[0:03] Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

[0:05] It is 5:30 and I will call this regular

[0:08] meeting of the Burnsville City Council

[0:10] to order.

[0:12] It is our tradition to stand for a

[0:14] moment of silence followed by the Pledge

[0:16] of Allegiance and we invite you to join

[0:18] us.

[0:53] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

[0:56] United States of America

[0:58] and to the republic for which it stands,

[1:01] one nation under God, indivisible, with

[1:05] liberty and justice for all.

[1:12] The clerk will note that um all council

[1:15] members are present. Council member

[1:17] Schultz is joining us remotely. Good

[1:19] evening, Council member Schultz.

[1:23] And it's good to see the members of our

[1:25] community in attendance in person.

[1:28] Um members of our community can also

[1:31] choose to watch the meeting at

[1:32] burnsvillemn

[1:34] .gov/meetings

[1:36] or Comcast channel 16 or 859.

[1:41] The public can also participate through

[1:43] Zoom by joining us at zoom.us/join.

[1:50] More information is available

[1:53] on our meetings webpage and in the

[1:56] council agenda packet.

[1:59] The first item on our agenda is

[2:01] announcements.

[2:03] Our announcements have to do with all of

[2:05] our upcoming meetings.

[2:08] Regular council meetings are scheduled

[2:10] for Monday,

[2:12] February 2nd,

[2:14] and it's moved to Monday, February 2nd

[2:17] because

[2:18] uh of caucus and um the law does not

[2:22] allow us to hold a meeting when there

[2:24] are caucuses happening.

[2:26] And that'll be at 5:30 right here in the

[2:28] council chambers.

[2:30] Also, a council uh meeting is scheduled

[2:33] for Tuesday, February 17th at 5:30.

[2:37] We have an annual offsite

[2:40] uh work session that's scheduled for

[2:41] Friday, February 6th at 9:00 a.m. and

[2:46] that's going to be at the Ames Center.

[2:49] We have a work session that's also

[2:51] scheduled for Tuesday, February 10th at

[2:54] 5:30 p.m.

[2:56] Unless noted, all meetings of the City

[2:58] Council are held here in the council

[3:01] chambers.

[3:04] The next item on the agenda

[3:06] is citizens comments.

[3:09] This is the opportunity for anyone

[3:12] that would like to address the council

[3:13] on an item that is not on the agenda

[3:17] and not an application form that's

[3:19] coming before us at a future date.

[3:24] Does anyone want to address the council

[3:27] on an item that is not on the agenda

[3:30] and not an application form coming to us

[3:32] at a future date?

[3:39] Ms. Henderson, is there anyone online?

[3:42] No, there is not.

[3:44] Okay, very good.

[3:46] Uh we will move on.

[3:51] Um

[3:53] the next item is additions to the final

[3:55] agenda and that is for emergency items

[3:58] only.

[3:59] City Manager Lindberg, are there any

[4:01] emergency items to come before the body?

[4:04] Nothing from staff, Mayor. Members of

[4:05] the council? Nothing.

[4:08] Okay.

[4:09] We are at the consent agenda.

[4:12] The consent agenda is a group of items

[4:14] that's um considered to be routine and

[4:17] will be enacted by one motion.

[4:19] However, an item on the consent agenda

[4:22] can be pulled for a separate discussion

[4:25] and vote.

[4:26] Is there anyone in the audience who

[4:28] wishes an item on the consent agenda to

[4:31] be pulled for a separate discussion and

[4:34] vote?

[4:38] Yes, ma'am. Um if you'll come to the uh

[4:41] podium,

[4:44] give us your name and the city that

[4:47] you live in. Thank you. My name's Jean

[4:50] Forman. I live in Burnsville. Okay,

[4:53] thank you. And what item would you like

[4:55] to pull? Okay, well I've never done this

[4:56] before, so I hope I'm not out of order.

[4:58] So, forgive me if I'm incorrect. Item

[5:01] 4G, the ordinance amending in the title

[5:03] one, chapter 13. Thank you. Have a seat.

[5:08] That item is being pulled for a separate

[5:10] discussion and vote.

[5:12] Is there another item that anyone would

[5:15] like to pull for a separate discussion

[5:17] and vote?

[5:21] Ms. Henderson, is there anyone online?

[5:24] No, there is not. Okay. Um

[5:27] Mr. Lindberg, does staff want to pull an

[5:30] item? Nothing from staff, Mayor. Members

[5:32] of the council?

[5:33] Okay. Nothing.

[5:35] All right.

[5:36] So, may I have a motion to adopt the

[5:38] consent agenda, please? So moved.

[5:41] Second. There's a motion and a second.

[5:43] All in favor, please say I.

[5:44] >> Mayor, Mayor, we we need a roll call

[5:46] » Mayor, Mayor, we we need a roll call

[5:46] vote. Oh.

[5:47] Oh, yes. I'm sorry.

[5:50] I

[5:51] Co-

[5:52] Council member Schultz, I'm sorry. We

[5:54] got to get used to this when you're when

[5:56] you're

[5:59] when you're joining remotely. So, we'll

[6:01] do a roll call.

[6:02] Council member Schultz?

[6:05] Yes.

[6:06] Council member Keely? Yes. Council

[6:08] member Gustafson? Yes. Council member

[6:11] Workman?

[6:11] >> Aye.

[6:13] » Aye.

[6:13] Mayor Coutts? Yes. Okay. You have the uh

[6:17] I do. Okay, very good.

[6:20] So, now um

[6:23] item 4G

[6:28] is an ordinance amending title one,

[6:32] chapter 13, stewardship of city

[6:34] resources and resolution affirming

[6:37] community values and stewardship of

[6:40] community resources amidst immigration

[6:43] operations.

[6:45] Presenting this ordinance is our

[6:47] attorney,

[6:49] Mr. Shepherd.

[6:52] Mayor, members of the council,

[6:54] at its January 6th meeting, the City

[6:56] Council voted for staff to bring back a

[6:58] policy prohibiting staging on city

[7:00] property at this meeting.

[7:02] Uh in front of you, item 4G, is that

[7:04] policy in ordinance form.

[7:06] The the proposed ordinance amends title

[7:08] one of the city code to clarify the

[7:10] appropriate use of city resources,

[7:12] including city property, by city staff

[7:14] and city public officials.

[7:16] It reaffirms that city resources must be

[7:18] for public purpose under state law and

[7:20] in a non and used in a

[7:22] non-discriminatory manner that serves

[7:23] the entire community.

[7:25] It prohibits the use of city resources

[7:27] for federal immigration enforcement,

[7:29] including the use of city property,

[7:30] buildings, and parks.

[7:32] Um the enforcement of the ordinance is

[7:33] an operational one subject to the

[7:35] discretion of city staff based on

[7:37] operational needs. Um like all code

[7:40] enforcement or all city ordinances, um

[7:42] allowing residents to peacefully

[7:44] assemble remains a chief priority

[7:47] uh during immigration activities. We can

[7:49] assume that enforcement will operate

[7:50] akin to nuisance or property enforcement

[7:52] where the key focus is on compliance,

[7:55] not punishment, and enforcement would be

[7:56] on a continuing again subject to

[7:59] resource allocation. Um the ordinance in

[8:02] front of you is accompanied by a

[8:03] resolution that explains the basis for

[8:05] the ordinance and affirms Burnsville

[8:07] community values in line with the

[8:09] discussion in front of the council.

[8:11] And a motion to approve would include

[8:13] both the ordinance and the resolution.

[8:15] Okay, thank you.

[8:19] Members of our community,

[8:21] there is only one thing hanging in these

[8:24] chambers and that is our values.

[8:26] And so I ask all of us

[8:30] to practice mutual respect

[8:33] and civility because that's who we are

[8:36] here in Burnsville.

[8:37] We care for one another

[8:40] and we speak respectfully

[8:43] and we listen politely

[8:46] because everyone's voice is important.

[8:49] And so we have

[8:53] people who have signed up to speak

[8:55] and we're happy to hear

[8:58] what you have to say, but I also want us

[9:00] to understand

[9:02] that we have been aware of all of the

[9:06] activities

[9:07] that has been going on in our region.

[9:12] And uh

[9:13] we also understand of our limitations.

[9:19] And well, I will speak to that when the

[9:21] time comes for me to make my remarks.

[9:24] And each of the council members will

[9:27] also make remarks

[9:30] after you speak.

[9:32] We will listen

[9:34] and I'm going to ask that everyone limit

[9:36] their remarks to 3 minutes

[9:39] so that we can move on and also do the

[9:41] work of the public that is before us for

[9:44] this evening.

[9:45] So, I thank you

[9:47] for your patience

[9:50] and

[9:52] your grace and understanding the things

[9:54] that we have to do together because this

[9:57] is about all of us together, working

[10:00] together

[10:02] for the good of our community.

[10:06] And so, the first person who is on this

[10:09] list is Yusef And Mr. if you

[10:13] would come to the podium

[10:15] and just give us your name and the city

[10:17] you live in.

[10:22] And we can all limit our remarks to 3

[10:25] minutes. And

[10:27] City Manager Lindberg, I don't know if

[10:29] you or somebody can

[10:31] time.

[10:32] Thank you.

[10:33] >> Madam Mayor, members of council, clerk's

[10:34] » Madam Mayor, members of council, clerk's

[10:34] office will take care of Yeah.

[10:36] Okay, thank you. Mr. the floor is

[10:38] yours. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, city

[10:41] council and everyone else who has joined

[10:42] us here today.

[10:44] My name is Yusef and I live in

[10:45] Burnsville. I'm a homeowner. I'm raising

[10:48] my family here.

[10:49] And I'm so happy to see everyone here

[10:51] today. It's an important day.

[10:53] I am here to share with you guys

[10:55] with all of you of the collective

[10:58] suffering of our Burnsville residents.

[11:01] Uh it's more so our business owners. I

[11:03] am a business owner myself.

[11:05] Uh this issue this immigration this ICE

[11:08] in our community has really impacted a

[11:10] lot of business in our community. And it

[11:13] has affected even individuals, even

[11:15] families, even children. Children are

[11:17] have having to come home and talk about

[11:20] what ICE is doing in our community. And

[11:23] so, for me uh I'm here cuz I know all of

[11:26] you are you feel I'm you are human

[11:27] beings and I'm not here to criticize

[11:29] anyone. I'm not here to put anybody in a

[11:31] in a bad spot, but you have to feel it

[11:34] within you uh that you have to

[11:35] understand what impact we're having as a

[11:38] community and how we're being affected

[11:39] by this.

[11:41] Uh you know, I'll give you a story where

[11:44] my neighbor

[11:45] uh fearful

[11:46] uh of the Latino community

[11:48] uh haven't heard of him about 3 days

[11:50] now. Went and knocked his door. He

[11:52] opened the door and he the first thing

[11:54] he said to me was no ICE my friend. You

[11:56] know, so this is this is the fear we're

[11:58] talking about. This is the conversation

[12:00] we're having in our community. Uh you're

[12:02] have having to go all over Burnsville

[12:04] and getting to individual businesses,

[12:06] they're all empty. You know, and people

[12:08] are afraid to come to work.

[12:10] Uh even the normal democratic process of

[12:13] us expressing ourselves even when it

[12:15] comes to voting, you have fear of

[12:17] communities that usually come out uh

[12:19] asking themselves twice. When we go out

[12:21] and talk to them about how this process

[12:24] is important to you. So, for us also,

[12:26] we're building our city. Uh a beautiful

[12:29] city. You guys I think have done a great

[12:30] job in doing that. There's more that

[12:32] needs to be done, but you know, I got

[12:34] give you credit. Uh and so, we need to

[12:37] be able to have be having serious

[12:38] conversation about our community. Uh

[12:41] including having a Mother Martin Luther

[12:43] Martin Luther King Jr. Day educational

[12:46] conversation on race.

[12:47] 1 minute. And also

[12:50] I would love for you to consider

[12:52] unmasking ICE agents in our community so

[12:54] that we know who they are, how they look

[12:56] cuz we don't know who's coming to our

[12:57] community masked with guns. We are not

[13:00] sure if they're law enforcement, we're

[13:01] not sure if they're ICE agents. So,

[13:02] that's another thing I wanted to bring

[13:04] up and that is important to us. Thank

[13:05] you so much. Thank you, Mr. The

[13:08] next uh

[13:10] Okay, I'm going to ask that you know, I

[13:12] know that we appreciate everyone's

[13:14] comments, but at each time you do that,

[13:17] it's going I need to make sure that we

[13:19] keep moving along and let's be

[13:21] respectful. We all appreciate everyone's

[13:24] voice. So, thank you uh for your

[13:27] diligence with all of this. The next

[13:29] speaker is Yan Chen.

[13:31] And just uh give us your name and city.

[13:38] Good evening, council.

[13:39] Uh my name is Yan. I'm a resident of

[13:42] Burnsville.

[13:43] I've been involved in Minnesotan

[13:44] grassroots immigrant rights groups for

[13:46] over a year and I'm in favor of amending

[13:48] the city policy to prohibit immigration

[13:50] enforcement from using, staging,

[13:52] gathering, and or deploying to and from

[13:55] public city property. In fact, I'm in

[13:58] favor of the city council going even

[14:00] further to prohibit the use of any city

[14:03] materials, resources, or personnel to

[14:05] aid in the support of federal

[14:06] immigration matters.

[14:08] Part of your job, as I understand it

[14:11] is to ensure that all of your residents

[14:13] can wake up without the fear of being

[14:15] abducted on the streets, that they can

[14:18] go to work to beloved establishments

[14:20] without the fear of being violently

[14:21] tackled during a shift, and that they

[14:23] can operate businesses without being

[14:25] forced to shut down to keep their

[14:27] employees and co-workers safe from

[14:29] unidentified armed strangers.

[14:31] While you consider your own amendment, I

[14:33] insist that you consider an even more

[14:35] stringent amendment. Luckily for you,

[14:38] there's already a concrete model to

[14:40] follow. That is the revised separation

[14:43] ordinance that was unanimously adopted

[14:45] by the Minneapolis City Council in

[14:47] December and that I emailed to the city

[14:50] clerk earlier today.

[14:52] I've witnessed personally

[14:54] how multiple 20 or more plus unmarked

[14:57] vehicles in addition to lightly armored

[14:59] assault vehicles commonly known as a

[15:01] BearCat blockade multiple city blocks

[15:04] as ICE perp walked a a sole individual

[15:08] out of a house and I overheard on the

[15:10] radio that this person was identified as

[15:12] not the person that they were looking

[15:14] for, but simply as a {quote} {unquote}

[15:16] illegal. And after speaking to the

[15:18] sobbing wife of the person who's and the

[15:20] other people who are working at that

[15:22] house, they reported that even though

[15:24] the agents broke down the doors, they

[15:26] never saw a warrant.

[15:28] And similarly on January 6th, I spoke to

[15:31] the manager of my favorite local taco

[15:33] shop as he told me the ridiculous story

[15:35] of how ICE entered his restaurant and

[15:37] chased an employee. And then they

[15:40] decided to close early

[15:42] and remain closed for the rest of the

[15:43] week. He additionally told me that their

[15:46] other locations had to be shut down

[15:48] because their employees who had been

[15:50] working for more than 2 years with legal

[15:52] work permits were abducted during their

[15:55] shifts.

[15:57] I've personally been pepper sprayed and

[15:59] thrown onto hoods of vehicles and

[16:01] threatened with arrest without charge.

