WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=wc2j9oXXe6k

Part: 1

1
00:00:04.319 --> 00:00:48.480
We can explain. >> Okay. >> Here. I got to show you guys. church was on vacation, right? >> So, >> we're all anonymous tonight. >> Yeah. >> I think we can call the meeting to order. It's 7:00.

2
00:00:48.480 --> 00:01:06.080
Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I aliance 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

3
00:01:06.080 --> 00:01:37.680
justice for all. We have some visitors this evening. Okay, hold on one second. Okay, so tonight our first visitor would be Representative Keith Allen from the Minnesota House. He is talked to me a couple three weeks ago or so, and he'd like to address the council on the

4
00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:53.520
legislative session. Thank you, Keith. Uh thank you very much. Thank you, uh board, for uh giving me the opportunity to be able to speak real briefly. Uh, I saw the um Jane the Jainsville uh uh school was going to be

5
00:01:53.520 --> 00:02:09.039
speaking here tonight, so I don't want to get in their way because they have some exciting things they've been doing there as well. So, and it's been fun to be able to watch what uh they've been doing. So, uh anyway, uh I'm just I've just completed my freshman year at the capital. A lot of stuff ended up happening this last year. Uh had the

6
00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:24.160
opportunity to be able to serve on the bonding committee uh which did a lot. We did a huge focus on public infrastructure. Uh and as you probably have heard uh the city of Wasik is going to be getting some upgrades to their to their uh wastewater treatment plant which has been drastically needed um and

7
00:02:24.160 --> 00:02:41.680
impacts local communities specifically around uh some of the businesses that you end up utilizing that and employing people in the local communities as well. But there was a huge focus on uh wastewater treatment and water delivery systems. And as you dig down into the entire state, it is not just that

8
00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:58.319
community, but it is hundreds of communities throughout our state that are impacted by this. Uh it it's uh it's been impressive to wa watch what Jainsville has done as a community, specifically around what you've done as far as your infrastructure for waste water and what you've done for water

9
00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:14.720
freshwater delivery systems here. uh talking talking to the city administrator here has just been it's been amazing what you've you've done and really shows as a great example of what other communities need to be looking at long term as far as they're working and trying to keep up with those systems as

10
00:03:14.720 --> 00:03:30.080
their communities are growing. So, uh hats off to you as a board for making those tough decisions many years ago. It's it's incredibly impressive. Uh we also did some public safety investments as far as full uh um local uh public or

11
00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:46.959
local safety infrastructure improvements uh and initiatives. Uh ended up doing some bipartisan housing packages that were aimed at increasing housing production statewide. Uh property tax relief. Uh uh we were pushing exceptionally hard on that. Didn't get

12
00:03:46.959 --> 00:04:03.760
everything through that we were hoping to be able to get. Uh you also heard about the car tabs. Uh we were able to get some relief for one year. Uh some of my colleagues were trying to push to quadruple them over what they were currently at and that was a non-starter for a lot of us up at the capital. Uh we

13
00:04:03.760 --> 00:04:20.079
were able to with the fraud that was happening in the state of Minnesota, we ended up getting the finally got the officer, the inspector general across the finish line, which was something that was drastically needed. It's going to be a uh nonpartisan watchdog that's going to go in and actually go go

14
00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:35.840
through books, find where there's fraud happening in the state of Minnesota, and actually have teeth and uh law enforcement capability in order to be able to claw that money back and hopefully be able to stop that uh from getting out of control like we've seen. Uh some of the other things that we were

15
00:04:35.840 --> 00:04:50.479
able to stop was there was an unre unrealized capital gains tax which would have impacted a lot of rural rural communities uh specifically small business owners farming operations. Uh and then there was also the climate super fund that was trying to get passed

16
00:04:50.479 --> 00:05:07.520
which would have gone back to uh a year before I graduated 1995. And anybody that would have used uh any kind of carbon source fuel, LP, gasoline, diesel fuel, you name it, it would have been a tax that would have been leveraged back against every single household in the state of Minnesota to the tune of about

17
00:05:07.520 --> 00:05:22.960
$8,000 a year. I don't think anybody can afford that. So, uh especially with us in the rural communities, the livestock that we raise, the uh crops that we produce, it would uh be a huge huge impact on everybody. Um but with that uh

18
00:05:22.960 --> 00:05:40.320
like to thank you uh for your uh activity at the cap for making your voices heard on a regular basis. You guys have an amazing administrator. You have an amazing county commission uh set of county commissioners that have been actively up at the capital advocating on behalf of everybody in our community.

19
00:05:40.320 --> 00:05:59.919
And uh I just can't thank you enough for what uh what you do. So with that, any questions? I didn't do that good of a job, did I? >> How did you like the new job? Uh, >> it's I I've been impressed with how

20
00:05:59.919 --> 00:06:15.199
things have went. I was I was told coming into this not to expect too much as far as what we were going to be able to do because it's a very unique situation. Going back to the 1980s was the last time or early 80s was the last time we had dealt in a scenario like this where the house the House chamber

21
00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:32.160
was completely tied. Um I I was amazed with the amount of work I was able to get accomplished um and the amount of bills and bills I was able to get through and onto the governor's desks um in or in a sit situation like this. And a lot of it was I don't know probably my

22
00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:49.520
background of just trying to find some some commonality on particular issues to bring things across the board. Uh and that was something I really worked on. I didn't want to I didn't want to burn any bridges. So, I wasn't going to try to make any headlines or anything because yeah, my dad always raised us to be

23
00:06:49.520 --> 00:07:06.639
workh horses, not show horses. And it it's important to get up there and actually get something accomplished. Probably one of the biggest things I ended up getting done was there was a uh school bus bill that was passed that um there was a minor technicality where they were able to drive around uh people were speeding through the stop arms on

