This transcript has been formatted with speaker identifications based on the context provided and the flow of the meeting. **Note:** The transcript mentions "Council Member Willenbring"; however, based on the provided official list, this person is **Council Member Katie Wrich**. I have used the name from your official list for consistency. Additionally, the individual "Brian" from Engineering is not on the provided list but is identified by the Mayor as the speaker for that department. *** [00:00] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Alrighty everybody, we're going to go ahead and call to order the regular meeting of the Oakdale City Council, March 11th, 2025. Sarah, will you please take the roll? [00:08] **Sarah [City Clerk]**: Council Member Moore? [00:09] **Council Member Kari Moore**: Here. [00:10] **Sarah [City Clerk]**: Council Member Morcomb? [00:11] **Council Member Andy Morcomb**: Here. [00:12] **Sarah [City Clerk]**: Council Member Severson? [00:13] **Council Member Gary Severson**: Here. [00:14] **Sarah [City Clerk]**: Council Member Wrich? [00:15] **Council Member Katie Wrich**: Here. [00:16] **Sarah [City Clerk]**: Mayor Zabel? [00:17] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Here. Please join me for the Pledge of Allegiance. [All recite Pledge] First up on the agenda is the approval of the agenda. Council members, we have an amended version in front of us tonight. Can I get a motion to approve as amended? [00:45] **Council Member Gary Severson**: So moved. [00:46] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's a motion. Is there a second? [00:47] **Council Member Andy Morcomb**: Second. [00:48] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. Any conversation? All those in favor say aye. [00:51] **All Council**: Aye. [00:52] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Opposed? The agenda is adopted. Next up, we have two sets of minutes for adoption. First up, Workshop meeting minutes from February 25th, 2025. Council members, any changes or corrections? Look for a motion. [01:05] **Council Member Kari Moore**: So moved. [01:06] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's a motion. Is there a second? [01:07] **Council Member Gary Severson**: Second. [01:08] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. [01:10] **All Council**: Aye. [01:11] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Opposed? And I will abstain because I was absent. Next up, regular meeting minutes February 25th, 2025. Any changes or corrections on these? I'll look for a motion. [01:20] **Council Member Andy Morcomb**: So moved. [01:21] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's a motion. Is there a second? [01:22] **Council Member Katie Wrich**: Second. [01:23] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. [01:25] **All Council**: Aye. [01:26] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: All those opposed? And I'll abstain also. Those minutes are adopted. No public hearings for us tonight, so we will go into Open Forum. We have a visitor from Congresswoman Betty McCollum's office joining us tonight. Welcome. [01:38] **Abdullah Abdullah**: Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council. On behalf of Congresswoman Betty McCollum, thank you for allowing me to address the Oakdale Council this evening. I’d like to briefly introduce myself. My name is Abdullah Abdullah and I work in the St. Paul office in an outreach capacity. My business card is included in this folder of information, so please feel free to reach out. Also in this folder, you’ll find our office's constituent service guides as well as casework issue areas that we can assist our shared constituency. Today I’d like to discuss Community Project Funding, also known as CPFs... [Detailed explanation of CPFs]. If you have potential projects in mind or any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our office soon. On behalf of the congresswoman, I thank you for your time and letting me speak this evening. [04:15] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Thank you so much. I was on a webinar with the congresswoman and other East Metro mayors a couple weeks ago. Chris, you were on that invite as well. She is really stressing cities sending projects over for possible funding. So this could be a very valuable opportunity for us to dislodge something that might have been stuck in our project hopper. Thank you so much for joining us tonight. If you have materials, you can give them to Sarah, our city clerk. [04:45] **Abdullah Abdullah**: Yes. All right. Thank you so much. [04:47] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Thank you so much. Is there anybody else that would like to speak under open forum tonight? If you would like to, please feel free to step up to the podium, state your name and address for the record, and proceed with your comments. Seeing none, we will keep things rolling and move into consensus motions. Council members, in front of us