[4:08] Mayor Anne Burt: Steve's not gonna have 17 questions. Good evening. Welcome to the city of Woodberry's Housing and Redevelopment Authority meeting. We are here in the council chambers. It is April 8th, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. This meeting is of course in person and also taking place virtually. All these meetings are recorded by True Lens Community Media. [4:29] Mayor Anne Burt: They're broadcast live and then also replayed on cable channel 799. You can also find them on City Woodberry's YouTube channel. Members of the public are of course good to see you here and join virtually. Um, and then we will if anyone has questions, we can take those using green sheets. [4:47] Mayor Anne Burt: Again, that's for the H meeting. We have another set for the next meeting that will start the regular city council meeting. We also monitor online in case somebody has a question or comment. So with that, um I'm calling to order the meeting officially and Janelle, would you please do the roll call? [5:03] Janelle Schmitz: Member Morris. [5:03] Council Member Steve Morris: Here. [5:03] Janelle Schmitz: Member Santini. [5:03] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Here. [5:03] Janelle Schmitz: Member Wilson. [5:03] Council Member Kim Wilson: Here. [5:03] Janelle Schmitz: Member Stafford is absent. Chair Burt. [5:03] Mayor Anne Burt: Here. We are here. We've got a quorum so we're able to conduct tonight's business. Um the first order of business is a consent agenda. All items listed under the consent agenda are considered to be routine by the HRA and will be enacted by one motion and affirmative vote of roll call by the majority of the members present. There'll be no separate discussion of these items unless a commissioner or a citizen so request in which event the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered a separate subject of discussion by the board. Uh so we just have two items on our consent agenda in it includes the approval of minutes and the approval of authorization to apply for the 2026 livable communities development grant. [5:50] Mayor Anne Burt: So with that um I always ask the audience if somebody wants something removed. No. And then I always ask Ashleigh if anybody's online. No. So council members, anything removed or if you'd like to put forth a motion. [6:06] Council Member Kim Wilson: I'll move to approve consent agenda items 3A and 3B. [6:06] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Second. [6:06] Mayor Anne Burt: Motion second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. The roll call, please. [6:23] Janelle Schmitz: Member Morris. [6:23] Council Member Steve Morris: I. [6:23] Janelle Schmitz: Member Santini. [6:23] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Hi. [6:23] Janelle Schmitz: Member Wilson. [6:23] Council Member Kim Wilson: I. [6:23] Janelle Schmitz: Member Stafford is absent. Chair Burt. [6:23] Mayor Anne Burt: I. Those uh consent agenda items pass. That that was really the only thing on this agenda for tonight. So I make a motion that we adjourn the H meeting. Kim's got the second. All in favor? [6:23] Council Members: I. [6:23] Mayor Anne Burt: Okay, we are adjourned. [6:56] Mayor Anne Burt: Good evening. Welcome to the city of Woodberry's city council meeting for today, April 8th, 2026. It is it's earlier than 7:40 because we got the last meeting done really fast. 7:33. Um it's take this meeting is taking place in person. We have several people here in person, also virtually and we monitored online. Uh meetings are recorded on True Lens Community Media and they're broadcast live and also replayed on channel 799. Meetings are also available on the city of Woodberry's YouTube channel. Uh we always invite members of the public to attend in person or online virtually and we look forward to hearing from anybody that wants to speak using green sheets. I have a couple up here that we will be taking shortly and if somebody wants to speak online we'll be monitoring for that as well. Um so as is our normal standard we do begin with the pledge of allegiance. Now we have a very important guest in the room. Felix, our young man from Woodbury. I'd like you to come up. You're a scout too. How awesome. He's going to lead us in the pledge of allegiance and then we have some special news to share about Felix. So, Felix, please stand here. I'm going to give you the mic so you can begin the pledge. And of course, we stand. Right. And here we go. Whenever you're ready. [8:09] Felix: 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. [8:24] Mayor Anne Burt: Outstanding, Felix. Now, I'm going to get I'm going to invite you to sit in the mayor's chair, and I'll explain why we're doing this. So, Felix is What grade are you in, Felix? [8:39] Felix: Fourth. [8:39] Mayor Anne Burt: Fourth. And what school? [8:39] Felix: Red Rock Elementary. [8:39] Mayor Anne Burt: He needs to be a little higher. Okay. There you go. Okay. What? Say that again. Fourth grade. [8:39] Felix: Yeah. [8:39] Mayor Anne Burt: Red Rock Elementary. [8:39] Felix: Yeah. [8:41] Mayor Anne Burt: Okay. and he was um he and and all students every year are invited to have this opportunity to to write an essay about being mayor for a day and this is organized by the league of Minnesota cities. So Felix found this opportunity and wrote an amazing story or amazing uh reason why he wanted to be mayor for a day and lots of kids from all over the state applied for this and Felix was one of the chosen ones for mayor of the day. [9:11] Mayor Anne Burt: So we're very proud of Felix. Let's give him a hand round of applause. And he would like to say a few words as to what he wrote about and why he earned this award for mayor of the day. Here you go. Here's your mic. [9:27] Felix: I won mayor of the day because I wrote about chickens and ducks because I love chickens and ducks. They make funny sounds and I think it's funny. Uh, I wrote about it because uh my mom and me, we really want chickens, but they're illegal to have in Woodbury. And that and that's what I and that's why I wrote about it. So then me and my mom could have chickens and ducks. And there would be a few rules on having it. So, you would have no roosters because they're too loud cuz you don't want to wake up to a rooster screaming. Uh, you would have to have a fence tall enough so then it they could keep it could keep the coyotes away so then they don't the coyotes don't get to the chickens or ducks. and and the maximum birds would only be six because if you have more than six if you have six birds uh one year would equal uh 1,800 eggs and that's a lot of eggs. So that's why the maximum would be six and that's why I wrote about backyard chickens. [9:27] Mayor Anne Burt: That is most awesome. Well done, Felix. Very proud of you. And look at this like in front of an audience at fourth grade doing this. I think you've got a big future ahead of you and lots of opportunity. No notes. He He's done it all. So fantastic. So you were also published in the League of Minnesota Cities magazine. Correct. So with the And you got an award. I think you brought in your plaque award. Right. Right there. Which is awesome. So maybe we want to get a picture with all that. Before we do, we have a few gifts for you. Okay. As mayor, it's really important that you have a gavel. Now we'll let you I'll let you hit the real gavel. This one makes real noise. So hit the gavel. Well done. Now we let you take the parting gift of the uh of the spongy one. Okay. So you can take that. Yes. And uh you get this really cool city flashlight. And more than anything, here is where you're going to start taking notes on all the things that the city's doing well and bring us more ideas for how to improve. Um, and that's just awesome. [12:13] Mayor Anne Burt: So, does we want to take a picture up here with him in the official mayor's seat? And do you want and then if you want to stand with a plaque or you want city council to stand with you? Let's How do we want to do this? Have to stand with it. This is Okay. So, Felix, perhaps why don't you stand so that we can see you over this and you can maybe hold your chicken and your award and um we'll let you we'll let you be a solo here and then maybe city council will hop in the picture with you behind you. Perfect. I love it. GOOD. We'll let uh we'll let Shelley do one on her own and then we'll bring the council up. Can we stand with you? Because we're part of your council. You can't do anything on your own as mayor. We need the council to work with you. So, are we? Yeah. Awesome. Awesome. Very good. Well, congratulations. [13:28] Council Member Steve Morris: Oh, don't forget stuff. [13:28] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Oh, yeah. Come. You can come right over. [13:28] Mayor Anne Burt: A lot of got it all. We need a bag next time. [13:28] Council Member Kim Wilson: Yeah. [13:28] Mayor Anne Burt: Would you still have to do both? Oh, yeah. Good, good point. Oh my gosh, this chair is super high. Okay. Um, yeah, we went right from doing the the pledge and and then doing Felix's introduction, but I missed roll call. So, with that, um, Ashleigh, could you do the roll call for us, please? [14:00] Ashleigh Sullivan: Yes. Council member Morris. [14:00] Council Member Steve Morris: Here. [14:00] Ashleigh Sullivan: Council member Santini. [14:00] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Here. [14:00] Ashleigh Sullivan: Uh, Council Member Stafford is absent. Council member Wilson. [14:00] Council Member Kim Wilson: Here. [14:00] Ashleigh Sullivan: Mayor Bert. [14:00] Mayor Anne Burt: Here. And, uh, four of us are here tonight, so we're able to conduct tonight's business. So, we've taken care of Felix. And again, congratulations. Just very very exciting uh for him and um and just a note to any other student out there when this opportunity comes next year uh please write something and let us know. [14:17] Council Member Jennifer Santini: I think third fourth and fifth graders okay that's correct fourth fifth and sixth. [14:17] Mayor Anne Burt: Oh fifth and sixth okay so we we bridge into from elementary school to middle school okay that's awesome. [14:17] Council Member Steve Morris: I ask a question of Felix. Is that technically Woodbury green as the hair color is that the official color and should we name the official color after that? It's an important decision. Love the hair color is my point. Good job. Right on brand. Good job. [14:56] Mayor Anne Burt: Yeah, we like the branding. We do like the branding. Um, okay. We are now going to move into our special order of business item. This 4B, which is our proclamation involving our uh city values. So, um, unfortunately, you have to hear me read a lot. I have a lot to say about all of this. I have a preamble and then I'm going to share actually where we are our official statement on where we stand with this. I do want to thank many of you. I think some of you are back from the first time we did this a couple weeks ago. Uh thank you for um your passion in this. Thank you for bringing it to our attention. Thank you for demanding something that you find to be important. Um city council has worked together with staff to um to to make a better response and a formal response to some of the concerns. [15:41] Mayor Anne Burt: So let me just share my preamble. So tonight's agenda includes a proclamation affirming our city values, outlining actions where we have taken that we have taken related to immigration enforcement in our community and formally stating the city's opposition to a federal immigration detention center in Woodbury, which is what we've heard that you would like to see. Over the past several months, staff and council have been actively working on these issues and have provided updates to the community along the way in for several ways, whether it's on the website or in direct communication or in social media posts or what have you. But this proclamation serves to formally memorialize those efforts and clearly articulate the city's position. This item was brought forward in part in response to requests from community members seeking to make the city's position official. We recognize that more residents attended our last council meeting expecting this item to be on the agenda and I