24
00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:20.720
school buses cuz they weren't fully extended out. And I was able to clarify the law. So the moment the amber lights come on, they uh they'll get fined for it and taken to court and prosecuted like they should be. So yeah, it's it's

25
00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:44.639
it was uh it was interesting, but it's I'm glad I'm glad I was up there and I was I was there at the right moment. So >> interesting. >> Any other questions for Keith? Well, Cena County is going to come back with another uh request for the local

26
00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:59.440
fields and use tax >> and um and I am hoping that you once again will support that effort uh along with our other legislators. Um it's pretty important if we're going to do the biggest bill that we've ever done in

27
00:07:59.440 --> 00:08:16.160
for the local government that we not put it all on on taxers that we that we spread the spread the cost over all the folks who district. >> And that was that was there was a social

28
00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:32.959
district one that came up along with uh local the local option sales tax. Uh those two were one of the bigger one of the big ones that I was pushing on. Um we have some that believe all tax dollars should go to the capital and should be distributed from the state side. I don't necessarily necessarily

29
00:08:32.959 --> 00:08:48.240
believe that. I'm the kind of individual that prefers local government to be able to make the decision for themselves. the closer the decisions are to the people, uh, the more the more revalent or the more impact it truly has. Um, it's I I've I've always thought that it's, you

30
00:08:48.240 --> 00:09:04.880
know, more of the power is local. It should be local than it should be at the capital. We're there as kind of a to help with regulation and some of the bigger components that we function as as a state. But realistically, I mean, we should be putting more power in terms of education back in our school boards. we should be putting more power as far as

31
00:09:04.880 --> 00:09:19.440
local projects and everything back in city in uh cities and county uh the uh county commissioners. They're more accountable to the to the people than they're just as accountable to the people as I am and I think that's the way it should be looked at and local

32
00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:35.760
sales options or the local sales option tax is a great example of it. Um, so hopefully with any luck we'll get a chance to be able to do it because there was a lot of communities throughout the state that were really banking on us getting that done and it was we had uh one individual that was obstruct uh

33
00:09:35.760 --> 00:09:52.640
obstructing us on the tax committee that just she wasn't going to let it happen. So >> very much appreciated that that our our legislators weren't bad for us. We we felt very fortunate to get in front of both the Senate and the House Tax Committee thanks to the influences of our our legislators. So, thank you very

34
00:09:52.640 --> 00:10:10.080
much for that work and we're going to ask you to do it again. >> Happy to do it again, too. So, >> anything else for Keith? >> No, thanks for stopping. >> And my condolences to your board, too, for losing your uh your president this last year. It's uh >> Thank you.

35
00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:27.839
>> It was uh it was a sad thing to hear about. And uh and uh I I can't imagine what you guys have had to go through as a board in order to be able to to try to work through that. uh losing a colleague unexpectedly um really does shake everybody to their core and um and uh my condolences are to

36
00:10:27.839 --> 00:10:45.120
you guys along with uh the family and and u hopefully everything is going more smoothly. So appreciate that. >> You stopped by a couple weeks ago. You want to tell them what you gave? >> Oh uh yeah, I dropped off a letter uh a letter to the family along with a flag

37
00:10:45.120 --> 00:11:07.040
that was flown over the capital. an American flag that was flown over the capital um as a thank you for his service uh here. SO >> very thoughtful. >> So with that, thank you again. And my

38
00:11:07.040 --> 00:11:22.079
office is always there if there's anything that I can do. just yeah, it's I I'm just a phone call away and I'm more than happy to sit down and do whatever I can to be able to help. So that's what my office is there to do is to be able to work for you. So >> thank you. >> Appreciate it.

39
00:11:22.079 --> 00:11:44.880
>> Thanks. >> Next up, JWP schools. >> I'm a little sideways there. You're not going to yell at us. >> How's that? Is that better? >> Perfect. Thanks, Lyn. Um, thank you for um, having us here. I'm Wendy Dyker. I'm the business manager at JWP schools and

40
00:11:44.880 --> 00:11:59.680
we know um, Jeremy Erloo, the superintendent. Um, we wanted to it it worked out great to be here at the same night as um, Representative Allen to talk about some more legislation that's really going to impact schools if it passes. So, I just wanted to um give you

41
00:11:59.680 --> 00:12:15.440
as city leaders some information about this proposed constitutional amendment on the permanent school fund and help us kind of get information out to the voters and help make sure that the voters find this ballot question that'll be coming up in November. Um I did not

42
00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:30.079
know anything about this permanent school fund until I started working at a school. So, on the next slide, I'll give you a little background on what it is um and how it works. The school permanent school fund and permanent land trusts

43
00:12:30.079 --> 00:12:45.519
were set up in 1858 when the Minnesota Constitution was written. Um we've got a legacy of valuing education in Minnesota and it was um set into our constitution right away that um land there were two parcels in every township that were set

44
00:12:45.519 --> 00:13:02.880
aside to generate revenue for um funding public education in perpetuity. and the DNR manages those parcels. And in the last 170ish years, some land has been swapped around or sold off. Um today, there's about 2.1 million acres um

45
00:13:02.880 --> 00:13:18.480
primarily in the northern part of the state that is in this land trust. And then I found um this is new for D. We I presented at the county commissioners meeting a couple weeks ago, but I found also um there's about a million acres also that are called severed rights um

46
00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:36.079
acres, severed rights lands. And um we have a little bit of that in Wasika County and basically that is the the surface of the land does not belong to the state but any mineral extractions or resource extractions from that land um helps fund the trust. So there's another million acres of of that land as well.

