HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-09-16 Work Session Meeting Packet
Meeting location:
Edina City Hall
Community Room
4801 W. 50th St.
Edina, MN
City Council Work Session Meeting Agenda
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
5:30 PM
Accessibility Support:
The City of Edina wants all residents to be comfortable being part of the public process. If you need assistance in the way of hearing amplification,
an interpreter, large-print documents or something else, please call 952-927-8861 at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting.
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Meeting Topics
3.1. 2026 - 2027 Budget: Fire Staffing
3.2. Fred Richards Park Project – Wetland Update
3.3. Administrative Updates
4. Adjournment
Page 1 of 60
d
ITEM REPORT
Date: September 16, 2025 Item Activity: Discussion
Meeting: City Council
Agenda Number: 3.1
Prepared By: Scott Neal, City Manager
Item Type: Other Department: Finance
Item Title: 2026 - 2027 Budget: Fire Staffing
Action Requested:
Discussion only
Information/Background:
Council will discuss fire staffing at it relates to the preliminary budget for 2026 - 2027. This is a
continuation of series of budget discussions with Council Members in advance of the preliminary levy
approval on September 16, 2025 and, ultimately, approval of the final levy before the end of
December 2025.
Supporting Documentation:
1. Fire Staffing Memo
2. Overlapping Incident Data
3. June 17 Fire Presentation
Page 2 of 60
City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424
In August, I presented my proposed budget to you. The proposed budget included a recommendation to
hire six new Paramedic/Firefighters. This proposal is consistent with the short-term recommendations
Chief Slama presented during his June 17, 2026, work session. Later that same evening, at the Council
Meeting, Council followed through with Chief Slama’s long-term recommendation to apply for the
SAFER grant. The City should find out this fall whether the grant is awarded. If it is not awarded, Chief
Slama recommended that the City continue to apply.
At our August 19th and September 2nd work sessions, Council continued to discuss fire staffing and
requested additional information. I also wanted to reshare the June presentation and highlight some key
points from that meeting:
• Chief Slama shared the level of service (LOS) the City is providing has been reduced to two
ambulances at times depending on staffing. This is due to increased relief factor, which make it
challenging to staff three ambulances while avoiding mandatory overtime. Level of service is a
local policy decision—there are no state or federal requirements.
• When there are more calls than ambulances available, the City relies on mutual aid while our
staff respond to other calls. Citywide response times at the 90th percentile for emergent runs
since 2021 ranged from 12:53 (highest in 2023) to 12:20 (lowest YTD as of June 2025).
Response times are primarily influenced by response location and travel time. Note: Ambulance
calls covered by mutual aid are not included in our response time calculations.
• Council asked, and Chief Slama provided, a metric on how often we experience simultaneous
calls. A multi-year look-back is included in the packet titled Overlapping Incident Data Request.
Below is a summary of current staffing, potential additions, and data to ensure Council has a clear
understanding of how the proposed service level changes compare to our current levels. There are
Administration Department
EdinaMN.gov
Date: September 16, 2025
To: Mayor & City Council
cc: Andrew Slama, Fire Chief
From: Scott Neal, City Manager
Subject: Fire Staffing Update
Page 3 of 60
City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424
three shifts, so the base proposal of +6 Paramedic/Firefighters provides two additional staff per shift.
+12 would add four per shift, and so on.
Options for Council Consideration
Current Responding Staffing: 30 Paramedic/Firefighters (there is also 6 fire captains)
Option 1: Proposed Budget (Recommended)
• Proposed Total Tax Levy: $64,456,025
• Levy Increase Percentage: 9.23%
• Adds 6 Paramedic/Firefighters if SAFER grant is not awarded (20% increase; 2 per shift)
• Adds 12 Paramedic/Firefighters if SAFER grant is awarded (40% increase; 4 per shift)
Option 2: Add 3 More Paramedic/Firefighters
• Proposed Total Tax Levy: $64,986,868
• Levy Increase Percentage: 10.13%
• Adds 9 Paramedic/Firefighters if SAFER grant is not awarded (30% increase; 3 per shift)
• Adds 15 Paramedic/Firefighters if SAFER grant is awarded (50% increase; 5 per shift)
Option 3: Add 6 More Paramedic/Firefighters
• Proposed Total Tax Levy: $65,517,752
• Levy Increase Percentage: 11.03%
• Adds 12 Paramedic/Firefighters if SAFER grant is not awarded (40% increase; 4 per shift)
• Adds 18 Paramedic/Firefighters if SAFER grant is awarded (60% increase; 6 per shift)
Council needs to adopt a preliminary levy tonight. As a reminder, the preliminary levy represents the
maximum amount the City can adopt in December.
