AND WELCOME. >> I WILL CALL OUR BLOOMINGTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER THIS EVENING. IT IS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH, 2025. THANKS EVERYBODY FOR JOINING US HERE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND EVERYONE WHO IS WATCHING ONLINE. WE WILL START OUR MEETING AS WE ALWAYS DO IF YOU'RE ABLE PLEASE STAND REMOVE ANY COVERING AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, YORK AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL . ONCE AGAIN, THANKS TO ALL FOR BEING HERE. THANKS COUNSEL. GOOD TO SEE YOU. SPECIAL THANKS TO COUNCIL MEMBER RIVAS FOR PINCH HITTING FOR ME LAST MONDAY NIGHT. WELL DONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AND COUNCIL. WE'VE GOT A PRETTY ABBREVIATED AGENDA TONIGHT SO LET'S TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT IF WE COULD . UNDER ITEM TWO OUR INTRODUCTORY ITEMS WE'VE GOT ITEM 2.1 WHICH IS THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE CREATIVE PLACEMAKING MINNESOTA AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION AWARD. LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT. WE HAVE SEVEN ITEMS THAT I CAN SEND BUSINESS COUNCIL MEMBER LOWMAN HAS CONSENT TONIGHT WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC HEARING OFFICIAL PUBLIC HEARING ITEM 4.1 IS A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE VETERANS MEMORIAL LOCATION UPDATE AND THEN ITEM FIVE UNDER OUR ORGANIZATIONAL BUSINESS WE'VE GOT ITEM 5.1 AND IT'S NOT AN OFFICIAL PUBLIC HEARING WHAT IT IS IT'S A PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY REGARDING THE 2026 PROPERTY TAX LEVY AND GENERAL FUND BUDGET DISCUSSION. WE WILL THEN WRAP UP WITH OUR COUNCIL POLICY AND ISSUE UPDATE AND AS I SAID ADJOURN HOPEFULLY TO A REASONABLE HOUR THIS EVENING. COUNCIL ANY THING ELSE TO ADD OR ANY CORRECTIONS TO OUR AGENDA? IF NOT I WOULD MOVE THE AGENDA AS STATED SECOND MOTION IN A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER TO ACCEPT TONIGHT'S AGENDA AS STATED NO FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THIS ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I I OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO ONTO THE AGENDA ITEM 2.1 THIS IS THE AWARD FOR THE CREATIVE PLACEMAKING MINNESOTA AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION AWARD ENTREPRENEUR AND GO AND PELINKA EXCUSE ME I BELIEVE MIKE PALERMO PAUL COTE FROM OUR CREATIVE PLACEMAKING COMMISSION ARE ALL GOING TO BE HERE THIS EVENING. GOOD EVENING. HELLO MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TONIGHT. ALEJANDRO PELINKA DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE PLACEMAKING AND I'LL PASS IT ALONG TO MIKE PALERMO FOR THE FIRST SLIDE. SURE. SO AM I CLEAR? NO. OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW ME FROM MY ROLE AT THE HRA BUT I HAVE A DIFFERENT HAT ON TODAY. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION MINNESOTA CHAPTER. SO WE'RE HERE TODAY TO JUST GIVE AN AWARD THAT THE CREATIVE PLACEMAKING DIVISION HAS WON FROM APA MINNESOTA. IT'S THE ADVANCING DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL CHANGE AWARD TO READ THAT TITLE BUT THIS AWARD IS GIVEN TO IS HANDED OUT. IT WAS A COMPETITIVE AWARD PROCESS THAT WE HAVE. WE DO A CALL FOR NOMINATIONS ANNUALLY AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY OUR WISCONSIN CHAPTER REVIEW OUR NOMINATIONS TO KIND OF AVOID ANY BIAS SO THAT WAY WE HAVE THIS UNBIASED REVIEW AND WE WERE SELECTED OR PLACEMAKING WAS SELECTED FOR THIS AWARD FOR THEIR WORK FOR THEIR CREATIVE PLACEMAKING PLAN AND ADVANCING ADVANCED ENGAGEMENT THAT THEY DID TO REACH COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T NORMALLY GET CONNECTED WITH ESPECIALLY WITH ITS WORK WITH CREATIVE PLACEMAKING. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH MIKE. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN EVERYONE FOR RECOGNIZING THIS AWARD. IT REALLY REFLECTS THE HEART OF OUR CREATIVE PLACEMAKING PLAN LIFTING UP DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES STRENGTHENING BELONGING AND USING ART AND CULTURE TO CONNECT OUR COMMUNITY. IT AFFIRMS OUR SHARED VISION FOR A MORE VIBRANT AND INCLUSIVE BLOOMINGTON AND IT DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THE COUNCIL'S BLOOMINGTON TOGETHER TOMORROW'S TOMORROW TOGETHER STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITY OF BUILDING A CONNECTED WELCOMING COMMUNITY THANK YOU TO OUR CONSULTANTS FORECAST PUBLIC ART AND THEIR EXECUTIVE DRESS DIRECTOR THERESA SWEETLAND AND TO THE HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS ARTISTS, CULTURE BEARERS PARTNERS ORGANIZATIONS, STAFF AND COMMISSIONERS WHOSE CREATIVITY AND INSIGHT HAVE HELPED SHAPE BLOOMINGTON'S CREATIVE PLACEMAKING WORK SINCE 2016 IN THE SOUTH LOOP AND HAVE NOW GUIDED THIS CITYWIDE CREATIVE PLACEMAKING PLAN. THIS AWARD IS TRULY A REFLECTION OF YOUR COLLECTIVE VISION AND DEEP COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE CREATIVE PLACEMAKING SPECIALIST CATHERINE MURRAY WHO'S HERE TONIGHT AND OUR OTHER CREATIVE PLACEMAKING COMMISSIONERS ALSO HERE TONIGHT BEHIND US. THEY'VE BEEN A VERY ENGAGED TO WONDERFUL COMMISSION TO WORK WITH AND I THANK THEM ALL FOR THEIR WORK. AND NOW I'LL JUST PASS THIS ON TO COMMISSIONER COTE FOR SOME FINAL REMARKS. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER COLE, WELCOME. WELCOME TO YOU TOO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. THE PURPOSE OF CREATIVE PLACEMAKING IS TO REFLECT THE STORY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND TO ENHANCE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS WITH ART AND CULTURE AND INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. AND A CLEAR MESSAGE IS MADE THAT WE CARE ABOUT AND ARE LOOKING OUT FOR THIS PLACE THROUGH THESE EFFORTS. THESE EFFORTS HAVE FAR REACHING IMPACTS THAT ENHANCE WELLNESS AND CONNECTION FOR RESIDENTS. WELCOME VISITORS, NEW RESIDENTS AND INVESTORS INCREASE FOOT TRAFFIC FOR BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS AND PREVENT CRIME ALI CATHERINE AND OUR ARTISTS AND COLLABORATORS DO THIS THROUGH LITERARY AND VISUAL INSTALLATIONS PERFORMANCE EVENTS, CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS AND IN THE SLIDE THAT'S CURRENTLY UP RIGHT NOW I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE RECENT PROJECT THIS IS HUNTER THE HEALING BRIDGE MURAL AND NATIVE PLANT GARDEN AT THE CEDAR AVENUE BRIDGE THAT IS JUST ONE OF FOUR MURALS. IT'S FOUR SIDED ALL AROUND THE WHOLE BUILDING. IT'S CREATED BY LOCAL ARTIST SANDY SPILLER AND DAKOTA CULTURAL EDUCATOR TARA PERRON, WHOSE ANCESTRAL GRANDMOTHER WAS BORN AT THE DOTY AND WHO SERVED THIS PLACE BY CULTIVATING MEDICINES AND RUNNING A FERRY ACROSS THE MINNESOTA RIVER 175 YEARS AGO. I MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE HER STORY AND HER CONTRIBUTION AND CONNECTION TO THIS PLACE AND THE PEOPLE SHE SERVED IS REPRESENTED DIRECTLY IN THAT MURAL. SEE IF YOU CAN PICK HER OUT. AND I ALSO REALLY INTERPRET THIS PIECE THIS PARTICULAR EXPRESSION OF ART AND OF COMMUNITY AND OF CONNECTION TO PLACE AS OUR OWN STEWARDSHIP OF THIS PLACE IF WE CHOOSE TO WE COULD SEE A PIECE OF HER AND HER SPIRIT IN US AS WELL BECAUSE WE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK, SERVE VOLUNTEER HERE IN IN THIS PLACE I INVITE OUR RESIDENTS TO EXPLORE HUNTER THE PLACE OF REFLECTION AND ALL OF THE CITY'S CREATIVE PLACEMAKING CULTURAL INVESTMENTS AND THE VOLUNTEERS SERVING ON THIS COMMISSION INCLUDING THOSE WITH ME RIGHT NOW THANK YOU AND ALI AND CATHERINE AND THANK YOU AS WELL FOR THE AWARD AND FOR SUPPORTING THESE FAR REACHING EFFORTS. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND CONGRATULATE US. FABULOUS AND MY CONGRATULATIONS. I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE PRESIDENT OF THE MINNESOTA EPA, WELL KNOWN WE I'VE SAID MANY A TIME A GREAT CITY HAS GREAT ART AND WE HAVE THAT HERE IN BLOOMINGTON AND IT'S WE'VE SEEN THE VALUE OF IT BOTH FINANCIALLY. WE'VE SEEN IT CULTURALLY, WE'VE SEEN IT SPIRITUALLY. WE'VE SEEN IT IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS AND GREATLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO TO MAKE IT HAPPEN THOUGHTFULLY AND CAREFULLY. AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE AN AWARD RECOGNIZING THE OUTSTANDING EFFORTS THAT YOU PUT FORWARD. SO WELL DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. OKAY, SO WE'RE DOING OVER HERE . THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. >> CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT AS I SAID HAS SEVEN ITEMS. COUNCIL MEMBER LOWMAN HAS OUR CONSENT BUSINESS COUNCIL MEMBER LOWMAN I'LL DO ONE LAST CALL FOR HOLDS IF YOU ONLY HOLD WE HAVE IT'S 33.76 ALL THE MERRILL GO AHEAD MOVE 3.1 THROUGH 3.6. SECOND MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER LOWMAN SECOND MY COUNCILMEMBER TO ACCEPT COUNCIL CONSENT BUSINESS ITEM 3.133.6 NO FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THIS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO AMENDMENT AND 3.7. THANK YOU MAYOR. THIS WAS HELD OVER FROM OUR LAST MEETING TO GET FINAL RESOLUTION. WE HAD A SPLIT VOTE ON THAT AROUND THE COUNCIL CONTINUE THE MEETINGS IN THE LISTENING SESSION PROCEDURE RESOLUTION AND SO I'M NOT SURE IF IF STAFF WANTS TO BRING THAT UP AND SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT IN DETAIL OR OR IF WE'RE READY TO GO. >> GO AHEAD. OH GEEZ. BE GLAD TO MAYOR MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AS COUNCILMEMBER LOWMAN SAID LAST WEEK WE HAD AN ITEM BEFORE YOU AMENDING THE COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE TO THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THAT WAS A CONTEMPLATION OF ELIMINATING THE CALL IN OPTION FOR LISTENING SESSION. OF COURSE AS YOU'LL RECALL THROUGH THE COURSE OF OUR CONVERSATION SESSION IT WAS REALIZED THAT AND AS WE'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH OVER THE PAST WEEK INADVERTENTLY THIS PAST SUMMER THOSE MEETINGS STARTED TO BECOME RECORDED. THAT WAS NOT A ACTION THAT THE COUNCIL HAD DIRECTED OR TAKEN. IT WAS JUST A INADVERTENT PROCESS THAT WAS WAS STARTED BUT DOES NOT CONFORM WITH THE COUNCIL'S CURRENT RULES. SO AFTER OUR DISCUSSION LAST WEEK I WOULD LIKE JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME TO FEEL THE COUNCIL OUT ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD LIKE THAT LISTENING SESSION TO FUNCTION WHAT YOU THINK IS IN THE BEST INTEREST FOR YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC THAT IS COMING TO ADDRESS YOU BUT REALLY JUST TO FRAME IT, THE TWO ISSUES WE WOULD NEED TO DECIDE ARE ARE WE GOING TO RETAIN THAT CALL IN OPTION OR NOT FOR PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO APPEAR OFF CAMPUS BUT CALL IN AND THEN DO WE WANT TO INSTITUTIONALIZE THE PRACTICE OF HAVING THOSE MEETINGS LIVE STREAMED AND OR RECORDED BY VIDEO? BUT OUR SUGGESTION MAYOR WOULD BE TO HAVE THIS CONTINUE TO DECEMBER CLEAR COUNCIL MEMBER YEAH I THINK IN THE IN ITEM 3.7 THE RESOLUTION OR THE THE THE CONSENT BUSINESS ITEM IT DOES TALK ABOUT JUST MOVING THIS TO A DECEMBER 2025 MEETING WHERE WE'LL HAVE IT'LL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE VAGUE AND WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT IT AT LENGTH THEN SO IT'S GOOD. I'M HAPPY TO GO AHEAD MOVE IT AS A FURTHER DISCUSSION I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER LOWMAN ARE MOVED TO CONTINUE CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE LISTENING SESSION GUIDELINES IN COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE TO A DECEMBER 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER LOWMAN SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER TO ACCEPT ACCEPT ITEM 3.7 AND TONIGHT'S CONSENT BUSINESS NO FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THIS ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I OPPOSED THE MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER LOWMAN GREATLY APPRECIATE IT MOVING ALONG TO ITEM FOR ON THE AGENDA ARE HEARINGS RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC HEARING THIS EVENING. ITEM 4.1 IS A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING OUR VETERANS MEMORIAL LOCATION UPDATE OUR MAINTENANCE SUPERINTENDENT TIM BERNDT IS WITH US THIS EVENING. GOOD EVENING. WELCOME. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS TONIGHT BEFORE YOU WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER FIVE THE MEMORIAL FOR VETERANS WITH THIS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT IS ITS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO UPDATE CHAPTER FIVE OF THE CITY CODE TO UPDATE THE LOCATION OF THE MEMORIAL FOR THE VETERANS. KIND OF BACKGROUND ON THIS I THINK EVERYONE IS KIND OF AWARE OF WHAT THIS WAS WAS THE MEMORIAL FOR VETERANS WAS GOING TO BE PROPOSED TO BE BUILT ON THE CIVIC PLAZA PLAZA . UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD SOME SAY CONSTRAINTS AND SOME OTHER ISSUES WHERE IT WASN'T FEASIBLE TO BUILD IT ON THE PROPERTY HERE. SO WITH THE HELP OF CITY STAFF AND THE BLOOMINGTON REMEMBER VETERANS GROUPS APPROVAL WE CHOSE HARRISON PARK FOR THE NEW SITE LOCATION SO THIS NEW SITE DOES NOT INTERFERE OR HAVE ANY CHANGE IN THEIR VISIONS OR GOALS. THE MEMORIAL ACTUALLY I THINK IT ENHANCES THE VISION OF WHAT THE GROUP HAD THOUGHT FOR THIS MEMORIAL. SO BASICALLY THIS IS JUST KIND OF A CLEAN UP AMENDMENT CLERICAL TO CHANGE THE LOCATION FROM CIVIC PLAZA TO HARRISON PARK. THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCIL ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS ON THE PRESENTATION . >> ALL RIGHT. IF NOT WE WILL MOVE INTO A PUBLIC HEARING. THANK YOU. DON'T GO FAR. I'M SURE THERE'LL BE QUESTIONS TO ANSWER. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THE WAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO RUN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND OUR PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY AND OUR NEXT ITEM AS WELL IS THAT SPEAKERS IF YOU WANT TO COME UP ONE BY ONE YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO WE NEED YOU TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND AFTER YOU'RE DONE SPEAKING YOU CAN PROBABLY SIGN IN AND TAKE THE PAGE AND SIGN IN. WE WE WILL YOU GET FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK BY THE SHOT CLOCK ON THE WALL YOU'LL KNOW HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE LEFT IF YOU ASK QUESTIONS OR LOOKING FOR CLARIFICATION ON SOMETHING. WHAT WILL GENERALLY DO IS WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE PUBLIC HEARING TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS JUST SO WE'RE WE'RE NOT SHOOTING FROM THE HIP AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH ANSWERS ARE OFF THE CUFF AND IT'S JUST AN EASIER WAY OF DOING IT AND I THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING. SO I WILL OPEN ITEM 4.1 NOW THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE VETERANS MEMORIAL LOCATION UPDATE IS THERE ANYONE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS WHO WISHES TO SPEAK ON ITEM 4.1 ? >> GOOD EVENING MISS BLESSING. >> HELLO. THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS I AM KATE BLESSING FROM THE BLOOMINGTON REMEMBERS VETERANS GROUP PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZATION CURRENTLY AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT. TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE NEW LOCATION I THINK HAS A LOT OF REALLY WONDERFUL BENEFITS AS TIM SAID, I THINK IT ACTUALLY ENHANCES THE PROJECT AND SO IN FACT A COUPLE OF ANECDOTAL THINGS WE'VE HEARD FROM SEVERAL NEIGHBORS THAT ARE RIGHT BY HARRISON PARK THAT HAVE REPORTED THAT THEY REALLY THINK THAT THIS WILL BE A NICE PLACE FOR IT. THEY'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE IT DOWN THE ROAD RIGHT FROM THEIR HOME. ADDITIONALLY, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL VETERANS, A LOT OF CONNECTION THROUGH THE FARMERS FARMER'S MARKETS AND A LOT OF VETERANS HAVE REPORTED THAT THEY REALLY FEEL THAT THIS WILL BE A NICER PLACE TO BE MORE QUIET WHERE SERENE BETTER FOR GATHERING ALL OF THOSE THINGS. SO I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT THAT IS WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY. >> SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. ABSOLUTELY. ANYONE ELSE LOOKING TO SPEAK TONIGHT, PRIYANKA DO WE HAVE ANYONE ONLINE OR ON THE PHONE ? MAYOR WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE ON LINE LAST CALL FOR ANYBODY IN THE CHAMBERS TO SPEAK COUNCIL NO ONE ON THE PHONE. >> NO ONE IN THE CHAMBER IS COMING FORWARD. I WOULD LOOK FOR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 4.1 THIS EVENING SO MOVED SECOND MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER DALLESSANDRO TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 4.1 NO FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO COUNCIL DISCUSSION COMMENTS THOUGHTS ON THIS COUNCIL MARRIED ALEXANDRO THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. JUST WANTED TO THANK THE FOLKS FROM BLOOMINGTON REMEMBERS VETERANS FOR BEING HERE AND WORKING THROUGH THIS WITH US. DO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN WE WILL BEGIN CONSTRUCTION AS A RESULT OF GETTING THIS? IS THIS THE LAST STEP IN THE PROCESS OF OF PLANNING FOR THAT? >> MR. BARRETT GOOD EVENING MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBER ALESSANDRA SO THIS WILL GO TO BID AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR AND WE'RE PLANNING ON CONSTRUCTION STARTING IN THE SPRING OF 26 WITH IT BEING FINISHED AROUND OCTOBER OF 26 IN TIME FOR VETERANS DAY IN NOVEMBER. WONDERFUL ONE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS STILL A PLAN BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE. GREAT. IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS I'D BE HAPPY TO MAKE THE MOTION. >> BUT ONE MORE CALL FOR THE COUNCIL. >> ANYTHING. COUNCILMEMBER DALLESSANDRO THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I MOVE TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER FIVE OF THE CITY CODE RELATED TO A MEMORIAL FOR VETERANS SECOND MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER DALLESSANDRO, SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER MOUA TO ADOPT THE INTO AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER FIVE AND ARTICLE SEVEN OF THE CITY CODE RELATED TO THE MEMORIAL FOR VETERANS. NO FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THIS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S A WE'RE GETTING THERE EVENTUALLY, RIGHT I'M I'M EXCITED TOO. I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS LOCATION. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE OUTSTANDING WITH THE WITH THE DESIGN OF THE MEMORIAL AND JUST LIKE HOW THIS IS HAS COME TOGETHER AND SO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE PUT INTO THIS FOR A LOT OF YEARS NOW FOR A LOT OF YEARS NOW AND WE WILL GET THIS OPEN BY NEXT NOVEMBER. WE WILL GET THIS DONE. CAN'T WAIT FOR IT. THANK YOU. ITEM FIVE ON OUR AGENDA IS ORGANIZATIONAL BUSINESS AND ITEM 5.1 IS A PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR 2026 PROPERTY TAX LEVY AND GENERAL FUND BUDGET DISCUSSION. COREY CARLSON IS GOING TO START US OFF WITH A PRESENTATION AND THEN WE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY. GOOD EVENING, MRS. CARLSON. >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL . >> SO THE FIRST SLIDE THAT I HAVE HERE IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE 2026 TAX LEVY AND HOW IT'S MOVED THROUGH THE PROCESS THIS YEAR. SO AS YOU KNOW WE STARTED WITH A CONCEPTUAL LEVY INCREASE OF 17.92% SO THAT IS WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT AT THE END OF LAST YEAR AROUND THIS TIME JUST WITH EVERYTHING THAT WAS COMING IN. AND SO AFTER WORKING THROUGH DEPARTMENT REQUESTS AND CHANGES TO THE DEBT SCHEDULE, WE DID BRING THAT DOWN TO A 9.44% INCREASE FOR THE PRELIMINARY TAX LEVY. AND THEN SINCE THEN AS I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH HERE, WE'VE CONTINUED TO REFINE THE BUDGET AND I IDENTIFIED SOME ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS AND ARE PROPOSING A FINAL LEVY FOR 2026 OF A 7.48% INCREASE. >> SO FOR THIS EVENING'S PRESENTATION I'LL SHARE A QUICK REVIEW OF THE 2026 BUDGET PROCESS CALENDAR A SUMMARY OF PUBLIC FEEDBACK THE PRELIMINARY LEVY THAT COUNCIL ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER THE REDUCTIONS THAT HAVE BROUGHT US FROM A 9.44% INCREASE DOWN TO THE PROPOSED 7.48% IN THE UPDATED LEVY AND GENERAL FUND BUDGET REQUESTS FOR 2026. AND THEN AFTER MY PRESENTATION AS YOU SAID, AMIR WILL OPEN THE FLOOR TO PUBLIC COMMENT WHERE EACH PERSON WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND THEN WE WILL BE LOOKING TO THE COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION AND GUIDANCE ON THE FINAL LEVY THAT YOU WILL BE SETTING ON DECEMBER 15TH. >> SO JUST TO DO AN OVERVIEW OF OUR BUDGET PROCESS FOR 26 AND HOW WE ARE NOW AND TONIGHT'S OUR BUDGET DISCUSSION WE BEGAN IN APRIL AND SO APRIL THROUGH JULY THAT WAS WORKING WITH OUR NEW PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING SOFTWARE ALSO REFINING THE CONCEPTUAL BUDGET REQUEST FROM LAST YEAR AND MEETING WITH DEPARTMENTS AND THEN ON AUGUST 18TH THE COUNCIL HELD A STUDY SESSION ON THE CONCEPTUAL LEVY AND BUDGET WHICH ALSO DID INCLUDE A AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. THEN ON SEPTEMBER 8TH THE COUNCIL SENT THAT PRELIMINARY LEVY AT 9.44% INCREASE AND THEN LATER IN SEPTEMBER WE HAD AN UPDATE ON PARTY BASED BUDGETING AND THEN THROUGHOUT OCTOBER WE HELD A SERIES OF DEPARTMENT BUDGET PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS. THEN LAST WEEK NOVEMBER 17TH WAS THE UTILITY RATE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE UTILITY FUND BUDGETS FOR SENATE AND APPROVED. WHICH BRINGS US TONIGHT. AND THEN ON DECEMBER 8TH WILL BE THE OFFICIAL PUBLIC HEARING THE TRUTH AND TAXATION PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN ON DECEMBER 15TH THE COUNCIL WILL SET THE FINAL TAX LEVY AND BUDGET. >> SO JUST FIRST GOING THROUGH SOME OF THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK ABOU WHAT WE'VE HEARD. SO START OFF WITH THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY SURVEY. SO THAT'S THE STANDARDIZED STATISTICALLY VALID SURVEY THAT CAPTURES RESIDENTS OPINIONS ABOUT BLOOMINGTON LIVABILITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE. AND WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY SINCE EVERY YEAR SINCE 2012 AND SO RESIDENTS HAVE CONTINUED TO RATE BLOOMINGTON HIGHLY ON OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OPEN SPACES AND RECYCLING PROGRAMS . WE DID ALSO SEE NOTABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SCORES FOR POLICE SERVICES, CRIME PREVENTION AND ANIMAL CONTROL . PREVENTIVE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES REBOUNDED AND ARE NOW ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR OUR SURVEY RESULTS AND RESIDENTS ALSO REPORTED A STRONGER SENSE OF BELONGING, INCLUSIVITY AND VOLUNTEERISM. SO OVERALL CITY SERVICES RECEIVED VERY STRONG RATINGS IN FIRE AT 96% POLICE 89% WATER 