City Council - Regular Meeting

All right. Uh, we'll call a meeting to order. Please stand if you're able for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Good evening and welcome everyone. Um, roll call please. Mayor King present. Council member at large Austin present. Council member Posma, present. Council member Hely, present. Council member Obala, present. Council member Fischer, present. Council member Waller, present. Council member Baskin, present. Mayor King, we have a quorum.

Thank you. And at the end of our Das here to my left, we have Lindseay Compton. She's our newest honorary council member. Uh [clears throat] she'll be with us for three months, six meetings, uh pending any kind of uh emergency that might come up for her. But Lindsay, you want to introduce yourself a little bit? Sure. Uh thank you. My name is Lindsay Compton. I am a local business owner. I own the style lounge salon and co-own uh the Mod Medspa. And I also founded Eat Drink Shop Austin. Um I am here to learn and learn more about our city's politics, policies, and all those things. Thank you.

Thank you, Lindsay. And welcome. And she what she didn't say is she's the stylist for me, Steven Lang, and Chief McKeen. [laughter] This is the kind of quality work you get when you go to her. I can understand why she didn't bring that. I'll [laughter] file the defamation lawsuit for her. My husband's in the same club. [laughter] All right. Thank you and welcome. Uh looking for a motion for the adoption of the agenda. So moved with second with I'm sorry with the one addition that three additions. Three additions. So moved. Second. All in favor? I opposed. That motion carries. Item number two is a motion approving our minutes from our November 17th, 2025 meeting. So move second. [clears throat] All in favor? Opposed?

Motion carries. Uh nothing under recognitions and awards. Item number three. Item number four is a motion for the consent agenda. So move. Second. All in favor? I opposed. That motion carries. Under public hearings, item number five is a resolution reviewing a currency exchange license application from Tianda Teera Guerrero Incorporated. Lindsay, I'm sorry. pre.

So, the state issues currency exchange licenses. Um, they require our city to hold a public hearing for the renewal. Uh, they have, uh, Tianda Teo Guerrero has, um, held this license since 2013. We have not received any complaints regarding this establishment. So, we would recommend approval of the license renewal. Very good. Thank you, Bri. Uh, council, any questions? Otherwise, looking for resolution. It is public hearing. Oh, anybody here from the public wishing to speak on item number five? Hearing none. Councel. So moved. Second. Bri.

Council member Posma. I. Council member Hely. I. Council member Obala. I. Council member Fischer. I. Council member Waller. Hi. Council member Baskin. Hi. Council member Large Austin I. Resolution passes 70.

Thank you Bri. Under uh award the bidding is item number six receiving bids for the hazardous demolition. Stephen this is a as you described a bid for hazardous demolition that is run through Holly's department with Brent Johnson our zoning inspector. We took bids on this property. It's a unique one where we are demoing only a portion of a structure. Uh Jim's Excavating LLC was the low bidder at $6,500 and we will uh if awarded to Jim's excavation, which we would recommend, these costs would be assessed back to the property owner for the work. Thank you, Stephen. Council, any questions for Mr. Lang? I was looking for resolution.

So moved. Second. Council member Posma. I council member Hely I council member Obala I council member Fischer I council member Waller I council member Baskin I council member at large Austin I resolution passes 70 thank you number seven under petitions and requests is granting a hard on sale liquor and Sunday on sale liquor license to Los Mexican restaurant Austin Minnesota Bri

so the clerk's office received an application for hard on sale and Sunday on sale liquor license from Loseros Mexican Restaurant located at 501 West Oakland Avenue. This is a new license request. This would begin on January 1st. We have received the certified documents that are required for the license and we are requesting approval. Let me know if you have any questions. Council, any questions? And then looking for a resolution. So move. Is there a second? Second. Three. [clears throat] Council member Posma. Hi. [clears throat] Council member Hely. I. Council member Obala. Hi. Council member Fischer. Hi. Council member Waller. I.

Council member Baskin. Hi. Council member Large Austin. I. Resolution passes 70.

Thank you. Bri item number eight is a uh is a resolution requesting feasibility reports for the 2026 street reconstruction projects. Stephen. This is the first [clears throat] step in preparing for our 2026 reconstruction program. On this list, we have 8th Street Southeast, 7th Avenue Southwest, and 8th Avenue and 26th Street Southwest. That that's all a Mill and overlay. 9th Avenue Northwest, Fifth Street and 7th Street Northwest, and also 14th Street Northwest, which again is a Millan overlay. Uh this does recognize um the changes that occurred during the budget time where we cut uh 20% of the local projects here. We cut uh 11th Street Northwest [clears throat] that was originally showing up in our CIP. That project has been cut from 2026. Um also this does not include the Oakland Avenue project. If you recall last year when we moved forward with the Oakland Avenue project, we set the assessment rates for everyone on that three-year project and we locked them all in at the 2025 rate so that people weren't penalized if their project was done in 26 or 27. So, they're already locked in and we will work through those as well. But this these feasibility reports are projects we have identified for 2026 street reconstruction.

