To accurately reflect the transcript provided from February 18, 2025, I have identified the speakers based on the municipal roles and the roll call. Note: While your context list identifies Nick Lien as Mayor, in this 2025 transcript, he is still a Councilmember and **Joshua Hoyt** is serving as Mayor (referred to phonetically as "Mayor Hoy" in the roll call). [0:01] [Music] [0:26] **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** [Music] we'll call the city council regular meeting to order for Tuesday February 18th 2025 would everyone please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. [0:36] **All:** 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. [0:41] **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Call roll please. Councilmember Wilson? [0:44] **Steve Wilson:** Here. [0:45] **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Councilmember Cordes? [0:45] **Jake Cordes:** Here. [0:46] **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Mayor Hoyt? [0:47] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Here. [0:48] **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Councilmember Bernatz? [0:48] **Holly Bernatz:** Here. [0:49] **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Councilmember Lien? [0:50] **Nick Lien:** Here. [0:51] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** All right any changes to the agenda? Nope. No. No. Any changes all right seeing no changes I'd seek a motion to approve the agenda. [1:18] **Holly Bernatz:** Motion to approve. [1:19] **Nick Lien:** Second. [1:23] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Motion by Holly second by Nick all in favor say I. [1:25] **All:** I. [1:27] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** All right moving on our next item is citizen comments if there's anyone in attendance wishing to speak please come forward at this time seeing none we'll move on to item seven which is our consent agenda I'd seek a motion to approve the consent agenda. [1:47] **Jake Cordes:** So moved. [1:48] **Steve Wilson:** Second. [1:50] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Motion by Jake second by Steve all in favor say I. [1:52] **All:** I. [1:53] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Next item new business item 121 is a resolution authorizing the submittal of a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources outdoor recreation grant program application Kelly. [2:00] **Kelly Beattie (Parks & Recreation Director):** Good evening mayor and city council the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources resources the DNR announced several grant opportunities for Park and trail projects across Minnesota these grants help local governments in the state create Partnerships with the DNR to fund projects ranging from local parks to Regional trails to Trail connections one of the grant opportunities the outdoor recreation program was identified as a funding option and Source in the approved Rambling River Park master plan that was approved by city council in August of 2023 this grant provides matching Grant funds for up to 50% of the cost of acquisition development Andor Redevelopment of local parks and recreation areas the maximum Grant award is $350,000 for a total project cost of at least $700,000 the program requires a onetoone match which can consist of cash values of materials labor and Equipment usage by the local sponsor donations or any combination of eligible projects include development of outdoor recreation facilities on land owned by the applicant there's a wide range of eligible Recreation facilities from campgrounds to sport fields to courts to outdoor pools and permanent or skate parks are also eligible uh non-permanent skate parks are not eligible support facilities can also be included in the Grant application this could include lights benches picnic tables trash receptacles walkways Andor accessible routes that connect facilities to one another during the Rambling River Park Master planning process public and stakeholder engagement showed a strong desire for skate park in the community to serve pre-teens and teens who are currently going to other communities for skating scootering and biking the approved master plan for the park included constructing a skate park at pH FY Fields as a short-term project the skate park has been the parks recreation's top priority over the last several years behind the new play equipment at Rambling River Park this new playground opened on July 1st 2024 the city applied for an outdoor recreation grant for skate park and Sport facilities in Spring 2024 unfortunately the city's application wasn't funded the DNR had over $16.5 million in Grant requests for an available $4.6 million staff received feedback on the city's grant application from the DNR last year um and also received some comments uh they did encourage us to resubmit next year there are a few applicants ahead of you but you landed very close to the cuto off it's a good project and highly competitive is what the uh Grant project manager replied to City Staff last year the scoring range for awarded projects was 62 to 73 points farmington's rating was a 59 so we're just a few points out of being funded at their most recent meeting January 8th 2025 meeting the commission unanimously approved a recommendation to the city council to authorize the city's Grant application for the outdoor recreation program for a skate park and support facilities with matching funds of $350,000 the park system has so little for teenagers and this is the population that has fallen through the cracks of the department the application deadline is March 31st the DNR will provide feedback on draft grants submitted by February 28th which staff plans to do staff is incorporating the feedback received from the DNR on last year's application into this year's submission uh Carrie is currently writing the grant thank you Carrie for your time your ideas your questions your patience with me um and working uh with me on this Grant application we couldn't do it without you so I appreciate your time uh I also want to thank HKGI in Dakota County if you remember last year Dakota County retained the services of HKGI to write the grant for the city at no cost of the city they're allowing us to use the concept plans and Maps again this year with application so this is one of the uh Concepts that was included in the grant last year um we'll be able to use this as well along with the maps and this is just the concept of what it could be if we were uh awarded the grant we would have public engagement sessions uh we want the the skaters the scooters the bikers to come in and tell us what they want it's their park it's not ours um