This transcript has been formatted with speaker names based on the context provided and the dialogue within the meeting. [00:00] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It is 5:30 and I will call this regular meeting of the Burnsville City Council to order. It is our tradition to stand for a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance and we invite you to join us. 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. [snorts] [clears throat] [00:30] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** The clerk will note that um all council members are present. Council member Schulz is joining us remotely. [00:35] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Good evening, Council Member Schulz. [cough and clears throat] And it's good to see the members of our community in attendance in person. Um members of our community can also choose to watch the meeting at Burnsville.mn.gov/meetings or Comcast channel 16 or 859. The public can also participate through Zoom by joining us at zoom.us/join. More information is available [clears throat] on our meetings web page and in the council agenda packet. The first item on our agenda is announcements. Our announcements have to do with all of our upcoming meetings. Regular council meetings are scheduled for Monday, [snorts] February 2nd. And it's moved to Monday, February 2nd, because uh of caucus and um the law does not allow us to hold a meeting when there are caucuses happening. And that'll be at 5:30 right here in the council chambers. Also, a council uh meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 17th at 5:30. We have an annual offsite uh work session that's scheduled for Friday, February 6th at 9:00 a.m. and that's going to be at the AIM Center. We have a work session that's also scheduled for Tuesday, February 10th at 5:30 p.m. Unless noted, all meetings of the city council are held here in the council chambers. The next item on the agenda is citizens comments. This is the opportunity for anyone that would like to address the council on an item that is not on the agenda and not an application form that's coming before us at a future date. Does anyone want to address the council on an item that is not on the agenda and not an application form coming to us at a future date? Mrs. Henderson, is there anyone online? [02:45] **Deputy City Clerk Erica Henderson:** No, there is not. [02:47] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay, very good. Uh, we will move on. Um, the next item is additions to the final agenda and that is for emergency items only. City Manager Lindberg, are there any emergency items to come before the body? [03:01] **City Manager Gregg Lindberg:** Nothing from staff. [03:03] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Members of the council? [03:05] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** Nothing. [03:06] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay, we are at the consent agenda. The consent agenda is a group of items that's um considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion. However, an item on the consent agenda can be pulled for a separate discussion and vote. Is there anyone in the audience who wishes an item on the consent agenda to be pulled for a separate discussion and vote? [clears throat] Yes, ma'am. Um, if you'll come to the podium, give us your name and the city that you live in. [03:30] **Jean Foreman:** Thank you. My name is Jean Foreman. I live in Burnsville. [03:33] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay. Thank you. And what item would you like to pull? [03:36] **Jean Foreman:** Okay. Well, I've never done this before, so I hope I'm not out of order, so forgive me if I'm incorrect. Item 4G, the ordinance amending the Title One, Chapter 13. [03:45] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. Have a seat. That item is being pulled for a separate discussion and vote. Is there another item that anyone would like to pull for a separate discussion and vote? Miss Henderson, is there anyone online? [03:57] **Deputy City Clerk Erica Henderson:** No, there is not. [03:59] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay. Um, Mr. Lindberg, does staff want to pull an item? [04:02] **City Manager Gregg Lindberg:** Nothing from staff. [04:03] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Mayor, members of the council. [04:05] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** Nothing. [04:06] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** All right. So, may I have a motion to adopt the consent agenda, please? [04:10] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** So moved. [04:11] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Second. [04:12] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** There's a motion and a second. All in favor, please say I. [04:15] **City Manager Gregg Lindberg:** Mayor, may we we need a roll call vote? [04:17] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Oh, yes. I'm sorry, Council Member Schulz. I'm sorry. We got to get used to this when you're when you're when you're joining remotely. So, we'll do a roll call. Council member Schulz. [04:25] **Council Member Cara Schulz:** Yes. [04:26] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Council member Kealey. [04:27] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** Yes. [04:28] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Council member Gustafson. [04:29] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** Yes. [04:30] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Council member Workman. [04:31] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Aye. [04:32] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Mayor Kautz. Yes. Okay. Very good. So now um item 4G is an ordinance amending title one chapter 13 stewardship of city resources and resolution affirming community values and stewardship of [snorts] community resources amidst immigration operations. Presenting this ordinance is our attorney, Mr. Shepard. [05:01] **Mr. Shepard (City Attorney):** Mayor, members of the council. [clears throat] At its January 6th meeting, the city council voted for staff to bring back a policy prohibiting staging on city property. At this meeting, uh in front of you, item 4G is that policy in ordinance form. The the proposed ordinance amends title one of the city code to clarify the appropriate use of city resources including city property by city staff and city public officials. It reaffirms that city resources must be for a public purpose under state law and in a used in a non-discriminatory manner that serves the entire community. It prohibits the use of city resources for federal immigration enforcement including the use of city property, buildings and parks. Um the enforcement of the ordinance is an operational one subject to the discretion of city staff based on operational needs. Um like all code enforcement or all city ordinances. Um allowing residents to peacefully assemble remains a chief priority uh during immigration activities. We can assume that enforcement will operate akin to nuisance or property enforcement where the key focus is on compliance not punishment and enforcement would be on a continuum again subject to resource allocation. Um, the ordinance in front of you is accompanied by a resolution that explains the basis for the ordinance and affirms Burnsville community values in line with the discussion in front of the council. And a motion to approve would include both the ordinance and the resolution. [06:30] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay. Thank you. Members of our community, there is only one thing hanging in these chambers and that is our values. And so I ask all of us to practice mutual respect and civility because that's who we are here in Burnsville. We care for one another and we speak respectfully and we listen politely because everyone's voice is important. And so we have people who have signed up to speak and we're happy to hear what you have to say. But I also want us to understand that we have been aware of all of the activities that has been [clears throat] going on in our region. And uh we also understand of our limitations and we'll I will speak to that when the time comes for me to make my remarks and each of the council members will also make remarks. After you speak, we will listen. And I'm going to ask that everyone limit their remarks to three minutes so that we can move on and also do the work of the public that is before us for this evening. So I thank you for your patience and your grace in understanding the things that we have to do together because this is about all of us together working together for the good of our community. And so the first person who is on this list is Yousef Hajan. Mr. Hajan, if you would come to the podium and just give us your name and the city you live in and we can all limit our remarks [snorts] to three minutes and city manager Lindberg, I don't know if you or somebody can time. [08:15] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Thank you, madam mayor, members of the council, clerk's office will take care of it. [08:18] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Yeah. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Hajan. The floor is yours. [08:21] **Yousef Hajan:** Thank you, Mayor Kautz. Thank you, city council, and everyone else who has joined us here today. My name is Yousef Hajan. I live in Burnsville. I'm a homeowner. I'm raising my family here and I'm so happy to see everyone here today. It's an important day. I am here to share with you guys with all of you collective suffering of our Burnsville residents. Uh most of our business owners. I am a business owner myself. Uh this issue, this immigration, this ICE in our community has really impacted a lot of business in our community and it has affected even individuals, even families, even children. Children are having to come home and talk about what ICE is doing in our community. And so for me, uh I'm here because I know all of you feel you are human beings and I'm not here to criticize anyone. I'm not here to put anybody in a bad spot, but you have to feel it within you. Uh that you have to understand what impact we're having as a community and how we're being affected by this. Uh you know, I give you a story where my neighbor uh fearful uh of the Latino community uh haven't heard of him about 3 days now, went and knocked his door. He opened the door and he the first thing he said to me was "no ICE, my friend." You know, so this is this is the fear we're talking about. This is the conversation we are having in our community. Uh you have having to go all over Burnsville and get into individual businesses. They're all empty, you know, and people are afraid to come to work. Uh even the normal democratic process of us expressing ourselves even when it comes to voting, you have fear of communities that usually come out uh asking themselves twice when we go out and talk to them about how this uh process is important. So for us also we're building a city uh a beautiful city and you guys I think have done a great job in doing that. There's more that needs to be done but you know give you credit. Uh and so we need to be able to be having serious conversation about our community uh including having a Martin Luther King Junior Day educational conversation on race. [10:35] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** One minute. [10:36] **Yousef Hajan:** And also, I would love for you to consider unmasking ICE agents in our community so that we know who they are, how they look, cuz we don't know who's coming to our community masked with guns. We are not sure if they're law enforcement. We are not sure if they are ICE agents. So, that's another thing I wanted to bring up and that is important to us. Thank you so much. [10:55] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you, Mr. Hajan. The next speaker is Yan Chen and just give us your name and city. [11:04] **Yan Chen:** Good evening, council. Uh, my name is Yan. I'm a resident of Burnsville. I've been involved in Minnesota grassroots immigrant rights groups for over a year, and I'm in favor of amending the city policy to prohibit immigration enforcement from using, staging, gathering, and/or deploying to and from public city property. In fact, I'm in favor of the city council going even further to prohibit the use of any city materials, resources, or personnel to aid in the support of federal immigration matters. Part of your job, as I understand it, is to ensure that all of your residents can wake up without the fear of being abducted on the streets, that they can go to work to beloved establishments without the fear of being violently tackled during a shift, and that they can operate businesses