This transcript details the Lakeville City Council work session on December 8th. Based on the context provided, the speaker identifications have been added below. [0:00] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** All right. Uh, call the December 8th work session to order. If you join me for a moment of silence and pledge of allegiance [0:18] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** 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. [0:33] **City Administrator Justin Miller:** comments. Let's go right into the Lake Mary and Greenway Trail update over to Joe. [0:33] **Parks & Recreation Director Joe Masiarchin:** Uh good evening, mayor and uh council. Um so quick update for you tonight on the Lake Mary Greenway Trail. Uh I know you're aware of this project is one I've referenced a number of times through the uh quarterly reports, but we'll go into a little bit more detail today. Um just covering a little bit of background on that project. Again, um this has been in development since 2013. Uh when the city initially did a feasibility study on this trail segment. Uh the total project when complete would be approximately 20 miles long and connect Burnsville, Savage, Credit Township, Lakeville, [1:19] **Joe Masiarchin:** Arlington, uh and then eventually to Murphy area. Uh back in 2019, the city and the county did a an additional feasibility study um to uh plan out the next segments within Lakeville um splitting the project ultimately into three different phases. [1:39] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** And the phase that we're working on right now runs from downtown Lakeville into Riveron Park. So that's phase one for us. Well, that's a lot of miles. [1:42] **Joe Masiarchin:** Uh about four and a half. Yep. So, the Ritter Farm and I we have this broken out into kind of different segments here and I can zoom in some too if that helps and it's a little small there. Um, but starting with Ritter Farm because that is the the area where I think we receive the most questions. Um, and it is the only portion of the trail that is entirely new. Um, the rest of the trail is utilizing existing trail segments and we'll talk a little bit about that. But in Ritter Farm Park, uh the upper section there, those black squares, um let me think you can see here. So these are this would be the [2:24] **Joe Masiarchin:** existing gravel parking lot at Ritter Farm Park. Um that is ultimately where a new trail head is planned. Um we're proposing as part of the project um as a bid alternate to pave a portion of that area um going up to the ELC and paving the upper lot and then going to the uh kind of the top of the null of the hill there. This green trail segment is um an existing trail um that we're posing to pave. Um it was the best option for us to um do the least amount of impact to the park and utilizing existing infrastructure. [3:00] **Joe Masiarchin:** And if you know where the entrance road to uh the south 40 for me archery range is, at that point we would actually split off and we would be putting a new trail segment through that ultimately pops out over by the dog park. So that section uh would have an overlook uh kind of looking over towards Lake Marian and that would be really the only truly new section of of trail. We would then also be realigning slightly the uh snowmobile trail and we've got a little bit of work that also has to happen uh in conjunction with uh the snow trackers to realign part of our uh cross country speed trails. Sorry, but that's the R of farm section of the project and I can pop back to these at any point as we go through the two. Uh the trail [3:47] **Joe Masiarchin:** head that I referenced and actually this is maybe a better view of that for you. Um so this is what's being proposed for inside river park. Um but it's got the the gravel parking lot turned into a paved lot. We would have a new shelter and restroom combo as we're doing these projects with Dakota County. Uh part of that is to have yearround accessible restrooms um at these trail heads. Uh so $400,000 of that shelter and restrooms that will be paid for by the county. And I'll talk a little bit about the financial split here as well. We're also proposing some improvements to the equestrian parking lot. Um so u increase in the quality of of that but still leaving that as aggregate. Um and then as I said we'd be proposing um as a bit [4:32] **Joe Masiarchin:** ultimate to pave in the ELC parking lot as well. The trail head though and it's a larger view of that is a shelter structure. Um zoom down here a little bit. So this is a rendering of it. So shelter structure uh storage room and then again uh year round restrooms. So heated uh that's also coming then with um the bike plaza you know uh kind of trail head aspects of it. So we'll have regional mapping uh bike fit station benches um and uh bike loops. [5:11] **Joe Masiarchin:** Uh we're also proposing as part of the project um improvements at the Kendrick Road crossing. So this is going from Caspersonson Park across the bridge into River Farm Park. As part of that, uh, we're working with, uh, WSB and the city engineers to finalize either a combination of, uh, pedestrian hybrid beacon and refuge or refuge and some other, uh, traffic control measures, but ultimately a widening of the road would be happening here. Uh, you can see where the cutout is for pedestrian access here. Um, zoom in on that. Along with that, there would be improvements to the bridge itself. So, we're working with MnDOT on that strictly um fencing. So, 8 foot tall fences uh for pedestrian [5:58] **Joe Masiarchin:** safety. And then after you cross the bridge, the trail then again would cut out um and be great separated um along the rest of the system. So, I'll go to So, the trail after we go through from Ritter uh will cross Penrich. It'll cut through Caspersonson Park on existing trails and actually those have already been improved. So, we won't be touching those. The next section that we hit would be Juno Trail segment. The Juno Trail uh was also improved four or five years ago. It's already at the right width. All of that um is correct. But what we will be doing with Juno Trail is actually working on speed mitigation. [6:38] **Joe Masiarchin:** So, we brought uh the ordinance to council um regarding speed limits on our trail system. So, that's been set systemwide for our multi-use trails at 15 miles per hour. But that new ordinance also gave us the ability to further reduce that speed. So we're looking at are there a five or 10 mile speed along the Juno Trail segment. It is a little bit of a unique area because uh we have property owners that own land on both sides of the trail. So to access their docks, they've got to be able to cross. So we do get quite a few complaints about um speed in those sections. So we're working with the county and the engineers on on ways to reduce that. [7:14] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Five to 10. Really cool. [7:15] **Joe Masiarchin:** Pretty slow. Yep. There are some some really hidden corners though along that trail section. So this isn't the whole length of it, but um definitely a segment of it. So [7:41] **Councilmember John Bermel:** it's I I haven't go straight a corner. I mean can you the corners turn away faster? [7:42] **Joe Masiarchin:** So, we are looking at um doing some curved markings where we might further reduce and there's a handful of really tight corners on Juno Trail and I do have another rendering of it where I can actually zoom in showing that if you'd like to see it um see it further. [7:58] **Joe Masiarchin:** We did and I would say in through the open houses that we've held, this was one of the major comments we got from the residents along the Juno Trail segment. Um [8:12] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** so they don't mind 10 miles an hour. [8:13] **Joe Masiarchin:** They prefer slower the better um is really what the push was. Yeah. Uh and part of that was um to look at pavement markings as opposed to signs. So, and that's where we're looking at doing some things that we have not done in other parts of the system. So, so going then from Juno Gra segment uh we'll be following the trail down uh 205th Street going past Antlers Park. [8:36] **Joe Masiarchin:** from antlers will be heading down existing trails to um Marian Field Park and there are segments of those trails that have already been replaced. There are segments of those trails that need to be widened. Some of them just need to be overlaid. It's been so we're really looking at this design will be are trying to utilize the existing infrastructure as much as possible. Um, as part of the project, we're also intending on adding two trail spurs into uh Lake View Elementary. [9:10] **Joe Masiarchin:** So, that's intended to help with uh pedestrian access for overflow parking. We'll be looking at some additional signage overl. But at DOD um at the Dodd intersection, we actually have one segment of our trail that we will not be building next year. Um that's because of the Dodd road project that's scheduled for 27 at which point a pedestrian tunnel is being planned. So just to the west of the playground we'll be stopping the project in 26 and then just to the east on uh of boulevard will be stopping there as well. So it's that one little section that'll be left until following. [9:51] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Is this indicating that this tunnel underneath for a second? [9:54] **Joe Masiarchin:** No. that tunnel. No, this