Duluth City Council Meeting – November 6, 2025
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Duluth City Council Meeting – November 6, 2025
The Duluth City Council met on November 6, 2025, to discuss consent agenda items, review proposed ordinances, and hear updates on Brownfield grants, the apprenticeship hub, and Housing Trust Fund guidelines. No formal votes were taken; all actions are scheduled for the next council meeting on Monday, November 10, 2025.
Consent Calendar
- Resolutions 519, 860, 861, 862: Appointments, gambling licenses, liquor licenses.
- Resolutions 852, 853, 854, 855, 856: Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund grant ($1 million from EPA), MSA Professional Services oversight agreement ($106,500), apprenticeship hub grant ($100,000 from MN DLI), Housing Trust Fund program guidelines update, and employment services contract with St. Louis County ($970,416.10).
- Resolution 858: Temporary construction easement from DSF Management LLC (no cost).
- Resolution 848: Emergency management grant ($18,220 from MN DPS).
- Resolutions 846, 849: Park Point recreation area grant amendment and intent to sell property in Morley Heights.
All consent items were listed without questions or objections.
Discussion Items
- Short‑term rental interim controls (Resolution 808): Councillor Owl requested status update. Vice President Nephew reported that constituent concerns have been resolved and the resolution is ready for a vote on Monday, November 10.
- Brownfield grants (Resolutions 852, 853): Councillor Owl asked about utilization of prior grants and the process for businesses to apply. Director Van Tassel confirmed past grants are fully spent or nearly complete; new funds are advertised and available to businesses for investigation and cleanup of contaminated sites.
- Apprenticeship hub (Resolution 854): Councillor Randorf asked for details. Manager Fauche explained the grant from MN Department of Labor and Industry will support a regional apprenticeship hub in partnership with Northeast MN Office of Job Training, helping employers develop registered apprenticeship programs.
- Housing Trust Fund guidelines (Resolution 855): Councillor Kennedy inquired about changes. Director Van Tassel highlighted the addition of a new “affordable housing” column in the program guidelines.
- Ordinance 27 – Human Rights Commission committees: Councillor Kennedy asked whether the NQT Commission had met. Mr. Staling confirmed they met and voted to become a committee under the new structure.
Key Outcomes
- All consent items are expected to be approved on Monday, November 10.
- Resolution 808 (short‑term rental interim controls) will be voted on Monday, November 10.
- Ordinance 27 will have its second reading on Monday, November 10, with an amendment (details not provided).
- Ordinances 28–31 (short‑term rental moratorium, prevailing wage exemption, property conveyance, stormwater inspection fees) were tabled for further review and will be addressed later.
Meeting Transcript
Thank you, President T'monic. Resolution 808, resolution adopting interim controls pending final decision regarding enactment of a memoratorium on certain short-term rental permits replacement. Counselor Owl. Thank you, President T'monic. I just want to start by saying like thank you to the counselors who've worked on this. This was something that I've talked to John Otis and Chief Kerjoy for a long time. So I was really excited about it. I've noticed that we've been tabling it. I was just wondering at what state is it now. Um, you know, like are we going to be able to take a vote on this coming up, you know, this coming Monday, or is the plan to continue to table? I just want to be a little prepared to be able to answer some of the concerns coming in from constituents too. Yeah. Vice President Nephew. Thank you, President Timonic. Uh Counselor Owell, uh, the issues that we had with a couple of the constituents has been resolved. So we are good. So this should be set to go. Thank you so much. Great. Moving on to Councillor Owl. Thank you, President T'monic. Item three, resolution 519. Resolution confirming the appointment of Gary Black to the Duluth Airport Authority. Item four, resolution 860, resolution confirming appointments to the City of Duluth Boards and Commissions. Thank you, Councillor Aw. Councillors questions on three or four. Moving on to Counselor, please. Thank you, President T monic. Um item number five, resolution 861 approving applications for lawful gambling. Item number six, resolution 862 approving the issuance of various liquor licenses. Seeing no questions, moving on to uh Vice President Nephew. Uh thank you, President Tmonic. Item number seven, resolution 852 resolution authorizing the acceptance of a $1 million Brownsfield revolving loan cleanup fund grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and affirming entering into a cooperative agreement. Item number eight, resolution 853 resolution authorizing an agreement with MSA Professional Services Inc. for an oversight of Brownfield cleanup projects for amount not to exceed uh 106,500. Item number nine uh resolution 854 resolution authorizing the proper city officials to enter into an agreement with and accept not more than 100,000 in funds from the state of Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry to create a registered apprenticeship hub for the Northeast Regional Region in partnership with the Northeast Minnesota Office of Job Training. Item number 10, resolution 855. Resolution updating program guidelines for the City of Duluth Housing Trust Fund. Item number 11, resolution 856, resolution authorizing the proper city officials to enter into an agreement with and accept um 970,416.10 cents in funds from the St. Louis from the St. Louis from St. Louis County to provide Minnesota family investment program and diversionary work program employment and training services. Counselor Owell. Thank you, Councilor, Vice President Nephew. Thank you, President Tamonic. Um, just a question for administration or potentially um planning and economic development. Um it's really exciting. Well grateful that we're getting all these loans for for um the Brownfield sites, you know, the revolving roam fund in 2012, 2019, 2022, you know, upwards of multiple millions of dollars. And my understanding is these, you know, when we're talking about accepting loans for Brownfield sites, we're talking about previously previous commercial and industrial development sites that you know kind of need to be redeveloped or fixed up.
openpublica.com