Call this meeting to order. I'll rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. Was there any changes to the agenda? There was, Mr. Mayor. We have one addition. Um, and that would be item D under action items. GCRE, Melrose LLC,
collateral assignment, consent, assignment, establish certificate. Okay. Unless there's anything else. Can I get a motion to approve the agenda? Second. All in favor say I. Opposed? Motion carried. We're on to open forum. I don't see anybody here.
We'll give a second. All right, we are on to the consent agenda. Approve the minutes, approval of the bills and purchase orders, approval of the investments. I did have one uh donation resolution number 2025-33, a donation from the Melrose Lions Club
on the 2023 pledge for the playground equipment in the Sock River Park. Just want to say thank you to the Lions for everything that they do for our community. It's very much appreciated. Um then there's a pay app 8 for the 2024 project monitor. There's two gambling
resolutions. Um, one for the Green Grove Rod and Gun Club and the Meows Fire Relief Association. Can I get a motion to approve? So move. Second. All in favor say I. I. Opposed? Motion's carried. Uh, we're on the reports. I know the chief is away on
assignments. So, we're just I do have Do you want to just Do you want me to read out his calls real quick? I can do that if you want me to. Yeah. A total of 13 traffic a total of 13 citations were written for the month of
June. Uh 42 were verbal warnings and four were written warnings. For the month of June they received two 242 requests for service. At this time last year they were at 296 calls or requests
for service. At the end of June 2024, they ended with ICR number 24201706. At the end of 25 June of 25, they are at 25001644. They receive 15 agency assist calls during the month of June as well.
Okay. All right. Community development director Sheila. So, the Planning and Zoning Commission will be holding four public hearings at their meeting on May 20 or on their meeting on July 28th. Uh, their recommendations are going to come to you
at your August meeting. The hearings include a preliminary plat for the Church of St. Mary's for residential lots for housing, two conditional use permits, one for a billboard and one for a parcel which has multiple tenants, and a variance for a house planned in Highlands on one of the new lots. Uh,
work continues on the comprehensive plan. The steering committee has met and reviewed the chapters as well as the planning and zoning commission. And on Thursday, July 10th, matter reviewed the future land use map and talked about potential growth areas. Work continues
on 406 Main Street East. Um I know some members have been able to go in there and tour. Woods and Irons is installing the golf simulators and they plan to open by mid August. The employees and members of Sterns Electric will begin utilizing their new headquarters in mid August with a public openhouse planned
for October. The bakery is finalizing their license with the state and uh we are really excited for people to get into the bakery and see all the changes they've made. It's really impressive the amount of work that they've done there. We've worked with a resident on a grant
application for some targeted brownfield assessment money. Uh it has been approved and gone to fall funding, which is going to be good. Just trying to help people out. Um again, one of our goals for the year was rehab and fixing up businesses and helping businesses kind
of assess what they have. And so we continue with that work. And then also I want to extend an invitation to the city's night to unite which is going to be on Wednesday, August 6th. It is regular farmers market plus. That's kind of how we tag it. Um, it's a night to
celebrate neighbors community. It's going to feature the first responders, fire, police, and ambulance. There's going to be live German music and then the Mexican dance group from the Twin Cities from last year is returning. This year, we are going to do the free desserts again. Uh, German chocolate cake and trace leche cake at the end of
the evening. So, we want to invite the entire community to come out for 19 night. Those dancers were magnificent last year. I I couldn't believe how great it was. excited to have him back. Yeah, we're excited to have him back this time without rain. Yes.
Yes, for sure. Thank you. Um, city engineer report again. I do have the report if you would like me. Uh, Dave is not able to be here. He is on vacation. However, the striping has been completed and was what the payup was that you paid this
evening. Um, Sterns County elected to pay for a parking line to be installed from Second Avenue East to 8th Avenue West as a result of the large number of residents that utilize the roadway for parking. This in this uh cost was entirely borne
by Sterns County. The project is tracking about 3% under the bid cost at this time. We expect that when it's done, it will be very close to the final cost. They're hoping that the final payment will be happen in August.