[16:03] These are not actions of a well-trained

[16:06] and measured law enforcement. These are

[16:09] actions of an unhinged paramilitary that

[16:12] I do not want to see on my streets or in

[16:14] my city ever again. Thank you. Thank

[16:17] you.

[16:18] Uh Mr. Doug Heuer.

[16:25] And just name and name of the city you

[16:28] live. Doug Heuer, Burnsville.

[16:30] And I'll yield two of my 3 minutes to

[16:33] someone else.

[16:35] Uh my wife and I have lived in

[16:36] Burnsville since 1988.

[16:39] And we fully support the ordinance

[16:43] amending title one

[16:45] chapter 13 stewardship of city resources

[16:48] and resolution number 26.

[16:50] Burnsville needs to stand for the values

[16:54] that make our community vibrant, strong,

[16:58] and a welcoming place for everyone.

[17:00] Thank you. Thank you.

[17:02] Um

[17:04] Ms. Alpha, I think it's

[17:07] Gorman? Goswami. Yeah. Yeah.

[17:10] You get your name and the city. And

[17:14] I know who you are.

[17:16] My name's Alpha Goswami. I'm from

[17:17] Burnsville. And I'll also yield my extra

[17:20] minutes to somebody because I'm not as

[17:23] eloquent as some of these other speakers

[17:25] are.

[17:26] Um but I have seen how terrified

[17:28] everyone is. I've seen the restaurants

[17:31] close down.

[17:32] Um

[17:34] there's so much distrust in the

[17:35] neighborhoods of seeing cars drive by

[17:37] like always watching. Um

[17:41] lack of workers coming in. There's a

[17:43] very popular gym around here that sent

[17:45] out an email today saying that their

[17:47] custodians aren't coming in

[17:49] across across the Twin Cities, not just

[17:52] in Burnsville, but they are just asking

[17:54] anyone to volunteer to be a custodian.

[17:57] Um

[17:59] And I feel like if we can um

[18:03] I I support this bill too. Um

[18:06] I think that's what called a

[18:07] proposition. I'm using the wrong words.

[18:10] Ordinance. Ordinance, thank you. Um so

[18:13] that kids can

[18:14] play safely and um

[18:17] parents don't have to worry about their

[18:20] kids even just driving to and from

[18:21] school.

[18:23] Thank you. Thank you.

[18:25] Uh Jesse Carlson.

[18:31] And just this your name and city.

[18:34] Uh members of the council, my name is

[18:35] Jesse Carlson. I live in Eagan. I'm an

[18:38] Eagan resident. However, I grew up in

[18:40] Apple Valley and uh I work in real

[18:43] estate and sell a lot of real estate in

[18:46] Burnsville, uh Minnesota.

[18:48] Uh Burnsville is one of my favorite

[18:49] places to sell. I grew up next to the

[18:51] city.

[18:53] Uh in in high school we would go we

[18:54] would go to the TGI Fridays that was at

[18:56] the Burnsville Mall. We're all still

[18:57] watching that and I've been thoroughly

[18:59] impressed over my entire life seeing how

[19:02] Burnsville has come about and has

[19:04] evolved and really risen itself up uh

[19:08] with given some of the mall and some of

[19:10] the economic turmoil that the city has

[19:11] seen.

[19:12] Uh I have found that many folks that I

[19:15] represent see Burnsville as a great

[19:17] place to move because of the

[19:19] up-and-coming nature, what has been done

[19:20] with the heart of the city, with with

[19:22] what has been done with the new

[19:23] businesses that come in uh that come in

[19:26] here. What I'm very afraid of right now

[19:28] for the citizens of Burnsville is with

[19:31] all the businesses closing, with folks

[19:34] not feeling brave enough to go outside

[19:38] uh due to all of the all of the unrest

[19:41] that's going on that ICE has brought to

[19:43] to the community here uh that these

[19:46] businesses may close their doors forever

[19:49] and all of the gains that have been made

[19:50] economically within Burnsville in order

[19:53] to advance itself and to make itself the

[19:55] city that we're all loving right now

[19:58] that I I again I I represent for to get

[20:01] people to move in here as best as

[20:03] possible. I I second the motion to try

[20:06] to amend this

[20:08] this ordinance to go more more

[20:11] stringently to ask for enforcement from

[20:14] the Burnsville Police Department in

[20:16] making sure that ICE does not use these

[20:20] uh these elementary schools for staging

[20:22] grounds. I I've seen ICE agents at Vista

[20:25] View lining that up. This is a place for

[20:28] children.

[20:30] This is They've been lining up in in

[20:32] those areas and and I I've even heard

[20:37] reports of of Burnsville Police

[20:39] uh

[20:41] cooperating, shaking hands with ICE

[20:42] agents here. Now, I am not here to

[20:44] disparage the police officers. They They

[20:46] put their They put their lives on the on

[20:48] the line every single day. But, what I

[20:50] ask is for help. This community needs

[20:52] the help and protection because no

[20:55] matter what happens with this

[20:56] enforcement with this enforcement items

[20:59] and the people they remove from our

[21:00] community, these are going to be your

[21:03] neighbors forever, right? Lining up with

[21:06] with ICE with these enforcement folks,

[21:08] they're only going to be here for a

[21:09] short time. We have elections that that

[21:12] could come up and that could change at

[21:13] any point in time. Do we really want to

[21:16] have a negative impacts on the leaders

[21:18] with with within the community between

[21:20] the police department and and its

[21:22] citizens? Thank you. Thank you. Thank

[21:25] you. Uh Jessica Benard

[21:31] And so,

[21:32] your name because I hope I

[21:34] pronounced it correctly, but uh

[21:37] in your city.

[21:38] >> My name's Jessica Benard and I live in

[21:40] » My name's Jessica Benard and I live in

[21:40] Burnsville.

[21:43] Um council members, Madam Mayor,

[21:46] I listened to the discussion about ICE

[21:48] enforcement in Burnsville from last

[21:50] week's meeting and I have to say

[21:53] residents don't need your sympathy or

[21:54] reassurance. We need action.

[21:57] Saying there is nothing we can do is not

[22:00] leadership. Doing nothing is

[22:02] unacceptable.

[22:03] This is a reality whether you like it or

[22:05] not.

[22:06] Inaction is permission for an abuser to

[22:08] escalate their behavior. This will only

[22:10] get worse unless Burnsville acts now.

[22:13] Doing nothing is a choice. You may not

[22:15] control federal agencies, but you do

[22:17] control how Burnsville uses its own

[22:19] resources and what it stands for.

[22:22] You are elected officials representing

[22:24] all residents.

[22:26] "You belong here" is our slogan, but it

[22:29] rings hollow at the moment.

[22:31] You say you're thinking about the

[22:32] long-term effects of our community as

[22:34] are others.

[22:35] Understand this, fear and silence cause

[22:38] long-term harm.

[22:39] You cannot hide from it or self-care it

[22:42] away.

[22:44] Please lead.

[22:46] You can start by voting yes on this

[22:48] ordinance to ban the staging in public

[22:50] property.

[22:52] I also agree with the proposal to ban it

[22:55] further with the unmasking of agents.

[22:59] These should be safe spaces for

[23:00] community members, not convenient

[23:02] locations for abductions.

[23:04] Community members being abducted at a

[23:07] police station or municipal center reeks

[23:09] of collaboration with federal agents and

[23:11] both of these things happened this week

[23:13] in our neighboring suburbs.

[23:16] Do the right thing. Vote yes.

[23:18] And I thank you for your hard work and

[23:20] your time. Thank you.

[23:23] Molly

[23:25] uh

[23:27] I'm not quite sure how to I scribbled

[23:30] Molly Gerke. That's I am a 20-year

[23:33] resident of Burnsville.

[23:35] My family and I are heavily involved in

[23:37] the community. My husband teaches at

[23:39] BHS. I work for the YMCA, a local

[23:41] clinic, and even right there at BCT V. I

[23:44] was very pregnant last time I was here

[23:46] though. It was quite quite a while ago.

[23:48] We're in sports, community ed, Girl

[23:50] Scouts. My daughter was up at the day of

[23:51] last year talking about parks.

[23:54] We love our community, our parks, and

[23:56] our neighbors.

[23:57] Since December, life in Burnsville has

[23:59] changed for the worse. Our immigrant

[24:02] neighbors, our black and brown

[24:03] neighbors, and honestly everyone I've

[24:04] spoken with are living with some kind of

[24:06] fear for their safety. That is not the

[24:09] Burnsville I know.

[24:11] I began going to mosque on Fridays in

[24:13] December to show support. Last week a

[24:16] leader there told me attendance is way

[24:18] down ever since these targeted attacks

[24:20] began.

[24:21] People are afraid to worship in

[24:23] Burnsville.

[24:25] I spoke with a teen at the mosque who

[24:27] said Thursday she was hassled by ICE in

[24:29] the parking lot of the Outlet Mall and

[24:31] asked for her documentation.

[24:34] A child.

[24:36] I spoke with another teen that attends

[24:37] BHS who said she recently watched ICE

[24:39] bother somebody walking to school. She

[24:42] now carries her passport with her all

[24:44] the time. Again, this is a child.

[24:48] I've joined a group of parents and

[24:49] teachers who are staying vigilant during

[24:51] school release time for William Byrne.

[24:53] Two weeks ago, there was a confirmed ICE

[24:55] vehicle idling at the entrance of the

[24:57] apartments near the school at release

[24:59] time.

[25:01] That child didn't come

[25:02] the rest of the week.

[25:04] Parents and children of all immigration

[25:06] statuses are afraid to leave their homes

[25:08] due to potential and honestly likely

[25:10] harassment and unlawful detainment by

[25:11] ICE.

[25:13] My husband's classroom is seeing a 25 to

[25:15] 50% absenteeism every single day in

[25:19] every single class at the high school

[25:21] since December.

[25:23] Teachers are reaching out to students to

[25:25] make sure they're safe. Parents are

[25:27] transporting vulnerable children to and

[25:28] from school activities.

[25:30] Community members are dropping off food

[25:32] and supplies. What's the city doing?

[25:35] What are the police doing?

[25:37] 1 minute. ICE is making the city less

[25:39] safe and definitely not a place where

[25:41] everyone belongs.

[25:44] Last week ICE caused a horrific car

[25:45] accident on five and that wasn't even

[25:47] the first of its kind. They've used that

[25:49] technique in Shakopee a couple days

[25:50] ahead. My 16-year-old who works for the

[25:53] city as a warming house attendant over

[25:55] at Northview, I'm not letting him drive

[25:56] anymore. That was two blocks

[25:59] from where he goes to work every Sunday.

[26:03] After how bad it is the roads just

[26:05] aren't safe anymore when they're doing

[26:07] this behavior.

[26:08] They're unlawfully setting up checks at

[26:10] entrances to mobile homes and

[26:11] apartments. They're unlawfully speeding

[26:13] through Burnsville and even ramming

[26:15] their vehicles into others.

[26:18] They're unlawfully forcing entry into

[26:19] businesses and daycares. Their

[26:21] activities caused Burnsville stores and

[26:23] restaurants to close for the safety of

[26:25] their staff and patient patrons.

[26:27] This is not the safe Burnsville it once

[26:29] was. Teachers are helping. Parents are

[26:31] helping. Tow companies are helping. Food

[26:34] shelves are helping. Community is

[26:35] helping. What is the city doing? That's

[26:37] time.

[26:38] Thank you.

[26:41] Andre Winters

[26:48] Good evening.

[26:50] Yeah.

[26:51] Name and just the city, please.

[26:54] Andre Winters, Burnsville.

[26:56] Um good evening,

[26:58] City Council,

[27:00] City Attorney,

[27:02] Fire Chief,

[27:04] Police Chief,

[27:06] residents.

[27:07] Um I was actually sent here to read

[27:09] something that my wife asked me to read.

[27:12] Um

[27:16] And

[27:17] if it seems like I'm going to give you a

[27:19] constitutional less lesson, yeah, that's

[27:21] my intent.

[27:23] Um so, I will I will read and I'm also a

[27:26] school teacher, so I have that bit. And

[27:28] and uh Mr. Shepherd, I apologize if I

[27:31] sound like an attorney cuz I am

[27:33] definitely not an attorney.

[27:34] Um

[27:35] So, she writes, "Good evening, honorable

[27:37] members of the City Council. My name is

[27:40] Beatrice Winters and I reside in

[27:43] Burnsville.

[27:44] I've been a resident of Burnsville for

[27:46] over 20 years. I am a mother, a wife,

[27:49] grandmother, and human rights advocate.

[27:53] As such, I am here before you or I am

[27:56] here before you

[27:58] to ask that the City Council of

[28:00] Burnsville uphold the oath of office you

[28:03] swore before you officially assume

[28:06] the duties and exercise the powers of

[28:09] your position.

[28:11] You swore to uphold Minnesota law

[28:14] and local city charter norms.

[28:17] Under Minnesota law, you affirmed that

[28:19] you would support the Constitution of

[28:21] the United States

[28:23] and the Constitution of the state the

[28:25] great state of Minnesota.

[28:28] So, I stand before you reminding you

[28:31] that the Minnesota Constitution

[28:34] Article 1, Section 7 addresses due

[28:36] process and habeas corpus.

[28:39] The Minnesota Constitution guarantees

[28:42] fundamental legal protections before

[28:44] someone can be held for a crime.

[28:47] No person might be held to answer for a

[28:50] criminal offense without due process of

[28:53] law.

[28:54] And no one can be deprived of life,

[28:57] liberty, and property without due

[29:00] process. Article 1, Section 10 addresses

[29:04] unsearchable seat Excuse me, searches

[29:07] and seizures. The Minnesota Constitution

[29:09] also mimics the Fourth Amendment of the

[29:11] US Constitution protected at the state

[29:13] level.

[29:14] People have the right

[29:16] to be secure in their persons,

[29:18] possessions against unreasonable

[29:20] searches and seizures. In short, the

[29:23] Minnesota Constitution firmly protects

[29:25] liberty by requiring due process before

[29:29] holding someone for a criminal offense

[29:32] that requires judicial authorization

[29:34] such as a warrant supported by probable

[29:36] cause before people and property can be

[29:39] lawfully seized or searched.

[29:42] While

[29:43] the Minnesota statute does not allow

[29:45] arrest without a warrant in some

[29:48] circumstances such as a crime committed

[29:50] in an officer's presence or when there

[29:53] is probable cause

[29:55] for a felony.

[29:56] This does not eliminate constitutional

[29:59] rights.

[30:00] Bottom line, Minnesota Constitution

[30:02] prohibits the detention

[30:04] without due process or deprivation of

[30:07] liberty without constitutional

[30:09] safeguards.

[30:10] Thank you, Mr. Winters.

[30:13] Uh Ada Winter.

[30:30] Name and city, please. Hi.

[30:33] I'm Ada Winter. I um have lived in

[30:36] Burnsville my entire life

[30:38] and I have never felt unsafe in this

[30:42] city until now.

[30:44] Um

[30:46] I've seen multiple ICE raids in our

[30:48] community and I've seen the Burnsville

[30:51] police assist ICE in these raids. Um I

[30:55] would like that to stop along with this

[30:58] amendment and stop anything from this

[31:01] city to benefit them whatsoever.

[31:05] And that's all.

[31:07] Thank you. Thank you.

[31:10] Tasha

[31:12] Weisenberger

[31:13] Pomeroy.

[31:18] Name and city.

[31:21] My name is Tasha Weisenberger Pomeroy.

[31:24] I live in Burnsville and have been a

[31:26] resident for 7 and 1/2 years.

[31:30] I moved to Burnsville from Minneapolis

[31:32] for its diversity.

