[Music] Call the meeting to order. All 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. Roll call. All members are present. Approval of the agenda. We have updated the agenda 7 C
has been removed. Is there any other changes? Council, do I have a motion to approve the agenda with that removal? Motion to approve. Motion by Joe. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Heidi.
Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I opposed. Motion carries. Five in favor. None against. Approval of the minutes of the June 18th, 2025 regular meeting. You all received them in your packet. Is there
any questions or concerns or corrections needed within those minutes? Hearing nothing. Do I have a motion to approve the minutes of the June 18th meeting? Motion to approve. Motion by Heidi. Okay. Second by Scott.
Works. Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I. I. Opposed. Abstensions. I. Motion carries. Four in favor. None against. One abstension. Brings us to our public open forum. Is
there anyone here that would like to speak to the council? Is there anyone here that would like to speak to the council? Is there anyone here that would like to speak to the council? Our public open forum is now closed.
We will now move on to public hearings. We will recess the regular council meeting and enter into our public hearing. We have one public hearing before us this evening in accordance with the official mailed and public notice in the matter of public hearing for our road vacation petition Lakeshore
Drive. Brad and Christy Kirkoff. It is our intention that everyone has the opportunity to be heard. If you wish to speak, please sign in on the signup sheet at the back of the room. The procedure is as follows. Presentation by staff followed by questions of staff.
Then public input. Raise your hand when recognized by the mayor. Approach the podium and state your name and address for the record. State your comments and position. No one will be allowed to speak a second time until everyone has had a chance to be heard. First, we will
hear questions for clarification. Second, public in favor of the proposal. Third, public speaking against the proposal. After everyone who wishes to speak has had the opportunity to be heard, the hearing will be closed. After closure of the public hearing, the
council will deliberate and take action as appropriate. Members of the audience do not participate in the council's discussion unless a majority of the council concedes to hear additional information or questions. The hearing is now in session.
Vicki. Okay. Um, the city has received a petition for the vacation of part of Lakeshore Drive adjacent to lots 7, 8, and 9 of block 4, Country Club Edition, located at 807 Lakeshore Drive. And this is the public hearing to hear that request. Uh, the original Lakeshore
Drive was not placed in its platted location, which that plat happened, I believe, in 1929. Uh, this left wide areas of road rideway outside of the driving lane in various areas along the road. This occurred on both sides of the road. In an effort to clear up the title and property lines for Sock Center
Country Club Golf Course, it was back in 2014, the city and the owner reached an agreement where the curb line of the golf course side would become the property line of the golf course with an additional 20 ft of easement behind the curb for utilities. The city deed everything to the golf course on its
side of the curb. The golf course deeded everything to the city on the road side of the curb. As a result, the road rightway became very wide in some areas such as in front of the petition property. The proposed vacation takes into account the new rideway, including the 20 ft of rideway behind the opposite
curb, and measures back 66 feet to the new proposed rideway. It is likely other owners along the roadway will probably come back with similar petitions petitions to vacate. uh you can see on the uh survey that I gave you on page uh 12 of your packet, you can kind of see
where the golf course road actually exists and then you can see the property line and you can see how um it deviates quite a ways into the property. So if the council determines that this excess rightway is no longer needed by the city, it should consider granting the request and then we would deed that
property to the adjacent landowner. The survey that you have uh does uh lay out the exact location of the petition and also the legal description of the property to be vacated. Any questions?
Any questions, concerns? Everyone understands how they did things in 1929. Not really. So with that, no questions and we'll ask for any public input. Is there anyone
here that wants to speak to the council in favor, against, or needs clarification? Do we have anyone that wants to speak in favor, against, or needs clarification on the proposal? Is there anyone that wants to know
more information or speak in favor or against the proposal? I just have one question. Um, all the other property owners have can do the same thing. They just need to come in with the they they could they
could petition. We just would need a survey or they could all get together and join together for a survey. Okay. I would just need legal descriptions of each individual part to deed back to them. Okay. And we didn't have any handwritten or anyone call in about any
of this. Okay. Just wanted to cover that base. So with that, any other last minute questions or concerns? Then I will close our public hearing and reconvene our regular council meeting.
