Nowthen City Council Public Hearing meeting, May 21, 2024

What was on the agenda

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

AI-1Call to Order
Call to order, Pledge of Allegiance, roll call, and agenda approval listed on the agenda.
Mayor Pilon opened the public hearing at 7:01 p.m., the pledge was recited, roll call showed all council members present, and the council adjourned at 9:17 p.m. after completing the public hearing and bid-award action.
The meeting was called to order, the pledge was recited, and roll call was taken; the minutes do not record a separate vote to approve the agenda.
- meeting administration
No action
p. 1p. 1
AI-2Presentation regarding the Rogers Lake Road Project
City Engineer Shane Nelson was scheduled to present the Rogers Lake Road Project bid opening, bid tabulation, and recommendation of award.
The council held the second required public hearing on the Rogers Lake Road area project for Waco Street, Waco Drive, 182nd Avenue, and Ventre Lane. Engineer Shane Nelson presented the bid results and explained that GMH Asphalt was the apparent low bidder, that the Nowthen portion estimate had dropped from the original engineer’s estimate to a new bid-based estimate including contingency, and that residents would have assessment payment options. Residents asked about driveways, gardens, mailboxes, culverts, wetlands, construction access, concrete curb, and project costs. After closing the hearing, the council approved the resolution accepting the bid and awarding the contract.
The engineer presented the project, bids, construction process, costs, and assessment information before public comments.
- Rogers Lake Road project
- Waco Street road project
Discussion only
p. 1p. 1
AI-3Public Hearing regarding the Rogers Lake Road Project
Public hearing on the Rogers Lake Road / Waco Street, Waco Drive, 182nd Avenue, and Ventre Lane improvement project.
The council held the second required public hearing on the Rogers Lake Road area project for Waco Street, Waco Drive, 182nd Avenue, and Ventre Lane. Engineer Shane Nelson presented the bid results and explained that GMH Asphalt was the apparent low bidder, that the Nowthen portion estimate had dropped from the original engineer’s estimate to a new bid-based estimate including contingency, and that residents would have assessment payment options. Residents asked about driveways, gardens, mailboxes, culverts, wetlands, construction access, concrete curb, and project costs. After closing the hearing, the council approved the resolution accepting the bid and awarding the contract.
Chelsea White, speaking for Joan Parks and Precision Sawing, objected to the assessment being charged to two PIDs that she said function as one property with one driveway. The city attorney explained that the parcels had two PIDs and one parcel had a CUP for the business, and that a formal objection was needed to preserve appeal rights. Chelsea White submitted a written objection before the hearing closed, but the objection did not stop the project from moving forward.
After the public hearing closed, the council approved a resolution accepting the bid and awarding the contract for the improvement project.
- Rogers Lake Road project
- Waco Street road project
- special assessments
Approved
p. 1p. 4
AI-4Adjourn
Adjournment.
Mayor Pilon opened the public hearing at 7:01 p.m., the pledge was recited, roll call showed all council members present, and the council adjourned at 9:17 p.m. after completing the public hearing and bid-award action.
The council adjourned at 9:17 p.m.
- meeting administration
Approved
p. 1p. 5

Motions and votes

2 motions on the record.

M-2024-05-21-01MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE SECONDED BY BREYEN TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2024-XX ACCEPTING BID AND AWARDING CONTRACT FOR THE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WACO STREET, WACO DRIVE, 182ND AVENUE, AND VENTRE LANE.
Exact transcript text
MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE SECONDED BY BREYEN TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2024-XX ACCEPTING BID AND AWARDING CONTRACT FOR THE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WACO STREET, WACO DRIVE, 182ND AVENUE, AND VENTRE LANE.
moved by Rainville, seconded by Breyen
Passed
- YPilon
- YRainville
- YBreyen
- YFladebo
- YAlders
p. 4p. 1
M-2024-05-21-02MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE, SECOND BY ALDERS TO ADJOURN.
moved by Rainville, seconded by Alders
Passed
p. 5

Dollar amounts in motions

Amounts named in or tied to a motion that passed, each shown with the motion. A motion can approve an amount, cap it, or remove it from a list, so read the motion text. These links are AI-extracted, and the minutes control.

