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Good evening and welcome as we call the order of this regular session of the city council on Monday, December 15, 2025, roll call, auto, here.

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here. Evan's here. Stacey. Glad is also present and joining us for City staff tonight is.

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Police Chief Terry Steer. City administrator, Dawn Meyer. Recording Secretary Renee Eirick.

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Patrol Sergeant Brian Vice-Cidal. Sympi of Smith Strat Community Development Director. Todd Otto Public Works Superintendent.

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Joe Duncan City Engineer. Bob Vos City Attorney. Steve Otto Fire Chief.

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Thank you for the approval of the agenda tonight with the edition of Resolution 25159

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of Proving Primest Permit for German Days Incorporated at Steelhurst, Tavern, and I'll add that

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to the consent agenda with that all of our motion.

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Second.

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I have a motion by Evans and a second by Stacey, all those in favor.

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Aye.

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Opposed?

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Moving on.

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public forum tonight we have Rachel Miller signed up and I will also invite any audience members

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that didn't sign up to speak if they were.

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Rachel Miller, Henderson and Pendant, that addresses 507 Main Street and Henderson.

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For those that don't know me, again I'm Rachel Miller and the owner and publisher of the

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Henderson Independent newspaper and the person who has covered the city council for the past

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year.

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Typically you'll see me in the back or to the side of this room, carefully recording

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what you all say. I typically don't address the council, but over the weekend I was made

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aware of an incident that I could not ignore.

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Maryland, you shared my article in the budget last week about the city finances, which

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is totally fine. But in your comments you stated, it's funny how Rachel was in attendance,

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but didn't include any of the proposed cuts. She would rather talk about an unbalanced

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budget that we were trying to balance by proposing cuts.

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Although you did not come out and say it, the insinuation was clear enough, you believe

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I am unbiased and unprofessional in my reporting.

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As a result, I would like to introduce the true facts into the public record.

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Last week's article had nothing to do with the December 10th budget meeting.

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It was in fact to follow up to the December 1st City Council meeting in which this

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Council voted down the tax, levy, and budget.

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If you'd read that initial article in the December 5th edition, you would have noticed

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I did not include the allegations that staff made that the city would lose state funding

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if a budget was not approved by the end of the year.

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I intentionally omitted it at the time because I could not verify the truth of that statement

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by our press deadline, and I do not believe in publishing unverified information.

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And that is how misinformation spreads, and how trust is eroded in the media.

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I had a conversation with state auditor Blahahah on the afternoon of December 3, and

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she told me that the information staff shared was not accurate, however she did say that

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It was a common misconception, and that same Paul staff had also made the same error.

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Because those comments were made on the record in the meeting, I felt it was my duty to share accurate information with the public.

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That is what last week's article was about.

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And at risk of incurring the staff's wrath, they should know that it was a result of my conversation that the auditor reached out to them.

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She just wanted to make you aware of accurate information.

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Isn't this what newspapers are for?

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Isn't not our job to hold officials accountable and verify that the information is true and accurate before we publish?

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Putting a newspaper together is not easy.

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There are a lot of moving parts that have to be finalized every week.

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And for those that are unfamiliar, newspapers do have deadlines.

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Hours is noon on Wednesday.

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So, Mayor, last week's budget meeting started at 3 p.m. Wednesday. By the time it finished close to 6 p.m., our paper had already been bundled, labeled, and was waiting to be loaded on a delivery van that would depart Thursday morning.

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Now, I'm good at my job, but I am not capable of getting an article in the paper that has already been printed.

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Now, I'm not going to fault anyone here for not knowing the ins and outs of my business. That isn't your job.

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However, a simple phone call, or an email, could have very quickly cleared up this situation.

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And frankly, that should have been done before a disparaging comment was made about me online.

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The Concern Citizens of Belplain Facebook page has 4800 followers,

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and a statement an assumption was made about me without care for the truth.

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No one has to like me, you don't have to want to be my friend,

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But just like I hold myself to standards to make sure I am sharing the truth, so should all of you.

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And that brings me to my final point.

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I have been a working journalist for almost 20 years now.

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And I can sincerely say that I have never seen a more dysfunctional governmental body.

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And at the heart of that is a pattern of disrespect.

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Last Wednesday's budget meeting was a perfect example.

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We had one council member drop an F-bomb, another leave before the meeting was over, and another

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speaking over, city staff and other council members.

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All of that is disrespectful and does not encourage collaboration.

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The moment disrespect enters a conversation is the moment productive communication dies.

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I'm going to repeat that.

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the moment disrespect enters a conversation is the moment productive communication dies.

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Now, I truly believe that a majority of this council agrees that taxes are too high and

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something needs to be done, but that's why this situation is so baffling. Because if people

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can agree there's a problem, they should be united to work together to address that problem,

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and that's simply not happening.

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Respect is earned. It can't be demanded, and if you don't show

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to one another, you're not going to get it back from one another. A good leader leads by example.

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A good leader wants outside opinions and thoughts and collaborates. They don't think their opinion

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is the only one that matters. They don't talk over people. They don't take credit for success

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while finding someone to blame for the failures. All five of you matter. You have equal voices, equal

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votes, your opinions, your perspectives, your lived experiences are all equally valid.

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There isn't anyone at this table that matters more than the other four.

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Belplain needs good leadership, it deserves good leadership.

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Not infighting, not cursing, not leaving meetings early, and not speaking over others.

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A new year is almost upon us, gentlemen, and for the sake of this city, I genuinely hope

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to see much needed change when it arrives.

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Thank you for listening.

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Can I follow up with one question, Rachel?

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Yes, sir.

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During the preliminary budget,

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you printed the incorrect tax percentage amount.

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And I reached out to the Henderson Independent

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and had you wanted you to correct that in the next article

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and that was not done.

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So you are relaying bias information.

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The preliminary one, are you talking back in September?

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Yep.

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I do know you reached out to me.

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I do know I had printed a correction if you'll I would be happy to look that up on our archives

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and if I'm speaking I'll happily correct that on the record but I do know I do remember

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receiving a correction from you and I do remember running a correction so I would be more

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than happy so look into that for you and I know there's been people here where we've had

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correct information and they've reached out and we've made

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I think Cynthia, we had a very lengthy correction that you sent us, I think last year, I'm always happy to correct the record.

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And I always apologize when we do have an error.

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And I apologize for putting that. I thought that you had made that article on Wednesday, so I apologize to that.

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No. And truthfully, it would be very difficult for even a Tuesday night meeting to make it simply because of the time it takes to put something together.

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And the fact that it's not just enough to write it, it has to be designed, it has to be put on a page, it has to be proof.

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Like, I mean, when there's elections, I will be up until 4am, getting that data, compiling a story, getting it designed,

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and then I'll be back up at 7 to finish the paper by noon.

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And I'm just going to remind everybody that concerned citizens of the plane is a private Facebook group,

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which means the admins own the content, not anybody else.

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So that information is going to be used for you to monetize and need to be correct.

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It is.

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And I was also I used to be a member of that page until a few months ago.

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I noticed that I had been removed and banned from that page.

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So I didn't have a way to address the comments on that page.

