This transcript has been formatted with the correct names of the Mayor, Councilmembers, and City Staff based on the provided context and phonetic interpretations of the original text (e.g., "Kada" as David Clausen and "Theti" as Dave Thiede). [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: All right, good evening. Uh, this is the August 7th, 2024, Cottage Grove City Council meeting, uh, which I'm calling to order. Uh, the first order of business is the Pledge of Allegiance, so if you please rise. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right, so will the Clerk please do the roll? [00:00] **City Clerk Tammy Anderson**: Councilmember Clausen? [00:00] **Councilmember David Clausen**: Here. [00:00] **Councilmember Justin Olsen**: Here. [00:00] **Councilmember Dave Thiede**: Here. [00:00] **Councilmember Monique Garza**: Here. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Here. Uh, next on our agenda is Open Forum. This is the opportunity for anybody in the public that wants to speak on something that's not on tonight's agenda. Uh, being that we're looking at—other than our staff—uh, we're looking at an empty chamber, uh, and nobody did sign up. So I'm going to go ahead and just close Open Forum and we'll move to number five, which is adoption of the agenda. [00:00] **Councilmember Dave Thiede**: Second. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: All right, so we have a motion by Councilmember Olsen, second by Councilmember Thiede. All those in favor signify by saying aye. [00:00] **Councilmembers**: Aye. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Opposed? Motion carries. Six is presentations—none this evening. Seven, we'll move to consent. Uh, is there anything Council would like to pull on consent? Uh, item I? All right, uh, Councilmember Clausen, item I. Anything else, Council? All right, so item I. Uh, Councilmember Clausen is uh, accepting donations. [00:00] **Councilmember David Clausen**: Yeah, so we've got—we've got a donation for a memorial bench for a high school colleague of mine, Catherine Olson. So, in the amount of 1,500, and then um, Justin Olsen kicked in an extra 2,000 for a total of 3,500. So I think that's a—that'll be a great memorial. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Fantastic. All right, and was there another one on there? Did I miss one or no? [00:00] **Councilmember David Clausen**: Uh, no, it was just the—those two for a total of 3,500. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: 3,500, okay. Sounds good. So thank you, obviously, and it's always awesome to uh, get those benches uh, added uh, throughout the community. Obviously, uh, I've had the opportunity to have one for my father as well as in other people in the Council here too, so um... Seeing no other items are pulled on consent, I will then look for a motion to approve consent. [00:00] **Councilmember David Clausen**: I'll motion to approve consent. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: All right, so I have a motion by Councilmember Clausen. Do I have a second? [00:00] **Councilmember Monique Garza**: I'll second. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Second by Councilmember Garza. Any other discussions? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye. [00:00] **Councilmembers**: Aye. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Opposed? Motion carries. Uh, eight—moving right along here. Uh, eight is uh, approve disbursement or pay the bills. [00:00] **Councilmember Justin Olsen**: Move the bills. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: We have a motion by Councilmember Olsen. [00:00] **Councilmember Dave Thiede**: Second. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Second by Councilmember Thiede. All those in favor signify by saying aye. [00:00] **Councilmembers**: Aye. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Opposed? Motion carries. All right, now we're going to move to number nine, which is a public hearing. Uh, this—there's one public hearing this evening and it's the Mississippi Landing easement vacation and plat correction. And Emily Schmitz, our Community Development Director, is going to walk us through this minor change. [00:00] **Emily Schmitz**: I am. Good evening, Mayor, Councilmembers. Um, like you mentioned, minor change. Um, so as you all recall, May of this year you did review and approve the final plat—the first phase final plat—for uh, the Mississippi Landing development um, on that former golf course. So I've noted the location that we're—oops, excuse me—the location that we're ref—I'm not even going to try that—um, that we're referencing. Uh, the developer has been working with an adjacent property owner on what I—I've called kind of a historic uh, property line adjustment. Um, so where that property owner had anticipated his lot line was, it perhaps was not. So developer worked to adjust; it's about uh, between four and six feet along about five properties that were platted in the Mississippi Landing development. So with that, that uh, 10-foot rear yard easement that we always see in those backyards of newly platted lots needs to be vacated and then adjusted to align with that new property line, um, which will come with just a plat correction. So we don't have to adjust the plat uh, completely or review or approve a new plat; it's simply uh, just a plat correction um, that the county will record and adjust that property line, like I said, between four and six feet along those five properties. So uh, the recommendation before you: uh, three actions uh, needed. I'm here if there are additional questions. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: All right, thank you. Uh, any questions at this point? Obviously a minor, minor deal. All right, to be official, I will go ahead and open the public hearing and uh, not seeing anybody in the audience to speak for or against this item, I am going to now close the public hearing and I'll look for somebody... [00:00] **Councilmember Dave Thiede**: I'll move to adopt resolution 2024-112 vacating, rescinding, terminating, and releasing certain easements. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: All right, so I have a motion by Councilmember Thiede. Do I have a second? [00:00] **Councilmember David Clausen**: Second. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Second by Councilmember Clausen. Uh, any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying aye. [00:00] **Councilmembers**: Aye. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Opposed? Motion carries. And then who would like to take number three? [00:00] **Councilmember Monique Garza**: I'll take it. Um, we would like to authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to sign the land surveyor certificate of plat of corrections for Mississippi Landing First Addition. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: All right, so we have a motion by Councilmember Garza. Do I have a second? [00:00] **Councilmember David Clausen**: I'll second that. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Second by Councilmember Clausen. All those in favor, then, signify by saying aye. [00:00] **Councilmembers**: Aye. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Opposed? Motion carries. All right, thank you, Emily. Uh, next is bid awards—none this evening. Uh, 11 is uh, regular agenda—there's no items on our regular agenda. Uh, 12 is already down to Council comment requests, very quickly today. So I'll start with Councilmember Clausen. [00:00] **Councilmember David Clausen**: I don't want to steal anyone's thunder on Night to Unite, so I'll stay [quiet], but great, great show last night. I—I had a lot to eat, that was good. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: All right, that was it for you? [00:00] **Councilmember David Clausen**: That's it. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: All right. Uh, Councilmember Olsen. [00:00] **Councilmember Justin Olsen**: Thank you, Mayor. I'd like to ask our Public Safety Director, Brad Petersen, if he would mind stepping forward for uh, to talk a little bit about Night to Unite last night. I know that there was a lot of uh, energy in the community last night, a lot of fun. It was a beautiful night weather-wise for us, and uh, obviously a lot of work went into planning all of the various parties by our Public Safety team. So I'll turn it over to our Public Safety Director, Brad Petersen, to kind of give everyone a recap of how things went. [00:00] **Brad Petersen**: Well, I'm going to go a long time because I have a bet on how long this meeting was going to go, so thank you for giving me the opportunity. No, um, in all seriousness, um, it was an incredible night. Um, this is the first year in a while that I can remember that the weather was tolerable; we didn't have the heat and everything. So, and we had um, the Night Out—we had a couple extra daytime events. We had about 50 parties, which was incredible. Um, it was kind of neat this year too; we had two local businesses participated—Chuck and Don’s, they've done it for a while, they're big support of our K-9, and Dollar Tree next door did it too. So it's kind of cool to see the businesses. So we're—we're trying to come up with ideas on how we can expand that some, you know, whether they do a sale for you know, that night or something just to get more people. But yeah, 50 parties. Each of you, I know, um, were out with our staff. Um, I—I don't like to thank too many people because I'll forget them, but Charlene Raymond really does a lot with the organization of this event—taking the applications and getting us in the right spots. And you know, a big shout-out to our Public Safety Board too; they were out last night too um, with our Fire Department, and they do some different contests and everything. So I could talk on and on about what a great event, but um, we appreciate your support. And—and I can tell you when I went, I—I tried to solicit like negatives, like "what can we do about...", and everyone—they're really positive about Public Safety and this—the community in general. So it was a lot of fun. I—I was with the Mayor so um, they never asked me about speeders, or they—they want to know what developments or—or when is a certain restaurant [opening]. But it—it's very entertaining and fun and, wow, the food is incredible. And I—I took mental notes from the other crews on which ones I have to hit next year too. So, but thank you for the opportunity, but it was—it was just a phenomenal event. So thank you. [00:00] **Councilmember Justin Olsen**: I thought it was uh, just a ton of fun. I had the opportunity to travel with Sergeant [Mike] Shunn and his