would like to take a moment just to clarify the process for setting the council agenda and why it was not included at that time because I think there were some questions that came about regarding that. [16:54] Mayor Anne Burt: So per our adopted council procedures the city administrator that'd be illustrious city administrator Jeff Dahl establishes the council agenda. Residents are encouraged to use the open forum portion of the meeting to address the council on items that are not listed on the agenda. So, when this request was raised in advance of our March 25th meeting, staff advised that it would be not added to the agenda and that the open forum would be the appropriate avenue to bring this request forward. So, that's why we handled it that way a couple weeks ago. So, typically when residents speak during an open forum, the council does not take immediate action. Instead, members take time to consider the information, consult with staff, and determine determining the appropriate next steps. And I think um usually my preamble to any open form kind of shares all that. So, you may have heard that last time. [17:58] Mayor Anne Burt: Following the March 25th meeting, the council reviewed the request submitted by residents for further consideration. Unlike most other cities and counties both near and far, the council determined that it was important to go on record and to respond to the community's request. As a result, this proclamation has been placed on tonight's agenda, affirming the city's opposition to a federal immigration detention center in Woodbury and our commitment to doing everything we can within the scope of law and our authority to prevent a detention center from coming to Woodbury. Thank you. I will note that the proclamation does not include restrictions that use municipal property. While we understand this rationale behind the request, further review identified legal and practical considerations that would make such restrictions difficult to implement and enforce. That said, should we become aware of any unlawful activity or actions that do not align with our values on municipal property, the city reserves the right to revisit this issue. So for now, we hope people take away that the city opposes the use of any buildings or property in Woodbury as a detention center and that we remain committed to ensuring that Woodbury is a place where everyone feels safe, supported, and included. So with that, I'm now going to read the proclamation. [19:01] Council Member Kim Wilson: Just a point of order here or a point of clarification. Um I I'm actually surprised we're reading a proclamation tonight. Um given the fact that council had decided a while ago not to have proclamations based on because we were getting a lot of requests to proclaim a lot of things on a monthly basis. Um and I'm questioning whether this is actually a proclamation or should be a resolution. A proclamation is stating something like like we had an Arbor Day proclamation. That's that's a non-issue. This is establishing policy or um um I don't know resolution. A proclamation will raise your awareness of things that are going on. Your resolutions will establish policy or give a position on the city. And so I do I do think that the proclamation is an interesting way of doing it. Um especially when I I'm actually grateful for the proclamation because I got some insight into things I didn't know were happening um at the city level, but I am questioning whether it's it's a proclamation or should be a resolution. [20:15] Mayor Anne Burt: City Administrator Dahl, would you like to address that because I know that was an issue of discussion. [20:15] Council Member Kim Wilson: Just it was an issue of discussion not amongst council though with staff. I just want to make sure that people have an understanding this the first time. Yep. [20:31] Jeffrey J. Dahl: Right. Uh thank you mayor and council member Wilson. In this case we felt like a proclamation was more appropriate. Uh certainly what the community has gone through over the past several months and the region has been exceptional. So, we felt like it warranted a um clarification of where the city's at in terms of its um how everything that happened over the past uh few months uh uh did not align with our values and wanted to be very clear both just in terms of the impact that Operation Metro Surge had on our community, but also the unique circumstance of us um uh potentially being targeted for a detention center. And nowhere into our in our values, our comprehensive plan, our strategic plan uh allows or even considers the idea of any type of detention center use. So we felt the proclamation in this case uh was just kind of a utilizing a document in public to to be very clear clear as kind uh about where our stance as uh stance is as a community. uh all aligned with previously approved and discussed documents um during this really uh unique circumstance. The community asked for it and we we felt like the proclamation was the best uh media for that. [21:55] Mayor Anne Burt: Okay, this is um the proclamation of affirming city values and action related to immigration enforcement and opposing a federal immigration detention center in Woodbury. So again, that in in the heading, you know, we're that's that's the big item there. We're opposing this detention center. So, um, whereas the city of Woodbury is committed to serving all residents and visitors with dignity and respect and fostering a safe and welcoming community for all who live, work, and visit the city. As of 2024, the US Census Bureau identifies the city of Woodbury has a resident population of over 30% black, indigenous, and people of color, including approximately 14% of foreign-born individuals. And each of these individuals brings a unique perspective and value to our community. Recent tactics from Operation Metro Surge created fear and uncertainty for many people in our community, particularly from our immigrant residents. On December 8th, 2025, the Woodbury Public Safety Department issued a statement confirming its commitment to serving all people with compassion and courage, where they do not inquire about immigration status, nor proactively work with immigration and customs enforcement, and they strive for everyone to feel safe interacting with Woodbury officers and comfortable calling 911 in an emergency. [23:18] Mayor Anne Burt: In late December 2025, reports of Woodbury being considered as a location by the Department of Homeland Security for a federal immigration detention center caused deep concern by many Woodbury residents, Woodbury council members, and staff. On January 9th, 2026, the city issued a statement from myself sharing with the community the information that was known at the time regarding the detention center. At the beginning of January, city staff met with staff from our federal elected officials offices seeking guidance and assistance on detention center issue, which led to a January 12th letter from Congresswoman Betty McCullum to the Department of Homeland Security expressing concern about the facility coming to Minnesota and seeking answers to questions around the facility. On January 14th, 2026, after significant work behind the scenes from the city staff, the city shared an additional statement from myself explaining that the city received verbal confirmation from business owners that the facility would not be sold or leased to the federal government or agents acting on its behalf. [24:28] Mayor Anne Burt: Then further on January 14th, 2026, the city council meeting. Hundreds of residents, many of you probably in attendance, attended to oppose the detention center, the council amended its public forum rule to allow uh those requesting to speak the time to publicly speak. In January 2026, the city received documentation from both the property owner and the federal government that Woodbury was no longer being considered for a federal immigration detention center. That was a very key point to get that in writing from both of those sources. January 20th, 2026, the city coordinated with the League of League of Women Voters to host an online forum with our city administrator, our chief of police, and other community leaders answering questions around immigration enforcement and the reported detention center. Following that online form, the city posted a recording of the forum on the city of Woodbury website with a list of frequently asked questions regarding immigration enforcement and resources. [25:14] Mayor Anne Burt: The city led by the public safety department continue to hold community conversations with immigrant communities and the Woodbury public safety multicultural advisory committee to give updates, answer questions, and reassure the community that the public safety members serve all community members with compassion and are not in collaboration with ICE and they feel comfortable calling 911. In February 2026, the city update newsletter included a column from myself titled, "City working to understand immigration enforcement and activities," which shared what the city knew at the time and the work the city did to try to stop the reported detention center from coming to Woodbury. On February 26, 2026, I gave in my annual state of the city presentation at Central Park. I shared with all residents updates including the city's response to immigration activities in the city and the detention center. And also in February 2026, the the city hosted a meeting for faith leaders to address the impacts to our community because of operation metro surge and discuss ways the city and faith leaders could collaborate to support and meet the needs of our community. [26:09] Mayor Anne Burt: Early in 2026, the city held several meetings and discussions with business owners and operators to understand the impact of Operation Metro Surge on their employees and businesses. In February 2026, the city leadership met with Washington County leadership and the Washington County Sheriff to begin discussions about recovery efforts, including rental assistance and other ways to support our community. The city of Woodbury opposes the use of any buildings or property in Woodbury as a detention facility for many reasons, including placing unanticipated demands upon water and sewer systems, creating hazards to public health as well as strains on public safety services. The use of land or buildings in Woodbury as a mass detention facility does not align with the goals and shared values of equity, sustainability, health, and protection of the general well-being of the people of the city of Woodbury. [27:42] Mayor Anne Burt: So, that was a lot of things that we've been doing and just wanted to memorialize that and share it because we have not been sitting on our hands. We've been actively working in this area to again do all we can to provide a safe and welcoming environment and make it safe and to prevent this detention center from coming. So now therefore I, Anne W. Burt, mayor of the city of Woodbury, Washington County hereby proclaims that in the interest of preserving community safety and public trust, the city of Woodbury is not supportive of a federal immigration detention center in Woodbury. The city shall continue to explore all lawful and appropriate actions within the scope of its authority to prevent the establishment or the operation of any detention facility within the city intended for the custody, processing or long-term holding of individuals for civil immigration enforcement purposed by ICE, DHS, or any private or public contractor acting on their behalf. The city of Woodbury staff remain committed to serving all people with compassion through intentional outreach, relationship building, and collaboration to ensure that Woodbury is a place where everyone feels safe, supported, and included. So, with that, that was a lot. Thanks for listening to me. I was uh trying to make that not so long, but it was important that we shared all the details of that. I would like to open this up now to council members if you'd like to make any comments or add anything to it or if not. [29:05] Council Member Steve Morris: Me first. Okay, I would if I can for a second. I want to thank the mayor for your leadership and visibility along with the relentless efforts of staff, some