This transcript has been formatted with speaker identifications based on the provided city officials list and the context of the dialogue. **Note on Council Members:** The transcript identifies a "Connie Carlson" and a "John," while the provided list mentions "Carl Bliss" and "Orin Kipp." Based on the roll call and dialogue, **Connie Carlson** and **John** (likely Orin Kipp or a recent appointee) are the active participants. *** [0:58] **[Silence/Background Noise]** [1:28] **[Silence/Background Noise]** [1:58] **[Silence/Background Noise]** [3:58] **[Silence/Background Noise]** [4:08] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** 23 uh I'll rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. What I always think roll is first—I know it's not. Okay, so I want to call the roll. Matt? That's Mayor... give me a second... Councilmember... this is roll call. My God, I was hoping you're here. [4:54] **City Administrator Matt Kline:** Connie? **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** Connie's here. **Matt Kline:** Councilmember Gilmore? **Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore:** Here. **Matt Kline:** Councilmember Dahl? **Councilmember John Dahl:** Here. **Matt Kline:** Councilmember Hill? **Councilmember Katie Hill:** Here. **Matt Kline:** Mayor Hanson? **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Here. All right, well we're all here we think. Um, let's see. Uh, I guess I'll just make a motion to approve the agenda. Do I have a second? **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** I'll second it. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** All right, thanks Connie. Um, so all those in favor—or do you have to do a roll call? Why do I never know this? It's never written on here. All those in favor of approving the agenda say Aye. **Councilmembers:** Aye. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Okay. Proclamations, accommodations, petitions, and announcements: The September recycling award recipient is Julie Towel at 242nd Street North. And then now we'll move on to the open Forum. This is a portion of the meeting to address the city council on subjects that are not part of the agenda. The city council may take action or reply at the time of the statement or we may give direction to staff regarding investigation of comments expressed. Typically a total of 15 minutes is allotted for the public comment period during the open forum, but it looks like we have quite a few people here so um we can extend that a bit if we want to and I think we will do that. Let's though try to keep everyone's comments to just a couple minutes so that we're not here all night. I do want to have everyone have a chance to speak. Again, if you're just going to be repeating something that someone else said, it's fine to get up and say "I agree with Joe" or whatever and you don't have to say the whole thing again; that might help too. If you have something to add, obviously add that. So, all right, so let's—should we start the open Forum with Kathleen since she told us she was going to be here and come and talk about Community Thread? Okay. [7:00] **Kathleen:** All right, good evening Mayor Hanson and City Council Members. My name is Kathleen Hess and I'm the director of communications and development at Community Thread. I'm honored to join you this evening to share how Community Thread's efforts add value and make a difference in the lives of residents. Community Thread was formed in 1967 when a group of concerned citizens identified a problem: people no longer able to drive needed transportation to medical appointments. These leaders knew that they lived in a caring community where coordinated volunteer efforts could help address this gap in service. The idea to mobilize volunteers around unmet community needs continues to inform our mission today. At Community Thread, our mission is to leverage resources and engage volunteers to improve the quality of life for adults and their families in our community. Our Thrive program serves older adults and adults with disabilities who need support to remain active and independent, and our volunteer center helps individuals looking for meaningful opportunities to make a difference in their community. Currently, a significant issue in Washington County is assisting older adults age and thrive in place in their homes and in their communities. In fact, the number of Minnesotans turning 65 this decade will be greater than the past four decades combined, and by 2030 more than one in five Minnesotans will be over age 65. This number more than doubles the total number of older adults in our state from 2010 to 2030. At Community Thread, we are well positioned and equipped to meet this need with the launch of our new model for programming, Thrive at Community Thread, which joins our older adult program and chore services and transportation program to elevate our services while leveraging the resources of our volunteer center. Launched in April of 2022, Thrive helps older adults remain independent. Last year volunteers contributed 965 hours of home maintenance services to help older adult owners maintain their properties and provided hundreds of rides to essential services. Currently, 212 residents ages 60 and over are Thrive members. Last year more than 50 volunteers provided 541 roundtrip rides to medical and non-medical appointments. In addition, these individuals participated in activities and programs to help reduce isolation. As a leader in promoting community volunteerism, Community Thread’s volunteer center creates volunteer opportunities for people of all ages. Families, individuals, employees, and students participate in our service initiatives, some of which include Spring into Service, River Rally, Rake a Difference Day, and Holiday Hope. In 2022, these community-wide initiatives engaged 1,600 volunteers who provided direct services to older adults, low-income families, and other local nonprofits and contributed to the stewardship of the St. Croix River. Our volunteer center also serves as a clearinghouse for connecting volunteers to other nonprofits seeking volunteer support. In addition, Community Thread is recognized as a leader providing resources for older adults in our community. Our Stillwater location and our Bayport Senior Center offer welcoming places for older adults to gather and enjoy playing cards, participate in fitness programs, and practice creative skills like learning how to make personalized greeting cards. These centers are friendly places where adults ages 50 plus receive support to remain independent and participate in community life through activities and volunteer opportunities to stay connected and reduce isolation, an issue further exasperated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. These opportunities allow many social connections that provide real health benefits to older adults. Bayport is a special place for Community Thread as we house one of our two locations inside the White Pine building right on Fifth Avenue. At the site, we have ideal space to offer aerobics, tai chi, many craft classes, as well as a foot care specialist. Through Community Thread’s role as a community center, we've experienced over 10,000 visits last year, which was a 73% increase over the prior year. That said, we're well on our way to welcoming the number of guests we saw before the pandemic began—upwards of 23,000 per year. Community Thread also offers supportive services in collaboration with other groups. We offer free tax preparation services through our partnership with AARP tax assistance program. We also collaborate with the United Way of Washington County East for Stuff the Bus, a school supply drive serving students in the Stillwater Area School District. We also provide community meeting space for groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, and we host Fare For All, a program offering low-cost groceries to the public. For 56 years Community Thread has made our region a better place to live by providing opportunities to learn, socialize, and stay engaged with older adult programs, transportation to doctor appointments, help with household chores and tax returns, and connections to volunteer opportunities. As you can tell, the collective impact of our programs creates a healthier, safer, and more connected St. Croix Valley community. Community Thread is an independent nonprofit and every year we need to raise our entire budget. About 80% of our funding comes from grants and contributions and the other 20% is supplied in part by municipalities including Stillwater, Stillwater Township, Oak Park Heights, Bayport, Baytown Township, and Afton. We appreciate the support we've received from the City of Bayport and today I'm requesting 3,000 to support our general operations. Thank you for your consideration of this request and for your support. Before I leave, I'm happy to answer any questions you may have and I will supply each of you with our latest connector newsletter. May I answer any questions? [13:20] **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** I spend a lot of time there so—and you used to be on the board, I know Connie was. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** So we don't—I'm sure we don't have any questions. Is any—any of the rest of the council? No? Thanks, pass them down. All right, thanks for coming, Kathleen. Kathleen's also a Bayport resident, extra special, so all right thank you. Um, so in terms of that donation, does that get—is that automatically part of our budget annually? **Matt Kline:** Yes, ma’am. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Is it at 3,000? **Matt Kline:** Yeah, I'm kind of wondering what the amount was. I feel like—I believe it hasn't changed in the past. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** It hasn't? Okay. All right, thank you. All right, move on to more open Forum participants. Anyone else like to come on up to the podium and share with us? You're here for a reason I'm sure. No, just because it's not on the agenda—what you're here for probably is not on the agenda. So have you seen the agenda? Okay. No, there should be copies on the podium. So all right, so you're all here but nobody wants to say anything? There's no vote being had on school, it's not—to hear you. Yeah, we're still waiting for more public feedback, that's why it's not on. We're also waiting, well as you'll see in the administrator's update, we're working with the district right now on coming up with a more concrete plan for what's going to happen with the school relocation, which is why I think a lot of you are here. And so we don't have anything to vote on or actually discuss in that level of detail tonight, so it's not on our agenda. If you would like to voice an opinion or say something to us, now is your opportunity though, obviously you can email us, you can call us, you can do other things later too. [15:30] **Kelly Williams:** Question? Can you come up to the podium to address us? Thank you. Just—I just want to make sure it's all recorded and people can hear you and all of that. Thank you. Can you state your name and address for us? Yep, it's Kelly Williams, 383 9th Street North. Kelly Williams. I'm just wondering if you could share um what you anticipate the process be going forward? I know that you guys are drafting some plans and um maybe negotiating with the school district on the shared piece of land. Can you tell us what the decision-making process will be and when we might know what the decision is? **Mayor Michele Hanson:** When we would know that um we don't have that yet so um... Matt is going to give an update on the process, he knows more than I do, he's been working with the school district. I guess we could answer that. [16:20] **Matt Kline:** Essentially our intent with the school district currently is to kind of do what the church is doing; they're signing a letter of intent um just outlining exactly—not exactly but in general terms—how the park, at least from the infrastructure potentially added by the school, would be handled. Right? So that includes potentially an enlarged parking lot that would be required to be paid by the school. Um, if there is a playground that's put on the school, they would be responsible for paying for that also. Um, and then parameters on—I mean we can go over all kinds of things—but parameters on parking. Um, there was a suggestion that we have 5 to 10 stalls um that we could use for parking on a daily basis in this enlarged parking lot specifically for the park. Other items—they would be required for maintenance. [17:25] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** So basically the next step is for them to get us this outline of their vision of how this might look and then we as a Council will review that, taking into consideration all the feedback we've heard over the last several months about it being actually in Barker's Alps Park. Now it's a different plan obviously. Um, and all the feedback we've heard since this new plan has come out. Um, and then I guess we would all decide sort of what we want in there and what we think makes sense and then decide whether we are on board with it as a Council. So I don't know if I guess we could still be deciding if we are going to have more public feedback other than through this kind of a forum or email. Um, we haven't had a chance to discuss that; it hasn't been a topic on our workshop or tonight. So I can't—open meeting laws—I can't go ask everybody how they want to do all that. So I don't know what that plan is yet until we have something to react to and then it is on an agenda and then we can talk about it. Does that make sense? I'm sorry I can't be more clear, but I think it just helps the public kind of knowing where we're at. Um, so that's that is helpful even if it's not you know concrete information, so thank you. [18:45] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Yeah, okay great. Now that she's opened it up, does anyone else want to come up? Now you're not so scared? Okay, come on up. Go ahead, one person step out. Oh okay. [18:55] **Stephanie:** Hi. **Melissa Lund:** Hello, my name is Stephanie. Hi, I'm Melissa Lund. **Marvin Haynes:** Hi, I'm Marv Haynes. **Melissa Lund:** And we're here today um to talk to you guys about the Stillwater Water Crisis that's happening right in you guys' backyard and to see if