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 5/13/2025 - 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 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, by Mayor Mike Walters. Councilmembers present: Mike Walters, Jim Kasheimer, Kay Thul, Fred McGuire and Deborah Everson D Councilmember(s) absent: None City staff present: City Administrator Dan Tolsma and Public Services Interim Superintendent Mike Loehrs Others present: Corporal Buckentine, Carver County Sheriff's Department, Richard Schimmel, Ken Johnson, Corky Ibeling, Jim May, Nikki Hunkins, Amy Dimmler, Nicole Gohman, Nicole Sutter, Marcus Wahlstrom, Suzi Larkin, Tom Larkin, Holly Neaton and Connie Schwichtenberg 2. Adopt Agenda COUNCILMEMBER KAY THUL MOVED TO ADOPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED. COUNCILMEMBER JIM KASHEIMER SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 3. Consent Agenda Discussion And Approval COUNCILMEMBER KASHEIMER MOVED TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. COUNCILMEMBER DEBORAH EVERSON SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 3.A. 3.A. April 22 Council Work Session Minutes 3.B. 3.B. April 22 Council Regular Meeting Minutes 3.C. 3.C. Resolution 2025-18 - Hiring Seasonal Employees 3.D. 3.D. Resolution 2025-19 - Approving Liquor Licenses  3.B. 3.B. April 22 Council Regular Meeting Minutes 3.C. 3.C. Resolution 2025-18 - Hiring Seasonal Employees 3.D. 3.D. Resolution 2025-19 - Approving Liquor Licenses 3.E. 3.E. Resolution 2025-20 - Accepting Donations For Commission On Aging Senior DInner 3.F. 3.F. Sanitary Sewer Extension Project Pay App No. 3 3.G. 3.G. Watertower Project Pay App No. 6 T 3.H. 3.H. WWTF Project Pay App No. 36 3.I. 3.I. RFQ - Evergreen Park Batting Cage F 4. Open Forum Marcus Wahlstrom, Watertown resident spoke about the sewer extension work being done in his neighborhood. He noted that they have had issues of Charter cable being cut leaving them without internet services in which he lost some work. He also noted that the company has destroyed his fence in his backyard. He says he is extremely unhappy with the performance and feels let down by the lack of quality A workmanship of the crew. Mayor Walters responded that they are aware of the situation and thanked Mr. Wahlstrom for coming in and that they will make it right one way or another. R Mayor Walters noted that several of the community programming grant awardees were in attendance to give a brief presentation about how they are using the grant funds. Nicole Sutter introduced herself and is the Site Director for BioGirls. We have had four seasons of BioGirls, it is a program to build the self-esteem of girls in grades 2 through 6th. It is a non-profit organization out of Fargo, ND and is a 12-week program that meets 90 minutes every week. Over the course of those 12 D weeks we are training for a 5K, and there is a devotional piece to it as well. Another component of it is service projects. Each year we do a service project, last year we worked with Mike to help clean up Highland Park, we have made tie blankets that we donate to Bridging, made treats and cards for firemen and Westwood residents. Every year we have to raise $5,000 in order for the site to be run. The money that you guys have provided us goes directly to our site and we don't turn any girl away so there is a kind of a state a scale for registration and some of the money will be used to support those individuals that are not able to cover the cost of registration. Suzy Larkin from River City Theatre Company introduced herself as President, Holly Neaton as Secretary and Tom Larkin as Board Member. We offer opportunities for people ages 8 to 80 plus. We produce plays, musicals and regular non-musicals. Our most recent production was a Christmas production called A Crow River Christmas which we performed at Trinity Lutheran Church. We are so grateful to the city council for this grant. We are having difficulties finding performance space and have been blessed to have City Hall. We have also held performances at Trinity Lutheran Church and the Delano Senior Center. Summer Youth Theater. Nikki Hunkins represented the program in place of Hannah and Jake Rosholt who write the entire show from scratch each year, along with Lauren Keyes who writes the music. All three are Watertown-Mayer alumni. This is the 37th year of the program. Ages range from ages 8 through 15. Holly Neaton, Watertown Area Fine Arts Council. This grant money was very timely because we have been offering more programs that cost