[Music] Good evening and welcome to the Rapids City Council meeting for Tuesday, July 15, 2025. If you could please rise and join us for the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Please call the role. Council member Grisolvak here. Council member Butler here.
Council member Novak here. Council member Gesler here. Council member Armstrong. Council member Carlson here. Mayor Cook here. Thank you. Uh, all right. We're next. Next, why don't we adopt this evening's agenda?
Motion to adopt the agenda. Mr. Second. Motion by Carlson, a second by Butler. Is there any corrections or discussion? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed. And the agenda is adopted. And we're going to start out with Chief
Steiner. Kind of exciting. Oaths for new police officers. I'm just happy it wasn't mine. Yeah, that same reaction. Well, good evening, mayor and council. It's great to be here tonight and to have the opportunity to introduce two of
our newest police officers to the community and to the council. Both of these officers have been put to the test and successfully completed their field training program and thus earned the right to stand before you tonight and get their uniquely numbered uh Rapids police officer badges.
So whether you come to us with some law enforcement experience like Officer Guskovich uh or your first law enforcement job like Officer Abear, part of that training process is to make sure you learn how to be a cop our way, the Rapids way in a way that embodies
our core values of trust, professionalism, and compassion. I'm proud to say that I believe they both do. So to our newest officers, this organization is very proud to have you guys here. You're about to receive your badges number 211 and 212, which is
getting up there for some of us. They are unique to you and as we always mention at the Rapids Police Department, we don't recycle your badge numbers. Nobody's ever had those numbers before and nobody will ever have them again. They're entrusted to you by the citizens of Rapids and they
symbolize a mutual commitment. A commitment from you to serve the citizens in a way that models our core values of trust, professionalism, and compassion. and a commitment that we make to you to be help you be successful by providing you the training, the equipment, the structure, and the guidance necessary to achieve our main
goal for you, which is to have a long, safe, and rewarding career here as a Rapids Police Officer. So, with that, I'd like to introduce uh our two newest officers in order of seniority, and in this case, that's officer Cheyenne Abear.
Cheyenne will be badge 211 and she graduated from Brainer High School in 2019, attended Biji State University for a couple of years where she played division 1 hockey. Transferred to Hamlin University and graduated in 2024 with her bachelor's of arts degree in
criminal justice and played hockey. Henipin Tech uh for skills and graduated in 2024. And what's unique here, I get a lot of emails, just tons of emails, junk emails, um, solicitations, requests for
surveys, opportunities to try a new program or new equipment. And if you get a lot of emails like me, you don't respond to them all. You you try to, but in 2024, I got a cold call kind of email from a young woman who was interested in the internship. And I liked the assertiveness, and we
certainly needed the staffing. And after my brief email exchange with her was positive and I passed it along to Captain Harmony who has coordinated a few internships for us in the past. And I remember shortly after that Captain Harmon telling me that uh she was
setting up an internship for this uh young lady and she had a good feeling about this one. And I'm glad I didn't delete that email because Cheyenne did that internship. And a short time later in May of 2024, we hired her as a cso and now as a police officer. So, not
only did we get a good young officer, we got a former division one hockey player, which will help us compete in the Guns and Roses hockey game against against the BFD team, which stands for the Blue Ox Fire Department team, the one with just a couple of firefighters
and the rest of the Blue Ox hockey team that uh took us to town this week. Let's get a little dig in there. My only disappointment is there's a couple of fires going on right now, so more of the fire guys couldn't be here to hear that dig. But anyway, um tonight her mother Denise will be pinning on badge 211
tonight. Uh next to officer Abear is officer Gusvich and another example of taking a good officer from another agency. Um, I know that the mayor, you likely panicked when you saw the name, but I should uh tell
you that shortly after Anthony was hired, I uh approached him and wanted to get the correct pronunciation of his name and he gave it to me and quickly told me, but people call me Goose. So, um, that's a great nickname and it sure helped me around here going with Goose.
So, uh, Anthony grew up in Fidley, went to Irondale High School, graduated in 2016, went to St. John's for a short time and then Bethany Global University majoring in theology. He had contemplated a career before in law enforcement and then while studying
at Bethany he did some police ride alongs which reinforced his interest in police work and it led him to transfer to Century College where he earned his associates degree in law enforcement. In 2021 he finished his uh skills component at Henipin Tech also and he went to work for the Columbia Heights Police
Department as a CISO in March of 2021. In 2022, he was hired as a or promoted to police officer there and became a field training officer, a firearms instructor, a mobile field force officer, and a drone pilot. So, he comes to us with quite a bit of experience.
