This transcript identifies the speakers based on the context of the meeting, the official roles provided, and the specific topics discussed. [0:04] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** I'll call the April 9th regular city council meeting. City must like to order. First order of business is the pledge of allegiance. I alliance 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. [0:36] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Next, we have the approval of the agenda. We do have one item to add under new business. It'll be P tree committee appointments. [0:56] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** There any other additions to the agenda? Can I get a motion to approve the agenda? **Kris Huso:** Move. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Is there a second? **Lou Ohly:** Second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** All in favor? Opposed? Carried. Next, we have the consent agenda. The regular city council meetings March 12th, 2025. [1:17] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Special city council meeting March 28th, 2025. The financial reports of city's accounts payable March 2025. City financial statement March 2025 and the liquor store profiting loss statement March 2025. Questions or comments on the consent agenda? **Douglas Juntunen:** Motion to approve. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Is there a second? [1:47] **Walter Lower III:** A second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** All in favor? Oppos? Carried. Next, public comment. This time is reserved for comment from the public on matters not listed on the agenda. Please keep comments to two minutes please. [2:08] **Tammy Gas:** Tammy Gas, Willow River, I was just wondering if there's a conclusion to my letter of complaint. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** The city did start an internal investigation. Um I did reach out to you requesting information. Um I was did not receive the information requested. Um so our attorneys are wrapping up the internal investigation with the information that we have. [2:36] **Tammy Gas:** Okay. But he gave that information to two different people. So in my email back to you, I said get it from you. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** So what I was requesting was the information that was sent directly to you and for you to come in and submit it to the office or allow us to make a copy so that you were the one returning the information and the information was received by you. That was that was what the request was. **Tammy Gas:** So you can request it from Megan's lawyer then. [3:16] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** I as part of the investigation you made the complaint. It was asked of you to submit the information that you received and that you could verify you received that information. That's why it was important that you bring it to the city offices as requested and so that that requests. **Tammy Gas:** So, is it not still ongoing or is it closed? [3:38] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** It is not closed at this time. And you'll contact me or I have contacted you and requested that you provide the information that was sent directly to you. So, for it to go on, you need that for your complaint to be followed through on. I need the information you've received and for you to submit it. That's really important. [4:01] **Tammy Gas:** Before the next meeting, you can absolutely do that. All right. Thank you. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Is there any other public comments? There none. We'll go on to department reports that sheriff here. So, we will just go by what she has in the packet for parking report. [4:33] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Phil got called away. He will be here. So, we'll skip over his until he gets here. So, we have uh municipal liquor store department report. Yep. [4:54] **Ryan McKeon (Finance Director):** Okay. Just a couple of things for the liquor store. Um first, I'd like to just talk about um again October Fest. So, just as a reminder, uh the brewery and the municipal liquor store are teaming up this year for the second biggest event that happens at the arena, October Fest. It's on September 27th. So, it'll be a coordinated uh event down there. Um we did bring it to the park board last night and because it's also our event now, they're waving the fee for the arena. And um we also brought forward an idea of blocking off uh a majority of the campground RV sites uh for that weekend which traditionally are not [5:40] filled at all. In fact, I think last year maybe there were two spots filled on the last weekend that the campgrounds open. So they made a motion to go ahead and move forward with that. So we're just bringing that forward to you guys too for information. **Walter Lower III:** Yes, Walt. Go. [5:55] **Walter Lower III:** That's uh not the seasonals. **Ryan McKeon (Finance Director):** Not the seasonals. No. Yeah. Everyone else. Uh so I don't believe we need a motion for that from you guys. It's just kind of bringing it forward. Um and then you will see some condenser quotes. So the the condenser down at the uh liquor store, they've been there since the place opened. Uh they're really old, outdated. They're failing. They're failing all the time. and we're replacing parts. So, you'll see two quotes, um, one from Gardener, one from Airserve. Essentially, they're the same quote. Uh, Gardener probably has a little bit of a better upkeep and maintenance, preventative maintenance moving forward. Um, we did have each [6:41] company come in and talk to the liquor committee. The liquor committee did want to proceed with Gardener, which comes in lower and we felt is a little bit better. So that I will need a motion for from the council. **Walter Lower III:** I'll make that motion to go with gardener. [7:00] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Yes. Is there a second? **Kris Huso:** I'll second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any further discussion? All in favor? **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Opposed. Carry. All right. Thank you. You might stay up to Ryan. Yeah. What's next here? Technology department. technology library department. [7:23] **Ryan McKeon (Finance Director):** Okay, is not here. Um I think we should save the library for Laura probably. Um IT related stuff. Um most people probably already know we were uh down as far as internet wise on April 2nd and April 3rd. April 2nd it was more broad outage and then on the 3 for most of the day it was just city related stuff. We had some switch things happening and some other things happening. Um maybe water and light can shed some light when they come up on it a little bit. Um but we're back up and running so that's great. Um otherwise it related. I've been helping Karen with the passport machine. They've been [8:09] having a lot of errors on it. Um, we did need to send it back in to get it reprogrammed. So, I don't have a timetable as to when we're going to get it back, but I have confirmed they have received it. They need to reprogram it. So, nothing I can help with here on this end. I tried a bunch of different stuff with them on the phone for a while. So, that's where I'm at. Any questions? **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Okay, moving on to motor vehicle department. I don't see anybody here from the lab either. Have a busy staff day. I'm assuming people will um come in later and we'll just take going back to them. Next we have the looks like chamber of commerce update. [8:56] **Michelle Anderson (Chamber Executive Director):** Michelle Anderson, executive director of the chamber. Just wanted to give you some updates. Um all of the community event plans are moving forward. We are excited to have a great 2025 working together with everyone. Uh first to announce that uh I'm first announcement is the theme name for Fourth of July parade is stars, stripes, and summer nights. And as a reminder, the kitty parade on July 3rd is at Lake City Park. We soon will be accepting nominations for the grand marshall for the parade as well. [9:31] **Michelle Anderson (Chamber Executive Director):** Also to confirm, the chamber does now have the Clark Olsen Lower Egg Stampede. The Carlton County Gem and Mineral Club did ask us to take that over. We are working with all of our contacts to make sure this event keeps running smoothly. In the past, the chamber has previous years led the organization of it, but now we are in charge of planning for it as well. So, we'll be reaching out to the city for planning. [9:58] **Michelle Anderson (Chamber Executive Director):** Um, but we this will also be an increased expense for the chamber, but we are looking at options to fund raise to continue with the success of the stampede and possibly looking at getting some main sponsors, but keeping the name the same. Carlton County has asked the chamber to be in charge of permits for picking agots. Last year, all three pits were not open except during a day's weekend. This year the Sooline Pit will be the only one open for the season and we're super excited to be part of this and offer this for the community and all the tourists. We will have an online option to purchase tickets too. We the chamber has a new website provider and we are in the process of updating our website. There's [10:45] information that is still missing on the website and we are getting that uploaded and hopefully have that completed in the next couple of weeks. And it's also a great cost savings for us as well. We are starting to receive applications for our junior ambassador program for high school students to work at the chamber office this summer and we're excited to offer training and mentoring again this summer. Uh let's see. Coming up, Edward Jones Financial here in Lake. They've expanded and remodeled their office. [11:15] **Michelle Anderson (Chamber Executive Director):** We're going to do a ribbon cutting on Friday, May 2nd at 11:00 a.m. And we're also pleased to see another new business, the title team, in town, their new chamber members, and we will be planning a ribbon cutting for them soon as well. That's it. Thank you. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Where's that last one located at? **Michelle Anderson:** It's um if you It's kind of across from if you go past O'Reilly, it's over by the auto across from Auto Value. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Okay. the old pizza place. **Walter Lower III:** The old chiropractor place. Yeah, let's go back 30. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Okay, we'll go back. [11:52] **Michelle Anderson:** And it looks like they're working on that now. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Okay, that's good to hear. Thank you, Michelle. Um, next go to previously discussed business, the Legion Post 379 flag pole. [12:21] **Chris (Legion Representative):** Hi. Hi. Thank you, mayor, council members, and and uh employees of the city. Um, wonderful to be here. Just want to congratulate the park board on all the great job they've been doing with the parks and and uh really nice to see. Um I'm here today to we're looking at our flag project. We finally got uh we're on the same page with engineering um site when we finally are getting closer to a final uh destination uh with this project. And um we need at least uh 13 ft by 13 ft square for a pad for all of our engraved [13:17] um bricks for our veterans to display their names and um service connected and uh um so the space was not adequate where we're planning on putting it. So, we're requesting to move it. And now we're looking at more to the um right of the path going into the um bath houses and at the swimming area. [13:49] **Chris (Legion Representative):** So, it would still we're looking at trying to have that flag pole as much in the center of that street as possible. So when you're driving down from the credit union, you'll be able to see it. So we might even have to offset the flag pole a little bit in our pad that we have all of our uh names on. [14:16] **Chris (Legion Representative):** Um we are going to be close neighbors to the to the uh playground equipment and the sand. Uh but we're looking at probably doing benches there to kind of keep a separation uh from the playground equipment and the memorial itself. And uh um and I think that's about it unless there's questions and I'll be coming back to the city later for funding from the gambling fund. [14:53] **Kris Huso:** Chris, um you're talking about bricks. What does that all about entail? And how do you go about getting... **Chris (Legion Representative):** They're called pavers um or bricks and then they're sand blasted in the names in memory of all your uh veterans, area veterans, let's say, or whoever, any veteran. And uh we're looking at getting those done. [15:18] **Chris (Legion Representative):** Uh we're looking at people the cost of them. I'm pretty sure we're we're trying to fix out $100 right now per brick. We're trying to keep the price down and uh we'll have to put in the 648 bricks. We'll have to put in ones without any names in it down. Um, and then as we get the names in, we will replace those so there's no hazard to somebody tripping or whatever there. And uh, **Kris Huso:** do they have to be deceased or is it just any... **Chris (Legion Representative):** any veteran is the only trying [16:05] to keep it real simple. Any veteran? Um and uh uh again we'll be advertising for those um through the paper, through the city, through everybody we can and get getting the word out. That'll be later on this summer um we get to that process because again it's still in a process. [16:29] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** So good question. Is there a timeline like when you would like to see it start being put in this this summer? **Chris (Legion Representative):** sometime and kind of all depends on how busy um everyone is cuz we'll be working with the city, we'll be working with the power plant, we'll be working with our contractor, cement contractor um that and there's still some unknowns on pricing, our prep of the site, uh our dedication plaque which would have a sample of what we're thinking to putting up uh on that. It's going to be a bronze plaque. We're right now we're thinking and uh be on some type of [17:17] pedestal or something. We haven't got that far yet on what it's going to be. And uh it uh again, it's going to give the history of this flag pole, kind of the history of what this area has gone through uh along with our, you know, recognizing our veterans. So, um, okay, that's that's still liquid, too. So, we're we're looking for changes in there our ideas also. [17:49] **Chris (Legion Representative):** So, yeah. Any other questions? Comments. Good. Well, thank you very much. Thank you. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** I think there's an aerial picture of where it's going to be up. You guys are perfect. Thank you. [18:07] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Um, I think we'll go back since the sheriff arrived. We'll have her do her report. **Kelly Lake (Sheriff):** I have to apologize, but I actually was here at 10:2 and got an emergency call for service within the city. So, I was the closest one, so I went for that. So, I apologize that I uh am late. [18:31] **Kelly Lake (Sheriff):** So, just wanted to um you have in your packets or should have I believe uh Lieutenant Rada sent uh the detail of the report, but just as far as um activity that the sheriff's office has um conducted within the city uh for March of 2025, um 79 calls for service by the contract deputies and 95 calls for service by county deputies. And as you can see, we've broke it down a little bit further into some of the self-initiated things, traffic stops, business checks, um on views, paper service, um things like that. Um also, uh medical calls and assist for other agencies. So, unless [19:18] anybody has some questions on those. Thank you. So, just a brief update. We did um hire a new deputy that started just this week um but will be in training obviously and then we are going to be posting again I'm hoping by May 1st um for more. So, that's where we're at with that. Uh but again, as always, we continue to not just have squads as far as the two contract deputies, but the deputies are um outside of that responding to calls for service as well as, you know, traffic stops and selfinitiated activity within the city. [20:03] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Do you have an idea of when um this new deputy would be down here? **Kelly Lake (Sheriff):** I don't. I don't. So, I I hesitate to even say anything right now because they need to go through the training and I don't I don't know that. So, but um in the meantime, again, you know, we're we're giving squads down here quite often, whether it's marked squads. I just had a comment the other day from someone in the community business that saw one of our unmarked squads um making some traffic stops on Arrowhead Lane. So they were very thankful of that just due to some of the, you know, volume of traffic and speed and the kids walking and thing now that now that it's getting nicer out. So much appreciate. Thank you. [20:48] **Walter Lower III:** Well, thank you. Uh, how many officers do we got right now? **Kelly Lake (Sheriff):** Two. Two dedicated. **Walter Lower III:** Two dedicated and a third's coming. **Kelly Lake (Sheriff):** Well, they will be, but they're right now in training. So, it's going to be I don't want to give a timeline on that because they're in training. Um and then uh we're going to be doing another posting here in May. Okay. Um so well we are also short um on the the rest of the county as far as deputies. So we're hoping in that uh May posting to um you know fill our compliment. Again it's going to take a while to get up to that because we have to train them. So, we want to make sure, again, as I've echoed many times here before, um it is a process, but we want to make sure we're getting the right people um because it [21:34] will save in the long run. Thank you. Thank you. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Yes. And then we'll go to motor vehicle department. [21:55] **Motor Vehicle Clerk:** I didn't realize I was behind you today. Wow. Okay. Yeah, I didn't get everything done, but Okay. Good evening everybody. Nice to see everybody. Um I don't know if any of you been through our office lately, but it's um like a little chaotic. Um it's been crazy. [22:19] **Motor Vehicle Clerk:** probably the last three to four weeks. Um now with this deadline for the driver's license, it's um almost every almost every one to every other person is coming in for that now and there now that there's a deadline post by and um some people are not too happy and and some are grateful, but it's a lot of explanation. Um, after doing that over and over and over all day, it's it gets wearing, but we're getting it through. And uh um we are uh packing in as much as we can. So that and also um we noticed with the warmer weathers, there's lots of people coming up there that happens and getting all their summer toys and campers and such. [23:06] **Motor Vehicle Clerk:** So that's been making us more busy. And then also kids that were on spring break were very busy with the knowledge exams, which is all good. Um, and also this time of year, we always notice when people get their tax returns back, um, we notice a lot of more titles being transferred and that type of thing, too. [23:26] **Motor Vehicle Clerk:** So, yeah, it's all good stuff, but baby, um, yeah, that's what I was going to talk about a little bit. They are the state informed us that they're um very behind um for their driver's licenses. We just had a meeting and know that so many people are doing that the deadline people are not getting them very quickly probably and over 40 43 to 45 days. So, and you can't fly with the temporary drivers or temporary cards. [24:02] **Motor Vehicle Clerk:** So, and just some changes and I don't know if I talked about this last time but um for in changes for us that we um that the state has changed for us. No uh nobody is allowed to have hats or headbands or that type of on their head without full facial. Um so that is a new thing for us unless they have like a it's for religious purposes and then they have to sign like a statement seeing why they prefer to have their head on. And then if they have to wear glasses, we have to have glasses taken off also for their photo. But they do [24:51] have to have like a doctor's signature for that or a doctor's reason like in their sensitivity to light or that type of thing. Yeah. So that's a new thing. And then the last meeting we had with the state, they sprung on us. Um that was on a Wednesday and by that following Monday for CDL drivers um anybody that comes in with a CDL drive driver's license to renew or duplicate or they lost it um they have to bring in um proof of their doicile residency and also their proof of residency. So like a birth certificate passport and then they have to show proof of their residency. So that's a new thing. Um that's been a struggle because um the state said they were [25:37] going to send out letters but they haven't and so nobody knows about it. So most people have to. So that's been, you know, even if they're expiring or very close to expiring, that's hard for a truck driver on the road. And so it's um that's been a challenge, too. But through and then um just the other day, our uh what was that? Friday, our regional supervisor came down to do our sticker dot sticker audit um from 24. So any stickers or anything or like our uh titles that maybe had gotten damaged, like our duplicate titles, we call them spoiled. He checks over all that stuff [26:22] to see that we have it or if we had damaged stickers. So we keep all that for the year. Um and then he has to go through them and like do an audit on make sure they're all there and rolls all the rolls and counts them all. And yeah, and everything was good. [26:39] **Motor Vehicle Clerk:** Um, and then he helped us try to figure out our barcode scanner. We've never been able to scan our driver's license or renewal notices. Um, I know other offices that have the same trouble. Um, like when you bring in your renewal notice, there's a barcode and you should be able just to scan it in and it doesn't. And we've had we've tried it many times um to do it and then um we've had CW try it too, but he helped us with that. but he wasn't able to eat anything, so he stayed around to do some of that. Um yeah, but that's about it. [27:16] **Motor Vehicle Clerk:** And then um one of our staff will be meeting um on the 20 21st will be our last day and be um working on their new hires the next the next week or next week. Try to get them integrated in office. [27:39] **Kris Huso:** Yeah. Well, that's about it. Anybody have any questions? Go ahead, Chris. I just thought maybe could you just announce um that what the deadline is for the driver's license so people know? **Motor Vehicle Clerk:** Yeah. Five May 7th. May 7th. Yeah. Yeah. [27:57] **Motor Vehicle Clerk:** But people don't realize that if they're not going to be traveling, they don't really have to get it right now. If they're going to be traveling um soon, they're want it if they don't have a passport, but then you can always have a passport that can always be used also. So, but some people a lot of people think it's mandatory like you have to have it by that date and that's that's a lot of it people coming in for that reason too. Yeah. [28:27] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any other questions? Thank you. Thank you. I'll do the engineer report. **SEH (City Engineer):** Uh yes, just a couple of items I wanted to give council an update on. Um as far as the um trunk highway 73 phase 2 trail project, um the county did assist with tree clearing for the project and that has all been completed. In addition, the uh plan is to have uh the bid go active in May. Um and then a bid opening occurring the first week of June with a city council award at June's regular meeting on the 11th. And then um the county board will also be looking at [29:13] **SEH (City Engineer):** passing a resolution accepting the bids and award and then a tenative construction start date of July 7th. Um the actual construction of the trail um we're being told around 90 days to complete. Um so we shouldn't have an issue completing it within the um seasonal time frame um required in order to get the work done. Um so that's an update on the trail project. In addition, we have some exciting news to share tonight. So, um, within the last month or two, the city announced that we received a $658,000 MPCA grant, um, to be utilized for a sewer lining project. In addition, [29:58] **SEH (City Engineer):** the city found out this week that we've been awarded a $76,500 grant from the MPCA uh, for planning related to storm water, wastewater, and community resilience. So, really exciting. Uh we applied for three MPCA grants and so we were awarded two of the three which is um pretty spectacular. So um a lot of hard work from city staff and the city engineers as well. Um so we'll keep council updated on what those projects will look like moving forward and how those grant monies will be utilized. **Walter Lower III:** We have another grant out there for the 3 million. What does... [30:41] **SEH (City Engineer):** So, our request with the state is for um for the bonding bill for a bonding bill. The request is a $3 million ask that would be to line all of the city's sewer infrastructure. We did find out that the $658,000 grant award that was received by the city can be utilized as a portion of our match. So, our bonding request is for $3 million. the city's portion would be between a million and a million.5. Um, and so then we would be looking at these grants and other areas or other items and areas of money that we have um in order to fund the city's portion of that massive lining project. [31:14] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Okay, thank you. Um, other than that, I think the other items that are pertinent, we'll we'll discuss later on in the meeting. Okay, any questions? Next, we'll move on to new business. A is it looks like power superintendent. You want to take care of that? **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Yes. Um I'd like Jim Person, would you come up here and Har second there? Thanks. Uh this is Jim Person. He is uh going to be taking over uh filling some big shoes with Haron Schmemelling who will be retiring here at the end of the month. And so I just wanted to introduce Jim. Have him stand up here on his own because Haron, you're gonna have to be backing away just a little bit here. So, uh, a little bit [32:01] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** about Jim. Uh, his education is in integrated mechanical engineering. He worked for Canadian National Railroad where he was the senior officer of engineering and he has managed over $540 million in capital projects. So, uh, he's moving into, uh, an area that we have a lot of things going on. So, he has that background. Uh, he was recently nominated for, uh, Canadian Nationals President Award of Excellence as well. [32:29] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Uh, Jim is working closely with staff, Harlon included, uh, to learn all the intricacies of his new position, and he is also gaining the required certification for the job position that he has. Uh Jim's immersed himself in the position and we look forward to working with you for years to come. So if you'd have anything that you'd like to say to the city, does anyone have any questions for Jim? [32:55] **Jim Pederson (Power Superintendent):** No, I'm happy to be here. Thank you. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Welcome. And Harlo, would you come up here for a second, please? And Harlon, as we said, is is retiring here at the uh end of the month coming up. and Hyron uh Harland has been hired and working here at the city of Moose Lake since 1998. He said it might seem a little longer uh but he's done a a great job and he's been our superintendent since 2015. He has uh been instrumental in bringing the water and light into the muchneeded upgrades of our power supply which will allow the water and light to provide sustainable energy to our residents for generations to come. [33:37] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Harlon has worked uh side by side with Jim and staff in in allowing for a smooth transition for Jim to take over this new position. Harlon, we will uh we wish you all the best on your future endeavors and we greatly appreciate all the effort that you put in to the citizens of the lake and to this community. Thank you. [33:57] **Harlon Schmemelling:** Thank you. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Congratulations. Congratulations. You want to say Harland? **Harlon Schmemelling:** Huh. Uh, been a lot lot of things going on. Hope I'm leaving better spots than when I first got here. I think I have I really appreciate it. Thanks so much. [34:15] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Thank you. Thank you. Enjoy retirement. **Harlon Schmemelling:** Well, my first trip is going to be next year to Germany to see my son. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Good for you. **Harlon Schmemelling:** Yeah. He's in the Air Force now. So, he didn't go in the Maybe I guess. [34:34] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** All right. Excellent. Next, we have the tree inventory and management plan quotes. [34:47] **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** City Council, Mayor Machowski, and City Administrator. Good evening. So, um, Phil had given you guys some information at the last meeting that said that we were looking into this grant. So, I'll give you just a quick little synopsis. So, um, uh, Miss Owens was approached by Madison U Massuchi from the DNR offering up this grant, the possibility for us to get a $70,000 grant um that, uh, they're opening up for people due to the impending uh, emerald ashbor in invasion that we're going to get. We've got it in Pine City and we've got it already in Carlton County. It's in Cloquet and stuff. Um, [35:33] **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** and so, um, she passed that, Alyssa passed that information on to me. I've been in contact with Madison and she's I've never done a grant before, so she's been kind of hand walking me through this and I was able to get two bids. [35:49] **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** uh one from Davy Resource Group down in the cities and another one from Blue Stem Forestry um out of uh Wisconsin kind of right across the border here. The cost is pretty broad. Um it's a $16,000 bid from Blue Stem and a $25,000 bid roughly almost 26 for Davey. Um the blue stem group uh worked very closely with Cloquet and did their tree management inventory and they were extremely happy with them. I I I did like the people from Davyy, but I think they're more situated for somebody down in the cities, some of the bigger, you [36:34] **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** know, metropolitan areas. Um, so blue stem to me, um, besides the fact that it's less costly, seems like that's more within what we would what we would need. Um, so the grant is for 70,000 and it covers a three-year span. Um, and should we decide to proceed with this grant in the first phase, we'll set us up with the tree inventory as well as a management plan for our future. And it's kind of slick because the way that they do that is when they come in for this tree management plan is they literally will go through and we um I think that um we showed you guys the maps that we had broke it down at the last meeting. Bill [37:20] **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** showed you that. So we've kind of identified the areas that are the worst areas as far as our ash population goes and what's going to be what we feel is most dangerous. And that's of course our city parks and stuff. [37:35] **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** Um it's not all emerald dashboard. I I'm kind of been back and forth with the U of M trying to establish the fact we do have it yet. They're saying that we don't. They're the experts. Um, but due to three years of drought, probably going to have another year of drought, plus just the invasive pests that we have around here, the ones in the park are really, really getting to a dangerous level. So, that's what's kind of lit a fire under me to push forward to to get this grant. Um, so the tree inventory sets us up for this management plan which in the future will open us up for more grants that if [38:21] **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** you sort of need to have a working grant and a working tree management plan or a tree management plan for them to even consider giving you future grants. So um the first phase would be to set that up. second phase, we'll get bids for tree removal for the dying trees and then move it's going to kind of be happening all at the same time. Then we'll move forward and have some kind of a um contract or relationship with people for replacement trees. So, we'll start the process of getting those things replanted. [38:56] **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** Um uh the initial removal of trees will be focused on the area like I said. Um and then the very final phase of the grant will be used for community outreach for people that have uh dead or dying trees on their property specifically. And they think that they'll actually have some grant funding available for private um people in the community. So that would be great. But they will um Blueest Stem will assist us in giving us information for the people that live in the community so that they can better manage their own property. Um so next steps are as follows. Uh choose the company. My recommendation as I said was [39:42] **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** Kelly uh Tuttle with Blue Stem. Uh finalize the contract with Madison Massuchi. she will um come down and physically meet with us to go over any of the the fine details um and walk us through the docu sign if if we do decide to go through with this. Then we'll begin the uh inventory tree removal starts, nursery purchases start, and then we'll we'll um go forward from there. Uh the way that she's explained it to me and she'll explain it to our administrator as well is that we put out the funds at first once it's established, everything has been agreed upon, the work begins, then it takes [40:28] **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** it's about a twoe turnaround before we're reimbursed. Um and then that will go through the the whole three-year, you know, process that we'll be working with this. So that is what I have for you guys. Do you have any questions for me? [40:48] **Walter Lower III:** I just want to say it's much easier. Yeah. Right. Right. I think it's it's a simpler setup for us. I think Yes, sir. **Walter Lower III:** Did Did we apply for the grant already? **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** No, we we have not done the physical application yet. that that'll be my job if we get approved to if you say go Renee then I'm going to go because then what I'm hearing is that we're being asked to enter into a contract without a grant. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** No, but you said once the documents are signed, maybe I'm misunderstanding something. [41:28] **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** I'm I was probably and and I wasn't I'm sorry. I was not at the last meeting. So, I'm coming in on the last hour here. So, we'll decide um if we want to pursue the grant. Once that grant once you guys give the go-ahhead for that to happen, then I will apply for it. And then once that application has been approved through the city administrators, then we will do the docu sign. **Walter Lower III:** Okay. Thank you. [41:54] **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** But she's Madison is willing to come here even before that to go through all of the fine details with us before we... **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** So we're pretty much guaranteed the grant if we... **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** That's my question. It sounds like it. Yeah. Fingers crossed. I'm hoping we don't do all this leg work for nothing. [42:16] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Thank you for doing that. So, at this point, we need a motion to accept one of these or motion to... **Raenee Bennett (City Gardener):** I would say we need a motion to go with u to decide whether or not we're going to pursue this. And if we do, I'd like to go with Kelly Tuttle from Blue Staff. [42:38] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Anybody like to make that motion? **Walter Lower III:** Are we going to put a condition on that? Contingent on... **Kris Huso:** I'll make that motion contingent on... **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Okay. Is there a second? **Lou Ohly:** I'll second. [42:57] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any further comments or questions? All in favor? **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Oppose. Car. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Any other questions? Okay. Thank you guys so much. Um, next we have Bill, are you ready to do your main report? **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** Give me a minute here. [43:26] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Just go to the resolution. Okay, we'll go up to we'll skip C for right now until ready. We'll go to D. Resolution 25.04.02. [43:42] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** A resolution consenting to Carlton County project number SAP 009661033. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Yes. So council received in their packet um a communication from Carlton County's engineer um in addition to a little bit of project information. So the county is planning on doing a microservicing project on Highway 61. Um the project does incorporate some of 61 that is located within city limits and so based on that they do need municipal consent. [44:15] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** So the resolution that the county provided is merely um stating that the council is in agreement um with the micro resurfacing of the um sections of 61 that are in city limits. [44:31] **Walter Lower III:** Where exactly are these this this area? **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** I would have to guess it's from the south end of the hospital to the stop plate. **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** Yep. Yep. Just north of town just a little bit till the city limits and the project extends past that. That's just the portion that you're um the resolution is covering and for for council approval. [45:00] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any further questions? **Kris Huso:** At no cost. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** At no cost. Not to the city. There was some upgrade cost for some signage um for population signage but nothing nothing major at all. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Comments motion list. **Lou Ohly:** Okay. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any further discussion? All in favor? **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Opposed. [45:26] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Next we go to Phil. **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** Yeah, we can. Yes. Get over with one of them days. Okay. So, we'll uh we'll start in the water department. uh water department last month distributed 6.5 million gallons of drinking water. Uh hydrant hydrant flushing is happening right now as we speak. Nick's actually out there still still flushing. So that's fantastic. Um was notified a couple weeks ago we need to update our wellhead protection plant with the new wellhouse in the our new wellhouse that now we have as part of our infrastructure. They are asking us to rebuild our entire wellhead protection plant. So was involved a little bit in it uh 10 years ago, not a whole lot, but enough that we can work through this again. It'll be a process. [46:09] **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** It's not cheap, but we'll uh it is a requirement from the state from the feds as well. So we're working on that. That's a that's a longer process. I think they have that going a little early with a year and a half. It's a very slow rolling, very slow moving process. But sewer department collection system collected 11.8 million gallons of waste water in the month of March. [46:29] **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** Um the 2025 sanitary sewer cleaning um project will be under underway this year. We will be focusing on the uh the collection system south of the river. So there's about 25,000 ft down there that we'll be cleaning and and uh maintaining to make sure everything is good and that will satisfy all our requirements for the League of Minnesota insurance cities insurance which is what we need to do to essentially gets us out of liability for a backup plan. So, I'll be doing that. Uh, the treatment facility, we did do a March discharge. [47:02] **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** Um, had a couple different things happen out there this year. Nothing major. Um, was able to sneak that through here at the end of March. Uh, streets and rightaways. Um, rightway clearing still happen a little bit. Frost is starting to go out of the ground. It's making it pretty tough to get equipment and ditches and that kind of thing. Um, I'm still um a pothole filling. Potholes are everywhere. We're starting in next week. [47:25] **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** We're going to get it. We'll win from a equipment standpoint. Um the new skid steer is in service. That's running that's running great. Uh the CAT 450 loader you might see in your packet. Uh there was a fairly large size bill to Caterpillar for the diesel particulate filter. Uh super expensive piece of equipment to maintain. Nothing we can do about it. That's those are federal regulations that we have to abide by and it is what it is. So um cemeteries burials are picking up. We got one Friday. We got one next week and I believe we got one week after that. [47:57] **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** Um park spring cleanup is underway as you can see in the main city park there. There's a pretty big pile of leaves that have been cleaned up already. Um and then that'll be happening throughout the the rest of the park here starting next week. Arena the compressors are scheduled to be shut down first week of May. Storm sewer. Here's something that you guys have not heard me talk about. [48:19] **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** Like we do with our sanitary sewer program to go through and clean all the debris and everything out of it so the utility stays running like it's supposed to. We are going to start a plan with our storm sewer as well. We're going to do that in house. It's going to be a lot of work. We're going to try to weasle it in, but it's stuff that we should be doing all the way through and Tom has never had a plan for that. We're going to put one together and we're because we can't afford to do it any other way. So that's what we're going to do. [48:47] **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** Um, gardening I missed Renee the I'll talk to her later about that. Um, cycling center that's open and running. Traffic is picking up pretty good up there. A lot of yard waste removals happening there. Um, safety stuff annual safety videos were sent out last month. [49:03] **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** All employees have till the middle of May to get them back to me. I got quite a few back already. So, and I think that's all I have for right now. Any questions? **Walter Lower III:** Okay, Paul. uh the storm sewer cleaning. Could you explain what they do there? **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** Very similar. We use the same piece of equipment, which is a aqua jeter, which is that white trailer with a big orange hose rail hanging on the back and a flashing light on. You see us in town all over the place. We literally send that machine down the storm sewer pipe and we pull back all the debris, dirt, sand, sticks, 28, whatever that's in our network right now and clean that out. [49:39] **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** It's something that's never been done, but we uh something we should be doing. **Walter Lower III:** I I I noticed down in the park and then down on the corner down there like where my brother John lives, you know, where they the outlet is from the storm sewers into the lake. I noticed that there is a tremendous amount of sand built up in front of those. **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** A lot a lot of that sand is coming from failed structures in the network that we found. So if you see if you if you look back you see us replacing catch basins all over town and we do three to four a year possibly. [50:15] **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** You'd be amazed how much dirt gets into that network through failed structures. Y this process should be able to help eliminate some of that. It'll help eliminate some of that. It'll also make it so our storm sewer operates correctly and more efficiently. So when it rains hard, I'm hoping we should have better drainage than what we have right now currently. Great. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Anything else? Any other questions? [50:43] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** You want to stay up there, Phil? **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** Sure. We're on C. The waste water treatment facility 2025 bio automation sludge reduction treatment quote. Sure, help me out. I don't have a clue what page number it is in the packet, but uh that is a quote for the bug program at the wastewater facility. This is year two of the three years we signed up to her, not signed up, but we agreed to do. [51:10] **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** Um yeah, so far it's been it's been a very good process. Obviously, it's too soon to see if there's any results out there, but it's from a maintenance standpoint and uh contributing these bugs to the facility the way they're supposed to be, it's been pretty good. [51:25] **Phil Entner (City Superintendent):** So hoping in the third year, halfway through the third year, they want to survey the ponds again, the three that we're working on and see what we have for for sledge reduction removal. I will I know that's a big price tag that you're looking at, but uh to manually remove sledge is millions of dollars. It is this is ridiculous how expensive it is. So, not saying this is going to be the cure all, but anything will help. And this line item, this amount of money was incorporated into the 2025 budget, not as a capital item, but in the actual um budget for the super fun. [52:10] **Walter Lower III:** Motion to approve the team labe. **Kris Huso:** I'll make a motion for the T- lab. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Is there a second? **Douglas Juntunen:** Second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any further discussion? All in favor? **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Opposed. [52:31] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** He moving on to E. Car County Econom Economic Development Authority funding agreement. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Oh, yes. So, um, the city council was made aware of the county's contribution to the residential development. Um, this agreement was presented to the, uh, Moose Lake Economic Development Authority. A recommendation was made from our EDA, uh, to council to approve the agreement. [52:59] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Essentially, this agreement is just memorializing the county's commitment of $125,000 for the uh utility extension um for phase one of the residential development. Their EDA has also approved this. Upon council approval, it will go to the county board um to be finalized and have all signatures executed. Um you'll notice that there aren't repayment terms incorporated into the agreement. [53:29] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um the what has been discussed from the EVA director is that um the the city and the county will continue to engage on this project. We are looking to secure additional funding for the project. Um we've talked about different ways that there if additional funding is secured that there um the county could be the fiscal agent of the project or something of that nature that then um is is is part of the repayment. Um the idea is to support the project, not give the city a loan. Um and so that's been reiterated multiple times. Um hence why there's not repayment terms and we'll just continue to work through the agreement as we go. [54:14] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** There a motion to approve the agreement. **Kris Huso:** So move. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Is there a second? **Lou Ohly:** Second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any further comments, questions? All in favor? Both carried. Next we have the preliminary plat. [54:33] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Yes. So, the city conducted a public hearing yesterday um through the planning commission regarding the preliminary plat for Rebel Heights. Um what the council received in the packet in addition to on the tables today um is what was presented to the planning commission yesterday. Uh the city engineers were present at the meeting and just kind of discussed the project in its totality. Um, one of the things that the engineer shared was the phasing of the project um, and why that is preferred by the city and the developer. [55:08] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um the engineer also shared that we are currently engaging in our wetland application um and that the phase we're in right now we're looking at um mitigation and talking to the different agencies who are um involved in the review and approval process to come up with the agreed upon solutions moving forward. Um none of those solutions would require a change in the flat. So, um, that was a, you know, that's a a positive moving forward. Um, there are a couple of different blocks. You'll see up to four blocks highlighted in the plat. Um, the next phase will incorporate zoning. And so, the plan is to have lots 1 through 10 zoned as [55:57] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** R2. And then block four, lots 1 through 8 on the eastern side. Block three is going to be um a proposed zoning of R3 for a an apartment complex. And then all of the interior um interior lots at this point in time um the proposed zoning will be R1. And so the council will see um a design incorporating the zoning request come through. It will also go to planning commission. Um in addition the this uh preliminary plat upon formal approval will override the existing um plat that [56:45] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** is there. There is one for the opportunity business park um that does come um into the proposed development area and so this will override that. Utility easements are incorporated into the um into the plat along with uh 66 ft roadway easements as well. [57:08] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um there's planning for a storm water retention pond within um within the design as well. Um that will likely be an outlaw A. Um and so just continuing to to to move forward with the the platting process. I don't know if there was any council questions at this time. The planning commission did make a recommendation to council to approve the preliminary plaque. Uh we did not have any comments from the public um as far as modifications or requests are concerned and all adjoining properties did receive notification of the public hearing yesterday. Um and we'll continue to meet with our partners at the school. Um we do plan to attend [57:55] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** the schoolboard meeting on the 28th where we will um share some of this information as well and have shared previously and um there will be more meetings to come in the next six weeks as we move through the platting process. We are hoping that the city's activities related to platting are wrapped up in miday uh which