[31:34] And that diversity is also what has um

[31:40] has been the best part of being here. I

[31:41] have children in the schools.

[31:44] Um we've enjoyed the parks. We've

[31:46] enjoyed all elements of living here and

[31:49] that diversity is also what

[31:52] is putting Burnsville under attack. And

[31:54] so I'd like to uh support the uh

[31:58] ordinance and ask actually that you go

[32:00] one step further. In the last weeks,

[32:03] I've been helping to support my

[32:04] neighbors.

[32:05] Um I've been observing.

[32:07] I've been seeing what tactics ICE is

[32:10] using on the road, completely dangerous.

[32:13] I've seen pictures of the accidents that

[32:15] they've caused. My children now know

[32:18] when ICE is on the road and can point

[32:20] them out by their dangerous driving

[32:22] behaviors. My kids are 7 and 10.

[32:24] Those aren't safe conditions for anyone.

[32:27] And I'd like you to So I'd like you to

[32:29] support this ordinance and consider

[32:31] additional steps that the police force

[32:33] can take to keep our citizens safe and

[32:36] how people are using our roads and how

[32:38] people are interacting with our

[32:39] citizens.

[32:41] Thank you.

[32:44] Sarah Beckman.

[32:51] Yeah. Hello. Name and just city. My name

[32:53] is Sarah Beckman um and I am a resident

[32:56] of Burnsville.

[32:57] Um I am not prepared cuz I didn't think

[32:59] I would make it in time, but

[33:01] I chose this city to raise my children

[33:04] in 11 years ago um because of its

[33:06] diversity. Um The beautiful things that

[33:09] happen in this community make it what it

[33:12] is. Um

[33:13] the fact that all we belong here, we all

[33:15] belong here. Um I truly believe that. Um

[33:19] but in the last 2 months, there are

[33:21] things that are making me question.

[33:23] Um my family's first interactions,

[33:27] personal interactions were December 6th

[33:29] when my children and I were driving out

[33:31] of our street and turned the corner to

[33:32] watch a raid by ICE with 10 plus

[33:35] vehicles

[33:37] where members of our community were

[33:39] taken violently. My children watched

[33:42] long arm long gun um armed officers in

[33:46] my street less than a block from my

[33:49] home. And I know you know these things

[33:51] are happening, but my kids are 5, 7, and

[33:54] 10.

[33:55] This is not what they should be seeing.

[33:57] Um in the last 10 days, I've been

[33:59] observing um with my community. Um the

[34:03] very first day, I watched a young father

[34:06] be violently detained.

[34:08] Um I've seen multiple abductions since

[34:11] then.

[34:12] I have personally been threatened by ICE

[34:14] twice now. Um once by using my name

[34:17] coming up and telling me that I will be

[34:19] arrested if I do not um stay out of

[34:21] their way. I was in my car multiple um

[34:25] aisles away from them in the Cub parking

[34:27] lot.

[34:28] The second time as I was watching them

[34:31] and had a confirmed ICE vehicle um to

[34:34] observe so that we can document and

[34:36] watch what's happening to our community

[34:39] so that no one goes missing, no one gets

[34:41] lost. I had an officer drive across town

[34:46] from 13 and 5 all the way to my home to

[34:49] show me that he knew where I lived.

[34:52] These are things that are not safe for

[34:53] my my home, my community, my family. I

[34:56] love Burnsville. I love Burnsville and I

[34:59] want it to be safe.

[35:01] So please adopt this ordinance. Again, I

[35:03] don't know what I'm saying, but please

[35:04] adopt this ordinance and

[35:07] I would like for our police who I

[35:10] deeply love. Um They work so closely

[35:12] with our PTO at Gideon Pond and um

[35:15] they're present and um

[35:17] I want them to step up and to

[35:20] um

[35:22] pull police pull the ICE officers over

[35:23] when they are being um aggressive, when

[35:26] they are breaking the law, and um to not

[35:28] threaten us. I don't want to feel unsafe

[35:30] here because I am trying to witness and

[35:33] keep our community safe.

[35:35] Thank you.

[35:37] Jean Foreman.

[35:45] Hello again. Hello. Jean Foreman. I live

[35:47] in Burnsville.

[35:50] And I'm coming today. I'm wearing my

[35:52] whistle. I don't leave the house anymore

[35:54] without my whistle and I think there's

[35:56] probably a lot of people here who do the

[35:57] same.

[35:59] Because every day I leave my house,

[36:02] I don't know if I'm going to have to

[36:03] stand up for a neighbor,

[36:05] someone I don't know,

[36:06] but I believe in our safety because if

[36:10] my neighbors aren't safe, then

[36:12] ultimately I'm not safe. And I'll just

[36:14] echo what the previous

[36:16] um

[36:16] testifier said. I went out on an

[36:19] observation uh actually was my first one

[36:22] just um

[36:23] a few weekends ago.

[36:25] And later that afternoon, um there was

[36:28] an ICE vehicle patrolling in our

[36:30] neighborhood and there had not ever been

[36:32] one there before.

[36:34] So I think they are following and trying

[36:37] to intimidate Burnsville residents who

[36:40] are trying to stand up and do the right

[36:41] thing for all of our neighbors.

[36:44] But I do want to tell you that there is

[36:46] no need to obviously assist federal

[36:48] agents by allowing staging on any city

[36:51] property. Uh Why would

[36:54] our city resources, our city council,

[36:57] and city leadership want to be

[36:59] associated with the stories that you're

[37:01] hearing to tonight?

[37:05] They're clearly getting their work done.

[37:09] Whatever it is, I'm not even sure.

[37:11] But they're disrupting life in

[37:12] Burnsville and we don't need to help

[37:14] them. And I don't want you all to help

[37:18] I want to help our neighbors.

[37:21] Understanding that some of the more

[37:24] serious events in other parts of our

[37:25] state uh have been far worse doesn't

[37:29] guarantee that it ultimately won't be a

[37:31] story told right here in Burnsville.

[37:34] It is time to recognize that the

[37:36] decision made tonight

[37:39] is a decision that our residents are

[37:41] going to live with now

[37:43] and into the future.

[37:46] How do we all want to be remembered in

[37:49] this moment?

[37:51] I appreciate it. Thank you. I just want

[37:54] to say that um

[37:56] public service and I respect you all for

[37:57] that means making difficult decisions,

[38:01] truly difficult decisions.

[38:03] But this should be the easiest vote you

[38:06] should take

[38:07] is to approve the ordinance amendment

[38:11] and deny access to city property by

[38:15] federal agents who are here to terrorize

[38:17] us and terrorize our neighbors.

[38:20] Thank you. Thank you.

[38:24] And Monica, I can't read your last name,

[38:26] but it starts with an N.

[38:32] And

[38:33] Hi. My name is Monica Nicole. I am

[38:35] Nicole. Yes. Uh I'm first time, too, so

[38:39] hello everybody. Um I do want to start

[38:41] by saying

[38:42] >> Burnsville?

[38:42] » Burnsville?

[38:42] >> And I'm from Burnsville, yes. Okay.

[38:44] » And I'm from Burnsville, yes. Okay.

[38:44] I just want to say thank you to the

[38:46] community who's showing up.

[38:50] And um

[38:51] using your voice. Sorry. Um

[38:56] But as a brown woman, um

[39:00] it has been very

[39:01] hard to leave the house

[39:04] and making sure that I have my passport.

[39:06] Um I also am in

[39:10] I have witnessed from first hand family

[39:11] members are in fear.

[39:13] They're no longer contributing to our

[39:15] society, to our communities, and our

[39:17] society because they are afraid of being

[39:19] abducted and treated inhumanely.

[39:21] I ask that you also pass the amendment.

[39:25] Um

[39:27] I don't have my paper with me, but I ask

[39:29] that you please um help and use your

[39:32] power to help us, to help our community,

[39:35] to

[39:36] support us because this is what is

[39:38] happening is not right in any in any

[39:41] level. Um

[39:42] I recently had to go help a family

[39:44] member and a community member who are

[39:46] legal here

[39:47] escape out of a Burger King because they

[39:49] have been surrounded all day long by

[39:52] these ICE agents. And the fear that they

[39:55] have

[39:57] it just it's heartbreaking. Um this

[39:59] should not be happening. So, I

[40:04] I had so much more I wanted to say, but

[40:06] I just ask for your help and ask you to

[40:08] do the right thing and protect our

[40:10] people and protect our community because

[40:13] we are all contributing here. We all

[40:14] came to find something better for to to

[40:16] support to be

[40:18] working hard-working members of our

[40:20] community. So, I that's all. Thank you

[40:23] so much. Thank you. Thank you, Monica.

[40:26] Um

[40:31] I think it's

[40:34] Nadia

[40:35] N I

[40:38] D A Benson, I think. Oh, Nick. N I C K.

[40:43] >> Oh, it's Nick.

[40:44] » Oh, it's Nick.

[40:44] >> That's okay. I'm sorry.

[40:46] » That's okay. I'm sorry.

[40:46] I've been called worse.

[40:50] So, forgive me.

[40:51] >> Yes, that's okay. I apologize for my

[40:53] » Yes, that's okay. I apologize for my

[40:53] sloppy handwriting. I appreciate your

[40:56] reminder on civility and respect here

[40:59] because what I have witnessed over the

[41:02] last few weeks here has filled me with

[41:04] so much rage and tension. And Nick,

[41:07] you're from Burnsville, right?

[41:08] >> I am from Burnsville, yes. 14 years here

[41:10] » I am from Burnsville, yes. 14 years here

[41:10] now.

[41:10] >> tonight I'm not even asking for your

[41:12] » tonight I'm not even asking for your

[41:12] address. It's just that it we all know

[41:14] that we're we're all one Burnsville.

[41:17] >> Indeed, Burnsville, I promise. Uh

[41:20] » Indeed, Burnsville, I promise. Uh

[41:20] anyway,

[41:21] uh I've been filled with rage and seen

[41:23] what's going on in my city. I've been

[41:25] doing observation work here as many

[41:27] people have. Um I have seen ICE agents

[41:31] sitting at Terrace Oaks Park next to the

[41:33] skating rink where there should have

[41:35] been kids skating. There were ICE agents

[41:36] waiting to

[41:38] uh harass and hassle someone else

[41:39] without any probable cause. I've been

[41:42] around when um

[41:44] we've been doing observation work and

[41:47] ICE calls in and says that

[41:50] our fellow observers have been causing

[41:52] traffic accidents and ramming into their

[41:54] vehicles and sending the Burnsville

[41:56] police after them to hassle them on

[41:59] ICE's behalf, which is disgusting. Uh I

[42:02] have also been on

[42:04] the scene of other situations where ICE

[42:07] has been doing enforcement action. And

[42:09] again, uh Burnsville police are there uh

[42:12] fist bumping and saying things like I'll

[42:13] call you later and things like that. And

[42:16] it fills me with such uh shame and rage

[42:20] that people with uh wearing the badge

[42:23] for the police in my town are helping

[42:25] enable all of this. And I have to go and

[42:28] drop my kids off at a school where

[42:29] there's a Burnsville police car sitting

[42:31] in front of school resource officer.

[42:33] And what are we supposed to tell our

[42:35] kids when I've seen Burnsville police

[42:38] out helping ICE do this work?

[42:42] How are we supposed to trust that

[42:44] they're here to keep any of us safe when

[42:47] they're also collaborating and doing

[42:48] this work? Um I would ask that you pass

[42:52] the separation ordinance and take it a

[42:54] step further so that no other city

[42:56] resources are devoted to uh enabling

[43:00] what ICE is doing. One more minute.

[43:04] They are everywhere. I was took a trip

[43:06] to Menards the other day. I drove

[43:08] through three apartment complexes uh

[43:10] that I knew had vulnerable communities

[43:12] in there and ICE was uh circling around

[43:14] looking for people in two of them

[43:15] already. Uh it's completely

[43:17] unacceptable.

[43:19] Uh the only words from any of our cops

[43:21] to DHS or ICE or any of these other

[43:23] alphabet soup of agencies involved in

[43:26] uh any of these enforcement activities

[43:27] should be get the hell out of

[43:28] Burnsville. Thank you. Thank you.

[43:31] Okay, Emma Gabbert.

[43:37] Let me move that down here. Yeah, just

[43:39] name your city. Uh Emma Gabbert and

[43:42] Burnsville, lifelong resident.

[43:44] Um greetings to everyone here. Uh my

[43:46] name is Emma Gabbert um and I wanted to

[43:48] share my experience of being an ICE

[43:50] observer this past Saturday. Um I was

[43:53] notified that ICE was stationed at the

[43:55] QuickTrip on Highway 5 in Burnsville

[43:57] Parkway.

[43:58] Um I pulled in, I saw a large SUV with

[44:01] out-of-state plates and looked in the

[44:03] driver's and passenger seat and soon

[44:06] enough saw that they were masked agents.

[44:09] Um

[44:10] There were other observers there, but um

[44:12] horns were not being honked and

[44:15] whistles were not being blown. And so, I

[44:17] decided to go up and talk to them and

[44:19] ask what they were doing there. Um which

[44:22] was pretty crazy, but I just wanted to

[44:24] see what they had to say for themselves.

[44:26] And so, I asked them what they were

[44:28] doing there. They said that they had

[44:30] been stationed there.

[44:32] Um and I said, "Okay, I'm going to honk

[44:35] my horn and blow my whistle, you know,

[44:37] as I'm dedicated to doing that." And um

[44:41] the ICE agent in the passenger seat

[44:42] said, "Oh, honk your horn. Blow your

[44:44] whistle. You do whatever you got to do,

[44:47] you know?" And I'm like,

[44:49] "This is an interesting response to me

[44:52] coming up and asking you like basically

[44:55] to get out of here." Um so, I did just

[44:58] that. I started blowing my whistle,

[44:59] honking my horn, and soon, you know, my

[45:02] other observers came by. Um and then at

[45:05] that point is when I saw three more

[45:07] vehicles surround us completely. Um

[45:10] which means that they were probably

[45:12] looking to justify bringing in more

[45:13] reinforcements.

[45:15] Um but we did not stop honking our

[45:17] horns, blowing our whistles. Um and they

[45:20] eventually left without um detaining

[45:22] anyone that I saw.

[45:24] So, I just wanted to share that

[45:25] experience because I know a lot of

[45:27] people have been threatened by ICE

[45:28] agents, but in this instance, it seemed

[45:31] like they were making a game of it. Um

[45:34] so, I just wanted to let people know

[45:36] that this is a response that you may

[45:38] encounter

[45:39] um with an ICE agent.

[45:41] So, today I ask the city of Burnsville

[45:43] to support the ordinance to limit the

[45:45] use of stewardship of city property for

[45:47] federal immigration enforcement staging

[45:50] operations.

[45:51] >> One more minute.

[45:51] » One more minute.

[45:51] Thank you.

[45:53] Um and I want to say too, we were

[45:54] talking about, you know, the importance

[45:56] of public service. I am running for the

[45:58] House of Representatives for District

[45:59] 55B. And I hope that my fellow public

[46:04] servants can uphold the values that we

[46:06] hold so dear to us here in Burnsville.

[46:09] Thank you so much and

[46:11] thank you for your work. Thanks.

[46:13] >> Okay, Chris John.

[46:29] Madam Mayor, City Council, sorry. I

[46:32] sitting in the back, so my name is Chris

[46:34] John. I live in Burnsville. And I just

[46:36] wanted to talk a little bit about a

[46:37] story and I spoke with uh a few people

[46:41] to try to get some pictures uh in front

[46:43] of you um this uh event that happened on

[46:46] Saturday this past Saturday about 4:30

[46:49] on 150th and County Road 5.