we have A through E tonight. Are there any that a council member would like to pull for individual consideration? I will be pulling E. Council members, any A through D that you’d like to pull? Okay, let’s tackle those first. Can I get a motion to approve A through D as presented? [05:20] **Council Member Kari Moore**: I’ll make a motion to approve consensus motions A through D as presented. [05:24] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's a motion. Is there a second? [05:25] **Council Member Gary Severson**: Second. [05:26] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. Any conversation? All those in favor say aye. [05:28] **All Council**: Aye. [05:29] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Opposed? And A through D are approved as presented. Consensus motion E is a request for a Personnel hire for a probationary police officer... After review in the City Administrator's request of this individual, I believe that the applicant’s conduct last spring as he was departing employment with the city should disqualify him for future employment with the city of Oakdale. This includes his baseless and unprofessional attacks on other city staff and their professionalism and intelligence. Regardless of whatever position a candidate is seeking, I believe there has to be certain red lines that cannot be crossed in a professional workplace and I believe Mr. Johnson crossed them. Undoubtedly, I will be voting against this hire. [06:18] **Council Member Katie Wrich**: Mayor, thank you for your comments. I don’t know if this is open comment time, but I’m in agreement with you. So thank you for pulling that one. [06:25] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Let's get a motion and then we can open it up to additional comments if anybody would like. So, is there a motion to approve consensus motion E as presented? [06:33] **Council Member Andy Morcomb**: Yeah, I'll make a motion to approve consensus motion E as presented. [06:36] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Is there a second? [06:37] **Council Member Gary Severson**: Second. [06:38] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. Conversation? Any additional comments? [06:41] **Council Member Andy Morcomb**: I’m inclined to vote Yes based on Chief Newton and his decision-making skills and his ability to run his department. Excellent. So that’s why I’m going to vote Yes because I trust his judgment. [06:52] **Council Member Gary Severson**: I concur. [06:53] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Any final comments? All those in favor say aye. [06:56] **Council Members Morcomb, Severson, Moore**: Aye. [06:57] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Opposed? [06:58] **Mayor Kevin Zabel & Council Member Wrich**: No. [06:59] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: And that appointment is made 3 to 2. Next up is our chance to check in with advisory boards and commissions. Only one that met was Planning Commission. Council Member Wrich, what's our Planning Commission up to these days? [07:11] **Council Member Katie Wrich**: Well, it was pretty quick and easy, pretty short. But they discussed the new church that’s being built over by LA Fitness. I couldn’t remember the name. Yeah, so they're using the LA Fitness building. Interesting to note, they're covering the pool. [07:26] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Oh, like filling it in? [07:27] **Council Member Katie Wrich**: Filling it in and then covering it. Yeah. [07:29] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: You just like pour concrete in it? [07:30] **Council Member Katie Wrich**: I think you said sand first? I don't know. I’m going to look at Don [Tyson] because he probably knows. What do you do with a pool? I guess... interesting. [07:37] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Okay. Award of bid. We got one tonight: Award Public Works facility bid an amendment to the K G M M P agreement. Chris, are you taking a presentation on here? Do we have Don or...? [07:50] **Christina Volkers (City Administrator)**: Either one of us can briefly... do you want to explain what these two what these are? Just one... I know one motion, but two... go ahead. [07:58] **Don Tyson (Owner’s Rep)**: Thank you. So the award of bid before you tonight is in regards to two contracts or two pieces of the pie to build the Public Works facility that we didn't have done when we did the guaranteed maximum. We knew it would come back; we had to properly bid it and get enough vendors to apply and bid it. So that was for what is before you—it's the rest of what was started last fall or summer. So that's what we're asking for your consideration on. [08:24] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Council members, any questions for Chris [or Don]? All righty. Can I get a motion? [08:29] **Council Member Gary Severson**: I’ll make a motion to wave reading and adopt resolution 2025-12 awarding contracts for City