binder with all the meeting materials uh that the council will be considering this evening and that is one copy to share amongst all of you. So you we'll leave it to you to work it out amongst yourselves. Uh but we want to make sure you're aware of that. Um we'll go through if there is anyone here for public testimony. We'll go through the rules of the road for that as we get to those opportunities on the agenda. The only other thing I'll note is that if you do have a cell phone uh please do try to silence it or otherwise assure that it doesn't disrupt our meeting this evening. And with that, we will ask folks to stand if you're able for the pledge of allegiance. >> I 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. All right, that brings us then to our first decision of the evening, which is to consider approving tonight's agenda. And I'll just check as we always do to start with with city staff. Mr. Treasure, are there any changes that staff uh requires making to the agenda this evening? >> Mr. Mayor, staff has no changes to the agenda. >> All right. And then we'll check with members of the council. Does anyone from the council have any changes they would like to make to the agenda or any consent items that you would like removed from the consent agenda for separate consideration? All right. Uh and then we'll do a check with members of the public. If you happen to be here for an item in section 10 of tonight's agenda, which is at the end, uh it's known as our consent agenda. These items are things like approval of our payments and general non-controversial contracts and designating our legal newspaper and bank repositories and things like that. Uh if you're here uh with a question or comment about one of those items, uh this would be a good chance to let us know because we can move that item earlier in the meeting uh for your question or comment. Uh and then you don't have to stay to the very end. Uh so is there anyone here for any of the items in section 10 of our agenda at the end, which is otherwise known as our consent agenda. And once again, if you need to check a copy of the agenda, we do have extra copies on the back table. It does not appear to be the case that we have anyone here for uh item in section 10 which keeps our record intact I believe. Uh that being said we have no changes to tonight's agenda. Is there a motion uh to approve as presented? >> So move second. >> All right. It's been moved by council member Schroer, second by council member Stron to approve the agenda as presented. Uh is there any discussion on that motion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. I opposed. That passes unanimously. We have our agenda for this evening. Uh, next on our agenda is our first opportunity for public comment this evening. Uh, we always do provide opportunities for members of the public to speak or ask questions about agenda items as they come up on our agenda. But we also do want to provide an opportunity for members of the public to speak uh on items that are either uh related to city business or of interest to people in the community uh but aren't on this evening's agenda. And so that's this opportunity. Now uh I see we have somebody who's come forward. So, we'll just quickly go through the uh the rules of the road for public comment uh for benefit of members of the public. Uh we do have uh rules set up by council vote uh for our council meetings. One of which is related to public comment and that uh includes a 10-minute time limit per speaker uh which I try to enforce generously and and gently. Um did I say three minutes? Did I say you said 10? 10. Oh my goodness. No, it is three. I can't [laughter] I can't just unilaterally change it. Turns out somebody notices the mayor. Uh so it is three minutes. I apologize. It's the first meeting of the year. We'll get the hang [laughter] of this. Um and we ask that comments or questions get directed to the city council. Uh if there are questions that require follow-up, we may not be able to answer those this evening, especially under the general comment. Uh but certainly we'll uh see if we need to direct staff to do follow-up in that case. Um if you can identify yourself at the beginning of your comments by your name uh and either your address or your street for the public record. Uh, and then finally, um, if you, uh, have a name that may not be one that we're readily able to guess the spelling of, when you're finished with your comments, if you just want to write your name on the clipboard, uh, uh, beside the speaker's microphone there, that will make sure we get it spelled correctly in the official record. And with that, we welcome our first speaker this evening under general comment. >> Great. Good evening, Mayor Row and council members. My name is Mindy Ericson, and I live on Mid Oaks Lane. Four beautiful oak trees shade my backyard from the Aldine Street Rightway. I love these glorious trees. [snorts] Before the Aldine process started last April, I didn't know much about construction risk to trees. I spent time educating myself and what I learned surprised me. As the city engages in a new path feasibility study, please think with me about SE tree construction practices. My research about construction risk to trees was summarized in the October 27th meeting packet, page 57 and pages 80 and 81. But past meeting discussions have overlooked what experts describe as the most effective practice for safe construction around trees. What is that expert advice? In short, experts say don't do it. Instead, they advise placing protective fencing around each tree or group of trees at the canopy edge or drip line. Drip line fencing effectively keeps construction activities far enough away from trees to prevent invisible, irreparable root damage. Page 80 illustrates how Falcon Heights is using properly placed fencing to protect trees from construction. Oak trees are a particularly valuable species to our area's ecosystem, and oaks are also particularly vulnerable to invisible root damage and eventual death from construction disturbance within their drip lines. Construction disturbances include compaction, placing foreign materials over roots, and grading that cuts away roots and soil or fills in soil over roots. A small city grading project about a decade ago in the Aldine rideway may foreshadow the outcome of path development in this narrow sloping setting. That project disturbed the ground within the drip lines of two large trees, killing both trees within a couple of years. The dead oak is still visible from Mid Oaks Lane, standing as a reminder that even small construction projects kill trees. Page 81 has a picture of the oak tree killed by past grading. [snorts] Many of the oak canopies span the entire width of the rightway, so there is no realistic construction corridor that is outside of the drip line of the oak trees. Tree preservation has been a point of stakeholder agreement throughout this process. If the new path feasibility study affirms that construction activities within oak tree drip lines will kill oak trees or even risk damaging roots and eventually killing oak trees. Please choose tree preservation over tree devastation to develop a path just a quarter mile from existing paths on Fairview and Snelling. Once path development kills these oak trees, we will never get them back. Thank you for your consideration. >> Thank you for your comments this evening. Is there anyone else who wishes to speak during uh general public comment this evening? >> Right. Seeing no one, then we'll move on with our agenda. We appreciate the comments we received. Uh and we will move to then uh recognitions and donations. And we do have uh one uh of those this evening, which is a proclamation uh related to Martin Luther Luther King Jr. Day uh in Roseville. And I'll read the proclamation and then a motion to approve would be in order. The proclamation reads as follows. Whereas the city of Roseville recognizes and honors the work of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and whereas Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the chief spokesperson for non-violent activism in the civil rights movement which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. And whereas the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was jailed and arrested numerous times for speaking out against racism and discrimination and for trying to help African-Americans to register to vote. And whereas the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in December of 1964 for those efforts. And whereas the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4th, 1968 because of his fight for equality and civil rights for all. And whereas an act of Congress of the United States in 1983 declared the third Monday in January officially uh to honor the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Uh and whereas Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is what are you doing for others?" And whereas each year Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on Martin Luther King Day to serve their neighbors and communities in a variety of ways. Now therefore, be it resolved that the city of Roseville hereby declare January 19th, 2026 to be Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the city. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. It's moved by Council Member Straw. I believe second by Council Member Grath. Uh any discussion on the motion? Uh I should note I I did cut off my reading a little earlier. It says also that the city encourages all citizens to join together to honor Dr. King by committing to volunteering in the community, especially on that day. So with that, if there's no discussion on the motion, all those in favor of adopting that proclamation signify by saying I. I. I opposed. >> That passes unanimously. That proclamation is approved. Uh there were no items removed from the consent agenda, so we can move right into our business items. And our first business item this evening uh is to uh consider approval of the public works 2026 work plan, which is one of our many uh annual events that we will be undertaking this evening at our first meeting of the year. Uh, and we're joined this evening by our assistant public works director and city engineer, Jennifer Lowry, to bring this plan for this year's plan before us for our consideration. Welcome, Jennifer. >> Thank you, mayor, council members. Um, I'll present the public works transportation or the plan for public works for 2026. This was presented to our commission on November 25th and it represents approximately $9.6 million of work that we hopefully deliver this year. that is um in addition to the um buildout of the city campus plans. So, one of I think the largest um work plans we've had dollar-wise and projectwise. Before I get into it, I'm just going to steal a bit of time for our accomplishments and to, you know, toot our own horn a little bit. Um to show all the things that our staff has been doing this year. Um, we've processed a number of permits which involves a lot of review and coordination with other people, a lot of inspections, um, and keeping construction projects both, um, private and other agencies moving throughout the year. Um, for example, 267 building permits reviewed. We've resurfaced 5.1 miles of roadway this year. um and added one new pathway segment, a short little segment that but that was through um from the western culdeac into Tamarak Park. We've made drainage improvements at four locations including with the um county at Hamlin and Clar line 2.1 miles of sanitary sewer and a lot of those were very large pipes that cross under um Sny and other and other larger roads. So that was a significant project as well. Also, um we've been implementing our updated street light policy. And so that included installation of 27 new street lights, mostly at intersections um and crosswalks, and replace 15 lights. And of the 24 wayfinding signs, um we got 10 installed this year, the rest will be done in the spring. Maintenance was really busy. Um, the snow events were low last winter, so we only had 17 inches total of snow, which what two years prior was like 8 feet. >> So, with the lack of snow, they got a lot else done. They're two years ahead on sanitary and storm inspections. They got um almost 33 miles of boulevard trees trimmed. Um, and they've also helped out on like the Hawkins volunteer cleanup event on the bottom. There's a picture of volunteers later. So, even community events to um improve our our lands. Um I'll talk a little bit more about the meter and radio replacements, but they did 183 radio replacements last year. We had 27 water breaks, water main breaks. Um and this is as of 1217. I think we've had like seven more since then, but the water fund is getting healthy and we're going to work on that. How does that compare to typical years just generally up or down? >> That's been I think it was like in the 20s last year. