--------- Acy, Peter Vicky, Kathleen Refkin, myself, Lisa Whan, and also staff present is Jasper Krugal and Brian Grim, David Ael, and let's see, Deputy Chief Craig, no wait, Deputy Chief Pat
Cummings, Chief. Okay, you guys. Yeah, that's Craig Squires. And that's it. So, with that, um, oh, and then is an I think Ann Meyer. and Mayerhoff is. And then Gary Peters, are you there, Gary?
>> Oh my gosh. >> Yes, I am. >> Hi. I hope you're doing better. But thank you for joining us. I hope it's not too painful. And then who else? Sarah Sale is here as well. Uh those three are um joining us remotely. So we
have a number of items on our agenda. We have our street improvement project for 2027. Then we're going to talk about the Bosma property and then utility billing process and then an update of Boulevard tree replacement at Hunters Quest if we have time. If we run out of time, I'll
just add that to our regular meeting under business items. So, we're going to start with street improvement projects. I'm going to hand this over to Allison right away. Thank you, Mayor Whan. Um so Mayor Whale and council included in your packet is a summary of some project areas that um public works and
engineering has defined as as some potential areas for a 2027 street improvement project. Um preliminary discussions on budget for 2027 range between 6 and 700,000. Um, so council, we we do um acknowledge that there are
there is a project area, the Painters Road, Painters Creek um area, the rural residential area that exceeds that amount, but we did want to just bring that to council's attention that that is an area that we've talked about previously and what the current estimated budget um is for that um for
that project area. That is a a reclamation area based on pavement cores that were taken back in 2022. Um, another area identified is Ridgewood Cove just off uh County Road 110. Uh, it's an older area uh and the street uh
based on the street condition score, we're assuming it would be a reclamation. However, we did want to bring this um to discussion for council uh because there is no water mane within that roadway. Um, so if this is a roadway that the council uh would like to consider for a project next year,
staff would like to have a conversation on um what we, you know, what we would like to see done with water man. Should we engage with the residents? Um, you know, do we want to look at open cut versus uh like a traditional installation method for the water man or
would we want to look at a trenchless technology? Um, there are pros and cons to each. I don't want to get too much into details, but just to let council know that there have been a lot of conversations about this and and we just want to make sure that we're doing um a thorough scope um when we look at
bringing these um potential project areas up to council. Uh the third area is Marina Drive uh just off Sunnyfield Road over by the high school. Um that one would be we anticipate would be a full depth reclamation. Um, again, we
would need some pavement cores to to confirm that. Um, and then the last area, which hits right around um the the high end of the budget um that the council had been considering is um the island except for Tuxedo Road and
Enchanted Lane, which was done in 2018. Um so those roads out there, uh they're ranging between 43 and 67 for pavement condition scores. Um, and we're anticipating full deck full depth reclamation of that area. And then there was also, I believe, and I don't recall
the name of the street off the top of my head. Um, but there was one one road that we may want to look at um, paving and I I I think Gary might be able to speak to that if the council would like to to discuss that. But uh in short, those are the four areas that we um as
staff have been discussing and we were just at a point where we wanted to bring it to council for discussion and um to answer any questions you might have and get some guidance on what you'd like to see for a proposed project next year. >> Thank you. Um couple questions for Brian
right away. What do we have? Um what do you anticipate that we will have in our fund balance for road projects such as this? because we're going to be um levying more dollars next year. But right now, what do we have in in the fund balance available for next year?
>> Around 2 million in and that's what's sitting in the fund balance right now. We're leving 400,000 this year because we sort of dropped that down because we did the 2026, but I think right in the fund balance right now there's just shy I think of like 2 million, 1.92 million >> and we're not using that for projects
this year. We might have to tap into it a little bit because we're leving 400,000 depending on what we, you know, do here. Um, you know, if we if we picked this, you know, 600 600 700,000. I think originally I think it was like we did the bond project last year, we were going to do a little less, you know,
this year or whatever. But >> I just wanted >> how much the council how aggressive they want to be and if they want to save some of that fund balance for 208 or 29 or not have to bond as much in the future. So, I mean, I guess yeah, to your original question, there's about a little about 2 million in funds
>> and then Okay, so 2 million right now could possibly roll over to next year and then next year we're going to be um levying possibly if we do the same at least 400. So, there's going to be 2.4 million. >> Yeah. If you add in Okay.
The reason I ask is because every year these projects get more and more expensive and it doesn't seem to make sense to have a fund balance sitting there not doing anything when we should be spending it. That's my opinion. Um and we should be doing as many roads as
we possibly can especially since we're leving specifically levying for them. >> We are. It just depends on how the council wants to look at year one, two, and three and if they want to. >> Yeah. As mentioned earlier, not maybe bond as much, you know, use some of the fund balance and and depending what the
scope of the projects are going to be. Like in 28, 29. I mean, we've had years in the not too distant past where we did was it 23, we did like 6 million worth of roads or whatever. So that's >> how the council just got to look at it more globally as far as whatever you spend now is something. I mean, to your
point, Mary, I mean, obviously things keep going up in cost, but whatever you spend now is what you don't have available later. So, I guess that's the flip side of it, I guess. So, >> yeah. And I thought we were trying to build it up for when we have to do Hunter Crust and everything in 2028. We were doing less knowing that we were going to have the big projects in two
more years. >> Well, the other thing I was looking at is when do our bonds, some of the um existing debts for the roads that we've done, when do they fall off? >> None really any soon. I think we have 29 comes off in 29,
doesn't it? >> Isn't there one >> like 2030 31? I mean like game farm road drops off like I think in 2030 31 island drops off but we're using state aid dollars. We're not using tax levy for >> right. So that's kind of >> I just sort of got it.
>> Yeah, we have >> just been we have some equipment certificates falling off this year which are 101,000 roads. >> Not road related though. >> Not road related. Um, Highland Road is going to fall off next year. Then the next one is equipment certificates and Kingspoint
Road falls off in 2030. So >> that's not very much. >> That was just the non-developer portion, water, sewer funds. So yeah, really the next road one is probably Beam Farm Road really in >> I mean it's it's kind of a horse a piece really when you look at it. I mean, you either spend the money now or you save
it and don't spend or don't bond for as much in the future or you spend I I don't know. It's it's it's a horse a piece. It's it >> Yeah. >> Oh, yeah. >> Can I ask a question on the island? So much of that is mound >> for what we're doing. Do we match up
with Do they fix the roads on the other sides at the same time? You know how the islands all kind of cut up? That's different. I' probably >> Trista comes in a really weird spot on the island. >> Gary Alison, it seems weird to make it pretty and then have it falling apart on
this end and this end. >> Are they planning on >> They've already done that. I mean that >> so we just is brand new. It's just a few years old. >> The tuxedo. >> Gary, did you want to pipe in? >> Yeah, the mountain roads are already
done. >> Thanks, Gary. Okay. Well, that area is pretty dense, too. You know, there are a lot of houses and um drove through there this afternoon. I can tell you >> do some research
work on that >> on a road dollar per house basis. That looks like that's the >> Yeah, that's if it's going to be a reclamation or reconstruct, then there's going to be assessments. So, I think to your point, then it would be lower assessments per household or per property. >> Yeah. Right. It was 1973 that it was
built. So, >> what's staff's I mean, do you have any Gary Allison any recommendations? >> Um, mayor, I I I think that staff in in my opinion, staff's brought brought forward some good recommendations. Um, and we just, you know, wanted to put it
in in council's the council chamber is here for discussion. I don't know if if Gary has some opinions on from a maintenance standpoint if they're seeing um his if he's seeing his crews out in in one area more than others. >> Uh my staff saw a lot on the island. Um
of course there a lot down there on Painter Circle too that's kind of falling apart, but um most bang for your buck. I think the island would be nice to get that done. Mhm. >> I mean, the island fits in the budget for the most part, assuming it's not
underpriced. >> And it will be an accessible project. >> Any So, do we know approximately how what the assessments would be? I mean, would they be like 3,000, 4,000? >> Uh, mayor, I don't know. I didn't do a
unit count out there. Um, we can certainly if that's something the council would like to know, I can I can bring that back for an information sake. But I think if if I'm hearing council, you know, and seeing nodding heads for in support of the island, our next step would be to get those um get some cores
out there to see uh, you know, maybe maybe there are some areas where we can get by with the Milan overlay. um so that we can really hone in on what the scope of the project would be and then staff could provide um a unit count out there for for council to to see what the um so the whole road was built in 73. Do
we really need cores because presumably wouldn't we just do the whole thing and make it all brand new and nice at the same time? >> Um Mayor Mayor Whan Council Member Ruffin that's a great question. So part of the cords, not only do they tell us
what um what kind of street project you want to do, but it's also important information for the contractors to have so that we know what kind of um how much um how much reclaiming they need to do because if an area has been heavily patched and it has a significant amount
of um pavement on it, it costs more for the contractor to grind that up. So we want to know that. Um so we so we still would need some information out there. Um but to your point, yeah, the older wrote a 73 from 73. I would I would recommend just fixing and redoing all
>> I think what they're recommending. I think >> she just said some of it might need a million overlay. So just you know maybe we just Yeah. cross fingers. >> If we're going to do it then fix the whole thing. >> Exactly. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Any >> just one question on the just kind of
for information on the Ridge uh Ridge Rididgewood Cove are is there any requirement to add water um or I take it they're all on wells then and um >> correct so they're all on wells um I'm not aware of anything that would require
the city to extend water um but when you look at doing a street improvement project where if it's a reclamation project the intent between the reclamation and the maintenance that the council has been supportive of. We're we're trying to get 40 year old, you know, streets to last us for 40 years.
And so the question becomes, do we want to do a surface um pavement improvement that'll last 40 years, which then says for the next 40 years you won't have water extended? So, so it's a and it's never my experience is it's never been the right time for everybody to get the
water extended, right? You've always got some people who are ready for it and others who have just spent money on their wealth. So, >> I think most people want to keep their wells >> and that and that could very well be and that's why staff wanted to bring it to council for for discussion if if you know if that was something that if
council wanted to start looking at a street improvement project with that in that area then we would want to have that discussion of well what about water main extension? I just remember when we did Jennings Cove, they said absolutely not. And it was a pretty unanimous no. A
pretty firm no. I don't know. >> Um Well, that's not the case for Enchanted, though. There is no water out there. >> Correct. There's sewer out there, right? But there's no water anyway. So, >> yeah. I don't even know where Mounds if Mound has any through there. >> I don't think they would want Mound's
water. >> Okay. I >> That's a fair. >> Okay. Um so um is is is that the direction I'm hearing is to to come through. Okay. So our next step will be we'll um we'll get some cores ordered
out there. Um I'll work with um with Gary while I can here to to make sure we're getting the scope right and then um we'll come back with that information with to council with a unit council so you can kind of get a flavor for what you'd be looking at um for potential assessments.
>> Okay. So, just a quick question then. If if it does end up being 720, does that include engineering and project management and and the whole kitten kaboodleoodle? >> That's correct. That's a budget number. So, that includes construction. And >> then the question is, what is um the
Hunter Crest? What are we estimating today? What it would cost to do all of those roads? >> Goodness. Do you remember? >> I don't remember. Is it 4 million? It was 4.6. >> Sorry, I was off. Um, so, so my question
then to council is you're still going to have to bond for 1.5 1.7 million approximately or two, I'm sorry, two three. >> Yeah, three closer to three. That's if you want to burn. >> Yeah. So, I'm just asking, do you want
to do more? So, I guess you can look and say 3 years out we're going to bond or 2 years out we're going to bond four 4.6 million or you bond 2.8 or 3 million
and in the meantime we're sitting on $2 million that we're not spending. I mean I'm I'm just putting this into context. So the question is besides enchanted and I'm not pushing any road on here cuz
obviously um I'm on painter road I'd get assessed. I don't care but I'm I'm not pushing that. I'm just saying do you want to do maybe another one that's 250 or or you know you want to consider that
>> mayor if I may. Yeah. Um so Hunter Crest keep in mind originally I think that $4.6 $6 million number was there were some milling overlays right >> throughout there with some reclamation and key areas. Now I think it it is with some cores. We'll likely have to reclaim
almost all of it. Um we'll have to see because that was in 2024 I think when we originally came up with that number or 2025. >> Yeah. Within the last year or two. >> Yeah. So we'll have to look at it again. That might all be reclamation which would all be accessessible at that point too. So there'll be another revenue
stream there. But the 4.6 6 might not be >> it might be late. >> Yeah. >> So even if it's 5.2 and we have 2 million in the in in we're still bonding for 3.2. So I'm just asking if you know if if you take the 2 million that we
currently have and we don't use any of that. I'm you're okay. I don't care one way or the other. I'm just throwing it out for thought because I mean I think we set a budget for the 2027 and we should try and stick with it.
I I mean and this assumes that the estimate of 720 is accurate for all we know. It can come back and be a million and then >> it's not going to be a million. >> I'm just saying like we set the budget. We should see if this comes in within the budget and then possibly go from
there after the engineers look at it. That makes sense to me. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah, that makes s uh into these the 720. This is the the total, right? So, technically it would be less out of the road fund because of uh assessments to
the houses. Correct. >> And we'd upfront it and then we'd get assessments, someone would prepay, someone would come back. But yeah, basically it would be less than the 720. Correct. Okay. >> Generally in Minatrista, we've seen about a 40% um prepaid assessments. So about 40% prepaid.
>> Yeah. So if it's 100,000 assessments, we get Yeah. 40 right off the bat and then 60 over time, >> which goes right back into our road fund. >> Yep. >> So >> So I like Kathleen's idea. So we see how the assessment prepaid assessments come in and all that if we've got some >> Well, you can't you can't wait till that
for that because those prepaid assessments aren't going to be coming in until next November. Next November. >> Right. But we can get the engineers out there, do the cing, get an updated assessment of what they think it'll cost and then decide >> what the cost is, but not not >> well and then we know how many homes too
will be assessed. So that's a good idea as well, breaking down what the city's fronting versus what the residents are paying. >> So we have done that in the past where all of a sudden we think it's going to be a million and the engineers estimate and comes in at 800,000 then we add more to it for 100 or 200,000 or whatever. So
>> Okay. All right. Is there a second place area that you guys would maybe want to, you know, if if we get to that point that we look at like a the next >> Well, if you're going to look at another one, then you'd have to look at the next least expensive one, which would be
Marina, I think. Marina Drive. >> They're both pretty gross. Marina or Rididgewood, I guess, depending on which one needs it more. I mean, they're within a more homes on it. >> Well, I think Ridgewood has more homes. Marina Drive only has about 10 houses, isn't it?
>> Yeah. Yeah. So then Bridge >> Ridge Bridgewood would make more sense. >> Yeah. >> I I think mayor and council that the the challenge Well, I maybe it's just in my eyes is is if Ridgewood would be um if there was a desire for water, there's a
little bit more discussion with that one. Whereas Marina Drive >> um you know it's already got utilities in um there is that development on the south end that has not yet extended their utilities um but their utility
plan shows it coming up in um within their uh the the mid um along the backyards and sideyards there. So >> yeah, >> it's a little bit I think Marina is a little more straightforward than Ridgewood. >> Okay.
