I WILL CALL THIS BLOOMINGTON CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER TONIGHT IS MONDAY, DECEMBER 15TH. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE JOINING US HERE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. EVERYONE JOINING US ONLINE. WE WILL BEGIN OUR MEETING AS WE ALWAYS DO IF YOU'RE ABLE PLEASE STAND. REMOVE ANY HEAD COVERING AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ONCE AGAIN, THANKS TO EVERYBODY JOINING US TONIGHT AND WATCHING ONLINE WE HAVE OUR SECOND TO LAST MEETING IN 2025 TONIGHT. SO WE'RE GETTING TO THE END OF THE YEAR STARTING OFF BRAND NEW AS OF THE 1ST OF JANUARY. OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA. COUNCIL HERE IS THE AGENDA WE HAVE NOTHING UNDER INTRODUCTORY ITEMS TONIGHT UNDER OUR CONSENT BUSINESS AND I THINK IT'S COUNCIL MEMBER DALLESSANDRO WITH CONSENT TONIGHT WE HAVE EIGHT ITEMS UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEM FOUR ARE HEARINGS, RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES. WE HAVE ONE RESOLUTION THE RESOLUTION REGARDING THE 2026 PROPERTY TAX LEVY AND GENERAL FUND BUDGET. WE HAD THE TRUTH AND TAXATION HEARING LAST WEEK AND WILL BE OUR OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR DISCUSSION TONIGHT AND THEN. CONSIDERATION OF THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY AND GENERAL FUND BUDGET W HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS THIS EVENING. ITEM 4.2 IS A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT RELATED TO APPROVAL OF CONTRACTS FOR MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS AND AN IN 4.3. PUBLIC HEARING ON ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT ORDINANCE ITEM FIVE IS OUR ORGANIZATIONAL BUSINESS AND WE HAVE TWO ITEMS AARON AND 5.1 IS A STUDY ITEM REGARDING OUR OFFENSE STANDARDS UPDATE AND ITEM 5.2 WILL BE OUR DISCUSSION FOR OUR 2026 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM. WILL WRAP UP WITH OUR COUNCIL POLICY AND ISSUE UPDATE AND THEN HOPEFULLY ADJOURN AT A REASONABLE HOUR THIS EVENING COUNCIL COUNCIL ANYTHING TO ADD OR ANY CORRECTIONS TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA AS PRESENTED HEARING NONE I WOULD MOVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED SO SECOND MOTION IN THE SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER. TO ACCEPT TONIGHT'S MOTION OUR AGENDA AS PRESENTED NO FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THIS ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO AND WE HAVE AN AGENDA. AND FIRST UP ON THAT AGENDA IS OUR CONSENT BUSINESS COUNCIL MEMBER DALLESSANDRO HAS HER CONSENTED TO THANK YOU MR. MAYOR WHO WOULD LIKE TO HOLD ANYTHING ANYONE KNOW? OKAY VERY GOOD. THEN I GUESS I GET TO MOVE THE AGENDA SO I'M GOING TO MOVE ITEM 3.1 AND 3.82 OF OUR CONSENT AGENDA AS STATED. MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER DALLESSANDRO SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER LOWMAN TO ACCEPT TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 3.133.8 NO FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THIS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I OPPOSED MOTION YOU COUNCILMEMBER. YOU'RE VOTING ON THE ENTIRE CONSENT AGENDA. MR.. SATISFY THE NATURE OF IT. CAN YOU TURN YOUR MICROPHONE PLEASE? COUNCILMEMBER I'M NOT AGAINST EVERYTHING IN THE CONSENT AGENDA BUT THE HARRY LEVY I AM NOT COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH IS WHO I'M PUTTING ON IT. >> I UNDERSTOOD COUNCILMEMBER. THE PROTOCOL WOULD HAVE BEEN HAD YOU WANTED TO CALL OUT ITEM 3.8 AND THEN YOU COULD HAVE VOTED AGAINST THAT AND VOTED FOR THE REST OF THE CONSENT AGENDA IF YOU WERE INTERESTED IN THAT. SO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW IN THE FUTURE THAT'S IN THE FUTURE. I WILL DO THAT. THANKS. VERY GOOD. VERY GOOD. SO THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSES SEVEN 1 OR 6 ONE EXCUSE ME COUNCIL MEMBER REVISE VOTED IN OPPOSITION OR MOVING ON TO ITEM FOR HOUR HEARINGS, RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES AND IN 4.1 IS OUR RESOLUTION REGARDING OUR 2026 PROPERTY TAX LEVY AND GENERAL FUND BUDGET. WE'RE GOING TO BE HEARING FROM COREY CARLSON AND FIRST TURN IT OVER TO MR. WALKER, OUR CITY MANAGER. MR. WALKER YES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL GOOD EVENING. ZACK WALKER CITY MANAGER. BEFORE MS.. CARLSON PRESENTS TONIGHT SO I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY FRAME THIS ISSUE FOR YOU. SO AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE HAD THE TRUTH AND TAXATION HEARING LAST MONDAY NIGHT ABOUT 18 SPEAKERS WHO WHO CAME IN TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND PERSPECTIVES WITH US ON THAT. I WILL TELL YOU AS STAFF WE TAKE THOSEOMMENTS VERY SERIOUSLY AND WE HEARD FROM MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO SPOKE ABOUT ISSUES OF AFFORDABILITY AND ADJUSTING TO COST INCREASES ACROSS THE SPECTRUM IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS. SO AS STAFF WE WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT MAYBE WE COULD DO THOUGH WE'VE CERTAINLY DONE A LOT OVER THE PAST 1011 MONTHS TO GO FROM 18% DOWN TO THE PROPOSED. 7.48 BUT. HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY WE WANTED TO SEE WHAT ELSE COULD STILL BE DONE AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR. AND SO AS I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND I DO THANK YOU ALL FOR MAKING TIME TO VISIT WITH ME THIS PAST WEEK BUT WE ARE PROPOSING A. USE A ONE TIME USE OF RESOURCES FROM OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FUND TO DO A TAX LEVY OFFSET. CERTAINLY THAT'S NOT A STRUCTURAL ONGOING FIX BUT ALL LOWER THAT AMOUNT BY AN ADDITIONAL HALF A PERCENT FOR THIS YEAR. SO FROM THE SEVEN POINT 4AA NOW UNDER 7 TO 6.96%. I JUST WANT TO CONVEY AND COMMUNICATE THAT MY TEAM AND MY OFFICE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS MS. CARLSON OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR LAURIE ECONOMY SCHOLER WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE ASSIGNMENT. WE KNOW WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO REFINE OUR APPROACH ON THE CITY'S BUDGET AND CONTINUE TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES THAT ARE STRUCTURAL ONGOING PERMANENT FIXES. TO STRIKE THAT APPROPRIATE BALANCE BETWEEN HIGH QUALITY, EXCELLENT CITY SERVICES BUT ALSO APPRECIATING RECOGNIZING AND TAKING INTO ACCOUNT AFFORDABILITY ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO WE WILL CONTINUE THAT. THIS IS AN EVOLUTION AND A JOURNEY WITH PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING ETC. BUT WE WANTED TO JUST CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE OUR RECEPTIVENESS TO THE COMMUNITY INPUT IN THE DIRECTION WE'RE GETTING FROM COUNCIL AND SO THAT'S WHY. YOU'LL NOTICE THE REFLECTED CHANGE IN MS. CARLSON'S PRESENTATION TONIGHT. SO WITH THAT MAYOR IF IT'S APPROPRIATE WE CAN TURN IT OVER TO MS. CARLSON THANK YOU, MR. WALKER. ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. WALKER? WE'LL GET INTO THE CONVERSATION HERE IN A BIT. BUT ANY DIRECT QUESTIONS ON THIS? IF NOT, WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO MS.. CARLSON AND JUMP RIGHT IN. GOOD EVENING. WELCOME. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO THIS IS THE FINAL PRESENTATION IN A BUDGET PROCESS THAT BEGAN EARLY THIS YEAR. >> I'LL START WITH A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE BUDGET PROCESS CALENDAR AND I WILL HIGHLIGHT THE PUBLIC SAFETY INVESTMENTS IN THIS BUDGET REQUEST AND THEN REVIEW THE REDUCTIONS MADE FROM THE 2026 PRELIMINARY LEVY. I'LL PRESENT THE FINAL 2086 PROPERTY TAX LEVY AND GENERAL FUND BUDGET REQUEST OUTLINE KEY AREAS OF FOCUS FOR NEXT YEAR AND CLOSE WITH A RECOMMENDATION AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL OF THE 2026 FINAL LEVY AND GENERAL FUND BUDGET AS A REVIEW. WORK BEGAN THIS SPRING WITH PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING, BUDGET DEVELOPMENT AND DEPARTMENT DISCUSSIONS. >> COUNCIL HELD A STUDY SESSION IN AUGUST, SET THE PRELIMINARY LEVY IN SEPTEMBER AND CONTINUED DEPARTMENT BUDGET DISCUSSIONS AND PRESENTATION SINCE THROUGHOUT OCTOBER PUBLIC INPUT OCCURRED AT MULTIPLE POINTS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS INCLUDING THE AUGUST 18TH STUDY SESSION. THE NOVEMBER 17TH UTILITY RATE HEARING, THE NOVEMBER 24TH COUNCIL MEETING AND THE TRUTH AND TAXATION HEARING ON DECEMBER 8TH TONIGHT, DECEMBER 15TH REPRESENTS THE FINAL STEP IN THIS PROCESS WITH COUNCIL ADOPTION OF THE 2026 TAX LEVY AND BUDGET. MORE THAN HALF OF THE BUDGET INCREASE IS RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY LARGELY DRIVEN BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S TRANSITION TO A COMBINATION AND STAFFING MODEL. THESE CHANGES WERE ANTICIPATED AND PLANNED FOR INCLUDING USING FIRE PENSION RESERVES TO HELP EASE THE TRANSITION AS SAFER GRANT FUNDING FOR FIREFIGHTERS. HIRED IN 2023. AND AARP FUNDING AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING FOR THREE BATTALION CHIEFS EXPIRE. BUT EVEN WITH THAT PLANNING THERE IS STILL AN IMPACT TO THE LEVY ON THE POLICE SIDE, ONE TIME STATE PUBLIC SAFETY AID THAT WAS SUPPORTED SOME ADDITIONAL POSITIONS WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO BE ABSORBED INTO THE GENERAL FUND IN 2026. SO ALL OF THIS IS MAKING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE BUDGET INCREASE. THE SLIDE SHOWS HOW THE 2026 TAX LEVY INCREASE HAS EVOLVED OVER THIS YEAR. WE DID BEGIN WITH A CONCEPTUAL INCREASE OF 17.92% AND THAT REFLECTED THE FULL COST PRESSURES THAT WERE COMING IN BEFORE ANY REDUCTIONS BUT AFTER CHANGES IN CAPITAL PLANNING. DEBT SERVICE SCHEDULE UPDATES AND ALSO PERSONNEL COST UPDATES. THE COUNCIL ADOPTED A 9.44% PRELIMINARY LEVY IN SEPTEMBER AND THEN AS CITY MANAGER WALKER SAID WE'VE HAD CONTINUED REFINEMENT AND REDUCTIONS AND NOW TONIGHT WE'RE PROPOSING A FINAL LEVY OF 6.96%. >> SO TO REDUCE THE LEVY FROM 9.44% TO 6.96%. STAFF IDENTIFIED $2.17 MILLION IN EXPENSE REDUCTIONS, REVENUE ADJUSTMENTS AND ADDITIONAL LEVY STABILIZATION. THESE INCLUDE LOWER DEBT SERVICE, REDUCED PAID ON CALL FIREFIGHTER COSTS, INCREASED FIRE STATE AID, SOME HIGHER BUDGETED PERMIT REVENUE AND REDUCTIONS IDENTIFIED THROUGH PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING AND OUR EXPENSES. THIS SLIDE SHOWS THAT 6.96% INCREASE IN THE TAX LEVY BROKEN OUT BY DEPARTMENT. TO GIVE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT SO PLEASE. DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTS FOR THE LARGEST SHARE AT 2.62% OF THAT INCREASE FOLLOWED BY FIRE AT 1.47. PUBLIC WORKS AT 1.18%. PARKS AND REC A LITTLE OVER ONE. PUBLIC HEALTH AT 0.26% NET IMPACT AND THEN THE NET IMPACT FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS ACTUALLY A DECREASE OF.37 PERCENT AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED PERMIT REVENUES COMPARED TO 2025 BUDGET. AND THEN FINANCE LEGAL ADMINISTRATION COMMUNICATIONS TOGETHER ACCOUNT FOR .76 PERCENT A 6.96% TAX LEVY INCREASE FOR THE MEDIAN VALUE HOME IS ROUGHLY AN INCREASE OF $2.39 PER WEEK $10.37 PER MONTH OR 120 $524.39 PER YEAR . THIS SLIDE COMPARES BLOOMINGTON'S PROPOSED 2026 LEVY INCREASE TO THE AVERAGE INCREASE ACROSS MINNESOTA CITIES SO THE AVERAGE INCREASE ACROSS MINNESOTA FOR CITIES IS APPROXIMATELY 8.7% AND THEN BLOOMINGTON'S PROPOSED INCREASE IS 6.96%. SO WHILE THIS DOES NOT ELIMINATE THE IMPACT FOR TAXPAYERS AND BLOOMINGTON, IT DOES REFLECT THE REDUCTIONS THAT WE'VE MADE AND THE ADJUSTMENTS MADE THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS AND JUST INDICATES THAT BLOOMINGTON IS NOT OUT OF LINE WITH OTHER CITIES IN MINNESOTA. THIS SLIDE IS JUST A REMINDER OVERALL THAT THE CITY IS ONLY ONE PART OF THE PROPERTY TAX BILL. SO PRELIMINARY TAX STATEMENTS REFLECT THAT WERE RECEIVED IN NOVEMBER AND OUR HOUSEHOLDS REFLECT THAT PRELIMINARY LEVY OF 9.44%. TO POINT THAT OUT AS WELL AND THEN THIS PROPOSED FINAL LEVY WOULD HAVE OF 6.96% REFLECTS A 2.48 REDUCTION IN THOSE PROPERTY TAX STATEMENTS FOR THE CITY PORTION. BUT PROPERTY TAXES ARE SHARED BETWEEN THE CITY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ON THOSE STATEMENTS ALSO FOR BUSINESSES THERE IS A STATE PORTION AS WELL AND FOR OUR RESIDENTS TAX BILL THE CITY'S PORTIONS ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THAT PROPERTY TAX BILL AND THEN EACH JURISDICTION JURISDICTION AS YOU KNOW SETS THEIR OWN TAX LEVY AND THAT WE ONLY CONTROL THAT CITY PORTION THAT WE'RE BRINGING DOWN. THIS IS A CHART THAT SHOWS THE 2025 FINAL TAX LEVY AND THE PROPOSED 26 LEVY AND THE GENERAL FUND IS INCREASING BY ABOUT $5 MILLION AND THEN THERE IS AN INCREASE FOR FORESTRY WITHIN THE PARKS AND RECREATION SPECIAL REVENUE AND THE DEBT IS GOING UP ABOUT 1.1 MILLION AND THEN MOST OTHER AREAS ROUGHLY REMAINED FLAT ALTHOUGH WE ARE BRINGING DOWN THE NORMANDALE LAKE DISTRICT TAX BY 150,000 FOR 2026. >> HERE'S THAT GENERAL FUND BUDGET SHOWING TOTAL REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES PROPERTY TAXES MAKE UP ABOUT 67% OF THE GENERAL FUND. REVENUES FOLLOWED BY LODGING AND ADMISSION TAXES AS THE NEXT HIGHEST REVENUE SOURCE OF 9%. AND THEN ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, PUBLIC SAFETY ACCOUNTS FOR NEARLY HALF OF THAT GENERAL FUND BUDGET POLICE AT ABOUT 41 MILLION AND FIRE JUST UNDER 17 MILLION. AND THEN HERE'S A CHART THE PIE CHART WHERE THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES SHOW WHERE THE DIFFERENT SOURCES COME FROM AND PROPERTY TAXES YOU CAN SEE MAKE UP THE LARGEST SHARE IN BLUE. ALONG WITH NEXT TO THAT AND ORANGE LODGING, LODGING AND EMISSION TAXES AND THEN PERMIT LICENSING FEES, GRANT REVENUES AND SO ON. ON THE EXPENSE SIDE THE PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE LARGEST SHARE OF THE GENERAL FUND WITH POLICE AND FIRE ACCOUNTING FOR NEARLY HALF THE REST SUPPORT SERVICES LIKE PUBLIC WORKS PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE DEVELOPMENT AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT AND NOT AND JUST TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN AS ON THAT LAST SLIDE NOT ALL OF THESE ARE COVERED BY PROPERTY TAXES. THERE ARE GRANTS AND OTHER REVENUES THAT FUND THESE SERVICES AS WELL. SO OUR RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THE WORK THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS STAFF RECOMMENDS ADOPTING THE PROPOSED 2026 FINAL TAX LEVY OF A 6.96% INCREASE. WE HEARD THE CONCERNS SHARED BY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ABOUT AFFORDABILITY AND THE LEVY HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM THE PRELIMINARY 9.44% THAT WAS SHOWN ON PROPERTY TAX STATEMENTS IN NOVEMBER OUR PRELIMINARY PROPERTY TAX STATEMENTS IN NOVEMBER AND FURTHER REFINED SINCE THE TAX TRUTH AND TAXATION PUBLIC HEARING LAST WEEK. SO THIS PROPOSED LEVY SUPPORTS ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND INCLUDES ADDITIONAL LEVY STABILIZATION WHILE RECOGNIZING THAT FURTHER REDUCTIONS AT THIS POINT WOULD BEGIN TO IMPACT STAFFING AND SERVICE LEVELS AND THEN LOOKING AHEAD WE'LL CONTINUE EVALUATING EFFICIENCIES AND ADVANCING PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING WILL ALSO EXPLORE A TWO YEAR BUDGET PROCESS TO PREDICT TO IMPROVE PREDICTABILITY AND KEEP WORKING TO STRENGTHEN THE EDUCATION ABOUT OUR BUDGET AND CITY SPENDING AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE BUDGET. SO WITH THAT WE HAVE A CHANCE FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND WE'VE GOT THESE TWO MOTIONS AHEAD OF YOU FOR THIS EVENING. THE FIRST IS THE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE FINAL 2026 TAX LOVE YOU FOR THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON AND THEN ALSO THE RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FINAL 2026 