Call the meeting to order. All rise for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands nation indivisibley
and justice for all. Roll call. All members are present. Approval of the agenda. Is there any changes to the agenda? Council have any changes? Hearing nothing. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda 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. Approval of the minutes of
the October 1st, 2025 regular meeting. Is there any changes or clarification needed within those minutes that were in your packet? Hearing nothing. Do I have a motion to approve the minutes of October 1st?
>> I make that motion. >> 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. >> One abstain. Okay. Four in favor. None
against. One abstension. This now brings us to our public open forum. Is there anyone that would like to speak to the council? Is there anyone that would like to speak to the council? Call a third time. Is there anyone that
would like to speak to the council having no one? Our public open forum is now closed. We do not have any public hearings. We'll move on to reports and presentations. Joe, >> good evening, Mayor and Council. Uh, if
you look in your packet, you got the September 2025 Police Department activity. um dropped below that thousand mark which is expected uh then the summer. Some of the highlights there 24 agency assists, 10 alarms uh including
seven more fire alarms. Uh I looked most of those at the same two places the fire alarms have been. Um five intoxicated person calls, nine juvenile problems which they're going to keep climbing through school year. We're getting few more juvenile problem calls with just
assisting up with the school along with uh human service reports are going to crawl up a little bit too because things are getting reported to staff at the schools. Um if you look 12 crashes, two with injuries, 10 with no injuries. Uh some
of those include majority of those include the fender bender parking lot crashes not on the street. Um, six of them were at the school, so kids going back to school running their parents' cars and stuff. Um, other than that,
nothing too crazy. Seven thefts. All those seven, we charged out six of them. We're still working on one, but all those theft reports we're getting, we're charging, we're solving them. We're just, some of them take a little bit longer than others. 374 for traffic
stops, 250 for uh patrols. Uh we also wrapped up we got our fall firearms qualification shoot in over the month too. So that's we're good to go there for the year. Other than that just been kind of uh it's the everyday stuff. Nothing too crazy.
>> Okay. >> Any questions, concerns? >> Thanks. >> Thank you, Joe. >> Public Works Department. >> Good evening, Mayor and Council. This past month, the plow trucks received their annual service and DOT inspections. They have the plows and all
their snow gear installed for the winter season, so they're ready. We picked up our supply of winter cold mix tar for any patching that may be needed over the winter. So, that's stored in our shed. Pothole patching. We did do a few spots on the north end of town to finish up uh those areas. We
poured the concrete steps on Seventh Street by Our Ladies Angel Church. And then we put the temporary railing in there to be utilized for the winter. At the airport, we did assist with some site prep work and electrical line locating for the new hanger building that's being built. They're just uh
getting going on that, getting the site work done now. We replaced the circuit board on the runway approach lights. Uh so those are back up and running and working properly. Park bathrooms and sprinklers, those were all blown out and winterized for the year. The campground is shut down for the year with the bathrooms being winterized. We do have
some trees to be removed over the winter before spring uh comes around. Up the arena, the building was switched over from summer use to winter use. The boards and glass were installed and cleaned. The rubber flooring around the boards is all installed. Uh the ice is going in this week with practices
starting on Monday. So, the ice in process is going well. We did run into an issue with the R22 coolant system. We had prevented maintenance being done by Ringtech last week. It was found over that over the summer. We had a leak occur in one of the sensors of the
outdoor cooling unit. Uh the system is under pressure at all times and forced the R22 out of the system. Our system does hold approximately 270 pounds of R22 coolant. Um, we were able to get enough R22 that day and get the system
back up and running before the weekend so that we would be able to continue the floor and be ready for ice installation this past Monday. So, everything got fixed. Um, we were able to source that R22 in Alexandria and we purchased it at a reduced price which helped keep the
bill much lower than it has been in the past. When this is um the hockey association, they did generously step in to cover the payment of the repair bills for this. The cost is going to be about 8,900 for everything when it's all said and done. So, I do appreciate the association being willing to help with
this. Uh, everyone on that board is very committed to the sport and wants to help any way possible to keep that building up and running and for the kids to play hockey. So, do appreciate them being willing to do that. Uh, over the winter, we're certainly going to be looking at options for this system moving forward.
Um, as the system ages, we're just experiencing more breakdowns similar to this, but it's not unexpected. It does happen with a system of this age, but we'll do what we can to prevent anything and see what we can make a plan for going forward. There any questions I can answer?
>> Questions? Just a quick question. How long is that? How long we had that particular system? >> 30 years now. >> 30 now. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Any other questions, concerns? >> Thank you, Ben. Ambulance department quarterly report.
Kathy, >> good evening, Mayor and Council. For third quarter July, we had a total of 92 runs, calls, and activities. Of those 27
were no votes, 29 were BLS transfers, nine ALS transfers, and seven of the medicals were uh build out as ALS. So of the 92, 65 of those calls were
billable for a total of 96,642. In August, we had a total of 95 runs and calls. 32 no loads, 18 were BLS transfers, seven were ALS transfers, and four of those were ALS medicals.
And of the 63 billable calls for August, it totaled 86,121. September, we had 84 total runs and calls. 21 were no loads. 22 BLS transfers, seven ALS transfers, and then
five of those were ALS medicals. So, we build 63 calls out in September for a total of 86,659. So, last year at this point, we were at uh 753
total runs, calls, activities for the year, and we're at 793 at this time this year. So, we're just slightly higher than where we were last year at the end of September. Um, the majority of our no loads continue to be for lift assists, falls,
and motor vehicle crashes. And the majority of our transfers are going to St. Cloud, but you can see on that ongoing list I have where all the transfers are going throughout the state. Um for special details and events for
the third quarter, we had the West Union parade, Sinclair Lewis Day's parade, Night, Sterns County Fair, which generated five fair booth contacts, three demon demon demolition duries.
We had two contacts at the demolition duties that we didn't transport. We had a motocross event and then we had two fair contacts for medical reasons where we dealt with patients at the fair but did not have to transport but that
generates reports on our end. We did career one kids. That's where we go into the school and we talk to the kids about EMS, what it's like to be on the ambulance. We um show them a quick demonstration of CPR, do a little first
aid info with them, do rig tours and equipment demonstrations just so they kind of understand what we're doing out there in the field, try and spark their interest in the ambulance world. Uh we did a PR event, the safety in the park in El Rosa.