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Um so sustainability there were a ton of events last year. um continuing with some of the the programs, the green step. We're still at a step five working on um in implementing the green to go ordinance and engagement um but also kicking off the um the climate uh climate equity action plan um that was kicked off at um the wild rice festival in September. And a lot of the other events, there were 19 attended, 12 of those were new last year from prior years. Um, and a handful of them will continue um that were very successful, but some of the new ones last year were green to go packaging fair um several engagement events, native plant sale, a bee education um seminar, and the clothing swap. Uh Noel served on 10 advisory committees and councils. She attended six conferences and she collaborated with the U of M students on a dark sky sky policy research. Um and then [clears throat] also gave four ad hoc presentations to other locals uh organizations and cities that kind of look to Roseville as a leader in what we're doing. Recycling was a big year for switching over to a new contract um switching from Eureka to waste management which started on July 1st. And we also r rolled out roughly 12,000 um city- branded carts that replaced um the Eureka cart. So now we own them and it can make uh contracting with future vendors a little bit smoother. Um cleanup day still was pretty successful at 337 visits. Um and I always like some of these statistics of like, you know, two tons of electronics and 73 mattresses. I don't know. some stuff just it's kind of impressive. Um and shredding day was 16 tons of paper that were brought in in addition to the um recycling done by Eureka which was uh 2500 tons. There was also a project some more project planning for dredging a willow pond which you can see pictures of on the bottom there and like core samples of like how much muck has settled in there. Um let's see. So we finished the first um report of our lead free Roseville report to the state. So we had 92% of services reported which is pretty amazing of of um just I think just over 10,300 services and we're doing inspections and continuing to try to get to the last of those. Um, thus far we only have 28 of those roughly 10,000 that are lead. Our policy um for the lighting policy was updated to include um illumination standards. We got our bike plan drafted and the Hamlin demonstration um which is kind of the picture in the middle um out in the field and we'll put it up again next spring. And so comments for those closed at the end of November. So, we're compiling those and we'll get a final copy to um take before you guys in the next month or two. I think we also worked with Mindot to have a safety plan completed. So, we were one of the um I think it was four municipalities statewide that they piloted to develop these plans. We rolled out an adopt a streetscape program. I'm not sure if anyone's used it yet, but we have the application and a process to do it if anyone wants to maintain some um plantings in public right away. We had several grants that have helped residents um water rebate grants to 69 homeowners just in um 2025 alone. We are doing a new pilot um on an equity water rebate for um toilets alone. It's up to $600 and there's 4,500 given out for that. and we gave about 53,000 for um sewer replacements. We get a lot of traffic safety concerns and requests both on city roads and county roads. And the ones that we have um jurisdiction of, we've made some signage changes and looked at some sight lines and appreciate people reaching out about that. We've done a few vacations of unneeded rightaway and um or did over a thousand hours of engineering services for Falcon Heights. and we continue to work on the strategic plan with other departments. Just a couple pictures. So on the top is Dawaso lift station which was um rehabbed last year. So before, during and after construction and then on the bottom is [clears throat] before, during and after of the Tamarack pathway from the um western culdeac into Tamarack Park. And then most importantly, all the people that made it happen. Um, both in the office and in the field and volunteers and interns. Um, we had an amazing group of commissioners and we had residents come out and talk to us about our projects and stuff. So, it took a lot of people to talk through and make all the projects happen. So, on to the proposed. Like I said, this is approximately $9.6 million. Um, and it addresses infrastructure maintenance needs and improvement needs of all the functional groups within public works. So, I'll walk through those kind of one at a time. Um, the city owns 123 miles of roadway and this year we intend to um do some work on about seven miles of that for about $2.7 million. So, that is um milling and overlaying, reclaiming or reconstructing the street. Um, and that includes curb repairs and ped ramp upgrades and such. So, you'll see um the various areas highlighted on here. Um, and all of these will have additional engagement with residents and notices. Um, and this is what we're planning right now. Um, assuming that there's favorable bid prices, um, and that we can move forward with this work. I'll just keep running through and then if you guys have questions, we can come back and talk about any specifics. All right, there we go. Um we continue to maintain and expand our nearly 100 miles of city pathways. Um five new pathways are proposed this year. Some of these are carryovers from previous years. So, um, finishing the Twin Lakes Trail phase two, which is just south of AASO Pond. Um, doing Lexington from Conro B to trunk highway 36. A little path between the Wagner and Western Avenue Culdeacs. Um, Hamlin Pathway. Oops. Hamlin Pathway. Um, adding a pathway from C to C2 along the county road that we're delivering the county's pavement project as well. so we can narrow up the road and minimize impacts to residents. So, that one's a quite a big project. Um, and also pathway segments that we've demonstrated along Kaya Park. We have a a meeting coming up um next Tuesday night for that. Um, and so a lot of different pieces around. Let me see. I need to scroll through my notes. Um, maintenance will also resurface pathways in Villa Park. um in Central Park around Bennett Lake portions in um Materion Park and along uh Terminal Road. We'll also be resurfacing two small parking lots. Um the dog park off of Larpender Avenue and also a small parking lot off of Stuber Road um near Reservoir Woods. I'm really irritated that my text boxes aren't fitting properly like they did on my screen. I'm going to pretend like you didn't see that. Okay. So, uh lighting, like I mentioned too, this is uh part of our five-year plan to implement throughout the city our new street light standards um and at intersections, curves, crosswalks, etc. Um the the plan for next year is to install about 45 new street lights on the east area of the city highlighted in yellow. Um and as well as a handful that were scheduled for 2025 but postponed due to budget. Um the existing enhanced street lights along Long Lake Road and Lincoln Drive will be replaced and extended on Lincoln. Those are the more commercial areas. And in addition, um there's conversations happening with the AASO Hills neighborhood um to determine if they want to um do a petition and elect for maintaining their enhanced street lighting. And that if if they do elect for enhanced street lighting, that would be the only assessments that are scheduled to know about at this time for next year. um for sanitary sewer, similar to um past years, we kind of plug along on different station upgrades. So, Cohansy is the next one, and then we'll begin design for the Center Street lift station for 2027. Um and we're we're kind of at the end of our 10-year plan. We in 2014, we hired a consultant to evaluate all our lift stations, come up with a maintenance plan, and we've been slowly working through that plan. Um, that's giving us, you know, kind of ideas of what to do at Cohansancy, what Center Street needs. Um, and so we're going to, uh, we already have hired a consultant for that. That [clears throat] should be finished in the next couple of months to kind of give us some guidance on what the next 10 years would look like for maintenance of lift stations, both storm and sanitary sewer lift stations. Um, we have about 1.2 2 million dollar of another lining project to be done this year and that will involve um some more of the the larger pipes of the 143 miles of sanitary pipe. Right now we have about 50% of that lined. So we're just going to keep working on that. Um and we also have heard that we will be getting another $63,000 awarded for the private INI grant program that has been really popular. There's um about over 20 on the wait list and um we sent out almost 200 letters to homeowners too with roots in their system. So um once I have an executed agreement that will be online and people will need to reapply and it's first come first serve but people have very much appreciated that because that can be a very expensive and not fun repair. um our water main projects, the water fund is returning to much healthier numbers. So with the 1.2 million on in the budget this year, it's mostly going to general repairs. Um the the water man that will be uh enlarged on Hamlin in coordination with our pavement and trail project. This is also being partially paid by Ardan Hills, mostly paid by Ardan Hills for that upgrade. and then also some water main replacements on Walnut from um Rose Place down to the railroad. Um we have the booster station improvements that we've been talking on and off about for a couple years. We do intend to do um roof repairs or a new roof, noise attenuation inside, some security improvements, and also solar installation on top of the uh the new roof. Um I mentioned the uh meter and radio um replacements for water mane. So AMR is auto meter reading um like the the radio. So we're moving to a new provider and we intend over the next 5 years to replace all 10,000. So that's it's going to start hitting that hard this year once we get all the kinks worked out between the software systems and stuff. Um and then we do have some water efficiency rebates left in the equity for toilet replacements, storm sewer. Um we will have uh storm sewer repairs to structures and stuff done with our PMP and street work. There is um storm sewer funding going to the Twin Lakes Trail phase 2 because there's a large culvert that's going in for that work. Cohansancy and Marian Street drainage improvements are coordinated too with our PMP. Um we'll have some pipelining in those areas and Dale and Wilder as well. Um there will be some maintenance work to the Bennett Lake waterfall. St. Croy and Willow Pond maintenance. Like I mentioned before, we'll do some dredging. Um and Willow Pond doesn't always look as muddy as the upper corner. that was after a large rainfall, but there is a lot of sediment that gets to that lake or that pond. Um, and then continue to work on the uh city ditch 2 vegetation and and future planning for that. Um, in addition to the the lift station analysis that I mentioned as a part of sanitary sewer. So, um, as is mentioned in the accomplishments, the, um, 5-year contract for waste management started on July, and we'll continue to work out the transition, um, and make sure contract requirements are being met for that. And, um, as is noted for several years now, prepare for the Ramsey County Curbside Organics Pickup Program. Uh, Ryan would like to expand recycling opportunities at cleanup day. for example, bulkies, which is like couches, larger furniture, and places that could kind of tear that down and recycle it. Um, and ex evaluate and expand opportunities for recycling in parks. And then continue very successful events such as the annual shredding day. Um Noel, sustainability efforts in 2026 will center around completing and adopting the climate equity action plan and transitioning into an implementation phase of that plan. Um our work for that may change based on what the community members identify as priorities during community involvement. There is a survey out for that right now that closes um fairly soon. I think I want to say the seventh, but I'm not sure if that's true. Um and they'll and also continuing the popular new projects introduced in 2025, those newer events including this the clothing swap and native plant sale in addition to a lot of the engagement that um consumes time. I do want to say it is before New Year's we had hired successfully six interns for next year which is >> I don't know if that's the most we've ever had but um I think having them all hired before the New Year's is a record >> and so um kind of excited to have all those people come on board and help us deliver all these projects and programs. Um the largest project to date for the city is the the city campus master plan implementation. Um so this year intend on finalizing the design of concept C for the license passport dance center. Um passport center and dance studio. I don't know if the acronym is easier or just saying the words but and the maintenance operations center. Um, so it would be this next step would be getting to bidable plans and then awarding those contracts for construction which would involve site preparation and grading of the new license passport center. Um, and then you know any changes needed to the park before they can move um to de demo of the strip mall. There's a lot going on from other agencies as well. So, MDOT will have um resurfacing and some other access changes on Snowelling. Um not really access changes in Roseell, but Snowelling from 36 to Grey Fox. And that will include them constructing the pathway on the west side. Um so, that's great news that they're doing that with the project. Additionally, they'll be resurfacing trunk highway 280 from Wabish to I35W and only kind of impacting PCAL there, but that's all being coordinated and there will be another project um in about 28 following behind that with more work. Ramsey County has a ton going on. [clears throat] Um they've also been ramping up staff to deliver it all. That said, we're delivering the first bullet. So, Hamlin from C to C2, like I said, it's turning into a larger project. just fold up reclaim. So, um it'll it'll work out well in the end. We can really minimize impacts and get a full trail um 8ft trail all the way along there, which I think will be highly used. They'll be doing the four to three lane conversion of County Road C from Lexington to 35E. Um and then you'll notice a couple bullets later, the bridge on C over the railroad is um is likely to follow the next year. there was an attempt to get them to go together, but just the timing of environmental reviews and stuff and and railroad and Excel lines does not um play well with that. So, in addition, the county will be milling and overlaying Fair View from Larpender to County Road B2 and that will also include um the signal at B and Glick. And so we will have some co cost participation with that and we'll be making some um they'll be narrowing the road and changing up that intersection a little bit so we can get some better pathways along there. Um they'll be working on like I mentioned the design of the bridge over the railroad, design of County D from Fairway to Cleveland, um design of Victoria Pathway from Conroad C um to Harriet in Shore View and then design of Rice from Wheelock to B that's also kicked off. So, wheelock and St. Paul to county B and that's a 2028 project. Um, the Metro Micro Metro Micro uh transit pilot is still underway in Roseville and it sounds like it's doing really well. It started off a little slower than the Woodbury one, but the last numbers we were had more writership. So, that's really good to hear. And Gine construction will