downtown takes some extra time because it's only seven, you know, it's not a big blade. But >> yeah, that's the right machine to use. >> But it's great when the there's, you know, when it's full of cars and I just try to get the lanes cleaned out and work. >> All right. Are we ready? >> Over there. >> Yeah. You're killing me here. [laughter] tight ship. We're on a tight ship. >> Yeah. >> Yep. We're Yep. As soon as we get the light, >> we got the light. >> Okay. Al >> Okay. I will call this meeting of the Oak Park Heights City Council to order. The first item is pledge allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, next is approval of the agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> I opposed. Motion carries. Uh summary of the close session from November 25th. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, members of the council at the last city council meeting on November 25th. We did close session at the end of the meeting uh pursuant to Minnesota statutes 13D.03 subdivision 1B. That's for labor union negotiation strategy discussions. And so the city council did meet with the city administrator, myself and assistant city administrator to talk about union contract negotiations, get some generalized direction from the council on the status of those negotiations and uh those are ongoing at this time. >> Okay. Thank you. All righty. Next is uh council and staff report. Council, I have anything to report? >> Mayor, do you want to report when our gingerbread competition is? cuz I think that's changed, right? >> Yes. It's on Sunday from I don't remember the time. >> Noon. >> Noon. Noon to 2. >> Noon to 2. >> Yeah. Sunday from noon to 2 at it's called Makers Mark which is connected to the um darn it. Anyways, so >> that's this coming Sunday. >> This Sunday. >> And I might be a little late. >> I will not be able to make it. >> Yeah, I don't know that I'll make it either. >> What >> does our council need to say we're not be able to make it then? >> I I have a conflict, too. the Packer game. [laughter] >> That's But that's basically the home. >> Um parents are in town, but >> should I just let them know we can't make it? >> I think so. >> Cuz if not, you're going to end up doing it anyway. So, >> we can we could prepare one and send it in. Just preend. >> Yeah, we could have public works put one together and just deliver it down. [laughter] >> That's a team bond. >> Okay. I will notify him that we most likely aren't going to be there. I don't think I talked to um Lena today too and Still Water sounds like they're in question too. So, >> perfect. >> I So, I'll tell moving it to a Sunday was a bad idea. [snorts] >> All righty. Um, city administrator had anything to report? >> Yeah, mayor, council, um just a quick update. Uh we had a uh stakeholder meeting uh that Excel led uh that was uh a little bit different than what we've had in the past. It was very productive. Had folks from uh from uh state uh their department of revenue and then Washington County tax folks. The main focus of that meeting was talking about the potential impacts. It's so very early for the King plant of when that closure is going to happen, but the potential impacts um of that closure and the potential um state programs that could help us here uh if the plant was going to close today. And so it was a very uh enlightening discussion. Uh finance director Ager was there along with the mayor. Um I learned a lot during that discussion. Encouraged uh Excel to get that group together uh in late 27 or maybe early 28 and when we have a little bit more clear picture of what that property may look like. But uh very good use of our time in in that stakeholder meeting. >> I learned a lot. It's very good. did um I didn't look at it, but they sent the the deck and the tape of the meeting. I don't know if that might want to send that off to the other council people. >> Yeah, mayor. I think that's a great idea. They did record the meeting. Uh we had it here. Um I don't know the audio of if it was good or not. I think you'll be able to make out most of the conversation, but certainly that's if you have residents that uh reach out and have questions about that potential impact. Um, that is something that I would certainly share with them. Again, it is so early from where we're at right now to have a full picture of what that closure may mean, but with these state programs that are in place, um, there are there's assistance out there for us. Have we heard has has Excel said anything about the project bomb moving forward in Wisconsin? I know they had one time said that and I've been hearing a fair amount of opposition to to that. So are they >> have they commented about that and how that would you know looking to bring power back into that? Has it are are they still moving full speed ahead with with that then? >> Yeah, the short answer is yes as the plan. >> Uh yes for both opposition. Yeah, pretty significant from what I'm hearing. Um but they are yeah full blast ahead with that solar project. So >> from what was said at my leadership in the valley by Excel is they already have contract with enough land. So it's not that they're going to be short on farmers willing to let the need. >> There's certainly a lot mayor and council. There's certainly a lot of talk, I'm sure you've seen too, at