06-25-2024 Regular
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Supple at 7:02 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
Council Members Present:
Mary Supple, Mayor; Sharon Christensen; Sean Hayford Oleary
Council Members
Absent:
Simon Trautmann and Ben Whalen
Staff Present:
Katie Rodriguez, City Manager; Mary Tietjen, City Attorney;
Melissa Poehlman, Community Development Director; Sack
Thongvanh, Assistant City Manager; Jay Henthorne, Public
Safety Director/Police Chief; and Kelly Wynn, Administrative
Assistant
Others Present: Karole Kelly, Human Rights Commissioner; Debbie Goettel,
Hennepin County Commissioner
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
Mary Best, 67th and Elliott, requested the City Council reject the proposed parking ordinance
that would eliminate or reduce parking requirements for the city due to the proposal including too many
changes that would adversely affect future residences and businesses. She indicated drastically
reducing requirements seemed premature. She recommended they wait to see if there was a problem
and then look at this. She believed this approach also took away the responsibility of the city and moved
it to the residents to deal with.
Larry Ernster, 6727 Elliott, agreed with Mary Best’s comments and requested the Council reject
the proposed parking ordinance that would eliminate or reduce parking restrictions. He pointed out
various times when the Council changed ordinances to eliminate citizen participation and requested the
Council stop changing ordinances to avoid dealing with the citizens. He noted none of the proposed
parking changes were urgent.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Regular Council Meeting
June 25, 2024
City Council Meeting Minutes -2- June 25, 2024
Kathleen Balaban expressed concern about her difficulty getting information from her data
requests she made. She requested the Council set a timeframe that was reasonable for turnaround of
requested data. She asked with respect to staff report number 92 what the financial impact was going
to be. She requested the city do a better job at informing the residents of what they are doing and how
they were doing it.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Christensen to approve the minutes of the: (1) City Council Work Session
of May 28, 2024; (2) Joint Council and Transportation Commission Meeting of June 5, 2024; and (3)
City Council Meeting of June 11, 2024.
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #1
PRESENTATIONS – 2024 GENE AND MARY JACOBSEN CITIZEN OF THE
YEAR PRESENTATION
Commissioner Karloe Kelly invited Kim Jacobsen to present the 2024 Gene and Mary Jacobsen
Citizen of the Year Presentation to Scott Ramsay.
Scott Ramsay thanked the city for the award and for supporting the park system and the Wood
Lake Nature Center.
Mayor Supple thanked everyone who nominated Mr. Ramsay for the award and shared personal
anecdotes about Mr. Ramsay and his dedication to teaching.
ITEM #2
COMMISIONER GOETTEL WILL PRESENT AN UPDATE ON THE WORK BEING
DONE BY HENNEPIN COUNTY
Mayor Supple welcomed Hennepin County Commissioner Debbie Goettel.
Commissioner Goettel summarized what the Hennepin County Commission did and what
areas they worked on such as unsheltered homeless communities, housing and economic
development, affordable housing, mental health issues around the County, and Hennepin County’s
resource hub availability to businesses. She gave updates on the Southdale project and Augsburg
Park.
Commissioner Goettel stated a goal of the County was to plant 1 million trees by 2030 and
summarized how that was being accomplished.
Commissioner Goettel summarized infrastructure projects coming up in the future including the
Penn Avenue project.
Council Member Hayford Oleary thanked the Hennepin County Commission for their continued
work on improving Richfield’s streets. He noted though that this work came with large bills for the
community, and he would like to see the County pick up more of the cost.
City Council Meeting Minutes -3- June 25, 2024
Mayor Supple thanked Commissioner Goettel for the work and support she did for the city.
She lifted up the social worker program.
ITEM #3
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Christensen to approve the Agenda.
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #4
CONSENT CALENDAR
City Manager Rodriguez presented the consent calendar.
A. Consider the approval of an amended agreement between the Hennepin County Human
Services and Public Health Department, and the City of Richfield Police Department for two
full-time Senior Social Workers, one embedded and one on the alternative response team.