I've learned a lot about scootering but I don't know much about it um we do know they go to Rosemount so this plan was uh adapted sort of off of what's happening at the Rosemount skate park funding uh for the grants will be announced In Summer with projects required to be completed by June 30th of 2027 as mentioned earlier grants require a onetoone match for up to 50% of a total project cost of at least $700,000 staff recommend using liquor operations Community project funds in the amount of up to $350,000 for the match as of December 31st 2023 there is $642,000 in this fund I called Josh Solinger prior to us starting the grant application to discuss Rambling River Park the skate park and using liquor operations funds for this Grant application wanted to make sure that he him and his team were in support Josh was in full support of it he mentioned to me that his oldest son has recently started skateboarding and to get it done he'd love to be able to bring his son up here to skateboard I want to thank Josh his team and the community for shopping locally which supports Farmington or supports Community projects in Farmington including numerous projects within the park and recre system thus the action requested tonight is to adopt resolution 2025-06 authorizing the submittal of a DNR outdoor recreation Grant application for design and construction of a skate park and support facilities and approve the matching funds of to $350,000 to come from the liquor operations Community project funds be happy to answer any questions uh Council has thank you. [8:09] **Steve Wilson:** Kelly I don't have any questions just a couple of comments I really appreciate your dedication um to bringing this back you know soliciting feedback collaboration with Carrie it's just um a lot of good stuff there and um I'm assuming this is part of the application but but there is a conveyance of council's long-term support of this and how this is part of our long-term vision for the parks correct? [8:41] **Kelly Beattie (Parks & Recreation Director):** Yep we'll make sure to add a sentence in there that that does convey that. [8:44] **Steve Wilson:** You know that's good feedback that we—because I do think that adds a lot of value to another government agency to know that the local government um assuming my peers would support it which I presume that they would because we have in the past I think it it does say a lot about um our commitment to the project thank you. [8:59] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Okay no questions from me but just to reiterate Steve's thank you for your dedication to this I think it it'll be a great addition to our community once we finally get there. [9:06] **Kelly Beattie (Parks & Recreation Director):** We tried last year we're going to try again right now we cross all the fingers and the toes. [9:11] **Nick Lien:** Nick I probably said this last year but I really appreciate that you've kind of highlighted that there is a missing demographic with our our teenage uh age in particular and and kind a young adult um and how we're going after that now as a big part of this plan this is huge uh with that said one big piece of anything in that kind of age demographic is is like the idea of self- policing right having them take care of their own things yeah is there this is kind of unrelated to this but has there been any thought given to forming some sort of group of just volunteers or something that might be looking for that kind of Civic volunteer activity that would take up ownership kind of like adopt a park situation but maybe be like the champions of this place? [9:58] **Kelly Beattie (Parks & Recreation Director):** Yeah we haven't talked about that specifically but in talking to uh the park director in Rosemount they kind of self-police there um they haven't seen any more graffiti there than anywhere else in their system um so it's pretty pretty similar he said there's there's not a lot of smoking so he does think there's self police happening there already but yeah we haven't talked about that specifically but something we could definitely visit about if we get farther down the road on this that kind of topic. [10:28] **Nick Lien:** When we start talking about you know teenage age groups they're at that age where they should be empowered a little bit to kind of have that responsibility. [10:35] **Kelly Beattie (Parks & Recreation Director):** And he you know he did say put it in a very visible place you know that's a very visible spot good yep. [10:37] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Yeah uh to add to what my peers have stated uh a huge thank you to you your team um the park and recck commission uh and also this Council and prior councils to continue to have the plans at the ready right to look out far enough to think about um all ways that we can better support our community as residents and businesses and and having this uh at the ready so that when the application comes forward we submit on it we learned from last year we resubmit for it this year um and then you know thank you to the residents you know without the residents and um uh the transients who visit our liquor operations or two locations uh we wouldn't have the community project fund and so you know it's another way to reinvest tax dollars locally uh to help benefit all people um I feel good we're going to get it this time. [11:18] **Kelly Beattie (Parks & Recreation Director):** Yep yes I feel confident too yep it's a great plan thank you. [11:22] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Uh with that I would seek a motion to adopt the resolution as requested. [11:58] **Steve Wilson:** Motion to approve. [11:59] **Holly Bernatz:** Second. [12:00] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Motion by Steve second by Holly call the roll please. [12:02] **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Councilmember Cordes? [12:03] **Jake Cordes:** Yes. [12:03] **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Councilmember Lien? [12:04] **Nick Lien:** Yes. [12:05] **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Councilmember Wilson? [12:05] **Steve Wilson:** Yes. [12:06] **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Mayor Hoyt? [12:06] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Yes. [12:07] **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Councilmember Bernatz? [12:07] **Holly Bernatz:** Yes. [12:08] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Thank you all right Round Table Amy you get to start. [12:04] **Amy (City Staff):** In the interest of time I'm going to pass and just say no report this week. [12:12] **Nick Lien:** Nick uh I am the poster child for not being well prepared in