Based on the context provided and the phonetic clues in the transcript, here is the speaker-identified version of the Oakdale City Council meeting from July 23, 2024. **Note on Identifications:** * **"Council member her"** is Noah Her (often referred to as Noah in the transcript). * **"Council member Ina britson"** is phonetically transcribed from Jake Severson. * **"Council member morham"** is Andy Morcomb. * **"Council member will bring"** is Katie Wrich. * **"Kyle"** is Kyle Lukes (Assistant Finance Director, presenting for the Finance Department). * **"Max"** is Max Holdahl (City Planner). *** [00:00] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** All right, we're going to go ahead and call to order the regular meeting of the Oakdale City Council, July 23rd, 2024. Sarah, will you take the roll? [00:05] **City Staff (Sarah):** Council Member Her? **Council Member Noah Her:** Here. **City Staff (Sarah):** Council Member Severson? **Council Member Jake Severson:** Here. **City Staff (Sarah):** Council Member Morcomb? **Council Member Andy Morcomb:** Here. **City Staff (Sarah):** Council Member Wrich? **Council Member Katie Wrich:** Here. **City Staff (Sarah):** Mayor Zabel? **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Here. Please join me in 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. [00:30] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** All righty, first up on the agenda tonight is approval of the agenda. Council members, no changes in front of us, so can I get a motion? [00:35] **Council Member Noah Her:** So moved. [00:36] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** There's a motion to approve the agenda as presented. Can I get a second? [00:38] **Council Member Andy Morcomb:** Second. [00:39] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. (Group: Aye). Opposed? And the agenda is adopted. Next up, we have approval of the minutes. First is Workshop meeting minutes from July 9th, 2024. Council members, any changes or corrections? I'll look for a motion. [00:54] **Council Member Jake Severson:** So moved. [00:55] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** There's a motion. Is there a second? [00:56] **Council Member Katie Wrich:** Second. [00:57] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Motion and a second. Any comments? All those in favor say aye. (Group: Aye). Opposed? And the minutes are adopted. Next up, we have regular meeting minutes from July 9th, 2024. Council members, any changes or corrections? Look for a motion. [01:12] **Council Member Noah Her:** They moved. [01:13] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** There's a motion. Is there a second? [01:15] **Council Member Andy Morcomb:** Second. [01:16] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** It got really bright in here. We're missing one more set. I look better with a tan. There we are, thank you. Sunglasses next meeting. All right, I heard a motion, I heard a second. Any comments? All those in favor say aye. (Group: Aye). Opposed? And the regular meeting minutes from July 9th, 2024, are adopted. Next up, we have a couple public hearings in front of us tonight, first dealing with property tax abatements. Chris, do we have a staff presentation? Finance Director Kyle? Welcome. [01:45] **Kyle Lukes (Finance):** Good evening, Mayor, Council. This public hearing is for the consideration of a tax abatement on the listed apartment parcel, the Springs at Willowbrook, within the Willowbrook development. The tax abatement would be used to pay the debt service on bonds to fund the construction of four projects. These projects are the Willowbrook Commons, trails, open space, and parking area. The city is responsible for the construction of multiple parks and amenities in the Willowbrook neighborhood for the master plan unit development agreement. Including these four projects, they are estimated to cost $5 million, with $1.75 million funded through the tax abatement bonds, the remaining through the park Capital fund. [02:22] **Kyle Lukes (Finance):** The mechanics of the tax abatement will put aside a piece of the city's share of taxes received from the indicated parcel to pay for the related abatement bonds. This does not affect the amount of taxes levied against the parcel, and the parcel's tax statement will not show any different than prior to the tax abatement. The parcel is chosen as it directly benefits from the Willowbrook projects and its annual tax payments meet the requirements for the debt service on a $1,750,000 bond. Note this has been a summary review of the tax abatement attached to tonight's agenda as a PowerPoint with additional information, along with prior briefings with City Council on the subject, including at the March 12th workshop. Finally, after the stated public hearing, Council will consider the attached resolution approving the tax abatement. If approved, bonds would be issued later in 2024. And with that, I