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City manager: tactical training center delayed; federal funds small share of Edina budget; staff to compile bag‑fee data
Summary
City Manager Scott Neal told council that the tactical training center encountered unexpected site conditions but remains on track for a possible summer 2025 completion; he also outlined federal fund exposure and said staff will compile bag‑fee data for council review.
(Note: the article body below preserves direct statements and staff figures discussed on the record.)
City Manager Scott Neal reported updates to the Edina City Council on Feb. 4 about capital construction, federal funds and city initiatives. Neal said the city’s tactical training center work at the South Metro Public Safety Training Facility encountered unexpected subsurface conditions during early excavation and that grading and construction work had stalled temporarily; contractors and staff now expect to resume work and still target a summer (June–July) 2025 timeline for project completion. Neal said the city will host an event for council members when a site is ready for occupancy.
On federal funding, Neal said federal sources account for a small share of the city’s overall spending: of a roughly $211 million total city spend in the approved 2025 budget, about $595,000 is federal (about one‑quarter of one percent). Neal said roughly $425,000 of that federal total is in the general fund and about $170,000 is Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. Neal additionally identified a U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant of about $119,000 as an obligated grant with no contract available to sign and thus at some risk; the city has other grants totaling approximately $2 million across funds.
Neal also said the city is monitoring federal legislative activity, including bonding conversations with state legislators about bridge and pool projects and requests for TIF‑district extensions.
Bag‑fee reporting: Council discussed the city’s bag‑fee ordinance, which sets a minimum charge (5¢) for disposable carryout bags. Several council members noted that some retailers are charging more than the ordinance minimum (examples cited ranged from 10¢ to 15¢ in the meeting). Neal said the ordinance establishes a floor and retailers may set the price they charge for bags. Staff has requested retailers’ reports on bag usage and sales to permit a pre/post comparison; staff said reporting returns are due in March and recommended waiting for compiled data before deciding whether to revisit the ordinance. Council members asked staff to compile and present the year‑to‑date data and resident feedback for future consideration.
Ending: Neal said staff will continue to monitor federal grants, resume site work on the tactical training center as conditions permit and deliver bag‑fee reporting and analysis to council once retailer returns are compiled.
