Call the meeting to order. I'll rise for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge algiance 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 one change for sure. That' be the park board report under reports and presentations. That meeting has been moved to March 18th. So we'll remove that. Is there any
other changes? >> Councel. >> Okay. Hearing nothing. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda with that change? >> Motion to approve. >> Motion by Joe. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. Second by Brad. Call the question. All those in favor signify by
saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Five in favor, none against. >> Approval of the minutes of the February 18th meeting. Is there any changes or corrections? >> Uh number two under approval of agenda. It has council member Fickman absent,
but he was here. Should be >> It should be Kirkoff. Yeah. Anything else? Hearing nothing. Do I have a motion to approve the minutes with that correction? >> Motion to approve. >> Motion by Heidi. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Scott.
Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Five in favor. >> I wasn't here. >> Okay. All right. 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? If I have anyone that would like to speak to the council. Okay, our public open forum is now closed. We'll move on to reports and
presentations. EDA report. >> I just have a brief report for you. Uh the EDA met in regular session uh today at noon. We did get an offer on lot four, block three of authors. This is on the council agenda for you tonight. Uh we also recommending pricing on three
additional lots and authors and if that offer goes through, you'll see that on the 18th agenda. Uh we do have the final plat of the second edition authors. It's in the in the works right now. that'll be going to planning and zoning. And also, we're waiting for some finalized
costs on the doing the design for the author's extension and so we can look at those costs once they're narrowed down to determine whether we're going to go through with that or not. Uh the hotel study, I talked to the gentleman this morning. He was hoping to have the final numbers before the EDA meeting, but I didn't receive them. He said he'll have
them by Friday. So, I'll I'll give that out to the uh the board at that time. And then uh we have the SCDP grant application which the update really was to so the EDA was aware that this meeting was happening tonight for the public hearing. So uh the only action item I have tonight is that offer on
that author's lot. Okay. Questions, comments? Okay, we'll move on. Uh we'll recess our regular. We do have one public hearing recess and we will 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 the intent to apply for a grant for home improvements to low and moderate income housing. 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. Procedure is as follows. Presentation by staff followed by staff 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. Then
second, public in favor of the proposal. See, 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. >> Okay. Thank
>> great. Good evening everyone. My name is Heidi Pepper. I'm with Stantech. You may know that um Vicki and I have been working on a small cities development program grant application. It's a two-step process. The first step was a
pre-application which was due back in November, I believe. And then in December, we learned that the city's uh pre-application was competitive and the agency encouraged the city to submit a full application. One of the
requirements of the full application is a public hearing to allow u community members to um speak about the proposal as you said mayor um and then to get the resolution to submit the application and enter into an agreement if you are
awarded the funding. So tonight we'll just talk about what is the small cities development program or SCDP and then specifically sock cent's proposed SCDP application. There we go. So, what is it? Um, it
helps small cities, townships, and counties with funding for housing, public infrastructure, and commercial rehabilitation projects. And all projects must meet at least one of three federal objectives. either
benefit to low-income persons, elimination of slum and blight or response to an urgent community uh development need in the instance of a disaster for example. Now this funding it is administered at the state level from the Minnesota
Department of Employment and Economic Development but the origination of the dollars is federal. It comes from the department of housing and urban development um which provides the money to states and then states through a competition
process like this provide that funding to non-entitlement entities. So that's cities less than 50,000 or counties less than 200,000. For those that are greater in population, they are considered entitlement communities and they receive
the funding directly from HUD. So eligible projects what can you do with this funding? Uh you can do owner occupied housing rehabilitation, rental housing rehabilitation, commercial rehabilitation or address public facilities. And public
facilities include water wastewater community centers, streetscaping um and other aesthetics along the downtown corridor. In terms of the funding amounts, the maximum grant amount is $600,000 for a
single activity. If a community pursues more than one activity on this list of eligible activities, um the maximum is $1.4 million. There is no match required, but it does make a comp application more
competitive. And so specifically Sock Center's uh proposed application, the federal objective that the proposal is meeting is benefit to low-income persons through owner occupied housing rehab. And the
city will be requesting the maximum $600,000. And here is a breakdown of the budget. Um there's two activities, housing rehab and then grant administration. This funding will pay for grant administration. Um, Central Minnesota
Housing Partnership is the proposed administrator for the program. They have extensive and I think they've worked with Central H. >> Okay. Well, Central Minnesota Housing Partnership has done significant housing
rehab, both owner occupied and rental. They have great capacity to take this on. We've been in communication with them. Um, have vetted this budget with them. So the small cities portion of the funding 525,000 will go to housing rehab
75,000 to grant administration. The sock center EDA is pledging $50,000 to complement the 525 from SCDP for a total amount for housing rehab of $575,000. Adding in the grant administration, that
brings us to a total of $600,000. $650,000, excuse me. Total project cost 600,000 from small cities, 50,000 from the EDA. So the schedule applications are due April 15th.
