This transcript features **Mayor Luke Hellier** presiding over a City Council work session. Significant contributions are made by **Craig Waldron** (the consultant), **Julie Stahl** (Finance Director), **Tina Goodroad** (Community Development Director), **Allyn Kuennen** (Assistant City Administrator), and **Justin Miller** (City Administrator), alongside various Councilmembers. [0:00] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** could do it okay I'll call today's work session to order if you join me for moment of silence and Pledge of [0:20] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Allegiance Pledge algi to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation godible with libery and Justice moving on to item two citizens comments it's opportunity for anybody that's here that wants to share comments on issues that are not on the agenda moving on to item three a our 2023 Invision Lakeville update draft report and I'll turn it over to our assistant City Minister Al Ken but just uh before that I want to just express my gratitude for those who served on the [1:05] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** committee and that are here today I appreciate your willingness to uh engage with us and to share your thoughts and your um on where we should go so again thank you for your willingness to serve [1:15] **Allyn Kuennen:** thank you mayor uh just real quick we started this process four or five months ago we initiated it with Craig W to facilitate the process um this is the third update we've done or second from the original um L build update so um I'm just going to turn over to Craig and I think he's going to go into more detail and kind of go through the process and look through any questions you may have [1:45] **Craig Waldron:** all right thank you very much I will uh pull up a PowerPoint presentation [1:51] **Craig Waldron:** hopefully all of you can see that yes I'm assuming that makes sense all right uh I'm going to go through the whole process very quickly but if you in fact have questions uh just speak up and we'll deal with it as we go along but I think it's probably best if if you don't have any serious questions to wait until the end I'm going to go pretty quickly... [Section continues with Craig Waldron presenting the Envision Lakeville details]... [14:17] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** very good thanks any questions counil C or anybody on them [14:24] **Councilmember Luke Hellier (Mayor):** I guess my question kind of is are we in the mode of accepting this today and then we're going to work through it or what's what's kind of the there [14:38] **Allyn Kuennen:** so it's up to the council our thought was that if you were okay with tonight or if you had any tweaks we could make those and then we would probably bring it back either to your next meeting or the second meeting in December for formal approval [14:55] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** okay I had some tweaks we want to just go by through sections or so um this is not in order but the one [15:02] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** just because we just covered it I appreciate the talking about the three districts we do have that which is obviously accurate we have a handful of private institutions so changing something to say enhance or including public and private institutions or something along those lines that Encompass you know 192 196 194 All Saints etc etc I'm going to start from the beginning here um the some of the my question for kind of the council and staff is I appreciate some of the recommendations Community Center and [15:47] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** pool like are not on our Capital plan so I wonder you know like how do we is that we're just going to take that in or that's something like oh we really need to pursue that so I don't know what the answer to that is but I want to put that out there to say say um I continue to get feedback on both of those things so I'm trying to decide do we just leave it in there because that is a recommendation or say you know that's a policy discussion for later... [17:19] **Allyn Kuennen:** um I think what you're saying is that you want something in there to say this list is Broad and or may not be be done and I'm putting word in your mouth but that the city will explore these as well as other options over the next five years to to fully implement the plan [17:35] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** yeah we'll have conversations about I mean because it's not a commitment to make those things happen right it's a commitment to look more deeply into and that's fair if and when it could have yep... [19:23] **Craig Waldron:** Mr Mayor and councel if I might I think that the way to look at what the task force did is simply a brainstorm set of recommendations and uh they were only offered as their review uh for your consideration... [20:59] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** um I don't see it as it is as a suggestion and things to be looking into but not a mandate yeah I mean I guess that's good but for like the housing thing we just did a study based on where we're at that study was okay so I'm just thinking about timeline is St but if that's if we are just setting out aside that we're goingon to have a further conversation that's fine um and then the last thing I had is I appreciate where I assume people from the task force are coming on changing the cultivated a sense of community uh I don't necessarily think I [21:44] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** agree with changing it that I would keep it the same I just I don't and I'm not sure that changing the wording is going to impact our initiatives and things that that we've done the last couple years and where we're going I think the changes the vision statement are great [22:09] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** I think there was a lot of community feedback around um a commitment to belonging and a sense of community so to me it's a nod to V commentary that came from that and the discussions that the task force had around that um I was actually impressed by the the tweaking of this one in a way that especially around the honoring the Traditions that brought us to where we're at but keeping staying open and welcoming to the the future I thought that wording was really um well done [22:55] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** um and I I just I don't really see an issue with where we're at in terms of the current or the uh the proposed wording I think it reflects the the comments really well um