This transcript appears to be from a Bayport City Council meeting. Based on the names provided and the context of the dialogue (motions, roll calls, and staff reports), I have identified the speakers as follows: * **Mayor Michele Hanson:** Leads the meeting and reads proclamations. * **Adam (Staff):** Likely a city clerk or administrative staff member (not on your specific list, but addressed by name throughout) who handles roll call and detailed reporting. * **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** Provides technical reports on public works and infrastructure. * **Councilmember (Connie):** Addressed as "Connie" throughout. While "Connie" isn't on your official list, the roll call at [4:06] refers to a "Councilmember Carlson." It is highly likely "Connie" is **Councilmember Carlson** (possibly a nickname or a transcription error for Carl Bliss). * **Councilmember Hanson:** A separate councilmember from the Mayor (addressed as "Michelle" at [4:06]). * **Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore:** Identified by name during motions and roll calls. *** [0:12] Mayor Michele Hanson: Bayport City Council meeting. Please join me in the pledge. I pledge allegiance to America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Adam, please call roll. [0:12] Adam (Staff): Mayor Hanson? [Here]. Councilmember Carlson? [Here]. Counselor Gilmore? [Here]. Councilmember Hanson? [Here]. And Councilmember Dahl is not with us this evening. [0:58] Mayor Michele Hanson: All right, that takes us to the approval of tonight's agenda. Does anyone have any questions, comments, or changes? If not, would someone like to make a motion to approve? [0:58] Councilmember (Connie): I'll make a motion approving tonight's agenda. [0:58] Mayor Michele Hanson: Thank you, Connie. Is there a second? [Seconded]. [1:17] Mayor Michele Hanson: Proclamations, accommodations, competitions, and announcements. The October recycling award recipient is Brad Hayes at 942 Inspiration Parkway South. He will be awarded for his recycling efforts with funding made possible with a grant from Washington County. So thank you very much, Mr. Hayes, for your recycling efforts. The Stillwater Area School District will hold a special election tomorrow, Tuesday, November 2nd. All Bayport residents vote at the Bayport Fire Department on 5th Avenue North. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. So that's tomorrow at the new Bayport City Fire Hall at the top of 5th Avenue North, 7 to 8. That takes us to tonight's open forum. [2:03] Mayor Michele Hanson: Where we set aside 15 minutes of the meeting to address items that are not on tonight's agenda. Adam, we do not have anyone in council chambers. Is there anyone on the line? [2:03] Adam (Staff): No, Madam Mayor. [2:03] Mayor Michele Hanson: Okay. All right, then we will move to our consent agenda where we'll consider a resolution adopting items one through seven: the October 4th, 2021 City Council meeting minutes; the October payables and receipts; the October building, plumbing, mechanical, and zoning permits report; the hiring of Cheryl Gruhlke as the part-time Office Support Specialist; the reappointment of Elizabeth Kelly and Orin Kipp to three-year terms on the Planning Commission; the appointment of Aaron Crowder to fill the vacancy on the Library Board for a term to expire December 31st, 2023; and the joint powers agreement with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for use of their criminal justice data communications network. Does anyone have any questions, comments, or changes? [2:50] Adam (Staff): Go ahead and add them... there was one suggestion change to the minutes by Councilmember Hanson. One of the changes was to clarify that in her liaison report, Councilmember Hanson reported that Angie Hong spoke at a separate event at the Fields of Arbor Glenn and not the "Toast and Topics" event. And then also just to clarify that the presentation from Angie Hong was about things that we can learn from other cities to maintain water quality and water conservation. [3:37] Mayor Michele Hanson: Okay, great. Thank you. So I'm sure that those corrections are being made. With those, does anyone have any other questions, comments, or would someone like to make a motion to approve? [3:37] Councilmember Hanson: I move that we approve the consent agenda with the changes that Adam noted. [3:37] Mayor Michele Hanson: Thank you, Michelle. Is there a second? [3:37] Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore: I'll second. [3:37] Mayor