City Council - Regular Meeting

All right, let's call the meeting to order. Stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, please.

Pledge of 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.

Thank you much. Roll call, please.

Councilmember Nordby?

Here.

Councilmember Woods? Here. Councilmember McKenzie? Here. Councilmember Schwerer is absent. Mayor Mongey?

Here. Thank you very much. May I have a motion to adopt the agenda, please?

So moved.

So moved. Council Member Norby? Second. Second. Council Member McKenzie? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor. Next up is our consent agenda. Item A, July 21st, 2026, city council and workshop minutes. Item B, July 16th, 2026, HRA special meeting minutes. Item C, general claims of $4,681,143.40. Item D, HRA claims of $242,551.60. Item E is EDA claims of $9,682.50. Item F is special event permit for the fall roundup parade. Item H is building permits for July of 2026. And item H is resolution accepting donations for July of 2026.

Thank you. Would anybody like to poll any at this time? If not, can I have a motion, please?

So moved.

So moved. Council Member Woods?

Second.

Second. Council Member McKenzie? All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Thank you very much. We'll move on to open to the public. We have a limit of three minutes per person. Rachel. Welcome.

Hello, I'm here to talk to you guys. My name is Rachel Lucas. I'm here to talk to you guys about flock cameras and also the ADU code that you updated a couple months ago. I think as a citizen of North St. Paul, I would like to know where the flock cameras are located within this city. How much is North St. Paul paying to access these third-party cameras that are watching the public and then what is entailed with the approval process for having third-party cameras installed in the public. Next topic is ADUs. So you guys updated the ADU size minimum to 40% of square footage on ground level or 300 square foot men. Based off of that, a single floor, single story house that's 750 square foot cannot build an ADU on their property, which would also mean if you have a two story, 1500 square foot home, you do not meet the 40% or 300 square foot limit to build an ADU on your property. Beyond having regulations on impervious versus pervious ground per parcel of land, I'm not really sure why we need a minimum limit on ADU size at all. I think ADUs are great because it gives the property owner more livable space. It offers additional affordable housing, whether it be a multifamily unit or... um like rent it out and then it would increase the property tax value of that parcel of land therefore getting the city more money based off taxes so i think the city should make adu building not only more accessible but actively encourage increasing housing density that's it thank you thank you thank you

John Schmall.

John Schmall, 2750 Chisholm Avenue. Evening, Mayor and Council. I had made a pledge never to go to a budget meeting because... Well, I'll tell you because of why, but I received some information that said there's no budget for the community center, which means the community center doesn't exist. So I guess the information that is going to be sold is interesting that no one has been told about that. Anyway, when it comes to the budget, you go back and you get these payments that were made out of the blue, $80,000 for the park dedication fund that you never knew that you were gonna have to pay, and it came up, no problem, 80,000, we got that. And then there was $90,000 for a consultant for the former multicultural, and no problem, It's amazing. And then we just had the $57,000 to move the backbone for the fiber optic fund. No problem. And other cities, they're wondering where they're going to get money. But every once in a while, it comes up, these extra payments. And we have no problem. What kind of a slush fund do we take forward every year is a question that I have. And second item is that I suggested, because of what happened at the last meeting, that there was an introduction of the new city attorney person, and couldn't hear it. So I went to Jenny and said, you know, you might not like it, but maybe you ought to tell the city manager when his mic isn't on. would be a nice thing to do. And I was, because I didn't know, I couldn't read it. And I was told, it's very clear, the name is on the front of the dais, so no worry. Then I said, yeah, but what about the people that were watching it on TV? Or the, whatever the YouTube is. And they can't read that. Well, let them read it in the minutes. Oh, well, I'm not gonna make a suggestion anymore. I've learned my lesson. And the last item is today, watching the activity at the house that was just purchased. Up walks the city manager and looks straight at me and walks away and says, hey, how about saying hello? Kept right on going. Boy, when you get on that list, you get treated really nicely. Thank you.

Eileen.

I have two items here, one and two. And I was. You've got three minutes, yep. And that's all. Yep. I'll come back for the next meeting for item number two.

Sounds good.

