This transcript has been updated with speaker names based on the context provided and the flow of the meeting. [0:00] **Unidentified Speaker:** Don't say that wrong. [0:11] **Unidentified Speaker:** A tunnel. [0:12] **Unidentified Speaker:** A tunnel. [0:14] **Unidentified Speaker:** Kelly, can you go put on your other— [0:29] **Unidentified Speaker:** I don't know why he did that. [0:44] **Unidentified Speaker:** Oh, okay. I didn't know. I won't take any. So, I'll put it right there. That's what it says. [1:55] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** All right. Little tardy, but 7:04. Let the ro—uh time being 7:04, we call the Hastings City Council meeting to order. Please stand for 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. [2:25] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Welcome. And let the role reflect that we do have a full quorum tonight. Uh, council members, are there any corrections to the minutes from the meeting on October 20th? Okay. Comments from the audience at this time. [2:41] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** The council would hear any comments from the audience who would like to speak to the council at this time. Anyone wish to speak? Anyone on Zoom? No one on Zoom. Okay. Council members, any items to be considered? [2:56] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Okay. Council, I would accept a motion to approve the consent agenda. [2:58] **Councilmember Lisa Leifeld:** Some movement. [3:00] **Councilmember Dave Pemble:** Second. [3:02] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Council member Lyfeld with a second by council member Pemble. Any discussion? Councel. All those in favor of the motion state by saying I. [3:12] **City Council Members:** I. [3:13] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Opposed to that motion state by saying nay. And that motion prevails. Tonight under awarding of contracts, administration administrative penalties and special charges for diseased tree removals. For this items, we will have an introduction by our city administrator, Dan Wietecha, followed by a public hearing and a potential action by council. Dan, thank you. [3:35] **Dan Wietecha (City Administrator):** Um, this actually has multiple parts to it. Uh one uh following statutory procedures and uh this was scheduled uh by council about a month ago uh for a public hearing uh so that um presumably if any of the uh people or property owners listed here uh have comments uh this would be their chance to speak on their behalf. Um after the public hearing uh we have uh two or three actions to recommend. Uh one is specific to the public hearing itself saying here's [snorts] a resolution uh listing about $13,000 of uh unpaid bills and we're going to levy those as special assessments against their tax or their property tax bills. [4:31] **Dan Wietecha:** Um, that's the action specific actually tied to the hearing, but the others are also related to emerald ashbors and tree removal. So, it's easier to sort of package them all in one place on the agenda instead of having it keep popping up uh throughout the evening. Uh, the second resolution uh I actually would recommend you not act on tonight. Um it is there are um four properties that uh sold during this process. It was an extended process. Uh and uh uncollectible as assessments uh but they are uh something that uh I would like to talk with the uh finance staff about other means of collection and uh being able to pursue those. So recommend not doing that second resolution tonight. I think it's premature. [5:18] **Dan Wietecha:** Uh and then the third action um uh as as point of explanation [clears throat] when when we uh treat or remove a a tree for EAB, provide a packet of information to that property owner. Um uh tell them that that they can take care of it themselves. if if they don't, we will do it and we will build them. So that list of whatever it is, 20 30 of them are ones that just decided not to pay the bill, we'll collect. Uh the third action is one of those property owners uh specifically asked and it's in the packet of information that hey I would like to enter an assessment agreement wave the formalities of the hearing uh pay it over five years uh with interest. Um, so the third action also is an assessment, but it's it's a different one than the list of ones that just decided to uh let the process play out. Um, with that, I can I can certainly take some questions. Obviously, you also need to although there's nobody here, open and close the public hearing. [6:37] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Sure. Thanks, Dan. [clears throat] At this time, I'll open the public hearing and wish to speak at this point. Anyone wish to speak at this point? This time I will close the public hearing. Open discussion for council. Councel. [7:03] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Seeing no lights, I would assume that I would need a motion. So, Council Member Lefelt with a motion and council member House