We're going to call to order the Columbus City Council uh meeting tonight. The date is January 28th, 2026 and the time is 6:00 p.m. And the first thing on the agenda is the Pledge of Allegiance. If everybody could stand. >> 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. >> Item number three on the agenda is the adoption of the agenda. This is Scott. I can make the motion to approve the January 28th, 2026 city council agenda. >> Is Jenny second? >> We got a motion on the floor. It's been seconded. Any other discussion? Hearing none, we'll take a vote. Jenny >> Jenny I. >> Scott I. >> Enron I. We'll go on item B. Is this consent agenda? Uh, any questions about it? Anybody? >> No, not hearing none. I'll make a motion to move to approve the consent agenda for January 28th, 2026 city council meeting. >> Scott, I'll second. >> We got a motion on the floor. It's been seconded. Any discussion? Hearing none, we'll take a vote. Jenny >> Jenny, I >> Scott I. >> And Ron I. We go to item number three, presentations and items for council action. First thing on the agenda there is the public forum. Is there anybody in the audience? Seeing no one out there. How about online? Anybody would like to uh make a comment to the council? Seeing no hands, we'll close that item. We'll go on item number two, 2025 code enforcement report by Sean. It's your turn, Sean. Hello. So 2025, pardon me, 2025, we saw a few more calls than um the previous year. Uh budgetary across the department. Um, as usual, most was were general ordinance with 39, eight zoning, two building, three public works, and then two miscellaneous, which I just couldn't fit into the category. Um, 54 new open C, I'm sorry, 54 new and then, um, four were left open. So, um 50 58 total calls and March looks like March June were our busiest. Um foreshadowing for this next year, we're in the first year I worked here, the winter months were really slow and now the winter months um I've had quite a few calls in December um for whatever reason. So, it's starting to pick up more year round than anything. Um, usually the summer was our busiest month or our busiest time, but um with the uptick in calls, it's just happening more year round. Uh the monthly year types, um like I said, this is just how many cases were opened and then closed. So, only one left for zoning, three left for general ordinance. Um and that's it. So only four left open for this year. There's still a couple from the previous years, but that has more to do with the zoning and cups than anything. Uh next slide is Corell. Um I wrote this prior to yesterday and it was added prior to yesterday. So, just as a reminder, I believe the complaint came in in October if I recall the month. And very, very long story. I won't go over all of it, but basically the level of trash and garbage refues around the residence. Um, and the non-compliance led us to the attorneys writing an administrative search warrant. Um, which was executed yesterday by myself, the cleaning crew, and sheriff's deputies. There were two large, uh, dump trailers that were full of trash that were taken out. We were out there for probably 5 hours, I want to say. Four to five hours. 5 hours. And um you could even despite it being very cold, frozen weather, all that, you could actually smell it from several feet away. So it was rough. Um unknown if if who's living there or when they come and go. Um but the problem's been taken care of now and they will a letter will be sent with an itemized bill to the homeowner um for payment. And if they refuse to pay, they have 30 days um to render the payment. They don't pay it. It'll go back to you guys for a bay arms for the assessment of taxes. So, as of right now, that Cornell property is cleaned up to the best of the ability it is and it's done. So, say Mr. Mayor, if I might, uh Sean, just a question on that on the type of garbage it was. Was that any organic in it like discarded food material or anything? Okay. Yep. So, a lot of um empty bottles, but plenty of was pizza boxes with food left. Food general. Um eggs. Um the really really smelly part was um right in front actually next to the they've got a semicarport with a tarp as a wall and right around there it was pretty rough. Um, so yeah, that was a lot of rotten food there. >> Yeah. So, something that would attract environment >> for sure. And and per the the homeowner back in October when I initially talked to her, um, she said that skunks had been showing up and she didn't know why and I educated her on why, which she denied. So, >> okay. >> Yeah. >> Questions. Uh, Sean, did is somebody in there now that house is being heated? >> Unknown. If you want a little bit more of the story, the the windows were even open up until a week and a half ago. Um despite the sub-zero temperatures, the windows were open. Nobody was coming and going. Um I checked on it once to twice a week about a week and a half ago. Um tire tracks, snow uh snow plow was plowed up to the driveway or into the driveway, pardon me. Footprints going up to the house. Somebody plowed. Uh windows were left open. I started sitting on that place a little bit more to see if I could see who. I spoke with all the neighbors to make sure none of them plowed and got rid of some of the garbage. Some of the garbage uh was gotten rid or uh was taken away. Seeing if they just got sick of it and did it themselves, which I could see. Everybody said nope. And apparently whoever did it did it overnight, which tracks with some prior knowledge I have of the people on the residence. um that happened and then leading up to yesterday I checked it every day and sometimes sat on it over my lunch period. Um couple of days back they now have signs posted of no trespassing cameras, private property and the windows are closed. So I don't know when they're coming and going. It's not during the day. I was there from 11 yesterday till 4:30 and nobody came. So, I don't know. But they closed up. I looked inside the windows um yesterday and other than the disheveled furniture and garbage inside, it doesn't appear that anybody's living there, but they put the signs up and somebody took some of the garbage away prior to yesterday. So, >> did they take it out of that trailer? That's >> Yes, the trailer. and a little bit from behind that little lattice work fencing. Most of that was left, but some of it was taken away and the trailer was empty. And I know for a fact the trailer contained the same amount of garbage cuz when I was there back in October, I looked. So, I don't know why or what got in their crowd to suddenly do this in the middle of the night, but >> I remember the trailer being about 3/4 full. >> Yep. >> Yep. It's empty. >> Well, that's nice. You guys didn't have to get in there and haul it out of there. Yeah, having said that, there's a plus and minus, right? They had to chip and and pick all the garbage off the frozen ground, but the smell was abaded. So, >> they didn't use a bobcat or >> n two guys all by shovel and hand and very large dump trailers. I have uh full pictures of what was taken and just essentially proving the fact that no personal property um the cleaning crew was instructed any kind of anything of value or even suspect of value either come get me or leave it. Nothing of value was ever taken. It's all clearly trash. So >> Well, thank you. >> Y >> this this Jenny I have one quick question. Uh going back to um talking about your new and open calls, can I ask how many uh how many of the calls are people questioning their neighbors or