City Council - Regular Meeting

5.30, City Council meeting, July 20th. The invocation this evening will be done by Scott Kwame and followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

Eric couldn't be here tonight. Let's pray. Dear Lord, we praise you and thank you for a beautiful day today. There's been a lot of heat to enjoy over the last days, but thank you for the sunshine and the chance that we can be outside and enjoy it. Pray that you'd be with our meeting tonight with those who've gathered here to discuss the issues that we've got before us. We pray that you would give us wisdom and clarity in the decisions to be made. I ask that you'd bless our time together. In Jesus' name, amen.

Amen.

I will call this meeting to order. Roll call, please.

Here. Here.

Here.

Here. Here. Here.

Here. Here.

We have a quorum. The first item on the agenda is open forum. It's a time to address items of city business that are not on this evening's agenda. If anybody wishes to speak, please come to the lectern. State your name and the city in which you live. Hearing nobody or seeing nobody, the next item on the agenda is the approval of this evening's agenda. New items must be stated and approved by unanimous consensus. If not, would somebody care to make the motion to accept the agenda?

I will offer that.

Thank you, Laura.

I'll second it.

Thank you, Laurel. All those in favor say aye. Aye. The agenda is approved as is. The first item on the agenda is public hearings, public hearing establishing the TIF district, district 419 for Wickland properties, from which we will need a resolution establishing the TIF district. WITH THAT, MAYBE YOU'D LIKE TO JUST, JASON, WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS ABOUT THIS. WE DID DISCUSS THIS AS COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, BUT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC AT LARGE. JUST KIND OF A RECAP, PLEASE.

YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. AGAIN, JUST HITTING THE HIGH NOTES SINCE OUR CONVERSATION FROM LAST WEEK, THIS IS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TIF DISTRICT. IT IS A NINE-YEAR DISTRICT LIFE TO SUPPORT A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT for specifically for the repurposing and remanufacturing of ambulance vehicles and safety vehicles. As part of the project, the developer has committed to five new jobs at a wage of just over $27 per hour. Again, total project support through the TIF district is estimated about $140,000. If council moves forward with the TIF district establishment tonight after the public hearing, We will be back here in a couple of weeks with a formal TIF agreement that formalizes the business subsidy and the TIF requirements. So with that, Mayor and Council, any questions or follow-up from last week's conversation?

Or maybe we can open it up for public comment, and then after public comment, we can ask any questions of Jason. Anybody wishing in the audience, wishing to speak to this, please step forward to state your name and the city in which you reside. Did the fly want to say something? Was the fly going to say something in opposition or for it? Seeing nobody, we will close the public hearing and bring it back to the council. Would somebody care to make the resolution? Thank you, Al. Would somebody care to second it? Second. Thank you, Scott. Any questions of Jason? If not, a roll call, please.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Yes.

The resolution is approved. There are no awarding of bids this evening. The next item on the agenda is under petitions and communications, a resolution acknowledging the retirement and 14 years of service for Jill Hansen. Whereas Jill has submitted her intent to retire effective July 31st, 2026, and whereas Jill was hired on March 29, 2012, as the Port Authority Office Manager, a position held throughout her career with the city of Fergus Falls, and over which time Jill has dutifully supported the functions of the Port Authority, the operations of the Community Behavioral Health Hospital, the Heritage Preservation Commission, the Public Arts Commission, the Planning Commission, and the business development for Fergus Falls. And whereas Jill's skill with numbers is matched by her skillful green thumb, evidenced by her office filled with beautiful green plants, and whereas Jill's calm demeanor and attention to detail have made her an invaluable part of the fabric of the Community Development Office. Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, to accept the resignation of Jill Hansen and thank her for 14 years of dedicated service as an employee to the City of Fergus Falls. The above and foregoing resolution was offered at a regular meeting of the City Council held on July 20, 26, by Councilmember thank you jim who moved its adoption and was seconded by council member thank you scott and was adopted by the following votes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes the resolution is approved clara did you want to say any words of wisdom

Thank you, Mayor. I have had the pleasure of working with Jill since September of 2019. She has been my detail person. She checks my math for me. She's been a friend, a confidant, and a grounding force in the community development department since I started. Before me, she was an excellent partner to Gordon Hajdukovic and other planners and community development staff. While I've enjoyed my time with Jill, I could not be more thrilled for her to enter this new chapter of her life. Jill, may you enjoy endless hours out on the lake with your friends and your family and even dog sitting. Tim, please make sure that she gets to put her feet up. Thank you, Jill. And if you want to come up and say anything, you're welcome to. Nope, you're good. Thank you, Jill. Thank you, Jill.