alignment isn't uh isn't a fair representation. In fact, the tunnel the tunnel is being designed by a different engineering department. Um and it's a little bit farther south than what's represented here in the latest designs that I've seen. But no, it'll be running this way. [10:14] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Looks like it's under the [10:16] **Joe Masiarchin:** It really does. Yep. No, it'll it'll be um the trail itself will run along the east side of Dodd and then it'll cut through um going east west. So, so the project then um for this year uh will head into downtown Lakeville and uh the existing trail pops out just north of where the Royal Milk property is. Um we'll actually be taking that down to um 209th Street. That's the number of that road. And for this year, the trail would actually end up with a new it's a gateway is what we're calling it or what the county calls it. It's uh an entrance point to the trail system where there [10:59] **Joe Masiarchin:** are no restrooms. So trail head restrooms, gateway, no restrooms. So for this year, the project would ultimately stop here. Um and then in 2027, there's plans in place to extend it ultimately to Holio Avenue um as part of a city project, not tied to the project. [11:23] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** What what would the infrastructure to put in restaurants? There are two divergent opinions on the LBBA. There's some there that would be want to bring the tax back to have a bathroom here for business bathroom and then there's the other half that don't want to spend any money at all. And so I heard requests. So half million bucks million dollar. [11:53] **Joe Masiarchin:** I I mean half is probably fair looking at what we're spending at at Ritter. I guess I the only thing I would contend with this spot is whether that is the right location. Um simply because it's hidden from the street and you know tied to this project. I don't know that it makes sense tied to this project if if your intention is to serve downtown, but that's my own personal opinion. Yeah, I [12:08] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** think their intent was that you could try to do two versions of the trail that they could refer people. [12:12] **Joe Masiarchin:** Well, so for this year though, the intention or for 26 the intention was to stop just before um what parking lot. So, and I'll skip down here to the gateway just so you kind of get a sense of what that's going to look like. Um, so the parking lot right off of Holland Avenue um is pictured here just the corner of it. Um, but ultimately it's a um another bike fix it station, directional signage, benches, uh new drinking fountain, trash cans, but kind of a nice uh seating area there just off of the trail segment. or I guess you know not maybe dissimilar to our what we do in some of the parks potentially adding in a couple port bodies that are season definitely not. [13:08] **Joe Masiarchin:** So I'm going to flip down here. So just to talk about schedule then um the project has been moving along to designs here since this past summer when we held our first open house. Uh the second open house at the 60% D design phase was held in uh October. Um we're moving to 90% design plans now and the intention is to um complete those and we would need to do some work at Ritter Farm Park to do with some tree removals um and some tree trimming here over the winter just to make sure we you know miss the the old weld season. But ultimately construction for the project would start uh either late spring in the segment from downtown to Dodd um or everything would start [13:55] **Joe Masiarchin:** after July 1st. And I mentioned that date because of the two grants that we received. Uh keep in mind we received or are pending receiving an LCCMR grant for 1.79 million. Um with that grant we cannot start construction on the trail um from Dodd into Ritter Farm Park until after July 1st. and the DNR grant that we're also um that we we're receiving for $250,000 that's also on a similar time frame. So So that one trail segment that runs from dod into downtown is covered 85% county 15% city and that section could start here in spring. So it's just a matter of whether or not we want to try to get that done for panrog or if we want to just do all of it after panrog. So we're still going to work [14:41] **Joe Masiarchin:** through those details. [14:42] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** So for that segment riding my bike down that one that that one seems wide enough. I mean what improvements are being made? [14:49] **Joe Masiarchin:** Yeah. So county standard for regional green trails are 10 foot wide. Uh there's also a different um turning radius. So about a 100 foot radius. So we do we can and a lot of our trail segments do not currently meet that. Um, city trails are currently 8 foot wide and our turning radius is 40 to 50 really. Um, so there are some segments of the trails where we can't do that wider turning radius just because of the land space. So [15:26] **Councilmember John Bermel:** is there something to be done for the crossing of tracks small tires? [15:31] **Joe Masiarchin:** Yep. So there are improvements uh that are being planned for the tracks. That's a whole other conversation we're working on with um rail line. [15:40] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** The only comment that I've got and a concern about an increase in traffic, but the trails themselves are closer to residential. Any estimate on traffic now? [15:58] **Joe Masiarchin:** Yeah, I would say it's hard to it's hard for me to take on any extract at all. I will say from what he received as comments both through um the open forums and open-ended surveys that we've had online as well as the open house is more so the impact to um the natural environment of which is something that we've really been cognizant of. Uh it's part of the reason there were a couple of other trail alignments we could have selected but it would have put the pave trail through essentially the center of the park. So we've really been trying to hold close to the existing road alignment um just to make sure that we're not disturbing the major portions of the park. Um [16:42] **Joe Masiarchin:** so I guess I would share that. My other comment is once this is fully complete, um I would ask, you know, I would assume that there's going to be traffic, bikes are still going to be held to to pathways. Um, so if you're accustomed to walking or biking or hiking, not biking, if you're accustomed to walking or hiking, you shouldn't see math increases on the rest of the trails. Um, are going to stay [17:16] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** on that kudos. So now I emailed you. All right. Um, we'll now move into our short-term rental discussion or Katie, you're both here. All right. [17:43] **City Administrator Justin Miller:** Thank you, Mayor of the Council. Um, yes. So this evening we are bringing back um followup from the work session that we had back in July. We talked about what the existing ordinance covers us or how it covers us for short-term rentals in terms of the administrative permits. Um there's a brief summary for the report as what her says. Katie has taken the lead in researching budget and I hear this draft together. She's got some bullets of what the ordinance does and then some key questions as well. [18:19] **Staff Member Katie:** That be an opportunity to just do an overview of what the draft says. So just kind of reviewing the comments that were made the request that I heard from the training tax responsible um being able to rent the whole house have a clear occupancy amount because currently it's unclear separate code section so it's easy to find and follow and then duration of today. So, the things that we have addressed, we'll just read through the list. Um, we have set up set up a draft right now to have an annual short-term rental permit. Um, [19:04] **Staff Member Katie:** most of the community has either did a year renewal or a two-year. So, we went with a year just because these can have a higher as far as um renting of rooms or the entire would be allowed in this. We do include the collection of lodging tax. Um to keep it similar to the rental registration program, which is our long-term program, we are requiring the owner or local management to be Minnesota based. We are restricting the number of short-term rentals operated by the same homeowner to two properties. Right now, it's listed as one homestead and one nonh homestead. uh that was to try to prevent people buying up a bunch of properties and not living in them and maintaining that housing stock their families live [19:51] **Staff Member Katie:** here. Um we also did short-term rental we just defined as 31 days or less because that's the most a month it can be. Um occupancy you limit it to two adults per bedroom plus children parking. We did not put a number on the number of um vehicle that can be parked, but we did restrict it to offer parking. [20:13] **Staff Member Katie:** Uh and that's around properties. Garage stalls do count um service sites that they would all have to be on the property and not on the street. And then what it doesn't do currently, and we discussed that, is restrict the number of short-term rentals in the city limits. There are some communities, it's a really small amount that actually limit the number total. um those are smaller cities and then did not limit the location. So currently the rental registration program doesn't