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2025-04-08 Council Regular Minutes CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Mayor Supple at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Council Present: Mary Supple, Mayor; Sharon Christensen; Walter Burk; Sean Hayford Oleary; and Rori A. Coleman-Woods. Staff Present: Katie Rodriguez, City Manager; Mary Tietjen, City Attorney; Melissa Pohlman, Community Development Director, Kristin Asher, Public Works Director; Rachel Lindholm, Sustainability Coordinator; and Michelle Friedrich, City Clerk. Others Present: Michael Zazzera, Human Rights Commissioner; Pixie Pixler, Advisory Board of Health Member. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Supple led the Pledge of Allegiance. OPEN FORUM Mayor Supple reviewed the participation options for residents at the Council meeting including in- person comments, comments by voicemail or email, and an option to request to participate virtually with advance notice. Mayor Supple noted more information on submitting comments can be reviewed at www.richfieldmn.gov/citycouncil. Kathleen Balaban, 6526 Stevens Avenue South, discussed Staff Report No. 47, regarding Council Rules of Procedure and Decorum, and that she is very pleased with this. Ms. Balaban noted she was unable to find this document in the code and would like to see it added. City Clerk Friedrich shared a public comment sent in by Blue Delequante. Ms. Delequante’s email stressed the importance of, and the continuation of more affordable housing in Richfield. APPROVAL OF MINUTES CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Richfield, Minnesota Regular Council Meeting April 8, 2025 City Council Meeting Minutes -2- April 8, 2025 MOTION: made by Council Member Hayford Oleary, seconded by Council Member Christensen to approve the minutes of the: (1) City Council Work Session Meeting from March 25, 2025, (2) City Council Regular Meeting from March 25, 2025, and (3) clerical date revision of Minutes from the City Council Regular Meeting from March 11, 2025, with two clerical corrections. Motion carried: 5-0 ITEM #1 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING EARTH DAY Mayor Supple invited Rachel Lindholm to accept the proclamation and read aloud the proclamation. Sustainability Coordinator Lindholm shared some Earth Day-related events taking place in the coming days. ITEM #2 PROCLAMATION CELEBRATING ARAB AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH Mayor Supple read aloud the proclamation and invited Michael Zazzera to accept the proclamation. Human Rights Commissioner Zazzera thanked the Council and encouraged residents to consider their Arab American neighbors. He noted that they are integral to society. ITEM #3 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK Mayor Supple read aloud the proclamation and invited Pixie Pixler to accept the proclamation. Pixie Pixler thanked the Council for their support. ITEM #4 APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION: made by Council Member Hayford Oleary, seconded by Council Member Christensen to approve Agenda as presented. Motion carried: 5-0 ITEM #5 CONSENT CALENDAR City Manager Rodriguez presented the consent calendar. A. Consider approval of the bid tabulation and authorize the Mayor and City Manager to execute a contract with Boulder Creek, Inc., for the Lift Station 7 Replacement project in the amount of $194,964.00, and authorize the City Manager to approve contract changes up to $175,000.00 without further City Council consideration. (Staff Report No. 43) B. Consider the appointment of a youth member to the Human Rights Commission. (Staff Report No. 44) City Council Meeting Minutes -3- April 8, 2025 C. Consider approval for the City of Richfield (City) to enter into an agreement with the Independent School District No. 280 (District) to administer the 2025 and 2027 School Board Elections. (Staff Report No. 45) D. Consider a resolution designating Fidelity Investments as an official depository for the City of Richfield in 2025 for the purpose of receiving a bequest in the amount of $70,000 for Wood Lake Nature Center. (Staff Report No. 46) RESOLUTION NO. 12312 RESOLUTION DESIGNATING FIDELITY INVESTMENTS AS A DEPOSITORY FOR THE RECEIVING AND INVESTING OF DONATED FUNDS FOR THE CITY OF RICHFIELD FUNDS IN 2025 MOTION: made by Council Member Christensen, seconded by Council Member Coleman-Woods to approve the Consent Calendar items 5A-D. Mayor Supple welcomed the new youth Commissioner to the Human Rights Commission. She also thanked the anonymous donor who donated to the Wood Lake Nature Center. Motion carried: 5-0 ITEM #6 CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS, IF ANY, REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR None. ITEM #7 CITY MANAGER’S REPORT City Manager Rodriguez thanked Mayor Supple, the school district policy makers, and Clerk Friedrich for their work in finding a path forward so that the school district can switch to even-year elections. ITEM #8 REVIEW OF COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA ORDER AND PROCESS Mayor Supple presented Staff Report 47 and opened the discussion. City Manager Rodriguez stated with the new agenda management software implementation, it is an opportune time to review the City Council meeting order of business and processes. City Manager Rodriguez noted staff is looking for guidance and feedback from Council on the order of business on the agenda to support the new agenda template implementation. City Manager Rodriguez also asked Council to discuss possible changes to the Council Rules of Procedure and Decorum document. City Manager Rodriguez noted the proposed changes for the agenda template and referenced the two examples included with the staff report and referenced possible changes to the Council Rules of Procedure and Decorum. Council discussed possible changes to the order of business on the agenda template. City Council Meeting Minutes -4- April 8, 2025 Council Member Burk stated he feels it is appropriate to recite the Pledge of Allegiance as item 2, immediately following item 1., Call to Order. Council Member Hayford Oleary noted that he does not feel strongly about the Pledge of Allegiance preceding Approval of Agenda. He added that he appreciates the Approval of Agenda was moved up. Council Member Coleman-Woods shared her agreement for the Pledge of Allegiance preceding Approval