e e e e for e for e e up on the farm the building is exposed
yeah and um it's a concern we share we know that there's issues with it all right y thank you thanks Charles thank you all right anyone else here for open for him this evening all right
um it is time for the city hall liquor store project update and John H is with us I'm not so sure is this like the last time we're going to see you very well well you'll see me again I'm like a bad
Penny again uh my name is John hegen Miller I work for mof construction and I'm site superintendent for the city hall M and the municipal liquor store project um this might be my last update but you'll still see me okay I guess I
didn't say that very well was this going to be your last update unless you want to kick me out it's up to you no um we are finishing with the punch list I'm going to say we're probably about 95% complete um there's a few more items to
complete uh the wash bikes windows again and a few other items um I don't have an update on the shelving for the uh walk-in cooler I I think they're coming possibly next week but I'm not
positive since that's sort of your side of it it's set to ship on March 3rd maybe here as late as the 5th installers might not be able to get here till the 10th okay so there's your update on that uh the tables for the council um are
scheduled for uh delivering to Innovation at at the end of March and being installed right after that and at that time the AV system will be installed since they are integrated into the council Cham or
Council tables uh we do have some spring work coming up Landscaping uh some pavement work and the uh work on the roof with the green roof um and again as Mike knows uh
please feel free to call if any issues come up um I'm willing to take her a call and I'm willing to run up here if you need to uh but I would like to uh thank everyone in the city the city council
especially all the city workers and staff uh the local businesses that made us feel like at we're at home and it's sad to leave uh but I have a long honeydew list at home very long so again thank you very
much I appreciate everything uh you guys are a great client and we'd like to work with you again thank thank you very much thanks for the second opportunity all right looks like that could be taken off
the running not ready okay just leave it there honorary line the agenda been a year yet okay we'll move on to the consent consent agenda um does anyone have any questions
or comments about any of the items I have one quick question but oh motion to approve agenda um second I'll second all right Craig did you have any questions
or comments no no I just had one very quick question the liquor store um hire is that an increase as we get ready for the new store and better hours it's a
replacement it's a replacement okay that was my question on that okay wasn't sure if we're getting ready heading in that direction or not okay that was my only question um all uh in in favor of the current
consent agenda Craig hi Ben I Bill hi Michael I I and that's unanimous um okay uh next up uh
cook Cony chamers service agreement in our last meeting we um approved that service agreement and had some bit discussion um just a better understanding um of how that is to work
with lobbyists and of course our main objective not that there can't be others but our main objective is the wastewater treatment plant funding um and thank you so uh with
several different questions we have invited um Linda jerk um executive director of The Cook County Chamber to um kind of give us a little primer on what it means to work with the lobbyists expectations I know one of the questions
asked was do we get um gen regular um feedback or I shouldn't say feedback but updates on things and just sort of a general not that we wouldn't like to hear how successful your trip and Mike's with everyone else last week as well but
it was mostly just to understand what does it mean to have the service agreement and work with the chamber and particular the lobbyists thank you Madame mayor counselors or Brady Powers Gary gamble D this is kind of fun um and I do get 10
minutes so I intend to use nine of it no I'm just kidding um thank you for having me um Linda jerich executive director of The Cook County Chamber of Commerce as well as visit Cook County I have been uh the chamber director for three years um doing that Dual Purpose role really
pleased to have the City of Grand morray on board with us this session um and on boarding with us as a member of the Cook County Chamber of Commerce Mike and I have talked along a a lot about it so um
with that um I could tell you that um the Cook County Chamber of Commerce formed as a County Chamber in 2013 uh one of the main objectives and a full third of our budget with the chamber which is a small budget is spent on the services of having a governmental
Affairs team at the capitl for any of you that have had the opportunity to testify in front of the house or the senate or you know stroll through the halls of the capital trying to uh really get some law in order um it's quite an
experience and it really our success at the capital and with any laws that we pass um is really uh dependent on the work that our governmental Affairs team um schedules and and organizes for us um
we for a number of years um since I came um back to Cook County which is now almost 12 years ago we have participated in duth and St Louis County at the capital I've always felt that we can be the Forgotten counties on the North Shore with Lake and Cook so you will see
