Nowthen City Council Work Session meeting, June 17, 2024

Council Work Session

Monday, June 17, 2024 · 6:00 PM

This meeting on the city's website ↗

Agenda

Open PDF ↗

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

At the June 17, 2024 work session, Council approved amended claims, moved forward on clarifying staff-council roles with LMC help, approved annual-appointment and consultant-access policy changes, tabled the per-meeting pay update, and approved up to $21,000 for Memorial Park basketball court resurfacing and pickleball asphalt.

What was on the agenda

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

1Call to Order / Roll Call / Approve Agenda
Call to order, roll call, and approval of the agenda.
Council approved the agenda and amended it to add a Public Forum. During that forum, resident Dan Williams asked for clarity about whether the mayor, full council, or administrator runs the city and how their roles are defined.
The agenda was approved and then amended to add Public Forum.
- agenda approval
Approved
p. 1p. 1p. 1
ADDED-3Public Forum
Public Forum was added during agenda approval.
Council approved the agenda and amended it to add a Public Forum. During that forum, resident Dan Williams asked for clarity about whether the mayor, full council, or administrator runs the city and how their roles are defined.
Council discussed confusion and conflict over the roles of the city administrator, staff, mayor, and council. Council voted 5-0 to have the Personnel Committee coordinate with the League of Minnesota Cities, City Council, and staff to work through differences and clarify duties.
Added to the agenda by amendment; a resident spoke about who runs the city and the roles of the mayor, council, and administrator.
- public forum
- city administrator authority
Discussion only
p. 1p. 1
2Approval of Amended Claims for June 11, 2024, Regular Meeting
Approval of amended claims for the prior regular meeting.
Council approved the amended claims 4-1. The discussion included paying for the new dump truck now and paying the tax with the July claims.
The amended claims were approved 4-1.
- amended claims
- dump truck payment
Approved
p. 1p. 2
2aPartial payment of truck to NESS Truck & Equipment
Partial payment of the truck to NESS Truck & Equipment, with tax to be paid with July claims.
Council approved the amended claims 4-1. The discussion included paying for the new dump truck now and paying the tax with the July claims.
Handled as part of the claims approval.
- amended claims
- dump truck payment
Approved
p. 1p. 1
3Clarify Authority of City Administrator and Disconnect Between Staff and Council
Clarify the authority of the City Administrator for day-to-day operations and the disconnect between staff and Council.
Council discussed confusion and conflict over the roles of the city administrator, staff, mayor, and council. Council voted 5-0 to have the Personnel Committee coordinate with the League of Minnesota Cities, City Council, and staff to work through differences and clarify duties.
Council approved having the Personnel Committee coordinate with the League of Minnesota Cities, Council, and staff to work through roles and differences.
- city administrator authority
- staff council roles
- League of Minnesota Cities
Approved
p. 1p. 2
3aRevisions to Resolution 2024-03 - Annual Appointments
Revisions to Resolution 2024-03 for annual appointments.
Council approved revisions to Resolution 2024-03 on annual appointments by a 4-1 vote, with additional clarifications discussed during the meeting. The changes addressed roles such as emergency management, public safety liaison, building official, planner, and limits on officials or residents directing third parties or causing costs.
The revisions were approved 4-1 with additional clarifications.
- annual appointments
- Resolution 2024-03
Approved with conditions
p. 1p. 2p. 3
3bResolution 2024-xx 3rd Party Consultant, Contractor Access and Associated Billing
Resolution on third-party consultant and contractor access and associated billing.
Council approved the third-party consultant and contractor access and billing resolution 5-0 with clarifications. The discussion focused on making clear when contacts are on behalf of the city and how consultant information should go through the administrator and be relayed to the council.
Approved 5-0 with additional clarifications.
- consultant access
- contractor billing
- city administrator authority
Approved with conditions
p. 1p. 3p. 3
3cResolution 2024-xx Updates to Resolution 2022-56 - Per Meeting Pay Policy
Updates to Resolution 2022-56, the per-meeting pay policy.
Council discussed updates to the per-meeting pay policy, including what meetings or events should qualify for stipends and how stipend sheets should be handled through payroll and council approval. A motion was made to table the item until a list is developed, but the minutes do not record a second or vote.
The minutes record a motion to table until a list is developed, but do not record a second or vote.
- per meeting pay
- stipend policy
- Resolution 2022-56
Tabled
p. 1p. 4
4Repairing Basketball Court Asphalt and/or Extra Asphalt for Pickleball
Discussion and possible approval of repairing basketball court asphalt and adding extra asphalt for pickleball.
Council approved the Bertram Asphalt work to replace/resurface the Memorial Park basketball court and add extra asphalt for pickleball, not to exceed $21,000. The approval covered asphalt only and did not include striping, nets, equipment, or fencing.
Approved 3-2, not to exceed $21,000.
- basketball court
- pickleball
- Bertram Asphalt
Approved
p. 1p. 4p. 4
5Adjourn
Adjournment.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:32 p.m.
- adjournment
No action
p. 1p. 4

