The Rochester City Council convened for a session focused on reaffirming the city's status as a compassionate city in response to significant concerns regarding federal immigration enforcement actions, alongside routine zoning approvals and community development updates. The meeting featured an extensive public comment period where residents expressed deep fear, documented specific incidents of perceived civil rights violations, and called for immediate protective measures against federal agents. The Council subsequently voted unanimously to reaffirm Rochester as a compassionate city and passed a motion directing the City Attorney to explore joining an amicus curiae brief in ongoing federal litigation.
Thank you. Please rise as you're able for the uh Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and the Republic for which one nation is for all. Welcome everybody to our February 2nd uh city council meeting, and we are just so pleased to see a full house here today. And uh I know a lot of you have signed up for our open comment period, so we're hoping to hear everybody that signed up. And just a reminder that our open comment period is an opportunity for members of the public to speak on items uh that we will not be taking public testimony during the that item being on the agenda. Each person has up to two minutes to speak for a total of 20 minutes. I will be keeping time through a couple methods. One is the stop light here, and just a reminder that you will have a green light uh for the first minute and 30 seconds. The yellow light will uh turn on at the at the point where you have 30 seconds left. The red light will go on, and when you go start to go over, uh, which I hope you don't, uh it will start to blink. Um, there is also a uh red digital clock up there that will count down the two minutes. I ask each speaker to be concise to allow more people to speak during the time period, and 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. If you have materials that you want to share with the council, please hand him to our city clerk over here. And uh also a remote reminder that council members and staff do not respond to your comments during public comment, but will instead follow up on any specific requests separately. Um, an additional note for tonight's meeting. As we had over 20 speakers at our last council meeting on January 21st, I am going to call on those that did not speak at that event first. I will then turn to those who have previously spoke. Uh, if we reach our total time of 20 minutes, which I'm sure we will, I will ask our council if they would like to suspend the rules to make sure that everyone who has signed up has an opportunity to speak. So with that, I am going to uh call folks up and uh our first speaker is uh Jan Thorenson. You why don't you hold on to them when you're done and them to uh Heather over there right at the desk. Absolutely. She'll get them to us. Good evening. My name is Jan Tronson. The question before you tonight in this photo is how did we get here? Our mayor is supposed to be a nonpartisan according to our charter. The media widely reported that our mayor was going to DC to advocate for removal of ice from Minnesota. This is followed up by a story from our local paper that on Saturday, January 31st, 2026, that a pop-up ice rally planned by three individuals took place. One of these individuals states a title of social justice coordinator at first Your Tyrian Universal Church, the same church I believe our mayor attends. One of the district 535 board member. Quite a different story from the narrative written on the city forum for 20 people and signed by Amy Larson, the event organizer. As a retired 27-plus year federal law enforcement officer and president of the bell of honor, I have stood on the tarmac flag lines. We have honored the fallen at Shanksville, Pentagon, Vietnam Memorial, Washington, DC, Air Force Academy, National U.S. Memorial, Soldiers Rear Memorial, and Many Graves. I am a strong supporter of our veterans of law enforcement of our veterans, law enforcement, and first responders. I am appalled this will allow to take place, but not surprised to do the leadership of our mayor and other leaders in this community. The question now becomes what will you do as city council to prevent this action from ever taking place again at Soldiers Field Veterans Memorial? What public action will you take to hold the persons responsible for the mob protests resolved in this outrageous and disrespectful action taken at Soldiers Field Memorial this past Saturday? Thank you. Can I ask members of the thank you, Mr. Thornson? Your your time is up. Can I please ask uh members of the audience to please not respond to speakers? Uh either in uh in uh the affirmative or in the negative. Uh this is a uh public body and we are respectful to each other in this room. So uh you will have your time uh two minutes, but please let's let's uh let's recognize that. Next up, we have representatives from the Three Rivers Restorative Justice. Uh Jeff Stilwell and Tony K. Meg's cow.