City Council

City Hall City of Northfield 801 Washington Street Northfield, MN 55057 northfieldmn.gov Meeting Minutes - Final City Council Tuesday, January 21, 2025 6:00 PM Council Chambers 6:00 PM - CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA CALL TO ORDER Mayor Zweifel called the meeting to order at 6:00PM. Present: 7- Council Member Brad Ness, Council Member Kathleen Holmes, Council Member Davin Sokup, Council Member Jessica Peterson White, Council Member Chad Beumer, Council Member Peter Dahlen, and Mayor Erica Zweifel Also present: City Administrator Ben Martig, Finance Director Brenda Angelstad, City Engineer/Public Works Director David Bennett, Community Development Director Jake Reilly, Utilities Manager Justin Wagner, Engineering Manager Sean Simonson, Deputy Chief of Police P.T. Haider, and Deputy City Clerk/Executive Administrative Assistant Sara Hoffman. LISTENING SESSION No residents were in attendance to speak at the Listening Session. APPROVAL OF AGENDA A motion was made by Council Member Ness, seconded by Council Member Peterson White, to approve the agenda. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 7- C. Ness, C. Holmes, C. Sokup, C. Peterson White, C. Beumer, C. Dahlen, and Mayor Zweifel CONSENT AGENDA A motion was made by Council Member Sokup, seconded by Council Member Ness, to approve the consent agenda. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 7- C. Ness, C. Holmes, C. Sokup, C. Peterson White, C. Beumer, C. Dahlen, and Mayor Zweifel 1. 25-045 Consider Approval of January 7, 2025 City Council Meeting Minutes. A motion was made by Council Member Sokup, seconded by Council Member Ness, to approve the Consent Agenda. The motion carried by the following vote: 2. 25-046 Consider Approval of January 14, 2025 City Council Work Session Minutes. City of Northfield Page 1 Printed on 2/11/2025 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 21, 2025 3. 25-047 Consider Approving Disbursements totaling $2,204,646.98 Enactment No: M2025-012 4. Res. 2025-013 Consider Amendments to Board and Commission Rules of Business and Appendices. 5. Res. 2025-008 Consider Resolution Approving Updated Charter Commission Administrative Process Policy 13.01. 6. Res. 2025-009 Consideration of City Council Policy 10.04 Low Income Rental Classification (LIRC) Program, 4d Affordable Housing Incentive Program. 7. Res. 2025-010 Consider Resolution Approving Donation to MNSCU Riverland Community College. 8. 25-049 Lease Agreement of 411 Water Street with the Northfield Arts Guild Enactment No: M2025-013 PUBLIC HEARINGS AND RELATED ACTION 9. 25-050 Public Hearing on Adopting the Street Reconstruction and Overlay Plan (SROP) and Issuance of Street Reconstruction and Overlay Bonds. Mayor Zweifel declared the public hearing open at 6:06PM. City Engineer/Public Works Director David Bennett provided background information on the item and explained the projects slated for the upcoming year. City Administrator Ben Martig added information on the funding and the City's credit rating. A motion was made by Council Member Holmes, seconded by Council Member Beumer, to close the public hearing. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 7- C. Ness, C. Holmes, C. Sokup, C. Peterson White, C. Beumer, C. Dahlen, and Mayor Zweifel 10. Res. 2025-011 Consider Resolution Adopting the Street Reconstruction and Overlay Plan (SROP) and Issuance of Street Reconstruction and Overlay Bonds. A motion was made by Council Member Holmes, seconded by Council Member Ness, to approve Resolution 2025-011 Consider Resolution Adopting the Street Reconstruction and Overlay Plan (SROP) and Issuance of Street Reconstruction and Overlay Bonds. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 7- C. Ness, C. Holmes, C. Sokup, C. Peterson White, C. Beumer, C. Dahlen, and Mayor Zweifel City of Northfield Page 2 Printed on 2/11/2025 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 21, 2025 11. 25-051 Public Hearing for Ordinance 1074 Vacating a Portion of Right-of-Way Adjacent to 2000 Jefferson Road. Mayor Zweifel declared the public hearing open at 6:15PM. Community Development Director Jake Reilly provided background information on the item. A motion was made by Council Member Beumer, seconded by Council Member Ness, to close the public hearing. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 7- C. Ness, C. Holmes, C. Sokup, C. Peterson White, C. Beumer, C. Dahlen, and Mayor Zweifel 12. Ord. 1074 Consider Second Reading of Ordinance 1074 Vacating Right-of-Way Adjacent to 2000 Jefferson Road. A motion was made by Council Member Sokup, seconded by Council Member Beumer, to approve the first reading of Ordinance 1074 Vacating a Portion of Right-of-Way Adjacent to 2000 Jefferson Road. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 7- C. Ness, C. Holmes, C. Sokup, C. Peterson White, C. Beumer, C. Dahlen, and Mayor Zweifel REPORTS FROM THE MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS 13. 