Motions and votes

8 motions on the record. Split votes are highlighted.

M001MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BREYEN, SECONDED BY RAINVILLE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
Exact transcript text
MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BREYEN, SECONDED BY RAINVILLE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
moved by Breyen, seconded by Rainville
Passed
- YPilon
- YRainville
- YBreyen
- YFladebo
- YAlders
p. 1p. 1
M002MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BREYEN, SECONDED BY FLADEBO TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. AMEND MOTION TO INCLUDE PUBLIC FORUM.
Exact transcript text
MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BREYEN, SECONDED BY FLADEBO TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. AMEND MOTION TO INCLUDE PUBLIC FORUM.
moved by Breyen, seconded by Fladebo
Passed
- YPilon
- YRainville
- YBreyen
- YFladebo
- YAlders
p. 1p. 1
M003MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BREYEN, SECONDED BY ALDERS TO APPROVE THE CLAIMS AS PRESENTED.
Exact transcript text
MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BREYEN, SECONDED BY ALDERS TO APPROVE THE CLAIMS AS PRESENTED.
moved by Breyen, seconded by Alders
PassedSplit vote
- YRAINVILLE
- YFLADEBO
- YALDERS
- YBREYEN
- NPILON
p. 2
M004MOTION BY MAYOR PILON, SECONDED BY RAINVILLE TO HAVE THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE, (Mayor Pilon and CM Fladebo) REACH OUT AND COORDINATE WITH THE LMC, CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF TO WORK THROUGH DIFFERENCES AND WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF EACH.
Exact transcript text
MOTION BY MAYOR PILON, SECONDED BY RAINVILLE TO HAVE THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE, (Mayor Pilon and CM Fladebo) REACH OUT AND COORDINATE WITH THE LMC, CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF TO WORK THROUGH DIFFERENCES AND WHAT ARE THE DUTIES OF EACH.
moved by Pilon, seconded by Rainville
Passed
- YPilon
- YRainville
- YBreyen
- YFladebo
- YAlders
p. 2p. 1
M005MOTION BY FLADEBO, SECONDED BY RAINVILLE TO APPROVE 2024-XX WITH THE AMENDED CHANGES LISTED DISCUSSED.
Exact transcript text
MOTION BY FLADEBO, SECONDED BY RAINVILLE TO APPROVE 2024-XX WITH THE AMENDED CHANGES LISTED DISCUSSED.
moved by Fladebo, seconded by Rainville
PassedSplit vote
- YPILON
- YRAINVILLE
- YFLADEBO
- YALDERS
- NBREYEN
p. 2p. 3
M006MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER FLADEBO, SECOND RAINVILLE, TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2024-XX FOR 3RD PARTY CONSULTANT/CONTRACTOR ACCESS AND ASSOCIATED BILLING.
Exact transcript text
MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER FLADEBO, SECOND RAINVILLE, TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2024-XX FOR 3RD PARTY CONSULTANT/CONTRACTOR ACCESS AND ASSOCIATED BILLING.
moved by Fladebo, seconded by Rainville
Passed
- YPilon
- YRainville
- YBreyen
- YFladebo
- YAlders
p. 3p. 3p. 1
M007MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BREYEN TO TABLE ITEM UNTIL THE LIST IS DEVELOPED TO ADD AND/OR REMOVE TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION.
Exact transcript text
MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BREYEN TO TABLE ITEM UNTIL THE LIST IS DEVELOPED TO ADD AND/OR REMOVE TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION.
moved by Breyen
Outcome unrecorded
No second or vote recorded in the minutes.
p. 4
M008MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BREYEN, SECONDED BY ALDERS TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2024- xx TO REPLACE/RESURFACE BASKETBALL COURT AT MEMORIAL PARK PER BID FROM BERTRAM ASPHALT COMPANY, NOT TO EXCEED $21,000.
Exact transcript text
MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BREYEN, SECONDED BY ALDERS TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2024- xx TO REPLACE/RESURFACE BASKETBALL COURT AT MEMORIAL PARK PER BID FROM BERTRAM ASPHALT COMPANY, NOT TO EXCEED $21,000.
moved by Breyen, seconded by Alders
PassedSplit vote
- YPILON
- YALDERS
- YBREYEN
- NRAINVILLE
- NFLADEBO
p. 4p. 4

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.

