[0:00] being a few minutes late. Um we're
[0:02] usually kind of fairly prompt, but
[0:04] sometimes things take a little longer
[0:06] than expected. So, it's October the 5th.
[0:09] It's Fergus Falls City Council, and the
[0:11] first item on the agenda is the
[0:12] invocation by Nick Preston of Life
[0:15] Church, followed by the pledge of
[0:17] allegiance, if you'd care to rise.
[0:21] All right, let's pray.
[0:24] [clears throat]
[0:26] Heavenly Father, thank you so much for
[0:27] this beautiful day and thank you for the
[0:30] change of seasons. Lord, I thank you for
[0:34] uh and we just acknowledge you as
[0:36] creator of all things and we praise your
[0:38] name this evening. Thank you for your
[0:40] mercy, Lord, and your kindness to us.
[0:42] Thank you for your love, Lord. I thank
[0:44] you for each one of the city council
[0:45] members and the mayor, Lord. I thank you
[0:47] for the work that they do for this city.
[0:49] And I ask Lord God for your blessing on
[0:51] their life and their family Lord and
[0:53] just all the burdens and concerns that
[0:54] each of them carry individually. Uh we
[0:57] lift them to you this evening. Comfort
[0:58] them, strengthen them. Thank you, Lord,
[1:00] for the city staff, every aspect of
[1:02] their jobs that they do behind the
[1:04] scenes for Fergus Falls uh to keep this
[1:06] uh to be a wonderful place, Lord, to
[1:08] live. I just thank you for Fergus Falls
[1:09] and all that they do for this city.
[1:12] Thank you, Lord, for our police
[1:13] department, the fire department. I ask
[1:15] that you give them uh strength,
[1:17] discernment, and wisdom as they protect
[1:19] our city. God, give them the strength
[1:20] that they need to just to carry on and
[1:22] do the work that they do. And Lord, now
[1:24] tonight we ask for your wisdom, your
[1:26] guidance in this meeting as ideas and
[1:29] decisions or ideas are discussed and
[1:31] decisions are made, Lord, that Fergus
[1:34] would continue to flourish and and
[1:35] prosper in every way. And it's in the
[1:37] name of Jesus that we pray. Amen.
[1:39] >> Amen. Amen.
[1:41] >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the
[1:43] United States of America and to the
[1:46] republic for which it stands. One nation
[1:49] under God, indivisible, liberty and
[1:52] justice for all.
[1:58] » I will call this meeting to order. Roll
[1:59] call, please.
[2:01] >> Here.
[2:04] Here.
[2:06] >> Here.
[2:10] we have a quorum. Um the next item um on
[2:14] the agenda is open for uh time to
[2:16] address items of city business that are
[2:18] not on this evening's agenda. Anybody
[2:20] wishing to do so, please come to the
[2:22] lecton, state your name and the city in
[2:24] which you live.
[2:28] » My name is Lois Sunset. I live in Fergus
[2:30] Falls. Thank you for letting me come
[2:32] here today. I think um Laura Laurel for
[2:34] inviting me. Um, and I just want to say
[2:36] thank you all. If any of you had
[2:38] anything to do with the splash pad or
[2:39] the water park, I always wanted one as a
[2:42] mother. Now, as a grandmother, I'm so
[2:43] thankful that you've done that. I'm here
[2:46] today because on September 1st, my
[2:47] husband and I were walking on our usual
[2:49] constitutional, which we do almost every
[2:51] day on Lincoln heading
[2:54] east. We were on the south side of the
[2:56] road at about where 700 and 800 block
[3:00] come together on the opposite side of
[3:02] where First Avenue is. My husband heard
[3:04] a noise.
[3:05] He looked behind us. I went like this
[3:08] and I got hit by an electric bike. Um,
[3:13] I was knocked over. First thing I I
[3:15] hadn't couldn't even It went so fast.