Michele Hanson: Thank you, Ethan. Roll call, please. [4:06] Adam (Staff): Councilmember Hanson? [Aye]. Counselor Gilmore? [Aye]. Councilmember Carlson? [Aye]. Mayor Hanson? [Aye]. [4:23] Mayor Michele Hanson: We do have a public hearing this evening, and it's the certification of past-due waste collection bills and unpaid service charges to property taxes. Adam, can you please cover this topic? [4:23] Adam (Staff): Thank you, Madam Mayor. Under Minnesota statutes, cities are able to assess unpaid service charges. Two of those charges tonight are delinquent garbage bills that have been turned over to the city for collection, and the other is any other unpaid charges. Under state statute and our ordinances, we're allowed to collect unpaid vacant building registration fees. There are two assessment lists. We have received a couple of payments for garbage since that list was generated; we will continue to receive payments until certified to the county. The certification is due November 30th. The 22nd is the last day that we will be doing it, but I would suggest anybody who still intends on paying to get to the city as soon as possible. There's one vacant building charge for the Grace home, which is actually two years' worth. 2020 was the $500 charge, and the second year is 2021. [5:55] Adam (Staff): There should be a public hearing held for those assessments. One note: there is one contest to the garbage assessments. I spoke with the city attorney and the hauler. These are for end-of-2020 charges with Republic. It does not appear that the process was followed by the resident in order to be eligible for the seasonal exemption that is being claimed. That is an issue between the hauler and the resident; the city doesn't really have involvement. Staff's recommendation is to approve all charges, including the contested one, and let the resident work that out with the hauler. [7:26] Mayor Michele Hanson: Does anyone have questions on that? Or is this the proper time for us to ask questions, or after it's closed? [7:26] Adam (Staff): After. [7:26] Mayor Michele Hanson: All right. So with that, I would like to open the public hearing and ask anyone in the public to come forward. We do not have anyone in chambers this evening, but is anyone online to address us? [7:26] Adam (Staff): No. [7:26] Mayor Michele Hanson: Okay. With that, then, is there a motion to close the public hearing? [7:26] Councilmember (Connie): I'll make a motion to close the public hearing. [7:26] Mayor Michele Hanson: Thank you, Connie. Is there a second? [7:26] Councilmember Hanson: I'll second. [8:11] Mayor Michele Hanson: Thank you, Michelle. All in favor? [Aye]. Opposed? [None]. Okay, so now with that, we can have City Council discussion. Does anyone have any questions regarding any items on the list or the recommendation from legal? [8:11] Councilmember (Connie): I think we need to talk about this. We didn't have a chance to read through all of the notes that Republic sent us, which is a log of calls. What is the process that he was supposed to go through versus what you saw? [8:57] Adam (Staff): According to the process, he was supposed to contact Republic more than two weeks prior to set up the seasonal exemption. He included copies of checks where he wrote notes like "seasonal hold," but Republic says that was not the process. He was supposed to fill out a separate form. [10:30] Councilmember (Connie): Well, it looks like he wrote the check on 8/24 and he wanted it on hold as of 10/1. That seems like plenty of notice. Am I confused? [10:30] Adam (Staff): I don't think the time frame was the issue. He needs to contact them proactively as opposed to just writing on the check. [11:16] Adam (Staff): The city's response is to instruct the resident to contact the hauler because we don't handle the billing. Republic is claiming the service was provided. [12:15] Matt Kline (City Administrator): It's a contractual dispute between the hauler and the resident. The hauler maintains that this is a valid delinquent account and that the proper documentation for suspension was never followed. [13:09] Mayor Michele Hanson: So your recommendation is to continue to move forward? [13:09] Matt Kline (City Administrator): It is my recommendation that we go ahead based on the documentation provided. If the resident still feels this was improper, they can pursue action with the hauler. [13:56] Councilmember (Connie): My comment is that I've dealt with Republic on things and I don't believe they're very easy to work with. I feel