City Council Meetings

Watertown City Council T Regular Meeting Mayor Michael Walters Deborah Everson F Jim Kasheimer Fred McGuire Kay Thul A 1/28/2025 - Minutes 1. Call To Order And Roll Call R 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 6:34 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, by Mayor Mike Walters. Councilmembers present: Mike Walters, Kay Thul, Fred McGuire, Jim Kasheimer and Deb Everson D Councilmember(s) absent: None City staff present: City Administrator Dan Tolsma, Administrative Services Director Michael Sommerfeld, City Engineer Phillip Schrupp, Interim Public Services Superintendent Mike Loehrs and Utilities Superintendent Doug Kammerer. 2. Oath Of Office City Councilmember Deborah Everson joined by her husband, is sworn in and took her Oath of Office. 2.A. Deborah Everson 3. Adopt Agenda COUNCILMEMBER DEBORAH EVERSON MOVED TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. COUNCILMEMBER KAY THUL SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 4. Consent Agenda Discussion And Approval COUNCILMEMBER THUL MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. COUNCILMEMBER FRED MCGUIRE SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 4.A. Meeting Minutes From January 14, 2025 City Council Work Shop 4.B. Meeting Minutes From January 14, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting  COUNCILMEMBER THUL MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. COUNCILMEMBER FRED MCGUIRE SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 4.A. Meeting Minutes From January 14, 2025 City Council Work Shop 4.B. Meeting Minutes From January 14, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting 4.C. Resolution 2025-04 Approval Of Charitable Gambling Application For Watertown-Mayer Education Foundation 4.D. Resolution 2025-05 Support For 709 Jefferson Avenue SW Community Growth Partnership Initiative Application T 4.E. Planning Commission Application - Dan Schuette 5. Open Forum 6. New/Old Business F 6.A. Public Hearing - Resolution 2025-06 TIF 2-8 Tammy Omdahl from Northland Public Finance, serving as advisor to the city, presented on Resolution A 2025-06 TIF 2-8. TIF stands for tax increment financing. The resolution if so approved tonight, will establish a new tax increment financing district. This hearing tonight was noticed both for the purposes of the establishment of the TIF district, which requires a public hearing, and for the business subsidy. Passing of this resolution will also approve and authorize entering into a development agreement. R COUNCILMEMBER WALTERS MOVED TO OPEN UP A PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:54 P.M. COUNCILMEMBER MCGUIRE SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 D Mayor Walters asked if somebody would like to speak on this issue, for or against, has ideas, now is your time during this public hearing. Seeing none or hearing none. COUNCILMEMBER WALTERS MOVED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:55 P.M. COUNCILMEMBER THUL SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 COUNCILMEMBER MCGUIRE MOVED TO APPROVED RESOLUTION 2025-06 TIF 2-8. COUNCILMEMBER JIM KASHEIMER SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 6.B. Request For Authorization To Prepare 2025 Mill And Overlay Plans And Specifications City Engineer Phillip Schrupp presented an RFA to talk about the authorization of overlay plans and specifications. Background is in 2016 the city reviewed pavement management strategies and implemented a pavement management plan to effectively maintain the city's infrastructure. A major component of this was the implementation of a mill and overlay program. In the 2025 Capital Improvement Plan, CIP, we have identified three city-owned parking lots. The first one is between the Post Office and Marketplace Foods. The second is behind Napa and Pocket Park, and the third is at Riverside next to City Center Park. Also in the 2025 CIP, we had a lighting replacement program for these parking lots for the mill and overlay area. If authorized, plans and specifications are anticipated to be completed by the last meeting in February. Staff's recommendation is to authorize the preparation and plans and specifications for the 2025 mill and overlay project.  replacement program for these parking lots for the mill and overlay area. If authorized, plans and specifications are anticipated to be completed by the last meeting in February. Staff's recommendation is to authorize the preparation and plans and specifications for the 2025 mill and overlay project. COUNCILMEMBER EVERSON MOVED TO APPROVE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE 2025 MILL AND OVERLAY PROJECT AS PRESENTED. COUNCILMEMBER THUL SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 6.C. Request For Authorization To Purchase Mack Plow Truck T Interim Public Services Superintendent Mike Loehrs presented his request for authorization to purchase a Mack plow truck. The council authorized solicitation of quotes for a replacement vehicle on January 14, 2025. The current vehicle is a model year 2007 with approximately 154,000 miles and over 9,000 hours of use. This unit was purchased used in 2006 from Hennepin County. Also, staff is seeking F approval for the quote submitted by Towmaster Equipment with a total truck purchase price of $372,248.68. if approved, the lead time for the chassis delivery will be around September of 2025 and upfitting and final delivery will be around the winter of 2026. COUNCILMEMBER KASHEIMER MOVED TO AUTHORIZE THE PURCHASE OF A MACK TRUCK A AND SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT AS OUTLINED IN THE PROVIDED QUOTE. COUNCILMEMBER EVERSON SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 7. Other Reports R Carver County Sheriff's Deputy Buckentin introduced himself as the new liaison for the North Regional Contract with Watertown, Mayer and New Germany. Deputy Buckentin said that he grew up in Carver County and has been with the Sheriff's department since 2022 and said this was his first liaison position and very excited to be here. He said that his days will be Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and every other Saturday. Mayor Walters thanked Deputy Buckentin for coming in and introducing himself tonight. D Public Utilities Superintendent Doug Kammerer reported on a couple updates on the Wastewater Treatment Facility. It has been three years. We met today, and we are substantially complete. We have half of our processes running now and running very well. The other processes should be up and running in two weeks, with some grading, landscaping and stuff to finish but will have to wait until it warms up. Doug also presented handouts to council on what the city takes in from septic haulers. We started taking in septic haulers back in 1998. Doug presented a spreadsheet that was started in 2017 listing how many gallons were taken in and how much money the city has taken in each year through 2024. Doug went on to say that they are bringing in over $300,000 a year. Council approves the contractors that are coming in, and we are only taking residential waste, and it is not affecting our process. If it was, we would not be doing it. We are meeting our limits and doing really well. With this $300,000 it does help us keep the rates down. Doug also reported that starting this year, we are putting in a septic station, which takes out all the rags and grit, and also tells us exactly what they are dumping. They will have to punch in every time. Every truck will have an account number, and it will tally it right on the spot, and they can only come in and dump when we are open, and we are there. Doug went on to tell council a story of when he began working for the City of Watertown on July 6, 1994. Doug then shared with the council that as of today, he will be stepping down as the Utilities Superintendent on February 27, 2025, and will be leaving as a full-time employee at that time. Doug continued that he has worked with 7 city administrators, 4 interims, 7 mayors and 24 city councilmembers and 1 return. He went on to thank all the Mayors, Councilmembers, City Administrators, previous and current staff here at Watertown, and also employees in surrounding communities that I have worked with over the years. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you and working towards a better community. Lastly, Doug shared a few sayings: "Work for a Cause, Not for Applause"; "Live to Express, Not to Impress"; "Don't Strive to Make Your Presence Noticed, "Make Your Absence Felt"; and this one that I learned from my father and grandfather and have instilled into my own children, "Work Hard and Good  on to thank all the Mayors, Councilmembers, City Administrators, previous and current staff here at Watertown, and also employees in surrounding communities that I have worked with over the years. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you and working towards a better community. Lastly, Doug shared a few sayings: "Work for a Cause, Not for Applause"; "Live to Express, Not to Impress"; "Don't Strive to Make Your Presence Noticed, "Make Your Absence Felt"; and this one that I learned from my father and grandfather and have instilled into my own children, "Work Hard and Good Things Will Happen", and "Treat Others How You Want to be Treated". Mayor Walters thanked Doug and let him know how much he has meant to our city, and what I said to him today is, its great having people like him, who care about our city, who are members of our city, who fight for our city. Again, thank you so much Doug for all you've done for the city. City Engineer Phillip Schrupp reported that the sanitary sewer extension picked up a little bit again. They T just got through the swamp area and so they will put it on pause until April. They will be done at the end of April or maybe May. The water tower update, they put in and installed the rebar. They will be pouring the footing on Friday. F After that, you will start seeing it come out of the ground. So, pretty exciting to see that and see the pedestal coming up. Mayor Walters reported that our bill was being heard before the Senate Committee on Taxes. We are A seeking another grant for the city. It could be in the range of $1 to $2 million dollars, and we think we have a good chance of getting it. We were scheduled to testify tomorrow, but it got postponed. Councilmember Everson added she was down at the Capitol for Retailers Day. I met with Senator Gruenhagen and I met with Bobby Harder as well. They have our bill, I've seen it, I've read it for Watertown, but there's nothing that they can do until the House starts meeting again. 8. Claims R COUNCILMEMBER THUL MOVED TO APPROVE THE CLAIMS ROSTER AS PRESENTED. D COUNCILMEMBER KASHEIMER SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 8.A. Claims 9. Adjournment COUNCILMEMBER WALTERS MOVED TO ADJOURN AT 8:21PM. COUNCILMEMBER EVERSON SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 309 Lewis Avenue South; P.O. Box 279, Watertown, MN 55388 _________________________________________________ Michael Walters, Mayor ATTEST: ________________________________________________ Dan Tolsma, City Administrator