Highland Boulevard, the final workhorse was completed um the afternoon of July 10th. With that being done, the project is very close to completion. There was some um additional erosion that had to be placed and some other
things and so that was taken care of. Uh the 25 project has gotten off to a somewhat of a slow start, but as you can all tell because you were not able to get into our parking lot. Um it is now begun very much in earnest. So they're really working hard on that one.
We're hoping that um the parking lot itself and the sidewalk isn't going to take more than a few weeks here. We'll see where we end up, but we're really hoping that by the first or second week in August that the parking lot at least will be complete.
There is um additional segments that were found along 8th Street and so those are some minor deficiencies. So they those segments were added to the project. The contractor themselves are still looking at
approximately four weeks of construction for the project completion. And that concludes the city engineers report. All right. Well, then on to your report. So, uh, I want to kind of just dovetail into a couple things that Sheila talked
about. As she had mentioned, housing is one of our big strategies this year. And to that end, there were four four residents that were a awarded um the first round of funding through the Sterns County well the Sterns County Board of Commissioners, but it was the
Sterns County HR through their housing trust fund. Those applicants um had to be income qualifications and um they they will be receiving funding to be able to do cost improvements, you know, primarily weatherization types of
things. So, windows sighting, that type of thing. So, kind of those health and safety issues. So, that was exciting. We have the opportunity to have four of our residents take advantage of that program. And um the other thing I want to mention is next door uh Some Like It
Hot has opened its doors and so if you have not had a chance to go over there, um I strongly encourage you. Shauna and her crew are do do a really nice job and they have some really good food um obviously and some good coffee that type of thing. So I just wanted to mention
that as well. Um the other thing that is a concern is on well um as you head to out towards a wastewater plant. So as you're heading out of town towards Geneo, Google in their infinite wisdom thinks they're
smarter than everyone. And so what they do is because Willow Trucking goes back and forth between Geno, they have created and it's probably been there for quite a while. They have created 12th Street, not where 12 Street is, but literally through Willow's parking lot.
So out of town semi-D drivers that don't know our community, they just see that on Google Maps. And so they try and go and turn there, but they don't they're like, "Oh, it doesn't work." And so then they go to 11th or 10th, and those are residential neighborhoods. We've had
some issues. We had a semi um hit a fire hydrant. And so we did put up a no, you know, a no um through no through road. and we're getting other signs, but we want to put two blue we're working with the county to get the blue
signs that say Landanda Lakes and Proant on them so that um so that the semi-truckss will use the appropriate 12. So I don't know if you can see that we put some comments in there, several of us to say this isn't a road. So
anyway, I mean we're doing what we can on that. It's unfortunate. Um, we've let all the businesses out there know to keep working with their folks, but that's where we're at. So, I wanted to mention that we are very busy in the budget season. The the staff has met and
we've done a budget retreat with all the staff. We have uh received our well, our second installment of No, did we get our second installment at LGA? We got our first installment from the county for our funding. Um I don't know as we got
our LGA not yet. So we're still waiting on that but um we did get our money from the county and um our tiff reporting is done for the year. We do have you know that geno where that tiff project was that continues to have a really healthy
fund balance in terms of the administrative side. There is potentially a need to do some electrical work at Geno. So we may be using that funding for some of that. So, we pro we have to probably do some upgrades out there from what was done however many
years ago that was. I believe it was 18 or 19. Um, so that that's something that we're looking at. But, uh, the staff on that go going through budgets now. Uh, just a reminder that we're going to have our first budget retreat which will be right
before the regular council meeting. Ideally, I would like to start it at 4:30. Um, but if that doesn't work, five o'clock is fine. I know that there is some interest in having Jason Murray come and talk about TIFF. So, we we'll see if we can get him here. And then
also, I had asked the public utilities commission to be part of the first bit of that meeting. Um, and I don't know the rules, Patty, and we can talk the as far as direction goes. Can we move the regular council meeting back or do we have to keep it at
six? Okay. So then again, if we could start at 4:30, that would be awesome. We'll see. But um otherwise, we just do it as a work session some other time. And I know you guys are kind of opposed to that. So if you want, we can do a work
session, but um we'll probably send a poll out here in the next week or two, and then you can just let us know what your thoughts are. So that's happening as far as the budget goes. Um, and yeah, I think for now that's it. I have to apologize. I'm a little out of
the loop because I I was out of the office for a bit and so I'm just getting back into the swing of things. So, all right. Thanks everyone. No problem. We're on the action items. So, the first one is uh mortgage uh subordination. Uh, whoa.