Can we find out if people on Ridgewood would want city water? >> We certainly could reach out to them. I think that um in my opinion, we'd want to see if because if Ridgewood then becomes um extension of Water, then
we're not just looking at necessarily a reclamation project. Um which would, you know, if we did a full reconstruct like we saw on um Morning View area. Um now now the the cost for uh reconstruction is is more than um more than the
reclamation project. So we're looking at an even higher >> potentially higher. >> So I mean that'd be good to know then if the residents are interested or not because if it's not then it's substantially cheaper. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, is the direction from council then to to go and reach out to residents
of Ridgewood then to see if >> if there's a desire for water extension. >> Well, I think that would be the next step. Let's do the first step first, the island first and then see where costs and and assessments and all of that come
in. >> Yeah. You don't want to get people's hopes up almost. >> Okay. I just wanted to make sure I was getting the the order of operations right. >> Depends on the wording >> and and I don't know if we're going to be able to drill down and get more accurate numbers. Um really we won't
have accurate numbers until we get the um um the bids back which won't be until February. That would be too late to do a project then in 27. But if you could drill down a little bit and come back with if you can refine the numbers a little bit more. I don't know, but then
maybe we can make a better decision. >> Well, Mayor Whan, I I I you know, when we look at we're in May here talking about the the next year's project, so we are ahead of schedule, which is great. Um, you know, I think Gary's done a great job of of getting
these projects in front of council sooner rather than later. if it if it's palatable with council, we could get an earlier start on a feasibility report for this area, get some more refined numbers, and then within that feasibility report, you would have an updated estimated cost. Um, and then at
that point, if we play it out, it would be probably late summer. Um, you would have an updated cost and then at that point um to go and make uh to revisit Rididgewood and um and see if there's a potential for a project over there.
Yeah, but you're still not going to get it out for bid in in January. It's probably going to be more like late February or even early March. >> It'd be it'd be further out. Yes. And that's that's the challenge with with the timing of it. >> So then the question would be
>> um so let's just say we do that. There's a cost to for the feasibility study. So then if we decide not to do it in 27, would that then be on the radar for 28? And that's a council question because I wouldn't want to spend the money for a
feasibility study, not do it in 27, but then not do it who knows where when. So I think you'd either have to say, okay, we're going to queue it up for 28 if we don't do it in 27, or else we don't do the feasibility study now. >> Well, I mean, that's fine. We can budget
it for 28 if it we can't do it in 27 because we have the money. So >> yeah, and that's when that's the other one that was 1973, too. So >> those are the two >> extremely old roads. >> Okay. All right. So that's what we'll
do. We'll check with Ridgewood people if they want water or not. Um we'll do the feasibility study for Ridgewood Cove. bring that back hopefully August. >> So, just to make sure I'm clear, are we
doing is the request to bring in um a proposal to do feasibility study on both the island and Rididgewood? >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Right. >> Okay. We're we can certainly do that. >> Here's what I'm synopsis. We're going to do the island for sure.
>> We're looking at Ridgewood Cove as a possibility. So, we're going to do the feasibility study now to determine if we're going to do add it to the 27 or if it's going to go into the 28 project. Thank you for the clarification. I was just looking it up because if if my
memory serves correctly, a feasibility study is valid on a 429 project is is considered valid for one year. And so if if we if we do the feasibility study this year and the project is not a 2027 project but a 2028, I'll have to refresh
my memory on that. >> I thought it was 18 months. No, >> we start the 429 process early and just say the project's not going to be done until this time. I mean, >> I think the best thing to do is is um I've I hear what the council direction is and then we can I can I can do the
research and get that exact date. See, is it 12 months or is it 18 months um and then bring that forward for council and and you know, we like I said, we certainly have time to do it. Um and then um then I've got all the correct information in front of council.
>> Okay. So, feasibility study for um Island for sure. And you're going to check on the uh Rididgewood Co. feasibility study. How long that's good for? >> Correct. >> Yeah. All right. Thank you. >> All right. Um Bosma property update.
>> Madame Mayor, members of the council. Um we have an update with uh that we've included in the packet regarding we'll call it the Bosma property, but it is uh the property located at 9550 West Hill Road. I've talked about it a few times.
Um on April 17th, um the police went out and and did an inventory with their cameras and and grabbed some stills out of there. Our building official team or building inspection team was also out there as well. So, I think we're to a point where I think we've documented all
of the items that are on the site. Um I think from the video, if you look at it, you can see it's pretty un unsightly. Um I can pull those up if you'd like. >> Please do. >> So, I I can do that. this dead animal carcasses. >> Yeah. Um so what what we need to
determine tonight or what staff is looking for direction is just how to proceed. Um if we want to declare the site a nuisance, that's one thing. If we want to then proceed with a nuisance abatement order, that's another thing. Uh we did invite the property owner to
this meeting um to maybe engage with a with the in a conversation with city council about what what they're doing and what they've done. I know that uh police chief Squires was just drove by there today um to see once if there is progress being made. So he could possibly provide an update on that. Uh
but really looking for a timeline if we do want to declare it a nuisance and then if we do that then um abate the nuisance. >> Okay, let's see the video. >> All right. >> Who's the producer? No, I'm just kidding. Are those tabs all expired?
>> It's >> There's more than I thought would be that are current, but the majority of them are expired yet. Wow. >> I mean, these aren't just cars. This is I mean it's
Wow, that is a lot of stuff. >> There's a log splitter for you. I was going to say the fan works. >> Looks like it might work. >> Well time, David. >> That was Larry's day.
>> I didn't see the mayor in that truck. >> I don't drive trucks. >> Wow. >> He recycles. >> What would this cost? I mean, why wouldn't he? Because there's got to be a lot of uh like what do you call it when you get rid of scrap metal?
>> Scrap metal. >> Oh, this is Can you imagine the roads? I don't want to. >> Oh, man. >> That looks really expensive. >> Apparently, there's longer versions.
>> All right, D. Yeah. So, what we're looking for is just direction on timeline because I think um the video itself shows there is probably a nuisance that could be declared. In the packet itself, you can see all the definitions of nuisances in our city code.
>> We'd have to look at it and determine which ones of those are in violation, but just from looking at it, it appears there's likely numerous. Uh so, looking for direction. We have Sarah here to answer any specific questions. To my knowledge, I don't think we've done a a nuisance abatement here uh in
Minitrista. So, it's quite the process. It does take some time once it happens. Um it we'll have to go through that process if if that's what we want to do. The soonest we could bring something forward is likely uh June 1st if that's what the direction is, but we're looking
to to get that direction. >> It's a nuisance. >> I know, but I feel bad for this person. Clearly, they don't have the funds to and the ability to take this on. Is there any kind of organization we could call to try to, you know, if if it's
ultimately going to cost, let's say, $100,000 to clean it up, if we could even get some scrap metal place to take 20,000 of it, I'm just making up a number here, that would help, wouldn't it? Well, what what we can do though is
we can say you have to have it cleaned up by such and such a date and and then so they would have the option of calling somebody in or taking it to a scrap metal person themselves. But as you can see, there's more than just
>> Yeah, >> there's there's garbage here. I mean, there's no other way of putting it. >> Yeah, I get it. >> So, just I can't I mean, you've met them clearly. Is it are they elderly, infirm? What is the
>> Yeah. Um, Madame Mayor, uh, Congress, uh, Councilwoman Lacy, they, uh, the gentleman who owns it, I believe, 87 and then he has kids who, uh, help him out too at the property. Um, so there is
family that that can assist him with it, but I I believe they all kind of work together. scrapping. So, it's kind of I think a family business. Not officially. >> Doesn't really look like they turn it in anywhere.
>> No. >> Okay. >> Well, that's unfortunate, right, Brian? >> Yeah, I think it's a nuisance. >> Yeah, >> it's definitely a nuisance. >> All right. Um, so if we go down this
path, it may cost the city um pretty penny and the only way we would ever get it back is would go on their taxes. They would have to pay it. Um, so they might Yeah. And it >> So I think what the the mayor is trying
to say if it's 50 or 100,000, we obviously don't have anything budgeted for that. So that would have to be decided by the council. I mean, I can give recommendations, I guess, but as a council, we have to decide where are you pulling that money from cuz we don't have a nuisance scrap pile of money, I
guess. >> Yeah. >> And then do we wait till they die to reclaim it or I mean, do we just make them sell the property to pay it? >> Well, there's different ways of >> I can kind of go through the process of what could happen. You know, we don't we
don't know. we could declare it a nuisance, go in and and have somebody abate that nuisance. That would be hiring somebody to to do that, similar to what you said. And a lot of times what they'll do is they'll take into account what that might be worth, and they'll be able to, you know, bring it make some money off of it, right? Um
once that happens, we get the bill, we have to pay the bill, the city does, and then we say, "Okay, property owner, you have until this day to pay the bill." And if they don't pay the bill, then it gets assessed to their their um property taxes. They then have one year to pay that off, I believe. And then after
that, if they don't pay, then you start going down the tax forfeite process. Uh that could take anywhere from 3 to four years for that to finally get finalized. >> In that meantime, then we run the risk of them, you know, let's say we abate it, they could bring in more materials, >> right?
>> Uh so it's it's it's a sensitive thing. We want to move fairly quickly if we do uh get it. So, we kind of start that process. But to Brian's point, it it could be I talked to a a junk hauler about a year ago now, and uh they were estimating between 50 to 100,000 uh to
move it without just looking at the air photo. U so they'd have to get on site to get a a good We'd have to get quotes and and whatnot to find somebody to do it. >> But but has someone said this is the process, what'll happen? Do they know or because just saying to them, you got to clean this up, they they clearly don't
possess the skills to do that. So, do they know what the city's going to do next? >> They do. So, they know if if they don't do it and we declared a nuisance that we can come in there and remove it and then assess it to their property taxes. >> If all this stuff is, >> you know, well, you know, they'll think
about it. If all this stuff is removed from the property, the property will be a whole lot more valuable than what it is today. And technically or or they could maybe go and get a loan to pay off
the to pay pay it off. I mean, I'm just saying that >> it's it they might have options. um they maybe even could come can they come to the city and work out a payment plan or does it have to be >> within a year?
>> We could come up with the terms of the assessment if we wanted to, I believe. Um but just to kind of wrap it all up, if if they choose not to pay it and it goes into tax forfeite, they forfeit their land, the county will then auction it off. It'll hit one of the county
auctions. A lot of times, and we don't have to agree to this, what the county will do is ask the city to remove the assessment that's that we put on the property so that it's more sellable. >> No way. >> And we can say no. And then they'll say, well, we won't be able to sell it. And then it's off the tax roll anyway. Uh,
so that's kind of the process. I don't know if Sarah, if there's anything I missed that you wanted to add, but it's it's takes a long time. It's unknown what the actual outcome will be uh at the end of like a 5year period. We we hope that it's good, but you know, I think there will be progress made. It's
just unfortunate that it they they probably have a window to to bring more material in if they would like. >> And if I could add one thing, too, uh he does have an attorney, so he is being consled on everything that's going on. So, he's aware of the consequences, both
civil and and criminal. >> Do we have the ability to do any kind of like civil settlement agreement with them that to incent them to at least start the process? so that it's not the city driving it that at least they have an opportunity to.
>> Yeah. >> So, we we kind of have that not in writing, but we've been working with them for over a year and and saying you got to start making progress. If we wanted to have something they agreed to, it just be another thing that we'd have to kind of make sure they're following, which I don't know if we feel they they
would >> and then we'd just be back to square one. Um, but I think it'd be it's something to to discuss with them if if we could come up with agreement. They say, "Well, we need two years, right? If they say we need two years to clean this up," that'd be something that we could
consider. Uh, it's been this way for 30 years. So, uh, if we have to wait two years for it to get cleaned up on its own accord, I think that would be something to consider. >> I don't Not for the neighbors. >> Yeah. >> I I think it needs to get cleaned up. >> Yeah. >> Someone bought the property, they could
clean that up really quick. So, I I mean, I want to I want to help them. I really do. I I'd spend a day making phone calls trying to find some way to mitigate the cost of that, but and I feel terrible because he's an elderly gentleman, but at two years, no. No way.
>> Well, and I don't think they've made any attempt to clean it up. Like, they they haven't started hauling stuff away since this has been brought up. They're they there's they don't appear to care. So, it's not like they're slowly hauling it away and it's like, "Okay, it's just taking longer than expected." Like,
they're not. And the one neighbor who was here last time said it's getting worse. >> Yeah. >> All right. >> Is the uh county involved? Is it because uh they tax taxes come from them or they
send out tax base? >> Correct. Yep. That's our mechanism to recoup those costs. Is this through the through our tax process? So they really end up owning the property then if if the people default on paying and that's why then we don't have a say in selling
the property. So >> essentially so they're kind of the um steward of the of the property once it hits forfeite and then they have the the responsibility of moving that hopefully getting it back on the tax roll. So they're kind of the intermediate. it's in it's in their best interest to get it
on the tax roll as well because then now you're collecting taxes um for the community. >> But if it's been cleaned up um a 10 what is it? How many acres? >> 10 acres. >> 10 acres. It's a 10 acre parcel in Minitrista. 10 acre parcel goes for what? 350 400.
>> It's assessed at 3428. >> So 350 next year is 3433. >> Yeah. So >> they bought her for $69,000 in 1978. >> Yeah. So, what I'm saying is if if it's cleaned up, yes, they could bring more
stuff on, but if it's cleaned up and they don't pay the the 100,000, let's just say, um, then it could be sold and it could be sold for 350,000 or >> it's cleaned up. Nobody's going to buy
it. I mean, like this. >> Oh, no. >> So, we would actually be doing them a favor. >> Yeah. But we're loan we're spending a lot of money to get it back in four years or something, you know. >> Yeah. >> But I think it's our responsibility to >> Yeah, you're right.
>> You know, like you're saying with the neighbors and >> the city in general. >> Okay. >> So, next step or >> what we could do is bring a um a nuisance declaration resolution on the first. That would be a business item.
And then also we could have the the um abatement order drafted up. I know Sarah has a template for that. And then that's essentially allows at some point in time describe how it's described in the abatement order. Allows us to get an administrative search warrant to access
the site and then then we would be able to do it. So think about terms, timelines, things like that as far as what you want to put in the abatement order. Uh likely it'd be probably executing the abatement order. You could do it that night if you wanted or you could do it, you know, get the terms and
bring it to the next meeting. So, kind think about like your time, your window that you want to see something completed. If it's two weeks, if it's a month, if it's you, >> you mean having it abated? >> Yes. >> Okay. I mean, >> just uh curious too if how much
liability are we taking on if we do abate it? So, say we get there and find there's a bunch of waste oil been dumped on or some other super fund. Is the city on the hook to clean that kind of stuff up? >> Right now, it's strictly nuisance based, so it's aesthetics. Uh the environmental
stuff is is something that would likely get worked out if there would be a land sale where hopefully somebody would do their due diligence and and do an environmental assessment of the property, but not that I'm aware of. I know Sarah turned her camera on. Maybe she's got something else to add.
