HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026.06.08 CCM REGULAR06/08/26 -1- DRAFT
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
JUNE 8, 2026
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 7:01 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
Mayor April Graves, Councilmembers Dan Jerzak, Teneshia Kragness, Kris Lawrence-Anderson,
and Laurie Ann Moore. Also present were Interim City Manager Daren Nyquist, Interim Deputy
City and Public Works Director Liz Heyman, Parks and Recreation Director Cordell Wiseman,
Centerbrook Golf Course General Manager Mark Markowski, Heritage Center General Manager
Tami Buetow-Staples, City Clerk Shannon Pettit, and City Attorney Siobhan Tolar.
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.
Julie B. stated she wanted to thank the City Clerk Shannon Pettit, regarding actionable items that
she took on behalf of the community, to ensure that voting polls were moved back across the
interstate so that the voters who were previously disenfranchised by the move to the polls to the
Heritage Center, now have more equitable access to voting. She noted that she brought it to Ms.
Pettit’s attention right away. When she was put in that position, there was no clarity around why
it had been moved in the first place, so Ms. Pettit, along with herself and some others, worked to
ensure access and make sure that there was a new site located. Julie B. added that she wanted to
thank Ms. Pettit for the work that she has done, taking on some of the Commission work, along
with Mr. Nyquist. That work started a couple of years ago when she and Naheed K. had made
requests around ensuring more equitable access to Commissions, ensuring that the application was
not as confusing for people who were trying to apply, and ensuring it was more equitable. She
noted she appreciated that Ms. Pettit picked that up after the previous City Clerk left.
Julie B. continued that she was glad that the Council all decided to keep things as they are with
early voting, particularly after the presentation to a lot of individuals in the City who are more
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likely to be disenfranchised in a number of ways. Ensuring that those individuals have the most
robust access and a window to be able to have their voices heard is really important. She noted
she was happy that Councilmembers were able to change their minds after hearing more
information about it. She stated on behalf of the community, and she does represent more than
five and has a lot of relationships and community that are behind the scenes and under the radar,
and there has been a lot of conversation around what is happening on other levels.
Kevin S. from the Evergreen neighborhood thanked Mayor Graves for the healing effects she has
had over the last four years, getting the City through what he sees as the roughest time, not only in
Brooklyn Center, but in Minnesota as a whole, and thanked Mayor Graves for all she has done.
He noted that since it is not on the main agenda, he does not know why the Council did not go for
option three for voting. There are ten people running for City Council, and many of them have no
name recognition, and a gentleman here, too, who is running for Mayor.
Mayor Graves stated that Kevin S. cannot say anybody’s names.
Kevin S. stated he is not promoting anybody in particular, but wanted to make that clear, and 46
days from when the City allowed people to sign up, and August 11 is the primary day, which is a
pretty tight turnaround, and all those ten people do not get a chance to present to as many people.
He noted that 46 days is fine before the big election because there is more time from now until
then. He stated he thinks the Council really missed the ball on that, and 46 days is extreme and
unfair to the ten people, especially as first timers in politics.
Councilmember Moore moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to close the Informal Open
Forum.
Motion passed unanimously.
5. INVOCATION
Councilmember Jerzak recited a quote from Marie Von Ebner-Eisenbach, "Whenever two good
people argue over principles, they are both right." He stated he had to think about this quote
because each person has their own principles, and you cannot attack someone for their own
principles. Councilmember Jerzak also quoted former President Jimmy Carter, "There should be
an honest attempt at reconciliation of differences before resorting to combat." Mayor Graves noted
that saying is always appropriate.
6. APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND CONSENT AGENDA.
Councilmember Moore 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 the following consent items were approved:
6a. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. May 26, 2026 – Study Session
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2. May 26, 2026 – Regular Session
6b. LICENSES
AMUSEMENT DEVICES
Metro Coin of Minnesota Empire Foods 1200 Shingle Creek Crossing
Sun Foods 6350 Brooklyn Boulevard
MECHANICAL
A-Abc Appliance & Heating Inc. 8818 7th Avenue North
Golden Valley 55427
Air Comfort Htg & A/C 19170 Jasper Street Northwest
Anoka 55303
BKMC 411 25th Avenue North
Minneapolis 55411
BWS Plumbing Heating and Air 6321 Bury Drive
Eden Prairie 55346
Commercial Plumbing & Heating, Inc. 24428 Greenway Avenue
Forest Lake 55025
GV Heating & Air Inc. 5128 West Broadway
Crystal 55429
MN Heating and Cooling LLC 410 Pleasant Crest Circle
Annandale 55376
Optimal Heating and Cooling LLC 5912 Washburn Avenue North
Brooklyn Center 55430
Plumb Right Corp 6900 Winnetka Circle
Brooklyn Park 55428
Top Tier Heating and Air Conditioning 13645 Hidden Creek Drive
Andover 55304
Travis Glanzer HVAC 2470 Island Drive
Spring Park 55384
SIGN HANGER’S
Archetype Signmakers, Inc 9611 James Avenue South
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Bloomington 55431
RENTAL
INITIAL (TYPE II – two-year license)
5706 Logan Avenue North Walter Moreno/Alma Moreno
INITIAL (TYPE I – three-year license)
5116 Ewing Avenue North J Sedlezky & A Faschingbauer
RENEWAL (TYPE III – one-year license)
3808 France Place Ih2 Property Illinois Lp
RENEWAL (TYPE II – two-year license)
5301 France Avenue North Juniper Land Trust Llc
6913 Toledo Avenue North Fred Hanus LLC
RENEWAL (TYPE I – three-year license)
5301 France Avenue North MB & P’s Nightingale
501 Bellvue Lane Zoe & Bret Hildreth
1300 72nd Avenue North Scott & Marinela Selseth
5712 Northport Drive R & C Scherbing Fam RV Lv Tr
5724 Logan Avenue North Konstantin Ginzburg
6536 Chowen Avenue North Bridge SFR IV Borrower I LLC
7137 Grimes Avenue North Shawn Banks & Djuana J Banks
6c. RESOLUTION APPROVING PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS AND
AUTHORIZING ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS, IMPROVEMENT
PROJECT NO. 2026-19, LIFT STATION NO. 3 RECONSTRUCTION
6d. RESOLUTION IDENTIFYING THE NEED FOR THE METROPOLITAN
COUNCIL PLANNING ASSISTANCE GRANT AND AUTHORIZING AN
APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS FOR THE CITY OF BROOKLYN
CENTER'S 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
6e. RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE NOMINATION OF CENSUS
TRACTS TO BE DESIGNATED UNDER FEDERAL OPPORTUNITY
ZONE 2.0 PROGRAM
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7. PRESENTATIONS/PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS/DONATIONS
7a. PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING JUNE 6, 2026, AS SWEDISH NATIONAL
DAY
Mayor Graves read aloud a proclamation recognizing June 6, 2026, as Swedish National Day in
the City of Brooklyn Center.
