City Council - Regular Meeting

Yes.

Good evening, welcome to our city council meeting. We're meeting today in council chambers. This meeting is also taking place virtually. It is June the 10th, 2026, it is 7.30 p.m. Meetings are recorded by TruLens Media. They're also broadcast live, and they're also replayed on channel 799. You can also find the meetings on the City of Woodbury's YouTube channel. And with that, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. 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. Angela is here as our deputy city administrator. Please do the roll call. Here.

Here.

Here. Here, we are all here tonight, so we're able to conduct tonight's business. This is a fairly short meeting because really all we have is a consent agenda plus open forum. So let me review the open forum rules. I have green sheets here, so we should be full for that. Some of you have been here before. You know how this goes. Some of you may be new. Let me just review. This is a portion of the meeting where a maximum of three persons will be allowed to address the council on subjects which are not part of the meeting agenda. So I have those here. And as we've done in the past, we're trying to be fair. We've got three for one category and two for another. So because they're slightly different, we'll take the three and we'll take the two. When you come forward, please come forward. State your name and your city of residence. We don't need your address. You are allowed to speak for three minutes. This is how the system works. We will have a timer go on over here, so you can keep an eye on that. Three minutes, we do a countdown. There's colored lights that are present over there, a green, a yellow, and a red. The green will last for two minutes. The yellow comes on with one minute left, and then when it's red, please be finished. Three minutes each. I think that's it. Am I missing anything? No. So I take these in order that they came. So first is Andrew Murray. Welcome.

Thanks, Mayor Burt. Mayor Burt, city council members and city staff, thank you for having this open time tonight. I'm here tonight to ask the council... the name and everything. My name's Andrew Murray, I am a Woodbury resident. Have been here for about 11 years with my family. I'm here tonight to ask the council for transparency around public safety facility funding and whether any such funding could create obligations to accommodate federal law enforcement agencies like ICE, as well as urge this council to adopt a resolution opposing the construction of an ICE detention facility in our city. and prohibit ICE agents from staging on city property. And I want to explain why this moment in particular demands local action. It's been well documented that ICE has operated outside of their constitutional bounds. What makes this especially dangerous is the simultaneous removal of accountability for these agencies. To date, there's been no accountability for the agents who murdered two Minnesotans. I want to respectfully push back on recent statements by the council suggesting that immigration enforcement in Minnesota is winding down or is altogether over. Tactics certainly have shifted and operations are simply receiving less media coverage, but enforcement activity continues. It's easy for those of us who are not directly targeted to settle back into our routines. And I'd ask that collectively we resist that comfort and pay attention to the broader context. What we are witnessing at the federal level is part of a well-documented pattern of democratic backsliding. This is seen globally across multiple countries. Political scientists would refer to this as competitive authoritarianism. It's a strategy employed by right-wing movements globally that involves consolidating media control, redistributing governmental power to political allies, manipulating electoral systems, and weakening judicial independence. I can't even talk about the 75 billion that was given to these agencies last year and the 70 billion given to them yesterday, which is multiple times what their annual operating budget is. I have to quickly skip to my asks of you. Please be transparent and forthcoming with residents about agreements involving federal law enforcement going forward. include the following in City Update newsletter and Immigration FAQ websites. Specifically, what's the current status of contracts with DHS, ICE, CBP at the HERO Center, and the details around federal funding or state funding for the Woodbury Public Safety Campus Project. There's a deficit that's not made up by the tax levy appropriations. And we need to know if those funds coming from grants are going to force us to accommodate ICE in our public safety center.

Thank you. Thank you. Next, we have Lori Pellerite.

Thank you. Lori Pellerite. I've been a Woodbury resident for 40-some years, which is crazy. To piggyback off of what Andrew said, because there's no point in repeating that, just so you all know why this topic keeps coming up and why we're so passionate about it, I did a little looking around. These are Brookings Institute's stats. Between January of 25 and April of 2026, approximately 400,000 people were detained by ICE. Of those, 205,000 children were impacted. 36% of those are under six years old, and 22,000 have been left with no parent in the home. Now, there's no system in place. If you think somebody is keeping track of these kids, you have not been paying attention to what's going on. And this is not the kind of activity that gets Woodbury on the front page of the Star Tribune as an ideal place to live. This is not what we want going on in our community. And what we really want is a resolution that you guys put yourselves on the record and say, we are with you in Woodbury. We know what a great place this is to live. And we are going to watch to make sure legal rules are followed and people are held accountable. Thank you. Thank you.

