Regular Meeting of the Mazeppa City Council
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, August 13, 2025
The regular meeting of the Mazeppa City Council was called to order at 6:02 PM by Mayor Chris Hagfors.
The Pledge of Allegiance was said.
Present: Mayor Chris Hagfors. Council Persons: Steve Liffrig, Erica Young, and Dustin Wiebusch.
Others Present: City Attorney Luke Lamprecht, City Engineer Matt Mohs from Bolton & Menk, Public Works Director Scott Ellingson, Wabasha County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Kruger, MMLS Manager Todd Ihrke, Project Engineer Luke Lunde from WSB, and City Administrator-Clerk Karl Nahrgang.
Present via electronic meeting: Holly Galbus from the News Record and Tom Wiener from WSE/CMS.
Absent: Council Person Mike Hammes.
Motion by Young, second by Liffrig to approve the agenda and addendum. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Liffrig to approve July 9, 2025, regular Council meeting minutes, they July 30, 2025, Council Special Meeting minutes, and July 30, 2025, Working Session meeting minutes. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Wabasha County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Kruger gave the ICR for July. Deputy Kruger said that Mazeppa Daze was calm for the size of the crowds attending the event. He said staffing at the Sherriff’s Department at full strength and a couple of permanent part-time Deputies have completed training and will be filling in to patrol soon.
Public Works Director Scott Ellingson gave the Public Works report.
Administrator Clerk Karl Nahrgang gave the Fire Department report.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to accept the resignation of Shelly Schultz from the Mazeppa Volunteer Fire Department. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
MMLS Manager Todd Ihrke gave the Liquor Store report.
City Engineer Matt Mohs gave the Engineering update.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to approve WWTP project pay application #9 to Wapasha Construction for $185,003.00. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve Street Utility project pay application #2 to Schu8macher Excavating for $241,984.23. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Liffrig to approve Amendment #3 to the Owner-Engineer Agreement Draft pending USDA Rural Development approval for engineering services for additional updates to the street utility project. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Luke Lunde from WSB shared photos from the progress of vegetation on the Riverbank project and report that survey work and planning is underway for phase 2.
Administrator Clerk Karl Nahrgang reported on City Hall Activities.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to approve building permits. 25-18-0016, 656 3rd Ave. NE – re-roof. 25-18-0014, 568 Oak St. NE – cell tower add-on. 25-18-0018, 180 Oak St. NE – re-roof. 25-18-0020 356 1st Ave. S -furnace-A/C. 25-18-0021, 990 River Bluff Rd. SE – re-roof. 28-18-0019, 1371 River Bluff Rd. SE -deck. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, no second was offered to table the LaRoche Lookout Driveway agreement with the City of Mazeppa. Motion rescinded.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to approve LaRoche Lookout Driveway shared agreement with the City of Mazeppa. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Tom Wiener from WSE/Construction Management Services presented the new electronic building permit management system that most of the communities they serve have adopted. The new system would also reflect a new rate schedule for building permits. The City of Mazeppa is still using the same schedule established in 1997. The City cannot make money on building permits, but the uniform rate schedule would get the City back to the break-even point and would be easier to track in the year-over-year budget.
Mr. Wiener also announced that Jay Kruger is retiring from CMS. The City should update its appointments to name Tanner Young as the City’s Building Official.
Motion by Young, second by Liffrig to approve Resolution 2025-27 approving a Legal Gambling permit for the Lion’s Club at W.D.’z 2. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Liffrig to approve a transfer of $241,984.23 from City reserves to the operating fund to the pay for a portion of the agreed City contribution for the Street Utility project. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to approve Resolution 2025-28 Accepting a donation for Mazeppa Daze Costs from the Mazeppa Lion’s Club. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to accept the bid of $24,595.15 from Maverick Construction to repair the center roof portion on the City. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve Resolution 2025-29 issuing a temporary off-site liquor license to Rumor’s Bar and Grill. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to pay the bills and claims. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
City Attorney Luke Lamprecht informed the Council that the rates for criminal prosecution would need to be increased for next the next budget year. Attorney Lamprecht said that these cases take more time than his current staff can cover. He suggested the City contact the Wabasha County Attorney to check for costs prosecuting these cases. The Wabasha County Attorney’s office prosecutes cases for most of the other communities in the County.
Council members wanted to announce the next Community Market on Thursday, August 21, 2025, 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and its Kids Night”. They also thanked Cole of Next Level Excavating for donating the installation of the cement pad and bench overlooking the river near the Maple St. Bridge and thanked all of the all of the volunteers that worked to make Mazeppa Daze a success and to the organizations that contributed with more volunteer hours and funds to present all the events.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to adjourn the meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Meeting adjourned at 8:08 PM.
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Administrator Clerk
Next Meeting: September 10, 2025