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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, January 27, 2026, <br />at 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 /> Fire Chief Matt Kohner <br /> Police Chief Brad Bluml <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 />2. TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION <br /> <br />2.01: Quarterly Update from Fire and Police Departments <br /> <br />Fire Chief Kohner presented the Fire Department’s update, highlighting a 13.5% increase in call <br />volume compared to the previous year, with no specific call type trend. Calls were most frequent <br />between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., with no significant increase in overnight calls. Staffing updates <br />included the completion of phase one of the in-house FTO program for six new recruits and the <br />approval of a new deputy chief. Training focuses on technical rescue, fire suppression tactics, and <br />scenario-based drills, and includes community events such as first-aid classes and CPR training. <br /> <br />Mayor Heineman asked whether medical-related calls primarily drive the recent increase in calls <br />for service and, if so, whether this trend is expected to continue as the city’s elderly population <br />grows. <br /> <br />Fire Chief Kohner noted that the city’s changing demographics are a significant factor, confirming <br />that medical-related calls account for a large share of calls for service and are contributing to the <br />overall increase. <br /> <br />City Council Work Session / January 27, 2026 <br />Page 1 of 10 <br />