[3:17] Um, I was knocked over. I had a bruise
[3:20] on my hip, a bruise on my lower left
[3:22] leg, and my head really hurt. I still
[3:25] have uh headaches to this day, which I
[3:28] did not have prior to that. So, I'm just
[3:30] here and I I do appreciate um Mayor
[3:33] Hicks for responding to my email. I
[3:35] emailed on um uh Labor Day and my both
[3:38] of my um council members responded me
[3:41] too. I appreciate that. I just bring
[3:44] this up. You would not believe anytime I
[3:46] talk to this about to anybody, they
[3:49] always have a story, a negative story
[3:51] about an electric bike. just outside
[3:53] while we were waiting for this meeting,
[3:54] Donovan Ragnus said he almost hit
[3:56] somebody on electric bike that was going
[3:57] the wrong way at about 30 miles an hour
[3:59] on the street. So,
[4:02] I'm just here to request that I I know
[4:04] the state is working on it. Uh Mayor
[4:07] Hicks mentioned that the state is um uh
[4:10] Jordan Rasmmanson and um
[4:13] >> other guy. [laughter]
[4:14] >> Yes, thank you.
[4:15] >> Yes. are um going to work on something
[4:18] statewide, but I would just ask you all
[4:21] if there's I don't know why we couldn't
[4:23] do something in our city because it's I
[4:26] mean my life is victed. I could easily
[4:28] have broken a hip if I just I'm a nurse.
[4:31] I see many broken hips. This could
[4:32] easily have ended it in a broken hip,
[4:34] broken pelvis. Um I could have had a
[4:36] concussion. Um could detrimentally
[4:39] affected my life and it was bad enough
[4:42] as it was. So, uh,
[4:45] we don't understand why any motor
[4:47] vehicles should be on a sidewalk. I
[4:48] understand there's like as we're
[4:51] walking, you know, we walk on paved
[4:53] paths, which I suppose it's hard to
[4:54] define as sidewalks maybe, but we were
[4:57] on a sidewalk, Lincoln Avenue.
[5:00] And this So, I got up. I reprimanded the
[5:04] kid. He was maybe 20. I don't know how
[5:06] old it was. You should not have that on
[5:08] the sidewalk. I think I said that twice.
[5:10] He was very nice. Are you okay? He said,
[5:12] "Are you okay?" He was holding his head
[5:13] cuz he was not wearing a helmet.
[5:16] And
[5:18] then we continued to walk downtown and
[5:20] at about US Bank, I saw the same young
[5:23] man going the other direction on the
[5:25] sidewalk on the other side of the
[5:26] street. We estimated he was going about
[5:29] as fast as the cars. So then I was mad.
[5:33] >> And then I stopped at the police station
[5:34] on the way home and and filed a report.
[5:37] Yeah. So, I just ask that you would
[5:40] consider doing something citywide to
[5:44] keep motor vehicles off the sidewalk.
[5:47] I really have mixed feelings about
[5:48] scooters because those are kids,
[5:53] but they're an accident waiting to
[5:54] happen, too. You can just see that. But
[5:56] anyway, electric bikes do not belong on
[5:59] sidewalks. Thank you.
[6:02] >> Thank you.
[6:04] Anybody else?
[6:08] I just want to see if I can make a
[6:11] proposal.
[6:12] >> If you care to state your name and the
[6:14] city in which you live.
[6:16] >> Yeah. Lewis Schwarz of Fergus Falls.
[6:20] » I've been a town resident for for years.
[6:25] And I wonder if it's a possible
[6:28] I suppose it's I don't know if it's
[6:32] I know this is not like Fargo or uh
[6:35] Rochester, but it's possible to have a
[6:37] something like a civic center or some
[6:40] that type of thing or
[6:48] » um we have uh the next best thing we
[6:51] have the Big Wood Event Center.
[6:52] >> Big Event Center. I wonder can that be
[6:54] expanded or anything to hold bigger
[6:57] events and stuff or is that
[7:01] >> it it depends. It's it depends how big
[7:03] an event you would like
[7:09] you know like the bigger band concerts
[7:12] and stuff like that or is that uh
[7:16] I think it would be difficult at this
[7:17] time. I mean that's why the center for
[7:19] the arts does the outdoor concerts
[7:22] because those obviously can attract you
[7:24] know500 plus people.
[7:26] >> Yeah.
[7:26] >> As opposed to you know um any any
[7:29] expansion of the big would be a
[7:31] significant financial
[7:33] um input from the city residents.
[7:38] So but we hear you. So
[7:40] >> yeah that'll be something like I suppose
[7:42] a tax or something like that.
[7:44] >> It would increase your property tax.
[7:46] Yes.
[7:47] Yeah. So, thank you.
