Dec 11, 2023 City Council

TONIGHT, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PROCLAMATIONS, ET CETERA.

SO THAT TAKES US TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

THESE ITEMS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND WILL BE ENACTED AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA BY ONE MOTION.

ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL WILL BE TAKEN UP AS THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS.

THE COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO REMOVE? SEEING IS NOTHIN.

I'LL LET THIS GO TO THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER, KEVIN HANSON TO GO OVER.

MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

AS THIS IS OUR ONLY MEETING AND OUR LAST MEETING FOR 2023, YOU HAVE A RATHER LENGTHY CONSENT AGENDA CONSISTING OF 22 ITEMS. THE FIRST OF THESE IS APPROVED THE NOVEMBER 20TH, 2023, CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

MINUTES NUMBER TWO IS TO APPROVE THE NOVEMBER 27TH, 2023, CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES.

THE THIRD IS TO APPROVE THE DECEMBER 4TH CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES.

THE FOURTH IS TO APPROVE THE NOVEMBER 16TH, 2023, JOINT PLANNING AND CITY COUNCIL COMMISSION WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES.

THE FIFTH IS TO ACCEPT THE OCTOBER 10TH, 2023, SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES.

THE SIXTH IS TO ACCEPT, UH, A SERIES FROM MAY UNTIL NOVEMBER OF 2023.

LIBRARY BOARD MEETING MINUTES.

THE SEVENTH IS TO ACCEPT THE OCTOBER 11TH, 2023 YOUTH COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES.

THE EIGHTH ITEM IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION 23-81, WHICH UPDATES THE INCOME LIMIT FOR SENIOR CITIZEN UH UTILITY RATES.

THIS IS DONE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

UM. THE NINTH ITEM IS RESOLUTION 23-82, WHICH ESTABLISHES THE SENIOR CITIZEN RATES FOR RETIRED OR DISABLED PERSONS FOR SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS, AND THIS USES THE SAME THRESHOLD AS THE UTILITY RATES.

THE 10TH ITEM IS RESOLUTION 2384, WHICH ESTABLISHES THE CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS FEE SCHEDULE FOR 2024.

EXCUSE ME, AND I WOULD NOTE THERE WERE TWO ITEMS THAT WERE A LATE MINUTE ADDITION THIS AFTERNOON FROM OUR, UH, LIBRARY DEPARTMENT.

THE 11TH ITEM IS RESOLUTION 2386, WHICH IS AMENDING THE 2023 BUDGET TO USE CERTAIN ADDITIONAL REVENUE.

AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS IN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.

RESOLUTION 23-88 IS THE CLOSING FOR THE AGREEMENT FOR OUR CITY HALL, THE SPACE THAT WE'RE IN WITH THE LATTICE CORPORATION.

ITEM 13 IS THE REPLACEMENT OF A PORTABLE WELDER FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

ITEM 14 IS THE APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT WITH THE EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM OF BAKER TILLY TO CONDUCT A SEARCH FOR THE CITY MANAGER.

ITEM 15 IS TO APPROVE A CONTRACT RENEWAL WITH GRANICUS.

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AND THAT IS REALLY FOR MEETING PRODUCTION FOR OUR CITY COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS.

ITEM 16 IS APPROVE A CONTRACT FOR YARD WASTE COLLECTION AND HAULING SERVICES.

THIS HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN DONE ON A ONE-YEAR CONTRACT, AND THE EFFORT HERE WAS TO GET THEM ON STAGGERED CONTRACTS.

SO, WE'RE NOT RENEWING ALL IN THE SAME YEAR.

SO, THIS IS A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH SHOREVIEW HUNKS, WHICH HAS BEEN WORKING IN TOWN HERE FOR US, ACTUALLY DOING SOME OF THE SAME WORK FOR THE LAST YEAR.

ITEM 18 IS THE FINAL COMPENSATING CHANGE ORDER AND THEN FINAL PAYMENT FOR OUR 2022 MISCELLANEOUS CONCRETE WORK.

THIS WAS A CARRYOVER FROM 22 INTO 23, AS THEY WERE UNABLE DUE TO WEATHER TO COMPLETE THAT WORK.

ITEM 19 CANCELS THE SECOND MEETING IN DECEMBER.

AND THAT WOULD BE ON DECEMBER 27TH.

ITEM 20 IS THE LICENSE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

THE OTHER LAST TWO ITEMS ARE THE RENTAL OCCUPANCY LICENSES FOR APPROVAL, AND THE LAST IS THE REVIEW OF BILLS AND THE AMOUNT OF $893,459.24. MAYOR.

AND JUST I MAY HAVE PRINTED OUT WAS NUMBER 17 OR.

SORRY. YEAH.

NUMBER 17 REMOVED.

NO, I APOLOGIZE OKAY.

2017 WAS AUTHORIZED FOR FIRE SERVICE.

THAT'S A THREE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? I HAVE A COMMENT, MAYOR.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER.

JAMES. THANK YOU.

I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IN A SPEAK ON THE SENIOR CITIZEN RATES.

I KNOW THAT THOSE ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND NOT EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT THEM, THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WHO ARE HAVING HARDSHIP, AND I'M GLAD THOSE ARE BEING UPDATED.

AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO CELEBRATE OUR CONDO CLOSING.

SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE, IT'S NICE TO FINALLY HAVE THE OWNERSHIP COMING SOON.

SO THAT'S THOSE ARE MY ONLY COMMENTS.

ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER [INAUDIBLE].

COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES.

DID COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES COMMENT ABOUT THE CLOSING OF THE CONDO.

VERY EXCITED. IT WAS VERY CONVOLUTED PROCESS TO GET IT DONE, BUT EVERYONE WORKED REALLY HARD.

SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE CLOSING.

ALL RIGHT THEN, HEARING THAT THERE IS NO OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION, WE MAY HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

MOVE TO PRESENT THE CONSENT OR ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER SPRIGGS.

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING IS NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

NEXT, WE ARE AT OUR PUBLIC HEARING.

[23. Resolution 2023-083, Adopting a Budget for the Year 2024, Setting the City Levy, Approving the HRA Levy, and Approving a Tax Rate Increase.]

THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK REGARDING THIS MATTER.

SPEAKERS THAT ARE IN PERSON ARE ASKED TO COMPLETE A SPEAKER FORM AND SUBMIT IT TO THE CITY CLERK.

AND THOSE FORMS ARE ON THE TABLE OVER BY THE WINDOWS ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE ROOM.

SPEAKERS ATTENDING VIRTUALLY SHOULD SEND A REQUEST TO SPEAK WITH THIS INFORMATION TO THE MODERATOR USING THE CHAT FUNCTION AND WAIT TO BE CALLED ON TO SPEAK.

WHEN SPEAKING, VIRTUAL ATTENDEES SHOULD TURN THEIR CAMERAS ON.

ANY COMMENTS MADE AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND WILL NOT BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE FORMAL RECORD FOR THIS MATTER, AS THE ITEM WILL HAVE BEEN VOTED ON AND THE ITEM FORMALLY CLOSED BY THE COUNCIL.

THIS BRINGS US TO ITEM NUMBER 23.

RESOLUTION 2023-083 ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 2024, SETTING THE CITY LEVY, APPROVING THE HRA LEVY AND APPROVING A TAX RATE INCREASE.

AND HERE TO PRESENT IS OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

THIS IS THE ANNUAL RESOLUTION TO SET THE CITY BUDGET AND TAX LEVY FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

UH, FOR BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE AUDIENCE, THIS PROCESS REALLY BEGINS IN APRIL OF EACH YEAR.

AND OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS FOLLOWING APRIL, STAFF PUTS TOGETHER PROPOSED ESTIMATES FOR THE FOLLOWING CALENDAR YEAR.

AND BY AUGUST, IT'S PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL, AND IT MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC IN THE TIME SINCE IT WAS MADE AVAILABLE IN AUGUST.

UH, THE CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF HAVE MET AT THREE PUBLIC WORK SESSIONS ON THE MATERIAL AND REVIEWED IT IN GREAT DETAIL.

UM, IN NOVEMBER, THE ANOKA COUNTY MAILED TO EACH PROPERTY OWNER A STATEMENT OF THEIR PROPOSED PROPERTY TAXES, THEIR SHARE OF THIS PROPOSED 2024 TAX LEVY YOU'LL BE VOTING ON IN A MOMENT.

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AS WELL AS THE CORRESPONDING PROPOSED TAXES FOR THEIR OTHER JURISDICTIONS OF SCHOOL DISTRICT AND COUNTY, ETC.

ALSO INCLUDED ON THAT NOTICE.

UM, THE NOW, AT THE RISK OF HAVING EYES GLAZE OVER, I WILL RECITE SOME NUMBERS AND FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS. SO, THE AMOUNT OF TAX REVENUE THE CITY WILL RECEIVE FOR 2024 IS JUST OVER AN 8% INCREASE. 8.4.

AND THAT CONSISTS OF.

BOTH INFLATION ON EXISTING SERVICES AND SOME NEW ADDITIONAL SERVICES.

SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL SERVICES INCLUDE TWO ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS.

POINT OF SALE INSPECTION PROGRAM ON HOME SALES.

A CONTINUATION OF A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM WITH EMBEDDED SOCIAL WORKER WITH THE POLICE.

BUT IN 2024, PART OF THAT WILL BE FUNDED BY CITY REVENUE RATHER THAN OUTSIDE GRANTS HAS BEEN, AS HAS BEEN THE CASE UNTIL NOW. AND ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS SOME PARTIAL FTE IN A COUPLE OTHER PLACES, PUBLIC WORKS AS A SECRETARIAL ADDITION, THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT QUITE A BIT OF THE 8.4% IS JUST SIMPLY INFLATION ON EXISTING SERVICES.

THAT'S THE AMOUNT THE CITY, THE CHANGE TO THE AMOUNT THE CITY WILL RECEIVE.

THE AMOUNT THAT THE CITY RECEIVES CONSISTS OF BOTH THE AMOUNT PAID BY LOCAL TAXPAYERS AND A PORTION SUBSIDIZED BY TAXPAYERS THROUGHOUT THE METRO THROUGH A REVENUE SHARING AGREEMENT REFERRED TO AS THE METRO AREA FISCAL DISPARITIES PROGRAM.

UNFORTUNATELY, BY THE FORMULA IN STATE LAW, THAT PROGRAM WILL BE CONTRIBUTING LESS TOWARDS THE CITY REVENUE FOR 2024.

THEY'RE CUTTING THAT FORMULA, CUTS THE CITY'S SHARE OF WHAT THEY CONTRIBUTE BY 11%.

SO, ALTHOUGH THE CITY IS ONLY INCREASING.

ITS INCOME OR ITS REVENUE BY 8%.

MORE OF THAT TAX LEVY WILL BE SHIFTED TO THE LOCAL TAXPAYER BECAUSE OF THIS DECREASE IN THE SUBSIDY.

OVERALL, ACROSS ALL TYPES OF TAXPAYERS LOCALLY HERE IN THE CITY, THAT WOULD BE ON AVERAGE ABOUT A 14% INCREASE THEN. THAT 14% INCREASE IS NOT SHARED EQUALLY, HOWEVER, AND THIS IS WHERE IT STARTS TO GET MORE CONFUSING.

I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT BY PROPERTY TYPE.

SO OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROPERTY WITHIN THE CITY.

AS IT HAPPENS, FOR 2024, THE VALUES OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS INCREASED MUCH SHARPLY, MORE SHARPLY IN COMPARISON TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.

AND SO, THAT 14% LOCAL TAX INCREASE IS SKEWED.

IT'S GOING TO BE HIGHER THAN THAT ON AVERAGE FOR COMMERCIAL AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND LOWER THAN THAT ON AVERAGE FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.

UM. IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 11%, WHICH IS STILL QUITE A BIT ON, UH, MANY OF THE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL.

THE LAST BIT OF DATA THERE I'LL ADD TO THAT IS THOSE ARE BROAD TRENDS ACROSS THE WHOLE CLASS OF PROPERTY, ACROSS THE WHOLE CITY, ACROSS THE WHOLE METRO.

VALUATION. CHANGES IN INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES CAN ALSO CHANGE THIS QUITE A BIT TOO.

SO, IF IT WAS A HOMESTEAD PROPERTY IN ONE YEAR AND IT'S NOT A HOMESTEAD PROPERTY THE NEXT YEAR, OR IF YOU ADDED A LARGE ADDITION TO THE HOME, THINGS LIKE THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY DEVIATE FROM THOSE AVERAGES.

AND THAT'S THE PREPARED STATEMENT I HAVE FOR BACKGROUND ON THIS RESOLUTION.

IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL TAKE A.

ATTEMPT AT ANSWERING THEM.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? COUNCIL MEMBER SPRIGGS.

NOT A SPECIFIC QUESTION, BUT JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD ELABORATE FOR THE RESIDENTS ABOUT THE FISCAL DISPARITIES, JUST MORE ABOUT WHAT IT IS SPECIFICALLY WHY IT WAS CREATED AND KIND OF WHY WE'RE SEEING THE TRENDS WE ARE NOW? SURE. IT IS A BIT OF UNIQUE.

THERE'S NOT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE THIS.

THERE IS ONE UP IN THE IRON RANGE AREA.

TWO BUT AND IT WAS CREATED IN THE 1970S, ACTUALLY, AND THE METRO JURISDICTION.

SO, THE CITIES AND COUNTIES IN THE METRO AREA UNDER THE STATE STATUTE POOL THEIR TAX BASE.