And we had a daycare family come in and do a tour of the garage and rigs. CPR in the schools for the healthc care class. We did active shooter training in OSUS. And we did two football game standbys at the school for third quarter
mutual aid. We did four ALS transfers for Melrose, one mutual aid medical for Melrose. For Long Prairie EMS, we responded to two crashes to help them
with multiple victims and we did one mutual aid BLS transfer for them. And then for North Ambulance Mutual aid, we did three medical calls and then one mutual aid BLS transfer for North.
And third quarter for different hospitals we took our own medicals to was Melrose. We took two. In Long Prairie, we took one. Otherwise, all our 911 medicals we brought into Suck Center Hospital. Our new rig arrived at the end of
September. We got it stocked the very same day. I had the uh application into the Office of Emergency Medical Services. So, we got our temporary license the same day. So, that's in the rig. We just had to wait a
few days for Gillis to be able to come and put the striping on for us to make us legal. We have to have our name on the rig. So, we had to wait for that. But, I think he came like two or three days later, got that all done. So, we've had it out on a few runs already. So,
that's going good. Um, that's what I have. Any questions for me? >> Questions, concerns? Keep up the good work. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> City engineer report. Looks like Vicki
gets to handle that. >> A couple items on the city engineer report on the south industrial park. Uh the roadway repair was completed last Friday. Uh the non-wear vatuminous course and subgrade were in good shape, solid and undamaged. The issue was the delamination between the workhorse and
the non-wear course. This was due to the lack of there was no tack oil applied before the workhorse paving. They suspect the distributor momentarily quit and they didn't catch it. So what happened is they peeled that top layer off and then there was just a little skim left on there that they could just shovel off. So it just was delaminated
and as the trucks drove on it, it moved it enough and it's a good thing we caught it early. Then we still under still under warranty and we were able to get it repaired at no charge. On the Cana Avenue and Tractor Trail project is complete. There's only a couple things left. They're going to put permanent barriers at the end of tractor trail so
we won't drive off the end into the field. And then we need to paint the stop bar at the stop sign going out onto not onto 12th Street. Otherwise, that one is complete on the trunk highway 71 feasibility report. The topographic surveys are almost all done except for
the east end of the bypass road. We still have some more surveying to do down there. And then also they're going to measure the the manholes, the how deep the manholes all are. They'll do that in the field just for their for for their reference. And then so they they are starting on design now. So we should be knowing a little bit more toward our
feasibility report on what our costs will be so we can determine uh how many of these side roads we're going to be able to include in the project on the 2025 capital improvement project. A lot of progress last week. The concrete walk, all the straight ones are primarily done that can be done with the
machine. There was a second crew that had come in a Pine Street from the Pine Street from fourth to fifth and the south side of 7th Street to Main Pine that still has to be done and that was some because there's obstructions and stuff that they have to wait for. And also they were against retaining walls and those have to be handone. They can't
do those with the machine. They were doing some repairs to retaining walls before they were going to put that in. Uh the driveway and private walks from Sixth Street to South are pretty much all complete, but there are some what's left really is a lot of the corners and the driveway aprons and they said they at the current rate they feel that they
will get those complete yet before the end of the year. If you've been out there all know you do know that there's a lot of um dirt work being done right now. So, that'll be done. And as Ben stated, they did get the our crew put the steps in at Ola and that temporary
walk and then the crew came in and put the dirt in and some hydro seed on the dirt there. Next spring, of course, you know, that that top sidewalk has to come out because that's what failed the strength test and then that'll all be reconfigured in its final stage. But it's it's done for the winter right now.
And uh right now then they just have some work to do with irons out in the batuminous. Otherwise, the roadway itself is pretty much complete. So, uh, and then as soon as the black dirt goes in, then the street lights will go up, all the stop signs, street signs, everything are down in the shop waiting to be put up. So, we're just waiting for
the, um, the restoration to get a little further along before they go put those in. So, if you have any questions on any of that, I can attempt to answer it. Otherwise, I know there was some questions about the distance of sidewalks from the curb, and that all has to do with grade and
obstructions, right? I did have a few phone calls on if you drive down like Bird Street and Sixth Street, there's quite a gap from the back of the sidewalk to the curb almost like 8 ft. So, some people are
questioning why there's such a wide boulevard in those areas and it's because of grading and not every street in that old area was the same width from block to block. Mhm. >> So,
any other questions, concerns? And we'll move on to action items. 7 A, approve resolution 2025-95 authorizing mind.grant A7310-47. >> So, the city council previously authorized the execution of the grant
materials for the FAA federal portion of the box hanger grant. That was two grants for the federal portion. Now tonight in front of you I have the two grants for the state portion which are much smaller but still important. Uh the total mind aeronautic share of the first
portion of the grant is 9,70388. This is the same amount that's our local share. So that's how much we would contribute toward that project. So this resolution authorizes exe execution of the grant agreement resolution 2025-95 approving the state airport grant
agreement for the box hanger. >> Questions, concerns. Otherwise, do I have a motion to approve resolution 2025-95? >> Motion to approve. >> Motion by Heidi. Do I have a second? I'll >> second. Go ahead. Go ahead.
>> Second by Joe. >> Any other discussion? Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed, abstensions. Motion carries. Five in favor. None against. 7B. Approve
resolution 2025-96 authorizing MDOT grant A7310-48. >> And this is the second of the companion grants for MDOT for that box hanger. This grant is for 15,39474. So that is as that's 2.5% of the project
and then the local share is that same amount at 2.5%. So this resolution 2025-96 approving the state airport grant agreement. >> Questions, concerns. Do I have a motion to approve resolution
2025-96? >> So motion by Brad. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Scott. >> Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I >> oppose abstensions. Motion carries, five
in favor, none against. 7 C approve resolution 2025-97 certifying assessment tractor trail. >> So the owner of the acreage where we constructed tractor trail has signed this waiver of assessment and appeal which allows us to certify the unpaid
balance to taxes. The assessment will initially be deferred but will be collected in full at the time the property is sold in full or in part. Tractor Supply has paid their share of the improvement. The balance to be assessed against the remainder property $43,928. Comments, concerns.
