01-23-2024 RegularCALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Supple at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
Council Members Present: Mary Supple, Mayor; Sharon Christensen; Simon Trautmann;
Sean Hayford Oleary; and Ben Whalen
Staff Present: Katie Rodriguez, City Manager; Mary Tietjen, City Attorney; Jay
Henthorne, Public Safety Director/Police Chief; Jennifer
Anderson, Support Services Manager; Kristin Asher, Public
Works Director; Matt Hardegger, Transportation Engineer; and
Chris Swanson, Management Analyst
Others Present: None
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Supple led the Pledge of Allegiance.
OPEN FORUM
Mayor Supple reviewed the options to participate:
Participate live by calling 1-415-655-0001 during the open forum portion
Call prior to meeting 612-861-9711
Email prior to meeting kwynn@richfieldmn.gov
Larry Ernster, 6727 Elliott Avenue South, urged the Council to not support the City’s Legislative
priorities supporting the sanctuary State Legislature until they had solved the existing problems with
respect to homelessness and other housing issues. He expressed concern that the City had insufficient
resources. He noted there had been no outreach to the Richfield citizens of the Council’s intentions
and no interest in what the citizens wanted. He indicated the City had no plan in place to pay for more
migrants.
Melissa Gonzalez, 7045 Lyndale Avenue South, agreed the City had housing issues and food
insecurity, as well as other issues, but the issues of immigration and law enforcement were not directly
tied to those. She noted she supported the Legislative priority. She stated people may or may not
agree with the reasons people come to this Country, but with her work with immigrants, they were
excited, felt blessed, and wanted to be active members of this society. She indicated they want to be
looked at as human beings. She requested the Council approve the Legislative priorities.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Regular Council Meeting
January 23, 2024
City Council Meeting Minutes -2- January 23, 2024
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
M/Whalen, S/Hayford Oleary to approve the minutes of the: (1) City Council Work Session of
January 9, 2024; (2) Regular City Council Meeting of January 9, 2024; and (3) Special City Council
Meeting of January 12, 2024.
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #1
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
M/Trautmann, S/Hayford Oleary to approve the agenda.
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #2
CONSENT CALENDAR
City Manager Rodriguez presented the consent calendar.
A. Consider the approval of the Foundational Public Health Responsibilities (FPHR) grant
provided by the Minnesota Legislature and administered through the Minnesota Department
of Health (Staff Report No. 12)
B. Consider adoption of resolutions of support for two grant opportunities offered through
MnDOT’s Safe Routes to School Program:
1. An infrastructure grant application by Public Works for $500,000 to construct
pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure on 70th Street between Elliot and 12th Avenues
at Richfield STEM and Dual Language Elementary Schools
2. A Planning grant application by ISD #280 for planning assistance to update the 2014
Safe Routes to School Comprehensive Plan
(Staff Report No. 13)
RESOLUTION NO. ___
RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR 70TH STREET SAFE
ROUTE TO SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING
APPLICATION
RESOLUTION NO. ___
RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR ISD #280’S SAFE
ROUTES TO SCHOOL PLANNING ASSISTANCE
APPLICATION
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Christensen to approve the consent calendar.
Council Member Whalen expressed support for Item B and encouraged residents to learn more
about the Safe Routes to School program.
City Council Meeting Minutes -3- January 23, 2024
Mayor Supple gave a shout out to the City and School District for working together on the Safe
Routes to School. She indicated she appreciated all of the work they put in.
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #3
CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS, IF ANY, REMOVED FROM CONSENT
CALENDAR
None.
ITEM #4
CONSIDER THE APPOINTMENT OF A YOUTH MEMBER TO THE
SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION. (STAFF REPORT NO. 14)
Christensen presented Staff Report 14.
M/Christensen, S/Trautmann to approve the appointment of Helen Burk to the Sustainability
Commission as a youth commissioner.
Mayor Supple welcomed Helen Burk to the Commission.
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #5
CONSIDER APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF AN ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION
ACTION PLAN FOR THE CITY OF RICHFIELD.
Hayford Oleary presented the Staff Report.
Transportation Engineer Hardegger presented an overview of how the plan came into
development.
Mayor Supple encouraged people to look at the presentation in the Council’s placket for more
information.
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Christensen to adopt the Active Transportation Plan for the City of
Richfield.
