Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 02/10/2026 - WorkshopEden Prairie City Council Workshop Minutes Approved 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 City Center Heritage Rooms, Council Chambers 8080 Mitchell Road Eden Prairie, MN 55344 ATTENDEES City Council Members: Mayor Ron Case, Council Members Kathy Nelson, Mark Freiberg, PG Narayanan, and Lisa Toomey City Staff: City Manager Rick Getschow, Public Works Director Robert Ellis, Community Development Director Julie Klima, Parks and Recreation Director Amy Markle, Police Chief Matt Sackett, Fire Chief Scott Gerber, Administrative Services/HR Director Alecia Rose, Communications Manager Joyce Lorenz, City Attorney Maggie Neuville, and Recorder Sara Potter Guest Speakers: Sustainability Commission Chair Aaron Poock, Sustainability Commission Liaison Jennifer Fierce, Human Rights and Diversity Commission Chair Greg Leeper, Human Rights and Diversity Commission Staff Liaison Paja Xiong WORKSHOP AGENDA Heritage Rooms Case provided an update on the Cities for Safe and Stable Communities Coalition. It is now comprised of 15 surrounding City mayors and growing. The coalition was founded to serve as a suburban City voice to share the impact of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on communities, residents, and the economy. The coalition will continue to continue meeting, taking interviews, and publishing opinions in newspapers. The coalition has also hired a lobbying firm. Case described how critical City Managers and Police Chiefs have been in this process. Hopefully the ICE drawdown will occur within a week, and then cities can focus on repairing damage. 30 thousand workers have been removed from the State economy with no backfill. Case asked the Council to contact him if they are not in agreement with any of his actions as part of the coalition. Getschow explained City Managers are meeting weekly to discuss current events and long term economic impacts. Narayanan suggested another email blast update should be sent to the public. Case agreed. Toomey stated the City has been a member of the 494 Commission for a number of years, but dues have significantly increased. The City is considering leaving the commission. Case added the City would remain in the Commission through the end of 2026, but could pass a Resolution to withdraw from the commission in 2027. Getschow noted the City is looking to use the commission dues to fund entrepreneurship programs. Case thanked Toomey for serving as the 494 Commission representative. 1. Sustainability Commission Work Plan Getschow welcomed Sustainability Commission (SC) Chair Aaron Poock and SC Staff Liaison Jennifer Fierce. Poock detailed commission members and noted student members are vocal and active. 2025 accomplishments included continuing the Citywide drop off and curbside recycling programs. Grants are used to offset costs for over 600 participating residents. The student commission members hosted a clothing swap event where one ton of clothing was swapped. Solar panels were installed on two additional City facilities using State grants. The City partnered with the Center for Energy and the Environment to promote energy efficiency and LED bulb replaccements. The Electrify Everything MN partnership continued, 82 residents were educated regarding home electrification. Narayanan asked if the City is a net provider of energy to the grid thanks to solar panels. Fierce noted the City is still a net consumer. The City produces approximately 30 percent of its energy use through solar. City facilities such as the Community Center and the Water Treatment Plant use an extremely large amount of energy. Case and Narayanan noted the City should continue its solar energy expansion. Poock stated there are no additional City buildings that can sustain solar at this point. The remaining roofs without solar are close to replacement, or don’t have good solar access due to trees or roof positioning. Narayanan asked if the City could install solar on a business. Fierce noted she isn’t sure how that would work with the utility. Poock noted many businesses in the Golden Triangle have installed solar farms recently. Poock explained 2026 goals including continuing several climate action programs. The SC is working with Electrify Everything MN to expand outreach to nonprofit groups and churches. The SC will also continue to track and support climate-related bills in the legislature. The City applied for State grants to update its existing Climate Action Plan and complete a climate vulnerability analysis to identify people and community assets most at risk from climate change and create resiliency plans. Another goal is incorporating an organics drop off site in the City to serve apartment buildings, of which the majority do not offer organics recycling. The SC will continue bulky item recycling events, and is looking into a holiday decoration swap in partnership with Hennepin County. The student commissioners are hosting a book swap March 7 at the Community Center. A compost giveaway is planned for the Arbor Day event. Poock next detailed 2026 education opportunities and events including the Eco Expo and the Citywide Open House. Mailing materials are planned for organics recycling information. The SC is exploring a citizen’s academy-type program for sustainability topics. Narayanan asked how many Electric Vehicles are in Eden Prairie. Fierce noted while she doesn’t know the exact number, it is increasing. Toomey asked if the SC has considered hosting a sustainability workshop at the Senior Center. Poock confirmed they have hosted sustainability workshops there in the past such as a Fix It Clinic. Fierce added she has done an electric vehicle presentation there as well. Narayanan asked if the discontinuation of federal solar rebates has decreased adoption. Fierce stated its too soon to know as federal solar rebates were just discontinued at the end of 2025 but she would expect installations to decrease. The Council thanked Poock and Fierce for their time and efforts. 