It's crazy. >> All right, we're live. >> All right, very good. Thanks. The time is 6:31 and with us tonight is Craig Schulty, Ben Peters, Bill Loves, myself, Michael Garry, Patrick Knight, Mike Roth, Kim
Van Beck, and attorney Chris Hood. Anyone else? No, nothing online. Okay. Right. Are you good? open forum. Unless you're buried under a chair, there is nobody here
at all. >> Depending on the weather, >> it's the weather. I'm sure it's just starting to snow. Every I saw everybody standing at their driveways with their snow shovels when I came down. >> Ready? >> They're waiting prepared.
>> It's like it's seting out there like >> it's starting to quite cold enough. Yeah, >> we're going to get some rain first, I think. >> Okay. All right. So, then with that, we'll move on to the consent agenda. >> Anyone like to make a motion on the
consent agenda? Oh, and you had some additional bills that we needed to add. Correct. >> In the packet there. >> That now they're in it. >> They're in the packet. >> All right. So, now they're included, so they don't need to be added. Special. All right. >> I would make a motion to approve the consent agenda.
>> Second. >> I'll second it. Thank you. All in favor of the consent agenda? >> I. >> All right. Very good. Um, moving on to
the planning commission resolution 2025-13. We asked for some clarifications to be added to that. >> Yeah. >> So, how did we do on that? >> They were added from what I can see.
There's a new whereas that talks about the intended use of the structure by the tenant Northshore Fisheries. So that was a detail that wasn't included in the original resolution. Then
some of the findings are changed a little bit. We talk about in finding number one the water dependent of the use which is something that is in our zoning given a little bit special treatment. So that's trying to answer the question of why this instead of something else in
that site where we haven't said yes. Um and then finally subject to the condition that the structure be removed at Northshore Fisheries is no longer operating on site which North House has already said
they're more than happy to have as a condition. >> Great. That makes sense. Okay. Is that everything then? All right.
Uh anyone like to motion on resolution 2025-13 North House Variance. >> So moved. Second. >> Any further questions or discussions or
concerns from anyone? All right. Uh, all in approval of resolution 2025-13. >> I >> I >> I >> All right. And motion carries. With that and it looks like we're a little out of
order. >> Yeah. Seems like the backho memo got stuck in the wrong spot, >> but I found it. >> Scroll back up. Yep. It's page 22 of the packet. >> Okay. And this is what Lenny spoke with us already, right? They found the thing.
>> He gave you the the details, I believe, at the budget session we had with him last meeting. So, this is the official May we please purchase. Does anyone have any questions, comments?
How many hours uh do we have on I mean on ours now is it uh >> we don't know. >> Oh, okay. Okay. >> The hour meter hasn't been functioning for a long time. >> Okay. >> How old is it or how long have we had it? >> Since 2003. >> Yeah.
>> 22 years it says. >> And we use it a lot. But it's not we're not like an equipment construction yard where it's running >> 12 hours a day. Yeah, >> it's not like that. So, it's not it wouldn't be the super high hours you'd expect on a machine that's 20ome years old,
>> but still it's getting worn out. >> Yeah. >> So, one of the warranties was highlighted on here. Is that something that you guys had considered and opted out of or >> It's included in the request. So, the it's with the extended warranty.
Um, Lenny actually is not a 100% sure he wants to go with it yet, but he's leaning towards it. So, we thought we better just ask for it. Okay. Any other questions? Anyone like to make a motion for the
purchase of the Caterpillar 450 backhoe with extended warranty? I'll make that motion. >> Second. >> Yeah, I'll second that. >> All right. Any further questions or >> All right. Uh,
all in favor for the purchase of the Caterpillar 450 backho with extended warranty. I >> I >> Right. Very good. Thank you. Um, that leads us to the
budget update. Mike, >> there's a lot of information included in the packet and I just want to highlight, as I mentioned in the memo, that we don't need to go into great detail about this tonight. We will at your next meeting, but I just wanted to provide
you with an update of where we're at. Maybe it's prompted some questions already. Maybe it will help you think about things you want to ask or prompt questions for your next meeting. I'll give you a few highlights.