without being forced to shut down to keep their employees and co-workers safe from unidentified armed strangers. While you consider your own amendment, I insist that you consider an even more stringent amendment. Luckily for you, there's already a concrete model to follow. That is the revised separation ordinance that was unanimously adopted by the Minneapolis City Council in December and that I emailed to the city clerk earlier today. I've witnessed personally how multiple 20 or more plus unmarked vehicles in addition to lightly armored assault vehicles commonly known as a Bearcat blockade multiple city blocks as ICE per walked a sole individual out of a house and I overheard on their radio that this person was identified as not the person that they're looking for but simply as a quote unquote illegal and after speaking to the sobbing wife of the person and the other people who are working at the house. They reported that even though the agents broke down the doors, they never saw a warrant. And [snorts] similarly, on January 6th, I spoke to the manager of my favorite local taco shop as he told me the ridiculous story of how ICE entered his restaurant and chased an employee and then they decided to close early and remain closed for the rest of the week. He additionally told me that their other locations had to be shut down because their employees who had been working for more than two years with legal work permits were abducted during their shifts. I've personally been pepper-sprayed and thrown onto hoods of vehicles and threatened with arrest without charge. These are not actions of a well-trained and measured law enforcement. These are actions of an unhinged paramilitary that I do not want to see on my streets or in my city ever again. Thank you. [13:15] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. Uh Mr. Doug Hoyer and just name and name of the city you live. [13:22] **Doug Hoyer:** Doug Hoyer, Burnsville. And I'll yield two of my three minutes to someone else. Uh my wife and I have lived in Burnsville since 1988 and we fully support the ordinance amending title one chapter 13 stewardship of city resources and resolution number 26. Burnsville needs to stand for the values that make our community vibrant, strong, and a welcoming place for everyone. Thank you. [13:45] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. Um, Miss Alpa Goswami. Name and the city. And I know who you are. [13:52] **Alpa Goswami:** My name is Alpa Goswami. I'm from Burnsville. And I'll also yield my extra minutes to somebody because I'm not as eloquent as some of these other speakers are. Um, but I have seen how terrified everyone is. I've seen the restaurants close down. Um, there's so much distrust in the neighborhoods of seeing cars drive by like always watching. Um, lack of workers coming in. There's a very popular gym around here that sent out an email today saying that their custodians aren't coming in across [snorts] across the Twin Cities, not just in Burnsville, but they are just asking anyone to volunteer to be a custodian. Um, and I feel like if we can, um, I support this bill, too. Um, I think that's what's called or proposition. I'm using the wrong word. Ordinance. Thank you. Um, so that kids can play safely and um, parents don't have to worry about their kids even just driving to and from school. Thank you. [14:45] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. Uh, Jesse Carlson. And just your name and city. [14:52] **Jesse Carlson:** Uh members of the council, my name is Jesse Carlson. I live in Eagan. I'm an Eagan resident. However, I grew up in Apple Valley and uh I work in real estate and sell a lot of real estate in Burnsville. uh Burnsville is one of my favorite places to sell. I grew up next to this city. Uh in in high school, we would go to the TGI Fridays that was at the Burnsville Mall. We're all still watching that. And I've been thoroughly impressed over my entire life seeing how Burnsville has come about and has evolved and really risen itself up uh with given some of the mall and some of the economic turmoil that the city has seen. Uh, I have found that many folks that I represent see Burnsville as a great place to move because of the up-and-coming nature, what has been done with the heart of the city with what has been done with the new businesses that come in here. What I'm very afraid of right now for the citizens of Burnsville is with all the businesses closing, with folks not feeling brave enough to go outside uh due to all of the all of the unrest that's going on that ICE has brought to the community here. Uh that these businesses may close their doors forever. And all of the gains that have been made economically within Burnsville in order to advance itself and to make itself the city that we're all loving right now. I second the motion to try to amend this uh this ordinance to go more stringently to ask for enforcement from the Burnsville Police Department in making sure that ICE does not use these uh these elementary schools for staging grounds. I've seen ICE agents at Vista View lining that up. This is a place for children. This is they've been lining up in those areas and and I've even heard reports of Burnsville police uh cooperating shaking hands with ICE agents here. Now, I am not here to disparage the police officers. They put their lives on the line every single day. But what I ask is for help. This community needs the help and protection because no matter what happens with this enforcement items and and the people they remove from our community, these are going to be your neighbors forever, right? Lining up with ICE with these enforcement folks, they're only going to be here for a short time. We have elections that could come up and that could change at any point in time. Do we really want to have negative impacts on the leaders within the community between the police department and its citizens? Thank you. [17:25] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. Thank you. Uh Jessica Vanar and so your name because I hope I pronounced it correctly but your city. [17:34] **Jessica Vanar:** Perfectly. My name is Jessica Vanar and I live in Burnsville. Um, council members, madame mayor, I listened to the discussion about ICE enforcement in Burnsville from last week's meeting, and I have to say residents don't need your sympathy or reassurance. We need action. Saying there is nothing we can do is not leadership. Doing nothing is unacceptable. This is a reality whether you like it or not. Inaction is permission for an abuser to escalate their behavior. This will only get worse unless Burnsville acts now. Doing nothing is a choice. You may not control federal agencies, but you do control how Burnsville uses its own resources and what it stands for. You are elected officials representing all residents. "You belong here" is our slogan, but it rings hollow at the moment. You say you're thinking about the long-term effects of our community, as are others. Understand this, fear and silence cause long-term harm. You cannot hide from it or self-care it away. [snorts] Please lead. You can start by voting yes on this ordinance to ban the staging and public property. I also agree with the proposal to ban it further with the unmasking of agents. These should be safe spaces for community members, not convenient locations for abductions. Community members being abducted at a police station or municipal center reeks of collaboration with federal agents. And both of these things happened this week in our neighboring suburbs. Do the right thing. Vote yes. And I thank you for your hard work and your time. [19:10] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you, Molly Gerky. [19:15] **Molly Gerky:** I scribbled Molly Gerky. I am a 20-year resident of Burnsville. My family and I are heavily involved in the community. My husband teaches at BHS. I work for the YMCA, a local clinic, and even right there at BCTV. I was very pregnant last time I was here, though. It was quite a while ago. We're in sports, community ed, Girl Scouts. My daughter was up at the dais last year talking about parks. We love our community, our parks, and our neighbors. Since December, life in Burnsville has changed for the worse. Our immigrant neighbors, our black and brown neighbors, and honestly, everyone I've spoken with are living with some kind of fear for their safety. That is not the Burnsville I know. I began going to mosque on Fridays in December to show support. Last week, a leader there told me attendance is way down ever since these targeted attacks began. People are afraid to worship in Burnsville. I spoke with a teen at the mosque who said Thursday she was hassled by ICE in the parking lot of the outlet mall and asked for her documentation—a child. I spoke with another teen that attends BHS who said she recently watched ICE bother somebody walking to school. She now carries her passport with her all the time. Again, this is a child. I've joined a group of parents and teachers who are staying vigilant during school release time for William Byrne. Two weeks ago, there was a confirmed ICE vehicle idling at the entrance of the apartments near the school at release time. That child didn't come the rest of the week. Parents and children of all immigration statuses are afraid to leave their homes due to potential and honestly likely harassment and unlawful detainment by ICE. My husband's classroom is seeing a 25 to 50% absenteeism every single day in every single class at the high school since December. Teachers are reaching out to students to make sure they're safe. Parents are transporting vulnerable children to and from school activities. Community members are dropping off food and supplies. What's the city doing? What are the police doing? [21:10] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** One minute. [21:11] **Molly Gerky:** ICE is making the city less safe and definitely not a place where everyone belongs. Last week, ICE caused a horrific car accident on County Road 5. And that wasn't even the first of its kind. They've used that technique in Shakopee a couple days ahead. My 16-year-old who works for the city as a warming house attendant over in Northview. I'm not letting him drive anymore. That was two blocks from where he goes to work every Sunday after how bad it is. The roads just aren't safe anymore when they're doing this behavior. They're unlawfully setting up checks at entrances to mobile homes and apartments. They're unlawfully speeding through Burnsville and even ramming their vehicles into others. They're unlawfully forcing entry into businesses and daycares. Their activity has caused Burnsville stores and restaurants to close for the safety of their staff and patrons. [clears throat] This is not the safe Burnsville it once was. Teachers are helping. Parents are helping. Tow companies are helping. Food shelves are helping. Community is helping. What is the city doing? [22:15] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. Andre Winters. Good evening. Name and just the city, please. [22:20] **Andre Winters:** Andre Winters, Burnsville. Um good evening, city council, city attorney, fire chief, police chief, residents. Um I was actually sent here to read something that my wife asked me to read. Um, and if it seems like I'm going to give you a constitutional lesson, yeah, that's my intent. Um, so I will read. And I'm also a school teacher, so I have that bent. And Mr. Shepard, I apologize if I sound like an attorney because I am definitely not an attorney. Um, so she writes, "Good evening, honorable members of the city council. My name is Beatrice Winters and I reside in Burnsville. I've been a resident of Burnsville for over 20 years. I am a mother, a wife, grandmother, and human rights advocate. As such, I am here before you to ask that the city council of Burnsville uphold the oath of office you swore before you officially assume the duties and exercise the powers of your position. You swore to uphold Minnesota law and local city charter norms. Under Minnesota law, you affirmed that you would support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the great state of Minnesota. So I stand before you reminding you that the Minnesota Constitution, Article 1, Section 7, addresses due process and habeas corpus. The Minnesota Constitution guarantees fundamental legal protections before someone can be held for a crime. No person might be held to answer for a criminal offense without due process of law. And no one can be deprived of life, liberty, and property without due process. Article 1, section 10 addresses unreasonable searches and seizures. The Minnesota Constitution also mimics the fourth amendment of the US Constitution protected at the state level. People have the right to be secure in their