This transcript has been formatted with the appropriate speaker names based on the context provided and the dialogue within the meeting. **Note on Mayor/Council identification:** While the context provided lists Nick Lien as Mayor, the transcript from April 7, 2025, clearly identifies **Joshua Hoy** as the Mayor (per the roll call at [1:19] and citizen addresses at [6:55] and [7:55]) and **Nick Lien** as a Councilmember. The context note regarding a 2026 vacancy suggests the leadership structure changed after this meeting took place. *** [0:02] [Music] [0:49] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** We'll call the city council regular meeting to order for Monday, April 7th, 2025. Would everyone please stand 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. [1:19] **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Call the role, please. Council member Wilson? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Here. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Council member Gordes [Cordes]? **Councilmember Jake Cordes:** Here. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Mayor Hoy? **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Here. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Council member Bernance [Bernatz]? **Councilmember Holly Bernatz:** Here. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Council member Lee [Lien]? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Here. [1:32] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** All right. Any changes to the agenda? Amy, Nick, Holly, Jake, Steve. [1:37] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** All right. Seeing none, I would seek a motion to approve the agenda. **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Motion. **Councilmember Holly Bernatz:** Second. **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Motion by Steve, second by Holly. All in favor say I. **Councilmembers (In Unison):** I. [1:48] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** All right. Moving on to item five, announcements. There are none. We'll move on to six, which is our citizen comments. This time's reserved for citizen comments regarding non-agenda items. No official action can be taken on these items. If there's anyone in attendance wishing to speak, please come up and do so at this time. Please state your name and address for the record and also your comments should be limited to 5 minutes. [2:12] **Gary Johnson:** I'm Gary Johnson, 22280 Bearing Avenue, Farmington. I'm a proud member of the Coalition for Responsible Data Center Development. Good evening. I'll bet you are glad to see us here again tonight, huh? We are asking for answers which by law we are required to receive and we will keep coming back until we do. [2:39] **Gary Johnson:** We have submitted ethics complaints to the city and we are asking for them to be taken seriously with a complete explanation of your findings after a real investigation has been taken place. Your city administrator, Lynn Gorski, told Cara Hildreth of the Sun Times Dakota County Tribune that the city's HR department is working with an outside labor attorney, Flaherty and Hood, PA of St. Paul to conduct the investigation. This quote was published in the Dakota County Tribune on March 21st, 2025. [3:21] **Gary Johnson:** Now, your administrator, Lynn Gorski, is dismissing our complaints, saying they are unsubstantiated. Unsubstantiated is defined as unproved or unverified. The dozens of emails uncovered in the data records requests we received from the city of Farmington both prove and verify that emails were received by a city employee, Mr. Hascamp, and forwarded to Miss Kuennen. One of the earliest people to reach out to our coalition group pretending to be a concerned citizen was Mr. Hascamp. He gained access to our private emails and sent them straight to the director of development, Miss Kuennen, starting as early as April 25th. That was before the city even notified residents about the data center project. [4:24] **Gary Johnson:** At no point did Miss Kuennen advise Mr. Hascamp to stop these emails as it was unethical. Instead, for seven months, our private conversations were handed over to the people working against us. Using them against us, your development director, Miss Kuennen, developed strategies and shared them with staff and elected officials to counter all the citizens' comments opposed to the Tract data center development. Miss Kuennen used derogatory language to call the citizens NIMBY or as "the opposition." The citizens were not afraid of what they did not know. They were terrified of what we knew from research done after the 7-month NDA-imposed secret was finally revealed to the public. It is obvious the city has been working tirelessly for Tract after being brainwashed during the seven-month NDA-induced Tract training period. [5:22] **Gary Johnson:** Your staff made sure Tract's talking points and plans were in your hands, our elected officials, by May 9th, before the public even had their first meeting and their first chance to see and speak to the project. The city of Farmington let the developer sit at the table and set the narrative and plans before residents even had a voice. The city continued following the Tract narrative throughout the series of required public meetings, never giving the citizens' comments any weight or seeking meaningful discussions to mediate concerns. It sure appears the city of Farmington, Mr. Hascamp, and Miss Kuennen were working against the citizens and for the developer Tract. That is why the coalition rejects the decision handed down by Lynn Gorski's investigation. We have asked for an explanation of her investigation, but as of this evening, we are still waiting for explanation. What is the truth? Did Lynn Gorski hire the investigator she