Summary of Shorewood City Council Meeting September 8, 2025

For transparency, accountability and resident education, SCA is providing a quick summary of Shorewood City Council meetings.

Due to technical changes at the LMCC website, please use the Chapters directory below the video to navigate to the referred content. Where applicable, links are included to the documentation in the council packet.

Present: DiGruttolo (Zoom), Gorham, Sanschagrin, Labadie, Maddy, Nevinski, City Attorney, Finance Dir. Schmuck, Public Works Morreim, City Clerk Thone

Absent: Engineer Budde, Parks Czech

1. CONVENE CITY COUNCIL MEETING

2. CONSENT AGENDA (p. 1) Video Chapter 2

The Consent Agenda is a series of actions which are being considered for adoption this evening under a single motion. 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. Read: What is a consent agenda?

A. City Council Work Session Minutes of Aug. 25, 2025 Minutes (p. 4)

B. City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of Aug. 25, 2025 Minutes (p. 10)

C. Verified Claims List Claims List , (p. 17) Expenses paid by the city during this period

E. Approve Employee Hire for South Shore Center, (p. 30) City Clerk/HR Director 

F. Tree Removal Quote & Service Agreement, (p. 31) PW Director Morreim 

G. Special Assessment Correction (p. 47) Finance Director

H. Accept Donation from Minnesota Transportation Alliance, (p. 49) Moved to Item 8A.

MOTION to approve Consent Agenda with changes with removal of E and H to 8 A and B: Passed 5-0.

3. MATTERS FROM THE FLOOR – Video Chapter 3

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. In providing this limited public forum, the City of Shorewood expects respectful participation. We encourage all speakers to be courteous in their language and behavior, and to confine their remarks to those facts (see Agenda for complete instructions p. 2).

• Amy Harrison, Amesbury (start at min. 5:00)
  • Significant increase in taxes on her townhouse in two years
  • In that time taxes went from $6k to $8k
  • Concerned that the city is not working within its budget
  • Taxes may cause her to leave her home
• Barry Brown, Burlwood Court (start at min 6:00)
  • Regarding engineering services, full time employee costs vs. consultants
  • Estimates that Bolton and Menk will be billing 10k-12k hours per year
  • Believes it is possible with possible leadership and cooperation from B&M a staff position would reclaim 2080 hours from B&M a staff position would cost approx. $150 hour/vs. $80 an hour
  • Seems like a good exorcise to seek other estimates on the contract
  • A staff engineer could lead the estimates being sought.

4. REPORTS & PRESENTATIONS

5. PARKS – Video Chapter 5 Mary Bahneman (start at min. 10:05)

• • Reviewed Park Master Plan process to date including groups involved in the small group discussions
  • Reviewed Music in the park attendance, Safety Camp and Movie in the Park
  • Upcoming events were discussed
  • The commission discussed tree donations, plaques, etc., there apparently was no option for anyone who simply wanted to donate a tree without a plaque, Bahneman will take it back to the commission for discussion of a policy.
  • The commission will coordinate next year’s movie in the park event with Excelsior. 

6. PLANNING Video Chapter 6

A. Report by Commissioner Will Ruoff (start at min. 20:20)

• • Reviewed cannabis, fee schedule and slope grading amendments to the city code.
  • Public hearings were held on cannabis and slope grading, there were no public comments.
  • These were all “housekeeping” items.

B. Public Hearing Water Connection with new construction: (start p. 62)

• • This water ordinance amendment requires water connection for any new residential construction that has access to city water, pursuant to the council’s discussion on June 9.
  • There were no public comments at the public hearing portion of the discussion.
  • Part of the new connection fee will be the $10k water fee for hooking up.

MOTION by Maddy to approve Ord. 624 regarding new construction and municipal water, SECOND by Gorham: Passed 5-0.

MOTION by Maddy to approve Ord. 25-81, SECOND by Gorham. Passed 5-0.

C. Cannabis Code Amendments Video Chapter 6C (start min. 31.37)

• • Amendment necessitated to be in effect and implemented while the licenses are being issued. The amendments address the distance from different facilities, such as schools and parks and put the city ordinance in alignment and state statute.
  • The permit would be interim use as opposed to conditional use permit.
  • The sunset is when the use terminates vs. an annual renewal.

MOTION by Sanschagrin to adopt Ord 625, amending cannabis regulations, SECOND by Maddy: Passed 5-0.

MOTION by Sanschagrin approving summary publication for Ord. 625, SECOND by Maddy: Passed 5-0.

D. Grading and Steep Slope Code Amendment Video Chapter D

• • Changes the permitting tool from zoning to interim use permits.
  • Clarifying a run-on sentence clarifying definition of steep slope, ultimately landing on the DNR model.
  • Clarifying the discrepancy between “importing” and “exporting” soil so that both are at the 400 cu. Yard threshold.

MOTION by Gorham to approve Ord. 626 amending Chapter 1201 of city code: SECOND by Maddy: Passed 5-0.

MOTION by Maddy to approve Res. 25-83: SECOND by Gorham. Passed 5-0.

