[0:03] All right. Hello and welcome everybody
to the St. James City Council meeting on
[0:07] August 18th, 2026 at 5:30.
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
United States of America
[0:25] and to the republic for which it stands,
one nation under God, indivisible, with
[0:31] liberty and justice for all.
[0:37] » All right.
And we'll move on to approval of
[0:41] minutes. Can I get a consideration to
approve August 5th, 2026 Council
[0:44] meeting? So moved. Steve?
>> Second.
[0:48] » Kathleen? Any other discussion?
All those in favor say I.
[0:53] » I.
>> All opposed, same sign.
[0:56] Motion carries.
On to payment of claims and ACH
[0:59] payments.
[1:02] » So moved.
>> Paul?
[1:05] » Second.
>> Sue?
[1:07] Any other discussion?
All those in favor say I.
[1:11] » I.
>> All opposed, same sign.
[1:14] Motion carries. On to new business, 13A.
Uh
[1:18] 2026 city visit presentation by Daren
Lee, Coalition of Greater Minnesota
[1:24] Cities. Daren.
>> All right.
[1:28] Well, thank you. Uh thanks for having
me. I'm Daren Lee with Flaherty & Hood.
[1:32] Uh we represent uh the Coalition of
Greater Minnesota Cities up at the state
[1:35] capital. And uh during the legislative
interim between sessions, we like to get
[1:41] out to our member cities and just kind
of update you about what we've been
[1:45] working on at the capital uh this past
session and kind of what we see coming
[1:48] up. Um
so I'll get right into it.
[1:53] Um
[1:56] there we go.
So, kind of as a reminder of who we are,
[2:01] we're more than 100 cities outside of
the seven-county metro area. Those are
[2:06] the kind of That's our updated map. Um
those are kind of the issue areas that
[2:10] we work on. We added a couple this last
couple of years, uh housing and EMS, cuz
[2:16] it's something that we
uh continue to work on. I work on
[2:20] transportation.
Um
[2:23] And so, we've got different staff that
work on all those different areas.
[2:30] So, I'm going to get into a recap of the
legislative session, but I've got some
[2:34] folders that I want to pass out, too,
and I'll explain what's in there.
[2:38] » Thank you.
[2:43] » Thank you.
>> Thank you.
[2:47] Thank you.
Thank you.
[2:51] » So, in here you'll find our um session
report. So, this will get into a little
[2:56] more detail than what I can get into in
the time we have here. Um
[3:01] then there's sort of FAQs,
staff contacts. If you have any
[3:06] questions on any of these issues, please
give us a call. Our environmental
[3:10] program sheet, uh
we have our housing report. It's a
[3:14] little bit long, so I just included a QR
code. You can read that. And then our
[3:19] candidate packet, which all of the
candidates that are running for the
[3:23] legislature will be getting that.
Uh
[3:26] with all the issues that we work on. And
then events coming up, we got our fall
[3:30] conference coming up in Waite Park, and
then our legislative action day next
[3:34] year.
Summer conference next year is still uh
[3:38] TBD as far as the dates. And then our
uh labor and employee relations program.
[3:44] So, that's everything in there.
[3:50] So,
um
[3:53] this session. So, th- are kind of the
uh focal points of the session. You
[3:58] know, there was a
67-67 tie in the house again. So,
[4:03] everything was a four-way negotiation.
Uh
[4:06] it's an election year. So, some of these
issues,
[4:10] um
were pretty political. You had, in
[4:13] addition to those, you know, the
immigration enforcement was a big one
[4:17] uh from earlier this spring. Fraud, they
did they did some things on fraud, um
[4:22] like withholding payments.
Uh nothing on guns or school safety.
[4:28] Uh Hennepin County Medical Center was
one that was a big issue.
[4:32] Uh they did pass a rescue package for
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
protect local government aid.
[4:49] Uh
Pass a bonding bill, lead line funding
[4:53] to remove lead service lines. And then
resist zoning uh preemption, which is
[4:59] something that's been coming up over and
over again in the last few years. And
[5:02] so, that was those were our big agenda
items.
[5:07] Here's the budget situation.