with a second. Any discussion? Council, Council Member Lawrence. [7:22] **Councilmember Tim Lawrence:** So, just to specify, uh, like Dan said, um, were you, [clears throat] Council Member Lifefeld, were you saying one, not two, and three under under the, um, the Ashbor? [7:42] **Councilmember Lisa Leifeld:** So, the resolution certifying unpaid administrative penalties. Yes. And special charges for the deceased tree removals. So just item B under administrative penalties. [7:55] **Councilmember Tim Lawrence:** Yep. [7:56] **Councilmember Lisa Leifeld:** Yep. One only. [7:59] **Councilmember Lisa Leifeld:** Um I could include that motion to allow for B C. You've pulled D. [8:06] **Dan Wietecha:** No. For clarification, staff's recommendation is uh approve resolution B certifying the assessments and approve agreement D uh for that single assessment and uh tonight not act on resolution C writing those off. Uh we'll bring that back in two weeks. [8:35] **Councilmember Lisa Leifeld:** Clarifying motion, your honor. I would like to make a motion to approve the administrative penalties and special charges as outlined in the recommendation to include certifying unpaid administrative penalties and special charges as well as the assessment deferral program for 1833 Maple Street. [8:53] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Thank you, Council Member Liefeld and Council Member Haus on that. Any discussion? All those in favor of the motion state by saying I. [8:58] **City Council Members:** I. [9:01] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Opposed to that motion state by saying nay. And that motion prevails. Under community development tonight, we have a resolution for a variance for city code chapter 152A, Mississippi River corridor critical area, Mississippi River Greenway Trail. And for this introduction, we have our community development director, John Hinzman. Welcome John. [9:25] **John Hinzman (Community Development Director):** Thank you, mayor, city council members. Couple of actions related to variances on a trail reconstruction project here. I think the easiest thing is to take a look at the setting itself. So, we're looking at the steep trail that presently exists between Eagle Bluff Drive and down by the Sand Dam to uh Lake Rebecca. So, if you've all been on that trail, you know it's very steep. It has a very sharp turn. Dakota County, who manages the Mississippi Greenway Trail, is proposing a reconstruction of that. Since the original trail was constructed some 20 30 years ago, different ordinances have come into play which regulate the Mississippi River. [10:03] **John Hinzman:** One of those being our Mississippi River critical corridor ordinance which we adopted a couple of years ago. The goal of that ordinance is to establish certain parameters for vegetation removal, disturbance of steep slopes, disturbance of views, etc. So there's a couple of things related to the reconstruction of this trail that fall into not into harmony with the ordinance that we have. So we are looking for three variances to that. The the variances they themselves are as follows. One of them is construction of a hard surface trail on the face of a bluff with greater than 30% slope. So if you take a look at this map here, anything that has slopes greater than 30% is in this little narrow yellow section here. So you're coming up from the sand dam here up the hill. This gets to be pretty steep on your right hand side. The trail would be reconstructed within this area would have impact within it. [11:04] **John Hinzman:** The other one would be construction of a retaining wall into what's termed the bluff impact zone. The bluff impact zone on this on this map here is the area in blue. This is an area that's between that's a certain distance back from the river itself that has special protections within it. So we would be building a retaining wall within there or Dakota County would be and actually there'd be two of them. One is an existing one, one would be a new one within there. So that would be another one of the variances. The other one would be for the construction of a retaining wall that is in excess of 5 feet. So there's a 5-ft limit on retaining wall under the Mississippi River critical corridor ordinance. This would be 7 feet tall itself. [11:45] **John Hinzman:** So those are the variances that we have. So what are we trying to accomplish or Dakota County trying to accomplish with this trail project? As you know, if you've been down the trail, it's very steep. So the biggest thing that they're trying to do is to reduce the steepness of this. By doing this, generally they're cutting into the slope to make it less steep going through there. So it would meet more of your handicapped accessibility requirements uh that it would not meet today. The other would be when you take a look at the trail itself existing, you've got a very sharp turn right here and they're looking to have that turn be less sharp. So improve the safety of the trail itself. [12:28] **John