And Julie Miller-Hayes. Julie Miller-Hayes.

Good evening. I'm not by any means going to have a lot of data or be as eloquent. I'm just going to get to the point. My name is Julie Miller Hayes. I've lived in Woodbury now 12 years. I am just very passionate about this subject as an educator as well. But bottom line, in talking with lots of people that live here, I've been an educator here in this district as well. We really want to know where you stand as a city council as far as using our facilities for ice. We haven't seen you make a basic statement. We want to know if you're okay renting our buildings and we want you to have a resolution on the record to know if you are willing to adopt and know that you're okay with this and also to have them pay for it if you are okay with this and have a resolution. As citizens, we want to be able to have a vote on this, as citizens. There's so many people that didn't even know where you stood with this. We just know that you haven't had something or a resolution to know where you stood with it, with ICE. I know that ICE has been in our community, because when I came home and ICE was here, I saw them, and I had anxiety I'd never had before when I came home from Nevada. We want to know, we want you to create a policy about letting the citizens have a vote about having ICE be and rent our facilities. Please make a resolution. We as citizens deserve it from you. Thank you for listening and please hear us out as citizens. Thank you.

Next, I have Kelly Tema, and I think this is just a slightly different topic. Kelly Tema.

Good evening, Mayor and City Council staff. Appreciate your time. I have heard the controversy over... Can you just state your name and your... Oh, yeah, sorry. My name's Kelly Tema. I live in Woodbury, have... been a long-term resident here, have heard the controversy on ICE on both sides. And just want you to know that there are people that are pro having them have access to facilities in Woodbury. I am very pro law enforcement and military. ICE is part of law enforcement. We need them for safety. And you need to, I mean, there are citizens in this city that feel the same way. not just, and I don't have all the statistics, I don't have all the paperwork that's been passed on from professionals, but I'm just telling you, there are people that feel that they are needed here too. Thank you.

Thank you. Next I have Tom Schmidt.

Good evening, Mayor Byrd and city council members. It's good to see a lot of you, knowing you well. I've been in Woodbury a long time.

And can you just state your name?

Sorry, Tom, Dr. Tom Schmidt. Been in Woodbury a long time. I have a son-in-law that's in the military. My family's all military. I've got nephews in the military. They have signed up and worked with ICE, not in Minnesota. But I'm for law and order. I've been all my life. And stop means stop, doesn't mean run. Cop says something, you do it. And law and order and righteousness and justice is what we need to get back to. So anyway, I have a lot of people that I talked to in Woodbury. I've been here a long time. Nobody's stepping up. I didn't realize I would be stepping up here without a paperwork to read or anything like that and claps and all that. But I can tell you that I got neighbors, I got people all around business, people that want right law and order. And if they want to come in and train on my tax dollars, that's fine. And I guess that's all I would say is thank you for your consideration.

Thank you. Thank you.

I'm going to turn to City Administrator Dahl now to I think if you could clarify a couple things. One is we have statements and two is could you just clarify about usage of facilities and public safety building and that kind of thing.

Yes, thank you Mayor Burt. Happy to. So at the last council meeting there was an open forum item where a resident asked about specifically about THE CITY'S INVOLVEMENT OR IF THERE WAS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CITY'S INVOLVEMENT OR IF THERE WAS INVOLVEMENT WITH A 287G AGREEMENT. A 287G AGREEMENT. AND THEN AS IT RELATES TO THAT, AND THEN AS IT RELATES TO THAT, WAS THERE ANY SPACE BEING WAS THERE ANY SPACE BEING PROGRAMMED IN THE NEW PUBLIC PROGRAMMED IN THE NEW PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING FOR COOPERATION SAFETY BUILDING FOR COOPERATION WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTIES LIKE ICE, FOR PARTIES LIKE ICE, FOR EXAMPLE.

EXAMPLE.