47
00:13:36.079 --> 00:13:54.000
Um so the DNR manages all that. Um they generate revenue from those lands on uh mineral extractions on timber harvesting and land leases etc. So that's been one of their big jobs in the last 170ish years is to generate revenue on these

48
00:13:54.000 --> 00:14:11.440
school land trust um parcels. Um any revenue that's generated then goes to the state investment board and the state investment board manages this trust fund and all these dollars. They also manage some other trusts like our public employees retirement trust and the

49
00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:25.920
teachers retirement trust. Um, so they do a lot of work on investing Minnesota dollars and in the constitution are some very specific rules about how um those distributions from the endowment fund are sent to the Minnesota Department of

50
00:14:25.920 --> 00:14:43.199
Education. Um today that fund for this permanent school fund, this endowment fund is valued at about $2.3 billion right now. Um, so then once the Minnesota Department of Education gets that annual distribution, they look at how many students are in Minnesota and

51
00:14:43.199 --> 00:14:57.760
they come up with a per pupil amount and then they allocate those dollars out that distribution out to the school districts based on how many students are in in that district. Um, so we've um Minnesota Department of Education in recent years has gotten about $58

52
00:14:57.760 --> 00:15:15.120
million from that endowment fund. So that's kind of how this all works. And um a couple several years ago, a couple issues were brought to the legislature. Um one of them is that this fund's value has been growing substantially and it

53
00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:30.800
has far outpaced the distributions that have been going to the school districts. Um and that the distributions can vary from year to year. The market's great, we get a lot of money. The market's poor, we don't get so much. Um, so it's been difficult for the Minnesota Department of Education to help the

54
00:15:30.800 --> 00:15:46.399
districts understand how much we'd be able to get year-toear and help us budget. So, in May 2024, the legislature put together a task force to kind of look at the past performance of this endowment fund, look at what other states are doing, um do some

55
00:15:46.399 --> 00:16:03.680
projections, and come up with some recommendations on how to best calculate and distribute funds from this endowment fund to help preserve it, but also um see if there was a way to increase or level out or um have some better practices. um since you know um funding

56
00:16:03.680 --> 00:16:20.480
vehicles and investment practices and things have changed in 170 years. So what what could we do today that might be better? So the task force um has some recommendations. Um there's a link on the bottom of this slide to the permanent school fund task

57
00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:37.279
tax force report. It's about 86 pages long and you'll get all the information on all the studies they did and the work they did. Um but in the all the work that they did, they brought three recommendations to the legislature um in January. And the first two

58
00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:53.920
recommendations kind of go hand inand um the first part of the recommendation is to pull those directions and directives and instructions on how this distribution happens out of the constitution. Um, so they want to propose a amendment to the constitution to make the language allow for the

59
00:16:53.920 --> 00:17:10.880
legislature to make changes and look at how this fund is working and have them follow best practices and make law that way rather than had this all so specific in the constitution. So those that's kind of what the first two recommendations are. And then the third

60
00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:26.079
recommendation is their recommendation on how these distributions ought to be calculated. So rather than taking just the interest in dividends from a particular year, the task force recommends taking a look at the fund balance and the value over three years

61
00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:42.559
and taking an average of that value and then taking a 4.5% um portion of that and distributing that to the schools. So it would really even out the dollars that we're getting. And so yeartoear we could kind of, you know, have a better guess as to what the

62
00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:57.280
distribution would be to the schools. So that um link there if you really want to read it all um it's u stimulating and interesting. There's a lot of charts and graphs in it too. So >> definitely stuff I look at.

63
00:17:57.280 --> 00:18:14.160
>> So from that came some bills um that um will go into effect if this ballot question passes. So, one of the bills was to have this proposed amendment and have a a ballot question and then if it votes yes, there's some more bills that

64
00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:31.039
will go into place to help um um you know, once that language is out of the constitution, it would now be in law. Um, so the question is, you know, shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to increase the funding going to school districts from the permanent school fund, which is a fund that supports school districts without raising

65
00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:46.480
individual income or property taxes effective July 1, 2027. So that will be a yes no question on the ballot. Um, historically, yes, no questions on ballots are skipped um a fair amount of the time. Um, you know, people maybe

66
00:18:46.480 --> 00:19:01.840
don't have the information, not really sure what to vote on. um not sure if they support it or not. So, we're really asking as um a school district that you know as you're out talking to your constituents, talking to coffee, um talking to your family that um they they

67
00:19:01.840 --> 00:19:18.160
seek out some information. There's a lot of information and resources which I'll get to in a little bit too. Um and have them look for this question on their ballot in November and you know mark yes or no whether they would like to support it or not. Um again, this has no impact on any taxes. There's no income tax or

68
00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:34.559
property tax change at all if they vote yes. Um if they vote no, things would just stay the same as they are. We'd continue to just get our distributions based on the constitution. If they vote yes, it would um update and modernize the way the fund is handled.

69
00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:50.480
Um so then that's kind of the big overview. If we kind of look at what's that going to do around here, um I pulled together some of our neighboring districts. Um Jainsville's on the second row there and the JWP district is on the second row, but we've got our

70
00:19:50.480 --> 00:20:07.760
neighboring districts too to kind of show um if we were to move to this new calculation of the distribution, how this could impact our districts. Um that third column there, that's the final ADM 2023 24. ADM stands for average daily

71
00:20:07.760 --> 00:20:22.880
membership. And so basically on any given day in 2324 you'd find that many students getting instructed in in our districts. Um so JWP ended up with 623.87 students on average on a given day um in

72
00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:40.400
2324. And then in 2425 we received this 42,529 based on the number of students we had. And that year the per pupil amount was at $68.17. So you can see what all of our districts received from this endowment fund in

73
00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:57.679
fiscal year 25. So if we take those same numbers and say we had look at what we had in 2324, what what we could have received in 25 with um that new calculation that would have put us at about $96 per pupil calculation from

74
00:20:57.679 --> 00:21:13.039
that distribution with that 4.5%. Um so JWP would have gotten about $59,892. So, that bumps would would have bumped us up, you know, $17,000, which doesn't sound like a ton when we're talking about a $10 million budget, but, you