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I didn't have a way to address the comments on that page.

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I didn't have any comments on that page.

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Rex, this is another forum.

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You're not allowed to talk here, so I did have three residents reach out to me on Saturday

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between eight and noon and one of them said, wow.

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You must have really ticked the council off.

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They're talking crap about you online.

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I was in the 820 AM at breakfast with Santa.

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That wasn't how I would like to start my day.

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But it was something multiple residents reach out to me about.

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So I just want to correct that record that the budget meeting

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had nothing to do with last week's paper.

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It was already printed.

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Thank you.

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Hold on.

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Hold on.

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Hold on.

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I would have to go back and look at that.

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I know that the bell plane side, we print about 740 papers a week, but there are people

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outside of bell plane that want that news to.

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So I'm not going to say they're all bell plane residents.

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So if you want, I could look that up and email you at a later date.

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Anyone else have question for me?

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Thank you.

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All right, anybody else, I want to speak tonight at 12th of warm.

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There is anybody?

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Tracy, high in three, 15 south-seater street.

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I haven't been paying attention to that budget.

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Was the budget passed?

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Is the budget not passed?

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It's on the agenda tonight.

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It is on the agenda tonight.

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Okay, that's what I need to be clear.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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Hi, my name is Chris Lens.

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977 farmers rich trail.

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I just started to come out tonight.

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get out from behind the keyboard. I think budgets pretty much sailed for this year, but I hope

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you're listening to people when we say these increases are not sustainable. I've been

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in finance for 30 years. All I do is balance budgets. Easiest thing in the world is just take

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last year's and slap a contract increase on there and keep going forward.

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That's not leadership, that's not moving things forward.

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We need to take hard books that are spending, I think you've got a whole room full of people

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here who agree with that.

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Thank you to the council, thank you to the city, you guys do a thank-less job, especially

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finance. We're always the bad guy who gets stuff cut out. I'm asking you guys

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start being the bad guy. This town has a spending problem and I go to city

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council meetings with the Minneapolis City Council and St. Paul in much

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bigger jurisdictions. That's my job. I've done her for 30 years and this is

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are more dysfunctional. So I'm asking do better. Thank you. Do better.

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Nobody else wants to speak, I'll move on. One final call here, everybody else wants.

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Approval of consent agenda, truth and taxation minutes of December 1, 2025, regular session minutes of December 1, 2025, work session minutes of December 1, 2025, resolution 25147, except in a $2,000 grant from the Minnesota Chiefs, a police foundation for the 2026 cooked line in hero's fishing derby, resolution 25148, except a $4,000

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dollars grant from Comp here financial for the Bell plane ambulance emergency response

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equipment. Resolution 25149 except a thousand dollar donation from Chevy Drive event for the

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Bell plane police department. Resolution 25150. Pointing Rick Crand as a regular member of the economic

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development authority. Resolution 25151. Pointing Brian Robnes and Genese Arts as members of the

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Smith's Ryan Ramness in Jim Eggers is regular members of the point as regular members in a pointing

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Antoinette Walsh is alternate of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Resolution 25153 pointing

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Antoinette Walsh is a member of the Parks Commission. Resolution 25154. Resolution improving

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in terms of a rose loan program to paint in them, enterprises LLC, 106 Main Street East,

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Resolution 25157, accepting a $1,000 donation from Scott County Air Culture Society

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for the Belt Clean Fire Department, and with that, I will look for a motion with the addition

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of Resolution 25159, a proving premise permit for the German days in corporate at C.O.H.

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that one. All motion. All second. I would motion by Otto on the second by

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Hartman, all those in favor. I vote. I have stain.

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One of stain Renee, four

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days.

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Commandee, we are receiving the Department reports. Community service

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department is report only tonight. Please refer your questions and

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administrator. Myers, we'll get those answered to you. Ambulance

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permit. Ms. Burton.

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Good evening, Mayor and council.

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Do you want me to just go through our runs first?

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Are you okay with us talking about the.

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Yeah, whatever you want to talk about.

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Perfect.

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So as you have in your packet, I do have our previous

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months runs.

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Are there any questions on those at all?

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You want to answer?

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Open the council.

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Any questions?

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No questions.

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All right.

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a little bit of history with our pages. So, as you saw, I did get a grant for us to get

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some more pages back just to give you a little bit of a brief history. Probably for five

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plus years our primary way of getting an ambulance call out for a backup crew for a 911 call

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was a system called active 911, which comes across our cell phones. We are still going to continue

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to do that, but we've noticed recently that we've had an issue with cell phone outages. We

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probably all seen them differ types of phones,

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everything else.

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So we wanted to make sure that people were aware

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from our staff when there was a call.

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So I took the initiative to get Patre's back on,

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getting those grants, getting some funds.

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One of the hiccups we found in Belplane

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was a history of a piece of equipment called a store

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in Broadway.

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Essentially, it took in the information,

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processed it, and sent it out.

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It was located by the old water tower

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and it continued we got hit with lightning.

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It hasn't been functional, and I'm going to guess fiveish years.

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So the lease agreement we had with that, essentially we just met with Elfa and said that

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this is just not a good place for it, because it continues to get hit.

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We don't want it to mess with the city's infrastructure, stuff like that.

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So we had a meeting and we thought the best place to put this tower would be for a new

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00:19:12,380 --> 00:19:15,040
antenna with repeater is on the fire station.

227
00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:19,540
So that is what Cynthia had drawn up the new

228
00:19:19,540 --> 00:19:21,940
Alisa Grieman for you guys to take a look at.

229
00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:24,280
I also brought with me another one of our Ambulance

230
00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:25,420
Vanders John Shikings.

231
00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:28,600
You've had actually more IT or technical questions

232
00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:31,260
because that is not my forte, that's him.

233
00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,240
But please let me know if you have any questions, concerns,

234
00:19:34,740 --> 00:19:37,740
ideas, that's Mayor Council.

235
00:19:38,220 --> 00:19:41,520
The action for the Alisa Grieman is later on the agenda

236
00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:42,800
for you to take action.

237
00:19:43,260 --> 00:19:43,900
Thank you.

238
00:19:46,270 --> 00:19:47,030
Open the council.

239
00:19:47,490 --> 00:19:48,870
If there are any questions, comments, concerns?

240
00:19:50,390 --> 00:19:54,550
I just want to comment good for you for reaching out, finding a grant and getting those

241
00:19:54,550 --> 00:19:54,770
funds.

242
00:19:55,330 --> 00:19:55,870
That's awesome.

243
00:19:56,430 --> 00:19:57,210
Thank you.

244
00:19:59,730 --> 00:19:59,890
Please.

245
00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:14,200
All right, good evening, Mayor and council. For the month on November, your police department had on 19 criminal cases, resulting in 49 offenses. We wrote 192 traffic citations in mornings, and we had 624 calls for service.

246
00:20:14,820 --> 00:20:20,040
Clearance rate for the month of November was 95%. So I can take any questions that you have.

247
00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:37,660
Good evening Mayor, council members, you have a copy of our report.

248
00:20:38,700 --> 00:20:42,080
We had 34 calls last month for service.