Uh So, if you remember maybe
[5:13] So, February of 2025, we had a $6
billion
[5:17] deficit. Uh so, the situation did
improve. There is still that structural
[5:22] imbalance, which is, you know, your
revenues coming in versus the money
[5:26] going out. So, if that continues, you
know, we would be in a deficit situation
[5:31] again. So, we'll have to see. There's a
another forecast coming up in November.
[5:37] So, we'll see how
how it goes. But, this was kind of the
[5:41] setup for the session. So, you still do
have a little bit of a positive balance
[5:46] in that second biennium, but not a lot,
and so it sort of limited the amount of
[5:51] new spending uh discussion.
Uh back to 2025, the Senate Democrats
[5:58] did uh propose LGA cuts. Luckily,
nothing was proposed this year
[6:06] because I think the budget situation did
improve a little bit. So, we were uh
[6:11] thankful that that
uh wasn't proposed again this year.
[6:15] Um but there was very little new
spending contemplated other than a
[6:20] bonding bill and then some policy
discussion.
[6:25] So, I want to get into bonding.
That was one of our top priorities.
[6:29] Um a little background, so there was a
bonding bill in 2025. Uh
[6:34] there was some concern they may not
there may not be as much um
[6:38] sort of support for a bill this year
since they did one last year. Typically,
[6:43] uh or historically, it's been, you know,
a budget year, bonding year, budget
[6:47] year, bonding bonding year. So,
um but that hasn't necessarily held at
[6:51] the last decade or so. They
it's been more sort of sporadic. Uh but
[6:56] there's there's what the governor was
proposing. Public Facilities Authority,
[7:00] 99 million, which is the agency that
does all those water and wastewater
[7:03] projects that are so expensive.
Uh a lot of
[7:07] uh state-owned assets that he was
proposing for um preservation, like
[7:12] state-owned buildings, parks, um
that sort of thing, the MnSCU system, U
[7:17] of M system.
Um and sadly, nothing for roads and
[7:20] bridges,
uh which was unacceptable
[7:24] to us, and then very little set aside
for local projects.
[7:29] And this is one where this is a bill
that of course, you know, requires 60%
[7:33] to pass cuz um to borrow money, that's
what what is required. So, that's one
[7:38] where the minority party does have a a
bit of say.
[7:41] Uh here's some of our folks testifying
on
[7:46] uh bonding, support for various bonding
bills.
[7:51] And so, here's what ended up passing. We
had 1.24 billion, which is about as high
[7:56] as they could go to stay within the
borrowing guidelines. And then quite a
[7:59] bit more for the public facilities
authority than what the governor is had
[8:03] been proposing, four times as much. So,
uh and luckily we did get some money for
[8:08] local roads and bridges. So, that was
good. Um in what else is not on here is
[8:12] um there's a like 4 and 1/2 million for
uh local road wetland replacement
[8:18] program as well. And then a lot of money
for local projects. If you remember last
[8:21] year there wasn't any local projects in
that bill. So, I think it was a pretty
[8:26] good outcome. Um
except for
[8:30] unfortunately on lead service lines
we had a little disappointment on this,
[8:36] which I'll explain, but just a little
background first. So, the EPA is
[8:41] requiring that all lead service lines be
removed um but by 2037. And so, there's
[8:48] inventory going on. There's there's
initially 200
[8:52] uh
50 million that was uh put in place or
[8:56] passed in 2023. There's uh
inventory money to inventory all lead
[9:03] water lines, service lines
in the state. They've identified 87,000.
[9:08] There's still a lot to be identified, so
that work continues.
[9:13] Uh
but cities can propose a plan once they
[9:17] get that inventory.
Um and then you'll get on sort of a
[9:21] project priority list uh to get that
funding. Um so, it's it's a lot to get
[9:28] all those lines removed by 2037, so 1.5
billion. So, uh there's a lot to be
[9:33] done. Uh we're working with a coalition,
and you can you can check out the map on
[9:38] um
I think it's the Department of Health's
[9:40] website to sort of see what's been
inventoried and where it is and where
[9:44] where those lines exist, but um
you know, there it's going to be a lot
[9:49] to to get that all removed by 2037.
We're working with a coalition of uh
[9:56] city groups and then labor groups and
environmental groups to try to advocate
[10:01] for this.