>> Sarah. >> Um Madame Mayor, members of the council, I don't have much. Um, just to clarify the process, um, we would be, I mean, this is a huge cleanup effort. So, um, we would want to make sure we bring in action in court that would allow us to
evade it and get on the property before we because I mean, our ordinance actually says we can just go on the property and start taking stuff away. And I would not recommend that. I think we need a a court order to allow for that. So, once you authorize the abatement, um, we would serve that on
him. And then if he doesn't respond or doesn't clean it up within the requisite amount of time that you give him, then we would bring a court action to basically ask for an order that would allow us to go on the property and abate the the nuisance. And then, you know,
that way he can't say we went on the property illegally and we took things that we shouldn't have taken. And um you know, it gives the city some protection. >> Okay. So Sarah, then in your opinion, what would be a reasonable time frame? Like if we um notify him, let's just say
after the uh June 1st meeting and we say you have to have it um abated by August 1st, is that a reasonable time frame? >> I I don't know. I mean, I saw the video. >> I mean, but then you don't want to give them too much time. I think you kind of
want him to be feel some pressure, >> right? So, I don't know if 90 days maybe. I mean, obviously we can negotiate. Let's say he does respond to it and say, >> you know, I'd like more time then we can talk with him about that. >> Absolutely. >> You can they know they've known forever
we want this clean. I don't think we need to give them that much time. They know. >> But you need to hire a huge >> I know. But but now but but when we've been saying, you know, you need to clean it up. You need to clean it up. And they know that. But now with this abatement order, it's like you have to have it
cleaned up by this date. Otherwise, we're coming in. >> Yeah, they've got big trucks. It doesn't take 3 months to bring that up. >> Well, I guess the timing depending on when if we'd want something on the property taxes for next year would almost have to be notification of this
is going to be certified. That's got to happen by September, October. Also, just I guess as an FYI, if we want it to be like, you know, a lean or money against the property, it would have to happen by late summer, fall here, the the proper notifications and stuff to >> Okay, Madame Mayor.
>> Yeah, >> Madame Mayor, members of the council, um, one other thing I'd like to point out is I mean, this is going to have to go through the court process and you kind of just finish this up with somebody else and it's going to take some time. >> Okay. >> You're budgeting for it for >> It doesn't have to go through the court
process. It might though is what I think Sarah's saying. >> Um, he's got an attorney there to fight it. >> Okay. So, >> I would say I would say August 1st at the earliest or that's not even I mean that would be
6 weeks because if we meet on the 1st, we send them to notice. How long does that take? Um, another week or so. So, we're talking mid mid June and they've been given a date of August 1st. for no later than August
1st. >> Brian, >> concur. >> Okay. >> Seems pretty short to me, but >> they've known. >> Okay. How many are for August 1st? How many are for a uh September 1st? >> I'm for August 1. >> August. All right. There you go.
>> Three against one. August 1st. That's the time. >> And uh >> we'll go from there. >> Lot of stuff. Look, I'll work with Sarah to get those things drafted up for the meeting on the >> first first. Okay. For the June 1st for our meeting.
Okay. Okay. >> Anything else? >> All right. >> I think I do. >> Next, we'll move on to utility billing process and analysis. >> Yeah. Madame Mayor, members of city council. There's been a a lot of information shared on this topic uh both in the packet and then some subsequent
emails that went out uh today and a little bit on Friday, too. So I think what we're what we're looking at for staff direction or we're looking for with staff direction is just how to proceed with this this item related to the outsourcing versus the internal printing of printing and mailing of
bills. So I'll stand for questions. We have Brian here as well who's been kind of leading the project. >> Okay. Brian, do you have anything you want to add? >> Um not too much. I guess I I shouldn't miss too many meetings. No, I'm kidding. I was I was at a band concert for my
daughter, her last one. So, it's it's a tough week or no, I was going to say she graduates Friday. So, hopefully I won't be too emotional. It's my baby girl. >> So, >> so that's where I was at last a couple weeks ago. So, I know I'm not as Yeah. tough as I look, right? Or sometime.
>> So, I mean, yeah, I guess it um maybe to piggyback on Jaspers, I guess we've like done a fair analysis of the process. Um, you know, we're obviously not asking for any additional staff at this time or anything. We I think we'd all concur or
that there's going to be some extra time in the utility billing process with going from monthly to or quarterly to monthly for the water users um just based on just that many more touch points and that many more um bills and you know back and forth with our residents I guess and good back and
forth I guess there just probably a lot of questions and and stuff. So, um I guess when I compare it to other things that we um analyze sometimes if there's something that we can potentially outsource and make a little more streamlined or let's you know a company
that does it more often more frequently can do it at a better um cost or price point. Um, I guess to me the decision seems like pretty um, logical to go with contracting with infosen to help with this, you know, small part of the
utility billing process and going to that monthly change. So, >> okay, >> I'll leave it at that. >> And is it actually going to cost us less to go with info? I think they have fewer I mean their cost is a little bit less. Yeah, I think just economies of scale and stuff, it is it is a a better cost
as well as probably a >> you know, just they have they're doing it all the time, you know, they can they they've promised they can turn it around within usually a day, you know, day or two or whatever once they get the uh whatever file, either a CSV or PDF file. >> Um we've contacted uh talked to New
Brighton and Anoka and they both were happy with the uh the service they get from them. I mean, we've talked to some other people and they said, "Don't use Opus or, you know, there's been some things we've learned in the process as far as who not to use." Um, we talked to uh um Greater Minnesota Communications who we outsource our, you know,
newsletter printing process, the local one. I know they do like more like smaller cities. I think like Watertown and, you know, my city mayor and Winston and stuff and they were a higher price point and plus not as quick a turnaround. They were more like, well, we'll get it out in three or four days, I guess, is what >> Yeah. See, that's my concern. getting it
out timely um because people expect to get their bills on time and then also um making sure that they're accurate and I know that there's some um that they would want um enough time ahead to do a um practice run kind of thing.
>> Yeah. I mean which basically um they said it's going to be probably you know a two and a half 3 month process to get everything you know coordinated you know hopefully closer to the two two and a half than three months but I know Rene's you know spoken with them and and uh they there is some you know back and
forth and getting it set up so that's where there's some timeliness of hopefully being able to uh let you know them know you know sooner rather than later hopefully you know tomorrow that we can proceed. Um, so that's I guess why we're obviously looking for a
>> okay an answer for that as well. >> What kind of excuse me, what kind of access would u we have to their system? Uh, so say if somebody's questioning their bill, um, you know, we would have the raw data, I would.
>> Yeah, it's all our data. All they're pretty much helping us do is just disseminate and get the, you know, sort, you know, postage and and get them out. It's going to be pretty much, you know, staff, you know, mainly Renee is still going to be working with um the residents with I mean, it's generated by, you know, obviously public works
getting the reads and getting it coordinating with, you know, finance and, you know, mainly Renee and getting them out. So, yeah, it's not like we're out off going to lose any customer service or whatever by by outsourcing it pretty much is >> and and all the data will live here at
city hall. So, okay. And I saw a lot of uh discussion of the um hours that uh staff would take with you know different with this approach or say bringing it in house but I didn't see what the hourly cost would be and maybe I missed that but
>> u roughly staff time what would that equate per hour? Yeah, just just for the outsourcing piece, we estimated it'd be about 8 hours to do the printing and and stuffing if we had the proper machine, you know, the proper stuffer. So about
eight hours every month is what this portion is is what that cost. >> Oh, dollars. Um, so let's see. 45 the average the cost is 45 time 8. So whatever that is. Um, I can do that quick.
>> 360. >> 360. So, $360. >> Okay. So, outsourcing it, we'd still have roughly eight hours of of cost u uh for staff time. But >> no, we wouldn't have those eight hours.
>> We we would still have we'd still have staff time, but we wouldn't have the eight hours of staff time to to print and fold and mail. Well, they wouldn't. >> But how much time um I thought it was Well, how much time will u will the staff time be if we
outsource it? Because there still be some >> they'll still have to do everything besides print it and put it in the machine to fold it and put it in the envelope. So, all the other stuff >> will still be staff time. Collecting the info, putting it in the system, putting it in the spreadsheet, all of that would
still be >> that was the question of how much time is that? and kind of try to get a dollar figure there. >> Yeah. So, it's the net difference between what we do quarterly versus what I think we'll do in monthly, which we don't exactly know cuz we haven't done
it yet. It's like 672 hours is the annually. >> That's the difference. >> That's the difference between quarterly to monthly is what we're estimating. Um, and a portion of that that 8 hours or that'd be 96 hours a year is related to
the the stuffing of the envelopes and printing. So, kind of a small part. Most of it is customer service. People emailing and calling. Um, and right now just, you know, just quarterly we're getting about or we I don't I don't take
many of these unless it escalates, but Renee and the team up front take about 40 hours every time we send out a bill in customer service questions and emails and things of of that nature. Um, we're estimating that that's probably going to go up every time with the with the at
least at first with the monthly bill because of a lot of questions and um more information. And they're going to be there's always going to be a little confusion. Uh so we that should go down to maybe 40 hours every every month, but that's still a significant that's the most significant portion of of our staff
time for this processing. >> So basically we're trying to outsource the most painful part of the process. So, I guess there's going to be an additional hours based on just going to monthly or quarterly, but it's like the part just for finishing it off with
printing and stuff that's going to come around 12 months instead of four now. And we're going to be doing sheets of paper versus postcards and stuff. I guess when we looked at it, it was more efficient, more cost effective to outsource a slice of the process than do
the whole thing inhouse. That's I guess what I would boil it down to. We're sort of getting into 600 hours versus, you know, is it 100 hours of the 600? We're making this a little more complicated, I think, than it needs to be. I mean, just I'm I'm trying to be, you know, I'm trying to just keep this matter of fact and logical. We're just trying to help
our staff be as efficient as possible. And it's still going to and they're able to obtain a better rate for finishing off the process than we are internally. So that's >> But the other thing that you're missing is the redundancy. We have no redundancy. So if Renee is sick and then
then let's say she or she has or she's not able to do this then then we have to have other staff people step in and then they're they're having to do double duty so to speak and and then if the machine breaks down and then you have to wait a
couple days for it to get fixed. All of those things we don't have that redundancy and that's that's a big issue. Plus, if they can do it cheaper, if they can do that last step with the last step is what we're asking them, what we're looking at for outsourcing. That last step, they can do cheaper than
we can do in house. >> It's cheaper than let's do it. >> Yeah. We don't know that it's cheaper because we haven't done it. We don't know what the actual costs are. We don't know how many people will sign up for paperless billing. And apparently, even if they sign up now, they still have to resign up. So, we have no idea how many bills will actually need to be printed. We have no idea the time.
>> We're not even trying it. We're just outsourcing staff's jobs. >> That's not their job though currently to do it on a monthly basis. And that's what's creating this this need to outsource it. And in the future, even if we did it quarter, continue to do it
quarterly. We still might want to outsource it because it's still cheaper to do this portion. >> Just outsource all billing. >> That's what we're doing. >> No, everything. >> Ask Mound how that went. Call the city of Mound and ask how that's going for them. Yeah, >> it's not going well.
>> I just think, you know, and here's the other thing. We're looking at we're I look to staff and I say, "Okay, tell us what you need." >> They didn't tell us what they needed. They did this, stuck it on a consent agenda item without council approval and now want us to approve it. They didn't
tell us. They didn't come to us and say, "This is what's going to happen. This is the issues. We've looked at this. We've looked at this. We investigated this." One of the quotes we got, they requested on the 16th. So, here's >> that's not okay. And my issue, >> but I'm not going to I'm not going to
sit here. Okay, here's the thing. They've done their homework and it's in front of us here. It's in our packet and the homework says and the the numbers say it's cheaper to outsource it. That's
that's the fact. That's not whether they did something before or didn't do something. The fact today is here are the numbers. Here's the facts here. It's cheaper to outsource this. We don't have the redundancy. We don't have the
capacity unless we want to maybe pay overtime, do this, do that, do a whole bunch of other things. So, I'm not going to get mad about something that maybe they thought they should have done, but they didn't or they they did something that they maybe you thought they
shouldn't have done. Either way, I just look at this. I look at the stats. I look at the numbers and I say it makes no sense to do it in house. I'm not going to spend more tax dollars or more money from the water people than we have to. And that's what we would have to do.
>> So, you're just going to blindly sign a contract without even trying for staff to do it? >> That's correct. Madame Mayor, can we incentivize our residents to sign some way to sign up for paperless billing? Is there a way to
do that? >> There might be. But um I think too when you think about there's only about 20% of people that have been you know inundated with sign up for paperless billing, sign up for paperless billing.
Not everybody does it and not everybody wants even if they sign up they like to get their paper bill for some reason or other. So even if we say okay 20% is are going to sign up for paperless billing even if it's 30% or 40%. we still have
to outsource or we still have to send out paper bills, >> right? But I wonder like since we're if we agree to use this process, could we have a note on there saying, you know, you save $12 a year if you
>> and we could look at something like >> a little note on there and then wouldn't it be great if after you know x at three years everyone signed up and then we can terminate them, >> right? And we can >> Is that just a crazy thought? >> If if I may. Yeah. Um I've done this in
the past where you've done like a $10 bill credit. If you sign up for paperless, you've maybe seen it on some of your other bills that you've gotten. We could we could examine doing that. It does get some additional participation. Um ideally, if we can get 35 to 40%, that's about that's about as good as it
gets. If we can get more than that, that's excellent. Um I think I alluded in one of the one of the correspondents that I I live in Savage. I talked to Savage today and um they've been doing paperless opt outs for 15 years and they're at 20%. And every single bill I
get, I I have paperless, but every bill I see when I in my email tells you exactly how to do it. And we'll we'll continue to do that. We'll have that on the back side of the of the bills if we go with the the outsourcing or in in in-house processing. I just think if you had a little red asterric and red
sentence at the bottom that said, you know, in January you'll get >> $12 off your bill if you sign up for paper. It's a dollar a month and it's about probably what it costs and >> and we can and that's not a bad idea. >> It's a sentence on the bottom of the bill, you know,
>> I don't know, just a thought. >> If if that's something we'd like to do, we can we can definitely market it >> and we're going to market try and market this to, you know, sign up for paperless. It's um >> I think we have to trust. >> But we're also a growing >> cheaper. It's cheaper,
>> but we're also a growing community. >> Is it cheaper or not cheaper? >> It is cheaper. >> Yeah. >> Do it for a living. This company does it for >> it's economies of scale. It's >> Yeah, >> it is. I mean, I just wish Well, I was
going to say >> Brian does not Brian that Brian that Brian G um does not recommend things spending more money, he's always like, "No, we can spend less." So, when he recommends something to me, that's that
says a lot. >> I want to be tied with him on that. >> Okay. Okay. I wish you would have looked more at conservation and and if we wanted to try to manage what residents uh you know we we signed a $20 million contract and we had more less discussion on that than we're having.
>> Exactly. Exactly. I guess yeah >> I mean we're we're working on a $28 million um water treatment plant and we're we're talking about a savings of what? $6,000. >> Yeah. Basically 20 cents per whatever mailing or whatever it is.