in this room and some not in this room as they worked meaningful to meaningfully and purposefully provide the community with answers and support. The mayor just listed off all the actions that have been done and the work that's been started and continued. Those efforts to some may not be enough and I recognize that and appreciate the deep levels of passion that folks have, but those actions and efforts that she just listed were purposeful and importantly within our authority and mission. I have used the phrase before "performative politics" many times since January. And I want to emphasize why I've been using that phrase. I am not a politician. We are not professional politicians. We are community members who chose to serve our community. We each bring our personal definition of leadership to the table. And I'm appreciative of each of our different talents and views of the members of this council, regardless if we agree with each other on a certain topic. I just wanted to say that part out loud. It's important for people to see a government body that doesn't always agree with each other still maintain professionalism and decorum. And I appreciate you. [30:20] Council Member Steve Morris: When it comes to being a politician, I stink. I'm not good at it. I don't want to necessarily be good at it. My personal definition of leadership in this role is to understand a problem, understand an issue, and work to find the resolution. More often than not, this council doesn't approach anything we do with a political lens. We simply review the things for what they are and what we believe the best policy or direction is for our community. And as I wish it were more often, this council doesn't deliberate or act based on political ideology. We sometimes lead. We sometimes follow. We sometimes decide to act. We sometimes decide not to. That has led to frustrations not just surrounding ICE and federal immigration policies, but around environmental policies, pedestrian and traffic standards, and even housing. I understand that there are those that want us to be more visible and chart a path that's perhaps stronger in rhetoric. But I want to take this moment to say that's not who I am. Historically, that's not who this council is. Even though I'm not speaking for the council here as an individual member, that's not who I am. We as a council are a governmental entity. Our authority is granted to us by state statute. We are very well aware of what our statutory obligations and authorities are and as well as our more unofficial obligations as elected officials and community leaders. [31:36] Council Member Steve Morris: I'm aware that there are those that have been more vocal lately about wanting to hear stronger positions from their city as a governmental unit and that's a valid position and I recognize that. I encourage you at this point to vote for somebody else if that's what you're seeking because that's not me and that's not who I am. I am not a circus monkey who will do things just to earn a vote. I recognize the desire to have more outspoken elected officials. The news is full of them. They're all over. They were present in chambers two weeks ago. We see them on the news all the time. But I offer this in response. The world doesn't need windbags. The world doesn't need more politicians and wannabe politicians angling for more camera time and viral clips. The world doesn't need false hope. It needs thoughtful and legitimate debate and discussion and action. If you're looking for your city government to be a headline writing, empty rhetoric without substance body, then I again encourage you to vote for somebody else this November. I do not seek the attention and I won't tell you things you want to hear because it'll make you like me or vote for me. That's not who I am and that's not who I want our city government to be. [32:43] Council Member Steve Morris: I said a month ago to find your voice, use your voice and I applaud all of you for doing so and having brought this issue back to us and the request for more actions. It's exactly what we wanted you to do. But what I won't do to you is lie to you and tell you that we're going to do something or say something because it either isn't in our authority or it creates false or empty hope. That's not what we need as a community in my opinion. We have enough people lying to us and misleading us and creating false hope. What we need and what I choose to do is to be thoughtful, deliberate, and be a representative of my community in that form. So I support the proclamation. I do not want an ICE detention facility in our community. I don't want any government office or official to terrorize a community to create fear and violate people's rights. I don't know why I need to say that, but that's where we're at. I want all elements of our government to honor the rights that we have and to treat us fairly and humanely and to enforce the laws that we have of this land with integrity. But we, as a city government, have no special authority or jurisdiction to dictate the application of state or federal laws. Stating anything other than that is what I'm talking about. It's false hope. It's performative. What we can do, and what we did with the proclamation, is implore all government officials to treat our community and those who visit it by honoring their rights, both human and civil, and to treat everyone with respect. [34:04] Council Member Steve Morris: There are a number of specific items here that have been raised regarding ICE training staging detention enforcement, and more. You'll not like all of our answers, most likely because some of them are nuanced and complex. If you're looking to be misled, just go off of and just to get off of our call sheet. There are plenty of politicians locally, state, and federally that'll do that for you. That's not me. That's not us. You may not like the speed in which we move, and I understand that. But I assure you, the speed in which we move is because we're thoughtful and thorough. And more often than not, the answers are complex. We're not afraid of complexity, but we do choose to understand it first. So, I end with the same ask that I asked in in January. Use your voices. Use your love of this community. But I add this. Think about what you're asking. Does the person or entity you're asking have the authority or influence necessary to bring the change that you're asking? Change is hard. It always has been. Focus efforts and let's work together to bring real change to issues, not just those looking to make viral clips. [35:08] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Anybody else? Since I agree with your very well-thought-out statement, most things in there, I'm just going to let that stand. [35:08] Council Member Steve Morris: That's rare. [35:08] Council Member Jennifer Santini: It is. Take it for what it is. [35:55] Mayor Anne Burt: Okay. Well, thank you for um listening to all of that. Um I hope it landed well. That was the intent. Uh and we worked very hard again at at creating that. Uh we'll now move on to item 4 C which is the report on our we just had a closed session workshop regarding Raymond Lee versus City of Woodbury litigation and our city attorney Kevin Sandström will give us an update. [35:55] Kevin Sandström: Thank you Madame Mayor members of the council. As mentioned there was a close session in your workshop that was at 5:30 this evening. That was a close session pursuant to statute 13D.05 subdivision 3B. That's under the attorney-client privileged provisions of the statute. And what that really means is there's a active litigation matter to be discussed. The active litigation matter was the Raymond Lee versus City of Woodbury case that's ongoing. Essentially during that process I as the city attorney received direction from the city council regarding ongoing settlement discussions and other strategies in the case. Um and we'll leave it at that. And if there is a settlement reached out of this process, we'll certainly bring that matter back for formal approval by the council. [36:44] Mayor Anne Burt: Terrific. Thank you, Kevin. Thank you for the update. Well, now we move on to the open forum portion of the meeting. I do have two green sheets for open forum. Um, so I'll read this. Um, some of you might be aware of some of the rules around this, but let me just share it. Uh, this is the portion of the meeting where a maximum of three persons will be allowed to address the council. Again, I have two sheets. We'll look for anyone online or if anyone else wants to speak. We have room for one more. Oh, we have one more. Look at that. Ask and you shall receive. All right. So, we have we now have three. Persons wishing to speak must complete a green sign-up sheet. I have that. Um, please provide your when you come up. I'll I'll state your I'll request you come up. Please, when you get to the microphone, state your name and your just your city of residence and your official question or your comment for the record. You'll have three minutes. This is how our system works. Ashleigh starts a clock over here when it when it's time. And then we have a little light, green, yellow, red. Green lasts for two whole minutes. The yellow will come on with a minute left. So, you can kind of time yourself with that. Uh we do listen attentively during these comments. But because we don't know what you're coming here to talk about, we do listen attentively, but we don't usually reply. Um but we will get back to you with a letter or phone call or some correspondence within a week's time. So with that, I would like to invite up and I have these in order that I received them. Kathleen Wagner, welcome. And again, just when you get there, name and your city of residence for the for the record. [38:24] Kathleen Wagner: Good evening. Thank you, mayor, and members of the council for this opportunity to speak. My name is Kathleen Wagner, and I live in Woodbury. Two weeks ago, I attended the city council meeting to show my support for a proposed resolution. This resolution affirms Woodbury's commitment to rebuilding public's trust and safety in our neighborhoods. It sets forth direct and lawful actions to prevent the establishment and operation of an immigration detention center and to protect municipal property from being used for immigration enforcement activity. During the meeting, I heard concerns regarding the council's limited authority to control federal actions in our city. I can sympathize with those feelings of helplessness. I'm an immigration attorney and over the past year, the federal government has thrown around its weight to strip power and agency away from individuals and municipalities alike. But rather than focusing on the limitations we face, I ask that you reframe your thinking and utilize the power and authority that you have. [39:30] Kathleen Wagner: Mayor Bert, you gave your personal sentiments and recognitions that the immigration state system is broken, and I couldn't agree more, but it's not going to be fixed anytime soon, and we need to protect our community against this broken system. Thank you for drafting a proclamation that demonstrates your commitment to educating and communicating with constituents. I hope you please continue to share information and update the community with the council's efforts, but a proclamation is not a resolution and it's simply not enough. We are up against a ruthless and aggressive federal government. Agents occupied our city. They broke laws. They violated rights and freedoms and they terrorized residents. We need formal official action by this council that carries legal weight. There is nothing in the resolution that is beyond your authority. By passing the resolution and taking the outlined actions, you build a foundation from which legal recourse can be pursued if the federal government violates it. You also send a message in solidarity with many other cities who have adopted similar resolutions. You send a message that we will protect our community. We will not abdicate our power and we will not simply allow the federal government to enter our streets and threaten our safety and livelihood again. I am asking for a resolution because a response to what happened here during Operation Metro Surge also deserves a vote. I too as a citizen of