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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune 10, 2026 City Council Regular Meeting MinutesA. B. CITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS Regular Meeting of the City Council City Hall 2077 West Larpenteur Avenue MINUTES - AMENDED June 10, 2026 at 7:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER: 7:01P.M. ROLL CALL: GUSTAFSON X MAY X MOGEN X MIELKE-(excusedabsence)- WASSENBERG-X- STAFF PRESENT: LINEHAN X APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mayor Gustafson motions to approve the agenda with no changes noted; Approved 4-0 PRESENTATION APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 1.. May 27,2026 City Council Special Workshop Meeting Minutes 2. May 27,2026City Council Workshop Meeting Minutes 3. May 27,2026 Ciq/ Council Meeting Minutes Councilmember May motions to approve the meeting minutes; Approved 4-0 PUBLIC HEARINGS: 1. Approval of Ordinance26-05 Amending Chapters 30 and 46 of the Falcon Heights City Code Conceming Parking Regulations and Issuing Administrative Citations for Non-Moving Parking Violations Linehan provided a staff overview of Ordinance 26-05. He explained that the proposal arose from the State Fair Task Force 2.0, which recommended moving away from the criminal petty misdemeanor process for non-moving parking violations associated with the City's pay-by-mobile parking program. Under the existing process/ parking ambassadors identified violations, contacted police officers to issue tickets, and fines were collected through the court system - a process that proved cumbersome during tJlre 2025 State Fair and resulted in inconsistent fine collection. Linehan outlined the key rationale for the change: administrative citations are civil penalties that do not appear on a violator's driving record, they relieve the overburdened court system, and they free up police officers to focus on traffic and public safety rather than issuing parking tickets. He noted that of approximately 600 C D. E. F I G citations issued during the 2025 fair, roughly 560 were for non-payment of parking fees - a category well-suited to an administrative process. The ordinance would amend Chapter 30 of the City Code, establish a formal administrative hearing process with due process protections, and authorize the City Council to set fine amounts through the fee schedule. Recipients would have 14 business days to pay or request a hearing. Mayor Gustafson opened the public hearing. No members of the public came forward to speak. The public hearing was called for additional speakers twice more before being closed by consent. Wassenberg expressed strong support for the ordinance, highlighting that it decriminalizes what is essentially a minor infraction, keeps violations out of the overburdened court system, and frees police resources for genuine safety matters. He also noted that the administrative process gives the city greater flexibility to consider the circumstances surrounding individual infractions - something that is more difficult once a matter enters the criminal court system. May, who had served on the State Fair Task Force, echoed these points and added that resident survey results as well as direct conversations with police officers both confirmed that police time would be better directed toward public safety. She expressed her intent to hold further concerns for the implementation discussiory but affirmed her support for reducing the fine amount to better fit the nature of the infraction and for the decriminalization aspect. Mogen supported the ordinance and noted the additional benefit of establishing administrative citations as a flexible enforcement tool that could be extended to other less-serious City Code violations in the future. Gustafson concurred with all members, noting the ordinance resolves enforcement challenges that have persisted for some time. Councilmember Mogen motions to approve Ordinance 26-05 Amending Chapters 30 and 46 of the Falcon Heights City Code Concerning Parking Regulations and Issuing Administrative Citations for Non-Moving Parking Violations; Approved 4-0 CONSENT AGENDA: 1,. General Disbursements through 6/a/26: 9239,255.64 Payroll through 6 / a/ 26: $25,190.44 Wire Payments through 6 / 5 / 26 fi 16,461.23 2. Approval of Ordinance 26-056 Amending Chapter 109 of the Falcon Heights City Code Conceming Parkland Dedication for Subdivisions @bns4. Approval of Resolution26-50 Accepting a Donation from AARP Tax-Aide 5. Approval of Resolution26-5'J., Authorizing Metropolitan Council Livable Communities Act Grant Agreement for Fairway Commons 6. Approval of Pay Voucher #3 to New Look Contracting, Inc. for the Community Park Improvement Project 10 H: Mayor Gustafson motions to approve the consent agenda; Approved 4-0 POLICY ITEMS: 1. Proposed T2 Systems Agreement for Administrative Citation Hardware, Subscriptions and Services Using State Purchasing Agreement Linehan introduced the T2 Systems proposal as the operational follow-up to Ordinance 26-05, presenting a slideshow demonstration of the system. He described the deficiencies of the 2025 fair enforcement process, in which parking ambassadors manually searched license plates on cell phones and then texted violations to police officers who were simultaneously responding to other calls. The proposedT2 Systems solution would replace that process with three handheld all-in-one devices combining a license plate reader, phone, and ticket printer, all integrated directly with the ParkMobile payment database. The devices would automatically check whether a vehicle had paid, alert the ambassador, and allow them to print a citation on the spot with photos attached. If a citation