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10 06 2026 CC MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS DAKOTA COUNTY STATE OF MINNESOTA Minutes of the Regular Meeting Held Tuesday, October 6, 2026 Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the regular meeting of the City Council, City of Mendota Heights, Minnesota, was held at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, Minnesota. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Levine called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Councilors Lorberbaum, Paper, and Maczko were also present. Councilor Mazzitello was absent. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Council, the audience, and staff recited the Pledge of Allegiance. AGENDA ADOPTION Mayor Levine presented the agenda for adoption. Councilor Paper moved adoption of the agenda. Councilor Maczko seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 PUBLIC COMMENTS No one from the public wished to be heard. CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Levine presented the consent agenda and explained the procedure for discussion and approval. Councilor Lorberbaum moved approval of the consent agenda as presented, pulling items D, G, and I. a. Approval of September 15, 2026, City Council Minutes b. Approval of September 15, 2026, City Council Work Session Minutes c. Acknowledge Minutes from the July 28, 2026, Planning Commission Meeting d. Acknowledge Minutes from the July 15, 2026, Airport Relations Commission Meeting e. Acknowledge the August Par 3 Financial Report f. Acknowledge Q3 Code Enforcement Activity Report g. Approve Quote for Fire Station Parking Lot Improvements h. Accept the Resignation of Kate Dougherty and Authorize Communications Coordinator Position Recruitment j. Approve a Letter of Support for MnDOT Slope Stability Study on Highway 13 k. Approve a Grading Permit for 1415 Mendota Heights Road I. Approve Public Works Facility Exterior Door Access Control Installation in, Approve Resolution 2026-64 Authorizing Final Payment and Acceptance of the Basin IV-P126 Improvements Project n. Approve 2026-2027 Insurance Renewal and Elect to Not Waive Statutory Limits o. Authorize Public Works Surplus Items for Auction and Deposit of Proceeds p. Approve August 2026 Treasurer's Report q. Approval of Claims List r. Approve Professional Services Contract Amendment for the Public Works Facility Geothermal Assessment Project Councilor Paper seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 PULLED CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS D) ACKNOWLEDGE MINUTES FROM THE JULY 15, 2026, AIRPORT RELATIONS COMMISSION MEETING Mayor Levine acknowledged the resignation of Jeff Hamie] from the Commission and thanked him for his service. Mayor Levine moved to acknowledge MINUTES FROM THE JULY 15, 2026, AIRPORT RELATIONS COMMISSION MEETING. Councilor Lorberbaum seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 G) APPROVE QUOTE FOR FIRE STATION PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS Councilor Maczko commented that this will be the first overlay since the Fire Station was built in 1985. He was surprised that the project was bid now but that the project would not be done unti12027I He asked if there would be benefit in bidding after the first of the year, as prices could change. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek stated that two contractors bid on the project and Pine Bend Paving has done other projects for the City. He commented that the quotes were in line with the estimate for the project and he feels comfortable with the price. He stated that they could wait to receive quotes in the spring, but the price will only increase, noting that in 2020 this could have been done for $30,000. Councilor Maczko commented that oil is at an all-time high and wondered if they would be paying a premium for asphalt because of that. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek commented that they received quotes this spring, but the plans from 1985 did not match what existed, so they had to place the project on hold to complete soil borings for a better analysis. He stated that they discovered that there is no gravel base under the pavement, and they October 6, 2026 Mendota Heights City Council Page 2 of ]2 needed to explore alternate methods to get the work done. He believed that this is a good price for the amount of work that is being done to create a standard pavement section in the parking lot. Councilor Maczko moved to approve QUOTE FROM PINE BEND PAVING FOR THE FIRE STATION PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $113,080. Councilor Paper seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 I) APPROVE APPOINTMENT OF STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION Mayor Levine expressed gratitude to have student representatives on two of the City Commissions. She noted that they had an abundance of qualified students apply for the seats and is happy to offer the positions to Zakia Qiblawi and Imogen Hegg, Mayor Levine moved to approve APPOINTMENT OF ZAKIA QIBLAWI AND IMOGEN HEGG TO SERVE AS STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES ON THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION WITH TERMS ENDING AUGUST 2027, Councilor Lorberbaum seconded the motion. Further discussion: Councilor Paper asked where the students attend school. Mayor Levine commented that both students are in tenth grade at Two Rivers. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 No items scheduled. No items scheduled. PRESENTATIONS PUBLIC HEARING NEW AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS A) RADAR FEEDBACK SPEED LIMIT SIGNS Assistant City Engineer Lucas Ritchie explained that the Council was being asked to approve the purchase of eight radar feedback speed limit signs. Councilor Maczko asked how long the signs have to remain on the roadways and whether they could be moved after a certain period of time. October 6, 2026 Mendota Heights City Council Page 3 of 12 Assistant City Engineer Lucas Ritchie replied that he does not have the answer on the length of time but suspected that they would keep the signs on the roadways until a future improvement is completed or enough data is received. He stated that if a road improvement were done, they could speak with the State about moving the sign to another location. Councilor Maczko commented that after long periods of time, the signs are found to be ineffective. He asked if the seven signs in place have been effective. Assistant City Engineer Lucas Ritchie replied that he was unsure whether they have data that supports the effectiveness of the existing signs. He stated that they are not trying to debunk the national study, but are analyzing what they have in the city and what could be done to improve the roadway system. Councilor Maczko commented that this is not free money, as they will be using State Aid funds that could be used for paving projects. He stated that he does not spend money as long as it is effective. He stated that if this is being done under the guise of a study, then they should be doing a study. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek commented that the existing signs are older models that do not collect data, whereas the new signs would collect data. He stated that data would be compared to the data that had been previously collected. Councilor Maczko commented that he would think once the study is completed, they could move the signs to another MSA roadway. He stated that if the signs are moving around, they are pretty effective, but if they remain in place, they lose effectiveness over time. Councilor Lorberbaum stated that she supports this action. She recognized that the signs data will be used internally and asked whether the data collected would also remain internal. She asked if there is a camera involved. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that there is no camera and no license plate or vehicle data is collected. Councilor Paper asked if the reason for the speed on Emerson is known. He noted that it is a relatively short road, but vehicles are getting up to higher speeds within that space. Assistant City Engineer Lucas Ritchie replied that one of the reasons they targeted Emerson is because it is directly adjacent to and connects to Dodd, so vehicles are going from ahigh-speed network to a speed network. network. Councilor Maczko asked why the sign would be posted by the school on Lake Drive. He believed that managing the speeds would be better by the residential housing. He believed the school could regulate the speed. Assistant City Engineer Lucas Ritchie commented that the sign location could be shifted if desired. He explained that the initial thought for placement was for traffic coming off Mendota Heights Road, which is a higher speed roadway and adjacent to the schools where you would want vehicles to slow. October 6, 2026 Mendota Heights City Council Page 4 of 12 Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek commented that the traffic committee has reviewed complaints along Swan Drive in the past, but that it is not a State Aid road. He provided additional information on the bend in Lake Drive and believed the sign would be more effective in the proposed location. Mayor Levine asked how long the signs would last. Assistant City Engineer Lucas Ritchie commented that one of the first things that could go out would be the solar component. He stated that in the past they have been able to make repairs in-house. He suspected that the signs would have a service life of around 20 years. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that the signs around I"Avenue have been in place for around 20 years. Mayor Levine commented that a Lake Drive resident stated that feedback signs have been in place and then removed. She asked why the signs would be posted in opposite directions if the intention is to address speeds coming from higher speed roadways. She asked if it would be more effective to have two signs facing the same direction. Assistant City Engineer Lucas Ritchie stated that the idea is that if you do not catch someone on the way to where they are going, you would catch them on the way back, as everyone is traveling to and from a location. He stated that it will also capture a larger traffic volume. Councilor Paper asked what the sign would top out at. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that the signs are very customizable, noting that if someone is traveling more than five miles over, the speed will not be displayed so that people are not trying to hit high numbers. He stated that the sign would flash and data would be recorded, but the higher speeds would not be displayed back. Councilor Lorberbaum moved to approve THE PURCHASE OF EIGHT RADAR FEEDBACK SPEED LIMIT SIGNS. Councilor Paper seconded the motion. Further discussion: Councilor Maczko asked if there will be a study along with the signs. He stated that if the signs are being purchased under the reasoning of a study, he would like to see a report with the data. Mayor Levine commented that they could require that the data be provided. She confirmed that Councilors Lorberbaum and Paper agreed to add that language to the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 B) ADOPT RESOLUTION 2026-63 APPROVING A MISSISSIPPI RIVER CORRIDOR CRITICAL AREA (MRCCA) PERMIT FOR A NEW IN -GROUND SWIMMING POOL AT 1187 CULLIGAN LANE (PLANNING CASE NO, 2026-17) October 6, 2026 Mendota Heights City Council Page 5 of 12 Community Development Manager Sarah Madden provided