Eagan City Council Meeting: Fire Oaths, Consent Agenda, Rental Licensing Appeal – May 19, 2026
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Eagan City Council Meeting: Fire Oaths, Consent Agenda, Rental Licensing Appeal – May 19, 2026
The Eagan City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at the Eagan Municipal Center (3830 Pilot Knob Rd.). The council adopted the agenda, swore in fire department personnel, approved the consent calendar, conducted a rental-licensing appeal hearing, and adjourned off camera for a closed session.
Consent Calendar
- Adopted the meeting agenda as presented.
- Approved the consent calendar en bloc. Items included: May 5, 2026 meeting minutes; personnel items; two council check registers (5/1/26 and 5/8/26); contracts; a resolution accepting donations; a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with Dakota County for a Natural Resources Management Plan at Patrick Eagan Park; Findings of Fact for the IronGate Data Center Interim Use Permit; a revised JPA for Veterans Memorial Greenway Trail – Phase II; an encroachment agreement with Magellan Pipeline Company for Opperman Drive; final payment for Contract 24-17 (Sperry Tower Lighting System Replacement); acceptance of the 2026–2036 Parks Master Plan; Change Order No. 11 for the Eagan Community Center Reinvestment Project; final subdivision/final planned development for West Publishing Company 11th Addition; and a JPA with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
- Agenda item L was listed as pulled and received no action.
- Item G (IronGate Data Center findings) was briefly opened at the request of a resident; the City Attorney advised against public discussion due to pending litigation, and the item was approved as part of the consent agenda.
Public Comments & Testimony
- During the consent agenda, a resident asked to pull Item G; after the City Attorney explained that the city is a party in a lawsuit and recommended closed-session discussion, the resident acknowledged and the council approved the consent agenda as presented.
- In the rental-licensing appeal, the appellant, a real estate broker and rental property owner, argued that the city code's plain-language definition of a single-family dwelling includes up to three attached units under the same owner. She said her twin home should require one rental license, not two, and that current enforcement creates "irrational and illogical" fees: a twin-home owner pays $50 more than a fourplex owner and a triplex owner pays $200 more. She also disputed the city's administrative-cost rationale.
Discussion Items
- Rental Licensing Appeal (City Code Chapter 6.55): City Attorney Bob Bauer explained that the code defines a "multiple rental dwelling" as four or more contiguous units under common ownership; because the twin home does not meet that definition, each unit — with separate PINs — requires a separate single-family rental license. He noted the license fee is $165 for a single rental and $210 plus $20 per unit for a multiple-rental license, and that the fee schedule is set separately.
- Councilmembers asked clarifying questions about definitions, common ownership, and fee logic. Several noted the two units have separate parcel numbers and fee-simple ownership, and that the ownership change from two LLCs to one LLC occurred only recently (the prior Thursday). Several members agreed the staff interpretation was applied correctly but suggested the ordinance could be revisited in the future; one member raised the possibility of capping single-dwelling fees to avoid the disparity.
Key Outcomes
- Administered the oath of office to Fire Chief Holly Mulholland. Chief Mulholland then swore in Firefighter Brandon Ramirez and administered the oath of office to Captain Eric Purvis (promoted in February and recently named Minnesota American Legion Firefighter of the Year). Chief Mulholland gave brief remarks and introduced the new firefighters.
- Approved the consent agenda unanimously, including the IronGate Data Center Findings of Fact.
- Directed the City Attorney's office to prepare findings affirming city staff's rental-licensing decision. The motion by Councilmember Fields was seconded and passed unanimously; the findings will be presented at the next regular council meeting.
- Public Works announced the Big Rig Rally will be held Thursday at 7 p.m. at the maintenance shop.
- The meeting adjourned off camera for a closed session.
Meeting Transcript
From one of our conferences explaining that. It's all right. I am. I don't want to come up. One nation under God. Welcome everybody to the May 19th regular meeting of the Egan City Council. This is our second and last meeting of the month of May. Even though we have a number of Rotarians. Actually, I suggested we do that. I can no longer do it from memory. Um but I try to live by it as well. Um but I want to welcome the uh Rotarians that have joined us and the firefighters. Uh it's a big night for the fire department and for Egan. Uh and then we have a very brief agenda uh after those activities. So uh with that, uh Ms. Miller, are they changing the agenda? No, Mr. Mayor. Uh council any changes the agenda. I'll take a motion. Council Member Hans. The agenda is presented. Second. That's moved and seconded. Uh is there any additional conversation on the agenda? Saying none on favorite saying aye. All right. And opposed nay, that motion carries, and we have an agenda. Uh I'll move right to uh the aforementioned uh recognitions and presentations. Uh first up is the swearing in and the administering of the oath of office uh to Egan's uh newly appointed fire chief, uh Holly Mulholland. Uh Holly, uh welcome. Uh and I assume that among the Rotarians there's also some family and and friends built in, so uh welcome to those folks as well. Uh I'm gonna turn it right over to Diane and uh you can get us started. Great. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, members of the council. It is my true honor tonight uh to introduce Holly Mulholland as Egan's next fire chief. Uh Chief Mulholland brings more than 17 years of fire service experience and a strong reputation for thoughtful, ethical, and people-centered leadership. Um Holly comes to us, she's been with us for the past years a little over a year as our deputy chief, but prior to that was with the city of Rochester's fire department, where she rose through the ranks from firefighter all the way up to deputy chief, leading through major emergencies, regional emergency management efforts, and certainly the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 response. She also helped oversee strategic planning, organizational development initiatives, and a $23 million department budget in Rochester. And now since joining the Egan Fire Department, Holly has already demonstrated incredible collaborative leadership and operational excellence that makes her such a strong fit for our organization and community. Something we're all very proud of. She was also selected to participate in the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Fire Service Executive Development Institute. And what may be one of my favorite details, uh she holds a bachelor's degree in a completely different profession, professional horticulture. Proof that leadership can grow from many different paths. So outside of work, Holly enjoys spending time with her family, including Rory, who's a certified live find, search, and rescue canine. So on behalf of the city of Egan, we are so excited for Chief Mulholland's leadership in the future of this fire department. And at this time, I would ask our city clerk back then who's to come up and she will administer the oath of office to Holly, and then Chief Mulholland will have a few words to share with counsel. Have you raised your right hand? Hi, Holly Moholland.
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