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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the

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republic for which it stands. One nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and

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justice for all.

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Roll call, please.
>> Councelor Gisler here. Councelor Jelly

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» here. Council LBLA is absent. Councelor
Peterson

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» here.
>> Mayor Bucher

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» here. Uh announcements to council
members have announcements this evening.

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Um, one thing for me at the pre-aggenda,
we talked a little bit about the fact

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that uh originally it was thought that
the AUA

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uh would be on the agenda for tonight's
approval. Uh that's not the case for a

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couple of reasons. Um and the pre-agenda
that was discussed and uh we thought

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that that should be uh discussed once
again with the larger crowd and and

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being recorded. So if now is the time
>> Yeah. Go ahead, Mr. Ranchetti.

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» Uh, thank you, Mayor, Councelor Gistler,
Council, uh, to provide an update and

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some clarity around recent interactions
uh, with the city and the DNR regarding

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the AUR and letters that were submitted
to the city as a part of the AUR

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process. I got some comments. On April
30th, the DNR submitted a letter during

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the public comment period of the AUR.
That's a time in which state agencies

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and the public uh submit comments
related to the scoping of the project's

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environmental review. Uh that letter and
the city's responses to them uh were

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included in the final order for review.
This the scoping document, the final

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scoping document and those and that is
uh publicly available and can be found

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at any time on the uh at the EQ EQB's
website. Uh the DNR did not submit any

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comments uh during the draft AUR 30-day
comment period. So the 30-day comment

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period a available to respond to the
draft AUR. Uh however, the city did

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receive a letter from the DNR on August
25th. That letter was submitted during

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what is called the objection period. uh
that's a period by which the state

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agencies are given 10 days uh after the
publishing of the draft AUR or of the

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final AUR to object to the final AUR. Um
and

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this um and they have to object based on
very specific criteria outlining

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outlined in statute. However, the letter
submitted by the DNR and received by the

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city clearly states that that submitt
was not a formal objection to the AUR.

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As a result of that August letter, the
city, the project proposer, and uh the

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DNR had a series of meetings on
Wednesday, September 2nd. As a result of

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those meetings, several correspondents
have since subsequently been exchanged.

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uh of those uh the DNR provided us with
clarity on the agency's authority and

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their involvement in the AUAR and the
mitigation plan stating that the city of

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Hermantown is responsible for
determining the appropriate mitigation

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in the AUR but that the DNR is very
willing to be a technical adviser on

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topics for which they have expertise. So
the city of Hermantown is the regulatory

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authority. The DNR has expertise in
certain areas. They also clarified their

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use of the word connected in those
comments uh and that they were not

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asserting that any that there were any
connected actions uh by a nearby project

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but were requesting clarification from
the city on the cumulative effects

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analysis.
On September 4th, the city then provided

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a response letter to the DNR that
clarified the intent u that clarified

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the intent of the DNR uh and related the
following items. the DNR's scoping

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document comments uh and their desire to
include those in the draft AUR process.

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The comments that they submitted during
the scoping process, they wanted those

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included in the draft comment period. Uh
a more robust description of the city's

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alternatives analysis as it relates to
other potential sites for the project in

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the city of Hermantown.
Clarification of the cumulative effects

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process. the installation of monitoring
wells to establish baseline data on

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surface and groundwater interactions and
how those data will be reviewed and the

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responsibilities of each party, the DNR
and the uh and the project proposer in

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the city of Hermantown and the MPCA.
uh the agreement to create an adaptive

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management plan that allows the city to
revisit and update data collection and

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monitoring along with its mitigation
measures and the ability of the city to

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call on the DNR experts during that
adaptive management plan process. And

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finally, uh, the letter makes clear the
regulatory roles of the DNR and of the

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city to be, uh, we as the city staff and
I think as a city as a whole are

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committed to a clear, transparent
environmental review process that

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follows the rules outlined by the state
in statute. In March of 2026, the city

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began the process of updating the
previous AUA to allow for an extended

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participation by the public and state
agencies. The city has followed the

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process that the state provided to us uh
to conduct this environmental review of

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the data center project and voluntarily
conducted the updated review following

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that same state provided process. We
have not yet fully resolved or addressed

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uh sorry we have not fully resolved the
comments provided by the DNR during the

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objection period. Uh and in the spirit
of partnership, we are committed to

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providing clarifications uh resulting
from those comments in the final AUR.

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And as such, given that it is unknown
when the city count uh it is as such it

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is unknown when the city council will
consider and staff will bring forth the

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AU uh as the timeline to resolving the
current comments from the DNR is yet

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unclear. Finally, I'll say uh the DNR
and the city and the project proposer

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are all working collaboratively toward a
resolution on this. And lastly, uh there

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will be no action uh by the planning and
zoning or the council related to the

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special use permit application until the
environmental review process is

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complete. And that includes no proposed
action or public hearing at the

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September planning and zoning meeting.
Uh we did take out an ad in the

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newspaper uh for a public hearing but
that public hearing will not be held uh

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due to the uncertain timeline from the
DNR and our interactions with them. Uh

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we have mailed an extension letter uh
lastly we have mailed an extension

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letter uh related to the 60-day rule uh
to the applicant's representative. So uh

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that that 60-day rule uh has been
extended by letter. So uh that's what I

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have.
>> Thank you.

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» Thanks
>> Mr. Gistler. Any

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» that's all. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Any other counselors? Uh some

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housekeeping items. Uh in council
chambers, everyone is to remain seated

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unless at the podium speaking to
councel.

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Signs are allowed. Uh maximum size 11 by
17 in.

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We are moving the public comment period
to the end of our agenda after all of

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our voting business items are completed.
This is done to make sure that everyone

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gets home at a reasonable time. If we
are still uh meeting and need to speak

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at 1000 PM, we will recess until 6:30
p.m. on Thursday when people can come

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back and give whatever uh input they'd
like. Uh we will try and make sure that

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everyone is accommodated.
Um

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the subject of an investigation
involving comments made at city

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meetings. We hope uh but are not 100%
sure that that will be completed by the

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21st.
There are interviews that have to take

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place. Some have been done and uh the
contractor that has uh is doing that

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will let us know in the next two weeks
how things are going. We hope to have

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some more information on the 21st if we
don't have a completion and a report.

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Uh Mr. Moulder, anything else? No. Okay.
Next, we will move to the consent

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agenda.
Consent agenda involves the minutes.

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Approval or correction of the August
17th, 2026 city council continuation

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minutes, August 20th, 2026 work session
minutes and August 24th, 2026 work

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session minutes, as well as accounts
payable. Approve general city warrants

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from August 16th, 2026
through August 31st, 2026 in the amount

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of 1,445,477.76.

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Do we have a motion about the consent
agenda?

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» Move to approve.
>> Motion by councelor Gisler to approve.

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Is there a second?
>> I'll second.

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» Second by councelor Jelly. Roll call,
please.

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» Councelor Gisler,
>> I.

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» Councelor Jelly,
>> I.

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» Councelor Peterson,
>> I.

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» Mayor Bucher,
>> I. Ordinances. We have the first reading

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this evening of ordinance 2026-02,
an ordinance amending the Hermantown

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zoning code by amending chapter 10 land
splits and platting. There will be no

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vote on this ordinance this evening as
it is the first reading. Mr. Moulder,

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should we have Mr. Johnson, explain
this.

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» Yes, please, Mr. Johnson.
>> Great. Thank you, Mr. Mayor and members

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of the council. So, as you mentioned,
this is an amendment to chapter 10, land

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splits and platting. This has to do with
flag lots. Uh flag lots, uh were first

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brought back to the city back in 2018,
and during that time, uh we've had about

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17 applications that have come forward.
So in 2020, uh there was the first

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amendment done where flag lots instead
of being heard by the planning and

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zoning with a public hearing, uh they
would also have a city council action

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for their ultimate either approval or
denial. Uh in 2020, that was amended

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that this planning and zoning commission
would actually take action on each flag

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lot. Uh so during that 2020 period, uh
once again, there's been multiple

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applications for flag lots with none of
those being denied. There's one instance

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that a flag lot was tabled so there
could be additional conversations

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between property owners, but ultimately
that one was approved. So, uh, per this

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amendment this evening, uh, this would
then allow, uh, city staff to

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administratively
approve,

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um, flag lot applications associated
with that. There would still be a

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notification of adjacent property owners
of the application. uh that'd be do done

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so by mail and there'd be 15-day time
for the adjacent property owners to

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respond. So after that 15-day period uh
uh assuming there was uh no comments

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that came in uh staff would then um
approve and administer the actual lot

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split
and that's similar to what we do right

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now but just standard lot splits as
well. It's done administratively.

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» Thank you. Are there any questions from
council?

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Okay. Um, that will more than likely be
voted on at our next city council

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meeting. Mr. Moulder.
>> Yes. Thank you.

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» That's the schedule. Uh, next is
resolution 2026-100,

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resolution approving change order number
one for the Hermantown City Hall HVAC

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upgrades to Gartner Refrigeration
Company in the amount of $4,953.

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Is there a motion?
>> I'll make a motion to approve.

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» Motion by Councelor Peterson to approve.
Is there a second?

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» Second.
>> Second by councelor Gisler. Mr. from

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older.
>> As you know, we're working on uh

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repairing the uh HVAC controls um in
this building. Um there was one change

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order here for materials and some labor.
Um so we're asking for your approval of

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that.
>> Thank you.

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Um anything else? Anything from councel?
Uh no one has signed up to speak on this

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resolution. Roll call, please.
>> Councelor Jelly,

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» I.
>> Councelor Peterson,

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» I. Councelor Gisler.
>> Hi,

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» Mayor Bucher.
>> I Next is 2026-101

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resolution approving pay request number
two for the Hermantown City Hall HVAC

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upgrades to Gartner Refrigeration
Company in the amount of $98,778.

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Is there a motion?
>> Move to approve.

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» Motion by Councelor Gisler to approve.
Is there a second?

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» I'll second. Second by councelor
Peterson. Mr. Moulder.

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» Again, this is for uh the work to date
um on the HVAC repairs for this

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building.
>> Thank you. Any questions or comments

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from councel?
Uh no one has signed up to speak on this

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resolution, so we need a roll call.
>> Councelor Peterson.

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» I.
>> Councelor Gisler.

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» I. Councelor Jelly.
>> I.

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» Mayor Buché.
>> I. Next is resolution 2026-102.

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Resolution authorizing and directing
mayor and city clerk to execute and

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deliver agreement for professional
services with Fryburgger, Buchanan,

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Smith, and Frederick, PA for city
attorney services. Is there a motion?

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» Make a motion to approve.
>> Motion by councelor Jelly to approve. Is

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there a second?
>> I'll second.

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» Second by councelor Peterson. Mr.
Moulder, could you explain this?

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» Sure. As you know, um Governor Johnson
has announced that his intention to uh

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resign at the end of um the summer. So,
we are starting um looking at October

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October 1st. Um we went out for RFP. We
had sent out proposals to a half a dozen

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firms primarily in um that had some kind
of connection to the uh Twin Ports area.

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Um we did receive one proposal back from
Fryburgger. Fryberger has worked for the

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city in the past both as the attorney
for the Hermantown Economic Development

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Authority. They've been our bond council
for at least 17 years and they've done

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other various projects for the city as
well. Um we met with them and um are

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confident that they can do the job for
the city.

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» Thank you. Any questions or comments
from council?

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» At the pre- agenda, we talked a little
bit about the transition plan and it'll

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be kind of that will be in process over
September, it sounds like.

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» Yeah. So in September, we're we'll
likely have, you know, attorney fees

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from two different firms, but that will
be part of the that whole transition

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process is just reviewing which um files
are open and what works being currently

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in the process. Um number of projects
going on.

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» Thank you. Anything else from council?
Uh no one has signed up to speak on this

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resolution, so we could have a roll
call, please.

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» Councelor Gisler.
>> Hi.

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» Councelor Jelly.
>> Hi.

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» Councelor Peterson.
>> Hi. Mayor Buché.

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» I Next is resolution 2026-103,
resolution to adopt the proposed

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property tax for taxes payable in 2027
and scheduling the truth and taxation

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hearing. Is there a motion?
>> Motion to approve.

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» Motion by councelor Gisler to approve.
Do we have a second?

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» I'll second.
>> Second by councelor Jelly. Mr. Moulder,

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could you explain this?
>> Sure. Um, back on October August 24th,

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00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:11,920
we had a work session uh, regarding the
budget. We initially were shooting for a

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00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:15,360
0% increase in the tax rate. Um, as we
talked about that at the October 24th

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00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:18,800
meeting, um, and what it would take to
get there, um, including, you know,

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00:16:17,519 --> 00:16:24,079
eliminating a lot of our capital
improvements. Um, the city council gave

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00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:30,480
us some direction and we, um, currently
have our tax rate going up at 2.7%

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00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:36,079
increase. um that tonight you will set
that rate and set the public hearing for

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00:16:33,279 --> 00:16:41,199
December 7th. Um the rate cannot go
higher, but it could go lower between

215
00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:46,000
now and December 7th.
Thank you. Any questions or comments

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00:16:43,279 --> 00:16:51,040
from councel
and Mr. Moulder, we have until the last

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00:16:48,959 --> 00:16:55,680
meeting in December to approve this. So
if something comes up, it could be

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00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:59,839
moved. The vote could be moved. We
always scheduled a hearing for the first

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00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:04,000
meeting in December in case um based
upon the public hearing we need to make

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00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:07,439
any changes or any council direction to
make some changes. That would give us

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00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:10,720
some time to make those changes, get
everything, you know, all the numbers

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00:17:08,959 --> 00:17:14,240
lined up, but we would have to approve
it at the LA the second meeting in

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00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:19,360
December.
>> Thank you. We have no one signed up to

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00:17:17,039 --> 00:17:21,520
speak on this. So, we could use a roll
call, please.

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00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,039
» Councelor Jelly,
>> I.

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00:17:21,919 --> 00:17:24,959
» Councelor Peterson,
>> I.

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00:17:23,679 --> 00:17:31,039
» Councelor Giser. Hi,
>> Mayor Buchet.

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00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:35,760
» I next resolution 2026-104,
resolution receiving bids and awarding

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00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:43,559
contract to Northland Constructors of
Duth for improvement district number 553

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00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:43,559
in the amount of 1,118,800.

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00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:48,880
Do we have a motion?
>> I'll make a motion to approve.

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00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:51,600
» Motion by councelor Peterson. Is there a
second?

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00:17:50,799 --> 00:17:54,400
» I'll second.
>> Second by councelor Jelly. Mr. from

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00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:57,840
Moulder.
>> Uh, I'd like David Bol, our city

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00:17:56,160 --> 00:18:01,600
engineer, to explain this process.
>> Mr. Bol.

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00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:07,360
» Yeah. Thank you, mayor and councel. So,
this resolution before you is for the

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00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:13,679
construction of the utilities that will
serve the FedEx uh project, and we're

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00:18:11,039 --> 00:18:20,799
referring it to the Hawk line. And this
includes the um sanitary sewer

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00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:26,720
improvements, two lift stations, force
main and some gravity pipe, and then

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00:18:23,039 --> 00:18:34,720
also some water main extension. And this
will go start at um Uggid Road, cross

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00:18:31,120 --> 00:18:40,080
Highway 53 and then up to the entrance
of the new FedEx facility. And this will

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00:18:38,559 --> 00:18:45,840
be
uh project one of two. The second one

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00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:51,440
will come to you either late this year
or early next year and that will be for

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00:18:49,039 --> 00:18:58,000
roadway improvements. We're constructing
two new roadways for the city. And then

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00:18:55,120 --> 00:19:04,480
we are um construct reconstructing the
Vake bypass from Highway 53 north to

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00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:12,480
Ugstead Road. And at the intersection of
Uggsid Road and um the Vike Bypass will

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00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:18,320
be a new roundabout.
And the utility work will the bulk of it

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00:19:15,360 --> 00:19:25,280
will happen this year before December
1st and then we have to commission the

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00:19:21,120 --> 00:19:29,799
lift station by um
May 15th of 2027.

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00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:37,600
» Thank you. Any questions or comments
from councel?

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00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:40,880
Hearing? None. And no one has signed up
to speak on this issue. We could have a

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00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:42,320
roll call, please.
>> Councelor Peterson,

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00:19:41,919 --> 00:19:43,440
» I.
>> Councelor Gisler.

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00:19:43,120 --> 00:19:44,640
» Hi.
>> Councelor Jelly.

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00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:50,080
» I.
>> Mayor Bucher.

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00:19:45,679 --> 00:19:54,160
» I. Next is resolution 2026-105,
resolution authorizing and directing the

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00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:58,160
mayor and city clerk to execute and
deliver a cooperative agreement between

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00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:05,960
St. Louis County and the city of
Hermantown for 2027 crack ceiling CP

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00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:05,960
0000-850163.

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00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:12,480
Is there a motion?
>> I'll make a motion to approve.

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00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:14,160
» Motion by councelor Peterson. Do we have
a second?

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00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:18,080
» Second.
>> Second by councelor Gistler. Mr.

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00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:24,480
Moulder, do you want to explain this?
>> Sure. um we regularly um enter into

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00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:29,520
cooperative agreements with the county
for certain road maintenance issues

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00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:34,240
where they'll buy um services for the
entire county and include them on on our

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00:20:31,919 --> 00:20:38,240
city streets as well. So we are um
entering into cooperative agreement with

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00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:42,640
St. Louis County to do crack sealing um
on Ugstead Road and a portion of

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00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:46,320
Arrowhead Road which we reconstructed a
couple years ago.

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00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:51,200
» Thank you. Any questions or comments
from councel?

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00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:54,000
Uh, I've been told that this type of
sealing makes our roads last a little

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00:20:53,360 --> 00:20:58,080
longer.
>> Yeah, the the idea is you want to seal

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00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:02,720
those cracks to keep water from getting
into the roaded.

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00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:06,799
» Thank you. Uh, with no comment from
councel and no one signed up to speak,

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00:21:05,360 --> 00:21:08,080
could we have a roll call?
>> Councelor Gisler.

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00:21:07,679 --> 00:21:09,440
» Hi.
>> Councelor Jelly.

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00:21:09,039 --> 00:21:10,799
» Hi.
>> Councelor Peterson.

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00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:16,159
» Hi.
>> Mayor Bucher.

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00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:20,720
» I. Next is resolution 2026-106.
Resolution authorizing and directing

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00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:25,679
mayor and city clerk to execute and
deliver the updated agreement for

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00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:31,760
consulting services
with telecom engineering services or for

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00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:38,240
for telecom engineering services with
VMC LLC. Do we have a motion?

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00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:41,440
» I'll make a motion to approve.
>> Motion motion by councelor Peterson. Do

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00:21:40,559 --> 00:21:44,960
we have a second?
>> I'll second.

284
00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:51,600
» Second by councelor Jelly. Mr. Moulder.
So we have a half a dozen um leases on

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00:21:48,799 --> 00:21:57,280
for sale towers for sale antennas on our
water towers. Um we have contracted with

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00:21:54,720 --> 00:22:03,840
previously with SC and now with VMC for
a number of years to um help us and

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00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:10,559
assist us in uh reviewing those leases,
reviewing plans for when um the firms

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00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:14,320
want to renew those or make changes. And
so um this provides to make sure that we

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00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:18,080
are protecting our investment on the
water towers.

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00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:22,559
» Thank you. Any questions or comments
from council?

291
00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:26,320
» Just a question about the
how do we pay for that through the

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00:22:24,799 --> 00:22:29,840
through the fees that the antenna
companies pay.

293
00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:32,400
» Yeah. So when um a antenna company wants
to come

294
00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:37,600
» networkings,
>> when an antenna company wants to come

295
00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:42,720
and um either amend or start a new
contract, they have to put down an

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00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:47,600
escrow or earn amount to cover those
cost and they pay all those costs as

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00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:52,320
part of that project.
>> Thank you.

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00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:56,159
» Any other questions from councel?
>> No one has signed up to address this

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00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:57,919
item. Uh could we have a roll call?
Councelor Jelly.

300
00:22:57,520 --> 00:22:59,360
» Hi.
>> Councelor Peterson.

301
00:22:59,039 --> 00:23:00,640
» Hi.
>> Councelor Gisler.

302
00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:06,080
» Hi.
>> Mayor Bucher.

303
00:23:01,679 --> 00:23:12,000
» Hi. Uh we have quite a few in a row for
uh Mr. Johnson.

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00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:16,880
Uh resolution 2026-107
resolution approving special use permit

305
00:23:14,799 --> 00:23:25,039
for the construction of an accessory
structure in excess of 24,000 square ft

306
00:23:21,039 --> 00:23:30,400
in the S1 zoning district at 5801 West
Arrowhead Road and imposing conditions

307
00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:34,320
thereon. Do we have a motion?
>> I'll motion to approve, but I think you

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00:23:32,159 --> 00:23:37,280
said 24,000 is 2400.
>> 2400. I'm sorry.

309
00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:42,159
» Motion to approve. We don't need
buildings that.

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00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:47,400
» Um, do we have a second?
>> I'll second.

311
00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:47,400
» Second by councelor Jelly.

312
00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:52,640
» Mr. Johnson.
>> Great. Thank you, Mr. Mayor and members

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00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:56,480
of the council. So, uh, as you'd
mentioned, the next three are special

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00:23:54,480 --> 00:24:03,200
use permits for accessory structures,
i.e. garages. So, uh, in this case, this

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00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:07,280
is a 35 acre site located at 5801 West
Arrowhead Road. It's in the S1

316
00:24:05,039 --> 00:24:12,320
residential zoning. So, the the
threshold for uh these accessory

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00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:16,000
structures is 2400 square ft. If you
fall under that, you just work with the

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00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:20,640
building official on a building permit.
If you're greater than 2400, uh you're

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00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:24,799
required to have a uh public hearing and
a special use permit with C uh city

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00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:29,919
council ultimately taking action on
this. Uh as I mentioned, this is a 35

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00:24:27,279 --> 00:24:36,640
acre site with the S1 zoning. The
applicant is looking to construct a 2688

322
00:24:33,360 --> 00:24:39,919
square f foot structure which is 42x 64.
Uh what we do when we get these

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00:24:37,919 --> 00:24:44,159
accessory structures is we look at two
different things. We look at are there

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00:24:42,159 --> 00:24:48,480
other accessory structures of this size
within the area and then we also look at

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00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:52,960
lot coverage. So in this portion of the
city yes there are other accessory

326
00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:57,600
structures essentially 2400 square ft or
greater. And in the case of actual lot

327
00:24:55,520 --> 00:25:02,080
coverage in that S1 zoning, you can go
up to 30% of building lot coverage on

328
00:25:00,159 --> 00:25:09,279
the property. In this case, with this
additional 2688, the proposed lot

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00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:13,840
coverage is only 33% for it. Um, the
structure is proposed metal sidewalls

330
00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:18,960
and a roof with it. And the nearest
structure is approximately 28, excuse

331
00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:22,320
me, 280 ft away. Uh, lastly, no business
activity would be part of this approval.

332
00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:26,559
it's written in the special use permit
that the uh structure cannot be used for

333
00:25:24,559 --> 00:25:29,840
business purposes only for personal
storage that way in the case the

334
00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:35,279
applicant is looking to uh put some
vehicles RV boat etc.

335
00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:40,159
» Thank you. Any questions or comments
from councel?

336
00:25:37,919 --> 00:25:43,120
Uh no one has signed up to speak to this
issue. Could we have a roll call?

337
00:25:41,919 --> 00:25:44,320
» Councelor Peterson
>> I.

338
00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:45,520
» Councelor Gisler.
>> Hi.

339
00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:46,960
» Councelor Jelly.
>> Hi.

340
00:25:45,919 --> 00:25:55,200
» Mayor Bucher.
>> I. Next. Uh resolution 2026-108

341
00:25:52,400 --> 00:26:00,640
resolution approving special use permit
for construction of an accessory

342
00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:07,600
structure in excess of 2400 square ft in
the S1 zoning district at 4041 Sangstrom

343
00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:10,960
Road and imposing conditions thereon. Do
we have a motion?

344
00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:14,080
» A motion to approve.
>> Motion motion by councelor Jelly. Is

345
00:26:13,279 --> 00:26:17,600
there a second?
>> Second.

346
00:26:14,559 --> 00:26:20,400
» Second by councelor Gisler. Mr. Johnson.
>> Great. Thank you again, Mr. Mayor and

347
00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:25,520
members of the council. So, as you
mentioned, 4041 Sangstrom Road, which is

348
00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:30,320
an S1 residential zoning. Uh, this is a
20 acre lot uh located in the western

349
00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:35,440
part of the city. Uh, the applicants
looking at a 3200 ft building, which is

350
00:26:32,799 --> 00:26:40,080
40 by 80 ft. Uh, once again, as I spoke
about, we look at lot coverage as well

351
00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:43,760
as accessory structures in the area.
Once again, yes, there are accessory

352
00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:47,440
structures of this size in the close
proximity. And with this new structure,

353
00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:52,880
it would bring the lock coverage up to
0.57%. So once again, very small uh

354
00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:57,360
usage of the building coverage for this.
Uh like the previous application, uh the

355
00:26:54,960 --> 00:27:02,400
building is metal sidewalls and roof and
the nearest structures approximately 435

356
00:26:59,919 --> 00:27:05,760
ft away from the proposed structure. And
lastly, just like before, as in all of

357
00:27:04,159 --> 00:27:10,720
our special use permits for accessory
structures, no business activity uh is

358
00:27:08,799 --> 00:27:15,440
allowed for that accessory use and it's
written into that special use permit.

359
00:27:13,679 --> 00:27:20,080
» Thank you. Any questions or comments
from councel?

360
00:27:18,159 --> 00:27:23,039
Uh, no one has signed up to speak to
this issue. Roll call, please.

361
00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:24,320
» Councelor Gisler.
>> I.

362
00:27:23,279 --> 00:27:26,320
» Councelor Jelly.
>> I.

363
00:27:25,279 --> 00:27:27,760
» Councelor Peterson.
>> I.

364
00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:32,840
» Mayor Bucher.
>> I. Next is resolution 2026-109.

365
00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:40,159
Resolution approving special use permit
for construction of an accessory

366
00:27:37,120 --> 00:27:47,360
structure in excess of 1,200 square feet
in the R3 zoning district at 3879 Kenry

367
00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:49,760
Road and imposing conditions thereon. Is
there a motion?

368
00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:52,640
» Motion to approve.
>> Motion by councelor Gisler. Is there a

369
00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:56,000
second?
>> I'll second.

370
00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:59,520
» Second by councelor Peterson.
Mr. Johnson.

371
00:27:57,120 --> 00:28:03,840
» Thank you again. So in this case, uh the
proposed accessory structure is in the

372
00:28:01,279 --> 00:28:08,480
R3 zoning. So in that case 1,200 square
f feet is at threshold between building

373
00:28:06,159 --> 00:28:13,679
permit and the special use permit. Now
in this case this is a 1 acre lot

374
00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:19,440
located at 3879 Kenroy Road. Applicants
looking at a 2400 square foot structure

375
00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:24,080
which is 40x60. Uh in this case uh no
there are not similarly sized accessory

376
00:28:21,919 --> 00:28:28,559
structures in that. So we look back to
the proposed lot coverage. So in the

377
00:28:26,159 --> 00:28:33,919
case of adding a 2400t building it would
bring the lot coverage up to 9.4% 4%

378
00:28:31,279 --> 00:28:38,960
which is still under the 35% uh that's
allowed in this zoning district. Uh

379
00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:43,520
likewise like the other two uh buildings
constructed of metal sidewalls and roof.

