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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025.10.13 CCM REGULAR10/13/25 -1- MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA REGULAR SESSION OCTOBER 13, 2025 CITY HALL – COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1. INFORMAL OPEN FORUM WITH CITY COUNCIL The Brooklyn Center City Council met in Informal Open Forum called to order by Mayor April Graves at 7:00 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Mayor April Graves, Councilmembers Dan Jerzak, Kris Lawrence-Anderson, and Teneshia Kragness. Also present were City Manager Reggie Edwards, Community Development Director Jesse Anderson, Finance Director Angela Holm, City Clerk Shannon Pettit, and City Attorney Siobhan Tolar. Councilmember Laurie Ann Moore was absent and excused. 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. 4. INFORMAL OPEN FORUM Mayor April Graves opened the meeting for the purpose of Informal Open Forum and reviewed the Rules of Decorum. Gretchen E. stated she was there to discuss the budget cuts, along with concerns raised about eliminating two positions, and the impact on hard-working employees losing their jobs. She stated she understands this sentiment and wanted to share her perspective from the private sector. She stated that at her last job, where she exceeded expectations and was highly regarded across the organization, she was laid off due to business viability. She said mass lay-offs happen at successful, profitable companies every year, in order to maintain financial stability and continue serving customers. She stated that City government must operate under the same principles, and budgets require trade-offs. She stated that the choice was not about two positions; it was about balancing the budget while limiting the tax burden on residents. A 4.98 levy increase while eliminating two positions reflects responsible governance. She noted that these are the kinds of trade-offs that maintain City services for all residents while exercising fiscal discipline. Preserving those two positions would have required either a higher tax levy or cuts elsewhere in the budget. She said she appreciates that the Council takes these decisions seriously, and thanked the Council for its service and for making difficult but necessary decisions. 10/13/25 -2- Councilmember Jerzak moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to close the Informal Open Forum. Motion passed unanimously. 5. INVOCATION Councilmember Jerzak quoted Dr. Annabelle L. Jensen, “Always pass a plate of forgiveness, before each verbal feast.” He took that to mean that if difficult conversations are going to happen, be willing to forgive and be respectful of your opponent. Mayor Graves added that today is also Indigenous Peoples' Day. 6. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson moved and Councilmember Jerzak seconded to approve the Agenda and Consent Agenda, as amended, with amendments to the minutes as stated during the Study Session, and to move two Work Session items the Proposal: Shared Forester Position with the City Of Crystal, and the Discussion Regarding Chapter 5, City Of Brooklyn Center Ordinance to the Study Session, and the following consent items were approved: 6a. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. September 22, 2025 – Study Session 2. September 22, 2025 – Regular Session 6b. LICENSES MECHANICAL Lund Heating and Cooling 4820 County Rd 35 West Buffalo 55313 Plumbing Restoration & Services 889 Pierce Butler Route, St. Paul 55404 The Fireplace Guys 680 Hale Avenue North, Suite 110, Oakdale 55128 Thelen Plumbing Heating & Air 19950 177th Street, Suite 650, Big Lake 55309 RENTAL INITIAL (TYPE IV -- six-month license) 5412 Fremont Avenue North Lenin Cardenas Duenas INITIAL (TYPE III – one-year license) 10/13/25 -3- 2406 Ericon Drive MASON GROUP ONE LLC 5643 Dupont Avenue North CKNC HOMES LLC 6012 Beard Avenue North Thomas Danner INITIAL (TYPE II – two-year license) 6831 Dupont Avenue North Schynae Manwa RENEWAL (TYPE IV – six-month license) 5416 Fremont Avenue North Luisa N Narvaez 5956 Beard Avenue North SFR BORROWER 2021-2 LLC RENEWAL (TYPE III – one-year license) 3907 65th Avenue North GRANITE PROPERTIES SPE 5510 France Avenue North Iasis I Llc 5841 Xerxes Avenue North Sheng Zheng RENEWAL (TYPE II – two-year license) 2114 70th Avenue North Dennis R Mejia/gloria Mejia 2118 Ericon Drive Marco Panora 3106 64th Avenue North IH2 PROPERTY BORROWER LP 7025 Grimes Avenue North SFR ACQUISITIONS 3 LLC RENEWAL (TYPE I – three-year license) 1201 57th Avenue North Edward L Doll & Wife 4819 Azelia Avenue North Third Street/azelia Prop Llc 1300 72nd Avenue North Scott & Marinela Selseth 1304 68th Lane North Crystal A Dopp 5400 Queen Avenue North Prosperous Property Llc 5505 Lyndale Avenue North Brett R Hildreth 5506 Judy Lane Prosperous Property Llc 5712 Logan Avenue North Penrod LLC 10/13/25 -4- 6706 Scott Avenue North Green Jacket LLC 6936 Unity Avenue North Paul R Johnson 6c. RESOLUTION 2025-83 APPROVING THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER CITY COUNCIL CODE OF RESPECT 6d. RESOLUTION 2025-84 APPROVING THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER COMMISSION CODE OF RESPECT 6e. RESOLUTION 2025-85 APPROVING THE UPDATED COUNCIL MEETING DECORUM 6f. RESOLUTION 2025-86 APPROVING PARTICIPATION IN THE BRAZOS CITATION SOFTWARE SOLUTION 6g. RESOLUTION 2025-87 APPROVING SPECIAL LEGISLATION RELATED TO BROOKLYN CENTER TAX INCREMENT FINANCING AUTHORITY 6h. RESOLUTION 2025-88 ACKNOWLEDGING AND ACCEPTING LCA PREDEVELOPMENT GRANT FUNDS FOR ARMANI CONSTRUCTION & DEVELOPMENT, LLC FOR TOWNHOMES AT THE 5400 BLOCK OF BROOKLYN BLVD 6i. RESOLUTION 2025-89 IN SUPPORT OF AN APPLICATION TO THE MINNESOTA BROWNFIELD GAP FINANCING GRANT PROGRAM FOR PHASE I AND PHASE II ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENT FOR THE ARMANI CONSTRUCTION & DEVELOPMENT TOWNHOMES PROJECT 6j. RESOLUTION 2025-90 PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION UTILITY REVENUE BONDS, SERIES 2025A IN THE PROPOSED AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF $6,180,000 AND OBLIGATING THE CITY TO BE BOUND BY AND USE THE PROVISIONS OF MINNESOTA STATUTES, SECTION 446A.086 TO GUARANTEE THE PAYMENT OF THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON CERTAIN BONDS AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A CREDIT ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM AGREEMENT 6k. RESOLUTION 2025-91 APPROVING A LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER AND LOGIS THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2028 10/13/25 -5- 7. PRESENTATIONS/PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS/DONATIONS 7a. HENNEPIN RECYCLING GROUP (HRG) UPDATE Dr. Edwards introduced Administrator of the Hennepin Recycling Group (HRG) Tim Pratt to present the program and budget overview. Mr. Pratt explained the components of the recycling program, which include curbside collection of bottles, cans, paper, and organic bulky waste. HRG handles all the education and communication with residents via calls, postcards, and social media. He explained there is also an organic drop-off in the City of Crystal. Mr. Pratt noted that this last Saturday, HRG held a special materials drop-off event at the Brooklyn Park Operations and Maintenance facility, where residents could take advantage of free paper shredding and drop off hard-to-recycle materials such as mattresses. Mr. Pratt explained that the newest service offered by HRG is recycling bio-organics such as food scraps, meat, bones, and dairy that could not be put in a backyard compost, as well as non- recyclable papers like egg cartons, pizza boxes, and napkins. He stated that the curbside organic recycling service started on March 21, at a charge of $2.90 per household a month, which brought the overall total of household garbage hauling down from the $5 to $7.50 a month that it was. He stated that to date, there are 550 households in Brooklyn Center signed up, and a total of 1950 residents are signed up between the three cities. He noted that when 11 percent of all the residents in the three cities where HRG services are in will see a rise in expenses, due to more Staff needed to keep up with the recycling. Mayor Graves asked which City has the most residents who have signed up. Mr. Pratt answered that Crystal is the City with the most signups. Councilmember Kragness asked if that price increase would happen annually or as soon as the threshold is reached. Mr. Pratt responded that the system is tiered, so it will happen when the threshold is reached and the numbers are reviewed every six months. He noted that as of October 1, the threshold had not been reached, so the price will stay the same. The next time the numbers will be reviewed is April 1. Once the threshold is reached, there is a three-month implementation process to get through the billing cycle before the price increases. He stated that HRG is paired with the existing curbside contract, which runs through June 30, 2027, so there may be a different pricing structure in the next contract as well. Councilmember Kragness asked if there was a ceiling price or what the highest it could be for residents. Mr. Pratt stated that the pricing structure gives up every 10 percent, up to 50 percent. He noted that the only City that is at 50 percent is Minneapolis. There is a year and a half until the contract runs out, and he said HRG may hit the 11 percent threshold based on growth patterns, but he does not predict hitting a 22 percent threshold. At that point, there would be bidding on a new contract, so there would be a new pricing structure at that point. Councilmember Kragness asked what the price increase would be if 100 percent of residents opted in to HRG for their services. Mr. Pratt stated that this type of threshold is not in the contract, and 10/13/25 -6- no one is anticipating that to happen. Councilmember Kragness said that is concerning to her, because that means there is no maximum ceiling price that residents can be charged. Mr. Pratt said the ceiling would be