HomeMy WebLinkAbout09.15.25September 15, 2025
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Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City Council for the City of St. Joseph met in regular session on
Monday, September 15, 2025, at 6:OOPM in the St. Joseph Government Center.
Members Present: Mayor Adam Scepaniak, Councilmembers Adam Schnettler, Andrew Mooney, Kevin
Kluesner, Kelly Beniek
City Representatives Present: City Administrator David Murphy, Finance Director Lori Bartlett, Public Works
Director Ryan Wensmann, Police Chief Dwight Pfannenstein, City Engineer Bryce Johnson, Community
Development Director Nate Keller
Public Comments:
Tim McPhee, asked about when the upgrades to MN Street will be completed and why residents are asked to
pay for improvements prior to the work being completed.
Bryce Johnson responded that the improvements to MN St W will likely be completed this year; however,
initially it was slated to be completed next year.
Approve Agenda: Kluesner moved to approve the agenda; seconded by Beniek and passed
unanimously.
Consent Agenda: Kluesner moved to approve the consent agenda, pulling items e, I and m for further
discussion; seconded by Scepaniak and passed unanimously.
a. Minutes - Requested Action: Approve the minutes of September 2, 2025.
b. Bills Payable- Requested Action: Approve Check Numbers 63209-63228, Payroll & Account
Payable EFT #3810-3818; ACH Accounts Payable #2400557-2400586; Regular Pay Period 18.
c. Financial Report - Requested Action: Accept the August 2025 financial reports as presented.
d. Donations -;Requested Action: Approve Resolution 2025-062 accepting donations.
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hours f f enf l A d SiGk leave and 40 hol irs of frnnt l a d d a L' O- leave.
f. Interim Use Permit-110 College Ave N - Requested Action: Approve Resolution 2025-058
approving findings of fact approving an interim use permit for the purpose of a residential rental in
a B-1 Central Business District.
g. Interim Use Permit -13 Ash ST E - Requested Action: Approve Resolution 2025-059 approving
findings of fact approving an interim use permit for the purpose of a residential rental in a B-1
Central Business District.
h. Interim Use Permit -29 Ash ST W - Requested Action: Approve Resolution 2025-060 approving
findings of fact approving an interim use permit for the purpose of a residential rental in a B-1
Central Business District.
i. Safety Grant Agreement Approval Requested Action: Approve the grant agreement between
the City of St. Joseph and the Department of Labor & Industry to aid in the purchase of a scissor
lift.
j. Payment #3 for CSAH 2/MN Street. Roundabout Project - Requested Action: Approve payment
application 3 in the amount of $32,683.87 for the CSAH 2/MN Street Roundabout project.
k. Casey's Surplus Property -Requested Action: Approve all remaining item located at 423 4'h Ave
NE as surplus property
1. NIP-1.0 Offiner Hirp lakeb Navratil Requested AGtion: Approve the hire of Jakob Nawatil t step
L' nd 40 ho Fs of f nt I a ded i ti I
m. Axon Ge-tr.ar-,t Extensien - Requested AGtiOn: Approve the extension Af thp Axon GentraG
through the year 2030.
n. Transfer - Requested Action: Authorize the 2025 transfers as presented.
o. Flower Basket Funding Request - Requested Action: Fund $5,000 towards the flower basket
program in 2025 using debt relief services and continue funding $5,000 in 2026 out of the Public
Works operational fund.
e. Promote Officer Vic Weiss from part-time to full-time promoting Officer Weiss to full-time would fill the
vacancy left by a previous officer that had left for the City of St. Cloud. After posting the position numerous
times, the council directed staff to come up with additional incentives to potential applicants.
September 15, 2025
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I. New Officer Hire = Jakob Navratil: Navratil is new to the force and would fill another vacancy in the
department.
m. Axon Contract Extension: This extension would save the city money in the long run.
Kluesner moved to approve items e, I, and m of the consent agenda; seconded by Scepaniak and
passed unanimously.
