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01-09-23 CC Reg Mtg MinutesCITY OF SHOREWOOD CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 MINUTES 1. CONVENE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING Mayor Labadie called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. Oaths of Office: 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD COUNCIL CHAMBERS 7:00 P.M. City Administrator Nevinski administered the Oath of Office to: Dustin Maddy, Council Member Guy Sanschagrin, Council Member A. Roll Call Present. Mayor Labadie; Councilmembers Johnson, Callies, Maddy, and Sanschagrin; City Attorney Shepherd; City Administrator Nevinski; City Clerk/HR Director Thone; Finance Director Rigdon; Planning Director Darling; Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield; Director of Public Works Morriem; and, City Engineer Budde Absent: None B. Review Agenda Callies moved, Maddy seconded, approving the agenda as presented. Motion passed. 2. CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Labadie reviewed the items on the Consent Agenda. Councilmember Callies asked to pull items K. and N and place them on the regular agenda for further discussion. Callies moved, Sanschagrin seconded, Approving the Motions Contained on the Consent Agenda, as amended, and Adopt the Resolutions Therein. A. City Council Work Session Minutes of December 12, 2022 B. Municipal Canvas Board Meeting of December 12, 2022 C. City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of December 12, 2022 D. Approval of the Verified Claims List E. Approve Master Fee Schedule. Adopting RESOLUTION NO. 23-001, "2023 City Master Fee Schedule". CITY OF SHOREWOOD REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 9, 2023 Page 2 of 13 F. 2023 Mileage Reimburse Rate G. Out of State Travel Policy Approval H. Authorize Advertisement for Public Works Light Equipment Operator I. Accept Donation from Xcel Energy, Joey Nova's Pizza, Excelsior Eye Care, and Caribou Coffee for Arctic Fever Event, Adopting RESOLUTION NO. 23- 002, "A Resolution Accepting Donations to the City of Shorewood 2023 Arctic Fever Event." J. Approve Hire of Rink Attendants , AdGpting RESOLUTION NO. , " ... (moved to 5.0 on the regular agenda) L. Approve Extension of Final Plat Approval for "Excelsior Woods Located at 20325 Excelsior Boulevard for Red Granite Construction, Adopting RESOLUTION NO.23-004, "A Resolution Approving an Extension to the Final Plat Approval for Excelsior Woods for Property at 20325 Excelsior Boulevard." M. COVID Sick Leave Policy, Adopting RESOLUTION NO.23-005, "A Resolution Approving the Expiration of the Covid Emergency Leave Policy for Shorewood Employees." (moved to 6.C. on the regular agenda) Motion passed. 3. MATTERS FROM THE FLOOR Kelly Rogers, 20960 Radisson Road, stated that she had appeared before the Council last spring regarding a dock issue. She stated that since there are new Council members, she was encouraged to come again and speak to the Council. She shared some of the history of her situation with placement of her dock and presented a letter to the Council and asked that it be put on the record. She noted that the property has been sold and her fear is that the new owner will start this situation up again and does not want to have to spend thousands of dollars in more legal fees. Mayor Labadie confirmed that the letter presented by Ms. Rogers would be placed in the City file. 4. PARKS A. Review Security Options for Manor Park Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield asked the Council to disregard the `Next Steps' direction that was given in her staff report because it was included in error. She reviewed the increase in the level of vandalism which has resulted in costs to repair the restrooms at Manor Park. She CITY OF SHOREWOOD REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 9, 2023 Page 3 of 13 reviewed some of the security options that staff has considered to address the issue. She explained that they are recommending a dual approach of a FlashCAM and a community mural. She stated that she would recommend that the Council set a spending limit for the cost of the mural and approve purchase of the FlashCAM equipment. Mayor Labadie asked about the vandalism that has occurred to the building and if it was both interior and exterior. Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield stated that the damage she has seen, since she has been with the City, has all been in the interior of the building. Planning Director Darling stated that previously, there has been damage done to the exterior of the building, but recently it has been interior. Councilmember Sanschagrin asked about the cost of the damage as well as the cost of the proposed solution. Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield explained that the information staff has received regarding the most recent damage is $3,970 and stated that the FlashCAM costs $7,945 plus a shipping fee. She noted that the cost for a community mural, if the City works with a community art teacher or a newer artist, can be low, especially if residents are able to help with the painting process. Councilmember Sanschagrin explained that it could also be something that could be changed at times and referenced one he had seen in Florida that was cleared every few years for a new project. Councilmember Callies stated that she really likes the idea of using a creative approach with the addition of a mural in addition to the camera. Mayor Labadie asked if there were any statistics about the recent vandalism to Badger Park. Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield stated that she had misspoken earlier when she listed the cost of the vandalism to Manor Park was $3,970 because that dollar amount was for repainting the vandalism at four parks that had vandalism. She reiterated that the FlashCAM will be portable and can be used to other parks, as needed. Mayor Labadie reminded the Council of the vandalism that had occurred the night before the Grand Opening celebration for Badger Park in the form of a fire lit inside the building. Councilmember Maddy asked if the idea was to paint the mural on both the inside and outside of the building. Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield stated that she would like to see the City do some community engagement with residents in the area to see what they would prefer to see in their neighborhood park. She noted that the recommendation right now is just for a mural at Manor Park, but if it is found to be successful, they could look at doing something similar at Badger Park as well. The Council discussed various ideas for community involvement and the mural. CITY OF SHOREWOOD REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 9, 2023 Page 4 of 13 Councilmember Callies asked if the FlashCAM would be mounted high enough so it would not be vandalized or stolen. Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield explained that the recommended height was for it to be mounted fifteen feet high, but it can be installed higher. Mayor Labadie asked about the statement from the staff report about possible grants that may be available. Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield explained that for the mural, there are a number of grants available that may be able to help offset those costs. Mayor Labadie asked if a resolution for this would increase the City's chances of receiving a grant for something like this. City Attorney Shepherd stated that a resolution may increase their chances. He noted that the Council could make a motion to approve purchase of the FlashCAM and then if they wanted to fill out a grant application for help with the mural costs, they could approve a resolution. Councilmember Callies stated that she would like the Council to move forward and not wait for a resolution. Johnson moved, Sanschagrin seconded, to approve the purchase of a FlashCAM for initial use at Manor Park in order to deter vandalism. Motion passed. Councilmember Johnson stated that he would suggest the first step in moving forward on the possible mural is to reach out to the Manor Park community group that was very involved when there were concerns about the pond. He stated that following that discussion it can come back to the Council with ideas based on their interest level. Callies moved, Johnson seconded, to direct Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield to explore mural options with members of the community prior to bringing this item back before the Council. Motion passed. Mayor Labadie asked if the $3,970 included the time that Public Works staff spent remedying the situation. Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield stated that dollar figure was just the quote from the contractor to do the repairs and did not include time from Public Works employees. B. Review Options for Freeman Park Trail Rehabilitation Project Planning Director Darling reminded the Council that in August they had authorized staff to prepare plans and specifications to rehab all of the paved trails in Freeman Park. She explained that the cost had come back substantially higher than previously estimated and staff has been exploring ways to reduce the project budget and are also beginning the process of submitting various grant applications. She reviewed the possible options for reducing the costs of this project. Councilmember Sanschagrin asked if there was any data about the use of these trail segments. CITY OF SHOREWOOD REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 9, 2023 Page 5 of 13 Planning Director Darling stated that they do not have any surveys that would document that information. Councilmember Sanschagrin asked if staff had any thoughts on how the Council could get information from the community that could help drive decisions around these types of investments. Planning Director Darling stated that she had not moved towards public input for this type of small adjustment. Councilmember Callies asked about the previous discussions relating to segment B. Planning Director Darling reminded the Council that they had not decided against reconstructing that particular trail in its current size, but had decided against having it be the Three Rivers Park Districts trailhead corridor because it would have required more wetland impacts, such as a bridge, to go over a portion of the wetland and more tree removal in the area. Councilmember Callies stated that she was thinking of redoing this section with gravel rather than repaving because of its proximity to the trail. Councilmember Sanschagrin noted that he has always found it strange that this section is paved and feels it would be nicer if it were unpaved. Councilmember Johnson stated that segment B is a very neat trail that meanders through two ponds. He stated that he would agree that it would be a more pleasant visual experience if it were unpaved, but there are so few trails that meander through the woods that are paved, so for things like wheelchair or scooter access, he thinks this is a nice trail to have paved and would support repaving it at its current width. Councilmember Maddy stated that the soil underneath trail segment B is moving and asked if it were paved, how long the pavement will last. City Engineer Budde stated that he would guess it was built on some poorer wetland type