Uh, most recently, we hired him February 3rd of this year, and as I've mentioned today, he's completed his field training and will get badge number 212 tonight, and his wife Alyssa will be pinning that on him shortly. So, with that, Mr. Mayor, if you're ready, sure. We'll have you come up and
administer the oath of office to our two newest officers starting in order of seniority with officer Abear and I'll ask for mother Denise to step up. You want to get the pending first done? The printing The pending is first though. Yeah.
Yep. She's fast. Hi there. All right. Please raise your right hand and repeat after me and I will hold the mic over here for you. So, why don't you come this way a little bit? Let's kind of get into get centered a little bit
here. All right. Here we go. I It's It's a Cheyenne Abear. Okay. I, Cheyenne Abear, do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States that I will support the Constitution of the United States
and the Constitution of the State of Minnesota and the Constitution of the State of Minnesota and discharge faithfully and discharge faithfully the duties of a police officer the duties of a police officer for the city of Rapids for the city of Rapids in the county of Anoka in the county of Anoka
and state of Minnesota and state of Minnesota to the best of my judgement judgement and ability. To the best of my judgment and ability. Congratulations. Thank you. Congratulations. Welcome aboard. Congratulations.
Thank you. Oh, sorry, Peter. Excuse me. The next we'll have uh Anony's wife, Alyssa, come up and company. I'd be happy to hold the baby for you if you want. Almost like
Guskovich. Yep. Is that close enough or the Yes. And all he meant when I was a little nervous was just looking at that trying to phonetically spell that out. But uh all right, here we go. Right hand. I, Anthony Guskovich,
I, Anthony Guskovich, do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Minnesota and the Constitution of the State of Minnesota and discharge faithfully and discharge faithfully
the duties of a police officer the duties of a police officer for the city of Rapids for the city of Kun Rapids in the county of Anoka in the county of Anoka and state of Minnesota and state of Minnesota to the best of my judgment and ability.
To the best of my judgment and ability. [Applause] Congratulations. That's a city. Congratulations. All right.
And this pace will slow down a little bit for council's information. We have uh two more in field training and two more starting at the end of the month, which which brings us to full strength for the first time now in uh probably close to five years, I would say. So, um, it's a good thing.
I want to thank everybody for coming tonight to support these, uh, young officers as they start their career. And we'll adjourn to the, u lobby for some photos. And I always invite people to come back and enjoy the rest of the council meeting, but the agenda is pretty short tonight. I don't know. It might be over by the time we get back.
Thank you all. Thank you all for coming in tonight. Congratulations and welcome to the city. Thank you. All right, I think we're close enough. Why don't we go to the approval of the minutes from the July 1st meeting? Approval.
Second. You're just completely out here. A motion by Gesler, second by Carlson. Is there any corrections or discussion? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed. And those minutes
are approved. Uh we have one, two, three, four, five, six, seven items on our consent agenda this evening. The first one is to adopt resolution 25-86 and approve a gambling premises permit for Rapids Youth Hockey Association
at Stumpy's Hatchet House. Uh the city's received a lawful gambling premises permit application and the Rapids Youth Hockey Association currently operates at four additional locations. Scoops Pub, Muddy Cow, Shannar Pizza and Grill, and Buffalo Wild Wings. City code
allows for an approved gambling organization to hold a maximum of five premises permits. State charitable gambling law requires premises permit for gambling. Wow. State charitable gambling law requires premises permits for gambling activities be approved or
denied by the city council. So, we're looking to adopt resolution 25-86, a resolution concurring with the issuance of a gambling premise permit for Rapids Youth Hockey Association at Stumpy's Hatchet House, 12760
Riverdale Boulevard Northwest. Next item on our consent agenda is uh in planning case 24-11 to approve a preliminary plat extension for Cardinal Crest 9050 East River Road. Um
this is the property located at 9050 East River Road and is zoned LDR2. Uh the applicant is requesting a one-year extension. He is in the process or they are in the process of meeting the conditions of approval and compliance. These conditions will be
required before building permit approval. The current approved preliminary plat is consistent with the current zoning standards and the applicant is anticipating submitting for final plat approval in the first half of 2026. So, in planning case 24-11,
we're looking to approve a one-year extension of the preliminary plat approval to July 23rd, 2026. Uh, next on our consent agenda is to approve the final payment to Minnesota Mechanical Solutions Incorporated for