Fire Department Report — Keith Louwagie: Louwagie approached the council to ask for an increase in the
pension from $3600 per year of service up to $4600 per year of service.
Kluesner moved to approve increasing the pension amount for the St. Joseph Fire Department to
$4,600 per member per year of service effective January 1, 2026; seconded by Beniek.
Motion Carried: 3:0:2
Aye: Kluesner, Beniek, Schnettler
Nay: None
Abstain: Scepaniak, Mooney
Scepaniak and Mooney abstained from the vote due to being current members of the St. Joseph Fire
Department.
Conditional Use Permit Green Cross C-Corp — Indoor Cannabis Cultivation: The request is to operate an
indoor cannabis cultivation facility at a property located in the B-2 Highway Business district. A conditional use
permit is required to operate such a use in the B-2. The use will be conducted entirely indoors.
Daniel Clark, applicant: Clark provided a background of what the operation would entail. Their product would go
mostly to northern Minneapolis. The goal is to have it opened by December; however, they are bound by the
state's approval.
Scepaniak moved to approve Resolution 2025-061 Conditional Use Permit Approval for Indoor
Cannabis Cultivation on a B-2 Highway 75 Business Zoning District as presented; seconded by Mooney
and passed unanimously.
Issuance of General Obligation Bonds Series 2025A: Tammy Omdal with Northland Securities was present to
discuss this item and the Debt Management Study. The Series 2025A bonds were priced this morning. Before
the sale, the city received a rating of AA-.
Kluesner moved to approve Resolution 2025-063 Providing for the Issuance and Sale of $2,355,000
General Obligation Bonds, Series 2025A, pledging for the security thereof special assessments and
levying a tax for the payment thereof; seconded by Beniek and passed unanimously.
Debt Management Study: Omdal noted that the study is a joint effort between Northland Securities and city
staff. The credit rating of AA- is a forward -looking opinion about the creditworthiness of the city. The rating
reflects a stable population, healthy financial profile, realistic budgetary practices, well -funded pension plans.
Kluesner asked if the city had any rating lower than AA-. Bartlett stated that the city was at an A+ when she
started with the city.
2026 Preliminary Budget: Bartlett provided an overview of the 2026 Preliminary Budget. An overall levy change
of 10.8% increase with 5% of that being the debt levy and the remaining operational. Seventy-five percent of
the city's budget is wages and benefits. The MN Paid Leave Law goes into effect January 1, 2026 and those
budget impacts are included in the preliminary.
The fire department is working with the College of Saint Benedicts to cover service calls on campus and a
contract has been initiated.
Beniek moved to approve Resolution 2025-064 adopting the preliminary 2025 budget and proposed
2025 tax levy, collectible in 2026. The motion was seconded by Kluesner and passed unanimously.
September 15, 2025
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Mayor Scepaniak stated the public hearing for adoption of the final budget for 2026 will be held on December 1,
2025, at 6PM or shortly thereafter in the St. Joseph Government Center council chambers. Taxpayers may call
the city at 320-363-7201 with any question regarding their tax statements.
Department Reports: Keller stated the City of St. Cloud has began the process of the annexation of the
property where the future justice center is proposed to be located.
Mayor and Council Reports/Updates: Beniek asked if there are any updates on the Community Center.
Kluesner stated that fundraising committee met and it was obvious that the amount of money the city would
want to raise privately is not going to be reached. The next step would be to move forward with the public
fundraising phase. The architect will work with the YMCA to come up with a Phase I YMCA that will work with
the funds that are raised. Kluesner has stepped down from the fundraising committee.
Kluesner added that an Arbor Task Force has been created that will focus on the health of trees within the city.
The group will meet next Thursday.
Scepaniak announced that Big Brothers Big Sisters will be at Millstream Park holding a carnival as a
recruitment tool and invited the public to attend.
Adiourn: Beniek made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 6:58PM; seconded by Mooney and
passed unanimously.
4Gls., J
KaylalWei
City Clerk