>> You shouldn't word it like that. That's what it is though. >> That's not what it is. >> What is it then? >> Okay. Well, where are the five where where is reaching out to other companies and finding out who else does this? Where where was that? >> Because the only quote that I saw other than this info one was the one that you
requested on the 16th. So why didn't we reach out to other companies? Why didn't we do more research? Why wasn't it brought back with multiple quote packages saying here's what this company can do. Here's what this company can do. Here's what this is going to cost. Here's what this is going to cost. So, you can keep saying it's going to save money, and it might, but the background
and the due diligence that should have been done before this was brought to council was not done, and I want to believe that it will save money because I do think you watch our money very, very closely. But I don't feel that way, especially now when I can break apart all the line items of things that are in there quite easily, and you just
respond, I don't agree with that. So, to me, I don't feel confident saying this is going to save us money. >> We we've spent a lot of time on this. Yes, since the 4th. >> Let I'm sorry. Let one person at a time. Let >> all of the quotes that we got I'm not sure where you're getting this, but
Brian's team has been working on this since March and they've been in communication with the the infoend greater Minnesota since March. So, we've been talking to them. They they've met with them. They've done the brunt of the work. So, I don't I don't know where that's coming from. >> I'm looking at the date on the email I
got today for the quote. Oh. Um, >> from March 19th, I guess. >> All right. >> From >> So, you're not upset about the cost, you're upset about the process. So, here's the thing. If we want to get this thing done this year and we want to save some money, this is this is what staff
is recommending. They're not going to recommend this if it's not a good deal. And they're not going to recommend it if it's something we don't need. And that's, you know, so we can we can but we can argue about the process. We can, you know, all you want and maybe that
needs to be a discussion that you need to have with staff um off camera so you can battle it out. But today our charge is do we want to do this or not? That's the question. That's the question. Do we want to outsource this or not? And we
can't sit here and keep arguing about the process because we're we're not going to get anywhere. And it's it's staff is telling us they've looked at other vendors and this is the one that they think is the best and it can save us $6,000 a year. So I I'm I'm just I'm
baffled as to why this isn't a good thing. So that's where I'm coming from. Peter, >> I think it makes sense. uh because u uh you know when I think of office you know the problems we always had was with a
printer or with mailings and you know those were the things that always caused trouble and so I really like the idea of having somebody else have to deal with that technology and they just provide the product to us. So I like that and I like that it it seems incredibly
inexpensive to me and it and it frees up staff time. So, I I think it's a really good idea. >> Okay, Claudia, I guess what I'm maybe hearing uh Kathleen say is that we didn't see
all of the other organizations that offer this service. We left that up to you and you did your due diligence and you came back with this is the best option. Um, I have to believe that you're used to looking at these things more than I am and that you would make
the best choice and you want to spend less money. So, just as I do, so I understand not having all the information in front of us, but I do trust that the staff can evaluate what's the best route. So,
>> okay, Brian. Yeah, looking at the analysis, uh, I mean, the math is the math. The only part that I think is probably not really tied down tightly would be the staff time, but even if you back out that to zero, it's still 20 cents cheaper per
billing to uh, outsource it. So, I'm aligned with that. >> All right. All right. So it sounds like we're in line with bringing this back >> to this meet to the regular meeting if we can add it so we could do the the contract that was in the packet from two
weeks ago with info send I guess if that would be amanable to the council. >> Okay. So we'll bring that back to our regular meeting. Do you want it under business item? >> That's fine. >> Yes. >> All right. Business item in in the bean in in between time then you'll type
something a resolution or whatever. >> Okay. All right. And then we have an update on the Boulevard tree replacement in Huntress Crest and discuss potential cost share for replacement of ash tree removal. >> Madame Mayor, we could we can punt this
to another work session too if we if we want to wrap it up or we can >> it's up to you. >> Well, let's do it. Let's get it over with. >> Okay. >> All right. >> A shorter break. >> Yeah. Allison is leading the charge on this. >> I can be very brief. Uh, Mayor Whan,
members of the council's uh, public works staff has been removing dead ash trees um, throughout the winter and they recently were in the Hunter Crest neighborhood and some of the trees removed are within the boulevard and so um, in anticipation of some residents
per calling in. They have, to my knowledge, they haven't yet. Um but uh we just wanted to bring this to council's attention um in the event that uh staff is approached with a by a resident or a homeowners association requesting a tree replacement if that's
something that the council would like um staff to look into. Um I was looking at um just to give you an idea of what it costs to for a replacement tree. um back from a a previous street project. Um we
are looking at about $600 each. Um so if council's amanable or wants more information, I can certainly provide it to you. Um one of the things that we would like direction on from the council ultimately if if council is interested in replacing some of the trees, do you
want them replaced one? Each one removed gets replaced uh 2:1 is it as needed? Um, so just again just wanted to bring it in front of council, let you know what's going on. Again, we haven't heard any feedback, but we just anticipate with the ash trees going down as they
are that we will likely get a call from a resident or homeowners association. >> I think we replace as requested by a homeowner within reason. >> We're going to take them, we're going to remove them if they're dead, right? I
mean, so that's our responsibility. It's a matter of whether or not we replace it. And so if a resident would like it replaced, then I think there could be a cost share. >> Okay. >> Maybe a 50/50. >> I'm just throwing >> They might not want a tree there.
>> Yeah. I mean, we can Yeah. >> Is are there any grants available from the state or the DNR? >> There are from Henipin County. >> Yep. There are. And we can certainly look into that as well if that's something that the council would like to. >> Yeah. And so a suggestion then to could be is that is if we start getting
requests um we could start tracking those come back to council with you know what we're starting to hear. Um one of the things that public works did mention is if we are looking at a tree replacement that it would not be within the right of way that it would be on the property uh a private property so it
becomes their ownership and responsibility not the cities. >> So if so we can >> all the better. Sounds like Gary. >> Ma, Madame Mayor, if I may, we did apply for Henipin County Tree Grant uh earlier this spring, but we were denied.
>> Why? We need to talk to them. Okay. All right. Um I think there's certain Well, anyhow, I'll I'll talk to staff about that because I think that they have a lot of money for trees and not a lot of people are applying. So, I'm not sure why we were denied
>> there. If I may, there are a lot of people that are applying because this is this is a common >> problem in most municipalities that planted a lot of ash trees 20 to 30. >> I mean, we have a healthy tree budget. So, I mean, if they call and want the tree replaced,
>> then we put it on their property. Yeah. >> Um so, so if I may, mayor and and council, um an option is is to just if we start getting those requests, say at this time, we don't have an official policy, but we are tracking the requests and that once we get I don't know, maybe
10, yeah, 10 requests that we come back to council and say this is what we've heard so far. And it would also be an opportunity to update the council um where public works is at as far as ash ash tree removal um so that you know you know are they are they done for the year
um because there are certain dates that I believe you don't do tree clearing anymore. >> You can do tree clearing anytime during the year but you just don't want to plant them correct anytime. So okay yeah come back with that.
>> Okay. All right, that concludes our work session items. Um, is there is a motion to adjurnn? We can be adjourned until 6:30. >> So moved. >> Thank you. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Peter. All those in favor signify with I >> I. >> All those opposed. Motion passes. I
vote. We'll >> reconvene at 6:30 for our regular >> council meeting. Oh, yeah. Here. All right. Part: 2
Wow. The reason we're about to start here is my husband. We are about to start. >> Do I need to use my gavl? Okay. All right.
>> Okay. I'm going to call the meeting to order. This is the regular city council meeting for the city of Minatristo of May 18th, 2026. Uh, first order, I'm going to ask if you have a cell phone with you, please put it on airplane mode so it does not disturb our meeting. And
second, would you please join me for a 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 justice for all. So, welcome everyone that's here this evening as well as watching on YouTube later on. Uh, first I'm going to start with introductions. I'm Lisa Whan. I'm the mayor. And to my left are council
members Kathleen Ruffkin, Peter Vicky, Claudia Lacy, and Brian Govern. And then on the end we have our staff. Um, we have Allison Falski with WSB who is our city engineer and Paula Bowman who is our assistant administrator. And then to
my right we have administrator Jasper Kougall. And then we have Brian Grim who is our finance director. And then in the end we have our chief of police Craig Squires. Also participating via um internet is our Gary Peters who is our public works director and Meerhoff who
is our city clerk taking notes. And then we have Sarah Sansala who is um our city attorney. And who else do we have? and David Ael is also joining us remotely and he is our community development director. With that, um I'm looking for
a motion to approve the agenda. We're going to add one business item. It's going to be business item 5C, and that's approving our master uh plan agreement with um um info send for services related to monthly billing mailings. Is
there any other changes to the agenda? hearing. None. Is there a motion to make to approve the agenda with that one change? >> So move. >> Thank you, Mr. Vickery. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Refkin. Any further questions? Hearing none. All those in favor signify with I. I.
>> I. Motion passes. 50. Tonight we have two um special presentations. We're going to start out with the um presentation from Alex Carlson. And this is in regards to the Metropolitan Council uh mosquito control district. I'll just advance that clicker is
missing. >> So, welcome gentlemen. >> Thank you, Mayor Whan and council members. I'm Alex Carlson. I'm the public affairs manager with the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District. With me is Ben Lubeck. Ben's a supervisor at our Plymouth facility, who also covers all the Ministrista area um with our services. So, I'm going to get
started and go real quickly, but hopefully you all received one of our new handouts this year, our tick magnets, which help you ID the different ticks that you'll find. because even though mosquito control is our name, we also do tick surveillance as well. Um, so we've been around since 1958 and our governance is the county commissioners.
So, Commissioner Kevin Anderson um who covers this area is on our board. He's actually on our executive committee. Um, we're very fortunate to have him. Our service area is the entire 7count metro area, about 3.2 million people and 88,000 wetland habitats. You'll understand why that's important as I
explain kind of our operations. Um, and our funding comes from property taxes. So, the median home pays about $11 per year towards our services. Uh, and those services are include, go to the next slide, comprehensive mosquito surveillance and control. So, it starts by figuring out
where the mosquitoes are. There's a little dipper full of larvae. So, we go finding out the where the larvae are. Um, and then we do the control based on data. We do mosquitoborn disease suppression. Public health is a very important part of our mission. So, suppressing the diseases that can make people sick is important. tickborn
disease surveillance, public education about mosquitoes and mosquitoborn and tickborn disease and then we also do services for black flies or biting gnats which are especially active this time of year. To the next one. So we have over 52 species that we have established here in Minnesota of of different types of
mosquitoes. Not all of them behave the exact same way. Some of them hatch after rainfall. Some of them can hatch anytime that there's standing water around. Um but we really focus on on those 52 about 20 of those will be human biting. It means they um can bite mammals or they'll spread diseases that can affect mammals. And so those are really the
ones that we focus on. So we have some species here that don't bother with mammals at all that only bite frogs or birds or other animals that um are not taxpayers. So we don't protect them from those those mosquito bites. We focus on the ones that are going to go after people. Um if you look at the mosquito life cycle when those eggs hatch,
especially the flood water mosquitoes that hatch after the rain, it's usually about one week for them to get through their life cycle before they emerge as the adult mosquitoes that we know so well. So, when we see these big rains come in the summertime, it's about a week later that we see that big surge in mosquito numbers. Um, our program starts
with surveillance, as I mentioned, that's the type of water that we're looking for. So, mosquitoes don't develop in large open bodies of water. It's shallow, stagnant water. You can see with that little skim of water there, all that is mosquito larva swimming around. Um, so it doesn't take a lot of water to produce lots of mosquito larva. So, we really have our
job cut out for us. Um, but we also do other ways to collect mosquitoes. We do traps. So, we have a Monday night surveillance network where we set up different types of traps that collect different species of mosquitoes. Um, we set those up, started last week, and we'll do that every Monday night throughout the summer. We also do a fun way to collect mosquitoes where we do
human baited trapping where we go stand out in our yard every Monday night at a very specific time. It'll be like 9:38 p.m. We wait for the mosquitoes. >> Well, that sounds like a lot of fun. >> Oh, yes. >> Blast. Can't wait to volunteer for that. >> Yeah. mosquitoes come to us and then we take a net and we sweep around and we
collect as many as we can and then I put it in my freezer overnight and then whatever I find I pick out and bring to the lab for identification the next day. My kids are always excited when they find in the freezer the next morning when they go to get their breakfast. Um but it's for science. Uh so that's way we get all that data. Um and then we
bring it back to our entomology lab where we have uh several full-time entomologists that are helping to identify the species. We also hire a lot of seasonal staff u in the summertime that help with taxonomy. So they're identifying those species to figure out which ones are human biting and which ones are not, which ones are disease vectors and which ones are not. So we
can really focus our program that way. We do have the ability to test some species for disease uh at our lab in St. Paul. We're actually um we just got approved for a renovation to our lab. So we're going to be expanding our PCR abilities to do more disease testing. So this time next year we're going to be doing a lot more. Right now we can test
for West Nile virus only. Um, and then we have to determine control. So there's three primary ways to control mosquitoes. Larival control, which is getting them when they're in the water. Adult control, which is the ones that are flying around. Um, and then reducing breeding habitat or we just call source reduction. So eliminating places for
them to breed. Um, our focus is laral control. The va vast majority of the work that we're doing is controlling mosquitoes in the laral stage. Um, there's a couple reasons for that. One, we have a geographic advantage because we serve such a wide area. We can do laral control widespread and it's really effective. Um, also it's easier to get
to the larvae when they're in a breeding site in a wetland or in an area of standing water versus the adult mosquitoes which will be everywhere. Um, kind of hard to get to all of them. Uh, but the most important reason is the minimal non-target impacts that larva control materials have. So the vast majority of the materials that we use
are bacterialbased. Um, so you put them in the water, they're granules that you put in the water and then they activate. Um, and then the mosquito larva feed on them when they're in the water table and that's what stops their digestion and kills them in the laral stage. But it's not harmful to fish or other animals. It's not harmful to bees and butterflies
and other pollinators because it only activates in that standing water. So, it's a very safe, effective way to do widespread uh mosquito control and have the biggest impact. So, I brought a little sample. This is if you see our helicopters or drones around, this is what we're dropping. Something like this, these little pellets or granules
that go into the water. Um, yeah. And this just talks about some of those active ingredients that we use. And then our drone program is expanding. So, we're using drones more widespread. Um and so you might see some of those out and about. Our main mosquitob born disease that we're concerned about is West Nile virus and last last year actually 2025 was a record year for West
Nile virus. We saw the the highest number of human cases both in the district and statewide that we had ever seen. Um so that's concerning and we're going to be doing everything we can to be proactive and prevent that this year. But West Nile is spread by birds. So uh but birds are what we call our reservoir host that spread the disease. Most birds
are not impacted. Some birds do get sick and die especially corvids. So ravens, blue jays and crows. So we get reports of dead crows or dead blue jays could be a sign that West Nile is starting to crop up. Then a mosquito has to bite those infected birds and that same mosquito bites us. So that's how the disease gets transmitted. We can't
spread the disease among ourselves. Um it only can come from bird to mosquito to human. Um and then there's the specific species of the cullex family that will spread these these diseases. Go ahead to the next one. So the big stories from last year uh one it was the record year for West Nile. As I said, 50
human cases, which was smashed our previous record of 28. Um um 18% of the mosquitoes that we collected tested positive, which is very high. Also, they just peaked earlier last year than normal, which is the big factor. Another big story from last year was that what we call the cattail mosquitoes return.
So, there's a unique species that only comes out once per year. It's a single brood species and they actually spend all winter in the water below the ice and then they work work their way to the surface in the spring and come out right around the 4th of July. We hadn't seen them in 5 years because of drought conditions. And so last year, for the first time since 2020, they were back.
