Here is the transcribed townhall meeting with speaker names added based on the context provided. **Note on Identification:** * **Counselor "Jones"** in the original transcript has been identified as **Councilor John Geissler**. * **Counselor "Joey"** has been identified as **Councilor Joe Peterson**. * **Counselor "jelly"** has been identified as **Councilor Andy Hjelle**. *** [0:00] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** ...for the 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. Roll call, please. [0:00] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Geissler? [0:00] **Councilor John Geissler:** Here. [0:00] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Peterson? [0:00] **Councilor Joe Peterson:** Here. [0:00] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Mayor Boucher? [0:00] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Here. Uh, announcements? Do any counselors have announcements they'd like to make this evening? [0:00] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** I've got one. I'd just like to say good luck to the basketball team this week down at the state tournaments. Yeah, tomorrow night. [0:00] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Thank you. Public hearing—we don't have any public hearings this evening. Communications, Mr. Mulder? [0:46] **City Administrator John Mulder:** Just have the one included in the packet that um is related to um a scan that we did, an infrared scan of the of this building in terms of the heat loss through the roof, and we're making plans to try to address that this spring. [0:46] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Thank you. And presentations? We had a road improvement presentation at pre-agenda. Could you summarize that? [1:31] **City Administrator John Mulder:** Um, well there's kind of two parts to that. One is just the overall process and what we've tried to do over the last number of years, but then specifically um what will be going starting tonight with the preliminary engineer report on Hermantown Road and that process will use to go through that process, but also how we'll engage and communicate with um the property owners on that on that particular project. [1:31] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Thank you. I appreciate your presentation earlier on your summary. Any public discussion? Are there any individuals that wish to address the council about any item not on the agenda? If so, please state your name and address. Is there any public discussion this evening? This is the last opportunity for individuals to address the council upon items not on the agenda. Hearing no discussion, I move to the consent agenda covering the minutes of our last meeting and accounts payable through March 15th. Do we have a motion? [2:02] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Motion to approve. [2:02] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Second. [2:02] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Motion by Councilor LeBlanc, second by Councilor Hjelle. Roll call, please. [2:02] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Geissler? [2:02] **Councilor John Geissler:** Aye. [2:02] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Hjelle? [2:02] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Aye. [2:02] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Mayor Boucher? [2:02] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Aye. Next is ordinances, a second reading of Ordinance 2023-02, an ordinance amending the Hermantown code of ordinances by adding a new section 405, sale of tetrahydrocannabinol products. Do we have a motion? [2:49] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** I make motion to approve. [2:49] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Motion by Councilor Hjelle. Do you have a second? [2:49] **Councilor John Geissler:** Second. [2:49] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Second by Councilor Geissler. Mr. Mulder? [3:35] **City Administrator John Mulder:** So this ordinance would allow for the sale of THC products um in the city of Hermantown, but you must have a tobacco license um in order to sell those. You'll have to get a license to sell it and it must be in conjunction with a tobacco license. Um the um a sale of THC drinks would not be allowed at the local uh bars and liquor license holders unless they had also a tobacco license, and those would not be allowed for consumption on premises. [3:35] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** That's correct. Our—I should have asked this earlier—but are there any other THC products that would be allowed consumption on premises for the sales, like gummies or— [3:35] **City Attorney:** Mayor, Council, the THC products is—the the ordinance specifically prohibits um the using the products on the location. On-site consumption prohibited; that is in Section 405.06.5 um and so that would not be allowed on any premises where that is licensed. [4:26] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Thank you. Any questions or comments from Council? Is there any public input on this ordinance? If so, please state your name and address for the record. Any public input on Ordinance 2023-02? Last opportunity for public input on the ordinance in front of the council. Roll call, please. [5:00] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Peterson? [5:00] **Councilor Joe Peterson:** Aye. [5:00] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Geissler? [5:00] **Councilor John Geissler:** Aye. [5:00] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Mayor Boucher? [5:00] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Aye. Ordinance 2023-03, an ordinance amending Hermantown code of ordinances section 270, fee schedule. Do we have a motion? [5:00] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Make motion to approve. [5:00] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Motion by Councilor Hjelle. Do we have a second? [5:00] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Second. [5:00] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Second by Councilor LeBlanc. Mr. Mulder? [5:46] **City Administrator John Mulder:** So this just sets the fee for that license of at $600 in order to sell THC products. [5:46] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Thank you. Any questions or comments from counselors? Is there any public input on this ordinance? Opportunity for public input on Ordinance 2023-03. Anyone wishes to comment on this ordinance, please state your name and address. Roll call, please. [6:15] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Geissler? [6:15] **Councilor John Geissler:** Aye. [6:15] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Hjelle? [6:15] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Aye. [6:15] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor LeBlanc? [6:15] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Aye. [6:15] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Mayor Boucher? [6:15] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Aye. Resolutions. Resolution 2023-30, resolution authorizing a summary of an ordinance amending Hermantown code of ordinances by adding a new section 405, sale of tetrahydrocannabinol products. Do we have a motion? [7:06] **Councilor John Geissler:** Motion to approve. [7:06] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Motion by Councilor Geissler. A second? [7:06] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Second. [7:06] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Second by