limit the location of those rental properties. We follow suit and kept it consistent and do it that way. And then it does not define long-term rental on this but we would add a definition just to make it consistent across the entire [20:59] **Staff Member Katie:** rental registration program. And then the topics of consider consideration is how many short-term rental units can one person or entity be afforded to operate? As I mentioned in our current draft, we need to do so. We're kind of looking for direction from the council about their thoughts or preferences around that. And then um if you have thoughts or preferences around renewal, either annual longer onetime application and of course any other comment just based [21:41] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** on collecting a current fee. [21:43] **Staff Member Katie:** Yes. Yeah. So currently it's in the street. Um, so this would be some clarity. We would make a separate short-term rental application just so that we could make sure that this these requirements understood what was included in the city co that would be $100. [22:03] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** Yeah. I mean, if I I guess I had to figure out what the exact like staff cost it to process all this. It just seemed like maybe the renewal would be less than, you know, we haven't had to do anything. What's the cost? also push it for [22:24] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** sure if there's no change. So like first one what are you going to do on the are you still doing that each year or what are you doing on the lab? [22:39] **Staff Member Katie:** So currently it's an administrative permit. It's not licensed permit. So we have inspection like longterm rental that's a that's actually we don't do background checks. We don't inspction. It's just a register [23:02] **Community Development Director Tina Goodroad:** that's the property owner um information being so I can see staff in compliance though like checking sites sure I saw they where they have to be compiance with public exterior and everything and you would I just heard you say that that doesn't mean we do a pre-permanent inspection but what we would do is is if the property is deteriorating um we'd be able to do some enforcement. [23:45] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** I'm I'm in favor of an annual renewal uh for the main reason that if you do develop problem we have a little more leverage. [23:59] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** other do um they don't I didn't get that language from any other but currently the code actually the intent of it is that it's your your owner occupied home you're actually physically there while you're renting a room [24:19] **Staff Member Katie:** so that was trying to stay true to a Lakeville resident interested in doing a short-term rental property um instead of like someone from a neighboring community that is buying a multiple here. But that's flexible. We just [24:34] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** Yeah. I don't really know. I'm still trying to figure out figure out who's doing it. [24:43] **Councilmember John Bermel:** Well, yes. You know, cuz I got a neighbor across the street that's I think she's renting a room. I've never asked her, but there's different people staying there for a long period of time, but I don't know that we know. Do you know what I mean? [25:01] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** And how many I mean, in a town of 70,000 people, how do we know for 20,000 houses, who do we know that is renting out a roof? [25:12] **Staff Member Katie:** So for long-term rentals, we did a lot of communicationally um and do periodically include it in city communications. Um but part of that beyond the people that pay attention to that information is having neighbors reported. And so if we do get someone that contacts the city and says, I think that my neighbor is renting their house, um we do look into it for enforcement process. And similarly, when this program is up and the code is um adopted, we would work with Airbnb to communicate with the properties that are considered platforms. Um I spoke with someone from Airbnb and he was very accommodating so that they could help us communicate with those people um that are currently renting their homes and then if we do have issues, he's a [26:07] **Staff Member Katie:** leaison, we can communicate with them. they can actually um revoke these people's um opportunity to list their property either for a limited amount of time or permanently and they also communicate with VRBO in the same way. So we do have some extra resources because you have to use those platforms in order to well you don't have to but a lot of people do use those platforms to rent their properties so it's a good way to reach them. [26:34] **Councilmember John Bermel:** Do they collect the lodging tax? [26:36] **Staff Member Katie:** Yeah. So for Airbnb, there's a like a check box um that they can collect the lodging tax separately. So it keeps that separate from what they're asking to rent their property and then they can just it puts it into a pool that they can turn around and then the city. [26:55] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** Is that automat does the state require that automat? [27:00] **Staff Member Katie:** They don't require it. So we actually some cities already are collecting it but not all cities that go to the chamber [27:15] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** that's kind of interesting is that the complaints I've seen from folks about rental is more on the long-term rental side too. So, it's because long-term rentals, the owner occupied occupant isn't maintaining it or the person who owns it isn't coming back enough. With short-term rentals, you have a desire to keep it up because you need to rent it out if you're so there should be some incentive to keep your property more uh up to date than you know. So I I think there's still a long-term question out there that I'm glad you put that in there. But for this I mean I like the piece of relationship with those platforms. [28:14] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** I don't unless you're putting out Facebook for priceless but um and I do appreciate the non-homestead cap. I generally I think reaches that balance owners the freedom to to rent out their house if they want to help people also keep the guardrails in place with that our neighboring communities um any sense what they do on Wednesday we talk about that [29:19] **Staff Member Katie:** yeah don't do it at all varies so much so I can um I'll hit the highlights from the short-term rental policies that were shared during the July meeting soil they do an annual license um that $62 they did not specify the number of guests they talk about working tired tax and must be off [29:45] **Staff Member Katie:** um gross mount licensed and by annual it's $50. Their occupancy is two times the number of bedrooms rented cost one. They don't allow sub. [30:04] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Yes. Um the amount of home is all washing tax was not mentioned. And then not owner occupied owner must reside in um savage is annual. It's $25. Their occupancy is two adults per bedroom plus an additional two adults. Children don't explore vehicles plus one for each available garage bedrooms only and property owns any background checks and all licenses are [30:28] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** Apple Valley say Apple Valley has banned them but they're being sued. [30:33] **Staff Member Katie:** Yes. [30:35] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Okay. I remember was that people are are thinking about doing this um during the time we bear in Florida from November to April or whatever want to have somebody at their most like or somebody's but um is that the kind I mean who are we thinking Dr. [31:08] **Justin Miller:** I I looked up some of the stats from the Airbnb and and Lakeville was not a hot spot for short-term rentals. When the Super Bowl was here, things popped up all over the place. Uh but I mean there there were very few statistics. So I don't think we're at least at this point. Yeah, I'm checking right now. There's not a single one that would be New York. [31:40] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** I would if the um Dakota County or the World Fair Expo thing comes through. I would imagine all the cities around us are probably going to have a desire to or there will be a market for that because there's going to be a lot of people traveling internationally here. [31:54] **Justin Miller:** Example, where they're gone for multiple months at a time, that would be considered a long term. So they could register their own one person say [32:09] **Councilmember John Bermel:** I think we're ahead of the curve for the demand. I think that's expensive. [32:15] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** I mean we know we do have a couple because the one guy complained that I mean that's what kind of kicked this off, right? $100. It was a long time, right? [32:27] **Tina Goodroad:** But the ordinance is a little dated. It really doesn't say much. So, this puts um I think as council said a good balance of kind of what you all expecting, what we're seeing um you know, our market cities. It's a distinctive ordinance. um it's not going to be buried in the residential section anymore. Um so like the rental registration it'll be in the city code portion