Uh
[10:03] but on in this bonding bill, there's
only 15 million for that. So, we're
[10:08] going to need more to you know,
make sure that the 2027 construction
[10:14] season, you know, we still have a full
construction season. So, we're looking
[10:18] at coming back next year with that
coalition that we're working with and
[10:22] trying to figure out a dedicated source
of funding rather than just rely on what
[10:26] goes in the bonding bill cuz we did have
400 million for the Public Facilities
[10:30] Authority, which we want that, but you
know, any more that would have gone to
[10:34] lead service lines would have come out
of those other water and wastewater
[10:38] projects. So, we're looking at trying to
find a dedicated source for that.
[10:43] Housing and zoning, so this is one that
just keeps coming up over and over
[10:46] again. Uh 2024, it was called the
missing middle bill, yes to homes, now
[10:51] it's the starter home act. Uh a lot of
the same things that we've seen before
[10:56] trying to pre-empt local authority over
where your how you do your zoning. Um
[11:02] all
cities, so they they it had the way this
[11:05] framework worked it would have been, you
know, cities under 5,000, 5 to 10,000
[11:09] and then over 10,000. So, all cities
would have had to meet those
[11:13] requirements on that first bullet. Uh
aesthetic and material standards, HOA
[11:18] pre-emption, and require alternative
dwelling units. The one the only thing
[11:22] that did pass was that pre-emption of
homeowners association. So, cities
[11:28] cannot require the creation of a
homeowners association for development.
[11:33] That's one thing that did pass, but none
of none of these other things did pass.
[11:37] Uh cities over 5,000, you'd have to
up-zone like a third. You could pick a
[11:42] third of your um
single-family and go up to four units,
[11:47] and then you could combine you have to
combine uh commercial and multi-family,
[11:51] and then minimum lot sizes no greater
than an eighth of an acre.
[11:56] And then for cities over 10,000,
they would have required these some of
[12:01] these additional things like parking
minimums, you'd have to pick two or
[12:05] three of those,
uh creation of a housing trust fund,
[12:09] um
for cities over 10,000. So,
[12:12] I think they wanted a little bit more
flexibility than what they've proposed
[12:15] the last couple years, but it's still
way too prescriptive. So,
[12:19] um we continue to oppose it.
Uh the League of Minnesota Cities
[12:24] dropped their active opposition to the
bill.
[12:27] Um it was
the Coalition of Greater Minnesota
[12:30] Cities, Metro Cities, and the Municipal
Legislative Commission that
[12:34] uh
continued to oppose it. Luckily, it was
[12:37] defeated in the house, no hearings in
the Senate, but we expect There's
[12:42] Bradley Peterson, our executive
director, testifying on it.
[12:45] Um
we expect that some version will come up
[12:48] again next session. So, we're going to
have to continue
[12:52] uh
to fight it again next year.
[12:55] So, looking ahead, of course, election
year. Uh
[12:59] all legislative seats are on the ballot,
all of Congress is on the ballot,
[13:02] there's a Senate seat. Um we just had a
primary, so we know who the candidates
[13:06] are on the Republican side and the
Democrat side. Of course, the Governor
[13:12] Walz is not running, as you know. So, we
we will have a new governor. There's a
[13:17] lot of retirements that are taking
place. So, we're working on
[13:22] meeting with all the candidates, getting
them our candidate packet, let them know
[13:26] where we stand on this stuff um because
there's going to be a lot of new members
[13:31] regardless of, you know, who is in
control. There's going to be a lot of
[13:35] new legislators up there because of all
the retirements. So,
[13:38] um
more work to to do and January 14th is
[13:43] when the session starts
and I think I just have a slide
[13:49] upcoming events.
Uh one more plug for our fall conference
[13:53] and our
uh legislative action day so you can
[13:55] come up and lobby with us next year if
you want and we'd love to have you up
[13:59] there. I'm happy to answer any
questions.
[14:03] Thanks again for having me.
[14:07] » Thank you.
>> All right.
[14:09] » No questions?
>> No. Appreciate it. Thanks, Darren.
[14:11] » Okay. All right. Thank you. Have a good
meeting.
[14:13] » Yes, you also.