persons, possessions against unreasonable searches and seizures. In short, the Minnesota Constitution firmly protects liberty by requiring due process before holding someone for a criminal offense that requires judicial authorization, such as a warrant supported by probable cause before people and property can be lawfully seized or searched. While the Minnesota statute does allow arrest without a warrant in some circumstances, such as a crime committed in an officer's presence or when there is probable cause for a felony, this does not eliminate constitutional rights. Bottom line, Minnesota Constitution prohibits detention without due process or deprivation of liberty without constitutional safeguards." [24:50] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you, Mr. Winters. Uh, Aydah Winter. Name and City, please. [24:55] **Aydah Winter:** Uh, I'm Aydah Winter. I um have lived in Burnsville my entire life and I have never felt unsafe in this city until now. Um I've seen multiple ICE raids in our community and I've seen the Burnsville police assist ICE in these raids. Um I would like that to stop along with this amendment and stop anything from this city to benefit them whatsoever. And that's all. [25:15] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. Thank you. Tasha Weisenberger Pomeroy. Name and city. [25:20] **Tasha Weisenberger Pomeroy:** My name is Tasha Weisenberger Pomeroy. I live in Burnsville and have been a resident for seven and a half years. I moved to Burnsville from Minneapolis for its diversity and that diversity is also what has been the best part of being here. I have children in the schools. Um we've enjoyed the parks. We've enjoyed all elements of living here. And that diversity is also what is putting Burnsville under attack. And so I'd like to uh support the ordinance and ask actually that you go one step further. In the last weeks I've been helping to support my neighbors. Um I've been observing. I've been seeing what tactics ICE is using on the road. Completely dangerous. I've seen pictures of the accidents that they've caused. My children now know when ICE is on the road and can point them out by their dangerous driving behaviors. My kids are seven and 10. Those aren't safe conditions for anyone. And I'd like you to support this ordinance and consider additional steps that the police force can take to keep our citizens safe and how people are using our roads and how people are interacting with our citizens. [26:30] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. Thank you, Sarah Beckman. Hello. Name and just city. [26:35] **Sarah Beckman:** My name is Sarah Beckman. Um and I am a resident of Burnsville. Um I am not prepared because I didn't think I would make it in time, but I chose this city to raise my children in 11 years ago. Um because of its diversity. Um the beautiful things that happen in this community make it what it is. Um the fact that we all belong here, we all belong here. Um I truly believe that. Um but in the last two months there are things that are making me question. My family's first personal interactions were December 6th when my children and I were driving out of our street and turned the corner to watch a raid by ICE with 10 plus vehicles where members of our community were taken violently. My children watched long-armed long-gun armed officers in my streets less than a block from my home. And I know you know these things are happening but my kids are five, seven, and 10. [snorts] This is not what they should be seeing. Um in the last 10 days I've been observing um with my community um the very first day I watched a young father be violently detained. Um, I've seen multiple abductions since then. I have personally been threatened by ICE twice now. Um, once by using my name coming up and telling me that I will be arrested if I do not um, stay out of their way. I was in my car multiple aisles away from them in the Cub parking lot. The second time as I was watching them and had a confirmed ICE vehicle um to observe so that we can document and watch what's happening to our community so that no one goes missing, no one gets lost. I had an officer drive across town from 13 and 5 all the way to my home to show me that he knew where I lived. These are things that are not safe for my home, my community, my family. I love Burnsville. I love Burnsville and I want it to be safe. So, please adopt this ordinance. Again, I don't know what I'm saying, but please adopt this ordinance. And I would like for our police, who I deeply love, they work so closely with our PTO at Gideon Pond and they're present and I want them to step up and to pull the ICE officers over when they are being aggressive, when they are breaking the law, and to not threaten us. I don't want to feel unsafe here because I am trying to witness and keep our community safe. Thank you. [29:05] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Jean Foreman. [29:08] **Jean Foreman:** Hello again. Jean Foreman. I live in Burnsville and I'm coming today wearing my whistle. I don't leave the house anymore without my whistle. And I think there's probably a lot of people here who do the same because every day I leave my house, I don't know if I'm going to have to stand up for a neighbor, someone I don't know, but I believe in our safety because if my neighbors aren't safe, then ultimately I'm not safe. And I'll just echo what the previous testifier said. I went out on an observation actually was my first one just a few weekends ago and later that afternoon um there was an ICE vehicle patrolling in our neighborhood and there had not ever been one there before. So I think they are following and trying to intimidate Burnsville residents who are trying to stand up and do the right thing for all of our neighbors. But I do want to tell you that there is no need to obviously assist federal agents by allowing staging on any city property. Uh why would our city resources, our city council and city leadership want to be associated with the stories that you're hearing tonight? They're clearly getting their work done. Whatever it is, I'm not even sure. But they're disrupting life in Burnsville and we don't need to help them. And I don't want you all to help them. I want to help our neighbors. Understanding that some of the more serious events in other parts of our state have been far worse doesn't guarantee that it ultimately won't be a story told right here in Burnsville. It is time to recognize that the decision made tonight is a decision that our residents are going to live with now and into the future. How do we all want to be remembered in this moment? I appreciate it. Thank you. I just want to say that um public service—and I respect you all for that—means making difficult decisions. Truly difficult decisions. But this should be the easiest vote you should take is to approve the ordinance amendment and deny access to city property by federal agents who are here to terrorize us and terrorize our neighbors. Thank you. [31:30] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. Monica. And Monica, I can't read your last name, but it starts with an N. [31:35] **Monica Nicole:** Hi, my name is Monica Nicole. I am Nicole. Yes. I'm a first timer too. So, hello everybody. Um, I do want to start by saying I'm from Burnsville. Yes. Um, I just want to say thank you to the community who's showing up and um using your voice. Sorry. Um, as a brown woman, um, it has been very hard to leave the house and making sure that I have my passport. Um, I [clears throat] also have witnessed from firsthand family members are in fear. They're no longer contributing to our communities and our society because they are afraid of being abducted and treated inhumanely. I ask that you also pass the amendment. Um, I don't have my paper with me, but I ask that you please um help and use your power to help us, to help our community, to support us because what is happening is not right in any level. Um, I recently had to go help a family member and a community member who are legal here escape out of a Burger King because they have been surrounded all day long by these ICE agents and the fear that they have. It just it's heartbreaking. Um, this should not be happening. So I just ask for your help and ask you to do the right thing and protect our people and protect our community because we are all contributing here. We all came to find something better to support to be hard-working members of our community. So I that's all. Thank you so much. [33:25] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. Thank you Monica. Um, I think it's Nick. [33:30] **Nick:** That's okay. I apologize for my sloppy handwriting. I appreciate your uh reminder on civility and respect here because what I have witnessed over the last few weeks here has filled me with so much rage and tension. [33:45] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** And Nick, you're from Burnsville, right? [33:47] **Nick:** I am from Burnsville. Yes. Uh 14 years here now. Uh anyway, uh I've been filled with rage seeing what's going on in my city. I've been doing observation work here as many people have. Um I have seen ICE agents sitting at Terrace Oaks Park next to the skating rink where there should have been kids skating. There were ICE agents waiting to harass and hassle someone else without any probable cause. I've been around when um we've been doing observation work and ICE calls in and says that uh our fellow observers have been causing traffic accidents and ramming into their vehicles and sending the Burnsville police after them to hassle them on ICE's behalf, which is disgusting. Uh I have also been on the scene of other situations where ICE has been doing enforcement action and again Burnsville police are there fist-bumping and saying things like "I'll call you later" and things like that. And it fills me with such shame and rage that people wearing the badge for the police in my town are helping enable all of this. And I have to go and drop my kids off at a school where there's a Burnsville police car sitting in front—school resource officer. And what are we supposed to tell our kids when I've seen Burnsville police out helping ICE do this work? How are we supposed to trust that they're here to keep any of us safe when they're also collaborating and doing this work? Um, [snorts] I would ask that you pass the separation ordinance and take it a step further so that no other city resources are devoted to enabling what ICE is doing. [35:30] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** One more minute. [35:31] **Nick:** Um, they are everywhere. I took a trip to Menards the other day. I drove through three apartment complexes uh that I knew had vulnerable communities in them and ICE was uh circling around looking for people in two of them already. Uh it's completely unacceptable. Uh the only words from any of our cops to DHS or ICE or any of these other alphabet soup of agencies involved in any of these enforcement activities should be: "get the hell out of Burnsville." Thank you. [35:55] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. Okay, Emma Gabbard. [36:00] **Emma Gabbard:** Emma Gabbard and Burnsville, lifelong resident. Greetings to everyone here. Uh, my name is Emma Gabbard. Um, and I wanted to share my experience of being an ICE observer this past Saturday. Um, I was notified that ICE was stationed at the Kwik Trip on Highway 5 and Burnsville Parkway. Um, I pulled in, I saw a large SUV with out of state plates and looked in the drivers and passenger seat and soon enough saw that they were masked agents. Um, there were other observers there, but um, horns were not being honked and whistles were not being blown. And so I decided to go up and talk to them and ask what they were doing there. Um, which was pretty crazy, but I just wanted to see what they had to say for themselves. And so I asked them what they were doing there. They said that they had been stationed there. Um and I said, "Okay, I'm going to honk my horn and blow my whistle, you know, as I'm dedicated to doing that." And um the ICE agent in the passenger seat said, "Oh, honk your horn, blow your whistle, you do whatever you got to do, you know." And I'm like, "This is an interesting response to me coming up and asking you like basically to get out of here." Um, so I did just that. I started blowing my whistle, honking my horn, and soon, you know, my other observers came by. Um, and then at that point is when I saw three more vehicles surround us completely. Um, which means that they were probably looking to justify bringing in more reinforcements. Um, but we did not stop honking our horns, blowing our whistles. Um, and they eventually left without um, detaining anyone that I saw. So, I just wanted to share that experience because I