Laurel City Council Meeting – August 11, 2026

The Laurel City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chambers. Mayor Kris R. Vogele presided. Council members present were Jessica Banks, Irv Wilke, Jodi Mackay, Richard Klose, Casey Wheeler, Brent Edgmond, and Tom Canape. Council Member Sara Naylor was absent. No public hearing was held. The meeting adjourned at 6:55 PM.

Consent Calendar

• The Council approved the minutes from April 28, 2026, by a 7-0 vote.
• The consent calendar, including claims entered through August 7, 2026, and the Payroll Register for PPE 8/2/2026 totaling $285,037.14, was approved by a 7-0 vote.
• The Budget/Finance Committee Minutes of July 28, 2026, were received under Reports of Boards and Commissions.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Barb Emineth of 501 Alder Avenue criticized the State’s MEPA analysis for the proposed state facility, saying it appeared to pull numbers out of a hat and made unsupported assumptions about Laurel’s ability to provide water. She expressed opposition to State behavior she characterized as bullying, urged the Council not to be intimidated, and said she hoped the Council would vote to join the fight. She also praised what she called growing transparency by the Council.
• Elizabeth Gilg of Laurel reported on the Laurel CARED court hearing held the previous day, stating that the State’s attorney said the State did not intend to seek annexation and intended to pursue eminent domain related to municipal services. She said the State also stated it planned to begin construction in September 2026, despite an April 2027 construction date in the State’s environmental assessment. She questioned whether the Love’s latecomers agreement demonstrates sufficient water supply, pressure, or capacity.
• Jeremy Lovold of 1035 9th Avenue requested an additional camera in the Council Chambers so online viewers could see the full Council and Mayor, asked whether the State could use eminent domain to access the City’s water system, and suggested the forensic facility matter be placed on the Council agenda regularly. Mayor Vogele responded that the Council could not comment during audience participation but that he might find out in a future meeting.
• Shelly White of 512 Wyoming Avenue questioned whether eminent domain could compel the City to provide water capacity if sufficient water is not available. She also said she planned to research how contracts for the State project were awarded, whether competitive bidding occurred, and whether decision-makers had relationships with contractors.
• Janine Coolel of 302 Forest Avenue expressed concern about the contractor-selection process, stating that the same contractor appeared to have been identified earlier in the process.
• Under Community Announcements, Elizabeth Gilg announced the upcoming farmers market and said Laurel CARED was selling raffle tickets—$20 each or 6 for $100—to support legal representation and other projects.

Discussion Items

• The Council approved allowing Council Member Banks to be absent from the City of Laurel for more than 10 days. The motion passed 6-0, with Council Member Banks abstaining.
• The Council approved Resolution No. R26-49, authorizing the Mayor to reschedule the City Council meeting set on Election Day. The vote was 7-0.
• The Council approved Resolution No. R26-50, authorizing the Mayor to sign an agreement with Susan B. Swimley and Tara Depuy/DuPuy for legal services. The vote was 7-0. Council Member Mackay asked how the attorneys would be used and how their duties would differ from City Attorney Ryan Addis’s. Mayor Vogele explained that they would work with Attorney Addis and provide specialized land-use expertise related to the proposed State facility, municipal utilities, potential eminent domain, and the City’s legal options, including possible litigation. He said legal expenses could be paid from the General Fund and, where appropriate, allocated to water or sewer enterprise funds. He also said MMIA would likely not participate while the City was proactively evaluating its options, but coverage could be sought if the State initiated eminent-domain or other legal action involving the City.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the April 28, 2026 minutes and the consent calendar items, including the payroll register totaling $285,037.14.
• Approved Council Member Banks’ extended absence (6-0; Banks abstained).
• Approved Resolution R26-49 on Election Day meeting rescheduling (7-0).
• Approved Resolution R26-50 authorizing the legal services agreement with Swimley and Depuy/DuPuy (7-0).
• No items were removed from the consent agenda.
• There were no ex parte communications, no disclosures of conflict, and no unscheduled matters.
• The next Public Works Committee meeting was announced for Monday, August 17, 2026, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers.
• Mayor Vogele reported that budget work is continuing; the budget will be presented at a regular Council meeting rather than a special meeting, and final mill figures will be allocated among City cost centers.
• The meeting adjourned at 6:55 PM.