[0:53] 30 p.m., and I call this meeting to order. Please stand, and we'll recite the plight of allegiance.

[1:17] Good evening, everyone. This is a regularly scheduled meeting of the one-own-of-city council. I don't have anything specific tonight, so I'll kick it over to City Manager Chetubol.

[1:27] mayor and council nothing else this evening. Very good. I will now ask City Clerk to take the roll call.

[1:33] Mayor Sherman.

[1:34] Council Member Young.

[1:36] Hi Ma.

[1:36] Here.

[1:37] Christensen.

[1:38] Serden Shortridge.

[1:39] Here.

[1:40] Borja Kowski.

[1:40] Here.

[1:41] Thank you.

[1:41] Here.

[1:43] For each public hearing staff will make a short presentation and then I will ask if anyone from the public wishes to speak to the matter.

[1:50] Please state your name and address clearly. You'll be given up to three minutes to make your testimony.

[1:54] I will call three times for public comments.

[1:57] Once the hearing is closed, the public may not participate in the discussion by City Council.

[2:04] Under required public hearings, item 2.1 is an annexation request for 1628 Valley View Drive.

[2:10] I'll call City Point Interlude Simms to present this staff count.

[2:16] Good evening.

[2:18] Thank you, Mayor and Council.

[2:20] Before you today is an item for an annexation at 1628 Valley View Drive.

[2:24] This is a single family property located directly adjacent to city property.

[2:30] This property also came before you for annexation via a joint orderly annexation

[2:35] pursued back in May of this year.

[2:38] Without hearing an affirmative response from Wilson Township,

[2:42] the city is pursuing annexation by ordinance.

[2:45] The property is described on page 9 of your agenda today.

[2:49] The applicants, Greta and Anthony vote, came forward due to a failing septic system.

[2:55] The septic system they currently have lacks tank integrity and is also experiencing soil

[3:00] separation, caught failing to protect ground water in the area, they are required to address

[3:04] the deficiencies, either through replacement, upgrading, or discontinued use within 10 months.

[3:11] They made that observation in April of this year.

[3:16] before you today is an opportunity to bring 1628 Valley View Drive into the city of

[3:21] Winona via annexation and connect this this property to city utilities

[3:26] thereby going going around and addressing the integrity issues and the soil

[3:31] separation issues at this property with that I'm available for any questions

[3:35] more questions until after the public hearing if you don't mind council thank

[3:40] you all right I will now open the public hearing I know the petitioner

[3:45] they're not in attendance tonight so I'll open the public hearing regarding the

[3:49] proposed annexation. We'll now open the public hearing. Anyone wishing to

[3:53] speak has invited to come forward please state your name and address for the

[3:56] record before making or comments.

[4:00] I'll now ask again does anybody from the

[4:02] public wish to speak during the required public hearing for item 2.1 annexation

[4:06] request at 1628 Valley View Drive?

[4:11] I'll ask again does anybody wish to speak during

[4:13] the required public hearing for item 2.1 and

[4:18] last one more time. Does anybody from the

[4:20] public wish to speak during the required public hearing for item 2.1 annexation request

[4:25] at 1628 value view drive?

[4:30] Is there anyone else who wishes to provide comments regarding

[4:33] the information on the proposed annexation of the theme? Seeing none, I will close the public

[4:39] hearing.

[4:42] Mr. Mayor, I move that that council introduce the ordinance.

[4:45] Is that a motion from Steve, second from Jerome, discussion among the council or the questions

[4:50] for staff?

[4:51] Yes.

[4:56] Mr. Sims.

[5:01] So, in reviewing this, this looks like this is, like you mentioned, this is adjacent

[5:06] property, so we're not doing anything other than just extending what, you know, next, what's

[5:11] next door.

[5:11] or was there a reason that Wilson Township gave

[5:15] for not agreeing to the annexation?

[5:19] Wilson Township did not provide any form of resolution

[5:22] related to that.

[5:24] However, the informal response I received

[5:26] was that they were not interested in pursuing annexation

[5:29] via a single property or an annexation request

[5:31] and would rather prefer the city to go through

[5:34] its annexation ordinance procedures.

[5:37] Okay, so there wasn't a particular reason.

[5:40] and this is their preferred path for us to choose,

[5:43] which we have done numerous times before, am I correct?

[5:46] Correct, we have done that similar joint orally annexation,

[5:49] followed by annexation by ordinance procedure in the past.

[5:53] Okay, so this fits the profile.

[5:55] Correct, council member Heimer.

[5:56] Great, thank you.

[5:57] Drone, did you have something?

[5:59] Nope, any other?

[6:00] Yeah, toured.

[6:01] No, there's already stovards for sewer and water there, correct?

[6:06] Correct, it is quite literally

[6:07] directly in front of the property. Thank you. That's all I am. Any other questions for Luke?

[6:16] Thanks, Luke. Appreciate it.

[6:20] All right. Any other discussion? Hearing none? All those in favor? Say aye.

[6:27] Opposed? Motion passes. Item 2.2 is a municipal consent public hearing for Highway 43 Project.

[6:34] I would like to call on Jay Kalsi from Minda to come forward and present the Highway 43 project, please.

[6:56] Is the green light on your mic?

[6:57] There.

[7:01] It is.

[7:02] Okay.

[7:03] Good

[7:10] evening, Mr. Mayor.

[7:12] Members of the council, city staff, thanks for entertaining our motion or our, excuse me,

[7:18] our request tonight for municipal consent for upcoming project on Highway 43.

[7:27] I have a brief PowerPoint presentation to go over the project and the process here.

[7:36] Abigail.

[7:38] Reckman from Align Engineering is also here today to present the layout that has been submitted

[7:43] for consideration.

[7:49] So I guess the first question that I'd like to address is why are we here?

[7:53] What is the hearing purpose for tonight?

[7:55] This is basically spelled out in Minnesota statutes 161.162 through 161.167.

[8:05] Municipal consent is required for the local municipality when Mindot is proposing a project

[8:12] within that municipality that beats one of three thresholds.

[8:19] one, if we're altering access, so for instance, closing a driveway, etc., number two, if

[8:27] we increase or reduce the highway capacity, that would be like adding another through

[8:31] lane on a highway, or number three, if we're requiring the acquisition of a permanent rights

[8:37] away as part of the project. So in our case, this particular project here actually meets

[8:44] the thresholds for criteria number one and number three.

[8:49] And so that's, as triggered the municipal consent process.

[8:58] So as part of that process, MINDOT transmits what we call the staff approved geometric layout.

[9:06] It shows the geometric features of the project.

[9:10] We also transmit a good faith cost estimate to the city, outlining any anticipated cost share

[9:17] items and cost responsibilities that the city would be responsible for as part of that

[9:22] project and other associated reports which typically would be an environmental document

[9:28] or some other design memo.

[9:31] Once that package is transmitted to the city, the city has 15 days within receipt of that

[9:40] package to schedule a public hearing.

[9:42] So I did transmit that package to Brian on June 30th.

[9:47] The city then schedules and holds public hearing with 30 days notice.

[9:53] Must hold the public hearing within 60 days of receiving that final layout.

[9:57] So that's tonight's meeting.

[10:00] The city council then considers the layout in addition to any testimony provided by

[10:08] concerns citizens. The city then has 90 days to either approve or disapprove

[10:14] that layout. I should say within 90 days of the hearing. If the layout is

[10:24] disapproved, MINDOT has basically one of three options. One, if you disprove

[10:32] disapproved, but you have a number of conditions that if MINDOT can meet, then

[10:40] the staff approved layout could be approved upon receiving written notice from

[10:45] MINDOT that we agreed to those conditions and we furnish you with a revised layout.

[10:50] At that point, the consent process has concluded and MINDOT can proceed with the

[10:56] project. The second option here is that we can file an appeal to have an independent

[11:04] body review that decision and render a final decision on the layout. Or number three, we

[11:13] can withdraw the project and not complete the project. I should say there's also one

[11:21] other slight nuance here, we could also take a look at the layout. Again, looking at

[11:27] those triggers or those thresholds for needing municipal consent. If we modify the project

[11:33] such that we don't trigger those thresholds, then the need for municipal consent is basically

[11:42] rendered a move point and then that can move forward with the project.

[11:45] So,

[11:50] let me talk a little bit more about the project and the specifics here.

[11:55] The purpose for this project is to improve pavement quality.

[12:02] Also the sidewalk and pedestrian ramps, we want to bring those into compliance.

[12:09] Update any intersection traffic control is warranted and then improve mobility and safety

[12:14] for all modes of traffic.

[12:17] So with that, it's kind of a high level of the process

[12:21] and why we're doing a project on Highway 43.

[12:24] I'm going to turn it over to Abby now

[12:26] who's going to kind of walk us through the specifics of the project,

[12:30] the beginning and end points of the project, the project length,

[12:34] and what we're proposing to do here.

[13:01] Hello, I'm Abby Rickman, the line of engineering design engineer for the job.

[13:06] My visuals are not great so I'll try to give you guys a good verbal description

[13:09] of the project. So it's on Tranquilay 43, which snakes through town and has

[13:16] several vocal road names for it, Forest Street and Main Street, Sarnia. So it's

[13:22] kind of a complicated layout. It starts on kind of latch island. We have an orphan

[13:29] section of pavement of 43 that just needs to be milled and overlaid. So we take

[13:34] off a couple inches of the surface with the milling and then we overlay it with new

[13:38] pavement gives you that good surface quality ride quality there. So that's on

[13:42] Latch Island that's really all that's happening in that location. And then we

[13:47] move into town. So once you're across the Big River Bridge we'll continue that

[13:53] Mill and Overlay process of 43. And just really just that happening at the

[13:58] intersection of Winona and Forest Street. And then we go down Forest Street and

[14:04] throughout the project as it makes its way on the 4th and to Maine and

[14:09] Sarnia, that Mill and Overlay is happening as well as kind of piecemeal

[14:14] sidewalk improvements. So areas where panels have cracks or discontinuities that

[14:21] wouldn't meet ADA standards were replacing that sidewalk, smoothing it out,

[14:25] will replace some driveways if they have issues or aren't compliant, mostly to

[14:31] cross-loop through the power of the festering access route that goes through a

[14:35] driveway. So replacing the driveways you've got a nice flat slope. We're

[14:41] including a lot of bump outs at most intersections. So shortening that

[14:45] crossing for pedestrians across 43 and the side road.

[14:51] Specifically at 4th and

[14:54] main there's an existing signal which is going to be removed and replaced with an

[14:59] always start.

[15:00] That was based on an earlier traffic study. And then continuing down main, we get to fifth

[15:08] street. That existing signal system is also going to be removed and replaced with side

[15:15] street stops. So fifth street would stop and 43 would continue unimpeded. And then we

[15:22] are proposing a RRFB, so rapid rectangular flashing beacon. There's one at eight

[15:29] street by the college, so it's a way for pedestrians to push that button. It

[15:34] actually lets people know that the ads are there, lets them cross safely, so

[15:39] we're proposing one of those, crossing main street at fifth, and then Broadway has

[15:46] an existing signal, and that is proposed to be replaced with a new signal system.

[15:50] The existing one is met at service life and it will be upgraded to have APS technology.

[15:57] So, assessable pedestrian signal, it will have push buttons that chirp for people fully

[16:03] accessible.

[16:04] So, that will all be updated.

[16:08] We've got spot replacements of storm sewer, fixing catch basins, minor areas where it would

[16:15] go across the road but the most part just spot fixing.

[16:19] It's

[16:27] sarnia. It's a lot of the same bump outs and pedestrian ramps are being fixed and upgraded.

[16:35] We will be adding sidewalk along Lake Park from about Franklin over to the roundabout of Mankato.

[16:44] It will tie in that existing sidewalk. So we're going to propose an eight foot walk along the south side of sarnia street there.

[16:52] which provides a buffer to traffic and then a five-foot use for a sidewalk.

[16:57] But it will all be paid great from the back of the car.

[17:02] Our typical section for the most part will maintain parking on both sides.

[17:07] We're proposing 11 foot wide through lanes and then a five-foot bike lane on both sides of the road.

[17:24] So with our sidewalk replacements in certain areas we do have potential for tree impacts.

[17:31] It's a mostly along lake park, there's some tree litter very close to where that side

[17:35] block would go in.

[17:36] So, we're going to assess that and make sure that if we're damaging roots that we take

[17:41] care of them, we will be doing a lot of root cutting to make sure that we don't damage roots

[17:45] and we kind of keep the trees as healthy as possible if we're going to mark them for being

[17:50] saved.

[17:51] But that is a potential that will be assessing as we move into final design.

[17:54] Did

[17:59] it?

[18:00] Yeah, poor.

[18:04] Abigail?

[18:06] Abigail, did you have images you wanted to show?

[18:11] Because if you had layout screens, the council has a printout

[18:16] and I have what was provided to Brian or IT is trying to bring them up.

[18:22] Do you want us to bring those up unless there's questions you want to have them queued up?

[18:30] Yeah, if there are some potential questions after discussion here, it might be good to refer to.

[18:35] I know it's a little hard to go off of just a verbal description, pictures worth a thousand words sometimes, right?

[18:43] We're working on trying to get them.

[18:48] So I'll get through the rest of my presentation, which is very much longer.

[18:51] And then so Brad if you could just go back to the presentation and then keep working on getting those files up that'd be great

[18:58] Appreciate it. Thank you.

[19:08] So the graphic is is our layout

[19:11] That's what we're asking councils to consider and ultimately vote on proving or disapproving

[19:24] a couple other things here to note so

[19:27] Right away for the project so there are some temporary easements that are needed

[19:33] for

[19:34] or a good length of the project.

[19:38] Most temporary easements are needed in many areas

[19:41] to facilitate the sidewalk replacement

[19:43] and driveway reconstruction.

[19:48] So there'll be a number of parcels impacted.

[19:52] Linearly, we estimate up to five feet

[19:56] beyond the back of the sidewalk will be needed

[19:58] to help construct the sidewalk replacements

[20:02] and sort of blend the slopes back into folks's yards.

[20:07] We do have a few areas of permanent acquisition and permanent easements that are needed, albeit most of them are fairly small.

[20:17] Most significant one will be along the south side of Sarnia Street from Franklin to just west of the Lake Park,

[20:29] drive Hamilton Street area.

