[0:58] Speaker 1: here everybody's here open this I thought mine mine after after meeting G it not not on Monday that's everybody else all right we'll give everybody a second to settle in here and to get started that I'm aware [1:27] Mayor: all right we'll go ahead and call the meeting to order for the September 26th 2024 Apple Valley city council meeting uh for any members who anyone who has signed up to speak when your name is called please come forward and address the council with that the first item on our agenda is the Pledge of Allegiance and I would ask everyone to rise and join us in the pledge to the United States of America the stand Nation Under indivisible andice the next item on our agenda is to approve the to approve the agenda and time do we have any changes tonight [2:10] Tom Lawell: Mr Mayor members of the council good evening no we have no changes for tonight's agenda [2:21] Mayor: great thank you we have a motion to approve the agenda [2:25] Council Member Grindall: some mov [2:26] Council Member Bergman: second [2:27] Mayor: moved by council member grindle a second by council member Bergman all those in favor indicate by saying I I and opposed agenda passes the next item on our on our agenda is the the audience participation portion of the meeting uh this is for items not on the agenda I did not see anyone signed up in the back is there anyone from the audience who would like to speak seeing none we will move on to the consent agenda these items are considered routine and will be enacted with a single motion unless a council member or a citizen request to pull an item we'll start with council members are there any items you might like to pull uh no from the audience any items to pull all right we will take a motion to approve the consent agenda [2:55] Council Member Meander: mov [2:56] Council Member Grindall: second [2:57] Mayor: motion from council member Mander a second from council member grandall all those in favor indicate by saying I I that item carries we will pardon me move on to our regular agenda in 5A um and before we start that I would say anybody who's here for this it wants to take pictures please feel free to get up and do that so you can get a good shot so don't feel like you're stuck in your chair so with that I will turn it over to Chief Francis for our introduction and oath of office [3:30] Chief Francis: good evening Mr Mayor members of the council I'll invite uh Sergeant Brian boo up here for an introduction um Sergeant Brian Booth he grew up in Rosemount graduated from Rosemount high school and I would also argue that he grew up in the Apple Valley Police Department because as long as I've been around here he's been around here um even as little kid he's a second generation Apple Valley officer and uh spent a lot of time here growing up and was part of the family uh from a very young age so he graduated from high school after After High School um went and enlisted in the United States Air Force and he spent uh from 2010 to 2014 in the Air Force is part of security forces or their um police military police essentially um and he was during that time deployed overseas twice um once to Aman and wants to Kuwait um came back and uh finished his military service and became an Apple Valley Community Service Officer in 2014 I don't know how many community service officers we've come before you with but it's uh no shortage of folks that started as a CSO and and work their way here um through their entire career so um as he worked as a community service officer he also went back to college to Concordia University in St Paul um and um obtained a bachelor's degree in 2016 uh at that point he was promoted to police officer he's been a police officer since 2016 um and in his time as a police officer um he worked as a patrol officer part of our special enforcement team it's been a Firearms instructor um a South Metro SWAT operator and a field training officer so a lot of um a lot of positions with a lot of responsibility and a lot of trust throughout his career as a police officer uh with us um and he was recently promoted to Sergeant um currently he's uh well for about another week on a mid shift here and and uh and then working overnight so um supervising Patrol shifts uh overnight on his own um outside of work just like many of us enjoys hunting being outdoors um and of course spending time with family many of which are here um and I'll let him give a crack at explaining at least who you want to introduce or how many people my whole family's here kids and everything exended family and all that so excellent so I will invite you over here to take your oath for sergeant ra your right your name repeat after me [6:09] Sergeant Brian Booth: do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Minnesota and Faithfully discharge the duties of the office of police sergeant of the city of Apple Valley in the county of Dakota and state of Minnesota to the best of my judgment and ability so help me God [6:52] Chief Francis: congratulations we here and you we'll invite whoever's going to pin your badge on to come on up work better out in the hallway congratulations um it it's widely understood that the hardest job in any Police Department is the sergeant they get it from both ways uh they're they're reporting up they're reporting down and they are the ones that we weely r on especially you know middle of the night on the weekend to really handle the most significant things going on in our city so we have all the confidence in Sergeant booth and our sergeants group that they're out there um really with the with the intent and the spirit to um to Serve and Protect and just do good job for not only representing our department but the whole community so congratulations again thank you thank you congratulations [7:53] Mayor: Sergeant are we able to St if you would like to step out we'll give everybody a minute to uh kind of do that before we can uh continue get Dad too little kids all right [8:25] Tom Lawell: well has our next item which is a proclamation recognizing our retiring city clerk Pam gader well good evening I think we should have her come up we not too I don't think she uh she she's spent a whole career behind the scenes making sure all the stuff happen so now we got to get her up here well this is a fun one so uh thank