This transcript has been formatted with speaker names based on the provided official list and the context of the dialogue. **Note:** Since timestamps were not provided in your source text, placeholders have been used. *** **[00:00] Charles Cadenhead:** Like my Right. Going to call the city council meeting for Tuesday, April 7th for the city of Lake Elmo to order. Please stand with me for the pledge of allegiance. **[00:15] Group:** I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. **[00:30] Charles Cadenhead:** Thank you. We have an agenda in front of us. I'll entertain a motion to approve the agenda as is presented, unless somebody has something different. **[00:38] Council Member:** Motion to approve the agenda. **[00:40] Council Member:** Second. **[00:41] Charles Cadenhead:** We have a motion and a second to approve the agenda. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. **[00:45] Council Members:** I. **[00:46] Charles Cadenhead:** Agenda is approved as presented. So then we next we have approval of minutes. Um I do have a correction on the 3/26 city council meeting as it states that Charles Cadenhead pulled the meeting to order but I was not present. So if we could get that corrected to Jeff Holtz that would be wonderful. Other than that change I don't have anything else. I'll entertain a motion to approve the minutes from 3/3 and 3/17 as amended. **[01:10] Jeff Holtz:** So moved. **[01:11] Council Member:** Second. **[01:12] Charles Cadenhead:** All those in favor of approving the minutes as indicated, please signify by saying I. **[01:15] Council Members:** I. **[01:16] Charles Cadenhead:** All right. Do we have anybody this evening for public comments? **[01:19] Nicole Miller:** No, we do not. **[01:21] Charles Cadenhead:** We do not have anybody. Okay. Moving on to the consent agenda which is approve payments and disbursements, approve Arbor Day proclamation, approve Lake Elmo Lake Association grant application 2025, approve 2026 Washington County recycling grant. Approve special event permit for the Fourth of July parade. Denial of special event permit at 10120 58th Street North. Adopt resolution establishing polling locations. Authorize design services for the Elmo's pup parking lot improvements. Approve farm lease for city-owned 76 acres. Approve fire captain job description. Approve special projects manager employment agreement. Approve lawnmowing contract for 2026 to 2028. Approve public works purchase of the 2026 utility pickup. Accept improvements and approve pay request number 19 for the water tower number three project. And that is what I have on the consent agenda. I'll entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda. **[02:15] Council Member:** So moved. **[02:16] Council Member:** Second. **[02:17] Charles Cadenhead:** Have a motion and a second with approval of the consent agenda. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. **[02:22] Council Members:** I. **[02:23] Charles Cadenhead:** Agenda is hereby approved. Thank you. First item on the regular agenda, preliminary plat and open space planned unit development, Grovia Preserve. Miss Jensen presenting. **[02:35] Ms. Jensen:** Thank you, mayor. So, the applicant for tonight's application is Twin Cities Land Development. The property owner is Landuchi Homes. The property is comprised of three PIDs at just over 110 acres... [Technical presentation on Grovia Preserve] ...Staff is recommending 14 conditions of approval, most of which are standards such as addressing those review memos, entering into the necessary agreements, paying the fees, permits, and future reviews. Unique for this project are conditions related to storm water reuse, community septic approvals, and the wetland buffer signage. So, there are three motions before you. I can stand for any questions, and we do have the developer here tonight. **[03:45] Charles Cadenhead:** Questions for Miss Jensen. **[03:47] Nick Dragisich:** So is a recommendation for the concrete sidewalks. Is that what we're looking at? It was kind of confusing to me. **[03:55] Ms. Jensen:** Staff is maintaining the same recommendation of approving all three of the flexibilities. The planning commission requested that only the garage facade be an approved PUD flexibility. **[04:02] Nick Dragisich:** So we're going to have concrete walks. **[04:04] Ms. Jensen:** You'd have batuminous sidewalk in front of the homes. **[04:06] Nick Dragisich:** Batuminous sidewalk. **[04:08] Ms. Jensen:** Correct. That's the PUD flexibility they're requesting. **[04:10] Nick Dragisich:** Okay. Has the one of the things with Batuna sidewalks is they're generally not constructed to the same standards as the concrete sidewalks... Do we have a standard they'd have to build those batuminous walks