Good afternoon. It is 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4th, 2026. We'll call the city council meeting of the city of New to order. The first item of business is the consent agenda. Councilors, what are your wishes? >> I so move. Second. Thank you. We have a motion and a second. Any further
discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. >> I. >> I. >> That motion does carry. Item 2.1 is a public hearing on vacation street right ofway. We have Mr. Schnebrick. Madame President, members of the city
council, uh we have received a petition uh to vacate 11th North Street from between North Front Street and the Dakota Minnesota Eastern Railroad right ofway.
The petitioner is Robert Berick. He is president of RBNU LLC. that particular firm owns the property on the north side of 11th North Street.
Um he is however is the only signator to the uh vacation petition and as a result he will assume responsibility for all related vacation costs.
Um if both the budding properties had signed the petition, the cost would have been split equally. Uh the owner of the property to the south is um Wells uh or Schaefer Well Company Incorporated
and since they did not sign the petition, they have no responsibility for any of the costs. They however do receive half of the vacation area if it's approved by the city council.
Uh the city charter requires an abuing property owner to petition for the vacation and Mr. Barnick's signature uh serves that purpose. The land area proposed for vacation totals approximately 13,200
square ft. Notice of the vacation request was provided to the three adjoining property owners um that about 11th North Street. Staff would recommend approval of the uh vacation for the
following reasons. One is that city and public utilities commission departments, local communication companies and abuing property owners have no objections to the vacation. Two, this segment of 11th
North Street has not been improved and serves no constructive purpose as a street. Three, there is an area in which street segments have been vacated with no adverse impact on the ability to
develop or access property. for the segment of 11th North Street from the DM [snorts] and Railroad to the to North Valley Street. So, we're on the other side of the railroad now, was previously vacated
and a residence is located on this property. uh conditions would be to pay or prepare a vacation plat and file the plat and authorizing resolution with the Brown
County Recorders Office. Two would be to pay the vacation approval fee of $1,810 and three would be to pay the application fee of $250. And that would conclude the staff
report. >> Thank you, Mr. Snow. The public hearing is open at this time. If anyone cares to be heard, please state your name and address for the record. >> I'm not Go ahead, Larry. >> I'm not seeing anybody coming forward to speak on this, and we've done this in
the past. So, I'm going to offer a motion to close the public hearing off of a resolution approving with conditions the vacated right away described as 11th North Street located between North Front Street and Dakota, Minnesota Eastern Railway Rightway. >> Second.
>> We do have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Um, I will abstain just because of Schaefer Company's uh involved in this as well. Um, Director Jordansson, please call the role. >> Councelor Christian, >> yes. >> Councelor Warma, >> yes. >> Councelor Schmidz,
>> yes. >> And councelor Mack, >> yes. >> That motion does carry. Item [snorts] 3.1 is reports from commissioner or from officers, boards, and commissions. Well, I can just add uh our sister cities exchange student is finally here.
He got here last Monday. He started his uh job at the New Country Club. >> We did these reports last meeting. The only thing on this is the ordinance. >> Oh. >> Oh. >> Well, there we go. Um so I guess ordinance number 2026-TBD uh first consideration amending appendix
A of the city code. I'll make the motion to conduct the first consideration of ordinance number 2026-TBD amending appendix A to the new M city code to amend the R3 medium density residential district development standards. >> Second.
>> We do have a motion and a second. Any additional discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. I. >> I. >> That motion does carry. Uh but thank you for your update, Council Mac. >> Sure. [laughter] Um, under um, new business item 4.1 is the 2026 sale of
series 2026 bonds. Do I do I start? Nicole, did you have anything to say? D, you just want me to start? >> Just go ahead. >> Okay, great. [laughter] Sorry. Madam President, members of the council, uh, thanks so much for having me here. My name is Heather Caspersonson. I'm with PFM financial adviserss. We are the municipal adviser to the city and my
predecessor uh now retired Jermeister is in the audience. Um so the you should have in your packets a memo outlining the results from the sale this morning. We had bids come in at 10:00 and um the
original par amount of the bonds was 2,280,000 and eight bids were received this morning for the bonds um which is fantastic. There is a uh 32 basis point difference between the best bid received
and the highest bid received. Um these bids are reflective of the city's AA2 Moody's rating. The low bid is TD Financial Products LLC and the yields that they submitted this morning are
indicative of the A2 rating as well as current market rates. After the bids were taken, we resized the bond issue so that we make sure that you only get the amount of money that you need to finance the projects. And based on the bid received, we were able
to reduce that par amount from that 2,280,000 to 2,50,000. And therefore, the price that the purchaser will pay changed to 2,212,125.18. And the true interest rate also was
modified slightly to 3.419%. So, it would be our recommendation that the city pass a resolution that is before you to uh accept the low bid from TD Financial Products and authorize any further action in connection with the
issuance of this bond issue. I'm happy to answer any questions. >> Thank you, Miss Caspersonson. >> Uh just a repeat now. So, it's not the 228, it's >> 2.050 2,ion50,000.
