[0:28] **(Background noise)** [0:58] **(Background noise)** [1:59] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** I call to order for the City of Cannon Falls City Council meeting for Tuesday, January 7th, the first meeting of 2025. If I could get a roll call, please? [2:08] **Sara Peer (City Clerk):** Diane Johnson? **Diane Johnson:** Here. **Sara Peer:** Zimmerman? **Lisa Zimmerman:** Here. **Sara Peer:** Chad Johnson? **Chad Johnson:** Here. **Sara Peer:** Jeppesen? **Ryan Jeppesen:** Here. **Sara Peer:** Nobach? **Chris Nobach:** Here. **Sara Peer:** Kronenberger? **Laura Kronenberger:** Here. **Sara Peer:** Montgomery? **Matt Montgomery:** Here. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. [2:25] **All:** I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [2:40] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** That gets us to item four on the agenda tonight, and that is the oath of office. So for our newly elected members of the Council, if you would like to stand and raise your right hand, and then you'll be repeating after me, and when I say "state your name," you state your name. All right. So, I, (state your name)... [3:03] **Lisa Zimmerman, Chad Johnson, Ryan Jeppesen, Chris Nobach:** I, (Name), do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Minnesota, and I will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of the office of City Council of the City of Cannon Falls, to which I have been elected, to the best of my knowledge and ability, so help me God. [3:34] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** All right, you're in. **[Applause]** Congratulations, you are officially sworn in as City Council members. First motion under the new Council to approve tonight's agenda. [4:13] **Diane Johnson:** So moved. [4:14] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** Motion from Diane. I need a second. [4:15] **Laura Kronenberger:** Second. [4:16] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** Second from Laura. All those in favor? **Council Members:** Aye. **Matt Montgomery:** Opposed? It carries. Nobody signed up for public input, so we will skip item six tonight. Leads us to item seven, Consent Agenda. Consent Agenda items may be adopted under one motion as presented or may be removed for discussion and resolution as Council Business. Item A: Just and correct claims, the accounting period ending December 31st, 2024. Item B: Just and correct claims, accounting period ending January 3rd, 2025. Item C: Meeting minutes for December 17th, 2024, City Council meeting. Item D: Approve designation of official newspaper for 2025. Item E: Resolution 2796, designating the depositories for City funds for fiscal year 2025. Item F: Approve statutory tort limits. Item G: Second reading and adoption of Ordinance 408 and summary of publication, an ordinance amending Cannon Falls City Code regarding zoning related to cannabis businesses. Item H: Resolution 2797, providing for post-employment healthcare savings plan for non-union employees. And item I: Resolution 2798, accepting a monetary donation of $67,000 from the Cannon Falls Fire Department Relief Association. Is there items that the Council would like to pull down as Council Business? [5:45] **Chad Johnson:** Item G. [5:47] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** That'd be discussing it, just kind of—it goes down? Yep, it comes down to Council Business. It'll be Council Business Item C. So Chad's pulled down G. Anything else from the Council? I would entertain a motion to approve the Consent Agenda. [5:57] **Chris Nobach:** So moved. [5:58] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** Motion from Chris. [5:59] **Diane Johnson:** Second. [6:00] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** Second from Diane. All those in favor? **Council Members:** Aye. **Matt Montgomery:** Opposed? Carries. Gets us to Council Business. Item A tonight is the election of Mayor Pro Tem. The Mayor Pro Tem is the fill-in Mayor if I should fall ill, be sick, be vacant, and I will be on vacation sometimes this year including the next meeting later this month. Laura Kronenberger has been the Mayor Pro Tem for the last two years, so I'm—if you are still interested, all we need is somebody to nominate you and then a second and then we can approve. [6:31] **Diane Johnson:** So moved. [6:32] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** Second? [6:33] **Ryan Jeppesen:** Second. [6:34] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** Motion from Diane, second from Ryan. All those in favor? **Council Members:** Aye. **Matt Montgomery:** Opposed? Carries. Congratulations, Laura. That gets us to Item B: Approval of the 2025 Annual Appointments. There is a hard copy here tonight; it was also sent in an email. If you look at the hard copy on the back page, the Hiawatha Land Transit Advisory Committee—it says it's Ryan and Diane, they were the people that served for the last two years. Now it's going to be Lisa and Chad. Okay? So with that amendment, Hiawatha Land Valley Transit Advisory Committee is going to be Lisa and Chad. I would entertain a motion to approve the annual appointments. [7:17] **Ryan Jeppesen:** So moved. [7:18] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** Motion from Jeppesen. [7:19] **Chris Nobach:** Second. [7:20] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** Second from Nobach. Any further