Bertram Asphalt Company bid to remove and replace paving for the Nowthen basketball court.
$15,045
Motion MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BREYEN, SECONDED BY ALDERS TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2024- xx TO REPLACE/RESURFACE BASKETBALL COURT AT MEMORIAL PARK PER BID FROM BERTRAM ASPHALT COMPANY, NOT TO EXCEED $21,000. Passed(3 AYES (PILON, ALDERS, BREYEN) 2 NAYS (RAINVILLE, FLADEBO) MOTION CARRIED.)
p. 17p. 18p. 18
Bertram Asphalt Company add-on bid to add 10 feet on the west side of the basketball court for pickleball space.
$4,895
Motion MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BREYEN, SECONDED BY ALDERS TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2024- xx TO REPLACE/RESURFACE BASKETBALL COURT AT MEMORIAL PARK PER BID FROM BERTRAM ASPHALT COMPANY, NOT TO EXCEED $21,000. Passed(3 AYES (PILON, ALDERS, BREYEN) 2 NAYS (RAINVILLE, FLADEBO) MOTION CARRIED.)
p. 19p. 19p. 19
Approved not-to-exceed amount for replacing/resurfacing the basketball court and adding ten feet to accommodate pickleball.
$21,000
Motion MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BREYEN, SECONDED BY ALDERS TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2024- xx TO REPLACE/RESURFACE BASKETBALL COURT AT MEMORIAL PARK PER BID FROM BERTRAM ASPHALT COMPANY, NOT TO EXCEED $21,000. Passed(3 AYES (PILON, ALDERS, BREYEN) 2 NAYS (RAINVILLE, FLADEBO) MOTION CARRIED.)
p. 24p. 4

