09-26-2023 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; Sean Hayford
Oleary; and Ben Whalen
Council Members
Absent:
Simon Trautmann
Staff Present: Katie Rodriguez, City Manager; Mary Tietjen, City Attorney;
Chris Swanson, Management Analyst; Jay Henthorne, Police
Chief; Jennifer Anderson, Health Administrator; Melissa
Poehlman, Community Development Director; Jan Youngquist,
Economic Development Manager and Dustin Leslie, City Clerk
Others Present: Mara Glubka, 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
Kathleen Balaban, 65th and Stevens Avenue, indicated the residents resource page on the City’s
website was last updated in 2019 and some of the information was incorrect and/or mis sing. She
requested this information be updated and a new updated guide be sent to every household in the city.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Whalen to approve the minutes of the: (1) City Council Work Session of
September 12, 2023; (2) Regular City Council Meeting of September 12, 2023.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Regular Council Meeting
September 26, 2023
City Council Meeting Minutes -2- September 26, 2023
Motion carried: 4-0
ITEM #1
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
M/Whalen S/Hayford Oleary to approve the agenda.
Motion carried: 4-0
ITEM #2
PROCLAMATION CELEBRATING LGBTQ+ HISTORY MONTH
Mayor Supple invited Commissioner Mara Glubka, Human Rights Commission to accept the
proclamation and read aloud the proclamation.
Commissioner Glubka summarized the LTBTQ history and shared an account of a friend who
had to flee her home state of Missouri recently in an attempt to find safety and peace and the impact
this had on the friends family.
ITEM #3
PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY OF RICHFIELD ON GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR
COMMUNITY
Mayor Supple read aloud the proclamation.
Council Member Whalen stated he was proud to be in a State that had leaders who have
declared it a refuge for trans people who increasingly were fleeing and to address gun violence.
ITEM #4
PRESENTATION FROM HENNEPIN COUNTY COMMISSIONER GOETTEL
Commissioner Goettel gave a presentation on what the County Commissioner’s do, what their
budget covered, how they helped the residents in the Cities they represent, how they are dealing with
the mental health issues of the community, and the economic recovery following the end of Covid-19.
Commissioner Goettel stated the Southdale Library project was finally coming to pass in the
2024 proposed budget. She indicated they had also given grants for planting a million trees by 2030 to
mitigate the loss of the tree canopy due to emerald ash borer and other pests with a special focus on
improving the equity of the tree canopy, reducing air pollution, and combatting the urban heat island
effect.
Commissioner Goettel thanked the city for working closely with the Commission on projects.
She addressed the homeless issues facing the cities and State and summarized what they were doing
to assist the homeless.
Council Member Hayford Oleary thanked Commissioner Goettel for her presentation, and he
was glad to hear about the Southdale Library and appreciated people would be able to walk and bike
to that library. He stated he appreciated Commissioner Goettel was continuing to advocate for Penn
Avenue also. He indicated he was impressed with the positive changes with the transportation planning
in the County. Commissioner Goettel noted they would be able to have better redevelopment a lot faster
if they were able to upgrade the infrastructure underneath the roads as well as the road structure itself
City Council Meeting Minutes -3-September 26, 2023
and this was on her list. She stated with respect to the library, the leftover land would be a park owned
by Hennepin County, which would never be sold or developed.
ITEM #5 CONSENT CALENDAR
City Manager Rodriguez presented the consent calendar.
A.Consider adoption of a resolution appointing election judges and establishing an absentee
ballot board for the Richfield School District Election of November 7, 2023 (Staff Report No.
123)
RESOLUTION NO. 12128
RESOLUTION APPOINTING ELECTION JUDGES FOR
THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT #280
ELECTION BEING HELD ON NOVEMBER 7, 2023
M/Whalen, S/Hayford Oleary to approve the consent calendar.
Motion carried: 4-0
ITEM #6 CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS, IF ANY, REMOVED FROM CONSENT
CALENDAR
None.
ITEM #7
CONSIDER THE SECOND READING AND HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN
ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO THE RICHFIELD CITY CODE APPENDIX D (FEE
SCHEDULE) RELATED TO BUILDING, PLANNING, AND ZONING FEES (STAFF
REPORT NO. 124)
Council Member Whalen presented Staff Report 124 and opened the public hearing.
M/Whalen, S/Hayford Oleary to approve closing the public hearing.
Motion carried: 4-0
M/Whalen, S/Christensen to approve the Ordinance Amendment to Richfield City Code,
Appendix D Fee Schedule related to Building, Planning and Zoning fees and approve the Resolution
authorizing summary publication of said Ordinance.