380
00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:48,640
Uh the property to the south of this
proposed structure which is the nearest

381
00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:52,080
uh basically property to this is
actually a tax forfeoot property owned

382
00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:56,080
by the state of Minnesota. So it's
vacant property located just to the

383
00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:59,840
south of this. And then lastly, once
again, uh, no business activity is

384
00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:05,200
written into the special use permit
requirements.

385
00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:10,320
» Thank you. Uh, any questions or comments
from councel?

386
00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:12,880
» No one has signed up to speak to this.
Roll call, please.

387
00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:14,240
» Councelor Jelly,
>> I.

388
00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:15,520
» Councelor Peterson,
>> I.

389
00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:16,799
» Councelor Giser,
>> I.

390
00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:24,159
» Mayor Buché,
>> I. Next is resolution 2026-110,

391
00:29:22,159 --> 00:29:29,200
resolution approving an agreement for
consulting services with Brown Intertech

392
00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:33,760
Corporation in the amount not to exceed
$20,000. Is there a motion?

393
00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:36,559
» I'll make a motion to approve.
>> Motion by councelor Peterson. Is there a

394
00:29:35,919 --> 00:29:39,840
second?
>> I'll second.

395
00:29:37,279 --> 00:29:43,520
» Second by councelor Jelly. Mr. Moulder,
do you want to start this one?

396
00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:47,919
» Uh, I'm going to turn that over to uh
Eric and or Chad.

397
00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:52,000
» Great. Thank you again, Mr. Mayor,
members of the council. So, uh, the city

398
00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:56,960
has been working with Braraw Interch,
uh, for review surfaces associated with

399
00:29:54,080 --> 00:30:01,600
the Hermantown Industrial AUR. So, the
city is the RGU, which is the regulatory

400
00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:06,159
governmental unit received a request
from tribal governments as a project

401
00:30:03,679 --> 00:30:11,120
areas within a portion of seated land
uh, within the county here regarding

402
00:30:07,919 --> 00:30:15,200
cultural resources. So uh as I mentioned
uh the tribal government is looking to

403
00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:20,720
engage in government-togovernment
consultation which is a formal process

404
00:30:17,919 --> 00:30:24,720
that's designed by Minnesota statute. So
typically formal consultation is done at

405
00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:28,080
the federal and state levels of
government not requirement of the

406
00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:34,080
municipalities
and um consultation also from the city

407
00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:38,080
standpoint is not a binding agreement or
processes excuse me or process as it

408
00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:42,720
relates to the city government is
Minnesota statute uh applies uh this

409
00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:48,320
only to state agencies where it becomes
a binding agreement that way. So this

410
00:30:45,279 --> 00:30:52,399
contract with Brun is for services uh
for this government-to-government

411
00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:57,200
consultation. It is not part of the AU
AUA process but something that came out

412
00:30:55,440 --> 00:31:01,679
of uh basically the comment period
associated with the AU. And so this

413
00:30:59,919 --> 00:31:06,080
evening we do have a couple members of
Brun Intertech here this evening that

414
00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:10,640
could uh potentially ask or provide any
more additional information to council.

415
00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:15,840
» Thank you. Mr. Anetti, do you have
anything?

416
00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:19,360
Uh, no, mayor, but I do think it's worth
uh some time to have uh the consultant

417
00:31:17,679 --> 00:31:24,520
come up and say a few things.
>> Could you step step up to the podium,

418
00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:24,520
please?

419
00:31:38,159 --> 00:31:44,320
Could you move as close to that as
possible?

420
00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:44,320
It's okay.

421
00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:15,320
Are there any specific questions?

422
00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:25,320
Uh counselors,
>> could you go over the process?

423
00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:33,760
» There is typically no sort of one
sizefits all for the process. You know,

424
00:32:30,159 --> 00:32:39,600
it's kind of different for any kind of
development or any kind of scenario

425
00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:46,399
where um that process is being called
for. Uh in this case, I could say I

426
00:32:43,360 --> 00:32:51,760
would imagine that it would look Um
essentially what we have in our proposal

427
00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:59,760
is that we will identify and reach out
to um interested federal governments on

428
00:32:54,960 --> 00:33:02,760
behalf of the city um to uh engage in
story

429
00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:11,120
listening session um with those private
governments representatives um in terms

430
00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:16,080
of workflow resources including
traditional and eological resources um

431
00:33:14,159 --> 00:33:23,039
and how they relate to new proposed
development and who they are. Um that

432
00:33:19,519 --> 00:33:29,360
will be a starter session to identify um
areas where we can uh come to a common

433
00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:37,440
understanding uh and continue future
sessions um between the city and those

434
00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:43,039
governments to come to a resolution on
those identified

435
00:33:39,519 --> 00:33:52,000
areas or issues that happen. Um this
first proposal is for sort of a you know

436
00:33:47,440 --> 00:33:56,200
sit down group um meeting uh subsequent
meetings while

437
00:33:57,039 --> 00:34:06,799
could or um could look similar to that
first section. Um as I said before

438
00:34:03,039 --> 00:34:13,919
consultation looks different um
for multiple scenarios. Uh and future

439
00:34:10,879 --> 00:34:19,280
sessions could be something as simple as
you know regular communication between

440
00:34:16,240 --> 00:34:25,320
the city and authorized private
government representatives or similar

441
00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:25,320
factors.

442
00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:28,440
Apologies.

443
00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:37,599
» I can uh do my best to succinctly repeat
that if you if you'd like.

444
00:34:34,399 --> 00:34:43,839
» If you could abbreviate it a little bit.
>> Consultation looks different um in any

445
00:34:40,639 --> 00:34:49,440
given scenario. What we have proposed um
currently is that we uh reach out to

446
00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:54,320
interested tribal governments or
identify uh tribal governments that may

447
00:34:51,839 --> 00:35:01,760
be affected by uh the development
particularly those uh signatory to the

448
00:34:56,720 --> 00:35:06,960
1854 treaty. Um we propose to
essentially hold a listening or a

449
00:35:03,599 --> 00:35:13,920
question and answer session to identify
um issues related to cultural resources

450
00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:19,359
and traditional ecological resources. Um
that session will be geared around uh as

451
00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:25,440
I said sort of a question and answer
identifying issues and um areas where uh

452
00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:30,160
both parties can come to an
understanding on addressing any

453
00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:35,200
identified issues as a result of that
first consultation meeting.

454
00:35:32,240 --> 00:35:39,839
» Okay. I asked this at pre-aggenda but
I'll ask it again now. Could you

455
00:35:37,359 --> 00:35:44,560
specifically ask for any possible
effects on wild ricing and and that in

456
00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:47,440
the area?
>> Yes.

457
00:35:45,119 --> 00:35:51,440
» Because there were comments made on that
and I'd like to see some more specific

458
00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:55,040
» Yes.
>> details on that.

459
00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:59,599
» Yes. And that was my intention um or our
intention uh in referencing traditional

460
00:35:57,200 --> 00:36:04,160
ecological resources.
>> Thank you. Any questions from councel? I

461
00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:09,599
just have a followup for possibly Eric
or Chad. Um, besides Braun being in at

462
00:36:07,760 --> 00:36:13,680
those meetings, will city staff be at
those meetings?

463
00:36:12,240 --> 00:36:16,079
» Yes, city staff will also be in
attendance at those meetings and any

464
00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:18,880
future ones as well.
>> Okay. Thank you.

465
00:36:18,079 --> 00:36:22,119
» Thank you.
>> Thank you.

466
00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:29,599
» Any other questions or comments from
councel?

467
00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:33,280
» Uh, no one has signed up to address
this. Could we have a roll call, please?

468
00:36:32,079 --> 00:36:34,880
» Councelor Peterson.
>> I.

469
00:36:33,599 --> 00:36:36,160
» Councelor Giser. I
>> councelor jelly

470
00:36:35,839 --> 00:36:40,440
» I
>> mayor Buchet

471
00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:40,440
» I

472
00:36:41,359 --> 00:36:50,160
next is resolution 2026-
111 resolution awarding contract for

473
00:36:48,079 --> 00:36:55,839
play structure materials and
installation services at Fner Park to

474
00:36:53,119 --> 00:36:59,680
Flagship Recreation in the amount of
$31,840.

475
00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:04,160
Is there a motion?
>> Motion to approve.

476
00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:08,560
» Motion by councelor Gistler. Do we have
a second?

477
00:37:06,240 --> 00:37:12,800
» I'll second.
>> Second by councelor Jelly.

478
00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:16,400
Mr. Moulder.
>> Uh I'd like uh city engineer David Bol

479
00:37:14,800 --> 00:37:21,200
to uh to talk about this.
>> Yeah. Thank you, Mayor and Council. So

480
00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:28,400
the resolution before you is in regards
to um some warranty work and some

481
00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:33,359
additional work for the new playground
structure over at Fickner. We have a

482
00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:39,440
contract with Flagship. They did some
work a couple years ago and um there are

483
00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:44,880
some
spots that have not performed like we

484
00:37:42,240 --> 00:37:49,920
had uh designed and specified. Those
areas are going to be corrected as part

485
00:37:47,440 --> 00:37:56,320
of the warranty by the contractor. And
then the dollar amount before you is for

486
00:37:54,160 --> 00:38:00,960
additional improvements that we're going
to make. The first being is there's a

487
00:37:59,119 --> 00:38:05,119
top coat that they recommend to do every
3 years. And now that we're 2 and a half

488
00:38:03,119 --> 00:38:10,640
years into it, we figured now is the
time to do that. And then we're adding

489
00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:16,400
some drainage and under drains um as
part of this resolution.

490
00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:21,359
» Thank you. Any questions or comments
from councel?

491
00:38:19,119 --> 00:38:23,680
Uh no one has signed up for this. Uh
roll call, please.

492
00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:24,880
» Councelor Gisler,
>> I.

493
00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:26,240
» Councelor Jelly,
>> I.

494
00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:27,599
» Councelor Peterson,
>> I.

495
00:38:26,560 --> 00:38:33,599
» Mayor Bucher,
>> I. And I we have to go back a little bit

496
00:38:30,720 --> 00:38:39,280
on the agenda. I did not see that
someone had signed up to speak to

497
00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:44,160
ordinance 2026-02
on the zoning code amendment which is

498
00:38:42,079 --> 00:38:48,800
the first reading. Uh there will be no
vote tonight, but Mr. Berseron, if you'd

499
00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:53,880
like to speak to this,
uh please step forward and state your

500
00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:53,880
name and hometown.

501
00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:04,200
Sorry,

502
00:39:06,640 --> 00:39:14,880
» Brian Berseron Herman. Sorry, I thought
I wasn't speaking and then

503
00:39:12,079 --> 00:39:18,640
» I I didn't notice that you had written
that ordinance in there.

504
00:39:16,079 --> 00:39:22,480
» Got me a little surprised here.
Um, so I'm urging the council I guess

505
00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:26,720
you're not voting tonight,
>> correct? But when when and if this comes

506
00:39:24,240 --> 00:39:31,599
before you to vote
no on this ordinance or at least to

507
00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:36,720
table it. I'm not opposed to
administrative review of flag lot

508
00:39:33,280 --> 00:39:40,480
applications. I am opposed to giving one
zoning official the final authority to

509
00:39:38,560 --> 00:39:44,079
decide whether a flag lot division is in
the public interest. There's an

510
00:39:42,720 --> 00:39:47,359
important difference between determining
whether an application meets objective

511
00:39:45,839 --> 00:39:51,440
requirements and determining whether a
proposed development is in the public

512
00:39:49,760 --> 00:39:55,040
interest. Both are retained in this
ordinance.

513
00:39:53,040 --> 00:39:59,599
If the city's only concern is technical
compliance, then the administrative

514
00:39:57,440 --> 00:40:04,400
approval makes sense. But if the
ordinance retains a public interest

515
00:40:01,520 --> 00:40:08,720
standard, which it does, the decision
involves judgment and discretion. This

516
00:40:06,720 --> 00:40:12,160
is precisely when checks and balances
become important.

517
00:40:10,640 --> 00:40:15,599
The planning and zoning commission
provides an opportunity for public

518
00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:20,960
testimony, questions, discussions, and
independent consideration of the

519
00:40:17,839 --> 00:40:25,839
proposal. and the city council as a fail
safe then can provide accountability and

520
00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:29,440
another level of review.
Removing both bodies and giving the

521
00:40:28,079 --> 00:40:35,599
final decision to one employee
concentrates that discretion in a single

522
00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:41,520
person and removes an important part of
the city's existing checks and balances.

523
00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:46,480
This is not a criticism
of the zoning officer. It's a question

524
00:40:44,079 --> 00:40:49,760
of governmental structure.
The zoning officer should determine

525
00:40:48,160 --> 00:40:54,800
whether an application complies with the
city's rules. The elected and po ando

526
00:40:53,040 --> 00:40:59,520
and appointed public body should
determine whether a discretionary

527
00:40:57,520 --> 00:41:03,280
development proposal is appropriate for
the community.

528
00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:07,119
If the city wants purely administrative
approval, then make the approval

529
00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:11,440
criteria purely objective. But if the
city wants to retain the phrase, which

530
00:41:08,800 --> 00:41:15,280
it does, in the public interest, then
the public should have the opportunity

531
00:41:12,720 --> 00:41:18,640
to participate and and the decision
should remain subject to planning and

532
00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:22,079
zoning commission and city council
oversight.

533
00:41:20,319 --> 00:41:27,440
The additional review does take more
time as it was mentioned in the PNZ

534
00:41:24,880 --> 00:41:32,800
committee meeting uh what a month ago or
so,

535
00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:38,000
but that is not necessarily a flaw. It
is the price of transparency, public

536
00:41:35,599 --> 00:41:42,319
participation and checks and balances
when the land use decision can affect

537
00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:47,119
neighboring property owners and the
future character of the neighborhood.

538
00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:52,800
» Thanks.
>> Thank you.

539
00:41:48,880 --> 00:42:01,280
» Okay, we uh now have reached the point
of moving to the general public comment.

540
00:41:57,839 --> 00:42:07,280
Uh there may be a time where counselors
need to take a short break to use the

541
00:42:04,480 --> 00:42:11,599
facilities. Uh we'll announce that, take
a five or 10 minute break when that

542
00:42:09,040 --> 00:42:20,119
happens. But the first person up to
speak is Jill Drake.

543
00:42:14,720 --> 00:42:20,119
And uh after Jill Drake is Rick Davis.

544
00:42:50,560 --> 00:42:53,800
Thank you.

545
00:42:54,079 --> 00:43:00,839
Thank you.
I'm back here again today.

546
00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:11,440
Uh, I need a drink of water. Anybody can
offer me a bottle of water, please.

547
00:43:08,720 --> 00:43:17,240
Thank you.
I am disabled.

548
00:43:13,760 --> 00:43:17,240
Appreciate it.

549
00:43:18,880 --> 00:43:24,359
Much kindness.
Again,

550
00:43:24,400 --> 00:43:34,000
I'm speaking to you.
I'm a disabled woman. Disabled business

551
00:43:30,240 --> 00:43:39,119
woman from Soway Township. I live just
down the road from where they want to

552
00:43:35,839 --> 00:43:45,760
build the data center. I have a healing
with horses business where it heals

553
00:43:41,920 --> 00:43:54,880
people disabled children with autism
including me, police officers, firemen,

554
00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:59,760
traumatized women, children.
The business will not survive

555
00:43:57,599 --> 00:44:05,280
if the data center is built. It's my
main route to town.

556
00:44:02,800 --> 00:44:11,119
It's the main route to access to me from
the people from Canada, Superior,

557
00:44:09,440 --> 00:44:19,240
Wisconsin,
all over. I have clients all over from

558
00:44:15,599 --> 00:44:19,240
the cities too.

559
00:44:22,880 --> 00:44:27,000
The good, the bad, the ugly.

560
00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:31,560
Let's start with the good.

561
00:44:32,240 --> 00:44:46,640
Herman Hawks equestrian team
started in 2009. Me I started it. I

562
00:44:42,240 --> 00:44:52,319
brought it in as an outside club sport
from a 501c3 nonprofit.

563
00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:58,560
Minnesota did not recognize horse sports
as a sanctioned sport in school leagues.

564
00:44:55,359 --> 00:44:58,560
So I

565
00:45:16,400 --> 00:45:18,560
You're

566
00:45:38,400 --> 00:45:48,480
I was a member since 2023 before this
whole BI data center came about.

567
00:45:45,599 --> 00:45:55,680
And what they did was they slaughtered
my business, my small business. I

568
00:45:51,599 --> 00:45:59,520
donated to them. I paid $700 a year for
memberships.

569
00:45:57,839 --> 00:46:06,000
And they don't care about the small
business people in this town. They

570
00:46:02,480 --> 00:46:11,760
don't, which is
this is how this town was built,

571
00:46:09,200 --> 00:46:14,760
not by big corporations, by small
businesses.

572
00:46:15,440 --> 00:46:24,800
This plaque went down the day I made my
public announcement. I'm joining Carlton

573
00:46:21,280 --> 00:46:28,359
County Chamber of Commerce because they
passed a moratorum.

574
00:46:29,040 --> 00:46:35,240
Herman Town has not done that. When are
you going to do it?

575
00:46:37,920 --> 00:46:45,040
So that's part of the good, the bad, the
ugly.

576
00:46:42,000 --> 00:46:49,280
74% of the people in this town don't
want the data center.

577
00:46:47,520 --> 00:46:56,119
74%.
It's no good. It's not science. Get it.

578
00:47:03,760 --> 00:47:12,640
» Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Bringing
order to me, too. It's very hard to be

579
00:47:09,200 --> 00:47:12,640
up here, you know.

580
00:47:16,560 --> 00:47:29,280
74% of the people in this town, 74% of
the people in Minnesota, and 74% of the

581
00:47:24,160 --> 00:47:33,920
people in the United States don't want a
why.

582
00:47:32,000 --> 00:47:38,319
Tell me your why. Cuz some of you might
not know

583
00:47:36,319 --> 00:47:44,480
what is a guy going to do. Google's
going to come in. They are school

584
00:47:41,200 --> 00:47:48,240
millions of dollars. They're going to do
they're going to fire those pizzas.

585
00:47:46,400 --> 00:47:53,119
They're going to get rid of them because
they're going to have an AI robot

586
00:47:50,319 --> 00:47:57,040
teaching your children. Doesn't that
move you?

587
00:47:55,119 --> 00:47:59,040
» Mr. Mayor, we're at 3 minutes. I did a
little extra time because of our

588
00:47:58,000 --> 00:48:02,240
bandwidth issues.
>> Okay.

589
00:47:59,520 --> 00:48:04,880
» Does that not move you? And these
construction workers here that are

590
00:48:03,599 --> 00:48:07,920
sitting behind me say, "Oh, we want
these jobs. We're going to have jobs."

591
00:48:06,400 --> 00:48:13,760
Do you know there are already robotic
engineers designing robots to do the

592
00:48:10,960 --> 00:48:19,200
work? We don't need manpower. We have a
wolf that can do it,

593
00:48:16,400 --> 00:48:26,480
right? So why do you want to support
Google data centers when you're

594
00:48:22,400 --> 00:48:30,960
supporting AI agents? AI agents are
self-destruction and they're going to

595
00:48:28,079 --> 00:48:36,319
kill us. They're going to kill us. They
already done studies that children that

596
00:48:33,280 --> 00:48:42,079
live within 5 miles of a data center are
getting childhood leukemia.

597
00:48:39,200 --> 00:48:46,480
Does that scare you?
I have more, but I'm running out of time

598
00:48:44,319 --> 00:48:49,440
and I'll be back.
>> Do I have more time? I don't know.

599
00:48:48,079 --> 00:48:54,480
» It's been up for a while.
>> Okay. Okay. I just want to say the

600
00:48:52,720 --> 00:48:59,599
second Holocaust is coming. If you get
that AI and agent in here, it's coming.

601
00:48:57,119 --> 00:49:02,920
You're going to destroy us.
Thank you.

602
00:49:03,280 --> 00:49:12,160
» Next is Rick Davis.
Rick Davis has an extra three minutes

603
00:49:10,160 --> 00:49:17,240
from Barbara Opel.
>> After Rick Davis is Tom Bates.

604
00:49:24,400 --> 00:49:34,559
» Hi. Name and hometown, please.
Rick Davis, Herman Town. Uh, you know,

605
00:49:31,920 --> 00:49:41,920
I'm still puzzled about why you picked
this site. So, I asked Google, the

606
00:49:37,440 --> 00:49:49,040
people that you are working with. And I
said, are large data centers ever built

607
00:49:44,960 --> 00:49:54,240
in residential areas without utilities?
You know, there's no utilities there.

608
00:49:51,599 --> 00:50:00,240
And here's their answer. Large
traditional data centers are never

609
00:49:57,920 --> 00:50:07,200
intentionally
placed in unserviced

610
00:50:02,960 --> 00:50:12,400
residential areas. So it says, and I
circled it, never intentionally. So was

611
00:50:10,240 --> 00:50:18,079
that an accident? You didn't
intentionally do this, did you? And to

612
00:50:15,599 --> 00:50:23,359
all my friends here in uh
>> Sir, you're speaking to the council.

613
00:50:20,079 --> 00:50:28,559
» I don't care. I I checked out the rules.
It is normal to interact with the

614
00:50:26,480 --> 00:50:35,680
audience. There's nothing wrong with
that. It's my first amendment right. So,

615
00:50:32,480 --> 00:50:42,000
I can do this.
My uh friends here in the green shirts.

616
00:50:39,200 --> 00:50:48,720
After the Google meeting, I was the only
person that went up there and talked. Me

617
00:50:45,920 --> 00:50:53,520
and somebody from Mortonson
talked. We were the last two people in

618
00:50:51,200 --> 00:51:00,000
the building and we've talked about
other sites. He was really interested in

619
00:50:57,040 --> 00:51:06,319
the Iron Range. Now, I want to see you
guys all put to work, but that's where

620
00:51:02,000 --> 00:51:14,640
it belongs. Some play or on Highway 53.
It does not belong in a residential area

621
00:51:11,040 --> 00:51:19,599
between two stout streams. It's
ridiculous. You wouldn't want one in

622
00:51:17,200 --> 00:51:25,760
your backyard. What about the people
across the street? Fivetory buildings.

623
00:51:22,880 --> 00:51:33,359
So what does Google do? They send out
this propaganda here.

624
00:51:29,280 --> 00:51:39,040
It's propaganda. And what happens?
So I'm going to go right to this here.

625
00:51:35,760 --> 00:51:45,680
Mr. Peterson, we didn't get a chance to
talk at the Sway meeting, but you own

626
00:51:42,319 --> 00:51:51,520
Platinum Properties, right? Okay. You've
done a lot of good things. You have

627
00:51:47,680 --> 00:51:57,119
Maple Sugar Maple Crossing. You have
Herman Town Square. You have Herman Town

628
00:51:54,960 --> 00:52:03,119
Marketplace. You've done a lot of good
things in Herman Town. And you own a lot

629
00:52:00,480 --> 00:52:08,800
of properties in the marketplace. But
did you help design this? Because this

630
00:52:06,000 --> 00:52:14,000
is ironic. This is about the data
center. Why don't they have a picture of

631
00:52:11,359 --> 00:52:18,559
the data center here? They have Herman
Town Marketplace.

632
00:52:16,079 --> 00:52:25,040
Did you help design it? Are you're
getting a lot of free advertising out of

633
00:52:21,040 --> 00:52:30,720
this? And then it says worldclass new
opportunities. What are those worldclass

634
00:52:28,160 --> 00:52:35,440
opportunities? It doesn't say anything
about them. Is it destroying our the

635
00:52:33,520 --> 00:52:41,119
environment? Cuz that's what you're
going to do. And then we're boycotting

636
00:52:38,079 --> 00:52:45,920
all these businesses, you know, that are
in your properties. Some of them are

637
00:52:43,440 --> 00:52:50,559
restaurants. and I've been driving by. I
told you we got a large family. We were

638
00:52:48,480 --> 00:52:55,599
going to have a birthday party and
somebody mentioned one of your

639
00:52:52,640 --> 00:53:02,480
properties and I said, "No way." So, we
ended up going to the Grand View in

640
00:52:59,200 --> 00:53:09,040
Midway Township. It's a beautiful place
to eat in Midway Township thanks to

641
00:53:05,440 --> 00:53:14,400
Gunner there. They drew up a ban on the
more on data centers. So, if you want to

642
00:53:11,839 --> 00:53:21,040
go eat at a nice restaurant, forget
about Herman Town, go to Midway.

643
00:53:18,880 --> 00:53:22,800
» And you know what you can do with this
here?

644
00:53:21,440 --> 00:53:28,000
» Okay.
>> I'm going to rip it up and you can make

645
00:53:25,359 --> 00:53:32,480
a motion for a five minute recess.
>> Motion for a fivem minute recess. Is

646
00:53:30,640 --> 00:53:35,839
there a second?
>> Do I get my time back then?

647
00:53:34,480 --> 00:53:39,119
» You're done.
>> I get six minutes.

648
00:53:37,440 --> 00:53:41,680
» He's just zeroed out your time. You're
done.

649
00:53:40,319 --> 00:53:44,240
Why
>> was he done well?

650
00:53:42,960 --> 00:53:47,920
» Six minutes.
>> Chief. Chief,

651
00:53:46,559 --> 00:53:53,839
please.
>> How many minutes did you give me?

652
00:53:52,400 --> 00:53:58,400
» I am supposed to have
>> quiet.

653
00:53:56,000 --> 00:54:01,720
Ladies and gentlemen,
be quiet.

654
00:54:03,839 --> 00:54:06,839
Would

655
00:54:08,880 --> 00:54:12,000
you like to leave?
>> I did about six minutes.

656
00:54:11,440 --> 00:54:16,119
» Okay.
>> Somebody right at the beginning.

657
00:54:25,599 --> 00:54:31,480
» Okay, we are taking a five minute break.

658
00:54:39,680 --> 00:54:46,119
Ladies and gentlemen, let's return to
our meeting.

659
00:54:47,920 --> 00:54:51,400
Order, please.

660
00:54:52,400 --> 00:54:58,680
Some housekeeping
things to get out of the way. First,

661
00:54:59,040 --> 00:55:07,440
decorum in the training center is
expected to follow the same rules as

662
00:55:04,720 --> 00:55:13,280
decorum in the council chamber when
present at a council meeting.

663
00:55:10,960 --> 00:55:17,280
We need to maintain order. We want to
hear from everyone, but we need to do it

664
00:55:15,760 --> 00:55:22,000
respectfully.
Now, we are having some trouble with the

665
00:55:19,599 --> 00:55:26,480
internet, which is why the recording
starts and stops. There's bandwidth

666
00:55:24,640 --> 00:55:32,800
issues that are going on this evening
with our internet provider. Also, when

667
00:55:29,599 --> 00:55:37,440
someone is addressing the council from
the podium, whenever they turn away,

668
00:55:35,520 --> 00:55:43,280
people in the training center can't hear
what they have to say.