[7:52] » I was just thinking, you know, that
[7:53] would create like, you know, jobs for
[7:56] the town and things like that and
[8:00] >> Right. Well, you if you stick around and wait um a few a little while, you'll
[8:06] hear about what we're doing on job
[8:07] creation.
[8:08] >> Okay.
[8:09] >> Thank you, sir.
[8:10] >> Thank you.
[8:11] >> Yep.
[8:15] » Right. Anyone else? If not, the next
[8:19] item is the approval of this evening's
[8:21] agenda. We have two items. Um, under
[8:25] consent agenda, item number six, a
[8:27] motion directing the city attorney to
[8:29] draft an ordinance reszoning
[8:31] 119 Vernon Avenue West in 114 Alcott
[8:36] Avenue West from R2 to B3 district. Um,
[8:39] council member Job has has requested
[8:41] that be um, a separate item due to
[8:44] conflict of interest. And the other item
[8:47] is the removal of F4, the visit Fergus
[8:51] Falls agreement. Um, we're going back to
[8:55] the their board and looking to realign
[8:57] the contract, the um, job description as
[9:01] well as the proposed business plan with
[9:05] that. Would somebody care to make um a
[9:09] motion to approve the agenda?
[9:12] >> Move.
[9:13] >> Thank you, Scott.
[9:14] >> Second.
[9:14] >> Thank you, Laurel.
[9:17] >> All those in favor say I.
[9:19] >> I.
[9:20] >> All those against same sign hearing
[9:22] none. Uh the motion is approved. The
[9:25] next item is public hearings of which
[9:26] there are none. The next item is
[9:29] awarding of bids. A resolution awarding the bid for the city
[9:34] hall city hall Koopa project to Sty
[9:38] Styhin LLC in the amount of $195,09
[9:45] and I believe that will be Guy Taylor.
[9:50] Thank you your honor. That is pronounced
[9:53] Strin Strin LLC. So, the recommendation
[9:57] tonight is to award the Cupula
[9:59] Reconstruction and Bell Reinstallation
[10:01] to Strin LLC uh contractor from
[10:05] Glennwood, Minnesota in the amount of
[10:07] $195,09.
[10:10] The council authorized bids to be
[10:12] advertised on August 3rd. Bids were
[10:14] placed in the daily journal, on the city
[10:16] website, and on Quest. Uh personal
[10:19] contacts with local contracts
[10:21] contractors were also made to encourage
[10:23] them to bid. uh six contractors attended
[10:26] a pre-bid meeting on September 15th. Of
[10:29] those six, three contractors submitted a
[10:31] bid. Bids opened on September 29th at 2
[10:35] p.m. Uh the three contractors that did
[10:39] submit bids were Comtock Construction,
[10:41] Gas Construction, and Strin.
[10:44] The architect has vetted the contractor
[10:47] and has determined that Strin LLC has
[10:49] sufficient knowledge of the project and
[10:51] equipment to perform the work.
[10:54] if awarded tonight, uh, will
[10:57] start as soon as he is able to procure
[11:00] materials with a completion date of no
[11:03] later than March 31st, 2027. If weather
[11:06] permits, um, the work will be done
[11:08] sooner.
[11:11] >> Would somebody care to make that
[11:12] resolution?
[11:13] >> I'll offer that.
[11:14] >> Thank you, Scott.
[11:15] >> I'll second that.
[11:15] >> Thank you, Laurel. Any questions of Guy?
[11:19] Is that going to have to be covered when
[11:21] they're working on that to try to keep
[11:23] some heat in there as far as sealing
[11:24] anything with any type of uh like
[11:28] compounds or anything like that?
[11:30] >> The current situation up there is it's
[11:33] sealed and so um the only time it'll be
[11:36] uncovered is when the coupa is
[11:38] reinstalled and that'll be built off
[11:39] site.
[11:40] >> All right,
[11:43] Mr. Taylor, I I probably remember. Are
[11:45] we close to the budget that we had on
[11:47] this was 150 to 200 or what was it?
[11:49] >> Yeah, the estimate from the architect
[11:52] was 150 to 210. Okay. And so we are
[11:55] right in there and we do have sufficient
[11:57] funds in the general government
[11:58] buildings budget to cover.
