[0:03] All right. Hello and welcome everybody

[0:05] to the St. James City Council meeting on

[0:07] August 18th, 2026 at 5:30.

[0:11] Um call me order. We'll start it off

[0:14] with the Pledge of Allegiance.

[0:20] » I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

[0:22] United States of America

[0:25] and to the republic for which it stands,

[0:27] one nation under God, indivisible, with

[0:31] liberty and justice for all.

[0:37] » All right.

[0:39] And we'll move on to approval of

[0:41] minutes. Can I get a consideration to

[0:42] approve August 5th, 2026 Council

[0:44] meeting? So moved. Steve?

[0:47] » Second.

[0:48] » Kathleen? Any other discussion?

[0:51] All those in favor say I.

[0:53] » I.

[0:54] » All opposed, same sign.

[0:56] Motion carries.

[0:58] On to payment of claims and ACH

[0:59] payments.

[1:02] » So moved.

[1:03] » Paul?

[1:05] » Second.

[1:06] » Sue?

[1:07] Any other discussion?

[1:09] All those in favor say I.

[1:11] » I.

[1:12] » All opposed, same sign.

[1:14] Motion carries. On to new business, 13A.

[1:18] Uh

[1:18] 2026 city visit presentation by Daren

[1:22] Lee, Coalition of Greater Minnesota

[1:24] Cities. Daren.

[1:26] » All right.

[1:28] Well, thank you. Uh thanks for having

[1:30] me. I'm Daren Lee with Flaherty & Hood.

[1:32] Uh we represent uh the Coalition of

[1:34] Greater Minnesota Cities up at the state

[1:35] capital. And uh during the legislative

[1:39] interim between sessions, we like to get

[1:41] out to our member cities and just kind

[1:43] of update you about what we've been

[1:45] working on at the capital uh this past

[1:47] session and kind of what we see coming

[1:48] up. Um

[1:50] so I'll get right into it.

[1:53] Um

[1:56] there we go.

[1:57] So, kind of as a reminder of who we are,

[2:01] we're more than 100 cities outside of

[2:03] the seven-county metro area. Those are

[2:06] the kind of That's our updated map. Um

[2:09] those are kind of the issue areas that

[2:10] we work on. We added a couple this last

[2:14] couple of years, uh housing and EMS, cuz

[2:16] it's something that we

[2:18] uh continue to work on. I work on

[2:20] transportation.

[2:22] Um

[2:23] And so, we've got different staff that

[2:25] work on all those different areas.

[2:30] So, I'm going to get into a recap of the

[2:32] legislative session, but I've got some

[2:34] folders that I want to pass out, too,

[2:36] and I'll explain what's in there.

[2:38] » Thank you.

[2:43] » Thank you.

[2:44] » Thank you.

[2:47] Thank you.

[2:49] Thank you.

[2:51] » So, in here you'll find our um session

[2:54] report. So, this will get into a little

[2:56] more detail than what I can get into in

[2:58] the time we have here. Um

[3:01] then there's sort of FAQs,

[3:04] staff contacts. If you have any

[3:06] questions on any of these issues, please

[3:08] give us a call. Our environmental

[3:10] program sheet, uh

[3:12] we have our housing report. It's a

[3:14] little bit long, so I just included a QR

[3:17] code. You can read that. And then our

[3:19] candidate packet, which all of the

[3:22] candidates that are running for the

[3:23] legislature will be getting that.

[3:25] Uh

[3:26] with all the issues that we work on. And

[3:28] then events coming up, we got our fall

[3:30] conference coming up in Waite Park, and

[3:32] then our legislative action day next

[3:34] year.

[3:35] Summer conference next year is still uh

[3:38] TBD as far as the dates. And then our

[3:41] uh labor and employee relations program.

[3:44] So, that's everything in there.

[3:50] So,

[3:51] um

[3:53] this session. So, th- are kind of the

[3:55] uh focal points of the session. You

[3:58] know, there was a

[4:00] 67-67 tie in the house again. So,

[4:03] everything was a four-way negotiation.