[20:31] this is for the new sidewalk that's being constructed. Much of it is within

[20:38] Min dot right away but there's some that strays outside of Min dot right

[20:41] away. There's some other things there regarding some regulatory impacts known

[20:47] as six F impacts that we have to do some basically some land swapping. There are

[20:53] There are three other areas where there are some small slivers needed to install updated

[21:01] pet ramps at three, three separate quadrants, various intersections within highway, or

[21:11] the trunk highway corridor.

[21:13] So that's what's required for right away in terms of schedule.

[21:18] So, we're looking at letting this project in January of 2028 currently.

[21:27] We anticipate construction would begin in May of 2028, we're intentionally trying

[21:34] to schedule the work on Main Street in the vicinity of Winola State University for

[21:39] the month's regular school session is out.

[21:43] We expect it to be substantially complete in August of 2028, again, weather permitting.

[21:50] And the end of construction, after we do some final cleanup and punchless items, we would

[21:56] anticipate later that fall in 2028 in

[22:07] advance of the year.

[22:11] In terms of traffic control for the project, the final traffic control plan is still under development.

[22:16] We have looked at things at a fairly high level conceptually, broken into three main stages

[22:24] with a stage zero pre-stage.

[22:26] That stage zero would involve short-term closures at select intersections at the corners

[22:33] to complete some of the storm sewer work, so there may be short detours required for those.

[22:40] Stage 1, we would have Highway 43 traffic, all of that shifted to one side, while the

[22:48] other half is closed for sidewalk, turbine gutter work, etc. There would likely

[22:53] need to be some on-street parking restrictions during that time frame. Stage 2, we

[22:58] would flip-flop things around and do the other half, Highway 43, turbine gutter,

[23:03] sidewalk, etc. Final stage would be with the surfacing, the mill and overlay,

[23:08] through the entire length of the project, which we anticipate being able to do

[23:12] that under traffic with flagging operations.

[23:19] In terms of cost, there are a number of

[23:21] cost share items detailed here. The bulk of the cost have to do with the city's

[23:27] cost share for a signal replacement, but the total is approximately $298,900, and that's

[23:38] of a total project cost about $6.3 million of which Minda is responsible for about $6 million more.

[23:52] So that's all we had for our formal presentation here tonight.

[23:57] So we'll allow councils to move forward with either questions or answers from our testimony from the public.

[24:04] I'm going to go to public hearing first, that way we have all the information presented

[24:09] before we get into questions with Minda.

[24:12] So I'll now open the public hearing regarding municipal consent for the Highway 43 project.

[24:20] Anyone who wishes to speak is invited to come forward.

[24:23] Please state your name and address for the record before making your comments.

[24:27] You will have three minutes to address the council.

[24:29] Council members may ask questions of speakers for the purpose of clearing

[24:33] flying facts. Does anybody from the public wish to speak during the

[24:37] required public hearing? Come on up, Michael.

[24:50] Honourable Mayor Sherman, members. My name is Michael Rojak. I am the executive

[24:54] director of the bicycle Alliance of Minnesota. I live in Winona's largest

[24:59] suburb Rochester and I came over here today to talk about what I think is a

[25:06] is a safety issue and my understanding is that you will not actually be voting on

[25:11] municipal consent tonight. We are going to submit a formal letter that's going to

[25:15] go into great detail about some of the concerns that we have and ultimately we

[25:19] view this as a public safety issue and we think there are safer designs that are

[25:24] available out there. I spent 12 years on the Rochester City Council that's 12

[25:30] very long years so I appreciate the service that you're doing I know what it's

[25:35] like to have to make these decisions.

[25:38] And I actually got involved.

[25:39] I came across the scene of a crash on June 16, 2006,

[25:43] just over 20 years ago.

[25:45] We're a young girl named Ariana McNamara

[25:47] was killed at an incredibly unsafe intersection.

[25:50] She and her family were doing everything right.

[25:53] And ultimately, because of the design of the roadway,

[25:56] a driver did not stop and she lost her life.

[25:58] And that hangs with me to this day.

[26:01] When I see things that are clearly safety issues,

[26:04] I feel it is my personal responsibility and all my professional duty to say that there

[26:10] are in fact better options that are out there.

[26:13] Now I want to tell you that there's a lot of things in this project that is really good

[26:17] and really improvements and engineers will probably tell you that this is safer than what's

[26:21] out there today and that is unquestionably true.

[26:26] But there are certain things that we must expect for our communities and the people of our communities

[26:31] for safety.

[26:32] One of those items has to do with mixing of vulnerable road users with certain speeds and

[26:39] densities of traffic.

[26:40] It's not just me that's up here saying this, but rather best practices from the MinDOTs

[26:47] Bicycle Design Guide, their own manual, the Federal Highway Administration, NACTO, which is

[26:52] promote safe designs within cities, ASHTO.

[26:56] All of these groups have looked at how you build safe infrastructure, and there are certain

[27:00] things that they just say can never ever happen if we truly want our

[27:04] communities to be safe. Now when we look at projects we get asked to comment on

[27:08] projects a lot. There are projects that we love, there are projects that we

[27:12] think are adequate, there are projects that we think are poor, where we really want

[27:16] to put our foot down is when we see something that is clearly unsafe. And this

[27:20] design as it stands today, we view it as not meeting the most basic safety

[27:25] standards and very specifically anytime you have speeds at over 30 miles per hour you need to

[27:31] have physical separation between the vulnerable road users and the vehicles particularly if you

[27:37] have truck traffic. 11 foot lanes are plenty wide that's what you have on I-94 between Minneapolis

[27:43] and St. Paul and the good news I'd leave you with is we're here to help the city we're here to partner

[27:48] with men that we think there are solutions that can be done within this project for a budget that's

[27:53] just a rounding error. We want to help you address the safety issues in this so we can all be

[27:58] supportive of what comes out. Thank you. Very good. Thank you. Does anybody else from the public

[28:02] who should speak during the Reparted Public Hearing?

[28:16] Good evening mayor and council. My name is Bernadette

[28:18] Murphy and I live at 750 West Fifth Street. I don't know for four on the presentation mentioned

[28:24] that this project is to improve mobility and safety for all modes of traffic. I hear updated

[28:30] head ramps but no updated bicycle infrastructure. I'm an avid cyclist. I ride nearly every single day

[28:36] including winter. I'm against this project design because it is unsafe and does not follow current

[28:40] guidelines, not even Mendaud's own bicycle infrastructure guidelines. Minneapolis used to have

[28:47] painted bike lanes on busy streets and my husband used these lanes. He was struck by a vehicle when he

[28:53] was legally in a painted lane on a bicycle. Minneapolis has learned that painted lanes on roads with high

[28:59] traffic volume and parked cars are unsafe, unsafe. They no longer create lanes like this.

[29:04] In heavy traffic corridor as the lanes are separated. Bike infrastructure needs to be safe and

[29:09] useful. While the route on Sarnia may be useful, it is not safe. Pacing a painted line on the road

[29:14] is not protection, putting bike lanes in the door zone leads to injuries or worse. Operating speeds

[29:20] of over 35 miles an hour and a daily traffic volume of over 7,000 vehicles dictates the bike lanes

[29:27] should be separated. There are various designs to accomplish this. For the record, I'm very

[29:32] pro bike infrastructure, but it needs to be safe and it should connect things people need.

[29:37] Safe corridors for kids to travel to school and the water park and the skate shop,

[29:41] safe connections for college kids to attend class and go to coffee shops.

[29:46] If these lanes cannot be properly and safely designed, just don't do them. Painting bike lanes that

[29:52] That might make the numbers look good, but it does not make biking in them safe.

[29:57] Not painting dangerous bike lanes at all.

[30:00] Thanks. If we build infrastructure for bicycles, we should build it right. Plans that allow cyclists to safely traverse

[30:05] for an owner have the potential to reduce vehicles on the roads. Fear motor vehicles leads to less wear and tear.

[30:13] Putting the time and effort in now to build this correctly will positively impact future budget. But in this current form,

[30:20] I request that please do not give municipal consent to the current project. We can make it better. Thank you.

[30:27] Does anybody else from the public wish to speak during the required public hearing for item 2.2?

[30:43] Good evening, council.

[30:44] Staff, all show my are 3.22 high-forest.

[30:49] You all know me.

[30:50] I'm going to take my glass off.

[30:52] Oh, now we know you.

[30:56] I can't say it any better really than Michael and Bernadette have.

[31:00] but I first, I want to address the diversion of traffic.

[31:09] You know, really, I believe highway 43 should actually go to Pelsar, downriver view,

[31:16] Huff Street, Fort Street, left turns.

[31:18] I drove a truck in the past.

[31:21] That's a logical common sense place to have traffic go.

[31:25] and at least during this construction that's where I would send the truck

[31:30] traffic out to Pelzer, Riverview, Huff and Corp. Truck drivers will really like it.

[31:37] Left turns and double lanes were right turns so consider that. Second you guys know

[31:43] I'm a cyclist. I'm also a pedestrian and I really think that these improvements on

[31:50] Maine and Sarney are going to make it safer for pedestrians, but will not for cyclists.

[31:58] The door zone for the cyclist, I know there are some of you on, on council here is the

[32:04] kill zone, and so that's, and probably many of us here have been doored by self-included

[32:14] and having a bikeway pathway in the door zone on a street like Sarnier or

[32:23] Main Street really is not a good idea. So I really encourage the council and

[32:31] Mindot and our city engineer who does a great job of making recommendations to

[32:39] please don't put that paint down.

[32:42] Cyclists will think it's safe, but it's not.

[32:45] As a constrained lane, it's not protected.

[32:48] It will hurt cyclists.

[32:50] Do not put those bike lanes on Sarnia and May.

[32:54] Thanks.

[32:55] Thanks, Paul.

[32:56] Does anybody else from the public

[32:58] who should speak during the required public hearing today?

[33:04] Good evening.

[33:04] I'm Diane Lutgeb-Munzen.

[33:06] I live at 516 Dakota Street.

[33:08] And I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus and say,

[33:10] I agree. I write all over this town. I also walk all over this town. I'd like for it to be safer. Let's make sure that it actually is.

[33:18] Thank you.

[33:19] Thank you.

[33:20] Does anybody else from the public wish to speak during the required public hearing?

[33:27] My name is Michelle Plummer. The 865-0 Roman sunset drive.

[33:32] And as a cyclist, as a coach of middle school and high school athletes of the mountain bike team, as well as a mother of a cyclist,

[33:42] I've seen Britain and Rochester, I've written in the cities on street lanes, and I will honestly

[33:49] tell you that I will tell parents and children that this lane is built the way it's designed.

[33:54] It is not safe.

[33:56] I often work with a young children when they're by camera to law and middle school writers.

[34:00] They easily get distracted, right?

[34:03] I know it because they want to have fun.

[34:04] It's easy for a driver to easily get distracted, a phone call even though they may not pick

[34:10] it up. They keep this track. They look, check this right now. They're going over the cycling lane.

[34:16] The lane for cyclists is 5 feet wide. I believe the state says you have to allow three feet between

[34:22] a motor vehicle and a cyclist. That basically gives us cyclists 1 to 2 feet of space to put that

[34:29] three feet of space in between. So as someone who loves cycling, loves the children in our area,

[34:39] Please move that lane at least to the other side of the car vehicles so that it has a barrier

[34:45] between the vehicles.

[34:47] Thank you.

[34:48] Thank you.

[34:49] Does anybody else from the public wish to speak during the required public hearing?

[34:55] Last one last time.

[34:56] Does anybody from the public wish to speak during the required public hearing?

[34:59] For item 2.2 municipal consent, public hearing for TH-43 project.

[35:04] Come on up, Ted.

[35:05] But you always wait till my last amount.

[35:09] I want to make sure I don't cut anybody else off.

[35:12] I hear you, bro.

[35:14] Teddy is all 10, 10, 73 U.S. fifth street in Winona.

[35:18] And I would ask the council to deny the municipal cussant as well.

[35:25] There are several issues with this proposal.

[35:28] The biggest issue is narrowing the lanes on Sarnier Street

[35:33] for semi-traffic. As some of you may know, I'm a former truck driver with 6.8 million miles under

[35:41] my belt. Accident free. A semi- is 102 inches wide and 18 inches wide on either side for mirrors.

[35:54] That's 11 feet. If you have 11 foot lanes rather than the 12 to 13 foot lanes that currently exist

[36:01] and you get two semi's and parked cars and somebody on a bicycle on the bike lane,

[36:08] they're going to collide with their mirrors to an arrow.

[36:13] So I would ask that either they keep the lanes at the existing 12.5, 13 feet,

[36:23] do not narrow them. Also another problem.

[36:27] We need this traffic light at 5th and main.

[36:31] If you have a traffic signal at Broadway in a 4-way stop at 4th Street,

[36:38] with the way the cars queue from a 4-way stop,

[36:42] and you're wanting to go east or west on 5th without that light,

[36:46] you ain't getting across.

[36:48] You're going to sit there and sit there and take unnecessary chances.

[36:52] So especially during peak traffic hours, so please keep the light at 5th and

[37:01] Broadway or excuse me, 5th and Maine. One other observation that Minda brings

[37:09] up were brought where Maine is 4 lane. Keep the 4 lanes put over it, signing in, have

[37:21] We have 43 traffic in the left lane so they can negotiate the left turns to go across the bridge.

[37:28] Keep the right lane available for those wanting to go into downtown or to make right turns on 5th or 4th.

[37:35] A simple overhead signage would cover that.

[37:40] And then lastly, I don't think we need a bump out at every single intersection.

[37:47] may be every other or every third but not every single one.

[37:54] So I would ask that

[37:55] council deny municipal consent and send this back to the drawing board to

[38:02] make some revisions. Thank you. Thanks, Ed. Does anybody else from the public

[38:07] wish to speak to me during the required public hearing? Come on up.

[38:18] Okay, Linda 1775. What's fifth straight? Really quick. I'll just following what

[38:21] that said and completely agree every single thing that he said so that's it thank

[38:29] you I totally miss that I am I'm sorry

[38:31] But thank you for okay. Thank you very good. Appreciate it

[38:36] All right anybody else from the public we should speak I'm gonna keep the public hearing open so that if you would like to present your

[38:43] Slides and they are in the public hearing we

[38:50] might need them. I think council's probably gonna dig into them. So I

[39:00] I also want to make a comment to the gallery. Commentary like Gavelyn Orria is very impactful

[39:07] just to get up and give your name and say that you agree with a previous commenter is helpful commentary for us.