On April 15th, 2024, the city and Carson's Industries entered into a development agreement. In that agreement, the city agreed to subordinate its interest to the lender providing construction financing on the condition that the lender agreed to assume completion of the improvements
while if there would be a foreclosure. But the FBA has provided a new subordination for execution. Attorney Scott Demick reviewed the agreement. He stated that it does not include the requirement to complete the improvements, but it's okay because it
is complete. We have a certificate of occupancy. Now, um so this is just a blanket waiver of our priority in favor of the Small Business Administration. And so the action item we're requesting tonight is council to consider the mortgage subordination and authorize the
mayor and city clerk to execute it. Okay. Can I get a motion to approve? Move. Second. All in favor say I. I. opposed. Motion is carried. And there's that license agreement. So on August 3rd, 2024, when the tornado work touched down in Melrose, it caused
a significant amount of tree damage. And we worked really quickly that morning um to determine where to go with the brush and everything that happened. We used Riverview Road at the time, but because of the XL power line, the uh all
the debris that got dropped off couldn't be burned, and so it all had to be chipped and disposed of, which caused significant cost. Also ti kind of tying into this, the city staff for a long time has used the back part of the industrial park to drop
off the sweepings and all the things that they accumulate as part of the public works department. So in talking with mayors about setting up an established location for brush in case of a storm, we came across also the idea of also using mayors for city
maintenance throughout the year. So um Colleen and I met with Bob and Sean um to discuss an agreement which was put together by attorney Scott Demick. Um the agreement was in your packet. It allows for city staff to use the pit on
an ongoing basis throughout the year, but then it would kick in on emergency basis if needed for residents. There's certain terms in there about um if there any signage is needed. The city would have to put signage because we really want to make sure that residents go to the right place
because this is an operating business for for mayors. Um there were a couple other terms in there. Um right now in terms of dust control for that road we would share in the cost with mayors um Bob is here
tonight um to address any questions you have on the agreement but it is something we've been working toward ever since the storm. Okay. The one thing I have um that I just want to publicly do is and and we will
treat mayors you know really good on this one. If there's anything on us, we take care of it, right? Nothing that you know, we want to make sure, Bob, if we need it, we want to make sure that we take care of what we do. Um, everything look good in there for you, too, if you
know. Okay. Yeah, because I just want to make sure we don't have any miscommunication with anything with our attorneys. Um, because we appreciate you letting us do that, especially with the to with the storm. That was it was just it was a crazy day for all of us. Um, I think Bob
and I have been through this a couple times already. So, and you know, you know it too, Sheila. So, I just want to make sure that we do it right and treat mayors with with great respect on this. There was an entry for cameras if needed, right? If it was ever abused or something. Yeah, we could probably look at
something like that. I I'm not sure. I I don't know if you guys have cameras out there or not, Bob. But it said there was and I think it was our responsibility if that was discussed in the contract. Yep. Yeah. Yeah, we'd have to I don't know if it
would be deer cameras or what. We'd have to look at that, but yeah, for sure. I think the bigger concern is not necessarily our folks. It's being very clear with the public when they Yeah, that's that would be my concern is the public being um courteous to to the
situation. uh just because of you know even we had a concern with Riverfest you know with people climbing on equipment of of people's stuff on property for a medallion hunt and they're not supposed to be on these
properties. So yeah, just liability and stuff. We're we're making sure that we are taking care of it. Just want to make sure everything's good. So that's good. That's what I wanted to make sure. Was there ever a talk to expand to uh residents, too? Because I know I've
brought this up to you many times, Joe, before I was on the council. That's one thing as a in the city I'd really like to see as a place, especially in the spring and fall, to dump my grass clippings. Yeah. And that I know that's very hard because that's a wellhead protection.