Councilmember Kragness moved and Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson seconded to accept a
proclamation recognizing June 6, 2026, as Swedish National Day.
Motion passed unanimously.
7b. PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING AND ACKNOWLEDGING JUNE 19, 2026,
AS JUNETEENTH FREEDOM DAY
Mayor Graves read aloud a proclamation recognizing and acknowledging June 19, 2026, as
Juneteenth Freedom Day in the City of Brooklyn Center.
Councilmember Kragness moved and Councilmember Moore seconded to accept the proclamation
recognizing and acknowledging June 19, 2026, as Juneteenth Freedom Day in the City of Brooklyn
Center.
Motion passed unanimously.
7c. PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING JUNE 2026 AS LGBTQIA+ MONTH
Mayor Graves read aloud a proclamation recognizing June 2026 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in
the City of Brooklyn Center.
Councilmember Jerzak moved and Mayor Graves seconded to accept a proclamation recognizing
and proclaiming June 2026 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month.
Motion passed unanimously.
7d. PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING JUNE 2026 AS CARIBBEAN AMERICAN
HERITAGE MONTH
Mayor Graves read aloud a proclamation recognizing June 2026 as Caribbean American Heritage
Month in the City of Brooklyn Center.
Councilmember Moore moved and Councilmember Jerzak seconded to accept a proclamation
recognizing June 2026 as Caribbean American Heritage Month.
Motion passed unanimously.
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7e. BROOKLYN BRIDGE ALLIANCE FOR YOUTH PRESENTATION
Rebecca Gilgen, Executive Director of Brooklyn Bridge Alliance for Youth, apologized for her
sore throat after coaching a 12U baseball team over the weekend, which eliminated her voice. She
added that it is really beautiful to see the unity in honoring all the different parts of the community,
and the Council will hear from her presentation today about how united and supportive the young
people of the Brooklyn Bridge Alliance for Youth are in the community.
Ms. Gilgen noted that the Brooklyn Bridge Alliance for Youth (BBAY) was established in 2013,
and prior to that, the two cities of Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park came together to address
the increase in juvenile crime in that out-of-school time period. It was through the Police
Executive Forum Research that was done in 2011 and 2012 that led to the creation of the alliance.
The organization has developed since that time, and really sees itself as a backbone organization.
The organization coordinates efforts between the joint powers and public partners to build a
community-wide system of high-quality opportunities so that young people graduate, find those
pathways to college careers, and ensure that they are safe. The organization’s number one goal is
to increase its partners' ability to respond to the emerging needs that young people have, and to
increase young people's participation in leading and getting paid for their work in leading that
community change, as well as developing the skills that they need in life. The third goal is to
increase their partners' ability to eliminate disparities. That means increasing high school
graduation rates for students who historically have not had fair or equal graduation rates. Partners
include the cities of Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Hennepin County, the four school districts
that serve these two cities, Osseo, Anoka, Brooklyn Center, and Robbinsdale, and the
organization’s two college partners, North Hennepin and Hennepin Tech. This joint powers binds
them under one singular purpose to advance positive youth development together. The
organization staff creates a strategic plan every couple of years, and to advance that, this year’s
priorities in 2026 were to partner with young people to take action and help the adult partners build
their own capacity to advance this work. She stated she would now focus on the Youth to Youth
Survey, which is really the heart and soul of where to begin.
Ms. Gilgen explained that every two years, the organization leads a statistically significant sample,
a survey of young people in the community, to understand what their needs are, but also what their
aspirations are. It is not enough just to think about the problems that youth face, but it is also really
important to concentrate on what the youth are saying they need to be successful in life. Some
themes from the last survey in 2024 included the youth's goals and dreams in life, mental health,
relationships, safety, technology, and interests. She added that the organization hires and trains a
group of young people in developing surveys, making sure that it is a reliable, valid survey, and
the organization gives that survey to other young people, and this data shapes all of the
organization’s planning efforts. She added that in the Council’s packet, there are a couple of
different slides on the data and information from the last survey, something that really jumped out
in 2020 and 2022, mental health was pronounced the greatest issue facing young people. Coming
out of COVID-19 and in 2024, the number one issue for 14 through 17-year-olds was financial
stability. She asked Council to dial that in for a second, and think about whether any of the
Councilmembers were thinking about having enough money for their needs and wants, or for
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owning a home at 17. The young people today are really dialed in to what it means to have this
economy affecting them and their families, and are very much focused on going to college and all
the things that they need to do in high school to get to college. She added that young people in the
community are tremendous, and are not just thinking about simple things; they are thinking about
the things that matter to themselves and their families. It is the organization’s role, and as the
adults around them, to build this ecosystem of support so that they can get the things that they
need.
Ms. Gilgen noted that this survey is coming up, and BBAY is actually hiring, and the BrookLynk
interns started this week, and the crew will be coming on and creating this survey. She stated she
would love to ask the Council what they want to know from young people this summer, and will
come back to that at the end of the presentation, things that they are curious about young people
and their experiences, and what the Council might want to know from them.
Ms. Gilgen explained that a cornerstone of their work is engaging youth and adults in the
community. One of the priority initiatives is the Reimagine Black Youth Mental Health Initiative,
and this was started in 2023 with a federal grant from the Office of Minority Health. BBAY has
successfully transitioned this grant from federal funding to local and state funding to help sustain
this work. This is really thinking differently about mental health, thinking about how to shift the
narrative, about how to engage youth on the topic of mental health, strengthening the ecosystem
of support for young people, and changing the conditions that are causing them harm. BBAY staff
spent the first several years really engaging hundreds and hundreds of black youth in the
community, and the number one thing black youth said they needed for their mental health and
well-being was safety, not more counseling, but safety from harm online, safety from guns and
community, and safety from racism in schools. She noted that this should really give all adults
pause to think about the ecosystem, and the hours around young people, and how that is impacting
them. As BBAY has been leading this work, she stated she wanted to thank both the
Councilmembers and Mayor Graves for being present at the different events that were held.