669
00:55:40,800 --> 00:55:48,480
Okay, we are going to give Mr. Davis
another 3 minutes to come and speak to

670
00:55:45,440 --> 00:55:53,440
us and finish what he had to say in the
beginning

671
00:55:50,799 --> 00:55:59,280
but let's keep order and maintain
decorum please

672
00:55:56,000 --> 00:56:04,480
Mr. Davis,
>> I was out there looking. Can I

673
00:56:02,720 --> 00:56:07,480
» have a city attorney who's got
something?

674
00:56:10,799 --> 00:56:17,200
» You turn your mic on there, sir.
>> Rules. Then

675
00:56:15,119 --> 00:56:23,440
» the mayor has the ability to shut you
down. But I checked all this out and

676
00:56:20,160 --> 00:56:26,559
according to the Freedom of Rights Act,
you have you can't interact with the

677
00:56:25,839 --> 00:56:30,640
audience.
>> I'm I'm happy to. We We have Yeah, you

678
00:56:29,040 --> 00:56:36,000
can't you're not to interact with the
audience. You're to address the council

679
00:56:32,720 --> 00:56:42,799
and the mayor. And if you don't, it also
screws up the system too. And

680
00:56:40,079 --> 00:56:46,720
it's there is a respectfulness issue to
it which you

681
00:56:44,640 --> 00:56:50,559
» which there will be speakers on both
sides and the respect goes both ways. So

682
00:56:49,040 --> 00:56:52,720
that's those are the rules that you're
expected to follow.

683
00:56:52,000 --> 00:56:57,200
» I get it.
>> Okay. We have some noise coming from the

684
00:56:55,200 --> 00:57:01,559
audience somewhere. If we could be quiet
and let Mr. Davis speak.

685
00:57:02,240 --> 00:57:08,480
» Okay. Can I start now?
>> Go right ahead.

686
00:57:05,520 --> 00:57:13,200
» Okay. The law says you're supposed to
have meetings and listen to the public

687
00:57:11,280 --> 00:57:20,079
input
and uh you're not listening.

688
00:57:16,079 --> 00:57:26,240
This data center is going to destroy our
environment, pollute our air, pollute

689
00:57:22,640 --> 00:57:34,640
our water, increase noise pollution,
destroy our trout streams, destroy our

690
00:57:29,599 --> 00:57:40,240
wildlife, create a heat island.
um that could increase the temperature

691
00:57:37,119 --> 00:57:46,960
around here 10°
and then these 20 miles of of sewer and

692
00:57:44,880 --> 00:57:53,680
water line you're going to be running
are going to inconvenience thousands of

693
00:57:50,319 --> 00:58:00,160
people. They only benefit the rich who
will buy up chunks of land and develop

694
00:57:56,640 --> 00:58:06,240
them for huge profits. Now, Mayor, I'll
talk to you. I people have been telling

695
00:58:03,280 --> 00:58:09,760
me that you've been telling them this is
a done deal. Now, I don't know if that's

696
00:58:08,400 --> 00:58:15,359
what you're saying, but that's what
they're telling me. And a former mayor

697
00:58:12,799 --> 00:58:22,240
is going around telling people the same
thing. It and Pete Stabber at Farmfest

698
00:58:19,440 --> 00:58:26,960
said it's going to be built. That's
right. In his debate, I watched it like

699
00:58:24,799 --> 00:58:33,760
two or three times. He did a terrible
job by by the way. and uh and he said it

700
00:58:31,680 --> 00:58:39,040
was going to all be built with union
labor, but according to Google, I

701
00:58:35,839 --> 00:58:46,079
checked with them, no contract have been
signed yet. So, I hope if it's built,

702
00:58:42,319 --> 00:58:52,640
that's the case. But, okay. So, doesn't
the law matter anymore? There are two

703
00:58:48,720 --> 00:58:58,559
lawsuits right now still in progress and
more to come. What if you lose these

704
00:58:55,280 --> 00:59:03,680
lawsuits? It can't be built, right? Am I
correct? If you lose, doesn't that stop

705
00:59:01,520 --> 00:59:11,119
the process?
That's the way I understand it. But and

706
00:59:07,119 --> 00:59:16,559
then uh Mr. Muller, I want to address
you because what you were talking about

707
00:59:14,240 --> 00:59:22,000
in your tapes, you talked to me before
me and you know each other. So uh what

708
00:59:20,079 --> 00:59:27,599
you were talking about in those tapes
and giving telling people what answers

709
00:59:24,720 --> 00:59:33,359
and stuff according to Google I got this
from Google

710
00:59:29,839 --> 00:59:42,400
it you are undermining democracy it's
unethical practice city administrators

711
00:59:37,680 --> 00:59:49,680
are expected to act as neutral objective
advisors to elected officials not as an

712
00:59:46,000 --> 00:59:54,480
agent to incoming corporation. So, I
think you should resign. And anybody who

713
00:59:52,880 --> 00:59:58,400
thinks he should resign,
>> Mr. Davis, Mr. Davis, you're addressing

714
00:59:57,359 --> 01:00:03,760
the council.
>> Raise your hand. Anybody out there who

715
01:00:01,040 --> 01:00:09,440
thinks and then I'm going to raise two
hands cuz my wife is in here.

716
01:00:06,640 --> 01:00:12,880
» Mr. Mayor, she thinks good, too.
>> Your three minutes is done.

717
01:00:10,880 --> 01:00:19,119
» Thank you. And if somebody wants to give
them a salute, you know what I'm talking

718
01:00:15,359 --> 01:00:19,119
about. Go ahead, Penny.

719
01:00:25,520 --> 01:00:34,319
Next, Mr. Tom Bates
has six minutes.

720
01:00:32,079 --> 01:00:41,920
Seated from
Barbara or from Virginia Lord and after

721
01:00:37,839 --> 01:00:44,920
is Jim Cluckard.
>> Okay.

722
01:00:46,640 --> 01:00:52,799
Don't start the clock yet. He hasn't got
it down.

723
01:00:49,760 --> 01:00:54,079
» So, these uh wait a minute, Tom Bates,
Hermantown.

724
01:00:53,520 --> 01:00:59,440
» Thank you.
>> You bet. These notes are taken from the

725
01:00:56,960 --> 01:01:06,079
uh the project timeline, the timeline of
the Hermantown hypers scale data center

726
01:01:01,839 --> 01:01:12,880
development. Uh May 21st, 2024, NDA with
Mortonson signed by Hermantown staff

727
01:01:09,040 --> 01:01:21,760
Wickland and Moulder. on July 11th, the
last steering committee meeting for 2024

728
01:01:17,200 --> 01:01:27,440
20 2045. Um, last, you know what I'm
talking about. The steering committee

729
01:01:23,680 --> 01:01:32,400
meeting on 7124 was not expected to be
the last meeting, but it was. John

730
01:01:30,319 --> 01:01:38,880
Thornton states that the steering
committee was never contacted again

731
01:01:34,880 --> 01:01:43,440
after July 11th, 2024. Despite the end
of communications, the steering

732
01:01:40,960 --> 01:01:47,599
committee members names were left on the
final report presented to the planning

733
01:01:45,359 --> 01:01:53,440
and zoning commission and the city
council. Thorton said the report that

734
01:01:51,040 --> 01:02:02,640
was presented to planning and zoning on
April 15, 2025 had been changed from the

735
01:01:57,760 --> 01:02:07,280
July 11th, 2024 version. Huh.
presumably by city staff and did not

736
01:02:05,119 --> 01:02:13,200
reflect what the steering committee
advocated for the Adolf area, which was

737
01:02:10,400 --> 01:02:17,520
keeping it rural and agricultural. Now,
this is just me editorializing.

738
01:02:15,520 --> 01:02:23,040
I think what happened was that the city
staff was influenced by the vision of

739
01:02:19,920 --> 01:02:28,480
the Lon project and moving the Adolf
area from rural and agricultural to

740
01:02:25,440 --> 01:02:35,760
light industrial. Just my thoughts.
September 18th, 2024, Mayor Ber informed

741
01:02:33,040 --> 01:02:41,040
of the uh data center project. John
Moulder to Chad Ronetti and Joe Wickland

742
01:02:38,880 --> 01:02:47,520
talked to Mayor Ber about a data center
project next to uh the Minnesota Power

743
01:02:43,760 --> 01:02:51,760
Station. Moulder stated, "We made sure
that this area would be zoned light

744
01:02:49,280 --> 01:02:56,799
industrial. That was never part of the
comprehensive plan when John Thornton

745
01:02:54,000 --> 01:03:03,920
was part of the steering committee. By
October 25th, 2024, the city of

746
01:02:59,760 --> 01:03:10,319
Hermanone senior staff was under an NDA.
January 15, 2025.

747
01:03:06,880 --> 01:03:18,559
Bob, now this this one
this part really cranked me. Um, Johnif

748
01:03:14,480 --> 01:03:23,839
January 15, 2025, Bob Colemire emails
Mayor Wayne Ber and Eric Johnson

749
01:03:21,440 --> 01:03:28,720
regarding Mortonson letter regarding
this Mortonson letter that went out and

750
01:03:26,319 --> 01:03:34,400
asks if this is about a data center.
Okay. January 16th, the city staff

751
01:03:31,680 --> 01:03:39,440
responds to Bob Colemire's email
regarding the Mortonson letter. So Eric

752
01:03:36,960 --> 01:03:45,119
Johnson emails Joe Wickland and Chadron,
Cheddy, and Butcher to review his

753
01:03:41,520 --> 01:03:49,680
proposed response. Eric Johnson says,
"The only application the city has

754
01:03:47,119 --> 01:03:56,000
received is for a wetland delineation,
which was conducted in the fall of 2024.

755
01:03:53,839 --> 01:04:02,000
There's been no more applications to the
city, so there's no no more information

756
01:03:58,880 --> 01:04:07,920
to share. Contact Chris Bates at
Mortonson with these questions." which

757
01:04:05,119 --> 01:04:13,760
recommends leaving out the suggestion to
contact Mortonson or Chris Bates. This

758
01:04:10,880 --> 01:04:19,280
is clear obfusication, mayor, clearly
and deliberately hiding the truth of the

759
01:04:16,240 --> 01:04:25,680
matter from Bob Colemire who asked in
good conscience. This next is addressed

760
01:04:22,319 --> 01:04:30,520
to the four council members, you and you
and you and him. Okay,

761
01:04:31,359 --> 01:04:38,720
this is where I got to put on my big boy
PL pants. It is clear that we need a

762
01:04:36,400 --> 01:04:45,359
clean sweep of the senior staff and
Mayor Ber accepting Paul sense

763
01:04:42,480 --> 01:04:51,319
and the fire chief. I believe the rest
of them are all compromised and here are

764
01:04:48,000 --> 01:04:51,319
my recommendations.

765
01:04:51,440 --> 01:05:00,960
First, fire city administrator Moulder.
Okay.

766
01:04:58,000 --> 01:05:07,119
Then get in a temporary administrator
that is unknown to Hermantown.

767
01:05:04,319 --> 01:05:12,640
The new ad the new temporary
administrator should fire all the rest

768
01:05:09,280 --> 01:05:19,640
of the senior staff and hire on temps to
fill their positions so that we have a

769
01:05:15,200 --> 01:05:19,640
functional working staff.

770
01:05:19,680 --> 01:05:27,119
Immediately fire the present permit
chief of police. You'll easily find work

771
01:05:24,559 --> 01:05:32,680
done in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, or Texas. He'll fit right in.

772
01:05:32,799 --> 01:05:40,319
That's not a put down. That's just a
matter of culture.

773
01:05:38,400 --> 01:05:46,160
Choose the new chief of police from
among the ranks of the Hermittown Police

774
01:05:42,960 --> 01:05:51,039
by a vote of the police themselves.
There's a couple of dandies there. I've

775
01:05:48,559 --> 01:05:56,720
know them and I think they'll do good if
they're made chiefs of police.

776
01:05:53,680 --> 01:06:04,240
So, I hope you I hope you took some
notes. I really do. That's heartfelt.

777
01:06:01,440 --> 01:06:08,559
Scared the living for me to out of
me to bring it up, but that's what I

778
01:06:06,720 --> 01:06:15,039
think.
>> Okay. Thank you.

779
01:06:10,319 --> 01:06:19,880
» Thank you. Next, Jim Clucker,
followed by Tom Johnson.

780
01:06:26,720 --> 01:06:34,640
I'm going to try and be real brief. I
want to thank uh you uh fellows up

781
01:06:31,119 --> 01:06:39,920
there, members of the council, um
particularly uh Councilman Peterson who

782
01:06:37,440 --> 01:06:44,720
showed up at our recent Sway meeting.
I'd like to see uh government in the

783
01:06:42,240 --> 01:06:50,720
community. Uh I'd like to thank the
mayor for taking the time to step out in

784
01:06:47,200 --> 01:06:57,599
the hallway just a few minutes ago to to
reach some settlement with one of his

785
01:06:53,359 --> 01:07:01,440
very enthusiastic uh constituents. That
was a good move and I don't think that

786
01:07:00,000 --> 01:07:08,559
was co-opting. I think that was
communication. I'd like to thank the uh

787
01:07:04,799 --> 01:07:15,359
chief who commands uh our women and men
in uniform who are here to protect us

788
01:07:12,799 --> 01:07:20,720
our physical safety while maintaining a
high degree of professionalism.

789
01:07:17,920 --> 01:07:26,720
What I do not want to thank is our city
administrator who should be dismissed

790
01:07:23,680 --> 01:07:31,280
sacked immediately. This stinks what's
happened here. The good name of

791
01:07:29,200 --> 01:07:36,079
Hermantown has been dragged through the
mud. This is not the way to get

792
01:07:33,359 --> 01:07:41,599
multinationals to come do business here
and uh there are certain standards to be

793
01:07:38,720 --> 01:07:48,640
maintained. The fish rots from the head.
So, city administrator first to go and I

794
01:07:44,880 --> 01:07:53,920
would like to see a very thorough um
transcript, detailed transcript of the

795
01:07:51,359 --> 01:08:01,200
investigation that is now proceeding. I
finally want to read from the uh

796
01:07:57,359 --> 01:08:10,799
Minnesota Indian Affairs Committee
their resolution of uh 8 July 2026

797
01:08:08,400 --> 01:08:18,159
um copies are available on the net real
quick just it's a four-page document but

798
01:08:14,160 --> 01:08:23,040
just to briefly summarize now therefore
be it resolved that to address the

799
01:08:20,000 --> 01:08:29,359
immediate nationwide threat posed by the
July July 23rd, 2025 executive order

800
01:08:26,480 --> 01:08:35,920
accelerating permitting of data center
infrastructure. The min Minnesota Indian

801
01:08:32,400 --> 01:08:42,480
Affairs Council urgently demands the
federal administration suspend the

802
01:08:38,319 --> 01:08:47,040
orders implementation and calls on all
state and federal authorities. That's

803
01:08:44,640 --> 01:08:53,199
means you guys
to impose a moratorum on the issue

804
01:08:50,640 --> 01:08:58,960
issuance of all permits
for hypers scale data centers until a

805
01:08:55,839 --> 01:09:04,719
comprehensive independent and publicly
available assessment of the full range

806
01:09:01,359 --> 01:09:10,400
of data center 30 impacts have been
completed. Um the technology is growing

807
01:09:08,000 --> 01:09:14,560
too fast. Not even the experts can tell
you what's going to happen in 5 years.

808
01:09:12,400 --> 01:09:20,080
They're asking us to believe in them for
longer than their company has been in

809
01:09:16,960 --> 01:09:27,040
existence. We need you to put a full
break on this a moratorum. Just give it

810
01:09:24,000 --> 01:09:30,960
a pause. That's what you do when we get
excited

811
01:09:28,880 --> 01:09:35,279
and I respect you for that. Please
respect us for asking you to pause this

812
01:09:34,319 --> 01:09:40,359
train.
>> Thank you.

813
01:09:37,120 --> 01:09:40,359
Thank you.

814
01:09:43,279 --> 01:09:50,199
Tom Johnson and next is Don Le Point.

815
01:09:50,960 --> 01:09:57,600
Name and hometown, please.
>> Tom Johnson, Hermantown.

816
01:09:55,520 --> 01:10:03,280
Good evening, Mayor Buchet and members
of the Hermantown City Council.

817
01:10:01,199 --> 01:10:06,880
I grew up in Duth as fourth generation
resident of this region and I have

818
01:10:05,040 --> 01:10:13,280
proudly called Hermantown home for the
past 5 years. First, thank you all for

819
01:10:10,239 --> 01:10:17,520
your service to the community and for
the time and effort you invest in

820
01:10:15,920 --> 01:10:22,000
evaluating projects that shape
Hermantown's future. I'm here tonight to

821
01:10:20,000 --> 01:10:26,480
express my support for the proposed
Google data center. Like many residents,

822
01:10:24,880 --> 01:10:29,679
I care deeply about protecting the
qualities that make this area special,

823
01:10:28,560 --> 01:10:33,120
but I also believe we have a
responsibility to think about the future

824
01:10:31,440 --> 01:10:37,199
economy our children and grandchildren
will inherit. In my view, the decision

825
01:10:35,600 --> 01:10:41,600
before you is much bigger than this
single project. It is more about whether

826
01:10:39,840 --> 01:10:45,760
Hermantown will embrace opportunities
for long-term growth or continue a

827
01:10:44,000 --> 01:10:50,000
pattern that has too often limited our
region's economic potential. Growing up

828
01:10:48,480 --> 01:10:54,239
in this area, I have seen businesses
come and go with development

829
01:10:51,679 --> 01:10:59,360
opportunities proposed only to be
delayed, scaled back, or turned away

830
01:10:56,800 --> 01:11:04,159
from opposition groups. While public
input is important, the cumulative

831
01:11:01,280 --> 01:11:07,920
effect has often been a region, this
region that struggles to attract major

832
01:11:06,080 --> 01:11:12,960
private investment compared to many
competing communities.

833
01:11:10,640 --> 01:11:16,880
Northwest Minnesota faces real economic
challenges. Population growth in much of

834
01:11:14,960 --> 01:11:20,800
the region has lagged behind statewide
trends and some areas continue to

835
01:11:18,800 --> 01:11:24,560
experience population stagnation or
decline.

836
01:11:22,480 --> 01:11:27,760
This has been documented but documented
by the Minnesota Department of

837
01:11:25,920 --> 01:11:31,199
Employment and Econom Economic
Development.

838
01:11:29,280 --> 01:11:35,840
Our regional economy has long been built
on the strength of key industries such

839
01:11:32,880 --> 01:11:38,719
as iron mining and shipping. These
industries remain vital to our

840
01:11:37,280 --> 01:11:42,800
communities and deserve continued
support. At the same time, each faces

841
01:11:40,960 --> 01:11:47,280
challenges beyond our control like
global commodity markets or the reality

842
01:11:44,800 --> 01:11:51,120
that mining reserves are finite.
Economic diversification is about

843
01:11:49,120 --> 01:11:55,760
building additional strength by creating
new opportunities in emerging sectors. A

844
01:11:53,520 --> 01:12:00,960
more diverse economy will help ensure
long-term stability, resilience, and

845
01:11:57,840 --> 01:12:04,239
prosperity for future generations while
preserving the industries that have

846
01:12:02,480 --> 01:12:08,560
defined our region for more than a
century. The proposed Google data center

847
01:12:07,120 --> 01:12:12,560
represents exactly the type of
diversification we should welcome. It

848
01:12:10,880 --> 01:12:16,080
brings substantial private investment,
hundreds of construction jobs, many

849
01:12:14,239 --> 01:12:21,360
permanent positions, and significant
growth to the commercial tax base. Is

850
01:12:19,520 --> 01:12:24,880
also tied to investments in new clean
energy generation and battery energy

851
01:12:23,199 --> 01:12:27,199
storage that can strengthen regional
infrastructure and support reliability

852
01:12:26,560 --> 01:12:30,640
for all.
>> Second.

853
01:12:28,640 --> 01:12:35,440
» Ultimately, I believe the council stands
at a critical crossroads. You can choose

854
01:12:33,280 --> 01:12:38,800
the same path that has often resulted in
missed opportunities, economic

855
01:12:36,880 --> 01:12:42,320
stagnation, and limited growth. or you
can choose a brighter future that

856
01:12:40,640 --> 01:12:46,719
welcomes responsible development,
strengthens our tax base, diversifies

857
01:12:44,640 --> 01:12:50,719
our economy, and creates meaningful
opportunities for future generations.

858
01:12:48,320 --> 01:12:55,120
Thank you very much for all that you do.
>> Thank you.

859
01:12:52,560 --> 01:13:00,159
Next is Jackie Dolan's
or I'm sorry, Don La Point. Don has

860
01:12:57,760 --> 01:13:03,159
three minutes from Jackie Dolan. So, six
total.

861
01:13:05,679 --> 01:13:11,440
» Actually, change in plans. I don't need
the extra. Can we hear? Okay.

862
01:13:09,280 --> 01:13:14,640
» Yeah. I I'm having trouble hearing you.
>> Can I bend it? Is that better?

863
01:13:13,199 --> 01:13:19,920
» Is the button turned on there?
>> It's green.

864
01:13:15,600 --> 01:13:22,159
» Try turning it off and on again.
>> Is that any better?

865
01:13:21,199 --> 01:13:26,400
» That sounds better. Okay.
>> Yeah. Well, sometimes those things reset

866
01:13:24,960 --> 01:13:30,640
when they get overloaded.
>> Okay. Um, slight change in plans. I

867
01:13:28,880 --> 01:13:34,239
don't need more than three minutes. So,
Jackie has seated her time, I think, to

868
01:13:32,640 --> 01:13:37,520
Clarissa. So,
>> Okay.

869
01:13:34,719 --> 01:13:41,840
» Yeah. So, I'm Don Le Point from
Hermantown. Um, I'm here speaking as an

870
01:13:39,840 --> 01:13:46,080
individual and not representing any
groups or organizations.

871
01:13:44,320 --> 01:13:51,360
This seems like it's just like in my
face now.

872
01:13:48,320 --> 01:13:56,000
Um, this project is not appropriate
for this location. I had originally

873
01:13:54,000 --> 01:14:01,360
planned to speak about the DNR's August
25th comment about the AUR. I appreciate

874
01:13:59,440 --> 01:14:06,080
the detailed update that Mr. Ronetti
provided tonight and since the city and

875
01:14:03,600 --> 01:14:10,640
DNR are in talks and working through
some of those concerns, I will instead

876
01:14:08,239 --> 01:14:15,440
share some questions and concerns I have
about the consulting services to be

877
01:14:12,560 --> 01:14:19,840
provided by Braraw Inderech.
My first question is does Bronn

878
01:14:17,040 --> 01:14:24,719
Intertech have extensive experience in
this type of consulting between tribal

879
01:14:22,000 --> 01:14:28,480
governments and city governments? My
understanding from tonight's meetings is

880
01:14:26,480 --> 01:14:33,040
that this consulting process will not
impact the timing for approvals of the

881
01:14:30,640 --> 01:14:38,320
AUA or permits related to the data
center. If that is the case, what is the

882
01:14:35,600 --> 01:14:41,120
meaningfulness of the consulting work or
the government-to-government

883
01:14:39,440 --> 01:14:46,320
communications?
How can the AU potentially be approved

884
01:14:43,440 --> 01:14:51,840
by the city council before concerns and
communications between urban town and

885
01:14:49,280 --> 01:14:55,840
the tribal governments are resolved?
That does not seem meaningful. if you're

886
01:14:54,239 --> 01:15:00,640
able to provide a response, I'd
appreciate it. Thank you.

887
01:14:58,159 --> 01:15:04,719
» Thank you.
So,

888
01:15:02,159 --> 01:15:12,440
Jackie, you're seating your time further
down the line. Uh, next will be Candy

889
01:15:09,440 --> 01:15:12,440
Mock.

890
01:15:15,199 --> 01:15:20,120
And after Candy Mock is Sarah Winter,

891
01:15:21,360 --> 01:15:28,080
» I'm gonna need um someone to see three
minutes to me. Does anybody have three

892
01:15:26,719 --> 01:15:35,920
whole minutes for me?
>> We We have someone who had signed up.

893
01:15:33,600 --> 01:15:38,920
What's the name?
Okay.

894
01:15:39,199 --> 01:15:45,239
» Gracias. Ashley. What a good neighbor.

895
01:15:46,560 --> 01:15:56,640
Hi guys, Andy Mock, Germantown. I
recognize that I will need to work with

896
01:15:53,360 --> 01:16:03,280
some of you um if I am elected to city
council. I've appreciated the time that

897
01:15:59,920 --> 01:16:08,640
I have spent speaking with those of you
who answered my emails.

898
01:16:06,480 --> 01:16:14,320
Not all of you did.
um you all have shared with me um that

899
01:16:11,440 --> 01:16:17,760
if you find a reason to say no to this
project that you would you would stop

900
01:16:16,320 --> 01:16:22,960
the process. That's what you've said to
me and I think you've shared that with

901
01:16:19,120 --> 01:16:27,440
other people. Um I can't see how you
haven't seen enough reasons to say no. I

902
01:16:25,760 --> 01:16:33,840
also don't understand how there's an
assumption that you must say yes. Who

903
01:16:31,120 --> 01:16:38,239
has created this urgency? It seems like
it's coming from the budget. The budget

904
01:16:35,679 --> 01:16:42,719
that is fed to you by John Moulder. um
the budget that's historically kind of

905
01:16:40,080 --> 01:16:49,679
fluctuated when I've looked at the
history there. Um mayor, you told me

906
01:16:47,280 --> 01:16:54,719
that this issue is ripping our city
apart and you said it with a hurt in

907
01:16:51,840 --> 01:17:00,640
your heart and I heard it and I agree.
Um why? Well, at this point now, we've

908
01:16:58,880 --> 01:17:05,600
talked about the history. We all know
what's happened, but it's also the steps

909
01:17:03,040 --> 01:17:09,760
that the city has taken and continues to
take. Just I want to let you know I was

910
01:17:08,159 --> 01:17:13,760
not originally opposed to this when I
first heard about it and it's not the

911
01:17:12,000 --> 01:17:18,560
project itself completely although
there's there's signs with it but um I'm

912
01:17:16,400 --> 01:17:22,640
not anti-progress
um it's the red flags that I've seen in

913
01:17:20,719 --> 01:17:29,199
the process that has that like I
continue to see that don't stop um

914
01:17:27,440 --> 01:17:33,280
when you make a mistake and there was
mistakes made early on that some of you

915
01:17:30,960 --> 01:17:37,920
didn't even know about you you stop you
you fix it you you say I'm sorry

916
01:17:35,760 --> 01:17:40,800
although It's sometimes admitting guilt
that you don't want to get sued for or

917
01:17:39,040 --> 01:17:45,120
something. I understand that. But you
don't double down and that's what I've

918
01:17:42,480 --> 01:17:51,520
been seeing. I even saw that as recent
as last week. Now, I know when you file

919
01:17:48,719 --> 01:17:55,840
with the courts, you serve the other
party information. You file it with the

920
01:17:54,320 --> 01:18:02,080
court and you make sure the other party
knows. But Gunnar Johnson, our attorney,

921
01:17:59,840 --> 01:18:06,159
filed on the city's behalf last Thursday
with the court and he didn't let the

922
01:18:04,400 --> 01:18:10,239
other group know regarding the the
charter. Um quite a lot of information

923
01:18:08,560 --> 01:18:16,159
in there asking for some pretty
significant action. That is not a

924
01:18:14,159 --> 01:18:21,040
mistake because he's got too much
experience. I would say that's a

925
01:18:17,760 --> 01:18:24,560
subversion of a process that should be
well respected, St. Louis County Court

926
01:18:22,880 --> 01:18:29,600
process.
So people, here's the thing. People are

927
01:18:27,280 --> 01:18:34,560
still showing up. They're still showing
that they want to collaborate with you.