Hinzman:** Other things going on down here. If you follow the existing trail, which is here, you could see that the there's they're reconstructing the newer trail in the orange. In most circumstances, this orange trail is located a little further back, further away from the homes that are here along Eagle Bluff Drive than the present trail is. You can see in this location where it comes closest, existing trail is here, new trail is here. So that'll provide a little more separation between there, which will be good. So the other thing is this overlook area, which I think nine times out of 10 when I ride down this trail, I take the wrong way, will hopefully be fixed so people don't take the wrong way and be shortened. Uh this thing goes on quite a ways. This will be vacated uh and deconstructed, reforested, and then this area here uh will become the new overlook. [13:30] **John Hinzman:** So that's generally what the project's going to be. What we have jurisdiction over tonight are the variances in the administration of the Mississippi River corridor ordinance. So we did have our planning commission hold a hearing on October 27th. They did vote 6-0 to recommend approval of both the variances as presented by staff. We had some representatives from Dakota County to explain the project. We did have one homeowner come in uh spoke. He was looking more questions related to any additional easements that Dakota County would need for construction. Uh they stated at the meeting they would not. He seemed to be satisfied with that. So that is the project that we have before us tonight. What we have before you is a resolution that would uh rate a recommendation to grant all three of those variances. Again, with a variance resolution, it does require the six of seven council members for support. And I can stand for any questions. Thank you. [14:24] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Thanks, John. Any questions, council? Council member Leifeld. [14:27] **Councilmember Lisa Leifeld:** John, this seems like a no-brainer. It seems like a win-win, right, for any of us who've ever been on that trail and almost ended up in the dirt around the circle [laughter] and coming down around going into the dyke and praying there's nobody coming up the other side. Um, I do have a question just to confirm the circled area over here where we have a bench. Nice spot to stop and sit when you do take the right by accident, John. Yes, there's a bench there so you can stop and—it's gorgeous. So, will we—I think you said at the where you took a right there, there will be an outlook or an overlook right there instead. [15:06] **John Hinzman:** Yes, the bench we did confirm at the planning commission meeting that the the bench that's over here will be relocated to this point. So, it'll it'll remain. [15:14] **Councilmember Lisa Leifeld:** I love this. I think it's a a great idea. Um I would make a motion to approve um all three variances um as listed in the resolution. [15:23] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Great. Thank you, Council Member Leifeld. Council member Pemble. [15:25] **Councilmember Dave Pemble:** I would second that motion. [15:28] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Thank you. Any additional discussion? Councel. Council member Vihrachoff. [15:31] **Councilmember DawnMarie Vihrachoff:** Thank you, your honor. John, when I was reading the notes from the planning commission, and I I support this. Um, but there was a note in there that to catch my eye about that if Dakota County needed to possibly move some trees. Could you just walk us through what that might look like for those potential homeowners there and what that process normally is when the county has to do something like that? [15:58] **John Hinzman:** They do. Uh thank you. First of all would be a construction easement itself. Uh they're not planning to have any further construction easement and the grading activity would be further away from the property line. But if they were to remove the trees, part of the process here is an administrative permit for vegetation removal and grading that they will go through with more detailed plans. So, we'll be out on site looking at that. If it's a situation in which there is a tree that needs to be removed that was not intended to be removed, there's replacement values for that. Okay. [16:32] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Thank you, Council Member Vihrachoff. Any other questions? Okay. Okay, we do have a motion and a second. All those in favor of the motion state by saying I. [16:40] **City Council Members:** I. [16:42] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Opposed to that motion state by saying nay. And that motion prevails. Thank you John. Tonight under administration, as always, it is the first meeting of the month. So, we will have a PFAS update and this introduction will be given by our city administrator, Dan Wietecha. [17:01] **Dan Wietecha:** Thank you. Uh obviously this is just an update non-action