City Council Meeting

CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Tuesday, February 04, 2025 at 7:00 PM Baxter City Hall, 13190 Memorywood Drive, Baxter, MN “A Growing Community” CALL TO ORDER Mayor Olson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Mayor Darrel Olson and Council Members Connie Lyscio, Zach Tabatt, Patrick Sundberg were present. Council Member Mark Cross was absent. City Administrator Brad Chapulis, Assistant City Administrator Kelly Steele, Finance Director Jeremy Vacinek, Community Development Director Josh Doty, Police Chief Matt Maier, and Public Works Director Trevor Walter were present. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE All joined Mayor Olson in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. PRESENTATIONS None. ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA City Administrator Chapulis asked the council to add item 9, approving the conflict waiver for Severson Porter to represent Visit Brainerd, to the agenda. PUBLIC COMMENTS - Comments received from the public may be placed on a future meeting agenda for consideration. None. CONSENT AGENDA - The following items are considered non-controversial by staff and are recommended to be read and passed in one motion. Any council person, staff, citizen, or meeting attendee can request one or more items be pulled from the Consent Agenda and the item will be pulled and addressed immediately after the passage of the Consent Agenda; otherwise, the following items will be passed in one motion: 1. Approve City Council Work Session Minutes from January 21, 2025 2. Approve City Council Minutes from January 21, 2025 3. Approve the Payment of Bills and Finance Report (Addendums A and A-1) 4. Approve unpaid leave of absence retroactive to December 19, 2024 and authorize the continuation of the City’s contribution towards health, dental and life insurance premiums for Keith Binsfeld through February 10, 2025 2/4/2025 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2 5. Approve Purchase of Easement for Parcels 40050608, 40050614, 40050719, 40050532 and 40050721 for the 2025 Design Road & T.H. 371 Stormwater Improvements Project 6. Adopt Resolution 2025-018 Authorizing Advancement of Municipal State Aid Funds for the 2022-TH 210/Inglewood Drive Road Improvement Project and the 2025 Design Road & TH 371 Stormwater Improvements Project 7. Approve Lawful Gambling Permit for Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity to Conduct a Lawful Gambling Raffle on May 21, 2025 at Jack Pine Brewery 8. Approve Conditional Hire of Roland Matus and Nolan Gustafson as Patrol Officer 9. Approve Conflict waiver for Severson Porter to represent Visit Brainerd MOTION by Council Member Tabatt, seconded by Council Member Lyscio to approve the consent agenda as amended, less item 7 which was pulled. Motion carried unanimously. PULLED AGENDA ITEMS Council Member Sundberg asked to pull item 7, approving a lawful gambling permit for Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity to conduct a lawful gambling raffle on May 21, 2025 at Jack Pine Brewery. Council Member Sundberg explained as the owner of Jack Pine Brewery he pulled the item to abstain from voting on the agenda item. MOTION by Council Member Tabatt, seconded by Council Member Lyscio to approve the Lawful Gambling Permit for Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity to Conduct a Lawful Gambling Raffle on May 21, 2025 at Jack Pine Brewery. Motion carried with Mayor Olson and Council Members Lyscio and Tabatt voting yes. Council Member Sundberg abstained. OTHER BUSINESS 10. Accept the 2026 Brentwood Circle Sanitary Sewer and Roadway Improvements Feasibility Report Staff is looking for the council to accept the feasibility report as written or to modify as previously discussed in a work session. The items for consideration of modification are reducing the roadway width and adjusting the ERUs from 13 to 11 due to corner lot assessments. Council Member Tabatt would like the council to have a serious discussion about changing the city code for required roadway widths. MOTION by Council Member Lyscio, seconded by Council Member Tabatt to accept the 2026 Brentwood Circle Sanitary Sewer and Roadway Improvements Feasibility Report with the modifications of a 24’ roadway width and 11 ERUs. Motion carried unanimously. COUNCIL COMMENTS 11. Connie Lyscio – No comment. 12. Zach Tabatt – Explained there is a typo in the 2026 Brentwood Circle Feasibility Report. Aric Welch, with Widseth, explained he found and corrected the error. 2/4/2025 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3 13. Patrick Sundberg – Explained MnDOT will be holding an open house for the highway 371/210 overpass on February 12th. There will be two options for attendance. 14. Mark Cross - Absent. 15. Darrel Olson – No comment. CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT City Administrator Chapulis explained MnDOT will be holding two duplicate open houses sessions on February 12th to discuss the highway 371 overpass improvement project. MnDOT has information on their website for individuals unable to attend the meeting. CITY ATTORNEY'S REPORT 16. The City Council will meet in a closed session pursuant to Minn. Stat. Section 13D.05 Subd. 3(b) for an Attorney-Client privileged discussion, to discuss potential litigation pertaining to Whiskey Creek Stormwater Project City Administrator Chapulis explained the council will enter into a closed session as identified on the agenda. Renee Richardson, with the Brainerd Dispatch, objected to the council entering into a closed session for attorney client privilege discussion without the city attorney present. City Administrator Chapulis called City Attorney Bjerkness to participate in the closed session via telephone. MOTION by Council Member Lyscio, seconded by Council Member Sundberg to enter into a closed session at 7:22 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. MOTION by Council Member Tabatt, seconded by Council Member Sundberg to return to an open session at 7:43 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. City Attorney Bjerkness explained the council met in a closed session to discuss the Whiskey Creek project and further explained she will proceed with the guidance provided by the council. No action will be taken at this time by the council. ADJOURN MOTION by Council Member Tabatt, seconded by Council Member Lyscio to adjourn at 7:44 p.m. Motion carried unanimously. Approved by: Respectfully submitted, _____________________________ Darrel Olson Kelly Steele Mayor Assistant City Administrator 2/4/2025 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4