Skip to main content
MN Public Tools

Nowthen City Council Work Session meeting, July 20, 2021

Council Work Session

Tuesday, July 20, 2021 · 6:00 PM

This meeting on the city's website ↗

Agenda

Not on file

What was on the agenda.

Packet

Open PDF ↗

The supporting materials the board reviewed.

Minutes

Open PDF ↗

The official record of what happened.

One-line summary

The Council held a work session on capital improvements and the proposed 2022 budget, focusing on the fire well, parks, equipment replacement bonding, road projects, the sheriff contract increase, and levy planning, with no formal votes recorded.

What was on the agenda

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

  1. 16:00 PM: Capital Improvement Plan

    Capital Improvement Plan

    Council reviewed the five-year capital improvement plan and asked staff to roll over the Fire Department well and building-improvement money, keep the $80,000 well allocation, and add park priorities such as pickleball, BBQ grills, beach improvements, concession stand work, and pavilion or shelter improvements.

    Council and staff discussed shifting from bonding for each large purchase toward a planned equipment fund, including the fire tanker, SCBA equipment, turnout gear, a Toro mower, and a possible Public Works truck, with the equipment bond possibly increased if the snowplow truck is included.

    The road plan was discussed as a planning document rather than a fixed construction list, with the current road bond and a $900,000 planning amount used as placeholders while staff and the engineer refine future road project needs.

    Council reviewed the capital improvement and equipment plans and directed staff and the consultant to incorporate changes into the budget process; no formal motion was recorded.

    • capital_improvement_plan
    • fire_department_well
    • parks
    • equipment_replacement
    • road_improvements
    Discussion only
    p. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Agenda Packet (2021-07-20)1. 6:00 PM: Capital Improvement Planp. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2021-07-20)## 1. 6:00 PM: Capital Improvement Plan Rainville requested that if the funds dedicated for remodeling the Historic Town Hall cannot be used this year, they be used in 2022, and a concentrated effort be made to have improvements made to the inside of the building.p. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2021-07-20)Consultant Yager summarized what she was hearing from the Council and will incorporate this into the budget process. She will be rolling over the well and building improvements and will add the following items: Park Fund: a pickleball court, fix up the BBQ grills, beach improvements Capital Fund: Concession stand impro…

  2. 27:30 PM: Budget Planning

    Budget Planning

    Council reviewed the proposed 2022 General Fund budget, including the property-tax levy increase, removal of planned fund-balance use, and the large law-enforcement contract increase; Yager said revisions would be brought back before preliminary budget and levy adoption.

    Council walked through department-level operating budgets, including fire pension and operating costs, assessing, legal, administration, building inspection, Public Works, parks, and Upper Rum River Water Management, with some adjustments directed for legal and newsletter/printing costs.

    Council discussed keeping the Recycling Center staffed, possibly adding a small heated and air-conditioned attendant shelter, and looking at County SCORE grant funds while reviewing the Recycling Fund revenues and expenditures.

    Council reviewed the proposed 2022 budget and directed revisions before later preliminary budget and levy action; no formal motion was recorded.

    • 2022_budget
    • preliminary_levy
    • sheriff_contract
    • recycling_fund
    Discussion only
    p. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Agenda Packet (2021-07-20)2. 7:30 PM: Budget Planningp. 3Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2021-07-20)2\. 7:30 PM: Budget Planningp. 5Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2021-07-20)Yager will implement changes and get the budget back to Council. Council will adopt a Resolution to Adopt the Preliminary Budget on September 14th. Suggested having another budget workshop on September 7th to rehash the budget after they have had a month to review adjustments. Notices for Public Hearings to adopt budge…

  3. 39:00 PM: Close Meeting to Public

    Close Meeting to Public

    The agenda listed a closed meeting and an RCA on Public Works employee compensation, but the minutes do not record that those items occurred before the workshop closed at 10:00 PM.

    The minutes do not record a separate 9:00 PM closed meeting occurring.

    • closed_meeting
    No action
    p. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Agenda Packet (2021-07-20)3\. 9:00 PM: Close Meeting to Publicp. 5Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2021-07-20)CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND BUDGET WORKSHOP CLOSED at 10:00 PM.

  4. 49:05 PM: RCA - Public Works Employee Compensation

    RCA - Public Works Employee Compensation

    The agenda listed a closed meeting and an RCA on Public Works employee compensation, but the minutes do not record that those items occurred before the workshop closed at 10:00 PM.

    The minutes do not record discussion or action on this item.

    • public_works_employee_compensation
    No action
    p. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Agenda Packet (2021-07-20)4\. 9:05 PM: RCA - Public Works Employee Compensationp. 5Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2021-07-20)CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND BUDGET WORKSHOP CLOSED at 10:00 PM.

  5. 59:30 PM: Adjourn

    Adjourn

    The workshop closed at 10:00 PM rather than the 9:30 PM agenda time.

    • adjournment
    No action
    p. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Agenda Packet (2021-07-20)5\. 9:30 PM: Adjournp. 5Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2021-07-20)CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND BUDGET WORKSHOP CLOSED at 10:00 PM.