the the federal level as well about the coal plants. Um, there's been some articles, I know in the New York Times, Council Member Ron Kid shared an article uh with me and I I think with the council from New York Times about coal plants uh over in Michigan and Pennsylvania um and decisions that were were made there and pushed from the federal level. And so it's something that, you know, I certainly keep my eye on. Um, our partners at at Excel are are are great of when we need things or I give them a call. Um, they give me a straight answer. Um, and so we have no problem getting information um, from there and it's just something we need to continue to watch here and what that may look like for that that property. >> Yeah, that and that's kind of where I was going with that question is whether or not Excel was at all with potential for opposition whether or not they were look at all contemplating any re-evaluation of >> Yeah. >> of their sta their current stance. >> Moving ahead. >> Yep. Yep. Moving ahead. >> They'll move ahead until they stop. >> Mhm. >> That's right. [laughter] >> All right. Um Chief, anything? >> Good evening, Mayor and Council. Uh we had wrapped up some community outreach events last week. We had four Shop with the Cop events and so that was a lot of fun. And then we have our one ending here this Friday already. That's the toys for Todd's campaign. So, it's already coming to a close quickly. Uh, Friday, we'll have two officers drive over and a squad with all the toys over to Care 11 and it'll be on the news around I think it's the 5:00 if I remember right, five or six or both. So, we have that wrapped up. Other than that, that's quiet parking enforcement ongoing now, of course, with the weather. Um, so we've encouraged we're no longer issuing the warnings. Um, we've had plenty of snow events now. So, who knows? That's it. >> All right. Thank you. Uh, assistant city administrator, >> mayor and council, I only have one item for you this evening. That's the recycling award winner, Don Johnson, who lives at 5665 New Circle North. She had her recycling out for collection on pickup day, so she received the recycling award. >> Thank you. Um, I don't think we have any visitors for public comment, so we'll move to consent agenda. Uh, approval of bills and investments 72,444 to 72,476. Approval of the city council work [clears throat] session notes from November 25th. [snorts] Approval of city council minutes from November 25th. Approval of the 2026 2030 capital improvement plan. Approval of the 2026 area charges for connections to water sewer storm sewer systems. Approval of resolution designating the 2026 checking and banking depositories. Approval of red path and company auditing services for the year ending December 31st, 2025. Approval of resolution for certification of delinquent utility bills. Approval can't talk. Resolution for 2026 utility rates adjustments. Approval resolution for 2026 council appointments. Approval and agreement with Eggberg Lammers for the city code update. Approval release agreement with Raleigh Trucking. Approval update to fixed asset policy. >> I'll make the motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> Second. >> Okay. Roll call. >> Council member Johnson. >> Yes. >> Council member Ljigrin. >> Yes. >> Council member Swenson. >> Yes. >> And Mayor Dhy. >> Yes. >> All right. Next, we have a public hearing for Truth and Taxation 2026 budget presentation. >> Yeah, Mayor, Council, I've got some slides here um that they'll pull up uh shortly. This is [clears throat] while they're getting pulled up. Um this is more of uh what I'll say is a reader digest version of what you've heard earlier um this summer. But um there we go. Uh so before you is our budget uh for fiscal year 2026. Uh a lot of time has gone into this. Certainly appreciate the work that our department directors have have uh done on this for the public's benefit. Um this isn't just a one-mon process. Uh got the calendar up here, budget calendar of the time that um staff puts into it. You know, we start this process back in June. Uh we had two conversations with the city council. So on July 22nd and then August 26th uh at a work session uh went in more detail with the budget [snorts] and got budget direction from the council. Uh where we're at today uh this is our our public hearing uh to hear from the residents if they have any comments. Uh but again yeah a lot of good work that went on in the background. I mean we're already talking now of you know for uh this next year's process too. So, it's just it's a ne never- ending process and I can't thank our department director team enough here of you know it's all hands on deck. Um, everyone's carrying their own weight on it. So, appreciate their work on it. So, core core objectives. I think the council knows um just from past budgets that I put together. I always like to have core objectives um here that we uh we work through. Um and I look at these as kind of the pillars of local government. Um and these uh very significant [snorts] um uh from a finance standpoint, you look at it, we always want to make sure that our finances are in order. Uh not going to go through everyone, but um that's very important for us here and all lo local government agencies. Infrastructure, you know, the city, I know it