928
01:18:32,320 --> 01:18:40,480
Your constituents have asked you for
some steps like a moratorum or to do an

929
01:18:37,679 --> 01:18:45,120
EIS. That tells me that they're still
open. It's not that they're just saying

930
01:18:42,239 --> 01:18:49,520
no, no, no, no, no. They're saying they
want to collaborate. In speaking with

931
01:18:47,440 --> 01:18:54,239
some of you, I get the impression that
you maybe

932
01:18:52,159 --> 01:18:57,520
that you hop on Facebook and you see
some of the comments and they aren't

933
01:18:56,080 --> 01:19:01,040
always accurate because they're not
people who really know about the process

934
01:18:58,960 --> 01:19:05,040
or they're talking about um a data
center elsewhere that doesn't have the

935
01:19:03,040 --> 01:19:07,920
same proposals that we have. And then
you think, well, they don't know what

936
01:19:06,080 --> 01:19:10,960
they're talking about, so you dismiss it
as a group. Or you think that it's a

937
01:19:09,520 --> 01:19:15,600
bunch of hippie freaks out there just
protesting, right? Like I have that

938
01:19:13,280 --> 01:19:19,840
impression.
um please don't do that. Don't don't

939
01:19:17,760 --> 01:19:24,480
throw everybody in the same bucket. I
can tell you in talking with the group

940
01:19:22,080 --> 01:19:28,560
that is against it that it's a it's a
spectrum of thoughts. Some of them are

941
01:19:26,719 --> 01:19:32,480
saying it's this is not the right place
which you don't have control over right

942
01:19:29,920 --> 01:19:37,120
now. It's also it's not the process
that's healthy. I'm concerned about the

943
01:19:34,640 --> 01:19:40,719
ramifications for the environment and or
just it's just not worth it financially.

944
01:19:39,280 --> 01:19:44,560
I don't think we're guaranteed. So
there's a there's a variety of people

945
01:19:42,320 --> 01:19:49,280
that are against it for different
reasons and a spectrum that there might

946
01:19:46,400 --> 01:19:54,960
actually still be a workable
result, but we have got to slow it down.

947
01:19:52,400 --> 01:19:59,520
Taking five minutes here was a was a
smart move. Taking more time with this

948
01:19:56,800 --> 01:20:06,080
is a smart move.
Every step that you take drives a wedge.

949
01:20:04,000 --> 01:20:11,840
You say that each step is not approving
a project, but here's one thing I just

950
01:20:09,440 --> 01:20:18,000
picked up on the last meeting. Um,
there's other subst steps that we're

951
01:20:13,679 --> 01:20:24,800
taking. A 60% plan from um from a
consultant to run the water down to the

952
01:20:21,199 --> 01:20:31,199
site. That's significant. Our engineer
spent some some time. his wages were

953
01:20:28,480 --> 01:20:35,600
paid by city funds to to do that to
collaborate with the

954
01:20:33,840 --> 01:20:39,840
the consultant that was putting together
the plan.

955
01:20:37,520 --> 01:20:46,719
Um,
I have a quote for you from JP Morgan. A

956
01:20:43,280 --> 01:20:52,239
man has two reasons for what he does. A
good one and the real one. every step

957
01:20:49,920 --> 01:20:58,000
along the way there's been there's been
reasons given why the 2045 plan needs to

958
01:20:55,760 --> 01:21:04,080
happen why the utility commission needed
to vote and along the way we have had

959
01:21:00,800 --> 01:21:09,040
people lose faith talk to um Jim Sweeney
if you're not sure what I'm talking

960
01:21:05,040 --> 01:21:13,120
about Eddie I saw your face there um
we can loop back on that people see

961
01:21:11,120 --> 01:21:17,679
through it and they have the examples
and so the reasons that are sometimes

962
01:21:15,199 --> 01:21:19,679
given by the people that are puppet
mastering we know they're not thrill

963
01:21:19,199 --> 01:21:23,280
races.
>> 30 seconds.

964
01:21:20,800 --> 01:21:27,679
» This is like an abusive relationship.
One of my friends has said that that

965
01:21:25,840 --> 01:21:31,760
there's things happening behind the
scenes. And when the person who is

966
01:21:29,440 --> 01:21:35,120
abused ends up acting out, then it's
pointed to as though it's somehow proof

967
01:21:33,600 --> 01:21:39,040
that people don't know what they're
talking about. So remember that when you

968
01:21:37,120 --> 01:21:43,360
see the signs, when remember that when
you hear people clapping, remember that

969
01:21:41,600 --> 01:21:46,560
when you see people out at the corners,
that is what's happening. You're

970
01:21:44,560 --> 01:21:51,520
continuing to drive it. And by turning a
blind eye to some of these misbehaviors,

971
01:21:49,199 --> 01:21:55,679
each of you has a choice. No one else is
coming to save us. No one else, no other

972
01:21:54,080 --> 01:22:01,480
permitting. Don't don't act like the
other permitting is going to help you.

973
01:21:57,360 --> 01:22:01,480
The buck stops here, guys.

974
01:22:07,600 --> 01:22:11,000
Sarah Winter

975
01:22:11,199 --> 01:22:18,360
and after that Holston
Sleets Sheets.

976
01:22:25,120 --> 01:22:34,480
» Hey council, I'm Sarah Winter. Uh the
Hermantown, Minnesota. Um, I know that

977
01:22:30,800 --> 01:22:38,960
you want a calm and rational meeting and
you know I actually do too. But when

978
01:22:36,960 --> 01:22:44,480
people don't feel listened to, emotions
will run high. And your responsibility

979
01:22:41,600 --> 01:22:50,239
in this is to help people know that you
are actively listening and that you are

980
01:22:48,480 --> 01:22:55,120
truly taking in the concerns of your
constituents. And when we speak to you

981
01:22:52,400 --> 01:23:00,320
week after week after week, when we give
hours and hours of our time and nothing

982
01:22:58,480 --> 01:23:04,560
moves the dial, you look at us with
blank faces.

983
01:23:02,239 --> 01:23:09,600
It doesn't feel like that's happening.
When your staff makes fun of your

984
01:23:06,960 --> 01:23:14,400
constituents, you should be the first to
come to their defense. I shouldn't have

985
01:23:12,320 --> 01:23:19,040
to email you and say you should come to
their defense. You should come to their

986
01:23:16,400 --> 01:23:23,600
your constituents defense without your
neighbors telling you you need to. When

987
01:23:21,679 --> 01:23:27,600
you realize that the process of building
a hyperscale data center has been going

988
01:23:25,840 --> 01:23:32,639
on in secret behind the backs of your
constituents, you the representatives

989
01:23:30,639 --> 01:23:37,199
should be the first to put the brakes on
and to make sure that the process is

990
01:23:34,320 --> 01:23:42,080
understandable to everyone, that your
constituents, the humans, your neighbors

991
01:23:39,280 --> 01:23:47,520
that you represent are in step with the
decisions that you're making. You have

992
01:23:44,639 --> 01:23:53,840
the power at any point to bring relief
and peace to the people you represent.

993
01:23:50,880 --> 01:23:57,360
Slow this process down. Pause it to
allow corrections to the process to take

994
01:23:55,840 --> 01:24:00,639
place.
And forgive your fellow citizens when

995
01:23:59,040 --> 01:24:04,960
they are overcome with emotion because
the place they live, their livelihoods,

996
01:24:03,360 --> 01:24:09,520
and their quality of living is
threatened.

997
01:24:06,719 --> 01:24:14,639
Show yourselves to care, to truly care
about your neighbors.

998
01:24:11,679 --> 01:24:20,080
When you ask us to elect you, you are
pledging to represent us, even when you

999
01:24:17,600 --> 01:24:26,320
personally don't agree with something,
accepting perhaps moral or ethical

1000
01:24:21,920 --> 01:24:33,360
concerns. We want to trust you. We want
you to be good representatives for us.

1001
01:24:29,760 --> 01:24:39,040
We elect you so that we don't need to be
at every meeting because you already

1002
01:24:35,440 --> 01:24:44,719
represent us. But when you don't
represent the 70% of the population that

1003
01:24:42,400 --> 01:24:50,000
doesn't want this and you show no
indication of slowing any part of the

1004
01:24:47,199 --> 01:24:54,000
process, it doesn't feel like you
represent us.

1005
01:24:52,239 --> 01:24:57,199
Um, with the last couple seconds of my
time, I just want to highlight the Star

1006
01:24:55,440 --> 01:25:00,000
Tribune article of September 5th
>> 30 seconds

1007
01:24:57,840 --> 01:25:04,239
» where the DNR is quoted as saying as it
could that it couldn't object to the AUR

1008
01:25:02,080 --> 01:25:07,840
because it's not allowed to do so. The
comments that Mr. Ranchetti referred to

1009
01:25:06,159 --> 01:25:12,480
in the previously cited problems with
the AUR. Therefore, that review is

1010
01:25:10,480 --> 01:25:17,520
entirely on your shoulders. Their
concerns included the proxim the um

1011
01:25:14,960 --> 01:25:21,520
inadequate baseline data for groundwater
which was gathered during a year of

1012
01:25:19,120 --> 01:25:25,520
drought, the project's proximity to a
Minnesota power substation and that

1013
01:25:23,600 --> 01:25:31,040
those effects should be studied. The
MPCA echoed those concerns. It is on you

1014
01:25:29,600 --> 01:25:34,159
to figure that out.
>> Thank you.

1015
01:25:32,320 --> 01:25:37,159
» Thank you.
Al

1016
01:25:38,239 --> 01:25:45,199
lady, ladies and gentlemen, I want to
point something out. We have a hard stop

1017
01:25:42,880 --> 01:25:51,520
of 10:00 and we will recess until
Thursday if we go up to that point. If

1018
01:25:48,480 --> 01:25:55,440
we keep clapping and using up time,
we're not going to be able to get

1019
01:25:53,360 --> 01:26:00,960
everything done today. You know, maybe
we can get everything done before 10.

1020
01:25:58,159 --> 01:26:08,520
So, Holl
Hol last name

1021
01:26:04,560 --> 01:26:08,520
Oh, Slates. Okay.

1022
01:26:09,360 --> 01:26:15,600
And after Holl is Chris Bates.
>> I'm He's seating his time to me.

1023
01:26:15,120 --> 01:26:18,239
» What's that?
>> He's seating his time to me. Chris is

1024
01:26:17,520 --> 01:26:24,159
Chris Bates.
>> Chris is seating time to go. Okay.

1025
01:26:22,400 --> 01:26:30,400
» So, six minutes.
>> All right. Um, good evening, mayor, city

1026
01:26:28,159 --> 01:26:35,520
council members, city staff, community
members, and Hermantown residents. My

1027
01:26:33,040 --> 01:26:40,320
name is Hston Slez and I am the economic
and community development manager for

1028
01:26:37,520 --> 01:26:44,880
Minnesota from Google. Um I just want to
take a few minutes to share where things

1029
01:26:42,239 --> 01:26:49,760
stand and some of the commitments we are
proposing as we continue working with

1030
01:26:47,120 --> 01:26:54,239
the city um of Hermantown and responding
thoughtfully to what we've heard from

1031
01:26:51,440 --> 01:27:00,080
community members. So, as noted earlier,
as a part of the AUAR process, we did

1032
01:26:57,199 --> 01:27:04,719
receive a letter from the DNR in August
that raised a number of questions, and I

1033
01:27:02,320 --> 01:27:08,880
want to reiterate that those were
comments. Those comments were not

1034
01:27:06,719 --> 01:27:13,840
objections to this project as that was
stated clearly uh by several people. But

1035
01:27:11,840 --> 01:27:17,920
we are treating these comments as an
important part of our process and as

1036
01:27:16,400 --> 01:27:21,760
feedback that deserves a thoughtful
response. So, we are taking the time to

1037
01:27:19,840 --> 01:27:26,719
do just that.
One of the areas we've heard clearly is

1038
01:27:23,920 --> 01:27:30,639
a well is about well water and what this
project could mean for neighboring

1039
01:27:28,320 --> 01:27:38,000
wells. So we want to respond to that
concern with some concrete um solutions.

1040
01:27:35,280 --> 01:27:42,159
We are proposing a baseline
and ongoing monitoring at site with

1041
01:27:40,159 --> 01:27:47,199
results published by the city and
updated quarterly. We are also proposing

1042
01:27:44,880 --> 01:27:51,760
a voluntary program for property owners
within a half mile of the site. Um and

1043
01:27:50,000 --> 01:27:55,679
for neighbor for participating
neighbors, we want to establish baseline

1044
01:27:53,840 --> 01:27:59,679
conditions for their wells. And if a
project related impact is identified,

1045
01:27:57,360 --> 01:28:04,239
which we do not anticipate, um but if
there one is identified, we do want to

1046
01:28:01,679 --> 01:28:07,600
provide a path towards remediation. And
depending on the circumstances, that

1047
01:28:06,080 --> 01:28:12,080
could include installing a new private
well, connecting the property to public

1048
01:28:09,840 --> 01:28:17,120
water service, or another mutually
agreed upon solution. We've also heard

1049
01:28:15,280 --> 01:28:21,440
um a number of questions about the
long-term future of the site, including

1050
01:28:19,600 --> 01:28:25,840
what happens if this facility is no
longer operating and at some point in

1051
01:28:23,679 --> 01:28:30,159
the future um what would that look like?
So, we think that it is an appropriate

1052
01:28:28,159 --> 01:28:33,679
um it's appropriate to address that
question now as we're having these

1053
01:28:31,679 --> 01:28:38,080
conversations. So, we will be working
with the city on an adaptive reuse and

1054
01:28:35,760 --> 01:28:42,159
decommissioning commitment. And if this
facility is no longer operating, we

1055
01:28:40,320 --> 01:28:47,440
would first look at opportunities for
adaptive reuse where feasible. And if

1056
01:28:45,520 --> 01:28:51,920
reuse is not feasible, the commitment
would provide for decommissioning and

1057
01:28:49,600 --> 01:28:56,400
restoration of the site. Again, the
specifics are still being worked through

1058
01:28:53,360 --> 01:28:59,440
with with um with our team, but we want
the community to know that we are

1059
01:28:57,840 --> 01:29:04,080
thinking about the full life cycle of
this project.

1060
01:29:01,760 --> 01:29:08,320
We also believe that a long-term
neighbor means that benefits of this

1061
01:29:06,880 --> 01:29:13,120
investment should extend beyond the
boundaries of the project itself. So,

1062
01:29:10,800 --> 01:29:17,840
we're proposing more than $2.5 million
of initial investments in community um

1063
01:29:15,920 --> 01:29:21,360
community development. And what that
means is focusing on workforce

1064
01:29:19,280 --> 01:29:27,280
development, economic opportunities for
local businesses, expanded youth program

1065
01:29:24,000 --> 01:29:30,880
in areas such as sports and technology.
We also have a workforce strategy that

1066
01:29:29,040 --> 01:29:35,679
is focused on creating opportunities
beyond just construction jobs but

1067
01:29:33,199 --> 01:29:42,560
located directly um on-site and
off-site. We are target targeting at a a

1068
01:29:39,199 --> 01:29:46,800
targeting a 9:1 job creation ratio and
with an emphasis on skilled trades,

1069
01:29:44,639 --> 01:29:50,880
training opportunities and pathways that
can create lasting economic value for

1070
01:29:48,880 --> 01:29:56,560
this community.
And I also want to emphasize the word

1071
01:29:52,880 --> 01:30:01,520
initial when we talk about that 2.5
million is just that we do not see these

1072
01:29:59,280 --> 01:30:06,480
community investments as transactional
and we want to continue listening to

1073
01:30:03,760 --> 01:30:10,159
schools, local leaders, um local
businesses, community organizations and

1074
01:30:08,159 --> 01:30:14,679
residents about where future investments
can have a meaningful and lasting

1075
01:30:11,679 --> 01:30:14,679
impact.

1076
01:30:16,000 --> 01:30:20,440
» Ultimately, all the

1077
01:30:25,360 --> 01:30:29,000
Got to get my arms.

1078
01:30:48,239 --> 01:30:55,760
I'd like to reclaim my time. So, can we
make sure I get my time?

1079
01:30:53,120 --> 01:30:59,760
» Appreciate it. Thank you. Ultimately,
that is how we are approaching the

1080
01:30:57,920 --> 01:31:04,000
feedback received through the AUA
process and our broader conversations

1081
01:31:01,840 --> 01:31:09,199
with this community. And when a concern
is raised, our goal is not to simply

1082
01:31:06,000 --> 01:31:13,199
answer it where we can, but where we
want to turn that feedback into a

1083
01:31:11,600 --> 01:31:18,560
tangible commitment. And you will
continue to see me and Google do that at

1084
01:31:16,000 --> 01:31:22,320
these meetings. The well monitoring and
neighbor well program, the adaptive

1085
01:31:20,239 --> 01:31:25,600
reuse and decommissioning commitments,
as well as the initial community

1086
01:31:23,600 --> 01:31:29,600
investments are examples of what this
looks like in action.

1087
01:31:28,239 --> 01:31:33,840
These commitments are still being
finalized with the city and once this

1088
01:31:31,679 --> 01:31:39,199
work is complete, they will be presented
to the city council with greater detail.

1089
01:31:36,800 --> 01:31:44,960
But uh where things stands today, I just
wanted to share this update and again um

1090
01:31:42,480 --> 01:31:49,040
just illustrate like this is we wanted
to actively demonstrate how we are

1091
01:31:47,520 --> 01:31:52,560
taking the feedback and being thoughtful
about how we respond and informing how

1092
01:31:51,040 --> 01:31:57,400
we move forward. So thank you for the
opportunity and time tonight. Right.

1093
01:32:09,920 --> 01:32:14,199
gentleman in the black cap.

1094
01:32:40,960 --> 01:32:44,679
Emergency recess.

1095
01:32:56,800 --> 01:33:06,360
Okay, next person to speak is Cliff
Davis. After Cliff Davis is Ashley Grim.

1096
01:33:09,120 --> 01:33:15,920
» Yes.
Name and hometown, please.

1097
01:33:13,280 --> 01:33:23,679
» Okay. Uh, my name is Cliff Davis and
I've been here for 82 years. All my

1098
01:33:18,960 --> 01:33:28,800
friends and family call me Skip. So, uh,
since I've been coming to I want to say

1099
01:33:25,679 --> 01:33:33,600
thanks to Ronnie for giving me her three
minutes

1100
01:33:30,400 --> 01:33:38,080
and, uh, thank you guys because I
probably forget to thank you. But

1101
01:33:35,520 --> 01:33:43,280
anyway, since I've been coming here,
I've been hearing stuff like, uh, oh,

1102
01:33:40,560 --> 01:33:47,600
Google's a 20, uh, trillion dollar
company. You know, they they're going to

1103
01:33:45,520 --> 01:33:51,440
get what they want. But I don't know if
you listen to the news about 3 weeks

1104
01:33:49,440 --> 01:33:59,520
ago, they had on there Meta was being
sued for $1.4 trillion.

1105
01:33:56,320 --> 01:34:08,080
So I looked up on a Google thing and I
says, "How much is Meta worth?" $1.5

1106
01:34:03,120 --> 01:34:15,920
trillion. But then just a week ago, Meta
got sued for $18 billion,

1107
01:34:12,639 --> 01:34:21,360
not counting 1.4 against them. and
Mexico is going to sue them. Uh

1108
01:34:19,440 --> 01:34:27,120
so that does just because they got money
doesn't mean that they can't be sued.

1109
01:34:25,040 --> 01:34:33,199
And uh I've been listening to Aaron
Brochovich quite a bit and and she said

1110
01:34:30,560 --> 01:34:36,880
what they're doing is these data centers
that have come in, they've been suing

1111
01:34:35,199 --> 01:34:40,960
the council people. In other words,
that's like all you guys sitting up here

1112
01:34:38,639 --> 01:34:48,400
that are trying to cover that tried to
cover this up and mislead us. And just

1113
01:34:44,320 --> 01:34:54,400
today I looked on the Google and it said
and I said, "Can you sue the city or the

1114
01:34:52,000 --> 01:35:01,520
council people?" Yeah, you can sue the
city. You sue you can sue the council

1115
01:34:57,679 --> 01:35:07,199
people if they misled you. That's all it
said. But like Aaron Brochovich says,

1116
01:35:04,719 --> 01:35:13,600
they try to sweep sweep everything under
the rug and uh not let you know what was

1117
01:35:10,719 --> 01:35:18,560
going on and they lied to you over and
over again. If that isn't misleading, I

1118
01:35:16,400 --> 01:35:24,800
don't know what it is.
And I was going to say

1119
01:35:21,280 --> 01:35:30,880
that I was watching the rifleman
and the sheriff was saying to the

1120
01:35:26,560 --> 01:35:37,840
rifleman, "We got a new technology here.
It's called striations.

1121
01:35:34,320 --> 01:35:44,560
When the gun shoots off a bullet, we can
tell what gun that bullet came out of.

1122
01:35:41,679 --> 01:35:50,080
That was their new tech technology 130
years ago. Now they got technology. It's

1123
01:35:48,080 --> 01:35:55,600
called AI.
And if they want to find out how you

1124
01:35:52,880 --> 01:35:59,920
guys lie to us and try to sweep this all
under the rug without us knowing about

1125
01:35:57,440 --> 01:36:07,120
it, they got this new technology. It's
called AI. They can go through your

1126
01:36:02,560 --> 01:36:13,600
phones and know know who you talk to and
uh probably even know what you said. So

1127
01:36:11,520 --> 01:36:18,320
that's the only thing good about AI that
I see.

1128
01:36:15,600 --> 01:36:24,840
And another thing Aaron Brockovich said
is they're suing the data centers

1129
01:36:21,840 --> 01:36:24,840
for

1130
01:36:25,040 --> 01:36:35,520
uh putting these in a residential area.
She said they should be 25 miles away.

1131
01:36:31,600 --> 01:36:40,239
Uh, and I believe that 100%. You're
going to come and rip up all the Herman

1132
01:36:37,280 --> 01:36:46,400
Town for that. And it's I think it's
very stupid the way you're doing it. And

1133
01:36:43,600 --> 01:36:50,719
uh, and it shouldn't be done.
And uh,

1134
01:36:48,800 --> 01:36:57,520
Aaron Brockovich said she's coming to
Minnesota. She didn't start her website

1135
01:36:53,199 --> 01:37:01,920
until May. She's got 12,000 emails. so
far. And she said she reads every one

1136
01:37:00,159 --> 01:37:06,800
and then she gives them to her people
and she said she's coming to Minnesota.

1137
01:37:04,560 --> 01:37:11,440
And I hope uh she helps us out with
this.

1138
01:37:08,480 --> 01:37:16,719
Uh that's about all I got to say is
thanks

1139
01:37:13,440 --> 01:37:20,320
to uh people like Aaron Brochovich and
all these people you can look up with

1140
01:37:18,320 --> 01:37:26,159
all those videos
and and I've been watching this on the

1141
01:37:22,480 --> 01:37:31,119
news every night about today on the news
they had about the oh it be good for the

1142
01:37:28,880 --> 01:37:36,000
doctors you know well save the doctors
sometimes but they said they're losing

1143
01:37:33,119 --> 01:37:43,679
that doctor patient relationship that
they used to have because of this AI and

1144
01:37:40,719 --> 01:37:48,560
there's I every night I see something on
channel 8 or something about it. They

1145
01:37:46,560 --> 01:37:53,679
don't even know
what good these data centers are going

1146
01:37:51,920 --> 01:37:58,480
to do to the country and I think they're
going to destroy it and it's going to

1147
01:37:56,000 --> 01:38:03,600
destroy Hermit Down. Well, I want to say
thanks for letting me give me my peace

1148
01:38:01,679 --> 01:38:10,760
of mind.
>> Thank you. Next is Ashley Grim, followed

1149
01:38:07,040 --> 01:38:10,760
by Peter Haftton.

1150
01:38:12,639 --> 01:38:21,520
Name and hometown, please.
>> Hi everyone. I'm Ashley Grim. I live in

1151
01:38:19,199 --> 01:38:25,679
West Duth and I represent Western Duth
on the St. Louis County board. Um, I

1152
01:38:23,920 --> 01:38:30,480
want to talk about uh two different
things. One is there should be a lot

1153
01:38:28,159 --> 01:38:34,400
more questions asked about this bill of
goods that billionaire companies are

1154
01:38:32,320 --> 01:38:38,639
selling you and they're not giving you
all the information. I just heard

1155
01:38:36,080 --> 01:38:44,719
tonight about $2.5 million that we
should be excited about. But I was

1156
01:38:40,560 --> 01:38:50,080
shocked to see $70 million proposed as a
tax abatement for them. I was even more

1157
01:38:47,440 --> 01:38:56,639
shocked to see that it said in the draft
St. Louis County is anticipated to also

1158
01:38:53,600 --> 01:39:02,800
approve this. as I as a commissioner and
the board as a whole never discussed a

1159
01:38:59,679 --> 01:39:07,760
single thing about the data center, but
three St. Louis County commissioners had

1160
01:39:05,119 --> 01:39:12,880
signed non-disclosure agreements. That's
one of many issues that are happening,

1161
01:39:11,040 --> 01:39:17,440
including the infrastructure built out,
but no plan to pay in for that because

1162
01:39:15,199 --> 01:39:23,920
they're getting those tax abatements.
Lastly, I want to speak as an elected

1163
01:39:20,000 --> 01:39:29,199
official about the role of decorum and
all the talk about disrespect.

1164
01:39:26,639 --> 01:39:34,159
Oftentimes, it's targeted at the
audience and on our community members.

1165
01:39:31,840 --> 01:39:39,040
But I want to note a couple things. As
an elected official, I have personally

1166
01:39:36,480 --> 01:39:43,920
seen people cry because of their home
values being decimated, their lives

1167
01:39:41,440 --> 01:39:48,960
being destroyed. I have never rated
them. I have never said it's a four.