more money, and most of our programs are free to the public. We have a full year of programs and we're coming into summer music called A Lot of Music, held on the second Thursday of each month, June, July and August. We have teamed up with the Lions also who will grill hamburgers, so we do get a little income from selling food and beverages. In the fall we have the Art and Wine Festival held the Saturday of deer hunting. We tried an Irish Fest in spring and it was a big hit, so we are planning that again next March. For Rails to Trails Emily Victoria coordinates the Chalk to Walk down Lewis Avenue. Jim May spoke on the need for more volunteers and saying that advertising is the most difficult. We are also trying to get more youth involved.  full year of programs and we're coming into summer music called A Lot of Music, held on the second Thursday of each month, June, July and August. We have teamed up with the Lions also who will grill hamburgers, so we do get a little income from selling food and beverages. In the fall we have the Art and Wine Festival held the Saturday of deer hunting. We tried an Irish Fest in spring and it was a big hit, so we are planning that again next March. For Rails to Trails Emily Victoria coordinates the Chalk to Walk down Lewis Avenue. Jim May spoke on the need for more volunteers and saying that advertising is the most difficult. We are also trying to get more youth involved. Corky Eibeling, Watertown Historical Society. I have been in Watertown for almost 50 years, and in 1998 a teacher, Earlene King and I met and discussed needing a history center. In 2000 we had 20 people come aboard for our first meeting. We meet in a classroom in the old elementary school and are almost out of room. Ken Johnson also spoke for the Watertown Historical Society. He said the public cemetery that the Historical Society received a grant for $12,000 will be putting up a sign by the stone of Negro William T Poindexter so that everyone will know what his stone is all about. There will also be an article published in the Waconia Patriot soon. This has been a two-year project. Ken also wanted to praise Jane Gerken in finding all 162 soldiers from around here that fought in the Civil War with this being the 160th year of the end of the Civil War. F Amy Dimmler, Watertown Community Ed. The Watertown Community Ed is growing, and we are excited about it. We offer year-round programming for participants of all ages and have strived to work on offering learning, health and wellness to participants. Our mission to offer accessible and enriching opportunities to lifelong learning for participants from birth to seniors. We are working on restructuring our childcare as it is experiencing record number wait lists. In 22'-23' we serviced over 5,000 participants and had over 474 A programs. That was 22 more programs than the year before. Nicole Gohman, Watertown-Mayer Early Childhood Advisory. I serve as President of the council, and we are made up of parents that all have young children. We serve families that have children from birth to five years old. We plan free events to bring them together. We host these events at the Community Learning R Center. We are a non-profit organization. The funds we received from the city is for an event that is coming up next week, May 21st. It's our kickoff to summer party where all families are invited to attend. 5. New/Old Business Carver County Sherrif Corporal Buckentine gave his report. We have been receiving a lot of driving D complaints, usually involving juveniles. Buckentine also said that both Watertown and Mayer have reached out to him about a bike rodeo. He is looking into that and getting that organized and planned and set-up for the upcoming summer. 5.A. 5.A. RFA - 2025 Pavement Maintenance Project Public Services Interim Superintendent Mike Loehrs presented the 2025 Pavement Maintenance Project. In keeping with the street maintenance plan maintained by the city and identified in the capital investment plan and operating maintenance budgets, staff solicited quotes from contractors to complete the needed bio sealer and crack sealing. Quotes were solicited and clear for clear bios pavement sealer called replay which we have used for a number of years already and clearly crack filling that we've used for a number of years on trails and roads. The streets to be addressed this time and crack fill would be Arnica Drive, 30th Street, the west portion of Iris Drive, the far south part of Paul Avenue, Reo Road, and all the Landings development. Also, the