[Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Good evening and welcome. Tonight is Monday, June 23rd, 2025. This is a regular meeting of the Minnotonka City Council. I will call this meeting to order and ask you to stand and join me in the pledge of allegiance. [Applause] 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. Miss Larson, would you please call roll? Calbert. uh here. Rome here. Kley here. Foster Bolton here. Shaq here. Wilburn here. We here. Next item is approval of the agenda and I believe we had have an addendum. Mr. Funk. Uh thank you mayor. Good evening council. do have one agenda item for your consideration that's related to item 10 C which is currently listed as a consent item related to preliminary and final plat with flood plane alteration permit of Hidden Valley third edition at 16515 excuse me Hidden Valley Road. Uh staff recognized that after the packet went out that this item does require public hearing. So in our code anytime there's a vacation of an easement requires a public hearing. These don't happen very often, so staff missed that one. And so this addendum recognizes that uh information and recommend moving item 10 C to item 13A, which is a public hearing. And that is your agenda for this evening. And then by shifting 10 C to item 13A, then the rest of the consent items 10 D and 10 E have been shifted and are now 10 C and 10 D. If all that made sense. So it makes sense. We've got that. All right. Thank you, Mayor and Council. That's what you have for your consideration this evening. All right. Thank you, Mr. Funk. Is there a motion? Uh, Council Member Wilburn. I move the approval of the agenda as amended. Thank you. Is there a second? Council member Foster Bolton. I'll second. All right. We've got a motion by Council Member Wilburn and a second by Council Member Foster Bolton. Miss Larson, please call roll. Calbertt, yes. Romeley, yes. Kley, yes. Foster Bolton, yes. Shaq, yes. Wilburn, yes. Leum, yes. Motion carries. Next item is approval of minutes. We have two sets of minutes. One is the um 5A is the April 28th, 2025 study session minutes. And the second um uh 5B is the June 9, 2025 regular meeting minutes. Council Calbertt. Thank you, Mayor. I move approval of the April 28th, 2025 study session minutes and the June 9th, 2025 regular meeting minutes. And is there a second, Council Member Kley? I'll second. All right. So, we've got a motion by Council Member Calbert and a second by Council Member Kley. I will add that I mentioned to Mike uh Mr. Funk that there was um one small change. It was a onelet change. The word neither became either. So, we made that change today. Um, so with that, um, Miss Larson, would you please call roll? Calbertt, yes. Raley, yes. Kley, yes. Foster Bolton, yes. Shaq, yes. Wilburn, yes. Wearsome, yes. Motion carries. That brings us to special matters and we have one special matter tonight and that is a natural resources update, the about monarch and pollinator uh awareness and also a proclamation. So, uh, Miss Yetka, welcome. Yes. Thank you, mayor and council members. Um, for those who don't know me, my name is Leslie Yetka, and I'm I am the natural resources manager here with the city of Minnetonka, and I'm here to talk about our upcoming monarch and pollinator awareness month, which is the month of July. Um, I'll give a brief update uh about pollinators and what we do to protect pollinators, and then I will turn it over to the mayor to read the proclamation. So if you want to just uh let me get the screen here and just to point out I did put on here uh there is a connection uh on this topic with the s uh strategic plan for the council uh under sustainability resilience and natural environment. I think it's always good to connect these with with what your priorities are and so this certainly fits in with a priority related to protecting and managing our natural environment because obviously pollinators are a very important part of that. So, um if you think back to your school age days when you probably studied about pollination and pollinators and flowers, um we have hundreds and hundreds of thousands of insects and other animals that pollinate plants. And so, it's a really uh even though it may not be seen as an important uh uh activity in our world, uh it really is actually very important. Pollinators uh provide essential services um to us and our communities. Uh food production is extremely reliant on pollination. So most of what you eat somehow can be connected to pollinators and the work that they do in pollinating uh plants. They're important for uh basically sustaining our ecosystems um our natural environment. If you think of the habitats that we uh create, we do that to support pollinators and they in turn bring in other uh creatures and wildlife and it's really part of a an important part of our uh earth's ecosystem and so they're very important for that. Uh and then economic value pollination is really critical for agricultural services. Um if you see here 200 to over 500 billion dollars annually is derived directly from pollination. So the work of these insects is really important. However, the past decade or so, you've probably recognized that we are sustaining a loss of pollinators and there's certainly uh a varied number of reasons for that for that happening. A big part is habitat loss and fragmentation. As you can see, we develop our landscapes. We lose some of the ability for the plants to grow and to really support those pollinators. climate change and shifting temperature patterns, shifting seasons affects the um the flowers and when they bloom and that really can impact uh pollinators as well. Certainly severe storms, the drought, the heat we've had at all sort of compounding factors. And then pesticides and chemical use. A lot of the food we we eat and rely on actually does um use and rely on pesticide use. that does have some unintended consequences related to uh pollinators and affecting the plants that they those pollinators rely on. So they're important uh it's an important service and we are seeing a decline and it really is uh pollinators are thought of as being sort of those keystone species that really can give us uh an uh kind of wake us up to our environment and what's happening to our environment. So we