promised in the quote of March 21st or did she conduct the investigation herself with the help of only city staff? Did she lie to the reporter and the citizens or not? I sure would like to think, Mr. Hoy, that the city of Farmington through its staff would not lie to the media or its citizens. [7:06] **Gary Johnson:** Please release details of the outside labor attorney's involvement and recommendations which we have previously requested. We demand an independent third-party investigation of those complaints. The city should not be investigating itself under the misconduct that has been uncovered. You, the city council of Farmington, are the voice and face of Farmington. We are asking you to respond in both public and writing to all of our previous data requests not yet received as well as the new requests and demands as detailed above. The citizens of Farmington and the adjoining communities want to know if you are going to stand by and condone this behavior. Mr. Hoy and council: I wonder what the attorney general will think when we bring it up during our upcoming meeting. The city of Farmington cannot sweep this behavior under the rug. [8:18] **Nancy Arstead:** Hi, I'm Nancy Arstead, Beaumont Avenue. I find strength in a part of the cadet prayer: "make us choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong." Tonight, once again, we are here choosing the harder right by speaking. As I get older, I have slowly realized that I no longer resemble this world I live in. I still believe in right—right is right, and wrong is wrong. However, I don't feel that is the way most of the world behaves anymore. I used to believe most people knew right from wrong and that the human condition is that when we did wrong, we would feel bad for the wrongdoing. I know that's not true anymore either. I've looked back and I've tried to understand what exactly was our sin. [9:05] **Nancy Arstead:** What did we residents do wrong? Did we do something to deserve the disrespect, disregard, and even hostility we have been shown this last year? The earliest members of our group were just regular people, unorganized, loosely formed, just a handful trying to spread the word about a massive data center that would forever change our community. They were naive, trusting. Was that their sin? They believed that people were who they said they were. They couldn't imagine anyone was contacting them for nefarious purposes. Were they wrong to expect more out of people again? What have we done that is so wrong? Was it fighting to protect our neighborhoods? Was it daring to care about our property value losses? Is it wrong for us to want to enjoy our backyard barbecues without the constant hum of hundreds of industrial generators? Does it make us terrible people that we don't want bright security lights shining into our windows at night and a heavy industrial project sitting between our homes? I feel we have been deemed the enemy by our own city—the city we have loved, supported, raised our families in, made lifelong friends in, retired in. [10:31] **Nancy Arstead:** So now, significant ethics complaints were sent to the city. The complaints have been substantiated, proven beyond a reasonable doubt. We ask for you, the leaders, to ask the city administrator to quit dismissing us and to take these ethics complaints seriously, to answer our questions with honesty and transparency. Your residents and taxpayers deserve nothing less. We asked for an outside independent review of the behavior that has been uncovered. We were told it was all internal. The response so far from your city administrator is that answers will not be provided and to send in another data request. Data requests that take now almost 6 months. That is not an answer. A data request won't answer our questions. We all know it and we are being completely dismissed. Once again, we ask for a response that is fully transparent and to provide your results with a full explanation. We are asking for basic accountability. [11:37] **Nancy Arstead:** We are your residents. We are asking you to get involved. To each of you on this council, where do you stand? Where will you stand? You saw your city administrator's response: the city did nothing wrong. Is spreading developer talking points to elected officials and stealing and distributing dozens and dozens of private emails just part of a day's work for city staff in Farmington? Should taxpayers be paying for this? Is this each of your positions, your standards for your city? We ask for an explanation from all of you by the next council meeting, please. You are not bystanders in this. You are either directly or indirectly involved. You are leaders and this city, the tone it sets, the behavior it condones—it's yours. You are the city. We are asking you to step in. Make us choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong. We ask you to choose the harder right. Thank you. [12:50] **Denise May:** Good evening. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak this evening. My name is Denise May and I live at 22265 Bearing Avenue. If the Farmington Technology Park is built on the Fountain Valley Golf Course property, it will change the quality of life for hundreds of people who live close to it. You know, by my previous comments, I share a property line with the golf course. I overlook the golf course. Every day when I look out my windows, I think about what you are doing to us, to our neighborhood. There seems to be no regard for the impact a hyperscale data center would be for Farmington and Castle Rock residents whose lives would change permanently. I know you know about the article that appeared in the Star Tribune on March 5th. Many things were revealed in that article. [13:36] **Denise May:** First of all, we all know now that a Farmington city employee was the recipient of