Based on the context provided in the transcript, here is the formatted dialogue with speaker names identified. **[0:28] (Introductory Audio/Silence)** **[3:46] Mayor Dan Lou:** Meeting to order. Uh, Mr. Jubu, will you please note for the record those in attendance? **[3:51] Mr. Jubu:** All will be noted. **[3:53] Mayor Dan Lou:** Thank you. Will you please stand and join me in 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. All right, let's jump into item 2A: minutes of the regular city council meeting on November 12th, 2024. I would entertain a motion to approve the minutes. **[4:25] Council Member Walsh:** So moved. **[4:26] Council Member Edberg:** Second. **[4:27] Mayor Dan Lou:** I have a motion and a second. All those in favor say "aye." **[4:30] Council Members:** Aye. **[4:31] Mayor Dan Lou:** Any opposed? Minutes are approved. Item 2B: minutes of the city council work session on November 19th, 2024. I’d entertain a motion to approve the minutes. **[4:32] Council Member Walsh:** So moved. **[4:32] Council Member Edberg:** Second. **[4:34] Mayor Dan Lou:** Have a motion and a second. All those in favor say "aye." **[4:36] Council Members:** Aye. **[4:38] Mayor Dan Lou:** Opposed? The minutes are approved. Item three: adoption of the agenda. Are there any amendments or corrections to the agenda? Seeing none, I'd entertain a motion to adopt the agenda. **[4:49] Council Member Walsh:** So moved. **[4:50] Council Member Edberg:** Second. **[4:51] Mayor Dan Lou:** A motion and a second. All those in favor say "aye." **[4:53] Council Members:** Aye. **[4:54] Mayor Dan Lou:** Any opposed? We have an agenda. All right, item four: consent agenda. I'd entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda. **[5:05] Council Member Walsh:** So moved. **[5:07] Council Member Edberg:** Second. **[5:08] Mayor Dan Lou:** All those in favor say "aye." **[5:10] Council Members:** Aye. **[5:11] Mayor Dan Lou:** Any opposed? Consent agenda is approved. All right, item five: visitors and presentations. We have—we're honoring Ramsey County Commissioner Reinhardt tonight. We're terribly proud to do that, so I'll throw it to Miss Crawford to kick things off. **[5:17] Lindy Crawford (City Manager):** Yes, thank you, Mayor. Commissioner Reinhardt, could you come up to the podium? Thank you. So, White Bear Lake resident Victoria Reinhardt has dedicated 28 years of service to Ramsey County as a commissioner and demonstrated unwavering commitment to Ramsey County residents and to the city. Commissioner Reinhardt has been an influential leader in environmental activism; she was a founding board member and chairperson of the Recycling Association of Minnesota from 1989 to 1991, as well as a chairperson of the city's recycling advisory committee, championing sustainable practices across our communities. She has been a tireless advocate for the city, ensuring the voices of White Bear Lake residents are represented, addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, and fostering collaboration among communities across Ramsey County. **[6:07] Lindy Crawford:** So, Mayor Lou, the city council, and city staff and I wish to recognize you for your years of service and outstanding leadership, extending our gratitude to you for your commitment to the environment, community advocacy, and collaborative spirit by adopting a council resolution for you, which they'll do in a minute. But I want to give you our "Infamous Bear" to part ways with. But also, you know, I've only been here for three years, but you have been phenomenal to work with from a staffing standpoint. I know I can speak for all of our staff—you have been very responsive and dedicated not only to Ramsey County but especially to White Bear Lake. We have really enjoyed working with you. I'm going to miss you. In particular, your efforts for Long Avenue and for Otter Lake Road have been so much appreciated. So, thank you very much for everything. I'm sure you want to say a couple words too, but I know a couple others up here would like to say a few words too. **[7:12] Mayor Dan Lou:** Well, I'll just kick things off. I thank you for 28 years of service. That's most of my lifetime—and I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just a testament to consistency and longevity and continuity in government. I don't think it's a secret there may have been one or two items that we didn't see eye-to-eye on, but I've never doubted your commitment to the city of White Bear Lake and always wanting what's best for our community and for Ramsey County. So for that, I say kudos to a long and good career with lots and lots of successes. We will miss you and we wish you well in your future endeavors. I'm sure others on the council have a few things to say. **[7:42] Council Member Walsh:** Well sure, Mayor, if I can just pick up where you left off. I agree, I love what you wrote here, Lindy—"a collaborative spirit." I think that's a great way to describe your service. You've been a great friend to White Bear Lake. It's great to have you—you live here obviously—but it's more than that. Just the advocacy on behalf of the city and what I'd like to say is just your ability to listen. You've listened to the community, met and represented that in Ramsey County with the Met Council and other places. I would—somebody mentioned the Otter Lake Road project. I mean, that's something we got to work together