City Council - Regular Meeting

I don't know. [snorts] [clears throat]

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Call the city council meeting to order. Roll call. Mayor Reese here. Council member Osk here. Nelson here. Gilbertson here. Gardner here. Faggerly here. Davis here. Council members Butterfield and Sheldis are excused. Seven present, two absent. Please stand for the pledge. [clears throat] I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [clears throat]

Mr. Mayor, I'd offer a motion to approve the agenda as presented. Second. We got a motion and a second. Discussion. [snorts] Roll call. Council member O. Hi. Nelson. I. Gilbertson. Hi. Gardner. Hi. Faggerly. I and Davis I six I's zero nos that passes consent items call on city clerk Fernne Larson

thank you Mr. Mayor, council members, tonight for your approval, I have the city council minutes of January 20th, 2026. The Wilmer Municipal Utilities Commission minutes of January 26, 2026 as a draft. The Human Rights Commission minutes of January 27th, 2026 as a draft. A resolution accepting the Southwest Initiatives Foundation grant. A resolution accepting the Wilmer Area Community Foundation grant. A resolution accepting the Vision 2040 grant. United Way of West Central Minnesota lawful gambling application, the pay equity report, and the accounts payable report from 11626 to 12826. Move to approve. Second.

We got a motion and a second to approve. Discussion. Roll call. Council member Nelson. I. Gilbertson. I. Gardner. Hi. Baggerly. Hi. Davis. Hi. And Osk. Hi. Six eyes. Zero. knows

that motion passes. Next is uh the open forum and uh we have two individuals wanting to speak. I would inform you that you get three minutes and you when you come up address the council with your address and name. So the first is Deanna Scheler. Hi, I'm Deanna Scheler. Um, I live at 313 33rd Street Northwest, Wilmer. Um, the reason I came is because I mean, my mom and dad moved here 47, started having kids in 50. All my brothers and sisters were born here. I lived through the Wilmer 8. I lived through Elm Lane. I went to Lincoln School. I knew the cops by name. I knew Larson and Worsham and and Curtis and I they were all friendly and people people and we knew them. They were here. They were in our community. Um my three kids were born here. [clears throat] My granddaughter was born here. When my daughter was 17, um her dad was not a very nice person and we tried to not sign for him to, you know, for them to do the the parenting thing. And being my daughter was [cough and clears throat] still a minor, I had to. And when I said I can't I can't do that. He gets a visitation and something happens to her. I I can't live with that. So [clears throat] anyway, I ended up in court, ended up signing it. We ended up adopting our granddaughter.

Okay. She lived with us for seven years. Her mom got married to a fine man. They adopted her back. Worked out good. She is not white. Now, here I am again begging you guys to protect her. Because they don't let you show what [laughter] papers is she supposed to bring. Is she supposed to walk around town with her birth certificate? She was born here. My family came here in 1658. And I can't protect her. I protest and your police officers are over there looking through their binoculars at us across the street. Who are you protecting? Not us. Not us, guys. [clears throat] Now I have to sit at her work because they send her outside to get carts. They're not taking her. This grandma will die before they will take her. So if you think of El Capato was embarrassing, wait till somebody who did daycare in this town for 41 years doesn't have so much as a traffic ticket and I will die before they take her. Just so you know.

Right. Next is uh Roy Stiff. [cough and clears throat]

Good evening, Mr. Mayor, council members, and and uh fellow [clears throat] citizens. I'm Roy Stiff. My address is 709 Trot Avenue Southwest here in Wilmer. And uh I felt privileged to be here tonight to take the pledge of allegiance along with you all. I was particularly struck by the word indivisible in our pledge. It means that we're all one. Whether we agree with each other or not, we are all pledged to build this nation into the best it can be. Amen.