[46:52] Uh it was a vehicle that was uh

[46:55] rammed by ICE.

[46:58] And I don't know if they can get this

[46:59] picture in. They said if I point to the

[47:01] camera Yeah.

[47:03] And you can see that the damage. And the

[47:05] person right in front of there is a

[47:06] Burnsville police officer. Can you guys

[47:07] see that okay? Yeah, it's It's coming

[47:10] in. Yeah, and uh The control room has

[47:13] it. And you might be looking at that

[47:16] thinking, "Well, what happened to the

[47:17] people inside?" Well, I'm happy to say

[47:19] that they're fine.

[47:23] I got another picture if they want to

[47:24] show that as well.

[47:26] And you can see them sitting in the

[47:27] snow. They're being arrested. They were

[47:29] pulled out of that vehicle after all the

[47:31] damage. But don't worry, the kid in the

[47:33] back was cleared by the Burnsville

[47:35] paramedics.

[47:37] Now, physically cleared. Mentally, who

[47:40] knows.

[47:42] These are the kind of processes that are

[47:43] happening. I don't feel like

[47:45] this is a policing action as much as

[47:47] it's a military takeover of our city.

[47:50] I think it's ridiculous. I really hope

[47:53] that we can at least push back a little

[47:55] bit by

[47:56] by passing this ordinance. Thank you.

[47:59] Yeah, thank you.

[48:01] Uh Katerina Gomez.

[48:09] Just the city, your name and the city.

[48:16] Here we go. Hello everybody. Hello Mayor

[48:18] Kautz and City Council members. My name

[48:20] is Katerina Gomez, but you may call me

[48:22] Kathy. Uh I am the proud grandchild of

[48:25] Cliff and Shirley Jacobson, the original

[48:27] settlers in Burnsville.

[48:30] While I'm the second generation to be

[48:31] born and raised in Burnsville on my

[48:33] maternal side I'm also a first

[48:36] generation Honduran American. My

[48:38] father's from Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

[48:41] Nearly all of my family on my paternal

[48:43] side still lives there, including my

[48:44] brother and my nephew.

[48:46] Needless to say, before I could

[48:48] articulate public policy, I felt the

[48:50] impacts of federal immigration policy on

[48:52] my family.

[48:54] And an important lesson I learned early

[48:56] on that there were some things that are

[48:57] just beyond even my parents' control.

[49:01] And my parents raised me well. Every

[49:03] night before we went to bed, I prayed

[49:04] for my cousins in Honduras just as hard

[49:06] as I prayed for my cousins here in

[49:08] Minnesota.

[49:09] It was a childhood dream of mine to meet

[49:11] my family, laugh, um and eat together

[49:13] without any worries.

[49:15] And I don't know about you, City Council

[49:17] members, but I've made great progress in

[49:19] making my childhood dreams come true in

[49:20] the recent years.

[49:22] The Honduran cousins I had only prayed

[49:24] for and seen pictures of on social

[49:26] media, I finally got into know. This

[49:28] past month, my family hosted four of my

[49:30] cousins from Honduras here in

[49:31] Burnsville. And just this morning, they

[49:34] hopped on a plane at MSP heading back to

[49:36] Honduras.

[49:37] They were so excited to visit Minnesota

[49:39] for the first time. Um it's experience

[49:42] snow, to visit the Mall of America, all

[49:45] of the thing American things, eat sushi.

[49:49] But needless to say, our plans were

[49:51] drastically impacted by the recent surge

[49:53] of violent immigration enforcement

[49:55] actions in the visible presence of

[49:57] federal agents from the Department of

[49:58] Homeland Security.

[50:00] My cousins are tourists who did

[50:01] everything legally, yet were unable to

[50:04] safely visit the land of the free.

[50:06] Restaurants were closed, enforcement

[50:08] actions were being staged in public

[50:11] parks and parking lots.

[50:13] And these violent videos were being

[50:14] shared all over social media.

[50:17] How we support and care for each other

[50:18] is the only thing we have control of.

[50:21] We must think of how families and

[50:23] children are being impacted by the world

[50:25] we are creating for them to grow up in.

[50:29] One of my cousins that visited me from

[50:31] Honduras, she's only 10 years old. She's

[50:33] a beautiful reminder that children, just

[50:35] like all of us, are experiencing life

[50:37] for the first time.

[50:39] While me and so many other Americans

[50:40] have been losing sleep looking up

[50:42] immigration policies, delivering

[50:44] groceries to neighbors, bearing witness

[50:46] to the experience of others, and

[50:48] connecting families to our local much

[50:50] overextended community programs and

[50:52] organizations.

[50:54] My little cousin shared with me that she

[50:56] felt like her time in Minnesota was a

[50:58] beautiful dream that she didn't want to

[51:00] wake up in this month.

[51:03] And that was before she went to

[51:04] Build-A-Bear.

[51:07] How we react and respond to social

[51:09] disruption, tragedy, and violence will

[51:12] be observed by those around us,

[51:13] especially by the little ones in our

[51:15] community.

[51:16] Those who've studied immigration policy

[51:18] and enforcement trends in the United

[51:20] States can tell you that since DHS has

[51:22] been created in 2002, both Democratic

[51:25] and Republican administrations have

[51:26] removed millions of people through

[51:28] expedited processes.

[51:30] The difference is these recent

[51:31] immigration enforcement actions have

[51:33] been especially disruptive and

[51:35] intimidating and violent.

[51:37] This month my family wasn't able to

[51:39] explore the Twin Cities and we weren't

[51:40] comfortable traveling around the state

[51:42] even with all of our passport and our

[51:44] identification. So my cousins didn't

[51:46] quite have the Minnesota experience we

[51:48] envisioned, but we spent hours outside

[51:51] at our Burnsville parks, sledding and

[51:53] building snow creatures.

[51:55] But the entire time I was anxious and on

[51:57] high alert because I know that even

[51:59] though we live down the street and even

[52:01] though I brought my passport sledding, I

[52:03] was fearful of being questioned.

[52:06] We need to preserve these spaces and

[52:07] other city-owned properties as trusted

[52:10] locations for families to continue

[52:12] supporting the healthy growth and

[52:13] development of children.

[52:15] I know we can't bring immigration reform

[52:17] through city ordinances. I wish it was

[52:19] that easy.

[52:21] But I do know that we can mitigate harm

[52:22] to our most vulnerable community

[52:24] members.

[52:25] Thank you for checking in on your

[52:26] neighbors and your co-workers. Thank you

[52:28] for donating and delivering food for

[52:30] your neighbors. Extra shout-out for food

[52:32] donations, please.

[52:34] And thank you for supporting this

[52:35] ordinance.

[52:37] Thank you.

[52:38] Okay. Um

[52:41] Joy Marber.

[53:00] Okay.

[53:02] Just name and city, please. Good

[53:04] evening.

[53:05] My name is Joy Marber and I'm from

[53:07] Burnsville now.

[53:10] All right.

[53:13] Good evening, student city council

[53:14] members. My name is Joy. I'm a 20-year

[53:17] Army veteran, a former military police

[53:19] officer, and a logistics NCO, and a

[53:22] proud Minnesotan.

[53:23] I'm here tonight not just to speak as a

[53:25] veteran,

[53:27] but as a neighbor, a homeowner,

[53:29] and someone who has fought for peace

[53:32] both abroad and here at home.

[53:35] In 2020 I watched my community burn to

[53:38] the ground, third precinct, Minneapolis,

[53:41] on national television.

[53:43] I wasn't even home to process it.

[53:46] I was deployed to Camp Taji, Iraq,

[53:50] where I we are under constant threat and

[53:52] heavy attack. I suffered my second TBI.

[53:57] I was serving my country watching my

[53:58] neighborhood fall apart from thousands

[54:00] of miles away.

[54:02] When I returned, I couldn't shake the

[54:04] hypervigilance.

[54:05] The sounds, the tensions, the fear

[54:09] did not stay overseas.

[54:14] It followed me home.

[54:18] The VA mental health provider told me

[54:20] that if I wanted to manage my PTSD,

[54:22] maybe I need to find more peaceful place

[54:24] to live, be

[54:28] a place where I can breathe.

[54:30] So I sold my home.

[54:33] I left my neighborhood, the only

[54:35] neighborhood I'd known.

[54:37] I came to Burnsville because it offered

[54:39] something desperately needed, stillness.

[54:43] And while I found it,

[54:46] and for a while I I found it, but now

[54:48] that stillness is gone.

[54:50] I see masked men running around the

[54:52] streets chasing and threatening people.

[54:55] I hear the fear in my neighbors' voices.

[54:57] I feel the tension in my own body. My

[54:59] hypervigilance is back, worse than ever.

[55:02] The VA had to increase my medication

[55:04] again just so I can function.

[55:08] I didn't come to Burnsville to escape.

[55:11] I came here to heal. 1 minute.

[55:15] I'm asking you, imploring you,

[55:17] to help restore the peace and brought me

[55:19] here in the first place.

[55:21] I have done my part. I served. I'm

[55:24] retired.

[55:25] I sacrificed. I rebuilt.

[55:28] Now I need my city to do its part.

[55:32] To protect its residents and to preserve

[55:34] its peace and to ensure that people like

[55:37] me

[55:38] don't have to keep running from trauma

[55:39] that we didn't ask for.

[55:42] I just want stillness. I just want

[55:43] peace. Please help us find it again.

[55:46] Thank you.

[55:51] Kelsey Nordstrom.

[56:00] My story sounds kind of similar. Um

[56:04] I'm new to Burnsville. Um I'm

[56:08] uh I spent the last 9 years in Texas and

[56:11] I got out of an abusive marriage.

[56:13] And I came here for peace.

[56:15] And I chose

[56:17] Burnsville to

[56:20] be here with community and I live in an

[56:23] apartment where everyone is an immigrant

[56:25] and everyone is black or brown and

[56:27] they're all scared.

[56:30] I have a half-Mexican autistic nonverbal

[56:32] child. We left trauma

[56:35] in Texas and we came here

[56:37] for peace. I wanted peace for so long.

[56:41] I work in a restaurant in Burnsville.

[56:45] My entire kitchen staff is terrified and

[56:48] they are

[56:49] I've brought mattresses there so they

[56:51] can sleep in the restaurant. We're all

[56:52] bringing them to and from work. Our

[56:55] dishwasher is missing. His name is Galo

[56:58] Mauricio Otierra Carguas Carguas Condo.

[57:02] He's from Ecuador. I've called Menorca.

[57:04] I can't find him. He is uh

[57:07] a permanent resident and has a social

[57:09] security number and I still can't find

[57:11] him. Um

[57:13] I'm scared for my community. I'm I'm

[57:15] serving. I'm

[57:17] diligent.

[57:18] What I just lived through for the past 9

[57:20] years has made me very prepared for this

[57:22] and I'm going to tell you that violence

[57:25] you cannot appease it.

[57:27] We need to pass this ordinance and we

[57:29] need to unmask these men.

[57:32] There's a lot more that we need to do

[57:33] that I'm not going to say.

[57:35] Um

[57:37] but it needs to start with community and

[57:38] it needs to start here and if we truly

[57:40] say that we welcome all here, then we

[57:41] need to welcome all and this is fear.

[57:44] And we can't be brought down by fear and

[57:46] we can't be brought down by masked men

[57:48] and a paramilitary force in our streets.

[57:50] I stand with my community. I'm using my

[57:52] white privilege to speak for the black

[57:54] and brown community that cannot be here

[57:56] right now.

[57:58] I stand with them. I donate to them. I

[58:00] love them.

[58:02] I love my neighbors and

[58:05] yeah.

[58:05] Bye. Ordinance, yes, please. Thank you.

[58:10] Yeah.

[58:11] Okay. I think I think we can

[58:14] we all appreciate all of the great words

[58:17] that have been shared with us this

[58:19] evening. Uh the next speaker is Hunter

[58:21] Cantrell.

[58:44] Hello. Uh good evening, Madam Mayor and

[58:46] council. Hunter Cantrell, Savage. Uh I

[58:49] hope I'm not overdressed for the

[58:50] occasion. Uh you know, so

[58:54] folks have said a lot of very compelling

[58:56] narratives here

[58:58] a lot of very compelling experiences

[58:59] tonight.

[59:01] Um and you know, I I want to start off

[59:03] by saying our current time reminds me of

[59:07] Psalm 82:3.

[59:09] Defend the weak

[59:10] and the fatherless.

[59:12] Uphold the cause

[59:14] of the poor and the oppressed.

[59:18] I think it goes without saying that we

[59:20] are living in a time of great fear

[59:23] and great oppression.

[59:25] A time that we never thought would

[59:27] unfold in this country

[59:29] where agents of the government,

[59:31] specifically ICE agents,

[59:33] have been deployed in our communities

[59:36] to instill fear and intimidation

[59:40] among the most vulnerable people

[59:42] and community members

[59:44] that we have.

[59:46] People who have spent their entire lives

[59:49] contributing to our economies and our

[59:51] communities.

[59:53] People who fled countries where masked

[59:56] men would stop them on the streets

[59:58] while holding guns on the street corners

[1:00:00] saying, "Show me your papers." They fled

[1:00:02] countries like that for the United

[1:00:04] States.

[1:00:06] And yet here we are now.

[1:00:08] That is the reality that people in

[1:00:10] Burnsville, Savage, all throughout the

[1:00:11] Twin Cities and Twin Cities suburbs are

[1:00:14] facing.

[1:00:16] They're afraid that even though they

[1:00:19] might be a US citizen

[1:00:21] even though they might have

[1:00:24] a

[1:00:24] legal visa to be here and to work

[1:00:27] that when they leave their apartments or

[1:00:30] their homes in the morning or they show

[1:00:31] up to their places of work

[1:00:33] that they or their loved ones are going

[1:00:35] to be disappeared to God only knows

[1:00:37] where.

[1:00:40] And to me I I think this

[1:00:43] is so wrong

[1:00:45] and it's blatantly unconstitutional what

[1:00:47] is happening. Federal judges have

[1:00:49] asserted as much

[1:00:51] Thank you. Because of the magnitude of

[1:00:55] evidence of the violation of our civil

[1:00:58] rights, of our constitutional rights

[1:01:00] that these agents are committing. Not in

[1:01:02] the name of public safety

[1:01:03] but in the name of political

[1:01:05] retribution.

[1:01:07] Now normally I deal with sickness that

[1:01:10] affects organs. I deal with sickness

[1:01:12] that might affect a broken bone,

[1:01:14] sickness of

[1:01:16] the mind even

[1:01:18] in my day-to-day.

[1:01:19] But right now we have a sickness of the

[1:01:21] soul of this country.

[1:01:23] I think passing this ordinance is a step

[1:01:26] in the right direction to rectifying

[1:01:28] that sickness. I encourage you to

[1:01:30] support it. I encourage you to do what

[1:01:31] you can and for all citizens to do what

[1:01:34] they can peacefully

[1:01:35] to make sure that our civil rights are

[1:01:37] protected, our constitutional rights are

[1:01:38] protected and that everybody regardless

[1:01:41] of where they were born or their skin

[1:01:43] color is able to thrive and succeed and

[1:01:46] know that their basic humanity is going

[1:01:47] to be protected in our state.

[1:01:50] I thank you for your consideration.

[1:01:52] Thank you.

[1:01:53] And our last speaker is

[1:01:56] Representative Jess Hanson.