75
00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:28.240
know, as our enrollment's declining, um things are costing more, you know, that $17,000 could really be helpful. But, um, and all these districts, you know, we're seeing that. Um so you know if if we're looking at today today's numbers

76
00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:45.679
are you know 23 24 numbers and this change to the calculation it would be about a 40% increase on the endowment fund distribution that the districts would be getting statewide which is you know helpful for all of our districts of course. Um a lot of districts are seeing enrollment declines. So these numbers

77
00:21:45.679 --> 00:22:01.840
from 23 24 you know they'll fluctuate. Um we're seeing it go down. um this year the 25 26 we are at about 608 I think we're able to count um 608 students. So um you know that's these numbers aren't

78
00:22:01.840 --> 00:22:17.600
going to be set in stone of course this is just an illustration but you know as you think about how enrollment changes and how that calculation could change. Um this is just kind of an illustration to see. And again now we'll just kind of drive this again. There's no tax impact at all. This is all money that's been

79
00:22:17.600 --> 00:22:34.400
set aside for the schools and is sitting in this fund and the legislation is just trying to find a way to help better utilize that for for the schools. So, um the next slide has some resources for you if you want to dig into it or share

80
00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:51.120
these. Um the first one is a Minnesota permanent school fund amendment landing page. Um, this page was put together by the uh Minnesota School Boards Association. They're an organization that supports the school boards and school administrators with lobbying and

81
00:22:51.120 --> 00:23:07.039
training and support. Um, also the the Minnesota Association of School Administrators. Um, I'm not going to remember the name of it, but it's the Metropolitan School District. There's a association that supports Metropolitan Schools. and then the Minnesota Rural

82
00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:23.760
Educators Association that supports us out in greater Minnesota. Um, those four organizations got together and put together this website. So, there's a whole bunch of information, a lot more details. I kind of gave you a high overview, but if you really want to dig into some of it, that's on that website.

83
00:23:23.760 --> 00:23:40.880
Um, the next one is the permanent school fund presentation. That is a 14 slide presentation by the the task force that was um presented to the legislature. was also presented to these different organizations and um the Minnesota School Boards Association. So, the task

84
00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:58.080
force kind of talked a little more in depth on on what they did. My one or two slides there, this kind of pulls out into 14 slides. And then, of course, that 86 page report if you want to see even more. And then, if you're kind of nerding out about the land like we do out in greater Minnesota, um I put the

85
00:23:58.080 --> 00:24:15.440
website for the school land trust from the Minnesota Department um of natural resources. So, there's some maps out there. where we can kind of see where the different parcels are and what's happening on those parcels. So, um that's about all I have on that. Um do you have any questions on

86
00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:31.520
any of the information? Otherwise, um Jeremy and I are always very happy to um take calls, take visits. >> I was just going to make a point though. >> Mhm. >> If you skip the question, it's a no vote. >> I was going to ask that. I

87
00:24:31.520 --> 00:24:48.960
>> So, make sure you vote. >> Yes. Yep. Make sure you fill in a a yes or a no. Um because the what what they'll do is they'll look at all the voters who voted that day and the yeses need to have a majority to pass. So if there's, you know, a thousand voters and

88
00:24:48.960 --> 00:25:04.880
20 of them didn't even vote at all, that's 20 nos. And then, you know, um so it's really they take a look at the total number of voters and how many yeses were were on there. So yeah, no. uh uh skipping the question completely is effectively a no.

89
00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:19.360
>> Yeah. >> So is there going to be people like campaigning like signs like a vote yes sign? >> There may be there may be um you know as schools um school officials we are here to give some information and just share the information with you and give you some resources so you can make your

90
00:25:19.360 --> 00:25:36.240
decision. Um there may be some vote yes campaigns happening around the state or around the city. Um, we're not going to be doing that at the school, of course, but you may see some of that. >> Sure. >> Yeah. >> So, do I understand the recommendations

91
00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:53.039
were to remove it from the constitution. This does not remove it from the constitution. It changes the constitution distribution numbers. Correct. >> Right. So it would remove those distribution instructions from the constitution and and put those

92
00:25:53.039 --> 00:26:10.720
instructions into legislation into a bill. >> That's the same as removing it from the constitution. >> Yeah. Yeah. So that's what this ballot question >> this recommendation is to remove it from the constitution, >> right? The task force recommendation is that y >> in some bureaucrats hands legislator

93
00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:25.760
>> sort of give them some more um flexibility. I think that that's that wasn't presented quite well enough. >> Okay. Okay. >> Changing constitutions are uh

94
00:26:25.760 --> 00:26:42.960
>> unhealthy. >> I would rather see them change the constitution numbers rather than removing it from a >> document that'sund and some years old. >> And even if that is the case, it still has to be amended because the numbers,

95
00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:57.840
>> right? Right. So there would be an amendment. Yep. There would have to be a different amendment. >> Um the amendment now is to remove those language opinion. I just that >> Yep. Yep. >> Thank you. >> Can I ask a question? >> Sure.

96
00:26:57.840 --> 00:27:13.520
>> And just a clarification of what you were doing, Jim. Um this um and I I do think the nuance of this conversation is important. What part of this this this question on the ballot?

