This transcript has been formatted with the requested speaker names based on the context provided and the city's official roster. **[00:00:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you for your patience. One of our council members is um remote due to medical reasons and so we have to get her online and we just switched her over from the from the work session. So, are we set? Thank you very much. We appreciate your patience with our a little bit of a late start. I'm going to call to order this meeting of the Richfield City Council. It is January 13th. It's 7:05 p.m. And if you're able, please rise and join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. We have a number of community members wishing to speak this evening. So before we move on to the meeting, I ask that we please listen respectfully to all, even those who disagree with you. And please do not clap, cheer, shout out, or boo. Now, if you would all please join me in a moment of silence for Renee Nicole Good, who died so tragically last week after being shot by an ICE agent. Thank you. I want to offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Renee Good. We grieve with you as a community. Renee should still be with us here today. I also want to acknowledge the families that have been ripped apart and traumatized by ICE activity and detentions across our community. We stand with you in solidarity and love. Watching the videos of two young citizens being forcibly detained by federal agents at Richfield Target was horrific. Thank you to Representative Michael Howard for the support you gave to the young men and for all of and for all you do for our community. I call upon the federal government to put an end to this siege. It's not making us safer, it's making us less safe. Every community member deserves to live in safety and dignity. Thank you to all the volunteers who have been out in the community distributing food, providing transportation, keeping a watchful presence at schools, places of worship, and local businesses, and being legal observers. Our community is under attack, but together we will remain strong and meet this latest challenge. Are there any other council members that wish to make some remarks? Council member Hayford Oleary. **[00:04:15] Council Member Sean Hayford Oleary:** Thank you all for being here today and thank you to probably all of you, many of you for volunteering and doing what you can to protect our community members. Um I know it means a lot to the people who are being most victimized by this attack. It was really appalling to see what happened last week. um not only the murder of a woman basically for being a dissident, but the almost juvenile gaslighting of the federal government with its authority telling us that you can't believe your own eyes. You can't believe when somebody who was not a threat was shot um for basically ticking off a supposed law enforcement officer. We live in the United States. The federal government should be protecting Americans and they are not protecting Americans. They are hurting Americans. They are hurting richfielders. Um it's it's deplorable. Um kids who are afraid to go to school in our community. Um I have a close loved one in my life who is an American citizen, was born as an American citizen, who is afraid to go to the grocery store because he is not white. Um this is not the the country. This is not the the values. This is not the beliefs that we set our pledge of allegiance to. Um, there is nothing more anti-American than what our supposed American government is doing. So, I thank you all for your support. Know that we are as outraged as you are. And I I desperately hope that cooler heads can prevail and we can care about our community and that the federal government can care about our community as much as you all do. Thank you. **[00:06:30] Mayor Mary Supple:** Does anyone else wish to speak? Okay, Council Member Burk. **[00:06:35] Council Member Walter Burk:** Again, my condolences also to family of Miss Good. Sorry, has been expressed. She should be alive today. Federal government should not have taken her life. I've only been on the council for a year, but I will tell you that in my encounters with Richville law enforcement, especially with the chief, I've learned that law enforcement at its best focuses on three things. Respect and obeying the rule of law, being concerned about people's human rights, civil rights, and also sharing and recognizing that people that they're dealing with are human, that we share common human rights and common human shared experience. I've had actually some citizens express to me that they're happy that I here and my response to them is that of course ICE has a job to do. They are not doing it. In fact, they're acting contrary to it in many ways. Their job is to enforce immigration law. That doesn't mean you randomly pick up people who happen to look like someone that you think doesn't belong here and treat them in ways that are not in accordance with the rule of law, not in accordance with civil rights, and have no understanding of shared humanity. Other citizens have asked for the city to do more and has already been expressed and the mayor has done it very well and the chief and city manager there great limitations as to what we can do in dealing with the federal government. There's been a request for resources and I would say that if you know people who are likely to be subject to ICE involvement that you go online and go to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, the National Institute of Minnesota or the U of M Law School legal clinics. They will provide free legal advice and sometimes representation for these people. If you're not familiar with these organizations, please go online and look them up. For those who are observers, I praise your bravery. But also, I ask you for restraint. You should also be concerned about the rule of law, civil rights, and shared humanity. Do not get sucked in to acting in a way that allows the federal government to go beyond what they've already done. If you know someone who's an observer and they get in trouble, the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Minnesota, is the place to go for. Thank you all for being here. Looking forward to your comments and thanks again. **[00:09:15] Council Member Rori Coleman-Woods:** Thank you, Walter. I appreciate all of my council members, which is an honor to serve on this city council. I'm so proud of our community and the way that we have come together to stand up against what's been happening in our community. I'm not okay with ICE being in our community. I actually think that it is very, very identical to the SS Gestapo and all of the Nazi regime. So, until then, till we get rid of them, we need to continue to do what we're doing. And I agree with Walter on standing our ground, but in the same regard, don't put yourselves in harm's way. We don't need anybody else killed further. Um, and if we can do anything to further complain against the federal government for this invasion, we should do everything that we can do. **[00:10:45] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Um, Council Member Christensen, did you have anything to add? **[00:10:50] Council Member Sharon Christensen:** Yes. I've been due to a medical issue of mine, I've had the opportunity to be home for the last several months and um it's consuming to see what is happening out there. I've been actually outside only twice in my opportunity to go out and about and it's consuming the news. It's consuming social media. it's consuming everybody's life. Uh, and we just must stay vigilant about what's happening and just support our neighbors because Richfield is so diverse that um we must in fact just support our neighbors as much as we can. There's a lot of opportunities out there to help them if we're able to. And um yeah, we just must be vigilant and hope this will pass soon. **[00:11:45] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. At this point, I would entertain a motion to approve the agenda. **[00:11:50] Council Member Walter Burk:** I'll move. **[00:11:52] Council Member Sean Hayford Oleary:** Second. **[00:11:54] Mayor Mary Supple:** Okay. It's been moved and seconded to approve the agenda. Is there any discussion? Since we have one member remote, we need to do a roll call. So, Clerk Friedrich, would you please call the roll? **[00:12:10] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** Yes. Thank you, Mayor Supple. Council member Burk. **[00:12:13] Council Member Walter Burk:** Aye. **[00:12:14] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** Council member Hayford Oleary. **[00:12:16] Council Member Sean Hayford Oleary:** Aye. **[00:12:17] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** Council member Christensen. Council member Christensen. Council member Christensen. We can't hear