Councilor Hjelle. Mr. Mulder? [7:06] **City Administrator John Mulder:** Again, this is just uh authorizing this to print the summary of the long ordinance in the paper. [7:06] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Thank you. Any questions or comments from council? Is there any public input on this matter? Any public input on the resolution authorizing a summary? Any public input on Resolution 2023-30? Roll call, please. [7:25] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Hjelle? [7:25] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Aye. [7:25] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor LeBlanc? [7:25] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Aye. [7:25] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Geissler? [7:25] **Councilor John Geissler:** Aye. [7:25] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Mayor Boucher? [7:25] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Aye. Resolution 2023-31, resolution authorizing a summary of an ordinance amending Hermantown code of ordinances section 270, fee schedule. Do we have a motion? [8:14] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Motion to approve. [8:14] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Motion by Councilor LeBlanc. Do we have a second? [8:14] **Councilor John Geissler:** Second. [8:14] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Second by Councilor Geissler. Mr. Mulder? [8:14] **City Administrator John Mulder:** Again, this is just a summary of the entire fee schedule for only that area that we changed, which was the uh um license fee for the THC sales. [8:14] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Thank you. Any questions or comments from Council? Hearing none, is there any public input on this resolution? Is there any public input on Resolution 2023-31? Last opportunity for public input. Roll call, please. [8:24] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor LeBlanc? [8:24] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Aye. [8:24] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Geissler? [8:24] **Councilor John Geissler:** Aye. [8:24] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Hjelle? [8:24] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Aye. [8:24] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Mayor Boucher? [8:24] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Aye. Resolution 2023-32, resolution amending the recommended fine schedule for single and multiple occurrence offenses of the city of Hermantown code of ordinances and the Hermantown zoning regulations. Do we have a motion? [9:09] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Motion to approve. [9:09] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Motion by Councilor Hjelle. A second? [9:09] **Councilor John Geissler:** Second. [9:09] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Second by Councilor Geissler. Mr. Mulder? [9:09] **City Administrator John Mulder:** So the city maintains a fine schedule for violation of various ordinances, and so we've simply added um the sale of THC products um to that fine schedule. So the first offense would be $200, the second offense would be $400, and the third offense $800. [9:09] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Thank you. Any questions or comments from Council? Hearing none, is there any public comment on this resolution? Is there any public comment on Resolution 2023-32? Is there any public comment on the resolution in front of the council? Roll call, please. [9:50] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Geissler? [9:50] **Councilor John Geissler:** Aye. [9:50] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Hjelle? [9:50] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Aye. [9:50] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor LeBlanc? [9:50] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Aye. [9:50] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Mayor Boucher? [9:50] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Aye. Resolution 2023-33, resolution approving a Grant application between FEMA and the City of Hermantown and authorizing and directing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute and deliver such Grant application on the behalf of the city of Hermantown. Do we have a motion? [10:35] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Motion to approve. [10:35] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Motion by Councilor LeBlanc. Do we have a second? [10:35] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Second. [10:35] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Second by Councilor Hjelle. Mr. Mulder? [10:35] **City Administrator John Mulder:** So as we talked about in the previous uh meeting about the potential um staffing plan for the fire department, that we've applied for a FEMA Grant to fund um two full-time positions um that we have um currently kind of in our tentative plan for a fire department um next year. So this would um simply—this is just approving the Grant application at this point. [10:35] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Thank you. Any questions or comments from Council? Is there any public input on this resolution? Is there any comments from the public on Resolution 2023-33? Last opportunity for public input on Resolution 2023-33. Roll call, please. [11:22] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Hjelle? [11:22] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Aye. [11:22] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Geissler? [11:22] **Councilor John Geissler:** Aye. [11:22] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Mayor Boucher? [11:22] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Aye. Resolution 2023-34, resolution approving request for proposal for easement right-of-way acquisition services for the city of Hermantown. Do we have a motion? [12:08] **Councilor John Geissler:** Motion to approve. [12:08] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Motion by Councilor Geissler. Do we have a second? [12:08] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Second. [12:08] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Second by Councilor Hjelle. Mr. Mulder? [12:08] **City Administrator John Mulder:** So as part of the community recreation initiative, we want to build uh the Hermantown connector trail, and that will require us to maintain or acquire easements from various landowners for the trail. And so what we're proposing here is this RFP to get proposals from various firms to provide that service to the city um if approved tonight. We would advertise for these proposals, send them out to firms that we know are doing this kind of business this work, and we would have you award a contract sometime probably in May. [12:08] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Thank you. Are there any questions or comments from counselors? Is there any public input on Resolution 2023-34? We have an opportunity for the public to comment or ask questions about Resolution 2023-34. Is there any public input on this resolution? Roll call, please. [12:49] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor LeBlanc? [12:49] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Aye. [12:49] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Geissler? [12:49] **Councilor John Geissler:** Aye. [12:49] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Hjelle? [12:49] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Aye. [12:49] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Mayor