On the agenda: Arden Hills meeting — Data Center (Aug 24)

Address:

1245 W Highway 96
Arden Hills MN 55112
Phone:

Mayor:

651-792-7800

David Grant

Website :
www.cityofardenhills.org

Councilmembers:

Brenda Holden
Emily Rousseau
Tena Monson
Kurt Weber

City Council
Work Session Agenda
August 24, 2026
5:00 p.m.
City Hall
City Vision

Arden Hills is a strong community that values its unique environmental setting, strong residential
neighborhoods, vital business community, well - maintained infrastructure, fiscal soundness, and our
long - standing tradition as a desirable City in which to live, work, and play.

Members of the public may attend a meeting in-person at City Hall or they may
view the meeting remotely on the City’s website using the below link. Meetings are
also broadcast on Cable Channel 16 for those that live in Arden Hills.
https://cityofardenhills.org/320/Watch-City-Meetings
Some Councilmembers may be participating in this meeting by interactive
technology/remotely.
This meeting will be streamed live on local Cable Channel 16 and available for playback on our
website.

CALL TO ORDER
1. PUBLIC INQUIRIES/INFORMATIONAL
This is an opportunity for citizens to respectfully bring to the Council’s attention any
items which are relevant to the City. In addressing the Council, you must first state
your name and address for the record. Comments shall be limited to three (3) minutes
or less. Written documents or other materials should be handed to the City Clerk for
distribution to the Council prior to or during the meeting. Council will generally not
respond at the same meeting where an issue is initially raised by a member of the
public but the Council may refer the issue to staff for further research and possible
report or action at a future Council meeting.

2. RESPONSE TO PUBLIC INQUIRIES
3. AGENDA ITEMS
3.A. Staffing Study Discussion
Caitlin Humrickhouse, Baker Tilly
Documents:
MEMO.PDF

Caitlin Humrickhouse, Baker Tilly
Documents:
MEMO.PDF
ATTACHMENT A.PDF
ATTACHMENT B.PDF
3.B. 75th Anniversary Event Recap
Julie Hanson, Assistant to the City Administrator/City Clerk
Documents:
MEMO.PDF
ATTACHMENT A.PDF
3.C. Personnel Committee Policy Discussion
Jessica Jagoe, City Administrator
Documents:
MEMO.PDF
ATTACHMENT A.PDF
ATTACHMENT B.PDF
3.D. Immigration Enforcement Discussion
Jessica Jagoe, City Administrator
Documents:
MEMO.PDF
3.E. Rice Creek Commons/TCAAP Discussion
Jessica Jagoe, City Administrator
Documents:
MEMO.PDF
3.F. Agenda Planning
Jessica Jagoe, City Administrator
Documents:
MEMO.PDF
ATTACHMENT A.PDF
ATTACHMENT B.PDF
4. COUNCIL/STAFF COMMENTS

MEMO.PDF
ATTACHMENT A.PDF
ATTACHMENT B.PDF
4. COUNCIL/STAFF COMMENTS
ADJOURN

AGENDA ITEMS – 3A

MEMORANDUM
DATE:

August 24, 2026

TO:

Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers

FROM:

Jessica Jagoe, City Administrator

SUBJECT:

Staffing Study Discussion

Budgeted Amount:
N/A

Actual Amount:
N/A

Funding Source:
N/A

Council Should Consider
Council should discuss the proposal from Baker Tilly for completion of a Staffing Assessment/Study
as identified within the Strategic Plan.
Background
On November 24th, 2025, the City Council adopted the City of Arden Hills Strategic Plan Summary.
This document includes a summary of results to be implemented by 2028 through a three-year vision.
In order to achieve the three-year vision of success, the Council adopted specific priorities that would
be implemented in year one as 2026 Priorities. Under the Strategic Direction of “Preparing Our
Organization for Potential Service Growth”, the plan identifies completion of a Staff Needs
Assessment in 2026.
Based on this strategic direction, staff received three proposals for completion of a staffing study.
Those proposals were reviewed with the Personnel Committee and a recommendation is being brought
forward to City Council for selection of Baker Tilly for administering this study. Included with this
memo as Attachment A is the Staffing Study Scope of Work. The following statement included in
their proposal identifies the Project Objectives:
The primary objective of this project is to develop a 3-year staffing plan for City officials and
leadership to use as the basis for making organizational structure and budget decisions. This may also
include recommended changes to the organizational structure if necessary to accommodate changes in
service delivery or staffing levels. Some of the inputs for consideration as the staffing plan is developed
will include:
• Anticipated changes to City budget, population, services, and service level expectations
• Retirement and turnover forecasts
Page 1 of 2

•
•

Department head recommendations based on their unique and deep understanding of
departmental operations, compliance expectations and other factors
Benchmarks of organizational and staffing metrics against peer organizations

For this process, I will mention that the proposal has identified a range of up to 15 employees to be
interviewed. This range for one-on-one interviews was determined to be appropriate for garnering
sufficient feedback across all the positions with the City on strategic priorities, critical services,
resources, skillsets, etc. based on discussion with the Department Directors, Supervisors, and
Personnel Committee.
At the work session, Baker Tilly will present an overview of the process for completion of the staffing
study for Council to provide feedback on scope of services and expectations. Following Council
discussion, staff would bring forward an agreement to a future regular meeting for approval.
Budget Impact
Completion of the staffing study was not budgeted for in 2026. Based on budget savings in personnel
costs due to staffing vacancies in 2026, the City could absorb the not-to-exceed cost of $22,750 as a
budget amendment.
Attachment
Attachment A: Baker Tilly Staffy Study Proposal
Attachment B: Baker Tilly Presentation

Page 2 of 2

Attachment A
Staffing Study Scope of Work
Dated: 8/19/2026
Between the City of Arden Hills and
Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP

TO: Jessica Jagoe, City Administrator
RE: Staffing Study
DATE: 8/19/2026
This Scope of Work is attached by reference to the City of Arden Hills agreement dated August 19, 2026 (the
“Agreement”) between the City of Arden Hills (the “City”) and Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and relates to services
to be provided by Baker Tilly.
Baker Tilly Overview
Delivering Specialized Expertise to Our
Public Sector Clients
The City of Arden Hills is seeking to make
intentional, data-informed decisions about
the number and focus of City staff in a way
that is responsive to community needs,
grounded in fiscal sustainability, and provides
meaningful career opportunities for
employees.
The City will be served by a knowledgeable
team that understands your specific
challenges and provides innovative solutions
to help you overcome them.
Local government is a complex,
unique environment shaped by fiscal, regulatory and operational considerations not found in other sectors.
Recognizing this complexity and eager to serve as a true valued advisor to the public sector, Baker Tilly
formalized its dedicated public sector specialization more than 50 years ago. Today, more than 350 Baker
Tilly professionals — including nearly 30 principals — focus directly on serving governments and provide
hundreds of thousands of client service hours annually to organizations like the City.
Nationwide, our public sector practice serves nearly 4,000 state and local governmental entities, including
municipalities, counties, school districts, utilities, transit organizations, airports and special authorities.
Commitment to the Public Sector
Baker Tilly has been in business for more than 90 years, and public sector entities were some of our first
clients.

1

Staffing Study Scope of Work
Dated: 8/19/2026
Between the City of Arden Hills and
Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP
The City will benefit from our public sector specialization in several specific ways:
•

•
•

•

•

Dedication to the public sector: Your engagement team members live and breathe government
and work exclusively with the public sector year-round. This translates into insights only experience
can bring, as well as an understanding of the best ways to communicate and collaborate with
public-sector entities.
Specialized training and continuing education: the City can be assured of an engagement team
with the necessary skills and timely knowledge to effectively perform your engagement.
Sector involvement: Members of our public sector practice are leaders in key sector
organizations, including the AICPA and its Governmental Audit Quality Center (GAQC) as well as
the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Because of our work with these
groups, we know about dynamic trends and consequential developments in state and local
government — and are equipped with leading practices to help the City best respond to them.
Knowledge sharing with the City: At Baker Tilly, serving governments goes
beyond delivering services – we also supply our clients with crucial thought
leadership in the form of webinars, workshops, articles and our regular newsletter,
CommuniTIES.
Year-round consultation: Throughout our relationship, we will be available for routine calls and
technical questions, connecting you with recommendations and ideas to address the inevitable
operational issues that arise. We can also alert you to new opportunities for us to collaborate and
create value for the City.

Your team is ready to help you find solutions to overcome the obstacles that stand between you and your
goals. We provide a full range of service offerings for state and local governments, including those listed
below.
Our Full Range of Key Service Offerings For State and Local Governments Includes:
Accounting services and assurance

Housing and economic development

Arbitrage/rebate regulatory compliance

Human capital services

Attestation services

Investment services**

Capital planning

Organizational management advisory

Cybersecurity consulting

Post-issuance compliance

Economic development

Public finance/bond issuance*

Efficiency studies

Process improvement

Federal funding advisory

Rate and user fee studies

Financial management services

Risk advisory and internal audit

Financial reporting and GAAP services

Strategic planning

* Services provided by Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors, LLC, a registered municipal advisor and controlled
subsidiary of Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP, a tax and advisory firm.
** Services provided by Baker Tilly Investment Services, a division of Baker Tilly Wealth Management,
LLC, which is a registered investment advisor and controlled by Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP.

2

Staffing Study Scope of Work
Dated: 8/19/2026
Between the City of Arden Hills and
Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP
Scope of Work and Project Objectives
The primary objective of this project is to develop a 3-year staffing plan for City officials and leadership to
use as the basis for making organizational structure and budget decisions. This may also include
recommended changes to the organizational structure if necessary to accommodate changes in service
delivery or staffing levels. Some of the inputs for consideration as the staffing plan is developed will include:
• Anticipated changes to City budget, population, services, and service level expectations
• Retirement and turnover forecasts
• Department head recommendations based on their unique and deep understanding of departmental
operations, compliance expectations and other factors
• Benchmarks of organizational and staffing metrics against peer organizations
Project Approach
Phase 1—Project Planning and Management
This phase includes those tasks necessary to solidify mutual understanding of the project scope, objectives,
deliverables and timing as well as ensuring that appropriate City and Baker Tilly resources are available and
well-coordinated.
1.1 —Confirm Scope, Objectives and Timing
This task includes a kick-off meeting with the project steering committee at the City. The following subtasks will
be completed to finalize the project design:
• Define project success—discuss how the project aligns with or impacts other City
initiatives and how the project steering committee wants to use the results of the project
to further support its goals.
• Review work plan—review the proposed objectives, scope and approach and make revisions as
needed in context of the project success discussion. We will also introduce the “Information
Request” listing key documents to be collected and will identify individuals for interviews.
• Arrange logistics/administrative support—agree upon a detailed project schedule, steering
committee meeting frequency, project status updates, contact persons, stakeholder interview
participants, schedules for interviews and data collection, workspace and support requirements, any
remaining contractual matters, etc.

We are sensitive to your busy schedule and competing deadlines. We begin every engagement with a mutually
agreed-upon timeline. Using that timeline, we develop and commit to a project approach to ensure there are no
surprises along the way. The agreed-upon project approach serves as a communication and monitoring tool for
both of our teams.
1.2 —Finalize Project Approach

Based on information developed through the initial kickoff meeting, the Baker Tilly team will update the project
approach plan. The updated project approach will list the various internal stakeholder interests and groups,
suggest engagement methods for each, identify those accountable for completion of the proposed engagement
activities, propose a revised project schedule, and conclude with execution activities.