daughter, Addie, who took a lot of great pictures for us, and then our City Administrator, Jennifer Levitt, um, who consistently reminded us that we needed to stop for the barbecue at uh, a specific church in town, and it—it was—it was well worth the wait. Um, but we did not mock her Frisbee-throwing abilities either. I never do that—not in a million years. Not at all. Um, but I will tell you that uh, the—the comments out at all the various parties were all very positive. Um, I mean, Jennifer and I were asking uh, you know, "what—what do you need from us? What can we do?" Other than a couple of code enforcement concerns that were brought my way—I don't know, Jennifer, did you have anything that came your way? Um, really—a really a nice evening. So thank you to you and your team for coordinating. I know you mentioned Charlene; I know Ryan Pierre and Mike McCormack were very involved. I know you personally were also very involved and you'd never take credit for that, but uh, um, you guys continue to knock it out of the park. And I think everyone who had a party was really happy to see, you know, whether it was Police or Fire or both, or even one of us thinking politicians. Uh, it—it was a—it was a good night. So a lot of fun. Thank you. All right, that's it for me. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Sounds good. Councilmember Thiede? [00:00] **Councilmember Dave Thiede**: I guess I'll just also say that uh, you [know], I was out with Captain Rinzel, and—and he was talking a lot about the uh, uh, people can sign up for the doorbell deal to—to bring all the—their doorbell information or something for uh, better safety and so forth. And uh, man, he was doing—doing a good job, probably doing better than I was in terms of getting out the word for the uh, for the uh, um... [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Local option sales tax? [00:00] **Councilmember Dave Thiede**: Yeah, well yeah, I was thinking the other—the our—the keywords that we were supposed to remember, but uh, yeah, the local option sales tax and and how it's a—it's a—it's a really good deal. All the kids loved the little candies and and uh, you know, they gave the—the cards to their—to their parents and so forth that was attached to the candy. And and uh, so it was a beautiful night to be out. There was a lot of people out and having a good time, and and I would agree they—they're you know, talking to people about things. Uh, I didn't really have anybody that—that was really upset with anything. So, kudos. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Cool. All right. Uh, Councilmember Garza? [00:00] **Councilmember Monique Garza**: Well, I suppose I'll stick to the theme. It was um, [an] amazing evening in the community. I had a great time; everyone was so inviting and welcoming, and the food was awesome. And the Night Outs were a lot of fun; I had a lot of great conversations at those—those were—those were a lot of fun. And then I got to meet a lot of my neighbors. We—I was with Officer McCormick and we sort of did my neighborhood and everyone—they're like, "Come on back over, come check out my garden!" So I'm so excited to go walk my neighborhood and stop at these gardens now. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: You had a party last year and this year? [00:00] **Councilmember Monique Garza**: They [did] and this year too, oh yeah. But you also got to go to parties this year. This year was amazing; I got to visit them and then I was back at home in time to get the movies going, so we had a movie in the cul-de-sac. So it was fun. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: Fantastic. Well, just to finishing up that then... but um, uh, the—I did have fun. I—I will comment though, I know Councilmember Thiede was mentioning about handing the candy with little cards for "Preserve, Play, Prosper" out. Um, I actually did it the opposite way, as Brad knows. I electively went around with—to all the parents and say, "Okay, pick..." They just had them pick out the bag and as they were—they were digging for what kind of candy [they] wanted, then I just mentioned, "You know, go to the website, check it out." And—and—and again, I will just tell you, I mean, I hope what we heard out there is will actually happen in my personal opinion, but I didn't hear anybody telling me that they were against it. Uh, there were uh, questions about different pieces and, "Oh, this is great, that's—we need this." So I'm just telling you, I think overall it was a very, very good evening. Excuse me. So, um, other than that, that's it for uh, Council comments and requests. [00:00] **Mayor Myron Bailey**: For the public uh, at home at least, uh, there is uh, two workshops afterwards this evening. Uh, one is uh, open to the public uh, and it's—we're going to be going over our 2025-2029 Capital Improvements Plan. Uh, and then uh, there will be a uh, 14, which is a workshop which is closed to the public, and that is regarding uh, labor negotiation discussions. And I'll just say it in here on the—on the uh, TV: uh, that will be closed pursuant to Minnesota Statute 13D.03 to consider strategies for labor negotiations. And once we're finished in there, then we'll adjourn the meeting. So uh, with that, everybody have a great evening uh, and uh, Council, we'll meet in the conference room in a few minutes.