Amen. What I witnessed from a dear friend who is um uh handicapped um made my heart sink. Um um there I have a friend who's handicapped and needed medical care. I was just about to enter a medical care facility when my friend was stopped by ice and um I might say it was one of the coldest days of the year and my friend had on uh one of those things that covers the mouth and nose uh you know to keep you warm. And um I stopped my friend and my friend asked um um why are you doing this? And ICE replied, "You don't need to know." And they hassled my friend and of course asked for identification and what are you doing here? And and um uh my my friend said again, "What are you going to do with me?" And they say, "You don't need to know." They finally let my friend go. But before they did, my friend asked, "Why did you stop me to start with?" And I might add, this was a Caucasian person. And I said, "You're wearing a mask. How do we know we can trust you?" [laughter] And that's my question to the mayor and the city council and our esteemed officers and our fellow citizens tonight. How do we know who we can trust? I'll tell you this that our police department never wears a mask. Our sheriff's department never wears a mask. nor do any of our care providers. Not our firefighters, not our EMTs, not

members of the armed services, not our national guard, certainly not our school teachers, not our clergy. Nobody who is honorable wears a mask in the in the pursuit of their service to the community. But when I see ice, not uniformed in blue jeans with full mask, we don't know whether they're real ice. We [clears throat] don't know if they're if they're um Navy [snorts] Seal wannabes. All we know is people are stopping our citizens and treating them like garbage. And I ask the council and the mayor and all of Wilmer to be indivisible on the issue that we can care for and govern ourselves. [laughter] We can look after our neighbors and we can walk our streets without the aid of masked men who we cannot trust. Thank you for your time. [applause] Right. [applause] [applause] Next is uh regular business and we have a letter to our state and federal legislative representatives and I'm the council ordered this letter to be drawn up. staff has worked on the letter. Do you want it read into the record city council? [snorts] If you if you want it read into the record, [clears throat] I'll have uh city clerk do it. Otherwise, we'll just

Yeah, as well do approve the letter. Read it. I do have [snorts] a question on who it's addressed to, though. We addressed it. Is is it I don't want to talk if you're still talking. Go ahead.

We're addressing it to our leg our legislative representatives and and that's appropriate at some level, but we have to keep in mind that it's the execut the legislative branch at the state and the federal level is the oversight branch when it comes to what's happening today. [snorts] Why are we not addressing it to our executive leaders, the president, the governor, the secretary of homeland security? Those are the ones that enforce the law. Those are the ones that run the departments that we're having issues with. Heck, I'd even put Mayor Fry on there, right? But I think if we were going to address it to our legislative leaders, we should also address it to our executive leaders. The body, the content letter is fine, but I would change who we I would amend who we are addressing the letter to

for a motion to approve the letter with the uh the amended additions that council member Gardner suggests of uh President Trump and Governor Wols. You want Secretary Gnome as well? I don't see why not. And Secretary Nome. [snorts] We have a second. Yeah.

Okay. Rick seconded it. Any further discussion, Tom? Um on the approximate third page it states uh at a minimum after any federal arrest detention in our community we request the federal agencies provide local law enforcement with timely basic information including the detainees full legal name country of origin location to which the detainee has been transported and the charge and stated basis for the detention. Um, I'd propose that we amend that uh to state uh at a minimum at a minimum after any federal arrest, detention, or detainment in our community for any length of time. [clears throat] We request that the federal agencies provide local law enforcement with timely basic information, including what was stated before, but in addition, the specific location where they were detained or arrested, and specific location, if necessary, where they were released. So that's a an addendum to the motion. Yeah. To be willing to consider that a friendly amendment if if uh legal counsel would [snorts] would allow that.

Give you a minute, Robert. Okay. So, we have a motion and a second to amend the recipients of this letter as described. And now I request to also amend the content of the letter if it's agreeable to the make the uh [clears throat] mover and seconder of the original amendment to include that in the amendment. You can treat it all as one amendment and vote just on the amendment of the content and the recipients. I'll amend my uh well you made the motion. Yeah, Justin. So I'm approvalable. Okay.

Second. [snorts] Oh, we've got the motion for an amendment that we have to deal with first. Any discussion on the amendment? Roll call. Council member Gilbertson. Hi, Gardner. Hi, Beagerly. Hi, Davis. Hi, Oz. Hi, Ben Nelson. I. Six eyes's, zero nos. That passes. Then it's the original motion of the letter itself. [snorts] I move the letter for approval. Second.

Got a motion. Second discussion. Mr. Mayor. Um I have a question for I don't know who the questions were. Uh maybe Miss Valiant. Um as the letter currently uh is written, it is signed by the mayor, which is wonderful. And I have no uh problems with that. My only question is would it carry more weight if every member of the council also signed it or would this be pretty typical of letters like this to just be signed by the mayor even though it was backed by the entire council?