Ms. Gilgen noted that BBAY holds summits a couple of times a year to engage young people, and
young people have told them that one of the ways that they feel so supported is when adults show
up to their events and are just with them alongside their experiences. She stated she had to thank
the Brooklyn Center Recreation Department for allowing BBAY to use the space at the Recreation
Center for several of their events and for their youth service, and give a shout-out to Chris and
Cordell here today for their support in this work. She added that BBAY just recently held a summit
on May 8th, and is turning towards the second issue of keeping black youth safe at all times and
exploring gun violence. She noted that she has seen these intersections of gun violence in this
conversation around young people's experience of violence, and spent the day with over 120 youth
and adults in the community exploring this. She added that the purpose of this summit was for
youth and adults to share their experiences related to violence, envision the changes that they
wanted to see, participate in healing activities, and get collective support. She noted that mental
health is not simply the absence of mental illness, but the presence of well-being, community, and
connection. There was a lot of opportunity at the summit to explore that with young people,
including playing basketball, being with a service animal that can help with mental health, candle
making, being in a relationship, and dancing with each other, which can create healing. One of
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the themes that emerged in the art at the summit around this topic of where safety exists, healing
begins, and staff learn a lot from young people as they do this engagement.
Ms. Gilgen pointed out that one of the key pieces staff have been looking at and gathered was
having young people identify the protective factors and the risk factors that are the highest
priorities. Those answers will be gathered more over the next three months, and other data will
help BBAY shape the new strategic plan that is coming at the end of this year. She added that one
piece that staff wanted to look more deeply into, apart from mental health, was tobacco use, alcohol
use, and cannabis use. She noted that BBAY staff asked Hennepin County to pull together some
information just to look at the relationship between economic hardship, safety, and experiences of
gun violence. She added that per the chart shown to the Council, 4.9 percent of youth are using
tobacco, and when looking at young people who have experienced economic hardship, 23 percent
or higher, which is almost five times the rate, do not feel safe going to school, and do not feel safe
at school or in their neighborhoods. She noted that there is an intersection of risk if a youth is
experiencing a lack of safety or violence in any way; their exposure to tobacco, alcohol, and other
drugs is much higher, and the risk of use is much higher. She added that this is just the beginning
point, as the Reimagine Youth interns are looking at several policies related to this, reviewing data
from the Minnesota Student Survey, proximity to tobacco, and policies that other cities are
considering, in order to prepare some recommendations for policy, program, and process actions
that can protect youth. She noted that BBAY is hoping to have an opportunity to bring that to their
City partners, as well as schools, and alliance partners in the fall.
Ms. Gilgen explained that the state of Minnesota, in 2023, for the first time in over 20 years, made
a significant investment in after-school programming. BBAY was poised in partnership with the
four school districts to apply for this grant, and this was huge for the community. The after-school
Community Learning grant was a three-year grant and may be the biggest infusion of out-of-school
time funding that has come to Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park. The grant is about $530,000
a year for after-school programming. She noted that it is really important to assess the impacts of
these programs on high school graduation, show the results, and make sure that everyone is
supporting these kinds of investments in young people.
Mayor Graves asked if that funding has been reduced a lot, and noted in the last 5 to 10 years after
school funding for after school programming has been reduced significantly.
Ms. Gilgen agreed and noted that since the recession in 2009, where it was almost axed completely
of the budget, and most of the funding for youth has been in juvenile corrections or prevention
programming, and while there has been some funding, mostly in the philanthropic sector, but this
s a big state investment, and BBAY really wants to see the state continue this, especially when
there is a surge in cannabis use and recreational use. She stated that young people need to be
actively involved and engaged in healthy environments to prevent use.
Ms. Gilgen continued that there are three after-school programs that are built into this ACLG
program, really built off of what staff learned in the Youth to Youth Survey, and identifying
students who are really at risk for not graduating. The issues that students talked about were not
feeling connected and safe and belonging at school, which was why those proclamations that the
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Council all passed at the beginning of the meeting are affirmations that young people need and
they receive when they participate in affinity groups, which are often unfunded by schools. These
affinity groups are after-school clubs that help young people really connect with other people who
look like them, and staff are able to support with culturally responsive tutoring that helps support
academic success and confidence at school. She added that another program that BBAY has
brought to scale is A Youth on Board. In 2019, in partnership with their cities, they were able to
bring it to all four school sites. In this program, BBAY staff train and prepare young people to
serve on Commissions. There are currently six youth seated on various Commissions and 92
young people at four high schools engaged across the four sites in leadership development.
Mayor Graves noted she is very anxious to get youth on the City’s Commissions, which has not
happened yet. There was work being done by City Staff to get some clarity on what the City
already had, but she hoped that the Council would continue to advocate and be open to having
more youth voices in those leadership positions.
Ms. Gilgen added that one step BBAY is hoping to kick off in that direction was an event in April,
where BBAY had a chance to go to Hennepin County for a Youth Day at the county and a youth
day at the Capitol. For the Youth Day at the county, Commissioner Lundy let the young people
come up to the county board room and see the secret tunnel and do all the things back there, and
ask questions regarding the county budget, and how it supports young people. BBAY also uses
this day to take an opportunity to really talk about the employment benefits of working at Hennepin
County and that pathway into public service. She noted that Brooklyn Center has experienced
young residents who can serve on Commissions and can run for City Council or become City Staff
or vice versa. All of this is related to how BBAY can cultivate civic engagement, and ownership
of the City deepens for everyone as the safety of everyone is in committed and passionate people
in all aspects of City governance. ,
Ms. Gilgen noted that BBAY is working on a Youth Day at Brooklyn Center with Mr. Nyquist
and Ms. Pettit, with more on that to come.
Mayor Graves asked if she could share something. Ms. Gilgen stated she could. Mayor Graves
noted that she saw one of the students, who may have just graduated and goes to Park Center, at a
meeting of the Park Center or Osseo School Board. She stated the student was advocating for
ongoing support for the Indian Education Program. Mayor Graves noted that her daughter was
speaking at the event, and this student was also speaking, and she ran into her again with Youth
On Board, doing some tree planting at Centennial Park, and again at the summit. Mayor Graves
added that the youth are doing their thing, and the more that they are finding those spaces where
they feel like they have a voice, feel seen, valued, and welcomed, the more they will show up for
the community. Mayor Graves added that over the course of ten days, she saw that particular
student everywhere.