The awards will be announced in May or June of this year and then there are special conditions that awardees have to clear including environmental. That can take a couple of months. So putting us out to August or September. um with a project kickoff sometime around October
or November. You'll need to do a public hearing again midway about midway through the program. So, winter spring of 2028 and the project needs to be completed all funds expended by September 30th. September
September 30th, 2029. I spoke fast. Any questions? questions or comments? >> Questions, concerns. >> When do we when if someone gets the grant, do they have to use certain contractors and stuff like that
to fix up their house or? >> Yeah, they'll be working with Central Minnesota Housing Partnership to do a bidding process for qualified contractors and they would be uh required to accept the lowest responsible bid. Okay.
Anyone else have any other questions, concerns? Otherwise, it looks not. We will open it up to the public. Is there anyone here that has questions for clarification, wants to speak in favor or against the
proposal? Do we have anyone that wants to have questions for clarification? Speak in favor or against the proposal? Call a third time. Is there anyone here that wants to hear questions further clarification?
Public in favor of the proposal or against the proposal? Council have any last minute questions or concerns? Okay. Then our public hearing is now closed and we will reconvene our regular
council meeting and move on to our action items. Thank you, Heidi. >> Thank you. >> Action item 7A, approve resolution 2026-10, authorizing application for grant and execution of agreements.
Okay. So, this is the followup to that public hearing and this is resolution 26-10 authorizing the execution of all the grant agreements that are necessary for the completion of this application and throughout the project. So, that's resolution 2026-10.
>> Questions, concerns? Otherwise, I'll be looking for a motion to approve resolution 2026-10. >> Motion to approve. >> Motion by Joe. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Scott, questions.
Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> Opposed. Extensions. Motion carries. Five in favor, none against. 7B approve resolution 2026-11 restricting parking on Lakeshore Drive.
>> So, we received a request for no parking signs for a part of Lakeshore Drive at the intersection of Fifth Street. This is up by the hospital. According to the request, the vehicles are parking on both sides of the street. Uh Lakeshore Drive, making it difficult to navigate around the corner, especially if there's oncoming traffic. I did talk to Chief
Jensen. He said an alternate to putting up no parking signs. We have the option to extend the yellow curb around the corner to keep parking away from that intersection. Right now on Fifth Street, there's only parking on one side on the east west portion. Once you hit the corner, it's on both sides and that's where the issue is. I think a lot of it
is hospital parking, parking on both sides of the road. So, it's there quite often. Um, so the request is to approve resolution 2026-11 restricting the parking on Lakeshore Drive, but I don't you'll have to fill in whether by sign or whether by paint
and how many feet it is or whether you want to do it at all. >> Okay. Questions, concerns? >> I think it needs to be done. I I travel that every day and especially during the winter with the the snow on the the curb
and stuff. It is if there's they park on both sides, all the employees for the hospital park there and you can barely fit one vehicle through and I was talking with one of the snowplow drivers. They said they can't even get a snow plow through there during the winter. It's so narrow. Um the only concern I have is on the east
side there where Sabrilkis live, they do not have any off- streetet parking off of Lakeshore Drive. They have it just in the alley. So if they have any company, you know, how far do we extend that no parking? Does it just to their sidewalk