I'll offer a resolution authorizing the issuance awarding the sale and fixing the form and details for $2,50,000 general obligation bond series 2026 and authorize the mayor and finance director to execute the bond documents on behalf
of the city of NOM to finance various municipal street alley and airport improvements. >> Second. >> Do have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? >> Would just like to wish you well in your retirement and thank you for your many years of service to our city and welcome. to you, Miss Caspersonson, as
well. Thank you. Um, any additional discussion? Director Jorgensson, please call the role. >> Councelor Christian, yes. >> Councelor Wormka, yes. >> Councelor Schmidz, yes. >> Councelor Mack, >> yes. >> President Becker, >> yes. That motion does carry. Thank you. Moving on to 4.2 is our Moody's investor
service bond rating. >> Okay, great. Um, as was mentioned in the in the memo, the the city did have a conversation with Moody's Investor Service in preparation for this bond issue and Moody's did affirm the A2 rating on the outstanding debt in
addition to the bonds that were just awarded by resolution. So, the A2 rating is the third highest rating that Moody's offers and and that puts the city of New in a in a select group of Minnesota issuers. It is a very
high credit rating and highlighted in their report were the city's strong financial reserves, growing revenues and stable management debt burden. Uh also this signaling to the market that the city of New Alm is a very strong credit and ultimately that translates into
lower borrowing costs and as you saw with the bond issue also very uh high interest from a lot of members of the underwriting community. I would like to point out that when we had the conversation um the city manager, finance director and your economic development director all participated in
that discussion and they really did a fantastic job presenting the financial discipline of the city. Uh I will also stand for questions if you have any. Madame President and counselors, I'd like to make a motion to receive notification that Moody's Investor
Services has assigned a double A2 bond rating to the city of New Alm general obligation bond series 2026. Second. >> Thank you. We do have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? >> Just a thank you from council and staff. Excellent. Keep that reading up there.
Thank you. >> Thank you. Any additional discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. I. >> Any opposed? That motion does carry. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Heather. Thanks, John. >> Thank you, John. Item 4.3 is the 2027
MSAS improvement project. >> Madam President, city councilors, setting the date for this uh 2027 MSAS improvement project is the next step uh in the project delivery schedule. Um just some quick uh background, uh cities
contracted with to deliver this project. Uh we conducted a public open house and some public feedback on the roadway layouts and and designs for that corridor. Um it is our intention to hold the public hearing and then be ready for bidding this project uh November
December of this year. I'll motion to set the date of the public hearing on the 2027 MSAS improvement project, North Garden Street from Center Street to Fifth North Street for Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. >> Second.
>> We do have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. >> I. >> That motion does carry. Item 4.4, use of parking stalls by Human Rights Commission for Welcome Week event. I'll up for a motion authorize the use of 30
parking stalls by Human Rights Commission located in the Second North Broadway and and Street parking lot adjacent to city hall to hold a welcome event on Friday, September 18th, 2026 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. >> Second.
>> We [snorts] have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. >> I. >> I. That motion does carry. Item 4.5, contribution requests for the 2027 city budget. >> Hey counselors, this is something we
discussed at the work session after the last meeting. Um I have summarized the request based on the responses I received from all of you. There are four separate motions here to be made. Um two to set the amounts for the 2027 contributions and then uh the second two
motions to basically decide how we're going to handle these over the next few years. So the first the first one is the five is a contribution to the new business and retail association based on the responses I received of $5,000 is the average that was recommended by
counselors and the mayor. So I'll take a stab at this one. Make a motion to approve a $5,000 contribution. >> Don't you have to abstain from this? >> Oh, you're right. I will abstain from that. >> Y you want the first one? Our motion to approve the $5,000 contribution. the new
home business retail association as part of the city NOM 2027 budget. >> Second. >> We do have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. >> I. >> I. Any opposed? >> Abstain.
