Summary of Shorewood City Council Meeting – May 27, 2025

To increase transparency and resident education, SCA is providing a quick summary of Shorewood City Council meetings. Links to the meeting video are included with each item.

Present: Gorham, Sanschagrin, Labadie, Maddy, Nevinski, City Attorney, Clerk/HR Thone, City Planner Griffith, Finance Schmuck, Engineer Budde, Public Works Morreim, Parks Czech

Absent: DiGruttolo

1. CONVENE CITY COUNCIL MEETING

2. CONSENT AGENDA: These items have been reviewed by city council and city staff and there shall be no further discussion by the council tonight on the Consent Agenda items. Any council member or member of city staff may request that an item be removed from the Consent Agenda for separate consideration or discussion. If there are any brief concerns or questions by council, we can answer those now. Motion to approve items on the Consent Agenda & Adopt Resolutions Therein:

A. City Council Work Session Minutes of May 12, 2025 (start at p. 1)

B. City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of May 12, 2025 (start at p. 10)

C. Verified Claims List Claims List (start at p. 19)

D. Contract with HKGI for Zoning Audit (start @ p. 34)

E. Building Permit Escrow Agreement at 4565 Enchanted Pt (start at p. 42)

F. Minnesota Inboard Development & Stormwater Maintenance start at p. 46)

G. 2024 Pond Maintenance Improvements – Change Order #1 (start at p. 65)

H. Park/Recreation Manager Title Update (p. 67)

I. Utility Billing Policy (start at p. 69)

J. Election Equipment Lease Agreement with ISD 276 (start at p. 80)

K. Planner Appointment (p. 88)

L. Retail Tobacco License Deputy (start at p. 89)

M. SLMPD-Excelsior Supplemental Agreement (start at p. 92) (Moved Agenda item 8A)

N. Fourth of July Fireworks Display City (start at p. 94)

3. MATTERS FROM THE FLOOR: Speakers are limited to three minutes. This is an opportunity for members of the public to bring an item that is not on tonight’s agenda, but related to the governance of the City of Shorewood, to the attention of the City Council. SEE AGENDA for full rules for Matters From the Floor.

• Carolyn Bye, Rustic Way: Concerned about flooding at the intersection of Garden Road and West and the culvert to be built under the roadway. Asked if it will require a 404 Discharge Permit as per the Clean Water Act. Budde will research and respond.
• Joe Schneider, Christmas Lane: Coordinates the AIS at the Christmas Lake boat land. He reported that the program is in operation and he appreciates the city’s support. Will be on a future agenda.
  
• Petra Cripe, Excelsior: Reported on Shorewood/Excelsior boundary issues and the harassment of the nearby marina owner. Directed Planning Director for property issue discussion.

4. REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS

A. 2024 Annual Comprehensive Budget: Abdo & Abdo (start at p. 98)

– Overall the General Fund had a positive year and the city meets its statutory requirements.
– General Government and Public Safety are the two biggest annual expenditures

MOTION: To accept the 2024 Annual Budget Report. Passed 4-0

5. PARKS No Report.

6. PLANNING

A. Report from Commissioner Longo on 05-06-25 Planning Commission Meeting

Four public hearings were held. One public hearing focused on the 24560 Smithtown Road CUP regarding the Carriage Townhomes. (Minutes to that meeting are not yet available.).

B. Nonconformities City Code Amendments-Griffiths (see packet p.117)

Applicant: City of Shorewood Ordinance 620
Location: City Wide Resolution 25-051
Updated to include current statutory language and meet the goals of the property owner for reasonable use while complying with other city codes. Considerable discussion was held regarding the unintended consequences to neighboring properties and staff discretion.

MOTION TO APPROVE: 2-2 tie vote
MOTION TO RECONSIDER: 3-1 (Sanschagrin nay)
MOTION TO APPROVE: 3-1 (Sanschagrin nay)

C. Building City Code Amendments–Griffiths (see packet p. 126)

Applicant: City of Shorewood Ordinance 621
Location: City Wide Resolution 25-052

MOTION TO APPROVE: 4-0

7. ENGINEERING/PUBLIC WORKS

A. 2025 Mill & Overlay Change Order #1 (see packet p. 143)

The bids came in under budget allowing for add-ons
1. Proposed removal of additional right of way ash trees along approved projects.
2. Add West Lane to the mill and overlay projects-one of the worst rated streets in the city.
3. Mill and overlay and Freeman park inner roadway.
4. Public Works parking lot.

MOTION TO APPROVE: 4-0

8. GENERAL/NEW BUSINESS

A. Hwy 7 Transportation Management Organization: Nevinski(see packet p. 148)
SRF has been approved for a contract to work with the corridor coalition cities. Shorewood will be the project manager. Per Nevinski the time commitment is unknown.

MOTION TO APPROVE: 4-0

B. South Lake Special Services to Excelsior.(see p. 92 of the packet)

• • Sanschagrin asked if $23/hour covered the cost of overhead for police equipment, etc. Nevinski did not know the answer. He recommended providing feedback to the incoming chief and see how it evolves for next year. Labadie recommended Nevinski bring it up in writing to the Operating Committee and she would bring it to the Coordinating committee and felt diplomatically it would be less grouchy coming from the council.

MOTION to approve: 4-0

9. STAFF AND COUNCIL REPORTS AND DISCUSSION

A. Staff

Parks-Czech:

Park Tours start next week with Bolton & Menk.
Tournament season is starting at Freeman

Engineering–Morreim:

Watermain and valve exercising complete,
⅕ of the city will have sewer cleaning, asphalt patching and park maintenance.
The Vine Hill trail will be patched.
Tree planting in parks is nearly complete

Engineering-Budde: No report.

Finance-Schmuck: No report.

Planning-Griffiths: Thanked staff for filling in until the new planner was hired.

Attorney-Shepard: Nothing

Nevinski: Water discussion on June 9 council agenda.

B. Mayor and City Council

Gorham-none

Sanschagrin:

– Suggested taking electronic payments for recycling day
– Asked about disagreements with Greenwood regarding process for selection: Labadie explained the interview process
– Labadie said all meetings were open to the public and none came.*
– Sanschagrin asked if there was a difficulty with the Greenwood mayor having two positions.

Maddy: Thanked Chief Tholen

Labadie: Reiterated Tholen retirement party.

Adjournment.

Additional resources

View the meeting anytime at LMCC-TV.org
Watch all council meetings live on Zoom
Read the packet (the complete public background materials provided to the council)