Loading...
2025-10-14 City Council Meeting MinutesMOUND CITY COUNCIL MINUTES October 14, 2025 The City Council of the City of Mound, Hennepin County, Minnesota, met in regular session on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers in the Centennial Building. Members present: Mayor Jason Holt, Council Members Sherrie Pugh, Kathy McEnaney, Kevin Castellano, and Michelle Herrick. Members absent: Others present: City Manager Jesse Dickson, Kevin Kelly, City Clerk, City Finance Director Noah Iverson, City Engineer Matt Bauman, City Attorney Scott Landsman, Orono Police Officer Ryan Spencer, David Gilbertson. Consent agenda: All items listed under the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine in nature by the Council. There will be no separate discussion on these items unless a Councilmember or citizen so requests, in which event it will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered in normal sequence. 1. Open meeting Mayor Holt called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Approve agenda MOTION by McEnaney, seconded by Castellano, to approve the amended agenda. All voted in favor. Motion carried. 4. Consent agenda MOTION by McEnaney, seconded by Herrick, vote, all voted in favor. Motion carried. A. Approve payment of claims to approve the consent agenda. Upon roll call B. Approve Minutes: September 23, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting C. Pay Request No. 2 in the amount of $277,242.75 to GMH Asphalt for the 2025 Street and Utility Improvements Project; PW-25-01, PW-25-02, PW-25-05 D. Miscellaneous Pay Request No. 2 in the amount of $157.00 to Advantage Irrigation for the 2025 Mill & Overlay Project, PW-25-02 5. Comments and suggestions from citizens present on any item not on the agenda. No one came forward. 6. Orono Police Department with the july 2025 Activity Report Sergeant Ryan Spencer of the Orono Police Department (OPD) said the OPD has been steadily busy with day-to-day operations. Spencer said the OPD is responding to e-bike issues and their use by juveniles. Spencer said there are repeat offenders in which officers offer education regarding their understanding of safety. Spencer said the SWAT attended the MTOA Conference and conducted training. Spencer said the OPD is hiring officers and on October 23rd there will be interviews for three full time and seven part time officers. Spencer said the OPD has hired three cadets for the Cadet Program to start the process of becoming police officers. Spencer said the OPD is hiring for one Investigator position and for PT officer. Spencer said the PT officers will be used to alleviate OT budget expenses. Spencer said the OPD is planning for Halloween and will be out in the neighborhoods patrolling to keep everyone safe. 7. State Representative Andrew Myers Presentation Myers said the passage of bills in the house were bipartisan mostly due to the house having equal members from both parties. Myers noted a couple of bills which passed: • Open meeting law amended to include remote meeting participation from a non-public location • Water and sewer line infrastructure bill • City public notices can be posted on websites if there is not an official paper available • Bonding Bill passed with Capital Investment of $700Million • The 2026 bonding bill next session will focus on local infrastructure funding Myers said he has heard feedback regarding the following which allow for opportunities to respond to shared issues: • Financial decisions made at the local level instead of top down • Partnerships supporting our schools and property tax relief • Consolidation of fire services and explore options with pension relief • Hwy 7 changes to make the highway safer • Myers said he authored an E-bikes bipartisan bill to require use of helmets from ages 15-18 and was disappointed this bill did not go to a vote. McEnaney said the legislature is introducing bills which restrict City involvement in local decision making. Myers said he is working on finding housing options for residents within his district. Myers said local communities have a good understanding of what housing works for their community. McEnaney said the Met Council is constantly pushing density requirements. Myers said Mound is doing well with the availability of affordable housing. Pugh said what besides pressuring elected officials can the City do to get water treatment plant funding. Myers said he is working with MN state senator Johnson -Stewart and US Representative Kelly Morrison on this. Myers said he has discussed having the legislative bus tour to come to Mound. Myers said the Metro Bonding Tour for the MN House is scheduled for November 12-14. Myers said the City may have to make a presentation at a stop in Normandale where City can staff give Mound's pitch for funding. Landsman said the City can come up with their own rules regarding remote meeting attendance Landsman added that elected officials who participate in meetings remotely don't have to be in a public place as was required in the past. 8. Public Hearings: Dickson said residents were notified two weeks in advance of the meeting of their pending assessments. A. Action on Resolution Adopting Assessment for Miscellaneous Expenses and Certifying To the County Auditor at 5% Interest — Levy #26076 Mayor Holt opened the public hearing at 6:34. No one came forward. Mayor Holt closed the public hearing at 6:35. Motion by McEnaney, seconded by Castellano, to approve the following resolution. All voted in favor. Motion carried. RESOLUTION NO. 25-80: RESOLUTION ADOPTING ASSESSMENT FOR MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES AND CERTIFYING TO THE COUNTY AUDITOR AT 5% INTEREST - LEVY # 26076 B. Action on Resolution Adopting Assessment for Delinquent Municipal Utility Bills and Certifying to the County Auditor at 5% Interest — Levy # 26078 Mayor Holt opened the public hearing at 6:36 David Gilbertson, 3053 Bryant Lane, said he owes over $2K in utility bills and his issue with the water is that he has to buy two -gallon jugs of water to provide for his family which adds up to $85.00/ month. Gilbertson said he is building an addition to his home and is in a bind with all of his expenses. Iverson said Gilbertson's utility payments will be assessed to his taxes as City water to residents is not turned off. Iverson said the assessment is the repayment plan paid through the tax escrow on the property. Gilbertson said he wanted to give his side of the story. The Council discussed options with