>> Hearing nothing. Do I have a motion to approve resolution 2025-97? >> Motion to approve. >> Motion by Joel. Do I have a second? I'll >> second. >> Second by Heidi. Any other discussion or questions?
Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> I. Opposed. Abstensions. Motion carries. Five in favor. None against. 7D. Approve resolution 2025-98 authorizing purchase of stair chair.
>> So the ambulance director Stuart, she submitted the following request to purchase an electric stair chair. She states, "We're requesting to purchase a Striker Expedition electric chair stair chair with some of the funds we received from the state with the emergency state aid ambulance funding. This is a great
opportunity to upgrade one of our stair chairs to the electric style that will help with the safety of the crew when needing to bring a patient up and down the stairs. We only received one quote from the electric style chair, which is the one attached from Striker. One of our paramedics works with a service that uses the Furner style electric stair
chair. And after meeting with the representative and getting a demonstration of the striker style, he indicates the striker is much more user friendly and he would not recommend the other Ferno style. The quote we received was for $15,16865. They'll take a trade of our non-electric
chair of $1,500. So the balance for the new chair will be 13,858.26 and that's in front of you. Resolution 2025-98 accepting that quote for that stair chair. questions, comments.
>> The funding is coming directly out of the ambulance budget. They got funds to cover this. >> Yes, they did get some state aid money for ambulances and so that's what will be allocated toward that. >> Okay. Any other questions, concerns? Do I have a motion to approve resolution
2025-98? >> Motion to approve. >> Motion by Scott. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Heidi. More discussion. Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> I.
>> Opposed. Abstensions. Motion carries. Five in favor, none against. 7E. Approve resolution 2025-9 authorizing remodel contract. >> The ambulance department is requesting to make some upgrades to the building
for storage purposes uh along with others, but they're framing out some different rooms. And what that is is the upper level. So they did get two different quotes. Uh one was they were for materials, labor, plumbing and electric. And then a total of
contracting had a total of 14,87927. Eisenbart was 14,131. However, the Eisenbart bid does not include the plumbing and electrical. So that was 3,400 of the Castria bids. So that makes Christa uh the lower bid. So, we're looking to approve resolution
2025-99 accepting quote for the ambulance building remodel to Costrie Contracting. >> Questions, concerns? >> Remind me, is this something we we had planned for the budget and we're anticipating for this year? >> It it has been kind of in long range
plan. >> Okay. >> It wasn't it wasn't specifically called out in the capital improvement plan because it's under that threshold. >> Okay. I just didn't recall if we had talked about it ahead of this. Okay, >> any other questions or concerns? >> And so again, the funding for this is
just the >> ambulance general budget, >> straight ambulance budget. >> One thing about the ambulance is pretty much self-sufficient. So they don't have the money, they usually don't ask. So
any other questions or concerns? Do I have a motion to approve resolution 2025-9? So move. >> Motion by Brad. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Joel. Any other discussion?
Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Opposed. >> Motion carries. Five in favor. None against. Approve resolution 2025-100 approving sale of forfeited vehicle. Uh
the Sterns County Attorney's Office released this to the city a 2010 Subaru Outback through the forfeite process. We did offer the vehicle for sale through the state of Minnesota online auction service min bid. Uh we did receive a bid of $4,585 for that vehicle. So we're looking to
approve resolution 2025-100 accepting the bid and authorizing the sale of the forooted vehicle. >> Questions, concerns? Do I have a motion to approve resolution 2025-100?
>> Motion to approve. >> Motion by Joe. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Heidi. >> Last minute discussion. Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Five in favor.
None against. 7G. We approve resolution 2025-101 authorizing execution of closing documents. >> So, we did get another purchase agreement for the sale of lot 2 block 3 of author's edition. We do need the resolution authorizing the execution of
the closing documents. That's resolution 2025-101. >> Questions, concerns? >> Do I have a motion to approve resolution 2025-101? So >> motion by Brad. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Scott.
>> Last minute discussion. Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> I. Opposed. Abstensions. Motion carries. Five in favor. None against. 78. Approve ordinance 851 modifying
winter parking restrictions. So, at the October 1 council meeting, the council requested that the winter parking ordinance be brought up for review, which might include a potential change to calendar parking, also known as odd even. So the current code current the current city code under restricted
winter parking states persons must not park vehicles between 12 me at midnight and 7:00 a.m. on all streets except those designated as the con congested district whereby parking is restricted year round from 2:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.
And the proposal if adopted would say persons must park according to the following. Oddday parking will only be permitted on the odd side of the street and even day parking will only be permitted on the even side of the street from 12 midnight to 7:00 a.m. except those designated as the congested
district whereby parking is restricted year round from 2:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. And there may also be some other areas that would need be to also be included in that restriction. That ordinance is in front of you if you choose to adopt it. I know there's probably going to be some discussion on that and I think Ben
has some information for you as well. >> Okay. Um I had been go through some figures based on if we just leave this alone, leave it no parking
compared to the calendar odd even parking what it was going to cost us extra per year if we do that. And one idea I found out that was out there was we just go back to just letting everybody park
wherever they want and how much that was going to cost. Um you got the pros, the cons, the cost in front of you. Uh the one thing talking to Ben about this was the fact that
if we would go to the calendar parking the roads that should maintain no parking for the winter on this separate sheet right now from Pine Street to Oak Street there's no parking. It's in that 2 to7
anyway, but he would be requesting that from East Street all the way to Standard Iron would be no parking strictly because of snow hauling. Um,
Highway 71, and Ben, if I'm misspeaking, let me know. But um Highway 71 to and Bain Street, First Street to Fifth Street um would be no parking. Second Street
South, that's our road to where we dump in the snow. We can't allow any parking on there because of the trucks meeting and with the wings on the trucks, it gets a little narrow. Um, Fourth Street South,
Pine Street, uh, Oak, Ash Street, Sinclair Lewis Avenue to Walmart be no parking at all. We'd have to take it there basically would be the same as our winter parking rule right now.