Key Activities
• Conduct virtual project kick-off meeting
• Develop project schedule and key milestones
• Confirm list of stakeholders and engagement approach
• Identify, schedule and invite participants in collaboration with the steering committee
Phase 2—Assessment of Current Structure and Service Delivery Model
2.1 2.1—Review Background Information

During this step the Baker Tilly team will review the information requested and subsequently provided by City
employees. The information reviewed may include:

3

Staffing Study Scope of Work
Dated: 8/19/2026
Between the City of Arden Hills and
Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Budget, strategic plan, and capital improvement plan
Future growth projections, financial forecasts and other long-term planning information
Organizational structure
Budgeted full-time equivalent staffing levels by position
Position job descriptions
Turnover, vacancy and retirement data
Relevant policies and procedures or employee handbooks
Key performance indicators and operating metrics
Previous studies conducted in the last three years

2.2 —Conduct Interviews
Baker Tilly will develop the project interview schedule with the project steering committee. The general structure
and approach we propose includes up to 15 one-on-one or focus-group-style interviews.
• One-on-one meetings with the City Administrator and Department Directors will focus on staffing
resources to deliver critical services, strategic priorities, staffing challenges, and gaps in services or
skillsets to meet strategic priorities.
• Focus group meetings based on operations functions with front-line employees, department
managers and supervisors to understand how work is distributed, workflows, and technology usage.

Potential questions will inquire about structure, processes, culture, employees and other stakeholders.
Discussion scope will be confirmed with the project steering committee and may include:
• Primary functions, responsibilities and skills
• Anticipated changes in technology use, service levels and skillset needs in the next three years
• Hand-offs within divisions and with other departments
• Service needs met and unmet (with a focus on key performance indicators)
2.3 —Comparative Organization Benchmarking
Custom Benchmarking: Baker Tilly will work with the City to establish up to six mutually agreed-upon
benchmark organizations to develop and issue a custom-built survey to solicit program and operating
statistics for comparative efficiency and effectiveness. Dependent on the priorities set during project initiation,
the survey may include:
• Budgeted FTE
• Filled FTE
• Employees by department
• Services offered to the community
• Residential and commercial accounts
• Key performance indicators used
• Customer satisfaction index
• Outsourced services and vendors used

Using demographic, budget and other data and information presented during the interviews, Baker Tilly will present
an initial list of potential benchmark communities to the City Council for review and ultimate selection of six
communities with two alternate communities. The final group of benchmark communities should be generally
similar to the City but may include some “aspirational” cities that are well known for specific programs or practices
that the City is interested in emulating.
2.4 —Compile Initial Observations
Using the information gained from prior tasks, the consultant team will analyze information collected and
develop a set of initial observations. Observations will identify:
• Gaps in services and associated staffing or structure needed to meet strategic goals
• Planned or existing programs and service needs, and associated staffing, to better align with strategic
goals
• Resources needed to meet results-based metrics and other performance measures
• Themes relayed through the employee interviews

The consultant team will discuss the initial observations with the project steering committee to solicit feedback
on the observations and discuss the direction and focus of the recommendation development. During this

4

Staffing Study Scope of Work
Dated: 8/19/2026
Between the City of Arden Hills and
Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP
meeting, the project team will also come to consensus with the steering committee to identify high-priority items
for detailed recommendation development.
Key Activities and Deliverables
• Develop project introduction memo to distribute prior to interviews and focus groups
• Review of all data provided
• Conduct on-site individual and focus group meetings
• Conduct virtual follow-up meetings as needed
• Workforce outlook dashboard
• Documentation of initial observations
• Meeting to discuss initial observations
Phase 3—Preliminary Recommendations
3.1 3.1—Preliminary Staffing Recommendations and Organizational Structure Design

In the context of our understanding of the City’s service delivery processes, we will analyze staffing and
workflow, workload and the distribution of tasks, and skill level needs. The goal of this analysis will be to
determine optimal staffing to maintain services while keeping costs as low as possible. Recommendations may
include suggestions to reassign, combine, or add positions over a three-year period.

Baker Tilly will prepare preliminary organizational structure recommendations and meet with the steering
committee to review and solicit feedback. The purpose of the meeting is to incorporate the information from the
initial observations meeting into a visual structure. Discussion during this stage will focus on validating how
functions and responsibilities are divided and prioritization for additional staffing or new positions. While these
items will be discussed during the initial observation stage, we find that creating this step to visually see the
structure and make adjustments is helpful prior to developing the draft report.
Key Activities and Deliverables
• Preliminary staffing level recommendations over a three-year period
• Documentation of any potential changes to the organizational structure to support changes in staffing
levels
• Discussion of preliminary recommendations
• Iteration on recommendations as needed
Phase 4—Reporting
4.1 —Prepare and Issue Report
Baker Tilly’s consulting team operates under the principle of “no surprises.” We make no final recommendations
without the City’s active involvement and input. While always maintaining our independence and objectivity, we
have built-in feedback loops to ensure that we have our facts straight and that both the consulting team and the
City understand the ramifications of our recommendations and proposed solutions to identified challenges.
Baker Tilly will prepare a draft report to include the consulting team's observations and recommendations. The
final report may include:
• Future state organizational structure recommendations down to the position and full-time equivalent
counts
• Staffing projections for three years
• Primary roles and responsibilities for new or restructured positions
• Implementation roadmap to prioritize restructure and hiring
We will review the implementation action plan with the project steering committee and make any edits as
needed prior to issuing a final report.
Key Activities and Deliverables
• Draft report development and iteration
• Conduct remote draft report meeting review with project steering committee
• On-site presentation to leadership (optional, as requested)