Ms. Gilgen noted that the student mentioned may be a Mayor in training. She noted that a part of
the after-school Community Learning Grant offers a free six-week summer program, and summer
is a time gap for young people, and it can be difficult for parents to find childcare for kids between
the ages of 13 and 15. The summer programming is free for rising ninth to 12th grade and bridges
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the gap between when kids are done with school-aged care, but before being eligible for
employment opportunities. This program is on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, full of
activities that include career and learning opportunities to explore North Hennepin Community
College, and other different things for young people to be engaged in. She noted that this is really
a free opportunity for BBAY to help build relationships with young people and then segue them
into programming when they get back to school in the fall.
Ms. Gilgen continued that the other very important part of their work, aside from engaging youth,
is engaging adults. She noted she talked about the ecosystem, and that BBAY sees itself as a
strategic partner to the City of Brooklyn Center, and has been since they began. This shaped the
initial thinking of collecting information and launching BrookLynk and working with the
Community Development Departments to embed that in the City. BBAY identified the gap in
accessing recreational programs, and worked to develop Rec On The Go, and evaluate those
programs to make sure they work and are a good investment of taxpayer dollars, but also get the
safety and health outcomes for residents. She added that these are some of the ways that BBAY
works in partnership with the adults and their joint powers partners: coordination and engagement,
research, and innovation.
Ms. Gilgen added that she wanted to acknowledge some projects that BBAY has done in
partnership with the City of Brooklyn Center over the last two years. She noted that one project
was to expand equitable access to recreation and parks in 2020. She added that some of the Council
may be familiar with SHIP, which involved Hennepin County shifting some priorities to look at
systemic barriers facing residents in accessing health services that are available. In partnership
with BBAY, the shared goal was to increase access to recreation, health, wellness, and programs
and services. She commended the Parks and Recreation Department for participating deeply in
that work, where BBAY created a community advisory group of residents and Recreation Staff to
survey the public, and did qualitative interviews with residents about their experiences. Recreation
Staff collected that data and showed exceptional partnership in that work. The majority of the
interview findings of residents had positive experiences, especially at cultural events that the City
invested in, which reflects back to residents wanting to be included in events that the City hosts.
She noted that residents expressed wanting additional programming for teens, adult skill building,
and more sports. She added that sports have grown astronomically in the City, and the need for
additional sports programming for young people at all levels is constant and pervasive. Since
BBAY has begun its work in the Youth to Youth Survey, sports have always been at the top of the
list of things that young people need. There are some barriers to the involvement of residents that
include transportation, language, awareness, and representation. Residents recommended
continuing the cultural events, serving families, more outreach, and representation among BBAY
staff. She noted that the Recreation Department received this data and created an action plan for
this year around how they could accomplish goals and increase cultural representation within Staff
programming and events, while shifting offerings to reach those they do not already serve and
intentionally marketing opportunities for participation in new ways.
Ms. Gilgen explained that the other program, which at the beginning of the SHIP project did not
exist, was launched by one of the Staff at the Recreation Department, and was the Reciprocal
Learning Model. The data and information from BBAY showed that drowning rates for black
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individuals under 30 are one and a half times higher than for white peers, and black lifeguards
make up roughly five percent of the workforce in this area. At the time at the pool, it was zero.
Recreation Staff took up this project to figure out how to tackle this and knew that young people
wanted to participate in the program, and they iterated a couple of different ways of trying to
include young people in the certification process that did not work, so they launched a partnership
to do after school lifeguard classes at the school at Brooklyn Center High School, trained the youth,
and then get them over to the pool. The Parks and Recreation Department launched this, and
within one year, had 17 youth who had been taught since the fall of 2020. Last year's numbers
include 29 youth enrolled in the certification program. Three youth were hired into aquatics roles,
and 24 percent of staff identified as Black or African American, which is a huge pivot point. Ms.
Gilgen continued that after reading the data, iterating, and getting results immediately, that is when
community members went to the pool and saw inclusion. She noted that the program needs to be
acknowledged for that success and for the work accomplished by the Recreation Department Staff.
Ms. Gilgen added that there is a goal in sharing the community safety and well-being, as mentioned
numerous times, the Juneteenth celebration, the Community Health Fair, are vital opportunities
for BBAY to partner with multiple nonprofits and people who offer resources to residents and
other city partners, but to bring resources to the community and bring the community together.
She added that at the end of the summer, she would present the Youth to Youth Survey findings,
but the shared goal is to respond to what young people are telling adults that they need and find
ways to do that in partnership, and to leverage resources to do so. She added that BBAY youth
would present the Youth to Youth survey results if the Council desired.
Ms. Gilgen explained that BBAY would continue to strengthen youth leadership and capacity
building by employing 25 young people as partners in the work. Currently, BBAY has a staff of
nine, but employs 25 youth to help deliver peer tutors, outreach ambassadors, and all aspects of
this work. She noted that this is an important way to use public money to help young people
towards financial stability.
Ms. Gilgen noted that BBAY would continue to leverage state resources and philanthropic
resources as much as possible with its local funding, and its joint powers agreement needs to be
renewed. So BBAY will be back in Brooklyn Center, hopefully to have their joint powers
approved by City Council as they move into 2027, and to then shape a new strategic plan together
if that is ahead for the joint powers agreement and for the young people in the community. Ms.
Gilgen thanked the Council for the opportunity to be there tonight. She asked what the Council
would like to know from young people or what they are curious about, about young people’s
experiences.
Councilmember Kragness thanked Ms. Gilgen for the presentation. She noted that as adults, they
make decisions for youth without first getting their perspective, and stated she would like to ask
the youth what opportunities the City is missing. She added that Ms. Gilgen had mentioned the
athletics, the safety, and feeling connected, and wondered how to make them feel safer and more
connected. She added that things have changed since she was a youth; the safety was to be home
before the streetlights came on. She stated she wanted to know what young people are concerned
about right now, and as adults, how to help them be hopeful about their future.
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Councilmember Jerzak noted that he and Ms. Gilgen go back a long way to the birthplace of
BrookLynk days. He stated his question would be what gives young people hope, because without
hope, it is really difficult. On page 49 of 69, the slide key findings on key themes, and the reason
is that this was based on his extensive experiences with BrookLynk, and under mental health, was
listed as having time for myself. He noted that one of the keys there that he has found is being
very careful in defining what the difference is between alone time and being lonely, or being alone
and depression, because they were bullied. If youth do not feel accepted, have financial pressures
at home, and those types of things, adults need to engage with them and identify those things
because they are so important. In his experience, oftentimes, youth felt it was very overwhelming
until they were able to talk about it, and it did not necessarily change that circumstance, but he
wanted to bring that up. He noted his other question is bullying seems to become a way of life,
and it comes in way different forms, and he does not want to necessarily go into long range, but
hoped that BBAY is addressing that, especially with social media, because it is so prevalent and
is more frequent, and in his experience youth do not want to ask for help or they do not want to
say anything and are embarrassed. He added that he really hoped that there would be some
concentration on that.