[39:13] We don't necessarily see who you're nodding your heads with.

[39:20] So Brad will bring up the image for you.

[39:25] And I think if you want him to move left or right you may have to ask him.

[39:29] You do have a zoom on your remote, which is the very top button.

[39:38] Okay, so public hearing is still open, so I'm going to allow her to do her presentation

[39:43] with the slides, and then I'll close the public hearing, and then we'll get into this question.

[40:26] Okay.

[40:27] Brad, I think this is okay.

[40:29] We may just need, you know, she may direct you left, right, zoom.

[40:38] Can you zoom in a bit?

[40:43] Move it to the right?

[40:49] The other, sorry.

[40:50] You're on the right.

[40:52] Alright, so here's the layout. We'll kind of start with the

[40:58] window and intersection. It's at the very bottom of the screen and then I'm going to go.

[41:03] Brad, can you zoom in just a little bit more? If I'm struggling, I have a feeling that some

[41:07] of my other counselors are struggling too. Thank you, Brad.

[41:13] So here's Winona Street and Fort, so that light blue color is the mill and

[41:19] overlay shapes that's going to be all of the pavement. Anywhere you see the

[41:24] pink color, that sidewalk replacement, the dark blues or driveways, and then

[41:29] the yellow is going to be new fold at the pavement and red would be carbon

[41:36] got her. So you can see that first intersection. I think that's Johnson. Can you clarify the sidewalk

[41:44] detail proposed for Sarnia Street? You had said eight feet. Yes. Yep. Along Lake Park.

[41:52] That eight feet, five of it will be sidewalk. The remaining three feet will be, it will all be paved

[41:58] with concrete. So it will act like a sidewalk, but we put in like a three foot buffer from the back

[42:03] a curb just for horizontal offset to part cars. So it'll be raised curving gutter and then eight

[42:12] feet of paved sidewalk. Yep. Okay. Thank you.

[42:18] If you keep moving up you see I think all that

[42:24] might be down in there but we've got bump outs and then in the middle that giant yellow is an area

[42:29] we've got storm sewer repair happening. Keep going. We can need to go up to

[42:36] main. So there's main and four existing signal coming a four-way stop. We are

[42:43] removing that raised median that's currently on main street between 4th and 5th

[42:48] replacing it with a left turn lane. You can see the bump outs at the corners. You can

[42:56] just slowly move, as we go there,

[43:04] is that zoomed in enough for people?

[43:08] So then

[43:08] Broadway, new signal there, no bump outs at Broadway,

[43:16] turning movements, excuse me,

[43:18] why no bump outs at Broadway? To help with turning movements for vehicles and

[43:23] the additional lanes there. Thank you.

[43:28] So kind of as we keep going through this

[43:30] area, we've got more pockets of sidewalk, repair happening, and then the bump

[43:35] bolts at the corners, taper in to remove that parking as you get close to the

[43:41] intersections.

[43:44] I think I might have missed it but eight street does have an

[43:46] existing R or a fee. Flasher that will be salvaged and reinstalled, bus stop will

[43:52] be replaced in front of the college, keep going,

[44:01] you might be. So 408 main, we're

[44:04] proposing to remove an existing driveway. It does not currently go beyond the

[44:11] sidewalk so we don't want people parking a car over the sidewalks. That one's

[44:15] being proposed for removal. So excuse me, as you're going down main is this

[44:21] going to be parking on both sides and then the painted bike lane? Yep, okay.

[44:28] Yep, parking both sides painted bike lanes on both sides and 11 foot through lanes.

[44:34] Our next driver removal is here at the college. We've been coordinating with them.

[44:39] they kind of move their entrance on the side road, but they seem like they're on board

[44:45] closing that access point on 43. In green here, this is probably something to explain

[44:50] or access point to that parking lot. Yep.

[44:55] In green we've got...

[45:00] Coordinated with min dot and with dot, yep, to improve rail crossings throughout both states and I think Illinois as well. So this will happen before our project. That railroad crossing is in really poor conditions, so that will be replaced pavement, mediums replaced as well, and then we will tie into that with our project.

[45:22] Keep going. Now we're along Sarnia. Now you're going to need to zoom out and find the other inset lower below and go to the far left.

[45:31] I think.

[45:37] Seen back into that large rectangle on the bottom,

[45:43] other way.

[45:49] Alright, so here

[45:50] we're on Sarnia. A lot of the same bump outs where we can, driveway replacements to improve

[45:58] our sidewalk, keep moving,

[46:06] much to highlight in this area. Same typical section parking

[46:11] on both sides, high foot bike lane, 11 foot lanes.

[46:18] We get to Franklin, I think there it is.

[46:19] so Franklin has an existing signal. We are doing minor upgrades to it only. We're

[46:26] gonna move a pole in the northeast corner, just to get it out of the path of

[46:33] trucks. It seems to be very close and the curb gets run over there so we're gonna do

[46:37] a little bit of improvements for truck turning at that corner and adding a

[46:44] dedicated left turn lane to Franklin Street. Otherwise, there's the sidewalk on

[46:49] the park on the south side. It's being added.

[46:57] Here you can see the bump outs with the yellow.

[47:00] You guys recently installed an RFB crossing here at the bus stop. We are going to salvage and

[47:06] reinstall that and then add bump outs for it. So that will be new. Basically just the same section

[47:15] to where we tie into Mendes previous project for the roundabout and then Keto.

[47:24] Another bump out

[47:25] in the trial across the park.

[47:36] Okay.

[47:37] With the amp?

[47:38] Are you all done with the slides and everything?

[47:41] Great. I will close the public hearing.

[47:44] Mr. Mayor, move to the council or receive the file of the report.

[47:48] Second motion from Steve, second from George.

[47:52] Who wants to talk about this?

[47:54] Sam.

[47:55] I'm very interested to see the Bicolance of Minnesota's

[47:59] formal letter and their proposed changes to this.

[48:01] I think this is a great opportunity for the city of one owner to receive some significantly

[48:07] improved bike infrastructure that I don't need to tell very many of you how bad our current

[48:12] bike infrastructure is.

[48:15] This seems like it's an amazing opportunity where we could make some common sense changes

[48:20] and we could make our roads safer for an entire user group.

[48:25] I don't need to remind anyone that we did have a cyclist fatality last summer on Broadway.

[48:36] Thanks, Sam.

[48:37] Jeff.

[48:38] And that's he.

[48:39] So, is the purpose of this to ask them questions in regards to this?

[48:43] How is this okay?

[48:44] You got Minda in front of you.

[48:46] It's okay, great.

[48:47] So, I went to the November meeting that you guys held here with all the drawings.

[48:51] And I spoke to several of your representatives, perhaps it was even you, maybe not.

[48:55] I brought up a couple of things and there's another additional. So, in putting in the sidewalk on the south side of Sarnia,

[49:05] for me going and looking at it, there are substantial number of trees that are going to have to be removed.

[49:12] Do you have an idea as to how many?

[49:15] we're still assessing that currently we I will say this we're trying to save as

[49:23] many as we can. You don't wish to remove trees that don't need to be removed.

[49:29] They're probably about a handful that are questionable. The root zone in

[49:34] relation to that sidewalk is a bit tight and I would say that we're still

[49:43] assessing the actual number of trees but I think current count along the

[49:50] south side of Sarnia I want to say we're probably about five or six trees but

[49:56] again that's still being assessed. Okay that's substantial because of the comments

[50:00] that I heard and that's what I passed on to you and at that point in time from

[50:04] the situation that I received there was a lot of interest in not losing those

[50:08] trees and that and actually the city has invested the money in planning the

[50:12] trees and caring for them. So it's a loss all the way around both aesthetically and financially.

[50:20] I think the concern, obviously, that has been stated in regards to the bike lane is a very serious one.

[50:27] I think it's something that we know about in Winona. For example, if you look at Huff Street, for example, that goes along the other side of the university,

[50:37] you'll note that the city has eliminated parking on that street, and those are just bike lanes now.

[50:43] Specifically, to get rid of this problem of cars, stripes, and too much traffic and congestion, which led to dangerous situations.

[50:52] So you're going to duplicate the exact thing that we eliminated on Main Street as to what we eliminated on Huff Street.

[51:02] It's not a good mix when you have a ton of college students who are distracted.

[51:10] Let's put it aside.

[51:11] You know, looking at phones, thinking about classes, whatever, two solid lines because

[51:18] when classes in session, you can't find a parking space on Main Street and then add bikes

[51:24] into it.

[51:25] And those are cars that come and go as classes let out and don't, there's a lot of doors

[51:29] it get opened? It just seems like a disaster waiting to happen. So why would we duplicate

[51:34] that? So I'll answer the question this way. Much of the project, especially along

[51:43] Sarnia, we actually have the situation where we have parking and there are marked bike lanes

[51:51] there today. So we're proposing to perpetuate that condition and try to make that a little

[51:58] safer. If there are other things like you mentioned the other example where there's

[52:05] no parking, we would defer completely to the city if you wanted to eliminate parking

[52:12] along certain stretches of Main Street or that's not we would be burning a perk so that's

[52:21] not going to be a popular notion not to be and so what would be easier I think is what

[52:26] what has been suggested is the elimination of the bike lanes pretending that this is safe.

[52:32] I mean, the parking will not going to get rid of, that's not possible.

[52:36] So, I would consider that, you know, I understand you guys are working under design

[52:40] standards and it says if it's this, it's going to be that.

[52:43] But I think, you know, to make this work, because ideally, in my mind, I'm just going

[52:47] to say this once publicly and then I won't belabor it anymore because this is the other

[52:52] comment that I've received, it makes no sense that we're doing this right through the

[52:56] center of town. It would be much better if it went on 61 down to Pelsar around and you

[53:02] eliminate all of these headaches. So, but I understand that's not possible. That

[53:07] isn't going to get done. We're not going to change that at this point. But I had to mention it.

[53:12] So, let's go to Sarnia now. So, if we're going to put in this sidewalk on the south side and we're

[53:21] going to potentially damage these trees, wouldn't it make sense to make that a dedicated

[53:27] separate bike lane and then take the stripes off the streets and make a safer situation?

[53:36] So I think in order to make that completely separated bike path, we would have to make it

[53:42] even lighter than what we're proposing, which would damage more trees.

[53:46] Because you're proposing, I'm sorry, you're proposing it's, it's going to be eight feet now.

[53:52] It's eight feet, which for, if five feet of it is essentially usable for pedestrians,

[53:58] when you subtract away the three foot off your zone from the curb line, what's the paved section?

[54:06] It's eight feet, but three feet we don't really consider as usable.

[54:11] What's, Brian, what's the bike path around the lake?

[54:16] Yeah, our typical standards for a shared use path would be I believe 10 to 12 feet is what we typically proposed so that we have two way traffic possible on that.

[54:30] So my sense is that in order to do that, it would have to get wider.

[54:36] The other piece that would be a little bit complicated there too is additional right of way needs from the part.

[54:43] So, that park was established and purchased, I believe, with something that's called Law

[54:48] Conquans.

[54:50] That's administered by the Department of Interior.

[54:53] And if we have any real right-of-way acquisitions through that area, we have to work through a specific process,

[55:03] called the 6F process, the federal government, to ensure that they're okay with that conversion

[55:11] to a different use other than Parkland.

[55:17] Okay, that didn't make any sense at all.

[55:19] But I don't want to say as there would be

[55:23] in addition to the additional width,

[55:26] which could damage additional trees,

[55:29] or it would be additional right away needs

[55:30] that would trigger some other regulatory

[55:35] loopholes that we'd have to get through.

[55:37] Okay, loopholes can be gotten through.

[55:40] They can, but they're lengthy.

[55:41] And as anything with the federal government for sure, it would seem like we have an opportunity

[55:48] here to improve things.

[55:51] And it seems like the design, although it does make improvements without a question,

[55:55] for many aspects, including especially pedestrian, seems to be a really strong focus,

[56:00] which I really appreciate.

[56:02] I think the bike thing is something that we're either going to, it seems like it would be

[56:08] better to forget it and not paint the lines, that would actually be safer than painting

[56:14] something and shrinking it and making it unsafe.

[56:19] I mean, I think we need to think out of the box here, if it's not too, you know, if

[56:23] we're going to say we can't make it wide enough and there's too much bureaucracy to make

[56:28] a separate bike lane, I don't necessarily agree with that, I don't necessarily believe

[56:32] that, but at the same time, then we, I think based on what the testimony has said, and

[56:38] I look forward to, again, people that know more about the details of this than me, it

[56:42] would seem like we do have an opportunity if we can't make it better, to not make it

[56:46] worse. So I would like to hear more conversation around.

[56:52] Sure.

[56:52] If I could respond to that specifically, the notion of eliminating the painted bike lane.

[57:00] So Minda, in this case, we would defer to the city to make that call.

[57:06] Well if that's something that the city doesn't want, you know, that's something that the

[57:12] city can express in writing to us as a condition for approval here.

[57:20] We wouldn't necessarily support it ourselves, but if the community feels otherwise, I think

[57:25] we would respect that.

[57:27] But I do have a couple of comments to make about that.

[57:31] But if that were eliminated, there were no painted line there, no painted bike path.

[57:37] That space, it would remain, it would result in a very wide through lane, which would then

[57:44] encourage higher vehicle speeds potentially.

[57:48] That could impact both bicyclists who are now sharing that lane, and again, if we take the

[57:55] painted markings there, that doesn't necessarily prohibit bicyclists from using that.

[58:00] they're still legally allowed to bike on the road and so there would not be an

[58:07] advantage of having a marked facility there they would call attention for the

[58:12] driver to know that there is actually a marked bike path there so I would

[58:18] offer that for your consideration.

[58:23] Higher vehicle speeds that could result would

[58:26] also be counter to men dots overall efforts here with safe system efforts.

[58:33] We know that reducing vehicle speeds requires multiple interventions, so it's not just

[58:38] a one magic bullet before that, so curb extensions or bike lanes alone won't reduce speeds

[58:46] that much, but together they could have a bigger impact.