other people versus their own questions about their own residents? >> Oh, no. It's every Yeah. Um off the top of my head, >> not exact numbers. I was just curious. >> Yeah. Yep. Top of my head, one or two was asking a question of whether they could or could not do something. And typically that was zoning. Everybody's um that I get a call from is complaining about a neighbor, a business, a something. >> Thank you. >> Yep. Um so that was that was Cornell yesterday. I'm glad that's over and we're, you know, with the invoice to go out soon. Hopefully once I get everybody's bids or pardon me, everybody's uh tally sheets. Hopefully in a month it'll be assessed and be done with it. Uh, and then additional duties and assists. Um, multiple rightaway permits throughout the year. Uh, only one closed. Everybody's opening them. Um, 16 different uh, comm or cup inspections. I worked with Lindsay to rewrite the septic letter. Uh, Jack had me do a holding pond project um, across the city. And then those building projects here in the city, the new zoning office, three bids and the crew, the new deputy office, and then my new office, just ripping everything out. It was in pretty bad shape, putting carpet down and painting and things like that. And that was it. Uh Sean, the cups and that. Did you see any um any line that they're all kind of the same problem with these cups? Are we having a something we should be doing in the planning commission or something or >> All 16 this year um well 14 out of the 16 this year passed perfectly. The two that didn't were brand new and they have to wait uh this was back in December. Um one's waiting on a sign and the other one is landscaping which they have to wait till spring. So everybody I check this year is is just fine. >> So how do you pick whose cup to are they just the new ones? Some new, some old, some like uh there was a mobile mini storage that has never been checked and I wanted to confirm um let's say yeah it's on the be the east side of of lake. make sure that they don't have the conxes over I think it's two conxes tall and they have to have so many fire lanes like that one's been established for many many years nobody's ever checked it um and then you get the new ones like um ARPAW and things like that so it's it's a mix >> or unless I get complaints on them too which I haven't other than complaints in the past for the previous year that's been dealt with like gloves >> any Any other questions, comments? >> Uh, I just make a comment that I know, uh, we had a complaint, I had received a complaint that Jack handed off to you and you followed through on it and thank you. Your work is very diligent and very much appreciated. >> Appreciate that. Thank you. >> Thanks a lot, Sean. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Go on. Item number three, planning commission amended public hearing policy. >> You, Aaron? >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Mayor and members of the council. The consideration to amend policy 2401 was discussed at the January 6th, 2026 city council workshop meeting. In summary, policy 2401 was a policy for planning commission public hearing recommendations was approved by the city council on February 21st of 2024 to ensure ample time for thorough review by the planning commission on public hearing matters prior to their submission to city council. This policy required a two-e wait period before any planning commission consideration on recommendations to the city council. As previously stated, a public hearing is required for most of the zoning and land use decisions by the planning commission, including those involving the recommendation to grant a conditional use permit. As was highlighted during the workshop, there are numerous options for amending this policy, but the most basic would be to allow the planning commission the discretion to require if a second meeting uh is necessary before uh the commission prior to submission. Ultimately, city council reviews and approves or denies all recommendations of the planning commission as they have the final oversight responsibility on those items that require public hearings. Uh staff recommends that the city council consider approving policy 2601, which amends 2401. In your packet is a red line version of 2401 with the red line amendment and the second attachment in your packet is a draft version uh which includes that amended line. Council should consider approving policy 2601. We discussed this previously. Anybody else have any comments or questions on it? >> Yeah, mayor. I just have one question and and see on page 26, the highlighted in red, it adds in there recommend um the waiting period may also be waved upon the recommendation of staff. Um is that necessary to have in there or would that prevent the planning commission from moving forward without a staff recommendation? The planning commission has the authority to table anything. Um if there is a particular um proposal brought in front of the planning commission and maybe staff who are doing the presentation feel like there are some items that planning commission isn't considering or that could take a little bit more time or they need more information on if they ask questions. Staff should take the responsibility to say I think Mr. chair. Uh you should consider tableabling this so that the sta that staff can bring back further information or you should request a motion to table and have staff bring back x y or z environmental uh water volume um neighborhood assessment. uh uh public public comment. Uh maybe they want a summary or maybe they want statistics on how many interim use permits for dog kennels we have across the city or something like that that needs further research. So staff's recommendation can uh assist newer planning commission members or maybe a new planning commission chair or just prompt this concept of hey maybe you should think about this one for a couple weeks. I I think um I understand what the council member is saying. It it could be upon the recommendation of staff, but it could also be on the motion of the planning commission >> and it's the waiver of the second week. >> So you wouldn't always need the recommendation of staff to go down to one meeting. I think that's the clarification. So I think a simple change may be waved uh upon the motion of a on the motion of planning commission or upon the recommendation of staff. >> Correct. It's always nice having Jim here who can articulate things much better sometimes. >> So Bill, tell me what your proposal >> I'm sorry Bill that's twice tonight. So the waiting period may also be waved upon the motion of PL of the planning commission or upon the recommendation of staff and concurrence of the planning commission. So you've got either acting. >> Okay. >> I think that's just a little tweak that would work. >> Correct. Yes. Thank you. And this Jenny confirming from the planning commission meeting in January that the planning commission was in support of this change and modification um to be able to have a little bit of flexibility in determining that as well with uh the guidance of staff. >> Yeah, as I think as we discussed in the work meeting, there are there are items that come in front of the the planning commission that are simple like the city's asking to reszone a parcel so that we can sell it to get its highest and best use. >> There's no reason to hold that over for two more weeks. we should just obviously we're not going to have negative comments about our own actions in terms of uh those