really do want to pay attention. So to help pollinators, we really have two very simple goals in Minnetonka and especially in the work we do in the natural resources division. One is to provide more food. That's what pollinators need. They need more food. They need habitat to sustain their their life cycles. So planting native flowers, uh shrubs, grasses, uh trees, they all play a role in supporting pollinators. So everything we do, we are always thinking about how do we get more food on the landscape and then include milkweed. Um, I didn't mention monarchs are a really important sort of keystone and iconic species. Um, they are a pollinator. They're a passive pollinator, but they're also something that really is another one of those canary and the coal mine species that reflects a lot of the loss that we've had in terms of habitat um impacts from climate change and such. So, milkweed or monarchs rely on milkweed. They have to have the milkweed plant. So, we really focus on planting milkweed whenever we possibly can. So, it's really those two simple goals that we focus on. So, I'll talk a little bit about how we do this. Um, projects and programs. We have two really main key projects that we focus our efforts on. One is the mayor's monarch pledge. Um, you've probably heard of this. The mayor signed on in 2017. It's a national program and it's designed to really raise awareness about monarchs, the decline in monarchs, and how we can really help monarchs. And it consists of a number of action steps that cities who sign on can take. And I'll get into this a little bit more in a minute, but some of those action steps can range from, you know, planting gardens to support pollinators to changing policy that really helps monarchs. And so, um, those pledges, um, that we take really encompass a lot of different action steps that we sort of agree to try to tackle. We also have the Resilient Minnotonka program. This is a program that's designed for private property owners in the city. Um it includes education resources, technical assistance, and even some incentives and including a native plant sale. And one of the key goals there is to really uh get more food on the landscape and help people understand how to do that on their own property. We also, as you know, are doing undertaking a lot of habitat restoration efforts in our parks. Every time we do restoration, we're thinking about what are we putting back on the landscape and ensuring that trees we're planting, shrubs that we we're planting or areas that we're seeding after we we remove buckthornne that we're including plants that can support pollinators. Our annual tree sale is another good example. We always think about what kinds of trees are important for the pollinators and those insects life cycle. Make sure we offer some trees that can help with that process. So those those are just some of the projects and programs. I want to go back to the mayor's monarch pledge. We have participated since 2017. Um we are considered a Monarch champion. We have been for the past few years and that means we have met every single action step in the program. We're only the only ninth city to do that in the United States and we're listed top in the in the report from the National Wildlife Federation uh who runs this program nationwide. So that's really exciting. I think you should all uh pat yourselves on the back for that. Now, back to some of the other things that we have in place. Policies and ordinances are another key not piece not only of the mayor's monitor pledge, but how we can actually impact habitat related to pollinators. So, we have obviously the zoning ordinance. In that ordinance, we have a landscaping requirement that includes 25% native plants. And those plants come from a list that the city provides that is intended to support uh pollinators as well. We have a nuisance ordinance that you actually just updated not long ago and that allows for uh residents to include native landscaping features in their landscapes. And again, that's another way to support pollinators. We also have our natural resources master plan. Uh we have rightway mowing policies. We have uh policies around reducing chemical use whenever possible. Again, those are all designed to help pollinators as well as the rest of our our ecosystems. Lastly, outreach and engagement. We do quite a bit of this. We have website content uh not only on the city of Minnitonka website, but the Minnitankka matters website. We have our Minnitonka memo u we which we often will feature pollinators and how to protect pollinators and plant for pollinators. We have a new natural resources ease news e newsletter uh and blog that we also use to disseminate information. We have handouts and flyers and we also have public activities um throughout the year primarily in the summer and especially during monarch and pollinator awareness month which is in July which is obviously coming up. Um so with that we are celebrating the 9th annual monarch and pollinator awareness month uh which again is in July. Um we have a proclamation for that tonight, but we also have um activities that are taking place um that we've actually listed on the Minnitanka Matters web page. Um we have a a really valuable partnership with the Richdale Library. So we actually host um quite a few events in conjunction with the library to really focus on library patrons and and bring more people in. We have a native edible native edible plant workshop coming up. Um again that's designed to support not only people but also pollinators with plants that you choose. There's a pollinator party coming up at the ritual. So I encourage you to all get out and go party with the kids. Um we'll be at the farmers market uh in July um several dates in July um supporting pollinators and helping educate people and having some themes and activities um around pollinators including a story time. Um and then we have a community reads event which is this is a new for us. We're actually um promoting a book called the service berry and then letting people read that and then also come in for a discussion. Um this is an important way to just engage residents and and engage um in that case primarily adults around this important topic. So with that I will turn it over to you mayor