going into their house or do we go further down to the property line or even to the next house? But the only concern that I, like I said, I have is they have no off streetet parking off of Lake Shore. So they'd either have to park across the street by cranes or
further down >> and painting yellow on the >> I would put signs because you can't see any >> the west side I think would be better because that corner is already painted yellow on the southwest corner there and if we extend that up where CR has two
driveways going into the property there so it wouldn't really affect their off streetet or parking if they have any visitors or guests where on the east side there sowskis do have >> the only concern out there quite a bit >> the only concern I got is if we put
restrict parking on the west side everybody's going to park on the east side and sabroskies aren't going to gain one bit any more than >> sign up that's probably yeah it's >> you know that's >> that's probably either way it's probably going to do yeah either way it's probably going to happen
>> any other comments >> well it looks like the request though is to put the uh no parking on the east side. Correct. >> No, I think her her request was either side >> just as long as that one side was restricted. >> I think what we had suggested was the
east side simply because it's already >> the north side then it would just wrap the corner, but it's it's not required. >> Well, how far do you I mean, maybe it's a question for for Dusty, but how far would you recommend we put no parking
along there? I mean, is it are you talking 100 feet, you want 20 feet, you want a block, >> right? >> 100. >> The issue is going around the corner when there's cars on the side. >> Exactly. Well, that's why I'm asking the
the depth or the how far back. I mean, I don't know where the drive or that sidewalk is from the corner, you know? I don't know if that's 50 feet or 100 feet or 200. >> Yeah. to the sidewalk from the corner is right at about 100 feet. Not quite about 85. Yeah, it's not >> I'd go at least to the sidewalk. Um
because there's a lot of semis that back down into central Care down by the back of the hospital anyhow and they always have a hard time navigating that corner as well if they're parked on both sides. >> I personally like the 100 foot from the
inner from the corner that takes >> and that will leave Sabroski I think still some access. property at least a spot or two front of this lot. >> Yeah, I agree. >> So, you're talking on the east side. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> How far you talking paint or signs? >> As far as the yellow paint on the west side,
>> the west side it goes to right about >> get to that. Yeah. >> Crosswalk. >> Yeah, >> it goes right up to the crosswalk almost. >> And that the other the east side wraps around to about that too where the sidewalk is and then it turns to a regular parking. >> So, are we talking signage or are we
talking paint? I know in the winter time paint doesn't do any good because we got that on Sinclair Lewis all Avenue all the time. >> I think signs are better just because it is visible that way and it's more constructive during the winter when
there's snow on the curb and that always gets narrower on corners of the plowing. So >> So when you put up the signs for no parking, is it like from the sign back? How do they know? I'm just curious. typically >> between signs
>> between signs. >> Okay. >> I think signs are >> Yeah. >> would be the answer probably. I don't know. >> Do we got any on hand? >> Not that style. >> Okay.
I'm just thinking what's cheaper, paint or a sign? by the time we order a couple signs >> conducive even if it is a little bit more but >> I think when the problem happens though in the winter with that congestion getting even making the street even more
narrow you won't see the paint so I think the sign does make more sense >> okay what's the council's wishes >> I'll make a motion to approve resolution 202611
restricting parking on the east side from uh said corner to 100 ft I'll call it north. Um no parking by a sign by signs I guess is the best way to say it. >> Okay, that makes sense.