GENERAL FUND BUDGET . THANK YOU COUNCIL ANY QUESTIONS OF MISS CARLSON TONIGHT COUNCILMEMBER NELSON YEAH, THANK YOU. I AM JUST CURIOUS WHAT WHAT IS THE TOTAL WITH THE HRA AND PORT? I KNOW WE HAD DISCUSSED THAT PREVIOUSLY. CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE BASED ON THE UPDATED FINAL LEVEL HERE? YES. MAYOR COUNCILMEMBERS COUNCILMEMBER NELSON SO THE LAST SLIDE THAT I SHOWED LAST WEEK THAT HAD ALL OF THEM TOGETHER I DON'T HAVE THAT PUT TOGETHER TONIGHT BUT THE EATERY LEVY DID NOT CHANGE SO THE BUT THE CITY ONE DID COME DOWN ABOUT $450,000 SO SO I DON'T HAVE THAT IN MY HEAD BUT I DON'T RECALL WHAT WE'RE ALL WE HAD LAST WEEK AND IT'S SOMETHING OKAY. RIGHT. OKAY. THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH. THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH. I DON'T NEED ANYTHING. IF YOU WOULD LIKE I CAN GET MY LAPTOP WHILE YOU'RE DISCUSSING CALCULATE IT. OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW GENERALLY SO COUNCILMEMBER ONE QUESTIONS. YEAH, JUST A QUICK QUESTION AND I JUST DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SEE IT IN HERE. WHAT IMPACT IF ANY DOES THIS WHAT WE DID TONIGHT HAVE ON NEXT YEAR'S OR THE NEXT PROCEEDING? >> LEVY YES, MAYOR COUNCILMEMBERS COUNCILMEMBER LOWMAN SO BEFORE WHEN WE HAD THAT A SLIGHTLY HIGHER LEVEL LEVY IT WAS PRELIMINARY CONCEPTUAL AND THE NEXT YEAR WAS LOOKING AROUND ALSO 7% A LITTLE HIGHER. SO NOW THAT'S KIND OF PUSHING IT TO AROUND 8% POTENTIALLY. HOWEVER THAT IS JUST A STARTING PLACE SO THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF WORK TO REFINE THAT NUMBER THAT COULD GO UP OR DOWN DEPENDING ON WHAT THE WHAT EVERYTHING LOOKS LIKE GOING INTO NEXT YEAR. OTHER QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND FOR THE WORK OF YOUR ENTIRE TEAM AND THE ENTIRE LEADERSHIP TEAM IN PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER. I KNOW IT'S IT LITERALLY IS AN 11 MONTH PROCESS AND SO THANK YOU MUCH FOR IT. THANK YOU. BUT DON'T GO FAR IN CASE. YES, I'M HERE TO COUNCIL NOW'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY OUR OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS TO TO OFFER OPINIONS AND THOUGHTS AND THEN ULTIMATELY DECIDE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH A MOTION ON OUR OUR FINAL TAX LEVY AND THE FINAL 2026 GENERAL FUND BUDGET. SO I SEE COUNCILMEMBER NELSON'S HAND AND THEN COUNCILMEMBER CARTER COUNCILMEMBER NELSON YEAH. THANK YOU MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO ECHO YOUR THOUGHTS OF THANKS TO COREY THE ENTIRE STAFF, EVERYONE WHO'S WORKED ON THIS BUDGET FOR FRANKLY MORE THAN A YEAR AND I REMEMBER BEING HERE LAST YEAR WHEN PEOPLE SAID HEY, YOU KNOW IT IS OUR INPUT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND AND IT HAS BEEN AND WE WE DID TWO THINGS ONE WE EXPANDED THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN ON THIS STARTING BACK IN AUGUST AND HAVE WORKED FROM WHERE WE WERE AT LAST YEAR TO WHERE WE'RE AT TONIGHT. AND SO I JUST I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR ALL THAT HARD WORK THAT LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC AND WHERE WE'RE GOING. I WOULD SAY IN PARTICULAR I KNOW MY MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILMEMBER RIVAS WAS PROBABLY MORE SPECIFIC THAN ANY OF US PUBLICLY AND SAID HE WANTED TO COMBINED AMOUNT TO BE I BELIEVE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG UNDER 9% AND WE AND YOU DELIVERED ON THAT AND EVEN BETTER THAN THAT AND SO YOU KNOW I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE THERE. WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, I, I STILL HAVE PERSONAL THINGS THAT THAT ARE IN THE BUDGET THAT THAT I WISH WOULD BE CHANGED IN PARTICULAR I'M CONCERNED BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T MADE A FINAL DECISION ON THE COMPENSATION PLAN AND THAT IS A HUGE PORTION OF OUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR BUT I THINK WE'LL GET THAT WORKED OUT. I'VE OBVIOUSLY AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS ENTIRE PROCESS BROUGHT UP A NUMBER OF OTHER ISSUES FOR ME AT THIS POINT UNLESS I HEAR SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT CHANGES MY MIND FROM ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES AND I WANT TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS BUDGET, I THINK STAFF HAS DONE AGAIN A GREAT JOB. YOU'VE LISTENED TO THE PUBLIC. YOU'VE LISTENED TO US. YOU KNOW WHEN YOU WERE GIVEN A MARK TO GET IT BELOW 9% YOU DELIVERED ON THAT AND YOU BEAT IT COMPLETELY. SO LET'S KEEP UP THE WORK WHICH IS WHAT I HEARD AS A COMMITMENT FROM YOU AND FROM OUR CITY MANAGER AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH THIS BUT YOU KNOW TO BE IN THE 6% IS IS BETTER THAN THE SEVEN AND IS WAY BETTER THAN THE NINES. SO IN THE 18 YEAH YEAH SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH THAT THAT'S WHERE I'M AT AGAIN I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER VOTE FOR A PERFECT BUDGET THAT I THINK IS PERFECT BUT I WILL VOTE FOR A BUDGET THAT I BELIEVE IS GOOD FOR THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON AND FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR OUR BUSINESSES. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER COUNCILMEMBER CARTER THANK YOU, MAYOR SO I WANT TO START JUST FIRST BY THANKING ALL OF THE RESIDENTS WHO ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS AND PROVIDED INPUT WHETHER THAT WAS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS THAT YOUR TEAM LED CARI OR THROUGH THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS THAT WE ADDED THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OR THE EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS AND ALL THE OTHER WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN ENGAGE OBVIOUSLY WE HEARD A VARIETY OF OPINIONS. I THINK WHAT'S CLEAR TO ME AND I'M SURE ALL OF US UP HERE IS THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT BELIEFS IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR WANTS AND WHAT OUR NEEDS. THERE ARE DIFFERENT BELIEFS AROUND WHERE WE SHOULD CUT COSTS BUT REGARDLESS I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO TOOK THE CHANCE OR TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO WEIGH IN AND AS WAS ALLUDED TO ALREADY, I THINK WE CAN ALL RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE IN A REALLY TOUGH SPOT AS A SOCIETY. WE TRULY ARE IN AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS. EVERYTHING IS MORE EXPENSIVE EVERYWHERE WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE OR THE GAS STATION OR YOUR OPENING OF YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL IT FEELS LIKE EVERYTHING CONTINUES TO GO UP AND SPECIFIC TO BLOOMINGTON. YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A POSITION WHERE WE LIVE IN A COMMUNITY WITH AGING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS NEEDED INVESTMENT AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO NEED INVESTMENT IF WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MAINTAIN THE RESOURCES WE HAVE AND THE AMENITIES WE HAVE AND LIKE YOU MENTIONED, WE'RE ALREADY WE'RE WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF BUILDING A FULL TIME FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THAT'S THE ADDITION OF A LOT OF IS WHICH IS EXPENSIVE IT JUST IS SO THE CITY IS NOT IMMUNE TO THIS AFFORDABILITY CRISIS I GUESS IS MY POINT. EVERYTHING IS MORE EXPENSIVE IN TERMS OF GOODS SUPPLIES, EQUIPMENT, LABOR AND ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO MAKE A CITY RUN WELL AND THEN LIKE COREY MENTIONED, BLOOMINGTON IS NOT ALONE. IF YOU LOOK AT CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING ACROSS THE STATE FROM CITIES AND SUBURBS TO SMALL TOWNS, EVERYBODY IS HAVING CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE THE COST THAT IT IS EXPENSIVE THAT IT TAKES TO RUN A CITY WELL AND TO UPDATE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAINTAIN IT WELL. AND SO I THINK YOU KNOW, I GUESS WHAT I WOULD SAY IS WE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE A REALLY TOUGH BALANCING ACT OF REDUCING COSTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WHILE MAINTAINING EXCELLENT CITY SERVICES THAT THE MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS HAVE COME TO EXPECT AND NOT MAKING DECISIONS THAT WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE FUTURE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE DECISION TO MOVE TO A FULL TIME FIRE DEPARTMENT PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED DECADES AGO AND MAYBE IT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE MORE GRADUALLY. BUT I ASSUME THAT THAT DECISION WAS PUT OFF BECAUSE OF HOW EXPENSIVE IT WOULD BE RIGHT. AND I GET THAT. I REALLY DO BECAUSE WE ARE NOW DEALING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT. WHEN WE DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH BUILDING OUT A FULL TIME FIRE DEPARTMENT, I DON'T ACTUALLY THINK IT WAS EVEN A CHOICE. THE OUTCOMES WERE SO BAD FOR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AMAZING FIREFIGHTERS WE DO BUT THEY WERE UNDER RESOURCED AND THEY WERE PUT IN AN UNFAIR POSITION. AND SO AGAIN WE REALLY AS COUNCILMEMBER SAYS HAVE TO BALANCE WHAT WE'RE HEARING RIGHT NOW IN THE COMMUNITY BUT ALSO THINK ABOUT HOW OUR DECISIONS IMPACT BLOOMINGTON TEN, 20 AND 30 YEARS FROM NOW . SO WITH ALL THAT SAID, I DO ALSO WANT TO BE VERY, VERY CLEAR. SO FOR ALL THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE WEIGHED IN OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS AND MONTHS, I AGREE THAT WE CANNOT TREAT PROPERTY TAXES AS AN ENDLESS SUPPLY OF CASH. I DO FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE MAJORITY OF CITY STAFF ALSO FEEL THAT WAY. MANY OF OUR CITY STAFF ARE RESIDENTS THEMSELVES ARE SO ARE LIVING WITH THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE TAX TAX TAX LOBBIES. I BELIEVE OUR STAFF ARE OVERALL COST CONSCIOUS AND THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS. SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD I DO THINK THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO FIND EFFICIENCIES AND AS A COUNCIL I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME HARD DECISIONS. I BELIEVE THAT THE NEW PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING SYSTEM THAT WILL BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED WE HAVEN'T EVEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED IT YET RIGHT NEXT YEAR WILL HELP US IN THAT DECISION MAKING. WE ALSO HAVE A BRAND NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM. WE HAVE A BRAND NEW CITY MANAGER. OUR DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS ARE STILL RELATIVELY NEW ALL OF WHOM HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB IN THE SHORT TIME THAT THEY'VE BEEN HERE IN FINDING COST SAVINGS AND REDUCING EXPENSES AND I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. AND THEN I DID WANT TO SPEAK TO ONE AREA THAT A FEW RESIDENTS ASKED FOR US TO CUT AND THAT IS OUR EQUITY AND INCLUSION WORK. SO IF WE CUT THAT BUDGET WHICH I BELIEVE IS 500,000 SO WHAT I GOT FROM THE FINANCE TEAM THAT WOULD SAVE THE AVERAGE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD IN BLOOMINGTON $20 A YEAR $20 I THINK IT'S LIKE $0.20 A WEEK OR SOMETHING CLOSE TO THAT. SO I PERSONALLY WOULD NOT SUPPORT THIS AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY. SO BOTH TIMES I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL I RAN EXPLICITLY ON A MESSAGE AND A PLATFORM FOCUSED ON EQUITY, INCLUSION, FAIRNESS AND ACCESS. AND THE SECOND TIME I RAN I WON WITH MORE VOTES THAN ANY COUNCIL MEMBER OR MAYORAL CANDIDATE IN CITY HISTORY. SO TO ME THAT IS A MANDATE THAT TO ME TELLS ME THAT THE MAJORITY OF BLOOMINGTON RESIDENTS ARE COMMITTED TO THIS VALUE AND I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET THAT THEY WOULD PAY $20 A YEAR FOR THEIR CITY TO CONTINUE TO HAVE DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION AS A PRIORITY. SO I AGAIN WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE RESIDENTS WHO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CONTINUE TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE. I ALSO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO REMEMBER AND KEEP AN OPEN MIND THAT ALL OF US UP HERE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US RAN FOR THESE SEATS TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT LIKE CONGRESS WHERE YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MAKE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. I DON'T TOTALLY UNDERSTAND HOW THEY DO THAT BUT WE'RE NOT LEAVING THESE SEATS MILLIONAIRES THE $12,000 A YEAR IS HELPFUL BUT WE'RE NOT HERE TO MAKE MONEY. OKAY? WE'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE WE LOVE BLOOMINGTON AND WE CARE ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORS AND AND WE'RE REALLY I THINK I CAN SAY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US IS DOING OUR BEST. SO AGAIN SO I WANT TO THANK COREY AND THE FINANCE TEAM AND ALL OF CITY STAFF FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND RESIDENTS AS YOU'VE WORKED TO FIND EFFICIENCIES AND SAVINGS AND I AM GLAD TO HEAR THAT THAT MINDSET IS GOING TO CONTINUE AND IT CAN'T JUST CONTINUE WITH STAFF, IT HAS TO CONTINUE ON COUNCIL AND IT'S VERY EASY TO SAY WE WANT WE WANT WE WANT UNTIL IT COMES BUDGET TIME AND THEN WE'RE LIKE OH JUST KIDDING. WE DON'T THAT'S A LOT. SO I THINK THAT THIS LEVY PRESENTED TONIGHT REFLECTS OUR VALUES AS A COMMUNITY AS LAID OUT IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED WITH COMMUNITY. IT HONORS OUR DEBT SERVICE OBLIGATIONS. OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO PAY THOSE IS SIGNIFICANTLY INVEST IN PUBLIC SAFETY WHICH WE CONTINUE TO HEAR AS A TOP PRIORITY. IT MAINTAINS THE QUALITY CITY SERVICES THAT WE EXPECT IN BLOOMINGTON AND IT POSITIONS BLOOMINGTON TO CONTINUE TO BE IN A STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION. SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE TAX LEVY TONIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMEMBER LOWMAN AND COUNCILMEMBER RIVAS. COUNCILMEMBER LOWMAN THANK YOU, MAYOR AMANDA I LIKE THAT. I DO LIKE THAT. THAT'S A THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO DO THAT. DON'T NEED TO SPEAK TO IT. THAT'S SO MERIT WANT TO YOU KNOW YOU OBVIOUSLY AND MY OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY THANKED STAFF AND I THINK THEY'VE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB. YOU KNOW 18% YOU KNOW COULD BRING IT DOWN TO HALF OF THAT WOULD BE 9%. I MEAN WOW 6.96 NOW I DON'T LOVE THE WAY WE DID IT BUT YOU KNOW THE LAST LITTLE BIT THERE BUT YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO COMPLAIN. YOU KNOW IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I ASKED FOR THAT WE DO THAT BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT FROM A STRUCTURAL STANDPOINT THAT CAN CREATE CREATE PROBLEMS. SO I'M NOT GOING TO FORGET THAT IF WE LOOK AT THAT NEXT YEAR I PROMISE I WON'T FORGET ABOUT THAT. YOU KNOW YOU KNOW THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF ME BUT I'LL SAY IT THIS WAY YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LOT OF COMMENTS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S 18 SPEAKERS THAT CAME BEFORE US IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST ATTENDED SESSIONS I'VE EVER SEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL AND WE CERTAINLY HAD SOME FOLKS WHO WERE VERY PASSIONATE AND VERY MUCH CARED ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY AND I AM HAPPY THAT THEY CAME HERE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS DONE WHICH I THINK WAS KIND OF A DISSERVICE TO TO US AS WE TRY TO GATHER TOGETHER AND TRY TO MOVE THIS CONVERSATION AND DISCUSSION ALONG. I LIKE TO CALL IT CHERRY PICKING. WE HAD SOME FOLKS WHO PUT UP ON THE ON THE SLIDE PIECE UP THERE CERTAIN COUNCIL MEMBERS YOU KNOW THERE THERE ARE LEVY RESPONSIBILITI OR THERE YOU KNOW WHAT THEY HAD TO PAY AND THEY JUST INTENTIONALLY LEFT OFF THOSE OTHER FOLKS WHO HAD HIGHER LEVIES TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE SOMEHOW WE WOULD BENEFIT FROM YOU KNOW, HAVING A LOWER TAX SOMEHOW IT WAS DIFFERENT OR TO CREATE THIS PERCEPTION AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE WERE LOOKING TO DO THEY EVEN PUT IT OUT ON THE INTERNET TO TRY TO OVEREMPHASIZE THAT. MAYOR YOU KNOW, I JUST FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO WERE WERE REALLY GENUINELY HERE WHO REALLY WERE DRIVING TO TRY TO ,YOU KNOW, PASSIONATELY TRY TO MAKE THEIR CASE TO US TO TRY TO PULL THIS THIS THING DOWN BECAUSE THEY'RE FACING AFFORDABILITY REALLY A DISSERVICE TO TO NOT SHOW THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, MY COLLEAGUE DOWN ON THE END HERE HAD A 12%, YOU KNOW, INCREASE. SO SHE'S A 12.5 YOU MORE THAN THAT YOU KNOW I INCREASED AND SHE GAVE ME THE PERMISSION TO TO DO THAT. I'M NOT GOING TO CALL ANYBODY ELSE OUT THERE BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK IF YOU'RE GOING TO REALLY MAKE YOUR CASE, TELL THE FULL STORY. YOU KNOW, MAYOR, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHY A PERSON WOULD WOULD JUST KIND OF CUT IT DOWN TO A CERTAIN WAY TO KIND OF MAKE THEIR POINT TO GET IT ACROSS BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT THE TRUTH COMES OUT. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FIND OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT. SO I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS JUST DESPICABLE AND I JUST HOPE THAT THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU KIND OF COME FORWARD THAT YOU TELL THE FULL STORY BECAUSE I DO THINK YOUR POINT OF VIEW AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE IS IMPORTANT. I REALLY WANTED TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, WHY YOU THOUGHT YOU KNOW ,PUTTING US UP THERE, YOU KNOW, REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO TO TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. I'LL ASSUME POSITIVE INTENT. YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR OUR VALUES HERE IN THE CITY IS AFFORDABILITY IN THE COST AND MY COLLEAGUE SPOKE TO SPOKE TO THAT ELOQUENTLY. BUT I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND THAT MOST OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO HERE ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON THAT IDEA OF HOW DO WE YOU KNOW, NOT JUST DO HANDOUTS BUT REALLY A HAND UP HOW DO WE GET FOLKS FROM A SITUATION WHERE THE RENT THAT'S HOW WE MAKE OUR CITY A WELCOMING CITY. THAT'S WHY WE BELIEVE IN OUR CITY BEING AN OPEN GARDEN THAT EVERYONE CAN BE A PART OF AND PARTICIPATE IN AND THEY MAY HAVE DIFFERING POSITIONS AND DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW OF HOW TO ATTEND THAT GARDEN BUT WE WE VALUE ALL OF THOSE VOICES THAT ARE HERE AND AND THAT'S WHY AS WE DRIVE FORWARD AND WE LOOK FORWARD WE WE HAVE LOOK TO TRY TO ADD AS A PART OF THAT PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING WHERE WE'RE PLANNING A SEED FOR THE FUTURE TO TRY TO CREATE A TYPE OF GARDEN WHERE EVERYONE CAN PROSPER AND BE A PART OF THAT. AND AS ONE OF MY FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS ONCE SAID WHO'S NOW IN THE HOUSE THAT THESE REPRESENT OUR VALUES AS A CITY WE VALUED THAT THE RESPONSES THAT WE GOT LAST TIME AND OUR STAFF WENT BACK AND SHARPENED THE PENCIL AND DROVE THAT DROVE THAT NUMBER DOWN TO 6.996. I'M NOT LOVING IT, YOU KNOW ALL THE WAY BECAUSE I REALIZE THAT FROM THE OUT YEARS THERE WILL BE INCREASES BECAUSE OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT WE NEED IT FOLKS NEED TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN TO BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF OUR CITY. WHAT ELSE DO WE VALUE IN THE CITY? WELL, 50% OF THAT INVESTMENT OR MORE IF YOU INCLUDE OTHER ITEMS I DO IT'S AROUND 65% IS AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY. WE VALUE THOSE FOLKS. WE SEE VALUE THAT STEADY AND I'M HOPING WE CAN CREATE THIS ON AN ONGOING BASIS MORE STEADY EXPERIENCE FOR THE TAXPAYER THAT COMES HERE. WE VALUE EVERYONE IN THE CITY AND THAT'S WHY WE WORK SO HARD WITH THE WAY IN WHICH THAT WE PASS THESE TAXES. AND LET ME JUST SAY AS I AS I WRAP UP WHAT I HAVE TO SAY HERE THAT HIGH QUALITY SERVICES ARE NOT JUST FOR THE FEW, THEY'RE FOR EVERYBODY. THIS IDEA OF OF OF OF INCLUDING PEOPLE AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE FEELS SAFE HERE STARTS RIGHT HERE IN OUR BUDGET AND SO I HAVE AN EXPECTED NATION AS A AS A COUNCILMEMBER AND A LONG TERM RESIDENT THAT WE PROTECT ALL THOSE FOLKS WHETHER IT BE THROUGH THE BUDGETS THAT WE PASS OR BY THE ENFORCEMENT THAT WE SUPPORT THROUGH OUR PUBLIC SERVICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMEMBER RIVAS AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE EFFORT AND IT'S IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT TIME ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I REPRESENT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT THAT ARE ACTUALLY HAVING A HARD TIME FINANCIALLY. THAT'S WHERE MY OPINIONS COME FROM. I DO GET A LOT OF COMMUNICATION TO EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS WITH THEM AND SO I DO ADMIRE THE REALITY THAT YOU GUYS HAVE GONE OUT THERE TO BAT AND BROUGHT THIS THING DOWN FROM NINE I DON'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE 18% BECAUSE THAT WAS UNREALISTIC TO START WITH BUT FROM 9% TO 6.9 IS IS IT TELLS A LOT ABOUT WHAT THE CITY IS ABOUT AND I'M GOING TO BE BRIEF MY ONLY OPPOSITION TO THAT IS AND I DID MENTION THIS TO TO MR. WALKER IS I DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT WE TAKE FUNDS FOR THE STRATEGIC PRIORITY FUND TO GIVE TAXPAYERS A BREAK. I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE GONE A LITTLE FARTHER. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF OPINIONS. WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS HERE AND I THINK I LIKE TO DEFER THAT. I DON'T AGREE 100% WITH WHAT EVERYBODY THINKS IN THIS COUNCIL AND I'M NOT RELUCTANT TO SAY THAT I MY OPINIONS ARE VERY DIFFERENT AND THAT'S THE REASON I'M HERE SITTING I GOT ELECTED FOR THAT REASON. THAT SAID, THOUGH, I DO ADMIRE THE FACT THAT THE YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB NOBODY NOT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE HAPPY INCLUDING MYSELF. I'LL BE HONEST I WISH I WOULD HAVE BROUGHT IT EVEN FARTHER DOWN BUT IT'S SO LATE IN THE YEAR WHEN WE STARTED PUSHING FOR THAT AND I DO REALIZE THAT WE HAVE COME TO THE POINT THAT WE NEED TO VOTE ON IT. IT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO TO SAY THAT I'M 100% BEHIND THIS. I AGAIN I SAY THAT JUST LIKE MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER SAID THAT SHE FEELS LIKE SHE GOT A MANDATE TO KEEP DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION . I FEEL THAT I HAVE A MANDATE FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ELECTED ME WHEN I COMPARED THE VOTES THAT I GOT ALSO TO TO MY FRIEND PATRICK TO WITH WHOM I COMMUNICATE CONSTANTLY IT'S YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT'S A MANDATE THAT I FEEL THAT I HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO TRULY REPRESENT THEM AND HE FAILED BECAUSE PASSING THIS BUDGET I FEEL THAT I NEED TO BE BEHIND HIM AS WELL ALTHOUGH I DO ADMIRE THE FACT THAT YOU KNOW THE FINANCE STAFF AND OR THE DEPARTMENT MANAGERS HAVE GONE OUT THERE TO BE ABLE TO BRING THIS BUDGET TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS AT THIS MOMENT. THAT SAID, I PERSONALLY AM BEHIND IT BUT DUE TO THE FACT THAT I GET A LOT OF COMMUNICATION WITH THEM TO TO TRULY REPRESENT ME IN MY FIELD THAT I YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO BE 100% BEHIND THIS. ALSO WHAT I WANT TO REMIND THE STAFF IN A VERY GENTLE WAY AND TRYING TO NOT BE SO CONDESCENDING WHEN I ASK QUESTIONS BECAUSE I REALIZE THAT WATCHING THE VIDEO SOMETIMES I'M NOT KIND ENOUGH TO TO ASK QUESTIONS AND I'M WORKING ON IT, I PROMISE EVERYBODY OKAY. I HAD TO I HAD TO BE KIND AND RESPECTFUL AND MINDFUL OF HOW PEOPLE FEEL WHEN YOU APPROACH HIM. SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF AT ANY MOMENT I MAKE YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. IT'S NOT MY INTENTION BUT THAT SAID IT'S GREAT THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT THIS DOWN TO 6.96 AND I'M GOING TO HAVE A REAL HARD TIME ON A TIME OF VOTING BUT THEN WHICH WAY TO GO? BUT IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO TO TELL THE RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH ME THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MANAGED TO BRING IT THIS FAR DOWN AND IT'S IT'S IT'S NOT EASY GIVEN THE TIME FRAME THAT WE GOT TO START PUSHING FOR THIS. SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH TO YOU AND THE STAFF IN FINANCE FOR DOING WHAT YOU DID AND THANK YOU MR. WALKER FOR WISHING TO DO THAT AGAIN MY ONLY OPPOSITION IS THE FACT THAT WE GOT FUNDS FROM THE CITY SUGAR AND PRIORITIES FUND TO MORE THAN THAT I THINK THE JOB HAS BEEN MAGNIFICENT AND I YOU KNOW, AGAIN I FEEL PERSONALLY I'M BEHIND IT BUT I ,I FEEL THAT I HAVE TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE THAT ELECTED ME AND AND THAT'S WHEN IT BECOMES REALLY HARD FOR ME TO MAKE DECISIONS WHILE I SIT HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND COME TO ME. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMEMBER THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU TO ALL THE RESIDENTS WHO CAME OVER THE LAST 4 OR 5 MONTHS. THANK YOU TO STAFF. I TRULY BELIEVE WE HAVE THE BEST RESIDENTS AND IN THE WHOLE STATE OF MINNESOTA I LOVE PUNISHMENT SO I WATCH OTHER CITIES BUDGET MEETINGS JUST FOR FUN AND I WATCHED SIX OF THEM THIS YEAR AND THE MOST THAT I SAW COME TO SPEAK EVEN IN CITIES THAT HAD DOUBLE DIGIT PRELIMINARY TAX LEVIES WAS THREE THREE PEOPLE SHOWED UP TO THEIR CITIES OUTSIDE OF BLOOMINGTON TO SPEAK ABOUT THE TAX LEVY. THE FACT THAT WE HAD 18 PEOPLE SHOW UP, THE FACT THAT WE HAD 50 EMAILS SHOW UP IN OUR INBOXES, 21 PEOPLE COMMENT ON THE LET'S TALK BLOOMINGTON FACT THAT I HAD LIKE FOUR COFFEE DAYS JUST TO CHAT ABOUT THE TAX LEVY WITH RESIDENTS WHO WANTED TO TALK SHOWS THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT OF CARE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE RESIDENTS OF BLUE AND HAD TO HAVE AND I TRULY ADMIRE ALL THOSE FOLKS WHO SPOKE UP FROM WHATEVER VIEWPOINT YOU HAVE. I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS WITH US AND TO STAFF USUALLY WE DON'T START TO LOOK LIKE APRIL BUT YOU GUYS STARTED LITERALLY THE DAY AFTER LAST YEAR WHEN WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION AND THERE'S TWO POINTS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT. THERE WAS A COMMENT THAT SAID WE DON'T CARE. THE PEOPLE UP HERE DON'T CARE AND THE FACT THAT WE STARTED THIS PROCESS LAST YEAR EARLIER THE DAY AFTER WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION I THINK SHOWS THAT WE CARED. THE FACT THAT WE OPEN IT UP AND ALLOWED AND FOUND A WAY TO ALLOW MORE CONVERSATION FROM RESIDENTS INSTEAD OF JUST THE TRUTH AND TAXATION HEARING WHICH EVERY OTHER CITY DOES THEY ONLY HAVE THE ONE MEETING SHOWS THAT WE VALUE OUR RESIDENTS AND WE CARE AND W ALL LIVE HERE. WE'RE ALL YOUR FRIENDS. WE'RE ALL YOUR NEIGHBORS. WE LIVE HERE AND WE ARE IMPACTED BY THIS JUST AS MUCH AS YOU. SO I THINK THE NOTION THAT WE DON'T CARE JUST DOESN'T SIT RIGHT WITH ME BECAUSE IF I DIDN'T CARE THAT CONCEPTUAL LEVY AT 18% PROBABLY IS WHAT I WOULD HAVE WANTED TO DO. I'VE TOLD CHIEF LIKE I WANT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT UP LIKE YESTERDAY I WOULD HAVE HAD 18% SO WE COULD DO THAT. BUT THE FACT THAT WE DO CARE AND THAT WE HAVE WORKED AND WORKED WITH STAFF TO THINK OF NEW WAYS TO THINK IN NEW PROCESSES TO HELP US ALLEVIATE THAT SHOWS THAT WE DO CARE AND WE DON'T CARE JUST ABOUT TODAY . WE KNOW TODAY THERE IS A LOT THAT PEOPLE ARE DEALING WITH. GROCERY STORE PRICES CONTINUE TO GO UP, GAS GOES UP AND DOWN. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET YOUR TAX AND YOUR TAX LEVY IS CONTINUE TO GO UP AND WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE WORKED SO HARD TO GET THIS DOWN TO UNDER 7%. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO CARE ABOUT TOMORROW. ONE OF THE THINGS I RAN ON WAS THAT WHEN I AM 65 YEARS OLD AND I TURN AROUND AND MY KID CALLS ME AND SAY DAD, SHOULD I COME BACK HOME, I WANT TO SAY ABSOLUTELY BECAUSE OF THE DECISIONS WE MADE HERE TODAY MY KIDS ARE GOING TO SAY I LOVE GROWING UP IN BLOOMINGTON. BLOOMINGTON CONTINUES TO BE A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE BECAUSE WE MADE THE INVESTMENTS YESTERDAY. I WANT TO TAKE MY KIDS HOME AND RAISE THEM WHERE I GREW UP. THAT IS WHAT I WANT US TO DO AND SO THAT IS HOW I CARE NOT ONLY FOR TODAY BUT FOR TOMORROW. AND THEN THE SECOND THING THAT'S THEN SITTING WITH ME IS IS TODAY THE RIGHT TIME? AND AS I KEEP THINKING ABOUT IS IT THE RIGHT TIME, I THINK I'VE COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT THERE'S NEVER A RIGHT TIME LIKE IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO HAVE KIDS. I WOULD HAVE KIDS BECAUSE I NEED MORE MONEY. I NEED MORE TIME. I NEED MORE ENERGY. BUT YOU JUST YOU DO WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU IN THE MOMENT AND THERE ARE BETTER TIMES AND THEY'RE WORST TIMES, RIGHT? THE BEST TIME TO BUY A HOUSE WAS IN 1960 WHEN HOUSES WERE ONLY WHAT, THREE TIMES YOUR ANNUAL INCOME THE WORST TIME TO BUY A HOUSE? PROBABLY LIKE 2006 2007 2008 THE BEST TIME TO INVEST WAS IN 2009 WHEN THE STOCK MARKET CRHED AND THEN WE WENT ON A 17 YEAR BULL RUN. ANYONE WHO STAYED INVESTED IN 2009 UNTIL NOW MADE MONEY HAND OVER THE FIST BUT PEOPLE PANICKED SO THERE NEVER THE RIGHT TIME. AND SO BEING MY LAST BUDGET MEETING AND THIS COUNCIL AS PART OF THIS COUNCIL I KNOW HOW MUCH EVERYONE OF US GENUINELY CARES AND AS A COUNCIL MEMBER RIVAS WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE IN COMMON THAN YOU YOU GIVE US CREDIT FOR BECAUSE GETTING TO KNOW YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE IN HERE THERE IS NO ONE ON THIS COUNCIL THAT I DOUBT THEIR CARE AND CONCERN FOR THE CITY . SO I THINK I WOULD ENCOURAGE THIS COUNCIL TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT OVER AFTER TONIGHT'S MEETING. THE CONVERSATION WE HAVE TONIGHT IS NOT OVER. WE ALL KNOW OUR CITY HAS CONSIDERABLE CHALLENGES UP AHEAD AND SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE HARD CONVERSATIONS TO NOT KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS CHEAPER YESTERDAY. THE NEXT BEST TIME TO BUY SOMETHING WAS TODAY. SO LET'S NOT KICK IT OFF TOO FAR DOWN TOMORROW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER. THAT'S FROM DEL TORO. ANYTHING GOOD? THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INPUT. I I'LL BE VERY BRIEF. I AGAIN APPRECIATE THE STAFF'S WORK ON THIS I THINK THIS IS I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY IT'S NOT A PERFECT BUDGET BUT IT'S A BUDGET THAT WE'VE GOT AND WE'LL WE'LL WORK WITH IT. AS I MENTIONED LAST WEEK I THINK IT SAYS IT SPEAKS VOLUMES THAT OF THIS BUDGET 85% OF THIS BUDGET GOES TO THOSE FIVE BUILDING BLOCKS, THOSE FOUNDATIONAL SERVICES THAT ARE THAT THAT CITIES PROVIDE POLICE FIRE, PARKING, RECREATION, PUBLIC WORKS AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. I MEAN THOSE ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS. THAT'S WHAT YOU TURN AROUND. THAT'S WHAT CITIES