Here is the transcribed townhall meeting with speaker names added based on the context of the dialogue and proceedings of the White Bear Lake City Council. [0:28] **[Silence / Ambient Noise]** [7:11] **Mayor Dan Steen:** Order. I will note that all council members are present for the record. Will you please stand as the honor guard presents the colors? [7:53] **Group:** 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. [8:40] **Honor Guard:** Resign arms. [9:26] **Mayor Dan Steen:** Okay, item 2a: minutes of the regular city council meeting from September 24th. I’d entertain a motion to approve those minutes. [Motion made]. A motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. Any opposed? Motion carries; minutes are approved. Item 2b: minutes of the city council work session on September 24th, 2024. I’d entertain a motion to approve those minutes. [Motion made]. I have a second. [Seconded]. A motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. Any opposed? Motion carries; minutes are approved. Item three: adoption of the agenda. Are there any corrections, additions, or amendments to the agenda? Seeing none, I entertain a motion to adopt the agenda. [Motion made]. Motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. Any opposed? We have an agenda. Item four: consent agenda. I’d entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda. [Motion made]. A motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. Any opposed? Consent agenda is approved. All right, item five: visitors and presentations. We have a swearing-in of administrative Captain and Sergeant. So, Chief Hager, whenever you're ready. [10:12] **Chief Dale Hager:** Thank you, Mr. Mayor, members of the Council. Thank you for allowing us this unique opportunity to share with you and the rest of our community here two of our newest leaders, and to celebrate with them and their family and friends as each take their oath of office. I will share a little bit about administrative Captain Isaac Tuma and Patrol Sergeant Mike Selner, after which they'll take their oath of office with City Manager Lindy Crawford. It's my pleasure to begin with Captain Isaac Tuma. [Narrates Isaac Tuma's biography and career history]. [14:28] **Chief Dale Hager:** On to Sergeant Mike Selner. [Narrates Mike Selner's biography and career history]. So, Isaac and Mike, please come forward where City Manager Crawford will issue both of you the oath of office, after which you'll get your badges pinned by your wives. [17:40] **City Manager Lindy Crawford:** Gentlemen, raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, state your name... **Isaac Tuma & Mike Selner:** I, [Name]... **Lindy Crawford:** Do solemnly swear... **Isaac Tuma & Mike Selner:** Do solemnly swear... **Lindy Crawford:** That I will support the Constitution of the United States and the state of Minnesota... **Isaac Tuma & Mike Selner:** That I will support the Constitution of the United States and the state of Minnesota... **Lindy Crawford:** And will discharge and faithfully execute the duties devolving upon me... **Isaac Tuma & Mike Selner:** And will discharge and faithfully execute the duties devolving upon me... **Lindy Crawford:** As Administrative Captain and Sergeant... **Isaac Tuma:** As Administrative Captain... **Mike Selner:** And Sergeant... **Lindy Crawford:** For the city of White Bear Lake... **Isaac Tuma & Mike Selner:** For the city of White Bear Lake... **Lindy Crawford:** Without fear or favor... **Isaac Tuma & Mike Selner:** Without fear or favor... **Lindy Crawford:** To the best of my judgment and ability. **Isaac Tuma & Mike Selner:** To the best of my judgment and ability. **Lindy Crawford:** Congratulations. [18:29] **[Applause]** [20:11] **Captain Isaac Tuma:** Thank you guys so much. Dear Mr. Mayor and members of the Council, I'm deeply grateful for this opportunity to express my appreciation... [Gives acceptance speech]. [22:30] **Sergeant Mike Selner:** Much to my style, I'll probably be a little bit more straight to the point. And in case you're wondering if it's easier to be the point man on a high-risk SW warrant or being in front of you guys, it's definitely being on the SW warrant. Mr. Mayor, members of the city council, Ms. Crawford, Mr. Juba, thank you... [Gives acceptance speech]. [24:03] **Chief Dale Hager:** Mayor, members of the Council, I believe that the majority of these people are going to leave right now. Maybe we can give them just a few minutes to get out of here possibly before we start anything else. [24:15] **Mayor Dan Steen:** Sure. We'll head next door for our public safety building for refreshments. [24:28] **[Microphone captures informal chatter during the brief recess]** [26:37] **Mayor Dan Steen:** All right, now that we are back on track here, Chief, whenever you want to proceed with your biannual report, please do. [26:45] **Chief Dale Hager:** I'll depend on my clicker over there. Thank you, Paul. Since I spoke with you last in April, this is our newest department photo... [Presents detailed police department report covering staffing, training, and community engagement]. [49:37] **Council Member Edberg:** Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Chief, I appreciate your perspective on numbers and I agree with your philosophy. If I have a resident who says, "I'm hearing a lot more sirens these days" or it seems like we have more crime, how would you respond to a citizen who has concerns about crime in our community? [50:04] **Chief Dale Hager:** Mr. Mayor, members of the Council, thank you for that question. I can categorically say that violent crime is not on the rise in White Bear Lake. The reason we have more arrests is because our officers are working harder... [Explains the correlation between increased staffing/activity and arrest numbers]. [52:40] **Mayor Dan Steen:** Thank you, Chief. Again, for the report, appreciate it. All right, item 5b: Prosecution Services annual update. Miss Monins, please, the podium is yours. [52:50] **Amy Monins (Prosecutor):** Mayor, Manager, I am an attorney at GDO Law. We have handled prosecution services for the City of White Bear Lake since 1996. [Provides update on court schedules, legislative changes