249
00:20:42,940 --> 00:20:44,900
We happy to answer any questions.

250
00:20:46,100 --> 00:20:46,740
Open the council.

251
00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,220
I just have one question at the bottom of your report.

252
00:20:50,420 --> 00:20:52,760
It talks about extraction equipment that was broken.

253
00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:54,820
for damaged in that we replaced that.

254
00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:57,540
It's been ordered.

255
00:20:58,620 --> 00:21:03,420
That equipment was 30, 30 years old, and it's

256
00:21:03,420 --> 00:21:04,800
couldn't be repaired anymore.

257
00:21:06,940 --> 00:21:09,000
So, let last this lifespan.

258
00:21:10,180 --> 00:21:11,860
That answers my follow-up question.

259
00:21:11,900 --> 00:21:12,760
Thank you.

260
00:21:28,770 --> 00:21:46,510
I want to call that individual, I want to call that individual, I'm sure there's questions that I can find, but maybe you could address that how it might be on.

261
00:21:48,810 --> 00:21:49,470
So,

262
00:21:51,990 --> 00:21:59,670
the reason for our ladder truck, and it's actually considered a nine-story ladder, it's

263
00:21:59,670 --> 00:22:00,890
a hundred and nine feet long.

264
00:22:02,150 --> 00:22:07,450
The problems we have with cul-de-sax, setbacks from the houses.

265
00:22:08,790 --> 00:22:14,610
Some of our mutual aid towns have 75 foot ladders, and they don't even come close to the

266
00:22:14,610 --> 00:22:23,230
And one of them is actually in the middle of purchasing a truck similar to what we have.

267
00:22:24,150 --> 00:22:28,610
So the setbacks, we're not always going up straight up 190.

268
00:22:30,510 --> 00:22:39,110
And then in our rural area, the farmers are a lot of big operations that have 90-foot

269
00:22:39,110 --> 00:22:44,510
green bands. So if we have a green band rescue, we need to get to the top of that thing.

270
00:22:45,830 --> 00:22:48,570
So it's not all about going 193 straight up.

271
00:22:50,690 --> 00:22:52,810
So it's the biggest thing in the city is the

272
00:22:52,810 --> 00:22:59,910
setbacks. Can't get close enough to the horses. So kind of like a re-trolver where there's

273
00:22:59,910 --> 00:23:03,950
maybe no alley access or something like that. Right. If we have to come off a front of

274
00:23:05,630 --> 00:23:15,710
And just so everybody's aware, that truck was proposed to be purchased here in 2026, I believe,

275
00:23:16,830 --> 00:23:18,970
and the cost of a new truck is $3 million.

276
00:23:20,750 --> 00:23:23,010
And it's four-year wait-time on that.

277
00:23:23,430 --> 00:23:28,150
And we got lucky, one of our neighboring town in shock, if we had this truck for sale.

278
00:23:29,490 --> 00:23:37,150
So, we got it for $500,000, and they left $100,000 worth of equipment on there, which

279
00:23:37,150 --> 00:23:38,710
is city, what it had to purchase.

280
00:23:39,590 --> 00:23:44,090
So, it was a good deal all around for the city.

281
00:23:48,810 --> 00:23:49,210
Thank you.

282
00:23:50,710 --> 00:23:53,310
There's no further comments, questions, concerns on the button.

283
00:23:53,850 --> 00:23:57,130
Can you leave the development department, Mr. Smith-Drak?

284
00:23:57,130 --> 00:24:02,810
Good evening Mayor Council, I report us in the packet and I'm pleased to take any questions.

285
00:24:03,430 --> 00:24:04,250
Hello, I'm the council.

286
00:24:08,900 --> 00:24:10,060
Questions, comments, concerns?

287
00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:10,760
I'm a done.

288
00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:15,520
Business presentation claims 8.11 per request number 12.

289
00:24:15,660 --> 00:24:19,380
The final for Project 1 construction incorporated for the Fire Station

290
00:24:19,380 --> 00:24:22,760
Edition and Renovation underneath that amount tonight.

291
00:24:23,060 --> 00:24:27,160
It is $364,546.

292
00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:30,320
dollars and seven cents without all the promotion.

293
00:24:32,340 --> 00:24:33,880
I'll move on the polio.

294
00:24:38,540 --> 00:24:42,060
I have a motion by Heartman in a second by Stacey, all those in favor.

295
00:24:43,220 --> 00:24:51,060
I'm an A and I'm an A and I'm an A. Resolution 25155, a resolution, a proving, an authorizing

296
00:24:51,060 --> 00:24:54,740
execution, communication, sight, lease agreement with Ridgeview Medical.

297
00:24:57,960 --> 00:24:58,960
With that all the promotion.

298
00:25:06,330 --> 00:25:07,010
I

299
00:25:09,090 --> 00:25:17,650
would just note that the lease agreement is in the packet. I think ambulance manager Burton did a nice job of explaining how we got here.

300
00:25:18,010 --> 00:25:28,550
We did have a similar antenna in repeater system on our self water tower. This one is proposed to go on a fire hall temporarily.

301
00:25:29,490 --> 00:25:34,550
There isn't any new access holes that will be made in the building.

302
00:25:34,750 --> 00:25:37,330
It'll all be through existing bending.

303
00:25:38,270 --> 00:25:40,730
The agreement, a couple of important things to note,

304
00:25:40,870 --> 00:25:44,970
it set up for a term of five years with an option to review after year three.

305
00:25:45,430 --> 00:25:47,790
It contemplates an annual lease rate of zero,

306
00:25:47,950 --> 00:25:50,990
since the city does contract with Ridgeview for service.

307
00:25:51,290 --> 00:25:56,610
It requires Ridgeview to provide insurance and a sketch of where the equipment is going.

308
00:25:56,610 --> 00:26:06,610
It is based on that previously agreement we have and it's proposed for approval and execution via resolution to 5155.

309
00:26:07,930 --> 00:26:08,610
Thank you.

310
00:26:09,710 --> 00:26:13,610
With that, I'll look for a motion on 25155.

311
00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:16,680
All motion.

312
00:26:18,380 --> 00:26:18,760
I'll second.

313
00:26:19,820 --> 00:26:24,020
I have a motion by heartman and I heard auto second first.

314
00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:24,780
All those in favor.

315
00:26:24,780 --> 00:26:33,620
I post most carries resolution 25158 approving increase the para for the fire department.

316
00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:40,560
I'll have done from this over one more time.

317
00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:41,800
Thank you, Mayor Council.

318
00:26:43,420 --> 00:26:51,640
So in January, the fire department did switch over to the para plan effective on the first of 2025.

319
00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:57,600
The benefit at level at that time was established at 5,500 per year of service.

320
00:26:58,700 --> 00:27:01,560
Council has discussed it twice in budget work sessions.

321
00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:08,000
The first time they discussed not providing an increase because there was lack of certain

322
00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:08,640
information.

323
00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:15,120
At the December 10th meeting, Council was provided additional information and there was additional

324
00:27:15,120 --> 00:27:15,720
discussion.