you all for having this on the agenda tonight to recognize Pam I've got a few remarks I'd like to to deliver and then we'll get to the proclamation as well um so the year is 1991 and amongst the highlights of the year the Soviet Union is dissolving PanAm and Eastern Airlines are going out of business Dances with Wolves is winning the Oscar for best picture and the worldwide web is being launched to the public for the first time and Pam gett comes to work for the city of Apple Valley that was 33 years ago and tonight we're here to celebrate a very long and distinguished uh career uh with her retirement uh we have a proclamation that's been prepared that includes a lot of additional details of Pam's uh career and I'm going to get to that in a minute but first I want to have a few other comments just to recognize her as an essential member of our leadership team with the city absolutely invaluable and uh all of the things that she's done for us her insight and her attention to detail is leg AR every city needs someone who is uh very particular in making sure things are accurate and P has been that for us for many many years her ability to juggle the various demands of the position and keep her calm cool and collected demeanor in all cases that's really a true Testament to her professionalism and her great talent and while we're celebrating her retirement here tonight it's uh we're very pleased uh that she is going to to stay on with us as in a reduced capacity for a couple more months uh help us out with the transition and also help us out with the election process uh coming up which is very uh very nice of her and gracious to uh to extend that uh that added time with us but because her schedule's going to change a little bit uh we do want to recognize her here tonight and uh thank her for her amazing work over the last 33 years I also want to thank her husband Steve who is in the audience out here tonight as well uh thank you Steve for sharing Pam with the city over all this time uh there's been a rough calculation that there was probably 439 nighttime meetings that occurred during the time that she's been with the city and so those were all uh hours that came out of Pam's time at home as well so we appreciate that dedication and the sacrifice that that our family has put forth as well so I would like to uh to read the proclamation Mr Mayor if that would be appropriate [11:30] Tom Lawell: whereas Pamela Gad began her employment with the city of Apple Valley July 15th 1991 and has served the city of the Apple Valley Community for over 33 years whereas Pamela has announced her retirement effect of December 2nd 20124 whereas Pamela began her work with the city as administration department secretary was named Deputy city clerk shortly thereafter and since has served in multiple roles throughout the city including Public Works Department administrative secretary Lan administrator Public Works administrative manager semetery coordinator and finally a city clerk since January of 2005 and whereas Pamela provided secretarial services to the Lebanon Cemetery ad hoc committee before the city owned the cemetery and served as the city's first Cemetery coordinator for 10 years playing a key role in Lebanon cemeteries design and development and whereas Pamela has been a member of the Minnesota Municipal clerks and finance Officers Association since 1992 graduated from the municipal clerks Institute in 1994 and became Apple Valley's first Minnesota certified municipal clerk in 2011 and she further obtained her certified municipal clerk designation from The International Institute of Municipal clerks in 2023 and whereas for 20 years Pamela has was responsible for carrying out the statutory functions of the office of city clerk was the official custodian of the city seal executed all legal documents on behalf of the city maintained official documents administered Oaths of office processed contracts and agreements and oversaw the annual issuance of of over 400 Municipal licenses and whereas Pamela served as clerk to the city Council and prepared agendas meeting packets and official minutes attending 439 Council and Economic Development Authority meetings during her career and whereas Pamela was responsible for record retention codifying the city's code of ordinances and Publishing posting and mailing all legal notices and was also the city's responsible Authority and data practices compliance official for data practices and data public data requests and whereas during her tenure as city clerk Pamela administered 23 elections for our community and counted a total of 37,6 186 ballots during that time and in doing so was responsible for fostering democracy by ensuring the accuracy and transparency of Apple Valley election results and whereas throughout her long and admirable career Pamela has been a leader amongst City Clerks advocating for election process improvements bringing cities together to discuss best practices and mentoring new city clerks and whereas Pamela will long be remembered for her innumerable contributions to City of Apple Valley employees residents and businesses and to the profession of city clerk now therefore the city council of the city of Apple Valley Dakota County Minnesota hereby proclaims its deep gratitude to Pamela on a job extremely well done and wishes her a long happy retirement Proclaimed this 26th day of September [15:13] Mayor: would you like to say a few words [15:20] Pam Gackstetter: I will say a few words thank you very much for the kind words and The Humbling um offer of giving me a proclamation so working for the city of APPA Valley for over 33 years and um serving as Apple Valley's city clerk for the last 20 years has been an incredible honor and privilege thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve in this honorable profession as I leave this wonderful career I want to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to the city council my fellow city employees in particular Stephanie Marshall Jana marthy and Anita Burke and of course the residents of Apple Valley I'm so proud of all the work we have done and all that we have accomplished and if working alongside this extraordinary group of dedicated professionals colleagues and citizens wasn't enough along the way somehow I was lucky enough to form friendships