FIN-1
$2,441,040
Motion MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE SECONDED BY BREYEN TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2024-XX ACCEPTING BID AND AWARDING CONTRACT FOR THE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WACO STREET, WACO DRIVE, 182ND AVENUE, AND VENTRE LANE. Passed(5 AYES. MOTION CARRIED.)
p. 6
FIN-2
$2,441,040
Motion MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE SECONDED BY BREYEN TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2024-XX ACCEPTING BID AND AWARDING CONTRACT FOR THE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WACO STREET, WACO DRIVE, 182ND AVENUE, AND VENTRE LANE. Passed(5 AYES. MOTION CARRIED.)
p. 6p. 6

Prior history on this business

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

Mayor Pilon explained that this public hearing was the second required hearing. Since the first hearing, plans & specifications have been drawn up, call for bids went out and yesterday was the bid opening at the City of Ramsey, reminding residents and council this is a joint venture.
— Mayor Pilon
What this is about
Mayor Pilon was referring back to the first required hearing for the Rogers Lake Road project and explaining what had happened since then.
p. 1
Related history
The records I searched do not contain a prior decision or first public hearing matching Mayor Pilon’s recollection about the Rogers Lake Road project. The available results do not mention the Rogers Lake Road project, the first required hearing, plans and specifications, bid authorization, or a bid opening with the City of Ramsey. The search results instead relate to unrelated 2026 items, including annual appointments, planning commission candidate interviews involving Jeff Pilon, and general clerk updates. Based on these results, I cannot confirm the date or action taken at the first required hearing from the records provided.
- Jan 13, 2026### A RESOLUTION MAKING ANNUAL APPOINTMENTS WHEREAS, The Nowthen City Council makes its annual appointments to fill cert
- Apr 28, 2026emphasizing the need to understand each situation thoroughly. Martell affirmed his belief in preserving wetlands and woo
- Apr 28, 2026MOTION BY CHAIRMAN HAAPALA, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LEWIS, TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE FINAL PLAT AS WRITTEN. SIX (6) AY
- Mar 24, 2026MOTION BY CHAIRMAN HAAPALA, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LEWIS, TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE FINAL PLAT AS WRITTEN. SIX (6) AY
- Mar 10, 2026Council Meeting Location: Historic Townhall 19800 Nowthen Blvd NW Nowthen MN, 55330 CLERK UPDATE 03-10-26 \> MN Pollutio
Mr. Miller remembered the mayor had gone to bat for residents with past contractors and it was appreciated.
— Dean Miller
What this is about
Dean Miller recalled a prior instance where the mayor worked with contractors for residents.
p. 2
Related history
The records I searched do not contain a prior decision or discussion matching this recollection that the mayor worked with past contractors on behalf of residents. The search results mainly show unrelated “Miller” references, including the September 29, 2025 hiring materials for Kim Miller, Fire Chief Rob Miller’s reports, and a May 12, 2026 fire station garage door contractor quote. None of those records describe the mayor intervening with contractors for residents.
- Sep 29, 2025<figure> CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> ## REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <table> <tr> <th>Agenda Item:</th> <th>Department:</th>
- Sep 29, 2025# RESOLUTION No. 2025-XX A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE HIRING OF KIM MILLER FOR THE FRONT DESK/RECEPTIONIST POSITION WHE
- Feb 10, 2026## 5. FIRE DEPARTMENT ### a) Monthly Report Fire Chief Rob Miller presented the December report: 25 calls including: 9 f
- Jan 13, 2026## 5. FIRE DEPARTMENT ### a) Monthly Report Fire Chief Rob Miller presented the December report: 25 calls including: 9 f
- May 12, 2026<figure> CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> # REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <table> <tr> <th>Agenda Item:</th> <th>Department:</th>
When Joan purchased the property in 1973 it was one property id and the address was 18152 Waco St. sometime after 1990 the city or county made us change the property into two id's and two addresses so they could zone the business commercial so they could charge more in property tax.