Very good. Thank you, council. Any questions on these projects or for Mr. otherwise looking for resolution approving these feasibility reports. So moved second [clears throat] Bri. Council member Posma I. Council member Hely I. Council member Obala I. Council member Fischer. Hi. Council member Waller. I. Council member Baskin. I. Council member at large Fiser. I'm sorry. Council member at large Austin I. Resolution passes 70.

Thank you Bri. On to item number nine which is approving a proposal for an asbestous and hazardous material inspection. Stephen.

Yep. This is we received a proposal to review the asbestous at a flood property that is proposed for acquisition. The proposal was provided to us by Institute for Environmental Assessment IEA. They're a company we've worked with on our most recent acquisitions. Their proposal is in the amount of $8,950 for their base proposal. Plus, every sample that is sent off, we have to pay an additional $21. And there there likely could be a couple hundred um samples that are taken at this site. Cost for this project will be funded with a 50% DNR grant and 50% local option sales tax. And with that, we would recommend awarding this bid to IEA.

Very good. Thank you, Stephen. Council, any questions? I was looking for resolution approving the proposal. So moved. Second. Bri, please. Council member Posma. I. Council member Hely. I. Council member Obala. I. Council member Fischer. Hi. Council member Waller. I. Council member Baskin. Hi. Council member at large Austin. I. Resolution passes 70. [clears throat] Thank you. Bri. Item number 10 is resolution approving the 2026 Hormel Foundation grant awards. Craig.

Uh, thank you, mayor, members. Uh, we got the exciting news uh, recently from the city's [clears throat] representative, Mr. Dankard, on the Hormill Foundation. Uh, 2025, the city received a little over $600,000 in and grant awards from the Hormill Foundation. This year, I'm pleased to announce uh $961,000 [clears throat] uh 500 uh for city projects. All except two were fully funded, but all of them funded in some capacity. They're outlined in the attachment in your packet. Uh certainly thank the Hormill Foundation for their ongoing generosity to the city on important products projects that are impactful for the community. We're looking for approval and acceptance of the grant awards.

Very good. Thank you, Craig. And certainly a a thank you goes to the Hormal Foundation. As you mentioned, [clears throat] every year the generosity is uh continuing and city of Austin couldn't do near the projects we do without them. So, we appreciate mail foundation grants. Uh council, any questions or comments before looking for a resolution approving the grant awards? So moved. Second. Bri, are we sure people are in favor of pickle ball? I've never heard from anybody. Oh, looks like pickle ball got struck. Yeah, it's weird. Ah, you'll be fine. [laughter] You'll be fine. You know, fully funded. Fully funded. Whoops. [laughter] It's always fun to make fun with the pickle ball folk.

All right. Looking for a resolution approving those grant awards. So moved. Austin and Waller. So I have council member Posma. I council member Hely. Abstain. [cough] Council member Obala. [snorts] Um abstain. Council member Fischer. Hi. Council member Baskin. I. Council member Waller. I. Council member at large Austin. I. Resolution passes 5 Z. With two abstaining.

Thank you, Bri. Item number 11 is approving a memorandum of agreement with Austin Associates organization for health insurance 2026 health insurance. Greg, uh, thank you, mayor, members. This is our third um, MOA in regards to our renewal of healthc care. Same terms and conditions that were approved in the pre the previous two and we have the next one on item 12 is of similar nature. Very good. Council, any questions, Mr. Clark? Otherwise looking for resolution. So moved. Second. Three. Please. Council member Posma. I. Council member Hely. I. Council member Obala. I.

Council member Fischer. Hi. Council member Waller. Hi. Council member Baskin. I. Council member at large Austin. I. Resolution passes 70. Thank you Bri. And similar but different uh union is item number 12. for resolution approving a memorandum of agreement with UAW wastewater treatment plant for the 2026 health insurance. Craig, any addition? Nope. Happy to answer any questions. Looking for resolution. So moved. Second. Great. Council member Posma I. Council member Hely. I. Council member Obala. I. Council member Fischer. Hi. Council member Waller. Hi. Council member Baskin. Hi. Council member at large Austin.