of Agenda. Council Member Christensen also shared her agreement for the Pledge of Allegiance preceding Approval of Agenda. Mayor Supple asked if there were any concerns with including Approval of Minutes, and Claims and Payroll, as Consent Calendar items. Council Member Hayford Oleary noted that since there are corrections to the minutes, he is unsure if minutes should be included as Consent Calendar items. He added that he does think that claims belong in the Consent Calendar. City Clerk Friedrich explained if there are necessary corrections to the minutes, the Council can pull that separately from the Consent Calendar, review the changes, and include as a separate Consent Calendar item, under Consent Items Pulled for Further Discussion. Council Member Burk noted that he is unsure if there is a difference between the two options for minutes. Council Member Christensen stated she thinks that including staff proposed items in the Consent Calendar would be good. Council and staff further discussed the order in which minutes should be included within the order of business on the agenda. Mayor Supple noted Council consensus to include Approval of Minutes after Approval of Agenda. She also noted Council consensus to include Claims and Payroll as a Consent Calendar item. Mayor Supple asked if the Council agreed to place the item Hats Off to Hometown Hits under Council Discussion as a separate item of discussion. The Council agreed unanimously. Mayor Supple asked if the Council agreed with the change of verbiage regarding Open Forum. The Council agreed unanimously. Staff received direction regarding changes to the new agenda template. Staff thanked Council for their input and guidance on the new agenda template. Council and staff reviewed possible changes to Open Forum within the Rules of Procedure and Decorum document. Council Member Hayford Oleary stated he feels the Open Forum current procedure should remain. He opined that limiting Open Forum to 30 minutes would be wise, and if more comments are necessary, residents can speak at the end of the meeting. Mayor Supple asked if they would need to add an item for a Continued Open Forum at the end of the agenda and City Manager Rodriguez stated adding and additional would not be necessary. Mayor Supple noted the staff report referenced accommodating numerous people in an Open Forum to discuss the same topic. Council Member Coleman-Woods noted the benefits of having a single spokesperson for the City Council Meeting Minutes -5- April 8, 2025 same topic during an Open Forum for efficiency. Council discussed recommendations for Open Forum processes and provided staff direction. Council and staff reviewed possible changes to addressing Council and staff within the Rules of Procedure and Decorum document. Mayor Supple asked for feedback on using first names in Work Session minutes. Council Member Hayford Oleary stated he feels first names may be a little uncomfortable in group Work Session settings and added that using just the last names would suffice. Council Member Christensen noted if they are consistent, she is fine with either first names or last names during work sessions. Mayor Supple stated there was a Council consensus on using last names at Work Sessions. Council and staff discussed Council Members abstaining from voting section within the Rules of Procedure and Decorum document. City Attorney Tietjen explained the section is related to Council Members abstaining from motions and is in the City Code, so if the Council wants to change the section, they need to update the Code. Council Member Burk asked if it is the burden of the Council Member to cite the law that requires them to abstain. City Attorney Tietjen noted that likely Council Members would reach out for legal counsel if there is an actual conflict of interest, and it will be clear prior to the meeting. Council Member Hayford Oleary added he does not see abuse of abstaining in the City of Richfield. He added that if a Council Member is abstaining from a vote, they should not be allowed to participate in the discussion. Council and staff reviewed the section limiting Council Members discussion on a topic with the Rules of Procedure and Decorum document. Mayor Supple reviewed questions she had relating to limiting Council Member discussion on a topic. City Attorney Tietjen noted that she would need to review the rules and report back to the Council. Mayor Supple noted in the Council Rules of Procedure and Decorum in Subd. 7, it discusses adding items that are not on the agenda and inquired what kind of items that might be. City Attorney Tietjen explained that it could be an item, such as a Council discussion, that doesn’t require a motion or public hearing. City Clerk Friedrich added it could be an event that occurs on the day of the meeting and noted an example of a potential Bill in legislation that could affect the City, and Council decides to add an item as a point of discussion and record. Staff noted the changes reviewed in the Council Rules of Procedure and Decorum would be brought back to Council at a future meeting for review. ITEM #9 HATS OFF TO HOMETOWN HITS Council Member Coleman-Woods noted she had nothing to report. Council Member Christensen shared that she was able to take a tour of the improved Augsburg Library, which will open to the public on April 21. She noted that the library is great and will be very useful to the public. Council Member Hayford Oleary stated that he also enjoyed the Augsburg Library tour. He mentioned that he is enjoying the start of the street-sweeping season. Council Member Burk encouraged the public to make nominations for the Jean and Mary Jacobson Outstanding Citizen Award. City Council Meeting Minutes -6-April 8, 2025 Mayor Supple reported that she had the opportunity to speak to classes at Richfield Dual Language School and commended the fourth-grade students for their thoughtful questions. She also announced that the Richfield Foundation’s annual fundraiser is scheduled for May 1, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Additionally, she noted that applications are currently open for the Charter Commission. ITEM #10 ADJOURNMENT MOTION: made by Council Member Coleman-Woods, seconded by Council Member Hayford Oleary to adjourn the meeting at 8:10 p.m. Motion carried: 5-0 Date Approved: Aprill 22, 2025 Mary Supple Mayor Michelle Friedrich Katie Rodriguez City Clerk City Manager