begin this year as well. Um, wersheds have some work. They're working on um a targeted watershed program and also Godfrieded Pit um working on updates to it, but also and a multi- agency agreement to kind of clarify roles and responsibilities. So, there's a lot there's not a shortage. It's not going to be boring. Um [snorts] stop there if there's any questions. And then also the requested action is just a motion to approve the plan. >> Great. Thank you. questions from the council. Council member Strong >> and just one question that came up when I was reviewing. So the dog park, isn't that essentially a Ramsey County amenity? And so I was curious to know why we were involved with the resurfacing of that. >> It's a good question. >> Does I believe there's some joint responsibility there. [clears throat] >> Sorry you didn't make it very long. >> Yeah. >> Um I think we found an agreement. We we somehow built the park um or built the parking lot and some of the amenities around it. But yeah, the dog park is actually the county facility, but we own the parking lot for some reason. >> Okay. >> It it may be tied to when we put the pathway in or something like that. >> Yeah. I I guess I don't know the details, but we we did find an agreement it is ours. [laughter] >> I was just curious because I know we've talked before. People have brought up lighting as a concern in that parking lot and I always thought, oh well, it's not ours, so we don't have to worry about it. So indeed, if there is lighting issues, then I would assume that is still our problem if we're in charge of the parking lots. >> That's good to know. Other questions from council members? Uh, council member B. >> Were there things in that you wanted to put in 2026 that you ended up moving on to 27 either because of budget or more so or timing our re not having resources? >> The the 25 projects that went to 26. >> Uh, no, the 20 for what you're proposing here for the 26. Some things that you would like to have gotten done in 26, but just because of budget resources or whatnot, you need to defer to 27. I think our 26 is optimistic that we're going to get all this delivered. I mean, it's our last year's um budget was like 5 6 million and this is 9.7. So, it's significantly more. Um and so our goal is to get these all bid. I don't know if they'll get constructed, but the funding is there for the construction. I think it's more just um the you know getting plans ready but also just some of the if there's any rightway or permit and that kind of stuff that could hold us up. >> Yeah. For example, some of the projects we had this year that we had um two two carryovers both were related to rightway or some m relatively minor thing that just held up uh the the Wagner connection off between the Wagner and Western Culdeac. We've talked about that. Um we just need Ramsey County to do a a really simple agreement that we've been working on for 18 months and it's just an attorney thing that just needs to happen. >> Yeah. >> Um it's really really simple but we until we can't bid the project till we have the rightway in hand and then um >> was old Lexington Pathway. Same thing. We we had a we had a get some utilities relocated. So that's why that got delayed. So >> it's it's optimistic but we do hope to deliver it. Like I said we do have the budget. Um, as long as everything can line up, we will hopefully bid and deliver all those projects next year. >> So, with the completion of that Lexington stretch, would that get a pathway or sidewalk on both sides of Lexington pretty much from Larenture North or up to >> So, there's two significant gaps yet. Um, one will be from um um B2 technically up to Lexington or into the park, so you could say Brooks. >> Okay. >> On the east side. Um so that's one gap. We do have it. It's in the pathway master plan to complete that gap, but that is going to be a challenging gap. And then on the far south end, um south of Garden between Garden and Larpender, there's a gap there in the the commercial area. Um there that'll also be a challenging one. Although maybe the next time the county does uh uh Lexington, there there's two lanes there going north for a little bit. They did a reconstructed. It might make it easier. So, but the there's not any current plans to fill those gaps, but those are the last two significant gaps. >> Got it. >> And I guess technically north of C2 there is too, but that's a long I don't know if that's a >> super needed connection, but >> Sure. Oh, I was definitely thinking about south of 36 or south of B2 because that's certainly the highest volume section through Roseville. Yep. >> In terms of traffic. >> Yeah. when it gets really up to the high school cuz that was we had completed a couple sections a couple there's been two previous phases that got there and this is just the last >> 700 foot gap or so that's remaining. >> Got it. Thank you. Other questions? Uh [clears throat] gra >> this is kind of a minor detail but in Aaso Heights the street lights um so they were when it was developed they were they use a particular street lamp. Isn't that correct? And so now the question is coming to the people in that area if they want to maintain those street lights or change to what we use as standard lights. >> Yeah. So the so they have the option to go to the enhanced lighting is two things. One, it's higher in density of lighting. They have a much higher density of lighting currently than the rest of the city. So >> currently they have like 35 lights. If you did standard lighting, it'd be like 15 rough rough numbers like that. But then it's also the quality of the light. Typically, it's a wood pole with a cobra head. They have um like an acorn style light. >> Exactly. >> So, there's two options that we showed that Excel would provide. Um one is basically really similar to what they have. It's a little different because it is cut off lighting. So, it's >> you drive out there now, the light's mainly going up. So, it's it looks real similar to today. >> Um there's a pretty good cost associated with that. And then there's also a a >> still a somewhat decorative light, but it is a different style that they could go with as well. So, um, we met in November with the neighborhood and we we just sent some more updated out. So, we'll certainly have more info and that'll be something we'll be bringing back to council. Um, we the one thing with the policy, they do have to do a petition to keep it. So, that and then the other thing we did find, we thought we only had three. There's three HOAs in that neighborhood. There's actually four. >> Oh. >> So, each neighborhood could offer their own kind of opinion there. So basically we look at it as there'll be four potentially four distinct districts potentially four different options based on the feedback. It's a little bit of mixed feedback but generally I would say the residents supported keeping >> the lights as is or or a similar style but there certain there was some support to reduce the lighting as well. >> I've had some calls on it. I was surprised at that one. Um and would you change all of the lights in that HOA if they voted that way? Yeah, we we will go if one HOA says go one way and the other says another, we we can certainly do that. That's that's not a problem. Um we can certain and we've as we mentioned we can me um you know if they want to increase the density too, we can even do that. There'll be a cost or go in something in between there. There's there's certainly options but the lighting is due for replacement. I think it expired. >> We're either in year 26 or year 27 of the lighting. So the lease has already expired. So tech and we we are actually it's funny we we never had an issue and then the last two years we have started seeing issues. So yeah, Excel's uh infrastructure numbers are their their life cycle is pretty spot on. >> Thanks. >> I think Eric did get a website live with some more information about that. So Mueller was just sent to all the residents pointing them to that as well. >> And that's like a subpage on the public works page that we could potentially find that. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> And is is one of the options as I understood it, they potentially could maintain something decorative but maybe less frequently along the >> Exactly. Yeah. they wanted to do the decorative lighting but just do the standard spacing, we could do that. So, it's kind of open to what they want because they can petition and we can, you know, if they want to only spend $1,000, but the costs aren't huge, but no one else pays for lighting. No one pays an additional assessment for lighting. It's just part of the taxes that pay for lighting. So, it is an increase for those neighborhoods if they want that. if they >> and they uh if if the petitions aren't supported in certain parts or generally throughout it would default to our standard >> correct >> with the with the wood poles and the and the cobraheads >> because we do need to maintain the lighting >> right council member Sher >> I'm kind of hiding over >> waving the big >> yeah I do [laughter] get a flag next time >> um I you are um this is an aggressive amount from last year to this year I'm curious are you going to try to do this mainly only through um contractors or do you have enough staff to actually get this done? I'm curious from how how can this be achieved um if all if all the things you know align properly? Most of the um paving is all contractors. The the overlay of um or milling overlay of the parking lots and the some of the trails will be um inhouse, but most of this is contract for I would say a handful of these some of the plans are already done. like we already have plans done on the Twin Lakes trail and and on um a couple of these paths and it's just been waiting to get the rightway or something else checked off so that we can actually bid it. >> So >> So you have enough people internally to to manage and get it done. >> Okay, good. >> Right. Council member Strong, >> I just had a question about the Green to Go implementation. Do we have a date when we're going live and kind of where are we at with uh contacting small some of the smaller businesses? >> So green to go tech according to the ordinance and direction went live January 1st. >> That's [laughter] what I was going to say. Yes. Okay. So um so yeah so we've been reaching out to residents. Um we'll have a plan. One of the things the sustainability intern will do is green to go will be a a big part of continuing to engage and check in and see where we're at with the business. [clears throat] >> I don't remember how many >> they met with last year. It was pretty significant. >> Yeah, we had we had very good feedback and engagement with majority residents. We had a lot of phone calling. Our our intern did last >> businesses. [laughter] >> Yeah, I just happened to eat out out a fair amount over the last few weeks. Um and there was I was a little disappointed at some of the containers that came home that of businesses here in Roseville. So just curious to know um is that something that you know our residents are encouraged to reach out or how is that report that? Okay. >> Yeah, certainly if we hear we can know which business to reach out first. We I doubt we're going to get to all the businesses uh next year, but we'll we'll certainly try to prioritize and and work through it. Like I said, we we had a lot of communication with staff and I know a lot of them were yes, they'll transition. They just go they're going to want they want to get through like their current inventory that they have bought for containers. So um so hopefully the transition will work out well. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I think also fun fact, the recycling is now collecting um hot cups, right? So like your Starbucks cup is was not previously recyclable with the plastic lining and is currently recyclable at least with um waste management. So they no longer have to change those out. >> You know, and that was that actually brings up a question that I had when I was looking at the materials from waste management. I wasn't sure about some of the things that have been previously not able to be collected like black plastics or colored glass and things like that. Do we have an ability to update that information if there are changes to the residents so that the residents know about any of those changes? >> We talk about it a lot with Noel. So even just staff education, right? >> Um but yeah, we can talk to her about it. >> Okay. And certainly >> black plastic is still no >> sorry [laughter] >> but it'll help if we get the right green to go compliance there too because that's a lot of those containers are the black plastic. All right, other questions, feedback. >> I did want to check two things. Uh, one is the the um inflow and infiltration assistance. Is that primarily something where um it pretty much gets used up right away? I mean, it's first come first serve as you said and it seems to be fairly fairly popular with with residents. I I wondered if it was a situation where if somebody, you know, if you see a a plumbing permit come in for repair of a of a line, if that's an opportunity, if there's any funds available to try to make that connection, but or is it something where those are all gone right away at the beginning of the year or whatever? And >> um it's been so this is the third year of the pilot, so it's changed every year. Like the first year, I don't think we got it live until July. Last year was like April. So I just got the um the agreement today. So that's like months in advance. So um we typically have people on the list like they've encumbered kind of dollars and then once they do the work or reach a deadline and you know I'm like you know either use it or it's going to the next person then there's you know they didn't use all 5,000 or they didn't use all 10,000. I do reserve a certain amount of money for the equity criteria and so that's [clears throat] set aside and so that's been slower to get used. I think there's enough people aware of it and on the wait list that it'll go a lot faster. Um but I did pull um permits for work that had been done and found some houses that qualified for that equity and then reached out to them. So two people did get the equity >> grant this past year because of that kind of after the fact. Um, but I know that when people call in for either sewer issues, they talk to Ted and maintenance or they're calling and getting permits. Um, staff are telling them about it because I do get a lot of calls and questions about it. >> Glad to hear that. And then the last thing was on the curbside uh organics. Um, as I recall from the presentation, I think two years ago now, um, they said that that was a function of the transfer facility up in Blaine, getting the robotic equipment, uh, to be able to handle it. And I'm presuming that's still a work in progress with between Ramsey, Washington counties, and and the the transfer station people. >> Yeah, it's my understanding. I've heard anything new. It's the kind of the joke is it's still 12 months. So 12 [laughter] months keep moving. Well, I've not heard any more update um specific that >> it's going to happen this summer. >> Uh definitely. >> But I I know it was in in test mode in two cities in Ramsey County. So uh um I don't recall which was maybe it was Maplewood and >> I think those were cities that that there but they were goingirect which goes down to the the center down in Newport. Yeah. So we need uh us uh communities that go up to Blaine to get it uh get it done for that facility so we can be part of that program. >> All right. Good. Anything else from council members? Uh, and I'll just check if there is anyone from the public who has any comments about the proposed 2026 work plan for public works. [clears throat] Just if you do have comments, you can come come on up to the table. We'll free up a microphone. All right. Doesn't seem to be the case. Uh, we do have the request before the council to approve the work plan. And once again, this doesn't approve the individual projects and there's still steps that have to be taken with further approvals and bidding and things like that. that this at least approves the outline of the plan. Um, is there a motion from the council? