2024-09-11 CC Minutes - Approved

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City of Centerville City Council Meeting Minutes September 11, 2024 from going forward. She stated that she is working closely with her nine cities and the League of MN Cities to be proactive in the legislation coming forward again. She again stated that she does not believe that state-wide zoning regulations work. She stated that each community is different and that the City of Centerville would rather develop per their Comprehensive Plan versus a state mandate. She stated that she would continue to watch the legislation coming forward. Council Member Koski questioned how, as an elected official, she at her level go about her business, to listen to both sides and what happens when her colleagues are saying something and going down a different path than her constituents are and how does she work through that. Senator Gustafson stated that it is building relationship and building trust along with keeping lines of communication open. She stated that her communities come first. She stated that there were a lot of things that did not make it through the Senate. She stated that she continues to hold the middle and she believes that’s where most people are in the district and in Minnesota. She stated that you attempt to do your best and to listen to all sides. She believes she has done a decent job of finding the middle ground. She also stated that if she has read a bill early on and knows it is not something she can support, she will tell them early in the process. Council Member Mosher asked about communication and what was the best way to contact her. She stated that she passed out her card which contained her direct email and her telephone number. She stated that utilizing the website does not guarantee contact with her as the emails are reviewed by staff and do not always get forwarded timely. He asked about her belief regarding climate change and that she would address this item outside of the meeting but the goal is clean energy by 2040 and provide more information directly. Council Member Sweeney asked about the Red Lake Reservation and legislation regarding taking of the lake and around the lake as a buffer and he wanted to know where Senator Gustafson stood on the matter and whether it looked like it would happen. Senator Gustafson stated that she leans on her colleagues who represent the area (Senator Hauschild and Senator Krupnick) who are working closely with their constituents. She stated that she wanted to make sure it was fair for everyone and that she did not like the idea of taking somebody’s land. She stated that creates problems and she is aware that the land has a history and that it is complicated issue. She stated that she does not have a hard stance on the issue as it does not directly impact of our district where she puts most of her focus, but she stated that she would be happy to reach out to them and find out where the timeline is and she stated that she could get back to him if he liked. Council Member Sweeney stated that it was a couple of people that brought it up in the legislature last year or the year prior. Council Member Sweeney asked about mining in northern Minnesota and it seems like there is a large amount of money and effort spent to shut down and stop some of the mining and things that are in northern Minnesota and it seems like the people that are making these decisions have never been there and they do not see what it is doing in the communities up there. Council Member Sweeney stated that he knows it is not just the representatives, the Senators from that area and that it is the people from the cities that are making those decisions and he wanted to know where Senator Gustafson stood on the issue. Senator Gustafson stated that mining was not going anywhere. She stated that there were DFL members that support mining and represent the Iron Range. Council Member Sweeney stated that there were mine in northern Minnesota that they are attempting to open and that there was a large amount of misinformation about the mines and communities are being negatively affected. Senator Gustafson stated that mining is there, a large part of the economy, mining has been there for a long time and if it can be done safely they should be able to do it. She stated that Senator Hauschild will not let any of those bills go forward. She stated that she heard Council Member Sweeney’s concerns. She stated that there were several different types of mines in northern Minnesota and they are doing just fine, others were struggling and some were on moratoriums. She stated that the Federal government has put Page 4 of 10