stand for any questions. [03:09] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Council members, any questions for Kyle? All right, at this time I'm going to go ahead and open the public hearing. We propose property tax abatements for the purpose of issuing tax abatement bonds to finance certain public improvements. At this time, if anybody in the audience would like to comment on this specific item, please feel free to step up to the podium, state your name and address for the record, and proceed with your comments. Seeing none, I'm going to go ahead and close the public hearing and bring it back for Council consideration. Council members, let's get a motion and then we can go into questions or comments. Can I get a motion? [03:43] **Council Member Katie Wrich:** I'll make a motion to waive reading and adopt Resolution 2024-63 approving property tax abatements. [03:51] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** There's a motion. Is there a second? [03:53] **Council Member Noah Her:** Second. [03:54] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Motion and a second. Any comments or questions? Hearing none, all those in favor say aye. (Group: Aye). Opposed? And Resolution 2024-63 is approved. Second item... is there a second recommendation here? [04:10] **Christina Volkers (City Administrator):** No, but the first recommendation is not a resolution, it's just having the public hearing. [04:15] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Fair enough. Okay, right. I'm looking at legal. Yeah, we'll go with that. Okay, sometimes we just figure it out as we go. Public hearing Item B. Kyle, do we have a presentation on that as well? [04:24] **Kyle Lukes (Finance):** Yes, Mayor. The next public hearing is to consider two items: first, preliminary approval to issue Capital Improvement bonds; and second, to consider approval of the related Capital Improvement Plan or CIP. Note that this CIP referenced throughout the process is not our full comprehensive CIP that the city approves annually; this CIP is specifically for the projects to be financed through the Capital Improvement bonds. These projects are the Public Works facility, the police expansion remodel, and the City Hall renovation. This CIP is set up to meet State statutes to issue the Capital Improvement bonds and has been reviewed by the city's bond attorney. [05:01] **Kyle Lukes (Finance):** The CIP is available for public viewing for the hearing notice. Total estimated costs of the three projects is currently around $66 million over the course of years 2024 through 2028. Of that, the Capital Improvement bonds are estimated to fund $25 million: $8 million for Public Works, $5 million for the police, and $12 million for the City Hall. The remaining funding for the project is through local sales tax, grants, and other sources. Note this has been a summary review attached to tonight's agenda as a PowerPoint with detailed information along with the CIP referenced. Council has also been briefed on this subject, including at the March 12th and May 14th workshops. After the public hearing, Council will consider the attached resolution approving the CIP and giving preliminary approval to issue Capital Improvement bonds. If approved, the city would then issue the bonds over the next few years based on each project's budget and schedule. This resolution would also set a "not to exceed" of $30 million for the Capital Improvement bond portion. Note the preliminary approval on the Capital Improvement bond issuance; in the future, the actual issuances would follow similar past practice and come back to Council. With that, I stand for any questions. [06:11] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Council members, any questions for Kyle on this item? Seeing none, at this time I'm going to go ahead and open the public hearing for this specific agenda item. If anybody in the audience would like to speak on the intent to issue General Obligations Capital Improvement bonds, please feel free to step up to the podium, share your name and address for the record, and proceed with your comments. Seeing none, I'm going to go ahead and close the public hearing and bring it back for council consideration. Council members, any final questions or comments? I'll look for a motion. [06:42] **Council Member Andy Morcomb:** I'll make a motion to waive reading and adopt Resolution 2024-64. [06:47] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** There's a motion. Is there a second? [06:49] **Council Member Katie Wrich:** Second. [06:50] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Motion and a second. Final comments? All those in favor say aye. (Group: Aye). Opposed? And Resolution 2024-64 is approved. Next up is Open Forum, an opportunity for anybody in the audience that would like to share any comments that are on their mind. Please feel free to step up to the podium, state your name and address for the record, proceed with