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Nowthen City Council Planning Session meeting, February 18, 2021

Planning & Zoning

Thursday, February 18, 2021 · 6:00 PM

This meeting on the city's website ↗

Agenda

Not on file

What was on the agenda.

Packet

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The supporting materials the board reviewed.

Minutes

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The official record of what happened.

One-line summary

The City Council held a planning session on vision, values, 2021 goals, communication practices, ad hoc committees, recurring calendar items, and Planning and Zoning Commission policy, with follow-up assignments and several topics continued to the next Planning Session.

What was on the agenda

8 items as recorded in the packet and minutes, each with a short summary of what was at issue.

  1. 1Overview of the purpose of the planning process

    Overview of the purpose of the planning process

    Council used the planning session to begin a vision, values, and 2021 goals process. Members were asked to send Clerk Streich their visions, values, and 2021 goals before the next Planning Session, and the minutes say the next session should define goals and implement status updates.

    Council gathered information and decided to meet again at a Planning Session on Thursday, March 18 at 6:00 p.m.

    • planning-process
    • 2021-goal-setting
    Continued
    p. 1Meeting City Council Planning Session — Agenda Packet (2021-02-18)1\. Overview of the purpose of the planning processp. 1Meeting City Council Planning Session — Minutes (2021-02-18)The goal is to gather information from each of the Councilmembers and meet again in the near future to discuss. It was decided that the next Planning Session will be Thursday, March 18th at 6:00 pm.

  2. 2Role of elected officials in effective city government

    Role of elected officials in effective city government, using LMC Elected Leaders Institute material

    Council used the planning session to begin a vision, values, and 2021 goals process. Members were asked to send Clerk Streich their visions, values, and 2021 goals before the next Planning Session, and the minutes say the next session should define goals and implement status updates.

    Council discussed roles, vision, values, and legal standards, and assigned members to email their top vision and value ideas to Clerk Streich before the next Planning Session.

    • elected-official-roles
    • vision-and-values
    Continued
    p. 1Meeting City Council Planning Session — Agenda Packet (2021-02-18)2\. Role of elected officials in effective city government (from LMC Elected Leaders Institute, foundational program, week 1, 2021)p. 1Meeting City Council Planning Session — Minutes (2021-02-18)Assignment #1: What do we want as a group to agree on Vision for our city? Put into your own words what your vision of the city would be. Assignment #2: What Values do we want to list that reflect the Vision? List the adjectives you would use to put to that. Council will e-mail their Visions and Values, listing their t…

  3. 3LMC handout: 10 Habits of Highly Effective Governing Bodies

    Discuss key points for the LMC handout, 10 Habits of Highly Effective Governing Bodies

    Council used the planning session to begin a vision, values, and 2021 goals process. Members were asked to send Clerk Streich their visions, values, and 2021 goals before the next Planning Session, and the minutes say the next session should define goals and implement status updates.

    Council discussed the handout and said goals should be defined at the next session, with status updates implemented.

    • governance-habits
    • 2021-goal-setting
    Continued
    p. 1Meeting City Council Planning Session — Agenda Packet (2021-02-18)3\. Discuss key points for LMC handout, 10 Habits of Highly Effective Governing Bodiesp. 1Meeting City Council Planning Session — Minutes (2021-02-18)Council discussed what items stood out to them in the handout.p. 2Meeting City Council Planning Session — Minutes (2021-02-18)In the next session, the goals need to be defined. The values are how we support those goals. Status updates should be implemented.

  4. 4Implementation of Pam Whitmore LMC recommendations

    Discuss and determine how to implement Pam Whitmore's LMC recommendations from the October 2019 and February 2020 in-person meetings

    Council revisited Pam Whitmore's League of Minnesota Cities workshop recommendations from prior sessions, noted that no concrete decisions had come out of those meetings, and assigned Councilmember Alders to send Clerk Streich a personality profile quiz for distribution and later council discussion.

    Council discussed the prior LMC workshop summaries and agreed that Councilmember Alders would send a personality profile quiz to Clerk Streich for distribution and later council discussion.