you. So, even a thumbs up would work or a thumbs down. I believe you're muted. She can't I think she may have muted herself. Council member Christensen. Council member Coleman-Woods. **[00:12:35] Council Member Rori Coleman-Woods:** Aye. **[00:12:37] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** Thank you, Council Member Christensen. **[00:12:39] Mayor Mary Supple:** And as mayor, I vote aye as well. **[00:12:42] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** Thank you. **[00:12:44] Mayor Mary Supple:** So, we've approved the agenda. Next, we'll move on to the approval of the minutes from the work session from meeting from December 9th, 2025, the regular council meeting from December 9th, 2025, and special council meeting on December 22nd, 2025. And I did want to note there is one spelling correction on a speaker's name from open forum for Ava McKnight on page 14 of the December 22nd, 2025 minutes. So that would be included in the motion. Is there a motion to approve those three sets of minutes? **[00:13:20] Council Member Rori Coleman-Woods:** So moved. **[00:13:22] Council Member Walter Burk:** Second. **[00:13:24] Mayor Mary Supple:** It's been moved and seconded to approve all three of those sets of minutes. Is there any discussion? All right. City Clerk Friedrich, would you please take the roll? **[00:13:35] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** Yes. Thank you, Mayor Supple. Council member Burk. **[00:13:37] Council Member Walter Burk:** Aye. **[00:13:38] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** Council member Hayford Oleary. **[00:13:39] Council Member Sean Hayford Oleary:** Aye. **[00:13:40] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** Council member Christensen. **[00:13:42] Council Member Sharon Christensen:** Aye. **[00:13:43] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** Council member Coleman-Woods. **[00:13:44] Council Member Rori Coleman-Woods:** Aye. **[00:13:45] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** And Mayor Supple. **[00:13:46] Mayor Mary Supple:** Aye. Thank you. So, we have approved the minutes. Next, we're going to be moving on to the open forum. There are a number of people wishing to speak tonight, so we will strictly follow the three-minute time limit. I will hold up a yellow card when you have 30 seconds left and a red card when your time has expired. I would like to remind you to please listen respectfully and quietly to all, even those you disagree with. When you approach the podium, state your name and city of residence and then I will start the timer. Thank you. Um, our council rules provide for 30 minutes of open forum, but given the number of comments, I would like to make a motion to extend the time limit to an hour and a half. So that would take us to 8:47 for open forum. And I also would like to make a motion. There's been one request for an ADA accommodation. So I know who that speaker is. So that person will be given five minutes. Is there a second to that motion? **[00:14:45] Council Member Walter Burk:** Second. **[00:14:47] Mayor Mary Supple:** Okay, it's been moved and seconded. Is there any discussion? All right, City Clerk Friedrich, would you please call the roll? **[00:14:55] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** Yes, thank you, Mayor Supple. Council member Burk. **[00:14:57] Council Member Walter Burk:** Aye. **[00:14:58] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** Council member Hayford Oleary. **[00:14:59] Council Member Sean Hayford Oleary:** Aye. **[00:15:00] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** Council member Christensen. **[00:15:02] Council Member Sharon Christensen:** Aye. **[00:15:03] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** Council member Coleman-Woods. **[00:15:04] Council Member Rori Coleman-Woods:** Aye. **[00:15:05] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** And Mayor Supple. **[00:15:06] Mayor Mary Supple:** Aye. Thank you. So now we'll begin the open forum. I'll call them in the order they were turned in. The first person is Heidi Gibbore. **[00:15:15] Heidi Gibbore (Resident):** Good evening. Heidi Gibbore, Richfield, Minnesota. I would like to address the ICE invasion of and attacks in our community. The personal fear and trauma and horror happening in our community are real. In addition, Richfield businesses are suffering. Many of our immigrant neighbors, be they citizens, legal residents, or undocumented workers and bread earners for their families, are understandably staying in their homes, too afraid to venture out, whether to work, to study, or to shop. The trauma of seeing and knowing people who have been snatched from the street, or from their place of employment, is damaging to health. And that's not even mentioning the murder of a mother in her car. The other day, a friend who is a teacher told me of an ICE individual who was driving about 40 miles per hour in a Richfield school zone. Most of them have no regard whatsoever for the law. I don't want to call these individuals agents as agent indicates that some kind of training has been received and not just a firearm and chemical spray and vehicle. ICE individuals are held to no standard of accountability. In general, as was intended by our national leaders, ICE is creating chaos and insecurity in our metro area, including the city of Richfield. They are definitely not targeting the worst of the worst as they snatch working youths and adults, many of whom are US citizens. In many cases, these individuals' methods are illegal and when pressed, they brazenly lie about what precipitated them taking someone into custody and fabricate scenarios. Due to the ICE activity in the area, a number of Richfield's businesses have had to close, hopefully just temporarily, causing hardships for the owners and workers. Of course, this is a goal of ICE and they don't care about the human aspect of their actions. But we residents of Richfield and neighbors of immigrants do care. Due to ICE activity in the area, many children are missing valuable education time. ICE is causing disruption and fear in our community, but we will stand by our neighbors and help in what we are able. ICE is unneeded and unwanted here. And then I have a question for the police department if they're able to give an answer at some time in the future. Are you stopping and ticketing ICE vehicles with improperly displayed license plates and those with no plates at all and the vehicles with illegally tinted windows? Thank you. **[00:18:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Next we have Becca Johnson. **[00:18:05] Becca Johnson (Resident):** Can you hear me? Becca Johnson, Richfield, Minnesota. I am an immigrant from Germany. Germany has a history and it's a heavy one that is of unspeakable brutality. I live with the history of my country of birth which comes with responsibilities. This perspective influences how I respond to issues in my new home. Now, as an American citizen, I am very troubled by the view that the appearance of strength matters and humanity is weak. What I have been seeing lately is immigration enforcement that has adopted a military look and operation style that imposes warlike methods on the people. Our immigration system has been broken for a long time and that has been true during Republican and Democratic administrations. Agriculture has used migrants for decades if not longer. So have other service directed occupations. Powerful people and corporations have always exploited minorities to profit themselves. The US needs immigration to survive. Otherwise, we will not have a rich and diverse country. Crime at the top is caused by greed and at the bottom by wealth disparity. Wealth disparity is one of the main causes of crime. We need the police to investigate all crimes, those committed against our immigrant population as well. Richfield police cannot be involved with immigration. The Richfield city police must have the trust of the people and cannot participate in what is provocative and divisive. How would it have looked if Richfield police had assisted ICE in tearing out the two American citizens from the Richfield Target? Recently, I took an oath to this country, the United States of America, and take it very seriously. We are to build a better union, but it must not be ruled by fear. Some of our cruelty is not conservative. Treat people like people. **[00:20:45] Mayor Mary Supple:** Please remember we're not going to be or we ask people not to clap. Next we have Simon Troutman Cordova. On deck will be Ashley Daniels. **[00:21:00] Simon Troutman Cordova (Resident):** Good evening everybody. Uh this is the first time speaking from this corner of the dais. Um I just want to thank all my colleagues um for your courage and using your voices in this moment and our staff for working hard in these extraordinary times and with