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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-27-2026 City Council Meeting July 27, 2026 7:00 PM Fridley City Hall, 7071 University Avenue NE Minutes Call to Order Mayor Ostwald called the City Council Meeting of July 27, 2026, to order at 7:00 p.m. Present Mayor Dave Ostwald Councilmember Patrick Vescio Councilmember Ryan Evanson Councilmember Luke Cardona Councilmember Ann Bolkcom Absent Others Present Walter Wysopal, City Manager Joe Starks, Finance Director Brandon Brodhag, Assistant City Engineer Beth Kondrick, Deputy City Clerk Patrick Faber, Deputy Director of Public Safety Melissa Moore, Assistant City Director Pledge Of Allegiance Proclamations/Presentations 1. Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Triple Crown Award Joe Starks, Finance Director, stated that the GFOA recently named the City of Fridley a Triple Crown Winner. The Triple Crown is a prestigious award recognizing governments that achieve the highest standards in financial reporting and budgeting and have received GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, Popular Annual Financial Reporting Award, and Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. This is a first for the City and is a significant achievement. The City is just one of 14 cities/counties throughout the state that received the designation and just 441 governments throughout the nation. 2. Proclamation of Appreciation for Jo Young for Leadership of the Fridley ‘49er Days Committee Mayor Ostwald stated that Jo Young will be stepping down as Chair of the Fridley ‘49er Days Festival after several years of excellent leadership where the festival grew and improved. Jo did an excellent City Council Meeting 7/27/2026 Minutes Page 2 job of representing the needs of the community, staff, and sponsors and was an excellent ambassador between the City of Fridley, Fridley Lions, and community groups. He presented the proclamation. Jo Young thanked the City for the recognition. She noted that a single person can never do an event of this magnitude and recognized the members of the community that have assisted in making the event a success, along with the Parks and Recreation staff. She also acknowledged the sponsorships that assist in making the events possible. She commented on her experiences in the different festivities over the years and with the people she has worked with. Approval of Proposed Consent Agenda Motion made by Councilmember Bolkcom to adopt the proposed Consent Agenda. Seconded by Councilmember Evanson. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Ostwald declared the motion carried unanimously. Approval/Receipt of Minutes 3. Approve the Minutes from the City Council Meeting of July 13, 2026 2. Receive the Minutes from the City Council Conference Meeting of July 13, 2026 New Business th 5. Resolution No. 2026-84, Receiving a Petition for Traffic Calming Improvements on 60 Avenue thth from 4 Street to 7 Street 6. Resolution No. 2026-87, Approving Gifts, Donations, and Sponsorships Received Between June 18, 2026 and July 22, 2026 Claims 7. Resolution No. 2026-88, Approving Claims for the Period Ending July 22, 2026 Open Forum, Visitors: (Consideration of Items not on Agenda – 15 minutes.) Derek Lind, ACEIT, commented that he is present to respond to comments made by Commission Meisner at the last meeting. He submitted written comments that the Council/City can respond to at a future time. Motion made by Councilmember Bolkcom to accept the documents into the record. Seconded by Councilmember Evanson. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Ostwald declared the motion carried unanimously. City Council Meeting 7/27/2026 Minutes Page 3 Adoption of Regular Agenda Councilmember Bolkcom requested to swap the order of the agenda to hold the public hearings before new business. Councilmember Evanson agreed that might be the best use of time. Motion made by Councilmember Bolkcom to amend the regular agenda to reorganize the agenda to hold the public hearings before new business. Seconded by Councilmember Cardona. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Ostwald declared the motion carried unanimously. Regular Agenda Public Hearing(s) 8. Public Hearing and Resolution No. 2026-86, Adopting the Assessment for 2026 Street Rehabilitation Project No. ST-2026-01 (previously Item 9) Motion made by Councilmember Bolkcom to open the public hearing. Seconded by Councilmember Vescio. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Ostwald declared the motion carried unanimously. Joe Starks, Finance Director, provided background information on special assessments and the special assessment process. Brandon Brodhag, Assistant City Engineer, provided a summary of the street project, construction process, and remaining construction items. Mr. Starks provided additional information on the proposed assessment roll, options for payment, assessment schedule, and deferment opportunity. He recommended that the Council accept any public comments and consider adoption of the resolution as presented. He provided additional information on how residents can receive project updates and answers to their questions. Mayor Ostwald invited public comments. Chanel Perez spoke in representation of the homeowner at 7584 Able Street and commented that they are not opposed to maintaining the roads but struggled