5

Staffing Study Scope of Work
Dated: 8/19/2026
Between the City of Arden Hills and
Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP
Engagement Leadership
Your project team is comprised of both public sector generalists, special advisors and subject matter experts.
Our special advisors are former practitioners with specific operations expertise. Each of our team members and
the overall project leadership have a wide range of experience allowing us to look at operations from different
perspectives. Our team members strengthen our ability to create solutions uniquely designed for the individual
project. Your engagement will be led by:
Caitlin Humrickhouse, MPA, SWP
Engagement Principal
Caitlin Humrickhouse has fourteen years of experience providing management consulting services with a
focus on resource optimization, assisting governmental entities in their efforts to ensure the resources
available (people, processes, and technology) are utilized in the most efficient manner. She has overseen
numerous process improvement and risk mitigation projects which are highly sensitive.
Caitlin will provide project oversight and will serve as Principal in Charge for the City to ensure all
expectations are met or exceeded.
Prachi Patel, MPA
Project Manager
Prachi has five years of experience working with or for various local governments. Prachi has worked
within a wide range of functions, including finance, public works, community services, economic
development, administration and the city manager’s office. She has worked for the New York City Office of
Management and Budget and the City of Alameda, along with internships at a variety of local
governments. Prachi also works as adjunct faculty and teaching assistant for Financial Management and
Budgeting at New York University’s Wagner School MPA program.
• Prachi will be the Project Manager and main point of contact for the City. Her responsibility will be to
monitor the scope, budget, and timeline to ensure all objectives are achieved. She will be supported
by a special advisor and consultants who will assist with interviews, documentation, and analysis.
Suzanne Sherman, MPA, ICMA-CM
Special Advisor
Suzanne Sherman brings a broad range of local government leadership, project management, and generalist
service experience to Baker Tilly clients. Prior to joining Baker Tilly, Suzanne served in city and county agency
roles, including City Manager, in several communities ranging from 12,000 to 140,000 residents. Beyond these
leadership roles, Suzanne’s diversity of experience in the organizations she has served has made her adept at
successful project management and implementing strategies to enhance government operations.
Project Timeline
We anticipate that the project will take 12 – 14 weeks to complete from the date the scope of work is executed.
We will work with the City to design a schedule that works with any internal deadlines and conflicts.
Project Fees
Assuming the ability to receive information and data as requested and within the necessary timeframe, the
not-to-exceed fee is $22,750. Our pricing assumes all work will be conducted virtually. If the City would like
us to come in person for the focus group and one-on-one interviews, we will provide an estimate of the cost
and receive approval from the City before arranging any travel.
In the event circumstances and/or engagement objectives change, we will obtain specific authorization from
you prior to incurring any additional fees. Billings will be rendered monthly and payment shall be made within
30 days of receipt.
If additional work and/or an optional phase is requested and authorized by the City that is outside of this
initial scope of work, then BTAG will work with the City to develop additional scopes of work, inclusive of
schedules, budgets, and agreed-upon objectives.

6

Staffing Study Scope of Work
Dated: 8/19/2026
Between the City of Arden Hills and
Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP
References and Case Study
To further demonstrate our capabilities, we have provided City references and brief project overviews for
similar scopes of work.

Name
Phone
Services

CITY OF MOORHEAD, MN
Finance Department Staffing Study
Jenica Flanagan
Title
Finance Director
+1 (218) 299 5317
Email
[email protected]
The Baker Tilly team made recommendations for the Finance Department
organizational structure, cross-training of staff, and critical processes needing
additional support. The Finance Department recommendations focused on
reducing the span of control for the Director of the department, aligning job titles
with responsibilities, and creating needed cross-training opportunities.

CITY OF NORTHFIELD, MINNESOTA
Organizational Assessment of the Administrative Services and Parks & Streets Divisions
Name
Ben Martig
Title
CITY Administrator
Phone
+1 (507) 645 3060
Email [email protected]
Mailing address

801 Washington Street Northfield, MN 55057

Brief overview

Baker Tilly conducted an organizational assessment of the City’s Administrative
Services Divisions including finance, information technology, human resources,
communications, and the clerk’s office. The assessment included a review of each
division’s organization structure, staffing levels, and the efficiency of staff roles and
responsibilities.
Furthermore, the City of Northfield, MN engaged Baker Tilly to conduct an
organizational assessment of its Parks and Streets Division to address concerns
about efficiency, staffing, and long-term sustainability. Our approach involved
benchmarking against comparable municipalities, engaging stakeholders through
interviews, and analyzing operational workflows to identify gaps and risks. The
assessment revealed that staffing levels were below industry standards, training
programs were insufficient, and the absence of a work order management system
hindered task visibility and resource allocation. Based on these findings, we
recommended a phased restructuring of the division, increased staffing to meet
service demands, implementation of technology solutions for work order tracking, and
development of structured training and employee recognition programs. These
recommendations provided a clear roadmap for improving operational efficiency,
reducing risk of institutional knowledge loss, and fostering a more engaged workforce,
positioning the division for sustainable success.