soils and if it were repaved it would most likely last between ten to twenty years without any significant maintenance. Councilmember Sanschagrin expressed concern about how much this trail segment will be utilized. He stated that if it can be shown that the trail is being used by lots of people who need this type of accessibility, he would support this expense. Councilmember Johnson noted that he does not know how much it is used but it is accessible to the Shorewood Ponds neighborhood that has a fair amount of people who utilize motorized scooters and likes the idea of them having this option. Councilmember Sanschagrin suggested that the Council or staff reach out to that community to get their input. The Council discussed the other proposed changes in order to reduce costs and the various options for approaching segment B. CITY OF SHOREWOOD REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 9, 2023 Page 6 of 13 City Administrator Nevinski suggested that the Council could bid the project with segment B as an alternate and see what the pricing comes back as. Councilmember Johnson noted that this item is not a public hearing, but has seen a few hands pop up in the audience and asked if the Council would be open to getting some public input on this item. Pat Arnst, 5480 Teal Circle, stated that she was on the Park Commission when segment B was put in and noted that it was left over bituminous from a project done elsewhere. She stated that she did not think there was even a base put in underneath the material. She stated that the thought behind their putting this in was the heavy usage in the summer and the possibility of people wanting to pass through the park without encountering a bunch of soccer players. She stated that the pass through between ballfields has always been a sore point with her because when the Park Commission made the decision to pave it, they wanted it closed to cars. She stated that this was heavily debated by the Council who determined that they wanted it closed to vehicles and a chain was put across on both ends, however, over the years that has disappeared. She stated that, as a resident, she would be in support of keeping segment B paved. Christine Sanschagrin, 27725 Island View Road, stated that she thinks it is important to get feedback from the general public before this type of decision is made. She stated that she has been astonished that in the spring it is very difficult to park or enter the Park because the parking lot is too muddy. She stated that she would rather see trails that do not have hard cover with the ability to actually enter the parking lot to park cars. She stated that their Girl Scout Troop has had a Little Small Library there for years and explained that at times she cannot restock it with books because she cannot park. She stated that for people with accessibility issues, she feels that would be a much larger priority than repaving trails that are already paved. She reiterated that she feels it is important to actually get input from community members who actually use the parking lot with the difficulties that are present in the springtime. Mayor Labadie confirmed with Planning Director Darling that the Park Tours that take place every year are open to the public and asked staff how long this project has been discussed. Planning Director Darling explained that it was brought up as an important project around 2018 but from conversations she has had with residents, it was previously included as part of a CIP and then for some reason it was removed. She stated that she believes that Three Rivers Park District entered the discussions in about 2021 regarding the possibility of having a trailhead. Councilmember Johnson reiterated that he did not want the decision for segment B to be solely based on cost. Planning Director Darling explained the potential complications with grant applications if segment B is included as an alternate. City Engineer Budde stated that it is possible, once they thoroughly understand the grants, that this choice may not impede the City in the grant process. Planning Director Darling stated that she has a bit of time to research this more and can bring it back to the Council at a later date. CITY OF SHOREWOOD REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 9, 2023 Page 7 of 13 Mayor Labadie stated that she thinks the Council is in agreement on everything except segment B. There was Consensus of the Council to proceed as discussed, with the recommendation to have segment B be gravel and not repaved; segment L paved; for segment G to reduce the pavement to 12 feet, so there is emergency access only and restore some of the turf areas; and that segment J be kept the same size and not be widened. 5. ENGINEERING/PUBLIC WORKS A. Authorize Eminent Domain — Strawberry Lane Street Reconstruction Project, City Project 19-05 City Engineer Budde explained that the Council has gone through the process of approving the Strawberry Lane project that have included some required easements and right of entries. He explained that staff has tried to avoid eminent domain, but in this situation, staff has been attempting to contact the property owner for over eleven months. He stated that this particular property is a rental and staff had even spoken with the tenants who provided a phone number for the owner, however, the owner has not responded to any of the voice mail message that have been left. He stated that the City has also sent certified mail to the property owner, but that has also not received any response. He stated that staff feels that they have tried every angle possible to get in touch with the property owners with no success, so the