discussion? All those in favor say aye. **Council Members:** Aye. **Matt Montgomery:** Opposed? Nay? It carries. Gets us to Council Business Item C, which was G from the Consent Agenda: the second reading and adoption of Ordinance 408 and summary of publication, an ordinance amending Cannon Falls City Code regarding zoning related to cannabis business. Chad, you pulled it down. [7:41] **Chad Johnson:** Just kind of wondering why we need the ordinance and how it's different from the alcohol and business licensing that we already have to go through? Because we're talking about changing some things, so... [7:53] **Jon Radermacher (City Administrator):** I was going to say, our Zach would normally handle this. Zach has handled the zoning side of it. Originally, we started as a city researching both the retail and wholesale operation regulations. The city decided to utilize Goodhue County to administer all of the retail/wholesale side; however, they do not regulate the zoning side. And so Zach has been working on the ordinance that would regulate the zoning as far as where they could be located, whether it would be retail operation or wholesale manufacturing operations. And I believe is using the League of Minnesota Cities ordinance recommendations and zoning recommendations to draft it. I haven't discussed it significantly with him; that was something that he and Neil were undertaking. [9:06] **Chad Johnson:** Okay. And as I'm understanding—oh yeah, obviously with consultation with our City Attorney—there's no wholesale or anything like that in the city limits, right? [9:17] **Jon Radermacher (City Administrator):** At the moment, no. We do have a hemp operation that operates under that aspect, which now folds into the larger cannabis, is my understanding. But this is not intended to inhibit their operations; it's just overlaying. They, from what I understand, would be functioning where it would be permitted anyway within the industrial area. [9:44] **Chad Johnson:** Okay. I guess my next question was about the signage. It said "no signs that display"—is that just for the home? [9:52] **Jon Radermacher (City Administrator):** It was about no signage that could have the hemp logo, picture, anything like that. Whether that would be for even businesses that want to sell it, that I would be unable to answer for you, Council Member Johnson. [10:04] **Ryan Jeppesen:** I was going to say too, I mean, that did go in front of Planning Commission our last meeting, I think, and we approved it unanimously. That's why it's in the Consent Agenda. And I think it was pulled from what the county was getting after too, so it was mimicked off of standard language. [10:24] **Chad Johnson:** Okay, thank you. [10:25] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** All right. With that said, I would entertain a motion to approve Item C, the second reading and adoption of Ordinance 408. [10:33] **Diane Johnson:** Moved. [10:34] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** Motion from Diane. [10:35] **Chad Johnson:** Approved, second. [10:36] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** Second from Chad. All those in favor say aye. **Council Members:** Aye. **Matt Montgomery:** Opposed? Nay? It passes. Gets us to the reports. Maggie is not present, so we'll go around the horn. Jed? [10:52] **Jed Petersen (Public Works Director):** I don't have anything. [10:53] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** All right. Laura? [10:55] **Laura Qualey (Community Development):** Well, we haven't had our EDA meeting yet for the month because we needed to appoint you first before we could do that. But we do have a couple purchase agreements to approve this month for Hardwood Estates. Otherwise, don't really have anything yet, just gearing up for the year. So that's it. [11:15] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** All right. Chief? [11:16] **Jeff McCormick (Police Chief):** If you recall at the last council meeting, Jed talked about snow removal. We were anticipating some snow coming in. Unfortunately, we ended up having to tow a few vehicles. This winter, much like last winter, is not typical, but I just want to remind people: when it does snow, please get off the streets. Move your vehicles into the driveway or into the city parking lot across from Family Fare. We don't want to tow vehicles. It's no fun for the person whose car gets towed, it's no fun for us to hear them complain about it. It's very inconvenient and it inhibits the ability for Public Works to get out and plow right away. So just when we do get snow, please—it doesn't matter if it's a half an inch or four inches—I never know when they're coming out because it's going to depend on the consistency of the snow, weather forecast, all sorts of variables. But once they tell us they're coming out, that's when we go to work to get the streets clear. And I just want to remind people in Minnesota, it does snow occasionally. Get your cars off the streets, please. That's all I have. [12:12] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** Thank you, Chief. Sarah? Jon? [12:17] **Jon Radermacher (City Administrator):** Well, thank you. Apologize that I wasn't in person for my first meeting, but I'm glad I'm here today and I want to give a heartfelt welcome to all the new council members and the existing council members for this opportunity to be working with you in the