City Council

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OAKDALE CITY COUNCIL June 10, 2025 CALL TO ORDER A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Oakdale was held on June 10, 2025 at Oakdale City Hall, 1584 Hadley Avenue North, Oakdale, Minnesota. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Kevin Zabel at 7:01 PM. ROLL CALL On a call of roll, the following were present: Mayor Kevin Zabel Council Members: Kari Moore Andy Morcomb Gary Severson Staff Present: Christina Volkers, City Administrator Sara Ludwig, City Clerk Jim Thomson, City Attorney Jake Foster, Assistant City Administrator Andy Gitzlaff, Community Development Director Kristina Handt, Interim Finance Director Luke McClanahan, City Planner Nick Newton, Police Chief Lori Pulkrabek, Communications Manager Cory Tietz, Public Works Director Others Present: Don Theisen, Owner’s Representative, Don Theisen Consulting PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORCOMB, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED FOR THE MEETING OF JUNE 10, 2025. 4 AYES APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: Workshop, May 27, 2025 Regular Meeting, May 27, 2025 A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORCOMB, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SEVERSON TO APPROVE THE WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES OF MAY 27, 2025. 4 AYES A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORCOMB, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SEVERSON TO APPROVE THE REGULAR MEETING MINUTES OF MAY 27, 2025. 1 4 AYES PUBLIC HEARINGS a) Enclave Helmo Station – Vacation of Easements and Development Agreement City Planner Luke McClanahan explained that these requests relate to the Enclave Helmo Station development located southeast of Helmo Ave and 4th St, east of the Norhart apartment building. The final plat for the development was approved at the May 27, 2025 City Council meeting. As part of that approval, the developer is required to vacate unneeded public utility and drainage easements, since zoning regulations prohibit encroachments in those areas. Mr. McClanahan noted that the developer is also seeking approval of a development agreement outlining conditions for site improvements, including a new park. Staff recommended approval of both easement vacations (Resolutions 2025-57 and 2025-58) and the development agreement. In response to Mayor Zabel’s question about whether the development agreement reflects the slight language change in which Council reviewed earlier in the day related to park amenities, Mr. McClanahan confirmed. Mayor Zabel opened the public hearing and welcomed comments from the audience. No comments were heard. Mayor Zabel closed the public hearing. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER SEVERSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE TO WAIVE READING AND ADOPT RESOLUTION 2025-57, APPROVING THE VACATION OF A UTILITY EASEMENT WITHIN OAKS BUSINESS PARK. 4 AYES A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER SEVERSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORCOMB TO WAIVE READING AND ADOPT RESOLUTION 2025-58, APPROVING THE VACATION OF DRAINAGE AND UTILITY EASEMENTS WITHIN OAKS BUSINESS PARK AND OAKS BUSINESS PARK 2ND ADDITION. 4 AYES A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER SEVERSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR AND CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO SIGN AND EXECUTE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT FOR ENCLAVE HELMO STATION. 4 AYES OPEN FORUM Mayor Zabel invited comments from the audience. No comments were heard. CONSENSUS MOTIONS a) Request that the City Council appoint Chenayi Shava to the Planning Commission to fill a vacancy for the period of July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2028. 2 b) Request per City of Oakdale Code of Ordinances, Chapter 2, Article IV, Sec.2-36 (c) and per City Personnel Policy PE-031, Section 5.0, that the City Council appoint Onnah Pomeroy as a probationary full-time Police Officer effective June 11, 2025, at a rate of pay consistent with the City base pay schedule, conditioned on passing all background requirements. c) Request that the City Council approve issuance of a Tent Sale License for TNT Fireworks, Inc. to operate a temporary Fireworks Tent Sale located at 7191 10th Street North, subject to the following conditions, which the applicant has agreed to: 1. Adherence to the site plan and layout as submitted to the City. 2. License to be valid from June 18, 2025, to July 5, 2025. 3. Hours of operation to be limited to 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM daily. 