[58:52] Of course, that's what I have to say about that.

[58:54] Okay, I appreciate that, and I mean it's a good point.

[58:56] I'm just trying to think about the box here, because this is our point, this is our chance to discuss it.

[59:01] I'm sorry, I'm not trying to monopolize this, but if you were to eliminate parking on one side, would that change what you could do, you know, for bike lanes and what have you?

[59:12] Because on Sarnia, unlike Main Street, it's not often that that is fully locked in, other than if there's a softball tournament.

[59:24] So I think that would take a little bit more study.

[59:28] It's hard for me to answer that there could be some advantages.

[59:32] There are also some things that would concern me too,

[59:36] I think your proposal would be maybe shifting lanes over to one side.

[59:41] I'm open to suggestions.

[59:42] Yeah, I think that might complicate some of the turn movements.

[59:48] Off of Highway 43 onto the side streets if we're pushing them closer.

[59:53] things are pretty tight as they are, we are.

[1:00:00] I'm sure that turning movements are still preserved for larger vehicles. So I would be concerned about that without having drawn it up. It's hard to say whether that would be workable or not. Okay. And lastly, I promise. So you're going to redo this. You're going to in this process, you're talking about putting in a new sidewalk on the south side, redoing the sidewalk on the north side of Sarnia. Is there any way that you could do one way by claim?

[1:00:30] So that you didn't need as much girth or width on the sidewall or on the separated side.

[1:00:37] So one goes one way, one goes the other way.

[1:00:42] I think on the north side where there's already sidewalk widening that out is going to be fairly impactful to residents.

[1:00:54] There's not a lot of room on the boulevard side.

[1:00:58] And we've got concerns with trees and people's yards.

[1:01:05] And so expanding it to the residents side, you know, we're looking at probably impacts

[1:01:12] to over 100 persons.

[1:01:14] Okay.

[1:01:15] So that's problematic.

[1:01:16] I understand.

[1:01:17] Okay.

[1:01:18] I appreciate it.

[1:01:18] Thank you for your patience.

[1:01:19] You're most welcome.

[1:01:20] Steve.

[1:01:22] Back.

[1:01:22] I'm going to make it real quick.

[1:01:23] That's just one question.

[1:01:24] corner of Main Street in Sarnia. I drive that frequently. Actually I drive this

[1:01:30] whole system frequently. That seems to be the pain point for especially large

[1:01:33] trucks turning at that point. I'm trying to look carefully. I get this tiny little

[1:01:39] diagram here. So are we taking steps to try to make that more truck friendly? I

[1:01:44] don't drive truck. But I'm waiting for them and I'm watching their their

[1:01:49] challenges. They have getting around there to consider around about what are

[1:01:54] What do we do to make sure that flow is a little faster?

[1:01:57] I think when I asked Abby to address that,

[1:01:58] is Abby's been intimately involved with the design?

[1:02:06] Yes, that corner is problematic.

[1:02:09] Yeah.

[1:02:09] So it's here.

[1:02:12] Sorry, my directions are really bad with this layout.

[1:02:14] But your westbound northbound movement, that right turn.

[1:02:18] So we are putting in a compound curve there for the radius.

[1:02:21] So it's like two curves.

[1:02:23] So it's a sharper one to kind of keep them bumped out where they need to be.

[1:02:27] So they're turning wide and then it's a flatter curve to give them more space to track their trailer and

[1:02:34] Stay within the lane. So we've run our our turn movements and it fits when it doesn't encroach on the other lanes of traffic

[1:02:40] so

[1:02:41] That's kind of our solution for that corner

[1:02:44] Glad to hear you paying attention to it. I'll be I'll be watching so much rock forever's daughter

[1:02:48] So I arrived there. You go that house was for sale there could have thought that tore that down

[1:02:55] and we did get that message to you.

[1:02:58] Yes, for that house, huh?

[1:03:00] We had asked, we had gone a message to MinDOT

[1:03:05] through a couple different methods to purchase that house

[1:03:08] and make that much simpler to make that turn there.

[1:03:13] But we'll believe that she'll do well

[1:03:16] with the space that you have there.

[1:03:19] So thank you.

[1:03:20] Thanks, Steve.

[1:03:21] Sam, with an end to room.

[1:03:23] Not to reopen everything that Councillor Hyma had discussed, but let's get back in to

[1:03:30] it a little bit. If I was understanding you right, you were saying that we couldn't

[1:03:34] have a bike lane on the north side of Sarnia, because it wouldn't be widened up allowing

[1:03:41] for that three feet buffer and the five feet of pedestrian use.

[1:03:46] I don't know if I said we couldn't. I think that if we were looking at a wider path

[1:03:54] there on the north side, south side. The park side. Yeah, park side.

[1:04:04] There would likely

[1:04:05] be more tree impacts.

[1:04:09] Anything outside of current Mind Out right away, we would need

[1:04:15] additional real estate from the park. Once we need more real estate from the park, that

[1:04:23] automatically triggers some other federal regulations known as six-off. And so there

[1:04:31] would be, let's say we can't do it, I think there would be some additional regulatory

[1:04:39] hurdles that we would have to work through that are not quick to get through.

[1:04:47] Time is of the essence on this project to a, is a matter of logistics here.

[1:04:55] So our funding for this project is for fiscal year 28.

[1:04:58] If we don't deliver a project in fiscal year 28, the funding that's attached to the project

[1:05:08] is no longer attached to it.

[1:05:11] It goes back into our general fund and whatever project that we are envisioning

[1:05:18] it gets moved back would have to compete for funding it again then.

[1:05:21] And I can't guarantee you that it could be built next year.

[1:05:26] It may be deferred a number of years.

[1:05:29] So side-stepping the property acquisition piece

[1:05:32] that you're telling me would be very difficult.

[1:05:35] I'm still struggling to see how an eight-foot sidewalk

[1:05:38] wouldn't be enough for pedestrian and cyclists.

[1:05:41] And I would encourage us to think creatively

[1:05:44] about how we can make that work.

[1:05:48] If Lake Path is nine feet, this is one foot narrower.

[1:05:55] And even if we say it's not a cyclist path,

[1:06:00] we'll let you know right now, bikes are going to be on it.

[1:06:02] We might as well just plan for them.

[1:06:04] We might as well give them a place to be.

[1:06:07] We have these discussions all the time about we need to have

[1:06:10] create a place for folk to be so they can be safe.

[1:06:14] this is that place. I really encourage looking at designing Sarnia specifically to

[1:06:22] have a protected bike lane that is raised and at the pedestrian sidewalk level,

[1:06:28] aside not at the street level. For main street, so that was another

[1:06:34] piece that you had talked about and how we could remove parking but likely

[1:06:39] really aren't going to.

[1:06:42] Could we widen the sidewalks on each side of Main Street to create

[1:06:49] more space for pedestrians and cyclists?

[1:06:52] Again, I think there would take some additional investigation to see what those impacts are.

[1:06:57] I don't.

[1:06:58] On the top of my head, I don't know what that would mean.

[1:07:01] Okay.

[1:07:07] All right, really my big takeaway that I would like you to have is that I would encourage

[1:07:16] looking at more space for cyclists that was the overwhelming community consensus.

[1:07:21] That is what I will be looking for as a councillor.

[1:07:27] Thank you.

[1:07:29] Yeah, I'd like to shift the attention from bicycles to semis.

[1:07:42] First off, I am still waiting to hear a reason other than paperwork and politics why we

[1:07:57] We can't reroute truck traffic to Pelsar and up Riverview and make get 60 foot tractor

[1:08:09] trailers out of downtown La Nona and down Main Street and out of the center of town.

[1:08:17] To me, this is a political rather than a physical structural issue and should be addressed

[1:08:25] it's such and shouldn't be an impediment to making that happen. Second, I really appreciate

[1:08:34] Ted's observations and would like to bring them his observation, particularly regarding

[1:08:43] the narrow truck lanes on Sarnia. We're going to squish not just bicyclists, but big trucks

[1:08:55] because we're trying to squeeze things, how does that work? Can you speak to

[1:09:06] that? Are you doing those lanes? I think there is a feeling that we're

[1:09:14] squishing things down and understand that level of questions to me.

[1:09:20] 11 foot lanes are used quite frequently in urban areas. I think Mr. Wochek even mentioned

[1:09:27] on I-94 we've got 11 foot lanes. 11 foot lanes many years ago was the standard. We have

[1:09:34] not found any operational difficulties with 11 foot lanes. The reason for the 11 foot lanes

[1:09:40] again is space allocation on much of the corridor to allocate room for all users, whether it

[1:09:49] be motorized traffic, being trucks, parking, or bicycles with the biking lanes.

[1:09:58] I'm concerned we're trying to do too many things with too little space.

[1:10:05] And I think that that's the other thing is the 5th street lack of a signal on 5th street.

[1:10:15] I've been using that intersection for 50 years, and it's enough, traffic backs up there

[1:10:26] as it is.

[1:10:29] I wouldn't want to, I think, the observation that without a stop signal on Main Street

[1:10:41] at that intersection we're going to have some creating a hazard situation. People are

[1:10:50] going to get frustrated and pop across the street. What's your studying? How do you,

[1:11:02] what's the rationale for changing that? Yeah, so I'll do my best to explain that. So there

[1:11:11] There was a study that was conducted called an intersection control evaluation ice report.

[1:11:17] It looks at these particular intersections that being forestry, tiff street, and Broadway

[1:11:21] in particular noting this project and what is the appropriate traffic control device there.

[1:11:29] It was found that at forestry and tiff street, the actual warrants for a signal were not met.

[1:11:40] What would they be?

[1:11:42] I believe some of the warrants have to do it hourly volumes.

[1:11:47] Again, I wasn't intimately involved in that study,

[1:11:52] so I'm going off a memory here.

[1:11:54] And we can furnish that study as well if necessary.

[1:11:59] So warrants were not met at Forest Street or Fifth Street.

[1:12:03] It was found that the appropriate and most efficient way

[1:12:07] of managing traffic through the corridor with minimal delay on Highway 43 would be looking at an

[1:12:15] always stop at 4th and main and then side street stop control as you may have noted at 5th

[1:12:24] street. We also recently conducted a gap analysis so that looks at gaps between traffic from 4th

[1:12:33] street to fifth street to specifically identify whether there are gaps specifically for pedestrians

[1:12:40] to cross there as well as vehicles crossing there. I believe what we found is there are more

[1:12:49] than enough sufficient gaps for those movements to happen without any deleterious effects.

[1:12:55] In addition, we're also looking at adding rectangular flashing beacon at fifth street to help

[1:13:04] with some of the pedestrian crossings here.

[1:13:07] We know that there's a fair amount of pedestrian demand there too.

[1:13:11] So I think the conclusions of the intersection control evaluation found that those areas were found

[1:13:21] Now that the signals were not warranted and the most efficient means of managing traffic

[1:13:25] were the stock control conditions that I mentioned.

[1:13:31] I don't see here any consideration there that the fact that there's a performing arts

[1:13:36] center on the corner of Fifth and Main, the post office of the corner of Fifth and Main,

[1:13:42] I have a major apartment complex at Fifth and Main and a bank at Fifth and Main, all of

[1:13:49] which generate not only vehicular but pedestrian traffic and with no pedestrian crossing control there, you're creating a hazard.

[1:14:03] And I don't care how many times you bump out the curbs.

[1:14:06] Once you step off the curb into an uncontrolled traffic flow, you've created a serious hazard, particularly at times

[1:14:16] when we're going to have people coming and going for performances at the at the center and

[1:14:22] and and and other but just during the day. Yeah I think I'm not I think that that's

[1:14:32] creating an unnecessarily hazardous situation. So I think to speak to that that's why we're

[1:14:40] adding the RRFB in the flashing beacon there.

[1:14:43] But that's not going to stop traffic, sir.

[1:14:48] But it should when they're crossing.

[1:14:51] It's not a red light.

[1:14:53] OK.

[1:14:55] We've also factored in.

[1:15:00] We're not only currently using it, but projected to use it 20 years into the future. And we've also, as of last fall, took some more recent additional counts, both pedestrian and behavior counts there. So those have all been factored into our decision regarding that signal system there. It's been well vetted amongst our traffic engineers and they feel pretty confident that we're proposing there.

[1:15:29] is safe. Have they stood on the corner and tried to get across Main Street when it's busy?

[1:15:39] I can't speak for a traffic engineer. I know they are. I can speak for the folks in

[1:15:44] Winona LaV.

[1:15:50] Jerome?

[1:15:51] Or Jeff, sorry. In looking at that intersection, I don't know how you would do this but there are two

[1:16:00] significant developments that are going to be coming online there. One, you have a whole new

[1:16:04] apartment complex with over 100 units, a block away, and obviously the performing arts center

[1:16:10] coming on that I think, you know, it's going to impact that. Is there a way that you can, you say

[1:16:16] you cast forward 20 years, is there a way that, you know, that you have a, yeah, those that, those

[1:16:21] volumes are accounted for in our analysis. There is typically what happens with the development.

[1:16:26] There's some guidelines usually produced by the Institute of Traffic Engineers that estimate

[1:16:35] the number of vehicles coming and going from a certain size of development.

[1:16:41] So we use that as a baseline estimate to add to our traffic health and then we factor

[1:16:47] that up to account for growth and traffic over time.

[1:16:51] Okay.

[1:16:52] Thank you.

[1:16:54] Any other comments?

[1:16:58] I'll email you mine all right all right hearing no other discussion all those in favor say aye aye opposed

[1:17:08] motion passes for

[1:17:13] the remainder of this meeting residents are only allowed to speak if they've

[1:17:16] a request before the council and ever recognize you to speak we are gonna go ahead if we're gonna

[1:17:23] move item 4.4 up to the front of petitions requesting communications so that we can move some people

[1:17:28] on here. Under unfinished business being moved 4.4 is the boat club lease agreement.

[1:17:35] The council further request. Second. Motion from Steve, second from Sam, any discussion?

[1:17:42] Hearing none, all those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed?

[1:17:46] Eps and one abstention.

[1:17:52] Thank you gentlemen for hanging out. Appreciate it. Thanks for being here.

[1:17:58] Under predictions, requesting communications, item 3.1 is the appointment to the John Latch Memorial Parks and Recreation Commission.

[1:18:04] The Council confirmed the appointment.

