Based on the context provided and the dialogue within the transcript, here is the formatted version with speaker names identified. **Note on Alan:** While not in your initial list, the dialogue explicitly identifies "**Alan**" as "**Mr. Canrude**" and the "**City Administrator**." *** [2:08] **Alan Canrude (City Administrator):** I'm on a live mic. >> Okay. >> 644. >> Where's the full agenda? >> The full packet >> on the website. >> It's on the opening page under the table. >> I just >> Is would it be possible to push the whole table forward about six inch >> only if these guys go out so I can see you >> that or something? The wings have to go. [2:28] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** That's fine. Like that. Okay, >> that's all. That's great. Thank you. Thank you. >> City council agenda. >> City council agendas >> right down there. See the first one. >> That's only two pages. >> Yeah. >> And then across from it is the that's the agenda. And then across from it are the notes. So go back. [2:47] **Alan Canrude:** Oh, >> those are the minutes. >> Like every other city does it. >> 12. >> All right. I'll take you off speaker and uh this work. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> All right. Yeah, if something comes up, um, >> you guys didn't believe me. >> I think it was a text. [3:03] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I believe too. I didn't see it. >> Obviously, you won't be on speaker. >> It's 6:45. >> Going. >> Um, we'd like to call the meeting to order. >> Um, the first thing on our agenda tonight is the Truth and Taxation public hearing. [3:20] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Uh, would anybody like to speak uh during this public hearing time? **Alan Canrude:** Well, first thing you should do is open the public hearing. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Oh, I'd like to open the public hearing. Do I need a motion to do that? **Alan Canrude:** No. >> Okay. >> Your meeting. [3:37] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** The truth and taxation public hearing is now open. Would anybody like to speak? Anybody? Seeing no one going to close the public hearing. [3:56] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Um, next up, so Alan, do we have to um do we wait till later to pass the budget or do we do it now? >> Because on the affirm final 2026 budget and tax levy. **Alan Canrude:** Yeah. Section B, Madame Mayor, are uh in your packet. There are two resolutions that we'd like you to pass tonight. Um they aren't numbered, but they are in your packet. And one is, and these are essentially ratifications of what you did before. If there's any changes to the budget, we can talk budget first and then levy second because that would make sense since one drives the other. [4:30] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Correct. **Alan Canrude:** And so if anyone has uh I would just suggest that you take up the budget and see what everyone thinks about the way it's scheduled now. Uh it is up on the Elmo for everyone's benefit at home watching. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay. Um I do have one um item on the budget that I would like to look at and that is the special revenue fund. [4:53] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** We after speaking with the dock association um we do need to keep the special revenue fund the same as in 2024 and 2025. Uh we cannot raise that >> because they've already paid the fees. [5:10] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Correct. Already anticipated the fees. They set their fee in September and so we need to wait until the 2027 for that rate to go into effect. **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** So, >> well, I wouldn't take that. Okay. I guess you could take it out of the You're not That's not levy money, though. [5:30] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** No, that's not levy money. **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** That would increase the levy reducing that. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Well, we're talking also about the budget affirm final budget. So I'm just saying **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** yeah we can adopt the final budget with that removed but then we leave the levy the same. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yes. Correct. >> Okay. >> Yep. [5:46] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Okay. Anything else? [5:56] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I move to adopt a resolution adopting the final budget for the municipal operations of the city of Birchwood Village um pursuant or with the amendment just proposed by the mayor. [6:13] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Can I get a second? **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Second. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Bridget, all in favor? >> I opposed. Hearing none, motion passes. >> And first off, who's the second? Bridget, **Alan Canrude:** what I thought and could you articulate the amendment just briefly? I was pulling up what was being discussed on the Elmo. [6:30] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Certainly. Um the special revenue fund. **Alan Canrude:** Yep. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Which is driven by the dock association fees has to remain the same as it is in 24 and 25 because they've already set their rates for 26. So it will go back to we have on our budget $14,500. [6:50] **Alan Canrude:** 14,000 even. I think **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** 500 is the proposed **Alan Canrude:** and so you want it back to 14. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** That's right. **Alan Canrude:** Okay. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** But as Ryan said, um it doesn't affect the levy. **Alan Canrude:** Could we read off since you've got it in front of you, I think we need to read off the levy amount in dollars and cents. [7:14] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Um the total levy for 2026 is $712,794. [7:29] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay. So, are you ready, Alan? Are you I'm not I don't mean that in any sort of I just want to wait till you're **Alan Canrude:** I know not in a metaphysical sense. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I'm ready right now. Yeah, I I don't want that to come off as hurry up. I want it to come off as I just want to pause while you're doing your notes. So, **Alan Canrude:** I appreciate that. [7:50] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Okay. So, I will move to adopt um a resolution adopting the final levy on real property located within the corporate limits of the city of Birchwood Village pursuant to filling in the amount um in the now therefore re >> m >> be it resolved section just read off by the mayor. [8:16] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Could I have a second? **Larry Walker (Resident):** Before you do that, I know I got here a little later, but I thought I made it by 6:45. I thought it was **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** It was >> okay. **Alan Canrude:** Um, >> you want to take the uh podium if you get recognized by the mayor so we know who's talking. [8:39] **Larry Walker:** Um, so my qu to jump to the end. I had more things I was thinking of saying, but **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** excuse me. Could you um state your name and your address, please? **Larry Walker:** Larry Walker, 4020 East County Line Road. [8:56] **Larry Walker:** Um we've lived here 50 years now, so seen a lot of budgets. Um my question is how do you justify I think you reduced amount by tiny amount from what was in the newsletter but that amount was a 15.7% raise over last year and last year was the highest budget we ever had by far. [9:24] **Larry Walker:** So, where is all that money going, I guess, is my question. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Would someone like to answer or would you like me to >> answer? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Okay, sure. >> Well, um I was on the council last year, too. So, the major items that update the um levy last year was the police, fire, um ambulance, emergency services. They all raised their rates significantly up past our um any grants we received. So, all of that went up. We also had the lift station that required fixing. We did have to cover a portion of that. So, that went up. We had quite a few water mains that broke and we were no longer covering that amount. So, you'll notice on your water bill, we took a portion of [10:10] that, but the amount that we had budgeted for that went up. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** We also had another one that was a big one. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Oh, we finally put into the capital improvement plan a plan to actually cover road expenses because we never had one before. We're budgeting for **Larry Walker:** And how much is how much is that? [10:29] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** That was **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** from last year **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** the previous year. Um we had used up all the budget that we had budgeted for. I think we had done a h 100,000 for the roads, **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** right? But that wasn't in **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** it wasn't going to capital improvement. This time we did include capital improvement to plan for future expenses so we're not having to hit everyone every single time for larger projects. [10:51] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yeah. So this year's big raises were, as Kathy said, in the capital project fund. There's $20,000. So additional because there's no balance in there right now. And that money is specifically for um infrastructure work in the city. So that's just like a like I don't want to say a savings account, but it's in there to do big projects. [11:18] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yep. Um, we also, um, what we heard from residents is that they would like the city maintained better. And so we put an extra, what is that? Uh, $20,000 into our maintenance staff so we can hire part-time people in the summer to come out and, you know, maintain our city properly. [11:43] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Oh, and snow plowing. I forgot. Snow plowing. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Snow plowing. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Snow plowing's huge. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Snow plowing went up $30,000 this year. **Larry Walker:** Really? And why is why is that? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Because they gave us a different rate. **Larry Walker:** And who who does snowplow? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Uh we have **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** it's Bright View. Same company we've had. [12:00] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Same company we had last year. They raised from 24,000 I think the previous year to 48,000 last year. And then this year they made it 70. But that's assuming that we have less than 30 inches of snow. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yeah. They went to a tiered system. [12:16] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** So they changed how that uh went and when we tried to get additional we're such a small city that we don't we unfortunately don't bring out the big dogs. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** So that's unfortunately that where we are as far as services. [12:31] **Larry Walker:** So there's no fluff in there. It's just total for road maintenance **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** and for infrastructure improvements. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** It it like when you really look around a lot of things have been neglected for many many years. A lot of the storm water runoff, all the things are clogged. No one's been taken care of any of the culverts or or anything. So, that stuff has to be has to be maintained for it to work. [13:01] **Larry Walker:** Yeah. I'll I'll just point out on the radio today, I happened to hear the average increase in property taxes across the state was 7%. Mhm. **Larry Walker:** Your raise is **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** 15.3. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yeah. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** But you you have to remember our our budget's so little even any increase is going to look big compared to our total budget. [13:25] **Larry Walker:** What's our total budget? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** $700,000. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** 700,000. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** So I mean if you know your larger city with millions of dollars. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** So Minnetonka they're a huge city. They raised their taxes 20% and they have huge property taxes for theirs. So I know that offsets ours a little bit as far as like some of them are you know 3%. But we just have such a small population that it increases quite a bit unfortunately. [13:51] **Larry Walker:** The other thing lost a little bit of revenue that that's part of that. The other thing I'll point out is the county which must be living with some of the same parameters as you are only raised there between 3 and 4%. [14:12] **Larry Walker:** So you know it it's a lot. So my taxes are going up approximately $300. Your raise will be 90% of that. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Right. **Larry Walker:** All right. That's a lot. [14:31] **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** The other thing, if it's helpful, is on your um uh proposed taxes on the back of it, it shows the various cities and their increases or decreases. So, there are others that are as high as us and there are others that are lower, but might be helpful information. [14:51] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** But and I mean I really don't want you to think that we take that decision lightly to have to do that. Like I don't want my taxes raised either. You know, it's not but and I think we've um like Jen said, there's not a lot of fluff. We're already kind of to the bone here. [15:10] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Some of it we're actually under the budget that we've received. So um none of us wanted to raise taxes any of the years. **Larry Walker:** I'll just share my story from 40 some years ago. I was in the barber shop and I was much younger man. I was a older man getting his hair bitching like crazy about taxes and he went on and on and on and finally the barber said to him said, "John, you you can't be bitching about the taxes. Yes, they're going up, but the value of your property is going up, too. [15:49] **Larry Walker:** If you sold it, you get a lot more than you paid for it. He said, I don't want to sell it. I just want to live in it, but if those taxes keep going up, I can't afford it. And we're on a fixed income. So, it, you know, it's gets to be a challenge. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** So, >> do you know about the county program where if No. [16:10] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Okay. There's a county program where your property tax rate can be reduced by half or 40% something like that if you qualify. It's a really easy form to fill out if you go to Washington County. **Larry Walker:** Is that in addition to getting my homestead or whatever it is, **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** right? It's in addition. So they um if you make below a certain amount of money per year, then they will adjust your um property tax. [16:40] **Larry Walker:** Okay. So Washington, what did you call it? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Washington County. **Larry Walker:** Yep. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Property tax. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yeah. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** It should be on the back of your property tax, too. It explains it a little bit on the back of that um tax form. Or did we? We didn't get those yet in the mail, did we? Um, look at your tax. [16:58] **Larry Walker:** Are you talking about **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** the tax bill from last year on the back it'll say that **Larry Walker:** senior citizen property tax deferral? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** No, I'm not talking about that. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Okay, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** that one counts too though. **Larry Walker:** Yeah, you can also I don't do that one either. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Well, you can you can also defer **Larry Walker:** that with county **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Washington County senior **Larry Walker:** citizen tax. [17:20] **Larry Walker:** Which which one are you talking about? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I don't know what it's called, but you have to go on the website **Larry Walker:** on the Washington County um **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** their their tax I think it might be truth and taxation there too, but they have a tax page that you can look at and there is one for um **Larry Walker:** senior deferral will usually find it. [17:40] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Fixed income and disabled and needy. **Larry Walker:** Yeah, I appreciate that. I will I'll look them both up. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yeah, **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** just so you know, like I'm mad my taxes are going up too and I voted for it. **Larry Walker:** Yeah. So **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I'm not mad because I don't I'm paying taxes for something that's worth it >> myself. [17:58] **Larry Walker:** Well, thank >> thank you for coming in. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yeah. Thanks, Larry. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Especially on a night like this. **Larry Walker:** Holy moly. Yeah. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Did you walk down here? **Larry Walker:** I did. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Careful in the roads. **Larry Walker:** Very dangerous. [18:14] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yeah. And I hope you know we all know you, but the camera doesn't. So, I wouldn't have asked you to identify yourself. So, okay. **Alan Canrude:** Just so everyone's paying attention, we've got a a motion without a second at this point **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** to approve the levy, **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Bridget. All right, >> you got it. [18:31] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay. All in favor of approving the levy? >> I >> I Any opposed? Hearing none, motion passes. Um, next on the agenda is a public forum for the delinquent utility billing. So, I'd like to open the public forum. [18:51] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Would anybody like to speak um on behings? **Alan Canrude:** And I'm sure before that you wanted to close the meeting regarding truth and taxation. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I already did close it, but then we let Larry speak. **Alan Canrude:** Yeah, we let Larry speak anyway. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** You can't close the meeting before you took the final vote, **Alan Canrude:** didn't we? Did we close the hearing? [19:11] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** How do we fix it, Alan? **Alan Canrude:** I'll close the meeting. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Close the meeting. **Alan Canrude:** Gotcha. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Can I get a mo? All right. Okay. >> Can I get a motion to close the truth and taxation hearing? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** So moved. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** I'll second. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** All in favor? Opposed? Hearing none. [19:28] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Motion passes >> to adjourn twice tonight. >> Geez. Yeah. Really? Plus, you know what I Never mind. Let's go next. Forget anything I said before. Approval of city council agenda. That's next, right, Mr. Canrude? [19:44] **Alan Canrude:** Yeah, I know you're testing me even. So, yeah, I'm keeping you on track. So, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I know you are. **Alan Canrude:** Got an agenda. I've got some additions after you take anything from the from the rest of the group. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Off um the DNR specialist due to weather was unable to make it. He will come in January. So, **Alan Canrude:** you want that moved then? Oh, sorry. [20:02] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Break it from tonight. All right. Oh. and Marcia is no longer coming. So, the staff report would be done. **Alan Canrude:** I was going to say if no one else is going to bring it up, um Marsha, your uh controller uh treasurer person uh for the same reason as the DNR representative uh declined the invitation to attend. Uh she'll be happy to come in uh January, assuming everyone wants the same presentation. So, I'd ask that that get removed from your agenda. [20:34] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Anything else? [20:41] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** All right, with those two amendments, can I get a motion to pass our agenda for the evening? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** So moved. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** All second. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Hearing none. Motion passes. [20:56] **Alan Canrude:** Don't change your minds. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Geez. Okay, now I think we're going to open the public forum. Alan, do you need to take the budget down? **Alan Canrude:** Yeah, I can now. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay. Um, is anybody here to speak for the public forum? I apologize, Alan. I just scrolled right past those two agenda items. Sorry about that. [21:19] **Alan Canrude:** I know you're just testing me. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** No, I'm not. I'm just I just scrolled too fast. Um, would anybody like to speak for the public hearing? The public forum? No. Okay, public forum is closed. Then we'll move on to the delinquent utility billing public hearing. Public hearing on utility billings is open. Would anybody like to speak on those billings? [21:52] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Anybody? Seeing none, we'll close the public hearing on the delinquent utility billings. Um, Alan, do we need to do anything else with that or is that just a form that we fill out? **Alan Canrude:** Well, at this point, Madame Mayor, there's a resolution in your packet certifying the unpaid charges for collection. And so, that uh unfortunately, we didn't get around to numbering the packet because your city administrator doesn't know how to do that yet, but that's coming. So 2026 is a going to be a good year, but in your packet is a resolution talking about that and your list of delinquencies that still remain as of the printing of the packet. [22:30] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Got it. **Alan Canrude:** So we would just ask a staff a motion um approving that resolution for that purpose and with those delinquencies. **Alan Canrude:** And again, if they get paid before the end of the year and don't get certified, there won't be any interest, etc., etc. It's detailed in the resolution itself. [22:47] **Alan Canrude:** And so if citizens have questions, of course, or residents rather, they can come and ask. So, we'll be taking checks and money orders until the end of the year. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** All right. Can I get a motion to approve the resolution and the the billing for the end of the year? [23:05] **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** We need to conduct a public hearing, though right? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** We just did. We just did. Sorry, I'm zoning, I guess. Okay, **Alan Canrude:** we can do it again. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Um, no, that's okay. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** All right. **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** I'll second. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** All in favor? >> I opposed. Hearing none, motion passes. [23:22] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Thank you. >> Boy, fits and starts tonight, huh? All right, so our presentation was cancelled for this evening from Paul Burr. Um, our staff reports from Marsha, that's cancelled as well. Um, is do any of you have anything to report or Alan? Do you have anything **Alan Canrude:** as far as staff goes? Um, I did ask Bright View about uh anything that they wanted to share with the uh council and of course they're talking about fits and starts. Of course, with the advent of sort of the way winter has kind of hit, it made it a little rocky. So, a new crew and some equipment that's now placed here. Uh, I called in a salt job in the middle of the night last night to [24:08] get ahead of what was coming. And so, we'll just try to monitor these things. I mean, if it's that kind of winter, it's just going to take a little bit more diligence. And so we just ask that uh residents be patient. You know, we have turned the trigger back a little bit from 1 in to 2 in to try and save some money, but we can always call in and since they have equipment here, we can um we can call in whenever someone thinks that it's required. **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** So, >> you know, let's kind of gauge resident feedback in my view on the snow and and I know there were some complaints and if we have to dial it back, you know, I know there's some obviously, you know, some sensitivity to tax bills and I think we should do our best to keep that down, but where we have to like I'm willing to come into a special meeting if we need to things get to the point where we're just not keeping up. So, [24:55] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** y **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I think we need to personally I think we need to spend um pay special attention to Wildwood um where the Malloys live. It's so hilly over there that gets hard to get up by you Kathy trying to get out up lake and also **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** um >> push the up or USPS up uh on my way here **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** >> and and Birchwood Lane. [25:21] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** >> Cedar going up the hill up here. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** >> Yeah, that's right. couldn't make it. So, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** >> right. So, you're not getting mail today. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** >> You know, the 2-in trigger was a good idea to save some money, but we do I think our number one priority is safety. So, we we really do need to monitor that. [25:41] **Alan Canrude:** And that's why I called in the salt. **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** For what it's worth, for everyone looking and watching at home, the last two events um basically in between the major event wouldn't have even pulled a 1-inch trigger. So, it's important for everyone to realize that even if we did have that more robust contract, they wouldn't have come out. [25:58] **Alan Canrude:** That's right. **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** So, it's important, but of course, even with 3/4 of an inch when it's heavy and wet, you know, it's going to get compacted and that presents those problems. **Alan Canrude:** So, I live close by. So, you know, I kind of used my Spidey sense last night and just used the top of my car to say, "Hey, because I knew that the Bright View guys would be keeping an eye on it." So, **Alan Canrude:** um, it's going to take, I guess you could say, the village proverbially to, uh, watch over it, especially when we get these near freezing events like this. It's just going to be a mess. [26:25] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** And I was thinking even to maybe designate designate somebody to report to the city on road conditions because, you know, I've been driving around, but I don't often get to every road, you know. **Alan Canrude:** Yep. It would be nice if we had a resident that would just say, "Hey, you know, we need some salt at this intersection or whatever **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** in a respectful manner." **Alan Canrude:** A respectful manner. [26:46] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** We could send them. **Alan Canrude:** I'm happy to be that collection point. So, you know, however it gets to you guys, get it to me and I'm happy to call it in. Bright View has been very responsive. So, they are really engaged. They do have people who are out driving around when these things happen just to gauge because they are sort of, you know, spotty. Just like in the summer you get the popcorn cells of rain, we get the same thing now with uh with snow. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** So, >> yep. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** you know, in your Thursday note, you could just ask people >> to be spotters and to call in. [27:14] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay. Because like Alan said, Bright View is very good. They're very responsive, but if we don't know, we can't fix it. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yep. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** You know, so **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yep. **Alan Canrude:** And of course, we have equipment here. So, thank whoever for allowing that because they were asking and obviously it helps mobilize when they can keep a big piece of equipment here, too. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** So, it'll be next year before Allen and Ryan are the plow guys. [27:42] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Those jackets. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** So, anyway, I will keep giving feedback to them. We'd have a we had a few um lanes that didn't quite get cleared, so we called those in and u we had some folks complaining because snow is being piled up. You know, a good reminder is, you know, the rightways are designed for that. So, I mean, that's why we have right away that goes off of the roadway to pile up snow. So, that's just going to happen. So, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** okay. Um, I guess, yeah, I don't have anything more to report either. So, can we move on to city business then? [28:20] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Um number one under city business action items is the second reading on ordinance amendment to the city code regarding parks. Um so I'd like to open the public hearing on that ordinance. [28:41] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Is would anybody like to speak on that? **Alan Canrude:** And madame mayor, for what it's worth, before the throngs of people rush the stage, um there is a nice summary that's been provided by Al Mitchell, uh detailing what those changes are. There's an resolution approving the ordinance changes in your packet. So once the public hearing is done, uh that's all there. There's also a summary of that ordinance that needs a separate vote. [29:05] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay. Thank you. >> Seeing no one that's here to speak on that, I would like to close the public hearing. Um, would someone like to make a motion to approve the amended ordinance? [29:21] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Uh, I move to adopt uh Oh, I'm on the wrong page. Maybe somebody else. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Um, **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** the resolution approving the ordinance amendments. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yep. For the I I can make a motion to I'm confused. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Approve the uh ordinance amendments for the city park regulations as they relate to budgeting and fees. [29:46] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Can I get a second? **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** Second. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Bridget, all in favor? >> I >> I >> opposed. Hearing none. Motion passes. Um, we need to also authorize the summary publication this ordinance. [30:02] **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** Wait, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** wait. **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** I thought I heard the word fees from you Kathy. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yep. This was the **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** regard. Is there something in the parks section regarding fees? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** If you scroll down, the park had uh parks committee had provided an action plan of their first tier, second tier, etc. That is part of their ordinance uh approval thing that they had in there **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** and they're not collecting money. [30:27] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** They're just showing how they're spending the **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** special. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** So, okay. So, this I see. So, the Oh, so this relates to **Alan Canrude:** if you're playing along at **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** clarify. Okay, got it. All right. Yeah, sorry. the page numbers are. **Alan Canrude:** Well, if you need some help with page numbers, I can come show you, Alan. Um, **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** page 18 and then 19 is kind of their breakdown of **Alan Canrude:** Oh, yeah. I I looked at it. I'm just get having a little trouble tracking the agenda pages. So, a little patience I appreciate. So, okay. [30:56] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** They did a great job of laying all of this out. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** They did. **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** I want to vote for it. I just want to **Alan Canrude:** like to scroll. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** You get it right the first time is all. Yeah, that's fine. Um, just tell me when to vote. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Could I have a motion to um to authorize Yeah. publication the summary publication? [31:21] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I will Kathy **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** move to uh adopt that summary publication for the works. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Second. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** All in favor? >> I opposed hearing hearing none. Motion passes. [31:39] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** All right. Um Kathy, number two, consideration of park budget and projects. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yes. Um so they've uh page 21. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** If you're going into that one, that is a breakdown of the top um projects that the parks committee is planning on working on. I did want to mention, if you didn't notice in your newsletter, that the parks committee is planning on um using a portion of their parks budget to remove a problematic large tree from a park or easement. and they asked for um people to offer uh options for parks projects, but they want to uh [32:24] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** potentially do an adopt a park um project in their system. So they would like people to respond to their email which is parks at city of Birchwood with uh if they would be interested in doing an adopts a parks system and then if you have want to nominate a specific tree that is a problem within the city's property to be the tree that is removed **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** as your final portion of that email. So that is something that is on here where it's a $2,500 where it's the Pauly's Park large tree removal that's listed on here. So, that's just a fun little fact to go with that. But, this is kind of just a breakdown of the things that they know about at the moment, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** right? [33:05] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Um, they obviously want people to let them know if there are anything that you run across that is dangerous or anything like that should be notifies uh the city for maintenance right away, but anything that is a long-term project um can be brought before the parks committee and their meetings are at 6:30 on the third Tuesday of the month. [33:27] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yeah, you guys did a great job on this. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** They're they're a fun committee to work with. They really good work. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yep. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Um, does anybody have any questions for Kathy **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** or Bridget? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Or Bridget. Sorry, Bridget. [33:45] **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** I'll share. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay. If not, um, let's move on to number three. And number three is the second reading on ordinance amendment to city code regarding fee schedule. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Again, **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** this is the one where we need to adjust the **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** or not levy, sorry, **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** special revenue fund. [34:06] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Special revenue **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** for the dock. **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** Can we do it for the following year though? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yeah, just I think **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** we could just put the date. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** We we already put in the effect we can just put in the effective date or we can do it. It would I think it would be better to just do it now so they there's lots of notice. [34:22] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Okay. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Um **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** beginning what and that would be September 2027 **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** after the docks come out, right? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yeah. That's when they approve their **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** that's when they do their budgets in September. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** They announce the fees in September. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay. [34:37] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** So I guess be but before I make a motion with that amendment, are there any other comments on the fee schedule? before somebody makes an emotion with that amendment. [34:54] **Alan Canrude:** It's and I I guess I should say I I went through it again and there there is one thing I changed in here and it I bumped up the engineering fee to Marcus's current hourly rate which is a a little bit higher than it was when we initially did the fee schedule. Um, I think that was the one thing that I kind of surreptitiously changed, but everything else should be pretty much in line with the markup from last month. [35:21] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Where would that be? **Alan Canrude:** Um, if you go down to engineer, consult or review land use plans, inspector other services, Marcus is now 165 an hour. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Okay. [35:36] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I did want to ask and I just haven't had a chance to go and look. Do we have all of these items that have asterisks next to them defined as to what that actually means? **Alan Canrude:** If you There should be down in the footnotes down at the very bottom of the fee schedule **Alan Canrude:** that there's a state surcharge for double asterisk and an escrow for city permitting for the single asterisk. And if we got to three asterisks somewhere, we might be we might be missing that. [36:05] **Alan Canrude:** But I think we just have one and two asterisks. And some things have both one and two asterisks, **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** which is not confusing at all. When you **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** The one that I always have to look up is the street vacation application where I'm just What is that? [36:23] **Alan Canrude:** That's a good Allen question. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yeah. So, do we have all of the different code like line items for our fee schedule on the website now where you can look up what each one of those sections includes? **Alan Canrude:** I would have to check. I haven't been to that part of the website, but **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** why don't we get past this and if they aren't, they will be. [36:44] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** All right. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** And we'll update accordingly. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** It was on the previous website where you could search them, but I haven't found. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay. Yeah. I just haven't gone there. I'd like to open the public hearing on the the ordinance amending the city code regarding the fee schedule. [37:08] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Um would anybody like to speak on that? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay, seeing none, close the public hearing. Can I get a motion to amend the ordinance? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I move to adopt the ordinance amending the fee schedule. [37:25] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Thank you. **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** Second. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Second. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** All in favor? >> I opposed. Hearing none. Motion carries. Um the next thing we need is a motion to authorize the summary publication of this fee schedule. [37:45] **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** Moved. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Second. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Second. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** All in favor? I >> I opposed. Hearing none, motion passes. Okay. On to number four here. Um number four under city business action items is consideration of install of installation. Um an agreement with Excel for two street lights along county e county line to illuminate the lake links and sidewalk area. Alan, do you want to speak about that? **Alan Canrude:** Yeah, I can try to set this up and I apologize for not having a short memo on the issue, but this was a request from White Bear Township. Um, if you guys remember back when they put in the trail, we had to um essentially [38:33] **Alan Canrude:** adopt something of a maintenance agreement so that we're responsible for our little section of the trail, which basically is from the edge of Birchwood down to the to the turn, as I call it. And the map kind of delineates that. the township wanted to light that area of course um for pedestrians and bikes and whatnot. Um from that corner from Fisner up to the basically where the trail turns off um Excel had apparently proposed a couple of lights there. So one's right at the corner and one's up from there south um as as the crow flies. And so the township approached us and since they were in Birchwood's jurisdiction and Excel is charging obviously for the installation of the poles and just a very little bit to manage them and and keep them on. Um [39:18] **Alan Canrude:** they approached us and said, "Do you want the poles?" Because of course they couldn't commit to that and just send us a bill. And so that's how this kind of got to us. And it's obviously a little late in the game, but uh at least we can see what we're getting into. And so they ask is, "Do you want the lights? And if so, uh, you can see what the budget would be to do that. So, I would bring it back with something more formal with Birchwood, um, sort of more properly delineated, but I have to start the conversation with you guys at least at this point and see what direction you want to go. [39:50] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Hey, go ahead. **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** Do we do it? We know the budget. Is it in that print? I'm not seeing it. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** It's $128,000. **Alan Canrude:** Yeah, for all of the lights. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** That's for all of it. Yeah, about 10% of that **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** would be what? **Alan Canrude:** Yeah, I think it's 20,000 for us for those polls. And I think let me just pull up the email from the uh township representative. [40:16] **Alan Canrude:** Again, from my perspective, it would be a separate agreement. So, the numbers would be there. So, it's really a question on principle. Do you guys want a couple lights there in on Birchwood territory? If you do, then I'd bring it back and you could see the specific numbers. I mean, **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I would like the specific numbers I'm approving if that would be at all. [40:35] **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** I agree, Kathy. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I guess if it's $20,000, I don't need numbers. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I was thinking the 13 was their portion and then we'd have a two separate. [40:56] **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** I've just never noticed if it's dark there or not. I run there at night and there there is a stretch where it gets a little like oh maybe I shouldn't be running here but but it it's it's a county road like it's not like you can call it Lakeland's trail through there but it's **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** not really a pedestrian trail. [41:16] **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** It's kind of a it's kind of a county road. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Do they have they have watchman's there? Right. The overhang arched **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** lights. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Maybe we should just look at it. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** There is one of those at the intersection because I know that that's a fairly problematic intersection, but I don't know about it down further. [41:36] **Alan Canrude:** And the cost share, just so you're uh just for the FYI, two of the 13 according to Dale at the township would be 19 basically 19,800. And then according to Excel, those run about $6 and change um a year for maintenance. [41:53] **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** So that'd be the hit. So **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** So tell me that. Say that again. Come again. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** No, you come again. I I didn't hear you. **Alan Canrude:** The cost per pole or for the two polls would be about 19,800 **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** for the install and setup. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** A lot of money. [42:10] **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** I don't think we have 19 our budget at the moment. I and like I said from someone who runs by the lake at night like I'm trying to like basically once you get up to Birchwood Lane that's all illuminated already and it's only between Birchwood Lane and Birchwood A that's like a little **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I think there is a watchman there. [42:34] **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** Yeah, I think so too if I remember right **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** shortish distance. **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** Yeah, I would think that the only one that would make this is just my perspective and I'm like you, Ryan, I bike a lot, so I'm in that corner. Yeah, **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** the corner might make sense right by Fner. Just take one of them. [42:50] **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** But I I I think there's something there already, isn't there? **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** I I'll just say like I run at like 10:00 at night, so it's as dark as it can be. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** And once I get on the trail, like **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** you're fine. **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** I'm fine. I feel like it's like safe going. That's why I run that way because it's it's already lit. Yeah. [43:09] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Can somebody make a motion to authorize 10,000 for this? Because I'm not anywhere close to that. That just seems like **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** I mean, if this were $1,000, I might look at it, but this is $10,000. And **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I think it's I think it's too much. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** It's way way out of line. And I mean, I guess I just don't I can't take this out of the picture of even considering what the lighting is like down there when I hear the number $10,000. You know, **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** do we have any money left for a Lake Links grant? [43:37] **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** Yeah, that would be that would be the thing I think that would be worth looking into is if there's some money in a Lake Links grant or something for something like this. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** They have a project, you know, but **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** list of things. It's going to take $70,000. But **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** yeah, **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** yeah, **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** what I would suggest is that we all go look at it in the dark because safety is something that we value for the community. And then next time let's talk about it. [44:01] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** That's that's fine, too. I don't think there's any urgency with the holidays. So, again, this is something to put it on your radar and someone let me know when to bring it back. Um, if you're just going to say no, I think I can just communicate that. But, um, if you guys want even one of them, I just assume I have something more formal in front of you. [44:17] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Well, I'm very skeptical, but I think I think Bridget's right. We need to do our due diligence and look at that. **Alan Canrude:** Fair enough. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** If it's 10,000, who knows? Maybe Lake Links would say, "Okay, we trade something out." **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Or maybe we need some volunteers to install some of our Lake Link stuff and then use 10,000 for lighting. [44:34] **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** The the monthly fee is very reasonable. I mean, once we once we pony up the 10 grand, it's six bucks a month, right? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** How do I get these lights for my house? **Ryan Eisele (Councilmember):** Wouldn't that be nice? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay, then. So, what I'm hearing is you guys want to punt it till next month and we can all go on a field trip to check it out. [44:51] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Star portion of the budget would be nice, **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** but don't go tonight. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yeah. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yeah. Not go tonight. **Alan Canrude:** That's why I didn't make you make make any decisions because this is really just to sort of start the conversation. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Why don't we put it on the agenda for January then, please? [45:10] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Thank you. Um okay, where are we guys? Number five, discussion of Halls Marsh flop matter. Mr. Hankins, you're up, man. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** Yeah. So Kathy and I went to the to the Rice Creek meeting and I I guess one of the things I felt like is that including for me there was not a lot of kind of understandable background information on Halls Marsh. And so I just wanted to kind of do a review of that and understand where the history was on this and and figure out what you know based basically as a whole council kind of align on a [45:55] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** path forward here. And so it's in my view this is a pretty complex issue. I tried to kind of go through here. I made a couple of recommendations, but I I kind of realized I've been looking at this as I did this without necessarily understanding all the details here. And um I think it's just worth, you know, one of the things Rice Creek is offering us is a workshop to basically to discuss a study. And actually, I have a copy of the study here. This is a study. It's called the water treatment performance improvement feasibility report. And this is something they did up on Bald Eagle Lake [46:40] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** where um they have those Shunaman Marsh or whatever it's called and they wanted to improve water quality there. Um and so they're discussing something like this with respect to Halls Marsh whether that would be a reasonable option for us. Um, I think this might be a way to kind of move the um, you know, the Hall's Marsh matter kind of forward and and bring this to a little bit of a resolution. Um, having said that, I don't necessarily want to push people into anything that they're not comfortable with. Um, I propose some steps forward here. Rice Creek is proposing a workshop. And one of the things they might discuss at the workshop is whether this this a study of this nature would kind of be a way of [47:28] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** bringing the matter with them to a close. Um I do think **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** what's the nature of that study? **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** The nature of the study is basically it what's that? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Nothing. Sorry. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** It studies phosphates and heavy metals and a bunch of things up in this Shunaman marsh and it what it really does is actually really cool. They do this analysis and they come up with basically a dollar per pound of phosphorus removed. And so what they found here and I don't remember what the amounts were the amounts were like $600 for one method and 900 for another something like that. They basically and that I mean 600 bucks to remove a a pound of phosphorus is a lot [48:15] of money when you think about it, right? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** And so they have economical ways to remove phosphorus in there. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** Yeah. And so that's kind of what they're kind of what they're talking about here is they have they don't have economical ways. And that's basically, and if you want my my opinion of this, that's basically what you you you can do the study on Hall's Marsh, but that's likely what you're going to find is that there's no reasonably cost-effective solution except for one, and I'll tell you what that is in a minute, to um to kind of reduce the phosphate levels in Hall's Marsh. The options are expensive and pretty limited. Um, the one option that I think is feasible is is street sweeping and increasing street sweeping [49:01] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** in certain targeted areas appears to reduce the cost per appears to be a reasonable um affordable way of actually removing phosphorus from the marsh. So that's kind of the **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** tell you why **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** um because a lot of people use it in fertilizer **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** not a lot of people around the using fertilizer. So we'd actually have to have the people around who have beautiful green lawns **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** and reduce **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** and so you know so there are certainly some limits here. Um I think we are what I would like to see I think is the workshop with Rice Creek seems like a reasonable thing to do. [49:47] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I agree. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** Um I would like to get alignment from the council. um at least on what we're seeking out of a workshop. Um **Larry Walker:** could I make a related comment? **Larry Walker:** I happened some years ago to be at a White Bear Township meeting. White Bear Township has 100 ponds and they have a major budget allocation to clean 10 ponds a year. [50:16] **Larry Walker:** So I'm just thinking about knowing anything about this topic. They must know a lot about it because they've been cleaning 100 decades. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** They do it through the Rice Creek Watershed District who is the group we're working with on this one. So hopefully we would be able to do something. [50:35] **Larry Walker:** But they would have different situations, different options. I mean they must have we have one **Larry Walker:** pond **Larry Walker:** that you're worried about. They have 100 **Larry Walker:** so they must have come across everything imaginable. [50:54] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Thank you. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** Yeah. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** So this study I I I like that this idea of a study because we don't know what's in the marsh. We don't know. We don't have any data at all. So, if Rice Creek were to do a study like that, it would at least give us a baseline of what we're dealing with in Halls Marsh. [51:17] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Once we have that baseline, um then we could figure out how we're going to move forward from that. Um, and I think that the more we talk about it, I think we uh hopefully we what we want all of us, including the residents, we want to have the marsh cleaned up, right, and preserve it, keep it clean once we remove the toxins. So, I guess it's just getting to that point like how are we going to get to that point? And I think that workshop might allow us, we can sit down to write with Rice Creek and say, "Hey, listen. This is what we as Birchwood would like. How are we going to get there?" **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Ryan, I read this paper, I think, three [52:02] times. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** Yeah, me too. Isn't it awesome? **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** But I agree completely with your points on the workshop. I also think there's no downside. Alan, you might disagree in uh seeking a legal um uh opinion from the attorney general. [52:22] **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Um so I would go forward with that. Um and then if we get that study done, then we know where we are and what our next steps are. Correct? So those would be the first two things that we should do. [52:39] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** I think it's Yeah, I think it's worth doing that. I I think I don't know. I I'd like your opinion. I think it might be worth holding off on a legal opinion until after a workshop. I mean, I think we have some time. What do you think, Alan? Um, and revisiting that. I think if we really knock it out of the park at the workshop, maybe things are good there. Um, I think you might be able to go into a workshop with a little more certainty if you at that point. Um, but I'm fine. I'm fine with, you know, but **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** the one thing I was confused about, Ryan, was um this and I can't remember what you called it, but the like the neighborhood group that's going to manage this. I know that's not **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** the lake improvement district. And I [53:25] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** think we have to see whether that applies around a marsh because a marsh is different from a lake. But I do think we need to find a way to kind of what I hear from people is I know Johnsons are really frustrated like I feel like we need to find a way maybe this isn't it but some sort of a vehicle for the people around Halls Marsh you know Kathy you know maybe that's your um something you're interested in to kind of have some more agency in the management of that area. So, and there are legal ways of doing that, but **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** maybe we don't need **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** for those people. [54:02] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** There is. Yeah, those would form and that's something we would work with the county to kind of form. I think we could come up with such a district that would even have legitimacy to probably pursue grants too. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** So, doesn't a lake district it doesn't that isn't that a taxing district as well **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** that can't Yes, it's a taxing district **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** to raise money **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** right to our people. [54:25] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** Well, we aren't there yet. I think we should I think we should certainly do uh you know, meet with a group and see where we can go. And I think this one's a really good **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I agree. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I have thoughts about this whole document if you don't mind. [54:42] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** Go ahead. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Um one is that you've cut me completely out of this system that I've been working on for three years. I'm pretty upset about that. Um secondly, you referred to the reason that we want to clean up or remove um invasive species because we don't like the aesthetic. Has never been the reason. It has always been for water quality. [55:04] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Um so that's upsetting. I also don't feel that the people who live directly around the marsh should be financially responsible as the only individuals for cleaning up the marsh when none of them personally had much to do with it. and the city is the largest land owner around it. [55:21] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** So um uh also you didn't consult Alan or Marcus who are the other people who've been working on this for three years and I appreciate that you filled out the document but I do feel like the rest of the people who have been working as a team it's not a committee of one and this was very upsetting because it cut out all of the information regarding the things that we've been discussing and talking about. So, this would have been nice to have this come to us to discuss prior to being in the packet. [55:59] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Um, with that being said, there's some great ideas in here, but it's also it wasn't brought in front of the group that has been dealing with this to bring it in front of the committee or group. And it looks like you've been reaching out to Rice Creek Watershed District and got a response from them directly, but didn't include any of the information regarding what you had asked them. Um, so I feel like I've been cut out of something that I've worked very hard for, which is very upsetting to me. Um, I have forwarded you the information from uh Steve McComas as of today. We got a response from him regarding testing for various things on the marsh, storm water [56:44] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** conveyance from uh the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. I forwarded you Jay Riggs information from the Washington Conservation District. Um, none of this was consulted to the group that's been working on it and though there's some good information, it's frustrating. [57:10] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** That's my thoughts. [57:17] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** How would you like to see this moving forward Kathy? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Um, I do think we need to have another meeting regarding the group that's been working on it to discuss the recommendations from the other agencies. The DNR also owes me a call. So, I have some other irons in the fire regarding that meeting that we had in November **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** that I would like to discuss. Every agency is a slow-moving process, so it takes a while to gather information. I would like to have that discussion prior to meeting with Rice Creek Watershed District because we should be discussing all of this information that is our strategic plans or decisions prior to making it a public information for other agencies. [58:02] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** So, that's kind of where I'd like to go. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** Can we make that happen? I I mean I think the problem here that I see with the kind of the ongoing investigation is this is stuff that's kind of all been gone through and you know it I I would suggest we schedule a meeting for late January um with Rice Creek Watershed study schedule a work session for late January give you know a couple a month and a half here for Kathy to kind of wrap wrap up the loose ends. Um, you know, I would kind of like to see I know and I appreciate your work on this, Kathy. Um, [58:49] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** I'm trying to move beyond some of the, um, contention that's been going on with Rice Creek a little bit here. And, you know, it's not so much that you're not being included here. It's just that I think it's important **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I think it's important to include the whole council um you know in the discussion going forward here and I think we're just kind of including everybody. So um I'm having said that I think giving some time is fine but I think would it be reasonable to just set up maybe a late January workshop with Rice Creek. You can do your due diligence. we can incorporate some of that into the strategy at the workshop and kind of move this forward toward a resolution. [59:36] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** And **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Kathy, what information is still outstanding? Like who are you waiting for? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Um, I'm waiting to hear from the water quality specialist at the Department of Natural Resources. Um, that's the biggest one. Um, every agency I've talked to, they have said we should be working with Rice Creek because they're the ones who manage this and should know how to take care of a maintenance plan, which is surprising because that's the thing that they claim they can't do. So, um, all of the agencies that I've talked to have given me various information that I'm I'm not a specialist. I would like Marcus and Allen to be reading that information and giving their opinion and info on it. [1:00:14] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Um uh several well uh Bill M Cole from the pollution control agency gave me the full water u wetlands document that pulled out the information was specific to wetlands. He's like this applies there's no reason it shouldn't apply but we've been told by Rice Creek multiple times they're like this doesn't apply. So there's some some information that doesn't make sense. So that is what I want clarified by these organizations and that's why I would like to talk to the department of natural resources **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** prior to **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** so I'm just trying to figure this out. So if you once you get that information from the DNR, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** would it be possible for you and Alan and Marcus to sit down and go through that information **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** and I **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** and maybe at the end of January we have a workshop on it and then we push off Rice Creek until the beginning of February. Let's do let's **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** that way you can **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** we can get your stuff together present to the whole council at a workshop **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** and then we can talk strategy once we have all the info that would be good hand. Would that be all right? [1:01:24] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Okay. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yeah, I think **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** well thank you for doing the research too. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yeah, thank you Kathy. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** I I really do feel strongly that this stuff needs to start moving through the council and that's what I'm trying to do here um to kind of because one of the things I've seen at Rice Creek meetings is Um, you know, the council isn't aligned on these issues. And, you know, we have to kind of pull the council into alignment before we can even start to have a reasonable a reasonable discussion with Rice Creek. And that's, you know, what I'm trying to do here. I put a number of options into the paper. [1:02:01] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** You know, this isn't the final thing, but like and I'm fine with people, you know, saying, "Well, I want this way. I want to push it that way." That's fine. But I really do think if we're not going to have a task force, it's really important to to kind of coalesce the council around this because this is a, you know, this is an issue that's been very focused on Rice Creek, but this also has a lot of um, you know, implications more broadly for Birchwood and for our relationship with Rice Creek and for some of the funding there. There are some complexities and, you know, I just think it's good for the whole council to kind of keep on top of all these things. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** So, disagree that the whole council should be involved with this and understanding it. But given the fact that Kathy has worked three years [1:02:47] on this and has known **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** has built up so much expertise, I don't think it's the right thing to go boldly forward without bringing that **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** expertise. I agree and I would ask her to, you know, kind of bring that in as a council. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** Um, but my understanding was, um, you know, Rice Creek was reaching out to me for specific reasons there. So, thank you. [1:03:10] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Well, would that timeline work though? Can we stick with that timeline? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Like you, Kathy, and Allan and Marcus meet in January. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Council has a workshop the end of January and you guys can present, talk about Ryan's options, your options. I I totally agree we need to be on the same page. [1:03:29] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** There's no point in continuing a discussion with Rice Creek unless we come with a plan **Alan Canrude:** and let me reach out too. So on behalf of the city. So I mean all of this will be driven by what Rice Creek can do in their availability too. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** They didn't copy you on any of the emails that they sent to Ryan either did they? [1:03:49] **Alan Canrude:** I don't think so. I mean **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** I just sent the president of Race Creek a thank you email. So **Alan Canrude:** yeah I've seen I mean I don't think any of this matters as long as the goal if the North Star is cleaning up the marsh then that should be the focus. So **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** no and I agree with that. I'm just I'm not a fan of having information coming from Rice Creek for the the council that has cut out all of the people who have worked on it for three years. [1:04:13] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** That's fair. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Switch. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** So, let's not do that anymore because that's why we've been working with seven different members of Rice Creek is because they keep on switching our contacts, which is why it's taking years. **Alan Canrude:** And I understand everyone's frustration. And I think when Kathy and I brought this forward as a way to sort of try and manage the Mars, um I certainly am not one to throw other government agencies under the bus, but this slowdown, but I'm about to, but um this was slowed down because of the maintenance agreement that really was being kind of slowwalked or at least that was the perception. And I will say that there are a lot of other actors that had to be part of this. So there had to be input from White Bear and Mahtomedi, etc., etc. [1:04:51] **Alan Canrude:** So it it did slow the bus down and we had a pretty good traction there for a while and then it just kind of slowed to a stop and so to Ryan's point apologize for that but there wasn't any update to bring the council because nothing had happened **Alan Canrude:** and then all of a sudden here we are. So **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Ellen, could you reach out to Rice Creek and just kind of float the idea of early February to them? **Alan Canrude:** That **Alan Canrude:** what I'm saying. In fact, I'm going to caption this in your minutes just so you know that simply we're going to move the matter to a more focused assessment uh on the phase regarding Marsh Health and next step for rehabilitation and plan a workshop for early 2026. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** That sounds unfair. [1:05:26] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** That sounds reasonable. **Alan Canrude:** Obviously, they'll be invited. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** They didn't copy you on any of the emails that they sent to Ryan either did they? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Does that work for you? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** And we did, of course, um just so everyone's aware, um Ruth and Bud, the Jensens wanted to be here. uh couldn't uh they had sent some uh um some other personal thoughts to sort of revisit what they did last month with their presentation. So uh they're still laser focused and obviously we appreciate their attention. So **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** yeah, obviously we'll be inviting them to the workshop **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** and I'm sure they will love to be there. [1:06:01] **Alan Canrude:** So unless there's any vote to be taken, that's how I'm going to leave it in the minutes. So stay tuned next month and we'll hopefully have a plan for when we can do that. Is there anything else you'd like to discuss on that? Anybody? **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Well, Alan, can and this is me being new to this whole situation and I find it to be a very confusing situation, this whole Marsh thing. Is it possible that staff can put together like a working file of all the information that that the group has collected so far and the work that you've been doing just so we can see a timeline of **Alan Canrude:** on the city side? **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** this document. [1:06:40] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** No, **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** kind of does cover most of the information. The information you got from Bud and Ruth, theirs has been a **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** a live document. We'll go with that. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Sure. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** They added to it. And then the other information we have from the city is just the email. [1:06:56] **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** But having the city putting together a document, would the document that Hankins provided suffice or would having the city put together like a working document of the timeline preserve perspective? **Alan Canrude:** Yes. [1:07:12] **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Well, I'll answer this a couple of ways. And I'm coming from a government perspective where **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** like I want something like super official saying, "Hey, this is what the work that the city's been doing XYZ since this date and here's who everybody we've reached to and here's the dates and everything." **Alan Canrude:** And the best I can do is promise to look through and see what sort of people who have been sitting in this chair have documented before because I don't know how much attention has been paid from downstairs to this issue. [1:07:37] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Be careful. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Thank you. **Alan Canrude:** Thank you. I've certainly been involved in I'll just call it the task force. This is back when Justin and Kathy and I were meeting with the district and whatnot. And that does go back three or four years. And so those were just sort of episodic little meetings that we'd have towards this flop agreement, the maintenance agreement. [1:07:57] **Alan Canrude:** And so I don't know how much attention was being paid. I don't know if there was any sort of timeline being kept. I would agree. Ruth and Bud probably have the best working knowledge of sort of how this has gone over the years, but our participation has really been, hey, here's the latest version of this maintenance agreement. What do you think? [1:08:13] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yep. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Basically. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Okay. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yeah. Bud and Ruth's document that they sent that timeline of the all of the things. None of it's wrong. **Alan Canrude:** Nope. **Alan Canrude:** I wrote up a brief one that you guys got last fall and of course I appreciate Ryan's effort. That's obviously Herculean as far as tonight goes. So, um, we are building a file and I'll start one if there isn't one, but I just can't tell you what the city has for records on it. [1:08:36] **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Okay. I'm not crazy for You understand where I'm coming from on that? **Alan Canrude:** I understand government. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** There you go. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** It all started in 1976. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** The bicentennial. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yes. When the marsh was donated to the city. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** And it only went up from there. [1:08:52] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Uh-huh. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Went downhill quickly for **Alan Canrude:** Are there any Halls left here in Birchwood? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Well, there might be through marriage, but none that are **Alan Canrude:** not that I'm aware of. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** And I knew it was donated, but um someone probably knows and probably getting off subject here, but uh what did they own aside from the marsh? What was their property? Where do they live? [1:09:14] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Anyone know? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** No. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I I mean, I thought they owned that property, I assume. **Alan Canrude:** Well, I figured that, but I mean, they must have had one of the houses somewhere. But that's an interesting, you know, there's old censuses and if somebody's ambitious, I'm not sure I'm that ambitious. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I'm not either. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I think it's in that Centennial book, actually. [1:09:32] **Alan Canrude:** I was just curious where their actual house was since they **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** No one owns a marsh without living there. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Centennial book. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Okay. Well, thank you for all your work, for your work. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yeah. Thank you. So, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** we're going to get there. Um, number six is discussion of proposed compensation and or benefits for perspective and existing city staff. Alan, **Alan Canrude:** thank you, Madame Mayor. This was uh left sort of in a general posture for you guys. Obviously, I'm new to sitting here. And in the audience, we have Chris, who's one of our um folks that's considering a position to help us out in the office downstairs. And of course, part and parcel of that is uh [1:10:18] **Alan Canrude:** compensation. And so, you've got staff that's currently uh compensated and seem to be happy with that. And so, quite honestly, I have no idea what to offer Chris. Um she had brought up benefits in terms of health insurance, things like that. And certainly, I as someone who's going to be downstairs, I'm curious about that, too. And of course, I can't offer myself anything. And because of that, I also don't feel comfortable offering Chris anything as well. So, kind of need to have a free form discussion of what you guys want to do about that or if you want to just uh send it sideways to a smaller group and talk about it offline. [1:10:54] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** I guess I would make a couple remarks. One is I would be more than happy for the personnel committee to kind of make a recommendation and I would just you know think something is reasonable. I also know I think I sent Jen a link at some point. The League of Minnesota Cities has it. Yeah. And I don't know if that's good or if it works. And it doesn't sound like you don't shake you're shaking your head like that didn't work. [1:11:16] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** We don't have enough employees. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Okay. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Is the minimum. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** So I think something needs to be I mean I'm fine with doing some health insurance stuff and I think that's good. Um let me know if I can help. But **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I know Teresa is looking into it. She's um waiting for a quote to come back. So **Alan Canrude:** yeah, she has a broker that she worked with in the past. So it's just tough when you're only talking about a handful of folks. Even if you want to start an entire program, of course, it would have to be offered to all the employees. So, you know, there is that, too. So, I'm probably the person that knows the least about this stuff. So, I'm not much of a resource for you, I'm afraid. You know, but before I can in good faith offer someone a position, it's important to know what we can offer them, [1:12:01] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** right? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** We're working on that. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** So, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** so I I know Teresa and I spoke about it today and she's just waiting for her broker to get back with her with numbers. So **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** what's the total number of employees? Do you have to work a certain number of hours to qualify for? We don't know. [1:12:18] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** For what? **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Or health insurance and or benefits **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** to be part of a group health group. I think that the magic number is five. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** We have **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** two not Marsha doesn't count. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Uh no, she's a contractor, I think. [1:12:35] **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Well, not to solve for it here, but um couldn't we just decide if we don't have enough group to subsidize a certain portion for everybody and then they go out and find their own insurance **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** and that's kind of plan B is just doing it as a HSA sort of flex account **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** right **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I thought HSA would be a really good option and just **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** and it might be the only option when you've only got a couple **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** right because we don't have enough people **Alan Canrude:** but again this was just about taking it someplace so if that's where you want to do it then um we'll just work with the personnel committee and go from I mean, it's certainly worth exploring. [1:13:13] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** I think **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** you think, Ryan, **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** I feel like health insurance is tricky. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yeah. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** Isn't it though? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yeah. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** That's why it would be easier to pay for the **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** seems like get the finance guy on. It might be a good idea. Well, my whole thing is I think all health insurance should be abolished and everyone should just pay free market for healthcare. But that's just me. But I I **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** universal, but I don't think we're getting that either. [1:13:42] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** Yeah. Um No, but I agree. I think that we need to figure something out and if HSA is our only option that go down that road just because of our **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** small **Alan Canrude:** Ellen in your in your familiarity with other cities like it just seems like this is normal thing that cities would provide to employees isn't it health insurance to a full-time employee. I can only go from my last experience which um I was essentially paid a dollar as a salary employee so I could be part of the group health and yeah it was pretty it was a standard part of employment so I'm not going to speak to myself but I will say that as a city to be competitive right and I know Chris has worked for Ramsey County and I'm sure it wasn't even a it wasn't even a question it was just part of employment so if [1:14:28] **Alan Canrude:** you're going to remain competitive and get talent then I think it's a conversation that you kind of need to So, so that so Hankins, you sent Jen a link about I'm guessing some sort of League of Minnesota pool. [1:14:44] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Oh, what's **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Yeah, and that's a small group pool and again the we don't meet the magic number to be able to take part in that and that's administered through the league and recommended by them. So **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** yeah, there has to be a ton of cities who don't have enough people. Wonder what **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** right is that a pool is like **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** the magic number is it like five where we need to add our maintenance staff as **Alan Canrude:** dollar salary employee **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** we have zero **Alan Canrude:** just five people who want to be part of the program **Alan Canrude:** and so you've got folks that are getting their health care from other sources right so there's more than one place to get it so you've got some that just have Medicare and don't need it or people who have spouses that have **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I don't think we're going to figure this out right now **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** um but I'm I guess as a matter of principle I'm fine with [1:15:29] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** expiring **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** being a reasonable employer. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** You know, it might be worth talking to some of the tiny cities and seeing what they're doing and seeing if they could come together to make a group. **Alan Canrude:** Wonder if you can do that. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** You've got your Willies that probably have a couple, you know, Grant has like I mean Grant, Willie, do they all have a single administrator and **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I don't know, not too many other folks that run the show. So, **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** so maybe that's another way. [1:15:54] **Alan Canrude:** Yeah, can make some calls. We can start a new group. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Why not? **Alan Canrude:** Anyway, I'm just going to put assigned to personnel committee in the notes. Is that fair? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Sounds good. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay. **Alan Canrude:** Does anyone want to say hello to Chris? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Hi, Chris. [1:16:13] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** We would like to get her. So, I mean, she's here because I invited her to come and meet all of you to uh at least understand what she'd be getting into. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** How are we doing? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yeah. I'm surprised **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** our interview wasn't going that great. [1:16:31] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay, then um let's move on to the consent agenda. Um I have an amendment. Um late breaking news here from Therese. We have um these bills that she would like us to approve for payment. Um, I'll just pass this down to you guys. It's all Bright View. It's uh Bright View LRS, which is portable toilets and **Alan Canrude:** few additions to the uh basically be in the treasures report otherwise. So, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** right and the solar here. You guys want to take a peek? So, that would be the addition. Oops. B. [1:17:16] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yes. To be **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** solar or not. And then available in the back of course. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Oh. Oh, I see. Walrus **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** otherwise she has **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** walrus solar. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Otherwise, she has to wait till January. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** I didn't see. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Want to pass it down to Kathy and we'll pass it this way. [1:17:33] **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** I can find out later. **Alan Canrude:** I don't know. But I've got I'm going to type USS Walrus Solar into one of the image generation things and see what I get. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Um, also there were some errors on the city calendar for next year. Um, and those have been fixed. The schedule of regular council meetings was fine. The 2026 schedule of official city holidays had some errors. [1:18:01] **Alan Canrude:** Yeah, loosely put the dates were correct, but the days of the week, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** the days of the week were in. **Alan Canrude:** So, if it's the fourth of something and it said Monday last year, it needed to say Tuesday. So, those have all been corrected. There's a corrected copy in front of you, too. So, those would be the two that I wanted to pull out to amend. [1:18:22] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Um, anybody else have anything? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Trump's birthday. No. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Your mic's on there. Okay. With these um two additions, can I get a motion to approve the consent agenda? [1:18:40] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** So, moved. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** Second. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Second. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** All in favor? >> Opposed? Hearing? None. Motion passes. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay. So, we go to the announcements and upcoming events. Um number one is Marcus and Mayor Rice Creek Watershed District Project update. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** So Marcus and I um you guys approved last month um Marcus's hours to work on a storm water grant for the city. So we've moved forward with Rice Creek on that. Um they're working in Paulie's Park and doing soil borings. So once this I think it's Will from Rice Creek has been out there. Um, so once [1:19:29] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** they do all the soil borings and get that data together, we can move forward with a project um with Rice Creek. So hopefully that grant will come through for us. Um, also I know Kathy this isn't on here, but you asked about the lift station. [1:19:47] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yes. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Um the are you talking about the control panel or the money? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Uh well both actually. So okay had mentioned uh I had asked if we had gotten the money back from the EPA because we hadn't as of last month. [1:20:03] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Correct. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I wanted to update that because it wasn't in our group. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Right. So we we have everything. Um we've been reimbursed from the EPA for all of the expenses except for 22,000 which was just in the email today. So um Marcia is the one responsible for requesting that money from the EPA. Um, so I'm sure she just saw it this afternoon, so we'll have it tomorrow. Um, but that's it. Then we're done. Um, and again, that's just 22,000, just $22,000. [1:20:34] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Um, so that project is complete. We did run into a little hiccup over there. Um, Randy Foy, I believe, or was it Brian McGinness was reporting the generator **Alan Canrude:** Brian **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** that the generator was running? [1:20:50] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** It was. Yeah. And so apparently the wiring was had to be swapped out in the control panel. **Alan Canrude:** No, in the control panel and it's fine now, I guess. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** So this was **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** it was rewired and um I don't know if they did it, but they did authorize putting a box on there too to secure it. [1:21:08] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Was this a snafu when they wired it in the first place? like I know I shouldn't say snafu maybe, but um is this a little like an issue with when they fired it in the first place that it wasn't done quite right or it was just something went wrong or we don't **Alan Canrude:** as the exact same question and it still seems a little unclear. So, uh the Kodiak people I think went in and **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** they took out the put it back together and **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** do we have to pay for it or does this come out of the construction contingency? [1:21:34] **Alan Canrude:** Find out. I mean those are the questions that I these things just got done like last Friday. I have several more questions you've already thought of, too. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** So, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** good. **Alan Canrude:** So, yeah, there was the only the only question was um whether or not to secure that um apparatus. So, we put a $480 box to cover it up and secure it. And so, we'll see what the uh what the power system people come back with as a bill. [1:21:57] **Alan Canrude:** So, there's some question of who's responsible for it and and what not, but um I said we'll just monitor it. So obviously we've got some ears out there to listen to see if it's still um functioning the same way. And so it got an all clear from the from the folks that that took it apart and put it back together. So it's I guess not tested yet. [1:22:17] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** They're still time will tell. **Alan Canrude:** They're still monitoring it, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** but apparently the generator has gone off. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** So, **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** do we have an alert of some sort that gets sent to an email address or the city or something that tells us when the electricity has been cut to that and it goes on the generator so that we **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** um I've heard see that I've heard from um White Bear Township Public Works when the generator not the new station but when the generators kick on at Dellwood they get notified. [1:22:56] **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Get a notification for the new one as well just so that we don't have to **Alan Canrude:** I would imagine **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I would think that would be cooked into it but yeah **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** I mean I get a notification in my house **Alan Canrude:** or do you just hear it? **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Yeah, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I think that's what Brian was saying. [1:23:11] **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** It's kind of loud. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** It's Yeah, I can hear it in the house if I Yeah, if I don't tune out. So, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** but you know that's again we need our residents to notify us of those things. **Alan Canrude:** So **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** yeah, and thank you to Mr. McGinness too for making us aware of it. Otherwise, that thing would still be just tripping on and off. So **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** So we we really need to rely on on them. [1:23:29] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Um before we adjourn, I do want to publicly thank Barton Winter again for his work on the hockey rink. Um he opened it Sunday. He was out there. And in fact, I had him provide someone shoveling my way here. [1:23:45] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Well, it's because the snow blower broke. So, we need to figure that out for him as well. Um, but he did provide me uh a schedule of flooding and I can't put my hands on it right now, but it was he's been out there 13 times. So, he's been doing it at midnight and 5:00 a.m. and a thin layer, you know, and so **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** we send him. [1:24:10] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Looks great. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** He did a really nice job down there. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** He really did. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** Looks good. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** The best I've seen ever. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Might have to give him a plaque. I know that be cute. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** I'd like to do something for him. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Maybe he becomes the Fourth of July **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** the Grand Marshal. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Grand when we do our submit for for names. That's a good one. [1:24:28] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** It's a great idea. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** But anyway, I just wanted to publicly thank him again because **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** been doing just a fabulous job on that. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Good choice. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** you know, before we we um wrap up the meeting, it really does bother me that when I look at the statement of receipt disbursements that um year to date, we're at 458,000 against a budget of a million. [1:24:59] **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** So, in a month, we're going to get all of that paid out. And then the same thing goes for the um or paid in. And then the same thing goes with the disbursements. We're at 543. [1:25:14] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Part of that was that EPA thing you're waiting on. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** I just see year to date through July. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** No, it's it's um page 63. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** 63. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** I just think something is wrong. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Well, that's the EPA grant had to be paid back. So that's the 400. And what was the amount? [1:25:33] **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** 560. So, I'm off 560. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I thought we had gotten the Rice Creek 100,000 separately. So, it was **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Oh, yeah. You could be right. That's right. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** You could talk to Marsha and and just ask her why this is the case and are we going to be at budget at the end of December? [1:25:52] **Alan Canrude:** I will. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Thank you. **Alan Canrude:** Whenever I hear back, obviously, I'll let you know as soon as possible. So, **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** it just doesn't make sense to me. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Oh, one last thing. Sorry people. Um, did we last month did we set a date in January for a workshop like January 6th? [1:26:14] **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** Yeah. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** 6. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Could we instead of calling it a workshop, could we call it a special meeting? Um, simply because I won't be around for the regular council meeting. And that first council meeting in January is the one where we get committees and we do the whole shebang with the publication and all of that. [1:26:34] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** You want to do as a as so that we can do that? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yeah. As opposed to calling it a workshop, can we call it a special meeting so we can make decisions **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** and put some of that that would be done. You would still keep your the meeting on the 13th. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I think that's a great idea. **Alan Canrude:** Sure. [1:26:49] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Is that all right with you guys? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yeah. What would you like then to I mean I'm happy to work with whoever about moving whatever but at some point it becomes silly to have a regular city council meeting if we're going to move a bunch of stuff. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** You have to have it because the treasurer's report won't be done by the 6th. [1:27:06] **Alan Canrude:** Got it. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** So the third you have to meet any **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** whatever we can then. So **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** fun fact it's also epiphany that day. **Alan Canrude:** the sixth the 13th **Alan Canrude:** but I will recaption it as a special **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** so we can do business. [1:27:23] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** All right. Anything else? Thank you guys. **Ryan Hankins (Councilmember):** I move to adjourn. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Do we do it or we already adjourn? **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** An announcement quick before **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** uh the community club has their winter party on January 3rd. January 3rd from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm here. Um, it will have snacks and you can come and visit with your neighbors. We did hire a band. [1:27:48] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** You've heard of the Mother Band. They were a White Bear Lake High School uh trio that has been featured in the White Bear Lake um newspaper and also on several local publications. They're going to come and perform for the first hour and then a TBD either quintet, quartet, something orchestral potentially for the second hour of that to come and visit and chat and enjoy some crafts and snacks. This one is open to all ages. Please come and enjoy um here at the city hall January 3rd from 3 to 5. [1:28:20] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** We really need to promote that. That would be really fun. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** That would be fun. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Y **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** if you want to put that in the city notes too. **Alan Canrude:** I will. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** I was trying to figure out who our second act is before I **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Okay. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** All right. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Have a couple groups of students that are auditioning apparently. So, **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** competition. [1:28:38] **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** I so like the way you've repositioned that or the committee's reposition that I think it's really nice. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yes. Um our Santa retired if you were wondering why he's not coming. Um he he did retire. It's also in January, so that helps. But if you do need a free Santa, White Bear Lake still has their Santa that is at their winter weekends thing. [1:28:58] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** So take advantage of that one. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Wines are not horrible. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Know that some people came here for Santa because it was free to take pictures. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** You can do that there in White Bear as well. **Alan Canrude:** So just stating the obvious, it probably would be a really nice thing if all of us could be there. [1:29:13] **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** Yeah, it would be lovely if there will be here enjoying and bringing some snacks. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I can bring some snacks, too. **Kathy Weier (Councilmember):** The band should be a lot of fun. **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** I can eat some snacks. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** All right. Well, we have a motion on the table. Can I get a second? **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Second. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** All in favor? [1:29:28] **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** I motion passes. We stand adjourned. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Thank you, everyone. **Alan Canrude:** Do you move it? **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Who moved to adjourn? **Bridget Sperl (Councilmember):** Ryan. **Alan Canrude:** Okay, I didn't hear you. Sorry. **Jennifer Arsenault (Mayor):** Alan, can you do me a favor?