to so they basically have the same life and strength as a concrete walk? **[04:25] Nate Stanley:** So the city standard for a bitumonous walk, it's we're using this interchangeably with a trail standard essentially. Um it's like a 3-inch thick mat of bitumonous... I think we're supportive of the recommendation of the flexibility at this point. **[04:45] Nick Dragisich:** My experience with them is often times we tend to fail early. **[04:48] Nate Stanley:** So um as technologies and construction technology has improved over the years, I think we find that bitumonous trails can be comparable to a life cycle of a concrete sidewalk. That's all I can say about that. **[05:00] Charles Cadenhead:** Can you talk to the subgrade underneath? I mean, the toppings always looks nice, but the cake is really where it matters. **[05:06] Nate Stanley:** Absolutely, Mr. Mayor. So, yeah, we'll as part of, you know, the plan reviews that are ongoing. I think that, you know, we can give consideration to making sure that it's built on solid ground, so to speak. **[05:15] Charles Cadenhead:** Yeah. Well, just sometimes root intrusion that they're not cut properly. Sometimes you'll you'll find the roots start intruding into it. That 3-inch mat creates problems down the road. So, just some of those considerations I think need to be addressed. **[05:25] Jeff Holtz:** Council member Holtz. So based upon the feedback that was provided at the commission meeting, did any of the changes were any changes made in the developer plan based upon that such as landscaping in either location as additional privacy screening or certain types of landscaping based upon that feedback? **[05:40] Ms. Jensen:** Not at this time, but I believe the landscape architect memo has indicated they're missing quite a few trees, so they need to add them to the plan, and it would be fitting for them to add it in the spots that the residents requested. **[05:52] Jeff Holtz:** As an example, the feedback from Mr. Hecker for screening at that the property, that would be one location where landscape memo does kick in. **[06:00] Ms. Jensen:** Correct. **[06:01] Jeff Holtz:** And property on the west side of that. **[06:03] Ms. Jensen:** Yes. **[06:04] Jeff Holtz:** Okay. And then follow up on the bituminous path. You mentioned that the HOA would then take ownership of maintenance for that. How would that work in terms of do they send a contract to the city for perpetuity? ...where would that be documented? **[06:20] Ms. Jensen:** I would anticipate it be in the HOA declarations and then we can also add it as a condition of final plat approval. **[06:28] Charles Cadenhead:** Just development agreement. **[06:30] Ms. Jensen:** Correct but after they're out of warranty and the development agreement was passed. **[06:35] Sarah (City Attorney):** One other place that could be documented is I think they do have to give us a separate trail easement and we could put it in there. **[06:42] Jeff Holtz:** Can we put it in as many places as possible? Because again, none of us are going to be here in a certain amount of time. **[06:48] Nick Dragisich:** That changes my position. I was going to go along that there has to be some kind of maintenance agreement by them since it's bituminus. And so it's not just maintenance—when the lifespan of it is up, it's on them to redo it, not just put the tar and paper down because there's a crack. **[07:02] Ms. Jensen:** Correct. **[07:03] Nick Dragisich:** All right. And is it in the recommendation that we are going to a 40% impervious for all the lots or is the recommendation to do the 30 and 40? **[07:11] Ms. Jensen:** It would be to do the full blanket 40% request. **[07:13] Nick Dragisich:** Okay, great. Thank you. **[07:15] Jeff Holtz:** And to clarify this, the proposal here is indeed for the trail connection in the northwest corner... [Discussion continues on trail connections and Hidden Null Park]. **[08:15] Matt Hirn:** Council member Hirn. As far as the one comment from the HOA about the roadway as it enters onto 50th, is there any concern about their remarks as far as visibility, safety concerns? Was that looked at after that comment came in? **[08:30] Ms. Jensen:** Yeah. So, where it ties into 50th Street was a preset location based on feedback from engineering... [Discussion on speed limits and motions]. **[09:10] Charles Cadenhead:** All right, given that I'll call the question. All those in favor to approve resolution 2026-021, please signify by saying I. **[09:18] Council Members:** I. **[09:19] Charles Cadenhead:** Resolution is approved. **[09:20] Jeff Holtz:** Move to approve ordinance 2026-3 PUD ordinance approving the request for Grovia Preserve based on the findings of fact and recommended conditions of approval list in the