be very easy to follow and create some website tools for it like we did rental registration for implementation and a couple of things that weren't um [33:10] **Staff Member Katie:** in my bullet points but I will mention is at the end there is um a process about suspension and relocation. So, we do have a three off events um process set up right now um before they would get notified that they're planning to revoke their um permit and then they have an process to go through and then something else included is it's required to be passenger vehicle. So I think business related vehicles that are parking at a rental and [33:48] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** there a minimum age of the [33:50] **Staff Member Katie:** it's not included. So basically anyone that's an adult adult I don't know what platform I think the platforms they require 21 for [33:59] **Councilmember John Bermel:** well I I can't think of anybody. Would you really want to own multiple houses to do short-term rentals? [34:16] **Justin Miller:** Yeah, if you bought four houses on Lake Mary for sure. Yeah. Rental in the summer just like a tiny home accessory. I stayed in one in Phoenix, different market, but it was very clearly an investment property that somebody just bought and they're right now they weren't living there at all. Sorry. They rent them for a lot. [34:44] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Okay. All right. Well, I don't know. You said you don't have anything. They're getting there about the number of units. Somebody two. Oh, two. Yeah. At least one instead. and respond to it. I like that nobody else does that. [35:13] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** So, I think we're all good with this one, but I'm still wondering what more we can do on a long-term conversation. [35:25] **Justin Miller:** January conversation. I don't know if it needs to be that quick. I don't know where we're at with agenda topics for that. Well, yeah. I mean, the retreat we're just kind of identifying topics. We don't go into deep dive on them, but I do have it on there as I think if the council wants to explore next year. [35:45] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Thanks, guys. I think you're still have the floor. [35:48] **Tina Goodroad:** Yes. Baja local affordable housing update. As you know, the legislature passed um the housing bill created a revention to regional sales tax. Lakeville received a distribution in 2024 of $229,464. Lakeville this year for the 2025 allocation is $635,100. Cities can use this for aid for emergency rental assistance. Cost of operating emergency facilities. Financial support for nonprofit housing providers. Projects for the construction acquisition rehabilitation, demolition, removal of existing structures, construction financing, permit financing, interest rate reduction, um and gap financing. [36:41] **Tina Goodroad:** We have to utilize funds within um three years or commit within three years, utilize within four. Um, and beginning this year, we did have to do some reporting to the state. Um, Julie has helped coordinate that along with the CDA. So, as you recall, last year for our 2024 um program, we did work with and collaborate with Dakota County to administer all of our funds. And so, those funds were divided between in the enhanced single family home improvement loan, which goes up to 115% AMI, and the radon mitigation program. They've had a lot of good success in utilizing the funds. I think the majority of cities within Dakota County opted to provide either their full allocation or a large portion of their allocation. So they've [37:28] **Tina Goodroad:** received a lot of dollars and have been able to commit 60% of those dollars already with their staff. And so they'd like to build on that and they submitted us a letter requesting a commitment again for the 2025 allocation of up to 250,000. With that, we would have the remaining $385,458 to commit to a qualifying project. One of the ideas that staff is suggesting is working continuing working with CDA. We've approached them on purchasing the portion of the remaining Fisher property outside what the fire station needs will be for a new senior um apartment building. And they're very interested in we've hired an engineer. been working closely with Zach particularly on grading um lowest floor elevation so we can figure out grading utilities and so forth. So while we don't have um a PA with them yet, we do know there's a lot of interest, one of the resources that we can use and allocate towards these dollars would be for construction costs [38:31] **Tina Goodroad:** related to that project. Um and in particular even utility extensions that would benefit the site as well as their project. That's probably our number one thing that we are suggesting. However, um I did provide the state statute that lists all the other specific areas that we could use these funds for. Um so then the big questions tonight is um are you supportive of the request of the CDA to continue that program serve our households for rehab and recommendation and are you interested in suggestion for construction support for the CDA project or would you have other ideas? [39:15] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** So I I want to throw just another idea out there as part of the conversation. Um, 360s communities is building house children. When I threw out the idea of cities all going to cities using some of funds, turns out uh when they wrote the bill, they did not include capital for domestic violence emergency shelters, but you could pay for ongoing yearly operations. Since that conversation, I talked to Senator Port who wrote the bill. said it was not our intention to exclude emergency shelter. And so they're having their legal staff and legislature see if it's how it's interpreted because right now CDA and the state are interpreting a little bit differently. But if it's not the case, they said they want to fix it next legislative session so that the cities of Dakota County, they write a one time check to help support the capital campaign. [40:20] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** So I throw that out there as part of coach. I didn't realize excluded but thinking down the same lines of some of those dollars and there there was some conversation at 360 once they heard about that because they do get dollars from private individuals every year that go for operating and they can then reallocate capital and then take operating but that obviously very complicated the challenge for them and I didn't realize this. They're not pursuing bonding money because the way it worked is they're a non-government entity. The county technically own the facility CDA and so down the road a new county CDA wanted to repurpose it to not be a domestic violence shelter and so they don't want to put up all this work to build the shelter and then the county said no it's going to be a homeless shelter or something. [41:27] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** did have a question. Do you know any more about the household served for Lakeville that 200? [41:46] **Tina Goodroad:** No. um they've obligated um so the table shows the dollar split for the LAA funds, what's been obligated to date and what's been expended to date. So they're working with families um on the obligation column, but those funds have not been issued yet. So right now they've served four households, but that number will increase as they get those funds that are obligated out the door. So the obligated [42:19] **Councilmember John Bermel:** Yes. [42:22] **Tina Goodroad:** And and um mayor, if I could interject too on your suggestion, we don't necessarily have to decide Yeah. where the 385 goes. But um the biggest question because the CDA is looking for a commitment. [42:37] **Justin Miller:** There's a midFebruary date in here. Yeah. by the end of February they would like to know the commitment if we are interested in continuing that program what our dollar might be that we would commit to that I would bring them a resolution of support for that in early January so that's really the decision we need to make tonight if we can hold on to the dollars in house and if um either legislative attorney opinion changes for this or law changes and that is an action we come back and have that conversation. [43:12] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** It could also be a timing issue. So, um the site grading and work on the Fisher property will happen in 2026. I don't know if Lewis house is going to break ground in 26 or 27. [43:30] **Tina Goodroad:** Yeah, it's probably they need to know what we're going to commit and then they figure it as part of the [43:37] **Justin Miller:** Right. So, I mean, it could be that you do the county contribution for 26 as well as the assistance to the CDA project in Lakeville in 26 and then we're going to have 27 allocation that we could put toward 60 communities. [43:53] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Yeah, I would point because we're we're annually going to have this and annually for how long? forever until Yeah. and it goes up. [44:03] **Justin Miller:** That's the expectation. So, it's based on it's sales tax. [44:08] **Councilmember John Bermel:** I agree. I would just want to figure out because longterm if we do move forward with the senior project, I would assume we're going to allocate almost every dollar to that project every year. So, I'm saying if we have [44:20] **Tina Goodroad:** Well, it would only