HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025/02/27 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - Study SessionOfficial minutes
City council workshop
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
Feb. 27 and 28, 2025
February 27, 2025: The workshop convened at 5:40 p.m. at Westwood Hills Nature Center.
Council members present: Mayor Mohamed, Sue Budd, Tim Brausen, Lynette Dumalag, Yolanda
Farris, Paul Baudhuin, Margaret Rog
Staff present: City manager (Ms. Keller), deputy city manager (Ms. Walsh), deputy city clerk
(Ms. Scott-Lerdal)
Guest: Dave Unmacht, public service consultant
City council members participated in a workshop and discussed the following items:
• Mr. Unmacht presented on the concept of a “premier council” and how he planned to
lead the council in meaningful and productive interactions to examine norms. City
council norms are informal but agreed-upon guidelines that document expectations of
behavior and practice.
• City council norms were reviewed and discussed.
• City council communication styles and preferences were discussed.
• Some norms were updated, including expectations for responding to communications,
side conversations and electronic devices at the city council dais, direct accountability in
situations of disagreement, and various other small updates to language.
The workshop was adjourned at 8:01 p.m.
February 28, 2025: The workshop convened at 8:35 a.m. at Westwood Hills Nature Center.
Council members present: Mayor Mohamed, Sue Budd, Tim Brausen, Lynette Dumalag, Yolanda
Farris, Paul Baudhuin, Margaret Rog
Staff present: City manager (Ms. Keller), deputy city manager (Ms. Walsh), community
development manager (Ms. Barton), administrative services director (Ms. Brodeen), finance
director (Ms. Cruver), public works director (Mr. Hall), engineering director (Ms. Heiser),
building and energy director (Mr. Hoffman), city clerk (Ms. Kennedy), police chief (Mr. Kruelle),
technology and communications director (Ms. Smith), HR director (Ms. Vorpahl), parks and
recreation director (Mr. West), deputy city clerk (Ms. Scott-Lerdal), race, equity and inclusion
director (Ms. Yang), fire chief (Mr. Hanlin), office assistant (Ms. Olek), organizational
development coordinator (Ms. Smith)
Guest: Bob McNaney, crisis management consultant
Mr. McNaney introduced the agenda for the morning workshop session.
Introductions of city staff leadership included a warm welcome for new city staff members
Peter Hanlin, fire chief and Pa Dao Yang, race, equity and inclusion director.
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City council workshop -2- Feb. 27 and 28, 2025
City council members and city staff participated in a workshop and discussed the following
items:
• Mr. McNaney presented on the concept of misinformation and disinformation.
• He presented the entire group with a series of hypothetical scenarios, which were first
discussed within small group. Each group then shared their outcomes with the larger
group.
At 11:00 a.m., the group took a break to debrief with Mr. McNaney and take a break for lunch.
At 12:21 p.m., the group was welcomed back to the topic of creativity by Laura Smith,
organizational development coordinator.
City council members and city staff participated in a workshop and discussed the following
items:
• Ms. Smith presented “Unlocking Creativity,” a training to help innovate thinking and
better serve the community.
• She set forth training goals to explore the value of being creative, encourage creative
thinking in council member and staff work, and allow time for people to be creative.
• Ms. Smith led a group writing exercise to think about the Day in the Life of a St. Louis
Park Community member in the year 2040. She asked each table to form a group of four
to five people, and to write about who this person is, how they may spend their day and
what that includes from morning to night.
• Each small group presented their ideas to the room.
At 1:55 p.m., Mayor Mohamed delivered closing remarks. She reiterated the importance of
working well together and the value of workshop time in solidifying these practices. She
reiterated outcomes of each of the workshop exercises. She concluded that workshop time is
meant to create and enhance trust; to help us treat each other with kindness and empathy,
even when we face challenges. Mayor Mohamed stated that St. Louis Park residents are the
common goal for city council members and city staff.
The workshop was adjourned at 2:03 p.m.
______________________________________ ______________________________________
Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Nadia Mohamed, mayor
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