(Staff Report No. 82)
B. Consider the approval of an agreement for Prosecution Services with the City of Richfield
and H/J Law. (Staff Report No. 83)
C. Consider the adoption of a resolution supporting hazard mitigation planning efforts and
adopting the Hennepin County/All Hazard Mitigation Plan (Staff Report No. 84)
RESOLUTION NO. 12216
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING HAZARD MITIGATION
PLANNING EFFORTS AND ADOPTING THE HENNEPIN
COUNTY ALL-HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
D. Consider a resolution extending American Rescue Plan Act funding contract with VEAP, Inc.
from June 30, 2024 to December 31, 2024 (Staff Report No. 85)
RESOLUTION NO. 12217
RESOLUTION APPROVING AN EXTENSION OF
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT CONTRACT WITH
VEAP, INC.
E. Consider adoption of a resolution approving a Joint Powers Agreement with the City of Edina
for speed limits on shared local streets. Second Reading of an Ordinance (Staff Report No.
86)
RESOLUTION NO. 12218
RESOLUTION APPROVING A JOINT POWERS
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF EDINA AND
THE CITY OF RICHFIELD FOR SPEED LIMITS ON
SHARED LOCAL STREETS
F. Consider Adoption of an resolution approving a Memorandum of Understanding with the City
of Minneapolis for street limits on shared local streets (Staff Report No. 87)
City Council Meeting Minutes -4- June 25, 2024
RESOLUTION NO. 12219
RESOLUTION APPROVING A MEMORANDUM OF
UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY OF
MINNEAPOLIS AND THE CITY OF RICHFIELD FOR
SPEED LIMIT SIGNS ON SHARED LOCAL STREETS
G. Consider a resolution approving a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of
Minneapolis, et al. regarding the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) Partnership and
scope of work (Staff Report No. 88)
H. First Reading of transitory ordinance proving funding for certain capital improvements from
the Liquor Contribution Special Revenue Fund. (Staff Report No. 91)
BILL NO. 2024-07
TRANSITORY ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE EXPENDITURE
OF MONEY FROM THE LIQUOR CONTRIBUTION
SPECIAL REVENUE FUND FOR CERTAIN CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENTS
M/Christensen, S/Hayford Oleary to approve the consent calendar.
Mayor Supple lifted up the Alternative Response Team and the social worker program and noted
there had been a recent Council Work Session regarding this if anyone was interested in more
information.
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #5
CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS, IF ANY, REMOVED FROM CONSENT
CALENDAR
None.
ITEM #6
CONSIDER FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDMENT ADJUSTING
PARKING REQUIREMENTS. (STAFF REPORT NO. 89)
Council Member Hayford Oleary presented Staff Report 89.
Director Poehlman addressed the comments brought up at Open Forum by clarifying parking
and variance requirements for development projects, including staff’s preference for parking
requirements in the MR2 District.
Council Member Hayford Oleary questioned the need for more parking in mixed-use
developments, citing existing standalone mixed-use buildings with limited parking. Director Poehlman
explained that the higher parking ratio for MR3 was to accommodate commercial turnover and free up
parking for multifamily development.
Mayor Supple stated wanted to postpone this until the next meeting because there were two
Council Members not in attendance at this meeting and there was new information in the staff report.
City Council Meeting Minutes -5- June 25, 2024
Council Member Hayford Oleary stated he supported this and did not think it was that big of a
change.
Mayor Supple asked for clarification on staff’s recommendation. Director Poehlman explained
how parking minimums and maximums were determined and that staff was trying to make sure that
there was still the flexibility in the maximums to allow for a project to get there if needed.
Mayor Supple stated she was in support of making sure there were maximums that would allow
for the needed flexibility, but she wanted to hear more about the concerns from the other departments
also as well as more information and discussion about adding the discretion.
Council Member Christensen stated she supported postponing this also.