>> Yeah. Okay, we have a motion. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Second by Heidi. Any last minute discussion? Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I opposed
extensions. Motion carries, five in favor, none against. 7 C, approve resolution 2026-12 authorizing signage on 10th. >> We did receive a request for a speed or children of play sign on 10th Street
south near the intersection of Tower View Drive. So, this is up toward the arena. They're basing that on said the traffic on 10th Street is traveling quite fast. We do have the authority to install traffic control signs where we deem it necessary. So that is by resolution. And this one I also talked
to the chief and he he suggested that we put our portable your speed is sign up there for a while and get an idea of what traffic is really doing and then if it really is an issue that we can put up put up signs or we can do a combination of both like put up a children at play
sign and then also put the speed sign up or the speed sensor up. >> Great. whichever you >> comments concerns >> that speed sensor does it it retains information or communicates with a a
program that we can read the the daily traffic and >> I don't even know if it does >> it does track all that >> okay >> getting more information sounds like a good idea >> yeah that that's one of them I kind of mixed up because yeah I drive this road
four times a day so it's Like I understand where the speed is coming from, but I think we get a handle on it the right way before we >> Yeah, I think put that portable up there and get a good >> the portable up and be done with it and general consensus if that's the way you
want to do it. >> I think that's is that okay? >> Yep. >> Okay. General consens put up the speed sensor sign for a while and gather some data. >> Bring it back and we'll go from there. >> Okay. 7D approve resolution 2026-13
authorizing sale of author's edition lot. >> So we have received an offer for the purchase of lot 4 and block three as indicated on the arrow on your packet. Uh this will be I think that entire section then those five lots in that corner will all be sold. So we're
looking to resolution 2026-13 authorize the execution of all the closing documents. questions, concerns. Otherwise, do I have a motion to approve resolution 2026-13? >> Motion to approve.
>> Motion by Scott. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Second by Heidi. Last minute questions. Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> Opposed. Extensions. Motion carries.
Five in favor, none against. 7E. approve agreement with Axon. >> So, Chief Jensen has negotiated with Axon for an agreement for the warranty and maintenance of the city's cameras for bodywn cam and squad cams along with our storage in the cloud. With the
contract, actually over 10 years, it saves the city $17,560 for a total program value of 31968522. Um, what acts on is right now we have three separate agreements. We have the agreement for the body cams. We have the
agreement for the squad cams. And then we have the third agreement which talks about storage in the cloud. And we have our LPR reader and all of that is and this would combine everything into one agreement. And so he has um actually
if you see on I'm trying to see on the back if it has the oh it doesn't have the annual but right now we're we paid uh we pay about $25,000 a year for this for 2026. That's is what that amount would be. And
so if you look at this total average you know you know prices are going to go up because they go up quite rapidly. So we feel that this is a good deal. I Desty's here to answer any questions. Um there's a lot more to it. It has all of our data, all of our cloud data, all of our
camera uh from the all the the squad cars and their body warn cams. All that goes into the cloud. It also has transcription uh capabilities and it has what am I missing, Dusty? There's just a lot of other things that are in there. I think
it keeps track of the LPR readers. It keeps track. >> Yeah. And then and it also it's not just to store that. It's like a warranty. So like it can replace them over time. So we're not going to have a big hardware purchase somewhere along the line. This
takes our cameras that we've already purchased, all the hardware we've already purchased, keeps it working, keeps it warrantied. We'll replace it if we need it. So it's kind of a fixed known cost for the next 10 years of what this program will cost us. And there really isn't anybody else that's doing
that. Axon kind of has the corner on the market. You ever watching the news and you see body cams and they always have the little thing in the corner? It's always Axon and that's what we have and Sterns County and a lot of the other organizations use the same thing. So we can download data and get it to Sterns
County whenever we need to for the county attorney's office and all of that. So it's really kind of seamless that way. So, so the request or his request is that we approve that agreement with Axon and then I believe it uh would take place sometime in May that they would start taking that over
because we've already paid one payment for 2026. >> So then we would u make it work so that we're not double doubling up. >> Okay. Questions, concerns?
So we're our current cost you said is 25,000 a year >> plus well actually with the LPR it's like 29. >> Okay. So darn near 30,000 here. Okay. That makes a difference. All right. >> Any other questions, concerns?
Do I have a motion to approve the agreement with Axon? >> I'll make that motion. >> Motion by Heidi. Do I have a second? I'll second. >> You'll second it. Okay. Second by Scott. Last minute discussion.
Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Abstensions. Motion carries. Five in favor. None against. Unfinished business.
