This transcript features **Mayor Clint Hooppaw**, City Administrator **Tom Lawell**, and other city officials. Note: While the provided list mentions Lisa Hiebert, the transcript context and dialogue identify a long-standing member, **Charles Goodwin**, who is a veteran member of this council. [0:00] [Music] [0:58] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** All right, good evening. We'll call this meeting to order for the July 11th, 2024, Apple Valley City Council meeting. For anyone who wishes to come forward and speak as your item is called, please approach the podium, state your name, and we'll be happy to hear the comments. The first item on our agenda is the Pledge of Allegiance, and I would ask everyone to rise and join me in the pledge. 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, and we have an oath of office this evening to kick us off. I'll turn it over to Tom for that. [1:52] **Tom Lawell (City Administrator):** Good evening, Mr. Mayor, members of the council, and our audience. Tonight is an exciting night for the city of Apple Valley. As you all know, our City Clerk, Pam Geder, has announced her retirement here later this year—and we're not happy about that. Pam has been an absolute terrific, wonderful ambassador for our city and has done so much over the course of her time with us, but she has definitely earned her retirement. So that put us on the process of how do we ensure a smooth transition? In preparation for that, we initiated a recruitment process to find Pam’s successor, and later in June, City Council approved the hiring of Christina Scipioni as our new City Clerk. She officially started her position on Monday, so brand new to the position. [2:37] **Tom Lawell (City Administrator):** She brings with her a wealth of experience and expertise. We are so proud to have her join our organization. Before Pam administers the oath of office to Christina, I just want to share a little bit of her background with you and with the community. She comes to us from the city of Bloomington, where she has been the City Clerk for three years. Prior to that, she was the City Clerk in the city of Eagan for 10 years, and she also has worked for the cities of Edina and Independence, Minnesota. She has a combined total of 18 years of local government experience. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of St. Thomas in public relations and political science, and a master's degree from Hamline University in public administration. [3:23] **Tom Lawell (City Administrator):** So Christina and Pam will work side by side here for the next few months to ensure that smooth transition, particularly important going into the election season—a primary and a general election this year. There is a lot to coordinate, and I'm just so proud of the way that they are going to work together and make sure they deliver great results here through the balance of 2024. Christina is a great addition to our leadership team. We look very much forward to her and all the great things she's going to do for us. With that, we'll call on Pam to administer the oath, and Christina afterwards will say a few words and introduce a few special guests that she has with her tonight. [4:31] **Christina Scipioni (City Clerk):** I will support the Constitution of the United States and the State of Minnesota and faithfully discharge the duties of the office of City Clerk in the City of Apple Valley, in the County of Dakota and State of Minnesota, to the best of my judgment and ability, so help me God. [Applause] [5:07] **Christina Scipioni (City Clerk):** Mayor and City Council, thank you so much for the extremely warm welcome. I've only been here a week and already I feel like I'm part of the family. I love local government; it's where we get to provide the most services to our residents, we get to be right there in the community. To be a part of the Apple Valley team is just really an honor. It's a very well-run city. We have amazing amenities here. I grew up in this area, I live in this area—my husband, kids, and parents are here. We enjoy a lot of the things that Apple Valley has to offer on a very regular basis, and so to be a part of that is just wonderful. I plan to do Apple Valley proud, to be a good team member, and to live up to the legacy that Pam has left for us. She was a mentor when I first started as a City Clerk, and so it's an honor to be stepping into her role. I won't say filling her shoes because I don't think anybody can do that, but I really appreciate being here today and hope to serve you all very well for many years to come. Thank you. [Applause] [6:22] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** All right, the next item on our agenda is to actually approve the agenda. And Tom, I know we have one very important addition to add. [6:30] **Tom Lawell (City Administrator):** Yes indeed, Mr. Mayor, we do have an item to add to our agenda tonight. It is a proclamation that is proclaiming today as Darts Appreciation Day. Darts is a huge partner with the City of Apple Valley, does a ton of great work on behalf of our citizens, and it's our pleasure to add this item to the agenda as item 5A. [6:51] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** All right, do we have a motion to approve the agenda with that addition? [6:53] **Ruth Grendahl (Councilmember):** So moved. [6:54] **Tom Melander (Councilmember):** Second. [6:56] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** Motion from Councilmember Grendahl, a second from Councilmember Melander. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. (Chorus of Ayes). Opposed? Agenda carries. We're on to the audience participation portion of the meeting. We have a total of 10 minutes for this section. I did not see anyone signed up. Anyone in the audience who would like to speak to an item not on the agenda? All right, seeing none, we'll move on to consent. Our consent agenda are items that are considered routine and will be enacted with a single motion unless a councilmember or citizen requests to pull items. We'll start with Council—are there any consent items you'd like to pull? Citizens, any items? All right, seeing none, do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? [7:34] **Ruth Grendahl (Councilmember):** So moved. [7:35] **John Bergman (Councilmember):** Second. [7:39] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** Motion by Councilmember Grendahl, a second by Councilmember Bergman. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. (Chorus of Ayes). Opposed? Consent items are all approved. Let's move on to our regular agenda, and the first is item 5A, and that is our Proclamation for Darts this evening. I would like to invite our Darts representatives up. And before we start, Tom, do you have anything else to add? [8:03] **Tom Lawell (City Administrator):** I think we'll let them talk a little bit about their anniversary, their milestone coming up, and maybe some of their event to recognize that. [8:11] **Anne Bailey (Darts President):** Great, thank you. Mayor, Council, it's an honor to be here. I'm Anne Bailey, I'm the president at Darts. I've been there since 2015 and I am an Apple Valley resident, which is kind of a bonus. With me is Linda Angeline, who is our volunteer manager and also an Apple Valley resident. We are pleased to be here today. I think most of you know that our mission is to create connections that enrich aging. We often talk about how Darts helps older adults, and I'm just here to break the news to all of us: "older adults" means anyone over the age of 50. So I'm there, a lot of us are there. It's good to know that there are supports out there for us as we run into something that's different. Age is just a number until you have a health or an economic situation that makes it a barrier. We are awfully glad that we are able to be a part of this city. We're grateful for the partnership that we have with the City of Apple Valley. You have supported chore services for the residents of Apple Valley for years and years, and the people that we help very much appreciate the service. [9:43] **Anne Bailey (Darts President):** Darts is turning 50 this year. We are celebrating turning 50 on August 1st, and we will be at the Event Center at Emerald Greens called The Wexford. It will be a great, fun evening. There's a ticket to purchase online at the Darts website. It will be a super fun way to celebrate aging in general and to commemorate the first 50 years and wish us well for the next 50 years. [10:30] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** Great, thank you. I will read this Proclamation. [Mayor reads the proclamation detailing the history of Darts, their service to over 50 older adults in Apple Valley, and the 4,600 hours of assistance provided since 2017.] Now, therefore, be it resolved that the City Council of the City of Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota, hereby recognizes and thanks Darts President Anne Bailey and the many employees and volunteers and proclaims the 11th of July 2024 as Darts Appreciation Day in Apple Valley. Do I have a motion to approve? [12:52] **Charles Goodwin (Councilmember):** Move. [12:53] **John Bergman (Councilmember):** Second. [12:54] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** We'll say a motion from Councilmember Goodwin and a second from Councilmember Bergman. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. (Chorus of Ayes). Thank you all, that carries. Thank you for coming out this evening. [13:24] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** All right, as we move on, I'm going to invite Luke Fischer up. We had the honor just a few short days ago of recognizing Tom Lawell with a well-deserved and well-earned reward. I won't steal Luke's thunder, but why don't I turn it over to you? [13:46] **Luke Fischer (Executive Director, League of MN Cities):** Thank you so much, Mr. Mayor, members of the Council. I'm Luke Fischer, I'm Executive Director at the League of Minnesota Cities, and I'm joined by a colleague and a friend, one of our board members, Phil Kern. He's the Delano City Administrator. We're going to share the lift tonight to share some good news about Tom. The League of Minnesota Cities is an association representing 839 of the state's 855 cities. We’ve seen a lot of really good things, and one of our favorite things to do is recognize people that are the best. That's what we're here to do tonight. We know that Tom is an exemplary city manager. I also want to take a moment to thank this City Council for all that you've done to help the League. With that, I'm going to turn it over to Phil to do the fun part. [16:34] **Phil Kern (Delano City Administrator / LMC Board):** Thank you, Luke. Mr. Mayor, members of the Council, thanks for having me here tonight. The leadership award was presented to Tom first at the League of Minnesota Cities Conference in Rochester. As you know, the leadership award is the League's highest honor for appointed city officials. This award is presented in recognition of outstanding leadership in public service and dedication to the community. The award is named for former Executive Director James F. Miller. For the second year in a row, we had a record-breaking number of nominations, and Tom stood out above the rest. Tom's comprehensive expertise in economic development, strategic planning, and financial management has empowered him to drive the organizations he leads towards fiscal stability. We're going to play a video that further highlights Tom's