And they were back in pretty big numbers. So if you're out around the 4th of July, you probably noticed them. Go on to the next one. And then finally, last year, we didn't see a lot of spring mosquitoes. And we're seeing that same trend this year. We started a very slow, it's a little early to say exactly what this spring is going to be like. Um, but
last year we saw very low, after a couple years of high spring mosquitoes, we saw some low years uh last year. Go ahead to the next one. This is just a graph of the the the average. So the green line is 2025 compared to the 10-year average. So you can see slow spring and then our peak last year was
the week of July 8th. Go ahead to the next one. Um this just shows the acres of laral control that we've done yeartoear. So the x-axis there is year. So 2025 we had our most acres of larvae control since 2016. The biggest factor of how many acres we do is the precipitation. So every time it rains
that's when we're doing more because that's when we find more eggs that have hatched. Um, this next slide actually shows the trend with adult control. We've really moved away from doing widespread adult control. Um, so adult control is when you're in on a uh with a backpack on the ground doing spraying or sometimes you do a cold fogging from a
truck. Um, we really have adjusted so we only do adult control when we're combating disease cases. Um, so we want to focus on obviously protecting public health by reducing, you know, westnile carrying mosquitoes, but these have to be very carefully applied because these are broadsp spectrum. So they can harm
other insects. Um, so we want to make sure that we're being as safe with those applications as possible and and targeted as possible. Go ahead to the next one. Um, yeah, so these are just the totals for the city of Minatrista and I think thought Ben could give a little more context because his team's actually the one that did all this work. So
>> yeah, thanks for having us. Um, these were the different sites that we inspected and like what Alex was saying like a site is can be anything that holds water. or it can be a 300 acre wetland or some small amount of water in somebody's backyard. Um, so we inspected
over a 100red uh adult mosquito sites. Um, treated 2 acres of uh adult mosquitoes. We're trying to do less and less of that. Um, we're our focus is in the laral state with materials like this. Um, like what Alex mentioned, um,
we recycled 131 tires in the area and 671 catch basins. So we have all of the catch basins and storm drains throughout the entire seven county metro area and we do a lot of that work in Minitrista as well. Uh and then we respond to calls
too and um if anybody has questions for us out in the field just u flag us down u some of the things that are coming up. Uh today we were working with these P35 pellets putting down these materials and and uh wetlands by ground. Um, next week
you're going to probably see our helicopter out a lot because like Alex said, we're treating for those cattail mosquitoes. We have, if it's not a record, it's a close amount to a record of uh acres that we have to treat. We have over 7,000 acres in the area that
we have to treat. So, and we fly just east of here at Lions Club Ballfield. You'll see our helicopter um getting loaded up over there. So, um yeah, I just wanted to speak to the field piece a little bit and uh appreciate you having us. question we always get is what is the
mosquito projection for this year and so it's very difficult to project you know two months out uh what July is going to be like for instance so we can just kind of look at long-term weather forecasts those cattail mosquitoes that we've both mentioned is something that we actually can predict predict with some accuracy and as Ben said we are projecting that's
going to be a high number of those mosquitoes again so we're going to try to do everything we can um to prevent those other than that I think if you click some of the some text will show up another slow start to the season it's been very dry this spring so we are expecting It's you're not going to see mosquitoes for a couple weeks yet, at
least in significant numbers, even if the weather does warm up. The midsummer surge is likely coming again. And then the last one, and the reason, one of the reasons why we've been distributing these uh tick ID cards is we're actually projecting a higher incidence of Lyme disease this year in tick population. So the deer ticks are the ones that spread Lyme disease. Basically, they had a
later emergence in the larville stage last year. Um and so that trends to a higher um infection rate of the nymph ticks. um those kind of the middle one right there um that will come out this spring. So this spring, be on alert. Make sure you're doing tick checks, your
preventatives for your pets and stuff like that. It's very important to make sure you're reducing your risk of tick bites. Going to the next slide. Um our last big change that we have this year is our procedure for tire collections. And that slide mentioned how many tires we collect. We've kind of become a victim of our own success with tire recycling. The demand has just gotten
out of control. Um, last year we went from we we had a over 110% increase year-over-year in the number of tires requested for pickup. Um, and so this year we're transitioning so we're having people bring tires to us. So instead of we go out to people's residences and picking up tires, we're holding several events throughout the year, at least two
in every county. Um, where people can bring their tires to us, up to 10 per household. Um, and we'll take them at no charge. There's still no charge. Um, it just makes it a little easier for our staff and our projections and stuff like that to do it this way. So all this is on our website. If you go to our MMCD
and click on tire recycling, uh you can find out the date for Henipin County. Other resources, residents can sign up for weekly updates for mosquito surveillance, helicopter alerts, um and then just view our interactive maps, which is really good information for people to have.
And yep, this is what a snapshot of what our interactive maps look like. So, you can actually figure out where all the mosquito breeding sites are in your neighborhood by using our interactive maps. You can look around and see, you know, where are they coming from. Um you might be surprised. It might not be where you expect. Uh, and then yeah, sign up for email alerts. We send out a
news newsletter every week. Um, and then invite us to your events. Uh, we're always doing a plug for public outreach. So, we obviously we do parades, but um, we do safety camps during the summer. So, we come and teach kids about, you know, mosquito and tick safety. U, we also do, you know, city events and things like that. So, if you know event we should we should come to, we could
bring the inflatable mosquito or there in the foreground is our mascot. Her name is Vector. She makes appearances throughout the summer as well. So, if you know of an event we should participate in, please let us know. And with that, we'll open it up for any questions. >> I have one, excuse me. Um, WestNile
virus. How does somebody know if they have West Nile virus? What are the symptoms? >> Thank you, Mayor Wayland. A good question. So, the symptoms are very similar to flu-l like symptoms. So, it does affect the nervous system. So, uh, fever, headache, nausea, fatigue are kind of the first symptoms. Um, if you
get those symptoms in an extreme form, you might want to go get checked out. >> Yeah. Cuz I mean, if you get bit by a mosquito and then maybe two days later you get sick, you might not put the two together. So, yeah. Okay. All right. Claudia, you're very excited about
mosquitoes. You are great at this job. Um, I got a call from a neighbor. They were out uh um running and one of your helicopters went over them and had the canisters and
was dropping these uh pellets, I'm assuming. >> Yes. >> Um and he absolutely freaked out. And so can I assure them that this uh P35 pellet is like organic or or or what is it exactly? >> Yeah. Uh thank you, Council Member Lacy.
So, uh, occasionally if people are right on the wetland, they may encounter the materials. All our materials are safe for people. So, there's no, um, harm for people coming in contact with whether it's this ingredients or BTI, which is the main ingredient that we use. I encourage them to call us when that happens because we like to know when stuff like that happens so that we can
talk to our pilots and just make sure that that doesn't happen again. Um, but there's no human health risk of being in contact with these pellets. These are all what we call general use products. Anybody can go buy these from Menards. Oh. >> Um, >> and they're called what? P35 pellets. >> Um, and the at Bernard's are Eltacid is
the product name. Um, >> those like the little pucks. >> The pucks are the more common ones. Those are BTI and that's our most common ingredient that we use. Um, so typically we're dropping BTI, which is like little corn granules with bacteria. Super glad that you mentioned that because I actually today saw on
>> the internet you took a bucket, put some um weeds in it and some water and one of those half of the pucks and then set it away from where you don't and so you actually agreed that that might work. >> That that does uh that will work for the mosquitoes. Um the actually even better
you can buy a trap that will also it basically works the same way but then it'll keep the mosquito that's laying the eggs from escaping so that the mosquito goes in that it can't get out whereas like if it's an open bucket the mosquito will fly and find another place to lay eggs as well. But that does a method that works. Yes. >> Oh, that's great to know.
>> Props work great. >> Do you do any kind of spraying for ticks as well or is it just surveillance? >> Uh thank you council member govern. Um we do not do any treatments for ticks. Unfortunately, there's not a a eco-friendly safe way to do widespread tick control because they are in any any
wooded or brush area. Um, and so what we do is um we do mainly tick public education. We do surveillance where we collect ticks. So we do tick drags where we take a big piece of cloth and drag it through the woods and pick all the ticks off of it. That's how we get a lot of our information. Um, but yeah, there's not really widespread homeowners can do
tick control in their backyard. Um, so you can, you know, hire some private companies that can do some effective tick control if you live, especially if you live up against the woods. Uh, but we don't do any tick control. >> Ben, do you do ride alongs? >> I would sign up.
>> It'd be It'd be a flyalong. >> A fly along. Yeah, that would be great. >> All right. Thank you very much for coming. Good information. Do you have a Do you have a card you want to leave with us? >> Sure, I can leave my card. I'll take it. >> And we'll post some of this stuff on our
website and Facebook page. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> So, we can call you with questions. So, >> absolutely. >> Okay. Um All right. With that, um we
have another h special presentation this evening and that is with um Clifton Larson Allen. That's a kind of a mouthful, isn't it? >> Yeah. CLA a little easier to say.
>> Well, welcome. >> Well, thank you. Um, so happy to be here to present your audit results uh this evening. Uh, just a quick introduction. Uh, my name is Troy Gabler. I uh I'm kind of standing in for Christopher Kenopic. Um, he is in the great city of
Herman Town this evening. So, he just had two presentations. So, I'm helping out and presenting with them. I work with them all the time. Um I have in fact audited the city a handful of times over the years. Um but Austin uh can introduce himself quick. >> Yeah, I'm Austin Wolf. Um I am project
manager. This year I've actually had the opportunity to be on the audit the past two or three years, but this year I've kind of been the one leading the audit. And by that I've been mostly doing the main communication with Brian, his team, my team, and then just assigning stuff out and keeping stuff moved along.
>> All right. Um, so we'll start off. I'll give you some of the audit results, the overarching results of the audits. Uh, Austin is going to walk you through some of the numbers and trends that we're seeing. Um, then we'll close it out with some of the upcoming Gazsbies everybody loves. Um, so required communications. Uh, just to start off, audits are
reasonable assurance, not absolute. So we do a lot of testing and we do that based off of risk, right? We see where's fraud um and errors happening in, you know, other municipalities that we work with or audit. Where's it happening kind of across the country? Um, we also then interview management. We'll interview uh
one of the board members and we use that to make a risk profile to kind of drive the testing. Uh, we don't test every dollar though that goes through the city. Um, you wouldn't want us to do that. It's not economical to do that. Um, but we do test to make sure that you know in general all of your balances are
correct. Um, kind of to what we call materiality. Um, but so it is reasonable assurance, not absolute because we don't test every dollar. Um, significant accounting estimates. you don't have any that are uh particularly sensitive. It's not that you don't have estimates within your reports. Uh but they've updated
some of those uh standards and you don't have any that we would deem uh likely to fluctuate significantly yeartoear based on the inputs that management has. Uh uncorrected misstatements, there were none of those. Um so that comes up if we were to note it's something that should be adjusted or slightly different. Um,
and maybe due to the timing of that or uh maybe another reason the city would choose not to make that adjustment. That didn't happen this year. There were none of those. There were also no corrected statements. Uh that means that when we're reviewing everything and doing all of our testing, we didn't identify something that needed to change. Right?
So, um Brian, his department, and you know, basically the books of the city uh were in proper order and we didn't find anything that had to uh be adjusted. Difficulties performing the audits? None. Um, so if you ever had like a timing issue, sometimes people have like health episodes or something come up
when they're doing audit prep. That's usually when you'd see that. Um, no timing issues, no disagreements with management. Anecdotally, actually at my office, I don't work on this audit all of the time, but I know the team likes working with Brian and the team because you guys are easier to audit because
you're knowledgeable or the team is. Um, so I do know that they enjoy working with the team. You can go to the next slide. Maybe one back was it? Uh, nope. You're right. You were You had it right. Okay. Um, the ultimate uh result of the audit was you have an
unmodified or clean opinion of the financial statements. That's the best opinion that we can provide as an audit um for an audit. So, if you had a modification or something that would mean that we didn't get the proper support. In this case, everything was properly supported. There were no instances uh where uh we were trying to
test a transaction and we couldn't you know get assurance that it was properly booked. Uh internal controls over financial reporting. We didn't notice any exceptions there. So there weren't any material weaknesses or significant deficiencies. So, as we go through the audit, we kind of review the internal
controls of the city and if we notice an area where uh you know, say based on how it's set up, we could see an error happening or in fact maybe catch an error happening, that's the type of things that we would then elevate to a meeting like this, we didn't find anything that would likely uh result in like a significant deficiency or issue.
And then Minnesota legal compliance, um that's actually kind of rare to not have any exceptions there, too. Um, and usually there's like a couple of findings at most of the places I present at. Um, so that means you're paying your bills timely. They actually give us like seven guides to go through just a
plethora of laws each year and they have us test each of those. Um, so we didn't have any areas where there wasn't documentation or um, you know, if you don't document a closed meeting, right, or things like that. So u, but ultimately the highlight here is um, it's it's not very common. when we get to go to a a presentation, we don't have
any significant deficiencies. We get a clean opinion and no legal compliance items. Um it's been quite a while since I've had that. So that that is a highlight. Um that means you guys are implementing things as they're suggested as new governmental accounting standards are coming out. You're staying on top of those. Um that's usually
>> Brian. Yes. >> Yeah. >> We have to give him credit. Brian. >> Yes. So, and then the other financial highlights, everything will be submitted timely from kind of a state reporting standpoint, including the act for for the reward uh
that the uh city applies for each year. And then I think I'm going to turn it over to Austin to go over some of the trends that we're seeing. >> Yeah, I can go over the financial results. Um, this first slide kind of just goes over the unassigned fund balance. And kind of what that means is there's multiple different kinds of fund
balance, but the unassigned portion is basically up to the city and what they want to expend. Um, there's restricted, um, assigned, committed for, and that's reserved for a purpose for future use. So we can see here is the general fund unassigned based on the bar um is at
just over 2.5 million and then the as a percentage of expenditures is just sitting at 40%. There's been a slight decrease from 2021 but that is budgeted for um and then going into 2026 it's trying Brian mentioned that the
goal that was budgeted for a surplus to get that back above $3 million. Then going on to the next slide, this is related to general fund just revenues as a total kind of in different categories. So you can see here the biggest revenue source of the city is property taxes and
then it's license and permits and then there's intergovernmental revenue, user fees and then all other revenues which also includes investment income. So one thing here to notice is that it's pretty consistent year-over-year. There's not really a whole lot of changes which is
pretty good. Going on the next slide, we have general fund expenditures. Again, very consistent overall from year to year. One thing to point out is that in 2025, public safety has slightly increased from the prior year, but that is due to the fire contracts just going up
year-over-year and then also increased police officers in 2025. So, this slide is kind of a representation of the past previous slides. This kind of just combines it all together. There are good things to note here is that overall the city is growing which
is healthy if you take it back back to 2021 back to 2025 it's just growing overall. One thing also to note is that revenue and expenses the ratio has been very consistent. So now we're going to kind of talk about the enterprise funds which would be the water fund, the sewer fund and then the
storm water fund. So the ending um unrestricted net position is set just over just right around a million dollars for each fund. So one thing to point out is that sewer fund and storm water fund have been fairly consistent but then the water fund as you can see has declined
the past couple years. So this year the reason kind of for the decrease was just for capital expenditures. Um, so one thing with net position, there's kind of there's net investment in capital assets and then there's the unrestricted portion which is basically anything left over. So due to those capital
expenditures in the water fund, it kind of shifted stuff over from the unrestricted to the net investment. So that's where that decrease is coming from. And now these next couple slides is going to be more kind of an individual look at the enterprise funds. So for the
water fund, that top line you see shows the operating income without considering depreciation expense. So depreciation expense is kind of a non-cash expense. So this kind of shows you on more of like a cash basis side how the city is doing. And then that bottom line shows that the city is at just an operating
loss if they would include depreciation which would the bottom line will tie and like match the financials. And then the other two, the bars show the revenue and expenses for the water fund. And as you can see for the water fund, the expenses have been relatively the same. And then
for the revenue has also been the same. But compared to 2023, that decrease just due to the past two years has been wetter. So there's just been less water usage from residents in the city, which is causing that decrease in revenue. And then moving on to the sewer fund.