our democracy have responsibilities and one of them is to hold my elected officials accountable. I need to know which of my city council members are going to stand it up for me and my neighbor the next time federal agents are in town. Thank you. [41:30] Mayor Anne Burt: Thank you. And next I have Amy Steedman. [41:41] Amy Steedman: Good evening, mayor and council members. Um, I would like to thank you for allowing me to come up here and speak on this. Um, I'm going to kind of piggyback what council member Wilson brought up about this being a proclamation and we need we need it as a resolution. A proclamation is what the council does for Arbor Day, not um not for what this is. And this is not Arbor Day. This is about whether families and residents of our city are safe. Whether they can take their kids to Ojibway Park without fear and can use our recreation centers, walk our trails and go about their lives in Woodbury without wondering if city property is being used against them. The resolution we submitted said clearly, ICE and DHS may not use city-owned property, our parks, our public buildings, our recreation centers as staging grounds for immigration enforcement. The language is gone from what you propose was proposed tonight. Completely gone. And we want the city council to explain why. [42:52] Amy Steedman: Now, we've heard the list of things that you have done. You got verbal confirmation from a property owner. You hosted an online forum. You sent a newsletter column. You gave state of city address. You held meetings with faith leaders and business owners. And you posted an FAQ on your website. We want to be direct. That is the bare minimum any city should do when hundreds of its residents showed up terrified. Answering questions is not policy. Posting FAQs is not protection. A newsletter column doesn't stop ICE from using Ojibway Park as a staging ground. The city did what it should have done and we are grateful for it. But doing the minimum does not mean the job is finished. It means the job has just started and offering a proclamation in response to a petition is not finishing the job. We also want to name that this council should recognize about itself. At the last meeting, your own parks and natural resources commission unanimously brought up a recommendation to the council asking for stronger safety protection for young riders on e-bikes unanimously. And this council deferred, delayed and sent it to a workshop, your own commission doing its work, asking you to act and the answer was not yet. [44:21] Amy Steedman: We are seeing the same thing happen tonight. residents petition, you offer something smaller and the council defers. The pattern is clear. A proclamation affirms values. A resolution requires a vote. And that's exactly why we're asking for a resolution because we want to know what each council member stands. We want a vote on record. Our neighbors deserve to know who is standing up for them and who is not. We showed up in January. We petitioned in March. We are here tonight. We are not a moment that passes. We are your constituents and we are watching. We are asking this council to take up the resolution as submitted with the property restrictions language included and vote on it. Not a proclamation, a resolution, a vote on the record. Thank you. [45:05] Mayor Anne Burt: Okay. Next, I have Tori Nathan. [45:05] Tori Nathan: My name is Tori Nathan and I live in Woodbury. So, I'm piggybacking off of what other folks have said, but kind of expanding on that. I'm here to speak in support of the resolution that was presented regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement. There's been a lot of discussion about the issue of the detention center and rightly so. But what I want to focus on is the portion of the proclamation that addresses the use of city property. This was not addressed in the proclamation. And I'd like to speak to that. In summary, the resolution states that the city shall restrict the use of city-owned, city leased, or city controlled property for the purposes of staging, coordinating, or supporting civil immigration enforcement activities except where clearly required by federal or state law. This is not an unreasonable thing to do, and other cities have done it. For example, Chicago October of last year, their mayor issued an executive order that prohibited the use of city-owned parking lots, garages, and vacant lots for civil immigration enforcement, staging, processing, or operations. [46:19] Tori Nathan: December of last year in San Francisco, a law that's been on the books since 1986 that requires city property only be used to advance authorized public purposes was amended. The amendment clarified that federal immigration enforcement is quote "not a city purpose" and that no person or entity may use the city property without authorization. I've heard people say that it's not legal to interfere with ICE or DHS's operations, but that's a gross oversimplification. State and local authorities cannot directly regulate the federal government, but they can absolutely stop the federal government from commandeering city property for federal purposes. This was even supported in the courts. In 2017, the Ninth Circuit Court addressed this in California, saying, "Even if California's refusal to cooperate may quote frustrate federal priorities, the Constitution protects the state's choice to refrain from assisting with federal efforts." And that's what the resolution is asking for. To be clear, the goal is not for the city to illegally obstruct immigration enforcement. The goal is to implement reasonable and meaningful restrictions that would prevent Woodbury from being complicit with ICE's activities. Allowing ICE to use city property for enforcement activities does endanger residents and the city can do something about it by passing the resolution. Thank you. [48:07] Ashleigh Sullivan: Mayor, we do have one online. Comment. We actually have two. Um the first one is from a person named Brian Foreman. Um he states, "Over the winter, I was jogging on the side of the road due to ice. I am 68 years old and weigh 130 lbs. A Woodbury policeman told me to stop. When I did not, due to the psychological and physical effects of lowering my pulse and submitting to harassment, he beat me up. I appeared before the council and made a police complaint. The chief called and said, "Next time, run on the side," which I was, and stop when an officer tells you to. Okay. I left a message for the mayor after. I called the mayor a month later and left another message to call me and tell me if anything had been done to lessen the chance of a repeat and she didn't call me back. The administrator accepted responsibility via email for allowing future violence. Woodbury needs to replace the unethical city council members supporting abuse, including the mayor, police chief, and administrator unless you want authoritarian violence against law-abiding citizens." And the second message is from a person named Belinda Reid who asks, "How were the people requesting this proclamation vetted, especially that they were actual residents of Woodbury, homeowners and/or renters? Is the proclamation representative of all 85,000 residents?" [49:42] Mayor Anne Burt: Okay, thank you for those additional comments. Appreciate everyone's speaking on on your behalf. We'll now move on to the consent agenda. All items listed under the consent agenda are considered to be routine by the city council and will be enacted by one motion and affirmative vote by roll call of the majority of the members present. There'll be no separate discussion of these items unless a council member or citizens request which event the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered a separate subject of discussion by the council. So we have item 6 A through 6H. Anything to be removed? I always ask. If not, council members, anything. If not, would somebody like to put forth a motion? [50:16] Council Member Steve Morris: I'll move to approve consent agenda items 6A through 6H. [50:16] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Second. [50:16] Mayor Anne Burt: Motion is second. Any further discussion? Hearing none, the roll call, please. Ashleigh. [50:34] Ashleigh Sullivan: Council member Morris. [50:34] Council Member Steve Morris: I. [50:34] Ashleigh Sullivan: Council member Santini. [50:34] Council Member Jennifer Santini: I. [50:34] Ashleigh Sullivan: Council member Wilson. [50:34] Council Member Kim Wilson: Hi. [50:34] Ashleigh Sullivan: Mayor Bert. [50:34] Mayor Anne Burt: I. Those consent agenda items pass. Um we have the next is um we open it up for a public hearing. Um I would read the whole preamble about public hearings if I had a green sheet, but I don't. So um I'm just going to make a like we are opening the hearing now. Jamie's got a presentation for us. Uh before I close the hearing, I will ask again um if anyone needs to say anything um before I close the hearing, but Jamie, go ahead and share with us your information. [51:09] Jamie Radel: All right. Thank you, Mayor Burt. Council members. Uh so tonight's public hearing is about two related items. So the first one is the 2026 annual action plan for the city's community development block grant funds it receives and also a substantial amendment to its 2025 through 2029 consolidated plan which is the overarching five-year plan that governs the annual plans that we do here. So just to give a high level overview of what the action plan is for those of you in the audience who may and probably don't know what this is. Uh so the city is a recipient of um two grant funds that are administered by the department of housing and urban development. So the federal department uh those two grant programs are the community development block grant other the acronym is CDBG and then home partnership funds. As such um HUD requires recipients of these funds to complete an annual action plan every year. And what that plan does is that it prioritizes goals of the 2025 2029 consolidated plan. So that's that five-year plan. Um it defines specific investment strategies to achieve those goals. So that means that we're picking activities that we want to fund to advance those overarching goals in the five-year plan. And then it also evaluates past performance. [52:21] Jamie Radel: So, in February, on February 25th of this year, um we came to council with a couple proposals for some activities to fund this year, and council adopted a motion selecting affordable home ownership and then cleanup of contaminated sites as priorities for the 2026 annual action plan year. HUD requires a public process for the adoption of an annual action plan. So, the first step is identifying those priorities and then having the public hearing on the draft of that annual action plan and then a 30-day public comment period. And then on May 13th, we'll bring a finalized plan to council for adoption. And then after the adoption, we submit it to HUD. And then HUD has to do their review process and approve our plans, our funding, and all those good things. [53:17] Jamie Radel: So, the anticipated resources that we're going to have available in 2026 based on what we know right now, these are all subject to change because we don't know what our final grant amount is until about May or June. And then we have some leftover funds from prior years that, you know, may or may not get spent. So, we're anticipating an annual CDBG award of $280,000, which has been consistent with the past two years. Um, if your population goes up, you tend to get more money every year. And then we're also anticipating $5,000 in program income. So that's money coming back through loans that we've issued through the program. And then uh we're anticipating just over $120,000 in prior year CDBG funds for a total of just over $406,000 for 2026. And then new for this year that we haven't talked about for a while are home partnership funds. So, we recently paid off Washington county for funds that we borrowed from them for the Orville Commons affordable housing project. So, now that we paid that back, uh we're going to start getting a subrecipient amount of roughly $95,000 a year. And then we anticipate about $4,000 in program income. So, once again, loans that we've sent out and then money coming back