97
00:27:13.520 --> 00:27:31.760
Um what part of this does it um does it remove from the constitution? Because the constitution is still going to have the establishment of this permanent fund as part of that as part of of that's not going to

98
00:27:31.760 --> 00:27:48.559
change. It's the the management piece because forund and some years the the formula has been untouchable. Now the formula will move from from our

99
00:27:48.559 --> 00:28:04.080
constitution into the hands of legislators. So, elected body people, not not the Department of Education, not I think that nuance is important. Um because I think the word you use bureaucrat that

100
00:28:04.080 --> 00:28:18.960
makes me go, "Oh, yeah. I mean, we want we want people who have direct accountability to um to constituents to people who pay those taxes." So it wouldn't be the Department of Education. It wouldn't be the Department of Natural

101
00:28:18.960 --> 00:28:36.240
Resources. It would be the legislature and a subdivision of the legislature that would manage and distribute. Correct. >> The legislature would actually have the final vote on it. And and to be this is probably and I'm glad you're touching on

102
00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:52.880
this because this was one of the more exciting things we ended up getting getting through and actually putting this on as a ballot question. there as as we see sales happening within timber um uh mineral extraction that kind of thing these funds actually grow grow

103
00:28:52.880 --> 00:29:09.679
substant is sub substantially bigger uh and this gets the legislature to be able to bump it up the number that we're currently using that they're quoting is a very very conservative number but realistically down the path um there could be a lot more money that's currently sitting in there if they

104
00:29:09.679 --> 00:29:26.399
decide to tap into he you know some of the helium sales and some of the other the other mineral extraction stuff that's happening in the state, the timber sales and how they've managed land. Um th this was something that it's it was exciting to see it as we are seeing schools struggling in terms of

105
00:29:26.399 --> 00:29:42.399
dollars and what they're able to do here in the state. Uh this was like finding an extra dollar underneath the pill the cushions when the kids >> decid I agree with I agree with you. 4 and a half to 5% is historically very uh

106
00:29:42.399 --> 00:30:01.279
uh conservative even in uh negative down times. 4 and a half to 5% is still sustainable long >> term. >> So I don't argue with that. I I'm glad you clarified that the legislature, not a department of the governor would be

107
00:30:01.279 --> 00:30:18.159
managing this. It would be the legislative act. Thank you very much. And at no time this money can go anywhere else except for the school district. >> That's correct. >> Correct. Yep. Yep. >> Much more fun. >> Any other questions?

108
00:30:18.159 --> 00:30:34.080
>> Thank you very much. >> Downfall with this is here again we're if you don't vote it's a no vote. And I'm not in favor of that policy. It should

109
00:30:34.080 --> 00:30:50.320
be uh the tally of the people that voted. >> I voted on that question to look at. >> I voted on that question. >> Sure. >> You know, we should not allow it up to people to just ignored it. You know,

110
00:30:50.320 --> 00:31:06.760
seen the presidential elections where they just go in and fill out that part of the election form and never look at the rest of it. And it hurts a lot of good ideas and good projects.

111
00:31:09.679 --> 00:31:26.240
>> That's a constitutional issue, too. >> I'm sure statute within the state of Minnesota almost certainly. >> Yeah. So, >> you got the right guy. >> Call the call the secretary of state on that.

112
00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:41.519
No, you're not going to get it done this year. >> Yeah. Yep. >> Yes. And so the last slide has u my email address and Jeremy's email address. And you don't feel like stopping into our office, you can always call or email us or shop us on the

113
00:31:41.519 --> 00:31:56.799
street. Um ask me what that link is again for the the website and we'll be glad to help share the information and we hope that that you'll help us too as city leaders. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. >> Thank >> Thank you.

114
00:31:56.799 --> 00:32:22.559
>> Thank you. >> Uh approval of the agenda move second. >> All in favor? >> I consent agenda. >> All right. You have the minutes from the June 22nd meeting and then you have a

115
00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:39.760
couple you have the receivable report and then there's a couple payables. Uh the only thing I want to point out with payables is that there are some expenses in here uh paying for the the electric project outside of town. And then we did have a couple we have a couple leases

116
00:32:39.760 --> 00:33:11.799
for equipment. So we have their semianual payments in tonight's agenda. It's all I got. >> One. >> Motion to approve. >> All in favor? >> I

117
00:33:13.039 --> 00:33:28.480
>> public forum. Do we have anybody here that would like to speak through public forum? >> Go ahead, Mike. >> Can I do it from here or >> No, you got to go up to the deal there. That's >> That's the deal. >> That's the rule.

118
00:33:28.480 --> 00:33:45.919
Mike Santo, uh you guys all know me, I think. Um I just wonder if you guys could apply some pressure to the railroad to get something done with the Main Street Railroad crossing there. That thing is rough as can be. >> You were just talking to me about that. Um >> we we've been it's I agree.

119
00:33:45.919 --> 00:34:03.039
>> I just I just want to point that out and make sure that you know we can send them a letter or whatever. I know it's on the county road. Maybe they can help out with that too on that side. >> I I have already uh spoken to the county. Um the county cannot fix it.

120
00:34:03.039 --> 00:34:17.359
>> I I I understand that. >> Yes, >> we can apply pressure to the railroad maybe. >> Um well, >> good luck with that. If we ask them to fix it, they will ask us to pay for it and um it goes upwards

121
00:34:17.359 --> 00:34:33.040
of $150 to $250,000. >> Okay. I just >> So, we are reluctant to make any kind of official ask. Um but there's a little blue sign there and it's got a phone number on it and everybody should call that like three times a day. Uh, Teal

122
00:34:33.040 --> 00:34:50.399
Street is getting to be pretty bad, too. >> Yeah, Teal Street, uh, that's only three or four years old, I think. >> Yeah, >> those railroad ties are like eaten out and divoted. >> Y, >> thank you.

123
00:34:50.399 --> 00:35:06.880
>> Uh, anybody else want to speak through public forum? Last call. Moving on. Notices and communications. Nothing. Council reports.

