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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-03-03 Work Session Meeting MinutesMINUTES OF THE EDINA CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION COMMUNITY ROOM, CITY HALL TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2026 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 roll call were Members Agnew, Jackson, Pierce, Risser, and Mayor Hovland. Staff in attendance: Scott Neal, City Manager; Ari Lenz, Assistant City Manager; Zoe Johnson, City Management Fellow; Jennifer Bennerotte, Communications Director; Chad Millner, Public Works Director/City Engineer; Ross Bintner, Engineering Services Manager; Perry Vetter, Parks & Recreation Director; Jake Miller, I.T. Specialist; and Sharon Allison, City Clerk. 3.0 MEETING TOPICS 3.1. Motion to Move to Closed Session as Permitted by M.S. 13D.05, Subd. 3 to Discuss Grandview Pedestrian Bridge ADA Inquiry with Department of Justice (DOJ) Member Pierce made a motion, seconded by Member Jackson. Ayes: Agnew, Jackson, Pierce, Risser, Hovland. Motion carried. 3.2. Grandview Pedestrian Bridge ADA Inquiry with Department of Justice Staff and the City's legal counsel Hannah Felix and Joe Neubauer, from the League of MN Cities updated the Council on the DOJ’s inquiry into the Grandview Pedestrian Bridge ADA. 3.3. Motion to Move Back into Open Session Member Jackson made a motion, seconded by Member Pierce. Ayes: Agnew, Jackson, Pierce, Risser, Hovland. Motion carried. 3.4 2027 Budget Kick-off The City Manager introduced the 2027 budget process and provided a high-level overview of the timeline and fiscal outlook. Finance Director Thao noted that the presentation marked the official start of the 2027 budget process and reviewed the tentative schedule. Council asked about the role of the consultant at the retreat and whether a moderator would be helpful for the budget discussion. Assistant City Manager Lenz clarified that a consultant is being considered for the City Manager search process rather than the retreat. Council asked how confident staff will be in the budget presented in April and Thao shared there will be some level of confidence, but it will look different as numbers are refined. She reminded Council that they approved a 7.94% levy in 2026 and if service levels remained the same, 2027’s projected levy increase is expected to be 9.82% as a starting point but would evolve as additional information becomes available. Council discussed how to structure the process, so Council receives information that shows several options for levy impacts, as well as the importance of providing additional clarity earlier in the process to alleviate the time constraint of the past two years. Additional discussion included the potential need for an October budget meeting, monitoring pending state legislation that could affect pricing or revenue assumptions, and reviewing major capital improvement projects. Staff noted several significant capital projects may require bonding and discussed the need to evaluate asset preservation, equipment replacement, and long-term maintenance funding, including facilities such as the pool. Assistant City Manager Lenz noted that additional discussion would be held at upcoming meetings, including the State of Utilities presentation on March 17. 3.5 Digital Accessibility Update Communications Director Bennerotte presented an update on the City’s efforts to comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and upcoming ADA requirements for digital communications, which take effect in April 2026. She explained that the requirements apply to both internal and external digital communications, though the City’s current focus is on externally facing platforms. The City currently maintains more than 40 websites and applications. Staff have been working with vendors to evaluate compliance, and four platforms have been confirmed compliant to date, though significant work remains. The City’s website was redesigned in fall 2025, but not all content currently meets accessibility standards. Bennerotte described ongoing work including evaluating platforms, transitioning away from some systems in favor of more compliant solutions, remediating existing content, and in some cases removing content that cannot be made accessible, and requirements such as closed captioning and providing descriptive explanations of graphics presented during meetings. She emphasized that accessibility efforts are not intended to reduce transparency but rather to ensure information is accessible to all users. She also outlined the process for determining when remediation may be considered an undue burden and noted that many organizations across the state and country are facing similar challenges and may not meet the April compliance deadline. Council asked questions about accessibility of documents in the Board Portal. 4. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Hovland adjourned the meeting at 6:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Sharon Allison, City Clerk James B. Hovland, Mayor Minutes approved by Edina City Council, March 17, 2026. Audio copy of the work session available. Sharon Allison (Mar 18, 2026 11:42:54 CDT)