BILL NO. 2023-9
TRANSITORY ORDINANCE NO. 19-31
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING APPENDIX D TO THE RICHFIELD CITY CODE:
ESTABLISHING A FEE SCHEUDLE FOR CERTAIN PERMITS AND APPLICATIONS
RESOLUTION NO. 12130
City Council Meeting Minutes -4-September 26, 2023
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING APPENDIX D TO THE
RICHFIELD CITY CODE: ESTABLISHING A FEE
SCHEDULE FOR CERTAIN PERMITS AND
APPLICATIONS
SUMMARY PUBLICATION
TRANSITORY ORDINANCE NO. 19-32
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING APPENDIX D TO THE
RICHFIELD CITY CODE: ESTABLISHING A FEE
SCHEDULE FOR CERTAIN PERMITS AND
APPLICATIONS
Motion carried: 4-0
ITEM #8
CONSIDER THE APPROAL OF THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE
AMENDING CHAPTER 8, SUBDIVISION 840.13 OF THE RICHFIELD CITY CODE
TO PROHIBIT SMOKING IN PUBLIC PARKS AND DURING COMMUNITY
EVENTS. THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE INCLUDES ESTABLISHING A PETTY
MISDEMEANOR OFFENSE (STAFF REPORT NO. 125)
Hayford Oleary presented Staff Report 125.
City Manager Rodriguez stated staff had some changes based on questions from Council and
feedback. She noted staff had made some changes to make the language more precise on the
Ordinance.
Manager Anderson reviewed the Ordinance language changes.
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Christensen to approve the first reading of an Ordinance amending
Chapter 8, Subsection 840.13 of the Richfield City Code to prohibit smoking in public parks and during
City sponsored events or City co-sponsored events, as well as establishing a petty misdemeanor
offense.
Motion carried: 4-0.
Council Member Hayford Oleary thanked staff for the clarification. He believed this was the
appropriate and commonsense thing to do.
Mayor Supple agreed this was a commonsense approach. She believed they would need a
discussion on edible cannabinoid products also in the future.
ITEM #9 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE AMENDED AND RESTATED
BUSINESS SUBSIDY POLICY (STAFF REPORT NO. 126)
Hayford Oleary presented Staff Report 126.
Council Member Whalen and Mayor Supple thanked staff for their work on this.
City Council Meeting Minutes -5-September 26, 2023
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Whalen to approve the Resolution approving the amended and restate
Business Subsidy Policy.
RESOLUTION NO. 12129
RESOLUTION APPROVING AMENDED AND RESTATED BUSINESS SUBSIDY
POLICY
Motion carried: 4-0
ITEM #10 CONSIDER THE APPOINTMENT OF YOUTH MEMBERS TO CITY ADVISORY
BOARD/COMISSIONERS (STAFF REPORT NO. 127)
Council Member Christensen presented Staff Report 127.
M/Christensen, S/Whalen to Approve the appointment of Maya Ervasti to the Human Right
Commission and Alexander Valle-Orsonio to the Transportation Commission as youth commissioners.
Motion carried: 4-0
ITEM #11 CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Rodriguez had no report.
ITEM #12 CLAIMS AND PAYROLL
M/Whalen, S/Christensen that the following claims and payrolls be approved:
U.S. BANK 09/21/2023
A/P Checks: 323836-324093 $3,026,644.69
Payroll: 182008-182374; 43660-43662 $773,692.59
TOTAL $3,800,337.28
Motion carried: 4-0
ITEM #13 HATS OFF TO HOMETOWN HITS
Council Member Hayford Oleary stated he was excited for the progress of the Taft Bike Park
and the ribbon cutting would be on October 3 at 5 p.m.
Council Member Christensen gave hats off to the Penn Fest celebration. She indicated it was
a pleasure to meet new vendors and others.
Council Member Whalen highlighted events coming up in October including the Great Pumpkin
Giveaway, the Bark in the Park, and the Fifth Annual Community Trunk or Treat. He stated that early
voting had also begun. City Clerk Leslie summarized the early voting process.
City Council Meeting Minutes -6-September 26, 2023
Mayor Supple gave hats off to Analyst Swanson for serving as the City’s Noise Oversight
Commission Member for the Airports Commission. She also stated in October they were having the
Renovation Celebration Tour of remodeled homes in the city. She indicated the adult Commissioner
applications were opening on October 1. She stated she had been receiving phone calls from residents
regarding aggressive turkeys. She indicated according to the Humane Society; turkeys have a pecking
order of dominance and may view people or pets who act fearful as underlings. She presented
recommendations for people who were having aggressive turkey issues.
ITEM #14 ADJOURNMENT
M/Hayford Oleary, S/Whalen to adjourn the meeting at 8:13 p.m.
Motion carried: 4-0
Date Approved: October 10, 2023
Mary Supple
Mayor
Dustin Leslie Katie Rodriguez
City Clerk City Manager