[4:05] Uh

[4:06] it's an election year. So, some of these

[4:09] issues,

[4:10] um

[4:11] were pretty political. You had, in

[4:13] addition to those, you know, the

[4:14] immigration enforcement was a big one

[4:17] uh from earlier this spring. Fraud, they

[4:19] did they did some things on fraud, um

[4:22] like withholding payments.

[4:24] Uh nothing on guns or school safety.

[4:28] Uh Hennepin County Medical Center was

[4:30] one that was a big issue.

[4:32] Uh they did pass a rescue package for

[4:34] that. Uh they also cut tab fees. Um So,

[4:38] those were kind of the focal points.

[4:44] So, our agenda for the session was

[4:47] protect local government aid.

[4:49] Uh

[4:50] Pass a bonding bill, lead line funding

[4:53] to remove lead service lines. And then

[4:56] resist zoning uh preemption, which is

[4:59] something that's been coming up over and

[5:00] over again in the last few years. And

[5:02] so, that was those were our big agenda

[5:04] items.

[5:07] Here's the budget situation.

[5:10] Uh So, if you remember maybe

[5:13] So, February of 2025, we had a $6

[5:16] billion

[5:17] deficit. Uh so, the situation did

[5:20] improve. There is still that structural

[5:22] imbalance, which is, you know, your

[5:24] revenues coming in versus the money

[5:26] going out. So, if that continues, you

[5:29] know, we would be in a deficit situation

[5:31] again. So, we'll have to see. There's a

[5:35] another forecast coming up in November.

[5:37] So, we'll see how

[5:39] how it goes. But, this was kind of the

[5:41] setup for the session. So, you still do

[5:43] have a little bit of a positive balance

[5:46] in that second biennium, but not a lot,

[5:48] and so it sort of limited the amount of

[5:51] new spending uh discussion.

[5:55] Uh back to 2025, the Senate Democrats

[5:58] did uh propose LGA cuts. Luckily,

[6:03] nothing was proposed this year

[6:06] because I think the budget situation did

[6:07] improve a little bit. So, we were uh

[6:11] thankful that that

[6:13] uh wasn't proposed again this year.

[6:15] Um but there was very little new

[6:17] spending contemplated other than a

[6:20] bonding bill and then some policy

[6:22] discussion.

[6:25] So, I want to get into bonding.

[6:27] That was one of our top priorities.

[6:29] Um a little background, so there was a

[6:31] bonding bill in 2025. Uh

[6:34] there was some concern they may not

[6:36] there may not be as much um

[6:38] sort of support for a bill this year

[6:40] since they did one last year. Typically,

[6:43] uh or historically, it's been, you know,

[6:45] a budget year, bonding year, budget

[6:47] year, bonding bonding year. So,

[6:49] um but that hasn't necessarily held at

[6:51] the last decade or so. They

[6:53] it's been more sort of sporadic. Uh but

[6:56] there's there's what the governor was

[6:57] proposing. Public Facilities Authority,

[7:00] 99 million, which is the agency that

[7:02] does all those water and wastewater

[7:03] projects that are so expensive.

[7:06] Uh a lot of

[7:07] uh state-owned assets that he was

[7:10] proposing for um preservation, like

[7:12] state-owned buildings, parks, um

[7:15] that sort of thing, the MnSCU system, U

[7:17] of M system.

[7:18] Um and sadly, nothing for roads and

[7:20] bridges,

[7:22] uh which was unacceptable

[7:24] to us, and then very little set aside

[7:26] for local projects.

[7:29] And this is one where this is a bill

[7:30] that of course, you know, requires 60%

[7:33] to pass cuz um to borrow money, that's

[7:36] what what is required. So, that's one

[7:38] where the minority party does have a a

[7:40] bit of say.

[7:41] Uh here's some of our folks testifying

[7:45] on

[7:46] uh bonding, support for various bonding

[7:48] bills.

