she's sorry we gotta go yep no problem you're good we're still good we're still at 35 now we're all right I'll call the council meeting to order the April 1st please stand for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the repblic for it stands one nation God indiv thank you very much a roll call please council member nordby here council member Woods here council member McKenzie here council member schwe here mayor mongi here thank you very much can I please get a motion to adopt the agenda for this evening so moved so moved council member swe second second council member Norby all those favor say hi hi hi thank you very much presentations yeah first up we're going to have a presentation from North St Paul Historical Society welcome okay uh I'm El next dead um currently serving as the vice president of the North St Paul historical society and with me is Sue springborn whom everybody knows I think who is the past president and kind of held the place together for a couple couple years pretty much by herself um and so I'm here to report on some huge progress that's happened in the last couple years I'm going to whip through these slides very quickly so the first thing that happened was Sue rescued the newspapers and photographs from the basement of the Lily building was a huge job um and it almost did her in but did get them out so that's huge uh we developed a memory with the city so there was some question about what the relationship was between the city and the Historical Society got some help on that got something drafted voted on it so we know how we work with each other now very nice we uh went to Google Drive and got a Google Drive for nonprofits which is a little bit of an inexpensive thing and we now have digital history the north s Paul history is sitting in a Google Drive and we have it backed up on a hard drive uh we purchased a whole bunch of materials um through an estate Lucy low estate uh she left a very generous gift to the historical society which happened to coincide with some new people coming in it was perfect timing so we bought all kinds of this room I don't have a before picture but you couldn't walk in it previously it was where's this at this is the back rooms the storage rooms at the Historical societ got be kidding me in the building so we have where did Su sit done oh I'll show you this isn't the offices this is this is the stuff um outside lots of things happen we got our snowy Hank we got new vet flags with the city's been very good about keeping our flags from not looking too tattered um we got some new benches we got a new sign and somebody fixed up the little Library all that happened outside very nice uh we cleaned up the office started I opened a desk drawer on that desk and found my mother's contact lenses from 1946 um uh my grandmother and my mother were founders of the North St Paul Historical Society my grandmother was Alice olssen and my mother was Priscilla Olsen and I said okay this is where I should be because a lot of things are in her handwriting uh there was an office downtown my sister's office was remodeling getting rid of some office chairs we got some new office chairs that don't fall over we created an administrative book because we walked in and said where what I couldn't find anything updated our memberships uh I don't know if you're aware of this but the North St Paul Historical Society owns its building if you get more than $25,000 in donations you have to file as a charitable organization so one year we had to do that because of Lucy's gift this year we filed as a charitable trust because if you own more than $200 $50,000 of property you are a trust it's not like a typical trust uh the property the building we own the building and it's valued at about $500,000 so uh some other stuff there Tech equipment upgrades got some new televisions new printer copier I can now airPlay from my laptop everything's without cords Maps displays open houses now here's the funny thing we walked in that building there was no internet connection Comcast is on one end on one side of us on the other side of us they don't there's no Comcast service in that section of 7th Street believe it or not so we had no internet access we were all ready to put a dish on the top and Quantum fiber came by and said oh there's a box in your backyard you used to have uh telephone service and we can SN a line in there so we now have the internet amazing uh beautiful fire notification system we had all this equipment lights alarm pulls none of it worked it was not connected to anything the box from the 80s didn't do anything that has all been fixed we now have 247 monitoring uh newsletters finances we have a secretary who's putting out a newsletter we've got a CD this is last week I finally we were down to 10 copies of the North St Paul history book and we found someone to do it for us and to let us have our own PDF of it so we now have the history book hard cover again uh it's it's spiral bow it's not hard cover but it's the same cover as the previous Edition this is the Centennial book with a 25y year update that was printed in 2012 that's the most recent history we have of the city and I had to throw this one in because just a week and a half ago we had myy Glover surprise surprise that came in and said oh can I do a story on the Snowman so it was scramble scramble find all the pictures find all the stuff so we were with him for about an hour and a half which was amazing and Sue of course is our star performer in that and John of