Ms. Gilgen explained that in the Reimagined Black Youth Mental Health Initiative, the three
priorities under safety include safety from bullying online. She noted that in 2025, BBAY staff
worked with young people to develop a curriculum called the Digital Wellbeing Safety Online
curriculum in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health that focuses on the
implementation of this, and teaching young people about positive use of social media. She noted
that all of the school districts had to have a cell phone policy, but most districts chose to put the
phones away. Legislation was to address phone use and mental health. She noted that BBAY staff
recognized that young people need to know how to use phones safely and in a way that benefits
them instead of keeping them up late at night, which is also the result of sleeplessness. She added
that education needs to happen about what to do when bullying online happens and how to address
the bystander effect. Several sessions in the Digital Wellbeing Curriculum do help young people
address and learn how to de-escalate situations that are online before they escalate into situations
in the hallways, which is another pattern seen in terms of young people not reporting incidences
of hate in school and community. She reiterated that phone use and bullying are all related, and
noted that Councilmember Jerzak is right on target with the social media aspect. Ms. Gilgen added
that young people at the last Reimagined summit identified and affirmed that social media is the
biggest risk factor in their worlds, and would be discussed more with the Council, along with the
survey results this fall.
Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson thanked Ms. Gilgen for all the work that she is doing with
the youth and expressed her appreciation for Ms. Gilgen and all the programming that she does.
She asked if the Council would entertain having the youth do a joint Council meeting again.
Mayor Graves noted that she is open to that.
Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated that it was enjoyable to have the youth next to
Councilmembers and to get their perspectives and show them what it is like on the dais.
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Mayor Graves noted that Youth and City Government Day was a regular thing, but the Council
has not done it in some time.
Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated that the Council needs to bring it back.
Ms. Gilgen noted that BBAY looks forward to working with both Mr. Nyquist and Ms. Pettit on
figuring out the logistics and timing of that event. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson noted the
event should start early enough that youth can sit down, have a meal with the Council, and join a
meeting because having that personal connection with the youth and explaining what the Council
does was really enjoyable.
Councilmember Moore thanked Ms. Gilgen for the presentation and thanked her colleagues,
Councilmember Jerzak and Mayor Graves, for their ongoing encouragement and participation in
all of the activities when it comes to the City's youth. She stated her question for young people is
who they are going to call when they need a safe ride. She noted that in some cases, youth could
call a sponsor, but may not have those contacts in their phone. She asked who the youth have in
their primary contacts in the event they needed help.
Ms. Gilgen stated that is a practical and very good question, and is one of the reasons she switched
to a digital business card, so her contact information is in youth’s phones. She noted that
Councilmember Moore raised a very good point in terms of how to help young people talk about
resourcing themselves and finding a good support system. She added that one of the goals of all
of the programming at BBAY is to connect youth to the Council, leaders, and other City Staff who
run programs to make sure that there is a relationship that young people have with the community,
and not just one individual.
Mayor Graves thanked Ms. Gilgen and stated that they will have more time to discuss things when
meeting for other board meetings and to encourage each other. She stated she appreciates Ms.
Gilgen not only for the work that she does for young people, but also for her presence in the
community. She stated she wished she could duplicate the work of BBAY and expand it to cover
the whole City, because the work that is being done with young people and adults is needed now
more. The City is seeing real positive, tangible outcomes and programs that happen because of
BBAY. She stated she knows it is still a struggle to get funding, and the Council is doing a small
part in helping advocate for that, but there is also room for improvement on that. She noted she
would continue to advocate for BBAY.
Mayor Graves continued that she will be the Mayor for the next six months, but will not be leaving
Brooklyn Center after that, so her question is how she could specifically support youth in their
goals or the issues that youth find the most relevant to them. Whether those issues may be
financial, such as buying a home, or how to get a job, or mental health. She stated she would like
to know how the Council, leadership, and she personally could be more supportive of young
people, beyond the roles and the ways that they already are.
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Ms. Gilgen stated she would love to come back in September with the youth who led the Youth to
Youth Survey and have them bring that information and some of their direct recommendations.
She noted that she was really inspired by a conversation she recently had about safety with Chief
Flesland and Chief Burley from Brooklyn Park, who were talking about how to support young
people. She added that Chief Flesland and Chief Burley both recognized that there have been
fundamental shifts in the City since 2013, with BrookLynk, and economic development. The
youth workforce was not in the cities in 2016; now, the cities are leveraging nearly $1 million for
young people. She added that City Staff cannot lose their momentum, because trends in juvenile
crime are declining. She noted that young people and the conditions that they are facing are what
they are, but adults can show up in support, and the youth recognize that. The City can continue
to invest and see progress with the youth, and keep going together.
Ms. Gilgen continued that, most importantly, strength is in all of their partnerships and focusing
on what kids are telling adults they need in order to succeed. She added that BBAY stays out of
the political arena and stays grounded in what young people need to continue to move forward.
Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson asked if Staff could plan the Youth and Government Day,
the day BBAY is coming to present.
Mayor Graves stated she did not know if that would work logistically, but would discuss it later
with City Staff. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated the youth could join the Council for
a meal, join the meeting, and present.
Councilmember Jerzak stated he wanted to make a comment about who the youth are going to call
and suggested the youth do not have to have a reason to call. He noted that youth are not a burden,
stated he thinks a lot of times kids feel that way, particularly when there is a disconnect with adults,
but talking is how relationships are built, and it is important to emphasize that.
Councilmember Kragness stated that she used to volunteer for a crisis line for years and took calls
at all hours, but a lot of the time, youth called just to have someone to talk to.
Councilmember Moore moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to accept the presentation.
Motion passed unanimously.
7f. CENTERBROOK 2025 END OF YEAR BUDGET UPDATE
Mr. Nyquist introduced Parks and Recreation Director Cordell Wiseman to come up and introduce
individual Staff to lead them through both items. He stated he would also introduce Jason
Aarsvald, who is on hand to answer any financial-related matters, since Ehler's put the numbers
together.