for a total of $99,000 of home. [54:33] Jamie Radel: So, activities that staff is proposing in this annual action plan are three different items. Two of these items were selected through an RFP process that council requested us to do last year um when we presented some community projects that came directly to us. So, the first project we're proposing is $224,000 of CDBG for a Two Rivers Community Land Trust project to benefit income eligible home buyers. And then $121,639 of that prior year unexpended funds for a city administered private ash tree removal project that would benefit income eligible homeowners. And then a standard activity which is 56,000 of CDBG for program administration. So that's staff time, professional services, things like that. Um, and then before I talk about this first activity, I just want to recognize that Jamar Smith, the executive director of Two Rivers is here tonight. So, if there are questions that I can't answer or you want to hear more about what Two Rivers does, um, you know, you're welcome to invite him up to say a little bit. [55:56] Jamie Radel: So, uh, just a high level overview of what this project would entail. Two Rivers Community Land Trust, what they do is they acquire homes and then put it into a trust portfolio. And what that does is it separates the land from the structure that's on the property. And by doing that, you create a more affordable ownership product for, you know, middle income or lower income households to be able to purchase a home. So this request would acquire three single family homes in Woodbury and then after acquiring those homes, Two Rivers would rehabilitate and modernize the homes for resale. After that's complete, Two Rivers would resell the homes to home buyers earning between 60 to 80% of area median income. And I guess just for an example of the upper bounds, so 80% for a family of four is just over $100,000 a year for the entire household. And then, like I said earlier, when these homes are purchased, they're entered into a trust, which creates a 99-year period of affordability. So once an owner moves in, they decide to resell their home. Two Rivers works with the current owner to find a new buyer that's within that income range and kind of facilitate the sales. So that continues to go to a family within that income brand and you know kind of having a permanent affordability on that property. [57:18] Jamie Radel: Then the private ash tree removal project. So public works the forestry division submitted an internal RFP for this request. So what this would do um you know emerald ash borer is a huge issue in the metro area and many different areas within the state and it's also very expensive to remove these trees especially if you have multiple trees or they're very large and mature. So what this would do is it would assist income eligible homeowners with removal of the ash tree. Uh the CDBG funds would cover 100% of the cost for the removal with no repayment required. So this wouldn't be like a loan or a property assessment. We're just covering the cost to get these off the property and then destroyed at, you know, the environmental waste center. Uh the funds would be paid directly to the contractor on behalf of the homeowner. So these funds aren't going to be, you know, kind of a triangle going to the homeowner and then hoping it goes to the contractor. We'd pay this directly. And then based on data from last year when the standard ash tree removal project was implemented, just based on the cost that we reimbursed from that, they're anticipating being able to help approximately 50 homeowners with the amount that they're requesting. [58:15] Jamie Radel: And then just to touch on home partnership funds, uh so this year we didn't have any viable projects that we think would be a good fit for these funds. Uh they have a lot more narrow scope of use. So that'd be new housing construction, rental assistance, and home buyer assistance. But, you know, fortunately with these funds, they have a longer timeline for spending. So, we have up to three years to kind of bank this for what we think is a better use, which would be a bigger single project, like an Orville Commons type deal. Um, and staff will continue to monitor potential future requests and uses and bring those recommendations to council when they come up. And if we did find a project it would go through the same public process of having a hearing public comment period and then adding that into our action plan. [59:01] Jamie Radel: Um and then the second item so in order to do the ash tree removal activity we have to do a substantial amendment to the 2025 2029 consolidated plan. So when we adopted that plan last year HUD considers this cleanup of contaminated sites. So since that wasn't included as a goal, we need to amend the plan to add this as a goal. And then once we do that and we get approval from HUD, we can proceed with this project. So this amendment would be approved concurrently with the annual action plan at the May 13th meeting. And this would also be part of that public comment period for 30 days. [1:00:00] Mayor Anne Burt: Thank you, Jamie. And just to clarify this, so right now we're hosting an open hearing. So, we can accept comments until we close the hearing and then I'll let council speak. But the point being is you've got up to 30 days to say more. So, if something doesn't come to mind right now, don't feel like that's the last time you have a chance to say anything. It's open really for 30 days. [1:00:18] Jamie Radel: Correct. And the draft plan is also available on the city's website under the planning department. So, if people want to view that, that's great. [1:00:18] Mayor Anne Burt: Um, I would like to invite the guest from Two Rivers Land Trust if you'd like to come up and say anything more. Um, just a nice opportunity. I think Jamie said a little bit about what you do, but nice opportunity if you want to add to that at all or enhance it or reinforce it. Um, the land trust, I mean, you're a great organization that does, you know, remarkable things for people, uh, with home ownership. So, welcome. [1:00:48] Jamar Smith: Absolutely. Thank you. Um, good evening, mayor and council members. I appreciate this time being before you today. My name is Jamar Smith. I am the executive director of Two Rivers Community Land Trust here serving Washington County. Um the work that we do at Two Rivers Community Land Trust is provide permanent affordable housing for low to moderate income individuals, families, and households earning up to 80% area medium income here in Washington County. Our goal is to provide a pathway to home ownership for people in Washington County who would not otherwise be able to afford a home here. Um we currently have 81 homes in trust. Um three are located here in your city. Um by by the end of the year we will add 13 more homes with um funding that we already have secured. Um with this funding request that you are um that that we are proposing today um we will add three more homes here in Washington County. Um and again those homes will be affordable and permanently affordable for those who are coming after the initial home buyer or the first home buyer. I think um Jamie did an excellent job at kind of illustrating kind of what the program is all about and how do we exist and how do we keep affordability going for those different homes. So that's all I had to add to um his comments. [1:02:25] Mayor Anne Burt: That's great. I just if you don't mind I got a question. So where does your other funding come from? because it, you know, based on what Jamie said, you get a home, you've got to rehabilitate, you've got to bring it up to standards, improve it. So, where do those funds come from? [1:02:25] Jamar Smith: Correct. Um a large um amount of those funds come from the state um also um the um the county as well, the CDA provides a lot of that funding as well. So, we get about $4 million a year from the state and about another $600,000 from CDA. [1:02:57] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Since you're up here, can I ask a couple questions? So, my understanding is the trust owns technically the land, correct? [1:02:57] Jamar Smith: Correct. [1:02:57] Council Member Jennifer Santini: And then the families, you know, the goal is that they're owning the structure essentially. And so then are they just are they paying the two rivers trust or are they having to take out assuming like some financing through a another lender? [1:03:27] Jamar Smith: Yes. Our um our homeowners get a traditional loan. Um we have about 11 lenders who lending partners with us who understand the model and they have to um secure a loan through one of those through a traditional um method. So they could get a conventional loan on that property. [1:03:27] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Thank you. And then just to clarify, you said you're anticipating 13 more homes in 2026, but this would give you an additional three, so 16 total. [1:03:27] Jamar Smith: There you go. [1:03:27] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Okay. Fantastic. Great. Well, thank you for your work in this effort. [1:03:27] Jamar Smith: Thank you. [1:04:11] Mayor Anne Burt: Thank you. Um, all right. Did anyone want a chance to say anything now that they've heard that piece before I close the hearing? [1:04:11] Jamie Radel: Sorry. Just one more comment. Yeah. So, I just wanted to reiterate so the CDA part. So, a reason for us to do this is that since we're an entitlement community and the CDA is also an entitlement community, funds that they give to Two Rivers cannot be spent in Woodbury because you can't overlap entitlement communities. [1:04:11] Mayor Anne Burt: Oh. So that's why there's not very many in Woodbury because the CDA has been a big partner of theirs to do Washington County as a whole, but since we're a separate recipient, in order for them to get that boost that they get, it would have to come from the city of Woodbury as a CDBG. [1:04:27] Mayor Anne Burt: Good to know. So I just wanted to clarify that. Jamie, do you happen to know the three that already exist in Woodbury? Do you have any idea how long those have been in existence? [1:04:27] Jamie Radel: Um, I know maybe marking it. I know one has been around for over a decade and it's had the same owner. [1:04:27] Mayor Anne Burt: Okay. [1:04:27] Jamie Radel: Um and then they recently acquired one I believe this winter and it had a lot of interest. They received a lot of applications for it. And then the third one, I'm not quite sure how long that's been around or if it's newer. I'm assuming it's newer because we only knew of one. So, yeah. Got it. [1:05:03] Mayor Anne Burt: Um okay. I make a motion that we close the hearing. [1:05:03] Council Member Kim Wilson: Second. [1:05:03] Mayor Anne Burt: Motion to second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? [1:05:03] Council Members: I. [1:05:03] Mayor Anne Burt: Okay, the hearing's closed. Now, I'll open it up to council members for any further comments or questions. [1:05:39] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Um, I actually just had a couple. So, um, actually Janelle, well, Jamie or Janelle, so I actually was curious then, would any of our other home loan programs through the HRA? Would we be eligible? Would a homeowner, a potential homeowner for a Two Rivers property be able to utilize again, particularly if it's like a first-time homeowner or whatever, if they needed to piece together? [1:05:39] Janelle Schmitz: Yes. They'd be if they met all the eligibility requirements. Yes. And then the loan the way it's structured now would be based on the actual value that they're buying it for. So they'd be buying it for that subsidized cost. And again, we have first-time home buyer loans and first generation home buyer loans. So if they meet that eligibility, then yes, they could use that to help achieve the down payment for that. And that's the way a lot of other community land trusts operate as another affordability gap subsidy. So. [1:06:25] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Okay, great. I have a question just about the ash tree removal since it's it's taking over my neighborhood and they're all being removed this year. So that's kind of sad. Um do the homes