We can do whatever you would like. If all the council members want to sign it when we get it in final form, you certainly can come over and sign it. I just want to make sure, you know, um I know the mayor has been supportive of this, but it seems like this is something that we have, you know, full council support on and and signaling that through seeing everyone's signature on the letter seems appropriate to me. We can add signature lines. Not a problem. All right. We had the roll call, did we not? We have not yet. Oh, we did not. Okay. Roll call.

Council member Gardner. Hi. Baggerly. [clears throat] Hi. Davis. Hi. O. Hi. Nelson. Hi. And Gilbertson. I. Six eyes, zero nos. That motion passes. Next is uh professional service agreement with Bolton and Mink for the amphitheater project. I'll call on public works director Shane Stefanic. Good evening Shane. Good evening council and mayor or mayor and councel. Shane, will you move your mic towards you please? Is this close enough? Yes.

Okay, great. Uh good evening. So, first on the docket is uh first professional agreement with Bolton and Mink for $69,000 400 or $69,420. Um we've been so far we've been in an agreement with the Wilmer Rotary Club um to design an amphitheater for Robins Island. We've been successfully uh successful in awarding two grants um or awarded two grants, my apologies. uh totaling $2,632,513 in support of the project. Under this agreement, um we would basically be using Bolton makes services to kind of finalize the design and final phases of the project. Um alternatives to consider is not approving this agreement. [snorts] We need a motion to adopt the resol resolution.

So moved. I'll second. Have [snorts] a motion and a second. Discussion. Steve Shane. Is this for all phases of the project or is this just for I've heard talk of this thing being in phases or doing a complete project all at once. Is is this services pack or design package for the entire project? Yes. Yes, it is.

Clarification phase one and phase two because that's the grants we have and we found out last week that we can submit the whole document for construction. We don't have to wait for um Legacy to give us a grant number. They said to go ahead and go ahead with the project because the funding's there so we can bid the whole phase one and phase two. Appreciate. Thank you. Any further discussion? Roll call. Council member Faggerly. Hi. Davis. Hi. O. [clears throat] Hi. Nelson. Hi. Gilbertson.

Hi. Gardner. Hi. Six [clears throat] eyes. Zero nos. That passes. The next is approval of plans and specifications to authorize adver advertisement for bids on Iverson Park lift station reconstruction. And I'll call on Shane once again. All right, welcome back. Um, so the Iverson lift park lift station reconstruction design is complete. Uh, we're looking to move forward with the bidding on that. Um the engineers estimate for the project is 935,000 and should be paid with the bond proceeds. Any questions?

Motion to approve the plans and specs and advertisement for bids. Second. Here we got a motion and a second. Discussion hearing none. Roll call. Council member Davis. I ass. Hi, Nelson. Hi, Gilbertson. Hi, Gardner. I Fagley. Hi. Six eyes's, zero nos. Motion passes. [clears throat] Next is a resolution accepting the public works front office roof replacement. I'll call on Shane again.

Good evening, mayor and council. Um, this is a request to adopt a resol or a resolution accepting the proposal from the Jamar Company to perform a replacement of the public works office roof in the amount of $88,545. Currently, they are already replacing the main shop roof and so this work would be done during the same time period. [clears throat] By doing that, we're given a discount. Um, this discount is in the amount of $8,975. That's basically saving the mobilization costs from having them to come back. Um, this roof replacement cost can be paid from the unspent proceeds from the Rice Home medical sales, um, which was prior to my time, but to my understanding, there's a leftover balance of $95,46.79. Uh some alternatives to consider is that this approvement don't approve this agreement. Um the work that done to this roof is pretty essential. Currently we've got ceiling tiles that are sagging from the water intrusion. Um so we could perform this work at a later date if you don't want to tonight. And the the quote we got for doing it at a separate time is $97,520. So, we can do it for that amount or greater at a later time or we can approve it tonight and perform the work at the same time.

Does the council want to do to approve? Second. Okay, we got a motion and a second to approve the resolution. Any discussion, Mr. Mayor? Yes, Rick. Thanks, Mr. Mayor. Um, will they be checking for mold to them? Um, it's not in the spec, but I would assume as it's uncovered it does. Is it a false ceiling or is it the square tile? It's the false ceiling with the the drop ceiling with the tiles. Okay. All right. Thank you. Yep. Any other discussion? Roll call. Council member O. Hi.

Nelson. Hi. Gilbertson. Hi Gardner. I Baggerly. Hi. And Davis. I six eyes, zero nos. The [snorts] motion carries. Thank you, Shane. Next [snorts] is the approval of the Wilmer Library roof replacement. And I call on Candy County Facilities Director Andy Thorson. I don't think Andy's here. He's not here.