1168
01:39:46,639 --> 01:39:54,480
It's a three. I've never diminished
that. Those are people's lives and this

1169
01:39:50,960 --> 01:39:59,760
is our role. Um I've seen my fellow
commissioners sign NDAs. I've seen the

1170
01:39:57,040 --> 01:40:05,360
public deceived. Where is that in
decorum and disrespect? We have such an

1171
01:40:02,560 --> 01:40:11,199
obligation in this office. I also want
to say that changing the time of public

1172
01:40:08,000 --> 01:40:14,560
comment, you see me here with this kid,
our toddler,

1173
01:40:13,280 --> 01:40:20,719
right?
Changing the time of public comment to

1174
01:40:16,639 --> 01:40:26,560
have it be at the very end is also a
form of disrespect and it's a lack of

1175
01:40:23,199 --> 01:40:32,719
decorum on your part. It's just not the
kind that gets called out but it needs

1176
01:40:30,080 --> 01:40:37,520
to. And lastly, and there's much more to
say, we should all be in the same room.

1177
01:40:34,880 --> 01:40:43,679
St. Louis County commissioners meet in
over 30 different locations all over St.

1178
01:40:40,639 --> 01:40:48,880
Louis County. you know that this issue
is driving out a ton of people as it

1179
01:40:46,239 --> 01:40:54,480
should. You should have to face every
single one of them as these decisions

1180
01:40:51,679 --> 01:40:58,080
and hopefully asking more questions.
>> Thank you.

1181
01:40:56,000 --> 01:41:05,280
» Thank you.
Next is Peter Haftton

1182
01:41:00,880 --> 01:41:08,280
followed by Alicia Netta.
Peter

1183
01:41:14,560 --> 01:41:21,679
name and hometown, please.
>> Peter Haftton, Sole Township.

1184
01:41:20,000 --> 01:41:25,440
I first would like to say I agree with
Rick Davis about boycotting any

1185
01:41:23,600 --> 01:41:28,800
businesses that are in support of the
data center. I think that's a fantastic

1186
01:41:27,520 --> 01:41:33,600
idea and I think that would get a lot of
attention in the community.

1187
01:41:31,520 --> 01:41:36,639
As I was driving here, I thought about
many, many different topics that I

1188
01:41:35,280 --> 01:41:40,400
wanted to bring up, but I knew I had
three minutes, so I had to come up with

1189
01:41:38,000 --> 01:41:43,280
four bullet points. That make sense.
First, I'd like to say for everybody

1190
01:41:41,760 --> 01:41:48,080
who's sitting behind me, since I know I
cannot turn around with green hats,

1191
01:41:45,760 --> 01:41:53,280
these are our homes. This is our
property and this is our community. So,

1192
01:41:51,040 --> 01:41:59,199
I know many people drive in for these
city council meetings um with high hopes

1193
01:41:56,480 --> 01:42:05,119
of a big construction project, but this
would personally destroy my property, my

1194
01:42:02,239 --> 01:42:09,360
home that I'm raising three kids um and
pretty much change the way of life on my

1195
01:42:07,119 --> 01:42:12,719
road forever. It would force me to move
away, move away from Hermantown, from

1196
01:42:11,040 --> 01:42:16,639
the area. And I think that's not
considered when somebody stands up here

1197
01:42:14,080 --> 01:42:20,239
and says, "This is amazing economic
opportunities for the community." And

1198
01:42:18,480 --> 01:42:24,320
I'm thinking it's going to force me to
move away from my property and find a

1199
01:42:22,320 --> 01:42:29,119
new place to live. So that's something I
want to bring up. Second bullet point is

1200
01:42:27,679 --> 01:42:34,480
I don't think it should be lost that the
mayor said a 24,000 square foot

1201
01:42:32,320 --> 01:42:41,760
building. We don't need a building that
big. I think we all heard that the data

1202
01:42:37,840 --> 01:42:45,360
center is proposed to be 1.7 maybe 1.6
million square feet. So I think that's a

1203
01:42:44,239 --> 01:42:50,800
comment that we should just all
remember. maybe even make a sign.

1204
01:42:49,119 --> 01:42:57,119
Uh I also would like to talk about the
DNR AUR. Um I think the final AUR needs

1205
01:42:54,560 --> 01:43:01,760
to be rescended for three reasons.
First, uh due to omission of the DNR's

1206
01:42:59,360 --> 01:43:06,239
comments that were first provided by the
uh to the city of Hermantown. The DNR

1207
01:43:04,080 --> 01:43:11,600
provided their comments in April of the
draft for the AU again communicated in

1208
01:43:09,280 --> 01:43:16,960
July that the comments were still valid
and again sent to the city in August.

1209
01:43:14,239 --> 01:43:20,719
Exclusion of agency or public comments
violates Minnesota rules of the

1210
01:43:18,960 --> 01:43:27,119
environmental review process which
requires all comments to be included in

1211
01:43:22,880 --> 01:43:30,880
the AUA and responded to. I am hopeful
that that is going to now occur based on

1212
01:43:28,880 --> 01:43:35,280
the pre-agenda.
Second, the AUR also grossly

1213
01:43:33,199 --> 01:43:39,199
mischaracterizes the DNR's role in
having regulatory and permitting

1214
01:43:37,360 --> 01:43:44,159
authority over the project by including
a list of potential DNR permits. While

1215
01:43:41,840 --> 01:43:49,520
in the DNR's comments, it says that the
DNR confirms absolutely no DNR permits

1216
01:43:47,360 --> 01:43:54,159
will be required, which puts
>> 30 seconds

1217
01:43:50,320 --> 01:43:58,239
» all on an ES Eis and also on the city of
Hermantown to make the right choices.

1218
01:43:56,480 --> 01:44:01,760
Finally, in my 30 seconds, I would like
to just touch on the road construction

1219
01:43:59,920 --> 01:44:07,520
mentioned at the last city council
meeting by Google. um

1220
01:44:05,040 --> 01:44:11,280
the road modifications that are proposed
uh in order to attempt to manage the

1221
01:44:09,199 --> 01:44:16,320
thousands and thousands of trucks and
workers each day. A stop light, a turn

1222
01:44:14,239 --> 01:44:21,600
lane on Midway, Morris Thomas and
Highway 2, St. Louis River Road. Um if

1223
01:44:19,199 --> 01:44:25,840
that is it, that is going to cause major
traffic jams especially at the railroad

1224
01:44:23,360 --> 01:44:27,440
tracks that cross St. Louis River Road
and Midway.

1225
01:44:26,960 --> 01:44:32,840
» Thank you.
>> Thank you. Well,

1226
01:44:28,639 --> 01:44:32,840
» next is Alicia Nea.

1227
01:44:33,280 --> 01:44:39,719
And Alicia has another three minutes
from Cheryl Dannenbring.

1228
01:44:42,159 --> 01:44:51,920
» My name is Alicia Netta. I live in Duth.
I'm going to read um some of an article

1229
01:44:50,000 --> 01:44:56,719
called When the Decision is Too Big for
the City by Charles Marone. This was

1230
01:44:54,320 --> 01:45:02,000
from May of 2026 and I'll email it to
you guys tonight.

1231
01:45:00,080 --> 01:45:07,280
There are some decisions a city can make
and recover from. A bad zoning call, a

1232
01:45:04,880 --> 01:45:11,679
misjudged project, even a poorly timed
investment. These things can all be

1233
01:45:09,440 --> 01:45:15,600
corrected over time. And then there are
decisions that if they go wrong will

1234
01:45:13,520 --> 01:45:18,960
blow up a city's budget, will ruin it
for generations.

1235
01:45:17,520 --> 01:45:23,199
Those are the decisions we should be
most careful about. Those are the

1236
01:45:20,960 --> 01:45:27,840
decisions we should be asking not just
what should be done, but who should be

1237
01:45:25,119 --> 01:45:31,760
allowed to decide. And right now the the
city of Hermantown is considering one of

1238
01:45:30,000 --> 01:45:37,040
those decisions.
The proposal includes roughly $130

1239
01:45:34,320 --> 01:45:42,880
million in new infrastructure built by
Google and then turned over to the city.

1240
01:45:40,560 --> 01:45:48,080
Her Hermantown also offered to provide a
long-term tax abatement worth tens of

1241
01:45:44,800 --> 01:45:52,719
millions of dollars um under which the
city would collect about 15% of the

1242
01:45:50,480 --> 01:45:57,840
property taxes it would normally receive
with the rest returned to Google. This

1243
01:45:55,280 --> 01:46:03,119
agreement would last 28 years, which is
longer than Google has been a company.

1244
01:46:01,360 --> 01:46:06,480
One of the city officials described the
arrangement this way. We're paying them

1245
01:46:04,880 --> 01:46:11,520
back for the infrastructure they're
giving to us. And that framing is

1246
01:46:08,960 --> 01:46:16,320
revealing. What's being described is not
a typical development deal. It's

1247
01:46:14,000 --> 01:46:20,560
essentially long-term financing
arrangement, one that trades future

1248
01:46:18,239 --> 01:46:24,960
revenue for infrastructure delivered
today.

1249
01:46:22,639 --> 01:46:28,880
Since Hermantown's annual budget is just
over a million dollars, the

1250
01:46:27,280 --> 01:46:34,560
infrastructure proposed here would
require a level of operational capacity

1251
01:46:31,440 --> 01:46:37,760
far beyond what the city possesses.
The infrastructure built for this

1252
01:46:36,080 --> 01:46:42,400
project would not remain Google's
responsibility. It becomes Herman Towns.

1253
01:46:40,800 --> 01:46:46,400
A city that currently spends about a
million dollars a year maintaining its

1254
01:46:44,080 --> 01:46:50,320
entire public work system is being asked
to take on infrastructure that costs

1255
01:46:48,639 --> 01:46:56,400
more than a hundred times that amount to
build. not just to accept it but to

1256
01:46:52,880 --> 01:47:00,159
sustain it indefinitely.
The problem is not that cities are

1257
01:46:57,840 --> 01:47:03,679
making bad decisions. The problem is
that they're being asked to make

1258
01:47:01,360 --> 01:47:09,199
decisions far beyond their institutional
capacity to fully evaluate

1259
01:47:07,360 --> 01:47:13,920
uh and also that they're given strong
incentives to take on the risk.

1260
01:47:12,080 --> 01:47:18,000
Google negotiates projects like this
across the country. It brings in teams

1261
01:47:16,159 --> 01:47:22,719
of lawyers, engineers, financial
analysts to structure the arrangements.

1262
01:47:20,400 --> 01:47:26,880
It knows the payback windows, the return
on investment to make a project work,

1263
01:47:24,880 --> 01:47:31,920
and understands the long-term
implications of what's being built and

1264
01:47:28,880 --> 01:47:36,400
how its portion will be maintained.
Hermantown does not operate at this

1265
01:47:33,760 --> 01:47:41,440
scale. We do not have the depth of
specialized expertise. Hermantown is not

1266
01:47:39,280 --> 01:47:47,199
set up to model decades of maintenance
costs on a complex infrastructure system

1267
01:47:44,320 --> 01:47:52,719
tied up to a single user. We don't have
a way to evaluate the long-term

1268
01:47:49,119 --> 01:47:57,119
usefulness of a massive facility.
Um, especially one that's part of a such

1269
01:47:55,040 --> 01:48:02,480
a fastchanging
uh field such as tech.

1270
01:48:00,960 --> 01:48:06,239
Hermantown also doesn't have a clear
understanding of how much additional tax

1271
01:48:04,159 --> 01:48:09,520
base will be needed to meet the future
obligation of all this free

1272
01:48:07,920 --> 01:48:14,639
infrastructure
or whether that level of growth is even

1273
01:48:11,760 --> 01:48:18,320
plausible within a generation.
This is not a criticism of the people

1274
01:48:16,239 --> 01:48:23,119
involved. It's a recognition of the
limits of the institution.

1275
01:48:20,480 --> 01:48:26,880
One side is equipped to deal to fully
understand the deal and the other side

1276
01:48:24,719 --> 01:48:31,520
is not.
Cities should be able to make mistakes

1277
01:48:28,639 --> 01:48:35,119
and recover from them. What we cannot do
is give cities the ability to make

1278
01:48:33,280 --> 01:48:39,440
decisions that if they go wrong, they
cannot recover from them. taking on

1279
01:48:37,840 --> 01:48:44,800
obligations that are wildly
disproportionate to their capacity or

1280
01:48:42,239 --> 01:48:50,639
making long-term commitments that bind
future generations to liabilities they

1281
01:48:47,280 --> 01:48:54,000
may not be able to sustain.
Um, so that was just part of that was

1282
01:48:52,560 --> 01:48:58,719
part of the article I kind of summarized
to keep it within a reasonable amount of

1283
01:48:55,679 --> 01:49:03,600
time. Um, but I went to state fair last
week and I was talking to the DNR and

1284
01:49:01,440 --> 01:49:09,600
the Department of Agriculture about data
centers and thinking about how many

1285
01:49:06,080 --> 01:49:15,679
experts we have at the state level that
are commenting on this project in the

1286
01:49:11,840 --> 01:49:22,320
same way that I as a non-expert am also
commenting on it. And I it is it is wild

1287
01:49:19,040 --> 01:49:26,159
to me that the DNI the DNR and me are in
the same category with our comments.

1288
01:49:24,639 --> 01:49:31,440
maybe they're included, maybe they're
not. Um,

1289
01:49:28,639 --> 01:49:37,040
so it was it was really interesting to
talk to people, the experts at the state

1290
01:49:34,400 --> 01:49:42,000
level. And in my opinion, one of the
most substantial problems with this

1291
01:49:39,360 --> 01:49:47,360
current review process was the decision
to use an AUR, which substantially

1292
01:49:45,280 --> 01:49:52,800
limits the environmental review that's
necessary. And because of this decision,

1293
01:49:50,239 --> 01:49:56,800
the environmental review
is resting heavily on local authorities

1294
01:49:55,119 --> 01:50:01,119
instead of our experts at the state
level.

1295
01:49:58,880 --> 01:50:06,880
Like many others here, I'm in favor of
an environmental impact statement, an

1296
01:50:03,280 --> 01:50:12,560
EIS. Uh, and I just want to acknowledge
to those on the council that

1297
01:50:10,080 --> 01:50:17,600
if it feels like the decisions that are
being asked of you are way different

1298
01:50:15,600 --> 01:50:21,520
than anything you've ever been asked to
do before,

1299
01:50:19,360 --> 01:50:27,280
that's because
this is a crazy project for you to be

1300
01:50:23,679 --> 01:50:30,080
responsible for. Um, this is like it is
wild to me that you're responsible for

1301
01:50:28,639 --> 01:50:35,920
this. So, I just want to acknowledge if
it feels crazy, it is. It's crazy that

1302
01:50:33,199 --> 01:50:43,920
you that this is five people here that
are saying yes to this project. Um, and

1303
01:50:40,400 --> 01:50:51,119
I want to encourage you to share the
burden of that decision by

1304
01:50:49,040 --> 01:50:55,760
six minutes is up and I want to
encourage you to share the burden of

1305
01:50:53,119 --> 01:50:59,360
that decision with the DNR and with a
full environmental review. Don't let

1306
01:50:57,440 --> 01:51:03,960
this rest on your own shoulders. Thank
you. Next is Cindy Olsen.

1307
01:51:05,119 --> 01:51:14,600
Cindy has six minutes also.
>> Who's seated, Mr. Mayor?

1308
01:51:10,000 --> 01:51:14,600
» She has seated from Sasha Dana.

1309
01:51:15,280 --> 01:51:21,199
Name and hometown, please.
>> Good evening. My name is Cindy Olsen and

1310
01:51:18,639 --> 01:51:27,440
I live in Grand Link Township. City
Council, mayor, city staff, thank you

1311
01:51:24,000 --> 01:51:32,560
for your time tonight. On August 26th, I
sent an email to the mayor and the city

1312
01:51:29,280 --> 01:51:37,199
council titled, "Add a medium industrial
classification that would include hypers

1313
01:51:34,480 --> 01:51:40,719
scale data centers." This correspondence
was not listed in the list of

1314
01:51:38,880 --> 01:51:44,719
communications received in tonight's
fourth packet. Um, if you didn't get

1315
01:51:43,199 --> 01:51:47,520
that, it had an attachment. I don't know
if it got caught up in the filter, but

1316
01:51:46,159 --> 01:51:52,000
if you didn't get it, I can certainly
send that after tonight's meeting. But I

1317
01:51:49,920 --> 01:51:56,000
would like to verbally verbalize my
request and share the steps I have taken

1318
01:51:54,159 --> 01:52:00,320
to this end.
As everyone in this room knows, the

1319
01:51:57,920 --> 01:52:04,239
proposed Google hypers scale data center
project has emerged as one of the most

1320
01:52:02,239 --> 01:52:09,119
divisive issues in ter in Hermantown
history. The community is sharply

1321
01:52:06,719 --> 01:52:13,040
polarized, pitting advocates of economic
development against res residents who

1322
01:52:11,440 --> 01:52:18,320
fear the erosion of their rural
lifestyle and localized environmental

1323
01:52:15,760 --> 01:52:22,400
degradation.
One point of contention for those not in

1324
01:52:20,639 --> 01:52:26,960
support of the project is the city's
decision to bypass a formal

1325
01:52:24,000 --> 01:52:31,840
environmental impact statement. Google
and city officials maintain that an EIS

1326
01:52:29,360 --> 01:52:36,400
is not required because a facility has
been classified as light industrial in

1327
01:52:34,239 --> 01:52:39,760
zoning rules.
Applying a light industrial

1328
01:52:37,760 --> 01:52:45,360
classification to a hyperscale data
center is fundamentally flawed.

1329
01:52:43,199 --> 01:52:51,119
These massive facilities do not fit
neatly into the traditional definitions

1330
01:52:47,520 --> 01:52:56,800
of either light or heavy industrial.
A discrepancy that exists because modern

1331
01:52:53,920 --> 01:53:00,960
hypers scale data centers have
accelerated at a rate so fast that

1332
01:52:58,960 --> 01:53:05,119
regulations have not been able to keep
up.

1333
01:53:03,040 --> 01:53:10,159
According to standard municipal zoning
definitions, light industrial is

1334
01:53:07,440 --> 01:53:15,840
classified by low impact operations with
minimal noise, motor or vibrations.

1335
01:53:13,679 --> 01:53:20,480
These facilities typically feature a
small footprint, produce consumer goods

1336
01:53:18,639 --> 01:53:26,000
and maintain close proximity to
residential areas due to their minimal

1337
01:53:23,040 --> 01:53:30,320
community disruption.
Heavy industrial is characterized by

1338
01:53:27,840 --> 01:53:36,080
highintensity capital intense operations
that require massive acreage generate

1339
01:53:33,040 --> 01:53:40,000
high noise and environmental emissions.
They rely on heavy transportation

1340
01:53:37,840 --> 01:53:44,000
infrastructure like rail lines or deep
water ports.

1341
01:53:41,840 --> 01:53:48,560
The proposed data center fails to align
with either light industrial fails to

1342
01:53:46,719 --> 01:53:53,520
align with light industrial due to its
massive footprints, the immense utility

1343
01:53:51,040 --> 01:53:58,719
and water demands, continuous noise
output from cooling infrastructure, the

1344
01:53:56,080 --> 01:54:03,199
necessary sound barriers, extensive
security fencing, and a workforce

1345
01:54:00,960 --> 01:54:09,119
capacity of employees and contractors
that require 570 parking spaces.

1346
01:54:06,719 --> 01:54:13,360
Conversely, it does not fully meet he
heavy industrial criteria either. While

1347
01:54:11,599 --> 01:54:18,159
it requires massive buildings and
acreage, it has not been reported to

1348
01:54:15,760 --> 01:54:23,599
generate emissions or order odor and
does not rely on heavy freight

1349
01:54:19,679 --> 01:54:27,599
transportation or deep water ports.
To resolve this regulatory gap, I

1350
01:54:25,840 --> 01:54:31,840
propose that the city of Hermantown
introduce an im an intermediate zoning

1351
01:54:29,840 --> 01:54:35,040
category. You can call it midpoint
industrial or medium industrial or

1352
01:54:33,440 --> 01:54:39,520
Hermantown industrial, whatever you want
to call it. This classification would be

1353
01:54:37,520 --> 01:54:44,400
specially ta t tailored for modern
infrastructure that commands vast

1354
01:54:41,840 --> 01:54:49,280
parcels of land, generate high traffic
volumes, require structural sound

1355
01:54:46,880 --> 01:54:56,000
mitigation, and place unprecedented
demands on water and the electric grid.

1356
01:54:53,679 --> 01:55:00,000
Municipalities across the country are
actively rewriting their zoning codes to

1357
01:54:58,159 --> 01:55:03,920
address this unique footprint of data
centers. In Monomony, Wisconsin, an

1358
01:55:02,400 --> 01:55:08,239
ordinance was passed to remove data
centers from standard warehousing

1359
01:55:05,520 --> 01:55:12,719
definitions, creating a dedicated I-4
data center industrial district to

1360
01:55:09,920 --> 01:55:17,679
ensure strict municipal oversight. In
Wasau, Wisconsin restricted data centers

1361
01:55:15,679 --> 01:55:23,040
to a newly amended medium industrial
tier, implementing a mandatory 200 foot

1362
01:55:20,480 --> 01:55:27,920
residential buffer zone to mitigate
cooling infrastructure noise. In

1363
01:55:25,440 --> 01:55:31,599
Monaceel, Minnesota, they shifted data
centers into a general industrial

1364
01:55:29,520 --> 01:55:36,480
classification to better manage off-site
infrastructure strains and isolate them

1365
01:55:33,920 --> 01:55:41,199
from low impact business parks. In
Allentown, Pennsylvania, they face

1366
01:55:38,639 --> 01:55:45,520
intense public push back when attempting
to downclassify a hypers scale project

1367
01:55:43,599 --> 01:55:50,400
into general commercial zones,
highlighting the risk of miscalculating

1368
01:55:47,840 --> 01:55:54,000
miscalculating miscal, excuse me,
misclassifying these intensive

1369
01:55:52,239 --> 01:55:58,880
facilities.
Adopting a medium or midpoint midpoint

1370
01:55:56,880 --> 01:56:03,679
industrial classification is the most
reasonable path forward for Hermantown.

1371
01:56:02,239 --> 01:56:09,119
It would formalize regulations
surrounding data center utility

1372
01:56:06,400 --> 01:56:13,520
consumption, spatial footprints, and
acoustic impacts. Most importantly,

1373
01:56:11,920 --> 01:56:19,119
acknowledging the intensity of this
mid-tier classification would require

1374
01:56:16,239 --> 01:56:23,599
more study than an AUR and would likely
trigger trigger a mandatory EIS

1375
01:56:21,760 --> 01:56:29,440
providing the rigorous environmental
transparity transparity transparency and

1376
01:56:26,960 --> 01:56:34,719
oversight that Herman residents are
asking for. I sent this request to the

1377
01:56:32,480 --> 01:56:39,360
environmental quality board and they are
including they included it in their

1378
01:56:37,040 --> 01:56:43,599
environmental review implementation
subcommittee packet for the meeting next

1379
01:56:41,599 --> 01:56:48,159
week. I plan on intending that meeting
to provide public comment. They

1380
01:56:46,159 --> 01:56:52,880
contacted me and suggested that I also
send the same thing to state

1381
01:56:50,000 --> 01:56:57,840
legislators, city councilors, county
commissioners.

1382
01:56:54,719 --> 01:57:02,320
Um and I have done that. I am asking you
to consider adding a midpoint industrial

1383
01:57:00,080 --> 01:57:06,239
classification that would include hypers
scale data centers. This would be a much

1384
01:57:04,639 --> 01:57:12,480
more appropriate classification than
light or heavy industrial. Thank you.

1385
01:57:09,119 --> 01:57:16,280
» Thank you. Next is Joanne Bates followed
by Nicholas Leech.

1386
01:57:24,960 --> 01:57:35,280
Mayor, city council, and city staff,
we get the feeling that you think we are

1387
01:57:33,440 --> 01:57:40,000
overreacting.
We are not overreacting.

1388
01:57:37,760 --> 01:57:44,400
We get the feeling that you think we're
anti-progress.

1389
01:57:41,760 --> 01:57:49,679
We are not anti-progress.
We however are anti-corruption,

1390
01:57:48,080 --> 01:57:54,800
anti-secre.
We are against a sacrifice zone. We are

1391
01:57:52,560 --> 01:58:00,000
against being told that billionaire tech
brothers deserve more protection than

1392
01:57:57,520 --> 01:58:04,800
the people who drink the water, breathe
the air, pay the t taxes, and live with

1393
01:58:02,880 --> 01:58:10,400
the consequences.
We are fed up. We are here because our

1394
01:58:08,080 --> 01:58:19,119
rural community in Hermantown has been
targeted. Not consulted, not respected,

1395
01:58:14,639 --> 01:58:24,960
not protected, not included, targeted.
We were caught completely offguard by

1396
01:58:21,520 --> 01:58:30,960
the people we elected and trusted to be
transparent. We were dei dismissed when

1397
01:58:28,080 --> 01:58:35,599
we started asking questions. We were
going about our life, working, raising

1398
01:58:33,440 --> 01:58:41,760
our children, gardening, enjoying our
rural way of life. We were paying bills,

1399
01:58:39,360 --> 01:58:47,280
caring for aging parents, and just
trying to survive. We were kept in the

1400
01:58:44,800 --> 01:58:52,000
dark until Hermantown city staff, the
Hermantown mayor, and the Hermantown

1401
01:58:49,360 --> 01:58:56,000
city council told us Google was moving
in.

1402
01:58:54,000 --> 01:59:01,679
And in fact, you didn't tell us first.
We figured it out through the news.

1403
01:58:59,360 --> 01:59:07,040
You went to work pushing a project for
the second largest company in the world.

1404
01:59:04,159 --> 01:59:12,159
A project so controversial it was given
a secret name.

1405
01:59:10,320 --> 01:59:18,000
Deals were made, promises were
whispered, decisions were made without

1406
01:59:14,480 --> 01:59:22,080
seeking answers from independent
experts.

1407
01:59:19,679 --> 01:59:26,960
Due diligence was tossed aside so the
project could be rushed and started

1408
01:59:23,920 --> 01:59:33,119
before anyone could stop it. That's not
democracy. That's betrayal. We are being

1409
01:59:30,639 --> 01:59:40,159
told that they are the engine that will
power big tech AI of the future. They

1410
01:59:36,400 --> 01:59:45,440
aren't here to innovate. They are here
to extract. They want our land. They

1411
01:59:43,360 --> 01:59:52,400
want our water. They want our
electricity. They want us out of the

1412
01:59:48,400 --> 01:59:58,159
way. Who pays the price? Rural residents
of Hermantown. The people whose jobs

1413
01:59:55,360 --> 02:00:03,119
will be replaced by AI. the people who
will live through 10 years of

1414
01:59:59,760 --> 02:00:08,639
constructions, seven days a week, 12 to
14 hours a day. We will pay the price

1415
02:00:06,800 --> 02:00:12,639
while they run over our elected
officials

1416
02:00:10,639 --> 02:00:17,199
with the arrogance of a business that
holds the spot of the second largest

1417
02:00:14,880 --> 02:00:22,639
business of the world. They feel they
are above the rules, above regulations,

1418
02:00:19,599 --> 02:00:27,840
above transparency, and above ethical
behavior. Google assumed we would not we

1419
02:00:25,840 --> 02:00:34,159
would get frustrated that we would get
confused and we would get tired and give

1420
02:00:30,239 --> 02:00:39,040
up. Does it look like we're giving up?
But we are tired of half-truths and

1421
02:00:36,480 --> 02:00:45,840
lies. We are tired of covered up covers
up. We are tired of disrespect by the

1422
02:00:42,320 --> 02:00:51,840
Hermantown city staff. We are tired of
paying 100% of our property tax and

1423
02:00:49,199 --> 02:00:58,080
sales tax only to see that the state of
Minnesota and the city of Hermantown are

1424
02:00:54,800 --> 02:01:03,760
giving Google a free ride. Google has
not been transparent about impacts. They

1425
02:01:00,880 --> 02:01:08,480
are rushing the progress process. They
are courting politicians and dividing

1426
02:01:06,080 --> 02:01:14,239
communities. They promise jobs but
downpay pollution. Both Google and the

1427
02:01:11,360 --> 02:01:19,040
cities have dismissed our concerns. We
are being told it's a done deal.