including friendships with each member of the council sitting at the diet and even that Boss Man of Mine over there Tom and others like Ron and Charles this guy and other City staff your support friendship and commitment to our city has made my time here truly special I'm confident the city's future is bright and I wish Apple Valley nothing but continued prosperity and progress while I may be stepping down for my official duties I will continue to be a loyal Advocate thank you again for allowing me to serve the city of Apple Valley for 33 years [17:16] Mayor: Ahead Ruth so Tom do you think we can let her off of probation yet uh well I am not sure so you worked for the city for 33 years yes I so you started when near about what [17:33] Pam Gackstetter: 12 before [17:37] Mayor: P Pam I can't say enough about what you've done for this city and for all of us and me personally in your role and as a friend but you're not gone now so I tonight isn't goodbye so I'm not GNA cry char did you have something goody you want to talk first [18:03] Council Member Goodwin: no no I said what I had to say that's a that's a first a rarity well geez so first of all Pam thanks for everything you've done if you've noticed and I even complimented um Tom Goodwin council member Goodwin he is in his best dress pressed through the tea his shoes are polished to the anth degree he's looking marvelous um in in your Proclamation tonight that Tom lell read to you it's it's amazing um one of my things I did I looked up the definition of of a city clerk okay we as elected officials think we know it all but we really don't the first thing I will say on behalf of myself your family is our family because no I'll lose it um so um you spent a lot of time your family's here so your family doesn't realize you adopted a cast of characters um from previous till current um you're well aware of that um one of the things I will will take away um you've had to babysit a few of us maybe on one side of the this side versus The Other Side um and we're pointing fingers um how um one thing I take away is this person right here had a special drawer in Pam's top dress cabinet on the leftand side one day we were in the long meeting I went up to Pam's office I says got anything sweet and she goes aren't you sweet enough and I says right now I need something because I don't drink coffee she goes well Tom Goodwin has a candy display over on the top left hand side so Pam let me have some oh by the way about a week later I came in and she goes Tom hit it on you John and I go oh this is really beautiful well you shouldn't have taken two pieces yeah there's only four but somebody else took them um what I what I take from all of this and and when you see what Tom has stated what you've done and what you've seen and what the definition of a city clerk is and by the way you can Google it because I looked at it and one of the things it's all there that what you've done however they've really not put in publication I do realize that you were the top of your um what you were in the seven County Metro area and also South I knew somebody from and Falls which I believe you know that was a city clerk her husband worked with me and spoke she spoke highly of you um but one thing that I take um from this is your attention your team was attention to detail for clerks and you one day said to me John I need some more clerks so fortunately I found somebody and that person today gives me an update every time there's a election judge meeting you know who that person is election judge meeting and I said to her one time and then I went to you and I says you know I think I could be an election judge and you looked at me and says you can't and I know the reasons why and then I go um can I get a gold star and she says no you can't um the only star you're going to get is if you put it on I voted star and I says okay that's that's really cool um but I I take away that what you've done to the community and what we think we know all and what Tom has done here in this it's mindboggling how time has gone by so on behalf of myself and us thanks thanks [21:49] Council Member Meander: John kander thanks I'm the the least senior let's put it that way in some ways member of the city council and uh Pam was was uh invaluable uh helping me with through you know policy protocol deadlines uh uh things that had to be done that explained it all thoroughly and easily and made made it there's a lot to learn this is this is a lot bigger job than most folks realize on the outside and and uh pam pam sure made it easier for me and and uh with with good nature too she also had a smile on her face and it was it was just a pleasure to work with you and and hope you have a long happy healthy retirement [22:45] Mayor: P might have been smiling at you but you know know was going back there no yeah that's that's very true well we thought council member good one was done but apparently he's got uh [22:52] Council Member Goodwin: well no I'm just saying that her official re retirement party is Monday afternoon right believe me I'm going to have much more to say at that time [22:57] Mayor: p before we take a vote on this Proclamation because we probably should actually do that at some point here but um he's not going to allow it you know how in the past he hasn't allowed this kind of stuff I just uh look at him smirk addition to all of the accomplishments in the proclamation the thing that comes to mind is you're the face of Apple Valley to so many people as they walk in right that might be the applicant for the new license that might be the resident who uh who has a question that might be the uh person that wants to get their name on the ballot their own for city office all across the board and and they all get taken care of so well and with so much information and they just that sets the process right for everything else we do and I don't think we can forget that piece in that contribution you've made as well it's not just what you do it's how you do it that matters and you've done it extremely well and we're proud of you we're going to miss you but you're not going yet because your dedication is such that you wouldn't let this last election go without making sure it went well I think that speaks a lot uh a lot to your character as well because the easy thing