124
00:35:06.880 --> 00:35:26.160
Nothing. Oh, I'm not supposed to talk. >> That almost ridiculous. >> Um, so for Jim for any does he wish to get on any boards or are we just going to

125
00:35:26.160 --> 00:35:44.079
>> Where do you want me to serve? We hadn't really talked about that prior to last week. >> Whatever you come up with, then just let me know. >> Okay. >> Right. >> I'll I'll probably just stay on the ones I'm on for right now. >> It's only 6 months. So,

126
00:35:44.079 --> 00:36:00.000
>> yeah. >> All right. >> I have nothing on Park Road or uh whatever other one I'm on. >> EDA. >> Yeah. >> Jacob Lurkey won the >> What's that? Jacob Lurkey won the thing for EDA.

127
00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:14.560
>> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Well, you're on that committee. >> I'm here to help you on that committee. >> You're on that committee. You can talk. >> No, I got a different committee I have to talk about. >> E the EDA has awarded the business

128
00:36:14.560 --> 00:36:32.079
challenge grant of $20,000 to the Lurkey family for their project on uh East Main Street. So, I have not visited with them personally,

129
00:36:32.079 --> 00:36:57.200
so I'm sure they're excited about it. And we've had a brief conversation with the county about when we can do something like that again. So, your turn so much. Um the last planning commission

130
00:36:57.200 --> 00:37:15.200
was a joint meeting with the EDA. Uh we had Rod Hamilton come in and talk to us. Uh it was a long and enlightening conversation. Um I don't know if we really made any progress towards doing anything, but it was a good conversation. Um I missed the part where I was at

131
00:37:15.200 --> 00:37:33.040
family camp. So Clinton, if you know what happened. >> No, I mean we're just looking at some equipment and >> things like that. Yep. >> Signs for parks, >> nursing home, >> sir. >> They had a water main break a couple

132
00:37:33.040 --> 00:37:49.520
weeks ago. They were currently running off a hydrant. Um the Department of Health needed an engineering plan. So Mike said that what' you say you got some quotes, some $20,000 quotes or unders. >> They're under 20,000.

133
00:37:49.520 --> 00:38:05.760
>> Under 20,000. So >> 16 only 200. >> So are we going to look at that next week at our meetings? >> This week? >> This week? Is it this week? >> I have a meeting this week. So we're going to talk about it this week.

134
00:38:05.760 --> 00:38:21.599
>> Talk about how they're going to fix it or >> Department of Health has their hands in how the water supply comes into that somehow. I don't know exactly what they're looking for. The fire marshals have located replacing

135
00:38:21.599 --> 00:38:40.520
the pipe. I mean how during any time it's process >> interesting >> temporary that's okay

136
00:38:42.160 --> 00:38:57.119
engineering I guess. >> H Cuz to me, you'd you'd fix the old one and then and then figure out how we're going to move forward with, you know, redoing it. But >> that makes sense. Yeah. >> Gotcha.

137
00:38:57.119 --> 00:39:14.839
>> Is this an internal part of me or is it external >> from the main? They have to pour it in. I think for I don't know exactly where it comes in, but it comes in on the east side, I believe. I'm not sure

138
00:39:16.079 --> 00:39:34.480
different in there, I guess. >> Just affect the nursing home, not park, >> right? >> Gotcha. All right. >> I'll let you know when >> um I met with the utility board prior to

139
00:39:34.480 --> 00:39:49.680
this. Uh not a whole lot. Obviously, we talked about the project out there and uh progress on all that and they are making progress. So, that's that's good.

140
00:39:49.680 --> 00:40:06.240
Um everything else was pretty routine in nature. Talked about the 2027 projects and that was about it. Uh golf board has not met lately. Uh

141
00:40:06.240 --> 00:40:22.480
things are going really good out there by the way Kevin makes it sound when I chat with him. And >> did they win an award? >> Oh yes. Sorry. I thought I heard >> Well, it's it's on it was it'll be in Clinton's thing, too. But uh

142
00:40:22.480 --> 00:40:38.400
>> I didn't mean to step on your >> voted voted Mano's Mano's best golf course, which is pretty cool for >> That's a pretty good thing. >> Yeah. I mean, for a municipally owned golf course, that's

143
00:40:38.400 --> 00:40:56.160
>> and >> I reached out to Jacob and Kevin and they put a lot of hard work into that and obviously Scott Allen did for 25 years as well. >> I heard that they are going to get a plaque from the free press.

144
00:40:56.160 --> 00:41:16.400
>> That's what I heard. >> Okay, >> that's that's my understanding. Yeah. >> Yeah, that makes sense because I've seen them in businesses that Yeah. >> If not, we should hustle one up some. >> It's a It's a very nice honor. >> Uh administrator report.

145
00:41:16.400 --> 00:41:32.800
>> Yes. In tonight's packet, you have the June bank reconciliation. You have the cash balance report dated last Friday. >> Um and I did announce here that Prairie Ridge was voted best of and Andy just mentioned that. Um

146
00:41:32.800 --> 00:41:50.000
on July 1st we did receive our first half property taxes of about 760,000. So I photocopied the check and then the next page shows where where those monies go, what different funds that they go into. And I was just going to mention

147
00:41:50.000 --> 00:42:06.480
that we're supposed to have our first half local government aid probably well hopefully this week, but it's supposed to be by the middle of July, which is pretty much today. Um, we sent letters out to the properties on

148
00:42:06.480 --> 00:42:22.800
East Front Street explaining the project that we're going to be doing there this summer. And we'll reach out to the residents here pretty soon in the next few days to see if they had any questions. You also have the second quarter personnel expense report in front of you there.

149
00:42:22.800 --> 00:42:45.680
And this uh couple weeks ago I was at the league conference and they had a bunch of these on a table. So, I snagged a bunch. Um, it's just a good overview of the legislative session. You want it? >> Yeah. >> Yeah, it is.

150
00:42:45.680 --> 00:43:06.839
>> Um, and then last but not least, the coalition's weekly brief is in there, and I'm going to let you know next week they have their summer conference in New Home. So, I will be I'll be in New Hall next week for that that conference and that's all I got.