staff report. **[09:30] Council Member:** Second. **[09:32] Charles Cadenhead:** All those in favor of approving ordinance 2026-03, please signify by saying I. **[09:36] Council Members:** I. **[09:37] Charles Cadenhead:** Perfect. **[09:38] Jeff Holtz:** Move to approve resolution 2026-022 approving a summary of publication for ordinance 2026-3. **[09:44] Council Member:** Second. **[09:45] Charles Cadenhead:** Motion in a second... All those in favor of approving resolution 2026-022, please signify by saying I. **[09:50] Council Members:** I. **[09:51] Charles Cadenhead:** Motion passes. Thank you. Appreciate it. Well done. City standards for water main. Mr. Stanley. **[10:00] Nate Stanley:** Mayor and council. Thank you very much. Um, public works director Tholen's going to join me here... [Technical presentation on Ductile Iron vs. PVC pipe standards]. **[14:00] Jeff Holtz:** Council member Holtz. So on the front end at least in 2025 PVC was cheaper. It actually the price has gone up 60% in the last month as oil barrels have gone up... Why are there cities who are saying yeah let's go with the cheaper one now that doesn't perform as well? **[14:20] Nate Stanley:** I see this in cities that have large very large swaths of undeveloped property... But when I say large, I'm talking thousands and thousands of acres. **[14:35] Jeff Holtz:** Arden Hills type thing. **[14:36] Nate Stanley:** Arden Hills, your Maple Groves, your Brooklyn Parks. **[14:40] Jeff Holtz:** Is he wrong? **[14:41] Pete Tholen:** No, he's not wrong. You know, that's that's what I've experienced or seen also talking to peers. It's a cost. Yeah. They're putting it in, but they're going to stick with one or the other. **[14:55] Jeff Holtz:** What is the harm now to the city by having an outlier that exists? **[15:00] Nate Stanley:** I hate to have it phrased like there's a risk... We're trying to maintain a uniformity because that's part of what makes the system very maintainable for staff. **[15:15] Nick Dragisich:** I think the other benefit of sticking with one type is the stocking of spare parts and repair parts... staying consistent with ductile iron allows public works to have a supply of repair parts. **[15:30] Nate Stanley:** Absolutely. **[15:31] Nick Dragisich:** Well, I I asked this question in part because I didn't know the difference... I tend to agree that having a consistent system is in the city's best interest. **[15:45] Matt Hirn:** Council member Hirn. I agree. Stick with that as the standard... knowing this now with this information, I you know yeah maybe that was it would have been nice to know this then, but now we know it moving forward. **[16:05] Charles Cadenhead:** Next item on the agenda. I'm assuming you're presenting this since I don't see you, Mr. Isakson. **[16:10] Nate Stanley:** It's me. All right. So, we've got authorize design services for section 16 phase 2 sanitary extension... [Presentation on Sanitary Sewer extension and railroad permitting]. **[17:30] Jeff Holtz:** Is dealing with the railroad will be amazing. And is it a different process because it's not a crossing than what we dealt with at a village parkway? **[17:40] Nate Stanley:** Mayor and Council, it could be a little lighter duty because there's no street there. Yes. But it still is—it's still the railroad. **[17:50] Charles Cadenhead:** I didn't see where the funding for this was coming from. Can someone speak to that? **[17:55] Clarissa Hadler:** Mr. Mayor, I'll note that this we're we're moving forward at council's direction right now based on development. I anticipate it would be an enterprise funded project with sewer extension. **[18:05] Charles Cadenhead:** All right. Any other questions for Mr. Stanley? Okay. If not, then I'll entertain a motion. **[18:10] Jeff Holtz:** Motion to authorize preparation of plans and specs for design phase engineering services to be provided by Bolton and Menk in the not to exceed amount of $46,100. **[18:20] Matt Hirn:** Second. **[18:21] Charles Cadenhead:** All those in favor... please signify by saying I. **[18:25] Council Members:** I. **[18:26] Charles Cadenhead:** Passes. Thank you. Next on the docket is 2050 comprehensive plan contract with Bolton and Menk. **[18:32] Nicole Miller:** Well, good evening. As you all know, every 10 years we have to complete a comprehensive plan for the Met Council... Jenny Faulkner is here to give the comprehensive plan update. **[18:45] Jenny Faulkner:** Good evening, mayor, members of the council. Nice to see you again... [Presentation on Comp Plan requirements, Bolton & Menk proposal, and new state/Met Council mandates]. **[20:30] Jeff Holtz:** Thank you for that. Number one and welcome back. When it comes to Bolton Menk and resources... how much does it impact the