course got in that bit too and uh that's all in addition to regular business we're open on Friday and Saturday we have visitors monthly meetings groups major events now these two things you might find of Interest there's a time capsule if you look at the size of that time capsule it's not a little time capsule and it was buried back in actually 1978 but it's due to be open in 19 in 2026 which is next year so we've started conversations with the city and with uh The Scouting Museum because it's actually planted in the ground in front of the scouting Museum so that's one big thing that's going to be coming up in the next year and the other thing I don't know if you've been out to the state fair lately but we gave them our Depot building it was a newspaper office for years and years they're no longer using it and it's not even in this Fairgrounds anymore that's a picture of it back there is that even in the fairgrounds it's not even in the fairground building I mean it's you can see it it's on the other side of a fence mhm so can we get it back I don't know if anybody wants to uh go looking for you better believe it I we could go ask it still has a sign North St Paul on it but there it is and there we are Joe me and Sue so any questions that's my presentation beautiful thank you very much are you selling those books the North St Paul history books we are asking for a $25 donation they cost us about $25 a piece and we were selling them but then we had to pay $200 in tax fees because we sold something and it was a sales tax nightmare so we said okay we're not going to sell anything y we'll just ask for donation that makes sense best way to go yeah any other questions well I just want to say we enjoy uh coming up there as a council too we've done that every year I have we done it this year yet or not so we're probably we decided we'd try this route instead this time so you're coming to us yeah I'm coming to you we're coming that counts but uh we definitely enjoy coming down there and just all the wonderful new things happening it's really cool you guys are open now Fridays right Fridays from 1: to 4: Saturdays from 10: to 1 are you still doing your plant sale still doing what the plant sale for a fundraiser you're not done anymore hav sold anything for a while if you sell anything other than clothing it gets really complicated so and no tax on clothing anything else by anything else no no thank you so much thank you so much for all you do both of you two everybody thank you all right all right next up our consent agenda um item a March 18th 2025 regular meeting minutes Item B General claims of $692,500 and2 3 and item c h claims of $1 16,18 2.31 thank you very much would anybody like to pull anything from the consent agenda if not can I get a motion to pass it so move council member wood second second council member McKenzie all those in favor say I I against okay next thing at uh 646 open to the public John schal evening mayor and Council uh HED to uh take this opportunity because you had a discussion on codes and if you just want to drive yourself out of your mind just start reading them from beginning to end and uh you'll know why code enforcement has nightmares anyway uh the uh situation that seems to be popping up more and more I grew up in the hood mayor you lived in the hood MH and uh we had alleys and that's where the junk went it went in the backyard and now with the new homes with driveways with the garage facing forward it's right there every time you drive by it it's it makes a problem but that's the way it goes and you got to watch about what the codes say uh because you're going to have a headache the um the situation with parking is just unbelievable especially parking uh RVs and what the uh Planning Commission came up I came up with uh you have to put a screen around an RV wherever it if it's parked beyond the front of the yard wherever that is and so if you want your RV in the back backyard your RV could be a motor home that's 10 ft High you got to put up a screen around it that's six feet high oh that takes care of the problem why do you need a screen what's the problem that that causes you know there's an RV there there's no doubt there's an RV there so it's just just all I can say is the code is a nightmare and I don't have an RV but God bless those people who do you want one yeah thanks John thanks John thank you thanks John all right City business please next up City business action items and recommendations none to report tonight so we'll move on to reports of city manager and departments just want to remind everybody that road restrictions are in place right now for the heavier trucks and like rolloff beds they uh that'll probably be in place for a good month yet so we don't do any damage to our roads um we will be having uh we're opening up for the bids which will be coming up here in about a week April 7th for the road reconstruction project this summer we've had a good amount of contractors that have inquired about it sounds like about 10 so hopefully we'll have some good bids in for the project um electric has been out uh kind of preempting that uh construction project this year because they'll be doing um putting some high voltage out front of the homes um along Gerald and uh getting some easements in through there there'll still be the poles around in the back because it'll be the secondary low volage Services that'll still feed the homes um we did get our lights in finally for the continue with the lights along casc Lake there or