[1:02:22] Thank you, Madam Mayor.

[1:02:24] Madam Mayor, can I ask I was sent a

[1:02:26] story from somebody who's too afraid to

[1:02:28] be here tonight. Would you mind if I

[1:02:30] took two separate sections so that this

[1:02:32] family's story could be told tonight?

[1:02:35] Okay. Okay, is that okay? I have my own

[1:02:37] comments but I would like to also make

[1:02:39] sure that everybody out there wants to

[1:02:40] speak so I wanted to make sure that they

[1:02:42] got their chance too.

[1:02:44] Thank you, members of the council.

[1:02:46] I'm here to My name is Representative

[1:02:47] Jess Hanson. I live in Burnsville and I

[1:02:50] will first share a story with you from

[1:02:53] residents who were too afraid to speak.

[1:02:56] She says, "My husband and I witnessed a

[1:02:58] truck with doors wide open and a bunch

[1:03:00] of

[1:03:01] She is, yep.

[1:03:02] My husband and I witnessed a truck with

[1:03:04] doors wide open and a bunch of personal

[1:03:06] belongings in the snow.

[1:03:08] We asked a neighbor what happened and

[1:03:10] the neighbor said ICE had chased the

[1:03:12] truck there and then ransacked the car

[1:03:15] leaving all the belongings on the

[1:03:16] ground.

[1:03:17] I'm a constitutional observer so I took

[1:03:19] photos of what ICE had left behind

[1:03:22] and I returned to my car and we left. We

[1:03:25] didn't get far before a car pulled out

[1:03:26] in front of us and another very closely

[1:03:28] behind us.

[1:03:29] We felt like the cars were driving very

[1:03:31] erratically so we looked for a safe spot

[1:03:34] to park to let the vehicle behind us

[1:03:36] pass. There were other constitutional

[1:03:38] observers peacefully observing the ICE

[1:03:40] agents as we approached. We slowed down

[1:03:43] for their safety. Agents got out of

[1:03:45] their car and started telling me to open

[1:03:47] my window on the passenger side. That

[1:03:49] window does not open or work on my car

[1:03:52] but the agent repeatedly hit my window

[1:03:53] very hard demanding we open it even

[1:03:56] though we told her it doesn't work many

[1:03:58] times.

[1:03:59] My husband had the driver's side window

[1:04:01] open and another agent asked my husband

[1:04:02] for his ID. They took it immediately and

[1:04:05] said he was a criminal and that he had a

[1:04:06] felony record and he does not. They

[1:04:09] repeatedly said he was a felon and had

[1:04:11] committed aggravated robbery.

[1:04:14] They began telling to this to the other

[1:04:16] observers, "Look over here. We have a

[1:04:18] criminal in the streets."

[1:04:20] My husband said, "That's not true.

[1:04:21] That's not true." But they would not

[1:04:23] listen to him.

[1:04:24] We both called 911 from our phones

[1:04:26] because we were very scared. We're

[1:04:28] citizens but we are Hispanic and we are

[1:04:31] very afraid because we know that they

[1:04:34] have been taking citizens who have done

[1:04:35] nothing wrong just like us.

[1:04:38] The operator told me that she needed the

[1:04:39] exact address of where I was but I

[1:04:41] didn't know where I was. I didn't have

[1:04:43] the exact address. I kept telling her

[1:04:45] the name of the neighborhood and the

[1:04:46] landmarks and she said she needed the

[1:04:47] exact one. I asked her to ping my phone.

[1:04:50] She said she was sending help. My

[1:04:51] husband was also on the phone with 911

[1:04:53] on his phone and the operator

[1:04:55] that call did not go much different. The

[1:04:57] operator told my husband there was

[1:04:58] nothing they could do. When he asked for

[1:05:00] a report number they would be no report

[1:05:03] and that call would was the report.

[1:05:06] He told the operator that he they we are

[1:05:08] US citizens and asked why they wouldn't

[1:05:09] come and help us. The operator simply

[1:05:12] said there was nothing they could do.

[1:05:14] An agent then demanded to see my ID but

[1:05:16] I didn't want to hand it over. I held it

[1:05:17] up and said they could take a picture

[1:05:19] but I didn't want to lose it because I

[1:05:20] knew I could need it and I was not

[1:05:22] comfortable handing it over to them.

[1:05:24] We were recording the interaction as is

[1:05:26] our constitutional right to do so and

[1:05:28] the agents mocked us and made fun of us

[1:05:29] saying that we were just trying to get

[1:05:31] our 5 minutes of fame and to go ahead

[1:05:33] and post on social media so that

[1:05:34] everyone can see. They were preparing to

[1:05:36] arrest my husband but then they quickly

[1:05:38] returned my husband's ID and said that

[1:05:40] we were clear to go and then they said

[1:05:42] they'll be paying a visit to my home

[1:05:43] soon.

[1:05:45] We have felt in fear of our lives ever

[1:05:47] since. They were mean and threatening

[1:05:49] and they have our address. We fear that

[1:05:51] they will follow through on their threat

[1:05:53] to come visit us at home. We have so

[1:05:55] much fear and we are scared and if the

[1:05:56] police won't help us if we are

[1:05:58] threatened or harassed again or worse

[1:06:00] who will? What are we to do?

[1:06:03] Thank you.

[1:06:05] Thank you, Madam Mayor. I will continue

[1:06:06] with my own comments.

[1:06:08] Um

[1:06:10] Again, I'm Representative Jess Hanson. I

[1:06:12] live in Burnsville and I represent

[1:06:14] District 55A which is the entire city of

[1:06:16] Savage in the northwest part of

[1:06:18] Burnsville.

[1:06:19] Members and council, Mayor, we did

[1:06:22] yesterday we honored the legacy of Dr.

[1:06:24] MLK and that includes the reminder to

[1:06:27] not only remember history but to also

[1:06:29] live in its lessons. And that we can

[1:06:31] learn to live together as brothers or

[1:06:33] perish together as fools and I don't

[1:06:36] think any of us want to be those fools.

[1:06:38] I'm asking that leaders in our city and

[1:06:40] this state and country come together to

[1:06:42] do what we can before things get any

[1:06:44] worse.

[1:06:45] Immigration enforcement certainly has

[1:06:47] its place in society as a specific form

[1:06:49] of law enforcement and how it's done is

[1:06:51] extremely important because we all know

[1:06:54] that officers tend to pay the price for

[1:06:56] the sins and wrongs of others.

[1:06:58] Some might say that we are only speaking

[1:07:00] out because this is happening in our

[1:07:01] community and others will make the

[1:07:03] ridiculous leap to say that choosing to

[1:07:05] say what is being said is just an act of

[1:07:08] speaking against ICE and that's that

[1:07:10] that somehow means we don't care about

[1:07:12] apprehending criminals. I want to be

[1:07:14] very clear that neither of those things

[1:07:16] are true and I want to believe that no

[1:07:18] one believes that civil rights aren't

[1:07:20] important. We have to make sure that

[1:07:22] everyone's civil rights are intact.

[1:07:25] Law enforcement officers at all levels

[1:07:27] are expected to know what the

[1:07:28] Constitution says, to know right and

[1:07:30] wrong and to know when people are being

[1:07:32] targeted. And yet every single day

[1:07:34] Minnesotans' constitutional rights are

[1:07:37] being violated and are being Minnesotans

[1:07:39] are being targeted based on the color of

[1:07:41] their skin where they choose to worship,

[1:07:44] their name or for observing federal

[1:07:46] activities in our community.

[1:07:48] Law enforcement leaders in other cities

[1:07:49] and suburbs are calling for more

[1:07:51] supervision over Operation Matrix Surge

[1:07:53] agreeing that these types of civil

[1:07:55] rights violations have to stop.

[1:07:57] Even off-duty law enforcement officers

[1:07:59] of color are facing similar targeting

[1:08:01] and members of Minnesota law enforcement

[1:08:03] agencies are calling on everyone to find

[1:08:05] some common ground that respects

[1:08:06] everyone's constitutional rights.

[1:08:09] Everyone deserves to know that our

[1:08:10] community is safe, safe enough for their

[1:08:12] kids to go to school, safe enough for

[1:08:14] their

[1:08:15] to go to their place of worship, safe

[1:08:17] enough to go to the grocery store

[1:08:18] without being hunted and safe enough to

[1:08:21] operate their business and thrive off

[1:08:22] their own hard work. The time is always

[1:08:25] right to do the right thing and now is

[1:08:28] not the time for leaders to be quiet.

[1:08:30] When we have concrete examples and

[1:08:31] stories of people being profiled and

[1:08:33] targeted, we need to do the right thing.

[1:08:36] We cannot let people in our communities

[1:08:38] think that our local law enforcement and

[1:08:40] their leadership are okay with the

[1:08:42] actions that we know are not only wrong

[1:08:44] but are also illegal.

[1:08:47] Now members, having said all of that, I

[1:08:49] want to give credit where credit is due.

[1:08:51] Nearly everything I've already said to

[1:08:53] you here are not my words. What I have

[1:08:55] said so far this evening in this portion

[1:08:57] of my comments

[1:08:59] are directly quoted from Minnesota law

[1:09:01] enforcement officers and leaders who

[1:09:02] spoke out this morning against the

[1:09:04] atrocities of ICE happening across the

[1:09:06] state. So given the way that my words

[1:09:08] have been taken and my words have been

[1:09:10] ignored in some spaces, not this one,

[1:09:12] sometimes ridiculed and the ways that I

[1:09:15] have been threatened for saying what I'm

[1:09:16] saying and doing what I'm doing, I'm

[1:09:18] asking you to not take my word for it

[1:09:20] tonight. I'm asking you and Burnsville

[1:09:22] to follow the lead of the law

[1:09:23] enforcement officials who stood up today

[1:09:26] to call for common ground, to call for a

[1:09:28] return to constitutionality and common

[1:09:30] sense, to call for a return to a nation

[1:09:33] where civil rights are worth defending,

[1:09:35] and to call for the promotion of

[1:09:36] community where the trust between the

[1:09:39] public and law enforcement is restored.

[1:09:41] The reality is is that these agents are

[1:09:43] poorly trained and we should be

[1:09:45] humiliated by that. They are

[1:09:46] ill-equipped and they are not fit to be

[1:09:48] in the field. Their actions in our

[1:09:50] community is an embarrassment on law

[1:09:52] enforcement everywhere and it is no

[1:09:54] wonder why people in this city do not

[1:09:56] know if they can trust police because

[1:09:58] there are rogue thugs wearing

[1:10:00] cobbled-together gear that say police

[1:10:03] across the front the front of their

[1:10:05] outfits, but they're really just a bunch

[1:10:07] of racist incels bringing their Call of

[1:10:09] Duty skills out of their parents'

[1:10:11] basements into the real world and are

[1:10:13] calling real world prob- causing real

[1:10:15] world problems and real world trauma

[1:10:18] that children in our city will never

[1:10:20] ever forget. This is not a game and this

[1:10:24] is not a game for the people of this

[1:10:25] city. And when police have been asked to

[1:10:27] intervene, people don't haven't been

[1:10:29] getting so much as even a courteous

[1:10:30] conversation about what they can and

[1:10:32] cannot do and I ask that we improve on

[1:10:34] that.

[1:10:35] The general public does not understand

[1:10:37] why BPD cannot assist them when there

[1:10:40] are goons pointing guns at the heads of

[1:10:42] Burnsville residents, kidnapping

[1:10:44] children, leaving children abandoned

[1:10:46] without their parents or any known or

[1:10:48] trusted adult. And um

[1:10:51] the general public does not understand

[1:10:53] why these thugs are harassing and

[1:10:55] threatening them with not a single

[1:10:56] consequence. The general public deserves

[1:10:59] to know that your statement about not

[1:11:01] coordinating with ICE and what our law

[1:11:02] enforcement will do deserves to be

[1:11:04] respected. So again, please do not take

[1:11:07] my words for it. Please go back and

[1:11:08] watch the recording of this, listen to

[1:11:10] the first words and take the words of

[1:11:11] law enforcement themselves who are

[1:11:13] calling for common ground and a return

[1:11:15] to decency here in Burnsville. Thank

[1:11:17] you. Thank you.

[1:11:24] Thank you, everyone. Thank you for your

[1:11:27] testimony. Thank you for sharing your

[1:11:29] stories.

[1:11:31] I want you to know that we hear you

[1:11:34] and we are Burnsville

[1:11:37] and we are here together to make sure

[1:11:39] that we

[1:11:41] we create the community

[1:11:43] that we want to live in.

[1:11:45] That's what we have control over.

[1:11:48] And uh before we get to any of our

[1:11:51] remarks, I

[1:11:53] don't know if uh there are others who

[1:11:55] would like to speak from

[1:11:58] uh staff?

[1:11:59] >> We do have somebody online that would

[1:12:01] » We do have somebody online that would

[1:12:01] like to speak. Okay. Um if they can just

[1:12:04] give their

[1:12:05] um

[1:12:06] Andrea. name and city,

[1:12:10] please.

[1:12:11] Mrs. Andrea Groszini from Burnsville.

[1:12:15] It's nice to see you all. I'm sorry I

[1:12:16] couldn't be there

[1:12:18] in person.

[1:12:20] Two weeks ago, I asked you, City

[1:12:23] Council, to prohibit ICE

[1:12:25] from city property.

[1:12:26] I appreciate taking this up for a vote

[1:12:29] and I absolutely

[1:12:31] anticipate and hope that you will all

[1:12:33] again unanimously vote yes on behalf of

[1:12:35] all of our citizens.

[1:12:38] I also asked a number of other items

[1:12:41] and I'd like to hear back on those. I

[1:12:43] haven't heard anything and I'm still

[1:12:44] waiting for responses on them.

[1:12:49] As you heard today,

[1:12:51] many of the things that I said two weeks

[1:12:53] ago were going on in this city have

[1:12:55] gotten much worse.

[1:12:58] The people that you heard come tonight,

[1:12:59] by and large, are people that are doing

[1:13:01] all they can

[1:13:03] to make our community a caring

[1:13:07] place to

[1:13:09] and it's hard to do that without the

[1:13:11] support and visible support of our city.

[1:13:15] Certainly we appreciate the new

[1:13:17] ordinance and we hope it passes.

[1:13:21] When I spoke two weeks ago, I went

[1:13:23] further and asked that our city staff

[1:13:25] and police provide patience, comfort,

[1:13:27] and extra special support for our

[1:13:30] immigrant community.

[1:13:33] I'm not sure that we can do that.

[1:13:36] Between then and now, among several

[1:13:37] instances,

[1:13:39] too many for me to go over tonight,

[1:13:43] there seem to be

[1:13:45] less rather than more

[1:13:47] of compassion

[1:13:49] from our staff and police.

[1:13:52] Some of the following

[1:13:53] seem to indicate that.

[1:13:58] One evening, I called our police about

[1:14:00] 5:00 in the evening.

[1:14:03] There's a child that was abandoned when

[1:14:05] his father was abducted and detained by

[1:14:08] ICE.

[1:14:10] I called the police because this was an

[1:14:13] an abandoned child

[1:14:15] and asked if they could help figure out

[1:14:18] what to do with this child.

[1:14:20] I was immediately That's 1 minute.

[1:14:22] that it was too late to call the manager

[1:14:25] and get to the place that the child was

[1:14:26] at

[1:14:27] and it was out of the question to go to

[1:14:29] the site unless they had the exact

[1:14:31] apartment number where the child was at.

[1:14:34] I went back and forth with this officer

[1:14:36] until 9:00 p.m.