ARE YOU GOING TO TELL US WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TELL US WHAT A 287G AGREEMENT IS? A 287G AGRE for the sake of having the public hear it. It's good to reiterate that tonight for the public. And then I think it's also good that we put it on our website and our FAQs to ensure that that message is consistent. So just real quick, in terms of what a 287 agreement is, a 287 agreement is a formal partnership between local law enforcement agencies and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, authorized under Section 287 , it's where they get the name, of the Immigration and Nationality Act. These agreements allow specially trained local officers, so, you know, from local governments, or deputies and counties, TO PERFORM CERTAIN FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT FUNCTIONS UNDER ICE SUPERVISION. SO THAT'S WHAT IT IS, AND I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR, AND THIS IS DIRECT FROM THE CHIEF WHO ULTIMATELY IS SUPERVISED BY ME AND I'M SUPERVISED BY THE COUNCIL, WOODBURY PUBLIC SAFETY DOES NOT HAVE NOR HAS EVER HAD AND IS NOT INTERESTED IN PURSUING ANY TYPE OF 287G AGREEMENT WITH ICE. And in terms of if any space is being programmed in the new public safety building for ICE, no space in the new facility is being programmed for ICE or any other law enforcement agency. We will have dedicated workspace, of course, in the building for our two Washington County social workers assigned and embedded with our community support team. This team focuses on supporting the individuals experiencing mental health challenges, substance abuse issues, and homelessness. And I'd imagine that team will be, unfortunately, getting bigger due to all of societal problems. But we're happy to have them, and I look forward to that service expanding in the future. And that is it.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU AGAIN. ALWAYS GOOD TO HEAR FROM ALWAYS GOOD TO HEAR FROM EVERYBODY THAT CHOOSES TO COME. EVERYBODY THAT CHOOSES TO COME. AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, THIS MEETING AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, THIS MEETING IS GOING TO BE FAIRLY SHORT IS GOING TO BE FAIRLY SHORT BECAUSE ALL WE HAVE NEXT IS BECAUSE ALL WE HAVE NEXT IS A CONSENT AGENDA. A CONSENT AGENDA. SO ALL ITEMS LISTED UNDER THE SO ALL ITEMS LISTED UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED CONSENT AGENDA ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINED BY THE CITY and will be enacted by one motion and an affirmative vote by roll call of the majority of the members present. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a council member or a citizen requests in which event the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered a separate subject of discussion by the council. So I do always turn to people that are here live. If you've read through it and you want something removed to talk about, let me know. Now is your time. No, then I always turn because we monitor online as well. So Angela will take a peek and see if there's anything online.

No.

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THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT.

THERE IS NOT.

THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT.

THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT.

THERE IS NOT. THERE IS NOT.

Aye.

Councilmember Stafford?

Aye.

Councilmember Morris? Aye. Councilmember Santini? Aye. Mayor Burt?

Aye. Those consent agenda items pass. Now, we always just wrap up with the city administrators update. Do you have something, Jeff, for us?

You have a few items, Mayor Burt. Five, actually. I'll try to go through them pretty quickly. It's the start of summer, of course, and that means a fun and busy time of year in parks. Summer recreation programs from Camp Carver. PUPPET WAY AND MY FAVORITE, YOUTH AND ADULT TENNIS LESSONS AND A HOST OF OTHER PROGRAMS AND EVENTS KICKED OFF THIS WEEK, SO A BUSY WEEK FOR OUR PARKS AND REC STAFF. MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE STILL AVAILABLE, SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO CHECK THOSE OUT. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, THERE'S STILL SPACES OPEN FOR THIS SUMMER. CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE. YOU CAN SEE ALL THE INFORMATION THERE. TOMORROW, DESTINATION WOODBURY WILL BE LAUNCHING ITS NEW KNOW AND GO E-NEWSLETTER STARTING IN THE MORNING. THE NEWSLETTER WILL BE FEATURING SEASONAL ACTIVITIES, LOCAL DEALS AND DISCOUNTS, BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS, AND UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS. SO IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN GETTING ALL THE LATEST AND GREATEST OF WHAT'S GOING ON, SIGN UP, GO TO OUR AWARD-WINNING WEBSITE. ALL THE INFORMATION IS RIGHT THERE. HANG ON, HANG ON, HANG ON.