award and service. [20:08] **Video Speaker (Luke Fischer):** Tom is deserving of the James F. Miller Leadership Award because of his longevity as a City Administrator over the past 25 years. Tom is always able to have an easy conversation with people about why things are the way they are, and leaves people feeling like they were listened to. [20:53] **Video Speaker (Ruth Grendahl):** One of the things that I'm very grateful for about Tom Lawell is that he understands the importance of the greater good. Having a long-term leader like Tom has been a stabilizing force for all the growth Apple Valley has had. Under Tom's leadership, he saw that when we were a AAA bond-rated city, the money we would borrow would be at a better interest rate. Tom, congratulations for a tremendous job and more importantly, thank you. I am grateful from the bottom of my heart for you being my friend all these years. [Applause] [22:33] **Tom Lawell (City Administrator):** Just... this is a lot, right? You all have been so good to me over the years, and this is certainly something not expected. It was a big surprise in Rochester at the conference. Many of you made the trip down to be part of it without me knowing. I just want to thank Luke and Phil for coming out and putting a spotlight on this. Obviously, I don't do any of this by myself. You as the Council have been so supportive and so collaborative. The thing to remember about trying to be successful is to surround yourself with great people, and I've certainly been able to do that. Our staff is second to none. Thank you for the recognition. [24:54] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** Let's get the people down here for a better picture. A classic City Administrator move to quickly get out of the way before the photo! That's why he's the best. [26:03] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** Luke, be sure to thank Don for us for all of his work and putting that video together. [26:15] **Charles Goodwin (Councilmember):** I made a comment the other night at the presentation. I stopped him one time last year and I said, "Now wait a minute, are you the boss or am I the boss?" and he was nice enough to say, "Well, you're actually the boss, Mr. Goodwin," which I thought was nice. What an excellent City Administrator he is. [27:01] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** All right, before we make Tom any more uncomfortable, we probably should move on to the next item, which is a resolution providing a competitive negotiated sale of General Bond obligations. Ron's going to talk about these. [27:14] **Ron Hedberg (Finance Director):** Thank you, Mr. Mayor, members of the Council. We have before us this evening the process that kicks off the issuance of bonds. There's a bond issue coming up this year in August for $26,495,000. It's made up of two pieces: one is the Capital Improvement Plan bonds (10 million) funding the fire stations, the upcoming Police Operations building, and the CMF project. The other is the Park Referendum Bond (16.3 million) for the initial start of the projects approved by citizens last year. The schedule includes a bond sale and award on August 8th. These projects include the redevelopment of Redwood Park, the community pool, Kelly Park, and the Aquatic Center. We are available for any questions. [33:04] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** Councilmembers, any questions? With that, we would look for a motion to adopt the resolution. [33:06] **Charles Goodwin (Councilmember):** Move. [33:07] **Tom Melander (Councilmember):** Second. [33:14] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** Motion from Councilmember Goodwin, a second from Councilmember Melander. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. (Chorus of Ayes). Motion carries. We're on to staff and Council communication. Tom? [33:17] **Tom Lawell (City Administrator):** Mr. Mayor, the only one I would comment on is the Freedom Days activities. A huge thank you to all of the different departments that made that possible. Police, Fire, Parks, and Public Works all chipped in to make that a big success. [33:57] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** Yes, agreed. Thank you. Councilmember Goodwin? [34:04] **Charles Goodwin (Councilmember):** Yes, I have a communication. A month or so ago, our local newspaper, *Dakota County Tribune*, announced that because of changes in their financial situation, they're going to have to go to a subscription service. As a councilmember who's been here for 40 years, I can't tell you how important the small community paper is to a city. We have neighboring cities that have lost their newspapers and I feel terrible about it. I think everyone in the city that wants local news coverage should think about subscribing. My prescription is for three years and it cost me 46 cents a week. I just think it's essential to a community to keep a local paper. [35:34] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** Great, thank you. Any other councilmember comments? All right, if not, we are on to the calendar of upcoming events. Our next regular City Council meeting is Thursday, July 25th at 7:00 PM. Do I have a motion to approve the calendar? [35:46] **Ruth Grendahl (Councilmember):** So moved. [35:47] **John Bergman (Councilmember):** Second. [35:50] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** Motion from Councilmember Grendahl, second from Councilmember Bergman. All those in favor indicate by saying aye. (Chorus of Ayes). That carries. Motion to adjourn? [35:57] **John Bergman (Councilmember):** Move. [35:58] **Ruth Grendahl (Councilmember):** Second. [36:03] **Clint Hooppaw (Mayor):** All those in favor? (Chorus of Ayes). All right, we're adjourned. Thank you. [Music]