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ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — JUNE 30, 2025 3 <br />Councilmember Monson stated this was a very interesting topic when it comes to data practices <br />and how this will be addressed in the future. She explained she was working to evaluate the <br />costibenefit of this technology. She reported she spoke with a number of residents regarding this <br />topic and not one supported this technology coming into the community. She stated the residents <br />understood the value, but did not want to be over -surveilled. She commented it was her <br />understanding the cameras had already been approved and the Council was simply being asked to <br />approve a budget amendment. She reported that if the budget amendment were denied, would the <br />cameras still be installed in Arden Hills. <br />City Administrator Jagoe commented she would have to ask this question of the Ramsey <br />County Sheriffs Department. <br />Councilmember Rousseau stated she was disappointed by the fact the Ramsey County Sheriff's <br />Department was making these decisions without receiving any feedback or having conversations <br />regarding the risks with the contract cities. <br />Councilmember Weber explained the cameras were going to be installed by the County and they <br />would be installed in County right-of-way. <br />Mayor Grant reported the cameras were being requested to assist with fighting crime. He <br />indicated the sheriff's department was viewing the cameras as a tool, while the City may see the <br />cameras as a big brother issue. He commented there were concerns with Al and how technology <br />was overstepping. However, in the end, he believed the sheriff's department would not be <br />requesting this tool if it was unsafe to use in fighting crime. <br />Councilmember Monson stated she would like to see a claw back clause within the contract to <br />ensure the City has the right to not use the cameras in the future. She commented she was <br />concerned with the fact the sheriff's department would be requesting more FTE's given the <br />amount of traffic data that would be collected. <br />Councilmember Holden indicated she was not concerned about an increasing number of FTE's <br />because this was not occurring in Denver or Austin. Rather, she was more concerned about <br />lowering crime in other communities in order to reduce the overall cost for policing in Arden <br />Hills. <br />City Administrator Jagoe stated after speaking with Undersheriff Jeff Ramacher, he stressed a <br />case number has to be assigned to the searching capability within the data that was captured from <br />the Flock cameras. <br />Councilmember Holden questioned how the City Council should proceed. <br />Councilmember Rousseau explained she would like to see a no vote going forward in order to <br />see how the County responds. <br />Mayor Grant requested staff speak with the County regarding the questions that have been raised <br />and that these answers be brought back to the Council on July 28. <br />