City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. I'd like to call to order the Chaska City Council meeting for Monday, June 1st at 7.01. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Full house tonight. Love it. All right. Three, at least please call roll.

Council Member Hatfield. Here. Council Member Benesch. Here. Council Member Shevlin. Here. Council Member McGraw. Here. Mayor Hubbard.

All right. Thank you. Number four is adopt the agenda. I would entertain a motion and a second to adopt the agenda as presented.

Motion to adopt the agenda.

Motion by Council Member Benesch.

Second.

Second by Council Member Hatfield. Any discussion? All in favor to adopt the agenda, say aye. Aye. Agenda passes. The best thing tonight, we're going to go visit our presentation. We have the growth through opportunity swearing in. I'll turn it over to Police Chief to introduce this topic, and I think that's why all of us are here, which is exciting. Maybe, maybe there's another topic talk, but I know this is a good one, so.

the time to speak with you tonight about the growth through opportunity program and then i have the pleasure of swearing in two new cadets this evening into the program and you know like you had mentioned you look around the room undoubtedly most of the people are here for this and we have some of our past graduates of the program some of our other cadets here as well so thank you for being here it's nice to see you guys again um Believe it or not, this is the fifth year that we've participated in the Grow Through Opportunity program. And back in the onset, five years ago, we were the third city in the state to adopt the program. But what has been unique with our Grow Through Opportunity program, which remains the same, is the overall involvement with all of the different city departments that take part, which is still unique compared to other cities. And we have a new job coach this year. I think in the back is Val. That's going to be with our cadets each week as they go forward and they gain that hands-on experience with all of our different city departments. And most importantly, this is a great way for us to get to know the cadets and for the cadets to get to know all of us here at the City of Chaska, which Some of our prior cadets have ended up as employees of the city as well in a few different departments. So it is just an absolutely phenomenal program, and I have to give props to Martine, Officer Godinez. He's around here somewhere in the back. He is the one that coordinates the program on the police department side. But again, the strength of our program is all the different city departments. I know they spend time in admin, finance, police, fire, electric department, public works, the town course, water and sewer, and up at the community center as well, just to experience all the different departments that we have in the city. And then for our cadets, we recap the program in August. And we always ask a question of you guys is what was your favorite city department? And if it's not the police department, I won't hold it against you. That's fine if it's fire or admin. I won't hold it against you. But as you go through these weeks, keep that on your mind, what you think was the most fun, what department you enjoyed the most. Because we'll be talking about that come August. So if you guys want to come up here with me, I'll get you introduced to the group. So I'll start with Kayla Rademacher. And she lives in Norwood and loves animals. And you have a dog named Bella and a cat named Jinx. You enjoy watching sports, hockey, football, NASCAR, baseball. Are you a Minnesota sports fan? Yes. So you're used to the disappointment every year that happens. Yes. We're all used to that. And it sounds like you also participate in the Special Olympics. You do floor hockey, bowling, golf, and flag football. Yes. And you also noted that you were excited to start in a GTO program, and we're excited to have you here as part of it. So welcome. Thank you. And then also over here to my right is Connor. Is it Clay's map that pronounce that right? Perfect and he's a 2022 graduate of the Minnetonka High School and also the sale program which you graduated in 2025 and now you're also enrolled in another program and you just completed your first year. And it sounds like you also enjoy playing sports. And you noted swimming, basketball, bowling, skiing, floor hockey, tennis, and weightlifting. So you stay busy with all those things. And it sounds like you also like watching sports and Star Wars and listening to music and then also spending time with family. And you're also excited to be here, and we're excited to have you as well. So the one thing we'll do next is every time that we onboard somebody under the police department, we do something called an oath of office. And that's something that we do when we bring somebody on that wears a badge. So what I'll have you do is I'll have you both stand right over here next to each other. Turn and face me. You want to stand right over here and then raise your right hand and you'll repeat after me, okay?

I, state your name, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, in the state of Minnesota,

and faithfully discharge the duties of an honorary police cadet of the City of Chaska to the best of my judgment and ability. If you want to say anything, I won't put you on the spot. What about our past cadets? Do you have any advice?

Jordan, go ahead. Stand up.

I'd like to announce that just make sure not to be a hero. Always go to the chief and the officers. Thank you. Yes. You're amazing, Connor.

The cadets want to come up here and kind of stand in front of the council, Chief, Martine, and so keep going a little bit further. All right, kind of in circles.

Former cadets want to come up too.

You can see it in the photo. And once I take a photo, everyone will have a chance to as well. So we'll keep everyone.

Watch out, Aiden. You're blocking now.

All right. Ready? One, two, three. Smile. Smile.

All right.

Who else would like a photo? Stay there. Stay there, everybody.

Aiden, do you need a selfie? Yes. All right, stay on there, Aiden.

We're going to get a selfie. They know you. There's your phone. Stay in there, Chief. Everybody get in.

Aiden, selfies are the best.