courage. I'm Simon Troutman Cordova and I'm from the city of Richfield. Um, so this evening I want to speak um I'm a Senate candidate, but I'm not speaking as a Senate candidate. I'm speaking as a resident here, a second-generation Latino member of our community and as an attorney in our community that has the privilege of representing everybody, but primarily um black, Latino, and first-generation immigrant business owners and entrepreneurs. And I'm here, people will talk about other stories, but I'm here today to talk about the absolute economic depression that is happening with Latino and Somali businesses right now. This is like a COVID level economic depression, but only for the most vulnerable entrepreneurs and businesses and economic communities in our state. And I just want to remind everybody that there are not Latino dollars and they're not Somali dollars. These are Minnesota dollars. These are Minnesota small businesses and they are in crisis. And so one ask and consideration for the council is that you bear witness and we use our tools to document the economic impact of these bizarre and cruel and often unlawful policies. Um the economic impact and also the public health impacts of what's happening. Another consideration I want to say this as an attorney for folks that think it's only folks that are undocumented that are being arrested. We know even in our city that citizens are being arrested, but I can tell you that even folks with legal status are rotting in incarceration tonight. People that have work permits, people that have come here legally are being detained. And that story is not being told. For every level of violence we see at ICE, there are levels of bureaucratic horror that are happening right now. And so as everybody is here, I want to tell you what encourages me is the level of organization and the level of engagement and the level of neighborly care that's happening. And so to our council members and to our city, I want to say please continue to reach out to your neighbors. Please continue to patronize black, Latino, Somali businesses. This matters right now. There are no COVID funds coming. The opposite is coming. We've just found that those funds are being all federal funds are being seized as of today. And to our city staff, consider the actions of our Trump-appointed former acting US attorney and his colleagues. They considered whether and what ICE was asking them to do and they said no more. We do not trust them. We do not believe them and they're betting with their careers. Thank you. **[00:24:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Next we have Ashley Daniels. On deck is Kathleen Baliban. **[00:24:10] Ashley Daniels (Resident):** Can you guys hear me? My name is Ashley Daniels and I live in Richfield. I'm a fairly new resident here in Richfield. I moved here almost four years ago after graduating with my master's degree in education to be closer to my job at the time as a high school English teacher at a charter school where 97% of students identify as Somali American. Even though I would later find out due to my disabilities of moderate support needs autism, undiagnosed dysautonomia where I have a surgically implanted heart rate monitor and endometriosis where I just recently had a full hysterectomy and survived very life-threatening complications from that surgery a month ago. I was very motivated by my students and working with them. And it deepened my passion for serving diverse populations outside of my own. And I would later go on to become the youth programs manager for the Karen Organization in Minnesota where I built and designed programming to reduce educational barriers for refugee youth for students from Burma, Thailand, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. I'm here attending my very first town hall to express my anger as well as to express the anger of my students and their families who cannot be here today. I'm angry at the Republican lawmakers who fed Nick Shirley false information that has led to the infiltration and invasion of ICE we are seeing on our streets that resulted in the brutal execution of Renee Nicole Good. I'm angry that my students and their families don't feel safe sending their children to school because ICE has been emboldened by the regime in the White House to brutalize people regardless of citizenship. I'm angry that it took a white woman being murdered for this amount of outrage to spark because before Renee there was Keith Porter Jr. And before Keith, there was Sylve Gonzalez. In my anger, I'm calling on our local lawmakers to legislatively step in to protect families by number one: signing an eviction moratorium to keep families in crisis housed to prevent homelessness while ICE is terrorizing our streets. Number two: allocate city funds to nonprofits such as VEP and churches that are able to help Richfield residents in crisis because as of right now, most organizations either have had their funding significantly cut or funding doesn't exist to provide services to families. And number three: calling on our state representatives to pass an emergency budget that would give stimulus checks for everyone in the state of Minnesota to avoid financial crisis for residents who cannot work or bring families to school or be able to get by. Minnesota is under federal attack and we need our elected officials to step up and keep us safe. There's also a reason why meeting basic survival needs along with safety needs are the first two pillars of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. When people don't feel safe and can't meet their basic needs because of fear of being kidnapped, tortured, beaten, or killed by a militarized police force occupying our state for no reason other than racist hatred that threatens the very fabric of everything that Richfield is as a city. Because diversity, differences, and our immigrant neighbors make our community great. ICE blatantly ignoring the law and terrorizing our state doesn't. Thank you. **[00:27:15] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Next we have Kathleen Baliban and after that is Alicia Waters. **[00:27:20] Kathleen Baliban (Resident):** Good evening. My name is Kathleen Baliban and I live in Richfield. Um, I am going to speak to what's on the agenda and it's on the ordinance 10B and it's speaking to the city manager is asking that we approve a new department and director of human resources. I looked at that and I have to be honest about it. Um, one of the things that I noticed is you guys, we as a city approved the 2026 budget on December 9th, which you approved and in today's meeting approved that. Nowhere in that budget does it speak to adding 177,000 salary to the budget. Okay, I say 177 because their starting salary would be about 136,000 and you add 30% for benefits, that equates to $177,000 annually. When I went back to the 2026 budget and looked at that, this person would be responsible for two people because they are supposedly replacing the manager with this new position. And in that budget, it says there are two people that $177,000 salary would be supervisory. They also indicated that they only have 360,000 as their annual budget. That means their salary represents about half of that budget. Now, more importantly, what stands out is the essential duties assigned in this job description that's in your agenda. A page and a half of essential duties, 99% of them are already currently being done by somebody. I would suggest that they're probably being done by the director of administration and or partially the manager because they're already being done. Now, the thing that catches me on this is 72% of our general fund is compensation. That's my property taxes. Why wasn't this in the documentation that you approved 36 days ago? I mean, we're only into this two weeks into the year and we're already out of the budget. We're already making propositions to push ourselves out of the budget that you approved. Now, I'm not saying that this may or may not be a good position, but it's not appropriate at this time with what's going on in our market, what's going on in our budget, and why wasn't it thought of sooner. Thank you. **[00:30:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. I'm gonna call up Alicia Waters and on deck we have Courtney Couch. **[00:30:10] Alicia Waters (Resident):** My name is Alicia Waters and I live in Richfield, Minnesota. I care deeply about public safety, public health, and the welfare of my community. The presence of ICE and other federal agents in our community has created fear and chaos. It's actively traumatizing residents, which is a serious public health threat, and is jeopardizing the safety of Richfield residents, workers, and children so that they are not able to go to school or their jobs or even go to the store to get groceries and other necessities. I did some research. The city