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Approved: April 13, 2026 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MARCH 9, 2026 5:30 P.M. - ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, Mayor Grant called to order the City Council Work Session at 5:30 p.m. Present: Mayor David Grant; Councilmembers Brenda Holden, Tena Monson, Emily Rousseau and Kurt Weber Absent: None Also present: City Administrator Jessica Jagoe, Public Works Director/City Engineer David Swearingen, Assistant Public Works Director Lucas Miller, Parks and Recreation Manager Jess Skalicky, Assistant to the City Administrator/City Clerk Julie Hanson and Community Development Director Jake Reilly 1. PUBLIC INQUIRIES/INFORMATIONAL Greg Larson — 3377 North Snelling Avenue, Arden Hills — He wanted to speak about the franchise fee. He spoke out against the franchise fee at the time the city adopted the franchise fee on the City's electric and gas bills. His fear was that the franchise fee revenues would be used for purposes other than the construction of the City's new fire station for Lake Johanna Fire Department (LJFD). That's exactly what happened in December of 2025. Council approved a levy that shows up as 12.5%. He asked the City Administrator what that would have been if the $165,000 in excess revenue from the franchise fee were added to that. It was in there, but it's hidden. Residents saw an adopted levy that was 12.5%. The City Administrator told him that with that additional $165,000 the effective levy was 15.2%. Residents don't know that. He asked the city what the intent is for the use of excess franchise fees in the future. The City Administrator said it is the general indication that the city would use any excess fees towards the department's future expenditures. The final statement on the bond issue states, "for the purpose of financing the City's proportionate share of the cost of constructing