8th Street, obviously that's a one-way street. There's no way you're going to clean that road and sidewalk with anybody parked on it. So there'd be no parking on that road.
And then 9inth Street also going to the school Ash Street to State Road would be no parking as we can see on the cost. Um we leave it the same. There's no additional costs for snowfalls less than
12 in. They can be cleaned up in a normal 8 hour shift. If we would go to calendar parking, you're looking at an extra one hour per shift per truck. So, you're looking at $4,500 additional
cost on street department also. And then if we did the no restrictions, you're looking at a cost of $18,000 additional. The main thing, and everybody knows how I feel about it because I voiced it at
the last meeting, but I think we're trying to satisfy 1% of the population. >> I disagree. >> How many people actually talked to you about this? >> Oh, at least a dozen. that just came and talked to me that no this was on the agenda.
You're seeing 1% out of our city population. You're talking >> We're talking say 4600 people. >> Okay. So, you're saying 46 people? >> Yep. So, we're going to change the city rules for 46 people.
>> I disagree with that >> because I know 46 people didn't put us in office. They put us in office to represent the whole city. Um, one statement that was made at the last meeting that it's hard to enforce.
Talking to Joel, there is not an enforcement problem. The only enforcement problem is on 48 hour parking, >> which is during the summer too. >> If we go year round, >> if you go year round,
>> that would alleviate that issue. Well, this has been in place for what, six years, seven years. >> The winter parking. >> Yeah, >> like two to three, I thought. Oh, >> four. >> Either, you know, either way, you know,
we're talk about educating people. Well, every time you change the rules, you got to re-educate them. And talking to Joe, we haven't ticketed that many people. We haven't hardly towed anybody because everybody knows that December 1st it rolls around. They can't park in
the street. Um, yeah, there's snow emergencies, but every time you call a snow emergency, that adds more cost to the street department and to the police department because now if we call a snow
emergency and they don't do it, the police department's got to go out there and ticket every car or possibly toll every car. that's still sitting on the street where with the no parking it's basically hardly anything.
Um, to me it's just that just costs more money and more headaches for both departments in Joe's opinion and I he if he wants to he can come up but he told me as far as
he was concerned leave it alone unless we do calendar parking and it goes year round and if it doesn't go year round. The only thing is, but he also said told me
it better be for 2 years because 4 months down the line when somebody gets nailed in May or 6 months from now cuz they aren't switching their car back and forth every night and they telling us >> it's already an ordinance. So it's you
can't park for more than 48 hours anyhow. If they're out there for a day, they're going to be out there for two days cuz they're legal one day, not legal the next day. They're probably going to leave a park there for that day anyway. >> I'm talking to people that park in their campers and their boats and everything on the street. >> It would be a good way to move. It's
it's a good idea way to do it. And I'll agree with that. >> The only thing is is when they all come to you saying, "I got a ticket because of this because I couldn't get it moved." You're going to have more than 46 people coming to you telling you this is a
stupid idea. and then six months later we can't have the council sitting here going, "Oh, why did we do that?" and change it. No, it's going to be for two years. So, the one thing is is if you get say you
get home at 11:30, now I we're splitting hairs, but you get home at 11:30, which side of the street do you park on? You can park on the even side because the restriction don't go in until midnight or whatever day that midnight is going to be. That's what side they'll
park on because the parking restriction doesn't start till midnight. Okay. How strict are we going to get with it? Are we actually going to ticket it? Are we actually going to tow? Or are we going to be nice? Because right now with the no winter
parking after how many years, these people know they're going to get ticketed and towed. >> Well, same thing here. >> Yeah, but we got to prove it. >> I I just still think that we're trying to satisfy 1% of the population.
>> Oh, that's your thoughts. I disagree with that. And I contacted five cities around central Minnesota and asked them what they do. And out of Melrose, Albany, Glenwood, Long Prairie, and Osakus, and then us. The only other city
besides us that uses the no parking from December 1st to April 15th is Osakus. Everybody else is on a snow emergency only. They have no parking restrictions year round. Melrose, Albany, Glenwood, and L Prairie have no parking
restrictions. You can park wherever you want, whenever you want. And this is kind of a happy medium in between the snow emergency and the no parking and it works for them because I've talked to two of the public works directors and two of the city clerks from those two or those towns.
>> One of the things that you know I t you know talked to city St. Joel. >> Yeah. a little larger than us, but they're a college town and their population switches 50% every year and they have absolutely no parking on the streets during the winter and they don't
have a problem with it. Oh, they can rotate 50% of their population because of the college and not have a problem with it. I don't see why sock center can't live with it >> because we're not St. Joe. >> We are not Melrose. We're not Alan.
>> I understand that. But you're using an example. I gave an example. So, >> okay. >> Any other comments? >> Well, I think we did uh snow emergency only for a lot of years uh up until your
change four years ago or 5 years ago and um to me it worked great. It's my own opinion. Um the costs that are are driven here to some degree are assumptions because we don't know exactly how many events per year you're going to have. You might
have three >> that's over that's overnight too >> and so you know we're averaging it based on you know 15 events. So it's hard to judge what the dollars are going to be. Um, and as far as having to run it
through summer and we have to do this and we have to do that and it's got to be two years, I I don't think there's got to be anything. As far as I'm as far as I'm concerned, it's what we agree is the five of us. It's and and we ain't all going to agree. I mean, it's no
doubt there's going to be some discontent. >> That's basically the 1% versus the rest of the population. You keep saying this 1%. >> I I believe >> that's your assumption. I believe it's far greater than 1% of the population will >> that want us to go to a more workable
solution. >> If it's me, I would propose we go to snow emergency only and I would not make a recommendation that we go year round. That's all my own thoughts. So, we'll just, you know, however we want to move it forward. One thing now you mentioned
that years ago it worked. As a street department person, someone that actually goes out and does it. What's your definition of it worked? You're saying it worked.
