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Mounds View City Council January 13, 2025 Regular Meeting Page 3 1 Public Works/Parks and Recreation Director Peterson stated in 2022 the City Council requested 2 staff look into installing a veterans memorial park. He indicated this concept grew to include 3 honoring first responders, military veterans and those residents that lost their lives in local 4 tragedies. He commented on the community input that has been gathered by the Tribute Park 5 Committee. He reviewed the layout of the proposed Tribute Park adjacent to City Hall. He noted 6 there were a number of speakers that would be addressing the City Council regarding the proposed 7 park. 9 Former Mayor Carol Mueller read prepared remarks regarding the Tribute Park. She noted she was 10 a newlywed when she moved to Mounds View in 1979. She commented on the love, generosity 11 and pride this community bestowed when building the playground structure at the Pinewood 12 Elementary School. She appreciated how Mounds View had pulled together to support one another 13 through this project, but she understood this community had done the same thing when two 14 different tornadoes cut a deadly path through this community in 1965. She stated on July 8, 1986 15 the City was awoken by a loud explosion and huge fire on Long Lake Road. She noted over 200 16 people had to be evacuated from this event. 17 18 Former Mayor Mueller noted on August 1, 2007, she was working a shift at the local liquor store 19 when she learned the I-35W Bridge had collapsed. She discussed how devastating this event was 20 for the community and the I I I vehicles that dropped 115 feet down to the river. She explained 21 first responders and law enforcement responded within minutes to rescue and render aid. She 22 reported local coach Patrick "Homer" Holmes was lost in this tragedy. She reported since 2008, 23 an annual coach of the year was recognized in Homer's memory. She stated Paul Egstad was a 24 kind, reserved man who loved to go fishing. She indicated Paul was also lost during this tragic 25 event when his semi -truck jack knifed in order to stop from going off the edge of the bridge, which 26 prevented a school bus from going around him and also going off the bridge. She discussed how 27 the Egstad family had donated a piece of the bridge to the City in Paul's honor. She described how 28 Kim, the bus driver was seriously injured but survived the bridge collapse, along with the 50 29 children on board. She explained Jeremy Hernandez, a 20 year old worker at the daycare, managed 30 to get the rear door open and he carried the injured children and escorted all of the other children 31 out of the bus to safety. She commented further on the number of people that were injured and lost 32 that day. She reported on August 1, 2011, the City of Minneapolis dedicated an I-35W Bridge 33 remembrance garden on West River Road for the 13 victims and 171 survivors of the bridge 34 collapse. She read somewhere the garden project cost $900,000. 35 36 Former Mayor Mueller explained during her last term as Mayor she asked the City Council to find 37 dollars within the budget to honor the people who were lost during these three disasters. She stated 38 after much discussion, the Council agreed to support such a project, if a veterans memorial were 39 included. She thanked Council Member Bill Bergeron for shifting the concept to a Tribute Park, 40 in order to honor the living as well. After further discussion the Council supported paying tribute 41 to first responders, which included the Mounds View Police Department, SBM Fire and Allina 42 Ambulance. She reported in December of 2022, she volunteered to serve on the Tribute Park 43 Committee. She discussed how the park would now honor those lost to local tragedies, first 44 responders and those who have served in the military. She indicated the Tribute Park Committee 45 has worked really hard on this project for the past two years. She discussed how the major expenses 46 would be for basic construction, lighting, and the engraved monuments. She commented on how