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STAFF REPORT <br />1 <br />TO: Mayor Fischer and Members of the City Council <br />FROM: Eric Seaburg, P.E., City Engineer <br />DATE: September 10, 2025 <br />RE: Authorize Bonding Bill Requests <br />Interstate 35E Pedestrian Bridge and Little Canada Community Building <br />ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED: <br />Motion to approve a resolution authorize requests to the Minnesota 2026 Capital Budget. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />The Minnesota Legislature is considering local government requests for the 2026 Capital Budget, and <br />staff have been advised by the city’s legislators that the city should continue pursuing funds for its <br />unfunded infrastructure priorities. <br />City staff recommend making a third request for the desired pedestrian bridge over I-35E. Previous <br />funding requests to the Minnesota Capital Budget, as well as grant requests to the federal IIJA <br />programs, have so far been unsuccessful. A Capital Budget request would help the city position for <br />bonding dollars in the coming legislative sessions. The amount of that request could be $7.5M and <br />would cover all costs associated with the pedestrian bridge project. <br />As a secondary priority, city staff would list the Little Canada community building as a second <br />priority in the resolution. Currently, staff is waiting to hear from our legislators to decide if including <br />the community building as a second submission for the capital requests would be suitable or if it <br />could hinder our primary request. This request seeks $5 million to cover most costs associated with <br />the planned community building project. Staff is requesting this resolution to cover both options in <br />case we decide to submit a request for the community building to Minnesota Management and <br />Budget. <br />STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS: <br />Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Resolution authorizing submission of two local <br />government capital requests to the 2026 Capital Budget.