know a lot of people have been threatened by ICE agents, but in this instance, it seemed like they were making a game of it. So today I ask the city of Burnsville to support the ordinance to limit the use of stewardship of city property for federal immigration enforcement staging operations. And I want to say too, we were talking about, you know, the importance of public service. I am running for the House of Representatives for District 55B, and I hope that my fellow public servants can uphold the values that we hold so dear to us here in Burnsville. Thank you so much. [38:25] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. Okay, Chris John. [38:30] **Chris John:** Madame Mayor, City Council, sorry, I'm sitting in the back. My name is Chris John. I live in Burnsville. I just wanted to talk a little bit about a story and I spoke with a few people to try to get some pictures in front of you. Um this an event that happened on Saturday, this past Saturday about 4:30 on 150th and County Road 5. [clears throat] It was a vehicle that was rammed by ICE and I don't know if they can get this picture in. They said if I point it toward the camera. And you can see that the damage and the person right in front of there is a Burnsville police officer. Can you guys see that? Okay. Yeah, it's coming up. The control room has it. And you might be looking at that thinking, what happened to the people inside? Well, I'm happy to say that they were fine. I got another picture if they want to show that as well. And you can see them sitting in the snow. They're being arrested. They were pulled out of that vehicle after all the damage. But don't worry, the kid in the back was cleared by the Burnsville paramedics. Physically cleared. Mentally? Who knows. These are the kind of processes that are happening. I don't feel like this is a policing action as much as it's a military takeover of our city. I think it's ridiculous and I really hope that we can at least push back a little bit by passing this ordinance. Thank you. [40:15] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you, uh, Katarina Gomez. [40:20] **Katarina Gomez:** Hello everybody. Hello, Mayor Kautz and city council members. My name is Katarina Gomez, but you may call me Katy. Uh, I am the proud grandchild of Cliff and Shirley Jacobson, the original settlers in Burnsville. While I am the second generation to be born and raised in Burnsville on my maternal side, I'm also a first generation Honduran American. My father's from Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Nearly all of my family on my paternal side still lives there, including my brother and my nephew. Needless to say, before I could articulate public policy, I felt the impacts of federal immigration policy on my family. And an important lesson I learned early on that there were some things that are just beyond even my parents' control. And my parents raised me well. Every night before we went to bed, I'd pray for my cousins in Honduras just as hard as I prayed for my cousins here in Minnesota. It was a childhood dream of mine to meet my family, laugh, and eat together without any worries. And I don't know about you city council members, but I've made great progress in making my childhood dreams come true in the recent years. The Honduran cousins I had only prayed for and seen pictures of on social media I finally gotten to know. This past month, my family hosted four of my cousins from Honduras here in Burnsville. And just this morning, they hopped on a plane at MSP heading back to Honduras. They were so excited to visit Minnesota for the first time to experience snow, to visit the Mall of America, all of the American things, eat sushi. But needless to say, our plans were drastically impacted by the recent surge of violent immigration enforcement actions in the visible presence of federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security. My cousins are tourists who did everything legally, yet were unable to safely visit the land of the free. Restaurants were closed, enforcement actions were being staged in public parks and parking lots, and these violent videos were being shared all over social media. How we support and care for each other is the only thing we have control of. We must think of how families and children are being impacted by the world we are creating for them to grow up in. One of my cousins that visited me from Honduras, she's only 10 years old. She's a beautiful reminder that children just like all of us are experiencing life for the first time. While me and so many other Americans have been losing sleep, looking up immigration policies, delivering groceries to neighbors, bearing witness to the experience of others, and connecting families to our local, much overextended community programs and organizations. My little cousin shared with me that she felt like her time in Minnesota was a beautiful dream that she didn't want to wake up in this month. And that was before she went to Build-A-Bear. How we react and respond to social disruption, tragedy, and violence will be observed by those around us, especially by the little ones in our community. Those who've studied immigration policy and enforcement trends in the United States can tell you that since DHS has been created in 2002, both Democratic and Republican administrations have removed millions of people through expedited processes. The difference is these recent immigration enforcement actions have been especially disruptive and intimidating and violent. This month my family wasn't able to explore the Twin Cities and we weren't comfortable traveling around the state even with all of our passport and our identification. So my cousins didn't quite have the Minnesota experience we envisioned. But we spent hours outside at our Burnsville parks sledding and building snow creatures. But the entire time I was anxious and on high alert because I know that even though we live down the street and even though I brought my passport sledding, I was fearful of being questioned. We need to preserve these spaces and other city-owned properties as trusted locations for families to continue supporting the healthy growth and development of children. [snorts] I know we can't bring immigration reform through city ordinances. I wish it was that easy. But I do know that we can mitigate harm to our most vulnerable community members. Thank you for checking in on your neighbors and your co-workers. Thank you for donating and delivering food for your neighbors. Extra shout out for food donations, please. And thank you for supporting this ordinance. [44:30] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. Okay. Joy Marber. [44:35] **Joy Marber:** Good evening. My name is Joy Marber and I'm from Burnsville. All right. Good evening, city council members. My name is Joy. I'm a 20-year Army veteran, a former military police officer, and a logistics NCO and a proud Minnesotan. I'm here tonight not just to speak as a veteran, but as a neighbor, a homeowner, and someone who has fought for peace both abroad and here at home. In 2020, I watched my community burn to the ground. Third precinct, Minneapolis on national television. I wasn't even home to process it. I was deployed to Camp Taji, Iraq, where we are under constant threat and heavy attack. I suffered my second TBI. I was serving my country, watching my neighborhood fall apart from thousands of miles away. When I returned, I couldn't shake the hyper-vigilance, the sounds, the tensions, the fear. It did not stay overseas. It followed me home. The VA mental health provider told me that if I wanted to manage my PTSD, maybe I need to find a more peaceful place to live, a place where I can breathe. So, I sold my home. I left my neighborhood, the only neighborhood I'd known. I came to Burnsville because it offered something desperately needed: stillness. And for a while, I found it. But now, that stillness is gone. I see masked men running around the streets chasing and threatening people. I hear the fear in my neighbors' voices. I feel the tension in my own body. My hyper-vigilance is back, worse than ever. The VA had to increase my medication again just so I can function. [clears throat] I didn't come to Burnsville to escape. I came here to heal. [46:35] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** One minute. [46:36] **Joy Marber:** I'm asking you, imploring you to help restore the peace that brought me here in the first place. I have done my part. I've served. I'm retired. I sacrificed. I rebuilt. Now, I need my city to do its part to protect its residents and to preserve its peace and to ensure that people like me don't have to keep running from trauma that we didn't ask for. I just want stillness. I just want peace. Please help us find it again. Thank you. [47:15] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you, Kelsey Nordstrom. [47:20] **Kelsey Nordstrom:** My story sounds kind of similar. Um, I'm new to Burnsville. I spent the last nine years in Texas and I got out of an abusive marriage and I came here for peace and I chose Burnsville to be here with community and I live in an apartment where everyone is an immigrant and everyone is black or brown and they're all scared. I have a half-Mexican autistic non-verbal child. We left trauma in Texas and we came here for peace. I wanted peace for so long. I work in a restaurant in Burnsville. My entire kitchen staff is terrified and I've brought mattresses there so they can sleep in the restaurant. We're all bringing them to and from work. Our dishwasher is missing. His name is Gallo Mauricio Tiiera Carguas Condo. [snorts] He's from Ecuador. I've called Monark. I can't find him. He is a permanent resident and has a social security number and I still can't find him. Um, I'm scared for my community. What I just lived through for the past nine years has made me very prepared for this. And I'm going to tell you that violence—you cannot appease it. We need to pass this ordinance and we need to unmask these men. There's a lot more that we need to do that I'm not going to say. Um, but it needs to start with community and it needs to start here. And if we truly say that we welcome all here, then we need to welcome all. And this is fear. And we can't be brought down by fear and we can't be brought down by masked men and a paramilitary force in our streets. I stand with my community. I'm using my white privilege to speak for the black and brown community that cannot be here right now. I stand with them. I donate to them. I love them. I love my neighbors. And yeah, ordinance. Yes, please. [49:30] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. Yeah. Okay. I think we can all appreciate all of the great words that have been shared with us this evening. Uh the next speaker is Hunter Cantrell. [49:40] **Hunter Cantrell:** Good evening, Madame Mayor and Council. Hunter Cantrell, Savage. I hope I'm not overdressed for the occasion. You know, so folks have said a lot of very compelling narratives here, a lot of very compelling experiences tonight. Um, and you know, I want to start off by saying our current time reminds me of Psalm 82:3. Defend the weak and the fatherless. Uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Now, I think it goes without saying that we are living in a time of great fear and great oppression. A time that we never thought would unfold in this country where agents of the government, specifically ICE agents, have been deployed in our communities to instill fear and intimidation among the most vulnerable people and community members that we have. People who have spent their entire lives contributing to our economies and our communities. People who fled countries where masked men would stop them on the streets while holding guns on the street corners saying, "Show me your papers." They fled countries like that for the United States. And yet here we are now. That is the reality that people in Burnsville, Savage, all throughout the Twin Cities and Twin Cities suburbs are facing. They're afraid that even though they might be a US citizen, even though they might have a legal visa to be here and to work, that when they leave their apartments or their homes in the morning or they show up to their places of work, that they or their loved ones are going to be disappeared to God only knows where. And to me, I think this is so wrong and it's blatantly unconstitutional what is happening. Federal judges have asserted as much. [51:30] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** One minute. [51:31] **Hunter Cantrell:** Thank you. Because of the magnitude of evidence of the violation of our civil rights, of our constitutional rights that these agents are committing, not in the name of public safety, but in the name of political retribution. Now, normally