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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION <br />CITY OF RAMSEY <br />ANOKA COUNTY <br />STATE OF MINNESOTA <br /> <br />The Ramsey City Council conducted a City Council Work Session on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at <br />the Ramsey Municipal Center, 7550 Sunwood Drive NW, Ramsey, Minnesota. <br /> <br />Members Present: Mayor Ryan Heineman <br />Councilmember Kirsten Buscher <br />Councilmember Michael Olson <br />Councilmember Eric Peters <br />Councilmember Chris Riley <br />Councilmember Dan Specht <br />Councilmember Shanna Stewart <br /> <br />Also Present: City Administrator Brian Hagen <br /> Police Chief Brad Bluml <br /> Fire Chief Andy Winkel <br /> Finance Director Diana Lund <br /> Public Works Director Bruce Westby <br /> Parks and Assistant Public Works Director Mark Riverblood <br />City Engineer Hafedh Hlel <br /> Community Development Director Stephanie Hanson <br /> City Attorney Amanda Johnson <br /> <br />1. CALL TO ORDER <br /> <br />Mayor Heineman called the City Council Work Session to order at 5:30 p.m. <br /> <br />Mayor Heineman announced a change to the agenda, moving the discussion of the Elevate Hope <br />House proposal ahead of the preliminary 2027 budget presentation because the applicant was <br />present. He also noted that the Council would discuss the insurance liability item before the regular <br />City Council meeting since it included an action item scheduled for that evening's agenda. <br /> <br />2. TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION <br /> <br />2.02: Consider Use of LAHA Funds for Elevate Hope House (EHH) for Mixed-use Housing <br />Project <br /> <br />City Administrator Hagen explained that the proposal involved the sale of a city-owned parcel east <br />of New Horizon Academy for construction of a mixed-use building similar in concept to the <br />previously proposed Storytellers Café project. <br /> <br />Ms. Melinda McDermott, founder of Elevate Hope House, thanked the Council for the <br />opportunity to present the project. She explained that the nonprofit has spent nearly ten years <br />City Council Work Session / July 14, 2026 <br />Page 1 of 14 <br />