regarding marijuana, and new mental health/competency laws]. [1:03:57] **Mayor Dan Steen:** The judge's discretion under the new law in the interest of justice—have you seen that play out since the law went into effect? [1:04:12] **Amy Monins:** I have. I've seen it play out when it's low-level offenses... [Discusses judicial discretion and competency rulings]. [1:06:50] **Council Member Hughes:** Actually, I do have a question. You were talking about how many people are really found incompetent. Is this a high number? [1:07:05] **Amy Monins:** I don't have the stats for that. I can tell you Ramsey County has spent a lot more in their budget doing competency hearings than most other counties. [1:09:55] **Mayor Dan Steen:** All right, item six: public hearing. We have nothing scheduled. Item seven: unfinished business. A second reading of an ordinance amending the municipal code to adopt a new chapter regarding alcoholic beverages. Miss Crawford. [1:10:05] **City Manager Lindy Crawford:** Thank you, mayor, members of the Council. As you just stated, this is the second reading of the ordinance... [Explains technical corrections to the liquor ordinance]. [1:12:13] **Council Member Edberg:** Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I want to know whether I've been sleeping during Council meetings. I read in the White Bear Press that we have previously authored amendments that changed our ordinance to remove the option for 2:00 AM closings. My recollection is that it was never a proposal. Am I mistaken? [1:13:28] **City Manager Lindy Crawford:** I'd be happy to... [1:13:30] **Mayor Dan Steen:** I think the local coverage has been incorrect, because that was my recollection too. At no point had we ever had a proposal before us to roll back to 1:00 AM. [Clarifies the process of meeting with stakeholders]. [1:15:18] **Council Member Walsh:** I'll move the first item of business, the ordinance approval. **Mayor Dan Steen:** I have a motion. A second? [Seconded]. Any further discussion? All those in favor say aye. [Ayes]. Any opposed? Motion carries. We have an accompanying resolution for publication. I'd entertain a motion. [Motion and second]. All those in favor say aye. [Ayes]. Motion carries. [1:16:03] **Mayor Dan Steen:** All right, item eight: new business. City Campus electric vehicles charging station. Miss Talon, whenever you're ready. [1:16:10] **Connie Talon (Staff):** Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Council members. I appreciate the opportunity to be here to discuss a proposed electric vehicle charging station at City Campus. [Presents proposal for a ChargePoint station, costs, and user fees]. [1:25:32] **Mayor Dan Steen:** I have one question. This assumption of 4 hours per station per day is an educated guess? Does that assume seven days a week? [1:25:50] **Connie Talon:** Yes, it does. [1:26:17] **Council Member Hughes:** I have a really stupid question. So the 17 cents is on top of what the actual energy cost is, or is that really just it? [1:26:33] **Connie Talon:** It is 17 cents. It includes all of those costs. [1:27:05] **Council Member Walsh:** Well, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'm not sold on this for a lot of reasons. One, we take a city government and we're now running a business. I think we should stick to our core function which is plowing streets and providing public safety. [Expresses skepticism regarding EV technology and mineral sustainability]. [1:30:56] **Council Member West:** You know, I am very appreciative of all the background information. I did a little bit of research... there are like a little over 900 vehicles in our just general area. I think looking to the future is important. [1:34:02] **Council Member Edberg:** Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Council Member Walsh has a perfectly appropriate personal position on the role of municipal enterprise, but I'm going to suggest that position has been lost in this state for decades. We have municipal liquor stores, we have a marina. This is a growing technology. I’m going to vote in favor. [1:37:37] **Council Member Ringstrand:** Mr. Mayor, I'm not a huge fan of it, but I'll probably vote for it. However, I do not like the placement of it. I don't want to take up two parking spots for our busy license bureau people. [1:38:15] **City Manager Lindy Crawford:** Mayor, Council Member Ringstrand, I want to address why we chose that location. The transformer is right there, so it's incredibly cheap to connect. [1:39:27] **Public Works Staff (Mr. Copy):** I think you covered everything there. A charger along the sidewalk would have potential ADA issues with cords. [1:39:56] **Council Member Hughes:** Thanks. I'm not going to support it. I don't know that it is up to my neighbors to fund the charging source for people who go out and get these alternative vehicles. [1:43:02] **Mayor Dan Steen:** Do any of our taxes—does any taxpayer money go into any of those other types of funds? [Engages in a lengthy debate regarding the ROI, market demand for Level 2 vs Level 3 chargers, and infrastructure standardization]. I don't think the ROI is there. I simply can't support it. [1:49:56] **Council Member Edberg:** I move approval. **Mayor Dan Steen:** I have a motion. Do I have a second? **Council Member West:** Second. **Mayor Dan Steen:** Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say aye. **Edberg & West:** Aye. **Mayor Dan Steen:** All those opposed? **Steen, Walsh, Hughes:** No. **Mayor Dan Steen:** By a vote of 3 to 2, the motion fails. The resolution does not pass. Item nine: discussion. Nothing scheduled. Item 10: Communications from the City Manager. [1:50:50] **City Manager Lindy Crawford:** Thank you, mayor. Tomorrow is the Highway 96 elected official roundtable. council member Hughes is planning to attend. A reminder we do have a work session next Monday at 6:00 PM. That's all I have. [1:51:29] **Mayor Dan Steen:** Thank you, Miss Crawford. Council, any questions? [Addresses high school students in attendance about the importance of local government]. I’d entertain a motion to adjourn. [Motion made]. All those in favor say aye. [Ayes]. We are adjourned. [1:53:51] **[End of Meeting]**