Mr. Wiseman stated General Manager Mark Markowski would give an update on the 2025 budget
year-end and the projections for 2026. He noted that because the Heritage Center had just opened
the door for business, there would not be a lot of data. He thanked Centerbrook’s General Manager
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and Golf Superintendent Steve Markowski for his hard work, as well as the Finance Department
and Ehler’s for looking at the budget and getting them a budget to know where Centerbrook stands,
and how to move forward. Mr. Wiseman introduced Mr. Markowski to present more information
on the golf course.
Mr. Markowski noted that the golf course opened in April and May, so he does not have the
financial numbers for 2026, but for 2025, Ehler's leadership helped the golf course get things in
order and answered a lot of the questions that had previously come up with different numbers from
different sources.
Mr. Markowski stated that the golf course is continually and slowly increasing revenues every
single year, and there are some things that take time to get going. He noted that he has limited
resources available, but is getting more, and continues to watch the bottom line while keeping
expenses down. The budgeted expenses for 2025 were $530,000 and came in at $450,000, and
those are important because the money that is generated can be a burden on the taxpayers, and he
does not want to be a burden on the taxpayers. He explained that golf is a lifetime sport and an
amenity that many communities do not have the ability to offer, and he wants to excel at offering
that, so Brooklyn Center residents can be proud of the golf course. He stated he is going to continue
to emphasize the City’s youth and work on all the programs that will be beneficial when it comes
to the income before capital outlay and depreciation. He stated he does not have all the numbers
for that, but Ehler’s did come up with those figures. He added that non-operating expenses had a
big increase from 2024 to 2025, and he is working to get the breakdown on those expenses
included, so he can give more detailed information to the Council and explore ways to find more
savings. He noted that the bottom line shows net income from 2024 to 2025 was a net loss, but it
was less than what the budget anticipated.
Mr. Markowski explained that over the course of 10 years, they would like to build a golf course
fund so it can be sustainable and not a burden on the taxpayers. He added that Ehler’s could answer
any questions on the additional information provided.
Mr. Wiseman noted that Ehlers presented information on the golf course in their ten-year budget
report for the Council. He reiterated that there is a target market for the golf course for the City,
and revenue is trending in the right direction.
Councilmember Kragness stated she liked the way Mr. Markowski said he could find ways to save,
which is always good, but she should change his perspective on saying the golf course is a burden
on taxpayers and should acknowledge that this is an asset for the community. Mr. Markowski
responded that her comment was duly noted.
Councilmember Jerzak added that it was his understanding that there would be a study done or
that it would be completed.
Mr. Wiseman stated that it is correct, and right now he is working with Public Works on starting
the process of the study on the golf course.
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Councilmember Jerzak stated he was hoping that the study would address whether there are any
continued conversations with First Tee and Three Rivers. He stated he knows Three Rivers does
not want to buy the property, but there may be other roles they could play with trails or other
options, while addressing what capital improvement projects need to be done, such as the bridge
repair, and the cost associated with it. He added that he would also like to know what the status
of the simulators is, or if there are any other sources to increase revenues. He noted that there were
discussions about possibly doing weddings there, but did not know if that ever came to fruition;
that could be addressed in the study as well.
Councilmember Jerzak continued that the average transfer into the golf course is now projected at
$231,000 per year until 2031, which is one levy point. He noted that if that money was coming
out of the General Fund, then those funds are not available for other services. He stated he would
be very interested in a breakdown of who is using the golf course, and if it is residents or not, or if
there are leagues returning from local high schools. He noted that he would like to see some type
of distribution, and those questions are addressed.
Councilmember Jerzak added that the golf course is an asset, and the City needs to find a way for
it to work, but there are other ways to leverage it in more concrete ways to reduce subsidies. He
added that the University of Minnesota is currently in trouble for selling its golf course for $30
million to a developer, and a lot of other cities have struggled with their golf courses. He
complimented the Staff for doing what they can to hold it together, as it is not an easy task.
Councilmember Moore stated she concurred with Councilmember Jerzak on all of his points and
noted that the $231,000 is one percent of the levy and the Council is looking at a lot of competing
priorities for the City and its residents. She added that the Council is waiting on a final status of
simulators that were apparently purchased, but are not in use, which may be a revenue stream. She
noted that she had had conversations with Mr. Nyquist, asking what was going on with the
simulators, as that was not something that she ever thought would be purchased. She stated she
has asked how the simulators were purchased and why they are not being used, which are
legitimate questions, and assumed that all her colleagues would like the answers to those questions.
She continued that Councilmember Jerzak pointed out the University of Minnesota golf course in
Falcon Heights was sold, but Centerbrook Golf Course is not in an area that can be redeveloped
due to the water table. She stated she also concurred with the questions about First Tee
partnerships and Three Rivers, as options that the Council needs to consider going into budget
meetings.
Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson thanked Staff for the presentation and asked what kind of
advertising Staff is doing because she lived in Brooklyn Center for 20 years before she knew there
was a local golf course.
Mr. Markowski stated that Staff advertises across social media because they found out newspapers
are no longer relevant. He noted that First Tee is working with Staff in-house on advertising, and
now has 11 high schools participating in their program. He stated that he has to keep the
advertising budget low, but leagues and competition numbers are up. He has focused on
advertising locally, and every dollar spent goes back into the golf course. He noted that he can
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reach more people by word of mouth, and his motto is, once he gets the customer there, they stay
there. It has been the long-standing tradition that the course’s conditions, Staff, and customer
service are the number one priority.
Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson asked if Staff could use the City’s website to promote the
golf course because it is nearing golf season. She asked if the City's website could be changed
with a visual of the golf course with dates and times of its opening.
Mr. Nyquist stated that Staff could probably do a few things, but he is not sure if Mr. Markowski
has talked with communications at all, but that partnership could be created. He noted that the
golf course is pretty much an island because it operates seasonally and does not have full Staffing.
Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson suggested some more synergy between City Hall and the
golf course to see how City Staff can help support the golf course. She noted that it is an amenity
in the City, but the Council does have a fiscal responsibility. She stated she is glad to see things
are trending up and hopes that Staff can seek out whatever help they need from administration to
support them.
Mr. Markowski stated he and Staff would continue to reach out.