our neighborhood emails and forwarded 30 of those emails to another city staffer. The article says that no one asked the city employee to forward the email messages. Did anyone tell the city employee to stop? One of the things that made me even more troubled and sad about the entire situation that was revealed in the article is the email that a Farmington council member sent to the city administrator. The email was sent just hours before the council's vote on the rezoning of the property. The email said, and I quote, "To pretend like people aren't going to be impacted is to improperly invalidate those residents' concerns." End quote. [14:24] **Denise May:** That email concluded with "but supporting the project means embracing opportunities helping my children have a better education and the future opportunities." I ask you: at whose expense? The children and families who live by the golf course. Are you okay with diminishing the quality of life for other children so your children can have better education and future opportunities? Why is our quality of life less important than all of yours? [14:53] **Denise May:** Three weeks ago, I watched a Minnesota Senate committee hearing on a bill that dealt with data centers and their generators—a bill that was prompted by the Becker, Minnesota data center project. Several questions were directed to the bill's author that did not get answered because the questions did not pertain specifically to the Becker project, but I wanted to hear those answers as they would pertain to other proposed data center sites. Later, I emailed three senators. The senator who was the chair of the committee, the senator who asked the questions that did not get answered—questions like, "What will the impact of a data center be for people who live nearby?"—and my email also went to the senator who authored the bill. [15:40] **Denise May:** In my email, I addressed concerns about what was happening in Farmington and how could a hyperscale data center, which would be one of the largest in the world, be right in the middle of residential areas with setbacks of only 250 ft for 50-foot buildings with 80-foot buildings right on the other side. Does anybody really know for sure that our groundwater would be enough for all of us and all the projects? What about the noise? What about the lights at night that promised to light up our neighborhood every night? I had an email exchange with a senator staffer who works for the bill's author. This is his response to my concerns. This is a quote from the email he sent me: "There are 10 plus data centers looking at development in Minnesota, but I only hear issues with how the elected officials in Farmington handled it. Becker mitigated these concerns by engaging the community and selecting a site that does not impact residential. The failure of one community should not prohibit the ability of other communities to attract data center development. Becker could be a model for other cities." End quote. Do you hear what he said? Out of the 10 plus data centers looking to be developed, he has only heard issues with how Farmington has handled their project. And he considers how Farmington has handled their project a failure. Thank you. [17:16] **Terry Pearson:** Terry Pearson, 2475 225th Street West. Recently, a crime was committed at the Fountain Valley Golf Course. Person or persons cut out two sections of fence along 225th Street. That's small potatoes compared to the crime that the Farmington City Council has allowed by changing the zoning of the golf course to an industrial designation. With the development of a hyperscale data center, Farmington will allow the theft of millions of gallons of water on a daily basis. Residents will have their pockets picked to pay for electrical increases needed to meet the gluttonous appetite of the hyperscale data center. Those of us that live closest to the hyperscale build will see our home values drop. Our peace of mind will be stolen by those that live in idyllic neighborhoods whether they are in North Farmington or Colorado. And in my opinion, that is a crime. [18:35] **Esther Vargo:** Good evening, Esther Vargo, 3094 225th Street. I'm not exactly sure why I'm here wasting my breath because you don't care. None of you except Steve. You are not listening. Rosemount was listening and Rosemount can do it. Apple Valley can do it. Becker can do it. Microsoft is pulling out in data center investments from coast to coast. But you don't care. You are barging ahead. [19:08] **Esther Vargo:** Um, you have one big data center already in the making, but you need two. Miss Kuennen, I maybe one day you will be a NIMBY. Holly, how is my color? Am I coded? Color-coded well. It was sure nice to see your promotion—your staff promotion—spending city money. You sure fooled us really good pretending that you care. You don't. Just like no one here except Steve. Um, well, I guess all I have to say is that I am believing in karma. I'm holding on to karma and maybe karma will show this room what your backyard is like. Thank you. [20:07] **Jeff Schler:** Mayor Hoy, Council, thanks for letting me talk. Jeff Schler, live at 22420 Calico Court. We've met a couple times. I had to write down what I wanted to say tonight because I miss a lot of it a lot of times. So, please don't be offended that I'm not looking you in the eyes. I'm here to talk about Tract proposed Farmington Technology Park. Still hoping that some way somehow we can adjust the current layout and design of the property to provide a safe distance between buildings and homes. The current offering of 250-foot setbacks and 80-foot buffers does not allow for current residents to live and enjoy the safety of residential areas that they live in. The setbacks need to be increased to help reduce the 5-year minimum side effects and glare of the ongoing construction. 