Laserfiche WebLink
ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL WORK SESSION—OCTOBER 15, 2024 8 <br /> Councilmember Rousseau said that's getting into November, with Thanksgiving and she would <br /> rather start on October 24th <br /> Mayor Grant said that Councilmember Holden has said she is not available due to a surgery <br /> that needs to take place so that's not an option. <br /> Councilmember Monson said if we can't schedule the work sessions to have the discussions in a <br /> timely manner, she would prefer the two JDA representatives negotiate with Bob Lux and then <br /> come back to the Council with that information. She would rather do the work sessions but she <br /> believes they have to be now. She thinks time is of the essence. <br /> Councilmember Holden asked how time is of the essence within two weeks when the County <br /> and the Developer don't even have an agreement yet. <br /> Stacie Kvilvang said they are negotiating. <br /> Councilmember Holden said yes, they are negotiating but that could take another six months. <br /> Stacie Kvilvang doesn't think it will be six months. They are going back and forth between their <br /> legal departments. The big things Bob Lux wants to know the planning fees. That's non- <br /> negotiable at this point, the $1 million was decided. The civic site is the other big one. If Council <br /> wishes to keep that or not. It is in there right now and if Council chooses to remove it later, that is <br /> another discussion, but for right now we have it. <br /> Councilmember Holden said the problem with the civic center was all the strings that were <br /> going to be attached. The negotiators need to know that. There was a requirement for a YMCA <br /> and it had to be built to look a certain way. <br /> Stacie Kvilvang the YMCA is not a requirement and there was not that it had certain aesthetic <br /> standards. It is the City's civic space. If the City decided not to keep it there was a buy-back <br /> option because the County was giving that to the City for$1. <br /> Mayor Grant said that was taken out. In the Term Sheet there was nothing saying the developer <br /> gets it back. <br /> Councilmember Holden said that's because he only gave us 2 years to build something and <br /> we're just bonding for the water. <br /> Stacie Kvilvang said the essence is if the City wants to keep it. Is it important and what does that <br /> look like. <br /> Mayor Grant remembers there were strings attached and he didn't sign the MOU. Then in 2022 <br /> the MOU is created and it's referenced in the Term Sheet. There was nothing saying the <br /> developer gets it back if it's not used. <br /> Councilmember Monson supports holding the civic space. The exact use doesn't need to be <br /> decided today. She supports keeping that in there and reviewing the options in the agreement and <br /> make sure it looks good, doesn't have strings and we'll know the timeline so we can figure out <br /> what to do with it. <br />