Thank you, Chief. I'd just like to say I've been on the council for five years and witnessed this, and it's just the fun, and I really look forward to the fun videos at the end when they put everything together. So welcome, I appreciate that. I don't know if any other council members have anything to want to share. I'll open it up.

Yeah, welcome. It's always really exciting. I've gotten to help with the mock council meeting and do some videos. Aiden, we got to do some videos. And it's always a lot of fun to see at the end the videos and just how how much everyone comes out of their shells and gets comfortable and the different things you get to do. So welcome. We're excited to have you. This is, we were just talking about, it's one of our favorite meetings to get to see you guys come and start this journey. And then our second favorite meeting is when you come back and we get to see how it all concludes. So welcome.

I will echo that and say welcome. And the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy your time doing all different kinds of things that we do here in the city. So you guys will have a great time and enjoy it. So I look forward to seeing your videos in August too. So have fun.

Yes, and I'll echo that. Welcome. And I just think it's so great when people want to get involved in their city, when they want to learn how democracy works, when they want to learn how a city runs. And so you guys are going to get the firsthand experience working with some of the best in the city. And I hope that you really just enjoy and take away from those experiences something great. And we will look forward to hearing what you have to say in August. Awesome.

Thank you. Well, I know there's, I did see a cake get brought in. So I will pause so you don't feel like you're awkwardly walking out in the middle of a conversation. You're welcome to stay. It's not a super long agenda, but I, between listening and cake, I would pick the cake as well. So thanks for coming.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

We have a few seconds. Let them clear out. If we go fast enough, we can enjoy some cake, too.

There's no agenda today.

All right. We will not see anyone else still here for visitor presentation. Anyone else for visitor presentation? Yes? Yeah, certainly. Come on up.

To bring up?

So good question. First, I'd ask you just guess that your name and your address for the record.

Amy Jones, 9000 Springs Way, apartment 9108, Chaska.

Perfect, thank you. Couple of different ways. One, showing up to this meeting, visitor presentations, that's kind of exactly what it is. Visitor presentation, we do not take any formal action or direction or we'll vote on anything, but it's an opportunity for residents like yourself to come up, ask a question, voice a concern, provide feedback, everything like that. So you're here, so that's good. Otherwise, we'll connect you with the right people as well.

I mean, I've sent emails, but I wanted to actually voice my concern, and I know this happened probably before I even moved here, but it was brought to my attention that there's a new data center, and I know it's already kind of underway, but I don't think it's been finalized on Schoolmaster Road, I believe. and i just wanted to voice my concern and i wanted to object if it hasn't been finalized yet that i don't want it to be built so just to have me down on the record because of light and noise pollution water consumption energy bill you know i don't think data centers pay their fair share and they can write raise residents bills And I think we all know, if you've done your research, what that can do to communities. And I think from what I've read, they want to build that higher than what is the ordinance for Chaska City buildings. That's another concern from what I've read. Anyway, that's my two cents.

Well, I appreciate you coming down. I will say it went through a concept plan in preliminary and it's sitting, the next one will be a final. It's been sitting in that stage for two-ish years. Okay. I would really strongly encourage you to talk to this individual, our city administrator, Matt Podoroski, because I will just say that I, as more research in there, and again, I'm not saying where I say anything on this, but Not every data center is the same, different runs, different ways. And so those are all things that are important. I also will note for people listening online on the project page, there's actually a fact sheet that got put out there to add more information. It is a topic of conversation in the world right now and in the country. So I'd encourage people to check out those facts. But I think sometimes sitting down, just understanding their situation. But again, it's kind of been sitting in that past preliminary but not to final for two years. okay all right i'd be happy to take down your your number well that's happening is there anyone else i see one other job anyone all right perfect just making sure i'll let matt get that information and then we'll move on

Okay, sounds good.

you for coming down it's not always the most obvious place to come and head to so i appreciate you coming down and introducing yourself and getting some information thank you i appreciate you all hearing me out thank you all right see no one else i will move to uh actually or number six on the agenda approve previous minutes from uh 5 18 20 26. motion to approve meeting minutes from 5 18 20 26. motion from councilmember shevlin

Second.

Second by Council Member Hatfield. All in favor of approving previous minutes from May 18th, 2026, we can say aye. Aye. Motion or amendments approved. That brings us to number seven, consent items. There are four of them. These are items that don't necessarily need conversation, can be pulled out separately if there's questions, if we need to, or we can ask questions. But generally, we would be looking for a motion to approve consent items. Motion on consent items from Council Member Shevlin. Second. Second by Council Member Benes. Any further conversation? All in favor of approving consent items as presented, say aye. Aye. Opposed? Consent items approved. Item eight is action items. There are none. Moving to nine, bills. Any questions on bills? Motion to approve the bills. Motion by Council Member Hatfield.

Second.

Second by Council Member Benesch. Any further conversation? Hearing none, release what you call roll.

Council Member Hatfield. Yes. Council Member Benesch. Yes. Council Member Shevlin. Yes. Mayor Pro Tem.