7

Staffing Study Scope of Work
Dated: 8/19/2026
Between the City of Arden Hills and
Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP

We are pleased to have this opportunity to be of service to you. Please indicate your acceptance of this
agreement by signing in the space provided on the next page and returning the engagement letter to us. If
you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Caitlin Humrickhouse at
[email protected] or call (312) 729-8098.
Sincerely,

Caitlin Humrickhouse, Principal
Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP
Signature Section:
The services and terms as set forth in this Scope of Work are agreed to on behalf of the City by:
Name:
Title:
Date:
The information provided here is of a general nature and is not intended to address the specific circumstances of any individual or entity. In specific circumstances,
the services of a professional should be sought. © 2026 Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP.
Baker Tilly US, LLP and Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and its subsidiary entities provide professional services through an alternative practice structure in
accordance with the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and applicable laws, regulations and professional standards. Baker Tilly US, LLP is a licensed
independent CPA firm that provides attest services to clients. Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and its subsidiary entities provide tax and business advisory services
to their clients. Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and its subsidiary entities are not licensed CPA firms.
Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and Baker Tilly US, LLP, trading as Baker Tilly, are independent members of Baker Tilly International. Baker Tilly International
Limited is an English company. Baker Tilly International provides no professional services to clients. Each member firm is a separate and independent legal
entity, and each describes itself as such. Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and Baker Tilly US, LLP are not Baker Tilly International’s agent and do not have the
authority to bind Baker Tilly International or act on Baker Tilly International’s behalf. None of Baker Tilly International, Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP, Baker Tilly
US, LLP nor any of the other member firms of Baker Tilly International has any liability for each other’s acts or omissions. The name Baker Tilly and its
associated logo is used under license from Baker Tilly International Limited.

8

CITY COUNCIL PRESENTATION

City of Arden Hills
Staffing Study
A practical path to a sustainable three-year staffing plan

08.24.26

BAKER TILLY
Advisory

Attachment B

PURPOSE

A three-year plan that balances service, cost, and readiness

3
YEARS

Service expectations

Budget sustainability

Future needs

Make staffing choices explicit
and connected to the service
residents expect.

Sequence investments within
a realistic, durable financial
path.

Build capacity for changing
demand, technology and
organizational risk.

Outcome

A practical plan that supports organizational structure and budget
decisions.

BAKER TILLY

CITY OF ARDEN HILLS / STAFFING STUDY

02

WHY BAKER TILLY

Public-sector depth,
applied to a practical
staffing study

90 +

3,100+

years advising public-sector
organizations

governmental entities served

Dedicated public-sector practice
Staffing Studies • Strategic Planning • Fiscal Modeling • Salary Studies • Debt issuance and advisory

BAKER TILLY

CITY OF ARDEN HILLS / STAFFING STUDY

03

PROJECT APPROACH

Four phases move from evidence to implementation

01

02

03

04

Plan + kickoff

Assess + benchmark

Shape recommendations

Finalize roadmap

Confirm priorities
and launch data request

Understand current state
and compare peer practices

Test preliminary staffing
and structure options

Deliver the three-year plan
and implementation path

EVIDENCE

BAKER TILLY

DECISIONS

CITY OF ARDEN HILLS / STAFFING STUDY

04

CURRENT-STATE ASSESSMENT

The current state is more than an org chart

up to

15
interviews and
focus groups
to surface structure, staffing and
process opportunities

Organizational evidence

Workforce signals

Budget, staffing, structure and
policies

Turnover, vacancies and operating
metrics

Service reality

Enablers + gaps

Demand, workflow and pressure
points

Technology use and unmet needs

The assessment connects what is documented with how work
is actually delivered.

BAKER TILLY

CITY OF ARDEN HILLS / STAFFING STUDY

05

BENCHMARKING

Context—not a
staffing formula
Council helps select peers to compare efficiency and service choices—not
just headcount.
01

Build the initial list
Demographics, budget,
staffing and service delivery.

02

Select the peer set
Council chooses six peers
plus two alternates.

03

Keep useful range
Comparable overall—with
room for aspirational
examples.

BAKER TILLY

CITY OF ARDEN HILLS / STAFFING STUDY

06

WHAT WE WILL BENCHMARK

We compare capacity, demand, and delivery choices

01

CAPACITY

02

DEMAND

03

DELIVERY

Budgeted and filled FTE

Residential + commercial
demand

Services provided

Employees by department

Key performance indicators

Outsourced services +
vendors

Together, these measures reveal both workload and the operating model used to meet it.

BAKER TILLY

CITY OF ARDEN HILLS / STAFFING STUDY

07

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

Each output builds toward an actionable roadmap

04
03
02
01

Preliminary
recommendations

Final report +
implementation
roadmap
Three-year staffing projections

Benchmarking
findings

Initial
observations
FROM INSIGHT

BAKER TILLY

TO ACTION

CITY OF ARDEN HILLS / STAFFING STUDY

09

TIMELINE + NEXT STEPS

A focused 12–14 week
path to decisions

12–14

01

Kickoff + data request

02

Interviews + benchmarking

03

Preliminary findings

04

Final report + roadmap

WEEKS AFTER EXECUTION

NEXT

Confirm priorities, launch the data request, and begin peer selection.

BAKER TILLY

CITY OF ARDEN HILLS / STAFFING STUDY

11

AGENDA ITEM – 3B

MEMORANDUM
DATE:

August 24, 2026

TO:

Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
Jessica Jagoe, City Administrator

FROM:

Julie Hanson, Assistant to the City Administrator/City Clerk

SUBJECT:

75th Anniversary Event Recap

Budgeted Amount:
$10,000

Actual Amount:
$71,310.84

Funding Sources:

Twin Cities Gateway Grant Funds ($26,521.98)
and Sponsorship Funds ($45,300)

Council Should Consider
Holding a recap discussion of the City’s 75th Anniversary event.
Background/Discussion
The City’s 75th Anniversary celebration took place on Friday, July 17 at Cummings Park. The Council
requested having a subsequent discussion on “lessons learned” as well as receiving an accounting of
expenses related to the event.
Attachment A breaks down the related expenses for the event and distribution of funding. Note the total
amount spent for the 75th event was $71,310.84 and was fully funded by Twin Cities Gateway grant
dollars and sponsorships. Staff did not need to utilize any funds from the $10,000 budgeted by the City
for 2026.
Of the Twin City Gateway grant funds allocated toward this event, there remains an available balance of
$505.23 which Council could discuss giving staff direction to reallocate this amount toward Ribfest
(Council previously gave authority to allocate $5,000 toward Ribfest), or discuss other options.
Regarding lessons learned, Staff met internally to discuss their takeaways from the event from a
planning and execution standpoint. The following recaps those comments:
•
•
•

