City Council - Regular Meeting

Good afternoon. It is 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6th, 2026. We'll call this city council meeting of the city of New to order. First item is a consent agenda. Councilors, what are your wishes? I'll move it. I'll second. Thank you. We do have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. I. That motion does carry. We are going to pull item number 2.1 for uh addition to the meeting on the agenda next month. So we'll move down to section three which is annual appointments of the city council for 2026. [snorts]

Anybody got any questions with it or no complaints? Okay. I'll motion to approve the 2026 appointments of the city council. Second. Thank you. We do have a motion and a second. Any additional discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. I. That motion does carry and thank you all for serving. Number item number 3.2 is appointments of the mayor. So, we do have some new appointments here and I would like these names read into the record.

I'll make a motion to approve the confirmation of the 2026 appointments of the mayor. Um, Heritage Preservation Commission. We're reappointing uh Ron Broodleg. Uh, Human Rights Commission. Reappoint uh Miss Okoji. uh reappointing Katie Dorschner, reappointing Pastor David Nissen, and appointing Cassandra Thompson. Library Board, we're reappointing Yvon Weber. Monument Cemetery Commission, reappointing Darla Gard, appointing Carrick Kenoff. Parks and Rec Commission reappointing Kurt Johnson, appointing Anne Earl, appointing Greg Glover. Planning Commission reappointing Joe Shatskco, appointing Kate MCO. Public Util uh PUC, we're doing reappointing Kim Williams, reappointing Seth Visser. Sister Cities Commission, reappoint Tony Barinick, and appointing Lorie Juel.

Second. Thank you. We do have a motion and a second. Any additional discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. I. That motion does carry. Thank you again for serving. Um we also have other vacancies that will be looking to be filled later this year as well. Item 4.1 is a temporary on sale intoxicating liquor license for Newm Area Chamber of Commerce. I'll motion to approve the issuance of a temporary onale intoxicating liquor license for the New Alm Area Chamber of Commerce for the event on Thursday, February 5th, 2026 at 105 North Minnesota Street subject to compliance with all city and state requirements. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I.

I. I. That motion does carry. Item 4.2 is a temporary on sale liquor permit for New Sleepy Eye Hockey Association. President and counselors, I'd like to uh make a motion to approve the issuance of a temporary on sale liquor permit for New Elm Sleepy Hockey Association to sell alcohol at the New Elm Civic Center at 1212 North Franklin Street on Friday, January 9th, 2026 from 6:00 p.m. to 1000 p.m. for an event subject to compliance with all city and state requirements. Second. Thank you. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. I.

That motion does carry. Moving to item 5.1. Um, we have a simple lot division for 1527 South German Street. And I see Mr. Nisley. Good evening.

Good evening, council president, counselors. John Nisley, planner with the city of Newm. Um, the proposed action here is to approve uh a simple lot division of lot 8, block 41 South Center Street. Uh, it's 1527 South German Street. If you remember, uh, in the December 16th city council meeting, staff brought to the council, um, an amendment to the city zoning ordinance that would amend the R3 zoning standards for specifically grid lots. Um, and that basically, um, would allow those grid lots to be developed into single family residences. Um, and therefore, since that was approved, um, we're bringing, uh, this to the council now because we are dealing with a grid lot in the R3 zoning district. Um, so the owner is proposing to split a grid lot located in the R3, that's the medium density residential zoning district for the construction of a single family home on each uh new parcel. The simple lot division will create two new parcels. Parcel A will be 50.12 ftx 82.84 ft. It's approximately 1,00 sorry 4,152 ft. And then parcel B will be uh 50.125 by 82.84. And again, that's approximately 1,152 square ft. Uh the parcel that is um seeking the simple lot division is located at the intersection of 16th South and um South German Street um to the north of the Rolling Thunder wrestling facility. Um the planning commission unanimously recommended approval of this simple division meeting at their December 18th December 18th, 2025 meeting and recommended two conditions. Condition number one would be the approval is subject to the applicant recording the resolution authorizing the simple lot division with the Brown County Recorders Office and two the applicant shall provide a 5-ft utility easement along

the north line of parcel B. And that would conclude the staff report. Thank you Mr. nicely being we have not done one of these in ages. I mean, I'm going to offer a resolution approving with conditions the simple lot division of lot 8, block 41 south of Center Street, uh 1527 South German Street. Second. We do have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Director Jorgensson, please call the role. Councelor Christian, yes. Councelor Warma, yes. Councelor Schmidtz, yes. Councelor Mack, yes. President Becker, yes. That motion does carry. Down to item 5.2. to is a variance request for the same property at 1527 South German Street. Mr. Nisley.

All right. Thank you. Uh this is indeed a variance request uh for the same property. The request is by uh James Cretch senior on behalf of Southside Property uh Management LLC to reduce the front yard setback on parcel A that we just talked about from 30 ft uh to 20 ft for the construction of a single family home. [snorts] Um the owner is uh like we just discussed proposing to split these lots equally and locate a new single family residence on each new parcel. Um parcel A is the one that is closest to South German Street. There's a steep slope on uh this grid lot going from west to east down towards the recreational trail. And in order for them to construct a single family home on that lot, they would either have to uh bring in a whole bunch of fill and fill the back side of that lot or move the house 10 ft closer to the front yard property line um and request a variance. The uh owner has requested the variance to set the house back 20 ft from the front yard property line of budding South German Street uh rather than the required 30 ft. Um the planning commission did unanimously recommend approval of this variance request with two conditions. Uh condition one would be the applicant pay the cost to record the variance with the Brown County Recorders Office. Uh and two, the applicant will contact the city to verify the location of the buildings once they are staked. And that would conclude the staff report.