I. Resolution passes 70. Thank you. Item number 13 is a motion approving the city of Austin's Minnesota paid family medical leave policy. Greg. Uh thank you, mayor, members. As you likely know, the state of Minnesota adopted requirement for paid family medical leave and this is our policy to conform with that statutory requirement. I'd be happy to answer any questions or uh Miss Wakeman's here as well. Uh looking for a motion to approve. Very good. Council, any questions on this item? Looking for a resol a motion? So move. Second. All in favor? I

opposed. Motion carries. Item number 14 uh is uh granting the planning and zoning department the power to contract the removal of junk andor legally stored vehicles at the following location. Uh address is 104 3rd Avenue Southeast, the Rose property. Need a motion. So moved. Second. All in favor? I opposed. That motion carries. Um item number 15A [cough] [clears throat] is uh addendum. We have uh 15 A, 15B, 15 C regarding the charter. Craig, you want to explain a little bit why we're back here at this?

As we've discussed a few other meetings, uh we're following a statutory provision that allows the council to approve these uh unanimously. The actual wording in the statute though is not unanimously. It is an affirmative vote cast by each member of the council. Uh the last meeting where we took the vote, Miss Heli wasn't present. And so I want to give an opportunity for uh [clears throat] Councilwoman Heli to cast her vote to see if we have an affirmative vote from every member of the council. And there were three charter changes. So we'll take them in order. 15A is uh amending the mayor no longer the head of the police force looking for just Laura Hely to vote.

You just want me to vote? No motions? No. I Okay. 15B is levying assessments, if you will, the ability to to levy assessments and that'd be 15B. I I 15C uh park and wreck charter changes. I uh all in favor. [laughter] Thank you. Now, now we have a record of every member of the council casting an affirmative vote for those three. [clears throat] Thank you. Very good. Thank you for your work. I think we've had enough this year, don't you? Ya. Mayor, may I change? I I vote. I was looking at different item for number 10. Um you abstained on 10. Yep.

Um go back. Was it doesn't make any difference really? It was it was fast. It was fast. Okay. I want to go on the record that I vote I. So you were getting like the Corell employment you thought maybe had to I thought it was like so. Yep. That's fair. Thank [clears throat] you Obama. Uh moving on with having cleared the addendums citizens addressing the council. Is anyone in the audience wishing to speak to the council on items that were not on the agenda? No. Okay. Moving on. Honorary council member comments. Lindsay comments.

Um, well, thank you. I have only been to a few city council meetings which have been pretty fiery. So, this is probably the [laughter] quickest, I say lamest. Um, so it's cool. You can spice it up if you want. A typical meeting looks like. So, thank you again. We like lame. Plenty of fun to be had when the capital plan comes out here in a couple minutes. All kinds of fun to be had. Thank you, Lindsay, and thanks for joining us. Look forward to the next few meetings with you. Um, Becky. Oh, I'm sorry. Reports and recommendations. Craig.

Um, uh, wasn't able to attend, but uh, by all accounts that I saw, the um, Black Friday community event downtown went really well. So, thanks to all that participated in that and uh great community bonding event. So, thank you to E A. That's all I have. No department heads. No, Becky. Nothing, your honor. Jason,

um just a quick update from the port authority. So, we have our next meeting on Wednesday. Um and you know, as we think about economic development, we'll be having a conversation around the strategic roadmap that we've put together in terms of kind of where we want to go over the next 10 years and what our major priorities are. So, a status update on how we're doing against that. Um, and then we're having a couple of really good discussions with some local business owners, um, local [clears throat] stakeholders talking about some really interesting things to continue developing downtown Austin and developing Austin economically around some of the comprehensive plans. So, a lot of work behind the scenes to continue strengthening Austin. Good. Thanks, Jason. Mike,

uh, just want to thank the Hormeell Foundation for their, uh, generosity. um they their contributions allow the city of Austin to have amenities, projects, and features that we quite frankly would not be able to afford on our own. And so we definitely do not take that for granted. Um also want to thank all of the street crew, park and wreck crew, and everybody else who was involved with some snow removal this holiday weekend. Um, I was out and about doing some small business Saturday shopping on Saturday and it was easy to find a place to park in town and there was uh they were out still working. So, really appreciate it. I know that was a multi-day event for those folks and uh they did a great job. Thanks, Posty Jeff.

Uh, just want to thank the Hormal Foundation for their generosity again this year uh helping us out with the numerous projects that probably would not be possible without their help. uh thank the uh city employees involved with the plowing this uh the snow event this weekend. Their their services is much appreciated by all residents, I'm sure. Um and also like to thank uh Mandot and the engineering department for the work they did and finally getting finally getting uh the fourth street bridge open. Uh, I know all the the businesses in that area on both the north and the south side greatly appreciate that having that open and I'm sure the residents do because traffic is flowing. Thank you.