Project B 2024-01 Construction new Public Works facility. [08:39] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's a motion. Is there a second? [08:40] **Council Member Kari Moore**: Second. [08:41] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. Any conversation? All those in favor say aye. [08:44] **All Council**: Aye. [08:45] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Opposed? And resolution 2025-12 is adopted. Thank you. Staff reports. Engineering. Let’s talk about streets. Brian, come on down. [08:55] **Brian [Engineering Staff]**: Good evening, Mayor and council members. I’m before you this evening looking for approval of the plans and specifications for the 2025 Street Improvement project... [Details on project and prevailing wage]. With that, I’d stand for any questions that Council may have. [09:28] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Council members, any questions for Brian? All right, look for a motion. [09:32] **Council Member Andy Morcomb**: Make a motion to wave reading and adopt resolution 2025-13 approving plans and specifications and authorizing the advertisement for and collection of bids. [09:41] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's motion. Is there a second? [09:42] **Council Member Gary Severson**: Second. [09:43] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. Any comments? All those in favor say aye. [09:46] **All Council**: Aye. [09:47] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Opposed? And resolution 2025-14 is adopted. Brian, do you have the next one as well? [09:52] **Brian [Engineering Staff]**: Yes, I do. Associated with the Greenway Avenue sidewalk project... [Details on federal grant and temporary easements]. With that, stand for any questions the council may have. [10:31] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Council members, two actions on this one tonight. If you have any questions, feel free to jump into either of them. [10:36] **Council Member Katie Wrich**: I suppose I have a question on the last one really quick. Can we add the word "temporary" for the acquisition of temporary easements in eminent domain? Is it in the resolution? [10:48] **Christina Volkers (City Administrator)**: Council members, Mayor, it is in the resolution, which is the action you’re taking to approve the resolution. So I did insert, I thought, "temporary" everywhere. I’m pretty sure I did. [10:59] **Sarah [City Clerk]**: There is a "temporary," yeah. [11:00] **Christina Volkers (City Administrator)**: So I think you're okay that way. [11:01] **Council Member Katie Wrich**: Okay. [11:02] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: All right. Any other questions? All let’s take the first recommendation. [11:06] **Council Member Kari Moore**: I recommend we authorize the Mayor and City Administrator to sign the supplemental letter agreements with SEH in the amount of $99,800 to prepare the plans and specifications for the 2026 Greenway Avenue North sidewalk design which is part of the city project R 2261. [11:24] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's a motion. Is there a second? [11:25] **Council Member Andy Morcomb**: Second. [11:26] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. Any final comments? All those in favor say aye. [11:29] **All Council**: Aye. [11:30] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Opposed? And that approval is given. Next recommendation. [11:34] **Council Member Katie Wrich**: I recommend wave reading and adopt resolution 2025-15 authorizing offers of just compensation to owners for acquisition of easements and eminent domain proceedings if needed. [11:45] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's a motion. Is there a second? [11:46] **Council Member Gary Severson**: Second. [11:47] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. Any comments? All those in favor say aye. [11:50] **All Council**: Aye. [11:51] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Opposed? And resolution 2025-15 is adopted. Thank you, Brian. Next up, time to check in with Public Works. Do we have a staff presentation on this one? This is a duck house, right? [12:02] **Christina Volkers (City Administrator)**: You can either take it or I can take it, either one. So we have a guest here today. We have a young person who came in and is going for her Eagle Scout award... Madison is here, and what we want to do is acknowledge her donation. She did a lot of work and gathered a lot of support for the project. She fundraised the project way more than we thought she was going to do. I think she did a great job and therefore we received 16 duck houses that her and a group of volunteers built... We're very grateful that she reached out to Oakdale. [13:00] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Let’s take the action first... Let’s go ahead and take the action and accept the donation. [13:07] **Council Member Andy Morcomb**: Yeah, I'll take this one because it'll be fun