We'll go into reports and presentations. EDA report. The EDA met in regular session today, July 2nd, not June, as I had on there. Uh they did review the options for Cana Avenue construction, and it uh grew a little bit into including connecting to the Walmart parking lot. So, we're going to be
reviewing with Tractor Supply for their contribution to that because before we were just going to meet up with where Tractor Supply was ending, but after having some conversation, it kind of makes sense for us to construct all the way to the Walmart parking lot for consistency of the roadway. be the same tonnage, the curb and everything and
then have tractor supply uh give money back to the city for that. So, uh the developer is reaching out to them. So, hopefully we'll have something in the next few weeks because we would we're really getting close to the end of where we can do a change order to get our existing contractor in there. Uh the
other thing we talked about is the potential layout of the development of that 42 acres uh next to Walmart, including future roads and utility layouts. And we talked about some potential buyers or tenants. We did have the developers representative there. He has a new developer realtor, I guess, in
his employee. So, we talked to him about potential uh types of businesses that could be there based on the restrictions that Walmart has on the property and also the airport uh restrictions. So, uh doing a little bit along that and then also we're looking at having and
updating our hotel feasibility study. So, that's something I'll be reaching out to some uh professionals that do those and get some quotes on what that would cost. So, no action tonight since the Kenna Avenue uh was delayed.
Okay. Any questions, concerns? Okay. Park board report. So, the park board met last night in regular session, Tuesday, July 1st. Uh they approved moving their meeting nights to the first Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. So, it'll be before the council meeting on the first Wednesday. Uh they did receive their
update on the trail project. Uh could possibly still be paving this week, but since they've been paving in our project, may not be doing the trails till next week. They selected an a date for movie in the park July 14th pending availability and availability is of the sound people and etc. So we're still
going to try one more time. It's been rained out three times now. Uh they approved outfield advertising at Tower View Park for the baseball association. uh rather than the metal signs, they'll be doing the like the banner type signs. And so that's something I believe they would implement next year. Uh they
received a request from the Rotary to install a large aderondac chair in Sinclair Lewis Park kind of by where the musical notes are or were. Uh received a request for high amp outlets for Sinclair Lewis Park for food trucks. They want 30 and 50 amp outlets around that parking lot. And also they
discussed the request for the electrical outlets at Little Red Schoolhouse. So these are things that we're est getting estimates and they may go into the budget at budget time. Uh they did select replacement playground structure. Uh we did have some damage up at JC Park and so uh that structure has to be
replaced. And then uh Chak on the Avenue will now be the last weekend in September. It got rained out as well. And the second cabin is ready for occupancy pending delivery of mattresses. So we're just getting a lot of interest in the in those camper cabins. the minute people find out we
have them, they're reserving something. So, we're anxious to get the second one. I don't want to cut it loose though till the the mattresses show up. So, otherwise, I have no action for the council as from the park board tonight. Okay. Questions, concerns.
Okay. And we will go to city engineer report. Keith. All right. Good evening, Mayor and Council. Well, our project is speeding right along. It's going uh everything's going very very well at this point. No real major issues at all have come up.
If you've been out there just in the last day or so, we are actually paving on the project. So, by midday tomorrow, seven blocks will have pavement on it. So, that's uh pretty pretty impressive for the whatever it be, the third day of
July. Normally, we're not paving by this early in the project. So, that's really that's really nice. Um the deep storm sewer on a street is um will be complete maybe by the end of the day tomorrow. There won't be working quite a full day with the holiday weekend, but it's
getting close on that. Um all the utilities we anticipate the next two full weeks um should probably everything basically south of 5th we may be done with all the utilities or it'll be getting close. You know, between two to
three weeks that should all be done. Uh next week we'll start some more uh curb gutter work on 7th and uh well basically seventh I guess will be done in a couple other blocks in there. So we'll be working on that. So yeah, things are going really quite well. The residents
have been really nice to work with and that's all going well and uh very little issues. It's just seems to be humming right along with knock on wood. Hopefully everything will continue to to stay that way. But uh things are going really well. Even with all the rain and all that sand out there really isn't
impacting the schedule at all at this point. So um you know won't be too long. I would say in August we'll be down to the last four blocks of utility work. Um that's just finishing up with street work. Now when I say the streets are paved in that they are working in the
boulevard areas behind the curb. So that's actively being worked on as well. So, and they're not finished, but at least uh some of it is a nice driving service now at this point. So, all is well. So, any questions you might have with me?
Questions? What percentage? I would say we're about You got reading my mind. Yeah, we're we're I would say we're about a third maybe maybe a hair under a third, but somewhere is 30 to 33% should be complete, I would say, at this point.