your comments. Our house rules for Open Forum ask you to please keep your comments to three minutes or so. Any questions directed at the city council won't necessarily be responded to at the moment, but we can send them over to our city staff for further investigation. Welcome. [07:28] **Laura Fenstermaker:** Thank you. Good evening all of you. My name is Laura, last name Fenstermaker, and I'm here to talk to you briefly— [07:35] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Get your address for the record. [07:36] **Laura Fenstermaker:** Sure. 7559 5th Street North in Oakdale, 55128. Thank you. And unfortunately, my computer is circling—I had my comments on a Word document. I'll do my best. Anyways, I'm here and so are some other people. We are all members of the LA Fitness here in Oakdale and we're very concerned because there are rumors that the LA Fitness is closing, and I think all of you are aware of that as well. I did send you an email last Thursday—and thank you, Mayor, for responding, and I did talk to Council Member Her on the phone. You know, it is the only club in Oakdale that offers all of the things that it does. It has the pool—I swim five times a week, and most of the people that are here are swimmers. Anytime that you come to the gym, you will see at least three times a week that there are classes and there are minimally 35, primarily women but also men, who are taking those aquasize classes. And then on Saturday is usually the bigger day and sometimes you can see as many as 50 in there. [08:44] **Laura Fenstermaker:** So the membership is concerned. I did go around and started to get petitions and signatures. Membership signing a petition—I only got to about 35 people and then the staff at LA Fitness told me to stop. May I please hand it to our city? Anyway, I would have gotten you a lot more. There is a lot of concern. It's a fantastic location. We have members that come as far as New Richmond, Wisconsin—that particular member works out seven days a week, he's there at 5:00 AM. So location, location, location. As we all know when you're looking at a house, they tell you to look at property and look at the value of it and see where it is—it's an awesome location. It's accessible. And the amenities—again, back to the amenities—it has a pool, it has racquetball courts, it has a basketball court, it has a spinning room, and then it has two rooms for classes and then it has all the equipment. There's nowhere else you can go for that. [09:39] **Laura Fenstermaker:** You can go into Woodbury and you can pay—so our membership is around anywhere between $43 and $50 a month, it's outstanding. If you were to go to Lifetime Fitness, their membership is $150 or $165. If you go to the YMCA in Woodbury, the membership for one adult is $75 and that does not include tax, and it's $120 for a family. So the economics for us as members is very beneficial as well. So: amenities, economics, accessibility, location. We're just really here to find out what you know too. I know that I was told that I can ask questions, but I am interested in knowing what you do know. And I had emailed you to see if your staff has reached out. I even reached out to Fitness International in Irvine, California to see if I could get any other kind of answer—you know, it was just a standard "we close some, we open some." [10:33] **Laura Fenstermaker:** We're concerned because the Roseville one has closed. They did say someone has said that they are closing down and they're redoing it; I don't know what that means. The last thing I would just say is I don't know if there's any tax increment financing on this kind of a thing that you can do—tax abatement. I looked up what tax abatement and tax increment financing is. I don't know if that's something on the front end of a project that has to be done. I don't know if any of you can get in touch with whoever owns that LA Fitness—Fitness International—talk to them and see what they can tell you. I know the staff is concerned. I can tell you that our membership is 800 plus. I asked one of the staff people on a daily number and she said yes, a daily number is we've had 800 people in here on a daily basis. So that's what I guess I would ask you. And I would really love it... I don't know in this setting... do you not answer any questions? [11:34] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Okay, so if you would like to stay until the end of the meeting we can chat about what we know, but as I said, during Open Forum we don't engage in conversation on topics raised. [11:44] **Christina Volkers (City Administrator):** Mr. Mayor, we do follow up. So staff will follow up with you and share what we have. We've called them and we'll talk to you about that. [11:51] **Laura Fenstermaker:** Okay perfect, I really appreciate your time. Thank you so much. [11:54] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Thank you. Is there anybody else that would like to speak under