[12:00] >> Good. I uh I apologize if this was in
[12:02] the packet. I didn't see it, but
[12:03] somebody asked me the other night. They
[12:05] said, you know, 200 grand that's like
[12:06] the price of a small house. Uh where is
[12:09] the cost in this? Is it in the in the
[12:11] height to get it up there? the crane
[12:13] work or where I didn't see a breakdown
[12:15] of what it really was, but where does
[12:17] the cost come to to get us to 200,000
[12:19] for that?
[12:19] >> I can send that to you if you'd like,
[12:21] but it's the complexity of it. It's the
[12:24] materials. They're not common materials.
[12:27] Some of them are because a lot of it's
[12:28] just lumber, but it's the finish work,
[12:31] the the dome reconstruction. It's a lot
[12:34] of odd type work that isn't common.
[12:37] >> Sounds good,
[12:40] Scott.
[12:41] uh recent conversations and in
[12:43] particular the comments and questions
[12:44] that came up at the candidate forums uh
[12:47] had to do with local suppliers having a
[12:49] shot at the u local projects and in this
[12:53] case he's an out of town contractor
[12:55] which is fine but to the degree that we
[12:57] can encourage strand to use local
[12:59] suppliers uh that would be really
[13:01] terrific we can encourage them that way
[13:05] >> I think obviously it would be fair to
[13:07] say that a local contractor did bid in
[13:09] comtock
[13:10] So,
[13:11] >> and there were other contacts made. One
[13:13] was seriously thinking of submitting
[13:16] [clears throat] a bid and
[13:18] other projects kept him from being able
[13:20] to get everything put together.
[13:23] >> Thank you. Any other questions? Laurel,
[13:26] >> what's the timeline for completion?
[13:28] >> March 31st would be the
[13:29] >> That's the deadline. I saw
[13:30] >> the deadline. Yeah, we're hoping it'll
[13:32] be done sooner. Okay.
[13:33] >> I'm hoping by Christmas so we can get
[13:34] our lights strong.
[13:38] >> That roll call, please.
[13:40] Yes.
[13:41] >> Yes.
[13:43] [clears throat]
[13:44] >> Yes.
[13:49] >> The resolution is approved. The next
[13:51] item under petitions and communication
[13:53] is economic development update from
[13:55] James who has been with the city more or
[13:58] less one year. So, happy birthday.
[14:02] >> Thank you. I appreciate it.
[14:05] >> Well, hey, I just wanted to go through a
[14:06] few stats very quickly. Um so
[14:11] basically we we're about a year into
[14:12] this project. Um initially it was sort
[14:15] of the first couple months were a little
[14:17] slow. We were framing things and we had
[14:18] our our meeting in February. But what I
[14:21] wanted to talk about was uh more or less
[14:23] the transition from strategy and leads
[14:26] into execution. So 2026 was about
[14:31] developing continuing the pipeline. 2027
[14:34] is going to be about executing. Um I
[14:36] would also like to highlight that each
[14:38] and every one of you have been part of
[14:39] this in one way or another whether it's
[14:41] housing projects whether it's retail
[14:43] logistics manufacturing uh whether you
[14:46] know it's city staff and each council
[14:48] member has been part of this particular
[14:50] journey uh given where your interests
[14:52] are more or less. Um, so here we are.
[14:55] Um, active capital, none of this
[14:57] includes like the construction jobs
[14:59] that'll come, but generically speaking,
[15:01] I I think the sweet spot's probably
[15:03] about 130 million plus or minus 15 to 20
[15:06] million. So, you're probably going,
[15:07] "Wow, that's a lot of money. Where's it
[15:08] coming from? What What is it?" Um, of
[15:11] that, roughly a third of it is going to
[15:13] be in the form of housing. Uh, we're
[15:15] currently discussing six projects that
[15:17] are pretty serious at this point. Uh in
[15:20] addition to that, uh we have a fairly
[15:22] large logistics project that'll be
[15:24] coming on hopefully line here very soon.
[15:26] Um that's probably the lion share of the
[15:28] capex or capital expenditures that are
[15:30] not housing related here. Then you've
[15:32] got uh existing expansions plus a a
[15:35] pretty decent size expansion that we're
[15:37] looking at uh in addition to retail that
[15:39] we've talked about over the last couple
[15:41] of months. So when you collectively look
[15:42] at it um about a third a third a third
[15:46] as far as the direct jobs in the
[15:47] pipeline u again 60% of those jobs are
[15:51] one project and the project itself has
[15:54] already achieved its final investment
[15:56] decision. So it's not like it has to go
[15:58] through a corporate board or anything
[15:59] like that. It's now gone through due
[16:00] diligence and the process is underway.
