CITY OF WANAMINGO
City Council Regular Meeting
Monday, June 10, 2024 7:00 P.M.
Wanamingo City Council Chambers – 401 Main Street
Wanamingo, MN
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Ryan Holmes.
PRESENT: Council: Ryan Holmes, Stuart Ohr, Eric Dierks, and Rebecca Haugen
City Administrator: Michael Boulton
Deputy Clerk: Karen Masters
ABSENT: Council: Jeremiah Flotterud
ALSO PRESENT: Monty Schaefer, Stephen Kingsbury, Peter Grimsrud – Zumbrota News-Record, Andrew Deziel – Kenyon Leader, and Matthew Garrick – Goodhue County Deputy Sheriff.
ADOPT AGENDA: Haugen motioned to adopt the agenda, seconded by Ohr. Passed 4-0-0.
CONSENT AGENDA: Dierks motioned, seconded by Haugen. Passed 4-0-0.
PRESENTERS:
A) Monty Schaefer reported on:
1) New Ford 550 Truck was picked up from Crysteel after the dump box, plow, plow wing, hydraulic pump, and other accessories were installed.
2) Finished getting the pool up and running for the season. The kiddie pool was roughly a week late in being opened due to the weather in allowing it to be painted along with availability of parts from pool distributor.
3) Finished locating and painting all the water service lines and curb stops. There are a few shut off valves that could not be found. This is in conjunction with GIS locating being completed by WHKS.
4) Mowed and trimmed along MN TH 60 & MN TH 57 ditch and utility poles. Mowed at the WWTP, community garden, undeveloped lot boulevards, and other various areas around town.
5) The four ground level plots not planted at the Community Garden were mowed and tilled. Boulton stated that one of the plots has been reserved and will be planted. The City staff may plant pumpkins or squash on the remaining plots to keep weeds down.
6) Swept streets; the goal is to sweep Main Street weekly, the west side of town one week and the east side of town the next week on Wednesdays.
7) Heartlind Trees Inc. removed the two Emeral Ash Borer diseased trees and one other dying tree by the Historic Log Cabin/Wellhouse site and one Emerald Ash Borer diseased tree from Riverside Park
8) Emptied garbage containers on Main Street; the goal is to check and empty the garbage containers weekly. The new garbage container and pet helper trash bag dispenser will be installed at the Prairie Ridge Estate park shelter this week.
Ohr stated that he saw Shane Electric installing the underground electric service line for the Prairie Ridge Estates park shelter earlier in the day. Boulton stated that the service should be hooked up by Xcel Energy within the week and the shelter should have power.
NEW BUSINESS:
RESOLUTION:
24-037 = Adopting 2024 3rd Quarter Maintenance Work Plan: Ohr moved to approve, Seconded by Haugen. Passed 4-0-0.
24-038 = Setting Date for Budget Workshop City Council Meeting: Haugen moved to approve, Seconded by Ohr. Boulton provided a first draft 2025 Wanamingo City Budget to the Council members. Boulton stated that the budget is being pressed by inflation. Boulton stated that public safety increases are the largest increase in the budget. The City is also looking to continue capital improvements plan implementation that will include the street shop rehab project in 2025. Passed 4-0-0.
24-039 = Declaring Wanamingo 4th of July Celebration a Community Event within the City of Wanamingo: Ohr moved to approve, Seconded by Dierks. Passed 4-0-0.
24-040 = Accepting 2024 4th of July Fireworks Monetary and In-Kind Donations: Ohr moved to approve, Seconded by Haugen. Passed 4-0-0.
24-041 = Approving Separate Land Lease Agreements with WANA-PROP LLC, 890 3rd Avenue LLC, and Concast Inc. for the July 3rd Fireman’s Dance and 4th of July Fireworks: Ohr moved to approve, Seconded by Haugen. Passed 4-0-0.
