All right, good evening. Uh, this is the August 6, 2025 Cottage Grove City Council meeting, uh, which I am calling to order. Uh, before we move on to the pledge of allegiance, I just want to mention that this meeting is being recorded by True Lens Community Media, and you can view, uh, city meetings live and replay them on channel 799. Uh meetings are also streamed lived and archived on the city of Cottage Grove's uh YouTube channel. So with that, council, I'll move to number two, which is uh rise for the pledge of allegiance. >> 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. >> All right. All right. Will the clerk please do the role? >> Council member Clawson >> here. >> Council member Olsen >> here. >> Council member Theiti >> here. >> Council member Garza >> here. Mayor Bailey >> here. Uh next this evening is open forum. This is the opportunity for anybody that wants to speak on anything uh that is not on tonight's agenda is welcome to do so. Uh we did have a signup sheet out in the entryway and we did have four individuals that did sign up. And so what I'll do is I'll just start uh with that list first and then uh I'll just call your name and if you just come up and state your name and address for the record. Um I would just ask I think our I think Tammy already mentioned it just please limit your comments to three minutes and then I'll happen to see at the end if there's anybody else that uh wants to speak. So I will start with uh Cindy. Is it Gish? >> Yep. Cindy. >> Uh hello. Nice to see some of your faces. I think I've actually voted for some of you and I really don't know who you are. That's okay. Uh I'm here tonight to talk to you about um Cottage Grove's Hero Center and ICE Enforcement. And while you're going to hear probably a lot of comments from a lot of different people, I'm here to to present to you a little different perspective. In 1945, this is my parents, my dad, my grandparents, and my aunts and uncles in a family prison camp in Germany. They were Latvian citizens taken during World War II and placed in this camp. This is the picture three years later in the United States of America in a displaced person's camp in Hebrin, Nebraska, where good, decent Americans offered them a place to be, to work, to eat, and to raise their family. One of which later came to be me. I don't know in all of the political rhetoric if anyone ever stops to think that as first generation Americans or 15th generation Americans, this is very real. If we behaved in the United States of America then like we are today, my family would not be here. As a matter of fact, if my grandparents were still alive today, they would probably be in a place like Alligator Alcatraz because they died with only their green cards. They could afford to have all of their children get their citizenship, and they worked diligently at that, but they did not have the funding or the opportunity because they needed to work all of the time to get it themselves. But yet, my grandparents worked and paid into the taxes and social security that they never collected. They raised good, decent citizens. They volunteered at food shelves. They oftentimes gave up their own food in order to help other people that were coming to this country that didn't have any. In my family, we're big Nebraska Corn Husker fans. And we watched a lot of football. And there was never a single time that if the national anthem came on that we were not expected to stand on our feet. put her hands over our hearts and pledged loyalty to this nation. Those are the people that are being swept up and taken away. And while I understand that there's been some kind of a contract and all kinds of other political things that have happened and as a 30-year resident of this city, I wish I would have known. You would have heard from me sooner, maybe in a different perspective. But I I don't want us Cottage Grove, Minnesota to be that. We're better than that. We don't need to encourage ICE and have them here, doing harm to people, scaring my students. I'm a teacher in this district. Giving me a script to say that if ICE shows up at my school building, what to say? What we need is to say, how do we embrace American ideals and make you welcome here? How do we fix it? It isn't with guns. So, please reconsider. >> Thank you. >> All right. Uh, next is Peggy Nelson. Hi, I'm Peggy Nelson. I live in Cottage Grove and I've spoken before you people before. Um, we sent a letter to um all of you on the city council um with resolutions that we wanted all of you to uh put on the agenda and vote on it. That didn't happen. Um, the mayor sent us at All Saints Lutheran Church a read. Thank you for providing a template of a possible resolution towards the current administration and its handling of immigrants and ICE. I have kept a pretty short straightforward thought process on resolutions like the one you proposed. I have continued not to support or approve resolutions that are critical of groups of people, individuals, or political parties. Though I may agree with your stance and concerns with what is currently happening, we've had other groups approached