Thank you. I'm going to offer the resolution approving with conditions a variance request by James Cretch senior on behalf of Southside Property Management LLC to reduce the front yard setback on parcel A from 30 ft to 20 ft for the construction of single family home on lot 8, block 41 south of Center Street. Second. Thank you. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Director Jorgensson, please call the role. Councelor Christian, yes. Councelor Wka, yes. Councelor Schmidz. Yes. Councelor Mack. Yes. President. Yes. [clears throat] That motion does carry. Thank you very much. Item 5.3 is in regards to new home cemetery rules and regulations. Mr. Hoffman. Hello.

Yes. Welcome madam president and city council members. Um in front of you is uh the approval changes for the uh city of cemetery of new rules and regulations. [snorts] And the reason for the changes are we put up the new columbarium and it has double niches in. So, we had to make some regulations for that. And then with the QR code that um new QR code [clears throat] that's been all going out. So, we had to put some regulations on that. And at the monuments commission meeting on December 15th, they all approved all the revised changes. So, that's all I have to report. I mean, with the minor changes, I want a motion to approve the changes to New City Cemetery rules and regulations. Second.

Thank you. We have a motion and a second. Any additional discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. I. That motion does carry. Under new business, item 6.1 is the 2026 surface reconstruction project. Mr. Stheim. Hi.

All right. Thank you, Madam President. City councilors. Uh this would be the first step um setting a public hearing for the 2026 surface reconstruction project to be done by city forces. Uh projects included uh within this uh uh set of projects would be Jonathan Drive from Summit Avenue to the south leg of Macintosh Drive and Cottonwood Street from Broadway to Bridge Street uh which would be paved with 6 in of pavement. Uh again, these projects were included in the 2026 uh capital improvement plan and the engineers report which was reviewed and adopted on November 18th uh of last year. Um so we are just asking to set the public hearing today and that public hearing date would be for February 3rd. Um if approved today, public hearing notices would be prepared and sent by staff.

Thank you. President and members, I'd like to make a motion to set the date of the public hearing on the 2026 surface reconstruction project for Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. Second. Thank you. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. I. I. That motion does carry. Item 6.2 is the 2026 utility street and alley improvement project.

Madam President, city councilors. Um, pretty much the same action as the last item, but this is for the 2026 USA project. Locations included on this project include State Street from 12th North to 16th North, Oakwood Avenue from Hazlewood to Hollywood Avenue, alley blocks 54 through 57 south of Center Street, alley block 182 north of Center Street, and that was an alley that was previously petitioned for improvements and then just miscellaneous sidewalk and pedestrian improvements. Um again, this all these project locations were included within the 2026 capital improvement plan. And um one item of note is we did hold the 2026 CIP open house on December 10th and we had about six property owners attend that open house.

Thank you. A motion to set the public hearing on the 2026 utility street and alley improvement project for Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. Second. Thank you. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. I. That motion does carry. Item 6.3 is a petition court to reappoint city charter commission members.

For the resolution directing the city attorney to prepare and file a petition requesting district court to reappoint two city charter commission members for a four-year term. And those being William Swanson, Linda Heiney, Michelle Marcraft, Dr. John Brownfield, and Dwayne Hensel. Actually, it's only going to be two of them. It's going to be uh Linda Heiny and uh Michelle Margraph. Okay. So, to appoint Linda Heiney and Michelle Mar. Second. Thank you. We have a motion and a second. Any additional discussion? Director Jorgensson, please call the role. Councelor Christian, yes. Councel Wara. Yes. Councelor Schmidz, yes. Councelor Mack, yes.

President Becker, yes. That motion carries. Item 6.4 is participation in the Minnesota City Participation Program.

Council President, counselors, this is an annual thing we do every year. Um the Minnesota City Participation Program is um funding that's set aside uh for the city of Newm um because we do participate in it and it helps uh with housing. Um there I think there are one or two banks in New Alm that are certified lenders under the MCPP. Uh and so they can go to those and access these funds. There's no cost to the city other than promoting the program and we have met our um our obligation every single year that we've participated.

Wonderful. President, members, I'd like to um make a motion to authorize the city manager to sign the agreement necessary to participate in the M Minnesota City Participation Program for 2026. Second. Thank [clears throat] you. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. I. I.

That motion does carry. Item 6.5 is Narin of New Fosting Decorations. I'll offer the resolution to authorize the Narin of New to hang colorful strips of decorated decorative cloth on lamp posts on Minnesota Street from 1 South Street to 4th North Street in observance of the season of fashing beginning Sunday, February 8th, 2026 with removal on Sunday, March 8th, 2026. Second. Thank you. We have a motion and a second. Any additional discussion? Director Jorgensson, please call the role. Councelor Christian, yes. Councelor Wa, yes. Councelor Schmidz, yes. Councelor Mack. Yes. President Becker. Yes. That motion carries. Item 6.6 is a fire department donation.

President and members, I'd like to offer the resolution to accept the donation in the amount of $50 from Glenn and Maren Miller to the fire department. Second. Thank you. We do have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Director Jorgensson, please call the role. Councelor Christensen? Yes. Councelor Wa? Yes. Councelor Schmidtz? Yes. Councelor Mack? Yes. President Becker. Yes. That motion also carries. Last item today is item 7.1, which is a report of claims paid. President and members, I'd like to uh make a motion to accept the list of claims paid in the amount of 9,441,22323.

Second. Thank you. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Those in favor signal by saying I. I that motion does carry and with no additional business today this meeting is adjourned. Thank you.