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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — JUNE 10, 2024 4 <br />Mayor Grant asked if the developer was going to do the mass grading initially. <br />Councilmember Holden stated the developer had wanted to do the mass grading, but the County <br />insisted on doing this work. She questioned how much revenue the County took in from the <br />timber and dirt that was sold while cleaning the site. <br />Mayor Grant indicated the County had not provided this information to the City. <br />3. PUBLIC INQUIRIES/INFORMATIONAL <br />Linda Swanson, 1124 Ingerson Road, stated she reviewed Council Comments from May 28 and <br />she was shocked by Councilmember Fabel's statement noting she and Mark were "poorly <br />educated" and "consider the source and the source being what they are". She assured <br />Councilmember Fabel that she and Mark were not poorly educated. She reminded <br />Councilmember Fabel that he was to represent Arden Hills residents and not degrade them. She <br />understood Councilmember Fabel was old, but someday he may learn how to treat people with <br />social grace. She discussed how the slate has used their quorum status from a duly elected mayor. <br />She believed this was disrespectful to the residents that elected him. She reported Councilmember <br />Holden has been dealing with family medical issues that keep her from meeting prior to 5:30 <br />p.m., but the slate keeps pushing to set 4:00 or 5:00 p.m. meeting times. She expressed concern <br />with the fact the slate brought in County sheriffs to escort residents from the podium. In addition, <br />she was concerned with the fact the slate could not be objective as to why TCAAP was stalled <br />and placing blame on prior Councilmembers. She suggested the slate speak with former <br />Councilmembers in order to obtain further history on the TCAAP project. She did not appreciate <br />the fact the slate would not permit anyone to serve as a Council liaison except the slate. She <br />understood the slate recommended an increased unit number for TCAAP to the Planning <br />Commission and without review of the community surveys and feedback. She explained TCAAP <br />would be a financial risk to the City for the next 20 to 30 years. She stated the Mayor has spoken <br />to his tenure as Mayor. She then spoke to Councilmember Holden's accomplishments noting she <br />has brought in millions in State bonding money and has protected the manufactured home <br />community. She noted Ryan Companies requested Councilmember Holden go to Washington DC <br />to save the TCAAP project. She stated TCAAP was balanced under the previous Council and not <br />a major financial risk. She encouraged the slate, before they started pointing fingers, to start <br />looking at themselves. <br />Mark Kelliher, 3712 Chatham Court, stated he has been in front of the Council twice in recent <br />months. He explained he discussed how the Councilmembers who supported 1,960 units within <br />Rice Creek Commons may have violated their fiduciary responsibilities. More recently, because <br />of the snarky and disrespectful response he received from Councilmember Fabel, after expressing <br />his viewpoints. He stated he has since sent Councilmember Fabel an email with a short list of <br />clear questions that he should have been able to answer if he indeed was following the path of a <br />fiduciary. He reported Councilmember Fabel's response to the email left him breathless. <br />Councilmember Fabel refused to answer the questions and instead painted a false picture of the <br />past. He stated facts were a stubborn thing and unless key facts have been withheld from him, the <br />Councilmember's attempts to paint a false narrative was disingenuous and misleads the public. <br />He noted Councilmember Fabel then went on to threaten him with action if he continued to <br />pursue the truth as Councilmember Fabel found this inconvenient and annoying. He reported <br />threats like these were attempts to squash his first amendment right to free speech. By threatening <br />to curtail his right to speak, this Councilmember provided further proof that Councilmember <br />