a presence of both Lake and Cook County at that big meeting and it's much like any other you know you're going to get the Brewers day you're going to get the league of Minnesota cities days we make a really big impact that day so in the
fall um the chamber directors adopt a legislative agenda and it really is um that partnership that you are coming into the fold with as the City of Grand morray and that really was focused on the improvements that we need for the
wastewater treatment plant that price tag is 10 million and we hit the pavement running I can truthfully say Mike and I put at least five or six miles on in one day running from meeting to meeting um back couple weeks ago now
I guess it was yeah today ago two weeks ago today um and we met with a number of legislators and the other two agenda items that we have on our legislative agenda we very very thoughtfully SK scheduled out by John Burns a member of our governmental Affairs team of
Carnival Burns so with that um we met with a lot of folks within bonding um what we heard I think loud and clear was you know hopefully they'll be a bill this year hopefully they'll consider our $5 million request we also know that there's a lot of people in line because
a bonding Bill wasn't passed last year um that said the Cook County Chamber has been very successful um over the course of our time of working with a governmental Affairs team we've secured um in overall projects for the county um over 7
million um and that's also with IB funding so I'm happy to take any questions I can tell you it's a work in progress um and sometimes you have to go up to the plate and and hit the ball twice we might be doing the same thing next year if a bonding bill doesn't pass
or if we are if we're too far down in the line because a lot of people got ahead of us last year with no bonding bill but um it's a it's a really thoughtful process I would have to say with the chamber and working with the governmental Affairs teams it's nothing that we could do as a chamber on our own
without that relationship with those folks that are um at the capital and understand the system and understand the players and the committee members and the heads of committees um and I would have to add to that that um Senator Grant hild and representative scraba
were very very thoughtful and um very we're welcome when we go there they understand and they appreciate the fact that we are there in person so um with that I'll take any questions I want to double down quick and just say of course uh the chamber wouldn't want to do this
without hiring a lobbyist we could just hire our own lobbyist if we wanted to but there's a certain magic or power in partnering with locals from other perspectives with other issues and coming together to the capital and and so I think this is much
better strategy for us to partner with our our local uh other entities and business businesses and and other voices that can come and say the same thing and that we can support their project as well and so we've we've done that we've been a voice to support other folks
project and to just formalize it this way it makes a lot of sense to me and they picked a good person to work with too that did a good job uh setting up our day and and has established relationships like Linda already said so
and they they will open themselves to you know if Mike or mayor Benson called and said you know we're going to be there for say the league of Minnesota cities they will definitely um work with anybody who wants to be um present at the capital I know right now um last
year uh through ITR funding Cook County higher ed which often gets State dollars to operate um will be there on Tuesday of next week and they are testifying to get those dollars because there's been a change in uh leadership within that uh
group that makes decisions and so they're just the money's approved they're just trying to get the funnel open to get their dollars for Cook County higher ed so I know there's at least three community members including uh director Karen Blackburn will be
testifying in front of the um education committee and that's organized as well by our governmental Affairs team so know that they Avail themselves whenever possible great and I love going down and
testifying I'll do anything that I have to do to to make sure our projects get pushed through right and what I handed to you today was just a packet which includes our legislative agenda the handouts that we would have shared with our um senators
and representatives that we met with and we had 11 visits that day it was a crazy day very well thought out and planned um and it shows also some of the other programs that the Cook County Chamber has in place for you all to participate
in I think there's a lot to be said about Community getting together back to the normal you know B2B networking with our social connecting uh points and I know mayor Benson attends quite often and you're welcome to all attend so and
that goes to the entire staff of the city yeah are that are your oh I didn't pull everything out of here your chamber connects and all that in here out now through October October of 25 okay so yep yep perfect get them
on your calendar come on any questions anything else you wondering and about the lobbyists or you're all great is that thank you again really appreciate your partnership thank you y
thanks all right um next up is bested development agreement modifications um which we talked about at an earlier