Okay. My name, Eileen Stever, 2387 South Avenue. Oh, excuse me. Regarding the boulevard on South Saxon Street, I was told by Mr. Mirafrandle that the council today, the city council in 1996 was doing a favor by having the Public Works Department mow the boulevard along my property and has been ever since. On the contrary, if any favor was given out, it was given to the city. As you may recall, I first asked in 1972 if Second Street was redone, why a retaining wall was not put in on the steep side of the east side of the street. I was told it was because of the prohibitive cost involved. Because of the circumstances occurring in my family in 1971 through 1973, I was left to care for my family and my home, my house, and I continued to moor it myself. I was much younger and stronger then. Until 1996 when I fell and twisted my ankle trying to keep the lawnmower from tipping over. I then went back to the council meeting and again asked if a retaining wall could still be installed because of the safety issue. I told them I was not willing to become injured or disabled by doing it myself. I was told again the cost would be too prohibitive. The council, however, did not ignore the safety issue, and it was then decided to have the City Works Department mow the boulevard, which they have been doing. over until a year ago when the secretary, and I was told that the City Works Department doesn't have a secretary, I don't know who answers the phone for them, told me that I have to have a letter stating that it was the City Works Department's responsibility to mow it. There is no letter, there was no letter. I believe it must have been then that at that time they were told by the council, maybe the city manager at the time, I don't know, that they were responsible to mow it. I would hate to see anybody, myself or whoever I get, to mow that hill or anyone from the city crew get injured or worse. My son... almost fell, he slipped and almost fell trying to get the lawnmower from tipping the last time he mowed it. That was about a month and a half ago. Okay, I wanted to ask the city.

Is it over? Thank you.

Can I finish?

We're done. Thank you.

I just have just one line left. I was going to ask you again for the public works to mow.

Yep. You asked that before. So yeah, we want to say it again. Go ahead. But yes.

The part that he did not mow because it's really long and they have the equipment to do it and I do not.

Okay. Thank you.

Okay.

All right, close that. All right, city business.

City business action items. Item A is the Munghouse Restaurant and Banquet, LLC request and extended business hours. Sue is here this evening. We have, the background is the Munghouse Restaurant and Banquet Hall, LLC, located at 2112 11th Avenue East. It's requesting approval to operate until 2 a.m., seven days a week, primarily to accommodate weddings, banquets, receptions, celebrations, and other private events that may extend later into the evening. The request extension will provide guests additional time to conclude scheduled events without requiring an early departure. City of North st. Paul's ordinance state statute 110 dash 08 or 0.08 states that unless otherwise allowed by the City Council License which allow customers to come on to their premises shall be closed to the public between hours of 1 a.m. And 7 a.m. Every day So this is what is from in front of you. Do you would you like to add anything there soon?

Good evening, Mayor and members of the City Council. So we would like to also add, we want to point out other businesses out there that are nearby and offering similar services in ours. for example in unison cup and chairs are currently open until 2 a.m and um other can you repeat that who was that uh unison uh unison restaurant and banquet and cup and chairs international sports bar and restaurant they're currently open till 2 a.m And other restaurants and banquet and bars that are within the three-mile radius, like Lucky Golden, Dragon Restaurant, Puzzle Bar, Restaurant Banquet, and Dog House Bar and Grill, they're open around 2 a.m. And having a lot of those businesses close to us creates a lot of competitions. And we want to, us as Monk House, wanna have the opportunity to remain competitive and also giving our customers the flexibility for the hours. Yeah, and... So yeah, we want to be able to have people be able to choose our venue based on our services and experience without operating hours putting us at a disadvantage. So that's something that we also would like to include as well.

Yes, these businesses are in Maplewood, is that correct? Yes, around Maplewood.

Puzzles, he said, that's the only one that I saw. What is Puzzles Closing Hours? Yeah, they're not open past 1. Midnight, I thought it was.

Oh, okay.

Midnight, yeah. Puzzles closes at midnight. We were checking around North St. Paul. Oh, okay.

all the little joints here in town are, and then they wanted the latest one. That's generally what the going times are.

Yeah, we did notice Unison and coping chairs do close to AM. That is one of the biggest, I'll say, comparison between us. And I guess we want to have customers come and stay in North St. Paul. And we would love to serve North St. Paul as a location for the customers.

ANY QUESTIONS?