goes unpaid within 14 days, T2 Systems automatically runs a license plate owner lookup ($2.50 per search) and mails a collection letter ($1.30 per letter). Linehan noted that, unlike police license plate readers, the city's devices would have no connection to law enforcement databases - th"y would only check whether a plate had paid for parking. The three-year contract, sourced through the Sourcewell state cooperative purchasing agreement, was priced at $20 ,020 in year one and fi8,496 in each of years two and three, plus tax, for a total of $39,279 .84. Two competing vendors were reviewed; the other vendor was approximately three times more expensive. Linehan noted T2 Systems has a direct integration with ParkMobile and is used by several Minnesota cities includino Mankato and Red Wing, as well as by the Hibbing Police Departunent. Linehan also highlighted the data analytics features of the system, including GPS tracking of ambassadors, mapping of citation locations, and per-officer citation reports - tools that could help refine signage strategy and ambassador deployment in future years. He further noted that the plafform could be expanded to support citywide parking permits and, potentially, code enforcement citations for an additional approximately $2,000. Wassenberg clarified that even with lower proposed fine amounts, citation revenue was expected to cover the cost of the program, as the city would now collect a higher percentage of fines than it had through the court system. He also noted the system's primary benefit is streamlining the ambassador's enforcement workflow, not just managing citations after the fact. Linehan confirmed that police officers would continue to handle violations involving public safety concems - such as parking too close to intersections, blocking alleys, or situations requiring a tow - while ambassadors would focus exclusively on non- payment of parking fees. He acknowledged that it would be unreasonable to train seasonal ambassadors to make the same judgment calls that police officers develop through field training. 11 Wassenberg raised the question of potential "double fining" for vehicles that were both parked unsafely and had not paid. The consensus was that a vehicle parked illegally - such as at a comer - would not be in a designated paid parking zone and therefore would not be subject to a non-payment citation; only one ticket would apply. May raised two additional concerns, first regarding data privacy. May asked what protections exist against hacking and whether any collected data could be accessed by or sold to third parties, including federal agencies. Linehan acknowledged the contract was still under attorney review, noting thatT2 Systems segregates client data to prevent cross-contamination in the event of a breach, and that the system does not tie into law enforcement databases. He committed to ensuring those data protection provisions are addressed in the final contract. Wassenberg noted the presentation materials did not include a security statement and asked that it be incorporated into the contract review. Mogen and another council member independently raised concerns about data commercialization - specifically whether license plate data collected through the system could be sold or used for marketing purposes - and indicated this should be clearly prohibited in the contract terms. Second, May raised the issue of ambassador safety, noting that issuing citations directly creates a more confrontational dynamic than simply reporting violations to police. Linehan confirmed that de-escalation training, supervisor contact protocols, and a clear directive to leave any unsafe situation had been part of ambassador training in 2025 and would continue. He also noted the ambassadors do not carry money, reducing one incentive for confrontation, and that police officers would remain present and accessible throughout the neighborhood. He acknowledged that the higher-than-average seasonal wage reflects, in part the unique demands of the role. Mogen noted the system's affordability, expressed appreciation that two vendors were evaluated, and was supportive, given the company's track record with comparable municipalities. Councilmember Wassenberg motions to approve Resolution 26-52 Accepting a Proposal from T2 Systems Incorporated for the Administrative Citation Hardware, Subscriptions, and Services Using the State Purchasing Agreement for Parking Violations; Approved 4-0 2. Accept Proposal from Bolton & Menk for Interim Planning Consultant Services and Authorize City Administrator to Negotiate a Contract Linehan introduced this item by explaining that an upcoming planned leave from the City Planner position - with timing still to be determined - created a need for interim planning coverage during a critical period. Planning is an area in which no other city staff member can step in to conduct plan reviews, and the City is currenfly managing several complex projects, most notably the Fairway Commons development, which 12 involves a high volume of ongoing plan review and data analysis. He noted that the City has contracted for interim planning services in the past. Staff requested proposals from two qualified firms - Bolton & Menk and Landform - both of which were available to begin immediately. After a weighted evaluation across criteria including relevant experience, primary contact qualifications, service approach, responsiveness, and cosf Bolton & Menk scored higher overall (4.15 vs. 3.95). The designated primary planner, TJ Hofer, was described as highly experienced, having served as interim planner in Arden Hills and as the designated planner for Scandia and Taylors Falls, with specific experience on large-scale