Duluth City Council Agenda Session - November 20, 2025
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Duluth City Council Agenda Session - November 20, 2025
The Duluth City Council met on November 20, 2025, for an agenda session to review items scheduled for the upcoming regular council meeting. Council members discussed numerous resolutions, ordinances, and received a presentation from the Duluth Airport Authority. No public comments were heard.
Discussion Items
General Obligation Bonds (Item 2) – Resolution authorizing $12,680,000 in bonds for various capital improvements including City Hall rehabilitation. Councilor Walker questioned the necessity of bathroom remodels given budget constraints. Administrator Steeling responded that the work addresses ADA accessibility and aging plumbing, and is part of the five-year capital improvement plan.
Change Order for Shoppers Ramp Demolition (Item 11) – Resolution authorizing a change order with Carlton Companies Inc. for phase two stabilization of the New Garrick building, increasing the total to $2,530,414.84. Councilor Durwachter asked about the legality of awarding phase two without a new RFP, noting the change order nearly doubled the original $1 million phase one. Manager Hobbs explained that phase two was anticipated in the original bid and that staff obtained other estimates to confirm pricing. Attorney Lair confirmed the process is not unusual.
London Road Roundabouts (Item 14) – Resolution authorizing a cooperative construction agreement with MnDOT for the London Road project, including roundabouts at 26th and 40th Avenues East, with the city's share at $2.6 million. Councilor Durwachter questioned whether the city could opt out due to budget concerns and public opposition. MnDOT project manager Tom Lamb stated the project design is complete and bids are due December 3; any delay would jeopardize the project. Councilor Kennedy supported moving forward, noting the risk of losing federal and state funds. Councilor Owell sought clarification on the public process. The discussion concluded with the item moving forward.
Lester Park Golf Course Conveyance (Item 12 and Ordinance 32) – Resolution of intent to sell 230 acres of the former Lester Park golf course to DEDA, paired with an ordinance conveying the property contingent on preserving 1,500 acres of parkland elsewhere. Councilor Owell asked about the relationship to the land use study. Attorney Lair explained the resolution is a notice requirement. Councilor Randorf noted the ordinance ties development to preservation. Councilor Durwachter requested adding explicit reference to the land use study, but Attorney Lair indicated the current language referencing the prior resolution is sufficient. The ordinance will have two readings.
Airport Authority Presentation – Executive Director Tom Werner and Finance Director Joelle Bodine presented the 2026 budget, air service updates, and capital projects. The airport is self-sustaining, with a projected $45,000 surplus. Operating revenues are up 5%, expenses up 2%. Passenger traffic is recovering to near 2019 levels. Key capital projects include the air traffic control tower (construction manager at risk, breaking ground spring 2026) and taxiway reconstruction. Councilor Owell asked about the Denver service grant money; the $1.29 million pledged will be repurposed for another route. Councilor DeLuca inquired about cruise activity and cargo. The presentation emphasized the link between economic growth and air service.
Other Items – The council also reviewed:
- Item 5: Sole source contract for learning management system ($56,726.67).
- Item 6: New classification of network architect; Councilor Durwachter asked about privacy implications of police network surveillance.
- Item 7: Appointment of Juanita Salinas as finance director, starting December 1.
- Item 10: Consent to tax-exempt obligations by Rice Lake.
- Item 13: Engineering contract amendment for street preservation.
- Item 15: LRIP grant application for East 4th Street.
- Item 16: Contract for chiller removal.
- Item 17: Purchase of aerial fire truck for Fire Station 8 ($2,129,000).
- Items 18-20: Property agreements and grants.
- Items 27-31: Various ordinances including prevailing wage exemption and stormwater fee.
Key Outcomes
- The council will hold a regular meeting on Monday, November 24, 2025, to vote on all items discussed.
- The airport authority presentation was informational; no vote was taken.
- Several councilors requested additional information on items (e.g., network architect, Masaba project public process) to be provided before Monday.
- The council expects to vote on the London Road cooperative agreement, the Lester Park conveyance ordinances, and other items.
Meeting Transcript
We will begin our meeting in one minute. Good evening. We will begin with uh Counselor Kennedy reading in for Counselor Forsman. Give me a half a minute. I'm an item number two. Resolution providing the issuance sale and delivery of uh general obligation bonds series two zero two five H and the approximate principal amount of twelve million six hundred eighty thousand dollars, establishing the terms and form thereof, creating a debt service and fund there for and providing for awarding the sale thereof. Item number three, resolution eight ninety-five resolution providing for the issuance sale and delivery of taxable general obligation tourism tax revenue bonds, series twenty two zero two five I, and the approximate principal amount of eight hundred and ninety thousand dollars, establishing the terms and form thereof, creating a debt service account therefore, and providing uh for awarding the sale thereof. Item number four, resolution eight nine six authorizing allocation of lead lead service line replacement funds for reimbursement of design engineering costs incurred for future projects. Thank you, Counselor Kennedy. Any questions? Yep, Counselor Walker. Uh thank you, President Tomonik. Um my question is on item two. And I'm I'm wondering if we could get a more detailed detailed breakdown of um some of these things. Um well I have several questions, but um specifically um reading that the some of the uh rehabilitation of City Hall includes the bathrooms. Um just I for example the the bathrooms I I can tell they're very old, but they seem to be in good repair, so knowing that we're coming into a really difficult budget year. Um I'm curious about um how dire the need is to remodel the bathrooms here in the city hall. Mr. Steeling, do you want to take that? Sure. Uh Council President Tamonic, uh, Councilor Drewker. Um our five-year uh capital improvement plan, the bathrooms are part of our five-year capital improvement plan. Um ADA accessibility is a priority for the city, and our bathrooms, uh, that is certainly a part of it. Uh also uh updating the plumbing uh behind the walls. Uh it's it's uh the plumbing behind the walls is very old, is also in need of uh efficiency in updating behind the walls. So there is quite a bit of work. Um it's not simply cosmetic, but uh the ADA accessibility is a part of it also. The plumbing behind the walls is another important factor. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Stealing. Thank you, Counselor Der Wachter. Any other questions, Counselors? Seeing none, we'll move on to you, Counselor Durkter. Go ahead. Item number five. Item number five, resolution 888, authorizing a sole source three-year agreement for a learning management system from No Before Inc. for a total amount of $56,726 and 67 cents. Thank you, Counselor Dur Walker. Seeing no questions, we'll move on to uh Counselor Owell, please. Thank you, President Timonic. Item six, resolution eight eighty nine, resolution approving proposed specifications for the new civil classification of network architect and specifying contract benefits for the same. Item seven, resolution 902, resolution confirming the appointment of Janita. Juanita. Juanita. Salinas as director, finance for the city of Duluth. Thank you so much. And then if if I may go ahead. Regarding the appointment for finance director, I was wondering if the incoming finance director would introduce themselves in the council chambers on Monday. Would love to say welcomes on Monday.
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