Good evening and welcome to this prayer lake city council meeting of Tuesday March 24th 2026. If you would please uh stand and join me in the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to >> of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Good evening and it is so wonderful to see such a full council chambers this evening. Um the first item on our agenda is the public forum. The public forum is that opportunity for anyone in our council chambers to come before council share with us um whatever may be um on your mind. The only exclusion or exception is uh at this time we could not accept testimony for on an item for which a hearing has either been scheduled or for which a hearing has taken place. So with that loan exception um we would welcome you to uh come before us to the side lect turn um for uh upwards of four minutes. And I can see that we have two individuals that have signed up to be heard this evening. And the first is Mr. Gary Pearson. If I could invite Mr. Pearson again to the side uh lecturing here and at the base of the microphone, Mr. Pearson, you'll see a button and uh it's probably red right now. If you would push it uh turn it green so that those at home can hear you as well. And we look forward to your testimony, please. >> Okay. I'm Gary Pearson. I've been living in Prior Lake since October of 87. Same place. I have the creek that runs between Spring and Prior Lake. Um, I actually own a land that goes all the way across the creek up to Lime Road. I came home from work this this winter uh about about a month ago and the city had come in and they took everything out. They wiped all my trees out. They took all the stuff. I've got pictures. Uh, they came in in June of uh last year and they came in with some kind of a brush hog. I was up north at the time and they uh turned it sideways and started cutting. They got hooked up on a couple trees and they busted them. I got pictures of that from June and um they made a mess. I got a city ordinance. As we all know, we're going through e emerald ashbor. So, I've got uh on my property alone, I've got 24 trees that have emerald ashbor. I've cut seven of them myself and the city did come and cut five on the other side. Um didn't ask, they just marked them, which is fine. I mean, I realize what they're doing in case the power lines or whatever. What's that? But they also came in before uh before that and had wiped out my neighbors got the land that's right up against counter road 12, 170th, and comes down on a creek on the other side of Lime Road, too. And they wiped his all his stuff out all the way down. They took um couple of my trees were over six inches big. One was a box elder, which still alive. I had two choke cherry trees that were taken and I had and numerous um dog woods and then some smaller stuff. And when I got a city or from Dale downstairs about cleaning up after I had the trees cut down from um emerald ashbor, I had so many days to clean up the brush. The mess that they left on the other side of the creek is unbelievable. I've got all sorts of pictures if he wants and anybody can drive down and take a look. Um I know Paul used to live over by me that's on the fire department so he kind of knows where we're at on this too. So, but uh I was just wondering off all the years I've been there um I've never used fertilizer. I don't you can see it in my yard because all I got is is um creep and Charlie growing in there. But if I do use fertilizer, if I use any um poison or you know Roundup or whatever, it washes right in the creek which ends up in Prior Lake. So, I'm pretty conscious about that. I did go to school for natural resources up at Brainer Tech College um back in ' 84 and so I know a lot quite a bit about groundwater and stuff like that. So I've just now that they've wiped everything out on the other side which I realize they got a 10-ft easement and they went well beyond 10 foot. Um, I'm just wondering with all the brush and all the stuff that they left if they're going to replant or what they're going to do over there since it is my property and Piro Pooie's property. And uh, I don't know what if you can address this now or not. Um, I tell you what, thank thank you for your testimony. What I'll do is I'll go ahead and we have one other that signed up u to be heard this evening, Mr. Pearson. Um what we'll do is at the conclusion of the forum this evening, I'll go ahead and turn to Manager Wedell for him to discuss um potentially uh reaching back out to you. So unless there's any additional testimony you have for us, um I'll go ahead and say if you would please uh take a seat and we'll uh when we conclude forum, we'll have Manager Wedell make some comments. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um also signing up this evening is Mr. Ryan O'Keefe. Mr. O'Keefe. >> All right. Thank you, gentlemen. Um, my name is Ryan O'Keefe. I live right over in the Jeffers Pond development kind of in the Wilds uh neighborhood there. Couple years ago, we had a uh uh all of our roads redone uh to the tune of over about six million, which I think we had about 2500 homes that everybody was assessed about 1,600 and some dollars um on that project. Now that the snow is melted and everything else, um on my way here tonight, I drove through the Wilds neighborhood. The roads are horrible. Massive cracks. the second lip that they put on there is horrible, right? Every 20, 30, 40 feet all cracks, right? So, I think two years, I mean, what is what is the warranty on something like that, right? The it's it looks horrible, right? I I actually walked my dog down to the bus stop to get my daughter off and I'm kicking asphalt back onto the street. So I think for