HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.21.25 Council MinutesCity of Farmington
Regular Council Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
The City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at Farmington
City Hall, 430 Third Street, Farmington, Minnesota.
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Hoyt called the meeting to order at 7 pm.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Hoyt led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. ROLL CALL
Members Present: Mayor Joshua Hoyt
Councilmembers Holly Bernatz, Jake Cordes, Nick Lien, and
Steve Wilson
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: Lynn Gorski, City Administrator
Deanna Kuennen, Community & Economic Development
Director
Matt Price, Fire Chief
Kellee Omlid, Parks & Recreation Director
Tony Wippler, Planning Manager
John Powell, Public Works Director
Shirley Buecksler, City Clerk
Nate Siem, Deputy Chief
Braeden Bierbrauer, Community Service Officer
Bradyn Willford, Police Officer
Gavin Janovsky, Police Officer
Daniel Miller, Police Sergeant
Casandra Redmond -Palo, Police Sergeant
4. APPROVE AGENDA
Motion was made by Councilmember Wilson and seconded by
Councilmember Bernatz to approve the agenda as presented.
Motion carried: 5 ayes / 0 nays
Regular City Council Meeting Minutes of January 21, 2025 Page 1 of 7
5. ANNOUNCEMENTS / COMMENDATIONS
5.1 Swearing In Police Department Personnel
Clerk Buecksler provided the Oath of Office for:
Braeden Bierbrauer, Community Service Officer
Bradyn Willford, Police Officer
Gavin Janovsky, Police Officer
Daniel Miller, Police Sergeant
Casandra Redmond -Palo, Police Sergeant
Nathanael Siem, Deputy Chief
5.2 Resolution Accepting Toys for Town Donations
Motion was made by Councilmember Bernatz and seconded by
Councilmember Cordes to adopt Resolution 2025-1 1 Accepting Donations
to the Farmington Police Department Toys for Town Program.
Motion carried: 5 ayes / 0 nays
6. CITIZENS COMMENTS / RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
The following citizen(s) addressed the Council:
• Tim Galloway, President, Farmington Youth Hockey Association
7. CONSENT AGENDA
Clerk Buecksler requested that Item 7.3, Application for Gambling Premise
Permit for Farmington Youth Basketball Association, be pulled from the agenda
for further review.
7.1 Amendment to Council Policy - 02, Council -Staff Communication Protocol
7.2 Application for Gambling Event Permit for Sypal Lundgren Post dba VFW
7662; Resolution 2025-12
7.3 Application for Gambling Premise Permit for Farmington Youth Basketball
Association; Resolution 2025-10 -item pulled
7.4 Application for Tobacco License for Farmington Smoke & Vape, Inc. dba
Farmington Smoke Shop, 115 Elm Street E, Suite E, Farmington
7.5 Minutes of the January 6, 2025 Council Work Session
7.6 Minutes of the January 6, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting
7.7 Fourth Quarter 2024 New Construction Report, to Include Year End Totals
& Revenue Report
7.8 Payment of Claims
7.9 Staff Approvals and Recommendations, including the appointment of:
• Claire Kennedy as Community Service Officer
Regular City Council Meeting Minutes of January 21, 2025 Page 2 of 7
7.10 Contract with Xcel Energy for Transformer Upgrade at the Rambling River
Center
7.11 Donation from the Farmington Sons of the American Legion to the
Rambling River Center; Resolution 2025-13
7.12 Akin Road Improvement -Final Payment and Change Orders
7.13 Professional Services Agreement with WSB for Staff Augmentation
7.14 Solid Waste and Recycling Coordination Services Joint Powers Agreement
Motion was made by Councilmember Wilson and seconded by
Councilmember Lien to approve the Consent Agenda, as amended.
Motion carried: 5 ayes / 0 nays
8. PUBLIC HEARINGS
8.1 Application for On -Sale and Sunday Intoxicating Liquor License from
Granowskil4 LLC dba The Mug
Mayor Hoyt opened the public hearing at 7:36 pm.
Clerk Buecksler presented the application for On -Sale and Sunday
Intoxicating Liquor License.
Seeing no one wishing to speak, Mayor Hoyt closed the public hearing at
7:38 pm.
