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ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — JULY 28, 2025 12 <br />Councilmember Monson asked if we would then push the 2030 out as well. <br />Mayor Grant confirmed a one-year push. Part of looking at 2028 is we have to subtract out Lake <br />Johanna Boulevard. That's a big chunk. <br />Councilmember Weber asked if that would be the bonding year if we line it up with Lake <br />Johanna. <br />Mayor Grant said Lake Johanna could be a bond. <br />Councilmember Holden said the Lake Johanna update is the County is coming to talk to us this <br />fall. It sounds like the may be looking at the cheaper vs deluxe option. <br />Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen confirmed that will be a project scoping <br />discussion. <br />Councilmember Holden said that will save us and the County a significant amount of money. <br />The main goal is to get a trail and a sidewalk in there so people are safe on their walk. The <br />County proposed the super deluxe beautiful boulevard with trees down the middle. That would <br />cost millions of dollars. We can get back to the basics and just get a trail. <br />Mayor Grant said the County was looking at the Cadillac and then the question is how can we <br />scope this back? <br />Councilmember Monson the idea of pushing out the PMP is interesting. She would want a little <br />more detail on what that would look like. If we push one of these costs off the five-year frame <br />doesn't mean it won't need to be done. Are we just delaying the inevitable. If we were to push it, <br />could we still build out the levy and fund it? If it comes a year later, we have better standing for it. <br />We can hold it aside and not spend it on something else in 2027 and 2028. The intent of taking <br />that levy is to prep us for the 2029 and 2031. <br />Mayor Grant feels like we're trying to bite all of it in one year. If I'm a resident, I'm thinking <br />can you ease into that plan? We're just looking at the CIP here. We aren't even looking at <br />operating. Once we add the operating on top of this, at what point do we tax people out of their <br />neighborhoods, as Councilmember Holden said earlier. We can do it in a progressive fashion, <br />rather than a one big shock in one year. We've had double digit increases for the past two years. <br />He suspects we may not be under double digits again this year. The projects are on the books. He <br />would like to ease into them. He hasn't heard anyone say they looked at a project and we don't <br />want to do that. The loader is an issue on the equipment side. We have the 590 with a one -yard <br />bucket. The mover has 2-1/2 or 3. <br />Public Works Superintendent Frid said it's between 3 and 4. <br />Mayor Grant said we aren't using it that often. Should we buy a replacement for the 590 and a <br />replacement for the front-end loader or should we buy a mid -range piece of equipment that fits <br />both. That would take one parking spot in a maintenance yard that is already crammed. That <br />means we are loading with a rig with a larger bucket and you'd also have to have a back hoe on it. <br />