25-052 Reports From the Mayor and Council Members. Mayor Zweifel introduced the item and noted that this item has been moved towards the beginning of the agenda. Councilor Ness - Beyond the Yellow Ribbon (BYR) meeting; BYR February 16th omelet breakfast fundraiser; Northfield CEO Steve Underdahl retirement and welcome to new CEO Zander Abbott. Councilor Peterson White - Friends of Downtown Northfield meeting. Councilor Sokup - Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) work session; Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) meeting. Mayor Zweifel - Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) meeting; board/commission work plans. Councilor Holmes - Planning Commission (PC) meeting; Park and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) meeting. Councilor Dahlen - Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Services (NAFRS) meeting. Councilor Beumer - Beyond the Yellow Ribbon (BYR) meeting, Planning Commission (PC) meeting; Economic Development Authority (EDA) meeting. REGULAR AGENDA 14. Res. 2025-012 Consider Accepting Bids and Awarding Contract - Water Treatment City of Northfield Page 3 Printed on 2/11/2025 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 21, 2025 Plant Project. Utilities Manager Justin Wagner introduced the item and introduced Seth Peterson from Bolton & Menk, who was in attendance for questions. Wagner provided background on the water plant from the initial testing and report to the design phase. He also detailed how the cost of the project has increased with delays in the project and increased construction costs. Wagner discussed the federal grant that was received. Wagner discussed the cost of reverse osmosis and the impacts if that was removed from the project and the water rates impacts due to the project and how they compare to comparable cities. City Administrator Ben Martig referenced items in the agenda packet and encouraged the Council to ask questions while staff and consultants are in attendance. Wagner, Martig, City Engineer/Public Work Director David Bennett, and Peterson, answered questions from the Council. Patrick Tomczik, 1203 Woodland Trail, spoke regarding water quality and the impact of project costs on citizens. RECESS Council recessed at 7:54PM. Council meeting resumed at 8:01PM. 14. Res. 2025-012 Consider Accepting Bids and Awarding Contract - Water Treatment Plant Project. Council continued discussions. Wagner, Martig, City Engineer/Public Work Director David Bennett, and Peterson, answered questions from the Council. A motion was made by Council Member Peterson White, seconded by Council Member Sokup, to approve Resolution 2025-012 Consider Accepting Bids and Awarding Contract - Water Treatment Plant Project. The motion failed by the following vote: Yes: 3- C. Holmes, C. Sokup, and C. Peterson White No: 4- C. Ness, C. Beumer, C. Dahlen, and Mayor Zweifel A motion was made by Council Member Beumer, seconded by Council Member Dahlen, to reject bids for Resolution 2025-012 Consider Accepting Bids and Awarding Contract - Water Treatment Plant Project. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 4- C. Ness, C. Beumer, C. Dahlen, and Mayor Zweifel No: 3- C. Holmes, C. Sokup, and C. Peterson White EXTEND THE MEETING A motion was made by Council Member Peterson White, seconded by Council Member Beumer, to extend the meeting until business is complete. The motion City of Northfield Page 4 Printed on 2/11/2025 City Council Meeting Minutes - Final January 21, 2025 carried by the following vote: Yes: 7- C. Ness, C. Holmes, C. Sokup, C. Peterson White, C. Beumer, C. Dahlen, and Mayor Zweifel 15. 25-053 City Council discussion on the 2026 Spring Creek Road Reconstruction & Mill Towns State Trail Improvements Project Feasibility Report. Engineering Manager Sean Simonson introduced the item and introduced Jason Malecha from Bolton & Menk. Malecha provided background on the item, scope of the project, specific details of the project, and project schedule. City Engineer/Public Works Director David Bennett answered questions from the Council. Council provided feedback to staff on the draft report. David Detert, Woodley Street, spoke on his experience living in the area. ADMINISTRATORS UPDATE 16. 25-054 City Administrator's Update. City Administrator Ben Martig discussed the recent MLK event, recognized Lucy Gonzalez Miron for receiving the Human Rights Award, thanked keynote speaker and Minneapolis Council Member Robin Wonsley, and extended his thanks to the Human Rights Commission and City staff who assisted with the organization and planning of the event. ADJOURN A motion was made by Council Member Ness, seconded by Council Member Beumer, to adjourn the meeting at 9:28PM. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 7- C. Ness, C. Holmes, C. Sokup, C. Peterson White, C. Beumer, C. Dahlen, and Mayor Zweifel City of Northfield Page 5 Printed on 2/11/2025