SO, THE 40% OF ANY NEW COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY ADDED SINCE 1970

[00:15:06]

SOMETHING IS PUT INTO THE POOL.

AND SO, THERE'S THIS COMMON POOL OF COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL TAX BASE AND BASED ON A FORMULA FOR UM, LARGELY IT'S A NEED FORMULA. SO, THE SIZE OF THE CITY'S POPULATION IN RELATION TO ITS PROPERTY VALUE IS A WAY TO DETERMINE NEED.

AND BASED ON THAT NEED THAT THE AND THE CITY'S TAX LEVY ITSELF, THOSE FACTORS ARE APPLIED TO THAT SHARED PROPERTY TAX BASE.

AND THEN MOST CITIES GET A PAYOUT, IF YOU WILL, FROM THAT POOL.

AND THERE'S SOME CITIES AND COUNTIES THAT PAY IN, LIKE, IN COUNTY BY COUNTY IS EASIER TO SAY IN GENERAL.

HENNEPIN COUNTY PAYS INTO THE POOL AND THE OTHER COUNTIES, UM, GET SOMETHING OUT OF THE POOL JUST BECAUSE HISTORICALLY, THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT HAD BEEN. THAT MAY BE CHANGING OVER TIME AS THINGS LIKE OFFICE BUILDINGS AND SHOPPING MALLS HAVE LESS VALUE.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT'S DECREASED, IS THAT THERE'S JUST, THERE ISN'T AS MUCH RELATIVE TO RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.

THERE ISN'T AS MUCH COMMERCIAL VALUE IN GENERAL, DESPITE THE SPIKE FOR RECENT VALUATION.

YOU DID MAKE. I DID THINK OF ONE OTHER THING.

THIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD TIME TO REMIND THE RESIDENTS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE THESE TAX INCREASES, YOU SHOULD CERTAINLY LOOK TO SEE IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR A PROPERTY TAX REFUND.

AND COMING UP.

AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HENNEPIN COUNTY PAYING INTO THE FISCAL OR THE FISCAL DISPARITIES.

YEAH. UM, THAT THAT IS SO THOSE ARE ALL TAXPAYERS, ALL THE MONEY COMES ACROSS FROM PEOPLE IN HENNEPIN COUNTY ARE COMING INTO COLUMBIA HEIGHTS AND OTHER CITIES THAT ARE GETTING THIS RENT SUBSIDY, AND THAT'S BEEN LESSENED.

SO, I THINK IT'S JUST GOOD TO POINT OUT THAT THESE ARE JUST TAX, TAX REVENUE THAT'S BEING DISPERSED TO DIFFERENT AREAS TO HELP WITH BECAUSE OF OUR TAX BASE. YEAH.

AND WHEN I WAS.

JUST SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU THERE, MAYOR, BUT TO CLARIFY, WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT THERE'S A FORMULA FOR NEED, IT ISN'T NECESSARILY MEANING LOW INCOME NEED. IT'S IN TERMS OF.

IF A COMMUNITY IS MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY, WHAT YOU CALL A BEDROOM COMMUNITY, THAT TENDS TO NEED A LOT MORE SERVICES THAN A COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL COMMUNITY THAT'S MOSTLY COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL.

AND SO, FOR THE BEDROOM COMMUNITIES AROUND, SAY, DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS HISTORICALLY, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE ALL THE EXTRA SERVICES THAT A RESIDENTS NEED, IT WOULD ALSO TEND TO HAVE MORE TAX-EXEMPT PROPERTY LIKE SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES IN THAT BEDROOM COMMUNITY.

SO, THE BENEFIT, IF YOU WILL.

DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS IN THE HISTORICAL WAY THAT IT WAS BUILT OF HAVING THAT HIGH DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. THE SURROUNDING BEDROOM COMMUNITIES ESSENTIALLY MADE THAT POSSIBLE AND BORE THE BURDEN OF THAT.

AND SO, THAT'S WHAT THIS REVENUE SHARING AGREEMENT EQUALIZED.

YEAH. YEAH. SO, LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN THESE BEDROOM COMMUNITIES ARE DOING THE WORK AND SHOPPING IN THE MORE METRO AREA.

AND SO THEY'RE KIND OF SHARING THAT TAX BASE.

YEAH. THANK YOU.

UM OKAY.

ANY QUESTIONS. OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I KNOW THAT WE DO SPEND A LOT OF MEETINGS.

THIS IS ONE MEETING WHERE WE VOTE ON THE BUDGET.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE ALREADY MET 3 TO 4 TIMES DISCUSSING BUDGET ITEMS TILL WE GET TO THIS POINT, UM, TO HAVE THE VOTE HAPPEN AT THIS MEETING IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS AT THE MOMENT, THEN I WILL.

THIS IS A PUBLIC FORUM, SO I WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC FORUM AND ASK THE CITY CLERK IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

THERE ARE. I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT THERE IS NO ONE ATTENDING VIA TEAMS THIS EVENING.

OKAY, IF ANYTHING CHANGES WITH ONLINE ATTENDANCE, I'LL LET YOU KNOW.

SO, ROGER PETERSON WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.

THANK YOU. AND, ROGER, YOU MAY COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE.

THANK YOU. MEMBERS.

UH, ROGER PETERSON.

UH, 4113 QUINCY STREET NORTHEAST.

I'M HERE THIS EVENING WITH MY WIFE, JANET.

WE CAME TO COLUMBIA HEIGHTS IN 1984.

THAT IS WHEN WE BUILT OUR HOME 39 YEARS AGO.

[00:20:02]

AND YES, I'M HERE BECAUSE OF THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAXES THAT JUST CAME OUT FROM ANOKA COUNTY, UH, GOING ON JUST ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO.

IT IS A BIT DISAPPOINTING TO SEE THAT BECAUSE I'M SURE THAT, UH, IF PEOPLE LOOKED AT THEM, THEY SAW, OH, WOW, THINGS ARE CERTAINLY LOOKING LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO BE A LOT HIGHER IF THEY WEREN'T HIGH ENOUGH ALREADY, THEY'RE GOING TO BE A LOT HIGHER IN 24 THAN THEY WERE IN 23 ACROSS THE BOARD.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS GENTLEMAN KIND OF GIVING US SOME HINTS AS FAR AS WHERE THE NUMBERS ARE, ARE BEING CREATED FROM AS FAR AS LEAST FROM THE CITY POINT OF VIEW AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS, WHATEVER.

BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM.

IT'S LIKE BY THE GRACE OF GOD, EVEN IN OUR RETIREMENT YEARS, JANET AND I ARE NOT IN A PREDICAMENT THAT WE'RE NOT, FISCALLY NOT, ABLE TO STAY IN OUR HOUSE BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD THESE EXTREME TAX BILLS THAT KEEP GOING UP.

BUT IT'S MORE THE PRINCIPLE OF IT.

IT'S LIKE, WHERE'S THE BANG FOR OUR BUCK? WHERE IS ALL OF OUR MONEY GOING TO THAT THAT IS BENEFITING NOT ONLY US BUT THE OVERALL THE OVERALL COMMUNITY.

THAT'S WHERE OUR CONCERN IS, IS COMING FROM.

AND I THINK OVER TIME IS THAT WE'RE NOT A COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO PAY IS GOING UP.

PEOPLE'S THE MAKEUP OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS OF PEOPLES THAT THEIR ABILITY, THEIR LACK OF ABILITY TO PAY IS ON THE DOWNWARD SLIDE VERSUS MAYBE IN SOME CITIES AND SOME COUNTIES, IT'S ON THE ON THE UPWARD.

WE'RE ON THE SLIDING DOWN.

JUST TO GIVE A FEW EXAMPLES, JUST ON OUR PARTICULAR PROPERTY.

JUST NOT A LOT OF FACTS IN NUMBERS, BUT JUST ONES THAT I JUST HAD JUST REALLY CLOSE BY.

FOR 24 OVERALL ON OUR PARTICULAR PROPERTY, THE OVERALL TAX BILL WAS UP 10.8%.

THAT REPRESENTS $425.

THE CITY PORTION WAS 199.

IN 23 IT WENT UP 1,212%.

TOTAL BILL 425 CITY PORTION WAS 298.

22, IT WENT UP 2.8%.

THE CITY PORTION WAS 119.

IN 21.

WE DID GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

THE CITY PORTION WAS ONLY $42.

AND IN 2020, OVERALL TAX BILL WENT UP 13.7%.

THE CITY PORTION WAS 195.

AND IN JUST CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS IN THOSE FIVE YEARS 2020 TO 2024 OVERALL, OUR TAXES ON OUR HOME WENT UP $1,228. AND THAT IS VERY SIGNIFICANT, I FEEL.

AND THE CITY PORTION WHEN YOU WHEN YOU BREAK IT DOWN, IS $768 IN THAT SAME 2020 TO WHAT IS PROPOSED FOR 2024.

SO, LIKE SAY BOTTOM LINE IS, LIKE I SAY, THANK YOU TO THIS GENTLEMAN, FOR SAYING SOME OF THE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT'S KIND OF OUT THERE AS FAR AS WHAT IS BEHIND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS HOPING TO GET FROM, FROM THE BUSINESSES AND FROM THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS THROUGH THEIR TAXES.

BUT WE I GUESS EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR LET'S HEAR MORE.

IF WE WANT TO KNOW WHERE OUR MONEY IS GOING FOR AND WHETHER IT APPLIES TO US DIRECTLY OR IF IT DOESN'T IT'LL OVER TIME, HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE A PILL THAT WILL BE ABLE TO, TO SWALLOW A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

ROGER GREGGS WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.

SURE. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT, UM.

OUR CITY HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF HAVING ALL OF THE BUDGET INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE, AND I KNOW THAT ALSO MAY BE A LOT TO LOOK THROUGH.

SO, I DON'T MEAN TO SAY IT'S THE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE.

BUT ALL OF THE INFORMATION IS VERY CLEAR.

AND IF THERE'S ANY EXTRA QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ARE SPECIFICALLY WONDERING YOU COULD DEFINITELY LET US KNOW AND WE WOULD LOVE TO GET YOU MORE ANSWERS.

THERE'RE SO MANY THINGS TO GO OVER.

I THINK THAT OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR DID A GREAT JOB OF KIND OF SUMMARIZING ALL OF THE EXPENSES WITH HIRING MORE INSPECTORS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SAFE HOMES AND TO HELP OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT WITH INSPECTIONS HIRING FULL TIME, OUR TWO SOCIAL WORKERS KEEPING THEM ON, AND POLICE OFFICERS.

[00:25:04]

AND SO THOSE ARE SOME LARGE EXPENSES THERE AND THEN INFLATION.

BUT IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COMMUNICATE THAT TO ANYONE, EITHER HERE OR WATCHING THE MEETING LATER TO.

UM. SORRY.

SARAH, COULD YOU PLEASE ANNOUNCE THE NEXT SPEAKER? GREG SLOAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.

THANK YOU. WELCOME, GREG.

AND IF YOU CAN, SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE.

THANK YOU. GREGORY SLOAT, RESIDENT.

SO, IF YOU'RE ON SOCIAL SECURITY, YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE GETTING A 3.2% COLA INCREASE FOR NEXT YEAR.

THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT'S ONLY A FRACTION OF WHAT THE ACTUAL INFLATION RATE IS.

THE GOVERNMENT ISN'T TELLING YOU WHAT THE REAL INFLATION RATE IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW.

BECAUSE YOU WON'T LIKE IT.

AND IF YOU'VE LOOKED AT YOUR HOMEOWNER'S PROPERTY, YOUR INSURANCE BILL YOU'VE SEEN THOSE ARE GOING THROUGH THE ROOF . COME DOWN A LITTLE LATELY, BUT IT'S STILL HIGH.

EVERYTHING'S GOING UP ACROSS THE BOARD IN ALL INDUSTRIES, AND THE HOUSING MARKET IS DEPRESSED.

THE AUTO MARKET IS DEPRESSED.

THE RETAIL MARKET IS DEPRESSED.

BANKS ARE CLOSING.

WE'RE IN A SEVERE RECESSION AND WE'RE HEADING TOWARDS A DEPRESSION.

IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE NEXT YEAR.

AND YET YOU WANT TO KEEP EXPANDING GOVERNMENT AND KEEP ADDING COSTS.

I'M GOING TO HAVE A DOUBLE-DIGIT TAX INCREASE ON A FIXED INCOME.

AND THE THING IS, IF WE CAN'T AFFORD FOOD, SHELTER AND CLOTHING AND WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS DIP INTO THAT IN ORDER TO PAY THE TAX PORTION SOMETHING'S OUT OF WHACK.

YOU'RE NOT RUNNING THE CITY, RIGHT? YOU'RE CHARGING TOO MUCH.

I SEE THAT YOU WANT TO GET ANOTHER PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE BEFORE YOU BE.

ARE TAKING ON ANY ADDITIONAL PROJECTS AND ADDITIONAL COSTS.

YOU SHOULD BE PAYING OFF THE ONES THAT ARE ALREADY ON THE BOOKS.

IF YOU GUYS WERE ON DAVE RAMSEY, HE'D BE CUTTING UP YOUR CREDIT CARDS AND TAKING THEM AWAY FROM YOU.

UM, YOU'RE PRICING US OUT OF OUR HOMES, AND THIS CAN'T CONTINUE.

EVERY YEAR, MORE AND MORE AND MORE.

WHEN DOES IT STOP? BECAUSE WE'RE NOT A BOTTOMLESS PIT, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US ON FIXED INCOMES.