meeting and um what this basically meant was um I don't think funding is the right well it kind of is funding it's it's the developer it certainly is it is not from the other way not sources of funding but more the increments of yeah
the guarantee or part of funding yeah the security requirements yeah yeah anything so um did either of you want to say anything this evening we did talk about this at a prior meeting did you know
that okay we went through it all and saw the changes yeah uh my name is Chris skildum I'm uh owner operator and developer of best Unchained um I just want to say this this thing is taking a long time and and
I appreciate that as long as it's taken um and seemingly tabled uh Mike was willing and able to uh keep the conversation going and finally get to a place where we feel pretty comfortable about stepping off and pulling the
trigger on this thing and getting it going so I think we're in a good spot to do that right does anyone have any questions or comments Craig I'll a start there so he doesn't get forgotten on screen no fine
okay good thank you no I'm just glad that we finally got here okay what anyone I'm sorry I'll put a motion to approve resolution
20252 okay thank you second I would second that all right any further questions or comments no okay I'm once again going to do the required roll call Michael
hi Bill hi Ben hi Craig Hi I so that is UN unanimous for city council resolution 2025-the all right and that brings us to the end
of our items we're moving on to uh Council and staff reports Craig uh no I have a park board meeting next week so I'll have well we have something coming before the city but
that's I don't that'll be later I guess March yep well yep March 5th or the end of March yeah okay yeah so right now right now at this time I don't okay all right
Michael Library tomorrow oh timing is off on all of this bill yeah we had the Arrowhead Animal Rescue and I think you and Mike are aware it seems like the thing that they want to know is the status of where they stand with the
agreement with the city on moving it Forward um they don't anticipate any real building activity until April and some of their numbers
have coming more favorable as they're going through you know like for the electrical I think I've shared that last time um they're making progress of getting website up that'll help help get their message out there and help people
connect and donate and volunteer um they've had a little change in structure um Pat or not Pat Barb backland is president now
and new secretary also MH Pat C Panero oh okay fine mhm that's great okay so did you guys work out your the agreement status or where that is or
what's next steps on that we're going to reconnect with their their board member that is the one that's kind of spearheading that and okay it there wasn't the reason we stopped talking about it was that it wasn't the most critical issue for their
operating the building was the most important and it wasn't because there was any disagreement about what the contract said so it's very easy to just pick it up and do it again sure so we think now this is a form that were pretty I know you worked on it earlier
and they it got to what I thought was pretty well finished version before we just set it aside to focus on the building so okay I don't have any concerns about what it what it said when we last spoke about it yeah and the one presented from their attorney isn't that like different
or is a few things but the the work that he did was was basically the same as what we also did take the previous agreement in the terms that we're in and just try to make it relevant to today's issues there there isn't a market
difference you know okay good all right anything else no that's I think that's close to it I mean Selene morwitz is kind of seeming to play a bigger role in trying to pull together the the design and get
some pricing and M and some interested parties to help them pull this thing off and and close it up the inside St the layout yeah getting getting it coupled together and then coming up with the plan for the flooring and so
forth and Pat is going to be writing a grant to try and get some funding for interior finishing and so forth so but yeah really the last thing that was said to me was could I look into to the status of the agreement so yeah that
was the last comment at that meeting so well yeah at least in the past I recognized and like you said there's new board members whatever apparently but has always been they want an agreement before they want to spend money because
they're concerned that if they do that and then the agreement doesn't go you know and I get that's chicken and egg to some degree but I get it yeah I mean keep mind that we've already spent all the money that we and the county authorized so you know our $50,000 is in
this deal and they've spent quite a bit more than that the a has so yeah we are making a lot of great progress towards this project and I I like the energy they've got right now yeah okay
great and tree board is tomorrow so yeah that' be nice okay he HR committee M it's good we had a good meeting um I thought uh see where do I want to how do we want to start so I
think we we spent a the bulk of our time um kind of talking through um you know this Merit Market based pay system that we're we're going to try to implement um and and more or less how how do we want