next step is to pursue eminent domain for this particular property. He noted that if this process is initiated in January, the City should have access to the property in May in order to allow for construction. He stated that the eminent domain process does not mean that the City will not still compensate the property owner and if the property owner contacts the City they are also still open to negotiations. Councilmember Sanschagrin asked if there was any idea of costs for this process. City Engineer Budde stated that the appraisal price was around $20,000 for the property but was unsure how much the eminent domain process would cost. City Attorney Shepherd stated that he does not have an exact estimate cost for this process and explained that Dave Kendall would be the attorney handling the eminent domain litigation. He stated that if he had to `spitball' a cost, he would think it would be around $8,000 - $10,000. He noted that there are times that eminent domain is filed and then you are able to settle it without having to go all the way through the entire court process. Councilmember Sanschagrin asked if the City had a history of using eminent domain. City Engineer Budde stated that over the last twenty years there have been a handful of other times where eminent domain has been used, but noted that he was not sure that it went through the full court process, but knows that Council took the action to file for eminent domain. Councilmember Callies shared some background on how the eminent domain process works from a legal standpoint and noted that many times people do kind of snap to attention and come to an agreement before the process is completed in the courts. She noted that she thinks that the Council does not have much of a choice at this stage but to move forward with the eminent domain process in order for the project to be able to move forward. CITY OF SHOREWOOD REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 9, 2023 Page 8 of 13 Mayor Labadie stated that she agreed and noted that this is not the City's preferred route, but despite the City vigorously pursuing this property owner, they have not gotten any response, so not taking this action could delay the entire project. Johnson moved, Callies seconded, Adopting RESOLUTION NO. 23-006, "A Resolution Authorizing Eminent Domain of Land for Public Purposes for the Strawberry Lane Street Improvement Project, City Project 19-05." Motion passed 4-1 (Sanschagrin opposed) B. Change Order for Street Sweeping Disposal City Engineer Budde explained that the Council had approved a bid for removal of street sweepings that had been stockpiled at Public Works over the last few years. He stated that after the material was hauled off, the hauler contacted the City and stated that they felt they had hauled more than the agreed upon 500 cubic yards. He stated that following investigation, it was found that the surveyors had only included one of the stockpiles on the site, so when it was completed, the haulers had actually removed 734 cubic yards of material. He stated that to be fair to the contractor, staff feels the City should pay a change order in the amount of $35,562.30 in order to pay them for hauling away the additional material that was inadvertently missed in the initial request. Councilmember Maddy asked where the material was hauled for disposal. City Engineer Budde explained that because there was the potential for contaminants it is required to be hauled to the Dem-Con landfill just south of Shakopee to be used as cover to prevent light stuff from blowing off of the site. Johnson moved, Maddy seconded, to approve the Change Order in the amount of $35,562.30 to W.M. Mueller & Sons, Inc. for the 2022 Street Sweeping Removals, City Project 22-08. Motion passed. C. Approve Strawberry Lane Street Reconstruction Project Agreements City Engineer Budde stated that as part of this project he has been able to negotiate a number of roadway, drainage and utility easements, as well as right of entries with various property owners. He stated that this is not all of them and noted that he still has about three that he is still looking to acquire, but those are not critical to advancing the project at this time. He noted that the City had budgeted $175,000 and the current total of monetary compensation for these properties is $182,000. He noted that the agreements included in the packet are unsigned but noted that he has a majority of the agreements in his office that have been signed and for the others, he has verbal agreements and is expecting the signatures. Councilmember Sanschagrin asked if there was an estimate of the `non -cash' easements costs would be. City Engineer Budde stated that he did not have that information in front of him. Councilmember Callies asked if the properties he had not yet heard back from had been included in the resolution language. She stated that she would prefer that the agreements be approved for those that have been signed and then have another motion for the MOA. She stated that CITY OF SHOREWOOD REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 9, 2023 Page 9 of 13 lumping them all together feels a bit confusing to her even though the information has been included in the packet. City Engineer Budde stated that after consulting with City Attorney Shepherd, there was no need to be a resolution for this and could be handled with separate motions. City Attorney Shepherd stated that this was correct and noted that he felt Councilmember Callies was asking for a delineation between which properties the right of entries are applied to and which ones have an MOU. Councilmember Callies stated that City Engineer Budde had also