city. Just wanted to share a couple things. I sent it out in updates; I've been trying to do those Council updates—I'll try to get them out weekly—is my goal to help keep you informed of some of the things that are going on. One of the things, especially with new people—I know, Chad, you were in today and you brought it up—there is the League of Minnesota Cities host elected officials training. They have it for both newly and experienced. The closest one for here is in Plymouth, and I believe that's February 21st and 22nd. If you need any assistance, let us know; we'll get you registered for that. It's something I found with previous council members that have gone to it—have really enjoyed it and found it really beneficial. Another couple things that I'll be attending at the end of the month: the Southeastern Minnesota League of Municipalities has their annual meeting in Kasson and I'll be attending that, as well as earlier in the week a luncheon on rural ambulance services up in St. Paul. The keynote speaker will be at the Southeastern Minnesota League; they'll have a keynote speaker that's speaking on rural ambulance services as well. So I anticipate that becoming a big topic at the legislature this session, which starts next week. Then the Council Retreat—I informed you in my update I sent you guys today. When you get a chance to read that, looking at something sometime at the end of January. I do have a family scheduled vacation in February that was already on the books, so I'd love to try to get us together in more of a retreat setting for that. It is a public meeting, so all those rules have to be posted, but I found them really beneficial the last few years with the councils that I worked with to help us all kind of get acquainted and understand the best ways that we can operate and communicate with one another. Then I will be the speaker for the Chamber's annual dinner tomorrow and then Rotary next week. And just one other thing—so you might see some changes. I noticed and staff and I chatted about removing the Licensing Center information signage that's on the building. It's been four years since they left and I don't think they're coming back. So I think it's time we'll take those down and make sure that's freshened up and see about trying to figure out the best utilization for facilities and just some clarity for the public. That's all I have. [15:18] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** All right, thank you, Jon, and welcome. We're glad to have you here. Laura? [15:20] **Laura Kronenberger (Council Member):** Just thank you to the folks that reelected me and can't wait to do four more years. But, and welcome to the other new folks, and that's it. [15:31] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** All right. Thank you. Chris? [15:33] **Chris Nobach (Council Member):** Yeah, I don't really have much. Just want to say I'm happy to be here, look forward to it. Nothing else. [15:43] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** All right. Wes? [15:45] **Wes Anway (Utilities Supervisor):** I'm good tonight. [15:47] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** All right. Lisa? [16:03] **Lisa Zimmerman (Council Member):** Hello, I'm Lisa. [16:04] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** All right. Chad? [16:06] **Chad Johnson (Council Member):** Hey Cannon Falls, I got nothing else. [16:08] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** All right. Welcome to everybody and congratulations. And—sorry, devices and email accounts, everything good to go or is that...? [16:15] **Jon Radermacher (City Administrator):** Yeah, so the newly elected are all set up on iPads. We've updated them to keep them current with security and operating systems. I believe everybody was able to access—I got no phone calls. We have shifted to a managed platform; we're still figuring it out as well, so if you run into issues, please let us know. And if you have any complications relative to your devices, again, just reach out to me and then we'll sort out if we need to get On-Site involved or if it's something that's easier. [16:51] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** All right. Again, welcome and congratulations. I think you guys are going to find this fulfilling, but also challenging, sometimes frustrating. And the great part is we are a body and we do have to work together. So we can disagree—Diane, you and I have disagreed plenty of times, but you know what, Diane is still one of my favorite people. So this is definitely a group that we will make some decisions that will be great to you then, but some decisions will seem very minuscule and you can just fly right through it, and then there will be some that it will take your time and energy for months and months of planning and dedication and you might have your heart broke, but that's the way it is. And it can be a very fulfilling position as well. So again, looking forward to the next two years with this group. With that said, we are ready to adjourn. If I could get a motion to adjourn. [17:42] **Ryan Jeppesen:** I'll move. [17:43] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** Motion from Jeppesen. Do I have a second? [17:44] **Lisa Zimmerman:** Second. [17:45] **Matt Montgomery (Mayor):** Second from Lisa. All those in favor? **Council Members:** Aye. **Matt Montgomery:** Opposed? We are adjourned. Thank you, everybody.