to uh what's the right way to bring the city council into the conver ation the employees that are going to be affected and and then also maybe the public at large right like how do we unroll this program and not just so much that but
also explaining the background work that we did to to come up with the strategy and then and how it how it works right because I think it's that's super important to understand that it's not you know we're trying to eliminate bias and subjectivity and so like we're
taking market and Merit and combin in and mashing right so um how do we do that and What's the timing look like and so it was really kind of a I think it was a good we in a good place I think it's it's it's moving quite well Rina claxon's remarkable she's very very good
and is that so this is obviously uh not the union correct and how how many are there or what percentage are not Union so they just department heads okay okay that's kind of what I thought but I wasn't sure yeah yeah for the most part I think it's that's
okay yeah and maybe not even all of them right what yeah um some that we probably would consider department heads are actually not they're the union I mean we might treat them that way but yeah we're not talking about changing anyone who's
in the Union right right yeah and and like Ben said you know there's a lot of objectivity because there's a lot of data pulled and even if you took out like the the mayor the performance part of it it also is just good information
so we know where everyone sits relative to similar jobs other you know like are you kind of behind in where you should be and you are you ahead in where you should be so and just like Ben was saying it's really good data that's
gotten pulled to make this a real objective place to land and those are all the base foundation work we needed to do yeah cuz before if I remember right it was kind of just linked with like if the if the union gets a three then we get a three
and right increas is that way yeah the rate itself was also just an internal comparison job ratings between jobs which still has to be a part of it but we didn't look at Market other than where we thought we really needed to
which is pretty rare and now that that's going to be more of the focus on these jobs okay and there's some really nitty-gritty details and we're going to show you the whole thing I mean we want everybody to see the whole thing and try to understand like how did we get exactly where we um and then hopefully
there's a lot of questions so I don't know when we can do that or get that to to the city council but yeah so what we talked about was R and I have a little work we want to do first and then one of the work sessions we're just going to take and and this will be the topic yeah so and it it's not it doesn't have to
happen immediately because the most likely time we're going to make this change is for next year's wages yeah so we'll it's not going to be we're not going to make it go away but it's not going to be next time problem sure but anyway so that's it was
exciting it's it's pretty cool mhm yeah you kind of feel like it was a big leap of w it's right here yeah there was a lot of lot of buildup to it and there's still a lot of detail work right but um there's and and the year before and it's
just a takes a while cuz you just don't get get 10 opt you know opportunities to do it in a short period of time but we're learning in so that's on the agenda to to just kind of get this all the LA it's a big effort that's all I
had thank you um we went to the Grand R business Coalition meeting Tuesday before before last and one of their major topics was um I was going to pull the agenda again but it
had to do with um cannabis events and just asking like well where should we have cannabis events and so that your backyard yeah yeah and I can't I'm trying to remember what the other I should pull up my agenda I meant to do that but
um there was sort of some lack of you know just there wasn't the interest from the particular business owners that were ending that meaning and or that much awareness I sensed about where the whole state was
and Us in this community about cannabis MH and it probably has to do with the nature of their business like it just doesn't apply to them and so they maybe haven't thought about it as much right but the whole so one of the one of the suggestions was a bunch of public
property for a cannabis event so then I had to say well at this point not that this City can't change their mind but we have said it won't be consumed on public property so you don't have to contemplate Boulder Park or except of course the campground because we want
campers to be able to in the campground but anyways I don't think a lot came out of that conversation um because there just wasn't that much and then they just reviewed some of their
projects um had an Eda meeting um we did the final approv approval for the broker to sell Superior or List Superior National ofl course um Talk discussed the RFP to begin some Project
work for tanite Harbor and then one thing that's been really helpful is the new Eda director in putting together her report that they send out um she's adding a section called suggestions so she looks and reviews how things that
have been do done or whatever if she has any suggestions she's popping those in to make us think through things so that's been kind of nice fresh eyes and you know and more and this is like just I would say more like just process
things of how we do things as a board and that kind of piece um so that was nice um and then I just had a couple coule questions well why don't you go first