[16:04] In addition to that um you know about
[16:06] half of the remaining jobs come in the
[16:07] form of retail which have a 2 to1 ratio
[16:10] of part-time to full-time and then 100
[16:13] permanent uh light manufacturing jobs uh
[16:16] that are either well actually we uh we
[16:18] saw our first 10 advertised here last
[16:20] week I believe uh here in Fergus Falls.
[16:23] Uh next slide.
[16:26] Oh and then of those housing units um a
[16:28] vast majority are multifamily. So, of
[16:31] the 200 or so that are currently under
[16:33] discussion and pretty we're getting into
[16:35] the planning process, um roughly
[16:39] twothirds to 70% of them are are multif
[16:42] family. Then you've got a smattering of
[16:45] um twin homes and single families. From
[16:47] there, as I mentioned, um about 37
[16:50] million in identified manufacturing
[16:52] investments and the lion share obviously
[16:54] being that larger logistics project. Uh,
[16:57] and then we've got two, not one, but two
[16:59] pretty significant retail um projects
[17:02] underway. I should call it two and a
[17:04] half actually because there's kind of a small one that we're doing as well
[17:08] that's uh that's going to be pretty decent for the community. Uh and
[17:11] then in addition to this over the first
[17:13] year we worked a lot of retention
[17:15] actually in this room held a lot of
[17:17] workshops worked with a lot of small
[17:18] companies and since you've given the
[17:21] some money they've increased their
[17:23] presence here and we're consistently
[17:25] referring some of the smaller companies
[17:27] uh to that particular service. And
[17:29] lastly um you know we still continue to
[17:33] target roughly 20 companies a month. Uh
[17:36] that's a combination of community uh
[17:38] companies that are already here. What do
[17:39] you need? how can we help? As well as a
[17:42] pretty aggressive outreach. Again, uh
[17:43] I'm not the cold caller of the group.
[17:45] The cold caller knows who they are. Uh
[17:47] and there's somebody that's really
[17:49] aggressive uh that we give leads to and
[17:51] they go out there and find the leads and
[17:53] then they come back and we start working
[17:55] projects. And um a really decent litmus
[17:59] test here is, you know, we've got 18
[18:02] active projects, but now eight are
[18:04] fairly advanced. And so I'm starting to
[18:06] work with the team here on how do we
[18:08] manage all of these projects at the same
[18:09] time to ensure that the developers, the
[18:12] owners, the investors, and everybody
[18:14] gets what they need uh so that nothing
[18:16] kind of falls through. So I would like
[18:18] to thank you again for all of your help.
[18:20] As I said, each and every one of you are
[18:22] playing a part and I will turn it back
[18:23] to you, your honor.
[18:25] >> Thank you. Any questions of James is up
[18:28] on the floor.
[18:31] >> Thank you very much.
[18:32] >> Yeah, you bet.
[18:34] With that, we will move on. The next
[18:36] item on the agenda is the consent
[18:38] agenda. Um, item one is a motion
[18:41] approving the minutes from the September
[18:43] 21st, 2026 city council meeting and the
[18:46] September 30th, 2026 committee of the
[18:48] whole. A motion approving licenses. A
[18:51] resolution certifying election judge
[18:53] election judges for November 3rd general
[18:55] election. A resolution amending the
[18:58] Houston engineering contract for acetone
[19:00] response actions to the MPCA.
[19:03] A resolution authorizing the mayor and
[19:05] city administrator to sign an acceptance
[19:07] letter for a state airport grant from
[19:10] MIDOT. A resolution approving a
[19:12] conditional use permit for a pylon sign
[19:15] in the B2 service business district at
[19:18] 1701 Lincoln Avenue. That's the new Le
[19:21] Schwabs building. A resolution approving
[19:24] the purchase of bodywn cameras for the
[19:25] Fergus Falls Police Department. a
[19:28] resolution accepting a donation from
[19:30] Artell Power Company Foundation to the
[19:32] fire department in the amount of $3,910
[19:36] and adjusting the 2026 Fire Department
[19:38] budget as such. Would somebody care to
[19:41] make that resolution?
[19:44] >> Thank you, Laura. Would somebody care to
[19:47] second it?
[19:47] >> I'll second.
[19:48] >> Thank you, Jim.