24/7 neverending operation of a hyperscale technology park. Those things never stop. 250 ft ain't going to stop it; that's about four times the distance we have in this room. You can dang near hear me whispering from 40 ft. You'll hear me talking at 250. [21:10] **Jeff Schler:** I've been in contact with the president of Tract, Matt Spencer. Now, I've continued to courtesy copy all of you on this as well, and I will continue. I can't seem to get a response out of you guys. I understand you've been legally told not to. I'll continue to talk with Tract and anybody that'll talk to me. Um, I wish I'd have started and known the power and how things go. I should have included every conversation I ever had with you, Deanna, and with Tony. Um, they're the middleman. I'm asking you guys for stuff. It's getting sent to them. I don't ever see a chain of it going past them to Tract. I wish I had talked to you guys from day one, too. I haven't been trying to attack people from day one. I want room. I want space. I want to stay in my house. I'm not leaving. Not going anywhere. I'm going to come to every meeting, every chance that I have to talk to ask, beg and talk and see how we can get room for the residents. I'm not asking just for me. I'm asking for everybody that lives there. [22:08] **Jeff Schler:** It's a chance for everybody to win. Take a look at Meta. Take a look at some of these other projects. They care because they're going to stay there in those neighborhoods, in those towns. They're planning on making a life there. Tract’s not. We don't know what's coming in—tier one, tier five—we don't know what's coming in. When Meta comes in, they give a plan, they let them move in. Microsoft, they have top-end technology. We don't know what's being used, but we're offering setbacks like they're the most efficient, the best builder out there, the quietest with the best technology. We don't know that, but we're giving them the credit that it is. [22:37] **Jeff Schler:** Till they can prove that, what I'm asking tonight is deny their request. Don't extend this application that they're asking for until they can come back and give some decent setbacks or decent offerings. Amend that design. Work with your residents. If I do leave, there's another person going to move into my house. They're going to be a Farmington resident. You're going to be stuck hearing from them when this is going and it's too much. 250 foot—the construction of that building—look at Meta. Those cranes are 200 feet away from them. They're literally going to be in my yard. 250 ft isn't enough. I think there's room to work with it. There's enough exposure and enough evidence out there all across the country that 250 ft has never once been instilled anywhere on a hyperscale technology park that hasn't created some type of lawsuit from the residents against the city. It ain't worth it forever. Get them to amend it. You guys will still come out winners, all of you, some way somehow out of this. But if you have this in people's yards forever and they're dealing with this forever and they're moving or suing or whatever the issue is, this is never going to be a win. It's all you'll ever hear about is the negative impact of it. Deny tonight's request. Tell them to come back to the table with something better. [23:55] **Jeff Schler:** Three of you up there have said 250 ft is not enough. It's uncomfortable. You two sat there, Holly and Nick, you made a call right after you left my house and you did get the buffers put up from 40 to 80 ft. That's huge. I'll take every inch I can get. That was acknowledgment that you guys weren't comfortable with that 250 ft. Steve, I know you're not comfortable with that 250 ft. Five of you need to vote tonight. There's three people that should say no. In my opinion, it's not stopping the project. It's getting them to come back and bargain. This is the first tool and weapon that you've been given in this whole process by them. Please utilize it. Thank you. Appreciate your time. [24:21] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Anybody else wishing to speak? Last call. All right. As it pertains to a few of the citizen comments, one of the things that we mention is that any comment that requires a response will be responded to by the next city council meeting. There's a few things to note for the general public that continue to hear things that are in the paper or watch things at our city council meetings. The city's currently going through two lawsuits. One of them is comprised of Castle Rock residents and a singular Farmington resident as defined by the municipalities. You will not get a response out of the council outside of what Lynn is responding to. [25:31] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** There are union employees at the city. Okay, different union. There's actually three different unions right now: two within the PD, one within our admin. Those employees have rights. You can request and request and request, but there are laws that have to be adhered to first. We will ensure and be responsible to the residents of the city of Farmington to make sure that there have been no improper behavior that has taken place or any conduct that was outside of the purview of their job. Okay? There's not a time frame in which this is going to be responded to. So you can come up here every week, every other week, you can continue to demand and you will get your response when the time comes that it has been vetted out and it has been seen through its entirety. So, no one's here to tell you to stop, but know that there are employee rights and not all of that information will be public. There are things that have protection under law that will not be disclosed in public. So, I want to make sure that that is very