HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025.10.13 CCP WORKCOUNCIL/EDA WORK SESSION
MEETING
City Hall Council Chambers
October 13, 2025
AGENDA
1. Active Discussion Items
a. Proposal: Shared Forester position with City of Crystal
- Authorize staff to begin creating an agreement with the City of Crystal to
establish a shared Forester position, with Brooklyn Center’s portion funded via
the stormwater utility
b. Discussion Regarding Chapter 5, City of Brooklyn Center Ordinance
2. Adjournment
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10/6/2025
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Shared Forester Proposal
Elizabeth Heyman, Public Works Director
Shared Forester Proposal
•City of Crystal proposing a shared
Forester position
•BC share = $60,000
•Proposing to fund out of the City’s
Stormwater Utility
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10/6/2025
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Current Forester Position
•Assigned position within the
Public Works Maintenance team
•Has worked well historically, but
climate change + invasive species
has greatly increased Forestry
tasks
•Need more specialized knowledge
and grant writing skills
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Two-Lined Chestnut Borer
•Attacks oak trees
•Roughly 400 publicly owned oak
trees in BC
•Identified the signs early near 55th
and Camden
•Proactively treating
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Existing vs proposed Forester Roles and Responsibilities
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Proposed Specialized
Forester
Existing Maintenance
ForesterRoles and Responsibilities
XXCoordinates planting and maintenance of trees on
public lands and in city right‐of‐way
XXConducts field investigations to inspect public and
private areas for tree diseases and insects
XXManages the City’s dead and diseased tree
abatement program
XX
Assists with and oversees city crews and contactors in
the removal of diseased and dead trees on public
lands and in City right‐of‐way
XXProvides advice and responds to residents’ inquiries
regarding forestry concerns or questions.
XOperates, maintains and controls weed spraying on
public hardscapes and streetscapes.
XDevelop and recommend long‐term forestry resource
management plans and programs,
XGrant writing and management
XBudget management
Funding proposal & Next Steps
•Funding
•$60,000 in 2026 Stormwater Utility funds
•Urban forests provide water quality benefits
•Enhanced filtration, pollutant reduction, runoff delay
•Next Steps
•Include funding in 2026 Stormwater Utility Budget
•Work with Crystal on joint agreement for the position
•Post position in 2026
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Questions?
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CHAPTER 5 – FIRE
PREVENTION
City Council Work Session, October 13, 2025
Brandon Gautsch, Deputy Fire Marshal & Todd Berg, Fire ChiefPage 6 of 10
PURPOSE
•The purpose of this ordinance is to establish and maintain a fire
prevention division within the fire department of the city of Brooklyn
Center, as authorized by the city council, to enforce fire codes and
promote public safety through fire prevention and inspections and
education.
•The fire department has two full time fire inspectors to carry out
enforcement and education of this ordinance. This division is
supervised by the deputy fire marshal and ultimately the chief of the
fire department.
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HIGHLIGHTING CHANGES
•Changing the code book (years) to the (most recent) to alleviate
coming to council every three years when the state codes change.
•Added language for email correction notices and correspondence
bringing it up to current common practice.
•Additional sections to support safety in access to gated access,
malfunctioning elevators, maintaining alarm and sprinkler systems,
including in vacant buildings, hotel life safety inspections, electric
vehicle charging stations, and mobile food truck inspections
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HIGHLIGHTING CHANGES - continued
•Adding fees or administrative citations for certain items
•The fire department has never had any consequences behind any of their
ordinance before. This updated ordinance gives us the ability to enforces
these items with some consequence.
•Always had false alarm fees but never enforced
•New –
•mobile food truck inspections
•Malfunctioning elevators
•Malfunctioning alarm panels
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QUESTIONS
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