O, it's been a long day. The September 15th, 2026 Becker City Council meeting to order. If you're able, please stand and join me in the pledge of >> allegiance. I alian 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. Looks like we have a revised agenda in front of us. The only change was a little revision to the consent agenda with the hiring and termination report. Does anybody else have any other changes for tonight's agenda? If not, I would entertain a motion to approve the agenda. >> I'll make that motion. >> I'll second. >> We have a motion by Robin, second by Becky. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor, please state I. I. >> Anyone opposed, state no. The >> motion carries. guests in open form. Is there anybody here who would like to address council tonight? All right, we'll move on to committee reports, presentations, and awards. We'll start out with public works committee. >> Public works, we met last Wednesday. Um, we went over a couple things. We do have the recycle day for next year is going to be May 8th. Um, some things have changed. You know, we were kind of talking about timing and all that. So, we are going down to a 2-hour time slot, but because of that, we are not going to have any household hazardous waste. So, because they require a four, right, a 4hour time slot to be there, but there's so many other options, we're just going to make sure that we really push it out there that people have to bring that stuff. So, that uh we just kind of had a brief conversation. Um, we're just kind of starting talks about the third street parking because as we know it's kind of a a mess over there and what our options are. [snorts] Are we going to change it? Are we going to keep it the same? Um, and I'll have talks with the PD this week about it too and just kind of see where we're at on that. Um, and just also starting conversations of moving that the waist site and what our options could be because obviously where it's located is not that great now that it's gotten all that building around it. And we have some options for a bigger site. They're kind of looking would be like south of the archery park if that helps you out. I don't know what street. What's the >> 107th? Thanks. And >> I think that's on our exact session tonight. So, >> okay. Oh, yes it is. Yeah, that's that's it. >> All right. Any questions for Becky on public works? All right. Personnel. Are you doing that? >> I wasn't there. >> Oh, that's right. I'm doing that. We met >> talk about [laughter] >> heck of a meeting though. It was >> Wow. >> Did you know what we talked? No, I'm kidding. >> I do actually. [laughter] >> Um, we met last Friday, September 11th and uh the really the the main thing we talked about was we're hoping that the compensation study we'll get those um answers in that report soon and then we got an update from Chief Limblum on the sergeant hiring. So that was a pretty short meeting. You picked a good one to miss. Didn't last very long. Any questions on that? All right, we'll move on to EDA. EDA met last night. We talked about two of the city-owned properties in the business park. Uh the one on Highway 10 and Liberty that we've talked about previously. We're still negotiating that purchase agreement. And then there's some very preliminary interest in another lot. Um don't know much about that yet. So that's more to come on that. Um, we had our monthly market update. Right now, there are 40 homes in the 55308 zip code that are for sale. So, that's up more than it has been for quite a while. >> And we talked about the Autumn Ridge Outlaw, which is on our agenda tonight. >> All right. Any questions for Robin on EDA? >> No. >> If not, we'll move on to Planning Commission. planning commission. We met last uh Wednesday uh the 9th which was a special meeting. Um so we it was uh one one item which was a sideyard variance which is for DM Equip and this was on the uh 1.41 41 acres that um uh we were involved with just recently with the uh the old furniture world or um uh um well related to furniture world but um but uh they were requesting a uh a sideyard uh setback uh variance and that was recommended for approval and because it was a special meeting that was the only item of business. >> All right, any questions for Rick on that one item? All right, we'll move on to board committee and consultant reports. Mr. or Austin is taking us through the Autumn Ridge outlot, the comp plan, map amendment, reszoning, and declaration of surplus property. Thank you, Mayor and Council. This one is a few things going on with this one. And so, it's really three related actions specifically for LG of Autumn Ridge. So, it's resolutions 2681, 2682, and 2683. So, 2681 amends the future land use map. 2682 amends the official zoning map. 2683 declares the property surplus. Um, so some backstory on the property is it's a city property about86 acres in Autumn Ridge. It's undeveloped. Um, it's sort of an irregular parcel. It's partially wooded. Otherwise, it's mostly been overgrown over the last few decades really. So, the parcel has a wider portion that runs along the north side of 12072 Jameson Street Southeast and a narrow leg extends down towards the culde-sac. Um, that leg is the only street frontage that that parcel has. Um, it's not in a FEMA flood plane. There's no delineated wetlands. Um, both the joining properties are already developed with single family homes. And so how we kind of got here or some backstory on it is this parcel this parcel started as a larger outlot B under resolution 0212 in 2002. It was renamed outlaw G at the final plot under resolution 0232. The developer at that time received Parkland dedication credit and the outlot was then deeded to the city. In 2015, Will Brandon, who's the owner of 12072 Jameson, asked about inquiring it. City attorney at that time reviewed the legal status. That memo is exhibit A in your packet. Staff at that time identified a possible future trail connection toward Autumn Ridge. Um, and that's why the city decided to keep it at that time. That area has since fully developed with homes and staff revisited the question and no longer identify a park or trail purpose that that outlaw would serve. So why there's the three actions and specifically in this order is the two land use actions are required before the city can dispose of the property. It's designated park on the future land use map and zoned institutional both of which would have to change first. Um city is both the applicant and the owner on this one. Both applications were processed simultaneously. Um since the parcel has a park designation, any sale or other use requires a comp comprehensive plan amendment. Um so we amended the land use map or so we amend the land use map then the zoning map then declare a surplus. The surplus dedication declaration is made on a parcel whose designation support that. And so the the reasoning can't happen without the future land use map first being amended. That's why we're doing that first. None of these three actions convey the property or create a buildable lot. Conveyance would be through a separate city council action which will come later with a purchase agreement. But what is kind of being contemplated tonight is Mr. Brandon has talked with the owner of 12073 Jameson about splitting the outlot between those two properties or homeowners. Um, as contemplated, the city conveys the outlot in its entirety to the owner of 12072 Jameson. That owner then applies to divide it and combine the pieces with both um homeowners parcels with the adjoining parcels. That process would require a minor subdivision and a certificate of survey, both of which we have not received yet. There's no formal application at this time. If council declares the property surplus tonight, a purchase agreement would come back to council as a separate action and that would include the price um which staff would visit internally um on that and it would be based on the assessed value of the land as well as the value of it as a non-buildable lot which is likely going to be pretty minimal. Um so some key issues with this one is consistency with the surrounding area or specifically those homeowners. Um adjoining properties on Jameson are designated lowdensity residential and zoned single family detached. Um the institutional district which it's currently zoned as this parcel is for nonprofit government um religious buildings and parks things of those nature. And so with this parcel having no public purpose that no longer reflects the accurate zoning. Um the maximum lot area. So single family detached caps specific parcels at 1 acre for lots on public sewer and um sanitary or sorry public sewer and water. And so depending on how they split this lot um one or both of the parcels will likely exceed that maximum of 1 acre. And so planning commission acts as a board of adjustments and can vary um that maximum for exceptionally irregular lots given the irregular shape and the parcel can't be built on um it only benefits the neighbors and so staff would anticipate that a variance will likely come back before planning commission and staff would also support that. Um so the money from the proceeds or from the sale um the developer back then received parkland dedication credit for this parcel and so consistent with our city practices the proceeds from this sale would go to um the park fund for this. There's some statutory review. Um, state law requires planning agency to review the proposed disposal and report in writing to council on the comprehensive plan compliance. Resolution PC2612 included in your packet is that finding [clears throat] um staff consulted the city attorney. He's agre he agrees that the property is surplus and agrees with this process. Um, planning commission did meet on August 31st and we held uh duly noted public hearings. Mr. Brandon did speak and gave kind of some background on his take and sort of his interest and also his prior inquiry. No other public comment was received in writing or at the hearing. Um and then planning commission adopted PC 2611 recommending the land use map amendment and PC 2612 recommending the reszone. So then um tonight what we're looking for is staff is looking specifically in this order to have a motion and a second approving resolution 2681, a resolution amending the future land use map of the Becker 2040 comprehensive plan reddes designating outlaw G in Autumn Ridge from park to low density residential. That approval, just as a side note, would require twothirds of council members tonight. We're also looking for a motion in a second approving resolution 2682, a resolution amending the official zoning map of the city of Becker, reszoning Outlaw G Autumn Ridge from institutional to single family detached on the zoning. [snorts] That one would require um a vote of at least three members tonight. And then lastly, we would be looking for a motion in a second approving resolution 2683, a resolution declaring LG Bottom Ridge to be surplus property. Um, so then with that I can take any questions. >> All right, any questions for Austin? >> My only one would be if we if we do all this declare it surplus and then you can't come to an agreement on the purchase agreement, what would happen then? >> It's a great question. I likely won't have an answer for you right at this moment, but I would assume it it would probably stay as a improperly zoned parcel, but I'd have to check on that. All right. Any other questions? If not, does anybody want to move approval of resolution 2681, which is going to amend the future land use map of the Becker 2040 comprehensive plan for redesating outlot G? >> I'll make that motion. >> I'll second. >> We have a motion by Rick, a second by Mike. Is there any further discussion hearing? Hearing none. All in favor, please state I. I. >> Anyone opposed, state no. >> That motion carries. Move on to resolution 2682, which would be a resolution amending the official zoning map and reszoning outlot G from institutional to single family detached. Anyone care to make that motion? >> I'll make that motion as well. >> Second. >> I have a motion by Rick, second by Mike. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor, please state I. >> I. >> Anyone opposed? State no. >> That motion carries. And finally, we have resolution 2683 to designate outlot G as surplus property. Anybody care to make that motion? I'll make that motion as well. >> And I'll second. >> Motion by Rick, second by Mike to designate that lot as surplus. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor, please state I. >> Anyone opposed, state no. That motion carries. Awesome. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Moving on to administrator and staff reports. Mr. Ebensteiner has adoption of the preliminary 2027 levies. Glad he warmed us up. Right. All right. Here we go. All right. Thank you, Mayor and Council. It's uh excited to be here tonight. We've uh been working on the the budget for a while here. So, the prelim levy adoption is a good milestone. So, um all right. So, with that, I'll uh I'll get into I have a presentation of the preliminary levy and then we have a couple action steps uh at the end with uh approving the formal resolution to certify to the county. Um, with that, just wanted to start out thanking uh the council for their engagement. Really set the tone at the top and and give staff direction um and then staff work really closely to to dig into the budgets and and uh collaborate and and focus on how to best deliver uh city services um in the end. So, um, we've had a good amount of work sessions, uh, that preceded this meeting. Um, and then that all, uh, flowing into what's presented tonight for the 2027, um, levy. All right. So, here's, uh, start off in the property tax summary. Um, so this table really summarizes uh, the proposed change. So um the change from 26 to 27 proposed uh to increase from 10,498579 up to 10,725906. So um general fund uh really uh the primary piece of the levy increasing uh just a hair over 1%. Uh EDA um did a deep dive there that's uh decreasing slightly uh down to 189 about 5%. Um and then currently we aren't programming transition aid. We had received um some aid in 2025 uh that we utilized a portion um assigned an additional portion to 26. Uh we still have some remaining transition aid sitting in reserve um but are holding that. You know there's a lot of moving pieces as we move into u the next decommissioning. So uh we'll see how that um transition aid calculation uh would would come out upon that decommissioning and then we can can uh can reassess uh where to deploy um that aid. Um as well um with the other levies uh debt service um really just consistent. We have uh the two uh outstanding debt issuances with the 21A street reconstruction and then the 24A lease revenue um bonds for the uh PD um city hall uh renovation. So um very consistent with prior year and then the capital levy increasing right around 2.6% 6% um up to 2,839. Um really um you know we initially budgeted uh let's see here just on my notes um digging into the operating piece I guess to circle back um we initially um had um proposed if you recall