City Council - Special Meeting

7 o'clock, I will call the special work session of the City Council meeting of September 21st, 2026 to order. We do have a quorum. Public forum. Individuals may address the City Council about items on the agenda or not included on the agenda. Speakers are required to state their name and address for the Council record and limit their remarks to three minutes or fewer. Speakers are requested to frame their comments around items that fall within the authority of the City Council. Generally, the City Council will not take official action on the items discussed at this time, but may place the item on file, take the matter under advisement, refer the matter to staff or a committee for a future report, or direct the matter to be placed on an upcoming agenda. Does anyone wish to speak? Anyone wish to speak? Anyone wish to speak? Hearing none, we'll move on to bills discussion. Is there any discussion on the bills? Seeing none, we'll move on to the consent agenda items. Are there any discussion on the consent agenda? Hearing none, we'll move on to council information only items. The one we have on here tonight is the Lindbergh Centennial Commemoration Contribution Discussion. It is also on our regular agenda for the night. Being that I was not here last time and my vote was recorded as a no vote, I have the opportunity to bring that discussion back. And so I am choosing to do that.

Wait a second, Mr. President. That's not accurate. An absent vote is only a no if it's a resolution. So you were just absent your vote today. Your vote didn't count as a yes or a no. The motions failed on a three to three.

So just for, yeah. Okay. Just for resolutions. And well, anyway, it's back on the agenda for more information. The last time I believe, um, there were council members that, uh, needed more information or were desiring more information, uh, and had more questions. So, um, it is going to be back on, uh, for discussion again tonight. So, um i believe at this time um susie has some information more information and there was also uh detailed information in the council packet tonight so susie if you'd like to uh

Yes, thank you, council, for having us back. I know there were some questions that remained after our last visit here. So I'm here as the board president of the Friends of the Lindbergh Heritage. We've got with us members of our board and our centennial committee. So any answers that I don't have on the centennial events, they'll help me with. And we have Purva Watan, our esteemed executive director of our chamber in tourism. and she can help us with any pieces if you have questions on the public art installation. I know in your packets, Alex put in a lot of information for you, but what we're here to address tonight would be the request for the $50,000 that was allocated through the sister city fund. There were 38,000 of that was to go to the two-day public airport events. And I believe that there was a lot of detail in there on the warbirds that would be out there. We are working with Camp Ripley. They are going to be bringing some of the current military aircraft out there, and there are a lot of other events, and I'm not going to insult your reading of it. I know you guys had a chance to take a peek at it, but there will be a two-day event out there. So that's what the bulk of the money we're requesting from the city. It is a totally free event, and we are looking at running shuttles that will take people from the airport to the Military Museum, to downtown, and then over to the Lindbergh House and Museum. So it will bring people throughout our community. 10,000 of it would be used for the public art installation. And I know, like I said, we have Perva here if you have detailed questions on that. The Friends of the Lindbergh Heritage want to commemorate this centennial, but not with just events that are here today and then gone. This public art installation will be a lasting memory of what Lindbergh did and brought to our, the fame, if you will, he brought to our community. There is a portion of the funds we would use for that. And then the last piece is the parade. We're planning, when Lindbergh returned to Little Falls in August of 1927, there was a large welcome home parade. And so while it won't be exactly the same because we don't have Mr. Lindbergh with us, We would like to reenact that parade, have it come through town, though I think Mr. Kimmon's going to have us reroute a little bit with perhaps some of the road construction he talked about at the last meeting. we would like to have a parade and some of the city monies would be used for that. So that's sort of the 50,000 foot view on our plans. In your packet, there were a list of a lot of other cultural events that'll be going on. Those pieces are just small pieces of what we have planned. Our first event is actually underway and that's a community read. You can go by the Little Falls Carnegie Library and check out the book Lindbergh Looks Back. It talks all about his boyhood here in Little Falls. That's the first event and it has begun. Are there questions? Is there more information we can provide for you?

I guess not.

All right.

No, I'll just say thank you for your time. I know you put a lot of work and energy into this. And it's important to keep in mind that your committee is made up of volunteers who are volunteering their time. And, you know, I will say, you know, five weeks ago, I had a lot of questions. I got my questions answered. I reached out to you, Susie, and I reached out to Perva. And those questions were answered, and then I... I think this is going to be a wonderful celebration for our community.

And I do have to say, um, these plans are because of this is just a small portion of our committee. We've got a lot of folks, it's all their dedication and their time to making this happen is what's going to make this a fun celebration. So thank you.

Do you have anything else you would like to add?