kind of uh items. So some of those things are are no-brainers and we should easily move those forward and others might be there might be value in holding over holding over. I think it's good when you you have some of them the staff recommending because sometimes when you're on a planning commission you're not really sure what you're doing, you know what the protocol is and it's it's nice if you interrupt and say you can do this. You know, >> I've also experienced, Mr. Mayor, uh that a staff report has so much information that planning commissioners start to look glossed over like they have no idea what they're even reviewing. um which then can lead to questions after the fact and they're expected to make a recommendation on a motion uh to the council and they have no idea what they're even they've just shut their brain off cuz they can't can't filter it all. So sometimes us in the planning profession start speaking in professional terms that maybe the layman doesn't quite understand and pretty soon it's just lost. So there's some value in that too. >> Right. Well, uh, any other questions on this comments? So, um, how about I'll make the motion. I, Ron Hanigraph, move to approve policy 26-01, amending policy 24-01, planning commission public hearing policy with the corrections made by the uh, our attorney bill. >> Miss Jenny, I second. >> Got a motion on the floor. It's been seconded. Uh, any other comments, questions? Hearing none, we'll take a vote. Jenny >> I, Jenny, I, >> Scott, I, >> and Ron I. On item number four, compensation policy for additional meetings. >> All right. Thank you again, Mr. Mayor. Uh, in I've laid some supplemental material on your in front of you. Uh one is uh state statutes um granting council the authority to fix their own salaries as members. The other item included on that same page is Columbus City Code on council compensation and that you guys also name the compensation. So by state law and by city ordinance, you have the authority to name your compensation for the work you do, including committees, special committees, extra committees, uh special meetings. So having that foundation um at the January 6th, 2026 city council workshop meeting, staff sought direction from council on the use of a policy to ensure clear uh distinct and distinctions between council attendance at meetings that qualify as extra meetings and those that are not. This to the best extent possible will replace the existing practice of leaving that interpretation to the city administrator and the finance director. City Council discussed this proposal and provided direction to staff as to their preference for considering of identifying by name or definition those meetings that qualify for extra compensation. A sample meeting attendance compensation policy was presented and discussed. Staff have formatted the sample policy and recommendations that council members provided. Uh um so staff uh have done that and drafted policy 2602 which is in front of you. It's titled um city council member special committee and extra meeting compensation policy. Um council members should consider approving uh policy 2602. >> Um Mr. Mayor, if I may, I I have one question and then one suggestion if I may. So, um, Aaron, just in the definitions, you know, it looks like regularly scheduled meeting definition is pretty specific and then committee meeting definitions seems pretty vague. Um, is there a reason for that or should they be more in tune with each other? >> Yeah. Uh, thanks for the question, Council Member Wendell. I think uh when you're talking definitions, we have regularly scheduled meetings of the city council, the EDA, uh parks commission, planning commission, personnel committee, public works advisory, uh wersheds, those are standing committees that most likely won't go away. uh when you're talking these ad hoc committees, joint powers agreements, uh cable commission, those have a chance of dissolving and then we add another committee or commission by a different title. Uh and so I don't know if it's advisable to start naming every committee and commission by name. Otherwise, when one dissolves and you got to go back and make sure that you amend your policy to strike that name and add the next name. So the general title of ad hoc committee uh or standing committee should cover those committees or commissions through joint powers agreements, cable commission. They're just not named out specifically I think because of their maybe transient nature sometimes. >> Okay, good. Thank you. That kind of leads into our recommendation then uh when we go down to the approval process which is at the bottom of page two uh page 33 in our packet and then continues on page 34 number two committee meetings approval process it says committee chairs must submit attendance records to the city clerk for processing. Uh I'm going to give you a real life scenario that happened today even. So, the Forest Lake Cable Commission had two emergency meetings in order for Cheryl to take over the banking. Okay. That would mean that the chair, who is a citizen of Forest Lake, is going to have to submit attendance records in order for the uh council member to get paid. And I know Cheryl does her diligence, and I have forgotten to put meetings on my pay sheet where she has made me get paid. I don't care if I get the $40 or not, but Cheryl certainly does. And and I think maybe we need to reconsider that process for the committee meetings. Uh we're right now we're currently putting that on our pay sheets, if you will, for approval and not having a committee chair who may not even be connected to the city at all try and submit those. By the way, that chair is out of town for an extended vacation in uh Florida. So if she even knew about it, she wouldn't be able to do it. So >> a question I have uh to to help guide this potential discussion um Forest Lake Cable Commission, are there minutes to those meetings? >> Yes. >> Okay. So suggested that um um council members at the request of the city clerk should furnish a copy of recorded minutes. So that way if it's on your time sheet and there's no question about it, nothing needs to be done. If it is questioned, Jack or Cheryl could say, "Can you just provide us a copy of the minutes that shows you were in attendance?" >> What would be necessary? But but in the in if there was a question, if if a member of the public came in, did a public data request that said, "Well, Council Member Wendle was paid for three meetings at the Forest Lake Cable Commission in one week. I want to know why." It would help us then to say here's the minutes that shows his attendance at those meetings. That that might simplify this uh without >> so for the accountability rather than taking a council member's word. >> Correct. >> Is providing okay what if the council member doesn't provide the minutes. >> Now I will we could access it but we could also ask you to if if we asked you to provide the copy. You're saying upon request rather than >> then than then being a standing practice. If if Jack and or Cheryl said, "Hey, we just need a record. >> Can you provide us a copy of >> provided on request >> upon request?" >> Jenny, you also have times where the minutes aren't approved until the next meeting and it's quarterly and then all of a sudden we're submitting something at the end of March, but they don't have the minutes until May or June. So, that may be a little bit of a conflict as well. So, I agree with you upon request and potentially reaching out to a committee chair