Open Forum tonight? Please feel free to step up to the podium. Seeing none, we're going to keep things moving and go into our consensus motions. In front of us tonight we have A through E. Council members, are there any that you would like to pull for individual consideration? Seeing none, can I get a motion? [12:13] **Council Member Katie Wrich:** Make a motion to approve consensus motions A through E as presented. [12:17] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** There's a motion. Is there a second? [12:18] **Council Member Jake Severson:** Second. [12:19] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. (Group: Aye). Opposed? Consensus motion A through E are approved as presented. Next up is our opportunity to check in with our advisory boards and commissions. We had a couple in the last few weeks. First up, Planning Commission. Council Member Severson is their liaison. They met on July 11th. Jake, any update? [12:40] **Council Member Jake Severson:** Just the item on the agenda tonight, the Murray conditional use permit, and then there was a discussion about the development on the city-owned property at Tanner Lake. [12:51] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Excellent. I know—I'll just dig a little bit deeper, I'm not supposed to—I know that is, we all know that as a topic of great interest to that area. It is working its way through the process. There have been—I want to clear up some misinformation out there—there have been no scheduled, Chris I'm looking at you, no scheduled City Council action on that as of today. So it's still working its way through the process. So... Parks and Rec, Council Member Morcomb, you are their liaison. [13:17] **Council Member Andy Morcomb:** Yeah, no, it was a good meeting for the Parks and Rec Commission. We talked about the Master Parks Plan that's in process right now. Shared concept plans at a very rough draft level on what we want our parks to look like across Oakdale. And so it looks at playground amenities, all kinds of open space, but we've got 27-28 parks in Oakdale. We want to have a long-range plan for what we want to invest in those parks, what we want them to look like. So right now there are surveys open on the city website for every park across Oakdale and I encourage anyone who's seeing this now: please take a minute, go and fill out some information about what you'd like to see in those parks. And the commission is going to get to weigh in again, the city council will weigh in, but that survey is open through August 31st, I believe. But that is the primary topic we covered. [14:03] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** That is a very important endeavor our city is undertaking right now. So as Council Member Morcomb said, public involvement is very important. Award of bids... there we go, we have one tonight. City project 2024-03. Up to you, Interim Public Works Director Kevin Wold. Welcome. [14:24] **Kevin Wold (Interim PW Director):** Yeah, thank you Mayor and Council. Before you tonight is the Walton Park ballfield lighting upgrade to LED. This is a project that would replace the current high-pressure sodium lights that were installed in the late 1980s. This is an upgrade to a full LED lighting system within that complex. It's the main pinwheel complex, it's fields one through four with the concession stand in the middle closest to Hadley. This project was bid into two separate categories: one was the material, the actual lights themselves—we had two people bid on that—and then the other one was the actual labor, the installation to install the product, which two companies bid on that as well. [15:06] **Kevin Wold (Interim PW Director):** The project timeline, if approved, would start after the adult softball league, which is severely behind with all the rain. So we're looking at later this summer or early fall to start and then be completed this year as well. This project here obviously will enhance the use that people use those facilities for with a much greater LED component versus these high-pressure sodiums which aren't reliable and old technology and stuff. So staff recommends approving and going with the low bid in each of these categories. And also we're going to amend the budget; the budget for this CIP expense was $500,000 and we're amending it to more in line with where we're at, which is $415,000. And the breakdown is the two different bid amounts as well as Professional Services, which Council approved the project manager earlier this year to oversee this project—which we think that helped in bringing the amount way under budget with their help—and then as well as some contingency. The one thing to note: we are going to use the existing light poles if we can, but there's some contingency rolled in there if we can't and we find the poles... some of the other poles are bad or the bases need to be replaced. So that total project cost is around $415,000, well within the budget. So