7. Engineering: None

8. General New Business

A. Shorewood Community Center New Hire Video Chapter 8A (start at min.44:33) (moved from consent agenda by Sanschagrin):

• • Sanschagrin asked how the starting salary was decided (start p. 29). Thone explained the classification of the position, and that the pay step for the new employee is the same pay step as the existing employees.
  • DiGruttolo asked if the anticipated hiring range is 16.68 to 17.72, why was 18.76 chosen as the starting range? Thone said because he had two years of previous experience. DiGrittolo asked for more clarification of Shorewood’s “hiring philosophy” and said there should be clarity and transparency as to why certain roles that seem to be more important are paid what they are.

MOTION by Maddy to approve hire of Noah Rajala (sp), SECOND by Gorham: Passed 5-0.

NOTE: Labadie asked for a work session after budget season to educate the council on the 2023 compensation study.

B. Accept donation from Minnesota Transportation Alliance (start p. 49)

Moved from consent agenda by Sanschagrin (min. 54:23)

• • Sanschagrin said he could not support due to new information he has received that creates the appearance of conflict of interest because Bolton and Menk is a sponsor of the event.
  • Nevinski said that the trip was in alignment with the council’s 2025 strategic priorities.
  • The city attorney said it is perfectly acceptable. MTA is a group that includes membership by other cities, engineering firms and the LMC, and Shorewood could be a part of it. He said there is no conflict of interest.
  • Labadie reaffirmed that at the last meeting on a 5-0 vote the council approved the travel predicated on the donation from MTA.
  • DiGruttolo asked the costs and was told the total is under $1800.
  • The mayor will pay overage out of pocket.
  • Read background from Aug. 9 and Aug. 25 (Item 8.c.).

Note: Labadie offered to meet any resident over coffee to discuss why this trip is so important.

MOTION to approve travel to MTA conference by Maddy: SECOND by Gorham: Labadie, Maddy and Gorham voted in favor; Sanschagrin and DiGruttolo opposed. Passed 3-2.

9. STAFF AND COUNCIL REPORTS AND DISCUSSION: Video Chapter 9A

A. Staff Video Chapter 9A

• • Planning: City-Owned properties (min. 1:02:05) Griffiths
    • Reviewed council request to do an accounting (start p. 106) of all city-owned properties
    • 71 properties were identified from Hennepin County records.
    • Only two could be “divested.” Both belong to the Shorewood Economic Development Authority (EDA), Grant Street and Smithtown Road.
    • Few of the parcels had actual addresses included.
    • Sanschagrin asked for a map. Griffiths resisted saying the map would be hard to read.
    • Maddy commented that the EDA property was acquired through a “shadow buyer.”
    • Maddy and Sanschagrin asked that the property be revisited in the next EDA meeting.
    • Nevinski said having the EDA own these properties is a “tool” to implementing the goals of the comprehensive plan.
    • Not all fire lanes are on the list, according to Griffiths, who said few are solely owned by the city.**

****In 2020-21 the planning and park commissions did an extensive study of the city’s fire lanes. Recommendations were compiled in a report and approved for council review on Apr. 21, 2021. Before the discussion, it was removed from the agenda and has never been made public. At no time during this work, was there ever mention of the fire lanes being privately owned in any way.

• • Public Works/Morreim:
    • Access control and camera project started, public works is done and work is now starting city hall cameras.
    • Water tower interior cleaning project starts next week for both towers.
  • Finance Schmuck:
    • Continue work on the budget, making final changes to CIP for review at the next work session.
    • Scoring the auditor RFPs received.
  • Planning Griffiths:
    • Continuing technical updates to city code
    • Annual deer management hunt coming up in October-November. There is a lot of interest from Island residents
    • Met Council will kick-off the comp planning process on Sept. 19.
  • City Clerk-Thone:
    • 14 applicants for senior accountant position have been received.
  • City Attorney: None
  • City Administrator:
    • Czech asked him to report 180 responses have been received for the city-wide park survey
    • OctoberFest coming up on September 27
    • Hwy 7 transportation management organization’s management study is beginning which focuses on advancing solutions/technical work.
    • Communication over the long-term will be important.

Council: Video Chapter 9B

• • DiGruttolo: None
  • Gorham: None
  • Sanschagrin:
    • LMCC sale is moving on, buyers agreed to assume the environmental liability.
    • Closing price is $650k.
    • Deal was finalized on Aug 26.
  • Maddy:
    • Mound Fire completed their budget.
  • DiGruttolo:
    • Asked how she can attend the Hwy 7 Transportation Corridor meetings.
    • Labadie said normally council members do not attend.
    • Nevinski will check with others to see how council member attendance can be handled.
  • Labadie:
    • Thanked Czech and Vassar for their hard work at movie in the park, while mingling and gathering more surveys.
    • Attended the Hwy 7 TMO meeting.
    • Attended meeting with MnDot set up by Gorham.
    • Residents wanting to know more about her meetings should reach out to her for coffee.

ADJOURN.

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)