[1:18:07] Second.

[1:18:07] Motion from Steve, second from Jerome, any discussion?

[1:18:11] Hearing none, all those in favor say aye.

[1:18:14] Aye.

[1:18:14] Opposed?

[1:18:16] Motion passes.

[1:18:17] Item 3.2 is an appointment to the Creative Commission.

[1:18:20] The Council confirmed the appointment.

[1:18:22] Second.

[1:18:23] Motion from Steve, second from Sam, any discussion?

[1:18:27] All those in favor say aye.

[1:18:30] Opposed?

[1:18:31] Motion passes.

[1:18:33] Item 3.3 is the board's and commission application announcement.

[1:18:36] Currently there is one opening on the board of the adjustment.

[1:18:39] One current opening and three terms of expiring on the citizens of

[1:18:42] Environmental Quality Committee.

[1:18:43] One position expiring and thus one potential seat on the age of a.

[1:18:47] One seat on the John Ledge Memorial Parks and Recreation Commission.

[1:18:51] One seat on the merit board and three seats expiring and thus three

[1:18:54] your potential seats on the planning commission.

[1:18:56] The council received a file report.

[1:18:57] Second.

[1:18:58] Motion from Steve's second from Sam, all those in favor.

[1:19:01] Oh, I'm sorry, any discussion?

[1:19:04] Hearing none, all those in favor?

[1:19:06] Say aye.

[1:19:06] Aye.

[1:19:07] Opposed?

[1:19:08] Motion passes.

[1:19:10] Item 3.4 is the Winona Senior High School Homecoming Parade

[1:19:14] Request for September 18th.

[1:19:15] With the council further request.

[1:19:17] Second.

[1:19:17] Motion from Steve's second from Sam, any discussion?

[1:19:21] Hearing none, all those in favor say aye.

[1:19:23] Aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion passes. Item 3.5 is a no parking request for

[1:19:29] Benedictine Open House event. The council further request. Second. Motion from Steve,

[1:19:34] second from Sam. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed?

[1:19:42] Motion passes. Item 3.6 is a flock camera official statement.

[1:19:46] The council received in the file of the report. Motion from Steve, I will take the

[1:19:51] second from George.

[1:19:57] Any discussion? Are we going to read the statement?

[1:20:02] We certainly can. I think we should. Okay.

[1:20:10] Mayor and council message from the Woodland Police Department, August 12,

[1:20:15] 2026. Block cameras have been an effective and impactful resource for law

[1:20:19] enforcement. They have helped solve crimes, prevent harm, and protect

[1:20:23] individuals who have been victimized. Since their implementation the

[1:20:27] Woodland Police Department has utilized flat cameras in locating a homicide

[1:20:30] side suspect locating individuals in crisis,

[1:20:34] solving numerous cases involving hidden runs, stolen vehicles,

[1:20:37] and other offenses.

[1:20:39] Our department's use of flock has been guided by clear policies,

[1:20:42] appropriate training, and ongoing oversight.

[1:20:45] As with all our law enforcement practices,

[1:20:49] our use of flock is grounded in accountability,

[1:20:52] complies with state law, and is subject

[1:20:54] to applicable statutory audits.

[1:20:57] Importantly, we have had no instances of misuse.

[1:20:59] At the end of the day, however, our community's trust is the foundation of effective policing

[1:21:04] and we've looked and we've worked hard to build and maintain that trust.

[1:21:09] A flock has been a valuable tool we believe it's use has contributed to growing concerns

[1:21:14] about trust and policing both locally and across the state and nation.

[1:21:18] After careful consideration, the Winona PV has decided not to reinstall any flock cameras

[1:21:23] in the city of Winona.

[1:21:24] Our commitment is simple protecting our community while maintaining the trust that makes

[1:21:29] that work possible. Technology will continue to evolve and with those

[1:21:33] advancements will come both opportunities and challenges. It'll be important for

[1:21:37] law enforcement agencies and partnership with the communities they serve to have

[1:21:41] meaningful dialogue when it comes to future developments and decision making. We

[1:21:46] believe that starts with trust and we will continue to do our best to earn and

[1:21:50] preserve that on a police department and on Minnesota.

[1:21:53] Thank you, Jim. Any comments or questions or discussion?

[1:22:04] We've been talking about flock for a whole summer now.

[1:22:09] I want to say thank you to everyone who has reached out, emailed us, respectfully shared their thoughts.

[1:22:15] It's clear that this technology is not the right use for our community.

[1:22:21] I'm very thankful for the PD's statement

[1:22:24] and their reaffirmation that community trust is the most important part of their work.

[1:22:30] I agree with that.

[1:22:37] I think it's been made clear to us as a city that moving forward with any similar technologies

[1:22:42] is not in line with what our community wants.

[1:22:50] I'm really struggling to find my words which is unusual for me.

[1:22:59] More than anything I want to speak directly to the citizens of Winona in saying that you

[1:23:05] You made your voices clear.

[1:23:08] Some of you in more appropriate ways than others.

[1:23:11] And I would like to continue to encourage those appropriate ways to reach out to local

[1:23:16] leaders.

[1:23:18] Emailing us, coming to public comment, those are appropriate ways.

[1:23:22] Just trying public, destroying public goods is not something that any of us would condom.

[1:23:32] Please continue to reach out to us with your thoughts and your feelings so that we can

[1:23:40] advocate for issues that are most important to you.

[1:23:43] I've said this before, and we'll continue to say it.

[1:23:46] We cannot advocate for things that we do not know are issues for you.

[1:23:51] Please continue to let us know.

[1:23:53] Our emails are all easily found on the city website and it can truly be an email as simple

[1:23:59] as saying, hey, I saw this was happening.

[1:24:02] I don't agree with it, it does not need to be significantly more than that to let us know where you stand so we can lead our city in the direction that we all want.

[1:24:14] I'm disappointed that a vigilante took matters into their own hands.

[1:24:20] I think that we were at the point of that discussion regardless and those actions did not speed up the timeline nor does it portray Winona in the light that we want.

[1:24:32] We are a community that listens.

[1:24:35] We are a community that leads.

[1:24:38] Please continue to reach out to us and tell us what you think, so that we can continue

[1:24:42] to represent you in the way that's fast.

[1:24:46] Thanks, Ian.

[1:24:48] Any other comments?

[1:24:52] Yeah, this is a tough one.

[1:24:55] I agree wholeheartedly with the police statement in the outcome.

[1:24:58] I think, I think, you know, it was demonstrated by public opinion that this was not popular,

[1:25:04] this was not warranted and I think, you know, it's difficult, I think we try really hard

[1:25:11] here to play by the rules, do things fairly, do things appropriately.

[1:25:18] I think sometimes these things get heated, they become a national issue and I think at times

[1:25:25] people conflate misbehavior and other communities, well, that must be going on here when it's

[1:25:32] not. It's not warranted. And I think in this community, the police department has made

[1:25:41] a valid attempt and continues to try to earn the public's trust. I think that goes both ways.

[1:25:47] I think you need to assume good intentions at most times. And I think it's important

[1:25:54] that you don't conflate national issues to local ones.

[1:25:58] It's not to say that there isn't serious problems with flock if you do, you know, and obviously

[1:26:04] with misidentifying license plates, people being pulled over that warrant supposed, you know

[1:26:09] that, you know, that were misidentified, that is well documented, but it didn't happen

[1:26:14] here that I am aware of or that has been reported.

[1:26:19] So I think it's important.

[1:26:21] I do echo Sam's comment.

[1:26:24] I think it's absolutely critical that we hear from you.

[1:26:28] I think there is a, and I think the majority of people that contacted us did so politely

[1:26:33] and reasonably.

[1:26:34] There was a minority of folks that were not polite or reasonable.

[1:26:40] And it doesn't amplify your point of view by being derogatory.

[1:26:46] I think we all need to work on civility in this day and age, and it starts here.

[1:26:53] So thank you for the comments, and that's about all I got.

[1:26:57] Thanks.

[1:26:58] Thank you.

[1:26:59] And there are comments.

[1:27:00] Questions?

[1:27:01] Question?

[1:27:02] Jason?

[1:27:07] I fully trust the Winona Police Department.

[1:27:09] I believe they set rigorous standards for this technology and create a robust local auditing

[1:27:15] policy.

[1:27:15] However, however, while I don't like rewarding bad behavior, I am glad to see the flock

[1:27:22] cameras gone.

[1:27:23] Call me a conspiracy theorist all you want, where surveillance data is incredibly powerful,

[1:27:29] highly valuable, and dangerously profitable.

[1:27:32] I simply cannot trust a private corporation like flock safety, safeguard that information

[1:27:37] when everyone wants a piece of it.

[1:27:39] A nationwide surveillance state feels inevitable, but I, and nearly everyone I heard from

[1:27:46] appreciate the chance to take a pause.

[1:27:50] Thanks, Susan.

[1:27:52] Is there comments, questions, or discussion?

[1:27:55] Drill?

[1:28:01] I'm

[1:28:04] more concerned about what this represents than what it was.

[1:28:16] license plate readers are hardly high tech 35 states you drive down the inner

[1:28:24] state and you're going to get to pay your toll because the camera over the

[1:28:28] highway has identified you by license plate drive through a small town in

[1:28:34] Iowa a little too fast and a few weeks later you get a bill for a hundred bucks

[1:28:41] an administrative citation based on a camera.

[1:28:46] These things are out there.

[1:28:50] We've heard from our local police that this have been useful in doing their work.

[1:28:58] And objectively, what those cameras were doing out there was no different than having an

[1:29:06] officer in a squad car looking for a license plate. It's technology. It's a different

[1:29:20] means.

[1:29:24] What I'm disturbed by is the fear that has been expressed so

[1:29:37] dramatically that

[1:29:40] that we as a nation, as a culture, are falling into what might be called a surveillance

[1:29:52] state, which has been termed that, that...

[1:30:00] Foundly distrustful of each other, and of our government,

[1:30:11] that fear has been fostered by

[1:30:16] the chaos we've seen fostered by federal agencies,

[1:30:24] that has created a profound distrust

[1:30:31] in authority and law enforcement in particular,

[1:30:41] and I'm, that's what disturbs me about

[1:30:45] this, the focus that this is caused. What would have been, I dare say, a decade ago, 15

[1:30:58] years ago a case of local vandalism has turned into a national issue and that's

[1:31:09] not because of license plate readers. It's because of a real change in our

[1:31:17] cultural attitudes and the way we feel about each other and our government and

[1:31:24] And that's what's got to change

[1:31:27] Thanks to room and there are comments questions or discussion

[1:31:31] Hearing none all those in favor say aye. Hi opposed

[1:31:36] motion passes item

[1:31:41] 3.7 is the city of one on a legal debt limit update. You know the council received a file the report

[1:31:47] Motion from Steve second from seeing and

[1:31:58] council will wait for Brad to get the presentation up

[1:32:01] I

[1:32:10] think

[1:32:22] it's a

[1:32:25] good segue into the presentation. We talk about public trust. We want to make

[1:32:31] sure that we come back to the public and describe what the City of

[1:32:41] Winona's legal debt limit is and how we've arrived at this point.

[1:32:47] Remember on July 6th I presented this slide to the City of Winona. This slide was

[1:32:52] produced and provided to the city of Winona by our financial advisors Baker Tilley.

[1:32:59] Baker Tilley used this exact slide in their presentation in January of

[1:33:04] 2026 to describe the city's legal debt limit which in this slide which is

[1:33:14] incorrect showed that the city's legal debt limit was 105 million with

[1:33:22] 4.9 million outstanding which left us a capacity of just over a hundred million. During the July 6

[1:33:30] presentation I showed four slides that looked something like this. I indicated that the city has

[1:33:35] provided by Baker Tilly. The city had a legal debt capacity of 105 million. Showed these slides in how

[1:33:44] projects that the city is at least considering or undertaking impact that debt capacity.

[1:33:53] That number was incorrect, the number that Baker Tilly provided is wrong and this is the statement from Baker Tilly.

[1:34:05] Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors LLC, Baker Tilly has identified a discrepancy in the information previously provided to the City of Winona, Minnesota related to the calculation of the City's legal debt limit.

[1:34:16] upon further review it was determined that the debt limit calculation was based on incorrect estimated market value.

[1:34:23] We sincerely apologize for the oversight and any confusion may have caused a corrected calculation at them.

[1:34:30] Provided to the city, Baker Tilly appreciates the opportunity to correct the record and remain committed to provide in the city of Winona an accurate and reliable information.

[1:34:40] So we, that night on July 6th, there were several comments about where we get the legal

[1:34:48] that limit from Baker-Tilly has shown two calculations, and this is the corrected amount.

[1:34:55] The items in red is what I'd like us to focus on, I guess, starting from the bottom up,

[1:35:00] because this is as of August 11th, 2026.

[1:35:05] This number really changes on a regular basis, and there's a lot of factors that go into

[1:35:11] that's why the date is important. The source is the Minnesota Department of

[1:35:15] Revenue. The proposed going back from the top down proposed pay 2026 estimated

[1:35:23] market value was 2.5 billion. A legal debt limit is 3%, which means that legal

[1:35:29] debt limit for the city is 77.5 million dollars. If you subtract the debt that

[1:35:35] subject to that limit you'll notice it's less than 4.9. That's because the city

[1:35:39] has made payments this year to our debt service which is the remaining capacity based on the

[1:35:46] Minnesota Department of Revenue at 73.1 million.

[1:35:53] Baker Tilly has also provided this correction

[1:35:55] again working from the bottom up. This is also taken on August 11th, 2026, the sources of a known

[1:36:01] accounting valuation worksheet. So this is not a certified amount but it is a valuation worksheet

[1:36:07] from the county. Again, the proposed estimated market value for 2026 is 2.5 billion.

[1:36:14] Three percent is the legal debt percentage. That leads a legal debt limit according to the

[1:36:20] county evaluation worksheet of 77.4 million. You subtract out our current debt remaining capacity

[1:36:28] is $72.9. So a couple hundred thousand dollars, which $100,000 is significant. We went from

[1:36:34] 73.1 from the state of Minnesota to 72.9 from the county. There's a lot of numbers on the sheet.

[1:36:43] I don't expect you to read all of them. This would be straight from the city of Winona's financial

[1:36:50] statement. That's why in the bottom of the red, this is the city's valuation unaudited for December

[1:36:55] number 31st, 2025.