    • pam-whitmore-recommendations
    • communication-practices
    Continued
    p. 1Meeting City Council Planning Session — Agenda Packet (2021-02-18)4\. Discuss and determine how to implement the recommendations made by Pam Whitmore (Consultant from the LMC) from our in-person meetings in October 2019 and February 2020.p. 2Meeting City Council Planning Session — Minutes (2021-02-18)Summaries from previous meetings were discussed. No concrete decisions ever came out of these meetings.p. 2Meeting City Council Planning Session — Minutes (2021-02-18)Personality profiles help you learn how to work together. Councilmember Alders will send to Clerk Streich who will send to Council. Council should take the quiz and return results for council discussion.

  5. 5Top needs and goals for the city in 2021

    What do you see as the top needs/goals for the city in 2021?

    Council used the planning session to begin a vision, values, and 2021 goals process. Members were asked to send Clerk Streich their visions, values, and 2021 goals before the next Planning Session, and the minutes say the next session should define goals and implement status updates.

    Council members were to send their lists of 2021 needs and goals to Clerk Streich.

    • 2021-goal-setting
    Continued
    p. 1Meeting City Council Planning Session — Agenda Packet (2021-02-18)5\. What do you see as the top needs/goals for the city in 2021?p. 2Meeting City Council Planning Session — Minutes (2021-02-18)5\. What do you see as the top needs/goals for the city in 2021? Council will send list to Streich.

  6. 6Suggested as-needed ad hoc committees for 2021

    What as-needed, or ad hoc, committees would you suggest for 2021?

    Council discussed that ad hoc committees are created for specific reasons or projects as needed and that the city should determine 2021 goals before deciding which committees to create.

    Council discussed that ad hoc committees should wait until the 2021 goals are determined.

    • ad-hoc-committees
    • 2021-goal-setting
    Continued
    p. 1Meeting City Council Planning Session — Agenda Packet (2021-02-18)6\. What As-Needed (Ad Hoc) Committees would you suggest for 2021?p. 2Meeting City Council Planning Session — Minutes (2021-02-18)Ad Hoc Committees are created for a specific reason or project as needed. Before creating any Ad Hoc committees, the council needs to determine what their 2021 goals are. Once those are decided, committees can be called upon to implement those goals.

  7. 7City calendar for preparation and planning

    Discuss key items to be put on a city calendar to help preparation and planning, such as budget planning, recycle days, road meetings, vendor contracts, insurance renewal dates, and seasonal help

    Council discussed putting recurring planning items on a city calendar, and Clerk Streich was directed to provide a calendar with recurring information that may affect Council.

    Clerk Streich was to provide a calendar of recurring items that may affect Council.

    • city-calendar
    • planning
    Continued
    p. 1Meeting City Council Planning Session — Agenda Packet (2021-02-18)7\. Discuss key items to be put on a city calendar to help preparation and planning (such as budget planning, recycle days, road meetings, vendor contracts, insurance renewal dates, seasonal help).p. 2Meeting City Council Planning Session — Minutes (2021-02-18)Streich to provide a calendar with key information that happens on a reoccurring basis that may have an impact for Council.

  8. 8Planning and Zoning Commission policy, qualifications, and interview questions

    Planning and Zoning Commission policy update, candidate qualifications, and interview questions

    Council discussed Planning and Zoning Commission policy materials, candidate qualifications, and interview questions. The minutes say the Code of Conduct needs a signature page and that discussion of who should interview new members and how many members should serve on the commission would continue at the next Council Planning Session.

    Council discussed adding a signature page to the Code of Conduct and continued discussion of interview responsibility and commission size to the next Planning Session.

    • planning-and-zoning-commission
    • commission-policy
    • candidate-qualifications
    Continued
    p. 1Meeting City Council Planning Session — Agenda Packet (2021-02-18)8\. Planning and Zoning Commission: policy update, candidate qualifications, and interview questionsp. 3Meeting City Council Planning Session — Minutes (2021-02-18)Need input from Council Code of Conduct needs a signature page for Commission Members stating that they have read it, and agreed with it.p. 3Meeting City Council Planning Session — Minutes (2021-02-18)Discussion on who should be interviewing new Planning & Zoning Commission members, whether it be just P&Z, just Council or P&Z plus Council, and how many Planning & Zoning Commission members should be on the commission will continue at the next Council Planning Session.

