HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025/01/27 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - JointOfficial minutes
City council and school board joint meeting
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
Jan. 27, 2025
The meeting convened at 6:10 p.m.
Council members present: Tim Brausen, Paul Baudhuin, Margaret Rog, Lynette Dumalag, Sue
Budd, Yolanda Farris, Mayor Nadia Mohamed
Council members absent: none
City staff present: City manager (Ms. Keller), deputy city clerk (Ms. Scott-Lerdal)
School board members present: Anne Casey, Sarah Davis, Celia Anderson, Abdihakim Ibrahim,
Taylor Williams, School Board Chair Colin Cox
School board members absent: Virginia Mancini
School system staff present: Superintendent (Dr. Hines), executive assistant (Ms. Hankerson)
Mayor Mohamed and School Board Chair Cox welcomed attendees and emphasized that this
evening’s workshop was for discussion purposes only, no official action was to be taken by
either body. This workshop’s purpose is solely to allow council members and school board
members to connect and collaborate; no decisions are to be made.
Each member of the city council and school board introduced themselves and gave a brief
statement of why they serve as an elected official.
Workshop Topics:
1. Making personal connections
Each member of the city council and school board described their experiences serving the
community as elected officials. Their comments highlighted several experiences held in
common. Together, the group discussed the importance of inclusion among elected leaders,
the honor of representing St. Louis Park’s diverse community and the desire to work more
closely together as elected representatives of the community as a whole.
2. Making organizational connections
The city council and school board members shared their perspectives on how to work more
closely in collaboration while respecting each other’s roles. They discussed the impact of
support and conversations, both formal and informal, in better understanding what each
elected body’s scope of work involves. The group also agreed that in the future, they would
return to discuss the role of school board appointees to designated seats on city boards and
commissions and exercises in public response.
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City council and school board joint meeting -2- Jan. 27, 2025
The group agreed to work together for more frequent meetings that do not involve a quorum
for either elected body, allowing folks to share time together as neighbors. They agreed that
one-on-one communication is valuable and meets meeting law requirements.
City Manager Keller stated staff is working to understand what is coming for us as a city, as well
as our system partners, from state and federal legislative action.
Mayor Mohamed stated that all are supportive of the work we are doing, standing and acting
on our values. She proposed that the group come back to discussion before the end of the 2025
school year. Now that both groups have formed a personal connection, the next step is to have
deeper discussion of shared topics.
The meeting adjourned at 8:19 p.m.
______________________________________ ______________________________________
Melissa Kennedy, city clerk Nadia Mohamed, mayor
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