I deal with sickness that affects organs. I deal with sickness that might affect a broken bone, sickness of the mind even in my day-to-day. But right now, we have a sickness of the soul of this country. I think passing this ordinance is a step in the right direction to rectifying that sickness. I encourage you to support it. I encourage you to do what you can and for all citizens to do what they can peacefully to make sure that our civil rights are protected, our constitutional rights are protected, and that everybody, regardless of where they were born or their skin color, is able to thrive and succeed and know that their basic humanity is going to be protected in our state. I thank you for your consideration. [52:45] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. And our last speaker is Representative Jess Hanson. [52:50] **Rep. Jess Hanson:** Thank you, Madam Mayor. Madam Mayor, can I ask um I was sent a story from somebody who's too afraid to be here tonight. Would you mind if I took two separate sections so that this family's story could be told tonight? [53:05] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay. [53:06] **Rep. Jess Hanson:** Okay. Is that okay? I have my own comments, but I would like to also make sure everybody out there wants to speak, so I wanted to make sure that they got their chance, too. Thank you, members of the council. My name is Representative Jess Hanson. I live in Burnsville. And I will first share a story with you from residents who were too afraid to speak. She says, "My husband and I witnessed a truck with doors wide open and a bunch of personal belongings in the snow. We asked a neighbor what happened and the neighbor said ICE had chased the truck there and then ransacked the car leaving all the belongings on the ground. I'm a constitutional observer, so I took photos of what ICE had left behind and I returned to my car and we left. We didn't get far before a car pulled out in front of us and another very closely behind us. We felt like the cars were driving very erratically, so we looked for a safe spot to park to let the vehicle behind us pass. There were other constitutional observers peacefully observing the ICE agents as we approached. We slowed down for their safety. Agents got out of their car and started telling me to open my window on the passenger side. That window does not open or work on my car, but the agent repeatedly hit my window very hard, demanding we open it, even though we told her it doesn't work many times. My husband had the driver's side window open and another agent asked my husband for his ID. They took it immediately and said he was a criminal and that he had a felony record and he does not. They repeatedly said he was a felon and had committed aggravated robbery. They began telling this to the other observers: 'Look over here. We have a criminal in the streets.' My husband said, 'That's not true. That's not true.' But they would not listen to him. We both called 911 from our phones because we were very scared. We're citizens, [snorts] but we are Hispanic and we are very afraid because we know that they have been taking citizens who have done nothing wrong just like us. The operator told me that she needed the exact address of where I was, but I didn't know where I was. I didn't have the exact address. I kept telling her the name of the neighborhood and the landmarks, and she said she needed the exact one. I asked her to ping my phone. She said she was sending help. My husband was also on the phone with 911 on his phone, and that call did not go much different. The operator told my husband there was nothing they could do. When he asked for a report number, they said there would be no report, and that call was the report. He told the operator that we are US citizens and asked why they wouldn't come and help us. The operator simply said there was nothing they could do. An agent then demanded to see my ID, but I didn't want to hand it over. I held it up and said they could take a picture, but I didn't want to lose it because I knew I could need it and I was not comfortable handing it over to them. We were recording the interaction as is our constitutional right to do so and the agents mocked us and made fun of us, saying that we were just trying to get our 5 minutes of fame and to go ahead and post it on social media so that everyone can see. They were preparing to arrest my husband, but then they quickly returned my husband's ID and said that we were cleared to go and then they said they'll be paying a visit to my home soon. We have felt in fear of our lives ever since. They were mean and threatening and they have our address. We fear that they will follow through on their threat to come visit us at home. We have so much fear and we are scared. And if the police won't help us, if we are threatened or harassed again or worse, who will? What are we to do?" [57:45] **Rep. Jess Hanson:** Thank you, Madam Mayor. I'll continue with my own comments. Again, I'm Representative Jess Hanson. I live in Burnsville and I represent district 55A, which is the entire city of Savage and the northwest part of Burnsville. Members and council, mayor, yesterday we honored the legacy of Dr. MLK and that includes the reminder to not only remember history but to also live in its lessons and that we can learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. And I don't think any of us want to be those fools. I'm asking that leaders in our city and this state and country come together to do what we can before things get any worse. Immigration enforcement certainly has its place in society as a specific form of law enforcement and how it's done is extremely important because we all know that officers tend to pay the price for the sins and wrongs of others. Some might say that we are only speaking out because this is happening in our community and others will make the ridiculous leap to say that choosing to say what is being said is just an act of speaking against ICE and that somehow means we don't care about apprehending criminals. We want to be very clear that neither of those things are true. And I want to believe that no one believes that civil rights aren't important. We have to make sure that everyone's civil rights are intact. Law enforcement officers at all levels are expected to know what the constitution says, to know right and wrong, and to know when people are being targeted. And yet every single day Minnesotans' constitutional rights are being violated and Minnesotans are being targeted based on the color of their skin, where they choose to worship, their name, or for observing federal activities in our community. Law enforcement leaders in other cities and suburbs are calling for more supervision over operation metro surge, agreeing that these types of civil rights violations have to stop. Even off-duty law enforcement officers of color are facing similar targeting. And members of Minnesota law enforcement agencies are calling on everyone to find some common ground that respects everyone's constitutional rights. Everyone deserves to know that our community is safe. Safe enough for their kids to go to school, safe enough to go to their place of worship, safe enough to go to the grocery store without being hunted, and safe enough to operate their business and thrive off their own hard work. The time is always right to do the right thing. And now is not the time for leaders to be quiet. When we have concrete examples and stories of people being profiled and targeted, we need to do the right thing. We cannot let people in our communities think that our local law enforcement and their leadership are okay with the actions that we know are not only wrong, but are also illegal. Now, members, having said all of that, I want to give credit where credit is due. Nearly everything I've already said to you here are not my words. What I have said so far this evening in this portion of my comments are directly quoted from Minnesota law enforcement officers and leaders who spoke out this morning against the atrocities of ICE happening across the state. So given the way that my words have been taken and my words have been ignored in some spaces—not this one—sometimes ridiculed and the ways that I have been threatened for saying what I'm saying and doing what I'm doing, I'm asking you to not take my word for it tonight. I'm asking you and Burnsville to follow the lead of the law enforcement officials who stood up today to call for common ground, to call for a return to constitutionality and common sense, to call for a return to a nation where civil rights are worth defending, and to call for the promotion of community, where the trust between the public and law enforcement is restored. The reality is that these agents are poorly trained and we should be humiliated by that. They are ill-equipped and they are not fit to be in the field. Their actions in our community is an embarrassment on law enforcement everywhere. And it is no wonder why people in this city do not know if they can trust police because there are rogue thugs wearing cobbled together gear that say "Police" across the front of their outfits, but they're really just a bunch of racist incels bringing their Call of Duty skills out of their parents' basements into the real world and are causing real world problems and real world trauma that children in our city will never ever forget. This is not a game. And the general public does not understand why BPD cannot assist them when there are goons pointing guns at the heads of Burnsville residents, kidnapping children, leaving children abandoned without their parents or any known or trusted adult. The general public does not understand why these thugs are harassing and threatening them with not a single consequence. The general public deserves to know that your statement about not coordinating with ICE and what our law enforcement will do deserves to be respected. So again, please do not take my words for it. Please go back and watch the recording of this. Listen to the first words and take the words of law enforcement themselves who are calling for common ground and a return to decency here in Burnsville. Thank you. [Applause] [01:04:15] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you, everyone. Thank you for your testimony. Thank you for sharing your stories. I want you to know that we hear you and we are Burnsville and we are here together to make sure that we create the community that we want to live in. That's what we have control over. And before we get to any of our remarks, I don't know if there are others who would like to speak from staff. [01:04:45] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** We do have somebody online that would like to speak. [01:04:47] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay. Um if they can just give their name and city, please. [01:04:52] **Andrea Grizzini:** This is Andrea Grizzini from Burnsville. It's nice to see you all. I'm sorry I couldn't be there in person. Two weeks ago, I asked you, city council, to prohibit ICE from city property. I appreciate taking this up for a vote, and I absolutely anticipate and hope that you will all again unanimously vote yes on behalf of all of our citizens. I also added a number of other items and I'd like to hear those. I haven't heard anything and I'm still waiting for responses on it. As you heard tonight, many of the things that I said two weeks ago were going on in this city have gotten much worse. The people that you heard from tonight by and large are people that are doing all they can to make our community a caring place. It's hard to do that without the support and visible support of our city. Certainly, we appreciate the new ordinance and we hope it passes. When I spoke two weeks ago, I went further and asked that our city staff and police provide patience, comfort, and extra special support for our immigrant community. I'm not sure that we're seeing that. Between then and now among several instances, too many for me to go over tonight, there seemed to be less rather than more of compassion from our staff. Some of the following seem to indicate that: one evening I called our police about 5:00 in the evening—there's a child that was abandoned when his father was abducted and detained by ICE. I called the police because this was an abandoned child and asked if they could help figure out what to do with this child. I was immediately told that it was too late to call the management at the place that the child was at and it was out of the question to go to the site unless they had the exact apartment number where the child was at. I went back and forth with this officer until 9:00 p.m. and they never did respond to a child who was abandoned. This was an elementary school age child. Another