>> It did work. >> We're talking to We don't know that it worked. >> Well, I guess we were on the council making those decisions at the time. >> Yeah. That's the reason why we changed it. Okay. Because we were in a budget crunch and we were looking at some savings. Okay.
>> And if you're you want to call Ben up and ask him why we did some of it, >> Ben and Joe are going to do what the council tells them to do. >> Absolutely. >> Yes. >> And that's why I went and talked to Ben and got his thoughts for a compromise and he said this is the best compromise that
>> but he also told me that it needed to be year round if we were going to do it. >> That was Joe's recommendation. >> Well, Joe's. Yes. Ben, do you have an estimate of over the last how many years that the no parking has been in place that we could put a
dollar amount because I look at, you know, measurable results. Is there a dollar amount that we could say based on the events that we've had and not estimating futures what that looks like? >> That's where the 15 came up with. That's can kind of been the average on our lower snowfall years. Um the first
couple years I was here, we were plowing twice a week the entire winter. So I didn't use that as our as our basis. So I kind of went with 15 is been the average over the last three. That's a safe number to use. >> So you guesstimate >> and of course there's going to be
different people in different trucks over the last few years, too. But >> y >> $4,500 times three years that we've done it. We're going into the fourth year, >> right? >> So we've saved >> 18 grand if you did it at four years at
4500. We're saving three years value in one year or excuse me of of no versus no restrictions, >> right? Yep. >> Our biggest challenge is there's spots in town where when people are allowed to park on both sides of the street
whenever they want, they'll park right across from each other. And as soon as you get a wind row on both sides of those cars, they're already two feet closer out in the street. And there's times where your wing is up and you still can't fit between the two cars
with a 12oot blade on the truck. So that's what drove this originally. That was one of the factors. Um, Pine and Birch, that area is notoriously bad for this. I know they don't have a lot of off- streetet parking, which is why they park on the street, but that's
definitely the challenge that we faced. And then we would get a lot of complaints because the wind rows are out on the street. They're around cars. They melt. They freeze. It's not a good, in my opinion, it's not a good job done, but we can't get it off the street when
the cars never move or when there's 20 cars and they're all on different work schedules. I respect that. But when they never move out of the way at the same time, we can't effectively clean that snow. So that's that's where if we went to odd even parking at least we could
get one side to the curb clean and the next day we could hit the other side and keep it clean curb to curb. If we go back to no no restrictions at all, it's going to be a real struggle to keep the streets looking respectable. That will
be my challenge and I I promise you that it won't look as good as it does now. The other side of it is day one is always plowing, day two is always So we have to wind row everything like St. Cle especially from East Street to Standard Iron. You have to take all the
sidewalk snow, all the road snow goes in the middle of the road. Well, before winter parking restrictions, the downtown parking stops at Pine Street. So then we'd have people parking on St. Louis from Pine Street headed east like
by the church and by those houses. And when you get two cars parked like this across from each other, we can't I mean, we're driving big dump trucks, loaders, and grers through these streets in the middle of the night. Two cars screw that
up immensely. >> And then there's a lot of snow left behind because you're working around these vehicles. You can only get so close and then there's not a good time because as soon as those cars leave for the day, everybody's going to work. You can't, all you can do is push it back off the road and it ends up back on the
sidewalk. So, those are my challenges. I'm willing to work with whatever you guys want to do, but if we go to no parking, our quality is going to go down and I don't like that. >> Our quality will go down even with the
odd even the calendar parking. >> It'll it'll present more of a challenge. There's no doubt. >> Yes. >> Yep. But at least it gives me the opportunity to get to that side of the street with no cars on it if we go that way. >> Warren, do you have that sheet of the
streets where they're >> Yeah. >> I I didn't get that. >> Oh, you didn't get that? Okay. >> I don't think any of us got that sheet. >> Okay. This is what >> that list of streets is. What we're just doing is expanding what we call the congested district. >> Yes. >> Which we always call around the horn
where they do these couple blocks downtown. It just extends that out. a little bit in each direction. So when he talks about Sinclair, just continue it further and a couple more blocks in that add on to that what we call the congested district in town. I know it
sounds like a long list, but we would probably have to update the table in our ordinance to include those streets in addition to I think 8th, 9th, and ash. >> A 9th and ash are on here, too. So yeah, there's a lot of a lot of streets that would be excluded from the parking in a
in the event of a calendar parking here. So, we're excluding we're excluding those just to make the process more smoother, easier, >> efficient, safer, and a better job. Yes.
>> Okay. I'll go back to your comment in regards to um not being able to plow through those streets on Birch and Pine. I can't believe for 10 years we didn't plow through those streets when there was snow emergencies, when there were cars on both sides. We made it work. Yes, you're right.
>> When you call us an emergency. >> Yeah, we had we made it work. >> So, I just want to make sure we understand that we did not plow those streets for all those years. We still plowed them. >> Mhm. >> So, um I think it's preference, right? I think it's what is a person's
preference. Um you know, that's my opinion. I mean, we it isn't that the streets were terrible for the first for the last 20 years except for the last five when we went to this route. We survive. We went, you were on board council me. We didn't complain about this every day,
every year. We just It's just how we went. >> Oh. >> So, I mean, it isn't that it was terrible. And that's what I'm hearing is is it was bad and we just had to go no parking. I just I know I don't I don't see it that way.
>> Joel, you got comments? >> Well, so I I looked at the winter parking rules for some of them. I I didn't go into their ordinances. I just did a Google search for each city and what the Google AI popped up and said. So I'm hopefully these are all accurate. But so St. Cloud does have the odd even parking from November to April 1st.