325
00:27:16,340 --> 00:27:21,260
At that meeting there was a consensus of the majority of the council to move forward with

326
00:27:21,260 --> 00:27:29,300
adding the $100 increase for benefit level to the fire department for retirement. Attached

327
00:27:29,300 --> 00:27:31,120
is your resolution for consideration.

328
00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:34,900
And I just want to clarify this is paid for by state aid correct?

329
00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:39,820
So the state aid for the fire state aid money that the city receives goes to

330
00:27:39,820 --> 00:27:47,400
Pera. At this time, at this benefit level, at the proposed increased level, it does not show that

331
00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:50,100
there's any additional required municipal contribution.

332
00:27:51,100 --> 00:27:51,360
Perfect.

333
00:27:51,540 --> 00:27:52,440
Thank you.

334
00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:56,240
With that, I'll look for a motion on 25, 1, 5, 8.

335
00:27:56,580 --> 00:27:56,940
A motion.

336
00:27:57,980 --> 00:28:00,240
I have a motion by Hartman and a second by Evans.

337
00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:01,000
All those in favor.

338
00:28:02,540 --> 00:28:03,060
Opposed.

339
00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:04,720
Motion carries.

340
00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:08,940
Ordnance 25, 2, 0, men, fee schedule.

341
00:28:09,540 --> 00:28:12,300
And I will hand this one off to.

342
00:28:14,770 --> 00:28:15,710
Administrator Meyer.

343
00:28:16,010 --> 00:28:16,670
Excuse me.

344
00:28:18,910 --> 00:28:28,390
Mary and Council, this ordinance review and resolution for summary publication was tabled at the last meeting.

345
00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:37,620
After that tabling, there was discussion at the budget work session about changing fees at the Aquatic Center.

346
00:28:39,140 --> 00:28:45,460
The Council has three options. Option A, you can consider action on the ordinance this evening.

347
00:28:45,460 --> 00:28:53,140
With the updated aquatic fees, they are not, they do not require additional publication or a public hearing.

348
00:28:54,320 --> 00:29:01,800
Option B, you can consider action on the original fees that were proposed and then address the aquatic fees in January.

349
00:29:02,780 --> 00:29:06,580
Or option C is considered decision to not contemplate.

350
00:29:06,580 --> 00:29:16,480
The fee schedule is back in there also includes the language for charging credit card fees directly to the user.

351
00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:21,060
That was part of the discussion and direction of council earlier this year.

352
00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:23,400
I'll be happy to take any questions.

353
00:29:24,180 --> 00:29:27,240
The ordinance and the resolution are there for your contemplation.

354
00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:29,240
All over in the council.

355
00:29:37,890 --> 00:29:39,570
There are no questions, comments, concerns.

356
00:29:40,470 --> 00:29:43,890
I'll look for a motion on 25, 20.

357
00:29:47,190 --> 00:29:48,690
I need a little clarity there.

358
00:29:49,750 --> 00:29:49,770
Action.

359
00:29:50,010 --> 00:29:52,050
We have three different options there.

360
00:29:52,250 --> 00:29:52,990
A, B, and C.

361
00:29:53,410 --> 00:29:54,050
You kind of laid them out.

362
00:29:54,450 --> 00:29:54,710
Yep.

363
00:29:55,690 --> 00:29:59,930
So the original ordinance and resolution were tabled for action.

364
00:30:00,530 --> 00:30:06,710
Then, at the work session, there was discussion about making changes to aquatic fees.

365
00:30:07,510 --> 00:30:12,690
After a discussion in research, it doesn't require additional public hearing for that.

366
00:30:13,450 --> 00:30:27,890
So the council can contemplate adopting the ordinance with amended aquatic fees, or you can adopt the ordinance as it was originally proposed, and then address the aquatic fees in January by an amendment,

367
00:30:28,830 --> 00:30:34,110
or you have a contemplation of your other option, which is not to adopt at all.

368
00:30:35,190 --> 00:30:39,290
However, we do have fees included in there that would have impact.

369
00:30:41,470 --> 00:30:46,030
Mayor, if I may, just on the public hearing question.

370
00:30:46,450 --> 00:30:50,430
So we bill plain, always when you adopt your fee schedule.

371
00:30:50,590 --> 00:30:52,490
We always have a public hearing on your fee schedule.

372
00:30:53,090 --> 00:30:57,830
Just to give a little more color to the reason why this isn't being subjected to a public hearing.

373
00:30:57,830 --> 00:31:02,830
You had one before in the beginning, December, December, December 1st.

374
00:31:04,530 --> 00:31:08,930
So we subject your fee schedule to a public hearing because a few of the fees, right?

375
00:31:08,930 --> 00:31:11,190
You've got a whole bunch of different fees in your fee schedule.

376
00:31:11,830 --> 00:31:14,850
A few of those fees are required to have a hearing.

377
00:31:15,430 --> 00:31:18,330
And so we just subject your whole thing to a public hearing.

378
00:31:18,830 --> 00:31:24,190
The particular fee at issue here, though, aquatic fees or any recreational fees that the city charges,

379
00:31:24,190 --> 00:31:29,650
There is no law that requires that those kind of fees be subject to a public hearing, so as I understand it

380
00:31:29,650 --> 00:31:38,570
That's really the only substantive change to the fee schedule everything else has been subjected to a public hearing that change in that feed doesn't require a separate public hearing

381
00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,100
so the original

382
00:31:44,100 --> 00:31:46,400
fee was an increase for

383
00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:49,540
swimming lessons correct

384
00:31:51,140 --> 00:31:54,560
that was originally proposed at budget

385
00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:57,340
prior to December 1st

386
00:31:57,340 --> 00:31:58,800
if I

387
00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:04,340
There were no changes in aquatic centerpiece prior to December 1st.

388
00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:08,100
There was discussion, but that wasn't changed in there.

389
00:32:09,100 --> 00:32:18,140
It was at the, just handing me, we have both sets applied to Council for you to review.

390
00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:27,380
So prior to the December 10th work session, no aquatic fees have been changed from 2025.

391
00:32:27,380 --> 00:32:38,620
After that meeting, there was a discussion about changing the fees and so we addressed those in the updated version of the piece schedule.

392
00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:55,940
I thought because it was noted by the consensus of the council that everything we discussed prior to that consensus was wiped off the table because it was motion to revert back to the proposed preliminary.

393
00:32:55,940 --> 00:32:59,940
So I thought all those fees and everything we discussed went away.

394
00:33:01,140 --> 00:33:02,160
Do you do that motion?

395
00:33:03,500 --> 00:33:05,440
Then it's a misunderstanding from staff.

396
00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:08,140
I believe the direction was to address fees.

397
00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:10,000
It was more about a fee schedule.

398
00:33:10,220 --> 00:33:11,500
It wasn't about the budget.

399
00:33:12,700 --> 00:33:13,940
But I can accept that.

400
00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:16,160
That's why the original is on here.

401
00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:19,800
For council to contemplate the original fee schedule as proposed.

402
00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:23,160
What does council want to do here?

403
00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:27,500
And we can look at it in January if we want.

404
00:33:27,980 --> 00:33:31,320
I would like to see what we discussed on December 10th.