And and we have to be very critical. Understood. you know, and and and I think in our our contract with waste management, I think that might be something we should check because I know they're supposed to take so much. And I don't remember if it's changed a lot when when Beckers, but I remember Beckers, even in storms, as
long as you had it broken down to a certain, they will take it. So, you got to have it in a bin. And I you got one or two bins in the spring and fall when you're doing leaves. It's just those two time. It's not a huge deal. It's just correct. So, and maybe that's might be something that we should put in our
flyers to let people know what certain things spring and fall. You know, I have two bins. You can have up to two bins for free from waste man or I'm sorry, um, with our central west central. So, um, I know that there's a couple times I put stuff in bags and then I just put it
in the next week, you know, just to save the cost and stuff, but I just know with us with our land, we have to be very careful with our wellhead protection. um because we supply so much water in our community. So, understood. Yep.
But all right. So, the action item tonight is council to consider a license agreement with Mayor's Excavating for the use of the pit. So, move. Second. All in favor say I. I. Opposed. Motion is carried. On the C. It will be for an ambulance
training officer hire. Yep. So, there was interviews that were conducted. Gina Edgar, Doris Reland, Nick Guzzek, and Gwen Shaw were part of those interview. They were the interview panel and this was to hire the ambulance training officer.
Um this um Sentina Love Lace has served in that capacity. Uh it is a four-year term and when we kind of set the officers up, the idea was that, you know, it give everyone kind of an opportunity to look at this. So there actually were three
applications. They interviewed all three. Um, one was Santina, one was Jordan um, Albbright and then one was Melissa Welli. And they are unanimously bringing forward the recommendation that the council consider approving the hiring of
Melissa Welli as the Melro's ambulance department training officer effective as of 72725. Can I get a motion to approve? Second. All in favor say I. I. Oppos. Motion carried her on the D. Um GC re Melrose LLC collaborative
assignment consent to assessment uh stop certificate. Yes, this was the addition to your agenda tonight. Um so Granite City uh has completed construction of Wabagon Crossings. They are now shifting from a construction loan to long-term financing. This is really the same thing
that Carson's Industries did a couple of agenda items ago. The attorney representing their lender has provided documents for execution by the city to finalize the financing package. Uh new city attorney Joe Krueger of Kunliv and Hughes has reviewed the documents and found them to be satisfactory. The
assignment of the tiff agreement is allowed in the development agreement and the tiff note and the tiff note you finalized at last month's meeting. MATA is looking at having a special meeting next week to approve the same documents. U Matt is being included because originally Matta owned this land and so
uh Freddy Mack is requiring MATA to also sign off. So the action item tonight is council to consider the assignment consent to assignment and a stople certificate and authorize the mayor and city clerk to execute the documents. All right. Can I get a motion to approve?
So move second. All in favor say I. I motion carried. Um there's no old business, no new business. There's someformational informationational items. Uh public utility commission meeting minutes, schools conferences, um city clerk license coordination
recognition for Patty for being here for so many years. We appreciate you being here, Patty. Um also we had uh two streets workers, Keith Duber just completed his 10 years of service and also uh Bill Rean is 25 years of service. I'd just like to say thank you
to all of you for being with us and helping our community grow. So with everything else, can I get a motion to adjurnn? So move. Second. All in favor say I. I. Oppos. Motion carried. Meeting is adjourned.