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Right. It's been moved by council member Grath, second by council member Stron to approve the 2026 public works work plan. Uh, discussion on that motion as the maker of the motion. Council member Grath. >> I think everyone here has said it's an ambitious plan. We're impressed and uh fingers crossed we get most of it done. But >> right, >> I know we can always move over to the next year if we have things happen. So appreciate all your work. >> Right. As the second council member strong, >> nothing further. >> Right. Other discussion on the motion? Right. Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. I opposed. That passes unanimously and that plan is approved. Uh thank you for that presentation this evening and all the work that everybody in public works as you noted uh does to make all those things happen. All right. That brings us then to another discussion about um plans, I guess you might say, and this is to uh have our I guess our first opportunity to discuss what we might want to put into our 2026 legislative priorities. Uh each year the city does uh develop a list of priorities and things that we want the legislature to do uh either for ourselves specifically or for more broadly for communities like ourselves. uh and I'll turn it over to city manager Trean to run through uh last year's uh list and uh an update on what's happened or hasn't happened and and we can have a conversation about how we want to approach it for this session which starts in February. >> Yes, thank you Mr. Mayor. Um as mentioned uh each year we do um take a look at our priorities and identify items of interest for the city uh very specifically or cities generally and look to um go to our legislative delegation to help advocate for passage or um opposition on certain um uh items here. So uh just as a note uh this is the second year of the bianium. Um, so it's the same legislature that was in in in u in office uh this last year and also all the bills that were introduced are still uh available for consideration in the second year. The actual session will run from February 17th to May uh 28th. So a little bit of a later start than the first year of the bienium. So in your packet is uh information about our priorities from last year and kind of the status of them. The first uh I guess four of them are high priority items. These are items that we specifically either as staff and city council or both of us uh uh directly advocate for passage uh of legislation in regards to these. So these those are the four items from last year. Uh the first item is uh capital improvements through our bonding bill. Something that we've had on our list for five, six, seven, eight years now. >> Um we have one more uh phase of the uh funding for the oval which deals with the roofs and the HVAC units and restrooms there. um that we have uh continually applied through through the state. Um but there's also a legislative process. Um so we um are asking for that. Again, there is no uh consideration of uh uh local projects really as part of the bonding bill. That small bonding bill was passed last year. Typically bonding bills are done in even years, although the last few years it's been all over the board. Some years they haven't passed them. Some years they've passed them in odd years. So, um the good news is that we think, uh that we will be in the running for some consideration. We did have the Senate investment committee and I think all of you were there um uh that uh visited the Oval site. So, it's very well known. We have strong support from our local legislative delegation. So, we'll be on top of that to make sure at the appropriate time we go down and testify in support of that u that bill u that proposal. A couple other things that we had as our primary items. One was to uh allow local governments to designate which licensed ambulance service provider may serve their community and determine the appropriate level of service. As you know, we've talked about the challenge right now uh with our service times and response times. It's something that has been very front and center in our conversations as we look at the fire department and how to adapt to that. Um as far as I could see, there was uh no bill that was officially introduced uh to make those specific changes. there are conversations happening in larger about the challenges of uh ambulance service especially in rural areas u but I think that there is also a challenge in the metro area so we'll continue to advocate and uh and and um and and uh monitor that situation I know our fire chief's very actively involved through his organization as well on that uh the next item is to en enact statewide licensing of massage therapists uh this is something that we've had identified um for a long long time This continues to be a challenge uh for us with background checks and making sure we have people that are properly trained and also professional on their services. And we really think uh that it is best to have a statewide system where uh there is one clearing house of information uh versus each local government uh doing their own background checks and trying to figure out if this person uh had any licensing issues in another city. here. Uh there was a bill that was introduced as you can see, House File 362 and Senate File 1131. Uh it just introduced, but no public hearings were were held on that. I think this is um uh for this next session here, part of the session. We should really uh actively uh engage um with a local delegation as well as the authors of the bill and I'm sure there's other cities uh we can get on board with that. So I think that's a really important item to focus on. The last one um he has a high priority item was um to allow for uh to change the state law to allow park dedication for collection of park dedication fees on new developments without the requirement of a subdivision. We have lots of land uh here in Roseville that's already been subdivided but sometimes redeveloped from maybe a lower density to a higher density. Um that certainly impacts the amount of people that would be utilizing our parks and right now we're prevented from having park dedication fees. It's really about not about just collecting more money just to collect more money, but to make sure that we can properly fund our park system uh due to the increased need on there. Uh as far as I could determine, there was uh no bill considered by the legislature. This is a coalition of other cities trying to do this. So, uh we will continue to monitor that, but I think we'll be at the ready to support that if there is um some type of um bill that's introduced in a hearing. The other high priority item, and I don't have it particularly listed here, but I talked about on the case is about all the housing bills and the preeemption bills. As you know, we've kind of created that as a separate uh item, and we've had letters go to the legislature um the last couple sessions about our concerns about the bill and the opportunities uh that we see uh with with bills here. And so, we may want to consider adding something to this high priority list specifically, although it seems like it's a moving target exactly what bill and what they're including on that. So, I think last year we took the approach, let's let's react as the year goes on and write a letter uh that if we need to on specifics of of that. Um, and I did that include I did include that in the packages for your information on there. Would also note that the mayor and I participated in a meeting with nine other cities as part of our regular check-in with other cities. Um we invited the area legislators um from all nine cities and had a really good robust conversation about the issue and concerns that city have. So I think hopefully they found that informative. Obviously there's a push and pull with some of those uh bills you know about affordable housing but also local control. So I think I think we did a pretty good job of providing the context to them so they have better understanding certainly know where we stand and I know uh last year council member Bower and Council Member Sharter we went down to the capital and talked to sever several of our area legislators to about that particular bill. So >> yeah I push them every time I see them in person I talk about it. >> Yes. >> So [snorts] uh we don't really know where that's going to be going this year and what support it may or may not have but something we'll continue to monitor. [snorts] Just moving down to the list and I I won't go through every one of these here, but [clears throat] these are other items we've identified over the years as uh things that are important, but we would not take the lead on. You certainly have the advocacy groups of the League of Minnesota Cities and Metro Cities that uh do a lot of um the work on some of these items. Couple items I want to note that the uh EDA powers for Ramsey County was approved. Uh we've been asked for that support by the county and that was approved. So, we can most likely take that off. Um, I think the sustainable alternative funding sources for cable commissions, I not sure if that's going to have legs or not. There are some bills introduced, but it seems like there seems to be some motion, I know, uh, East Metro there was a franchise agreement, um, for, um, internet, uh, my understanding. So, that's something that's is brewing there. So, I think that might rise to the surface a little bit more. Obviously, there's going to be a lot of industry lobbyists that are going to be opposing some of those things. So, I think it should probably be a big fight if it does. um does happen. Um I would also note that on the second bullet point from the bottom uh about the open meeting law and virtual meetings um for the most part I I think that has been met. Um there's really no limitation on when uh folks um city council and uh commissions can meet. Uh there's not really any limitations. As you know, as part of our rules, we did limit that to three times a year, but that was a local choice, not not the state law. So that certainly can be removed. The other thing that was approved and it has happened the last few years and I'm not sure if we should take it off or not about funding for emerald ashbor um we've been very successful as you know in getting funds so that's been really great uh for us uh so certainly they fund it but uh I noted last year was only about 400,000 which boy doesn't get you far at all in the state here so that might be something you want to consider just keeping on there just about continued funding for emerald lash not necessarily take that off so uh the other ones I'd be happy can answer any questions or if you want to talk about the relevancy of keeping them on and or if there's anything to add. We did talk as a department head group and there's really nothing new that we would add u for this or remove uh for this leg this last part of the legislative session. So with that I will pause to see if there's any questions and um not necessarily looking for approval tonight. If we want to bring some things back we certainly can. If you think everything looks great we can certainly uh consider approving it. As I said we have some time before the session opens. So, we have several opportunities to to tweak this as we need. So, >> hey, Council Member Schroeder. >> Okay. I was going to say, >> um, I'm not sure where this would fit in on this, but something, um, which was in and then they took it out was the cannabis sharing of the tax for the cities where now they took it out. So, cities are getting zero amount of the tax revenue to do uh, some of the work we have to do. So, I I think that's something we'd want to support changing back to where they were before, but like I said, I'm not sure where that would fit on here, if at all. >> Well, certainly it was removed, so I I think it certainly could be on this. It just maybe depends on what the >> Yeah, maybe other priorities or something. That's I'm just trying to think because I think um I [clears throat] think the league is is supportive of that, but I was just thinking because again um they had it and then they took it out and then I think there's some push to try to get it back in again and it'd be good um since we do have to do some of the work that we should get reimbured for some of that. >> Yep. >> All right. Other thoughts, questions? >> Oh, I'd say keep the emerald ashbor on there because that's not going to go away. Any