The regular City Council meeting of the Mazeppa City Council was called to order at 6:02 PM by Mayor Chris Hagfors.
Pledge of allegiance was said.
Present: Mayor Chris Hagfors. Councilpersons: Erica Young, Jeff Nelson, and Steve Liffrig.
Others Present: City Attorney Luke Lamprecht, City Engineer Matt Mohs, Elizabeth Deming from Lamprecht Law Office, project engineer Luke Lunde of WSB, Jane Gullickson, Ed Vagt, Reva Vagt, Kia Hackman, and Jeremy Tri.
Attending via electronic meeting: Councilperson Mike Hammes, Bob Josselyn, John Clemens, City Administrator Karl Nahrgang, and Holly Galbus from the News Record.
Motion by Young, second by Nelson to approve the agenda. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Nelson to approve the November 10, 2021 Regular City Council meeting minutes, the November 30, 2021 reconvened meeting minutes, and the December 1, 2021 Council working session meeting minutes. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Hammes, second by Nelson to close the Regular City Council meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Regular meeting closed at 6:05 PM.
Motion by Young, second by Nelson to open the Public Hearing meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Public hearing opened at 6:06 PM.
A request was brought to the City to annex 3.2 acres of parcel R09.00036.00 in Mazeppa Township into the City of Mazeppa.
The purpose is for a home to be built on this parcel. Building on this parcel remaining in the Township would violate County housing density rules.
Planning and Zoning committee recommended to Council that this parcel be annexed as R-3, low density residential. The parcel borders an existing R-3 area.
City payment to Township for the lost taxes for this portion of parcel R09.00036.00 was discussed. Typically, the equivalent of 1 year’s tax is paid to the government entity that the land is being annexed from.
A finalized survey must be filed and approved by the State Administrative Law judge.
Motion by Nelson, second by Liffrig to close the Public Hearing. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Public Hearing closed at 6:31 PM.
Motion by Nelson, second by Liffrig to open the Regular meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Regular meeting re-opened at 6:32 PM.
Motion by Nelson, second by Liffrig to open the Regular meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
The 2022 City Budget and Levy were presented.
Motion by Nelson, second by Young to close the Regular meeting and open the Truth in Taxation hearing. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Truth-in-Taxation hearing opened at 6:39 PM.
The 2022 City budget and Levy was summarized.
Motion by Nelson, second by Liffrig to close the Truth-in-Taxation hearing. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Truth in Taxation hearing closed at 6:41 PM.
Motion by Nelson, second by Young to re-open the Regular meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Regular meeting re-opened at 6:42 PM.
The written Wabasha County Sherriff’s Office Incident Command Report was distributed earlier, no WCSO representative was in attendance.
Administrator Clerk Karl Nahrgang presented the Public Works report.
Administrator Clerk distributed the written Fire Department report and slate of Fire Department officers for 2022.
Motion by Liffrig, second by Nelson to approve the 2022 slate of Mazeppa Volunteer Fire Department officers. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Administrator Clerk Karl Nahrgang gave the Mazeppa Municipal Liquor Store report.
City Engineer Matt Mohs presented an engineering update. 1) Comprehensive Plan update is in motion. 2) Brief overview of Working Session discussion on 4th Ave. NE, stormwater management, including 6th Ave. NE/Chestnut St. area, and a State of Minnesota grant opportunity focusing on climate resiliency and stormwater management. Grant would require 10% matching funds, or in-kind payment from City.
Motion by Young, second by Nelson to authorize Bolton & Menk to prepare a grant application for $30,000. for the Climate resiliency study grant. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Project Engineer Luke Lunde from WSB Associates updated the Council on the riverbank projects. Another 400 ft of riverbank will be done on the SWCD project north of the Maple St. Bridge this winter. The City’s Conservation Legacy Partner’s grant application for $390,500 for riverbank erosion mitigation and stream habitat improvement was approved. The City can get some material from the SWCD project to be stockpiled for its erosion mitigation if it has a place to store the timber/root-balls until it can be used. Timeline would be looking at 2022/2023 for a project start date.
Motion by Young, second by Nelson to amend Ordinance 2021-05, Annexing land located in Mazeppa Township into the City of Mazeppa, to read that the annexed land will be zoned R-3, instead of R-1. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Nelson, second by Young to pay Mazeppa Township the equivalent to 1 year property tax payable to Mazeppa Township on the land being annexed into the City of Mazeppa in 2 payments of $4.35 each. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Second Reading of Ordinance 2021-04 Renewing the Cable TV Franchise agreement with Sleepy Eye Telephone Company to operate and maintain a cable television system withing the City of Mazeppa.
Motion by Nelson, second by Liffrig to adopt Ordinance 2021-04 Renewing the Cable Television Franchise agreement with Sleepy Eye Telephone. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Nelson to approve the Summary of Ordinance 2021-04 for publication. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Liffrig to approve Resolution 21-31 amending the purchase agreement price with Moto-Proz on parcel R23.00160.03 to $12,820.00. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Nelson, second by Young to approve 2022 City of Mazeppa Budget of $1,168,921. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Liffrig, second by Nelson to approve the 2022 tax levy of $381,794. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Liffrig to approve end of year interfund and reserves transfers. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Nelson to approve raising the pay for Mazeppa Municipal Liquor Store staff to $10.33/hour from $10.08/hour to comply with Minnesota minimum wage. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Nelson, second by Young to approve Ordinance 45-1.22 establishing the 2022 fee schedule. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Nelson, second by Young to approve the 2022 retainer agreement with Lamprecht Law. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Nelson, second by Young to pay the bills and claims. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
City Attorney Luke Lamprecht congratulated Council and staff for seeing the riverbank mitigation grant come to fruition and wished everyone a Merry Christmas.
MMLS was donated a Christmas tree from a local resident.
Motion by Nelson, second by Young to accept the donation of a Christmas tree for the MMLS from Josie Banitt. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
A Council working Session is scheduled for December 22, 2021 at 6:00 PM.
Motion by Hammes, second by Liffrig to recess until the Council working session meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Next meeting: December 22, 2021, 6:00 PM for a working session.
Meeting recessed at 8:01 PM.