Mayor Graves thanked Mr. Markowski for the presentation, suggesting that City Staff help
advertise the Juneteenth golf tournament, and the Council could use their own communication
Staff to promote the tournament. The promotion could include live shots of people enjoying the
golf course on Juneteenth. She added that the Northwest Tourism Bureau is in the process of
working on a storytelling project, and if there are some regular golfers or specific people who
frequent the golf course, they could connect with staff at the Northwest Tourism Bureau through
Mr. Wiseman. Those stories could be highlighted on the City’s website, Northwest Tourism’s
website, and social media. She added that those are some ideas that could have a big impact.
Mayor Graves continued for clarity that Mr. Wiseman was working to find another way to fund
the simulators because the Council did not give approval for that funding. She noted that maybe
she was misremembering that fact, but thought Mr. Wiseman was seeking additional funding and
hoped that moving forward, he would be able to find another way.
Mr. Nyquist stated that Mr. Wiseman was seeking that funding and was able to secure it. The
Council will see the deal shortly that Mr. Wiseman and the City Attorney have been working on
to get the simulators donated for profit sharing, so the golf course does not have any monetary
output there. It has taken time to get that deal on paper due to the legal work that is being done in
other areas, but it will hopefully come to fruition soon.
Mayor Graves stated she wanted to acknowledge the work that Mr. Wiseman did, and for taking
the initiative to secure additional funding to bring that investment to the golf course, even after the
Council denied his request. She thanked Mr. Markowski for his continued work bringing in people
to the golf course, while making it welcoming and accessible to young people. She noted that she
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recently ran into some elderly black men who regularly go to the golf course as a group, so it is
true that once Mr. Markowski gets them there, they stay there.
Councilmember Jerzak asked if Mayor Gaves would consider giving a shout-out on her Mayor’s
Minutes for CCX media for the golf course.
Mayor Graves stated she would and needs to schedule that interview, and will mention the way
that Parks and Recreation recently got as well.
Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded to accept the presentation.
Motion passed unanimously.
7g. HERITAGE CENTER 2025 END OF YEAR BUDGET UPDATE
Mr. Wiseman stated that the Staff would provide an update on the Heritage Center. He noted this
presentation will include the budget update for 2025 and where it stands for 2026. He introduced
General Manager Tami Buetow-Staples, who would provide that update.
Ms. Buetow-Staples thanked the Council for the opportunity to present the Heritage Center budget.
She noted she would highlight the venue specifications, review the 2025 financial results, and
provide an early look into 2026. She explained the Heritage Center’s main key specifications show
that the Heritage Center offers a 40,000 square foot conference event space with seven to 11 unique
event spaces that can be customized for each client. Every conference, wedding, or special event
has a unique need, and Staff can work with the client to meet those needs. The Heritage Center
has a full-service Staff that can execute everything from the first initial inquiry to the final move
out of the space. She explained that a lot of clients like that the Heritage Center offers full service
from point A to point Z.
Ms. Buetow-Staples noted that the 2025 end-of-year financials from January 1, 2025, to December
31, 2025, provided by Ehler's, show the 2025 actuals against the 2024 and 2025 budgeted numbers,
with an increase in revenues of 8.6 percent.
Ms. Buetow-Staples stated that for operating expenses, the Heritage Center did spend more due to
rising costs in utilities and food, but Staff managed to stay below the budgeted 2025 numbers,
which shows a decrease in operating expenses of 8.4 percent. Ms. Buetow-Staples explained that
the bottom line for net income and loss was a 68.5 percent reduction in losses in 2025 versus 2024.
She added that 2025 was a strong year operationally for the Heritage Center. She noted that the
Staff is cautious with revenue and expenses, and last year the Council suggested increasing room
rent and menu pricing, which has helped increase revenue. For 2026, for the first three months
from January 1 to March 31, there is a slight difference between 2026 and 2025, and that was due
to a last-minute cancellation of an event in February, for Homeland Security and Emergency
Management. That event was scheduled as a week-long event and was cancelled due to ICE
operations. That event would have put the Heritage Center ahead of where they were this time last
year. She stated the same event is scheduled for next year, and the Staff is really excited to have
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them back. She noted that the months of April and May are always very busy at the Heritage
Center, and in 2025, there were 40 events in those two months alone. In 2026, there were also 40
events scheduled at the Heritage Center; the revenue will be higher due to those room rent increases
and menu changes.
Ms. Buetow-Staples added a recap of the financial management plan that Ehler’s had presented,
which showed that the Heritage Center is trending in the right direction and is hoping to continue
that. She asked if the Council had any questions.
Councilmember Moore thanked Ms. Buetow-Staples for the presentation. She stated that she
follows the Heritage Center on social media and loves the marketing displayed there for their
events, including an event called Music on the Farm on June 24. She asked if that would include
tours of the Heritage Center. Ms. Buetow-Staples confirmed that it would include tours.
Councilmember Moore continued that she has heard that a lot of improvements have been made
to the facility with new landscaping, paint, and other upgrades. She commended Ms. Buetow-
Staples for the work that she has done, both in improvements and public relations, and while the
fund still has a negative balance, the Heritage Center is a well-known, historic place in the City.
She stated that she has been vocal in the past, that she is not in favor of a ten-year, $1.6 million
loan for the facility. She recognized that the Heritage Center is moving in the right direction, and
the Council will look at options as they go forward, because there are no more funds in the reserves.
She reiterated that the work that Ms. Buetow-Staples, Staff, and MinTahoe have done for the
facility to try to pull it out of debt, even pre-COVID, is quite admirable.
Councilmember Kragness thanked Ms. Buetow-Staples for the presentation and stated that even
with this reduction in losses, which is a major improvement, some of the numbers presented are
misleading. She pointed out on slide page 67, there is a listed decrease in operating expenses of
8.4 percent, which is not correct, because there was a reduction of 8.8 percent in the budget, but
the operating expenses went up 16.6 percent from 2024. The actual numbers were 2.1, and in
2025, that number was 2.4, so it went up. She stated she just wanted to make sure no one was
being misled by the numbers, even though the total amount was a reduction.
Ms. Buetow-Staples apologized and stated that it was her error on the actual decrease.
Councilmember Kragness noted it was still under budget and there was a decrease in operating
expenses.
