Duluth City Council Agenda Session - February 6, 2025
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Duluth City Council Agenda Session - February 6, 2025\n\nThe Duluth City Council held an agenda session on February 6, 2025, at 5:15 PM to discuss and clarify items on the upcoming regular meeting agenda. Council members reviewed resolutions and ordinances covering finance, personnel, planning, election precinct boundaries, meeting start times, public works, public safety, and recreation. No formal votes were taken; the session served to gather information and address council member and public questions.\n\n### Consent Calendar\n- Resolution 96 (Finance): Authorizing a settlement of $33,000 in the matter of Levant Fay Elis vs. City of Duluth.\n- Resolution 34 (Personnel): Authorizing $60,000 for purchase of ebooks, audiobooks, online magazines, and video titles from OverDrive Inc.\n- Resolutions 112 and 114 (Personnel): Confirming appointments of Kathleen Cargill and John Hess to the Heritage Preservation Commission, and Tim McShane to the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of Duluth.\n\n### Discussion Items\n- Planning & Economic Development – Gary New Duluth Property Conveyance (Resolutions 99, 100, 101; Ordinance 1): Council members discussed a multi-step process to transfer a tax-forfeit parcel from St. Louis County to the City of Duluth and then to JOTO LLC. The land, an oversight from years past, lies within an existing business property. St. Louis County cannot directly transfer tax-forfeit land to a private owner, so the city is acting as intermediary. The ordinance is required as part of the normal process for such transfers. Planning was consulted but the matter did not require a planning commission vote. Councilor Mayo noted the odd shape and size of the parcel.\n- Committee of the Whole – Election Precinct Boundary (Resolution 91): A change affecting two households in precinct 35, correcting a redistricting error to return them to their original polling location at Gary New Duluth. Councilor Kennedy requested clarification, provided by the Clerk.\n- Committee of the Whole – Meeting Start Time (Resolution 97): A proposal to change regular council meetings from 7:00 PM to 6:00 PM, driven by President Tomonic. Councilor Forsman explained it as a trial for the year. Councilor Awall asked about also moving the agenda session start time; that was not included in the resolution but could be discussed separately.\n- Public Works & Utilities:\n - Resolution 47: Authorizing annual gravel contract with North Line Constructors for $335,656.\n - Resolution 88: One-year extension of mailing services contract with Business Communication Solutions for $210,000. Councilor Swinson asked about the timeline for an online platform; administration will follow up.\n - Resolution 98: Purchasing cold mix asphalt from Monarch Paving for $60,000.\n- Public Safety – Predatory Offender Compliance Operation (Resolution 93): Authorizing an agreement with the U.S. Marshals Service for overtime reimbursement (up to $10,000) for a short-term operation targeting non-compliant registered predatory offenders. Chief Sanoa clarified:\n - The operation is not immigration enforcement; police policy prohibits involvement with immigration issues.\n - If an undocumented person is located, they will be treated as any other U.S. citizen for criminal charges; ICE is not contacted.\n - Overtime is necessary due to staffing constraints and the need to maintain 911 response.\n - The grant is routine and expected to be unaffected by federal policy changes.\n - The department's immigration policy (Policy 412) is publicly available on the city police website.\n- Recreation, Libraries & Authorities:\n - Resolution 79: Sub-recipient agreement with St. Louis River Citizens Action Committee for up to $50,000 for public access along the St. Louis River.\n - Resolution 81: Contract with Lighter Poma of America Inc. for a new aerial ski lift at Spirit Mountain, total not to exceed $3,417,190. A Committee of the Whole meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 10, to discuss further.\n - Resolution 95: Third amendment for replacement of a beach dune crossing boardwalk near Lafayette Community Center, with the Minnesota DNR.\n- Ordinance 1: Authorizing conveyance of real property in Gary New Duluth to JOTO LLC for $4,620. Councilor Swenson asked about timing relative to related resolutions; staff will confirm if resolutions can proceed before the ordinance’s second reading.\n\n### Key Outcomes\n- No formal votes were taken; all items will proceed to the regular meeting for action.\n- Council members requested follow-up information on the mailing services contract timeline and the relationship between the ordinance and resolutions for the Gary New Duluth parcel.\n- A Committee of the Whole meeting was scheduled for Monday, February 10, to delve into the Spirit Mountain ski lift contract.\n\n### Announcements\n- Councilor Kennedy promoted the “Winter Outwest 2025” event in West Duluth (February 7–9), featuring a Showcase of Stars with the Mayor and council members, and a vaccination clinic.
Meeting Transcript
You forgot to show up at Harvard. I know. No, I was on they changed the date and I'm still with my calendar for Thursday. Oh. There's some glasses for that in the door. Yeah, that's good. Uh sometimes I got calendar stampers. I have them too. I think it's on there as well. Did you? I had a pretty day and we need there was a ton of people. Yeah, they didn't not need to. No, I was kind of sad because I didn't have anybody said anything. So you didn't even know who was there. I mean it was senior housing too, which is like so I felt the same way. Oh, I should probably have a flood here. Oh, that's all right. It's five fifteen, so we'll get our agenda session started. Uh the first item is number four, Counselor Forzman with finance. Thank you, Vice President Nephew. Our first resolution is resolution ninety-six approving settlement in the matter of Levant Fay Elis versus City of Duluth. The amount of thirty-three thousand dollars pursuant to the terms of the settlement addendum. All right, do we have any questions? Looks like we don't. So we'll move on to number five. Uh Councillor Randorf, will you read in for Counselor Der Watcher? I sure can, thank you, Vice President Nephew. Reading in for Councillor Durwachter, uh item five resolution thirty-four is a resolution authorizing the purchase of ebooks, audio books, online magazines, video titles from overdrive inc for the amount of sixty thousand dollars. Thank you. Do we have any questions on that? Um looks like we do not, so we will move along to personnel. Item number six. Um who would like to read in for that? Uh we'll give it to you, Councillor Forsman. Thank you, Vice President Nephew. That's one of the fun parts of sitting in that chair, as you can tell any of us to read. Uh resolution one twelve confirming the appointment of Kathleen Cargill and John Hess to the Heritage Preservation Commission. And resolution one fourteen confirming the appointment of Tim McShane to the housing and redevelopment authority of Duluth. All right, thank you. And do we have any questions on item six and seven? Looks like we do not. So we'll move on to number eight, planning and economic development, and that would be me. Resolution 94, resolution authorizing agreements with appropriate agency for the HUD Home American Rescue Plan ARP funds. Item number nine, resolution 99, resolution of intent to sell or convey certain real property in the Gary New Duluth neighborhood. Item number 10, resolution 100, resolution authorizing the proper city officials to request and accept from St. Louis County on behalf of the state of Minnesota certain tax forfeit land in the amount of $4,000 for economic development purposes. Thank you, Vice President. And I'm gonna ask a question to Mr. Stalling. Uh because I don't see anybody from the economic development here.
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