HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 09/17/2024 - Workshop
APPROVED WORKSHOP MINUTES CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP & OPEN PODIUM
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2024 CITY CENTER
5:00 – 6:25 PM, HERITAGE ROOMS 6:30 – 7:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBER CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Ron Case, Council Members Kathy Nelson, Mark Freiberg, PG Narayanan, and Lisa Toomey
CITY STAFF: City Manager Rick Getschow, Police Chief Matt Sackett, Fire Chief Scott Gerber, Public Works Director Robert Ellis, Community Development Director Julie Klima, Parks and Recreation Director Amy Markle, Administrative Services/HR Director Alecia Rose, Communications Manager Joyce Lorenz, City Attorney Maggie Neuville, and Recorder Sara
Aschenbeck
Workshop - Heritage Rooms I and II (5:30) I. ANNUAL SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE
Getschow introduced Sustainability Coordinator Jen Fierce. Fierce explained the Climate Action
Plan tracks community-wide energy, travel, and waste to calculate total greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions. Travel includes vehicle miles traveled through the City by any driver, not just City
residents. Case noted the Council has no control over vehicles traveling through the City. Fierce
explained all cities are required to use the national protocol system for standardization. Nelson
asked if I-494 traffic is included in the calculation. Fierce confirmed I-494 traffic is included.
Fierce explained 61 percent of GHG emissions come from energy, 36 percent from travel, and
two percent from waste. The City has slightly higher emissions from natural gas compared to
electricity. Narayanan asked if the City’s electricity is produced from oil generators or nuclear
sources. Fierce answered it is dependent on the utility, Xcel Energy uses mainly nuclear.
Narayanan noted if Xcel Energy transitions to 100% clean energy, the emissions from electricity
would decrease to zero. Nelson asked if solar panels are included in the GHG emission
calculation. Fierce noted solar panel output is considered as the calculation utilizes electricity
bills.
Fierce displayed a chart of the City’s GHG emissions breakdown per category (energy, travel,
and waste) compared to surrounding cities. Even though two cities may have the same total
emissions output, their category makeup may be different. Cities must prioritize action based on
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their individual emission breakdown. The City’s GHG emissions have decreased 30 percent
since 2007. The majority of this decrease is from electricity emissions, which have decreased 60
percent since 2007. Natural gas emissions are heavily weather dependent and have increased 17
percent since 2007. Travel emissions has decreased ten percent due to COVID, and waste
emissions have decreased 21 percent.
Fierce explained most of the reduction in electricity emissions is due to Xcel Energy
transitioning to cleaner energy sources including wind, solar, and nuclear. Today’s lighting and
appliances are more energy efficient than in 2007. Narayanan noted natural gas emissions could
never decrease to zero and asked if electricity emissions could be zero or negative. Fierce
confirmed it would be impressive but it could happen. Vehicle miles traveled through the City
have increased 15 percent from 2007 to 2019. There was a significant decrease in 2020, the City
is now back to 2007 levels. Narayanan noted as more houses are built in further west suburbs
like Chaska and Victoria, traffic on Highway 212 will increase. Fierce stated waste emissions are
the least specific to the City as this calculation uses Hennepin County data allocated by City
population.
Fierce displayed a chart showing the City’s emission reduction by category compared to other
Minnesota cities. Eden Prairie is relatively in the middle, with the strongest reduction coming
from residential electricity emissions. Case stated even if Cities do not prioritize reducing GHG
emissions, their emissions will decrease as utility providers shift to cleaner energy. Case noted
he’d like to know more regarding why electricity emissions have decreased significantly. Nelson
stated the City has been pushing developers and businesses to consider sustainable features for a
long time. Getschow stated staff and the Sustainability Commission have played a key role in
promoting clean energy programs and options. Residents have indicated they’re interested in
transitioning to clean energy in the Quality of Life survey.
Nelson noted Homeowners Associations can no longer disallow solar panels after recent changes
in the legislature. Narayanan asked what the return on investment is for installing solar panels.
Case noted it is dependent on the individual home. Ellis added there are more rebates available to
incentivize installation. Toomey asked how the Council can promote solar energy to residents
who assume its too expensive. Fierce explained the large amount of utility and federal tax credits
available, in addition to price decreases as technology advances.
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Fierce stated the City is on track to meet climate action plan goals. Reductions in electricity
emissions and vehicle miles traveled are ahead of schedule. The City should focus efforts on
electrifying buildings, weatherizing buildings, reducing reliance on vehicle travel, and
supporting electric vehicles.
Fierce explained the Electrify Everything program was created in collaboration with surrounding
cities to educate residents about electrifying their homes. The City recently hosted the third
Going Electric Showcase to promote EVs. Case asked how many electric vehicles (EVs) are in
the City. Fierce confirmed 2.8 percent of vehicles in the City are fully electric or plug in hybrid.
The City received an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) through the
Department of Energy, which will be utilized to upgrade EV chargers at City Center. The City
received Bronze status for the Charging Smart program, which helps Cities enable EV adoption.
The City also received a Solar on Public Buildings grant to install solar panels on Fire Station
One. Fierce summarized recent City actions to promote sustainability including the Renewable
energy challenge, the Sustainable Building Standard, drop off and curbside recycling events, and
swap events featuring clothing, soccer gear, and garden tools.
II. FIREFIGHTER RELIEF ASSOCIATION BENEFIT
As a precursor to tonight’s open podium speaker, Gerber explained the Eden Prairie Firefighter
Relief Association (EPFRA) oversees the pension benefit component for duty crew firefighters.
Upon retirement, a firefighter can choose to elect a monthly benefit ($56 per year of service
received monthly) or a lump sum benefit ($12,400 per year of service received upon retirement).
The two benefit options have intermittently increased, historically both benefit options have not
increased in tandem. When the EPFRA increases the monthly benefit amount, retirees who have
elected the monthly benefit will receive the increase if they served at least 15 years.
Case noted he served on the EPFRA board for 15 years. The City is ultimately responsible to pay
out pensions if the EPFRA cannot. The monthly benefit leaves the EPFRA vulnerable to
uncertainty from the market and life expectancies, while the lump sum benefit limits risk. Gerber
explained the EPFRA is proposing a lump sum benefit increase to $15 thousand per year of
service, and detailed next steps for the proposed increase. The EPFRA’s goal is to take care of
retirees, while ensuring it can continue paying pensions into the future.
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Open Podium - Council Chamber (6:30) III. OPEN PODIUM
a. DOUG ANDREWS – EDEN PRAIRIE FIREFIGHTER RELIEF ASSOCIATION (EPFRA) BENEFITS
Doug Andrews, 9125 Neill Lake Road, explained he was a duty crew
firefighter for 20 years. At the upcoming EPFRA annual meeting there will be
a vote to increase the lump sum benefit. The monthly benefit has not been
increased since 2009. The proposed lump sum benefit increase should be split
between the monthly and lump sum benefits. There was an actuarial study
performed on multiple increase options, none of which reviewed increasing
the monthly benefit.
Case thanked Andrews for his time and service. The Council would not weigh
in on the proposed lump sum benefit increase until after the EPFRA vote.
Case proposed discussing the EPFRA retirement benefits at a workshop
meeting prior to the Council vote.
IV. ADJOURNMENT