item but I can also take questions. Um construction proceeds uh which is nice. Uh and and I think the most notable piece to the construction is the uh although the weather is cooperating, the the raw water lines on uh 7th and going up to North Frontage are are very much watching the weather so that um what whatever work we do can be buried and buttoned up and make sure that we have a passable road over the winter. We don't want to uh have that be open. So they're only taking on segments that they're they're they're confident they're able to uh get completed. So it construction proceeds. [17:59] **Dan Wietecha:** Other piece to note um this goes back a couple of months with our budget discussions, but at present we are looking at a [snorts] uh 10, 10, and 10% increase in water rates. 10% January 1, 10% mid year in July, and 10% at the end of the year uh January 1st of 2027. Uh for this next phase, uh we've still got uh another phase beyond it. Um the reason for this uh stepped in increase is uh I think will become apparent with the next couple of bullet points, but it's a matter of uh wanting to to um basically minimize the impact on our residents and businesses. If we have other funding come forward later in the year, uh we don't want to raise the rates more than we need to. So, instead of doing 30%, actually 37% January 1, uh, let's do 10% and see where we're at in July and if we have to do another increase and how much that might be. But right now, we're looking at 10, 10, and 10. [18:59] **Dan Wietecha:** I realize this is a burden. Uh, which is why we are very much trying to get outside funding. Um, which is the next couple of bullets. Um, last week we had the Senate Capital Investment uh, committee come out and visit and we gave them an overview of our project and the need for funding and the impact on our residents, our businesses. Um, and later this week we have the House Capital Investment Committee coming out for a similar a similar visit. Uh, last couple of years we've definitely uh gotten our story out there. Uh, built some good relationships with legislators that they understand our project and uh believe that we have some support for it, but it depends on uh political and legislative process and a bonding bill and some of that's outside our hands. But uh important steps and and very good that those two committees are are visiting Hastings. [20:06] **Dan Wietecha:** Uh the other piece that's uh trying to find funding is the environmental investigations that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency uh has been doing inhouse as well as requiring some study by the 3M company. Um those should be wrapping up late this year, next couple of months. And uh depending on those results, maybe it means a uh connection or connections uh and uh additional access to 3M settlement funds. Maybe it means additional study and it's not determined at this point. Uh uh but those studies are are coming to an end here in the next couple of months, but again looking for uh funding. So, it's not entirely on our our uh ratepayers, our customers. [20:49] **Dan Wietecha:** Uh the last piece that I think is worth noting uh which is also on tonight's agenda later on is last Wednesday uh the 29th, we received notice that um let me get the name right—Pizza on 50th and France, DBA Carboni's at Hastings, has filed a lawsuit against the city regarding their closure. Um at this point um we are discussing with council later this evening. We'll be going into close session so we can discuss with our city attorney uh and other than acknowledging it, there's really nothing I can say at the moment. Uh but uh it is uh part of the process we're going through. But with that I can take any questions on PFAS update. [21:36] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Thank you Dan. Any questions councel? All right then moving under administration as well city hall project a budget amendment. You may continue Dan. [21:49] **Dan Wietecha:** Thank you. Uh this keeps our accountants happy. Um a project that that obviously's had several years to it. Uh a couple of prior uh budget amendments by city council. Uh multiple funding sources to it. Um a matter of Chris wanting to get this—our finance manager Chris Eitemiller wanting to get this all captured in one place in one resolution so that uh it's nice and tidy and can answer any questions from the auditor later uh later this spring. [22:36] **Dan Wietecha:** Um total price comes out to about $5.5 million which is a bit higher than we had been anticipating. Uh some of that is related to um uh budget amendments approved uh even even over a year ago. Uh and some of it is new proposed to have budget amendments approved tonight. I want to outline those. One is a installation of a vaporizer tank, including uh any of the [snorts] um electric and and other pieces added on to that that's related to our uh backup propane for the boilers. Uh and really it's a a piece that is needed uh so that the underground propane tank uh uh doesn't have