So, right on schedule, I would say. I would say we're probably from what the schedule was originally proposed to us, we're with either on it, we might even be a few days ahead, a few days behind, but we're very, very close to right on the schedule. So, yeah, on the streets
that paved, I'm sure they're going to start working on sidewalks. Yep. Yeah. So, if you happen to be out there, they're already doing some grading behind there. So, the next thing will follow will be the sidewalks behind. So, um all that boulevard work will will get started. So, it's just kind of a
constant moving process, if you will. So, um, yeah, things are, like I say, I'm I'm very very pleased with how things are going so far. Very little issues actually in terms of like little design issues, things that come up. We've had virtually nothing so far. So,
we've had a looks like another detour on Ash this week. Is that detour work pretty much complete? That was just to do the paving, that patch. So, that's done. In fact, the signs other than they forgot the two signs at the very far ends, right? So, I've already told them
to get those out of there. So, all the rest of the signs are already gone. So, that was just for that patch. That was I'm glad you mentioned it because I meant to mention that that patch is done on Ash Street as well. So, now it's patched all the way up to the top, which means when we come back to actually do the final, we'll actually mill an inch
and a half off of that and then put a a you know, finished work course over that when it's done. So, it's just we don't want to have that bump in there. It's easier just to pave it all the way up and then mill it out. So, yeah. And that deep storm sewer is going pretty well, slow as we anticipated, but you know,
that's really the hardest part of the job. And they're through they're already, you know, halfway between Pine and Maine. Uh, and so it's it's shallow now and everything is they've run into the one area that we knew there was going to be water. And sure enough,
there is water there. Um, but they're working way through it. It's It's not that much water, so it's not really being an issue. So, but that went all went well and you know, I was a little concerned about that because of the narrow space, but um, you know, double boxed it and double hoed it and it
worked out, you know, quite well through there. So, yeah, was good. Anything for me? Okay. Well, we're covered my a street question or Ash Street closure question. Um, Centerpoint, I know they're outside of the scope of our project necessarily up, but did they communicate that they're changing meters
on houses within the project area or anything like that? I was I was not aware of that actually. So, if they did, then that's just something I guess they're doing. So, okay. Cuz yeah, that homeowner mentioned that to me and I'm like, I don't know if they've communicated that to us. No, it's not within that, but I thought I'd bring it
up and ask at least see if they reached out. They didn't know that even I can tell you like even at my house Excel showed up one day and changed the meters like oh I didn't know that was happening but they just they just coincide. So I think they just sometimes just do that
stuff. Okay. Yeah. And they're all that small utility work is pretty well done in that area. So they do have I think a little more work once we get to that north end. But that's but they're largely done as well. Michaelels was doing that work as a sub for them. So, it's going pretty good. And they've
opened up quite a few sidewalks. So, I'm assuming they're going to get those concreted back in. I'm thinking up along even Sincler Lewis, they were opening up sidewalks and Yep. areas have to get those patched back in. Yeah, I know. We don't control them as much, but we try
to from a city perspective try to say, "Hey, you guys got to put this back." I know they left I saw one hole that they've kind of just left there and it's kind of like well they do have some cones around it but it's like well why don't you fill it back in you know so it's not a hazard but I'll I'll talk to
those guys about that. All right thank you. Okay any other questions comments? Okay thank you. One last thing uh because we talked about before the South Industrial Park schedule on that that contractor is coming into town. Actually, they have a
project with with the city. Um, so they're going to do it at that time. So, it's that's going to be in the first half of August. I don't know the exact date, but that's when they'll do. That's all patched down there, so it's okay. But that's the timeline for coming in and getting that repaired. Okay. Okay.
Thank you. Yep. Move on to action items. 7 A, approve resolution 2025-57, vacating excess road rightway. So this is the action for the public hearing as you said. So this is if you
choose to vacate it, it's resolution 2025-57 approving the vacation of the road right away. Questions, concerns. Otherwise, I'll look for a motion to approve resolution 2025-57.
Motion to approve. Motion by Scott. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Heidi. Uh any last minute discussion? Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed. Abstensions. I. Motion carries. Four in
favor, none against. One abstension. 7B. Approve pay request number three to Keley. So as you said, this is pay request three. This is for the 2025 Burch and Pine Street project. uh we have paid to date so far uh 1,16149604.
This request is for an additional 44607102 and this is all against their total contract amount which is 4.772 million. So um as far as when it gets completed and then it has to go through the engineer and has to get sent out. So you can't really look at that as a
percent complete because it's always a few weeks behind where they actually are on the project. But this request is for pay request number three to Keley Underground for the 4467102. Questions, concerns? Otherwise, do I have a motion to approve pay request number three? So move.
Motion by Brad. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Joe. Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I opposed. Motion carries. Five in favor, none against.