The current proposed levy is 2.99% increase. How did we get there? You can see the expense the changes in expense. Uh mostly the there's a slight decrease in all the departments and most
of that is due to the change from a 10% increase in medical insurance to no increase in medical insurance. And then that's uh made up for by an addition of 15,000 back into special projects council priorities line item that had
been zeroed out. And then the other big change is that there's an additional revenue um added to the debt levy of 113,000 which is coming from the utilities departments to pay their share of the city hall debt and removal of a
placeholder from the clerk's revenue department of 85,000 that was sitting there waiting for us to decide how we wanted to handle the utilities or liquor store or other ways to pay pay for that debt. So that 85,000 didn't mean
anything. It was just a placeholder. It's gone in its place as a real number that we can justify and explain it and will be included in the utilities budgets to pay for their share of the debt. That's the where we get to. And then there's a multi-year analysis that
we've been doing for a while now that just shows you, okay, this is what 2026 budget's currently looking like, but also planning ahead for 2027 and 2028. You can see the 2028 year there is uh about four and a quarter% increase
planned for and that's mainly due to this line item called new project debt. If we do a street reconstruction, which is our likely next project, I would expect that debt to start getting paid in the 2028 budget. And we're would
expect there to be a share of that coming out of the property tax levy to pay for a portion of the street reconstruction. So, more details will be provided at the next meeting when we have our truth and taxation public hearing. And you'll have
a chance if you want to tonight to ask any questions or if you want to um at the next meeting as well. Okay. Any guys want to read? >> I don't have any questions right now. Take a look at anything,
>> discuss anything on this. pretty good. >> So, at the next meeting, we'll talk in more detail about where some of the revenue numbers are coming from, particularly like park and liquor revenues and um what our performance looked like this year, why we think
those assumptions are either a little conservative or safe, but that we'll just go into a little more detail about that. Um, and then we'll just talk about the levy increase and the history of it and the effective tax rate history as well.
Okay. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. 6:41. Um, we are then on to council and staff report. Oops. Staff reports. Um,
Craig, >> I don't have anything. >> Okay. of that. >> Ben, >> I don't have anything. >> Yeah. >> Oh, yeah. Arrowhead Animal Rescue. They had their meeting last Thursday.
They remain very concerned and a little frustrated by the lack of forward progress on their project. And they want to know what portion of it the city is planning to help them with, I guess.
>> Okay. >> And I think Mike is pulling that together pretty well. you got an update. We talked about it this morning. So, yeah. >> Yeah, I'll give a couple minute update, too, and do it now if you'd like.
>> Yeah, maybe on the topic. Let's just stay with it. >> So, I have had a chance to visit with all the contractors who've been involved in the project and just be reassured about where we are currently at with what's been done. And I think I indicated this last time that that the
work that's been done is is good and we're going to be able to use. Um, but I got a lot more details about the steps that are going to need to take place before the building is fully set and um going to be getting some quotes from uh
Rick Crawford for sure, potentially other contractors to get that work done. And so my intention is to have, and this is sort of what the the animal airhood animal rescue board's already done, but we're going to have numbers that we feel good about, too, a clear plan for here
are the things that need to get done for this building to be completed, at least on the outside set, and a budget for that. And then we can go back and have that conversation about how is it going to get paid for. >> Yeah, we're just moving through the steps. we said we would do once it
looked like this was >> Yeah. >> not going well. >> Um but it was really nice. You got to talk to Rick Crawford. >> Yeah. >> So you really know exactly >> where things are at. >> And since we're
in winter now, we're not planning on doing any more dirt work. We're aiming for first thing in the spring to get back in there and finish it up, which means that Rick could potentially be available to come back and work on it some more, which is that would be good.
