This transcript is from the Farmington City Council meeting on **December 16, 2024**. Please note: While the context provided mentions Nick Lien as Mayor, in this 2024 transcript, he is still a Councilmember. The presiding Mayor at this time was **Josh Hoyt** (transcribed phonetically as "White" or "Ho"). Additionally, **Katie Bernhjelm** is the councilmember whose term is ending, and **Tony Wippler** (Planning Manager) and **Lynn Griesert** (Finance) are the staff members presenting. [0:00] [Music] [0:48] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** we'll call the city council regular meeting to order for Monday December 16th 2024 would everyone please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance [1:01] **All:** 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. [1:13] **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Call the roll please. Mayor Hoyt? **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Here. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Lien? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Here. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Wilson? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Here. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Bernhjelm? **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Here. [1:23] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** All right. Any changes to the agenda? Nick? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Nope. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Katie? **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** No. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Steve? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** None. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Lynn? Anybody else? All right seeing no changes I will seek a motion to approve the agenda. [1:33] **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Motion to approve. [1:34] **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Second. [1:35] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Motion by Katie, second by Nick. All in favor say aye. **All:** Aye. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** All right. First item is item 5.1 which is a donation from the Farmington Fire Relief Association to the city of Farmington. Lynn? [1:47] **Lynn Griesert:** Thank you. We would like to welcome the Fire Relief Association to um our meeting tonight and they would like to donate $20,000 to the city so we would invite them up if they want to speak. No? So um here they're presenting a check for $20,000 that they have raised through their gambling proceeds, the pull tabs that they do. So um part of that is to donate um to the community so they are donating the $20,000 and I'm going to ask them to come up here and I'll take a picture of them. Right. [2:36] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Big thank you. Say, do you want us to come around Lynn or do you want it just like this? **Lynn Griesert:** You move over just a little bit there... we can move up behind you guys yeah okay then we're not a very informal and... now you guys don't want to say anything? [2:58] **Joshua Thre (Fire Relief):** Good first meeting. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Very good. Well thank you very much um and thank you to uh all the rest of the members uh of the Relief Association and to the residents and the businesses who made this possible. Thank you very much. Uh with that I would seek a motion uh to adopt resolution 2024-113 accepting a donation of $20,000 from the Farmington Fire Relief Association to the city of Farmington. [3:23] **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Motion to approve. [3:24] **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Second. [3:25] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Motion by Steve, second by Katie. All in favor say aye. **All:** Aye. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Thank you, sirs. Thank you, enjoy the rest of your evening. Moving on to item six is citizen comments. There's anyone in attendance wishing to speak feel free to do it this time. Seeing none we'll move on to item seven, the consent agenda. Seek a motion to approve the consent agenda. [3:55] **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Motion to approve. [3:56] **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Second. [3:57] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Motion by Katie, second by Nick. All in favor say aye. **All:** Aye. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Any opposed? I am also an aye. Okay thank you. Quick Johnny-on-the-spot there so all right all good. All right next item on the agenda is 8.1 uh this agenda item is a public hearing for the 2025 fee schedule. Uh so at this time I'd like to go ahead and open the public hearing for the 2025 fee schedule and Lynn you'll take this. [4:30] **Lynn Griesert:** All right thank you. So each year the City reviews and makes recommendations on fees charged for work items, rentals and services performed. A public hearing is held tonight to um hear of any objections or comments that people may have regarding the fee increases or changes. Um the management team reviewed the fees for 2024 and they have made the recommendations for 2025. And in the memo it talks about several of the changes but I just wanted to highlight um these changes are making our fees more consistent and they are streamlining especially within the building official, the building department area where um they have plumbing and mechanical um a lot of different changes