be for construction. [44:22] **Councilmember John Bermel:** Oh, we're not going to pay for the bond on it? [44:24] **Tina Goodroad:** No, this would just be to help with the site prep. [44:28] **Councilmember John Bermel:** And they will do all the rest of it. and they would do the rest. This would just help offset some of their construction. Yeah. So, okay. I I thought we were going to contribute to some of the the bonds. [44:40] **Tina Goodroad:** Well, that wasn't our unless we had continued money moving forward. Um there's costs that are associated with construction of the fire station that we would use the east west north south road be constructed, the storm water base needs constructed and the overall site needs to be graded. Those are the three things that this money could go towards, right? And then CDA would do their own deal. [45:02] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Okay. With the construction. I just thought we were going to partner and say, "Okay, we're going to use our dollars to pay the bonds on that." [45:10] **Justin Miller:** Well, I'm sure they'd be fine with that. But yeah, I just We have We haven't We haven't offered that. I think they have funding for that. [45:19] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Do you know how much the 385, which you would use all of that, but that Yeah, that would cover everything. So what I was going to say on the road,000 that yeah there's more than 300,000 if there's more than $4,000 $400,000 of road and grading out there for sure. [45:36] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** So what my challenge if we were on board of it was if if we could get the legislature to to say capital money I was going to send a letter to every mayor and county and say this is what we're putting up 100,000 or 100 whatever it is we'd like every city to match it. That would be my ask about those cities because I think the idea is to raise, you know, from the city a million million bucks. I think they're four million short, 5 million short. [46:14] **Tina Goodroad:** Yeah, they're 50%. We heard at DNS that said it with them at uh launch week, they 50% mark, which is a big mark for them. Yeah. That cuts loose their engineers and they've hired a project manager and that's without really doing a public. It's more of a We can come back. I mean, I think we're hearing clear that you're okay with the county ask for the home rehab part of it. We'll come back with a resolution on that and we'll monitor the legislature kind of through the first part of the year and see and bring back that discussion. [46:39] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** Yeah. When I got the email from the legislative council today, they basically just said whoever wrote this didn't assume this is what because of the way it's structured. There was some previous language of old laws in there and they just forgot they did we um break down between HL rehab and radon the amounts there. Did we determine that or did they radon number looks like they're not using that? I give a percentage. [47:11] **Justin Miller:** Okay. Are you interested in still breaking down or just letting them figure out the pots? I think they would prefer being able to flexibility. Yeah. kind of have the flexibility to figure out the pot to split. [47:22] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** Well, and I'm okay with them determining that, but I would like to know more about how these dollars. Um, so do they have if they have a report of some kind of what were made there increase in the value of this home after that process? 3 the radon effect the number is that two systems or one 3,2 okay so I think we just keep going we're going and then shape out with the longterm fisher property [48:15] **Tina Goodroad:** thank you [48:16] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** all right everybody's Favorite topic Allyn crash that while your family came in time for the waste hol [48:25] **Assistant City Administrator Allyn Kuennen:** um prior to 2019 city of Lakeville had just kind of a everyday hauler going to the neighborhoods locations or timing or is we were receiving lots of um complaints from residents regarding the speed of trucks, the number of trucks through neighborhoods. Um trash cans being out all the time. So the council at that time looked at a couple different options of um what could we do different to reduce the number of trucks on the roads to the neighborhoods. So the two things that they looked at was going down to a single hauler um license and uh which there was no support in that from the public or from council and the other option was is what we end up implementing which was a hybrid kind of inviting the city into east west sides [49:11] **Allyn Kuennen:** and having um haulers go down to three days a week and that also reduced a lot of trucks. I mean uh it actually reduced a lot of the complaints that we received. So, um, currently that's the system we have right now. Um, we don't get a lot of complaints about a lot of trucks in the neighborhoods. We get more complaints now about lost miss pickups and no pickups and stuff like that, which is a service level issue with the individual contractors. So, um I think uh council just wanted us to bring this back and kind of see if there was any discussion or need to change anything or if there's any direction you want to give staff on moving forward with something different on this or just what we have right now. [49:52] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Yeah, I think the frustration that I hear is people like, I can't believe there's three trucks per company between yard waste recycling and regular waste. [50:04] **Councilmember John Bermel:** They'll be organic by organic by 30. [50:07] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** So that's what I hear about you know and I Allyn and I met with this company two weeks ago and they are piling in Southern California was very expensive but it's single can for everything they build a $50 million no more than that there's a lot there's a big facility that basically sorts everything trash recycling organics so you just have one can one truck and fill all facility It's part of it's going to it's part of California's zero waste whatever. But it was fascinating to see that. I didn't know that existed. I mean, I know they can sort like glass. [50:56] **Councilmember John Bermel:** So, you would say the number of complaints about trucks on the roads is lower now than it was before the 2019 change? [50:59] **Allyn Kuennen:** Yeah, absolutely. [51:00] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** I know we still get them, but it's better than it was. Yeah, for sure. the um sorry last oh the um the two day a week window for haulers how essential is that I because I I don't have the problem in my my current neighborhood my last neighborhood though we had cans out for two days and was there opposition I mean why did we pick a two-day window rather than setting one day a week for the haulers [51:39] **Allyn Kuennen:** yeah it was we had put together a kind of a sounding board of the haulers we brought them in as part of when we created this new ordinance and that was a compromise of they thought that they could still do all the service on those three days. So a on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Wednesday and Tuesday I think it is Tuesday, Wednesday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Wednesday and Thursday. There you go. Yeah. So the east side is on Wednesdays and Thursdays and the west side is on Tuesdays and Wednesday. [52:03] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Yeah. You should see no trucks Friday and Monday. [52:05] **Allyn Kuennen:** Yeah. unless it's a unless apartments or commercial, right? And right now we have five class A haulers, which is the residential service haulers. We have two class B and we're in the renewal process right now. We've got four confirmed for class A. Um there's a fifth that we're trying to get a hold of that we think the response from. So there may be one there may be one open license. I I think once we get hold them, they're going to want to renew, but we may have one open license. [52:31] **Councilmember John Bermel:** And we had historically pre-2019 had had I wouldn't say a limited, we had more and over the years as there's been consolidation in selling, we just we kind of closed out and said that five was [52:49] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** so I don't even know is that an ordinance or is that just kind of a [52:51] **Allyn Kuennen:** that's an ordinance and you could go down again. I mean, if we only get four, you could go down again if you wanted. No competition. [52:58] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** The competition prices are getting. Yeah. I mean, I would put it out. So, you need you need competition. Keep the prices on a reasonable level. [53:14] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** I I do think though I would be surprise I might be the only one on my road that it really good deal. I can see them because at some point Sure. You know, if they can't get That's their fine force. No, I get it. I'm just saying I I could see them or you won't get Yeah. Right. They're either going to raise prices or get and so I agree with what Michelle's saying. It's like I want as much competition as possible. I think when you start dividing the city like this, it just takes the burden and spreads it out, which is what people