Duluth City Council Meeting on F-35 Basing and Regular Agenda - October 22, 2026

The Duluth City Council convened on October 22, 2026, for a regular meeting followed by a Committee of the Whole presentation from the 148th Fighter Wing. The regular agenda addressed public works contracts, public safety grants, and a zoning ordinance. The primary focus of the evening was a detailed presentation and discussion regarding Resolution 918, which expresses support for basing the F-35 Lightning II at the Duluth Air National Guard Base.

Consent Calendar

• Resolution 916 (vacating unimproved right-of-way in Dickerman's Division) and Resolution 919 (authorizing a DEDA cleanup grant for the Duluth Heritage Sports Center) were approved as part of the consent calendar.
• Resolution 918 (supporting the 148th Fighter Wing's F-35 selection) was pulled from the consent calendar by Councilor Klana for discussion during the subsequent Committee of the Whole.

Discussion Items

Public Works & Utilities (Resolutions 908, 909, 910):

• Resolution 908 authorized an engineering agreement with LHB Inc. for the Hillside Culvert Repair Phase 3 project for an amount not to exceed $166,382.50. No questions were raised.
• Resolution 909 authorized an agreement with InfoSend Inc. for utility invoice mailing services for 2027 at an annual estimated amount of $215,550. Councilors Klana and Decitel inquired about the percentage of customers paying electronically and the cost-effectiveness of the service compared to internal delivery. City Administration noted a new utility billing portal was recently implemented and discussions on a paperless bill deadline are ongoing.
• Resolution 910 authorized a sanitary sewer extension for properties on Roslyn Avenue at an estimated cost of $79,200, to be assessed to the benefitting landowners. A councilor asked why the project did not include replacing downstream clay tile sewer pipe to avoid future street work. Engineering staff explained the downstream pipe would be rehabilitated separately using a trenchless cured-in-place liner method.

Public Safety (Resolution 905):

• The council authorized acceptance of a $53,850 grant from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for the 2027 Towards Zero Deaths project. It was approved without questions.

Parks and Trails (Resolution 912):

• A resolution authorizing acceptance of a $300,000 Regional Trail Program grant to construct a portion of the cross-country city trail was approved.

Zoning (Ordinance 45):

• Ordinance 45 was read for the first time, amending the official zoning map to reclassify parcels within the Lester Park golf course.

Committee of the Whole: F-35 Basing

Colonel Scott Prom and Colonel Statz of the 148th Fighter Wing presented the base's case for receiving the F-35 Lightning II. They highlighted the wing's status as a top regional employer, generating over $107.5 million annually and employing over 1,000 members (with a manning rate over 100% since 2002). They emphasized community benefits, including the federally funded fire department (valued at $31M facility, $3.3M annual budget, $4M equipment) that provides mutual aid (78 responses annually) and possesses the largest tanker in St. Louis County. The loss of the manned fighter mission would likely result in losing this fire department. They also noted the Starbase STEM program serving 3,000 students from 43 schools and over 5,000 volunteer hours served annually by airmen.

The presenters outlined the competitive selection process: nine squadrons are competing for two slots. December 31, 2026 is the deadline for the Air Force to narrow the field to four finalists, with a preferred alternative selected by June 30, 2027. The arrival of aircraft is projected for 2034.

Councilor Positions and Questions:

• Councilor Forsman expressed unwavering support, stating the basing is a no-brainer for the city.
• Councilor Decitel asked about fire department funding models (mutual aid, no direct local cost) and required infrastructure upgrades.
• Councilor Kalana stressed the urgency of the timeline, noting the final basing board meets November 5, requiring letters of support by October 29. He asked if the council could wait until after the election, and the presenters confirmed the deadline required immediate action.
• Councilor Tomanak asked about the fate of fire equipment if the mission was lost, and was told it is federally owned and would be redistributed across the National Guard.
• Councilor Klana inquired about women serving in combat roles, receiving confirmation that women operate the aircraft in combat.
• Councilor Desitel asked about personnel residency (over 90% from the tri-state area) and the strategic advantages of Duluth's geographic location.

Key Outcomes

• The council advanced all regular agenda items (Resolutions 905, 908, 909, 910, 912) and Ordinance 45.
• A formal vote on Resolution 918 (F-35 Support) is scheduled for the Monday, October 26, 2026 council meeting.
• President Nephew made a draft letter of support available for councilors to sign, which will be included in the package sent to the Secretary of the Air Force.
• The Committee of the Whole provided the council with extensive information about the benefits of and timeline for the F-35 basing decision.