charter appendix A of the city code chapter 3 section 3.06 emergency ordinances states that an emergency ordinance is an ordinance necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, morals, safety or welfare which we clearly see a need for. Now under city code chapter 13 section 1305.25 specific regulations illegal parking and stopping, part S allows the council to issue a resolution to prohibit or limit the stopping, standing or parking of a vehicle, whether attended or unattended, on any public property, including parks, playgrounds, and school grounds, and including marked and improved parking areas on public property by conspicuously posting the prohibition or limitation in the parking area. Therefore, I'm requesting the Richfield City Council to issue an emergency ordinance prohibiting ICE and other federal agents from using any public property under the city codes I've just cited for staging their raids or harassing or intimidating residents and to enact a fee if it is violated so they can help pay for the signage. Our community is in crisis because of the unlawful activities of ICE. And you, city council, have the power to do something to help protect your residents from having their civil rights violated. Prohibiting ICE from using public property is something I believe you can do to ensure the future vitality of our community. Thank you. **[00:32:45] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Next we'll have Courtney Cupch and on deck is Landon McKay. **[00:32:50] Courtney Couch (Resident):** Hi, I'm Courtney Couch, Richfield, Minnesota. I've lived in Richfield for over a decade with my husband and our seven and four-year-old daughters. The last city council meeting I attended, I was advocating to keep a garden existing in our yard. Today, I'm advocating for our neighbors to exist in our community. I have neighbors afraid to take their kids to school, go to work at their jobs, or even go to the grocery store to get food for their families. And this fear is not unprecedented. ICE is illegally kidnapping, detaining, and deporting our neighbors without a second thought. Every day, I walk my seven-year-old daughter to the bus stop to go to an elementary school where a third of her class is not showing up. My husband drops our four-year-old off at a Spanish immersion daycare where every staff member is afraid for their lives and their loved ones. And not because they're not legal citizens, because you could not be a teacher or a staff member at a daycare if that was not the case. It doesn't matter. My husband's a high school teacher and teens in his class are dropping their extracurriculars and gym memberships because it isn't safe for them to be in public. ICE is forcing our neighbors into hiding that have nothing to hide. Legal status or not, it doesn't matter to ICE or to our administration. Law and order does not exist, and accountability isn't even an afterthought. To quote Nancy Lyons, a local leader and entrepreneur, "How do you survive a system that no longer plays by the rules? This isn't about politics. It's about people. It's about survival. And none of us knows what safety feels like anymore." Thank you. **[00:34:45] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. I'm gonna call up Landon McKay and Taylor Martin is on deck. **[00:34:50] Landon McKay (Resident):** Hello. Landon McKay, Richfield. Um I I emailed all of you, I think at one point. I think you remember that and the police chief as well. Uh I appreciate your words tonight. Um very heartfelt, very nice. But what I did hear was just a lot of thoughts and prayers and that really doesn't help our community. I hear a lot of great recommendations already tonight that hopefully we take up in our community because people are scared. People are crying. I have kids in my neighborhood that are afraid to go to school. Uh I'm afraid every day and I'm just a white guy. I can't even imagine what other members of my community are feeling currently. Um, you know, it's it's not okay when you have these Nazi thugs running our streets violating the Constitution, violating laws, abducting a child from Target, beating him up in his car, and then dropping him off two miles later. When the police chief says, "I can't do anything," that's not acceptable, and that's not okay. We have to do something. I think the bare minimum too and this is something I also expressed in my email to all of you is that we have mass surveillance cameras in our community, Flock cameras, that are being leveraged by ICE. Now I was assured by the police chief that we don't share that data. Uh the ACLU says something different and Walter you referenced the ACLU today. They said they're violating the Fourth Amendment. They still share data with ICE regardless of what the contract says and that is the truth. So, the bare minimum to keep the cameras up is still an indignity. I don't think any of you want to. I think you're good people. I met you in my neighbor's yard. I thought you were lovely, by the way. Um, but I'm asking you to be brave and I'm asking you to do something, a tangible thing that we can eliminate those cameras because they are being used. They're a key data point in tracking down our neighbors and abducting our neighbors. They're anti-privacy. They're anti-American and it's a very minimal thing that we could actually do today to save members of our community from being abducted. Thank you. **[00:37:30] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Next we have Taylor Martin and Coral Faker is on deck. **[00:37:35] Taylor Martin (Resident):** My name is Taylor Martin. I am a family law attorney and I have a very diverse group of clients. Um, I'm from Richfield, by the way. I've lived here for five years in June. Um, we have seen the police brutalize our citizens in this city and the cities around us at Target, driving in traffic. They've rammed vehicles. They are pulling people out of vehicles, kidnapping from them, leaving them idle in the street with smashed windows and cut seat belts and a variety of—I could go on for hours on the type of brutality we're seeing here. Um the fact of the matter is they're not following the rule of law. And I as an attorney, I understand that there are certain limitations, but there are also things that we can do to protect our community. And I think that it is important that one, we demand a response from Target on what occurred at their location. They are silent. They've said nothing. They have declined comment. Um that is a severe concern. Um I understand that we don't have any jurisdiction over them, but we should demand some sort of action from them. For our police, what are you doing to protect our citizens? Will you stand there with us if we are legal observers trying to protect our community? Are you going to support ICE and—I'm gonna start crying—tear gas us, attack us? Um like other people have said, they are violating the law. Detaining them is the only thing that we can really do and ask our community, our officials and our police representatives to do and take action because until something happens, they're going to continue to attack us and harm us and we're going to end up with more individuals harmed. Children are being harmed and potentially killed. This is the only power we have against our government right now. A woman in Minneapolis had a Door Dash driver run into her home and they were telling her that she would be charged with harboring a fugitive and specifically the Minneapolis police told her the same. That's not correct. I think that our police should also be informing the public about what they can do and what their rights are in those types of situation. Thank you. **[00:40:30] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Next we have Coral Thcker and on deck is Jeff R. **[00:40:40] Coral Thcker (Resident):** Hello, I'm Coral Thcker. I'm from Richfield. I live over on Nicollet. I'm an American. I'm a disabled combat veteran. I am queer. I love my neighbors. And above all, I'm human. Borders are made by people who want to have control, power, and more money than they will ever need in their lifetime. Borders are just made up lines on a map. I mentioned my friend Buddy earlier. He's a fellow geek. He has the sweetest soul. Buddy was almost detained by ICE last Friday. He was just trying to go buy some board games before coming over to play with us. He stopped near the source in Roseville because he saw a swarm of cars around a single vehicle with three scared teenage boys in it. He pulled over out of the way, filmed it from across the street. They yelled to him, "Are you a citizen? Where are your papers? We can detain your ass." He said, "Why wouldn't I be?" They started approaching him and becoming more hostile. They asked him if he had a passport. He said, "No, just his license." They said, "That's not good enough." This very quickly could have