project 24-8, a well rehab. Uh the change orders that were involved in this were for removal of electrical work from the west booster station and miscellaneous changes to wells 10 24 25 and booster pump 1 as well as quantity
adjustments from the original bid. And so we're looking to approve whoops approve uh the change orders and the final payment to Minnesota Mechanical Solutions Incorporated in the amount of $77,7710 for project 24-8
Well rehab. Um, next on our consent agenda is to authorize a contract with Axon Enterprise Incorporated and adopt resolution 25-84 approving a budget amendment. Uh, the city's police department moved to Axon
Enterprise Incorporated for all its digital and other evidence collection and storage. Exxon has separate software for city, county attorneys, and prosecutors that can be used to manage and share evidence. Um, the system is also able to store and manage non Axon
digital evidence. The 5-year contract with Axon will provide such service and includes the costs for implementation and training. The city's the city attorney's office will use forfeite funds committed for the legal department to pay for the initial costs in 2025 as
well as costs in 2026 before it is incorporated into the 2027 budget. Um so the changes we're looking to do is amend um activity 2011 appropriating $75,842
to other financing sources and capital outlay to amend activity 2011 appropriating $15,168 to debt service for the first year subscription payment and amend transfers in for $15,168
from the law enforcement programs fund and then amend transfers out for $15,168 to the general fund. So, we're looking to authorize the Axon Justice Agreement with Axon Enterprise Incorporated and
approve resolution 25-84 amending the 2025 general fund and law enforcement programs fund budgets for Axon Justice software. Um, next on our consent agenda is the to
receive the schedule of electronic payments. Staff has prepared the attached list of electronic payments processed since the last council meeting and we are requested we so we will be receiving the schedule of electronic payments from June 26th, 2025 to July
9th, 2025. And there we go. And then uh next item is to reaffirm adoption of resolution 25-82 establishing the city manager salary
closed meeting summary. Um this was kind of a redo of our last meeting. We forgot to have the um actual resolution in here. Um, so we're looking to recommend the city council adopt resolution 25-82
establishing the city manager's salary. And then the final item on our consent agenda is to adopt resolution 25-85 to approve the second amendment to the joint powers agreement for the North
Metro Mayor's Association. Uh the North Metro mayors Association is an association of 15 communities that work collaboratively on matters of public policy and legislative advoc advocacy. Um they operate under a joint powers agreement which provides authority to a
board of directors comprised of the mayor and the chief appointed official from each member city and the board is allowed to make decisions regarding the operations and finances of the organization. However, certain actions such as adding a new member to the organization are only allowed through
amendment of the joint powers agreement. Uh we're looking at the city of Crystal is seeking membership to the north metro mayor's association which requires an amendment to the joint powers association. So we're looking to adopt resolution 25-85
and approve the second amendment to the joint powers agreement for the North Metro Mayor's Association. And that looks to be the whole consent agenda. Mr. Mayor, council member Butler. I move we adopt the consent consent agenda as adopted or excuse me, as listed. Second.
Motion by Butler and a second by Novak. Is there any discussion or questions? I don't know. Crystal then. Oh. All right. Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Opposed. And that motion carries.
We are up to item 10 uh which is to conduct a public hearing for vacation of drainage and utility easements and consider resolution 25-83. Mr. Brody, your honor, um this is kind of a little
bit of a housekeeping for that uh project on Butternut Street. So, we're asking to vacate the existing uh utility and drainage uh easements. The new easements were dedicated to the city on the final plat that was approved earlier in May. So we ask that you would conduct
the public hearing and then after that adopt the resolution to vacate those easements. Okay. All right. Anybody have any questions of Mr. Brody on this? All right. All right. Is anybody here to address council for the public hearing
for vacation of drainage and utility easements and consider resolution as we consider resolution 25-83? Is anybody here for the public hearing for vacation of drainage on the Butternut Street project? Do I have to ask three times? I never remember.
Generally, you asked twice and that seems to be sufficient. That seems to be sufficient. You do a nice job on that. Nobody here for public hearing. We're going to close the public hearing and look to council for direction. Mr. Mayor, council member Geisler. I move that we adopt resolution 25-83 to
vacate drainage and utility easements for 10701 Butternut Street Northwest. Second. Motion by Geisler. Was it a second by Butler? Uh, any discussion on that? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I.