incident happened when a US citizen experienced ICE placing a gun to his head. The responding officer said they couldn't do anything because it was ICE. The citizen witness was only told to come in to the police station to make a report. Imagine that. You've just had a gun placed to your head by a law enforcement agent and another law enforcement agent is telling you to go to a law enforcement office to tell them all about it. Could that report not have been taken then and there? There's more... I'm going to—if I can have 10 seconds. I want to quote Martin Luther King in the spirit of his day yesterday. This is Martin Luther King in his letter from a Birmingham jail: "I must confess that over the past few years I've been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom isn't the White Citizen's Councilor or the Ku Klux Klan, but the white moderate who is more devoted to order than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of any tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice." Come on, Burnsville. We're together. [01:08:45] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay. Thank you. Thank you, everyone. And now that we have heard from all of you, I think it's time for you to hear from us. Council member Schulz, would you like to go first? [01:08:58] **Council Member Cara Schulz:** Sure. So, I want people to be clear when we're looking at this ordinance what it means. This ordinance will be an administrative ordinance. Um so the feds are going to do whatever the feds are going to do, and I want to be clear on that. And that's not something that is easy to say and it's not something that anyone wants to hear. But I do want to say that there's a lot of pressure to make us at odds with one another, to purposefully pit us against each other, to rip our community apart, and to destabilize us for years or decades to come. [clears throat] And to give a quote from Heartbreak Ridge: "Don't give the bastards the satisfaction." I want residents to stand together. We are in this together. And I do mean we are. We all need to step up. And many of you in the audience are, but many of you at home—it is time to step up. Time to help your neighbors. If you aren't volunteering, get out there and volunteer. Make this community stronger because sooner or later, the feds are going to leave and you and I are going to be what's left. So, we can either build a stronger community or we can let them force us to rip it apart. And I'm not going to do that. So, I do encourage our residents to continue with the herculean effort that I am already seeing you do for caring for your neighbors and volunteering and getting groceries and walking kids to school. Keep it up because we can do that longer than they can do whatever they're doing. So stand strong. [01:10:45] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay. Thank you, Council Member Kealey. [01:10:48] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** No comment. [01:10:49] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** No comment. Council member Gustafson. [01:10:52] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** I hear what everyone has to say. I will tell you the last month and a half I go out and patrol myself. I'm in apartments. I'm in businesses. I've talked to our residents and there's a great deal of fear in our community. I talk to staff in the restaurants and they're in tears because two of their cooks just got taken today. They're in tears because they're about to close. They have friends and people that won't come to work because they're afraid, not because they're undocumented—they're just afraid to come into into our city right now and do things. I've talked to people in parking lots. There was a woman from I think Puerto Rico that I talked to. She was afraid. She's a US citizen. She's afraid to just to be here. It's what's happening is unbelievable. I see ICE on our streets. I see them box cars in and I see them let them go after 15 minutes. So they pull someone over, they box them in, almost cause an accident, talk to them for a few minutes, and then they walk away and just let them go. How can that happen? It makes no sense in this country that that kind of thing should happen here. I have not talked to anyone that has a problem picking up actual violent criminals and deporting them. Let's find them and go after them. But the way they're doing it is just wrong. It terrorizes our community. It's closing our businesses. And it's not just the immigrant businesses that are having problems. A lot of businesses are having problems right now. I will tell you now, I will be supporting this if we could do more legally. And I've talked to our legal counsel about what we can do. There's not a whole heck of a lot, unfortunately, at our level, but this we can do. And I think it's important to know that I know some people have some problems with what they think our police may or may not be doing, but I also know that they're out to protect you guys when you're out there. That's part of their job is to make you safe when you're out observing, when you're out protesting. The ones that make you unsafe are the agents that I have seen surround cars and go up and threaten the observers and tell them they're going to have them arrested or they're going to follow them home. And I've seen them do it. So I hear what you're saying. I believe what you're saying because I've seen it myself. So I will be supporting this. [01:13:30] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay. Council member Workman. [01:13:32] **Council Member Vince Workman:** No comment. [01:13:33] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay. Thank you. Members of our community, we have been through a lot these past weeks and you have shared your experiences and we also have experiences. I have met with people in our community who have been impacted or businesses who have been impacted when I am notified. And so I know that our community is now in a lot of fear. And I want to begin by acknowledging the fear, the confusion and uncertainty many of you are feeling when something affects our neighbors, our families, our workplace, and our sense of safety. It affects all of us. And as your mayor, it is my responsibility to speak clearly, to lead with compassion, and to ensure that every person in Burnsville knows that they are seen, valued, and supported. I want to address directly what so many of you have been asking about the recent federal immigration enforcement actions taking place in our region. First, it is important to understand that federal immigration enforcement is not new. For decades across multiple administrations, Republicans and Democratic alike, the federal government has carried out removals. The authority to do so is longstanding and the legal framework is rooted in our constitution. Historically, these processes happened largely out of public view. Most people never saw them. They were carried out through established legal channels with court review, due process, and procedures that while not perfect, were familiar and predictable. What is new is the way these actions are being carried out today that we are all experiencing. Residents, all of you are witnessing encounters in public spaces. Families are being questioned without understanding why. And you have spoken to that this evening. Workers with legal status are being stopped or profiled. Businesses are losing employees because people are afraid to leave their homes. The fear we are seeing is not coming from existence of federal law. It is coming from the manner in which these operations are unfolding. And that is why our community is feeling shaken. So let me be absolutely clear. The city of Burnsville does not direct, control, or participate in federal immigration enforcement. We do not receive advanced notice of federal operations. We do not coordinate with them. And we do not have the authority to stop or alter their actions. But we do have the authority and the responsibility to care for our people. So let me talk about what we can control and how we show up for one another because that's one of the biggest things about who we are in Burnsville. It's who we are together, not separate. And how we show up. We control whether we allow fear to divide us or whether we stand together in compassion, kindness, and care. We control whether our neighbors feel alone or supported. We control whether Burnsville remains a place where every person, regardless of where they were born, feels safe to go to work, to school, to the grocery store, or to church. Our local police department will continue to focus on local public safety. They are not conducting immigration enforcement. They are not checking immigration status. Their role is to protect the safety of everyone who lives, works, and visits Burnsville. That does not change. I also want to speak to our immigrant families directly. You are a part of the fabric of our city. You contribute to our schools, our businesses, our faith communities. You pay taxes, and you contribute to our shared future. You deserve dignity. You deserve clarity. And you deserve to feel safe, seeking help, reporting a crime, or simply living your daily life. To our business owners, I know many of you are struggling. We have talked about losing staff, losing customers, and trying to navigate uncertainty. We will continue working with you to provide information, resources, and support to our entire community. Moments like this test who we are. They test our values. They test our resolve. But Burnsville has always been a city that leads with heart. A city that chooses unity over division, a city that believes in the worth and dignity of every person. We will get through this together. We will stand together by caring for one another and by refusing to let fear define us. You see, together we are stronger. And I thank you all for your strength, for your compassion for your neighbor, for each other, and your commitment to each other. We will continue to communicate openly as we learn more and as we continue to work through this together. We find ourselves in a time that we have never experienced before and it is testing us. So I call upon all of us that we work together and that we stand together because we are Burnsville strong and we lead with compassion and kindness in taking care of one another because that's who we are and that's what we will continue to do. And so with that, I thank you for your strength and for being out there and observing, but be safe and do it within the law because that's what I want for you. It is your constitutional right to observe and to witness and to record. That is your constitutional right. But I ask that you do it safely and within the law so that you stay safe out there. I don't want anything to happen to you. And you're very brave to do what you did. But something that you did deescalated something. So let's remember and learn from some of the stories that we heard tonight. Let's deescalate rather than escalate, but record and stand witness and be safe. Be safe out there. But together, we will get through this. And it is us who defines our community, not anybody else. Thank you for being here. Uh and our police chief will have uh would like to take time to speak. Um Chief Tanya Schwartz. [01:21:15] **Police Chief Tanya Schwartz:** Madame Mayor, members of the council community, thank you. I appreciate the conversation this evening. I'm going to try to keep my comments brief. I really appreciate the opportunity to share my perspective as the chief. First, I want to thank our police officers at every level in our department who serve with courage and integrity and excellence every single day. They often respond to unpredictable high-stress situations. They maintain law and order while building trusted relationships. They take that responsibility very seriously. While amazing at managing uncertain circumstances, police officers are human beings. They're daughters, mothers, sons, fathers, friends, imperfect, but doing their job as best as they possibly can. We have a shared trust with our community built over decades because of the very human connection and relationships that we have with the people who live here. Mayor, city attorney, our council members shared several challenges, as our community did as well, talking about this proposed ordinance as well. There is some clarity I think that needs to be shared about the limits of our local authority and some of that was talked about tonight and I appreciate that. I think we need to make it clear. I want people to understand that our police officers cannot interfere with law enforcement agents carrying out their duties to arrest individuals who are here unlawfully or who pose public safety risks. To the point of council member, I