Weight parks got no winter parking November to April 1st from 2 to 7. Uh same with St. Joe. Avon's got no parking when there's more than 2 inches of snow accumulation regardless of time of day. So if they get more than two inches, there's no on street parking which I guess would be your snow emergency
event. Alby's one and a half inches. Freeport's uh no parking with a snowfall trigger of more than onetenth of an inch. Melrose is just no downtown business parking and then Nokus has no parking. So I mean that's gives you an idea of what's going on around us. But at the end of the day, it's still what
fits for us. Um I would say what we've been doing the last four years with the no winter parking has worked. We've seen it. It's it's we've had nice streets uh in that aspect of clean uh efficient work for our street department and everything. So we know that's working.
um when we put this in place, you know, the the snow emergency rules that that were in place prior to that, I think, you know, I grew up in the country, we, you know, didn't have rules to worry about with this, but it's felt like a common sense thing, like, hey, it's snowing, get off the street. Well, it doesn't
work that way. So, um, we can't rely on that. You know, people just use their best judgment on some of those things. Um, so I don't I don't think that's the route to go is to go to, you know, no restriction and call snow emergency. Um, the calendar parking does seem like a a
good compromise. we can see how it works some of those things but at the end of the day you know is that I don't I don't know if it's the right approach to take necessarily here at this point either because we're yes we're trying to appease them and you know the lesser of evils as far as
letting our street department continue to do uh as best as they can um yeah I don't I don't know that there's a good answer but that's usually what compromise is right you know give a little on each side So >> main thing is is we are all going to
agree to disagree on this situation. >> Absolutely. >> And the same with the community. You know, if we knew we were going to come into office and please everybody 100% in this town, you you better find a different place to
go because you got higher callings than sitting here. Um, it was changed like Ben said because he came in and he could see that things could be streamlined. Money could be saved.
We're talking taxpayer dollars. And just because we did it for years doesn't make it right. you know, change. Nothing's wrong with change. But when it's a to me a step backwards,
then it's not a change for the good. We're basically telling our street department, well, you've done a great job for the last 5 years, but now we're going to tell you to do a halfway job. I could say another word, but I won't.
I mean, Ben, I mean, your opinion, like how how do you feel about either of those those two options as far as what you see from, you know, overseeing the group? Um, what you see when you're out in the out in the the field doing this, and then what your guys feel like? I mean, what's what's the perspective on that stuff? Well, that's what first
sparked this whole conversation was talking to the guys that were plowing regularly. And they said that their biggest challenge is when the crow the cars crowd in on you and you can't fit down the road. I mean, it's stressful enough already plowing around vehicles
and it's that tight. So then they can't they can't even go down those roads and then we have to send a separate pickup truck just to plow through those areas. That just didn't really make sense to me that we should be doing that. So that that's what started this whole thing to get going. Um
>> I mean I'm not in favor of going of just letting it go to park wherever you want whenever you want. That that was it was a big mess for us and it wasn't wasn't easy to deal with. Um we dealt with it of course and got it done but it doesn't mean it was the most efficient or the best way to do it. Um, I'm I am
definitely open to the calendar parking if it means not losing this entirely because then we can still do a respectable job with this and still have space for our plows to operate and room for things to move. >> So, that's kind of where I'm at.
>> So, you you and your your team would be comfortable with the the calendar parking with the, you know, restrictions as they're laid out here as far as no parking on those roads and everything, >> right? Yep. >> Yep. when I lived on Pine Street um for the first couple years that this was enforced and we parked mainly in front
of our house. Um I voted for this because I appreciated and understood how difficult it was having driven those roads for years when it was not plowable. I mean it wasn't it was plowed but you're dealing with the cars and then two days later you're still
cleaning up and you're still cleaning up and you're dealing with ice chunks and you're dealing with every the the mess just compounds throughout the year. what I've seen from people, my neighbors at the time, who had to park off street in their drive, like in their front yards.
Um, the worst it got was in the spring when when stuff starts to thaw. And we made the decision originally from December 1st till March 31st, I believe. >> So, April 1st, it was lifted. Is there an option that we just shorten the
season where we call the snow emergencies in November if it happens and the snow emergencies in March if it happens but December, January, February when we get the most of our snow, we continue on with the off with with the no parking.
>> I think the one thing is I know what you're talking about, but I think even during the months that we would have it, we're still going to have a snow emergency. Even if they're parked on the odd side of the street or the even side of the
street and we get 6 in of snow, we're going to call a snow emergency and they're going to have to find a place to park. >> Well, and that's totally fine, but give your yard a chance to rebound if we don't have a snow emergency. >> The only problem I got there is if you drive around town right now, I at least a half a dozen of them are parked in
their yard now with for sale signs on the windshield and they're parking their everything else in their yards and they don't worry about it then. But now we're supposed to be worried about their spring yard looking bad. >> It will be difficult in that pine birch ash area and after all the road
construction that we just had, all their their boulevards and driveways are mud. >> It's going and any seating done, throw it out the window. >> It's gone. >> That's on us then because we have that restriction, >> right? >> But if we call a snow emergency, then
it's totally clear. There's not a just because event we call a snow emergency. Everybody's off the street irregardless. >> So our current snow emergency is anything more than 2 in or what is it?
>> Well, that that's the minimum threshold, but it's just up to us and call it when we need to >> because if we don't scrape two inches off, it turns into ice. >> Yeah. And then in the spring then you're going to run around and try to clean up around cars with the belly blades taking
the slush and the ice off. And that's more cost. I'm not saying it's not bad to revisit this or revisit it. I just think the reasoning is not there
on a cost basis. >> So Ben, you're saying you guys can make make it work the odd and even if that's what >> that's >> and are you saying that we have to go year round and we have to do it for two
years? >> That was Joe's. >> Okay, that's Joe that says we have to We can't keep changing this. >> Okay. >> Okay. But doesn't it So you're referencing to me snow emergency is snow
is winter, right? >> I mean that's you know no parking. I guess that's >> we're getting >> the 48 hour thing confused with the winter parking. >> Confused. No, I mean we're >> trying to tie it together.
>> Yeah, you're trying to address two issues, right? >> I'm personally talking about snow emergency routes or snow winter parking. That's why I just I think they're two different items. >> Yeah. So, any other questions,
concerns, comments? >> A quick question, Vicki, as it would relate to our uh existing, you know, downtown business or congested districts with the no parking. So, is this going to take an ordinance amendment for these other streets or is that something we just include with this >> that that we we if we adopt an ordinance
here, you can address those and we'll include them in this ordinance. >> Okay. What that would basically do is update the table. >> Okay. >> The one thing is is we had tried that standard iron to East Street once before
and we ended up changing it back to the way it was because there was a lot of people that didn't like it because >> I think what's gets messy there is we don't necessarily need that to be the congested district. I just need that for winter.