Mr. Gilbertson regarding water quality and access to resources. Mayor Holt closed the public hearing at 6:45. Motion by Castellano, seconded by Pugh, to approve the following resolution. All voted in favor. Motion carried. RESOLUTION NO. 25-81: RESOLUTION ADOPTING ASSESSMENT FOR DELINQUENT MUNICIPAL UTILITY BILLS AND CERTIFYING TO THE COUNTY AUDITOR AT 5% INTEREST - LEVY #26077 9. Ordinance Amending Chapter 74, Appendix A, Articles I and II, Regarding Electrical Utility Franchises A. Ordinance No. 04-2025 — An Ordinance Amending Chapter 74, Appendix A, Articles and Il, Regarding Electric Utility Franchises Landsman said the City has a Franchise agreement with Xcel Energy for installation of infrastructure equipment in right of ways and other public land. Landsman said the Agreement was first agreed to in 2003 and is up at the end of 2025. Landsman said the new Agreement ends in 2045 and changes will remain largely the same as in the current Agreement. Landsman said his recommendation is to pass the resolution and ordinance. Motion by McEnaney, seconded by Herrick, to approve the following ordinance. All voted in favor. Motion carried. Ordinance No. 04-2025 — An Ordinance Amending Chapter 74, Appendix A, Articles I and II, Regarding Electric Utility Franchises B. Action on Resolution Adopting Assessment for Delinquent Municipal Utility Bills and Certifying to the County Auditor at 5% Interest — Levy # 26078 Motion by McEnaney, seconded by Herrick, to approve the following resolution. All voted in favor. Motion carried. RESOLUTION NO. 25-82: RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PUBLICATION BY TITLE AND SUMMARY PURSUANT TO MINN. STAT. §412.191, SUBD. 4, OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 74, APPENDIX A, ARTICLES I AND II REGARDING ELECTRIC UTILITY FRANCHISES 10. Award Bid for Phase 2 of the 2025 Water Infrastructure Improvements Project to Minger Construction for $4,387,556.50 Bauman said the bid opening was held on September 9th and five bids were received. Bauman said during the bidding process engineers added two additional bid alternates to address issues which came up while planning out the project. Bauman listed the three alternatives to the base bid: • Alternate 1 — Replace 6-inch water line along Bartlett Blvd. • Alternate 2 — Untreated water line from the well Alternate 3 — Treated Water to Evergreen Road Bauman said the Minger Construction bid was 1 % above engineer estimates but 21 % below the highest bid. Bauman said Commerce Blvd. will have lane reductions and closures during different stages of the project which will be communicated to residents. Bauman said the bulk of the project will begin in the spring of 2026 and work around community events. The Council discussed the areas of the infrastructure improvements and City speed limits. Motion by McEnaney, seconded by Pugh, to approve Resolution No. 25-83 awarding of the bid to Minger Construction for Phase 2 of the 2025 Water Infrastructure Improvements Project to Minger Construction for $4,387,556.50. All voted in favor. Motion carried. 11. Award Bid for the 2025 Water Infrastructure Improvements — Well 9 to American Liberty Construction for $586, 116.44 Bauman said there were three bids received and American Liberty was 19% below the engineer's estimate and is a responsible bidder. Bauman said this project is the last contract piece of the $10Million in water treatment funds the City received. Bauman said BMI engineers have experience in developing estimates which are based on individual conditions in the project area. Motion by Castellano, seconded by McEnaney, to approve the following resolution. All voted in favor. Motion carried. RESOLUTION No. 25-84: ACCEPTING BID FOR WATER TREATMENT PLANT IMPROVEMENTS - WELL 9; CITY PROJECT NO. PW-25-11 12. Authorize feasibility study for 2026 Street & Utility Improvement Projects Bauman said the project is going to include Mill and Overlay, street reconstructions and utility improvements. Bauman said the current improvements stem from projects completed in many areas of the City during 2003-2005. Bauman said the areas near Marion Lane and Old Shoreline Drive, Lynwood Alley and Kildare Lane are full reconstructions. Bauman said this project is part of the 2026 Capital Improvement Plan which will be bid out in the March/April timeframe with work projected to start during the summer. Bauman said the City is at the end of the cycle of street improvements which started in 2003/2004. Motion by Herrick, seconded by McEnaney, to approve the following resolution 25-85. All voted in favor. Motion carried. RESOLUTION No. 25-85: ORDERING PREPARATION OF REPORT FOR THE 2026 STREET & UTILITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT; CITY PROJECT PW-26-01 AND PW-26-02 13. Comments/Reports from Council members Council Member Pugh — Pugh said the Mayor gave a presentation at the Gillespie Center with a good conversation from those in attendance. Pugh said the Chester Park improvement looks nice but the trail is very narrow and very steep. Pugh said Edgewater Park will look quite nice when the plantings are all grown out. Council Member McEnaney — McEnaney said she would like to get the monthly reports from the City Manager. McEnaney said the City Banner concepts will be on the agenda at the next meeting. McEnaney said the Gillespie Center 25th Anniversary Event is approaching and suggested the Council sit together at the event. Council Member Castellano — Castellano had no comment. Council Member Herrick — Herrick said she went to the Met Council event and was pleased to hear the Met Council take ownership to control weeds and add sustainable plantings on its property. The Council directed Dickson to draft a letter to the Met Council to urge it to improve its property. Mayor Holt — Holt asked the Council if the Orono Police Department report should go back to monthly presentations instead of every meeting. The Council agreed to a monthly OPD report and they would like the Fire Department to make a quarterly presentation to the Council. Holt said the Westonka High School student presentation will take place in November. 14. Information/Miscellaneous A. Comments/reports from City Manager: B. Reports: Liquor— September 2025 Engineering — September 2025 Fire — August 2025 C. Minutes: March 20, 2025 — Docks and Commons Commission D. Correspondence: 15. Adjourn MOTION by Castellano, seconded by Pugh, to adjourn at 7:53 p.m. All voted in favor. Motion carried. Mayor Jason R. Holt Attest: Kevin Kelly, Cler