I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to do a little bit of the same thing. I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'm going to go to the bathroom. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next floor. I'm going to go to the next floor. I'm going to go to the next floor. I'm going to go to the next floor. I'm going to go to the next floor. I'm going to go to the next floor. I'm going to go to the next floor. I'm going to go to the next floor. I'm going to go to the next floor. I'm going to go to the next floor. Mr. Brad Scott up to the podium. Mr. Scott, my name is Les Reno. I'm an at-large city councillor and I will be conducting the personnel chair interview for the Duluth Public Utilities Commission, which you have submitted your application for. Thank you so much for being here. How it's going to work is I have a set of questions I'll ask and then I'll open it up to the Councillors. My fellow Councillors and then we'll end with a few more logistical questions and then you will get a chance to add any additional thing regarding your possible appointment to the Duluth Public Utilities Commission. That sounds good. It does. Thank you. Mr. Scott, why don't you take a few minutes to introduce yourself to the rest of the council, just whatever you would like to share. Sure. Well, thank you for having me here at this evening. As mentioned, my name is Brad. I'm a civil engineer. I've worked in Duluth for almost 25 years. Up until about two years ago, I worked as a consult engineer. One of my primary clients was the city Duluth, probably one of the more notable projects I worked on for the city was I was the lead designer engineer of record for the reconstruction of Superior Street. But throughout my career I've worked on a wide variety of municipal projects and projects on the city's infrastructure system, water storm sewer sanitary. I did work at the city of Duluth for about 15 months, changed jobs about three months ago. I'm currently a project manager at Minda. So made the transition from the private side to the public sector. So, but thank you for having me here. And I'm interested in serving. It's sort of a continuation of being connected to the city. It's mission, I believe, and the importance of dependable, safe, healthy infrastructure and here to advocate for it. And stay connected to the city, which I've always enjoyed working with. Thank you so much, Mr. Scott. You've kind of already touched on this, but if you want to expand, why are you interested in serving on the specifically the Duluth Public Utilities Commission? Well, I think it's probably one of the commissions that I'm probably suited to serve on. I've virtue of that past record of engineering work and my career. I'm excited to do it. I know the people at the city. I know a lot of the challenges that the city's facing with providing dependable, safe infrastructure, challenges with budgets and the needs that the city has. has so to me it's an exciting opportunity to stay connected to staff and the city's mission. That's fundamentally why I'm here. Thank you. And you've also kind of touched on this too, but if you want to further elaborate, would you be willing to give a brief outline of your education and your work experience and how will your background and personal strength benefit the Duluth Public Utilities Commission? Yeah, without going back too far, I moved to Duluth right around 2002 from Alaska. I had worked up there building utility systems, rural water, wastewater systems throughout the state of Alaska. Came here, worked for LHB. Inc was the company that I started with and stayed with. And again, just a career of working for the city, working in projects in Duluth, St. Louis County, the greater Arrowhead region. And I think hopefully that experience and insight will be valuable to The city. Thank you. Yes. Do you are you present presently serving on any other boards and commissions or have you served on any in the past? I'm not presently serving. I did serve on my previous employer's corporate board. OK. But no longer do that. Thank you. At this time I'll ask if there's any counselor questions? Councilor Maillom. Through Scott for your application and for your interest in coming back to serve the city of Duluth in a different way, I think your experience both working internally and then now at MINDOT and in a variety of different roles will be really useful and helpful on the Public Utilities Commission. A couple of questions based around more current projects we have going on since I'm sure you're aware of some of them. The lead line replacement project is just kind of curious in general to hear your thoughts on that and where we're headed as well as the water infrastructure surcharge, which is the big discussion at the Utilities Commission right now, and kind of balancing both the burden on taxpayers while understanding the maintenance we need to do to our water system. If you can maybe comment about your thoughts and kind of how you approach both of those issues as a commissioner. Well, I was, I guess, full disclosure while I was here at the city. I was pretty heavily involved in the led service line of placement projects. So I worked with the city staffs in the John Maraska, how we all of them to secure the PFA funding and work on putting those projects forward and developing that program. So very familiar with the burden the city face and faces. And I think all I can advise is, I'm sure