[7:51] And so, here's what ended up passing. We

[7:52] had 1.24 billion, which is about as high

[7:56] as they could go to stay within the

[7:58] borrowing guidelines. And then quite a

[7:59] bit more for the public facilities

[8:01] authority than what the governor is had

[8:03] been proposing, four times as much. So,

[8:06] uh and luckily we did get some money for

[8:08] local roads and bridges. So, that was

[8:09] good. Um in what else is not on here is

[8:12] um there's a like 4 and 1/2 million for

[8:16] uh local road wetland replacement

[8:18] program as well. And then a lot of money

[8:20] for local projects. If you remember last

[8:21] year there wasn't any local projects in

[8:24] that bill. So, I think it was a pretty

[8:26] good outcome. Um

[8:28] except for

[8:30] unfortunately on lead service lines

[8:34] we had a little disappointment on this,

[8:36] which I'll explain, but just a little

[8:38] background first. So, the EPA is

[8:41] requiring that all lead service lines be

[8:44] removed um but by 2037. And so, there's

[8:48] inventory going on. There's there's

[8:50] initially 200

[8:52] uh

[8:53] 50 million that was uh put in place or

[8:56] passed in 2023. There's uh

[8:59] inventory money to inventory all lead

[9:03] water lines, service lines

[9:05] in the state. They've identified 87,000.

[9:08] There's still a lot to be identified, so

[9:11] that work continues.

[9:13] Uh

[9:13] but cities can propose a plan once they

[9:17] get that inventory.

[9:19] Um and then you'll get on sort of a

[9:21] project priority list uh to get that

[9:24] funding. Um so, it's it's a lot to get

[9:28] all those lines removed by 2037, so 1.5

[9:31] billion. So, uh there's a lot to be

[9:33] done. Uh we're working with a coalition,

[9:35] and you can you can check out the map on

[9:38] um

[9:38] I think it's the Department of Health's

[9:40] website to sort of see what's been

[9:42] inventoried and where it is and where

[9:44] where those lines exist, but um

[9:47] you know, there it's going to be a lot

[9:49] to to get that all removed by 2037.

[9:53] We're working with a coalition of uh

[9:56] city groups and then labor groups and

[9:59] environmental groups to try to advocate

[10:01] for this.

[10:02] Uh

[10:03] but on in this bonding bill, there's

[10:05] only 15 million for that. So, we're

[10:08] going to need more to you know,

[10:11] make sure that the 2027 construction

[10:14] season, you know, we still have a full

[10:15] construction season. So, we're looking

[10:18] at coming back next year with that

[10:20] coalition that we're working with and

[10:22] trying to figure out a dedicated source

[10:24] of funding rather than just rely on what

[10:26] goes in the bonding bill cuz we did have

[10:28] 400 million for the Public Facilities

[10:30] Authority, which we want that, but you

[10:32] know, any more that would have gone to

[10:34] lead service lines would have come out

[10:36] of those other water and wastewater

[10:38] projects. So, we're looking at trying to

[10:41] find a dedicated source for that.

[10:43] Housing and zoning, so this is one that

[10:45] just keeps coming up over and over

[10:46] again. Uh 2024, it was called the

[10:49] missing middle bill, yes to homes, now

[10:51] it's the starter home act. Uh a lot of

[10:54] the same things that we've seen before

[10:56] trying to pre-empt local authority over

[10:58] where your how you do your zoning. Um

[11:02] all

[11:03] cities, so they they it had the way this

[11:05] framework worked it would have been, you

[11:07] know, cities under 5,000, 5 to 10,000

[11:09] and then over 10,000. So, all cities

[11:11] would have had to meet those

[11:13] requirements on that first bullet. Uh

[11:16] aesthetic and material standards, HOA

[11:18] pre-emption, and require alternative

[11:20] dwelling units. The one the only thing

[11:22] that did pass was that pre-emption of

[11:26] homeowners association. So, cities

[11:28] cannot require the creation of a

[11:30] homeowners association for development.

[11:33] That's one thing that did pass, but none

[11:35] of none of these other things did pass.

[11:37] Uh cities over 5,000, you'd have to

[11:40] up-zone like a third. You could pick a

[11:42] third of your um

[11:44] single-family and go up to four units,

[11:47] and then you could combine you have to

[11:48] combine uh commercial and multi-family,

[11:51] and then minimum lot sizes no greater

[11:54] than an eighth of an acre.