mentioned two properties that he did not have signed agreements. City Engineer Budde stated that was true but those individuals have verbally agreed to them, but explained that they had been included in the language. Councilmember Callies stated that if something ended up happening with those properties if the Council would have to go back and amend the resolution. She explained that including those properties seemed premature to her. She stated that she is in favor of approving the agreements that have been made but explained that the process seems a bit confusing to her. Councilmember Sanschagrin asked for a refresher on when the Council had made the decision to go with the western alignment. City Engineer Budde stated that he believes it was back around February when the discussions started and explained that the Council had discussed the alignment over about three different meetings. He noted that he believed the Council made their decision about the alignment sometime around April. Councilmember Callies explained that there was much more public support for the western alignment. Councilmember Johnson agreed and noted that ultimately, the neighborhood came together and promoted the western alignment. Mayor Labadie stated that she agreed with Councilmember Callies that the resolution, as written, is a bit `sticky' since the individuals who only have a verbal agreement have been included in the resolution. City Attorney Shepherd suggested that the Council have a motion that approves right of entry agreements for: 5825 Strawberry Lane; 5845 Strawberry Lane; 5970 Strawberry Lane; and 6185 Strawberry Lane. Callies moved, Johnson seconded, Approving Right of Entry Agreements for properties at: 5825 Strawberry Lane; 5845 Strawberry Lane; 5970 Strawberry Lane; and 6185 Strawberry Lane. Motion passed. City Attorney Shepherd suggested a separate motion for the MOUs for: 5885 Strawberry Lane; 6060 Strawberry Lane; 6075 Strawberry Lane; and 6170 Strawberry Lane. CITY OF SHOREWOOD REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 9, 2023 Page 10 of 13 Johnson moved, Labadie seconded, Approving Memorandum of Understandings for properties located at: 5885 Strawberry Lane; 6060 Strawberry Lane; 6075 Strawberry Lane; and 6170 Strawberry Lane. Motion passed. 6. GENERAL/NEW BUSINESS A. 2023 Annual Appointments and Designations City Administrator Nevinski explained that the Council takes action on an annual basis to make various appointments and designations for 2023. The Council went through the offices and positions line by line: Acting Mayor: Councilmember Callies Park Commission Liaison: Councilmember Sanschagrin — January — June; Councilmember Johnson July — December Planning Commission Liaison: Councilmember Maddy — January — June; Councilmember Callies — July — December SCEC: Removed, as no longer necessary Metro Cities and League of MN Cities and Alternate: Removed, as no longer necessary LMCC and Alternate: Councilmember Sanschagrin and Councilmember Maddy (Alternate) South Lake Minnetonka PD Coordinating Committee and Alternate: Mayor Labadie and Councilmember Callies (Alternate) Excelsior Fire District Board and Alternate: Councilmember Johnson and Councilmember Maddy (Alternate) Personnel Committee: Removed, as no longer necessary Weed Inspector: Mayor Labadie Assistant Weed Inspector: Chris Heitz and Luke Weber, Public Works employees Electronic Funds Transfer Authority: Joe Rigdon, Michelle Nguyen, and Marc Nevinski City Attorney: Jared Shepherd, Campbell Knutson, P.A. City Prosecutor: Campbell Knutson, P.A. MCE Representative: Open for the time being Official Depositories: Alerus Bank, 4M Fund and other depositories, as necessary Official Newspaper: Sun Sailor and Laker Pioneer News, as applicable Johnson moved, Labadie seconded, Adopting RESOLUTION NO. 23-007, "A Resolution Designating 2023 Annual Appointments to Certain Offices and Positions within the City of Shorewood." Motion passed. B. Approve Appointment of Park Commissioners City Clerk/HR Director Thone stated that the Council interviewed one applicant at their earlier Work Session meeting for consideration of appointment to the Park Commission. She noted that the other candidate that was supposed to be interviewed was ill, but had submitted her resume for consideration. Mayor Labadie stated that she felt both candidates were high caliber candidates. CITY OF SHOREWOOD REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 9, 2023 Page 11 of 13 Councilmember Callies explained that one of the terms open only has one month left and so the Council had discussed appointing David Garske to a one month and three year term which would end February 28, 2026, and appointing Amy Wenner to a term ending February 28, 2025. Callies moved, Sanschagrin seconded, Adopting RESOLUTION NO.23-008, "A Resolution Making Appointments to the Shorewood Park Commission." Motion passed. C. Approve Recreation Specialist Appointment Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield explained that following recruitment for a Recreation Specialist, Stephany Vasser was selected. She stated that Ms. Vasser has been with the City for eight years in various part-time positions and has also served as a former Parks Commissioner. Staff recommends approval of this promotion for Ms. Vasser. Councilmember Callies stated that she does not have any questions about Ms. Vasser's qualifications, but had asked for this to be removed from the Consent Agenda because she was not familiar with this particular position. She stated that if this was anew position she felt it should have come up for Council discussion rather than just being on the Consent Agenda. City Administrator Nevinski