ORDINANCE #207 – Amending Wanamingo Code of Ordinances § 53 Waters & Sewers – Sump Pump Ordinance – 1st Reading. Administrator Boulton stated that the proposed changes to the ordinance were in preparation for the sump pump inspection program that will start this fall. The City Council approved a professional service agreement with WHKS in April. WHKS put together the proposed changes to the water & sewers section of the ordinance. City staff and the City Attorney reviewed the changes and placed them into the Wanamingo ordinance format for City Council to review.
OLD BUSINESS:
Public Hearing – Mayor Holmes opened Ordinance #206 – Amending Approved Tree List and Amending Diseased Trees to add Emerald Ash Borer, Amending Wanamingo Code of Ordinances § 94.20 (B) (1) (a) & 94.20 (C) (1) at 7:12PM. Boulton stated that the Wanamingo Code of Ordinance 94, Trees needs an updated list of trees allowed to be planted within the boulevards. The list is both limited in varieties and includes ash trees, that should be removed. Boulton stated that Emerald Ash Borer should be included in the diseased tree section. Boulton stated that most ash trees around Wanamingo have been infested by Emerald Ash Borer and will need to be removed over the next couple of years. The ordinance should list Emerald Ash Borer in the diseased tree section so that the Council has authority to order their removal. Ohr asked how the City would determine if trees are diseased/dead and need to be removed. Dierks stated that the Ash trees have holes all over the bark. Dierks stated that the Emerald Ash Borer lays larva within the bark. The larva hatch and eat the pulp between the tree and the bark once they hatch. They then burrow out of the bark and leave the tree. The process kills ash trees. Boulton stated that the City is in no rush to push for the removal of trees. Boulton stated that the City needs to prepare and educate residents that once ash trees are infected with Emerald Ash Borer they will die. The process could take one to two years. Dierks stated that tree bark falling off are a sign that the ash trees have died. Dierks stated that once ash trees die, they are susceptible to break off in high winds. Boulton envisioned the notification process and tree removal occurring in 2025. No Additional Public Comments Offered. Mayor Holmes closed the public hearing at 7:21PM.
ORDINANCE #206 – Amending Approved Trees List and Amending Diseased Trees to add Emerald Ash Borer, Amending Wanamingo Code of Ordinances § 94.20 (B) (1) (a) & 94.20 (C) (1) – Second Reading. Dierks moved to approve, seconded by Haugen. Passed 4-0-0.
Goodhue County Sheriff Marty Kelly provided the City with a letter regarding the future police contract with the City of Wanamingo. Goodhue County policing rate is projected to be $87.46 per hour for 2025. The final rates will be approved in July or August for the contract communities and school resource officers. Goodhue County Sheriff have evaluated the minimum number of policing hours needed for a contract. They are looking at adopting a formula of city population times 1.6. The minimum number of hours, per day, needed would be 5. The City would have the opportunity to stay with the 6 hours of day coverage, increase the hours per day coverage, or decrease the hours of coverage each day to no less than 5. The current contract is $58.55 per hour or $127,873 per year. The $87.46 per hour would be $191,537.40 per year. Reducing the contract to 5 hours per day would be $159,614.50 per year. The City of Pine Island has requested a multi-year agreement (3 years with 3%5% increase each year). The Sheriff’s office will be making the request to the County board for a muti-year agreement. Mayor Holmes stated that he supports a multi-year agreement to aid in budgeting a giving Wanamingo certainty. Holmes stated that he wants to make sure that the City is getting the contractual coverage with the significant increase. Holmes has concerns with patrols coming and going out of town for service calls when the County board is increasing rates to cover all costs. Holmes stated that the past agreements have been a give and take to improve coverage on the west side of the County and allowing patrols to come and go. Haugen stated that she does not wish to see a decrease in coverage. Boulton stated that the County Board has been in a larger discussion with the cost for service contracts with the loss of the Goodhue Police Department, increased hiring and retention costs, school resource officer coverage discussion, along with City of Red Wing government center space and lease rates. Wanamingo has been stuck in the middle and will see significant increases on contract rates. Holmes stated that he didn’t know how to move forward without cutting one hour per day of service. The general fund can not take $63,664.40 increase in one year. Boulton agreed saying that the City is looking at over a 9% levy increase in 2025 just to cover 5 hours of police service each day and the other needs in the City. Haugen stated that the City needed to having policing services from the County. Holmes shared his concerns with being County tax payer and paying for a service contract. Holmes stated that the County still needs to provide basic policing services above and beyond the contract. Boulton stated that he has compiled the last six years and service hours and will ask that the next contract state that the County needs to provided the rolling average of extra hours from the past five years along with the service hours for service. The Council members each stated that the budget was more important than the policing service hours when it came to a discussion between the contract costs of either five- or six-hours comparison. Boulton stated that the items will be back on the agenda for consideration once the County Board approves the final 2025 hourly contract rate.
