03-08-2022 RegularCALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Regan Gonzalez at 7:00 p.m. virtually via WebEx.
Council Members
Present:
Maria Regan Gonzalez, Mayor; Mary Supple; Simon Trautmann; Sean
Hayford Oleary; and Ben Whalen
Council Members
Absent:
None.
Staff Present: Sack Thongvanh, Assistant City Manager; Mary Tietjen, City Attorney;
Melissa Poehlman, Community Development Director; Jane Skov, IT
Manager; Kelly Wynn, Administrative Assistant; and Kari Sinning, City Clerk.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Regan Gonzalez led the Pledge of Allegiance
OPEN FORUM
Administrative Assistant Wynn reviewed the options to participate:
•Participate live by calling 612-861-0651 during the open forum portion
•Call prior to meeting 612-861-9711
•Email prior to meeting kwynn@richfieldmn.gov
Administrative Assistant Wynn stated that there were no callers and no prior emails.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
M/Trautmann, S/Hayford Oleary to approve the minutes of the regular City Council Meeting of
February 22, 2022.
City Clerk Sinning took roll call vote:
Regan Gonzalez: AYE
Supple: AYE
Trautmann: AYE
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Regular Council Meeting
Virtual via WebEx
March 8, 2022
Council Meeting Minutes -2- March 8, 2022
Hayford Oleary: AYE
Whalen: AYE
Motion carried 5-0
ITEM #1
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
M/Whalen, S/Supple to approve the agenda.
City Clerk Sinning took roll call vote:
Regan Gonzalez: AYE
Supple: AYE
Trautmann: AYE
Hayford Oleary: AYE
Whalen: AYE
Motion carried 5-0
ITEM #2
CONSENT CALENDAR
Assistant City Manager Thongvanh presented the consent calendar.
A. Consider the approval of a resolution of support for proposed legislation (SF 2768/HF
2908) that would provide limited liability to commercial salt applicators that receive
certification through an established voluntary salt applicator program as offered through
the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) (Staff Report No. 36)
RESOLUTION NO. 11950
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING LEGISLATION THAT PROVIDES
LIMITED LIABILITY TO COMMERCIAL SALT APPLICATORS THAT
ARE CERTIFIED THROUGH AN ESTABLISHED VOLUNTARY SALT
APPLICATOR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
M/Whalen, S/Hayford Oleary to approve the consent calendar.
City Clerk Sinning took roll call vote:
Regan Gonzalez: AYE
Supple: AYE
Trautmann: AYE
Hayford Oleary: AYE
Whalen: AYE
Motion carried 5-0
ITEM #3
CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS, IF ANY, REMOVED FROM CONSENT
CALENDAR
Council Meeting Minutes -3-March 8, 2022
None.
ITEM #4
SECOND READING OF A PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMENDMENT
ESTABLISHING REGULATIONS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS.
(STAFF REPORT NO. 37)
Council Member Whalen presented Staff Report 37.
Community Development Director Poehlman explained that this item is very similar to what
was brought to the work session with the Planning Commission and that the Planning Commission
approved this item unanimously.
Council Member Hayford Oleary expressed curiosity about the parking reduction one or the
other with regards to bicycle parking or EV parking and asked why the applicant should not be able to
do both. Community Development Director Poehlman explained that there would need to be larger
discussions with the group to approve residential buildings to go below one parking spot per unit.
Council Member Hayford Oleary appreciated the explanation and the option to reduce parking. He
also expressed overall excitement for the implementation of EV chargers.
M/Whalen, S/Hayford Oleary to approve 1) the attached ordinance amendment establishing
regulations for electric vehicle chargers; and 2) a resolution authorizing summary publication of said
ordinance.
BILL NO. 2022-3
AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT ESTABLISHING REGULATIONS
FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS
RESOLUTION NO. 11951
RESOLUTION APPROVING SUMMARY PUBLICATION OF AN
ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING REGULATIONS FOR ELECTRIC
VEHICLE CHARGERS
Council Member Whalen also expressed his excitement for this update to the city code and
stated that this a great start to the Council goal of sustainability.
City Clerk Sinning took roll call vote:
Regan Gonzalez: AYE
Supple: AYE
Trautmann: AYE
Hayford Oleary: AYE
Whalen: AYE
Motion carried 5-0.
ITEM #5
SECOND READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ZONING REGULATIONS
FOR FIREARM SALES, REPAIR, AND OTHER REL ATED USES. (STAFF
REPORT NO. 38)
Council Member Trautmann presented Staff Report 38.
Council Meeting Minutes -4- March 8, 2022
M/Trautmann, S/Supple to approve 1) an ordinance amending zoning regulations for firearm
sales, repair, and other related uses; and 2) a resolution authorizing summary publication of said
ordinance.
BILL NO. 2022-4
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING REGULATIONS IN THE GENERAL
BUSINESS (C-2) AND MIXED USE (MU-C AND MU-R) DISTRICTS
RELATED TO USES INVOLVING FIREARMS
RESOLUTION NO. 11952
RESOLUTION APPROVING SUMMARY PUBLICATION OF AN
ORDINANCE AMENDING REGULATIONS FOR FIREARM SALES,
REPAIR, AND OTHER RELATED USES
Council Member Whalen commented that this agenda item was staff initiated and appreciated
the efforts to update this code to the current online sales.