Prior history on this business

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

after this meeting will it be clear who is running the city? The mayor, the full city council or the Administrator? Is the Administrator the Mayors right hand man or does he work for full council? What are the clear definitions of who does what for the city?
— Dan Williams
What this is about
A resident asked whether the meeting would resolve earlier or ongoing uncertainty about who runs the city and what roles the mayor, council, and administrator have.
p. 1
Related history
The records searched show a partial match. In the May 5, 2025 council packet, the city had materials addressing the administrator role and lines of authority, including a proposed contract extension for Frederick Boyles III to assist with recruiting a new city administrator and to consult with Interim City Administrator Johnson. The draft agreement language said the interim administrator assistant/consultant would be “responsible to the City Council,” would serve “under the direction of the Nowthen City Council,” and would perform duties assigned by the council, including administrative support, agenda preparation, and assisting in direction of city staff. The resolution text in the packet authorized extending Boyles’ contract until August 1, 2025, or until an administrator was hired, but the search result does not show the completed vote record. The same May 5, 2025 packet also included personnel policy language describing some role divisions: the City Council approves and interprets city policies; the City Administrator may prepare revised policies for council approval, maintains employment records, handles many employee issues, and is the usual point of contact for staff concerns; and if a concern involves the City Administrator, it may go to the City Council. Those records help explain the intended structure, but the materials provided do not show a prior council decision that fully and finally resolved the broader question of whether the mayor, full council, or administrator “runs the city.”
- Feb 10, 2026## CITY & GOVERNMENT CLIENTS - CONTACT INFORMATION <table> <tr> <th>Public Sector Client</th> <th>Prosecution Services</
- May 5, 2025hiring and those rules will be further explained, and enforcement discussed with the employee by the immediate superviso
- May 5, 2025### RECITALS WHEREAS, the parties desire to retain the services of Contractor for an additional interim period of time f
- May 5, 2025## SECTION 4 RECORDS AND REPORTS Section 4-1 Employment Records Section 4-2 Performance Evaluations 4-1 EMPLOYMENT RECOR
- May 5, 2025#### 12-13 OPEN DOOR POLICY: ##### 1. Commitment to Open Communication The City's Open-Door policy provides for a work e
At the regular council meeting on July 9th, the claims were never approved and need to be approved to be able to mail them.
What this is about
Council recalled that claims from a prior regular council meeting had not been approved and needed to be approved so they could be mailed.
p. 1
Related history
The records I searched do not contain a prior decision matching this recollection. The search results did not include July 9 regular council minutes or any entry showing that claims were skipped, tabled, or later approved for mailing. The closest dated materials in the results are unrelated packet pages from 2025 and 2026 dealing with planning items, development agreements, employee benefits, and other matters, not council claims approval.
- May 12, 2026#### General Employees Plan Benefits General Employees Plan requires three years of service to vest. Benefits are based
- May 5, 2025<figure> BEST OUTDOOR SERVICES Lawn Care . Landscaping . Irrigation . Snow Removal A </figure> 3098 162nd Lane Northwest
- Apr 28, 2026CASWELL ENGINEERING CO. ENGINEERS & LAND SURVEYORS ## BIRCHWOOD ANOKA COUNTY, MINNESOTA KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
- Mar 24, 202621\. The Subject Property shall be final platted in one phase. Prior to the release of the Final Plat for recording, a D
- Jul 22, 2025hundred twenty (120) feet from centerline of any local road and a minimum of one- hundred-fifty (
Mayor Pilon suggested to still have the LMC come in and explain what expenses can be paid from the approved budget, what are the duties of council and staff for a Statutory City.
— Mayor Pilon
What this is about
The mayor referred back to an earlier plan or discussion about having the League of Minnesota Cities explain statutory-city duties and budgeted expenses.
p. 2
Related history
The records searched do not contain a prior formal decision matching the recollection that Council had approved or scheduled the League of Minnesota Cities to come in and explain statutory-city duties and what expenses can be paid from the approved budget. The closest related record is in the April 14, 2026 meeting packet, which lists free League of Minnesota Cities MemberLearn training modules on “Records Management / Open Meeting Law / Financial Fundamentals” and the LMC Clerks Foundational Program. The January 13, 2026 packet also shows staff had contacted LMC on specific administrative issues, including CDL drug-testing requirements and data-practices policy changes. Those records show LMC was being used as a resource, but they do not show a recorded vote or confirmed plan for an in-person LMC presentation on statutory-city roles and budgeted expenses.
- Feb 10, 2026## MEET THE TEAM WHO WILL SERVE THE CITY Our Attorneys Kurt B. Glaser. Kurt serves as the Lead Prosecutor for Nowthen, H
- Apr 28, 2026CASWELL ENGINEERING CO. ENGINEERS & LAND SURVEYORS ## BIRCHWOOD ANOKA COUNTY, MINNESOTA KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
- Apr 14, 2026## EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE 3\. Describe your educational background. Organizational Administration degree program at No
- Jan 13, 2026CITY OF NOWTHEN By: SHANE D. HYBBEN Its Mayor ATTEST By: NATALIE JOHNSON Its City Clerk <figure> CITY OF NOWTHEN </figur
- Apr 14, 2026### LMC Records Management / Open Meeting Law / Financial Fundamentals Provider: League of Minnesota Cities MemberLearn
(Explained clarification to avoid duplication as has happened multiple times).
What this is about
Council referred to previous repeated duplication problems in consultant or contractor contacts.
p. 3
Related history
The records I searched do not contain a prior discussion or decision matching this recollection about repeated duplication problems in consultant or contractor contacts. The search results returned unrelated items, including planning and zoning applications, road improvement hearings, and development agreements, but none document council addressing duplicate contacts with consultants or contractors.
- Oct 28, 2025Luke Braith, the applicant and owner of Operation Good Dog, addressed the Commission. He explained that he moved to Nowt
- Mar 24, 2026Mayor Shane Hybben asked about the size and structures on the existing lot containing the house. Nash indicated it was 2
- Feb 24, 2026Mayor Shane Hybben asked about the size and structures on the existing lot containing the house. Nash indicated it was 2
- May 12, 2026MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SWENSON, TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2026-51 ACCEPTING DEVELOPM
- Apr 14, 2026MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SWENSON, TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2026-51 ACCEPTING DEVELOPM

Where this came up before

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?

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

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