Prior history on this business

When someone referred back to earlier business, we found the matching prior discussion and tied it in here.

  • Because there hasn't been a planning session, where the City Council has identified vision, goals & values, toes get stepped on and people get outside of their swim lanes. This is part of the dysfunction that we have had as a city because as a Township, this was never part of the process. In becoming a city, we continued on just like as the Township was doing.

    What this is about
    Council recalled that Nowthen had not previously used planning sessions to identify city vision, goals, and values, and tied that history to continuing township-era practices after becoming a city.

    p. 1Meeting City Council Planning Session — Minutes (2021-02-18)Because there hasn't been a planning session, where the City Council has identified vision, goals & values, toes get stepped on and people get outside of their swim lanes. This is part of the dysfunction that we have had as a city because as a Township, this was never part of the process. In becoming a city, we continu…

    Related history

    The records I searched do not contain a prior council decision or discussion matching this recollection about Nowthen not having planning sessions to set a city vision, goals, and values, or about continuing township-era practices after becoming a city. The closest mentions of “goals” in the results are unrelated, such as the April 14, 2026 packet item to adopt the 2025 Anoka County Hazard Mitigation Plan, which refers to hazard-mitigation goals and actions. That does not appear to be a council visioning or strategic-planning session for Nowthen’s overall city governance.

    • Mar 10, 2026<table> <tr> <th colspan="9">BURGLARIES</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Number</th> <th>Case Number</th> <th>Created On</th> <th>Off
    • Apr 14, 2026CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> RESOLUTION No. 2026-XX Council Meeting Location: Historic Townhall 19800 Nowthen Blvd NW Nowth
    • May 12, 2026CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> RESOLUTION No. 2026-XX Council Meeting Location: Historic Townhall 19800 Nowthen Blvd NW Nowth
    • Mar 10, 2026## BACKGROUND AND SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Dear Nowthen City Council, On behalf of the Nowthen Heritage Festival Commit
    • Mar 10, 2026# RESOLUTION No. 2026-XX ## A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY'S GRADER TO BE USED AT THE NOWTHEN THRESHING SHOW GROUNDS
  • Summaries from previous meetings were discussed. No concrete decisions ever came out of these meetings.

    What this is about
    Council recalled prior Pam Whitmore/LMC sessions and noted that they had produced no concrete decisions.

    p. 2Meeting City Council Planning Session — Minutes (2021-02-18)Summaries from previous meetings were discussed. No concrete decisions ever came out of these meetings.

    Related history

    The records show a direct match in the February 18, 2021 City Council Planning Session minutes. Council had an agenda item to “discuss and determine how to implement the recommendations made by Pam Whitmore,” identified as a League of Minnesota Cities consultant, from in-person meetings held in October 2019 and February 2020. At the February 18, 2021 meeting, the minutes state that summaries from those previous meetings were discussed, but “no concrete decisions ever came out of these meetings.” The only follow-up action recorded was that Councilmember Alders would send personality profile materials to the clerk for distribution to council, with council members to take the quiz and return results for later discussion. No formal vote or implementation decision is recorded in the excerpt.

    • Feb 18, 2021City of Nowthen City Council Meeting Thursday, February 18, 2021 residents when they come in to the city office. And las
    • May 12, 2026## NOTE 9 - PENSION PLANS The City participates in various pension plans, total pension expense for the year ended Decem
    • Apr 11, 2023### Lake Water Quality <table> <tr> <td>Partners:</td> <td>ACD, Lake George LID and Conservation Club, URRWMO</td> </tr>
    • May 12, 2026# City of Nowthen Emerging Issues ## Executive Summary The following is an executive summary of financial related update
    • Sep 10, 2024#### TASK 6 - TMDL SUMMARY We will prepare Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) summaries for the TMDL's that apply to the Ci
  • Discuss and determine how to implement the recommendations made by Pam Whitmore (Consultant from the LMC) from our in-person meetings in October 2019 and February 2020.