on, although you and your team did most of the work and then the engineers took over, but what a great project and it just was easy to do that. So I really appreciate what you've done for the city. Thank you. **[8:35] Council Member Ringstrand:** Please. I have known you outside of the council mostly, because I'm relatively new to the council. But I know how committed you are. Your spirit of collaboration, your knowledge, your sense of purpose is just—I admire it so much. I just really look up to you and you're going to be very missed. But really just appreciate everything that you have given to our community. Thank you. **[9:09] Mayor Dan Lou:** Thank you. Council Member Edberg. **[9:11] Council Member Edberg:** So Victoria, you and I go back a long, long ways, measured in decades. Just want to say thank you for consistency of purpose and vision. This whole idea of knowing and understanding how government works, being engaged, listening and engaging with citizens and other policymakers—you have that as a forte in the way that you have provided leadership in not just White Bear Lake but our whole suburban Ramsey County region. So thank you, thank you, thank you. **[9:57] (Laughter)** **[10:19] Victoria Reinhardt:** Thank you so much. This is beautiful and I just really appreciate being invited here tonight and for this honor. I have to tell you that when you said Otter Lake Road was easy, I'm not so sure for me! You made it easy for me. I think I started working on that 27 years ago. Well, maybe not that long, but I will go out of my way just to go down Otter Lake Road so that I can just enjoy it. And Long Avenue as well. I was just at Lakeshore Players to see "Christmas Carol"—it's fantastic. And again, just knowing that we've got what we need for our community. I think especially Otter Lake, that was so in need and now you can go around Birch Lake and it's great. **[11:05] Victoria Reinhardt:** My husband pointed out to me so graciously that I have served with every one of those councils, and I said, "Yes, I'm old, I get it." But I do think one of the things that is most important in any elected official's life is to listen and to really hear what people are saying and taking it in. There's always going to be disagreements; life would be boring if there weren't some disagreements. But trying to figure out, "Okay, what really needs to be done here? How can it be done? Is there a way to compromise?" That's the way we get to the best solutions, and so that's what I have dedicated my life to—my political life anyhow. **[12:12] Victoria Reinhardt:** I can tell you that when I beat the 22-year incumbent 28 years ago, if somebody had told me that I was going to be standing here 28 years later, I would have told them they were crazy because it wasn't something that I thought—well, first of all, it's hard to get re-elected! So it was that, but also knowing that from day one through the end of my term, which is January 6th, that I will give it my all every single day because I care. I lead with compassion and also watching pretty closely because I do have a doctorate in public administration, so I'm watching the bucks too, because what we do makes a difference in people's lives in every aspect. **[13:03] Victoria Reinhardt:** One of my favorites, I will have to tell you—including the environment and talking trash, I do love that—but are the libraries and fighting for the libraries to make sure that we got what we needed. In White Bear Lake, I will just tell you a very quick story. My grandson was about four at the time and he called me and he left a message on my phone saying, "Why did you destroy the White Bear Lake library?" He was, you know, as a kid would do. And so I called him back and I said, "Honey, I didn't destroy it, it's fine. We're going to renovate it. It's going to be great, it's going to be even better." And so I said to him, "Well, why don't we go drive by there?" And he looked at me and he said, "You don't want to do that." And in fact, he was right—it was mostly gone, but the core was there. And that's what we needed. **[13:51] Victoria Reinhardt:** But it takes a lot of hard work with all communities. My communities are White Bear Lake, North St. Paul, and Maplewood, and everybody has different needs. Every neighborhood has different needs and you know what it's like to try to balance those because you're in a different position—but an elected position—trying to figure out, "What can I do that's going to last?" The decisions that we make last for generations. The person by the way that is taking my seat, who I'm very pleased with, is Kelly Miller. She has taught me—she's a member of the Ojibwe tribe—and she has said that when they make decisions, they don't think to their grandchildren or their great-grandchildren, they think seven generations. The decisions you make last at least that long. Some of them are small, some of them are big, but you're all here and you're doing the work that needs to be done for the best we can all do for our community. That's what has kept me here doing this, but I am really looking forward to retirement. So thank you, thank you so much for this, this really means a lot to me. Thank you. **[15:13] Council Member Walsh:** Mr. Mayor, I'll move the resolution if you need a motion—let's make it official. **[15:15] Mayor Dan Lou:** We do officially have a resolution honoring 28 years of