if there is a question um or something like that may be a bit easier than trying to receive minutes that quickly that you may not get if that makes sense. I am also in agreement with that. Um we are always under the gun for processing your payroll. Um we basically have a week at the end of every quarter and I think that that would slow the process down. I think Bill, if we could just rewrite that like if requested or upon request. Um because I know from all of the organizations that we work with, there is no chance of them submitting minutes or reports to me timely. And all that's going to do is delay our payroll, which will delay my payroll tax reporting and just put that burden on me. And I do not want that burden. >> Yeah. And that was my concern. That's going to put it on you to do that, Cheryl. You're right. The other thing, too, is, you know, some of these organizations don't keep very good minutes, if they keep any at all, but certainly everybody has an agenda >> out there. So, agendas don't necessarily >> document who was there, but at least it's something that the meeting actually occurred. I know one of the organizations that I've been meeting with lately um and we've been having some discussions on how to work uh together better. Their minutes are from 2022. >> I will say the cable commission does keep pretty good minutes and agendas. Yeah, >> Mr. Mayor and council members, I just uh conferred uh with Aaron and this is this is what I wrote. Upon request, members will provide meeting minutes or other attendance records to the >> processing. Upon request, you said yeah. >> Yeah. And it could be meeting minutes or it could be just someone has an attendance record. >> Okay. And on our voucher bill, um, when you're signing, the same as with our time sheets, there is language on there saying you are attesting that the time you are reporting is true and accurate. So there is that attestation on the voucher also. >> That's helpful. >> Okay. >> I'm just thinking of covering the city to if there's any public data request on pay sheets. We provide the documentation that you were in attendance by providing a copy of the approved minutes to go along that corresponds with the date and time that that gets rid of any >> Yeah, 100%. Transparency and accountability is important and my I guess my point is uh if we're relying on somebody from another city who's not associated with this city to provide that, we may not get it. So transparency and accountability is not there in those cases. I agree and I think uh the suggestion by council here would um clarify that and >> I'll only go to that uh ana county meeting. >> Yes. >> Or all the cities or whatever. There's no attendance. >> No, just >> it's no attendance. But you we >> they let you know who was signed up at least, right? >> Only if you take the meals. So when I attended I didn't take the meal. So >> right. >> So I signed up for the next one which is tonight and I'm not there. So right >> it's uh then you take this go down to the state capital for something. So but a lot of this is just honesty and usually Jack and everybody knows if you're going to the capital. So on um page three uh of the policy, the local government officials meeting is actually called out as a approved meeting to pay. >> Yeah. >> There's no attendance required for that. It's it's approved. >> Right. And that's why I say the the the the committee meeting specifically because a lot of those commissions are not listed specifically was the integrity piece for me. So, are we rewriting this thing right now? I >> I would if if there are no other suggested amendments. I I would suggest that if if you're comfortable approving it with um bills uh minor change, you could approve it with the minor change and I'll make that that actual happen and then we can sign it, put it into practice. >> I think this is a lot better than what we had before. It was even when Elizabeth was here, it was kind of a guess. you had to go in and ask, is this covered or is it not? >> And we may find that there's a meeting that pops up that we didn't even consider and it may not fit one of these categories and we still have to come back and say, "All right, it is or isn't or um should we consider it? Maybe we need to add it." But I think this blanketly covers a majority of the things that you guys submit reimbursement for. >> Okay. Any other comments, questions? P. >> Uh, well, I'll make a motion. I Ron Hannigraph a move to approve policy 2602, city council member special and extra median compensation policy >> with the >> with the corrections made by Bill. >> This is Scott. I'll second. >> We got a motion on the floor that's been seconded. Any other questions or comments? Hearing none, we'll take a vote. Jenny. >> Jenny I. >> Scott I. and Ron I on item number five ordinance 26-02 personnel committee ordinance. >> Thank you again Mr. Mr. Mayor, members of the council, at the January 6, 2026 council workshop meeting, staff presented inform presented information, excuse me, regarding the uh purpose of the personnel committee and the lack of evidence in city records of a formal action creating a standing personnel committee. As a uh as a reminder, the purpose of a personnel committee is to assist the city council in matters related to personal personnel administration, employment policies, and human resources while preserving the city council's ultimate authority over employment matters. City archives are absent of any records that provide information on the creation and functions of the personnel committee. uh March 10th of 2021, city council minutes show that some authority was assigned to the personnel committee by city council action that is attached in your packet and it was uh referenced in the workshop. Uh the action appears to have been taken to streamline the process for updates to human resources policies and needs and later to address the processes for hiring of a new city administrator. As most of these tasks have been accomplished, staff felt that there is that there may be a need to realign the scope and composition of the personnel committee. Um staff have drafted uh an ordinance uh 26-02 to formalize the personnel committee as a standing committee and the immediate priorities of set committee. Um, I did have a conversation with um, city attorney who is requesting that if council wants to move to approve ordinance tonight that it be done contingent city uh, attorney review and final approval. We haven't forwarded it to the city attorney. I was not aware that that was a practice of the city of Columbus. So, we're learning here as we go. Um it's a pretty simple uh ordinance ad um which just basically memorializes and formalizes the personnel committee as a standing committee. Uh just a a note of history. So uh when the city was incorporated um the judges order the administrative law judges order had findings and and uh conclusions of law and one of the findings and conclusions of law was that all standing committees that existed on the day of incorporation continued. So the personnel committee existed as a function of the town board pretty much as it functioned uh under the city council. there probably some differences. So that's why when you go back and look for records that when did the city establish that it predated the city and the findings of the ALJ would I think it listed all the standing committees at the time. So, that's that's an element of history. And um yeah, one of the things that we've done, you know, for all the time that I've been