DO. THEY DO OTHER THINGS AS WELL. BUT THOSE ARE THE FIVE THINGS THOSE GROUPINGS OF THINGS ARE WHATVERY CITY COULD CAN OR SHOULD DO. AND IF WE LOOK AT IT IN THAT WAY AND THEN WE LOOK AT IT WITH THIS CONVERSATION WE'VE BEEN HAVING ABOUT WANTS VERSUS NEEDS, THEN IT'S AS COUNCILMEMBER SAID, IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH DISCUSSION MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION, WHEN I LOOK AT PLOWING THE STREETS, WHEN I LOOK AT FIXING POTHOLES, WHEN I LOOK AT HAVING SUMMER PARK AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES, WHEN I LOOK AT ALL OUR GREEN SPACE ACROSS THE CITY, I LOOK AT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO TRY AND ATTRACT AND GROW BUSINESSES IN THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON OUR INSPECTIONS THAT KEEP EVERYONE SAFE FROM A FOOD TO A HOUSING STANDPOINT ARE THOSE WANTS FOR ALL THOSE NEEDS AND IF THOSE ARE IN WANTS THEN HOW DO WE REDUCE THEM WITHOUT AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE WITHIN OUR CITY? AND IT'S A CONVERSATION THAT IF WE WANT TO HAVE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INVOLVE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE WE ALL GET EMAILS. WE ALL HEAR VOICES BUT WE ALSO DON'T GET EMAILS. WE DON'T HEAR VOICES FOLKS WHO ARE EITHER IN AGREEMENT THAT IT WAS TIME FOR A FULL TIME FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA IS IS A WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT AND SO IT ALSO THEN ALL TIES INTO THE CITIES ARE IN IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY WE PROVIDE SERVICES. WE DON'T MAKE WIDGETS. WE CAN'T CUT THEIR COST OF PRODUCTION. WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, CHANGE. THERE AREN'T THINGS WE CAN TINKER WITH THERE. IT'S BASICALLY THE PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES, YOU KNOW FOR NOW YOU NEED A GUY BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A SNOW PLOW FOR NOW I'M NOT SAYING THAT IS A FOREVER KIND OF THING BUT FOR NOW YOU NEED SOMEONE BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A SNOW PLOW. YOU NEED FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS AND AND THE FOLKS TO DO THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO GET DONE. AND SO IT WILL BE A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR STAFF AND FOR THIS COMMUNITY TO TO THINK THEIR WAY THROUGH ALL OF THIS. BUT I THINK WE'RE UP TO IT AND I THINK I THINK THERE IS A WAY TO CONTINUE TO MOVE BLOOMINGTON FORWARD WHICH IS IN MY MIND THE PREFERRED DIRECTION FORWARD AND STILL MAINTAIN THE LIVABILITY OF THIS COMMUNITY, MAINTAIN THE SERVICES THAT PEOPLE HAVE COME TO EXPECT AND TO DELIVER THEM IN THE EXCEPTIONAL WAY THAT PEOPLE HAVE COME TO AGAIN NOT ONLY EXPECT BUT NEED AND DESIRE HERE IN BLOOMINGTON. SO I THINK EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID HAS BEEN SAID SO COUNCIL I WOULD LOOK FOR ACTION. COUNCILMEMBER THANK YOU MAYOR I'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT. I'D MOVE TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION AND SAY EVERYTHING ESTABLISHING FINAL TAX LEVIES FOR THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON FOR THE YEAR 2026. SECOND MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER CARTER TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING FINAL TAX LEVIES FOR THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON FOR THE YEAR 2026 ANY FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THIS HEARING? NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES SIX ONE WITH COUNCILMEMBER RIVAS IN OPPOSITION COUNCILMEMBER MAYOR I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FINAL 2026 GENERAL FUND BUDGET SECOND MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER CARTER TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FINAL 2026 GENERAL FUND BUDGET. NO FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION . ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I OPPOSED DID YOU VOTED YES. I'M SORRY I WAS. MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO AGAIN THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TO THE STAFF FOR THE WORK THEY PUT INTO IT. THANKS COUNCIL FOR THE DISCUSSION THAT HAS GONE ON FOR THE PAST UMPTEEN MONTHS AND THANKS TO THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE WEIGHED IN IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE DO AS A COUNCIL AND WE DO IT EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO IT AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AS IT MOVES FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, KIRK. AND THEN 4.2 IS OUR FIRST PUBLIC HEARING OF THE EVENING. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT RELATED TO THE APPROVAL OF CONTRACTS FOR MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS. MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR TIM BARRETT IS HERE. GOOD EVENING MR. CHAIR. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL . COME UP HERE. ALL RIGHT. SO BEFORE YOU TONIGHT HAVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER FIVE OF THE CITY CODE AND WHAT THIS ORDINANCE IS IS AN AMENDMENT TO CHAPTERS FIVE THE CITY CODE TO UPDATE APPROVAL AMOUNT OF OUR CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS FOR MISS MISERABLE BUILDINGS. OKAY. SOME TERMINOLOGY MISCIBLE BUILDING IS ANY CITY OWNED FACILITY THAT COULD BE CIVIC PLAZA PUBLIC WORKS BUILDINGS OR FIRE STATIONS ANY PARK FACILITIES ANYTHING LIKE THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED MISCIBLE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION CAN RANGE ANYWHERE FROM SIDEWALK TO TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS BUILDING MECHANICALS REMODELING OF CITY FACILITIES OR NEW CONSTRUCTION. SO KIND OF GIVES YOU A LITTLE TERMINOLOGY OF WHAT THAT KIND OF MEANS. OKAY. THE BACKGROUND THIS ORDINANCE IT'S BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 1994 WITH NO AMENDMENTS OR ANY CHANGES. THIS ORDINANCE IS COUNCIL NEEDS TO APPROVE ANY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT OVER $100,000. IT NEEDS TO BE APPROVED BY A VOTE OF NOT LESS THAN FIVE MEMBERS ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND THEN TO TRANSFER FUNDS TO FOR THESE CONSTRUCTION IS NEEDS AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTES OF AT LEAST FIVE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WITH THAT CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO ESTABLISH THE CONSTRUCTION BUDGET AS WELL. SO WHAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING IS THAT WE CHANGE THE AMOUNT FROM $100,000 TO $175,000 WHICH WOULD ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S PURCHASING POLICY. ALL CONTRACTS THAT COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL ARE OVER $175,000 AND WE JUST ARE KIND OF KIND OF FINE TUNING THIS AND MAKING SURE IT KIND OF IS THE SAME ALL ACROSS THE BOARD SO NOTHING GETS MISSED. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE RECOMMENDATION BEHIND THIS. SO IN FRONT OF YOU IS A MOTION TO AMEND CHAPTER FIVE ARTICLE SIX OF THE CITY CODE RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION MISCIBLE BUILDINGS THANK YOU COUNCIL QUESTIONS I DO HAVE A QUESTION. SO YOU MENTIONED IT'S IT IS IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE PURCHASING. I'VE GOT TO IMAGINE THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME THOUGHT ALSO THAT SINCE THE ORDINANCE HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 94 SAID THAT $100,000 THOSE YEARS AGO THAT IT MIGHT BE TIME TO IT MIGHT BE TIME TO UPDATE IT, CORRECT? YEAH, THOSE WERE OBVIOUSLY DOLLARS IN 1994 AND 2025. EXACTLY. YES. ACTUALLY I'M SURPRISED IT'S NOT A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THAT GIVEN THE THE RATE OF INFLATION IN THE PAST 35 YEARS. COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER NELSON THANK YOU MAYOR. I AM WONDERING IF YOU CAN GIVE US ANY EXAMPLES OF PROJECTS THAT ARE BETWEEN THE 100 AND $175,000. >> SO I MEAN THERE COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM IF WE'RE DOING SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS ON A CITY FACILITY IT COULD BE SIDEWALK REPLACEMENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT CRACK CEILING COULD FALL ON OR BETWEEN THAT 101 75 THEY'RE ARE SMALL PROJECTS. ANY NEW CONSTRUCTION OR REMODEL IS GOING TO BE WELL OVER THAT HUNDRED $75,000. SO THEY'RE KIND OF THE SMALLER ONES SAME TYPE DEAL IF THERE'S ANY MECHANICAL REPLACEMENTS FOR INSTANCE AT A PARK BUILDING THOSE HAVE SMALLER HVAC UNITS. THINGS LIKE THAT COULD FALL WITHIN THAT 100 TO $175,000. THANK YOU. ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. DON'T GO FAR. THANK YOU MUCH. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT AN 4.2. THIS IS AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT RELATED TO THE APPROVAL OF CONTRACTS FOR MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS WISHING TO SPEAK TO ITEM 4.2 THIS EVENING? >> WE ARE GOING TO WE HAVE ANYONE ON THE PHONE? MAYOR WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE ON LINE. >> LAST CALL FOR ANYBODY IN THE CHAMBERS COUNCIL. NO ONE COMING FORWARD. NO ONE ON THE PHONE WISHING TO SPEAK. I LOOK FOR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 4.2 THIS EVENING. SOME OF MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER DALLESSANDRO TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 4.2 NO FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THIS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO COUNCIL THOUGHTS ON THIS I THINK AS LAID OUT IT MAKES PRETTY GOOD SENSE THE FACT THAT IT ALIGNS WITH OTHER NUMBERS IN OUR IN OUR PURCHASING POLICY AND AS I SAID I THINK IT FITS A LITTLE BIT BETTER IN TERMS OF $2,025 AS OPPOSED TO $1,994. AND SO I THINK IT MAKES IT MAKES GOOD SENSE TO TO MOVE THIS UP TO THE 175 IF EVERYBODY'S IN AGREEMENT. I LOOK FOR ACTION ON ITEM 4.2. COUNCILMEMBER BEAMER WOULD BE HAPPY TO MOVE THIS AND MOVE TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER FIVE OF THE CITY CODE RELATED TO APPROVAL OF CONTRACTS FOR MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS. MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER DALLESSANDRO TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER FIVE OF THE CITY CODE RELATED TO THE APPROVAL OF CONTRACTS FOR MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS. NO FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THIS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO THANK YOU MUCH. MOVING ON TO AN 4.3 OUR SECOND AND FINAL PUBLIC HEARING OF THE EVENING THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING TECHNICAL AMENDMENT ORDINANCE MISS MANDER SHALL THE CITY ATTORNEY IS GOING TO LEAD US THROUGH THIS ONE THIS MAN SHOT THANK YOU MAY REMEMBERS THIS IS A TECHNICAL AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER ONE OF OUR CITY CODE. IT IN IT CAN IT INCLUDES AN OUTDATED TITLE THAT IS NO LONGER USED AND IN THE CITY AND SO THE REQUEST IS TO GENERALIZE THE SECTION TO MAKE IT MORE DURABLE. GENERALLY SPEAKING THE SECTION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RELATES TO OUR CIVIL HEARING PROCESS THAT'S IN CHAPTER ONE OF OUR CITY CODE. IT'S REMOVING THE REFERENCE TO ASSOCIATE CITY ATTORNEY AND REPLACING IT THROUGHOUT THIS SECTION WITH THE MORE DURABLE TERM OF CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE COUNCIL QUESTIONS OF MR. ANDERSON NO QUESTIONS. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU MUCH. I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW THIS IS ITEM 4.3 A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING AN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING TECHNICAL AMENDMENT ORDINANCE SO ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TO AND 4.3 THIS EVENING COULD WE HAVE ANYONE ON THE PHONE WISHING TO SPEAK TEN AND 4.3 MAYOR WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE ONLINE ANYONE IN THE CHAMBERS. LAST CHANCE COUNCIL NO ONE IN THE CHAMBERS COMING FORWARD. NO ONE ON PHONE ON THE PHONE LOOKING TO SPEAK TO ITEM 4.3 I LOOK FOR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON IN 4.3 SECOND MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER D'ALESSANDRO SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 4.3 NO FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I. I OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. COUNCIL THIS ONE'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD JUST CLEANING UP SOME LANGUAGE CHANGING REMOVING A ASSOCIATE ASSOCIATE CITY ATTORNEY AND JUST GOING WITH A MORE GENERAL CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS I LOOK FOR ACTION ON IT IN 4.3 COUNCILMEMBER I'LL DO THEM ALL AND I GUESS I MOVE TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER ONE OF THE CITY CODE RELATED TO INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF CITY CODE MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER A SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER DALLESSANDRO TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER ONE OF THE CITY CODE RELATED TO INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE CITY CODE. NO FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THIS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I OPPOSED THE MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH MISS MANAHAN. WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR ORGANIZATIONAL BUSINESS THIS EVENING. FIRST THE STUDY ITEM AND THE SECOND A DISCUSSION ITEM. STUDY ITEM IS ITEM 5.1 REGARDING OUR FENCE STANDARDS UPDATE BILL AND PALMER FROM OUR PLANNING STAFF IS WITH US . >> MR. PALMER, IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME IN FRONT OF US? GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. YES IT IS. >> WELL WELCOME. VERY GLAD TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD. WELCOME TO THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON AND WELCOME TO THE TO THE CHAMBERS. THANK YOU. GET MY POWERPOINT . ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AS MAYOR BUSSE MENTIONED, MY NAME'S DYLAN PALMER WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT ITEM 5.1 TONIGHT WHICH IS A STUDY ITEM TO UPDATE OUR FENCE STANDARDS ORDINANCE. SO JUST SOME OBJECTIVES. WHAT STAFF IS LOOKING TO DO THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WAS INITIALLY PRESENTED ON OUR 2025 PLANNING COMMISSION WORK PLAN. THE MAIN GOAL IS TO UPDATE OUR FENCE CODE TO BE CLEAR FOR RESIDENTS PARTICULARLY PARTICULARLY AROUND FENCE MATERIALS, HIGH CAPACITY REQUIREMENTS AS WELL AS LOCATION FENCES IN RESIDENTIAL YARDS. WE ALSO WANTED TO EVALUATE OPPORTUNITIES TO ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL PRIVACY FENCING FOR RESIDENTS AS WELL AS MAKE SOME CLERICAL UPDATES JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND THE FENCE CODE WAS INITIALLY WRITTEN IN 2008 SO IF YOU DRIVE AROUND YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF FENCES THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT DO NOT COMPLY WITH CURRENT REQUIREMENTS. THEY'RE LEGALLY NON CONFORMING BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE FENCES EXISTED PRIOR TO 2008 WHEN THAT ORDINANCE WAS INITIALLY PASSED. WE'RE ALSO AGAIN THIS IS A STUDY ITEM SO NO FORMAL ACTION NEEDED TONIGHT WE'RE LOOKING AT TAKING THIS TO A PUBLIC HEARING WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN JANUARY OF 2026 AND THEN BRINGING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL IN FEBRUARY OF 2026 . ALL RIGHT. SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE PURPOSE OF THE FENCE CODE. THE CITY INITIALLY PASSED THIS IN ORDER TO SET STANDARDS FOR FENCES TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE MOSTLY COMPLYING BY ONE STANDARD SET OF RULES. THERE ARE SOME GOALS SET OUT IN 2008 WHICH INCLUDED TO ALLOW AREAS FOR PRIVACY IN RESIDENTIAL YARDS WHILE MAINTAINING THE OPEN DESIGN ALONG STREETS PROVIDE SCREENING AND MITIGATION OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS BETWEEN ACTIVE AREAS AND OR PASSIVE AREAS ENHANCE THE ESTHETIC CONDITIONS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS SIGHTLINE OBSTRUCTIONS REDUCE POTENTIAL FOR CRIME AND ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AND THEN PREVENT CONFLICTS WITH UTILITY LINES. SO THESE ARE A CURRENT FENCE STANDARDS AND THIS IS A GRAPHIC THAT'S PULLED FROM OUR FENCE STANDARD HANDOUT THAT CAN BE SEEN ONLINE BY RESIDENTS. CURRENTLY WE ALLOW FOR A FOUR FOOT TALL FENCE WITH A MAXIMUM OF 50% CAPACITY IN THE FRONT YARD AS WELL AS THE CORNER SIDE YARD. SO THAT'S THAT AREA IN THE RED CIRCLE THERE AND THAT WILL BE A ONE OF THE BIG POINTS OF DISCUSSION TONIGHT. YOU'RE ALSO ALLOWED TO HAVE A SIX FOOT TALL FENCE IN YOUR REAR AND YOUR SIDE YARD. SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE GRAPHIC THAT'S KIND OF THAT WHITE DOTTED AREA ON THERE AND THEN ONE OTHER HELPFUL TIP HERE WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE DISCUSSING THE REAR PLAIN AND THE FRONT PLAIN OF THE HOME. SO ON THE RIGHT SIDE IN THE SECTION, THE GRAPHIC LABELED INTERNAL LOT, YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE FRONT PLAIN AND THE REAR PLAIN FOR PURPOSES OF DISCUSSION TONIGHT . ALL RIGHT. SO FIRST ITEM IS OUR PROPOSED OPTIONS TO CHANGE STANDARDS FOR CORNER SIDE YARD FENCES. SO LOOKING AT OPTIONS, THAT'S THE SAME GRAPHIC THAT YOU SAW IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE. THOSE ARE CURRENT STANDARDS WHERE WE ONLY ALLOW A FOUR FOOT HEIGHT WITH A 50% CAPACITY IN THE CORNER SIDE YARD. THE REASON THAT W ARE LOOKING AT CHANGING THESE STANDARDS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE RECEIVED FAIRLY FREQUENT INQUIRIES FROM RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN CORNER SITE OR HAVE PROPERTIES ON CORNER LOTS WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND THE AREA OF THEIR REAR YARD WHERE THEY CAN PUT A TALLER FENCE MOSTLY TO ALLOW FOR MORE RECREATION IN THEIR BACKYARD. THEY HAVE KIDS, THEY HAVE PETS, A LOT OF SITUATIONS LIKE THAT. SO WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT FOUR OPTIONS TONIGHT THAT I'LL BE PRESENTING TO YOU. THE FIRST OPTION IS TO SIMPLY MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT STANDARD WITH THE FOUR FOOT TALL HEIGHT REQUIREMENT AND THE 50% OPACITY. AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION HERE. THE CLEAR FEW TRIANGLES YOU CAN SEE THERE THOSE DARKER TRIANGLE AREAS ON THE LEFT AND THEN I CHANGE THE COLOR TO BLUE ON THE RIGHT TO CALL IT OUT IN ANY CASE ANYWHERE IN THE CITY IF YOU'RE ON A CORNER OF A STREET OR A DRIVEWAY YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE A FENCE IN THAT 15 BY 15 AREA THERE TO PROVIDE FOR VISIBILITY FOR CARS AND OTHER TRAFFIC ALONG STREETS AND IN DRIVEWAYS. SO AGAIN OPTION A MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT STANDARD. THE SECOND OPTION THAT'S THE GRAPHIC ON THE RIGHT WOULD BE TO ALLOW A SIX FOOT SENSE SIX FOOT FENCE IN THAT CORNER SIDE YARD WITH A ONE FOOT SETBACK. SO THIS WOULD BE GOING UP TO THE FRONT PLAIN OF THE HOME SO YOU COULD BUILD A SIX FOOT IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE FRONT SIDE OF A PERFECTLY RECTANGULAR HOUSE GOING STRAIGHT ACROSS OVER TO THE STREET AND THEN A ONE FOOT SETBACK FROM THE PROPERTY LINE . THIS IS SIMILAR TO A COUPLE OF OTHER CITIES IN THE REGION MOST SPECIFICALLY THIS IS WHAT CITY OF BLAINE'S FENCE STANDARD LOOKS LIKE. >> OUR NEXT TWO OPTIONS OPTION C WOULD BE TO ALLOW A SIX FOOT FENCE AT THE REAR PLAIN OF THE HOME SO YOU WOULD STILL HAVE THAT FOUR FOOT MAXIMUM HEIGHT IN THE MAJORITY OF THE SIDE YARD INCLUDING LIGHTS BUT YOU'D STILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN EXPANDED AREA BEHIND THE REAR PLAIN OF THE STRUCTURE WHERE YOU COULD RAISE THE HEIGHT UP TO SIX FEET. OPTION D THAT'S THE GRAPHIC ON THE RIGHT WOULD BE TO ALLOW A SIX FOOT FENCE AT THE FRONT OF THE HOME AND NO SETBACKS. SO YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO DO A SIX FOOT FENCE BEHIND THE FRONT OF THE HOME AND THERE WOULD NOT BE A SETBACK. >> YOU'D BE ABLE TO GO UP TO THE PROPERTY LINE. AND THEN JUST TO CLARIFY BECAUSE WE HAD THIS QUESTION IN PLANNING COMMISSION THERE IS ALREADY A TWO FOOT SETBACK FOR ALL FENCES LOCATED NEXT TO SIDEWALKS AND THAT'S ACROSS THE CITY IN ALL LOTS AND WE'RE NOT PROPOSING TO CHANGE THAT AT THIS TIME. SO THERE WILL STILL BE A TWO FOOT SETBACK IN PLACE IF THERE IS A SIDEWALK ALONG THE PROPERTY LINES. SO THIS IS A TABLE THAT OUTLINES ALL FOUR OPTIONS SHOWING YOU THE DIFFERENT RESTRICTIONS GOING FROM OUR CURRENT STANDARDS WHICH WE BELIEVE ARE THE MOST RESTRICTIVE AND THEN GOING OVER TO OPTION D WHICH IS THE MOST PERMISSIVE AND THAT'S MOST SIMILAR TO THE CITY OF SAINT PAUL'S. THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF ALLOWING A SIX FOOT FENCE IN THE CORNER SIDE YARD. THEY WERE ABOUT EVENLY SPLIT BETWEEN OPTIONS B AND OPTION C AND THEN I'LL IF YOU DON'T MIND I'LL HOLD ALL QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. WE CAN CERTAINLY COME BACK TO THE GRAPHICS IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. >> ALL RIGHT. MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT QUESTION WHICH IS ABOUT OPACITY. SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A 50% OPACITY REQUIREMENT IN FRONT YARDS FOR THE FOUR FOOT TALL FENCES AND THAT GRAPHIC RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCREEN SHOWS YOU THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MORE THAN 50% OPAQUE FENCE AND THEN A LESS THAN 50% OPAQUE FENCE A PIERCE CITY. SO A DINER RICHFIELD AND AGAIN DO NOT HAVE ANY OPACITY REQUIREMENTS THEY ONLY FOCUS ON HEIGHT IN THE FRONT YARDS. STAFF IS SUPPORTIVE OF REMOVING OPACITY REQUIREMENTS TO ENSURE STANDARDS ARE CLEAR FOR RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND. WE HAVE RECEIVED SOME QUESTIONS FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT BUILDING A COMPLETELY OPAQUE FENCE IN THEIR FRONT YARD AND THEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION THEY WERE DIVIDED ON REMOVING THE OPACITY REQUIREMENT AGAIN PRETTY MUCH A 5050 SPLIT ON KEEPING THE REQUIREMENT OR REMOVING IT AND THEN TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT A MORE THAN 50% OPAQUE FENCE WOULD LOOK LIKE. WE HAVE THAT IMAGE ON THE RIGHT THERE A FAIRLY CREATIVELY BUILT FENCE NOT IN BLOOMINGTON BUT A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT A NOT COMPLETELY OPAQUE FENCE COULD LOOK LIKE. RIGHT. MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM WHICH IS FENCE MATERIALS. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO UPDATE THE CODE TO CLARIFY THAT PLASTIC SLATS. SO THAT'S THE IMAGE THERE ON THE RIGHT SIDE DO NOT COUNT TOWARDS SCREENING REQUIREMENTS AND THIS WOULD APPLY TO COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL SITES. WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSION WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT A LOT OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES USE THESE PLASTIC SLATS TO PROVIDE SCREENING AND OVER THE YEARS JUST WITH A LOT OF TIMES IT'S SNOWPLOW DAMAGE OR ANY KIND OF WEATHER ISSUES. THOSE PLASTIC SLATS FALL OUT OF THE FENCE, THEY BREAK AND THEN THEY CREATE HOLES IN THE FENCE SO INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY OR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IS NO LONGER NO LONGER SCREENED. WE'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD LANGUAGE TO RESTRICT FENCE COVERINGS TO BE A COMMERCIALLY BUILT PRODUCT MANUFACTURED SPECIFICALLY FOR USE ON FENCING. SO THAT'S THE IMAGE ON THE LEFT THAT WAS JUST SOMETHING I PULLED OFF OF AMAZON OF A OPAQUE FENCE SCREEN THAT COULD BE USED AND IT IT'S A LOT MORE ESTHETICALLY PLEASING THAN THE PLASTIC SLATS THERE ON THE RIGHT. SO WE'LL BE ASKING IF YOU SUPPORT MAKING THESE UPDATES TO THE FENCE MATERIALS STANDARDS AND THEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THESE PROPOSED UPDATES AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST CONFUSING QUESTION IN THE NIGHT SO FEEL FREE TO INTERRUPT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. SO OUR CURRENT STANDARDS AND WE LIKE TO CALL THIS A LEGACY CODE ITEM IS THAT A FENCE MAY RISE TO EIGHT FEET IF IT IS LOCATED 65FT FROM THE FRONT PROPERTY LINE. SO THE GRAPHIC ON THE RIGHT SHOWS THE TOP HALF OF THE YARD THERE WHERE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE A FOUR FOOT TALL FENCE AND THAT'S GOING 65FT BACK. AND THEN OUR PROPOSAL WHICH IS ON THE LOWER HALF OF THAT LOT WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR AN EIGHT FOOT TALL MAX FENCE AT 30FT OR STRUCTURE SETBACKS THIS STANDARD ONLY APPLIES TO VERY FEW LOTS ACROSS THE CITY, MOSTLY DOWN ALONG THE BLUFFS BUT WE'VE I'VE HAD ONE TIME IN MY KNOWLEDGE WHERE THIS HAS COME UP SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO MAKE THE STANDARDS APPLY FOR STRUCTURE SETBACKS FOR ALL SIDES OF THE HOUSE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF MAKING THIS UPDATE AND THEY ALSO EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO REMOVE ALLOWANCES FOR EIGHT FOOT TALL FENCES CITY WIDE AND AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH IT ALSO LOOKS LIKE EDINA EAGAN RICHFIELD AS WELL AS MINNEAPOLIS THEY HAVE A SIX FOOT TALL MAXIMUM HEIGHT LIMIT CITYWIDE AS WELL SO THEY DO NOT ALLOW FOR EIGHT FOOT TALL FENCES ANYWHERE IN THEIR CITIES. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN SOME OTHER MINOR CODE UPDATES THAT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO MAKE. THESE ARE JUST SOME HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS WE'RE PROPOSING TO REMOVE LANGUAGE THAT PERTAINS TO LOCATING A FENCE UP TO THE PROPERTY LINE. OUR CITY'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE CURRENT LANGUAGE MAY EXPOSE US TO LEGAL CHALLENGES. THE CODE LANGUAGE MORE OR LESS JUST SAYS YOU'RE ALLOWED TO PLACE A FENCE ON YOUR PROPERTY LINE. WE THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD COULD OPEN UP THE CITY TO ANY FORM OF LEGAL REMEDY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT AND WE WANTED TO REMOVE THAT LANGUAGE BECAUSE PLACEMENT OF FENCES ALONG PROPERTY LINES IS ULTIMATELY A PRIVATE ISSUE. STAFF IS ALSO PROPOSING TO REMOVE LANGUAGE GOVERNING ARBORS AND TRELLISES AS FENCES. SO THIS IS AN ISSUE WHERE ARBORS AND TRELLISES HAVE STANDARDS AND THE FENCE CODE SECTION THEY ALSO HAVE SEPARATE AND DIFFERENT STANDARDS IN OUR PERMITTED ENCROACHMENT SECTIONS OF THE CODE AND THOSE STANDARDS ARE A FIVE FOOT SIDE SETBACK, TEN FOOT REAR SETBACK AND 20 FOOT FRONT SETBACK. SO OUR PROPOSAL IS JUST TO COMPLETELY REMOVE THIS SECTION FROM THE FENCE CODE SO THAT WE HAVE ONE LOCATION FOR ALL ARBOR AND TRELLIS RELATED STANDARDS. AND WITH THAT WE'LL GO TO OUR GUIDING QUESTION. SO I GUESS WE'LL START WITH OUR FIRST QUESTION. MARIN COUNCIL DO YOU HAVE ANY PREFERENCES ON THE CORNER YARD ALLOWANCE? COUNCILMEMBER DALLESSANDRO MR. MAYOR, I WAS DRAWING A PICTURE FOR MYSELF AND I'M TRYING TO FOLLOW ALONG SO THE SPECIFIC THE SPECIFIC ISSUE THAT I THAT MY YOU KNOW FOLKS IN HAVE HAVE CONTACTED ME HAVE TALKED ABOUT IS REALLY NOT ONE THAT YOU HAVE DESCRIBED HERE BUT MAYBE YOU COULD WALK ME THROUGH IT AND IF AND IF YOU COULD TELL ME ABOUT OPTION B VERSUS OPTION C AND HOW IT MIGHT LAY OUT, I WOULD GET A BETTER HANDLE ON ON WHETHER OR NOT I COULD SUPPORT ONE OR THE OTHER BASED ON THE NEEDS THAT I'M HEARING ABOUT. SO IN THE CASE OF MANY OF THE YARDS AND THE FIRST OFF THE PRINCIPAL STRUCTURE I KIND OF HAVE TO INVERT THIS ONE BECAUSE THINK ABOUT IN MY SCENARIO THE THE REAR IS THE FRONT RIGHT? SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SPECIFICS. SO 86 STREET THE LEFT SIDE WOULD BE EMERSON AVENUE WHICH IS MY STREET. OKAY. THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED THE SIDE STREET BECAUSE THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE FACES 86 STREET AND IT'S ADDRESSED AT 86TH STREET RIGHT BEHIND THE PRINCIPAL STRUCTURE IS THE GARAGE AND THE GARAGE EXITS OFF OF TO EMERSON OKAY. THE WAY THAT OUR CODE WORKS TODAY THEY CAN'T USE THE SIDE YARD, THEY CAN'T FENCE THE SIDE YARD. THAT WOULD BE WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER FROM THE STREET TO ON THE PRINCIPAL STRUCTURE SIDE TO THE GARAGE DRIVEWAY. RIGHT. AND THEY CAN'T THEY CAN'T FENCE OFF THE REST OF THAT SECTION ON THE THE SOUTH SIDE OF THEIR GARAGE, THEIR DRIVEWAY EITHER BUT THEY CAN PUT OUR RIGHT AND COMPLETELY CLOSE IT OFF VIA A HEDGE OR WHATEVER WHAT WHAT IS WHAT IS HOW DO HOW DO WE ARE WE SOLVING A PROBLEM FOR THEM IN THAT SCENARIO IS THIS IS AM I THINKING CAN I THINK ABOUT THIS AS YEP THEY CAN PUT A FENCE ON THE PRINCIPAL STRUCTURE TO THE GARAGE DRIVEWAY AND FROM THEIR OTHER END OF THEIR DRIVEWAY DOWN TO THE END OF THEIR LOT ON THAT SIDE SIDE THAT SIDE THE EMERSON AVENUE SIDE FOR EXAMPLE. AM I INTERPRETING THIS PICTURE CORRECTLY IF I'M LOOKING AT OPTION D OR C, I GUESS IT WOULD C WOULD BE THE EXAMPLE THAT AM I I'M SORRY I COULD TRY IT. I COULD BRING MY PICTURE TO THE OVERHEAD BUT THAT'S NOT THE BEST ANSWER FOR YOU. NOT NOT WITH MY CHICKEN SCRATCH TODAY. YEP. MAYOR. COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER DALLESSANDRO THAT WOULD BE ACCURATE. SO CURRENTLY YOU WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A FENCE IN THAT SIDE YARD. IT COULD JUST ONLY GO UP TO FOUR FEET IN HEIGHT. WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING HERE IS THAT YOU'D BE ABLE TO PLACE A FENCE THERE UP TO SIX FEET IN HEIGHT SO FOR EXAMPLE OPTION D LET'S SAY THE GARAGE IS LOCATED WHERE THAT SIX FOOT MAX LABEL IS ON THE GRAPHIC JUST TO THE LEFT THERE YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO FENCE IN IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OPTION D YOU'D BE ABLE TO DO A SIX FOOT FENCE DOWN TO THE DRIVEWAY NOT WITHIN THE CLEAR VIEW TRIANGLE AND THEN ALONG THE DRIVEWAY TO THE GARAGE AS WELL AS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT DRIVEWAY GOING TO THE REAR PROPERTY LINE THERE. >> OKAY. IN THE CASE OF OPTION C AND AM I LOOKING AT THAT CORRECTLY WHICH IS THERE'S THAT THAT FRONT STREET, IF YOU WILL, THAT SIDE STREET WHERE WE'RE STILL LIMITING IT TO FOUR FEET THROUGH THROUGH TO SO IF THE IF THE GARAGE WAS AT THE END OF WHERE YOU HAVE THE REAR SETBACK. AM I LOOKING AT THE AT THE REST OF IT COULD BE FENCED SO IN THIS CASE IT WOULD BE KIND OF A COMPROMISE WHERE THE FRONT PORTION OF THAT SIDE STREET YARD WOULD BE HAVE TO BE FOUR FEET. BUT ONCE YOU GOT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY IT COULD BE SIX FEET. IS THAT ALSO A WAY I'M INTERPRETING THIS MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER TO SELL DALLESSANDRO YES, THAT WOULD BE CORRECT. >> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN CAN YOU SHOW ME OPTION B AGAIN? YEAH. AND THEN AND THAT'S THE SAME BUT WITH WITH THE ONE FOOT FOR THE ONE FOOT SETBACK. YEAH. MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBER DES DALLESSANDRO EXCUSE ME. THAT WOULD BE CORRECT. SO OPTION B THE REASON WE PUT OPTION B AN OPTION D SEPARATE IS BECAUSE OPTION B HAS THAT SETBACK IN THERE AND IT IS THEORETICALLY IT IS MORE RESTRICTIVE IN ORDER TO PLACE THE FENCE FURTHER BACK FROM THE PROPERTY LINE WHERE OPTION D IS ALLOWING YOU TO PLACE A FENCE ALL THE WAY UP TO THE PROPERTY LINE RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S HELPFUL FOR QUESTIONS. APPRECIATE IT. IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, MR. MAYOR, THAT THAT'S FINE FOR NOW I HAVE SOME COMMENTS BUT OTHERWISE GOOD. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER AND THEN COUNCILMEMBER NELSON. >> COUNCILMEMBER THANK YOU, MAYOR. MAN I WISH THIS WAS FOUR YEARS AGO BECAUSE I BUILT MY FRIENDS FOUR YEARS AGO AND HAVE A NICE TO HAVE SOME MORE YARD SPACE. BUT ANYWAYS MY QUESTIONS AROUND INSPECTIONS FENCES DON'T GET INSPECTED IS THAT CORRECT WHEN SOMEONE SO YOU CAN HIRE SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD YOURSELF BUT IT'S UP TO YOU TO BUILD IT AND NO ONE COMES OUT TO CHECK IF YOU DID IT RIGHT THE ONLY TIME YOU WOULD GET SOME NOTIFICATION IS IF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CAME AROUND AND SAID YOU DIDN'T DO THIS CORRECTLY. IS THAT RIGHT, MAYOR COUNCILMEMBER I GUESS THAT IS THE CORRECT OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER NELSON THANK YOU. BUT I GOING TO GO ALONG THE ROUTE OF COUNCILMEMBER DALLESSANDRO AND JUST ASK FOR CLARIFICATION FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS I'VE SPOKEN WITH FOR SEVERAL YEARS ABOUT THIS. THEY HAVE A SITUATION IN WHICH THE REAR YARD IS THE STREET. IT'S THE MAIN STREET MINNESOTA BLUFFS. THE SIDE YARD IS SUMPTER AND THEN THEY ACCESS THE PROPERTY OFF OF A CIRCLE. IT'S PART OF AN ASSOCIATION AND SO THEY HAVE BEEN LIMITED TO FOUR FEET WITH A SIGNIFICANT SETBACK AND ONE OF THAT PROPERTY PROPERTIES BASICALLY YOU YOU'D HAVE LIKE EIGHT BY EIGHT BACKYARD AND SO I AM WONDERING HOW THAT APPLIES IN THIS SITUATION BECAUSE EVERYTHING I'VE SEEN YOUR FRONT STREET IS THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE. WHAT HAPPENS IF THAT STREET IS THE BACK OF THE HOUSE AND THE REAR YARD? WOULD WOULD ANY OF THESE ALLOW FOR THAT TO BE BUILT WITH A MORE MINIMAL SETBACK AND A GREATER HEIGHT? MAYOR COUNCILMEMBER NELSON IN THIS INSTANCE WE ARE ONLY LOOKING AT THE SIDE YARDS AND CORNER LOTS BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY LOOK AT THAT IN A CASE BY CASE BASIS IF THEY WERE TO COME INTO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND WE BE ABLE TO LOOK AT WHERE THEIR REAR YARD IS EXACTLY PLACED ALONG THE STREET AND THE CONDITIONS OF THE STREET AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS CERTAINLY THEY'VE BEEN IN BEFORE TO TRY TO LOOK AT THIS SO LET ME DEFER IT TO PLANNING MINISTER JOHNSON. THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCILMEMBER NELSON, THE LOT YOU MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT IT I BELIEVE IT'S A CORNER LOT BUT IT MIGHT ALSO QUALIFY AS A THROUGH LOT AND SO OUR FENCE CODE ALSO HAS PROVISIONS THAT ALLOW PRIVACY FENCING ALONG THE REAR LOT LINE OF A THROUGH LOT WHEN BOTH PROPERTIES ON EITHER SIDE OF YOU ARE ALSO THROUGH LOTS. ONE OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES THAT'S IN THE CONCEPT CODE ADDITION THAT'S ATTACHED TO THE STAFF REPORT WOULD ACTUALLY CLARIFY THAT TO SAY THAT AS LONG AS ONE OF THE HOUSES NEXT TO YOU IS A THROUGH LOT THAT YOU WOULD QUALIFY FOR THAT EXCEPTION FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM. I DIDN'T DESCRIBE IT VERY WELL BUT THE POINT IS IN OTHER WORDS YOU HAVE TO HAVE THROUGH LOTS ON BOTH SIDES OF YOU TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS EXCEPTION. SO WHEN WE GET QUESTIONS ABOUT A PROPERTY THAT HAS ROADS ON THREE SIDES, YOU KNOW IT'S EITHER SITUATION OR POSSIBLY IT'S A THROUGH LOT AND CAN QUALIFY FOR ONE OF THOSE EXCEPTIONS OR IT MIGHT BE THE CANDIDATE FOR A VARIANCE ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS OKAY AND I KNOW THIS IS JUST STUDY SO MAYBE I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP WITH YOU SPECIFIC SPECIFICS. CERTAINLY ONE OF YOU AND THEN THE CAPACITY QUESTION IN GENERAL I THINK I UNDERSTAND IT THE CONCERN THAT HAS COME UP AND LET ME ASK THIS IS FOR MY OWN HOUSE BUT I'VE TALKED TO MANY PEOPLE IS BUILDING LIKE A SCREENING FENCE AND TRYING TO BUILD THAT ALONGSIDE A GARAGE FRANKLY FOR MY TRASH AND BUT I'VE TALKED WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, FOR VARIOUS REASONS THEY DON'T WANT TO PUT THAT INTO THEIR GARAGE AND I WON'T SPECULATE WHY BUT THE THE CHALLENGE IS, YOU KNOW, IF THE HOUSE IS BUILT ALREADY TO THE SETBACK, IF YOU BUILD IT IN FRONT OF THAT, IT HAS TO BE 50% OPAQUE WHICH IS KIND OF NOT SCREAMING FOR YOU KNOW IT'S AND THEY DON'T WANT TO BUILD IT AT THE SETBACK. THEY DON'T WANT TO BUILD IT RIGHT AT THE GARAGE. THEY'D LIKE IT A LITTLE BIT OF LIKE 3 OR 4FT SO YOU CAN ACCESS IT AND PUT IT BEHIND THERE. BUT MY CONCERN IS CANDIDLY IN THE FRONT YARD IF YOU PUT A FENCE CLOSER TO THE STREET, YOU KNOW YOU HAVE YOUR WHITE PICKET FENCE CLASSIC TYPE OF SITUATION I'M NOT SURE OPACITY I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT COMPLETELY SCREENING AND BLOCKING THE VIEW MAKES SENSE RIGHT AT THE STREET OR CLOSE TO THE STREET. BUT I THINK SCREENING IS A DIFFERENT THING AND IS THERE A WAY TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THOSE TWO ITEMS UNLESS MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE COMPLETELY FINE WITH A COMPLETE PRIVACY FENCE IN THE FRONT YARD TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. SO MAYOR COUNCILMEMBER NELSON I'LL CERTAINLY TAKE NOTE OF THAT AND WHAT WE WILL DO IS PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS NEXT YEAR WILL CONSULT WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF STAFF AND SEE WHAT THEIR OPINIONS OR THEIR OPINIONS ARE, CONSULT WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT ESPECIALLY TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY INPUT ON A PROPOSAL LIKE THAT. AND THEN THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THE EIGHT FOOT FENCE. I'LL BE HONEST IF IT'S AT THE SETBACK, THE NORMAL SETBACK FOR A PROPERTY I DON'T REALLY CARE. YOU COULD BUILD YOUR HOUSE THERE. YOUR HOUSE IS GOING TO BE EIGHT FEET TALL SO WHY CAN'T YOU BUILD A FENCE? SO I DON'T PERSONALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT PART SO THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER RIVAS . JUST TWO QUICK QUESTIONS. ONE OF THEM MIGHT BE PREMATURE I GUESS, BUT AND WHAT IS THE LANGUAGE RIGHT NOW IN REGARDS TO PLACES THE FENCE ALL THE WAY TO THE PROPERTY LINE? WHAT DOES IT SAY NOW? WHAT DO YOU SAY? WHAT ARE YOU PROPOSING TO DO? BRING IT BACK RIGHT TO HAVE A SETBACK ON IT. MAYOR COUNCILMEMBER RIVA SO IF YOU WERE YOU CAN PLACE YOUR FENCE UP TO THE PROPERTY LINE NOW IN ANY SITUATION THE WE'RE MAKING THE CODE UPDATE THERE IS THE SPECIFIC SECTION OF CODE THAT STATES THAT YOU ARE ALLOWED TO PLACE YOUR FENCE ALONG THE PROPERTY LINE. WE'RE SIMPLY REMOVING THAT ITEM OF CODE JUST BECAUSE IT WAS A DIRECTIVE FROM OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY OPEN UP THE CITY TO LEGAL RAMIFICATION LIENS IF SOMEONE WERE TO LOOK AT THAT AND SAY THE CITY'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHERE FENCES ARE EXACTLY LOCATED ULTIMATELY IT'S A PRIVATE PRIVATELY HANDLED COURT ISSUES. THAT'S WHY WE'RE REMOVING THAT SPECIFIC SECTION OF CODE. AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION IT'S THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONE THAT'S PREMATURE ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I LIVE IN A CORNER LOT TOO AND WITH EVERYONE AFTER IF THIS IF THIS CHANGES ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE WOULD EVERYBODY WILL HAVE WOULD HAVE TO BRING THEIR OFFENSES HAD TO HAVE TO DO THE CITY STANDARDS AT THAT POINT OR THERE WILL BE SOME LENIENCE TO PEOPLE THAT ALREADY HAVE FENCES ON THE SIDE STREETS YEAH MAYOR COUNCILMEMBER RIVAS SO ANY IF IF THESE CHANGES WERE TO BE PLACED IN THE CODE ANY FENCES NOW WOULD JUST BE CONSIDERED LEGALLY NONCONFORMING. SO IT'S MUCH LIKE THE FENCES THAT EXISTED PRIOR TO 2008. THEY'RE ALLOWED TO STAY IN PLACE AS THEY ARE UNLESS THE PROPERTY OWNER WANTS TO MAKE UPDATES TO THEIR FENCES, RIGHT? YEAH. THE ONLY REASON I ASKED THAT IS BECAUSE I. I KNOW THAT THEY CAN BE A LITTLE SPENDY. I MEAN I WE HAVE A VERY BASIC THING AND IT WAS $15,000 JUST TO PUT THE FENCE AROUND SO IT'S KIND OF AN INVESTMENT FOR PEOPLE TO CHANGE WHO DOES IT. THANK YOU. I. COUNCILMEMBER ALUMINUM AND COUNCILMEMBER CARTER COUNCILMEMBER AND THANK YOU. I'M NOT SURE FOR GOING THROUGH ALL THE QUESTIONS BUT I INTEND TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO KEEP GOING BACK AND ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE. SO IF YOU DON'T MIND THERE SO I AND I LOOK AT ALL OF THIS I THINK THE PRIMARY THING THAT I AM KIND OF THINKING IN MY MIND IS AROUND OPAQUENESS AND CLEAR VIEW TRIANGLE AND OBVIOUS THERE'S A REASON WHY WE HAVE THOSE THINGS FROM PLANNING PERSPECTIVE. YOU KNOW, AS I LOOK AT ALL OF THESE ITEMS HERE AND I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW WHERE WHERE DOES THE CRASH DATA TELL US, YOU KNOW, WHAT FOLKS ARE DOING AND BLAYNE AND I, I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF HOW OUR STREETS ARE ORGANIZED MAY BE DIFFERENT THAT KIND OF THINGS YOU'VE GOT TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT. SO AND THEN FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE I THINK OF WHEN WHEN A FIREFIGHTER'S GOT TO GO GET INTO A PLACE YOU KNOW, WE HAD A FIRE, YOU KNOW, IN OUR IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEY DIDN'T SEE THE POOL AND YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, YOU UP GETTING INJURED OR AN OFFICER NEEDS TO GET INTO A PLACE. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WHEN I LOOK AT THIS THAT KIND OF DRIVE MY CONVERSATION ABOUT FRONT YARDS AND YOU KNOW IF A CAR IS TRYING TO GET YOU KNOW YOU KNOW I LIVE ON A CORNER LOT TWO AND I THINK ABOUT HOW MY YOU KNOW MY FENCE EXTENDS JUST DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND I KNOW MY NEIGHBOR WOULD LOVE TO RIP THAT FENCE DOWN. I MEAN THEY HAVEN'T SAID IT SO YOU KNOW, SO ELOQUENTLY BUT I KNOW THEY WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT THING GO AND I WAS HAPPY WHEN OUR FENCE WENT DOWN BETWEEN US AND OUR NEIGHBOR THAT LOOK BETTER THAT WAY THE BEING GONE BUT SO I WONDER YOU KNOW, FROM A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE IF SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE IN PLACE BECAUSE THEY ARE YOU KNOW, HOW THINGS LOOK AND HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THEM BUT ARE THEY REALLY WHAT'S THE DATA SHOWING US AROUND SAFETY CRASH DATA CLEAR OF YOU TRIANGLE IF IF IF THAT ISN'T DRIVING THE DECISION MAKING HERE WITH THIS THEN I YOU KNOW THAT I DON'T I MEAN IF THERE ISN'T A REASON TO KEEP IT THE WAY WE HAVE IT FROM A SAFETY OR CLEAR OR OPAQUENESS KIND OF STANDPOINT THEN LET'S OPEN IT UP SO THAT CHILDREN CAN KIND OF GET DOWN THERE AND OTHER PEOPLE CAN KIND OF BE A PART OF THAT. SO THAT'S WHY WOULD ANSWER ON THIS THIS TALLER YARD ALLOWANCES FROM A REMOVING APPEARANCE REQUIREMENT. I THINK YOU'VE GOT MY RESPONSE ON THAT THEN AND THEN PERIMETER FENCE MATERIALS I THINK YOU GOT MY ANSWER ON THAT ONE. YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S SOMETHING FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT AND I ALSO WOULD SAY EVEN FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW THE PLASTICS WE KNOW WHAT THAT CAN DO. LET'S NOT DO THAT AND THEN ALLOWANCE FOR THE EIGHT FOOT FENCE IN THE BACK YARD. YEAH. I MEAN HE GOT A HOUSE BACK THERE THAT WOULD BE THE THE THE OTHER PIECE AND I THINK SOME OF THE OTHER LANGUAGE THAT YOU HAVE ON THERE I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S EVEN IN THIS QUESTION HERE BUT YES STAFF WANTS TO GET RID OF THAT FENCING FOR LEGAL REASONS. THERE'S NO REASON TO SUE THE CITY. LET'S GET OUT OF THAT SPACE AND THEN WHAT'S THE OTHER ONE? THE OTHER ONE WAS THERE WAS ANOTHER QUESTION YOU GUYS HAD REMOVING THE THE ARBOR AND THE TRELLIS FENCES. YEAH, I MEAN IT TOTALLY MAKES SENSE. LET'S LET'S MAKE THAT SIMPLE OR MOVE OR TAKE WHATEVER THAT IS WHERE IT IS AND BRING IT INTO THIS THING SO HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS YOU TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND. BUT MY STANDARDS AROUND SAFETY YOU KNOW YEAH OPAQUENESS, CLEARVIEW TRIANGLE DO WE HAVE SUPPORT FROM MY FROM A CRASH SAFETY KIND OF STANDPOINT PROTECTING OUR OFFICERS OR OUR FOLKS THAT ARE COMING OUT THERE TO BE ON THE PROPERTY TEMPORARILY? AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, COUNCILMEMBER LOWMAN, THERE'S NO PROPOSAL TO CHANGE THE CLEARVIEW TRIANGLE THAT THAT'S I THINK KIND OF THERE AND IT'S YEAH, I DON'T HAVE ONE ANYWHERE. YEAH THANK YOU FOR FOR CLARIFYING THAT I, I JUST MAKE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE THANK YOU FOR BEING I SHOULD BE PRECISE ABOUT THAT WE'RE NOT CHANGING THAT BUT LIKE THAT IS THAT'S HOW I LOOK AT THE OTHER ELEMENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AT THIS IS THAT IT SHOULD FIT THAT STANDARD OF SAFETY IS KIND OF THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME CLARIFY THAT YOU SHOULD SET THAT SAME LEVEL STANDARD BUT IF IT DOESN'T COME UP TO REACH THAT LEVEL STANDARD I DON'T SEE WHY WE OUGHT TO PROTECT THAT SAFETY PIECE OF IT. THANK YOU FOR LET ME THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER THANK YOU MAYOR. SO I AM LEANING TOWARD OPTION C FOR THE FIRST ONE I AM FINE REMOVING NO OPACITY OPACITY REQUIREMENT TOTALLY GOOD WITH THE AMENDED FENCE MATERIALS AND THEN I GUESS I DON'T HAVE SUPER STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT THE EIGHT FOOT FENCES YOU KNOW I THINK I WOULD PROBABLY LEAN TOWARD BEING FINE WITH THEM AND SUPPORTING THE SETBACK CHANGES AND I'LL THR IN MY $0.02. I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER CARTER EXCEPT ON THE EIGHT FOOT FENCES I'M I'M JUST NOT A BIG FAN OF EIGHT FOOT FENCES. I THINK IT LOOKS LIKE A PRISON YARD. I MEAN IT'S A EIGHT FOOT IS JUST TOO TALL. IT REALLY IS SO YEP. ANYTHING ELSE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK HERE? >> COUNCILMEMBER THANK YOU MAYOR. SAVE MY COMMENTS FOR THE END. I THINK ABOUT THIS POINT EVERYONE KIND OF KNOWS WHERE I'M AT WITH PROPERTY RIGHTS AND THE MORE THE BETTER FOR ME. SO BUT THE REASON WHY I ASKED ABOUT THE INSPECTIONS IS BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE HOWEVER RIGHT THIS IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE COUNCILMAN RAMOS IS RIGHT. I CHOSE TO BUILD MY FENCE MYSELF BECAUSE THE QUOTE TO BUILD IT WAS DOUBLE AND SO PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BUILD IT THEMSELVES NEED TO BE ABLE TO REALLY EASILY READ THIS BECAUSE I HAD TROUBLE READING THE CODE WHEN I WAS TRYING TO BUILD MY OWN FENCE. AND THEN SECONDLY I WOULD HATE FOR THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE TO BE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T BUILD IT RIGHT BECAUSE WE DON'T INSPECT FENCE BELTS AND SO THAT WAS JUST THE REASON TO FOR MY MY COMMENTS AND MY QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WHETHER WE INSPECT FENCE BUILDS OR NOT. AND SO I THINK OVERALL IF WE JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT WE THEY GO A LONG WAY TO TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE ORDINANCE AND AND BE ABLE TO BUILD THEIR FENCES PROPERLY. THANKS AND COUNCILMEMBER COUNCILMEMBER CARTER, QUICK QUESTION. YES, QUICK QUESTION. COUNCILMEMBER MILLER'S COMMENTS REMINDED ME OF THIS THAT I HAD THIS EARLIER. WHAT DO WE DO WHEN SOMEBODY INSTALLS A FENCE THAT IS JUST NOT CODE COMPLIANT? SO I THERE'S A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES AROUND MY HOUSE THAT PEOPLE PUT IN FOR SIX FOOT FENCES THAT ARE NOT AT ALL OPAQUE IN THEIR FRONT YARDS. I'M THINKING ABOUT THERE'S ONE ON POPLAR BRIDGE. IT'S LIKE A BIG GIANT WHITE FENCE AND I, I WAS SO SURPRISED WHEN I WENT IN AND ACTUALLY ONE OF MY FRIENDS LIVED IN THAT AREA AND SO SHE WAS UPSET ABOUT IT AND BUT IT'S STILL THERE LIKE THEY JUST DID IT. SO DO WE DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT WHEN PEOPLE PUT IN A FENCE THAT IS NOT CODE COMPLIANT THEY NEVER CHECKED WITH THE CITY TO GO FOR IT. >>AYOR COUNCILMEMBER CARTER IT'LL BE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL ISSUE A VIOLATION AND THEN THE PROPERTY OWNER WILL WORK WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. WHETHER THAT IS REDUCING THE HEIGHT OF THE FENCE DOWN TO FOUR FEET, REMOVING THE FENCE ALTOGETHER. BUT ULTIMATELY IT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCING AND RESPONSIBLE FOR WORKING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER ON THANK YOU AND ANYTHING ELSE COUNCIL SEND OUT A FEEDBACK TO WORK ON. PERFECT. WE'LL LOOK FOR YOU AGAIN IN FEBRUARY. IS THAT WHAT I ENTER IT? WAS THAT WHAT I HEARD THE FIRST TIME THROUGH? YEAH. MAYOR IF I CAN MAKE ONE COMMENT TO THE POINT AROUND NONCONFORMING FENCES THOSE I DO AGREE THAT IT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE IN THE PAST AND I THINK WE COULD DO SOME THINGS WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION SHOULD NEW RULES BE ADOPTED WE COULD DEFINITELY ROLL SOMETHING OUT EITHER IN THE BRIEFING OR ON A VIDEO THAT WOULD GIVE PEOPLE SOME TIPS AND THINGS. I THINK THAT'S LOW HANGING FRUIT THAT WE CAN DO BUT YEAH THAT WAS JUST THE ONE COMMENT I WANTED TO ADD. THANK YOU, MISS JOHNSON. THANK YOU. VERY WELL DONE. THANKS SO MUCH, MAYOR COUNCIL THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT. THANK YOU. AND 5.2 ON OUR AGENDA UNDER ORGANIZATIONAL BUSINESS IS A DISCUSSION OF OUR 2026 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM. ELIZABETH TOLMAN, OUR ASSOCIATE ASSISTANT ASSOCIATE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF WORDS NOT DEPUTY THAT'S A DEPUTY AND BRIANNA EICHELBERGER ARE HERE TO PRESENT THIS TONIGHT. GOOD EVENING. WELCOME. YES GOOD EVENING AND COUNCIL. ELIZABETH AND I ARE HERE TO SHARE THE DRAFT 2026 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM SO TONIGHT WE'LL TALK THROUGH THE TIMELINE OF THE PROCESS, HIGHLIGHT OUR TWO STATE CAPITAL BUDGET REQUESTS AND OUR REQUEST TO ALLOW INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSE ACT ONE GOLF COURSE. THEN WE'LL WALK THROUGH OUR DRAFT PLATFORM HIGHLIGHTING PRIORITIES FOR BLOOMINGTON AND THE REGION AND WE'LL ALSO DISCUSS TOPICS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT ARE IMPACTING BLOOMINGTON. AND FINALLY TIME FOR DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS AND AFTER THAT WE WILL BRING THE FINAL DRAFT BACK NEXT WEEK AND ASK FOR FORMAL ADOPTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA NEXT WEEK. SO THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO SINCE AUGUST. STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING ON DEVELOPING OUR DRAFT PLATFORM THAT'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT OUR CAPITAL AND STATE BONDING PROJECTS TO BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE COMMITTEES. SO THAT'S GREAT PROGRESS AND SO EARLY IN THE IN THE TIMELINE HERE TONIGHT WE'RE HERE PRESENTING TO YOU AND ASKING FOR ADOPTION OF THE FINAL PLATFORM NEXT WEEK WE'LL HAVE A LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST WITH ALL OF OUR BLOOMINGTON DELEGATION AND HOPEFULLY ALL OF YOU ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 9TH AND THEN THE MINNESOTA STATE LEGISLATURE. THE SESSION BEGINS IN FEBRUARY SO WE'LL MOVE RIGHT INTO WINTER REAL QUICK HERE. SO SO FIRST UP IS THE STATE CAPITAL BUDGET REQUEST. SO OUR TOP PRIORITY IS THE NORTH CENTRAL SANITARY SEWER PROJECT. WE'RE SEEKING FUNDING FROM THE STATE TO HELP US PAY FOR THIS PROJECT AS THE SANITARY SEWER CAPACITY ADJACENT TO INTERSTATE 494 AND 35 W IT INCLUDES UPSIZING SANITARY SEWER CAPACITY TO ACCOMMODATE NEW LAND USE DENSIFICATION HERE IN BLOOMINGTON AND THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE IS NECESSARY TO ACCOMMODATE SEWER FLOWS THAT ARE EXPECTED TO BE GENERATED BY HIGHER DENSITY REDEVELOPMENT INCLUDING HOUSING IN THE PAN AMERICAN DISTRICT WHICH IS AS YOU KNOW ADJACENT TO THE ORANGE LINE 35W AND 424. AND SO DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND REGIONAL GOALS AND SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY HOPING FOR SUPPORT FROM THE STATE TO FUND THIS PROJECT. THE SECOND PROJECT THAT WE HAVE AT THE LEGISLATURE THIS WINTER WILL BE THE OLD CHALK B ROAD CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECT THIS IS SPECIFICALLY BETWEEN ALDRICH TO SECOND AVENUE AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH HENNEPIN COUNTY. WE ARE PLANNING IMPROVEMENTS ALONG OLD CHALK B ROAD. WE'RE GOING TO ENHANCE SAFETY, ACCESSIBILITY AND MOBILITY FOR ALL USERS. HISTORICALLY THIS CORRIDOR HAS PRIORITIZED FAST CAR TRAVEL AND LIMITED SAFE OPTIONS FOR PEDESTRIANS, CYCLISTS AND TRANSIT USERS. AND SO THIS AREA ALSO INCLUDES VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND IS IMPACTED BY TRAVEL RELATED POLLUTION. THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL AIM TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND SUPPORT SAFER, GREENER AND MORE EQUITABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR ALL. SO HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS FROM OUR PRESENTATIONS. ON THE LEFT WE HAVE OUR UTILITY SUPERINTENDENT SCOTT ANDERSON AND OUR CITY ENGINEER JULIE LONG PRESENTING ON THE PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE LEADING THIS ON THE LEFT HERE IS TO THE HOUSE COMMITTEE AND THEN ON THE RIGHT WE WERE ABLE TO PRESENT TO THE SENATE COMMITTEE AT THE OLD MITSUBISHI PLANT UP RIGHT IN THAT PANAMERICAN DISTRICT. SO THE THE TOUR GROUP GOT TO SEE THE THE AREA WHERE THE PROJECT WILL ACTUALLY BE AND GET A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT THEY'RE HOPEFULLY GOING TO BE HELPING US WITH. AND THEN FOR THE DAWN LIQUOR LICENSE THIS IS THE ONLY BILL RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE PLANNED TO BRING TO THE SESSION. IT'S ACTUALLY A REINTRODUCTION OF THE BILL REALLY. WE HAD REQUESTED THIS AND IT WAS ON THE DRAFT LIQUOR LIQUOR BILL LAST YEAR BUT THEN THAT BILL JUST DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE FINISH LINE AND SO WE'RE BRINGING IT BACK AGAIN THIS YEAR. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A LIST OF PRIORITY TOPIC AREAS. SO IN YOUR PACKET TONIGHT YOU'LL SEE THIS BROCHURE THIS IS OUR DRAFT OF WHAT WE'LL BRING BACK TO YOU NEXT WEEK AND ELIZABETH WILL SHARE ABOUT THIS. YEAH, THANK YOU. AS BRIANNA MENTIONED, THIS IS ACTUALLY STARTS ON PAGE 133 OF YOUR COUNCIL PACKET AND IT GOES ALL THE WAY INTO PAGE ONE 4149 THIS IS SOMETHING NEW THAT WE DID THIS YEAR. WE ADDED A MARKETING MATERIAL OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND WE ALSO UPLOAD IT ON OUR WEBSITE SO IT'S ACCESSIBLE WITH LINKS AND UPDATES ONCE IT'S ADOPTED BUT PROVIDES A NICE KIND OF GREATER SUMMARY THAN THE 1 OR 2 PAGER THAT WE'VE DONE IN YEARS PAST. IT GIVES YOU A DIRECT VIEW TO WHETHER WE SUPPORT OR OPPOSE SOMETHING AND IT'S JUST MORE WRITTEN IN MORE PLAIN LANGUAGE AND I JUST WANT TO COMPLIMENT STAFF. WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL LEGISLATIVE ACTION TEAMS WHO ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, LEADERS ACROSS THE CITY AND THEY HELPED US COME UP WITH THESE PRIORITIES NOT ONLY BASED ON THEIR EXPERTISE BUT ALSO ON FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM EACH ONE OF YOU DURING COUNCIL MEETINGS OUR RESIDENTS AND ALSO OUR STATE DELEGATION. AND SO I'M JUST GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE KEY THINGS IN EACH AREA HERE NOT TO SAY THEY'RE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OTHER BUT ON OUR BROADBAND AND WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING SUPPORTING THE EQUAL ACCESS TO BROADBAND ACT AND WE'RE ASKING TO AUTHORIZE CITIES TO NEGOTIATE FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS WITH BROADBAND COMPANIES FOR THE USE OF PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS OR WHAT'S CALLED AS ROLE. AND YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BUILD REVENUE AND FRANCHISE FEES ON THAT. IT ALSO AS YOU GUYS KNOW HAS BEEN DISRUPTING OUR RIGHT OF WAYS AS WELL AND WE'RE ALSO HELPED US HOPEFULLY CONTROL OR AT LEAST MITIGATE THE DAMAGE THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING ON OUR RIGHT OF WAYS AS WELL. I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT UNDER DANA FINANCIAL SUPPORTING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND MAINTAINING THE AUTHORITY TO MANAGE, RETAIN AND DELETE DATA IN BLOOMINGTON WE HAVE AN INCREASED NUMBER OF DEBT REQUESTS THAT'S COMING IN OUR CITY AND I WOULD NOTE THAT REPRESENTATIVE ELKINS IS PART OF THE DATA PRACTICES COMMITTEE AND REPRESENT OF GREEN HAS ALSO BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE DATA PRACTICES ACT THAT WILL ALLOW US TO MAINTAIN THE TYPE OF REQUEST, THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT MAYBE PEOPLE CAN OBTAIN THAT REQUEST OR PICK IT UP JUST BECAUSE IT CAUSES A LOT OF TIME FOR OUR STAFF TO NOT ONLY MAINTAIN IT BUT TO PRODUCE THE DATA AS WELL UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTING THE REINSTATEMENT OF CANNABIS TAX REVENUE AND UNFORTUNATELY IN THIS PAST LEGISLATURE THEY ELIMINATED THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CANNABIS AID ACCOUNT. AS YOU GUYS KNOW THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT WAS STARTED AND THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO LICENSE DO BACKGROUND CHECKS AND ALSO DO PRODUCT COMPLIANCE. HOWEVER, IT'S INCUMBENT UPON CITIES TO OVERSEE REGISTRATIONS, ZONING AND ALSO DOING COMPLIANCE CHECKS. SO BY NOT HAVING THE REVENUE PASS THROUGH TO US LOCALLY IT PUTS A LOT OF WORK AT OUR STAFF AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS DUE TO THE COMPLNCE AND SO FORTH AND SO IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS WE ALSO NEED SOME REVENUE PASSED THROUGH FOR US TO DO THE WORK AS WELL. AND THEN ANOTHER AREA THAT A NOTE IS SUPPORTING CHILD CARE OR FEASIBILITY STUDY OR REGIONAL EFFORTS IN THE SPACE . REPRESENTATIVE COULTER IS VERY INTERESTED IN THIS AND THIS IS REALLY TO TAKE A LOOK AT EMPLOYERS AND JOB SEEKERS ARE BECAUSE THIS IS THE REPORTING THAT ACCESS TO CHILD CARE IS A BARRIER TO SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT AND BY US WORKING TOGETHER TO FIND BETTER UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM AND CREATE SHARED SOLUTIONS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED BY OUR DELEGATION AS WELL THAT I'M GOING TO GLOSS OVER ENERGY ENVIRONMENTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. THERE'S A NOT TO BE DISMISSIVE OF THEM BUT I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OTHER THINGS UNDER HOUSING THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP BY COUNCIL AS WELL AS SUPPORTING THE REINSTATING THE ABILITY FOR CITIES TO LICENSE AND INSPECT GROUP HOMES RIGHT NOW IT'S LICENSED BY THE STATE AND SO BY NOT HAVING LOCAL CONTROL IT ALLOWS US TO NOT MAKE SURE THAT PLACES ARE SAFE AND THAT WE'RE MANAGING THAT AREA. SENATOR WEAKLAND HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THIS AREA AS WELL . ALSO I WOULD NOTE THAT SUPPORTING HOA REGULATION REFORM WOULD HELP EACH WAYS AND THEIR MEMBERS RESOLVE DISPUTES OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM . REPRESENTATIVE ELKINS IS VERY INTERESTED IN THIS AND HAS TAKEN THE LEAD IN THIS WORK AS WELL. UNDER PUBLIC HEALTH WE HELD OUR MENTAL HEALTH SUMMIT ON SEPTEMBER 30TH AND MANY OF OUR AREAS AND PRIORITIES HERE ARE OUTLINED FROM THAT SUMMIT FROM OUR THREE CITIES THAT WE WORK WITH AND SO I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS CAME FROM THERE UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY. I'LL JUST BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT SUPPORTING UNIVERSAL LAW ENFORCEMENT BACKGROUND CHECKS, SUPPORTING FUNDING FOR EMBEDDED SOCIAL WORKER PROGRAM ,SUPPORTING FUNDING FOR A THERAPIST PROGRAM, SUPPORTING STATEWIDE RESTORATIVE COURTS AND THEN NOTING THAT SUPPORTING FUNDING FOR OUR STATE BOMB SQUADS. BLOOMINGTON HAS ONE OF ONLY FOUR IN MINNESOTA AND FUNDING OF THESE UNITS IS VERY VITAL TO OUR COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY WITH THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED THIS PAST YEAR. THEY'VE BEEN QUICKLY DEPLOYED IN THE AREA AS WELL. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST AS HIGHLIGHTED TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE ARE SUPPORTING THEM. LIMITING LOCAL COST PARTICIPATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT. SUMMER CANNABIS ALL OF THE MONEY I FUNNELED THROUGH THE STATE AND THE COUNTY AND IT'S PUTTING GREATER STRAIN ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM SAFE AND RELIABLE HIGHWAYS, BRIDGES AND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION. THIS IS ALSO AN IMPETUS WHERE THE CORRIDOR PROJECT WHICH IS ENSURING THAT WE ARE GETTING THE FUNDING TO MAINTAIN OUR STREETS AND ROADS AND THEN OBVIOUSLY MEETING TRANSIT NEEDS, ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY ACROSS WEST AND EAST BLOOMINGTON UP AND DOWN. MICRO-MOBILITY WAS LAUNCHED THIS PAST YEAR BUT TRANSIT NEEDS AND ACCESS HAS BEEN A HUGE NEED THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN I WOULD END WITH THAT WE HAVE ADDENDUMS WE WILL LINK TO THIS BUT MANY OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS CITY LEADERSHIP ARE PART OF THE I-495 CORRIDOR COMMISSION. WE'RE ACTIVE IN THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES, THE LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION, METRO CITIES AND THE MUNICIPAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION. SO WE ARE ACTIVE AND MANY OF THOSE MEETINGS ARE CITY MANAGER ACTUALLY ATTENDS MANY OF THOSE. SO THERE'S A HUGE CONNECTING. THERE'S WHAT WE COULD DO WHAT BLOOMINGTON IS LEAD ON BUT THERE ARE ALSO THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO AS A REGION AND WITH OUR CITY PARTNERS AND OUR PURE CITIES WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO ADVOCATE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND WITH THAT THAT'S THE END OF THE PRESENTATION AND WE'LL OPEN UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU BOTH SO VERY MUCH AND SO QUESTIONS HERE SORT OF QUESTIONS I WILL SAY EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THE BULLET TENDER HOUSING TO THE SUPPORT THE WELL-CRAFTED POLICIES AND PROGRAMS BECAUSE JUST REGARDING HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE HOUSING IN THE REGION THERE ARE JUST SO MANY DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES AND OPTIONS AND IDEAS AND THOUGHTS AND VIEWPOINTS ON THIS. I THINK TO WRITE IT IN THIS WAY IS THE WAY TO GO. I DO THINK EVENTUALLY THERE WILL THERE WILL COME SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE CAN TAKE A STAND BEHIND SPECIFICALLY AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS YET I'VE HEARD A NUMBER OF LEGISLATORS PRESENT AND WHAT THEY'RE BRINGING FORWARD OR THINKING OF BRINGING FORWARD OR SOME OF THOSE ADVOCACY GROUPS THAT YOU MENTIONED WHAT THEY MIGHT BRING FORWARD ULTIMATELY I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AS A COUNCIL HERE TO DECIDE WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO BACK AND WE REALLY WANT TO PUSH RATHER THAN JUST SIT ON THE SIDELINES AND TALK IN GENERAL TERMS. WE WANT TO TALK SPECIFICALLY WHAT THESE FOLKS ARE SAYING IS THE RIGHT THING AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING BEHIND IT SO JUST THE THOUGHT . COUNCILMEMBER CARTER THANK YOU MAYOR. I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION BUT I REALLY LIKE THE NEW LAYOUT AND THE MORE DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARIES FOR EACH ITEM. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT WORK ACTUALLY MICHAEL DINGER AND I WERE TALKING ON THE WAY DOWN HERE I MEAN I CAN THIS MEETS THE A NICE HAPPY MEDIUM BECAUSE I CAN REMEMBER WHEN OUR OUR PRIORITIES WERE 75 PAGES LONG AND I CAN ALSO REMEMBER WHEN THERE WAS TWO PAGES LONG AND THIS SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE I THINK MAKES THE MOST SENSE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE LEANING TOWARD OR WHAT WE SUPPORT OF OR OPPOSE JUST ENOUGH INFORMATION TO THAT WE CAN WORK WITH IT BUT WITHOUT MAKING IT SO OWNERS THAT NOBODY'S EVER GOING TO READ OUR POLICY AND PROCEDURES. SO MARIN COUNCIL I I'M SORRY I OVERLOOKED THE SLIDE I WILL BE READY TO EMPHASIZE OUR FEDERAL EFFORTS AS WELL. JUST ONE HIGHLIGHT WE HAVE TWO EARMARKS RIGHT NOW AND IN JUNE WE WERE NOTIFIED THERE ARE TWO REQUESTS WERE PUT FORWARD FOR A CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTOR SPENDING TO THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE IN AUGUST. WE WERE INFORMED THAT OUR PROJECTS WERE INCLUDED ON THE PUBLISHED LIST IN NOVEMBER WE INFORMED THAT WHEN CONGRESS PASSED THE CONTINUING RESOLUTION WHICH EXTENDED GOVERNMENT FUNDING, EARMARKS WERE NOT INCLUDED. SO CONGRESS IS WORKING ON PASSING THE REMAINDER OF THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL BUT IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT OUR PROJECTS MUST BE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL BY BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE AND SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT FOR IT TO MOVE FORWARD. I KNOW MANY OF YOU GUYS WERE PART OF OUR NLC DELEGATION EARLIER IN MARCH WHERE WE HIGHLIGHTED THIS SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE ON THAT. I WOULD ALSO BE REMISS THOUGH THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO MONITOR THE IMPACTS OF ANY FEDERAL GRANTS AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT ALL YEAR. SENATOR WITH LYNN IS VERY INTERESTED IN THAT THINGS RELATE TO PUBLIC HEALTH, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, HOUSING, FOOD SECURITY. AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE'VE ACTED QUICKLY ON CLEAN ENERGY, TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITY SAFETY SECURITY. I SENT YOU AN UPDATE THIS MORNING THE AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE CREDITS ARE OF CRITICAL NOTE RIGHT NOW FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE CONTINUE TO MEET WITH OUR FEDERAL LOBBYISTS EVERY OTHER WEEK AND ALL OF THEM WILL BE AT OUR LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST ON JANUARY 9TH AS WELL. SO I'M SORRY THAT I GLOSSED OVER THAT BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT OUR WORK WITH OUR FEDERAL LOBBYISTS AS WELL. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK ON THAT. APPRECIATE IT. COUNSEL IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH. WE'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO APPROVE THEM NEXT WEEK. IS THAT CORRECT? YES. THAT'S GREAT. WE'RE GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANKS . THANKS. IN OUR AGENDA COUNSEL IS OUR POLICY AND ISSUE UPDATE. I WILL START BY RECAPPING OUR LISTENING SESSION EARLIER THIS EVENING WE HAD ONE SPEAKER WHO CALLED AHEAD OF TIME AND SIGNED UP VICKI WHO BECAME WHO WAS IN OUR COMMITTEE OUR COMMISSIONER AND SHE SPOKE ON BEHALF OF THE HRA COMMISSION I THINK BUT ALSO AS HERSELF AS A AS A RESIDENT PERSONALLY ASKING THAT THE COUNCIL PASS THE LEVY REQUEST AND SHARED SHE HAD THE FEELING THAT THE HARD WORK AND THE THOUGHTFULNESS THAT WENT INTO THE BUDGET AND LEVY REQUEST AND HOPED THAT WE COULD BETTER UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT BY HER COMING AND I APPRECIATE COMMISSIONER WHO HIM FOR COMING TO US TONIGHT AND FOR HER SERVICE AND THE HRA THEN THE OTHER SPEAKERS WE HAD WERE NOT SCHEDULED BUT WE CALLED THEM UP AND TALKED TO THEM ANYWAY. WE TALKED TO OLIVER AND THOMAS WHO WERE THERE THIS EVENING AS BOY SCOUTS AND LOOKING TO GET A MERIT BADGE FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION. MY GUESS IS I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE HERE WHO'S PROBABLY LOOKING FOR A MERIT BADGE. WHAT'S YOUR NAME, YOUNG MAN? SHE IS GIOVANNI WILL WELCOME. SO WE'VE HAD OLIVER THOMAS AND GIOVANNI HERE THIS EVENING. SCOUTS HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN SCOUTS? 3 TO 4 YEARS. 3 TO 4 YEARS. GREAT. AND YOU ENJOY IT? SUPER WELL THANKS FOR THANKS FOR STICKING IT OUT. YOU WIN THE PRIZE FOR STICKING IT OUT TO THE END OF THE MEETING. OLIVER AND THOMAS DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT BUT YOU DID. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANKS FOR BEING PART OF OUR MEETING TONIGHT. THAT WAS OUR ONLY SPEAKER THIS THIS EVENING AND OUR ONLY SPEAKERS I GUESS THIS EVENING AND THAT WAS WHAT WE HAD FOR OUR LISTENING SESSION. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. MR. WALKER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? THEY ARE ALL UPDATE THE COUNCIL I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE THROUGH YOUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN DEALING WITH RAILROAD TRAFFIC IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS PARTICULARLY LATE OF NIGHT OR YOU KNOW DURING TRADITIONAL SLEEPING HOURS. STAFF IS PLANNING TO BRING THAT ISSUE FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION SPECIFICALLY REQUESTING FUNDING TO CONDUCT A RAIL CROSSING STUDY EARLY IN 2026. SO JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP AS MANY OF YOU HAVE DISCUSSED THAT ISSUE WITH ME COUNCIL ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. WALKER ON THIS QUESTIONS OF MR. WALKER OKAY. COUNSEL ANYTHING TO START WITH COUNCILMEMBER THANK YOU, MAYOR WELL, IT'S THE HAPPIEST TIME OF YEAR AGAIN. I THINK A LOT OF IT IS JUST BECAUSE IT'S SO DARK AND COLD AND SNOWY AND SO THEY TRY TO MAKE US FEEL LIKE WE'RE GETTING TOGETHER. BUT IN ANY CASE IT DEFINITELY MAKES ME LOOK BACK AND THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING WE DID THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND FOR ME WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE YEAR AND WHAT I ENJOY LIVING HERE IN THIS CITY IS WHEN I TURN ON MY WATER IT TURNS ON IF I HAVE TO CALL DISPATCH FOR ANYTHING THEY ARE FRIENDLY, PROFESSIONAL ABLE PROFESSIONAL AND KNOWLEDGEABLE. I KNOW THAT OUR POLICE AND FIRE WOULD BE AT MY HOUSE WITHIN MINUTES IF WE NEEDED TO . I KNOW THAT THE GRASS IS MOWED IN THE PARKS AND THE PARKS ARE UP CAPPED AND EVERYTHING IN OUR CITY FUNCTIONS AS IT SHOULD AND THAT DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN. I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S NOT A MAGIC WAND THAT WE WAVE. IT HAPPENS BECAUSE OF THE INCREDIBLE BLOOMINGTON CITY STAFF THAT WE HAVE THAT WORK HERE EVERY SINGLE DAY AND THOUGH IT'S A LITTLE EARLY WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING NEXT WEEK BUT I KNOW THOSE FOLKS LIKE TO PLAN TILL AND SO I WANT TO REACH OUT AND JUST SINCERELY THANK ALL WELLINGTON CITY STAFF WHETHER YOU SHOW UP HERE TO THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND PRESENT TO US AND WE SEE YOU ALL THE TIME OR YOU'RE IN THE BACK AND ROLLING UP YOUR SLEEVES AND DIGGING US OUT WHEN WE GET SIX INCHES OF SNOW. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE TRULY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY AND WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO TELL YOU AS OFTEN AS WE WOULD LIKE. BUT THANK YOU AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR FOLKS AND POLICE AND FIRE AND PUBLIC WORKS DURING EVERY HOLIDAY YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS ON. NO MATTER WHAT. SO WHILE WE'RE AT HOME ENJOYING A NICE DINNER WITH OUR FAMILY, YOU GUYS ARE OUT THERE MAKING SURE FOLKS ARE SAFE AND THAT YOU CAN GET HOME SAFELY AFTER WE ARE CELEBRATING WITH OUR FAMILIES . AND SO I THINK THE THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN DO TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION IS GRANT SOME TIME OFF FOR FOLKS AFTER A HARD YEAR. AND SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CLOSE CITY HALL AT 12 P.M. ON DECEMBER 24TH 2025 AND GRANT STAFF FOUR HOURS OF PAID TIME OFF TO BE ABLE TO SPEND WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND BE AROUND THE PEOPLE WHO MATTER TO THEM. WELL PUT COUNCILMEMBER WE'VE GOT A MOTION IN A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER DALLESSANDRO TO GRANT STAFF FOUR HOURS OF PAID LEAVE ON DECEMBER 24TH, CLOSING CITY HALL AT NOON ON THE 24TH AND I'LL ECHO COUNCILMEMBER MOORE'S APPRECIATION FOR OUR STAFF. I'VE SAID IT BEFORE AND I CONTINUE TO SAY IT WE'VE GOT THE BEST CITY STAFF IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND AND OUR APPRECIATION WE CAN EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION ALL DAY AND INTO THE NIGHT. AND HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS MILES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ALLOWING PEOPLE TO TO SPEND THE EVENING OF THE 24TH AT HOME WITH THEIR FAMILIES. SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION IN A SECOND TO TO GRANT THIS ANY FURTHER COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THIS HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, I OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER. COUNCILMEMBER RIVAS, I SAW YOUR HAND UP EARLIER. YEAH, I JUST LIKE TO ECHO WHAT COUNCILMEMBER Y JUST SAID, BUT I DO HAVE ANOTHER PLEASING TO SAY I WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY APOLOGIZE TO COUNCILMEMBER DALLESSANDRO FOR LAST MONDAY'S INCIDENT. HOWEVER, IT WASN'T MY INTENTION TO PUT HER ON THIS SPOT THAT SHE WAS. BUT I DID WATCH THE VIDEO A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER AND EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T MY INTENTION TO ACTUALLY PUT HER IN THAT POSITION THAT I DID IT YOU KNOW IT ALL INDICATED THAT SHE WAS IN THE RECEIVING END. I WAS SPEAKING AND IT'S NOT WHAT I SAY IS HOW SHE FELT ABOUT IT. SO I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE TO YOU FOR THAT INCIDENT. THAT SAID, IT'S BEEN ANOTHER YEAR. A LOT OF LEARNING STILL FOR ME AND THAT IT'S BEEN VERY NICE TO WORK WITH, SHE SAID. EVERY ONE OF YOU GUYS IT'S EVERY TIME THAT WE SPEND TIME TOGETHER HERE I ALWAYS TAKE SOMETHING HOME THAT I RUMINATE ON AND YOU KNOW, DIGEST AND TAKE IT BRING IT WITH ME THE FOLLOWING TIME. SO IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU GUYS AND AGAIN I SINCERELY APOGIZE TO THAT. SARA WE HAVE ANOTHER WEEK SO I CAN'T SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS YET BUT THANK YOU THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR OUT FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. IT'S IT'S GREAT TO KNOW THAT YOU KNOW BEING OUTSIDE IS EASY TO CRITICIZE, LOOKING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE ACTUALLY GIVES YOU SO IT'S REALLY GOOD TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME OF OUR BEST PEOPLE WORKING WITH US IN THIS CITY. SO THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER RIVAS. AND SO ANYTHING ADDITIONAL COUNCILMEMBER LOWMAN I'LL TRY TO BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE HERE. MAYOR, IN THE PAST HOUR COUNCIL HAS WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD ADDRESSED THE IMMIGRANT ISSUE WAS GOING ON AT THE TIME AND I CAN'T REMEMBER PRECISELY HOW WE DID IT BUT I THINK WE HAD A RESOLUTION THIS BODY HAD HAD BROUGHT FORWARD AND I, I WANT US TO KIND OF CAREFULLY, YOU KNOW, THIS BODY THINK ABOUT THAT AND CONSIDER THAT AS WE MOVE INTO INTO JANUARY AND INTO FEBRUARY IN TERMS OF WHERE WE WANT TO BE AT IN TERMS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING, I THINK WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT'S HAPPENING. I KNOW A COUPLE OF MY FULL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BROUGHT THAT FORWARD AND AND I TURN TO YOU MAYOR CITY MANAGER TO TO KIND OF LOOK BACK AT WHAT WE DID IN THE LAST TIME TO SEE IF IT'S TIME FOR US TO REAFFIRM THAT STANCE SO THAT FOLKS HAVE A REAL CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THIS BODY AND WHERE THIS THIS CITY STANDS ON THAT . THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. THAT'S THAT'S A GOOD POINT AND GOOD MEMORY ON YOUR PART FOR BRINGING THAT BACK FOR BACK TO US AGAIN AND BRINGING YOU FORWARD. I THINK WE WILL DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND AND SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THEN THE SECONDARY THING IN THE SAME LIGHT I DON'T GET I DON'T WANT TO YOU KNOW, KIND OF BELABOR THIS HERE AND IT'S KIND OF MORE OF A CONVERSATION WITH YOU MAYOR. I KNOW THAT WHEN AND MAYBE SOME OF THE OTHER COLLEAGUES THAT ARE HERE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE YOU KNOW, I SEEM TO RECALL US HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH REGARDS TO OUR STAFFING AND JUST YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN OUR OUR LAST CITY MANAGER CAME ON BOARD AND YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW, HOW THEY WERE PAID AND JUST THE INCONSISTENCY THAT WAS OUT THERE AND I DON'T WANT TO BE CAREFUL YOU KNOW I DON'T GO TO TOO FAR SO STOP ME MAYOR IF I BUT I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE IT WITH ALL DELIBERATENESS AS WE AS WE LOOK AT HOW THEY'RE BEING COMPENSATED THAT WE HAVE THAT FOR HISTORIC PICTURE AS WE KIND OF MOVE INTO THAT THAT CONVERSATION THAT WE MAY HAVE, YOU KNOW, LATER ON I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT MISS NEXT. I KNOW THAT SOME OF US KIND OF HAD A YOU KNOW, THAT CONVERSATION WHEN THAT HAPPENED YOU KNOW WHEN YOU KNOW AND WE GOT THAT FEEDBACK AND I THINK SOME FOLKS MAY NOT HAVE ALL OF THE SAME INFORMATION. I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT WHEN WE GET READY TO KIND OF MAKE A CALL ON THAT OR HAVE A CONVERSATION AROUND THAT WE ALL HAVE THE SAME BACKGROUND OR ALL THE SAME INFORMATION. I JUST WANT TO BE SURE AND HOPEFULLY YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. MAYOR IF YOU RECALL THAT AND ARE YOU TALKING COMPENSATION CITY EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION, YEAH. WAS WHAT WE'RE TALKING YEAH IN GENERAL BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW OUR PAST LEADERS WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION DURING OUR ARE ARE RETREATS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST AND I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS IN FRONT OF BECAUSE I JUST THINK IT'S SO CRITICAL WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE WHAT WE SAY TO OUR STAFF AND HOW WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE TREATED SPECIAL AS WE ARE MOVING INTO JANUARY AND FEBRUARY OF NEXT YEAR. YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF WHAT WE WE TALK ABOUT WHAT WE VALUE, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF OUR OUR MISSION STATEMENT AND THAT TYPE OF THING IN TERMS OF HOW WE HOW WE HOLD THAT VALUE. SO YEAH, IN THAT SAME LIGHT I'M JUST HOPING WE GET ALL THAT INFORMATION SO THAT THIS COUNCIL CAN CLEARLY MAKE A GOOD GOOD DECISION. WHEN WE LOOK AT RITA TOO, WHY DON'T WE CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION OFFLINE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRACKING THE SAME. YEAH, I MEAN I JUST WANT TO BE SURE HILL SOUNDS GOOD. LAST CALL COUNSEL ANYTHING ELSE? HEARING NOTHING. COUNCIL WE'VE FINISHED OUR BUSINESS. I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN SOME MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER DALLESSANDRO TO ADJOURN THIS EVENING FOR THE COUNCIL DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIIFY BY SAYING I KNOW OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO COUNCIL THANKS FOR THE DISCUSSION THIS EVENING. THANK YOU STAFF FOR YOUR WORK IN PULLING THIS ALL TOGETHER. THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO JOINED US IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS EVERYONE WATCHED ONLINE TONIGHT EVERYBODY HAVE A GREAT REST OF YOUR WEEK. >> THANK YOU