Okay, let's do it. Hello. Thank you so much for having us here, Council and everyone at the city staff. Purva with the Little Falls Area Chamber and Tourism. So the centennial celebration, of course, we're commemorating the transatlantic flight that Mr. Lindbergh took. But it is so much more than that. It basically is going to be a series of different events put on by a lot of different organizations in town and Friends of Lindbergh Heritage is pioneering the fly-in event in August so think of it as like two big main events starting May 21st of next year and a lot of the series of events following that and then the two-day fly-in event there's going to be static displays there's going to be free rides for kiddos from 7 to 17 years of age. So they're going to be up there, parachute jumpers, things like that. So a lot of fun things on the docket. Now, we're hoping to get a lot of people in here. We're hoping to have a media tent. This is basically what's going to put Little Falls on the map. And we definitely do want to be there on the map for this because That's what we're known for. There's Lindy, everything, everywhere. So that's basically how we're going to utilize that. A good place to check out everything that's going on would be dreamstickflight100.com. That is going to be our website, dedicated for all of the information on everything going on for the centennial celebration. It's going to be great. Also, please check out the new articles that Miss Susie got interviewed for for WJON, so we're already creating a buzz. Any questions?

Yes, Mr. President.

I'd like to ask Perva a question. Perva, what is the price tag on the proposed art project?

So the total expenses is $31,000. $31,000. Correct.

How did we arrive at $10,000 being the requested amount in this?

So $15,000 of that is basically the funds coming from the Little Falls Area Chamber and Tourism. And we have currently also acquired around $7,200 in donations and grants. So that leaves us with the rest of the amount. which we're kind of working towards. We did apply for a grant. Sadly, we did not get the grant. So then we're going to different groups. You know, we've gone to the Exchange Club. Part of our 7,200 is through them. And just like we went to that group, we went to Friends of Lindbergh Heritage Group and asked if they would be so willing to donate some money towards the public art project. It's a permanent art project.

Okay, I was looking at the timeline that was part of it. So it looks like this project was put in motion some time ago.

Yep, yep, last year. Correct. So the first thing that we did last year was we presented it to the Parks and Rec Board. And from there, we also came and presented it to the council, from which a feedback was given by, you know, to get the public feedback. So then we did public feedback.

Second, if I may pause you. Do we have anybody up here on our park board?

No.

Greg X, officio. was there any talk about participating funds into this project at that time? Not at the park board. No. Okay. Thank you.

But if I, if I may interject to be clear, the park board has not met for the first two meetings of the year or hasn't had a quorum this year.

Yeah.

We, this, this year.

Yes.

Where am I mistaken? I thought last time we discussed this. And we have had the last meeting was the only meeting where they've had a quorum. That's correct. But they haven't had a quorum in the first two meetings. Correct. But there's, there was a presentation to the park board that of the members that were, the artwork was presented to the park board. There was just nothing really to decide because there was no quorum. That's correct. Yes. Okay. Yes.

Um, go ahead.

Have you, or is there anybody from, uh, the Lindbergh family or foundation or whatever donating money to this or have you asked them or?

So not specifically towards the public art grant. I know the Friends of Lindberg Heritage Group is working with the family to see if they would be willing to come up here and do some speaking sessions and so on and so forth for the events itself. But as far as I am aware, there's really no grants out there that would be eligible for through that family.

Just wondering, because we're selling 100 years of that flight. And they don't, they kind of like they're not participating or what? I don't get it.

They are being, I'm sorry.

I don't mean to be mean and nasty, but I'm all for this. I just wonder why they're not.

So Lindbergh is, if you will, owned by a lot of different communities across the United States, St. Louis, obviously San Diego, where the plane was built. And the big events for us are in August. The family will have started celebrating early in May at the time of the flight. And Pat Sharon, who has been our liaison with the family and with the foundation, said, they're just not able to come. They're not able to, they're gonna be tired. I don't know, Gabe, how old is, do you remember how old Reeve is? Reeve is close to 80. Okay. And so. He's aging. Two of his children have died, so they're aging. And the younger children, the grandchildren, don't have as much work. And we did talk to the Lindbergh Foundation, and they were, again, given how many other communities, they were not granting out. Some of you will remember when the Lindbergh Foundation did the symposiums here. They're not doing anything like that anymore. So it's a solid question. We checked with them very early on. And while there still is an outside chance we might get someone from the foundation here, we are at this point not anticipating it.

Well, I remember a few years back we did some sort of celebration and we bought stuff to hang from the windows of our homes. I think the city still has them, or they should have them. I'm not sure. We bought a bunch of stuff for a parade stuff a long time ago, and I don't remember exactly what it was. I don't know if anybody else does or not. But I do because I was the one that was asked to get all the decorations for the windows and stuff like that. And I think they donated a lot of money for that project. So I mean, this is a big thing, I would think. I'm trying to say it. I just hope you understand what I'm trying to say.

Yeah.

And I'm sorry, Mr. Glaze, I don't know what that one is, but if we find those decorations, let's bring them out.

I think that, well, the city installed them. I think when Jerry was here, he did it. And I don't know what they did. They took them down, and I would assume that they still have those. I'm not sure. Nope.

Are you talking about the window clings?

Yeah. Not the big... Like the bunting? Yeah, the bunting, yeah. We had a lot of that stuff. That's not what I'm really asking. I'm just saying that they donated a lot of money then, and this, to me, is more important, I guess. Maybe not to them, but it is to me.

And as Gabe said, over time, the children are no longer as involved in the foundation. It's sort of getting, and those children have different communities. I know Lindbergh Foundation has started to get involved. I'm going to tell you, it's Denver. There wasn't as much in that area, but they've sort of branched off.