[1:14:38] and they never did respond to a child

[1:14:40] who was abandoned.

[1:14:42] This was an elementary school-age child.

[1:14:45] Another case

[1:14:47] what happened when a US citizen would

[1:14:50] experience ICE

[1:14:52] placing a gun to his head.

[1:14:54] The responding officer said they

[1:14:56] couldn't do anything because it was ICE.

[1:14:58] The citizen who witnessed was only told

[1:15:00] to come in to make a station at the

[1:15:02] police station to make a report. Imagine

[1:15:04] that.

[1:15:05] You've just had a gun placed to your

[1:15:07] head by a law enforcement

[1:15:09] agent and another law enforcement agent

[1:15:12] is telling you to go to law enforcement

[1:15:14] office

[1:15:15] to tell them all about it. Could that

[1:15:16] report not have been taken then and

[1:15:18] there?

[1:15:19] There's more.

[1:15:23] I'm going to if I can have 1

[1:15:25] half a minute 10 seconds. I want to

[1:15:27] quote Martin Luther King in the in the

[1:15:30] in the spirit of his day yesterday.

[1:15:33] This is Martin Luther King in his letter

[1:15:35] to from a Birmingham jail. I must

[1:15:37] confess that over the past few years

[1:15:39] I've been gravely disappointed with the

[1:15:40] white moderate.

[1:15:42] I've almost reached the incredible

[1:15:43] conclusion that the Negro's great

[1:15:44] stumbling block in his stride toward

[1:15:47] freedom isn't the white citizens'

[1:15:48] council or the Ku Klux Klan, but the

[1:15:50] white moderate who's more devoted to

[1:15:52] order than to justice. Who prefers a

[1:15:54] negative peace, which is the absence of

[1:15:57] any tension, to a positive peace, which

[1:15:59] is the presence of justice.

[1:16:01] Come on, Burnsville. Come together.

[1:16:03] Okay. Thank you.

[1:16:05] Thank you, everyone.

[1:16:06] And now that we have heard from all of

[1:16:09] you,

[1:16:10] I think it's time for you to hear from

[1:16:12] us.

[1:16:13] Council member Schultz, would you like

[1:16:15] to go first?

[1:16:20] Uh sure.

[1:16:25] So I want people to be clear

[1:16:29] when we're looking at this ordinance

[1:16:32] what it means.

[1:16:33] This ordinance will be an administrative

[1:16:36] ordinance.

[1:16:38] Um

[1:16:40] so

[1:16:43] the feds are going to do

[1:16:45] whatever the feds are going to do.

[1:16:48] And I want to be clear on that.

[1:16:51] And that's not

[1:16:53] something that is easy to say and it's

[1:16:56] not something that anyone wants to hear.

[1:17:00] But I do want to say

[1:17:03] that

[1:17:05] there's a lot of pressure

[1:17:08] to make us at odds with one another,

[1:17:12] to purposefully pit us against each

[1:17:15] other,

[1:17:16] to rip our community apart,

[1:17:18] and destabilize us for years or decades

[1:17:21] to come.

[1:17:24] And to give you a quote from Heartbreak

[1:17:26] Ridge,

[1:17:27] don't give the bastard the satisfaction.

[1:17:33] I want residents to stand together.

[1:17:37] We are in this together.

[1:17:39] And I do mean we are.

[1:17:42] We all need to step up

[1:17:45] and many of you in the audience are, but

[1:17:47] many of you at home,

[1:17:49] it is time to step up. Time to help your

[1:17:52] neighbors.

[1:17:55] If you aren't volunteering, get out

[1:17:57] there and volunteer.

[1:17:59] Make this community stronger

[1:18:03] because sooner or later the feds are

[1:18:06] going to leave.

[1:18:08] And you and I are going to be what's

[1:18:09] left.

[1:18:11] So we can either build a stronger

[1:18:13] community

[1:18:15] or we can let them

[1:18:18] force us us to rip it apart and I'm not

[1:18:21] going to do that.

[1:18:22] So I do encourage our residents to

[1:18:25] continue with the Herculean effort

[1:18:29] that I am already seeing you do

[1:18:33] of caring for your neighbors and

[1:18:35] volunteering and getting groceries and

[1:18:37] walking kids to school.

[1:18:42] Keep it up because we can do that

[1:18:45] longer than they can do whatever they're

[1:18:46] doing.

[1:18:49] So stand strong.

[1:18:50] Okay. Thank you.

[1:18:53] Council member Keeler.

[1:19:07] No comment. No comment.

[1:19:09] Council member Gustafson.

[1:19:12] I hear what everyone has to say. I will

[1:19:14] tell you um

[1:19:16] the last month and a half, I go out and

[1:19:18] patrol myself.

[1:19:20] I'm in apartments. I'm in businesses.

[1:19:22] I've talked to our residents and there's

[1:19:24] a great deal of fear in our community.

[1:19:26] I I talk to when I go to restaurants, I

[1:19:29] talk to staff in the restaurants and

[1:19:31] they're in tears because two of their

[1:19:33] cooks just got taken today.

[1:19:35] They're in tears because they're about

[1:19:36] to close. They have They have people

[1:19:38] that won't come to work because they're

[1:19:39] afraid, not because they're

[1:19:42] undocumented. They're just afraid to

[1:19:43] come into into our city right now and do

[1:19:45] things. I've talked to people in parking

[1:19:47] lots. There was a woman from I think

[1:19:49] Puerto Rico that I talked to. She was

[1:19:51] afraid. She's a US citizen. She's afraid

[1:19:54] to just to be here. It's What's

[1:19:56] happening is

[1:19:58] unbelievable. It's

[1:20:00] I I see ICE on our streets. I see them

[1:20:03] box cars in

[1:20:04] and I see them

[1:20:06] let them go after 15 minutes. So, they

[1:20:08] pull someone over, they box them in,

[1:20:09] almost cause an accident, talk to them

[1:20:11] for a few minutes and then they walk

[1:20:13] away and just let them go. You know, how

[1:20:15] can that happen? It does It does make no

[1:20:17] sense in this country. That that kind of

[1:20:18] thing should happen here.

[1:20:20] I have not talked to anyone that has a

[1:20:22] problem picking up actual violent

[1:20:25] criminals and deporting them.

[1:20:27] Let's find them and and go after them,

[1:20:29] but the way they're doing it is just

[1:20:31] wrong. It terrorizes our community. It's

[1:20:33] It's uh closing our businesses and it's

[1:20:35] not just the immigrant businesses that

[1:20:37] are having problems. A lot of businesses

[1:20:39] are having problems right now. I will

[1:20:41] tell you now I I will be supporting this

[1:20:42] if we could do more legally and I've

[1:20:44] talked to our legal counsel about what

[1:20:46] we can do. There's not a whole heck of a

[1:20:48] lot unfortunately at our level,

[1:20:50] but this we can do and I and

[1:20:53] I think it's important to know that uh I

[1:20:55] I know some people have some problems

[1:20:57] with what they think our police may or

[1:20:59] may not be doing, but I also know that

[1:21:01] they're out to protect you guys when

[1:21:03] you're out there. That's That's part of

[1:21:04] their job is to make you safe when

[1:21:06] you're out observing, when you're out

[1:21:08] protesting. The ones that make you

[1:21:10] unsafe are are the agents that I have

[1:21:12] seen surround cars and go up and

[1:21:14] threaten the observers and tell them

[1:21:16] they're going to have them arrested or

[1:21:17] they're going to follow them home and

[1:21:18] I've seen them do it. So, I I hear what

[1:21:20] you're saying. I I believe what you're

[1:21:22] saying because I've seen it myself. So,

[1:21:24] I will be supporting this.

[1:21:26] Okay. Council Member Workman.

[1:21:29] No comment. Okay.

[1:21:31] Thank you.

[1:21:33] Members of our community, we have been

[1:21:35] through a lot these past weeks.

[1:21:39] And um

[1:21:40] you have shared your experiences and we

[1:21:43] also have experiences.

[1:21:47] I have met with people in our community

[1:21:50] who have been impacted or businesses who

[1:21:52] have impacted when I am notified.

[1:21:55] And so,

[1:21:57] I know that our community

[1:22:01] is now in a lot of fear.

[1:22:04] And I want to begin by acknowledging

[1:22:07] the fear, the confusion,

[1:22:11] and uncertainty

[1:22:13] many of you are feeling when something

[1:22:16] affects our neighbors,

[1:22:18] our families,

[1:22:20] our workplace,

[1:22:24] and our

[1:22:25] sense of safety,

[1:22:28] it affects all of us.

[1:22:32] And as your mayor,

[1:22:34] it is my responsibility

[1:22:36] to speak clearly,

[1:22:38] to lead with compassion,

[1:22:40] and to ensure that every person in

[1:22:43] Burnsville knows that they are seen,

[1:22:46] valued, and supported.

[1:22:50] I want to address directly

[1:22:53] what so many of you

[1:22:55] have been asking about.

[1:22:58] The recent federal immigration

[1:23:01] enforcement actions taking place in our

[1:23:05] region.

[1:23:06] First,

[1:23:08] it is important to understand that

[1:23:11] federal immigration enforcement is not

[1:23:14] new.

[1:23:15] For decades,

[1:23:17] across multiple administrations,

[1:23:21] Republicans and Democratic alike,

[1:23:25] the federal government has carried out

[1:23:28] removals.

[1:23:30] The authority to do so is long-standing

[1:23:34] and the legal framework is rooted in our

[1:23:37] Constitution.

[1:23:39] Historically,

[1:23:41] these processes happened largely

[1:23:46] out of public view.

[1:23:48] Most people never saw them.

[1:23:52] They were carried out through

[1:23:54] established legal channels

[1:23:58] with court review,

[1:24:00] due process,

[1:24:02] and procedures that while not perfect,

[1:24:05] were familiar and predictable.

[1:24:09] What is new

[1:24:11] is the way these actions are being

[1:24:14] carried out today

[1:24:17] that we are all experiencing.

[1:24:20] Residents,

[1:24:22] all of you,

[1:24:23] are witnessing encounters in public

[1:24:26] spaces.

[1:24:28] Families are being questioned without

[1:24:31] understanding why and you have spoken to

[1:24:34] that this evening.

[1:24:36] Workers with legal status are being

[1:24:39] stopped or profiled.

[1:24:42] Businesses are losing employees

[1:24:45] because people are afraid

[1:24:48] to leave their homes.

[1:24:50] The fear we are seeing is not coming

[1:24:54] from existence of federal law.

[1:24:58] It is coming from the manner in which

[1:25:01] these operations are unfolding.

[1:25:06] And that is why our community is feeling

[1:25:09] shaken.

[1:25:11] So, let me be absolutely clear.

[1:25:15] The city of Burnsville does not direct,

[1:25:19] control, or participate

[1:25:22] in federal immigration enforcement.

[1:25:25] We do not receive advance notice of

[1:25:28] federal operations.

[1:25:30] We do not coordinate with them and we do

[1:25:33] not have the authority to stop or alter

[1:25:37] their actions.

[1:25:40] But we do have the authority and the

[1:25:42] responsibility

[1:25:44] to care for our people.

[1:25:48] So, let me talk about what we can

[1:25:50] control and how we show up for one

[1:25:52] another because that's one of the

[1:25:55] biggest things about who we are in

[1:25:57] Burnsville. It's who we are together.

[1:26:00] Together, not separate.

[1:26:04] And that's how we show up.

[1:26:06] We control whether we allow fear to

[1:26:09] divide us or whether we stand together

[1:26:12] in compassion,

[1:26:13] kindness, and care.

[1:26:16] We control

[1:26:18] whether our neighbors feel alone

[1:26:21] or supported. We control

[1:26:24] whether Burnsville remains a place where

[1:26:26] every person, regardless of where they

[1:26:30] were born,

[1:26:31] feels safe to go to work, to school, to

[1:26:36] the grocery store,

[1:26:38] or to church.

[1:26:40] Our local police department will

[1:26:42] continue to focus on local public

[1:26:44] safety.

[1:26:46] They are conducting They are not

[1:26:50] conducting immigration enforcement.

[1:26:53] They are not checking immigration

[1:26:55] status.

[1:26:57] Their role is to protect the safety of

[1:27:00] everyone who lives, works, and visits

[1:27:04] Burnsville.

[1:27:06] That does not change.

[1:27:09] I also want to speak

[1:27:12] to our immigrant families directly.

[1:27:17] You are a part of the fabric of our

[1:27:20] city.

[1:27:22] You contribute to our schools,

[1:27:26] our businesses,

[1:27:28] our faith communities.

[1:27:31] You pay taxes

[1:27:34] and you contribute to our shared future.

[1:27:38] You deserve dignity.

[1:27:41] You deserve clarity.

[1:27:43] And you deserve to feel safe

[1:27:47] seeking help,

[1:27:49] reporting a crime,

[1:27:51] or simply living your daily life.

[1:27:56] To our business owners,

[1:27:58] I know many of you are struggling.

[1:28:02] We have talked.

[1:28:05] Losing staff,

[1:28:07] losing customers, and trying to navigate

[1:28:11] uncertainty.

[1:28:13] We will continue working with you to

[1:28:16] provide information,

[1:28:18] resources, and support.

[1:28:23] And to our entire community,

[1:28:26] moments like this test who we are.

[1:28:30] They test our values.

[1:28:33] They test our resolve.

[1:28:36] But Burnsville

[1:28:38] has always been a city

[1:28:40] that leads with heart.

[1:28:43] A city that chooses unity

[1:28:46] over division.

[1:28:48] A city that believes in the worth and

[1:28:51] dignity of every person.

[1:28:56] We will get through this together.

[1:29:00] We will stand together

[1:29:03] by caring

[1:29:05] for one another

[1:29:07] and by refusing to let fear define us.

[1:29:13] You see, together we are stronger.

[1:29:16] And I thank you all for your strength,

[1:29:20] for your compassion for your neighbor,

[1:29:23] for each other,

[1:29:24] and your commitment to each other.

[1:29:27] We will continue to communicate openly

[1:29:32] as we learn more

[1:29:34] and as we continue to work through this

[1:29:36] together.

[1:29:38] We find ourselves in a time that we have

[1:29:40] never experienced before and it is

[1:29:43] testing us.

[1:29:45] So I call upon all of us that

[1:29:48] we work together

[1:29:51] and that we stand together

[1:29:53] because we are Burnsville strong and we

[1:29:56] lead with compassion and kindness

[1:29:59] in taking care of one another because

[1:30:02] that's who we are and that's what we

[1:30:04] will continue to do.

[1:30:06] And so with that, I thank you

[1:30:10] for your strength and for being out

[1:30:13] there

[1:30:14] and observing.

[1:30:16] But be safe and do it within the law

[1:30:20] because that's what I want for you. It

[1:30:23] is your constitutional right

[1:30:26] to observe

[1:30:29] and to witness

[1:30:31] and to record.

[1:30:34] That is your constitutional right, but I

[1:30:37] ask that you do it safely and within the

[1:30:39] law so that

[1:30:42] you stay safe out there.

[1:30:45] I don't want anything to happen to you

[1:30:46] and you're very brave to do what you

[1:30:49] did, but something that you did

[1:30:52] de-escalated something.

[1:30:55] So let's remember and learn from some of

[1:30:57] the stories

[1:30:59] that we heard tonight.

[1:31:02] Let's de-escalate

[1:31:04] rather than escalate.

[1:31:07] But record and stand witness

[1:31:11] and be safe.

[1:31:13] Be safe out there. But together we will

[1:31:17] get through this.