I opposed. And that motion carries. And we are up to open mic and public comment. Is anybody here for open mic this evening? All right. All right. Hang on then. Oops. Let me sneak this over here. Open
mic provides an opportunity for the public to address the city council on subjects that are not part of the regular meeting agenda. And the public is invited to express any concerns they may have which are relevant to the affairs, policies, or practices of the city of Rapids. Remarks will be
limited to three minutes and should you wish to participate, please approach the podium and state your name and address before addressing the council and all marks will be all remarks will be made from the podium and addressed to the council. Yes, sir. Um, my name is Kurt Cole. I live uh down
close to uh the new apartments behind Target down there. Okay. I think we actually want we want the the address for the uh Pardon me. Can we get the address, please? Yeah. 2232 Lily Street Northwest. Okay, very good. Thank you. Um
I have previously contacted several different uh departments. In fact, uh just a few weeks ago, I had contacted the police department um as well. I I don't I had just sent it in. You probably never saw it. Um
in fact, u Pat Carlson uh lives about a block and a half from me, so he's probably well aware of what I'm going to talk about. Um, the neighborhood that we live in has, I think it's 159 or 160 homes in that area and most of those homes have
two to three vehicles in their driveways. There are three uh ways to get in and out of that neighborhood. Uh 124th, which is right behind Target, 121st, which is down where the um the
train station is, and Crooked Lake uh way down the far end. Um none of those intersections are controlled intersections of any kind. Uh the one at 124th has had multiple
accidents. Uh there are no painted crosswalks on the on the streets. There's no signage. Uh you have cars that are passing on the shoulders going south. You have cars that are passing in the turn lane uh going north. Both uh
instances are illegal uh according to Minnesota state law. And there's no signage uh even stating that for people that uh it's against the state law to pass on the shoulder. and uh not only on the shoulder but to pass in an
intersection and then uh going north uh there's a turn lane and cars will go through that turn lane to pass vehicles. Uh so if you got a car going uh north wants to turn in behind target and a car going south that wants to turn in on
124th, you're taking your life in your hands. Uh the other um intersection 121st is right where the road makes a bend down there. Uh it's a very bad intersection. Um and
then the other one is way down Crooked Lake. Uh which is the opposite direction from all the shopping and everything. So most of the traffic goes out the other end uh down by us. Uh what I would like to do is one see that uh you know some
controls are put on those intersections. There are a lot of kids that live in those new apartments. They cross the street to go to uh that park down there to play basketball and stuff. You also have people from our neighborhood that want to walk over to Target and some of the other stores over there. Uh there
there's no crosswalks or anything um identified there. Um Pat, you're probably the one as low as I do. Uh Roger is one of my neighbors uh a couple doors down from me as well. Uh
but I think we need signage there even if we don't have uh you know street lights. We need signage. We need enforcement. Uh that stretch behind my house is that straight stretch and these kids think that it's a racetrack. Um
they tear up and down there. Um it's noisy. You know, for some reason they have to downshift when they go through there making all kinds of noise. Uh so anyway, um that's kind of where I'm at. Very good. All right.
Well, thank you very much. Good time. Thank you. Those Yeah. Well, other than I started it kind of late. Now, how do I make it stop? There we go. Anybody else to address council for open mic this evening?
Anybody else for open mic? All right. We'll close the open mic portion of the meeting and we're looking at other business. Um I wish I had a comprehensive list of
everybody to thank because the Fourth of July carnival was amazing. It was hot. It was hot. And that kept the turnout a little low for a couple a little bit of the time, but um my gosh, the the the police support, the fire support, the
the the public works, the communications department, everybody from the city staff, um did I say public works? I probably needed to say it twice anyway. Yeah. Yeah. um the uh Northstar Lions. Um
gosh, it was just it was a tremendous event from the from the parade to the the all class reunion to the car show to the just the fire the the 5k firecracker. I can't tell you how many compliments I've had on the fireworks.