to understand how the properties were th identified for assessment. She stated that the intersection of 76 and Able Street primarily serves school traffic, and most of the neighbors on the street have been retired for 20 years. She asked how the City determined the benefit to the property as opposed to the general public. Mr. Brodhag provided an overview of the assessment policy and how properties are identified. He provided information on the process, which includes a feasibility report that identifies benefiting properties. He commented that the school is also paying an assessment for the project of around $40,000. Mark, a resident of Melody Manor, commented that he has lived in the neighborhood for 30 years rd and his property will not be assessed until next year as he lives on Melody. He stated that 73 Avenue Extension is by far the worst-condition road and asked why that is not being repaired when all the City Council Meeting 7/27/2026 Minutes Page 4 other neighborhood streets are. Mr. Brodhag commented that they are in the planning stages for rd 73, from University to Central, and the service road would be included as part of that project. He hoped that they would be able to hold a public meeting towards the end of the year, which would then lead to design and funding options. rd A resident stated that 73 Extension is in very bad shape, which causes her to drive 20 mph in order to not cause damage to her vehicle. She asked if the City could do an overlay to hold the road over until the upcoming reconstruction project. Mr. Brodhag commented that he could follow up with Public Works to determine if something could be done. Motion made by Councilmember Vescio to close the public hearing, Seconded by Councilmember Cardona. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Ostwald declared the motion carried unanimously. Motion made by Councilmember Evanson to adopt Resolution No. 2026-86, Adopting the Assessment for 2026 Street Rehabilitation Project No. ST-2026-01. Seconded by Councilmember Cardona. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Ostwald declared the motion carried unanimously. 9. Public Hearing and Resolution No. 2026-85, Approving On-Sale Liquor License for Enuye Faneta, Central Bar and Grill Located at 1040 Osborne Road (previously Item 10) Beth Kondrick, Deputy City Clerk, provided background information on the request and property. She presented the findings, asked that the Council hold the public hearing, and recommended approval as presented. Motion made by Councilmember Bolkcom to open the public hearing. Seconded by Councilmember Cardona. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Ostwald declared the motion carried unanimously. Councilmember Evanson referenced the prior restaurant that operated in that space. Ms. Kondrick explained that the restaurant was leasing the space, but their license was revoked, and they were evicted from the space. She confirmed that this is a new operating group. Councilmember Bolkcom recognized the concerns of the Council with the history of the building and asked the applicant to describe their plans for the facility. Enuye Faneta, applicant, stated that she has restaurant experience in Minneapolis. She commented that she previously rented space but wanted to start the business in her own building where she can work with her family. She stated that she plans to have the restaurant open from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. She commented that if breakfast is not successful, they would push back the hours to 11:00 a.m. She believed that this would be a good location as there is not much competition that exists with commercial buildings that could provide customers. City Council Meeting 7/27/2026 Minutes Page 5 Councilmember Evanson asked if the applicant has experience managing a restaurant with a liquor license. Ms. Faneta replied that she has experience in South Minneapolis. Ms. Faneta’s daughter explained that her mother does have previous restaurant experience and owns properties in South Minneapolis, so she also has property management experience. She stated that the previous restaurants did not have liquor licenses. Councilmember Evanson asked if the applicant has worked in a restaurant or establishment that has served alcohol. Ms. Faneta replied that she is aware of the laws related to serving liquor and plans to follow all regulations. Ms. Faneta’s daughter commented that her mother has owned a liquor store, so she is aware of the regulations. Councilmember Bolkcom asked if the applicant understands the liquor-to-food ratio that Fridley has. Ms. Faneta stated that she will be hiring a manager to run the facility, but understands the responsibility. Ms. Kondrick confirmed that the meeting with the Development Committee covered all of those requirements as well as the previous issues that have occurred at that site. The Council wished the applicant luck in this location. Motion made by Councilmember Vescio to close the public hearing, Seconded by Councilmember Cardona. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Ostwald declared the motion carried unanimously. Motion made by Councilmember Cardona to adopt Resolution No. 2026-85, Approving On-Sale Liquor License for Enuye Faneta, Central Bar and Grill, Located at 1040 Osborne Road. Seconded by Councilmember Evanson. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Ostwald declared the motion carried unanimously. New Business 10. Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) Program Update (previously Item 8) Mayor Ostwald provided an opening statement, setting context for the discussion. Patrick Faber, Deputy Director of Public Safety, provided a presentation on FLOCK and the ALPR system. He explained what the ALPR is, how it captures and processes data, what the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) hotlist is, what the Fridley ALPR system does and does not do, and a history of the ALPR system. He provided additional information on the Anoka County Auto Theft Task Force and the Joint Law Enforcement Council (JLEC), Fridley’s FLOCK program, how Fridley uses ALPR, successes of Fridley’s ALPR system, and network access. He explained how the FLOCK network sharing model works and how searches are done and recorded on the network. He reviewed a timeline of actions taken, what changed and why, and transparency information. Mayor Ostwald invited public input. City Council Meeting 7/27/2026 Minutes Page 6 Natividad Seefeld referenced a recent newspaper article and asked the City to bring its story to the Star Tribune as well. She commented on her experience during Operation Metro Surge as well as the experience of the residents in her neighborhood, thanking those who assisted in keeping residents safe during that time. She wanted the City to know that she understands the tools that are available in the toolbox and the steps that the City is taking to keep them safe. She encouraged the City to share its story on how it is keeping its residents safe and asked that the camera at the corner of Friendly Chevrolet be removed. th Aaron Klemz, Hillcrest Drive, commented that he was in the room on February 9 when there was an update about community concerns related to Operation Metro Surge and the Public Safety Director stated that the FLOCK system data is not shared with federal agencies or agencies outside of Minnesota. He stated that the presentation tonight proves that statement is untrue and believed that the City should have been more transparent at that time. He believes that when the government is responsive to people’s needs and concerns, it builds trust. He recognized that these are powerful tools that can help to keep people safe but can also be used to surveil. He recognized that the federal government is using all tools to crush dissent and was disappointed that the residents learned about changes that were made to the system because of a newspaper article. He asked the City to apologize to the residents for the misinformation that was given in February and do an investigation about how the data was used during Operation Metro Surge. He believed that the cameras should be shut off while an investigation is completed and a decision can then be made about how/if to use the cameras in the future. Joe Capra, Rice Creek Terrace, commented that it is difficult to trust anyone nowadays and was unsure why they should trust this system. Amy Beck stated that she does have an IT background for a large corporation and provided questions to be addressed. She asked who has access to the data besides the City, specifically the company that has the contract, and whether they have the data. She stated that there have been a lot of problems with immigration and predators against women and young children. She had concerns that there is no way to gauge whether the system is just helping or also causing harm. She asked for more information on what else the City uses to help that could be harmful, and how the City puts safeguards in place to prevent that harm from occurring. She stated that a lot of ALPRs will read the license plate and also have the capacity to photograph more than just the license plate. Daniel Hartman, Ward 2, commented that he wants to live in a world where they can trust one another and FLOCK is not that. He believed that funds could be better spent bringing the community together rather than giving it to tech companies that spy on the community. He stated that when the federal invaders arrived, the network was used to track and kidnap their neighbors. He stated that this is much bigger than a few cameras spying, as cameras cannot exist without data centers. He stated that he warned the City months ago and urged them to change course and be the responsible adults who were elected. He believed that Fridley is better than this and urged them to spend money on things that better the community. He asked that the cameras be disarmed. Thomas Evenstad, Brooklyn Park resident, commented that Brooklyn Park recently shut down their cameras from the FLOCK system amid privacy concerns. He testified, as someone who has been inside the Whipple facility, and provided comments on the things he observed. He commented on the City Council Meeting 7/27/2026 Minutes Page 7 executions that occurred on the street during Operation Metro Surge and the lack of confidence in the federal government. He was unsure that they could even trust the Minnesota police or that their firewalls are strong enough to keep out unwanted parties. He stated that he is against the police state and the use of these cameras. Courtney Rathke, Sylvan Hills, commented that she supports the use of FLOCK cameras. She commented on her experience raising her family in Fridley and wanted to ensure that residents can