think we can all find common ground that we want people who pose a public safety risk in Burnsville to not be in Burnsville anymore. This does not mean that we don't care. It doesn't mean that we're indifferent to the community concerns. I just want us to be very honest. I want us to always have those hard and difficult honest conversations and be clear about what we can do and what we cannot do so that there are realistic expectations here. We will continue to respond to calls to try to reduce tension, to tone down rhetoric, to keep situations as safe as we possibly can for everyone on scene. We are committed to that. We do that every day. Our officers are doing that. They are in a no-win situation here. So, they are doing the very best that they can. They care about this community very much. I hear about the stories every day. We know that seeing federal immigration activity and enforcement action is distressing, especially for families worried about how it may personally affect them. Our Burnsville police tactics, our operations, how we carry our mission, how we do public safety—it looks very different than federal law enforcement operations. We understand how that difference creates stress across the community. I'm familiar with the comments from the Minnesota chiefs who spoke today at the Capitol. All of us chiefs are trying to find common ground and how do we open lines of communication. I understand a lot of the community doesn't want us to have communication with federal agents, but when we don't have communication, then we have a lot of chaos. For us to understand what is going on, to try to again share the concerns that we have about some of the tactics that we are seeing by some agents... if you look at that press conference from earlier, I don't want to take that out of context. So, I would just encourage everyone to watch the full conference so that you understand what was being said and I'm glad to stay and talk afterwards with anyone to talk about the work that we are doing at the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association. I sit on that board and again our goals are how do we tone down tension? How do we tone down rhetoric and how do we find communication with federal agents, supervisors, people in leadership who are in charge of the operations that are going on so that we can understand and share with them the concerns that we have like was what was shared today. So we are all doing that work as well. And I know all of this raises just questions. People are concerned. What can I do? What should I do? What should I not do? And I appreciate that we get those questions. And some of the comments came tonight as well is, when we're exercising First Amendment rights, we want people to do that. We want people to do that safely to be recording, but we want you to do that in a way that you're not so close as to prevent or to basically be a public safety hazard to whatever law enforcement action is going on there. So, do that, but just maintain a safe distance in that regard. Don't impede federal law enforcement physically or otherwise. And don't use your vehicles to impede. Don't set off illegal fireworks. And I know none of this is happening in our community, but we see these things happening across the state. And so, as a police chief, I am very concerned as the amount of rhetoric and the tension increases that these things spill over across communities. I don't want to see that happen. Boxing in agents, blocking them—I understand everyone's tensions are high, but that actually just is unlawful. And it also is extremely dangerous. It really increases the risk of injury to you and others around. It increases the chance of being arrested and really when we're doing that, it can diminish the safety of everyone around us. So, I just want to thank people for being vigilant and not doing that. I can see that our community is not doing that. But I just know as tensions continue to rise, things can happen. I want people to channel their energy into actions that strengthen rather than divide. Think about reasonable communication, avoiding misinformation, and being inflammatory or assuming things. A lot of things are taken out of context. And again, I'm not here to say that I agree with all of the tactics that are being used. I do not. And we are doing what we can to establish communication to understand what is going on with the federal leadership here. So just I just wanted to share that because I care very much about this community. I've been here for over 30 years. We've all been through a lot together. The council and I have been through a lot together. and we're going to be here together when this is done. And so we need to not erode trust. And I just want people to understand that we're doing the very best we can in a really challenging situation and our local authority is limited. What we can do with an ordinance like this is limited for police. So I just want people to understand that to manage the expectations. Um so with that I would stand for any questions from council. [01:28:45] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Um any questions for the chief? Thank you chief and thank you for your words because you're absolutely right. It's managing expectations and one thing that we all agree on is that when someone commits a serious violent crime, they should be held accountable. That is true whether they were born here or arrived here and we want our community to be safe and we want dangerous individuals of any background off our streets. So that's something I think we all agree on and we all agree that we want to be safe in our community. So what we have control over is what we do together. Council member Schulz, your hand is up. [01:29:45] **Council Member Cara Schulz:** Thank you. [snorts] I want to say that our police are worried for our residents. Um, I know that our chief is worried for our residents and many of you have seen me out and about because I am most certainly volunteering. And I think many of you know that I'm probably not the most moderate person on this council, but I will also say that our police chief and our fire chief and our police have my full and utter support and not everything that the city is doing to help is visible. So, thank you. I just wanted to be very clear about that. [01:30:15] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay. Very good. Anything else? All right. Members of the council, before us is the adoption of the ordinance amending title one, chapter 13, stewardship of the city resources and resolution affirming community values and stewardship of community resources amidst immigration operations. May I have a motion, please? [01:30:35] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** Move to approve. [01:30:36] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** There's a motion to approve. Are you seconding that, Council Member Schulz? Is that— [01:30:38] **Council Member Cara Schulz:** Yes, I am seconding. [01:30:40] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay, there's a motion and a second. I will going to do the roll call. Yes, I was just getting there. I remember that Council Member Schulz is on online. Council member Schulz. [01:31:00] **Council Member Cara Schulz:** Yes. [01:31:01] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Council member Kealey. [01:31:02] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** Aye. [01:31:03] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Council member Gustafson. [01:31:04] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** Aye. [01:31:05] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Council member Workman. [01:31:06] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Aye. [01:31:07] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Mayor Kautz. Yes. Okay. And we have an adopted ordinance. So, thank you so much everyone for being here. [Applause] And remember, together we are strong. Take care of one another. Make sure that we check on your neighbors. Find out if they're okay and if you need to do any grocery shopping for them. Because that's something that we can all do together. So, thank you so much. And now we will move on to the regular agenda. The first item on the regular agenda is a public hearing and this is a resolution approving the drainage and utility easement vacation for 14001 Burnhaven Drive and 911 140th Street West. And presenting this evening is our city engineer Logan Vlasaty. Mr. Vlasaty, the floor is yours. [01:32:15] **City Engineer Logan Vlasaty:** Madame Mayor and members of the council, thank you very much for having me. Uh, yes, as you said, tonight we have a vacation of drainage and utility easements. And with that, we are required to hold a public hearing. So, the two properties with the easements being vacated are 14001 Burnhaven Drive and 911 140th Street West. So, here is 911 140th Street West. It's the former site of Fire Station 1. I'd like to point out sort of the unconventional property line there under 140th Street. And then immediately adjacent to that is the former Pumpkin Patch Daycare site at 14001 Burnhaven Drive. Uh what's unique about this site is that it was actually the parcel is a creation from three different plats. So you will see we actually have to vacate easements from three separate plats with this one. So the first is being the highlighted area of Burnhaven Mall plat. That easement shown currently covers a city water main that is proposed to be relocated with the Costco gas station project. Second section of drainage and utility easements to be vacated is per High Ridge Second Edition. This is immediately adjacent to 140th Street West and this will be replatted as drainage and utility easement with the proposed Costco Second Edition plat. And then we have perimeter easements around all of Burnhaven Fire Station Number One plat. Um the areas under or encumbering the proposed right-of-way for 140th Street will be replatted as public right-of-way and then the necessary perimeter easements for the Costco Second Edition plat will be replatted with drainage and utility easements. So with that there's a lot of easements shown there and easement vacations. Simply put, the areas where private utilities and city utilities currently exist within easement are either being dedicated as right of way, replatted as drainage and utility easements, or the city utilities within the easement are being relocated um to a future easement. So with that, there was no public need for the drainage and utility easements. Um, and then I'm showing here the the Costco Second Edition final plat which shows the 140th Street future right-of-way to be dedicated. Staff recommends approval of the easement vacations with the condition that the easement vacations are granted subject to approval of the Costco Second Edition final plat. And I will stand. [01:34:45] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** Question, mayor. With all due respect to Logan, I don't remember a time when we had [clears throat and cough] uh an item such as what we just completed and then vacating an [laughter] easement. The gap between those in many ways is pretty big. [clears throat] [laughter] [01:35:15] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** But you did a great job. [01:35:16] **City Engineer Logan Vlasaty:** Thank you. I'm used to it. [01:35:18] **Council Member Vince Workman:** But you also know how to clear a room. [laughter] [01:35:20] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** Logan should have went first. I think you're right. [laughter] [01:35:23] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay. All kidding aside, this is a public hearing. I will now open the public hearing. Is there anyone who wishes to speak to this item? Anyone who wishes to speak to this item? Mrs. Henderson, anyone online? [01:35:40] **Deputy City Clerk Erica Henderson:** No, there is not. [01:35:42] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay. Um, we will now close the public hearing. Members of the council, your pleasure. [01:35:47] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Move to approve. [01:35:48] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** Second. [01:35:49] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** There's a motion and a second. And uh the clerk can please take the roll call. [01:35:54] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Kealey. [01:35:55] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** Aye. [01:35:56] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Gustafson. [01:35:57] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** Aye. [01:35:58] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Schulz. [01:35:59] **Council Member Cara