    What this is about
    The agenda specifically framed the communication and governance discussion as implementation of recommendations from in-person meetings in October 2019 and February 2020.

    p. 1Meeting City Council Planning Session — Agenda Packet (2021-02-18)4\. Discuss and determine how to implement the recommendations made by Pam Whitmore (Consultant from the LMC) from our in-person meetings in October 2019 and February 2020.

    Related history

    The records I searched do not contain a prior discussion or decision matching this recollection about implementing Pam Whitmore/LMC recommendations from in-person meetings in October 2019 and February 2020. The returned records are from 2026 and relate to other topics, including land use applications, a Planning and Zoning vacancy, and LED lighting upgrades. They do not show the 2019 or 2020 communication/governance discussion referenced in the agenda language.

    • Mar 10, 20261\. The City regularly receives inquiries from property owners, real estate professionals, developers and proposed purch
    • Mar 10, 20267\. The memo from the City Planner dated February 18, 2026 is incorporated herein by reference. The staff report from th
    • Feb 10, 2026### Development Applications in Review #### K Land Development · This is an application for a minor subdivision adjacent
    • Feb 10, 2026<figure> CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> ## REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <table> <tr> <th>Agenda Item:</th> <th rowspan="2">Depa
    • Mar 10, 2026##### Viking Estates - Grant Rademacher · An application for a comprehensive plan amendment, rezoning, preliminary plat,

Where this came up before

  1. Mar 10, 2026
    City Meeting

    <table> <tr> <th colspan="9">BURGLARIES</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Number</th> <th>Case Number</th> <th>Created On</th> <th>Officer Involvement</th> <th rowspan="2">Violation 609.582.4(a) Burglary - 4

    Doc<table> <tr> <th colspan="9">BURGLARIES</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Number</th> <th>Case Number</th> <th>Created On</th> <th>Officer Involvement</th> <th rowspan="2">Violation 609.582.4(a) Burglary - 4
  2. Apr 14, 2026
    City Meeting

    CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> RESOLUTION No. 2026-XX Council Meeting Location: Historic Townhall 19800 Nowthen Blvd NW Nowthen MN, 55330 # A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF THE SERVICE AGREEMENT W

    DocCITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> RESOLUTION No. 2026-XX Council Meeting Location: Historic Townhall 19800 Nowthen Blvd NW Nowthen MN, 55330 # A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF THE SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH BECK LAW FOR PROSECUTING SERVI
  3. May 12, 2026
    City Meeting

    CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> RESOLUTION No. 2026-XX Council Meeting Location: Historic Townhall 19800 Nowthen Blvd NW Nowthen MN, 55330 A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE APPOINTMENT OF MARY LIESER, MARKET COORD

    DocCITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> RESOLUTION No. 2026-XX Council Meeting Location: Historic Townhall 19800 Nowthen Blvd NW Nowthen MN, 55330 A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE APPOINTMENT OF MARY LIESER, MARKET COORDINATOR, SARA JENSON, MARKET MANAGER
  4. Mar 10, 2026
    City Meeting

    ## BACKGROUND AND SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Dear Nowthen City Council, On behalf of the Nowthen Heritage Festival Committee, we are very thankful for the partnership we have had with the City of Nowth

    Doc## BACKGROUND AND SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Dear Nowthen City Council, On behalf of the Nowthen Heritage Festival Committee, we are very thankful for the partnership we have had with the City of Nowthen. Since 2008, this annual celebration
  5. Mar 10, 2026
    City Meeting

    # RESOLUTION No. 2026-XX ## A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY'S GRADER TO BE USED AT THE NOWTHEN THRESHING SHOW GROUNDS FOR 2026 TRACTOR PULLS WHEREAS, Lyle and Michelle Offerdahl have requested that

    Doc# RESOLUTION No. 2026-XX ## A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY'S GRADER TO BE USED AT THE NOWTHEN THRESHING SHOW GROUNDS FOR 2026 TRACTOR PULLS WHEREAS, Lyle and Michelle Offerdahl have requested that the city donate its grader time and

Sources

Documents and recordings archived for this meeting, when available.

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