trouble if we have a very cold winter. Uh that's about $76,000. That work will likely be based on weather uh some some of the equipment purchased now, but the work actually done in the spring uh after winter. [23:37] **Dan Wietecha:** Um other item uh for a uh uh budget amendment and change order tonight is additional plaster repair. Uh this is interior to the building. You know, we, you know, it's one thing to keep calling it a roof project, but leaky roof means that there's damage to to some of the walls interior. Uh, and, uh, unfortunately, uh, when the architect put the project out to bid, there was a page missing in the the bid package. So, some of the walls were not proposed to be fixed. So, why are you fixing this wall and repairing cracks, but not this wall? Because it wasn't in the bid package. And and and talking with our staff, it's well, maybe it was an interior wall versus an exterior wall. Maybe it was water damage versus just old plaster. No, it turned out to be a a mistake and a page was not included in the bids. Um if it had been, wouldn't be asking for a budget amendment tonight. They would have said, "Here's the whole project." And that additional work would have been $46,000. So, in essence, it's money that we would have been needing to pay anyways, but would have much rather know here's what the amount is rather than coming in here in the last few weeks saying we need another $46,000. [25:05] **Dan Wietecha:** But that's what's behind uh needing to do additional plaster work beyond what was planned is it was it was not originally bid. Uh additional pieces of the proposed budget amendment here about $10,000 for some additional sealing and insulating in the crawl space underneath the building to uh keep uh moisture from from getting into the building. And then about $3,000 for an additional brass plaque in the entry next to the one when we put the annex on to uh note the uh investment in uh this historic building that we're doing here in 2025. So all said and done, the resolution that's recommended captures just an overview of the whole project. Uh but in in within it are those specific uh budget amendments for the vaporizer, plaster repair, sealing and insulating in the crawl space and the brass plaque. But with that I can take questions. Thank you. [26:09] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Thanks Dan. Any questions? Uh council member Pemble. [26:13] **Councilmember Dave Pemble:** Dan is the—are we just about to the point of wrap up here? Are we going to be—I see that they were working on the overhang uh over the weekend and it's like okay what else is going on? There's they haven't come up with another something just asking. [26:28] **Dan Wietecha:** Thank you council member. The exterior work is all but done. Uh the scaffolding is still up for another two or so weeks waiting on basically a punch list inspection uh in order to make sure that the work that was done on the dome and and all that uh is uh acceptable. Uh so leaving the scaffolding up for that that punch list inspection in the next couple of weeks, but that scaffolding should be coming down later this month. Uh additional uh work that they were doing with uh scraping uh some lead paint and repainting along the—I think it's called the freeze—around the border they've been doing with the lift. Um either they finished it on this weekend or they'll be wrapping it up in the next couple of days. It's very close to done if not already. [27:42] **Dan Wietecha:** Um so that's about it for the exterior work. Um the interior work, uh the plaster repair, some of which was in the bid package, some of which recommending for approving tonight. Uh they are intending to come back in mid November, so next couple of weeks. Uh that would involve putting interior scaffolding up out front here in the rotunda so they can get into the interior of the dome. Um uh and uh in addition to that would be the extra plaster repair which is more on some of the interior walls uh in the hallways or the the community room uh the break room upstairs. Um so that would be occurring in the next few weeks. Uh the vaporizer uh although we would be ordering that uh probably tomorrow in the next day or two. It's got about an 8-week lead time and recognizing that that's exterior outside work. Uh that would be waiting till spring. So the electrician might run the power and have it ready. Uh wait on the part to come, but actually installing the stuff probably wouldn't occur until early spring. So project's getting closer. Um not quite wrapped up yet. Uh a lot of the more visible pieces will be completed in the next two to four weeks. [29:03] **Councilmember Dave Pemble:** Okay. Thank you. That was my only question is over the weekend every time I drove by the lift was out here and somebody was out working and it's like what's going on? Is there a surprise that we haven't heard yet? Sorry. [29:16] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Thank you, Council Member Pemble. Council member Leifeld. [29:19] **Councilmember