Um, same depiction as the water fund. Overall the past five years that has been at an operating loss expenditures the past couple years has been consistent and then revenue has also been the same but this is mostly attributable to just being the revenue source is just being at a flat base fee
and that has not increased since last year. So and then the storm water fund which is operating at an income and then revenues are exceeding expenditures which shows it's very healthy as a fund overall. And then I believe total operating income
was just around that $50,000 mark this year. And then this slide right here kind of just shows the total debt and future debt payments for the city. So total debt at the end of this past year was 22,26,000 whereas last year was 24,919,000.
So in 2025 total principal paid on that debt was 1,771,000. One thing I want to point out is that in 2026, why there's a larger jump is due to there's 2024 bond issuances and there's no principal yet paid on this this year. So that increase about that
$200,000 is from that issuance. And then going forward, there was just the recent debt issuance. So coming around next year when we come back and present, this graph might look a little different due to that new debt issuance whereas the principal payments will get added on.
and where right now it's kind of a pretty decline. It might be a little more flat next year. And on this slide, this represents taxes per capita and this compares it to other cities. Um, one thing to note here is that overall um taxes at citizens pays
less. Um, this is a healthy sign that shows um shows that the team is being financially responsible. And then on this slide, similar to the last side, but this shows current expenditures in comparison. Overall, the city is
spending less compared to other cities. And then this is a good thing as long as like the same services are being provided. It shows that the city is being more efficient in their spending and they're providing the same services with that. >> Does that also include the enterprise funds?
>> That one? >> Yes, I believe. Yeah, it's it's total expenditures. >> Total expenditures. Okay. Yes. >> All right. >> Yeah. I mean, the the real highlight with something like that is it's difficult to try to keep taxes low per citizen and at the same time keep
expenditures under control and still maintain healthy fund balances, which the city has been successful in doing. Um, and so I think that that's, you know, that's probably like a, you know, as you looking at tax rates and things to be able to say, hey, you know what, compared to comparable cities, we are charging less per person than a lot of
the cities around us. um and we're still running a good tight budget um you know and be able to provide the same services. So um probably more of a community highlight when you look at the comparable cities around you. >> Okay. >> Then I'll turn it back to Troy kind of talking about upcoming Gazsby
pronouncements. So >> and I'll keep this pretty brief. Um the the upcoming uh standards aren't as impactful as maybe they have been the last few years. Gazsby has been on a uh a parade of new Gazsbies for a while. they've added like four or five different testing areas in the last few
years which means more areas to prepare for Brian and his team. Um so a little bit of respit from that the next few years. So statement 103 is applicable next year. Um the big thing there is if you're looking at the full financial report uh some of the MDNA or management discussion and analysis it's like the
first 15 20 pages. Um, some of that will be revamped to talk a little bit more in line with like strategic plans, long-term facilities planning, uh, maybe a 10-year capital plan, uh, and a little bit less about year-over-year variances. Um, so it'll be a little bit more, um,
long-term focused. So, the language will change a little bit, potentially be a little bit more helpful for users. Uh the other big change is when you look at your enterprise funds, the statements for your sewer, water, uh storm water fund, it'll have all the same information, but there'll be a new section called out for subsidies. Uh
it's just the transfers or any intergovernmental round that's there. Those are already on the statements. They're just in a different section. So not a huge impact I wouldn't think for the using of the financial statements. Um just kind of something we have to adjust in how it's presented. And then the other thing is it does uh
also revise what a operating expense like what qualifies and what they did is instead of trying to say what operating revenue an operating expense is the standard essentially really defined what nonoperating revenue and expenses and says if it's not this it's then operating. Um so you might see a couple
things shift but overall the total change would be the same. Uh you might just have an item or two shifting buckets. And then in 2026 uh as well we'll have statement 104 um certain disclosure of capital assets. Your footnotes already meet the requirements for this. It's
just when you break out if you have leased assets um the IT subscriptions things like that. It's making sure that you don't have leased equipment in the same bucket as regular equipment you own. Um so your footnotes already set up like that. The other impact is if you list land or something for sale, you
would then have to disclose that. Uh, and then statement 105, you got a couple years on that. That'll just change some of the language if you have a subsequent event like a debt issuance after year end. Uh, it doesn't change a whole, it doesn't change much of the type of things that would qualify for
subsequent events. There's small changes there. It's more just the language and what's required to be disclosed with that. Um, so maybe another paragraph with that footnote. So, nothing too impactful. So, no new brand new audit areas for the city to have to try to implement. Um, in terms of upcoming
Gazsbies, they are working on one, but it'll probably be 5 10 years out where they might change the whole two-statement model. Um, but, uh, that will be more to come and we'll keep you guys updated on that. I think uh, Chris and some other folks are actually on the uh, group that is looking at that and
providing feedback. So, >> great questions. >> Pretty thorough. Thank you very much. So, and I um want to congratulate you as well as Brian and his team for a great clean audit. Um that's really good to
know. Good job. Good job. So, good information. Thank you very much. >> Thank you for having >> Thank you. >> All right. So, next on the agenda, we have persons to be heard and we have two people signed up. We have do um did you want to speak?
>> Next meeting. >> Next meeting. Okay. All right. Then we have Barbara something Schaefer. I'm sorry. Is it Sick? >> Salic. Schaefer. >> Schaefer. Okay. Again, you'll have three minutes and we we won't take action
tonight. The council will decide what kind of what direction we're going to go. So, thank you. >> I'm Barbara Salic Schaefer. I live at 6750 Woodland Cove Boulevard, Minadista. and I'm here to dispute the first
quarter utility bill which included $1,9525 for water. Um Renee uh Newman provided me with a endpoint data graph. >> Thank you.
And we had numerous um emails, sorry, emails back and forth, which are included there. And um in the graph you can see that there was no usage for most days with a spike of
um on March 15th of about 600 gallons. I'm a snowbird. I'm not here. I wasn't here for the first quarter of this year, but friends and relatives do occasionally stay at my house.
And um so I requested documentation for the water usage for the first half. That graph is only for um February 16th through March 27th. So I asked Renee for the graph with the data for the first
half of the quarter. And in those emails, she explains that it's not available. And that was concerning to me because I worked as a medical billing auditor for 22 years and one principle has always
applied. If it's not documented, it didn't happen. and the documentation. So, I'm asking for documentation to be provided to support the 130,000 926 gallons that I was charged for.
I respectfully request that my bill be adjusted accordingly if documentation cannot be provided. And I would suggest consulting your accounting and legal advisors for review because this is indicative of a systemic water data
management problem and this could be a citywide complaint. Um, so I'm just looking for documentation to support my bill was on autopay. It's been paid. Um, I'm looking for documentation to support the charges
or to adjust my bill to match the documentation that you have. >> Okay. Um, Barbara, can you tell us uh the previous year, the same quarter? >> It was $181 for the same same quarter last year. >> Okay. Um, and then did you call public
works and have them check your meter? >> Yes, they came out and did a bucket test. >> Okay. And it >> that passed the bucket test. >> Okay. So, I'm not I'm not >> disputing based on uh a meter problem. I'm not saying I didn't use it. I don't know if I wasn't there.
>> Yeah. >> And you I just I'm asking for documentation to support the charges. >> Um can we get her those that documentation? >> I basically the way I understand it is we can go back and have a 40-day trend
from when someone calls or whatever. So that's why you're seeing the >> but we must know what they used in January and in February, right? >> I think which So that's a daily >> chart. I think that's what she's pointing to is we wouldn't have the the daily chart. We'd have the meter read
and then the final meter read, but we have the 40-day history. Obviously, as we transition to monthly billing, that 40 days will always be covered. >> But >> so, >> okay, go ahead. >> I can maybe try to explain. So, you know, in a quarter, it's let's say 90 days, >> right? In general, when we get that
read, we only get daily readings back 40 days. So, out of the 90 days, you can only look back 40 of those days. >> Okay. And Okay. Um, so another question. And then all of your um appliances are working correctly. >> Right. Right. >> Just seems weird.
>> Since I was out of town, Renee called me and said, "Barbara, you live at this address. We think you have a problem. You have a very large water bill." So, I had my neighbor run over and shut the water man off and he went through the whole house. He said, "Nothing is
running. The toilets aren't running. The water softener isn't running." You know, it wasn't during a time of year when any and I I'm in a villa that I don't pay for water for irrigation anyway. >> Right. >> Um, so nothing was running >> and >> Okay. So it's just that there's the
system does not provide documentation to show the >> the usage >> the usage beyond the 40 >> entire quarter. >> Yeah. Well only for 40 days is what they're saying it shows. >> So I there was 600 gallons used. >> Yeah. >> What's the
>> I've had that happen too. So but I did have a toilet that stuck. So >> and I'm not and it could have I wasn't there when I got there. Everything was fine. I'm just asking for documentation to support the charge. >> Right. >> Yeah. >> What is this huge spike on on March
>> March 15th? >> My daughter stayed there. She she was between excuse me, family of five stayed there. They she was between houses and now she lives in Woodland Cove, but um that was a weekend my daughter was there.
>> Okay. So So there was someone there. Was there were people staying with you in at your house in January >> on and off? Yes. >> So, are you are you you're just disputing that we don't have the record before Yeah. >> February 16th. Not that the water was
used, >> right? >> I don't know if the water was used. >> Well, are you disputing that the meter >> just documentation, >> right? But are you disputing the meter reading at the beginning of the because it's based on the meter read at the beginning of the month and then at the end. So, are you disputing the meter
calculated correctly at the beginning or at the end? >> No, I don't have that data. And um No, >> she's just saying she would like to see the um the daily reading from January 1 to >> mid February >> to midFebruary. And we don't have that
information as saying that. >> Wouldn't it be on the bills? >> No, because they read >> we don't have the daily reading for the day period. Oh, >> so the I guess my question is can that happen a 90day period? I mean, and it
won't because it will be kind of null and void because we're going to go to monthly um readings and monthly billing, which will I think help and solve this issue. Um people will then be able to see their bill and they'll be able to see it um every month,
>> right? Like I'm saying, it's just basic accounting principle that if it's not documented, it didn't happen, >> right? >> And >> well, but I mean it is documented because the meter was read and the meter was read again. So it clearly happened. >> Does Sarah know are we required to have
daily readings? >> No, we're not. And it it's a product of the >> it's called an it's the thing that transmits the data. It only can store 40 days of data on it. And that's that's the problem. It's not a data storage here. It's the the physical hardware at
the house that can only store a certain amount. So, and no, we're not required to have daily um daily reads for for this. We just need the beginning and end of the billing cycle reads. >> And this is why we definitely want to go to a monthly cuz that'll it'll go from
day one to 31 or whatever. And then that way you'll get your bill and you'll see it. And then if you want the daily, then we'll have it because it's only 40 days that we can store it. >> Since I was provided that documentation, it made me go to the next thought. Well,
I'd like to see when the water was actually used. >> Yeah. Did you ask for the um next? So from March 16th to or have have we looked back to now to their usage? Can we look at that for the last 40 days? >> But it probably won't solve anything.
Like a soft whatever the issue was. Yeah. Okay. Pretty much that. >> It's just there's no documentation to >> the usage. >> So, what what I'm hearing you say is you're not asking us to do anything other than and we don't have what you're
asking for. We only have them the quarterly right now and only the last 40 days that you requested. You requested 90, but we don't have that. uh going forward we will have the monthly
day-to-day storage of of usage. We'll have that because we're going to go to monthly billing which will start July or August sometime in that time frame. So that doesn't help you right now. I'm really sorry. >> Okay. Thank you for your time.
>> All right. All right. >> Madam Mayor, >> yeah. >> Oh, or do you have something? >> What is this spike equal? Like is this 40,000? >> I think it's like 600 gallons only. I think >> it's just cuz there was probably none before >> because there was it was so low. It's
not a lot of usage for that. >> It just doesn't sound right to me. I don't know what's going on or if we can >> Well, but we don't know who was there and how much water they were using or any of that. We just know the meter reading at the beginning and then the meter reading at the end, which obviously the meter is not faulty. So, it calculated out the water usage. It's
just you don't have the day breakdown. >> That's what you're basing it on. But there should be supporting documentation within that period. >> Well, no. That's I mean that's what the meter's for. >> Yeah. >> And that's why we just want the meter. >> Yeah.
Do we want to um council any desire to do anything here? Um >> we just had this happen last month. >> Yeah, we just had it the other month. >> They stick and it's a it's a it's a horrible shock to get that bill. Um, and
you're not alone. I felt the same pain, but the water was running and like in mine, the toilet was running under and you can you could not hear it. Um, and it wasn't me, you know, it was someone else that
left it on. It's like I I I'm in pain for you. >> But >> yeah, I don't I don't know what we can do. The water did run from your house. Can I tell you if Renee wouldn't have sent me that graph, I would my mind my auditor head wouldn't have gone down that path.
>> Hey, where's the rest of the documentation? >> Sure. No, I get it. >> Yeah. >> I did did an above her job. Really? >> Yeah. >> All right. Thank you.
>> Oh, sorry. Um, so next, uh, we have a I just realized we probably should have, um, and that's my bad, probably, um, receive and accept the 2025 financial aid. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Yes. Yes, you're right. I My bad. Um, all right. So, let's go back
just one step. Um, we should receive and accept the 2025 financial audit. Is there a motion to do so? >> So moved. Thank you, Miss Refkin. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, um, Peter Vickery. All those in favor signify with I. I. I. >> All those opposed? Motion passes. 50.
Thank you, Brian. Um, in fact, I was going to do that and then I we moved on. So, all right. Um, consent agenda. Are there any you wish to remove? Otherwise, they will consist of A, approve our work session meeting minutes
from May 4th, 2026. B is approve our city council regular meeting minutes from May 4th, 2026. C is a resolution to approve claims. D is a resolution to examine fire partnership with St. Bonafacious. E is a resolution um
awarding the production of the sanitary lift station control panel for lift station number two. Um F is a resolution to approve the lift station control panel at lift station number two. And G is a resolution authorizing installation
of a four-way stop and crosswalk at Woodland Cove Boulevard, Lotus Trail, and Bellflower Drive. questions hearing none. Is there a motion to approve consent agenda items A through G? >> So moved. >> Thank you, Miss Prepkin. Is there a second? >> Second.