you've all heard is that there's a window of opportunity to get funds from the federal government in the state that the city believes, I think, is uniquely well positioned to take advantage of and should continue to do so at pace because the lead is real and the funding future is uncertain. Similarly, I was sort of tangentially involved with EPA mandate and the EPA's review of the city's infrastructure. So I've seen that report familiar with a lot of the issues that are there. That wasn't my direct per view of the city, but certainly I think everybody who worked in that department's kind of familiar with the challenges, the age of the infrastructure, the need to improve things and find a way to do that efficiently and affordably. It's not a easy challenge, but I think it's probably good and well spent effort to make that happen. I think nobody likes to get surcharge and nobody likes to pay more than they have to. And I think that's the challenge of the public utilities commission of the city is to find a way to do that in the literal afforded me to use her. Thank you, appreciate it. Thank you. President Dumanic, did you have a question? Actually, Councilor Mayerweather. Oh, perfect. Thank you. Thank you. I'll give one more minute. If any other councilors have any questions, and if councilors wanna, yeah, I'll just give one more minute. Okay, I had a question. I'm really passionate about equity in the city and wanting to, you know, make sure we're bringing forward initiatives that are uplifting essentially all boats. Can you give an example of how you promoted diversity equity inclusion in some of your past roles that you've held or your past commissions, your board that you've served on, and what kind of ideas and thoughts you would be able to bring into the, you know, the PUC, especially as you've kind of already highlighted the importance of the lead replacement work that you've done. Yeah, I think while I believe in the core mission as I see it, surrounding diversity, equity, inclusion, which is confronting structures of power that don't serve people, particularly because of their gender, their race, or their economic I think we all have a duty to sort of confront those structures where they don't serve people well and make sure that we're all making a difference and call those things out and be change agents. Probably the thing I'm most proud of is I worked as part of with LHB to establish a scholarship at UMD, Roberta Dwyer. You may know Roberta, she was lead engineer of it, but unfortunately passed away, but we established a scholarship in her honor for young women in engineering at UMD, and that's very proud we did fundraising around that and it's now a self-sufficient scholarship that's rewarding those annually. Thank you so much, Mr. Scott, for your work on that. That's empowering and impressive to hear. Just a few logistical questions and I'll see if there's any other councillors who have questions. Do you have any personal or financial interest director indirect with the Duluth Public Utilities Commission or are you engaged in any capacity where a conflict of interest may arise? No, I don't have any conflicts and for what it's worth that compromise. With Mendoza they see no real or perceived conflicts. I think it's good fit, but certainly if that does come up, I would be the first to disclose it for the ethics of my licensing. Thank you. Do you force any personal scheduling conflicts, which may prevent you from attending the regular meetings of the Duluth Public Utilities Commission? I know the commission meets at seven in the morning. Nope. Oh. Oh, I'm mixing up parking in commission. Yes. Through Tuesday of the month. Yes. No, I did look at that. And early morning or afternoon, whatever, whatever best suits, so happy to help. But I don't anticipate any regular conflicts. Something might come up occasionally, but I don't see any energy. Sounds good. One more second to see if any other councilor wants to ask any questions. No? Would you like to say any last statement or anything else that you would like the council to know of regarding your possible appointment to the Jules public utilities commission? I just thank you for the consideration. I appreciate it. I would look forward to the opportunity, like I said, to stay connected with the city and its mission and stay in touch with the issues. If I'm fortunate in that regard, thank you all. But certainly if you have other questions and want to direct into me offline, I don't have anything else. Okay. Well, thank you so much for interviewing and your continued passion to serve. It sounds like you've already served and you want to continue to serve in our great city and just really appreciate the perspective and the background that you bring. Your resolution for considering your appointment to the Duluth Public Utilities Commission will be not on this agenda cycle, but on the next council cycle. And that will be coming up on the 20th of this March. Well, with that, thank you so much for interviewing with us. There are no other questions or comments at present, but yeah, appreciate your service, and thank you for interviewing with us. And with that, we'll conclude. Appreciate it. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm going to go to the next room. I'm sorry. We will begin our meeting in one minute. I know, I almost missed that. Because my microwave thing changed. I know. Yep, I kept thinking that. That's the time. Nope. No, I... It's not just you, Dan. No, no. It's all just you, Dan. No. No. It's all of us. Good evening. The meeting of the Joulu City Council will not come to order. Will the clerk please call the roll? Councilor Al. Councilor Dural actor. Councilor Forzman. Councilor Andor. Councilor Kennedy. Councilor Mayo. Councilor Swenson. Vice President Nephew. Here. President Monich. Here. Vice President Nephew. Here. President Monich. Here. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. A Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America listening on public access television, the agenda for this meeting is available at the city's website at website at www.louthmn.gov. It can also be found on the city's Facebook page for live streaming. Citizens and the audience who wish to address the council may sign up at a sign-up sheet next to the clerk's office and they will be called up when we are ready for that. If you're interested in serving on a board or commission for the city's, the applications are available in the back on the table there. All right. We will ask for approval of the minutes. Is there a motion? Yes, second. So moved by foursman second by Randolph all in favor. Opposed? All right Reports from Administration Thank you. It's of the cup. Update for you on our sustainability officer. Search. We have arrived at terms for to bring on Dr. Shana Weaver on a temporary basis to provide professional services in Grant management. She would she would manage the grants that we currently have. She would also keep her eye out for grant opportunities that might be out there to keep the city's sustainability efforts moving forward. So we hope our legal department receives an update today, they're working on that contract and we hope to have Dr. Rivew with us soon. Thank you. Thank you. Next we have opportunities for citizens citizens to be heard. Dr. Danum, do you want to call the first name, please? We first have Lee Stewart. You will have three minutes to speak. Please suggest the lectern or the microphone issue wish. After three minutes, after, when you have 30 seconds left, I will let you know. Thank you very much. Is this working right? Can you? Thank you very much, counselors, for inviting us to meet the speak tonight and allowing me to do this. My name is Lee Stewart, and I live at 1818 Graceland Road in Duluth. I'm here tonight because I'm very worried. I'm frightened even about the impact the Trump administration's general disruption proposed budget and attacks on our civic structures and constitutional norms as having on our country, but also here in Duluth. I'm not asking you to take a stand on any of that, but I'm asking you to help us citizens understand more what is going on and how it's going to affect our neighbors, our community and ourselves. So I'm wondering if you could have and would request a public hearing to help us understand things like what's the likely impact in our community of Medicaid reductions on families who will thousands of families who will be losing health insurance coverage and consequently on our hospitals, Ascension and Aspirus St. Luke's who provide health services to them. What's the impact of likely tariffs on our shipping industry? Our port handles about 35 million short tons of heavy cargo a year, employs about 8,000 people, provides about $1.4 billion in revenue. The last year I could get data for from the Army Corps of Engineers was 2022. About out of 941 departures that year, cargo carrying departures 347 had a Canadian port as a destination. Hearing about tariffs, that makes me worry. How many federal workers have lost their jobs in Duluth? And what do these cuts at the EPA mean for our lake? The US Forest Service on our forest. No one in the National Weather Service on our safety and the lakes and on the streets. The Social Security and Administration of Benefits, the IRS people who have to drive to Bloomington now every day if they want to keep their job. What about the loss of grants for our nonprofits? I know mostly about HUD where we would get somewhere around $3 million through the CDBG process and $3 million from the St. Louis County, NOFA, that always notoriously slow to pay, but cuts on that will really have an impact on our housing infrastructure and our affordable housing, and I believe our housing vouchers. Nothing feels safe to me about that, and I don't know. These are questions that I don't know. I'd like some help answering. What's the protection system we have for our immigrant neighbors and friends, and those here under asylum programs that are under attack? Are they in danger? Seems to me. What do we do to keep them safe? How many are we even talking about? But more than these little, these issues, I'm most worried about the tone at the federal level, not seeping down to Duluth. The hatred, the othering, the attack on DEI was so happy. You even said it. Some people are turning into turtles about that phrase and not sticking their neck up. Thank you for doing that. So we can't let it seep down to us. It really reminds me of 2020 in COVID. This feels like a civic COVID to me. A great giant force bearing down on our community. We had to gather all kinds of resources together to deal with the pandemic. And I think we have to do the same to deal with the civic pandemic. And so if you all could consider having a public hearing. Thank you, I see it. If you could consider having a public hearing where we could learn more about that. Shine some sunshine on it. Figure