clear. [26:40] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Another thing, one of the requests that we make when people come up is to state their name and their address. And I don't think it's unintentional that we're omitting the fact that there are some Castle Rock residents that come up. There is an elected body in Castle Rock that you can speak to about concerns as it pertains to your unincorporated township. We are elected by the residents of the municipality of the city of Farmington. We are not elected by the residents of the township of Castle Rock. Every time an issue comes up that gets lost in translation. Okay? So we as elected representatives for the city of Farmington are responsible to the residents of the city of Farmington and we will continue to ensure that we work on behalf of their best interests and time will tell as these two lawsuits proceed. And I'll leave it at that. We'll move on next to our consent agenda. I'd seek a motion to approve the consent agenda. [27:40] **Councilmember Jake Cordes:** So moved. **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Second. **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Motion by Jake, second by Steve. All in favor say I. **Councilmembers (In Unison):** I. [27:49] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Our next item on the agenda is a public hearing. Item number eight tac1, application for beer and on-sale wine license from Graceville Table LLC DBA Lighthouse Kitchen and Cafe. And because this is a public hearing, I will open the public hearing at this time. Shirley. [28:16] **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Thank you. Mayor and council, before you tonight is a beer and wine license application from Graceville Table LLC, DBA Lighthouse Kitchen and Cafe located at 953 8th Street. Staff recommends approval of a license contingent upon completion of items needed for the certificate of occupancy as sent to the applicant on March 12th. The applicant is here tonight if you have any questions. [28:34] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Thank you, ma'am. Nick, any questions for Shirley? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** No questions. **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Holly? **Councilmember Holly Bernatz:** No questions. **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Jake? **Councilmember Jake Cordes:** No questions. **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Steve? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** None. [28:45] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** All right. Um, if you want to come up, if there's anything you want to say, feel so inclined. If not, this is a public hearing, so it's open. I feel like the application was pretty complete, right? **Applicant (Lighthouse Kitchen and Cafe):** All right. I don't have any comments. Thank you, okay. **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Does anybody have any questions for the applicant? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** No, I'm looking forward to the project being proposed. [29:13] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** All right. And again, this is a public hearing. So, if there's anybody that wants to comment on the application, you can do so at this time. All right. Seeing none, I will go ahead and close the public hearing at this time. Any additional discussion, deliberation? No. All right. Now, I would seek a motion to approve the beer and on sale wine license for Graceville Table LLC DBA Lighthouse Kitchen and Cafe contingent on the satisfactory completion of the items that staff designated. **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Motion to approve. **Councilmember Holly Bernatz:** Second. [29:53] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Motion by Steve, second by Holly. Call the roll, please. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Council member Cordes? **Councilmember Jake Cordes:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Mayor Hoy? **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Council member Bernatz? **Councilmember Holly Bernatz:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Council member Lien? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Council member Wilson? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Yes. [30:12] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** All right. Round table. Amy, anything? **Amy (City Attorney):** I can make this work. Um, I would just note that the office of cannabis management issued a public notice today that the administrative law judge has approved the rules that will go with the enforcement of the cannabis statutes. So that process is moving forward. Any questions about the meaning of that or what happens next? **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Two years of process. **Amy (City Attorney):** There you go. Other than that, I have nothing to report. [30:52] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Thank you. Nick? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Um, it's that time of the year where Connie Han starts kind of harassing me about the Relay for Life. So, I just wanted to kind of forward that information out there that that is an excellent event out in the middle of the summer. If you're interested in participating in it, making a team, what have you. Um I can't remember the exact website, but I'm sure you all are familiar with it since you've walked so many miles for that. But great event. [31:21] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Thanks, sir. Holly? **Councilmember Holly Bernatz:** Hi. Uh it's April, which means that there's lots of new and fun things that are happening all around the community. I'm sure Kelly's going to bring them up specifically, but uh I think before we meet again, for those that celebrate, Easter's coming up. Um and then just a note, anybody that knows me knows that I love the arts. "Guys and Dolls" is opening—FHS theater presents the spring musical. So if you're looking for something fun to do with your family, it's a great way to expose them to local theater and the arts. Um, and in addition to all the things that parks and rec does and community ed does, that's another fun thing that you can do. [32:05] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Thank you. Jake? **Councilmember Jake Cordes:** I will not steal Kelly's thunder, but I'll encourage people to check out the parks and rec events coming up. **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** We'll see what Kelly's thunder is. You know what Kelly's thunder is? You don't know? Steve. [32:16] **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** All right. I just want to make a quick comment about the extension for the development that was on the agenda. It is very routine that there are extensions of projects when they are submitted. It is a standard six-month time frame and you know if we started as a—and actually I want to quickly back up to say the extension here is due to a requirement that the Met Council has to review it. So um you know it's nothing beyond that piece of it. [32:56] **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** The other part I wanted to note is that, you know, one thing that I think all of us up here have heard from time to time is that, you know, Farmington is difficult to do business with. "You know, get rid of your building officials," and, you know, I've heard everything. "You know, if you're just easier to work with, you'd have a heck of a lot more businesses here." I can almost assure you that if we had voted this down, that's going to be noticed. And not voting it down but voting down the extension—that would be noticed by developers that are looking to build incredible projects here, small businesses that are looking to expand here. So it is really important that, you know, when you're looking at extensions that are due to other government entities of which we the city of Farmington engage with other government entities all day long, um it's important to keep that process going. Um so I just want to note that part of it. It's also on my heart to make another comment too. [34:00] **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Um I for one really appreciate citizens from both Castle Rock Township and the city of Farmington come and speak to us. It's very much appreciated. Um, as respectfully as I can say this, it is just not enjoyable to hear this amazing staff get beat up every two weeks in public for doing their job. Every one of these five or six individuals sitting here I trust with 100% confidence with the professional knowledge and wisdom that they bring into it. And you know they work hard on behalf of all the taxpayers of Farmington. Honestly, at times they're doing work on behalf of other communities as well and I appreciate everything they're bringing to the table. [35:05] **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** I can only speak for myself, but I know that when recommendations come from any of my staff members, I have the independent decision to say, "I like this idea," or maybe I don't like the idea, or maybe I like the idea but I have some questions about it. And that's been a pretty consistent pattern with me. Um, sometimes the entire council agrees. Sometimes the council is divided in some ways or not, but this staff here is as talented of a staff as any city council in the Twin Cities. And I would say the entire state. We have worked really, really hard and Lynn has worked incredibly hard to have this talent and the others that you don't see here that are working on behalf of the city of Farmington. And I personally couldn't be prouder. I'm not trying to be overly critical of the one individual here who has made comments. [36:00] **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** You know, I know there's a certain level of frustration that is out there within the community, but as best as you can, you know, if you have comments—this is just Steve throwing this out there, his opinion—try to keep your comments not directed towards staff. It is citizen comments directed towards the council. You know, we are the elected body. We are the body that is held accountable by the residents and we should always be the ones where criticism is directed to. And you know the comments tonight in large part were directed that way and I appreciate that. I wish our chambers had citizen comments every two weeks. Um, you know, and sometimes that only happens when big issues come up. But I just felt it on my heart to acknowledge that I just don't like seeing our staff beat up for all the incredible work that they do. Um, and again, just to reiterate, we are not robots. We all have the ability to make independent decisions, think for ourselves, and arrive at a decision that we feel is best. On a couple of issues I've looked at a particular issue differently than my peers, but we're a team. So, that's—those are my comments. Shirley, congratulations to Lighthouse Kitchen and Cafe on their license and I look forward to them opening. [37:31] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** David? [No response]. Kelly apparently has big things, so I'll leave my time to her. Deanna? [37:34] **Deanna Kuennen (Director of Community and Economic Development):** Thank you, Mayor and Council. I did just want to thank you for the conversation that we had today about the Green Steps program. This is a program that we've been involved with since 2011. It got paused back in 2019, and our staff has done a really great job researching where we're at with that and identifying a path