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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — MAY 13, 2024 7 Mayor Grant asked what it means to have the rain gardens maintained going forward. Ms. Johnson stated this has been inconsistent and she would like the City to create a definition. She indicated the City has to consider its goal, whether to have grass or plants. Councilmember Fabel questioned when the City began creating rain gardens. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen reported the rain gardens were part of the City's MS4 permit which requires cities to treat water before it enters lakes, and the City began installing rain gardens in 2004. Council consensus was to direct staff to continue mapping and identifying the rain gardens in the city. It was noted the Council would further consider how to maintain rain gardens in the future. The Council recessed the worksession meeting at 6:50 p.m. The Council reconvened the worksession meeting at 8:35 p.m. D. Strategic Planning Discussion Follow Up City Administrator Perrault stated at the last worksession, the City Council discussed its strategic goals, Council directed Staff to compile those goals based on categories for future discussion. Council should direct staff on how it wants to move further discussion along on this topic. Mayor Grant suggested the Council begin this discussion by finding commonality within the strategic goals. Councilmember Rousseau stated that she would prefer the City Council look at hiring a consultant to assist the Council with this process. Councilmember Holden indicated she could support the hiring of a consultant, but she would like to know what the focus should be first. Councilmember Monson suggested a meeting be scheduled with a consultant in a month or so and that the Council work through the list in the coming meetings. Councilmember Rousseau questioned when the Council would begin holding budget discussions. Finance Director Yang reported these discussions would begin at the end of June. Councilmember Rousseau stated it would be ideal to have the strategic goals in place prior to holding the budget discussions. Councilmember Fabel questioned what the Council was driving towards. He commented on how specifics would have to be identified or created for each goal in order to lead to Council action.