>> Thank you, Mr. Govern. All those in favor signify with I. >> I. >> I. All those opposed. Motion passes. So, next we have a couple of business items. Uh, one is approve our task order 17 and authorize preparation of plans
specifications for County Road 11051 drainage improvements. This is this is city project number 0426 and I believe that would be Allison. >> Uh thank you mayor. Thank you mayor councel. Um included in front of you is a drainage area that we've talked about a couple of times at the southeast
corner of county roads uh 110 and 151. Um the area receives runoff from these county roads and there is some erosion taking place uh between the properties. Um and there's also a sanitary sewer manhole in the area. uh staff reached
out and to Henipin County and requested a cost share and I'm happy to report that um this was approved for a 50/50 cost split from the from the county. Um so included in your packet is a task order to complete the design uh design
um bidding services and construction administration for this project. Um the fee for this is $24,400. Uh we are looking to get this project designed um yet this year so that we can go ahead and get this constructed and
get everything buttoned up here before um the end of the construction season. I'm I'm sorry. I'm just looking through my council packet to tell you what page we're at. Uh page 225 of the packet includes the the schedule. So, we're looking for some construction between
the fall and winter of this year um so that we can get this uh get this taken care of um this year. It's something that's staff's been dealing with on and off and uh um with the cost share agreement, we we are recommending that the council um authorized preparations
of plans and specifications. >> Okay, good. Thank you. Yeah, the 50/50 cost split is good. That's great. >> Yeah, that's wonderful. Wonderful. All right. So, see it pays to ask, right? All right. >> It has their intersection and their
drainage that's coming into it. >> All right. Um, questions. >> It's our It's our road, though. I mean, it's our drainage, too, coming off of land surrounding their road. But, so I think it's it's a good a a good split. I
think better than having both their roads, but it's water from our land going onto their roads. So, all right. Um, so is there a motion to approve task order number um 17? >> So, move. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Victory. Is
there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Lacy. Further questions or comments, even though it's their road. >> All right. Hearing none. All those in favor signify with I. >> I. >> I. All those opposed? Motion passes 50. Next, we are the water treatment plant
change order number two. >> Yes. Uh madame mayor, member of members of council, see a change order number two for the water treatment plant. In this, there's three items. Uh the first item is a pump adjustment uh that that is recommended by both Gary and the engineers that allows the operators to
reclaim some of that water that gets used um more easily. So, I think the the um the operators will will like that change. Um, then there's a storm water basin adjustment for uh related to some comments we got from the wershed district and having to modify a water
basin. And then the other item is a deduct for uh some fitting materials um on the spray system on the reclaim uh tank. So there there will be a series of change orders that we'll see on this plant. Hopefully there aren't too many. Um they've gotten through most of the
submittals with only this now is the second one. Uh but moving forward, I think we'll keep all the change orders on business and we can discuss them and answer any questions. Um we do have Gary on here as well if if Gary wants to add anything um on this change order. >> Um just a quick question. So we had um
how much for um contingencies? Um 5% or 10%. >> 5%. >> 5%. So where are we at so far? >> Uh we're at a plus let's see this one was a net impact of 23,000. So overall, I think we're at I think the other one
had a net impact of negative 5,000, so 18,000. But we can get we can add that to every change order report to see where we're at. >> Be good. >> You know, hopefully we don't have too many of these, >> right? >> But >> okay. Yeah. I I'd like just a general uh layman's
explanation because I read this and >> I got that which is why I pulled it. >> Yeah. I kind of like I don't know what reclaiming the water is. And then on the pipes, it looked like we're going with smaller pipes, which I always thought bigger pipes were better. So maybe if
Gary could do a, you know, very rudimentary uh explanation, I'd appreciate it. >> Yeah, it's the >> it's it's the wasted water or the waste water that's coming off the process. Instead of being sent down the drain and
sent right away, it goes to holding tank where it settles out. And then the water then um on the top portion where is reclaimed and brought back in to be sent through the filters one more time. So
otherwise in the process either send it all to uh sewage right away or you do the reclaim process where I say you let it settle out, get rid of the other contaminants, send it through the plant again and then run it through the filters a second time to try to use as
much water as possible, >> which saves us on sewer costs to the Met Council as well. >> Correct. Yeah. >> Correct. >> You're not sending as much down the drain basically. >> Correct. And then these new pumps can pump the sludge too, it sounds like.
>> Yeah, they're the um it's to pump heavier sludge and to for a a greater distance. So, >> okay. And then how about the pipes? What was that? Totally lost me. But >> um I believe the pipe size shrink and we
removed two uh manual control valves that we did not need. So why why were the pipes reduced in size? I think that's what Mr. Victory, Council Member Vicky is asking. >> Um reduced in size because of the the
need now for um the the sludge if you're not going to pump as the water directly out. You're going to reclaim it. You're going to try, you know, you don't need as big a piping system then to ship that water out. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Thank you. Yeah. And then I asked Aaron
um just an update for everybody else about the pumps cuz it says the lead time is 28 to 30 weeks and obviously it wasn't approved yet um which I did confirm that. So he said it won't um cause an issue with contract time or anything. Um it won't affect the pumps won't be needed until substantial
completion until the end of 2027. So that's good. Yeah. >> So they have you know plenty plenty of time. >> Yes. >> Good. Other questions comments? All right. Then is there a motion? Do you
you want >> number two approved? Right. >> Correct. Y. >> All right. So, is there approval for the water treatment plant change order number two? >> So, moved. >> Thank you, Miss Refkin. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Mr. Victory. Any further questions?
Hearing none. All those in favor signify with I. >> I. >> All those opposed. Motion passes. 5. So, our next business item, um, we did discuss this at the work session. This is item number C. It is approving the master services agreement with the with
info send for services related to the monthly uh sewer and water billing mailings. >> Right. >> Sure. Um madame mayor and councel. this um item which was originally discussed at the uh May 4th city council meeting
and then as the mayor mentioned uh during the work session uh earlier this evening um it's a contract with info send to um have them uh basically take the last step of the monthly billing process of the uh the printing and
dispersement dispersal the process um basically uh it was uh looked into as ways to potentially be a little more efficient or cost effective have seen we're going from the quarterly um billings for our util our our water users to monthly billings starting this summer. Um that contract was like handed
out again in in front of you um tonight. Um it should um it's basically about you know 80 cents per piece of mailing as as detailed in the uh the contract. Um, I guess we can stand for any other questions or if uh >> just a question. Sarah, have you had a
chance to uh review the contract? >> Uh, Madame Mayor, yes, I have. And we had some changes and they were willing to make those changes. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, anybody else? I found it interesting. Infosen reserves the right to increase
infosen fees on an annual basis starting with the first anniversary of the effective date. And I think when we talked um American council refining council um I think it would be if there'd be a substantial like change to the um basically the
scope of the of the mailings or whatever if all of a sudden we I mean down the road if we would get a big turnout for um I guess uh electronic or op out of paper billings there could be something that could be talked about in the future but I think it would have to be a a major change to the scope and the in the
amount of of of mailings >> this says increases in cost of materials, labor, and other overhead, which seems they can raise it however they choose. Um, I also find it interesting the discontinuence fee will be equal to two months of the client's average monthly
billing for the previous 6 months of service. And then just think about this because we're entering into a three-year contract. >> Can we can we just say no and no on those things? Is what are they going to say? I mean they might come back and say no but we
could ask can't we >> I mean I guess you can >> also the interesting thing was should clients actual continuous volume andor recurring frequency deviate by more than 30% from what the client represented to infosend then infosend reserves right to invalidate the fees listed in this agreement.
So sir, can we then >> So that that that clause is if we go down 30% from our mailings, they reserve the right to renegotiate because they're based on a economy of scale here, right? >> That's a good point about I mean we're doing this based that it'll be fixed for
3 years. I mean it seems like a >> well it won't be fixed because a couple things >> Yeah. Yeah. Keep in mind we're growing by about a hundred so homes a year. So even if you get let's say a hundred people a year that opt out, you know
what I'm saying? We're growing. There might be some opting out, but then we're adding new as well cuz not 100% of the people that are new to the community adding to our water infrastructure or accounts, not all of them are going to opt for the a paperless billing.
>> But I thought that uh the per piece cost would be fixed. That was my understanding that it would be like the >> not that they can just come back after a year and change. I mean, where's our protection? I guess if they can make all these changes,
>> what what protections do we have? >> Well, if they if they don't perform, we can always go after them for that. Um, if we don't feel like they're meeting the the agreement that we've signed here, we could always say this is they're not meeting the need and cancel pursuit cancellation. And if they raise
the rates too much, can we go back and say, "Well, this is too much of a >> raising cost." >> Hold on. >> He asked me a question. I need >> I know, but just a second. >> You need to share this with >> just asked in the contract what I read from. I was showing you the page.
>> It's section two, item C, exhibit B. >> Okay. >> So, what was the question? Um, if they if they raise the rates at a higher pace than what we think is acceptable, do we have any recourse? Is that kind of >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I thought it was >> I mean if if that's the case then we
could say we we don't accept this like >> um if it's unreasonable they obviously would need to justify and say okay postage went from um whatever their rate to >> you know 64 cents um >> you know there's some inflationary things that'll that'll likely happen
over the next 3 years >> um >> as will us if we're processing it in house too. that would go up too. >> I think we we'd look at that and if it seems unreasonable, we'll ask the question. I I know Brian and his team had direct conversations with this rep
and I mean I think those conversations were positive, but you know it's a risk any contract you you go into there is risk. I I would say either build in that we have the right to terminate if the fees are too high or get rid of the
cancellation fee because at this point if they raise it to $100 per envelope, we're still on the hook for two months of fees. So for me, if spending uh Brian's money, which we are, I would uh I'd have I'd try to take either put a
protection in to give us the opportunity to get out or to uh get rid of >> especially hold on one thing. Okay, let me let Okay, Sarah, can we um how how do how do you read this? And do we have any protections here?
Um, madame mayor, members of the councils, I'm looking at exhibit B, that's the fee section of the master service agreement, and it talks in there about how should the fees increase, then um, you know, they can change them,
but they're supposed to notify us immediately and negotiate with us in good faith to pass on any increased costs. Um, should we have failed to agree upon these updated fees, they reserve the right to terminate the agreement with 180 days notice.
>> And how many days do they have to notify us of an increase to a fee to the fee? >> That they have to notify us immediately. >> Okay. And so then does that take effect immediately? I think we have well do the increased
fees take effect immediately but we have to give them 180 >> agree to it we have to agree to it negotiate it's like >> we have to be notified 30 days prior to the price increase >> right okay that's what I'm saying and then and then we negotiate and if it all
the negotiations fail then we have a right to withdraw from the contract >> well they reserve the right to >> reserve the right we don't according to this we don't have the right they reserve >> then if we don't want to we don't want to pay them what they want I would assume they would go away
>> go away right right I mean obviously if if costs go up they would go up for us or or to to anybody so then you know you have to look at that and say okay we we understand why you're raising that but if uh they say well um cost of printing
has gone up 15 cents a piece then we can say no we don't agree to But then there's six months we'd have to keep paying them right until >> well and the other concern obviously I have several but the other one pertaining to this is if we do do a good
push and get enough people on to do the paperless billing even though we will be adding more homes how how long are we locked into paying more if they don't you know because we're they're based on quantity right so
I mean if we do get residents to switch over then what happens? >> I I think at the end of the day if they propose any sort of fee change we can just say we don't agree to that and then it's up to them if they want to kick us out or not. So we this is essentially
locked in until we agree to increasing it. If we say we don't agree with whatever they're proposing then they then it's on them to >> either terminate or else agree to whatever terms this is. And and if we go down this path,
we need more than one month time to figure out what the another solution would be. So it's not something that we we could we could do internally once this goes. So we'd need probably at least I don't know at least 3 months I think probably more to 6 months to to
figure out this and get another you know out. >> So we we would have to agree to to the any increases is basically what it says. And if we don't agree, then we're still build the original original amount. >> Is that right? Or is that >> or are we just assuming that's right?
>> Yeah. Because if they just can have it >> doesn't specifically say that we have to agree to it. >> I'm It wouldn't be in their best interest to just hit a bunch of clients. I mean, they they this is a national company that we've done reference checks on and people have been happy. I've
talked with, you know, other cities when they're like they'll give you the straight information if there's a bait and switch where they come in with a low introductory rate and and then up it, you know, a year or two later. And we've asked these questions and it wasn't it didn't come up, you know, from these
other cities we talked to, they were happy with them. They're glad they did it. They're glad that their staff can work on other stuff that's less menial and can actually do things that are more interesting and more productive and versus printing and dispersing monthly
bills. >> Well, I think the I think if we can feel comfortable with saying that they we have to negotiate in good faith, they too have to negotiate in good faith. It's it's not a one-way street. we if
they're non-performing and stuff. Yeah. >> We can get out and there's always with any contract if people are being difficult there's legal recourse and and such. So, >> right. >> I mean, I think they're fair and valid questions the council's asking, but I think at some point we got to have a
little bit of a slight leap of faith that everyone's negotiating in good faith. I'm not disputing it's being negotiated in good faith. I just want to make sure the city's protected on the chance that it we decrease usage, we don't like it,
we have a way out without spending more money on this. That that's I mean I have no doubt the contract's in good faith. It's just some of the wording as I was reading it before the meeting raised some red flags. Um anybody else?
What if 50% of the people sign up for online bills? >> I just don't think his I mean Jasper talked about I think these are in the work session. I mean it's going to take some time and that'd be great if they do but I just in this initial three-year contract I don't think we're going to have where this is going to come into
play would be my >> Why is it threeyear? Well, I think I mean I think they just want some little bit of assurance and I mean I think it's good on our end too. We don't want to be switching every six months or a year or two years. I mean I think it's you know we do a recycling
contract with waste management for 5 years. We do I mean it's just I think >> there's a little bit of wanting to have a little bit of a commitment, >> right? Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Isn't this also going to cover the
um storm waters uh bill too? Because this just says one, >> right? Yeah, it's on average I think they're saying on >> on average it'll be 2,800 mailings, but during the monthly only it'll be about 2,350 and then on the quarterly it'll be
like 3,400 3500. So it'll vary every >> months. That's why they're saying average. >> Okay. Well, I think we should we should go for it. Um, legal has looked at it. They they feel comfortable. We've asked the
questions. Brian has asked the questions. Um, I feel a little more comfortable because now it's like we have to agree to an increase. And if not, either they bow out or we
just continue to pay the existing Yeah, I'm a little nervous about that because it doesn't point blank say you can keep paying the existing fee until, you know, 180 days is over and then they get rid of us. So, you know, it it just
says you fail to agree on the updated fees, but then do they come after us for those fees during that 180day period? Sarah, do you know? >> Madame Mayor, one thing is in the regular the main contract, it does say
that I we can just quit paying them and then they'll terminate because that's a grounds for them to terminate the contract. So, that's one way to get rid of them. Just don't pay them. >> Well, the thing is, I don't want to go down that road. >> But, but here's the thing. We even even
if we have to pay a higher price, let's just say it's two cents more per whatever it is, okay? whatever that higher price is, we would have to have at least 3 to 6 months to figure out what we're going to do instead. And so,
it's going to take us it's going to take us a while to figure that out. It's not going to happen in 30 days. It's not going to happen in 60 days. And I think that's what Brian is saying is, well, okay. And then I think there can be an argument according to the contract that
we continue to pay them the original price because we feel it's not their their increase isn't um you know isn't valid or you know so and then we can continue to pay them their the amount
that we agreed upon. But I I would hate to say that we're going to you know not pay them. And I would also hate to say that we can't come to terms because we would have to figure out what else we're going to do and it can't happen in 30 or
60 days. So, >> and if we did stop paying them and breached it, we would be on the hook for 2 months worth of fees, >> right? >> Which isn't all that much when you think about it.
Well, we're see I mean so what are what are the other options? >> I I've asked them to get rid of the discontinuence fee or allow us to terminate the contract if we disagree with the price increase.
