This transcript features the **January 4, 2021, Bayport City Council Meeting**. Based on the context provided and the verbal identification within the meeting, here are the assigned speaker names. *Note: While the provided list identifies Michele Hanson as Mayor, the transcript records the swearing-in of **Susan St. Ores** as Mayor for this specific term. **Matt Kline** is listed as City Administrator in the context, though he is addressed as "Adam" by colleagues in the recording.* *** [5:18] **Mayor Susan St. Ores:** January 4th 2021 Bayport city council meeting uh please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States... [6:05] **Mayor Susan St. Ores:** Excellent thank you. Matt, is the meeting being recorded? Usually it says REC up on the top and I just don't see it. [6:15] **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** I’m not recording it locally um... okay it is, just want to make sure. Jordan had given me the green light so okay. Well okay so that takes us um to roll call. Actually Madam Mayor, first we have an official fifth council member... so with that please repeat after me. Raise your right hand. [6:53] **Susan St. Ores:** I, Susan St. Ores, solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Minnesota, faithfully discharge the duties of the office of Mayor of the city of Bayport... to the best of my judgment and ability so help me God. [7:38] **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** Congratulations Madam Mayor. And that will take us to swearing in of the next member is Connie Carlson so Connie if you'd raise your right hand and repeat after me. [8:03] **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** I, Connie Carlson, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Minnesota and faithfully discharge the duties of the office of council member of the city of Bayport... to the best of my judgment and ability so help me God. [9:12] **Councilmember Ethan Gilmore:** I, Ethan Gilmore, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Minnesota and faithfully discharge my duties of the office of council member of the city of Bayport... to the best of my judgment and ability so help me God. [10:14] **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** Excellent. Now please call our official roll. Madam Mayor? **Mayor Susan St. Ores:** Here. **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** Councilmember Carlson? **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** Sorry, here. **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** Councilmember Hanson? **Councilmember Michele Hanson:** Here. **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** Councilmember Doll? **Councilmember John Doll:** Here. **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** And Councilmember Gilmore? **Councilmember Ethan Gilmore:** Here. **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** All present. That takes us to the approval of tonight's agenda. [10:45] **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** Thank you Madam Mayor. We did receive an inquiry at about four o'clock today regarding the resident liaison for the cable commission. The individual is Andrew Kading. Staff's recommendation is to add that to the agenda. [11:31] **Councilmember Michele Hanson:** Do they have to fill out a form or an application of some sort? [12:45] **Councilmember Michele Hanson:** I'll make a motion that we add that Bayport citizen rep for the cable commission to our agenda tonight. [12:56] **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** I'll second it. [13:40] **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** Councilmember Carlson? (Hi). Councilmember Hanson? (Hi). Councilmember Doll? (Hi). Councilmember Gilmore? (Hi). Mayor St. Ores? (Hi). [14:00] **Mayor Susan St. Ores:** That takes us to our proclamations and announcements. Our December recycling award recipient is Jim Kinberg at 332 4th Street North. Thank you very much Mr. Kinberg for your recycling efforts. With that we can move on to our open Forum. [15:30] **Mayor Susan St. Ores:** That takes us to our consent agenda. We'll consider a resolution adopting items 1 through 6... any discussion questions or additions? [16:20] **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** I'll make a motion approving the consent agenda items one through six. [16:30] **Councilmember John Doll:** I’ll second it. [17:05] **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** Thank you Madam Mayor. We just had a workshop regarding residential traffic issues and the potential to reduce speed limits to 20 or 25 mph. I’m going to turn it over to John Pryi, City Engineer, to give additional information. [19:27] **John Pryi (City Engineer):** Thank you Matt, thank you Mayor. If the council would like to move forward, we would need direction to prepare a scope and fee estimate for the speed study. Chad Jensson is also here and can run through the PowerPoint again. [23:18] **Chad Jensson (SEH Consultant):** SEH reviewed a wide variety of traffic issues... we looked at the new speed limit laws passed in 2019. Cities can lower residential speeds to 25 without a study, but 20 mph requires a full traffic study taking into account national guidance and crash history. [30:18] **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** The rough estimate for the