151
00:43:10.960 --> 00:43:33.920
Motion to approve administrative report. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Looks like nothing from department heads. We'll have golf here next meeting. >> There you go. Get more from Kevin at that time. Um

152
00:43:33.920 --> 00:43:48.720
staff reports. >> Yes. Um under administration here, we have a few items to talk about. First one, uh Caitlyn Kratz, the community development director. Um, we had her performance review with her a week or so

153
00:43:48.720 --> 00:44:04.800
ago, and she passed her learning period, the probation period. And what our personnel policy says is that when a person passes that, um, the city council needs to make that motion to approve. And once you make that motion, Caitlyn

154
00:44:04.800 --> 00:44:20.560
will be considered a regular, um, employee, no longer probationary. I'll make that motion to pull her off of training and make her a full-time employee. >> She's doing spectacular at the EDA meetings and she's done a lot of great

155
00:44:20.560 --> 00:44:36.400
stuff around here lately. So, >> I've seen her working firsthand and doing a great job. >> Motion and a second. All in favor? >> I 50. >> 2027

156
00:44:36.400 --> 00:44:52.640
street utility improvements. Yeah, Jason Feay was here a couple weeks ago, kind of gave an overview of the 2027 street project, which will be part of West North Street and a little small area of South Skookum. So, tonight's resolution

157
00:44:52.640 --> 00:45:10.319
orders the firm to uh put together the feasibility report and Jason will present that to the city council um at the first meeting in August on August 10th. So this is just kind of the next step moving forward for a routine

158
00:45:10.319 --> 00:45:39.680
street utility project. >> Make a motion we approve the street utility improvements. >> Second. >> All in favor? general fund budget review. Yeah, looking at basically it's page one

159
00:45:39.680 --> 00:45:57.040
of the of the budget. Um there's not much to what we're looking at here tonight. It's a few smaller departments. Um the city council budget, administrator budget, and then the elections. There is no there are no elections next year. We always do budget

160
00:45:57.040 --> 00:46:12.079
a little bit in there even on off election years because we may have some expenses or you know for example the county may send us an invoice for something based on the November election we might you know get the invoice in January. So we do put a little money

161
00:46:12.079 --> 00:46:29.599
into the elections every year. Um I'm going to ask the council tonight uh staff talking about these budgets. We are going to propose a 3% cost of living increase across the board for wages. And tonight at this point, we are going to

162
00:46:29.599 --> 00:46:46.800
budget a 10% increase for all insurance. And as you know, we always get those final insurance numbers, you know, usually around Thanksgiving or so. So, we'll have more concrete numbers in a few months. Anybody

163
00:46:46.800 --> 00:47:07.040
have any questions on on these? I will point out that we were able to finish June, you know, with your reconciliation. So, I entered all the year-to-ate budgets in all the different line items, the actual expenses this year, and everybody's

164
00:47:07.040 --> 00:47:23.599
really, really, really close to 50%. So, everybody's doing a great job. And obviously this will this is the preliminary number. >> Yep. >> Yeah. Just so everybody's aware of that. >> Yep. So if you're doing that cost of

165
00:47:23.599 --> 00:47:40.000
living increase for everything, >> how much of a bump is that for the council? >> Zero. >> I would like to ask for that number to get bumped a little bit. >> Not anything obscene, but >> but here's the deal. You can't vote on

166
00:47:40.000 --> 00:47:55.839
giving yourself pay. It has to go effective the next council and it's in the city code. So, we would have to >> I understand. >> Yeah. >> I still think it should be a topic that we bring up. >> Okay. >> Nothing extreme, you know, not saying,

167
00:47:55.839 --> 00:48:12.560
"Oh, hey, we want to do double checks every month, but I don't think it'd be too much to ask for council to get an extra x amount, you know, something small." >> So then the raise wouldn't go into into effect until we were all gone. it. Well,

168
00:48:12.560 --> 00:48:29.359
it' be the next >> January 1, right? >> How does that work? Because like with the legislature, it's the next legislative session, >> which would be January one here. Our budget is >> Yeah. But we have to amend the city code

169
00:48:29.359 --> 00:48:49.760
and we have to, you know, go through those steps, too. So, but yeah, we can start the ball on that. >> I I think we should start the ball. I mean, I'm I'm perfectly happy with what I'm doing and what I'm getting, but it might allow for >> more interest in wanting to come in if

170
00:48:49.760 --> 00:49:15.920
they just hit that little >> Absolutely. >> There's another topic I wanted to bring up. I'll talk to you after the meeting. Anything else on the portion of the general fund? >> Uh, that's all I have. Moving on,

171
00:49:15.920 --> 00:49:33.599
fire department air packs. >> Yes, we have two bids here. One is for new air packs and then the second the second quote is for the new cascade system to fill said air packs. Um, so you have two quotes. One is 174665.

172
00:49:33.599 --> 00:49:50.800
That is for the air packs themselves. The second sheet would be for the cascade system within the fireh hall, a little over 57,000. I know Andy was talking a little bit last week and Mike maybe if you want or I can or whatever, but if we explain

173
00:49:50.800 --> 00:50:06.160
source well a little bit, >> I can try. >> Okay. >> Um, Sourcewell is we bought our last firet truck through that. It's a buying group set up by the legislature that uh gets state bids and

174
00:50:06.160 --> 00:50:20.960
um I tried getting other bids from different vendors and once they found out we already had a sourceful bid, they said it's illegal for us to bid on it. I don't know if that's true or not, but uh that's what they I tried uh two

175
00:50:20.960 --> 00:50:35.760
different vendors with Gregor and uh Scott and they said they won't even bid on it because they get themselves in trouble um because they're going against a basically a state bid.