if you would like to read the proclamation. Well, I I will do that. But first of all, I want to thank you for all of your efforts. Um uh pollinator awareness month and um um is important and um pollinators are extremely valuable. We're we live in an agricultural state and uh as you indicated, agriculture is both the problem and the opportunity for pollinators. today. Um, and so, um, and I'm very proud to be, um, a part of the mayor's monarch pledge. And I would like to say, well, gee, we signed up because I did it. But that's not true. Um, uh, we've, um, Mayor Schneider, my predecessor, was the first mayor to sign up for the mayor's monarch pledge, but but I've been supporting it ever since I've been in this role, and I think it's extremely important, and so I'm pleased to read the the proclamation. Thank you. So, thank you for your good work. Thank you. So, I'll I'll read this and then um and then council, if you have any questions for Miss Yetka, we'll have an opportunity for that as well. So, this is the city of Minnitonka proclamation monarch and pollinator awareness month July 2025. Whereas more than 85% of flowering plants on Earth, including wild and cultivated species, require assistance of animal animal pollinators in order to produce seeds. And whereas globally pollinators are in decline due to pressures including habitat loss, climate change, and increased use of chemicals. And whereas the monarch butterfly is an iconic North American pollinator whose eastern population has been reduced by at least 90% since 1996 and is being considered for federal protection as a threatened species. And whereas the United States Department of Agriculture and the US Fish and Wildlife Service have declared the monarch to be a priority species for conservation because healthy monarch habitat benefits a wide variety o of other species. And whereas individuals and communities can help save the monarch butterfly and other pollinators by planting native host and nectar plants and taking other steps provide healthy habitat in yards. rights of way and open spaces. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Minnotonka City Council hereby proclaims the month of July as Monarch and Pollinator Awareness Month in the city of Minnotonka. Thank you. So, thank you. And so, council, any questions for Miss Yetka or comments? Well, I just want I want to thank you. I mean, I think the awareness of this is really important and um I was talking to Mr. funk today and one of the things um anything we can do to plant more milkweed I'm I'm in favor of it and if there if there are best milkweed gardening practices I mean I know it's a wild plant but and I know we can do it in rights of way but if it makes sense for us to take you know a small area in our in our landscaping or whatever and say okay I'm going to have a little milkweed garden or whatever if that would be helpful if that's a good idea I would just um say let's let's figure out how to encourage people to do that because I think um um the um the strength of the monarch butterfly and the fact that they've declined so much. We need a we they need a boost and I want to do everything we can to boost them. Thank you. And I that did remind me I did forget I brought a prop. Um we actually hand out seed packets at the open house in the fall and so anybody can come and get a seed packet. It does contain milkweed plus other valuable plants for pollinators. So with that you can come in at the open house and get your your milkweed seeds. Thank you, Miss Yak. I appreciate it. And then council member Romey. Um I think council members first. Oh, yeah. I just wanted to say I am so proud that we are one of the first nine cities to be a monarch champion city. And I I was so proud when we changed our lawn ordinance to allow pollinator and um other styles of yard because turf grass is just kind of useless. looks pretty, but that's, you know, they're flowers are actually prettier. So, I just think we're doing so many wonderful things, and I'm just so proud of our natural resources staff and the other staff that enabled things like our um uh native planting um requirement for development because that that's how we're going to make the positive change. So, thanks for everything. Thank you. Thank you. And then council member Romey just a quick re uh question but also a comment. Uh I had a question from recently from a resident regarding mosquito control and spraying um and the effect of that on pollinators and um so wanted to ask that. And then just regarding milkweed um it's a pretty tough plant. I think you'll agree. So, a great place to put it where we can create avenues for monarchs is even um kind of, you know, your front yard near the roadways um is a is a great place and then we create boulevards if I'm not mistaken. So, yes, it is. That's that's absolutely true. Um to your question about mosquito control, every spring we get questions about mosquito control and and and what they're using and what these private companies are using and somebody may complain that their neighbor is spraying. So, um, the city cannot regulate the use of pesticides. That can only happen through the Department of Agriculture. Um, so we can't go in and then, you know, and basically regulate a company coming in and spraying on a private lawn. Um, I've talked to the mosquito mosquito control. Um, they use um, basically a bacterium that's that does, you know, basically kill the larae of mosquitoes. And so, that is the intended uh, insect that it's supposed to um to target. Um my understanding is and what I've read is there's not a huge impact on pollinators. Um unless something is relying on those mosquitoes, but that's very little. Pollinators technically are I guess I should say pollinators are mosquitoes technically are a pollinator. Um a not a good pollinator as far as their um propensity to pollinate. But so I in I guess you could say in one way they do that does impact pollinators. It's impacting the mosquitoes. But in general for most of the insects that we are um focusing on, it's not really a big impact. Oh, the spraying isn't. Okay, great. Thank you. Okay. Anything else? Um Council Member Foster Bolton. Yeah, I'll just reiterate all my colleagues comments, but also it's such a relief um because my front yard, my husband has plant planted taken the whole lawn pretty much and planted native plants. And when he first started, um, it was it it just was sort of that at first it was like, oh, it's I thought too, like it's ugly. It's messy. But now more and more it's just so much more important. And I drive through Minnetonka and see more and more lawns that look like that. And it is so heartening. It's so great. Um, so I appreciate all the education and all the work you guys do. It's it's it makes me very proud. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Any anyone else? Thank you all. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Yetka. All right. Uh next up is reports from city manager and council members. Uh Mr. Funk, you get to go first. Oh, thank you, mayor. Again, good evening, council. Just three things for you this evening. One, uh just this last Saturday, I want to give thanks to Mr. Jace Alexander, our senior DEI coordinator, for really orchestrating the sounds of blackness uh with our Juneenth event. So, happy Junth for those that celebrated. I understand we had good attendance um from the public and I know a number of council members were there and other elected officials from other cities. So, again, thanks to Mr. Alexander for our partnerships that we had with the community education, the city of Hopkins and other groups for that great event and perhaps some of you may comment on it as well. So, thank you for that. Uh and then this coming Saturday is our annual Summerfest. So just a big plug for our community. Uh starting at uh this well next Saturday's afternoon at the Civic Center. There's as you know for those that participate, we usually get thousands of people. Uh again, kind of the same type of venue and lineup in terms of food and beverages. We'll have bands playing, games uh for all the kids. Um so welcome everyone to come and partake. And we do end the evening with fireworks. And looking at the forecast, it looks to be upper 80s and only a 10% chance of rain. I know that's sometimes been our nemesis in the past is dodging. I probably just jinx it. Yeah. Dodging weather and rain. I believe in that. It's going to be a great night. It's going to be a great night. So again, encourage uh everyone to come and uh be community this Saturday. And then last, just want to mention that with community development and our sustainable efforts that uh we're getting towards the end of our free home energy audits for 2025. So, there's some last opportunities for residents to get that free service. Uh, so please go on our website or you can call and staff can help you. That ends signing up by June 30th. So, another week or so before that opportunity ends for 2025. So, with that, Mayor and Council turn back to you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Funk. Um, Council Member Wilburn. Hi. So, I'll quickly echo um thanks to Miss Yetka and um the excitement as us being a monarch city and um protecting our pollinators. And also, I wanted to echo Mr. Funk's uh thank you to Jace Alexander and the and the staff for putting on a wonderful Junth celebration. maybe next year we can order slightly cooler weather. But it it was a it was really a a wonderful event and I it was uh heartening to see so many people turn out for that. And then finally and I'm sure some of my fellow council members were want to speak on this as well. Um, I know we we released a statement as a council, but I feel like I feel it would be remiss to not um acknowledge the tragedy that took place with the assassination of Melissa Hortman and her husband and the shooting of uh Senator Hoffman and his wife. Um, and I know like the people who need to hear this are probably not the people who are listening to me. Um but just obviously we we don't condone violence. Um and you know but whatever your political leanings, whatever your political stance um when dealing with elected officials, these are human beings. and you know the the the place to settle your differences are not and not a physical altercation or by making threats. So that's all I had to say. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Wilin. Uh Council Member Calbertt. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Yeah, I I uh agree with all that. I will say I I think what was one of the things that was so impressive about Junth is it it really was blistering hot and our staff um there there's a guy that I know is pushing 70 himself and was there all day um out in the heat uh just taking care of uh you know setting up and making sure things were where they needed to be. And um I thought it was a stroke of genius to have uh cooling um scarves for people, keeping an eye out for people that looked like they were drooping a little bit um making rushing up with cold water. So um Mr. Alexander and the parks and staff and everyone that was there just did an incredible job. And it was something to see sounds of blackness in jumpsuits jumping around and singing their hearts out uh literally in 100°ree heat. So um I agree if it was a little cooler it would have been even um better attended. But it was it was just wonderful and the vendors also were a lot of fun. Um, and uh I agree with my uh council member and I will say not only are public officials human beings, they're actually your neighbors. I'm your neighbor. I live in Minnetonka. When I knock on your door, I'm trying to find out from you what's important to you. And if you don't like the way I vote, don't vote for me. And then I won't be in office. That's how that works. You can even campaign against me. You can run against me if you want, but um violence is not going to solve any problems as we can see in the world this week. Um there's a lot of violence in the world and uh we don't need it here in Minnesota. And the people that were shot are people that I know personally um that I have personal relationships with and I have personal relationships with people um along the political spectrum. And so I just want to urge people, you know, if you don't want to talk to me at the door, just say you're not my flavor and I will leave your door and I will not bother you or you can come to the city council and you can give me a piece of your mind or send me an email. But just keep it respectful and just remember that um public servants, whether you agree with them or not, um put themselves out there and and when you are a state legislator or a Congress member or a school board member, you shouldn't have to be brave. The the bravest you need to be is like take a hard vote. That's how it's supposed to be. not being brave because you might get shot by someone for just doing your job. So, uh, I just implore people to solve your problems at the ballot box. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Calbertt. Council member Kley. Thank you, Mayor. I just also want to echo um to Miss Yucker Yecker. Sorry, I'm pronouncing your name wrong. Sorry. But um I just want to echo um my fellow council members in regards to the monarch Minnotonka men and monarch city. Um over the last five years I guess I learned more about um pollinator um plants and you know what pollinator plants do for our earth. And um I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to um put a pollinator plants in my area on my um land trust land um where I I removed a tree. It's like a and I put some bricks around and I keep saying every year, every summer I'm like I'm going to put some pollinator plants there. So um hoping to get it get it done soon. So, I may contact you and say, "What can I put where this tree, this huge tree was, can what kind of plants I can put there?" So, I may contact you about that. Maybe this might be the summer or maybe in the fall. I don't know when you do it, but you'll tell me. And then also um I I also want to echo um around um the climate that we're in around you know what happened to our elected official and um you know other family um you know it's just disheartening and um you know it really puts everyone in a form of grief even though like maybe that's not your family member, maybe that's not your brother or sister, but it is your neighbor. And these are um folks who are being elected officials and trying to do the best they can. And no one should have to lose their life behind um being an elected official or just trying to be a public servant. Um and so I know this, you know, when it happened, it put me in a form of grief. Um, and it just made me feel really sad and and and you know, my family was sad and they was afraid for me, you know, for my life, even though I wasn't the target person, but you know, it does cause harm across um our state and across our country. And so I I also want to say, you know, what happened to the days where you can have conversations and just talk things out. And um you know, I actually addressed someone this morning on social media. Um you know, cuz I know um Nima Levy Pounds had um Well, Armstrong now, but she made some comments um addressed um you know, our state. And I know she made some comments about, you know, the safety of not just um political folks, but also black and brown folks. And um she said that, you know, our state could our police well police officers, she addressed our police officer saying that there was good and there was some things that she felt like they could do better. And I don't think she was trying to personally attack our law enforcement. I think she was just saying, you know, there's always rooms for improvement. And I I agree with that. No matter on what level we talk about improvement, what can we do to make things better? And I always think that we can do better in areas. And if we can't receive that as constructive criticism, then um shame on us. And so there were some folks that was really speaking really nasty about her. And I've heard that this happened, but I had never seen it. And I, you know, and these folks was on my page. And when I went through the person's page, I looked at who else page were they on? And they were on some of our pages in our city. And and I was just like, "Wow." And so to me, that indicated these are our neighbors. These are people that we know. And so I thought about that and I said, "Wow." didn't realize how bad it really is. And so I just want to encourage all of us to be careful. And if someone is on your page and they're talking about someone else who may not be your friend or just speaking ill of someone in that manner, then you have to think about that as a person like who who am I allowing to be on my page to speak about another human being in this way? And so I just want to encourage all of us if we're going to um be in contact or have them on our social media page. Sometimes we just need to call things out. and I I don't know this person because this person's on my page, but I just had to call this person out and tell tell him like this has not been my experience with her and you should not be talking about this person like this because if you're doing that and then a whole bunch of other folks said the same type of stuff and that made me think about what could you be doing to me, you know, as an elected official or um someone who don't agree with you. So, I just want us all to think about that and I just want all of us to be careful and, you know, pay attention to what's happening around us and who's on our page because it does it it gave me a red flag this morning. So, just wanted to say that. Thank you, Council Member Kley. Um, Council Member Foster Bolton. Um yeah, I it's been a it's been a tragic couple of weeks actually and it it does I mean I um just want to echo all my colleagues sentiments about around that. Um but I also wanted to talk about and and commend the community development department. Um my son who's 29 at the time just um in the spring um had to have open heart surgery and it was pretty serious. I mean, and he had to move back home and give up, you know, um, take work off for several months. And he started looking, you know, he's been in going through rehab and he's doing well. Um, but he and so he's need needed to find a place to live and he applied. he needed um affordable housing because he hasn't worked for a while and he he's also um self-employed. So, he doesn't have, you know, a pay stub. Um and they're just all these different proofs of employment. And he applied at several different places around Minnetonka in the west suburbs. and he was given um a lot of misinformation and sort of the runaround and um he decided actually something that you said in one of the meetings that