that you said it's income you have to qualify via income. [1:06:25] Jamie Radel: Correct. [1:06:25] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Right. And then it's not repaid. So that's different than our ash removal program that we have now. [1:06:25] Jamie Radel: Correct. [1:06:25] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Okay. [1:06:25] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Um do people then that would qualify by income, do they have to be in a certain area or like the CDBG block grants or those types of things or? [1:06:42] Jamie Radel: Nope. So with CDBG, so a lot of projects we do if you, you know, if it's like a unmovable structure you're fixing or doing something to that neighborhood has to qualify, but if you're directly impacting income qualified individuals, it can be anywhere. They just need to be in that income. [1:07:18] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Good question. So before we move on, so I had a couple questions about the Ash tree piece. So with that, do we um what's our plan for possibly communicating this? And I guess my question and this might actually be more for Mary. Do we know of certain neighborhoods where the ash tree removal is not happening as well? Particularly if those trees have died and I say that my neighborhood just luckily over the last couple years finally I think people woke up and were like oh our trees are really poor looking and have taken care of them but that to for people to recognize that again because you're not going to necessarily know house to house but to say possibly explore this opportunity if you think you qualify. So I don't know how. [1:08:10] Jamie Radel: Right. Yes. I've spoken with Mary and Jim who currently administers the— [1:08:10] Council Member Jennifer Santini: By the way, those are people in our public works department. [1:08:10] Jamie Radel: Public works. Um so yeah, so we've talked about um kind of how to roll this out and promote it to people, especially trying to get ahead of when a lot of people who could be eligible kind of jump the gun and then they miss out on something they could have had. But we wanted to make sure that we got through, you know, it's a feasible project administratively under HUD rules and then it gets approved by HUD and then we're actually going to have the funding that we would need to do the project. So I'm going to continue to work with them. We just wanted to get further through this approval process. [1:08:22] Council Member Jennifer Santini: So, and then with that from just more of a communication standpoint, we also have like tree replacement programs as well or like through—don't we have through like the environmental side? [1:08:22] Janelle Schmitz: I think we used to at some point it was like pick up a tree or if you wanted to replant a tree or add trees to your property. I don't think that's been around for a really long time. [1:08:22] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Oh, okay. Sorry. Maybe it's something we should think about. Um, okay. That was it for trees. [1:08:22] Council Member Kim Wilson: Yeah, I just I was just going to make a statement that this is we are not approving anything tonight. This is just the beginning of a 30-day um everybody should go out, take a look at this, give your feedback. It's a whole lot easier to give it during the 30 days uh than afterwards. Um that's what I want to say here. [1:09:15] Council Member Steve Morris: You stole my question on the CDBG and the Ash tree the the location. So I have a logistics question. Why is this in front of council and not HRA for the CDBG funding? [1:09:15] Jamie Radel: Uh because the HRA is a separate entity. So the city is the actual recipient of the funds. [1:09:30] Council Member Steve Morris: So CDBG funds the city is the recipient. The HRA is not correct. [1:09:30] Jamie Radel: Nope. So that would just be the city doing that. So when we were doing the loan program, we were giving funds to fund that program of the city. So when we're doing these annual action plans, you know, we're doing it as community development agency and bringing it to the city who governs the funds as the entitlement community. [1:09:30] Council Member Steve Morris: Yeah, I'm going to have follow-up questions to that because I'm not following the HRA move from HRA to city. [1:10:09] Jeffrey J. Dahl: Maybe I can try to help um council member Morris and members of the council. So the city is the entitlement um entity as a city. CDBG monies have to go to the city. They can't go to the HRA. So that's where the plan is. That's where the five-year plan and the one-year plan. When we had some of the CDBG dollars being used for loans, we had that in previous plans. The city would give the money to the HRA to do the loans. It's the reverse. [1:10:50] Council Member Steve Morris: Now I follow you just have to do it twice. Okay. Um the other part I had is a question of this is a little bit now with with two rivers of are we able to let me put my HRA head on for a second right is if we have and we establish land trust as an option particularly as we're receiving LAWAA funds doing it that the partnership with Two Rivers? Are we able to combine—not combine funds—but are we able to to allocate funds? We had asked the question if were to essentially give the county our LAWAA funds so they could administer it because maybe a bigger entity and they could do they have other programs. So we explored that. That answer was no that we couldn't. But can the HRA do that in partnership with like entities like Two Rivers for land trusts in order to do that and can we use LAWAA funds for that? [1:12:05] Janelle Schmitz: Yes. So in partnership the HRA in partnership with a separate land trust entity we can go in partnership. Right or the city could just directly do it too. [1:12:05] Council Member Steve Morris: Right. With that part we knew but again from an administration standpoint the less we do the better. [1:12:05] Janelle Schmitz: Right. Yeah. [1:12:05] Jamie Radel: Maybe just to clarify a little bit too um so under the LAWAA we have one of the buckets if you will was development assistance. So I assume this would be under development assistance using LAWAA if you wanted to assist Two Rivers in their development of a property. Yes that would be the bucket that would fall under. [1:12:05] Council Member Steve Morris: Development. Okay, the last one was that the funds of this would be used to modernize the homes and my assumption modernize can take on a number of different things one of my assumptions is to ensure code compliance number one but second is to to ensure that it would qualify for FHA. FHA loan standards are significantly harder to get the modernization. Will these homes then be made to a point where they'll be FHA loan eligible? [1:12:51] Jamie Radel: Just so we have a positive answer, I'll just invite Jamar up to answer that if that's okay. [1:12:51] Council Member Steve Morris: Do you Did you follow my weird— [1:13:10] Jamar Smith: Um, so our homeowners have to secure a conventional loan. We do not do FHA loans for our properties. Yep. So they have to secure that loan. And when we talk about modernization of it, we really go in there with those funds to make sure the house is safe and energy efficient. Those are our first focus. And then any funds that's left over, we work with the homeowners to modernize the house accordingly. So we put about 60 to $70,000 into the renovations of those homes and we're ensuring code compliance with city. [1:13:45] Council Member Steve Morris: Absolutely. They would have to have that compliance. [1:13:45] Jamie Radel: Depending what work they're doing. [1:13:45] Council Member Steve Morris: Okay. Thank you. [1:13:45] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Are you still going? And so then the last one I had was you had mentioned the home funds and that right now we didn't really have so and again I know we've talked at different times about possibly contributing our funds to another entity to possibly maximize. So one of the things I think is the home funds for like a rental assistance. And so I guess I was just curious, have we explored—and again I wouldn't want to necessarily lose the right to control those in different ways—but like given what's going on right now, if the county has any programs with like rental assistance, would that you know, so I just don't know if we've explored that at all for like do they need, you know, is that an opportunity right now to consider if there is a higher demand right now rental assistance needs? [1:14:31] Jamie Radel: Right. So, home rental assistance, um, I haven't looked into exactly how they would want it done. My understanding is that if you're going to do it, it would be for like you either two reasons. One is you're doing ongoing rental assistance, so like a section 8 type program, in which you would need to make sure you have enough funds each year to pay the person's rent under the program or else they're going to be in trouble. And then another one would be emergency assistance, but since home is more specific, I would have to do more research and to see if and especially if you're going to give it to a different entity. Um yeah, I I would have to look into that. [1:15:21] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Well, I would I would piggyback LAWAA funds particularly as we were talking and I had a conversation with staff previously about emergency the the need for emergency rental assistance at the county level. We don't administer we don't have the resources to administer the county does in supporting those emergency needs at the county level right because funding is so tight. What are our options to move resources where it needs to be either LAWAA? I wasn't thinking about home but my question was LAWAA. [1:16:08] Jamie Radel: Right yeah and LAWAA can be used for emergency rental assistance also so it is to another entity. I don't want us to get have to get into the business of doing this entity that exists today doing this supporting that entity. Right? So in the statute it does say you can give funds to agencies that administer social service programs and eviction prevention programs. So if the county or one of their nonprofit partners that they fund to help them spread the funds, that would definitely be something that's eligible. [1:16:29] Council Member Steve Morris: It's good to know. But the county also has their own LAWAA funding, right? [1:16:50] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Yeah. But I guess I think in your in the presentation you were saying that right now we didn't have any projects or anything identified for those funds. And so I guess I was just thinking rather than just have the money sit if there are ways where it's needed now and if that's an opportunity. [1:16:50] Mayor Anne Burt: Great. Okay. If there's no other questions, somebody want to put forth a motion? [1:17:16] Council Member Steve Morris: Sure. I'll make a motion to open the 30-day public comment period regarding the 2026 annual action plan and the substantial amendment to the 2025 2029 consolidated plan opening on April 9th, 2026 and closing at the end of the day May 8th, 2026. [1:17:16] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Second. [1:17:16] Mayor Anne Burt: Motion to second. Any further discussion? Hearing none, the roll call, please. [1:17:34] Ashleigh Sullivan: Council member Santini. [1:17:34] Council Member Jennifer Santini: I. [1:17:34] Ashleigh Sullivan: Council member Wilson. [1:17:34] Council Member Kim Wilson: I. [1:17:34] Ashleigh Sullivan: Council member Morris. [1:17:34] Council Member Steve Morris: I. [1:17:34] Ashleigh Sullivan: Mayor Bert. [1:17:34] Mayor Anne Burt: I. That passes. I'll now move on to city administrator's update. Jeff, do you have an update for us? [1:17:34] Jeffrey J. Dahl: Uh yes. Uh Madame Mayor, just a couple quick things. One, and I know everyone's excited to hear about construction, right? And we did put that on the that is on the agenda and that's why Oh, I was going to say Chris, where'd he go? So excited. So I know I'll be quick because I know people are anxious to hear director Hartzell. Couple things. One is um over the next week and then ramping up to the end of the month uh