>> Yeah, it'd be nice to have the person who did a lot of that continue it, not have to start with someone else, not really >> Yeah. >> the full picture. It needs some efficiency in the rest of the way this is completed. So hopefully
that's the track we're on. Sounds like it I mean you getting all the right information is important. >> So good. Okay. Anything else? >> I don't. >> All right. >> Yeah, we had a library meeting. Uh we
continued talking about the strategic plan um for the next year. We continued the conversation. We're going to talk again coming up. Um, we had cameras in the library that were actually just like
household cameras that are not functioning too well. So, uh, we decided to upgrade um, and we hired Sundue to put in those cameras and and manage them uh, for us. So, we approved that at the
last at our last meeting. Um, and they're pretty well hired up. We're still looking for part-time librarian, but sounded like the rest were >> in place. That's great. >> So, there is still one outstanding because we just approved one. Was it
last meeting? >> Yeah. >> And they're higher. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Cool. Um, we had our community leadership meeting here on the 13th, Thursday, and you guys are always
welcome to attend. We had fairly good turnout this coming year. They want there by by monthly they want them all in person. So there was no online option. They want to actually get together, have real conversations even before and after meetings and just
>> okay >> do things that way. And it was a very good meeting. Uh we had a really uh good little we had some questions and we small grouped it and kind of went through some
things. So that went well and um I think they asked what kinds of things they want to focus on. It's the prevailing theme of course is still just hearing updates from the different organizations but I think they also want to know if there's certain key items to focus on or not. what what people think whatever.
>> Yeah. >> So, we did that. We had another Northshore and final Northshore Management Board work session earlier that day and I have a copy of it now and Chris said it'll get busy. We have the
final draft of the new plan and um and I'm assuming it wasn't like scrapped but it was updated and edited and we got a lot of good input from Graham Portage because they're kind of leaps and bounds above us. I mean in general around the shore of how they do a lot of their
work. So that goes to everyone's council on the board. Hi Chris. Uh for review and then everyone comes back in the board and nay whatever. So I've got to get that over and then we need to take a
look too. I I um asked Neva Maxwell what would be the best way for the city p to proceed to see how that works within our stuff and she gave me some contact information and to proceed on that. So that was helpful and now I discovered it will not be her.
Um we had an EDA meeting and um golf course is still moving along. they discovered some um septic issues. >> So there's going to have to spread spread. So there's going to have to be a
little bit of pricing and you know pieces and issues with that. So there a little bit more of a delay, but it didn't seem to be a you know hard fast no or anything like that. So I think that's all fine. And in the
December 15th, we finalized and have all the ins and outs for posting the executive director's position. So that will get posted and we'll we calendar to start having interviews then uh at early February, you know, it'll close the end of January. And I'm trying
to think of anything else out of that meeting. And the tech night harbor committee has now had two meetings and they're moving along and yeah um did the ribbon cutting for the Y and did the ribbon cutting for the
heights and last week the secretary of state was here for an hour >> and we got his spiel which is very good. He goes to all the counties and uh talks about elections in general and then just his other role within
businesses and then just asks about our community and guess what he loves this place and he's been here a lot and we've never before. So it was very nice. >> Yes. And his staff is there with them and um yeah it was it was a nice and it was a good mix of people too of the
community that that came. So that was all very good. Um then um Mike and I well I asked Mike all year like where are we with Dval? What have you heard from him on that project? Where are we with Joel? Where have you
heard on that project? >> And so we've been talking a little bit more recently because the larger community has a lot of questions about Joel's project and where it's at and where it's not at. >> And then of course I think as a council we're always concerned of where Dval is
at. and he did say at the end of the year at this fourth quarter he would be ready to get back with us. So I've asked Mike, I don't know where you're at with that, but I asked him to create or Patrick whoever to create a communication that would be coming from
all of us in the council if you think this is okay. Um just a great Joel where we at community love to know how's it going. Just let them know we're care and concerned and interest in this. Um it's been a while and now it's a big empty
space and I he does lease it out for a few little businesses to utilize. That's very nice. Um and it'll be a lot of planning to be able to be building in that space during prime business season >> and a lot of businesses get concerned even over a few festivals and events
>> and it'll be one thing when that whole space is to be built upon and you've got equipment and stuff. So there's a lot of logistics to be thought through. So, um, it's time to to, I believe, as a council communicate to him a little bit about that. Not that
Mike and he don't have and you did have a conversation with him. Um, and then Dval as well that we look forward now that the year is almost complete. Love to have an update and see where he stands on that because we have other interest and potential of that property
too. you know, if it isn't going to work as um he's thought. >> Um and then finally, I think I don't know, we did talk about this right before the county's road project potentially on Wisconsin and Broadway, like where is that coming from?
