What this meeting did about specific topics, organized by issue rather than by document.
Consent agenda and routine financial business
The agenda placed prior meeting minutes, the Treasurer's Report and claims, acceptance of an Elk River Youth Hockey Association donation for ice rink work, and additional Recycling Center Attendant hours on the consent agenda. The packet shows a $287,720.57 claims batch, a $6,695.51 donation, and a $15.00 hourly rate for the attendant, but the meeting minutes are not in the bundle to confirm the vote.
Agenda: 2.a, 2.b, 2.c, 2.d.
General Obligation Bonds, Series 2021A
The Council was scheduled to consider the bond rating report and Resolution 2021-29 awarding the sale of $2,830,000 in General Obligation Bonds, Series 2021A. The packet states S&P assigned an AA+ stable rating, with $1,950,000 for assessable improvements and $880,000 for equipment including a Sterling truck, Toro lawnmower, tanker truck, extrication tools, and SCBA equipment.
Agenda: 5.a. Speakers: Bruce Kimmel, Ehlers, S&P Global Ratings.
Fire Department surplus property
The Fire Department asked to declare two old Gear Grid lockers and an MSA 5-gas monitor surplus so they could be removed and potentially sold. The packet estimated the lockers at about $500 to $700 per unit and the monitor at about $500, but the meeting minutes are not available to show whether the declaration was approved.
Agenda: 6.a. Speakers: Dave Schmidt.
Toft 1st Addition final plat and development agreement
The packet recommended approval of the Toft 1st Addition final plat for one industrial lot and an outlot, contingent on a developer's agreement, engineer approval, and MnDOT approval for Highway 47 access and turn lanes. The packet identifies $2,500 in park/trail dedication, $2,750 paid with the application, a $690,000 letter of credit, and a $20,000 developer escrow.
Agenda: 7.a. Speakers: Elizabeth Stockman, Shane Nelson.
Kontz three-lot minor subdivision
The packet presented the Kontz request to split a roughly 40-acre RRA-zoned parcel into three parcels, with two intended for single-family home development and one remaining farmed. Planning and Zoning recommended approval with conditions, including wetland review, shared driveway approval, right-of-way dedication, buildability and septic information, and $2,500 per lot in park and trail dedication.
Agenda: 7.b. Speakers: Marilyn J. Kontz Trust, Steven Kontz Trustee.
Accessory buildings ordinance
The packet included draft Ordinance 2021-04 to amend Chapter 11 rules for accessory structures in the front yard. The draft addressed setbacks, one possible front-yard accessory structure under specified criteria, size limits, materials, roof pitch, and number of accessory structures by lot size.
Agenda: 7.c. Speakers: Elizabeth Stockman.
Planning administration, assessments, public notices, and maps
Several packet items dealt with planning administration: a development review process and checklists, an assessment memo for unpaid amounts, wall-map options, and a council RCA on land-use notice procedures. The assessment memo listed proposed totals of $334.36 and $643.40, and the wall-map options ranged from lower-cost printed and laminated maps to larger sign-panel and acrylic options.
Agenda: 7.d, 7.e, 7.f, 8.b. Speakers: Elizabeth Stockman, Mary Rainville.
Communications meeting
The agenda carried forward the task of setting a date for a communications meeting, noting it had been tabled from the August meeting. No minutes are available in the bundle to show whether a date was set.
Agenda: 8.a.
Nowthen Memorial Park Pavilion improvements
Councilmember Rainville requested approval of pavilion improvements including a roll-down aluminum shutter, stainless counter, south wall insulation and drywall, painting, ceiling trim, and exterior wall painting. The requested not-to-exceed amount was $11,000, supported by a Dock & Door Tec shutter quote and a North Country Construction proposal.
Agenda: 8.c. Speakers: Mary Rainville.
Waco Street and Waco Drive patching
The packet requested authorization for North Valley to repair sections of Waco Street and Waco Drive that the City Engineer said were too large for hot patching. The written quote totaled $12,105.43, but the minutes are not available to confirm whether it was authorized.
Agenda: 8.d. Speakers: Jeff Pilon, Shane Nelson.
City internet service and wireless broadband evaluation
The agenda included a staff cost-benefit comparison of Arvig, ZAYO, and CenturyLink internet/phone options for city facilities, plus a separate request to spend $1,500 for PCS to evaluate wireless internet service opportunities for unserved or underserved parts of Nowthen using ARPA funds as the proposed source.
Agenda: 8.e, 8.f. Speakers: Jeff Pilon.
Historic Town Hall basement work
The agenda listed cleaning, painting, and light replacement in the basement of Historic Town Hall as a council item. The packet excerpt available here does not include a cost proposal or requested action for that item, and the minutes are not available to show what happened.
Agenda: 8.g.