405
00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:32,540
The minutes, sir.

406
00:33:32,820 --> 00:33:34,700
I agree, I'd like to do that.

407
00:33:34,820 --> 00:33:35,700
Why do I mind this?

408
00:33:36,140 --> 00:33:37,840
Let's bring it up and I think I agree.

409
00:33:38,380 --> 00:33:41,960
I agree with this, so after some of the minutes.

410
00:33:47,290 --> 00:33:49,590
So that one has all of the changes discussed

411
00:33:49,590 --> 00:33:53,230
that had a public forum with the addition

412
00:33:53,230 --> 00:33:56,550
to the fee changes to the aquatic centers.

413
00:33:56,650 --> 00:33:57,290
Is that what I'm understanding?

414
00:33:57,290 --> 00:34:00,150
So, remember, you're on the fee schedule.

415
00:34:01,310 --> 00:34:04,130
So, it is exactly the same as December 1st.

416
00:34:04,130 --> 00:34:04,270
Okay.

417
00:34:04,550 --> 00:34:08,590
However, there was proposed changes for the aquatic center fees.

418
00:34:08,930 --> 00:34:10,570
That's the amendment you'd be making.

419
00:34:12,550 --> 00:34:13,510
Sounds good.

420
00:34:15,790 --> 00:34:16,810
Yeah, I'll motion for that.

421
00:34:18,880 --> 00:34:26,420
I have a motion by Otto and a second by Evans on resolution.

422
00:34:26,420 --> 00:34:31,700
and excuse me, ordinance 25, 20, all those in favor?

423
00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:32,460
All right.

424
00:34:33,140 --> 00:34:34,400
Post, I'm opposed.

425
00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:36,720
No, just ask for one clarification.

426
00:34:37,240 --> 00:34:39,760
The motion did include to include the amended

427
00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:41,060
aquatic fees as well.

428
00:34:41,540 --> 00:34:42,280
Thank you.

429
00:34:47,470 --> 00:34:53,310
See, moving on here, resolution 25, 143, authorized

430
00:34:53,310 --> 00:34:56,830
summary publication of ordinance 25, 20, all those in favor?

431
00:34:57,750 --> 00:34:57,990
All right.

432
00:34:57,990 --> 00:34:59,930
and I'm

433
00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:12,080
We need a motion. I have a motion by Evans and a second by Stacey to amend the fee schedule. All those in favour? Aye.

434
00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:13,980
Aye. And I am opposed.

435
00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:20,640
And that was for the summary publication, correct? So we just did there.

436
00:35:20,980 --> 00:35:29,380
All right. Mayor and council, just on that point, it's something I've said before, but I just want to make sure we understand what we're doing. So this second action here that the fee schedule got approved.

437
00:35:29,380 --> 00:35:39,440
The second action is just to publish a summary of it instead of the whole thing, so it's just a money saving thing, so it didn't sound like that was understood, but that's what the second action is.

438
00:35:39,980 --> 00:35:41,360
Yep, yep, yep, yep.

439
00:35:46,540 --> 00:35:48,020
Let's see here.

440
00:35:49,120 --> 00:35:51,580
8.5, we had a motion to reconsider.

441
00:35:53,760 --> 00:36:06,840
Resolution 25146, adopting the final tax levee collectible in 2026 and the 2026 final budget and capital improvement plan.

442
00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:13,580
So council held work session on December 10th.

443
00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:21,800
that was a consensus of the council to revert back to the numbers that were put in front

444
00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:27,040
of us on December 1st and I have a brief statement. I'd like to read here regarding this.

445
00:36:29,100 --> 00:36:31,580
Bear with me, please. It's lengthy one.

446
00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:36,500
Throughout the budget process, the council has encountered

447
00:36:36,500 --> 00:36:43,480
numerous issues stemming from missing information, delayed information, and incorrect information.

448
00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:48,760
The preliminary levy amount did not align with the tax impact percentage, which was voted on

449
00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:50,780
pass and submitted to the county on September 2.

450
00:36:51,820 --> 00:36:55,700
Furthermore, it took over two months to obtain the actual regular overtime amount for

451
00:36:55,700 --> 00:36:59,700
the police department, excluding contractual overtime, which is holiday pay.

452
00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:04,140
Despite my repeated request, we did not receive this information until December 10.

453
00:37:05,660 --> 00:37:09,420
Even though the prior, prior to December 1, we had three budget meetings.

454
00:37:09,420 --> 00:37:16,100
During the last budget meeting in November, a council member posed a question regarding the budget, if it did not pass.

455
00:37:17,840 --> 00:37:22,420
I followed up on this inquiry with the Finance Director and City Administrator on November 19th.

456
00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:30,860
However, the email sent to all council members on November 21st, failed to mention the potential loss of all state aid and grant money.

457
00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:37,660
Instead, staff presented us the surprise consequences to the council on December 1st, which was stated by the Finance Director

458
00:37:37,660 --> 00:37:42,680
of the city administrator in our city attorney leading to a past motion being tabled.

459
00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:45,840
The council's decision to table the motion was based on incorrect information.

460
00:37:46,720 --> 00:37:49,160
We will not lose state aid grants as a consequence.

461
00:37:49,800 --> 00:37:53,740
The deadline was stated to be the last day in December but it's actually the last day in January

462
00:37:53,740 --> 00:37:55,460
for budget deadline.

463
00:37:56,520 --> 00:38:00,900
As council residents and taxpayers, we rely on the experts to provide accurate information

464
00:38:00,900 --> 00:38:05,000
and it is essential that we receive reliable data to effectively perform our duties.

465
00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:10,580
The provision of incorrect information presented by staff on December 1st effectively reversed the past motion

466
00:38:10,580 --> 00:38:16,660
Therefore, I strongly oppose this process and request that the council uphold the vote that occurred on December 1st

467
00:38:16,660 --> 00:38:23,420
We were heading back to the 2025 levee in budget amount. We have 45 days to set a budget to match the levee with that

468
00:38:24,120 --> 00:38:30,340
I am going to make a motion to deny and revert back to 2025 levee in budget amount a look for a second

469
00:38:30,340 --> 00:38:38,560
I've also had a motion by lad in the second by auto all those in favor I pose.

470
00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:40,560
No.

471
00:38:42,020 --> 00:38:43,140
All right.

472
00:38:43,200 --> 00:38:45,600
Table tables yours, Rex.

473
00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:47,620
No, we're going to move on.

474
00:38:47,700 --> 00:38:48,500
Table's yours.

475
00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:49,840
I can't wait to start the record.

476
00:38:52,970 --> 00:38:55,270
Okay, set the record straight.

477
00:38:55,270 --> 00:38:57,090
We have two budget.

478
00:38:58,350 --> 00:38:59,570
All five of us.

479
00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:03,060
Sorry, Tracy.

480
00:39:04,560 --> 00:39:09,800
We have three budget meetings before December 1st.

481
00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:14,560
We went through a line by line analysis.

482
00:39:16,620 --> 00:39:17,720
Everybody's budget.

483
00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:22,640
Public works, police, fire, line by line.