the winter so please don't be me um keep gas in your car keep your phone charged keep a blanket wear a jacket um things that would be good lessons for myself to take but yeah it's cold stay warm. [12:26] **Holly Bernatz:** Holly uh it's Cabaret week here in Farmington so if you're not at all familiar uh Cabaret is the program that's put on um with students from all of the schools in the district it's at Bachman on Friday night Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening uh and it's amazing fantastic things so if you're looking for something low-cost um great family fun your kids like music like the Arts like singing like dancing um that that would be the place to go if you don't have anything else happening thank you. [12:51] **Jake Cordes:** Jake um I went back and forth over the last couple hours whether or not I want to tell the story from vacation and I promise this is not me boasting that I spent four or five days in California right but um when we were out in California Palm Springs specifically we attended a minor league hockey game and my wife and I struck up a conversation with the attendant working at the stadium and he asked where we were from we said Minnesota whereabouts cuz he lived in Minnesota previously for a job so said Farmington he said I used to live in Farmington for 9 years he lived in Farmington he said he's been transferred around the country for work but he said Farmington was his favorite place that he lived for he worked for Marriott so his favorite place to live for nine years he loved this community he said probably two or three years ago he came back he said things have changed things look different there's a lot more houses there's a lot more development but the people are still the same so I think it's just a great story to illustrate kind of our goals as elected officials our our city staff's goals about the kind of community that we want to develop so just thought it was small world that we ran into somebody that lived I think a half mile from where my wife and I live right now um and somebody who daughter graduated two years ahead of me in high school and just still looks back at his time in Farmington with fondness I love that it's very cool. [14:23] **Steve Wilson:** Steve I have no comments tonight. [14:25] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** I have comment tonight I want to thank Council for the approval of the hire of David Chanski who will be the new HR resource human resource director / assistant City administrator uh the position has been open since September so we are uh really excited to get David here he's starting on February 27th thank you. [14:52] **Shirley Buecksler (City Clerk):** Thank you Shirley nothing tonight. [14:54] **Deanna Kuennen (Community and Economic Development Director):** Thank you mayor and council tonight we had a great discussion about some of the projects that we envisioned moving forward and with the EDA and the park and rec commission we were able to really dig in and talk about this wayfinding plan so thank you for your support for that project and now we have our work cut out for implementation of it but to know that you uh appreciated the project and support where we're going with it is is really nice we also talked about the year in review at the EDA and I'll be presenting that at a future meeting uh to kind of go through everything but again we accomplished a lot together and I look forward to working with all of you as we continue to accomplish great things for this community so thank you. [15:45] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Thank you ma'am John. [15:46] **John Powell (Public Works Director):** Thank you mayor City Council Members just to note the Duchaine Parkway Spruce Street intersection improvements is out for bid right now uh so we we are opening bids on March 6th it is an electronic bid opening so we don't get any paper we basically flip a switch everything is submitted all the numbers are filled in and we instantly have a tabulation of the bids so we're expecting we'll be bringing that to you at your second meeting in March. [16:10] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Thank you Kelly. [16:11] **Kelly Beattie (Parks & Recreation Director):** I want to thank Open Door uh food pantry and Faith United Methodist Church today I stopped there probably about 3:15 3:20 today to drop off paper bags and I thought it'd be kind of a quieter day because it was it was cold out at that time there was already 175 families that had been there they said at 2:10 there was already a line and it was circled through the church so thank you to the church for letting that continue where we're modeling and and thank you to Jason and Nicole for all they do to to make sure that we we feed our neighbors and and the people that live in our community it it's it showed today what what it means so thank you to them uh outdoor rinks and warming houses we extended the season by a week um they will be open through this Sunday both warming houses and outdoor rinks and then they will be officially closed for the season. [16:50] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Thank you Kim. [16:51] **Kim Sommerland (Finance Director):** I have no comment this evening. [16:53] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Chief. [16:54] **Matthew Price (Fire Chief):** Uh so in the consent agenda it was approved uh Quick Trip in city of Empire donated to the Farmington Fire Department $1,000 so I want to say thank you very much to Quick Trip uh we did the ribbon cutting I still have the big check up at the station that they gave us uh it's it's a phenomenal store um it's quite it's actually the way they explained it um it's state-of-the-art it's not any other their type of Quick Trip that's out there um it's very they actually have a self checkout and other items of that nature it was a really really neat uh event uh it was packed uh there wasn't any parking I had a park down below and it was cold to walk so but we're very appreciative of it um last night was our first uh candidate informational meeting uh the next one is March 4th at 8:30 a.m. uh then it's March 10th at 7:00 p.m. and then it'll be March 15th at 7:00 p.m. at uh Station 2 thank you Chief. [17:58] **Nate Siem (Police Chief):** I have nothing tonight mayor. [18:00] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** All right I have nothing with that we look for a motion to adjourn. [18:07] **Jake Cordes:** I'll make a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:17. [18:14] **Steve Wilson:** Second the motion to adjourn at 7:17:54. [18:17] **Mayor Joshua Hoyt:** Second by Steve all in favor say I we're adjourned at 7:18. [18:30] [Music] [Music]