Page 4 of 60
Overlapping Incident Data Request – September 2025
A request for overlapping incidents was made by City Council. e overlapping incident
information is one component of a response review for a fire department such as Edina. It should
not be reviewed in isolation or without context. Please contact Chief Slama if you would like a
better understanding of this dataset.
Edina Fire currently staffs two fire engines and three advanced life support ambulances. Staffing
in 2025 has resulted in cuts to our third ambulance due to the increased benefited time off use
and decreased voluntary overtime to fill these vacancies.
In review of our current service model from a high level, Edina Fire can reasonably respond to
the following types of incidents that happen at the same time (overlapping incidents).
Medical
• 3 Overlapping incidents that are Medical in nature.
Fire
• 1 Building or Structure Fire
Rescue
• 1 Technical Rescue
When overlapping incidents occur the ability to respond to an additional emergency is limited
and mutual aid (neighboring departments) may be required to assist in our response. ere is no
requirement for mutual aid departments to respond, they send units only if they have an available
resource. When overlapping incidents occur more frequently, Edina Fire may have no resources
to respond.
As you review the data tables below.
N/A= one call that has no overlapping incident.
1= one call that overlaps with another incident for a total of two calls that are occurring at the
same time.
2=two calls that overlap with another incident for a total of three calls that are occurring at the
same time.
is trend continues to 3,4,5,and 6 with 6= seven incidents occurring at the same time.
Page 5 of 60
2025 YTD
Overlapping Incident Count # Incidents %# Incidents
N/A 2,371 47.21%
1 1,710 34.05%
2 692 13.78%
3 196 3.90%
4 38 0.76%
5 12 0.24%
6 3 0.06%
2024
Overlapping Incident Count # Incidents %# Incidents
N/A 3,227 44.11%
1 2,527 34.54%
2 1,128 15.42%
3 348 4.76%
4 68 0.93%
5 15 0.21%
6 3 0.04%
2023
Overlapping Incident Count # Incidents %# Incidents
N/A 3,336 46.20%
1 2,503 34.67%
2 1,055 14.61%
3 274 3.80%
4 48 0.66%
5 4 0.06%
Page 6 of 60
2022
Overlapping Incident Count # Incidents %# Incidents
N/A 3,698 51.06%
1 2,393 33.04%
2 874 12.07%
3 219 3.02%
4 49 0.68%
5 7 0.10%
6 2 0.03%
2021
N/A 3,470 51.36%
1 2,253 33.35%
2 816 12.08%
3 183 2.71%
4 30 0.44%
5 3 0.04%
6 1 0.01%
Page 7 of 60
EdinaMN.gov
Response Time Policy and Operations Update
City Council Work Session
June 17, 2025
Page 8 of 60
Introduction
•Response Time Review
•Previous Comp Plan Goals
•Industry Standards
•Proposed Response Goals
•Operational Update
•Challenges and Constraints
•Fire Department Planning
•Short Term
•Long Term
•Questions
Page 9 of 60
Background -Response
•Edina Fire Department
•Advanced Life Support (ALS) Response
•Fire Protection
•Established in 1941
•First paid FF in 1955
•Progressive and Supported
•*Fire Based Ambulance*
•50 years of Paramedics
Page 10 of 60
Response Requirements
•No Federal Requirements
•No State Requirements
•*OSHA State
•Fire Department
•Ambulance Service
•Local Decision on Response
Page 11 of 60
How does Edina Respond?