us for resolution requests to identify groups of people, Israel, Palestinian, Muslims, etc. You get the picture. I applaud your passion to make a difference in this stance. However, I will not support the resolution for the city of Cottage Grove. This was also copied to Jennifer Levit, the city administrator. Miss Levit, I would like to make an appointment to see you and discuss this. The other part is, Mr. Mayor, this is written and I statements, not we statements. We statements are part of the constitution. We the people for the people. And um I find that very misleading and rather sabotaging because you're the only voice on here. And there are one, two, three, four, five of you that are voting members. And I would really like to remind you that the meaning of sabotage is deliberately destroy, damage, obstruct something, especially for a political or military advantage. I would like you to reconsider and allow us to be on the agenda and have you vote for this in public in this chamber on that camera. >> Okay. Next on the list here was Kathy Cuchar, I believe. >> Yeah. >> Couture. Hi, I'm Kathy Cuchar. Um, I've been a resident at Cottage Grove for almost 40 years and I'm a part of a indivisible group in St. Corey Valley and I joined an immigration group with with that with the with the indivisible. Um, I'm concerned about ICE in Cottage Grove. Immigrants are a big part of our community and I want people to feel safe here. We are asking the council to consider the resolution brought forth by Peggy Nelson. Is it Nelson? Yeah. Um perhaps changing the contract for ICE. I am asking for ICE to have proper identification and to be unmasked. It is a scary scenario for ICE to be in our community especially in mass deportations. we are seeing across the country. I do not want hate and fear spread into our community with 170 billion going into immigration enforcement, ISIS becoming cruel and inhumane, tearing families apart, then without even due process of law or basic human dignity. Again, I'm asking please the council to reconsider the resolution brought forth by Peggy Nelson. Thank you. >> Thank you. And then Ruth Jones. >> Hello, my name is Ruth Jones. I live at 8180 Janeiro A South here in Cottage Grove. I am here to talk about that resolution as well. And I would like to notify everybody that it's been adopted by Minneapolis. Same thing. It's been adopted in Columbia Heights. St. Paul City Council is looking at it right now as we speak. Fully expect that they also will adopt it. So the adoption of this wouldn't set us out from other Wisconsin uh sorry other motans. This is Minnesota. We are seen as a safe haven and I want us to stay that way and I particularly would like that Cottage Grove would stay that way. Um so that's why I'm here. Uh, also I really, really value free speech and the ability to speak to you all means very much to me. So, thank you very much for listening. >> Thank you. >> All right, that was everybody that had signed up, but by chance, did anybody happen to come in that wants to speak on anything on that's not on tonight's agenda? Yes, ma'am. >> Yeah, up on the podium and just state your name and address for the record, please. Um, my name is Diane Anderson and I did not prepare a thing for tonight. I just found out there was a city council meeting tonight. Um, c >> can you I I do need you to state your address for the record, please. >> Because we know need to know who to respond to. >> Yeah. Okay. 9424 Jurgen Place South here in Cottage Grove. I've been a resident for 27 and a half years. Um, I have a situation where my neighbor has a bunch of dead trees and when those trees come down, which they will, they're going to damage my property and if I happen to be under in that spot mowing my grass or outside playing with, you know, entertaining family, whatever, that it would kill me, maim me, anybody who's there. So, I called Samantha Drury about this issue twice and there is no code enforcement to take down dead trees. Every time a storm comes through, more trees fall down because there's no maintenance in this yard. So my ask today is I'm imploring the city to please consider making a code enforcement for people to take down dead trees. I received the city letter saying we want a safe environment. We all want people to be safe and happy and enjoy their properties. I can't. I've had a fear. Every time I go outside, I've asked him to take the trees down. He won't. So, I have no repercussions to make him take the trees down. So, um, do you have any questions? I'm guessing not, but >> No, I think, uh, since you gave us your information and your address, uh, and you've spoken with Samantha, we can obviously do a followup on that. >> Okay. And I invite any and all of you to come to my yard to >> so you can observe for yourself. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Was there anybody else that wanted to speak on anything not not on tonight's agenda? All right, seeing none, I'm going to go ahead and close open forum and council will move to number five, which is adoption of the agenda. >> I'll move to adopt the agenda. >> All right, so we have a motion by council member Garza, >> second by second. >> Second by council member Clawson. All those in favor signify by saying I. I >> I opposed. Motion carries. Number six is presentations. We have none this evening. Seven is consent agenda. Council, is there anything you want to pull for separate discussion on consent? >> I'll pull I >> uh council member uh Thei is going to pull I. Anything else? All right. So, we'll uh just go with I, which is the real estate equities LLC, issuance of conduit multifamily housing revenue bonds. Council Miti. >> Yeah. I just thought that it uh might be good to have our our finance director uh explain this a little bit. some can be a little bit complex and I know that Dave and and Mon'nique are are new and and I remember when we kind of did something similar for the legends quite a few years ago. It took a little while to to digest it. So maybe uh we can uh kind of just explain it a little bit. >> Yes. Thank you, Council Member Thei, members of the council. Um I'm happy to um walk through the conduit debt um item that's on your agenda uh this evening. And there's two parts to it tonight. So it is um even a little bit more unusual than what we talk about. Um and so first is the preliminary approval uh for the issuance of conduit debt uh for multi- housing revenue bonds. And so those um are in relation to real estate equities. Um as you know uh they came in uh to city council in 2024 uh went out for a bonding allocation uh through the state or the CDA. Um it's usually a two-year process and so they didn't receive the funds in 24 uh but they are receiving them in 25. Um so they do um have their financing and so they will do it through us through conduit debt. Um in 2024 we gave them preliminary issuance of that conduit debt um in the amount of $32,000. They're requesting an increase of that to um or 32,000. That would be great, right? 32 million. Um and so that uh request is um up to 50 million. And so what does conduit debt mean? And so that is what I wanted to kind of talk about first is um you know we are asked to do that periodically and we last did it uh for the legends of Cottage Grove. Um and so it is issued by the city um to act as a conduit between the um borrower and the lender. And so the borrower in this case is real estate equities and then the lender. And so we act as that conduit. Now it's important to remember that that $50 million in issuance um it's not going to go against our credit rating. We are simply acting as that conduit. Um it doesn't count against our statutory u maximum that we can issue for debt. Um and then also it's not included um in our outstanding debt on our financial statements. So all those things are true. So we're just acting as that conduit uh between the issuer and the borrower. Um you had issued that conduit debt that preliminary um amount for real estate equities back in 2024 um in the amount of 32 million. So what uh is in front of you this evening is to increase that allocation to 50 million. And the reason for that request is there is a portion that is going to be recycled um through the Washington County CDA of about $8 million um that was part of the trellis blue stem project. And so in the IRS regulations they're able to do that. So they made that request and so I had asked um the bond attorney that we work with, you know, why why not just have the CDA do their portion, we do our portion. Um it is to our advantage to have them have that one issue so that that underwriter has one mortgage per se. So that one debt issuance. So that's why it's coming in front of you tonight is that increase uh because of the amount that's going to be recycled through the Washington County CDA. Um and then um also just increasing that 50 million. So the recycling and then the increase in the issuance amount. So it's a lot to digest, but the good thing is going to come in front of you two more times. Uh next council meeting there will be a public hearing. So tonight you're just saying you're giving preliminary approval that okay, we're okay with going up to the $50 million. Um so next week we'll have to or next week two weeks we'll have to hold a public hearing to to make sure that we're all okay with this. Um and then when the actual issuance of the debt is done sometime before the end of the year, it will come in front of you again. >> Okay. And and so >> so the reason that uh uh uh real estate equities uh would want to do this is because >> they Oh, yep. Great question. Uh lower borrowing costs for them, lower interest rates, and so they can issue that tax exempt debt. So because it is a public project, they're doing uh the multifamily housing uh here in Cottage Grove. It's serving that public purpose. Not everybody can do it. uh there has to be that public purpose component and so real estate equities um they're building that workhouse uh housing in our community so that public purpose identified in our housing study that was done last this last year this year. So yes, >> right and and the one one comment I'll make too is one thing that's very important to me is that it's not costing the city