[11:56] And then for cities over 10,000,

[11:59] they would have required these some of

[12:01] these additional things like parking

[12:03] minimums, you'd have to pick two or

[12:05] three of those,

[12:06] uh creation of a housing trust fund,

[12:09] um

[12:10] for cities over 10,000. So,

[12:12] I think they wanted a little bit more

[12:14] flexibility than what they've proposed

[12:15] the last couple years, but it's still

[12:17] way too prescriptive. So,

[12:19] um we continue to oppose it.

[12:22] Uh the League of Minnesota Cities

[12:24] dropped their active opposition to the

[12:26] bill.

[12:27] Um it was

[12:29] the Coalition of Greater Minnesota

[12:30] Cities, Metro Cities, and the Municipal

[12:32] Legislative Commission that

[12:34] uh

[12:35] continued to oppose it. Luckily, it was

[12:37] defeated in the house, no hearings in

[12:40] the Senate, but we expect There's

[12:42] Bradley Peterson, our executive

[12:43] director, testifying on it.

[12:45] Um

[12:46] we expect that some version will come up

[12:48] again next session. So, we're going to

[12:50] have to continue

[12:52] uh

[12:53] to fight it again next year.

[12:55] So, looking ahead, of course, election

[12:57] year. Uh

[12:59] all legislative seats are on the ballot,

[13:01] all of Congress is on the ballot,

[13:02] there's a Senate seat. Um we just had a

[13:04] primary, so we know who the candidates

[13:06] are on the Republican side and the

[13:09] Democrat side. Of course, the Governor

[13:12] Walz is not running, as you know. So, we

[13:15] we will have a new governor. There's a

[13:17] lot of retirements that are taking

[13:19] place. So, we're working on

[13:22] meeting with all the candidates, getting

[13:24] them our candidate packet, let them know

[13:26] where we stand on this stuff um because

[13:29] there's going to be a lot of new members

[13:31] regardless of, you know, who is in

[13:33] control. There's going to be a lot of

[13:35] new legislators up there because of all

[13:37] the retirements. So,

[13:38] um

[13:39] more work to to do and January 14th is

[13:43] when the session starts

[13:45] and I think I just have a slide

[13:49] upcoming events.

[13:50] Uh one more plug for our fall conference

[13:53] and our

[13:54] uh legislative action day so you can

[13:55] come up and lobby with us next year if

[13:58] you want and we'd love to have you up

[13:59] there. I'm happy to answer any

[14:01] questions.

[14:03] Thanks again for having me.

[14:07] » Thank you.

[14:08] » All right.

[14:09] » No questions?

[14:10] » No. Appreciate it. Thanks, Darren.

[14:11] » Okay. All right. Thank you. Have a good

[14:12] meeting.

[14:13] » Yes, you also.

[14:16] No action needed on that.

[14:18] » No. No action.

[14:20] » We will move on to 13B, consideration to

[14:22] approve resolution 08.26.04

[14:27] amending bylaws of the St. James

[14:29] Firefighters Relief Association.

[14:32] » Bill's going to talk on that.

[14:33] » Bill.

[14:37] » Hello. Uh so, the fire department was

[14:39] asking to raise our retirement by $100

[14:43] per year.

[14:44] Uh

[14:45] this would not uh increase the city

[14:47] budget at all. It will not cost the city

[14:48] anything.

[14:50] Uh it'd be just part of our uh

[14:52] recruitment and retention program that

[14:54] we're trying to you know, we're almost

[14:56] full. Uh

[14:58] So, we'd like to try to stay there.

[15:01] This would help in that uh

[15:03] area.

[15:07] » Any questions?

[15:13] » So, move to dispense with the reading.

[15:14] » Second dispense with the reading. Paul,

[15:17] any other discussion?

[15:19] All those in favor, raise a hand.

[15:22] All opposed, same sign.

[15:24] Motion carries. Thanks, Bill.

[15:27] 13C, consideration to approve resolution

[15:30] 08.26.05

[15:33] appointing housing redevelopment

[15:35] authority board vacancy.

[15:38] » Um so

[15:40] Melissa Wilson with the HRA had reached

[15:42] out to Chris and myself. Um there's a

[15:44] vacancy on the um

[15:47] resident

[15:49] position on their board of director and

[15:51] she is requesting um

[15:54] Ann L

[15:54] » Ann L

[15:55] » Ann L, thank you. Uh Schofield to uh be

[15:59] appointed to the board vacancy. It would

[16:02] go into effect immediately and then um

[16:04] their 5-year terms, which would bring it

[16:06] to January 1st uh 2032.