speed study was $5,000 to $8,000. The consensus seemed to be that 25 mph wouldn't have the desired impact, but 20 mph comes with additional costs. [34:58] **John Pryi (City Engineer):** As Engineers, we don't like to make decisions on the heels of a major project like the Highway 95 work. It would be my preference to see a summer’s worth of data before we complete the study. [38:03] **Mayor Susan St. Ores:** I agree. I think public involvement in this process is very important. [40:40] **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** I was definitely against the bumps and the humps. My concern was if we do the study, can we still change it? Matt answered that we could still go to 20. [41:53] **Councilmember John Doll:** This is something residents have brought up and we take it seriously. Everyone just needs to be patient through the process. [42:39] **Mayor Susan St. Ores:** About only 30% of accidents happened on city streets versus the highway. That is good news, but I'd like to look specifically at Fifth Street North and First Avenue. [43:25] **Councilmember Ethan Gilmore:** I don't see a real reason to wait until after the summer. Every resident I talk to says 30 mph seems fast. If we can move forward sooner, I think we should. [48:15] **Councilmember John Doll:** Whatever we can do to slow people down, let's do it and move on with our lives. Education has to be a part of it too. [49:40] **Councilmember Michele Hanson:** My two cents is that I think we need to go to 20. Minneapolis and St. Paul had the "20 is Plenty" signs. I believe in the study to have the data to support it. [52:50] **Councilmember John Doll:** I will make a motion to direct staff and SEH to work together to get a surface street speed study proposal for the February 2021 meeting. [54:30] **Councilmember Michele Hanson:** Second. [55:08] **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** This item is a six-month extension for carryover benefit time for city employees. Due to COVID, many staff members were unable to take their vacation time and are at risk of losing it. I am requesting a six-month extension to use that time. [57:50] **Councilmember Michele Hanson:** Did staff have to use vacation days if they had to quarantine? [1:05:30] **Tom (City Attorney):** A suggestion would be: you carry over the 2020 time, but vacation time used in 2021 is first applied against 2021 hours. If those are exhausted, they dip into the 2020 carryover. This avoids a rolling buildup into 2022. [1:12:45] **Councilmember Michele Hanson:** I move that we go with Tom’s plan. [1:13:10] **Councilmember Ethan Gilmore:** I will second it. [1:14:15] **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** This item is regarding potential COVID relief for local businesses. One item we have the authority to do is refund or reduce liquor license fees since bars and restaurants were shut down. A 25% reduction would be consistent with the County and other cities. [1:24:35] **Councilmember Ethan Gilmore:** 25% feels really low to me. I work in a restaurant; we were shut down for months and then at 50% capacity. I’d like to see more support for these folks. [1:28:27] **Mike Willenbring (Guest, Owner of Manger Restaurant):** We’ve had drastic sales losses. Even with our patio, alcohol sales are down 48%. Every dollar helps, but 25% is not going to make restaurants whole again. I would certainly ask for more. [1:56:45] **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** Regarding the Economic Development Authority (EDA), that is what would give us the legal authority to issue grants. We will be looking at establishing one in our goal-setting session. [2:01:15] **Councilmember Michele Hanson:** I move that we refund 75% of the liquor license fees for on-sale and Sunday sales for establishment in Bayport based on 2020 fees. [2:01:45] **Councilmember John Doll:** I'll second that. (Motion passes). [2:07:20] **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** Now we consider appointments and liaison assignments for 2021. [2:09:50] **Councilmember Michele Hanson:** I can do Planning Commission and Anderson City Advisory. [2:12:03] **Councilmember Ethan Gilmore:** I can take the Cable Commission. [2:17:40] **Councilmember Michele Hanson:** I move to appoint Andrew Kading as the resident liaison to the Cable Commission. **Councilmember John Doll:** Second. [2:21:40] **Councilmember Connie Carlson:** I’ll make a motion adopting the meeting dates with the change of Monday, September 13th. [2:24:59] **Gabe Kinney (Fire Chief):** Good evening. For December, the call volume was 79. Our members have started vaccinations at the courthouse. [2:27:15] **Joe Hansen (Public Works Director):** I'll keep it brief. The ice rink is open, but be aware of warmer temperatures. Also, a reminder that if you live on the river, you likely need a permit for any shoreline work. [2:31:51] **Sara Taylor (Assistant City Administrator):** workload consisted of 2040 Comp Plan final edits and processing liquor licenses. I also attended the King Plant reuse advisory panel. [2:33:45] **Matt Kline (City Administrator):** The waste hauler transition to Tennis Sanitation is underway. If anyone has issues with their carts or service, please contact City Hall. [2:42:42] **Councilmember Michele Hanson:** I move we adjourn. **Councilmember John Doll:** Second.