[1:31:19] And it is

[1:31:20] us who defines our community

[1:31:24] not anybody else.

[1:31:26] Thank you for being here.

[1:31:28] Uh

[1:31:29] and our police chief will have

[1:31:32] I would like to take time to speak.

[1:31:35] Um

[1:31:36] Chief Tanya Schwartz.

[1:31:42] Madam Mayor, members of the council,

[1:31:43] community, thank you. I appreciate the

[1:31:46] conversation this evening.

[1:31:48] I'm going to try to keep my comments

[1:31:50] brief. I

[1:31:53] really appreciate the opportunity to

[1:31:54] share my perspective

[1:31:56] as the chief. First, I want to thank our

[1:31:59] police officers

[1:32:00] at every level in our department

[1:32:03] who serve with courage and integrity and

[1:32:05] excellence every single day.

[1:32:08] They often respond to unpredictable

[1:32:10] high-stress situations.

[1:32:12] They maintain law and order while

[1:32:14] building trusted relationships.

[1:32:16] They take that responsibility very

[1:32:18] seriously.

[1:32:21] While amazing at managing uncertain

[1:32:23] circumstances, police officers are human

[1:32:25] beings. They're daughters, mothers,

[1:32:29] sons, fathers, friends, imperfect, but

[1:32:32] doing their job as best as they possibly

[1:32:33] can.

[1:32:35] We have a shared trust with our

[1:32:36] community built over decades because of

[1:32:38] the very human connection and

[1:32:40] relationships that we have with the

[1:32:42] people who live here.

[1:32:45] Mayor, city attorney, our council

[1:32:46] members shared uh several challenges our

[1:32:49] community did as well um talking about

[1:32:52] this proposed ordinance as well.

[1:32:55] There is some clarity I think that needs

[1:32:58] to be shared about the limits of our

[1:32:59] local authority and some of that was

[1:33:02] talked about tonight and I appreciate

[1:33:03] that.

[1:33:05] I think we need to make it clear. I want

[1:33:07] people to understand that our police

[1:33:09] officers cannot interfere with law

[1:33:11] enforcement agents carrying out their

[1:33:13] duties to arrest individuals who are

[1:33:15] here unlawfully or who pose public

[1:33:17] safety risks to the point of council

[1:33:19] member, I think we can all find common

[1:33:21] ground that we want people who pose a

[1:33:23] public safety risk in Burnsville

[1:33:25] uh to not be in Burnsville anymore.

[1:33:29] This does not mean that we don't care.

[1:33:32] Doesn't mean that we're indifferent to

[1:33:34] the community concerns. I just want us

[1:33:37] to be very honest. I want us to always

[1:33:39] have those hard and difficult honest

[1:33:41] conversations and be clear about we what

[1:33:43] we can do and what we cannot do so that

[1:33:46] there are realistic expectations here.

[1:33:50] Uh we will continue to respond to calls

[1:33:52] to try to reduce tension, to tone down

[1:33:55] rhetoric, to keep situations as safe as

[1:33:58] we possibly can for everyone on scene.

[1:34:01] Uh we are committed to that. We do that.

[1:34:03] Every day our officers are doing that.

[1:34:05] They're in a no-win situation here. So

[1:34:07] they are doing the very best that they

[1:34:08] can.

[1:34:10] They care about this community very

[1:34:12] much. I hear about the stories every

[1:34:14] day.

[1:34:15] We know that seeing federal immigration

[1:34:17] activity and enforcement action is

[1:34:19] distressing, especially for families

[1:34:22] worried about how it may personally

[1:34:24] affect them.

[1:34:26] Our Burnsville police tactics, our

[1:34:28] operations, how we carry our mission

[1:34:32] how we do public safety, it looks very

[1:34:34] different than federal law enforcement

[1:34:36] operations.

[1:34:37] We understand how that difference

[1:34:39] creates stress across the community. I'm

[1:34:42] familiar with the comments uh from the

[1:34:45] Minnesota Chiefs uh or some of the

[1:34:47] chiefs that spoke today uh at the

[1:34:49] capital. All of us chiefs are trying to

[1:34:52] again, how do we find common ground? How

[1:34:55] do we open lines of communication? I

[1:34:57] understand a lot of community doesn't

[1:35:00] want us to have communication with

[1:35:02] federal agents, but when we don't have

[1:35:04] communication, then we have a lot of

[1:35:06] chaos. So for us to understand uh what

[1:35:10] is going on, try to again, share the

[1:35:12] concerns that we have about some of the

[1:35:14] tactics that we are seeing by some

[1:35:16] agents. Uh if you look at that whole uh

[1:35:20] press conference from earlier, I don't

[1:35:22] want to take that out of context. So I

[1:35:23] would just encourage everyone to watch

[1:35:25] the full um conference so that you

[1:35:27] understand what was being said.

[1:35:31] And and I'm glad to stay and talk

[1:35:32] afterwards with anyone to talk about uh

[1:35:35] the work that we are doing at the

[1:35:37] Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association.

[1:35:39] I sit on that board and again, what our

[1:35:41] goals are is to how do we uh tone down

[1:35:44] tension, how do we uh tone down

[1:35:47] rhetoric, and how do we find

[1:35:49] communication with local with uh with

[1:35:52] federal agents, supervisors, people in

[1:35:55] leadership who are in charge of the

[1:35:57] operations that are going on so that we

[1:35:59] can understand and share with them the

[1:36:01] concerns that we have like was what was

[1:36:03] shared today.

[1:36:05] So we are all doing that work as well.

[1:36:09] And I know all of this raises just

[1:36:11] questions. People are concerned, what

[1:36:13] can I do? What should I do? What should

[1:36:15] I not do? And I appreciate that we get

[1:36:17] those questions and some of the comments

[1:36:20] came tonight as well as, you know, when

[1:36:22] when you're exercising first amendment

[1:36:24] rights, we want people to do that. We

[1:36:26] want people to do that safely, to be

[1:36:28] recording, but we want you to do that in

[1:36:31] a way that you're not so close as to

[1:36:33] prevent or to

[1:36:35] to basically be a public safety hazard

[1:36:38] to whatever law enforcement action is

[1:36:40] going on there. So

[1:36:42] do that, but just maintain a safe

[1:36:44] distance in that regard.

[1:36:47] Don't impede federal law enforcement

[1:36:50] physically or otherwise and and don't

[1:36:52] use your vehicles to impede. Don't set

[1:36:55] off illegal fireworks. And I know none

[1:36:57] of this is happening in our community,

[1:36:58] but we see these things happening across

[1:37:00] the state. And so as a police chief, I

[1:37:02] am very concerned as as the amount of

[1:37:05] rhetoric and the tension increases that

[1:37:07] these things spill over across

[1:37:09] communities and I don't want to see that

[1:37:10] happen.

[1:37:12] Boxing in agents, blocking them, I I

[1:37:15] understand

[1:37:16] everyone's tensions are high, but that

[1:37:19] actually just

[1:37:21] it's unlawful and it also is extremely

[1:37:24] dangerous. It really increases the risk

[1:37:27] of injury to you, to um

[1:37:30] others around. It increases the chance

[1:37:33] of being arrested. And and really when

[1:37:35] we're doing that, it can diminish the

[1:37:37] safety of everyone around us. So I just

[1:37:40] I want to thank people for

[1:37:44] being vigilant and not doing that. And I

[1:37:47] can see that our community is not doing

[1:37:49] that, but I just know as tensions

[1:37:51] continue to rise, things can happen. I

[1:37:53] want people to channel their energy into

[1:37:56] actions that strengthen rather than than

[1:37:58] divide like we've been talking about

[1:38:00] here.

[1:38:01] Think about reasonable communication,

[1:38:04] avoiding misinformation, and being

[1:38:05] inflammatory or assuming things. A lot

[1:38:08] of things are taken out of context and

[1:38:10] again, I'm not here to say that I agree

[1:38:12] with all of the tactics that are being

[1:38:14] used. I do not and

[1:38:18] we are doing what we can to establish

[1:38:20] communication to understand uh what is

[1:38:22] going on with the federal leadership

[1:38:25] here.

[1:38:27] So just

[1:38:29] I just wanted to share that because I

[1:38:30] care very much about this community.

[1:38:32] I've been here for over 30 years. We've

[1:38:35] all been through a lot together. The

[1:38:37] council and I have been through a lot

[1:38:38] together and we're going to be here to

[1:38:41] council member Schultz's uh response is

[1:38:44] we're going to be here together when

[1:38:46] this is done. And so we need to not

[1:38:50] erode trust and I just want people to

[1:38:53] understand that we're doing the very

[1:38:54] best we can in a a really challenging

[1:38:56] situation and our

[1:38:59] local authority is limited. What we can

[1:39:02] do with an ordinance like this is

[1:39:04] limited for police. So I just I want

[1:39:08] people to understand that, to manage the

[1:39:10] expectations.

[1:39:12] Um so

[1:39:13] with that I would stand for any

[1:39:15] questions from

[1:39:16] council.

[1:39:17] Um any questions for the chief?

[1:39:20] Thank you, chief, and thank you for your

[1:39:22] words because that you're absolutely

[1:39:24] right. It's managing expectations. And

[1:39:27] one thing that we all agree on and is

[1:39:31] that when someone commits a serious

[1:39:34] uh violent crime, they should be held

[1:39:36] accountable.

[1:39:39] That is true whether they are were born

[1:39:41] here

[1:39:42] or arrived here.

[1:39:44] And we want our community to be safe

[1:39:47] and we want dangerous individuals of any

[1:39:49] background off our streets.

[1:39:52] So,

[1:39:54] that's something I think we all agree on

[1:39:55] and we all agree that we want to be safe

[1:39:58] in our community. So, what we have

[1:40:00] control over is what we do together.

[1:40:03] Councilmember Schultz, your hand is up.

[1:40:09] Thank you.

[1:40:12] I want to say that our police are

[1:40:15] worried

[1:40:17] for our residents.

[1:40:20] Um I know that our chief is worried for

[1:40:24] our our residents.

[1:40:26] And many of you

[1:40:29] have seen me out and about

[1:40:32] um because I am most certainly

[1:40:34] volunteering.

[1:40:37] I and I think many of you know that um

[1:40:40] I'm probably not the most moderate

[1:40:43] person on this council.

[1:40:45] But I will also say that our police

[1:40:48] chief and our fire chief and our police

[1:40:51] have my full

[1:40:54] and utter support.

[1:40:57] And not everything that

[1:41:00] the city is doing

[1:41:03] to help is visible.

[1:41:06] So, thank you. I just wanted to be very

[1:41:08] clear about that. Okay, very good.

[1:41:11] Anything else?

[1:41:13] All right, members of the council.

[1:41:16] Before us is the adoption of the

[1:41:18] ordinance amending title one

[1:41:21] chapter 13 stewardship of the city

[1:41:23] resources and resolution affirming

[1:41:25] community values and stewardship of

[1:41:27] community resources amidst immigration

[1:41:31] operations.

[1:41:34] May I have a motion, please?

[1:41:38] Move to approve.

[1:41:41] There's a motion to approve. Are you

[1:41:43] seconding that? Councilmember Schultz,

[1:41:45] is that

[1:41:46] Yes, I am seconding. Okay, there's a

[1:41:48] motion and a second. All in favor,

[1:41:50] please say I. Oh, I

[1:41:53] Pardon me? Do you want to do roll call?

[1:41:54] I will go and do the roll call. Yes, I I

[1:41:57] was just getting there. I was going to

[1:41:58] go for it, but I remembered that uh

[1:42:00] Councilmember Schultz is

[1:42:02] uh

[1:42:04] is uh

[1:42:06] uh

[1:42:08] on on online. Okay, Councilmember

[1:42:10] Schultz.

[1:42:11] Madam Mayor, Yeah.

[1:42:12] >> let me do the roll call, please. Madam

[1:42:13] » let me do the roll call, please. Madam

[1:42:14] Mayor, You can do it. You can do the

[1:42:15] roll call.

[1:42:18] Councilmember Keely. I.

[1:42:21] Councilmember Gustafson. I.

[1:42:23] Councilmember Schultz.

[1:42:26] Yes. Councilmember Workman. I. Mayor

[1:42:29] Kauth. Yes.

[1:42:31] Okay, and we have an adopted ordinance.

[1:42:34] So, thank you so much, everyone, FOR

[1:42:36] BEING HERE.

[1:42:41] AND REMEMBER, together we are strong.

[1:42:44] Take care of one another.

[1:42:46] Make sure that we

[1:42:49] check on your neighbors.

[1:42:51] Find out if they're okay and if you need

[1:42:53] to do any grocery shopping for them.

[1:42:57] Because that's something that we can all

[1:42:59] do together. So,

[1:43:02] thank you so much.

[1:43:07] And now we will move on to the regular

[1:43:10] agenda.

[1:43:12] The first item on the regular agenda is

[1:43:14] a public hearing.

[1:43:17] And this is uh a resolution approving

[1:43:19] the drainage and utility easement

[1:43:21] vacation

[1:43:23] for 14001

[1:43:25] Burnhaven Drive

[1:43:27] and 911 140th Street West.

[1:43:32] And presenting this evening

[1:43:35] is our city engineer

[1:43:37] Logan Blasity. Mr. Blasity, the floor is

[1:43:40] yours. Madam Mayor and members of the

[1:43:42] council, thank you very much for having

[1:43:44] me.

[1:43:45] Uh yes, as you said, tonight we have a

[1:43:47] vacation of drainage and utility

[1:43:49] easements and with that we are required

[1:43:51] to hold a public hearing.

[1:43:54] So, the

[1:43:55] the two properties with the easements

[1:43:57] being vacated are uh 14001 Burnhaven

[1:44:01] Drive and 911 140th 140th Street West.

[1:44:07] So, here is 911 140th Street West. It's

[1:44:10] the the former site of fire station one.

[1:44:14] Um I'd like to point out sort of the uh

[1:44:17] unconventional property line there under

[1:44:19] 140th Street.

[1:44:21] Yeah.

[1:44:22] >> And then immediately adjacent to that is

[1:44:24] » And then immediately adjacent to that is

[1:44:24] the former pumpkin patch daycare site

[1:44:27] at 14001

[1:44:29] Burnhaven Drive. Uh what's unique about

[1:44:31] this site is that it was actually the

[1:44:34] parcel is a

[1:44:36] creation from three different plats. So,

[1:44:39] you will see uh we actually have to

[1:44:41] vacate easements from three uh separate

[1:44:44] plats with this one.

[1:44:46] So, the first is being uh

[1:44:50] the highlighted area of Burnhaven Mall

[1:44:53] plat. Uh that easement shown currently

[1:44:56] covers a city water main that is

[1:44:59] proposed to be relocated with the

[1:45:02] uh Costco gas station project.

[1:45:06] Second section of drainage and utility

[1:45:09] easements to be vacated is per High

[1:45:12] Highridge Second Edition.

[1:45:14] This is immediately adjacent to 140th

[1:45:17] Street West and this will be replatted

[1:45:19] as drainage and utility easement with

[1:45:21] the proposed Costco Second Edition plat.

[1:45:25] And then we have perimeter easements

[1:45:27] around all of uh Burnhaven Fire Station

[1:45:30] number one plat.

[1:45:32] Um the

[1:45:35] areas under or encumbering the proposed

[1:45:38] right-of-way for 140th Street will be

[1:45:40] replatted as

[1:45:41] public right-of-way.

