[0:05] Mayor Wayne Boucher: You're the clerk here. Um, announcements? Do any counselors have announcements they'd like to make at this time? [0:15] Councilor Gloria Nelson: I would just like to congratulate officially Grant Hostchild for being elected as our next state senator, and our new two council members, Brian LeBlanc and Andy Hjelle. And also a big thank you to the "Yes, Yes, Yes" committee that really propelled our getting our referendum passed on all three initiatives. So, big kudos to that group as well. Thank you. [0:45] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Gloria, me too. And you stole my thunder too. All right. Um, we have no public hearings this evening. Correspondence communications—Mr. Mulder? [1:07] John Mulder: Yeah, information from a law firm to the Mayor regarding the petition, some of the... our permission. [1:22] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Thank you. And um, number seven: Presentations. Mr. Mulder had several presentations at pre-agenda. Would you give a short synopsis on A through E? Take your time. [1:32] John Mulder: Excuse me. We presented the budget booklet that will be in front of the City Council for action at the December 5th meeting, where you will approve the budget and set the levy following a public hearing—a public Truth in Taxation hearing. Eric provided some additional information for the Boulder Trail furniture just so you... in kind of in response to some questions about what it would take to put up a park bench or a picnic table. So, we provided that cost information to the City Council with the idea at some point in time individual residents may want to contribute toward those projects. We had a presentation from Paul Senst and a representative from SEH regarding the water modeling, and it just kind of gives you a sense of where water pressure is at in the city and where we might need to make some improvements if we were to extend water in certain areas. I gave an update on the legislative agenda. We talked about the fact that we have two new potential representatives down to Saint Paul and we talked about the possibility of our participation in St. Louis County Days and a bonding request we might make with the community recreation initiative. Finally, um, I gave just a quick schedule in terms of the council transition. We're going to have three new members potentially on in January, depending upon who we appoint for in Grant's spot when he resigns. We're looking at doing a first presentation on just, you know, how the city council process works for the new council members; that'll probably be in December or maybe in January. And then at the end of January, we'd like to schedule a meeting on the 30th where we would just kind of set the context for the next four years of all of the work that the city is currently working on and that the council will need to be making decisions on. [3:40] Mayor Wayne Boucher: And thank you. Uh, consent agenda. Do we have a motion for the consent agenda that includes minutes from our last meeting and accounts payable? [3:50] Councilor Gloria Nelson: Motion to approve. [3:51] Councilor John Geissler: Second. [3:52] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Motion by Councilor Nelson, second by Councilor Geissler. Roll call, please. [3:58] City Clerk Alissa McClure: Councilor Geissler? [3:59] Councilor John Geissler: Aye. [4:00] City Clerk Alissa McClure: Councilor Nelson? [4:01] Councilor Gloria Nelson: Aye. [4:02] City Clerk Alissa McClure: Mayor Boucher? [4:03] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Aye. I'll get the shot okay... we won't fire you. Resolutions—we have no motions or ordinances. Resolution 2022-128, resolution approving the city of Hermantown contract water and sewer hookup process and repairs to lateral lines. Do we have a motion? [4:40] Councilor John Geissler: I'll move to approve. [4:41] Councilor Gloria Nelson: Second. [4:42] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Motion by Councilor Geissler, second by Councilor Nelson. Mr. Mulder? [4:47] John Mulder: Um, Public Works Director Paul Senst can speak to this. Paul? [4:58] Paul Senst: Mayor, Council, thank you. Um, we're just looking to put something into writing here for a process for when a contractor wants to attach the lateral line for a new residence to their home or affix to a lateral line to an existing home. 24 hours notice, through either a phone call to Lindsay who would handle a schedule that we're able to see, or through an email address that we're able to see so we can better schedule our work around things. And it's not day of, afternoon of, trying to help our... again, help us schedule things out here. On the repairs, by them having to pull an excavation permit, it allows us to know exactly where this will happen so that we have GPS record of it and can view it and see it. So it'll be good for our records for the future. Thank you. [5:58] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Thank you. Uh, do we have any questions or comments from Council? [6:01] Councilor Gloria Nelson: No, it makes sense to me. [6:03] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Do we have any public input on this, either online or in chambers? An opportunity for public input on this resolution—please state your name and address for the record. Last chance for public input on resolution 2022-128. Roll call, please. [6:30] City Clerk Alissa McClure: Councilor Nelson? [6:31] Councilor Gloria Nelson: Aye. [6:32] City Clerk Alissa McClure: Councilor Geissler? [6:33] Councilor John Geissler: Aye. [6:34] City Clerk Alissa McClure: Mayor Boucher? [6:35] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Aye. And I just realized I missed item eight, public discussion. We will get to that after the last motion, just before recess. So item eight will be handled within a few minutes. Next resolution is resolution 2022-129, resolution awarding a contract for a plow truck from Towmaster Truck Equipment, not to exceed $175,248. [7:08] Councilor Gloria Nelson: Motion to approve. [7:09] Councilor John Geissler: Second. [7:10] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Motion by Councilor Nelson, second by Councilor Geissler. Mr. Mulder, should we have Mr. Senst address this one? [7:12] John Mulder: Yes, please. [7:13] Paul Senst: Paul. This is... um, we're asking you to approve the upfit of the chassis that you guys approved in January for a new tandem axle plow and dump truck for Public Works. By doing it now with the 2023 money, we're saving the city—by signing now—somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 to 15 percent on the escalation clauses when these state contracts become null and void for the new ones in December, starting December 1st. So just trying to be prudent with the city's dollars. And we've done this before, I believe, on our last truck upfit. This is all taken care