No action needed on that.
[14:18] » No. No action.
>> We will move on to 13B, consideration to
[14:22] approve resolution 08.26.04
[14:27] amending bylaws of the St. James
Firefighters Relief Association.
[14:32] » Bill's going to talk on that.
>> Bill.
[14:37] » Hello. Uh so, the fire department was
asking to raise our retirement by $100
[14:43] per year.
Uh
[14:45] this would not uh increase the city
budget at all. It will not cost the city
[14:48] anything.
Uh it'd be just part of our uh
[14:52] recruitment and retention program that
we're trying to you know, we're almost
[14:56] full. Uh
So, we'd like to try to stay there.
[15:01] This would help in that uh
area.
[15:07] » Any questions?
[15:13] » So, move to dispense with the reading.
>> Second dispense with the reading. Paul,
[15:17] any other discussion?
All those in favor, raise a hand.
[15:22] All opposed, same sign.
Motion carries. Thanks, Bill.
[15:27] 13C, consideration to approve resolution
08.26.05
[15:33] appointing housing redevelopment
authority board vacancy.
[15:38] » Um so
Melissa Wilson with the HRA had reached
[15:42] out to Chris and myself. Um there's a
vacancy on the um
[15:47] resident
position on their board of director and
[15:51] she is requesting um
Ann L
[15:54] » Ann L
>> Ann L, thank you. Uh Schofield to uh be
[15:59] appointed to the board vacancy. It would
go into effect immediately and then um
[16:04] their 5-year terms, which would bring it
to January 1st uh 2032.
[16:10] Um so, if there's any questions, I would
take those.
[16:16] » So, move to dispense with the reading.
>> Kathleen
[16:18] » Second dispense with the reading.
>> Sue, any other discussion?
[16:22] All those in favor, raise a hand.
All opposed, same sign. Motion carries.
[16:29] 13D, consideration to approve resolution
08.26.06
[16:35] authorizing the transfer of the 2019
Ford F-350 from the electric fund to the
[16:41] general fund for the fire department.
>> Um so, this was discussed at a previous
[16:45] city council meeting um that when
Matt received his new truck that we
[16:50] would transfer his uh old truck to the
fire department for uses of the fire
[16:54] department. Um so, that is what is the
resolution in front of you.
[17:01] » So, move to dispense with the reading.
>> Sue
[17:03] » Second dispense with the reading.
>> Steve
[17:06] Any other discussion?
>> Do you have space over there?
[17:11] » Yeah.
>> You do.
[17:12] » Yeah, we'll get rid of the old uh
the old truck town. Uh
[17:19] It's a
F-150 single cab.
[17:22] » Okay.
>> It's the red one.
[17:24] » Okay.
Right. You know you're tight. So I was
[17:27] wondering.
>> it's it's tight in there, but we'll
[17:29] we'll uh
sell it.
[17:34] Mhm.
>> Okay.
[17:35] » I'll roll that in there.
>> All right. Thank you.
[17:38] » Once we get that on the truck.
>> All right. No other questions?
[17:43] All those in favor raise a hand.
All opposed same sign. Motion carries.
[17:49] Uh 13E, consideration to approve
resolution 08.26.07
[17:55] declaring abandoned and surplus property
and ordering the disposal.
[17:59] » So within this resolution there's two um
items that are being requested to be
[18:04] abandoned and surplus.
Um the first one is the 2013 Ford
[18:08] Taurus.
Um it sits here at City Hall. Um we re-
[18:12] City Hall received the old um
police
[18:17] » squad car?
>> Yeah, but is it it's not a Yukon, it's a
[18:20] » Oh, Tahoe.
>> Tahoe. Thank you. I drive a Yukon, so
[18:22] it's going to get out of my head on
head. Um so it's more favorable and the
[18:26] Ford Taurus just sitting and idling. It
barely starts, so it kind of isn't
[18:31] needed anymore for city operations, so
we're asking to get rid of that. And
[18:35] then in the kitchen at the community
building sits a very large commercial
[18:41] mixer. It's leaking oil. It is
non-usable, and so we'd like just to
[18:46] also dispose of that.
[18:52] » So move to dispense with the reading.
>> Steve.