>> Yeah. >> Right. Right. But in the winter we had done that >> and then we changed it back. >> Well, I think we did that when we passed this, but I think we encompass it for a year round and we didn't have it specified for just those months. I think was the issue we had at that time,
right? When they those complaints were were brought forward in those those neighborhoods or those streets. Can we just address the winter parking or do we have to tie your 48 hours in or can we bring that at another discussion?
>> You can do it either way. You know, you this we're actually talking about the restricted winter parking schedule. >> Yeah. >> So, if you do the odd even here and you want it year round, then that's the whole separate that has >> that's a separate issue. >> I just want to make sure we're talking
winter and not year round. Thanks. I think one of one of the issues we had with snow emergencies and we did that for many years was like the 2 in or the two and a half inch people in their minds aren't thinking that's enough to be off the street whereas if you have an 8 in or a 10 inch snow plow everybody's
really good they know they have to move but if it's two to three inches they're like ah it wasn't that much and they stay there and that's where we really have the problems with it >> then the big events and we can still call an emergency on a big event no matter what we do >> that's very true I mean I I I I agree
with you 100%. It was challenging during the, you know, low, you know, min more minimum snowfall is more challenging than >> usually it's Vicki, Ben, and I that decide if there's going to be a snow emergency. >> So that's just the
>> perks of the office, >> whatever. But it's, you know, so if I decide as soon as I can talk to these guys and do it, and then that means everybody's off the street cuz that's what the snow emergency is all about.
So, I'm going to make a motion that it's uh stays the same as what we've been doing. And no change to the ordinance. Do I have a second? Do I have a second?
Do I have a second? Motion dies. For lack of a second, >> I'll make a motion we go to the odd even calendar parking. >> Okay, we have a motion. Do we have a second? >> I'll second.
>> Motion by Scott, seconded by Brad. >> Can I ask a question for clarification? Does that include the added streets that were Yes. Okay. Thank you. >> The congested district. Yes. >> I was going to ask that as well. >> Thank you. >> Okay.
Any other discussion, questions? Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Opposed. >> I. >> Motion carries. Four in favor. One against.
Another question. Now, even though we passed this and I should have mentioned it sooner, when are we when's the enforcement start? Because usually by the middle of November,
we were putting warning tags on people's cars telling them that they couldn't park on the street. >> Well, I think the only >> we just changed rules again. >> I think our dates were December 1st through March 31st here. >> So, are we going to weeks >> on odd even and get them used to it or
we should we do it start now? >> I think the only thing we're striking is item B. No, I think he's talking about the education part of it. We we just give people a notice on their car like in no, you know, middle of November saying, "Hey, just to make you aware."
>> What what we normally do is we print out like on a bright brightly colored paper and overnight when people are there that would otherwise be in violation, we put that in their windshield. >> Um it gives them a heart attack at first because they think they're getting a ticket where really it is is just education.
So I was just asking were you going to leave it the same give them the same two weeks or are you going to give them a month? I think two weeks is sufficient. I mean if that's what we did before just do the same thing. It's just the odd even and we gave them notice when we had no winter parking two weeks in advance.
they do the same thing with odd even make them aware and then it's on them to take the challenge of remembering what day of the week it is whether it's an odd or even day cuz if I didn't work in the bank I don't think I could tell you what what the day was that day sometimes so
>> I would agree be consistent >> from what we did in the past two weeks that's >> so Joel we'll do that the guys will be back to in and out of their cars a lot >> yep But okay, move on. Unfinished
business. Annexation of property. >> Uh, the request has been sent to the owner of the property on county 112 that is subject of the an annexation due to the utility hookup. The request is to ask them to sign the petition. Uh, this avenue of annexation is much simpler process and it takes a lot less time.
So, uh, that's out there right now. we pos if if they do not want a petition then we'll go through additional procedures and this has to do with them hooking up to utilities which requires you to be in the city limits. So that's just kind of an update on that. >> Okay. Any questions about that? Okay.
Deferred assessments on County Road 112. >> Also related to that on County Road 112 back when the water and sewer lines were put down that road many years ago, there were deferred assessments against those township parcels. And then when they wanted the service, they were to pay the
assessment at that time when they came into the city. Uh now 20 years have lapsed and there's six properties uh that have not come into the city yet. And we met with members of the PUC board today and uh they're recommending that the balance that the outstanding balance is 66,97911.
The PUC has offered to pay half of that back to the city because we fronted that money originally. Uh and then then city our balance of 33,000 plus change. We can elect either to keep it as deferred against those parcels till some future date when they come in or we can write
that off. That's up to us. But their offer is that the public utility would pay uh half of those assessments on behalf of those owners. And so that's the six remaining parcels that are in the township on that road that we have water and sewer service lines run to.
And so I mean I don't really need to have an action tonight. I mean I did because I this is kind of new information for you. Um if you like that offer and think that's good then we can pull forward or move forward. But if you want additional time to consider it I can bring it back at the next meeting as
well. I think the recommendation from the policy committee as far as the PUC paying half of it I think that should be accepted and personal opinion the other half should be put against the lot so whenever they
sell we get our money back. >> I would >> you know what happened in that paperwork jumbo I have no idea where it disappeared to. It was always on our books, but on the water and lights books
it disappeared. >> So you said that put against the lots and paid when they sell. I mean, we can't assess those to the lot specifically if they're in the township yet. We just continue hold them deferred >> township, but the only way if their water or sewer fails.
>> So when they would connect in and we annex them and then they're they're do it. But not it's not like you know they could sell the property eight times >> type of thing, right? Because >> that's the reason why we're looking at the annexation. >> You're going to annex all the properties over there or just the one that is
hooked up right now. >> The currently we're working with the one >> just the one >> the public utility was recommending we annex the whole bunch in. >> But I don't have that >> annex that whole corner in. >> Right now we're just talking about the half that the public utility was going
to reimburse us for. >> I think that second part is a bigger >> a bigger question. Not to crack, >> but I think you're I think you're right, Joe. It can sell, but if today they could sell >> because it's still in the township until that point, >> right?