Prior history on this business

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

  • Clerk Streich asked Alders about a building outside that he had mentioned previously.

    — Clerk Streich

    What this is about
    Alders had previously mentioned a one-person, four-season shelter for the Recycling Center attendant.

    p. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2021-07-20)Clerk Streich asked Alders about a building outside that he had mentioned previously. He responded that it was a one-person, four-season shelter for checking people in and out of an area (like Menards) and is air-conditioned and heated and about the size of a phone booth.

    Related history

    The records searched show related Recycling Center discussions, but not the specific one-person, four-season shelter/building for the attendant. At the March 10, 2026 meeting, Council discussed Recycling Center summer hours and staff safety/efficiency, including the current practice of having two employees work together; the record says Council consensus supported keeping the current hours rather than adding staff or returning to more frequent Saturday operations. No formal vote on a shelter or attendant building was recorded in the results provided. The March 10, 2026 Recycling Center quarterly update also listed several operational changes and purchases, including OSHA-compliant rolling step ladders and other efficiency improvements, but it does not mention a four-season shelter. The records I searched therefore contain only a partial match to the recollection: prior Recycling Center staffing/safety discussions are documented, but no prior decision or recorded discussion specifically approving or directing a one-person shelter was found.

    • Mar 10, 2026CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> # REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <table> <tr> <th>Agenda Item:</th> <th>Department:</th> <th>Reque
    • Mar 10, 2026## RE: Quarterly Update regarding Recycling Center Mr. Mayor and Council Members, After conversations with Recycling Lia
    • May 12, 2026This page was left intentionally blank. <figure> CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> #### REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <table> <tr>
    • Apr 14, 2026## 2. Public Forum Mayor Hybben opened the Public Forum, however there was no one signed up, and the public forum was pr
    • Mar 10, 2026## 2. Public Forum Mayor Hybben opened the Public Forum, however there was no one signed up, and the public forum was pr
  • Clerk Streich said historically the City of Nowthen has bonded for needed large purchases, but having Consultant Yager's seasoned experience with this is a very valuable asset to the City and to Streich in directing the City down this path instead of borrowing money and bonding all the time.

    — Clerk Streich

    What this is about
    The City’s past practice of bonding for large purchases instead of building reserves for equipment replacement.

    p. 2Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2021-07-20)Clerk Streich said historically the City of Nowthen has bonded for needed large purchases, but having Consultant Yager's seasoned experience with this is a very valuable asset to the City and to Streich in directing the City down this path instead of borrowing money and bonding all the time.

    Related history

    The records searched do not contain a prior decision directly matching this recollection that Nowthen historically bonded for large equipment purchases instead of building equipment-replacement reserves. They do show related planning discussions. At the March 23, 2026 meeting, City Clerk Johnson reported that public works staff were developing better capital improvement plans with inventory and equipment lifecycle planning “to eliminate surprises in future budgets”; no formal vote was recorded in that excerpt. The April 14, 2026 packet repeated that same capital-improvement-planning note. The search results also include 2026 road improvement assessment materials that reference estimated bonding costs, including an April 14, 2026 draft showing a $491,400 total project estimate and a May 12, 2026 amended draft showing $462,800, but those records relate to road improvements and assessments, not equipment replacement reserves.

    • Apr 14, 2026## Regional Salary Survey Data Source: MN Local Governments Salary & Benefits Survey (Knowledge Now / Gallagher). Assist
    • Apr 14, 2026## Regional Salary Survey Data Note: Limited comparable recycling-specific survey data. Retail Clerk - Liquor shown as c
    • Apr 14, 2026# DEPUTY CLERK / COMMUNICATIONS / FINANCE ## Regional Wage Support - Comparable Job Postings The following job postings
    • Apr 14, 2026## Municipal Services and Operations Several operational priorities were discussed: Seasonal Employee Hiring: The counci
    • Mar 23, 2026### Municipal Services and Operations Several operational priorities were discussed: Seasonal Employee Hiring: The counc
  • Rainville requested to start budget talks in April. Yager said her report was prepared in April/May, and she did request to meet with Council, but agendas didn't allow it.

    — Rainville and Yager

    What this is about
    Council timing for budget talks and prior attempts to schedule capital planning earlier in the year.

    p. 3Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2021-07-20)Rainville requested to start budget talks in April. Yager said her report was prepared in April/May, and she did request to meet with Council, but agendas didn't allow it.