Ensure that any future event of this scale is held when seasonals are on staff as site preparation
and set up requires a lot of manpower
Begin setting up what can be set up, earlier (at least one if not even two days prior to event)
Keep the fields “open” for a few days prior to an event (no practices or games should take place)
Page 1 of 2

•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

If offering water, advertise it
Get six seater golf carts (if offering shuttling and using golf carts)
Use Broadway Tent and Event rentals again, they were great
Have more bouncie houses/inflatables (we had 3) if an event of this scale
Revisit trash can/recycling can placement. These were too spread out and should be done in
“clusters”
If an event is held at Cummings Park again, due to topography, make sure there are a couple of
portapotties in the lower portion of the grounds
Handwashing stations – function/refilling
Order more glow necklaces event is in evening

Attachments
Attachment A: 75th Anniversary Event Funding spreadsheet

Page 2 of 2

75th Anniversary Celebration
EVENT FUNDING
Sponsorships
Twin Cities Gateway ($12,500 in 2025 and $14,021.98 in 2026)
TOTAL DOLLARS AVAILABLE FOR EVENT
Sponsorship Funds
Bands & Entertainment (Band, Electric/Energy, A/V, Stage)
Safety & Security & Grounds (OnSite-Portable Toilets/Handwashing/Barricades: Broadway-Tents/Tables/ChairsGarbage
Cans: Walters-Recycling Cans)
Kids Activities (Bounce Houses/Inflatables, Face Painting, Balloon Artist, Mini Golf, Princess Party Pals, KidsDance)
Food Trucks (all exceeded their minimum sales requirement)
Swag Sponsorships (magnets, necklaces, towels, popping cubes, trophies) City logo only
Beer
Volunteer T-Shirts
Advertising (Peach Jar, Google Ads, FB ads, Patch, Instagram)
Water
Signage lamination
RCSO Deputies and K9 officer
Golf Cart Rental (2)
Drone Light Show
A Frames 24 x 36 (6)
Do Not Cross Tape (drone show)/ Foam Boards (historical displays)/Sign Supplies (drone show/parking)
Sticky Wall (kids drawings)
Easels (historical display)
Sidewalk chalk for kids chalk station
First Aid Supplies
Total
Total sponsorship dollars remaining
Twin Cities Gateway Grant Funds
Drone show ($12,500 from 2025 funds and $2,500 from 2026 funds)
TCG logoed swag (2026 funds)
Marketing/advertising promo banners and yard signs (2026 funds)
SV Press Spread
Nine North Video (2026 funds)
Total
Total TC Gateway dollars remaining
GRAND TOTAL SPENT ON EVENT

Attachment A
Total
$45,300.00
$26,521.98
$71,821.98
Total
$10,938.50
$10,046.35
$9,634.78
$0.00
$1,969.80
$1,755.00
$792.00
$1,105.41
$459.00
$207.00
$0.00
$845.00
$6,000.00
$591.81
$395.98
$137.98
$189.90
$167.03
$58.55
$45,294.09
$5.91
Total
$15,000.00
$6,995.00
$1,440.25
$799.00
$1,782.50
$26,016.75
$505.23
$71,310.84

AGENDA ITEMS – 3C

MEMORANDUM
DATE:

August 24, 2026

TO:

Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers

FROM:

Jessica Jagoe, City Administrator

SUBJECT:

Personnel Committee Policy Discussion

Budgeted Amount:
N/A

Actual Amount:
N/A

Funding Source:
N/A

Council Should Consider
Council should review the Hiring and Termination Policy and discuss the role of the Personnel
Committee and process for personnel decisions along with providing a recommendation/direction on
personnel related matters to the full City Council.
Background
On February 12, 2018, the City Council approved the Hiring and Termination Policy (Attachment A)
as it relates to all positions within the City (i.e. exempt, non-exempt, seasonal, part-time, full-time). In
review of the 2018 materials, the City Council had previously given direction to bring forward a
written policy regarding the hiring, discipline, and termination procedures for non-salaried (nonexempt), budgeted employees that would delegate the hiring, discipline, and termination authority to
the City Administrator for day-to-day operations with the City Council ultimately approving the given
actions. During the January 2018 work session discussion, the City Council gave direction to delegate
that authority only in regard to seasonal employees, and have decisions regarding part-time and fulltime employees be brought to the Personnel Committee and City Council for direction and approvals.
Staff has included the February 12th City Council memo as Attachment B.
In the agenda memo for recruitment of vacant positions, staff includes a summary of the anticipated
hiring process.
Example of Recruitment Memo Anticipated process:
• Council approves authorization to begin the recruitment process
• Staff posts for the position
• Staff reviews applications and selects interview candidates and selects a finalist
• Staff will bring forward a finalist for official Council approval
Page 1 of 3