Lisa Leifeld:** Thanks, Honor Dan. Just kind of a clarifi—clarifying question here. So, the missing page, would that have affected the bids? Would we have ended up with some—could we have potentially ended up with somebody else? I I I guess do you get what I'm saying? [29:43] **Dan Wietecha:** I I get what you're saying. It's not a half million, $46,000. One can speculate and and uh estimate that that you know possibly there might have been a different bid from a competitor but we really don't know if if that page had been in there. We know that you know if—I don't have a specific hour amount—if here's a 100 hours of extra work there would have been requirement to pay for $100 hours of extra work and do that that workload. So, it would have meant higher bid costs, but if there were competition among others, don't know how that might have played out. [30:31] **Councilmember Lisa Leifeld:** So, then just to clarify on the budget document that we're looking at from Chris Eitemiller, the total cost of the project has risen to 5.575 from 5.018. So, roughly just over half a million. That's more than the plaster. [30:46] **Dan Wietecha:** It's also okay some of the pieces of the the boiler, the vaporizing uh change orders that we already approved a year ago related to um some of the wood framing within the uh the corner domes, the water table on the the main dome. So, it's a number of pieces that that are driving that 500,000, not just this extra plaster and missing page. [31:18] **Councilmember Lisa Leifeld:** Okay, thanks for that clarification. Appreciate that. Um, and then I guess I just—as I look at this number, that's not $50,000. That's a half a million dollars. Um, I that concerns me. I mean, because we do leave a—in bids, right? There's—I forget what Ryan always refers to it as. There's usually that area of contingency. How was—what was our contingency on this project? [31:48] **Dan Wietecha:** I do not know what the contingency was. I can't answer that this evening. [31:52] **Councilmember Lisa Leifeld:** So, this isn't up for any sort of—Oh, you are looking for a approve a resolution. I'm concerned at the a half a million dollars is not just a—to me that doesn't seem like costs went up, lumber went up, you know, because we know things have gone up, that happens. Um, but this to me seems concerning. I guess I'd might be beneficial to know more about this, I guess. Anyone? [32:15] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Thank you, Council Member Vihrachoff. [32:17] **Councilmember DawnMarie Vihrachoff:** Thank you, your honor. I agree with Council Member Liefeld. Um, that sounds like the beginning to like a fabulous like spy novel or something, right? The page of the missing book that cost $46,000. So, um, I would kind of like to know a little bit more about this as well. But actually what I was going to ask your honor is if you would permit me, could—would it be okay if I asked Dan a couple of question? [32:41] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Absolutely. [32:43] **Councilmember DawnMarie Vihrachoff:** I already know the answers to these, but I get a lot of these from um neighbors and I think a lot of people have questions about this. Overall, is this project within what we thought in terms of the budget? Over budget, under budget, within? [33:04] **Dan Wietecha:** Um a couple of years ago we were well—A couple of years ago, we had it pegged at just over five million. So, it's about a half million higher than that. [33:14] **Councilmember DawnMarie Vihrachoff:** Okay, which is our question tonight. Would we say that this project is coming in on time in terms of where we thought we would be in terms of how long it would take to complete this project? [33:23] **Dan Wietecha:** The contractual requirements are the end of this calendar year. [33:28] **Councilmember DawnMarie Vihrachoff:** Thank you. And then um there has been an enormous amount of grant funding and other funds that have come forward to help to offset the cost of this project. Is that correct? [33:38] **Dan Wietecha:** We had a $2 million uh state bonding bill towards this project. Uh about $200,000 I think was towards some of the tuck pointing uh from I think it was a historic preservation grant. Uh and we had a little over $2 million of ARPA funds that we uh elected to allocate to this. So uh in total um try to do the math in my head—what about 4.3 or more million dollars towards this? [34:11] **Councilmember DawnMarie Vihrachoff:** Mayor, may I ask another question? [34:12] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** You may. [34:14] **Councilmember DawnMarie Vihrachoff:** Thank you. And then all of these things were necessary for us to maintain the historical building, the the prestige that comes with having a beautiful old building like this in our community. These were things that needed to be done. [34:27] **Dan Wietecha:** Yes. From two standpoints. One, we we were having uh water coming through the roof. You know, you you need to fix the