176
00:50:35.760 --> 00:50:54.400
Um our department has been MSA since the day we started wearing packs. Um, it's a brand we're used to. Um, keep in mind ours are 2004 models, which are three generations from what we're looking at here. Um,

177
00:50:54.400 --> 00:51:11.760
life expecties 10 to 15 years on these we've got and 22 23 years on them. So, 24 on some of them. Um, they're just starting to show wear. Um, I talked to Jim. Uh, you weren't here, but I talked to you guys

178
00:51:11.760 --> 00:51:27.280
>> two months ago, I think. >> Let you know that we would be uh coming in brace for it. And I wasn't too far off in my guess. Um, these bids here, uh, if you look at the, uh, the 57,0001

179
00:51:27.280 --> 00:51:44.400
um, uh, the storage cylinder tanks. Um, we may I'm pretty sure we're going to take that off of there and we're going to lease those tanks. Um, the price for leasing them is um way less than what it would cost to

180
00:51:44.400 --> 00:52:00.000
buy them. Um, we currently lease the low pressure ones. We just did the bill for that. It's like $130 a year and they want almost two grand a piece for them. We need seven of them. So I can't imagine

181
00:52:00.000 --> 00:52:16.400
the high pressure ones are going to be that much more expensive. So if we can get them leased for 500 bucks a year over the next 20 years that and then every 10 years they need to be hydro tested which is probably a thousand a piece to get them hydro

182
00:52:16.400 --> 00:52:34.160
tested and if they're leased they just swap them out. Um so I haven't got concrete numbers on that leasing but I'm pretty sure we can do better than buying them off here. So, um, if you look on the other ones, uh,

183
00:52:34.160 --> 00:52:51.119
the other sheet here, we have, uh, the bottom there is a used RIT hose. We have 13 packs in currently, um, which is a good number for us to have with a number of um, seats on the truck, a number of

184
00:52:51.119 --> 00:53:07.359
members we have and all that for backup teams and all that. Um, we have RIT hoses on each of our 13 packs. We're missing one right now. That's why we have one used one. So, we have we're reusing those. Um to buy those new, they're about $1,000 a piece. It's a 6ft

185
00:53:07.359 --> 00:53:28.880
piece of hose with two fittings on it. Um I believe these uh manufacturers were at the federal uh Senate hearings uh trying to explain why everything went up so high in prices, but uh I don't think they got anywhere. Um

186
00:53:28.880 --> 00:53:45.760
any questions for me on this? We do have the money in the capital expenditures. >> Yep. >> Um we do realize by doing this um we are putting our next tanker that would be next in the rotation. Um that's going to be put back a year and a half to two

187
00:53:45.760 --> 00:54:13.920
years. Um we totally understand that as we're going into this. We feel the packs are more get used a lot more than that second tanker. Any questions for me? >> Tanks do expire. >> Oh yes. All these tanks they expire. Our

188
00:54:13.920 --> 00:54:30.240
our tanks are a lot of them are coming to our we've got some that aren't, but about half our tanks are are the actual bottles we wear are back. They have 15 year life on it that we have about half our tanks and currently we have a low

189
00:54:30.240 --> 00:54:46.400
pressure system and the NFPA will not allow a low pressure system anymore. We have to go to a high pressure system. They can't sell us a low pressure anymore. um logic behind that I have no idea but other than manufacturers sit on that

190
00:54:46.400 --> 00:55:03.559
board and decide what we um it's my personal opinion on that always trying to add stuff so we have to keep increasing the prices um

191
00:55:05.760 --> 00:55:21.200
the money you have in reserve is also the money that would be used for fire trucks. >> Yes, it's the same. Anything over I believe it's $5,000 we try and >> um take out of there is what Andrea

192
00:55:21.200 --> 00:55:38.000
wants it on the schedule to any high dollar item that we we set aside money per year to so we aren't >> so having to borrow money. >> So will they delay the purchase of the next fire truck? >> It will. It it it definitely will and we

193
00:55:38.000 --> 00:55:55.920
understand that. Um our second tanker is uh 92 >> something like that >> I believe and we don't use it very often. Uh it still works. It's underpowered for what it is, but it's for what we use it for. It it

194
00:55:55.920 --> 00:56:12.640
works. It's not ideal. Uh but it we can get by a couple more years with that we believe. And if we did roll both them trucks out with mutual aid the way it is now, there would be another tanker. >> Anytime we we're rolling tankers, we

195
00:56:12.640 --> 00:56:27.520
have mutual aid coming anyway with more tankers. So that's tankers are less of a problem as they used to be because of mutual aid. >> You know, if a fire, we're rolling towards them with our tankers, too, to

196
00:56:27.520 --> 00:56:51.240
help support them. So that that uh helps in that area. I guess what I'm looking for is uh an okay to purchase this uh with potentially minusing that uh 13,562.36

197
00:56:54.079 --> 00:57:09.839
and that'll that lease will be paid during our operating expenditures. the lease payment will um if we can get a decent deal on them, >> I would move that we uh accept your proposal and move forward.

198
00:57:09.839 --> 00:57:26.799
>> Then I explain the source well enough to everybody how that works. Um we can you can buy more than just fire trucks. It's virtually anything. You know, you want a grater or heating, air conditioning, all that stuff's on there's >> office paper.

199
00:57:26.799 --> 00:57:42.480
>> There's thousands of stuff on that source. all that >> we should definitely move forward. I mean, what goods, the equipment, just the people running the camper. >> Currently, we have them all back and they're all on service. Um, for the last eight months or so, we've had three or

200
00:57:42.480 --> 00:57:58.880
four in getting service and trying uh and getting harder to get parts for, they tell me. But, um, so we had a motion and a second. All in favor? >> Who second? >> Motion second. >> Okay.

201
00:57:58.880 --> 00:58:12.240
All in favor? I I >> Thank you, Mike. Appreciate it. >> Thanks. >> Anything else? I am.