forward. So, we were excited to be able to share that with you tonight and excited to get to the next step with that. So, thank you for giving us that opportunity to have that conversation. [38:09] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** John? [38:10] **John Powell (Public Works Director):** Thank you, mayor and city council members. As most people know, in the springtime, pavement thaws, it becomes very weak and susceptible to damage. So, the state DOT puts on weight restrictions. We follow those weight restrictions. Um, I expect they'll come off sooner this year than they have in past years, but um, once that happens, that's when all the construction equipment is going to start moving because a lot of them can't be moved with weight restrictions on. We've got a pre-construction meeting this week for Duchesne Spruce Reconstruction. We've got Meadowview Preserve Second Edition. We're opening bids on the 2025 street improvements. So, construction season will soon be upon us. Drive safe out there. [38:52] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Kelly, what's the big news? [38:53] **Kelly (Parks & Recreation Staff):** I don't know. I hope I get it right. Mayor, so Friday, Friday morning, 9:30 a.m., the Department of Natural Resources, the DNR, will be here at Rambling River Park stalking the Vermillion River with trout. Public is invited to attend. It's actually really cool. Um, if you haven't seen the video, it is on our Facebook page, but come out on Friday about 9:30 and watch the DNR stock the trout. Uh, May 3rd, big day. Um, for the city, we do have our Rambling River Center arts and crafts fair at the Schmitz-Maki Arena from 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. We still are taking vendors. So, if you're a woodworker, you sew, you craft, you cook, you bake, whatever you do, we're still looking for vendors. You have until April 25th to register your spot. That can be found on the city's website at farmingtonmn.gov. [39:50] **Kelly (Parks & Recreation Staff):** And then also on May 3rd is pond and park cleanup. Emily Sher and McKenna Rodin are in charge of that. So, if you have a pond you want to clean up, a park, um we'll definitely take that help. Uh we know it's been very windy this year. We've had a number of calls about trash already. So, I know we have had some people already cleaning up trash, but May 3rd, if you're interested in helping in the community, pond and park cleanup, please reach out to us. And then Arbor Day tree planting—that is the Friday, April 25th, I think it is—at Distad Park. So join us then. Thank you. [40:22] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Thank you. Well, I definitely can't compete with that. I have nothing to report. [To Shirley] Got nothing. All right, Amy. I promise I'm not going to make you too nervous here. [40:32] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Just saying. So Steve started to go down a really good point and as we work our way through litigation in these two suits that have been brought, there are things that can and cannot be talked about in public as it will reveal the advantage and position that the city is choosing to take as it defends both claims. With that being said, it's time to start saying the quiet parts out loud. And we'll start with the first part that it is often broadcast about how the city of Farmington is wasting its tax dollars in litigation. For the record, that first piece of litigation is about 95% Castle Rock residents and a singular Farmington resident. So for the Farmington residents to know that their tax dollars are being used to fight a lawsuit against Castle Rock residents. Okay. [41:35] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** The second part: this city has had a hard time developing over decades. And as early as 2006 the Olsons, who own a golf course, were essentially told what they could and could not do with their property from both Castle Rock and Farmington. Their land rights were infringed on. And here they sit almost 20 years later being told that now the other use of that subject land is no longer allowed. It's their property. It is their property to do with as they wish. They don't need to put a sign in their yard and say it's for sale. They don't need to advertise to anybody. That is a whole different path that nobody wants to embark on in this country. You want to start going down that path, your local government unit is the last person you want showing up, knocking on your door, telling you who you should sell to, when you should sell, and for how much. [42:43] **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** And that's exactly the situation that the Olsons have found themselves in. They were told back in 2006 that with opposition, "no, we don't want high density, we don't want town homes, we don't want that." And now "we don't want mixed-use commercial industrial." Think about that. Let that sink in for a little bit. In the meantime, they are taxpaying residents of the city of Farmington. They are longstanding community contributors who have done nothing but give back. And they're the ones that are—fill in the word—being expletived on, and it's sickening. It's sickening to watch and we will fight it to the extent of the law and we will—I guarantee you we will prevail. And yes, there is a lot more of the quiet parts that need to be said out loud, but I'll choose a better forum for that. And with that, I'd seek a motion to adjourn. [43:40] **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Motion. **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Second. **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** Motion by Steve, second by Nick. All in favor say I. **Councilmembers (In Unison):** I. **Mayor Joshua Hoy:** All right, we're adjourned at 7:43. [43:53] [Music]