want for people in their street every day. The other thing we're having in some places because we had no ordinance like Burnsville had zones, right? And so they were just the company that had that zone on that day would then come in the window. [54:09] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** So they there was like no recognition like we were just the catch because everybody else had some sort of [54:19] **Allyn Kuennen:** and I will say that's probably what most cities do. Most cities it's your neighborhood one day. Yeah. It doesn't matter what the hauler. Um I think we're the only one I know of that allows it on two days. [54:28] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** So we were trying to be generous to the haulers at the same time. We recognize that when they free I think I think Apple Valley both have Yeah, they all have districts. What I'm saying though is most districts are you're Friday. [54:48] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Oh, you're not a Wednesday or a Thursday. Yeah. So, seems to me if you were to take it down to one day, you would still have the west side and the east side. No, we'd have to we'd have to reook at the map again and and figure that out. No, we did that when we went through this exercise. We'd have to bring that back out again. The two the two days of um planning and and they figure it out with one. They've done it everywhere else. [55:20] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** Yeah. I'm mean, I would be open to it. [55:22] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** Yeah. I'd like to see the options there too because I do I mean that would I think that's initially what think I might have raised this the two when when we switched in our old neighborhood and all of a sudden we were in two days of trash cans out um although I don't know how widespread that is. [55:38] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** Yeah, we were the only one the only two with with the queen. So it's like you get two days of damage and trash cans. But so what you're looking for your neighborhood is do you want just one day a week where all the camps are or no matter if we have five? Yeah. So you have 15 trucks coming down your that day rather than 10, you know, 10 one day and five the next. You know what's trash? Two different days. [56:11] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Do you do you see trucks and I assume we'd like to know how common it is because I it's not that way. Maybe it's because our neighbor I mean we have three different trash outers in the city. So we'll see. But it's it's Monday and or Tuesday and Wednesday are two of our pickup. Well, it's all our pickup. So we see two days we see three different companies. When I say all one day on one day I have one. No, we've got two days. Neighbor just switched to a different company. also wish there was a way we could get the callers to negotiate for you know I I have one constituent who got a culdeac and she tried to get everybody on the same company they had course one well zones may force them to do that be more aggressive with their sales package there might say we want to keep our count number up we need to get so I I'd be willing to talk about it more I don't know how much staff time it takes to look at [57:14] **Allyn Kuennen:** I mean what do you do you just take political precincts and you lump them together and that's how you zone it out. Um, we try to group it by number of households so they're kind of roughly equal and contiguous. [57:26] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Can you throw in a co-pilot or you got to actually do it? [57:29] **Allyn Kuennen:** We had co-pilot back then. Uh, GIS could throw it out really fast. [57:33] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** So, would we be talking about just adding an extra day and an extra zone? So, three zones, three days. [57:42] **Allyn Kuennen:** Depends. I mean, I think we'd have to look and see how big the zones are and and also talk to the haulers and see what what they could accommodate. The current days and zones were part of working with the haulers because we really had two main haulers in Lakeville and those were the ones that had the majority of the customer. So they kind of guided the whole process a little bit and others just went along with it because they were you know but now there's not local ownership on that. The big driver then in Marlington was six years ago. So their price that gone way up but it was a combination of okay we've [58:19] **Allyn Kuennen:** got a lot of stuff in Burnsville and Apple Valley on these days. And so we kind of matched up as best we could with them to make it as painful pain painless as possible for them so that they were also doing the neighboring cities the same days that the days coincided with the business they were doing at the other cities and making it more efficient for them. [58:43] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** most five of them serve the whole city because I thought it was no I think only does the west they can but I think they because of their customer base they they try to keep it within distance They don't want to go one here and one over here. I mean, they might, but I don't think they maybe goes all they'll go many times. [59:01] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** But we're we're still talking um purely residential here, right? [59:04] **Allyn Kuennen:** Right. [59:05] **Councilmember John Bermel:** Like like we have Christina Huddleston across the street and that I can't remember. [59:10] **Allyn Kuennen:** Yeah, that's a class B commercial. Yeah. So there's only two people or they all had they all but they could. We don't we don't we don't limit we don't limit the class B's. [59:22] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** No no I mean if you're a class A do you also you can class or the B companies are different than the five that's what I'm trying to say one there's one that's also a class A. Okay. One that's class A and class B. The rest are and one just a class B. Yeah I've got one second. [59:50] **Allyn Kuennen:** Yeah. So that the five are class A and there's two class B's and one of the class A's is also class B. [1:00:01] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** What are the two classes? Wait, there's three classes. That was why you're saying one. [1:00:10] **Allyn Kuennen:** So Allied, which is Republic, is a class A. Aspen is a class B. Buckingham is a class A. Dix is a class A, M is a class A, suburban waste is a class B, and waste managed class A. So I guess there is there is a point. I thought I thought one of them doubled up. Oh, is republic republic and it's republic/allied ways of the class A. Okay. So there is a there's five seven licenses, five class A, two class B's. That can't be right. There's got to be commercial people that are dicks pick up their trash. They got to be used as an ally for public. I mean, I mean, they could be [1:01:06] **Justin Miller:** Well, we can bring back I mean, I'm hearing from right now you're fine with the two zone three three days basically. You want us to come back with just some more research on Yeah. If we if we can go to one then we sure see if that thing snow every night priorities yours [1:01:38] **Staff Member Taylor:** actually Taylor's going to take yeah uh mayor and council so included in the agenda packet was the redline draft of the 2026 legislative priorities. Um I'll kind of share just some of the highlights that we added. Um state regulation of adult use cannabis, they removed the um local government cannabis aid fund. Um so we're asking that any legislative move legislation moving forward um keep local government in mind as they're the ones implementing the cannabis laws. Um Um that would yeah I don't have it up in front of me. [1:02:23] **Staff Member Taylor:** Um and so yeah, we're looking just to at least maintain the level of control we have or um possibly gain a little more increasing control at the local level. At the federal level with cannabis, we've asked that they strike the provision with the federal ban that was included to reopen the government um and go back to restore the authority to produce any hemp derived products as previously allowed. Um, moving on, the ebikes we included in there. We would like to see at the state level um statutes that promote ebike safety, um, licenses, age restriction of 15, protective head gear, and then, um, proper equipment for the ebikes as deemed necessary. [1:03:07] **Staff Member Taylor:** Um, we have tax forfeited property we included in there. um as we uh as we know kind of just to alleviate what happened um recently. So this would kind of um promote more cooperation with the cities and the local jurisdictions where these properties are um and kind of um avoid tax city taxpayers from absorbing all the costs. [1:03:36] **Justin Miller:** Just remember that was also on there because of that scenario where something now they are requiring every property to go to auction and we had to go to a close session to get like a not to exceed number from you that. [1:03:48] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Yeah. So we'd like that to go back to where it was. [1:03:52] **Staff Member Taylor:** That's my next bullet point. Sorry. Um yep. So there and then we made a minor addition to the county road 550 interchange improvements. We are now asking, we've updated our ask um we're requesting an additional 22 million from the state to