HomeMy WebLinkAbout03.17.25 Work SessionMarch 17, 2025
Page 1 of 1
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City Council for the City of St. Joseph met in a workshop
setting on Monday, March 17, 2025, at 5:OOPM in the St. Joseph Government Center.
Members Present: Mayor Adam Scepaniak, Councilmembers Adam Schnettler, Kevin Kluesner, Andrew
Mooney, Kelly Beniek
City Representatives Present: Administrator David Murphy, Finance Director Lori Bartlett, Public Works
Director Ryan Wensmann, Community Development Director Nate Keller, Police Chief Dwight
Pfannenstein, Recreation Director Rhonda Juell, City Clerk Kayla Klein
Others Present: Mary Bruno, Ashley Fink, Jacob Fink
Morningside Watermain Discussion: Sabart provided an overview of the watermain in the Morningside
area. On the council's agenda is approval for soil borings to be conducted as there have been two breaks
in that area. The city hired a consultant to see if the cause was from electrolysis. The results of that study
determined it was not caused by electrolysis so the next potential reason would be hot soils. SEH will
come back with an estimate to replace the entirety of the pipe from ductile iron to PVC.
CVB & Compensation for CVB Chair: Mayor Scepaniak provided an overview for this item. He has done
quite a bit of research on other CVBs in the state and none of the chairs are paid. There will need to be a
separation of the chair from the freelance contractor. Roles and responsibilities for the CVB need to be
defined. Each year a chair and vice chair should be elected. Scepaniak asked that Mary Bruno draft a
contract for her marketing and design services for the CVB and present that to the council for approval.
This will clean up the notion that Bruno is being paid just for being the chair of the CVB, which isn't the
case.
Eag-Laving Chicken Ordinance: Mayor Scepaniak asked the council for their thoughts on the city having
an egg -laying chicken ordinance. There have been several inquiries from residents on having chickens on
their property. Ashley and Jacob Fink were in attendance as advocates for a proposed ordinance. There
would be regulations in place on the number based on lot size, no roosters would be allowed. There
wouldn't be a fee/license, but the property owner would still need to register with the city. This is similar to
the beekeeping ordinance.
Councilmember Schnettler though the chickens should only be allowed in the R-1 and R-2 zoning
districts..
NFC (National Fitness Campaiqn) Fitness Court: The NFC reached out to Mayor Scepaniak regarding a
possible outdoor fitness court in St. Joseph. They would supply some of the funding. The court would be
the same as the one in Waite Park. Each year the NFC has a pool of money in which they allocate to
these projects. Once the money is gone for the year, its gone; however, the pool is replenished each
year.
Councilmembers were open to it; however, it would need to be discussed for the 2026 budget.
The work session was adjourned at 5:53 PM.
Kayla Klein
City Clerk