2. Human Rights and Diversity Commission Work Plan Greg Leeper, Human Rights and Diversity (HRDC) Commission Chair, pointed out the good mix of long tenured and recently appointed commission members. The student commission members are engaged. The HRDC hosted the fourth annual Words in Action contest highlighting the contributions of Black civil rights leaders. The Human Rights Award is another longstanding program in its third decade. The HRDC awards one to four Human Rights Awards annually. The PeopleFest! Party has been going on for a number of years to highlight different cultures in the community. Party for Pride is driven by Parks and Recreation staff and highlights our LGBTQ community. The HRDC has a popular table at the Citywide Open House. Xiong shared departments were invited to HRDC meetings to educate on certain topics. This year the IFTAR event will be hosted by the American Development Center. Narayanan asked if police reports related to bias crime incidents are tracked. Xiong confirmed the EPPD will share any bias crime incidents are reported. She will connect with the victim if they’re open to it to share resources and assist in filing a department of human rights report. Narayanan asked if bias crime incidents are increasing. Xiong confirmed they are constant at one or two per year. Xiong overviewed 2025 successes for the HRDC including 43 words in action submissions. There were three human rights awards in the youth, individual, and nonprofit categories. The HRDC created a restaurant guide for PeopleFest, and 43 restaurants donated over $500 in gift cards. The HRDC hosted a community conversation with Outfront MN during PeopleFest to discuss how to foster inclusivity in the community. Case noted his appreciation for work with the LGBTQ community when its being de- emphasized many other places. Leeper shared 2026 goals and initiatives for the HRDC. Continuing community conversations is one focus area. Engagement with youth such as a youth community conversation and hosting events within the schools are also a priority area. The HRDC will also continue legacy events including words in action, the human rights awards, and participating in PeopleFest. Xiong noted the student commissioners this year are interactive and bring many ideas. Case stated a good project idea might be showcasing how immigrants are critical to the economy. The Council thanked the HRDC for their time and efforts. Council Chambers 3. Open Podium • Jessie Engholm Johnson, barring ICE from using City property for staging Engholm Johnson thanked Case for establishing the Cities for Safe and Stable Communities coalition. Engholm Johnson asked Council to pass an ordinance barring ICE and DHS from using City owned property for staging activities. Engholm Johnson stated she had a productive conversation with Chief Sackett earlier in the day and understands the reasons not to pass the ordinance, but doing so would create a climate of safety and trust for all residents. • Mckayla Boelter, barring ICE from using City property for staging Boelter asked Council to pass an ordinance barring ICE and DHS from using City owned property for staging activities. Boelter identified herself as an international adoptee and detailed the multiple steps she takes to feel safer when leaving home. Boelter stated immigrant communities feel more fear than she does. City resource usage should be limited by federal immigration authorities. These policies help protect residents feel supported and safe. • Nikki Johnson, barring ICE from using City property for staging Johnson shared ideas to deter ICE presence in the community including the EPPD sharing information related to ICE vehicles, lifting noise ordinances allowing protestors to demonstrate, changing zoning for businesses assisting ICE operations, hosting special Council meetings dedicated to discussing ICE, discouraging use of long range acoustic device weapons against the community, and protecting voters from intimidation including escorts and separate entrances. • Laura Harer, EPPD response to ICE activities in the community Harer introduced herself as a lifelong resident. Harer shared a friend’s recent experience with ICE. Harer’s friend was present at an ICE operation, was honking her horn, and then was followed by ICE agents. Harer’s friend requested an escort home from the EPPD but was not provided one. Harer shared another story of a suspected ICE agent on her small cul-de-sac, causing her son fear for immigrant neighbors. • Fadumo Hassan, ICE on school bus stops Hassan identified herself as an immigrant who has lived in Eden Prairie for 26 years. She described her children telling her not to pick them up from the bus stop due to ICE agents present. Hassan noted she had a good phone conversation with Chief Sackett earlier in the day. ICE claims they are here to arrest criminals but are spending time patrolling bus stops with school-aged children. ICE is terrorizing the community, and the community needs to be protected. Hassan requested the elected leaders take further action. Neighboring cities have banned ICE from City parking lots and parks. • Francesca Pagan, barring ICE from using City property for staging Pagan introduced herself and her request of the Council to ban ICE from using City property for ICE staging operations as it’s within local authority. Pagan questinoed what benefit the City receives from ICE using City property. Pagan listed City parks used by ICE. These ordinances are meaningful as they signal public disapproval of ICE. Case thanked tonight’s open podium speakers and explained efforts to stop the metro surge. There are signs the metro surge is winding down. There is much work to be done to address the damage in the wake of ICE leaving. The fear felt by the immigrant community will be present for a long time. The economic damage levels are similar to the pandemic. Case spent the past weekend at a conference in Washington DC met with all four republican congressional offices and senators to connect on ICE. The Coalition for Safe and Secure Cities has grown to over 20 cities. Case encouraged residents to continue connecting with the Council. 4. Adjournment