That's what I would build into it at the >> Okay. I think they would say okay I'll sign here. >> All right. Well, >> so what what if I may what what section is that under the discontin continuence fee? >> Uh the 5.4 4 5.4. Okay. Um, so
remove the discontinuence fee. >> Then what was the other what was the other term you'd like, >> Brian? >> Oh, it was either um, you know, honestly, if you just get rid of the discontinuence fee, that essentially fix it. Fix it. We can default on it if we uh
>> don't like the price increase if that's not in there. Okay. We can request it. I think we we if if possible, I think that we would like this passed on contingent on that change if you if you'd like and then we can
reach out to them if they I don't know if they're going to agree to it or not. Um >> I guess >> I guess I'll ask what what should we do if they say no? >> They're not going to say no. >> Yeah. At least in my head at le you know from uh protecting the city's money. we
should probably ask. I'm I'm comfortable with uh approving it on a contingent basis, you know, with good. >> Okay. And keep in mind, should this occur, okay, then we would have two months to figure out what else we're going to do or maybe not even two
months. We would have 30 days to figure out what we're going to do. >> Or we could stay until we figure out what we're going to do >> possibly. >> I think I mean just ask what they can say is none. So you Okay. So, we're going to approve this contingent on on that and then if
they say no, we're back to square one >> or or what >> or >> so what if we can negotiate something maybe in the middle, you know, I don't know >> or something, >> you know, if it's one month versus two. I'm just it is important if we are going
to go down this path that we can get Renee started on the transition obviously. So, that's kind of where we're at. But we can we can talk about this with them. Um I don't know if you can give some guidelines on negotiation if there is you know if we can cut it in half. We'll ask for the full amount and
they might just say yeah that's fine. Let's let's move on. Um if it's one month is that okay to to do this or is it is it a hard no? >> I'd be comfortable with uh one month. >> Okay. >> It's highly unlikely they're listening
to this or they will listen to this guy. Oh. Um, >> go into close session. No, just kidding. All right. >> But we can see if you can get Yeah. And then >> asking for two and if we can settle on one >> one. Yeah. >> It's like this is written towards
protecting them mainly. So, >> right. >> Like to see a little we'd like some protection. So, all right. >> All right. So, Ryan, you're going to make that motion, right? >> Um, So we want to make it can I'm
trying to think how how we would even work >> approve the master service agreement with info send for services related to the monthly billing mailings with a contingency that we go to a zero or no removing the twomonth
>> discontinu >> discontinuence fee contingent on that and giving staff some negotiating room. >> So moved. Okay. >> I think you said it perfectly. Okay. All right. Thank you, Miss Lacy, for
seconding that. Anything further? All right. Hearing none. All those in favor signify with I. >> I. All those opposed? >> Nay. And that's Refinay. And the others are for it. Motion passes for one. Thank
you very much. Um, so that concludes our business items. We'll move on to staff reports. Uh, Madame Mayor, members of council, I don't know. I think the mayor can tell you about the bonding request piece, but that was all I that's all I had. So,
>> okay. So, um, yeah. So, we got, uh, $3 million from the state. >> We got three. Um, we should have been more, but, um, anyhow, we'll we'll be glad and happy with three. Um, and, um, so I did thank our representatives. Um,
I know they they worked to try and get that bonding bill passed and also to get us some money. Um, the other thing I want to mention is we had a state of the city address. We had like over 60 people there. Very well attended. Thank you for coming um, Miss Lacy. And um, you missed
a good one. Anyhow, um, so that was really nice. And then uh on last Wednesday I uh attended the Northwest League and we had three of our uh candidate three of the I think there's five total candidates for Henipin County
um attorney and as you know that's been somewhat of a controversial um seat elected seat and um the current one is not running and so it's kind of an open field and uh five uh three out of the
five accepted the Northwest League's um opportunity to come and have sort of a debate. And so we we were able to interview all three of them. I will say I think all three that came um was
anyhow I I I wrote the names down and I cannot pronounce all the names. It was Diane and Anders Folk and Diane I can't remember her last name and then how so those three came all three were very good. Um and I could see if any of those
look it up please. Thank you. Um if any of those were elected um we would be in a lot better shape than we are today. And I also want to thank our chief of police for providing me with a few um very good questions that we asked them. Um, having said that, there's a few
things um, I just want to mention is I was thinking because recently we've had a lot of agenda items kind of change after the packets go out. So, here's a suggestion I'd like to ask. I would like for staff to send out a draft agenda,
just the draft agenda to the entire council on Wednesday if you can, Wednesday mornings. That way we can see it. there's anything that you would like to have moved to business versus consent or you know then call staff and let them
know that. The reason why is because making these changes after the whole packet goes out and gets posted can be somewhat problematic and I want to try and erase any um irregularities or or um
in bad information. And then if during the meeting, like I always ask, if there's a consent agenda item you wish to remove, if it's just a quick question, that's one thing. But if you want more discussion, we can move that
to to business, that's not a problem. So keep that in mind. I know I know you've had questions and that's absolutely um in order and I would highly recommend and encourage you to ask staff the questions ahead of time so they can come back with the um information that maybe
all of us need. So having said that if staff would agree to send out that draft agenda at the beginning and then take a look at it on Wednesday and let them know if you need any consent agenda. The other thing I'd like to ask if we could start doing this as well is at the
end of every meeting if we can then kind of give a highlight me and this might change. I get that a highlight of what to expect for the next meeting. Are there business items? Are there special items that we need to discuss? It might not be possible, but
you might say, "Well, right now we don't have anything." But it might be good to just kind of get a heads up. this might be coming down down down down down the path and so if we could do that for both our work sessions as well as our regular meetings I think it'll just give everybody a more
>> okay so yes thank you so how n I it's really hard to pronounce it I think it's how and then there was folk and then Diane no there was Diane something >> she's not listed but it's Diane so
anyhow those were the three candidates that came to our discussion. So, any questions regarding the agendas and and that >> I do have a question. So, if we send it out on Wednesday, uh you know, I know Ann likes to get it out Thursday, right? >> Most times it's Friday, but do we have a
deadline to respond or make changes? >> Good question. So, it would have to be like >> Wednesday, >> Wednesday. Yeah. >> End of day or >> end of day. Yeah. Okay. And again, just before you guys get in at 8 a.m. on Thursday morning because you're at
that works fine, too. So you guys can read it at night. >> How about by 8 a.m. on Thursday? >> Perfect. >> Okay. I'm just trying to re um not always have to post a new packet. See, and or a new agenda. So then that way it's posted once. Like I said, >> we used to get it online the day before
it was post. We used to get it in our email the day before it was posted online. We used to get it every Thursday. >> Yeah. But it wasn't posted on until Friday morning for everyone else to see. We got like the soft version of it. Diane Prince. >> Yes. Thank you. Yeah.
>> Um either way, but um it's I think it's nice to to get it on Thursdays and whether we get it or um but it has to because of the way we post it now. It actually is public information on Thursday. So, um, so anyhow, I just
thought that might make it a little easier for for staff as well as give us a little heads up as well. >> All right. >> Okay. Mayor Whan, can I ask a question here? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, with just an agenda,
um, is that going to be enough information? because it seems like when there's changes, it's when the you actually see the packet item and what the item is all about because the agenda is not going to tell you much about what the item is all about.
>> I think it'll give us enough because basically when we we have kind of standing um consent agenda items, but then when something pops up and we think, "Oh yeah, that might be a little more of a discussion." Again, like I said, we can always pull a consent
agenda item off and add it to business, but this gives us everybody a little bit of a heads up. >> Well, and usually consent agenda items are again the regular ones or something we've talked about in work sessions or planning commission has seen and they're >> pretty go-to. I guess I'm the problem
cuz I pulled some the last two sessions. But no, but but it just No, but here's the thing. It it got me to thinking and I thought, "Oh, you know what? maybe we should do something so that we don't have to uh repost um agendas or whatever. I think it's a good thing. Um
sometimes people, you know, no, I don't think it's a bad thing at all that you ask to have those pulled. Yeah, I would just say send it out. It's a draft agenda and um we'll get back to you no later than 8:00 a.m. uh Thursday morning and if we'll see how it works. If it
doesn't work, we can make a change. >> Okay, sounds good. >> Thank you. All right, that's all I have. Um, also the fire partnership meeting again has been cancelled. Um, there were a number of things that that they're waiting on to try and resolve, if you
will. Um, and I can if I can bring up my emails, I can uh tell you what they are. So, they're looking on uh the issues still pending combining of Mound Fire and St. Bonnie's pension plans. Receiving Mound Fire's 5-year pension
plan outlook. both departments working together to create joint duty shifts and updating the mutual aid box alarms based on the recent ISO audit. So those are >> two of those updates. >> Yeah. And oh, sorry. So those are the things we're waiting on in order to
continue our fire partnership discussions with Mound and St. Bonnie and Spring Park. That's all I have. >> You have a fire? >> Yeah. So to piggyback off that, I attended the St. Bonnie fire meeting last Thursday. um high level points of
the proposed budget for 2027 is $644,21 which is a 3.54% increase over this year's uh fireman pay is going up $16 per hour. Um and they are expecting more calls. Um they're continuing to grow their capital outlay funds that has a
10% increase which has been pretty consistent over the years because they don't bond. They pay cash for their items. So that's why that goes up by 10%. Um, Chief Anderson will be the new permanent part-time chief. Um, so originally they were going to hire a full-time chief when if we could work
out the partnership with Mound, but because that's not happening, um, they wanted to keep him and he agreed to do it part-time. So, he'll be working 10 to 3 Monday through Fridays starting August 3rd. Um, and that should meet all of the
duties that the chief needs to do um, and not be full-time. He noted it will be his third job ever, so will be a change, right? >> I'm not sure that he he said that he can make that work. I think he's a little bit hesitant because he thinks it's really a full-time job that he's going
to have to squeeze into a part-time job. So, >> he's very positive on Thursday. >> I know. I know he's very positive. But, um, so far this year, there have been 99 calls as of the Thursday meeting with about 57 of those for Minatrista. Um, 70% of the calls have been medical. 70%
of the overall calls, not just ours, but overall. Um, he said there was a great turnout for Trist today, and he had more firefighters show up than he originally thought would be there. Um, firefighter wise, they're currently fully staffed at 26. They always want 28, so there's still the posting out for it. They have
two new ones who started this year. They also have one in training, but one is retiring, so that's why they're holding firm at 26. Um they got the two Taho, which I believe I updated a while ago that they asked for at the end of last year. Um they're going to be asking St. Bonnie Council for a new um 6x6 side by
side. Um it's in the budget, but they still need approval. Um that kind of goes out on ice rescues. They don't the one they have now is very old. They don't use it a lot, but when they need it, it's required. So they need one of those. Um and then they'll put a new skid tank and pump in it. That's also
already budgeted. And then they need a new skid tank and pump for the gas truck also budgeted but just need St. Bonnie Council to approve it. Um the current truck they use for that the gas truck they'll keep because it's in good condition. So they'll use that as like the runaround vehicle for firefighters when they go to training or conferences
or whatever so they don't have to pay as much mileage. Um the duty officer program with Mound that's being tweaked. The um they're working with Mound to make sure coverage for Minitrista is consistent. So both St. Bonnie and Mound are going to be doing duty officer program for the hours
of 10 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. 7 days a week. So, that's a change from the just overnights on the weekdays and then the full shifts all weekend long. Um, St. Bonnie just couldn't get guys to do that because as Eric pointed out, St. Bonnie doesn't have a school. So, all the kids activities of these firemen are in
neighboring communities and they can't stay home all weekend to stay near the firehouse. So, the tweak will be that. Um, he thinks it should be good. It's basically started being implemented um late January, early February, and Mound is doing it, too. So, it seems to be
going good. Um he's already had more firefighters signing up for those shifts, so it has the impact that they want. >> Um partnership meeting is canceled for the next two years basically. Um and then this fall, Mound is going to start doing duty crews um with the
assistance of St. Bonnie. So, if they can't get three or four people on, St. Bonnie will help out. So that's the other update on that. They did do a joint burn with Mound three weeks ago and it went really well. The guys and female >> it was right down my street. >> They all worked really well together. Um
the crews are happy working together on everything. So that's good. Um and the call change for the box calls is that now on all fire calls, um automatically it rings Mound and St. Bonnie. Before it just used to be either or and then they would call for more help. Now it's
ringing them both. Um, and that's also for car extrications and um, personal injuries or auto accidents. So, that's the big change. I did confirm it is not medical. So, if Mound is getting tons of medicals, they will not also call St. Bonnie on those. But, yeah, it went
well. It was good. And we agreed um, now that Eric is part-time hours. Um, the fire meetings going forward will be around at 3:30 in the afternoon instead of at 7 o'clock at night because that worked better for everyone's schedule. >> So, that will be nice. The next one's November 10th at 3:30, which just took
the fire partnership time slot, so it was perfect. >> All right. You >> I mean, maybe they're not merging, but they're working a lot closer together. That's really great. >> And then I um Lisa and I were supposed to pick out the new colors for the water treatment plant. Lisa couldn't make it, so I went um the brown looked horrible.
It looked like mud when you stood out there and looked at the big samples and then looked at where it was going. It looked like a giant >> It looked like mud. We went together for that. Together, we said we said no. So the new color is a darker grayish and then this is the same
>> and there's little gray black specks in the >> black speck in there. Very nice. >> Was it was the color we saw it but on a bigger scale it just didn't look good. >> Yeah, it just looks horrible. It just looked like a big mud muddy building. >> Yeah, >> safe. >> That was fun. And the site looked really
cool. Um >> so we'll be doing just a reminder we're going to do the ribbon cutting. >> We're not going to have a >> That reminds me. So, we're not going to have a work session next next time, June 1st. Instead, we're going to be meeting on site at 5:00, >> correct?
>> For a ribbon cutting or not a ribbon cutting, sorry, groundbreaking. You'll have hard hats or been broken. >> Yeah. And it's been broken already, but um so anyhow, so we're going to meet there on site at 5:00 for the groundbreaking. So, come and think
you'll be provided with hard hats if you don't already have one, >> which will have stickers. Yes, we will have hard hats and um safety vestes for everybody. There are a couple that already have them. So, bring bring yours from home. I have >> I have mine ready and waiting. >> I have stickers that you can add to your
h helmet. >> White and then we were out there and I was like, we need Minatrista stickers for the groundbreaking. So, the photo looks better. >> Yeah, that was that was me. That $130 of stickers in the day. >> You did forget to mention the fish fry
is uh the sixth. Oh, that's okay. >> Save $5 if you buy your tickets early. >> Okay. >> All right. Peter, anything? >> No, I went to Trista Days and >> I was going to have the chief do a >> huge success. Everyone's talking about it.
>> Chief, um, do you want to give an update on Trista Day? It was a beautiful day, evening, >> perfect >> afternoon. Yeah. U, Madame Mayor, members of council, yeah, we had a awesome turnout. Um, right around 1,200 hot dogs and BRZ. Um, big shout out to
Matunes for helping us out. They were absolutely phenomenal. Um, everybody showed up. The helicopter had to leave a little bit early, which was kind of tough, but it was still fun watching them come in and and take off and like a great turnout, great weather. Um, a lot
of comments positive towards having it on a week night just cuz so many people are gone on weekends. So, >> especially in May. >> Especially in May. Yeah. Yeah. So, um, yeah, that was great. Uh big thank you to staff and the council for helping us out as well and funding it. So
>> good. Thank you. >> Get the mosquito guy to come next year. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. A lot a lot of people thought we planned that. >> That would be great. >> I thought you meant the helicopter cuz they were flying around too. And yeah, >> more helicopters the better.
>> Ex. Exactly. >> Mosquito front. That'd be cool. >> Yeah, >> that'd be great. Any other um reports, council, staff? >> Otherwise, >> and we still have a planning commission next week. >> Yes. >> Yep. I asked David before. Oh, David,
you're there, right? So, we have planning commission meeting next Tuesday, >> correct? >> Yes. >> Is there correct? >> Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. All right. And I think Kathleen, you're attending, so I just want to clarify. >> Yep. All right. And it's at 6:30. Okay.
All right. Hearing no other business. Um, is there a motion to adjurnn? >> So move.