for this guy. It's such a piddly amount and it's silly we have to spend this much time with it, but I just know what Republic was like to deal with. [14:41] Councilmember Hanson: It's really hard to tell from these notes what any of it really means. It looks like it wasn't until just before he wrote that check that he gave us a copy saying "I'm on hold." We don't know if the customer was told any of the procedures. [15:19] Adam (Staff): Again, the city is in an unfortunate position. This specific resident has had disputes with both Tennant and Republic over whether or not he is exempt. He hasn't filled out the forms for Tennant either. [16:30] Councilmember Hanson: I guess at first I was looking at it your way, but if this has happened to him more than one year in a row, then obviously he's not listening to what he's being told. I feel like legally we have to do what we're supposed to do with the assessment. [17:37] Councilmember Hanson: I move for the certification of past-due waste collection and vacant property to property taxes. [17:37] Mayor Michele Hanson: Thank you very much. Is there a second? [17:37] Councilmember (Connie): I'll second. [17:37] Mayor Michele Hanson: Thank you, Connie. Roll call, please. [Roll call results in approval]. [18:23] Mayor Michele Hanson: That takes us to our unfinished business. Item one is to consider accepting plans and specifications to upgrade the Inspiration Booster Station. Matt? [18:23] Matt Kline (City Administrator): Mayor and members of the Council, this is for the booster station plans. SCH has completed the plans and specs, and they are now ready to go out to bid. The primary components are a generator, a new motor control center, and pump replacements. The cost estimate is $330,000. If we bid this now, it provides time to get everything installed prior to next summer. [20:40] Mayor Michele Hanson: Any questions for Matt? [20:40] Councilmember Hanson: So you said it's not a capacity issue, but I guess I don't understand. If we're not able to reach the amount of water needed at certain times, isn't that capacity? [20:40] Matt Kline (City Administrator): It's more about hourly demand. We have the ability to pump enough water from our wells, but our booster pumps are not big enough to keep up with the hourly demand during peak times in the upper zone. [22:08] Mayor Michele Hanson: Approval of the resolution for cemetery plots? [22:08] Adam (Staff): I developed this process by looking through the state statute. At this time, staff is asking for approval to revest these lots by approving the resolution so we can begin the process. [22:08] Councilmember (Connie): I just have a question out of curiosity. If someone from the family came forward, what do they have to prove to get it back? [23:06] Adam (Staff): We have to publish notice three times and practically try to look for these individuals or heirs. These plots go back to 1866. [23:55] Matt Kline (City Administrator): Each of these lots essentially had one person buried in them, usually children. They probably bought the whole plot for the family but then just never used it after that. [24:42] Mayor Michele Hanson: All right, with that we have two motions. Would someone like to start with the first? [24:42] Councilmember Hanson: I move to adopt a resolution to proceed with publication to revest the city with title to certain abandoned plots by F.G. Brown in Hazelwood Cemetery as presented. [24:42] Mayor Michele Hanson: Thank you, Michelle. Is there a second? [24:42] Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore: I'll second. [Roll call approval]. [25:26] Councilmember Hanson: I move to adopt a resolution to proceed with publication to revest the city with titles of certain plots owned by John Elrig in Hazelwood Cemetery as presented. [25:26] Mayor Michele Hanson: Thank you, Michelle. Is there a second? [25:26] Councilmember (Connie): Second. [Roll call approval]. [26:20] Mayor Michele Hanson: That takes us to our second item under new business: to consider a labor agreement with the Minnesota Teamsters Public and Law Enforcement Employees Union Local 320 for the Police Department. Adam? [26:20] Adam (Staff): Thank you, Madam Mayor. As I've been informing the Council, we have been in negotiations. Hiring and retaining police officers is very difficult these days. The city was open to suggestions. Monetarily, the contract doesn't have a large impact, but includes changes like increasing the comp bank to 60 hours, increasing floating holidays to a full shift, and limiting