six or seven million dollars whatever you guys paid for absolutely horrible absolutely horrible job right I'm in the construction industry I'm a contractor if I were to build you guys you know remodel your bathroom and you didn't like it you would probably not want to pay me right so you now you assess 2500 homes in that neighborhood almost $1600 right I'm the vice president of our homeowners association we have 32 and they came to me and like, "What can we do?" Well, here I am. So, I'm kind of pissed, right? For $1,600, $3 million that we pay for. I don't know what our and and our property taxes went up again, right? So, what So, what do our taxes pay for here? Right? Why are we being assessed $3 million? And what are we paying taxes for? Well, I don't know. You guys are looking at me, but I mean, you're in charge. I mean, what what are we paying taxes for? >> So, be happy to Does that conclude your test testimony, Mr. O'Keefe? >> What >> does it conclude your testimony, Mr. O'Keefe? >> Well, I'm kind of I'm kind of I'm kind of upset about the whole deal. So, I mean, why why am I paying $1,600, right? >> Mr. Mr. O'Keefe. >> Yeah. >> Thank Thank you, sir. If I could, if this concludes your testimony, I do have one question for you if I could. Um the road in particular where you were kicking asphalt if I can just as we're going to have manager Wedell address here. Is there a specific road or you're saying the entirety of homeowners association if you would give me the name of the road? Is it your road? >> Enclave Court Northwest. Right. You can drive through every place in the wilds up through the golf course 2500 homes. Everything 20 to 30 40 feet is all cracked out and it looks like hell. So if if I'm if I'm a taxpayer here in Prior Lake, I'm upset about it. Yeah. >> Fully understand. As am I. >> As am I. Mr. O'Keefe. >> Okay. So, thank you for your testimony if you would. >> Yeah. >> Invite you to if you would turn off the microphone. Is there anyone else that would like to come before the forum this evening and be heard? Seeing none, we'll go ahead and conclude the forum. Manager Wedell, if I can turn to you um first on Mr. Pearson um and uh his property and the tree removal that was in June of this >> last year, >> last year 2025 >> or winter. So J I thought I >> So this work was done when sir >> so February. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Manager Woodell please. >> Mayor uh counselors and members of the audience. So I I did get a chance to connect with Mr. Pearson before the meeting started this evening and he did show me the pictures on his phone of the trees that he's referencing in his testimony tonight. I don't have the background on on that, but I I will commit to Mr. Pearson that I will talk to our staff and we will look into it and understand what took place there and what restoration needs to occur and we will circle back with Mr. Pearson. We have his contact information and we will circle back with you once we know a little bit more. >> I would say yes. And actually if Mr. Pearson if if you want to have either a um Mr. Mr. Monzer, I see you in the back of the room. If you want to either a connect Mr. Pearson right behind you over your right shoulder, gentleman right in the back there, if you would share your complete contact information with Mr. Monzroode, manager Wedell will follow up. >> Thank you so much. Uh if I can now turn to Mr. O'Keefe and I'm going to uh uh if I may. Uh manager Wedell, I'll kind of tee up the questions. I heard a couple of things. One, what's the warranty on a road project? Uh, number two, relative to cost, what are we paying for as taxpayers? And if you would, it sounds like this was a potentially a million overlay. Uh, is the is the project specifically if the assessments were on the order of uh $1600, then it would have been a million overlay project, I believe. um and how much of that if you would taxpayer dollars assessments but warranty of the street um what recourse because certainly if what we're paying for is falling apart a year later or less than a year later um I too share Mr. O'Keefe's uh disappointment. So if I can uh turn it to you. >> Uh thank you mayor. Uh I'm familiar with the cracking that Mr. O'Keefe is referencing as somebody who lives myself in the same project area as does councelor Lake. We were all part of that same exact project with the Milan overlay. And with Milan overlays, it's anticipated that we are always going to have some level of reflective cracking that comes through the surface. Because we didn't replace all of the batuminous, we only ground off the top two inches. And so the underlying two or three inches of batuminous that had existing cracks in it is still below it. We tried to do what's called a Texas unders seal is where they came through and they it looked like a chip seal or a seal coat that they put down after they milled it. They put that chip seal down and then they paved the two inches over the top of it. That chip seal is intended to try to keep the reflective cracking from coming through and it does help minimize that. But there's always going to be some level of reflective cracking that comes through and that's anticipated. So when we build into our pavement management program, we're doing a millin overlay. We always schedule a couple years after it that we're going to come through hot crack seal all the cracks and do a new seal coat over the top of it because that's anticipated. Um, it's a much cheaper fix to do a milling overlay and do the crack, seal, and the seal coat and get another 30 years out of the street. The only way you can avoid not having any cracking is if we had replaced all of the pavement, which you