484
00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:28,160
And I want to thank Rachel Miller for being an adult in the room.

485
00:39:29,020 --> 00:39:32,720
But during these three meetings, we got along.

486
00:39:33,740 --> 00:39:36,680
We treated each other respectfully.

487
00:39:37,540 --> 00:39:44,860
Now I'll admit, when I first joined the council, I was bad at this.

488
00:39:44,860 --> 00:39:59,580
This was new to me and it was contentious from day one, but we got along for a long time, and

489
00:40:00,240 --> 00:40:15,760
At the conclusion of three budget meetings, we had consensus. No statements were made in opposition, no protest were posted by anyone on the council.

490
00:40:15,760 --> 00:40:26,400
And at the end of the third meeting, there was discussion about how to proceed because we knew

491
00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:34,360
Brady Hartman and his family had planned a vacation to Mexico for months.

492
00:40:36,100 --> 00:40:38,800
So that topic was discussed.

493
00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:41,860
I would urge you, urge you, please.

494
00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:45,020
Don't rely on anyone's word.

495
00:40:46,420 --> 00:40:47,480
Go back and listen.

496
00:40:48,080 --> 00:40:50,020
Go back and listen to that meeting.

497
00:40:50,280 --> 00:40:52,900
They can't because it's not available on the city website.

498
00:40:53,180 --> 00:40:57,780
They have to come down to City Hall and get a thumb drive to listen to that audio.

499
00:40:58,100 --> 00:41:01,000
Come down to City Hall, get a thumb drive.

500
00:41:01,800 --> 00:41:05,160
Have a group, get together, listen to it.

501
00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:14,880
Nobody at that concluding budget meeting suggested they would take advantage of Brady's absence.

502
00:41:15,040 --> 00:41:18,180
I don't think anybody took advantage of Brady's absence last Monday.

503
00:41:18,820 --> 00:41:19,900
It's just the way the cookie crumbled.

504
00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:26,040
With Brady was here, it's still what it failed on a three-two motion or three-two vote.

505
00:41:31,110 --> 00:41:33,910
Can I speak?

506
00:41:36,380 --> 00:41:36,720
I'm sorry.

507
00:41:40,040 --> 00:41:46,020
Tell you what, I'll steal one from the office and give it to you.

508
00:41:47,160 --> 00:41:50,620
Okay? I would love you to have it truly.

509
00:41:52,640 --> 00:41:58,040
But nobody had any idea that on December 1st,

510
00:41:58,760 --> 00:42:03,540
a motion would be made to ignore all the work we had done.

511
00:42:04,380 --> 00:42:10,260
So, we meet again last Wednesday,

512
00:42:12,720 --> 00:42:18,560
and I tried to make clear that my position, and let me

513
00:42:18,560 --> 00:42:27,540
tell you, I make mistakes all the time, okay, but this was time, I tried to make clear

514
00:42:27,540 --> 00:42:34,840
that my position was that I was going to stand by the work the five of us did.

515
00:42:35,280 --> 00:42:36,220
No one was missing.

516
00:42:36,960 --> 00:42:43,300
The work the five of us did over three meetings, where there were no surprises.

517
00:42:44,660 --> 00:42:56,740
Nothing was hatched, and so when Mr. Evans wisely made the motion for reconsideration because

518
00:42:56,740 --> 00:43:06,550
If this would have been a travesty to have to trim half a million dollars from the budget

519
00:43:06,550 --> 00:43:13,250
where you can't trim, I'm sorry, did you want to say something?

520
00:43:13,410 --> 00:43:16,550
Rex, just continue on with this statement, please don't include audience members in your

521
00:43:16,550 --> 00:43:17,090
conversation.

522
00:43:21,600 --> 00:43:21,880
I'm sorry.

523
00:43:24,630 --> 00:43:25,390
Time with me.

524
00:43:25,930 --> 00:43:25,930
Hey,

525
00:43:29,220 --> 00:43:34,800
sir, that's fine with me, you know, and if anybody wants to talk about this with

526
00:43:34,800 --> 00:43:43,120
personally and not on concerned citizens, but with me, because I'm barred from it, you can call me.

527
00:43:43,360 --> 00:43:48,640
And I'll talk to you. All I ask is that you'd be moderately respectful.

528
00:43:50,000 --> 00:43:55,820
So I don't have to hang up on you. And Tracy, I already talked to you once, for half an hour.

529
00:44:04,360 --> 00:44:15,860
Okay, then listen again to the meeting last Wednesday, where Mr. Evans made the point that

530
00:44:15,860 --> 00:44:20,860
this is not the way to do it. After all the work we had done, as a council,

531
00:44:22,940 --> 00:44:27,080
to throw a stick

532
00:44:27,080 --> 00:44:35,260
in the wheel, to upend all that we had done, this needs to be done thoughtfully. And if you

533
00:44:35,260 --> 00:44:40,320
Listen, you'll hear Mr. Evans say, I will work with you.

534
00:44:40,620 --> 00:44:50,580
And if you listen even harder, you will hear me say, yes, I'm willing to look at reducing

535
00:44:50,580 --> 00:44:51,700
costs.

536
00:44:51,700 --> 00:44:59,960
I pay taxes to folks, nobody on the City Council wants to increase taxes every

537
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:10,080
Everybody wants to be more fiscally responsible. It has to be done in a responsible way. One reason

538
00:45:10,080 --> 00:45:18,880
it's going up, they're going up everywhere. And consider this. There was a question asked by the

539
00:45:18,880 --> 00:45:24,900
same gentleman that asked about the pocket truck. And I wish I could get a hold of them. I think

540
00:45:24,900 --> 00:45:31,380
name is Mark Warner. I would really like to talk to him because he asked, what's the difference

541
00:45:31,380 --> 00:45:38,860
between New Preg and Bell Playing? So I called the New Preg City Administrator and I asked

542
00:45:38,860 --> 00:45:39,720
him that question.

543
00:45:42,600 --> 00:45:50,640
And the New Preg, they have more people, they have a much lower budget. And

544
00:45:50,640 --> 00:45:55,400
Two-thirds of their tax revenue comes from industry.

545
00:45:55,880 --> 00:46:00,040
They have a large industrial park.

546
00:46:01,400 --> 00:46:05,080
And they're closer to 35 W, which I'm told,

547
00:46:05,360 --> 00:46:06,200
makes a big difference.

548
00:46:06,980 --> 00:46:10,240
And Highway 8 is going to come to Bell Plane.

549
00:46:11,660 --> 00:46:17,480
Bell Plane is out farther than New Craig, Jordan.

550
00:46:17,480 --> 00:46:32,260
If you take a $300,000 home in Belplain, if you move that home to Jordan, it's worth $350.

551
00:46:34,060 --> 00:46:38,700
If you move that home to New Craig, it's worth $400.

552
00:46:38,700 --> 00:46:46,520
So that's what their tax incomes are based on.

553
00:46:46,920 --> 00:46:50,380
We're kind of stuck in the middle.

554
00:46:50,560 --> 00:46:59,450
You know, we're not quite far enough to be rural,

555
00:47:00,410 --> 00:47:03,410
but we're too close to the cities.

