Vadnais Heights · Reverse Referendum Petition
It’s Time to Let
Vadnais Heights Vote.
The City Council approved $54.5 million in debt for a new fire station without putting it to the voters. Residents filed a petition for a public vote, and on June 16, 2026 the Council rescinded the bond. That is what organized neighbors can do.
✓ 1,913 signatures filed June 15 · ✓ $54.5M bond rescinded June 16 · ✓ petition verified sufficient
A win, not the finish line. The city has said it intends to bring the fire station back. A decision this size deserves plain-language facts and a public vote, not just a line buried in a bond document. We will be watching, and ready.
See What the Bond Would Cost$54.5 million total · $21.2 million of it interest · about $7,800 per home
The Story So Far
How a $54.5 million bond became a rescinded bond, step by step, with the city’s decisions and the residents’ response side by side.
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A city study prices a new station at $17M–$19M
The city’s own facility study (BKV Group) puts a new 26,800 sf South station at $17 to $19 million in total project cost.
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The design grows to $23M–$28M
A council workshop reviews fire-station designs and financing at $23M, $25M, and $28M scope tiers, well above the 2023 estimate.
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Council approves a $33.3M bond ($54.5M with interest)
After a public hearing, the City Council approves borrowing about $33.3 million for the fire station, up again from the January estimates, without putting it to the voters. With interest over 21 years, the total taxpayer obligation reaches $54.5 million.
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Neighbors launch a petition
Residents start a reverse-referendum petition and letvhvote.com, asking that a decision this size go on the ballot.
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City hires a law firm and a PR firm
The Council retains outside legal counsel (Flaherty & Hood) and a public-relations firm (Rapp Strategies) ahead of the petition.
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1,913 signatures filed
Let VH Vote files 396 pages with 1,913 signatures with the City Clerk, well above the threshold to force a public vote.
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Council rescinds the bond
The day after the filing, the Council rescinds the $54.5 million bond resolution and says it intends to revisit the project and explain it better.
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City confirms the petition was sufficient
In writing, the City Clerk verifies the petition met the legal requirements with more than the required valid signatures. Because the bond was already rescinded, there is no ballot question, the petition did its job.
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Watching closely, and ready
The city says a revised project may come back after a round of community engagement. We are watching what the city does next closely. If a bond of this size returns, residents can petition again. Get updates by email.
What Happens Next
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1
The bond is off the table
On June 16 the Council rescinded the $54.5 million resolution. These bonds cannot be issued unless the city starts the process over.
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2
The city regroups
The Council has said it intends to revisit the fire station and to work on explaining it to residents. Expect a revised plan to come back.
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3
If it returns, so can we
Any new bond of this size reopens residents’ right to petition for a public vote. A decision this large belongs on the ballot, and we’ll be ready.
Want the full cost case behind all of this? See what the bond would have cost →
Get updates by email
We are watching the city’s next move. Leave your email and we will tell you when the petition is certified and if a bond of this size comes back. Just this effort, no spam, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
This isn’t over.
Residents pushed a $54.5 million bond off the table. If a decision this size comes back, it belongs on the ballot, not buried in a finance report.
See the Full Cost BreakdownA full breakdown of the $54.5 million bond, sourced from the city’s Ehlers Pre-Sale Report.