[1:36:57] At the end of 2025, he

[1:37:05] had a legal debt limit

[1:37:06] of 66 million point six.

[1:37:10] Again, this is done by the city of Winona with help.

[1:37:12] Winona County, it is looked at even though it says

[1:37:15] unordered it, anything that is in our financial statement

[1:37:17] is reviewed by Abdo, we mentioned that

[1:37:19] in the presentation July 6th.

[1:37:22] If there was anything that looked unusual

[1:37:25] in that number, they would have flagged that,

[1:37:27] but it is an un audited number.

[1:37:31] So if we rewind July 6th and we re-issue the charts or slides that we showed, we have

[1:37:40] changed the city of Winona's debt capacity to 73 million.

[1:37:44] In the first slide I showed the example is if the wastewater treatment plant at $33 million

[1:37:50] was taken out in debt and the 61 million for the public safety building in the beige.

[1:37:57] And you added our current debt, which on July 6 was 4.9, with the $73 million debt capacity,

[1:38:05] we'd be $25.9 million over our debt capacity. We would not be allowed to do that.

[1:38:11] However, remember from the presentation, at the $33 million dollar waste water treatment

[1:38:16] doesn't count toward our debt capacity because it is a revenue bond.

[1:38:21] So if we go with the theory that the city of Winona would take out debt at $61 million for

[1:38:25] public safety building combined with that $4.9 million in current debt that would leave

[1:38:31] $7.1 million in our total debt capacity.

[1:38:36] We did also mention that if the city was to take

[1:38:41] the debt out through the port authority that the port authority debt taken out for the

[1:38:48] public safety building does not count against the city of Winona's debt capacity. So if you

[1:38:55] take our current debt, it's 4.9, this would leave approximately 68.1 million in available debt

[1:39:05] for other projects. I would note that the 73 million does change, this will change before

[1:39:11] we bond, this number will come back and the bonding decision is asked of council, so that number

[1:39:19] will change, but on a two correct Baker Tilly's assessment of our debt capacity. I would

[1:39:28] also note this, that this is not meant to be an aferious circumvention of the law. We

[1:39:36] have a port authority. Whether we have a referendum or not, the council has the ability to issue

[1:39:44] debt through the port to keep the city of Lennon's legal debt limit low so that we can

[1:39:52] take out more debt for projects that may be warranted or for operations. So I'll note

[1:39:58] this again if the city has a referendum as a hypothetical and the community says 52% say

[1:40:06] move forward, 48% say do not move forward and the council chooses to move forward. You

[1:40:13] have a tool because we have a port authority to move that debt and bond that debt through

[1:40:18] the port authority so it doesn't count against the city's legal debt limit. But as was mentioned

[1:40:25] tonight by a member of the public that came to public comment, the heart of the issue

[1:40:30] aside from debt capacity is the cost of the buildings. Either way, whether you take this

[1:40:35] debt out through the port authority or the city, you have to consider whether or not you

[1:40:39] want to take out that much debt. That is the issue. Tax payers pay it back. Pay it back.

[1:40:46] Either through a tax levy or if you choose through utility fees, through franchise fees,

[1:40:52] how are that, how are that may be? We're just simply saying that there is a tool because we are one

[1:40:59] of those unique communities that has a poor authority to take that debt out.

[1:41:07] Any questions, comments,

[1:41:08] I'd be happy to entertain them.

[1:41:10] Sam?

[1:41:11] And then I'll come down the line.

[1:41:13] It's steeping over.

[1:41:14] Okay.

[1:41:14] Steve.

[1:41:16] Okay.

[1:41:17] Thank you for the explanation.

[1:41:19] I am really disappointed that this happened.

[1:41:21] I can't believe it.

[1:41:24] I understand where we've got a new relationship with the Baker Tilly.

[1:41:27] We were promised that they were competent and knew what they were doing.

[1:41:34] And I understand numbers.

[1:41:37] I understand business, I've worked with corporations that have made errors, but wow, we really rely on these numbers.

[1:41:48] We took presentations, we were making decisions on these numbers.

[1:41:53] I'm less than impressed. I appreciate the apology, fine, but not impressed with what happened.

[1:42:04] And I'll accept their apology by not

[1:42:11] impressed.

[1:42:12] Thanks.

[1:42:13] Thanks, Steve.

[1:42:14] Do you want to go in?

[1:42:15] Yeah.

[1:42:15] Okay.

[1:42:16] To echo Councillor Young, this is an embarrassing oversight by Baker Telly.

[1:42:22] Using our entire estimated market value instead of taxable parcels only is not only clearly outlined in the state statute for a financial advisor who primarily advises on debt service.

[1:42:35] this is an embarrassing oversight.

[1:42:38] I also want to clarify for the public that table 20 that was referenced in the city manager's

[1:42:43] presentation also does not have the correct debt figure it uses assessed value instead

[1:42:49] of taxable parcel EMV.

[1:42:51] I've brought this up before.

[1:42:54] I am upset about this discrepancy.

[1:43:01] I'm glad we found a resolution to this billion dollar error, but, unfortunately, it was the

[1:43:08] most concerning resolution that we could have found.

[1:43:10] Effectively, our financial advisors overinflated our income as a city by a billion dollars.

[1:43:16] To put this into a household context, if any of us trying to get a house, trying to get

[1:43:21] a mortgage, and we overinflate our mortgage by a hundred thousand dollars to make sure

[1:43:27] that we get the loan. First of all, could we actually afford that house? And second,

[1:43:33] isn't that mortgage fraud? This is a huge error. An error so big that it should give

[1:43:40] all of us pause. If these numbers are off, what other numbers could be off? What else

[1:43:48] is wrong? What else are we missing? We owe it to those we serve and represent to wait and

[1:43:56] here out the county, especially in the face of a billion dollar error.

[1:44:03] We all as city of one-on-a-tax fairs are paying for the county's LEC renovation study

[1:44:09] and we owe it to each other to wait and see what they find.

[1:44:14] We have just learned that the people that we trust to give us accurate information didn't.

[1:44:21] With this much doubt in our process, it's essential that we hear another opinion.

[1:44:30] I know that police and fire both need improve facilities.

[1:44:33] No one at this table is doubting that police and fire need improve facilities.

[1:44:39] We have all walked through the facilities.

[1:44:42] We understand how desperately we need renovations.

[1:44:47] And I want to remind everyone that the current proposal on the table is not the only way that

[1:44:54] we get police and fire what we need.

[1:44:56] And as we...

[1:45:00] Way fiscally responsible. Thank you. Thanks. Other comments, questions? Discussion? Yeah.

[1:45:11] Okay.

[1:45:13] Yep. Billion dollars with a B. That's that's that's class A here. And then and as the other council persons have said that's disappointing to say the least.

[1:45:27] I think at this point, it's also, we're at a point where we need to probably press the

[1:45:38] pause button.

[1:45:40] I think it's something we need to contemplate between now and the next meeting when we're

[1:45:44] scheduled to get an option to buy property.

[1:45:47] I think it's a good point in time to think about this.

[1:45:52] So, with this debt limit now more accurately appraised, even if we can avoid the limits

[1:46:05] by moving things through a poor authority, I think that defeats the purpose of why there

[1:46:12] is debt limits and the state issues these.

[1:46:16] The idea is so you don't get yourself in trouble.

[1:46:20] because regardless of whether the debt goes through the county or excuse me whether the debt goes

[1:46:26] through the port authority or whether the debt goes directly through the city, it's the same people

[1:46:32] that have to pay the debt. So, you know, to me that's really an argument in semantics because the debt

[1:46:40] is still incurred whether it fits the profile of the limit and to me I'll add in the water treatment

[1:46:49] debt that we have to repay, we still all have to repay it.

[1:46:53] And so it really becomes a, it becomes a moot point whether we can move it or not.

[1:46:58] The point, the question is, is can we afford it?

[1:47:01] And I don't think we've determined that.

[1:47:04] I would agree.

[1:47:05] I think from all the people that I have heard from in the community, I am hearing nothing

[1:47:11] but positive, I'm hearing no negatives towards doing something for police and fire.

[1:47:18] I think the community recognizes it's something needs to be done.

[1:47:22] But what the community is also asking for is what are the options and they're asking for a voice.

[1:47:29] Whether we do a series of public meetings, whether we do a referendum,

[1:47:33] there is no way that we can bond this much money without getting some public direct public opinion.

[1:47:41] It's just not good government if we don't.

[1:47:44] And so I understand there's, you know, that's something that we need to figure out, but this is the point to do so.

[1:47:53] The county voted five nothing, which is a rare occurrence over at the county to support the study that included the police department with the sheriff department.

[1:48:06] And so I think it is the minimum to wait to hear what that is to see if that is something

[1:48:13] that we can utilize.

[1:48:15] I think we also need to go back and take a look at what are our other options, and there

[1:48:20] aren't a lot.

[1:48:21] There's nothing that anybody has purposefully overlooked, but I think we need to reassess

[1:48:28] and see if there's a different way that we can do this and come up with a couple of options

[1:48:32] and the key point is get public opinion on those options so that we can go

[1:48:39] forward as a commute with the community behind us because I don't want to

[1:48:44] be distracted by by trying to push something through that is very expensive

[1:48:50] that the community has not been able to weigh in on I think you set yourself up

[1:48:54] to get way laid down the road by again not that people aren't supportive but they

[1:49:01] haven't had a voice. And I think that's the dangerous thing to try to do, plain and simple.

[1:49:07] So I hope that we can take some time between now and the next meeting to consider how and what

[1:49:13] ways could we get public opinion on the options that are available to us. And we're going to need

[1:49:21] to flesh out those options. One of them is the one we have in front of us. And collectively,

[1:49:27] If the community comes back and says, hey, of the ones you pointed out, this is the best one.

[1:49:32] Great.

[1:49:33] 100%.

[1:49:34] I'll be behind it.

[1:49:35] But without public opinion and having an opportunity to weigh in, it's almost impossible to go

[1:49:43] forward with that, in my mind, for me, along.

[1:49:47] So, that's, I think, probably an option.

[1:49:50] We'll try to get out here before 10 tonight.

[1:49:52] Thank you.

[1:49:52] Thank you. Any other comments, questions, discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion passes.

[1:50:05] Second or unfinished business item 4.1 is the contract award for the 2026 Huff Street Waterman crossing.

[1:50:13] The Council adopt the resolution. Second. Motion from Steve. Second from Sam. Any discussion?

[1:50:18] here in nun all those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed?

[1:50:25] Motion passes. Item 4.2 is the contract award for the 2026 lead service line project.

[1:50:33] The council will doubt the resolution. Second. Motion from Steve. Second from Sam. Any discussion.

[1:50:39] George we're okay with this little bid Brian.

[1:50:48] We did look into position and their references are stellar.

[1:50:53] they did 1,250 of these in Minneapolis so they got plenty of experience, pretty

[1:50:58] confident that they'll do a good job. How long would it take them, would all these

[1:51:03] be done this year yet?

[1:51:07] Depending on whether or not. All depends on when they

[1:51:09] can start and everything else, we don't want to let them really get them broken up

[1:51:15] and then not be able to get black top in so that's going to be one of the major

[1:51:18] factors on the completion date isn't till next spring so we factor to that end just in case they

[1:51:26] can't get it done.

[1:51:30] Thank you. Any other comments, questions or discussion? Hearing none? All those in

[1:51:37] favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion passes. Item 4.3.

[1:51:50] The council through their request. Second.

[1:51:51] motion from Steve, second from Jerome on that one, and we do have a presentation from staff.

[1:52:06] Mayor and council, I'm going to give a brief overview tonight of the new fix space operator agreement for the Winona Municipal Airport.

[1:52:13] As council may recall, the city issued an RFP for FEO services in January, proposals were due February 10th,

[1:52:20] and on March 2nd council unanimously selected Hartley and Aviation as a successful proposal and directed staff to begin negotiating an agreement.

[1:52:28] Since that time, Heartland Aviation has adopted the business name Revert City Aviation,

[1:52:33] which is the name they will operate under here in Winona.

[1:52:37] Revert City Aviation will officially take over as the primary fixed space operator

[1:52:42] at the Winona Municipal Airport beginning May 1, 2027.

[1:52:48] One of the major goals during this negotiation was to update and simplify

[1:52:51] the city's contractual relationship with the FBO.

[1:52:54] The previous FBO operated under five separate agreements with the city and some of those agreements were nearly 40 years old, rather than simply updating each of those individual agreements, staff felt this is a good opportunity to take a comprehensive look at the relationship between the city and the FBO and make sure the agreement reflects how the airport operates today.

[1:53:14] The result is one modernized comprehensive lease and services agreement that consolidates

[1:53:20] the previous agreements and more clearly defines the responsibilities of both the city and

[1:53:25] the River City Aviation.

[1:53:28] There are several key terms of the agreement that I need to highlight.

[1:53:31] The initial term is five years.

[1:53:33] It begins on May 1st, 2027 and running through April 30th, 2032.

[1:53:39] There are then three additional five year renewal terms available.

[1:53:43] River City Aviation will pay the city $46,000 annually with a 3% annual increase.

[1:53:50] Those payments will be made in two installments each year.

[1:53:53] The city will also receive a few fuel fee of 10 cents per gallon, which will be paid monthly.

[1:54:00] Another change involves the tea hangers.

[1:54:02] Under the new agreement, River City Aviation will manage all five of the tea hangers, rather

[1:54:07] than having management responsibilities divided between the city and the FBO.

[1:54:11] currently the FBO manages two and the city manages three.

[1:54:18] This slide gives an overview of the services River City Aviation will be responsible for

[1:54:22] providing the core FBO services include aviation fuel sales, rampant apron services, aircraft

[1:54:29] parking, storage tie down services, and pilot and customer services.

[1:54:34] Aircraft maintenance may also be provided.

[1:54:37] River Cityation will also assist responsibilities for the operation of the airport.

[1:54:42] or those include providing 24-7 call and service,

[1:54:46] helping with conducting a runway inspections,

[1:54:49] responding to hazards if there are any coordinating,

[1:54:53] coordinating not, I don't think it's called,

[1:54:55] not to answer NOTI, correct me, Brian, how it's spelled.