objections? >> Hearing [clears throat] none. >> And the top four also that we, you know, we need, I think those are all important. Still in my mind, >> I think it'd be it'd be interesting if we could hear from um perhaps the the attorney for the uh communications commission >> sometime soon if possible about you know what was the framework or maybe our own attorney knows too. That's possible. don't want to discount that expertise. Uh but what was the framework under which Woodbury did their internet fr or broadband franchise because my understanding was is that that was not allowed and then suddenly they did it. And so it'd be very interesting to understand how that relates to whether we need to keep this legislative priority from my point of view because if there's already a system in place then maybe we don't need that as a priority and we don't have to invite all the the uh the wrath of all the providers or whatever. I don't know. But I [snorts] just I don't understand enough about it now. And I don't know, council member Strong, you're on the commission if you have a good understanding of it either. But >> the last we spoke of it, it was the 12 I think partner cities that were involved in that um area and they were able to successfully pass it. And I know there was some mutterings from our city attorney over there. So maybe she has some good resources. Obviously, our attorney for the cable commission is very vocal and very outspoken and has a lot of um pull and so um you know I think it was one of the reasons I started to be more in support of franchise fees once we saw how that impacted us and maybe that could be a way that we could keep our recording and other things viable through that cable commission um without taking too much of city burden as well. But I think you had something else to add. I I can't speak terribly intelligently on this topic, but I will say that we have an attorney in our office who focuses on franchises and things like this and and his belief is that some additional legislation would be quite helpful. >> Okay. Yeah. I' I' I'd really like to understand what that might look like because certainly this was specific to um um you know, well, I guess it was it was general sustainable alternative funding sources. Um but it was as I recall the the the um legislation that I testified about was local franchising of broadband and uh boy that didn't go anywhere. [laughter] So um you know I there was a hearing and then it kind of died in the legislator legislature more broadly. But um um you know I I would want to make sure that we're pushing for something that that does what it needs to do and and fits the current situation. That that's my only point on that. I I don't have a a problem with having it as one of our other priorities, but just want to make sure it's it's tailored to the situation. And and I would love to have a better understanding of what was the the uh statutory framework under which that group did their franchise because my impression was you couldn't do that. And so I don't know, you know, maybe they've got a unique situation that doesn't apply to us or whatever it is, but you know, whatever that is, it'd be interesting to know more about it. And I don't know if it's a presentation at a council meeting per se, but maybe even just a memo uh from Mr. Bradley or in conjunction with our our attorney or two memos or whatever uh that can help us understand that better before we go forward with that particular bullet point. >> Certainly. And um so just I think it was early December, late November, uh city administrators and managers got together with N North as we try to do several times a year and we received a pretty healthy update on that and we had a lot of the same questions you did. Okay. So I did get some material but I think it might be worthwhile to bring uh Mr. Bradley here to talk about it because they are looking for other cities to to be supportive and before we support anything we need to understand >> for sure >> play here. So let me reach out to him. I'm sure he'd be happy to come to a meeting and talk. >> I think they were planning to reach out to city managers. So I think it would be a >> it's all coming together. Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. >> And with as well as um Mr. Brown said >> so north. >> Yep. Okay. So I I I what I can do is I'll see if I get him uh to be here at the January 26 meeting. Okay. >> And so we can still have time to wordsmith what we need to for the language here. >> Thanks. >> And he could speak to the Woodberry situation because I'm not >> he was directly involved more. >> Yeah. They actually put in place a broadband franchise. >> That's what I'm understood you couldn't do that. So yeah, >> nobody seems to know why or how interesting just happened, but >> there's probably more to it than that. Um, other [clears throat] thoughts, questions about either keeping existing things, taking things off, or changing anything? I think it does make sense to perhaps add and I don't know for sure if it's high priority or well I think it might make sense to is to sort of summarize our point of view on some of these these legislative approaches to housing and affordable housing you know supporting affordable housing and flexibility for enactment of policies at the local level uh sort of preference for uh guidelines and and a menu of options rather than preeemption language in at the state level about zoning, um, things like that. So, I don't know if there's maybe something we can work up, uh, that we can take a look at at a subsequent meeting about that. But I think in addition to a letter that might be tailored to specific legislation, I think it does make sense to have a bullet point, >> you know, just [clears throat] talking about the general situation and sort of where we where we stand on that. Uh, unless there's any objection. No, because I think affordable housing obviously is important, but we in Roseville have done a lot of work on affordable housing, but some others have not. And so that's part of the problem of what we have going on, right? That's trying to be addressed, but kind of in a heavyhanded way, I >> So if there are other ways of doing that, I'd be interested in knowing how that could be done. >> Yes. So I'll start working draft some language in can we submit that. All right. Anything else that uh council members want to make sure is either highlighted or moved to moved to a higher priority or a lower priority or anything like that? >> I just had a question um for council member Sharter. I know that when I was on League of Minnesota Cities, we had kind of some of the bigger issues kind of percolated up. Is there anything that has been addressed there that you feel has not been addressed in what we're >> Well, again, you know, I think, you know, the only thing that and that's what I was looking through that was was that just that cannabis the sharing of the tax um >> which I think is I I'm not sure. Well, I there's different reasons why they decided not to share with the cities anymore, but there's actually quite a um very healthy list that the league has going on to that they're working on. So, um yeah, so I think that was the only thing that that wasn't on the list that I could think of. The only thing that comes to mind is just regionally, you know, this um the car safety um has been an issue. when you know when a few years ago when um Senator Marty was working on the uh catalytic converter piece that kind of gelled around one idea and has largely been successful although that has morphed into some new things lately but um just uh vehicle safety and if there's some I'm not a vehicle safety specialist but the amount of carjackings and um uh vehicle thefts um not maybe not as much in our direct neighborhoods, but enough that it does impact quality of life for our residents. And so trying to understand what someone who's an expert in that area would have would recommend at the state level, I think would be interesting or helpful to know because I think it is a quality of life issue, especially for anyone who maybe drives a little bit older Kia or Hyundai or doesn't have a garage or, you know, things like that. those are constant um barriers to um front frontline workers who maybe have that's the car they have and so it is a quality of life issue for someone and um as much as housing or food if you don't have a car you can't get to work and you can't have all the other things you need so it's it's a ripple effect and so I haven't seen anything um rise up to the level but I'd be curious to know if there's some um legislation that is of interest or seen as something that could be beneficial in that area. I think it would be worth looking at to see if other cities, you know, probably one of the larger cities except for we have to remember we had joined both St. Paul and Minneapolis. So, it really does impact and especially in our partnership with um the Rice and Larpender Alliance and things like that where um those things are even more uh common, but not but I don't think we should ever think that we're immune just because we're in Roseville. when I attended the uh League of Minnesota Cities when we were is on the service delivery committee where we're bringing on these things and later on we were discussing all the items um I don't recall that coming up at all with the League of Minnesota cities or from Minneapolis or St. Paul which were also represented there but I did not hear that from any city um or nor was it presented at the League of Minnesota cities. So, I'm not so sure if it's um yeah, your concern. I just guess hasn't bubbled up to the point of um being something that the league has addressed or feels that it needs to be like I said both, you know, large cities and uh Minnesota didn't bring it up either. >> Well, and I think there's two things too. I mean, and I know the city manager wanted to be recognized on this as well. So, um the of course it is against the law to carjack or to to [laughter] steal cars. Yes. Uh so we shouldn't have to have new legislation in that regard. Um and I will say that, you know, just just on the um sort of incidental information I get through being on the uh youth violent crime prevention group in Ramsey County that uh County Attorney [clears throat] Choy has. Um they there's a lot of other issues that are, you know, tangential or tie into that. Um and certainly uh car theft and carjacking issues. I know that the numbers in Ramsey County anyway have gone down quite a bit since there's been some enhanced enforcement efforts and targeted enforcement efforts in Ramsey County that I think has made some difference for our you know our community St. Paul and neighboring communities. Um and in that group there's a lot of discussion about the contrast with Henipin County and Minneapolis and and and and not necessarily maybe you know lack of enforcement but just different focuses and different outcomes and I think that there definitely have been higher higher numbers in Minneapolis specifically that have still kind of maintained since the since the peak around the pandemic time. So I just wanted to mention that as an it's an enforcement thing as much as it is legislation probably. And then uh city manager touching you with additional thoughts. Yeah. So, in the back of my head, I I thought one of uh the groups had talked about it and so it's not League of Minnesota cities that I could find, but Metro Cities actually does have a policy um about street racing and carjacking. And among other things, their policies support state funding to help state and local law enforcement agencies to prevent respondent street racing and carjacking. This could could include funding for state patrol air support, uh overtime uh details, targeted law enforcement saturations. It also uh changes laws uh supporting uh to prohibit street racing. Also supports consumer protection efforts that require motor vehicle manufacturers to offer anti- theft protection devices on certain vehicles that have been shown to be easily susceptible to theft. So they have a very u broad policy but general policy on on that um item. So that could be good enough for us that knowing that they have that as part of their policies and certainly um support anything versus an individual policy that we might have for us. But um so that's what I'm I'm reading from >> and that's certainly something we could decide to add as one of our other items if we feel it rises to that level. So that's good to know. Thank you. >> Um anything else on the legislative priorities for this session? >> Just a clarification. Council member Sharter mentioned about the cannabis tax. Is is that something we should add to this item? >> Is that something we want to do as either a high or other priority? >> I wouldn't do it as a high. >> Okay. >> I be in favor of adding as an other priority. >> Maybe maybe a choice of words. Yeah. [laughter] >> I think our high is still the John Rose. >> Yeah, I agree. I think our highest should be on the on the oval. >> Yes, >> for sure. And I I would hope every time any of us run into anybody representing us at the state level, we should mention that. >> Yes. >> I think it's important this year too when we uh it's brought forth um that's hearing at the capital that we try uh to attend that ourselves as well. >> Yes. >> And show not just that it's staff but actual council members and electeds are attending it. >> Um just do whatever we can to kind of move this forward. I know other cities bring do that. >> Yep. >> A good idea for us to do it as well. >> And and depending on the year and what's been going on, definitely there has been council member involvement in the past too. So we can maintain or sustain or add to that. Yep. >> I think it's good to mention that even if they aren't our local legislators if you do run into them other places and mention how it's a regional because we need the votes from other areas. >> Absolutely. And that's what I do whenever I run into all these other events that we represent. If I see them, I I bring it up. You want you want your one two punch to be the oval funding and the uh statewide licensing of massage therapists and establish. >> Yeah, that would be good too, >> especially the therapists because I think that is something I we need to focus more on this time around and and there is legislation I believe is that's one of the