a brief background on this item. The Council was being asked to consider Resolution 2026-63, approving a Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area Permit for Brookside Pools to allow for the construction of a new in -ground swimming pool located at 1187 Culligan Lane, Councilor Paper referenced language within the packet that states the pool is nonconforming and does not meet ANC or APSP standards and asked for clarification. Community Development Manager Sarah Madden was unsure. She stated that information was submitted as part of the building permit application and not all of that information is relevant to the zoning review. Councilor Paper moved to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 2026-63, APPROVING A MISSISSIPPI RIVER CORRIDOR CRITICAL AREA (MRCCA) PERMIT FOR A NEW IN -GROUND SWIMMING POOL LOCATED AT 1187 CULLIGAN LANE, Councilor Lorberbaum seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 C) ORDINANCE NO. 609 CREATING A MORATORIUM FOR NEW WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE USES Community Development Manager Sarah Madden provided a brief background on this item. The Council was being asked to consider adoption of Ordinance No. 609, an Interim Ordinance placing a temporary moratorium on Conditional Use Permits for wireless telecommunications towers, antennas, and accessory structures associated with said use in all zoning districts of the City of Mendota Heights, and directing a study to be conducted. She noted that the City did receive an application for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for new wireless communications infrastructure the previous day, which is under review for completeness. She stated that the City does have 15 business days to review for completeness and that the application would stand regardless of the adoption of a moratorium tonight. Councilor Maczko asked for more information on the application received. Community Development Manager Sarah Madden replied that the same applicant from the previous request submitted an application for the location at a condominium property at the corner of Wentworth and Dodd. She stated that staff is still reviewing the application for completeness. Councilor Maczko asked if the application would be subject to the moratorium if it were deemed incomplete. City Attorney Amy Schmidt stated that the fact that the application came in yesterday and the Council is considering this action tonight would not change anything; the application would be subject to the moratorium if it were adopted tonight. She stated that an application being submitted does not vest any rights. She explained that this is different from other requests which may have begun the planning process, but the application at this point would not have any vested rights. She stated that if the application were deemed incomplete, the applicant could still choose to complete their application, but it would not receive October 6, 2016 Mendota Heigh[s City Cou��cil page 6 of /2 Council action, and if the moratorium were still in place at the 60-day review deadline, the application would be denied based on the moratorium. Councilor Lorberbaum stated that she asked if they were only looking at cellular towers and had been told that the consultant is expected to provide recommendations in the area of telecommunications, not specifically focused on cell towers. Community Development Manager Sarah Madden stated that as proposed in the preliminary budget, the cellular study would be a future request for proposals (RFP) with the intention to receive recommendations on the policy and cellular coverage as a whole. She confirmed that they would expect to receive information based on that expertise separate from the zoning standards. She commented that the cellular coverage study could also provide information that might help inform some of the existing ordinances outside of the zoning ordinances. Councilor Lorberbaum asked about the language of the proposed ordinance, providing examples, noting Yhat she is uncomfortable with that language as it would imply there are detrimental health issues. She did recognize that the language is consistent with the other CUPs. Community Development Manager Sarah Madden commented that it is the common language used for a CUP, as they evaluate the secondary effects. Councilor Paper moved to adopt ORDINANCE NO. 609, AN INTERIM ORDINANCE PLACING A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS FOR WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATION TOWERS, ANTENNAS, AND ACCESSORY STRUCTURES ASSOCIATED WITH SAID USE IN ALL ZONING DISTRICTS OF THE CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS AND DIRECTING A STUDY TO BE CONDUCTED, Councilor Maczko seconded the motion. Further discussion: Councilor Maczko stated that he would like to know if they can get started with drafting the cellular coverage study RFP now rather than waiting until the first of the year. He noted that would provide an opportunity for public engagement prior to release of the RFP. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek stated that the Council can proceed with that study at any time. He stated that the study/RFP is currently proposed within the 2027 budget, but the Council could choose to approve that with reserve funds outside of the 2027 budget. Community Development Manager Sarah Madden commented that the zoning study can start with the authorization of the moratorium tonight. She commented that following budget approval, they would be able to start the RFP process for the cellular coverage study. Councilor Maczko commented that because that study will help to inform the zoning study, it would be helpful to start that as soon as possible rather than waiting until January I, 2027. Mayor Levine asked if the direction to staff should be included in the motion, or whether that direction is clear on its own. October 6, 202ti Mendota Ffeights Cih+ Coemci/ Page 7 of 12 Community Development Manager Sarah Madden commented that if there is direction on the cellular study, that would need to be a separate motion, as this only relates to the zoning control study. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 Councilor Paper moved to AUTHORIZE PUBLICATION OF SUMMARY ORDINANCE OF ORDINANCE NO. 609, Councilor Lorberbaum seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 Mayor Levine asked if the full Council agrees with directing staff to begin work on the RFP for the cellular study. She confirmed the full support of the Council to direct staff to begin work on the RFP. D) REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS — MENDOTA HEIGHTS 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE Community Development Manager Sarah Madden provided a brief background on this item. The Council was being asked to consider authorizing the issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the completion of the City's 2050 Comprehensive Plan Update. Councilor Lorberbaum noted a discrepancy in the year of the date used in the packet. Community Development Manager Sarah Madden confirmed that the date should be 2026. Councilor Paper recognized the significant amount of work that was required in the 2040 plan and asked if they would be anticipating an easier time for the 2050 plan because of the volume of work that went into the previous plan. Community Development Manager Sarah Madden replied that she cannot guarantee that it will be easy. She stated that the direction that she has received from the Council thus far is that the intention of this plan is to be an update, whereas the 2040 plan was more of an overhaul. She commented that there is still technical data that needs to be evaluated and public engagement is required. Councilor Paper asked if there would be any chance that this item could come in under budget in 2027 because of the work that was done in the previous plan. Community Development Manager Sarah Madden replied that the technical data and mapping that are required are significant, so the number budgeted is consistent with what they are seeing for other communities. She commented that they are exploring other funding sources for the drafting and completion of the plan. Councilor Paper asked if there is any anticipated cost for 2028 to get the plan to the finish line. Community Development Manager Sarah Madden replied that she did not have that estimated cost. She commented that it will depend on the number of meetings required to finalize the plan. October 6, 2026 Mendota Heights City Council Page 8 of 11 Mayor Levine stated that the last Comprehensive Plan was approved in December of 2020, and it is planned to have the next plan adopted by 2028. She asked if that is a typical timeline or whether their last plan was late. Community Development Manager Sarah Madden replied that the City received an extension for the last Comprehensive Plan to submit the plan late. Councilor Paper moved to authorize THE ISSUANCE OF A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE CITY'S 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE, Councilor Maczko seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 E) CITY HALL AND POLICE DEPARTMENT EXISTING BUILDING CONDITIONS —MOLD REMEDIATION AND REPAIR Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek provided a brief background on this item and an overview of the mold remediation and repairs within the existing City Hall and Police Department building. Mayor Levine appreciated the update. She noted that the health and safety of the employees and residents who use the building is of the utmost importance. Councilor Maczko asked how big the area is in the squad room. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that the area of drywall removed was two feet high by 15 feet long adjacent to an interior wall. He stated that on the opposite side of the wall there is a shower that is used multiple times per day. He stated that the area is currently dry, which makes it difficult to determine where the moisture is coming from. He stated that additional testing will need to be done. He noted that 20 square feet of carpet was removed along with a Police locker. He stated that upstairs they removed a number of ceiling tiles and 40 to 50 square feet of insulation because of a roof leak. He stated that they are still investigating whether that leak has been addressed, noting that they will be completing a water test on the roof to determine if the roof is sealed. He commented that there have been a number of leaks and repairs to the roof since it had been redone. Mayor Levine commented that they do not want black mold in the City Hall or Police Station. Councilor Maczko commented that mold can be remediated, noting that many people have mold in their homes. He commented that staff did a greatjob of getting on it right away and dealing with it. He stated that it appears the remediation costs to date are $3,500. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that the cost was for the contractor to do the removals, with the first round of testing costing $1,000. He stated that a number of samples were completed the second time at a cost of almost $2,000. October 6, 2026 Mendota Heights City Council Page 9 oj12 Councilor Maczko commented that staff have done a great job responding to concerns and noted that if the building were unsafe, they would not be in it. Councilor Lorberbaum thanked staff for their patience, noting that the health and safety of the staff is the number one priority. Mayor Levine asked if the costs incurred would be covered under their insurance. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek commented that the insurance would only provide coverage if this were a single event, but because this may have been ongoing water intrusion, that would not be covered by insurance. Mayor Levine asked staff to provide more information on the use of the squad room. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that the squad room is the Police multi -use room, which is also connected to their break room. He stated that all of that is offline to the Police right now. He commented that the refrigerator has been moved into the Chiefs office and she has relocated to a hard interview room. He explained that there is currently no hard interview room for the Police to conduct their activities. Mayor Levine recognized that it is also where the lockers are, and equipment is charged Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek confirmed that is accurate and the large line of lockers is currently not accessible to the Police Department. He noted that there are some lockers in the restrooms that can be used. He stated that this was the multi -use space where weapons were cleaned, meals were eaten, and it was the main space for officers. Councilor Lorberbaum asked if the records room was impacted. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that the room was not impacted, but there was additional testing done in that room along with other areas throughout the department. F) MUNICIPAL CAMPUS BUILDING PROJECT Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek provided an update on the status of project elements including the EAW, draft soil borings report, and the wetland delineation. Councilor Maczko asked why the wetland delineation comment period was not advertised in the Friday News. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that the wetland delineation will be included in the EAW final report. He was unsure what comments would be. Councilor Maczko commented that if there is a 15-day comment period, he would think the City would publicize that. October 6, 2026 Mendota Heights City Council Page 10 of 12 Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that staff followed the rules and regulations of the State for this wetland delineation process. He stated that the information is available on the website, which is not required by the State. Councilor Maczko asked how the public is then made aware of the public comment period. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that it is not the standard practice for a wetland delineation report. Councilor Maczko commented that the public has a 15-day comment period, but there is no requirement to notify the public. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that is correct. Councilor Maczko commented that it seems odd. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek commented that generally people adjacent to a wetland would be aware of any projects and would request to receive the wetland delineation report. Councilor Maczko commented that it seems they should be transparent and put the information out there. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that is why the City was transparent in putting it on the Municipal Campus Project website. He stated that the public was notified above the statutory requirements. He believed that it was also included in the Friday News under the Municipal Campus section. He stated that a draft report of the soil borings was completed, and staff submitted a few comments back to the subcontractor. He stated that once the final report is received, they will make it public. He stated that there was nothing in the borings that showed the site cannot be built upon. Councilor Lorberbaum asked when the final report for the soil borings is anticipated. Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek replied that he is unsure. He commented that with the EAW, all work is on hold. He stated that the work will focus on the EAW, noting that the EAW will incorporate the information from the soil borings. He anticipated that in six to eight weeks they may have the final report. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS City Administrator Cheryl Jacobson announced upcoming community events and activities. COUNCIL COMMENTS Councilor Lorberbaum thanked the residents for their continued engagement in the community. She noted that almost four percent of voters have already participated in absentee voting. She stated that on October 51h, she attended a memorial for the first female FBI agent to be killed by friendly fire in 1985. She provided information on the agent and the incident that occurred. October 6, 2026 A/endota Heights Ciry Council Page Il of I2 Councilor Maczko thanked staff for the Barktober event, which was a great event with good attendance. He encouraged residents to attend the Fire Department Open House for fire prevention. Councilor Paper commented that he lost another friend last week, which could have been preventable. He encouraged residents to get a colonoscopy as colon cancer is detectable and treatable. Mayor Levine commented that the community cares deeply about its staff and thanked them for their hard work, noting that she will do what needs to be done to ensure that staff have a safe working environment. She acknowledged that many of the Fire Open House events are kid -focused but encouraged adults to attend as well, noting the valuable educational experience that is provided. ADJOURN Councilor Paper moved to adjou(n. Councilor Maczko seconded the motion. Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 Mayor Levine adjourned the meeting at 7:33 p.m. ephanie B. Levine St Mayor AT EST: kt fi✓�/ Nan Bane City Clerk October 6, 2026 Mendoln Hergh(s City Cam�cl/ Page /2 oj12