[16:10] Um so, if there's any questions, I would

[16:12] take those.

[16:16] » So, move to dispense with the reading.

[16:17] » Kathleen

[16:18] » Second dispense with the reading.

[16:20] » Sue, any other discussion?

[16:22] All those in favor, raise a hand.

[16:25] All opposed, same sign. Motion carries.

[16:29] 13D, consideration to approve resolution

[16:32] 08.26.06

[16:35] authorizing the transfer of the 2019

[16:38] Ford F-350 from the electric fund to the

[16:41] general fund for the fire department.

[16:43] » Um so, this was discussed at a previous

[16:45] city council meeting um that when

[16:48] Matt received his new truck that we

[16:50] would transfer his uh old truck to the

[16:52] fire department for uses of the fire

[16:54] department. Um so, that is what is the

[16:57] resolution in front of you.

[17:01] » So, move to dispense with the reading.

[17:02] » Sue

[17:03] » Second dispense with the reading.

[17:04] » Steve

[17:06] Any other discussion?

[17:08] » Do you have space over there?

[17:11] » Yeah.

[17:12] » You do.

[17:12] » Yeah, we'll get rid of the old uh

[17:15] the old truck town. Uh

[17:19] It's a

[17:20] F-150 single cab.

[17:22] » Okay.

[17:23] » It's the red one.

[17:24] » Okay.

[17:25] Right. You know you're tight. So I was

[17:27] wondering.

[17:28] » It's it's tight in there, but we'll

[17:29] we'll uh

[17:31] sell it.

[17:34] Mhm.

[17:34] » Okay.

[17:35] » I'll roll that in there.

[17:37] » All right. Thank you.

[17:38] » Once we get that on the truck.

[17:40] » All right. No other questions?

[17:43] All those in favor raise a hand.

[17:46] All opposed same sign. Motion carries.

[17:49] Uh 13E, consideration to approve

[17:52] resolution 08.26.07

[17:55] declaring abandoned and surplus property

[17:57] and ordering the disposal.

[17:59] » So within this resolution there's two um

[18:02] items that are being requested to be

[18:04] abandoned and surplus.

[18:06] Um the first one is the 2013 Ford

[18:08] Taurus.

[18:09] Um it sits here at City Hall. Um we re-

[18:12] City Hall received the old um

[18:15] police

[18:17] » Squad car?

[18:17] » Yeah, but is it it's not a Yukon, it's a

[18:20] » Oh, Tahoe.

[18:20] » Tahoe. Thank you. I drive a Yukon, so

[18:22] it's going to get out of my head on

[18:23] head. Um so it's more favorable and the

[18:26] Ford Taurus just sitting and idling. It

[18:29] barely starts, so it kind of isn't

[18:31] needed anymore for city operations, so

[18:33] we're asking to get rid of that. And

[18:35] then in the kitchen at the community

[18:38] building sits a very large commercial

[18:41] mixer. It's leaking oil. It is

[18:43] non-usable, and so we'd like just to

[18:46] also dispose of that.

[18:52] » So move to dispense with the reading.

[18:53] » Steve.

[18:56] » Second. Dispense with the reading.

[18:58] » Paul.

[18:59] Any other discussion?

[19:02] All those in favor raise a hand.

[19:04] All opposed same sign.

[19:06] Motion carries. 13F, consideration to

[19:09] approve resolution 08.26.08

[19:13] authorizing the city manager to enter

[19:15] into the temporary construction easement

[19:17] agreement with Fleet and Farm Supply

[19:19] Inc. for the 12th Avenue South Highway

[19:22] District expansion.

[19:24] » Um so Briana and myself along with my

[19:26] co-chair um have worked with the owners

[19:28] of Fleet and Farm to um execute said

[19:31] agreement for um construction

[19:35] of the uh entrance in We have to

[19:38] relocate his entrance due to um 12th

[19:40] Avenue South there when we do the

[19:43] highway district expansion for the

[19:45] business park. Um so the agreement in

[19:48] front of you is um what we agreed on.

