[0:06] Call the council meeting to order. If you could stand and uh join us in the

[0:10] pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

[0:15] United States of America and to the republic,

[0:19] one nation under God, indivisible.

[0:29] Um, we'll start with the consent agenda. Items listed below are considered

[0:33] routine and non-controversial by the city. There will be no separate

[0:37] discussion of these items unless requested by a council member, staff, or

[0:41] citizen. If removed, the item will be discussed at the end of the regular

[0:46] agenda. Uh, item A, Civil Defense Sirens, Preventative Maintenance

[0:50] Services, authorizes city administrator to approve an estimate from Ready Watt

[0:56] Electric for an amount not to exceed $2,660

[1:00] per year for the years 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030 to provide preventative

[1:07] maintenance services for civil defense sirens in Winstead.

[1:12] Item B, purchase authorization lift station pump Winston on the lake.

[1:17] Authorize a city administrator to execute a quote from Quality Flow

[1:21] Systems in the amount of 14,345 for the purchase and installation of a

[1:27] heavyduty submersible pump at the Winstead on the lake lift station. Item

[1:33] C, liquor licenses. Approve the off sale, on sale, and Sunday liquor

[1:38] licenses from July 1st, 2026 through June 30th, 2027 for the following. Alexi

[1:45] Holdings LLC, uh, The Corner Bar, 111 First Street

[1:50] North. BNBWS LLC Blueenote Bar and Grill 3203rd

[1:57] Street South The Woods Group Eggs 121 First Street Northong

[2:04] Liquor 1326 Street North off sale only approve the liquor wine club or 3.2% 2%

[2:12] license from July 1, 2026 through June 30th, 2027 and wave the fee for said

[2:18] license for the Winstead Baseball Association Incorporated, Winstead

[2:23] Wildcats at Dennis M. Campbell Field. Approved the 3.2% 2% off sale liquor

[2:30] license from July 1, 2026 through June 30th, 2027 for Casey's General Store

[2:36] number 1673 at 246th Street North. Item D, licenses

[2:43] to sell tobacco products and tobacco related devices. approved licenses to

[2:48] sell tobacco products and tobacco related devices from July 1, 2026

[2:53] through June 30th, 2027 for the following um Casey's General Store

[2:59] number 1673 located at 246th Street North, DG Retail

[3:06] LLC, uh Dollar General, number 1,000 uh number 15,46

[3:14] uh at 206th Street South Usong's Liquor at 1326th Street North and BMBBWS LLC

[3:24] Blueote Bar and Grill at 3203rd Street South. Item E, application for exempt

[3:30] permit Winstead Baseball Association, Inc. Approve an application for exempt

[3:35] permit submitted by the Winstead Baseball Association Incorporated to

[3:39] conduct a raffle on July 26, 2026 at Dennis M. Campbell Field, 535 Andy

[3:46] Avenue West, Winstead, Minnesota. Contingent upon the organization

[3:51] providing all necessary documentation to the state of Minnesota Gambling Control

[3:55] Board. Item F, application to conduct excluded bingo, Buffalo Creek BMX

[4:02] Association. Approve an application to conduct

[4:06] excluded bingo submitted by the Buffalo Creek BMX Association on October 25th,

[4:11] 2026 at the Blueote Ballroom, 3203rd Street South, Winstead, Minnesota,

[4:17] contingent upon the Buffalo Creek BMX Association providing all necessary

[4:22] documentation to the state of Minnesota Gambling Control Board. Item G, appoint

[4:28] seasonal brush site monitor. Uh, appoint Mr. Kent Landine to the position of a

[4:34] seasonal part-time brush site monitor beginning May 9th, 2025 for a period not

[4:39] to exceed 6 months. Item H, approve the claims list for May 5th, 2026.

[4:47] Uh that is the consent agenda. I would entertain a motion.

[4:52] » Mr. Mayor, I'll motion to approve the consent agenda as presented.

[4:56] » We have a motion. Is there a second? >> We'll second that. Uh, we have a motion

[5:01] and a second. Um, I have one question regarding the seasonal brush site

[5:06] monitor. That's just for one day a month. Is that what that is?