ones on the list that has legislation. So, you know, that's easy to point to. Um to that end, I was going to suggest that we look at whether that's a topic we want to bring up as one of the topics for our nine city >> meeting coming up in January here just to get kind of get all those all our neighboring cities talking about it uh mayors and city administrators and managers uh thinking about it. And then also I don't know if it makes sense as the as the Ramsey County League of Local Governments looks at programming if that's something to think about for programming for this year. I I'll mention that >> or at least uh make it a part of the if there if they do the typical sort of legislative priorities meeting that the League of Local Governments does that maybe that could be a focus. >> Actually, we're just we're putting together we're um we're doing the um um where they're all they're going to come down and have um dinner with us to have a conversation around all our priorities. So, I'll make sure that >> one I'll get the dates when that's happening so people can come if they'd like. Absolutely. and then we can make sure that gets mentioned, but then I'll also bring it up at the executive meeting. >> Good. Good. Council member Strong, >> I just like to say I think that's really when um the catalytic converter um issue took got legs was once people outside of a very small population of people in a very specific neighborhood started to see that it could impact you wherever. And once it started impacting some of the cities outside of the metro, that's when it started to have the ability to to actually make some progress. So I think that's a proof with many others, but that really the more you tell people, especially outside of our neighborhood, um how it impacts you because they, you know, if it's not you, you don't often know how it impacts others. Well, I think that the the nexus with the massage therapy licensing is the uh tie in with unfortunately with the potential for trafficking and and uh sexual predation and things like that. So, it's important to >> to to emphasize that that part. It's really about the safety of the of the customers of those establishments and and the community. >> Absolutely. >> And that's not limited to one area >> for sure of the state. That's everywhere. Yep. Yep. Good. The only other thing I just wanted to touch in with the council on is we've got one on here for sprinkling of our our two multif family occupancy groups. This has been on for a while. Um but I don't honestly know there has hasn't as far as I know been bills in the last several sessions about it and and and I just don't know if it's something we want to continue mentioning on [clears throat] our list or not or where the council is on that or if we need to think about it some more and figure that out the next time we look at this. But I just wanted to raise that question because it's one that I I don't I'm not sure about myself. >> If I recall, mayor, I think that was brought forward by the fire department several years ago as far as something that um >> Oh, I thought it was council member initiated, but >> Oh, was it? Okay, >> it may have been, but it's long enough ago that >> Yeah, [laughter] >> maybe that's a that's a reason enough to kind of research. >> Go back to the archives and figure out. >> Maybe maybe it was. Yeah. >> Right. >> And certainly there is a there's a fair probably a pretty healthy lobby against it amongst all of the managers of our two multif family residential and builders of those. So, >> well, expensive thing to to retrofit. >> Well, I was just going to say it's a retrofit thing, too, because these days they would have to be built with the sprinkler system. So, that's it's not a question of new construction, but certainly the retrofit situation. So, I like I said, I just wanted to raise that as something to maybe noodle on some more before this comes back before us. >> Y some research on that. >> Great. Anything else from the council on uh priorities for legislative session for this year? All right. Thank you, uh, Mr. Treon. We'll look forward to these items, uh, coming back for some refinement with the council. Uh, that then brings us to Oh, I should do a quick check with the members of the public in case there was somebody here who wanted to speak to our legislative priorities uh, this evening. I don't want to bypass that opportunity for folks to weigh in. And is there anyone from the public who wishes to provide insight into what we've been talking about as to our legislative priorities? All right, doesn't appear to be the case. Uh then we will move to our uh commission reappointments and vacancies for 2026. And we have our assistant city manager, Rebecca Olsson, with us this evening uh to bring this before the council for our consideration. Welcome, Miss Olsson. >> Thank you, Mayor, Council. Uh as you know every year we have an opportunity to look at reappointments to the various commissions and declare any vacancies for those members who are either not seeking reappoint or um are terming off. So tonight before you you have a couple things that you're being asked to do. One is to review the timeline that is listed in your handout. I'll briefly go over that timeline. So tonight um you're going to be considering uh declaring vacancies. Um once those vacancies are declared tomorrow staff will then put information on the website and start advertising so that we can recruit for those various vacancies across the various commissions. February 6, the application period will close and staff will gather all the important [snorts] information together, compile it into a packet for you and then interviews are scheduled for February 17th with a tenative second night of the 19th depending on how many applicants we have. Um following that, [clears throat] uh council will then look to appoint applicants at the March 2nd meeting and after that we have our online orientation and then um an in-person orientation at the night of the ethics training which is in April. So tonight uh you have the opportunity to um review the various vacancies on the second and third page list them by commission. Um and um you can if you choose decide to um reappoint any of those commissioners who are seeking reappoint tonight or as you've done in the past, you typically have uh waited until all of the applicants um and appoint everybody at that time. Um it is up to you. You have the choice of how you'd like to do that, but staff is looking for direction on what to do with those commissioners who are seeking reappoint. The second item you're being asked to consider is declare the vacancies, which is just an official motion to um open up the opportunity for us to advertise. Um so on the very on page three of the staff report, um there are a very uh a table at the end that lists the number of vacancies per commission. There's 13 total vacancies. There are six commissioners who are seeking reappointment, which would leave if if all of those commissioners are reappointed, depending on the council's decision, um, seven additional vacancies. Um, it is up to you how you'd like to do that, if you'd like to interview those commissioners who are seeking reappointment, if you'd like to consider them at a l later date. So, with that, um, I'll find out if there's any questions related to this process and, uh, look for some direction from you. >> Right. And just a clarification too on the uh vacancy uh the third vacancy on the finance commission that was >> Yes. >> Uh it was a partial term that that actually ends in March and so it would be an appointment for a full three-year term. That is correct. >> Uh when we make an appointment at uh at our March time frame. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh questions from the council. >> Doesn't appear to be any questions. I do want to note too of so past practice has has moved around a little bit as to there were a number of years where we did just reappoint all the eligible people at the first opportunity. Uh there were a couple of of times when we did some interviews and then there was maybe in conjunction with the interviews andor another time where we made appointments ultimately when we were doing all the rest of the appointments. Um so I think the council has a lot of precedents to to at to attempt to follow or we can always you know blaze new trails uh that's a possibility as well. So but certainly it's up to us to determine that and you know one path is once again a motion to reappoint those eligible and reapplying uh this evening or at another time or something else. So I will question was there any input from the chairs of the commissions? I know you've got the attendance here, but was there any >> council member Grath? Uh, they did not provide input on any of their reappoints. >> Okay. >> They will typically sit in on the interviews and provide >> some feedback at that point. >> Well, it looks to me like most of the people that are asking for reappoint have been attending. And as far as I mean, I I admit I can't watch every one of these meetings, but I try to catch some of them. They've all been participating and doing the work. So, I I don't see any reason not to reappoint them tonight. I mean, I think it's kind of good to get that so that it came out on their calendar, especially since they've been already doing the work. >> And I will add to that that a lot of these are initial partial term, you know, terms. So, they were just recently interviewed. I can recall interviews of many of these people as well. >> And we should note that we have the reappoint applications of all of the folks that have applied and are eligible and want to be reappointed. And we had that as part of our consideration this evening as well. And I did I did note that it appeared that people pretty thoughtfully responded to that and I thought that was important as as something to think about in terms of the reappoint process. Council member Schroer. >> Yeah. You know, I I agree because unless people feel the need to reinter these people, which I don't get the impression, I don't know why we just wouldn't appoint them. So, I would move to reappoint the ones that have um um applied again and would like to serve another term. >> Second. Right. It's been moved by council member Schroeder and second by council member Stron to uh reappoint those who are eligible and applying for reappoint uh this evening. Uh discussion on the motion as the maker. Council member Schroeder >> as the second council member Strong. >> I just I concur with um council member Schroeder. I think when we sought to uh rein people there was a bit of a disconnect. we'd seen some attendance issues um and we hadn't met a lot of the people because of COVID and interviewing people online and feel like as uh council member Bowers mentioned a lot of these are initial um partial terms. So, I would be comfortable, especially um in some of these where there's a fairly large number of people that do need to be added. And I think it would be really unfortunate for a committee like the Equity and Inclusion Commission to not reappoint two of the small group of people when they just got started. And, you know, they're working hard to to get some change made. So, I think I'm I'm strongly supportive of those who are eligible being reappointed, especially when I look at their attendance record. It shows a big commitment to what they're doing. >> Other discussion on the motion right hearing none. Uh all those in favor of the motion to appoint uh or reappoint I should say those who are eligible and applying for reappointment as outlined in the materials signify by saying I opposed. >> That passes unanimously. Those reappointments are made. Uh then the remaining motion would then be to uh declare vacancies in all the other openings uh as outlined. So move second. >> All right. It's been moved by council member Schroer, seconded by council member Grath uh to declare the vacancies. Uh as outlined discussion on that motion uh as the maker council member Schroeder. >> It's very straightforward. >> Uhhuh. As the second council gra no discussion. All right. Any other discussion on that motion to declare those vacancies fairly administrative. All right. With that all those in favor signify by saying I. I opposed. That passes unanimously as well. Uh, any other actions we need to take in in this regard this evening other than saying go with the process? >> No, mayor. Thank you very much. >> All right. Go. >> Thank you, Miss Olson. Uh, and we look forward to uh a bunch of good candidates for all of our advisory commissions. I think we've got almost every commission has a vacancy and so there's a lot of opportunities for people to participate in ways that match their interests uh or the way they'd like to participate with the city. That then brings us to uh any uh changes we might wish to consider to the city council and advisory commission rules of procedure. And I'll turn it back over to Mr. Trojan uh to bring this item before us as we do each year. Yes. Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor. As you mentioned, each year we do just do a check-in at the first meeting of the year about any potential changes to the city council and advisory commission rules of procedure. I would note that uh last year we were quite busy and we amended it three times. Uh in January 6, 2025, we did amend the rules uh rule 8 uh to allow for the appointment of a presiding officer at a meeting when the mayor and acting mayor unavailable to chair the meeting on the >> or the chair or vice chair. >> Chair or vice chair. Yeah. >> Yes. Um yeah. For commission. >> It's for commission. Yeah. On the 27th of uh January, we did uh amend this uh rule three which is about u public comment and uh basically said that the public speaking time limits above which is the three minutes do not apply to the pre-arranged two pre-arranged presenters or subjects or applicants for council action or appellants or petitioners to the council such speakers are encouraged to limit the remarks to 10 minutes or less. Maybe that was a reference might have been what I came from, right? >> That was a change. And the last one we did was fairly recently in October where we um uh amended rule seven remote participation about allowing uh council members and uh commission members to u participate remotely. Uh provided all notice and other requirements of the open meeting law are met up to three times a year. So uh tonight is an opportunity to um bring forward any other ideas and changes that you have. To date, I have not personally heard of uh any um changes that uh council member wants to make, but this is your opportunity to bring that up tonight. All right. Thoughts about any changes to our rules of procedure for the council andor commissions? I >> think we've done plenty of changes already. >> Right. >> Yeah, we'd like to try to keep them in effect for a while without >> Yes. >> People can get used to them that way. >> All right. Doesn't appear to be the case. Uh and so there's no action required because the rules are in effect until they're changed. All right. Moving right along then. Uh that brings us to uh considering the designation of city council liaison to various groups and committees. Once again, I think I'll turn it over to Mr. Trejan to kick off the discussion anyway and then probably the council can take it from there. >> Yes. Uh real briefly, each year uh you do designate uh council leaison to um the um organizations that are listed uh in the in the case here and they're up on the screen here. I would mention a couple of them. I think Northeast Youth and Family Services um and uh the Visit Roseville uh have terms that don't necessarily coincide with the calendar year and also their their um terms, you know, for several years. Um but we are looking for um council appointments to the Northeast Youth and Family Services Board. Uh the North Suburban Communications Commission and the Suburban Access Corporation Board, Ramsey County League of Local Governments, uh Roseville Fire Relief Association, Visit Roseville and the Rice Larper Alliance Board Member. There's also two standing subcommittees the council has. one is city manager performance review and then also the council representative uh for legislative work. Um so each year the council chooses the uh council member that's going to serve in those roles and uh that is what we're here tonight to discuss. We do have a resolution which will fill in the names. Um but I'll turn it over to the council for discussion and who they would like where. >> All right. And just to be clear on the uh NYFS board as we understand it, that term actually is through 2020 through June of 2027. So unless council member Grath is is planning to leave early in his term, council would not necessarily need to take any action on that particular position this evening. Uh but I think um whether we do it this evening or later this year, I think you are terming off of the visit Roseville board. Uh so probably either this evening or in July we'd want to consider uh that appointment since the term starts in August. >> Yeah. It's actually a year later though, isn't it? >> In NYFS is 2027. >> Yeah. So it's >> visit Roseville is 2026. So that's why I saying we don't have to take any action related to NYFS, >> right? >> Uh but visit Roseville >> before the August term start. We would want to do something. Uh but we don't necessarily have to do that one this evening either. No, but I mean if other members are interested in that, they should speak up. >> Sure. >> Because we can certainly address it now or later. I mean, I have no issue. I can do the meetings. Uh um I do know >> between now and that's fine with me. >> If [snorts] if the if no one else wants to take that on, >> should I just say, but let's nominate uh Council Member Gra to stay on NYS. >> Uh well, I don't think we have to take any action because it's a term. So, it's a term. Oh, okay. Just leave it as is. >> Um, [snorts] I would like to stay on the North Suburban Communications Commission as I just had less than a year on there and just I've been working with them to update their um employee handbook and some employee policies. And so, good. >> Um, being able to assist with some of the HR components has been helpful to them and to me as well. So, I would like to around there for a bit if possible. >> Great. [snorts] What about Ramsey County League of Local Governments? Uh, Council Member Schroeder. >> Well, they just elected me a [laughter] treasurer for 2026. So, unless somebody good time, I was going to say, unless somebody wants to become a treasurer, [laughter] I'd be willing to stay another year. >> Okay. Anybody want to [clears throat] usurp that role? [laughter] >> Contest it. >> No, I >> would like to Yeah, like we can finish that area. I would just say I'd like to um I'd like to see about surrendering the liaison role with the council struggled with um my work hours finding times and finding times to commit and to connect. >> Could you tell me how that works? I mean how do how do you >> It hasn't real great. >> So I mean what okay if it did work how does it work? >> Um when I first began um five years ago it was much easier um I was able to connect with our local local electeds. So, you just call them and >> call them, connect with them, meet with them, kind of talk about different things. I'd have to say, um, in the last for sure year, if not two years, it's been mostly frustrating just not being able to get to the human involved. At one point we did go down and meet with um some of our electeds and that was beneficial but um I just haven't gotten any facetime this last year and um I'm not able to go during the day so I don't know when else it would be a time to meet um so I I think might be good if someone else wanted to take a stab at trying to connect and commit to um who can maybe meet during the day and get down to the the offices when they might be present or when they're going to be on on the floor or something. >> I have the flexibility to do that. All right. Penciling in. Do we want to take any any decision now as to the visit Roseville board position or just defer that to middle of the year? If we can defer it and my availability might change by then. I'd be interested in participating if I was available to do so. >> It's a noon meeting. >> It is. It is a lunchtime meeting. >> If I was Yeah. >> So, >> if you're comfortable running your term till August, I mean, >> I can, but I think the only thing I want to say is you need to be thinking about who's going to do it in August. So, >> and I can't commit to it right now. So, if someone else could um >> keep it in your minds for the next few months. I don't want to wait until June 30th and then have [laughter] by the way remember back in January when we talked about >> No, I was going to say that would certainly be something we would want the the staff to be on top of in terms of our future agendas and making sure that we don't miss that one. >> Um but no doubt Council Member Grath will be on it to a certain degree too because >> the clock is ticking. >> Right. Exactly. We want to make sure there >> and we do need representative representation there. >> Y >> All right. Um, I don't know that there's necessarily any changes to these exofficial members of the Fair Relief Association unless I mean it technically it only has to be a city council representative. So, it doesn't have to be the mayor. It has been traditionally that way, but I would certainly if somebody's real eager to jump on that uh that uh by monthly or semionthly or whatever every other month is, uh um it's that is a 5:00 pm meeting on Tuesdays, second Tuesday of the month. So otherwise, if nobody else wants to take over that responsibility, um I'm happy to continue in that role. [snorts] >> With that, >> all right, nobody's uh nobody's leaping to take that away from me. All right. Uh I'm perfectly willing to defer on the Rice and Lar Alliance board. I don't have a leadership role in terms of like uh you know, chair, vice chair, or anything like that on the board. So, uh, if that's something of interest to members of the council, that is a lunchtime meeting, uh, pretty much on a monthly basis. I think every other month it's remote and then otherwise in person. So, and that's on a Thursday, middle of the month time frame. Once again, I can continue if that's nobody else is interested in taking that on at this point. >> I'm happy to have you continue on that. [laughter] Doesn't seem to be any objection. Uh and then we've got our uh standing committee on the city manager performance review which council member Sharter and Bower were on this past time around. >> I'd be happy to continue on that with council member Sher. >> Yeah. No, let's continue that one more year for sure. >> Might be nice to have some continuity there maybe. >> Yeah. Well, so uh >> really well we just have one change on the legislative uh council representative >> uh and then for our resolution we wouldn't have anything for NYFS on the resolution or nor for visit Roseville and then we'd have to come back uh for the visit Roseville middle of the year >> and if anyone wants to talk to me about that I feel free to >> So when is visit Roseville what day? It's at noon on the >> Well, it's not every month. It's six meetings. It's a Wednesday. >> Is it a W? >> It's a Wednesday. >> 12 to 1:30. >> I think it's the third Wednesday, but I could be wrong. >> Okay. Are we in person? >> Yes. And they do move the one in I don't Do we have We don't have one in Yeah, we do have one in December. >> Do in December, >> but it's Yeah. >> Or the summertime, you don't have >> No, >> it's a little bit irregular, so I can't say. Yeah, I can get you the, you know, if you're interested. >> That might be interesting just to get a little more detail behind it. Yeah. >> All right. So, we have the resolution then, if I'm not mistaken, uh, excluding anything to right now with NYFS and excluding anything right now with visit Roseville. Otherwise, uh, NSCC stays the same. Um, I'm happy to continue as an alternate there. Um, uh, RLLG stays the same. Our fire relief stays the same. Um, Rice and Lepre Alliance Board stays the same. Uh, standing committee for sea manager performance review stays the same. And council member Bower, unless there's any objection, would take over that role with the legislature uh, legislative work. All right. So, that would be the resolution if one were to make a motion about that. >> So moved. >> Second. >> It's been moved by Council Gra, seconded by Council Member Bower. Discussion on the motion as the maker. Council member Gra. No, I think it's good to have continuity and but then it's good to mix it up eventually. So, >> sure. >> They're both good. >> Yes. >> Council member Bower as the second. >> Nothing to add. >> All right. Any other discussion on the motion? >> Right. Hearing none. All those in favor of the motion to approve the resolution making those layers on appointments as outlined uh for 2026 signify by saying I. >> I opposed. >> That passes unanimously. Uh and just for the public, I didn't provide an opportunity for public comment, but it's kind of an internal item. So I was hopefully right in in [laughter] that presumption that nobody might have a lot to say on that. >> Uh but if somebody did, we would certainly open up the opportunity. >> Uh that then brings us to another very administrative inside uh baseball if it were or as it were thing. Uh which is the consideration of the appointment of the acting mayor for 2026. By state law, each year, cities must at the beginning of the year designate uh that year's acting mayor who serves in the vacancy or in the absence of the mayor in various ceremonial roles, but also probably more importantly in the vacancy of of the office of mayor uh andor filling in as the the chair of the council meetings uh if the mayor is not able to uh do that role. um uh traditionally that has been somebody I think who has a fair amount of experience on the council and probably more importantly has the ability to go to daytime ribbon cutings and [laughter] grand openings and things like that uh or groundbreings uh not to mention obviously chairing council meetings and and things like that. So um I'd be uh open to a motion to make an appointment. make a motion to uh have council member uh Schroeder um as the acting mayor for uh 2026. I'd like to counter in the past I've been told that people who are up for reelection in that particular year were not people that had been considered and that was something that was a big deal was made up last time >> that in an election year those people were not being shouldn't be the acting mayor and that so just would like to put that out there if that's really a point of contention or if that was just a prior city council member's personal opinion but that was brought forward as a an issue. It certainly has been discussed before as part of this discussion. I don't know that there's a written policy. Certainly, there may have been an informal policy that >> I'm not sure how how formal or informal it was necessarily. Council member Bower, you >> I don't have a second for the motion, by the way, too. >> I was just going to add that I wasn't I would need some more clarification about what the conflict or the concern would be. Um there >> I think that was council member Etton who brought that up. >> Yeah, because he wasn't going to run again. So, I think he was just stepping back at that time. >> I think he said that he and one of the former council members had had been there had been some in agreement, but I with >> I believe council member Wilmness also brought it forward in the past. >> But I don't know that maybe the mayor would remember better than me. Yeah, I was trying to think about that as to what I remember about it. But um you know and I can understand sort of a point of view of um especially if somebody was appointed acting mayor and ran for mayor, but I don't know that anybody knows anything about any of that at this point. So it's a little hard to know for sure. Uh >> that probably was the thinking. Yeah, that probably was the thinking. >> I don't know. Um, but it certainly is a council appointment and and um we do need to appoint somebody. So, and it's really kind of a function of four members figuring it out because I'll vote probably for whatever motion is out there necessarily. >> Um, do we have a second for Council Member Bower's motion? Maybe it's probably the first order of business. >> Well, I'll second it. [laughter] >> All right. Maybe for purposes of discussion. >> Purpose. Yep. Okay. All right, keep it going. >> All right, so we have the motion before us by Council Member Bower, seconded by Council Member Schroeder to