HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.21.25Apri121, 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, April 21 st, 2025, at 6:OOPM in the St. Joseph Government Center. ,
Members Present: Mayor Adam Scepaniak, Councilmembers Adam Schnettler, Kevin Kluesner, Kelly Beniek,
Andrew Mooney
City Representatives Present: City Administrator. David Murphy, City Clerk Kayla Klein, Community
Development Director Nate Keller, Finance Director Lori Bartlett, Police Chief Dwight Pfannenstein, Public
Works Director Ryan Wensmann, City Engineers Randy Sabart and Bryce Johnson.
Public Comments: None.
Approve Agenda: Beniek moved to approve the agenda, removing item 11 309 Cypress Dr. Chicken
Enforcement. The motion was seconded by Kluesner and passed unanimously.
Consent Agenda: Kluesner moved to approve the consent agenda, removing item 4e. Ordinance 205 f
Amendment for discussion; seconded by Scepaniak and passed unanimously.
a. Minutes — Requested Action: Approve the minutes of April 7, 2025.
b. Bills Payable — Requested Action: Approve check numbers 62869-62881, ACH account payable
# 2400183-2400200; Payroll & Accounts Payable EFT #3642-3649; Regular Pay Period 5.
c. Financial Report —Requested Action: Accept the March 2025 financial reports as presented.
d. Donations —Requested Action: Approve Resolution 2025-023 accepting donations and
contributions.
f. Special Home Occupation License, Cherrico Pottery — Requested Action: Approve Resolution
2025-024 Adopting findings of Fact and Approve a Special Home Occupation License for and Art
Studio.
g. Acceptance of MN Twins Grant for Equipment and Coaching Requested Action: Accept the MN
Twins grant which includes equipment for baseball and softball and $1500 to pay for coaches for
baseball and softball.
h. Transfers Requested Action: Approve the 2025 transfers as presented.
i. Engage Nagell Appraisals- Requested Action: Authorize the City Administrator and City
Attorney to engage Nagell Appraisals to conduct the benefit analysis report for the 2025 Street
Improvement project.
j. Approval of Administrative Assistant Hire - Requested Action: Approve the hire of Brooke
Fetterer at Grade 4, Step 1 on the city's base wage scale for the Administrative Assistant position
contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.
k. Approve Purchase of Capital Asset Tracking Software -Requested Action: Accept the quote to
implement the Plan -it CIP software program.
1. Tri-County Humane Society Animal Impound Agreement —Requested Action: Approve the Tri
County Humane Society Animal Impound Agreement for 2025.
4e. Ordinance 205 Amendment: Kluesner pulled the item to discuss the residency requirement for being on the
Planning Commission. Specifically, he asked why Commissioner Dullinger is allowed to be on the Planning
Commission when she doesn't live within the city.
Community Development Director Nate Keller responded that the suggested changes to the ordinance would
allow anyone within city limits and the Orderly Annexation Area to be a member ofthe ;Planning Commission.
Regarding Commissioner Dullinger, she has been grandfathered in as she was part of the commission, prior to
the new requirements.
Scepaniak moved to approve Ordinance 2025-003 Amending Ordinance 205; seconded by Kluesner and
passed unanimously.
Scepaniak moved to approve Resolution 2025-025 approving summary publication of Ordinance 2025-
003; seconded by Kluesner and passed unanimously.
April 21, 2025
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Public Hearing, Joetown Rocks: Joetown will be held on July 31 and 41n. The request includes music until
10PM, fireworks and street closures over the course of the two days. The applicant has submitted plans for
emergency evacuation, parking/traffic control, event clean-up, and security/crowd control.
Staff is recommending the street closures include College Avenue from Ash Street to MN Street.
Chief Pfannenstein also mentioned the applicants cannot block College Avenue before 10AM on the 4th due to
the parade traffic. Additionally, no festival volunteers can park within the street closures to ensure pedestrian
safety.
Kluesner moved to approve the special event request for Joetown Rocks; seconded by Beniek and
passed unanimously.
Continuation of Public Hearing for Elm Street East Assessments: City Engineer Randy Sabart provided an
overview of the Elm Street East Improvements which included: project location; projected costs and project
funding; MN Statute 429 process and requirements; city's special assessment policy; how assessments were
calculated; and the project schedule.
Mayor Scepaniak opened the public hearing.