takes pride uh in maintaining our infrastructure. Uh there's significant investment as the council knows that we're doing right now in our water uh infrastructure. Um we also have on here Memorial Avenue design. Um that road um you know our roads are all in great shape. Um we're very fortunate with that. Uh Memorial A is probably one of those that needs a little bit of love. I know the council um is aware of that. We've been wanting the county to, you know, get out of the way with their process um there with the 58th Street extension. So, we'll be able to construct the design or work on the design uh next fiscal year and then hope with uh construction in the following year. And then uh finally too, one of the final objectives is people uh our customers, our staff. So, external customers want to make sure that we're able to uh communicate with them. Uh internally though, we want to make sure that our staff have the tools uh that they need to do their jobs effectively. So we have on there a website update uh that we'll be working on here. I think that is one that I know there's been some interest from the council before on. And then uh earlier this summer too, we chatted with the council in the work session about having an architect come in and look at especially in our our PD area of maybe there's some areas uh specifically the uh records uh area, but then also the patrol officer room of doing some a few updates on that. And so uh the chief and I have been working a little bit on the background in that and there are costs uh within the budget to bring in that architect for next fiscal year. So proposed budget highlights just again more of the readers digest version give you a highle uh look at this little bit of snapshot here of uh our expenditures over the last five years. Generally what you see is [snorts] is pretty consistent uh for us. There's not a lot of change that's happened over the last 5 years. Uh this year we are proposing a general fund uh total of uh 8.2 uh million dollars with the revenues. Uh very similar look at that of those are generally going to line up. Uh there's been a couple years where revenues had exceeded exceeded expenditures. I think we're through um 2024 the actual right. Thank you Director Ager. Uh but again revenues are going to meet expenditures uh here for next uh fiscal year. [snorts] And then property tax is the one I'm sure that you you all get uh residents that ask about you see in the news. There's been a lot of uh reporting in the news recently about where cities are at from a property tax perspective. Uh and it's tough, you know, all that work that uh the department directors have been doing behind [snorts] the scenes as we put together this budget. You know, we we are always looking out for our resident and our taxpayer of how can we reduce the burden on our taxpayer. And so our staff have done a a incredible job here this year. Um the increase of of 5.93% which is significantly less than you're going to see out there with with other agencies. Uh again, we got to do what works for us. We can't always compare ourselves to others, but uh I know that this is probably one of the lower ones uh in the area. Um two, it should note uh he's not here, but council member Ron had asked before about peeling off that middle St. Croy um levy and we we are able to do that and we'll be doing that as a part of our filing uh with the county. >> Good. So levy impact you know residents may ask well why why the increase what does impact that and there are three items you know that we see the the more significant impact uh EAB uh emerald ashbor we made a big dent here this last year this current year I should say uh from a removal we have funds budgeted next year um our our city arborist uh Lee Danielson has done a great job in finding outside money and grant money um This just has helped us supplement it. So, we got a good chunk done this year. We'll be completing I, you know, could be as early as uh 26 completing the rest of our removals. Uh we're not going to be getting deep in the woods. I know there's some residents that are concerned about trees and where they're located. Um but if it's going to take, you know, the removal of 10 trees to get to one, uh that might not be in the cards. Uh health insurance, uh significant increases in health insurance. That's not unique to us. Um that's been pretty industrywide here of uh we're seeing about a 14% increase. Uh and then employee wages. Uh the majority of our staff are contractual employees and so that they will receive increases. Uh again, not unique to Oak Park Heights and so that is another uh impact uh to to our budget. But again, we're we're in the service industry. We provide services to our residents, to our business. We need people to do that. Um and we have to pay people appropriately. So uh just a quick uh blurb here for our residents too of uh property taxes of um this is a we took a average residential home. Um generalized uh where those taxes go from the other taxing bodies. So if people ask residents ask how their uh tax bill is being allocated. This is kind of a quick snapshot of city, county, uh, school district, uh, and then a small portion of special taxing district. And then we did a similar scenario here too, just to help from a residents understanding their their property