[18:56] » Second. Dispense with the reading.
>> Paul.
[18:59] Any other discussion?
All those in favor raise a hand.
[19:04] All opposed same sign.
Motion carries. 13F, consideration to
[19:09] approve resolution 08.26.08
authorizing the city manager to enter
[19:15] into the temporary construction easement
agreement with Fleet and Farm Supply
[19:19] Inc. for the 12th Avenue South Highway
District expansion.
[19:24] » Um so Briana and myself along with my
co-chair um have worked with the owners
[19:28] of Fleet and Farm to um execute said
agreement for um construction
[19:35] of the uh entrance in We have to
relocate his entrance due to um 12th
[19:40] Avenue South there when we do the
highway district expansion for the
[19:45] business park. Um so the agreement in
front of you is um what we agreed on.
[19:51] Uh the city will be um putting the new
driveway in for him
[19:59] at
our cost.
[20:03] » So move to dispense with the reading.
Paul?
[20:06] » Second to dispense with the reading.
>> Mary?
[20:08] Any other discussion?
>> 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
project and it will be needed to bid out
[20:21] the 12th Avenue project along with the
turn lane. So it will be all together
[20:25] when we bid out that one project.
>> So it will be next?
[20:29] » I believe the anticipated date is to bid
it out in September.
[20:32] » Okay.
>> But we we still need to get an
[20:35] additional easement with Gary Johnson
accomplished.
[20:41] » So more than likely it won't be it won't
be this
[20:43] » That that is the anticipated plan, yes,
September.
[20:46] » Okay, great. Thank you.
>> Any other discussions?
[20:52] All those in favor raise your hand.
All opposed same sign. Motion carries.
[20:58] On to report of boards. Sue?
>> Nothing.
[21:02] » Kathleen?
>> Nothing.
[21:03] » Mike?
>> No.
[21:04] » Amanda?
>> No.
[21:07] » Uh we had coffee with the mayor today. I
thought it went very well. We talked
[21:09] about housing.
Had individuals show up with their
[21:13] concerns and expressed it to us.
It's what I like to see is people come
[21:17] to us
with what they have to say and not walk
[21:19] around town and say it.
Uh, but I think it was a great
[21:22] conversation.
We have people working on the right
[21:25] moves to uh
bring some housing to do in our
[21:27] community, hopefully. So.
Chris.
[21:31] » I have the movie for this weekend,
August 21st through the 23rd is The
[21:36] Brink of War. It is a historical
political drama set during the 1980
[21:43] set during 1986, focusing on the tense
negotiations between US President Ronald
[21:50] Reagan and Soviet leader Gorbachev as
the two leaders attempt to reach a deal
[21:55] that could dismantle nuclear arsenals.
Pressure mounts from advisors,
[22:00] intelligence agencies, and the weight of
history itself, making every con-
[22:06] conversation critical to the fate of
global peace. It is rated PG. It is 1
[22:11] hour and 57 minutes. There is no movie
on Friday. Saturday it starts at 7:00,
[22:17] Sunday it starts at 4:00 p.m. and all
tickets are just $5.
[22:24] » Paul.
>> No.
[22:25] » Mary.
Steve.
[22:27] » Nope.
>> Department heads.
[22:30] All right. Oh.
Holly.
[22:33] » If you have the opportunity on Saturday
morning, the ambulance service would
[22:37] love for you to come um to our farmers
safety day that the ambulance
[22:41] association is putting on. Begins at
8:30, it's at the fairgrounds. Um it
[22:45] will be um some basic instruction on
basic first aid, CPR, um how to apply a
[22:51] tourniquet, farm safety including grain
bin rescue, and um power take-off
[22:57] safety. Um there's
Schmidt's rolls for breakfast and um
[23:03] pork patties for lunch. We'd love to
have you.
[23:05] » Thank you.
All right. No one else? Can I get a
[23:09] motion to adjourn?
>> So moved.
[23:12] » Sue?
>> Second.
[23:14] » Paul? Any discussion?
All those in favor, say I.
[23:18] » I.
>> I.
[23:19] » All opposed, same sign. Motion carries.
Meeting adjourned at 5:53. Thank you.
[23:24] » Thank you.