feel safe. She commented on the benefits of how the cameras can be used to solve crimes and understood the concerns others have with how the information gathered can be used. She believed that those concerns can be addressed through clear policies, oversight, and accountability. She believed that appropriate safeguards have been put in place to protect the system. She stated that the City has a responsibility to use every tool available to maintain public safety while maintaining accountability and oversight. Abdilahi Jama commented that he is a candidate for City Council and a Ward 1 resident. He spoke about the experience residents had in these chambers a few months ago when they asked whether the data from the system was being shared, and they were told no, only to find out that was inaccurate through an article in the Star Tribune. He recognized the steps the City took to restrict access but commented that information was not communicated correctly at that time. He commented on the fear that people felt during Operation Metro Surge and how the system that was intended to assist with auto theft became a backdoor for immigration enforcement. He stated that public trust has been broken and asked that the cameras be disabled, an audit be conducted against the data, and to opt out of the Anoka County drone program. He asked the Council to listen to its residents. Richard Coleman spoke in favor of the FLOCK cameras. He commented on the assistance his church provided to others during Operation Metro Surge. He believed that the restrictions put in place on the system were needed and thanked the City for taking those steps. He commented on how the system can assist in solving violent crimes. He stated that the auditing and transparency also show the forethought that has been put in place. John Brillhart, West Moore Lake Drive, commented that the City has been behind the eight ball whenever it has come to addressing FLOCK cameras and communication. He stated that Fridley was the last of the neighboring communities to have a transparency portal. He commented that Columbia Heights and Brooklyn Park have eliminated their FLOCK systems and New Brighton is also considering modifications to its system. He stated that Fridley needs to be ahead of things rather than continuing to respond to things later. He stated that Fridley needs to proactively communicate to its residents and admit when mistakes have been made; otherwise, there is no trust. Brianna, a resident, demanded that the City take seriously the concerns of the residents and broader community about ALPR and drones as first responders. She commented that surveillance does not equal safety and less than one percent of vehicles surveilled are related to crimes. She commented on how the Fridley system was searched and used for immigration enforcement purposes. She provided input on the ACLU of Minnesota, which has testified that the amount of data flowing through FLOCKs network represents broad, open-ended access to Minnesota’s data that is prohibited by the MN Data Practices Act. She asked Fridley to understand its exposure, explaining that when the data is shared into a nationwide network without a warrant, it is bending its own policy and opening itself City Council Meeting 7/27/2026 Minutes Page 8 up to liability. She stated that Fridley should act now, noting that 73 percent of searches were not in compliance with State law. She asked that the FLOCK contract be canceled and a full audit be completed in order to build back public trust. Julie Hool, Ward 2, commented that she does support the police and believes that the immigration concerns have been addressed. She expressed concern with how the FLOCK system has been used in other states for officers to track their girlfriend or to harass others. She would like to know what type of preventive control exists to ensure that the system is not being misused. She stated that if her child were abducted, she would want the police to use every tool available to find them. She believed that controls should be put in place to ensure the system cannot be misused and suggested using an outside auditor to review the process. She commented that people are surveilled everywhere, noting the use of Ring cameras. She noted that any data in the cloud is susceptible to hackers or misuse. Alex, a resident on Washington Street NE, voiced her displeasure with the response to Operation Metro Surge and demanded accountability. She stated that in January, dozens of residents urged the Council to take action to protect residents of the community, and the lack of action by the City was evident by the article in the Star Tribune. She stated that during the recent candidate forums, two members of the Council stated that it was important not to create a false sense of security during Operation Metro Surge, noting that one member even continued to say that the killings that occurred were related to those inciting violence. She stated that residents were aware that ICE was not playing by the rules and wanted to hear the support of the Council and to hear that they stood with the residents. She commented that the silence of the Council was deafening while members of the community took action to protect others in the community. She commented on conflicting information provided by the Public Safety Director at that time, compared to the data that was provided in