NO, JUST LOOKING FOR YOUR GUYS' FEEDBACK AND THEN VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, AS I READ, OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. HOW DOES THAT READ HERE? UNLESS OTHERWISE ALLOWED BY CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION, LICENSES WHICH ALLOW CUSTOMERS TO COME UP ON THEIR PREMISES SHALL BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC BETWEEN HOURS OF 1 A.M. AND 7 A.M. SO IN ACTUALITY, OUR Ordinance says that only mentions gas stations that you guys can give that permission to. Otherwise, the ordinance is pretty straightforward. Just between 1 and 7, you're not open. So we would have to address the ordinance itself.

All right. You can have a seat. Thank you. Appreciate it.

So I guess I wouldn't mind saying a few words. I do agree that our 1AM license does potentially put our local liquor businesses at a potential disadvantage for the surrounding areas. However, what I would say is that was also in place when they rented there and first went in there, so it's not like it's a new. That being said, my suggestion would be that we direct staff to see if, on the AGED license, it doesn't specifically state, but could we meet in the middle, especially on some several holidays, and see if there is interest and if it's allowable to allow some of the establishments that serve liquor to be able to be open for a limited number of days a year. I'm thinking three, just to compete, three, five, so they can compete with local establishments, especially like on New Year's. Could we allow our bars to be open till one So that would be my thought is to slightly negate some of the disparities that local businesses face to surrounding areas to see if there's a limited option, not a full option that we could allow.

One thing I'd like to add to that is I think we have to understand the implications to the city staff. To police department especially and other staff that may need to be available and I guess, should issues arise during that time. I mean, it is only an hour, but an hour, three days a year. What is the potential impact on our police department or other staff that we need to make sure that are aware of that and available? So I guess I'm not opposed to it, but we need to understand it better. So it may behoove us to table this, kind of address it or address it separately and kinda determine what do we wanna do and how do we wanna accomplish this.

I guess for me, if I was the business owner, you always gotta remember that last hour, no matter how much alcohol you put in front of that individual, if there's an incident between one o'clock which should be closed and we allow you to stay till two, that owner is gonna be at a higher risk for any potential problems out on the road. That could cost your business license, your liquor license and all that stuff is what I'd be looking at. And I would like to coincide with our council here and maybe talk about it, table it. Let us talk about this for a little bit.

A lot of our businesses already fall within the one o'clock. I prefer to keep it at 1 a.m. myself. I think that's long enough for as far as everything else.

Just to clarify, too, to the extent that you're looking at selling alcohol after 1 a.m., that would require an ordinance amendment. So that can't be done by this resolution. So the resolution would only be for operation. So to the extent that there's interest in looking into or having a staff directive to look at that, it would have to come via amendment.

I maybe misunderstood when you explained it to me, Brian, it was just for food to be open from 1 to 2.

That is correct. It was modified at first. They were asking for the alcohol.

And when you're up there talking, you talking food? Okay. Oh, food. Oh.

That's what the resolution would be. But if there was, if it sounded like there was an interest in exploring the issue of alcohol sales for

Businesses after 1 a.m. And that that wouldn't be able to come through resolution that would have to come through an ordinance amendment So you just be selling food between 1 and 2 But then again, you still have to serve alcohol or something As a drink or something but is you're gonna cut your alcohol off at 1 o'clock and

What prevents them from buying five different drinks? Right, what prevents them from buying five bottles of beer while they're waiting for their food?

And the code on alcohol does prohibit consumption after 1 a.m., so it's not just sales. No alcohol can be consumed on the premises after 1 a.m. How do we monitor it? Usually it's done by having a sale cut off that's significantly in advance of 1 a.m. What do you cut it off now?

What time? 45 minutes. So 12, 12, 15 is when you guys end it.

WESHART ISN'T IT EITHER WAY THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE AN ORDINANCE UPDATE EVEN IF IT WAS JUST FOR THAT RIGHT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE CURRENT ORDINANCE READS THAT NOTHING FROM 1 A.M. TO 7 A.M.