of through the Minnesota state bid process. Thank you. [7:53] Mayor Wayne Boucher: When will you get the truck? [7:55] Paul Senst: It'll be next summer. The chassis won't be here until April of '23, then it'll go into the build with everything. So it'll probably be late summer of '23. But it'll be available for the '23-'24 winter. [8:08] Mayor Wayne Boucher: And we ordered a rolling chassis and this is the rest of the equipment—the dump body, plows, and all that good stuff? [8:13] Paul Senst: Correct. [8:14] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Thank you. Any other questions or comments from Council? Is there any public input on this resolution? Is there any public input on the resolution awarding a contract for a plow truck package? Is there any public input on resolution 2022-129? Roll call, please. [8:51] City Clerk Alissa McClure: Councilor Nelson? [8:52] Councilor Gloria Nelson: Aye. [8:53] City Clerk Alissa McClure: Councilor Geissler? [8:54] Councilor John Geissler: Aye. [8:55] City Clerk Alissa McClure: Mayor Boucher? [8:56] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Aye. Resolution 2022-130, resolution adopting assessment roll for delinquent utility charges for 2022. Do you have a motion? [9:11] Councilor John Geissler: Motion to adopt assessment roll. [9:13] Councilor Gloria Nelson: Second. [9:14] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Motion by Councilor Geissler, second by Councilor Nelson. Mr. Mulder? [9:18] John Mulder: So this is an annual process that we use for those delinquent accounts—water, sewer, and stormwater. We send notices out to those delinquent accounts in September, allow them to have a hearing in front of the Utility Commission, and then following that hearing, the recommendation is to the City Council to put this on as an assessment on their property tax bill. So we have done all of that and so that's where we're at in the process. [9:44] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Thank you. Do we have any questions or comments from Council? None? Is there any public input on resolution 2022-130? If there is any public input, please state your name and address for the record. And one last opportunity for public input on 2022-130. Roll call, please. [10:20] City Clerk Alissa McClure: Councilor Geissler? [10:21] Councilor John Geissler: Aye. [10:22] City Clerk Alissa McClure: Councilor Nelson? [10:23] Councilor Gloria Nelson: Aye. [10:24] City Clerk Alissa McClure: Mayor Boucher? [10:25] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Aye. Resolution 2022-131, resolution accepting an amended proposal from Northland Consulting Engineers for Engineering Services for design and construct engineering for the sanitary sewer trunk line spur from Oak Ridge Drive to the trunk line under the City Engineer's contract with the city. It has been recommended by staff that we table this for four weeks to allow some vetting to take place in what's going to be done. Do we have a motion? [10:59] Councilor Gloria Nelson: Motion to table for four weeks. [11:03] Councilor John Geissler: I believe you said... second. [11:05] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Motion by Councilor Nelson to table for four weeks, second by Councilor Geissler. All in favor say aye. [11:11] Councilors: Aye. [11:12] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Opposed, same sign. And we'll get to what I should have gotten to earlier: Item number eight, Public Discussion. Is there any member of the public that wishes to address the Council? If so, either online or in person, state your name and address. [11:35] Joe Wicklund: Mayor, Councilors, my name is Joe Wicklund. I'm the Community Engagement and Communications Director for the City of Hermantown. One of the pieces that we offer folks in terms of community engagement is for me to speak on behalf if they're uncomfortable in a public setting. So today I'm talking... I may have a Greg Prevet, 4804 Oak Ridge Drive. And this is related to the issue that you just tabled, but the greater potential of what happens at the future of Okerstrom Road. 4804 has a kind of a unique connection to how Okerstrom Road would continue if it was. Upon hearing the information and beginning the discussion today with the Prevets, I would describe it—and they would describe it—as devastating. The changes that would occur to their property if Okerstrom Road would continue through would absolutely change the shape, the character, the experience, and everything that they've done in terms of their dream home. Compound that with the current realities of interest rates, the cost of build, the value changes that would happen being hemmed in by two roads. And there is a really clear need for them to express—without emotion, because they've just learned about this today, but with emotion—on the absolute damage and impact and long-term things that happen to this particular property and to their lives and plans that factor in for this dream house that they've built. They're certainly going to be in a position where they will, I'm sure, connect with you offline, but felt that it was really important both in terms of how this played out today and to be able to capture the true emotions of the moment and learning about this—that the way that we are considering going about this really does change the scope and trajectory of their lives and goals as residents. It's probably not fully in my wherewithal to be able to express this on their behalf, but when we talk about words like "life-changing," "devastating"... and me working hand-in-hand with folks who worked really, really hard to be kind to me and really, really hard to be composed, but were definitely devastated by the news. If I flip back into my role, I would say, you know, we certainly deliver a lot of different messages in my role, some more challenging than others. This was by far the most challenging message I've ever delivered, and I hope that it stays that way. Because of how this particular property owner has worked with me, I expect they'll continue to work with me and the city on this going forward and the unique way it does impact their lives and properties. So I appreciate your hearing and consideration for their needs going forward. Thank you. [14:15] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Thank you, Joe. Do we have any other public discussion for the Council at this time? Is there anyone from the public, either in chambers or online, that wishes to address the Council? With no response, we'll close public discussion and ask for a motion to recess. [14:45] Councilor John Geissler: Motion. [14:46] Councilor Gloria Nelson: Second. [14:47] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Motion by Councilor Geissler, second by Councilor Nelson. All in favor say aye. [14:51] Councilors: Aye. [14:52] Mayor Wayne Boucher: Opposed, same sign. Nobody wants to stay.