the Star Tribune article. Michael Yost, Ward 1, called for an end to the contract with FLOCK. He was appreciative of the steps that have been taken thus far, but noted that they cannot control what other agencies do with the information. He stated that if the camera data were private, a warrant would be required to search it. He asked that they take the Fourth Amendment seriously and protect their residents. He was glad that staff and the police are accountable to the residents, but noted that FLOCK is not accountable to the residents of the City, nor are partnering agencies. He stated that the only safeguard that will make a difference is canceling the contract. He stated that once the data is on the FLOCK servers, the City no longer has control over it. He stated that a study found 28 cases where people used FLOCK data to stalk romantic interests. He asked the City to end the contract. Roland Peterson thanked the Council for the things they are doing and stated that he supports the camera system and how it is managed. He stated that his granddaughter was a Minneapolis Police Officer for 13 years and commented that when people were upset, they would spit at the police. He commented that the City of Minneapolis did not support its police and wanted to ensure that the Fridley officers feel supported. John Rehlander commented on the points that have already been made by others that he supports. He stated that there is a case in the Supreme Court which proves that people do not give up their right to privacy by leaving their homes. He stated that the cameras and use of drones provide another City Council Meeting 7/27/2026 Minutes Page 9 tool to an entity that will abuse them. He stated that there are good things that come out of the use of the cameras, but they have also seen how the tool can be abused by those wanting to do harm. He stated that they either need to take the tool away or find another solution. He stated that this is not about the police, but about FLOCK who is a private company. He stated that there is proof that the cameras capture more than the license plates and how that data can be used. Scott Eaton, East River Road, thanked the City for the proactive actions that were taken to secure the data even though he wished the timeline were different. He commented that Fridley has proven that the residents will show up for their community and to protect their neighbors. He stated that there was a mistake in January, considering the issues to be partisan issues when they are not, as there are people from both sides of the aisle concerned with Operation Metro Surge and FLOCK. He referenced comments that were overheard at the caucus and stated that he is not looking for politics but is looking for leadership and asking for that from the City Council. He commented that the homeschool community will turn off locations on their phone most of the time, not because they have something to hide, but because they do not believe their locations and data need to be shared with others. He stated that there are concerns in Minnesota about fraud, noting that no one opposes feeding children, but that the system did not account for how it could be abused. He stated that no one is concerned that the police are trying to recover stolen vehicles and lost children, but that the abuse of the system was not seen ahead of time as a risk. He asked that the City continue considering safety risks when it negotiates contracts. Geraldine Peyton stated that she has always felt very safe in Fridley and has felt positive about the City Council and police. She stated the police use FLOCK for stolen vehicles and recovering lost children. She asked residents to think about all the ways the system is used for good and not just the risks that exist. She believed that they should trust public safety and allow them to continue to use this tool. Mayor Ostwald briefly recessed the meeting at 9:04 p.m. Mayor Ostwald reconvened the meeting at 9:11 p.m. Avonna Stark stated that when they were in this room six months ago, there was a man who commented on how people with different beliefs are working together. She noted that if she and Pam Reynolds are agreeing, that should tell the Council something. She encouraged the members of the Council to read the statistics about women who have been stalked through the FLOCK system. She stated that during the meeting, the camera is on the speaker and not the Council, so you cannot see their expressions. She commented on divisive comments made by Councilmember Evanson and his concerning reactions tonight. She stated that as a mother she is incredibly concerned about the violence against women that is being exacerbated through the FLOCK system. Roger Cavicki, Ward 2, commented on the thoughtful way the Council reviews, discusses, and works through issues. He stated that he attended a few meetings in Columbia Heights where it was stated that FLOCK can change the terms and conditions at will. He stated that the City cannot trust FLOCK because it can change the contract at any time. He noted that FLOCK has control over the data rather than the cities, and the only way that data can be controlled is if the data is stored in-house. He did not believe people are against the police using cameras, but have concerns with how the data is being City Council Meeting 7/27/2026 Minutes Page 10 used by FLOCK. He recommended that the City