AND I'M PRETTY DISGUSTED WITH YOU ALL.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

JODI LANG WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.

THANK YOU, JODI.

WELCOME. AND PLEASE, YOU CAN JUST BEND THE MICROPHONE DOWN SO YOU CAN SPEAK INTO IT.

I'M NOT GOING TO SAY TOO MUCH BECAUSE THESE GUYS ASKED THE QUESTIONS THAT I WANTED TO ASK.

AND I'M GOING TO GO ON THE WEBSITE EVEN THOUGH I HATE COMPUTER JODI LONG, RESIDENT, BY THE WAY.

AND LOOK UP MORE.

BUT YEAH, I'M WONDERING WHERE ALL THE MONEY GOES.

IT'S GETTING RIDICULOUS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THE STREETS IN THE SUMMER.

THEN YOU GET AN INCREASE IN THE PROPERTY TAXES.

IT'S LIKE IT'S GETTING TOO MUCH, BUT I DIDN'T.

I WANTED TO ASK WHAT THOSE GUYS ASKED.

SO, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

MARIA BATES WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.

THANK YOU. MARIA.

WELCOME. I LIVE AT 4141 ARTHUR STREET.

SURE. BEEN HERE 30 YEARS.

IF YOU COULD JUST MOVE THEM.

SORRY. OTHERWISE, WE CAN'T RECORD IT.

WE WON'T HEAR YOU. OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND, UM, I'M JUST LIKE THEM.

SOCIAL SECURITY. HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO.

YOU KNOW, I GET SOCIAL SECURITY AND PENSION.

THAT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY.

2000 AND SOME DOLLARS A MONTH.

HOW DO YOU EXPECT ANYBODY TO PAY ALL THAT STUFF AND EAT AND PAY FOR YOUR INSURANCE AND YOUR CAR AND DA DA DA DA DA.

SO, BASICALLY, IT'S, I'M WITH THEM GUYS THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW.

THAT'S ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

JOE MANCHIN WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.

WELCOME, JOE.

HI. MY NAME IS JOE MANHEIM.

I LIVE AT 3722 THIRD STREET NE, AND IT'S A RENTAL PROPERTY, BUT I OWN IT.

I RENT IT OUT SO I CAN AFFORD TO LIVE THERE.

I AM A DISABLED VETERAN OF THE 82ND AIRBORNE, AND I WAS AN INTELLIGENCE SPECIALIST.

AND I CAN LOOK IN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR EYES.

AND I WAS TRAINED TO READ INTELLIGENCE AND I CAN TELL YOU DON'T CARE.

HONEST TO GOD, YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO WITHOUT ANY CONSIDERATION OF WHAT THESE ELDERLY PEOPLE HAVE JUST TOLD YOU, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY YOU WORK.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHERE YOUR MONEY, THEIR MONEY WENT.

YOU GUYS PROVED YOURSELVES A PAY RAISE WHILE THE REST OF US ARE SUFFERING.

I'M ON A 60% DISABLED VETERANS' RATE THAT PUTS $1,019.07 A MONTH IN MY POCKET.

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I WILL GET A 3.2% COLA INCREASE THIS YEAR.

NOW, LET'S ADD THAT UP.

HOW MUCH DID YOU RAISE MY GARBAGE TO FEE THIS YEAR? ANYBODY. IT WENT UP.

OH, YEAH. WE KNOW HOW MUCH THERE MIGHT BE SOMEONE HERE WHO KNOWS THE EXACT AMOUNT, BUT YOU GUYS ARE CITY COUNCIL.

YOU GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO KNOW THESE NUMBERS.

IT REALLY DEPENDS ON EVERY PROPERTY IS AROUND.

BUT I REMEMBER ALL THE WASTE HAULERS I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, ABOUT 15 TO 16% DEPENDING ON YOUR PROPERTY 15, 15, 16%.

OKAY, 15% OF $60 A MONTH.

IT DOESN'T COME EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT MY 3.2%.

ALL RIGHT. NOW YOU'RE GOING TO RAISE YOUR PROPERTY TAXES.

YOU'VE ALREADY RAISED A MAJOR LEVY ON US.

THIS ONE THAT JUST PASSED.

HOW MUCH WAS THAT? ONE PER HOUSEHOLD.

THE ONE THAT THEY JUST HAD THE VOTE ON THIS ELECTION, WHERE THEY WERE GOING TO RAISE EVERYBODY'S SCHOOL LEVY.

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT? YES.

GIVE US A NUMBER. WHAT'S THE NUMBER THAT'S SEPARATE FROM THE CITY, THOUGH, BUT IT STILL COMES OUT OF OUR POCKET.

I CAN TELL YOU HOW MUCH.

YEAH. MHM. YOU KNOW, SO MY MORTGAGE BECAUSE I'M VA AND I GET THOSE LITTLE CERTAIN BREAKS BECAUSE I'M VA.

WE'RE TALKING MY ORIGINAL MORTGAGE WHEN I SIGNED ON WAS $1,119.

NOW I'M PAYING 1339.

NOW, IT'S GOING TO GO UP TO 1439.

AND THE ONLY REASON I'M ABLE TO PAY THAT IS I HAVE A RENTER UPSTAIRS WHO IS 67 YEARS OLD.

HOW DO YOU THINK I'M GOING TO MAKE UP THAT DIFFERENCE? I'M RAISING THE RENT ON HIM.

HOW DO YOU THINK EVERY PROPERTY OWNER THAT HAS A RENTAL IS GOING TO MAKE UP THAT DIFFERENCE? THEY'RE GOING TO RAISE THEIR RENT, WHICH MEANS THAT'S GOING TO START PUTTING THE REAL PRESSURE ON WHO RIGHT THERE.

THESE PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED ALL THEIR LIFE TO COME HERE, TO LIVE IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, HARDWORKING, BLUE-COLLAR PEOPLE.

THAT ARE LIVING ON A PENSION AND THEN ALSO DISABLED VETERANS LIKE ME.

SERVED OUR COUNTRY, AND YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO PRICE US RIGHT OUT OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.

AND WE ARE GOING TO BE THE NEW NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS.

YOU'RE GOING TO INVITE ALL THESE YOUNG HIPSTERS HERE AND BUY ALL THESE PROPERTIES I GET EVERY DAY.

SOMEBODY WANTS TO CALL ME UP AND SAY, HEY, HOW MUCH MONEY YOU'RE FOR YOUR PROPERTY.

WELL, GIVE US A PRICE.

WE'LL BUY IT FROM YOU.

WHY? BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE VALUE IS GOING UP.

WHY? BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PRICE US ALL OUT.

BECAUSE THEY KNOW WE CAN'T AFFORD IT ANYMORE.

SO, THEN YOUR TAX BASE IS GOING TO TOTALLY ERODE, AND YOU GUYS WON'T BE ABLE TO VOTE YOURSELVES A PAY RAISE AGAIN.

HOW MUCH WAS YOUR PAY RAISE? COME ON, GET IT ON A RECORD.

I WANT EVERYBODY TO HEAR IT. HOW MUCH DID YOU GUYS VOTE YOURSELF A PAY RAISE? NOBODY. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THEIR PAY RAISE WAS IS COUNCIL MEMBERS WENT FROM APPROXIMATELY $7,500 A YEAR TO 10,300, OR $400 A YEAR.

AND THAT'S FOR WORKING ONE NIGHT A MONTH.

I DID NOT VOTE FOR THAT PAY RAISE, SIR.

I DIDN'T EXPECT YOUR COMMENTS.

I DO RESPECT YOUR COMMENTS.

OKAY, SO HOLD ON.

$1,319. 60% DISABLED.

SEVEN YEARS AS AN AIRBORNE COMMANDO.

DO THE MATH.

THIS IS PRETTY EMBARRASSING.

IF I WERE YOU GUYS, I'D LIKE SERIOUSLY TO LOOK YOURSELVES IN THE MIRROR AND SAY, WHAT AM I REALLY DOING HERE? WHO AM I REALLY SERVING? YOU'RE NOT SERVING THESE PEOPLE.

I GUARANTEE YOU THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE.

YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY CAN'T AFFORD THE GAS TO DRIVE DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW.

OTHERWISE, IT'S PROBABLY SHOULD PROBABLY BE PACKED.

AND YOU SAY, WELL, YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF THE BUDGET ON THE WEB.

I KNOW A LOT OF SENIOR CITIZENS.

THE ONE UPSTAIRS, HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW HOW THE WEB WORKS.

I HAVE TO GO ADJUST HIS CABLE TELEVISION EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, SO YOU CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IT OFF THE SPANISH SPEAKING CHANNEL.

SO, YOU SAY, OKAY, WE PUT THIS INFORMATION OUT.

NOW, IF YOU REALLY WANTED TO PUT IT OUT, YOU WOULD MAIL IT TO ALL THESE PEOPLE AND SAY, HEY, GUESS WHAT? IN BIG BLACK LETTERS, WE'RE GOING TO TAX YOU OUT OF YOUR HOUSE.

PLEASE HAVE A MEETING ON IT.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND YOU ALL THINK, WELL, NO BIG DEAL.

YOU'RE YOUNG, YOU'RE STILL MAKING MONEY.

I LOOK AT THE AVERAGE AGE HERE.

[00:35:01]

EVERY ONE OF YOU HAS GOT LONG WAYS BEFORE.

YOU'RE AT MY AGE OF 58, WALKING AROUND WITH A BUM HIP, HOPING FOR YEARS THAT THE VA WILL REPLACE IT AFTER I'VE GONE THROUGH EVERY MISERABLE, PAINFUL EXPERIENCE I CAN TO GET A NEW ONE. MEANWHILE, I'M STILL DRIVING TRUCKS 60 HOURS A WEEK SO I CAN SUPPLEMENT MY INCOME AND MY MEAGER DISABILITY SO I CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN THAT LOUSY, CRUMMY DUPLEX AT 3722 THIRD STREET NORTHEAST IN THE BASEMENT APARTMENT SO I COULD RENT IT TO THE SENIOR CITIZEN AT A LESS RATE THAT I COULD GET IF I RENTED TO A YOUNG HIPSTER COUPLE.

SO, HE DOESN'T.

HIM AND HIS BLACK LAB DON'T END UP IN THE STREET.

1050. THAT'S WHAT I CHARGE.

I COULD GET 1800, BUT I DON'T.

IT'S PRETTY EMBARRASSING, ISN'T IT? AND THEN YOU ALL SIT THERE WONDERING WHERE THE MONEY'S GOING TO.

HOW MUCH ARE YOU GOING TO RAISE MY INSPECTION RATE? OH, THAT WAS ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL THING THAT YOU GUYS ALL DID.

HERE ARE YOUR, WE'RE GOING TO GO FROM $75 A MONTH FOR OR $75 A YEAR TO GET YOUR LICENSE FEE TO $300 A YEAR.

LICENSE FEE.

YEP. AND THE VERY NEXT LETTER I GOT, AND I GO, WOW, WHY IS MY LICENSE FEES GOING UP BY $300? THE VERY NEXT LETTER I GOT WAS, WE'RE RAISING YOUR RATES TO $300 A YEAR FOR YOUR LICENSE FEE FOR A SINGLE RENTAL DWELLING. BECAUSE WE HAVE TO COME OVER AND INSPECT IT.

ALL RIGHT. THE VERY NEXT LETTER I GOT.

WE WILL NOT BE INSPECTING YOU THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF COVID.

DID I GET A REFUND ON MY $300? NO. DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES HIM TO INSPECT MY SINGLE DWELLING RENTAL? THEY DON'T HAVE TO RENT INSPECT MINE BECAUSE I OWN IT.

AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT'S STILL MY CASTLE.

BUT THE INSPECTOR SAID THEY WALKED IN.

THEY LOOKED AT THE ALARM.

YEP. YOU'RE GOOD.

HAVE A NICE DAY.

$300 FOR A 32ND INSPECTION.

GOD, I WISH I COULD CHARGE THEM RATES.

YOU ALL OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES.

THAT MAN SAID HE'S DISGUSTED OF YOU.

HE WAS BEING POLITE.

IF YOU WERE IN MY UNIT IN THE 82ND AIRBORNE IN IRAQ OR AFGHANISTAN OR WHATEVER CRAP HOLE THESE FREAKING BOOTS STUCK.

I WOULD LOOK AT YOU AND I'D FIRE EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR INCOMPETENCY AND FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE.

I WOULD HAVE EVERY AUDITOR FROM THE JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL INVESTIGATING EACH ONE OF YOU, WONDERING WHERE THE MONEY GOES.

BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW.

BUT Y'ALL WANT MORE.

AND THEN YOU VOTED YOURSELF A PAY RAISE.

AND NOW YOU WANT MORE.

YOU JUST HAD A LEVEE, A SCHOOL LEVEE.

NOBODY LOOKED AT THAT LEVEE.

EVERYBODY JUST GOING, YAY! COOL.

IT'S A KIDS. THAT'S WHAT THE COMMON THEME IS.

THE KIDS GIVE US MORE MONEY.

WE NEED MORE MONEY; WE NEED MORE MONEY.

WE NEED MORE MONEY, KIDS.

WHAT ABOUT THEM? WHAT ABOUT THESE GUYS THAT ALREADY DID PUT THEIR TIME IN? THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO GET TO THE RIPE OLD AGE OF SENIOR CITIZENS.

WORKED HARD FOR A PENSION, AND NOW THEY CAN'T AFFORD A FREAKING GALLON OF MILK AND A LOAF OF BREAD BECAUSE THEY GOT TO PAY THE PROPERTY TAXES.

