Minutes - Council - 05/26/2026 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Adam Martin, Sunwood Drive, emphasized that he was speaking only as a resident and not on behalf of his employer. He noted that the primary individual responsible for the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme had already been prosecuted and sentenced to prison. He also highlighted recent legislative action creating a State Office of the Inspector General to strengthen oversight and prevent future fraud. He argued that accountability measures were already being implemented through the criminal justice system and the State Government. He questioned the value of using City resources to pursue litigation against the state and noted that Governor Walz is not seeking reelection. Mr. Rodney Allen, 142nd Avenue Northwest, stated that he viewed the proposal as a significant waste of time. He urged the Council to focus on issues directly affecting Ramsey residents and expressed concern that the discussion was diverting attention away from local priorities. Ms. Dara Grimmer, 15931 Xenon Street Northwest, addressed Mayor Heineman directly and explained that she had previously supported him because she believed he would focus on issues affecting Ramsey residents. She stated that she felt disappointed and misled by the recent resolutions because they had not been emphasized as topics during the election. She expressed concern that the discussions were creating division within the community and making some residents feel excluded. While acknowledging her appreciation for the Mayor's willingness to listen to residents with differing viewpoints, she urged the Council to focus on issues that directly impact the City and to carefully consider the concerns raised by those who opposed spending public resources on the proposal. Mayor Heineman then presented the resolution and explained the rationale for asking staff to explore potential legal options. He reviewed findings from state and federal investigations, legislative audits, and public reports related to Feeding Our Future. He argued that state agencies received multiple warnings and red flags regarding potential fraud but failed to act quickly or effectively. He cited findings from the Office of the Legislative Auditor that identified deficiencies in oversight and preparedness. He further connected the issue to state budget decisions, unfunded mandates, and rising costs imposed on local governments. He argued that fraud and financial mismanagement at the state level ultimately affect local taxpayers and municipal operations. Mayor Heineman proposed that if the City pursued the matter further, staff could explore forming a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with other Minnesota cities. Under his concept, participating cities would contribute a small amount based on population and pool resources to investigate potential legal action against the State. He suggested that this approach would spread costs across multiple municipalities while potentially creating leverage to seek financial recovery or accountability. He asked City Attorney Johnson whether Minnesota law would permit such a Joint Powers Agreement and whether cities have the authority to cooperate in that manner. City Attorney Johnson responded that Minnesota cities do possess statutory authority to enter into Joint Powers Agreements for collaborative efforts. She acknowledged that using such an agreement to pursue litigation against the State would be unusual, but stated that the legal authority to form a JPA exists. However, she cautioned that litigation is outside her area of practice and noted that specialized outside counsel would likely be required to determine whether a viable legal City Council /May 26, 2026 Page 15 of 19