Eagan City Council Special Meeting - March 10, 2026

The Eagan City Council held a special meeting on March 10, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at the Eagan Municipal Center. The council received updates from the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (MVTA) and the Eagan Community Foundation, discussed emergency community support needs and options in response to Operation Metro Surge, and reviewed progress on Community Conversations recommendations. Council members present included Mayor and Councilmembers, with Councilmember Bachin absent.

Consent Calendar

• No consent calendar items were on the agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during the Visitors to Be Heard portion.

Minnesota Valley Transit Authority Update

• MVTA representatives Luther Uminder and Joy Stenson presented. They reported systemwide ridership up nearly 8% year over year, with Eagan-specific ridership up 6.7% from 2024 to 2025. Express service ridership increased over 10%, while local service was down 0.1% due to restructuring. The 4 Fund route (via Mall of America) saw a 34% increase. Beginning March 16, 2026, that route will add hourly year-round service to MSP Terminal One, seven days a week, with free parking at the Eagan Transit Station for up to 14 days (extendable by calling customer service).
• MVTA Connect, the on-demand service, averaged 161 customers per day in Eagan with a 21-minute average wait time. Ridership demographics: 65% use it for work; 47% said they would otherwise use Uber/Lyft; 47% are riders of color; 60% are female; 10% have a disability or long-term health condition.
• Eagan Transit Station improvements include real-time interactive signage, a customer service button, auditory announcements, upgraded lighting, flooring, and cameras. Future 2027 programming includes a design connect area and an elevator update.
• The high-subsidy report mandated by the legislature was discussed: 18 routes were identified, but MVTA had already eliminated or restructured many of them. A new Transit Propensity Index is being used to assess service efficiency, leading to 20-30% ridership increases on some routes.
• Key legislative challenge: House File 411 proposes to absorb suburban transit providers into Metro Transit by July 1, 2027, with no guarantee of service beyond one year. The council expressed strong support for local control and noted a prior resolution in favor of suburban transit providers. MVTA requested cities' continued advocacy.

Community Foundation Update

• Colleen Byrne (Vice Chair) and Jamie Hopkins (Executive Director) presented. The Eagan Community Foundation has been serving for 35 years, stewarding charitable funds, providing grants and scholarships. In 2025, they awarded 31 grants totaling $61,000 (a record) and 120 scholarships totaling $145,250 (also a record). They now steward seven funds totaling about $1.75 million.
• A new Artworks Legacy Fund began with $1.1 million in 2024, now at $1.4 million, generating about $45,000 annually for arts and culture.
• In response to Operation Metro Surge, the foundation fielded about 10 calls and, working with District 196 cultural family advocates, helped pay rent for five families for one month each.
• They announced a Community Leadership Academy launching in 2026 to build a pipeline of informed residents for boards, commissions, and civic engagement. The council praised the initiative and noted alignment with Community Conversations goals.

Emergency Community Support – Needs and Options

• Sarah Horwath and Jamie Hopkins presented data on the economic impact of Operation Metro Surge. Key statistics: estimated $106 million in lost wages regionwide (UM CURA), up to $51 million in missed rent payments, and a 57% increase in eviction prevention referrals in Dakota County (85 in Jan-Feb 2026 vs. 52 in 2025). In Eagan, eviction filings rose from about 18 per month in 2025 to 30 per month in early 2026. 211 calls for rent assistance tripled; Spanish-language line calls spiked 1,646%.
• Local LAHA (Local Affordable Housing Aid) funds available: $819,907 uncommitted from 2024-2025 allocations, with an additional ~$900,000 expected in 2026. Sample math: $100,000 could help approximately 30 families with two months' rent or 60 families with one month's rent.
• Potential distributors include 360 Communities, Community Action Partnership of Dakota County, and HOPE Foundation. These agencies have existing infrastructure to handle direct rent payments to landlords and track outcomes.
• Options discussed: (1) allocate up to $100,000 from LAHA for emergency rental assistance, (2) explore temporary extension of pre-eviction notice from 14 to 30 days, (3) consider pausing delinquent utility bill collections (staff reported no unusual increases yet), and (4) establish a housing rights clinic (supported).
• Council consensus supported moving forward with a $100,000 allocation, with the understanding that more funds could be approved if needed. Staff will bring a formal proposal to the next regular meeting in April for approval.

Community Conversations Recommendations

• Sarah Ayle reported on progress six months after the community conversations. Three top recommendations were being advanced:
  1. Civic Leaders Pathways Program: Two community conversation participants were selected for the Nexus Community Partners Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (starting April 2026). Additionally, three of 25 new advisory commission applicants came from conversation participants.
  2. Connecting Volunteers and Donors with Needs: The city is redesigning its volunteer program based on feedback from volunteers and coordinators. The new approach will match volunteers based on available time and interests rather than predefined city functions.
  3. Continuing the Conversations: A spring 2026 mini conversation toolkit will be published for home use. A biannual summit (instead of annual) is planned. Staff are engaging Somali community leaders, including an upcoming Iftar dinner. A new group, "Sisters Holding Eagan Together" (SHE), meets monthly and was initiated by a conversation participant. An Ayyam-i-Ha celebration was hosted by conversation participants in March.
• Council thanked staff for their efforts, particularly highlighting weekend outreach work.

Key Outcomes

• MVTA Update: Received as information. Council reaffirmed support for local transit control and will advocate against HF 411.
• Community Foundation Update: Received as information. Council expressed appreciation and noted alignment with community engagement efforts.
• Emergency Community Support: Council directed staff to prepare a formal resolution to allocate up to $100,000 from LAHA funds for emergency rental assistance, to be brought to the next regular council meeting in April. Staff will also research extending the pre-eviction notice period and explore a housing rights clinic.
• Community Conversations: Progress report received. Council encouraged continued efforts and noted the importance of youth engagement and sustaining neighborly connections.

The meeting adjourned at approximately [time not specified in transcript].