[5:11] » Yes. >> Okay. Um,

[5:13] » they still want >> um has he been informed that uh he'll be

[5:19] required to uh ask about residency? >> Andrew says,

[5:23] » "Yeah." >> Yep. and he understands he'll have to

[5:27] turn people back, turn people away. I

[5:33] um that's the only question I had. Anyone else have any other?

[5:39] » All in favor? >> I

[5:42] » motion carries. Um

[5:46] no public hearings, no old business, new business. Item A 2026 street maintenance

[5:52] project pothole repair grading dust control.

[5:57] Yes. So over last few years I've uh received quite a few complaints out on

[6:04] uh Grass Lake Road on uh potholes and that is really the only gravel roads

[6:11] that we have in town. Um potholes, a lot of washboarding. Um some of the road

[6:17] going away. I guess I can invite Chris up to talk a little bit about what the

[6:20] the past practices have been, but we apparently sometime in 2019, we used to

[6:29] um always get a load or few loads of gravel, fill it in, and then 2019 looks

[6:36] like the last time that we did that. So, playing a little bit of catchup now, I

[6:41] believe. And I'll let Chris chime in here on the road.

[6:44] » Yeah. So, I don't know why that practice stopped. Um, the guys used to do it.

[6:50] They get a couple loads each spring and put out um on the gravel road that ended

[6:56] at like you said in 2019. Um, now it's just it needs quite a bit of gravel

[7:04] and we get got bids for it then to have it hauled in through Winstead Township.

[7:10] » Right. So, in this meantime here, I did contact the township and try to get a

[7:15] part of their bid so we could get a a better pricing. Um, what is that?

[7:20] Skyline Aggregate was who they awarded the bid to. So, um, right now we're

[7:27] looking for the 75 mile portion, we'd be looking at $7,650

[7:34] for just the gravel on the road. um probably

[7:39] another 4 or 500 to grade, but I didn't get that bid in time here for this. But

[7:45] to be a part of the township bid, we had to do

[7:50] at this time

[7:56] uh entertain a motion for this.

[8:00] » And after all this is done, they will do dust control on that road.

[8:06] » We'll have the option to do dust control.

[8:08] Okay, >> that'll come up.

[8:11] » Doesn't Windtock do dust control on that road?

[8:15] » Or am I thinking of a different road? >> They may on that portion

[8:20] » on that portion on the uh >> but not on the going

[8:23] » the north >> going to north.

[8:27] » They'll do the portion going to the west and south.

[8:30] » Last year they did. I don't they did not.

[8:33] » Okay.

[8:39] take a motion then we'll have uh questions if if there are any more. Um

[8:45] I'll make a motion to authorize the city administrator to approve a quote from

[8:49] Skyline Aggregate for $375 yards of gravel, $20.30 per hauled yard for an

[8:56] amount not to exceed $7,650 for portions of Grass Lake Road. I have

[9:02] a motion. Is there a second? A second.

[9:08] » We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion?

[9:13] All in favor? >> I.

[9:15] » Motion carries. Um, open forum portion of the of the uh program. Uh,

[9:24] doesn't look like we have anybody that wants Oh, uh, we have a citizen who

[9:29] wants to partake in the open forum. Minister, please. Please, Chief. Mr.

[9:35] Mayor, members of council, uh it's been a while since I've been president, but

[9:38] we are in the springtime and um we do in uh enforce the blight ordinances um

[9:43] throughout the year, but uh with the grass and weeds growing, uh we just ask

[9:48] cooperation from our residents to try to stay on top of that um because we are

[9:53] actively sending out letters for grass and weeds and then also um other debris,

[9:59] unlicensed vehicles and yards. We just ask the city's cooperation or our

[10:03] citizens cooperation so we can uh keep our community looking well.