cover the funding gap of that project. Um and then one thing we did remove, we removed the section regarding broadband highspeed internet. Um, and so now if there's anything else you guys would like to see added or subtracted, [1:04:26] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** it's under the one of the first. It's under our main priorities page. It's D. Oh, I see. [1:04:38] **Justin Miller:** And that was just a minor addition at it in or we just want to flag it. I do want to make sure that we're thinking about it and we will talk to our legislative delegation, but if we can try to get some money on this, uh, playing with the trail, changing a little bit. I don't know if we want to put it here or we just work on it. [1:05:01] **Justin Miller:** Yeah, I actually had Zach send me some language last week on that to get some information. So, um, I need to do a little bit more. I need to find out exactly how urgent that is and Okay. So, um, feel like we've talked about it for a while. We have. I think it had like a five to 10 year um span by the engineering report. So I just need to find out looking at next year it was a main driver of a pretty big levy increase for next year. So if we can push that back one of the years it's not quite as hard that we might recommend that just like central man as we've been talking about since I was the first [1:05:47] **Councilmember John Bermel:** with with five uh bonding as this year that with having its own heading since it's specific to this year and it's a top priority to have a a bonding priority this year. feel strongly about highlighting it like that, but well, it's technically the county's request. Yeah. So, we're supportive of the county request project. The reason I say that is for something like a climate or something else if we're trying to, you know, ask for some money. I don't necessarily want to go all in on the one product either. I don't know. Maybe I'm just It's [1:06:18] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** I agree. I'm just sure. I don't know how legislative people will read and not We could certainly highlight it in a a letter or anything. However we transmit this to our legislators, we can do it that way, too. [1:06:36] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Yeah. I don't unless you guys feel different, I don't feel like we need to pull them in for a work session. you guys want to they don't start session till February so we want to but yeah I don't know when we started doing that maybe it was before my time but it seemed more substantive earlier on the last couple years legislators early time because in those days we used to have six and and our delegation now it just feels like we know them so that they know our priorities. So I agree and honestly if you wait till January think that seems too late and they're got a new ask. I can done all this stuff. I've complained about the tax forfeited property thing. Excuse me. I mean if they I guess I'm always wondering if they want to talk. I don't try to make a point to go up there. to have our own capital bay as a [1:08:04] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** Yeah, let's let's wait because you know last year Christa had like their local chamber day up there and I'd be happy to I've got two things other than I this is not red line so the change must have been made after input last time but I appreciate the the the wording of the um uh the wine and beer sales and grocery stores. kind of embraced that the last couple years and this um I think must have been what we ended up on last year seemed a little more neutral to me than than the earlier ones. But the other issue I hesitate to raise raise but the franchise fee on broadband concept we ever discussed that in here. I think we have talked about it, but I didn't know. [1:08:30] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** I think, correct me wrong, historically I think we didn't think that it was possible, but I'm beginning to think that it is possible legally, and I would be supportive of it. [1:08:44] **Justin Miller:** I have it on your retreat agenda as a potential item. Um, Woodberry has um is doing it because they're trying they've gotten the [1:08:52] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** You mean they're they're doing it without legislative because doesn't it is there a legislative program? [1:08:55] **Justin Miller:** There's going to be a leg well Um, I think it's a question mark. There's not a prohibition. [1:09:04] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** Oh, so they're challenging. [1:09:06] **Justin Miller:** They're there's a new court ruling from a district court though, not a federal court that has given some of the attorneys um pause to think that maybe it's okay to charge now. [1:09:17] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** Let's do it. [1:09:18] **Justin Miller:** So, Woodbury is going to do it. There's also going to be legislation proposed this year, like the past couple years, to actually specifically permitted, but we can bring some more information back. [1:09:35] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** I think we just charge it. Woodbury is doing it. I My only problem is I wouldn't have to collect it for a year and then write a check back. Yeah. If we get if it's challenge court, [1:09:50] **Justin Miller:** I can get more information on the bears. We can talk about at the retreat too. broadband on broadband right now cable extending it to broadband broadband internet and that word is out of date and so does that include all high speed internet there's yeah I mean there's basically we're charging a rideway we charge a rideway permit right now it's a onetime expense broadband is like 1.90 highspeed internet super highway something every day. [1:10:35] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** Um I was curious um there's nothing in our priorities about EMS funding. Uh it's a league lead. I feel like that should be something in terms of right reliability and the amount of time our fire and police are putting into that kind of work. I don't know. [1:10:52] **Justin Miller:** Does the league do you does anybody know have like opinion about like reimbursing for cities in that fight or we're just talking about Yeah, I mean I'm on that I'm on that task force as a league rep for that. Um it's a much bigger issue in greater Minnesota obviously. Um, there is a policy about EMS funding. They did throw a little bit of money at it last session, not enough obviously. I forget the number, but there's like a statewide cap of 100 million um or something like that. you know, Alina and our providers weren't recipients of that money um because it it was mainly men were the smaller and now greater Minnesota and these the ones that were losing money. [1:11:48] **Justin Miller:** We can put some draft language in there and see if you okay with it. Anything else? Well, if you're okay with that, then we will um flip this around and put it on your agenda for next week so it's approved by the end of the year. Perfect. And I'm hearing no to inviting legislators as of now, but maybe pull it off and see how things are going. Open door. Okay. I would say the other thing to think about for 20 26 I think we should maybe have this conversation to your point um September that's a discussion at least when it comes to if we need to ask for money or special legislation because we need to give them plenty of time to consistently [1:12:51] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Okay. Say 250. Um, what do you want to do? I mean, you brought this up the last work session. I just Yeah. Well, I so I know that like the the administration and like the bipartisan commission have like all these ideas and stuff. I just thought because it's the 60th anniversary of Pan-Prague and the 250th anniversary, you know, there's could be some extra fun for the city of Lake to think about like the anniversary for us. um fun funs fun and I and I say funds without fun. [1:13:31] **Councilmember Joshua Lee:** Yeah. So, um I'd be curious one if you guys had heard from anybody at NLC on what is happening. Um and then because I've said in some of the like national meetings, but I'm not it doesn't light my hair on fire. And then um if if anybody in your conversation with Pan did they talk about actually doing anything or not? [1:14:00] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Yeah. So so it it did come up um with Paul Jovas at the last last meeting and he's he's definitely thinking about options of things to do there. I don't know that he really landed on anything. Well, one of the things and this this can be small. One of the items of the USA 250 is if they're trying to pitch this idea of a great American road trip, we could think through a constraint to be like, "Oh, if you're coming, if you're actually doing this, if you're going to go around Minnesota, what what are some lake bill, you know, help promote the city, say stop here, come see these things, and maybe build around say, okay, great American road trip, swing through Pan-Prague, see the music, like and make a tie." There was and I believe there was [1:14:47] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** nationally there was a work session on on this too and I mean there was everything from people doing public art you know 250 year which made me think of the arts festival they always do their art project or what do you call it community art that's better. That's a good idea. So if it seemed like there