1428
02:01:16,960 --> 02:01:24,800
» We are expected to be grateful for what
Google will leave behind. Their goal is

1429
02:01:21,599 --> 02:01:30,400
to divide us. Those who want jobs versus
those who want our communities

1430
02:01:26,400 --> 02:01:36,239
environment left whole. But what binds
us together is much more than that. We

1431
02:01:33,679 --> 02:01:42,239
all want clean water. We all want a
backyard we can enjoy.

1432
02:01:39,679 --> 02:01:47,360
Did I go over time? did, but uh there
was someone Karen Howard wanted to seed

1433
02:01:45,280 --> 02:01:51,360
to somebody that needed it. So, we're
giving you her three minutes.

1434
02:01:49,119 --> 02:01:53,040
» Okay.
>> Sorry about that.

1435
02:01:52,400 --> 02:01:58,880
» That's okay.
>> Um we want affordable, available, clean

1436
02:01:56,960 --> 02:02:03,520
electric service. We all want
regulations that keep up with the rate

1437
02:02:00,800 --> 02:02:11,440
of progress. We want transparency from
our elected officials. We want to be put

1438
02:02:07,599 --> 02:02:16,400
before the corporations. We all want
careful planning without the possibility

1439
02:02:13,760 --> 02:02:22,320
of regrets. The future we are fighting
for belongs to the people who live here.

1440
02:02:19,199 --> 02:02:28,400
We want to make this clear. We are not
here to make nice. We are not here to

1441
02:02:24,960 --> 02:02:34,719
beg. We are not here to plead for scraps
of protections after the deal has

1442
02:02:31,280 --> 02:02:39,360
already been made. We are here to demand
what should have already been done. a

1443
02:02:37,119 --> 02:02:44,400
moratorum on hypers scale data and
centers until such a time that the

1444
02:02:42,159 --> 02:02:49,679
regulations catch up with the
technology. Until such regulations can

1445
02:02:47,679 --> 02:02:56,080
catch up to the impact of these
hyperscaled data centers

1446
02:02:53,360 --> 02:03:00,880
have on our environment and our economy.
Until we are certain AI will not

1447
02:02:58,239 --> 02:03:06,239
eliminate more jobs than they promise,
we are not for sale. Our future is not

1448
02:03:03,599 --> 02:03:11,520
for sale. Our natural resources are not
for sale. Fancy mailers to residents

1449
02:03:09,119 --> 02:03:16,960
outside Hermantown won't soften our
resolve. We are asking the city council

1450
02:03:14,320 --> 02:03:23,040
to put this data center development on
hold until such a time as regulations

1451
02:03:20,159 --> 02:03:29,119
match temp technology.
Thank you for listening.

1452
02:03:24,320 --> 02:03:36,880
» Thank you. Next is J. Please.
Next is Nicholas Leachch followed by

1453
02:03:32,320 --> 02:03:44,679
Judy Mayor Mayor M.
Nicholas Leachch.

1454
02:03:39,679 --> 02:03:44,679
He's not here. Okay. Julie

1455
02:03:45,440 --> 02:03:56,520
name and hometown please. And after
Julie is Irene and I think it's

1456
02:03:52,639 --> 02:03:56,520
Opus. Uh

1457
02:03:56,800 --> 02:04:03,199
go ahead. Uh, Julie Mau, Duth. Uh, I'm
speaking against this data center as a

1458
02:04:02,159 --> 02:04:06,880
concerned citizen.
>> Julie, hold it a second. Is that

1459
02:04:04,960 --> 02:04:11,119
microphone turned on?
>> It's green.

1460
02:04:07,840 --> 02:04:15,360
» Try turn it on and off again. See if it
We're having some technology issues this

1461
02:04:13,360 --> 02:04:18,000
evening.
>> Testing

1462
02:04:16,159 --> 02:04:21,599
» better. Much better.
>> Awesome. Um, yeah. Did you do you need

1463
02:04:20,320 --> 02:04:25,520
me to say my name again?
>> No, we're we're good.

1464
02:04:23,520 --> 02:04:29,199
Uh I'm speaking against this data center
as a concerned citizen and as a

1465
02:04:27,599 --> 02:04:34,080
professional ecologist uh who
specializes in water quality and

1466
02:04:30,719 --> 02:04:37,599
utrification issues. Um first of all,
the council claimed that the DNR sent

1467
02:04:36,000 --> 02:04:40,880
comments back during the objection
period yet. That wasn't quite an

1468
02:04:39,520 --> 02:04:45,760
objection to the project. I heard you
kind of use that weird phrasing during

1469
02:04:42,400 --> 02:04:49,840
the premeating or pre-aggenda. Um that
but then yet said the DNR had comments

1470
02:04:47,920 --> 02:04:54,880
and revisions. Um and I thought that was
some confusing wording. Later on, people

1471
02:04:51,920 --> 02:04:58,320
who commented had, you know, said that,
yeah, the DNR is not a regulatory

1472
02:04:56,639 --> 02:05:01,440
agency. It didn't necessarily have the
ability to object, yet it had

1473
02:05:00,000 --> 02:05:07,199
substantial comments. So, I think the
way you're kind of framing that again is

1474
02:05:04,480 --> 02:05:12,239
not very clear. Um, the DNR ecological
and water resources division director

1475
02:05:08,800 --> 02:05:16,639
Melissa Kuski Kuski I believe noted that
there are severe information gaps and an

1476
02:05:14,320 --> 02:05:21,040
incomplete alternative analysis, lack of
defined mitigation strategies and

1477
02:05:18,400 --> 02:05:25,040
inaccurate descriptions of agency roles
and all of this should be addressed in

1478
02:05:22,639 --> 02:05:28,320
the revised AUA to demonstrate the
significant environmental impacts that

1479
02:05:26,480 --> 02:05:32,639
will be adequately identified or
mitigated. Um, and one major concern

1480
02:05:30,880 --> 02:05:35,920
that they raised again that someone else
had said earlier was that baseline

1481
02:05:34,400 --> 02:05:39,599
groundwater data was taken during a
drought year. And I don't know if you

1482
02:05:38,239 --> 02:05:43,599
realize that we are currently in another
drought year. Um, water levels in our

1483
02:05:41,760 --> 02:05:48,080
streams and Lake Superior are at record
lows. My monitoring team is seeing algo

1484
02:05:46,239 --> 02:05:53,040
blooms crop up at increasing severity
and frequency as we faced our hottest

1485
02:05:50,400 --> 02:05:57,280
summer on record. So the reality is that
climate change is rapidly shifting and

1486
02:05:55,520 --> 02:06:01,119
the baselines are shifting. So, how can
we accurately define a baseline,

1487
02:05:59,360 --> 02:06:05,440
especially when this project is moving
so quickly and our conditions are

1488
02:06:02,800 --> 02:06:09,760
changing? I want you to really connect
the dots. I'm asking you to truly think

1489
02:06:08,080 --> 02:06:13,840
about the future of this place that we
call home and think critically about how

1490
02:06:11,679 --> 02:06:17,520
this data center will make life worse
for your children and your grandchildren

1491
02:06:15,599 --> 02:06:22,080
and all of our relatives and the context
of how this region is changing now and

1492
02:06:19,440 --> 02:06:26,239
in the future. And if we're looking at
the an economic angle, it still doesn't

1493
02:06:24,239 --> 02:06:29,520
make sense. According to the Bureau of
Labor and Statistics in the Manhattan

1494
02:06:28,000 --> 02:06:34,719
Institute, the estimated capital
investment to create one permanent data

1495
02:06:31,360 --> 02:06:38,079
center job is $54 million versus other
job sectors spending an average of

1496
02:06:36,560 --> 02:06:42,639
$300,000
on creating one permanent job. Not to

1497
02:06:41,040 --> 02:06:46,000
mention, data centers like this one are
getting rid of most jobs, slowing job

1498
02:06:44,719 --> 02:06:50,560
creation outside of the temporary
construction jobs that they'll create in

1499
02:06:47,360 --> 02:06:53,679
the short term. Many many data center
proponents talk about a need for

1500
02:06:52,079 --> 02:06:57,760
continued economic growth in this
region. But in reality, we do not need

1501
02:06:56,000 --> 02:07:01,760
continued development of an industrial
scale to be prosperous. We need our

1502
02:06:59,760 --> 02:07:05,599
farms intact. We need our ecosystems and
we need our wild rice. As someone who is

1503
02:07:04,000 --> 02:07:09,920
involved in the delisting of the area of
concern in the St. Louis River, I know

1504
02:07:07,280 --> 02:07:13,920
that legacy industry leave scars and
rippling impacts on the environment and

1505
02:07:11,760 --> 02:07:17,599
human health. We are just now finally
seeing sturgeon return and wild rice

1506
02:07:15,679 --> 02:07:20,960
return to our waters. the tangible
things that really matter. But all of

1507
02:07:19,280 --> 02:07:24,639
this recovery and money poured into
restoration will go out the window if

1508
02:07:22,880 --> 02:07:27,840
this data center and the proposed copper
nickel sulfide mines in this region are

1509
02:07:26,320 --> 02:07:30,960
built.
We the people are fighting hard to

1510
02:07:29,440 --> 02:07:34,239
protect our lands and waters which are
the real things that will sustain us

1511
02:07:32,320 --> 02:07:36,719
into a very uncertain future.
>> Thank you.

1512
02:07:34,800 --> 02:07:44,800
» Thank you.
>> I believe it looks like Irene something.

1513
02:07:40,079 --> 02:07:44,800
I can't read the uh last name.

1514
02:07:46,400 --> 02:07:54,000
And after her is Courtney
Grineer.

1515
02:07:52,239 --> 02:07:56,960
» Hi. Name and address or name and
hometown, please.

1516
02:07:55,360 --> 02:08:00,159
» It's Irene Aan.
>> Okay.

1517
02:07:57,280 --> 02:08:02,800
» And I'm from Hermittown.
>> It's It looks better than if I would

1518
02:08:01,920 --> 02:08:05,840
have read it.
>> Yeah. My husband's bowling ballot.

1519
02:08:04,960 --> 02:08:13,599
» Thank you.
>> Uh buddies call him something else.

1520
02:08:08,800 --> 02:08:18,400
Um, so I had a two quick things here.
Uh, and I was looking at the Braun. Is

1521
02:08:15,760 --> 02:08:21,679
the guy still here for Braun?
>> He's not.

1522
02:08:19,360 --> 02:08:28,079
» Well, I was looking at their website and
there is no indication that they have

1523
02:08:24,239 --> 02:08:32,719
done any negotiations with the tribes.
They do cultural

1524
02:08:30,480 --> 02:08:39,199
surveys, but there's nothing about
negotiations with the tribes. And I find

1525
02:08:36,000 --> 02:08:47,679
that interesting.
um why you pick them.

1526
02:08:42,639 --> 02:08:53,040
And the other thing is just historically
we've been in this spot before if you

1527
02:08:50,239 --> 02:08:58,239
remember well you I don't remember but
they tell me US Steel came to Duth in

1528
02:08:56,239 --> 02:09:04,000
about 1915
and I'm sure they had a great plan for

1529
02:09:00,719 --> 02:09:11,840
Duth and they did. They built Gary and
they built the big mill and it was

1530
02:09:06,880 --> 02:09:18,079
booming at the time. It was and I'm sure
the duth city council thought it was a

1531
02:09:15,280 --> 02:09:25,360
great idea, but they didn't stick
around. And what do we got now? You

1532
02:09:21,840 --> 02:09:31,840
know, it cost $165 million
to start cleaning up

1533
02:09:28,159 --> 02:09:36,880
the site. It's still there.
What's going to happen with Google?

1534
02:09:34,079 --> 02:09:44,639
What's, you know, they're offering us
this big lots of money, but what happens

1535
02:09:40,320 --> 02:09:49,920
when they're done and they go away?
We're still not done cleaning up US

1536
02:09:46,719 --> 02:09:58,280
Steel. So, that's what I got to say.
>> Thank you. Next is Judy or Courtney

1537
02:09:54,000 --> 02:09:58,280
Grineer and then Judy Granol.

1538
02:10:00,159 --> 02:10:05,840
Hi.
>> Name and hometown, please.

1539
02:10:04,239 --> 02:10:11,119
» This is going to be funny. Um, my name
is Courtney Grryer and I own a childcare

1540
02:10:08,400 --> 02:10:15,440
center in Esco and live in Carlton. My
childcare center serves nearly 80

1541
02:10:13,040 --> 02:10:19,840
children daily and serves families
across the community. Every single one

1542
02:10:17,679 --> 02:10:24,480
of those 80 children that attends my
center relies on water from our well

1543
02:10:21,920 --> 02:10:29,679
along the Midway River. And we are not
within that halfmile comment mentioned

1544
02:10:26,480 --> 02:10:35,119
earlier. My family drinks that water and
so many community children fish that

1545
02:10:32,079 --> 02:10:39,280
river. City boundaries may determine who
gets to vote, but those boundaries

1546
02:10:37,280 --> 02:10:43,040
cannot contain the consequences of
negative effects.

1547
02:10:41,119 --> 02:10:48,000
So, I must ask, who's receiving the
lasting benefits and who's being asked

1548
02:10:44,960 --> 02:10:52,560
to carry the lasting risk? I don't know
who told you that your choice was one or

1549
02:10:50,079 --> 02:10:57,360
the other, but you do not have to choose
between economic growth and protecting

1550
02:10:54,800 --> 02:11:01,199
our environmental resources. We can
create lasting economic value through

1551
02:10:59,840 --> 02:11:05,920
development that strengthens our
communities without asking residents to

1552
02:11:03,199 --> 02:11:10,960
gamble their water and watershed. Real
economic development should leave a

1553
02:11:07,760 --> 02:11:15,840
community stronger. If a project asks
our children to inherit the risks, while

1554
02:11:13,520 --> 02:11:20,880
a corporation takes the reward, that's
not progress. Counselors, choose an

1555
02:11:18,800 --> 02:11:25,840
economic future that does not ask our
community and our children to suffer at

1556
02:11:23,840 --> 02:11:32,079
your hands in the name of power and
profit. Thank you.

1557
02:11:27,920 --> 02:11:36,679
» Thank you, Judy. Grandma,
and after Judy is Derek Strum.

1558
02:11:43,280 --> 02:11:51,480
Judy, name and hometown, please. Judy
Grenell, Forest Thomas Road, Hermantown,

1559
02:11:51,520 --> 02:12:00,960
and I thank you for allowing me to
speak. Um, the Hermantown motto is the

1560
02:11:57,840 --> 02:12:07,920
city of quality living, and I'm proud to
be a resident. My concern regarding the

1561
02:12:04,960 --> 02:12:12,639
center is multiffold, as well as this
recent propaganda that goes to everybody

1562
02:12:11,119 --> 02:12:17,840
thinking it's going to be a wonderful
thing.

1563
02:12:14,480 --> 02:12:26,079
The impact on local, excuse me, local
roads like Maple Grove, Highway 2,

1564
02:12:21,280 --> 02:12:32,000
Midway, Arrowhead will be damaging.
I understand that Duth is going to

1565
02:12:28,239 --> 02:12:37,840
provide the water and sewer lines.
And where will those be located?

1566
02:12:35,040 --> 02:12:42,239
I'm suspicious it's Morris Thomas Road,
which also crosses over the Midway

1567
02:12:40,000 --> 02:12:46,239
River, which is a designated trout
stream.

1568
02:12:43,760 --> 02:12:53,920
brown trout stream.
Um the envir the environmental impact is

1569
02:12:49,840 --> 02:12:58,719
devastating to wildlife, wetlands, wells
and rivers.

1570
02:12:56,480 --> 02:13:03,199
The wells is a big one that I am really
concerned about because I have a well

1571
02:13:00,639 --> 02:13:08,639
and my son has a well and the Midway
River goes right through my property

1572
02:13:05,440 --> 02:13:13,840
diagonally all the way through.
UMD has proof of the negative health

1573
02:13:11,360 --> 02:13:21,040
impact on humans which I think some of
you have heard about but we should ask

1574
02:13:17,280 --> 02:13:25,440
the um people from UMD to give us um
impact on

1575
02:13:23,119 --> 02:13:32,400
um the h the health whether it's
emotional health phys physiolog

1576
02:13:28,000 --> 02:13:37,760
physiological health on um on people
taxes. Well, it sounds like they're

1577
02:13:35,440 --> 02:13:43,840
going to be play paying all these taxes.
Well, my property taxes increased this

1578
02:13:40,719 --> 02:13:49,599
year $1,000.
$1,000. And I had no improvements at all

1579
02:13:46,639 --> 02:13:56,800
to my house or to my property. But
what's that going to do in the future?

1580
02:13:53,760 --> 02:14:01,760
I wish that the citizens of Herman could
vote on this issue, but instead they're

1581
02:13:59,360 --> 02:14:07,119
leaving that the solely decision is to
you, the city council, and I hope you're

1582
02:14:04,400 --> 02:14:11,440
able to make a good decision on it. I
did send a letter to you in April with

1583
02:14:09,280 --> 02:14:17,360
my concerns, but that was a long time
ago and I but I feel it's important for

1584
02:14:14,560 --> 02:14:22,079
me to speak in person. This is not a
comfortable position to be in, but I am

1585
02:14:20,159 --> 02:14:24,480
concerned that the quality of living
>> 30 seconds

1586
02:14:22,960 --> 02:14:29,520
» is
in question in Hermantown and I love

1587
02:14:26,960 --> 02:14:36,440
Hermantown. So, thank you very much.
>> Thank you. Next is Derek Strum followed

1588
02:14:32,719 --> 02:14:36,440
by Joyce Hoyam.

1589
02:14:38,159 --> 02:14:41,159
Who?

1590
02:14:42,480 --> 02:14:45,480
Okay.

1591
02:14:52,079 --> 02:14:58,320
Derek Strom, Hermantown.
There's a massive misconception that we

1592
02:14:56,719 --> 02:15:02,000
that we need data centers for our
everyday life. The biggest argument is

1593
02:15:00,400 --> 02:15:05,840
that if you use your phone or computer
that you have zero rights to complain.

1594
02:15:04,320 --> 02:15:10,960
Currently in the United States, there
are 4,800 data centers built, 89 being

1595
02:15:08,880 --> 02:15:15,440
built, and another 39 projected to be
built. One data center in alone in Utah

1596
02:15:13,599 --> 02:15:19,440
has enough storage capacity for every
person's social media accounts, text

1597
02:15:17,199 --> 02:15:24,239
messages, and emails in this country for
the next 500 years, if you choose to

1598
02:15:21,679 --> 02:15:28,320
believe their own statistics. The next
argument is the AI race with China. What

1599
02:15:26,639 --> 02:15:32,560
people don't understand is the dangers
of AI and the invasions of our

1600
02:15:30,079 --> 02:15:36,639
privacies. For instance, Zoom AI will
soon be transcribing all videos and

1601
02:15:34,480 --> 02:15:40,320
conversations and storing them. Flack
cameras everywhere, monitoring every

1602
02:15:38,480 --> 02:15:43,280
movement. They will say, "If you're
doing nothing wrong, there's no fear of

1603
02:15:41,840 --> 02:15:47,440
cameras until they change what the
definition of wrong is." All of this

1604
02:15:45,679 --> 02:15:51,840
violates our Fourth Amendment rights.
They are taking away our sovereignty

1605
02:15:49,119 --> 02:15:56,159
from our communities. Data centers are
getting water permits for water usage

1606
02:15:53,840 --> 02:16:00,000
before residents and ranchers. Smart
water meters are being installed to

1607
02:15:58,000 --> 02:16:04,239
where if you use too much water, it will
send out messages of your water use and

1608
02:16:02,480 --> 02:16:08,400
if you continue to use that water, they
will restrict your usage. These centers

1609
02:16:06,480 --> 02:16:13,040
are being labeled as self-contained and
that is also misinformation. Energy

1610
02:16:11,360 --> 02:16:18,719
costs will rise due to the spillover
effect. This effect is what future costs

1611
02:16:15,599 --> 02:16:22,880
will be. Black Rockck's own CEO, Larry
Flink, has even stated that communities

1612
02:16:20,960 --> 02:16:26,400
will need to pay for these centers. Look
at your electric bill. They are slowly

1613
02:16:24,719 --> 02:16:31,920
rising the cost to get you used to the
higher prices. Mine just went up 20%

1614
02:16:29,119 --> 02:16:36,479
this month. There's supposed to be a cap
on these rising prices, but to this day

1615
02:16:34,080 --> 02:16:40,080
there isn't any enforcement being done.
Financial institutions are now giving

1616
02:16:38,559 --> 02:16:44,479
out credit loans to the build these
centers without any promise of future

1617
02:16:41,920 --> 02:16:48,960
profits. Everything is speculation. If
they fail, communities will eat the cost

1618
02:16:47,200 --> 02:16:52,960
because or will the companies receive
bailouts. Now, there are a lot of people

1619
02:16:51,200 --> 02:16:57,359
that want to talk about jobs they bring.
Let me ask these people, will this one

1620
02:16:55,359 --> 02:17:01,599
job secure your retirement when the job
is done along with paying with your

1621
02:16:58,880 --> 02:17:05,439
kids' college education? Because once AI
takes over, your kids won't have the

1622
02:17:03,359 --> 02:17:10,080
basic jobs to put them through college.
No beginning starter jobs to teach them

1623
02:17:07,439 --> 02:17:14,800
work ethic. Even as we speak, Taco Bell
has kiosk inside their building. Right

1624
02:17:12,719 --> 02:17:18,719
now, these basic starter jobs are there
because it's cheaper to employ people

1625
02:17:16,399 --> 02:17:22,479
instead of machines. Once this cost is
lowered, millions of people will be out

1626
02:17:20,399 --> 02:17:26,080
of work. It's like DVD players. When
they first came out, they are hundreds

1627
02:17:23,840 --> 02:17:31,280
of dollars. Now you use them to smash a
bug. Now we have the political aspect

1628
02:17:28,880 --> 02:17:35,920
from top to bottom. I was a three-time
Trump supporter, but he has let me down.

1629
02:17:33,760 --> 02:17:40,319
His administration has implemented
executive orders to push these centers.

1630
02:17:38,160 --> 02:17:45,040
The first executive order, unlike
everybody else, these centers do not

1631
02:17:42,559 --> 02:17:50,000
need EPA approval to build. Second,
Trump has an executive order for the

1632
02:17:46,800 --> 02:17:54,960
DOJ. They have a litigation team to sue
communities who oppose these centers.

1633
02:17:52,080 --> 02:17:59,439
Lastly, he's forcing communities to give
subsidies to these corporations who

1634
02:17:56,800 --> 02:18:03,519
choose to build. This is unacceptable.
Our community should not be forced to

1635
02:18:01,519 --> 02:18:07,920
give a trillion dollar company subsidies
for their own profit when the community

1636
02:18:05,599 --> 02:18:12,240
doesn't want it. What our political
leaders forget is that we, the people,

1637
02:18:10,160 --> 02:18:16,399
are in charge, not themselves.
Congressman Pete Stabber is a coward. No

1638
02:18:14,719 --> 02:18:21,200
matter how many times I've been to his
office, emailed him, or been on a town

1639
02:18:18,960 --> 02:18:26,880
hall phone conference, he refuses to
acknowledge my concerns. State Senator

1640
02:18:24,160 --> 02:18:31,200
Jen Mchuan is another. I've emailed her,
messaged her trying to get her support

1641
02:18:28,639 --> 02:18:35,280
in what I put forth. Both stand on the
stage and will say whatever they want to

1642
02:18:32,960 --> 02:18:40,319
hear to help, but then it's comes to
complete silence. We need actual leaders

1643
02:18:38,080 --> 02:18:44,559
who are not afraid to stand against
opposition. This isn't a Democrat or

1644
02:18:42,960 --> 02:18:49,439
Republican thing. It's a community
thing. As long as it stands right now,

1645
02:18:46,800 --> 02:18:54,800
we need to take a stand like a formers
80s movie Brewster's Millions. We need

1646
02:18:51,679 --> 02:18:58,880
to vote none of the above. Get these
lifetime politicians out of office,

1647
02:18:56,880 --> 02:19:03,519
fresh new leaders who will do what they
say and mean what they say instead of

1648
02:19:00,960 --> 02:19:07,599
feeding us lies for votes. Have a
respectable record and stand up for your

1649
02:19:05,599 --> 02:19:12,080
community's beliefs. Now, for
Hermantown, these leaders do not know

1650
02:19:09,840 --> 02:19:16,639
what leading is. Leaders are transparent
and don't hide the factors and effects

1651
02:19:14,719 --> 02:19:21,280
everyone in the communities by signing
NDAs. When Google came to Hermantown to

1652
02:19:19,359 --> 02:19:26,000
build this hypers scale data center, it
should have been voted on by the people.

1653
02:19:23,359 --> 02:19:30,319
But they are supposed to represent us
and our biddings. Period. That's it.

1654
02:19:28,559 --> 02:19:34,719
Now, to protect our community, I
proposed a resolution to secure

1655
02:19:32,479 --> 02:19:38,559
financial means and our health. My
resolution stated that we were to be

1656
02:19:36,559 --> 02:19:43,280
compensated for our loss in property
values which has already been ruled by

1657
02:19:41,200 --> 02:19:47,439
the Minnesota Supreme Court in the Dook
versus Rochester case. The other point

1658
02:19:45,599 --> 02:19:52,560
in the resolution was hold on the city
council and the mayor liable for any

1659
02:19:49,680 --> 02:19:57,040
medical and veterary expenses to be
compensated without years of leg

1660
02:19:54,880 --> 02:20:02,399
litigation due to the pollution from
these data centers. The city council

1661
02:19:59,200 --> 02:20:06,720
refuses to bring my resolution to the
floor. We bring statistics to every city

1662
02:20:04,720 --> 02:20:10,240
council meeting regarding the hazards,
but if it's so safe, why won't you take

1663
02:20:08,560 --> 02:20:14,080
responsibility for the decisions that
you forced upon us? The answer is they

1664
02:20:12,560 --> 02:20:17,439
don't care about the community. What
they care about is saving their name

1665
02:20:15,600 --> 02:20:21,439
from the mismanagement of funds and the
upfront funds they were received from

1666
02:20:19,040 --> 02:20:25,520
Google. Now we have the department heads
degrading members of our community. They

1667
02:20:23,439 --> 02:20:28,160
made sexist, racist, and derogatory
remarks and nothing has been done.