[19:50] Roll call, please.
[19:52] >> Yes.
[19:54] >> Fish.
[19:55] >> Yes.
[20:01] >> The resolution is approved. The item um
[20:06] remaining is a motion directing the city
[20:08] attorney to draft an ordinance reszoning
[20:11] 119 Vernon Avenue West and 114 Elcott
[20:15] Avenue West from a R2 to a B3 district.
[20:20] This was discussed earlier. Um, and uh,
[20:24] I don't know if council need anything
[20:26] more on it. Um, if so, um, I'm sure
[20:29] Clara would be more than willing to
[20:30] answer any questions. If not, would
[20:33] somebody care to make the motion?
[20:35] >> I'll offer.
[20:36] >> Thank you, Scott.
[20:38] >> I'll second.
[20:39] >> Thank you, Scott.
[20:43] If there's no questions, then all those
[20:45] in favor say I.
[20:46] >> I. I.
[20:47] >> All those against, same sign.
[20:49] >> Abstain. Miss Miss Job as abstained. The
[20:52] motion is approved. The next item on the
[20:56] agenda is under ordinance and
[20:58] resolutions. The first reading of
[21:00] ordinance 81 8 series battery energy
[21:04] storage. And we just need somebody to
[21:07] make that uh make that introduce it. So
[21:11] >> thank you Scott.
[21:13] It will come back obviously for a second
[21:15] reading.
[21:17] The second item is a second reading of
[21:19] ordinance 82 8 series reszone 301 North
[21:24] Union Avenue from R4 to B3.
[21:27] Um, this would require a roll call.
[21:31] >> Rachel,
[21:31] >> yes.
[21:40] >> The ordinance is approved. Um the next
[21:45] item is a second reading of ordinance 83
[21:49] 8 series reszoning portions of the lake
[21:51] region healthcare campus from R2 to B3
[21:56] and this again if there are no questions
[21:58] will be a roll call. Rachel,
[22:01] >> yes.
[22:02] >> Fish,
[22:03] >> yes.
[22:03] >> Joel,
[22:04] >> abstain.
[22:07] >> Yes.
[22:10] >> Morton,
[22:10] >> yes.
[22:12] The ordinance is approved.
[22:16] The next item is a resolution
[22:18] authorizing staff to sign a grant
[22:20] contract from Shipo for $26,653
[22:26] with an inind match of $7,96096
[22:31] to support public education outreach and
[22:34] preparation for a potential Fergus Falls
[22:36] commercial historic district. And I will
[22:39] call upon Clara Beck.
[22:45] Thank you, mayor. Um, we were very
[22:47] pleased to get notification from the
[22:49] state historic preservation office that
[22:50] the grant that we applied for um back I
[22:54] think it was at the end of 2025 has been
[22:56] federally funded and we are able to
[22:59] start our activities. As a reminder,
[23:02] what we would be doing with this grant
[23:04] is um writing an application for a
[23:09] downtown commercial historic district.
[23:12] not sending but just writing it at this
[23:14] point and then doing outreach to
[23:16] downtown business owners and building
[23:18] owners to talk to them about the
[23:20] potential um pluses and minuses of a
[23:22] historic district uh and then getting
[23:24] the word out about what it could look
[23:26] like in Fergus Falls to have a downtown
[23:28] historic district. So we are very lucky
[23:30] to have the uh money available from the
[23:33] state historic preservation office to do
[23:35] this without any cash outlay from the
[23:37] city. We will have um staff time and
[23:40] historical society staff time that will
[23:41] go into it to help with the work um that
[23:44] makes up for the inkind match. Uh but
[23:47] just looking for um [clears throat]
[23:48] authorization for Andrew to sign those
[23:50] grant documents so that we can then go
[23:52] out for bids for the work to be done.
[23:55] >> Thank you. Would somebody care to make
[23:57] the resolution?
[24:00] >> I'll offer that.
[24:01] >> Thank you, Scott. Would somebody care to
[24:03] second it?
[24:04] >> Second.
[24:05] >> Thank you, Al. Any questions of Clara?
[24:10] >> Your honor, what do the funds go for
[24:12] again? Would you clarify?
[24:14] >> It is. So, we had a historic study done.
[24:18] It would be taking the information from
[24:20] that study and writing it into an
[24:22] application for a historic district that
[24:26] would then go on to the National Park
[24:28] Service.