was other area because if you just wait for July 4th I mean it's going to be year long thing I think people see things happening in other places there was the other idea that it was a vendor of course, but it was they they have a 250 flag exhibit thing that um they were they were pedaling um which actually seemed really cool. It was actually the flags for each of the 250 what was the flag on on that? Yeah, that's kind of cool. [1:15:31] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** It's interesting. It's a little history lesson. It was it was like a $9,000 thing. Um I I feel like it's something we could potentially find somebody for. [1:15:46] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** And that's just temporary. Do they people they put them up permanently somewhere? [1:15:50] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** I I think it's temporary. Yeah. They had a 250 flag thing and then we buy them. So in theory, could we auction them off after to like recoup the cost? [1:15:54] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** We can auction our home. That's not a bad idea or sell them just to you know sell, you know, whatever the those were fullsize 3x5 flags. So, it's like I mean what's it become? [1:16:11] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Um, so I like the public art idea. Um, years ago, Metro Equity said they'd be willing to paint that um hand wall outside as a mural. So, if we're going to think about public art some facing dairy delight does dairy delight. Oh, okay. That might be what I Yeah. Dur. Yeah. So the wall direct from the opposite of Dary delight which is the tan nothing wall if we had art the side of that. Yeah. Okay. Um to potentially instead of doing like that movable statue to do the public art do the art festival that way. But I mean we probably want to commission somebody to do it like not not saying we have put our handrint on one. Yeah, more professional. [1:17:04] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** But you know, maybe mix in Pan-Prague and USA 250 the theme or something. Was this the one that was also General Motors there? There's some corporations that were doing some things and I can't remember what his pitch was though. [1:17:21] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** Isn't GM doing a great emergency work though? [1:17:23] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** They probably are. So I he was there. They must have sponsored the session. kind of did the wheel about something with an app and I mean there's I have a feeling there's going to be a number of things popping up like that but you know we are like you know away from that's what I keep noticing there are websites for every state and then it lists out well there's a there's a charter for Minnesota who's on this commission and I have seen nothing but supposedly they have had four meetings in 2025 But there's an open seat in case anyone wants to join the [1:18:01] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** Well, is that the group that's supposed to do like Trump is doing this like uh what is it called? The American Fair or something, the White House where every state's going to have a [1:18:14] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** the state one is run through the historical society which kind of Oh, dear. He's a good person. Better stop my editorializing there. That's I don't know any of those people except for the hurdle. [1:18:30] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Yeah. The only other thing I was thinking of in terms of just visible um themes were who who owns the banners down in downtown um could we do a branding of our banners for downtown this year? [1:18:53] **Justin Miller:** Yeah, I want to say I talked with Tyranny or Folk Works and they were already planning on maybe keeping up the veteran ones a little bit longer. I think maybe next year. Um, but we could Arizona. Yeah, we could price out, you know, what special edition would be. [1:19:16] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Would anybody be willing to talk to the BFW about the 250 thing? I I know the guy we did some committee it's interesting he just you haven't talked to them they might have you think that's true they might already well and I have a feeling there's going to be a number of things popping up like that but then we when we select fireworks vendors, we use the same one pretty much. Yeah. Do they have a menu of options for what kind of music firework combos they have? Yeah. asked him to do more American more at this national everybody was talking about the Toronto talking about it expensive I think so yeah I just and AI just figure that out just I think that's AI makes your own show spectacular. [1:21:07] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Uh at the end of the day I think we could do a couple things to honor birthday of America, but I I'm just a little uh skeptical that the state or national initiatives are going anywhere just based on what's There's going to be a lot of last minute content that gets out the door seem like sent that I can remember that like they did coins orders and stuff for that right. Yeah, there are some coins that are being waited to be printed. So there's quincentennial. So gone. There is an there is a great American military website. Yeah, I think we threw some ideas. You guys wanted to have [1:21:52] **Justin Miller:** Yeah. So, I mean, we'll I'll talk to Joe about public art. Um, we'll look into the special banners. Um, and I think one of you said you might reach out to the BFW on the flag projects and then I'll we'll continue to forward you guys. So, one of us will continue to work with um Pan-Prague as well. [1:22:06] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** I know the historical. So, I just I like the idea of the art of murals. I'd like to see something up. Yeah. You know, and I think that's probably the best way to to either that display, public art, both. [1:22:27] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Yeah. It'd be nice maybe if we did the flag down quickly sign, you know, around the Freedom Rock or something like that and the plane and that'd be a good place to do it. [1:22:38] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** Sounds like a lot, but they're only charging $36. [1:22:42] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Yeah, but times 250. That's what I'm saying. At first like 9,000, but that's seem like a lot, but they come with a hole in a historical plaque for each one. Are they the same from 1950 on or whatever? Yeah. Well, I guess one of them there's a flag for each. [1:23:01] **Councilmember John Bermel:** Well, who was what they say? How many different flags were there? 36. [1:23:09] **Councilmember Dan Wolter:** There 36. And the one that they had displayed there have the stars, the stripes, and the Union Jack in the corner because that was like the first one. A little history lesson. It was interesting. And I think anything like that that draws somebody attend somebody's attention. And I would love to see something that engages, you know, so they're going to start asking, well, what about these up for a while? [1:23:32] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Okay, thank you. Okay. Uh, discussion. I threw this out a little bit earlier, but um we don't have to make any decisions, but I thought about could we logistically go away from having a work session night a month and combine splitting the topics on the first and third Monday. So, you know, you do in theory, let's say next month you have six topics. You cover three on the same night as a regular meeting and then three in the next one. instead of meeting first just [1:24:19] **Councilmember Michelle Volk:** I like this format for work session. So then you're saying leave the table to go to the work section at any or maybe first. Yeah. And then go to work session. Maybe it's not as efficient. I'm just [1:24:39] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Yeah. It's just that it gets to be such a mindset difference. So I to explain that any differently that we'll switch gears. I think that's a future discussion item I'd be interested. Yeah. Sorry about um the committee or city sure. [1:25:05] **Justin Miller:** We have submitted what we think is our final request for $800,000 for the uh first center for the bed. So hopefully we're going to be getting that payment. looking forward applications. We did. Yeah. Yeah. We got 40 some applications. Holy smokes. Yeah. Wow. And uh interviewed uh I think 8 to 10 in the first round and then um me and a couple of people are on. It's me, the police chief, Alyssa, HR. was like people with like direct public safety management or there's some law enforcement like um I'm not sure who they had for the first round but four finalists they have it down the floor now we're interviewing them next week um their background of facility managers um some pretty some current managers or current facilities obviously facilities so um yeah okay how many does that report up to it's gonna report to Yeah, two row. [1:26:31] **Assistant City Administrator Allyn Kuennen:** And just clarification on the waist thing. So we have five class A and class A does both commercial and residential. Okay. So we have seven class technically technically. Yeah. Yeah. First they could if they Yeah. [1:26:51] **Mayor Luke Hellier:** Okay. Okay, with that, I'll take a motion to move. We have a second. All in favor say I. I see you guys next week.