there's an amendment to that as well in here and I'll stand for any questions. [16:32] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Council members, any questions for Chief Wold? [16:35] **Council Member Katie Wrich:** Yeah, just one question. I know we've had a very wet summer and being able to do work high in the air probably depends on having solid ground. Is there a chance if it doesn't dry out that this might not actually get done this fall? [16:47] **Kevin Wold (Interim PW Director):** You know, we're confident that we have to do some prep, especially in the outfields where there are some of the tree areas in order for to get some equipment back there. But we're certainly hopeful things will dry out, but yes, there's always that risk. If we can't... we don't want to do more damage to the soil and to the ground in the event that it is too wet. So we'll keep monitoring that and hopefully it'll dry out. [17:10] **Council Member Katie Wrich:** Sure. And as a follow-up to that, if for some reason it doesn't happen this fall, would the bids still hold through the winter and into the spring? [17:16] **Kevin Wold (Interim PW Director):** That's a great question and I can follow up with that, but I think we would have some struggles with that. So we need to address that. So we're going to hope we can get it done this year. [17:27] **Council Member Katie Wrich:** Yeah, well, I mean given the good work that's being done, I have no problem with what's being presented. It was just curious, so thank you. [17:34] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Council members, any other questions? I'll look for motion. [17:36] **Council Member Andy Morcomb:** I'll make a motion to waive reading and adopt Resolution 2024-61, accepting bids and awarding contracts for city project 2024-03, Walton Ballfield lighting upgrade to LED, authorizing the Mayor and City Administrator authority to execute applicable agreements and to amend the budget to $415,000. [17:59] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** There's a motion. Is there a second? [18:01] **Council Member Noah Her:** Second. [18:02] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Motion and a second. Any final conversation? Looking none, all those in favor say aye. (Group: Aye). Opposed? And that bid is awarded. Thank you, Chief. Next up we are under staff report, checking in with Community Development. First, we have one item tonight. Max, welcome. [18:18] **Max Holdahl (Planning):** Thank you and good evening, Mayor and Council. Before you tonight is a request by Jacob Murray for an oversized shed at the applicant's property at 4603 Hillville Way North. The property is located in the R4 middle density zoning district where sheds may be allowed up to 120 square feet by right, and larger sheds are allowed through the conditional use permit process. Here the applicant is seeking approval for a shed that is planned to be 180 square feet rather than the allowed 120 square feet. Based on the applicant's plans, the shed appears to meet all setback and height requirements as well as the specific criteria laid out in the ordinance for oversized accessory structures. As a result, staff is recommending approval. Additionally, the Planning Commission did hear this request earlier this month at the July 11th Planning Commission meeting. During this meeting, the Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of the request. With that, I'm happy to take any questions with regard to this request. [19:14] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Council members, any questions for Max? All right, let's get to the recommendation. [19:18] **Council Member Jake Severson:** I'll make a motion to waive reading and adopt Resolution 2024-62 approving conditional use permit for an oversized accessory building at 4603 Hillville Way North, subject to conditions. [19:30] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** There's a motion. Is there a second? [19:31] **Council Member Katie Wrich:** Second. [19:32] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Motion and a second. Final comments? All those in favor say aye. (Group: Aye). Opposed? And that conditional use permit is approved. Thank you, Max. Next is our opportunity to check with our City Attorney, Rachel Tierney. Rachel, thanks for joining us tonight. [19:46] **Rachel Tierney (City Attorney):** Thank you. It's lovely to be here. I don't have anything to share with you today. [19:50] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Council members, any questions for Rachel? All right, and turn to your right and we will check in with our City Administrator, Ms. Volkers. [19:57] **Christina Volkers (City Administrator):** Hi Mayor, Council. I have one item on the agenda. It is a proposed resolution for your consideration to govern the write-in vote counting for the elections in 2024. And essentially what it is is: in 2023, the Minnesota Legislature passed