Rochester City Council Regular Session - February 3, 2025
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Rochester City Council Regular Session - February 3, 2025
The Rochester City Council met on February 3, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. for a regular session. The agenda included a consent calendar, public hearings, reports and recommendations on the Chateau Theater operating agreement and the Regional Sports and Recreation Complex, a zoning ordinance second reading, and other business. Key decisions included approving a site purchase and outdoor-first phase for the sports complex, extending the Chateau Theater operator agreement, and accepting a state grant for lead service line replacement.
Consent Calendar
- Items F1 through F18 and F20 through F21 were approved in a block, including minutes, accounts payable ($7,459,246.29), Microsoft enterprise agreement ($1,222,331.97), ERP software RFP, capital project fund transfers, DMC annual report, bid advertisements for multiple street and sidewalk projects, a contract amendment for pond restoration, a boulevard tree agreement, an NEA grant application, a cooperative construction agreement with MnDOT, a design contract for the Zumbro River siphon, utility connection agreements, a revocable permit for flag poles, a grant acceptance for the public facilities authority (originally on consent but pulled for discussion), sale of excess generation capacity, and a special event permit for Social Ice 2025.
- Item F19 (Minnesota Public Facilities Authority Grant Acceptance) was pulled by Councilmember Miller for discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Judy Young (Ward 1, disability advocacy groups) expressed concern that the sports complex phase one focuses on outdoor amenities, which may exclude disability activities such as Special Olympics cornhole. She noted that the community engagement survey indicated indoor preference and that no disability groups were consulted. She urged the council to consider disability access.
- Bill Thermos (Timberland Partners, owner of Preserve on Maine) asked about access, sewer tie-in, and drainage for the proposed sports complex site. He expressed support for the project but requested that these issues be addressed.
- Sarah Jurdy (Ward 5) urged the council to conduct a NEET assessment of youth needs, particularly for marginalized youth, and to form a youth coalition before finalizing the sports complex location and design.
- Mark Bransford supported the sports complex, emphasizing that phasing is standard practice and that the outdoor-first approach is consistent with other city projects. He cited economic benefits from similar complexes in Des Moines, Bettendorf, and Coralville.
- Nick Campion argued that the Seneca site is poorly integrated into travel and lodging infrastructure, urging the council to consider alternatives and pause for evaluation.
- Diana La Set (renter, Ant Silver Lake) reported black mold, water issues, and ignored city violations at her building, requesting action on behalf of tenants.
- Casey McGregor criticized the January 15th study session for not being recorded and for presenting a single viewpoint. She also raised concerns about the Green New Deal and its impact on Rochester, and opposed the sports complex, calling it catering to affluent individuals.
- Mahathi Candimal (Ward 5) supported the sports complex as a needed indoor space for youth, noting the loss of the YMCA and the importance of keeping young people in Rochester.
- Al Lund (past YMCA board member) urged the sports complex to incorporate YMCA-like social responsibility and youth development missions.
- Ron Meniger (Ward 3) supported the sports complex and urged using metrics to optimize usage, echoing Sarah Jurdy's suggestions.
- Molly Dennis (former council member) criticized council transparency, pay, and alleged threats. She called for recording hours worked and donating excess pay to charity.
Discussion Items
- Chateau Theater Operating Agreement Renewal (H1): Josh Johnson (Strategic Initiatives Director) presented a one-year renewal for Threshold Arts to operate the Chateau Theater from May 19, 2025 to May 18, 2026. He noted that the city has made facility improvements (ADA bathrooms, audio/visual, HVAC) and is working with a consultant to develop a business case and long-term vision. Council members discussed the lack of a clear vision, the need for community engagement, and the financial implications. Councilmember Palmer proposed an amendment to extend the agreement to December 31, 2026, to allow more time for planning. The amendment passed unanimously, and the main motion as amended also passed unanimously.
- Regional Sports and Recreation Complex (H2): Ben Bolt presented three requested actions: (1) authorize purchase of the Seneca Foods site (approximately 160 acres for $5,000,000), (2) direct the city and design team to continue Phase One focusing on outdoor amenities, and (3) direct the team to explore future funding for indoor features. The outdoor phase includes eight diamond sports fields, two artificial turf soccer fields, 12 pickleball courts, trails, playground, and dog park. The indoor phase (basketball courts, turf, walking track, community rooms) is planned for a second phase. Council members discussed site accessibility, transportation, adaptive sports, community engagement, and financial sustainability. The three-part motion passed unanimously.