work that Bolton Menk does because of that shift? **[20:45] Jenny Faulkner:** You are a priority client. You have planning and engineering. That takes precedent over somebody that we don't have a relationship with. **[21:00] Nick Dragisich:** In the information there's reference to a technical advisory committee. What's that committee made up of? **[21:05] Jenny Faulkner:** We would work with your staff to identify who that would be... we know that it should be a little bit broader than that. **[21:15] Nick Dragisich:** Just looking through it kind of impression I got was kind of the city council was off to the side of this effort. **[21:20] Jenny Faulkner:** I think that can be established here at the onset if how much you want to be involved. Absolutely. **[21:30] Jeff Holtz:** So, it was also mentioned that grants do exist from the Met Council... how do we make sure we get that grant? **[21:40] Jenny Faulkner:** It's my understanding that the Met Council, you're a designated community, so you're going to get 40,000. **[21:50] Charles Cadenhead:** All those in favor of hiring Bolton Menk to take us through the 2050 comp plan, please signify by saying I. **[21:55] Council Members:** I. **[21:56] Charles Cadenhead:** And that's approved. Next on the agenda is the annual report. **[22:00] Nicole Miller:** Thank you, Mayor and Council. It is my privilege to introduce the city's annual report for this past year... [Introduction to the 2025 accomplishments and the department heads present their summaries]. **[23:30] Jennifer Doyle:** Good evening, Mayor and Council. I'll jump right in with our mission from the administration department... [Summary of Admin accomplishments and 2026 goals]. **[25:00] Ms. Jensen:** Next up is community development. So the mission of community development is we're committed to guiding thoughtful growth... [Summary of Planning, Permits, and the 180-acre site]. **[27:00] Charles Cadenhead:** I saw a sign next to Hagbridge. Is that coming soon too? **[27:04] Ms. Jensen:** That is at home apartments. They have not submitted a concept yet for that site but they're ready. **[27:15] Clarissa Hadler:** Hello. I'll draw your attention to these lovely individuals in our photo. The finance department handles money in... [Summary of financial software implementation and strategic planning]. **[28:30] Charles Cadenhead:** Just speak to the artificial intelligence supported invoicing. **[28:34] Clarissa Hadler:** BS&A is our new software... and one of their implementations this year will be AI invoicing. We will be able to scan an invoice and the system will essentially sort of learn to read that invoice. **[28:50] Dustin Kalis (Fire Chief):** Well, good evening everyone... we want to be a department that proudly serves our growing community... [Summary of Fire Dept training, retention, and new equipment]. **[30:00] Charles Cadenhead:** One thing that really struck me, you said one time was the response to incident that had decreased when we went from the old fire station to the new one. Could you remind us what that time is to incident now? **[30:15] Dustin Kalis:** We're under two minutes now from the time the tones drop to when we can get out the door... down from six and a half minutes. **[30:30] Adam Swanepoel (Public Works Assistant Director):** Good evening, council members and mayor. Public works... [Summary of Park improvements, well treatment plants, and equipment maintenance]. **[32:00] Nate Stanley:** Well, it's just Chad and I in the picture, but there's a lot more to it than that... [Engineering department summary]. **[33:30] Charles Cadenhead:** What's that a picture of? **[33:33] Nate Stanley:** That is a picture of a drainage way. Part of the project is to clean those drainage ways up. **[33:45] Ty Jacobson (Sergeant):** Mayor and council members and administrator Miller... [Police services summary, traffic enforcement, and CSO program]. **[35:15] Sarah (City Attorney):** Mr. Mayor, members of the council... [Legal services summary including land acquisitions and code enforcement]. **[37:00] Charles Cadenhead:** Thank you. You know, to be able to look back on a full year of things that staff has done... it's really well done and put together. **[37:20] Matt Hirn:** I'll just add to that... Nicole, you're doing a great job with keeping the team focused on what we've set out to do. **[37:40] Jeff Holtz:** To me, a report like this shows the culture of city staff right now... it makes me think of a workplace environment where you're doing things the right way for the right reasons. **[38:15] Nick Kragness:** I just want to say thank you to you, Nicole, everybody on staff. You guys have had an amazing year. **[38:30] Nicole Miller:** Next on the docket is agenda procedures... [Recapping