[1:55:00] When necessary,

[1:55:03] monitoring runway lighting

[1:55:04] and advising pilots at field conditions,

[1:55:06] they will also be responsible for the general upkeep

[1:55:09] and day-to-day operation of the least areas.

[1:55:13] The agreement includes additional reporting requirements as well.

[1:55:17] Riverside Aviation will provide an annual report regarding airport conditions and activities

[1:55:21] as well as an annual presentation to the council.

[1:55:25] Maintenance and repair responsibilities.

[1:55:28] One area where we spent quite a bit of time during negotiations was clearly defining maintenance

[1:55:33] and repair responsibilities.

[1:55:35] Under the agreement, River City Aviation is generally responsible for the day-to-day upkeep

[1:55:41] of the areas it occupies.

[1:55:44] That includes such things as cleaning, cleaning supplies, replacing light bulbs, filters,

[1:55:49] addressing minor leaks, snow and ice removal around doorways, sidewalks, and pedestrian areas.

[1:55:55] They are also responsible for damage caused by the FEO.

[1:55:58] It's employees, tenants from the T-hangers, things like that.

[1:56:02] The city is responsible for maintenance and repairs of the city-owned buildings and assets.

[1:56:08] This includes roofs, exterior walls, doors and windows, plumbing, HVAC, electrical and

[1:56:15] fire systems, and other repairs.

[1:56:18] The city will also continue to be responsible for airport snow-plowing and maintenance of

[1:56:24] the city-owned fuel facility.

[1:56:27] The intent here was to establish a much clearer division between the FBO's responsibility

[1:56:31] for every day upkeep, and the city's responsibility as the owner of the building buildings.

[1:56:39] While the city is taking responsibility for building maintenance and repairs,

[1:56:43] it is important to point out that those obligations are tied to the annual budget approved by the city council.

[1:56:49] Before the city's annual budget process, River City Aviation in conjunction with the city will identify

[1:56:54] major and minor building and property maintenance needs.

[1:56:57] Those needs will then come through the city's normal budget process,

[1:57:01] and ultimately council will determine how much funding is allocated for airport maintenance

[1:57:06] and repairs each year. If a repair or replacement comes up during the year that was not included

[1:57:11] in that approved budget, that expenditure would require separate council approval. So while

[1:57:19] the agreement identifies the city's responsibilities, it also maintains council's authority over the

[1:57:24] amount of city funding that is committed to those repairs each year.

[1:57:29] And lastly, another important

[1:57:31] One provision of this agreement is a facility's assessment within 30 days of the agreement's

[1:57:35] effective date.

[1:57:36] The city engineer and building official will begin evaluating the lease premises.

[1:57:41] The evaluation may include physical inspections and other studies or investigations of the

[1:57:46] building's structural conditions, environmental conditions, and other issues that may need

[1:57:51] to be addressed out there.

[1:57:53] A written report will then be prepared that identifies that work that is needed, estimated

[1:57:57] cost, and anticipated timing.

[1:57:59] That report will then be provided to the City Manager and River City Aviation within

[1:58:04] 90 days of the agreement's effective date.

[1:58:07] The purpose of this assessment is to really give the City and River City Aviation clear

[1:58:12] understanding of the conditions of the facilities and what work may need to occur before and after

[1:58:17] River City Aviation takes over on May 1, 2027.

[1:58:24] Finally, the agreement includes a provision that allows both parties to revisit the agreement

[1:58:29] in the future.

[1:58:30] Beginning May 1st, 2031, either the City or River City Aviation can request that the

[1:58:36] agreement be reviewed and renegotiated by providing 30 days written notice.

[1:58:41] The agreement can also be reviewed at any time if significant capital improvements to the

[1:58:45] airport facilities are proposed or completed.

[1:58:48] If either party request, renegotiations, the City and River City Aviation have 180 days

[1:58:55] to renegotiate any proposed amendments.

[1:58:59] If the parties cannot agree on changes, the existing agreement does not automatically

[1:59:03] terminate.

[1:59:04] It simply remains in effect under its existing renewal, termination and default provisions.

[1:59:10] This gives both parties an opportunity to revisit the agreement as airport operations and

[1:59:15] facility needs change without requiring that the entire agreement be negotiated every single

[1:59:21] time.

[1:59:24] With that.

[1:59:26] Any questions?

[1:59:27] Yeah.

[1:59:28] Does anybody have any questions?

[1:59:33] No.

[1:59:34] All right.

[1:59:35] Same.

[1:59:36] Go ahead.

[1:59:36] All right, I do.

[1:59:38] Could we go back into the presentation to the, I think it was the third slide where it outlined

[1:59:43] the annual rent and fuel check payments?

[1:59:49] And could you, if you are able, I think it was back a couple of some more slides.

[2:00:00] What was the rent prior to this? What was our fuel payment prior to this? So, Mayor and Council, before we were, I believe we were accepting four cents per gallon for the fuel. So this is an increase. And then the annual rent is a little bit harder to compare apples to apples. Before we were collecting rent solely on the administrative buildings,

[2:00:30] and we were ourselves renting out three of the T hangers.

[2:00:34] The FBO had, he was paying a very small fee for the other two hangers,

[2:00:40] and then he entered, you know, rented those out and kept that income.

[2:00:44] Combined total, I think it was about $7,500.

[2:00:47] Okay, however, you have to remember that the city was renting out two of the T hangers

[2:00:51] and keeping that income.

[2:00:53] So it's pretty comparable, I think when you added all up,

[2:00:56] is if everything is at max capacity.

[2:00:59] This would be very similar. It's just that the city won't be responsible for renting

[2:01:03] those out, trying to collect those payments themselves. We would just give the money

[2:01:07] twice a year. So if I'm hearing it right, our annual rent is about the same. Correct.

[2:01:13] And then our fuel payments that come in monthly, we increase that by 150%. Correct. Wow.

[2:01:21] That is, that is quite a change. Thank you for this renegotiation.

[2:01:28] Any other comments, questions?

[2:01:33] No?

[2:01:34] Thank you, Amy.

[2:01:34] Appreciate it.

[2:01:36] Hearing none, all those in favor.

[2:01:37] Say aye.

[2:01:38] Aye.

[2:01:40] Motion passes.

[2:01:42] Under new business.

[2:01:46] Item 5.1 is a request to set the date for the public hearing to consider the resolution

[2:01:52] to levy assessments for unpaid charges.

[2:01:55] You're the council to adopt the resolution second motion from Steve second from George. We do have

[2:02:02] Jessica here

[2:02:05] This agenda agenda item is to set the date for the public hearing on September 21st

[2:02:11] In preparation for the public hearing. I just wanted to give an overview of the process

[2:02:16] State statute allows for special assessments on unpaid water and sewer bills

[2:02:21] before assessing properties for unpaid water and sewer bills.

[2:02:28] Water was shut off for doing print accounts.

[2:02:35] As of today, they're at noon.

[2:02:39] There were 627 properties on the list.

[2:02:43] Many of those would have had water turned off due to on payment.

[2:02:48] The updated value of the assessment are 340,400, which is 22.6% of the estimated wastewater

[2:03:01] bond payment, or 2.4% of a tax levy.

[2:03:10] Payments can be made by homeowners in person over the phone, online, and at our drop box.

[2:03:17] in the forms of cash, check, credit, and debit cards, and ACEH.

[2:03:23] Utility bills and late notices are sent on a regular basis and have been sent to

[2:03:29] everybody who is on this list. Throughout the year the city works with

[2:03:35] individuals who contact the finance department wishing to make a payment plan.

[2:03:41] currently there are seven properties that are on the payment plan. Special

[2:03:49] assessments are the last step in the process to collect. State statute also

[2:03:55] allows special assessments for code violations listed on the assessment list.

[2:04:01] This process starts with a complaint to the inspections department.

[2:04:07] Notices are posted and mailed. Multiple inspections take place. Photos are taken before an actor.

[2:04:16] Contractors perform the work and build a city. The city then builds the homeowners plus an administrative.

[2:04:23] Homeowners can contact the inspection department with questions and concerns.

[2:04:29] and, again, special assessments are the last step in this process to work.

[2:04:35] Very good. Thank you, Jessica. Any questions? Yes.

[2:04:39] Thank you for that overview. In the future, I would appreciate if that overview was included in the agenda cover page

[2:04:46] so that it's more easily accessible for the public and the public record. But it was a great overview. Thank you very much.

[2:04:54] Thanks, Jim.

[2:04:55] Yeah. Thanks for the overview just kind of. I appreciate that the city really tries to work with people, you know, because everybody's indefinitely, you know, has a different set of circumstances.

[2:05:06] And so I think it's important that, you know, we're trying and that a lot of this is the last resort after, you know, variety of things have been tried.

[2:05:15] So I think it's important to know that we're accessible and that won't work with folks

[2:05:20] Make who made you know for whatever reason be going through a hard time or having a difficulty in and making payments for water

[2:05:28] And that type of thing. So thank you.

[2:05:31] Thanks, Chef.

[2:05:32] Any other comments or questions? Jason?

[2:05:35] Call

[2:05:40] out any specific properties, but

[2:05:43] I'm seeing some of these

[2:05:44] amount that like seven dollars like how does that happen and no one gets a

[2:05:49] water bill for seven dollars. So oftentimes I believe seven dollars is the

[2:05:57] quarterly amount for the storm sewer charge the minimum charge so they likely

[2:06:04] have a minimum or the an outstanding storm sewer charge for one quarter.

[2:06:13] So they

[2:06:14] or a pan for, it turned off their own water.

[2:06:16] Since it's only for one quarter,

[2:06:18] they likely know when they're just late,

[2:06:20] making that the most recent quarter payment.

[2:06:25] Thank you.

[2:06:26] Any other questions for Jessica?

[2:06:29] No, thanks, Jessica.

[2:06:32] Okay, all those in favor say aye.

[2:06:34] Aye.

[2:06:35] Opposed?

[2:06:36] Motion passes.

[2:06:40] Item 5.2 is the license agreement

[2:06:42] for the Winona tour boat.

[2:06:43] It's Council to prove the life-discrimination authorization to execute the same second motion from Steve second from Sam any discussion

[2:06:51] Jeff

[2:06:54] So Patrick

[2:06:55] In looking at this one, you know, I see that it was when I looked through it

[2:07:00] It's you know, I think a three-year agreement if I'm not mistaken and I'm noticing that they're we're trying to be consistent like the boat club

[2:07:07] The and one of the other ones that came before us tonight they had a 3% increase in fees and what have you

[2:07:14] This one had a change in fee, but I didn't see that it was a three percent. I so I guess I'm wondering is this is this pretty much in line with what we're trying to do with all of these as far as uniform and is it a three percent for your increase?

[2:07:26] That's their pain up front.

[2:07:28] Mary and council, it's it's either a three percent or four percent increase, but that is in line with with everything else.

[2:07:34] Okay, I think it was just written differently. It just had lump sum. It didn't have that piece in there.

[2:07:40] So that's that's what drew my curiosity and so okay, great. Thank you

[2:07:47] Thanks, yeah any other questions

[2:07:52] Random math four percent

[2:07:56] Any other countless questions no, thank you Patrick hearing none all those in favor say aye. Aye opposed

[2:08:05] motion passes

[2:08:07] Item 5.3 is a Mississippi Riverfront trail letter of no objection

[2:08:12] We can also prove the request second motion from Steve second from Sam

[2:08:19] We have a presentation

[2:08:21] From staff here

[2:08:27] in council wall Brad brings up the presentation. Nick Larson was going to present tonight

[2:08:32] but Nick had to leave work early today and

[2:08:38] Since

[2:08:41] Lucy is retired

[2:08:43] No, no offense to Brian DeFrang, I think

[2:08:50] I have been in the most river Mississippi Riverfront Trail meetings, and so if it sounds like I'm reading next presentation, it's because I am.

[2:08:59] I certainly haven't understanding the project, but here we go.

[2:09:05] Mississippi Riverfront Trail is a project listed in the 2007 2045 Comprehensive Plan, along with the 2020 Downtown Strategic Plan 2018 Comprehensive Parks System Plan.

[2:09:18] Riverfront Trail was rated as the highest influential project identified by the

[2:09:22] subcommittee members who worked on the influential project chapter of the city's

[2:09:27] current comprehensive plan. City has been working on the Riverfront Trail for

[2:09:31] nearly 17 years. In overlooked aspect of this project is highlighting the

[2:09:35] businesses that line the Riverfront of Mississippi River. Mississippi Riverfront

[2:09:39] Trail will provide the opportunity for residents and visitors to enjoy the

[2:09:42] vibrant beauty of the river and bluffs and take in rich heritage of our

[2:09:48] riverfront businesses when one has. With Mississippi Riverfront Trail, we'll showcase

[2:09:52] the natural beauty of Winona via catalyst for future development to provide more

[2:09:56] options for people who live work and play.

[2:10:08] The history of Winona, of course, as we

[2:10:10] taught about is tied to the river. Of course, you can tell that by this in the app

[2:10:14] there's a lot of businesses along the riverfront. The Port Authority has been

[2:10:18] I'm working with WHKS and Bar Engineering to engineer and design phase one of the Mississippi River Front Trail.

[2:10:24] Phase one of the Mississippi River Front Trail is being designed as a 10 foot multi-purpose, non-motorized trail that provide a safe, accessible route along the Mississippi River from Lobby Park to Lions Park to residents, tourists, family, students in our workforce to utilize and enjoy.

[2:10:40] Phase one of the Mississippi River Front Trail is designed to start under the highway, 43 interstate bridge allowing access to the flyway trail.

[2:10:47] leading to Wisconsin, then east through Levy Park, along the river side of the flood wall by

[2:10:54] Bay State, and on top of the Levy across properties owned by U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Andy Loaths,

[2:11:01] and at the end of Liberty Street, Northern State's power, the Winona Marina, and RTP, and then we

[2:11:07] connect to Lyons Park.

[2:11:11] All the segments with the exception of Winona Marina are designed directly

[2:11:16] on the bank of the Mississippi River that went on the marina the trail is designed to go inland and on the land side of the flood wall as depicted by the purple dots on the map.

[2:11:37] The 60% design plans are ready to be submitted to the Army Corps of Engineers for their section 408 review.

