Workshop

• Layne Otteson, Karen Blake and Linda Paulson gave us an update on the new location for the Freedom Rock project.  It will be placed North of the maintenance garage at  Lakeside Park with delivery schedule for Sept 19th.

• Public Input Hearing (aka: Truth in Taxation) will be at our November 25th Council meeting.

• We discussed the Safe Routes to School improvement project and approved by consensus the  $11k cost increase.  Time to get this project moving.

Regular Council Meeting

• Consent Agenda passed with the removal of item 6K as we decided to have the Enterprise Funds discussion at our workshop…no sense in having an additional (Special) 10 minute meeting.

• We started the meeting with a few moments of silence to Remember Council Member Rose Johnson and had a “Rose” ceremony.   It was a sad opening.

• Layne presented the opportunity for Sherburne County to place the historic Kern Bridge over the Elk River for our walking path.  Unanimous consent for providing a letter of support.

• Accepted a $500 cash donation to the BLPD from Fanberg Auctions to be used for non budgeted expenditures.  They have been a great supporter of our PD and we appreciate this donation!

• Had a very short discussion on what to do with the vacant seat on the Council…all Council Members agreed to leave it vacant until the November 3rd election.

• Great monthly reports from Chief Scharf (PD), Assistant Chief Hedstrom (FD), Layne Otteson (Engineering).

• In her inaugural update, Ella Dotzler (School Liaison) brought us up to date on what’s happening at our schools.  It’s great to have this voice to go both ways on info for the city/schools.

“A final note…the death of Rose has hit all of us quite hard and my personal condolences go out to her family and all of us that will miss her greatly.”