the last uh meeting we had um before this meeting I think the the levy increase is around 2.4%. Um since then we did get the healthcare renewal um and that came in uh that was a a good proposal. So we had initially um budgeted for a 15% increase in healthcare primarily just the health um premiums on the healthcare side uh had had proposed 15% that came back at nine. Um so we did push those savings back through the budget. So I think overall savings is around 40,000 about 25,000 that related to the general fund and was a direct decrease in the levy ask. Um the remaining portion combination Gulf and then the [snorts] water and sewer funds which you'll see the water and sewer funds come back will propose those changes within those budgets um as well. So really exciting to see um both some savings on the city side as well as the savings to uh employees on their premium side uh as well. Um so really um within those operations you know we are very service serviceoriented business um really personnel uh heavy so uh we do have a 3% general um market adjustment uh for wages included as well as that 9% uh healthcare uh planned as well. So overall um the 2.17 proposed tax levy increase. Um with that we'll uh next slide expands a little on the capital improvement plan. Um so here's a breakout of what's all included in that 28 million. Um really the largest portion u related to our our public works and streets. Um right around 1.7 million. Um really uh you know staff do a great job uh working with a lot of the budget contributors are really planning for the next we really focus on the next three years but it is it is a long-term plan. So we have a schedule that goes out um right around 20 years. We really focus in on that 10 and then really get get granular on around the three just because um those are a little more realistic. But um the goal with those uh capital levies is as you recall from some of the previous discussions is not to necessarily fund uh annually but really fund long-term. So um there'll be years where we'll we'll have a a levy ask where we'll spend a portion of that and then other years we'll spend you know double that but over over the long term we'll have sufficient reserves uh for for those capital projects and that's been a really good uh a really good strategy um as we as we've move forward with the plan. So now let's take a look at tax capacity rates. That really gets into the impact of uh of the levy and then how that affects uh the end uh you know resident andor business. Um so the impact of wages, healthcare costs, debt service and the capital replacement needs are incorporated uh within the levy budgets. Um the city tax capacity rate um this year calculated to be at uh just preliminary uh 48.768. That's a decrease from 49.136. Um we do have some of those larger uh property tax um owners that appeal their valuation uh with the on the utility side. So um consistent with prior years uh we did have uh Northern State's power appealed. Um they did settle uh in late August um and uh did have a resulting increase I think of around like 2 and 1.5%. So, I'm still seeing um a combination of um some of the infrastructure they're putting in with some of their solar and just some of the transmission assets. Um so, great to see there. So, some value increase there. So, um working with the county um as of even a couple days ago, um got a updated um preliminary tax capacity. Uh overall increase of around 2.9%. So, um estimated at 21,993853. Um and that's where um that results in uh since that increase in capacity is higher than our increase in the levy, it results in an overall decrease in our tax rate. [snorts] Um so here's uh I like this chart. It just kind of gets into how tax rate uh is calculated. So you have your total taxes to be generated on the left. Um 2026 uh we had the 10,498. Um then we have the increase of 2% up to 10,725. Um and then you divide that by the total taxes available to generate uh or the the total tax capacity available to generate the taxes. Um so there you have the increase from 21.36 up to 21.9 a 3% increase. So there you see the tax rate um decreasing from 49.136 down to 48.7 um 68. So these these are preliminary. Um I'm very confident with the state assessed parcels. Um those should be final. Uh what we've gotten from the state through the virtual room. Um and then I would expect some additional adjustments from the county. A lot of times they'll have forfeertures and bankruptcies and things that'll flow through through year end, but it should be comparable. Uh but we will see some some slight changes. Uh so this chart here just looks at a year-over-year comparison. um uh in the kind of the light yellowish color the tax capacity uh the blue the tax levy and then the combined uh tax rate um is is the line there. So um here you know really just looking at 23 through 25 um [snorts] we did see increases in the tax rate as our tax levy uh increases outpaced um the changes in tax capacity. um these last two years we have seen um the tax capacity increases and with that have seen the decrease in the tax rate. So um just a a good uh good trend analysis um just to give you an idea of what's going on. So so mainly you know our goal is to keep uh it's the it's the kind of the steady over time. So, we want to uh as we plan for um I'm going call it a lazy river, but uh just continue to look at um setting aside, you know, our capital funds uh as well as, you know, planning for operations so we don't have spikes or valleys within that tax rate. Um and I think um the council uh and staff have done a great job of of evaluating and and we've seen a nice trend over time. always great to see the the the dips in the in the tax capacity, but as we grow and and have more needs and decide on how we want to deliver services, um those will those will change. So, um so then the question of how does this uh impact the average homeowner? So, starting with residential, um, you know, looking around, um, you know, if I looked at I didn't get a lot of granular data yet from the county on on the impacts of some of our classes of property owners, uh, but overall residential, uh, and kind of other commercial outside the utilities. Um, saw minimal changes. Um, I went through the city and just kind of clicked around on different properties and a lot of 0%, you know, um, you know, a half a percent, quarter% changes. um some went down, you know, probably depending on if you've done any renovations to your house or, you know, different pieces there. But, um to the average homeowner, um you know, if we looked at a $300,000 house, uh in this example, uh with the tax rate decrease, uh and no change in value, they would see a decrease uh in their taxes uh for pay 27 would decrease from 1378 down to 1368. So, about a $10 um decrease. So any changes or any increases would be directly related to changes in value of your property. Uh with that um you know kind of looking at u you know where does where does the money go um for the levy. So um really took a took a look at um you know the portions of of a of a property tax and and what um portions of city government it funds. Um, in this example, we have a $350,000 market value. A residence pays approximately $633. Um, annually about $136 per month. So, within that $136 per month, um, about $81 goes to the general fund. um that funds your general government, all of the administrative piece, public safety, um including uh police and fire, uh public works, maintaining our streets, parks and trails, uh and then the community center as well as economic development. Um $36 a month goes for the capital improvement levy, so all the capital pieces that we talked about on the previous slide. And then the remaining $19 is for debt service. So debt we've issued that we've already constructed projects and are repaying um over time and then the impacts for commercial industrial um here some of those changes were across the board. Some commercial properties I I I reviewed on on on Beacon um had minimal change others had around a 5% change. So for example purposes um I put together this slide just to to to give a give a pulse of of some of the impacts. So, a $5 million property um with no value change uh would see a just a slight decrease, you know, $365 on their overall um uh levy of around 49,000. Um if there was some increase, once again, similar to residential, directly related to any any value changes. So, there uh with that value increasing 5% um they would see around a 4% increase in their in their levy or their tax bill. uh for 2027. Uh and then here, this uh this chart, I I like this one. This one summarizes similar to the prior couple charts we looked at. Um but taking a look at um on the residential side, you know, $450 uh,000 home, no value change, um their city tax would decrease decrease around $16. Um and that property would make up about 0.2 2 or 0.02% of the overall levy. Uh a commercial property of 7.5 million uh with a 5% increase in value in 27 would increase around $3,100. Um that commercial property would make up about 71% of our overall uh tax levy. And then the on the utility side um the state assess. So this is uh northern northern states power and southern municipal really the primary um property uh ps that are included in there. Um this is actual uh this was calculated based on their revised values. Um so their um city tax uh with the new tax rate would go up um from 6.29 up to 6.4 four about 116,000 little less than 2% and they make up just a hair under 60% of our tax capacity. So they really um drive the bus on a lot of the value change as well as the the tax payments. And with that um thank you council for your time. Thank you staff uh for all their efforts. U specifically Lori on as our analyst does just a fantastic job with all the data and organization. Um thanks to all the department heads for all of their efforts and and Greg with his support and and council for all your uh engagement and collaboration. Um with that um can answer any questions and um after that I would look for a motion and a second. Uh resolution 2680 would set the preliminary levy. Um, and with that, we would also set the public hearing date uh for the truth and taxation for December 1st at 6 PM. All right, questions for Mark. So, next steps once we certify the preliminary levy just to go through it, we it can't go up after that. It can only go down. The next thing people would see is that proposed property tax statement from the county. >> Yep. >> Yep. So, you see that and uh could be more discussions before uh we would look at the truth and taxation on December 1st and then also uh approving the final uh levy at that time as well. Um between now and then uh we would be working on the water and sewer budgets as well as addressing any other um discussions or questions. We're still waiting on a few of our healthcare pieces uh on some final uh numbers on those. So, as as we get those uh we'll bring those back and and update council and can make any additional decisions before the final levy >> with the uh quotes for the health coverage being reduced. Is that calculated in here already? >> Yep. Yep. So, the uh from from what we had initially planned for to what's included in your packet tonight, it decreased the levy right around $25,000. Yep. >> So that's what took it from the 2.41 that we talked about earlier to the 2.17. >> Yep. That is correct. >> You see a ghost or you [laughter] sounded like someone was knocking on the door there. I wasn't sure. >> I'm like 2.17. That's pretty good. We got people [laughter] beating on the door for that. >> They heard budget discussions and they right >> they came running. Uh my daughter just moved to Rogers and closed on her house two weeks ago and then found out they're looking at about a 19.8% increase. So I'm just I'm really happy with boy 2.17. Thank you to staff. I know it's hard at budget time, but this is in today's economy. um if you saw no valuation increase to actually have your taxes go down, that's got to be a a pretty rarity for anyone, especially in Minnesota on their city portion. So, thank you to your staff and all the department heads. This is >> this is awesome and it still puts us in a really good position moving forward to make sure we we can do the things we need to do for the city. So, anybody else have any questions? >> All right. Well, I would look for a motion then on resolution 2680, a resolution setting the proposed property tax levies for 2027. >> I'll make that motion. >> I'll second. >> I have a motion by Mike, second by Becky. Is there any further discussion? >> Hearing none. All in favor, please state I. >> I. Anyone opposed state no. The motion carries. >> Very good. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. That was good news. >> Well, Greg, you want to follow that up with some text my gov? >> So, the the city's website has a function on it called notify me, which is meant to be a platform where people can sign up to receive information uh from the city that we might push out street projects. um meeting schedules, things like that. Uh for about the past year, staff has been looking at this. A group of us have been Josh uh Kua, Sarah in public works, Chris uh in police, Shannon, myself, and Tony have been looking at options on either number one, do we make can we make this more friendly and usable? Um and the answer to that question we found is no. It really is a cumbersome program. requires someone to sign up and create an account. And in today's world, people just don't want to have another account. And so we looked at other options that would be more user friendly. Uh we actually uh demoed two uh constant contact and then text text mygov um over the last few months. And um the most recent one we looked at was text mygov. It is in a number of Minnesota cities. At least one county has it. and um at Baldwin Township with Baldwin City would be the closest one and they have it as well. So we had a demonstration um everybody in the group was uh unanimous in that it appears to be a much easier uh sign up. Um so um if the council moves forward with this what happens is uh we would sit down with them and develop um ba basically our program you know what what groups do we want to have identified to push information out. So, for example, um snowplow routes. Right now, we have an internal group um that that they send texts around and say, "Hey, we're going to start at 4 this morning." Um you know, we'll start here and get going. There's no reason that the public doesn't need to know that. They they should know that. They can then plan, make it easier uh for them to know and respond when we're going to be doing stuff. Another one would be uh project uh updates. Um, we have an Edgewood uh street project update on there, but again, there are so few signed up. I think there's less than 100 signed up across all of uh the possibilities that they could sign up for. And I think getting a text and signing up uh simply by uh entering your phone number and then you can sign up for whichever group you want to receive and and we'll go through this again in an exact session before we roll it out so you have a chance