The Cottage Grove City Council met Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 7:00 p.m. in the St. Croix Room at city hall.
Among the night’s agenda items was the swearing in of several local law enforcement officers, a proclamation of February as Black History Month, public comment on ICE and the HERO Center, and the designation of Cedarhurst and nearby Gardener’s Cottage to the City’s Historic Register.
Starting the evening’s presentations after public comment was a badge and swearing in ceremony for several Cottage Grove Public Safety officers, including officers Rebecca Dsiki, Timothy Gunderson, and Ryan Sheak.
Cottage Grove Public Safety Director Pete Koerner gave remarks prior to the swearing-in ceremony.
“We have three new officers that we’re going to introduce to you tonight but they’ve been with us for a year now,” he said. “With that there is an extended hiring process. We did the psychological and background checks, and then once they’re hired by us they went through an academy with our department for a couple of weeks. Then a 12 week field training. They have been sworn in officially, this is more a chance for them to be in front of their family and fiends. We don’t take this for granted…We’ve never really talked about authority. It’s more about responsibility, integrity, ethics, all of that, and that’s what our badge does represent when we talk about that vision.”
With that it was time for the swearing-in ceremony, with Cottage Grove Administrator Jennifer Levitt administering the oath to each.
As for the background of each officer, Officer Dsiki is a Cottage Grove native and Park High graduate, with 13 years of experience in healthcare before switching to law enforcement, starting with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and primarily at Newport.
Officer Gunderson meanwhile grew up in Mahtomedi and attended Alexandria Technical and Community College to pursue his dream of law enforcement, spending several years with Washington County before being hired by Cottage Grove in January 2025.
Officer Sheak comes to Cottage Grove after serving White Bear Lake for nine years, also his hometown. Before transitioning to law enforcement Sheak spent a decade in the corporate world, now excited to protect and serve the community where he and his wife are raising three children.
Also covered Wednesday was a proclamation of February as Black History Month, the proclamation read by Council Member Justin Olsen.
“As noted this is a proclamation recognizing February 2026 as Black History Month in the city of Cottage Grove,” Olsen said. “The proclamation reads as follows.
“Whereas Black History Month is a time to reflect upon, honor, and celebrate the valuable contributions of African Americans throughout history, and the ongoing effort to promote equity, justice, and freedom, and
“Whereas in 1926 Doctor Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard scholar, established the observance of African American history, to reveal the contributions, achievements, and involvement of African American people in the development of our American democracy, and
“Whereas African Americans have played a vital role in shaping the cultural, economic, and social fabric of the United States, enriching our communities with their resilience, strength, and achievements in every field, and
“Whereas Minnesota is home to many prominent black trailblazers including Dr. Robert S. Brown, the first black doctor from Minnesota, Lena Smith, Minnesota’s first black woman lawyer, Neva Walker, the first black woman elected to the Minnesota Legislature, and
“Whereas the city of Cottage Grove remains committed to acknowledging the generations of African Americans who struggled against adversity, injustice, and discrimination, in order to achieve equal rights in American society, and
“Whereas Black History Month calls our attention to the continued need to battle racism and build a society that lives up to its democratic ideals, we must reflect on our collective past, review its impact on present conditions, and implement equitable solutions for a more just future, and
“Whereas the city of Cottage Grove is proud to honor the history and contributions of African Americans in our community, throughout the state and nation,
“Now, therefore, the mayor and city council of the city of Cottage Grove, County of Washington, State of Minnesota, hereby proclaim February 2026 as Black History Month, passed this the fourth day of February 2026, and signed by Mayor Myron Bailey.”
The proclamation as read was adopted unanimously by the city council, with motion made by Council Member Olsen and seconded by Council Member Monique Garza.
Contained in consent following proclamation was an ambulance purchase to arrive in 2027 as well as fourth quarter donations related to the Hometown Holiday celebration. The ambulance purchase is being made now due to the length of time from order to delivery, while Holiday donations as highlighted Wednesday include Stantec for $2,400, another $500 from LeVander, Gillen, and Miller, $2,000 from Bolton and Menk, and $200 from Sagent Behaviorial Health.
Prior to the swearing in of local public safety officers and proclamation of Black History Month meanwhile was public comment, where several resident took time to speak on the actions of federal law enforcement and ICE (standing for Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in the community.
Among those speaking was Cottage Grove native John Leichardt, now of Hopkins. Stating that he was speaking in a personal capacity and not as a representative of any government, Leichardt asked the city to terminate its contract with ICE in regards to the HERO Center.