7D approve SEDDP agreements Aerrow Health and this was from the EDA's meeting not this month but last month we've been working on this an application from Aero Health and Sock Center for STDP which is a small city development program funds to assist with the renovation of their existing
building and the addition of a handicapped accessible restroom. The eligible costs for the project are for code efficient items and for accessibility upgrades. The cost for this project include electrical and plumbing upgrades is what we would participate in. The EDA recommend the city participate with up to 20,500 in
upgrades of which the city would pay 70%. 40% was that loan that becomes a grant over 10 years and 30% which is a zero interest loan which would be payable back to the city upon sale of the project. The owner would pay the other 30%. So the total cost to the city
is $14,350. So what we're looking for tonight is to approve the SCDP participation with Aerrow Health up to 14,350 contingent on receiving all the required documentation which is invoices from contractors that are registered with SAM which makes them
eligible for these federal dollars. Okay, questions, concerns? Do I have a motion to approve the SCDP participation? Motion to approve. Motion by Heidi. Do I have a second? I'll second. Second by Brad.
Any more discussion? Last minute questions. Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. Five in favor. None against. Unfinished business. Heron parcel
acquisition. This is just an update on the heron property purchased purchase. We did receive the preliminary draft of the settlement on June 18th. We submitted it to the FBA on June 19th for their review. Then we got the assigned purchase agreement and settle agreement on June 26th. This was what last week
was. Yeah, last week. And but the city council, you'd indicated it was contin FAA approval. So we were still waiting for that for the administrative settlement. Day before yesterday, we had a teams meeting with the FAA and today we closed. Yay. So we now own the property. So um it's was a long project
to get through but we did we were successful in in getting it closed and now the process of the grant application uh with all the submitt requirements will come. Um the heron part of the settlement agreement is that they will cooperate with getting us all the documentation that we need. If they
don't then our avenue of course is litigation and attorney fees and everything and we don't want to go there. Um but there is a lot of documentation that we will need. So, but we can we can at least say that uh we now have put that to bed. So, that's a good thing.
That is a relief to a certain extent. New business storm claim June 20th. Uh this is just a little bit update on that storm on June 20th. Um we did file an insurance claim with the League of Minnesota Cities and the adjuster came
on that following Tuesday, June 24th. So, we were able to go through everything and and the things that qualify for insurance reimbursement. Uh, we have 23 trees that were located within 100 ft of an insured structure in city parks and campground. Anything out 20 outside of 100 ft of an insured
structure, then we don't qualify for replacement. So, this basically I'll give you $250 a tree so you can plant a new tree. Uh, we get wages for the personnel for their debris removal activities and the cost of the use of equipment for debris removal. That's where the uh fee schedule comes in for
the equipment. Uh we a replacement of the bathroom roof at Sinclair Lewis Park. That tree came through the roof and through the ceiling of the men's bathroom. A repair of the repair of the shingles on the band shell. Uh cleaning up of water infiltration at the library. Replacement of the play equipment at JC
Park. Replacement of three sections of chain link fence at the dog park. There's a screen door at the campground. Two light poles in Sinclair Lewis Park. And multiple picnic tables. So these are all of the things that we adjust. we identified with the insurance adjuster. Now, it's just a matter of getting all of this done and then submit for
reimbursement from them. So, it's just kind of an update of the types of things we were able to get recovery from for the insurance. Okay, any questions about that? Then we will move on to 2026 budget planning. Um, this is a schedule just
proposed for the 2026 budget. And like I said, this said to Warren, I said this is fluid. But I know you all have schedules, but by the 15th of July, I hope to have the uh year-to- date numbers to all the department heads with uh for their budget worksheets. And then following that, I'd like to get the
operations committee to meet with the department heads for their capital improvement planning for their updates. And then by the 9th of August to get those back to me from the department heads. Then it goes on to the fire finance committee for review and input and then get the back to the city
council the 5th of of September. you have your budget workshop on the 10th of September and we adopt it on the 24th of September and then the final is 3rd of December. So that kind of gives you a a timeline of how we or try to stay as close to that as we can. Um obviously it
takes time to get them put together and back from department heads and then coordinate meetings but if we can stay as close to that timeline as possible that would be helpful. Would that adoption of preliminary budget be the September 17th meeting at the second council meeting of the month? No, we
adopt it at the regular meeting. We do the workshop, but wouldn't the the regular meeting be the 17th in September? That that'd be the third I don't know. Wednesday. Yeah. The third and the 17th. So, you don't want three weeks meeting
every week or in that month? Well, I'd be gone the 24th. I think so. Oh, okay. Just kidding. Good catch. Yes. Any questions or concerns?