92% AND SNOW REMOVAL AT 85%. AND THEN ALSO NOTE THE BLOOMINGTON BRIEFING AND THE CITY WEBSITE REMAIN THE TOP COMMUNICATION SOURCES FOR FOR RESIDENTS. >> WE ALSO AS WE'VE HAD IN PAST YEARS WE HAVE A LET'S TALK BLOOMINGTON BUDGET PAGE SO HERE'S A SUMMARY OF THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED ON THAT PAGE. THIS IS AS OF LAST TUESDAY WHEN WE WERE PREPARING THESE SLIDES FOR TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION SO THE FULL REPORT IS INCLUDED IN THE COUNCIL PACKET WITH ALL THE DETAILED COMMENTS AND THEN SINCE PUBLISHING THERE'S BEEN SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AND ABOUT FIVE MORE COMMENTS HAVE COME IN SO FAR AND IT'S STILL OPEN FOR COMMENTS. SO AROUND 16 TOTAL BUT WE WILL INCLUDE ANYTHING NEW THAT COMES IN FOR THE DECEMBER 8TH PRESENTATION IN THE AGENDA PACKET. THE TOP THEMES IF YOU GO OVER KIND OF OVERALL SENTIMENT SO FAR IS OVERALL THE COMMENTS HIGHLIGHT LIKE ABOUT HALF HAVE AN INTEREST A NEW INITIATIVES AND AND ALSO THE OTHER HALF ARE MORE OF A CONCERN ABOUT AFFORDABILITY AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS AND HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SPECIFIC SPENDING PRIORITIES OF THE CITY AND I KNOW MOST OF THE BUDGET RELATED EMAILS AND CALLS GO TO YOU THEY GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. BUT WHAT I HAVE HERE IS JUST A RECAP OF WHAT WE'VE RECEIVED IN FINANCE TO GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION AS WELL AND THE MAIN CONCERNS WE'VE HEARD WE'VE AND WE'VE ONLY WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED A TON WE'VE HAD ABOUT TEN OR SO BUT THOSE CONCERNS ARE FROM RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ABOUT JUST RISING COSTS AND OVERALL AFFORDABILITY AND RESIDENTS HAVING QUESTIONS ABOUT SPENDING PRIORITIES. THEY'RE RAISING WORRIES ABOUT BUSINESSES CLOSURES AND EMPTY BUILDINGS. WE'VE ALSO HEARD WE'VE HEARD OPPOSITION WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT REDUCING SIDEWALK SNOWPLOWING THERE WAS EMAIL WE GOT IN FINANCE ABOUT A CONCERN FOR THAT AND THINKING THAT WASN'T A LOT OF BUDGET SAVINGS . BUT OVERALL I WOULD SAY THE THEME IS JUST ON FINANCIAL RESTRAIN AND A DESIRE FOR THOUGHTFUL STRATEGIC BUDGET DECISIONS . >> WE ALSO AS WE'VE BEEN DOING RECENTLY WE BROUGHT THE BUDGET INFORMATION TABLE TO FIVE MAJOR COMMUNITY EVENTS THIS YEAR. SO IN MAY WE WERE AT THE PUBLIC WORKS OPEN HOUSE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OPEN HOUSE. IN JUNE WE PARTICIPATED IN THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION AND THE PRIDE FESTIVAL AND IN AUGUST WE WERE AT A FARMER'S MARKET. AND SO THESE EVENTS WHERE WE'RE GOING OUT CONTINUE TO BE WHERE WE SEE THE MOST INTERACTION WITH RESIDENTS ABOUT THE BUDGET AND WE'VE BEEN DOING BUDGET COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE BUDGET FOR ABOUT THE PAST FIVE YEARS AND WE'VE LEARNED THAT HAVING STANDALONE BUDGET EVENTS DON'T DRAW AS MANY PARTICIPANTS. SO AS YOU KNOW BECAUSE OF THIS WE SHIFTED OUR APPROACH GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TO WHERE WE KNOW PEOPLE WILL ALREADY BE GATHERED AND WHAT WE FOUND TOO IS GOING TO EVENTS WHERE THERE'S TABLES LIKE THESE TYPES OF EVENTS SEEM TO HAVE THE MOST INTERACTIONS WHERE PEOPLE WILL STOP BY AND TALKING GIVE INPUT AND THEN JUST AS A RECAP FROM AUGUST 18TH THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME EARLIER IN THE PROCESS WHERE WE'VE HAD OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC TO COMMENT AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND SO THAT WAS WE DID THAT THIS YEAR WE HAD ABOUT THREE WE HAD THREE RESIDENTS THAT CAME IN. KEY FEEDBACK FROM THAT AGAIN FOCUSED ON CONCERNS ABOUT RISING PROPERTY TAXES AND THE NEED FOR SENIOR TAX RELIEF AND BUT ALSO THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING ESSENTIAL SERVICES. AND I'LL JUST SINCE I HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY WHEN TO HIGHLIGHT WE DO HAVE A STANDALONE BUDGET PAGE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE THAT HAS PRESENTATIONS THAT WE GIVE ABOUT THE BUDGET, THE SLIDES, THE REPORTS THEY'RE QUEUED UP ON THE COUNCIL VIDEOS AND WE TALK ABOUT PROJECT BUDGET IF THE MAYOR HAS A COUNCIL MINUTE WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT THE BUDGET WE PUT IT ON HERE AS WELL. SO JUST DESIGNED TO MAKE AN AISLE A PLACE THAT'S ALL THE BUDGET INFORMATION IS ACCESSIBLE IN ONE PLACE AND ALSO THIS IS WHERE THERE'S A DIRECT LINK TO THE LET'S TALK BLOOMINGTON BUDGET PAGE AND ALSO PASTORS BUDGET BOOKS. >> SO MORE THAN HALF OF THE OVERALL BUDGET INCREASE FOR 2026 IS TIED TO PUBLIC SAFETY PRIMARILY AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES ITS TRANSITION TO A COMBINATION STAFFING MODEL. THE LONG TERM PLAN IS TO IS THE PLAN IS TO GROW THE STAFFING TO A 78 FULL TIME AND 75 PART TIME FIREFIGHTERS AND TO UPGRADE ALL SIX FIRE STATIONS FOR FULL TIME COVERAGE AND THAT'S THE FIRST OF OUR TWO FEDERAL SAVE FOR GRANTS THAT HAVE EACH FUNDING 18 FIREFIGHTERS. THE FIRST ONE STARTED IN 2023. IT'S GOING TO BE ENDING IN 2026 EARLY 2026. SO THAT'S IMPACTING THIS BUDGET AND THEN ALSO OUR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, THE FUNDS FOR THOSE WILL BE ENDING AT THE END OF THIS YEAR THAT HAS HELPED BRING ON THREE BADLY NEEDED BATTALION CHIEF POSITIONS AND THEN JUST ONGOING COSTS WITH THAT. AND THEN ON THE POLICE SIDE WE DID HAVE A VERY GENEROUS ONE TIME STATE PUBLIC SAFETY AID AMOUNT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE AND WE WERE ABLE TO BRING ON POSITIONS AND POLICE THAT WE NOW NEED TO ABSORB INTO THE GENERAL FUND. >> AND THEN JUST A RECAP ON SEPTEMBER 8TH THE CITY COUNCIL SAID THE PRELIMINARY 2026 PROPERTY TAX LEVY AT $96.2 MILLION. SO THAT WAS A 9.44% INCREASE FROM THE 2025 LEVY AND SO JUST TO HIGHLIGHT TO ADD THIS AMOUNT DOES NOT REFLECT THE HRA OR THE PORT AUTHORITY. >> THIS IS JUST THE CITY LEVY AND I'LL SHARE WITH YOU THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE RECENTLY RELEASED THE STATEWIDE PRELIMINARY PROPERTY TAX LEVIES FOR 2026. SO FOR CITIES ACROSS MINNESOTA THE PRELIMINARY LEVIES TOTALED JUST OVER $4 MILLION AND AND TOTAL IS AN 8.7% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR. SO JUST TO PROVIDE SOME KIND OF CONTEXT AND SHOW THAT MANY CITIES ARE EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES LIKE WE ARE WITH COST PRESSURES GOING INTO 2026 ALSO JUST ADDING SOME SLIDES THAT WE HAVEN'T ADDED RECENTLY IN THE PAST BUT FIRST ONE HERE IS ON FISCAL DISPARITIES. IT'S A REGIONAL SYSTEM THAT SHARES COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL TAX BASE GROWTH ACROSS THE METRO AND BECAUSE BLOOMINGTON HAS A STRONG TAX BASE WE DO CONTRIBUTE MORE TO THIS REGIONAL POOL THAN WE RECEIVE BACK WHICH LOWERS OUR TAX CAPACITY. SO THIS HELPS JUST TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT OF WHY BLOOMINGTON HAS RELIES MORE ON LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES THAN SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND WHY OUR TAX RATE CAN APPEAR HIGHER THAN SOME PEER CITIES THAT DO RECEIVE FISCAL DISPARITIES AND THEN SIMILAR TO THAT ANOTHER THING THAT PUTS PRESSURE ON OUR TAX LEVY IS THAT WE DO NOT BLOOMINGTON DOES NOT RECEIVE ANY LGA. WE DO NOT RECEIVE ANY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AID FROM THE STATE. SO LGA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AID IS A STATE PROGRAM THAT HELPS CITIES FUND BASIC SERVICES WITHOUT RELYING ONLY ON PROPERTY TAXES AND THE FORMULA THAT'S USED TO DETERMINE WHETHER CITIES RECEIVE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AID AND COMPARES EACH CITY'S REVENUE NEED WITH ITS ABILITY TO RAISE REVENUE THROUGH ITS TAX BASE. AND SO BECAUSE AGAIN BLOOMINGTON DOES HAVE A STRONG COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL TAX BASE WE DO NOT QUALIFY SO JUST FOR COMPARISON SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP FIVE CITIES IN BLOOMINGTON FOR 2025, 2025 MINNEAPOLIS AND ST PAUL EACH RECEIVED OVER $80 MILLION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AID. DULUTH RECEIVES OVER 35 MILLION AND ROCHESTER RECEIVES 5 MILLION IN BLOOMINGTON RECEIVES ZERO. SO JUST ANOTHER FACTOR THAT CONTRIBUTES TO OUR GREATER RELIANCE ON LOCAL PROPERTY TAX LEVY THAN SOME OTHER CITIES. SO HERE'S THE SLIDE EXPLAINING HOW TO BRING THE LEVY DOWN FROM THE PRELIMINARY 9.44% TO THE 7.48. SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED ABOUT $1.7 MILLION OF REDUCTIONS. SO THIS INCLUDES A REDUCTION IN DEBT SERVICE BASED ON HOW THE WINE SALES CAME IN RECENTLY WERE MUCH BETTER THAN FORECASTED. ALSO JUST LOOKING AT OUR PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTER EXPENSES, HOW THEY HAVE BEEN TRENDING, WHAT WE'RE FORECASTING OUT WE'RE ABLE TO BRING THAT DOWN AS WELL AND THEN NOT AS BIG BUT ALSO JUST RECOGNIZING THAT WE DO HAVE KIND OF A BASE LEVEL AMOUNT FOR FIRE STATE AID THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN CONSISTENTLY OR HAD NOT BEEN BUDGETING BUT WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE PRETTY MUCH CONSISTENTLY ALWAYS HAVE THAT. SO WE WANTED TO GET THAT INTO THE BUDGET JUST LOOKING THROUGH EVERYTHING, LOOKING AT THE PERMIT REVENUES AND WHERE WE ARE TO DATE AND WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED WE WERE ARE COMFORTABLE BRINGING THAT UP 625,000 SO STILL NOT BACK TO THE LEVELS THAT WERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO BUT MORE NOW WHAT WE'RE BUDGETING FOR NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE STILL LESS THAN WHERE WE'RE GOING TO END UP FOR 2025 BUT MORE THAN WHERE WE'RE INITIALLY BUDGETING. SO ALL OF THOSE CHANGES ARE THE $1.72 MILLION THAT ARE BRINGING IT DOWN TO THE 7.48%. AND SO THE UPDATED OVERALL CHART OF THE FUNDS THAT HAVE TAX LEVY SUPPORT IS HERE AND THE GENERAL FUND INCREASE IS ABOUT 5.5 MILLION AND THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS CHANGE OTHER THAN THE DEBT SERVICE ONE THAT IS NOT AS HIGH AS ORIGINALLY SHOWN. >> AND THEN I KNOW THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT WHEN YOU TAKE THE CITY THE OF THE PORT ALL TOGETHER. SO I JUST WANTED TO SHOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE NOW BEFORE BRINGING THE CITY'S TAX LEVY PROPOSED TAX LEVY DOWN THAT WAS OVER 1,010% I BELIEVE IT WAS 10.86%. SO JUST SHOWING IT ALL TOGETHER THAT IS NOW 9% AND THEN AGAIN THIS IS LOOKING AT THE REVISED GENERAL FUND BUDGET. SO PROPERTY TAXES DO MAKE UP ABOUT 67% OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES. THIS IS ON THE TOP PART WHERE THE REVENUES ARE AND THEN THE NEXT HIGHEST REVENUE THAT COMES IN IS OUR LODGING AND ADMISSIONS TAXES AT 9%. AND THEN ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE YOU CAN SEE PUBLIC SAFETY ACCOUNTS FOR NEARLY HALF OF THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET WITH POLICE AT ALMOST 41 MILLION AND THEN FIRE AT JUST UNDER 17 MILLION THERE. AND THEN THESE NEXT SLIDES IT'S THE SAME INFORMATION BUT JUST SHOWING IT MORE VISUALLY. SO THE FIRST PIE CHART HERE IS THE THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES AND YOU CAN SEE THE PROPERTY TAXES MAKE UP THE MAJORITY. BUT THERE'S ALSO OTHER IMPORTANT SOURCES THAT WE BRING IN TO FUND OUR SERVICES. SO LIKE I SAID, THE LODGING ADMISSION TAXES, THE PERMIT AND LICENSING FEES AND THEN ALSO SOME GRANT REVENUES AND THEN ON THE EXPENSE SIDE ON THE RIGHT THERE IS PUBLIC SAFETY AS THE LARGEST PORTION OF THE GENERAL FUND WITH POLICE AND FIRE AND THEN THE REST IS SPREAD ACROSS SERVICES LIKE PUBLIC WORKS, PARKS AND RECREATION COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND THEN GENERAL GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT NOT ALL THESE EXPENSES ARE FUNDED BY PROPERTY TAXES AS WE SAW ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE THAT OTHER REVENUES DO ALSO HELP SUPPORT THESE SERVICES ALONG WITH THE PROPERTY TAXES. SO I JUST WANT TO TAKE THE CHANCE TCE TO MENTION AGAIN THAT IN TWO WEEKS WE'LL HOLD THE OFFICIAL TRUTH IN TAXATION PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE 2026 BUDGET AND TAX LEVY AND THAT WILL TAKE PLACE HERE DECEMBER 8TH AT 630 AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. SO WE'VE ADDED THAT INFORMAL PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU. >> THANK YOU, MS. CARLSON COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS OF MS.. CARLSON BEFORE WE GET INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY HERE? >> SEEING NONE. THANK YOU MUCH GOOD PRESENTATION AND THANKS FOR THE WORK THAT YOUR STAFF AND ALL ACTUALLY WHO HAVE PUT THE TIME INTO BRINGING THAT NUMBER DOWN. SO WELL DONE. THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO I WILL OPEN OUR OUR PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR ITEM 5.1 AGAIN AS I MENTIONED, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO COME FORWARD. WE HAVE THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM AND I'LL HOLD YOU TO THAT JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME TO SPEAK. YOU CAN START I PROMISE. I PROMISE I ALSO I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THIS IS THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL HAS BROUGHT UP IN RESPONSE TO WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM RESIDENTS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS THAT MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMENT ON OR TALK TO OR DISCUSS THE BUDGET BEFORE WE GET TO THE TRUTH AND TAXATION HEARING THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I THINK WE HAVE DONE THIS. WE ALSO HAVE NOW THE TRUTH AND TAXATION HEARING COMING UP AND SO WE'VE GOT WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES AND MORE AVENUES FOR INPUT FOR RESIDENTS TO TALK ABOUT OUR BUDGET AS WE'RE STILL AS IT'S STILL IN PROGRESS AND STILL BEING MADE. SO THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT THE WHOLE IDEA BEHIND ALL OF THIS WAS AND I THINK IT'S IT'S HELPFUL AND WORKABLE. SO I AM GOING TO OPEN ITEM 5.1 RIGHT NOW ARE PLEASE COME ON UP. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN OUR PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY AND AGAIN IF YOU COULD IDENTIFY YOURS DEFINITELY. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MAYOR AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME AGAIN IS SUZANNE BOSTON AND AGAIN I'VE LIVED IN BLOOMINGTON MY ENTIRE LIFE. I WAS HERE BEFORE JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL WAS EVEN BUILT. I BOUGHT MY HOUSE ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO, RAISED MY FAMILY HERE, SHOVELED THE WALKS, MOW THE LAWN, PAID EVERY SINGLE TAX BILL YOU EVER SENT ME NO MATTER HOW HIGH IT CLIMBED TONIGHT I'M FURIOUS BECAUSE YOU'VE TAXED ME OUT OF MY HOME. YOU KNOW THIS YEAR MY PROPERTY TAXES JUMPED 12% LAST YEAR YOU HIT ME WITH ANOTHER TEN THAT'S MORE THAN 22% IN TWO YEARS WHILE MY FIXED INCOME BARELY MOVES. AND TONIGHT YOU'RE SITTING HERE PREPARING TO RAM THROUGH ANOTHER INCREASE FOR 2026 ON TOP OF THE 9.18% YOU ALREADY GAVE US FOR 2025. YOU KNOW I'VE SPENT THREE DECADES PUTTING EVERY DOLLAR I COULD FIND TOWARDS PAYING DOWN MY MORTGAGE. SO THIS HOUSE WOULD FINALLY BE MINE. YOUR ENDLESS TAX HIKES HAVE STOLEN YEARS OFF THOSE PAYMENTS. I'M GOING BACKWARDS BECAUSE OF DECISIONS THAT MADE RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM ALMOST $1 MILLION TO REMODEL THE ONE BATHROOM IN CITY HALL. I DIDN'T I DIDN'T VOTE FOR THAT $100 MILLION RECREATIONAL CENTER. OKAY. I KIND OF VOTED FOR THAT A LITTLE BIT. YOU KNOW, NEARLY 600,000 A YEAR OF MY TAX MONEY GOING STRAIGHT INTO YOUR OWN POCKETS. I MEAN YOU ALL GET PAID RIGHT ? YOU DON'T GET PAID. OKAY. WELL, NO, NO, I KNOW THAT. BUT YOU KNOW I MEAN IT'S IT'S LIKE YOU DO GET PAID OKAY? AND I'M AND MY MONEY IS NOT GOING UP. MINE IS GOING DOWN ANYWAYS IT'S JUST OUTRAGEOUS AND AND AND YOU KNOW I MEAN THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW WE'RE ADJUSTING THE THE GARBAGE RATES IS THAT REALLY A HELP MY TRASH BILL IS $20 A MONTH. HE JUST TOOK HUNDREDS FROM ME AND MY PROPERTY TAXES A FEW PENNIES OFF GARBAGE PICKUP ISN'T REALLY RELIEF IT'S KIND OF LIKE A SLAP IN THE FACE. YOU KNOW, YOU KEEP BRAGGING ABOUT MAKING BLOOMINGTON WORLD CLASS BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY BUILT THE CITY CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO LIVE HERE SENIORS ON FIXED INCOMES, WIDOWS VETERANS LIFELONG RESIDENTS WERE BEING PRICED OUT SO YOU CAN CHASE TOURISM AND MALL SALES TAXES. THAT DOESN'T PAY ONE DIME OF MY PROPERTY TAX BILL. YOU KNOW WHAT SPECIFIC CUTS ARE YOU GUYS MAKING IN 2026 TO KEEP THE LEVY INCREASE AND INFLATION ARE LOWER? YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. WHERE IS THE REAL RELIEF FOR SENIORS AND FIXED INCOME HOMEOWNERS AND MAYBE START THOSE CUTS WITH YOUR OWN SALARIES A LITTLE BIT MAYBE BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T STOP THIS NOW I'LL BE FOR IT. I AM GOING TO BE FORCED TO SELL MY HOUSE. I CAN'T LIVE HERE. I CAN'T I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE AND I'M YOUR TIME IS UP. WE'RE HITTING. WE'RE VERY FRUSTRATED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I TALK REALLY FAST. WELL DONE. THANK YOU. OTHERS WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK . GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LINDA BLAIR PROPERTY TAXES ARE MEANT TO ONLY FUND A CITY'S CORE OBLIGATIONS PUBLIC SAFETY, ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE PARKS, ROADS, SIDEWALKS AND BASIC OPERATIONS THAT CANNOT BE SUPPORTED BY USER FEES. THESE DOLLARS MUST COVER THE NON NEGOTIABLE SERVICES EVERY RESIDENT RELIES ON POLICE, FIRE, EMS 911 SAFE STREETS AND MAINTAIN PUBLIC FACILITIES WHEN PROPERTY TAXES ARE DIVERTED TO OPTIONAL PROGRAMS . EXPANDING BUREAUCRACY CONSULTANT DRIVEN PET AND NICE TO HAVE PROJECTS OR COSMETIC UPGRADES THAT ADD NO REAL VALUE TO RESIDENTS IT BECOMES A CLEAR MISTRUST MS. TRUST OF THE PUBLIC THERE IS ENOUGH WHEN THERE'S ENOUGH MONEY IN THE COFFERS FOR PET PROJECTS AFTER THE CITY'S ESSENTIALS ARE COVERED IT'S TIME TO LOWER TAXES. THE ASSESSOR'S BLOOMINGTON ASSESSOR'S 2025 REPORT SAYS THAT THE MEDIAN PRICE OF A SINGLE FAMILY HOME IS 600 $365,400. YOU SPENT $1 MILLION TO REDO THAT BATHROOM OVER THERE. 11 TOILET STALLS DO NOT EQUAL ROUGHLY THREE HOMES IN BURNSVILLE. THAT WAS A WASTE. THIS KIND OF SPENDING SHOWS LITTLE RESPECT FOR THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE PROVIDED A DUE WITH THESE DOLLARS. EVERY BLOOMINGTON RESIDENT HAS A FINITE AMOUNT OF MONEY. >> THE REFRESHING OF THE PAINTING ON THIS BUILDING THE MURAL IN EAST BLOOMINGTON THE ART OF MECHANICAL BUILDINGS, ART BOXES AND OTHER PLACES THE NEW LANDSCAPE, THEESURFACING AND SURFACING OF THIS PARKING LOT YOU HIRED OUTSIDE COMPANIES TO STUDY DISCRETIONARY SPENDING IDEAS D YOU'RE EXPANDING BUREAUCRACY. YOU ARE TAXING BLOOMINGTON RESIDENTS FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE OUTSIDE CORE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT. CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED A STUDY FOR THE TRAFFIC ON BLOOMINGTON FERRY. I LIVE OFF OF THAT ROAD. WE ATTENDED BOTH OF THOSE MEETINGS. I TALKED TO TWO DIFFERENT CITY COUNCIL OR CITY MEMBERS WHO TOLD ME ABOUT THE ACCIDENT ON LYNDALE OUR LINDSTROM AND BLOOMINGTON FERRY THAT WAS AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THIS IN THE CITY. THE PLANS AND THE OPTIONS GIVEN DID NOT ADDRESS THAT SAFETY ISSUE AT ALL. I TALKED TO ONE PERSON WHO WAS ON THE COME IN THE COMPANY THAT YOU HAD HIRED TO DO THIS STUDY. >> I ASKED HIM WHAT I ASKED HIM ABOUT THE PROCESS TO COME UP WITH THESE OPTIONS FOR THE COUNCIL. HE TOLD ME WELL HE HAD JUST JOINED THE TEAM AND HE WAS FIGURING IT OUT HIMSELF HALFWAY THROUGH THIS PROJECT YOU ARE GETTING ADVICE FROM A COMPANY THAT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A DEDICATED TEAM TO DECIDE WHAT YOU MIGHT LEARN ABOUT THAT ROAD THAT'S A WASTE OF MONEY FROM MY TAX DOLLARS AND I'M VERY FRUSTRATED ABOUT IT. IN RECENT MONTHS WE'VE HEARD ABOUT MINNESOTA LAYOFFS. THE NEW REPORT SHOWS THAT MINNESOTA HAS SLID IN THE PDP JOB GROWTH PER CAPITA INCOME AND GROWTH IN MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOMES THE NOVEMBER 18TH ADP REPORT SHOWS PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS HAVE TRIMMED AN AVERAGE OF 2500 EMPLOYEES PER WEEK IN FOUR WEEKS IN THE FOUR WEEKS ENDING ON NOVEMBER 1ST WHEN BUSINESSES AROUND YOU ARE RIGHT SIZING THEIR OPERATIONS ,IT SEEMS APPROPRIATE FOR THE CITY GOVERNMENT TO TAKE A HARD LOOK AS WELL. UPPER MANAGEMENT IN THIS CITY IS LARGE AND HIGHLY COMPENSATED. WE HAVE A NEW CITY MANAGER AND TWO ASSISTANTS. I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT THE MARKET SUPPORTS THAT KIND OF MANAGEMENT AT THIS POINT IN YOUR PAST 2 OR 3 MINUTES I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR COMING IN THIS EVENING. FOLKS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CLAPPING IN THE PAST AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BECAUSE IF I ALLOW CLAPPING THEN I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ALLOW BOOING AND KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT OKAY. THAT'S NOT HOW WE CONDUCT OURSELVES HERE. THAT'S NOT HOW WE CONDUCT OURSELVES. ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SPEAK ? >> MAYOR CITY COUNCIL JOHN SCHUMACHER RESIDENT SINCE 92 I DO DISAGREE WITH YOU MR. MAYOR. I THINK THE RESIDENTS HAVE A RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS OF PEOPLE SPEAKING WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD. REMEMBER THIS IS OUR CHAMBERS, NOT YOUR CHAMBERS. I CONTINUE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT. WE COME TO THESE MEETINGS AND NO ONE REALLY LISTENS. NO ONE HEARS WHAT WE SAY. I'VE GONE TO A LOT OF THE LISTENING SESSIONS WHICH ARE JUST VIRTUE SIGNALING SESSIONS BY THE WAY JUST SO YOU CAN TELL EVERYBODY THAT YOU HAD THEM. THIS YEAR I'M FEELING LIKE ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES. I DON'T HAVE THAT GREAT AN INCREASE IN MY PROPERTY TAXES THIS YEAR BUT SOMEHOW MY PROPERTY VALUE WENT DOWN AND MY TAXES STILL GO UP. BUT I DO WORRY ABOUT THE OTHER RESIDENTS AROUND HERE SO ME GETTING 12% EAST SIDE WEST SIDE NORTH SIDE SOUTH SIDE DOESN'T MATTER. SOMETHING IS NOT GOING RIGHT AROUND HERE. WEBSTER DEFINES THE WORD STOP AS TO CEASE DOING SOMETHING TO DESIST. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 7.8 IS FINE BUT YOU'RE AT 9%. THE SCHOOL WANTS SIX ALMOST 6%. THE COUNTY WANTS 8%. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MET COUNCIL WANTS. WHEN IS IT GOING TO STOP? INFLATION IS MAYBE 3% 3.5%. I'VE SAID THIS TO YOU GUYS BEFORE. YOU SEEM TO MISS OUT ON THAT. YOU INCREASE THESE THINGS THAT CREATES THE INFLATION THAT THEN YOU USE AGAINST US TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE IT. MS. CARLSON DID A NICE JOB OF STARTING AT 17%. WELL, YOU COULD HAVE TOLD US YOU'RE GOING TO START AT 29% AND LOOK NOW WE'RE AT 7.8%. WHAT A GREAT JOB WE'VE DONE. YOU SHOULD START AT ZERO. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE COMPREHENSIVE REPORT THAT WAS DONE BY REDPATH AS FAR AS I CAN TELL THE CITY HAD $300 MILLION IN ITS COFFERS AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THAT SEEMS TO COVER THREE YEARS WORTH OF BUDGETS. WHY ARE YOU ASKING FOR ANY MORE MONEY FROM US? >> THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE WENT UP BY $4.5 MILLION. WE MADE $4.5 MILLION. AREN'T WE SUPPOSED TO BE A NONPROFIT? WHY IS IT WHY ARE THE INCREASES THE WATER FUND WENT UP BY FOUR AT $4.8 MILLION. ARE YOU PLANNING FOR THINGS LIKE THE KINCAID'S BUILDING THE NEXT KINCAID'S BUILDING THAT'S GET SOLD FROM $300 MILLION TO $6 MILLION AND WE LOSE ALL THE PROPERTY TAXES THERE? ARE YOU PLANNING ON THAT? WE HAD PEOPLE I DON'T THINK WE NEED THAT'S ALREADY BEEN TALKED ABOUT. WE OVERREGULATE OUR BUSINESSES. I'VE SAID THIS TO YOU GUYS BEFORE BETWEEN THE SMOKING BANS AND THE ESL. NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THE PARKING GO PEOPLE TO GIVE UP THEIR LAND TO DO OTHER THINGS TO REGULATE IT. PERMITS JUST WENT UP. THAT'S HOW WE'RE REDUCING THE BUDGET. WE'RE NOT BUSINESS FRIENDLY. WE'RE PRICING OUR PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES. YOU GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONES THAT LEAD THIS WHOLE THING. YOU GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONES TO TELL MS.. CARLSON IT'S ZERO. FIGURE OUT HOW IT'S ZERO NOT IT'S A BIG NUMBER AND DO YOUR BEST TO REDUCE IT. $1.7 MILLION REDUCTION. AGAIN, THAT'S ALMOST TWO BATHROOMS THAT YOU GUYS PUT INTO THE CITY HALL THAT WE DIDN'T NEED TO SPEND THE MONEY ON. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE ? JULIAN FERGUSON MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. I WAS HERE AT THE LAST OPEN FORUM AND I SPOKE ABOUT SENIORS LOSING THEIR HOUSING. I WAS OUT DOOR KNOCKING FOR ANOTHER CAN'T FOR A CANDIDATE FOR CITY COUNCIL AND NOW I HAVE THE TRUE STORIES. YEAH WE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF SENIORS WHO SAID I'M GOING TO LOSE MY HOUSE. I CAN'T AFFORD TO STAY IN BLOOMINGTON. I ALSO HEARD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SAID WE'RE MOVING. IT WAS PROBABLY TEN. NOW THIS LIST WAS NOT NECESSARILY READ FRIENDLY'S. THESE WERE VETERANS THAT WERE TARGETED. THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO HAD VOTED IN A NATIONAL ELECTION BUT NOT A CITY COUNCIL ELECTION IN THE PAST NUMBER OF YEARS. SO THESE WERE NOT FOLKS THAT WERE HEAVILY ENGAGED. ONE PERSON DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL DID. NEARLY MOVED INTO BLOOMINGTON, RENOVATED THE HOUSE. I'M NOT HERE FOR MYSELF BECAUSE I'M FINE. MY HUSBAND AND I ARE FINE. WE DIDN'T PURCHASE A HOUSE UP TO OUR LIMIT AND SO BUT I AM HERE TO SPEAK FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES AND THAT IS SENIORS WHO HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING OUT TO THESE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND AND FOR FAMILIES WHO ARE WORKING TWO AND THREE JOBS AND RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE HOME DOING. THEY'RE MAKING DINNER. THEY'RE HELPING THEIR KIDS WITH HOMEWORK. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU NEVER HEAR FROM BECAUSE THEY'RE BUSY TRYING TO CLAW TO SURVIVE. WHEN I SAW THE HRA 67% INCREASE THAT IS OBSCENE AND WE'RE PAYING THAT AS WELL. AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THOSE HRA HOMES DO NOT PAY PROPERTY TAX. >> SO HOW MANY HOMES AND I'M GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU BECAUSE MR. MAYOR, I CANNOT RELY ON YOU WHEN YOU SAY I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. YOU PROMISED ME LAST DECEMBER 8TH THAT YOU WERE GOING TO FOLLOW UP WITH ME ON A DECISION. I HAVE NOT HEARD A THING GO LOOK AT. YEAH. AND MR. WALKER, I WILL BE SPEAKING TO YOU ABOUT THAT ISSUE LATER. SO IN MY LAST 25 SECONDS YOU YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF BLOOMINGTON, THE HOMEOWNERS IF YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP RAISING OUR TAXES BY EIGHT, NINE, 10%, YOU YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE LONG TIME RESIDENTS. AND GOOD LUCK BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO GET RENTERS WHO HAVE NO ENGAGEMENT. THEY MOVE IN AND OUT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE ? ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT COUNCIL I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY FOR ITEM 5.1. NOW THIS OFFICIALLY IS UNDER ORGANIZATIONAL BUSINESS. THERE'S OBVIOUSLY NO DECISIONS MADE TONIGHT. THIS IS A CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION WILL HAVE THE TRUTH AND TAXATION HEARING AND THEN HAVE A FINAL DECISION IN MID-DECEMBER. THOUGHTS ANY COMMENTS COUNCIL WANTS TO MAKE? COUNCILMEMBER REVISE THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. UNFORTUNATELY THEY KIND OF ALIGN WITH THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE HEARD ALREADY BUT I THINK IT'S NECESSARY TO HEAR IT. WE STARTED AS THE CITY AND I FEEL AS MUCH AS PART OF THE STAFF AND THE CITY NOW THAT I HAVE BEEN IN THE COUNCIL FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT DID YOU KNOW I GOT TO SPEAK TO A LOT OF RESIDENTS ALSO. I HAVEN'T BEEN WORKING. I'VE BEEN LUCKY THAT I'VE BEEN HOME RELAXING FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND RECEIVE A LOT OF PHONE CALLS AND FOLLOWED UP ON PEOPLE. AND SO THE QUESTION OR COMMENT THAT I HAVE IS WHAT DO WE HAVE AS A CITY AS MECHANISMS THAT ARE IN PLACE TO ACT OR UNDER CONSIDERATION TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY SENIORS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH RISING PROPERTY TAXES AND GROCERIES AND GAS AND UTILITIES. THAT'S ONE OF THE COMMENTS I HAVE. I'M JUST GOING TO GO QUICK SO WE DON'T STILL HAVE TOO LONG. THE OTHER ONE IS HOW DOES THE BUDGET INCORPORATE EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS SUCH AS ALLOCATING RESOURCES TO UNDERSERVED OR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES OR ADDRESSING DISPARITIES IN SERVICE SERVICE DELIVERY? AND THE LAST ONE BUT NOT LEAST IS HOW CAN WE AS A CITY IMPROVE THE TIMING AND VISIBILITY OF PUBLIC FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITIES ESPECIALLY CHALLENGING MAJOR DECISIONS LIKE SETTING THE PRELIMINARY LEVY CLEAR BEFORE WHICH MATERIALS ARE DISTRIBUTED AND SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT THE HRA, THE PORT AUTHORITY AND ALL THE OTHER UTILITY FRANCHISE FEES THAT WE HAVE. I MEAN LET'S FACE IT WE ALL KNOW THOSE FEES AND TAXES AND WHEN YOU ADD THEM ALL UP IS NOT THE NUMBER THAT WE SEE IN FRONT OF US. IT'S MUCH I WOULDN'T SAY A MUCH LARGER NUMBER BUT IT'S A HIGHER NUMBER THAN THE ONE THAT WE ACTUALLY PRESENT IN THE PUBLIC. SO IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT WE DO GREAT THIS YEAR. I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW HAVE BEEN GREAT IMPROVEMENTS IN PROVIDING THE PUBLIC WITH INFORMATION EARLY. THEY HAVE PARTICIPATED TWICE IN PUBLIC HEARINGS WHICH DIDN'T HAVE IN THE FIRST YEAR THAT I WAS PART OF THE COUNCIL. SO IT'S ALL IT'S ALL GREAT. BUT I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO SEE MORE TRANSPARENCY WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUDGET SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE MORE INPUT. ONE THING I HAD TO SAY ON AS AS ON SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY IS THAT WE ARE A BIG CITY AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS OLDER THAN SOME OF THE SURROUNDING CITIES AROUND US. I, I HAVE FIRST HAND INFORMATION FROM EDEN PRAIRIE MINNETONKA. I KNOW RICHFIELD AND OBVIOUSLY OBVIOUSLY THEIR TAXES ARE QUITE LOWER THAN OURS BUT THEY'RE MUCH SMALLER THAN OURS IN AREA AND THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE IN PRAIRIE BRINKS IS IT'S NOT AS CLOSE 56 IS ALL AS WE ARE. SO YOU KNOW THAT EXPLAINS SORT OF THE HIGHER TAXES THAT WE HAVE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME I BELIEVE THAT IF WE GIVE MUCH, MUCH MORE INFORMATION ON EARLIER TO OUR RATIOS, I THINK THEY WILL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND COMPREHEND WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO. I THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO I DO JUST WANT TO CLARIFY WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY PASS AN HRA OR A PORT LEVY AT THIS POINT. RIGHT. THOSE ARE THE LEVY INCREASES THAT THOSE SEPARATE BODIES PASSED IN OUR RECOMMENDING TO THE COUNCIL. YES, THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE. SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING TONIGHT, JUST PLEASE KNOW THAT THOSE ARE NOT THE FINAL LEVY NUMBERS AND THAT THE COUNCIL STILL HAS TO VOTE ON THOSE NUMBERS. I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE A CLARIFYING POINT SO THE CITY COUNCIL DOES MAKE AN ANNUAL SALARY I GUESS I THINK I MAKE $12,000 A YEAR DOING THIS WORK. >> SO I HEAR YOU ON CUTTING BUT EVEN IF WE CUT OUR SALARIES IN HALF IT WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO THAT LEVY PERCENT AND IN FACT I DON'T THINK OUR SALARIES HAVE INCREASED. I'M LOOKING AT LORI FOR WHAT, 20 YEARS? I HAVEN'T I HAVE NO IDEA. IT'S 40 YEARS. I MEAN I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE EVER BEEN INCREASED MY TIME SO AND NOT AND I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR AN INCREASE I'M NOT BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT THEY'RE VERY LOW. I MEAN I THINK JACK BELOW THE MAID DID SOME CALCULATIONS WHEN HE WAS ON COUNCIL. I THINK WE MAKE ABOUT A DOLLAR AN HOUR, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT DOING THIS TO GET RICH. WE ARE DOING THIS BECAUSE WE DO CARE AND WE'RE RESIDENTS. WE'RE HOMEOWNERS. I HAVE A FAMILY I MEAN WE'RE ALL DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES AND I HAVE FAMILY IN IOWA AND SMALL TOWNS. WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES IN THIS POSITION UNFORTUNATELY . I'M ALSO ANOTHER CLARIFYING POINT WE HAVE TO KEEP A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF OR A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF OUR BUDGET IN OUR COFFERS. WE CAN'T JUST SPEND DOWN OUR COFFERS. WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT. AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT WE HEAR FROM YOU GUYS AND WE LISTEN AND WE ACTUALLY HEAR FROM HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE START THIS PROCESS IN APRIL . I ACTUALLY DISAGREE WITH YOU, COUNCILMEMBER REAVIS. I AM SO PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE GO OUT IN COMMUNITY AND WE ASK PEOPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET. ANYBODY CAN EMAIL US OR CALL US AT ANY POINT IN TIME. WE HAD A PUBLIC LISTENING SESSION WHEN WE WERE PROPOSING THE PRELIMINARY LEVY WE HAVE THIS SESSION TONIGHT WHICH WE'VE NEVER HAD THESE SESSIONS IN THE PAST. THIS COUNCIL DECIDED TO ADD ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO WEIGH IN. THERE'S ANOTHER TRUTH AND TAXATION HEARING COMING UP. I MEAN WE JUST WE HAVE WE HAVE THE LET'S TALK BLOOMINGTON PAGE. I MEAN TO SAY I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW OTHER IDEAS FOR HOW WE COULD ENGAGE MORE BECAUSE WE'VE ADDED ALL OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND AND SO THE IDEA THAT I THIS IDEA THAT WE'RE NOT BEING TRANSPARENT WE'RE NOT ASKING THE RESIDENTS I MEAN I JUST I FUNDAMENTALLY DISAGREE WITH IT. WE'RE LISTENING WE JUST MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING OR WE MIGHT HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT IF YOU HAD TO AND WE COULD TALK WITH CITY STAFF YOU KNOW, YOU MAY STILL DISAGREE BUT IT MIGHT HELP RIGHT, FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THINGS WERE COMING FROM OR WHERE STAFF IS COMING FROM. SO I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AID. I AM SO CONFUSED BY THAT BECAUSE HOW DOES ROCHESTER HAT NOT I MEAN HOW DO THEY HAVE LESS OF A ROBUST RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BASE THAN WE DO? SO THEY GET MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR BUT WE DON'T I DON'T UNDERSTAND A LOCAL GOVERNMENT AID PIECE. SO MAYOR COUNCILMEMBERS COUNCILMEMBER CARTER WE CAN COME BACK WITH SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON HOW THAT IS CALCULATED BUT I THINK SOME OF IT IS GOES TO THE AGE OF THOSE COMMUNITIES COMPARED TO BLOOMINGTON. BUT THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE IN THERE AS WELL. OKAY. IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO INFLUENCE THAT? I GUESS I'M GUESSING I'M NOT THE FIRST COUNCILMEMBER TO ASK THAT QUESTION. >> I, I WILL SAY COUNCILMEMBER IN MY TIME ON THE COUNCIL I THINK I REMEMBER ONE YEAR WHEN BLOOMINGTON RECEIVED $144,000 IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN TWO YEARS THAT WE RECEIVED THAT AMOUNT. YEAH. AND THAT'S THE ONLY TIME THAT I CAN RECALL BLOOMINGTON RECEIVING LOCAL GOVERNMENT AID. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD SOMEHOW WHATSAPP AND THEN I AM CURIOUS TO I KNOW I HEARD THE NUMBER I'VE HEARD THE NUMBER IN THE PAST BUT HOW MUCH OF OUR REVENUE COMES FROM BASICALLY THE MALL OF AMERICA AND THE HOTELS AND BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO COMMENTED MADE A MADE A POINT ABOUT THAT BUT THE FACT IS AS WE DO RECEIVE QUITE A BIT OF REVENUE FROM THE MALL AND THE HOTELS AND SO I'M CURIOUS IF YOU REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD MAYOR COUNCILMEMBERS COUNCILMEMBER CARTER I DON'T HAVE THAT IN THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION AS WELL AS HOW MUCH OF THE PROPERTY TAX PET TAXES IN GENERAL ARE PAID BY THE MALL. >> AND IF I COULD COUNCILMEMBER AND CURRY IT'S NOT JUST THE PROPERTY TAXES PAID BY THE MALL AND THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES BUT IT'S THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE INCOME OF THE CITY. SO THE LIQUOR AND LODGING TAX TO THE ADMISSIONS TAXES AND SO ON WHICH ARE IT'S I RECALL IT AT LIKE 19% OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I MEAN TOTAL REVENUES NOT PROPERTY TAX, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> MAYBE I'M WRONG. MAYOR AND COUNCIL WILL DO THE RESEARCH AND GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. I THINK THAT WAS ME. LAST QUESTION OR HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER RIVAS, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY WHAT I MENTIONED ABOUT ON REGARDS TO TRANSPARENCY. I AM AWARE THAT LAST YEAR WE MADE IT A POINT TO PASS TRANSPARENCY CHANGES TO THE PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET. HOWEVER, WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS TO PUT EVERYTHING OUT THERE SO PEOPLE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING SO IT DOESN'T COME UP LESS IN PRICE WHEN WE ALREADY DISCUSSING ALMOST ACCEPTING THE LEVY AS AS IT COMES. WHAT I'M ASKING IS FOR US TO PROVIDE ALL THE INFORMATION I AM AWARE AND I WANT TO REITERATE TO THAT TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL THAT THE PORT AUTHORITY AND DATA RELATED TO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TAXES HOWEVER WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT IT COMES OUT OF THE SAME PACKET. OKAY. IT COMES OUT OF IT TO THE RESIDENTS IT DOESN'T MATTER AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING AND I KNOW WE ARE VERY CAPABLE OF DOING THIS PUT IT OUT THERE IN APRIL EVEN IF IT'S JUST AN IDEA, PUT IT OUT THERE SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT IS COMING I NEED DOESN'T LOOK AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE THE REALITY IS THAT WE ALL EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US LOOK BAD IF WE DON'T BECAUSE I, I HAD TO I MEAN I HONESTLY TELL YOU HUNDREDS OF PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS THAT I'VE BEEN ACTUALLY INTERACTING WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE I HAVE THE TIME AND IT IS IT'S KIND OF SAD TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY AND I BELIEVE THAT IF WE GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION AND I DO APPRECIATE I KNOW LAST YEAR YOU PROVIDED ME WITH ON TAX PROPERTY TAX VIDEO RIGHT. AND I TOOK IT TO A PRESENTATION EVERYBODY IN THAT GROUP 60 PEOPLE WERE VERY HAPPY WITH THE EXPLANATION AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU PROVIDED TO ME. I REMEMBER THAT. SO IF WE IF WE GIVE PEOPLE THE INFORMATION EARLY IN THE PROCESS THEY'RE VERY HAPPY WITH IT AND I DON'T THINK WE WILL HAVE PEOPLE UPSET ABOUT IT. THEY WILL BE STILL PROBABLY UPSET BUT THEY WOULDN'T COME OUT HERE AND YOU KNOW, HAVE THEIR FIRST JUST THROW THEIR FRUSTRATIONS AT US BECAUSE THEY ARE WELL INFORMED EARLY IN THE PROCESS. THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING FOR. I'M AWARE THAT WE HAVE MADE STRIDES WHEN IT COMES TO THESE BECAUSE COMPARED TO LAST YEAR THIS HAS BEEN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. OKAY REALLY OPEN. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER ELLISON. YEAH. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST LIKE TO ECHO THE COMMENT THAT I APPRECIATE STAFF'S WORK TO HAVE MORE INPUT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. I WILL ALSO NOTE I SERVE ON THE PORT AUTHORITY AND THAT GOES THROUGH A SIMILAR PROCESS WHERE THERE WAS A PRELIMINARY LEVY DONE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO THAT WAS ALL PUBLIC. IT WAS ALSO BROUGHT FORWARD TO THIS BODY AND THEN IT WILL BE BROUGHT FORTH AGAIN. SO THAT IS PUT OUT. IT'S NOT APRIL I TELL YOU THAT BUT YOU KNOW THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF A BUT IT HAS BEEN OUT THERE FOR MONTHS ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN OUT THERE FOR MONTHS. SO IF PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND THAT REACH OUT TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER WE CAN REACH OUT TO STAFF, WE CAN HELP YOU GET THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE I HEAR THAT IS A CONCERN. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. NEXT TIME I JUST WANT TO SAY QUICKLY IS I, I SHARE THE CONCERNS PARTICULARLY WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING. WE'VE GOT FROM MY OPINION A ECONOMY THAT IS WORKING VERY WELL FOR SOME AND NOT VERY WELL FOR OTHERS AND WE HAVE PEOPLE STRUGGLING WHETHER THEY BE SENIORS OR LOW INCOME OR YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS OR WITH DISABILITY OR WHATEVER IT IS ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE COST OF FOOD AND ENERGY AND ALL THAT STUFF WHICH ARE NOT GOING DOWN THERE . THEY'RE GOING BACK UP AND AND SO I DO BELIEVE WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF OUR BUDGETING YOU KNOW COMES FROM MCCARTER ASKED ABOUT LGA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AID I WOULD JUST LIKE TO NOTE ON FISCAL DISPARITIES 2025 REPORT CITY OF BLOOMINGTON IS THE NUMBER ONE CONTRIBUTOR WE ARE THE BIGGEST LOSER IN THAT PROGRAM OF ANYBODY AND SO THE MONEY FROM THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE COULD BE USING TO HELP WITH OUR TAX BASE TO HELP WITH THE STUFF WE'RE FACING IS GOING TO LIKE PHIL AND ST PAUL AND PLACES LIKE THAT SO THEY CAN HELP THEIR STUFF. I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT AT LEAST IN MY TIME ON THIS COUNCIL OUR TAX LEVY HAS INCREASED LESS THAN HE DIANA RICHFIELD BURNSVILLE APPLE VALLEY EAGAN I'LL GIVE KUDOS TO EDEN PRAIRIE THEY'VE THEY'VE BEEN LESS THAN A SHOCKER BUT THIS COUNCIL IN MY TIME HAS MANAGED OUR BUDGETS WELL INCLUDING THE FACT THAT WE FACE SOME EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGES THAT MOST OF THEM DON'T DO BASED ON THE AGE OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND I SEE CHIEF SEAL HERE, YOU KNOW, THIS TRANSFORMATION THAT HE'S LEADING WITHIN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE BETTER RESPONSE TIMES AND MORE SAFETY TO OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT FREE. IT'S JUST NOT AND WE'RE DOING THAT AND WE'RE STILL KEEPING OUR LEVIES LOWER THAN MOST OF OUR PEER COMMUNITIES RIGHT AROUND US IN THIS AREA THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT IMPACTING PEOPLE. AND SO I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH STAFF STAFF IS GREAT PRE SHARED ALL THE CONVERSATION AND STUFF ON THIS BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON OUR WORKING CAPITAL ACCOUNTS PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE OTHER FUNDS NOT JUST THE GENERAL FUND IN TERMS OF ARE THOSE RIGHT SIZED ARE THEY ARE WE COLLECTING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY? IT LOOKS LIKE WE STILL HAVE THE SAME CALCULATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD IN PREVIOUS YEARS. DID WE LEARN ANYTHING FROM THE STUDY OF HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO COMBINE FUND ACCOUNTS? ARE THERE ANY OPPORTUNITIES THERE? AGAIN, I'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO SAVE US MONEY OR NOT. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THAT. IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A WHILE AND PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES I MEAN ONE OF THE THINGS I LOOKED AT IS THE ICE GARDEN AND WE HAVE 200,000 IN THE ICE GARDEN FROM TAX SUPPORT TO THE ICE GARDEN. BUT EVEN WITHOUT THAT WE'RE PROJECTING THAT THE ICE GARDEN WOULD BE AT 100 AND SOME PERCENT OF THE WORKING CAPITAL ACCOUNT. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS BECAUSE IT'S JUST REOPENING AND HOW'S ALL THAT GOING TO WORK? IN MY MIND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE WORKING CAPITAL ACCOUNT. IT HAS TWO MONTHS OF THAT'S THE SUPPORT WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT EXTRA SUPPORT IN THERE. THE SUPPORT IS ALREADY BUILT INTO THAT WORKING CAPITAL ACCOUNT. I KNOW 200,000 IN TERMS OF OUR BUDGET ISN'T A LOT BUT IN MY EXPERIENCE IF WE CAN FIND 510 THINGS THAT ARE 100 $200,000 WE CAN REALLY START TO MOVE IT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO OUT THERE AND FIND SOME LIKE OH DOUGH LIKE THERE'S A $3 MILLION THING HERE THAT WAS SHINY AND THEN WE DON'T NEED TO DO WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO FIND THOSE LITTLE THINGS AS WE GO THROUGH IT. ONE OF THE OTHER ONES I BROUGHT IT UP BEFORE I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY SUPPORT FOR IT BUT THEN ARMADALE ABATEMENT DISTRICT THAT YOU KNOW THE FACT THAT WE'RE ACCRUING MONEY TO FIX A HENNEPIN COUNTY INTERSECTION IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE IN MY MIND. I TOTALLY GET SAFETY THAT IS THAT IS A SAFE INTERSECTION BASED ON THE DATA WE WERE PRESENTED AND I AGREE BUT YOU KNOW WE'VE HAD SOMEONE MENTIONED A FATALITY AT LINDSTROM AND YOU KNOW I MEAN WE'VE HAD OTHER PLACES WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO WORK AND MAKE SOLUTIONS BUT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, NOT ALL THE WAY THERE. SO THAT ONE IS AN AREA I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING APPRECIATE THE WORK ON THERE. I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE INSIGHTS ON THAT IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE. I MEAN WE SAW A SLIDE EARLY ON THAT HAD THIS LARGE NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WERE HIGH COST NOT HUGE IMPACT STAFF DID A GREAT JOB OF EXPLAINING THAT SOME OF THAT WAS UTILITY STUFF THAT NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO FIX A WATER TREATMENT PLANT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING WE CAN GET AWAY FROM. WE GOT TO PROVIDE THAT. WE HAVE TO DO THAT AND THOSE WERE HUGE NUMBERS WITHIN THAT. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THAT IS THERE BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE OF THAT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE PEOPLE STRESSED ON WHERE THEY'RE GOING. SOME OF THE THINGS WITH IN TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES AND BENEFITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALIGNED WITH WHERE PEOPLE ARE AT WITHIN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MARKETPLACES SO THAT THAT WE DO THERE WE DO THOSE THINGS AS WELL. I THINK THOSE ARE THINGS WE NEED TO LOOK AT. AND THEN THERE WAS ONE QUESTION SOMEONE ASKED ABOUT MECHANISMS OF RELIEF AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THIS NOW BUT I BELIEVE THAT AT OUR TRUTH AND TAXATION MEETING WE WILL TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT PEOPLE HAVE. IF YOU HAVE A HIGH INCREASE YOU CAN APPLY FOR A REFUND FROM THE STATE IF YOU'RE A SENIOR ON A FIXED INCOME YOU HAVE MULTIPLE PROGRAMS THAT YOU CAN GO INTO TO GET TAC PROPERTY TAX RELIEF. THESE THINGS ARE ALL THERE ALREADY EXISTING SO IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING WITH THAT YOU CAN WAIT TILL DECEMBER 8TH OR CONTACT THE CITY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AND THEY CAN HELP WALK YOU THROUGH ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT OPTIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE THERE AND THE TAXES THEM IS DICTATED BY THE STATE. IT'S VERY WEIRD. IT'S VERY BIZARRE BECAUSE THERE WILL BE PEOPLE THAT HAVE A VERY LOW THING. ME PERSONALLY MY PROPERTY VALUE WENT UP $19,000, MY TAXES ARE GOING UP 12%. I FEEL YOU YOU KNOW I FEEL IT BUT YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE LOW OR SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE HIGHER. THAT'S THE WAY THE SYSTEM WORKS AND I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT MY OPTIONS ARE FOR RELIEF AS WELL FROM THE STATE AND SEE BECAUSE I THINK THOSE ARE IMPORTANT ASPECTS AND I KNOW WE'LL WE'LL DO THOSE SO I APPRECIATE THIS WORK. I STILL THINK WE NEED SOME MORE WORK ON THE BUDGET OVERALL AND I APPRECIATE HOW MUCH STAFF IS WORKING ON THAT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN REACHING OUT AND TALKING AND SO THANK YOU. SORRY FOR THE LENGTHY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMEMBER THANK YOU MAYOR. >> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE FOLKS THAT SHOWED UP BECAUSE I AM A GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT. SO I'VE BEEN WATCHING THE PRELIMINARY TAX LEVY MEETINGS OF OTHER CITIES AROUND US LAKE BILL EGAN, A DINER IN PERRY AND AT THOSE MEETINGS NO ONE SHOWS UP. NO ONE HAS CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE THEY DON'T DO WHAT WE DO WHICH IS ACTUALLY GETTING THIS DATA INFORMATION OUT TO PEOPLE. SO I APPRECIATE THE PEOPLE COMING OUT AND CONTINUE TO COME OUT BECAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE BLOOMINGTON IS THE MOST ENGAGED COMMUNITY IN THE METRO AND SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK THE STAFF HAS DONE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS NUMBER IS THE FINAL NUMBER YET. I THINK WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY BEING A MEMBER OF THE HRA, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH THE HRA TO REDUCE THEIR LEVY AND FIND OPPORTUNITIES AND SAVINGS. I KNOW THAT IS VERY SPECIFICALLY FOR THE LAST 2 OR 3 YEARS HAS KEPT THERE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER AND THERE'S GOING TO BE CONVERSATIONS I KNOW THAT'S COMING BACK AGAIN FOR THE HRA BUT I PERSONALLY WILL CONTINUE TO TO DRIVE AND PUSH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RIGHTSIZING THE BUDGETS FOR THE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY CAN STAY HERE. AND SO I THINK WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT I COME BACK WITH. AND THE BIGGEST PIECE OF ME IS JUST HEARING PEOPLE I THINK I'VE HEARD FROM YOU JUST IN THE LAST WEEK FIVE PEOPLE CALLED ME AND PROBABLY HAD 20 EMAILS. NOT ONLY ARE SENIORS BEING BURDENED BUT FAMILIES. I HEARD A COMMENT TONIGHT PEOPLE ARE AT HOME EATING DINNER, PUTTING THE KIDS TO BED. I SHOULD BE DOING THAT RIGHT NOW. I HAVE THREE KIDS THAT ARE SEVEN, FIVE AND TWO AND I'M HERE ALL THE TIME. THEY TELL ME DAD, DO YOU HAVE TO GO TO ANOTHER MEETING? YEP. AND IT'S NOT JUST MONDAY NIGHTS WE HAVE STAFF MEETINGS IN THE MORNING. WE HAVE STAFF MEETINGS IN THE AFTERNOON. I'M ON THE HRA AND THERE ARE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE AND OTHER COMMISSIONS. THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE IS A LOT BUT IT'S WORTH IT. IT'S WORTH IT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS TO CONTINUE ON AND IT CAN ONLY CONTINUE ON IF WE'RE UP HERE DOING THE WORK LISTENING TO OUR RESIDENTS. I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO TO ASK STAFF TO DO MORE WORK TO DRIVE DOWN THAT LEVY, ASK THAT TO CONTINUE TO DO MORE ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONLY COMMUNITY THAT'S DOING THAT SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THE TAX LEVY COMES OUT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE THEIR DOLLARS GO BECAUSE UNLIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THERE'S NO TRUTH IN TAXATION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. YOUR DOLLARS IS GOING TO BLACK HOLE BUT HERE YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT GOES AND SO THANK YOU STAFF FOR DOING THAT. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT WE HAVE FOR DECEMBER 8TH AND THERE'S WELL I WILL SAY COUNCIL I AGREE WITH THANKS FOR THE CONVERSATION AND THANK YOU ALL FOR FOR YOUR CONVERSATION AS WELL. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE AS THIS COUNCILMEMBER SAID AND I THINK IT'S IT'S ALWAYS TIMELY AND IT'S ALWAYS IT'S ALWAYS WELCOME. I DO AGREE A BIT I THINK WITH COUNCILMEMBER RIVAS IN TERMS OF OUTREACH ENGAGEMENT, TRANSPARENCY AND JUST THE GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE DO IT I MEAN IT CONCERNS ME THAT SOMEBODY THINKS THE COUNCIL MAKES $600,000 IN SALARIES. I THINK TOTAL WE DON'T MAKE $100,000. WE DON'T MAKE $100,000. IT CONCERNS ME WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS THE MALL OF AMERICA ISN'T CONTRIBUTING ANYTHING TO THIS CITY. WE'RE TALKING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EACH YEAR TO BRING UP THE WATER FUND AND FIRST OF ALL THE WATER FUND PAYS FOR WATER TREE OR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE REPLACEMENT. THAT'S WHAT IT'S THERE FOR. IT'S NOT AN INCOME GENERATING FUND. IT'S THE PAY GOES RIGHT BACK INTO THE WATER FUND. AND IF YOU RECALL WE HELD OUR WATER RATES FLAT THIS YEAR. OUR WATER RATE IS ZERO THIS YEAR AND THEN THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT BASIC CITY OPERATIONS POLICE FIRE, PUBLIC WORKS PARKS AND RECREATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THE FIVE BASIC TENETS OF CITY GOVERNMENT MAKE UP 85% OF THE EXPENDITURES IN THE CITY 85%. SO TO SAY THAT WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING OR OR TAKING CARE OF OUR BASIC CITY SERVICES IS JUST FLAT OUT NOT CORRECT BECAUSE 85% OF OUR BUDGET INCLUDING 50% GOING TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND SO WE WE WE CLEARLY NEED TO DO A LITTLE BETTER JOB OF OF LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE DO AND HOW THE WORK IS DONE AND GET THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE BECAUSE SOME OF THESE MISUNDERSTAND INS OR MISCONCEPTIONS I THINK DRIVE SOME OF THE SOME OF THE DISCONTENT WE'VE WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT AND IN OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER OCCASIONS AS WELL AND IT AND I THINK IT JUST PAINTS AN INCORRECT PICTURE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE. AND TO YOUR POINT, COUNCILMEMBER, THIS NOTION THAT SOMEHOW WE JUST DON'T CARE IS THE MOST ABSURD THING I'VE HEARD IN A LONG TIME THAT THE TIME THE EFFORT, THE PASSION, THE ENERGY THAT WE ALL SEVEN OF US PUT INTO THIS EVERY WEEK AND FOR ABOUT A DOLLAR AN HOUR I THINK TO SAY THAT WE DON'T CARE IS IS AN INSULT BECAUSE CLEARLY WE DO IF WE WEREN'T IF WE DIDN'T CARE, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE AND WE CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY. WE CARE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE CARE ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE COMMUNITY. AND SO WE WE OBVIOUSLY NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB TELLING OUR STORY. >> WE REALLY DO. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS COUNCIL COUNCILMEMBER LOGAN MARIE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND OTHER COLLEAGUES FOR YOU KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOU SAID. I YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE THAT. I WANT TO THANK THOSE FOLKS WHO CAME HERE. I KNOW THAT YOU CAME HERE OUT OF YOUR TRUE FEELINGS AND HEART FOR THE COMMUNITY. I APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'VE DONE TO BRING THAT CONVERSATION HERE TO THIS COUNCIL. AFFORDABILITY IS ALWAYS A CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT THING THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON AND MERIT. THANK YOU. YOU ENCAPSULATED THAT WELL, A FEW THINGS THAT I'M CONFUSED ABOUT. WE DON'T NEED TO ANSWER THAT TODAY. HRA HOMES DON'T PAY ANY TAXES AT ALL. I'M I'M SHOCKED BY THAT YOU KNOW PROPERTY TAXES NOTHING AT ALL I'M JUST I'M SHOCKED BY THAT SO THAT'S SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR BACK ABOUT IT LESS YOU ALREADY HAVE THAT TODAY. MAYOR COUNCILMEMBERS COUNCILMEMBER WOMAN I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT. >> I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT. YEAH, I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT EITHER. IT'S SOMEHOW THERE ARE TAX FREE. THAT'S A SHOCK TO ME. YOU KNOW I'M IMPRESSED WITH STAFF DEEPLY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A CONCEPTUAL BUDGET OF 17.98% AND TO GET IT DOWN TO WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY THAT'S SEVEN, SEVEN, 11.4 WHEREVER WE'RE AT TODAY AND WHERE WE WE'LL END UP AT THE END IS AN INCREDIBLE FEAT TO BE ABLE TO TO DO THAT AND YOU KNOW, I THINK MAYOR FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO'VE SAID THAT WE'RE NOT LISTENING, WE DON'T HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, I FIND THAT AMAZING. AND SO YOU'RE RIGHT. IT LOOKS LIKE WE GOT MORE WORK TO DO TO TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT AND TO TO TO REALLY DRIVE HOME WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE. IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT FOLKS DON'T KNOW THAT. BUT IT'S CLEAR FROM THE CONVERSATIONS AND THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE HAVING AT DOORS SO I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN WILLING TO COME HERE, TELL US THAT WE APPRECIATE THAT THAT IS WE'VE GOT TO ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND AND DIG IN AND FIGURE THAT OUT. FIGURE OUT HOW WE GET THAT THAT MESSAGE OUT THERE. IT ANGERS ME A LITTLE BIT THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING THE MESSAGE COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY OUT THERE THAT WE WE CARE ABOUT RESIDENTS. WE CARE ABOUT THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE AFFORDABILITY AND TRYING TO GET BY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WE'VE DONE THE MAYOR WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION. WE STARTED WITH THE 0% BUDGET. I REMEMBER WHEN WE DID THAT FACT AND I BELIEVE YOU WERE ON THE COMMITTEE WHEN WE DID THAT WE STARTED WITH THE ZERO AND LET ME TELL YOU HOW SHOCKED I WAS. YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH THAT WAS CUT THAT WE HAD TO CUT BACK FROM WE YOU KNOW, WE HAD COUNCILMEMBERS UP HERE. WE WERE UPSET WITH ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE OF THE THINGS WE WERE TRYING TO CUT. THOSE WERE NOT EASY CONVERSATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS AND WE'VE COME A LONG WAYS, LET ME TELL YOU I'VE BEEN AROUND HERE FOR A LONG TIME. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS IDEA OF LISTENING AND MAKING IT MORE OPEN YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER WHEN COUNCILMEMBER CARTER AND ELSEWHERE IN DALLAS SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO MORE TO OPEN THIS PROCESS UP AND HEAR MORE AND WHAT WE'RE I THOUGHT WE'RE DOING ENOUGH. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THERE WAS ANOTHER LEVEL IN WHICH THAT WE TOOK THAT TOO AND I APPRECIATE THAT. NOW COUNCILMEMBER RIVAS, YOU'RE COMING IN YOU'RE ASKING THE SAME QUESTION HOW DO WE HOW DO WE PUSH THIS EVEN MORE? AND SO I THINK WE'VE GOT JUST AN ALL STAR TEAM UP HERE WITH STAFF AND WITH OUR COUNCIL THAT REALLY CARES DEEPLY FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND WE'VE GOT A LONG WAYS TO GO AND I TOTALLY HEAR YOU. YOU KNOW AND SOME OF THESE THINGS HERE WE'VE GOT TO CLARIFY HERE I GOT A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE. I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND ALL THIS TIME TODAY TO CLARIFY ALL THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB AND I THINK THAT'S AN AMAZING THING WHEN YOU LOOK FROM 17% DOWN TO 7% I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY COUNCILS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. I AM BUT I'M A COUNCILMAN ABLE TO DO THAT SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE POSSIBILITIES. WE'VE GOT PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING IN FRONT OF US AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY MAYOR IS THIS BUDGET COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT HIGHER NUMBER OF US FOLKS HAVE BEEN HELPING TO INVEST WITH THE FIREFIGHTER DEPARTMENT. IT COULD HAVE BEEN $1.5 MILLION HIGHER THIS THIS BUT WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD TO TRY TO DIVERSIFY WHAT WE'RE DOING LISTENING AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE WATCHING THE MARKET TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THESE THINGS FORWARD. EACH OF US IN OUR INDIVIDUAL ROLES HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DRIVE THIS BUDGET DOWN AND I I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO US CONTINUING TO DO THAT AS WE KIND OF MOVE FORWARD AND I THINK EACH OF MY COLLEAGUES AND STAFF FOR THAT HARD WORK AND THAT DEDICATION EVEN THOUGH WE HAVEN'T SEEN A RAISE ON THIS BOARD IN DECADES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER I CAN'T I THINK COUNCIL IT'S IT'S BEEN SAID WE'VE GOT TO OUR TRUTH AND TAXATION HEARING COMING UP IN EARLY DECEMBER AND OUR FINAL LEVY DISCUSSION IN MID-DECEMBER AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE I KNOW STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO TO CONSIDER THINGS AND LOOK AT THINGS AND LOOK FOR WAYS TO BRING THAT DOWN. SO THANK YOU. THANKS FOR THE CONVERSATION. WE'LL WRAP UP TONIGHT COUNCIL AS WE ALL DO ALWAYS DO WITH OUR COUNCIL POLICY AND ISSUES UPDATE I WILL KICK OFF RECAPPING OUR BLOOMINGTON CITY COUNCIL LISTENING SESSION EARLIER THIS EVENING WE HAD 1234565 SPEAKERS EXCUSE ME WE HAD TAYLOR SWANWICK SPEAKING ABOUT THE CITY'S POSSIBLE USE OF AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READERS ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM FLOCK SAFETY AND I WAS IMPRESSED AT THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE THAT HE HAD ON IT. HE'S OPPOSED TO IT AND WE ARE ONE OF THE ONLY CITIES IN THE TWIN CITIES THAT DOESN'T USE FLOCK SAFETY AND HE WOULD LIKE US TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. SO I WAS IMPRESSED AS I SAID WITH HIS WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC WE HEARD FROM KIT FRIEDMAN AND HE WANTED TO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL FOR A BAN ON USE OF GAS POWERED LEAF BLOWERS WITHIN THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON BOTH FROM A NOISE STANDPOINT BUT ALSO FROM A AN AIR QUALITY STANDPOINT. SO WE'LL WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT CAN THAT CONVERSATION GOES. SHARON SCHAAF WAS THERE AND SPOKE ABOUT QUESTIONS SHE HAD REGARDING THE PROPOSED CANNABIS FACILITY UNDER CONSIDERATION AT TEN 0901 NESBIT AVENUE SOUTH AND MATTHEW HALLETT WAS SPEAKING CAME AND SPOKE TO US ABOUT THE REDEVELOPMENT OF NICOLLET AVENUE AND REALLY URGED BLOOMINGTON TO TRY AND COPY WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN RICHFIELD ON NICOLLET AVENUE AND TRY AND COPY THAT IN TERMS OF TRAFFIC CALMING AND NARROWING AND BIKE LANES AND PEDESTRIAN ABILITY AND SO ON. SO AS I LOOK AT IT I THINK I THINK WE'VE HEARD FROM MATTHEW BEFORE BUT THAT GIVES US AGAIN THREE OUT OF OUR FOUR SPEAKERS AT OUR LISTENING SESSION WERE WERE FIRST TIME SPEAKERS SO IT WAS GOOD TO GOOD TO SEE YOU AND GOOD TO TO WELCOME EVERYBODY THERE. THE ONLY OTHER UPDATE THAT I WILL PROVIDE TONIGHT. JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THE THE TRADE MISSION THAT I ACCOMPANIED THE GOVERNOR AND THE BIG GROUP OF BUSINESS PEOPLE FROM THE CITY OR FROM THE STATE OF MINNESOTA EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS, NONPROFITS THE TRADE MISSION WENT OVER TO SWITZERLAND AND GERMANY AND WE HAD SOME INCREDIBLE CONVERSATIONS WITH WHEN WE STARTED WITH WE MET WITH SIC THE OUR COUNTERPARTS OVER IN THE BLACK FOREST HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND THE AFTERNOON THERE AND SEE THE PRODUCTION FACILITY THERE HAD PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK AS I SAID WITH HIGHER EDUCATION AND BUSINESS AND SO MANY GOOD OPPORTUNITIES IN TERMS OF INNOVATION CENTERS, IN TERMS OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO TO TRAIN THE WORKERS, THE WORKFORCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED. AND IN TERMS OF THE MEDTECH INDUSTRY, I KNOW THAT KIM BERGGREN WAS ALSO THERE AND THE FOCUS ON THE MEDTECH INDUSTRY IN GERMANY ESPECIALLY IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT IT IS HERE AND TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUR OUR LIGHT MANUFACTURING HIGH TECH INDUSTRY THAT WE HAVE HERE WITH WITH OUR POLAR AND SKY WATER AND SIC AND SO ON. SO IT WAS IT WAS DEFINITELY TIME WELL SPENT. IT WAS DEFINITELY AN EYE OPENER IN A LOT OF WAYS AND HOPEFULLY IT'LL BEAR FRUIT FOR US IN THE NEAR FUTURE SO MR. WALKER, DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATES FOR US THIS EVENING? >> I HAVE NOTHING TO NIGHTMARE . >> THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RIVAS I'D JUST LIKE TO UPDATE ON THE TRIP I TOOK TO SALT LAKE CITY. IT WAS AN AMAZING CONFERENCE THIS TIME THERE WAS A LOT MORE LEARNING THAN ANY OTHER THAN I'VE BEEN BEFORE. BUT FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO FINISH A BUDGET DISCUSSION WITH A GOOD COMMENT. WHAT I LEARNED THROUGH THE TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE FOR OUR COMMITTEE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE AND THE ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES IS THAT THERE ARE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AVAILABLE TO CITIES THAT WANT TO USE THEM. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A GREAT STAFF. HE'S ON TOP OF THE GRANTS ALL THE TIME BUT THE ONE THING THAT THEY REITERATED WAS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE A MOVE HAVE PLANS TO SPEND IT BECAUSE THAT WILL GO AWAY BY MID LATE SUMMER 2027. SO IF THERE ARE ANY YOU KNOW, FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT ONE SO THIS WOMAN I THINK IT'S I'M SURE THAT THE STAFF IS ALREADY ON TOP OF IT BUT THERE ARE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AVAILABLE THAT ARE JUST SITTING THERE AND WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. SO AND THEN I TOOK A CLASS AND I BELIEVE THE CITY MANAGER WALKER WAS IN THAT CLASS TOO THAT IS CALLED TWO GRADS IS ACTUALLY ON IT IS CALLED THE DIGNITY INDEX. HE WAS AMAZING AMAZING ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE POLITICAL SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF INSULTS GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH PEOPLE. IT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER TIMING. I MEAN THE THE RESPONSE FROM THE THE ATTENDEES WAS AMAZING AND EVERYBODY'S TALKING THE NEXT DAY. I MEAN WE WERE EVEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS AT TABLES THAT PROBABLY IN THE PAST COULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. SO IT WAS AMAZING HOPEFULLY YOU KNOW FOR MY PART I'M ALREADY TRYING TO PRACTICE THAT APPROACH SO HOPEFULLY THAT HE SPREADS OUT LIKE HE SHOULD AND YOU KNOW, HAVE A GOING BACK TO THE TABLES I HAD THAT CONVERSATION RATHER THAN YOU KNOW, THE INSULTS AND YEAH SO IT SHOWS ABOUT EACH OTHER. HE WAS VERY CONSTRUCTIVE AND ALL THE OTHER CLASSES IN REGARDS TO TO ISSUES YOU KNOW CONTEMPORARY ISSUES FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS I GUESS IT WAS JUST AN AMAZING THING EVERY ALL THE CLASSES WERE BIGGER THIS I MEAN LONGER THIS TIME 2.5 HOURS PER CLASS. SO IT WAS A LITTLE TIRESOME BUT BUT IT WAS A BIG LEARNING EXPERIENCE SO I'M THANKFUL FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE STAFF AND EVERYBODY THAT GETS HIM OVER ALLOWING US TO GO TO THESE THINGS BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY GOOD FOR US TO TO BE PART OF THAT AND PARTICIPATE IN WHATEVER THEY HAD TO TEACH AND LEARNING FROM FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM OTHER CITIES THAT ARE HAVING PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO OURS AND HOW THEY DEAL WITH THEM AND TO TO THOSE LISTENING OUT THERE WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST CITIES AND ONE OF THE BEST SYSTEMS WE YOU KNOW, LOOKS LIKE WE DISAGREE MOST OF ITS STAFF WERE IN A LOT OF ISSUES BUT THE PROFESSIONALISM WHAT WE WORK IN THIS COUNCIL IT'S AMAZING COMPARED TO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THE RESOLUTIONS DEAL OH MY GOD THAT WAS A LONG WE STARTED AT 2:00 AND BY 7:00 WE WE DID FINISH THE VOTE TILL WE HAD TO FINALLY GET OUT BECAUSE IT WAS THE END OF A CONFERENCE. BUT IT'S AMAZING HOW WELL HEATED DISCUSSIONS CAN GET BUT THAT SAID, IT WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE AND HOPEFULLY I KNOW I KNOW I WILL BE PUTTING WHAT I LEARNED INTO INTERVIEWS AND I AM ALREADY TRYING TO DO THAT AS WE SPEAK TODAY. BUT THANK YOU AGAIN. THANKS TO YOU. THANKS FOR REPRESENTING BLOOMINGTON AND THE NATIONAL YOU CITIES THANK YOU. SO ANYTHING ELSE COUNCIL I SEE NOTHING ELSE I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS EVENING SO SECOND MOTION MY COUNCIL MEMBER RIVAS SECOND MY COUNCILMEMBER TO ADJOURN THIS EVENING'S MEETING NO FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THIS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I OPPOSED THE MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYBODY WHO PARTICIPATED THIS EVENING. THANK YOU COUNCIL THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO WATCHED ONLINE EVERYBODY HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR WEEKEND. PLEASANT THANKSGIVING WEEKEND AS WELL. >> THANKS