•Primary Service Answer Point (PSAP)
•Edina Dispatch
•Fire Department Response
•Medical
•First Responder
•ALS -Ambulance
•ALS -Fire Engine
•Fire
•Fire Engine (s)
•Ambulance (s)
Page 12 of 60
Why is it Important? Minutes matter
Page 13 of 60
Why is it important? Minutes Matter
Page 14 of 60
Fire Department Response Considerations
•Type of Emergency•Fire•EMS
•Acuity•Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo
•Location
•Risk Profile•Building type, arrangement, occupancy
•Resources
•Volume
•Time of Day
•Overlapping Incidents
Page 15 of 60
Response Time Defined
•State of Normalcy
•Event
•Discovery of Event
•911 Call Time
•Alarm Processing
•Turnout Time
•Travel Time
•Initiate Action
•Control and Mitigate
•Recovery
Page 16 of 60
R
Page 17 of 60
Fire Department Response
•2008 Comprehensive Plan
•Eight Minutes or less
•2018 Comprehensive Plan
•Six Minutes or less
•Ensure we match community expectations
•Adopted and informed goals
Page 18 of 60
Best Practices and Industry Standards
National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA)
•6:39 Minutes
•90th percentile
•1:19 –Dispatch Time
•1:20-Turnout Time
•4:00 -Travel Time
Commission of Fire
Accreditation (CFAI)
•8:12 Minutes
•90th percentile
•1:30 - Dispatch Time
•1:30 - Turnout Time
•5:12 – Travel Time
Page 19 of 60
90th Percentile
•Reliability of the service
•Emergencies are unplanned; build a system to respond
•90th = 9 out of 10 times in that time or less
Page 20 of 60
Edina Fire Response Time Performance
12:47
12:36
12:53
12:29
12:20
11:45
12:00
12:14
12:28
12:43
12:57
13:12
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 - YTD
90th % Emergent Runs Response Time
Total Response Time
Page 21 of 60
Edina Fire Response Time Policy
• City Council updates the complete performance measure to direct Fire
Department planning and the ability to monitor operations.
•Suggestion
•8 Minutes and 12 Seconds – Emergent Responses
•90th percentile from 911 Call to arrival of the first due unit
•1:30 minutes – Dispatch Time
•1:30 minutes – Company Turnout Time
•6:00 minutes – Travel Time
Page 22 of 60
Operations Update
Page 23 of 60
Operational Challenges
•Increasing Call Volume
•Increasing Overlapping Incidents
•Aging Population
•Staff Relief Factor
•Responding to workforce evolution
Page 24 of 60
Call Volume
4,700 4,915 5,069 5,340 5,728 5,893 6,334
5,553
6,756 7,242 7,220 7,316
3,608 3,805 3,782 4,030 4,478 4,529 4,870 4,321
5,304 5,778 5,627 5,915
1,092 1,110 1,287 1,310 1,250 1,364 1,464 1,232 1,452 1,464 1,593 1,401
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Total Calls EMS Fire
•Annual Call Volume Edina Fire
Page 25 of 60
Staff Relief Factor
•The staff relief factor for a fire department is a crucial metric used to
determine the number of personnel required to ensure that all shifts are
adequately covered, accounting for various types of leave and absences.
This factor helps in planning and budgeting for the necessary staffing
levels to maintain operational readiness and service delivery.
•Each position staffed = 24/7 , 365 days
•8,760 Hours per Staffed Position
•Contract Hours – Benefited Time Off Hours = Actual hours Worked
Page 26 of 60
Staff Relief Factors
•Benefited Time Off
•Training Time
•Parental Leave
•Expected Changes in Benefited Time
•Overtime Evolution
Page 27 of 60
Edina Fire Department Operational Staffing
Page 28 of 60
Staff Relief Factors
•2024 Increase to 3.77 FTE Staff Relief Factor
•36 Authorized = 9.5 Positions Minimally Staffed
•Medic 3 shut down during some or all portions of a day.
Staff Relief Factor = Total Hours Per Seat / Average Hours worked per authorized position
Total Hours/ Seat Average Hours per Authorized Position 2024 Staff Relief Factor
8760 2,322.59 3.77
Page 29 of 60
Edina Fire Department Operational Staffing
Page 30 of 60
Summary
•The Response Time Goals in the Comprehensive Plan were visionary.
•City Council should make an informed decision on Response Time Goals
for Fire Department Planning and Operational Performance.