leadership and service from Ramsey County Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt. I have a motion, do I have a second? **[15:26] Council Member Edberg:** Second. **[15:27] Mayor Dan Lou:** Any further discussion on this? Seeing none, all those in favor say "aye." **[15:31] Council Members:** Aye. **[15:32] Mayor Dan Lou:** Any opposed? The resolution is approved. Now it's official. Thank you again for your service, we appreciate it. All right, item 6A: a first reading of an ordinance establishing the 2025 fee schedule. Miss Crawford, when you're ready. **[15:53] Lindy Crawford (City Manager):** Thank you, Mayor, members of the Council. So each year we review the fee schedule for proposed adjustments as needed. Tonight we're having, as you said, the first reading and a public hearing of that. The second reading will be at the December 10th city council meeting where you will then consider adopting the fee schedule. I've laid the entire fee schedule in the packet, but we've laid this out just to cover highlights of some of the major changes for 2025. **[16:29] Lindy Crawford:** On page one, we have added "Cannabis Retailer." This is again the first reading—we'll talk about cannabis later tonight—but this is in anticipation of those ordinances being adopted. We've suggested fees that align with the maximum dollar amount allowed per state law for cannabis retailers. Next slide, please. Ambulance on page three: we're proposing a 3% rate increase. Sewer utilities: 1%. Refuse, also on page seven: a 2% increase for the vendor per unit collection hauling contract fee, and then 7% for the tipping fee, and that's based on the contracts that we hold with our hauler. Surface water—residential, commercial, multi-family—that fee will increase by $1 to $12. And then we have a Residential Equivalent Unit... can you please go back? **[17:34] Lindy Crawford:** We talked a lot about this in our work session so I'm not going to over it because it's very complicated, but it is all laid out again on page seven in the fee schedule. Commercial entities with an REU of 1 through 15 will pay the $1 rate multiplied by their actual REU, and then those greater than that will pay $11 multiplied by 15. That's an effort to ease into that REU that Mr. Kopke can talk more about if you so desire. Next slide. Water rates take up a couple of different pages in the fee schedule, and so I just took a screenshot of the fee schedule for these next couple of slides. An increase there for the water residential and commercial. Next slide. And then as well as the commercial meter replacement fees. Consumption rates, infrastructure fees, and our water meter replacement fees—those fee adjustments are to help improve the fund balance for the water fund and to cover operating capital expenses. Again, we talked about this extensively at our October work session. Council did suggest some adjustments from then, so those adjustments are reflected tonight in the first reading. **[19:05] Lindy Crawford:** And then Planning and Building, Sewer and Water, Plumbing and Mechanical, and Electrical—all those permits and user fees have been looked at extensively on page seven as well as pages 9 through 15. Many of them hadn't been looked at for well over five years. So our building permit technician and our planning technician took a significant, extensive look and did some research based on where our existing fees are compared to our surrounding communities, and so they have proposed various updates to all of those. I'll let you look at those in the fee schedule document itself. But you may recall we did this recently for business licenses, and so this year it was Community Development's turn to look at theirs. Next year we'll be looking at Police and some others. We're just trying to be consistent; these really should be looked at every year, or every couple of years, and it's been well over five years for most of those. These fees are born or paid by applicants versus the general taxpayers, so to keep up on those is something that's important. Next slide. Tonight we do have a public hearing for the first reading of the fee schedule, and then the second reading will be conducted on December 10th prior to your consideration for adoption for the 2025 fee schedule. Thanks. **[20:45] Mayor Dan Lou:** Very good, thank you. At this time I will open up the public hearing to anyone who wants to speak to this issue. I have one name on my list, a resident from 4495 Lake Avenue South, Mike E—. Is that person here? If so, would you like to speak to this issue? Please step up to the podium here and state your name and address for the record. **[21:14] Mike E (Resident):** I just want to talk about the cannabis retailer. **[21:18] Mayor Dan Lou:** Sure. If you... yeah, go ahead and step up. We'll start with your name and address. **[21:24] Mike E:** Mike [Last Name Inaudible]. My address is 4495 Lake Avenue South, White Bear Lake. And I guess I heard that there was going to be a discussion about whether to allow cannabis retailers within the city limits of White Bear Lake? **[21:38] Mayor Dan Lou:** Yeah, and there's not. The public hearing is specific to the fee schedule. We don't have a public hearing on [the retail ordinance] tonight. There were past public hearings at the Planning Commission level. So, this public hearing is for the fee schedule. Do you have any comments on that? **[22:00] Mike