So, I will step in. Good evening, council and mayor and council. Tonight, um we're asking that we approve the Wilmer Public Library roof replacement. Candy High County is the um has been reviewing the roof and they're in charge of maintenance and repairs to the the Wilmer Public Library. the city in their agreement pay 60% of any expenses uh over whatever revenues that they receive each year. So we know that this is a 1 some million dollar roof project from the entire roof. They plan on replacing a ladder and also replacing sophets. So of that the city share is $631,826 and some odd change. Um, this would of course is not allocated within our CIP for 2026, but we would be using unallocated capital improvement funding in the reserve funds. I'll stand for any questions.

Any questions or call for a motion? Justin. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, Miss Valiant, I know at one point there was some conversation taking place about what type of material would be used to replace the roof. Is that correct?

Yes, they are using a material called I don't want to get it wrong. It is gardener I believe if I'm not mistaken. Garland, which so it's a 40year life material. So after 30 years is what they would do is they would come back, pull it back and reseal it and then put it back on for another 10 years. Okay? And that adds cost to the project as opposed to using a different material. If we use a different material,

this is the most expensive material that the county wants to use. They've been using it on their buildings throughout, but it cost significantly more to to purchase that material is my understanding. Is that accurate? And the city has not been using this material on our buildings? No, we use about a 20-year life, which is going to be on the public works building. How does city staff feel about this material as opposed to the ones that we're using on our own buildings? It's um just depends on if you want to have a longer life, I guess. Is it fair to to state that the county gets to choose what material it is because they're responsible? We're going to pay 60% of their choice. Okay. Yeah.

When we were looking at these different bids and different products, um I believe that uh here's the guy that has the answers. I'm [clears throat] gonna turn it over to Andy because he'll know the answers for you.

I'm sorry, gentlemen. I had a uh EDA meeting over in Kovven that I had to get out of. Good evening, Mr. Mayor, members of the city council. I'm Andy Thorson, facilities maintenance director for KY County. I'm before you this evening to discuss the replacement of the library roof and seeking authorization to move forward in awarding a contract to the Medallow Company from Weight Park for its replacement. the original uh the roof is original to the construction of the library back in 1999. So, it's uh past an expected life of 20 to 25 years. Um I know the roof has been a topic of discussion between the city and county staff for some time on how and when we bring this project forward. We explored the feasibility and possibility of doing this project through the state contract with source. Uh we did reach out did our research and uh brought in Gordian a national firm that provides cooperative job order contracting which is a construction procurement solution delivered through cooperative purchasing networks. [snorts] It allows eligible organizations like us to access pre-bid competitively awarded contracts to complete projects with verified preset pricing and also keeping in legal compliance with the public procurement rules. Uh I understand the price tag is a little shocking. Um the library is a beautiful building but the roof is very complicated. It has four main roofs for smaller roofs and that doesn't include five little bumpouts on the south and east sides which are all considered small roofs amongst themselves. This makes this project very labor intensive.

Um is it was also decided to spec a modified builtup roofing system that carries a 30-year warranty. And at this 30-year mark, we can pull off the top layer, replace it, and by doing this, we will add another 20-year life to the roof and another 20-year warranty, bring it up to a 50-year roof. Um, this is the same roof we installed by the same contractor that we used over at the law enforcement center 5 years ago, and I'm super pleased with that final product. Um, this project is ant anticipated to start late summer and with the passage of your resolution, I'll bring it to the county board tomorrow for their consideration as well. And with that, I'm open to questions. [clears throat]

Anybody got questions for Andy Rick? Thanks, Mr. Thanks for coming tonight. So, when they pull it back after 30 years, is it free then? Well, no, nothing free. Okay. You know, there's a cost to it, but it uh it falls under roof maintenance rather than a total redo of a roof. So, [snorts] you can get away with just peeling off the top layer, throwing on a new layer, and not worrying about, you know, new regulations and uh installation codes and stuff like that. That'd be the same company if they're still in business then. Sure. Yeah. Oh, yeah. It'll be the same project or same product. They've [cough and clears throat] been around since I think 1912.