escalated, but one of them got a call and they left. Buddy got back in his car and cried for 30 minutes. All of this just because some racist saw brown skin. My heart is hurting and I don't want violence or hate. But where do we go from here? What do we do now to stop this federally funded racism and propaganda before it's too late? I'll end with a quote from someone who is more eloquent than me, my friend Buddy. He said this just days after he was almost unlawfully kidnapped: "Together we must stand to denounce the division and to state unequivocally, we are love and we are not afraid." Thank you. **[00:43:30] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Jeff R. And on deck is Ben Brown. **[00:43:35] Jeff R. (Resident):** Hello. I'm Jeff from here in Richfield. Um, just want to demand some action here. Why the people of the city are doing way more than anyone else? Like the everyday citizens are out there patrolling the streets watching trying to watch out for our neighbors and what is the city doing? I heard some great suggestions. Eviction of moratorium. That would be great for people that can't go to work or their work is closed because of ICE. Why do we have Flock cameras? Why do we have those in the first place? Get rid of them. Get rid of them immediately. We need action. We need real things. We got to get creative. I understand we can't do everything that you want to do—just drive them out as we should be doing. But we need something. We need action. We don't need words. You all have very nice words. But we need action. We need actual things, tangible things to protect our people. That's all I got. **[00:45:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Next, we have Ben Brown. And on deck is Erica Klene. **[00:45:05] Ben Brown (Resident):** Hi, my name is Ben Brown. I live here in Richfield. Um, Fred Rogers's mom said to him when he was little, "When there's a catastrophe, look for the helpers." I think a lot of us have heard that and we can really feel it. And I'm so proud of our community and our surrounding communities for all the helpers that are here and that are doing so much. I want to do more as a helper. One of those helpers shared that last city council, someone said that their other residents should just voluntarily deport themselves. And that really threw me off. And I really thought about it and I was like, "I don't know. Like, that's not very helpful. That tears apart our community." But then I wanted to help. How can I be a helper? And then it came to me. I was born in International Falls, Minnesota and my mom still lives there. Out our back window, we can see Canada. Now why would you tell somebody to mandatorily deport yourself? One of the best leaders I've ever known was a former supervisor, Tyrone Snell. He joined us in a well-established group and from day one he said to us, "I will never ask you to do something that I would not do myself." And sure enough, he was right there with us. And so it came to me: I can help these people that want to be leaders. If you believe that, if you want to tell your fellow residents to mandatorily deport themselves, I got it. I got you. I'm your helper. I will come to your house. I will help you pack up your things. I will make sandwiches for us. We will load things into my car. I will drive you to my mom's house. I will buy the gas. Then my mom will make us bars. We will share those together. I will help you be the leader you want to be because then when we're done, when you're ready, I will take you by the hand. We will walk the couple blocks to the international border and you can be the leader you want to be. You deport yourself. That is ridiculous. These people are our people. They're our community. **[00:47:45] Mayor Mary Supple:** Please finish up. Thank you. **[00:47:48] Ben Brown (Resident):** So, um, my last thing I'll say, it's super corny, but I know I really needed to hear it. It's from Fred Rogers: "You're special. There is no one quite like you. I always wanted to have a neighbor like you. I always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you. Would you please be my neighbor?" Thank you. **[00:48:15] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Erica Klene is up next. And after that, Patrick Jones is on deck. **[00:48:20] Erica Klene (Resident):** I'm Erica Klene and I live in Richfield. There are so many stories in this room and in this community. But we're talking to the government and what can the government do? I work for the government myself. I work for state government and I've worked in county government and I actually know some of the things that government can do. They're important things and they're valuable things. I think this government, the city government, can take a look at what this is costing the city. We can look at what the economic costs are. We're losing businesses. We're losing workers. All of those entities pay taxes. We're also losing neighbors and we care about those things. But this is the government and what can the government do? We can look at the economic cost to this community. What about the public health costs as well? Children are missing school. Children are being traumatized. Adults are being traumatized as well. Picture us a year or two in the near future where this is behind us and we're looking back. What should we be doing differently as a city? How should we be adjusting our budgets? How should we be adjusting our services? We have to know what the costs, what the impacts are in order to do those things. So, I think that the city ought to focus on what governments do best. Thank you. **[00:50:45] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Patrick Jones. And on deck is Concetta Lenon. **[00:50:50] Patrick Jones (Resident):** Hi, I'm Patrick Jones from Richfield reading a statement for John Ruskakus from Richfield. I've been very clear since this president took office that his number one goal is to make sure his encore performance in the newly remodeled White House makes us all of us hurt as much as possible. The surge of ICE officers is one of the most glaring examples of this. It has nothing to do with legal status. People are being stopped, searched, and detained, sometimes violently, simply because of their appearance. As a person of Mediterranean descent, I am mindful of this and always looking over my shoulder since ICE arrived here, even though I was born and raised in this country and have lived here my whole life. It has nothing to do with families. How many kids have come home from school wondering where their parents are? How can anyone who claims to be a person of faith support this? It's not about public safety. Any escalation of this type of governmental force on the street for any reason is going to increase tensions and the risk of violence. The administration is well aware of that and that's what they're hoping for. The poor training of these officers, one who just murdered a woman from Minneapolis in cold blood, is proof of this. This administration is so willfully feeding its flock with misinformation and the hatred of the other. This is one step towards burning crosses on people's front lawns. Shame on anyone who has fallen for this. Thank you. **[00:53:15] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Concetta Lenon and on deck is Barbara Amram. **[00:53:20] Concetta Lenon (Resident):** Good evening. I'm Concetta Lenon. Um I live in Richfield. I'm here to echo the comments and concerns of many others in this room about the ICE presence in our city. You have expressed your concerns and discussed with what is happening in this community. You've also expressed that your ability to help us is limited as it pertains to the federal government. To that, I ask you, will you do what you can do for us? Will you remove the Flock cameras? Will you make it harder for them to track us and our neighbors? Will you cite them for traffic violations? Will you enact an eviction moratorium? Will you do everything you can do to help? Several people have stood here this evening with research solutions and ways you can help us. And I ask you, will you do everything that is in your power? We protect us. And boy, would we appreciate it if you could do everything that you can do to protect us, too. Thank you. **[00:54:45] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Barbara Amram. And on deck is Dwayne Sitesma. **[00:54:50] Barbara Amram (Resident):** I'd like to thank the council and the mayor. I Barbara Amram, I live in Richfield and I will use my seniority. I have lived in Richfield for 66 years. In fact, when I first spoke, it was about whether we should have a Richfield well or use Minneapolis's Mississippi River water. Fortunately, the well won out. But I too am frustrated about feeling what can we do aside from what we can do, but what can the council do? One thought that came to me: the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are suing the administration. What if many more cities in the state joined with them in that lawsuit? Could it be more effective and stronger? I also would like to see more use of the local paper expressing your views and trying to persuade people about what you feel needs to be done. And I'd like to add one more thing that should apply to everyone. Go to your precinct caucus. Thanks. **[00:56:30] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Dwayne Sitesma is not here. Linda Peterson and on deck is Alicia Takis. **[00:56:45] Linda Peterson (Resident):** Hello, my name is Linda Peterson and I am from Richfield. I am never without my whistle. I should never have to be without my whistle. I went to the vigil the night Renee Nicole Good was killed. A vigil that never should have happened. This killing and many kidnappings which have taken place in our neighborhoods have now made our streets and lives less safe, not more. The terrorizing of our families, friends, co-workers has to stop. My co-workers are afraid to go to work because they're not white and they talk with an accent and because they don't look like me. It frustrates me. These are members of our community. Community takes care of our own. But what can be done when there are more invaders than residents? I have no answers, but do have ideas. I hope to see a rental moratorium, removal of the Flock cameras, and something to make our neighbors safe again. Thank you. **[00:58:30] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Alicia Takis and on deck is Joanne Eron Dulquist. **[00:58:35] Alicia Takis (Resident):** Hi, my name is Alicia. I'm a resident of Richfield for almost a decade now. Great job everyone who prepared. I agree. We've had more than enough thoughts and prayers. My familial roots in Minnesota run deep. My family's been here over 140 years. The other side of my family comes from Germany. I grew up listening to stories from my great-grandmother and my grandmother who survived World War I and World War II. The lessons that they taught when I was just a little girl, I didn't understand then. I didn't understand the impact, how things could move so quickly, how people could see their neighbors being terrorized, tormented, killed. It's great to see the community stand up, speak out, show up, be here tonight, ask the council to do what is right, to do the extent of your power. We just need to do more. Take all these suggestions that folks have raised tonight and really look into them and take action. Now, I'm going to stop there and just read this quote: "Terrible things are happening outside. Poor helpless people are being dragged out of their homes. Families are torn apart. Men, women, and children are separated. children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared." That was written in the diary of Anne Frank on January 13th, 1943. That's the same date we're on today, just a handful of years later. Thank you for listening. Do what you can. **[01:01:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Next, we have Joanne Eron Dulquist. And on deck is Megan Fathery. **[01:01:05] Joanne Eron Dulquist (Resident):** Hi, I'm Joan Eron Dulquist. Um, I'm a Richfield resident for 34 years. In that amount of time, Richfield has changed a lot and it has not changed at all. The reason that my husband and I decided to move here and live here was because of the richness of the community—the urban hometown. Certainly there's been a lot of disagreements among neighbors, but it's horrible what's happening. And I just want to say I really appreciate everybody who's come with such prepared and researched statements because I didn't. I just came with a note that I wrote down while sitting in the parking lot of a grocery store watching the Richfield Police Department—a couple of its officers talk to somebody in the car because they had been called—unmasked uniformed marked cars following a procedure. Totally legit. It's not what the people who are calling themselves ICE are doing in our community. And what I want to know is that our police department in Richfield and everybody who works for the city of Richfield is doing everything they can to uphold the real rule of law, the actual rule of law, and protect my family, me, and my wider community. Thank you. **[01:03:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Megan Fathery. And we have Matt Anderson on deck. **[01:03:05] Megan Fathery (Resident):** Hi. Thank you for being here tonight. I'm Megan Fathery. I live in Richfield, Ward One. I'm really just here to be in community. I'm here to express my outrage, my grief at the terror and the trauma that is being inflicted on our community by federal law enforcement officers. I would like to see ICE out of our community. I've never felt as unsafe for myself and my neighbors as I do right now. And it's because of federal law enforcement activity in our community. It's impacting me and my neighbors' mental health, ability to participate in the economy, and to just be present. But it also does just show how strong we are as well. And it is really impactful to see neighbors helping neighbors and coming together and just raising our voices. So thank you to the council for everything you're doing. I just want to continue to implore you to do everything you can to stand with us. Thank you. **[01:05:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Next we have Matt Anderson and on deck is Jim Riley. **[01:05:05] Matt Anderson (Resident):** Yeah, I'm Matt Anderson. I live here in Richfield. And in the last week alone, we've all seen the legal actions that have happened against our neighbors, including most notably the two teenage Target employees, kids in our city. When you watch some of your neighbors hastily pack their lives into two suitcases and flee their home in their pajamas, you never forget it. And yet, I know that their story will be repeated tomorrow and the next day, often in ways that are far more traumatic and far more violent. At the height of the ICE surge in Chicago a few months ago, roughly 650 ICE agents were sent there. Today in the Twin Cities, 2,000 soon to be 3,000 agents will be here. This is about escalation in numbers, in intimidation, in violent tactics. Fascism has landed on our very doorsteps. As a former pastor of 20 years, I've tried to build the ethic of my life on a love for my neighbor. Regardless of one's faith, I just ask that every one of us here continue to love our neighbors. Our city is on edge. Much of what ICE is doing here is patently illegal. And virtually all of what they are doing here is intentionally dehumanizing and terrorizing. And so I just ask that as a city, we do all that we can do to reinforce the message that our immigrant neighbors are welcome here and that ICE is not. Heed some of the fantastic actionable items that have been proposed here tonight. Use every mechanism and resource you have at your disposal to both protect and support our immigrant neighbors at their homes, their schools, their businesses, and their places of worship. Thank you. **[01:08:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Jim Riley. **[01:08:05] Jim Riley (Resident):** Hello, my name is Jim Riley. I'm a resident of East Richfield. On January 8th, the illegal abduction and detention of two American citizens by Customs and Border Protection officials at the Richfield Target placed our city at the center of recent federal enforcement actions in Minnesota. I am asking our mayor, city council, and public safety leaders to formally condemn what is occurring and to take direct action to protect all Richfield residents. I am the father of a two-year-old daughter. She attends a wonderful daycare here in Richfield. Many of the staff are foreign born and are in this country with legal status and valid work authorization. Despite this, daycare staff are continuously terrified of being unlawfully detained by ICE and disappeared. In response, parents at our daycare have organized to protect these educators. We have observers on site from early morning through the evening to make sure that everybody gets to work safely and gets home safely. We are providing rides to and from work. We are organizing food banks to support for staff families who are too frightened to leave their homes to shop. We shouldn't have to do this in the United States of America. I ask the mayor and city council to take the following actions: First, allocate city staff to compile a public record of all ICE enforcement actions, detentions, and arrests within Richfield documenting who was detained, when and where it occurred, legal status, and stated probable cause for use in future lawsuits. Second: charge the Richfield Police Department to take direct action to prevent violations of law and civil rights by federal agents, including searches of private property without a judicial warrant