if HRG gets 50 percent of residents to sign up, and he does not have an exact price increase for that, but his estimate would be $5.25. Mr. Pratt continued that HRG will continue to offer rain barrels and compost bins for residents who wish to make compost themselves. He noted that there is currently an organics drop-off at Crystal Cove Aquatics Center, and HRG recently received a grant for a drop-off at Brooklyn City Hall. He said the drop-off locations are very convenient because they are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Mr. Pratt noted that the contract for curbside recycling started on July 1, 2023, and runs through July 1, 2027, as mentioned earlier. He stated that in 2022, there were a lot of issues and delays due to driver shortage, and one of the benefits of having a joint program is that it gives HRG bargaining power with Waste Management. He said that HRG told Waste Management that they would only accept veteran garbage truck drivers, and Waste Management obliged with more experienced drivers and added two drivers to HRG's account. Now, delays are rare. He stated the 4.5 percent annual rate increase, which totals out to $4.25 per household, is the lowest rate in Hennepin County. Mr. Pratt detailed curbside cleanup, which was completed last April, and just signed a new four- year extension locking in those disposal rates. This means that inflationary increases are not part of the new curbside contract, and the only variable will be how much stuff people put out to be taken for curbside lean-up. Mr. Pratt discussed special materials drop-off, which happens in the Spring and Fall, and includes drop-off of items like appliances, batteries, electronics, mattresses, oil, anti -freeze, paper shredding, pallets, scrap metal, and tires. At the event last Saturday, there were 1200 vehicles that dropped off materials. Mr. Pratt stated that a new event is the Materials Reuse Event, which is a partnership with Better Futures Minnesota to take building materials for resale and reuse, and there were 116 participants. This year, they added a partnership with Bridging because they opened their new facility in Plymouth. He noted that reusing is better than recycling in terms of environmental impact, and Hennepin County has partnered with HRG and made it a point to focus on reuse events. These reuse events are called Swap Events, and Brooklyn Center had one in May of this year, and Hennepin County just had one scheduled for a holiday décor swap on October 12 at Brookdale Library. He noted that more of these events will be happening, as this has become an area of focus. Mr. Pratt noted that HRG offers a free yard waste drop-off site and has just signed a contract extension through 2027. This yard waste drop-off site is the Maple Grove yard waste site located at the northeast corner of Highway 610 and Maple Grove Parkway and is open seven days a week, April 1 through November 30. Mr. Pratt noted there will also be a pumpkin drop-off the week after Halloween at Central Park in Brooklyn Park and the New Hope Church in New Hope. 10/13/25 -7- Mr. Pratt stated that HRG also promotes event recycling, so recycling and organics containers can be borrowed for events through a simple reservation form on the HRG website. Mr. Pratt explained the 2026 Recycling fees and said he would not break down each line item, as the Council has that information in their packet, but the budget highlights include a curbside recycling cost increase of 4.5 percent on July 1, 2026. He noted that there will also be a curbside bulky waste cleanup cost increase, but then it will remain flat for four years. SCORE funding will remain flat, and is the state solid waste tax that gets passed down to the counties. He stated the HRG board recommends a $1.00 rate increase to offset a race deficit and inflationary increases in recycling and yard waste contracts, and a new cleanup contract. He noted a potential $.85 increase in July for the curbside organic program. He asked if there were any questions from the Council. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson thanked Mr. Pratt for his presentation and stated her question is actually for City Staff. She asked if the ordinance remains the same, that garbage containers are supposed to be shielded from eyesight. Dr. Edwards said the Community Development Director, Jesse Anderson, would come up to answer that question. Mr. Anderson noted that the current ordinances state the containers must be behind the front step back, meaning on the side of the garage or house, but not in front. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated she just wanted to ensure the ordinance was up to date with all the extra containers that residents now have. Councilmember Jerzak asked what the cost was for rain barrels and compost bins. Mr. Pratt said the containers were $55 for the compost bin and $75 for the rain barrel. Mayor Graves said she has taken advantage of the drop-off site for leaves and grass, but has been hearing about a campaign to leave leaves and grass, and asked for Mr. Pratt's insight about that. Mr. Pratt said the benefit of leaving the leaves and mulching them can provide nutrients back into the ground, but it depends on the size of the trees in the yard. He noted that a mature oak tree drops a lot of leaves, and to mulch all of them would be a huge task. He stated that residents could use them in garden spaces and around plants in winter, but again, this depends on the size of the yard and the number of trees a resident has. Mayor Graves said residents would have to find the balance. She continued that she is very happy about the reuse events that are happening, especially since most people are inundated with consumerism, so swap and reuse events are extremely important to limit that. Mr. Pratt noted that HRG works with the Habitat for Humanity ReStore storefront, where residents can drop off building materials, that is then resold at a deep discount. It is a non -profit that helps those in need. He noted another organization that HRG works with is Better Futures Minnesota, which offers job training for African-American men who are getting out of prison and need to learn life and job skills. Better Futures Minnesota offers deconstruction work, where they are contracted to go into county buildings and harvest materials that can be reused or sold at their warehouse in south Minneapolis. Mayor Graves noted that both of these organizations help the environment and help people. Councilmember Kragness said she went on the Waste Management tour with Mr. Pratt and noted that one of the things that stuck out to her was the direction to put recycling materials inside the bin loosely, not inside other plastic bags. Mr. Pratt said the message now is to put recycling 10/13/25 -8- materials in a bin, and not inside plastic or paper bags, to make for easier separation of materials. Mayor Graves noted that some stores offer plastic bag recycling. Mr. Pratt said most grocery stores in the area offer plastic bag recycling, as well as big chains like Walmart and Target, because those bags are shipped off and turned into plastic lumber. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson asked Dr. Edwards to add the information about correct recycling methods outside of bags to the next newsletter. Councilmember Kragness said the other recycling method she learned was to take the lid off the plastic water bottle that is recycled. Mr. Pratt said that the information has actually changed recently. Plastic water bottles are made of number one plastic, and the lids are made of number five plastic. The facility that recycles them has a two-step process to shred the number one plastic while separating it from the number five plastic, where the number five plastic is then discarded. Another manufacturer said that number five plastic could still be recycled, so now residents should leave the lids on in order for all parts of the water bottle to be recycled correctly. Councilmember Kragness moved and Councilmember Jerzak seconded to accept the presentation on the Hennepin Recycling Group (HRG) update. Motion passed unanimously. 7b. PROCLAMATION DECLARING OCTOBER AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH IN THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER Mayor Graves read in full a proclamation declaring October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the City of Brooklyn Center. Mayor Graves noted that domestic violence is prevalent in Brooklyn Center and equates to the number of calls that the Police Department responds to in the City. She stated that one in three women and one in four men experience physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime. She continued that the numbers state 1.3 million women and 835,000 men are physically assaulted by their partners in the United States. It is the leading cause of injury in women between the ages of 15 and 44, and many incidents go unreported, meaning those numbers are probably a lot higher than statistics report. She noted that even witnessing domestic violence can lead to emotional trauma. She stated that she is a survivor of domestic violence and thinks there needs to be more awareness and advocated to support healing and prevention of domestic violence. Councilmember Jerzak noted there is an informational handout that details healthy and unhealthy relationships with guidelines. Councilmember Kragness stated she would be attending a funeral this weekend of a domestic violence victim and the victim's brother, who were both murdered by the victim's partner. She reiterated that domestic violence is very real and prevalent. 10/13/25 -9- Councilmember Jerzak moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to approve the proclamation declaring October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the City of Brooklyn Center. Motion passed unanimously. 