The Inver Grove Heights City Council convened on September 8, 2025, to address several agenda items, including the approval of the consent agenda and discussions surrounding a pavement management project.

The meeting began with a motion to approve the consent agenda, omitting items A, D, H, and L, which was passed unanimously. Following this, the council addressed item A, which involved minor corrections in the verbiage of a previous presentation. This item was also approved without any questions.

Next, the council moved to item D, where Councillor Scales sought clarification and subsequently made a motion to approve the item with version A included. This motion was seconded and carried.

The most significant discussion arose during item H, which involved a resolution to declare costs for assessment related to the pavement management project 2023-9E. John Wendt, a resident of 8804 Argenta, expressed concerns regarding the timing of the assessment hearing. He highlighted that the current state of Argenta Trail was unsatisfactory, being primarily mud and dirt, and argued that the project was not substantially complete. Wendt requested that the council delay the assessment hearing until the project reached substantial completion.

Public Works Director Brian Connolly responded to Wendt's concerns, explaining the city's assessment policy, which dictates that assessments are typically called when projects are substantially complete. He acknowledged that none of the projects on the agenda were officially complete, including the Argenta project, which is expected to be finished by September 30, 2025. Connolly emphasized the importance of adhering to the timeline for assessment hearings to ensure that costs could be levied in the current tax year.

Council members discussed the implications of delaying the assessment hearing, noting that if the hearing did not occur by the second meeting in October, the assessments would not be included on the tax rolls until the following year. This could result in additional costs for both the city and residents, as the city would incur carrying costs without collecting interest, and residents would face an extended payment timeline.

The council ultimately decided to proceed with scheduling the assessment hearing for October 13, 2025, while acknowledging the concerns raised by Wendt and the potential need to adjust the hearing date if the project was not completed by the anticipated timeline.

In conclusion, the meeting highlighted the council's commitment to following established procedures while balancing the concerns of residents regarding project completion and assessment timing. The next steps will involve monitoring the progress of the Argenta project and preparing for the upcoming assessment hearing.