>> Abstain. >> Thank you. Section two, approving the following contributions as part of the city budget. I'll >> make the motion to approve the following contributions as part of the city of New Alm's 2027 budget. Brown County Historical Society, $22,500.
Heart of NewM $10,000. Wanda Gog House Association, $1,375. Lind House Association, $2250. Grand Center for the Arts, $2,750. State Street State Street Theater,
$2,375. Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, $1,125. River Valley BMX, $900. Bavarian Blast, $1,750. New Alm Royalty Pro program, $2,200.
Concrete Singers, $6,350. Narn of New Alm, $2,175, totaling $55,750. >> Second. >> We do have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? I think, you know, we've, you know, we all took a look, we
we voted and, you know, it's a reduction, you know, and it's [clears throat] a starting point and, you know, I think it's kind of shows a level that we're trying to phase it out some some things. >> So, and it's not just a cold stop. >> Correct. >> Um, I'd also like to thank Nicole for
her work on this um and kind of putting all of our feedback and our responses and thoughts together on this as well. Any other discussion? My my only question is again with the royalty program um it's less than the
amount that was requested. >> Uh the other part of it is going to come out of the fire budget. >> So why would we short to take >> relief, not the fire >> relief? I mean association, but >> if we're going to swallow that up into the city budget in the next motion, why
would we be shorting them what is needed? >> How much uh $2,400 is what was requested. Um I thought it was 2300 whichever it was less than $100 less than the request [snorts] >> and um
>> had they previously come to us directly for funding I don't remember seeing them in the past >> last year was the first year >> madam president say councelor Joe I'm secretary new fire department relief association um with the request at 23
and the allocation for 2200 relief association would be fine with $2,200 amount. Um, this funding um is used to purchase uh um all the apparel for the queens and and stuff like that
throughout their run as royalty of new that's used to offset that cost. >> Okay. >> All right. >> That's all. >> Um so the motion motion as it was made with amounts is still firm. Correct.
Any additional discussion? All right. Those in favor signal by saying I. I. >> Any opposed? Okay. That motion carries. >> I'll handle the next one. Madame President and counselors, I'd like to make a motion um to make contributions
to the following organizations at amounts to be determined each year as part of our annual budget. And those organizations are the Brown County Historical Society, Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, the New Alm Royalty Program, the Concord Singers,
and the Narin of New. [snorts] >> We do have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? I would also like it noted that there have been some organizations such as the battery, um the uh Herman for the
fireworks. Those have already been added as part of our annual budget. And so that's why certain organizations may not be on this list in case there's any questions from those >> municipal band >> and oh and the municipal band >> other one >> and >> I know there were several
>> there's four of them that were already in there >> Minnesota initiative fund >> nope um Herman Monument cast is budget >> so so those are not listed specifically um within this motion because they already have been absorbed into our annual budget. Any additional
discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. >> I. >> That motion does carry. One more folks. >> The last one is a little more broad. It basically is eliminating this process. Um, so I think what we would do is stop
sending out those letters to them requesting that they send in their requests each year >> and just leave that open. I mean, obviously everybody's free to send a letter and request and and then that would just be absorbed into the budget process and those decisions could be made >> within that normal timeline.
A motion to elim eliminate the contribution request process and phase out contributions to all other nonprofit organizations over two years for the final contributions to be made in 2028 or less. >> Second. >> Thank you. We do have a motion and a second. Any additional discussion?
Those in favor signal by saying I. >> I. That motion does carry. Last [snorts] item of business today is item 5.1 which is report of claims paid. Madam President, counselors, I'd like to make a motion to accept the list of
claims in the amount of 5,286,348.72. >> Second. >> We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. >> I. >> That motion does carry. And with no additional business, today's meeting is adjourned. Thank you. That was actually
Joey. If you have