UNLESS SPECIFICALLY ALLOWED BY COUNCIL RESOLUTION FOR AND THAT WOULD NOT BE FOR ANY KIND OF ALCOHOL SALES AND IS THAT ONE SPECIFICALLY UNDER THE CONVENIENCE STORES OR IS THIS IS THIS IS 110 08

Oh, yeah, okay, I'm sorry, you're correct. Yep, yep.

So I guess we have to figure it out now. We got all different, me, one o'clock I think is done, working our way up to hold off for a few holidays, so.

It'd be nice to have input from the PD and maybe looking at neighboring cities and seeing what they're doing as well and what that does to the operation hours and what that does to. So that's pushing it then.

Okay.

Do you mind if I say something real quick? Yeah, please. Basically all they're asking for right now is to stay open from one o'clock till two o'clock. Yep. So then if it were to come back and you wanted the three days, that would have to come back at a different time. So right now if you approve that, that would approve this resolution. To allow them to stay open their restaurant portion restaurant and banquet hall to stay open from 1 to 2 a.m With no consumption or sales after 1 o'clock a.m On our books we have 1 a.m.

So mm-hmm I'm I don't want to pass and I want to wait for all of it I don't want to say till 2 o'clock on the food myself. I wanted to make it one-time shot not piecemeal it and discuss it So we'll table it unless somebody else has any objections

No, I'm good with tabling it and getting more information from PD, staff.

I just want to start and take and do stuff and just let's clean it up and be right and be done.

Do you guys have security after 1 a.m. for any of your events? Private or local? Okay.

Seven to one, okay. All right, thank you.

Okay. All right, do we have to do anything to table it motion-wise?

Voted to table it. Okay. Do I have a motion to table it this time?

I move to table this resolution.

Thank you. Second. Second. Woods, Norby, all those in favor say aye. Aye. Thank you.

Thank you. We'll discuss it and get back to you.

I want to get it right the first time and make sure we're good. So we're not saying yes, we're not saying no.

More info. All right, next item up, item B, is the 2050 comprehensive plan update, work plan and approval, and I'll turn that over to Ken Roberts, community development director.