to see it. um would be a much uh [snorts] more effective way to communicate with the residents. And so um they sent over the proposed agreement. Um I had um the city attorney review it. There were two changes in there. It will the first one will be there's a cancellation in there. It was unclear if it was cancellation from the start or at the 3-year period. And so we requested language to be to say from the start. So, if we're not happy, we can we can get out. We do not anticipate that. Um, and the second one was that the contract would be governed by the laws of Minnesota. The company is out of Utah and they have that in their contract, so that would be changed uh as well. And so, I'm I'm happy to uh answer any questions, but I guess we would request a a [snorts] motion. The I should the the annual cost of the program is $5,200 and the first year it's 2,600 to set it up. So, the annual cost of this $5,200. For that, the city would get 100,000 texts. You can always buy more if if you need more. And so, I would recommend that the council uh approve this by simple motion and make a condition on the city attorney's uh review and approval. And I'll be happy to answer any questions. Anybody have questions? You can kind of blame me. I went when I first got elected, I went through and tried to sign up for every group that's there and it's super cumbersome >> and it requires a lot of work on the back end from staff. Um, and it just didn't seem like it was very effective. >> You sign up with a phone number. Is it you get a text then? >> That's it. All is all textbased. Yes, >> this is the one we currently have. I had an email and a a phone number, but like I said, it was really hard and you had to log in quite often and it just wasn't user friendly and I think that's why people aren't doing it. So, >> I do think this would be great for next year's road projects. >> What we currently have is that part of our system right now. >> It is part of our program on the website. We would disable it um if we go this route. >> So, we're spending an extra 5,200. >> Correct. >> Yes. And [clears throat] >> we can use it for anything. >> You can set up an unlimited number of groups if you wanted to. So you could set up uh one example we we also used was a police alert, right? Uh there's an incident going on in this neighborhood. If you want to receive police alerts, Chris Chris can put that out immediately. Uh that kind of thing to avoid any >> flock over there though. >> Or it might it might be an invite, right? [laughter] [clears throat] >> Community forum. [snorts] >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And how many how many texts a year does this >> 100,000 tax >> cuz we're doing the core one? >> Yes, it would be the core one. >> Yep. >> No, I think it's great. >> What is the increment to go up? Because 100,000 sounds like a lot to know. >> I I don't know the answer to that, Rick. I can have those qu questions. It may have been in the agreement. >> And did they agree to our red lines? >> Yes, >> they did. Okay. >> Yes. I don't know that we did get a price for that. >> I would think the increases would be minimal. >> Yeah, probably on the order of $100 or something, you know, for another 10,000. I mean, the math of 5,200, it's it wouldn't be much more to add more. And there is an unlimited option, too. You know, the other thing that is on here that is not part of the uh core program, it's the premium one is Noah warnings, too. So if you wanted to turn this into a weather alert with the with the sirens going down, you could use it for that purpose. >> I thought we had that. >> Won't the county be doing that? >> The county has that. We do not. That that would be the county. What I what I'm saying is there's other features depending on how useful we find it. We could add in the future >> cuz I I thought we had it on uh on our deal like it was actually on the the contract portion of it. >> No, if uh in the >> That's the next one up. >> Yep. In the pay. >> Okay. The EMA is not >> right. >> Okay. >> Right. I see we're doing core. Yeah, I got you. >> Yep. [snorts] >> And that's something though, Greg, we can always add later, right? [clears throat] If we find this as being really useful and staff is >> we want to create a weather group, we could do that. Absolutely. >> I think it says additional text messages can be purchased at any time. $900 for a,000, six for 500,000. >> Okay. So yeah, that's >> the Noah one sounds good, especially in the light of not having the um the sirens anymore, but we have to be careful um cuz I've signed up for those before and you get a dense fog warning. So I mean it you can have a lot of uh >> overkill then. >> Yes. So you know I think we all think a tornado of course I'd like to know but I don't need to know that. Um you get you get an overkill on warnings people start ignoring ignore >> them. Yep. Correct. >> Sky is falling. The sky is falling. >> Right. [laughter] >> I think this is I think it's a good move. >> Yeah. And it allows us to at least get started and see where it leads us, but I think it would have been it's money well spent just for the road construction portion. >> Yeah. It's >> not all that expensive either. So, when you did uh when you said you looked at Constant Contact, so that's going to be more of like a list, you know, I mean, we've probably all interacted with Constant Contact before where you sign up on a you get mailings and then you just >> if you say you want to cancel um uh what's it Survey Monkey, you know, being or not? Um Mailchimp being, you know, similar ones like that. I guess those ones are considerably cheaper, but they're I guess what didn't you like about Constant Contact? Um, >> well, their name is Constant Contact and they never contacted me after six times of reaching out. >> Oh, wow. >> So, that took care of it. >> Oh, >> okay. >> So, we never even looked at their >> No, we we asked for what we asked for were some references for other cities that were using it and we never got past that. I we asked it from um text my gov. It was there an hour later. Mhm. >> So disappointed in that because we did like the platform. Um and and these are going to function in much the same way. Um but the the constant contact as a service was just not what we expected. >> Is there any thing that prevents anybody from selling phone numbers? >> Well, they we would be the ones with the phone numbers. >> We don't sell the property. We don't sell property. >> So the phone numbers would be here, not Yes. Okay. Well, they would sit on the Well, they would sit on their sit on the vendor platform. >> They would sit on their platform, but that's I can find that out, Rick, to see if they are Excuse me, uh, Mike, if they're prohibited from selling the numbers. >> They get enough crap as it is. And I would assume too they have a an opt out. You know, if somebody was trying to be funny and, you know, put somebody else's number in there or you just we moved out of the area or whatever. >> Subscribe at any time. Yep. >> That's the nice part is you can unsubscribe from this from your phone. Whereas the old system we have, you have to go in there and >> delete your account. >> Delete your, you know, enter your username and password and then go in and uncheck the things you don't want anymore, >> which >> [clears throat] >> So, how do we create uh so I'm assuming we'll have somebody here within city hall then we'll have a few people then that'll go on to the vendor platform create a message and then >> I I'm envisioning that the six in the group would would be the ones trained on this as well and and learn how it's used. So people would have access to you can set up the level of access that you want. Some people might have access to every single group set up. um public works might just have access to the groups they set up. Same with police. So, we'll have to figure it out as we go through setting the program up. [snorts] >> All right. Is there any further questions? So, we're looking for a motion for the agreement with text mygov including the the city attorney uh to edit and we also want to make sure they can't sell >> numbers >> sell our numbers. Right. >> Yep. >> So, >> and if so, I'll support that. >> Okay. Is that a motion, Mike? >> That's a motion. >> Okay. Second. >> Robin seconds. So, we have a motion by Mike, second by Robin. Is there any further discussion? [snorts] >> You have a timeline for when we would >> I'm going to I don't have a timeline. I'm just going to realistically say it's going to be a couple months. >> Yeah. Like maybe the start of the year or something. >> Yep. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Any further discussion? >> Nope. >> Hearing none. All in favor state I. >> Anyone opposed state no. The motion carries. All right. Thank you. Uh Greg's up again with the consent agenda. >> Council member co council members and Mayor Cobinger. Items for review approval uh or adoption on tonight's consent agenda include the revised hiring and termination report authorized the Tuesday September 15th 2026. Payment of claims is presented. The claims listing has been provided to the city council as a separate document and is available upon request for public view at city hall. The total claims are $392,2818. Authorized electronic transaction as presented in the July 31st, 2026 journal. The journal has been provided to the city council as a separate document and is available for public view at city hall upon request. Approve the minutes of the September 1 city council meeting and approve the minutes of the September 1 executive session. And I'll be happy to answer any questions. >> All right. Any questions for Greg on the consent agenda? >> No. >> Anybody care to move approval of said consent agenda? >> Make that motion. >> Second. We have a motion by Robin, a second by Rick. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor, please state I. >> Anyone opposed, state no. >> That motion carries. We have anything else to discuss tonight? If >> not, we'd entertain a motion to adjurnn. Move we adjourn. >> I'll second it. >> Motion by Mike, second by Becky. All in favor of adjourning, please state I. >> I. >> Anyone oppose, state no. >> Meeting adjourned at 5:46. We'll take a couple minute break and get ready for our exec session. It's a long one. [clears throat] All right. >> Still recording. [clears throat] >> Awesome. Thanks, Tony. >> Have a good night. >> Last one. >> Yep. >> Are you going to take like a bow or something? >> Yeah. occur. >> I said we should call him out right towards the end or something. >> We contract with you to maybe come back in like January and yell at Phil for not using the mic. >> You guys are paying >> his contract rate is 110 an hour. [laughter] [cough] >> Yeah, you're welcome. in a random communications position. >> Yeah, >> I can't wait for my reminder of doughnut day. >> It's coming. >> I know. We'll get >> a reminder for that. >> We'll get that on a text. >> So, yeah, we'll put that on a text. If you want a reminder about donuts, [laughter] >> get it. >> Yeah, we got to put important stuff on there, you know. Yeah, [laughter] >> somebody's on a Wednesday. >> I'd need a donut by 5:30. >> Well, tell them to start earlier. [laughter] >> When I leave, there's only about three other people on the road >> or they're going to the airport. That's usually what it is. >> Mhm. >> Well, now I'm hungry. Thank you. Mhm. >> That's all right. We'll talk about trash. That'll >> trash help. >> Yeah. >> Solid waste and yard waste. That'll do it. [clears throat] >> Yeah. The last time I went to the compost site, I bet I had a 100 flies in my car in 12 seconds. Oh, >> you go. >> I wanted to cry. I had them up, but you had I had to open the back of my >> Oh, yeah. go pull this stuff out. You're like, "Oh my god, >> it it was a long drive home with all the windows open." >> It was cold yesterday, too. >> It wasn't yesterday. It was a while ago. >> Okay. Yesterday, that would have >> No, it was horrific. >> It really was. >> Stick around, Eric. There's more. [laughter] >> It's like pig pen >> riveting. Now, my car was made flies water. >> Okay, that's >> Yeah, but then I had dead flies everywhere. [laughter] Oh lord. [clears throat] >> All right. We will call the exec session [clears throat] to order at 5:49. >> Uh Mayor Coinger asked that uh this uh ordinance be placed on the agenda for discussion. Um when we readopted or we adopted the new code when we went through the recottification as part of that the city adopted the league recommended model language for solicitors peddlers and transient merchants. I don't know what our ordinance said before but we're but we have the the most updated one one that has been tested legally. uh it meets uh meets that passes that muster test. And um so as as I put in the memo, we asked I asked the city attorney what his opinion was and could things in this ordinance uh be you know revised and he his basically he recommended no that you are going to start touching on some things that can be legally challenged. There's a couple of constitutional amendments that are in play related to this ordinance. I did ask him specifically today about the idea of the time that we would allow um these uh folks to operate. Could we uh for example in the winter like a November 1 to April one set hours that are not 9:00 at night that it's 9:00 in the morning to 5 or 6 at night and then um from April to to no to the end of October it would be 9 to to 8. Um I think it says 9 to 9, but so if we want to go less we could. He said that is probably defensible because the justification on the safe part is, you know, the safety answering a door when it's dark out at at 8:00 at night. We don't need to put people in those circumstances. So, um other than that, if you have other changes that you wanted to see um in the ordinance and I will be happy to take him down and and ask his opinion on those. Do you have to I mean I'm just thinking of a of a of a time ordinance. Um if I'm knocking on somebody's door, I'm hoping for a favorable response whether it's, you know, whatever issue I'm trying to sell, Girl Scout cookies, I'm trying to sell, you know, vote for me or whatever. I mean, you're you're hoping for a favorable response. If I'm looking for that, I'm not going to knock on your door at 9:00 at night. not going to knock on your door at 7 o'clock in the morning. Do we need to say that? I guess what would be a situation where somebody would ever do that where we would even need to address that? >> They do. >> Well, I I've heard from a ton of people about this that we're getting aggressive salespeople. They're ignoring no solicitation signs. Um they're coming at weird hours, right? um talked to one elderly woman and she's like, "This person kept knocking. It's dark out. I I don't want to answer my door." And >> you know, so I I brought it to Greg just to ask like what are the things? I know there's a lot of First Amendment issues like when you talk about candidates, you [clears throat] can't really, you know, stop someone from doing that. There's religious exemptions in there. Um, but the two issues I have with are unlicensed