of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of Americ. >> Item number two, public comments. So, if anybody'd like to address the council on any matter that's not on tonight's agenda, you may feel free to do so. Just approach the council and state your name
and address. Seeing nobody come forward for public comment, we'll close the public comment period. Item number three, approval of the agenda. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Seeing a motion, a second. Any further comment?
All those in favor signify by I. I oppose. Motion carries. Item number four, consent agenda. >> I'll make a motion to approve. Looking for a second. >> Second.
>> Seeing a motion, a second. Any further comment? All those in favor signify by I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Item number five, nomination and appointment of acting mayor for 2026.
So, I thought Councilwoman Bianick did a wonderful job last year as acting mayor and I'd like to nominate her to be acting mayor again. I would second that. Any other comments or nominations?
All those in favor of Kelly being the acting mayor for 2026 state say I. I oppose. Motion carries. Congratulations. Don't enjoy it too much. Item number six, 2026, appointments and
designations. I can speedrun this because I help construct most of it. Um, new for 2026, acting mayor Kelly Bey. Uh, also on our CVB, we have several people who are renewing their
terms. Thank you to those individuals. Uh, Melissa Blankush, Mary Bruner, Bruno, Peter Gillitzer, and Brian Hearn. Within the fire department, we have several new captains for a two-year period in Jake Richter and Jack Telphen.
We also have Andrew Kramer, who is renewing a term as captain. We have a new human rights advisory board uh member representative for the city of St. Joseph and Taylor Demarce. I hope I stayed her name right. She'll have a term of three years from 2026 to
2028. Within the park board, we have several members renewing in Milton Hodgej, Andy Renicki, and Jeff Berskin. Within the planning commission, we have two people renewing in we have one new candidate, excuse me, in Cody Vander and
one individual renewing in John Hazen. And that is everyone for this year. We're looking for a motion to approve the new appointments and designations in all of our boards and committees. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Seeing a motion, a second. Any further
comment? All those in favor signify by I. I. I >> opposed. Motion carries. Item number seven, YMCA Community Center. David, are you carrying this one?
>> Uh, yes I am. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, so you'll see on your agenda item there, we have one agenda item. However, there are five subsections of that. Um, and these all work together for the one overall objective, which is would be to change direction with the community
center um in ceasing this project. So the first one is the resolution which would be terminating the amended and restated facility lease agreement with the St. Cloud area YMCA. Then the resolution terminating the contract with um Rice Consulting for fundraising
efforts. Resolution terminating contract between the city and HMA architects for the design and resolution terminating contract between the city and Goldman Construction. And then finally, authorizing staff to um contact the state of Minnesota to close the bonding
award for the St. Joseph Recreation Center. So all of these are um with the caveat um to close these out within the terms of the of the agreements. So that is what we have uh for actions tonight. If it would appre would work best if we
would take those one by one and have a motion and a second at each one and then to the next. Otherwise, I will take any questions. I have none at this time, counselors. Anything? Well, I don't have any questions for David, but I think we should have
discussion around this topic. What would you like to discuss? Um, well, yeah, when we pass one like 7A, it's just going to steamroll and we're going to pass all of it. Um
it's hard to vote to terminate this project which I will be voting in favor of doing given the fact that uh the community for over 20 years has envisioned a community center of some type
and six seven years ago we uh were able to approach the state to get $4 million of a grant. A year or two after that, we sold $6 million of bond. So, we secured the $10
million. We engaged the YMCA to help us uh build a state-of-the-art worldclass facility and appreciate the effort that the Y put into helping us uh envision this. We got
a lot of community input. I remember those meetings we were at putting stickers on who wants a pool and who wants this and who wants that. And then we got to where the rubber meets the road as it relates to uh fundraising.
And the original goal, it was a $24 million project originally with a lot of great amenities and a lot of residents supported the concept.