— Joan Parks
What this is about
The attached objection letter recalled the history of Joan Parks’s parcel being split into two property IDs and addresses after she bought it.
p. 8
Related history
The records searched do not contain a prior city or county decision documenting that Joan Parks’s original parcel was split into two property IDs or addresses after 1990, or that it was done for commercial zoning or tax reasons. What the records do show is that Joan Parks submitted this objection in connection with the Waco Street/Waco Drive/182nd Lane/Ventre Street improvement assessment. At the May 21, 2024 public hearing, the materials included her letter listing two current parcels: Precision Sawing Inc. at 4990 182nd Lane NW, parcel 36-33-25-43-0009, and Joan Parks at 4980 182nd Lane NW, parcel 36-33-25-43-0008. The letter stated they were paying $6,812.36 in taxes for the commercial property and $5,070.96 for the personal property, and objected to an additional assessment burden of $1,740 plus 6% interest on each property. The later assessment records show the Waco-area improvement assessment was structured over 10 years at 6% interest, but the search results do not include historical parcel-split, address-change, rezoning, or tax-classification records confirming the earlier history described in the letter.
- May 21, 2024Passed this 21st day of May 2024. Alfaym. Plan Jeff Pilon, Mayor Scott Lehner, City Administrator Precision Sawing Inc 4
- Sep 10, 2024<table> <tr> <td>23NT-00447</td> <td>Building - Roofing</td> <td>6101</td> <td>NORRIS LAKE RD NW</td> </tr> <tr> <td>23N
- Jun 11, 2024Judy Rufsvold - 18151 Waco Street What about the gardens close to the road? Will she get notice to be able to move plant
- May 21, 2024Judy Rufsvold - 18151 Waco Street What about the gardens close to the road? Will she get notice to be able to move plant
- Oct 8, 2024CITY OF NOWTHEN COUNTY OF ANOKA STATE OF MINNESOTA RESOLUTION NO. # RESOLUTION ADOPTING ASSESSMENT ROLL WACO STREET, WAC
How about the culvert in street? 1984 that culvert is low and the lake was 50" higher than road, what happens in a wet spring?
— Irv Russo
What this is about
Irv Russo recalled older culvert and lake-level conditions while asking about drainage risk.
p. 4
Related history
The records show this comment was made at the May 21, 2024 City Council public hearing for the Northeast Ramsey Street Reconstruction Project. Irv Russo of 18151 Waco St. asked about the street culvert and recalled 1984 conditions, saying the culvert was low and the lake had been “50 inches higher than road,” and asked what would happen in a wet spring. The recorded response was that Mr. Nelson would stop and review the area. The same exchange appears again in the June 11, 2024 City Council agenda packet, apparently as part of the May 21 hearing materials/minutes. Related project documents include bid items for “remove metal culvert” totaling 148 linear feet, and plan sheets with drainage/wetland information near Norris Lake, including a listed 100-year high water level. However, the records searched do not include a 1984 record or a prior formal decision specifically confirming the recalled lake level condition or resolving the drainage-risk concern.
- Jun 11, 2024could be removed? Attorney Ruppe stated because it is still a business doing business. He also explained that the assess
- May 21, 2024costs and attorney fees as there are two (2) PIDs and one of them has a CUP on the property for the business. The busine
- Jun 11, 2024GOPHER STATE ONE CALL TWIN CITY AREA 651-454-0002 MINNESOTA TOLL FREE 1-800-252-110G SHEET NO. C1 IP-yon Geet;br/.Xtatra
- Jun 11, 2024THIS SERVICE AGREEMENT AND ANY CORRESPONDING PROPOSAL ISSUED BY AET SHALL GOVERN UNLESS AUTHORIZED IN WRITING IN ADVANCE
- May 21, 2024## BID TABULATION CITY'S OF RAMSEY AND NOWTHEN NORTHEAST RAMSEY STREET RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT <table> <tr> <th>Alternate

Where this came up before

Sources

Documents and recordings archived for this meeting, when available.

What was on the agenda

Motions and votes

Dollar amounts in motions

Prior history on this business

Related history

Related history

Related history

Related history

Where this came up before

Sources