[0:00] [Music] [0:57] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: So many times I was just checked out, kind of scary. You do? All right, we'll go ahead and call this meeting to order for the March 13th, 2025, Apple Valley City Council meeting. Just as we get ready to get started here, for any audience members who have signed up to speak, we'd ask you to come forward to the podium in the front and state your name and address the council. The first item on our agenda is the Pledge of Allegiance, and I would like us all to join Tom in standing and leading the pledge. That was business. 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. [1:44] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: All right, thank you. Next item on our agenda is to approve the agenda. Somebody—yeah, somebody is leaning on a light switch, so that's all lighting. Charles, I don't believe we have any changes or any addition changes? [2:05] Assistant City Administrator Charles Grawe: All right. [2:07] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: So we'd be looking for a motion to approve the agenda. [2:12] Councilmember Ruth Grendahl: Moved. [2:13] Councilmember John Bergman: Second. [2:14] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Motion from Councilmember Grendahl, a second from Councilmember Bergman. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. [2:20] City Council: Aye. [2:21] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Opposed? Agenda carries. The next item is the audience participation portion of the meeting. We've got a total of 10 minutes allocated for this. I did not see anyone signed up to speak, but we always offer that opportunity. Anyone who would like to speak at this time for items not on the agenda? All right, seeing none, we'll move on to our consent agenda. These items are considered routine and will be enacted with a single motion unless a council member or a citizen requests to pull an item. And we'll start with our council members: are there any items you'd like to pull from consent? [2:59] Councilmember Tom Melander: Yeah. [3:01] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: All right. From the audience, any items to pull? All right, again seeing none, we'll take a motion for the consent agenda. [3:10] Councilmember Tom Melander: Move. [3:11] Councilmember Ruth Grendahl: Second. [3:12] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Motion from Councilmember Melander, a second from Councilmember Grendahl. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. [3:15] City Council: Aye. [3:16] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Opposed? Consent items all pass. And that brings us to item 5A, and we'll ask Chief Nelson to come up and he's got some new firefighters to introduce and have take their oath of office. [3:25] Fire Chief Matt Nelson: Yes. Well, thank you, Mayor and City Council, for hosting our badging ceremony tonight. As we kind of mentioned, so we have two probationary firefighters—if they want to come up here and join me. So they started two years ago, in April of 2023, with an application to become a firefighter. They did pass their written test, their interview, their background check, their Physical Agility Test, and psychological testing just so they could walk in the door. In September of 2023, they started a recruit class which involved emergency medical responder, Firefighter 1 and 2, hazardous materials operations, and they received all their certifications. They received their pagers in March of last year, 2024. So one year after applying, they actually got to start responding. So they started responding about a year ago. They've worked through their task books, they've learned on-the-job training, how to drive our trucks, all that kind of fun stuff. And this past January, their Captain gave their approval for them to come off probation and get badged tonight. So I will turn over to our City Clerk to give the oath of office, and then afterwards we'll have their family members help badge. [4:34] City Clerk Christina Scipioni: Have you each come forward, stand right here for me, please. Family members, now's your time if you want to get up and take photos, you're more than welcome to do so now. You scooch that way just a little bit, there we go. So I'm not on camera, but you are. All right, please raise your right hand and I'll have you each state your name for me. [4:56] Firefighter Eric Chin: Eric Chin. [4:57] Firefighter Josh Waterman: Josh Waterman. [4:58] City Clerk Christina Scipioni: Thank you. And repeat after me: I do solemnly swear... [5:03] Firefighters Chin & Waterman: I do solemnly swear... [5:05] City Clerk Christina Scipioni: ...that I will support the Constitution of the United States... [5:08] Firefighters Chin & Waterman: ...that I will support the Constitution of the United States... [5:11] City Clerk Christina Scipioni: ...and of the State of Minnesota... [5:13] Firefighters Chin & Waterman: ...and of the State of Minnesota... [5:15] City Clerk Christina Scipioni: ...and faithfully discharge the duties... [5:18] Firefighters Chin & Waterman: ...and faithfully discharge the duties... [5:20] City Clerk Christina Scipioni: ...of the office of firefighter... [5:22] Firefighters Chin & Waterman: ...of the office of firefighter... [5:24] City Clerk Christina Scipioni: ...in the City of Apple Valley... [5:26] Firefighters Chin & Waterman: ...in the City of Apple Valley... [5:28] City Clerk Christina Scipioni: ...in the County of Dakota... [5:30] Firefighters Chin & Waterman: ...in the County of Dakota... [5:32] City Clerk Christina Scipioni: ...and State of Minnesota... [5:34] Firefighters Chin & Waterman: ...and State of Minnesota... [5:36] City Clerk Christina Scipioni: ...to the best of my judgment and ability... [5:38] Firefighters Chin & Waterman: ...to the best of my judgment and ability... [5:40] City Clerk Christina Scipioni: ...so help me God. [5:41] Firefighters Chin & Waterman: ...so help me God. [5:42] City Clerk Christina Scipioni: Congratulations to both of you. [5:47] Fire Chief Matt Nelson: So now to stick with tradition, typically they get to pick who would like to pin their badge for the first time. So Eric has elected his wife Susan, and Josh has elected his daughter Ellie to help pin the badge. [6:05] Fire Chief Matt Nelson: Couple good looks at that, that's good. [6:40] [Applause] [6:47] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Thank you. Thank you. Welcome, welcome gentlemen, and thanks to you and your families as well for being here tonight and the support you offer so our firefighters can go do their jobs. So thank you all for being here and welcome to the Fire Department officially. Seems like you've been here already probably for a while, but welcome officially. So thank you. That is the sole item on our regular agenda this evening, and so normally I would say like you guys can all leave and go do your thing, but we're going to wrap the meeting up real quick here and then I think we can just excuse everyone. So staff, any any staff items this evening? Charles? [7:26] Assistant City Administrator Charles Grawe: No staff items. [7:27] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Council? Anything? All right. Next item on our agenda is to approve the calendar of upcoming events. Our next regular city council meeting is at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 27th. Do I have a motion to approve the calendar? [7:41] Councilmember Ruth Grendahl: Moved. [7:42] Councilmember John Bergman: Second. [7:43] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Motion from Councilmember Grendahl, a second from Councilmember Bergman. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. [7:48] City Council: Aye. [7:49] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Opposed? Calendar passes. Our final item is to convene in a closed session under the exception of the Open Meeting Law to discuss an offer to purchase city-owned property located at 7153 152nd Street West and 7169 153rd Street West. Do we have a motion to convene in closed session? [8:09] Councilmember Ruth Grendahl: Moved. [8:10] Councilmember Lisa Hiebert: Second. [8:11] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: Motion from Councilmember Grendahl, a second from Councilmember Hiebert. All in favor indicate by saying aye. [8:15] City Council: Aye. [8:16] Mayor Clint Hooppaw: All right, closed. That's it for here. We'll convene across the hall in closed session and we'll adjourn the meeting from there. So you all are free to go. Thank you all, good luck. [8:25] [Music]