Minnesota Statute section 204B.09 subdivision 3, which authorized the city to approve a resolution governing the counting of write-in votes. We are proposing that resolution which is before you today. The resolution that we're proposing governs that we will—or meaning the County who manages our elections, let me be clear on that—that the city of Oakdale only requires that write-in votes for an individual candidate be recorded if the total number of write-in votes for that office is equal to or greater than the fewest number of write-in votes for one of the balloted candidates. Essentially, the proposal before you is that the write-in votes will not be counted unless that condition occurs. That is what is on for your consideration today. [21:05] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Council members, any questions for Chris? Look for a motion. [21:09] **Council Member Noah Her:** Make a motion to waive reading and adopt Resolution 2024-60 governing write-in vote counting for the city of Oakdale. [21:17] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** There's a motion. Is there a second? [21:19] **Council Member Andy Morcomb:** Second. [21:20] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Motion and a second. Any comments? [21:23] **Council Member Katie Wrich:** I'm going to make one comment. I'm going to vote no. You know, it's personally, I don't see a problem with the way we do it currently, and I'm usually a big fan of government not passing new rules if there's not actually a problem. So that's just a personal thing for me. I think the way we do it works, but that's how it works. [21:42] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** There's a motion, is there a second? All those in favor say aye. (Group: Aye). Opposed? **Council Member Katie Wrich:** No. **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** And Resolution 2024-60—should that be 2024? **Christina Volkers (City Administrator):** 2024-60 is the resolution you have in front of you. Just a little typo on the agenda. **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Okay, 2024-60. I read it as it's on the agenda, so good catch. Thought I was having a flashback there to a few years ago. That resolution is approved 4 to 1. Council presentations. Council members, we got anything tonight? Let's check down here. Noah? [22:15] **Council Member Noah Her:** Mr. Mayor, I would just like to share in this public meeting that it is with a heavy heart that I would like to announce that I will not be seeking election this fall. And that those who are interested, I would highly encourage you to take that leap of faith and, you know, test out this civil work of trying to do some work on behalf of the residents of the city of Oakdale. I've learned a lot through this process, I've grown a lot, I've made some great relationships with my fellow council members here. And that would be my big advocacy right now is really to say, hey, July 30th it's going to open up for candidates to put in their name to run for the seat and I would encourage everyone to do so. [22:59] **Council Member Noah Her:** You know, the one comment that I would add in addition is: let's get more people of color up here. You know, we need people who can bring a different voice, a diverse voice to help bring some different perspective. It's always nice to think that you can come in here and do something and be a game changer, but at the end of the day, there's more than that. And I think that's what I've learned in my time here is learning to have a unified voice, learning to find common grounds where we can work together. And so it's been my honor, and I want to thank the residents of Oakdale for allowing me this chance to serve in this capacity. I also want to thank these four great individuals for trusting me and appointing me to this seat. I really appreciate the trust that you guys had bestowed on me, and it's a lesson that I will take on into my future careers. Christina Volkers, you're an amazing City Administrator and thank you so much for everything that you've done to walk alongside me and help me get acquainted and into the groove of being a council member. I think I wouldn't be able to do this job if there wasn't you here, so I really mean that. And whoever is looking to run, learn to become Chris's best friend—it does help! Having that relationship does. And so it is with that... my... I'm not sure what my future holds, but I do want to make that public announcement that I will not be seeking election. So thank you, Kevin, for the time. [24:28] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Kari, anything? [24:29] **Council Member Kari Moore:** Actually, yeah. I would like to say to Noah that it was a pleasure meeting you and getting to know you and working with you. I'm sad to see you go, but I wish you the best. [24:39] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Thank you. Let's not say our goodbyes yet, he has a