•Current Staffing levels do not match risk and demand that exists in the
City of Edina.
•Future demand is expected based on population growth and an aging
population.
•Current Staff resources are insufficient for today’s risk and demand.
Investing in staff will be necessary to respond appropriately.
Page 31 of 60
Short Term Recommendations
•6 FTE’s deferred to 2026
•Ensure these positions remain a priority
•Service impacts considered
•Utilize any and all methods to hire positions early
•OT savings, etc.
•Evaluate and adopt a response time goal that meets City Council and
resident expectations.
•8 Minutes, 12 seconds
• Emergent Response (90th % of 911 call to first arriving)
Page 32 of 60
Long Term Recommendations
•Comprehensive Staffing Plan
•Standards of Cover - 2026
•SAFER Grant Application
•If not awarded, continue to apply.
•Station 3 Construction
Page 33 of 60
Questions?
Page 34 of 60
d
ITEM REPORT
Date: September 16, 2025 Item Activity: Discussion
Meeting: City Council
Agenda Number: 3.2
Prepared By: Rachel DeVries Finberg, Park Planner
Item Type: Report & Recommendation Department: Parks & Recreation
Item Title: Fred Richards Park Project – Wetland Update
Action Requested:
Discussion focused only on direction for natural resources restoration at Fred Richards Park.
Information/Background:
Staff will present an update on wetland design and process at Fred Richards Park. The purpose of this
discussion is to determine design and application direction for the natural resources restoration work
on the western portion of the park.
Supporting Documentation:
1. Staff Report
2. Fred Richards Park Wetland Update Presentation
Page 35 of 60
City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424
Information / Background:
The Fred Richards Park master plan was approved on July 18th of 2017. On November 8th 2022 voters
approved via referendum a local option sales tax to allocate $17.7 M of project funding for implementation
and next phases of the Fred Richards Park master plan. Council’s June 13th, 2023 contract approval of
Confluence as a design firm started next steps in implementation process taking 4400 Parklawn Ave., the
former Fred Richards Executive Golf Course and transforming it into the 43-acre multi-use park visioned
in the approved master plan. The Park will consist of three key areas, the Central Green, Nature Bank
and Great Lawn and Loop. The work session discussion will focus on the wetland portion of the project.
The Nature Bank component includes wetland banking, wetlands and natural areas, native vegetation,
landform, wildlife habitat and structures, boardwalks and trails, seating, interpretive and educational
opportunities. On July 18, 2023 City Council approved the pursuit of a wetland bank at Fred Richards
Park. A wetland mitigation bank is a wetland, stream, or aquatic resource area that has been restored,
enhanced, preserved, or established. This process is done in advance to mitigate impacts to other
wetlands or other aquatic resources. The wetland banking process is a phase and section of the
implementation of the Fred Richards Park master plan that contains a permanent commitment to
environmental stewardship and establishment of a conservation easement with Minnesota Board of Water
and Soil Resources (BWSR). This easement comes with additional requirements and responsibilities
including monitoring, maintenance, terms and conditions, or limited use conditions for the easement
portion of the park. This process also includes additional requirements from other regulatory agencies
such as the watershed district.
City Staff with assistance from EOR has been working with regulatory authorities through the wetland
banking process. Project requirements have evolved from original design due to strict requirements and
concerns from regulatory agencies. This process includes multiple pre permitting submissions as well as
reviews and re-submissions. To date staff have submitted 3 full applications for review. Each application
has taken comments and requirements into consideration, however approvals have not been granted
and designs have not been able to fully meet requirements. At this stage, staff believes with certainty
this process would lead to additional unforeseen costs for construction and would require the re-design
of parkland spaces to meet water quality and stormwater requirements.
Date: September 16, 2026
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Perry Vetter, Parks & Recreation Director and Rachel Finberg, Park Planning Project
Manager
Subject: Fred Richards Park Wetland Update
Page 36 of 60
City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424
City Council approved the hiring of H+U construction this spring to assist the project team with
Construction management. A part of this service includes real time costing and constructability advice.