1668
02:20:27,439 --> 02:20:32,720
» 30 seconds.
>> They haven't been fired or suspended.

1669
02:20:30,399 --> 02:20:38,720
Now I am calling on the
General Attorney General Ellison and the

1670
02:20:35,520 --> 02:20:43,760
state St. Louis County Attorney Mackey
to fire all these. Make no mistake here,

1671
02:20:41,359 --> 02:20:48,160
people. We are at war with corporations
to destroy our community and to control

1672
02:20:46,000 --> 02:20:52,080
our way of life through power and money.
We are at war with leadership out of

1673
02:20:50,160 --> 02:20:55,439
their own greed. It's time we take a
stand, tell Google, Black Rockck, and

1674
02:20:53,760 --> 02:20:59,520
Minnesota Power they do not belong in
our community. The only way we survive

1675
02:20:57,359 --> 02:21:04,359
is to stick together and push back to
ensure our quality of life. Thank you.

1676
02:21:10,080 --> 02:21:17,319
Next we have Emily Berg. And after Emily
is Sherry Rowan.

1677
02:21:27,359 --> 02:21:33,920
» Hello.
>> Name and hometown. Uh Emily and I live

1678
02:21:31,280 --> 02:21:38,160
in Midway. Um it's my first time
speaking up here, so I'm sorry if I'm

1679
02:21:36,160 --> 02:21:47,040
not really great. I was just going over
the uh AOA and um I I noticed a few

1680
02:21:43,359 --> 02:21:51,680
things that were mentioned on it. Uh re
specifically regarding the temperature

1681
02:21:49,600 --> 02:21:58,479
and I think we've all kind of noticed
that it's been a hot one lately um the

1682
02:21:55,680 --> 02:22:07,120
last several record-breaking years in a
row. uh especially with all of this um

1683
02:22:02,960 --> 02:22:17,280
drought and um yeah, so they said that
the average temperature um on page 23 is

1684
02:22:12,960 --> 02:22:26,000
the average temperature is 38.8 degrees.
Um it it is expected to increase to 41°

1685
02:22:23,600 --> 02:22:33,520
by 2040.
That is a lot. Um, and then that's just

1686
02:22:30,319 --> 02:22:42,319
under low emissions. Under high
emissions is expected to increase to 57

1687
02:22:37,600 --> 02:22:49,120
degrees as an average temperature here.
So that means we don't get ice fishing.

1688
02:22:46,080 --> 02:22:55,040
That means all of these green hats have
to work out in that weather. That's the

1689
02:22:52,880 --> 02:23:02,240
average temperature, not the high
temperatures. And you are inviting a

1690
02:22:57,760 --> 02:23:09,359
company to come here and dump heat into
our area. You are allowing them to come

1691
02:23:05,760 --> 02:23:17,040
in and remove 10,000
trees. These trees reduce the the

1692
02:23:13,600 --> 02:23:20,880
temperature of the surrounding areas and
they aren't required to replant any of

1693
02:23:19,520 --> 02:23:30,720
that.
They only proposed to replant 245

1694
02:23:25,359 --> 02:23:36,640
trees and that is on page 26 of this. Um
the current cooling days that the

1695
02:23:34,479 --> 02:23:49,280
current amount of days that we need
cooling in our area is 73 as of 2019.

1696
02:23:42,960 --> 02:23:55,920
By 2050, we are looking at 142 to 214
days where we need air conditioning.

1697
02:23:53,200 --> 02:24:02,319
You guys seem lucky enough to have this
air conditioning in here and not have to

1698
02:23:58,319 --> 02:24:08,640
sit out there. But today it was 78°
>> 30 seconds.

1699
02:24:04,640 --> 02:24:12,720
» It was 78° and it was disgustingly
humid.

1700
02:24:10,080 --> 02:24:19,439
Lots of us up here do not have air
conditioning. And you want these people

1701
02:24:16,000 --> 02:24:26,720
to come in here and dump heat right next
to our homes. There is no study about

1702
02:24:23,920 --> 02:24:33,920
how this is going to affect the
surrounding areas. It says in uh on page

1703
02:24:30,960 --> 02:24:40,319
155, Google must complete a
computational thermy thermal study to

1704
02:24:37,359 --> 02:24:43,920
verify all expelled heat would not
create a heat island.

1705
02:24:42,640 --> 02:24:49,479
» Have they done it?
>> Thank you.

1706
02:24:46,240 --> 02:24:49,479
» Have they?

1707
02:24:50,080 --> 02:24:54,520
» And what time is that? I don't

1708
02:24:57,120 --> 02:25:06,000
» Okay, go ahead.
>> Um,

1709
02:25:02,080 --> 02:25:10,399
yes. Uh, they they have to complete uh a
computational thermal study to verify

1710
02:25:08,000 --> 02:25:15,200
the expelled heat would not create a
heat island.

1711
02:25:12,160 --> 02:25:21,200
um they have not stated what data
they're going to be using because the

1712
02:25:17,280 --> 02:25:27,120
weather patterns here have been very uh
historical weather patterns are no

1713
02:25:23,040 --> 02:25:31,280
longer um what they have been. Uh and
how do we know that the company who is

1714
02:25:29,120 --> 02:25:36,479
doing this study that is proposing this
is going to use real numbers and give us

1715
02:25:34,640 --> 02:25:39,760
back real numbers when they are the ones
who are going to be profiting. Thank

1716
02:25:38,720 --> 02:25:46,120
you.
>> Thank you. The next is Sher Rowan,

1717
02:25:42,240 --> 02:25:46,120
followed by Emma Rickman.

1718
02:25:58,880 --> 02:26:07,960
» Is it Well, is that Sherry?
Okay, Emma, you have six minutes.

1719
02:26:17,120 --> 02:26:22,960
Uh, good evening, Emma Richman,
Hermantown.

1720
02:26:20,560 --> 02:26:28,800
Um, I just want to acknowledge
Commissioner Grim's comments. Uh, I hold

1721
02:26:25,439 --> 02:26:34,000
a lot of space for her as a mother, um,
and any mother or father or caregiver

1722
02:26:30,960 --> 02:26:39,280
who has shown up to engage civically
with their child or children present.

1723
02:26:36,000 --> 02:26:43,040
So, I am deeply appre appreciative of
her commitment.

1724
02:26:41,359 --> 02:26:48,760
Um,
oh, I need that Google flyer. I left it

1725
02:26:45,439 --> 02:26:48,760
on my chair.

1726
02:26:54,479 --> 02:27:03,600
Like many of us, I received this earlier
this week. Um, and I was struck by how

1727
02:27:00,560 --> 02:27:09,200
bold Google's message was of 20 years of
responsible data center development. So

1728
02:27:06,160 --> 02:27:14,720
then where is the EIS and where is the
decommissioning bond? Now I wrote this

1729
02:27:11,680 --> 02:27:19,120
before I heard Holston's comments. So I
would add to that

1730
02:27:17,600 --> 02:27:22,960
where was the thoughtfulness in the
beginning? Feedback should have not been

1731
02:27:21,280 --> 02:27:26,640
necessary to have a decommissioning
plan. If they were a good neighbor,

1732
02:27:24,880 --> 02:27:30,960
Google would have proactively presented
to this to you in the development

1733
02:27:28,080 --> 02:27:35,280
agreement.
It also states on here, our school

1734
02:27:32,880 --> 02:27:39,680
district, I don't remember this project
being approved for Google to speak as

1735
02:27:37,120 --> 02:27:46,080
though they have put down roots here.
Highquality permanent jobs over the life

1736
02:27:42,800 --> 02:27:51,120
of the project. I heard Holston even say
the full life cycle of the project,

1737
02:27:48,240 --> 02:27:56,399
implying it ends at some point. So when
does it end? Is it 28 years like the tax

1738
02:27:53,920 --> 02:28:00,720
abatements say or or that the tax
abatements allude to or is it 15 to 20

1739
02:27:58,560 --> 02:28:04,319
years like the data center literature
states?

1740
02:28:03,120 --> 02:28:08,319
Council, do you remember the
romanticized story Mr. Ronetti shared

1741
02:28:06,560 --> 02:28:12,399
this past fall where the fresh out of
college kid came here from Iowa and fell

1742
02:28:10,160 --> 02:28:15,760
in love with this place
uh and that they will have a much better

1743
02:28:13,920 --> 02:28:20,800
chance to stay here and work here
because we created the chance for this

1744
02:28:18,399 --> 02:28:25,280
project to go through? What happens to
them in 28 years when the life cycle of

1745
02:28:22,960 --> 02:28:28,800
this project concludes? Will a senior
staffer be able to find work in the same

1746
02:28:27,040 --> 02:28:32,319
career path here in the Northland? Will
they need to leave Hermantown for a new

1747
02:28:30,399 --> 02:28:38,720
job? Where does the multiplier effect
go? Supporting local jobs. This flyer

1748
02:28:36,319 --> 02:28:43,560
was not even printed at a local union
printing shop. It was printed out of

1749
02:28:40,560 --> 02:28:43,560
Wisconsin.

1750
02:28:43,920 --> 02:28:49,680
Switching gears, I want to take a moment
to acknowledge the civic courage that it

1751
02:28:47,359 --> 02:28:54,319
takes to get up here and speak.
Depending on where your personality

1752
02:28:51,120 --> 02:28:59,120
falls, speaking spans the spectrum.
Civic courage can look like crying,

1753
02:28:56,479 --> 02:29:04,399
yelling, whispering, getting choked up,
mixed up in your words, laughter, a

1754
02:29:01,439 --> 02:29:09,040
monotone voice, and more. My civic
courage has evolved over this past year.

1755
02:29:07,280 --> 02:29:13,120
I am not crying when I speak up here
anymore, but that is not a sign that I

1756
02:29:10,640 --> 02:29:18,640
have improved at my civic engagement.
Despite a city condoned better score,

1757
02:29:17,040 --> 02:29:23,040
there is a power differential that
exists between you and us. It is no

1758
02:29:21,280 --> 02:29:27,439
small thing to be able to speak through
this invisible veil. I still have

1759
02:29:25,520 --> 02:29:32,479
difficulty making eye contact with you
due to the power you hold. Perhaps

1760
02:29:29,760 --> 02:29:37,439
that's my next goal for improvement. It
takes a lot of courage to speak truth to

1761
02:29:35,760 --> 02:29:43,439
power.
Let me repeat that. It takes a lot of

1762
02:29:39,840 --> 02:29:46,439
courage for you five to speak truth to
power.

1763
02:29:48,399 --> 02:29:53,359
In my campaign journey to serve as
Hermantown city councelor, I have been

1764
02:29:51,920 --> 02:29:57,359
asked multiple times in various
interviews, how do you view your role as

1765
02:29:55,359 --> 02:30:03,200
counselor? Time and again, I have
answered the same. To represent the

1766
02:29:59,280 --> 02:30:07,840
voices of the people of this community.
Are you

1767
02:30:05,760 --> 02:30:13,120
Hermantown and Google are building a
stronger tomorrow together?

1768
02:30:10,800 --> 02:30:18,080
That's what it states on here. Does
Google know something that we don't? No

1769
02:30:15,840 --> 02:30:22,800
permits have been signed. No ground has
been broken. Is this a foregone

1770
02:30:20,160 --> 02:30:28,399
conclusion? Where is democracy in the
decision-making pro process? Google

1771
02:30:26,080 --> 02:30:33,920
seems to be Google seems to be
forgetting about the public process. has

1772
02:30:31,600 --> 02:30:38,880
the city too.
Google does not make the decisions. You

1773
02:30:36,880 --> 02:30:45,880
do. And I would appreciate it if you
start reminding them. The power belongs

1774
02:30:41,520 --> 02:30:45,880
to the people, not the servers.

1775
02:30:50,479 --> 02:30:59,000
» Tim Resburg.
And next is Tom Rittner.

1776
02:31:14,399 --> 02:31:22,160
My name is Tim Resburg. I'm from
Hermantown

1777
02:31:19,040 --> 02:31:30,240
and I'd like to talk to you about some
guarantees that we haven't heard about.

1778
02:31:26,880 --> 02:31:34,720
And uh if you can say yes or no when I
ask you about some of these little

1779
02:31:32,080 --> 02:31:40,160
projects,
one of them is the PLA

1780
02:31:37,520 --> 02:31:44,080
that they're supposed to sign. And these
green hats should know a little bit

1781
02:31:42,319 --> 02:31:50,720
about that. And those who don't know
what a PLA is, it's a project labor

1782
02:31:47,520 --> 02:31:58,080
agreement. and I spent 40 years on
construction as electrician and local

1783
02:31:53,120 --> 02:32:02,479
242 union out of Duth
and I talked to a few people at the

1784
02:32:00,560 --> 02:32:07,520
Mortonson company when they had that
meeting up there at the Shriners

1785
02:32:05,439 --> 02:32:14,560
and I asked one of the Mortonson people
that's the major contractor

1786
02:32:10,800 --> 02:32:21,040
if they are going to do any PLA and one
guy said I don't know you'll have to

1787
02:32:17,760 --> 02:32:27,280
talk to this other guy from Mortonson.
So I went and asked him and he says,

1788
02:32:23,520 --> 02:32:33,439
"Well, we're thinking about a PLA."
So the green people, they should know

1789
02:32:30,720 --> 02:32:38,080
this and you should too that they're not
going to guarantee that they're going to

1790
02:32:35,920 --> 02:32:42,960
be hiring
anybody on construction from Duth

1791
02:32:41,040 --> 02:32:47,359
through the unions.
And Mortonson is a big enough company

1792
02:32:45,040 --> 02:32:51,359
where they might even bring in their own
people

1793
02:32:48,880 --> 02:32:56,560
and say to hell
with ours. And at this area that

1794
02:32:54,560 --> 02:33:02,000
industrial site that we were told that
was supposed to be a a light business

1795
02:32:59,040 --> 02:33:08,319
manufacturer,
you guys misinformed us about that.

1796
02:33:06,080 --> 02:33:12,160
And in one of his even said you had a
child that was going to be in electrical

1797
02:33:10,560 --> 02:33:16,960
apprenticeship and would spend their
whole apprenticeship working on this.

1798
02:33:14,800 --> 02:33:20,960
That was a mis
illusion too because that's not the way

1799
02:33:19,200 --> 02:33:26,800
it works. They don't keep the
apprentices on one job learning just one

1800
02:33:23,840 --> 02:33:31,520
thing because I've worked on houses all
the way up to nuclear plants. Some of

1801
02:33:29,600 --> 02:33:35,920
the other guarantees I'd like to know
about

1802
02:33:33,120 --> 02:33:44,160
is that the installment of the water and
sewer for this outfit. They say they're

1803
02:33:40,080 --> 02:33:50,560
going to pay to have it installed, but
then now the taxpayers of Hermantown are

1804
02:33:48,319 --> 02:33:56,560
going to have to pay for the maintenance
>> of the line and the pumping stations and

1805
02:33:53,040 --> 02:34:01,920
the tower. And why should the taxpayers
of Hermantown pay for them that the

1806
02:33:59,920 --> 02:34:07,479
billionaires can afford themselves on
this?

1807
02:34:04,240 --> 02:34:07,479
And then

1808
02:34:09,040 --> 02:34:20,160
the wells going dry when they start
digging and blasting. What happens to

1809
02:34:16,080 --> 02:34:25,520
our people that are on the wells?
send their children to school and now

1810
02:34:22,880 --> 02:34:30,319
water or if they come home from work and
there's no water, where is the water

1811
02:34:28,240 --> 02:34:32,640
going to come from? Is there any
guarantee?

1812
02:34:31,359 --> 02:34:36,080
» Time's up.
>> I'm sorry.

1813
02:34:35,439 --> 02:34:39,240
» Who are you?
>> Thank you.

1814
02:34:42,720 --> 02:34:46,880
So in
>> uh

1815
02:34:45,840 --> 02:34:54,399
» they had mentioned
>> had yours seated to Sarah Loal.

1816
02:34:50,240 --> 02:34:59,600
Okay, go ahead. Go ahead, Tim.
And so anyways, talking about the wells

1817
02:34:56,479 --> 02:35:03,120
and them going dry and that they had
mentioned one time that they would run a

1818
02:35:01,359 --> 02:35:07,760
pipeline,
but in order for the citizens that were

1819
02:35:05,840 --> 02:35:13,439
running out of water and haven't had
water for how long, they're going to

1820
02:35:09,920 --> 02:35:17,280
have to pay for the hookup on that. And
it depends if one person's got an acre,

1821
02:35:15,680 --> 02:35:22,319
he'll pay one thing. If the next
person's got 20 or 30 acres, he's going

1822
02:35:19,920 --> 02:35:28,720
to pay a hell of a lot more. And that's
not right and it's not fair.

1823
02:35:26,160 --> 02:35:32,720
And then talking about the property
values,

1824
02:35:30,479 --> 02:35:38,720
is there any guarantee that these
billionaires are going to give us the

1825
02:35:36,399 --> 02:35:43,520
money for our property values that are
going to drop like all get out and go

1826
02:35:41,760 --> 02:35:49,359
because nobody's going to want to live
next to a data center that's producing

1827
02:35:47,280 --> 02:35:56,560
pollution,
light, noise.

1828
02:35:52,960 --> 02:36:02,240
And also there's a guarantee. They had
not given us any guarantee on the storm

1829
02:35:59,200 --> 02:36:09,359
runoff nor the noise pollution or the
lights and the land pollution.

1830
02:36:06,960 --> 02:36:13,439
What's going to happen with that? None
have ever given us a guarantee that

1831
02:36:11,840 --> 02:36:18,399
they're going to do this. And the
company itself has never gave us any

1832
02:36:15,280 --> 02:36:21,520
guarantees. And why do you want that in
there

1833
02:36:19,920 --> 02:36:26,319
if they're not going to give any
guarantees to the taxpayers and the

1834
02:36:23,600 --> 02:36:32,399
homeowners? And it's going to destroy a
lot. They're saying only people 250 ft

1835
02:36:30,640 --> 02:36:36,880
to a quarter mile that they've said
before.

1836
02:36:35,040 --> 02:36:42,399
This is going to affect people miles
around. And two other townships, Soloway

1837
02:36:40,560 --> 02:36:46,800
and Midway.
And Hermantown at one time used to

1838
02:36:44,319 --> 02:36:53,359
always say
come live in Hermantown for the rural

1839
02:36:50,000 --> 02:36:59,040
residential area
and all a sudden now you guys want to

1840
02:36:55,439 --> 02:37:03,359
change that to an industrial site and
all these people that moved up after all

1841
02:37:01,680 --> 02:37:09,359
the lies that you've told them about
moving up here. And then I do believe it

1842
02:37:06,080 --> 02:37:13,520
was back in 2014
somewhere in that area they had talked

1843
02:37:11,120 --> 02:37:18,640
about the light business
and the people of Adolf area said no we

1844
02:37:16,319 --> 02:37:21,760
want to keep it the historical farm and
rural area

1845
02:37:20,720 --> 02:37:27,200
we don't want that
>> 30 seconds

1846
02:37:23,120 --> 02:37:35,399
» and then one use councilman said that
it's only going to be a light business

1847
02:37:30,000 --> 02:37:35,399
place no bigger than the Adolf door

1848
02:37:35,439 --> 02:37:44,359
and now look what we got.
No guarantees.

1849
02:37:39,280 --> 02:37:44,359
» Thank you. Next is Tom Rittner.

1850
02:37:45,600 --> 02:37:49,000
Tom Rittner.

1851
02:37:59,680 --> 02:38:03,280
Nobody's coming.

1852
02:38:03,920 --> 02:38:07,560
Jonathan Thornton.

1853
02:38:10,399 --> 02:38:15,720
» Yes.
>> Okay.

1854
02:38:16,000 --> 02:38:25,600
» Jonathan Thornton, Hermantown resident.
Good evening, mayor and counselors.

1855
02:38:23,439 --> 02:38:29,680
In 2013, I was given an opportunity to
attend the Blandon Community Leadership

1856
02:38:27,359 --> 02:38:32,720
Program along with 23 others from
Hermantown.

1857
02:38:31,439 --> 02:38:36,160
I'm still very grateful to the
Hermittown community for this

1858
02:38:34,000 --> 02:38:40,720
opportunity.
One of the lessons I took away from this

1859
02:38:37,840 --> 02:38:45,680
week-long leadership training was the
art of listening

1860
02:38:43,040 --> 02:38:51,040
to learn.
I still struggle with perfecting this

1861
02:38:47,280 --> 02:38:55,359
art, but it's always top of mind. I'm
going to ask that you listen to my

1862
02:38:52,560 --> 02:39:00,000
comments tonight with an interest in
learning something new.

1863
02:38:57,920 --> 02:39:04,319
I've spent 35 years selling homes in
this area. During that time, I've worked

1864
02:39:02,080 --> 02:39:09,200
with buyers and sellers through changing
markets. I've seen how location,

1865
02:39:06,800 --> 02:39:14,080
neighborhood character, and nearby land
sales influences what people are willing

1866
02:39:11,439 --> 02:39:18,800
to pay for a home.
I want to address a question that has

1867
02:39:15,680 --> 02:39:22,640
not received enough attention.
What happens to the value of a family's

1868
02:39:20,880 --> 02:39:29,040
home when a hyperscaled data center
becomes its neighbor?

1869
02:39:26,160 --> 02:39:34,640
For many homeowners, their largest
financial asset is their home. It's a

1870
02:39:31,840 --> 02:39:39,600
true statement. It represents years of
mortgage payments, maintenance, and

1871
02:39:36,960 --> 02:39:43,760
savings. A decision that changes the
character of their neighborhood can also

1872
02:39:41,520 --> 02:39:47,600
change what a future buyer is willing to
pay.

1873
02:39:45,439 --> 02:39:53,040
The proposed Google data center lies in
the middle, right in the middle of a zip

1874
02:39:50,160 --> 02:39:57,600
code, which we call 55810. I live in
this zip code. many of the people behind

1875
02:39:55,520 --> 02:40:02,560
me do as well.
I did some research over this holiday

1876
02:39:59,680 --> 02:40:06,720
weekend. Remember, I have all the tools
to do this research. I've been doing it

1877
02:40:04,080 --> 02:40:14,960
for 35 years.
The average sale price in 55810 went up

1878
02:40:10,720 --> 02:40:21,600
every year from 2020 to 2025.
The proposed data center became public

1879
02:40:17,280 --> 02:40:28,560
knowledge in late September of 25.
In the last 12 months, the average sale

1880
02:40:24,720 --> 02:40:31,960
price in 55810 has decreased
by 8%.

1881
02:40:32,000 --> 02:40:40,560
That could be explained away if all the
areas around 55810 were also decreasing.

1882
02:40:37,840 --> 02:40:45,280
The facts are different. During that
same period, neighboring 55811 increased

1883
02:40:43,520 --> 02:40:51,840
by 9%
while 5584 increased by 4% over the past

1884
02:40:49,280 --> 02:41:01,920
12 months.
That is 17% differential in 811

1885
02:40:56,319 --> 02:41:06,800
and a 12% differential in 804.
That is a striking divergence. Why is

1886
02:41:04,880 --> 02:41:10,880
the zip code containing the proposed
project moving in the opposite direction

1887
02:41:09,040 --> 02:41:16,319
from the neighboring residential
markets? The proposed facility is not a

1888
02:41:14,160 --> 02:41:21,120
small office building. It is a hypers
scale industrial complex with

1889
02:41:19,439 --> 02:41:25,040
substantial electrical infrastructure
and mechanical cooling equipment. A

1890
02:41:23,040 --> 02:41:29,280
closed loop cooling system may reduce
water consumption but it does not

1891
02:41:26,720 --> 02:41:35,280
eliminate the need to reject heat into
the outside air that requires equipment

1892
02:41:32,560 --> 02:41:39,920
and equipment can create noise which it
does. Visual impacts and other

1893
02:41:37,760 --> 02:41:44,880
conditions that buyers consider when
choosing a home. The project will also

1894
02:41:42,479 --> 02:41:49,200
have a perimeter noise wall reportedly
ranging from 20 to 35 ft in height.

1895
02:41:47,520 --> 02:41:53,920
These are not ordinary residential
fences. For neighboring homeowners,

1896
02:41:51,680 --> 02:41:58,080
walls of that scale could block views,
alter the character of the neighborhood,

1897
02:41:55,439 --> 02:42:03,520
and make ne nearby homes feel enclosed
by an industrial facility.

1898
02:42:01,520 --> 02:42:08,960
Will a willing buyer pay the same price
for a house next to a massive industrial

1899
02:42:05,760 --> 02:42:11,840
wall as for a comparable house without
it?

1900
02:42:10,240 --> 02:42:16,800
unlikely.
For a $400,000 home, an 8% reduction in

1901
02:42:14,240 --> 02:42:22,240
value represents $32,000
for one home at 400,000. A 10%

1902
02:42:19,840 --> 02:42:26,560
reduction, of course, is 40,000. These
are those are not abstract numbers to

1903
02:42:24,319 --> 02:42:30,560
the family that owns that home. Some
properties around the proposed site have

1904
02:42:28,080 --> 02:42:34,720
sold for extraordinary prices because
they were being acquired for the

1905
02:42:31,920 --> 02:42:40,000
project. These are called assemblage or
project project related acquisitions. A

1906
02:42:37,439 --> 02:42:45,920
developer may pay for more than the or
I'm sorry. A developer may pay

1907
02:42:43,600 --> 02:42:49,520
far more for the ordinary than an
ordinary residential market value

1908
02:42:47,439 --> 02:42:53,840
because it needs this particular parcel
to complete a much larger development.

1909
02:42:52,160 --> 02:42:58,000
That purchase price reflects the
property's special value to the

1910
02:42:55,439 --> 02:43:02,240
developer, not necessarily its value to
an ordinary home buyer. Including those

1911
02:43:00,560 --> 02:43:06,080
transactions as ordinary comparable
sales would distort the analysis. It

1912
02:43:04,560 --> 02:43:09,840
could make the market appear stronger.
precisely because the developer is

1913
02:43:07,680 --> 02:43:14,880
buying up the properties it needs. Which
is why when Google tells you that it

1914
02:43:12,800 --> 02:43:19,439
increases values, they're obviously
using those per those parcels. The

1915
02:43:17,359 --> 02:43:22,880
correct comparison is between ordinary
armslength transactions. If you've heard

1916
02:43:21,359 --> 02:43:27,439
the term arms length transactions,
that's a a term in our industry,

1917
02:43:24,880 --> 02:43:32,720
residential sales, not corporate
assembling an industrial site. So arms

1918
02:43:30,160 --> 02:43:36,560
length transactions are between two
regular home owners and buyers and

1919
02:43:34,560 --> 02:43:41,040
sellers. Those remaining homeowners are
the people whose property values risk we

1920
02:43:38,800 --> 02:43:44,240
need to measure. When you ask the Google
representative if property values would

1921
02:43:42,800 --> 02:43:47,359
be affected, they claim that their
studies show that the property values

1922
02:43:45,840 --> 02:43:52,319
actually increase in the surrounding
areas. Well, first off, why are we

1923
02:43:49,760 --> 02:43:55,840
asking Google this question? Don't you
think that question needs to be answered

1924
02:43:54,000 --> 02:44:00,080
by an independent third party? Or better
yet, just look at the actual facts and

1925
02:43:58,080 --> 02:44:05,439
what is happening to the average sale
prices in the zip codes where the

1926
02:44:02,240 --> 02:44:10,160
project is proposed. The mere proposal
of this project is already creating a

1927
02:44:07,600 --> 02:44:14,000
measurable residential property valued
burden. That burden needs to be

1928
02:44:12,000 --> 02:44:18,319
acknowledged by Google and by the city
of Hermantown. It needs to be disclosed

1929
02:44:16,080 --> 02:44:21,279
and addressed, not hidden by averages
that are born out of multi-million

1930
02:44:20,160 --> 02:44:23,439
dollar acquisitions.
>> Six minutes.

