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ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — JANUARY 31, 2026 5 <br />Anne Hall, Arden Hills — She is disappointed that the Mayor couldn't be here but she is thankful <br />to the City Council for convening this meeting. She thinks it's important to bring community <br />members together to talk about serious issues. She wishes City Council would offer more <br />opportunities for this type of thing. She said she can accept processes, laws and enforcement <br />around immigration in our country but it should be generous, humane and fair. That is not what is <br />happening right now. She strongly feels immigrants are essential to our country and they <br />contribute to making Arden Hills, our state and country great. She has been horrified and enraged <br />over the past few months with what is happening in our community with ICE. She is very <br />concerned. She has some questions and some asks. What actions is City Council taking to ensure <br />that US Citizens and law abiding immigrants aren't kidnapped from Arden Hills street corners, <br />bus stops and schools? In what ways is the City Council coordinating with the Mayors and <br />leadership of nearby cities? How is the City coordinating with RCSO? She thinks it is important <br />for the City to have better and more rapid communications. The newsletter is once a month and <br />there are a few things on the website. Our communication is quite poor. When emergencies <br />happen, or when something good happens, residents should be informed. She doesn't think <br />tonight's meeting was advertised in any way. She knew about it because she talked to a City <br />Councilmember. She made the effort to post about it on Facebook groups. She thinks a lot of <br />people would have liked to be here but simply didn't know it was happening. She encouraged <br />Council to modernize and improve the City communications. She would like to request the City <br />provide more meeting spaces that facilitate community getting together, particularly in <br />challenging times or when rapid responses are needed in a community. There's no community <br />center and there are very few meeting spaces, particularly in the evenings. If community members <br />wanted to help our neighbors, there's no where to go. She would also ask that ICE not be allowed <br />to utilize our community spaces, parks and land for their operation. She would like a system <br />where community members can keep the City informed about when ICE actions are happening in <br />our City. If we don't have ways to track it, it's as if it didn't happen. We have the ability to report <br />when a lawn grows over 10 inches and about misplaced election signs so we should be able to <br />report this to the City. <br />Marian Tyler, Arden Hills — She is in full support of everything she has heard tonight. She <br />thanked Council for having the meeting. <br />Allison, Arden Hills — She came today because she wasn't sure what she would find. This wasn't <br />advertised. She saw a Facebook post. She thinks what was found here has been incredible, <br />heartwarming and wonderful. She feels better now, than she did arriving tonight. She lived in the <br />Whittier neighborhood in Minneapolis for 15 year of her life. She has never been more proud of <br />that neighborhood. Whittier is showing up for their neighbors. If she were there, she would be out <br />on the streets, too. She drives around with her whistle, not knowing what she'll see, not knowing <br />if her 3-year old will be in the car but she knows she is going to do something. She is unsure what <br />City Council can do. She knows there isn't a lot of power to go against the federal government. <br />People have had some wonderful and brilliant ideas and she supports them all. She thinks we need <br />to get signs out there, at a minimum. A resolution, a better website. She is so grateful to be a part <br />of this community. She is proud to be here and thanked everyone for showing up on a Saturday <br />night. <br />Lynn Diaz, Arden Hills — She agrees with everything that has been said. We know this is a <br />horrific time with the way our government is treating us. Her comments are related to what she <br />thinks the City Council should do and some questions for the attorney and the sheriff. She thinks <br />we should put a ban or moratorium on putting any detention centers in Arden Hills. ICE is buying <br />