would then give the county about um 30 days for for their process and recording. um so that by mid June we have an official plat for our residential development. At this point in time the developer owns lots 1, 2 and three on Moosehorn Drive and um the first um phase incorporating lots 1 through 10 does [58:41] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** require an extension of East Moose Horn Drive. up at the top. There is an easement incorporated on the west um towards the top for a potential trail connection regarding um a trail to the school. And so we'll be communicating with them on that. That would be hopes for in the future. And then an outlawed at the bottom on the southern end you'll see that there are plans for a potential road extension if there could be more development that would occur um subsequent to these phases being completed. [59:24] **Walter Lower III:** questions, comments, both uh outlet outlot A is that for uh what all is that about outlot A? **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Outlot A is going to be where we have our um proposed storm water retention pond. So that is a requirement of um the state. So storm water will be threearters of the new development the storm water will be directed to a storm water retention pond located in a lot A. [1:00:00] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** One quarter of the development naturally flows and it will be incorporated into the existing storm water pond that is um already um present at quick the quiture property. **Walter Lower III:** Is is there a way for in the future to possibly hook this all up with a road to Park Place on the uh that would be the east side of that? **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Correct. there's always the opportunity um and so the city will maintain ownership of the land to the north of the plat that the city owns um in the land that was purchased and then around the edges of you know uh block three and outlaw A the city will [1:00:46] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** continue to own land over there. Um what will be transferred to the development will be only what is identified in the plat. **Walter Lower III:** Thank you. **Kris Huso:** Yeah. Can you just tell me again what um block four was going to be? Is it R12? **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** R2 lot uh block four lots one through eight is proposed as R2. [1:01:14] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** So the potential for duplexes there as well or town homes. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any other questions? Motion to approve the blueberry flat. **Kris Huso:** So move. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Is there a second? [1:01:32] **Lou Ohly:** Second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any further discussion? All in favor? **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Opposed. Next we have ordinance number 176, an ordinance establishing the regulation of a of cannabis businesses. [1:01:54] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um yes. So um what council received in the packet is the proposed ordinance number 176. Um the city engaged with Carlton County regarding their uh cannabis business ordinance. Uh we've also had some um trainings and communications come out from the office of cannabis management. the landscape is continuing to change and will continue to change. [1:02:24] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um at this point in time, it's just important that the city establish a a foundational process and regulation of cannabis businesses. Um this will likely modify as time goes on and the Office of Cannabis Management um implements new process or regulations from the state. [1:02:44] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um but we do have businesses in the city who have applied for licenses. So it's important that we have a process in play otherwise it defers to the county. So we did work with the county to get their template. Uh the proposed ordinance number 176 is is um contains a significant amount of language from their ordinance um but modifi modified to be pertinent and relevant to the city. uh this proposed ordinance did have a public hearing via the uh planning commission and so we were uh the planning commission was able to engage with um a local business owner and members of the public via that [1:03:31] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** required public hearing. In addition, this proposed ordinance went before the economic development authority and discussion was had at at that level as well. Um throughout the process of the public hearing, the reading with the planning commission and the reading with the economic development authority, no changes were recommended um from what was originally presented. And so looking for um for council approval based on that three readings have occurred. A public um a public hearing has occurred and those other readings occurred in open open meetings as well. Um if council does not want to approve um as proposed, we can talk about amendments [1:04:16] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** to ordinance number 176 and do additional readings. Uh we're just looking to have something um established and in place um as we will have licensing requests in the very near future. **Kris Huso:** Chris, how many uh requests have we had already? [1:04:36] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** We are aware of one. We have only been notified by one entity that they have already um applied for a license with the state. That doesn't mean others have not. Um, and so establishing our process, we then notify the Office of Cannabis Management once this is passed, that we have our process in play, we have our zoning in play, and then the requests then get directed to the city versus elsewhere. [1:05:07] **Kris Huso:** Are we going to limit how many of these um businesses, excuse me, are going to be in town? **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Yep. That'll be council's decision. Okay. Yep. Um and then little sorry um on 1.4 enforcement it says the city of Bike is responsible for the administration and enforcement of this ordinance. Should we shouldn't list that Carlton I mean Carlton County Sheriff's Department kind of is involved in that because we don't have a police department anymore. So **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** So Carlton County is listed in our compliance check section. That's 2.3.4. four. Um so per our law enforcement services agreement [1:05:53] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** um we will have the county facilitating the business checks uh via compliance and that is established within our current agreement and is it listed in there? **Walter Lower III:** It's actually in the statute too that the city must be the ones that do that. [1:06:11] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Yes. And so we we've included that in our law enforcement services contract and um that is who we'll be enforcing. **Kris Huso:** Okay. And then um I was going to ask about the locations, but I saw in the other um thing that it was the 500 whatever churches. So that kind of answered that. [1:06:38] **Kris Huso:** Um and then under events in number three um like what type are we going to limit these events to be held at certain places or they have to be at their establishment or I mean is it going to be it's not going to be in the park where kids are or... **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** so the zoning ordinance um addresses where it can happen. Um, so the zoning ordinance discusses that these temporary events can only occur within certain zoning areas. Those zoning areas align with the where those businesses can be [1:07:23] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** established and then the hours of those events are limited to business hours. So there's a couple levels of of interplay there with these types of events. So they would only be occurring at businesses. the businesses can only be located in certain zoning areas and then um those events have to be approved by an a separate application process. So the city will have an opportunity to review um but between the two ordinances it covers where and when and how essentially. **Kris Huso:** Okay. And then under 3.1.3 fifth paragraph it says forward the application to the city of New Lake Sheriff's Department. You might want to clarify [1:08:08] **Kris Huso:** that it isn't the New Sheriff department. It's car. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Okay, [1:08:29] **Walter Lower III:** questions. Yes, I have the same I had the same thing you were talking about. I highlighted the city reserves the right to limit the number of cannabis permits uh based on a case-by case basis. We should have that. whether we're having legal or someone look at that, we do want to make sure that we we control how many are out there. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** I believe the licensing is so much it's after the liquor license. I believe that's how they're I don't know if they know for sure how they do it yet, but that's the way it looks like it's going to be is off the population base. You can give so many but makes sense. [1:09:14] **Walter Lower III:** Uh would council like to see these these couple changes made and it brought back to um May's city council meeting. **Kris Huso:** I guess I didn't meant to that were significant just the Carlton County. The other ones were just more questions or as long as we control... **Walter Lower III:** Yeah. [1:09:36] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** that be put in there. Where would that be in the ordinance? **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** it it was in the original paperwork about based on population. I just don't want to have too many out there. Yeah. Yeah. So, I believe our discussion was when we were talking about that was um that local governments are not required to limit them. We just have to allow at least one per 12,000. Um, and so we discussed that, you know, if there was an application submitted to council after you had already approved three, obviously a council probably just wouldn't approve it. So, we didn't necessarily put a specific number on it, just trusting council that you wouldn't approve too many. So that's where that's where we were at when we wrote the [1:10:22] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** ordinance because all applications have to come to council and the state statute dictates how many we are required at least one per 12,000 12,000 and so we based on that the council controls how many licenses will be issued. **Walter Lower III:** What if we get two three licenses at one one day? How do you determine which... **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** No, I mean there so the review process makes sure that the establishment's in the correct zoning area um that the you know the there'll be jump hoops that they have to jump through from a business perspective. We do have an entity in town already who has been given priority licensing through the [1:11:09] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** state. Um and so the state is kind of regulating some of those processes in the background which they shouldn't come flooding in at once. Um is our understanding of what the state's role is. **Walter Lower III:** Okay. [1:11:27] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** And the the format of utilizing an independent ordinance and then modifying zoning is the approach that the county also um utilized. And it was actually the approach that a lot of cities that we studied utilized um was having an independent ordinance specific to business licensing and then utilizing your zoning to to put in additional controls. [1:11:55] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any other questions? **Walter Lower III:** One more just so I know exactly what's going on. Uh for events, the the city council would still have the ability to say yes or no on a event basis. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Yes, and thank you for bringing that forward. So, we had discussion at the planning commission level um and through the EDA the a lot of questions about events. Essentially, if you don't include event language in your zoning and your business license, then you don't have a way to regulate. [1:12:24] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** So the recommendation and what has been done by other cities or and or counties is making sure that you build it into your first step in case there are event requests and you don't have a process in play then you don't have a way to regulate. Um so that is why they are incorporated. It's not that you know you're not you're not condoning a ton of events with approval. [1:12:46] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** You are you are having a way to regulate um request for events. **Walter Lower III:** Thank you. **Kris Huso:** Those, as I understood, those events are standalone events, not in conjunction with things that we're going to hold in the city of New States, and they cannot be held in a residential zone. So that they're extremely limited. Yeah. So that's a good thing. So that would be that that would be their only they can't bring in other people from other cities to do a big event. I mean, it's a **Walter Lower III:** Well, but I'm not sure. I mean they may be able to rent the arena in a aspect kind of like Boofest does you know where they have other breweries come. I don't know I don't know if we that I mean would we I [1:13:32] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** mean that's you know because I don't want... **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** So that application would have to come to the city council and it it does outline the process. Yep. Insuranceances would be a big huge part of that as well. [1:13:50] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** But by having it in here, then you can regulate and then they have to come to the city and request an application for an event. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** I think we need a motion to accept this ordinance. [1:14:06] **Kris Huso:** Want to do a motion with the change from Y. **Walter Lower III:** I'll make that motion with that with that. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Is there a second? **Kris Huso:** I'll second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor? [1:14:25] **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Opposed. Car. Next, we have amending amendments to ordinance 104, the city most likely zoning ordinance. [1:14:42] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Yes. So, what was included in council's packet again was just pages of the zoning ordinance that had had any modifications associated with them. Um, this these amendments went before the planning commission uh were reviewed in a public hearing and also went to the EDA. So, we simultaneously worked through the cannabis business ordinance and the zoning ordinance amendments. Um the amendments do include um changes in the definition section and [1:15:14] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** where that is relevant is um there were conditional use permit opportunities in residential districts and the residential districts um zoning districts. those some of those conditional use opportunities were not defined. And so from a planning commission perspective, the request was made from the planning commission that we make sure we have a definition of the the conditional use types of permitted operations. Um that just kind of continues to protect residential neighborhoods and kind of establish a boundary of what can happen under a conditional use permit in residential districts. So, there were a couple of [1:16:00] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** definitions added in. All of those were highlighted. Again, we talked about these at length in a public hearing with the planning commission and with the EDA. Um throughout the process, it was established that um private parks was one that was overlooked. And so, you'll see that in green versus yellow that was added throughout the course of our process and review through all of the different committees and boards and the public hearing. In addition to the definitions being modified, it is established within the different um sections of the zoning ordinance that discuss R1, R2, C1, C2, and industrial. And so you'll see later on in the ordinance in the sections specific to cannabis and uh short-term rentals that these were the identified [1:16:47] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** um appropriate allocations of of vacation rentals in Canada's businesses. So, for example, in R1, a vacation rental is a conditional use, which meaning somebody would have to come request from the planning commission a conditional use permit in order to have a vacation rental in an R1 zoning district. Same goes for R2. You'll see that the modification was made is vacation rentals are um a conditional permitted use under R2 only via our process and play with the planning commission. Um R3 um R3 was not modified. Um C1 commercial downtown. [1:17:35] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** You'll see that um a cannabis business is a principal permitted use under C1, which means that a cannabis business can operate in the C1 zoning district without any additional requests from the city other than licensing. um but no zoning related requests. And then the temporary event is a conditional use permitted opportunity. So they would have to come to the planning commission um and and to council for a cannabis business temporary event. Same goes for C2. Um cannabis businesses was added as a principal permitted use and a temporary event was added under conditional uses to make sure that there [1:18:20] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** were some processes in play for review. the C1 and C2 um cannabis business zoning um categorizations follow what the county had as well. Um they had some additional um some additional agricultural zoning districts that the city did not have. Um that's just a whole another level for the from a county from a rural perspective and those have been removed. [1:18:52] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** But as far as the C1 and C2 um zoning recommendations for cannabis businesses, that aligns with a lot of other cities and counties that we reviewed. In addition, there's industrial. Uh you'll see that um under conditional use, a conditional permitted use, a cannabis business can operate in an industrial manufacturing district. One thing that we learned throughout this process is there's different types of cannabis businesses. [1:19:23] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** So there could be some there could be a a manufacturing component component, a cultivation component. And so the different types of businesses have different zoning aotments. So, if you're in the cultivation or um you know, uh manufacturing things of that nature, if you're you're working with like hemp derivatives and things like that, you're going to have to be required to be in an industrial district versus running those types of operations in a standard C1 or C2 district. Um looking at vacation rentals first. So, this is we've had a lot of questions from a city perspective about vacation rentals. Um, and it's come [1:20:09] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** forward and and become a lot more popular in the past, you know, coming years. We did request the county's vacation rental ordinance and then utilize that as a template. Uh, we also looked at other cities and counties and what they have in place. Essentially, um this was presented to the planning commission in the public hearing and um the only modification that was made throughout the process was in green. So, it's all in yellow because it's new to our ordinance, but throughout the process, the items in green were what were modified. We had a couple spelling errors and then wanted parameters in place for vacation rentals pertinent to parking. And so, um, under section [1:20:56] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** 20.04 general requirements, letter I, no parking shall be located closer than 25 ft from an adjacent dwelling unless appropriately screened. Um, and then privacy fences require a zoning permit. So, this vacation rental um amendment talks about um requirements and a process that the city can work on for applicants to be able to operate a vacation rental. It defines what that looks like. It defines what they need to provide to the city. [1:21:30] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** they'll be, you know, it requires that they follow state requirements and statutes in addition to city ordinance um and hour quiet hours um how many people can be in a premises all of that. Um once we get through this ordinance um process, we will then have to look at city process to implement and make um community members aware. Uh this essentially effective upon adoption, any new vacation rentals will have to comply immediately. Any existing vacation rentals will have a um a sixmonth timeline and then your application is [1:22:17] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** good for three years uh once you've established it with the city. **Kris Huso:** Chris, I have a couple questions on that. Um are we going to limit how many vacation rentals can be in the city limits? [1:22:37] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** That is a Council council yeah we did not put any in the ordinance or I didn't see any in the ordinance um and then uh what does this does this do anything to the adjacent properties regarding uh the home values or that is not something that's rel related to to audience the zoning ordinance. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** I It's just they're already existing and that's the issue we have question because and we don't want to be around the whole week. You know, a lot of us and the problem is we already have them and we can't do anything. [1:23:23] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** We can't do anything with them right now. At least this way. **Kris Huso:** I understand that. But I don't want the entire surrounding lake to be just vacation rentals and then, you know, the um residential people that live there. And um yeah, I I understand your concern. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** I I I understand your concern. To piggy back off of what the mayor said, without any type of ordinance right now, we're doing nothing. Um, this allows visibility to the city to get a handle on how many are in the area. There's an application process that has to be followed. Um, they have to continue to comply or their rental license can be removed. There's [1:24:09] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** going to be an inspection component from um the city building official um that we're going to work through. And so, as of right now, we have absolutely nothing. This starts the process then for the city to kind of get a handle on what's what's already happening. [1:24:26] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** I don't think we know how many we have now. **Kris Huso:** We don't, you know, because we know it's just hard to to vote on something that, you know, potentially I live on the lake and I know there's one next to me and I, you know, I don't know if there's going to be the taxes we pay are extravagant and I just if this is going to start lowering the value of our houses and, you know, it's it's that's going to be a problem. [1:24:54] **Kris Huso:** for me understood. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** If it's already happening and it's not regulated, then you know there's a potential for problems. There's a potential for noise issues or you know occupancy issues. This defines occupancy. This defines parking. You have to have so many number of parking spots per bedrooms. Um you know, so really trying to eliminate issues for neighbors. The only way to do that is through something like this. [1:25:24] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** And it can be updated at a later time if we would at least give us an idea of how many we have now. I believe **Kris Huso:** Go ahead. Um yeah, I just had I did not see it in here. Maybe it'll be in the permitting part of it, but I just want to make sure since we are moving forward with this and it's much needed. [1:25:45] **Kris Huso:** Um where does it state anything about the collection of the city sales tax u for each time these things are rented? Is it going to be in the permitting process or is it just going to be assumed? Because I want to make sure that this is a business. The city should be recouping. We have that half percent sales tax. I think that should be on there because we have a lodging tax already for the hotel or motel and will this go under lodging tax instead? **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** So, so those taxing requirements are an obligation of that business owner to make sure that they are paying that's a state required tax. Um, and lodging and well, the city's lodging taxes. In addition to that, [1:26:33] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** um, this doesn't undermine any existing adopted taxes by any means. Um, I we don't enforce businesses paying sales tax. That's that is their responsibility based on operating a business. I have zero issue incorporating verbiage in here for that andor on the permit application. Um, but this is just related to zoning. Um, and so that obligation stands regardless of whether or not it's stated in here. [1:27:04] **Kris Huso:** Okay. I just want to make sure it's addressed at some point within the the realm of what we're going into. So people can't say, you know, five months. I didn't know. Yeah. Right. Right. Right. [1:27:19] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** And there are questions on the vacation rental portion. We could incorporate something on our per on our application that like a check the box if you have established a sales tax ID with the state. Um you know you could do something like that. Enforcement is not our our sure within our authority. Um but we could include a uh something like that on our application. Um that's a great idea. This was just zoning. **Kris Huso:** Sure. [1:27:54] **Kris Huso:** Thank you. Okay, moving on to the cannabis portion. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** U moving on to the cannabis portion. Um this this article does defer to the ordinance 176 um and and back and forth. [1:28:10] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** It also defers to state statutes and obligations of the office of cannabis management. So essentially it's incorporating all those different references and all those different entities and their requirements within it. Um it also talks about the zoning ordinance in its totality and that there's a need to comply with um site plan review requirements, sanitary system and water well standards um parking and loading requirements, standards of conditional uses and sign regulations. And so essentially it's trying to pull in every single different type of regulation and statute and city ordinance requirement um all stated within this particular article so that anybody who is engaging in a cannabis [1:28:55] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** businesses business recognizes that they have to comply with all um all agencies, all standards, all regulations. uh did limit the hours of operation um specifically on Sunday to align with the um liquor ordinance. And so you'll see that in green that happened throughout the course of the review process. Um identifies again those those specific districts. And here's where it talks about retail lo locations in 21.05 just being C1 and C2. You'll see under section 21.6 cultivation. [1:29:35] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Cultivation is only going to be allowed in an industrial zoning district. Processing extraction and manufacturing will only be allowed in an industrial zoning district. Wholesale will only be allowable in an industrial zoning district. And then the temporary events are only pertinent to those C1 and C2 established businesses. with limited hours. **Walter Lower III:** Is that green, right? 1 a.m. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um, it's just a printing error. It's on our It's on the actual ordinance as 11. It's just a printing error. So, it aligns with the previous page. **Walter Lower III:** Thank you. Yes. [1:30:14] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** And so, we actually got some education from um a from a business in town who attended the public hearing and talked about the different types of cannabis businesses. So when they go to apply with the state and the office of cannabis management, they are indicating whether or not they're in cultivation, whether or not they're in manufacturing, whether or not they're in wholesale. And so then that licensing information comes to the city and then we can make sure that the zoning um that they're meeting zoning requirements based on the type of business they're operating. We got we got a little educated throughout this process as well. So there's different types and we've addressed that within zoning and and where they can operate. [1:30:57] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** There's a lot here questions. **Walter Lower III:** There's a there's a lot and the cannabis one's probably going to be changing because the state keeps changing. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Yeah. But I think we have to have something in place for both of them or else people can go, right? [1:31:20] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** there was a hesitancy of a one to just get it perfect right out the gate. And so we we you know we put a ton of time into looking at other cities and counties and then working with Carlton County on on what we presented here today and proposed along the way. Um really important. So we're we're we're trying to get it as perfect as we can be. Just understanding it's continuing to change and we'll probably be readressing it um from a planning commission and council perspective as we move forward here. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** I really appreciate your effort on this. There's a lot of information in here and it I can see it took a lot of time to research all this new stuff. Thank you very much. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** City staff has been working on this for a while. It was one of those things but we begrudgingly [1:32:06] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** worked through but there there is a lot there. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any other questions or comments for a motion to approve the amendments to the zoning ordinance? **Kris Huso:** So move. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Is there a second? **Lou Ohly:** Second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any further discussion? [1:32:27] **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Opposed. Carries. Next we have the Moose Lake Windmir sanitary sewer district offer discussion. [1:32:47] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** So, what was incorporated into the council packet is an offer from March 14th from the um from the district's attorney um in addition to a few additional communications that have occurred and transpired since. And so, um, what the offer stated, and there were, um, throughout the course of mediation a lot of a lot of, um, negotiations and and, um, back and forth with with some of these, um, areas in particular, but this [1:33:15] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** particular offer calls out, um, the ERU charge, and the district presented to the city um that they were willing to pay the full $15 per um, eru charge, but um, by means of dividing the total monthly flow at the flume um by the number of days in the month and then dividing that by 250. And so throughout that um you know with with the math on that um on average based on flows you know you're looking around the $55,000 um annual contribution at most. [1:33:58] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um and so the as proposed and as as implemented across all other customers and our other um significant users um their charge um equates to closer to $85,000 per year versus the 55,000. Um so there was a lot of information within within the offer. Um, I don't know if council has any questions in particular regarding the offer, um, or if you'd like any specific item to be addressed or discussed. [1:34:44] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** In addition, you'll see a communication um from the city acknowledging that there was a partial payment made that did not include any type of .edu fees from the district. Our edu charges were implemented. The base availability fee was implemented um in January um for all city customers um and is being paid by all city customers um with the exception of the district at this time. You'll see that I did send a communication requesting payment and discussing the implementation of a 12% penalty. [1:35:21] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um, and then in addition in the council's packet, the response um um requesting that we don't um penalize the um non-payment charges at this time. [1:35:42] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Questions discussions? I would just say that uh having been on the negotiating committee, there's things that under the most recent communication that we're receiving that we had already ironed out are no longer in this agreement. So, it seems like we've gone backwards [1:36:11] significantly. **Walter Lower III:** Any other discussion? [1:36:32] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** I guess I'd say the other thing is is that everyone else is already painted and you said that everyone else is paying this. This isn't any no one's being singled out. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** No, everyone's paying it. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** It's the system that we have. That's what we we need to keep moving forward and we need to keep it working for everybody. [1:36:51] **Walter Lower III:** Yeah, I don't think that I just totally agree with you. You know, everybody's got to be treated the same. Um, and putting it into a what do you say a separate account to, you know, pay what... **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Everybody else is paid starting January [1:37:23] 1st. Okay. Your next item would be the resolutions 25.04.01, a resolution rejecting the settlement offer with the sanitary district and and demanding they pay the lawfully imposed for rates and charges. [1:37:43] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um so dependent upon um council's engagement on the offer, the city attorneys have drafted resolution 25401. Essentially, as um Mayor Machowski stated, um the city believes that uh well, this this resolution outlines the current status between this the the city and the district. I think it's important to point out um that um from the city's perspective, the 2027 agreement is unjustifiably restrictive and it does not allow the city to address rates and charges for the services provided um as is necessary from time to time to adjust for rising costs of material and labor um without the explicit agreement [1:38:30] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** of the district. And that, you know, essentially is violating state law which mandates that owners of municipal wastewater treatment facilities be allowed to impose charges and update fair and reasonable rates tied to the actual cost of providing the service. Um so that is outlined within the resolution. [1:38:48] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um, it also outlines that um the district's the district's historic unwillingness to accept fair and reasonable rate increases has resulted in the district receiving its wastewater treatment services at a significant discount compared to all other city customers with the district paying less than half of what other similarly situated significant users pay for the same service. Um and the resolution also discusses that um the city has engaged in good faith negotiations with the district to address these issues over the past two years, including holding joint public meetings, two formal mediation sessions with the office of the state office of administrative hearings. Um but there the the district at this time has not accepted the city's updated rates and [1:39:35] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** new charges. Um in add in addition um the um let's see the city retained a financial consultant and and the rates were scheduled imposed um modest imposed modest usage rate increases and the new eru charge fee of $15 per um connection and that determination calculated based on usage per connection to the city system uh which were put into effect on January 1st and all customers uh including significant users like the department of corrections and the sex offender program facility are currently paying the new charge um and updated [1:40:21] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** rates um and all customers are paying it except the district um who continues to pay only the rates provided in its 2017 contract and who have refused to pay the lawfully adopted charge resulting in a pass to account balance after January uary of $7,125. So every month that that $7,125 charge will continue to incur. [1:40:45] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** That is based on 475 connections. I have requested um the current status of their connections um in an email and then subsequently followed up with a communication when I did not hear back um again requesting the number of connections because we can't um implement a per connection fee unless we know exactly how many connections they have. Um that information has not been transferred. Uh they did reference that they have a counter offer out with the city. Um but um from a city perspective that fee went into effect January 1st and so the number of connections pertinent to their current invoicing should reflect how many how many connections they have. So so the 475 connections they said they have uh when [1:41:32] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** was that provided to us? **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** That was provided to us during our rate study. Um during our rate study and mediation processes is where the the last time we heard a figure from them. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Oh, year ago. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um, yeah. Yeah, it's been a while, which is why we requested additional. So, it's possible that the $7,125 is actually um less than um how many connections they they that they have now. But that is the best information we have to go off of, and we'll continue to request um more accurate information. So, this resolution goes on to discuss um and and demand payment for current charges. [1:42:17] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um it was drafted by the city attorneys um and they are awaiting um council's response today. And then um essentially the end of the resolution um authorizes the city administrator and city staff to begin researching all options available to the city to impose and collect fair and reasonable charges for all services provided to the district including but not limited to the hiring of professional consultants to complete a cost of service analysis which may lead to further rate increases for the district beyond the previously adopted rate study and working with legal counsel to explore all legal options and remedies available. to the city to collect fair and reasonable rates and charges under all applicable [1:43:04] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** laws. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Questions, comments? [1:43:15] **Walter Lower III:** We're not going. We're not getting anywhere, you know. It's been a circular um chasing our tail for significant amount of time reading in here which may lead to further increases increased rates beyond the previous adopted rates study. [1:43:41] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Yes. So essentially um one thing that we've discussed with the city attorneys is engaging in a with a professional firm for them to um for them to analyze what their rate should be. It's been maintained at such a a low rate historically over so such a long period of time. Um and based on what rates of other like users in our in our system are paying um it mentioned that they're at about half um we can engage with a professional firm and they can and they can indicate um what the rates should be for that user. So in addition to the .edu you charge. Um that [1:44:27] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** professional um entity could tell us and and help us determine what their rate should be moving forward versus what the rate study listed. And those were pretty minimal increases um outlined in the in the rate study um for them as a user in addition to the edu charge. So it it's it's possible that um based on what we know our cost to treat is and our estimated cost to treat is that there could be a significant rate increase in addition to the edu charge for the district once that assessment is made. **Walter Lower III:** This is just for the district. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um I mean the district as a whole, the the [1:45:13] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** um the authorization would be for the city to engage with the attorneys on a study specific to the district so that moving forward we have um a tool and a resource to utilize um in any um activities that occur moving forward. [1:45:32] **Walter Lower III:** Okay. Thank you. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Other questions, comments? Motion to approve the resolution. **Douglas Juntunen:** I'll take that motion. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Is there a second? **Kris Huso:** I'll second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Further discussion. Hearing none. All in favor? [1:45:56] **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** I post carried. Um, next we have the Lincoln Life Insurance employee benefit step program discussion. [1:46:11] **Ryan McKeon (Finance Director):** Yeah, thanks for having me back. Um, so we were in contact with Lincoln Life Insurance. They let me know about um a potential for increasing our life insurance for our team members here. There is no impact to rates, which is awesome. So, it's kind of a thing that if we want to, we could just jump on. [1:46:30] **Ryan McKeon (Finance Director):** This has been through the personnel committee. Um, I initially just got a couple of quotes. One for Oh, I should back up. Currently, everyone's at $10,000 life insurance. Um, I asked for a quote for $25,000 and $50,000 for life insurance for team members. Uh, it came back, brought it to the personnel committee. [1:46:52] **Ryan McKeon (Finance Director):** Um, to take it a step further, uh, as a personnel committee, we thought it'd be a great idea to put steps in there. So for years of service and that's a great way for team members to for longevity and to be more I guess come come to work more and they want to keep going and progressing in their jobs. So currently as it sits there' be five individuals in the 10 years or more experience and four in the 3 to n years experience. There's currently no one in the one to three or zero to three years. Although with the new team member coming on board, that would be one person that would be in there and it's like $5.33 a month per individual. So, in my math calculations, [1:47:39] **Ryan McKeon (Finance Director):** if we go with what the personnel committee recommended with the three steps, and we're looking at about $1,100 for the whole year to implement this questions. [1:47:55] **Kris Huso:** The zero to three, what would be the 10,000? **Ryan McKeon (Finance Director):** 10,000. Yep. 3 to9 is 25 and over 10 would be the $50,000 life insurance. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** I thought it was a great a great thing for us to bring forward. [1:48:14] **Lou Ohly:** So, I'll make a motion we accept the life insurance um step class. **Kris Huso:** I'll second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Further discussion? All in favor? **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** I oppos carried. Thank you. [1:48:34] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Next we have public works labor. Michael Swazina. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Yes. So the um city staff um and the personnel committee engaged in the hiring process for the public works labor position. [1:48:50] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Labor one position. Um the recommendation from the personnel committee to hire on um as a new full-time staff member is Monaco Spacina. Monaco has already been employed with the city um at the arena in a part-time capacity. So he would be transferring from that part-time capacity to full-time status um and onboarding as a city's full-time employee. [1:49:15] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Questions comments motions. **Walter Lower III:** Just so so I know what's going on. This is a laborer. Are we Do we still have another position that we're trying to to fill or like CDL for? **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** This is that position. Yep. So we've actually had we posted it three different times. [1:49:41] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um and so this was the the third time um third time posting the position. And this is and This is the opportunity where you know the um the full-time staff member can then earn the CDL. **Walter Lower III:** Well, he she does not or they do not have it yet, but they will be able to take the training. [1:50:05] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Correct. He will be able to take the training. Yes. In addition to the the waste fodder and and water licensing processes as well. **Walter Lower III:** Lots of training available. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any other comments? [1:50:20] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** questions. Motion. **Kris Huso:** Motion to approve. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Is there a second? **Lou Ohly:** Second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any further discussion? All in favor? **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Opposed? Carried. Next, we have a resignation letter. [1:50:37] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Um, just looking for council to accept the resignation from Lean Gibson as a part-time um motor vehicle clerk. The city has posting the um position. We have received um applicants have scored applications and will be contacting candidates for um for interviews. If you remember that the part-time position was posted prior to this um this notice and so now uh the city will be looking to hire two um part-time um candidate or part-time um clerks for the motor vehicle department. [1:51:18] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Question comments motions. **Kris Huso:** Motion to approve it. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Yes, I'll make that. Is there a second? **Lou Ohly:** Second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any further discussion? All in favor? **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** I post library board appointment. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Uh the library board is recommending that um Jean Devkin be approved to to fill the um opening on the library board. Uh Jean's letter of interest was included in the packet and the recommendation from the existing board is for council to approve this appointment. [1:51:59] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Question comments motions **Lou Ohly:** I'll make that a motion to approve the library board. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Is there a second? **Kris Huso:** Second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Further discussion? All in favor? **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Oppos? [1:52:15] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Carried. Uh, Peasants Forever East Central Spurs chapter gambling permit for application. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Yep. The gambling permits for the Peasants Forever for an event on um June 14th at the Moose Lake Brewing Company. [1:52:32] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Motion to approve. **Douglas Juntunen:** Is there a second? **Walter Lower III:** Second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Any further discussion? All in favor? **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Opposed? Carried. Next, we have the tree committee appointments. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Uh, yes. In order to continue to move forward with our tree management plan and our grant opportunities, it was um required that we have a tree committee. [1:52:57] **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** We did discuss it at the last council meeting. It has been added to our annual appointment. So, looking for formal approval of the city's tree committee. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** A motion to approve. **Douglas Juntunen:** Is there a second? **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** That's right. It's looking for your name, Chris. [1:53:17] **Kris Huso:** Just making sure the tree and weed inspector. Is there a second? **Lou Ohly:** I'll second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** All in favor? **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** I post carried. Next, we have announced our committee and board meeting minutes or reports and correspondence. Carlton County annual bridge inspection. I think that's in there. Correct. Correct. For one bridge. [1:53:42] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Correct. The Arrowhead Transit press release for ridership 2024 and the fire pearl sprinkler specialist admiral inspection report. And we have the committee and board meeting minutes from the Moose Lake Park Protection Districts February 11th, 2025. Loose Lake Fire Protection Districts March 13, 2025. And Park and Recreation didn't have minutes or meeting in March uh or we didn't get them for. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** So March is when in March's meeting because it was late in April's it occurred Monday night and the packet was already out. [1:54:23] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** So, I'll have two months work for the next. Okay. Announcements. Moose Lake City Council regular meeting. Wednesday, May 14th 2025 4 p.m. The Moose Lake City Council Local Board of Appeal and Equalization, Thursday, April 17th, 10:00 a.m. The Moose Lake Econ Economic Development Authority, Wednesday, April 16th, 12:00 p.m. in the conference room. [1:54:52] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Moose Lake water and right light commission Tuesday April 15 2025 1 pm and that'll be here because that's going to be our special meeting or joint meeting. Correct. The Muslake Holding and Redevelopment Authority Monday May 14th at 11:00 a.m. Hillside Manor Fire Protection District Tuesday April 15th. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Should be in the main sometime. [1:55:21] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** whatever the May one is. May 12th maybe or something like that. Second Tuesday. **Ellissa Owens (City Administrator):** Yeah. 13th. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** May 13th, 6:30 p.m. at the Emergency Response Center and the Moose Lake Parks Effect Board meeting May 5th, 5:00 p.m. here. [1:55:45] **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Anything else? Is there a motion to adjurnn? **Kris Huso:** Salute. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Is there a second? **Douglas Juntunen:** Second. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** All in favor? **Council:** I. **Jim Michalski (Mayor):** Oppos? We're ajourned.