Rochester City Council Regular Session - November 4, 2024
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Rochester City Council Regular Session - November 4, 2024
On November 4, 2024, the Rochester City Council held a regular session addressing consent agenda items, two public hearings, a major transit operational analysis, and ordinance first readings. The meeting included open comment period and ended after discussion of other business.
Consent Calendar
- Approved unanimously (7-0) the consent agenda comprising items F.1 (minutes of October 21, 2024), F.2 (accounts payable totaling $14,825,241.61), F.3 (2024 employee travel reimbursement rates at $86/$74), F.5 (2024 Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant), F.7 (DNR grant agreements for Willow Creek Trail Extension and $165,230 feasibility study contract with Alliant Engineering), F.8 (Capital Improvement Plan amendments), F.9 (bid advertisement for Link BRT utilities and architecture project), F.10 (contract award to PVS Technologies for $455,000 for anhydrous ferric chloride), F.11 (contract with Durst Outdoor Services for $130,166 to demolish 18 manufactured dwellings at Bob's Mobile Home Park), F.12 (revocable permit for fencing in easements), F.13 (2025 boulevard tree planting contract with Jim Whiting Nursery, average price $398.65), F.14 (Century Valley Fourth subdivision tree planting agreement), F.15 (Scenic Oaks West Third subdivision tree planting agreement), and F.16 (septic/sanitary sewer connection agreement with Westling Trust). Items F.4 (2025 council meeting calendar) and F.6 (juvenile curfew amendment) were pulled for separate discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mike Broughton expressed frustration with limited job opportunities for technical professionals with industrial engineering degrees in the Rochester area.
- Adam Buzbee (ATU 105, representing transit drivers) criticized Transdev for issues with short-term disability, bus maintenance causing injury, and refusal to pay for medications. He urged the city to bring transit services in-house, stating that taking only mechanics in-house would disrupt communication with dispatchers.
- Adri Gomez (Rochester Public Transit dispatcher) appealed to the council to terminate the contract with Transdev (a French private company) to eliminate profit sent overseas and improve stability for employees.
- Monica Rose spoke on behalf of her late father, Harold Carlson, objecting to a street assessment she called a maintenance issue rather than an improvement. She argued the assessment would not increase property value, cited a $35,000 assessment increase from 2023 to 2024, and described the finished road as more narrow and dangerous.
Discussion Items
- Major Land Subdivision G.1 – Hadley Creek 5th (CD2024-026PLAT): Planner Elliot Mohler presented a proposal by Farmland, LLC to subdivide 17.5 acres into 57 residential lots and one outlot, with a planned bridge connection to 48th Street. The public hearing was opened and closed with no speakers. Councilmember Palmer introduced an amendment adding Condition 10: "Prior to the beginning of grading, temporary bridge construction will be substantially completed." After debate, the amendment passed 6-1 (Dennis opposed). The main motion as amended passed unanimously 7-0.
- Consolidated Plan G.2 (2025-2029) and Fair Housing Analysis: Planner Brent Svenby presented the five-year plan, 2025 annual action plan, and analysis of impediments to fair housing choice, required for CDBG funds (~$672,000 in new funding plus ~$100,000 program income). The public hearing was opened and closed with one speaker (Diane Wolf Plants, advocating for tiny homes and noting lack of affordable housing). The resolution approving the plans passed unanimously 7-0.
- Transit Operational Scenarios Analysis (H.1): Transit & Parking Services Director Ia Xiong presented four scenarios: 1) single vendor (current), 2) multiple vendors, 3) single vendor but bring fleet maintenance in-house, 4) full in-house. The city hired consultant AECOM for independent analysis. Scenario 1 and 3 were rated equally; scenario 4 was highest cost (approx. $3.6 million more annually). Eighty percent of transit costs are covered by state/federal grants; additional local funding would come from fare collection, advertising, or tax levy. Staff recommended releasing an RFP for options 1 and 3 to compare pricing with and without fleet maintenance in-house. Councilmember Dennis moved to continue the item to November 18, 2024 as a public hearing; no second, motion failed. She then moved to substitute option 4 (full in-house); that motion was denied 1-6. The main motion (authorizing RFP for options 1 and 3) passed 6-1 (Dennis opposed).
- 2025 Council Meeting Calendar (H.2, pulled from consent): Councilmember Dennis raised concerns about calendar conflicts with National League of Cities conference and lack of study sessions. The calendar was approved 6-1 (Dennis opposed).
- Juvenile Curfew Extension (H.3, pulled from consent): Captain Turk reported 26 contacts in 2024, no citations issued; the curfew is used as a secondary tool to reunite youth with families. Exemptions exist for work, school activities. The amendment extending the curfew to December 31, 2026, was approved unanimously 7-0.