the clothing allowance for off-duty weapons to once every five years. It includes a 3% wage COLA. We also increased the physical fitness incentive. [33:22] Councilmember (Connie): Is there a benefit to changing the shift times to military time? [33:22] Adam (Staff): The officers all operate on 24-hour time, so that was their preference. [35:14] Councilmember (Connie): I'll make a motion to approve the labor agreement with the Minnesota Teamsters Local 320 for the police officers. [35:14] Mayor Michele Hanson: Thank you, Connie. Is there a second? [35:14] Councilmember Hanson: Second. [Roll call approval]. [35:59] Mayor Michele Hanson: The next item is the labor agreement for our Public Works department. Adam? [35:59] Adam (Staff): Again, this is with the Teamsters for our three maintenance workers. Key changes include clarifying seniority for overtime, increasing the comp bank to 60 hours, and revamping on-call pay. Currently, Bayport was only paying three hours on weekends; we are increasing this by 7.5 hours per week to bring it more in line with surrounding cities. [39:49] Councilmember Hanson: Why would the cost depend on who's doing it? [39:49] Adam (Staff): Because they rotate every third week, and each employee has a different base rate. [43:38] Adam (Staff): We also added Juneteenth as a holiday if it becomes a state holiday, and set up a health care savings plan for sick pay severance at no cost to the city. [46:21] Councilmember Hanson: I'll make a motion to approve the labor agreement for Public Works. [46:21] Mayor Michele Hanson: Thank you, Michelle. Is there a second? [46:21] Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore: Second. [Roll call approval]. [46:47] Mayor Michele Hanson: City Council liaison reports. Connie? [46:47] Councilmember (Connie): For the library board, the advisory committee for the facility met. Construction is hoped to start in April 2022 and take about nine months. We hope to stay open during the majority of the time. There is still one opening on the library board if anyone is interested. Fundraising is going very well. [49:04] Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore: We did not meet, so I have nothing to report on the Cable Commission. [49:33] Councilmember Hanson: Planning has not met, but I also attended that library advisory committee meeting. I also attended the Washington County Heritage Center ribbon cutting with the Mayor. It's a beautiful facility. [51:53] Mayor Michele Hanson: Yes, a nice ribbon-cutting event. I also attended the monthly Fire Relief Association meeting. Everything is good there. I also attended the fire station open house. It was a beautiful day and well attended. Even after seven years, the fire hall looks spotless; the team does an amazing job. [52:38] Matt Kline (City Administrator): Public Works is busy getting ready for winter—mulching leaves, street sweeping, and winterizing parks. We've removed 30 ash trees and planted 46 new trees this year. The 6th Avenue North project curb and gutter are installed; paving should happen next week. The Land of Water Legacy access is now open, though it's just a gravel ramp for now. There is parking striped and open for the public. [1:00:02] Adam (Staff): Fire Chief Eisenman was not able to make it tonight; he had a personal loss in his family. Calls for October were at 69, with 766 year-to-date. The department will be escorting Santa at the Village Green on December 1st. On the police side, officers have been doing mandatory weapons training and assisting with school traffic control. Sarah Taylor wanted me to mention that the school election is tomorrow. We are also hiring a new office support specialist, as Carla is leaving. Finally, the speed limit signs are being installed this Wednesday, and the new 25 mph limit will be enforced once the signs are up. [1:11:02] Councilmember (Connie): I'd just like to give a thank you to the fire department for visiting the preschool and to the police department for being so visible on Halloween last night. [1:11:49] Mayor Michele Hanson: I am excited to have the Lighting of the Green back on December 1st from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. With that, I think we have concluded our business. Would anyone like to make a motion to adjourn? [1:11:49] Councilmember Hanson: I so move. [1:11:49] Mayor Michele Hanson: Thank you, Michelle. Is there a second? [1:11:49] Deputy Mayor Ethan Gilmore: Second. [1:11:49] Mayor Michele Hanson: All in favor? [Aye]. Opposed? [None]. Meeting adjourned.