Based on the context provided for the City of Faribault and the phonetic pronunciations in the transcript, here is the speaker-identified version of the townhall meeting. [0:00] **Chuck Thiele:** ...here. [0:01] **Council Member:** Here. [0:02] **Chuck Thiele:** Thiele [Teal] here. [0:03] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Mayor Spooner [Spinner] here. Second item is 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. [0:23] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Our item number two, approval of the agenda. [0:28] **Adama Youhn Doumbouya:** Spooner? [0:29] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Yes. [0:30] **Adama Youhn Doumbouya:** I make a motion to approve the July 8th, 2025 city council meeting— [0:38] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Approval of the agenda. [0:41] **Adama Youhn Doumbouya:** Approval of the agenda. I make a motion to approve the agenda. [0:44] **Royal Ross:** Second. [0:47] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Motion by Doumbouya [Damoya], second by Ross. All those in favor of the agenda? [0:53] **Council Members:** Aye. [0:55] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** All opposed? Motion passes. Item number three, police chief John Sherwin, Police Department Sergeant and Captain Promotions and Introductions. Thank you to everyone. Hand on the crowd. [1:05] **John Sherwin:** Thank you for having us here tonight. Mayor, several... We have a few good people for during the promotional process that tests in order. Evaluation... will come on up and welcome to bring any member of your family if you want to ceremonial pinning up their badge. They've already... [2:32] **John Sherwin:** I assure them this would be less than five minutes. So next I'm starting Adam Marvin. [Applause] And then finally, we have Captain Matt Long. We're not gonna do a pinning because Matt is our detective, our investigations captain, and he's not in uniform. So, be really... [Laughter] Congratulations. [3:44] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Thank you. And before everybody runs through the door, I just want to say on behalf of the council, thank you to for all you guys do day in and day out, 365 days a year. Uh the citizens of Faribault appreciate everything you do. Thank you guys. [Applause] Appreciate it. Congratulations. Congratulations. Congratulations. Congratulations. Congratulations. [4:32] **Royal Ross:** I'm not running for chief of police. [4:56] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** All right, on to item number four. Well, approval of the minutes of July 8, 2025 and July 15th special city council meeting. [0:10] **Adama Youhn Doumbouya:** Mayor Spooner? [5:12] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Yes. [5:13] **Adama Youhn Doumbouya:** I make a motion to approve the meeting of a 2025 city council meeting. [5:18] **Peter van Sluis:** 2025 special city council meeting. Second. [5:22] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** I have a motion by Doumbouya [Duoya], second by van Sluis [Vance Loose]. All those in favor of the minutes signify by saying aye. [5:32] **Council Members:** Aye. [5:34] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** All opposed. Minutes are passed. Request to be heard. Seeing no one here. That's obviously... Uh consent agenda items. We have consent agenda items 6A through 6J. Would anybody like anything pulled for discussion? [5:50] **Royal Ross:** Mayor Spooner? [5:52] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Yes. [5:53] **Royal Ross:** I'll make a motion to approve consent agenda items 6A through 6J. [5:57] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Motion by Ross for 6A through 6J. Seconded by Doumbouya [Don Bouya]. All those in favor signify. [6:04] **Council Members:** Aye. [6:06] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** All opposed. They are passed. Public hearings. We have none tonight. Items for discussion number eight. Resolution 2025-185, approval of the agreement with DIC Holdings LLC concerning a utility transformer. Director Mark DuChene. [6:26] **Jessica Kinser:** Actually, it'll be me. [6:28] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Oh, it's Jessica. [6:30] **Jessica Kinser:** It is me. So, um, unless Mark wants to chip in on anything. Well, he's one of the staff members I've been dealing with on this, so excuse me for that. It's been a real team effort on this one. Team effort. Yes. Um, including Dave. We don't want to leave out Dave Wanberg in the back there on this one either. [Explanation of the 2009 transformer history at 322 Central Avenue and the $2,511 cost estimate with Xcel Energy.] [10:58] **Royal Ross:** Yes. So, does the PD have generator backup? [11:03] **Jessica Kinser:** The PD will not be affected by this. It's just um Central Avenue properties that are basically uh 320 to the the whole building north to 4th Avenue. [11:17] **John Rowan:** So, why did we agree to get involved in this city of Faribault's [Farabos's] benefit? [11:24] **Jessica Kinser:** I think that I have some respect for what was done and agreed to back in 2009. The city clearly agreed to pay some money. Ultimately, I would say there's probably um more that the city is able to do working with Excel as a partner with Excel than what an individual would be able to do as a as a private property owner. [Explains the 2009 context.] [12:18] **Mark DuChene:** It was pre-existing but