HANG ON, HANG ON. IT'S AN AWARD-WINNING IT'S AN AWARD-WINNING WEBSITE? WEBSITE? HE DID NOT.

HE DID NOT. YES. YES. DID I MISS THAT?

DID I MISS THAT? YOU WERE PROBABLY ABSENT YOU WERE PROBABLY ABSENT THAT MEETING. THAT MEETING.

IT GOT THE AWARD FOR THE BEST IT GOT THE AWARD FOR THE BEST NEW WEBSITE.

NEW WEBSITE. BEST VISITORS AND CONVENTION BEST VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU WEBSITE ESSENTIALLY.

BUREAU WEBSITE ESSENTIALLY. OH, NOT OUR CITY WEBSITE. OH, NOT OUR CITY WEBSITE.

NO. Okay. I mean, I do love our website.

It's okay.

Next item, another positive news. Our finance team recently had our AAA bond rating reaffirmed in a recent rating call. A local government with a AAA bond rating is the highest rating possible. It's viewed by investors as exceptionally reliable and financially well managed, which creates several important benefits to the community. I THINK IT BEARS SAYING PUBLICLY, I THINK IT BEARS SAYING PUBLICLY, BECAUSE IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT AND IT SPEAKS TO THE HARD AND IT SPEAKS TO THE HARD FIDUCIARY AND FISCAL FIDUCIARY AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT STAFF RESPONSIBILITY THAT STAFF AND COUNCIL HAS HAD OVER THE Because lenders see the AAA bonding as low risk, they see the government as low risk, we are able to borrow money at much lower interest rates than most governments when we're financing major infrastructure projects. The borrowing costs then ultimately save taxpayers money over time and we have to levy less, which really ends up more money in people's pocketbooks. Meaning that taxes go for essential services rather than debt payments. IT ALSO SIGNALS, AS I ALLUDED TO IT BEFORE, STRONG BUDGETING PRACTICES, HEALTHY RESERVES, STABLE REVENUE SOURCES AND RESPONSIBLE LONG-TERM PLANNING BY COUNCIL AND STAFF. AND ALSO CAN INCREASE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE AND ATTRACT BUSINESSES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO WAY TO GO, ANGELA AND HER TEAM AND THE CITY COUNCIL AS WELL. Thank you for that. July 8th meeting, the city council will be, in addition to swearing in our newest police officer, the police chief from Oak Park Heights, Chief Hanson, will be recognizing the first responders that were Woodbury-based that were involved in a recent incident on St. Croix Bridge. We'll wait to share some of the details later, but a pretty traumatic experience and really proud of how our team members provided value there and saved lives. Lastly, residents, council, staff, don't forget about the Lions Golf Tournament. As a new Lions member, I'm soliciting golfers. But the 16th annual Dick Stafford Charity Golf Tournament by the Woodbury Lions on Monday, August 10th, is going to happen, rain or shine. Go to the Woodbury Lions website to learn more and get signed up now. Spots are filling up.

All right, thank you. Well, I have a public service announcement I want to share because I realize this just ended up on my desk. Many of you get information and news from the city of Woodbury, and sometimes you click on and you find out. My husband and I have signed up for the Adopt a Drain program. All of you can do this. You probably live on a street. There's drains in front of you. We need to keep those drains clear of all kinds of clutter and debris and things, so I'm going to be posting this in our yard. It says, we protect Minnesota lakes, rivers, and wetlands, sweep up, rake up, pick up. Occasionally, we'll just take a picture of the drain and send it in to the people who organize that. But we're going to do our part to be environmental stewards of our local street and our community. So consider that for everyone else out there listening and council members.

Did you name your drain? No, but I might. People have been.

Okay, well, we might have to come up with that.

Yeah, so that's that.

All right, that wraps up our meeting. Just for everyone, we are, you know, we always have a workshop before this meeting. Today's workshop topic is the capital improvement plan. It's a very detailed financial plan that we go through on all the assets. We began the meeting, you know, started at 5.30. We break for this. We're going back downstairs to continue that discussion about capital improvement plan and assets. and the finances of that. So with that, I make a motion that we adjourn this meeting. Second. Motion and second. Hearing any objection? All in favor? Aye. Okay, we are adjourned.