Shakopee City Council Meeting – December 16, 2025

The Shakopee City Council met on December 16, 2025, with Mayor Lehman and Councilmembers Delaney, Whiting, Contreras, and Lara present. The council approved the agenda, adopted a consent calendar after removing three items, and took action on the 2026 EDA levy, the 2026 property tax levy and annual budget, an electric-vehicle charger at Quarry Lake Park, the 12th Avenue reconstruction, the Parks and Recreation CAPRA/recreation program plan, and a departmental restructure.

Consent Calendar

• The council removed 5A (EDA levy), 5B (2026 levy and budget), and 5P (Quarry Lake Park level 3 charger) for separate discussion.
• The remaining consent items were adopted by voice vote, including: 2025 miscellaneous gifts and donations; renewal of the Goal for Gold skate school agreement; outdoor athletic field use policy; purchase of three marked utility police interceptors; 2025 budget amendments; November monthly financial report; Scott County Public Health Statewide Health Improvement Partnership Grant application; Chevrolet First Responder Sponsorship Program donation; Community Center and Ice Arena ADA report; community center cleaning contract; December 2, 2025 City Council minutes; replacement light poles for the downtown Shakopee street lighting district; the 2026 regular meeting calendar resolution for the City Council and EDA; and final payment for general conditions for Kraus-Anderson for Jackson Commons.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No one addressed the council on non-agenda items.
• No audience members offered comments during the 12th Avenue reconstruction public hearing.

Discussion Items

5A – EDA Levy

• Councilmember Delaney asked to hold the EDA levy flat and objected to the EDA purchase of the property across from the post office, saying taxpayer money should not have been used and there is no return on investment if it becomes a parking lot.
• Councilmember Contreras corrected that the property cost was $75,000, not $150,000, and said the EDA can earn money back over time; Councilmember Whiting said the EDA levy is separate and serves economic development purposes.
• The motion to adopt Resolution 2025-TAC-143 approving the 2026 EDA levy carried.

5B – 2026 Property Tax Levy and Annual Budget

• Councilmember Delaney opposed the levy increase, stating residents complain about taxes and that growth should pay for itself.
• Councilmember Whiting moved to adopt Resolutions 2025-TAC-141 and 2025-TAC-142, saying Shakopee is among the lowest-taxed comparison cities and faces growth and inflation needs; Councilmember Contreras seconded.
• Councilmember Lara said he had not personally received negative tax comments; Delaney replied that he had heard both positive and negative feedback and that tax increases hurt people on fixed incomes.
• Contreras supported the budget, saying it funds city employees and services, and criticized opposition to city investments; Mayor Lehman said all levels of government contribute to housing unaffordability, property-tax increases directly affect households, and he wanted the smallest possible impact on taxpayers.
• The motion passed 3 to 2; Delaney voted no.

5P – Level 3 EV Charger at Quarry Lake Park

• Councilmember Delaney said he was not opposed to the charger but did not want the city to pay for it, since not all park users have electric vehicles and electricity sale proceeds go to Xcel Energy.
• Councilmember Whiting moved to approve the $49,872 ChargePoint contract, with installation by Hunt Electric, using a Sourcewell purchasing contract. Staff said the project is part of an Xcel Energy grant program, the electricity is charged to the customer, and the cost was reduced from an original estimate of $75,000 to under $50,000; funding would come from park reserve.
• The motion passed.

Public Hearing – 2026 12th Avenue Full-Depth Pavement Reconstruction

• Engineering staff presented the project on 12th Avenue from 300 feet east of County Road 83/Canterbury Road to Valley Park Drive, serving the industrial park. The existing 44-foot roadway was built in 1985; the project includes full-depth pavement reclamation, curb and gutter replacement, storm sewer improvements, an 80-foot sanitary sewer replacement, and conversion from four lanes to three lanes with a continuous center left-turn lane based on a 2019 traffic study.
• Estimated project cost is $2.181 million; about $600,000 would be specially assessed to benefiting properties under the city's assessment policy. The preliminary assessment rate is $7,167.43 per acre, with corner lots receiving half assessments; CenterPoint Energy property and city property are included. A neighborhood meeting had eight property owners attend; most supported the project.
• Council questions included the 10-year assessment term, the ability to reimburse costs from future bond proceeds, notification of businesses east of the project, and whether businesses such as FedEx that use the road but are not in the assessment area benefit without paying.
• No public testimony was offered. The council closed the hearing and adopted Resolution R-2025-140 ordering the improvements and preparation of plans and specifications for project CIF-26-001, with a correction to identify it as the 2026 project. The vote was unanimous.

CAPRA Accreditation and Recreation Program Plan

• Parks and Recreation staff reported that the CAPRA self-assessment is due January 15, with an on-site review expected between March and August. The department meets 151 of 154 CAPRA standards, a 98% completion rate, above the 90% required for accreditation.
• Staff presented the 2026-2029 recreation program plan, which operationalizes the 2019 Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan through seven core themes, a program lifecycle, guiding questions, core program areas, and annual SMART goals.
• Council asked about underused spaces, popular programs, and CAPRA costs and benefits. Staff cited summer camp and swimming lessons as high-demand programs and said accreditation helps with grants and demonstrates efficient resource use.
• The council approved the recreation program plan.

Parks and Recreation Department Organizational Restructure

• Staff proposed changing the recreation program/services manager to assistant director of recreation, making the recreation facilities manager the ice facilities manager, transitioning the community outreach coordinator to community center manager, promoting the aquatics supervisor to aquatics manager and the recreation supervisor to recreation program manager, and eliminating a vacant third ice arena specialist position.
• The restructure is intended to improve succession planning, streamline supervision so full-time staff report to exempt managers, align with CAPRA standards, and better support the community center, ice arena, and aquatics operations. No current employee loses a job; one vacant FTE is eliminated. Estimated savings are roughly $51,000 in 2026 and about $22,000 if measured at maximum pay differences.
• The council approved the restructure.

Liaison Reports, Announcements, and Other Business

• Councilmembers reported on the GN Resound ribbon cutting, Cub Foods Liquor Store ribbon cutting, School Board Truth in Taxation and $50.9 million operating budget, 169 Coalition wind-down, Holiday Fest and tree lighting, MVTA route changes, Scott County mayors meeting, and city staff holiday breakfast.
• Administrator Reynolds recognized staff award winners: Alex Jordan (Administrator's Leadership Award), Jeremy Benz (Manager of the Year), and Barb Kramer (Employee of the Year).
• Reynolds described the police chief selection process: the Police Commission interviews candidates January 6 and provides the top three; Mayor Lehman and Councilmember Contreras will join Reynolds on interview panels, with interviews expected January 20-28.
• Announcements: 2026 picnic shelter reservations open January 2; board and commission applications are due January 16; City Hall, Community Center, and Ice Arena will be closed December 24-25 and January 1.
• Other business included a request to schedule a right-of-way permit discussion for a February 2026 regular meeting. The council adjourned to January 6, 2026, at 7 p.m.

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar adopted as modified.
• Resolution 2025-TAC-143 (2026 EDA levy) adopted.
• Resolutions 2025-TAC-141 and 2025-TAC-142 (2026 property tax levy and annual budget) adopted 3 to 2.
• Level 3 EV charger contract at Quarry Lake Park approved for $49,872.
• Resolution R-2025-140 for the 12th Avenue reconstruction project authorized unanimously.
• 2026-2029 Parks and Recreation program plan approved.
• Parks and Recreation organizational restructure approved.
• Next regular City Council meeting set for January 6, 2026, at 7 p.m.