Mr. Mayor, members of the council, before you this evening is a request for approving a work plan to update our comprehensive plan. Little background information for everyone. The city of North St. Paul and all cities in the seven county area are required to complete an update of their comprehensive plans by October of 2028. As I think the council is aware, this is a large undertaking. And so with that, we've been working, the city staff's been working with WSB to formulate a work plan on how to get that done to make sure it meets the requirements of both the Met Council and meet the deadline of October 28. And so tonight we're asking for permission or approval of the proposed work plan and the budget for the work plan as prepared by WSB to take on this required task. Little background for those who don't know, the seven, excuse me, the Met Council has informed the city, and as I said, all cities, that they are required to update their comprehensive plans. They start this process, they started it back about a year ago, a little more than a year ago, and they started it by reviewing and updating their regional development guide. All comprehensive plan updates will have to be consistent with this new regional development guide. And as they say in their quote, one of the biggest responsibilities of the Met Council is to create a regional development guide every 10 years. And what that gets into is land use densities, sewer systems, road systems, park systems, and how they, as a Met Council project, those should grow and change through the year 2050. They and my council were created by state law in I think 1967 to create or to coordinate and organize planning and conduct problem solving so no one community can do it alone. It's really a regional agency that oversees, again, the major systems in the area, the land use, sewer systems, transit systems, highway systems, and the regional park system, and that's all governed by state statute. When we do our comprehensive plan update, and again, for all the agencies, they have to be consistent with the goals, policies, and plans of the Regional Development Guide that was adopted by the Metropolitan Council. So what does this mean? We have to go through, we have a 2040 comprehensive plan that was adopted in 2019. The staff and however the process goes, we have to update all the chapters in that. We have to add a new chapter about climate and climate effects and climate change. Again, these are mandates from the Met Council. And to do all that, I determined with my staff that internally we're not capable of doing all of the work. And so we reached out to WSB to have them put a work plan together to get this done. They are the natural consultant for the city to do that since of all their work and background and experience with the city. and they have done, of course, all the engineering work for the city, and the street and utility planning, surface water, water system, sewer system updates are all part of our comprehensive plan update, and so they have the value of having the background information on all that, on all those systems. I've been working closely with the WSB staff and my staff put together the work plan again that will meet the requirements of the Metropolitan Council and serve the interests of North st. Paul We went we their consultant team and myself primarily went back and forth several times and we Reached a plan now that I'm very comfortable with moving forward as part of that the The city staff will be doing some of the initial work. researching and providing background information and doing some data collection and writing at least six of the required 11 chapters in the comprehensive plan. So, for example, there's a community profile chapter and the introduction and the electric chapter. Well, we can do all those. And a parks chapter. Well, with the city staff, we can put that together. So we included in the work plan and in the budget that city staff will be taking on those elements of the plan to try to minimize the costs of having the consultant because they would have been charging us for all that work. Major tasks of the work plan, and I included those in your packet, but quick summary, we'll be starting a kickoff of research elements part of that will Hopefully yet this year we'll have a joint meeting with the Planning Commission City Council to go over kind of the vision and goals of What the city sees now going out the next 20 years 25 years to 2050 there will be several elements of public engagement some of which done by WSB some done by Ava myself The big task then becomes drafting the plan, putting all the data, all the information, all the updates together into a document. And again, city staff is taking on writing six of those chapters. The next big thing is after some preliminary reviews and approvals by staff and planning commission and city council, There's a review process with adjacent jurisdictions, and the Met Council gives a preliminary review. If there's changes, we make those, and then it gets a final approval by the City Council and gets adopted, and then finally the delivery of the final comprehensive plan. This whole process takes, they're estimating up to two years and we have a deadline of October 1st of 2028 to get all this work done. So the cost for WSB to complete the update with the work plan that I'm proposing this evening is just under $125,000. That also includes a $5,000 contingency fund to cover any unforeseen work that we may have missed in this work plan. So the minimum charge or cost of WSB to do the work is just under $120,000. And we're able to do this project and this work plan with WSB as an extension of our existing professional services agreement with WSB. And this will be the next item on the agenda. The city is eligible for a $40,000 grant from the Met Council to assist with the cost of preparing the comprehensive plan, and I will talk about that more in the next agenda item. So that helps offset that $120,000 or $25,000. I can take questions, otherwise we're requesting tonight approval of the proposed work plan that was prepared by WSB dated August 10th, 2026. And so there's a motion there for your consideration Be a motion in a second to approve the work plan and budget as prepared by WSB to have dated August 10th, 2026 to complete the North St. Paul comprehensive plan update. This approval includes a maximum project budget of $124,830. And with that, I'll take questions if you have them.

Is that for the two-year cycle of their work then?

That's a complete start to finish.

Ken, what happens if we don't meet the goal?

We get put on the Met Council naughty list. The biggest thing is in the next item, the grant item, if we don't make that deadline, we lose out on half the grant money, which would be $20,000. It's mandatory. They're going to give us a grant to help. This pretty much is what we... Yes. Okay. But with some conditions, including completing on time.

Correct. So we got to do it. So let's get some money to help.

Absolutely.

All right.

And it's all doable, correct?

WSB and I believe so.

I'm saying so because that's why I'm sitting here. That's not really a choice. We got to do it.

But the timeline is important. So we've already started doing some of the writing and background work. in anticipation of this, so we're getting a jump on as much as we can at this point.

All right, so first one is the 2050 comprehension update work plan approval. Do I have a motion for that?

So moved.

So moved, Council Member McKenzie.

Second.

Second, Council Member Woods. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Thank you.

Should I go right into the next one? Would you please? I appreciate that. Thank you. So as I touched on, the city was notified that we're eligible for a grant to help prepare the comprehensive plan. This is a new thing. I've not ever seen the Met Council do before but they identify North Saint Paul and 50 other 59 other cities and the seven County area as Being eligible to receive a non-competitive planning assistant grant of $40,000 So it's not like the DNR grants where we go into a pool and we may or may not get it if we do some minimum requirements we get the money. The biggest thing is we need council approval to submit for the grant. And again, the grant can only be used for Costs directly associated with preparing the plan update that occur between December 17th, 2025 and December 31, 2029. But again, our goal is to be done by October 1st, 2028 to meet the deadline. And the grant is paid out in two installments. One is when they get the initial application and the request and they approve the work plan, which I expect they will do. And then the second is after the entire comprehensive plan is adopted and approved by the Met Council and the City Council. So that's it in a nutshell. And to make the grant application submittal, we have a resolution for your consideration and hopeful adoption tonight. This resolution authorized city staff to apply to the Metropolitan Council for a $40,000 grant. to provide the city with financial assistance to complete the required 2050 comprehensive plan update. Sounds good.