Typically, the variation in the process has occurred with Director level positions when the City Council
interviews the final candidate(s) as part of the hiring process. Additionally, in the most recent memo
for recruitment of the Finance Director position, staff noted a consideration for Council could be
conducting a work-related assessment on a potential finalist as part of the recruitment process. Council
chose not to pursue that route at the onset, but later directed staff to proceed with the assessment prior
to selection of a finalist. Another example, more recently with the hiring of the Parks and Recreation
Manager, staff recommended two candidates to the Personnel Committee which led to a second round
of interviews with the City Council for a non-Director level position.
At their August 5th meeting, the Personnel Committee discussed the Hiring and Termination Policy.
The current policy does not identify the role of the Personnel Committee in the hiring and termination
process versus the City Council, but rather states other than the hiring of seasonal employees that all
other personnel decisions must be first brought forward to the Personnel Committee and the full City
Council for direction and formal approvals, unless otherwise directed by the City Council. The hiring
process should be adaptable to the candidate pool, but in a few recent instances the process has not
been consistent resulting in additional demand for staff and/or an extended timeframe for candidates
participating in the interviewing process and duration of vacancy for the City.
The Personnel Committee reviewed topics that may help streamline the process and felt this discussion
should be brought forward to the full Council. Below are a few topics for Council consideration:
• Who is involved in the interview process (i.e. City staff, City Administrator, Personnel
Committee, a member of City Council, or full Council) at what level position (i.e.
nonsupervisory, supervisory, Directors)?
• Is the role of the Personnel Committee to make a recommendation to the full City Council
regarding hiring decisions that do not involve the full Council as part of the interview process?
• In instances when the Personnel Committee receives a recommendation from staff and
determines another round of interviews is needed, should the Personnel Committee participate
as part of the interview panel or the full Council?
• Should employment applications be reviewed by the Personnel Committee and/or the full
Council as part of the hiring process? Other considerations:
o all employment applications, applicants interviewed, or finalist(s)?
 The City Attorney has confirmed which applications may be reviewed by the
Personnel Committee and/or the full Council depends on how the policy is
written and what is stated in the recruitment memo. Future language would
match Council direction given during this discussion.
o preferred handling if a Councilmember requests to receive the application materials?
At this stage of review, staff has not requested the City Attorney provide specific recommendations on
policy language. However, some of the topics above have risen from questions raised by their office
during discussions more recently in the hiring process.
Additionally, staff is in the process of surveying adjacent communities with a City Administrator to
review their policies for roles and responsibilities of the Personnel Committee. The City does not have
a formal policy governing the members, role, or overall scope of the Personnel Committee. As part of
this discussion, the Council should discuss and provide direction on whether this should be formalized.
Types of items they are currently involved with and/or could be considered include:

Page 2 of 3

•
•
•
•
•

Review and provide recommendations to the City Council regarding personnel policies,
handbooks, organizational procedures, and employee benefit offerings.
Review proposed position descriptions, classifications, and compensation structures before
Council consideration.
Review staff conduct investigation findings and recommend disciplinary actions as needed.
Union labor agreement negotiations
Serve as an advisory forum for discussion of employee relations, recruitment, and retention.

Budget Impact
N/A
Attachment
Attachment A: Hiring and Termination Policy
Attachment B: February 2018 Memo

Page 3 of 3

Attachment A

CITY OF ARDEN HILLS
HIRING AND TERMINATION AUTHORITY
This document will establish a process for the hiring and termination of employees and the
City Administrator, Personnel Committee, and City Council’ s respective roles in that
process.
The City of Arden Hills is organized as a “ Statutory A” City, meaning all personnel
decisions must be ultimately approved by the City Council.
To ensure efficiency in operations and timely decision making, the City Council hereby
authorizes the City Administrator to undertake the selection process and make hiring,
decisions for seasonal employment positions that have been budgeted for in the current
budget year, and to implement employee evaluation, discipline and/ or termination decisions.
All other personnel decisions must be first brought forward to the Personnel Committee and
the full City Council for direction and formal approvals, unless otherwise directed by the
City Council.
It is expected the City Administrator will keep the Personnel Committee informed on
relevant personnel issues, and will defer decisions per the Personnel Committee’ s, or City
Council’ s, request or direction.
Purpose
By instituting this procedure, it will help ensure City operations continue with fewer
disruptions, and aid in making sure positions are filled in a timely manner. Furthermore, it
outlines the roles of the City Administrator, Personnel Committee, and City Council in the
hiring, employee evaluation and termination process.

Attachment B
CONSENT ITEM –6B

MEMORANDUM
DATE:

February 12, 2018

TO:

Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers

FROM:

Dave Perrault, City Administrator

SUBJECT:

Hiring and Termination Policy

Budgeted Amount:
N/A

Actual Amount:
N/A

Funding Source:
N/A

Council Should Consider
The Council should consider approving the attached policy or provide further direction.
Background
The City Council had previously given direction to bring forward a written policy regarding the
hiring, discipline, and termination procedures for non-salaried (non-exempt), budgeted
employees with the City of Arden Hills. The intent was to delegate the hiring, discipline, and
termination authority to the City Administrator for day-to-day operations with the City Council
ultimately approving the given actions.
The City Council then gave direction at the January 16, 2018 Work Session to delegate the above
authority only in regards to seasonal employees, and have decisions regarding part-time and fulltime employees be brought to the Personnel Committee and City Council for direction and
approvals. The attached policy includes those revisions, and has been reviewed by and is
supported by the City Attorney and the Personnel Committee.
Attachment
Attachment A: Hiring and Termination Policy

AGENDA ITEMS – 3D

MEMORANDUM
DATE:

August 24, 2026

TO:

Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers

FROM:

Jessica Jagoe, City Administrator

SUBJECT:

Immigration Enforcement Discussion

Budgeted Amount:
N/A

Actual Amount:
N/A

Funding Source:
N/A

Council Should Consider
Council should discuss the topic area below and provide direction to Staff on next steps.
Background
At the February 9th Work Session, the City Council requested a recurring work session agenda item to
allow for discussion on topics related to immigration enforcement. Subsequently at the July 13th Work
Session, Staff received feedback and direction from Council on the draft ordinance language for Use of
City Property. A draft ordinance will be brought forward to a future regular meeting for adoption.
Below is the remaining topic that Council requested be brought back for discussion by the City
Council related to immigration enforcement.
• Sharing of Data and Access to City Buildings Policy
o Based on City Council direction at the March 9th and May 11th Work Sessions, staff will
be preparing a policy that will be brought forward to a future work session for
consideration.
Additionally, Council may discuss any particular topic(s) that should be brought forward under this
agenda item for future discussion.
Budget Impact
N/A
Attachment
N/A
Page 1 of 1