back parking lot at the fire station and the water plant parking lot would be crack sealed and replayed, as well as the couple of trail sections that would be cracked sealed and replayed would be all the way down Arnica drive through Wildflower, the part along Paul Avenue, and then the Luce Line Trail connection down by the Landings. The only bid for the project was Bargain for a $1.64, a linear foot, not to exceed $40,000 depending on what it comes in for linear feet. For crack sealing the trails it's a $1.64, not to exceed over $5,000 and then per engineers all their measurements that they did. It is for the replay for all the streets comes out to $94,156.59. For the trail segment it is $7,292.01. Bringing the estimated total project to $146,448.60. As the bids come in with the estimates, it is $11,815.40 less than the budgeted amount of $158,264.00. COUNCILMEMBER THUL MOVED TO APPROVE THE 2025 PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE PROJECT. COUNCILMEMBER WALTERS SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 5.B. 5.B. RFA - Well Drawdown Gauges  COUNCILMEMBER THUL MOVED TO APPROVE THE 2025 PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE PROJECT. COUNCILMEMBER WALTERS SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 5.B. 5.B. RFA - Well Drawdown Gauges City Administrator Tolsma spoke on the Well Drawdown Guages. This new piece of equipment from Automatic Systems will give us a readout at any given time and will be very precise and automatic. The city council in 2022 authorized the purchase of these drawdown gauges, and for reasons of supply chain, basically were almost three years later and we are finally getting the equipment that we need. It was authorized in 2022 for $63,939. The city paid $25,520 already to go toward it. We essentially have an outstanding balance of $38,419. The contractor is still honoring their price from 2022, that has not changed. T COUNCILMEMBER EVERSON MOTED TO AUTHORIZE THE USE OF FUNDS FROM THE CITY'S CIP FUND, LINE ITEM UC072 TO PAY THE OUTSTANDING BALANCE OF $38,419 TO AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS TO COMPLETE THE DRAWDOWN GUAGE PROJECT AUTHORIZED BY THE CITY F COUNCIL OF WATERTOWN ON AUGUST 23, 2022. COUNCILMEMBER WALTERS SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 6. Other Reports A City Administrator Tolsma reported that there is an Open House at Highland Park tomorrow night at 6:30pm with the Parks Commission to look at a proposal for some additional fencing, partially be considered security fencing, partially allow for ticketed events. The Parks Commission was interested in getting some feedback from the community at large before making a recommendation for the council. R Councilmember Everson reported that at the EDA meeting this week they have determined we want to bring back Developers Day and we want to get some good momentum going on with the new housing development and the growth that is happening in Watertown. The EDA as decided we are going to start meeting once a month, the second Monday of the month at 1:00pm. We have been looking over things Watertown envisioned in the past and how to revitalize some of that for downtown, Highway 25, as well as D housing, but want to be focused on commercial development and how to encourage business growth in Watertown. The EDA will be doing a Developers Day in September-October. We had a lot of discussions about upgrading some of the pamphlets of different promotional things to try. Getting back to promoting the city, the town and businesses. The City of Watertown and the EDA actually have a number of business programs that we already offer, so we are going to be highlighting those on our website as well as social media so business owners and residents know what programs we do have to offer. The EDA does have taxing authorities, so we want to be utilizing those tax dollars in a way that benefits out community as a whole and how do we continue developing the community residents, drawing people, and making it not only a welcoming community but a place where people want to shop and stay. 7. Claims COUNCILMEMBER FRED MCGUIRE MOVED TO APPROVE THE CLAMS ROSTER AS PRESENTED. COUNCILMEMBER EVERSON SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 7.A. CLAIMS 8. Adjournment COUNCILMEMBER THUL MOVED TO ADJOURN AT 7:33P.M. COUNCILMEMBER EVERSON SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED 5-0 309 Lewis Avenue South; P.O. Box 279, Watertown, MN 55388  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 F T R A D