Trunk Highway 71 side streets. Good evening, Mayor Council. Don't have a lot tonight other than just give you update on a couple upcoming meetings. As you are, I'm sure aware, tomorrow is the uh public open house to go through. Mindot will be here and talking with the
public about everything that they're planning to do on the corridor. So, that will be hopefully well attended and so looking forward to that. And then next Tuesday is our next uh coordination meeting with Mandot. So we'll see what I'm not sure what's all on the agenda at
this moment for that, but that'll be next uh Tuesday. Other than that is the um kind of waiting for the operations committee to talk about the side streets and to get that moving forward. So nothing's really progressed uh you know at this stage other than that. So uh any
questions you might have of me? questions. >> Operations committee is just I think we're waiting on a couple people from PUC to have some time with us and then we'll be good to go. So, >> oh next week >> with Glenn. Okay. Cuz yeah, I was
wondering been >> pushing our 30 days that I >> require. So, >> I think Glenn is I believe he's at the rural water. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. He was >> might be done today. I'm not quite sure how long that goes, but >> Okay.
>> Okay. Any other questions on that? Otherwise, uh, operations committee meeting. Looks like you guys are trying to figure out a date. >> Yeah. >> On that. >> Okay.
New business. 9A, notice of intent to negotiate. >> Yep. I did get the notice from the LS, which is the police union. Um, they acknowledge that it's a little early, but they've already filed with the state their intent to negotiate for our next three-year contract for the police unit.
I I imagine teamsters will probably file theirs about June. That's about the time that they generally do. So then this summer we'll be rolling into that process. And the other item I have as new business on there is we're actually working on options for the repair and replacement of the parking lot at the
senior center. You know, we did budget for a lot of work at the senior center parking lot, but now that we start looking at it, it's probably in worse shape than we thought. It's more along the line of meal the whole thing off and replace it. So, we're just getting cost to see what that would would uh would
take. Um, if once we're done with the library windows in April, uh, then we'll know our final numbers from our whole building improvement project that we had and we did not have to dip into the contingency funds that we thought we were going to have to. So, because of
that, you know, there may be a little funding left there that we could just do the senior center parking lot over, but just an option to think about. Um, we're not we're not there yet. We're just estimating costs at this time. >> So, >> questions, concerns on either one of
those items. I think the personnel committee is Joe and Heidi. So, you'll take care of the union negotiations and if something comes up neither one of you, then I'll
>> step in and take it. So, nothing on the senior center parking lot. Okay, we will move on to our consent agenda. Council to consider the following consent agenda items. Schedule of claims, unpaid claims of $300,51411
for a total of the same. We have resolution number 2026-14 accepting contributions of $167.95 from the senior center. And on behalf of the city, I want to thank them for that
contribution. Then we have gambling application for exempt permit request from the Sock Center Snow Cleat for a raffle on July 12th, 2026 at the Sock Center Snow Cleat Clubhouse. Do I have any questions about
the consent agenda? Do I have a motion to approve the consent calendar as presented? >> 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. I.
>> Opposed. Motion carries. Five in favor, none against. >> Informational items. Just the one reminder, tomorrow is the open house with Mindot at 2 o'clock till 3:30, I believe it is. It's the business owners can come in. We'll be talking with them about uh really most of its downtown and
and other areas regarding access during the project. And then 4:30 would be the where the public can come in and uh look at the map. So, we'll be setting tables up so they'll be like I think the map is like 16 feet long. We'll set like three of them out. People can look at the maps. They can see the project. There'll
be sticky notes there if they have comments or questions they can write and put it on there. Uh and representatives from MDOT will be here uh will be here. Stantech and SRF who is the designer for that project will be here as well. So that'll be going on here in the tomorrow
afternoon and we've done I think as much outreach as we can to get people aware of it and we'll see what our turnout is. So it's just like come in for a little bit and leave. It's not like a formal presentation. >> All right. Okay.
No questions about that. >> Just to confirm that second meeting time >> 4:30 to 6:30. >> Okay. >> 6:00 is the business one like 2 to 3:30. >> Yeah. And then 4:30 >> 4:30 to 6:30 is the public, >> right? All right. Thank you. >> And I think some businesses will come in
the evening because they won't be able to get out in the afternoon. >> Yep. Thank you. >> All right. Okay. That brings us to the end of our agenda. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> So move. >> Motion by Brad. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Scott. >> Call the question. All those in favor
signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Five in favor, none against. Meeting adjourned.