people. So, you're licensed, it has to be the person, not the company. So, a company can't just get a license and send 12 people out. Um, and then the time I think is another one. Um, did I don't know if everybody read through it, but there is the Green River option, which is just like no soliciting period. Um, I don't know that I necessarily want to go that route because you mentioned Girl Scouts, we have Boy Scouts, we have um, a lot of those types of groups, >> right? >> Um, but [clears throat] I would love to see that they actually have to have their permit on. And I think a big part of this is is citizen education. >> If you knock on my door, the first thing I'm going to ask is to see your permit. And when you start >> stumbling [snorts] over yourself, now it's going to be fun >> because we're going to have a little education session, right? But some people just >> I mean, I don't mind being that guy, but a lot of people don't want to do that. But, you know, >> Well, I never used to, but I do now, >> right? >> And [snorts] and we had a situation where we had a, you know, a local business that sent people and happened to be to my house without the permit. And then we go to national night out and here comes another representative of that company without a permit. Um, and I just like follow the rules. We have rules. Follow them. And if if we can't trust you to follow the rules, then I guess I don't really don't want you knocking on people's doors, right? >> Mhm. Well, to make it I don't know, maybe it wouldn't work, but to make it simpler, rather than put a time on there, um you can you just put no soliciting after sunset after evening sunset. >> Logical sunset. >> Yeah, >> cuz that changes all the you know, constantly, >> right? be hard because then on one day it's going to be like 6:17 p.m. and then you're going to argue. >> But I've had but that's why I say sunset. Um I've had never had anybody solicit me late at night, but I've had them come right at dusk at my house, but that's you know that's the latest I've ever had. >> Would that be for that' be for both groups then? Right. >> That'd be you could do that for everything. Mhm. >> Then the people that don't like answering their door when it's dark out don't have to. They don't have to worry about it. I don't know if you can do that. Well, if we go back to daylight savings time this winter, I mean, sunset on December 22nd is like 4:35 p.m. >> 4:30. [laughter] >> Sounds good to me. >> That's why I said dark. All right. Thank you. Well, if you you'd probably want to use sunset because that'd be the number you'd be able that's a number you can look up >> if you were going to do that, >> right? I just think it would be really hard to enforce that if if someone called the police and said, "Hey, someone it was kind of dark out and they came over." Whereas if we had a right, >> you know, then it's it's very subjective. Or if we just had an hour and we said, "We're allowing >> Well, you could put a timer 4:30." Period. >> Good. regular business hours. >> I'm not disagreeing with that. No, >> I think I saw that called out though. >> What's that? >> That people have to have a reasonable amount of time to get you when you're normally home. Not >> that's true. >> Work. >> Yeah, I thought >> a lot of people aren't home at 4:30. >> Just a few of us. >> Just the retirees. [laughter] >> Yeah. Reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions. >> Yeah. Um, somehow I envision whatever this ends up being, we have a really clear infographic that tells people and I would love to see them required to have their permit on them and visible, not I left it in my wallet or it's in my truck or >> the company comes and drops off four people on the end of the block, >> right? And just have it. I'd like that to be cleaner and I would like it if you violate it, your your license is revoked for a year or something because >> that was going to be my thing. Like what is the actual penalty, >> right? >> You know, >> is there a penalty? >> Yeah. >> Well, if we don't have a penalty, I don't think people are going to follow it. >> No, I know, but we don't have one is what we're saying, right? >> I'm looking right now. >> Yeah. So, we have >> Sorry, >> we have uh >> Tony left, so I get to do it. >> Yeah. So, under the the current ordinance, any of our our ordinance language that's uh not followed, we can issue citations for. So, in this case, if they violate by soliciting without the peddler's permit, then they would issue we'd issue them an administrative fine um payable for $50, just like any of our other fines are payable. So, we can enforce that right now. Um, I would say that one of the the things that we run into a lot with these um, companies, and I think you and I talked about this, mayor, um, companies are setting their employees up for failure, >> uh, cuz they don't want to pay the money. I I had a in I had a run in with one probably about two weeks ago that I stopped. Um, partner had told him not to sell without the permit. He didn't have it. I saw him start kind of going back to the houses. So, we talked about it and he said, "Well, a the permits are expensive. His company doesn't reimburse him for the permit. It's out of pocket unless he gets x amount of sales. Um, andor, so these companies will tell them, don't don't go get a permit. Just try to slide through town as much as you can. Once the police tell you to get out, then we're going to we're going to move on because they don't want to spend that money on all these people um at each city." But the interesting part about it is they all know, everyone that I talked to, it's like, "Where have you sold this city? the city of the city. Have you needed a permit? Yes. So, they know. It's just an interesting It's an interesting dilemma in that manner cuz like you said, I agree that Yep. I am the same way. Open the door, permit. [snorts] Uh, right. Game on. Um, my kids love it. But, um, >> but then you start talking to them and a lot of times there's a lot of pressure in that industry. And so, then it's like, all right, well, you know, here's what you need to do. you're done tonight, but you're if if you continue selling, you know, we're going to give you that ticket. You need to go down to city hall. Here's the hours. Here's what you need to do to get that. But again, a lot of times they're they're in a tough spot, too. Um not that I'm feeling sorry necessarily for them, but I think that holding companies accountable. I was going to say, can you slate the company? >> So, that's an interesting concept that I was thinking about um when we dealt with the the individual on um on National Night Out was >> he's he's just in a he was in a tough predicament. This guy in the other day was in a tough predicament where their livelihood is on these sales, but their companies are putting them in a bad spot. >> Dirty. >> So, that's another nugget of this as well I wanted to share. >> Is there a way to hold a company accountable? I >> yes, you can revoke a license. So, you can suspend or revoke it if they give false statements when they're when they're filling out the application or um if they violate provisions um in the chapter. So, if you set it up for for 6:00 and they show up at 7, um not only could you ding them um with the administrative fine, you could also revoke the company's license. They have a right to to a public hearing. So, let's say I was contacted by email or phone from a window company and I agreed to meet with them. Do they have to have this license also? >> I don't believe so cuz you arranged the meeting with them. >> Yeah, you set it up. They're not. They didn't come me though. >> But you set up. >> You set it up. >> Okay. >> Um there isn't a fee for the [snorts] solicitor's permit. Yeah, I thought they just had to come in here and fill out the form. >> They just have to come in and register. >> And that's been a discussion that I've had with several. I said, I don't there's not a fee. So, I think other cities um the individual I talked to a couple weeks ago um said that there's many cities that he goes to that the fees are upwards of $250 for individual permits to to sell. So, I think that we do a lot of education. We make contact and my guys will vouch for me. As bad as it is, like that's a pet peeve of mine. Um, so we will interact with them. We'll we'll have them stop selling immediately until they go get that permit. We explain to them the process for getting the permit. And then usually by the next day, they're on the website. And that's kind of that's what we tell them. Like, I'm okay with with you being here and doing your job. We ask a couple minor little things for you to abide by. As long as you're doing those, then so be it. Um, but it's important to, I think, have that initial peddler permit and contact because that's what we're telling the community is to be aware of that. So, >> right. >> The other question I would have on that is I think there's a a [clears throat] perception from the community that if you have a peddler's permit that the city's aware of who you are and maybe has done a background check and we haven't done that. >> Correct. >> We're aware of them. We haven't done a background check. >> Yeah, we're aware of them. We haven't done a background check. >> Let's pay a fee. [snorts] solicitors. There's not a fee. >> Yeah. >> The actual peddlers, if you're >> right, >> how do they define it? If you have the >> the product on hand, >> you have the product on hand. Yes. >> Peddler, >> right? >> If you're selling something for a service for later, then you're a solicitor. >> I'll give you a deal. >> So, there's no fee to solicitors. >> Correct. >> They still need the fee. >> Um, >> oh, okay. I've never heard the term hawkers before other than that's always going to the pawn shop. You know, you're you're putting something on a hawk, you know? [laughter] It's like I've never I don't know. [snorts] >> Ask them when they come to your door. Are you a hawker? >> Yeah. [laughter] >> Am I hawk one for you? [laughter] Well, my question would be, can we require them to have the license visible on them? >> I wrote that down. >> That's one thing. >> They're required to possess it. It doesn't say wear it visibly, but I I will check. >> They possess it and can show it to you. I guess that's all that should have to be, >> right? The people that do this correctly are the ones that come to town, get their permit. I think one of them even took a picture with you, chief. Right. And they post it on social media and say, "I'm permitted." Or I have had [snorts] people ring my doorbell and say, "I'm Phil did this one day. Just kidding. He was hawking stuff." No, [laughter] they go, "My name's Phil, right? And here's my permit, you know, and here's what I'm doing." >> Um, I mean, possessing it, showing it. I I don't know. It's just I don't want them knocking on my door if they say, "Well, I have to go back and get it in my truck, right?" Or, "I left it there." >> They should have it on them. on them, right? So, I'd like to know that piece and I would like to know again how we the companies that continually violate this. I'm sorry. I think you've now lost your privilege of being in our city because you're not following the rules. >> Yeah. >> After a few Yeah. I mean, >> a couple strikes at least, but >> Right. >> Do we do a background check? >> I mean, we don't. >> How much could you do in one day? a solicit for the >> and the transient merchant. We do >> I'm curious what that would entail. I mean that a lot of schools have the ability to scan your driver's license and it instantly tells you within a and you probably know more about this chief within a I'm sure it's not a 27 layer FBI background thing but >> to our schools you got to scan your license and it >> it's going to kick you out if you have a probably an active I don't know all the things but >> I would just be interested to know what that looks like and what what it costs because I'm sure that system costs something probably per lookup. I imagine that's great. So our fee for like the peddler and transient merchant is $50 for one to 14 consecutive days or annual is 150. So and that would be the background checks. What we do is take their driver's license and send it over to the police backgrounds. That's for a peddler, you said? >> Yep. For peddler. Transient merchant. [snorts] >> Transient >> solicitors isn't a fee and we don't do a background check. >> So if they're selling you something there, they've had a background check if they have the permit. But if they're selling you a service for later, like, hey, we're going to inspect your roof 12 minutes after you had a hail stom, they probably they they haven't paid a fee and there's no background, >> right? But they could still they should still have a registration. >> Yeah, I would like to tighten the time up too. I just think [snorts] Do you say 8:00? >> Thing is at 8:00 in the winter time that's going to be well after dark. >> It is. But if that's where you you'd have to almost go 4:35 or 4:45 or 5:00 in the winter then if you were going to do dark I mean [snorts] just >> and then dark in the summer could be 9:30. Yeah. >> So I mean I don't think you want that either. >> I like what Greg said. I like the idea of 9 to 8 7 you shorten it up a little bit in the in the summer and then in the winter it's 9 to5 or something. I don't know. It' be real easy to print that right on the back of their license, right? It would be easy to have it labeled [snorts] by month on that infographic so everybody just knew. And then somehow it would be nice too. I know you have the >> the authority to put no soliciting. What >> chief can you like educate me if if I have a no soliciting sign? Are there legal requirements for that? and how big it has to be, where it has to be and then if I violate it, what can happen with that? >> Yes. And yes, so the no solicitation has to be a certain um dimension by state statute. U has to be a fixed by >> in a prominent place um and state no soliciting. So then if we have a solicitor come, they meet the requirements of the the no soliciting, then that actually falls under a trespass. Because in a trespass, you have to be asked to leave and then refuse to depart. But part of that is a no soliciting is if you have it, if you have a proper no soliciting sign that meets state statute, that's your forewarning to somebody that's your dog will bite sign and and you need to vacate, then it would be a trespass. I I'd have to double check the sign. >> There you go. Yeah. >> Yep. The lettering size I knew was >> not big enough. >> They got to be like right next to your door or something. >> Yeah, he's got to be visible and >> 4x4. [clears throat] >> A lot of people have them. I mean, when I was campaigning last time, there was a few times where I was like right here and I'm like, and there's a sign. Yeah. You know, so I don't >> Many are not the right size. They're that rectangle smaller one. Um, but we don't get a lot. We don't I would say we don't get a ve very many complaints about that that we handle. Um, typically it's peddler solicitor complaints. You know, this person was at my door. We