“Which is more important?” he asked. “Eliminating a small revenue stream, or sending a clear message to the federal government that the unconstitutional and despicable things that they are doing with immigration enforcement aren’t acceptable to Cottage Grove, Minnesota, and our country? Thank you.”
Leichardt was followed by Nick Thorson, a 30-year resident of Cottage Grove, who asked a question of the council.
“My question is actually to the mayor and the council. What steps has the city taken, if any, to local immigrant communities and other groups, to understand their concerns and ensure that they are heard by city leadership? And with that I yield my time.”
Thank you,” Mayor Myron Bailey said. “I can just share as you’re going back that we are doing that but we’ll send you the information of what we’re doing and our public safety department is doing a phenomenal job of reaching out to our minority community here in Cottage Grove, along with myself.”
Thorson was followed by Jacob Stonesifer, who brought up the HERO Center’s governing board.
“That board was set up to uphold the major interests of both cities,” he said. “I understand that cutting one federal contract would put the others at risk and that would be a burden to the city. I’ve asked a few times in those that we are provided what specific number that would be.” Knowing the number would help determine risk to the city for eliminating the contract with ICE.
“I do believe the city and the residents have to have that in front of them before they make any big decisions like this,” he said. Recognizing it as an asset Stonesifer said that the HERO Center situation also reflected on the reputation of law enforcement and that measures needed to be taken for protection of reputation.
“I think the behavior that we’ve seen and that as a city we should take thought that outside cities that have poor training standards, that do not meet or match the reputation of the HERO Center should be taken into effect.” Stonesifer said the city was at risk of vandalism as well, and that this needed to be taken into account given the small budget as law enforcement was called to respond.
Closing out public comment was a resident named Amber from Ironwood Avenue, not sharing her last name.
“I came here today because we have seen an increase of ICE agents in our community,” she said. “I feel like there has been a dismantling of the local authorities ability to protect and serve our communities. Constitutional rights are being egregiously violated by ICE and we have every right to be angry that our local governments aren’t allowed to stop the federal agents who have not been properly vetted or trained from barreling through our streets and acting on impunity with the authority they have as if they are above the law. We’re seeing agents in rental cars, with faces masked, and they’re kidnapping people off the streets, because they’re getting away with it.
This is not a hypothetical concern. It wasn’t very long ago that we saw first hand the ultimate cost of anonymous policing, when Speaker Melissa Hortman was murdered by a man impersonating a police officer. He was hiding in a mask and a fake badge and a car that was altered to look like an undercover police car…the assassination of Melissa Hortman and her husband by a gunman is exactly why the distinction between undercover and public safety is a matter of life and death. Right now you’re allowing ICE and CBP (Customs and Border Control) to use those same tactics. They are hiding behind masks and blacked out windshields and covering their license plates…By letting ICE and CBP use these tactics you’re creating a safety gap. If a citizen can’t see through and can’t see a face they have to assume it’s a threat. When people cannot tell the difference between a federal agent and a radicalized gunmen because both are masked or disguising themselves by driving unmarked rentals while obscuring their plates, the city has a moral and legal obligation to act.”
Pertinent laws regarding this included Minnesota Statute 169.71(4), 169.71(6).
“If a citizen did this they’d be in handcuffs, so why are local police standing by while federal agents do it to facilitate evil?” she asked. “I came to ask that you make an executive order to ban ICE and CBP from our parks and our city streets, and parks, and parking lots, and that our police start stopping these cars that have blacked out windshields and missing license plates and ticketing them like they would us. Minneapolis just did this and so we know that it is possible because the Minneapolis mayor, Minneapolis and St. Paul among other cities that have joined their coalition, that they’re inviting other cities to join as well, have already made it so that they not allowed to state in parks or city parking lots.”
Closing out the night’s agenda was an application from event business Bellagala to have the Cedarhurst Mansion and Gardener’s Cottage designated in the Cottage Grove Register of Historic Sites and Landmarks. The Mansion and Gardener’s Cottage have been on the National Register since 1978, with conditions for nomination to the city register are found in Title 2 Chapter 2 of the City Code. Included among these are demonstration of character, interest or value as part of the city and cultural heritage of the city, state, or United States, association with persons or events that have made a significant cultural contribution to the heritage of the City, and embodiment of distinguishing characteristics of architectural type or style, or elements of design, detail materials or craftsmanship. Should these be met the property nomination must then be reviewed by the city’s Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and have a public hearing.
These requirements met with Cedarhurst and the Gardener’s Cottage, the Council voting unanimously to add them to the city’s historic register following a presentation and public hearing by city planner Max Erickson, motion made by Council Member Olsen and seconded by Council Member Garza.