Mike Gohman, 815 CSAH 75 E. Gohman asked what his address will be when the project is done as changing
his stationary is a large expense. Gohman introduced Craig Guggenberger who is half owner of the Gohman
Construction Property as well as the neighboring property. Gohman doesn't believe he is benefitting from the
improvements at all and actually increasing traffic on Elm Street will negatively impact their business.
Gohman received two letters for the assessment but they don't differentiate which property is which and how
much is being assessed to each property. The clarity of information provided is very poor. He doesn't know why
they are being assessed, what the benefit is for their property, and how much is being assessed to his property.
Gohman stated he has been asking questions on this and hasn't received any answers.
Guggenburger asked why interest accrues on an assessment when the construction won't start until later.
Gohman added that the benefit is for residents in Northland to not have to travel on CSAH 75 and to not have
additional traffic on CSAH 75.
Bill Arndt, Northland Plaza: Arndt doesn't believe that overlaying Elm Street on the western side doesn't benefit
his property at all.
Sabart stated the average lot width was used to calculate Arndt's property frontage and assessment.
Arndt asked for a copy of the Benefit Analysis Report and doesn't believe the assessments are fair and won't
benefit the properties at all.
Murphy made known for the record that an objection was received from Dollar General, DG Properties when
the public improvement hearing was held. The objection is still valid.
Mayor Scepaniak stated that the hearing will be continued to May 5, 2025.
Kluesner made a motion tabling the Public Hearing for Elm Street East Assessments to May 5, 2025;
seconded by Scepaniak and passed unanimously.
St. Joseph Lions — Street Closure Request: The St. Joseph Lions Club hold their annual parade on July 4'n
The route begins at 3rd Ave NW and runs until 171n Ave SE.
Kluesner moved to approve the street closure requested submitted by the St. Joseph Lions Club for
the 4"' of July parade; seconded by Mooney and passed unanimously.
Special Event Permit — LaPlayette Bar: This item was tabled from the April 71h meeting to allow for both the
applicant and Chief Pfannenstein to be present. Discussion was had on the event and state alignment.
Apri121, 2025
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Applicant Shawn Riesner stated that the band they have had increased the size of their stage which was why it
had to be turned to the west.
Pfannenstein noted that there were a couple of complaints that came in during the event last year; however, he
could not say if it was due to the stage being turned.
Mooney moved to approve the special event request submitted by the LaPlayette Bar for an event on
August 22, 2025; seconded by Beniek and passed unanimously.
The council approved having the stage face west and that the applicant will submit a new site plan to staff
showing that change.
Special Event Permit — Make a Difference 5K/1 K: Mitch Evens with St. Cloud Toyota submitted a special event
application to hold a 5K/1 K at Klinefelter Park. The event will be on September 13tn and will include multiple
vendors. The 5K route will begin and end at Klinefelter Park. Staff is suggesting that the south parking lane on
MN Street be barricaded to allow for runners to use that lane. The event will go until 1:30PM.
Evens asked if they would be allowed to park ATVs, Side by sides, and vehicles at the event. Scepaniak noted
that Evens should submit a new site plan reflecting where they will be parked.
Scepaniak moved to approve the special event request submitted by St. Cloud Toyota for the Make a
Difference 5K/1 K on September 13, 2025; seconded by Beniek and passed unanimously.
Short-term Rental CUP — 24 MN St E: Keller presented the request noting that it is the 1st short-term rental
application that the city will be processing since the new ordinance was adopted. Once of staff's
recommendation is tied to parking. Ordinance requires off-street parking to be paved. The owner is aware of
this suggested requirement.
Councilmember Kluesner asked why the applicant's address on the application was on Elena Lane and thought
the applicant should be present for the request.
Kluesner moved to table the Short-term Rental CUP request until May 5, 2025; seconded by Beniek and
passed unanimously.
Department Reports: City Administrator Murphy reminded the council that the visioning session will be April 30
at city hall from 8am — noon. Following that Murphy will be gone the rest of the week at the MCMA Conference.
May 7tn_gtn Murphy will be working'/2 days as he has training in Hutchinson.
Mayor and Council Reports/Updates: None
Pursuant to MN Statute 13D.05, Subd. 3(a), the City Council entered into a closed session to conduct a
performance review of City Administrator, David Murphy.
The council came out of the closed session at 7:56PM.
AdJourn: Beniek made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:57PM; seconded by Mooney and
passed unanimously.
Kayla K ein
City Clerk