[10:08] » Thank you. >> How how does um I I happen to noticed an

[10:12] unlicensed vehicle on a at a location where

[10:18] um there's more than just that wrong with it with that particular property on

[10:23] the north end of town. Do do we tow those vehicles or

[10:28] » Yep. So great question. and I can discuss the process a little bit. So we

[10:32] have a blight ordinance. We also have public nuisance ordinance. So you can

[10:35] see a bunch of violations on let's say one property. How does that get

[10:39] addressed? Right? So the blight uh for instance um vehicles if they are expired

[10:45] registration or unlicensed for a period of 3 months or more then they are a

[10:50] violation of our blight ordinance. So, a letter is sent um by the city to the

[10:56] owner of the property and they're given 10 days to remedy that issue. If it is

[11:01] not remedied, we can issue a citation and then give them an an extension of uh

[11:06] time frame to get that license. On certain properties in town uh where

[11:10] they're habitual, uh we do not give a citation. We go straight to the court

[11:14] process. So, then we send our report to uh the city attorney for review of

[11:19] formal complaint charges. they're formally com charged, they're given a

[11:23] court date. Um, and then once they're found guilty of that or the situation's

[11:28] been remedied, generally it's not remedied. So, they got to go through the

[11:31] court process. Once they're found guilty, uh, if the situation has not

[11:36] been corrected, then I will come to the city council and ask the city council to

[11:40] proper ordinance to abate that property. So based on our prosecuting attorney, he

[11:46] is advised to make sure it goes through the court process first and then the

[11:49] city council can order an abatement. Then at that point, you can the council

[11:54] can order it to be towed and then the property owner would be assessed that

[11:59] prop uh the fine. Uh an issue with a number of properties in town, we don't

[12:04] get to the abatement because some of you have been on the council for years know

[12:07] that you don't see me coming for an abatement. The pro the reason is is in

[12:13] that process they get their tabs, they get their vehicle working. Um they clean

[12:18] up the property to suitable standard to the courts uh in the court's eyes. So we

[12:22] don't get to that point. So it's sort of a

[12:27] a lot of encouragement by the city gets compliance. It's just the habitualness

[12:32] of it becoming an issue the very next year again is sort of the merrygoround

[12:36] we we are on. But we're bound by ordinance to get on that ride.

[12:41] » Chief, what happens if you issue the letter

[12:44] but you can't find the person? >> We continue the process regardless.

[12:49] » Okay. >> The process continues because I do get

[12:52] um I get a lot of letters back. We spend a significant amount of money on

[12:55] certified letters that just get returned back to us, but we continue the process

[13:00] anyway. The timeline's the timeline. >> The 10 days start ticking.

[13:03] » Yeah. When we talk about brush, you'll see on some properties there's brush and

[13:07] trees. That's not that is blight, but I also include a public nuisance um end of

[13:12] it because it can harbor animals, cause, you know,

[13:15] » other hazards. So, it it is a lot of process, but it's

[13:21] worth it uh in the long run. You know, sometimes it's hard to see a the sunrise

[13:27] on on a lot of this. Uh, and we we know that because we've been dealing with a

[13:31] lot of these properties for a long time, but um there is a process. It's

[13:36] frustrating. I get it. I've lived in this community 20 years.

[13:39] » Mhm. >> But it it sort of is what it is.

[13:44] » Any other questions? >> Oh, yeah. Thanks for answering that.

[13:51] » Did Josh want to finish? Uh, you were going to talk about I thought you were

[13:56] going to talk about it or were you going to talk about what's coming up on

[13:59] » I can talk about it. >> Okay. All right. Anybody else for open

[14:03] forum? >> Oh,

[14:06] all right. Um, city administrator update.

[14:13] Okay. Uh we have a open house here on Thursday from 5:00 to 7:00 that's going

[14:18] to have the 2027 infrastructure improvement project.

[14:24] You as a council obviously are invited, but Josh and his team will take care of

[14:29] most of the heavy lifting and I will be here as well to answer questions from

[14:33] the public. Um mostly I'm anticipating most of those questions being about the

[14:40] assessment process. of which we won't have any answers for

[14:45] them that meeting. >> We will have some.

[14:48] » We'll have estimates >> exactly what it's going to cost.

[14:51] » Not exact, but we will have estimates. >> Raquel, if three of us show up, is that

[14:57] an issue, >> right? There's a quorum um notice posted

[15:01] already. So, yes. >> Okay.