Mayor Regan Gonzalez expressed gratitude to staff for researching and updating this code.
City Clerk Sinning took roll call vote:
Regan Gonzalez: AYE
Supple: AYE
Trautmann: AYE
Hayford Oleary: AYE
Whalen: AYE
Motion carried 5-0.
ITEM #6
CONSIDER A FIRST READING OF A TRANSITORY ORDINANCE TO
REAFFIRM THE CURRENT WARD DISTRICT BOUNDARIES THAT MEET THE
EQUAL POPULATION CRITERIA. (STAFF REPORT NO. 39)
Council Member Hayford Oleary presented Staff Report 39.
City Clerk Sinning asked Council for feedback regarding the proposed precinct plans.
Council Member Supple thanked City Clerk Sinning for not reducing the number of precincts
and supported a precinct plan that would make it easiest for voters.
Council Member Trautmann expressed concerns for voters on the north side of Wood Lake
that would have trouble getting to a potential polling location. City Clerk Sinning stated voter outreach
would be conducted to make sure those voters either vote absentee or have transportation to the
polling location on election day.
Council Member Whalen commented on creating straighter boundary lines if possible.
Council Member Hayford Oleary also agreed with Council Member Whalen and also asked if
voters have expressed discomfort or complaints about voting in churches. City Clerk Sinning stated
that there has been any to her knowledge, however, if someone does there are options to vote
curbside at the polling location or absentee before election day.
Council Meeting Minutes -5- March 8, 2022
Council Member Supple thanked City Clerk Sinning for the detailed information.
City Clerk Sinning explained of the jaded boundary lines instead of using straight lines is to
keep the precincts as close to even as possible while considering future residential developments in
the precincts.
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Whalen to approve first reading of the attached transitory ordinance
establishing ward boundaries following the 2020 census data and conforming to redistricting
requirements pursuant to Minnesota5 Statutes and City Charter and schedule a public hearing and
second reading for March 22, 2022.
Mayor Regan Gonzalez commented that whatever is easiest for voters and to get as many
people to the polls as possible. She also thanked City Clerk Sinning for her leadership and all the
work she has been doing as City Clerk.
City Clerk Sinning took roll call vote:
Regan Gonzalez: AYE
Supple: AYE
Trautmann: AYE
Hayford Oleary: AYE
Whalen: AYE
Motion carried 5-0.
ITEM #7
CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION MODIFYING THE HEALTH
CARE SAVINGS PLAN FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS. (STAFF REPORT NO. 40)
Council Member Supple presented Staff Report 40.
M/Supple, S/Whalen to adopt a resolution modifying the Health Care Savings Plan for Council
Members.
RESOLUTION NO. 11953
RESOLUTION AMENDING THE CITY COUNCIL POST
EMPLOYMENT HEALTH CARE SAVINGS PLAN
Council Member Whalen thanked the Council for the willingness to change the plan.
City Clerk Sinning took roll call vote:
Regan Gonzalez: AYE
Supple: AYE
Trautmann: AYE
Hayford Oleary: AYE
Whalen: AYE
Motion carried 5-0.
Council Meeting Minutes -6-March 8, 2022
ITEM #8 CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Assistant City Manager Thongvanh did not have any updates.
ITEM #9 CLAIMS AND PAYROLL
M/Whalen, S/Trautmann that the following claims and payrolls be approved:
U.S. Bank 3/8/2022
A/P Checks: 304296 – 304643 $1,349,329.37
Payroll: 168653 – 168953 $ 772,672.51
TOTAL $2,122,001.88
City Clerk Sinning took roll call vote:
Regan Gonzalez: AYE
Supple: AYE
Trautmann: AYE
Hayford Oleary: AYE
Whalen: AYE
Motion carried 5-0
ITEM #10 HATS OFF TO HOMETOWN HITS
As spring nears Council Member Hayford Oleary thanked Public Works for a successful winter
under the new policy and expressed excitement for discussion regarding the policy change. He also
mentioned the Adopt a Storm Drain program to keep neighborhoods dry and clean.
Council Member Whalen mentioned the Kids @ Home Program application availability. He
also gave a brief update on the organics collection program which about 327,000 pounds of food
waste have been collected since the start of the program.
Council Member Trautmann mentioned that IT Staff, Trevor Doran, is leaving the City and took
an opportunity to thank Jane Skov and the IT department for their work throughout the pandemic and
beyond. He lifted up the Human Rights Commission’s legal clinic for Richfield Residents and
encouraged lawyers in the City to participate. He also mentioned the Gene and Mary Jacobsen
Outstanding Citizen Award nominations are available on the website to honor a neighbor.
Council Member Supple thanked the residents for the feedback given for the strategic
management survey and the listening sessions for I-494. She also thanked the commission members
and mentioned the display cases available for artists to display work at the Community Center and
Municipal Center.
Mayor Regan Gonzalez extended thanks and appreciation to the communications team, Neil
Ruhland and Kate Aitchison, for sharing the important information to the residents and sharing
resources to the community.
Council Meeting Minutes -7-March 8, 2022
ITEM #11 ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 7:52 p.m.
Date Approved: March 22, 2022
Maria Regan Gonzalez
Mayor
Kari Sinning Katie Rodriguez
City Clerk City Manager