556
00:47:03,410 --> 00:47:23,250
And we're honestly my view of I think Bell plane is about the best run city of 7,000 in the state of Minnesota, and maybe that's too much.

557
00:47:23,250 --> 00:47:26,850
You're all saying that that's too much.

558
00:47:27,410 --> 00:47:35,370
We have wonderful service in GalPlan, but make no mistake.

559
00:47:37,510 --> 00:47:41,980
Now, I regret taking this job.

560
00:47:42,440 --> 00:47:44,940
Okay, you know, I volunteered when he quit.

561
00:47:45,720 --> 00:47:46,120
I volunteered.

562
00:47:47,520 --> 00:47:49,680
And I only have a year left.

563
00:47:51,040 --> 00:48:00,320
And ought to respect to all of you and the rest of my colleagues, and Brady Hartman, really,

564
00:48:00,760 --> 00:48:04,320
is getting a bomb rat for taking a frickin' vacation.

565
00:48:05,140 --> 00:48:06,460
There's this family plan forever.

566
00:48:07,480 --> 00:48:10,800
I will promise I won't leave a meeting again.

567
00:48:11,640 --> 00:48:14,200
I mean, I've been held out of order so many times.

568
00:48:14,620 --> 00:48:16,580
For me, it's easier to leave.

569
00:48:16,580 --> 00:48:20,120
and argue with, yeah, see, see, we were

570
00:48:20,120 --> 00:48:24,620
crambling on about a non-topic about the budget here or so.

571
00:48:27,470 --> 00:48:29,430
But I thought that's what I was talking about.

572
00:48:29,970 --> 00:48:30,430
I'll stop,

573
00:48:36,280 --> 00:48:43,420
okay, okay, okay, okay, okay,

574
00:48:43,420 --> 00:48:43,440
okay,

575
00:48:45,840 --> 00:48:47,020
yes sir,

576
00:48:51,600 --> 00:48:53,280
you sure I haven't said too much?

577
00:48:53,440 --> 00:48:58,060
Mayor and council, obviously you're entitled to reopen your

578
00:48:58,060 --> 00:49:00,640
public forum or take comment, but can y'all agree to do that?

579
00:49:00,640 --> 00:49:02,960
Please, I mean, this is not your normal process.

580
00:49:03,220 --> 00:49:05,900
Are you going to make a ruling that you want to let people talk?

581
00:49:06,160 --> 00:49:06,600
Which is fine.

582
00:49:06,640 --> 00:49:07,020
I'm fine.

583
00:49:07,020 --> 00:49:08,880
I'd like you to all decide that you're going to do that.

584
00:49:09,060 --> 00:49:09,580
I'm fine with it.

585
00:49:09,620 --> 00:49:11,860
I've rucks a ram along for hours and all that stuff.

586
00:49:12,240 --> 00:49:13,580
Ram along for hours.

587
00:49:15,460 --> 00:49:15,920
I'm sorry.

588
00:49:16,320 --> 00:49:19,140
Would you, would you, would you rather I never set a word?

589
00:49:24,230 --> 00:49:24,610
Go ahead.

590
00:49:24,710 --> 00:49:26,790
My name is Dr. Dale Lauder milk.

591
00:49:26,790 --> 00:49:30,170
I have a doctorate and organization development change.

592
00:49:30,610 --> 00:49:31,250
Evan MBA.

593
00:49:32,150 --> 00:49:32,990
I teach college.

594
00:49:35,730 --> 00:49:43,310
Everything you just said makes absolute sense why NewPreg has a better approach to their budgeting.

595
00:49:45,510 --> 00:49:53,520
The question I have is, with all of the budget talks that you've had, you modeled any of that.

596
00:49:54,800 --> 00:49:56,540
Where is our industrial park going to be?

597
00:49:57,860 --> 00:49:59,740
We have Highway 169.

598
00:50:00,780 --> 00:50:10,640
That was made into a foreign lane, all the way, turns into 60 down past Mancato, but it goes all the way to Iowa, as a foreign lane now.

599
00:50:11,000 --> 00:50:16,400
It goes all the way into the cities. It is an artery in Minnesota.

600
00:50:19,020 --> 00:50:30,160
But we're talking about spending money on things that don't contribute to what will build that infrastructure that will pay for all this up.

601
00:50:30,160 --> 00:50:33,820
I'll be the first to tell you, I'll be the first to tell everybody back here, in any

602
00:50:33,820 --> 00:50:35,820
going to get better until it gets worse.

603
00:50:36,680 --> 00:50:42,900
But if you're investing in new street lamps and signs and all the other stuff, and I'm

604
00:50:42,900 --> 00:50:45,260
relatively new to town, I've only been here for two years.

605
00:50:45,860 --> 00:50:50,020
But I've heard all the stories, I've heard of all, I've heard all the complaints, and if we're

606
00:50:50,020 --> 00:50:55,580
investing in beautification of the community, but we're not putting into the infrastructure

607
00:50:55,580 --> 00:51:01,580
that will bring those businesses in the town, those industries in the town to offset what the communities paying for.

608
00:51:02,680 --> 00:51:04,880
Gentlemen, you're not going to have a community anymore.

609
00:51:06,720 --> 00:51:08,080
These people are going to move.

610
00:51:09,120 --> 00:51:11,460
As soon as my wife will agree to move, I'll be moving.

611
00:51:12,020 --> 00:51:13,480
I'm not going to pay these taxes.

612
00:51:14,900 --> 00:51:16,800
I mean, I'm going to have to as long as I'm here.

613
00:51:17,580 --> 00:51:20,340
But you're going to run yourselves out of a job.

614
00:51:21,220 --> 00:51:29,680
Why are we not looking at how to take that same money and invest it into something that is going to bring stuff back to the community?

615
00:51:30,780 --> 00:51:33,620
That is the question I have got.

616
00:51:34,020 --> 00:51:34,600
Thank you.

617
00:51:45,660 --> 00:51:47,840
So we had a failed motion on the table.

618
00:51:48,740 --> 00:51:54,160
I will open back the council to the motion on 25146.

619
00:51:54,680 --> 00:51:55,560
Okay, say something.

620
00:51:55,560 --> 00:52:00,700
So I was going to read something here that I wrote some notes, so I just like a few minutes

621
00:52:00,700 --> 00:52:01,500
of your time.

622
00:52:03,440 --> 00:52:10,920
So as Rex said before, I was the one who voted against the budget, and I just wrote a few

623
00:52:10,920 --> 00:52:16,980
notes here to explain this budget is not good in my opinion.

624
00:52:18,460 --> 00:52:23,100
There are cuts that need to be made, a couple of decisions, I believe her taxes are too high.

625
00:52:23,460 --> 00:52:24,580
I have said that from the beginning.

626
00:52:24,580 --> 00:52:29,220
I did not approve a budget in my first two years.

627
00:52:29,640 --> 00:52:32,600
We spent 14 hours going line by line that yielded

628
00:52:32,600 --> 00:52:34,940
$100,000 in reductions.

629
00:52:35,800 --> 00:52:38,060
Some of those cuts were good, some were bad.