[15:04] » We do. >> I guess Josh does want to talk, so let

[15:08] him he'll come up here. >> Yeah. So, we'll have the uh preliminary

[15:11] assessment roles there and then we'll have the timeline for them so they'll

[15:16] know when we're going to, you know, finally adopt the final assessment role

[15:21] and when those payments will be due when those questions come in. And a lot of

[15:24] the questions will be just kind of related to what's going to be what's the

[15:28] impact to my front yard, to my to my driveway, to my, you know, grass. Do I

[15:33] have a sidewalk that's going to be in or out? Can I contract with the contractor

[15:38] to to replace the remaining portion of the driveways or sidewalks or other

[15:42] pieces? So, those are just general questions that we typically get. Um, and

[15:47] then, you know, obviously schedule. We'll go over uh the schedule that's

[15:51] currently in place for the project and then just kind of let them know when the

[15:54] other opportunities are that they can come in and ask questions and who those

[15:58] people are. >> And this this year we are or are not

[16:02] doing Zion. that is not in the 27 project,

[16:07] » but there's repairs going to be done. >> So, um that is part of what I have here.

[16:14] Our our bids are coming in higher because of oil prices on our street

[16:19] reconstruction and uh the cost of oil and different things. But Chris and I

[16:24] did meet with the gentleman from RCM. RCM did the patching that was out there

[16:30] this year. Um or I'm sorry, last year they did that patching and that's held

[16:35] up pretty well. Um to patch again we'd be looking at 22,675

[16:43] on Zion alone. Um for the rest of town be 40,815

[16:49] and a few spots at the airport for $900 some dollars. So

[16:55] that answer is to be determined but by by you guys in the end. Um now when we

[17:02] did meet with the gentleman's name is Frank but when we met with Frank out

[17:07] there he mentioned that there's a lot of good tar out there. Um, and he believes

[17:14] that the the road would this patching would definitely go a long ways to

[17:19] keeping the road until the the project would go on the list.

[17:26] » Okay. >> I I am under the impression nothing has

[17:32] set quite um

[17:37] I I don't know. I mentioned this at the last. It does not sit well with me that

[17:41] we don't give more consideration to Zion. It's a horrible horrible

[17:46] » bad road in the rock >> and and um there's a lot of people that

[17:52] live out so they may very well

[18:00] share some of their

[18:05] » and and we'll have we'll have comment cards in a box so people can just fill

[18:10] out comment cards and we'll document whatever we hear from folks at the open

[18:14] house and >> like driving.

[18:19] » I do it every day. >> Driving on the back road.

[18:29] So overall our city projects meaning um the street repairs any crack fill and

[18:38] ceiling we are likely to be over budget due to

[18:42] the oil costs um meaning that we'll have to dip into the street CIP which we do

[18:47] have funds there. So did that just >> week or two ago

[18:54] prices had changed. No >> I I didn't have pricing at that time so

[19:01] I'm not sure if it was for the whole the the bigger projects that we're talking

[19:06] about or if it was for >> the others but yeah. Yeah. And nothing

[19:12] nothing else really has. These are the the pricing that I've received

[19:18] really. This one I got on Monday and then the seal coding ones I don't have

[19:22] all the bids yet, but I just know I guess in anticipation I think they're

[19:27] going to be higher.

[19:31] I did review one of the bills from last year and they said this is and that was

[19:36] at like $100,000. It wasn't the one that we awarded, but they did have in theirs

[19:41] if oil hit $125 a barrel, it would go up, but that wasn't last year's bid. So,

[19:51] we will see.

[19:55] Any other questions for Josh?

[20:00] » You have anything else? >> No, I'm good.

[20:05] » Do you have anything? >> No. No, sir. Yeah.

[20:08] » Um, due to a work event, I will not be able to be here on Thursday. So, just so

[20:12] you're aware of that, your mayor, other than that, I do not have anything else.

[20:17] » Jessie, you're not >> I do have a question that a few people

[20:22] have asked me. They said, a few people have asked me if the city is buying the

[20:28] van that used to be at Monarch or it used to be at St. Mary's, which is

[20:35] Monarch. No, >> never heard of it.

[20:39] » Okay, that was my only question. >> Okay. Um, entertain a motion to adjurnn.

[20:48] A motion. Is there a second? >> Second.

[20:51] » All in favor? I >> we're ajourned.

05-05-2026 City Council Meeting

Transcript