>> So, I've also asked that as a council we would send a note out >> to the county engineer and the county administrator letting him know that, you know, we we would we need an update. we need to be part of this process
and whatever it is. But to find out that way at a back door in a county meeting, it does not feel really good to know action has been taken. And >> I try really hard all the time publicly to say that we are a city and a county and we work together because we are really integrated.
>> There shouldn't be a lot of separation. most of county functions actually are in this city and we can't be separated and be effective. So I think it's important that as a group we communicate that we
we'd like to it should be part of this process. So I don't know how that landed for you Mike but um between the two of you and your workload but um like to get that rolling if that all sounds good to you guys that we >> Yeah absolutely. Yeah. It's okay.
>> Can we start with Duval? >> Sure. >> So, couple of details that are worth refreshing. He provided a proposed schedule in May when he gave his report to you and it actually said at quarter three that he was going to be
done with site acquisition and quarter four he was going to have his financing secured. That's what the schedule said. But the conversation was also kind of am I'm gonna have to wait and see a little bit what happens with these other projects. So my suggestion is we just tell him
we're looking forward to an update. And there's three specific things I thought you might want to know. Has he made any design modifications? how's he progressing with his development agreement mode to H, which is really the acquisition concept and where is he at with securing financing,
which helps us understand what the timeline's looking like now. >> Yeah. >> And I think these are things you're interested in hearing about. I don't know if you're interested in having him present or if you just need a written update, which I think is probably more
than adequate. Yeah, Ari wants to proceed, but I think I told Mike, you know, you c if you don't speak up and someone's busy, then you can just be set aside and the person who speaks up and calls your attention
to something is the one you're going to respond to. And there's a lot of things he can either be working, I know he has other projects. When I spoke with Jeff Brand, he told me some of the other projects around the state he's been working on, they're housing related, but if we were not on his radar again with
some care and concern, it's easy to drop off. Um, and he did actually ask for more additional funding from the state's housing finance. And Jeff didn't mention that when he came the other week, but he
did mention it to me. So, I don't know if it didn't go anywhere or what, but um so I think it's time. All right, moving on. The other two did you have >> Joel? Um he's indicated to me this week that he's looking at finishing up his
financing in January and would love to sit down right afterwards and talk about logistics. I understand why it would make sense for him to wait until he's sure that it's going to happen before spending the time, but I have suggested to him that
maybe we just schedule a meeting in December instead, early December to talk about that kind of planning detail, which I think would go a long way towards involving the neighborhood in the conversation. um you know not not we don't need public
meetings to talk about logistics but I think sharing some details about how some of this might actually occur and when would be pretty helpful and I think would give people that information. So I don't know if you want to say more to him other than I could just reiterate
that same kind of conversation from you as a council as well. >> There's probably nothing else you need to say about that. Well, and you know, we we do represent the larger community and they're asking >> and yeah,
>> needs to be aware of that. >> Yep. >> So, with the county, I think if you're going to communicate as a board, it's probably best if you communicate with their board. Uh, right now, I'm already talking to
Kristen about this project. you know, I mentioned to her at the the day of their meeting when it came up that we should probably talk about it and that um she's going to have Robbie come to our next meeting and we'll try to get into some details.
Uh but it's clearly a process that's not functioning the way that we want it to. So, I'm not sure if what what else you want to say, but maybe rather than uh send that to the board
now, give me another couple weeks and wait and see what we come up with at a staff level and then express where you're at with the county board. Otherwise, I think maybe just Tracy could reach out to the chair and talk directly to them.