taxes, uh, of how that gets spent here at the city. Uh, the majority of it, it, you know, not picking on um, police, it always is PD, public safety. Uh but that's where the people are, you know, and that's where the costs are going to be. And again, that is not unique to Oak Park Heights. Um that's going to be more or less across the board in any local government agency. And so, uh with that, again, uh for the resident's benefit, you know, we went through it at great detail in in previous workshops and that's kind of a highle u overview here and uh certainly we're more than happy to answer any questions that you have. >> Good job. >> Yeah, nice job. [clears throat] It's always good when you can tell everybody that we're one of the lowest in the metro area for raising the taxes up. >> Yeah. >> So, do we have to open the public hearing even though there's nobody here? >> Yeah. >> Okay. We'll open the public hearing. >> I move we close the public >> second. All in favor? >> I opposed. Okay. Hearing is closed. On to we have no old business. So, under new business, resolution approving the 2026 budget. >> I'll make a motion to approve resolution 2512-42 approving the 2026 budget. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Council member Johnson. >> Yes. >> Council, >> yes. >> Council member Swanson, >> yes. >> And Mayor Dhy, >> yes. Okay. And then we have a resolution approving the 2026 tax levies. >> And then Mayor Mayor and council, if I could just point out one item really quick. Um, in here you'll see in your report exactly what council member Runk had asked about if that if is there a way to peel off that middle St. Croy watershed um tax levy and uh we have done exactly that. So again, I just wanted to uh to point that out. Thank you. >> I'll move the resolution approving the 2026 tax levy. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Council member Johnson. >> Yes. >> Council member Ligrid. >> Yes. >> Council member Swanson. Yes. >> And Mayor Dhy. >> Yes. Then we have approval of changes to the city ordinance 102 master fee schedule. >> Mayor and council. Each year at the end of the year, the um council adopts the an ordinance amendment to update the master fee schedule adopting all of the changes that have happened throughout the year in the fee schedule. in 2025. Uh the changes were the area connection charges that you approved this evening, the water usage quarterly rates, and the sewer and storm sewer rates approved this evening as well. And then we will have a garbage rate increase in 2026. that was approved with your garbage contract extension that you approved uh earlier this year in September along with the tennis sanitation bulk yard waste rates which will be incorporated as an exhibit into the fee schedule and then the state of Minnesota has taken over cannabonoid licensing so that fee can be removed from the schedule. So I'm just asking the council to adopt the amended master fee schedule amendment ordinance that is in your packet. >> I'll make that motion to approve as presented. Second. Is that a roll call? >> Council member Johnson. >> Yes. >> Council member uh Liiligrant. >> Yes. >> Council member Swenson. >> Yes. >> And Mayor Dhy. >> Yes. Then we have 2026 council meeting dates. >> Mayor Council, the last page in your packet is a calendar showing the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month highlighted in orange. The only uh conflict that we would have would be the August 11th date is the primary election. You do typically cancel the first meetings in a in June, July, and August anyway. So, if that's something that you wanted to do this year, that would resolve that issue. Um, in November, you uh would need to canvas your election results between the 7th and 7th and the 14th of November, and you do have a meeting on the 10th. And so that does work out with the calendar. In some years that doesn't. So that's good. And then you also typically cancel that second meeting in December. >> Okay. To approval with those with the June, July, August 1 meetings removed and the last meeting in the December. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Opposed? Motion carries. >> Jenny, is this calendar out on the website any place? Not yet, but now that it's approved, we'll get it up there. >> Perfect. >> Okay. And so, any other council items or announcements? Then to the attorney. [clears throat] Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Yet again, tonight we will council will be going into a close session under Minnesota statutes 13D.03 to discuss labor negotiation strategy yet again with your city administrator. Um [clears throat] and again much like the last meeting we will plan to adjourn immediately following that meeting without coming back to open session because I don't believe that we have any in uh plans to engage in any action items following that close session. So we'll adjourn and summarize that meeting at the next open council meeting. So with that I'd recommend a motion to close the meeting. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I opposed. Okay. You go to close session. How do you turn these on? >> Have a good night. >> Are you saying that yet again? Because you want to go home. >> Thank you. I just My husband just texted and said that it took him twice as long to get home.