Mike Great Furniture started being delivered so at this point we have half moved in to City Hall at City staff anyway MH um the there's still some Project work happening in the building so we're not
entirely there and we're not ready to open the doors to the public yet but we're going to start getting ready now that we're in our offices a little bit uh it's funny how many things you notice as issues though when you finally occupy
a space it's going to be a while to learn how to operate this place but it's it's a terrific building yeah hopefully the public will be extremely proud of it and happy that that's their building um we are starting to plan the ribbon
cutting grand opening um most likely both City Hall and the liquor store will have been in operation for sometime when we do this right because we want to wait for the outside improvements to be completed before before we do that so I don't know what that date looks like yet
but we're thinking to wait and see whether we can get the AV set up done before the first Wednesday because it's the first Tuesday that they're showing up so probably not okay um the wasn't here last meeting because I was down in the capital you got a great report about that already so
I won't belabor the point but I do want to say it's good to work with with the attorneys at carnival Burns or the lobbyists at carnival Burns that are helping us um they do reach out with questions and updates as staff people are talking to them they're continuing
to work on our behalf um and if you are planning on going down and want to stop in and say hello to somebody at the capital uh let us know we'll get you in touch with them and they can make arrangements for you so it's good
stuff and uh I'm planning on being on vacation in between the two March City Council meetings so I'll be here for both meetings but in the mean in between them I will not be great um I was going to ask Kim but she's not
here but maybe you know anyways Mike so we talked about you said she was putting together the template for the total compensation statement um I just going to ask about when we would expect to get a peek at that do we have a time frame or do we
have to ask himim that we'll have to ask himim okay all right that's another part of the HR work to hand to all employees so um so Patrick you got the public art policy up
today but we got to remove a couple you probably could see from our conversation is the CR the scoring criteria ready yet um no the form is ready but the criteria is not okay I have a reason I'm
at asking that part um which I'll get to and then is the fireworks application ready yet for online not yet okay that's probably time to get going on that um the I'm pretty
sure you got this communication now I know we've talked about it but there was supposed to be an email sent out I don't know if it came to you or not no about what fireworks no no okay who's
fireworks um The Alliance Club will no longer be um hosting the 4th of July fireworks they're going to concentrate on their just the fisherman's picnic fireworks okay um so who's picking up
that one well well we're looking for volunteers oh I see you might be them hopefully licensed volunteers it's that's a requirement for yeah it's been communicated to the
chamber in V VCC um and I thought but whatever but either way it's time to get that application up online and we really got to outline the process cuz is completely confusing and
ridiculous and so much time gets spent on trying to even figure out why it makes sense once you know but it's ridiculous so the form is super easy you know we just Ed the template and I created a one off the state gives
you a template but the process yeah so I I just anticipate there could be new players coming into this and we better get this up online and make it easy and efficient and get it ready to go for them um okay then this so the art
policy goes back to we know that the park board has um approved the is it Moab am I saying that right yeah Moab art project and it's been is now going to come to the city council for a final
vote and Mike and I have talked about it a couple times and there were some questions that Dave Titi got answered um but I'd like to get that on the March 5th meeing but what I'd also like to do is make sure the rest of I haven't seen it either but the all of us
get to see that project ahead of time and also have that criteria that we could use to score so there's we're following you know what what we're asking the CC to do but also would give us an opportunity to have a you know an
objective you know we're all looking at the same elements and and have a way to make a comment on each part and then kind of put thoughts together it's March definitely March 12th by the way oh 12th I'm sorry CRA I've said that yep yeah
for other things okay apologize the 12th so if you and I need to sit down and we did that one time back in January for all of this but if you still have questions about that criteria um let me know and we'll get it out and if if for some reason there's
any changes coming our way to this project um then it needs to go back to the park board before it comes to us I mean if they approved it whatever comes to us should be the same thing um so I'll look for that then and I
don't know why I'm sorry I've marked myself up for a few things on the fifth recently I'm not sure why okay that's all I had 72 thank you everybody y good work let
good good night everyone good Chris thanks Chris thanks Craig thanks Craig yep thank