Sept. 28, 2026 Shorewood Council Meeting 5 Minute Recap

NOTE: Relevant links are at the end of this article

Attending: Council–DiGruttolo, Gorham, Sanschagrin, Labadie, Maddy
Staff–Nevinski, Morreim, Schmuck, Griffiths, Thone, Andrew Budde, B&M

Agenda item 2: Claims List

Expenditures of interest:

Payroll $122,418
Excelsior FD $245,601
SCEC Consultant (Aug) $9,577
CK Law (city atty.) $6,227

Total all expenditures this period: $478,480

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Matters from the Floor: Todd Murtha

Resident Todd Murtha proposed two council bylaw amendments aimed at getting accurate information to the council before it votes on an agenda item. He pointed out that because Matters from the Floor comes first, residents speak before staff presents, and once a hearing closes, and council can question only staff. His example was earlier this year, when staff said a wetland didn’t drain to Lake Minnetonka. The residents in the room knew otherwise, and the only way the correction surfaced was an outburst that forced a recess.

His amendments would:

• Let council members question a speaker after Matters from the Floor and before final action on items people commented on.
• Let any council member request public comment on non-hearing agenda items.

He argued these powers already exist in the council bylaws Sections 5M and 5K and simply lack a procedure.

Councilmembers DiGruttolo and Sanschagrin then used the two-member rule to place the proposal on a future work session.

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2025 Financial Audit

The report from L. B. Carlson came after the June 30 deadline. An extension was granted because of finance department staff turnover.

• Findings:
  • One person performed most finance duties when two are recommended.
  • Bank reconciliations were late.
  • Payroll declarations were missing.
  • Some invoices were paid outside the 35-day requirement.
  • The unclaimed property report needs to be filed.
• General Fund:
  
  • Fund balance was about $6.8M, down only $112K against a budgeted $825K drop.
  • Revenue ran about $550K over budget, mostly permits and investment earnings.
  • Spending ran about $430K under, from vacancies and lower engineering, legal and snow costs.
• Reserve balances hit a high of 91%.  The city’s Reserve Policy states reserve balances should be kept between 35% – 50% of the city’s annual budget.
• Other comments:
  
  • Licenses and permits were $655K against a $275K budget because a conservative budget was prepared during the finance transition, and unanticipated development occurred.
  • Cities with such excess fund balances may rely on capital transfers, less debt financing, or levy reductions.
  • Staff will discuss the gap between budget and actuals the October work session.

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Comprehensive Plan 2050 Feedback

Griffiths gave a quick summary of responses to date. Survey respondents flagged traffic and development as concerns and said Shorewood lacks a city center. They asked for more parks, trails and sidewalks, and chose words like “affordable,” “welcoming” and “safe” for Shorewood in 2050. On the interactive map, comments clustered on sidewalks and trails, and redevelopment opportunities were flagged near City Hall. Sessions are ongoing.

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Opening the Closed Session of Sept. 14.

CM DiGruttolo asked that non-security portions, of last week’s closed session be released.

• Her argument: Only about 5% of the discussion met the legal standard for a security closure. The session should have reopened as soon as discussion left security topics. The city attorney had approved the request to close, not the content discussed.
• Move to shut down debate: CM Maddy said the Mayor, he and the city attorney disagreed with CM DiGruttolo. He said the discussion should be shut down. CM Gorham objected. He said he isn’t in the habit of “shutting down” discussions and called that approach not constructive. He also said he agreed with Attorney Shepherd that the session was properly closed in spirit, but that the council should still be able to discuss the topic. Labadie responded, “Point noted.”
• Attorney Shepherd: Said the closure was valid and advised against releasing the tape.
• Labadie: Noted that police, including the Chief, attended expecting confidentiality, and called releasing the tape a “slap in the face” to them.

Attorney Shepherd suggested asking the Minnesota Data Practices Office for an advisory opinion.

The motion to do so carried 3–2, with CM Maddy and CM Labadie opposed.

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Matters from the Floor 5-Minute Language Clarification

CM DiGruttolo proposed cleaner wording: “A speaker may address the council more than once, on one or more topics, as long as their total speaking time doesn’t exceed five minutes.” She also objected that the broader policy was adopted without defining “disruption” or “threats,” or clarifying who decides. She cited League of Minnesota Cities guidance stating that profanity isn’t grounds for removal. Sanschagrin agreed to further discussion.

The motion put it on a work session agenda carried 3–2, Labadie and Maddy opposed.

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Bolton & Menk Contract

Public Works Director Matt Morreim presented a three-year agreement starting January 1, 2027.

• Key terms:
  • The contract uses the city’s standard form rather than Bolton & Menk’s.
  • General engineering hours drop from 32 to 20 per week, and office hours from 32 to 8.
  • There’s an annual review, starting in Q4 2027.
  • The city can terminate on 30 days’ notice.
• CM Gorham’s concerns:
  • He called the contract an “open checkbook” with no cost control and no not-to-exceed amount.
  • He asked how council would know if spending ran over budget, citing the Shorewood Ravine project as an example of budgeting failure.
  • He wants the contract to carry a dollar value, with change orders for any increases.
• Responses:
  • Engineer Budde estimated general engineering at about $98,800 a year. He said he already gives fee projections at three project checkpoints.
  • City Administrator Nevinski suggested quarterly budget reporting.
• CM DiGruttolo requested conflict-screening language, citing resident concerns about Bolton & Menk’s neutrality and the lack of an RFP.
• Administrative billing ranges from $70–$177. The city attorney added language capping payment at the annual general engineering budget.

The contract was approved unanimously.

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Other Items

• Public Works (Morreim) reported that Bolton & Menk helped finish pavement sealing and crack filling during staff absences. A quarterly engineering update is expected in late October.
• Fire Board report (Maddy):
  • The fire district now has reached its goal of 24/7 qualified staffing.
  • It has confirmed no need for the power backup system, so removing it could reduce the levy.
  • A new administrator will take non-public-safety work off the chiefs’ plates.
• Dog licensing requirements eliminated: Only 110 dogs were licensed this year. The rabies vaccination requirement remains.
  Passed unanimously.
  
• Ice rink attendants: CM DiGruttolo questioned the nearly $20/hour pay for attendants with no required qualifications as compared to fire fighters who work for the same amount but must have specialized training.

  The wage proposal was approved 3–1, Sanschagrin dissented, and CM Maddy abstained because his son has worked as an attendant.

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Sources:

Watch the meeting at LMCC-TV.org
Council Meeting Packet
City Council byaws