E:** Oh yeah, go for it. You gotta do that. You gotta bump that up every year if you do it every year at the end. **[22:05] Mayor Dan Lou:** Good comments on the fee schedule, we appreciate it. All right, thank you very much. All right, would anyone else like to speak to the fee schedule issue? Seeing none, I will close the public hearing and bring it back to the Council if they have any comments. This is a first reading, so we've accomplished what we needed to, but if there's any major changes that Council would like to see before it's brought back? Council Member Walsh. **[22:28] Council Member Walsh:** Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just a quick comment: when we were going through this in the work session, I did some sketching of this just for information purposes. When you add up all the different fees in the schedule for an average homeowner—my little list was surface water, water fund infrastructure fee, usage, sewer, and then trash—the total fee package is about $526. That was my math. It's unofficial, but that's kind of what we're looking at. You've got your property taxes that pay for the bulk of what we do in the city—that's mainly how you pay—and then all these other things come through fees that pay for the different things that happen in your house. So you kind of add your property taxes plus about this $500 per household average. I just say that for information purposes. I don't know that it's too high. I think especially in the funds, we charge fees to pay for the cost of what we're doing. I know the staff monitors that pretty closely, so if it's a sewage fund, it covers the cost of providing sewer services. I just say that for information purposes. Thanks. **[23:36] Mayor Dan Lou:** Any other comments? Council Member Edberg. **[23:39] Council Member Edberg:** Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Walsh, is that the total with the increase, or are you suggesting $500 is the value of the increase? **[23:51] Council Member Walsh:** No, this is the new total with the new fees. **[23:54] Council Member Edberg:** Fair enough. And you weren't making an alternative point. For the privileges of having water delivered to our homes, having trash picked up and carted away—my morning is Thursday morning—the percentage increase is small. And I think the overall fee structure—I'll go slightly further—I think it's fair and reasonable for the value of the services that we provide. **[24:34] Mayor Dan Lou:** All right, any other comments on this? All right, we will see it back at the Council at the next meeting for a second reading and consideration of approval. Thank you. All right, item 7A: a second reading of an ordinance amending the Municipal Code regarding business regulations for cannabis and hemp-related businesses. Mr. Lindell. **[25:01] Jason Lindell (Community Development Director):** Thank you, Mayor, members of the Council. Again, this is the business registration portion of the cannabis-related businesses topic tonight. After this, we're going to be talking about zoning standards. By quick way of background, we covered a lot of this during the first reading, but just as context for our discussion: in 2023, the State of Minnesota passed Chapter 342, which is known as the Adult-Use Cannabis Law. At that time, the city also established edible cannabinoid businesses as an allowable use concurrent with a tobacco off-sale or on-sale liquor license—what's thought of as low-potency products. At that time, the city also passed a moratorium on other cannabis-related businesses to allow time for study, and that moratorium expires January 1 of 2025. **[25:59] Jason Lindell:** The state came back during their 2024 session and made some other revisions and tweaks to Chapter 342. They also created the State Office of Cannabis Management and some model regulation as a source for cities to start their own regulation process. The city council held its first reading and public hearing of this item at your last meeting on November 12th. During that time, there was comment from one business owner, Solomon Holly, who had stated his desire to have a dispensary at his business at White Bear Avenue and County Road E. The city council then directed staff to revise the cannabis retail registration limits within the ordinance to match the state statute language, and staff and the City Attorney have worked together to make that change. **[26:55] Jason Lindell:** Chapter 342, as it relates to cities, really does four bigger things. The first two we're talking about with the business registration ordinance: that's allowing registration of cannabis-related businesses and the ability to limit the number of those businesses based on population. It also authorizes local governments or cities to establish zoning regulations and allows for optional buffers from those zoning standards. So we'll be talking about the first two items on this list as part of registration; the second two items come into our subsequent zoning discussion. Again by way of background, you may remember we talked about this as a comparison to other cities around us. All of the cities around us in Ramsey County have elected to establish the cap that's allowed under the ordinance, with the exception of Maplewood. **[28:10] Jason Lindell:** These are the nine things that the cannabis registration ordinance would allow the cities to address. Highlighted