Aye. That almost tricked me up, I'm going to be honest. Look at that, fast meeting. See, that cake's just waiting for us there. Other business, we'll start with Council Member Shevlin.

wish all of the graduates a very fantastic graduation if it hasn't happened and if it has I hope it was great great parties coming and a bright future for all those ending school I hope it's a great end to the year and that you enjoy some downtime and you know time with your friends and caught up and sleep this summer and for everybody who is on the roads just slow down because all the school kids are out of school now and riding their bikes and playing in their yards and all those other things And that's about all I have.

Thank you. I appreciate that. Let's go to Council Member Hatfield.

Yes, just a few things, some reminders. Well, there's Ice Cream Social in concert for kids, June 9th at 6 PM in Fireman's. So that's coming up. And then the Farmer's Market kicks off on June 11th. That's a new location. It's very exciting and it has music. So it'll be the kind of parking lot between Red Bench and that church there. The name's escaping me. Meadowspring. Meadowspring, there we go. then up the Paseo and you can then go to the music in City Square Park so that's very exciting nice to have music back in the park I know that's something a lot of people missed so thanks I know staff has been working hard on that and I'm excited to go it'll be on Thursday nights every week until later and then Chaska Rocks is coming up on June 20th 4 p.m. Fireman's Park also and that's at a new time of the year so it's a great event raise money and just great bands the bands this year also look great I don't know you guys keep getting such great bands every year but

We've had them at Fire and Ice before, and they're really good.

Yeah. So great band, so I highly recommend everybody go to that. And then I also wanted to congratulate all the grads for all graduating is an incredible accomplishment and a lot of hard work and just very exciting. So now you get to go out into the world and make your mark, which is always fun. And then just wanted to also just say great news on the affirmed bond ratings. That's very exciting. And thanks to our finance team for all their hard work on that. That's a pretty big deal. And it really sets up the city for a lot of success when we go out to do things because of that. So thanks to the staff and our finance team because that's, like I said, a big deal.

at what's going on now we shared with them we have quite a few projects coming up and so they understand what those projects are coming up what we have is a funding source so I would expect expect based on that that as we go into our future financings for projects that that would bode well to keep that that rating uh we stayed the same so it's uh it's double a double a minus uh but it's the same rating that we've had that we actually got upgraded to that back in 14 i think and we've been at that ever since it's aa for the city of chaska a minus for eda it's always a notch down for the eda because uh you don't have general taxes uh authority behind it or you do with the city yeah yeah

That's all I had. All right. Thank you. Council Member Benes.

I just want to echo all that. Congratulations to all the graduates and look forward to seeing what you guys have to do and all that you can accomplish in the coming years and have a good summer. Take some time off and enjoy the coming school year. And again, everybody, slow down. Be safe. I mean, too many kids out there, too many young, new drivers as well. Just be aware. So, yeah, that's all I've got.

Christoph? Matt? No. Elise? I only have one, and it's going to be a kind of whiny one, just a little bit. I'm in conversations with my 11-year-old about e-bikes. Because he wants an e-bike, and I tell him, you're not legally old enough to drive an e-bike. And then comments that, well, my friends, right? So I'm not everyone's parent, and I get that. But I also know that police chief is here, Officer Godinez is here. E-bikes in the city that I just drove through, you see flying around, just a PSA. Parents, please help each other out. I have tough conversations with my kids about why I have to be a rule follower. That's what I get accused of. I can't make everyone's decision for everyone and I don't want to be that person to say that either, but it is 15 for e-bikes. They are everywhere and they are causing issues in the city. Every city, everyone I talk to, I go to different towns or things like that, e-bikes comes up in a conversation. It sounds like the stay off my lawn, listen to what I have to say moment, but it's just kind of one of those, like, you know, I'm trying to help, you know, parents kind of bond together here and say no, because it's always like, well, this person has this, or I have this friend, right?

And I honestly think this is one that... the parents are going to be the best way to stop it. Because, I mean, by the time these bikes are off on the trails or the roads, it's impossible for these guys to enforce it. 100%.

Nor do I want them to spend their time trying to. I mean, there are bigger things in the world. But it is. It's hard. And it's, you know, head injuries and, you know, just safety in general. But, yeah, I have largely this last week been accused of being a rule follower. And I said... look at the things I've chosen to do in my life in my career profession I am a hundred percent a rule follower right you know it's like if that makes me the uncool parent I'll be the uncool parent but I thought I would just it's just been front of mind because every once in a while I get the I want an e-bike and I'm just like you're not getting an e-bike sorry so that's what I have that's all I have for tonight so all right anything else last call I don't know what the shortest meeting on record is, but it's not quite this.

It's going to be pretty close. Pretty close. So I'll take that.

All right. So I think the only thing sitting here is way down at 11 is a motion for adjournment.

Motion to adjourn the meeting.

Motion by Council Member Benesch.

Second.

Second by Council Member Shevlin. All in favor of adjournment? Say aye. Aye. Aye. Motion. Meeting's adjourned. Thank you.