developments. Senior Planning Advisor Jenni Faulkner, who led Burnsville's community development departrnent for 20 years, would provide additional expertise on complex matters. The estimated monthly cost ranged from $5,000 to $8,500, depending on service needs. Linehan also noted that Bolton & Menk is the City's existing consultant for the Les Bolstad Golf Course redevelopmenf providirg * added coordination benefit between the interim planning role and the city's largest pending planning project. May stated the engagement appeared necessary and that the two firms scored similarly overall, making Bolton & Menk's familiarity with the city's existing projects a sensible tiebreaker. She expressed confidence in the selection. Mogen wanted to identify Landform as "Firm B" for the public record, which Linehan confirmed, noting it was the other firm evaluated. Council members expressed general support agreeing that the cost was reasonable and the timing important given the pending workload. Councilmember Mogen motions to approve Resolution 26-53 Accepting a Proposal from Bolton & Menk for Interim Plaruring Services and Authorizing the City Administrator to Negotiate a Contrac! Approved 4-0 I: INFORMATION / ANNOUNCEMENTS: Mogen reported that the Planning Commission did not meet in the prior month and is scheduled to meet on June 23rd. He had no other items to report. Wassenberg announced that Falcon Heights' Night at the Goldstein Museum of Design is scheduled for Thursday, June 18, from 5:00 to 6:30 PM at the University of Minnesota St. Paul campus. He described it as a hidden gem in the neighborhood and encouraged residents to attend. He also reported in his capacity as liaison to Northeast Youth and Family Services (NYFS) that the organization is progressing through its annual budgeting process on a more stable footing than in prior years, improving consistency for both staff and clients. He noted NYFS is accepfing donations of toiletries and personal care supplies for its emergency pantry, and encouraged residents to reach out to the organization. May reported that the Environment Commission had a productive meeting, identi{zing near- term goals within the Climate Action Plan focused on waste management and discussing how the commission can better support the city's representative on the Community Advisory Committee (CAC). She noted that the commission is still looking for tree placement locations 13 and encouraged residents to contact city staff if interested. The Lawn and Garden Tour is planned for July 18th, with garden sign-ups open through the end of June; this year, a Ramsey County garden educator will circulate among the participating gardens. May also reported attending a quarterly Active Living meeting organized by Ramsey County and the Met Council, which she described as a valuable resource for grant opportunities related to walking, biking, and multimodal transportation. Gustafson reported that the Parks and Recreation Commission did not hold its June meeting, as members are instead conducting individual park audits. A vacancy exists on the commission, with applications accepted through June 28th. The July meeting has been rescheduled from Monday, Jt;/ry 6th, to Thursday,J:uly 9th, due to the Philando Castile candlelight vigil and Unity Day observ.rnces occurring earlier that week. The Ice Cream Social is scheduled for the third Thursday of July. May added that the July 6th candlelight vigil marks the 10th aruriversary of Philando Castile's shooting, and that parking has been arranged in the north end of the State Fair parking lots to make attendance easier for residents. Linehan reported that the Community Park improvement project is progressing well. The parking lot is fully striped - effectively doubling the available parking without expanding the lot's footprint - and only required the concrete gutter pour to cure before opening. Remaining work includes final walkways, water connection permitting, seeding, final cleanup, and staining wood surfaces on the interior and exterior of the building. Staff anticipates the park will be ready for a soft launch of the splash pad before the Ice Cream Social, which would serve as the official ribbon-cutting. Linehan also noted that the Community Engagement Commission is likely to cancel its upcoming meeting, with the goal of introducing members to a new staff liaison at the July meeting; hiring for the Administrative and Communications Coordinator position is underway with a strong applicant pool. He reported that Saint Anthony Village has formally approved a joint powers agreement with the Minnesota State Fair for law enforcement services - a long-standing goal of the State Fair Task Force. The CAC's second meeting will be held the following week, beginning at 6:00 p.m. with a walking tour of the Highland Bridge development in Saint Paul, followed by a meeting at a nearby venue to discuss community engagement strategies for the golf course project. Finally, Linehan announced that the City's new website at falconheightsmn.gov has launched, including a feature allowing residents to sign up for email or text notifications when new council agendas are published. J: COMMUNITY FORUM: Please limit comments to 3 minutes per person. Items brought before the Council will be referred for consideration. Council may ask questions for clarification, but no council action or discussion r.uill be held on these items. No members of the public came forward. The Community Forum was closed. Councilmember May motions to adjourn; Approved 4-0 K: ADIOURNMENT: 8:07 P.M. 14 Amendrnents to the agenda are noted in bold for additions and striletl+rury! for remwals. Dated this 8th day of July,2026 C. Linehan, City Administrator Mayor 15