One of the major issues addressed at the January 7, 2025, Wayzata City Council meeting was the approval of the city’s legislative priorities, which centered on infrastructure improvements, local tax proposals, and considerations for future public safety needs. While most priorities advanced with ease, some council members raised questions about the inclusion of design costs for a potential new public safety facility in the city’s bonding request.
$15 Million Bonding Request Analyzed
The council approved a $15 million bonding request covering Panoway’s next phase, improvements to Klapprich Park, Wayzata Beach, and Shaver Park, as well as $2 million for public safety facility design. However, the inclusion of the latter sparked concerns about readiness.
Council Member Jeff Parkhill remarked, “The public safety facility is not something the council has discussed. I think we should address it before we begin lobbying for it. Right now, I don’t know much about it—just that it’s apparently in the capital plan for 10 years down the road or so. It’s important for us to dig into these capital expenditures before we lobby for them.”
Council Member Alex Plechash added, “I think that’s a reasonable point to note. It probably doesn’t change the fact that we’d still like to request $15 million from the state and then decide how to allocate it. That said, we’re unlikely to get the full $15 million—probably something less, if anything at all. However, he makes a valid point: we haven’t discussed this in depth. We should address it before listing it as a legislative priority for our lobbyists.”
City Manager Jeff Dahl explained the request, “…that’s exactly what we started to discuss in December—can it hurt to leave it on the list? We acknowledged that we don’t yet know what the needs assessment will reveal, so it might be premature. However, removing it now would mean reducing the bonding request by two million dollars, as every part of the request must be allocated to a specific expense. While we could revisit this next year, leaving it on for now provides flexibility, even though we still need significant engagement with the council and the community to refine the details.”
Despite these reservations, the council opted to keep the item in the bonding request to maintain flexibility.
Local Sales Tax and Community Engagement
The council also supported lifting the state’s moratorium on local sales taxes, advocating for a food and beverage tax to offset operational and capital costs. The proposed tax would primarily target visitors, with minimal impact on residents.
Engagement with the local business community remains a priority. Council members discussed the importance of explaining the tax’s purpose and benefits to restaurant owners and other stakeholders before advancing the proposal, indicating that City staff should meet with all restaurant owners willing to meet so as to have the support of the community in place.
Advocating for Local Control of Fees and Fines
A final priority emphasized the city’s desire for greater local control over fines and fees for nuisance issues, such as noise and e-bike violations. This measure would address challenges caused by Wayzata’s influx of visitors.
Next Steps
The council unanimously approved the draft priorities, directing staff and lobbyists to advocate during the upcoming legislative session.
“This list ensures that Wayzata’s long-term needs remain front and center as we engage with state lawmakers,” Mayor Andrew Mullin concluded.
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