TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2026
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a regular meeting of the Redwood Falls City Council was called to order in the Municipal Chambers on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
Roll call indicated Mayor Tom Quackenbush and Council Members Matt Smith, Denise Kerkhoff, Jim Sandgren, Larry Arentson, and Shannon Guetter were present, constituting a quorum.
Also present were City Administrator Keith Muetzel, Finance Director Kari Klages, City Attorney Trenton Dammann, Public Works Project Coordinator Jim Doering, and Deputy City Clerk Caitlin Kodet.
A motion was made by Council Member Kerkhoff and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve the agenda. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Guetter to approve the April 21, 2026 minutes and the April 21, 2026 Board of Appeal and Equalization minutes as presented. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve the following items on the Consent Agenda:
1. Updated Solar Interconnection Rules
2. Library Expansion Furniture Purchase
Motion passed by unanimous vote.
City Attorney Dammann introduced Ordinance No. 104, Fourth Series – An Ordinance Amending the Unified Development Ordinance, 2014 Edition, As Provided In §14.04 of the Redwood Falls City Code, For the Purpose of Regulating the Use of Portable Storage/Shipping Containers Within the City of Redwood Falls.
Mr. Dammann stated the proposed Ordinance was introduced at the April 21, 2026, City Council Meeting. Ordinance No. 104 creates a new chapter in the Unified Development Ordinance for the regulation of portable storage/shipping containers. The goal of the ordinance is to provide for the public health, safety, and general welfare of the community and its people through the establishment of standards to ensure that portable storage/shipping containers are used for the short-term, temporary storage and transport of personal property; are not used as accessory buildings in residential and central business district zones; and do not impede vehicular access, traffic flow or circulation, or create public safety hazards.
Mr. Dammann stated on April 14, 2026, after published notice in the Redwood Gazette on April 2nd, a public hearing was held by the Planning Commission to discuss Ordinance No. 104, Fourth Series. After the hearing, the Planning Commission adopted the Findings of Fact found in Section 2 of Ordinance No. 104 and recommended approval of Ordinance No. 104. After the first reading of the ordinance on April 21, 2026, concerns were made known to city staff as to the nature and extent of the ordinance’s regulation of portable storage/shipping containers. Revisions were made to the ordinance to address those concerns. Due to the changes, Staff requested Council read the ordinance or a make a motion to waive the second reading of the ordinance.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to waive the second reading of Ordinance No. 104, Fourth Series – An Ordinance Amending the Unified Development Ordinance, 2014 Edition, As Provided In §14.04 of the Redwood Falls City Code, For the Purpose of Regulating the Use of Portable Storage/Shipping Containers Within the City of Redwood Falls. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Council requested additional information regarding the number of shipping containers and current placement based on zoning districts, as well as suggested possible edits to the Ordinance as presented.
City Administrator Muetzel requested a committee be formed to discuss the edits Council would like to make. Council Member Smith and Mayor Quackenbush agreed to meet with City Staff to evaluate the Ordinance and provide feedback.
Following discussion, a motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Guetter to table Ordinance No. 104, Fourth Series – An Ordinance Amending the Unified Development Ordinance, 2014 Edition, As Provided In §14.04 of the Redwood Falls City Code, For the Purpose of Regulating the Use of Portable Storage/Shipping Containers Within the City of Redwood Falls, until City Staff has time to investigate the current inventory of storage containers located within the City. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Finance Director Klages introduced Resolution No. 30 of 2026 – A Resolution Amending Resolution No. 51 of 2024 Adopted on September 3, 2024, and Titled, “A Resolution Amending Resolution No. 48 of 2024 Adopted on August 20, 2024, and Titled, “A Resolution Adopting a Property Assessed Clean Energy (Pace) Special Assessment as Requested by Property Owner.”
Ms. Klages stated on August 20, 2024, the City Council approved an application from Redwood Property Holdings, owner of Red Skye Lofts, to participate in the Minnesota Property Assessed Clean Energy Program (PACE). The PACE program provides developers with financing for energy efficiency improvements, which is repaid exclusively through special assessments levied against the benefiting property. On September 3, 2024, the City Council approved a revised resolution reflecting the final loan amount as $2,221,325.00 with a 30-year term and interest rate of 9.22%.