So from one celebration to another, we now go to a badge ceremony and swearing in of police officer Samantha Wynne. So I will come down. I'd like to raise your right hand. It's optics. Raise your right hand. I solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the laws and ordinances of the City of Fergus Falls and faithfully discharge the duties of a police officer for the City of Fergus Falls, State of Minnesota.

From the city of Fergus Falls, state of Minnesota.

To the best of my judgment and ability. To the best of my judgment and ability. So help me God. So help me God. Thank you very much.

So Mayor and Council, tonight we have Samantha's father will be pinning the badge on her.

Samantha, I'll have you just maybe just stand right here is perfect, OK?

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Tonight brings me back to the start of my career, June 1st of 1998, and my positive experience of working with a female police officer, Sergeant Chris Harmsen of the LeClair Police Department. Sergeant Harmsen excelled in a male-dominated profession, and I always admired how she never hesitated to jump in like one of the guys. Sergeant Harmsen quickly took charge of a heated situation when I arrived to the scene of my first domestic disturbance call with her. That admiration continued when I was hired by the Bettendorf Police Department 18 months later with Officer Sarah Stolle. It was at that point in my career that I really began to understand the connection and value that female police officers bring to this profession. Inherent skills and abilities that cannot be replicated by a male police officer. There is a comfort level that female police officers bring to the table for victims of domestic assault, sexual assault and crimes against children. A warmth and compassion that really resonate with crime victims and help them open up. Now there are certainly criticisms of female police officers out there, hesitancy to engage or a strength disparity, but I would argue that those concerns can be handled and medicated through a thorough field training process that encourages and allows officers to work through any of those so-called detractors. That is the training Samantha Wendt, now Officer Samantha Wendt, will receive from the field training officers here within the Fergus Falls Police Department. Now, there are times in our career where we will come across a generational talent, an individual who is driven, motivated, and stands out among the others. That is exactly who we have standing here next to me. Officer Wendt made an initial impression when she spoke to Lieutenant Connor West and Detective Walker Heinen at the Alexandria Community College Career Fair in February of this year. She continued to make a positive impression when she interviewed in front of a panel of five She was confident and well-spoken with her responses to the questions that were posed to her. And when I called to give her a conditional offer of employment on May 20th, exactly two months ago, officer went accepted without hesitation. She then immediately began to take steps to complete her background investigation, become Minnesota post-certified, pass the physical agility test, complete the medical physical, drug screen, and psychological. Officer Wendt wants to get her career started and make a difference in the Fergus Falls community. She has a burning, relentless desire to make her family proud and make a name for herself. Officer Wendt's desire to become a police officer came from two completely different life experiences. The first came from her father being a Grant County dispatcher, and occasionally she would go to work with him. She would dream of being a police officer and responding to the calls that were dispatched to her by her own father. The second experience occurred when she was eight or nine years old from receiving Dairy Queen ice cream certificates from deputies with the Grant County Sheriff's Office for safely riding her bicycle and wearing her helmet. This serves as a reminder to us all that you never know through your actions at what seeds you are planting to someone else about becoming a police officer and only further solidifies the efforts that we are doing right here in Fergus Falls to recruit officer applicants through a solid community engagement strategy. Our community has not had a female officer serving it since November 19th of 2022. And after over three and a half years, it is my absolute pleasure to welcome Officer Samantha Wendt into the Fergus Falls Police Department and the City of Fergus Falls. With that, I'm happy to answer any questions or take any comments you might have.

Chief, congratulations.

The next item on the agenda is a consent agenda. The first item is a motion approving the minutes from the July 6, 2026 City Council meeting and the July 15, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting. Second is a motion approving licenses and resolution of support for deed demolition grant applications submitted by Ottertail County for the Westridge Mall. And a resolution entering into an agreement with MnDOT for federal participation in advanced construction for the Freiburg Pebble Lake Road project. That's the overlay. Would somebody care to make that resolution?