4. All materials for the use must be removed promptly from the site following the selling season and no later than July 19, 2025. d) Request that the City Council approve the renewal of the Secondhand Goods Dealer license to Guitar Center #394 at 8316 3rd St N and Golf Carts of MN, LLC at 6060 50th St N, for the license period of one year from the issuance date. e) Request that the City Council approve the THC Sales License renewals for the above stated businesses for the term of July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026. f) Request that the City Council approve the noise variance(s) requested by O.S.C.O. for the dates of June 26, for the hours of 5:00 PM – 10:30PM; June 27, for the hours of 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM; and June 28, for the hours of 1:00 PM – 10:30 PM. g) Request that the City Council authorize the Mayor and City Administrator to sign and execute the Development Agreement for Estoria Oak Marsh. h) Request that City Council waive reading and adopt Resolution 2025-56, calling for a public hearing on July 8, 2025, at or after 7:00 p.m., at the City Hall at 1584 Hadley Avenue N in the City, on proposed property tax abatements for the purpose of issuing tax abatement bonds to finance certain public improvements. i) Request that the City Council acknowledge receipt of the 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. j) Request that the City Council authorize the Mayor and City Administrator to enter into an agreement with EMS|MC to provide EMS billing and collection services. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORCOMB, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SEVERSON TO APPROVE CONSENSUS MOTIONS A-J AS PRESENTED. 4 AYES ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS Environmental Management Commission (no meeting, Council Liaison Zabel) Planning Commission (met on 6/5/25, Council Liaison Severson) 3  Council Member Severson reported that the Planning Commission held two public hearings. One for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment related to the Glenbrook Small Area Plan, and the second for the Zoning and Subdivision Code Update and Zoning Map Amendment. Parks and Recreation Commission (no meeting, Council Liaison Morcomb) Tree Board (no meeting, Council Liaison Moore) AWARD OF BIDS None STAFF REPORTS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT a) Collins Electrical – Site Plan Amendment Mr. McClanahan explained that Collins Electrical Construction Co. is relocating its headquarters from St. Paul to Oakdale at 711 Hale Avenue, the former Spartan Promotional building. The company is requesting a site plan amendment to expand the existing building by about 19,000 square feet and add an outdoor storage area for equipment. Staff recommended approval with required conditions in the attached resolution, but Mr. McClanahan noted that updated plans were submitted after the agenda was published which satisfy conditions two, three, and four. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORCOMB, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SEVERSON TO WAIVE READING AND ADOPT RESOLUTION 2025-55, APPROVING THE SITE PLAN AMENDMENT FOR COLLINS ELECTRICAL, WITH CONDITIONS INCLUDED IN THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION. 4 AYES b) Additional Extension Request for Rios de Agua Viva - Building Permit Compliance Date Mr. McClanahan explained that the request is from Rios de Agua Viva, located at 7287 Stillwater Boulevard, for approval of a 30-day extension of their site plan approval, moving the deadline from July 6 to August 5. The extension is needed to allow time to finalize the development agreement and obtain a building permit. Mr. McClanahan noted that staff is confident the agreement can be completed within the next few weeks and is actively working with the developer to move the process forward. In response to Council Member Morcomb’s question about whether a 90-day extension may be better suited for this situation, Mr. McClanahan assured the Council that this extension will be sufficient to finalize the development agreement and obtain a building permit. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER SEVERSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE TO APPROVE AN ADDITIONAL 30-DAY EXTENSION, WITH AN EXPIRATION DATE OF AUGUST 5, 2025, FOR RIOS DE AGUA VIVA TO OBTAIN A BUILDING PERMIT FOR THE PROPOSED CHURCH AT 7287 STILLWATER BOULEVARD NORTH. 4 AYES 4 CITY ATTORNEY No report. ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT a) Donation to the City – Appreciation of Fire Department Staff City Administrator Chris Volkers reported that a generous $800 donation was made to the City by residents Nancy Muggenberg and Michael and Dawn Conlan, in memory of Nancy’s late husband Cory. The gift was made in appreciation of the Fire Department’s service and support during Cory’s final years, with which the family had significant positive interactions. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORCOMB, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE TO WAIVE READING AND ADOPT RESOLUTION 2025-54, ACCEPTING A DONATION FROM NANCY MUGGENBURG AND MICHAEL AND DAWN CONLAN IN A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $800.00. 