public will notice a lot of differences with the public safety building. Construction is going to start uh essentially at the end of the month. Um so it's in all of our communications. We're going to be doing more. We're going to be ramping those communications social media website up. But just for people that are in the room and watching at home, uh, city hall will be the public facing entity or facility for both police and fire EMS. Uh, so you can come to city hall if you have any permits or any questions related to um, public safety. Obviously, if it's emergency, call 911. We'll be over there. Uh, public works is going to handle a lot of storage and staff. Uh a lot of the fire and EMS will be spread out amongst all of our other fire stations. And then the old county building, the service center on Radio Drive, just south of the where the current public safety building is going to be used to house most of our administrative folks from police and and fire. [1:19:05] Jeffrey J. Dahl: So that's what's going on. There's a lot more details. Go to our website to check it out. But just wanted to acknowledge that this is the big thing that's happening from the public perspective. You can go to city hall, but there's a lot of other things going on. And at the end of the day, city services, what the public utilizes and sees shouldn't be affected. It'll still same response time, same level of service. Eagle Valley Golf Course is open, so all the golfers or anybody that wants to become a golfer. Um, with all the the learning opportunities there, the grass is getting greener slowly but surely. So, check it out if you're interested in golfing. [1:19:46] Mayor Anne Burt: Can I also just add, it's a lovely gathering place at the end of a day and with a lovely patio and there's a bar available. So, it's a nice little happy hour area. Just if you're not a golfer, still go and hang out because it's a beautiful area. [1:19:46] Jeffrey J. Dahl: Good point. It's also a great place for events, too. And the event space is uh, open for community members. Central Park Art Wall. I just want to mention that as a hidden treasure. Uh the local art is from uh all points of the community and it's on the entire white wall that's in between the entryway to Central Park kind of on the YMCA side and the Woodlands room which is the big conference area. Uh but there's a lot of great artwork. Um there was a story in it I think in InTouch recently. Uh check it out. They're always kind of rotating. Lastly, at Central Park as well, our next Woodbury Green talks is going to be April 9th at 6 PM. I thought I'd bring this up because this is a about a subject. You know, a lot of the green talk subjects are pretty niche and maybe not as sexy to the general public. This time it's titled "Weeds of Woodbury"—not that kind of weed but weeds of Woodbury invasive species of southern Washington County and I think you know you can go all over whether you're on your private property public property there's buckthorn there's all this other sorts of invasive species so they're going to talk our our expert staff's going to talk about that and what you can do to control them and hopefully eradicate them as well so April 9th at 6 p.m. at Central Park. [1:21:21] Mayor Anne Burt: You are one hard partying guy. [1:21:38] Mayor Anne Burt: Thank you. We'll now move on. We usually just do a transportation update on the second meeting of every month. This is the first meeting of April, but because massive construction just began on Monday—today's Wednesday—we do need an update from our head of engineering to tell us about construction and what's open and what's not. [1:21:38] Christopher Hartzell: Yeah. Thank you, mayor, members of the council. Uh, I think with climate change, uh, we're doing these earlier and earlier, right? Because weather's getting warmer and I'll say that, uh, Jeff might not think green talks is sexy, but I do. It's green program, electrification, all that other stuff. Um, so I just want to start by talking about the active construction projects. We got a lot more on the list for this year. Um, but as I mentioned, we're kicking things off pretty early. Um, you may ask yourself why the Bailey Road Water Tower is on there. It has nothing to do with transportation, but it is a pretty cool project and it's the last tower you're going to see in Woodbury, so that's included. It's got some good pictures. Uh, also under construction is the water treatment pipeline projects, which I think most people are seeing this year. They they had a lot of it last year and they're going to have some more of it this year, as well as Bailey Road and the Fairway Drive traffic signal. [1:22:50] Christopher Hartzell: Um, as I mentioned, this is kind of where we're at with the Bailey Road water tower. Uh, progressing all the way down to the right is the latest really pictures where they're fabricating the bowl of the tank. Uh, that's actually fabricated around the outside of the concrete column. Uh, once it's fully fabricated, they actually crane it up, lift it up, put it into place. Um, and they do a lot of the painting. Between June and July of this year, they're going to finish all the interior equipment uh through the end of December with final tank commissioning early in spring 2027 right before irrigation starts. [1:23:25] Mayor Anne Burt: I was wondering how I've been watching it being built. I'm like, how's that thing going to go up there once it's underneath it? [1:23:25] Christopher Hartzell: Yeah, cranes maybe a couple engineering staff just lifting it. Wow, that's really fascinating. It's an interesting project in the sense that it's the tallest water tower in the city of Woodberry in terms of height, 170 ft. [1:23:48] Mayor Anne Burt: Trivia question, Jeff. [1:23:48] Jeffrey J. Dahl: I got it. [1:23:48] Christopher Hartzell: Okay, got it. Uh again, this is the project that everyone's really paying attention to, the water treatment plant and pipelines. And I'm just going to cover the basics here. I would encourage you, and I'm going to say it again at the end of this presentation, really go directly to the water treatment plant pipeline project scheduling and phasing website because this is going to change throughout the summer. To start with, you know, the two highlighted areas, Valley Creek Road from Woodbury Drive to east of Woodcrest Drive and Dancing Waters Parkway is reduced to one lane in the westbound direction. Bailey Road is closed from Radio Drive to Salem Drive for approximately 6 weeks and future phases are going to be available for viewing on the project website. Um they will not open the full closure of Westbound Valley Creek Road on the westbound segment until the Bailey Road construction is done. So this year we anticipate only having one east-west connection closed down at a time. The Bailey Road and Fairway Drive signal. Construction started Monday, April 6, in coordination with the water treatment plant pipeline closures. The signal is anticipated to be operational in July and again that was in place with the Math and Science Academy. [1:25:04] Council Member Steve Morris: And they'll Math and Science September this year they'll be up and running. [1:25:04] Christopher Hartzell: Yeah. So, this will be—and there's a lot of projects here but I'm going to go through each one individually. This is coming. What's in the future? Uh, there's 10 more projects. Um the first one is a remnant from prior year of the roadway rehabilitation project. Remember there was some work by Met Council to do some force main along East View Road. That work didn't occur and finish in the timing and so this year we're going to let them finish their work early spring summer and then the project will commence and we'll do a a mill and overlay of East View Road and finish off that project. [1:25:37] Mayor Anne Burt: What is the Met Council work? What do they what's— [1:25:37] Christopher Hartzell: So between the two stars, there's a force main project which is the carrier pipe from a lift station. So as gravity sewer flows low, sometimes you have to pick it up and put it to keep it on its way down to Met Council. So they're just doing some actual repairs on the line itself and digging up the road. [1:25:56] Mayor Anne Burt: Okay. [1:25:56] Christopher Hartzell: This year's 2026 road rehab is scheduled to begin April 20th. The project will be broken into multiple phases and anticipated to be substantially completed in October. There is a pre-construction open house meeting scheduled for Thursday, April 16th for residents to learn about the phasing and impacts. And I don't see Karen Bowman, but she's asked me almost every time when that's going to happen. So, [1:26:35] Mayor Anne Burt: Oh, she's at a Woodbury Days meeting tonight. [1:26:35] Christopher Hartzell: She's got an excuse, but we'll make sure she knows there's postcards that go out about the pre-construction open house. Uh as well as a Woodlane Drive pavement rehab project. Yeah, this is going to be under construction. If the council approves this at the next meeting, it'll begin in late May, early June. Again, this is a four to three lane conversion. Pretty good project. We've worked with the school district, a lot of safety enhancements as well as trail construction. It will be broken into multiple phases between Wooddale Drive and Bailey Road and is anticipated to be substantially complete in August, September. And as I mentioned, it's going to be brought to city council at the next meeting in April for contract award and the assessment hearing. [1:27:06] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Part of the Woodbury days in September. [1:27:06] Council Member Kim Wilson: Woodbury days is the last weekend of August this year. [1:27:06] Christopher Hartzell: It might be pretty tight. It's all dependent on what's going on with the weather patterns and construction and number of other things. Uh Valley Creek Road Trail project. Um this is timing and coordination with the water treatment plant pipeline projects. There's going to be a new trail constructed on the north side of Valley Creek Road between the Colby Lake underpass to east of Dancing Waters Parkway where it will connect to an existing trail that goes through the parks and park system. [1:27:44] Council Member Steve Morris: Chris, I have a question about this. There's um a lot of tree removal that has occurred between on Woodbury Drive and going east like a lot. Uh is that just for the trail? Is that a utility easement? What what is that exactly? [1:28:10] Christopher Hartzell: It's both. So, the impetus for removing those trees are really because we're putting the the pipelines underneath that. It's all within city right of way. In fact, the city did not have to obtain any easements, temporary or permanent. Um, but we know it was a pretty treed corridor and it's pretty stark. Unfortunately, we're not going to be able to plant trees back because it's going to be directly over the water pipelines. But in that corridor, we will put a trail once the pipelines are completed. [1:28:27] Council Member Steve Morris: Okay. Thank you. [1:28:27] Christopher Hartzell: Uh, we also have the Bailey Road Settler's Ridge Parkway intersection improvement project. A new roundabout will be constructed here—Oops. Somehow my what I'm saying is out of order. Well, I'll just put it this way. It's missing on my slide, but there's a new traffic signal at Eagle Creek Lane and Valley Creek Road. And if you're familiar with this intersection, it's actually one of the most dangerous in Washington County. It scored very high. And so this is a very high priority project for both Washington County and Woodbury. Um so a new traffic signal is going to be constructed here this summer. It'll experience very little lane closures. The only time that it might impact traffic is when they actually hang the signal in the mast arms over traffic. And that will typically be done overnight. [1:29:12] Mayor Anne Burt: That's a county road. So, is that going to be our signal or their signal? [1:29:12] Christopher Hartzell: Their signal. Yeah. We'll just have a contributing portion for the portion on Eagle Creek Lane as our city roadway. Uh here's the right project. Bailey Road. The new roundabout will be constructed at the intersection of Bailey