Be my recommendation. What do you guys want to do? What do you think about communicating? This is a big topic. I think it would be a really big >> I don't want it to move along until we get it set on a good
>> I mean we do have all those other meetings that have kind of sat there for a bit the county that we haven't gotten back to. This could be I mean I guess it's all communication with
them. I think it makes sense to make a direct, you know, reach out to them and see. I mean, you said chair. Who is the chair right now? >> Oh, okay. Yeah, I don't know either. >> Jenny. >> This Jenny. >> Oh, Jenny's
the chair this year. >> So, I don't really know what they know about the project either >> or where they're at in the planning process or how much they've been included or how they feel about it. We don't know any of that. >> That's it. And that makes me a little nervous. I mean, to have let something
gone to this to far to have it on a list with whatever and your commissioners haven't really led this at all or talked about it doesn't feel good either to me. >> Is there a timeline on this? >> Anybody know? >> I mean, I don't think we know anything.
it for sure at some point in the process uh they'll need to come to a meeting and just talk to you about the project idea if it's going to be a project idea so that you can get some questions answered. >> If I understood him correctly,
the end of the trail is the priority which they wouldn't be looking until 2028. this grant and lobbying opportunities. It was a fast decision and um Grammar
would be after the end of the trail part. >> Did they secure the funds or they just attempted? >> This is the hiring a lobbyist to do >> okay >> that go secure the funds. So they haven't even attempted yet.
But you know these p that's the way these projects are though. You don't think about them and do them six months from now. You have to plan now to have them that far out. So we we can't it's not like we have time to sit in the part of the conversation >> or if it gets too far the engine gets
too far revved and gets going and we aren't part of it that's not a good thing. So, >> is Robbie confirmed for the next meeting? >> Is that what you said? >> For my next meeting with Kristen? Yes. >> Okay. But not
>> but it's not scheduled yet. So, I'd expect it to be in the next couple weeks. >> Okay. We need to do some communication >> to the board. Okay. >> So, are you going to reach out to Janine then? >> I'd prefer that we had something from
all of us. I mean, sure, but um >> that's fine. >> I you know, I really wouldn't mind something in writing that she can read at a meeting. >> Yeah, we can do that. >> Yeah, let's do that. >> Okay. >> I like that better. I think
>> I think we've talked enough about it tonight for me to put something together for you to look at. Great. >> See what she knows anyway. >> All right, I'm done. >> Anything else? Oh, sorry. You probably you got to just talk about the one
thing. >> That's the most of the things I had. Um, let's see. We do have one more one other piece of news >> today. received communication from this person that's doing the phase one environmental study on a Coast Guard station.
>> Starting to ask questions. So, that's a good sign. >> Um, it's a phase one, which means they're just asking questions. They're not planning on doing any testing on it, but I'm sure they'll come up with some things that require some further
investigation. We'll we'll try to prompt them towards those things that we imagine would need some further investigation. So that's good. Otherwise, I just want to say I am thankful for local government in general. I think this is where
government functions at its best. I appreciate that there are people that are willing to spend some time out of their busy lives to serve. That's what you're doing. So, thank you for doing that and uh hope you have a good h happy Thanksgiving holiday. >> That's right. There is one thing we had
a nice note from Roina and our annual review process is in full gear and it has a time schedule and it's a trickle down and the first thing we found out was that um council members need to get
the review work done and in all calendared for oh my god is it already next oh yeah December we'll be here next Thursday evening But Roa does not want to spend all of
her weekend back smooshed on this. So if your stuff is not in, please get it in like ASAP. And were you able to get to the rest of it that there were still a few employee not related to down in there? I don't remember who it was. Few departments or
whatever needed some feedback. >> There's still a few that will finish up by tomorrow. >> Okay. That's not something that Rava necessarily has to do at the same speed, >> right? >> So, it's yours that was the first on the list. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> That's most important as we stay on schedule. >> And um Okay. Very good. >> Thanks, Mike. Thanks, everybody. >> Thanks, Chris. >> Good night, Chris. Have a have a happy Thanksgiving everybody. >> Thanksgiving.