Through costing exercises and analysis it was found that continued pursuit of wetland banking would
exceed the project budget by 3.1 million which is far above expectations. These increases were due to
design requirement changes including material removals and grading, stormwater BMP costs, and trail
and access costs.
Staff and consultants worked to see if cost reductions could be made to fit the wetland bank area within
budget. These scenarios removed valued features such as the pathways, planting materials, and also
non-essential components for banking approvals. This exercise still left the area 1.9 million over budget.
Staff and consultants then looked at what changes could be made to the space in order to retain the
intent of this space but alleviate the technical requirements and restrictions put on the space by the
banking process. These changes allow for a cost reduction to put us closely in line with the budget by
pursuing a Wetland Preserve in this location of the park.
A wetland preserve design has been created that:
• Preserves and enhances existing wetland areas
• Creates diverse ecological zones
• Keeps existing stormwater connections that allow for water quality and stormwater treatment
for the region.
• Allows for additional flood storage
• Retains much of the existing tree canopy
• Reduces disturbances to existing wildlife
• Reduces the amount of materials exported from the site
• Reduces stormwater treatment in active recreation areas
• Allows for additional education, user access and passive recreational use
Conclusion:
It is the recommendation of staff to no longer pursue the formal wetland banking process for Fred Richards
Park. Through the process to date, challenges created by banking process are no longer reasonable and
manageable in cost and complexity. The urban nature of the park and the requirements of the banking
process has made aspects no longer attainable without adverse costs or affects to park amenities and
project goals. The staff recommendation is to pursue the wetland preserve concept and if supported by
Council, will bring this for any formal actions at the time additional project approvals are requested.
Attachments:
1. Fred Richards Wetland Alternative Design
2. Fred Richard Wetland Update Staff Presentation
Page 37 of 60
EdinaMN.gov
Fred Richards Park Wetland Update
City Council Meeting
September 16, 2025
Page 38 of 60
Fred Richards Master Plan 2017
Restore Nature’s Role
•Providing critical ecosystem services to an area of the city that is under increasing flooding
pressure.
•Creation of habitats- including meadows and marshland, restoring historic landscape function.
•Balancing excavation –flood storage with recreational and landscape enhancements.
Page 39 of 60
SCENARIOS
WETLAND PRESERVE + PARK
MITIGATION BANK + PARK
WETLAND
PRESERVE
MITIGATION
BANK
PARK
PARK
Page 40 of 60
1. Key Constraints from Banking Easement
•Restrictions on use
•Performance Standards
•Schedule - No work until banking
agreements are in place!
•Lifetime commitment
•Bank processing fees
2. Credit Potential
•12.75 estimated potential credits (17
acres @75%)
•-2.2 credits for on-site mitigation
(minimum)
•$120,000 per credit (estimated)
•1,266,000 potential revenue
(10.55x$120K)
3. Onsite Mitigation
•Current design includes 1.1 acres of
impact = 2.2 wetland credits needed
•Yr1 Bank Construction Certification
expected to yield 1.9 credits
•Yr2 Credit Release expected to yield
another 2.5 credits
•If purchasing 2.2 credits from another
bank is required = approx. $264,000
MITIGATION
BANK
17 ACRES 1.1 ACRES
OF
IMPACTED
WETLANDS
ORIGINAL MITIGATION BANK REQUEST
Page 41 of 60
Wetland Preserve – Original Goals
•Fred Richards Nature + Ecology Park
•Balancing materials-
•Flood storage is created by excavating
1-2’ from western half and using
material to create berms for
landscape enhancement.
•Balancing activity-
•Enhancements will help filter noise
and activity between active park
spaces and restored wetland.
Page 42 of 60
Preserves and enhances existing wetland areas
Creates diverse ecological zones
Keeps existing stormwater connections that allow
for water quality and stormwater treatment for
the region.