630
00:52:39,580 --> 00:52:42,500
Doing this is a good to learn what goes into each line item.

631
00:52:43,080 --> 00:52:44,880
So I'm glad that we had a chance to do it.

632
00:52:45,080 --> 00:52:47,000
But it did not yield results.

633
00:52:48,460 --> 00:52:49,840
That is what we need to do.

634
00:52:50,420 --> 00:52:54,260
We can't cut jobs and not know who's going to do

635
00:52:54,260 --> 00:53:02,260
the work. We have to reorganize, cut jobs, reorganize, rewrite job descriptions as a lot

636
00:53:02,260 --> 00:53:08,000
of these people employees are on union contracts and their unions tell them what you

637
00:53:08,000 --> 00:53:14,920
can do. We need to, in January, sit down as this is a working budget. This is not a budget

638
00:53:14,920 --> 00:53:20,620
that's set in stone. This is a working budget. And sit down as a council and work together

639
00:53:20,620 --> 00:53:29,320
to make bell plane what it needs to be for the next five to ten years. Because as I've said before,

640
00:53:30,620 --> 00:53:38,520
the tax increases cannot continue having. This is the lowest tax increase that the city has had in the last

641
00:53:38,520 --> 00:53:47,980
I think it was eight years and that you can't sustain that. Make it rash decisions in the final hours

642
00:53:47,980 --> 00:53:54,740
to appear to the public that we know what will happen is unfair to the residents.

643
00:53:56,020 --> 00:54:04,080
So with extreme hesitation, because I absolutely hate this budget, I motion to reconsider

644
00:54:04,080 --> 00:54:13,420
resolution 25146 and I motion to approve resolution 25146 in the hopes that the council

645
00:54:13,420 --> 00:54:22,020
we will work next year in January to reorganize and do what's right for the community.

646
00:54:23,040 --> 00:54:25,740
So I have a motion by Evan's, go ahead a second.

647
00:54:29,030 --> 00:54:29,690
I'm sorry.

648
00:54:29,770 --> 00:54:30,050
I apologize.

649
00:54:30,770 --> 00:54:31,830
Can I say something, too?

650
00:54:32,550 --> 00:54:37,230
I mean, I appreciate you speaking for me, Rex, I respect that.

651
00:54:37,250 --> 00:54:39,290
I agree with Mr. Evans here.

652
00:54:40,090 --> 00:54:41,850
I wouldn't say I completely hate the budget.

653
00:54:42,430 --> 00:54:44,070
I believe that staff presented a budget.

654
00:54:44,070 --> 00:54:45,610
that was pretty low and an increase.

655
00:54:46,270 --> 00:54:48,450
We went through it for 10 hours, I think, in total.

656
00:54:48,830 --> 00:54:51,450
I could be raw in that number, and we went line by line,

657
00:54:51,670 --> 00:54:55,410
and we dissected it and cut another 100,000 out of that budget, right?

658
00:54:55,710 --> 00:54:57,750
That's the one that was proposed to you in December 1st.

659
00:54:57,810 --> 00:54:59,590
The one that I failed to meet, because I was not here.

660
00:55:00,300 --> 00:55:16,720
And I apologize for my absence. I was, yes, I was in Mexico. I planned that trip. Before I became a city council member, it is where it is. I did tell people a month in advance that I would be gone. And they said, instead of, should we put it on the first or the 15th, they decided to go on the first, that it, my decision.

661
00:55:19,000 --> 00:55:30,280
I appreciate you guys all coming out. I appreciate hearing from the community. And you are absolutely right. I mean, we should be focusing on infrastructure. And I think we should do that tactfully, mindfully, thoughtfully, right? We should put time,

662
00:55:30,280 --> 00:55:35,280
enough for it into that. So with James's proposal to address it at the beginning of the season,

663
00:55:35,360 --> 00:55:40,140
and not at the end, that's probably a wise decision. So I will second his motion.

664
00:55:42,540 --> 00:55:47,660
And I just want to clarify that the reason the vote took place on the first is because that was

665
00:55:47,660 --> 00:55:52,460
the day we had the public hearing. So I thought they should go together. And that's what I was not pushed back.

666
00:55:55,330 --> 00:56:01,250
So I have a motion by Evans on resolution 25146 and a second by Hartman, all those in favor.

667
00:56:01,250 --> 00:56:02,010
Aye.

668
00:56:02,450 --> 00:56:03,050
Opposed.

669
00:56:03,330 --> 00:56:03,770
Aye.

670
00:56:06,230 --> 00:56:06,850
Resolution.

671
00:56:07,550 --> 00:56:07,890
I'm sorry.

672
00:56:08,010 --> 00:56:09,490
Motion carries three or two.

673
00:56:09,710 --> 00:56:15,370
Resolution 25156, approving city employee wages and salaries for 2026 with that

674
00:56:15,370 --> 00:56:16,490
I'll look for a motion.

675
00:56:20,140 --> 00:56:20,900
All move.

676
00:56:26,080 --> 00:56:26,560
I'll second.

677
00:56:27,080 --> 00:56:31,140
I have a motion by Stacey and a second by Herman, Allows and Baber.

678
00:56:32,020 --> 00:56:32,480
Opposed.

679
00:56:36,160 --> 00:56:42,100
Um, before we go on and move on to administration and upcoming tenant meetings,

680
00:56:42,100 --> 00:56:51,260
I would like to add a discussion, I would like the budget workshop audio placed on the city

681
00:56:51,260 --> 00:56:56,180
website along with the meeting minutes for those corresponding meetings.

682
00:56:57,740 --> 00:57:00,260
Can I get two people to agree with me on that please?

683
00:57:01,340 --> 00:57:01,680
Yes.

684
00:57:02,440 --> 00:57:02,920
Thank you.

685
00:57:03,680 --> 00:57:06,100
Thank you.

686
00:57:06,100 --> 00:57:11,860
redistution ribbon cutting Monday December 22nd to o clock PM CD office as closed

687
00:57:11,860 --> 00:57:16,160
At twelve o clock PM in residence of the holiday on Wednesday December 24th city offices

688
00:57:16,160 --> 00:57:19,880
clothes and observance of the holiday on Thursday December 20 fifth city office

689
00:57:19,880 --> 00:57:24,900
as closed at 12 p.m. in accordance in the holiday on Wednesday December 31st City

690
00:57:24,900 --> 00:57:29,780
offices closed and observance of the holiday on Friday January 1st Design Monday

691
00:57:29,780 --> 00:57:34,790
Jan .5 5 o clock PM City Council Monday January 5 6 o clock PM Work

692
00:57:34,790 --> 00:57:41,130
Question Monday January 5th 615 p.m. with that I will offer a motion adjourn on motion second

693
00:57:41,130 --> 00:57:48,090
I will motion by Otto and a second by Hartman to adjourn all of those in favor. Hi, I suppose we're adjourn. Thank you

694
00:57:49,590 --> 00:57:54,370
I was only held out of what order once we're making progress

695
00:57:57,590 --> 00:57:58,110
Thank

696
00:58:14,910 --> 00:58:15,430
you