They were phenomenal. again. Um it was just it was just a wonderful event and I know that it's so much work for staff and for police and fire and you have to call in a lot of chips to get everybody to work that overtime but uh and I'll
chief you have something to add to that because go for it. Yes, Mr. mayor council echo everything you you just said and and um the you know a couple years ago we had a problem and uh to the point where we were trying to decide you know did this
become the event we wanted it to become and um we've come a long way since then and it hasn't been without a lot of work from a lot of people that you just mentioned but this year I'm happy to tell you zero incidents zero arrests zero fights no disorderly conducts, no
disturbances of any kind, and we got just a a ton of uh positive feedback from people coming into the midway, which was a focus area um thanking us for for making it a family event again. And it's not all none of the credit goes
to any one person individually. I would uh be I would regret it if I didn't uh like specifically thank Sergeant Tyler Brown who's been the mastermind of our uh upgraded security plan and uh there's a lot going on behind the scenes to make this a safe family event for everybody
and I'm happy to say that it went off without a hitch this year and and I feel great about it going forward. So, I'm just thank you for acknowledging that and um we're happy that it went so well. I had a mom that tell that told me she went into the midway on the fourth and
felt safe with her kids and I thought that's our goal. Yeah. You know, that's amazing. Um I do I do have to also thank Anoka Ramsey Community College for opening everything up for us for Anoka County for all the help along the boulevard. uh and for
Alina for all of they do to be prepared and for all of our um 911 dispatchers that actually set up shop right down there in our uh EOC for the event. Um I'll probably think more later after the meeting, but so yeah, I just want to
thank everyone. And then the other is anybody anything else on the carnival before we go? Council member Carlson, I just want to chime in that there's a lot of people there from out of Rapids who had never been there before and it was a real good look for
Rapids. We I got a lot of really positive feedback for the parade, you know. It was just it was boy the bands were great and the grand marshall knocked it out of the park. Anybody
else have anything on the cardinal before we move on? All right. Next, next Tuesday, next Tuesday night is our meeting in the park at Parkside Parkside Parkside Park down on 99th
um down between Kun Raps Boulevard extension and Foley in there closer to Kunapapolis Boulevard extension. Oh, look at there. Um thanks Steve. So yeah, 799th Avenue from 6:30 to 8. This this
is a great evening to come out. Um you can learn so much about the city. You can meet with your staff, with your elected officials. Um if you've got questions about your asht tree, about your sewer line, about the street, about anything, there will be somebody there to answer that. Plus, we get the uh
Creek wershed, we get our historical commission, we get our parks commission, we get Bunker Hills, Kendall. It's I mean it's it's a very comprehensive group of folks and and if you have a question that doesn't get answered there I I don't I don't know what it would be.
Is the city attorney coming out again? He's been out he's been to a few of these. May see me. Mr. Mayor, Council Member Carlson at Parkside Park. That's right by the drive-in theater, right? Right across from the drive-in theater. Yep.
Well, she's been gone about 40 years, but yeah. Miss Mayor, can I add a couple things? Absolutely. Well, this Thursday, uh, the concert in the park is, uh, Stir Crazy 1960s to
1990s Radio Rock. I don't know exactly what Radio Rock is, but radio rock. And that's this Thursday, Rapids Dam at 7 o'clock. It's a great time. Free event hosted by our arts commission and sponsored by the Community Strength Foundation. Um, by all means, come on
out. It the concert's been great. They've been really filling in well. Um, I know this is coming up before our next um council meeting, but uh July 26th at uh uh Riverdale Village. Um we have the
touch a truck event uh 12:00 to 4:00 right by I think it's called Salon by JC um on Riverdale Boulevard. A fantastic event. We're going to have the police department. There will have uh police car, fire truck, ambulance, plow truck,
garbage truck, and one of those uh electrical lift vehicles. Kexus will be there to give uh to give uh some safety demonstrations, and there's going to be all sorts of things. It's a again a free great community event. There's going to be raffles. There's going to be all
sorts of things. There's going to be a lot of stuff for the kids. Um what are those uh what do they call them? the bouncy. Yeah, the bounce houses, which I which I I've learned that I'm too big to go into, but whatever. That could go a lot a lot of different directions when you're doing that. Yeah.
U they've got face painting, balloon artists, all sorts of things for the kids to do. It's a great event. 12 to 4 on July 26. Yep. I mean, we we have two million re two million square feet of retail up there. And when we got the new Riverdale
management in there, boy, they've just been tremendous partners for the city. and they've the the the difference and the energy and that's wonderful. All right. Any other business to come before council? Can I just mention two?
Nope. Nope. Nope. Next meeting, sir. Call call Pat tomorrow. I'll see I'll see you after the meeting. Any other business? All right. Second. Motion by Carlson, second by Butler to adjurnn. All in favor signify by saying
I. I. We return. [Music] [Music]