All right. Then we will move on to our consent agenda. We have schedule of claims. Uh I got to find it. Where'd it go? Right there. uh unpaid claims of $928,347.97
for a total of the same. We have resolution 2025-58 accepting contributions from of $172.75 from the men's card playing group to be allocated to the senior center. $1,000
from community connection of sock center to be allocated to the ambulance department. $750 from the Sock Center Lions Club for the outdoor rink and $25,000 from the Sock Center Fire Department relief
association to be allocated to the fire department. And on behalf of the city and the city council, I want to thank those groups and for their donations. We have a request from Angie Marthal representing the American Legion auxiliary unit 67 to amend an
application and permit for a 4-day temporary on sale liquor license during the sink during the Sinclair Lewis days from the fairgrounds to the American Legion from July 16th through the 19th. Then we also have a resolution number
2025-59 approving an offsite gambling permit for the Melrose Lions. The permit will allow for pull tabs and tip boards to be held on September 26th, 2025 at the Sock Center Civic Arena. Do I have any
questions or concerns? Otherwise, do I have a motion to approve approve the consent calendar as presented? Motion to I'll make a motion. Okay. Motion by Joel. I'll second. Second by Heidi.
Any last minute discussion? Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. Five in favor, none against. informationational items, trunk highway
71 reconstruction update. So that reconstruction of trunk highway 71. The project continues to move forward. We had a meeting on June 25th. Uh at that meeting, the big picture plans were reviewed. We input we provided input back to the design engineer and the project manager. Uh the city engineer
did provide documents back to them regarding the city utilities. There's several components that we're working through. They have the environmental, wetlands, cultural, historical, and archaeological. That's a bunch of different I put them all in one line, but they're a bunch of different sections. Uh the design of the pedestrian areas. We have decorative
lights, benches, trees, bumpouts. Uh preliminary road layout, easements, road right away, ADA. There's a public outreach and education component, state historical review, hydraulics, and storm water and all that permitting traffic control signals, lighting or
roundabouts. uh the utility coordination with gas, fiber and electric and telecom. Then the bridge is a separate project. City utilities how they get included into the project and then there'll be a cooperative agreement with the city. So uh they have a very large
uh schedule that they work through and that they have assigned and so we're just kind of fitting into our areas that we need to be. But at this point, the project design is underway and MDOT is requesting the city create and coordinate a local advisory committee to provide input and feedback on design elements and also to educate the
community. The committee would include a representative from the business community, downtown, historical, maintenance, governance, community groups, etc. Also, providing education to the public would be part of their assignment. This would include social media, newsletters, website, email blast, speaking in advance, pop-ups,
etc. So, I do have some ideas right now of some people to put together. We're looking for eight to 10 people that can attend. Um, if everybody get their um recommendations back to me and we'll try to put that together and get that back to mind uh so we can uh start meeting
with them and and talk about what they would want to be. A lot of it's going to be teams meeting or electronically. Um they'll push out stuff for us to say, "Okay, look at this project we did in this city. You know, take a look at that and see what you think." and to provide the feedback back and they want a
diverse group of people to represent uh the different areas of the community. So yeah, just get get back to me who you think might work well on that committee and we'll try to put it together. I can't take everybody but and then there will be meetings they'll be coming here,
you know, to a council meeting and to some public input as well. And then a lot of it is going to be web- based where you can go on and you can look at the street block by block and see what you like and don't like and provide comments. So it's it seems to be working very well. And the one thing they did do
though is they took out the stop lightss by holiday are now coming out of this project. They're getting put in a different project that will go from there to 28 south the highway 28 down by by Fellings. So that's going to be a
separate mind project in a future year which they are just right now uh in the process of hiring the design engineer for that. So we won't see those lights they won't uh be worked on this at this project.
Any questions? Questions I know this is probably early on Vicki but on the second one there you have the bumps. Is that on the end of the blocks where the pedestrians the Yep. These are all different design elements that they want the committee to look at. It's not a definite. Okay. I I just seen that I
when ALEC redid Broadway Mhm. their street department hates for snow clearing and all that other stuff because it's such a pain to get in and around those bumpouts. So, I was just kind of curious on what that was. And I know it's early, but I asked I just know that they've had I asked our public
works department what they thought about them and they said our trucks have steering wheels. And they might be better than what Alec is, too. Who knows? Okay, good enough. I'm not saying they're putting them in or not. It's just a pedestrian safety. A
lot of this project is ADA and pedestrian safety and mobility. And so, they really are focusing on that with like a wide path and all of that and and accessibility and and crossings and stuff are all part of that. So,
Okay, we'll get to that when we get to that once we get a team together. So, uh, any other questions or concerns? Otherwise, that brings us to the end of our agenda. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? Motion to adjurnn. Motion by
Scott. Do I have a second? Second. Second by Joe. Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed? Motion carries. Five in favor, none against. Meeting adjourned.
[Music]