3.2%.

WHERE IS THE MONEY? TELL US WHAT THE INCREASE IS GOING TO BE PER HOUSEHOLD.

PUT IT ON BIG BLACK LETTERS ON THE WEBSITE AND SAID, GUESS WHAT, YOUR MORTGAGE ESCROW IS GOING TO GO UP BY THIS.

THEN SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE COME SCREAMING AT CITY HALL WITH TORCHES AND PITCHFORKS.

NOBODY KNOWS.

YOU KNOW HOW I KNOW.

I GOT A LETTER FROM THE ESCROW COMPANY SAYING, GUESS WHAT? YOU'RE ABOUT TO TAKE IT.

YOU BETTER GO THERE.

SO, ALL YOU PEOPLE THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO RAISE MONEY ON THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS AND RENTAL OWNERS, AND IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY.

EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE HAPPY.

I GOT NOTES FOR YOU.

SOONER OR LATER.

I'M GOING TO JACK THAT GUY'S RENT SO HIGH UP, HE'S ON THE STREETS AND HE CAN HAVE A LITTLE SIGN OUT FRONT AND IT SAYS HOMELESS SENIOR CITIZEN.

I GOT SCREWED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.

THAT'S MY TIME.

THIS IS NOT A MERRY CHRISTMAS.

I'M SERIOUS. YOU ALL NEED TO DO SOME SOUL SEARCHING BECAUSE YOU NEED TO GO DOWN AND LOOK AT YOUR GRANDPA AND GRANDMA AND SAY, THAT'S WHO I JUST JAMMED.

THAT'S MY TIME.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

MARY CONNOR WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.

[00:40:05]

HELLO. WELCOME. IF YOU CAN MAKE SURE TO TALK IN THE MICROPHONES.

WE HAVE IT RECORDED.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME TALK TO YOU.

HELLO. JUSTIN VOTED FOR YOU.

I HAD A LIGHT BULB GO ON WHEN I GOT MY TAXES IN THE MAIL.

BEEN LIVING IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS NOW FOR 15 YEARS.

BORN AND RAISED IN MINNESOTA.

LIVED ON THREE CONTINENTS AND IN THREE DIFFERENT STATES.

I DON'T WANT TO MOVE.

I LOVE IT HERE.

DROVE AROUND THIS AFTERNOON LIKE I DO ON MANY DAYS, UH, TAKING STOCK OF MY COMMUNITY AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND I LOVE THIS, I LOVE COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.

RAISED IN NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS.

AND CHOSE TO LIVE HERE.

I NOTICED THAT PEOPLE'S HOMES ARE STARTING TO LOOK RUNDOWN.

THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE FIX UPS.

UM, WE'RE PAYING TOO MUCH IN TAXES.

I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

WHEN DID THIS BUILDING GO UP? WE JUST MOVED IN THE END OF JULY.

YEAH, I NEVER SAW IT.

AND I GOT OUT OF MY CAR, AND I WENT.

THERE IT IS. THERE'S THE MONEY.

BEAUTIFUL BUILDING COST.

COST A LOT. SO, DO THE NEW LIBRARY THAT I NEVER GO TO.

I PROBABLY SHOULD, BUT I JUST DON'T.

MY QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE POLICE.

THIS GENTLEMAN HERE TOLD US WE'RE GETTING TWO POLICEMEN.

IS THAT CORRECT? AND I'M ADDRESSING MY QUESTIONS TO YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE IN FRONT OF ME.

BUT I GUESS ALL OF YOU HEAR THIS RIGHT? WHAT DO YOU ALL DO? YOU ARE THE ONES THAT VOTE OR WHAT? WE VOTE. WE HAVE MEETINGS WITH STAFF TO LEARN ABOUT, WELL, IN THIS CASE, TAX INCREASES.

WHAT IT'S WHAT IT'S FOR, WHY IT'S NEEDED.

UM, THE RATES OF DIFFERENT EMPLOYEES AND HOW THEIR COST OF LIVING HAS GONE UP AND SO DIFFERENT CHANGES WE HAVE TO MAKE.

AND WE MEET AT LEAST THREE TIMES A MONTH, IF NOT MORE THAN THAT.

AND THEN, YES, TONIGHT WE WILL VOTE ON ACCEPTING THE BUDGET THAT'S PROPOSED.

HERE'S MY QUESTION.

THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER.

HERE'S MY QUESTION REGARDING THE POLICE.

HAS HAVE THE POLICE BEEN CUT BACK IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS BEFORE WE'RE ADDING IN OTHER WORDS, I'M JUST GETTING UP TO SPEED HERE.

UM, WAS THERE A CUTBACK IN ANY POLICE? THE POLICE FORCE.

AND NOW ADDING TO.

OR IS THIS? ARE WE ADDING TO WHAT HAS BEEN EXISTING FOR THE LAST, SAY, FIVE YEARS SINCE BEFORE THE RIOTS? WE ARE AT THE SAME NUMBER WE'VE BEEN WANTING TO HAVE FOR A LONG TIME, AND WE NOW FINALLY HAVE A FULLY STAFFED AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I BELIEVE WE ARE NOW AT A FULLY STAFFED POLICE DEPARTMENT.

MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

CURRENTLY, OUR AUTHORIZED STRENGTH IS 29 OFFICERS.

WE'RE CURRENTLY AT 28.

THE 2024 PROPOSED BUDGET WILL ADD TWO ADDITIONAL OFFICERS.

SO, THAT NUMBER WOULD GO ACTUALLY UP TO 31 OFFICERS.

ONE OF THOSE OFFICERS OR ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS WOULD BE ADDING A THIRD INVESTIGATOR POSITION, WHICH, UM, WE CUT SEVERAL WELL, ABOUT I HAVE TO THINK BACK ABOUT 14, 15 YEARS AGO.

UM, AND THEN AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT THE 31ST OFFICER, AS WE MENTIONED, AT THE, UM, SPECIAL NOVEMBER WORK SESSION ON THE 27TH, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT, UM, UM, ASSIGNING THAT OFFICER TO THE BCA'S VIOLENT CRIME UNIT TO HELP COMBAT VIOLENT CRIME IN THE NORTH METRO.

WELL, THAT'S MONEY WELL SPENT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JUSTIN BROUGHT OUT TO ME WHEN YOU CAME TO MY HOME WAS THAT CENTRAL AVENUE WAS GOING TO BE LOOKED AT.

IT'S GOING TO BE IMPROVEMENTS THERE.

I'M NOT SURE HOW A PERSON, HOW YOU ALL GO ABOUT DOING THAT, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY CHANGES THERE.

MAYBE, YOU KNOW, A WALKWAY, A GIANT WALKWAY OVER THE THAT NOBODY USES BECAUSE THEY CROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WITH DARK CLOTHING ON AND GET HIT.

SO, POLICE DEPARTMENT, YEAH, MONEY WELL SPENT.

BUT I THINK, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION THAT THIS INCREASE.

WE SHOULD.

Y'ALL SHOULD BE DEFINITELY LOOKING AT WHERE THIS MONEY IS BEING SPENT.

BECAUSE WE HOMEOWNERS, WE LOVE OUR PROPERTIES.

WE WANT TO KEEP THEM BEAUTIFUL.

WE WANT TO KEEP COLUMBIA HEIGHTS BEAUTIFUL.

[00:45:03]

WE WANT TO PUT OUR MONEY INTO OUR HOMES.

THAT'S WHAT BUILDS COMMUNITIES.

NOT PUBLIC BUILDINGS, NOT GOVERNMENT JOBS.

PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE AND LOVE THEIR HOMES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

AND THIS IS. EXCUSE ME IF YOU.

IT'S A DECORATED ROOM.

OKAY. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

PROBABLY IN THE CITY, TOO.

JASON DUPAY WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.

THANK YOU. WELCOME, JASON.

HI, MY NAME IS JASON.

I BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE CITY FOR OVER 23 YEARS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS AN ISSUE THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR IN THIS CITY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

I WAS WALKING DOWN MY STREET, AND I WAS ASSAULTED BY SOMEBODY, AND I WAS THREATENED, AND I JUST CONTINUED.

MY WALKING NEVER STOPPED, JUST KEPT WALKING.

NO BIG DEAL.

15 MINUTES LATER, THE SAME INDIVIDUAL WITH A BUDDY, TWO COMPANIONS, ACTUALLY SAW ME, CAME AND CUT ME OFF AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, RIDING A LITTLE SCOOTER FIVE MILES AN HOUR.

AND BASICALLY, THEY VIOLATED ME FURTHER.

AND I'VE BROUGHT THIS ISSUE TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I'VE FILED A COMPLAINT AND EVERYTHING, AND NOTHING'S BEEN DONE ABOUT IT.

AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THE PERSON THAT DID IT TO ME WAS WEARING THAT UNIFORM.

OKAY. AND THIS GUY HERE, THAT GUY RIGHT THERE, MOCKED ME AND RIDICULED ME WHEN I WENT TO GO AND TALK TO HIM ABOUT IT DURING MY PRETRIAL, I HAD THE BODY CAM EVIDENCE THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR IN ORDER TO INTRODUCE TO DEFEND MYSELF.

THE DEPARTMENT PLAYED GAMES WITH ME AND DIDN'T GIVE IT ALL TO ME.

I HAD TO KEEP GOING BACK.

I HAD TO KEEP GOING BACK AND CALLING.

FINALLY, WHEN I'M THERE TOLD, HEY LOOK, IT'S BEEN 18 BUSINESS DAYS AND I'M STILL WAITING FOR THIS FOOTAGE.

AND THEN FINALLY THEY FOUND IT.

EVEN THOUGH I TOLD THEM, HOLD ON.

I TOLD THEM WHAT TIME OF DAY, THE HOURS, EVERYTHING.

I TOLD THEM WHERE THEY COULD FIND THE FOOTAGE AND THEN THEY CUT SOME OF IT OUT.

I'M SORRY.

DON'T INTERRUPT ME. I HAVE TO STOP YOU BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING A HEARING ABOUT A TAX QUESTION, AND SO THIS IS MY ONLY CHANCE.

I TRIED TO LEAVE YOU A VOICEMAIL LAST WEEK, AND YOU NEVER CALLED ME BACK.

SO WHERE ELSE? WELL, I'VE BEEN GETTING SOME RESEARCH ON THAT SO I COULD CALL YOU BACK, BUT.

OH, RESEARCH. YOU'RE GETTING THEIR SIDE OF IT ALL.

WELL, I HAVE TO CALL YOU TOO, BUT I'M SORRY I HAVE TO INTERRUPT YOU.

BUT WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE MEETING, WE HAVE TO, LIKE, STAY ON TRACK WITH.

WE'RE ON TOPIC. THEY'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

YES, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAXES, AND I HAVE TO KEEP US ON TRACK.

OKAY, LET'S GO TO THAT, THEN.

ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR TAXES.

YOU KNOW WHAT I SEE EVERY NIGHT WHEN I GO WALK AROUND, DRIVE AROUND ON MY SCOOTER HERE LATE AT NIGHT.

YOU KNOW WHAT I SEE? I SEE COPS SITTING IN THEIR CARS, HIDING IN PARKING LOTS, IDLING, AND THEY'LL SIT THERE FOR HOURS AT A TIME, OFTENTIMES TWO OF THEM PARKED UP NEXT TO EACH OTHER, JUST BS-ING.

AND THEN WHEN I COME UP AND ASK THEM QUESTIONS, THEY ROLL THEIR WINDOWS UP AND DRIVE AWAY.

YOU KNOW. IS THAT HOW I SHOULD BE TREATED WHEN I GO AND ASK QUESTIONS AND THE COPS LOOK AT YOU AND THEY JUST DRIVE AWAY? OR THE OTHER NIGHT, YOU KNOW, A MONTH AGO, I WAS DRIVING UP CENTRAL, COMING HOME, AND THERE'S A DRUNK GUY ALL OVER, WEAVING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

HE ALMOST HIT THE MEDIAN AND EVERYTHING.

YOU GUYS HAD TWO PEOPLE PULLED OVER.

THE POLICE DID, AND I STOPPED NEXT TO ONE OF THEM AND SAID, HEY, THAT GUY RIGHT THERE, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO FOLLOW HIM.

HE'S GOING TO KILL SOMEBODY.

AND OH YEAH, WE GOT I'M LIKE, NO, THE TRUCK THAT JUST WENT BY.

SO, HE WENT CHASED AFTER THE TRUCK.

HE PULLED HIM OVER, I WENT I WATCHED FOR A MINUTE, AND I RODE HOME, I DROVE HOME, WELL, HALF AN HOUR LATER I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M GOING TO RIDE MY SCOOTER DOWN THERE AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND SO, I WENT DOWN THERE.

SIR, THERE'S THE GUYS. SIR, YOU DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT THE OPEN FORUM AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH THIS ITEM IN THE NEXT ITEM.

SO, WE DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT THIS IS THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING IS REGARDING THE TAXES.

AND WE'RE HERE TO HEAR WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THEIR INCREASE IN TAXES, THEIR INCREASE.

AND YOU CAN TALK AT THE END OF THE MEETING.

SIR, YOU NEED TO SIT DOWN AND TALK AND THEN COME UP, AND THEN YOU CAN SHARE WITH US YOUR STORY.

DO WITH THEIR TAXES.

THEIR POLICE ARE UNACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE.

YOU CAN'T EVEN GO UP AND TALK TO THEM WITHOUT THEM JUST LOOKING AT YOU.

AND IF IT'S SOMETHING THEY DON'T WANT A CHIT CHAT ABOUT, THEY JUST DRIVE AWAY.