[24:29] >> So, the study's been done.
[24:32] >> Study was done. Mhm. So the 26,000
[24:35] funds the grant writing
[24:37] >> funds further research into crafting
[24:40] that narrative. Yes.
[24:43] >> Thank you.
[24:44] >> Mhm.
[24:46] >> Laura,
[24:47] >> how you said there are there are pluses
[24:49] and minuses which I'm aware of. Most
[24:50] people maybe are or are not. I don't
[24:52] know. When does it come back for
[24:54] discussion like to this body or is there
[24:56] public meetings? Because there are there
[24:58] are negatives along with the pluses to
[25:00] this.
[25:00] >> Yep. any um any historic district runs
[25:03] first through the um HPC which then goes
[25:07] to the planning commission and then
[25:08] ultimately ends up with the city
[25:09] council. So it can be heard in several
[25:12] different locations um and we can host
[25:15] public hearings at as many of those
[25:17] meetings as we'd like.
[25:18] >> Yeah. I just think it's really important
[25:19] that those business owners and building
[25:21] owners are very involved in this so
[25:23] they're making educated feedback or
[25:25] giving educated feedback. And we would
[25:27] like to at at the end of this, so we
[25:29] wrote into the grant um printed
[25:31] materials so that we can have we can
[25:34] have some of those pluses, minuses, all
[25:36] that. We we want to be able to give the
[25:37] business owners a packet and say this is
[25:39] what you are or are not agreeing to so
[25:41] they have all of the information
[25:42] available to them.
[25:47] » Then roll call, please.
[25:49] >> Yes.
[25:58] >> Mortonson.
[25:59] >> Yes.
[26:00] >> The resolution is approved. The next
[26:02] item on the agenda is a resolution
[26:04] authorizing David Drone and Associates
[26:06] to proceed with financial analysis of a
[26:09] 15-year property tax abatement request
[26:12] for the Channing Child Care Village,
[26:15] which would be the Pioneer Childcare facilities that are
[26:20] being built for
[26:22] >> on second on the Pioneer property,
[26:24] should I say?
[26:25] >> Would somebody care to make that
[26:27] resolution?
[26:28] >> I'll offer that.
[26:29] >> Thank you, Laurel. Would somebody care
[26:30] to second it?
[26:31] >> I can second that.
[26:32] >> Thank you, Laura. Any discussion,
[26:36] >> Mike? Yeah, your honor. I appreciate it.
[26:38] And I appreciate uh someone uh working
[26:41] on the child care issue in our city.
[26:43] That's um I think this has been ongoing
[26:45] for as long as time is. So, I think this
[26:47] is appropriate. The one question I had
[26:49] though is it seemed like Pioneer Care
[26:52] had a percentage of like space saved for
[26:56] employees or something like that. That's
[26:58] there. So, I I want to know what that
[27:01] percentage is. Is it is it 10%, is it
[27:03] 50%, I think that kind of weighs into
[27:06] where you given an abatement. If if it's
[27:08] really high, um then I then I have a
[27:11] little pause with it. Do we know the
[27:12] percentage?
[27:13] >> Um yeah, sort of. So they so the way
[27:17] that it works currently is Pioneer Care
[27:19] has um they have hired a staff member
[27:21] who provides services for their staff,
[27:25] but they also do open that up to the
[27:27] community if they have open positions.
[27:29] So it can shift. Um sometimes it might
[27:32] be all staff members, sometimes they
[27:34] might have families from in the
[27:35] community who are fitting into those
[27:37] slots. The expansion is happening
[27:40] because Pioneer Care has seen such great
[27:43] success with their with their current
[27:45] pod that they're going to open up a
[27:47] second pod. So, the whole build itself
[27:50] is six pods. So, they would have staff
[27:54] in two of them. Um, and then they would
[27:57] have whatever breakdown of slots in
[27:59] there that make sense at that time cuz
[28:02] it does shift fairly frequently who's
[28:05] coming in and out of a of a daycare
[28:06] setting. So they would have two that
[28:09] they have hired themselves and then
[28:10] there is a nonprofit that has been
[28:12] created that will be um hiring and
[28:15] placing other um other providers in the remaining in the remaining pods.