out what we can do as a community to mitigate and to address. And hopefully not let it wipe us out too much and make harm to our families and our friends. So thank you very much for your time. Thank you. Of course, Danem. Who's next, please? We now have Jop Schumacher. Good evening. Please begin by stating your name and address. Hello, everybody. My name is Jop Schumacher. I live in Zipcode 558-04. Lakeside Lester Park up here in Duluth. And I am here to talk to you all today to add to the discussion happening around the skywalk here in Duluth and life downtown here in Duluth. Now I'm not originally from here, my family is not from here, I've lived up here for about three years now. and I've got to be like really frank and blunt. In my experience, I personally have not found a loose to be a very welcoming city and community. And I feel like the discussions and stories being shared around the skywalk in particular are very emblematic of that. I'm hearing from my neighbors, residents around Duluth that people are simply existing and using the skywalk to get about and Are being constantly told to leave they're told by the police to get out there told by a city Was it safety and clean whatever that is to get out there told by a Minnesota power to get out and I've heard repeatedly in my short time here. We want to make downtown better. We want more people to be downtown. But what I'm observing is that the city and its communities actions are not reflecting that. In fact, they seem to be reflecting the opposite. Again, the stories I'm hearing around the Skywalk aren't about come to downtown, come use the skywalk, it's all get out, get out of the skywalk. To be honest when I talk to my family and friends about coming up to visit to Duluth, I have to give them so many warnings, I have to tell them don't bother with the skywalk, nobody apparently is welcome there. I have to tell them if you want to use our parks up here, you have to be careful because now, anything that can be construed as damaging the grass is now a criminal offense up here in Duluth. I mean, it begs the question from me, I don't live in downtown the Excitele-Lister Park or for my family and friends, why would I go there? Why would I go to a city or to a downtown that can be actively antagonistic towards its own residents. It just doesn't make sense to me to give some items of not just complies like, but some suggestions. I would really like to not actively be telling everybody to just get out of the Skywalk. It's my understanding there's concerns and issues about public urination in the skywalk. How about we give people access to bathrooms in the skywalk or downtown? Heck, even put portapoddies to block off like a couple of parking spots to just get people access to bathrooms because public urination is usually just an issue of access to public bathrooms. Having benches in the skywalk would be great. I have people very close to me that have mobility challenges. And so I have to actively tell them you can't go to the skywalk because if you stop, there is no place to stop. You have to sit on on the floor, which, you know. 30 seconds. Thank you. Would you know, that self-asimmobility issue? But then if you even stop running reason at all, you'll be actively told to get out. From a high level, I would just really like our city to be a more welcoming place where people are actually invited to exist downtown, instead of actively being told to leave. I'll leave that my time there. Thank you all. Thank you. Click the denim next. Okay. downtown instead of actively being told to leave. I'll leave it my time there. Thank you all. Thank you. Click down on them. Next. Okay, we now have Cheyenne, Pian. Good evening. Please step by stating your name and address. Hi, council members. I'm Cheyenne. I also live in Lakeside area code 55804. I would like to preface this by just begging you to see this as a call to action, while this may come off as very harsh or judgmental. I am just genuinely asking for you to stop and take notice of your thoughts and your words and your actions, especially in your role as our representatives. I have to yet send that email. I meant to do that on the way in, but I will be sending an email with a direct action request. I have like 15 items listed on there. I don't have great knowledge of how to exactly implement them, but similar to what my partner was just talking about, I want the city to be welcoming. Let's see. So again, Welfl words. We're specifically chosen to try to be succinct and call you in. I'm here today because I continue to recognize an alarming pattern displayed by our city leadership. Whether intentional or not, I believe our representatives are directly aiding the Nazi agenda of the MAGA movement specifically by weaponizing safety for discriminatory policy change. Most recently I've noticed this pattern with discussions regarding the skywalks downtown, and just like the safety package passed last July, the status of houseless folks are being used to span a narrative of everyone else being unsafe. that safety package gave the police state additional power to target and harass all marginalized folks directly leading to additional safety risks, especially for our houseless and migrant neighbors. Now this council is discussing ways to reduce access to the skywalk, which would be an inconvenience for everybody and a slap in the face to our houseless neighbors seeking rest and refuge from the elements. I would like to