>> What we're try we're trying to get away from is that PUC it right now that there's houses on Lakeshore Drive that are still not hooked up because they never required them to hook up. And as long as they're well and everything is
working fine, they don't need to. So, we got to get the policies cleared up a little bit so there's no gray areas anymore. >> I know. >> I will tell you, at least in the years that I've been here, whenever we've done
an afferred assessment, it has an end date. Either your septic fails and you hook up, your well fails and you hook up. You sell your lot, you pay the or you mean you mean you pay or you sell the lot, you pay or 10 years goes by or there's some end date
>> rather than these going on forever ones. >> But um there's some old stragglers out there yet. >> Because there was never an end date put on anything. So, general consents as far as accepting the
PUC's offer on the half and then we bring the assessment part to the council on an agenda item. Makes sense to me. I would think yeah, we accept their half and then yeah, we decide what to do with the rest of it later. >> Yeah, >> I concur.
>> Okay. 8C outstanding credit payments for Birch Pine project. >> After we had the public hearing at the last minute or the last meeting, I had a couple people come forward and say, "Well, we did our sidewalk and we didn't get a credit." I'm like, "Well, we didn't know you did your sidewalk." But
thanks to Google Earth and the filming that Stantech did of every inch of that project before they started, there was a couple brand new sidewalks out there that we were unaware of. And so at 727 Birch Street South and 733 Birch South Street South, we're looking to give uh
30 feet of sidewalk credit to the first one and 85 ft of sidewalk credit to the other one. And so this would come off of the assessment balance that is owed when we certify that to the county. And then there's another one where we knew that there was some sprinkler damage. She
brought in her paid bill uh and also uh the concrete for the driveway from the sidewalk up to their house. There was a section there that we had reported um that our inspector noticed it, went back the next day, but by then the owner had already taken it out and said they'll
report if we provide the concrete. So they did and so that's the cost of the concrete for that pour to get reimbursed to them. So what I have is actually uh four items. Two are credits for sidewalk and the other one is to reimburse an owner for sprinkler repairs and concrete
repour. So that concrete report and sprinkler repairs is like $652 and then the other two are $698 and$1980 respectively. So we're looking to uh approve these credits and then the second one would be actually be a reimbursement because they've already
paid those costs. >> Questions, concerns? >> Obviously they didn't apply for a permit to >> sidewalks. That that's the ironic part. >> Yeah. >> We wouldn't have to be doing this if they would have applied for a permit. we
would have known if >> so >> they each kind of blamed no the one the one homeowner blamed the other homeowner because they tagged under there and that homeowner blamed the contractor so >> so what is the council's wishes
approve the credits and the reimbursement as presented or something I guess the one question on the sprinkler repairs. I mean, was that damage done outside of the rightway area that they >> It was outside of the rightway. It was
into their yard a little bit when they went in to put the curb stop in. >> Okay. I I guess I Oh, sorry. >> The homeowner removed the stuff in the boulevard but left it along the inside of their sidewalk. >> Okay. So, shouldn't have been >> which >> So, shouldn't have expected that to
happen then. So, I would I guess I would um I would recommend uh approving the credit and the reimbursements as presented. >> Okay, we have a motion. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Brad.
Any other discussion? Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. I. >> Opposed? Extensions. Motion carries. Five in favor, none against. New business sedp grant for housing rehab.
>> So the EDA had previous previously recommended that when a new round of SCDP which is a small city's development program grants are released that the city apply for a grant for owner occupied housing rehab. The grant would be passed on to property owners for renovations to homes for things like
siding, windows, heating. Uh the maximum available per household is $25,000. a deed announced the program had been funded and the pre pre-application is due on November 25th. If selected, a full application will be due in February and then we would get notification of
award in spring of 2026. Um again, the maximum award for a single purpose grant, which this is, is $600,000. Uh in addition, one other thing that we did add was if you need to replace your water service line if it's lead or galvanized, that it would be an eligible
expense as well. So, Central Minnesota Housing Partnership, I reached out to them and they've agreed to administer the in the field part going in the homes doing, you know, asbestous lead, all those kinds of things that they have to do and also work with the contractors and so that we have them in line. Um,
I'm working with a grant specialist at Stantech to finalize the application. We also have to indicate need and it has to do with our low and moderate income thresholds and the incomes of the individuals. So, we sent out a letter to all the homestead parcels in town with
uh in within a certain range of value with a survey, and if we get enough of those back indicating they would be interested, then that gives us more points on our application. We did send out uh up to $150,000 value of building value of a homesteaded property. And
then we have additional thresholds if we want to go up to 175 or one or 200 or whatever we want to do depending on how many applications we get back. So we have that in the works. We hope to be able to comply. Um the EDA didn't have a
meeting last month because we didn't have a quorum. So I kind of took this step based on their recommendation this spring. So sorry Joe and Heidi. So this is just kind of information. application is in process, but if anybody out there is receives one of
those survey letters from the city uh or a let something in a city envelope, it's not a bill, please open it and send out be lucky enough to get that. >> About how many letters did you send out? You know, >> we sent out this first batch about 200.
>> Nice. Okay. Any other questions about that? Then we'll move on to our consent agenda. We have schedule of claims, unpaid claims of $643,893.89, paid claims of $1,500
for a total of $645,393.89. September checks, paid claims/payroll, 1,567,428.80. We have a gambling application for exempt permit request from Holy Family School for a raffle on December 17th, 2025 at Holy Family School.
Is there any questions about the consent agenda as presented? Do I have a motion to approve the consent calendar? >> Motion to approve. >> Motion by Heidi. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Joel. >> Call a question. All those in favor
signify by saying I. I. opposed. Motion carries. Five in favor, none against. We have noformational items. That brings us to the end of our agenda. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Motion by Brad. Do I have a second? >> Second.
>> Second by Scott. Call the question. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> I. Opposed. Motion carries. Five in favor, none against. Meeting adjourned.