here is we've reviewed even if it's just in passing every ordinance and and I asked if if um Megan Rogers in particular since she worked with the uh committee over the last couple years if she could have a look at the at the ordinance. Again, this will be done under a retainer. There'll be no additional charge. So, it's not it's not going to result in a cost to the city, but it's just I think good practice. So if you guys think something should be added to it, you'll add it to it then. >> Well, yeah, we would we wouldn't add anything without bringing it back for, you know, further adoption. I mean, you could either you could either uh hold it over and let Megan look at it and and we'll bring it back for final action or you could approve it contingent. It's really the same thing is saying you want to make sure the attorney has eyes on it. >> Okay. So, can we table this or just make a motion to >> Yeah, council. I've drafted two different motions there underneath this one on your agenda. The first one is approve as is. Uh that was prior to my conversation with Bill. The second one is approval uh contingent city attorney review. If there are significant changes, we would bring it back uh for your final u blessing. Um, but if there aren't significant changes, um, and you're comfortable with the city attorney's office making minor recommendations, we could approve it with those contingent >> or we could table it until the review has been done. >> Either way, >> nothing until >> correct. >> The attorney reviews it. >> Go ahead. >> No, you go ahead. >> Well, I just want to get it off the table and get moving instead of bringing it back. >> Yeah. if if there are any changes um not not just significant changes because this the city attorney's office doesn't have authority to approve an ordinance only you do so if there are any changes recommended it would come back um but if it but if Megan looks at it and says it's fine as is then it then it stands >> okay >> this Jenny I can make a motion um uh this Jenny I move to approve uh city ordinance 26-02 an ordinance to formally establish a personnel committee contingent to city attorney review and authorize a summary publication. >> Scott, I'll second. Got a motion on the floor. It's been seconded. Any other discussion? Hearing none, we'll take a vote. Jenny, >> Jenny, I. >> Scott, I >> and Ron Iem number six, February 3rd, 2026 work meeting agenda. >> Thanks again, Mr. Mayor, members of the council. The council workshop meeting uh that was approved is scheduled for Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026 at 5:30. Um staff recommends that city council recommend topics and set the agenda items to be presented or cancel this scheduled workshop meeting in the absence of any topics. Well, I thought this one over. I have topics, but they're long range topics that I don't know if we the staff has the information to carry on a conversation or a discussion that night. Like something like the building, something like the water plant. And I don't know where we're sitting and I don't know if Jack's on or >> that's right now. I can tell you that we don't have anything on the building and we are working through soil borings on the water plant site. So there's really nothing to update at this point for those two items. Go ahead. >> I can also tell you that I'll be running the planning commission the next night and still doing all the other tasks. Uh I won't have much time to prepare any research if there is anything that you want as an agenda item. Uh it'll be very minimal. >> Does anybody else have any topics? This Jenny, I had just two notes um talking about the um large animal ordinance. I know we had to at some point we have to go back and look at that as well as we have one coming up with residential dog kennels. I believe that is going to potentially be discussed at the planning commission. So I didn't know if either of those were potential topics as well. kind of at this point um decided that any ordinance related work is probably worth putting on hold at the planning commission level uh so we can get the required land use items that come in by application done and out the door in time um if and when we hire a replacement position in the planning office uh we can resume ordinance discussions I think that that's most appropriate to um capitalize on staff available time but certainly If council feels that you want to see those ordinances brought faster than that, um staff can make time. It's just a matter of prioritizing other things. So, >> thank you. No, that's that's perfectly fine. I just had them go away. So, >> we haven't forgot about them. It's just >> there's some other priorities that creep up that have deadlines obviously with the land use. So, >> and the Notre Dame project and all that, that'll be discussed as we get going. >> We'll talk about that tonight >> during the engineers staff report. >> So, do you think that would be a discussion for next week for a workshop meeting or we go right into our next council meeting, don't we? No, we got the council meeting on the 11th or something. So, we got a week and a half or >> I guess what I had thought we would walk out of here tonight with was you to either approve or deny um what we were going to do on Notre Dame tonight. That's where I thought we were going. >> That's okay with me. >> If Mr. Mayor, if you want, you can table workshop topics till the end of the meeting and then get the Notre Dame report out of the way and determine if you need to go back and talk about it some more. could then uh revisit this and or then revisit it and cancel. >> Sounds like a great idea. Unless anybody else have any topics they want to >> not pressing. No. >> Okay. Well, >> let's let's table this. We'll come back. >> You want to do that in the formal motion to table it till the end of the meeting or you're okay with informal? I'm I'm good either way. >> What? Uh informal. So, >> okay, that works. We'll go on to item number seven, deputy fire chief hiring recommendation. >> Thanks again, Mr. Mayor. Uh members of the council, during the 2026 budget approval process, the Forest Lake City Council authorized the creation of a deputy fires chief position within the Forest Lake Fire Department to support departmental leadership and operational oversight. Following council approval of the position description, the city conducted an internal recruitment process which resulted in one applicant from a qualified internal candidate uh by the name of Mike Swenson. The Forest Lake Area Joint Fire Board was tasked with and conducted interviews of Mr. Swenson. Mr. Swinson has served in a dual role capacity as a firefighter performing his duties in the Forest Lake Public Works Department during business hours while responding to fire calls as required. He's also served as an onpaid uh as a paid on call firefighter for 18 years during which time he has consistently focused on leadership development, professional education and training advancement within the fire service. His service history includes the following positions within the department. Firefighter, lieutenant, captain, assistant chief, and most recently deputy chief. Following the interview process, the joint powers fire board formally recommended the city of Forest Lake extend a conditional offer of employment to Mr. Swinsson for the newly established deputy fire chief position as a result of the columb as a result of Columbus membership in the joint powers agreement for fire service and fire and rescue