[28:22] >> Yeah. I think the only thing that you
[28:23] know gives me some pause is I want to
[28:25] make sure that the community here since
[28:27] we're we're giving a 15-year tax break
[28:30] to this project that the community has
[28:32] access to this at the highest level that
[28:34] we can. That would be my my only
[28:36] concern. And uh I hope that that's
[28:38] achieved.
[28:40] >> I Yes, I believe it will be. And I I
[28:42] should also say the hope is that um
[28:44] there is a change at the at the state
[28:47] level that means that this abatement
[28:50] these won't this won't have to be a
[28:51] request that's made in the future that
[28:53] these projects that are run by
[28:55] nonprofits are able to remain tax
[28:57] exempt. That's the the ultimate goal I
[28:59] would I would say.
[29:03] Scott,
[29:04] >> I think it would be at least worthwhile
[29:05] to point out that the property has been
[29:07] taxexempt as it was under Pioneers
[29:10] ownership. And so going forward now that
[29:12] it's developed, um it's not like we
[29:15] would be out anything necessarily if it
[29:18] just maintains its tax exempt status.
[29:20] >> Uh what we're out is the potential gain
[29:22] of uh $11,000 a year. Um, but we've
[29:28] talked an awful lot about supporting
[29:29] child care and this is a relatively low
[29:31] investment for what we'd be getting back
[29:34] and I'd support it.
[29:35] >> Thank you.
[29:38] >> Laur,
[29:38] >> I support it as well. But just a quick
[29:40] question. Normally when we do TIFF
[29:41] things, there's a deposit that they pay
[29:43] for the consultant and all of that. Is
[29:44] that still happening or is that city
[29:46] funds doing that?
[29:47] >> Nope. There will be a fund. So, we
[29:49] haven't um I need to get a new
[29:51] application from um Pioneer Care is the
[29:54] one who's writing the application on
[29:56] behalf of the Channing Childcare
[29:57] Village. So, we'll be getting an updated
[30:00] um application from them, which would
[30:01] include the the fee. And then David
[30:04] Drone is able to utilize both their own
[30:08] numbers and then since the county and
[30:09] the school district have also both gone
[30:11] through this process, can kind of also
[30:13] lean on some of that analysis that's
[30:14] already been done, which would shorten
[30:16] their time frame a little bit.
[30:19] Yeah, it would be fair to say that both,
[30:21] as you say, the county and the school
[30:23] district are doing tax abatement
[30:26] >> for this project.
[30:27] >> Yeah.
[30:30] >> Any other questions? If not, roll call,
[30:34] please.
[30:36] >> Yes.
[30:43] >> Mortonson.
[30:44] >> Yes.
[30:45] >> Thank you. the resolution is approved.
[30:48] It would also be uh fair to say that u
[30:51] Dean Monkey is being offered for a
[30:53] prestigious award for raising the money
[30:56] for this project. Um so he will know
[31:00] that early well hopefully the award
[31:03] ceremony was in February. So um you know
[31:07] Pioneer um fundraising board has done a
[31:09] very good job of raising all the money
[31:11] to build this. So, as opposed to, you
[31:14] know, it costing anybody. The next item
[31:17] on the agenda is presentation of claims
[31:19] in the amount of 2,65,843.82.
[31:25] If Jim would care to make that
[31:27] resolution,
[31:28] >> I will offer the resolution to pay the
[31:30] bills.
[31:30] >> Thank you, Jim. Would somebody care to
[31:32] second it?
[31:33] >> I'll second it.
[31:34] >> Thank you, Laurel.
[31:36] If anybody any questions to our finance
[31:39] director? If not, roll call, please.
[31:43] Yes. [laughter]
[31:44] >> Yes.
[31:52] >> The resolution is approved. There is no
[31:54] old business or unfinished business. Um
[31:57] there is no new business. Miscellaneous
[32:00] announcements are October 14 7 a.m.
[32:02] committee of the whole meeting. Uh and
[32:05] October 18, 5:30 p.m. City of Council
[32:09] meeting. And I um I believe there is
[32:12] that that adjournment closed meeting is
[32:14] no longer there. Is it?
[32:17] >> Yeah. I mean the closed meeting relating
[32:20] to uh the Axel Nelson apartments is
[32:23] going to be removed. We have a purchase
[32:25] agreement in hand from the owner that uh
[32:28] HRE is going to be reviewing and
[32:30] hopefully approving soon.
[32:34] » So um so with that uh this meeting is
[32:38] adjourned.