reach out to the cities that have foregone the contract and covered the cameras. Emily, a resident, asked for the cancellation of the FLOCK contract and removal of the ALPR system from the community. She believed that this is a bigger conversation of ICE, as they do not know how the data is being used and who has access to it. She commented that it is not safe for the City to be involved with FLOCK. She believed that this Council is above the reductionist point that this is about being pro or anti public safety, as that is not true. She commented that people care about the police and public safety, but public safety should not be warrantless surveillance against citizens. She felt frustrated with the attitude and disrespect of Councilmember Evanson tonight. She believed that the City can cancel the FLOCK contract and remove the cameras while they figure this out. She commented that the regulations can never keep up with the rapidly spreading technology. Vance, a resident, stated that he supports law enforcement and respects those who wear the uniform and keep the streets safe. He stated that a government powerful enough to give you everything you want is also powerful enough to take it all away. He commented that FLOCK creates a massive surveillance grid that takes away personal privacy and is a violation of the Fourth Amendment. He stated that if the police wanted to surveil you and track your activity, a warrant was needed, but now FLOCK provides that ability without the use of a warrant. He stated that FLOCK records and logs the movements of everyone, not just those breaking the law. He stated that FLOCK is a private, venture- backed system building a nationwide database. He stated that Fridley’s data does not just stay in the community, and he distrusts the deep state and overreach. He asked why they would give a private company the ability to map their daily lives, using data centers. He stated that they need to instead trust in community policing. He urged the Council to say no to FLOCK and mass, warrantless surveillance. Chanel Perez referenced the clear line between public FLOCK cameras and privately owned FLOCK cameras but noted that for most people it does not make a difference because they both track people and store the data. She hoped that the Council would commit to establishing a clear data privacy standard for private FLOCK owners as well. Pam Reynolds, 1241 Norton, commented on a recent US ruling about digital dragnets and the violation of Fourth Amendment rights. She explained that you cannot cast a net across an entire area and call it law enforcement. She stated that people should not believe that the guidelines put in place by Fridley are followed by FLOCK. She commented that FLOCK is a private company that does not have the same rules as everyone else. She stated that some cities are seeing a significant increase in tort claims since they started using FLOCK cameras. She stated that she does not want FLOCK or FLOCK Alpha, phone tracking in patrol cars, signal trace sensors, Motorola products, drones, or any other mass surveillance system. She commented that spy cameras do not equal safety. She stated that Amazon owns Ring doorbells and they have a contract with FLOCK related to that data. She commented that the only cure is to take the cameras down and quit using them. John spoke about claims made by the City and others in the community that the cameras are used to investigate and not used to convict, as those are false. He spoke about claims from people who have been arrested based on an alert from FLOCK or other systems. He stated that innocent people are serving time based on data collected from these systems, rather than actual proof. He explained that City Council Meeting 7/27/2026 Minutes Page 11 the cameras do not discriminate between those who have committed crimes and those who have not. He commented that the data is made accessible to others, some of whom are not even part of a government entity. He commented on the inaccuracies that exist and how FLOCK can be abused. He stated that they should be critical of investment in AI surveillance in the same way they are of weapons like tanks. Mayor Ostwald thanked all who provided comments tonight. He explained that Public Safety Director George is out of town this week and he is an important part of this conversation. He was transparent about the deliberate approach they would take on this topic and recognized that some people would be frustrated with the timeline ahead. He commented that they will continue to have discussions on this topic as they move forward. Informal Status Reports Councilmember Bolkcom provided comments on how great 49’er Days was and thanked all the volunteers and City staff who assisted with the events. Councilmember Cardona thanked all who attended tonight. Councilmember Vescio thanked City staff for their assistance, noting a member who assisted a resident get through construction to reach their home after a medical procedure. Mayor Ostwald encouraged residents to register their parties for Night to Unite. Adjourn Motion made by Councilmember Vescio to adjourn. Seconded by Councilmember Cardona. Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Ostwald declared the motion carried unanimously, and the meeting adjourned at 9:34 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Melissa Moore Dave Ostwald City Clerk Mayor