for me. I’m going to wave reading and adopt resolution 2025-16 accepting the donation of 16 wood duck houses built and installed within the Oakdale Nature Preserve valued at $1,440. [13:21] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's a motion. Is there a second? [13:22] **Council Member Kari Moore**: Second. [13:23] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. Any conversation? All those in favor say aye. [13:26] **All Council**: Aye. [13:27] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Opposed? And that donation is graciously accepted on behalf of the city of Oakdale. Thank you, Madison. [Mayor reads formal recognition of Madison's Eagle Scout project]. We want to offer you an opportunity to step up to the microphone if you’d like to say any comments. [14:40] **Madison [Eagle Scout]**: I had a little bit of something prepared just in case. I wanted to thank you for the opportunity to recognize all of my hard work because it did take a lot to get here and I appreciate that. I am just honored that I had the opportunity to help our community and our nature preserves in such a great way. [15:00] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Well, we greatly appreciate everything you’ve done... Council, let's head on down there, we have a small token of appreciation for you as well. [Group takes photos]. So what's the next step in getting your Eagle Scout award? [15:40] **Madison [Eagle Scout]**: She's got to go before a board of review... three adults in their district and she has to basically defend her project and the work that she’s done. [15:52] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Very cool. Well, good luck with your interview. We know you got it! What else we got? CIP plan amendment. Staff presentation. [16:03] **Christina Volkers (City Administrator)**: Mr. Mayor, we've got community development director Andy Gitzlaff and Public Works director Cory Tietz to talk about this. [16:10] **Andrew Gitzlaff (Community Development Director)**: Mayor, Council, good evening. I'll kick this item off here. This is associated with Award of bids and amendment of the CIP... [Explains the Willowbrook Park West and North projects and the $2,066,000 budget]. Corey and I are both up here today because this is really a pivotal point where we’re going to be transitioning leadership roles from Community Development to Public Works for the construction phase. [17:50] **Cory Tietz (Public Works Director)**: Thank you, Andy. As he mentioned, starting out with the Willowbrook West concept... [Describes features including soccer park, volleyball, restroom, pickleball]. Moving to the North concept, this is more of an open space native prairie land... [Describes schedule with bid opening in April and completion in 2026]. [20:45] **Council Member Katie Wrich**: Question about the alternate bids. Are we deciding which ones go in tonight or are we just saying "send them out, let's see what the numbers look like and we'll roll up our sleeves and duke it out later"? [20:55] **Cory Tietz (Public Works Director)**: Correct. [20:56] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Council members, questions? [20:57] **Council Member Andy Morcomb**: Mr. Mayor, just clarity: the restroom picnic shelter building is included in the budget, it will just be bid separately? [21:03] **Cory Tietz (Public Works Director)**: Correct. Think of it like two phases. [21:10] **Council Member Katie Wrich**: Question for Chris. When we say "authorize City Administrator approvals for change orders," that’s just on the bid piece or the actual project itself? [21:19] **Christina Volkers (City Administrator)**: It’s the project. It’s similar to what we’re doing for construction projects; there has to be some quick decisions. [21:28] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Let's get a motion. [21:30] **Council Member Gary Severson**: Yeah, I make a motion to wave reading and adopt resolution 2025-17 amending the 2025 to 2029 Capital Improvement plan approving plans specifications for amended city project P 225-02 Willowbrook Park West and Willowbrook Park North and authorizing the advertisement for and collection of bids and authorizing City Administrator approvals for change orders. [21:55] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's a motion. Is there a second? [21:56] **Council Member Kari Moore**: Second. [21:57] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. Final comments? [Mayor comments on the budget and debt funding]. All those in favor say aye. [22:38] **All Council**: Aye. [22:39] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Opposed? And resolution 2025-17 is approved. Thank you, Corey. Thank you, Andy. City Attorney Rachel, anything for us tonight? [22:48] **Rachel [City Attorney]**: Just happy to be here. Nothing to report. [22:50] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Glad to have you here. Administrator report, Chris? [22:53] **Christina Volkers (City Administrator)**: Mr. Mayor, I don't have anything new to report... Oh, those belong to you! Yes, Don. [23:05] **Don Tyson (Owner’s Rep)**: Thank you, Mayor and Council. Once again, I am Don Tyson, your owner’s representative. [Presents selection of BKV Group for the Police/City Hall project and explains the new "Construction Manager at Risk" state law/selection process]. I’m recommending the council make three actions tonight: approve the RFQ, appoint the selection committee, and delegate certain criteria approvals to the City Administrator. [27:50] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Council questions for Don? [27:52] **Council Member Andy Morcomb**: I have one on the timeline. How firm are those dates for construction? Because I noticed it was June to June, so that would impact two SummerFests. [28:02] **Don Tyson (Owner’s Rep)**: Yeah, absolutely. We have that control. [28:05] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Let's dive right in. Who wants to make the first motion? [28:08] **Council Member Gary Severson**: I’ll make a motion to approve the CM RFQ dated March 12, 2025, and authorize its advertisement. [28:15] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's a motion. Is there a second? [28:16] **Council Member Andy Morcomb**: Second. [28:17] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. Any conversation? All those in favor say aye. [28:20] **All Council**: Aye. [28:21] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Opposed? And that is approved. Next. [28:23] **Council Member Katie Wrich**: I recommend we appoint the City Administrator, Police Chief, and Architect of Record to the RFQ selection committee. [28:38] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's a motion. Is there a second? [28:39] **Council Member Gary Severson**: Second. [28:40] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. Any conversation? All those in favor say aye. [28:43] **All Council**: Aye. [28:44] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Opposed? And that action is adopted. Last one. [28:46] **Council Member Kari Moore**: I recommend we authorize delegation to the City Administrator for City approval of RFP criteria, contractor pre-qualification criteria and process, and final list of pre-qualified contractors. [28:59] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's a motion. Is there a second? [29:00] **Council Member Andy Morcomb**: Second. [29:01] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. [29:04] **All Council**: Aye. [29:05] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: All those opposed? And that delegation is authorized as well. Council presentations? [29:15] **Council Member Kari Moore**: I have two. I just had the opportunity to go to the League of Minnesota Cities training for new elected officials and I learned a lot... I am so appreciative of what we have here in Oakdale. Thank you to all of our city staff and Chris to you and your entire team. And on that, I just wanted to point out—what I like about reading our claims roster is that you get this snippet of information about how a city runs. It's so interesting. [30:20] **Council Member Gary Severson**: I would just echo what Kari said. I went through a different session of the newly elected leaders... and same experience. I’m very appreciative and grateful for the staff that we have as well. [30:35] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: I have a few that staff would like me to cover. [Mayor discusses Spring load limits, the final Indoor Market on March 22nd, and the Metro Gold Line opening on March 22nd]. This one is personally very exciting for me... it has been a very long road to get here to get a consistent reliable transit line running through the East Metro. Finally, the City of Oakdale is hiring... summer recreation youth program instructors, Fire Marshal, police officer. If you're looking for work: oakdalemn.gov. That's all I got. Let’s pay some bills. Claims roster February 26th through March 11th in the amount of 1.6 million. [33:15] **Council Member Kari Moore**: I move to approve claims for the period of February 26, 2025, to March 11th, 2025, in the amount of $1,697,755.11. [33:28] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's a motion. Is there a second? [33:29] **Council Member Andy Morcomb**: I’ll second that. [33:30] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. Any conversation? All those in favor say aye. [33:33] **All Council**: Aye. [33:34] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Opposed? Bills are paid for another two weeks. Can I get a motion to adjourn? [33:38] **Council Member Gary Severson**: So moved. [33:39] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: There's a motion. Is there a second? [33:40] **Council Member Andy Morcomb**: Second. [33:41] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. [33:43] **All Council**: Aye. [33:44] **Mayor Kevin Zabel**: Opposed? We are adjourned. Thank you and good night.