the the path the uh we'll have to wait until it dries up as well too cuz they have to take trucks back there to put them up but uh that'll I think there's five out there now and there'll be a total of 12 when they're done so we light that path up nicely um still working on pole change outs and cross arms change outs um got pushed off again for the cabinets that have been ordered for the Delaware and 17th project once again so that'll probably be another month and a half out before we see those and get those polls out of there for those new for new construction um PD has uh two more staff that have finished their training they will be able to go out um on their own now for patrol um the investigator will be starting his position on April ail 14th and they are still doing the uh last of the interviews for or the process for the CSO and one last patrol officer and then they will be at full capacity which would be wonderful um Finance has been busy we had a bond rating call last week um the bond sale results that will show up on the 15th um they've closed out 2024 and open 2025 for the uh counts and the billing and we will be starting the budget prep now for get ready for that process seems like we're just doing it uh Public Works uh said the student buil house come along well they're starting drywall uh sofit fascia sighting here shortly um they're already doing interviews for their summer help uh they're kind of fixing up areas for the snow plows uh did damage to like yards and with all the buildup of the snow uh soon as the weather gets nice enough they'll be seeding that hydro seeding that um we're also going to be starting up the lead service line testing again getting more information from the public we'll be making ourselves available u a couple times a week to set up appointments to go into the house and do testing if they're not comfortable doing the testing themselves um fire we didn't have time but uh they had went to the fire service day yesterday at the capital um they did three more part-time paidon call interviews this week and they're looking at June 10th when they receive their new engine firetruck so they're looking forward to that and that's all I have for you we'll have to show that off at the car show on a Friday talk to about that today yeah nice to look at that he's going to be out there protecting it though that's right don't touch it no scratches thank you very much any reports from Council Council m Parks and Recreation had their meeting last Wednesday um they had conversation around Polar Park and improving the park by adding some more features to it so um they will be doing they'll be providing Brian and Sarah some additional details is what they would like to see there uh parks and recck will be at the Planning Commission for their park and opener master master plan on Thursday and we have uh parks on May 17th Park cleanup uh will occur I believe that's a Saturday so um we're reaching out to more of the larger parks that are being visited so you're looking at your Silver Lakes you're looking at your Casey Lake um I know that they're looking at Southwood um to just promote and clean up over there very nice thank you and I've got the Eda um next mon or next Tuesday we'll be meeting at 4:00 we'll be electing our new member our officers and then um this is a continuation of from the one we had uh two weeks ago three weeks ago that we were short a couple members thank you very much Almer Woods uh arts and culture commission will be meeting tomorrow night in Council chamber here great thank you member nby the Planning Commission will be meeting this Thursday uh April 3rd at 6:30 the agenda items are review of the parks and open space master master plan and discussion of the downtown design manual nice thank you very much that's great so we'll move on to any general Business Council Members here nothing here okay thank you McKenzie no Woods I have nothing okay council member nby do we have to debate something so he gets his badge yeah would you please add something to this um I would invite discussion about having Pepsi in the break room or Coke so I prefer Coke oh Coke all the way oh what get out I just want the guy to get his badge okay well first you got to come up here come on up come on up yes you got to come tell us why we're having this debate about Coke and Pepsi because I just came out of the blue say your name and where you're from and go there let's go to North my name is Tyler Shaw um I live over on bu and yeah I'm working on Comm or citizenship in the community to uh finish up my badges for Eagle I did my uh project back in October so I'm just finishing up I have two more badges left this is the last one I have to finish so hopefully what troop are you with uh 9817 in Oakdale at Guardian Angels okay and we're supposed and you have to what is your what do you need from us tonight it's I need a topic and two debating sides uh last time I had to come for another badge for communications and supposedly it happened here at the meeting but I was told that the workshop would have been a better place okay so yeah I just need two debating sides on like a a topic surrounding the city right now so it could be anything well I would prefer to have uh class five approved for our Code Compliance Dave does not want class five and he offered another option right recycle regrind what's everyone else's opinion about adding that I like that uh we something just besides the the concrete and the and the black top something that's a little more