services. That's a mouthful and that the request of the city of forest lake city council approval is requested for the hiring of Mike Swinson as the position of deputy fire chief. staff have reviewed the joint powers agreement for fire and rescue services and do not find it a requirement for the city of Columbus to formally approve the hiring of a fire department staff as it already is a delegated authority to the city of Forest Lake under the signed agreement. In this case, at the request of Forest Lake, staff recommends city council approve Forest Lakes's conditional offer of employment to Mike Swinson for the position of deputy fire chief. Fourth Lake held their council meeting on Monday night and approved Mr. Swinson's hire under their consent agenda. For your information, >> I'll just let everybody know me and Rob were at that and uh voted him in. Just a couple little points here. It it wasn't like he was the only person that applied. I mean, they had three that could have applied. Two refused because of money. They It's a part-time This is a full-time position, but it's a part-time fire department, and they're making a lot more money on their private business than doing this being a deputy. Second of all, uh Mike Swenson, he was voted in unanimously. He's also a resident of Columbus. So, I think there's a couple pluses there. So, should we just go through this? Anybody got any questions? you you can formally approve it or as I said in the agreement I have a tab here that says um the fire board shall furnish the city council the city of Forest Lake with its comments regarding the qualifications of any person who becomes a candidate for appointment as a fire chief or other full-time position on the forest lake department which comments shall be considered by the city council of the city of Forest Lake in its appointment of a fire chief or other such full-time personnel that takes the city of Columbus out of hiring full-time staff and puts that you guys signed and gave Forest Lake the authority to hire. So you can approve it if you want. You can let it die. You can do whatever you want to do. >> Ceremonial maybe at the request of the city of Forest Lake. >> I mean the joint powers agreement already takes that, >> right? But I I know we had a discussion about that at that meeting that night. I know that city administrator over there really wanted us to have our say. So >> I don't think there's any harm in it. No. >> Um, but I don't think you want that to become a future practice between the two cities when you already have an agreement on who can do what. >> What's your opinion on this, Bill? >> Um, I haven't spent any time thinking about it, but uh, you know, I think on one hand, if if the agreement already provides that function, then then you're removed from the hiring decision if there's any problem with the decision. On the other hand, the agreement also protects you. So, I think you can go either way. Sorry, this Jenny. So you said that the city of Forest Lake requested basically our blessing in this. Is that what you're saying? Correct. So we could make a motion and give them our blessing as basically a good >> technically as of Monday he's already hired by the city of Forest Lake. So if you guys say no, I don't know how that >> you can change the word. You can >> No, you can make >> No, you may. >> One suggestion, Mr. Mayor, councel, change the word from move to approve to acknowledge. >> Acknowled Okay. >> And then you're not taking the action to approve. >> And I weasel word. >> Yeah. Bill, I just want to confirm that technically this would be going outside the joint powers agreement and there's little to no liability in that should the hiring go south, something happen within it. >> Uh, that's my understanding. I was just going to open the the document to see how it uh it's been a while since I've looked at this. Uh but if if you acknowledge uh you're not approving and so that's keeping you a step removed from the decision. You're just recognizing that Forest Lake hired >> hired somebody. Okay. So semantics matters in this one. >> Maybe. >> Maybe. Okay. >> Go ahead, Johnny. >> All right. This Jenny, I move to acknowledge the city of Forest Lakes conditional offer of employment to Mr. Mike Swinson, a resident of Columbus, for the position of deputy fire chief. >> This is Ron. I'll second it. We got a motion on the floor. It's been seconded. Uh, any other discussion? Hearing none, we'll take a vote. Jenny, >> Jenny, I >> Scott, I Ron I. We'll go to item number D, consultant, liaison, and staff report. City engineer. It's your floor. Brian. >> Good evening, mayor and council. Brian Bachmire, consulting city engineer. Uh last fall we were authorized to get some borings on Notre Dame to determine um the the extent of the pavement failure that was occurring in the southbound lane. And so borings were collected on the roadway and they went down approximately 4T to identify the soil conditions underneath. The results of the boring we got the G geotechnical report back in late December and that was what um was provided to the council in the packet. Uh the borings indicate the soil and gravel base conditions under the existing pavement are fairly uniform and there are no deficiencies that require correction. There's about 3 ft of sand under there and quite honestly 3 ft of sand uh will bridge pretty much any kind of poor soils that you go over. So uh the underlying conditions are adequate. Uh the pavement corings indicate there is stripping in the upper lift or the wear course while the lower lift the base course is solid. Um the severity of the the stripping varied along the roadway and that's really what what's happening there is the buminous material is separating from the aggregate and then you you start getting the uh seal coat is laminating and um there's getting to be some rudding in those areas. There's also uh some longitudinal and transverse cracking uh ranging from low to high severity. So that really talks about the density and proximity of the cracking that's occurring in the uh pavement surface. The uh American engineering testing the recommendation came um was to do a 2 and 1/2 in mill and overlay and include an under seal uh between the existing pavement and the new air course. An under seal is basically a seal coat that you put down and that really tries to control the reflective cracking and um delay that cracking uh from continuing up into the wear course. Uh another consideration that we included uh was the realignment of the roadway as it intersects with uh Kettle River Boulevard. Um that was at a request of um staff. So, we took a look at that and that is included in the estimate. Um, something that uh was discussed earlier today was also uh to consider a um repaving the city hall parking lot as a bid alternate as part of the project. So, it would you would do a base bid on the mill and overlay and the alignment could be an alternate. So, you could choose whether or not to do the alignment based on the bid results and then also uh repaving the parking lot. you could choose to, if you get good bids, to include repaving the parking lot or not include it in the project. Uh, at this point, we've provided an estimate for the Milan overlay. Uh, that was about $600,000 for the Milan overlay when uh for the contractor and the engineering and inspection services and testing. Uh, the realignment was about $80,000 uh in addition to that. So, the total estimate between the two uh was $680,000 on estimate. And again, that does not include