Ms. Klages stated since that time, Redwood Property Holdings submitted a request to split the property to facilitate development of an adult memory care facility. As a result, the St. Paul Port Authority is requesting that the assessment be updated to reflect the newly assigned Parcel Identification Number (88-348-0020) for the benefiting property associated with the PACE assessment. The assessment amount, terms, and interest rate remain unchanged.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Arentson to waive the reading of Resolution No. 30 of 2026 – A Resolution Amending Resolution No. 51 of 2024 Adopted on September 3, 2024, and Titled, “A Resolution Amending Resolution No. 48 of 2024 Adopted on August 20, 2024, and Titled, “A Resolution Adopting a Property Assessed Clean Energy (Pace) Special Assessment as Requested by Property Owner.” Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Guetter and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve Resolution No. 30 of 2026 – A Resolution Amending Resolution No. 51 of 2024 Adopted on September 3, 2024, and Titled, “A Resolution Amending Resolution No. 48 of 2024 Adopted on August 20, 2024, and Titled, “A Resolution Adopting a Property Assessed Clean Energy (Pace) Special Assessment as Requested by Property Owner.” Motion passed by unanimous vote.
City Attorney Dammann stated due to the previous motion to table Ordinance No. 104, Fourth Series. No action can be taken on the summary publication of the Ordinance, Resolution No. 31 of 2026.
City Attorney Dammann requested a motion to table Resolution No. 31 of 2026 – A Resolution of the City of Redwood Falls Providing for the Summary Publication of Ordinance No. 104, Fourth Series, An Ordinance Amending the Unified Development Ordinance, 2014 Edition, as Provided in §14.04 of the Redwood Falls City Code, for the Purpose of Regulating the Use of Portable Storage/Shipping Containers Within the City of Redwood Falls
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Arentson to table Resolution No. 31 of 2026 – A Resolution of the City of Redwood Falls Providing for the Summary Publication of Ordinance No. 104, Fourth Series, An Ordinance Amending the Unified Development Ordinance, 2014 Edition, as Provided in §14.04 of the Redwood Falls City Code, for the Purpose of Regulating the Use of Portable Storage/Shipping Containers Within the City of Redwood Falls. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Public Works Project Coordinator Jim Doering introduced Resolution No. 32 of 2026 – Authorization to Execute Transfer and Repayment Agreement of Federal Entitlement Funds.
Mr. Doering stated in the past, the airport has received expiring funds from other airports for current projects and then transferred new entitlement funds back. This resets the 5-year, use-it or lose-it clock of the lending airport. The proposed agreement with Mahnomen County will allow the transfer of airport entitlement dollars in the amount of $150,000.00 from the Mahnomen County Airport to the Redwood Municipal Airport for use on the 2026 airport improvements. The transfer will be repaid back to Mahnomen County by May 1, 2030, utilizing 2029 entitlement allocations from the FAA.
Mr. Doering stated this transfer will cover cash flow for the 80x80 hangar as the City waits for the $137,000.00 FAA Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding allocation that will be received later in 2026 as final payment. It is a unique and useful feature to keep allocated federal funding in the state, rather than allowing it to expire and be sent back to the nationwide funding pool. This also prevents the FAA from penalizing the state on future allocations where they track that funding was sent back so therefore the state will need less going forward. Staff recommends approval of the resolution and agreement.
A motion was made by Council Member Kerkhoff and seconded by Council Member Sandgren to waive the reading of Resolution No. 32 of 2026 – Authorization to Execute Transfer and Repayment Agreement of Federal Entitlement Funds. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve Resolution No. 32 of 2026 – Authorization to Execute Transfer and Repayment Agreement of Federal Entitlement Funds. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
City Administrator Muetzel introduced the Business Recruitment Incentive Policy.
Mr. Muetzel stated on March 31, 2026 Council held a work session to discuss marketing activity for the Reflection Ridge Business Park. One of the meeting outcomes was a suggestion to develop an incentive program to encourage business recruitment efforts. Staff created a draft policy for Council to review and discuss.
Mr. Muetzel stated Staff will incorporate the suggested edits and present the updated policy to the Port Authority and Council for final approval.
No action taken.
Mayor Quackenbush stated the annual Celebrate Redwood Falls Nightfalls event is May 7-9, 2026. The event will follow the same route as last year’s event with one-way traffic entering Ramsey Park from North Grove Street.
City Administrator Muetzel provided an update regarding pavement conditions at the Y-intersection of MN Highway 19 and US Highway 71, and along Bridge Street. A representative with MnDOT stated they have plans to complete a full mill and overlay of the Y-intersection this summer but there are no plans within the next 10 years to complete a mill and overlay of Bridge Street. City Staff requested an onsite inspection from MnDOT due to the deteriorating road conditions. Staff will continue to reach out to MnDOT to explore options for improving the pavement conditions on Bridge Street.
Bills and Claims were presented to the Council for informational purposes. No questions, comments or concerns were raised.
There being no further business, a motion was made by Council Member Guetter and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to adjourn the meeting at 5:44 p.m. Motion passed by unanimous vote.