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06.a2 Draft minutes 11-05-2025 Work Session November 5, 2025 A work session meeting of the Scandia City Council was held on the above date. The meeting was conducted in the Council Chambers at the Scandia Community Center and over an electronic platform. All participants who joined the meeting remotely could hear each other and contribute to discussions. Mayor Steve Kronmiller called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. The following were present: Council members Jerry Cusick, Jim Gribble, Kirsten Libby, Mike Lubke, and Mayor Steve Kronmiller. Staff present: City Administrator Kyle Morell and City Clerk Brenda Eklund. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Libby, seconded by Cusick, moved to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously. SCANDIA HERITAGE ALLIANCE LEASE AGREEMENT AND PROJECT UPDATE Sue Rodsjo, President of the Scandia Heritage Alliance, presented an update over Zoom on the Scandia Water Tower Barn project. Rodsjo shared renderings of the complex to bring music, history, and art to the Water Tower Barn Arts and Heritage Center. Fundraising to date totals over $3.8 million. The outdoor stage is being planned as a Phase 2 addition to the site. Grading, Watershed and building permits are close to being issued. The project will go out for bids in January 2026 with construction planned to begin in the spring. John Herman, SHA Board member and resident on Quentin Avenue, addressed the Council, saying he has been working on the lease agreement for the city-owned ballfield land with the city’s law firm. A lease agreement with the city is a requirement of the state grant which stipulates that the city owns the land. The nonprofit SHA leases the land and provides programming. Herman explained that the lease is structured with an initial 17.5 years, with a renewal term at 8.75 years followed by a further extension of 55.25 years for a total term of 99 years. At each of these renewal occasions, the city has an extensive review to see if there are any concerns with leasing. Mr. Herman said the lease form has been submitted to DEED for review, and he believes it is in final form for acceptance by the city. Draft resolutions to accept the lease and to authorize staff to enter into the agreements were also prepared. Mr. Herman said that closing documents are being approved now so that the documents will be teed up for final closing around early March. Administrator Morell explained that final action by the Council on the lease agreement and the resolutions will be on the November 18 regular meeting agenda. CITIZEN REQUEST FOR ACTION – JON LINDELL – RENEGOTIATION OF WASTE MANAGEMENT CONTRACT Jon Lindell, 218th Street, expressed his issues with Waste Management and its effects on residents. Lindell said the city’s contracted trash and recycling hauler limits choices, charges high rates, and operates as a monopoly. Lindell said that Stillwater negotiated a better rate structure for their residents, saying rates are much lower for the same service to pick up trash Scandia City Council Work Session November 5, 2025 Page 2 of 3 and/or recycling. Lindell stated that it would be a good idea to renegotiate a contract with Waste Management. Mr. Lindell spoke on an issue he has with the hauler’s debt collection from residents. Lindell said his issue was resolved but there are other residents affected. Lindell said that the company violated its contract provisions because there are no contracts with each customer, and WM did not give proper notice to collect debt on unpaid billings, saying he received a late notice after the September 30th deadline. Lindell concluded with a recommendation to renegotiate the contract with the same terms as Stillwater as a means to protect Scandia residents. Administrator Morell noted the extensive emails provided to the Council to resolve Mr. Lindell’s concerns with Waste Management. Morell said the allegation that past due collection notices were predated is unfounded as we cannot prove when the mailing date occurred. Morell said collection of debt by assessment to property tax collection is common. Waste Management did not send assessment notices last year, but is sending them this year. Mr. Lindell has been the only resident to contact staff. Administrator Morell explained the contract with Waste Management is for 7 years, through 2030. The city followed state statute to negotiate with Waste Management and chose not to go out for an RFP as there were no other haulers interested. Council member Lubke stated that an RFP could have resulted in higher rates and negotiating was a safer route for pricing. Morell said the contract allows for self-hauling, but the State requires charging the same rates for those who do not want recycling but rather garbage service only. Council member Gribble stated that Stillwater may have lower rates because of the density of the city – Scandia has more mileage to cover with fewer customers. Mr. Lindell said the Stillwater contract offers lowered rates for seniors. Lindell said he does not need trash service for a one-person household and only wants a recycling cart. Lindell said if he had a contract with WM, he would have known what services he was being charged for. Administrator Morell said that Stillwater has had contracts with WM for 20 years, possibly the reason for the lower rates. City staff is now better educated on contract terms and can ask to add these services with the next contract, in addition to being able to opt out of all service. Morell explained that state law sets the first contract to seven years, but subsequent terms are allowed to be shorter. Morell said he will check into a senior discount and garbage only service with WM. DEER HUNTING ZONES Beginning in 2026, the DNR is removing shotgun-only zones and hunters will be able to use legal rifles or shotguns throughout the state unless a county formally passes an ordinance restricting the use of rifles for hunting. Administrator Morell explained that the Washington County Administrator is asking if cities within the County would support a county-wide ban on rifle use for deer hunting starting with the 2026 hunting season. The County is not planning to restrict unless cities ask to do so. Scandia City Council Work Session November 5, 2025 Page 3 of 3 Council member Cusick provided background on the DNR’s regulations to control the deer population. Restricting rifles was another tool to help with deer harvest and there is no longer a reason to restrict rifles in the southern half of the state. Cusick said it’s not unlawful to shoot rifles, but just not for deer at this time. The Council was in consensus that there are no reasons to restrict rifle hunting when the law goes into effect in 2026. DISCUSSION ON PUBLIC FORUM AT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETINGS Administrator Morell said the City Attorney has brought up some concerns over the rules for the public forum after the last regular meeting, noting conflicting language for the public forum. Not all agenda items are public hearings and public comments are not required. If a resident wishes to speak about an item on the agenda, but it is not scheduled for a public hearing, the meeting rules provide no time for that resident to speak to the Council. Administrator Morell said the Council can allow comment on items, but they don’t explicitly ask for it. Council member Libby said if there is something the public wants to talk about give them the chance under the forum but make the rules clear. Administrator Morell said it can be stated ahead of the meeting that there will be a time when the public can speak on a topic; a policy to be clear so there’s no confusion whether or not they can speak. Administrator Morell said he will work on standard operating procedures for public comments at regular Council meetings. ADJOURNMENT Gribble, seconded by Lubke, moved to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 5-0. The meeting adjourned at 7:47 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Brenda Eklund City Clerk