stated that this is a positions that falls into a bit of a gray area. He explained that this would be a part-time position that has work flow that ebbs and flows, depending on the season. He stated that the decision was made at a staff level that this was kind of a minor administrative decision which was why it was not brought forward to the Council, but noted that this kind of thing would be a good discussion point for the Council to have with staff in order to determine what they would like to see and what they want staff to just handle without too much Council involvement. Councilmember Callies stated that she thinks that suggestion is a good idea because if the City is understaffed, Council should know about that and if new positions are needed, she thinks they should also hear about that. Mayor Labadie asked how many hours a week this position will have. Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield stated that it will ebb and flow and explained that she had posted it as approximately 8-12 hours/week. City Administrator Nevinski noted that Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield's duties have evolved a bit from former Parks and Recreation Director Grout, so she has some additional duties and he wants to make sure she has the time and the capacity to focus on those things and have support for the day to day items from this position. Callies moved, Sanschagrin seconded to Approve Promotion of Stephany Vasser as Recreation Specialist. Motion passed. 7. STAFF AND COUNCIL REPORTS A. Staff Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield reminded the Council that Arctic Fever is coming up in two weeks and noted that details about the event will be posted on Facebook. She noted that the CITY OF SHOREWOOD REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 9, 2023 Page 12 of 13 hiring process for the Ink Rink Attendants has been a challenging process but is hopeful they will be up and running following Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Mayor Labadie stated that the local school district uses a communication method called `Peach Jar' and asked if there was a way that the City could get Arctic Fever information posted on that. Parks and Recreation Director Crossfield noted that she had used that communication method in prior positions and will check into that possibility. City Engineer Budde stated that the contractor for the Smithtown Ponds project began hauling today which should take about two weeks. He stated that staff is working on the Highway 7 Corridor issue and has had conversations with MnDOT and the adjacent communities to gauge interest in participation in a study so the scope can be better defined. Mayor Labadie explained that the City had hosted a meeting related to the Highway 7 issue which was well attended and included three State Senators, three House Representatives, the Superintendent of Minnetonka schools, the Mayor of Chanhassen, three representatives from MnDOT, and various City staff members. She stated that City Engineer Budde ran the meeting and presented the information which was well done. She noted that she felt it was a productive meeting, but unfortunately the process is going to be much slower than she would prefer. Public Works Director Morriem explained that today was supposed to be his first in person day with the City, however he contracted COVID last week, so was only able to attend on-line. He assured the Council that he was working on getting up to speed on Public Works activities in the City. Mayor Labadie asked that appreciation be extended to the Public Works staff for their efforts on snow removal from the recent snow events. City Administrator Nevinski stated that it has been a very busy week for him with meeting everyone and sifting through everything that is happening in the City. He thanked the Council for taking the time to meet and have discussions with him. He expressed his appreciation that Interim City Administrator Shukle was allowed to stay on to help guide him through the transition. B. Mayor and City Council Councilmember Sanschagrin expressed his appreciation to City Administrator Nevinski and City Engineer Budde for the time they spent discussing the eminent domain issue with him. He stated that it is well documented that City Engineer Budde has worked hard to resolve this issue without eminent domain but explained that he is hopeful that the City will not need to take this kind of action in the future. Councilmember Callies asked if staff felt it would be worth it to advertise the vacancies on the Planning and Park Commissions in the Sun Sailor paper. Planning Director Darling stated that she can explore this option with City Clerk/HR Director Thone. She explained that they had already considered doing another e-mail blast to let people know that there were still two open positions. CITY OF SHOREWOOD REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 9, 2023 Page 13 of 13 Mayor Labadie stated that she had attended the Regional Council of Mayors meeting earlier today where there were about twenty-five mayors in attendance and twenty professionals from the housing community where they discussed housing, affordable housing, affordable rental pricing. She stated that the topic for upcoming meetings will be equity and inclusion; water; and public safety. She noted that tomorrow she and City Administrator Nevinski will be attending the quarterly meeting held by the Minnetonka Superintendent. 8. ADJOURN Sanschagrin moved, Johnson seconded, Adjourning the City Council Regular Meeting of January 9, 2023, at 9:18 P.M. Motion passed. 0. ATTEST:ta e- Jenni er Labadie, Mayor Sandie Thone, City Clerk