Okay.

We're not the, we're not the only place that is special in their hearts, unfortunately. Okay. Yeah.

Well, I appreciate that background information, but, and I didn't even go down that line of questioning, but it makes me wonder out loud, but there's a lack of connection there. So we're supposed to care when the, the, the family doesn't necessarily, I,

I wouldn't say the family doesn't care. I wish Pat Sharon were here. She was just basically saying Reeve has gotten to the point where she can't travel that much. St. Louis already did an initial Has that one happened? I think St. Louis happened this year. And so it gets to be difficult for the family to travel for all of that. They're scattered all over. This is as much a celebration of our community that turned out a man who, at the time, there wasn't such a thing as passenger aircraft. He got into a plane that I would not fly from here to St. Cloud in, but he was brave enough to tackle a...

I'm familiar with what he did.

Yeah, and so that's as much the celebration is the celebration of the historical event of that flight. So it's not just about the man, it's the whole, it's the achievement.

I understand what you're saying, Susie. I don't mean to be... but I'm just wondering why they wouldn't donate a little money, especially if something's going to be permanent. You know, that's all I'm asking. Okay.

Any other questions? Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Hearing no other discussion, we'll move on to other. Underneath other, I believe, Greg, you're going to give us a little update report of the open house of Highway 27 bridge overpass that took place this past week?

Yes. Last Thursday, we had an open house for the trunk Highway 27 bridge project. We had both the business meeting in the morning as well as the public open house in the evening. We also met over the arts and crafts weekend. We had quite a few folks step by the booth over arts and crafts weekend. All of them were very well attended, so I was very pleasantly surprised. It seemed like a lot of folks were in support of that. No clear direction in terms of you know, which alternate to choose. Everybody kind of understood the reason for it and supported the reason for wanting to go up and over the railroad tracks in the Mississippi River. So all in all, it was very, very informative and well received for the public open house.

I could add, Dave and I were there, and Terry Watzka had a lot of input, and he was a great asset as far as He used to work for SEH, right?

Correct, yep. He used to live here too, didn't he? Yeah. Yeah, he was very good, very good for the information and stuff that was going on.

I thought there was a lot of interest by the people. Oh, yeah. Looking for, you know, there was one lady that wanted a walkway. Underneath the bridge.

Underneath the bridge.

And so there was a lot of great ideas.

Yes, yeah. There were six options, correct?

six options that were eventually that were looked at it. Three of them were dismissed just because of various reasons. Um, and so there are three that are sort of remaining, um, which three, one of them is replacing the bridge in its current location and moving the bridge somewhere else. And then one is shifting it to the South, roughly 20 feet so that you can keep one lane open. And then the third one would be realigning that over to first Avenue Northeast.

The other side of the way, it's still going to come down in the same spot no matter what we do on the west side?

Correct. Yep. Lember Drive would still be the tie-down connection point on it, yes.

And the other thing I think that people who talk to me about it, the gray, they're all afraid it's going to be real steep drag going up and going down and it's not correct.

It's not as bad as what folks are envisioning. 5% is kind of the maximum that you can go for pedestrians to go ADA compliant. Um, if you look at the slope of the road over by Lindbergh school, uh, coming on highway 27 going West, that's roughly a 5% grade as well. So that kind of gives you a comparison on what, what you would expect from that bridge, um, coming towards the West.

And the other thing that they brought up was the going down the other side. What do you call those things on the side?

Retaining walls? Yeah.

The other thing that they brought up, there would be retaining walls, correct? Correct. In order to set up the roadway up above it, you would need retaining walls. Okay. That's the other things that I just thought I'd bring up.

Well, and I thought there was a lot of positivity that night.

Oh, yeah. A lot.

Yeah. So to clarify, what... like to get to the chamber or the existing chamber where the, where the depot is now, that would essentially have to be like go around the block kind of situation. Yeah.

So you'd have to go to limb or to Limerick drive, take a right and then go around the block to come back to, to the chamber. Yes. Okay. Yep.

And the businesses have to be purchased.

Not necessarily. Uh, we'd have to look to see what the impacts are, having discussions with those property owners to see how that impacts their business. Um, but that would be discussions that we have at a later date. Okay. What's the timeline on this? The earliest construction would occur would be 2031 plus. Um, we've went out for a couple of grants. If you guys recall, we went to, uh, the feds to try to get some grants. We worked with Burlington Northern to write that grant. Um, I would expect probably by the end of the year, maybe early 27, we'll find out if we were awarded those, those grants or not. Um, and then depending on what that occurred, we'll kind of play our next steps. Um, so right now the, the goal is really to find some of that, that money, whether it's federal or state to be able to help us with this, with this project.

And then it's going to come up here. in the regular meetings, just to remind me, what's, do we budget anything for this project? Not for this one, no. We're just hoping for the grants at this moment. That's correct, yeah.

Thank you. Any other discussion? Okay, then we'll move on to constituent messages. Anybody have any constituent messages tonight? Hearing none, then we will adjourn at 723 to our regular meeting at 730.