because someone might be going out—a city employee—to an inspection um and we are not collecting our fees as we probably should be with how many times they have to go back and forth um to City Hall for approval. So they're really trying to streamline those and recoup expenses. Rambling River Center, some changes with the remodel and I see we no longer take uh VCR rentals so that was... I know, I was like, "There—that's no more VCR at Rambling River Center." Um and some other uh changes. As you're aware we did a utility rate study with Ehlers so those changes are incorporated in the fee schedule as well um and park dedication fee those were removed as well with ordinance changes that we made... the park development fee I'm sorry, park development fee yes. Um so with that um if anyone has any comments otherwise I would ask for a motion to approve the changes for 2025 fee schedule. [6:03] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** All right. Thank you, ma'am. Nick any questions? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** No. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** All right. Katie any questions? **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** None. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Steve? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** All right. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Uh because this is a public hearing if there's anyone in attention that would like to speak on this feel free to do so at this time. All right seeing none then I will go ahead and close the public hearing at this time. Any other comments questions or deliberation by Council? Right seeing none then I will seek a motion to approve the 2025 fee schedule and pass ordinance uh real quick here Amy... is this technically ordinance 2024-4 or would it be 2025-4? [6:51] **Amy Schmidt (City Attorney):** I believe it would be 2024 since you're adopting it today. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Okay but it is the 25 for 20... it's starting in January 2025 okay but it is the 25 fee schedule not the 24... okay so then I'll seek a motion to approve the 2025 fee schedule and pass ordinance 2024-4 establishing charges and fees for licenses, permits and other City approvals and services for calendar year 2025. [7:21] **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Motion. [7:22] **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Second. [7:23] **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Call the roll please. Councilmember Lien? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Wilson? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Bernhjelm? **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Mayor Hoyt? **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Yes. Thank you. Um moving on to our next item item 8.2 uh this next agenda item is also a public hearing for the on-sale intoxicating and on-sale Sunday club and on-sale Sunday and on-sale wine 3.2 beer and intoxicating malt liquor license renewals for 2025. Lynn? [7:58] **Lynn Griesert:** Per city code uh public hearing must be held to issue or renewal on-sale intoxicating liquor license, on-sale Sunday liquor license, on-sale wine license, 3.2 beer and intoxicating malt liquor license and Club license. Um all the applicants and fees and insurance have been received for the following license renewals and all applications have been reviewed and approved by the Police Chief. So on-sale intoxicating liquor and on-sale Sunday liquor license are: A Little Piggy Catering, Bourman Butcher, Celt's Pub and Grill, El Charro Mexican Restaurant, Farmington Lanes, Farmington Tap House, Los Enchiladas, and Pizza Man. For club and on-sale Sunday license: VFW. Um and then based on the criminal background check staff is recommending a denial of a renewal application for Mr. Blair. Uh and then there's a resolution attached to the memo. So um action requested tonight is to conduct the public hearing and hold a motion to approve the above listed liquor license renewal for 2025 and adopt resolution 2024-115 denying liquor license renewal for Blair. [9:14] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Thank you, ma'am. Yeah I'll officially open the public hearing since I didn't do it with the agenda item there. Uh any questions for staff? Nick? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** I have no questions. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Katie or Steve? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** None. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** All right because it is a public hearing if there's anyone attendance wishing to speak do so at this time. All right seeing none then I will close the public hearing at this time. Is there any other questions or deliberations? No. All right my only question then for Amy is can we do this by single motion for both the approval and adopt resolution or by separate? [9:51] **Amy Schmidt:** I would do it separately. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Separate okay. So first I'd seek a motion to approve uh the above listed liquor license renewals for 2025 as stated. [10:00] **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Motion to approve. [10:01] **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Second. [10:02] **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Call the roll please. Councilmember Wilson? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Bernhjelm? **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Mayor Hoyt? **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Lien? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Yes. [10:14] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** All right and then I would seek an approve um seek a motion to adopt resolution 2024-115 denying the liquor license renewal. [10:24] **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Motion to adopt the resolution. [10:26] **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Second. [10:27] **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Call the roll please. Councilmember Wilson? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Bernhjelm? **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Mayor Hoyt? **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Lien? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Yes. [10:39] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Have it. Thank you, ma'am. Uh moving on. Next item on the agenda is 8.3 uh again this next agenda item is a public hearing for a petition to vacate a drainage utility easement over Outlot D, Vermillion Grove. Tony? [10:55] **Tony Wippler (Planning Manager):** Thank you Mayor, Councilmembers. Uh the action that we're requesting this evening is to continue this public hearing. We continued it at the November 18th um meeting. Um the applicant is still in the process of updating their plat for the a proposed Aeon Knoll uh plat. Uh we envision that the plat and this vacation will happen at that January 21st uh regular meeting. Um no sense in vacating the easement without having the plat being approved so that's the reason we are requesting the continuation of this public hearing. So the action as requested this evening is to continue the public hearing to the January 21st regular city council meeting. [11:32] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Thank you, sir. And Amy for clarification can I just do that or that's by motion and second to continue the public hearing? **Amy Schmidt:** Different cities do it differently... I apologize, I'm still coming up to speed with... **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** That's right we'll do it by motion then um it's cleaner to do it by motion I think we should do it since it's on the agenda. That works for me. Uh I seek a motion to continue the public hearing to the January 21st regular city council meeting. [12:00] **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Motion. [12:01] **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Second. [12:02] **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Call the roll please. Councilmember Bernhjelm? **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Mayor Hoyt? **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Lien? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Wilson? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Yes. [12:17] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** All right thank you. Uh next item on the agenda is 8.4. Again this is a public hearing for the vacation of certain easements within Outlot A, Vermillion Valley development. I'll open the public hearing at this time. Tony? [12:30] **Tony Wippler:** Thank you Mayor, Councilmembers. Uh before you this evening is a request to vacate certain easements within Outlot A of the Vermillion Valley development plant. Uh as council is aware uh we approved a uh conditional use permit for a uh 168 unit market rate apartment uh known as The Rye uh with Yellow Tree Development earlier this year. That project is underway. Uh as part of that overall development the city has uh developed plans for the reconstruction and realignment of uh the intersection of Duchaine Parkway and Spruce Street. So what we'll see instead of the square-about that's there uh it will actually come straight down, T into Spruce Street Duchaine will, and then head off uh directly west um basically through the Vita-Lyfe development and to eventually Pilot Knob extension. Um so with that um there's certain easements that are already in place that need to be vacated. On top of that a permanent easement has been uh executed by the Adelman family uh or Adin Farm LLC who is the owner of Outlot A um for a permanent public roadway, drainage, utility, trail and landscaping easement. Uh this will account for uh the southern half uh right-of-way of Spruce Street um through this Outlot A which is 35 ft. If we recall we did take 35 ft from um Yellow Tree as part of their plat on their um land for the northern portion of the right-of-way. So uh between uh the realignment and reconstruction of Spruce Street that's planned and then the execution of that easement um it is uh appropriate to vacate the easements that are shown here in red um within the outlot. Um in per State Statute the Council must conduct a public hearing uh regarding the proposed vacation after public and posted notice of said vacation has been done, which it has. Therefore the action as requested this evening is after any public comment is taken, close the public hearing regarding the vacation of certain easements within Outlot A Vermillion Valley Development and adopt resolution 2024-112 vacating certain easements. [15:10] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Any questions? Thank you, sir. Steve any questions? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** None. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Katie? **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** None. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Nick? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** I got nothing. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** All right seeing this as a public hearing if there's anyone attendants wishing to speak on the agenda item please come forward at this time. Seeing none I will go ahead and close the public hearing at this time. Any other questions comments statements? None? All right I'd seek a motion to adopt resolution 2024-112 vacating certain easements within Outlot A of the Vermillion Valley development plat. [15:37] **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Motion to approve. [15:38] **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Second. [15:39] **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Call the roll please. Mayor Hoyt? **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Lien? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Wilson? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Bernhjelm? **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Yes. [15:53] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Thank you, sir. Uh next item on the agenda under new business is 12.1 ordinance amendments to title 10 chapters 2, 5 and 6 of the Farmington City code as it relates to cannabis business. Tony? [16:04] **Tony Wippler:** Thank you, it's me again. Um before you this evening is an ordinance amendment as indicated for title 10 chapters 2, 5 and 6 of the code as it relates to cannabis business. Uh for the section two uh we are adding uh four definitions to the code. The first is "Cannabis Cultivation" which is a use involving the licensed growing and harvesting of cannabis. "Cannabis or Hemp Manufacturing" – an establishment or use of land which involves the compounding, processing, packaging, wholesaling, testing, treatment, transportation or delivery of cannabis or hemp products. Uh "Cannabis Retail" – a licensed establishment where cannabis flowers, immature cannabis plants and seedlings and related products are allowed by law or sold to individual consumers who are at least 21 years of age. And then the last definition is "Lower Potency Hemp Edible Retail" which is a licensed establishment where lower potency hemp edible products are sold to individual consumers of at least 21 years of age. These are the uses that we are defining within the zoning and placing into the various zoning uh districts. Uh which gets us to chapter 5, again placing these as conditional uses within each of these districts. Uh as you recall when we had the various work sessions and uh with Planning Commission, we talked about how we wanted to um how we wanted to to not necessarily control but actually have some say in these uh particular uses and the way you do that is through the conditional use permit process which gets approved through the Planning Commission. Um for cannabis cultivation outdoor um we are placing that in our A1 Agricultural zoning district. For cannabis cultivation indoor, that would be our A1 and our Industrial district or I district. Cannabis or Hemp Manufacturing in our Industrial district. And then for Cannabis Retail and the lower potency hemp edible, we have those as conditional uses in our B1, B2, B3, our Spruce Street mixed use and our um mixed use commercial and industrial. Um those are what we discussed at the last work session with the Planning Commission so we just carried those over. The last thing that we did uh and I apologize this is... kind of small... um but what we did is we created uh section 31 within section six uh which is business standards uh for cannabis. Uh this creates uh the need to provide evidence of a state license for a proposed cannabis business, uh includes the limit standard as outlined in State Statute of no more than one cannabis retail business per 12,500 uh residents, and establishes hours of operation for cannabis retail and lower potency edible hemp. So for instance the Cannabis Retail the hours of operation uh would be between 8:00 a.m. 10:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and between 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on Sunday and then for the lower potency uh that would be um prohibited between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and between 2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. on Sunday again to mirror what basically liquor is. So the Planning Commission did review uh this ordinance at their uh December 10th regular meeting. They held a public hearing regarding it. They voted 5 to 0 to recommend approval of the ordinance. The action as requested this evening is to adopt ordinance 2024-13. [20:02] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Thank you, sir. Katie questions, comments? **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** My only comment is I really appreciate the collaboration with the Planning Commission on this topic over the last few months. I think they've provided us some really good things to consider and we've had some great discussion about it and um I think that uh the city is taking the right approach here this evening and how we're adopting this. Thank you. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Steve? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Yeah I would I would echo Katie's comments. Um the one thing I was going to ask you Tony or or Deanna... um you know the state has really botched their end of this whole process and of course last week you know they decided to close down the early lottery and the social equity component and it's just a complete mess. So do we feel confident with how we've got this part set up from our end that we're that we're good to go with that part of it? [20:53] **Tony Wippler:** I feel confident with it now. Um like any new ordinance there may be a chance that we come back and revisit it in a couple years if we find that things aren't working or things change. Um but as of right now I I feel comfortable with where we stand with it. **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Yeah I I think that would be the one recommendation I would make is kind of keep your pulse on it kind of compare maybe even what other municipalities are doing. Absolutely. Um I also want to thank you for giving me the early eye exam check I think I'm going to check out with that. I apologize for that... old person I I'm like "gosh I can read those words" I'm happy about that so thank you very much. Nick? [21:36] **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Oh I feel bad because I couldn't read it when I'm way close to it. But um no I appreciate all the the nice summary that you put together is kind of the result of a lot of discussion that's gone on really well amongst the Planning Commission and the staff and and it's obviously not a... it can be a contentious topic at times and I think we handled it really well and uh logically I guess. Um I guess Steve kind of hinted at it but I'm kind of curious you know when we talk about the suspension of the equity licensing things like that that's mostly just to us just a delay in how long before this kind of hits us but only on the retail side right? That doesn't affect manufacturing or um any of the other categories besides retail right? [22:21] **Deanna Kuennen (Director):** Suppose I should use this mic I don't like using the microphone if I don't have to. Um yes and no. Um all of the the social equity part of of the early licensing and and such that was supposed to happen with the state um is really you know about the state processes and where the city has authority is over the retail and that sort of thing um um but you're right that where because they can't issue their the licenses for the for the because of the social equity aspect of it um it does delay when manufacturing and growing can start um within the various districts and under the conditional uses that you've established. So it does apply to all of them not just the retail. It should affect all of it as I understand it. **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Okay. Um then the second question is kind of more in Steve's is if things are kind of up in the air I mean is there do we have the ability to change an ordinance shorter than in a couple years from now if there is a curveball that comes out of all these? **Tony Wippler:** Absolutely right. **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Like um if it's even shorter than you know two years from now make sure we have grounds to to go revisit that. That's all the questions I have. [23:25] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Tony thank you. You know not only to the Planning Commission but to you and the time that we've put in over the last what is it a year and a half now or two and a half years? Either way it's been too long right it just we were slow in responding intentionally right it was just waiting for the state and the Office of Cannabis Management to kind of get their stuff together. Uh you know start to set the guardrails. Planning Commission went back had the preliminary ordinance we work-sessioned together kind of tighten it up a little bit they came back and and I'm very very pleased as to where we finished. Um knock on wood that we don't have to go back and change things multiple times over but we we'll see what happens with the private market. Um but thank you that's it's good to get to this. Uh with that I would seek a motion to adopt ordinance 2024-13 uh amending title 10 chapters 2, 5 and 6 of the Farmington City code as it relates to cannabis businesses. [24:26] **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Motion to approve. [24:27] **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Second. [24:28] **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Call the roll please. Councilmember Wilson? **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Bernhjelm? **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Mayor Hoyt? **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Yes. **City Clerk Shirley Buecksler:** Councilmember Lien? **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Yes. [24:41] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** All right thank you sir. All right Amy we have a rule when we go to round table everybody has to bring an item and I know you didn't get the memo so uh your predecessor often liked to throw out the judicial updates and things within the district courts. [24:58] **Amy Schmidt:** Bison? **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Bon? **Amy Schmidt:** I've heard about the bison. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** The bison! **Amy Schmidt:** I will disappoint you in this in this area today I'm sorry to say but next time I'll come prepared. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** All right fair enough. Nick? [25:17] **Councilmember Nick Lien:** I just want to say thank you to Katie if my calendar is correct this is your last one again. So I appreciate you stepping back up you don't have to we obviously know how taxing this can be so fact that you're willing to sit here again says a lot. So I appreciate your help. And then uh the fire or not the fire—Police Department. I know we're not supposed to play favorites but you guys saved my life this time of year every when I get to go there and kind of feel the uplift of the community all showing up for wrapping day and doing all the things and I I don't know there's just something that hits different about it that just renews you and gets you back out there so thank you. [26:00] **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Sure I'll build off both things that you said. I um it's been really fun to watch all the positive comments all over social media over the last two weeks with all the activities happening in town um and I think it's a great testament to our residents in this community and how they've come together and so thank you for all that you guys have done to support those initiatives as well. Um thank you for asking me to come back for the last seven months um it's been an interesting ride um but I hope you guys all know you know where to find me if you guys ever need anything in the future and and always happy to serve this community so thanks for having me. [26:46] **Councilmember Steve Wilson:** Um I wanted to thank our staff I know all of our staff are not here but you know Lynn and some of our management team, John, Deanna, you know Kelly are uh first responders over there and they um over the course of the year have done a lot um on behalf of the council and in collaboration with the council so there's just um so much appreciation that I have for everything that you and your team put in during the course of the year. Um and Katie I am going to miss sitting next to you for a second time um you know you've been um you know the great part about you coming in is you just pretty much hit the ground and you you knew the city, you knew what was going on um and I really appreciated you being here even if I haven't agreed with you 100% of the time. Um so looking forward to Jake stepping in um and filling the seat but thank you so much for what you've given back to the city again appreciate it. [27:42] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** So I would like to thank uh Joshua Thre and Adam Fischer again for coming and donating to the city it's greatly appreciated they do a lot of great work within the community as well so we thank the Fire Relief. Katie thank you um like everyone said you were a great step in and hit the ground running and we greatly appreciate all your work that you do and the sacrifices you made so we appreciate you. Amy Schmidt welcome to the city of Farmington um we appreciate you being here and also we want to thank Leah Koch for being our City Attorney she was great we loved her and we appreciate all of her wisdom that she provided us and um yeah she'll be missed but we welcome you to the team. **Amy Schmidt:** I know I have big shoes to fill. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Say literal or figurative? Um and then also wow the lighted holiday parade what a fantastic event. Um first time for the parade it was amazing to see the businesses that uh took a leap of faith and signed up for a parade float in the... we had 26 spots in the parade I think it's already growing for next year. Thank you Rotary members and thank you for Homestead Church for collaborating um I always like to say like we all say we always have so much more when we work together so that was a true testament for that. So that's all I have for tonight thank you. Deanna? [28:55] **Deanna Kuennen:** Thank you Mayor and Council. Um it has I I do want to thank all of you and thank you Katie I for I appreciated the opportunity to work with you. Um we have definitely had a strong year with lots of things happening and we're ending the year strong. I'm really proud of the groundbreaking that we had for the Rye apartment and Revolution Fitness and all of those projects matter to this community and I'm happy to be involved with a team that also supports all of that so we are definitely ending the year strong and we're looking forward to 2025 so again thank you everybody thank you. [29:25] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** John? [29:26] **John Powell (Public Works Director):** Thank you Mayor and Council. A few quick updates uh we are now bidding for the removal of an additional 216 ashes and 122 stumps so you'll see the results of that bid process come to you in January. Uh we're also bidding for the Well 1 and Well 2 abandonment which is right near Rambling River Center so that building will be coming down most of the work is underground abandoning the wells and and filling the caverns uh for the wells. Uh the salt shed construction will take place in the spring of 2025 the reason for that our preferred location we found that we'd have to do soil corrections up to about 23 ft deep in some areas just because it seems like a lot of whatever wasn't good for the maintenance facility site got pushed into that area and um so we repositioned it and we've got new soil borings we're down to 7 ft of a possible soil correction which is a huge improvement uh but that meant that we delayed it until spring. So we've already taken delivery of the shed it's sitting on—at the maintenance facility—and we'll do the the correction in the spring and and uh move forward from there. Uh reminder that there will be no waterboard meeting this month uh due to action taken by the water board at the last month at last month's meeting and just a reminder uh we have recycling for holiday lights uh through the end of January we have container here and I believe at the liquor stores also. [30:57] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Awesome thank you. Kelly? [31:01] **Kelly Joenks (Superintendent):** Good evening Mayor and Council. Want to thank you Katie uh it was a pleasure to work with you again and