lot of work to do. [24:43] **Council Member Kari Moore:** Yes, yes, yes. I'm just saying. [24:45] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** We got some more work to get out of him before he leaves. Nobody gets to leave yet. Thank you. Did you have anything else you wanted to come? [24:54] **Council Member Kari Moore:** No, I'm good, thanks. [24:55] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Okay thanks, Kari. Jake, Andy? [24:57] **Council Member Jake Severson:** I guess for me, just piggybacking on Noah and you know, a comment to Noah and everybody up here: it's good that the friction has been minimal. I would tell anybody who's thinking about running for city council—you know, if you have that axe to grind, if you're going to run, great, but leave that axe at home because we've got work to do. And the biggest thing here is that everybody get along. You know, we can disagree, and we often do, but when the majority votes a certain way, we put it behind us and move forward. And that would be my message to anybody thinking about running. And you want to be Chris's best friend too. But yeah, no, it's been a pleasure. And Jake... I have a feeling I'll still see a lot of you for better or worse. [25:39] **Council Member Noah Her:** Always for better! [25:40] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Anything else, Jake? [25:41] **Council Member Jake Severson:** Nope. [25:41] **Council Member Andy Morcomb:** No, thanks Noah for the heads up, appreciate it. [25:44] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** I'm not saying my goodbyes yet because we will cover that in December. That's what we do around here. But I do have some city announcements that staff wants me to cover. First, reminder: Oakdale Farmers Market continues every Wednesday from 2:00 to 6:00 PM in the City Hall parking lot through mid-October. Our outstanding local vendors have all kinds of products: sweet treats, produce, flowers. Most times you can get your knives sharpened out there, there's usually a food truck, you can chat with City staff—there's a lot going on. So please come out every Wednesday 2:00 to 6:00 PM, City Hall parking lot. It's a lot of fun. [26:22] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** We're halfway through our summer concert series, so bring your lawn chairs to the Walton Bandshell every Wednesday at 7:00 PM, right after the Farmers Market wraps up, to enjoy the following live music performances. Tomorrow we have the Beat-Nick Brothers playing hits from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Next Wednesday, July 31st, we have The Bazillions, a show for kids and families. And then on August 7th, we have the Backyard Band playing danceable rock and roll and country. So that's always a good time. I don't think any have gotten rained out this year, right? I don't think so—knock on wood. No, it looks like a lot of people have had fun at the summer concert series, so please continue to join us at the ball. [27:03] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** If you have an interest in civic engagement serving the community, consider applying for a city advisory body. We have openings on our Economic Development Commission and the Environmental Management Commission. Each commission meets eight times per year. To learn more and apply, visit the city website: oakdalemn.gov. Finally, it's hard to believe, but Night to Unite is just two weeks away, taking place on Tuesday, August 6th. This is a great opportunity to host a neighborhood gathering with a visit from the Oakdale Police and Fire Departments to support safety and crime prevention. If you plan to host an event, please register on the city website at oakdalemn.gov by this Friday, July 26th. That's always a really fun night. Last year it was a little rainy to start and then it cleared up and it was crazy humid, but hopefully we're going to have beautiful weather this year. Always really nice to see neighborhoods getting together for that event. Let's pay some bills. We have a claims roster in front of us, July 10th through July 23rd, 2024, in the amount of 2.1 million and change. Council members, can I get a motion? [28:10] **Council Member Jake Severson:** Make a motion to approve claims as presented. [28:13] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** There's a motion. Is there a second? [28:14] **Council Member Andy Morcomb:** Second. [28:15] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Motion and a second. Any final comments? All those in favor say aye. (Group: Aye). Opposed? And the bills are paid. Can I get a motion to adjourn? [28:23] **Council Member Noah Her:** So moved. [28:24] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** There's a motion. Is there a second? [28:25] **Council Member Andy Morcomb:** Second. [28:26] **Mayor Kevin Zabel:** Motion and a second. All those in favor say aye. (Group: Aye). Opposed? We are adjourned. Thank you and good night.