Road and Settlers Ridge Parkway and Cottage Grove Drive. Construction is anticipated to begin in May and be complete in August. This intersection is planned to be closed for construction uh with really the only one access of note is the home that's on the north side and they have access off of Settler's Ridge Parkway. That roadway connects. [1:29:56] Christopher Hartzell: Um and then we have the Bailey Road Manning Avenue intersection improvement project which is a coordinated project between Washington County and Trunk Highway 95 Mindot. Um there'll be a new roundabout constructed in Bailey Road. The first thing you're going to see is a temporary bypass. So, they'll actually build a temporary road around the roundabout while that's under construction to keep traffic flowing north and south. But it will be closed between these two circles on Bailey Road. Um the whole segment of Bailey Road will be closed. [1:30:26] Council Member Kim Wilson: Is that a new addition? I don't remember that being part of the five-year—Is it this year? I I was confused because I thought it'd be next year, but both of these roundabouts are being constructed this year. [1:30:26] Christopher Hartzell: Correct. [1:30:43] Council Member Kim Wilson: So then in the middle is the water tower. [1:30:43] Christopher Hartzell: Yeah. [1:30:43] Council Member Kim Wilson: Okay. But then there—So but are you saying there's a couple of houses on the north side truly like in the middle over here? [1:31:00] Christopher Hartzell: Yep. Though they actually have an old remnant road that's a frontage road that connects between Bailey Road and Settler's Ridge Parkway. It's just going to be closed at Bailey Road. [1:31:00] Council Member Kim Wilson: Gotcha. Okay. That state funded or county funded? [1:31:00] Christopher Hartzell: Uh state and county funding. We have zero contribution on the Manning Avenue portion. [1:31:00] Council Member Kim Wilson: Oh, but the but the Bailey Settler's Ridge is a joint county and— [1:31:00] Christopher Hartzell: It's a joint county city project which is fully funded by phase one development funds. [1:31:23] Christopher Hartzell: Um this is a trail project that's being constructed by the county. Um it's between Lake Park and Woodlane Drive. And I know in the long range plan outside the CIP, I think the county is considering expanding Bailey Road going west down through Newport. Uh but we feel this is a pretty valuable connection that needs to be made now. Um and there may be considerations of relocating the trail when it's constructed. Um but that would be at no cost to the city when that's done. And then our favorite project, the rejuvenator project. Um, you can see there's a big lift this year. So, one of the differences is it's made a real big difference in our PCI score. So, as we continue to rejuvenate things, we're actually— [1:32:14] Mayor Anne Burt: For those playing the home game, PCI is— [1:32:14] Christopher Hartzell: Uh pavement condition index. Y and um one of the things that's a little different this year is now we've gone through the full cycle of usually we place this the year after construction is complete. Now we're going back and doing a second application for some of those projects that we did five seven years ago. And so there's quite a bit of a rejuvenator going on um in this year. It's this year we're applying a second application. This work is planned to occur sometime between June and August. And all of the properties that are adjacent will receive notification about two weeks in advance. And then we'll send out an InTouch notification about two days in advance when the work's occurring. It only takes about 30 minutes and then they put a sand coating on. [1:33:14] Christopher Hartzell: And then lastly, Intrepid Fiber to the home. We've heard about this. Um, as you know, over 3 years, Intrepid has been working with the city, construct fiber to the home along each and every roadway within the city of Woodbury. This is the 2026 build schedule. And all those little colored boxes represents the neighborhoods they're going to serve first. Uh each one of those little boxes are getting permitted separately throughout the course of the year. And where they're first going to start constructing a lot of this work is really on those backbones. So that the dark purple line up to the north down kind of to the southwest area in May, June, and October, they'll be constructing those backbones. And then you can see that, you know, from pink to green all the way up to all those different colors. Essentially, they're they they've got pretty substantial heavy lift throughout the course of this year all the going all the way up until Thanksgiving or freeze up. [1:33:58] Council Member Steve Morris: Chris, this map is I mean I think that it's close to Mississippi River. This has got Cottage Grove, Newport, Woodbury, all kinds of like what portion is Woodbury? [1:34:10] Christopher Hartzell: Uh it's hard to see on this map because it's it's blown up, but the sort of the eastern portion—this is taken directly from their website. The easiest way to find this is actually go to woodbury.gov and fiber and they'll actually open up the Intrepid fiber map which turns into what's actually being constructed on a regular basis. [1:34:10] Council Member Jennifer Santini: And if I'm reading this correctly, they're going straight through Eagle Valley. [1:34:10] Christopher Hartzell: Um there are different paths that they're taking. So some of this is their intention along existing telephone lines. Some of these are aerial, some of these are underground. It's really all all over the place. [1:34:49] Mayor Anne Burt: Maybe would you would you do that for the next meeting that we have? Just a little more clarity. And if these are just backbones, are these yet service to homes yet or not? [1:34:49] Christopher Hartzell: a combination of they have to build the backbone first. Which there's a loop between Woodbury, Cottage Grove, and then goes out to Newport and Oakdale. When they construct the backbone immediately following that, they're going to every neighborhood and they'll finish a whole neighborhood within a single week and they'll connect those up. [1:35:13] Mayor Anne Burt: Oh. [1:35:13] Christopher Hartzell: And then it'll be up to individual property owners if they want the service. They'll connect from their handhole that's on every other property line into their home just like you would with traditional cable, television, other types of services. [1:35:13] Mayor Anne Burt: Okay. So yeah, if you bring us a different more detailed map and explain this at the next meeting, that would be great. [1:35:13] Christopher Hartzell: Yeah. They don't provide a better map. We'll have to make one. [1:35:13] Council Member Jennifer Santini: We'll have to figure out. [1:35:13] Christopher Hartzell: Not me personally, but somebody's capable. [1:35:13] Council Member Steve Morris: Somebody related to this is a this is a three-year entire city project throughout city. It's not a city project. Correct. It's a three-year to service the entire city. [1:35:51] Christopher Hartzell: Correct. Correct. We don't normally talk about a lot of private utilities that are going on, but there's 4 million ft that's getting constructed. Uh 1.2 1.3 million feet a year. Pretty substantial. It doesn't have a lot of impacts to neighborhoods, but you will see them everywhere. There's going to be eight construction crews mobilizing around town. Again, each one is going to finish a whole neighborhood in a week, and they're going to be constantly rotating all over the place. And so, we anticipate a lot of phone calls and other types of things that are arising with this. And as you know, council, we staffed up from a administrative construction administration standpoint to help deal with this issue. [1:36:27] Mayor Anne Burt: And what is the method of communication? Will a neighborhood know that it's coming on certain week or how? [1:36:27] Christopher Hartzell: Yep. So, they follow our communications plan where they actually hang up door hangers with all of the communication how to contact them. Uh and then we also have it on our website. We'll post InTouch notifications and keep everybody up to date, but really the primary communication is going to come from the contractors and our expectations and making sure they're following our expectations from a communication standpoint. [1:37:06] Christopher Hartzell: And then roadway and trail closures and detours map. Uh we did this last year in coordination with the water treatment plant. And it put all of our projects in, not just the water treatment plant projects. If you haven't checked it out, it's great. I think a lot of people enjoyed this map because things are constantly changing in construction depending on weather. [1:37:14] Mayor Anne Burt: Joy is the right—Appreciate. Appreciate— [1:37:36] Christopher Hartzell: Appreciate. I'll tell you what, I I actually looked at the Facebook post for construction starting off this year in Woodbury and I thought, okay, what are people going to say? And there was two comments and both said they really appreciated the detour map that we put in here. So, I just want to point that out. if you're not reading your Facebook post. [1:37:36] Council Member Jennifer Santini: Everybody's on spring break or something. [1:37:36] Christopher Hartzell: Maybe I ad libbed there. Lastly, um stay connected. If you're interested in anything that's going on with the city, um we talk a lot about roadway projects, but there's a lot of other things going on. We encourage residents and others to stay in touch. Sign up for the things you're interested in, and you'll get regular updates throughout the the year in particular as it relates to infrastructure projects. With that, do you have any questions? [1:38:10] Mayor Anne Burt: No. Thank you for the detailed report. I don't have any questions. Anybody else? Appreciate that, Chris. I know you guys are in for a busy season. We appreciate all the prep work. A lot of prep work that goes into this and then its execution. And the same thing I should say with I think from a city council's perspective the amount of work and decisions and involvement we had to do regarding the water treatment plant but that we spent years on that but now it's in the execution phase so things are not before us. Y'all are just doing it. [1:38:10] Christopher Hartzell: Yep and I'll mention that Tony and and Jen Payne in our office are doing really the heavy lifting on this work and they're amazing. They have talked to the community. They've talked to the school district. They have worked out all of the minuscule details including Carmines, you know, in and those in the strip mall and individually visit each and every property owner to talk about impacts. How do we mitigate impacts? I can't deny there is going to be impacts, right? You can't do construction without it being a bother to folks as they try to get to and from businesses and their homes. But they've done a really good job of coordinating and communicating and really trying to minimize all of those impacts. So, I can't be grateful enough of the staff that we have in engineering that really helped, you know, us look good up here at the dais. [1:39:20] Mayor Anne Burt: That's great. Thank you. [1:39:20] Council Member Kim Wilson: You should you should add too that the uh Mount Woodbury is slowly getting lower and the the vessels are now in place. They they propped them up and— [1:39:36] Mayor Anne Burt: Are they all there? All the vessels— [1:39:36] Council Member Kim Wilson: One, two, three, four... I found like 16. [1:39:36] Council Member Jennifer Santini: I thought there were nine there today, I think. [1:39:36] Christopher Hartzell: I'm not 100% sure. That's cuz that's Mary's project and Jim's project. They didn't give me the latest update, but I do think they've made a lot of good progress on that. [1:39:52] Mayor Anne Burt: Yep. Okay. Well, that wraps up our meeting for tonight. Thank you everybody. I make a motion that we adjourn. [1:39:52] Council Member Steve Morris: Second. [1:39:52] Mayor Anne Burt: Motion and second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? [1:39:52] Council Members: I. [1:39:52] Mayor Anne Burt: We are adjourned. Thank you.