7c. PROCLAMATION DECLARING OCTOBER AS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH IN THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER Mayor Graves read in full a proclamation declaring October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the City of Brooklyn Center. Councilmember Jerzak said there is also a breast cancer awareness fact sheet for prevention, for the audience if they are interested. Councilmember Jerzak moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to approve the proclamation declaring October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the City of Brooklyn Center. Motion passed unanimously. 8. PUBLIC HEARINGS 8a. PUBLIC HEARINGS ON PROPOSED SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS FOR NUISANCE ABATEMENT COSTS, ADMINISTRATIVE FINES/CITATIONS, TALL GRASS AND WEED ABATEMENT COSTS, DEAD/DISEASE TREE ABATEMENT COSTS, AND ADMINISTRATIVELY REGISTERED VACANT PROPERTIES Dr. Edwards introduced Community Development Director Jesse Anderson to present on special assessments, followed by the subsequent hearing. Mr. Anderson said the hearing would occur after his presentation. He noted that the state of Minnesota allows cities to recover costs of certain types of services through special assessments to properties. He noted that the City incurs costs associated with these public service programs and activities. If fees remain unpaid, these costs may be specially assessed to the property, and a public hearing is required. Mr. Anderson explained that there would be five Public Hearings occurring for each issue, which includes long grass and weed abatement, dead and diseased trees abatement, nuisance abatement costs, administrative citation, and vacant building registrations. He noted that everyone who is on the list for these abatements would have received a notice, and a notice was posted in the paper. Mr. Anderson stated that in instances where properties are found to be in violation of grass and tree abatement, the following process is followed: a written compliance notice is provided, and a follow-up inspection is conducted. City staff make every effort to make in-person contact with 10/13/25 -10- residents in order to gain voluntary compliance. If compliance is not achieved, the City will take corrective action. In certain cases, the property owner may provide a written agreement to a City- facilitated abatement. The City bills the owner of record for the portion of costs the City has incurred, including a service fee. He noted that many times for trees, residents sign an agreement with the City to handle tree abatement and defer the costs over five years. Mr. Anderson explained administrative citations and penalties, which are issued for non- compliance with City ordinances. At least two compliance notices are issued prior to a citation being issued. Contact with the owner of the property is attempted by City Staff. He noted that for 2025, the City did lower the citation amounts, with the highest allowed being $1,000; however, citations can be issued more than once, and can be issued for different violations. Mr. Anderson said there is a lot of enforcement on unlicensed rental properties, using Hennepin County records, or complaints received from occupants of the properties or neighbors. Mr. Anderson explained vacant building registrations and said there are currently 86 vacant properties throughout the City; not all properties are registered, and HUD properties are exempt. He noted that the process to administratively register properties in IMS has been completed. Properties that are vacant for 30 days or more are required to register as a vacant building. A notice is posted on the door and mailed to the current property owner. The property cannot be occupied until an inspection is completed and a Certificate of Re-occupancy is issued by the City. After several notices, the registration is administratively completed, and the fee is assessed. The inspection fee of $195 will need to be paid in addition to the cost of the inspection, which is normally around $400 for a single-family home, when the owner requests an inspection from the City. Once the inspection is completed and the compliance items are completed, the Staff will issue a Certificate of Re-Occupancy. Once an assessment roll is adopted by the Council, the owner of the property has the following payment options: pay the entire amount of the special assessment, without interest, by November 21, 2025, or pay with taxes in 2026. For tree abatement, five-year annual installment payments could be made. Based on feedback from the Council, the county has granted Brooklyn Center permission to accept partial payments prior to the assessments being certified to Hennepin County. However, after an assessment is certified, partial payments can not be accepted. Mr. Anderson explained that these fees help recover some costs the City incurs related to services provided, with total dollar amounts for each service as listed: administrative fines/citation: $219,980, weed destruction: $19,120, dead/diseased tree removal: $11,740, abatement: $28,530, and vacant building registration: $17,250. These numbers are subject to change as payments are received. He noted that there was one written appeal that was just given to the Council. Mr. Anderson said the recommended procedure for these Public Hearings, which will happen for each issue separately, is that the Council may remove any reasonable appeal from the proposed levy roll and adopt the remaining proposed assessments. A public hearing can also be continued for certain properties. Staff will review and provide a report for appeals at an upcoming Council meeting for review by the Council. A tentative date of October 27, 2025, will be set for appeals, depending on the number of appeals received. 10/13/25 -11- He noted that if there are appeals during a hearing, and the Council wishes to pull those specific properties, there should be a motion made that approves the Special Assessments with the appeals removed. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to open the Public Hearing for Administrative Citations. Motion passed unanimously. Joan H. came forward and stated she was unsure what the citation was for, but thought it may pertain to a vehicle sitting partially on her driveway and partially on the grass of her property. She stated the vehicle does not belong to her; it belongs to a member of her household who is refusing to cooperate and give her the keys in order to move it. She stated she received multiple citations on the vehicle, and asked the owner of the vehicle to pay for the citations, but the individual has refused and chose not to appear for the special assessment hearing either. She stated she cannot afford to pay the citation, and would like the City to charge the owner of the vehicle for the special assessment, and not her. Mayor Graves asked Joan H. for her address. Joan H. responded that her address is 5711 Camden Avenue North. Mayor Graves thanked Joan H. for addressing the Council and said Staff would follow up with her after the meeting. Dean H. stated he is the caretaker of the property at 5711 Camden Avenue, and it is owned by his Mother, who lives in California. He noted that he used to receive notices about the property, and then notices began being sent to his Mother in California. He stated he only found out about this meeting this afternoon, due to the notices being sent to California. Mayor Graves asked if the mailing address needs to be updated for this property. Joan H. stated that is correct, because she did not receive a mailed notice either. Joan H. continued that she never received a paper citation, and contacted the City and asked the Staff to email her the citations, because she was not receiving them by mail or any information about this meeting. Mayor Graves thanked both of them for speaking. Paula B. stated she lives at 7227 Humboldt Avenue, her lawnmower broke in May, and she purchased a new one at the end of June. At the end of June, she also received two citations from the City for tall grass and noxious weeds. The citation stated that she was to cut the tall grass in her backyard within seven days. She stated she received this letter on June 28, and it was postmarked June 25. She noted that she received the same letter on June 30, with a date of July 1 written on it. The following day, she heard lawn mowers in her backyard, despite it not being seven days since she received her first notice. She did speak to Mr. Vain with the City on July 2, expressing her frustration. Mr. Vain insisted that the seven days start on the day of the inspection. She stated that she was never notified that an inspection occurred, and stated she was told it is not common practice to notify the homeowner during or after an inspection. She continued that the second notice that was left on her door was a noti ce of vacant property, which hers is not. She stated that she is currently sick with breast cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy every three weeks. She said that she cut her grass this summer in between chemotherapy treatments and planted flowers, so there is no way someone could mistake her property for being vacant. Mayor 10/13/25 -12- Graves asked Paula B. to restate her address. Paula B. restated her address as 7227 Humboldt Avenue. Mayor Graves asked Mr. Anderson for clarification on what falls under the citation parameters. Mr. Anderson explained that citations can be for any violation of the code. He noted that if the City does a tall grass abatement, that would be an abatement fee, but it is possible that the City issued Paula B. a citation, as the City can issue citations for tall grass. He stated that if the City cuts the grass for a resident, then the resident is charged for that, and it is in a different category. Councilmember Kragness asked if it is possible for residents to post on the City’s social media sites that they need help cutting their grass, and a good Samaritan could help out that way. Mr. Anderson said he could talk to the Communications Staff about that. He noted that he did not think the City would want people to post specific properties online, but there might be a strategy that the Communications Department could come up with. Councilmember Kragness said