I move.

Thank you, Mark. Would somebody care to second it? Roll call, please.

Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

The resolution is approved. The next item on the agenda is under ordinance and resolutions. This is the second reading of ordinance 80, eighth series rezoning the property located at 1701 West Lincoln from R4 to B2. This is the old Pine Plaza that's becoming Les Schwab. And this just requires a roll call.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

The ordinance is approved. The next item is a resolution providing for the issuance and sale of $3,885,000 general obligation bonds, series 2026A, pledging for the security thereof, special assessments and net revenues, and levying a tax for the payment thereof. And this will be by our good friend, Ohm.

You can have Jason just roll with it.

Jason will do this. Initially, if we could get a resolution for this, this is the issuance of the bonds for the road constructions. I'll offer that. Thank you, Laurel. If somebody can't second it. I'll second. Thank you, Jim.

Thank you, Mayor and Council. I consider today that we had a very good sale for the city. My consideration is generally I anticipate about three to four, three to five bids, and we received five bids for the city's debt project for the 2026 projects. Today, Northland Securities was a low bidder at 3.7157%, which was lower than the original preliminary one that I had provided at 3.78, so slightly lower, which was always good. Basically council, we were able to downsize the bond of 3,600,000. Once we applied some pre-paid special assessments and some premium that was provided during the sale. And so we wanted to apply both of those funding sources to the overall debt and bring that debt down that 3.6 level. So with that mayor and council, there is a resolution in your packet considered our recommendation to award to Northland securities.

Your Honor, may I make a comment, please?

Yes.

I will not support this bond, not because it's not a good presentation or a good project. I do not believe we should not bond for 100% of the project. The city is, as we've heard earlier tonight, is on a fast track to complete capital improvements, including roads, utilities, and equipment. So we need to manage the capital financing, the annual debt payments, and our reserve adequacy. Council's aware of my position, bond 100% at this time, do not spend down our fund balances, period. The core test is, it's important not to equate nominal interest paid with economic costs. Reducing the cash balance does not save borrowing costs, it only reduces interest earnings. Currently, we have an arbitrage, 371 to possibly 4% earnings. As discussed, if we continue to spend down the balances, the city will need to have to catch up, which means collecting more taxes and or raise utility fees. We really can't have it both ways. We heard that tonight. We can bond for these things now, pay down the utilities, and as some council members asked, Bill, what happens to the utility and funding balances in the future? It was implied that we're gonna have to raise that. It's important to maintain a healthy fund balance. It's important to maintain that for emergencies, not just the 30 or 35% of our budget. Emergencies, simply put, when the bell quits ringing. Cash is king. We need to control our levy increases, as we did last year, and reduce real estate taxes. As indicated, government regulations are a recommendation of 35 to 50% operating expenditures for liquidity, but really doesn't address the emergency fund. The benefit of bonding 100% today, I'm not advocating as a standard operating policy of the City of Fergus Falls. Right now, we have an interest arbitrage that we can maintain or take advantage of, maintain our stronger fund balances, maintain the fund balance earnings, AND THERE IS NO REGULATORY CAP REGARDING HOW MUCH WE CAN OR CANNOT HAVE IN OUR RESERVES. I DO NOT WANT TO CONTINUE TO SPEND ON THE UTILITY FEES, WATER, SEWER, AND STORM, THAT NEXT YEAR, THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THE FOLLOWING YEAR, WE HAVE TO DO IT. IT'S A VERY, VERY COMPLICATED INCREASE IN UTILITIES. ONE QUICK EXAMPLE, AND I'M FINISHED. THE LADDER TRUCK. The fund of the ladder truck was underfunded and may I say. This does not reflect on the chief or the Department by any means. Typical ladder truck last 20 years, but under the management of the fire chief Department's care and maintenance is ladder truck will serve service to Fergus Falls for 35 years. Now anybody can debate the strategy, but the original cost was less than it is today, the effects of inflation, interest rate fluctuations over those 35 years, and the past council strategies. I look at it this way. Had they started appropriate funding for the fire truck on the initial basis for 35 years, and I've not done the math, that project, that purchase would have been funded. I will continue to advocate to reduce the city expenditures. I will focus on fundamental expenditures. I want to manage the fund balances and couple with prudent capital spending. We will continue to do this practice in 26 and 27 based on my recommendations. Thank you for the opportunity, Your Honor. I rest.