A lot of residents thought maybe we were getting out over our skis in terms of a project that might be too big for the size of our community. Um yet we rolled up our sleeves and we went for it. And a $14 million original goal
of private fundraising uh didn't pan out for a lot of different reasons. We reduced it to 10 million. we switched capital campaign or fundraising consultants hoping we'd be able to uh
get some traction. Um and we're at the point the last few months where we knocked it down to 6 million we're going to raise and we're going to build a facility that was not what was originally envisioned. No
pool, no basketball courts, no pickleball courts. So, I'm glad we gave it an effort. There's been a lot of time, talent, treasure, a lot of people on city staff that put many hours in, a lot of volunteers, put
a lot of hours in, and it uh it can't it can't go on. And the fundraising part from my perspective because I was very involved in that, you know, was more or less on life support six months ago. So
we just never got the traction. And it's unfortunate, but we can't spend any more of our money. We can ask our residents to, you know, pay uh an additional three million to build a facility that wasn't anywhere
close to what we originally envisioned. I wouldn't support that at all. And so, having said all that, um my position is, and I can't speak for the other counselors, is that we we should move on.
That's what I wanted to say. My comment would only be that I want to um because it's sad. This is a this is a sad moment. Um there's a lot that as council member Kusner had said, so much
time, so much energy um that has gone into it, but I don't want to say that it's dead. I think this is just a a breathe a breath for St. Joe. I think maybe down the road maybe um we can
revisit it, but at this point in time I agree with councelor Cloer that um that we we do need to um look towards what our city needs right now. And I want to say thank you to the
committee who has done many many many hours um along with John picking this up at the last minute and really really giving his 100% and then some and really tried his best in everything that he
did. So, I I don't hold anything against that and um with the YMCA um from the beginning, you've done everything that you could possibly do. Um but Brett, this time I
have to agree um that it is time to take a breath and um move forward. I'd agree with both [clears throat] Kevin and Kelly that it's sad that we've come to this point where we need to make
this difficult decision that we've fallen short of the goals that we've set and I'm going to vote that we end this project this evening. But it's not for lack of not wanting the community center. I believe all five of us want
it. Innumerable people in the city want it, but the gap that we need to cover is just too much. And we just don't see fit to tax the residents to fill that gap or any other creative ways in which we
could build a gap. We It's just sadly come down to a financial decision that it's in the best interest of the city that at this point we need to move on. I believe you three covered it all. I I do want to say thank you to everyone that put their time, effort, hours into
this. Uh, everyone mentioned, all the volunteers, John, Jake. Appreciate it. >> Yes. Thank you for everyone that worked on this. >> With that, if we don't have any further comment, I'll look to make most these
motions just so they're stated in full. I'll make a motion for resolution 2026-001 terminating the amended and restated facility lease agreement with the St. Cloud area family YMCA. >> Second. >> Seeing a motion, a second. Any further
comment? All those in favor signify by I. >> I opposed. Motion carries. I'll make a motion for resolution 2026-00002 terminating contract with Rice Consulting for fundraising efforts.
>> Second. >> Seeing a motion, a second. Any further comment. All those in favor signify by I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. I'll make a I'll make a motion for
resolution 2026-003 terminating contract between the city and HMA Architects Limited for the St. Joseph Community Center. >> Second. >> Seeing a motion is second. Any further comment? All those in favor signify by I.
>> I. >> Opposed? >> Motion carries. I'll make a motion for resolution 2026-004 terminating the contract between the city and WGMAN construction for the St. Joseph Community Center.
Seeing a motion in a second. Any further comment? All those in favor signify by I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. And I will make a motion to direct staff to contact the state of Minnesota to
close our bonding award for the St. Joseph Community Center Recreation Center. >> Second. >> Seeing a motion, a second. Any further comment? All those in favor signify by I. >> I.
>> Opposed? >> Motion carries. Thank you, David. Item number eight, department reports. Anything of note. Nothing at this time. Item number nine, mayor and council reports.
I don't have much of anything to report other than just want to personally thank you guys again, John, Greg, and everybody that was on the fundraising committee. This is something we wanted and I'm sad it didn't happen. So, thank you.
Any other council reports? Looking for a motion to adjurnn. Move to adjurnn. >> Second. >> All those in favor signify by I. >> I. Oppose. We are adjourned.