AGENDA ITEM – 3E

MEMORANDUM
DATE:

August 24, 2026

TO:

Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers

FROM:

Jessica Jagoe, City Administrator

SUBJECT:

Rice Creek Commons/TCAAP Discussion

Budgeted Amount:
N/A

Actual Amount:
N/A

Funding Source:
N/A

For Council Consideration
Council will have the opportunity to comment on any TCAAP related items they so choose.
Background
N/A
Budget Impact
N/A
Attachment
N/A

Page 1 of 1

AGENDA ITEM – 3F

MEMORANDUM
DATE:

August 24, 2026

TO:

Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers

FROM:

Jessica Jagoe, City Administrator

SUBJECT:

Agenda Planning

Budgeted Amount:
N/A

Actual Amount:
N/A

Funding Source:
N/A

Council Should Consider
Council should discuss its next Work Session agenda.
Background
Per Council’s adopted policy on agenda setting, please find the proposed agenda below for the
upcoming meeting.
September 14th Work Session
• 2027 Operating Budget Discussion
• Immigration Discussion
• Agenda Planning (time sensitive)
• RCC/TCAAP Discussion
September 21st Special Work Session
• 2027 CIP and Operating Budget Discussion
September 28th Work Session
• Communications Plan Assessment Discussion
• Committee/Commission Work Plans
• Immigration Discussion
• Agenda Planning (time sensitive)
• RCC/TCAAP Discussion

Page 1 of 2

Attachment A is the list of topics that have yet to be discussed by Council and the ranking of
priority topics. Staff will begin to work on the higher priority items into upcoming Work
Sessions sooner while putting the lower priority items to later discussions. Please note, this does
not reflect all items at Work Sessions as Staff will have necessary items for discussion, such as,
budget discussions, concept plan reviews, or Public Works projects that need timely direction.
Council may want to discuss whether any items need to be added to this list for future discussion
or assign a future meeting for some of these items. This would need to be done by a majority
consensus of Council.
Below is a running list of things Staff brings forward to Work Session annually, in recent years,
we have shifted away from bringing some items forward unless needed, such as, the Pavement
Management Update from Public Works. Note, these timelines may shift year to year. Most
items discussed at Work Sessions are one-off items that may require multiple meetings but are
usually not recurring.
• January
o Legislative priorities
• February
o None
• March
o Initial guidance on current year Public Works projects
• April
o None
• May
o None
• June
o None
• July
o Capital improvement planning
• August
o Operating budgets
• September
o Operating budget and levy discussion
o Committee/Commission Work Plans
• October
o None
• November
o City-wide budget and fee schedule
o Follow up on next year’s Public Works projects
• December
o Committee and commission appointments
Budget Impact
N/A
Attachment
Attachment A: Council Priorities
Attachment B: Agenda Setting Policy
Page 2 of 2

Attachment A
Topic for Consideration

Likely Responsible Department

Total

Average

Majority Next Steps

Short-term Rental Ordinance

CD/Admin

15

3.00

Council WS

Rental Licensing Program

CD/Admin

15

3.00

Council WS

Funding for Lake Johanna Boulevard Trail

PW/Fin

9

1.80

Council WS

Climate Action Plan

Admin

9

1.80

Council WS

Code of Conduct

Admin

8

1.60

Council WS

Encroachment Discussion (2025)/Adopt A Spot

PW

8

1.60

Staff Recommendation

Cannabis Discussion

CD/Admin

8

1.60

Council WS

Energy Audit

Admin

7

1.40

Staff Recommendation

Temporary Goats/Buckthorn

Admin

7

1.40

Staff Recommendation

Buy Nothing Day/Clean Up Day

Admin

6

1.20

Staff Recommendation

Community Survey

Admin

6

1.20

Council WS

Committee/Commission Liaison Role Policy

Admin

5

1.00

Council WS

EV Fleet Analysis

PW

5

1.00

Staff Recommendation

Added Items:
Data Center Moratorium
Lake Johanna Cold Plunge
Sponsorship Policy
E-Bike Regulations
Tree Removal Enforcement
Perry Park

Attachment B

CITY OF ARDEN HILLS
Agenda Setting Policy
The purpose of this policy is to establish a method for agenda setting that allows for Council to
review and have control over its agendas and decide as a Council how it wants items for
consideration to be brought forward.
For regular worksession agendas:
• Prior to concluding each regularly scheduled worksession, the City Council shall review
its next regularly scheduled worksession agenda and direct Staff on any changes.
• Should an individual Councilmember want to raise an item for discussion at the next
meeting or in the future, they would do so during this review period. The item would
need at least one other Councilmember to agree to having the item considered for future
discussion, and then Council, by majority, would direct to have it placed on a future
agenda or not.
• Staff will have flexibility to add or remove items to the worksession as needed to
maintain operational efficacy.
For regular City Council meeting agendas:
• Agendas will be largely Staff driven based on approvals needed for normal operations.
• Items coming from the City Council shall first be discussed at a worksession and can
direct Staff at said worksession to bring items forward for formal approval if needed.
• In rare instances, if a Councilmember brings forward an item that needs approval prior to
going to a worksession, they may request the City Administrator add the item to the
agenda. The City Administrator shall have the discretion to determine if the issue should
be added or not, but Councilmembers will make every effort to having the item first
discussed at a worksession.
Special meetings and emergency meetings:
• Special meetings and emergency meetings may still be called at the discretion of the
Mayor or any two Councilmembers, and the members calling the meeting shall set the
agenda.