the uh paving of the uh city hall parking lot, but that would be a bid alternate that uh could be added to the project. The recommendation is for the council to consider initiating the project so that we can start the design work on it and uh be able to get that project back to the council for approval in March. and bid it in April for construction this summer. >> When you talk about alternate alternates, uh I had talked uh our city administrator once and just to get numbers, right? So, we could put uh the parking lot in the park along Notre Dame as an alternate, too. >> Yes. >> So, we could find out the cost of that plus the cost of this. And we don't have to decide on those two until >> until the bids are collected and you can determine if the bids are reasonable and within the uh budget that you have for the project. >> Any questions? Questions? >> Well, I I I'll just say I think that $80,000 additional on the realignments money well spent for public safety. Um, that is an odd angle there. So, straightening that out certainly I think >> is a good thing to do. >> I think JW that's been a wish for a long time, hasn't it? >> We've talked about that in the past when we um paved that in I'm I'm guessing 2015. Um, that was a discussion back then and they opted not to do that um at that time. But, you know, we've we we've been talking about it for a bunch of years and it it makes sense to do um it's kind of the same or similar thought process as what we're trying to do on camp 3. Um we have those accidents down there. It's just it's an odd angle. This is the exact same situation. So, if if we have the opportunity to take care of it, that's always going to be the staff recommendation. >> So, I talked to you earlier, Brian. Just it isn't a sharp turn when you're coming north south. Well, it' be >> coming >> south. South. Notre Dame actually runs north and south. It's really weird. Right. In this area, but not run south. >> You're coming south. >> The road's to make this turn. It's going to gradually start moving that way. Right. >> Right. >> It's not going to come down and make a turn. There won't be a curve in the road kind. We'll just kind of move over. >> We will uh as part of the design that that you'll approve, we'll come back with it. I try we tried to identify and compare it to another intersection uh to the south. Was that 147th or a similar street that has that intersection? So, it's like a 20 to 25 mile per hour curve as you come off of Notre Dame uh before you hit. So there would be a curve and then it would be a a straight intersection into Kettle River Boulevard. >> So So what do we do with the driveways? There's two houses there. I think that would affect. >> There is one driveway that would on the south side that would have to be lengthened uh to tie into the roadway. We'd have to talk to that property owner. That would be located within the rightway. So there would be no additional rightway that would have to be acquired. There would just be a driveway that would be lengthened within the rightway. I think we had a drawing at one point. I'm looking for it here quick. >> I seen the drawing and it it kind of makes it look like it's a big burnt kind of but actually you're talking like maybe at 165th start dragging it over a little more or >> there would be a curve. There would be a curve into the Middle River Boulevard. So you would be perpendicular to the road >> with the this Jenny with the buses and everything that run in that area. Would that curve be an issue if the curve is shorter? I guess I'm just curious how far inset that curve is going to go to allow for those buses to turn is not going to be a sharp curve is what you're saying >> for buses. School buses. >> Correct. I mean it certainly would be designed for all vehicles that would use the roadway. Correct. >> If I email this to you, Aaron, can you get it? >> Email it to city offices. It's exciting that the borings show that there was no I mean true damage under the road. So that's that's always a positive costwise and otherwise. >> Yes. >> And we save those somewhere, right? For somebody 30 years from now. Yeah. >> All 50 of them. Are we waiting for a photo? >> Yes. >> Okay, it's coming your way. Just while we're waiting, you know, we we are talking about finding uh people to give us estimates for different projects around the building to determine, you know, what what's has value, what we should do, what we shouldn't do. Ultimately, getting a bid to redo the parking lot is just another one of those things that we would have had to eventually do. So, adding it as an alternative bid to this project only just gives us the information we're eventually seeking anyway. Um, and there's value in uh having equipment 60 ft away and material coming to to have them just do the project here if it if it has the same uh >> I see that on a bit. I think Brian, you mentioned it earlier too that what do they call it? Locating equipment to the place. They charge us for mobilization. >> Mobilization. >> They they they throw that in on the bid too. >> Mhm. >> I've seen it. So since it's already going to be across the street laying asphalt, >> right? >> It's where there's some cost savings by them just coming across the street. >> Yeah. So this Jenny, so with that, that's where the curve is. So that was my curiosity with the buses because it's the school the elementary school is right on the road. So is that almost too sharp of a curve? >> Um well the re I chose 159th Avenue curve. That's an existing curve in the community. So I was just matching that. We certainly could make it more gradual uh than that. That's a 90 ft rate center line radius that brings it in to that, but it matches um a similar curve that you already have at 159th. So, >> any other questions, comments? >> And the the red that's the driveway that would be lengthen there. You can see the driveway. >> Mhm. >> Okay. So, just to kind of go off of what you talked about before, the not knowing what we're doing with the building and stuff, we're actively working on I'm going to say coming up with some plans and uh specs for um contractors to bid on. So, I've been working through that type of stuff. So once Jack gets back, um it's planned that we're going to get together and go over those and then we're going to send those out to contractors to get bids to figure out um cost of what it would take to, you know, rebuild this place versus, you know, other other thought processes. So I mean, we're actively working on that. Hopefully, we have all of that stuff together and information before we would have to make a move on doing the alternate to pave out here. So, you know, there's going to be some things coming together um in I'm going to say somewhat of near future in the next couple of months that you know I think I think we'll have a lot more information coming up that we're just not quite there yet if that makes sense. So, it makes sense to me to do an alternate bid. Um, as part of that thought process for the parking lot, we would want to realign our entrance to this parking lot with Notre Dame. So, now you're not going to be cutting across to, you know, cuz now that's an odd angle. There's a lot of people that come down Notre Dame to come in there. We want that stuff to be lined up. So, you know, that would be part of that thought process, too. So, >> well, the road's got to get done. That's regardless. So, uh, no other discussion. I'm going to make a motion. I Ron Hannigraph move to authorize the city engineer to prepare plans