go check on them out. And then, like I said, we just follow that usual course of action. >> 48.5. I mean, that sounds huge when you think of it in a word, but it's actually 72 is 1 in. >> Yeah. No, it's not that bad. It's not very big. So, >> no, it's >> it's the placard size that mo I noticed most people I think the generic Amazon ones are typically like the rectangles, >> so they don't meet the threshold. It's some of that fun, but like I said, we don't run into it a whole lot. Usually in those cases, we'll educate a homeowner. You know, we would figure out, you know, if that doesn't meet the 4x4, here's what you need to have in the future. >> Um, make sure the peddler's licensed. If not, we'll get them down here on the next day. >> So, if you've got that and they knock on your door anyway. >> Yep. >> That's a trespass. So, >> and it really upsets me. All I got to do is call you. >> You just call me and I take people to jail. Mike. Yes, we're in the safe room. >> Yeah. >> No, I mean, so that would be trespass, but that, you know, this is where it kind of comes down to >> Yeah. >> to understanding, too. >> And in most 99% of cases, the public, you know, they want to resolve this issue. They don't want somebody coming up to their door. Um maybe, you know, revoke a permit ability or something like that. They want to see an action. Uh it's not typical for somebody to to want to push through a trespass. It's a criminal charge. requires people to appear in court with witnesses. There's just a lot to that that typically just doesn't reach that threshold. That's why with several things that we do, we try to try to focus that on that education. Here's your next step. You can't do this until you do this. Here's some education on the no listening signs and then usually things work out um for the best. But not not to say you're on an off Tuesday night and you're really just jonesing to get get at somebody. Then you can call me >> people wanting to put people in jail. >> No. No. and and and and and there's discretion there, too. Like me jokingly saying I'd take him to jail. It would be a ticket, right? Um it's not going to be this egregious offense where and a lot of these are travelers. So, that's another thing to think about, too. The kid I talked to the other day was from Utah, I think, and he was leaving 3 days later to go back to Utah to go back to school. So, I cite him with a trespass. Now, he's required to come back for court, and we know how likely [laughter] that is. So education goes pretty far in these cases, but that is theoretically where that could lead to. Yes. >> Poor kid have a warrant in Minnesota, so he can't ever come back. >> He's got to drive through Iowa just to get to Wisconsin. >> Correct. [laughter] >> Can you get a no soliciting except for Girl Scout cookies? >> I Hey, at the end of the day, as long as the no soliciting >> don't even know how to read that, so they'll just come in anyways. [laughter] >> I don't even know. Is there an exemption in our ordinance for that? Because I mean if you really think about it and they're pedaling and they have a product with them. I don't think >> Well, they don't. They take an order. >> Are they? >> No, not anymore. They give them to you as you buy them now. >> Yep. >> Really? >> Which means they should have which means they should be pwning up the 150 every time. >> Now we softball then too. >> That's what we currently have. >> I mean when you think you know >> when did they start delivering them right when you buy them? It's been the last couple years because like people get stuck with boxes. >> I think the girls want to win an award so their parents buy an extra 500 boxes and then tell them, "Hey, we're going to go hawk these." >> Hey, what's wrong with the >> That's where the hawkers come from. But >> getting back to this, one of the other things though is we have a number of people who work shift work. >> Yes. >> And they're like, that's to me what sets them off. It's 8:00 at night. They're not planning to get up till 10:00. Somebody rings their doorbell and they have a no soliciting sign. And now their dogs are barking and you wake them up, right? >> Or you have a baby in your house. I mean, there's a million reasons I don't want people at my door, >> right? >> We'll sleep. I'm not nice, >> but [laughter] don't talk to people. >> But >> but I mean, >> I hate everyone. >> You can't You can't I think you got to be careful about the set times because it has to be when people who work are reasonably home. And it says that in there. And you know, I I'd go 9 to seven all year long long and be good with that. But you know, now you find out the Girl Scouts, every one of those kids going out there is going to be breaking our rules. >> Well, they're breaking our current rule if they're selling. >> Breaking our rules. [laughter] >> Breaking the law. >> Well, and you're right. And girls selling the softball cards. >> Well, right. Yeah. >> And I don't know. >> Is it I guess a question, Greg, would be is it legal to exempt >> miners? >> I mean, we know what's going to happen. Every company's going to go hire a bunch of 17-year-olds then, and they're the ones that are going to >> I'm a minor. >> Listening, but >> Well, no. I I wouldn't go minors. I would go uh >> youth groups, >> youth organizations and stuff like that. Youth >> organizations. Yeah. >> Rather than just using the term minors. >> Sure. is they're going to be out during the day anyway. They're not going to come at night in most cases. >> We'll have the police after him for child endangerment. >> Oh my [laughter] god. CPS rolls around. >> Just trying to create work for you, that's all. >> Appreciate that. [laughter] >> Well, Greg, do you have enough direction? Do you have do people have more comments? >> Here's what I have for >> Here's what I have for Scott to look at. Require the permit to be visible. Um, I'm going to clarify the penalty. Um, if they violate the ordinance, it's a misdemeanor, but if they don't obtain a license, it's an admin fine. Correct. Because you can't charge them under here because they don't have one. for >> our code says it's a misdemeanor for violating this code, but they don't possess a license or a permit. So, >> so that would be the misdemeanor though is not possessing it. >> Okay. So, understand it says misdemeanor. It does not say admin fine. So, >> we will make that consistent >> um as well. Um do we want to establish a fee? Just keep where we're at right now with things. Okay. uh tighter timeline. The timeline and my question was very specific to Scott. So we didn't talk generalizations. My timeline was um November 1, April 1, 9 to5, April 2nd, October 31st, 9 to8. And he said that's probably defensible. >> Even the 9 to5, >> that's what he said. Do you want to look at a different time uh scenario or what would you like me to ask him in that regard? >> If he says it's okay. [clears throat] What if we went nine to six all year? >> Yeah. >> Done at six. >> Yeah. >> Six or seven. Yeah. >> Yeah. I kind of think the six might get tricky. >> Well, you know, a lot of them aren't going to go out in the dark anyway. >> Yeah. >> So, they're going to quit before that. So, >> you get as many. >> I would think we could get by with that. It could be changed next year if we don't like it. >> So, year round 9 to six. >> Yeah. Or six or seven. Well, if he said five was legal for that many months, I' I'd like to tighten up as much as we can. >> So, 9 to six year round >> if we can. >> Like I said, we it's not like we're not allowed [clears throat] to change it, >> right? [snorts] >> Okay. And then the last one was the exemption for Girl Scouts, school teams, other local nonprofit organizations. Can we create an exemption for them? >> Mhm. >> Anything else I missed? >> What kind of exemption? >> They're exempt from the any requirements here. >> The fee or the >> All of it. All of it. They don't have to come. >> They could knock at 9:00 at night if they wanted to. Are we saying from that, too? >> What kind of exemption? Are we just talking the fee? Are we talking from >> Okay. [clears throat] So maybe we exempt them from the perimeter license requirements, but they still must follow um >> the time. >> Yeah, the what what do we call that section? They still must follow the prohibited activities [clears throat] >> which would be within a certain am frame of time. >> This they'd have to follow this time. That would really be the only thing. While they can't [clears throat] obstruct free flow of traffic >> and no soliciting. That is soliciting though. >> What they're doing is soliciting. [snorts] >> If there's a sign, no soliciting, they would have to honor that. >> Yep. >> So really all we would have to do is notify these organizations. >> You know, this is what you have to abide by. >> There's rules. >> And then we wouldn't have to require them to get a permit then. Then I think it needs to be 9 to 7 because Girl Scouts, parents get home from work, feed your kids in at 6:00. >> Yeah, 9 to Yeah, 9 to 7 sounds like everybody okay with that? [snorts] >> In winter time it's dark, but not too many. >> I don't like people knocking on doors at 6:30 in [snorts] the winter. I I mean I've had specific people call me about the how that's just uh if I'm 80 years old living by myself I I'm probably pretty scared. >> Yeah, I understand that. But like like Robin said, we they we have to allow them to >> it's a balance. >> People are home, you know, when people are accessible. So they you you're going to have to allow something particularly in the winter time after dark. >> Well, I don't think there's as many in the winter or >> right >> other than Girl Scouts. I can't think of anybody that's knocked on my door in the winter or a school group. I don't I mean and that's usually in the afternoon. Girl Scouts is usually on a weekend >> and they certainly don't have any problems sitting at bills there. I mean >> true. >> I don't know how many of them are getting there. I would just like to see us in the winter back that time up if possible. So if we're going to go six [snorts] the rest I'd love to do 9 to5 in the winter. You know, we're saying they can do it on Saturdays, right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And Sunday. >> Okay. >> I mean, I'm assuming that it didn't I don't think it differentiated. I don't >> days a week. [sighs] I'm seeing that in there. >> I would assume you could do it every day. >> Yeah. >> How about 9 to 7 in the summer, 9 to6 in the winter? I live with it. >> Okay. >> So, we would we would pick a date in September then to switch it to 6:00 then, right? >> Probably November when the time changes. Assuming we go back. >> We would have to pick a date. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Like November 1st to >> Yeah. >> April 1st or something. >> Sure. because that's when the sun is really at its weakest. I mean, the kind of November 1st to March 1st really, >> right? >> But also knowing that it helps me. I didn't realize the sign was 4x4 and >> type 48 fund. So, that's an easy answer for people that don't want anybody. >> Yeah, it's it's a good message to share when you get those calls. >> Yep. >> Right. >> For sure. Let's get you this sign and >> could have one of Tony's last uh tasks [snorts] be to put it out on social or the new person's first task to just kind of put We've done them before, but just a refresher you don't want to soliciting. Here's >> Well, I I think I might honestly stop by the hardware store and just let them know like here's what the city is and if you want to have these, you might sell quite a few. Not that they're going to get rich doing it, but I know they have a lot of the small placard signs that probably aren't legal. So, >> here's what it takes. And >> yeah, we need to notify residents that if they want the no soliciting sign, this is what it has to be, >> right? >> And put it prominent because Yeah, I remember that too. I've knocked on people's doors before where you didn't even see it. You all you're like, "Oh crap." And I already rang the doorbell. >> Sorry. How was that? >> Got it. >> All right, >> one down. >> Cool. >> Two to go. >> All right. And the next one is our solid waste collection draft ordinance. >> Uh it was about four or five months ago when the council looked at the draft and there were some questions that came out of that meeting and they're listed in in the council memo. Um and the responses are there. I I think really it's the day and day is a garbage pickup um is the question the main question the city attorney will find on um recycling requirements given that the county requires it for all their haulers and all of their haulers will be haulers in Becker um they have to follow uh recycling requirements and so his recommendation was we just don't even include anything regarding recycling um one thing I did add specifically in here is a reference to the solicitor's code that not only could it be a vi misdemeanor or admin fine for that person, it could result in a revocation or suspension of the garbage ordinance. So, it's a condition of the license here. Um, we talked about an organized collection system. That is not what we're establishing here. We are just in establishing police powers, which is well within the council's perview to do. If you want to move to an organized collection system, there is a statutory process for that that is very specific. So many days uh for notice, so many days of input and so forth. And then uh establishing fees. Um that was the last question. Did we want what did you want to establish for fees? >> What's a reasonable fee? >> Uh from what I've seen, $200 to $500 is reasonable. >> It's nominal. Nothing. Some will charge a fee and then a per truck charge as well of of a smaller amount, but two to five is what I was seeing. >> I guess if you're trying to raise revenue or something, [snorts] but I I see no benefit. >> It's just to get a handle on who's in town. >> Well, yeah, >> that's the purpose of this ordinance. >> Yeah. >> And cap it. Yeah. Where we're at now. What's the I mean usually I like to charge a fee for you know for recovery for a service we're doing or I mean we're doing this today without recovering you know recovering a fee. >> Where does that fee go to? Why are we charging that fee other than we can? >> It would go to the general fund. >> It would be staff time to review the license applications and so forth. there's really no ongoing expense to the city in administering it. And so again, if the goal here is to cap what we have, allow fewer days of pickup, the license fee is a minor part of it. In my mind, those those two things are far more important than a license fee. >> And right now, do we charge a per truck fee? >> We don't we don't have a license. We have no license. They can just come in and solicit business and bring a truck into town. There's no requirements, >> right? There there's state laws and county laws that govern it, but we don't have anything locally. >> Nothing local. Nope. It's very very thin. >> Well, it sounds like recycling requirements we can just cross off because that's covered by the county, right? >> Yep. >> Okay. days