Regular City Council Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
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, Dustin Wiebusch, Mike Hammes, and Steve Liffrig.
Others Present: City Attorney Luke Lamprecht, City Engineer Matt Mohs, Elizabeth Deming from Lamprecht Law Office, Karen DuCharme from SEMMCHRA, Bob Josselyn, Donald Dahl, and City Administrator Karl Nahrgang.
Attending via electronic meeting: Wabasha County Sherriff’s Chief Deputy Jim Warren, Holly Galbus from the News Record, and John Clemens.
Motion by Hammes, second by Liffrig to approve the agenda and addendum. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Hammes, second by Liffrig to close the regular meeting and open the public hearing. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Regular meeting closed at 6:04 PM.
Public Hearing opened at 6:04 PM.
A public hearing was held regarding the Small Cities Development Program Grant.
Karen DuCharmes from SEMMCHRA (Southeast Minnesota Multi-County Housing and Redevelopment Authority) presented details and a progress report on the grant process.
A grant request has been made by SEMMCHRA for funds used to assist low to moderate income homeowners to repair and improve housing units within the City. The max grant amount is $600,000. Information from a community wide survey was used to measure initial interest. 13 homeowners and 12 rental units expressed interest in applying for funds from this grant. The 12 rental units are SEMMCHRA operated.
Once funding has been secured, interested persons will be contacted for application and additional applications will be taken. Projects will be covered up to $24,000. For this grant the matching funds (based on household income) have been waived.
The public hearing is another required step in the grant application process.
No other comments were made.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to close the public hearing. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Public Hearing closed 6:19 PM.
Motion by Hammes, second by Liffrig to re-open the regular meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Regular meeting re-opened 6:20 PM.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to approve SEMMCHRA to move forward with the grant submission. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Hammes to approve the February 9, 2022 Regular City Council meeting minutes, March 1, 2022 Council working session meeting minutes. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Wabasha County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Jim Warren joined via electronic meeting and presented the Incident Command Report for February to the Council. There was brief discussion over an item in the report involving the Municipal Liquor Store.
Mazeppa Public Works Report was read by Administrator Clerk Karl Nahrgang.
Mazeppa Volunteer Fire Department report was read by Administrator Clerk Karl Nahrgang.
Municipal Liquor Store report was given by City Administrator Karl Nahrgang.
City Hall activity report was given by City Administrator Clerk Karl Nahrgang.
City Engineer Matt Mohs gave an engineering summary.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to approve $2250 to A.E.T. for soil borings in the areas that sewer mains will be replaced during the Wastewater Treatment Plant project. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
A letter from Marie Josselyn was read to the Council regarding watershed runoff. Bob Josselyn followed up with a description of the water in his yard. It was higher than it had been in the past. Speculation was made that the culvert down stream had been installed higher than the previous culvert or was not large enough.
Motion by Hammes, second by Liffrig to approve the Fire contracts with the Townships in the Fire Department service area. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Hammes to set the Board of Equalization Hearing for April 13, 2022 at 6:00 PM. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to approve Resolution 2022-15 Closing portions of 2nd Ave. NE and Walnut St. for Citywide cleanup day. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Liffrig, second by Young to approve Resolution 2022-16 Issuing a dance permit to Mazeppa Municipal Liquor Store for the Customer Appreciation event. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to approve Resolution 2022-17 Transferring Signing Authority on the Economic Development Authority checking account from John Betcher to Sara Betcher. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to approve Resolution 2022-18 issuing an off-site temporary gambling permit to the Mazeppa Lion’s Club for the Mazeppa Daze Duck races. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve the bills and claims. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Discussion between the owner of 180 Walnut St. NE, the Council and prosecuting attorney Elizabeth Deming on the total amount of the fines for nuisance violations at the property. Council gave prosecutor guidance on lowering total amount of fines.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to recess the regular meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Regular meeting was recessed at 7:59 PM.
Motion by Young, second by Liffrig begin closed meeting in accordance with 13D.05 Subdivision 3, (B) with regards to attorney-client privilege outweighing the benefit of open meeting rights to discuss pending litigation. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Closed meeting began at 8:01 PM.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to end closed meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Closed meeting ended at 9:19 PM.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to reconvene the regular meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Regular meeting re-convened at 9:20 PM. No participants were in the physical or electronic waiting room.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to respond to Mr. Sveen and MB Sveen properties regarding the City’s position regarding easement over parcel R23.00249.00 and offering to split said parcel to purchase approximately 1.5 acres for $62,000 and 50% of the costs of surveying and platting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve Bolton and Menk to research information regarding 4th Ave. NE right-of-way on the official plat. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Liffrig to recess the meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Meeting recessed at 9:25 PM.