there are community members who would help out if they knew who needed help, and it would be beneficial to the homeowners, rather than getting fined and going through this process. Councilmember Jerzak asked if it is still the policy to post a violation on the front door, and if any phone communication was attempted with Paula B. regarding her violations. Mr. Anderson said it is not policy to post long grass notices on every property; the City gives seven days from the date of notice from the time the City mails out a notice to the property. Councilmember Jerzak asked when that policy changed. Mr. Anderson stated he misspoke; the City does still put notices on the front door. Councilmember Kragness asked if there was a way for the homeowner to contact Mr. Anderson directly and ask for an extension, or explain their circumstances, because if a resident is going through chemotherapy, the last thing on their mind would be how tall the grass is. Mr. Anderson said it is fairly common for the City to give extensions when requested based on circumstances. Sean S. stated he and his wife were there for a citation received at 6401 Scott. She stated that this residence had a house fire nine months ago. She stated the City posted citations on their privacy fence to get the house up to code. She noted that she just moved back into the home after living in hotels for nine months while the house was being renovated due to the fire. She stated the house was not a public nuisance, and they were not given sufficient time to remedy the violations before incurring a fine. She noted that the violation is for $2,100 for the removal of debris. Mayor Graves stated the Council has his name and address. Sean S. continued that there was a class five violation for his vehicle not being on cement, and that the City wanted him to put cement down in his yard in order to park his vehicle there. She reiterated that she hoped these fines could be lifted. Ryan B. stated he lives at 7201 Knox Avenue North and stated he would like to ask for forgiveness for some of the fine amounts and discrepancies in letters that were mailed out. He stated that some of the letters included dates that do not make sense or exist for his generation. He noted that one was dated for 3/3/25 with correction dates needed by 1/1/01. Ryan B. stated that other letters had correct by dates that were the same day the citation was issued, or were received in the mail a day before the correct by date listed in the letter. Ryan B. said that the item of concern was a skid steer 10/13/25 -13- that was placed in his backyard in order to plow a dozen driveways along his street. He continued that his skid steer offenses amounted to over $1,000 in a one-month time frame. He noted that he received other citations for an engine hoist that was also in his backyard while he worked on one of his vehicles, and was unaware that it was a violation at the time. Ryan B. stated that the amount he now owes to the City is not a slight amount and would put anyone in a financial bind. Mayor Graves confirmed his address and thanked Ryan B. for speaking. Stephen H. came forward and stated his address is 6736 Toledo Avenue North, and was given a citation for an engine being on the side of his garage. He stated that he did not know about the citations and thinks they were hidden from him by family members. Stephen H. stated his last citation letter was in the amount of $2,900 and said that seems excessive for a fine, especially when Brooklyn Center does not have to remove the motor; it is on the homeowner to do that. Mayor Graves confirmed his address and thanked him for addressing the Council. Councilmember Kragness said she was curious how these fines get up to over $2,000. Mr. Anderson said he cannot speak to everyone's citations, but most citations are given, and then if the citation is not fixed within the given time frame, they can be doubled every time they are issued. Councilmember Kragness asked if the citations would be stopped if a resident contacts Mr. Anderson and explains the situation for the citation. Mr. Anderson confirmed that is correct, if the resident asks for an extension within a reasonable time, then the City will not continue to issue citations during that time, but it does not necessarily waive previous tickets. Councilmember Jerzak stated he wanted to address the audience and let them know that he would be requesting a Work Session to revisit these citations, because the Council had granted the ability to do abatements, and they could have been done for a whole lot cheaper than citations. He said he wanted to congratulate the City for having a maximum fine of $1,000 for grass abatement, but would be digging into City Staff doing abatements instead of citations. He stated that decisions on these citations would not be made at this meeting, but that he hears and recognizes the residents’ concerns. Ryan B. stated he needed to add something else to his previous statement about the property at 7201 Knox Avenue North, and said that the property has been citation-free for over six months, so if the goal is compliance, that goal has been completed. Dean H. stated he wanted to concur with Ryan B. about the time limit given to these citations, because by the time he hears that there was a citation on his property, the deadline has already passed. Mike H. handed out photos of the property in question and stated that he worked for a Ministry that helped previously incarcerated individuals with donated cars, along with counseling and mentorship, but was forced to shut down the business at 3607 50th Avenue North. He said he owned the property for many years and never had any problems until about three years ago. The property is zoned industrial, the highest zoning use that the City grants. He said he thinks that his business has been discriminated against, and the City has abused its power, along with deception, and religious persecution. He noted that he has a whole file of photos of containers on his property 10/13/25 -14- that had been there for 30 years, with nine out of the 12 properties having containers on them, and now the City is forcing him to remove the containers. Mike H. said those containers provided income for the Ministry to help the people coming out of drug addiction and prison, but he is going to sell them in order to comply with the City, and this has destroyed the Ministry. Mike H. noted that he received citations for unlicensed vehicles, so they were licensed. Other citations were for trash on the property. He admitted that there was trash that needed to be removed, so he removed it. Neighboring properties also had trash on them, but were never issued citations, and continue to have visible trash on the property. He noted that he has a tape of a meeting with one of the City Inspectors, and during that conversation, Mike H. was told by an Inspector that every two years he inspected the property. Mike H. asked the Inspector if violations were addressed immediately upon inspection, and the Inspector confirmed that they were. He mentioned to the Inspector that he had never received citations for the containers on his property until now, and some of them have been there for many years. Mike H. said he has lost five million dollars due to these citations, and explained that he had a letter of intent from an organization that wanted to use his property to train handicapped veterans how to repair medical equipment and ship containers overseas, and this can no longer happen due to the City. He explained that he also received vacancy violations on a building on his property, due to the water usage being low in that building. He asked what right the Inspectors have to tell a resident how much water can be used at a residence. He continued that he received citations on his fence, which is a cyclone fence on three sides of the property, which most businesses have. The City asked him to file a permit for his fence, which he did. Mike H. continued that he was contacted again by the City about his storage containers being too close to the right-of-way near Highway 100. He contacted the head of the right-of-way for the state of Minnesota and was told not to worry about it. He sold his property in December of 2024 and is still receiving notices about it. He claimed this is abuse from the City and the Inspectors, and wants the notices about this property to stop and the fines to be eliminated. He stated that the City should contact the new owners if there are still issues with the property. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to close the Public Hearing for Administrative Citations. Motion passed unanimously. Councilmember Jerzak asked if there was a deadline to meet for the certifications. Mr. Anderson said that City Staff needs enough time to process the appeals and then roll them over to the county by the end of November. Councilmember Jerzak said the reason he asked is because he sees a citation in the amount of $14,589.34, and based on people stating that they are not getting notices, he is not comfortable voting for these assessments. Mayor Graves asked if Councilmember Jerzak would like more time for people to be notified of their assessment before voting on any of the assessments this evening. Councilmember Jerzak responded that not only that, but in addition, as a Councilmember, he would like to investigate some of the higher totals with some figures over $14,000, and get more information about them, 10/13/25 -15- because this would significantly change a resident's mortgage payment. He continued that residents have one year to pay grass abatements, and for some people on a fixed income $100 a month being added to their mortgage is not sustainable. He said that due to this, he would be comfortable approving the assessments tonight. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson asked Councilmember Jerzak if his vote is no for all of the assessments. Councilmember Jerzak said that until the Council receives more specific information, and after hearing a number of complaints tonight from the residents about clerical errors, wrong dates, and compliance issues, it creates enough probable cause to further investigate. Councilmember Kragness asked Councilmember Jerzak if he wanted to see a clearer paper trail on the citations, such as when they were served, along with information on what the citation was for. Mayor Graves said the citations are supposed to have a paper trail, and normally, they do when they are brought back for appeals. She asked if he would like to identify additional people from the list who may have a higher amount that is raising a red flag, or if he wants all information for every single citation. Councilmember Jerzak said he realizes that the Council does not have that kind of time and that it would slow the process, but he will take it upon himself. If he has additional questions, he will direct those to Dr. Edwards. He noted that he wants more t ime to investigate what the City is alleging, especially for the properties with exceptional fees, and thinks the Council owes the residents that much. City Attorney Siobhan Tolar stated that this is a public hearing to hear appeals, and that is exactly what the Council is doing. She asked if Councilmember Jerzak is suggesting that the Council close these Public Hearings and not conduct any more appeals at this time. Councilmember Jerzak stated he would like to make a motion to close the Public Hearings for tonight or postpone them until the next Council meeting. He said otherwise the Council would be there until midnight to hear all of the appeals, and he said he has heard enough allegations already to warrant more investigation and have City Staff at least provide the Council with more information. He said these allegations make him very uncomfortable. Ms. Tolar said she understands what he is saying, but residents have a statutory right to appeal no matter what the Council decides. She continued that even if City Staff brings forward additional information for the Council, there will still be more hearings to hear appeals. She asked if he was suggesting stopping the Public Hearings to allow the people who have come out tonight to come back and appeal again at the next meeting. Councilmember Jerzak said his concern is for the residents who have huge dollar amounts next to their names, who are not even present, especially with claims by some residents that they were only given a two-day notice to appeal. He noted that if the other Councilmembers overrule him, that is fine, but there are some uncomfortable numbers in front of the Council. He noted that in all his years of service doing inspections, he never saw numbers like these, and he wondered what had changed. Councilmember Jerzak said that if the City is using citations for punitive means and for a revenue stream, that is wrong and illegal. 10/13/25 -16- Dr. Edwards said City Staff would not issue citations for those reasons. Councilmember Jerzak responded that he did not say City Staff was doing that, but that the Council owes it to their constituents to be sure that these inspections were done uniformly, correctly, and equally. Mayor Graves asked if City Staff could speak to any of the higher amounts that are listed. Mr. Anderson responded that one of the listed amounts near $14,000 was for a utility bill, and he could not speak to that. He noted that Staff could be familiar with some of the higher dollar amounts, but could not provide dates or exact timelines on all of them at tonight's meeting. Mayor Graves asked if the account with the $14,000 bill is for an apartment building. Director Holm responded that the $14,000 bill is for an individual. Dr. Edwards asked to clarify with Finance Director Angela Holm about the amount for the property on 4100 Lake Breeze, listed on page 189. Mr. Anderson responded that that is a code enforcement rental and could speak about that. Ms. Tolar said before moving forward, the Council needed to vote on this motion. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson seconded to adopt the RESOLUTION Certifying Special Assessments for Administrative Citations to the Hennepin County Tax Rolls, with the appeals that have come before the Council tonight removed. Councilmember Jerzak and Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson voted against the same. Motion fails. Ms. Tolar said that to second a motion means to support it, so next time, if a Councilmember does not support the motion, they should not second it. Councilmember Kragness asked for clarification on what happens now. Mayor Graves said the Council should continue hearing the appeals, since so many residents came out to speak to the Council. Councilmember Jerzak said he supports that and wants to allow the people to speak. He noted that the City's certificates are up to $800,000, which is a huge increase over the past years, and that is what he wants to investigate. Councilmember Kragness said she commends residents for coming to speak up, and that these fines are to hold people accountable, and does not want to accuse City Staff of any kind of malice. She noted that if residents speak with Staff and explain their ci rcumstances, there is time for residents to make things right without incurring more fines. She reiterated that these fines are not to make money for the City or for financial gain, but for the beautification of the City. She stated she wants to make sure that the narrative does not imply that the City is causing punitive damage to its residents or being unfair. Councilmember Jerzak said he was not suggesting that the Staff has malice, but the Council needs to investigate what the process is for these citations, because if it is not a good process or unfair, 10/13/25 -17- then it does not achieve equitable results to get compliance, and is a failure of the process. He continued that the total is $862,410, and in 2019, that total was $487,000, which results in a $375,182 increase, and that needs to be investigated. Mayor Graves noted that there is a six-year difference. She stated that Staff could break down the different assessments for the Council, and get specifics on what those assessments are for, as well as how much that increase might be due to inflation. Ms. Tolar stated that the Council will have to certify these special assessments for citations at some point in time. Mayor Graves said she was aware of that. Ms. Tolar asked if it would be rescheduled for another time. Mayor Graves said it failed tonight, but she knows it has to be certified before the end of November. Dr. Edwards said from his perspective, at the next Council meeting, with additional information from the Staff, it would be resolved with the Council. He asked if the Council concurred with that process. Mayor Graves agreed to that process and said it has to get done. She noted that she has been on the Council for 12 years, and this has never happened before. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to open the Public Hearing for Diseased Tree Removal cost assessments. Motion passed unanimously. No one wished to address the Council. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to close the Public Hearing for Diseased Tree Removal cost assessments. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to adopt the RESOLUTION 2025- 92 Certifying Special Assessments for Disease Tree Removal Costs to the Hennepin County Tax Rolls. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to open the Public Hearing for Weed Removal costs. Motion passed unanimously. Sharice M. came forward and stated she lives at 5430 Morgan Avenue North, received a notice about her grass being cut, and was given two days before incurring a fine. She said she had some nice people knock on her door that told her father they were referred to her address to help her get it cut. She said her father let the City Staff cut the grass, and she was very grateful at the time, but 10/13/25 -18- was unaware that it would incur fees that equaled $195. She said that amount might sound minute, but right now she cannot afford it. She noted that City Staff told her her trees in the backyard needed to be taken care of, or the City would fine her for those as well. City Staff quoted her a price to take care of the trees in her backyard, and she agreed to it, but it went from $350 to $900. She agreed to the $900 to get the trees taken care of, and then got an invoice for the $195 for the grass cutting, and with her household bills, she needs more time to pay off that fee. Mayor Graves thanked Sharice M. for speaking with the Council. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to close the Public Hearing for Weed Removal costs. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to adopt the RESOLUTION 2025- 93 for Weed Removal Costs to the Hennepin County Tax rolls with the removal of the address read into the record during the appeal. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to open the Public Hearing for Nuisance Abatement costs. Motion passed unanimously. No one wished to address the Council. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to close the Public Hearing for Nuisance Abatement costs. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson seconded to adopt the RESOLUTION 2025-94 for Nuisance Abatement Costs to the Hennepin County Tax Rolls. Councilmember Jerzak asked for clarification on whether the City was voting on the nuisance abatement amount for 2025, which totaled $28,530. Mayor Graves asked if that was what was listed under the Nuisance Abatement rolls. Councilmember Jerzak said that is what he was trying to clarify, and if it was listed under Amended Special Assessment 2025 Abatement. Mayor Graves confirmed that he was correct. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Graves asked Ms. Tolar for clarification on whether or not there was action that she could take regarding the specific Public Hearings that the Council has successfully certified. Ms. Tolar said Mayor Graves had already taken that action with the appeals. Councilmember Lawrence- 10/13/25 -19- Anderson asked if there was only one certification that was being held up. Mayor Graves confirmed that she was correct; it was the Administrative Citations that did not get approved. Dr. Edwards said the list was provided in the Council’s packet to approve and move forward. Mayor Graves said she was making sure, because she thought she was only approving five assessments. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to open the Public Hearing for Administratively Registering Vacant Properties. Motion passed unanimously. No one wished to address the Council. Councilmember Jerzak asked for clarification on whether the property that Mike H. had come forward to speak about earlier was on the list. Director Anderson confirmed that the property was not on the list. Councilmember Jerzak said he wanted to be sure that the property was not on the list. Mayor Graves added that Mike H. sold that property. Mayor Graves added that there was one more property that should not be on that list, at 7227 Humboldt. Mayor Graves confirmed that the Humboldt property was not on the vacant property list. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Jerzak seconded to close the Public Hearing for Administratively Registering Vacant Properties. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson seconded to adopt the RESOLUTION 2025-95 for Administratively Registering Vacant Properties to the Hennepin County Tax Rolls. Motion passed unanimously. 8b. PUBLIC HEARINGS ON CERTIFICATION OF SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS FOR DELINQUENT PUBLIC UTILITY SERVICE ACCOUNTS AND EMERGENCY PRIVATE UTILITY SERVICE REPAIRS TO THE HENNEPIN COUNTY PROPERTY TAX ROLLS Dr. Edwards introduced Finance Director Angela Holm to present this item. Ms. Holm stated that a list was provided to the Council that starts with levy 26007 with 4201 Janet Lane, which is the first address on the Public Utilities Certification list. 10/13/25 -20- Ms. Holm continued that this information will be similar to what was presented to the Council earlier by Mr. Anderson, and she will get through it fairly quickly. She stated that this information will be regarding delinquent utility bills and emergency private utility service repairs. Ms. Holm noted that Minnesota state law allows cities to recover costs of certain types of services through special assessments to the property. The City incurs costs of providing public utilities, typically recovered through user charges. If these user charges remain unpaid, the costs may be assessed to the property, and a Public Hearing is required. Ms. Holm explained the delinquent utility process. She stated that residents receive a regular utility bill for water, sanitary sewer, storm drainage, street lights, and recycling. Utility bills are billed quarterly, or four times per year. Balances of $400 or more that are past due as of July 31, 2025, are identified for certification with the Council. A letter is sent to the customer notifying them that the account is past due, and the amount will be certified against property taxes if not paid. Residents are given the opportunity to pay the outstanding bill prior to certification. Residents are not required to pay the entire outstanding bill prior to certification, but the total delinquency does have to be below that $400 threshold, though. She noted that as of October 13, 2025, no formal appeals have been made to City Staff. Ms. Holm clarified payment options. Once an assessment roll is adopted by the Council, the owner of the property has the following options: pay the entire amount of the special assessment, without interest, by November 21, 2025, or pay taxes in 2026 with interest accrued from December 1, 2025. The total principal and total interest are due in 2026. Ms. Holm stated that as of today, the unpaid charges totaled $820,504.67, and this is actually less than what the Council has been certifying over the last four years, with the exception of 2023. There are currently 831 unpaid accounts, which is similar in amount to other years, again with the exception of 2023. She noted that 69.4 percent of certifications are for amounts under $1,000, and this information is accurate as of October 13, 2025. Ms. Holm noted there will be two separate Public Hearings, one for Unpaid Utilities and one for Emergency Private Utility Service Repairs. She explained that emergency repairs are performed to ensure sewer service is maintained at a property. The resident signs an agreement to have the cost of repairs assessed to their property tax for the next year. This cannot be challenged at th e Public Hearing, as this is a written agreement between the resident and the City. She noted that as of October 13, 2025, there are five assessments to be included on the property tax roll. Ms. Holm continued that the only basis for appeal of delinquent public utilities is an error in the billing. If a resident believes there is an error in billing, documentation of the error will need to be provided. The Council may direct City Staff to investigate any reported errors. City staff will report back at the next regular council meeting about these errors on October 27, 2025. She continued that the inability to pay before the certification date is not considered a basis for appeal. Ms. Holm continued with guidelines for Appellants: People wishing to appeal should approach the center podium and address the Council, and state their full name and address. The address provided should have a pending special assessment, and state the reason for the appeal of the 10/13/25 -21- certification action. Finally, residents should provide their contact information to the Staff for a follow-up. Mayor Graves asked about the process of appealing utility bills that residents cannot afford to pay. Ms. Holm said that is correct, an appeal will not be entertained for residents who cannot afford to pay, but residents have a chance to pay before November 21 to avoid having the bill certified to their property tax. Councilmember Kragness said she would be interested in having a Council Work Session to look into raising the dollar amount for required certifications. She said she would like to discuss raising the amount in order to give residents every opportunity to get caught up, especially with the rising utility rates. Ms. Holm responded that the Finance Department has also discussed increasing the amount for certifications for next year in anticipation of the rising utility rates. Mayor Graves asked Councilmember Kragness to explain her thought process behind that for the audience. Councilmember Kragness stated that the current threshold for certification is a $400 delinquent bill, and she would like to discuss increasing that limit to give residents a chance to pay it before it goes on their property taxes. Mayor Graves said she just wanted to make sure that was clear for everyone. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to open the Public Hearing on the Delinquent Public Utility Service Accounts. Motion passed unanimously. Doug A. came forward and stated his address is 3719 Urban Avenue. He stated that he got the bill in August when a letter came. He noted that his late Mother had everything set up on autopay, and she passed away the day before Thanksgiving last year. He stated that the bill he received was for $600 and is now at $1,500 for a water bill. He stated that he just finished up with probate with his late Mother's estate, and these water bills are in his Mother's name. He stated that he should own the house soon, but wondered if this would go on his property taxes. He acknowledged that this is not a valid argument, but he took care of his Mother for three years before she passed, and did not work outside of the home during that time, so he did not have the money to pay for this bill. Mayor Graves asked what the time frame was for the bill to go from $600 to $1,500. Doug A. stated that he thought everything was set up on autopay, so he never got a bill until a letter came on August 27, and then he received another letter last week, and prior to that, he never knew anything about the water bill not being paid. He noted that he was paying all the other bills, and said the property taxes should pay the water bill since the property taxes are already $4,000 a year. Mayor Graves thanked Doug A. for coming in and told him he could speak with Ms. Holm after the meeting. Doug A. asked if the bill is not paid by November 21, what the interest would be. Ms. Holm stated that the interest is calculated at a percentage above what the City pays for a bonding rate, which is at seven percent. 10/13/25 -22- Thomas came forward and stated he lives at 5830 Admiral Lane North, and stated he has never had any problems with the water until now. He noted his surprise over the assessment of water, and how the rate has increased so much. He stated that he has complained to City Staff many times about the water utility increase. He continued that the worst part about this is that he had to get a loan at three different accounts, and one of them is for a water softener, one for a water heater, and another for plumbing problems. He stated he is paying these loans with what little money he gets from Social Security. He said he is still paying for City water that is damaging all of these appliances and his plumbing. He stated that if he has to pay off these three loans as a consequence of using the very hard water in Brooklyn Center, he asked how he is supposed to survive in the City. He stated he has incurred so many fines from delinquency, but he has never been delinquent on any of his accounts. He continued that his bill for assessment is now $900, and he cannot pay it. He noted that his water softener was not even three years old and was ruined by City water. Mayor Graves thanked Thomas for speaking and said he should connect with Ms. Holm after the meeting to discuss his bill. Benjamin O. came forward and stated he lives at 5413 Ponds Drive. He stated he has a current water bill of $869.70, but has not received any prior bills for the last year. He said he did not receive this current bill until August 27, 2025, and this bill seems very high, with an additional $200 to $300 than what he was expecting to pay. He said he does not know the reason why he has not been getting his utility bills for the last year. Mayor Graves thanked Benjamin for addressing the Council. Sweden R. came forward and stated she lives at 5006 63rd Avenue North. She stated she received a letter for a water bill for $700. She stated that the reason it got so high was due to leaking plumbing in the house. She stated she hired a plumber to repair the plumbing leak, and set up a payment plan with her ex-husband, thinking he was paying the City for the water bill when he was not. She stated that in September, she received another water bill for $1,300. She called her ex- husband and asked why the water bill was so high, and her ex-husband said he was not making payments as she previously thought, and told her that the City does not do payment plans for utility bills. She said she received a bill that told her to go to court, and she is the only o ne who pays bills in her house. She asked how to pay this off, and asked if this could be remedied. Mayor Graves thanked Sweden R. for speaking and told her to connect with Ms. Holm after the hearing is over to discuss her bill. Ruthine W. stated her address is 3400 50th Avenue North, and her husband died two years ago, and she lost $2,600 a month when he passed away. She stated that she cannot get his name off of any of the utility bills, and cannot get help on any of the utility bills until his name is off of them. She continued that because his name is associated with the house and the bills, she has to go through probate court in order to get it fixed, and that takes time. She asked if she could have more time to pay this bill, but it is a struggle. Mayor Graves thanked Ruthine W. for speaking. Brian S. came forward with his wife, Flynn S., and said he is at 5413 Morgan Avenue North and has received an assessment amount of $1,279.93. Brian S. stated he has early-onset Alzheimer’s, and it has become a struggle for him to keep track of things; this is one item that slipped. He said he was shocked to see the amount of over $1,200 and asked what he could do to pay this back 10/13/25 -23- without losing his house. Flynn S. added that her husband only gets paid once a month for disability and Social Security and gets paid between the 21st and the 25th of every month, but it is not a set date. Flynn S. said their mortgage has also gone up, and they are struggling to even pay that, along with groceries. She continued that with medical bills, all other bills are piling up. Brian S. said fortunately they have been able to keep up with their mortgage. Flynn S. asked how these bills can be paid without losing their home. Mayor Graves asked them to confirm their name and address and thanked them for coming forward to speak. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson asked if Flynn S. had reached out to the Social Workers at the hospital to get in touch with some resources to help them out. Flynn S. said they filled out paperwork for resources to help pay their water bill, and were told they did not qualify for any kind of aid. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson reiterated that they should talk to the Social Workers at the hospital because there may be more resources available to them. Kevin S. came forward and stated he lives at 7200 Fremont, and said his heart goes out to people who are struggling with their utility bills. He stated that he would like the City to be more aggressive now with the people who are delinquent, whose water meters are not working, and find a way to get into those homes or set up a minimum payment if there is not one. Mayor Graves said there is a minimum payment that people are making, even though their water meters are not working correctly. Ms. Holm responded that there is a minimum payment for water service, and there are some individuals who are not currently being billed for water usage or their consumption. Kevin S. asked what that minimum is. Ms. Holm responded that she did not know the exact number, but that it was around $25 a quarter. Kevin S. stated he wanted to make the point that those people are getting away with only being charged $25, while there are residents coming up with bills for over $1,000, so clearly, some people are not paying their fair share. He reiterated that the people without working water meters are still using a City service, and when the budget for the City is so tight in so many areas, the City cannot afford to have water meters that do not work, especially when water is only going to get more expensive. Mayor Graves stated that she completely agrees with him and stated that maybe everyone should purchase those discounted rain barrels that were talked about earlier. Mayor Graves asked Ms. Holm for clarification that the only cause for appeal was if the resident thought they were charged incorrectly. Ms. Holm stated that the policy in place is to appeal only if the resident thinks they were improperly billed, or if the resident is not getting their bills appropriately. She continued that if residents are not receiving their bills, they should contact the utility billing line to ensure that the City has the correct information. Ms. Holm noted that there are many alternatives for payments, along with autopay, if people are having a hard time remembering to pay their bills. She continued that if residents can get their bills below the $400 threshold, then it will not roll over onto their property taxes, so partial payments can be made. She encouraged anyone who came forward to give the utility billing line a call. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to close the Public Hearing on the Delinquent Public Utility Service Accounts. 10/13/25 -24- Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to adopt the RESOLUTION 2025- 96 certifying Special Assessments for Delinquent Public Utility Service accounts to the Hennepin County Property Tax Rolls, with the addresses that were present for their appeal today removed. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Graves said that anyone who would like to get additional direction on what to do about their utility bills should connect with Ms. Holm after this final public hearing. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Jerzak seconded to open the Public Hearing on Emergency Private Utility Service Repairs. Motion passed unanimously. No one wished to address the Council. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to close the Public Hearing on Emergency Private Utility Service Repairs. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to adopt the RESOLUTION 2025- 97 certifying Emergency Private Utility Service Repairs to the Hennepin County Property Tax Rolls. Motion passed unanimously. Mayor Graves said she wrote down all the addresses of the appeals made tonight, if City Staff does not have them. Ms. Holm said she would be outside the Chambers if anyone wished to speak to her about addresses and contact information. Dr. Edwards asked if he could go back briefly to the Administrative Citations, since the Council wants to revisit those citations and clarify exactly what information the Council wants at the next Council meeting. He stated there are currently over 200 ac counts that are delinquent, there are four that have over $8,000 in fines, and roughly 12 that are over $5,000 in fines, and 26 accounts that have over $2,000 in fines. He asked if the Council wants information on all of those accounts, or if there are certain parameters that the Council would like Staff to follow, and have Staff bring back information on certain accounts, or just the accounts with the highest fines. Councilmember Jerzak stated he wants clarification on the fact that Mr. Anderson said that citations were limited to $1,000, which makes no sense when some of these fines are over $8,000. 10/13/25 -25- He continued that when he was an Inspector, if fines went over $1,000, the citation had to be signed off by a supervisor or a Director. He stated he wants general information on the cumulative policies, and for clarity, any citation that is over $1,000, he wants to know the history behind the citation. Mayor Graves said that sounded reasonable, as well as additional contextual information regarding the citation that would be important to know. She asked Dr. Edwards if that answered his question. Dr. Edwards confirmed that it does answer his question. 9. PLANNING COMMISSION ITEMS 10. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ITEMS 10a. ON-SALE INTOXICATING LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION FOR WK BROWN, LLC, WAYNE BROWN, PALM GROVE EVENT CENTER, 2590 FREEWAY BLVD Dr. Edwards stated he would be fairly brief, and City Clerk Shannon Pettit or Ms. Tolar could add anything if necessary. He noted that this item is seeking Council consideration of an application for an on-sale intoxication license, pursuant to Chapter 11, Section 11.115, and Sections 11.122 of the Brooklyn Center City code. The owner of Palm Grove Event Center applied for the on-sale intoxicating liquor license on September 4, 2025. This establishment has held a license that lapsed on December 31, 2024. He noted that in order to provide the license, there are requirements that have to be met at the state, one being that it is a restaurant, hotel, or club. A club is either a business establishment or a Heritage Center, so in this case, this establishment would be established as a restaurant, and that has not happened yet. The owner has indicated that they are operating a restaurant, but the City has not gone onsite to substantiate this at this time. The business owner does have a food license from the county, which would be critical to establishing whether or not it is an operating restaurant. Dr. Edwards said there are three options for the Council tonight, one being to do a layover of the decision, which would come back at the next Council meeting, to allow the owner sufficient time to provide information to clarify that there is a restaurant operating inside the business. The second