4 AYES b) Approval of Construction Manager at Risk Contract with Kraus-Anderson Construction for Police Department and City Hall Remodel Projects Don Theisen, Owner’s Representative for the Police Department and City Hall Remodel projects, explained that staff is requesting Council approval for two actions related to these upcoming projects. The first action is to approve a Construction Manager at Risk (CMaR) contract with Kraus- Anderson Construction Company. Mr. Theisen noted that a thorough selection process was followed, including requests for qualifications and proposals, interviews, and scoring by a selection committee made up of the City Administrator, Police Chief, and project architect. Kraus-Anderson was selected due to their successful work on the current Public Works facility and their ability to manage the project within budget and under challenging conditions. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SEVERSON TO AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR AND CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH KRAUS- ANDERSON CONSTRUCTION COMPANY FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AT RISK SERVICES FOR CIP PROJECT B2025-01 (EXPANSION AND REMODEL OF POLICE DEPARTMENT FACILITY) AND B2026-01 (CITY HALL REMODEL). 4 AYES Mr. Theisen continued, the second requested action is to grant the City Administrator authority to approve change orders for the two noted projects, similar to what was approved for the new Public Works facility project. This authority helps avoid costly delays by allowing timely decisions on necessary changes during construction. Council Member Morcomb asked how many change orders for the new Public Works facility project above $25,000 have been received thus far. Mr. Theisen did not have the exact number on hand, but noted that it is less than ten, which is typical for this type of project, especially given the weather conditions. He offered to send the exact number of change orders to the Council. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORCOMB, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SEVERSON TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO APPROVE INDIVIDUAL CHANGE ORDERS UP TO $100,000, 5 PROVIDED THAT THE INCREASE IN PROJECT COST IS WITHIN THE CITY COUNCIL’S APPROVED PROJECT BUDGET FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CITY HALL REMODEL PROJECTS. 4 AYES c) Amend City Policy CC-002: City Council Advisory Boards and Commissions Ms. Volkers explained that the changes to City Policy CC-002 establish a clearer and more structured process for appointing and managing members of the City’s advisory bodies. The proposed policy revisions, based on previous Council discussions, cover a few key areas: appointment terms, the application process, reappointments, handling vacancies, attendance expectations, and the creation of annual work plans. A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SEVERSON TO AMEND CITY POLICY CC-002: CITY COUNCIL ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. Mayor Zabel thanked staff for their work to update this policy. 4 AYES COUNCIL PRESENTATIONS a) Update to Board and Commission Assignments for 2025 A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORCOMB, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SEVERSON TO AFFIRM THE UPDATED APPOINTMENTS FOR THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS LIAISONS FOR 2025, AS NOTED ON THE ATTACHED. 4 AYES Mayor Zabel made announcements about the following: • The Oakdale Farmers Market is held every Wednesday through October 8th from 2 to 6 PM in the City Hall parking lot. • City Offices will be closed on Thursday, June 19th in observance of the Juneteenth holiday. • Nominations for the Acorn Award are now open through June 30th. Residents can nominate as many properties as they like, including their own. To learn more and nominate, visit www.oakdalemn.gov. • Oakdale Summerfest is June 23rd through 28th. For the full schedule, visit www.oakdalesummerfest.com. Thank you to the Oakdale Summerfest Community Organization for their volunteer efforts in coordinating this cornerstone community celebration. • A reminder that there is only one City Council meeting this month due to Summerfest. Thus, there will be no meeting on the fourth Tuesday in June. • Washington County Sheriff Dan Starry announced he will not be seeking re-election. Oakdale has had a strong, collaborative relationship with him during his tenure. The City wishes him well in his retirement after his term ends January 4, 2027. CLAIMS A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER SEVERSON, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE TO APPROVE CLAIMS FOR THE PERIOD MAY 28, 2025 TO JUNE 10, 2025 IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,067,167.96. 6 4 AYES ADJOURNMENT A MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER MORCOMB, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE TO ADJOURN THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 10, 2025, AT 7:32 PM. 4 AYES Respectfully submitted, Sara Ludwig, City Clerk 7