    Related history

    The records show a partial match to this recollection. In the January 13, 2026 meeting packet, the proposed 2026 meeting calendar included an “Additional Meetings for CIP, ERP, and Budget Discussions” date of May 19, 2026. That supports the idea that capital planning/equipment replacement/budget discussions were being scheduled earlier in the year than the prior budget cycle, though the search results do not include minutes showing the vote outcome on that calendar item. For context, the same January 13, 2026 packet says Financial Consultant Yager reported during the 2026 budget and property tax discussion that Council had held four meetings between July and November to discuss and plan the 2026 budget. The final levy discussed there was $2,332,787, reduced by $8,645 from the amount included in Truth in Taxation notices. The records searched do not contain a direct prior entry showing Rainville specifically requested budget talks to start in April, or showing that Yager requested an April/May meeting but could not be placed on the agenda. The closest records are the May 19 CIP/ERP/Budget discussion date in the January 13, 2026 packet and April 2026 materials where Yager provided financial analysis on specific budget-related items.

    • Apr 14, 2026<figure> CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> # REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <table> <tr> <th>Agenda Item:</th> <th>Department:</th>
    • Apr 14, 2026Natalie Johnson Subject: Step Increases After conversations with Lori today, it is her opinion that we should hold off o
    • Jan 13, 2026This page was left intentionally blank. <figure> CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> ### REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <table> <tr> <
    • Apr 14, 2026### Development Applications in Review Palomino Estates -- Kyle Roessler - 20930 St. Francis Blvd. · An application for
    • Apr 14, 2026### A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT OF 2025 BUDGET WHEREAS, Resolution No. 2024-105 appropriated funds for personal s
  • Blake asked regarding those situations if the council member is to bring back the information to the full council, and Rainville said that has never been a task that's been assigned.

    — Blake and Rainville

    What this is about
    Prior practice for councilmember contact with the attorney and whether information must be reported back to the full Council.

    p. 4Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2021-07-20)Blake asked regarding those situations if the council member is to bring back the information to the full council, and Rainville said that has never been a task that's been assigned.

    Related history

    The records I searched do not contain a prior decision or recorded practice matching this recollection about councilmembers contacting the city attorney and whether they must report information back to the full Council. The search results include several unrelated references to the City Attorney reviewing easements, agreements, title commitments, or financial security in development matters, such as in the March 10, 2026 and December 23, 2025 packets. Those do not address councilmember-initiated attorney contact or any requirement to bring information back to the full Council.

    • Dec 23, 2025DECISION: Based on the foregoing information and applicable ordinances, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommends ap
    • May 12, 2026method of access and can change the methodology following the process in Clause 2.10. 2.3 Federal Systems Access. In add
    • Mar 10, 20267\. All comments contained within the City Engineer memo from Hakanson Anderson dated February 13, 2026, the memo from C
    • Apr 14, 20266\. The approved total outdoor cultivation area shall not exceed 7000 square feet that is in a fenced and secured area a
    • Mar 24, 20265\. No extraction, production, or retail endorsements have been issued by the OCM. Even if granted by the OCM in the fut

Where this came up before

  1. Mar 10, 2026
    City Meeting

    CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> # REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <table> <tr> <th>Agenda Item:</th> <th>Department:</th> <th>Requested Council Meeting Date:</th> <th>Submitted By:</th> </tr> <tr> <td>8b.</td> <

    DocCITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> # REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <table> <tr> <th>Agenda Item:</th> <th>Department:</th> <th>Requested Council Meeting Date:</th> <th>Submitted By:</th> </tr> <tr> <td>8b.</td> <td>Recycling Center</td> <td>March
  2. Mar 10, 2026
    City Meeting

    ## RE: Quarterly Update regarding Recycling Center Mr. Mayor and Council Members, After conversations with Recycling Liaison Mary Rainville and City Clerk Johnson it has been decided that Administrati

    Doc## RE: Quarterly Update regarding Recycling Center Mr. Mayor and Council Members, After conversations with Recycling Liaison Mary Rainville and City Clerk Johnson it has been decided that Administrative Assistant Stoeckel will provide a q
  3. May 12, 2026
    City Meeting

    This page was left intentionally blank. <figure> CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> #### REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <table> <tr> <th>Agenda Item:</

    DocThis page was left intentionally blank. <figure> CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> #### REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <table> <tr> <th>Agenda Item:</
  4. Apr 14, 2026
    City Meeting

    ## 2. Public Forum Mayor Hybben opened the Public Forum, however there was no one signed up, and the public forum was promptly closed. ## 3. Consent Agenda Council Member Rainville took the opportunit

    Doc## 2. Public Forum Mayor Hybben opened the Public Forum, however there was no one signed up, and the public forum was promptly closed. ## 3. Consent Agenda Council Member Rainville took the opportunity to thank Administrative Assistant
  5. Mar 10, 2026
    City Meeting

    ## 2. Public Forum Mayor Hybben opened the Public Forum, however there was no one signed up, and the public forum was promptly closed. ## 3. Consent Agenda Council Member Rainville took the opportunit

    Doc## 2. Public Forum Mayor Hybben opened the Public Forum, however there was no one signed up, and the public forum was promptly closed. ## 3. Consent Agenda Council Member Rainville took the opportunity to thank Administrative Assistant

Sources

Documents and recordings archived for this meeting, when available.

The summary on this page is AI-extracted and may need correction. The PDFs and the meeting recording are the official record. What do the trust labels mean?