Thank you. Any other comments? If not, roll call, please.

Yes.

Yes. No. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

The resolution is approved. The next item is a resolution authorizing the mayor and city administrator to sign a purchase agreement with property owners Dale and Claudia Trosvik and Scott and Elizabeth Murray for the portions of property located at 2410 and 2406 Lakeview Drive. And I think, are you addressing that or Guy?

Thank you, Your Honor. This was first introduced to you on June 15th. The purchase of this property is necessary to conduct some repairs to a storm sewer line that bisects through the property. 10 feet of the Murray property and 50 feet of the Trasvik property is what is needed. The purchase, the $72,000 would come from the storm sewer fund, of which there's adequate funds in that fund for this purchase.

WOULD SOMEBODY CARE TO MAKE THAT RESOLUTION? I CAN DO THAT. THANK YOU, LAUREL. WOULD SOMEBODY CARE TO SECOND IT? I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU, SCOTT. ANY QUESTIONS OF GUY?

I JUST HAD ONE COMMENT. IT WOULD BE NICE JUST AGAIN, I'VE MADE THIS COMMENT BEFORE, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE IF THE CITY OWNS LAKEFRONT PROPERTY THAT THE PUBLIC HAD ACCESS TO IT. NOW, THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY is like this. And so people might wonder, well, how are we going to have access to it? It's not really very accessible. So don't count on this being kind of lakefront park property for public use unless you want to fund some kind of access that would be pretty pricey to put in steps and whatever it would take. So maybe the neighborhood out there, the people that aren't on the lakeside, if the people that are away from it want to band together and raise a couple hundred thousand dollars, we can talk about it.

as it is the city alone this hopefully we won't have a great deal of maintenance involved with it because it's mostly trees and it can just it'll just be something that we own and people might ask about it in 20 years like why do we have that well that's fine with the repair that's needed a lot of those trees will go away though so it'll clear it up but the repairs that are needed will help us in compliance with our ms4 permit and keep sediment out of the lake which is our water source

Thank you. With that, roll call, please.

Yes.

Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

The resolution is approved. The next item is a presentation of the claims in $1,601,503.21, and we need a resolution to pay the bills.

I WILL OFFER THE RESOLUTION TO PAY THE BILLS.

THANK YOU, JIM. WOULD SOMEBODY CARE TO SECOND THAT?

I'LL SECOND IT.

I'LL LET RACHELS DO IT. OH, YOU'RE GOING TO LET SCOTT DO IT?

NO, NO, SCOTT'S GOT IT. YEAH. ALL GOOD.

ROLL CALL, PLEASE.

YES. YES. YES.

YES. YES.

YES. YES. YES. YES.

YES. YES.

There is no old business or new business. Under miscellaneous announcements, there is a Center Summer Splash event this Saturday between 11 and 7. There is obviously a dunking session. I know that there's some local people. David from Otter and Adler are going first, followed by Council Member Laura Jobe, somebody from the Police Department. Matt Hines from the Fire Department. Jeff Ackerman from Vector Windows is going to do it. Christine Knutson is going to do it. Soapy Puppy are putting a couple of people in it. Nikki Weldy, who is the girls track coach, is also up for it. And Sean Papon, the boys coach. And Jamie Husky, who's a tennis coach. Myself is going to be on there as well. And I know Paul is going to be on there. And I think Andrew volunteered.

I saw him on the list. I did see him on the list.

Can you tell us when Council Member Joel will be on there so we can show up? Yep. What time of the day will be?

How much is it worth?

I'll pay.

I'll pay whatever it is. Councilmember Joe, this list will be published, but she's looking at 1130. So what time? 1130 just before lunch.

Yeah.

So anybody else that we have a couple of spots open, if anybody else wishes to sign up. Then on July 28th at 5 o'clock is the last day to file for City Council. July 29th at 7 a.m. is the Committee of the Whole. August 3rd, 5.30, City Council meeting. We will be adjourning to a Port Authority meeting after this.