to do right now would be say I got about two months of crazy left and I want to get away from it you decided instead to stick it out make sure well we haven't haded enough to it and we we appreciate that appreciate all you do and and we'll have more chance to embarrass you in the next month or two I have a feeling one way or another so with that um I would take a motion to Proclaim or motion for the proclamation recognizing retiring city clerk [24:28] Council Member Goodwin: so Mo [24:30] Council Member Grindall: second [24:31] Mayor: well we we have a mo we yeah for the minutes we have to do something or the new city clerk's not going to be happy with me so we have a motion from council member Goodwin and a second from council member grandall all those in favor indicate by saying I I opposed thank you and thank you Pam thanks Pam all right we will move on to 5C which is is a proclamation for October 6th through October 12th 2024 as fire prevention week and uh Chief Nelson [24:45] Chief Nelson: yeah we'll talk about Proclamation for fire prevention week and also talk about our open houses we plan to have during that week um go read the proc so Proclamation so [25:10] Chief Nelson: whereas Public Safety is a top priority in Apple Valley and whereas safety from fire is important to both citizens and local firefighters who put their lives on the line with every response to a fire and whereas Home Fires killed more than 2,700 people in the United States in 2022 according to the National Fire Protection Association the fire departments in the United States respond to 3600 home fire or sorry 3 360,000 Home Fires and whereas residents have had or have planned and practiced a home Fire Escape Plan are more prepared and therefore be more likely to survive a fire and whereas roughly three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or with no working smoke local arms whereas Apple Valley is joining with the National Fire Protection Association and teaching life-saving measures in conjunction with fire prevention week and whereas the 2024 Fire Prevention Week theme smoke alarms make them work for you serves as a reminder um of the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home now therefore the city council of Apple Valley of the city of Apple Valley Dakota County Minnesota hereby proclaim the week of October 6th through 12th 2024 as fire prevention week this week is commemorated around across the United across North America and supported by Public Safety efforts of fire departments schools and other safety advocates in conjunction with the NFPA further we call upon the people of Apple Valley to remember the Fire Prevention Week 2024 caution smoke alarms make them work for you and urge all citizens to heed the advice to make sure their homes have work smoke alarms installed properly and that each one of them is less than 10 years old proclaimed this 26th day of September 2024 thank you man [27:01] Mayor: do we have a motion for the proclamation [27:03] Council Member Grindall: move [27:04] Council Member Bergman: second [27:05] Mayor: motion for council member grindall second from council member Bergman all those in favor okay by saying I I I and that item carries you want to talk about um we pop up my we get the slides back and we can get [27:14] Chief Nelson: so with Fire Prevention Week um the firefighters in Apple Valley will be going out to each of the elementary schools to teach kindergarten um through fifth grade each grade a different topic based on their education level um and then we're also going to be holding open houses that are three fire stations so fire station one will be hosting an open house on Tuesday October 8th um station two will be Wednesday October 9th and then Thursday October 10th at Fire Station 3 each of those will run from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M on their respective nights [28:02] Mayor: thanks see Matt on the the Fire Station 2 will we have some map or something for parking that online people can find [28:10] Chief Nelson: yeah we can try and get one put together and put in I'm just think it will be it will be dark that night people maybe not trying to cross the road Galaxy in 140th to drive maybe we can get some preferred parking or something make a little easier on people yep we can take care of that perfect thank you [28:14] Council Member Goodwin: we have the parking lot for the park just to block away [28:17] Chief Nelson: we do we do I just make sure people call let's make sure people are aware of yep we can do that thank you thank you [28:19] Tom Lawell: all right staff Communications Tom anything from staff Mr Mayor just one just want to comment on uh last Saturday we had our community clean up day and want to thank all the residents who came out and uh disposed of things they no longer needed it helps to clean up their homes cleans up their property as well and I want to also thank Charles Gro and all the staff members who attended and made that day run smoothly so it's a an annual event that we do and it's uh very well accepted in the community and glad we can provide that [28:56] Mayor: yes thank you Charles thanks everyone who was out there I just want to say Charles said you know the biggest line is at 8:00 so I waited till 8:35 and it was still a long line so people really utilize that the clean up day 9:00 is next year right yeah John [29:05] Council Member Goodwin: 8:35 was really good in the shredding and the shredding side because it drove right in and out I didn't listen to Charles like I didn't listen to Pam so all right [29:15] Mayor: council members any other items all right C of upcoming events our next informal city council meeting is Thursday October 10th at 5:30 and our next regular city council meeting is October 10th at 7: I have a motion to approve the calendar [29:33] Council Member Grindall: Mo [29:34] Council Member Meander: second [29:35] Mayor: motion from council member grandall second from council member Meander all in favor he by saying I I I all right that item carries and do we have a motion to adjourn [29:38] Council Member Bergman: no move [29:40] Council Member Grindall: second [29:41] Mayor: motion from Council M Bergman second from council member grindall all those in favor indicate by saying I I I opposed and we're adjourned thank you