Just one quick question about the grant. How big is this plan when it's done comprehensive? How big is, you know, are we talking binders type of stuff? Yes. I can remember the 2040 would look like it was pretty good size. Yes.

Okay.

Do we have any questions on the grant? If not, can I have a motion to go after the money?

So moved.

So moved. Council Member Norby.

Second.

Second. Council Member Woods. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thanks, Ken.

all right next up is uh reports from city manager and departments so uh we will have the open house this thursday from four to six pm for the student-built house located on the corner of third and seventh avenue hope to see people there and it's nice to always see the kids come down Show all the work that they did. We have two fiber companies working in town right now installing cable around town. It's putting extra man hours on the guys trying to do locates around town to stay ahead of the work. Notices have been sent out for the new bulk pickup process that takes effect on September 1st. We have had a lot of phone calls that have come in now just due to the extremely hot weather for the utility bills last week. So high bills, complaints, but all due to the AC. I mean, they were breaking records, and it was a long period of time. We also have the candidate forum coming up on September 8th, which will be here in the council chambers, and that information will be posted online. The city closed on the property at 2119 Eldridge last Friday, so we have been there yesterday and today cleaning up the property. There was a lot of code violations that were there that were trying to get cleaned up, so now it is on us, and we are over there cleaning it up and making it look a lot better. That's two lots. And that is two lots. Yep. It's a dual lot. So we will, as we purchase that, we will survey it and then split it and make it two separate lots. Yep. For two different homes. Electric department has been busy with their crews working with the pipe cleanup. We had the bore contractor that came in, put conduit around. So they're getting that buried and put in place, getting wire pulled in. Communication's been busy. Ava's been busy with upcoming events. Planning is underway for the Autumn Arts Festival on September 12th and the Fall Roundup Parade on September 17th. Always good outcomes on those. Also set out construction notices. Updates are going on that include the notices related for the fiber installations. HR, Jenny's been busy with the personnel policy. She put a tremendous amount of work into that. That has finally been approved. That all went through Jack when he was still here, back and forth and getting that updated, and that was sent out to the employees today for signatures. So that was a long time coming. Good job to Jenny. We're also looking at the health insurance. The city will be issuing an RFP for the upcoming health insurance for next year. Finance, of course, been busy with the budgets. Yeah, and like I said, they've been seeing a lot of phone calls over there explaining people's power bills to our residents. Police has had two candidates that are currently undergoing background checks with final decisions upcoming. They got coffee with the cop coming up, an event that they're planning for October, potentially outside the police department out by the garages and out there that people can intermix with the PD, which is nice. They also had a great outcome with the fishing with the cop at Silver Lake really successful there I mean they were thinking probably 250 people at least we're out there really good event Public works has been busy there, and they were already losing summer help cheese the summer ago Yeah, they've already lost one last week the lost their horticulturist today, and they'll be losing another one today Staff are continuing to patch work and moving into the alleyways around town. Water service is now in at Cowron School and road work is complete as well for their updated installations or add-ons. For their hiring, they had eight candidates that they were interviewed. They've got that whittled down to four for second round interviews that they're working on now. McKnight, they've started on the soil borings as part of the engineering study out there and are expected later this week or next week. The fire department now has their employees, our full-time employees, as you say, are CPR certified, so they are recertifying the fire department staff over there and probably working on doing other departments and actually potentially making that available to the public. Police first aid, the fire is working with police to get officers first aid certified. They've also been doing hose testing. Yesterday they did that for 10,000 feet worth. Fire training, they also have a live burn that's scheduled for tomorrow, both morning and evening sessions. And the paid on call. relief group open house. The group is planning a fire department open house on the fundraiser on September 18th from 5 to 7 with the focus on educating the public about what all the fire department does. Community Development has been busy with e-bike ordinance. Pass that over to the attorneys. We've got feedback from them. We're going through that now and hopefully have that back to you in September. They're also putting together a tree brochure for information for homeowners and appropriate places to put them and working with electric as well so people aren't planting under trees or under power lines. So everybody's staying busy and doing a good job.