Motion was made by Councilmember Bernatz and seconded by
Councilmember Cordes to approve an On -Sale Intoxicating and Sunday
Liquor License for Granowskil4 LLC dba The Mug, located at 18450 Pilot
Knob Road #A, Farmington, Minnesota, effective January 21, 2025 through
December 31, 2025.
Motion carried: 5 ayes / 0 nays
8.2 WITHDRAWAL- Petition to Vacate Drainage and Utility Easement over PID:
14-82500-00-040 (Outlot D, Vermillion Grove)
Mayor Hoyt opened the public hearing at 7:40 pm.
Planning Manager Wippler presented.
Seeing no one wishing to speak, Mayor Hoyt closed the public hearing at
7:40 pm.
Regular City Council Meeting Minutes of January 21, 2025 Page 3 of 7
Motion was made by Councilmember Wilson and seconded by
Councilmember Lien to accept the withdrawal of the application to
vacate drainage and utility easement over PID: 14-82500-00-040 (Outlot D,
Vermillion Grove).
Motion carried: 5 ayes / 0 nays
9. AWARD OF CONTRACT
10. PETITIONS, REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
10.1 Meadowview Preserve 2nd Addition Final Plat
Planning Manager Wippler presented the final plat for Meadowview
Preserve 2nd Addition.
Motion was made by Councilmember Wilson and seconded by
Councilmember Bernatz to adopt Resolution 2025-14 Approving the
Meadowview Preserve 2nd Addition Final Plat contingent upon the
following:
a. The satisfaction of all engineering comments related to the
construction plans for grading streets and utilities.
b. A Development Contract between the Developer and the City of
Farmington shall be executed, and security fees and costs shall be
paid. Submission of all other documents required under the
Development Contract shall be required.
Motion carried: 5 ayes / 0 nays
11.UNFINISHED BUSINESS
12. NEW BUSINESS
12.1 Appointments to Boards and Commissions for 2025
Clerk Buecksler presented for approval the 2025 appointments to boards
and commissions as follows:
BOARD/COMMISSION
NAME
TERM START
TERM END
Parks and Recreation
Advisory Commission
Katie Putt
February 1, 2025
January 31, 2028
Doug Pewowaruk
February 1, 2025
January 31, 2028
PlanningCommission
Dirk Rotty
Fe ruary 1, 2025
January 31, 2027
Andy Baerg
February 1, 2025
1 January 31, 2027
Regular City Council Meeting Minutes of January 21, 2025 Page 4 of 7
Rambling River
Center Advisory
Judy Janke
February 1, 2025
January 31, 2028
Board
Rachel Edwards
February 1, 2025
January 31, 2028
Water Board
Bill Weierke
February 1, 2025
January31, 2027
Motion was made by Councilmember Cordes and seconded by
Councilmember Lien to approve the appointments to the Parks and
Recreation Advisory Commission, Planning Commission, Rambling River
Center Advisory Board, and Water Board for 2025, as listed.
Motion carried: 5 ayes / 0 nays
13.CITY COUNCIL ROUNDTABLE
Councilmember Lien:
One comment that stuck out for me from the board interviews we had was
Bill Weierke who said he was coming up on 60 years of service to the City.
We asked him why and he said, "Well, I figure if I've done 60, it makes people
that have only done three or four and make it not seem so bad." It was a
great perspective on it, and I appreciate it. It made me feel like the three
years I've been doing this is just a drop in the bucket. Some days it feels a
little long but it's hard to stand next to that. Thank you, everyone, again for
that part of it.
Councilmember Bernatz:
We had some cool things happen last Friday night. Farmington High School
Theater did their One -Act and, this weekend, they are performing in the
One -Act competition. If anyone wants to go see the Theater compete, it is
a One -Act that was actually written by a high school Senior from Farmington
High School. Best of luck to them as they go out and compete and,
hopefully, make it to the next level.
Councilmember Cordes:
I want to thank outgoing commission members who recently had their last
meeting. Thank you to Lee Ann Lehto and Cody Fishman for their service on
the Planning Commission and the Parks and Recreation Board. I think Lee
Ann started in October of 2019 and Cody in August of 2023. Thank you for
your service to our community, and I wish them the best of luck moving
forward.