workshop discussions regarding how items are added to the agenda]. **[39:45] Charles Cadenhead:** I think council member Dragasich, it was discussed about having a four-fifth vote during the adoption of the agenda... it would be nice to have the ability to discuss something without it taking a long time if there's energy behind it. **[40:15] Nick Dragisich:** I think that's certainly reasonable, Mayor. If we brought up something required a lot of staff research, staff could advise council during that discussion... our current system can take seven weeks to get something on an agenda. **[41:00] Jeff Holtz:** Clarifying question for council. Are we allowed as a city to put in ordinances a limiting action to say... after a four-fifth vote council is not authorized to take any action? **[41:15] Sarah (City Attorney):** Yes, we have that now. I mean, anything that you need to take action on is going to be put on your agenda by staff... but we put it in the ordinance because then they were violating the city's ordinance. **[42:30] Matt Hirn:** I'm looking at this a little bit from a different perspective. I actually think this makes us a more functional council, period. If an item gets brought up at the time of a meeting and both staff and council has no time to think about it, I think I'm nervous of a couple things happening: improper information given, information omitted... I think it actually speeds things up in the end to wait. **[43:45] Nick Dragisich:** So, a member of the city staff can put something on the council days before the meeting... but an elected official can take seven weeks to get something on the agenda. And you think that's reasonable? **[44:15] Nicole Miller:** I'd like to talk about the logistical implications for that... our packets go Thursday. You're giving staff tomorrow with and then part of Thursday to research it. It just doesn't seem like a really good idea. **[46:00] Charles Cadenhead:** I'm going to close discussion on that. Moving into the 250th anniversary of the USA celebration discussion. **[46:15] Nicole Miller:** Back on March 10th, the city council discussed this... staff was not directed to do any additional work. **[46:30] Nick Dragisich:** I guess we have to put it on a workshop. It takes another seven weeks and the 4th of July be behind us. **[46:45] Charles Cadenhead:** I got a lot of feedback from residents that they really liked the event last year. I would like to try and have an annual event for the city. **[47:15] Jeff Holtz:** I agree long-term something similar to last year. I don't think we are prepared to do that for this year. Are there ways to bring that to National Night Out? **[47:35] Charles Cadenhead:** National Night Out is on a Tuesday. **[47:40] Jeff Holtz:** Well, that sucks. No one likes to work Wednesdays. **[47:50] Matt Hirn:** I reached out to American Flagpole Company right in downtown Stillwater... it sounds like it could be in that $1,500 to $2,000 per pole range. Some way of enhancing that downtown area. **[48:30] Charles Cadenhead:** My proposal would be—it wouldn't take as much time on my part to pull together the stage, the band, and the tents... Can we find us 15K? Can we agree on a September 12th time frame? **[49:00] Matt Hirn:** So you're thinking do that as the 250th celebration in September? **[49:15] Charles Cadenhead:** Yeah. And I'll carry the yoke for the things I did last year if somebody can do the food trucks again. **[49:30] Nicole Miller:** I need a little bit more direction on—is the council going to form a committee to work with community orgs or what else? **[49:45] Charles Cadenhead:** I don't know if we need a committee or if I'll just take the marching orders and start calling people. I've got food trucks. I can take it again. **[50:00] Matt Hirn:** That sounds great. **[50:15] Charles Cadenhead:** Council reports. Council member Dragasich. **[50:20] Nick Dragisich:** Yeah. I had the opportunity to look through the city's financial policies... current policy allows a city administrator to approve a construction change order up to $100,000 without any council approval. I'd like to put that on a workshop. **[50:40] Charles Cadenhead:** Council member Holtz. **[50:45] Jeff Holtz:** I was going to give a thank you to Rockpoint Church... they are volunteering their space to be an election site. Also, Thursday I will be representing the city of Lake Elmo at the House finance committee trying to secure some funds to help us with the 36 and 17 intersection. **[51:10] Charles Cadenhead:** Staff report. **[51:15] Dustin Kalis:** Next week they'll start tearing down the old Lions Park playground. The new one will go in fairly quickly, hopefully by Mother's Day. **[51:25] Charles Cadenhead:** All right. Adjourn the meeting. Thanks.