That's all I got. Yeah, summer's winding down. All right, thank you very much for that information.

Give me one second here.

Now the next is reports from council commissions. Rachel, were you at the parks? Can you come up and give us a synopsis, please, as long as, Cassie? Whatever you guys did for the meeting, whatever you've talked about, is there anything important for as long as Councilmember Cassidy is not here today?

We were told that there was going to be a dialogue between Council and Parks and Rec on the 3rd Street property. Sarah has emailed us that there's going to be Student Build is not proceeding with the 30th Street property, so that's null at this point. We discussed Colby Hills has a little annex area across the street from the main facility, and Ava did a social media poll with Sarah about what people are interested in seeing in that annex area. So we got feedback on that and we're exploring a couple options. We're limited by the size of that area and then also wanting to prioritize proceeding with McKnight. Also limitations on maintaining ADA accessibility. I think right now they're looking into seeing if we fenced that area, how much that would cost and have a ramp up to the bench that's there. We did our parks reviews. I think that's the highlights.

Okay. Well, thank you. I appreciate that information. Thank you. You're welcome. You, sir. I don't think we have anything, do we? Well. Except for EDA reports.

Yeah, EDA is coming up on the 8th. That's it.

Okay. Thank you.

More woods. Arts and Culture Met.

Long time ago, isn't it?

Yeah, it's been a while.

That day off or that week off?

I don't remember what we discussed, but oh, we talked about one of the big items that we talked about was replacement of the banners within the city that hang from the light poles. So just talked about different potential plans for those. So that's one of the big topics.

I did see one when I drive by Silver Lake. They got butterflies or something looks like a decal on one of the electric boxes.

Yeah. Yep. So we've done that one. That was the most recent one, I think, that we've done, the electrical box wrap. Nice. Thank you.

Any update on your penny press?

The penny press, I need to follow up on that. Last I heard, there was a delay from the vendor that we're waiting on from that.

Back orders stuff, I think. Yep.

Thank you, Troy.

The next planning commission is on September 3rd. However, I'm going to defer to Ken because last I heard, there was nothing on the agenda. So I'm not sure if it's still on or not.

It's still on the calendar, but at this point, if I was a betting person, I would bet that we will have the night off.

All right. All right. Does anybody have any general business questions? I won't point at everybody.

Well, I went to the fishing with the cops and I went to the national night out and the fishing with the cops was fabulous. It was just well received with all the kids. The kids all went home with poles, things like that. So it was good.

Thank you for all the effort you put into that.

Well, I like to do that. And we drew over 250 people were out there. And it was well attended. That's awesome. National Light Out, where were you at? I went with the police department. Yeah, they put me on the hood.

Oh, I was going to say. Back in the car again, like normal, huh? All right. That makes sense. Yep.

Thank you for your donation of 40 fishing poles for the children.

Yes.

Thank you. Yep.

That was awesome.

My wife and I like to do that.

It was a great turn. It was fun. Anything else? I was also both with you as well. So that was our national night out was up at the city hall here. So we had a couple hundred by the time I left. So it was very well attended here. And, you know, it's nice to be able to see all the kids there having fun. Also for myself, I'm gonna apologize now to my buddy. I actually went, it's called Above and Beyond Award we received. There were some big hitters there for the different businesses. Starkey, Medtronics, and some other companies for as far as above and beyond for our veterans. So Giacomo, did I say it right? I can't believe it, I did it. D. Giacomo. So I'm glad he has it in both spots. He just puts a D-I in front of his last name, so that helped me out there too.

So he put in, because how happy he was and proud he was of North St. Paul when he was deployed, how things were handled.

He's a great guy. I was very honored to be there to accept the award with him and all the other people people that serve our country and businesses that are above and beyond to be able to help them and their families and transition back in and just take care of them. So it was an honor to be there and it was great.

All right. Anything else?

If nothing else, let me tell you when the next meeting is. So that way we got September 1st. Great smack dab. All right. Nothing else. I'll ask for adjournment.

So moved.

So moved. Woods, McKenzie, all those in favor, say aye.

Aye.

Thank you all.