wish you well and hopefully see you on the greenway sometime behind your house there. Uh Open Door Food Pantry is tomorrow uh remember it's at Faith United Methodist Church the address there is 710 8th Street it's from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. uh last month was the first time at Faith United Methodist Church and they picked up an additional 25 families so just a reminder that it's uh tomorrow. Last week uh Park maintenance staff uh started flooding ice rinks um we had skaters at DeSad Park over the weekend um early in the weekend I should say. Uh the rain didn't really help us but we're aiming still for a Monday opening of the warming houses. If you remember we have warming houses at the Rambling River Park just south of Dodge Middle School and then at DeSad Park um we also flood a pleasure rink at Farmington Elementary School for the uh the students there as well so we're hoping to still be open on Monday check the city's website Facebook it is a no school day so we plan to be open 10:30 to 9:00 p.m. that day at the warming houses thank you. [32:04] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Thank you. Chief? [32:05] **Police Chief Nate Siem:** So January starts our recruitment uh for 2025 um our the basically the outline is going to be in the Currents. Check our social media out um with the hiring process all the informational meetings that we're going to be having uh all the recruitments that we're going to be doing uh for that um just keep your eyes out for that. It's been a busy year uh I know we still have a few weeks left of the year but uh this one's been kind of busy for us so we're hoping that's a little bit quiet for the remainder of the year um but you know we're always there when you call 911 thank you sir. [32:45] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Chief? [32:46] **Fire Chief Matthew Price:** Uh a couple of things real quick uh I will echo what everybody else is saying Katie it was fantastic having you back. Um takes uh takes a lot of courage to step back into that seat after experiencing it once and getting out you got drawn right back in. We'll see if that happens again right? Uh second thing I'd like to bring up is uh I'd like to highlight something out of your consent agenda tonight uh we are bringing back uh Sergeant Cassie Redmond um and I for one could not be more excited about that. I'm super happy to to bring her back home here where where I think she belongs. Um and lastly uh to Councilmember Lien's point um Toys for Town was amazing like it always is. Um it is it's so uplifting to see what happens when a community just wraps its arms around itself and uplifts everybody. Um and I'll get more into into more detail on that um probably at the second meeting in January when we do the the donation acceptance and and whatever but it was it was fantastic like it always was. Thank you to everybody that helped thank you sir. [34:11] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** Tony? I mean you had an action-packed agenda I just you know... [34:15] **Tony Wippler:** Yeah um Toys for Town that is uh that is an unbelievable thing to see. Um it's an unbelievable thing to be a part of to watch the community over over the weeks and months leading up to it and how we show up for each other right? Everything kind of gets put aside at holiday season and we we're all there for each other and to watch just to watch what the program has become. And I mean you almost get uh you almost get immune to the fact that we serve 130 plus families and somewhere between 350 and 400 kids. It it just the gravity of that and the size and scale is such that... but that's our normalcy right like that's our norm of what we serve. Um some partnership with the Lakeville Public Safety Committee and um them helping out U you know big thanks to South Metro SWAT for showing up to help deliver with the Bearcat and as always the fire department and the PD and um all the businesses everyone who shows up for that event it is it is truly life-changing uh in so many ways. Um one of the proudest things that we do as a community hands down. Um got a little bit of a d a little bit of a dose of of weather here and saw the salt trucks out and we'll keep those blades off the pavement for a while yet um but definitely we got some more moisture coming so uh just be mindful even mornings like today you know you get up and you head out the door and it it looks like it's going to be decent and the roads are a lot slicker than what you think so remember take it slow. Um Katie thank you thank you um we've served together quite a bit over the last six years and uh it's always a pleasure and I I am always learning something from you in your approach and how you handle things and um we did we needed somebody who could step in and just hit the ground running and had the context of a lot of things um and you again continue to serve your community and uh I hope you don't go far because in one way shape or form uh the the community has continued to benefit from your involvement and I couldn't be couldn't be prouder to call you a peer and and you're a friend and I thank you for everything so you've been amazing thank you. With that we'll look for a motion to adjourn. [36:33] **Councilmember Katie Bernhjelm:** Motion to adjourn. [36:34] **Councilmember Nick Lien:** Second. [36:35] **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** We'll let her do that... sorry I didn't have dinner. Motion to adjourn, second by Nick. On favor say aye. **All:** Aye. **Mayor Josh Hoyt:** We're adjourned at 7:36. [Music] [Applause] [Music]