- Ordinance First Readings (J.1-J.5): City Attorney Michael Spindler-Krage presented first readings for: J.1 (2025 Master Fee Schedule), J.2 (annexation of ~36.84 acres from Olmsted County), J.3 (annexation of ~49.90 acres by the city), J.4 (juvenile curfew amendment), and J.5 (Downtown Special Service District amendments). All were received and filed.
- Other Business: Councilmember Dennis raised questions about the airport use for sister city trips (noting a pamphlet said flights depart from Minneapolis rather than Rochester Regional Airport) and about council rules enforcement. The discussion was ruled out of order; a motion to adjourn passed 5-1-1 (Dennis opposed, Carlson absent).
Key Outcomes
- Approved (7-0): Consent agenda items F.1-F.3, F.5, F.7-F.16; Hadley Creek 5th subdivision (with added Condition 10); 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and Fair Housing documents; juvenile curfew extension.
- Approved (6-1): Transit RFP authorization for options 1 and 3; 2025 Council Meeting Calendar.
- Denied (1-6): Substitute motion for full in-house transit (option 4).
- Failed (lack of second): Motion to continue transit discussion to November 18 as a public hearing.
- Adjourned (5-1-1): After other business discussion.
Meeting Transcript
Or maybe that was that. It's green, so I don't know. Please rise as you're able for the Pledge of Allegiance. One nation understands Hello, welcome everyone. So good to see a full crowd tonight. This is our city council meeting for November 4th, 2024. We begin every meeting with an open comment period. This is a chance for anyone who would like to speak on issues. My computer just turned off. On issues that we will not be taking public testimony on later in a public hearing. And you have up to two minutes to speak for a total of up to 20 minutes. I will be keeping track of time as you move through your presentation with a little stop clock here and a stop uh timer on the wall. Just know that if I cut you off, it's not because I don't want to hear what you have to say, but it's because we want to make sure that others have a chance to speak as well. I will use the list that the city clerk has given me, although I only have a few names, so if there are others who didn't have a chance to sign up, I will be sure to ask after those uh have spoken. If you have any materials to share with the council, we ask that you hand those to the city clerk who is over here. She will make sure that we get that information. And uh similarly, if you would like us to follow up with you on any comments or questions you have, we don't respond in real time, but you can make sure that the clerk has your contact information and staff or council will follow up with you. We encourage you to limit your comments to topics that council actually has ability to influence policy over, but we certainly uh welcome your comments and feedback to staff and ask that you deliver those respectfully and to me as the presiding officer over the meeting. I will go ahead and start based on the list I have here, and we ask that you step up to the microphone, introduce yourself, and then you have two minutes. So Mike Brought is first. Thank you, Council President Carlson. The mic needs to be turned on. All right. How that thank you, Council President Carlson. Uh thank you, Mayor Norton and City Administration and the leaders of the six wars. All right. Hey, I came here to speak basically because uh I just graduated with my industrial engineering degree with honors, and I have a few other industrial engineering degrees, and I've been in the area for a few months and have had limited success on employment opportunities. Um I've applied to multiple organizations within Rochester and Olmstead County. Uh it seems like there is an appetite for some industrial engineers with certain uh qualifications. Um I'm unemployed and moving motel to motel in your in your county as an industrial engineer with uh tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt. Um I uh I'm trying I'm struggling to understand why there's such a lack of positions for technical professionals in the industrial engineering arena, which by the way, industrial engineers are found all over industry at all all levels above and below, and you should know that. I challenge you to look at your executive makeup in your area to include your county and city officials and other businesses that are well known in the area and assess the um the placement of industrial engineers and the areas um desire to achieve more efficient efficiency in terms of engineering and technical professionals in the area, such as myself. I've had very limited success in securing employment for my profession, and I would it would seem like someone in this arena would be welcome in in this area. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right, Adam Busby. Hi, my name is Adam Busby, ATU 105. I'm speaking for our drivers. Many are here to here today. And though I've been called special interest, these are your constituents. They live in your wards and they do city work. Two stories of what we've had to endure just this year working for trans dev. One of our drivers has some medical issues that prevented him from working. Transdev refused to give the information to MetLife so he could get his short-term disability when he was off for quite some time. Um with no pay till he had to walk away from the job. Uh in uh when uh first transit refused to install a part on the suspension of the bus because it was an expensive part. It was $900. But because they didn't want to spend that much, I will now live injured with the rest of my for the rest of my life. And then to add to that, this year Transdev started repay refusing to pay for three of my meds that I've been on some of them since 2017.
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