for you on this list is the third item, which is really the only thing that's changed since the first reading: the cap on cannabis retailers at 1 per 12,500 residents and the idea of rounding down. In White Bear Lake, that would mean one. Basically, again, what we've done is mirrored the state statute as directed by Council. With that, staff is making two recommendations here: conduct the second reading and then a motion to adopt the ordinance. After adopting the ordinance, the second process would be a motion to adopt the resolution allowing publication of the ordinance by title and summary. Staff would stand for questions. **[29:18] Mayor Dan Lou:** Thank you, Mr. Lindell. I just have one comment and it's a thank you. You listened to us and the amended language makes sense; it's straightforward. I think it's good that we simply mirror the state statute while there is still uncertainty, and then it gives us some flexibility whichever direction we want to go if and when we get some clarification on whether we round up or round down based on population. So thank you for being responsive and making that change. Beyond that, I think we've arrived at a good ordinance. Council, what would we like to do? **[29:43] Council Member Walsh:** Well, thank you, Mayor. I'm happy to move the ordinance, the first motion. And then I have a comment if, assuming there's a second. **[29:52] Council Member Edberg:** Second. **[29:53] Mayor Dan Lou:** I have a motion and a second. Any further discussion on this? Council Member Walsh. **[29:56] Council Member Walsh:** Well, just to echo your comments a little. I've said before at this dais that I'm not thrilled about this whole thing, but the state legislature passed it—there's not a lot we can do. I think this ordinance is the best we can do in terms of what the state has given us. I appreciate where we've arrived and this has been a lot of work both for the Council and a lot more for staff. I think we're going to have to revisit it. I like the posture we're taking today with mirroring the state language, but I predict that once OCM gets their act together—and they've got lawsuits now they're dealing with too—once the rules are promulgated, I think we may have to come back and revisit, which we can easily do. But I like this ordinance today reflecting what the city wants to do with this. Appreciate that. **[30:48] Mayor Dan Lou:** Any further comments or discussion on this? Seeing none, all those in favor of... I'll back up. You approved the ordinance, correct Mr. Walsh? **[30:58] Council Member Walsh:** I moved the ordinance. **[30:59] Mayor Dan Lou:** All right, I have a motion and a second on the ordinance. All those in favor say "aye." **[31:02] Council Members:** Aye. **[31:03] Mayor Dan Lou:** Any opposed? The motion carries, the ordinance is passed. We have an accompanying resolution publishing. A motion on that? **[31:10] Council Member Walsh:** So moved. **[31:11] Council Member Edberg:** Second. **[31:12] Mayor Dan Lou:** Any further discussion on the resolution? Seeing none, all those in favor say "aye." **[31:15] Council Members:** Aye. **[31:16] Mayor Dan Lou:** Any opposed? Motion carries, that resolution is adopted. Thank you. All right, item 7B: second reading of an ordinance amending the zoning code regarding zoning standards for cannabis and hemp-related businesses. **[31:25] Jason Lindell (Community Development Director):** Thank you, Mayor, members of the Council. As you mentioned, this item now moves from the business registration conversation we just had onto the zoning standards. Many of the items on this background slide are the same, with the exception of the couple at the bottom, which notes that the Planning Commission held the public hearing on this item back in their October 28th meeting and recommended approval of the ordinance without changes. Similarly, during that public meeting, Solomon Holly stated his concerns and his desires about being able to establish a dispensary at his site on White Bear Avenue and County Road E. I'm also just noting here for the record that the city council held the first reading and directed staff to bring the item back for second reading tonight. **[32:33] Jason Lindell:** Again, this slide notes that the registration process and the limits on number were addressed in the previous discussion. Now we're focusing on the zoning standards and setting up those regulations and the options for buffers. I'm showing you here a similar summary of the surrounding cities and what they chose to do as far as their standards. Really, what it shows here is the vast majority of the cities surrounding us are establishing these uses as permitted, while three of the cities—four if you include White Bear—are establishing these uses as conditional uses that would then have Planning Commission and city council approval. The buffers vary pretty much across the board, from the full extent of the buffers that White Bear Lake is doing, to as little as 100 feet in some cases, or deciding to have no buffers. **[34:10] Jason Lindell:** Based on the information from the Office of Cannabis Management and in consultation with the City Attorney, looking at what other cities are doing and what our zoning ordinance says, we put together our own standards that are proposed on the map included in your packet. This slide notes the 14 different uses and the proposed zoning