so I don't know other people's thoughts [23:15] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** I agree um just having done the cultivated sense of community task force back in the day last year whatever that was um this is this is an issue that comes up consistently and I Echo your comments where um I think it's diplomatically written I think this is this this could be a a division point and I think instead it was it's really um it's well well written [23:42] **Councilmember John Bermel:** so okay yeah I couple comments um to go back to the recommendations... [Councilmember Bermel continues discussing the welcoming and inclusive community language and the vision statement]... [29:07] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** okay other comments on the document or if anybody from the committee task force wanted to share anything now's your [29:22] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** chance okay I'll take silences that we're with uh you here's another question [29:35] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** yeah um there's a reference somewhere about Place making um I just wanted to know what that reference meant... [30:58] **Craig Waldron:** Mr mayor council uh they the context of that was trying to make sure that you're continuing to have destination locations and differentiate yourself and take advantage of opportunities as you're in the last phase of growth [31:17] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** okay so sounds like couple of tweaks we'll bring it back to accept it and then we'll get to work over the next yeah time and maybe we'll even carve out some time in our January Retreat to couple of these items that are at least maybe more in the immedia [31:37] **Allyn Kuennen:** yeah my thought was um we could spent some time at the retreat talking about it but also talking about how we want to share this revised plan and how we want to um promote it and let the community know about and I think that'd be a good a good time for that discussion it probably be at the the retreat in January [31:54] **Allyn Kuennen:** okay waitting until then I just wanted before we um thank Craig again for the time he spent thank the task force members who are here... [32:15] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** very good and you know Allan and Courtney did all of this I just I just said [Laughter] [32:53] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** side well thank you Craig I appreciate it [32:58] **Craig Waldron:** thank you very much and to those from the task force here today thank you again for your willingness to serve and I would assume hopefully your continued engagement with us on this I appreciate that thanks again thanks again thanks again for your confidence in me... [33:38] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** we're g gonna move on now and we'll turn it over to Julie stall to talk about the 2023 year end preview and final 24 budget [33:48] **Julie Stahl:** thank you Mr Mayor um so when we adopted the preliminary in September we had a 10 84% increase in overall ly Council asked if staff could do work their magic and sharpen the pencils and and that's what we did... [Julie Stahl presents the budget and levy adjustments]... [36:39] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** can I ask a quick question on that does that 52% include the public safety Aid or is that separate [36:44] **Julie Stahl:** uh yes it does [36:46] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** okay so without that state transfer what percentage would be more like 49 or 50 [36:51] **Julie Stahl:** probably 50 [36:52] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** and have we identified expenditures for that AG yet or no [37:05] **Justin Miller:** um gotone back and forth so much on that I can't decide where we land we've actually we um we've got it plugged to go into the equipment fund vehicles and equipment and also the um building fund both and that's again it can be Public Safety and that's what we're thinking Place fire there are restrictions you can't have police infrastructure things but you can have fire infrastructure costs being covered by it and again just one time expenditure need to pay salaries [37:45] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** figure some out just one and putting into those funds does make it still where we can still move it right okay... [42:16] **Julie Stahl:** okay so with these changes how is is Council feeling comfortable with the what staff is recommending as far as the shifting out the police officers till November 1st and and making these other changes or he would prefer something different [42:43] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** yeah I mean my initial take and I have other people weigh in you know I'm I think about you know the decrease from 10. whatever to nine is to me it's partially symbolic I just whatever we can do to buffer what looks like will be a very difficult 25 based on these projections... [43:40] **Councilmember John Bermel:** with this 9.6 6% how much of that 9.62% how what percent of that were personel [44:00] **Julie Stahl:** don't have that the top of my head [44:02] **Councilmember John Bermel:** okay well I mean I could probably back it into back into it um you know roughly 2% is um 2.5% 2.5% is the park referendum 2.4 is the rest of our debt so that together is 4 9 5% um so then you take so you're looking at 4.9 um 4.8 for everything else so I'd say probably two of that probably at least is just increases in personnel and cost... [45:53] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** one more question about the hiring so I know when you hire Public Safety police officers and firefighters you're hiring a person and that involves equipment I mean there's a lot of personal issued items that are cheap is that included in the cost like when we say we're going to hire a police officer does their weapon their ballistic vest their belt and radio and that that's included in that [46:21] **Justin Miller:** it's not in the general f we have those in the equipment fund but that's yes we're coming for New squads news here so if you can even get yeah order this year last year or two years ago you got to order [46:40] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** not a question I guess but more of a comment about appreciate the the mean approach to this pushing back to officers I think makes sense in terms of putting them back at the original start point I think the only thing that really helps is budget wise is if we use those savings on something like an infrastructure