Councilmember Jerzak stated that the numbers speak for themselves and are trending in the right
direction. He noted that there are things out of Staff’s control, such as food costs and event
cancellations. He noted that he was looking forward to hearing more when the study comes out,
and looked forward to a report from MinTahoe to update the Council on how that contract is
working. He noted that Staff needs to approach this very comprehensively, while being
transparent, because the City cannot continue to lose money. There are no more reserves that can
come out of the General Fund. He noted that, as a Council, they will have to look at reducing
contributions to the General Fund to begin with, and this will have to be included. He noted that
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the projected total for the Heritage Center is $947,695, and with no reserves left, the City would
not be able to afford any major capital improvements. He stated he looks forward to positive ways
to make a profit faster, so the Heritage Center is not a direct draw and will not call the facility a
burden, but at some point, a loss is a loss. He recognized that the fundamentals of the market have
changed, and no one is pointing any fingers, but this problem was inherited, and these losses are
not new. He added that he appreciates the work and acknowledged that the Council will see more
during budget meetings, but appreciates the efforts to try and limit costs and increase revenues
where possible. He added that he recognizes that the Heritage Center cannot just keep raising
prices, because there is a limit to what corporations and weddings are willing to pay, but that said,
he firmly believes that the City should not be subsidizing private citizens with tax revenue for
corporate events or weddings, and is pretty adamant about that.
Mayor Graves thanked Ms. Buetow-Staples for continuing to look for ways to save money as
well as increase revenue, and for taking care of a historic asset in the City. She stated she knows
that the Staff there does a good job because the same clients come back year after year.
Mayor Graves stated that the losses sustained by the Heritage Center due to Operation Metro Surge
should be added to the list and submitted with a total cost, and that may not have been caught
before, but it should be.
Mr. Nyquist noted that he just found out about that particular one last week.
Mayor Graves thanked Ms. Buetow-Staples again for the presentation and for her work, and noted
that the Council appreciates her.
Ms. Buetow-Staples thanked the Council and invited them to the Music on the Farm event and
noted that it is going to be a great evening for all of the community on June 24, from 6:00 p.m.to
9:00 p.m.
Mayor Graves noted that she would try to plug it into the next Mayor's Minutes.
Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson requested a calendar invite or email for the event.
Councilmember Kragness asked if it was on June 24. Mayor Graves confirmed the event was on
June 24.
Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Moore seconded to accept the presentation.
Motion passed unanimously.
8. PUBLIC HEARINGS
9. PLANNING COMMISSION ITEMS
10. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ITEMS
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Councilmember Moore noted that she had a question during the Study Session before Mayor
Graves arrived. She made an error by not having it go to Council Consideration Items because she
did not ask the Mayor Pro Tem. She noted she asked Mayor pro Tem Kragness, regarding the
neighborhood meeting that is scheduled for June 30, and made an error because it is at Brooklyn
Center Community School, and brought up that the Council is just learning about this event and
just got the invite. The Council has had little to no resident participation in previous neighborhood
meetings, and this is only three weeks out. She noted it is probably too late to add, but wanted to
bring it up now. She asked how, in three weeks Staff are supposed to pull together PR, marketing,
and solicitation to get residents there for a June 30 meeting at Brooklyn Center Community School.
Mayor Graves noted that Councilmember Moore raised some interesting points, and Staff
definitely want to do better marketing before that. But she definitely wants to do better marketing
before that, but she does not want to go into that conversation because it was not added to the
agenda.
Councilmember Moore stated that that is what she thought and apologized for that.
11. COUNCIL REPORT.
Mayor Graves reported on her attendance at the following events and provided information on the
following upcoming events:
• Shared that she attended the Northwest Tourism Board meeting.
• Shared that she attended her one-on-one meeting with the Interim City Manager and the
Interim Deputy City Manager at a park.
• Shared that she met with a community member who serves on the Commission, and had
conversations with local elected officials and other positions.
• Shared that on Saturday, they were behind schedule, so she only spoke for 10 minutes, for
a group that is putting together a black legislative agenda on the radio show with Alfred
Flowers.
• Shared that she spent the afternoon with a group of 15 or 20 newly elected officials who
are also first generation citizens and it was organized by Nadia Muhammad, Mayor of
Saint Louis Park, and she was joined by the mayor of Golden Valley and the Mayor of
Columbia Heights, where they all talked with them about their experience during
Operation Metro Surge, as well as the coalition for Safer Cities that was formed initially
with about five or six Mayors and it eventually grew beyond 20, and is now around 30
cities. They will continue having meetings with those Mayors and City Managers, and
another one is coming up in a few weeks, where she will provide the Council with an
update. The point of this lunch meeting was to help share insights and solutions of those
who were experiencing immigration surges in their cities.
• Shared that she attended the Miss Juneteenth state pageant for the second year in a row
and was joined by Mayor Hartman from Golden Valley for that event.
• Shared for context that the Sole Care of Souls is a service to care for people's feet, which
is important as people age.
• Shared that the Juneteenth golf tournament is on June 19, at 6:00 p.m., and the actual
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Juneteenth celebration is on June 20.
• Shared that she will not be able to attend the Juneteenth event because she is getting
married that weekend.
Councilmember Moore reported on her attendance at the following events and provided
information on the following upcoming events:
• Shared that she attended the inaugural Sole Care of Souls on June 3, which happens every
first and third Wednesday at LCM Church from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and LCM has a
meal from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and all are welcome for healing. She added that it is not
podiatry and is sponsored by Good in the Hood.
• Shared that a few residents reached out regarding the camera at 57th and Brooklyn
Boulevard. She noted that she contacted City Staff, who stated that it was a county road,
so she reached out to Commissioner Lundy, who addressed it to individuals to let them
know the camera is not working there.
• Shared that the City’s website has a calendar for all the June events, but the Parks and
Recreation social media page goes above and beyond, and lists a variety of activities
happening in the City, Brooklyn Center Fire, and the Police, both have their own Facebook
pages and share their events as well.
• Shared that the Neighborhood meeting on June 30 should be cancelled at Brooklyn Center
Community Schools at 6:30 p.m., which Mr. Nyquist can talk to Staff about.
Councilmember Jerzak reported on his attendance at the following events and provided
information on the following upcoming events:
• Shared that he did attend the Sole Care for Souls, and noted that if someone is diabetic, it
can be very critical. The staff there are not Podiatrists but can help and point out issues,
particularly for those who do not have insurance.
• Shared that he attended his one-on-one meetings with Mr. Nyquist and various other
community members.
Councilmember Kragness reported on her attendance at the following events and provided
information on the following upcoming events:
• Shared that she attended her one-on-one meetings and met with a lot of community
members.
12. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Graves moved and Councilmember Kragness seconded the adjournment of the City
Council meeting at 8:39 pm.
Motion passed unanimously.