[19:51] Uh the city will be um putting the new

[19:56] driveway in for him

[19:59] at

[19:59] our cost.

[20:03] » So move to dispense with the reading.

[20:05] Paul?

[20:06] » Second to dispense with the reading.

[20:07] » Mary?

[20:08] Any other discussion?

[20:09] » When are we hoping to uh start it and

[20:12] when might it be done?

[20:16] » Um it will be a part of the turn lane

[20:19] project and it will be needed to bid out

[20:21] the 12th Avenue project along with the

[20:23] turn lane. So it will be all together

[20:25] when we bid out that one project.

[20:27] » So it will be next?

[20:29] » I believe the anticipated date is to bid

[20:31] it out in September.

[20:32] » Okay.

[20:33] » But we we still need to get an

[20:35] additional easement with Gary Johnson

[20:38] accomplished.

[20:41] » So more than likely it won't be it won't

[20:43] be this

[20:43] » That that is the anticipated plan, yes,

[20:45] September.

[20:46] » Okay, great. Thank you.

[20:49] » Any other discussions?

[20:52] All those in favor raise your hand.

[20:54] All opposed same sign. Motion carries.

[20:58] On to report of boards. Sue?

[21:01] » Nothing.

[21:02] » Kathleen?

[21:02] » Nothing.

[21:03] » Mike?

[21:04] » No.

[21:04] » Amanda?

[21:05] » No.

[21:07] » Uh we had coffee with the mayor today. I

[21:08] thought it went very well. We talked

[21:09] about housing.

[21:11] Had individuals show up with their

[21:13] concerns and expressed it to us.

[21:15] It's what I like to see is people come

[21:17] to us

[21:18] with what they have to say and not walk

[21:19] around town and say it.

[21:21] Uh, but I think it was a great

[21:22] conversation.

[21:23] We have people working on the right

[21:25] moves to uh

[21:26] bring some housing to do in our

[21:27] community, hopefully. So.

[21:30] Chris.

[21:31] » I have the movie for this weekend,

[21:33] August 21st through the 23rd is The

[21:36] Brink of War. It is a historical

[21:39] political drama set during the 1980

[21:43] set during 1986, focusing on the tense

[21:47] negotiations between US President Ronald

[21:50] Reagan and Soviet leader Gorbachev as

[21:53] the two leaders attempt to reach a deal

[21:55] that could dismantle nuclear arsenals.

[21:58] Pressure mounts from advisors,

[22:00] intelligence agencies, and the weight of

[22:03] history itself, making every con-

[22:06] conversation critical to the fate of

[22:08] global peace. It is rated PG. It is 1

[22:11] hour and 57 minutes. There is no movie

[22:14] on Friday. Saturday it starts at 7:00,

[22:17] Sunday it starts at 4:00 p.m. and all

[22:20] tickets are just $5.

[22:24] » Paul.

[22:24] » No.

[22:25] » Mary.

[22:26] Steve.

[22:27] » Nope.

[22:27] » Department heads.

[22:30] All right. Oh.

[22:32] Holly.

[22:33] » If you have the opportunity on Saturday

[22:35] morning, the ambulance service would

[22:37] love for you to come um to our farmers

[22:39] safety day that the ambulance

[22:41] association is putting on. Begins at

[22:42] 8:30, it's at the fairgrounds. Um it

[22:45] will be um some basic instruction on

[22:48] basic first aid, CPR, um how to apply a

[22:51] tourniquet, farm safety including grain

[22:54] bin rescue, and um power take-off

[22:57] safety. Um there's

[23:00] Schmidt's rolls for breakfast and um

[23:03] pork patties for lunch. We'd love to

[23:04] have you.

[23:05] » Thank you.

[23:07] All right. No one else? Can I get a

[23:09] motion to adjourn?

[23:11] » So moved.

[23:12] » Sue?

[23:13] » Second.

[23:14] » Paul? Any discussion?

[23:16] All those in favor, say I.

[23:18] » I.

[23:19] » All opposed, same sign. Motion carries.

[23:21] Meeting adjourned at 5:53. Thank you.

[23:24] » Thank you.

Council Meeting 8/18/2026

Transcript