1931
02:44:21,920 --> 02:44:27,600
» Before the city council makes any
further decisions, residents deserve an

1932
02:44:26,160 --> 02:44:31,840
answer to these straightforward
questions. What is the value of the

1933
02:44:29,920 --> 02:44:38,000
residential property that remains around
this project? And how much of that value

1934
02:44:34,399 --> 02:44:40,399
are you, every one of you?
>> Thank you.

1935
02:44:38,720 --> 02:44:41,600
» Are you asking those homeowners to put
at risk?

1936
02:44:41,120 --> 02:44:47,080
» Thank you.
>> How much are you willing to put at risk?

1937
02:44:44,080 --> 02:44:47,080
» Seriously.

1938
02:44:57,920 --> 02:45:02,279
Next is Clarissa Egg.

1939
02:45:11,520 --> 02:45:18,160
Good evening, Clarissa at Hermantown,
but Soway Township. Um, I have other

1940
02:45:16,800 --> 02:45:23,920
things to say, but I want to address
that. Um, he's directly speaking about

1941
02:45:21,040 --> 02:45:27,840
me. My property is 0.5 miles from this
development. I've lived there for 13

1942
02:45:25,600 --> 02:45:31,840
years. It is my primary investment. It's
where I raised my children. I don't want

1943
02:45:29,520 --> 02:45:35,920
to live next to this thing. I have never
been given an opportunity. I'm in

1944
02:45:33,680 --> 02:45:39,439
Soulway Township, so I can't even vote
for you that's making this decision

1945
02:45:37,600 --> 02:45:43,120
that's going to affect my life. Nobody's
going to buy my property. If Google

1946
02:45:41,600 --> 02:45:48,640
wants to be there because it's
convenient for them because of the

1947
02:45:44,960 --> 02:45:53,040
substation, then they should buy out the
properties that have to live next to it.

1948
02:45:50,800 --> 02:45:57,040
It is not fair. And if you if the city
council wants to approve this project,

1949
02:45:54,960 --> 02:46:02,319
then that should be part of the deal. Do
not make the people live next to this.

1950
02:46:00,399 --> 02:46:07,279
If they want to be good neighbors, be an
actual good neighbor. You have the

1951
02:46:04,479 --> 02:46:12,240
money. This is a multi-trillion dollar
company and they're going to let people

1952
02:46:09,120 --> 02:46:17,040
who live next to this property suffer,
lose their property values, and

1953
02:46:14,240 --> 02:46:21,760
potentially be physically, emotionally,
mentally harmed. Moving on to my other

1954
02:46:19,439 --> 02:46:25,600
comments, I'm going to add because I
don't always know if you understand

1955
02:46:23,760 --> 02:46:31,359
what's going on because it's really hard
to tell. There are three active lawsuits

1956
02:46:28,880 --> 02:46:36,399
regarding this data center as we speak.
One is the MCEA and the um stop the

1957
02:46:34,319 --> 02:46:41,120
Hermantown data center versus the city
of Hermantown and Google Harmony Group.

1958
02:46:38,720 --> 02:46:44,960
Uh there was just a motion to uh for
contempt filed against Harmony for

1959
02:46:43,279 --> 02:46:49,279
breaking a stipulated agreement that
they were going to give MCA 60 days

1960
02:46:47,920 --> 02:46:53,279
notice before they asked for any
permitting. They never did that. They

1961
02:46:51,520 --> 02:46:58,479
put the permitting on. There was a
motion to contempt that was supposed to

1962
02:46:55,200 --> 02:47:04,880
be heard and there's an agreement to um
continue that to October 27th, 2026.

1963
02:47:01,840 --> 02:47:08,399
There's also an um separate lawsuit
involving the stop the Herman data

1964
02:47:06,720 --> 02:47:12,160
center versus the city of Hermantown
where Google and Harmony Group

1965
02:47:09,760 --> 02:47:15,840
intervened in that matter and there are
motion hearings at the end of the month.

1966
02:47:14,080 --> 02:47:20,560
There's also now a federal lawsuit
involved in a large land owner. That

1967
02:47:18,160 --> 02:47:25,520
land owner still owns that land despite
what any of you say. She is still the

1968
02:47:22,479 --> 02:47:29,840
land owner. That land never closed and
all the permits involve her property.

1969
02:47:27,920 --> 02:47:34,720
That lawsuit includes, among other
things, deception when they offered to

1970
02:47:32,319 --> 02:47:39,840
buy her property. So, there's three
active lawsuits. I want to move on to

1971
02:47:37,279 --> 02:47:45,600
the agreement that you've already passed
with the consulting services with Bronn

1972
02:47:42,000 --> 02:47:50,720
Intertech for up to $20,000. And I want
to know if you actually looked at that

1973
02:47:48,560 --> 02:47:55,359
agreement because it you're paying a lot
of money for actually nothing. Um,

1974
02:47:53,600 --> 02:48:00,399
according to the agreement, they're
going to research and do an engagement

1975
02:47:57,439 --> 02:48:09,279
letter for $3,52.
One letter and some research. $3,52.

1976
02:48:05,359 --> 02:48:16,080
Planning a meeting, $3,257.
Just the planning. Uh, the meeting the

1977
02:48:13,359 --> 02:48:21,920
um including food and hotel costs for
all of you, $4,738.

1978
02:48:19,840 --> 02:48:28,000
and then a summary report and a
recommendation for $1,874

1979
02:48:25,279 --> 02:48:34,479
for a total of $12,921.
That does not even include any actual

1980
02:48:30,319 --> 02:48:38,560
work or or contacting the tribes. So, I
wonder if you actually read these

1981
02:48:36,240 --> 02:48:43,359
agreements. And that leads me to my next
point. I have been sitting here meeting

1982
02:48:41,600 --> 02:48:48,800
after meeting for a year and I've looked
over your voting record for several

1983
02:48:45,760 --> 02:48:56,000
years. Some of you have never once voted
no to anything. A resolution, an

1984
02:48:52,880 --> 02:49:03,680
ordinance, a land use decision for
years, never once voted no. How can it

1985
02:49:00,800 --> 02:49:08,479
be possible that every single thing that
comes in front of you is a good idea?

1986
02:49:06,319 --> 02:49:14,479
You're obviously not listening to
anybody. you are seemingly listening to

1987
02:49:12,399 --> 02:49:21,920
like um John Moulder, administrative
Moulder, who promised um Minnesota Power

1988
02:49:18,319 --> 02:49:27,120
Elite Eric Forsman in an email from uh
June 14th, 2024 that he could reszone

1989
02:49:25,359 --> 02:49:32,240
the land for the data center in as
little as eight weeks. What does that

1990
02:49:29,680 --> 02:49:35,680
mean for you and your decision making?
That's how he thinks of you. That you're

1991
02:49:34,240 --> 02:49:38,479
not going to ask any questions. You're
not going to do any due diligence.

1992
02:49:37,040 --> 02:49:43,120
You're not going to listen to anybody
because he's telling Eric Boresman from

1993
02:49:40,720 --> 02:49:47,760
Minnesota Power that he can reszone all
of this land to accommodate a hypers

1994
02:49:45,520 --> 02:49:53,279
scale data center the size of the US
Bank Stadium in 8 weeks. That's taking

1995
02:49:50,720 --> 02:49:58,640
the power away from you. That would
insult me if somebody was telling me of

1996
02:49:56,560 --> 02:50:03,439
how I'm going to vote and I'm not going
to listen to any of the people that

1997
02:50:00,160 --> 02:50:09,040
voted me in. Isn't that insulting to
you? Isn't that embarrassing to you?

1998
02:50:05,680 --> 02:50:15,359
Because it is embarrassing to me that
none of you ever vote no. Not tonight,

1999
02:50:12,399 --> 02:50:19,920
not last month, not the month before,
never.

2000
02:50:17,200 --> 02:50:25,200
You have to stop and think. And to me,
and this is out of no disrespect, it

2001
02:50:22,319 --> 02:50:29,600
truly isn't. But you look like puppets.
And there is a puppet master and he's

2002
02:50:27,359 --> 02:50:35,040
pulling the strings. And that would be
um Moulder. And you've seen how he talks

2003
02:50:31,680 --> 02:50:39,760
about his residence. you've seen and
listen to the recordings. Um, and I

2004
02:50:37,920 --> 02:50:44,640
think that you should really stop and
think about what you're doing and

2005
02:50:42,160 --> 02:50:48,880
actually vote your conscience. Maybe put
some ethics in it. Maybe put some

2006
02:50:46,399 --> 02:50:53,040
critical thinking skills. Use your
intelligence and make your own

2007
02:50:50,720 --> 02:50:57,120
decisions. And don't be told how you're
going to vote. And certainly that you're

2008
02:50:54,880 --> 02:51:01,040
not going to affect thousands of people,
if not hundreds of thousands of people,

2009
02:50:59,520 --> 02:51:05,120
because somebody says that you can
decide it in eight weeks. Thank you.

2010
02:51:15,840 --> 02:51:19,319
Jeffrey Danahill

2011
02:51:20,000 --> 02:51:23,479
Jeffrey. Yeah.

2012
02:51:34,800 --> 02:51:38,120
They're looking.

2013
02:51:42,560 --> 02:51:51,040
» Hi. Name and hometown, please.
>> Good evening. Good evening. Jeffrey

2014
02:51:47,920 --> 02:51:56,160
Donahghue, Midway Township.
I want to talk about the elephant in the

2015
02:51:52,960 --> 02:52:04,160
room and one is uh mayor, you've talked
about decorum respect.

2016
02:51:59,840 --> 02:52:13,359
The elephant in the room is 99% of the
people that have addressed this council

2017
02:52:08,399 --> 02:52:21,279
on this issue have said no.
No data center on this site.

2018
02:52:16,319 --> 02:52:26,160
No, no, no,
no.

2019
02:52:23,520 --> 02:52:30,640
That's pretty easy, isn't it? I feel
like you're bullying us.

2020
02:52:28,960 --> 02:52:38,200
A lot of us are here are senior
citizens. A lot of the people here are

2021
02:52:33,200 --> 02:52:38,200
You laugh, you smile at that.

2022
02:52:38,240 --> 02:52:48,800
I couldn't be more serious. A lot of
people here are older,

2023
02:52:44,720 --> 02:52:54,640
senior citizens, disabled people.
We're up here. We're up here late.

2024
02:52:52,640 --> 02:53:00,000
We don't need to be We don't need to be
bullied.

2025
02:52:57,279 --> 02:53:06,640
The fact that you guys
still are leaning on this and still

2026
02:53:02,640 --> 02:53:13,680
voting yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, after
99% of the speakers have said no. No,

2027
02:53:09,920 --> 02:53:17,960
no, no, no. How is that possible? How
how can you be human beings?

2028
02:53:18,720 --> 02:53:27,840
» How is that possible that you could be
human beings? 99% of us are saying no

2029
02:53:25,840 --> 02:53:31,680
and you're still moving everything
forward. And a lot of times you're not

2030
02:53:29,760 --> 02:53:36,000
even paying attention to who's speaking.
You're looking at pieces of paper.

2031
02:53:33,680 --> 02:53:41,560
You're looking at the timers. You're
wondering what time it Well, we all are.

2032
02:53:38,319 --> 02:53:41,560
It's late.

2033
02:53:41,840 --> 02:53:51,200
But how could you be moving this thing
forward when the entire area doesn't

2034
02:53:48,640 --> 02:53:55,600
want it? Yeah. The trades people think
they're going to get some work out of

2035
02:53:52,560 --> 02:53:59,760
it. They might.
So, there's going to be some people for

2036
02:53:57,600 --> 02:54:04,319
it.
Construction workers are great. By the

2037
02:54:01,760 --> 02:54:09,120
way, I have six minutes. My wife seated
uh me three minutes. She's on the top of

2038
02:54:06,560 --> 02:54:10,720
page five.
Uh,

2039
02:54:09,680 --> 02:54:14,720
» thank you.
>> So,

2040
02:54:13,200 --> 02:54:18,800
yeah, they might get some work, but
these big contractors, I know how they

2041
02:54:16,640 --> 02:54:24,479
come in. They come in and they're they
may or they may hire some local

2042
02:54:20,800 --> 02:54:30,240
contractors. They may not. We've got a
shortage of contractors in the greater

2043
02:54:26,800 --> 02:54:35,200
Duth area anyway.
So, if all the contractors are hired,

2044
02:54:33,120 --> 02:54:40,880
there won't be anybody left to build our
homes and businesses. So it it may be

2045
02:54:38,960 --> 02:54:48,640
true,
but it still comes down to why are you

2046
02:54:45,520 --> 02:54:55,120
moving this project forward when the
community clearly says don't move it

2047
02:54:52,479 --> 02:55:00,560
forward.
It's this is supposed to be a democracy.

2048
02:54:58,160 --> 02:55:07,200
You're supposed to be representative of
your constituents, which I unfortunately

2049
02:55:03,359 --> 02:55:12,720
am not one of. But I'm three miles as
the crow flies from this project. So I

2050
02:55:10,319 --> 02:55:17,279
get no positive benefits, but I do get
the negative benefits. And there are

2051
02:55:15,120 --> 02:55:22,880
thousands of negative benefits. I can't
even begin to go into them tonight.

2052
02:55:19,920 --> 02:55:27,279
You've heard many, many people talk for
the last year about the negative

2053
02:55:24,640 --> 02:55:31,520
impacts. And I haven't disagreed with
one of them.

2054
02:55:29,279 --> 02:55:38,640
The people here in red shirts know
probably way more than you four do. In

2055
02:55:35,200 --> 02:55:46,000
with respect, we've had to learn. We've
had to read, read, read, read, and read.

2056
02:55:43,279 --> 02:55:50,640
Go to meetings, talk to people. We have
become, unfortunately, we've had to

2057
02:55:47,920 --> 02:55:56,720
become experts on hypers scale data
centers.

2058
02:55:53,439 --> 02:56:04,080
The valuation of homes
and what you're going to do to the

2059
02:55:58,080 --> 02:56:08,960
valuation of homes is is sinful.
You're going to give our property value

2060
02:56:06,800 --> 02:56:17,479
to Google
and you're going to debate their taxes.

2061
02:56:12,560 --> 02:56:17,479
I mean, this is stupid.

2062
02:56:17,520 --> 02:56:25,520
Stupid. And now you guys aren't. You're
very intelligent. I've spoken to a

2063
02:56:22,319 --> 02:56:32,640
couple of you personally. I respect you.
But this project is stupid.

2064
02:56:29,120 --> 02:56:39,520
It makes no sense. But even if it was
smart, 99% of the people say no. And

2065
02:56:36,880 --> 02:56:48,399
you're representing us or your
constituents anyway. The Hermittown dats

2066
02:56:44,000 --> 02:56:53,120
say no. You represent them. They say no.
You vote no. That's how it works in a

2067
02:56:50,800 --> 02:56:59,600
democracy.
You don't decide.

2068
02:56:55,520 --> 02:57:07,920
You do what your constituents want and
they want no data center on this site.

2069
02:57:04,880 --> 02:57:15,520
Light industrial, give me a break. It's
going to be one of the top five largest

2070
02:57:10,960 --> 02:57:18,960
businesses in the state and by far the
largest hypers scale data center.

2071
02:57:18,080 --> 02:57:24,920
» 30 seconds.
>> It's going to be damaging in so many

2072
02:57:21,920 --> 02:57:24,920
ways.

2073
02:57:25,120 --> 02:57:35,200
But we don't want it. The community
doesn't want it. Listen,

2074
02:57:31,279 --> 02:57:40,720
respect, decorum.
We're not the enemies. We're just a

2075
02:57:38,080 --> 02:57:48,000
bunch of people saying no project on
this site. So, please, no project on

2076
02:57:44,720 --> 02:57:52,800
this site. Carlson put a one-year
moratorum.

2077
02:57:49,920 --> 02:57:58,880
It was unanimous. Midway Township
one-year moratorum. We are asking at

2078
02:57:56,000 --> 02:58:00,399
bare minimum for a one-year moratorum on
your project.

2079
02:57:59,760 --> 02:58:07,000
» Thank you.
>> Thank you,

2080
02:58:03,359 --> 02:58:07,000
» Ronnie Stenson.

2081
02:58:10,080 --> 02:58:20,319
Ronnie Stenson.
Oh, I'm sorry. Um Ross Bjorland, if he's

2082
02:58:17,359 --> 02:58:26,520
still here.
Okay.

2083
02:58:23,120 --> 02:58:26,520
Jimmy Peterson.

2084
02:58:40,640 --> 02:58:46,319
» Good evening, mayor, members of the
council. My name is Jim Peterson.

2085
02:58:45,520 --> 02:58:54,160
» Oh, sorry.
>> No worry. and uh I'm from West Central

2086
02:58:50,399 --> 02:59:01,120
Minnesota near Fergus Falls and I'm here
this evening on behalf of AFCOM.

2087
02:58:57,600 --> 02:59:07,200
AFCOM stands for its AFCOM.
Uh we are the association for computer

2088
02:59:04,319 --> 02:59:15,680
operations and management and we support
IT and data centers across Minnesota

2089
02:59:12,160 --> 02:59:19,920
and we take a special neutral
educational

2090
02:59:17,200 --> 02:59:24,720
resource standpoint and we look
exclusively at Minnesota.

2091
02:59:22,960 --> 02:59:32,000
Um,
we want to help with bringing some of

2092
02:59:27,359 --> 02:59:38,880
the misconceptions regarding water taxes
and some of the other areas to light.

2093
02:59:35,920 --> 02:59:45,040
There is a competitive landscape that
exists between states. We listen to

2094
02:59:42,160 --> 02:59:51,439
developers. developers are telling us
that the decisions in Minnesota are

2095
02:59:48,240 --> 03:00:00,160
being looked at with North Dakota, South
Dakota, and Iowa sites in consideration.

2096
02:59:56,800 --> 03:00:05,920
Um there's a competitive landscape
between communities, utilities, loads,

2097
03:00:04,000 --> 03:00:11,359
and industry.
And those those competitive

2098
03:00:09,760 --> 03:00:19,439
advantages
exist in different areas and they play

2099
03:00:15,120 --> 03:00:24,960
against us in some areas that we are in.
Um

2100
03:00:21,279 --> 03:00:30,399
so just want to thank you all for
letting me be here this evening taking

2101
03:00:27,120 --> 03:00:35,760
this in and it's it's difficult
sometimes to be leaders and to be

2102
03:00:33,359 --> 03:00:42,840
brought out to do the right things. So,
thank you. Appreciate it.

2103
03:00:37,680 --> 03:00:42,840
» Thank you. Next is Nate Rickard,

2104
03:00:43,680 --> 03:00:47,080
Todd Pelky.

2105
03:00:54,880 --> 03:01:04,000
Thank you, Mr. Mayor, City Council. I'm
Todd Peli from Hermantown, Minnesota,

2106
03:01:00,240 --> 03:01:08,399
and uh I'm here to uh be in support of
the data center. I've tried to been

2107
03:01:06,560 --> 03:01:14,640
open-minded and listen to a lot both
sides of what people are saying about

2108
03:01:09,920 --> 03:01:18,720
the data center and I find uh
I still lean towards the data center for

2109
03:01:16,800 --> 03:01:23,359
many reasons. I think that the city
cannot quantify the benefits it's going

2110
03:01:20,640 --> 03:01:29,760
to bring to this community, not just the
data center itself, jobs it can promote

2111
03:01:26,000 --> 03:01:33,279
throughout the city, people uh spin-off
jobs of this thing. They're going to

2112
03:01:31,359 --> 03:01:37,920
need people to plow the snow, mow the
grass, do maintenance out there. A lot

2113
03:01:36,319 --> 03:01:42,399
of jobs are going to be opening up
within the community. Uh I went to some

2114
03:01:40,880 --> 03:01:45,920
graduation parties this spring for
people that were graduate from high

2115
03:01:43,520 --> 03:01:48,640
school. You talk to 90% of them, they
say they're going to have to leave

2116
03:01:46,640 --> 03:01:54,240
Hermantown to find a place to work or
learn a living. This gives opportunity

2117
03:01:51,439 --> 03:01:58,720
for these kids to get a job with the
union, do an apprentice program, maybe

2118
03:01:56,960 --> 03:02:03,040
not all in the same building, but they
get a foothold in there. This is

2119
03:02:01,359 --> 03:02:08,080
something that doesn't come easily to
Herman.

2120
03:02:04,560 --> 03:02:12,000
So, I suggest they support this. Uh I
hear them paint a picture of the

2121
03:02:09,439 --> 03:02:17,439
residential area out there. I live out
there. They kind of printed like their

2122
03:02:14,960 --> 03:02:22,800
sidewalks and shade trees when people
are walking up and down the sidewalks

2123
03:02:18,880 --> 03:02:28,800
pushing their strollers. Uh Midway Road
is County Road 13. It's a allseason road

2124
03:02:26,000 --> 03:02:33,920
for trucks, maintenance vehicles come up
and down there all day long. And there's

2125
03:02:31,439 --> 03:02:36,960
two commercial railroads in there. If
they were to stand by the radio tracks

2126
03:02:35,439 --> 03:02:40,640
and watch those tankers go by and look
at the placers on the side, those tanks,

2127
03:02:39,279 --> 03:02:45,439
if they knew the stuff that's rolling
through that residential area, they'd be

2128
03:02:43,520 --> 03:02:51,760
more upset about that than the data
center. So, I think that uh I suggest

2129
03:02:49,760 --> 03:02:57,439
that you do push the data center through
as soon as possible so they see you can

2130
03:02:53,760 --> 03:03:00,240
capitalize on this money coming into the
community.

2131
03:02:59,120 --> 03:03:09,000
Thank you for your time.
>> Thank you. Next is Megan

2132
03:03:03,920 --> 03:03:09,000
Ling. L Megan

2133
03:03:10,080 --> 03:03:13,560
Elling Ellie.

2134
03:03:14,640 --> 03:03:17,640
Okay.

2135
03:03:22,319 --> 03:03:29,160
No one there.
Sue York,

2136
03:03:30,880 --> 03:03:34,279
Julie Pierce.

2137
03:03:51,680 --> 03:04:00,319
Thank you, mayor, city councilors.
Excuse me. Been a long evening. Um, my

2138
03:03:57,359 --> 03:04:06,399
name is Julie Pierce. I live in Duth and
I work for Minnesota Power and I have uh

2139
03:04:03,359 --> 03:04:11,359
been a pretty consistent member here of
uh your city council meetings. Just

2140
03:04:08,720 --> 03:04:16,399
wanted to provide a couple updates here
um from Minnesota Power. Wanted to let

2141
03:04:13,760 --> 03:04:20,240
you know that uh we are going forward
with our process. It's continuing with

2142
03:04:18,720 --> 03:04:25,760
the Minnesota Public Utilities
Commission on the power supply plan for

2143
03:04:23,359 --> 03:04:30,479
the next 20 years for the utility. So,
in the next several days, you might be

2144
03:04:28,479 --> 03:04:35,760
hearing more about the renewable energy
that we are bringing forward as part of

2145
03:04:32,720 --> 03:04:42,240
our broad long-term plan to serve the
residents in in our broader region. Uh

2146
03:04:39,520 --> 03:04:47,760
this might also include the 700
megawatts of new clean energy that the

2147
03:04:45,120 --> 03:04:52,240
proposed Google data center will enable
for our power supply. So both these

2148
03:04:50,160 --> 03:04:55,840
topics are going to be front and center.
Just wanted to give you a heads up that

2149
03:04:53,920 --> 03:05:00,399
you might be hearing about new renewable
project development uh from Minnesota

2150
03:04:58,080 --> 03:05:06,560
Power. The Public Utilities Commission
hearing is on Thursday and so we'll be

2151
03:05:03,920 --> 03:05:11,120
hearing some more there. If you have any
questions, please please let us know.

2152
03:05:08,800 --> 03:05:16,240
We'll report back.
Second of all, I also uh there is

2153
03:05:13,359 --> 03:05:22,560
another public hearing uh at the AD
shrine uh regarding our new transmission

2154
03:05:19,840 --> 03:05:28,000
line, our regional reliability line
called the ISA and Mr. Dan McCourtney

2155
03:05:25,359 --> 03:05:32,160
from our environmental area reported out
on that uh recently at a at a meeting.

2156
03:05:30,880 --> 03:05:37,760
Just wanted to let you know that there
is a public hearing on 9:22

2157
03:05:34,800 --> 03:05:42,880
regarding that and uh if you have any
questions again let us know. Uh

2158
03:05:40,319 --> 03:05:49,840
secondly, I just wanted to thank you um
as a participant in these meetings for

2159
03:05:45,920 --> 03:05:59,279
keeping um us safe. um there's been a
lot of uh harsh words and physical um

2160
03:05:56,880 --> 03:06:05,760
physical threats to a certain extent and
so I just wanted to make sure

2161
03:06:02,720 --> 03:06:12,960
the verbal
>> Hey, we can end this meeting now. Yeah,

2162
03:06:09,520 --> 03:06:16,720
we have been very um respectful with our
words and our thoughts as we've come

2163
03:06:14,560 --> 03:06:20,080
forward and I and I appreciate what
you're trying to do to keep this in

2164
03:06:18,240 --> 03:06:25,439
place. I don't think anyone should be
chased out of a room or chased out of a

2165
03:06:22,640 --> 03:06:29,120
a a public setting and so we've been
just really thankful for how you've been

2166
03:06:27,200 --> 03:06:33,920
trying to to work that in in the
presence of uh of your city

2167
03:06:31,439 --> 03:06:41,080
professionals. So, thank you very much
and uh I will report back. Thank you,

2168
03:06:37,680 --> 03:06:41,080
Lisa Bodin.

2169
03:06:43,040 --> 03:06:47,080
Okay, Richard Winkler.

2170
03:06:48,960 --> 03:06:55,080
Richard Winkler.
Check the other room.

2171
03:07:02,800 --> 03:07:11,920
Okay,
we are out of names and I will entertain

2172
03:07:08,720 --> 03:07:14,560
a motion to recess.
>> Motion to recess.

2173
03:07:13,520 --> 03:07:20,720
» Do we have a second?
>> Second.

2174
03:07:16,160 --> 03:07:20,720
» All in favor say I. I