anything. In fact, we're actually even getting a little bit of an administrative fee to do that. Right. >> Correct. we get an administrative fee for issuing that debt on their behalf. So doing that being that conduit on that debt. So no city costs involved. >> Great. Thanks. >> Thank you. Thank you. All right. Uh since nobody on the council had pulled anything else for discussion >> consent. >> Thank you. I have a a second motion by council member Olsen, second by council member Theiti. >> Any other discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. I opposed. Motion carries. So, if you are here for anything on consent, they've all been approved. There you go. Good luck. >> You got it. All right. Uh, next on our agenda, I believe, is eight, which is, uh, >> move the bills. >> Pay the bills. We have a motion by Council Member Olen, second by Council Member Garza. >> Any other discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. Uh, public hearing number nine, we have none. Bid awards 10. We do not have any. We don't have anything on our regular agenda for number 11. So, we literally are down to council comments and requests. So, we'll start with uh Council Member Clawson. >> I have nothing to add tonight, Mayor. Thank you. >> All right. Sounds good. I'll then go to uh Council Member Olson. >> Thank you, Mayor. Uh couple things here. First of all, I want to thank all of the residents who hosted night toite parties uh either during the afternoon, noon out uh at some of the retirement communities in town yesterday. And then of course uh night two night last night. It's always one of my favorite things of the year. Um we got lucky last night. The weather was great. Uh we've all been out there when it's been, you know, 15,000° outside and it it uh makes for a long night, but last night was beautiful and it was really fun to get out and visit with the neighbors. Um, thank you to everyone also who took the time in the course of their party to help uh gather school supplies and things for the kids going back to school uh on the part of either basic needs or um our friends in need food shelf uh because they look forward to those donations every year and there were a lot of awfully generous people. The second thing I wanted to just mention, mayor, is last Friday, uh, as you're well aware because you were there, uh, we had our inaugural hometown heroes golf tournament at River Oaks that was, um, sponsored by, uh, the Mississippi River Valley Beyond the Yellow Riven team along with the VFW and the Cottage Grove Lions. It was a resounding success. We had uh, terrific weather, great turnout. Um, a lot of really awesome sponsors who came forward and helped support the event. River Oaks, as always, did a bang-up job of organizing, coordinating, and it it really went off uh very very well, and we were grateful to raise nearly $20,000 to help our uh veterans, military families, and first responders in this community with this inaugural tournament. So, we look forward to even bigger and better next year. Uh, but boy um for for year one, it was sure uh a lot of fun and we had a lot of great volunteers, including some of the Woodbury Lions came down and helped out as well. So, uh everybody who pitched in deserves a pat on the back for that, especially the sponsors and the players. And then I wanted to also remind folks that another fundraiser that our Mississippi River Valley Beyond the Yellow Ribbon team is putting forth is the initial uh it's called Walk Run Ruck. Uh that will take place on September 13th prior to our food truck festival at Kingston Park. This event starts at 8:00 a.m. Uh you can do a 5K, a 10K, and I think Brad, correct me if I'm wrong, but a 15K as well. Um, and some folks will be walking, some will be running, and some will actually be carrying their rucks sacks with them. Uh, it's a another great fundraiser. We've already got 50 people signed up, and um, these things tend to kind of get momentum as they get closer in time. So, uh, we're thinking we're going to have a really nice turnout for that. It does start at 8:00 a.m. at Kingston Park. And if you're interested in signing up, uh, the web address is www.run runsignup.com or if you're a social media person, you can go to our Mississippi River Valley Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Facebook page for all the information on signing up for the event or becoming a sponsor. So, looking forward to that. And then, of course, everybody's going to stay afterwards for the food truck festival because they'll be hungry after doing all that running and rucking and walking and whatnot. So, uh should be a fun day for everybody. And with that, Mayor, I'll turn it back to you. >> Awesome. Thank you Broson. Council member Baiti. >> Yeah. I would also like to thank all the residents that had parties and such and and uh you know the it's it's it's really neat when you see neighbors and everybody like that get out and and uh uh you know get to know the neighbors uh you know in so many places. that uh you know it uh it it's just really helps with uh with uh you know being able to from a safety