City Council Meetings

Watertown City Council T Regular Meeting Mayor Michael Walters Deborah Everson F Jim Kasheimer Fred McGuire Kay Thul 1. Call To Order And Roll Call R A 1/14/2025 - Minutes Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the regular meeting of the Watertown City Council was called to order in the Council Chambers of City Hall at 6:31 p.m. on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, by Mayor Mike Walters. D Councilmembers present: Mike Walters, Fred McGuire and Jim Kasheimer Councilmember(s) absent: Kay Thul and Deborah Everson City staff present: Interim City Administrator Tom Hanson, City Administrator Dan Tolsma, Administrative Services Director Michael Sommerfeld, City Planner Mark Kaltsas and Interim Public Services Superintendent Mike Loehrs 2. Oath Of Office 2.A. Council Member James Kasheimer Councilmember Jim Kasheimer took the Oath of Office. 2.B. Mayor Michael Walters Mayor Mike Walters, joined by his family, took the Oath of Office. 3. Adopt Agenda Interim City Administrator Tom Hanson presented two updates to the Agenda as the addition of two payouts for the Wastewater Treatment Facility and Water Tower, and the recognizing of appointments that were established in the council workshop for our commissions. COUNCILMEMBER FRED MCGUIRE MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED.  Interim City Administrator Tom Hanson presented two updates to the Agenda as the addition of two payouts for the Wastewater Treatment Facility and Water Tower, and the recognizing of appointments that were established in the council workshop for our commissions. COUNCILMEMBER FRED MCGUIRE MOVED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED. COUNCILMEMBER JIM KASHEIMER SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 3-0 4. Consent Agenda Discussion And Approval COUNCILMEMBER KASHEIMER MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. COUNCILMEMBER MCGUIRE SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 3-0 T 4.A. Approve Minutes From December 10th, 2024 City Council Meeting 4.B. 2025 Organizational Statement And Resolution F 4.C. 2025 Fee Schedule 4.D. Step Movement For Logan Pysick 4.E. RFA - 2025-02 Accepting Donations 4.F. Water Tower Pay Applications 1 And 2 4.G. WWTF Pay Application No. 32 5. Open Forum R A Mayor Walters welcomed our new City Administrator, Dan Tolsma. We are definitely very excited to have you on board. D Dan introduced himself to the council, stating this is my second week here. I've just been learning and listening and trying to piece things together. I've met a lot of residents so far, toured the city with Doug, toured the fire station with Tom and am enjoying it. Staff has been great to work with, and they are making the transition really easy on me. Kyle Jarvis, President of the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce also welcomed Councilmember Kasheimer and City Administrator Dan Tolsma. I want to express my sincere thank you to Chief Hanson for all of his work serving as the Interim City Administrator. He did a bang-up job and just want to thank him for everything he's done. Mayor Walters also commented. Tom, you did step in and did just an awesome job. I think way above and beyond what my expectations were. I really appreciate it and knowing that you can fill in those types of capacities and beyond. Super valuable guy to our organization. Mayor Walters continued to also thank everyone on staff who stepped up. 6. New/Old Business 6.A. Cannabis Ordinance City Planner Mark Kaltsas presented to the council on a cannabis ordinance. This item that has been lingering for quite some time around the State of Minnesota since the legalization of cannabis was approved by the legislature and with that they created the Office of Cannabis management. That particular office was charged with the responsibility of coming up with administrative rules related to adult use cannabis in Minnesota. Our adoption is timed based on when the Office of Cannabis Management is going to issue its final draft or final actual version of the administrative rules. So until  City Planner Mark Kaltsas presented to the council on a cannabis ordinance. This item that has been lingering for quite some time around the State of Minnesota since the legalization of cannabis was approved by the legislature and with that they created the Office of Cannabis management. That particular office was charged with the responsibility of coming up with administrative rules related to adult use cannabis in