Councilmember Wilson:
On Friday, Matt Price and his team put on a fantastic banquet honoring our
amazing Fire Department, and congratulations to Mary for being our
Firefighter of the Year. It was great to be there.
Regular City Council Meeting Minutes of January 21, 2025 Page 5 of 7
This stems from something the Mayor made mention of at our last meeting,
and it bears noting, and appreciating, even three years later. Back in
February of 2022, the team of "Holly's" (Holly Bernatz and Holly Schearer)
came to the community wanting to reimagine and reinvigorate a
community celebration that really had kind of fallen apart without
volunteers and lacked a lot of energy. The dynamic duo created probably
one of the best community events that we've seen in recent years, and that
continues to be so appreciated, Holly. The reason I'm pointing this out is
because the team of Holly's, one being our Holly sitting next to us here at
the dais, were very instrumental after that time period, but there has also
been a passing of the torch and leadership and, of course, we have a
brand-new sponsor this year. The sponsor's name may not be the same as
we've been used to, but I think the community celebration is going to be
even more impactful with so many more ways to get involved. So, I am
extending my appreciation again for Holly Bernatz and Holly Schearer for
the work they did to get us to this point. Get involved, be part of the group,
be part of a group that wants to take on an event, be part of the team
that's coordinating the whole thing. There are so many different ways to get
involved. I'm guessing if you raise your hand and say you want to be
involved, there's going to be a job for you, and you'll feel great about it
because you found a great way to give back to the community. A long way
of saying we appreciated you three years ago before you were up here,
Holly, and we continue to appreciate the work and foundation you set.
Thank you.
Clerk Buecksler:
Two items that were approved on the Consent Agenda tonight - one is a
Gambling License for the VFW to conduct bingo in their back room, and the
other is a new Tobacco License for Farmington Smoke Shop at 115 Elm
Street.
Director Kuennen:
I would like to publicly thank Aerospace Fabrication and Materials for
opening their door and giving us a fantastic tour tonight.
There are some amazing things that happen in this community or are being
built or being manufactured, and Aerospace Fabrication is a shining
example of the creativity and intelligence, all those things that happen here
in our community. So, thank you to them for opening their doors and letting
us peek inside for an hour.
Director Powell:
Next week, the 27th through the 31 St, is Winter Salt Week 2025. Salt is a very
important part of our snow and ice safety and cleanup efforts, but we
Regular City Council Meeting Minutes of January 21, 2025 Page 6 of 7
always want to use just enough to be safe and not too much because that
chloride ends up in our lakes, water bodies, and rivers. Just one teaspoon of
salt permanently pollutes five gallons of water, so think about it that way.
That chloride collects in the water bodies, and it does not go away, it does
not dilute, it stays there. There is a wide variety of webinars that folks can
take advantage of at www.wintersaltweek.ora about safe salting and ways
to use just enough and not too much to take care of our water bodies.
Director Omlid:
Congratulations to Doug Pewowaruk on his appointment to the Parks and
Recreation Commission. He attended the January meeting and got to meet
the team and then he was in last week and we met for about an hour. So,
he'll hit the ground running. Congratulations, Doug, and welcome to the
commission.
Even though we have great outdoor ice for skating, we are thinking about
spring. Now is the time to register for recreation programs. We have a Pint
Size Prom, we have Breakfast with the Bunnies, we have some golf lessons,
clay classes with Muddy Waters, so get on the City's website
www.farmingtommn.gov and register for spring programs.
Chief Price:
Our Paid -on -Call had opened on January 13th. Our first information meeting
will be February 17th. It's Presidents' Day but gives us an opportunity to get
in a few individuals who may not have been able to do that. I don't have
all the dates, but we do have a daytime informational meeting and two
other evening informational meetings. It closes in March, and then we will
begin the process of bringing new Firefighters on board.
14.ADJOURNMENT
Motion was made by Councilmember Wilson and seconded by
Councilmember Bernatz to adjourn the meeting at 7:59 pm.
Motion carried: 5 ayes / 0 nays
Respectfully submitted,
eyJRJerk er
City Clerk
Regular City Council Meeting Minutes of January 21, 2025 Page 7 of 7