or days of garbage pickup. I would I would love to see us narrow that down. >> Just from >> you know how many days they're running right now? Is it Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday? >> They're running just about every day. >> Let's ask Mike. >> Yep. >> Yeah, they're going >> they're running every day. If they're not doing residential pickup, then the commercial [snorts] ones are running on a different day. >> Right. And to me, commercial is a little different because you own a business and you had a big event on Wednesday night and you're like, "Oh, >> you know, my garbage person's not coming through." >> They they still are they still got a it's once a week, >> right? But but you might call for an additional one. I wouldn't want to prohibit a business from trying to do the responsible thing, right? >> I'm more interested in looking at on the residential street. Again, I have maybe I just get all the interesting people talking to me, but I have people talk to me this all the time. Like there's garbage trucks, you know, seven that go by my house and there's kids riding bikes. That that to me is >> Mike calling. >> Yeah, I should say it was Mike using AI. >> Yeah, [laughter] wasn't Mike. >> I got shot down once. I'm not going to >> This is trash talk with Mike right now. >> Well, I'm your with you, Mike. I I just think to narrow the number of days >> Yeah. >> Well, by narrowing the number of days that might >> create more >> create less >> traffic on those days. >> Well, yeah, but it might less carriers. >> Yeah. Less carriers >> in because >> if they're running through town right now, they've got enough route established that they're not going to just walk away. >> You never know. >> But if they have to move their schedules around, that's what I'm saying. If they got to change the day that they >> in another day, >> yeah, >> they might just >> So this is and it says in the draft the collection from non-residential properties can be more frequent depending on the need or or a multifamily apartment may become >> more often >> or sometimes even more than once a week. >> Oh yeah. >> Yeah. If you're a food place, take it take it every day if you have to. >> Right. I I think keeping the fee very minimal so they can't that's not just a pass through that they go out and tell people well the city's charging me so I have to up your rates. >> Mhm. >> I mean I can't believe you're going to be driving to town for >> I mean I don't know maybe some companies are driving here to pick up 20 people you know >> if you're new maybe >> if you're new maybe. So I the fee to me is to issue the license and I think that should be as minimal as possible. >> Yeah. To [snorts] because it's it would have to be a big number to affect what they do, >> right? >> You know, so a minimal fee is >> what do we have is >> really all we you know, >> right? But I like the idea of at least finding out how many people are here and how many trucks it really is. And >> I can only think of three right now. Mike, give me other ones. >> Three what carriers? I got Ace Curbside, Republic. What else? >> Gems, Max, >> waste management. >> They appear too. >> Waste management. >> There's I think there's seven all together. >> Republic Solid. Um, >> waste management. >> Yep. >> Waste management. >> I got five right now. >> Curbside. >> Gyms. >> Randy's. >> Randy's in around anymore. >> They're um they got bought out. >> Yeah, they're Republic. >> Republic. LRS though is is a company that's local. I don't know how much they are in Becker. >> I saw I saw a couple new trucks recently. I don't remember what the names were though. >> Okay. >> So, we're roughly like five to seven give or take. [snorts] >> And again, this gets back to the fact they don't have to follow weight restrictions on roads, right? I know it's hard to quantify, but the U of M does have that study that says one garbage truck on a road could be equal, and this is a big gap, but 3 to 9,000 passenger vehicles. >> Well, if you take six companies here and you got 12 of them going down the road, that's >> an additional 30,000 plus. >> Well, not only that, [snorts] they go into a culde-sac and they make that sharp turn around the culde-sac. That's very difficult on very hard on the >> on the pavement >> for sure. >> I don't know how can we limit what what do you have in mind as far as days go? >> I don't know if we [clears throat] even start to know. >> Have them watch next week. >> They currently have I guess is my >> watch next week and find out when them like what days you're seeing them. [snorts] >> Monday, Tuesday. >> Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday for sure. Yeah, >> those are like in our >> those are the most common that I see. >> One thing you if you're going to go to a day, you may want to give a long runway to allow the carriers to adjust. If they just have to >> for sure >> shift and if you say, okay, you have 90 days, we might end up >> Yeah. You wouldn't want to implement this tomorrow. It would >> you might want to say >> there would be a time frame you'd have to >> 128. We're going to do this >> 28 or 27. Well, is if 27 is quick enough. I mean, if they can adjust their schedules that quick, but if we go down to one day a week, I mean, >> I don't think I'd wait 15 months. You know, you might you might set it to June one or something like that past this um you know, wait this year, roll it out to them. I could even reach out to the haulers, too, and see what who's hauling on what day. >> Yeah, I think we talked about that last >> if we want to be accommodating. I doubt we're going to find that they're all here on one day. So, um, somebody's going to be changing their schedule. I'm >> not saying it has to be one, even if we can narrow it some. [snorts] >> I don't think I see any on Fridays. >> I don't think so either. >> Other than just a Labor Day shift. >> If there's a Yeah. >> Well, then we got to accommodate that, too. >> Right. >> Yeah. I don't see any on Friday either. I think I see every all the rest of the days of the week. I think I see them. My neighborhood has mostly one carrier. I think there's maybe two people that don't use that. >> So, we see we see Tuesday, Wednesday. >> Yeah. We have some neighborhoods that arrange their own discount because they go and just get every >> We did at one time and >> it wasn't really worth it. >> Yeah. It's over. >> Mhm. >> We did that once, too. >> So, can you would you be willing to reach out to the carriers then and see what days they do residential service? Y >> and maybe inquire. I mean, of course, if we ask them, they're going to go, "No, that don't do it." You know, but if we talk about going to a a day of the week, one or two day of the week, if they had a preference as far as their calendar, which ones would work? >> Or maybe, well, they probably only come into town once. I was going to say maybe you divide the town up into quadrants and you say it's Monday, Tuesday, you know, Wednesday, Thursday in each of the quadrants. pick up for your customers in those. So, each part of town only has trucks one day a week, but I doubt depending on, you know, you may eliminate some haulers that say, "Geez, I only have, you know, three in the northeast. I'm not I'm going to stop offering service." That might be a way to do it, too. And then you're not specifying a day. >> Got enough people in every quadrant that >> or >> I can pull I'll pull I can pull the haulers and see what uh >> what they're doing now. I mean, what if we tried to keep it Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday? >> I think they would all be able to handle that. >> Well, I mean, you're right. We're not going to get rid of anybody at that point. We're just going to control what days are coming to town. >> I think that's what they are anyway. I don't think I don't think literally anything changes if if we say Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, because I think that's what they're dealing. I don't think I don't think there's not much of a change. There might be some that haul on Thursday, but I don't Monday. >> I don't I can't name them. >> Curbside is Monday. >> But that's one hauler though. >> Yeah. [snorts] >> More questions. >> We require them to not have squeaky brakes. >> That's how we know they're coming. >> Yeah, exactly. >> It's your warning. They're running out to the curb. Yeah. >> Quick. I forgot it. >> All right. I envision one more work session before we're ready for an ordinance. So, >> I think so. >> Yeah. Let's find out the days. >> Okay. >> Keep an eye out. See how >> See, I told >> see how many are going by my place. >> Be a little >> Every time I see a truck go by my house, I Oh, Mike's going to be If I put my ear up to a sea shell, I can hear Mike yelling right now. Just reiterate, Monosella residents pay less than $19 a month because they have one collection company and they deal with it. Pardon me, >> a fiveyear contract >> in a 5-year contract and the most it can go up in a year is 3%. >> So again, no problem doing that. >> I can there are there are >> Well, wait a minute. All of a sudden now we got four people in favor of it. No, no, there was nobody in favor when I brought it up the first time. >> Zimmerman Zimmerman just went through this. They contemplated uh going to a single hauler and the people showed up and that that idea is now dead and buried. It's never coming back. >> So, I it's easy to say, "Oh, let's just do that. It will be the most contentious meeting." >> Well, you know what we could do? We could propose that and then >> have everybody show up and tell us No, but remember there is a statutory process for this. So you have to provide notice to the haulers. They will get their customers worked up. >> That's what happens. And so this part is is a way to work toward have [clears throat] putting more control and getting fewer haulers in town, which ultimately is what >> that's the ultimate >> we all want. Well, there and there is >> but also keep the rates down, too. There's one company in particular that has horrible customer service, >> a couple, but I mean there's one that is really coming to mind. I'm not going to say them here in a public meeting, but they might come and be the low bidder, and I would be furious if I had to now turn it over to them. I guess that's where >> the thing is, too, wasn't it? Like we were then going to be in control of the billing and the money and all that. We didn't >> No, that was we were never going to be >> with the one >> right there. So what if if you went to organize, >> you would probably have maybe you'd have four haulers and you'd divvy up the town so it's all equal. >> They have equal number, but the the the consortium, they would have their own consortium. >> Okay. >> They would do the billing. Sometimes it could go through the city if we wanted to add two utility bills and pay, but I don't think [snorts] we want to mess around with that. So um >> Well, boss with the one hauler that goes through the city, doesn't it? I don't know. It does, but there's a month. >> There's performance clauses and things. I'm not saying we should go there. I'm just saying it it >> it's just we have to come to the realization we have people. >> Yeah. When they have a contract with the city, it's that's they're there's >> Well, they're getting 1500. We have 1500 homes. They're getting 1500 houses where they maybe now have >> three. You can you can put demands on. >> Right. The other thing is they're the city of Monaceel is paying zero dollars for garbage collection. That's part of the contract. They don't pay for anything at city hall. They don't pay for anything at the community center, public works. >> Really? >> Yeah. Better deal. >> So, we could all just bring our garbage [laughter] >> here. >> Every time we come to council, just throw it up. [laughter] >> Can we get a bigger dumpster? But I know we're not heading towards that and that's not what we're talking about. But I also don't want to make this I don't want our ordinance to be so wide and wide open that we don't get any real relief from the safety issue that we brought up cuz what have we gained at that point? >> Well, the other thing too is I don't want to see prices increase because of it. >> No. >> Even though they're already overcharging, it's just an excuse to raise the price again, >> right? You know, I had I had Ace and there I was up to $240 every two months. >> How could you be that? I'm 92 every two months. >> Dude, everyone's different. >> Everyone's different. >> That's why I quit. >> I'm $20 a month. So, you know, >> so you know, I'm tempted to move them on a [laughter] >> garbage. Well, just bring your garbage to Phil. >> Need Phil to take your garbage. [snorts] Phil's transfer. Is that [laughter] >> There's another truck running through town. >> Yeah. carriers. That be a hawker. [laughter] >> Well, it depends if you take the goods right then and there or if it's a'll come back later. [laughter] >> Yeah. Greg, if you could get a feel for how they feel about us saying, you know, two days a week. >> Are you going to is is your interest in our town going to diminish? >> Yeah. and my my daughter lives in Sartell >> and they have one hauler available to them now. Maybe they they must maybe they're paying like 150 a month. >> Oh, hell. Sorry. >> And so I mean you got to be careful >> controlling it that they don't start stabbing the people. You got to have some way to get a handle on the >> Well, if you do you negotiate the rate if you >> do the one hauler. So, >> right, >> you wouldn't give them free carp launch like a monopoly. >> Well, that's what they have. >> You'd have monopoly, but I mean you'd >> Yeah. >> Yeah. They would bid it and then you would pick the lowest bidder and >> Right. But that's but I don't think they do that in Sartell because they're paying like I said 150 a month. >> That's insane. >> Well, yes, there's a lot of differences. >> So, anyway, my point being is you got to be careful what you do so people don't get stabbed. >> I agree. But again, I think the reason we're doing this is we're looking at the safety. That that's where it came from originally is the safety and wear and tear in roads. >> Particularly with all these little kids running around in scooters, >> not we're not starting that conversation. >> Yeah, [laughter] >> that's next month. We're going to get an update on that. [laughter] >> All right. Yard waste site relocation. >> All right, Phillip. >> [clears throat] >> Becky was the representative at public works and she supported this. So, we're going to >> I did. Sorry, Mike. >> Yeah, actually [cough and clears throat] I actually talked to him after the last meeting. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, we've talked about this before about the yardway site and uh the amount of use and it really stems from uh 127th and and the cross country trips that go through there as well. So, we took a deeper look at how much traffic is coming into the compost site. Um, so last year from April 1st to September 30th, uh, there was four over 14,000 gate uh, registrations with their key tag. So, if all of those are accurate, some of them are double swipes, but most of them are are are single swipes. So, you've got 28,000 trips in and out of that neighborhood. So, it kind of said, "Wait a second, our yardway site is is relatively small. We're everybody from from St. Cloud this way, uh, uses it." So, probably half the county uses our facility because of where we're at in proximity to the county. So, we do get a ton of use out of it. And it it if you ever been by there, um, give it another month, it's going to be packed again. And and we struggle to keep it open and struggle to get it ground. And so, it kind of precipitated a conversation. Should we look at moving that that site? Get it out of the neighborhood and get it uh what we would propose is to get it up to the the top of the hill uh on the 80 acres that we own. Uh increase the size. Currently we have 2 acres. Uh we could take as much as five. I don't think we'd go that high, but maybe three and a half or four acres. Um but we'd have to fence it. We'd have to put security out there. We'd have to get lights out there. So, we're not asking for any of that tonight. We're just saying if we pursue this, we've already asked the county. They said, "We'd be supportive of wherever you guys want to do it, as long as you're not asking us to close something down and and not have a site." So, um I think they would would look to help us potentially move that. Um it's it's multi-pronged. If if we were to do that, if that was authorized, we would look to use that 2 acres that's fenced in, keep the fence there, keep the lights there, and use it as outside storage for public works and possibly even with PD for forfeertures or something like that. uh change the gate out to a true locking gate and in the future if we did something we would maybe put enclosed um equipment storage out there for public works if we grow to a point needing that. We wouldn't need that right now. What that do would do for us as well I've already talked with Jacob uh on this concept when we bought the I believe it was six some acres over in the industrial park where we put our our newest lift station our big uh lift station. um if we split that lot, we we we bought that whole thing and we kept a portion of that lot for potential uh public works facility growth that we would just put a kind of a cold storage over there. But if [clears throat] we took the first step and moved the compost site and the second step would be to use that site, the third step would be if we're this that's where we're going, do we split that lot and then make that a salailable lot that's in your industrial park. So, we're just trying to get creative on some of these things and just kind of gauging the temperature on where we're at right now. uh would take a lot of traffic out of that neighborhood potentially. Uh increase the size of the site. Um if you're in favor of that, we just have to start pursuing what the cost would be. Is the county going to participate in that cost or is it solely on us? And of course, I'd ask the township to see if they'd be interested in helping us out as well. >> But >> well, taking the traffic away from New Park would be >> amazing. Yeah. >> And it does get awful crowded in there before the grinding and whatnot. So, >> yes. So, >> you want to look at that. >> It's a larger site would probably even get used more. >> It's it's likely. Like I said, it's surprising, not weekly, but every few weeks I see somebody coming off Highway 10 with a load of brush and I quickly turn around and I follow them out to the compost and just have a conversation with them. Now that the cards have been all updated, they're coming from Clear Lake. They're coming from Haven Township. They're come They're residents. It's legitimate. They should be using that. but you forget how much traffic comes from that side of of of the county and comes to our site. So, it does get used quite a bit and keeping it on a main collector street. It's a county road out there. Um I I think it makes a lot of sense to kind of get it there. And even if you build around that that that county road, even if they want to turn that back to us 20 years from now, it's still going to be a collector street regardless of who controls that street. So, I think it would make a lot of sense and you build around there. um our park study that we're going to probably commission in another year u to really update what that feasibility looks like. They're going to recommend more rectangular fields. You're buy a compost site, it's not the end of the world as far as where we're going. So from a development standpoint, it's good use of the 80 acres. So um so really tonight I'm just looking, you know, you guys are in favor of that. Can we take a few more steps, kind of do some numbers on that, see where the county is at, get some costs figured out and and do that. I I would also simultaneously say work with Jacob as far as could we divide that lot. Would that look like it makes sense in the industrial park? So, if we've got some activity over there, I've got staff looking can we serve that that property where could we tie in the water and sewer to that lot as well. So, we have something for those guys to market. So, >> with the potential that if we divided that maybe what we sold that lot for would pay for our relocation. It's very Yeah, it's very I don't know exact but yeah I mean we're going to go to the county and say hey we want to do this otherwise you know why not close this thing down we'll just make it a residential site just for our residents and I'll play that card with the county a little bit um because sometimes they lose sight of the fact that hey we're kind of helping you out as much as you're helping us out and they've been really good so we we don't have to play a bad game with that but we just have to kind of reason with them a little bit and say hey is there a way for us to do that if we retain that site keep the fence around there and that was paid for by or for grant funds. We understand we're likely going to have to pay for the the new fence to come up their additional cost to that. >> I would see them just with them with money right now. I would see them saying, "Okay, we support you, but we're not going to financially support you a dime." >> Right. >> So, >> right. So, we'll see where it goes and and what [clears throat] it what it can do is it can control the grinding schedules a little bit better too with the amount of use and with Vonco, you know, being their contract partner, it can help them because we could store more more sites so they can get out there one time. the economy of scale as far as grinding instead of mobilization and get it going. So, in the long run, it could be more beneficial for them to costwise in in their score funding. I'm not sure, but I think there's a lot of positives that come with this if we take that step to look at it, but I didn't want to step out of line outside of what you guys >> would we would also get a lot of vehicles out of a residential area. >> Yeah. And with the park going in there, um there's huge excitement out there for for the park. I've heard from a lot of residents. They're super excited that that you guys are supporting us, putting money out there and and getting things going. There's a lot of curiosity out there. So, I think that park's going to get well used. Um, which is exciting, but also, you know, shutting that traffic off. We're getting people trained. PD's been doing some some upgraded patrols out there as well and putting the kaibos to people still trying to sneak through. Um, but >> I think this is another step in and and a very positive thing for the the community in general. >> Great. Well, we might help with traffic come the other way too off of 11 >> because there [clears throat] are, >> you know, there's concerns there. So, >> yeah, we'd encourage them to come down road, >> you know, come down to to 24 and come up and go that route. >> So, [clears throat] >> again, you'd stay off of for the township standpoint, you'd stay off of their road in there. So, >> Exactly. Y that's >> so talking combining the two conversations then you were talking about potentially uh with the 80 acres uh I guess do we have a a rough idea with the 80 acres if we were to put the compost site out there where we would put it assuming let's just assume that fields are going to go there that is the plan >> we're not so we're not stumbling later going shoot I wish we would have thought of this and we put them over here it would have made so much more sense >> when we put the archery range in when when Greg first created that concept. That's why we moved that to the north side, kind of the bottom of the hill and that parking lot, we could push that parking lot further south and then put fields that way or we could go east with those fields as well. So, we'd have one parking lot out there and you could build those fields around that. So, the the compost if we moved it out the yardway site out there, we'd move it to the top of the hill. 107th is a gravel road there, but we'd use access directly up to 67. Uh there's a current access out there right now. It's a kind of across from that that farm [snorts] on the top of the hill and again it's top of the hill so you get the the vantage points of traffic from both sides. So I think it makes a lot of sense. The final layout is it is it a little bit more skinny and longer or would it be more of a box? I think it would be more parallel with the road a little bit longer. So you'd have to come in and kind of circle around there with the piles in the center. But that would be our plan. And so then we keep any of the the activities or sports to the north of the compost >> and keep this one on the on the top of the hill. >> Would they both enter and exit on 67 or would they exit possibly on the >> It possibility. I my first thought was if we do anything on 107th we we might want to work to pave a portion of that, you know, so we're not carrying that dust and and that wear and tear on that section of road. Then you have two gates. >> Pardon me. >> Then you have two gates. >> You would have two gates. So ideally, if the county would be okay with it, we would use that access off of of 67. >> It's a it's a bigger road. Um it's more visible. That's what >> So due to the traffic numbers, because I assume we would take this this traffic number. So the number you just cited there, >> um would that exceed the threshold where the county would require us to put in a turn lane? >> It's possible. I I don't not likely based on this exclusively, but I that would be a a might question with the county to see where he would go. What we would look to do regardless is is we'd pull that off of the county road. That setback that fence would probably be 100 ft off the uh edge of road so then people can stack in the driveway, >> get off the road into the site before you coming in and carting. >> Correct. >> Yeah. So if I got two people coming in, you know. >> Yep. That's what me and Susan are doing over here. >> Boy, the the east and the north is throwing it off the >> Okay. You know what? Yes. Okay. It's left or right. [laughter] >> Turn at the pretty green farm and then go. >> Yes. That's exactly what it is, Richard. >> How about the transportation building? >> Yes, I know. But it's like literally across the street from it, right? >> Right. >> Okay. So, we were >> It's 107, >> right? >> Sear that across the public. You're supposed to remember we're having street >> testing. >> If you hit a rock, you went too far. Turn around. >> Testing out there. I would fail. [laughter] >> Great. >> How about in town? I do. Great. >> No, I wasn't looking at you. >> Why isn't that? >> Of course, I'll smart off and say I can't be good at everything. Other people wouldn't have a job. So, >> that's a control K. I think if I'm >> Are these the northern [snorts] lights above the new compost site? >> Yeah, the new site. >> It's from [clears throat] the solar field. >> Yeah. >> Headache. >> Oh, here. [snorts] >> Headaches. >> There you go. It was just >> Yeah, the clapper. >> There we go. All right, >> there it is. >> All right. So, right >> right here is where the Google maps and so is what we're looking at. And I I would assume it would go a little bit for more this way like that. We'd run that that uh road line. So then we'd keep all this area. This sand pile is now gone. We'll square this up with the farmer and we could do something over in this region for future parks. Our thought was to do this way for adding any rectangular fields and then increase the parking lot this way if we needed to. >> Perfect. >> So, cuz the far north end of that gets really low. >> Really low. Yes. And this is I I believe there's a ditch that runs this drains down and I think the ditch comes over this way. I think >> I think you're right. So, we would just stay away from that as well. We do have a monitoring well out here that future years we may look to pull that as irrigation. I don't know that we would irrigate the archery range, but um >> maybe the first >> if you have fields would be >> fields we would absolutely uh archery we might do the first up to 30 meters. >> You know the long distance ones don't get used as much but I don't think we would do anything at the archery range. And it looks like you'd have a lot of separation if we were, you know, 100 [snorts] feet past the dirt road or whatever to turn in. That's a lot of separation between there and the >> in the uh >> archery park. >> Yeah. So, like I said, staff, we didn't want to get over our skis without you guys, you know, coming in and we think we got this great plan. And you're like, whoa, not interested. >> So, what do you think? I mean, you got your fencing. You'd have to move the the You probably wouldn't move the gate. You'd probably do a new one. >> We would move this gate because this is the gate the existing gate isn't what we would use uh for our facility. >> Yeah, cuz you're going to stop anybody from going in. >> Right. So, we would do that and this gate is the I can't remember the name of the the company, but it's the same one that's in Big Lake and the same one that's in Zimmerman. Um, so the readers and everything are the same. So, we would transport any of that and and likely the uh surveillance that's out there, the cameras that are there over there. Uh, I don't know if we'd keep all of the lights that we have. We'd at least keep one for sure so we can illuminate that area just to keep people out of there. But again, that would be something that we would, you know, a check with the county, see what their participation is, start running some numbers on this, what it would look like, and then bring that back likely through public works again to to get some, you know, thumbs up, thumbs down before we bring another uh session back here to have another f further discussion on it and see how it fits into any of our budgets. >> What high offense is that out there? I want to say 10 feet, but I think it might be 8 feet. It's at least 8 feet >> at the compost site. >> Yeah, I think it's eight. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So, we we would replace it with a, you know, like for like >> fence. >> So, that's probably your one of your biggest expenses then is going to be this for new expense. It's going to be the fence. So, it's you have probably grading to get it somewhat >> and and the good thing is is we can do some of that work depending on where it's at. Uh again, if we're going to need to bring this up a little bit so we drain back into the field, um we'll just take some of the sand from our construction projects, place it out there. So again, our staff can do some of that work, the the the site prep work, uh when it comes to that, you know, any of the light fixtures and the you know, we we don't have power out there. We'd have to work with Kexus to get another transformer out there and set it up, but we we'd do it so we could bring light to future ball fields or parking lot minimally out there so we can keep that for for folks. So, >> well, I think the safety issue is the I mean, there's a lot of good reasons to move it, but the safety issue with all the traffic in a neighborhood with a new park is is probably the biggest to me. >> So, >> we have consensus to at least explore it. >> Yep. Okay. Thank you. We'll move on it and bring it back. >> Thank you. >> All right. On to the round table. Oh, for the love. [laughter] >> So, you got your way, man. What are you What are you throwing chairs for? >> Anybody here? >> Um, I have something. Watch out, guys. >> Uhoh. Buckle up. >> Holiday related, right? >> Oh, boy. >> You know what, Robin? [laughter] >> I have such a screw. >> It's okay. So, um Sarah and I got our um Okay, we are going to um have a meeting tomorrow morning at 8:30 at public works if anybody wants to come. So, we're going to do our first we're going to try to get in our first light up Becker. We're going to try to make this an annual thing. So, we're just going to start. It's me, her, and Brandy right now. Josh can't make the meeting. Weird. Chris, you want to come? >> Say light. >> Christmas lights. I don't really know. >> Public works 8:30 tomorrow morning. Come on over. Um, so we're just going to obviously keep everyone posted what we end up coming up with, but we want to just do an event with having local businesses be a part of. We've already kind of started taking some ideas of thinking about making it like a competition between the city, like public works against like the golf course against, you know what I mean? To make, you know, I'm not even going to go in all of it yet until I don't for sure. So, our first meeting's tomorrow >> cuz we already have that. What is it that just kind of that the people have put on the lights of Becker? They do the Or is it? >> They haven't done that in a while, >> haven't they? >> Like where with the houses? It's been a couple years. >> It's been a couple years since they put >> cuz I mean someone always either wins it over here. >> Two houses. [clears throat] >> Yeah. You and one, right? The >> the competition one, >> correct? >> Okay. >> Um that was just an idea by Jesse. We should compete within the city. you brought that. Look at you. You're just shaking your head. But anyway, so >> the idea guy, >> you're doing doing great. >> Antlers on all the police cars. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Let me let me let me toss this out. Um >> if let's just say the golf course spends a lot of money, you know. >> Well, no, it's going to be all donated funds and then we were going we're going to split it out evenly. Yeah. evenly to I mean that's this is our rough draft ideas like I said we just have a list of >> um Phil >> sorry >> hi Phil >> I have to state the speakers >> well for the love of god >> when we were well throwing some ideas out and the girls ran wild with it we said in any of the communication we wanted to be made known that through generous donations of our local businesses >> the inexpensive uh energy cost of the new LED lights >> um in volunteer staff time for some of these things. We want to make sure that this is messed that board is not flippantly going out there spending a bunch of money or a bunch of staff time to do stuff like this. >> Yeah, that was >> that's >> that was my bigger concern. >> That's the charge that I've given staff over at public works that this is a volunteer basis. Nobody's going to be required to to adhere to any of these things. And if it doesn't come to light the way they want it to come to light, it's totally okay. But >> that was rude. [snorts] [laughter] >> Just kidding. But we want to make sure that we show the people we feel as staff we've been good stewards with the dollars given to us. We want to make sure that message is carried even though we want to celebrate the season. So that's that's the one stamp we're going to put. >> And we're looking at is it Monday the 30th? Is November 30th? Is that the first Monday after Thanksgiving? That night. >> How do you not know that, Richard? Christmas is coming. >> Well, back on 30th. >> Mhm. Is that a Monday? >> Yes, it is. Mhm. >> That would be the day that we what judge it or they turn them on or >> we turn all the like I mean even the street lights and like Yeah. All the lights that we already have put out. Well, I shouldn't say we >> Well, I do do those trees. >> Yes. >> And have everything lit up. >> Uhhuh. >> The street lights we don't turn on until then >> or the decorations on the street >> after Thanksgiving. >> Well, and just um Yeah, we're we got a lot of ideas cooking. Just saying. >> Okay. >> Okay. It was Black Friday, but >> needs to [clears throat] be represented. >> Yes, [laughter] >> Black Friday. Turn them all. >> Me. I was just a bunch of Grinches in this city council. >> Robin, you want to be on the committee? >> Look at her. Look at how excited she is. >> I'll donate some money. [laughter] >> Donate my own tree. Then I don't have to put one up. [laughter] >> Cuz we're even going to ask them to fabricate like a like a thing to turn like acting like they're using it to turn. >> Just don't knock on Mike's door or Robin's door. >> Don't plunger. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Well, keep us updated. >> This will be a Hallmark town someday. >> It's happening, guys. >> Do we have any uh um are we for Tony's position? Is that just being replaced with a like forl like position? >> It's out for advertising now. >> How did the open house go last week? >> We had 28 people. It went well. >> Okay. >> Yep. Nice. >> 10:25 one. >> Yeah. >> Oh, that was nice. >> And 23 is tomorrow night. >> Tomorrow night here, 4:30 to 6:30. >> Yep. Yeah, it was I mean >> nothing really unexpected. >> Yeah. I mean obviously like Jean was not >> right >> pleased >> happy right you know it was her property that >> was going to get cut up there but >> um yeah pro probably just different questions a few different ideas Greg and I kind of had the same idea and didn't we had telepath with each other and didn't uh but so there you know just something like some possibly different options but they were all pretty much the same plans So, right, you know, well, >> nothing different. >> Same footprint, I guess. >> Yeah. Different different versions of kind of an of a nonatgrade crossing, >> right? >> Yep. >> And technically two at grade options. Correct. I don't think anybody would uh >> I didn't hear the few people that I talked to did not like the at grade options. >> Yeah. I wouldn't >> didn't think it accomplished enough to no project. And there is a survey online at the website now that anybody can take for the option. So >> until October 15th, I think >> correct. Yes. >> Okay. >> Has that been shared on social media? >> I believe Tony pushed it out. I'll verify, but I think it did. >> The link didn't work first couple days, but >> Right. It's corrected and it's on the homepage now. It wasn't buried under news. >> Okay. >> Okay. Do we have any update on uh do you want to give an update on what we know of Sherburn or Edwood or I >> what's going on? Uh >> still the same. >> I think the same timeline. Yeah, I don't think anything has changed. No, >> I did have one update too. I emailed um text my gov between meetings. They do not sell or distribute phone numbers. >> Well, see, look at how quick that response was. >> Yep. >> That is constant contact. Pretty constant right there. Nice. >> Awesome. [clears throat] >> Um I When are So you're going to be talking with police this week about Third Street. >> Yeah. >> We Friday. >> Yep. I know public works was thinking about one side. I keep driving by there and I'm I'm just really want to push the issue of >> Oh, yeah. >> both sides because I don't I don't think we're going to get the school to do anything different if if they can park on one side. So, >> right. We were just saying at the end of the day, if you moved it, it's safer for crossing. I mean, you're not at least crossing. >> I agree with that. >> Even on one side, they're still blocking part of the road, >> right? >> Oh, yeah. It's brutal. >> No, I get it. I agree. It should at least I mean, that's common sense to move it the other side, but that whole road really from Hancock to Brenda has to be no parking on both sides. >> I agree. >> So, >> there you go. agenda. Has anybody talked I mean I think we already know the answer but have we resocial how did that um in the group meeting that you did a couple weeks ago the mayor's thing did we talk so at the local government roundt Phil talked to one school board member who said I've never seen this concept before >> you had no clue what I was talking about >> had no clue what Phil was talking about so um ever >> ever well my guess is Jeremy just shot it down that would be my guess anyway talking to him. He's like no >> because he had no funds available to do anything. So >> well >> so I I again not to pick that scab but I just I appreciate what public works has done but I just think if we really >> I don't think it it enhances the safety but I think it's still just a corridor that really we should not have people parking there. >> Yeah. and the the concept that public works came up with that Phil has drawn out ju it so common sense I just think we should really push that >> yeah do we um so we would be because we're redoing third street next year right so I mean they they would I mean for their budget I don't know what because their budget goes July 1st through June 30th so when Do they go through budgeting? Like if they were to do their 208 >> Yeah. 27 to 28 budget, I guess, when would they be doing all the >> They will adopt that like next Juneish. Oh, they'll wait all the way to the end. >> Yeah. I mean, they'll have some good ideas coming up. They'll know sta I mean what 82% 83% I think of their budget is staffing. So that's they have that part done. Mhm. >> Um, but I would like to know when they're pl if they are planning to do another levy or a referendum or whatever it is because that's a really easy thing to I'm not saying it would pass, but it's a it's a easily explainable piece to add there dealing with safety that right [snorts] it would not have a dramatic effect, you know, if if you're doing a deferred maintenance or whatever whatever it is. So, um, I have it on the list to talk about at our next local government roundt meeting, which I think is in November. >> Do we the money to pave their transportation? So, >> really, they talked with us about using >> Yeah, the buses are all parked at the ECF today. >> Yeah. So, I noticed that >> because they're they're paving out there. >> Oh, >> because they're paving that. >> Really? >> That was a a surprise to us because we were told they didn't have any. Yeah, that's way more expensive than what we were talking about. [laughter] >> That's where you get frustrated like what your mouth. I don't understand. [snorts] >> Huh. >> We're just trying to get your rout that copy again tomorrow. >> The uh engineers the the concept and I will make sure it's distributed to all six school board members. Do we want to so if we wait till November I'm just concerned if it I mean do I do we want to keep a little more of a fullcourt press more than just let's bring it up at the next November meeting. Do we want to do a formal >> meeting >> something a little more of a formal ask or a formal hey you know hey this isn't going away you know I guess I just worried >> well if he's going to distribute that to the school board members that that'll be a start there. I can >> personally I was hoping to have a no parking on both sides decision. We're next year we're doing third street. Our plan would be there's no parking at all. Here's the solution to it because if if you're going to continue to utilize the coinger I've had a lot of conversations with people about Kovinger Park >> and it's funny now because you're running into people that have rented it and they're like I rented it for my family and they couldn't park there because >> XYZ was going on. So, you know, the the thing out in the public, well, it's a public parking lot. Yes, but we're renting it enough. It's happened to >> It's actually not a public parking lot. It's not the park. >> No, I know, but >> public perception is now turned a little bit because it's happened to enough people that have paid money to rent it and they haven't had the space. >> Got bills, right? >> I think when when we presented the idea to the school last year, I'll see if I can find that letter to Jeremy cuz I'm almost certain we put it in a letter. We offered to engineer it at our cost and we asked I think it was 103,000 or something like that and we even offered we'll carry you for five years just make five payments. >> Yeah. >> So I'll dig that letter up and we'll share it with you >> with his response. Right. >> Yeah. It was pretty short. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I remember that. >> And just as a timing factor, uh I'm not it's likely that I'll bring an SLA to the next council meeting in in October. um looking for engineering uh prelim on the 2027 streets. So, that'll be an opportunity if if if we weigh in on that, you guys move approval of that, that will be in there as as far as I wasn't going to because it's already designed, but I'll put it in there as just a little kicker just to say, and for your information, it's designed. We'll refresh it and bring it back for >> as an addendum or something. >> Yeah. Just so you look at that and then when we go out for bid, it'll be an alternate. Mhm. >> But um it'll be an opportunity for you guys to, you know, have a good excuse to refresh that with the school as well >> if you want to. So, >> but I'll get that out to you tomorrow. >> Thank you. >> All right. Anything else for our own table? >> All right. Hey, that was a lot of big stuff tonight, but some pretty exciting news. >> It's the Monday the 30th, right? Yes, >> that's what I meant. [laughter] >> It's a good thing we didn't talk about lights first. You wouldn't have been thinking about anything else, >> right? >> All right. Well, let's adjourn the executive session at 7:10. >> Get those done. >> Do you need that or >> um No, I don't at this point. to the recycle. >> What's the date on that? >> It's a big number. >> I mean,