[1:45:43] And then the necessary perimeter

[1:45:45] easements

[1:45:46] for the Costco Second Edition plat will

[1:45:49] uh be replatted with drainage and

[1:45:51] utility easements.

[1:45:54] So,

[1:45:55] uh with that, there's a lot of easements

[1:45:58] shown there and easement vacations.

[1:46:01] Simply put, the

[1:46:02] areas where private utilities and city

[1:46:05] utilities currently exist within

[1:46:07] easement are either being dedicated as

[1:46:09] right-of-way,

[1:46:10] uh replatted as drainage and utility

[1:46:13] easements, or the city utilities within

[1:46:16] the easement are being relocated um to

[1:46:20] a future easement, so.

[1:46:22] With that, there was no public need for

[1:46:25] the drainage and utility easements um

[1:46:28] and then I'm showing here the

[1:46:30] the Costco Second Edition final plat,

[1:46:32] which shows the

[1:46:33] uh 140th Street future right-of-way to

[1:46:35] be dedicated.

[1:46:39] Staff recommends approval of the

[1:46:41] easement vacations with the condition

[1:46:43] that

[1:46:45] uh the easement vacations are granted

[1:46:47] subject to approval of the Costco Second

[1:46:50] Edition final plat.

[1:46:53] And I will stand.

[1:46:54] Okay, questions?

[1:46:55] >> with all due respect to Logan,

[1:46:57] » with all due respect to Logan,

[1:46:57] I don't remember a time when we had

[1:47:01] uh an item such as what we just

[1:47:03] completed

[1:47:05] and vacating

[1:47:07] uh an easement.

[1:47:09] The gap between those in many ways is

[1:47:12] pretty big.

[1:47:15] But you did a great job.

[1:47:16] >> Thank you. I'm used to it. But you also

[1:47:18] » Thank you. I'm used to it. But you also

[1:47:18] know how to clear a room. Yeah.

[1:47:23] Logan should have went first.

[1:47:30] Okay, all kidding aside, this is a

[1:47:32] public hearing.

[1:47:35] I will now open the public hearing. Is

[1:47:36] there anyone who wishes to speak to this

[1:47:38] item?

[1:47:40] Anyone who wishes to speak to this item?

[1:47:44] Mrs. Henderson, anyone online? No, there

[1:47:46] is not. Okay, um

[1:47:48] we will now um

[1:47:51] close the public hearing. Members of the

[1:47:53] council,

[1:47:54] your pleasure.

[1:47:56] Wait, you move to approve. Second.

[1:47:59] Second. There's a motion and a second

[1:48:01] and the clerk can please take the roll

[1:48:04] call.

[1:48:05] Councilmember Keely. I. Councilmember

[1:48:08] Gustafson. I. Councilmember Schultz.

[1:48:12] Yes.

[1:48:13] Councilmember Workman. Yes. Mayor Kauth.

[1:48:15] Yes.

[1:48:16] Okay.

[1:48:18] And

[1:48:19] you have your vacation. Thank you very

[1:48:22] much, Madam Mayor and members of the

[1:48:23] council for your vacation. Appreciate

[1:48:24] it. Are you clearing the room now, too?

[1:48:30] Uh the next item is also a public

[1:48:32] hearing and this is to approve the

[1:48:33] off-sale intoxicating liquor license for

[1:48:36] Jai Krishna Radha

[1:48:39] uh doing business uh as Perrier Wine and

[1:48:42] Liquor at 13720 County Road 11.

[1:48:46] Presenting is our deputy city clerk,

[1:48:49] Erica Henderson.

[1:48:50] Ms. Henderson, the floor is yours.

[1:48:52] >> Great, thank you. So, the new owners,

[1:48:55] » Great, thank you. So, the new owners,

[1:48:55] Jai Krishna Radha LLC, um they had

[1:48:59] recently purchased purchased the Perrier

[1:49:01] Wines and Liquor located at 13720 County

[1:49:05] Road 11 and they have submitted an

[1:49:07] application for an off-sale liquor

[1:49:09] license. They've also

[1:49:11] successfully passed the background check

[1:49:14] by the Burnsville Police Department, and

[1:49:16] city code does require a public hearing

[1:49:18] for all new liquor licenses. Okay.

[1:49:21] Uh any questions for Ms. Henderson?

[1:49:24] Uh with that, I will open the public

[1:49:25] hearing. Is there anyone who wishes to

[1:49:27] speak to this item?

[1:49:29] Anyone who wishes to speak to this item?

[1:49:32] Ms. Henderson, anyone online? No,

[1:49:34] there's not. Okay. I will now close the

[1:49:37] public hearing. Members of the council,

[1:49:39] your pleasure.

[1:49:42] Move to approve.

[1:49:43] Second. There is a motion and a second.

[1:49:46] And uh

[1:49:49] Deputy uh City Clerk Henderson, will you

[1:49:51] take the roll, please?

[1:49:53] >> Sure.

[1:49:53] » Sure.

[1:49:53] Council Member Keely.

[1:49:55] Aye.

[1:49:56] Council Member Gustafson. Aye. Council

[1:49:59] Member Schultz.

[1:50:01] Yes. Council Member Workman. Aye. Mayor

[1:50:04] Coutts. Yes.

[1:50:06] Okay. And um

[1:50:10] we now move on to uh the uh Economic

[1:50:13] Development Authority meeting, and I

[1:50:15] will recess the Burnsville City Council

[1:50:17] meeting,

[1:50:19] so the Economic Development um meeting

[1:50:21] can proceed. President um

[1:50:25] Gustafson, the floor is yours. Uh good

[1:50:27] evening. I call the Economic Development

[1:50:29] Authority meeting to order. The local

[1:50:31] clerk clerk will note all commissioners

[1:50:33] are present. Commissioner Schultz is

[1:50:35] joining us remotely.

[1:50:37] Item number one, are there any additions

[1:50:39] to the final agenda?

[1:50:43] Seeing none, I will move on. Item number

[1:50:44] two is ex election of officers.

[1:50:48] Do we have nominations for a slate of

[1:50:50] officers this year?

[1:50:52] Um

[1:50:55] members of the um

[1:50:57] authority,

[1:50:59] I would just

[1:51:01] resubmit the uh

[1:51:03] the slate that we have presently.

[1:51:08] I am comfortable with that as well. I

[1:51:10] was going to nominate you for president.

[1:51:11] Your turn, you should do it. Dan's doing

[1:51:13] a great job. Thanks.

[1:51:16] Keeping the meetings quick. Okay.

[1:51:18] Okay. So, there is a a motion

[1:51:20] >> Nomination to uh and a a second to

[1:51:22] » Nomination to uh and a a second to

[1:51:22] keep the slate. Okay.

[1:51:24] >> May I have a motion motion to adopt the

[1:51:26] » May I have a motion motion to adopt the

[1:51:26] resolution with the slate of officers?

[1:51:29] Did you make the motion? Yeah, I think

[1:51:31] um

[1:51:32] He seconded. Oh. Yeah. He made the

[1:51:34] motion. Actually, we already have the

[1:51:35] motion. So, we did have the vote.

[1:51:37] Hey. You can call the roll.

[1:51:40] Council Member Keely.

[1:51:42] Yes. Council Member Gustafson. Aye.

[1:51:45] Council Member Schultz.

[1:51:47] Yes. Council Member Workman. Aye. Mayor

[1:51:50] Coutts. Yes.

[1:51:52] Okay, we move on to item number three,

[1:51:53] the consent agenda, and it's the

[1:51:55] approval of the minutes. Is there anyone

[1:51:56] who wishes an item to be removed from

[1:51:58] the consent agenda for a separate

[1:52:00] discussion and vote?

[1:52:03] Seeing none, may I have a motion to

[1:52:05] adopt the consent agenda? Move to adopt.

[1:52:08] Motion by Commissioner Workman.

[1:52:11] Second. Second by Commissioner Keely.

[1:52:13] All in favor? Aye. Aye. I need a I need

[1:52:16] a roll call. No, no, roll call. Roll

[1:52:18] call. Council Member Keely.

[1:52:20] Aye. Council Member Gustafson. Aye.

[1:52:23] Council Member Schultz.

[1:52:25] Yes. Council Member Workman. Aye. Mayor

[1:52:28] Coutts. Yes. And it passes.

[1:52:31] We move on to item number four A is the

[1:52:32] adoption of the 2025 annual report.

[1:52:36] Travis Vistedt, do is that how that's

[1:52:38] pronounced? Can you make it Vistedt.

[1:52:40] Vistedt, okay. Vistedt.

[1:52:41] >> Deputy Community Development Director is

[1:52:43] » Deputy Community Development Director is

[1:52:43] presenting.

[1:52:44] We've got biz to do. We have biz to do.

[1:52:46] I like that. Biz to do. Biz to do.

[1:52:51] You're welcome. Uh good evening, Mr.

[1:52:52] President. Uh commissioners, I'm Travis

[1:52:54] Vistedt, Deputy Community Development

[1:52:56] Director for the City of Burnsville, and

[1:52:58] I'm here to present the uh 2025 Economic

[1:53:01] Development Authority annual report.

[1:53:04] Uh just as a quick refresher, the EDA's

[1:53:06] mission focuses on business attraction,

[1:53:08] job creation, both development and

[1:53:11] redevelopment projects across the city.

[1:53:13] Uh the EDA advises the City Council on

[1:53:16] economic development policies, ensuring

[1:53:18] our investments align with Burnsville's

[1:53:20] long-term economic goals.

[1:53:24] Uh quickly on to our accomplishments for

[1:53:26] 2025,

[1:53:28] um

[1:53:29] in September, we renewed our contract

[1:53:31] with the Center for Energy and

[1:53:32] Environment, and relaunched our

[1:53:34] EDA-funded housing rehabilitation loan

[1:53:36] program. Since then, uh we've had one

[1:53:39] home improvement loan uh

[1:53:41] approved, as well as two more under

[1:53:44] review.

[1:53:45] And in terms of our senior deferred

[1:53:47] loans, we have uh approved two projects,

[1:53:50] fully expending our 2025 budget, which

[1:53:54] uh is a strong indicator of demand for

[1:53:55] these uh programs and loans going

[1:53:58] forward.

[1:54:01] Uh

[1:54:02] similarly, our initial local affordable

[1:54:05] housing aid or LAHA programs also

[1:54:07] launched in September and mirror our EDA

[1:54:10] offerings, but target households at a

[1:54:12] lower uh area median income, 80% AMI or

[1:54:16] less, if you recall.

[1:54:18] Uh so far, we have one home improvement

[1:54:20] loan uh that's been approved, and three

[1:54:22] are currently under review. And we have

[1:54:24] one senior deferred loan uh currently

[1:54:27] under review, as well.

[1:54:29] Um while the loans themselves are funded

[1:54:32] with uh LAHA dollars, the EDA EDA does

[1:54:35] fund uh a minor origination fee for each

[1:54:39] loan uh in alignment with state

[1:54:41] guidelines.

[1:54:45] Uh although not funded with EDA dollars,

[1:54:47] uh the city's CDBG-funded homeowner uh

[1:54:50] rehab loans

[1:54:51] uh also continues to move forward. In

[1:54:53] 2025, there were three loans completed,

[1:54:56] and there currently eight more uh

[1:54:58] underway, as we speak.

[1:55:02] On the economic development front, uh we

[1:55:05] completed a housing and commercial needs

[1:55:07] assessment, uh which uh we utilized that

[1:55:10] needs assessment to help us shape an

[1:55:12] economic development strategic

[1:55:14] framework, which will serve to focus our

[1:55:16] economic development efforts uh across

[1:55:19] the city

[1:55:20] uh for the next three to five years. So,

[1:55:22] it's been a it's been a powerful tool

[1:55:24] for us,

[1:55:25] uh kind of framing up what our economic

[1:55:26] development programs uh will look like.

[1:55:30] And then, in other accomplishments, we

[1:55:33] made amendments to the city-owned land

[1:55:34] sale policy, providing improved guidance

[1:55:37] on future strategic dis disposition and

[1:55:40] redevelopment activities for city-owned

[1:55:42] lands. Uh we continued to uh support our

[1:55:45] business and retention expansion

[1:55:47] program, partnering with the chamber and

[1:55:49] meeting with local uh employers to

[1:55:51] identify needs and connect them with uh

[1:55:54] area resources.

[1:55:55] Our partnership with uh Open to Business

[1:55:58] continues, and we uh continue to support

[1:56:01] offering one-on-one technical assistance

[1:56:03] to entrepreneurs and small businesses uh

[1:56:06] throughout the city.

[1:56:07] And then, lastly, we continue to support

[1:56:10] uh our legacy events, including the

[1:56:12] Burnsville uh Festival and Fire Muster,

[1:56:14] as well as the International Festival,

[1:56:16] which helps showcase Burnsville and help

[1:56:19] drive uh foot traffic to our local

[1:56:21] establishments.

[1:56:23] So, in summary, 2025 was uh

[1:56:26] uh a good year of targeted investments

[1:56:28] and strong partnerships, expanding our

[1:56:30] housing support programs, clarifying

[1:56:33] uh at least one policy, and

[1:56:35] strengthening our economic development

[1:56:37] uh road map.

[1:56:38] And that's it. I'd be happy to take any

[1:56:40] comments or questions.

[1:56:41] >> Any questions? Oh, congratulations.

[1:56:44] » Any questions? Oh, congratulations.

[1:56:44] Great work. Yes. Nice job last year. You

[1:56:46] as well. Thank you.

[1:56:48] Okay, no questions. May I have a motion

[1:56:50] to adopt the report?

[1:56:51] >> So moved.

[1:56:52] » So moved.

[1:56:52] Second.

[1:56:53] First and a second.

[1:56:55] Got that? Yep. Roll call.

[1:56:57] Council Member Keely.

[1:56:59] Yes, aye.

[1:57:00] Council Member Gustafson. Aye.

[1:57:02] Council Member Schultz.

[1:57:05] Yes. Council Member Workman. Aye. Mayor

[1:57:08] Coutts. Aye.

[1:57:10] Okay, there is no other business, so I

[1:57:12] may have may I have a motion to adjourn?

[1:57:14] >> So moved.

[1:57:15] » So moved.

[1:57:15] Second.

[1:57:16] Roll call, please. Council Member Keely.

[1:57:19] Aye. Council Member Gustafson. Aye.

[1:57:22] Council Member Schultz.

[1:57:23] Yes. Council Member Workman. Aye. Mayor

[1:57:26] Coutts. Aye. Aye. We are now adjourned.

[1:57:28] I turn it back to you, Madam Mayor.

[1:57:30] Thank you. And I will now reconvene the

[1:57:32] Burnsville City Council meeting, and

[1:57:34] members uh of the council and uh of our

[1:57:37] community, there are no other items to

[1:57:39] come before us this evening, and a

[1:57:41] motion to adjourn is in order.

[1:57:43] >> Motion to adjourn. Second. There's a

[1:57:44] » Motion to adjourn. Second. There's a

[1:57:44] motion and a second. Roll call, please.

[1:57:47] Council Member Keely.

[1:57:49] You know, Council Member Schultz, you're

[1:57:51] the one that caused all these roll

[1:57:52] calls.

[1:57:54] Aye.

[1:57:55] Council Member Gustafson. Aye. Council

[1:57:57] Member Schultz.

[1:57:59] Yes.

[1:58:00] Council Member Workman. Aye. Mayor

[1:58:01] Coutts. Aye. She did do it, didn't she?

[1:58:04] And we stand adjourned. Thank you for

[1:58:06] being with us, and have a good night.

Regular City Council - 20 Jan 2026

Transcript