standpoint and everything else from you know recognizing when things are a little odd or something in the neighborhood or and things like that that you know your neighbors and you can reach out and you work together and and it just forms a much stronger community and and uh so I thank everybody that uh that helps put that together and I think it's a great event. So, uh, um, I guess that's that's pretty much all I got, I guess. >> All right, sounds good. >> Unless you want me to mention movies for Mo. Are you going to do that? >> Of course I do, Dave. Of course I do. >> Go ahead, Dave. >> So, Movies with Mo. The next one is August 15th at 700 p.m. at Highland Park and it's Moana 2. >> Should be good. >> Is that Moana also or is that No, no, it's the second one. Yeah. Okay. >> Thank you. >> There you go. There you go. Thank you, Council Member. Council member uh GarcA. >> Um thank you mayor. So yes too. I'd like to say thank you to all of the residents. I was able to make it out for the noonoutes and those were amazing. I had so many great conversations with our community. I got a lot of Cottage Grove stories, a lot of good history, a lot of things that were here and just the memories. So it was fun going down memory lane with a lot of our residents. Um so I I thank you for sharing with me. Um, and I think we have the Cottage Grove Farmers Market that's happening on Thursdays. I've know I've hit that a few times this season. So, come and check them out. They have a lot of good stuff there. I know their flavored bacon is the best. I've bought that every Thursday. Thank you. >> All right. Sounds good. Well, and again, I guess I'll just keep piggybacking a little bit on the the uh noon outs and the 19 nights. Matter of fact, what I find out every year is every time I go to one of the noon outs, um, there's somebody in there, either an old school teacher of mine >> or somebody that says, "I know things about you." >> I heard. >> So, it's Yeah, there were stories. I was I'm like, "Oh, I don't think I want to hear these stories." But, yeah, it was it was it's pretty awesome though to to see some of the old elementary school teachers or middle school such and uh so it was pretty neat. And then of course the having almost 50 uh I believe it was around 50 >> uh parties uh uh last evening was was really cool. And a lot of people also I just want to say I know at one point uh we used to do uh uh the nightite in like Kingston Park or whatever and as I kind of just chatted with different uh neighborhoods as we were going around last night the the theme was they love the fact that it's back in the neighborhoods uh because they truly get to see their people that maybe they don't see that often. It's a lot different these days, you know, than it has been in the past, but it's uh it's really kind of cool to see that and um and get to get to witness some of the great uh camaraderie between the neighbors and such with that. And I also want to just point out that we do have a special guest in the room with us this evening. Uh um our new uh Met Council uh member uh that represents our area here in Cottage Grove or South Washington County, uh Mark Jenkins uh is here. Yeah, if you want to come up and introduce yourself. Absolutely. Thank you, mayor. Um, thank you for all the leaders up at the at the DEAS here for being community leaders and um my opportunity to serve the city and your citizens and uh all of South Washington County and Eastern Dakota County and four square miles of Maplewood. not that I've measured um is um just my way of trying to pay back to the cities and the citizens in my region, my area. So, I look forward to working with you. Um I'll be your advocate at council meetings and then I'll come back and be the bearer of mainly good news, I hope. And um but I'm your advocate um at the council and I look forward to our partnership and working together with uh city administrator, the council and and your team too, city administrator, because I find out that our staff and your staff work together all the time and you know, us policy people, we just help make sure it runs smoothly. So, thank you. >> Fantastic. And I I've had the opportunity to work with Mark on the transportation advisory board before he got promoted to this I'll call it promotion >> promoted to bet council member. So uh glad to have you on the uh representing us and I look forward to some great things with you over the years. >> I'm looking forward to it mayor. Thank you. >> Fantastic. Thank you. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you. Thanks. >> All right. Uh council um that was it under council comments request. uh 13. We do have a workshop this evening which is the draft 2026 to 2030 capital improvement plan uh which will obviously be taking that in the training room. Uh 14. We do not have any uh workshops that are closed to the public. So we won't be adjourning in here. Uh council will be eventually adjourning in the training room. So everybody have a great evening. If you're watching on TV otherwise uh if you're in the room you can come join us over in the in the training room. Thank you.