Council Member Hayford Oleary stated the plan did an excellent job of talking about the places
of success on Lyndale Avenue and 66th Street, but it also identified a lot of problems where they did not
have the funding or staff capacity to do. He noted in order to achieve what was necessary, they need a
more concerted planning effort along with have significantly more financial resources allocated to it to
be able to build and start to change those streets. He requested the Council keep this in mind for the
next budgeting session. He indicated he was happy to see the plan.
Mayor Supple stated the Senate Bonding Committee joined Richfield on Nicollet Avenue. She
thanked everyone who was a part of the process.
Council Member Trautmann thanked everyone’s leadership and focus on this.
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #6
City Council Meeting Minutes -4- January 23, 2024
CONSIDER AMENDING THE CITY’S 2024 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM TO
INCLUDE THE NORTHSTAR BILL (STAFF REPORT NO. 16)
Council Member Whalen presented Staff Report 16.
M/Whalen, S/Trautmann to amend the City’s 2024 Legislative platform to include the following
addition to the platform under Public Safety:
Support for the goals of the NorthSTAR Act which clearly separates all Minnesota government
resources from civil immigration enforcement as it is a federal responsibility. This clarity helps build
trust with Richfield’s immigrant community and removes barriers to provide important public safety,
public health, and other services. We encourage the bill’s authors and supporters to work with the
Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, Minnesota Sheriff’s Association, Minnesota Police and Peace
Officers Association, League of Minnesota Cities and Metro Cities on the specific language.
Council Member Whalen indicated he was excited for the continued conversation about how
they build 50,000 more housing units or more to address the housing crisis. He stated no human
being was illegal and the City was glad they were here. He noted he was excited to support this.
Council Member Trautmann thanked the Chief of Police, the City Manager, and other staff. He
indicated he appreciated the comments made today identifying common challenges. He believed
there was a bipartisan consensus that the Federal immigration system was non-functioning, but that
was not something that they try to solve in the City as they had no tools to solve this. He believed
they would serve the residents better if they could serve the State, or if the State could give consistent
guidance to all cities, Counties, and multiple levels of government to the Metropolitan Council. He
stated clarity would be helpful to the residents. He stated this was not an invitation to break any law,
but this is an opportunity to clarify the law and create some good policy. He indicated he would
support this.
Mayor Supple encouraged the bill’s authors to work with the Minnesota Chiefs of Police
Association, the Sheriff’s Association, the Police and Peace Officers Association, and the League of
Cities. She believed it was important for everyone to work together to get the best possible bill.
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #7
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Rodriguez shared information regarding the last Council meeting Open Forum
including Richfield having equitable public safety and the advocating for eliminating traffic stops.
Hayford Oleary stated with respect to the traffic stop he question the term low level as it
seemed ambiguous. He asked what did low level mean. City Manager Rodriguez responded she
needed to verify the details of their policies and would get that information to the Council.
ITEM #8
CLAIMS AND PAYROLL
M/Trautmann, S/Whalen that the following claims and payrolls be approved:
U.S. BANK 01/18/2024
City Council Meeting Minutes -5-January 23, 2024
A/P Checks: 326136 - 326439 $2,575,240.95
Payroll: 184570 – 184881 43748 - 43753 $753,877.42
TOTAL $3,329,118.37
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #9 HATS OFF TO HOMETOWN HITS
Council Member Whalen thanked the legislators who visited and toured some of Nicollet Avenue
and he thanked staff for putting that together.
Council Member Christensen gave hats off to the City staff who put out an email summary of
what happens in the City.
Council Member Hayford Oleary gave hats off to Jeff M., the owner of Sota Boys Smoke shop
for the discussion he had with him regarding the changes made to the tobacco sales and flavored
tobacco. He thanked him for his time.
Council Member Trautmann wished former Mayor Marty Kirsch a speedy recovery and express
sympathy that he was doing poorly. He thanked the Richfield Optimist Club for the flags they put in his
yard on the 4th of July and Memorial Day. He noted the Richfield Optimists raised thousands of dollars
through that which was then donated to local charities.
Mayor Supple gave hats off to Partnership Academy and thanked them for inviting several
people to come for their change makers unit. She gave hats off to Patty Piatz and her team for the
Hometown Media Award they received.
ITEM #10 ADJOURNMENT
M/Trautmann, S/Whalen to adjourn the meeting at 7:43 p.m.
Motion carried: 5-0
Date Approved: February 13, 2024
Mary Supple
Mayor
Chris Swanson Katie Rodriguez
Management Analyst City Manager