Allows for additional flood storage
Retains much of the existing tree canopy
Reduces disturbances to existing wildlife
Reduces the amount of materials exported
Reduces stormwater treatment in active
recreation areas
Allows for additional education, user access and
passive recreational use
WETLAND PRESERVE DESIGN
Page 43 of 60
City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424
Interactive Meeting Policy
Recent changes to Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law 13D.02, effective July 1, 2025, expand how public
bodies may use interactive technology to conduct meetings. The most significant updates remove the
requirement that a remote member’s location be open and accessible to the public and eliminate the
need to list remote locations in meeting notices. State law still requires at least one member to be
physically present at the official meeting location, all participants be able to hear and see each other,
and roll-call votes are used. Staff have drafted a policy to align with these statutory changes while also
adding local guidelines to ensure consistency, accountability and clear expectations for City Council,
Housing & Redevelopment Authority and advisory Boards and Commissions. A copy of the draft policy is
attached.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Website Requirements
On April 24, 2024, the Federal Register published the Department of Justice’s final rule updating its
regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The final rule has specific
requirements about how to ensure that web content and mobile applications are accessible to people
with disabilities. All web content and mobile applications that Edina provides or makes available must
conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards by April 24, 2026.
(Smaller cities have one more year to gain compliance.)
City staff have been reviewing its web-based platforms to make sure they are accessible and reviewing
documents posted online. Documents may be removed from sites, remediated or moved to the Edina
Docs archive. Staff has had initial training on making Word, PowerPoint and PDF files accessible. Work is
under way to create some accessible templates for staff to use. Language has been shared with staff to
include in RFPs to ensure web-based software is compliant going forward. Various staff groups are
Administration Department
EdinaMN.gov
Date: September 16, 2025
To: Mayor & City Council
cc: Scott Neal, City Manager
From: Ari Lenz, Assistant City Manager; MJ Lamon, Special Projects & Community Engagement
Manager; Jennifer Bennerotte, Communications Director; Pa Thao, Finance Director
Subject: Administrative Updates
Page 44 of 60
City of Edina • 4801 W. 50th St. • Edina, MN 55424
having regular discussions about what kind of documents to post online going forward. (Matters of
security and mobile use by the majority of users are also a part of these conversation.) There will be
some Council packet and presentation adjustments to ensure compliance that will be noticeable to the
Council; we are working through those changes.
Without additional staff, all of this work is a tremendous undertaking and it is unlikely that all platforms
and documents will be accessible by April 24, 2026. Communications staff is leading work to create a
written remediation plan for whatever work will remain. Administration is working through Council and
Board & Commission packet changes.
Payment of Claims Procedures for Council Packet
In response to an increase in phishing attacks targeting local governments, staff plans to transition
Finance Payment of Claims approval materials out of the publicly available Council packet and into a
secure Council portal. These attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with scammers pulling
invoice numbers, vendor names and payment amounts directly from online Council materials to create
fraudulent communications. Several cities have had direct attacks and lost funds due to these scams. To
reduce this risk, many cities have taken proactive steps to safeguard financial data by removing
Accounts Payable details from online documents. This information will still be accessible to the public
through the public data request process.
Community Comment & Public Hearing Procedures
Staff is recommending we consider a different approach to collecting participants’ addresses in
Community Comment and public hearings. As a security precaution for those who wish to provide
comments or public hearing testimony, staff recommends the Council consider having community
members fill out a form or sign in with their addresses versus publicly stating them before beginning
their remarks.
Additionally, Staff would Council input on if the Council should continue to provide a call-in option for
Community Comment and public hearings during Council meetings. The call-in option was started during
the COVID-19 pandemic, but there has been low online participation this year. For projects with public
hearings, residents are able to provide input in advance and often after the in-person public hearings by
visiting the City’s online engagement site Better Together Edina. Currently, setting up the process
involves time and coordination between three staff members for each meeting.
Page 45 of 60
City of Edina – Remote Attendance at Public
Meetings Policy – draft September 2025
Purpose
This policy is intended to provide a clear and consistent method for remote participation in public
meetings, in accordance with Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law. This policy does not apply to closed
meetings of the City Council or the Housing and Redevelopment Authority as defined by State law.