affordable people can do themselves that's what I'm looking for I'm looking at the papers people can do themselves papers or something you can put down as far as I I'm not the class five as long as it's permitted and all that is fine for me yeah I think the biggest issue is cost you know we need to look at what's most cost efficient for our residents um because if you're talking trailer you know whether it's a utility trailer or you know like a camper trailer it can take up a lot of space so you need to be you know what is most cost cost efficient to put down to be able to house that so have a hard surface I think what we should do is have a demo between class five and uh uh the re grind well I can only afford class five well re grind's cheaper no I can only afford class five though I'm against class five and and my concern with class five is that it's too easy for the snowthrowers to throw the rocks and damage other people's property so that would be why I would be against class five just pre class five is cheaper for me though so I prefer that does does the preg grinder get your payers you pay for that's right all right so here in favor do we need to vote on something to make you no I just need okay well we have it so what's your side do you want class five do you want what do you want about y Pavements to put things on class five is gravel yep s TR correct yes we were talking about City or ordinance because people have little utility trailers and different things where they're trying to be able to and if they have it on the grass yeah back and forth addition yes yeah approved driveway material approved driveway material yeah so that's our debate but would it be approved just four trailers versus a full driveway could we make that distinction cuz if it's something where you want to park your cars would you really want to say you know or can we make that distinction I guess is a bigger question I think that's up to us when we just there you go okay so I think for a full driveway I think you know concrete La toop I think is ABS absolutely suitable yes or required but for a trailer type you know smaller movable type uh vehicle that has to be towed I guess something that has to be towed could be parked on you know something less durable what if I have a guest over the winter and I don't have space on my uh garage parking and I want a class five to the side of my house for a guest parking during winter personally my thought as long as it agrees with all the city driveway permitting requirements I would have no issue with it here we go more to come right sorry what what's this question oh the wire checked out I just didn't quite hear what the question was there oh so on the side of my garage I have a nice park a nice parking spot that's full of weeds I mow them by the way so they go haror grown I abide that but if I want somebody come stay with me we can't park dur in the middle overnight on the uh Street here in North St Paul so um I want somebody to park on that side of my garage but it's not it's grass it's weeds so what I'm trying to is I want class five and I don't have a curb cut to that so do I have to have a curb cut what does that look like the driveway yeah uh I think you need a curb cut to the driveway and then if you can get from the driveway to there yeah I don't know that you necessarily would I don't think it would be permitted under the current code to park there without some kind of paved surface yeah um but again that's something that council could consider will say the current code requirement for driveway materials is um a durable dustless material and then so it has preapproved concrete asphalt and pavers uh and then uh or any other dustless material that has been approved so there is technically some ability for someone to come in and propose something new for um to zoning staff and get that approved they would just have to show that is durable and does not create dust so if I get my class five sprayed on a monthly basis that would that doesn't create dust that would be okay I'm going to have to defer that one to uh zoning staff on what what creating dust means say BL to Havoc here well being my family are farmers yes now that you know that we don't allow people to park on the streets for almost you know half the year we have to be somewhat flexible too so that's where people are you see these ruts people going on their grass and things but I think it was a good debate yeah so you're good to go is that work Tyler got you back Tyler yeah we're glad you came tonight yeah thanks for coming thanks thank you now where did I leave off I think I was asking for you that was you started it y yeah I think you took up all your time now so I'll move on General business that's right your general business is helping Tyler well at least we got that done that's very good I didn't want to bring up and they brought up is uh the little story on Channel 9 about the Snowman so that was a lot of fun to be able to come to historical society and be able to do it with the gang so that was a that was a blast and that Moran Glover is the nicest man he stayed he talked you know a lot of times reporters just kind of stand there and then they come in and go he looked around talked to everybody it was really a class act on his part he really did a nice job for being able to tell the story for the city too okay nothing else as for ajour it so moved so moved council member sh second second council member Norby all those in favor say hi hi hi thank you thank you everybody