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Home My WebLink About2025-09-16 Work Session Meeting MinutesPage 1 MINUTES OF THE EDINA CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION COMMUNITY ROOM, CITY HALL TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 5:30 P.M. 1.0 CALL TO ORDER Mayor Hovland called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. 2.0 ROLL CALL Answering rollcall were Members Agnew, Jackson, Pierce, Risser and Hovland. Staff in attendance: Scott Neal, City Manager; Ari Lenz, Assistant City Manager; Pa Thao, Finance Director; Fire Chief Andrew Slama; Perry Vetter, Parks & Recreation Director; Tom Swenson, Assistant Director- Parks & Natural Resources; Rachel Finberg, Park Planner; MJ Lamon, Special Projects & Engagement Manager; Jennifer Bennerotte, Communications Director; Chad Millner, Engineering Director; Zoe Johnson, City Management Fellow; Jake Miller, I.T. Specialist; and Sharon Allison, City Clerk. 3.1 2026-2027 BUDGET: FIRE STAFFING Council continued discussion on fire staffing as part of the 2026–2027 preliminary budget process, which will lead to levy adoption on September 16, 2025, and final approval by December. Staff reviewed data on overlapping incidents, mutual aid trends, ambulance response times, and the operational impacts of adding firefighters in six-person increments. The Fire Chief explained that six additional firefighters would allow two more per shift, helping sustain a third ambulance and reduce reliance on mutual aid. Council expressed concerns about firefighter safety, overtime, recruitment challenges, and the cost of adding staff. They also noted budget pressures from other citywide obligations, including ADA compliance and future maintenance. Council discussed how many firefighters should be added and how to fund them. The Chief indicated Edina’s need is 18 firefighters, with a plan to add six on January 1 and twelve more if the SAFER grant is awarded. Some stressed keeping the levy increase under 10% while others emphasized public safety as the priority. Options were discussed, including budgeting for 12 firefighters and using grant funding if secured, or staging hiring overtime. Council agreed this is a high-cost but high-value decision and requested staff to bring back clear options showing fiscal impacts and trade-offs for further discussion before the levy is set. 3.2 FRED RICHARDS PARK PROJECT – WETLAND UPDATE Staff presented an update on wetland design and restoration at Fred Richards Park to help determine design and application direction for the western portion. The focus was on restoring nature’s role, with two scenarios reviewed: creating a wetland mitigation bank or pursuing a wetland preserve. The bank option was more complex, uncertain, and over budget by about $3.1M, while the preserve option would enhance existing conditions, reduce costs by about $2.6M, and stay within budget. Staff recommended the preserve option, noting benefits such as allowing additional features not permitted in a wetland bank. Council discussed costs, risks, and differences between restoring to historical conditions versus preservation, with some expressing disappointment in the change. This was an update only. Minutes/Edina City Council Work Session/September 16, 2025 Page 2 3.3 ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES Staff shared changes to the Interactive Meeting Policy to provide a consistent process for remote participation and ensure compliance with Minnesota Open Meeting Law, reviewed changes and identified the groups the policy applies to. Key changes in the law include the removal of requirements for participants to be in a public space or provide notice of their location, and some new local requirements. Physical presence requirements were also reviewed. The next steps were outlined, with implementation scheduled to begin at the start of the new year. In response to rising phishing attacks, staff will move Finance Payment of Claims approval materials from the public Council packet to a secure Council portal. Scammers have been using invoice details from online materials to create fraudulent invoices, leading some cities to lose funds. Many cities now remove these details from public documents. Payment of Claims will be available through the public data request process. Staff recommended changes to Community Comment and public hearing procedures. For security, participants could provide their addresses on a form or sign-in sheet instead of stating them publicly. Staff also asked whether the Council should continue the call-in option, which began during COVID-19 but has had very low use this year and requires significant staff coordination. Council discussed the value of continuing the option, equity concerns for those unable to attend in person, staff time commitments, and comparisons to practices in other cities. Some supported eliminating it, while others suggested limited off-camera access opportunities, such as quarterly sessions, as an alternative. 4.0 ADJOURNMENT Mayor Hovland adjourned the meeting at 6:51 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Sharon Allison, City Clerk Minutes approved by Edina City Council, October 7, 2025. James B. Hovland, Mayor Audio copy of the work session available. Sharon Allison (Oct 8, 2025 13:50:47 CDT)