there's any way that you guys can assist us in what's happening um to the prisoners of Stillwater—Stillwater prison. Um, every human being should have access to clean water um and we know how much you guys care about your community. And so we are here today to ask for any one of you guys to stand up and help us advocate for everyone in your community to have access for clean water. And we know that you're not—we don't have direct jurisdiction, that the prison's not under your jurisdiction, whatever. But we've been representing different either individuals that are there or organizations that are trying to work on behalf of some of the inmates there and we've all been contacting the Department of Corrections, the commissioner, and not gotten a lot of feedback or information there either. And so we're really hoping that we can appeal to your moral conscience because of course we would know that you would not want to be seeing people being tortured. People are supposed to do their time, but there are actually also some innocent people there as well. Um, but the people that are there should be not tortured while they're in prison either. So we're wondering what what you can do specifically to help us? So that's our direct question to you right now. [20:45] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Okay. Uh, I don't know that we have a lot of pull in any way but um one thing I do want to clarify for people who are here: the city does not supply the water to the prison. They have their own wells and systems, so that's not anything that we're even in charge of regulating or anything for them. Um, and we don't really have—I mean we have had meetings with them to kind of find out what's going on, but we haven't had a meeting and I don't know if those are supposed to be quarterly. Um, I guess at the next meeting we could bring it up as a concern but I don't know how much leverage we have. I don't know, Matt, do you know? **Matt Kline:** Mayor, um, as indicated we don't we don't have a lot of oversight um on from our perspective. Um, and it's not oversight that we'd obviously want, right? I do believe that they they just finished up with their water testing um and it came back that there was no violations. [21:44] **Melissa Lund:** But we also have questions about that and because you guys are in charge of the city, is there any way for you guys to go in there and pull your own water testing? Because the way that they did the testing, it's not the proper protocol to test water. In the report, in order to collect a clean sample, you have to do that with the first water that's collected from the day. They ran water there for 5 minutes, drained out water from the facility to try to show that the water was okay. People are drinking the water that comes out of there—it is brown water. Um, this isn't the first time that this has came up and we want it to be the last time. And even though we recognize you're saying you don't have jurisdiction and it's water not coming from your well, you have more power than we have as citizens. And so because you are a little bit more—you have meetings; we don't get to have weekly, monthly, whatever orderly meetings at all, but you do have that power. So we're asking you to use that responsibly since you have that. And if you could—and you have people that are employed there, maybe you have other family members that are there even. My brother, Marvin Haynes, who has spent 20 years there drinking bad water, is wrongfully incarcerated. Minneapolis Police stole him from my family and placed him in your residence. Um, and so it's um very important for our family members to come home in healthy conditions. We have reports of people who have died, who have cancer, skin diseases, all of these things. And we are looking to find other folks to help. Um, but we don't want this to affect any of the residents here in Stillwater. We don't want to have to continue to protest outside of you guys' buildings and all of that stuff. We want to be able to work together for Paul Schnell to tell the truth, and if the water is clean, he's refusing to let anyone in there to check the water. [23:45] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Okay. I really appreciate you guys coming and I I do sympathize with you and what's what's happening there and I'm I do have concern for it. I—if I have something I can do I will definitely try. **Councilmember John Dahl:** Would it be fair for us to—I mean Stillwater prison is in Bayport—to just um make a request to the Warden to meet with us and/or make a presentation to the public? I think that's the very least we can do. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** We can absolutely. **Melissa Lund:** Thank you, a great idea, John. Thank you. And if we can give you guys our phone number um to stay in contact because as long as our loved ones are in this residence we're going to have to keep advocating for them to have conditions. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Yeah, can you share—can you email City Administrator Kline after? It should be online, you can find his email address. Does that make sense? **Melissa Lund:** Yeah. Okay. Thank you so much for your time. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Thank you. Have a good evening. Okay, anyone else like to—someone's in the hallway. I don't know if she knows what's going on, she's feeding her... okay there's someone else. Hi. [25:05] **Jessica Johnson:** Hi. Um, I was um hoping that some people from Bayport would speak. Um, I'm Jessica Johnson and I'm actually from Stillwater. Um, I have been in communications with quite a few people in Bayport and I just wanted to point out a couple things that haven't been addressed. Um, Barker's Alps is zoned obviously as a park and I think there's some concern that even with a neighboring property um being sold by the church, that there'll be creep into the park over time. And um we do know that legislation has been brought forward in an attempt to change the zoning there and that um the current zoning of the park has been in question as to the definitions of what cultural means, etc. Um, so the concern I'm hearing is that it sounds perfect to have the church sell the property and then what happens when they want to grow and how do we stop them from creeping into our park and taking lands slowly over time? And I think it's a fair concern, um especially since the park already has been um protected by legislation and there's already been discussions in recent past that we'll just change the protections to get what we want. So um that's still a concern. So um and I'm sure that people that don't feel comfortable speaking in front of a microphone um will write to you and and whatnot. Um personally, uh my concern is actually um that larger school. I'm going to back up a little bit. A lot of all the talk about um changing—closing Anderson—as there's no other options. And um I just want to open up the conversation to Anderson remaining where Anderson is in Bayport, not losing a school at all. Um, the population growth has been um openly discussed as being in the south and southeast parts of the district. Um, the reason that I bring that up is because we don't have to scare the community into losing a school. Um, there are plenty of schools across the nation that are older, significantly older than Anderson Elementary is. Um, but second, smaller schools actually do better um than larger schools in what I have found to be the top three areas of concern amongst um the community and that is safety, teaching conditions, and academic outcomes. And there's little disagreement in that and there's plenty of research on that. And so elementary schools with 400 children or less produce higher academic results, and now we're talking about a school that's going to be quite a bit larger, hundreds of students larger. And um my concern there is that in an environment like that the students um become anonymous and they kind of disappear into the woodwork. And what we need is the kids to have individual attention and staff that knows them by name. And so I would um I would hope that a discussion could be—if not already of course I'm not privy to all the discussions that have gone on—um but leaving uh Anderson Elementary as it is and using capital improvement funds to make any changes that might be needed and lower the population in the school and then build a smaller school south-southeast of the district where the population is. [28:45] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Jessica, I'm being told—I'm sorry, but you realize that that's a School Board decision, right? And you're speaking to a City Council right now. **Jessica Johnson:** I'm speaking to you guys because you have stated in the past that you guys want a school to remain in your community and that that's important to you guys and that that one of the fears is that the property values might decrease if that were to happen. And the only option that's being brought forward is to put the new school, a new school population 650 students, over um near the park that people clearly have an issue with being invaded on. And so there's other options that can be talked about and I just want to make sure that you guys are aware that the—it's not black and white. [29:30] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** We are well aware. I've spent months dealing with the school district and talking about how to keep the school where it is and um was finally convinced that it's not going to stay there. Um, so you can go talk to them about all of that but there's many, many reasons for why that school in that location is not ideal. Um, we all know it's very small, we all know it's on the highway, we all know there's parking concerns—there's all kinds of things going on with that building that they would then if it did stay have to invest more money into it to keep it there. And it there—there's just—it it goes on and on. There's a lot of reasons and like I said, I spent months fighting that fight and so I understand where you're coming from because I felt the same way. You know, just because it's old doesn't mean it's bad, all those kinds of things. There's also—it's going to be a 600, up to 600 student school potential to expand, I guess, if that needs to be um in the future. But there's a way to design schools now where they do have that feel, because I also agree with you that you don't want your school to feel like you're just a number in it, especially in an elementary school. Um, I was part of the facilities design team for the district and we toured um a school that looks like that—I think people have seen Brookview that's designed in that way where there's pods—and so there's a way to make that work. Um, and just to address your your creep concern, creeping into the park, um that's the—the city council has oversight over any of that in the future. So if—especially I mean the plan is to if the school goes in to People's Park, that that land would be annexed into Bayport because it's currently Baytown Township, and then we would have oversight on any new additions or anything that they would want to do. So I I understand that it can be a concern but there really shouldn't be a concern um at that time. If anything happens you're welcome to come back and say we don't want any of this to happen, whatever they're proposing. We may not even all be sitting here at that time, I don't know, but that's what we're here for: is to make sure that people are heard and that decisions are made that are going to work for everybody. So that, I don't think, is a huge concern to me. Um, and then the legislative change that you brought up: yes, that was brought to the—it never got made at anywhere and it's been dropped. So it would have to all be started again if that were—and there's no reason to do that now if we're not building a school on the park. [32:05] **Jessica Johnson:** With all due respect, Mayor Hanson, I understand that you are seated here today and a lot of the things that we hear in government in general is, "Well, we didn't do that, that's what they did," "We didn't promise that." And so it's very difficult as a community member to have faith and have trust that those types of things that you promise today will be upheld later. So um just wanted to bring that. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** That's why you're running for school board, right? **Jessica Johnson:** And one more thing to clarify: I came with those concerns um from constituents that don't feel comfortable, like I said, in front of a mic. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Not that I do, but we—from a lot of them via email already, I believe. So yeah. **Jessica Johnson:** Right, but the community doesn't get to read your emails. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Well they could. No, that's true, that's true. So thank you. **Jessica Johnson:** Yeah, thank you so much. [33:00] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** I you know, invite people—everybody that's here, keep them coming. Send emails, reach out to us for sure. Yeah. All right. [33:15] **Dave:** Oh my God, it's still freezing in here. Mayor, council members, uh Dave, our 9th Street. I think you all know who I am. Um, I first want to say I appreciate the work that you guys have done and the—the work you've done with the school to find a secondary location within the area or work with the church on on finding a a better uh proposal to plan. Um, I'm not—I'm not here to—to ask you to do anything different than just to see see what happens. See what happens with the church and moving forward. You guys will have to make that decision on—on the land surrounding the church, you know, part—the part of the park that will be needed to expand for parking and possibly a playground. Um, I guess my question to you guys is um: what can we do infrastructure-wise—and I brought this up to the school board—to make it safer for students to get to the school? Have you guys had any thoughts towards that or is that something that we thought of after the decisions are made? Um, and then uh is there any way that—I know this is tough—is there any way we can ask the school board to give us, show us a Plan B? Now I'm—I'm not up here saying I disagree with uh the location right now. The one thing that we we always hear is "it's got to go here, it's got to go here." Um, I think I think you guys took a lot of feedback and um found a a better location within the area, right? Um, but just—just I would like to see a secondary location if we could of what that may look like. Maybe that looks completely ridiculous and and this is the only option, but uh that's just a couple of thoughts that I may have or had. Um, and is there any way we could ask them for that? **Mayor Michele Hanson:** We've asked them for that and and they're not going to—they're not going—has not shared that I know of. When you say Plan B, you mean like not outside of—show us—show us a layout of the other option. Because like I I did hear um at that meeting that there was a Plan B. Well is—what does that mean I guess? You know, moving forward with growth, um you know, is there any way that we can protect some of that park? You know, maybe set aside the five acres or seven acres that might be used for parking, playground, but protect the rest of the park from future growth? Um, because you know—you know the school board is looking out maybe 10, 20 years, 30 years—I don't know what that is. But if you look at Anderson Elementary where it sits right now, 100 years ago that school was a two-classroom school and in the last 50 years, I think it's had four or five additions put on it. Um, and that's—that's—that's all been brought out—brought up with growth, right? So I know we're looking forward the next 20 years, but what's it look like 35, 40 years from now? Are they asking for more of our land? And at that point that puts pressure on the next city council to make a decision that that will change the face of that part too. I mean the reality is that land was given to us to remain an open space and I think you guys are doing a wonderful job trying to keep that and utilize a school right next to it for—for educational purposes, utilize what that park is there for. Um, but I want to protect what's there as well, you know? So let's—just a a little opinion I have I guess. I hope that you can use that to think when you make your decisions. So, appreciate it. [37:45] **Allison:** You come on up. Um, my name is Allison. I live in Inspiration. I really had no intention of speaking but I wanted to address a couple things. Um, first of all, um my kids go to Anderson. Connie, my kids went to Pony Preschool so you know—know them. Um, but and um a little bit about me: I'm a former teacher and um so I know a little bit about what goes on in the classroom. Um, so what I wanted to say is no matter how big a school is, students are never anonymous to their teachers. They're not anonymous to the people who work with them and they're not anonymous to the staff and the principles there. If smaller schools meant smaller class sizes then that would be wonderful; however, Anderson is horribly overcrowded. Um, kids are crammed in the classrooms spilling out into the hallways. Um, imagine if the kids could actually go outside, they could expand their learning literally out into the park that we all cherish so much. Um, the school conditions are not conducive to learning right now. Um, if you've been inside the building I don't have to explain that to you. A small town—um, we really do need the community to have a community school. Um, I have not experienced this myself, but I know there's been some comp—excuse me—some parents that have complained about the water quality at Anderson just simply because of 110-year-old pipes or whatever is over there. I'd like to think more globally and not that "I just don't want kids playing in my park and I want to preserve a green space." The green space is meant to be enjoyed, it's meant to be um experienced. And our students already go down there, they just have to walk three blocks to get there and they love it and we love being there with them. Um, our kids belong to all of us; the future is theirs and I truly think that having this experience of—of that school being in that location um would really be beneficial to them and also um to our community in the long run. As far as the comment the community doesn't get to read your emails, I figured I would just read the email I sent to all of you because I think that'll express my thoughts. Um, I'll skip the parts that are [not] relevant but um: I want to voice my enthusiastic support for relocating the current Anderson School to Barker's Alps or to People's Park. Having a school within city limits is vital to the vibrancy and sustainability of our small town. Uh, this will be a little bit redundant but a bit about myself: I'm a former elementary school teacher of 20 years. I taught at a public Montessori school. I also have many experience working for city government as I know the difficulties it involves. I was instrumental in opening Cascade Bay Water Park in the city of Eagan, and to say that there were challenges with residents in their concerns is an understatement. They were concerned about the budget, the land, the noise, the infrastructure, the impact on the community, and so much more. They were valid with their concerns and we were confident that we were going about the process openly and with integrity. We were able to move forward with its development and now, of course, the water park is enjoyed by tens of thousands of people every summer and is the crown jewel of the city. My point is I understand the concerns of residents. I had similar concerns concerns myself when I heard about the relocation. Ultimately the water park—and hopefully eventually the school—will be incredibly beneficial to the city and the residents. It may just take a few people to warm up to the idea, but soon the bitterness of this debate will be gone. We will have a community school in the most precious park in our city. The pros of a new school far outweigh the cons. My two girls who currently attend Anderson and love their school, they love their teachers; they will not benefit from this relocation as they will age out. But as a resident of this community, I will be voting yes for the bond and I do support the relocation to Barker Alps or to People's Park. I want to say that I fully support the Council and your tough decision regarding the new relocation. It's critical to the future of our town and the education of our kiddos. The concerns about an aging building can't be ignored; our kids deserve the best and the safest learning environment. I keep hearing the term "shiny new school" as if that's our ultimate goal, and I'm infuriated. It's our job as leaders and educators to remove the obstacles of learning in order to ensure that kids can excel and only focus on their only job and that is to learn. Our teachers deserve classrooms and facilities where they can do their best work. Our goal isn't to build a shiny new school; the goal should be to have the safest most productive and learning environment for everyone. Not to punish—the teachers are already doing a very impossible job every day and not to give them another dime until they perform. I won't even start with how the "Vote No" cohorts' measure of success is problematic and ill-informed. Relocating the school puts the students in a glorious spot for learning. It thrills me as a parent and a former teacher that the best learning environment is straight out of their door. It's an ideal spot for exploration, discovery, innovation, and more. A bustling party full of scholars—they can all go out there and explore the entire park, and to me that's more exciting than the dozen people who use that daily as it is. I hesitate to even touch on the prison argument across the street because it's silly. We all live in the reality that—that the prison exists in our town because we all live in Bayport. The most staunch "Vote No" voices to the relocation live along Fifth and Ninth—you could literally throw a baseball into the prison grounds from their front yards, and yet they chose to raise their children here pleasantly and without incident. We aren't the loudest voices in the community, but we support you and there are a lot of us. We have trusted the process and we've trust you've conducted business with transparency and integrity. I am against a survey. You were voted by the residents of Bayport into your current positions and we trust that you will be our voice in this democratic process. Please do not waste taxpayer money on on an unscientific survey to tell you what you've already heard from so many of us. Please let the democratic process play out by hearing from your constituents at meetings such as this through contacts, emails, and phone calls. And I'm sure you've received many. That being said, we're grateful for all of you. Thank you for your time and your continued, often thankless, service to our community and we appreciate you. [44:30] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Thank you, Allison. Thank you. Anybody else? Okay, going once, going twice... nobody? Jay, you want to talk? Oh, Carrie will talk. Okay. [44:50] **Carrie Price:** So first off, Carrie Price. I'm a lifelong resident of Bayport. Uh, 923 Second Avenue. Second Avenue, thank you. So I want to thank Jessica because I'm one of the ones that—you know, she came up and was talking and everything that she was saying, my views were 100% square with what she was providing. Um, the one thing like I just heard um from the lady from Inspiration is that Inspiration wants to be part of Bayport, you know they don't feel like they're part of Bayport. Um, if the school was located uh on top of the hill by Inspiration—um, I'm—I'm not for the school where it—where it's projected to be in Barker's Alps or in the People's uh land. My issue with everything is that—exactly what Dave said—is that the school over here... you know, John, Connie, we all went through Bayport Elementary, we know the how—how it has evolved over the years. That's exactly what's going to happen to the school at People's and there are—it's already too small of a land uh trunk of land for—you know. And we need a new school—that's my opinion is that we do need a new school. So the people that are haters on people that are "no," there are people that—it's just not the right location. If they need more, they're going to take more with the the park, just like Dave was saying. Um, after going to the School Board meeting, that really enlightened me because I've never been to a School Board before in my life. Um, and it seemed uh that—it just seemed very one-sided. Um, you know they crammed us into the Media Center which is, you know, one of the smaller rooms. You know, I don't know if they anticipated the people that were going to show up, but it just seemed like they were playing games where the school is, you know, small because of that but um... So I just like voice my opinion: I think we need the school. You know Bayport is small. I don't—I think that the people that are against—the people that don't want it there—if the school is located in a different spot, I think you would have every everybody—I think not everybody, but there would be more people that would just be "yeah that's great let's put it in you know a different location, Location B." So all right, thanks Carrie. [47:20] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Thank you, Carrie. And can I just clarify something about the Schoolboard meetings? The place that they typically meet is under construction right now so they've been going to each of the schools just to experience them and meeting in their Media Centers. So that's happened at every single school; that wasn't strategically planned so that you guys would end up at the Media Center to see how small it is, just FYI. I I do watch their meetings and that's how it's been happening. I just wanted to clarify—they've been doing it in the Media Centers—I don't know if that's purposefully, but that's where they've met at every other school as well. So there was no strategy involved there, just as far as I would understand there's no strategy. Okay anybody else? Um, just to respond: one main thing I'm hearing is the expansion. Um, oh yeah, from the early discussions and some of the designs, I think it's going to be designed for 600 with the room for expansion of 200 more, and that still stays on the People's property as far as what I've been told so far. Again, nothing set in stone—all the stuff will get out now the further along we go in this process. And I think it'll um you know come together a little bit better for people to really see the potential. And yes, there probably will be expansion but you know going into the park we'd still have to go back—or not we—but it could be 30 years from now like you guys are saying, somebody still have to go back to the legislation and change it to make—if they're going to build an entire new building on the park, that would be a whole 'nother conversation. Hopefully 50 years from now again, yeah or 100 or whatever. But and I'm not saying I just "well that's fine somebody else will deal with it"—it's not what I'm saying at all. But I think there is some plan like: yes, it's 600 now with the room for 200 more that still stays on that property. You know, hopefully that you know people can get a little bit behind that. And again, it would be a long process to go back through and get the legislation to change it and do all that stuff to have them build an actual building on what is now Barker's Alps. So I I hope that gets out to people and it's clear to people that that's not the intention of the district at least not at this point. So thanks for clarifying. [49:30] **Councilmember Katie Hill:** Yeah and also I think we should know that our school that we use now is being—like the playground is owned by the city. So it's not—the land under it. Yeah. So it's not like the School Board and the city already aren't working together at this school where now we go to a new one and they're not going to listen to us because they—they've already been perfect this whole time that we've had. I mean from the cafeteria, all that fence area is city—the property is city owned, not the school district. So we already are grouped together, joined together, so I don't know... shows you that we can do it at Barker's and People's with no problem. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Thanks, Katie. Okay, Jenny. [50:20] **Jenny Pen:** Good evening. Jenny Pen, 112 North 7th Street, Bayport. Um, I—I seldom come to these meetings, I never post on Facebook, but I wanted to gather um thoughts from people in town. So I did a post on Bayport neighborhood about three or four days ago and if you don't mind for just a second I'd like to read the post and then tell you what the response was. "I have never posted on the site but have recently been following your comments. I was born and raised in Bayport and raised my children here as well. I continue—continue to actively participate and contribute in any way I can to preserve this unique community where I have been privileged—privileged to spend my life. Our heartfelt thank you to People's Church for seeing the value that a neighborhood school brings to a community and offering their land as a site for a wonderful new opportunity to make Bayport an even better place to live for generations to come. Living in a time when so many small communities shrivel up and disappear only to be replaced by big box stores and strip malls, we've been blessed by community resources that have sustained and grown this town. One need only look to the solid foundation of our community that includes City Hall, Public Works, Fire Department, Croyale, three churches, organizations for veterans and seniors, and so many successful small businesses and organizations all located in one of the most beautiful natural environments on this earth. Now we are being given the opportunity to bring our elementary school into the 21st century too. The current school has been lovingly updated over the years but we are now faced with imminent closure. It's essential to the Bayport way of life to maintain the presence of a local school. We have the opportunity to embrace a new environmental school surrounded by hiking trails, sledding hills, playgrounds, ballparks, and abundant nature to be used and enjoyed by the entire community. Change is always difficult but it's also inevitable. We can choose to fight it or we can choose to embrace it. I hope you will choose to embrace a new school in People's Park." And I just wanted to let you know that I got 132 responses within a couple days and they were all positive—either likes or loves—and people had the opportunity to make comments and there were about a dozen positive comments and there were no negative comments. Thank you. [53:00] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Thank you, Jenny. Appreciate that. Anyone else who said they weren't going to talk and then now feels like they want to? We'll take you. Yes, we would love to hear from you. No? Okay. It's not—no no no, you're good. I can shut the door. No you're good, I think as long as everyone else can hear. Yeah, I thought you were gonna come and speak. No, you gotta watch a child in the hallway so probably not. Okay. All right, so we'll be done with Open Forum. Move on to Consent Agenda. You're all—do you want to—if you want to take a second to leave and be noisy, that's fine and I'll wait a second to read the Consent Agenda. Thank you all for coming. We do really appreciate the feedback, especially from the people who live near there who may have insight into things that we're not thinking about. I appreciate that. Thank you. [53:50] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Bye. All right, so Consent Agenda: we're going to consider resolution adopting items 1 through 7: the September 11th, 2023 city council workshop minutes; September 11th, 2023 city council regular meeting minutes; September 25th, 2023 city council workshop minutes; September payables and receipts; September building, plumbing, mechanical and zoning permits report; hiring of Daniel Hill, Mike Cornell, and Mitchell Langnes to serve on the fire department; and special event application for a Sturgeon Excursion fishing tournament at Lakeside Park on October 7th through 8th, 2023. Does uh anyone want to approve? **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** I'll make a motion adopting the Consent Agenda. **Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore:** Second. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Thanks. All right, Connie and Ethan thank you. A roll call vote please? **Matt Kline:** Councilmember Carlson? **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** Aye. **Matt Kline:** Councilmember Gilmore? **Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore:** Aye. **Matt Kline:** Councilmember Dahl? **Councilmember John Dahl:** Aye. **Matt Kline:** Councilmember Hill? **Councilmember Katie Hill:** Aye. **Matt Kline:** Mayor Hansen? **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Aye. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** So that passes. Um, there is an application for a short-term rental property that is under public hearings, but we don't know—is are there people here to speak to the public hearing? Okay, you're here. You're the owner? I know that I recognize you, Nile. Um, I live in a house that you did an addition on before I moved in. Anyway, okay. So how am I supposed to handle it, Matt? [55:40] **Matt Kline:** Madam Mayor, so it was—it was posted as a public hearing but it's not required to be a public hearing. So um we will take comments. Um, we'll just go through a description of it um and then allow the—the property owner to provide his um feedback on it and then also anybody else here who wants to comment on it. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Okay, so do I have to open the public hearing? We're just going to take comment. So anyone here that wants to comment before Nile has a chance? We're going to have other people speak and then Nile, was that the idea? **Matt Kline:** First I'll describe it and then you can either have Nile present. So after we have your presentation then we'll do that part. [56:12] **Matt Kline:** Yes, ma'am. Thanks. All right, Sarah's a little under the weather tonight so I get the zoning tonight. We're here to consider an application submitted by Nile Eof and Casey Gibbs, who is the property manager—Nile Eof is the property owner—for a license to operate a short-term rental at 537 6th Street North. Uh, this property is zoned R2 single family urban. Um, the existing structure was once utilized as an accessory structure, essentially a workshop or woodworking shop for the primary structure that was located next door. Um, in 2017 Mr. Eof sold that primary structure and turned the secondary structure into its own freestanding um essentially place to live and place of business. Um, so he separated the lots and everything. Since that time Mr. Eof has relocated and is requesting the use of the property as a short-term rental. Um, in the R2 zoning district short-term rentals are allowed um provided that the property meets the provisions of the STR ordinance which we discussed at the um workshop earlier today. Um, the ordinance does allow for up to 10 short-term rentals within the City of Bayport; there's currently um one other STR license that's been issued. Staff has completed the required inspections and compliance review of this STR license application and it has met all of the requirements for the city. Um, the notice of the STR application was mailed to all property owners within 350 ft of the property on September 18th and posted at City Hall. Um, there was a public hearing posted which is not a requirement, um but that's what we had indicated to the public, so we will be open to um allowing for comments from the public. Um, if approved the license will be issued through December 31st, 2023 and then subject to an annual review after that. Um, the packet also includes an application timeline. Um, it also provides an overview of the uh compliance review um if you're looking at it now. Um, and then City staff does have one recommended condition of approval and that would be that the use of the detached what is called the Sauna House structure um that has an accessory bedroom is not allowed to be used as the sleeping quarters as the current ordinance does not allow for use of that type of um facility. I'll stand for questions if there are any. [59:15] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Um, what do—if not—there was something that you just mentioned that I thought wasn't part of our... I wish I was—I forgot that the whole short-term rental stuff was in the workshop packet so I went and open it and then I lost track of what it was that I was going to look up. But I feel like there was um there's some condition that maybe isn't actually in there but... **Matt Kline:** Madam Mayor, I did eliminate two of the conditions that were originally in there so um when we do take action on it um we can specify that. So okay. Um, if if nobody has any questions I would suggest that we let the property owner um speak on his behalf. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Okay, I'm good. Come on. [1:00:10] **Nile Eof:** Good evening. Um, I—I haven't been to many Council meetings. The first one I went to was in the old chambers when I had just moved in in 1986 and I don't have anybody in the graveyard yet but uh been here a while. At any rate, we had just moved in terribly broke and everybody was talking about putting in sidewalks throughout the whole—we had the corner lot and I looked at the numbers and I went "oh my God we're broke" you know? So I came down here and I—I got an education in Bayport City Hall. At any rate, um this is great. It's good to see everybody here. I have a few clarifications as to the history of this building and this—this structure and this property in general. This property was built by Reuben and Rudolph Swanson—the first immigrants—and the house on the corner, which is now owned by Mancinis, was never a joined to the property of the shop. The shop was the Reuben Evener Works, built for skidding timber out of the woods, and I—I know a lot of history about this town and that is one of the most historical buildings left. It you know—I have preserved it and worked on it diligently and forever, and if I wasn't a pretty good carpenter it would be down by now. But um it's—it's been uh—and so it was never a join; those two properties were always separate. I always had separate tax statements from Washington County. So in 2017 I sold the house to Mancinis and maintained my shop and it was no longer a working business anymore; I had fallen off a roof and I was done. So um I made a townhouse of it by an apartment above it and you know it just really went at it and it's beautiful—I mean if I say so myself. But my wife didn't really approve of it; she said it was too small and we have a farm—I have a farm in Wisconsin um 50 miles from here uh about that. And um so I—I spend time here and there so it isn't like I don't live here but I want to be utilizing the space and make it usable and then when I want to be here I can be here and I need to be here and I have family all over the valley. I mean I have kids in Stillwater, Lake Elmo, Minneapolis, and Don's place. So I get to get those little petri dishes out of your daycare every once in a while. But I I see it as a very useful use of this building. After it was done as the Reuben Evener Works, it was the St. Croix Ice Company, which most people didn't realize how extensive that was. They—they cut on the—on the lake out here, sent that ice to Armour Meat Packing and all over the place. So it's—it's got a lot of history and I have been the inheritor of all of these pictures, hardware, antique... I have a forge, a line shaft. This is an Industrial Revolution building and I'm not using it for a shop anymore, but it is building itself because I am building the place, rebuilding cabinets, doors and—and the like. And um I'm just about done. Casey is—well I I am a—I could build you a dovetail drawer but put me online and I'll screw up everything. So I'm an analog man in a digital world and so Casey is—is the air—the head in the air, and I'm boots on the ground. So and together, this young man who studied architecture and met me and uh has been working with me for three to four years and is a very wonderful gentleman that I just love this guy—he's like my oldest grandkid. So so that's what I'm trying to propose to the city and I think that I would be mutually beneficial to the city, to my neighbors, to the businesses in town. I have menus from all of the restaurants. I've met with them, I built many of those restaurants. You know, I lifted—I did most of the work on the Bayport Cookery um when Mr. Butler had a big... you know, I've been asked by the bank, the city and to to come in and try to fix things. So I've done my best and I feel very proud of what I've done. I'm an old wood butcher and I continue to do that. I'm 70 now, still moving, and I would really like to pursue this to make a good use of this space. We will be honest, diligent and caretaking, and we have—this is a way that this building... it costs a lot of money I mean just to fix it and to keep it up and to paint it and I'm getting old so I wouldn't mind having a little income to do that with. So with that, I guess any questions? [1:05:45] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** No, not really. No. No, I just want to um tell you that I appreciate you preserving something. There's very little left in Bayport. Um, I'm old enough to remember the old City Hall set here and it was a pretty neat structure and it would be pretty great to still have some of those old buildings so um I appreciate your eye towards history. **Nile Eof:** You were all welcome to come take a peek. I even have the old City Hall circular window in my Sauna House, the city council chamber signage and everything in the back room—the forge room of my place. I have business cards! Hey, I was a historical dude. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** I thought that was Dan’s pole. **Nile Eof:** No you know, Sarah's gone and Peanuts Bella is gone. I mean you guys—I mean when they had the movie in our house, Peanuts was the most happy about that. He'd sit there when they're doing the fog machines and he was sitting down and there and he he just loved it. He yelled out to the guys shooting the movie, he goes "Hey, you need a 90-year-old man with one leg? I'm your man!" So I just talk too much. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** I want to thank you for doing a short-term rental because I feel like we're lacking that, having a place for people to stay in our town to come and enjoy all of the great benefits of Bayport. I I am happy that you're doing it because we only have one other one. So I'm—I'm loving it and it's quite pretty if anybody wants to see it. And—and your house is close to the restaurant, where you are. It's a great spot for it. I know April did it for years across the street. **Nile Eof:** That's what my daughters did with me. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Yeah. All right. Does anyone else have questions? No? Thank you, Nile, appreciate your time. Okay, so does anyone else want to speak about it? Oh she's here for audit? Yeah yeah we know who she is. [1:07:55] **Jennifer Mancini:** So we're Nick and Jennifer Mancini. We have, as he said, 507 6th Street. And we back this 100%. Um, but I was contacted by one of our neighbors at 504 Fifth Street, Meg and Jason, and they wanted—they just had a few concerns. They say they're support—they're in support of this too, the Fry's... Megan and Jason Fry. Okay, oh yeah. And they—they're in support, just wanted this read into the record I guess. "We won't stand in the way of anyone making a living but our concern for the safety of our neighborhood and children when it comes to short-term rental—we would like there to be a verbal agreement in the um in the petition that no more than four people renting this space at one time," which I think is there, you're not ever going to have more. "And we do not want anyone walking between houses or in the alleyway behind the houses. And um they don't want parties out is obvious and no parking behind the house. And um if we feel any of these are being abused, we will contact the authorities." So that is covered. And he's got—well we have a 12 maximum but he actually has his occupancy listed as four adults yeah for his so I... **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Yeah, sounds—I personally don't see any—I mean I've seen his place, it's perfect for two to four people. **Jennifer Mancini:** Yeah, it's beautiful. It looks like it, yeah. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** We get we got some pictures in our packet so... I actually got to have a tour of your guys' house one Halloween. I got to go in yours once because I was at April's house and we went over across the street. It's really cool. Yeah, anyways you guys have great spots over there. All right, thank you. Okay, so did you want to say anything? Yeah, oh okay. Look at that! Hi. [1:10:00] **Casey Adano Gibbs:** Good afternoon. My name is Casey Adano Gibbs. Um, I'm from Mexico, Chiapas, Mexico. I just moved here to the US since 2019 and Nile become my mentor on building because I was in architecture drafting and design so I need to learn how they do construction here—it's different than in Mexico. But uh in regards about the safety about the neighbors, we got consider that in Airbnb they let us check the profile, we can ask for identification, uh any records about the person that is staying and we have that ability to cancel if we see some suspicions. We also concern about the city. I personally love the city; actually it's pretty calm, reminds me of my hometown—it's called San Cristobal de las Casas. They maintain it as a "Magic Town," that is how it's considered. So I see this place is potential for being a Magic Town also. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Great, thank you! Awesome, welcome. Thank you. He took me there while I was... amazing, nice. All right, thank you. Okay, so I think we just can discuss among ourselves if—amongst ourselves if we have any questions or concerns. Or we already talked a lot about short-term rentals uh prior to this 6:00 meeting. Um, I think looks like he's gone above and beyond uh on some of these things based on what the ordinance says. So I don't have any issues. Like I said, I'm excited that we are going to have another short-term rental. So I think it's good. **Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore:** Diversity in housing is great, yeah. We encourage that. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** I don't have anything. Okay. Does anyone want to make a motion to approve? **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** I can make a motion to approve the license to operate a short-term rental property at 537 6th Street North subject to the conditions of the approval that we've discussed. **Councilmember Katie Hill:** Second. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** All right, thanks Connie and Katie. Um, all those in favor? **Councilmembers:** Aye. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Anyone opposed? All right, good luck. Congratulations. **Nile Eof:** Good luck you! Yeah, can I still walk in the alley? **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Yeah you should be able to, I think so. Is the—is the alley public? **Matt Kline:** Yeah, I I think that whatever concerns the Frys have we'll have to talk about that with them, but you're... I would think that the alley is public property, so I don't know why we would restrict anyone from walking in the alley if that's what they're referring to, but maybe it's undeveloped. **Matt Kline:** The alley's really not distinguished. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Oh, it's not like a real alley? It's undeveloped alley, it's just a platted alley. **Nile Eof:** Oh actually they're very—I mean there—I mean they said they're very supportive, yeah just concerned. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Yeah, and maybe if they—so if you want to send them all of the restrictions that are applied to a short-term rental, that might make them feel better. **Casey Adano Gibbs:** Yeah actually we can do that in our—we have an agreement so we can add that also in. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** People come in, they know... that's a great idea. All right. Yeah, and—and I mean just like any other residence in Bayport, it's subject to noise and any other restrictions that pertain. So if people have problems... well had we never had any problems when April did it across the street? We never had any issue. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Yeah. Okay great. And so were we clear enough with um what we approved Matt and Sarah? Based on discussions that we had earlier like about the parking and all of that that? **Matt Kline:** Yes, Madam Mayor. None of that necessarily affects... I mean there was clarification, so we're good though. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Okay good. All right, hopefully make it easier for you what we discussed earlier. All right, thank you guys. Is it ready? When are you guys going to start? **Nile Eof:** We're cooking. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** You are? Great. **Nile Eof:** I'm going to go varnish floors. All right, thank you. With you guys. Okay. Funny. Okay, sorry. So now we're going to move on to the audit presentation. Yeah, I know it's gonna be to follow. Madam Mayor, excuse me. Um, can we just wait a second? So if we can try... on the screen... already got it figured out, thanks John. Perfect. All right. [1:14:40] **Molly Thompson:** All right. So my name is Molly Thompson and I'm here to present the December 31st, 2022 audit. Um, we did send out a copy of financial statement electronically. It's about this big and we're not going to go through all of that. I put it into a short and sweet document so I'm going to kind of keep it very high level. Um, just to make good use of your time, but if you have any questions as I go through feel free to interrupt me. It's almost easier to answer questions as we go, but if you want to wait till the end we can do that as well. All right, so on the next slide here, this is just a picture of the audit process. I'd like to explain that the audit actually has three phases: we have a planning phase, an account analysis phase, and then a write-up and wrap-up phase. And this is really about the middle section when we're testing the numbers. So we get a trial balance from the city and we look at um detailed information behind those numbers, source documents, we read all of your minutes, contracts, agreements, etc. Um, we apply analytical procedures and sampling um and inquiries, and the whole point of that is so that we can issue an opinion on the financial statements. And we're issuing what's called an unmodified or clean opinion that the financial statements are fairly presented. Along with the audit, we do issue a report to the members of governance and that was also emailed out to all of you, and that's really our opportunity to let you know if there have issues. Um, we feel like the audit went relatively smoothly. We feel like we have a positive working relationship with your management. Um, no unusual transactions or accounting methods were noted during the audit. And then we do have to tell you that there's a significant estimate um to us the auditors, and that has to do with the PERA [Public Employees Retirement Association]. Um, we of course have to on the government-wide financial statements—we get out an actuarial report and we report that balance pension asset/liability. We also have a section in that report that walks through internal controls and we have three findings in this area and they're all the same that you've had for a number of years. They're also very similar to probably 95% of our government client base has these exact same findings. So we do help you post year-end adjustments, basically taking your numbers from the cash basis to the accrual. Um, you do have a lack of proper segregation of duties. Um, essentially Mary has access to all of the accounting so there's no division amongst the different modules, whether it's receivables, payables, payroll, etc. Um, and then we have actually drafted the financial statements for you. So again nothing unusual in this area, we're just required to tell you this every year. Um, another part of the audit is that we do um test your compliance with Minnesota statutes. Um, there's basically seven areas: we look at your contracting and bidding, depositories of public funds, conflicts of interest, public indebtedness, claims and disbursements, TIF [Tax Increment Financing], and then miscellaneous the catch-all. And we had two um findings this year. One was that the 2021 final audit numbers were not published or made public. We did send that off to Matt this year so I believe if it's not already done, it's got to be coming up here pretty quick. Um, and then there was one closed board meeting that um was not recorded electronically. Those are the two. [1:18:50] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** I don't even remember having one. Okay. **Molly Thompson:** The next couple pages here we'll walk through numbers and again this is pretty high level um but we can dig in as you see fit. This uh slide shows your general fund over the past five years. Um, we have revenues in the blue bars, expenditures in your red bars, and then fund balance—which is the health of the city—in the green bars. And also to the far right, we have your 2022 budget. Kind of a big picture summary: your revenues were less than budget um this year by about 304,000 and that's largely due to—you budgeted 270,000 of investment gain but you had a loss of like 272. And keep in mind that's—that's because you're required to record investments at the um fair value at the date of 12/31. So if the market increased after that, which it has, that's already flip-flopped; it's not a cash loss. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Good. **Molly Thompson:** And then expenditures exceeded budget by about uh 98,000 um and we—I have more detail coming up—but that's generally just due to actual exceeding budget in your General Government area, Public Safety, Public Works, and Parks and Rec. So for the current year the general fund had a decrease of about 633,000, and again 272 of that is the loss on investments for the general fund. So a little more detail in the next two slides um: this details your revenues and we have laid out here 2021 in the blue bars, 2022 in the red bar, and then your budget for 2022 in the green bars. Um, taxes and assessments: your collections were up a bit this year which was good to see, and part of that was that the levy was increased about 100,000. Uh, license and permits increased quite a bit from the prior year and were over budget just due to the number of permits that you issued this year compared to prior years and your budget. Um, intergovernmental: you had a couple things going on there. Um, you are about 50,000 over the prior year numbers—or under, I'm sorry—but about 10,000 over budget. Part of this was that if you recall last year in 2021 you received about 62,000 for the small cities grant; that was really the biggest factor there. Uh, charges for services: you had a couple things going on there. Um, the city did adopt—there's a new lease standard that came out this year and you did adopt that, which did increase your lease revenue by about 15,000. The other big increase here was your park fees were up quite a bit over the prior year. And then the investment gain and loss: we talked about—that's where you see the 272 of the loss. Again, picture of time, so just as of the end of the year. And then in your miscellaneous—that's kind of a catch-all where donations, insurance um refunds, etc. are in this category. Um, you had about 54,000 in donations above the prior year. You had a TIF reimbursement of about 112,000 and your insurance reimbursements were a little bigger than last year. So all favorable in the miscellaneous category. On this next slide, I have a similar um layout here for your expenditures. And the—the common theme here for all five—well, the first four categories: for General Government, Public Safety, Public Works, Parks and Rec is that um either your outside services increased or your wages and benefits. So they kind of relate because a lot of those outside services are related to increased wages and benefits in those sectors. You had also had um pretty—pretty good increases in repairs and maintenance, fuel costs, and utilities. So kind of across that board for those four—first four categories—is the background of why those buckets increase over the prior year. And then your capital outlay: that relates to Highway 95 improvements this year and the Cat wheel loader that was purchased for about 190,000. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Weren't the 95 improvements in like 2020? **Molly Thompson:** There's probably some wrap-up this year. It must be in 2022. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Okay. And we actually only outlaid $24,000 or planned to outlay only 24,000 in our budget. **Molly Thompson:** In the budget. But the actual spending was 557. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** That seems a little off. **Molly Thompson:** I think there might have been a culvert—I think I forgot to list one here—a culvert replacement... box culvert? **Matt Kline:** Madam Mayor, that—so we kind of report differently for the capital outlay. It's built into the budget now rather than necessarily getting called out. So what we're trying to do is pull money—we're trying to use money that we're getting in from taxes rather than money from savings, and so that might be why it's not called out in the 2022 budget there. [1:24:45] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Oh, okay. **Molly Thompson:** In a lot of cities we see this because they'll have a budget and—this might be what Matt is saying—that every year we're going to put 25,000 away, but now five years later we go spend the 125,000 and that's when it shows up on your—your financial statement when we spend it. **Matt Kline:** So we've tried to move away from that. We still do that—we still put money away—but we've been trying to do a better job of just having enough tax money on hand to actually pay for the whole wheel loader with taxes rather than pulling from um from investments and stuff like that. **Molly Thompson:** Um, this next slide just is a picture of the—the strength of your city despite this downward trend. Um, you have a fund balance policy that you're striving to maintain a minimum unassigned general fund balance equal to 40% of annual budgeted expenditures. And as you can see in the percents in the lower left side, you're well in excess of that. So even though it's a downward trend and has been for the past five years here, you're still—and—and you're probably one of the strongest cities that we work with in this area. **Councilmember John Dahl:** What's accounting for the downward trend? **Molly Thompson:** Um, it could be a number of things. I mean you don't have a lot of debt, so you tend to cash outlay rather than take on debt. Um, it would be a—a lot of combination of things. **Councilmember John Dahl:** Okay, but just—you're spending probably? **Molly Thompson:** I mean I'd really have to dig in because I don't have all of these years in my head. Um, but probably, you know, some of it might—as we'll see in the next few slides—the library um restoration or the reconstruction of that and the spending in that area... those things are all going to drive that trend down a little bit. **Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore:** Molly, one question. Sorry, Madam Mayor. Would the investments decrease? **Molly Thompson:** Yes. **Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore:** In this section? **Molly Thompson:** Yes. **Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore:** Okay, that is impacting the [unintelligible]? **Molly Thompson:** Very much so. And all of the cash—cash trend analysis that I'm showing you is cash plus investment, so again that's part of these—some of the dips here too. Um, but just for the general fund here cash trend: your cash went from about 4 million last year down to about 3.9 million the current year, so down about 629. But again 272 of that is the loss on the investments. So really it's not quite as drastic as it appears. Um, and then on your other governmental funds—I'm not going to spend a lot of time on these because they're a little smaller. The biggest one that's going to jump up at you a little bit here is the library improvement funds because you'll see you spent 1.33 million this year. Keep in mind that was based on the donations you took in last year. So you had the revenue last year but you spent the funds this year. The rest of these funds are fairly small in comparison to the general fund and your um utility funds. So unless you have specific questions... um you had a—a gain in your water/sewer improvement fund, a little bit of a loss in the library operations fund, um the big spending in the improvements fund, and then all of your other non-major governmental funds you had an increase of about 100,000. Um, there again this just shows the cash in those other governmental funds. Um, nothing too unusual other than the blue bar which is the library improvement funds; it again shows a big increase last year with the donations and now he spent it in 2022. A little bit here on your water and sewer funds: this first slide shows the water fund, and you'll see here for the last two years your operating expenses are actually higher than your operating revenues, resulting in a net loss. Um, and then we also have some non-operating revenues and transfers in, non-operating expenses and transfers out. So the—the net decrease in the water fund this year was about 54,000. That does include a 100,000 loss on the investments though. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Makes sense. **Molly Thompson:** Switch those numbers around and then we'll see something similar here on the sewer where actually for the past three years here your operating expenses are higher than your operating revenues. Um, and then you've got some non-operating ins and outs. Um, total loss of 104,000 on this fund. Um, and the investment loss was about 73,000 of that number. The good thing to keep in mind on these funds, along with your governmental funds, you've got really strong ending net position which is the health of the city. So cash trend on these funds: the big thing I'm going to concentrate on these—both of the funds had a decrease overall in cash, but the cash flows from operations was a positive for the uh water fund of about 95,000 and a positive 23,000 for the sewer fund. And that really represents the day-to-day operations—the cash they generated—and then you use those monies to do improvements or buy equipment, that sort of thing. So even though total cash was down, that's a good thing to see. Um, and then I'm just going to spend a couple slides here talking about um—in your financial statement we have all of the fund financials and then we do what's called government-wide. So these next two slides are a picture of the city as a whole, so all of the funds um combined. So total current assets are the blue bars; they represent cash investments, AR [Accounts Receivable], and prepaids. That decreased about 1.3 million this year or 8%. And then your non-current, which represents all of your infrastructure, equipment, that sort of thing um along with some long-term receivables... that actually went up by about 1.4 million or 4%. So you had a net increase in total assets of the city of about 96,000 compared to the prior year. And this is where you really see—when you flip from this page to the next page—this is where you really see the health of the city because you saw how far out those stretch asset lines were. Now this shows your liability side. So the blue bars are your current liabilities; you had a little bit of an increase there due to some payables related to the library at the end of the year. And then your debt is the red bars; that went down about 262,000 this year. And then the green is all about the PERA pension, which is a complete estimate. It's essentially if PERA failed tomorrow, how much would the city owe to cover that liability? You're required to record it. **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** Why is it so much greater than it was in 2021? **Molly Thompson:** Due to the losses in investments. Anytime you have a huge... so at 12/31 the overall market was so far down compared to prior years that that liability got a whole lot bigger because if everybody would have retired, they have a lot more to make up because money isn't there in terms of that investment loss. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** I thought it just meant what if everybody did retire, what we would have to pay out? So how would that be affected by... **Molly Thompson:** Well this—so this is an estimate about the proportionate share of PERA that the city would owe. So it isn't your paid out your PTO or anything like that; it's literally if the PERA system failed, meaning the state of Minnesota's system failed, the City would have to cover this liability. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Question: does that take into account like if PERA failed, but that would take into account how much PERA still has and then they only have that much to pay out? So last year it was lower probably than what they normally have so then our responsibility would have been more? **Molly Thompson:** Yep. So these past couple years have been fairly good years and then there's a downturn in the market here currently and they're very conservative there so um their downturn might have been affected more by what they are invested in. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Yeah. **Molly Thompson:** And the other thing: this is is a complete actuary estimate so don't worry yourselves about it too much because if it was going to happen you'd have a lot of leadway knowing it was going to happen and there's got to be safeguards in at the state level. But we are required to report it. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** If you guys aren't worried, I'm not worried. **Molly Thompson:** Yeah. Yep. And and your number here—your this graph for you looks no different than any other City, School, etc. The schools maybe will do okay because June to June wasn't so bad, but December to December there was just a big decrease in the market. Um, the next two slides just kind of give you a picture of the debt outlay. The first one is your 2015 A bonds which are um part of your governmental funds. Um, and you can see the blue represents your principal payments it'll be due and red are your interest and that one becomes due in 2031. And then similarly on the next page: this is for your proprietary funds—your 2020 B series—and that one becomes due in 2030. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** And is all this debt related to the fire station or there other... **Matt Kline:** Madam Mayor, the 2015 bonds are related to the fire station. The 2020 bonds are related to the 95 project. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Got it. **Molly Thompson:** And then because we don't want anyone to be bored, this next slide is letting you know that there's GASB 96 will become effective for the 2023 audit. Um, it really takes any kind of uh subscription-based information technology—which is a little over my head in terms of IT—but essentially cloud services, anything of that nature. We'll have to dig into those agreements to decide if you have a right to use asset that gets offset by a liability. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Glad I don't have your job. **Molly Thompson:** Yeah. The hardest thing is trying to read the agreements because it—it's a very specific standard and the agreements sometimes are a little wishy-washy. Sorry. [1:36:50] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Molly, you have something about GASB 87 with leases—will that affect us? **Molly Thompson:** Leases—it'll just be similar to that which you just adopted this year. Okay. It's—it's a very similar concept but it—it has to do with IT-based subscription services instead of leases of real property or equipment. So but it's very similar and really it just puts an asset and a liability. The—the revenue expense doesn't change a lot. So any questions? **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** I do. And for all the years—it's not that many years I've been on Council—I always think of this after this presentation, but I you know—this stuff, I've said it a thousand times, this stuff is not my forte. So that's why there's people like you and Matt and people... so my question is: so is like the next step with a—a CPA firm such as yours to kind of—or is it something Matt would do to say "what are three things we could do to improve on"? Are there—are there some obvious things we should be looking as a city or a council? **Molly Thompson:** I actually—you know, what I would really like to do is spend some time working with Matt and Mary on the accounting side um and get some of that process um just really help Mary get trained up a little bit for—for all she's responsible for doing. Um, and she made some great strides this year; you know, she really did compared to the prior year. So I think that—that would be one thing that I would really welcome. Um, I always think it's important with your investments to be talking to your investment advisor at least once a year to be vetting that out. Um, I'm not concerned about the type of investments you are in and as a city you are very, very restricted and they sign a broker uh uh form that lays that out for them. Um, so I'm not concerned about the type of investments that you're in, but you know, you always want to make sure they're watching out for the best of the city. Those would be two things off the top of my head. **Matt Kline:** If I could comment on that: um we will be looking into essentially a financial management plan this year. Um, it's been our intent probably for the last five years to complete that, which includes a rate study just to do what Molly essentially said, right? Make sure that um what we're investing and what we're bringing in is going to cover what we intend to do in the future. Essentially we've been definitely lacking that here the last 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 years. Um, are we in a good situation? Absolutely. Um, could we always bring more money or more revenue in and save more? Yes to that too. [1:39:40] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** I don't like seeing that those Water/Sewer funds cost more than we take in—basically is what those charts were saying. How is our Water and Sewer checked? I've never asked that before. I know it's a weird question. As far as like how do you know how much Water and Sewer I use? **Matt Kline:** Well, sewer we don't. Yeah, the sewer you don't. I mean Madam Mayor, members of the council: sewer we don't. Um, we just assume that your January usage is equal to your usage for all the other quarters. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Water? **Matt Kline:** We have a water meter that records it on a quarterly basis. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** But how do you measure it in January? **Matt Kline:** By using the January water usage. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Yeah. Okay. So use the water usage then to estimate your sewer usage? Okay. Um, how do other small cities or maybe non-small cities deal with the lack of segregation of the duties? Um, and do you have suggestions for us on how we could handle it? Again, Mary's doing a great job, I know, and she's learning a lot. Um, are there things that we could be doing with an outside service or something that would help segregate that or is it not even that easy? **Molly Thompson:** You know, there—you always have to look at the cost-benefit of that. Um, any one of you who wants to get involved and do more review, you can certainly do that. Um, the biggest thing we find with controls really is that a lot of controls might be there but they're not documented. So say Mary completes the bank rec and then Matt reviews it. Well, if Matt doesn't sign and date it, who's to say Matt really did that? Um, so there was a new auditing standard that we had to actually have you guys fill out a much more detailed questionnaire about internal controls and I can take a peek at that and see if there's some things in there that could just tweak a little bit and make them a little better. Um, we could definitely do that. If I don't get back to you Matt in short order, though, pop me an email and remind me. But it is—it's really hard. And—and the biggest thing—the reason you you have a finding is the AICPA will tell you it takes six accountants to have perfect controls. I don't think it necessarily takes six, but if you can imagine that Mary has access to all of the accounting—there really is no separation within the program because she can do journal entries, she can do the bank rec, she can recode transactions... and you're in the same boat as every city I personally work with, every school district I work with. It—it just it takes a lot. But just to be conscientious and you know, asking about disbursements, asking about receipts, asking about budget to actual—those are the things that you as a council can definitely be doing for sure. [1:42:35] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Great, thank you. Anyone else? Okay, well thanks Molly. **Molly Thompson:** All right, sounds good. Thank you. Appreciate it. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** All right. How many times have you heard this kind of presentation, Connie? **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** I think that's my 13th? 19. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Yeah, you're okay. Um, and it's still—and that segregation has always been there? It's always been there. Yeah. Um, it uh still isn't always perfectly clear, but clear enough. Okay. Um, we don't have any unfinished—oh we have to make—we have to accept it. Yes, sorry. **Councilmember Katie Hill:** I move to accept the 2022 audit. **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** I will second that. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Thanks Katie and Connie. Um, all those in favor? **Councilmembers:** Aye. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Anyone oppose? Ethan's just not voting here, did you fall asleep? That's our eye and eye. Okay. All right, so no unfinished or new business. So city council liaison reports? Uh, Katie do you want to start this time? **Councilmember Katie Hill:** I have nothing. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** That's true, Derby Days happened. **Councilmember Katie Hill:** Yeah. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** John? **Councilmember John Dahl:** I have nothing to report. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Ethan? How about Cable Commission? **Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore:** Not a meeting coming up Thursday for me. I'm going to go right with the flow. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** No? **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** The Library Board did meet but had to change the date and I had already had a church council meeting, so didn't make it to the Library Board. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Okay, so I had a similar issue because we had our council meeting on the night of the Fire Relief Association meeting, so I didn't get to report on that either. Our next meeting will be uh next Monday. Um, I did do a Croyale meet and greet on the 14th of September just to kind of introduce myself to the people who live there. I know I've been Mayor for about 10 months or 9 months now, but at least I could go say hi to them. And then I also did the um uh went over to the Bayport Bash after that—was really cool. If anybody went, you should go next year if you didn't. At the bank they do a that little—oh I think I saw you coming in when I was leaving. Yeah. Um, of course Derby Days happened. Um, I'm on a little committee with Jay Jackson... well yeah Jay kind of likes to be on that committee for the Halloween thing, he needs to just delegate, but he still shows up. And I think now Ryan is going to help us with the planning. Halloween night we're going to um with my our Lions Club—Afton Bayport Lions—um try to bring back the—the community event outside of um—inside possibly. And then on the 20th I did a "Jail and Bail" for Croyale; they invited me as the mayor to go and raise money for Alzheimer's and that was super fun and appreciate the support of the Police Department and Mary. I know you're listening, thank you. Um, and then on the 26th Sarah Taylor and I both were at the Xcel King Plant stakeholder meeting. Not a lot pertaining to us—they're kind of still figuring things out—but interesting to kind of just hear the progress. They're working right now on um reviewing um proposals that they collected for solar energy to come from Wisconsin and then pass through this—the site here. And so once they figure all of that where they're going to get all the solar from, then they're also going to have to figure out what lines they still need and where they might have to move some things. So that could affect us on one of the lines that's that runs close to Point Road. Um, so that's about it for now, I think. Maybe Sarah might—she has anything to add she can do that later, um but that I was for October for me. Um, so then Matt you want to do staff and administrator reports? [1:46:50] **Matt Kline:** Yep, thank you Madam Mayor. Um, Chief Eisinger is at a 5-year-old birthday party tonight so you get the night off. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Wouldn't we all rather be there? **Matt Kline:** He did want me to mention just a couple things. Um, their call volume uh to date uh for September was 123 compared to 100 in 2022. Um, so year-to-date is 935 compared to 847, so it's back on the rise again. Um, and then he did want to mention that uh September 2023 was the 135-year anniversary of the Bayport Fire Department. Um, interim Chief—maybe I should mention the fire prevention week in the open house it's coming up October 14th, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. You just did—I'm doing it for you! So come on down to the new fire station October 14th. [1:47:50] **Police Chief Jay Jackson:** Madam Mayor and Council: uh just a couple things I wanted to mention uh regarding the prison water issue that was brought up during the public forum earlier. Um, I did meet them in the hallway and did let them know that um I had received a complaint on that and I did forward that up to the Department of Public Health. And I'm going to touch base with them too on who I contacted so that they can reach out to uh them directly so that has um one of the things that I had addressed with them. So I just want to update you on that. As far as past information goes, uh we had the uh lockdown at the prison; there was a large public safety presence—I'm sure you all saw the press release on our Facebook page. So uh it was mostly out of an abundance of caution, there was never any risk to the public, the event stayed within the facility. So uh we assisted with the uh first day of school crossing at 95 and Third North; uh everything continues to go well there. Uh, we did our tactical shoot on the 14th. Um, we also attended the uh Bayport Bash at First State Bank; uh I was out there for a little while with uh Officer Cornell and our K9 Ma. Um, and then Derby Days was also out there for both of those events. Um, great fireworks show; had reserves and officers out at the dance as well. So uh our upcoming events as the uh mayor mentioned: we are still planning a lot of the events around Halloween but we would like everyone to come out—it's going to be at the old fire hall, the place that is being leased out by the uh Department of Corrections. Uh, we're working on all the details but we're going to you know be handing out candy, some food uh we'll have glow sticks so the kiddos will have a little bit better visibility as they uh wander the uh streets. Um, but definitely uh keep up to date on our Facebook page, get more information, but definitely come out um and say hi. On November 8th we have some training—that is our indoor simunition which is essentially paintball training um and Crisis Intervention technique scenarios. We are partnering with Oak Park Heights Police Department for that. Um, we are also starting our planning for the Toys for Tots coming up uh in December. And then of course the lighting of the green. Um, our current uh calls as of September 16th were 5,859—not so much total calls but all incidences. And I will stand for any questions. [1:50:15] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** I'm curious how much time is spent putting together this list of all the calls that you put—it's probably the fastest thing. **Jay Jackson:** What I do is I go to the—Washington County has a public uh reporting system. So I essentially just take their um Excel spreadsheet and then just eliminate the other cities and then I shorten it up just so it's a little bit cleaner. So it's actually not that bad. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** So you don't have to put all those X's in there for the addresses that way? **Jay Jackson:** Data redaction—that's straight—straight through the county. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Okay good. I was just curious about—it's I've always wondered and I never asked. I'm like "boy I hope they don't spend time trying to redact all that," that would be a huge pain to do all that. **Jay Jackson:** Yes it would. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Okay good. So it's essentially cutting and pasting? So it's actually pretty smooth. **Councilmember Katie Hill:** Okay, this last time it got cut off a little bit, it looks like. I don't know what happened but and in my packet it is anyways... I have a like on the right side. So do you think there would be any reason on Halloween to potentially block off some of the roads that are going north and south where most of the houses are and let the east-west roads... like I'm talking Fourth and Fifth Street where the majority of the trick-or-treating happens? Um, I don't know if we've had an issue with it but I know cars can go flying down there and there's kids everywhere. It's like—I know I like the thing with the glow-in-the-dark necklaces, but I thought if we—if you could close that up and still let people drive... and that's where most people would park then, because there's not as many houses—there's not front doors on the east and west roads as much, at least not on Fourth and the Fifth. So maybe from you know out here block down just have a little barricade so then the cars don't go down those streets? I mean it's just an idea. [1:51:50] **Jay Jackson:** Yeah and that's one of the things that we did um talk about and I'll probably work with Simon and Matt on making the decisions there. Because I mean we do have a lot of the you know the Avenues there that would have to be covered, but we were thinking that possibly just putting barricades to you know encourage people to find alternative routes without restricting the flow of traffic completely. So obviously homeowners can still get through. Everybody should be paying close attention on Halloween for kids on side streets. Uh, we will also have uh our staff out here crossing kids on 95 like we always do, um so we get the people coming from the east side going to the west side. Primarily it's our very busy area... you know, this probably you know six square block area here from City Hall going uh west. Um, and then for our event with the fire department, I think we are going to block off Second Avenue since it really only impacts one house and it—it's never been an issue so they probably like it. **Councilmember Katie Hill:** They'd probably like it if it was blocked off. **Jay Jackson:** Yeah. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** No, I like that idea of kind of trying to deter people but not necessarily totally blocking it off. Yeah, I think that's a good idea. Thanks for bringing that up, I know we've been mentioning it every Halloween, really gotten anywhere. **Jay Jackson:** Yeah and I will work with uh Simon and Matt on figuring out exactly what our best options for that is—you know, where to try and restrict movement but... **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Great, it's kind of the plan. **Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore:** My question is: um several of us with the Anderson and the Barker Alps have heard um concerns from the people up on 9th and the speeds through 9th. And if you drive through there now, there's a lot of slowdown for kids. Is—is that a place um that we need to um have more visible? Or it sounds like some things have been tried... I imagine if they're still complaining about it that it is still a concern. Um, I know I'm catching off guard here and I apologize for that, but any thoughts you would have or any way um ideas or ways you can reach out to those folks or step up patrols—any of that kind of thing? [1:54:05] **Jay Jackson:** Yeah, absolutely, and and we have done that to a large degree. Um, I think one of the main issues is uh because it's you know a—a fairly quiet street for the most part, that um perception of the actual speeds being traveled—it might not be reflected as being as big of an issue as it might be. And it's very likely to be one or two problem people and you know the issue there was catching them you know? So if uh you know somebody you know was able to figure out who these people were, we'd absolutely take that information and go have a conversation with them. Um, but yes, we have put the speed sign out there—our electronic speed sign—and that does track things um and we do report that activity um on our Facebook page. So it's definitely you know one of the areas that we have of concern. **Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore:** So do you have any—any again off—you know, I'm catching off guard, something that just kind of occurred to me—it's something I thought to ask you before: any thoughts in—in terms of just from a safety standpoint traffic moving through—through the city if a school would be located out um near Barker Alps? Any thoughts or does your radar go up when you see us talking about things like that? **Jay Jackson:** Um, as far as specifically more traffic heading there? Fifth Avenue—you'll probably see some more. Um, you know Fifth Avenue—since they raised a speed limit there uh you know we patrolled it pretty heavily um when it was 30 mph. Um, now with the speed increase um you know obviously would not have been our preference, but um we still do patrol Fifth Avenue pretty regularly. I would not anticipate you know a huge influx of traffic for the most part. You know, like what I tell most of my guys: it's almost always faster to go to 95 and go up and around. Um, and I think most people that live in the area generally know that, but you're always going to have you know couple problem children that need to be addressed. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** I wonder if having a school there would trigger a lowering of—I was just going to ask that! It might, yeah, by the county. "While their children are present," I would think it would be small. Or even I'm thinking if you think about um St. Croix Prep, didn't they end up having to put like a light at that intersection where you enter St. Croix Prep? Is it only is it because it's across from Inspiration or do you know anything about that? **Matt Kline:** Madam Mayor, it's likely that they would have done a traffic study to—um to warrant that essentially. My guess is that if the school wasn't there it would—have wouldn't have warranted it. Um, but given that at two times during the day essentially there's significant traffic coming out, that's probably the only reason that it was warranted. Obviously 99% of the time it's not needed in that location. [1:56:45] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** I feel like another thing we could think about is that the district needs to think about what time of day that school starts and stops, and then also when Anderson has their times and when the prison has their shift changes. All of that—just we just need to work together to make it... **Jay Jackson:** I will say here that the—the prison is based on the new design of how the streets go, we have less traffic coming in that way. Most of the prison staff exit out the north end there um to the stoplight. Um, so that's less of an issue. But Anderson certainly—I mean 2:40 is a nightmare in the afternoon. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Yeah, they ever thought about it in the past? But it seems like it always gets out around the same time as Anderson when school lets out. But... okay. **Councilmember John Dahl:** I just had a question. If there's a constant person that you—that's flying up the street—and I know the signs are or the speed limits are there but they're not abiding—so somebody took or had a license number, could they contact you and you could go and at least talk to that person? **Jay Jackson:** Absolutely. So um we—I didn't know if in—after the math if... yeah, would definitely want to have a conversation with the person um because at that point it's—it's usually you know speeds that are grossly over what they're talking about. If you know general public is "little vehicle flies by like he's an airplane"... yeah absolutely, we would love to have that information. They can email me or anyone in my office. **Councilmember John Dahl:** Have to be quicker looking at the—trying to get the license plate! **Jay Jackson:** Yeah, it will certainly address it. Um, you know citation can't be issued because right—petty misdemeanor—but you know we're certainly happy to educate them and hopefully that take another street then? No I'm kidding—to slow down! That was a joke. Yeah. But okay. I just didn't know if that was something you could do after fact you know after the fact. **Jay Jackson:** Right, and a lot of times it's—it's just going to be that outlier of the one offender or the new offender. It—it's the same: you get the one person you know that's new to driving and doesn't realize the dangers of you know driving on some of these side streets, or it can just be somebody that just doesn't care either way and try and address it. And most people are pretty receptive to it, especially you know when we make it clear that it's you know about the safety. [1:58:45] **Councilmember John Dahl:** Any other questions? Thanks J. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** I don't think we've ever had so many questions for you! **Councilmember John Dahl:** Well everybody else is... you certainly don't have to... I'm sure you've thought about it, but with his school there do you see concern being near the prison? Just uh this has been brought up to me and I—I really don't have concern. We've not had issues. Um, could—could there be one? Could I guarantee you that there wouldn't be? No absolutely not. But we—we haven't had it and the prison's still there. You know, I've been here you know through you know several walkways from the prison. Um, the first thing to do is leave Bayport! I mean it's just tends to you know be the first thing they want to do is get far away from the prison. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Well and if you're going to go somewhere, you're probably not going to go to a brand new school that's going to have all kinds of security measures and cameras and adults looking after kids. That's probably not the first place. **Jay Jackson:** No that'd be right. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** It's my thought on it, but that's one of the things that people had some concerns, so it's nice to hear your opinion on that. **Jay Jackson:** Right, and and you know most of the you know inmates that are at the minimum security are low-risk offenders just doing their time on as a transition out to you know um—and you know any type of violations, they risk going back inside and losing significant privileges. So it's not a huge concern of mine at this point. Um, but obviously it's you know certainly a concern for people. Yep. [2:00:30] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Can you talk a little bit about the lockdown possibility and how it would—might—would it be any different if the school were there versus where it is now? Would it increase the likelihood that it would be locked down if a inmate's missing or whatever? **Jay Jackson:** Um, as far as like the this past incident that took place? **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Well yeah or any any like thoughts on it. Yeah. Would the school—the kids have to go through more lockdowns? Because it sounded like when I asked I looked at some information from the Warden and it sounded like it's more of like our jurisdiction to decide when we would have to like tell the school that they should lock down; like they wouldn't put that information out. **Jay Jackson:** Correct, that probably yeah would come from us. Um, they're in charge of their facility; once it's outside then it's on us. Um, you know and I would obviously you know air on the side of caution when it comes to the—the children's safety. Um, this past incident, it was contained within the facility with no chance of it exiting. You know we were there to support the uh Department of Corrections. So and if that would have happened on a weekday where school was in session, there would have been no real reason um potentially putting out maybe a code reg just to let people know like there is no safety risk to um anywhere around. And you know um I anticipate that if that ends up happening, you know we'll have the continued relationship we have with the school now, which is a really good one, um and have pretty open lines of communication. And um you know so it would just—it's one of those case-by-case bases we communicate to them and ultimately it's you know probably their decision but it based on you know our recommendation public safety standpoint. [2:02:00] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Gotcha. Okay. So should people be worried about extra lockdowns if the school were to move to that area? **Jay Jackson:** I would say no. Um, I really don't see any need to do it. Can I say that it would never happen? Uh, no, but I okay... you know, looking at the past several years there's been two instances and neither incident involved—uh or I should say one incident didn't involve any time when the school wasn't even open. Um, in the other instance that I was involved in, uh he basically ran down a residential street and got picked up. So there was never any you know concern for the school. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Thank you for letting us put you on the spot. **Jay Jackson:** Oh sure. Yeah, those were easy ones to answer so didn't take any research. Anybody else have questions? You're good? **Councilmembers:** No I'm good, thank you. **Jay Jackson:** Done thank you. [2:02:50] **Matt Kline:** A lot, Madam Mayor, members of council. Um, I'll pull double or triple duty tonight. Um, I'll give you the Public Works update. Um, just a couple things there: the Centennial Pavilion is going up fairly quickly. Um, I don't know how far they got today, but I assume the roof will be on by the end of the week and the slab likely poured next week, maybe later this week. Um, and then we'll do some finished grading. Um, likely total restoration won't happen till the spring, but it'll definitely be um ready for the um Lighting of the Green event. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Do we have any extra picnic tables that we can put in there till we actually get picnic tables or what are we... **Matt Kline:** Yeah, because the park closes in um October—or the—the park reservations close in October for like Lakeside—we can definitely bring some of those tables up, absolutely. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Okay. **Matt Kline:** Um, tree replacement: um for all the ash trees that we removed—I believe we removed 25 to 30 ash trees this year again—um that will be occurring here very soon in October. Make sure we get those watered so that they grow good um and have a little um ability to grow—not grow over the winter but survive the winter. Um, as far as the um the uh staff update for for the admin: um just one thing um just to go over the relocation of Anderson again. Just to reiterate that the city is currently working with the school district to um create what uh would be known as a letter of intent um outlining essentially the relationship um that the city park is going to have with the um school district area. So that letter of intent um would outline the components of the shared infrastructure use at the park property. Um, this includes city retaining ownership of all of Barker Alps property. Um, it would also include that the school district is responsible for constructing and maintaining an expanded parking lot and probably define the use hours, which would actually be whenever the park is open. Um, were you po—potentially um including 5 to 10 spaces or whatever we considered needed um that are designated park use parking spots. Um, so if anybody wants to come during the day, they're more than welcome to park in that—those designated areas. Um, in fact you probably wouldn't even have to use those designated areas; it's a public parking lot so... um there also will be stipulations most likely—because we don't know where the playground is or whether the city wants to keep or have an enhanced playground on our property—there'll be stipulations in there related to that and also the stipulation that all park trails will be open to the public during school hours. So it's likely that a couple of trails will probably have to get rerouted, um but the intent is to keep the trails open um during school hours. [2:06:15] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Has the district given you any indication of when that letter of intent would be drafted? **Matt Kline:** Um, they have not. I provided like all of these outline items last week. They asked for um the PID and the address of it, so they're definitely working on it. My guess is sometime this week. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Great. And then we'll get together and talk about what we want to do next and how we feel about that proposal and... **Matt Kline:** Yeah, so it's likely that um—sorry Madam Mayor—um it's likely that um if it's up to the Council you might want to consider a special workshop or something, although we would know the results of the um the referendum if we wouldn't hold a workshop until November 13th. So there's that option too. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** I think probably a better route. Good idea. With that stand for questions? [2:07:12] **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Ethan you're... looks like he has a question he's trying to stay awake. Okay. All right. Uh, anyone have any other announcements? **Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore:** I make a motion we adjourn. **Councilmember Katie Hill:** Second. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** All right. All those in favor? **Councilmembers:** Aye. **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Thank you. [2:07:47] **[Meeting Adjourned]**