appoint Council Member Schroeder as the acting mayor for 2026. Discussion on the motion as the maker of the motion. Council member Bower. >> Yeah, I think you know, following up what we were talking about with um uh the appointments to different groups. Um you know, it's nice to have consistency. It's also nice to change things up, too. I think having um it's nice that we've had council member Grain all his years of experience on the uh council and I think adding more people to have some you know opportunities as well. I like the continuity here because we have um your experience as the acting mayor multiple times which is fantastic and then having someone else. I just like the idea that we're um kind of in depth you know we have uh multiple people able to do this and adding more to that. Uh I like that idea as far as continuity goes. as the seconder council member Schroeder. >> Well, and if we went with that, neither uh council member Grath or I could be in the running then. And then Julie said, >> "Oh, as far as the election year." >> Yeah. And also then Julie said she's not available during the day. So you would you would eliminate three people just like that. So I mean, and it isn't an actual um it's not in our rules. It was more of a Yeah. So I don't know. So I I I guess I'm not sure that would be um that would leave uh commissioner or council member commission. >> I was a commissioner not so long ago [laughter] >> the default acting mayor. >> Yeah. I mean [snorts] I just just starting his second year. [laughter] I think there are people more qualified. >> Other other discussion on the motion council member strong >> I would be interested in putting forward myself. I know miss uh the that mayor row has been available largely during the day and that may not always be the case and uh my current available may not always be the case as soon as soon. So um I I just think uh given that I am now at 5 years uh I think I would put forward myself as a contest you know as a person in that and feel like um that would be something that I I think mostly it's been someone who's been able to lead the meetings uh largely has been the time that those few times that Mayor Row is unavailable. Um we've been pretty fortunate that he is present pretty much Would you uh say that as a motion on your part? >> Sure. I'll motion myself. >> So that would that would be a uh >> counter motion. >> All right. >> Well, I would second that for purposes of discussion here. >> All right. So, uh Council Member Straw uh moves to uh essentially amend the motion to to appoint Council Member Straw as the acting mayor, seconded by Council Member Grath for discussion purposes. Uh discussion on that motion to amend. Uh council member Straw as the maker of the motion. Any additional comments to add? >> I don't think so. >> Right. Council member Gra has the secondary. >> Well, I guess the argument there would be that yeah, council member Stron does have more experience. She's been on the council longer and uh has not been the uh acting mayor. There are things during the day that are good to be at like the ribbon cutings and things like that, but you know, sometimes schedules can be changed. All right. Other discussion on the motion? >> Yeah, I do think availability is important there, which is one of the reasons for um my original motion. I think that can't be um understated. Things happen in the city. You need to be available as the mayor. >> Other discussion on the motion. >> Well, I don't think things happen that the mayor has to address during the day. I mean it's ribbon cutings mostly but >> mo mostly right but there are >> I mean mayor the mayor could speak to that better than I could. >> Is there an emergency? >> So there's well I was going to say there's there's two aspects of the acting mayor. One is the sort of filling in from the for the mayor when the mayor is not able to but is continuing in office. Right. >> Certainly one of the aspects of the acting mayor is the the role as the mayor um should the mayor uh not able be able to continue in office for whatever reason. Um, and so that's that's a consideration as well. And I think that's that's a part of it. And I don't know how to answer that, you know, as to um who to select necessarily because I am going to stay above the fray in that regard and healthy >> and and I'm healthy [laughter] and knock on uh countertop here that I continue in that role. >> I need wood to choose strong. >> So we do have the uh the motion to amend and appoint council member Stron before the council. Is there any further discussion on that motion? Right. Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> Wait, which one are we? >> This is the amendment motion. Council member Strong. >> We have [snorts] to do that first. So, all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed? Nay. >> That motion fails. Uh, council members Schroeder, Bower, and Mayor Row in opposition. Um, that brings us to the original motion to appoint uh council member Schroeder. Uh is there any further discussion on that motion? Uh hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. I opposed. >> Abstain. >> All right. That passes. Uh I heard four to zero with one abstension from council member Strong. All right. I believe that gives us an acting mayor for 2026 of council member Schroeder. Um and that is the conclusion of our business items at this time. Uh that then brings us to uh consideration of city council minutes uh for December 1st and December 8th of 2025. And uh I was reminded by council member Bower that he was not in attendance at the December 8th meeting. Uh and so we should really take these as two separate motions uh giving him the ability to abstain on that vote. Uh is there a motion with respect to the December 1st council minutes >> and or any changes or corrections? >> Second. >> All right. It's been moved by council member Schroeder, second by council member Bowerer to approve the December 1st minutes as presented. Discussion on that motion. Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I opposed. >> That passes unanimously. Those minutes are approved. Uh then the December 8th minutes. [clears throat] >> Move approval. >> Second. >> All right. It's been moved by Council Member Grath, seconded by Council Member Schroeder to approve the December 8th minutes. Any changes or corrections or discussion on that motion? Uh, hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. I >> opposed. >> One abstension. Thank you. That passes four to zero with an extension uh from council member Bower. >> Uh that concludes those meeting minutes. That then brings us to the consent agenda. I'll turn it over to Mr. Trean to run through the consent items uh under consideration this evening. >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Item 10 A approves payments in the amount of 1,639,445.35. Item 10B approves the purchase of an unmarked police vehicle and the purchase of police radios that uh have advanced encryption technology. Item 10 C approves the US Bank and Harris Bank as the city's official bank depository for city funds and designates the finance director with the authority to make electronic fund transfers. Agenda item 10D designates the Pioneer Press as the city's official newspaper. Item 10E adopts resolution to approve the reaportionment of assessments in 2026. Item 10F approves entering into professional services agreement with Ellers for utility rate study. Item 10G approves the annual contract with Northeast Youth and Family Services for its work with the Rose for its work in the Roseville community. Agenda item 10H approves entering into professional service agreement with Tubman in the amount of $20,000 to provide services to victims facing relationship violence and sexual assault trauma. Item 10 E sorry 10 I approves community development department codes coordinator building official to act as the assistant weed inspector to help the mayor out with his local weed inspector role in the city. Item 10J approves entering into a collective bargaining uh agreement with Roseville Police Officers [clears throat] LLocal 112 for the years of 26 and 27. This agreement provides cost of living adjustments in each year of the contract and a market adjustment in 2027 to address wage disparities with peer departments. Sufficient funds were provided in the 2026 budget to cover the cost of the contract for this this coming year or this year. Uh the proposed contract was recently approved by the uh uh lo local 112 members. Item [clears throat] 10K approves the annual sign permit in 2026 for a variety of city-led and sponsored events. And then finally, item 10 L, authorizing staff to seek donations to help the free cost of city hosted events. That is the consent agenda. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Trogen. Uh, is there a motion from the council? >> Second. >> It's been moved by council member Strong, seconded by council member Bower to approve the consent items as presented. Discussion on that motion. Uh, hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I and I opposed. That passes unanimously and those items are approved. Excuse [clears throat] me. That brings us then to future agenda review. Mr. Trean. >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh we have a series of meetings here in January. Our next meeting is next [clears throat] Monday. Uh we'll have uh both a city council meeting and EDA meeting. We're going to switch up the order a little bit. We're going to have the city council meeting first um because we do want to make sure he spends the right amount of time for our strategic plan discussion. However, at the uh beginning of the work session there, we will discuss uh the police department's um Axon contract. I believe the chief had sent out some information about that. uh want to have a conversation, provide the council with some background on that, talk about some potential next steps, and then we want to have a staffled uh update on the strategic plan, stuff that we've been working on last part of this last year, about the objectives, talk about uh what we're going to be doing this year, how we're going to integrate that into the 27 budget process. So, we have I think a lot of good work. So, we're excited to share that uh with all of you. Uh after that, then we'll uh go into an EDA meeting. will have um as it's the first meeting of the year, the election of the officers, recognize recipients of the annual sustainable steward award. We want to discuss the one-time request by Twin Cities Habitat Humanity regarding the land trust program. This is on the November EDA meeting. If you remember, we had to push that. And then a very large broad discussion about the housing programs and on ongoing EDA funding. We're going to provide an analysis of all the different funds and the balances and how potentially we could reallocate those funds. There are some of our programs are starting to run out of money, so we wanted to call that out. We have some recommendations, but that's all they are. And we looking forward under discussion. We also want to talk about the LAAHA, that's the sales tax funding. Um, we think we can use it in very select cases for some of our existing programs, but uh for the most part, we have to use it for new programming. So, while we don't have any u concrete ideas, we want to start the conversation with the council on how we can look at using those. Are there any plans to have any kind of bit uh the business side or industry commercial side of the EDA discussions? >> Uh this is just the housing uh we're going to have >> uh in the future or >> Yeah, we certainly can. Yeah. Yeah. But we do mention there we do have some u balance in the business side of it too. We mentioned that that's certainly something that could be part of want reallocate towards housing, but I'm not you know >> well but discussion I guess at that meeting too. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um so uh that that should be a pretty full meeting with both of those uh um types of meetings and the topics there. On the 26th uh we are going to have a couple proclamations. We'll have Liz Noak from Visit Roseville, president CEO. She's been in the role for about a year just to stop by, say hello, and talk what we've done the last year. We have a conditional use at 2150 Hamlin Avenue. That's an auto repair shop. I would also mention uh it's not listed on here. Uh we do uh on the consent agenda plan to bring forward the contract uh for the consultant to work on the Aldine right away. Uh the total cost of the consulting work as well as the arborist that we're looking to have will exceed $10,000. So I just want to make sure um we bring that forward. It's a consent agenda item and it's just about the contract uh is not the intention of staff or nor will we prepared to be talking about uh the issues the pros and cons of it. That will come at a later date. I think we all agree we need to have the study begun and done and bring back that information. But I just want to give you a heads up on that's on the consent agenda. You can see the meetings in February. I would note we have uh two nights right now scheduled for commission interviews, the 17th and the 19th. I think there's seven vacancies. We probably may may need to have two nights to do that. Um so just keep that in mind. And uh we have a meeting on February 23rd. That's what I have for you tonight. And then we just talked about this evening on the 26th potentially having something from uh Mike Bradley about the the um >> broadband franchising and things like >> Exactly. Right. >> All right. And then that might be a good opportunity to bring back the legislative priorities depending on where they are in the drafting process. >> Yep. Yeah. I think we should be able to do that. >> Other uh questions about the future agenda or council member initiated items for future agendas uh or liaison reports or announcements from council members. Hearing none. The only item we have remaining on our agenda this evening, our first meeting of the new year is to adjurnn. >> So move to move. >> Second. >> All right. Uh I think it's been moved by Council Member Grath, seconded by Council Member Straw to adjourn. There is no discussion on the motion to adjurnn. All those in favor signify by saying I. I opposed. That passes unanimously. We are adjourned at >> 7:55 p.m. Thank you everyone.