Goodhue County Land Use Management staff reached out to the City of Wanamingo regarding Cannabis license registration enforcement. Counties and Cities need to start planning for cannabis business registration and performance standards. As part of the new State Cannabis Law Cities and Towns may delegate their registration authority to the County. The Goodhue County Board may choose to restrict retail registrations to 1 per 12,500 residents. In Goodhue County, this number would be four (4) retail establishments not counting retail operations on land in Trust for the Prairie Island Indian Community. There could be more than 1 per 12,500 residents within the County (maximum number set by the County Board) if retail establishments are located in Cities where authority was not delegated to the County and the City did not establish a maximum number.
The County is beginning the process of preparing a Cannabis Ordinance. The County is looking to see if Cities may be leaning toward delegating registration authority to the County. If Cities takes on registration, the City will be responsible for all compliance checks. Each City would still be able to have its own zoning rules regulating time and place of operations (in compliance with Statutory language). The County will be updating the County Zoning Ordinance accordingly. These numbers and rules do not apply to growing operations. Each City will be responsible for permitting and drafting performance standards for growing operations without associated retail sales. Ohr moved to defer to Goodhue County on cannabis registration delegation, seconded by Haugen. Ohr said that the City would not receive enough fees to cover the cost for licenses and therefore should not be involved in the process. Haugen stated that regulating cannabis sales would add to City staff workload, which is already burdened. Dierks stated that the City should delegate the authority to the County. Passed 4-0-0.
Enforcement Process – Mead Johnson - Reckitt – 180 day written letter toward meeting goal of waste pH – Boulton stated that the City had received a letter from Mead Johnson – Reckitt. Mead Johnson – Reckitt pH of wastewater discharge was within range during most of the month of May. There were two days where the pH levels where the pH fell below 5. The frac tank was installed and incorporated into their process back in March. Mead Johnson – Reckitt goal is to install a new lift station with pH treatment. The project has been funded and is proceeding through the final engineering design phase. Boulton stated that the Wanamingo staff are still monitoring the wastewater discharge from Reckitt-Mead Johnson. The pH levels of the wastewater discharge are being adjusted before being sent to the wastewater treatment plant. Schaefer stated that staff has been slowly pumping from north digestor to south digestor for treatment. There are still concerns with pumping that could lead to throwing off the treatment for the south digestor. Prior to December results have regularly shown extremely low and at times high pH levels along with the presence of high levels of QAC (Quaternary Ammonium Compounds) have been sent to Reckitt-Mead Johnson. The pH levels should be within 5.0 and 9.5. City Staff have been working with Reckitt-Mead Johnson toward the achieved solution of pH levels within the limits. The City appreciates the open dialogue and work, to date, from Reckitt-Mead Johnson. The City continues to keep the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency informed during this process, including Carolle Ternus the new Municipal Wastewater Compliance and Enforcement staff member. Boulton stated the Enforcement Process would be left on the monthly agenda until November 2024, or when the action items are completed. Boulton stated the Reckitt-Mead Johnson would be required to provide written monthly updates to the City Council.
*Next City Council meeting on 7/8/2024 at 7:00pm.
Adjourn: At 7:49PM a motion to adjourn was made by Ohr and seconded by Haugen. Passed 4-0-0.
Signed: Attest:
_____________________ ____________________________________
Ryan Holmes, Mayor Michael Boulton, City Administrator