option is that the Council could deny the liquor license, and the owner could come back and apply again, but the owner would have to abide by the same requirements. The third option would be for the Council to grant the liquor license to the owner, and in that case, the City would still have to substantiate that there is a restaurant operating at that location. Dr. Edwards stated that the property owner is here if the Council would like to hear from the owner. He asked City Clerk Shannon Pettit if she would like to add anything to this item. Ms. Pettit said that Dr. Edwards covered everything, but she was happy to answer any questions from the Council. Councilmember Kragness asked what documentation is needed to establish that this business has a restaurant, besides a verbal confirmation. Ms. Tolar responded that it is not just documentation that is needed; there was a brief investigation done, and every time City Staff went to the business, the restaurant was closed. There would need to be either a statement, an affidavit, or some type of demonstration on the part of the applicant to prove to the City that there is an operational restaurant on site and that it has regular business hours. She noted that the foundation for getting a liquor 10/13/25 -26- license in the City of Brooklyn Center is either having a restaurant, being a hotel, or being the Heritage Center, and if that can be substantiated, then the owner has no basis to have a liquor license. Mayor Graves asked if that is a state statute. Ms. Tolar confirmed those are per state statutes, as well as in the ordinances for Brooklyn Center. Mayor Graves asked how that works when a restaurant is opening for the first time. Ms. Tolar stated that for a situation like that, a plan would need to be submitted, and the Staff could investigate for a longer period of time. Ms. Tolar noted that in this particular situation, the owner is applying for a new license because his previous license has lapsed, and there has been no documentation, only verbal assurances that have not been proven by actual fact. Mayor Graves asked what is required in order to get a food license from the county. Ms. Tolar said that was a good question, but she did not know. She said she does not know if the county requires hours, and some type of kitchen on site, but the City ordinance states that 30 percent of the business's profits need to come from a restaurant. Councilmember Kragness asked if the restaurant owner is having issues with opening, if it was possible to extend that time frame, and then apply for a license once the owner is ready to open. Ms. Tolar stated that it was absolutely an option, and to give the owner more time to substantiate that he has an operating restaurant. She noted that the Council could deny the license, which would force the owner to go back and apply again, but this offers the owner more time to provide proper evidence that there is an established restaurant on site. The third option would be to grant the liquor license, but she noted that is not her advised option for legal reasons. Councilmember Jerzak stated that he is not in favor of carve-outs or offering exceptions or favoritism. He noted that a liquor license is a privilege, not a right, and he would be voting to deny it. Ms. Tolar said there are a few options: the Council could allow this person to substantiate and continue with the existing application, or deny and have the applicant start over the application process. She noted that the Council could extend to allow the applicant more time to provide proper evidence as well. Mayor Graves said she would like to extend and give the applicant more time to meet the threshold of proof. She said she recognized that the Council cannot go against the City’s ordinances, and the Council has not obtained the proof needed to approve the liquor license today. She stated she hopes the owner will be able to get the required information together. Mayor Graves asked if the Council would like to hear from the owner. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson said hearing from the owner was not necessary. Mayor Graves told the owner to get the information together and come back to the next Council meeting with proof, so the Council can grant the liquor license. Councilmember Kragness asked if the Council chooses to extend, what would the timeline be. Ms. Tolar said that was up to the Council, but it could be the next Council meeting, or the Council 10/13/25 -27- could decide on a different date. Ms. Tolar noted that her recommendation is for it to be revisited at the next Council meeting. Councilmember Kragness said it is not her motion, but whoever makes that motion should set a time limit and deadline to ensure accountability. Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to approve a layover to a future Council meeting on October 27, 2025. Councilmember Jerzak and Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson voted against the same. Motion fails. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson said she believes in order, and for things to move forward, they have to be done correctly and in a timely fashion. She noted that this is not the first time this applicant has come before the Council, so she is not inclined to offer an extension at this time. Mayor Graves said if the owner reapplies, the owner has to pay for the application fees again. Ms. Tolar stated that the Councilmembers who did not want this motion to go forward need to make a new motion and vote on that. Councilmember Kragness asked what the Council should do if there is a motion to deny the application, and that motion fails, too. Ms. Tolar said that was a good question and asked Dr. Edwards for his opinion on this. Dr. Edwards said if the next motion fails as well, the owner would not be granted a license. Councilmember Kragness asked if the owner could reapply for a license in the future. Dr. Edwards confirmed the owner could reapply in the future for a liquor license. Mayor Graves said basically if the vote fails, it would have the same effect as a denial. Mayor Graves said she thought the Council wanted to support businesses. Councilmember Lawrence- Anderson said that she does. Mayor Graves said the Council is not breaking the rules, just giving the owner more time to meet the rules and regulations, but she acknowledged that everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Dr. Edwards asked Mayor Graves if she would like to make that motion. Mayor Graves said she would not make the motion. Councilmember Jerzak moved and Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson seconded to deny the On- Sale Intoxicating Liquor License to WK Brown for Palm Grove Event Center. Councilmember Jerzak requested that the record show that he wants WK Brown to follow the regulations that everyone else does in order to obtain this license. Mayor Graves and Councilmember Kragness voted against the same. Motion fails. Mayor Graves requested that the record show that she wants businesses to do what they are required to do to get a license, but is also willing to give an owner another two weeks for that threshold to be met, so the owner does not have to spend the money on reapplying. 10/13/25 -28- 10b. REPEAL OF CHAPTER 12-310 – PREMISES IDENTIFICATION Dr. Edwards stated that this item has come before the Council in the past, and there have been several conversations about it. He introduced Community Development Director Jesse Anderson to present this item. Mr. Anderson stated he has a brief presentation to catch up on where the City is now. He noted some background on this issue. The City Council adopted the ordinance change in November 2024, which required larger addresses based on the height of the structure. On July 14, 2025, in a City Council Work Session, the Council was directed by Staff to stop enforcement of 12 -310 Premises Identification Ordinance. On August 11, 2025, the City Council was presented with information about the ordinance and enforcement data. At that time, City Staff presented four options for the Council's consideration. The Council direction was to remove the requirement for larger commercial addressing and revert to the original ordinance requiring four-inch numbers in the fire code. Mr. Anderson noted that the repeal of a City ordinance requires a public hearing. The first reading of the ordinance will be at tonight's meeting. He noted that there is a public hearing scheduled for November 10, 2025, and after that meeting, if adopted, it would be effective 30 days after approval. Mayor Graves asked if there were any comments or questions from Councilmembers. Councilmember Jerzak asked to clarify if the Council is voting on option one, to remove the requirement, because it was a Council consensus prior to this, and, for the record, to remove the requirement for address numbers. He noted that this would eliminate the current amended ordinance changes, and previously, there were no standards in the building code; however, the fire code requires four-inch letters similar to residential requirements, and that is already being enforced. Councilmember Jerzak moved and Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson seconded to approve the ordinance Repealing Section 12-310 of the Brooklyn Center City code, enforcing Commercial Premises Identification. Councilmember Kragness asked for clarification on whether this was the ordinance that people who had previously incurred fines for not having appropriate premises identification had those fines removed. Mr. Anderson confirmed that anyone who previously incurred fines for this ordinance has had them all removed. Motion passed unanimously. 11. COUNCIL REPORT Councilmember Kragness reported on her attendance at the following events and provided information on the following upcoming events: • She reminded everyone to wear purple on Friday, October 17, to bring awareness to 10/13/25 -29- domestic violence. 12. ADJOURNMENT Councilmember Kragness moved and Mayor Graves seconded the adjournment of the City Council meeting at 9:37 pm. Motion passed unanimously.