Adam Bartels

The agenda for the regular meeting includes consideration of a consent agenda covering Council Minutes from 1/27/26, payment of bills, January financial reports, appointments to boards and commissions, operator licenses, and permits for two run/walk events. The meeting will also include citizens' comments, review of various Board/Commission/Committee minutes from December 2025 and January 2026, and departmental financial reports for January. Action items include the resolution adopting the Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (CORP). Discussion topics involve an update on the East Main Street Project, resolution for DNR Trail Grants for Mound View Park Trail Maintenance, the revised 2026 Comprehensive Plan, and scheduling a strategic plan review workshop. A closed session is scheduled to consider City Manager applicants for interview by the McMahon team.

The regularly scheduled meeting commenced with a roll call and the unanimous approval of the consent agenda, which included council minutes from January 27th, payment of bills, the January financial report, license approvals for alcohol service, and two run/walk permits. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to recognizing the retiring City Clerk, Colette Stefen, for her service since 2015, including her work on implementing electronic poll books and navigating election changes in 2024. The meeting also featured the introduction of the new Accounting and Finance Manager and City Treasurer, Renee Weaver. Updates were provided on airport activities, including the flight school progress, and construction updates on the new fire station, noting upcoming events like the pancake breakfast and the ribbon cutting ceremony. A substantive discussion centered on the East Main Street project, specifically addressing complications arising from Federal Highway Administration requirements for tenant relocation payments due to necessary construction near the foundation of 250 East Main Street. The primary action item was the adoption of Resolution 26-03, approving the Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (CORP), which involved feedback from approximately 900 survey respondents.

The meeting covered several agenda items, including an introduction to the Parks Budget and discussions regarding membership, and the development of policies and guidelines for memorials and legacies in City Parks. Senior Center Usage Data was also presented. Old business included reports on the City Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee and updates on the Aquatic Center and Broske Center. The status of the Downtown Dog Park was reviewed, with potential locations identified. Staff updates covered lifeguard training coordination, high attendance in women's volleyball and indoor park activities, and the opening of Spring Registration.

The meeting commenced with roll call, followed by the approval of the consent agenda, which included council minutes from January 13th, payment of bills, operator licenses for alcohol sales, and a temporary class B license for an art gallery reception. During citizens' comments, a pastor implored the council to deny any requests for local law enforcement to collaborate with federal ICE operations, citing concerns over community trust and fear among children. Staff updates included the introduction of a new accounting and finance manager and reports on ongoing construction projects, specifically the pool project, which is proceeding well towards a June opening, and the fire station project, which is on schedule with interior work progressing. The primary action item was the approval to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Trail View development to solicit housing developers, noting that the property would be divided into three sections to encourage local developer participation. Discussions around the RFP included emphasizing the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district portion and ensuring connectivity mapping was included. Parallel discussions involved developing a TIF document concurrently with the RFP process to support financial assistance requests from interested developers.

The meeting commenced with the first session of the Common Council for the year 2026. The primary agenda item discussed was a public hearing concerning the Water Supply Service Area Plan, a requirement under DNR regulations. A presentation was provided detailing how the existing 2022 comprehensive plan was amended to incorporate NR854 requirements. Key elements discussed included delineating the service area, population projections (using updated projections showing a slight decline), future water demands, and inventorying water sources. The presentation emphasized that while updated projections reduced the projected demand, the need to replace aging infrastructure, specifically Well Number 3 and the Davidson plant (over 100 years old), remains critical. The main recommendation is to begin planning in 2026 for a new well facility to be online by 2030. Alternative water sources, such as surface water from the Mississippi River, were deemed not viable due to distance and cost. Groundwater from deep wells remains the most viable long-term option. Council members also discussed cost estimates for a new well and facility replacement, potentially reaching $7 to $8 million.