NOW, ARE THEY ACCOUNTABLE TO US? WE PAY FOR THAT, RIGHT.

AND NOW YOU GUYS ARE BRINGING TWO MORE OF THEM ON.

AND I SEE THESE GUYS PARKED LATE AT NIGHT ALL THE TIME, JUST SITTING THERE DOING NOTHING.

AND THEN YOU GO OVER HERE TO THE DEPARTMENT AND THEIR CAR PARKED THERE, AND THEY'RE ALL SITTING IN THERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALL OVER.

THEY SIT AT NIGHT AND THEY DO NOTHING.

AND NOW YOU GUYS ARE HIRING MORE OF THEM.

WHAT DO YOU NEED MORE OF THEM FOR WHEN THESE GUYS AIN'T GOT SHIT TO DO? THANK YOU. JASON, I THINK WE GOT YOU.

WELL, OKAY. WELL, HEY, SINCE WE'RE ON THE RECORD HERE AND THIS IS ON THE MINUTES, JUST KNOW THAT THAT THING THAT YOU SAID THAT YOU'RE LOOKING INTO, YOU GUYS ARE ALL ON NOTICE

[00:50:06]

THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE LITIGATION COMING YOUR WAY.

UNLESS YOU WANT TO SIT DOWN WITH ME AND HAVE SOME DIALOG ON HOW WE CAN, YOU KNOW, RECOVER MY DAMAGES FOR NINE MONTHS OF STRESS, MY TIME DEALING WITH IT, THE MONEY I PAID FOR THE FOOTAGE, DRUNK DRIVING TO COURT, BRINGING THIS GUY.

THANK YOU. MY VIDEO. JASON, I JUST WANT TO KEEP US ON TRACK.

ARE ON NOTICE. THANK YOU.

OKAY, CONSIDER THAT ATTEMPT, YOU KNOW, INTENDING TO SUE YOU GUYS.

UNLESS YOU WANT TO SIT DOWN WITH ME.

THANK YOU. AND IT'S ABOUT P.

THAT'S YOUR GUY. AND CAPTAIN JOHNSON THINKS THAT HIS ACTIONS WERE OKAY.

THANK YOU. JASON, I JUST WANT TO KEEP US ON TRACK.

BUT YOU CAN TALK AT THE END OF THE MEETING AS WELL.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO CALL ME.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

AND I'LL JUST SHARE TO THE THAT THIS IS A PUBLIC FORUM.

AND WE DO JUST TRY TO STAY ON TOPIC TO THE ACTUAL ITEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON, WHICH IS ABOUT ADOPTING THE BUDGET.

AND SO INITIALLY IN THE CONVERSATION WAS BUDGET AND.

GOING INTO THE POLICE.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THIS IS A TOPIC OBVIOUSLY NOT HAVING TO DO EXACTLY WITH THE BUDGET OR COULD BE CROSSED OVER INTO TWO DIFFERENT TOPICS, I GUESS.

ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? GREG WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AGAIN.

ALL RIGHT. AND DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING? I BELIEVE SO, BUT DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING NEW TO ADD? OTHERWISE, WE WOULD WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.

I LEFT OUT.

OKAY. THIS IS JUST A SHORT QUOTE FROM C.S.

LEWIS THAT YOU TAKE ABOUT 30S.

C.S. LEWIS SAID OF ALL TYRANNIES, A TYRANNY SINCERELY EXERCISED FOR THE GOOD OF ITS VICTIMS MAY BE THE MOST OPPRESSIVE.

IT WOULD BE BETTER TO LIVE UNDER ROBBER BARONS THAN THE OMNIPOTENT MORAL BUSYBODIES, THE ROBBER BARONS.

CRUELTY MAY SOMETIMES SLEEP HIS CUPIDITY, WHICH MEANS GREED FOR MONEY, MAY AT SOME POINT BE SATIATED.

BUT THOSE WHO TORMENT US FOR OUR OWN GOOD WILL TORMENT US WITHOUT END, FOR THEY DO SO WITH THE APPROVAL OF THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE.

AND I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT IN THE RECORD.

SO IT'S IN THE MINUTES.

ANYONE ELSE FOR THE PUBLIC FORUM.

ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL OR COMMENTS? UM. WE CAN. YEAH.

IF SOMEONE HAD QUESTIONS FOR THE PUBLIC, I GUESS SO.

ALL RIGHT, THEN, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO, UM.

SINCE THERE'S NO ONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE.

AND THEN ALSO JUST TO PUT IN THE MINUTES.

IS THERE ANYONE ON TEAMS? NO ONE HAS JOINED TEAMS. THERE'S NOBODY ATTENDING THE MEETING ONLINE.

OKAY, I'LL LET YOU KNOW IF THAT CHANGES.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I SAY THAT OUT LOUD SO THAT IT'S RECORDED, THAT WE DID ASK FOR EVERYONE TO HAVE THE OPTION TO SPEAK AT THIS ITEM.

ALL RIGHT, THEN, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING? MOVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BEGINS AND A COUNCIL AND A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER SPRIGGS TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AND THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCIL? I JUST WANT TO ADD I KNOW THAT THE TAXES HAVE GONE UP AND EVERYTHING WITH THIS YEAR WITH ALL THE INFLATION AND FOOD, GAS APART, YOU KNOW, RENT, MORTGAGES, INSURANCE.

AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S HARD ON PEOPLE.

HOWEVER, WE'RE ALSO AFFECTED.

YOUR CITY SERVICES ARE AFFECTED.

HALF OF YOUR TAXES GO TO INFRASTRUCTURE.

A QUARTER OF IT GOES TO POLICING AND PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THE REST IS ADMIN, LIBRARY AND THINGS.

THAT'S THE LAST 25%.

SO, TO CUT THINGS WOULD BE CUTTING INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH FOR YOUR INFORMATION IS 70 YEARS BEHIND AND MAINTENANCE IS THE LAST NUMBER I HEARD WE JUST THIS YEAR ARE SPENDING WE'RE NOT DOING ROAD MAINTENANCE FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

BIG MAINTENANCE, BIG PROJECTS, NOT THE LITTLE STUFF, BUT BECAUSE WE'RE USING THAT MONEY TO FIX ALLEYS IN THIS COMMUNITY WE HAVE.

WHEN I CAME ON THE COUNCIL, WE HAD 30 ALLEYS THAT WERE IN DIRE NEED OF REPAIR.

WE'RE USING THE MONEY THAT WE NORMALLY USE FOR MAJOR ROAD PROJECTS TO FIX THOSE ALLEYS.

AND THAT ALONG WITH MONEY.

I THINK IT WAS 600,000 KEVIN THAT WAS SAVED OVER 20 YEARS.

I ASKED HIM WHEN WE COULD DO THIS AGAIN.

IT'LL BE ANOTHER 20 YEARS BEFORE WE HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO FIX ANOTHER TEN ALLEYS.

AND I DROVE THROUGH THOSE TEN ALLEYS.

WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

THEY'RE SCARY.

I ALMOST BACKED OUT OF THEM BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY RIDGES AND DRIVE.

IT WAS TERRIFYING.

SO THOSE PEOPLE DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR ALLEYS FIXED.

BUT IT'S EXPENSIVE.

THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE.

[00:55:01]

THEY MENTIONED THAT POLICING IS AT FULL STAFF.

WE ARE NOT FULLY STAFFED AT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THEY OFTEN LOOK AT NATIONWIDE.

THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS YOU SHOULD HAVE PER 1000 IS TWO.

WE'RE AT 22,000, WHICH MEANS WE SHOULD HAVE 44.

WE'RE AT 28 RIGHT NOW.

LET'S SEE, ONE OF OUR DETECTIVES.

THE LAST NUMBER I HEARD. PART OF THE REASON WE'RE HIRING IS WE HAVE ONE DETECTIVE.

THE LAST NUMBER I HEARD.

THAT PERSON HAS 180 CASES.

SO, WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST TO DO WHAT WE CAN.

WE HAVE AND ALSO MENTIONED ONE MORE THING THE PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING.

THAT BUILDING IS IN TERRIBLE SHAPE.

IT'S CRUMBLING. THE WROUGHT IRON, I THINK IS A WROUGHT IRON REBAR INSIDE THE CONCRETE.

AND THE COLUMNS THAT SUPPORT THE ENTIRE BUILDING IS DISINTEGRATING.

AND SO IS THE FIRST FLOOR.

WE HAD THAT INSPECTED BY PROFESSIONALS TO SEE HOW MUCH LIFE WE HAVE IN THAT BUILDING.

WE HAVE FOUR YEARS BEFORE WE HAVE TO REMOVE ALL PEOPLE, ALL VEHICLES, BECAUSE IT WILL NO LONGER BE SAFE TO WORK INSIDE THAT BUILDING.

SO THAT WAS PUT OFF.

THEY COULD HAVE FIXED IT IN 2005 WHEN THINGS WEREN'T SO PRICEY.

BUT THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME STILL, IF I HAD, THEY HAD MY EAR.

I'D HAVE AN EARFUL FOR THEM RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE STUCK WITH A VERY EXPENSIVE COST AND REPLACING IT, AND THEY COULD HAVE DONE IT 15 TO 18 YEARS AGO.

SO, I KNOW MY NEIGHBOR AND I HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT INCOME.

I TELL THEM THERE ARE NO DIAMONDS IN THIS BUDGET.

THERE ARE MANY MORE THINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO DO, BUT WE CAN'T.

WE'RE TRYING TO CONTAIN IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

AND AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER INFLATION.

AND THIS BUILDING, THIS BUILDING WAS BUILT BY A LATTICE.

THIS IS A PRIVATE DEVELOPER.

WE CONDO THE FIRST BUILDING.

AND LUCKILY FOR US, THE CITY MANAGER TEN YEARS PLUS AGO DECIDED TO SAVE MONEY, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO OUT FOR A BOND AND INCREASE YOUR TAXES.

AGAIN, THIS BILL DOES.

CITY HALL IS PAID FOR, BUT THAT MONEY BECAUSE OF INFLATION, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING LEFT OVER.

SO NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER THINGS.

MURZYN HALL IS 90 YEARS OLD.

WE HAVE THINGS THAT WEREN'T TAKEN CARE OF YEARS AGO AND WE'RE PAYING.

LIKE I SAID TO MY HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE, THE CHICKENS HAVE COME HOME TO ROOST, AND WE HAVE BIG FAT ONES LANDING ON OUR LINE.

SO, I UNDERSTAND WHEN OUR TAXES WENT UP BIG TIME, MY FIRST TIME I EVER HEARD MY HUSBAND GO, WHOA, SO I FEEL FOR YOU.

I'M SORRY.

THIS IS THE REALITY.

BUT WE HAVE WE HAVE TRIED.

LIKE I SAID, WE GO THROUGH IT, THE STAFF GOES THROUGH IT.

WHAT DO WE ABSOLUTELY NEED? AND THIS IS WHAT WE CAME UP FOR, OUR BUDGET.

SO, I JUST WANTED YOU TO HEAR THAT.

I WAS HAPPY BUT THANK YOU FOR SHARING ABOUT OUR CITY HALL.

COUNCIL MEMBER BUESGENS.

I WAS HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.

I KNOW IT'S A BIG SHINY NEW BUILDING AND SO IT SEEMS LIKE TAXES ARE RAISED TO PAY FOR IT.

BUT THIS WAS MONEY THAT WAS SAVED FOR A LONG TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WOULDN'T BE AN UNDUE HARDSHIP ON THE COMMUNITY, EVEN THOUGH WE REALLY NEEDED A NEW CITY HALL BADLY.

AND FOR SHARING. JUST.

JUST ALL OF THE DETAILS.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER.

JAMES, I THOUGHT I SAW YOUR HAND UP.

THANK YOU. MAYOR. I ALSO AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BESGUENS? I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE RESIDENTS THAT CAME OUT TONIGHT.

I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE DEEP FEELINGS AND THAT WE DO TO ALL OF US LIVE HERE IN THE CITY.

I DON'T MAKE VERY MUCH MONEY.

I'M A PART TIME WORKER AT A CHURCH BESIDES THIS JOB.

SO, IT'S A BITE FOR ME, TOO.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO CUT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WHEN WE ARE HAVING INCREASES IN CALLS, AND THEY'RE BUSIER THAN EVER.

AND THEY'RE RESPONDING TO MORE CALLS THAN EVER.

OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IS RESPONDING TO MORE MEDICAL ALERTS THAN EVER.

IF YOU SEE, LIKE WE DO THEIR WEEKLY REPORTS, THEY'RE RUNNING CONSTANTLY TO SERVE US.

WHEN I CALL THE POLICE, THEY COME TO MY HOUSE WITHIN MINUTES.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.

I APPRECIATE MY STREETS GETTING PLOWED.

I APPRECIATE MY TRASH GETTING PICKED UP.

AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I DON'T THINK WE CAN CUT.

SO, IT'S A TOUGH BITE FOR ME, BUT I WILL REITERATE WHAT OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR SAID.

PLEASE LOOK INTO A PROPERTY TAX REFUND.

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO FILE IT SEPARATELY FROM YOUR OTHER TAXES.

BUT IF YOU ARE, THE STATE WILL HELP US WITH THIS.

IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A PROPERTY TAX REFUND.

I WANT TO THANK THOSE WHO'VE LIVED HERE FOR A LONG TIME.

I HAVE MANY FAMILY MEMBERS, INCLUDING PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY WHO ARE ON FIXED INCOMES AND MAKE LESS THAN $2,000 A MONTH AS WELL.