and specifications for the not name, mill, and overlay project as re recommended by the city engineer for an April 2026 bidding. Can I include the alternates, too? We get bids on them. >> Yes. Yes. And that's the parking lot in the park and the parking lot in city hall. >> So that would show up as like alternate bid one and alternate bid two whichever. But >> and the the mill and overlay is including the realignment. Is that correct? >> Yeah. >> For that $6 call it $80,000 um engineers estimate at this point. Yes. >> M Jenny second. >> So we got a motion on the floor. It's been seconded. Any other comments, questions? Hearing none, we'll take a vote. Jenny, >> Jenny, I. >> Scott, I >> and Ron I got next here. City attorney's report. Bill, >> no report. >> Great. Three. The mayor and city council report. Jenny, do you have anything to say? >> No report. >> Scott, >> uh, yeah. Fortunately, cable commission had two emergency meetings this last week in order to get uh Cheryl in a position where she could do the banking and the financing for the cable commission. Uh several motions were carried and voted on so that as of today just before uh our council meeting that was approved and now Cheryl has access to all the banking for the cable commission. Want to thank Cheryl for all her work on helping get that done and uh Jeff Drain from the city of Forest Lake also for being a an important part of that. >> Thank you. Well, what do I have to report? I think we're going to go down the list here. So, we got the EDA report. Did you want to do that, Jenny, or want me to do it? We got so I'll put combine that with the mayor's report here. Anyway, that'd be item number four, uh, EDA. Um, we elected officers at our last meeting. Uh, we established a tourism board as a subcommittee for the EDA. This is noted in resolution number 26 01. We also talked about Columbus is scheduled for April 23rd, 2026 at running aces 400 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. And we call for a special meeting for February 19th, 2026 with some primary goal to work with the primary goal to work on tourism board and to finish up some work on the Columbus for April 23rd. So, that one's done. Uh we'll go down to the park board. Uh we park board will be meeting on February 10th. The uh discussions will probably be on the dugouts and future projects for the year. And personnel committee report number six. Uh the committee has not met this year but the first topic of to address I think will be the compensation study done by DDA human resources incorporated. This is an item we left on the table in 2026 and it needs to be discussed. That's our primary goal there. And next item number seven is the planning commission report. And if I'm right, the planning commission, >> there's no report. They didn't meet. >> They had no meeting. Now we're back over at the JW and the public works report. >> No report, Mr. Mayor. >> Great. And then we have the city administrators report. Should we put his assistant in? >> I just left it as is as a template so we can uh uh Jack will be back and he'll just assume that next time and there's no harm done. Um uh Mr. Mayor, you and and I uh as well as the city administrator received a memo from uh Jim Dickinson, the county administrator, advising that Steve Wagaman, our um citizen representative to the Rice Creek uh watershed district board of managers, has resigned. Uh and there is an open application process for a Columbus resident uh to uh be appointed to the uh watershed board uh as the citizen representative as um board of manager. And uh I do believe in the appointment process or the application process the um watershed district does like a letter of support from the local uh council. Uh so um the application process is still open until February 3rd. I did put that uh under the latest announcements on the city's website. There is a link there that applicants or people who are interested can click on to get to the county's application and it was posted via public hearing notice by the county. >> You know, I read over that letter. So, we're going to go back to whatever one we had on the workshop meeting on the 3. We don't know who's all applying. >> Yeah. Well, >> how can we recommend >> the applications go to the county and I'm assuming if they have multiple applicants from the same jurisdiction, they kick those back uh for comment andor recommendation. I don't know how they if they do an interview process to fill the role. >> I I understand they do. Okay. >> But that's if they get multiple applicants, but they don't have to be residents of Columbus. Anybody in Ramsey County, I think it's Ramsey, Anoka, and part of Washington could apply as long as they're in the district. I think I I don't know. I I was just talking to somebody about it the other day and I I could be wrong on it, but I'm just looking at we want I know I these have come wish Rob was here cuz he would remember or maybe Bill remembers, but I remember we used to nominate or look around for anybody who wanted to be on this board. >> Mr. Mayor and Council, my recollection is that um there were members of the committee interested in the board. um they would solicit support of the council members after they've gone through the process of applying. Uh sometimes there would be only one, others times there would be two or three and then the council would be in the position of recommending an appointment. >> Okay. So, we'd probably hear from Rice Creek then. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Or or the county, I believe. I think it'll come from the uh county administrator's office as a as an authority of the board of commissioners. >> So, if you know of anybody that has an interest, point them to um the application process. Uh let's go back to item number six, the February 3rd, 2026 work meeting agenda. Uh what's your opinions everybody? I don't we don't have a lot. It seems. Should we cancel it? >> I Yeah, Mr. Mayor. This is Scott. I I'm thinking why not save the citizens like a little bit of money? We don't have a long agenda for it >> and we have Aaron wearing multiple hats these, you know, last week and this week. So, I I agree and concur with that. >> Okay. Well, then we have to post that, right? Correct. That we >> Yes. Uh, so there's a there's a there's two motions on on your um um agenda. Uh the second one is to make a motion to cancel the meeting. Then we will take care of the posting uh within the office here to to do what's legally required to cancel uh and post notice. >> Yeah, I I can make that motion if you like. So this is Scott. I move to cancel the February 3rd, 2026 city council workshop due to lack of agenda items. >> Jenny, I second. >> A motion on the floor. It's been seconded. Hearing any other discussion hearing? None. Call for vote. Jenny I, >> Scott, I, and Ron I. Go down to announcements. Uh, oh, that's been cancelled. The first one, scratch the first one. >> Y uh planning commission meeting February 4th, 2026 at 6 p.m. Parks board meeting February 10th, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. City Council regular meeting February 11th, 2026 at 6 p.m. President's Day holiday City offices closed on February 16, 2026 and a special EDA meeting February 19th, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. I make a motion that we adjourn this meeting. Do I have a second? >> Does Jenny second? >> Any discussion? Hearing none, we'll take a vote. Jenny, >> Jenny, I and Ron I. Meeting is closed at 7. Can't even see up there. 7:10.