Scope
This policy applies to:
• Members of the Edina City Council
• Members of Edina Housing & Redevelopment Authority
• Members of Edina’s Council-appointed advisory Boards and Commissions
General Requirements for Remote Participation
A member of the City Council or an advisory Board or Commission may participate in a public
meeting remotely using interactive technology (live audio and video) only when all the following
conditions are met:
1. Justification
The Member is physically unable to attend the meeting in person. Examples include:
o Medical procedure or recovery period
o Work-related travel or recurring professional obligations
o Planned personal travel that conflicts with a meeting date
o Ongoing caregiving responsibilities that prevent in-person attendance
o Other known personal conflicts that are communicated in advance
o Military deployment
Use of remote participation for last-minute, unforeseen issues (such as illness or
emergencies) is addressed separately in the Advance Notification section of this policy and
should remain the exception.
2. Technology Access
The Member has access to technology that enables participation in the meeting via live,
two-way audio and video. The City will select the technology platform and ensure adequate
training is provided for its use.
3. Full Participation in the Entire Meeting
The Member will be asked to join the meeting approximately 15 minutes before it is
scheduled to begin to test technology and must be present for the entire meeting—from roll
call to adjournment—watching and listening live through video and audio, unless an
alternative arrangement has been pre-coordinated with staff. The Member must be able to
hear others and be heard clearly whenever speaking. The Member’s camera should remain
on throughout the meeting to show active participation. While the microphone may be
muted when the Member is not speaking (for example, to prevent background noise from
family members or other activity at the meeting location), it must be unmuted when
participating in discussion or voting. The chat feature will be turned off for all public
meetings conducted with interactive technology.
Example:
Page 46 of 60
A Member who works until 6:00 p.m. and faces unpredictable traffic may notify staff in
advance that they could be a few minutes late. In this case, staff can make an exception so
the Member can still participate virtually without being considered out of compliance.
4. Controlled Meeting Location
Members may participate from either a public or private location, such as a home, office or
hotel room. However, the Member must ensure that no one is sitting with them or nearby in
a way that could influence what they say or how they vote during the meeting. While
everyday background activity (such as a child in another room or someone briefly walking
by) is understandable, the meeting space must be set up so that no other person is actively
involved in the Member’s participation. This includes people offering suggestions, speaking
during discussion items, or reacting to the meeting content.
The Member is responsible for choosing a location that maintains the independence of their
participation, avoids disruptions and supports a fair and respectful meeting environment.
5. Advance Notification
The Member must notify City staff of their intent to attend virtually at least two business
days before the meeting date. This notification should be submitted via email to:
o Staff liaison for Board and Commission members
o The City Manager for City Council Members and HRA Commissioners
Recognizing that unexpected circumstances may arise, Members might still be able to
participate remotely with less than two days’ notice, when necessary, provided they meet
all the requirements outlined in this policy, inform staff as soon as reasonably possible and
staff is available to set up the electronic meeting.
Examples of acceptable last-minute circumstances may include:
o Sudden illness or COVID-like symptoms
o Unexpected childcare or dependent care conflicts
o Unexpected work obligations or travel delays
o Inclement weather or transportation issues
o Personal or family emergencies
Staff liaisons and the City Manager or designee are authorized to use discretion in
determining whether a last-minute remote attendance request is appropriate.
Physical Presence Requirements
To comply with Minnesota Open Meeting Law and ensure public access and accountability, at least
one member of the body must be physically present at the official meeting location for a meeting to
proceed. Official meeting locations with the technology to accommodate electronic meetings with
a viewing public include the Council Chambers and Community Room of Edina City Hall and the
Multipurpose Room of the Public Works & Park Maintenance Facility. City staff do not count toward
the physical presence requirement.
• City Council & HRA Meetings
At least a quorum of Council Members or HRA Commissioners must be physically present
in the public meeting location for a meeting to proceed. The City Manager will coordinate in
advance with Council Members and HRA Commissioners to ensure the in-person quorum
is met.
• Planning Commission, Heritage Preservation Commission Meetings, Board of Appeal &
Equalization, Construction Board of Appeals
Page 47 of 60
At least a quorum of Members must be physically present in the public meeting location for
a meeting to proceed. The Staff Liaison will coordinate in advance with Commissioners to
ensure the in-person quorum is met.
• Other Commission Meetings
At least one voting member must be physically present at the official meeting location. This
responsibility will default to the Chair unless another member has agreed in advance to be
the designated in-person participant.