roof. And unfortunately, on a historic building, that's a pretty extensive fix. It's not just reshingling it. Uh the other piece that um—or a couple other pieces with it—we did not look at just the roof but the envelope of the entire building. So a matter of uh tuck pointing or mentioning the uh ceiling and insulation in the crawl space, other efforts in order to keep moisture, humidity from coming into the building, not just through the roof uh but in order to help maintain the internal uh atmosphere. [35:19] **Dan Wietecha:** Uh and then also uh along those lines um replacing the uh boiler system which was coming up on needing to be replaced anyways. Uh replacing it as well as the heat return elements. Uh basically again here's a—it's not it's not what the boiler is for but using it as part of a humidity control so that we're maintaining this this facility this asset. Um, I mentioned that HVAC piece because uh the boilers themselves, forget about any of the the building uh uh roof and envelope repair, the boilers themselves, I think we had budgeted for 350,000 for this building. And then additionally next door at the uh police station needing to be replaced and we were able to upsize it and put in one set that serves both buildings. So it actually was some cost savings there uh on some uh uh expenses that we would have been facing uh in this time frame or in the next year or two. Anyways, thank you. [37:05] **Councilmember DawnMarie Vihrachoff:** My point being there is I think that it can be um hard for some of our neighbors to necessarily understand when they see a project that's been going on for a really long time and that we know has a big price tag and that it sounds like it's so easy to just say, "Oh, it's another six months or it's another this much amount of money, especially when we're talking about our water crisis and things like that." But in reality, this is a budget, a time frame, grant funding, and necessary improvements that we actually did need. Thank you, your honor. Thank you, Dan. [37:41] **Dan Wietecha:** And I'd emphasize that last piece about necessary improvements. It it's a building that we use every day and um you need to maintain those assets and you got to fix that leaking roof. Um, I know that when we were talking about uh uh doing the historic repairs five, six years ago, uh there were people that said, "Well, just build a new building." Well, that would be much more than $5.5 million. Um uh and and we would lose this uh really iconic piece of Hastings in the process. So, um, really it's it's a big project, a lengthy project, but, uh, necessary and it's it's part of owning property sometimes. [38:13] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Vihrachoff. Council member Beck. [38:15] **Councilmember Mya Beck:** As an accountant, I just [clears throat] want clarification. Um, tonight, the only reason it says 5.575 from 5.018 is because the council has already approved $450,000 up to this point. Correct. Like of improvements. There have been 450 or like extras. [38:32] **Dan Wietecha:** The there there I think is closer to two or 300 previously approved. The although I pointed out the 46,000 for plaster repair, there's also 76,000 for a vaporizer. There's also 10,000 for additional insulation— [38:48] **Councilmember Mya Beck:** And that's what's up for tonight. [38:49] **Dan Wietecha:** It's all included in that number. [38:51] **Councilmember Mya Beck:** Yes. [38:52] **Dan Wietecha:** Yes. And and if Chris just wants this as an all-encompassing document. I just wanted a bottom line number and I'm emphasizing if you approve the bottom line number it means we're completing work. If you say you don't approve that bottom line number we will not be completing this project at least not on this schedule. [39:10] **Councilmember Mya Beck:** That's what I just want clarification for. I I I I understood that Chris just wanted a bottom line number for auditors, but so for everybody listening, they understand that that's just an auditor's dream is to have one bottom line. So, thank you. [39:33] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Thank you, Council Member Beck. Any other discussion? Council member Lawrence. [39:39] **Councilmember Tim Lawrence:** Just one more clarification. So, can I ask Dan? Sorry, I know we're being a—dead. So, over the last—how long is this project going? Two years, three years? Two years we've stuff has been coming to the council and we say, "Yep, we need to approve it. Yep, we need to approve it." So now we have a different list of different things going on that we've approved throughout the last couple years. And now we're saying the accountant just says, "Hey, can we clean this up and get it all on one document?" So essentially we've already gone through and said, "Yep, we're going to pay that. Yep, we're going to pay that. We're going to add the boiler over here. We're going to add the plaster up here. We're going to add the—" and now we just have one document saying... so now obviously that looks