Minnesota. Our adoption is timed based on when the Office of Cannabis Management is going to issue its final draft or final actual version of the administrative rules. So until that happens, there's really nothing that can be done in that realm. Cities have been encouraged to at least get ahead of that, adopt rules and regulations if they choose, and then try to see if anything comes out of the final adoption of the administrative rules that we would need to address in some sort of an amendment. So what we're considering tonight is adopting an amendment to the city's zoning and land-use ordinances which would stipulate where adult-based cannabis businesses can be located, so which zoning district, and then to consider additional provisions that would regulate their use from a land-use T standpoint, particularly the adoption of a buffer zone, and then the consideration to make cannabis uses within the city of Watertown conditional uses, with the idea that then they could go through that conditional use process, rather than just being outright permitted. The Planning Commision held a public hearing and made a recommendation to City Council relating to F this particular draft ordinance. COUNCILMEMBER MCGUIRE MOVED TO TABLE DISCUSSION OF THE CANNABIS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT TO THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING. A COUNCILMEMBER KASHEIMER SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 3-0 6.B. 701 Jefferson Avenue Site Plan Amendment R City Planner Mark Kaltsas presented an item that was before the Planning Commission at their December meeting and recommended to the City Council and it's request for site plan review for the property located 709-701 Jefferson Avenue. D COUNCILMEMBER KASHEIMER MOVED TO APPROVE THE SITE PLAN AMENDEMENT WITH THE FINDINGS AND CONDITIONS AS OUTLINED IN THE STAFF MEMO. COUNCILMEMBER MCGUIRE SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 3-0 6.C. RFA - 2007 Mack Tandem Dump Truck - Solicitation Of Quotes Interim Public Services Superintendent Mike Loehrs presented information for solicitation of quotes for a new tandem dump truck. COUNCILMEMBER MCGUIRE MOVED TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO SOLICIT QUOTES FOR TANDEM DUMP TRUCK TO REPLACE EXISTING 2007 INTERNATIONAL DUMP TRUCK WITH SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT. COUNCILMEMBER MIKE WALTERS SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 3-0 6.D. Park Vandalism Interim City Administrator Tom Hanson reported on vandalism. Lately there has been instances of graffiti on park signs and pavement. We have had a few windows shot out at the hockey rink warming house two different times. We have made repairs to the windows and removed the graffiti. Since the hockey rink warming house has been open the last couple of weeks, we have had some vandalism to the thermostat and some lighting. Items to also note, the fire pit feature at Rapid Waters Park was recently damaged, and the vandals utilized the pergola and some of the trim pieces from the pergola to start a fire in the pergola. Estimated damage of $3,000.00. Staff solicited feedback from the Park Commission, and it was noted  Since the hockey rink warming house has been open the last couple of weeks, we have had some vandalism to the thermostat and some lighting. Items to also note, the fire pit feature at Rapid Waters Park was recently damaged, and the vandals utilized the pergola and some of the trim pieces from the pergola to start a fire in the pergola. Estimated damage of $3,000.00. Staff solicited feedback from the Park Commission, and it was noted that the desire of the Park Commission was to remove that fire pit and repair the pergola. COUNCILMEMBER WALTERS MOVED TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO REMOVE THE FIREPIT AND REPAIR THE PERGOLA AT RAPID WATERS PARK. COUNCILMEMBER MCGUIRE SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 3-0 T 7. Other Reports 8. Claims COUNCILMEMBER WALTERS MOVED TO APPROVE THE CLAIMS ROSTER AS PRESENTED. F COUNCILMEMBER MCGUIRE SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 3-0 8.A. CLAIMS A 9. Adjournment COUNCILMEMBER WALTERS MOVED TO ADJOURN AT 7:45 PM. COUNCILMEMBER KASHEIMER SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 3-0 R 309 Lewis Avenue South; P.O. Box 279, Watertown, MN 55388 D ________________________________________________________ ATTEST: __________________________________________________ Michael Walters, Mayor Dan Tolsma, City Administrator