Boucher? [12:49] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Aye. Resolution 2023-35, resolution receiving a preliminary engineering report and calling for a public hearing for Road Improvement District number 541, Hermantown Road and Old Midway Road. Do we have a resolution—or a motion? [13:34] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Motion to approve. [13:34] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Motion by Councilor Hjelle. We have a second? [13:34] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Second. [13:34] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Second by Councilor LeBlanc. Mr. Mulder? [13:34] **City Administrator John Mulder:** So this is the first step in uh this road improvement project along Hermantown Road and Old Midway Road. Um we will send out notices to all the affected property owners along those two stretches of roads, and we will have an informal public information meeting with those residents um sometime between now and April 17th. And then on April 17th, they'll be back here for the public hearing for you to consider the residents' um thoughts and wishes regarding this project. [14:19] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Thank you. Any comment from Council? I'm personally glad to see this proceeding. It's been on our plate for quite a while and looked at it down the road for the last eight years. Is there any public input on this resolution? Any public input on Resolution 2023-35? Is there any public input on the resolution receiving their preliminary engineering report? Roll call, please. [14:53] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Geissler? [14:53] **Councilor John Geissler:** Aye. [14:53] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Peterson? [14:53] **Councilor Joe Peterson:** Aye. [14:53] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor LeBlanc? [14:53] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Aye. [14:53] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Mayor Boucher? [14:53] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Aye. Resolution 2023-36, resolution authorizing and directing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute and deliver this State of Minnesota State Powers agreement with the city of Hermantown on behalf of its City Attorney and Police Department. Do we have a motion? [15:39] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Motion to approve. [15:39] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Motion by Councilor Hjelle. Do we have a second? [15:39] **Councilor John Geissler:** Second. [15:39] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Second by Councilor Geissler. Mr. Mulder, could you explain this one too? [15:39] **City Administrator John Mulder:** Sure, and I'll explain resolution 37 as well at the same time. Um both of these resolutions are agreements with the state court system that simply allows um this Police Department and the City Attorney access um to their um automated system and allows us to share information with the court system. [15:39] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Thank you. Any questions or comments from Council? Is there any public input on Resolution 2023-36? Is there any public input on this resolution? Is there any public input on this resolution? Roll call, please. [16:20] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Hjelle? [16:20] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Aye. [16:20] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor LeBlanc? [16:20] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Aye. [16:20] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Geissler? [16:20] **Councilor John Geissler:** Aye. [16:20] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Mayor Boucher? [16:20] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Aye. Resolution 2023-37, resolution authorizing and directing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute and deliver the court data services subscriber amendment with the city of Hermantown on behalf of its Police Department. Do we have a motion? [17:05] **Councilor John Geissler:** Motion to approve. [17:05] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Motion by Councilor Geissler. Do we have a second? [17:05] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Second. [17:05] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Second by Councilor LeBlanc. Mr. Mulder, uh—we've already gotten the explanation, right? Is there any comment from Council on this resolution? Is there any public input on this resolution? We have an opportunity for public input on Resolution 2023-37. Is there anyone that would like to comment on this resolution? Roll call, please. [17:23] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor LeBlanc? [17:23] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Aye. [17:23] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Geissler? [17:23] **Councilor John Geissler:** Aye. [17:23] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Hjelle? [17:23] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Aye. [17:23] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Mayor Boucher? [17:23] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Aye. Resolution 2023-38, resolution authorizing and directing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute and deliver an agreement between the Hermantown Volunteer Fire Department and the City of Hermantown. Do we have a motion? [18:07] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Motion to approve. [18:07] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Motion by Councilor Hjelle. Do you have a second? [18:07] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Second. [18:07] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Second by Councilor LeBlanc. Mr. Mulder? [18:07] **City Administrator John Mulder:** Um, as we were talking about the Fire Department at the last meeting, we realized that we did not have an agreement in place for services for '22 and '23. Um they've completed the work in '22. We've paid them as if we had the agreement, but we felt it was important for us to put the paperwork in place not only for '22 but also this year for '23 as well. [18:07] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Thank you. Do we have any questions or comments from Council? With none, do we have any public input on Resolution 2023-38? Is there any public input on the resolution to deliver an agreement between the city and the Hermantown Volunteer Fire Department? Is there any public input on this resolution? Roll call, please. [18:48] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Geissler? [18:48] **Councilor John Geissler:** Aye. [18:48] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor Hjelle? [18:48] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Aye. [18:48] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Councilor LeBlanc? [18:48] **Councilor Brian LeBlanc:** Aye. [18:48] **City Clerk Alissa McClure:** Mayor Boucher? [18:48] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Aye. And last item of business is recess. Do we have a motion for recess? [18:48] **Councilor Andy Hjelle:** Motion to recess. [18:48] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Motion by Councilor Hjelle. Do you have a second? [18:48] **Councilor John Geissler:** Second. [18:48] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Second by Councilor Geissler. All in favor say aye. [18:48] **All Councilors:** Aye. [18:48] **Mayor Wayne Boucher:** Any opposed, same signs. Thank you all, have...