MY PARENTS ARE ONE OF THEM, AND SO THEY HAVE THE SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR APARTMENTS AND THEIR RENTS GOING UP AND THEIR COST OF LIVING.

SOCIAL SECURITY IS THE SAME 3.2%, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES THE COST OF LIVING THAT THEY NEED AS WELL, SO THAT THEY CAN KEEP WORKING FOR OUR CITY.

AND WE WON'T HAVE LARGE AMOUNTS OF STAFF THAT AREN'T FILLED.

SO, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TALKING.

AND I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT, AND I REALLY HOPE THAT PEOPLE WHO NEED THE HELP CAN GET THE PROPERTY TAX REFUNDS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE REST OF THE COUNCIL?

[01:00:05]

UM, I WILL ALSO REITERATE.

THANK YOU ALL TO COME. I DO SAY THAT WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, COME TO THE PODIUM.

THANK YOU. BUT I REALLY DO MEAN THAT.

I KNOW IT IS A LOT TO COME FORWARD AND SHARE YOUR FEELINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE TO SHARE DOLLAR AMOUNTS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S YOUR PRIVATE INFORMATION THAT YOU NORMALLY AREN'T GOING AROUND TELLING PEOPLE WHEN YOU HAVE TO SAY, THIS IS A HARDSHIP AND YOU WANT TO SHARE IT WITH YOUR, YOU KNOW, ELECTED OFFICIALS, I CAN UNDERSTAND I'VE BEEN ON THE OTHER SIDE WHERE I'VE NOT BEEN SITTING UP HERE.

AND, UM, SO I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE OF IT, OF YOU COMING IN HERE.

AND WE DO TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.

ALL RIGHT, THEN.

UM, IF NO OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL.

OKAY, I THOUGHT I SAW YOU.

YES. I WAS GOING TO MOVE TO ADOPT OR MOVE TO WAIVE THE READING OF RESOLUTION 2020 3-083, THERE BEING AMPLE COPIES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER BESGUINES TO LEAVE THE MEETING.

WAIVE THE READING.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

NEXT, WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC.

OR. SORRY. YES.

TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPT.

MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 2023-083 BEING A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE BUDGET FOR YEAR 2024, SETTING THE CITY LEVY, APPROVING THE HRA LEVY AND APPROVING A TAX RATE INCREASE.

SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BESGUINES AND SORRY COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER BEGINS.

ANY DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS? I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR TAXES YOU CAN CALL ME.

AND WE CAN DEFINITELY SET UP A MEETING WITH OUR FINANCIAL DIRECTOR WITH THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER.

THERE ARE QUESTIONS OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED, WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING, AND WE WANT TO SHARE ALL THAT INFORMATION.

SO, WHEN I SAID IT IS ON THE WEBSITE, I MEANT TO LET YOU KNOW IT'S ACCESSIBLE, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO FIND IT OUT.

WE SERIOUSLY WILL TAKE TIME TO SIT WITH ANYONE WHO HAS QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT. NO OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION.

ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES, AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER BEGINS TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND SHARING WITH US.

NEXT IT TAKES US TO OUR ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION.

[24. Approval of Second Amended Loan Agreement and Related Documents for the 4300 Central Avenue NE Redevelopment Site.]

NUMBER 24 IS THE APPROVAL OF THE SECOND AMENDED LOAN AGREEMENT AND RELATED DOCUMENTS FOR THE 4300 CENTRAL AVENUE NORTHEAST REDEVELOPMENT SITE.

AND FOR THIS, I'M ALL OFF.

THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR.

MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AARON CHIRPICH.

THIS ITEM IS IN RELATION TO FUNDING FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT SITE AT 4300 CENTRAL AVENUE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY MIGHT REFER TO IT AS THE RAINBOW SITE.

SO, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, REALLY SIX MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS TOPIC AND FINANCING AROUND THE REDEVELOPMENT AND WHAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE TO DO.

AND WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE THE CITY'S HAD TO REFINANCE SOME BOND DEBT RECENTLY THAT WAS APPROVED ON THE 27TH OF LAST MONTH, ACTUALLY TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE TONIGHT, BUT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE BACKGROUND.

SO, IN 2021 THE CITY ACTUALLY PARTNERED WITH LATTICE LLC TO ACQUIRE THAT SITE.

AND TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE, THE CITY DID ISSUE TAXABLE GENERAL OBLIGATION TEMPORARY TAX INCREMENT BONDS.

SO THAT'S A MOUTHFUL.

BUT THE CITY ISSUED DEBT TO ALLOW A LATTICE TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY TEAR DOWN THE BUILDING AND COMPLETE ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION OF THE SITE.

SO, THE CITY BONDED FOR THAT AND THEN MADE A LOAN TO LATTICE.

AND THAT ORIGINAL LOAN HAD A MATURITY DATE OF JULY 31ST OF THIS YEAR OF 2023.

AND AS THAT EXPIRATION DEADLINE APPROACHED IN MAY, THE CITY ACTUALLY EXTENDED THAT LOAN DATE TO DECEMBER 15TH OF THIS MONTH TO ALLOW LATTICE MORE TIME TO CLOSE ON THE FIRST PHASE OF FINANCING FOR THE PROJECT, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE FUNDING FOR THE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST PHASE OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED.

AND AT THAT TIME IN MAY, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE WOULD DO IN THAT CASE AND DISCUSSED YOU KNOW, REFINANCING THE CITY'S BOND DEBT TO ESSENTIALLY EXTEND ANOTHER LOAN TO LATTICE TO GIVE US MORE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT, WHICH WE DO EXPECT TO START IN MID TO LATE 2024. SO NEXT YEAR.

[01:05:02]

SO, WE'RE AT THAT JUNCTURE WHERE IN ORDER TO EXTEND THE REPAYMENT TIMELINE, WE CAN'T JUST AMEND THE LOAN LIKE WE DID IN MAY.

BECAUSE THAT FIRST SERIES OF BONDS, THAT FIRST DEBT ISSUANCE IS COMING DUE ACTUALLY ON FEBRUARY 1ST OF NEXT YEAR.

SO, WE HAVE TWO THINGS THAT WE MUST ACCOMPLISH.

AND THE FIRST IS ISSUE A NEW SET OF BONDS THAT WILL PAY OFF THE FIRST.

AND THAT ACTION WAS TAKEN BY THE COUNCIL AGAIN LAST MONTH.

AND WE'RE ACTUALLY PREPARING FOR THAT CLOSING THIS WEEK.

AND THEN SECONDARILY, ESSENTIALLY, WE HAVE TO REESTABLISH LOAN AGREEMENT WITH THE LATTICE THAT MIRRORS THE FIRST LOAN AGREEMENT, BUT AT A LARGER BOND AMOUNT. SO, THE NEW SET OF BONDS THAT ARE PAYING OFF THAT THAT FIRST SET ARE ABOUT $680,000 MORE THAN THE FIRST ISSUANCE, UH, DUE TO CLOSING COSTS. SO, IN THIS CASE, THE SECOND SET OF CLOSING COSTS AND THEN THE CAPITALIZED INTEREST THAT WILL ACCRUE ON THOSE BONDS, THAT IS NOW SUBJECT TO A HIGHER RATE.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT ISSUE A NEW SET OF BONDS, PAY OFF THE FIRST, AND THEN BY US A COUPLE OF MORE YEARS, WHICH STAFF DON'T ANTICIPATE NEEDING THAT FULL TIME, UM, TO EXECUTE ON THE FIRST PHASE OF REDEVELOPMENT, AT WHICH TIME LATTICE WOULD PAY BACK THE CITY, AND THEN THE CITY WOULD PAY OFF THE SECOND BOND ISSUANCE.

SO, A LITTLE BIT OF, YOU KNOW, KEY POINTS ABOUT THE LOAN, IT'S STRUCTURED IN THE EXACT SAME WAY AS THE FIRST LOAN WAS WITH THE NEW MATURITY DATE OF JULY 31ST OF 2025. AGAIN, THERE'S NO INTEREST OR PRINCIPAL PAYMENTS DUE DURING THAT INTERIM PERIOD.

INTEREST DOES ACCRUE AND IS PAID OFF AT CLOSING.

AND WITH THAT IT GETS A LITTLE BIT COMPLICATED, I UNDERSTAND, BUT STAFF WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? ALL RIGHT THEN.

THEN WE HAVE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE READING.

MOVE TO WAIVE THE READING OF RESOLUTION 2023 DASH 87.

THERE BEING AMPLE COPIES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER SPRIGGS TO WAIVE THE READING.

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING IS NOT. THEN ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION PASSES AND NEXT WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

MOVE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2023-87, A RESOLUTION APPROVING MODIFICATION OF CERTAIN ITEMS OF A LOAN FROM THE CITY TO LATTICE COLUMBIA HEIGHTS TO LLC, AND APPROVING FORMS OF SECOND, AMENDED AND RESTATED LOAN DOCUMENTS.

SECOND. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER SPRIGGS.

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING IS NOT. THEN ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

NEXT ORDINANCE AND RESOLUTIONS.

WE HAVE NONE OR BID CONSIDERATIONS OR NEW BUSINESS THAT TAKES US TO OUR CITY COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS.

[CITY COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS]

AND WE USUALLY START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BESGUENES.

WE CAN START WITH. ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER SPRIGGS.

YEAH. SO, I ATTENDED A HEALTHY PARTNERSHIPS MONTHLY MEETING, WHICH IS A MEETING PUT ON BY THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TALKING ABOUT STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT AND WHATNOT, AND SPECIFICALLY HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE INCREASES IN FLU, COVID AND RSV.

SO JUST TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING HOME IF YOU'RE SICK, TESTING AND DEFINITELY GETTING VACCINES AS YOU'RE ABLE TO PROTECT YOURSELF AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.

I ADDITIONALLY ATTENDED A MEETING THROUGH THE GROUP HOME LINE.

UM, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT CHANGES TO TENANT AND LANDLORD LAW FOR 2024.

WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND THE FULL MEETING.

SO, TRYING TO GET THE NOTES FROM THAT, BUT DEFINITELY SOME INTERESTING UPDATES AND COMING YEAR.

ALSO, JUST KIND OF WORKING ON MY OWN PROPOSALS, PROJECTS, IDEAS FOR THE YEAR 2024 AND FURTHER FOR THE CITY.

AND WE'LL BE TALKING WITH STAFF ABOUT THOSE IN THE COUNCIL AS WELL AT UPCOMING MEETINGS, AND THEN EXCITED TO TRY TO POP OVER TO THE HOLIDAY TRAIN AFTER THIS.

AND THEN FOR THE UPCOMING SANTA ANA FIRE TRUCK THAT WILL BE GOING ON NEXT WEEK.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SPRIGGS.

WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO NEXT? I'LL GO NEXT. COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS ATTENDED BOTH THE THIRD AND FOURTH INSTALLMENTS FOCUSED ON OPIOID OVERDOSE AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL AND COORDINATING MUNICIPAL EFFORTS FOR BETTER OVERSIGHT.

BUSINESS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL AND ALSO ATTENDED.

DON'T. DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF SHOWING UP.

ANOKA COUNTY REAL ESTATE SUMMIT NETWORKING CHAPTER MEETING.

AND THEN I ALSO ATTENDED THE ADOPT A STOP ANNUAL RECOGNITION EVENT ON SATURDAY.

I ALSO ATTENDED THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 100-YEAR CELEBRATION AND MASS AND, UM, WE WERE JOINED BY FATHER BOB HAZEL, WHO WAS THE FIRST

[01:10:03]

OF TWO ORDAINED PRIESTS FROM IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, AND HIS SISTER, SUE BISHOP WILLIAMS, AND OUR PARISH PRIEST, FATHER MATT AND I REALLY ENJOYED THEIR INDIVIDUAL MEMORIES AND PERSPECTIVES.

IT WAS AN EXTRA GIFT ON A REALLY FUN EVENING, AND I HAD FACILITATED EIGHT RESIDENT REACH OUTS.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS.

COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES.

THANK YOU. MAYOR.

I WAS ABLE TO TAKE TWO COURSES THROUGH THE LEAGUE OF MINNESOTA CITIES.

THE FIRST WAS ON FILLING A COUNCIL VACANCY AND CITY SPECIAL ELECTIONS TO LEARN THE RULES BEHIND THAT.

AND THEN ANOTHER COURSE ON GOVERNANCE.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

I ATTENDED THE MINNESOTA CLIMATE COALITION MEETING WITH OTHER CITY OFFICIALS AND LEADERS ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS.

I ATTENDED A CONFERENCE THAT WAS CALLED THE PROGRESSIVE GOVERNANCE ACADEMY WITH LOCAL PROGRESS.

WE MET IN SAINT PAUL AT THE NURSES UNION HALL TO LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

UH, THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS HAD OUR WINTER SOCIAL THAT WE WERE BOTH ABLE TO GO TO.

THAT WAS WONDERFUL.

ATTENDED THE WORK SESSION AND THEN ALSO MET WITH, UH, INDIVIDUALLY MET WITH THE DIRECTOR OF HOMELINE, WHICH IS ERIC HAGUE, TO HEAR ABOUT HOW MANY RESIDENTS FROM COLUMBIA HEIGHTS HAVE CALLED HOMELINE IN THE LAST YEAR, WHAT HAVE BEEN THEIR ISSUES? AND THEN HOW COULD WE AS A CITY ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES? AND THEN, PERSONALLY, I'D LIKE TO WISH THOSE WHO CELEBRATE A HAPPY ADVENT, HANUKKAH, BLESSED SOLSTICE, AND TO SAY THAT I AM PRAYING FOR OUR NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE WORLD IN PALESTINE AND ISRAEL.

COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES AND COUNCIL MEMBER BUESGUENS.

THEN THE LAST TWO WEEKS I ATTENDED THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT DINNER WHERE WE MEET WITH OTHER PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND CITY ADMINISTRATORS IN ANOKA COUNTY TO LEARN NEW THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE COUNTY.

I ATTENDED A LOCAL ART SALE BY ONE OF OUR ARTISTS.

KATIE AND I HAVE A HARD TIME PRONOUNCING HER LAST NAME.

OKAY. YES.

SO, IT WAS FUN TO ACTUALLY GO TO AN ART SALE IN OUR CITY.

I ATTENDED CHILI WITH A COP.

IT WAS WELL ATTENDED.

THE CHILI WAS GREAT. HAD GREAT DISCUSSIONS WITH PEOPLE AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT TABLES.

I ALSO ATTENDED THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 100-YEAR ANNIVERSARY.

VERY WELL ATTENDED.

WE LEARNED SOME OF THE HISTORY.

IT WAS QUITE INTERESTING TO HEAR ABOUT HOW THIS CHURCH CAME TO BE AND, AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED ALONG THE WAY.

THEN RIGHT AFTER THAT, I CRUISED UP TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEY, THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS HAD A MUSICAL, CINDERELLA, AND IT WAS AWESOME.

THEY ARE SO GOOD.

WE GOT SOME GREAT TALENT IN THESE KIDS IN TOWN.

SO, IT WAS A GREAT ONE.

THE MIDDLE SCHOOL NOW IS JUST AUDITIONING FOR THEIRS.

I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE IN MARCH.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

AND THEN I SWUNG BY ST.

MATTHEW'S HAD A YOUTH BAKE SALE.

I SWUNG BACK THERE. IT'S ONE BY THERE AND PICKED UP SOME CHRISTMAS GOODIES.

AND THAT'S IT.

UM, OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS STARTING TODAY, I ATTENDED OUR REGIONAL COUNCIL OF MAYORS MEETING WHICH ONCE A YEAR MEETS AT THE MINNEAPOLIS CLUB. AND TODAY I ACCEPTED AN APPOINTMENT TO JOIN THEIR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

COUNCIL MEMBER BUESGENS.

SO, I'M EXCITED TO THANK YOU TO HELP OTHER MAYORS ACROSS THE REGION BRING IN OUR GUEST SPEAKERS AND LEARN MORE WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP OUR OWN CONSTITUENTS.

AND AS TO WHAT COUNCILMEMBER JAMES SAID TO CO-GOVERNANCE, THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS THAT CITIES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE SHARING RESOURCES TO NOT HAVE TO KIND OF CARRY ALL THOSE COSTS ON THEIR OWN.

SO, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE WAYS.

I HOSTED HERE AT CITY HALL, WE I WOULD SAY WE, UM, HOSTED A NATIVE INDIGENOUS BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE FOR SENATOR TINA SMITH'S STAFF.

AND THAT WAS IN THE ROOM RIGHT NEXT TO OUR COUNCIL CHAMBERS, ACTUALLY, A FULL HOUSE.

OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES AND LARGE BUSINESSES AND HOW THEY COULD USE FEDERAL RESOURCES.

ALSO ATTENDED BY THIS MEETING WAS SENATOR AMY KLOBUCHAR.

STAFF. SO, IT WAS GREAT TO BRING IN THOSE STAFF MEMBERS HERE AND TO OUR CITY AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT OTHER NEEDS THAT WE HAVE IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS. BIGGEST WAS OUR PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING, AND THAT WE COULD USE FEDERAL FUNDING TO HELP US WITH THE COST OF THAT WHICH WOULD ALLEVIATE AND GOING TO ANY OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR THOSE COSTS.

THIS PAST SATURDAY, I ATTENDED THE POLARIS CHORAL AND BELLS OF THE LAKE CONCERT AT FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH.

THIS IS A REGIONAL CONCERT THAT ALSO TOOK PLACE IN EDINA.

THE NEXT SUNDAY. BUT IT WAS JOYOUS KICKOFF FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

I ALSO ATTENDED THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 100-YEAR CELEBRATION.

WE ALSO GAVE A PROCLAMATION TO HAVE DECEMBER 8TH AS IMMACULATE CONCEPTION DAY IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.

[01:15:03]

AT MY TABLE, WHICH WAS NEXT TO COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS ALSO SAT WITH SOME PAST SISTERS WHO GREW UP IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, BECAME NUNS, AND THEN ONE OF THEM ACTUALLY WAS THE PRINCIPAL AT THE SCHOOL. SO, THEY HAD A LOT OF FUN MEMORIES TO SHARE.

THIS PAST FRIDAY, WE ALSO HOSTED HERE AT THE CITY, THE NORTH METRO BUSINESS CHAMBER.

IT WAS A REALLY WELL ATTENDED MEETING.

WE HEARD FROM METRO TRANSIT, MNDOT KNOW WE HEARD FROM MNDOT AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT BUSINESSES IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS WERE ABLE TO SHARE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THEIR IN THEIR ARENAS.

ATTENDED THE PARK AND REC MEETING LAST WEEK, ATTENDED AND HOSTED HERE.

A ROTARY MEETING FOR OUR COLUMBIA HEIGHTS FRIDLEY ROTARY.

AND I ACTUALLY CO-PRESENTED WITH VERONICA JOHNSON, A COLUMBIA HEIGHTS MEMBER, ABOUT OUR TRIP TO POLAND A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO TO SEE OUR SISTER CITY OF MILWAUKEE, AND ALSO THE REST OF OUR TRIP.

I MET WITH OUR POLICE CHIEF AND THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT STENVIG ABOUT THE BE SMART SECURE GUN PROGRAM THAT WE WILL START SHARING MORE ABOUT IN THE NEXT MONTH.

AND WE ALSO HOSTED AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING, A PRESENTATION WHERE MANY MEMBERS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, ATTENDED AND LEARNED MORE WAYS THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT GUN SAFETY.

I ATTENDED A BOARD MEETING FOR ART TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

A LOCAL PROGRESSIVE SOCIAL JUSTICE ART COMMUNITY ATTENDED ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE COUNCIL.

OUR INTERVIEWING OF THE SEARCH FOR SEARCH FIRMS FOR THE CITY MANAGER SEARCH.

THAT WAS LAST MONDAY.

I ALSO ATTENDED TWO CRAFT SALES THIS PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.

ONE WAS HOSTED AT CHURCH OF ALL NATIONS AND THE OTHER ONE WAS AT CRESTVIEW.

IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

THE SAME DAY I ATTENDED THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS LUNCHEON, I SPOKE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA'S CHICANO STUDIES CLASS.

UM, LAST WEEK, ATTENDED AND HAD A TABLE AT THE SCHOOL RESOURCE FAIR AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICE.

ATTENDED AN ONLINE CLIMATE COALITION MEETING, ALONG WITH COUNCIL OR CITY STAFF MEMBERS AND THE ANOKA COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS MEETING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BUESGENS MENTIONED I AM SEED THAT WAS ASKED TO EMCEE THE MEETING AND WILL EMCEE THE JANUARY MEETING AS WELL.

UM, AND LET'S SEE, HAD ANOTHER MEETING WITH A CONSTITUENT AND LEADER IN THE BLUE ZONES PROJECT.

IF YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT BLUE ZONES AND HOW WE COULD BRING THAT TO COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.

AND COMING UP TOMORROW, I HAVE A GOVERNOR'S MEETING FOR THE LATIN COMMUNITY'S SHOP WITH A COP.

AND LATER THIS WEEK, WE HAVE OUR CITY STAFF LUNCHEON, WHERE WE'LL ANNOUNCE THE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

AND WE HAVE OUR YOUTH COMMISSION MEETING ON WEDNESDAY.

AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF JOANNE, STUDENT WHO PASSED AWAY RECENTLY AND HER VISITATION AND FUNERAL ARE TOMORROW AND WEDNESDAY.

BUT I ONLY MET HER A FEW TIMES.

I'VE HEARD SHE WAS AMAZING WHEN I MET HER, BUT I'VE HEARD JUST SO MANY GREAT STORIES IN THE LAST FEW DAYS FROM PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE WORKED WITH HER AND SERVED WITH HER. SO JUST WANT TO SHARE OUR CONDOLENCES.

AND THAT SENDS ME OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER FOR THANK YOU, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS.

UM, AS COUNCIL MEMBER SPRIGGS HAD BROUGHT UP, THE HOLIDAY TRAIN IS ACTUALLY COMING IN TONIGHT.

SHOULD BE IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS BETWEEN 8 AND 815.

AND THAT'S LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF 37TH AND STINSON.

AND THAT'S REALLY AT THE PARK THAT'S LOCATED RIGHT IN THAT CORNER WHERE THE TRAIN WILL BE COMING IN.

IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO IT, IT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY GOOD TIME TO ATTEND THAT.

ALSO, AS COUNCIL MEMBER SPRIGGS HAD INDICATED, SANTA CITY'S TOUR IS COMING INTO TOWN AND SANTA WILL BE TRAVELING THROUGH OUR CITY STREETS ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19TH, STARTING AT FIVE, AND THEN WRAPPING BACK UP AT MURZYN HALL AT ABOUT 645.

AND THEN SANTA WILL BE AT MURZYN HALL UNTIL AT 8 P.M.

AND IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED ON THE ROUTE OR SIGNING UP FOR THAT, THEY CAN FIND THAT ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND ALSO ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

JANUARY 9TH OF 2024 WE ARE HOSTING AN OPEN HOUSE HERE.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS DOING THAT AS IT RELATES TO THE PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE FOR THE MEDTRONIC COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE.

SO, THAT WILL BE LOCATED HERE IN THIS CHAMBER, CORRECT? WE'RE STILL FIGURING IT OUT, BUT POTENTIALLY CENTRAL PLACE AND THE LOBBY.

BUT HERE, IF YOU COME TO CITY HALL, YOU'LL BE AT THE RIGHT PLACE.

GOT IT? DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME THAT IS? 6 P.M. THANK YOU.

WE WILL GET THAT ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, FACEBOOK PAGE AND ALL OF THE PLATFORMS AS SOON AS WE HAVE THE FULL INFORMATION.

[01:20:01]

GREAT. AND MY CONDOLENCES ALSO TO THE FAMILY OF JOANNE STUDENT.

I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH HER WHEN I FIRST STARTED HERE AT COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, SO SHE WAS BOTH THE COUNCIL SECRETARY, BUT ALSO THE CITY CLERK FOR COLUMBIA HEIGHTS AND HER, UM, OBITUARIES IN THE PAPER FOR ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN VISITATION.

AND THE LAST THING I HAVE IS FOR I WAS A MERE 30 YEARS AGO, THE INDIVIDUAL TO MY FAR RIGHT HAD HIS FIRST MEETING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, AND THIS WILL BE HIS LAST MEETING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL 30 YEARS LATER.

TIME FLIES, DOESN'T IT, MR. CITY ATTORNEY? YEAH.

SO, JIM HOEFT IS RETIRING.

HE'LL BE DONE HERE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.

BUT AS THIS IS OUR ONLY MEETING IN DECEMBER THIS WILL BE HIS LAST MEETING WITH THE CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.

SO, IF I HAVEN'T SAID IT, I'M SURE I WILL BE SOON.

BUT THANK YOU FOR 30 YEARS OF SERVICE, AND CERTAINLY FOR THE ADVICE AND GUIDANCE AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR ME, FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND FOR THE CITY.

JIM. MUCH APPRECIATED.

AND LAST THING I HAVE IS JUST HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

TIS THE SEASON. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.

YES. FOR YOUR SERVICE HERE.

30 YEARS.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT.

COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS.

I HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

WAS YOUR HAIR WHITE WHEN YOU STARTED? I'M NOT STANDING FOR ANY QUESTIONS TONIGHT.

SO. NO, IT WAS IT WAS, IT WAS NOT.

AND I GET CHIDED ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME, BUT SINCERELY.

THANK YOU. THANKS, JIM.

AND I'VE ENJOYED THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND I ENJOYED THE WORK.

I STILL ENJOY IT, BUT MY WIFE IS ALSO RETIRING AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND BECAUSE WE STILL LIKE EACH OTHER, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT CHAPTER.

SO, AND EXCITED ABOUT IT.

THANK YOU. WONDERFUL.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANKS.

ALL RIGHT THEN. THANK YOU.

AND THAT TAKES US TO OUR COMMUNITY FORUM.

[COMMUNITY FORUM]

AND SARAH, CITY CLERK IAN, IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? SO, THERE IS NO ONE ON TEAMS ONLINE STILL, AND I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A FORM TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC FORUM FROM ANYONE.

OKAY, I'LL JUST REPEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME.

THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY FORUM TIME.

SO, ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC CAN ADDRESS THE COUNCIL REGARDING ANY MATTER THAT HAS NOT HAD A PUBLIC HEARING EARLIER IN THE MEETING.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? SURE. SO, THE CITY CLERK WILL YOU NEED HER NAME AGAIN TO ANNOUNCE HER? JODY.

YOU SAID IT'S JODY LONG.

JODY LONG. ALL RIGHT.

AND IF YOU COULD JUST MOVE THE MICROPHONE CLOSER.

THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO ASK WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE RAINBOW.

PLEASE. I DON'T WANT 600 APARTMENTS.

THAT'S 599 APARTMENTS.

NO. THANK YOU.

SO RIGHT NOW, THERE'S A CONCEPT PLAN THAT DOES INCLUDE A MIX OF MULTIFAMILY, COMMERCIAL RETAIL AND SOME TOWNHOMES.

AND THE NUMBER OF APARTMENTS IS YET TO BE DETERMINED, BUT IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED BETWEEN 4 AND 600 APARTMENTS AND THE TOWNHOMES, 50 OR LESS.

THAT'S JUST A REAL GENERAL OUTLINE, ISN'T THAT BIG.

WHY DO WE HAVE TO HAVE SO MANY APARTMENTS? WHY ANOTHER? I MEAN, THIS IS BIG ENOUGH, THIS BUILDING.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE LITTLE TOWN ANYMORE.

LITTLE TOWN FEELING, YOU KNOW, TOO MANY PEOPLE IN ONE PLACE CAUSES TOO MANY PROBLEMS FOR OUR OFFICERS, I THINK.

I DON'T CARE WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE LIVE THERE.

DOESN'T MATTER. IT'S JUST TOO MANY.

ALL RIGHT. THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T VOTE FOR THE OTHER GUYS THAT WERE ON THE COUNCIL.

WELL, THANK YOU, JODY, FOR YOUR QUESTION.

CAN I TAKE ANOTHER TURN? SURE THING. YES.

WE'LL JUST HAVE OUR CITY CLERK ANNOUNCE YOUR NAME.

ROGER PETERSON WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.

COMPLIMENTARY IS THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE, CONNIE, THAT THAT AFTER EVERYTHING WAS KIND OF SAID AND DONE, AS FAR AS WITH YOUR TIME OF LIVING HERE AND YOUR EXPERIENCE AND EXPOSURE TO THINGS, THAT YOU ACTUALLY PUT SOME OTHER EXAMPLES OUT THERE AS FAR AS WHAT THE CITY IS DOING AND WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING? MISS JAMES, APPRECIATE YOU SAYING BASICALLY NOT QUITE IN THE SAME VEIN, BUT PUTTING AN ENDORSEMENT AS FAR AS WHERE THE MONEY IS NEEDED. I GET KIND OF SICK AND TIRED OF KIND OF THE COIN THING, AND I'M SURE I'M NOT ALONE IN THIS, THIS WHOLE WORLD THAT WE'RE IN THAT THE COMEBACK.

WELL, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, IT'S ONLINE.

IT'S FOR, IT'S ALL THERE.

IT'S FOR YOU TO FIND.

AND THEN THAT'S AS IF IT'S AN EXCUSE TO NOT TAKE THE TIME TO EITHER PUT IT ON PAPER OR HAVE CONVERSATIONS OR WHATEVER.

[01:25:06]

IT'S LIKE IT'S A COP OUT TO ME BECAUSE AND IT'S KIND OF AN ASSUMPTION THAT EVERYBODY HAS GOT EXPOSURE TO FIND IT ONLINE TO GO ALONG WITH NOT ONLY THE TIME, BUT ALSO THE EXPERTISE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

MAYOR, I YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T PUT OUT SOME EXAMPLES, BUT YOU HAVE KIND OF ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE ARE GOOD REASONS, YOU KNOW, FOR AND YOU APPRECIATE WHERE WE WERE COMING FROM AS FAR AS THE COST.

IT'S JUST NOT YOU DIDN'T YOU WERE NOT GOING OVERBOARD WITH SAYING IT'S ONLINE.

IT'S YOUR PROBLEM.

THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.

YOU GO LOOK FOR IT.

WE DON'T HAVE TO SAY NOTHING.

MS. JACOBS, MR. SPRIGGS, IT'S KIND OF DISAPPOINTING THAT YOU'VE HAD YOUR TIME DURING THIS MEETING TO STAND UP AND SAY WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, AND YOU DIDN'T.

YOU DIDN'T DO IT.

MR. CHIRPICH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR OVERALL KIND OF UPDATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE RAINBOW SITE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS OBVIOUSLY KNOW THAT MORE THAN ANYBODY.

BUT. AND NOW THAT THIS BUILDING THAT WE'RE IN IS ALL UP AND DONE AND READY AND BEING USED AND THAT WHOLE PROCESS AND HOW THAT ALL WENT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE WAS SIMILAR BUMPS IN THE ROAD TO LEADING UP TO WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH THIS DEVELOPER.

AND MAYBE SOME OF THEM ARE.

SOME OF THOSE BUMPS ARE STILL THERE.

MAYBE THE MAJORITY ARE ALL DONE.

BUT NOW IT APPEARS FROM YOUR REVIEW THAT WHAT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF WITH THE SAME DEVELOPER, THE CITY IS STILL SO HOG WILD ON GETTING SOMETHING NEW AND SHINY AND BRINGING NEW STUFF TO THE CITY THAT THEY'VE NOW PUT THEMSELVES BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE. AND THE DEVELOPER IS NOT A NONPROFIT.

THEY'RE IN THERE FOR MONEY.

AND NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'VE GOT THE CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, WHICH ALSO IT'S JUST NOT CITY.

IT'S ALSO THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, KIND OF IN A PLACE WHERE IT'S THEY'RE RUNNING THE SHOW AND YOU'RE TRYING TO KEEP UP, TRYING TO PLACATE THEM AND TRYING TO GET THEM NOT TO BACK OUT AND SAYING, NOPE, SORRY, WE'RE THIS, THIS RAN ITS COURSE.

WE'RE PULLING OUT JUST KIND OF LIKE THE GUN THAT, THAT GOOD OLD HY-VEE PLAYED WITH US FOR 5 OR 6 YEARS, AND THEN THEY DECIDED AND.

IT WASN'T MAYBE QUITE THE SAME GAME.

I THINK THE GAME THAT WE'RE TIED IN WITH THE DEVELOPER IS CERTAINLY TOTALLY DIFFERENT GAME THAN WHAT THAT HIVE WAS PULLING, SO HOPEFULLY IT HOPEFULLY IT PANS OUT THAT IT COMES INTO REALITY.

I THINK WE ALL. WE ARE WHATEVER WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, BUT IT DOES NOT SOUND LIKE A GOOD SITUATION RIGHT NOW.

THANKS. THANK YOU.

I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT.

SO, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF OTHER MEETINGS.

I KIND OF HAD SAID THAT AT THE BEGINNING TOO.

AND UM, SO WHEN WE HAVE THESE MEETINGS, IT'S LIKE HARD TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH DETAIL WE SHOULD GO INTO BECAUSE AND THIS IS NOT ON YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LIVING YOUR LIFE. YOU'RE NOT LIKE, THINKING EVERY DAY.

WHICH MEETING SHOULD I GO TO AT THE CITY? SO, I GET THAT YOU ELECTED US TO GO TO ALL THE MEETINGS.

SO, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S OUR ROLE IS TO DO THAT, BUT THEN WHEN WE COME HERE, THERE ARE SO MANY DETAILS THAT WE COULD GO INTO ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT WE'VE HAD MEETINGS ON.

AND SO SOMETIMES WE VOTE ON THEM BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY TALKED.

WE, THE COUNCIL HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT IT ISN'T THAT THE DETAILS AREN'T IMPORTANT.

AS MUCH AS THE BUSINESS OF THIS MEETING IS TO GET TO DO THE VOTING.

BUT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

IT'S JUST SOMETIMES THERE'S PEOPLE HERE WHO HAVE QUESTIONS, SOMETIMES THERE ISN'T, YOU KNOW, SO THE THE BASICS OF THE MEETING IS WE GET THROUGH THE MEETING, WE LISTEN, WE MAKE OUR DECISIONS.

WE LISTEN. WHEN PEOPLE ARE HERE, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE AREN'T HERE.

AND SO, WE'RE NOT GOING THROUGH ALL THOSE DETAILS BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY HEARD THEM, AND WE GO OVER ENOUGH SO WE CAN IF SOMEONE WAS WATCHING THE RECORDING, THEY WOULD KNOW, OH, I HEAR WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

UM, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF DETAILS TO GO THAT WE COULD SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT ON THE RAINBOW SITE.

I MEAN, WE COULD SIT HERE FOR A LONG TIME AND TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED AND HAVE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AND HOW PRICES HAVE GONE UP AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED.

BUT TO KNOW GOING INTO EVERY MEETING, OKAY, AT THIS MEETING, WE PROBABLY SHOULD EXPLAIN ALL THESE THINGS.

IT'S JUST IT'S JUST HARD TO KNOW THAT AHEAD OF TIME.

SO, I DON'T WANT IT TO SOUND LIKE WE DON'T WANT TO EXPLAIN THEM.

WE DO. WE JUST NEED PEOPLE TO ASK THE QUESTION, SO WE KNOW WHICH ONE TO FOCUS ON, TO EXPLAIN IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

[01:30:05]

AND SO, AT THIS MEETING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF ITEMS, BUT DEFINITELY WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO TALK WITH YOU IN PERSON.

LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO ON THE WEBSITE.

AND IN FACT, WE'VE EVEN DONE LIKE FOR THIS BUILDING, THEY DID MANY MEETINGS AT THE LIBRARY AT MURZYN HALL ASKING FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND GIVE FEEDBACK. THEY PUT THOSE THINGS IN THE NEWSPAPER AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SO PEOPLE WOULD KNOW TO COME IN AND SHARE THEIR OPINIONS AND SHARE THEIR IDEAS.

WE DO A LOT OF PUBLIC OUTREACHES FOR THINGS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CAME IN TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE INCREASE OF OUR TAXES.

MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE WE COULD SCHEDULE A, YOU KNOW, A MEETING RIGHT HERE AT CITY HALL OR AT THE LIBRARY SAYING, HEY, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON YOUR TAXES, COME ON IN.

WE HAVE OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR RIGHT HERE.

WE WOULD LOVE TO GO OVER THOSE DETAILS WITH YOU.

SO, WE STILL VOTED TONIGHT.

IT'S CHANGED.

BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, WHO DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO HAVE LOOKED IN AUGUST, OH, THEY'RE DISCUSSING THE BUDGET.

LET ME GET IN THERE AND SEE ALL THE THINGS THEY'RE DISCUSSING.

WE STILL DO WANT TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.

IT'S JUST A LOT OF INFORMATION TO TRY TO GET OUT THERE, BUT WE WILL ALWAYS PREPARE STUFF.

WE CAN PRINT OUT ALL OF THE MEETING STUFF AHEAD OF TIME IF ANYONE WANTS IT.

WE CAN DO THAT SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO JUST GO FIND IT ON THE WEBSITE.

BUT WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE NEED WHEN THEY COME HERE.

SO, I JUST, I WANT TO WORK.

WE WANT TO WORK WITH EVERYONE BUT JUST NEED GUIDANCE OF WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS, I GUESS.

SO, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT.

ANYONE ELSE FOR THE COMMUNITY FORUM DIRECTOR KLOIBER I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

I WOULD JUST ALSO LIKE TO REITERATE THAT I CAN SEE THE PERCEPTION OF THAT.

THE CITY IS TELLING PEOPLE TO GO TO THE WEBSITE AND FIND IT OUT FOR THEMSELVES ABOUT THE BUDGET.

I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE CITY IN MY TIME HERE HAS BEEN DOING BUDGETS LONG BEFORE THERE WAS A WEBSITE.

UM, AND THE METHOD THAT WE MADE THE BUDGET PUBLICLY AVAILABLE TO THE.

COMMUNITY, AS REQUIRED BY LAW, IS ONE REFERENCE.

HARD COPY WAS PLACED AT THE.

CITY LIBRARY.

WHICHEVER LOCATION THE CITY LIBRARY HAPPENED TO BE AT, AND ONE WAS AVAILABLE AT CITY HALL THAT PEOPLE COULD COME AND BROWSE THROUGH AT THE RECEPTION DESK. AS TIME WENT FORWARD, BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ONLY ON THE WEBSITE, BUT THAT WE HAVE COMPUTERS AT THE LIBRARY AND NOW WE AT THE NEW LAW, WE HAVE A PUBLIC FACING COMPUTER RIGHT THERE IN THE HALLWAY AT THE KIOSK.

SO, WE NO LONGER HAVE THOSE HARD COPIES AT THOSE BUILDINGS.

BUT IF SOMEONE COMES TO THE BUILDING, WE CAN GET THEM UP ON THE RIGHT DOCUMENT ON THE SCREEN, JUST AS IF IT WAS STILL A HARD COPY.

UM, THAT'S NOT TO SUGGEST THAT.

THEY DON'T THAT THE PUBLIC DOESN'T NEED HELP.

AS YOU DISCUSSED INTERPRETING, IT'S 120 PAGES LONG, THIS DOCUMENT.

SO, WHETHER IT'S HARD COPY OR ON THE INTERNET, IT'S NOT EXPECTED TO BE, UM, NECESSARILY EASILY ABSORBED BY EVERYBODY.

BUT THERE ARE SUMMARY SECTIONS THAT WE CAN HELP PEOPLE THROUGH.

THANK YOU FOR ADDING THAT.

ALL RIGHT THEN. AND TO THE CITY CLERK.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AT THE COMMUNITY FORUM? THERE IS NOT.

ALL RIGHT THEN, SEEING AS THERE'S NO ONE ELSE WHO HAS COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY FORUM, THEN MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING? SO MOVED.

SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BUESGENS AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER JACOBS.

ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING IS NOT. THEN ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.