or the detention or arrest of legal residents or US citizens. Thank you. **[01:10:45] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Um, is there anyone else who wishes to speak? Hannah Riddle and then on deck is Angela Alexander. **[01:11:15] Hannah Riddle (Resident):** My name is Hannah Riddle. I'm a resident and I am so grateful to so many who have come to share stories. This is going to be emotional because I'm a mom and my son is half Latino. He's also white passing. This week he told me, "Mom, I have to hide my Latino so that ICE won't arrest me." Your kids shouldn't be afraid, but they are because their parents are being taken. I sit at a childcare center from 7:00 to 9:00 every day so that her staff can come and go in peace. And they took a teacher. They told her that her car had been hit and she left. And I arrived to drop my son off and she came to the door and her wrists have handcuff marks. I was at Sam's Club and a Somali woman's car is sitting there and this woman's in tears saying they tear gassed her husband. We finally find someone to help us. We found her nephew and they got the car back. I don't know where she is. I light a candle for her every night. I patrol my kids' school. I got a note today that they were on lockdown. I bring food to four families that can't leave their houses. I understand how complicated things are. But allowing your hands to be tied while the other side is disregarding all the laws is a choice. And I just encourage you all to sit with that while the rest of us are showing up for our neighbors. Thank you. **[01:14:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Next we have Angela Alexander. **[01:14:10] Angela Alexander (Resident):** Hello, my name is Angela Alexander and I am a Richfield resident. I am also a mother of an eight-year-old daughter and I am a breast cancer survivor who has fought to be here for the last three years. Having ICE come into our community and terrorize people is the second scariest moment of my life. I attended the University of Minnesota Twin Cities; my undergrad is in political science. I was privileged enough to receive a scholarship to go and study in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2007. I studied human rights violations. I studied the military state that inflicted terror on every citizen within Argentina. I see similarities of what happened in Argentina with 30,000 disappeared individuals. I was given the honor to march with family members that every Thursday still protest in their plaza demanding answers. If we do not stand up to our federal government, we will be the next Argentina. My 8-year-old daughter attends a Chinese immersion school. ICE has scoped out her school. We are now using the Signal app to communicate. We have parents riding the bus morning and afternoon. We have parents staked out. Stand up and fight for your rights. Continue observing in a peaceful way. We are a target. Trump is targeting the state of Minnesota. We are a blue state. We are everything that conservative fascist right-wings hate. Fight for your rights. Thank you. **[01:17:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Is there anyone else? Sam Worlero. **[01:17:15] Sam Worlero (Resident):** Hi, my name is Sam Worlero. I am a resident of Richfield. I am also an educator. Our kids are scared, they're unsafe, kids are not coming to school, our businesses are hurt, doors are locked. Today I rushed elementary students in from recess because ICE was nearby. Kids were asking why their recess was being cut short. They were slipping on ice, literally as staff had to rush outside to get them inside. That is not what their school day should look like. On Friday night, my husband and I were in a grocery parking lot where a woman was loading her car. There was four plus agents. Another agent pulled into the parking lot, cut my husband off, and sprayed him twice in the face with pepper spray. Then another agent turned to me and threatened to arrest me for blowing my whistle. It was myself, the elderly lady that was being kidnapped, and my husband and four plus agents. You cannot tell me that that force was needed. I have heard many ideas from our community members on what you guys can do as our leaders but then I hear you guys are saying there's not much you can do. I don't believe that. I see my community members putting their lives on the line literally to help our community. I believe there's more you can do. Thank you. **[01:20:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Mike Cuss. Heather Polifka is on deck. **[01:20:15] Mike Cuss (Resident):** Hi. My name is Mike Cuss. I'm a Richfield resident of five months. I wasn't expecting to talk tonight. I mostly just wanted to come and sit and listen. I've never been to a city council meeting before. First of all, I just want to say I'm really thankful for everyone who came out and shared your stories. But I really want to clarify: these aren't just suggestions. What we expect from our leaders is that you take these ideas seriously and respond to them. What I would expect is that we have a record of all of these great ideas. I expect every single one of those to be addressed—whether that's a press release, Facebook post, something. Tell us why you can't do some of these things. I would like to see item by item a response. If we're not able to carry out these great ideas, what is the holdup? Thanks. **[01:22:15] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Heather Polifka. And then on deck is Christy St. Jean. **[01:22:25] Heather Polifka (Resident):** Hi, Heather Polifka, resident of Richfield for 18 years. I don't have kids in school, so I've had to really seek out how I can help and show up for people I don't know. And so, my ask of you is: can we mobilize our city government? Yes, it's "what can we do to hold ICE accountable," but can we—we have a neighborhood captain and I hear about the most random stuff from him, but I've heard nothing about how I can show up and support my neighbors. Take this sense of community and love and concern and mobilize it. I think that would make a profound difference. Thank you. **[01:23:45] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Next is Christy St. Jean and Amanda Foster is on deck. **[01:24:00] Christy St. Jean (Resident):** Hello. Christy St. Jean, Richfield. I have a son who is in daycare and as has been mentioned, to work at a daycare you have to have legal status. I've never seen people so scared to come to work as the staff at our daycare. They are so wonderful and they are our village. I have never been more angry in my life. We need to do something to keep the daycares and the schools safe at a city level. I've also been observing at local schools. It was literally just citizens showing up. I think we need to have a more organized response from the city, especially for the schools. I know that there is a volunteer form going around for the Richfield public schools. We need something more especially for the schools and the daycares. Thank you. **[01:26:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Amanda Foster. **[01:26:10] Amanda Foster (Resident):** Hi. My name is Amanda Foster. My wife and I moved from Alabama because of threats to our lives because we're queer. My mother is a Colombian immigrant. She feels safer in Alabama at the moment than I do here in Minnesota. I have to talk to my mother on the phone every night and reassure her that I'm okay, that the Gestapo has not come and busted down my door yet. I want to know what our council can do to keep us safe. A lot of us moved up here for safety and we're not safe anymore. I have to fear every night that I may be dragged out just because we moved to Minnesota. Please just help us in some way. Remove the cameras. Do something to help our community members. Thank you very much. **[01:28:30] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. At this point, I have no more cards. seeing that, we'll close the open forum. Thank you so much for showing up. We hear you. We'll be moving on to the consent calendar. City Manager Rodriguez, you can take over. **[01:29:15] City Manager Katie Rodriguez:** Thank you, Mayor. The consent calendar contains several separate items which are acted upon by the city council in one motion. On tonight's consent calendar: Item A, approved disbursements and claims; Item B, extension of ARPA agreement with Reach for Resources; Item C, amendment to public health agreement with Bloomington; Item D, permit for MNDOT access; Item E, Hennepin County score funding agreement; Item F, agreement with West Metro Drug Task Force; Item G, agreement with Lexipol; Item H, designation of mayor pro-tem for 2026; Item I, annual designations of acting city manager and newspaper; Item J, resolutions designating official depositories. I submit all of these for your consideration. **[01:31:00] Council Member Sean