I think upgraded as part of the project. So when the police station project was done and we redid the alley, there was a transformer that existed south of this property that would have been in the alley that needed to be... [Technical explanation of the alleyway project]. [13:11] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** ...else? [13:12] **John Rowan:** Yes. Make a motion to approve resolution 2025-185. [13:17] **Chuck Thiele:** Second. [13:18] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** I have a motion by Rowan [Roland], second by Thiele [Teal] to approve resolution. All those in favor signify by saying aye. [13:31] **Council Members:** Aye. [13:33] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** All opposed. Motion passes. Thank you. On to item number nine, bids. Resolution 2025, 177, 178, 179, 180, and 181 will all be discussed. Director Mark DuChene. [13:54] **Mark DuChene:** Thank you, Mayor and members of the council. Uh, yes, we'll bundle 177 through 180 together. Um they're all part of the same contract that was bid into four separate contracts and that is for our 2025 citywide tree removal program. [Explains the bidding process and the "From the Ground Up" low bidder.] [18:13] **Mandy Barnes:** I'm just curious. You didn't really know how much per tree that averaged or do you have an average or what that would cost per tree? [18:23] **Mark DuChene:** Uh, not. Well, there it's about, you know, I think when I added up the four contracts, it came in to be like $186,000. And if I remember, there's about 183 trees, slightly over $1,000 per tree. Um, we had originally anticipated an estimate of around $2,000 a tree. So, overall, the bids are very favorable. [18:48] **Peter van Sluis:** Hey, Mayor Spooner. [18:49] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Yes. [18:50] **Peter van Sluis:** I make a motion to approve resolution 2025-177. [19:00] **Royal Ross:** Second. [19:02] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Motion by van Sluis [Vancou], second by Ross. All those in favor signify... [19:12] **Council Members:** Aye. [19:14] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** That passes. On to the next one. [19:18] **Royal Ross:** Spooner? [19:19] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Yes. [19:20] **Royal Ross:** I'll make a motion to approve resolution 2025-178. [19:26] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Mayor Spooner. I'm going to abstain from this vote. [19:30] **Mandy Barnes:** Second. [19:33] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Motion by Ross, second by Barnes. All those in favor... [19:42] **Council Members:** Aye. [19:44] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** All opposed. Motion passes. [19:50] **Peter van Sluis:** Mayor Spooner? [19:52] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Yes. [19:53] **Peter van Sluis:** I make a motion to approve resolution 2025-179. [19:58] **Royal Ross:** Second. [19:59] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Motion passes. And our final... [20:10] **Adama Youhn Doumbouya:** Motion to approve resolution 2025-180. [20:15] **Chuck Thiele:** Second. [20:18] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** All those in favor signify by saying aye. [20:23] **Council Members:** Aye. [20:25] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** All opposed. Motion passes. On to item E, resolution 2025-181, accept bids for 505 Central Avenue building demolition contract 2025-12. Once again, director. [20:39] **Mark DuChene:** Thank you, mayor, members of the council. Uh before you tonight is a bid for the demolition of 505 Central Avenue. Um these bids were opened last Wednesday on July 16th. We received five bids with the low bid coming from Fitzgerald Excavating and Trucking at just under $32,000. [Provides details on the project schedule.] [21:22] **Royal Ross:** Mayor Spooner? [21:32] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Yes. [21:33] **Royal Ross:** I'll make a motion to approve resolution 2025-181. [21:44] **Adama Youhn Doumbouya:** Second. [21:46] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** I have a motion by Ross. All those in favor... [21:52] **Council Members:** Aye. [21:54] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** All opposed. Motion passes. Okay. Boards, commission reports, announcements, project updates. Anybody got anything? Go. [21:58] **Mandy Barnes:** So Rogers and Hammerstein Cinderella, it's a youth edition starts at the Paradise August 1st. Um it goes for two weeks. We also have Crazy Days this weekend throughout the city of Faribault. And the Riverbend Nature Center Ramble is occurring August 9th. Urge everybody to buy their tickets before. I'll be there. Royal, can we see you there? [22:25] **Royal Ross:** The River Ramble. You might this year. [22:36] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Jessica Kinser, do you have anything to add to this? [22:39] **Jessica Kinser:** I don't have anything else. You had your hand up earlier. [22:52] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Seeing nothing, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. [22:54] **Royal Ross:** So moved. [22:55] **Adama Youhn Doumbouya:** Second. [22:56] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** Motion by Ross, second by Doumbouya to adjourn. All those in favor? [22:58] **Council Members:** Aye. [22:59] **Mayor Thomas J. Spooner:** We are adjourned.