like oh my goodness that's a huge number but really we've already talked about all these different amendments. [40:24] **Dan Wietecha:** Okay perfectly put. [40:26] **Councilmember Tim Lawrence:** Thank you. [40:27] **Dan Wietecha:** And I suspect that the whatever it is about $140,000 that's new tonight uh is probably uh the amount that's beyond the contingency uh contingency might even cover a portion of that. But um the the pieces previously approved, I I recall seeing those memos saying it's within the contingency. It's this last pieces at the end that quite frankly I got a bit frustrated and said no more adding stuff on until we know that's the complete list of everything that's being asked. [41:16] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Council member Pemble. [41:18] **Councilmember Dave Pemble:** After all this discussion and hopefully we have the ability or the understanding that the end is close, I move that we pay the bills on this and put our accountant in a good feeling. [41:33] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Okay. Thank you, Council Member Pemble. Council member Beck seconds it. Okay. And any new discussion? Councel, Council Member Haus. [41:43] **Councilmember Angie Haus:** May we also be sent a detailed line item of uh all of the prices for what is being put in, please? Um just to have a more reviewed package for afterwards as well. Um, may we have a detailed, uh, like itemized, uh, receipt for each item and what each item will be costing us as well as a city? Sorry, my voice is a little harsh. Thank you. [42:16] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Thank you, Council Member Haus and Council Member Beck on that. I think in the future we can also think more while discussing budget increases or cost increases of maybe not just saying oh we need this let's approve that and putting a little bit more context line item into it that's all thank you council member we do have a motion and a second no other discussion all those in favor of the motion state by saying I. [42:43] **City Council Members:** I. [42:45] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Opposed to that motion state by saying nay. And that motion prevails. Thank you, Dan. Uh, under administration, we also now will go into closed meeting pursuant to Minnesota statute 13D.05 subdivision 3B for attorney client privileged communication pending litigation. First, we will do announcements. Council, do you have any announcements? Okay, I have a few. [43:17] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Tomorrow, outdoor winter clothing swap. Bring your gently used and clean outdoor winter clothing you no longer want to our swap and bring home items that are new to you. Tuesday, November 4th at the Rambling River Center in Farmington. Accepting coats, jackets, mittens, gloves, winter hats, scarves, winter boots, and snowpants in all sizes. No item donation is necessary to shop the swap. Friends of Pleasant Hill Library hosts its used book sale Thursday to Sunday, November 6th through November 9th. Recycle all lights with the Hastings Holiday Lights Dropoff Collection. Residents can drop off unwanted light strands to the joint maintenance facility, 920 10th Street West during the holiday season from November 15th to January 31st. [44:22] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Monday, November 10th, 7 p.m., there is a public safety committee meeting. Monday, November 10th, 7 p.m., there's also a planning commission meeting. Wednesday, November 12th, 6 PM, Arts and Culture Commission. Thursday, November 13th is HEDRA meeting at 6:30. Monday, November 17th, 5:30 p.m. Council, we do have a police department overview workshop and 7:00 p.m. council meeting. [44:54] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** City Council has the city council meet in closed section for an attorney client privilege discussion of litigation strategy in the matter of Pizza on 50th in France Inc. DBA Carboni's in Hastings versus City of Hastings. City Attorney Greta Bjerkness is present. Confidentiality is necessary in order to allow a candid and open discussion with the city council about the litigation including defense strategies and possibilities for resolution. Such a discussion happening in open session could jeopardize the city's legal position. Closing the meeting is authorized by Minnesota statute 13D.05 subdivision 3B. I will therefore seek a motion to move into closed session closed door meeting session. [45:56] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Council member Pemble first and a council member Leifeld second. Any additional discussion council? Okay. All those in favor of the motion state by saying I. [46:08] **City Council Members:** I. [46:12] **Mayor Mary Fasbender:** Opposed to that motion state by saying nay. The city will now move into a closed door session. No voting will occur and no action will be taken in the closed door session. I will now call the city—oops, sorry. Next room. Next page. [clears throat]