for each one. We went through that in a lot more detail last time, but they remain unchanged from the first reading. You may remember that we also went through the map showing the resulting locations throughout the community. On this map, showing the northern half of the city, the areas that have dark hatch symbols over them are areas that would be eligible for either the industrial set or the commercial dispensary set of uses. The dispensary locations are highlighted with red circles—basically along the spine along Highway 96, the northwest corner of 35W and 96, and then moving east to the intersection at South Birch Lake Boulevard. And then one location in the downtown area along Highway 61 at 7th and 61. **[36:00] Jason Lindell:** Looking at the southern half of town, just a few other locations: one along County Road E and the other at White Bear Avenue in the northwest quadrant where it meets 694. With that, staff is recommending that the Council hold a second reading tonight and adopt the ordinance as written. And after considering the ordinance, that the Council also make a motion to adopt a resolution to publish the ordinance by title and summary. **[36:34] Mayor Dan Lou:** Thank you, Mr. Lindell. Council, any questions, or would someone like to move the ordinance? **[36:40] Council Member Walsh:** I'll move to approve it. **[36:41] Council Member Edberg:** Second. **[36:43] Mayor Dan Lou:** I have a motion, do I have a second? Any further discussion on this? Seeing none, all those in favor say "aye." **[36:51] Council Members:** Aye. **[36:52] Mayor Dan Lou:** Any opposed? By a vote of 4 to 1, that ordinance passes. I would entertain a motion for the accompanying resolution publishing the ordinance. **[37:04] Council Member Walsh:** So moved. **[37:06] Council Member Edberg:** Second. **[37:07] Mayor Dan Lou:** I have a motion and a second. Any further discussion on this? Seeing none, all those in favor say "aye." **[37:11] Council Members:** Aye. **[37:12] Mayor Dan Lou:** Any opposed? Motion carries, the resolution is approved. Item eight: new business—we have nothing scheduled. Item nine: discussion—nothing scheduled. Item 10: communication from the city manager. Miss Crawford. **[37:33] Lindy Crawford (City Manager):** Thank you, Mayor, members of the Council. Just one slide tonight. Offices will be closed November 28th and 29th for Thanksgiving. We have a slew of events the following week: the zoning code Community Advisory Committee meeting is Tuesday, December 3rd, 6:30—council members Walsh and Edberg will be there. The Downtown Mobility and Parking Study Steering Committee final meeting is Wednesday, December 4th at 6:30—Council Member Hughes will be at that one. The White Bear Area Chamber Gala is Thursday, December 5th at 5:00 PM—Council Member Ringstrand is attending that with me. And then the Greater White Bear Lake Community Foundation "Share the Joy" event is Thursday, December 5th also at the same time, and Mayor Lou is attending that. So we are all—I'm sure you have a meeting for NFS or something that you're doing as well. So thank you everybody for chipping in and sharing the load. That's all I have tonight, Mayor. **[38:52] Mayor Dan Lou:** Thank you. Well, we made it through that agenda way quicker than I had anticipated, which is great—at least the public portion of it. So I'll be very brief with this. High school students, you got really, really lucky tonight! Your fellow classmates in weeks past have had to be here for two and a half hours, and we're all done for the public portion. You're going to see something a little bit different—I'm going to read something in a minute and we're going to enter into what's called a closed session. Almost all of the business conducted by the Council is open to the public and people are free to show up and listen in. There are certain things—and one of those things is if we think litigation is looming or if we're involved in litigation as a city—we can enter into a closed session, which we're about to do, to discuss a few matters of business. **[39:46] Mayor Dan Lou:** So we are done for the evening. I want to thank all of you for being here. I hope you learned something about local government. You got to see a 28-year government elected official get an award, which was great. You got to see us pass ordinances, which is a big part of what we do. And I would encourage all of you as you get older to participate in local government in some way, shape, or form—whether it's volunteering on a committee, maybe running for office someday. As I've said to your fellow classmates, local government is often the overlooked thing, but the decisions we make affect your everyday life: the water we drink, whether there's potholes on the roads, what happens when you call 911. Very, very important essential services. Those decisions are made right here at the local level. So please participate in local government as you move forward with your educational and other endeavors. **[40:31] Mayor Dan Lou:** Thank you again for being here, and with that, I will read this: We are entering into a closed session to discuss potential or threatened litigation with White Bear Township and the City of Gem Lake related to a fire police service contract dispute. At this time, we will dismiss other attendees. The conclusion of this meeting will not be video recorded. Thank you all for being here.