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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — MARCH 9, 2026 8 Councilmember Monson is concerned about the low amount budgeted for the Ingerson playground structure. She asked what we could do to find additional money or adjust the budget to accommodate a better structure there. City Administrator Jagoe said when Finance Director Yang is back in the office, she can talk with her and Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen about how those dollars could be redistributed. She will share an update with Council after that discussion with Staff. Mayor Grant said Public Works kind of like having fewer trees making it easier to mow, until they hit one of those pock marks. It was stated earlier that Ingerson gets heavy use in the winter because of the sledding hill. He agrees with replacing trees where we can, but we can't put trees on that hill and expect it to remain a sledding hill. Councilmember Rousseau wants to think about what happened with Floral and Cummings vs. the product we got at Arden Oaks and Freeway. She's heard positive feedback about Arden Oaks and Freeway. The comment she heard was that Floral and specifically Cummings didn't meet the size of the previous structure. Do we feel like the product we will get will be similar to Floral and Cummings or will it be closer to the Arden Oaks and Freeway structures? Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen said we will be aiming to get the Arden Oaks and Freeway response. He thinks Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky's approach is a better way to handle this. We haven't done it that way in the past and he's looking forward to seeing how that goes. Parks and Recreation Manager Skalicky said she believes the best value approach will produce a playground that is well loved and functional. When we are very clear about what we want, it's incredible what these companies can come up with, within our parameters. When we tell them an amount and ask for their best, they will give you their best product because they know they are competing against other companies. Councilmember Holden said she thinks there may be grants available for the trail connection in Ingerson. She would rather have a really nice playground structure, which grants can't cover. Is it feasible to remove the trail connections and use that money for the park and play structure? Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen said the trail connection is within the same PIR fund. If Council wants to eliminate the trail connection and move the programmed funding to the play structure, we can do that. He doesn't know of any grants that would apply to this specific trail connection. There is a sanitary sewer easement. We were going to install the trail over that easement. We have the space and this has been in the plan. Councilmember Holden asked when the Fernwood Channel is scheduled. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen said 2028. He said that it is a good point that we could do these improvements later in the 2028 PMP. Mayor Grant asked if Staff needed any further information or feedback.