This transcript appears to be from a Faribault City Council meeting. Based on the context provided, here is the formatted transcript with speaker identifications. [0:00] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Let's call the Tuesday, January 28th, 2025, Faribault City Council meeting to order. Start with Council Member Barnes. [0:08] **Mandy Barnes:** Present. [0:10] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Ross. [0:11] **Royal Ross:** Here. [0:12] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Doumbouya. [0:13] **Adama Youhn Doumbouya:** Here. [0:14] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Thiele. [0:15] **Chuck Thiele:** Here. [0:23] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** [Leads Pledge of Allegiance/States] [0:40] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** All right. Second item is approval of tonight's agenda. Does any— [0:45] **Chuck Thiele:** Mayor, I'll make a move—I'll make a motion to approve the agenda. You want to say that again? I'll make—I'm going to do that a lot more. I'm going to do that a lot more. Mayor Spooner, I make a motion to approve the agenda. [1:05] **Adama Youhn Doumbouya:** Motion. [1:06] **Royal Ross:** Second. [1:08] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** All those in favor say aye. Third item is presentation and instructions: the promotion of Sergeant Jeff Burbank. Chief? [1:26] **Chief John Sherwin:** Right, Mayor, members of the Council. We’re here tonight and introducing the recently promoted—it should be noted that we're here tonight because Friday [Jeff] was sworn in. I’ll tell you a little bit about Jeff. I'll tell you his qualifications in a minute. He's that type of individual here, and this—Jeff is somewhat of a local native. He grew up in Owatonna from a law enforcement family connection, criminal justice connection here. And working with attorneys here in Rice County. Children, Charles... easy. Jeff is a 2006 graduate of Winona State. Quickly went into law enforcement after that, working as a—in every small town, and after a couple of years came to Faribault in 2011. K9 Handler, Task Force member, drone operator, he's on the unit. You'll see—and most recently, his most recent role is the school resource officer. So we're excited to introduce Jeff. Family is important to us, and we'd like his wife and kids to come up if they'd like. [3:29] **Chief John Sherwin:** Or not like. And they'll present his—his new badge. Yes, ma'am? Did you turn that way so they can get good pictures of—absolutely, we will. [3:48] **[Laughter]** [4:49] **[Applause]** [4:55] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Thank you, Jeff. Thank you. You're very familiar to most of us up here. You're family. All right, moving on. Item number four: approval of the minutes of January 14, 2025. [5:14] **Adama Youhn Doumbouya:** Mayor Spooner, yes, I make a motion to approve the minutes of January 14, 2025. [5:25] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Have a motion by Doumbouya. Who? I to be heard... were there... moving on to consent agenda items 6A through 6U. Anybody? [6:04] **Royal Ross:** Mayor Spooner, I'll make a motion to approve agenda—consent agenda items 6A through 6U. [6:15] **Mandy Barnes:** Second. [6:17] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Second by Barnes. All in favor, aye. [6:26] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Items for discussion: Resolution 2025-013, terminate the property tax abatement and void the contract for private development for certain property in the city of Faribault. [6:50] **David Wanberg (Director of Community & Economic Development):** Thank you, Mayor and Council. By way of background, in 2023, Sage requested tax abatement to facilitate the move of Vetrotech from the state of Washington here in Faribault as part of the Sage campus. The project was to net 40 new jobs here in Faribault with an average wage of just under $38 an hour. The Council did approve tax abatement as well as the contract for private development that related to an addition that was built at One Sage Way to accommodate Vetrotech. And the developer, or Sage in this case, was looking forward to having a ribbon-cutting ceremony. In fact, as recent as several months ago, they had contacted us and asked about who they might be able to invite to that ribbon-cutting ceremony. They planned to bring in people from Europe as well as the state and local government and do a basically a day-long celebration out at the campus. [7:58] **David Wanberg:** But late last year then, they cancelled that ceremony, and then we received notice that Sage VR—or Vetro North America—would cease all operations in North America. So the property tax abatement—the first property tax abatement was scheduled to be released or paid in the second half of 2025. We have made no payments yet. But because the project benefits, which really related to them moving the operation here and hiring 40 new people, really having this project here is no longer being realized, it's appropriate to not do the tax abatement. [8:48] **David Wanberg:** So, at our January 16th meeting with the Faribault Economic Development Authority, the EDA did concur with staff that tax abatement was no longer appropriate for this. I've had a discussion with Rice County, and it's our understanding that they will follow suit on that as well. I do want to note that I did have conversations and email exchanges with Sage and Saint-Gobain. I expressed to them how happy we are to have them here in the community and that we want to continue to work with them. I acknowledge that sometimes a parent company has to make tough decisions based on shareholders and other kinds of decisions in terms of what's best for the company, but that sometimes affects local businesses and local employees. But nevertheless, we're looking forward to working with them to make sure that Sage is a strong company here, and we want to continue to work with them on that. So what you have before you today, again, is that the project benefits for the Vetrotech are no longer being realized here in Faribault, so it is appropriate to terminate the property tax abatement and void the contract for private development. And that's what you have before you in Resolution 2025-013. I'm happy to answer any questions, and I know our attorney Scott Riggs is also available to answer any questions. [10:24] **Royal Ross:** Thank you, Mayor Spooner. Um, so they finished the addition, the development of the property. They're still—the citizens of Faribault, the City of Faribault is still going to collect the taxes on that? [10:39] **David Wanberg:** Yes, that improvement, yes. [10:41] **Royal Ross:** I just want to make sure that was stated for the citizens. [10:44] **David Wanberg:** Yep. With the resolution, though, we won't be making the tax abatement payments. [11:05] **Royal Ross:** Correct. [11:14] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Who—a second? [11:18] **Chuck Thiele:** [Motion/Second] [11:23] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Resolution 2025-019: approve the appointment of John Rowan to the City Council. [11:32] **Jessica Kinser (City Administrator):** Yes, this should be very familiar to you as this was the vacancy. So, through a process as discussed, John Rowan was the top vote-getter for you tonight. [12:08] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Tonight we have— [12:12] **Chuck Thiele:** A [motion]... but... [12:36] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Bids, we have none. Boards and commissions? [12:50] **Royal Ross:** Reports. Not on Super Bowl Sunday anymore? Is Super Bowl... [13:14] **Chuck Thiele:** NFL. NFL threw them a curveball and extended the season, so now it's longer on Super Bowl Sunday. [13:25] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** So—so moved. [13:28] **Royal Ross:** Second.