project like Mill and overlay or something... [48:50] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** I appreciate the way this is laid out with the challenges to to keep in mind for 2025 because that really really struck me... [Discusses concerns over tax levy increases and long-term planning]... [52:08] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** thank you very much so your part public hearing is next week okay um can adopt the budget at that time you don't have to but you have to by the end of the year we've always done it this first um so you'll have that public hearing as well as the public hearing on the fee schedule which you've seen CH as well that'll be next week okay thank you um we will move on to the Downtown parking needs assessment turn it over to you Tina and look at that we're 30 minutes of his schedu [52:50] **Tina Goodroad:** thank you mayor memb of the council I just wanted to run through um the results of the parking study... [Tina Goodroad presents the findings of the downtown parking study]... [55:50] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** can I go back a second why why are we excluding the post office in that because many of the issues in that area are caused by employees of the post office parking in that lot instead of parking in the post office lot their their lot is empty during the day because their trucks are out delivering the employees are using the spots that could be used for other economic activity... [58:09] **Councilmember John Bermel:** a question about Luke's question about the... you put up signs to tell the public that you can't park here or whatever can you put up signs that that go against business parking the employee parking do you know what I mean where where where a sign would say something this is for public use only... [1:08:58] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** one thing I wanted to just talk about to and I don't know if this is part of this overall but a lot of feedback I hear obviously has to do with winter and snow removal... [Discusses coordination with landlords for snow removal]... [1:11:17] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** I was reading through this it seemed like such a common sense process to evaluate this problem... the only part that I kept thinking about was that what this report doesn't talk about is big events... I've helped now coordinate the tast of lill for two years in a row and a complaint major complaint every time is I had to walk a mile... [1:12:50] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** I have to give pandar a lot of a lot of people been on the shuttle system the last couple years for sure the drop offs... [1:13:35] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** in a past professional life I actually managed barking [parking] and uh if Dante creates a tenth circle of hell what I would say with this is is this though I I I like the broad view and what you'll find is is there's plenty of parking but people want to park in front of the place... [Discusses delineating parking and better signage]... [1:16:40] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** I just make a comment though as we start to um get people to shift their ideas and you're trying to get them onto these other streets... senior buildings... Meals on Wheels drivers... we just need to protect those during the noon hour time... [1:18:11] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** this is pretty preliminary but if we ever go down the road of an enforcement of parking new parking restrictions um I I'd be interested in looking at that um I actually have a parking background too I was a parking enforcement officer for two years yeah but popular guy yeah I got the record for the most tickets written in a year yeah in St Cloud... [1:19:59] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** great um you guys need a five minute break or do you want just dive into the RO okay we'll go into the last item which is the national business survey which is kind of a um piggyback on our citizen survey still te to kind of dive into that too [1:20:28] **Tina Goodroad:** y right there why I was all right yep we um did piggy back with the national um business survey... [Tina Goodroad presents results from the business survey]... [1:33:44] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** I'd be interested in U talking about the newsletter that went out getting kind of an update on the response to that um well I'd like and then also talk about the cost factor and if we should be looking into removing ourselves from the paper to help the cost Factor so just a future discussion about it [1:34:15] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** okay any committee or city administrator updates [1:34:20] **Justin Miller:** we had the uh dorda 911 meeting in nth uh pretty pretty generic meeting um one topic uh that got approved and might have even seen some postings uh the board approved um implementing a part-time dispatcher uh program to start trying to help fill uh some of the gaps... [Discusses updates regarding personnel, HR search, and Fire Relief board]... [1:37:41] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** the on the arena just the um update on the outdoor rink um so basically they had the engineers come in... there's an agreement to extend the warranty to an additional five years... [1:38:27] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** and then I just um this is kind of a weird little update but um I'm gonna pass this along to the chief too um some of the um police departments Across the Nation are um sending a message out to parents because the latest update on the iPhones um has an automatic setting that if I put my phone next to Dan's iPhone it automatically pulls the contact information... [1:39:13] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** I've seen social you have to approve it to release it from your phone... 35W Solutions is canceled for November and December but uh house the house bonding committee did hear a presentation on the 3550 project it was in Bloomington... [1:40:46] **Justin Miller:** couple things so just a reminder your December work session is December 11th... [Discusses City Hall remodel project and temporary staff relocations]... [1:42:18] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** all right with that I'll take a motion adjourn [1:42:20] **Councilmember John Bermel:** second [1:42:21] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** all in favor [1:42:22] **Council:** I [1:42:23] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** post adjourned second