he was going to try Minnetonka even though I mean he knows his mom is a city council person and but he just assumed it was going to be too expensive here and he had such a great experience miss Wishnack that it brings tears my eyes right now because it's was such a hard hard winter and such a hard spring and he went to um the veil actually and they not only I mean other places in Hopkins and min in St. West Park, they would, you know, it's like you have to fit into this window and it's hard and it's all over um it was over email and um apps and whatever. And they, you know, and some people kind of tossed their cities under the bus, but um the veil they he even asked one place, let me come in and explain to you, you know, the my income and stuff and they were like, no, you can't do it. But I'm telling you, he applied at the Veil and they were so nice and they had him come in and interview him and they were like, "No, right away they said, "No, this is this is what we need and you're you're going to apply. You're going to um qualify." And they followed through and he signed his lease and he's moving out in um July. So I I I I you know as a you know you think about oh the city does all this great work and stuff but you don't know until you know and um and as a parent it just I was like I knew we'd come through you know but it was I'm just very happy for him and very happy to be living in a city that that really does um make things welcoming for for people to live here. So, thank you. Thank you, Council Member Foster Bolton. Council member Romey. Oops. Oh. All right. Um I'm going to I'm going to go with Council Member Shaq and then we'll go to Council Member Foster Bolton. Good evening, Council Member Shack. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Good evening. Um, I just wanted to reiterate some of the things my colleagues said, um, or or reaffirm that regarding um, the death of Melissa and Mark Portman. I also just tragic and I, you know, the governor said yesterday talked about toning down the rhetoric and I think that's something that I'm going to take to heart. Um, I think we're all just strive to be nonpartisan and we do a pretty good job here in Minnetonka, but we can all take a little bit of grain about how we can show up in the world. Also wanted to indicate that um I was talking to Patty Aum and she had two comments. one, she was just so complimentary to our staff and our police department in the support that they provided to her over the weekend. And she's got some unique personal situation where she can't just up and leave her house and to have to know that she was being protected was really heartening for her and her family. And also she mentioned that many of the lawmakers and across party lines were talking so much about Melissa Hortman and her the kindness she brought to the job and just to everyday life. And if you listen to some of her neighbors speak, I think that's a takeaway that we can share. I know that at the legislature they're taking away um bringing kindness into the world and I'm certainly going to work on that. And there are a lot of things that we do that are really serious and we have to take a lot of responsibility. And then I also recognize that um we don't always have to take ourselves so seriously and sometimes it's just a matter of helping our neighbors and being as kind as possible. So those are my comments and again I just I I I'm compelled to thank staff and the police department, Chief Borboom and Mr. Funk who were really communicative and engaged that weekend when there was when it was really terrifying and there was so much uncertainty and Minnetonka um was not unique in this but I also am aware that not every city had the level of communication that that we had that weekend. So thank you back. Here we go. Thank you, Council Member Shack. And now I will go to Council Member Romey. Thank you, Mayor. Um, again, echoing all of my colleagues uh previous comments, I think a lot of us knew uh Speaker Ammerida Hortman and you know could testify or or you know re confirm uh you know what a leader um that she was and uh what a a terrific person she was viewed by as from both sides of the aisle. Um, and that also I think, you know, I'd like to to kind of affirm that all of us elected officials from every level on down from the federal level on down to the city level and school board, it is our responsibility to, you know, set the tone in terms of civility and respect for each other and, you know, for our constituents. And I can't, you know, emphasize enough, you know, how important it is to try to see the perspective of other people, understand it, appreciate it, and respond civily, you know, to argue our differences on the merits and and with respect and civility. So I also feel like it's our responsibility as citizens, not just as electeds to, you know, also do that. Um, you know, we can say that, you know, we take our tenor or take our tone from our electeds, but we all have a choice and how we choose to respond and show up in the world. And, you know, think about how what example we're setting for our children. Um, so, you know, with that, I'll I'll just end and and say we, you know, it's been a tragic tragic uh last week and a half and um I think we've yet to see how how this reverberates. Hopefully the one like very silver lining to this um will be that people will start thinking about how they're acting and speaking and interacting whether on social media or in real life. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Romey. Um, you know, I appreciate all the comments of my fellow council members and yeah, clearly this has been um a very tragic period of time in our state and I shared with a group of mayors that, you know, I'm I'm you know, I'm horrified by what happened. But I have to admit to a feeling of shame that this happened in our state. I like to think that we we do things the right way in in Minnetonka and in um in Minnesota. And um and what a what a horrific thing that happened. And it's another black eye to a certain degree on our our state. Some of the things that have happened here um you know throughout history, but in in recent history is just very very sobering. Um, but I also want to go back to the to the reality of um, you know, I want to first of all thank my fellow council members for for their good effort and their for their work because I really do believe that um, I know that there are a lot of political different political perspectives represented at this deis. But we do treat each other with respect and we are modeling behavior and that is what we need to do for our residents because we need to be we need to be better than the way things look like we have been of late and uh and um and so you know I'm I'm hopeful. I think that um we um again I said this two weeks ago um we can dis disagree without vilifying the person that we're disagreeing with. Um people have perspectives on all sides of issues and sometimes people are even right but but a lot of times they're not. But but no one deserves to be hated or vilified because of what they say unless unless their speech is hateful or um we you know we we need to respect one another and if we can if we can treat people with respect we can elevate the discourse and so I think to my my colleagues here at the deis and and staff I think we do a pretty good job of that. uh we can always do better and um I believe in continuous improvement. We're committed to excellence as a city. But um but these are real real people. And the other thing that dawned on me and I just want to mention it briefly is um you know we're we've all signed up to run for office and um but do our spouses really sign up for that? Um and but they're they're connected too very closely and we really need to be thankful and respectful to our families because when we choose to be in the public eye to a lesser degree but to a degree we're putting them in the public eye and we see that I mean it wasn't just Melissa Hortman who was killed her husband was killed and um you know that's that's very very sobering that uh we owe Well, all of you a debt of gratitude for the work that you do, but we also owe our families and our sp our spouses and our children um a debt of gratitude for because they they didn't sign up for it, but they they get some of the same things that we sometimes face. And so, I think I think we just need to take a step back, take a deep breath, be respectful, and be compassionate. You know, we we really need to be compassionate toward one another in challenging times. So, um I'll leave it at that. I'm very excited that Council Member Foster Bolton's son um ended up um w with a a good housing situation. I mentioned a number of weeks ago about a young um woman who I've been helping who has been homeless and she's landed as well in a good housing situation. And it's thanks to the programs that the city of Minnitankka has and and some enlightened developers who participate with us that have made some of these things possible. So I'm I'm just, you know, it it's really I mean it's great to know that we're doing good work in our city and we're helping people, but it's so gratifying when you know somebody who directly who's benefiting and you're really realizing the work that we do makes a difference in real people's lives. that that to me is uh I mean that's as I look at my career as a public servant. I mean that's at the top of the list. I mean I made a difference in uh we work together and we made differences in people's lives and that's that's why we do this. So thank you all. Anything else? I knew it was that was going to take a little longer than normal but I think uh I think it was important that we all had an opportunity to share. So, next on the agenda is um item eight, which is citizens wishing to discuss matters not on the agenda. So, this is an open mic um opportunity. And if you have something that you would like to share with the council, please come forward, state your name and address, and tell us what you want to know, want us to know. We will not take any action on what you report tonight, but we will refer it to staff and you will get feedback um based upon what you've reported. But is there anyone who would like to uh come forward and share? Is there anyone? Good evening. [Applause] Good evening. Kevin Ringhoffer, 2200 Indian Road West. Um, yes, in in light of the circumstances and violence that have happened over the past week, um, I just want to thank you as as a council for how you model showing each other respect in terms of whether you, you know, disagree, how you model um your respect for the staff. Uh, I just think there's more of that. I'm, you know, I cringe sometimes when I see some of the things that elected officials have said and taken the opportunity to say. It's pretty disappointing. Um, so I guess um I would say that's one of the things that I'm most proud of to be to be from Minnotonka is to watch the work you do and how respectful you are. So, thank you and thank you staff. Thank you, Mr. Ranghoffer. Is there anyone else? Anyone? All right, seeing no one, we will move on. Um, next item is um, uh, bids and purchases, and we have none of those tonight. Um, item 10 on the agenda is the consent agenda. And, um, these are typically items that are routine. I will read these items into the record and we will vote on them on one in one motion and one uh vote uh unless someone either in the audience or on the council would like to pull an item then we will handle that item separately. Uh we will vote on the items that haven't been pulled and then we'll return to that. And then just as a reminder u we had an addendum tonight. So item um um on the agenda right now that is 10 C is moving um to 13A as a public hearing and so we will have items 13AB and now uh new C and new D. So um I'll read them into the um into the record. Um item 10 A is Urban County Consortium CDBG consolidated pool optin resolution. Item 10B is the preliminary and final plat for Tammy Edition, a two lot subdivision at 15503 Robinwood Drive. Item 10 C, formerly 10D, um is an ordinance amending several sections of the zoning ordinance pertaining to interim uses. And item 10 D, formerly E, is the resolution requesting funding from the 2026 state of Minnesota capital budget. So, would anyone like to pull anything or um is there a motion? Council member Calbertt. Thank you, Mayor. I move approval of the consent agenda items 10 A, 10B, 10 C, and 10 D. Very good. Is there a second? Council member Wilburn. Second. All right. A motion