[2:11:43] The letter of no objection is part of the submittal package. During the Army Corps of Engineers review they will provide input on the design which will guide the final engineering design of phase 1

[2:11:53] the Mississippi Riverfront Trail. Army Corps of Engineers Review of 60 percent design plans could

[2:11:59] take up to seven months.

[2:12:03] So the design next steps were at 60 percent plans for the U.S. Corps of

[2:12:08] Engineers Review. Again 90 percent design plans for the Corps of Engineer Review were estimating that

[2:12:15] 100 percent bid documents will be ready by summer of 27 and commence construction summer fall of 27.

[2:12:21] And we would like to do that sooner if possible.

[2:12:24] That would be the goal that this review is done or completed

[2:12:28] earlier.

[2:12:29] As a reminder, we have state funding.

[2:12:32] There's 2 million of bond funding.

[2:12:34] It was appropriated to the city for construction of phase one

[2:12:36] of the Monsieur Front Trail from Lubby Park to Lions Park in 2020.

[2:12:41] The grant agreement was executed in December of 24.

[2:12:45] The grant monies can only be used for construction,

[2:12:48] not design or engineering.

[2:12:50] We did receive an additional 5 million of bond funding that was appropriated the city for final design engineering and construction of a bridge to go between Chestnut and Carimona streets in 2023.

[2:13:03] The city requested a legislative language change to the 5 million dollar appropriations spring of 26.

[2:13:10] Request was approved during the 2026 legislative session.

[2:13:14] The request was to remove the bridge language and allow the monies to be used for a trail

[2:13:18] segment to connect portions of the Mississippi River Front Trail between Lovey and Lions Park.

[2:13:22] Additionally, the request was to allow the use of any unspent monies from the $5 million

[2:13:28] appropriation to extend the trail downriver after Lovey Park to Lions Park portion is complete.

[2:13:37] The amended legislative language still allows for the $5 million appropriation to be used

[2:13:41] for final design engineering construction, staff expects to bring the $5 million grant

[2:13:46] agreement to a future council meeting for consideration.

[2:13:50] City does need to enter and release our easement agreements with the property owners to use

[2:13:54] the bond funding.

[2:13:56] We do have easements secured with Bay State, U.S. Fish and Wildlife for two Kansas and three

[2:14:01] Kansas, 30 Liberty, Northern States, power.

[2:14:04] The easements that we're still seeking and needed are with Phenomenar Marina and RTP.

[2:14:12] So again, the map, again, is just to show the different segments of phase one, to show

[2:14:17] really where those easements are located.

[2:14:24] This is just segment by segment.

[2:14:26] I'll go through these pretty quick, but this is starting at Levy Park going to Lyons Park.

[2:14:34] The yellow depicts where phase one of the Mississippi River Front Trail is designed to begin.

[2:14:39] It will be on the riverside of the flood wall at Bay State.

[2:14:42] The top photo is the view from Cal Fremling Drive looking east.

[2:14:47] The bottom photo is the view from the east end of the flood wall at Bay State looking back towards

[2:14:52] This is Lovey Park.

[2:14:53] You can call from me and drive.

[2:15:00] Our front trail is being designed on the levee at Bay State. Photo shows the view looking downriver

[2:15:06] from the east end of the flood wall at Bay State.

[2:15:11] The red and green lines indicate where

[2:15:13] phase one of the Mississippi River front trail is being designed on the levee at the U.S.

[2:15:19] Fish and Wildlife properties at two Kansas on the left and three Kansas on the right.

[2:15:30] Photos

[2:15:31] Levy at two Kansas and three Kansas toward 30 Liberty Street.

[2:15:37] Green line indicates where

[2:15:38] phase one of the Missouri River Front Trail is being designed on the Levy at 30 Liberty

[2:15:43] Street. The bottom photo shows the view looking downriver from 30 Liberty Street. The top photo

[2:15:49] shows the view looking downriver from Northern States Power.

[2:15:54] The green and purple lines indicate

[2:15:55] where phase one of the Missouri Front Trail is being designed on the Levy at Northern States

[2:16:00] power's property. Photo shows the view from Northern States power property looking east toward

[2:16:05] the marina.

[2:16:10] Again, the dotted purple line indicates the area where phase one of the

[2:16:13] mysterious trails proposed to be at the one on a marina property. The segment of the trail

[2:16:19] is proposed to be at grade on the landslide of the flood wall and then connected to the trail segment

[2:16:25] to the east highlighted in blue. The rendering depicts the layout of the trail from Northern States power

[2:16:31] to Winona Marina and then on to RTP.

[2:16:38] Blue line indicates for phase one of the

[2:16:40] Mississippi of Front Trails being designed to go from Winona Marina to Miller

[2:16:46] Waist Mills then to Lyons Park.

[2:16:51] Blue line indicates for phase one of the

[2:16:53] trails being designed for Miller Waist Mills to Lyons Park. The east end mark of

[2:16:58] phase one of the Mississippi River Front Trail.

[2:17:03] As noted in the 2018 comprehensive

[2:17:05] a park system plan, future segments of the trail are envisioned to go along the levee to

[2:17:09] when owner knitting mills, and then traverse on city streets to the east end boat harbor,

[2:17:15] at which point the trail would go on to the levee again at Shides Creek, and eventually to highway

[2:17:20] 60 or highway 14 and 61, providing a connection to additional recreational trails in the Mississippi

[2:17:27] River Trail or MRT. Now you may be wondering why I took you through each segment is because of

[2:17:34] And the motion before you is to send this to this letter of no objection to the core.

[2:17:42] What we're asking and what the core wants to know from the city is that we have no objection

[2:17:46] putting a trail on the levee is basically what they're asking.

[2:17:50] So, we're required to show you where the trail is being designed to go, that is the intent

[2:17:55] of the letter.

[2:17:56] with

[2:17:59] that. Any questions? I'm happy to take them.

[2:18:04] George?

[2:18:05] I just want to thank Mike Chikinowski for his work on this.

[2:18:10] For the authority chairman, and this has been a project to his for years.

[2:18:15] He's always been talking about, and even at events, he goes and he talks about it.

[2:18:21] And Chad, you are at the one where he was asking the group, I may come to you for some fun.

[2:18:26] So, yeah, good work, Mike.

[2:18:29] Any

[2:18:32] other comments at all?

[2:18:35] I'd like to just clarify, in that last slide there,

[2:18:39] there was no trail on Sarnia.

[2:18:47] We were talking about Sarnia all night.

[2:18:50] I pulled up the bikeway map.

[2:18:55] Sarnia is...

[2:18:56] So that is our priority for, what would you call it, connected micro-mobility?

[2:19:06] I don't know, alternative transportation.

[2:19:09] Can you bring that slide back up please?

[2:19:17] Last slide please.

[2:19:18] No, that was it.

[2:19:19] Oh, that is.

[2:19:19] Okay.

[2:19:20] This comes from the 2018-19 Comprehensive Parks Plan.

[2:19:28] It puts the priorities, the numbers and letters are the priority for the city to create

[2:19:37] trail connections within the city of Winona.

[2:19:42] So 3A,

[2:19:47] so this trail is going from Levy Park to Lyon's Park.

[2:19:54] So it's completing priority 3A of the comprehensive park's plan.

[2:20:01] segment 2B is already completed with the fly away trail.

[2:20:07] The Comprehensive Parks

[2:20:08] Plan says we should connect from Levy Park to Lake Lodge and from Lake Lodge

[2:20:17] other connections to the MRT and the Bluff traverse.

[2:20:22] The Comprehensive Park Plan

[2:20:24] also says that 3A should be continued further east as I mentioned the

[2:20:28] presentation to at some point which you know is a heavy lift connect to

[2:20:34] sugar loaf. The other priorities are internal trail systems with another

[2:20:43] large extension that goes out to Prairie Island and the 7B. The intent

[2:20:49] through the comprehensive park plan was the community said we needed a continuous

[2:20:54] loop of trail through the city connecting to other park record resources.

[2:21:00] and the priorities are being started in order at least so 1, a, 2, a, and now on 3.

[2:21:07] I just want to make note of that. Notice how there's nothing else on the other.

[2:21:14] You're right. Just mentioning it.

[2:21:16] Any other comments, questions, discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor say aye.

[2:21:22] Aye. Opposed? Motion passes.

[2:21:30] I will be very quickly here. I just have two things. I was digging through some papers that I had, and my father had newspaper clippings that he saved, and I came across one here from March of 1971.

[2:21:49] In 1971, I was a senior at Carter High School, pushing for graduation in the spring.

[2:22:00] Councilmember Haima was a freshman in high school, and Councilman Jerome Christensen would

[2:22:07] have been one year out of high school or two years.

[2:22:11] One year, okay.

[2:22:13] And for everybody out there, the rest of our people here at the table of my council colleagues, they weren't even born yet.

[2:22:21] So this was 1971, including our manager.

[2:22:26] Anyway, just happened to find this.

[2:22:28] And at that particular time in 1971, Jerome, you may remember, we had the issue of urban renewal.

[2:22:35] It was taking down the blocks on 2nd Street, 1, 2, 3, 4 blocks.

[2:22:40] I was working at Western Gas Station, $28.00 a gallon, $0.60 an hour, which was good money I couldn't spend at all.

[2:22:50] Anyway, the issue was there, and they wanted to tear these buildings down, they wanted to renovate your downtowns,

[2:22:58] and it became a controversial issue for those that would happen to remember that.

[2:23:03] Adolf Braemer at that time was the publisher of the one on a daily news and he

[2:23:10] was always trying to take the City Council to task. He was a reporter, well

[2:23:16] actually he was the editor, the big guy there, but every now and he would take

[2:23:20] City Council to task. Anyway, he wrote this article. Council commended for

[2:23:26] renewal vote. The City Council should be commended for their renewal vote. Number if he had two

[2:23:35] counts of it, it's the right count. First of all, he acknowledges that, I got to get close

[2:23:42] with my eyes here, first for acknowledging the major renovation projects of this kind are legitimate,

[2:23:49] concrete or concern of citizens, and if they become controversial, that the

[2:23:57] citizens should be involved in resolving these issues. And number two,

[2:24:04] simply just said that the council should be commended for taking the stand that

[2:24:08] the Urban Renewal vote should be given to let the entire city vote on this

[2:24:15] not just affected areas. Now what they had to do then is they had to petition the state

[2:24:22] of Minnesota to get permission to do a referendum and of course there was no money involved

[2:24:28] just having permission to do this project. So you know go back to there and then also

[2:24:36] he says that he hopes that the legislature approves the bill and suggested it's a suggestion

[2:24:43] by the council. Now, that year, I don't know how that referendum went. It was that year I was

[2:24:52] 17 years old and I really didn't care how it went. It was no interest of mine. I had my fancy

[2:25:00] sports car and I could care less how the renewal vote went and I was 17 years. I might have been 18

[2:25:08] already, but this was of no interest to me, but different of course today.

[2:25:13] And just on a sad note, I'd like to offer condolences to the family of Richard Carneth,

[2:25:18] Captain Richard Carneth, as we know him.

[2:25:21] He taught middle school, junior high school in Winona for many years, and he followed the

[2:25:27] family tradition, his father and grandfather.

[2:25:30] He became a riverboat captain, he piloted the Delta Queen, the American Queen, and many

[2:25:37] the other river boats that the company had and his skill to knowledge of the river is definitely

[2:25:45] very very strong. He knew it from St. Louis all the way to Minneapolis. Thank you.

[2:25:53] Thanks George. Appreciate it. Council Member Young.

[2:25:55] In the interest of time. No. Okay. Council Member Haima. I was going to read into the record war and

[2:26:02] piece.

[2:26:05] Just one thing, just to reiterate, we talked about it last time, or maybe two times

[2:26:10] ago. I'm increasingly getting questions in regards to e-bikes, motorized vehicles on

[2:26:17] the trails and on sidewalks, and I think we were talking about researching what is already

[2:26:23] on the books, and then perhaps having discussion as to what we feel is appropriate. It was

[2:26:29] by the comment or the presentation about the Riverfront Trail where it said it was for non-motorized vehicles.

[2:26:38] So that's what reminded me to say, yeah, we still need to look into that. Thank you.

[2:26:43] Thanks, Jeff.

[2:26:44] Jerome.

[2:26:47] Yeah, congratulations to the Winona Municipal Band, completing another summer season.

[2:26:54] They started out wet and finished up strong.

[2:26:58] And a particular note that Frank and Ruth Burris joined the band in 1979.

[2:27:07] That was when George would have been 25, 25, and they finally closed their clarinet cases.

[2:27:22] this is this season so thank you Joe thank you Frank thank you Ruth Ruth

[2:27:29] also tried to teach my my daughter Clarenette and failed gloriously but it was a

[2:27:37] great season. Thanks, Phil. Counselors, you're an introvert. Welcome back to

[2:27:42] students. semester starts at WSU next Monday so a big warm welcome to all of our

[2:27:50] new and returning students.

[2:27:52] Very good.

[2:27:53] Thanks, Sam.

[2:27:54] Helps my verdict.

[2:27:56] No, nothing tonight.

[2:27:57] Thank you.

[2:27:57] Very good.

[2:27:57] Thanks.

[2:28:00] Under the consent agenda, we have six items.

[2:28:04] First is the approval of the August 3rd, 2026 meeting minutes.

[2:28:08] Next is the final adoption of the ordinance for handicapped parking at St. Charles Street.

[2:28:14] We also have the final adoption of the ordinance for handicapped parking at East Broadway.

[2:28:19] away followed by the final adoption of the ordinance for handicapped parking at East

[2:28:24] 3rd Street. And then 8.5 is followed by the final adoption of the ordinance for 15-minute

[2:28:31] parking at East 3rd Street. And lastly, the final adoption of the ordinance for the 15-minute

[2:28:37] and handicapped parking at 79 West 3rd Street.

[2:28:40] Will the council approve the consent agenda?

[2:28:43] Second. Motion from Steve. Second from Durham. All those in favor. Say aye.

[2:28:47] Aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed?

[2:28:50] May your time being 8.58 pm.

[2:28:56] I move with adjourned.

[2:28:58] Motion from George, second from Sieve. All those in favor say aye.

[2:29:01] Aye. Aye. Meeting adjourned.

[2:29:03] Thanks, everybody.

City Council Agenda

Transcript