specifically call out Council Member Horseman, who publicly made comments that he felt unsafe, sharing the skywalk with someone, quote, using drugs with tin foil. I find it extremely telling that you first thought of your own safety in that moment. As a white A-Vab human, I was groomed to put my safety above all others. Well, scroll should be empathetic that should not extend to strangers, less that kindness be taken as an invitation for violence. I don't believe that, but that's what I was told to believe. And yet my first thought in these situations is never for my own safety. I actually have a physical copy of almost 200 thoughts and questions I might have first. So I beg this council to practice empathy with all humans, but especially those being targeted by our fascist federal government. We must protect each other and that must extend to all people regardless of citizenship and especially extend to our neighbors experiencing houselessness. Because this population will only continue to grow as our federal government continues to slash key programs. Thank you. I have like a more legible version. If I could roll out my scroll, that would be kind of cool. I spent some time on it. That's allowed. I don't know. Let me ask the clerk. Citizens are not usually asked to be allowed to be in the front. Where would you like to leave it? Well, I could leave this with my representative, which is Wendy Derwacher, or I could just show you all my list of hot... And you have 13 seconds. I'll just do it here, I guess. So, these are all thoughts that I have when I worry about other people existing in the world using drugs or self-medicating, for example. And that is your time. Thank you. Clerk, Dan denim. May I approach the bench to bring this? You may not come up here. You may give it to the clerk. Thank you. All right, we have Duluth sister cities. We are so honored tonight to have representatives visiting us from Rania. I'll let the Executive Director of Sister Cities. Christie Rounds introduced them, but what a wonderful thing. Thank you. And your time begins. Thank you, Council President Tomonic, and thank you to the City Council. I am Christy Rounds. I am the Executive Director for Duluth Sisters Cities, which of course is located in Sindeva Duluth. And I just wanted to celebrate a historic event. For 10 years, we have been trying to get a group from our sister city in the Kurdish region of Iraq. So Ronnie is one of our sister cities. We've tried four times to get visas, not successfully. Senator Amy Klobuchar went to bat and was able to open a congressional inquiry with the State Department in Iraq. And she said in order for us to be, in order for Duluth to be able to maintain this sister city relationship, we have to get people here. So these kids were able to get visas thanks to Senator Clobashar's efforts. And we have been able to show them one heck of a good time. So we have been going to the aquarium. We went curling. We were up in our shore today. So the kids are mortified. I'm going to tell you they wanted to go back and change. They were like we cannot show up at City Council like this And I said we do not have time But anyway, we will be here tomorrow at 11.45 we're meeting with Jessica Heher and anybody who would like to join us is welcome to They're gonna be dressed in their traditional costume and they might even do a dance for us. We'll have to see that be very nice One thing I did also want to mention is that in addition to Duluth as far as our reach, we actually just had a program. The reason we're late is because we met with the World Cultures Club in two harbours. Now when Mayor Reiner became mayor, one of the first things he was talking about is the fact that he went out to meet all of the mayors at the different surrounding communities because one of his initiatives was to kind of like to reach out and engage some of those other that broader the broader region of northern Minnesota because of the fact that we have an infrastructure with our nonprofits with our hospitals. I remember him saying, you know, specifically that those organizations actually serve not only Duluth, but the larger region as well. So this was an effort to do that. And these kids not only got a chance to meet with the kids that the World Culture's Club and Two Harbors, but they also made a traditional Kurdish meal for them, which is why we're running late, because it kind of took a little bit more time than we thought it would. But we are also getting so much support in the community, so many different TV stations have been showing up. We've also gotten support from the depot free tickets to the train museum. We got free tickets to Adventure Zone. We're going to a movie tomorrow night, Captain America, no less. They're back. We're going to do a craft at the Duluth Folk School. We are also going to go up to UMD and do a tour. We're going to play some pickleball. We're going to go bowling. So these kids have been having a great time and making a great impact wherever they go because they really carry themselves well. They're well-spoken. Their host families, they spent two nights with host families. Host families, leave. 30 seconds. OK, thank you. And I just wanted to thank you guys for everything that you've done to support to this is to cities over the years because it does make a difference. And this grassroots diplomacy is important, probably more important now than at any other time that I can think of. So thank you. Councillors, I would entertain a motion to suspend the rules so we could have the students to introduce themselves. Second. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? All right. If you would, please come up and introduce yourself. And I guess you're first. Hi, everybody. Okay. Thank you. Okay. What should I say? Just your name. Okay. My name is Tina and I'm 16 years old. And we were here to exchange all culture. Thank you. Welcome to Duluth. Thank you. You're welcome. There you go. Hello. Hello. My name is Dahen and I am 17 years old. Thank you and welcome. Thank you for you. Yeah, these two brothers and sisters. Hello everybody. My name is Ravan. I am 17 years old. Thank you for this chance. We are here to exchange cultures between these two sisters. We love this chance. We love this city. The nature and the people were very good. Thank you. Thank you. Next. My name is Babin and I am 17 years old. Thank you for everyone. Thank you for being here next. Hello ladies and gentlemen. My name is Akar. We are from Rania and we are very grateful to be here. Thank you. Thank you. Hi, my name is Lona and I'm 17 years old. I'm glad to be here and I want to thank you all. Thank you so much. Hello, my name is Lassick and I'm 17 years old and we are here for exchanging culture and each and all each other. Thank you. And the shaperones, please. Hi, I'm Layla Jindiel and I'm part of the committee that organized hosting them and this has been a really experience. So thank you very much. Thank you for bringing the students next. Hi, I'm Sarah Caffee. I am a board member of Duluth Sister Cities as of a couple months ago, and I supported with planning the visit. Thank you. I think we have one more. I'm Jim Vendron. I've been helping out with meals and getting them ready for their visit here. Thank you. Is there one more person? Yes. Should we talk about the charms? Should we talk about the charms? Should we talk about the charms? Yeah, we'll talk about the charms. Yeah, we'll talk about the charms. Okay. Everyone, I'm Jordan Heller, and I also have been helping with the planning of this. Thank you. I'm Jordan Heller and I also have been helping with the planning of this. Thank you. Thank you. And we are going to again suspend the rules to bring you up so we can take a photo up here. Please join us. I'll stand on my tiptoes. Oh yes, thank you Lynn. Thank you. All right, one, two, three. And one more. All right, let's give them a round of applause. Thank you so much for being here. Applause. That was lovely. Thank you so much. Counselors, we're moving on to the consent agenda. Is there a motion to pass the consent agenda? More speakers? Oh, thank you. Thank you, Danem. Can you call the next speaker? Our last speaker is Jordan Johnson. Good evening Jordan would you start with your name and and address? Yep my name is good evening president Tomanick and city counselors. My name is Jordan Johnson. I live at 301 West first street. I'm your neighbor. I just want to say real quickly that was the sweetest moment ever. Yeah. And welcome to Duluth. Oh, they're gone. They're out. But I just, you know, I'm just here before you, just evening to consider hosting a town hall or a public hearing of some sort for the people of our city here, directly, directly from our local elected officials. And how you plan to navigate the current ever unfolding circumstances that we are all bumping up against. I just think it's really important as we think around people's rights, funding cuts, plans for protecting our people, our land, our environmental safety, our public health, and overall just to care for our community. And I think that was just the testimony of how we care for our community. That will stick with me for a long time, particularly in this moment. And when there is silence, it makes me this question where our elected officials stand and what their plans are to address the disruptions for our economic development, for infrastructure, for programs for people, and how you plan to move our forward, our city forward in a very prosperous and thriving way, where it embraces everyone. So I appreciate your time this evening and just hope you will seriously take into consideration just kind of, and I know it's a lot to ask, especially in this time. But I think it's a testimony of how we care for one another and bring in people to update our community about plans you have for navigating these times. And so thank you for your time and thank you for your service. And I know many of you, but not everyone in this city knows you all. And so thank you. Thank you, Jordan. Clerk Danmar, there are other speakers. Okay. Now we'll move on to the consent agenda. Is there a motion? Is there a motion? Motion by Randolph, second by Swenson. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed, same sign? The resolution passed is 90-0. Thank you. And moving down to item number 37, ordinance 2. Can we have you read that, clerk denim? Clerk denim. Number 37, ordinance 2. In ordinance amending UDC section 50-18 natural resources overlay section 50-20 use specific standards for manufactured home park and recreational vehicle park. Section 50-33.2 site design for plants. Table 50-35-1, procedures summary table, section 50-37, administration and procedures for special use permits, subdivision, plant approval and variances, section 50-38.2 provisions for nonconformities in flood plans, plans and article six definitions. Thank you. Any questions on that, ordinance? Seeing none, would you go on to item number 38, ordinance three. In ordinance amending UDC section 50-41.16, principal use definition. Counselor's questions. Seeing none, we'll move on to council questions or comments. Councillor Kennedy. Thank you, President Tamanik. I am wondering Mr. Staling if you could give us an update, not tonight, but an update on the Morgan Park bridge, drain bridge that is blocking access to that entrance or exit. I'd appreciate it. Thank you, Councillor Kennedy. Thank you, Mr. Staley. Councillor Sluenson. Thank you, President Tumannock. I wanted to thank Mr. Staley and as well as John Ducache and Mayor Reiner for working quickly to address the business concerns related to West Superior Street and the parking changes. So I appreciate all your dedication and the collaboration with the business group in that area. The other one is March 20th at 5 p.m. So in a couple of Thursdays, that is when the public meeting is for West Skyline around anger. So if people would like to attend that, I do encourage you. And then thank you to the Council and the City Administration for passing the resolution to fund that project. So looking forward to again working with that neighborhood. They've been very engaged and open to working with the city to come up with the resolution. So thank you for that. Thank you, Councillor Swanson. Councillor Mayo. Thank you, President Smonic. Just a couple items I wanted to touch on first. In the consent agenda, we did pass a resolution funding visit to Luth for the next five years as our DMO and I just wanted to speak to really the importance of returning to that DMO model and what that's going to mean for us as a city. And I know our conversation around the marketing firm and all of that was a very large community conversation. But I think what is really important with this decision we made tonight is that we're going to move forward with an organization that's going to have boots on the ground and a local board that's going to be operating to kind of help oversee everything that's going on. I'm also really happy to hear and I know Miss Williams left already but happy to hear from Miss Williams presentations to the council in the past that board is going to expand and have more representation from members of the community and I think it's really important that not just different sectors are represented on the board but as well as neighborhoods, backgrounds and things like that. So looking forward to that, and then I also did have some follow-ups to what I had commented on last week about the federal impacts. I did have some conversations with Senator Smith and Senator Klobuchar's offices who did relay that any workers in our community that have been impacted especially federal workers by these layoffs and cuts can feel free to reach out to their offices for any support. Didn't receive a response from representative Stobber, but I did want to comment on some of the things that have happened in the past couple of weeks. Things are moving really fast at a variety of different levels and just kind of how our community is responding. Of Of course there was the ice raid that happened in our community on February 27th. My deep concern is really for those folks that are impacted by those actions and that were taken from our community and those families that have been impacted by that. There are ongoing conversations though and I think one of the things that I was happy to see is that there were several counselors that were present at a kind of community collaborative meeting that's a good first step in addressing some of these safety concerns, some of the county and city concerns, as well as what coordination may or may not happen between our police departments and ICE agents. And it was made very clear at that meeting that our police department does not conduct or assist with immigration enforcement. And that if ICE does show up at a person's residence or they need assistance identifying an officer to help validate whether that person works for ICE or not, they can feel free to call our 911 line and a police officer will come out to verify that. They can also reach out if they feel uncomfortable reaching out to 911 directly to our Duluth Human Rights Office. And that number is 218-730-5630. And Ms. Marshall will help you out with that concern in a confidential way as well. In addition to some of those things happening, the local non-profit impact, I continue to learn more over the past few weeks, one local non-profit actually, that works in the housing sector is slated to lose about $400,000 in their operating funds from that federal impact, which 360,000 of which is passed through to local organizations that work in housing. So that impact does run and cut deep in our community as well. Grants from many other providers and more on hold and will impact or may impact some critical dilute projects. And so I think it's really important that we stay vigilant on that note as well. I've had conversations with other federal employees in our city, some are planning to retire early, frankly. TSA agents in Duluth just lost their union representation and there's funding scarcity and research in a variety of other fields. But to summarize, in addition to all of the other cuts and impacts that we're seeing from the National Weather Service to the EPA to new tariffs and things that are moving really fast in our community, I will continue speaking out on this as well as really committed to these ongoing conversations. And I think some of those conversations with our federal representatives have been fruitful. but I would also renew that ask for a committee of the whole some sort of a public presentation and that format can be kind of up to administration or whoever maybe would put that on but there is kind of some general concern and I know local groups as well are kind of putting together a group that will address the impacts on all of our local nonprofits to kind of see what that collective impact is and what we're really going to be facing in these next couple years. So community groups are looking at this and I think we as a city too would be well served by continuing that conversation with our constituents as well. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Neill. Councillor Neill. Thank you, President Tamanik. I do just want to add to the visit Duluth as the liaison to that board. I have been truly impressed with the amount of pivoting that they have done to grow and change what that board make up is. So I just want to give them some kudos for all the hard work that they have done. And the new board is very diverse. The conversations have become very robust. So excited to see the DMO come back to town for that. And then I do just want to extend my thank you to the sister's series group that was here. I was lucky enough to have two kids that have participated in the program to beckos Sweden. And I have had the privilege as well as hosting a couple kids from Sweden it's a great program. I think expanding those and keeping the robust is fantastic as well as other families and members who have participated in the one to Japan so I do think that they're great thank you and thank you for bringing the students here today there's nothing that's more fun than having kids come to council so thank you for that thank you councillor Councillor Neville. Councillor Al. President Tamanik. Councillor Mayo actually summarized some of my statements quite concisely and perfectly. Thank you, Councillor Mayo, for your prepared statements. I just wanted to address some of that concern as well. Thank you to the public commenters who spoke, Lee Stewart, Jeff Schumaker, Cheyenne Pine, Jordan Johnson, really around the topics of safety concern, Skywalk, and the fear that our community is feeling. I'm hearing you and I'm there along, right alongside you. Councilor Mayo brought up a good point as well as a lot of the public speakers about having a committee of the whole or a town hall of some sorts. And I'm curious what initiatives we can take to open up something. Can we create a forum to have constituents send in questions in advance and then do a committee of the whole with some of our representatives or folks here, just really hearing, but the need from the community is right now. So I guess that's my question to the administration and Councilor President Semonic. How can we brainstorm to have a committee of the whole and who can be present and how can we take some questions and make sure this space is open for all. So just wanting to push ourselves as someone said we're being called to action in this moment and I think and I'd love to have in the sister cities here and what executive director rounds had said was this is this is the way that we move forward with grassroots diplomacy. And today I the honor of meeting with the Bet Sanman right before she embarks on her trips street wise is going to the capital tomorrow for homeless stay on the hill to advocate for those who are unsheltered in our communities alongside other representatives. So if you please give a shout out to Streetwise for doing the amazing work they are. But you know one thing that the bit was telling me as counselors we are the voices and the advocates for our people. So how are we being called consistently to action and responding to their voice. So that's just something that I've been like thinking about resinating with. Thank you for all the speakers that came today and I just wanted to give that shout out to Streetwise. Thank you, Councillor O'All. Councillor Kennedy. Thank you, and a very important and a very important and a very important and a very important and a very important and a very important and a very important where they can go and talk to some tradespeople and look at getting some information about some work. And then serving on the mic, I know tomorrow I had come across a meeting regarding the law. Just a great near law. It's at, yeah, what is it? Right, it's like road. Yes, I drive it all the time, but I don't know the name of it. but there's a lowell. What is it? Rice like road. Yes, I drive it all the time but I don't know the name of it. There's a meeting at St. Scholastica. I don't know what time that is. I know it's an evening 6 p.m. Do you know what's your room? In the student center. So if any press is going to be there or any community members want to learn more about rice like road show up up there. I know I'll be there after one of my other meetings. Hopefully, Councillors, you'll be there as well. Thank you, Councillor Kennedy. Councillors, any other questions or comments? Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. Moved by mail. Second, I, uh, Randolph. All those in favor? Hi. We are adjourned. Thank you. Yeah. I am. I was just going to go to sit. I'm just going to go to sit. I'm just going to go to sit. I'm just going to go to sit. I'm just going to go to sit. I'm just going to go to sit.