If no member is present in person at the designated meeting location, the meeting must be
canceled or rescheduled. This requirement applies to all regular and special meetings unless a
State of Emergency has been declared and the conditions of Minn. Stat. §13D.021 (Emergency
Meetings) are met.
Legal Compliance
All remote participation must comply with applicable provisions of Minnesota Statutes §13D,
including:
• Proper meeting notice
• Roll-call votes
Remote participation will not be permitted if it does not meet legal or technological requirements.
Implementation
o City staff will maintain a record of remote participation through official minutes to reflect
mode of attendance.
o This policy will be reviewed annually or as needed as updates are needed.
Page 48 of 60
Administrative Updates
City Council Work Session
September 16, 2025
Page 49 of 60
Agenda Items
•Interactive Technology
•Draft Policy
•ADA
•Introduction
•Payment of Claims
•Process Update
Page 50 of 60
Purpose & Scope
Purpose
•Provide a clear and consistent process for remote participation
•Ensure compliance with Minnesota Open Meeting Law
Applies to…
•City Council
•Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA)
•Boards & Commission appointed by Council
Page 51 of 60
Changes in Open Meeting Law **As of July 1, 2025**
1.No more public access required at remote locations
§Local officials may participate remotely from a closed location (i.e.
home or private space) without it being “open or accessible” to the
public
2.No longer required to list remote locations in meeting notices
§Only need to individuate that some members may join via interactive
technology—not specify where
Page 52 of 60
Key Requirements for Remote Participation
State Statute Requirements
•Members must be able to hear and
be heard by all participants
•Roll-call votes are required
•At least one member must by
physical present at the official
meeting location (except in
emergencies)
•Public must be able to se see/hear
the meeting at the public meeting
location
Edina Policy Additions
•Member requested join 15 minutes
early for technology check.
•Member must be present for the
entire meeting (roll call →
adjournment).
•Camera on throughout; microphone
muted only when not speaking.
•Advance notice to staff (2 business
days preferred; exceptions allowed
for emergencies).
•Remote participation is for
legitimate conflicts (medical, travel,
work, caregiving).
Page 53 of 60
Physical Presence Requirements
•A quorum must be physically present
City Council & HRA
•A quorum must be physically present
Planning Commission, Heritage Preservation
Commission, Construction Board
•At least one voting member must by physically present (default = chair)
Other Commissions
City staff does not count toward this requirement. If
no member is physically present, the meeting must
be cancelled or rescheduled.
Page 54 of 60
Next Steps
•Staff finalize policy
•City Council Approve Policy (October 7)
•Liaison Update
•Commission Memo
•Assess Technology Needs
•Roll Out
Remote Attendance
Starting January 1, 2026
Questions?
Page 55 of 60
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
On April 24, 2024, the Federal Register published the
Department of Justice’s final rule updating its regulations for
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The final
rule has specific requirements about how to ensure that web
content and mobile applications are accessible to people
with disabilities.
All web content and mobile applications that Edina provides
or makes available must conform to the Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards by
April 24, 2026.
Page 56 of 60
Edina’s To-Do List to Meet WCAG
•Review web-based platforms and apps to make sure
they are accessible
•Review documents posted online
•Remove documents
•Remediate documents
•Move historical documents to Edina Docs archive
•Write remediation plan for making platforms and
documents accessible
Page 57 of 60
Edina’s WCAG Work Done to Date
•Requested compliance documents from vendors
•Began redesign of EdinaMN.gov
•Provided accessible documents training to staff
•Provided each department with a list of documents on
EdinaMN.gov to remove, move or remediate
•Began remediating City templates
Page 58 of 60
Payment of Claims
Minn. Stat. § 412.271 DISBURSEMENTS
•Council review and approval is needed when paying
claims for goods and services.
•The procedures shall include regular and frequent
review of the city administrative officials' actions by the
council. A list of all claims paid under the procedures
established by the city council shall be presented to
the council for informational purposes only at the next
regularly scheduled meeting after payment of the
claim.
Page 59 of 60
Payment of Claims
•Staff Recommendation – Risk Mitigation
•Emerging risk
•Observed impact
•Recommended Action: Transition Payment of Claims
material from public Council Packets to secure
Council portal.
•Public access maintained
Page 60 of 60