Okay. I don't think you and I will be here. I don't think so either. [laughter] But it's the entire roof then. The one story and the twotory. Yep. Oh, yeah. And there's a lot of different parts to it. It's But the twotory was built in 99. Yes. One story wasn't that in the 1964. Yeah. Thank you. Okay. We uh I'll call for a motion to approve. I'll make that motion. Okay, I'll second that. Got a motion in a second. Discussion. Have another question. Justin,

um Mr. Thor. Um, how much was the bid for? Um, my understanding is that this is uh the material that this particular company is using for the roof is is a fairly significant upgrade over like maybe like a normal roof. Yes. As a person that doesn't know a whole lot about roofing, um, how much did the normal roof cost? Um, it would be about 70%.

Mhm. But if you work the numbers, we would end up replacing that roof in 20 more years. And you can figure you would probably spend now 100%, you know, with inflation. So by doing a 30-year roof and a 20-year roof, we're a lot of money ahead. [cough] I can show you an example of what it is if you'd like. I'm just curious too, maybe perhaps why that information wasn't included in the packet, but I mean I I trust you and I thank you for sharing it. Anybody else? Roll call. Council member Nelson.

Hi. Gilbertson. Hi. Gardner. Hi. Aggerly, hi. Davis. Hi. And Osk. No. [clears throat] Five eyes, one no. That motion passes. Thank you. Thank you, Andy. Next is the uh consideration of Wilmer indoor golf and cages on sale intoxicating liquor and Sunday liquor license. And I'll call on city clerk Renee Larson.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor and council members. Tonight I have for your approval the Wilmer indoor golf on sale intoxicating liquor and Sunday license. They you may know that the indoor golf does already hold in good standing a 32 and wine license but they are liking wanting to expand to a full on sale liquor license so they can pursue um expanding a kitchen and including a caterer's license. The only way to eventually get that caterer's license is to move forward with a full-on sale. So I'm looking for your approval on it. Move to approve. Second. Here we got a motion and a second. Discussion. Why till April 25th?

That's when our liquor renewals all annually renew. Thank you. Yep. Okay. Any other questions? Roll call. Council member Gilbertson. Hi. Gardner. Hi. Baggerly. Hi. Davis. Hi. O. I. And Nelson. I. Six eyes. Zero. knows and motion passes. Next is announcements and I know Tom has got some

Yeah. Uh pretty exciting news. Uh several of us were able to attend the uh 40th governor's international trade award uh that which took place in uh the Twin Cities this last Friday and very excited to announce that Novatech Engineering was awarded the uh one of the the awards for the manufactured goods as a medium-sized business. And so uh there Landon Freeze was able to accept that on behalf of the company as the president and uh some wonderful uh wonderful to to see that kind of a company uh recognized uh on that state level of uh all the wonderful things that they do. Uh three out of the four companies, there was only four companies that were awarded, three out of the four were all uh in egg related. And so it was pretty neat to see uh how wonderful our egg uh community is contributing to the international trade of uh across the entire entire world. So congratulations Novatech Engineering.

Now I don't recall if there was anybody else that got an award that was outside of the metro. Was there? Yeah. Yeah. Dawson. Yeah. There's one in one in Dawson. They um [clears throat] that one was it that one? It shows Minneapolis. So, but I think they had a facility in Dawson. They had a facility in Dawson. Yes. Corporate headquarters Minneapolis. I think that's a lot. Yep.

Yeah. Yeah. Pretty. It says a lot about our economy and our ingenuity here in our area and uh what's his name? Uh Fry Freeze. Landon, what is it? Landon. Landon pointed out that it was uh that they're located in the Wilmer Technology Campus and that that was good to have mentioned. So, all right. Thanks, Tom.

Um, next we're going to uh recess for close session. [snorts] [clears throat and cough]

This item 11 A closed meeting pursuant to Minnesota statute 13D.05 05 subdivision 3C to develop or consider offers or counter offers for the city's purchase or sale of real property and or to determine the asking price for real property to be sold by the city. This portion of the regular meeting of the city council will be closed pursuant to Minnesota statute 13D.05 05 subdivision 3C. The following real property will be discussed separately in closed session. Number one, parcel of land located under 1st Street Bridge between Benson Avenue and Highway 12. I would introduce a motion to close the meeting. So move

second. Got a motion and a second. Roll call. Council member Gardner. Hi Faggerly. Hi. Davis. Hi. O. Hi. Nelson. I. And Gilbertson. Hi. Six eyes's zero nos. That motion passes. We're going to have to ask you to uh leave. I'm sorry. Thank you for coming.