by Council Member Calbertt and a second by Council Member Wilburn. Miss Larson, please call roll. Calvert, yes. Rome, yes. Kley, yes. Foster Bolton, yes. Shaq, yes. Wilburn, yes. Wearsome, yes. Motion carries. Um, item 11 is consent agenda items requiring five votes. We have none of those tonight. Item 12 is introduction introduction of ordinances and we have none of those. And item 13 is public hearings and we have one. 13A is a public hearing on the preliminary and final plat with flood flood plane alteration permit of Hidden Valley third edition at 16515 Hidden Valley Road. And Miss Thomas, I believe you have the report on that. Uh thank you, Mayor Wam. Uh, council members, as was outlined in the planning commission staff report, uh, Lacy Brothers Construction is proposing to remove the existing home on this, uh, Hidden Valley Road property and divide that property then into two lots. Uh, the planning commission report again did note that these lots would meet or exceed all uh, minimum lot area and dimensional standards. The subdivision would also meet the tree protection ordinance. To accommodate the two homes, there would be some flood plane alteration um that would need to occur essentially to reconfigure that flood plane area uh as is required by code. The actual flood plane storage volume on the site would remain. Um it's just really the location and shape of that flood plane storage area that would be changed. As the mayor noted, uh this proposal does require several uh items or approvals. A preliminary plat, final plat, floodplane alteration permit, and vacation of easements. And it's this vacation uh which required um this item to be removed uh to the non-consent portion of your agenda. The easements that exist right now are uh shown on the left. This is on the easterly property. They cover the existing uh flood plane area as well as just our standard drainage and utility easements. Um these easements would not appropriately cover the new flood plane area and um utility areas. And so the vacation is requested essentially to get rid of the obsolete ease easements and they would be uh reestablished uh with the final plat. All notices to area residents and the public hearing notification that was in the newspaper did include that vacation of easement um request. It was my error in the agenda order that um placed it in in the wrong uh position. So all other notices I just want to reiterate were correct in this. The planning commission and uh staff recommend approval then of the preliminary and final plat. They meet all ordinance standards. We recommend approval of the flood plane alteration. It meets uh ordinance standard as well as engineering uh standards and then vacation of those easements. And I would turn it back to the mayor. Um thank you Miss Thomas. Um, and relax. You make very few mistakes. We've worked with together for a long time. So, every once in a while, not a big deal. I think we can cover this one. So, uh, but council, any questions for Miss Thomas on this? I think it's pretty straightforward. All right. But this is a public hearing, so we do have to, um, open the public hearing. And is there anyone who would like to come and comment on this item? It's not required, but you're welcome to if you'd like. Is there anyone? I have to ask three times. So, I'm going to ask one more time. Would anyone like to comment on this item? All right. Then we'll close a public hearing and we'll bring it back to the council for a motion and a vote. Council member Calbertt. Thank you, Mayor. I move approval of um item 13A to uh approving the proposal. And is there a second? Council member Romey. Thank you, Mayor. I'll second. All right. Right, we've got a motion by council member Calbertt and a second by council member Romey. Miss Larson, please call roll. Calbertt, yes. Romey, yes. Kley, yes. Foster Bolton, yes. Shaq, yes. Wilburn, yes. We yes. Motion carries. Um item 14 is other business and we have no other business tonight. Um item 15 is appointments and reappointments and we have one reappoint. It is the um item 15A is a DEI commission young adult reappoint and Mr. Funk, I believe you were going to take that one. Yeah. Uh thank you, mayor. Uh good evening again, council. Uh so really, as the mayor introduced, this is a appointment for a young adult for our DEI commission. Uh we've had a resignation, unfortunately. And so what this action does tonight is to uh appoint, hopefully I get the pronunciation correctly, Wen. Wen Palingo to the Pingo PGO PGO. Thank you for all by high school espanol. Okay. So, this will be a one. Thank you for all the assistance. PGO as noted by the mayor to serve a one-year term effective July 1st, 2025 and expiring on June 30th, 2026. Uh and so we do have youth representation on our DEI commission and so this is merely replacing someone that has uh left us and um the mayor has indicated his support for the applicant and turn back to you mayor and council for action. All right, Mr. Funk, thank you very much. And yeah, I it's great that uh Waqen has um has stepped up and uh we will have youth um um on a youth representative on our DEI commission. So, you know, I'll make this motion. Is there is there a second? Council member Calbertt, happy to second. All right, so we've got a motion and a second. Miss Larson, please call roll. Calbertt, yes. Romey, yes. Kley, yes. Foster Bolton, yes. Shaq, yes. Wilburn, yes. We yes. Motion carries. Um, item 16 is adjournment. Um, Council Member Wilburn, is there a motion to adjurnn? I move adjournment. Uh, very good. And um is there is there a second? Council member Calbertt. I'll second. All right. We've got a motion by Council Member Wilburn, a second by Council Member Calbertt. Um all in favor say I. I. We are adjourned. And before before again, I want to thank all of you for serving. um challenging challenging weeks and uh there's going to be more challenging weeks ahead as we as we um honor um um Representative and um and um Hort representative Hortman and I know what um let's see I her her new her title is um Merida. Yeah. Um, Speaker Ammerida. Um, we um um those those are going to be some challenging moments in the in the days and weeks ahead and um but thank you all for your service. Have a good night. Same to you. [Music] [Music]