Schulz:** Yes. [01:36:00] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Workman. [01:36:01] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Yes. [01:36:02] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Mayor Kautz. [01:36:03] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Yes. Okay. And you have your vacation. Thank you very much, Mr. Vlasaty. The next item is also a public hearing and this is to approve the off-sale intoxicating liquor license for Jai Krishna LLC, doing business as Periera Wine and Liquor at 13720 County Road 11. Presenting is our Deputy City Clerk, Erica Henderson. Miss Henderson, the floor is yours. [01:36:35] **Deputy City Clerk Erica Henderson:** Great. Thank you. So, the new owners, Jai Krishna LLC, they had recently purchased the Periera Wines and Liquor located at 13720 County Road 11 and they submitted an application for an off-sale liquor license. They've also successfully passed the background check by the Burnsville Police Department and city code does require a public hearing for all new liquor licenses. [01:37:05] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay. Uh, any questions for Miss Henderson? With that I will open the public hearing. Is there anyone who wishes to speak to this item? Anyone who wishes to speak to this item? Miss Henderson? Anyone online? [01:37:20] **Deputy City Clerk Erica Henderson:** No, there is not. [01:37:21] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Okay. I will now close the public hearing. Members of the council, your pleasure. [01:37:26] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Move to approve. [01:37:27] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** Second. [01:37:28] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** There's a motion and a second. and uh Deputy City Clerk Henderson, will you take the role, please? [01:37:34] **Deputy City Clerk Erica Henderson:** Sure. Council member Kealey. [01:37:36] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** Aye. [01:37:37] **Deputy City Clerk Erica Henderson:** Council member Gustafson. [01:37:38] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** Aye. [01:37:39] **Deputy City Clerk Erica Henderson:** Council member Schulz. [01:37:40] **Council Member Cara Schulz:** Yes. [01:37:41] **Deputy City Clerk Erica Henderson:** Council member Workman. [01:37:42] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Aye. [01:37:43] **Deputy City Clerk Erica Henderson:** Mayor Kautz. [01:37:44] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Yes. Okay. And um we now move on to the Economic Development Authority meeting. and I will recess the Burnsville City Council meeting so the Economic Development meeting can proceed. President Gustafson, the floor is yours. [01:38:05] **EDA President Dan Gustafson:** Well, good evening. I call the Economic Development Authority meeting to order. The clerk will note all commissioners are present. Commissioner Schulz is joining us remotely. Item number one, are there any additions to the final agenda? [snorts] Seeing none, I will move on. Item number two is election of officers. Do we have nominations for a slate of officers this year? [01:38:35] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Um members of the authority, I would just resubmit the slate that we have presently. [01:38:40] **Council Member Vince Workman:** I am comfortable with that as well. [01:38:42] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** I was going to nominate you for president. Your turn. You should do it. Dan's doing a great job keeping the meetings quick. [01:38:50] **EDA President Dan Gustafson:** Okay. So, there is a nomination to keep the slate and a second. May I have a motion to adopt the resolution with the slate of officers? [01:39:00] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Did you make the motion? Yeah, he made the motion. He seconded. [01:39:05] **EDA President Dan Gustafson:** Hey, you call the role. [01:39:07] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Kealey. [01:39:08] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** Yes. [01:39:09] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Gustafson. [01:39:10] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** Aye. [01:39:11] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Schulz. [01:39:12] **Council Member Cara Schulz:** Yes. [01:39:13] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Workman. [01:39:14] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Aye. [01:39:15] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Mayor Kautz. [01:39:16] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Yes. [01:39:17] **EDA President Dan Gustafson:** Okay, we move on to item number three, the consent agenda, and it's the approval of the minutes. Is there anyone who wishes an item to be removed from the consent agenda for a separate discussion and vote? Seeing none, may I have a motion to adopt the consent agenda? [01:39:35] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Move to adopt. [01:39:37] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** Second. [01:39:38] **EDA President Dan Gustafson:** Roll call. [01:39:40] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Kealey. [01:39:41] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** Aye. [01:39:42] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Gustafson. [01:39:43] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** Aye. [01:39:44] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Schulz. [01:39:45] **Council Member Cara Schulz:** Yes. [01:39:46] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Workman. [01:39:47] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Aye. [01:39:48] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Mayor Kautz. [01:39:49] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Yes. [01:39:50] **EDA President Dan Gustafson:** And it passes. We move on to item number 4A is the adoption of the 2025 Annual Report. Travis Bistodeau, Deputy Community Development Director, is presenting. [01:40:05] **Travis Bistodeau:** Good evening, Mr. President, commissioners. I'm Travis Bistodeau, Deputy Community Development Director for the city of Burnsville, and I'm here to present the 2025 Economic Development Authority Annual Report. Uh just as a quick refresher, the EDA's mission focuses on business attraction, job creation, both development and redevelopment projects across the city. Uh the EDA advises the city council on economic development policies, ensuring our investments align with Burnsville's long-term economic goals. Quickly on to our accomplishments for 2025. In September, we renewed our contract with the Center for Energy and Environment and relaunched our EDA funded housing rehabilitation loan programs. Since then, we've had one home improvement loan approved as well as two more under review. And in terms of our senior deferred loans, we have approved two projects fully expending our 2025 budget, which is a strong indicator of demand for these programs and loans going forward. Similarly, our initial local affordable housing aid or LAHA programs also launched in September and mirror our EDA offerings, but target households at a lower area median income, 80% AMI or less. So far we have one home improvement loan that's been approved and three are currently under review. And we have one senior deferred loan currently under review as well. Um while the loans themselves are funded with LAHA dollars, the EDA does fund a minor origination fee for each loan in alignment with state guidelines. Uh although not funded with EDA dollars, the city's CDBG funded homeowner rehab loans also continues to move forward. In 2025, there were three loans completed and there are currently eight more underway as we speak. On the economic development front, we completed a housing and commercial needs assessment which we utilized to help us shape an economic development strategic framework, which will serve to focus our economic development efforts across the city for the next three to five years. So, it's been a powerful tool for us framing up what our economic development programs will look like. And then in other accomplishments, we made amendments to the city-owned land sale policy providing improved guidance on future strategic disposition and redevelopment activities for city-owned lands. Uh we continued to support our business and retention expansion program partnering with the chamber and meeting with local employers to identify needs and connect them with area resources. Our partnership with Open to Business continues and we continue to support offering one-on-one technical assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout the city. And then lastly, we continue to support our legacy events including the Burnsville Festival and Fire as well as the International Festival which help showcase Burnsville and help drive foot traffic to our local establishments. So, in summary, 2025 was a good year of targeted investments and strong partnerships, expanding our housing support programs, clarifying at least one policy, and strengthening our economic development roadmap. That's it. I'd be happy to take any comments or questions. [01:43:45] **EDA President Dan Gustafson:** Are there any questions? No. Congratulations. Great work. [01:43:50] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Nice job. [01:43:51] **Travis Bistodeau:** You as well. Thank you. [01:43:52] **EDA President Dan Gustafson:** Okay, no questions. May I have a motion to adopt the report? [01:43:55] **Council Member Vince Workman:** So moved. [01:43:56] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Second. [01:43:57] **EDA President Dan Gustafson:** Roll call. [01:43:59] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Kealey. [01:44:00] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** Yes. [01:44:01] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Gustafson. [01:44:02] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** Aye. [01:44:03] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Schulz. [01:44:04] **Council Member Cara Schulz:** Yes. [01:44:05] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Workman. [01:44:06] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Aye. [01:44:07] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Mayor Kautz. [01:44:08] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Aye. [01:44:09] **EDA President Dan Gustafson:** Okay, there's no other business. May I have a motion to adjourn? [01:44:12] **Council Member Vince Workman:** So move. [01:44:13] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** Second. [01:44:14] **EDA President Dan Gustafson:** Roll call, please. [01:44:16] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Kealey. [01:44:17] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** Aye. [01:44:18] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Gustafson. [01:44:19] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** Aye. [01:44:20] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Schulz. [01:44:21] **Council Member Cara Schulz:** Yes. [01:44:22] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Workman. [01:44:23] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Aye. [01:44:24] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Mayor Kautz. [01:44:25] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Aye. [01:44:26] **EDA President Dan Gustafson:** We are now adjourned. I turn it back to you, Madam Mayor. [01:44:30] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Thank you. And I will now reconvene the Burnsville City Council meeting and members of the council and of our community. There are no other items to come before us this evening, and a motion to adjourn is in order. [01:44:45] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** Motion to adjourn. [01:44:46] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Second. [01:44:47] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** There's a motion and a second. Roll call, please. [01:44:50] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council member Kealey. [01:44:52] **Council Member Dan Kealey:** You know, Council Member Schulz, you're the one that caused all this work. [laughter] Aye. [01:45:00] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council Member Gustafson. [01:45:01] **Council Member Dan Gustafson:** Aye. [01:45:02] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council Member Schulz. [01:45:03] **Council Member Cara Schulz:** Yes. [01:45:04] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Council Member Workman. [01:45:05] **Council Member Vince Workman:** Aye. [01:45:06] **City Clerk Macheal Collins:** Mayor Kautz. [01:45:07] **Mayor Elizabeth Kautz:** Aye. And we stand adjourned. Thank you for being with us and have a good night.