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Residents urge council to pause Public Works move, raise parking, maintenance and stormwater concerns
Summary
Residents at the meeting urged the council to reconsider moving the Public Works facility, questioned brownfield guidance and raised parking and property-maintenance concerns related to a proposed downtown cannabis retail business; a resident also reported yard flooding with a $9,000 2026 budget estimate for repairs.
Multiple residents used the council’s open-forum period on Aug. 4 to press the council on separate but related local issues. Barb Church said she opposed moving the Public Works building; Tom Hagen said he believed staff were misreading MPCA brownfield guidance and that a public works building could be allowed on a brownfield site; Jay and Willa Daly raised concerns about the maintenance and security of the 300 Belgrade Avenue property and the effect of parking on nearby rentals. "I do not believe the Council was considering the cost to taxpayers when discussing projects such as the proposed recreation facility," said Danielle Bollman.
Public Works Director Arnold responded to a resident report of flooding in backyards by saying a stormwater project addressing the issue is included in the 2026 budget with an approximate cost of $9,000. City Administrator McCann and City Planner Lassonde clarified that City Code does not permit the city to require additional parking for the existing building and that district-wide parking policy changes would need broader consideration.