Right on. That's all I have. Thank you, Jeeoff. Laura, uh, I'm just in the interest of time, I'm not going to repeat the thanks, but I would agree uh, with with everything that's been said. Uh, a few events coming up. Uh, Wednesday night, December 3rd, there will be an an event in support of the warming center efforts at First United Methodist Church from 4:30 to 7:00. Um, the Park and Wreck is hosting Skate with Santa on December 19th at Packer Arena. And the Friends of the Nature Center are hosting Mary and Bright on December 9th from 4:00 to 7:00 at the Nature Center. So, lots of opportunities um to to uh enjoy our community. Thank you Laura Obala. Uh

seen councilwoman yield our time for not mentioning Ormemell I will take that and say thank you or for your generosity. So again a lot of work uh would have not happened without um your help throughout the city and uh second I would like to um congratulate and welcome Lindsay u for being I started from where you are. Who knows 2 years 3 years from now or one year you'll be a council member. So, um, use that opportunity is what you put in and learn more about the city is what, um, will give you more opportunity in the future, especially if you're more interested to, um, serve the community in a longer term. Congrat. Yeah. Very good. Thank you, Abala. Paul,

I also want to thank everybody involved in the snow event this weekend and helping the cleanup park and rack streets department. Everybody involved. Um, like Mike said, downtown looked impressive. I saw the guys out yesterday cleaning up the areas downtown. So, thank you to all those who helped with this weekend snow event. Thanks, Paul. And we do Mr. Lang does have something to report. Oh, sure. He's got to get in the last word, does he?

Yeah, exactly. [laughter] All right. Just wanted to piggy back on some of those comments. One with the snow removal. Um, for anyone in the public, if you have a vehicle that was parked on the road, we we will be out this week trying to clear those locations. So, if you move your vehicle to the plowed side or the other side of the street so that we can clear those spots um and help clean up some of those roadways, get them widened back out, we will be doing that all this week. And we would appreciate any help from the public on that, whether you pull it into your driveway so we can get by or moving it to the other side of the street. And then, like Mr. Austin said, with the opening of Fourth Street Bridge, um we will be uh taking down the temporary signal lights on 14th Street Northwest. So when the weather conditions are favorable for the contractor, he will be coming back in taking down those temporary signal lights at 4th Avenue and 14th Street and also 8th Avenue and 14th Street. And we talked about this previously with the council. Those will be going back to a four-way stop. So that'll be happening in the near future whenever conditions are favorable for the contractor to remove those.

Very good. Thank you, Stephen. And uh lastly, I would uh I know that some of your folks ste Oh, sure. Since I'm sitting by him, I might as well follow up [clears throat] on what he said [laughter] here. Don't move your car. It's pretty obvious because you've been plowed around. And then we will come and ticket you so street department can clear those roads and widen our roads. So again, please uh do that. Also, if you have a sidewalk, uh please shovel it. I know some of our crossing guards are having problems because they're not clear to the street. Uh, and that does help out all our pedestrians, kids, and folks with disabilities be able to navigate uh when we have snow like this. So,

so could you clarify, there was some social media chatter about whether or not we have alternate side parking in Austin. Could you clarify what the policy actually is? Uh, that would only take effect in certain areas if uh the city engineer declares a snow emergency, right? Otherwise, otherwise, you wouldn't have it. But again, we go look. We can tell your car hasn't moved. This is enough snow. When you're plowed around, it sticks out even further in the street and it limits um you know, the ability of other cars to get by. And if we have repeated snows, it just gets worse and worse. So, we will work with the street department to identify those cars that are not moving. Uh and so, we'd prefer you move it versus us having to write you a ticket. Thank you.

Very good. And Stephen, thank you to your folks. I know some of them work 15 hour days to get those that snow removed. So appreciate your department. Also nice to have the the Fourth Street Bridge open and Oakland Avenue project incrementally being done and opened up for the winter. Um that is uh that's well received from the public. Also want to uh have a reminder for council and as well as the public that our truth and taxation meeting is uh December 3rd at 6 p.m. And then I also have [clears throat] uh the December anniversaries. We have a few that are in house. Uh Dave McKeen, he was hired in December 1st, 97 as the police officer and now chief, he's been with PD for 28 years. Derek Ellis with police for 11 years. Craig Clark with 11 years. Fred Hugh Smaller from the building uh unit 11 years. Brie Wolf, clerk, four years. Uh Meredith Maloney, nature center, three years. Jesse Betts, police, three years. Tia Andre engineering office for two years. And Jason Cion on two years already. Congratulations to all those folks. Uh we certainly um [clears throat] um appreciate all the longevity we do have with the city of Austin and appreciate those folks working with us for that long. Uh after that, looking for a motion to adjourn to our work session. So moved.

Second. All in favor? I opposed. We give it a five or 10 minute break. We're adjourned to our work session.