M/Supple, S/Christensen to postpone discussion to the next Council meeting.
Council Member Hayford Oleary indicated he was not sure what would be accomplished by
postponing this, but he would support it. He highlighted a comment made by Director Poehlman
regarding reducing bias by having clear standards and that was one of the reasons he did not want to
see the city go back to this discretionary language due to it being clearer and more legally defensible.
He indicated he hoped they would keep that to a minimum.
Mayor Supple requested staff put together two sets of alternate language so Council could
compare one which would include discretion and have it at 1.5 and one which was the current language,
so Council would know what they would be discussing and voting on at the next meeting.
Council Member Hayford Oleary also requested in the staff’s report to clearly show where the
MR2 and MR3 was versus the mixed use.
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #7
SUMMARY OF THE CITY MANAGER’S ANNUAL PERFORMANCE
EVALUATION FOR THE PERIOD OF JULY 2023 TO JUNE 2024, HELD ON
JUNE 11 AND JUNE 18, 2024 AS REQUIRED BY MINN. STATUTES 13D.05
SUBD. 3(A), AND CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF RICHFIELD AND THE CITY MANAGER
KATIE RODRIGUEZ (STAFF REPORT NO. 90)
Mayor Supple presented Staff Report 90.
M/Supple, S/Hayford Oleary to approve a resolution amending the employment agreement
between the City of Richfield and Catherine Rodriguez, City Manager.
RESOLUTION NO. 12220
RESOLUTION AMENDING THE EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF RICHFIELD
AND CATHERINE RODRIGUEZ, CITY MANAGER
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #8
City Council Meeting Minutes -6- June 25, 2024
CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CONTRACT
WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT LABOR SERVICES (POLICE OFFICERS) FOR THE
PERIOD JANUARY 1, 2024 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2025 AND AUTHORIZE
THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT. (STAFF REPORT NO.
92)
Council Member Christensen presented Staff Report 92.
City Manager Rodriguez presented an update on the police contract negotiations including the
costs.
Assistant Manager Thongvanh thanked the police officers and staff for their dedication and
professionalism in the negotiations.
M/Christensen, S/Hayford Oleary to adopt a resolution approving the provisions of the 2024-
2025 labor agreement with the LELS bargaining unit and authorize the City Manager to execute the
Agreement.
RESOLUTION NO. 12221
RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PROVISIONS OF THE
2024-2025 LABOR AGREEMENT WITH THE LELS
BARGAINING UNIT AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #9
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Rodriguez thanked the Council for their feedback and commitment to continue
improvements for the residents of Richfield.
ITEM #10
CLAIMS AND PAYROLL
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Christensen that the following claims and payrolls be approved:
U.S. BANK 06/21/2024
A/P Checks: 329110-329474 $1,159,119.09
Payroll: 188408-188803 43937-43942 $1,076,424.67
TOTAL $ 2,235,543.76
Motion carried: 5-0
ITEM #11
HATS OFF TO HOMETOWN HITS
Council Member Christensen gave hats off to the Richfield History Center and noted on January
29 at 1:00 p.m. at the History Center there would be an1860’s style baseball.
City Council Meeting Minutes -7-June 25, 2024
Council Member Hayford Oleary noted Richfield Drives 25 started today. He thanked the Public
Works staff for their work to make this happen. He thanked the Richfield Fourth of July committee for
their work.
Council Member Supple noted if anyone wanted a Richfield Drives 25 sign for their yard, they
were available at the Community Center from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. She also
thanked the Fourth of July committee and noted they were looking for volunteers.
Council Member Christensen reminded the residents that the Fourth of July parade would be on
70th Street.
ITEM #12 ADJOURNMENT
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Christensen to adjourn the meeting at 8:21 p.m.
Motion carried: 5-0
Date Approved: July 9, 2024
Mary B. Supple
Mayor
Kelly Wynn Katie Rodriguez
Administrative Assistant City Manager