can do, but those assessments are typically on the order of $5 to $6,000 per house, not $1,600. So, this is a cost-effective way to get another 30 years of life out of the streets, but we do know that there are going to be some cracks that come through and it's it can be frustrating for sure to see that. But that's not a warranty issue per se. If there's something more than just cracking, if there's a a pothole or something bigger, then that would be a warranty issue that we would take a look at for sure. So, we will definitely take a look at Enclave Court. I know exactly where you're at. Uh, and I know that location. So um if you can at the highest level as well possibly in this example uh percentage-wise uh assessments on Milan overlays percent that is uh by way of the general tax levy and then what is assessed >> I assessments are typically in that 15 to 20% of the the total cost and the city tax levy picks up roughly the other 80% or or so. >> So you're saying every >> Yes. >> Yes. Yes. Uh, council member Braden. >> And then the other question I heard is what does the tax dollars go for? So what is the city provide? Police fire service. Can you kind of speak to that? 24 plowing like just taxes in general on the city portion, not the county portion or the school district because that's not our jurisdiction. So, of the general tax levy dollars that you see on your property taxes, the city portion of it, a little over half of it goes for public safety, the people you see in this room, the police and fire. Uh, the other bit of it goes toward parks and street replacements and um and plowing and and daily operations, parks and wreck. Um, and if I can, uh, Mr. Keith, I appreciate your testimony and quite honestly relative to are we getting what we pay for absent your testimony. Um we don't often get the feedback. I'm not driving your street every day. So thank you for coming in. Uh I can assure you uh we will be u manager Wedell. I know we'll be taking a look. If the uh damage is inordinate outside of expectation, then I would expect it would be a warranty item because uh these road projects are extremely expensive and we want to make sure that we do get the 25 years after a mill and overlay out of that road section. So, thank you again for your testimony. That brings us to uh item three on our agenda council this evening, which is the approval of the agenda itself. If I would entertain a motion to approve as submitted. >> So moved. >> Motion by council member Brad, a second by council member Churchill to approve the agenda as submitted. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. That motion carries. Bringing us to the uh item four, which is approval of the March 10, 2026 city council meeting minutes. Council, are there any additions, modifications, changes to those? If not, I would accept a motion to approve as submitted. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion by council member Brad. Second by council member Churchill to approve the meeting minutes. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Abstain. >> That's four eyes and one abstain. Bringing us to the consent agenda this evening. Uh I'm going to go ahead and turn that item over to Manager Wedell to not only introduce consent agenda but also those items before us this evening. Manager Wedell, please. >> Thank you, Mayor and Council members and members of the audience. So our consent agenda is for those items that are considered routine or non-controversial. They're placed all together on the consent agenda. So, with a single motion and a vote, they all get approved. If the mayor or counselor asks for one of these items to be pulled off for separate consideration, it would be placed under item 10 on tonight's agenda. So, tonight we have the following items on consent. We have approval of the claims listing. We have a resolution authorizing the 2025 year-end transfers. We have a resolution approving the 2026 budget amendments. We have a resolution authorizing concurrence for the Prior Lake Spring Lake wershed district to obtain drainage authority for county ditch 13. We have a resolution approving a work order for construction materials testing for the Northwood Road phase 1 project, city project 2026-01. We have a resolution approving a grant application to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for local trail connection, which is trail segment 2 along Highway 13 from 150th Street Southeast to Fish Point Road. We have a resolution approving a temporary liquor license for St. Michael's Church on April 25th, 2026. Approval of a new massage therapy license for Eileen Mumford. a resolution ordering the preparation of the feasibility report and approving a work order for the preparation of a feasibility report for the proposed 170th Street improvements in the annexation area city project 2027-05. A resolution approving a temporary liquor license for Boat House Brothers Brewing in April. And finally, a resolution approving a temporary liquor license for Boat House Brothers Brewing in May. >> Thank you so much, Manner Wedell. Council, are there any items before us on the consent agenda that you would ask be removed and under or taken up under item 10? Seeing none, I would entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda as submitted. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion by council member Brad, second by council member Churchill to approve the consent agenda. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. That motion carries. Bringing us this evening to item 6A, which is a presentation of badges, fire department promotions. And I believe we have Chief Steinhouse. and Chief Steinhouse, feel free to uh lead us through this item. Thank you, Mayor, members of the council. Uh it's great to see everyone here again tonight. Our partners in PD are here tonight, so I thank you for coming and all the friends and family. It's always uh this is always a special night for us and we're always happy that we get a good turnout. So, welcome and and thank you for coming. Uh so we're here tonight to recognize our newest uh newest uh officers to the department. Uh Captain Dave Almond and firefighter uh Spencer Smith. Um Spencer uh joined PLFD just about a year ago. Uh but has been in the fire service for several years with Hopkins as a lieutenant. So his experience is uh much appreciated and uh I know he'll do a great job for us. uh with our department and he's proven himself several times already with uh his abilities and so we're super super thrilled to have him uh as uh as a captain with our department. Uh Dave Dave has been with the department for 11 years. Um and was one of our uh original hires uh at uh to captain back um in 2023 when we trans uh uh trans transferred over to the full-time side of things. So we're happy to have both of them here tonight. We're uh we're proud I'm pr proud of both of them. They both do a a wonderful job. Um, as you know, uh, Dave is Dave is, uh, replacing our assistant chief, Jim Rosika, who's leaving us later on this year. So, I know he didn't want me to say anything, but too bad. So, no, I thank Jim for his service and uh, and we got a got a good individual taking his place. So, uh, with that, I'll bring the mayor down to uh, administer the oath. I tell you what, David Spencer just in the U give come on over closer to the microphone first off. >> Congratulations and thank you so much. Um, if you would raise your right hand. Um, I state your name. >> Iith >> do solemnly swear >> do solemnly swear >> that I will faithfully serve the citizens of Prior Lake >> that I will faithfully serve the citizens of Prior Lake >> and my fellow members of the Prior Lake Fire Department. >> My fellow members of the Prior Lake Fire Department >> and that I will perform and discharge >> I will perform and discharge >> all duties incumbent on me according to the law. All duties in me according to the law >> to the best of my abilities and understanding. >> to the best of my abilities and my understanding. >> So help me God. >> Help me God. >> Again congratulations. So at this time um I thought what we do so badge. Yes. And then we'll take a brief recess for some photos. >> Perfect. >> Wonderful. badging him and then Spencer's fiance Hannah So again, I thank you all for coming. Uh, proud to introduce Assistant Chief Dave Amen and Captain Spencer Smith. And with that, we will call the meeting to a brief recess at 7:22 Um, Ready? Here we go. like to call the meeting back to order at 7:29 p.m. That brings us to Council Member Lays on updates. Council member Helier, please. >> Thank you, Mayor, members of the council. On the 17th, I met with a uh Cub Scout group uh to help them with a uh scouting achievement on civic engagement. Uh on the 19th I met or uh I went to the uh community engagement committee meeting. Uh got a good overview about escooters and the future of that. A lot of good ideas. Um Jason also talked about prior lake days coming up at the St. Paul Saints game this summer. So a lot of good um conversation. And then uh on Friday I had uh um agenda review. That's it. >> Thank you. Council member Heli or Council Member Lake. >> Thank you. Uh my updates are on uh March 316th uh uh on the 16th of March, I attended the EDA meeting. On the 20th, I attended the scale executive uh committee meeting. And on the 20th, I also had my agenda review. And that's it. >> Thank you. Uh Council Member Lake, Council Member Churchill. >> Thank you, Mayor. Well, on the 17th, the Prior Lake Spring Lake Watershed District had their meeting which was not attended by me and I had my agenda review on the 20th. >> Thank you so much, Council Member Churchill. Council member Bra, >> mayor, members of the council, EDA meeting was 3:16 and then on 3:23 I attended my general review. >> Um, thank you so much, Council Member Brad. Um, on the 11th of March, uh, Manager Woodell and I attended the League of Minnesota Cities Day on the Hill, and we also had a meeting with our representative, uh, Ben Bakeber and Senator Eric Pratt. On the 12th, uh, attended the U MLC housing subcommittee meeting. On the 13th, had our scale general meeting. On the 13th, also had our school district partner meeting. Um, on the 17th, we had a hearing on our Highway 13 trail bonding bill. And finally on the 20th um we had our check-in with Lockidge and Gindle and of course I had my agenda review on Friday with that manager Wedell. Is there anything that you would like to add? >> Yes. Thank you mayor and council members members of the audience. I would like to just add and council member Helier touched on it. Spring is in the air. We're thinking about baseball. So on August 6th it is going to be Prior Lake Day at the St. Paul Saints. So, that's a Thursday night game at 7 PM and there's going to be a lot more information coming out on that, but we wanted it to get it on people's calendars so that they're prepared for it. But, it's going to be a whole game focused on the city of Prior Lake and and the great things that we've got going on in Prior Lake. So, make sure you get that on your calendar. >> Thank you so much. With that, >> I'll make a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> A motion by Council Member Braid, second by Council Member Helier to adjurnn. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> I. That motion carries. The meeting is adjourned at 7:32.