- Minnesota Public Facilities Authority Grant (F19, pulled by Councilmember Miller): Tim McCullough (RPU General Manager) reported that the grant will cover lead and galvanized service line replacement with minimal to no cost to customers, thanks to new information from the PFA. Councilmember Miller requested tracking and reporting on participation rates and costs. The resolution authorizing acceptance of the grant and multiyear budget amendments (2025-2029, up to $26.7 million) passed unanimously.
- Ordinance Second Reading (K1): An ordinance annexing 67.77 acres (Danielson Farms and Stark Enterprises) was approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Approved block of items F1-F18 and F20-F21 (unanimous).
- Public Hearings (G1 and G2): Approved annexation and zone change for Bigelow Homes (28.84 acres, R-2 zoning) unanimously, directing the city attorney to prepare ordinances for first reading.
- Chateau Theater Operating Agreement: Approved a one-year renewal with Threshold Arts, amended to extend through December 31, 2026 (unanimous).
- Regional Sports and Recreation Complex: Authorized purchase of the Seneca Foods site for $5,000,000; directed the city and design team to proceed with Phase One (outdoor-oriented program); and directed the city team to explore future funding for indoor features (unanimous).
- Minnesota Public Facilities Authority Grant: Accepted the grant and approved multiyear budget amendments for lead service line replacement (unanimous).
- Ordinance Second Reading (K1): Approved annexation of 67.77 acres (unanimous).
Other Business
- Council President Schubring announced an upcoming DMC board meeting on February 6, 2025, to discuss the five-year update to the DMC development plan, Second Street public realm enhancements, historic preservation grant, and Peace Plaza pedestrian improvements.
Meeting Transcript
Wouldn't you want me to counter down for you? Recording in progress. Please rise as you're able to uh do the pledge of leaders. I probably just to the United States of America. Liberty and justice for all. Thank you, and welcome to our February 3rd, two uh 2025 City Council meeting. Uh uh we begin every meeting with our open comment period, and I've got a list of uh at least eleven names here uh just to go through our rules for open comment. Uh it's an opportunity for for anyone from the public to speak on items that we will not be having a public hearing on uh during the later parts of our agenda. Each person has up to two minutes to speak for a total of 20 minutes. If we go over that 20 minutes, I will ask our our council if they'd like to uh suspend the rules to uh to extend that period. Um but because of the limited time, we want to make sure that uh everybody has an opportunity to speak. I'd request that each speaker uh be concise to allow more people to speak during this time. And uh participants are also encouraged to limit comments generally to topics that are within the scope and jurisdiction of the council's ability to affect policy. Council members and staff do not respond to your comments during public comment, but will instead follow up on any specific requests separately. If you have materials to share with the council, you may give them to the city clerk over here to distribute. And uh when you come to the podium, please state your name clearly and make sure that the so that uh the clerk has your information if you do need um follow-up. So with that, I will uh start with our list and the first one up is Judy Young. Yep, come up come up to the speaker and then here's the the timer right here. It'll give you a warning about a minute before you supposed to wrap up. And I live in ward one. Um I am on a number of disability advocacy groups, including the Region 10 Quality Council. And very important to the city of Rochester, the cross disability focus group. Um we had a meeting today from one to two thirty and it came to our attention about the regional complex and our concern that doing phase one when the community engagement uh surveys indicated um indoor facility, you know, would be uh what the community wants by doing outdoor, we're eliminating uh many disability activities, especially for uh special Olympics. We need cornhole space, which is now a sport. We have 50 to 60 athletes throwing um corn hole bags at chip shots, and it doesn't go real well. Um so we just would like you to um take a look at that uh the data you have, and maybe give um disability groups a little explanation of why that change happened. Um, the other thing is I noticed in the final report uh for the complex is that many groups were asked. Um there were uh IMAA, Islamic group, uh different youth groups. There was no disability group. We noticed that was not asked. There are several disability groups. There's a SAM group, there's Regent 10 Quality Council, there's um, you know, ARC, Southeast Minnesota that could have been invited to give their input. So we asked that in the future that you don't forget about those. And um, I'm on several of those, so and then my son Rob uh is here, and he just would like to. This is quite the experience. He would just like to say hi, and he's one of those Special Olympics that's gonna represent Team Minnesota in the USA games that are in Minneapolis next year. Thank you. Thank you. Um I know that uh Judy did give a very impassioned speech. Uh going forward, please let's refrain from uh applause during public comment. Uh that will just give us more time for others to speak. So thank you. Um moving on to uh Bree Thermos. Bree. I I think it's Bill. Oh, I'm sorry, Bill Thermos. Is that you up here? Sorry, Bill. It looked like B-R-E-E instead of B I L L. It's my penmanship.
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