Hayford Oleary:** I move the consent calendar. **[01:31:05] Council Member Walter Burk:** Second. **[01:31:10] Mayor Mary Supple:** Moved and seconded. Clerk Friedrich, could you please call the roll? **[01:31:15] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** [Roll call: Burk - Aye, Hayford Oleary - Aye, Christensen - Aye, Coleman-Woods - Aye, Supple - Aye. Motion passes.] **[01:32:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** The consent calendar has passed. Next, we'll move on to the public hearing and I'm going to turn it over to Council Member Hayford Oleary. **[01:32:10] Council Member Sean Hayford Oleary:** This public hearing is to consider renewal of the 2026 pawn broker license for Metro Pawn and Gun at 7529 Lyndale Avenue South. Public safety director has reviewed the background and sees no basis for denial. I would move that we close the public hearing. **[01:33:00] Council Member Walter Burk:** Second. **[01:33:10] Mayor Mary Supple:** Moved and seconded to close. Clerk Friedrich, call the roll. **[01:33:15] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** [Roll call: Burk - Aye, Hayford Oleary - Aye, Christensen - Aye, Coleman-Woods - Aye, Supple - Aye.] **[01:34:00] Council Member Sean Hayford Oleary:** I move that we approve the renewal of the 2026 pawn broker license for Metro Pawn and Gun. **[01:34:05] Council Member Rori Coleman-Woods:** Seconded. **[01:34:10] Mayor Mary Supple:** Moved and seconded. Clerk Friedrich, please call the roll. [Roll call: All Aye. License approved.] **[01:35:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Next, we'll move on to item 10A. I'm going to turn it over to Council Member Burk. **[01:35:10] Council Member Walter Burk:** The item is the first reading of an ordinance rezoning four parcels near 76th Street and Morgan from R to MR2 to facilitate construction of a new learning center for Minnesota Independence College and Community (MICC). Planning commission held a public hearing and voted unanimously to recommend approval. **[01:36:30] Community Development Director Melissa Poehlman:** Yes. Thank you, Council Member Burk. I did want to add that this is the first meeting when we'll talk about the application as a whole. I also wanted to mention the high number of variances. This project aligns with our goal of pulling buildings closer to the street, but our zoning code hadn't caught up with that yet. The applicant is here if you have questions. **[01:38:00] Council Member Walter Burk:** I would move to approve the first reading of the ordinance changing the zoning from R to MR2. **[01:38:05] Council Member Sean Hayford Oleary:** Second. **[01:38:15] Council Member Sean Hayford Oleary:** I just want to thank the applicant for an excellent project. I'm really impressed at your effort to engage with the neighborhood. **[01:38:45] Mayor Mary Supple:** I would echo that. You've been a great asset to our community. I think the project is much better than when you first proposed it because you listened to the neighbors. I have one question for Melissa: what will the tax status be on the school part versus residential? **[01:39:15] Community Development Director Melissa Poehlman:** I can provide an update on that as part of the packet for the next meeting. **[01:39:45] Mayor Mary Supple:** Thank you. Clerk Friedrich, call the roll. [Roll call: All Aye. First reading approved.] **[01:40:30] Mayor Mary Supple:** Next, we'll move on to item 10B. Council Member Coleman-Woods. **[01:40:40] Council Member Rori Coleman-Woods:** This item is for approval of the first reading of an ordinance to establish a Human Resources Department and add a Director of Human Resources position. Since 2020, HR functions have grown in complexity. We have had turnover in the manager role due to the tight market for public sector HR professionals. Recruiting for a director-level role is more likely to result in an experienced candidate pool. **[01:42:00] City Manager Katie Rodriguez:** Thank you, council member. This is what most cities are going to. This would be a department of four, as we would move the equity coordinator position into the department. This is not an additional person; the manager position would be eliminated, so we are only looking at the salary differential. **[01:43:30] Council Member Rori Coleman-Woods:** I move to approve the first reading of the ordinance. **[01:43:35] Council Member Walter Burk:** I'll second that. **[01:43:45] Mayor Mary Supple:** I will speak in support. We can't afford to have vacant positions in such a critical point. Clerk Friedrich, could you please call the roll? [Roll call: All Aye. First reading approved.] **[01:45:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Next, item number 11. Council Member Burk. **[01:45:10] Council Member Walter Burk:** This item is to consider a resolution for municipal consent for Phase Two of the I-494 corridor vision project. Project elements include an E-ZPass lane, reconstruction of pavement on I-35W, and bridge rehabilitation. **[01:46:15] City Engineer Joe Powers:** Thank you. MDOT staff Andrew Lutaya and Ryan Wilson are here tonight for questions. **[01:46:30] Council Member Sean Hayford Oleary:** I have an alternative resolution I'd like to discuss. 76th Street and 35W has been an area of concern regarding pedestrian safety for a regional trail. We've asked for improvements that haven't been addressed. The project is expected to increase traffic on local streets. I am proposing that we disapprove the plans with the condition that MDOT include safety improvements at 76th Street and 35W. [Reads full resolution of disapproval with conditions.] **[01:49:15] Mayor Mary Supple:** Joe, what happens if we disapprove? **[01:49:20] City Engineer Joe Powers:** It would trigger an appeal process with a three-member board. They would issue a ruling. MDOT then has the choice to include the improvements or explain in writing why they won't. **[01:50:30] Council Member Sean Hayford Oleary:** Could MDOT simply make the changes without an appeal? **[01:50:45] MDOT Project Manager Andrew Lutaya:** Yes, we could accept the condition and come back to the city for approval. **[01:51:30] Mayor Mary Supple:** Andrew, I am also troubled by the lack of additional storm water infrastructure. Are you legally obligated to provide capacity for the increased flow we are seeing with climate change? **[01:52:15] MDOT Project Manager Andrew Lutaya:** We are obligated under statute 103E to perpetuate existing drainage from when the system was built in the late 1960s. We are aware of the budget and space constraints, so while we accommodate existing flow, we aren't obligated to accommodate increased flow. **[01:53:45] Council Member Sean Hayford Oleary:** I move the resolution disapproving municipal consent subject to the condition described. **[01:53:50] Council Member Walter Burk:** I'll second that. **[01:54:15] Mayor Mary Supple:** Clerk Friedrich, if you could call the roll. [Roll call: All Aye. Project layout disapproved with conditions.] **[01:55:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** City Manager report. **[01:55:10] City Manager Katie Rodriguez:** Thank you, mayor. We will review the suggestions shared tonight regarding ICE activity and see if we can do more. **[01:55:45] Council Member Sean Hayford Oleary:** I want to take an urgent look at those Flock cameras. I don't know how confident we can be that they aren't sharing data, and we are giving money to an organization with a terrible security record. **[01:56:15] Council Member Walter Burk:** I would like to see an ordinance on the eviction moratorium and joining the lawsuit with Minneapolis and St. Paul. **[01:56:45] Council Member Rori Coleman-Woods:** I support any action towards an eviction moratorium or prohibiting federal agents at our schools. **[01:57:15] Mayor Mary Supple:** I would be in support of an emergency ordinance regarding parking on public property and turning off the Flock cameras at least temporarily. **[01:58:00] Mayor Mary Supple:** Hats off to Hometown Hits. Council Member Coleman-Woods. **[01:58:15] Council Member Rori Coleman-Woods:** Shout out to our neighbors who have come together. We stand stronger together. **[01:58:45] Council Member Walter Burk:** I wish to thank the open forum speakers. I also want to thank local law enforcement for their watchful presence at our schools during this time. **[01:59:15] Mayor Mary Supple:** I echo the thanks for our professional police force. Please support our local businesses during this crisis. Also, Richfield was featured in AARP magazine as a great, affordable place to live. With that, do we have a motion to adjourn? **[01:59:45] Council Member Rori Coleman-Woods:** I make a motion to adjourn. **[01:59:50] Council Member Walter Burk:** I'll second. **[01:59:55] City Clerk Michelle Friedrich:** [Roll call: All Aye. Meeting adjourned.]