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, June 3, 2025, 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.
City Administrator Muetzel requested the addition of Consent Agenda item 9D – City Assistance with Discover Downtown/Summer Splash Event.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Sandgren to approve the agenda with the addition of Consent Agenda item 9D - City Assistance with Discover Downtown/Summer Splash Event. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Guetter and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve the May 20, 2025, minutes as presented. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Kerkhoff and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve the following item on the Consent Agenda:
1. Parade Permit – Celebrate Redwood Falls Summer Splash
2. City Assistance with Celebrate Redwood Falls Summer Splash
3. Block Party/Street Closure Request – 100/200 Blocks West Flynn
4. City Assistance with Discover Downtown/Summer Splash Event
Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Library Director Connie Lechner was present to provide a Library Expansion Project Update.
Ms. Lechner stated Library Staff wanted to update Council on the status of the Library Expansion Project and the current B3 construction guidelines required with the Library’s State grant award.
Public Works Project Coordinator Doering stated the City received a $1 million grant from the State of Minnesota to be used for the Library Expansion. B3 Guidelines are a set of sustainable building standards that are required on all state-funded projects. B3 Guidelines require the project to meet pre-development conditions. Engan Associates has provided a cost analysis with the additional construction costs. Currently, the additional requirements imposed by the B3 Guidelines are increasing the project cost by more than the total grant award. The total project costs have increased by approximately $1.9 million in order to meet B3 requirements.
Ms. Lechner stated Staff were unaware of all of the requirements prior to applying for and receiving the $1 million grant. Changes are continuing to be made to the B3 requirements, costing more money and delaying the project. There is the possibility of requesting an exemption from the State of MN for the B3 requirements however, due to time constraints Staff is uncertain if that is an option for this project.
City Administrator Muetzel requested Council provide Staff with a recommendation for how to proceed with the grant funds and expansion plans.
Pam Prouty, President of the Redwood Area Library Foundation, and Royce Heffelfinger, member of the Library Commission were present.
Ms. Prouty requested the Redwood Area Library Foundation have a chance to meet prior to Council taking any action on the grant funds.
No action was taken.
Parks & Recreation Director Ross Nachreiner introduced Resolution No. 33 of 2025 – A Resolution Accepting a Donation to the City.
Mr. Nachreiner stated Resolution No. 33 of 2025 is to accept a donation of labor & materials in the amount of $12,600 from the Redwood Building Center. City staff would like to thank Travis Woodford & Eric Beran for their generous donation to the Redwood Falls Dog Park. The pavilion that was built is a great addition to the park. Staff is requesting approval to accept the donation from the Redwood Building Center.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Guetter to waive the reading of Resolution No. 33 of 2025 – A Resolution Accepting a Donation to the City. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve Resolution No. 33 of 2025 – A Resolution Accepting a Donation to the City. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
City Attorney Dammann introduced Resolution No. 34 of 2025 – Resolution to Adopt a Comprehensive Schedule of Offenses and Establish Administrative Penalties.
Mr. Dammann stated Council previously adopted Ordinance 91, Third Series, an ordinance establishing a procedure for adjudicating administrative offenses and providing for a schedule of offenses and administrative penalties. Over the years Council has supplemented Ordinance 91 with several Resolutions adopting a schedule of offenses and establishing administrative penalties. The last resolution to do so was Resolution No. 59 of 2023.
Mr. Dammann stated given recent changes in City Ordinance creating new petty misdemeanor offenses within Chapter 10 for public cannabis use, an update to Chapter 6 addressing penalties for tobacco sales and license violations, and the addition of Chapter 17 in the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) regulating cannabis businesses, an update to the schedule of offenses and administrative penalties is needed. These updates include providing for an increased fine amount for the use of cannabis in a public place (10.20), increased penalties and fine amounts for tobacco sale and license violations (6.23), and a scheduled fine amount for the violation of Chapter 17 of the UDO. Amendments and additions are underlined and highlighted within the resolution.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to waive the reading of Resolution No. 34 of 2025 – Resolution to Adopt a Comprehensive Schedule of Offenses and Establish Administrative Penalties. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Guetter and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve Resolution No. 34 of 2025 – Resolution to Adopt a Comprehensive Schedule of Offenses and Establish Administrative Penalties. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Public Works Project Coordinator Jim Doering introduced Resolution No. 35 of 2025 – Authorization to Execute Award of Contract for the 2025 Reflection Cove Housing Addition.
Mr. Doering stated in response to the Advertisement for Bids, the City received four proposals for construction of the 2025 Reflection Cove Housing Addition. The proposals were opened and publicly read at 10:00 a.m. on May 30, 2025. The lowest responsible bidder was Schmidt Construction Inc. of Redwood Falls, MN for the 2025 Reflection Cove Housing Addition per bid unit pricing. The resulting bid was $992,493.50. Bids ranged up to $1,242,538.25 and the resulting low bid was 4% above the Engineer’s estimate of $955,235.00. Staff supports the approval of the award for the 2025 Reflection Cove Housing Addition.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Guetter to waive the reading of Resolution No. 35 of 2025 – Authorization to Execute Award of Contract for the 2025 Reflection Cove Housing Addition. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve Resolution No. 35 of 2025 – Authorization to Execute Award of Contract for the 2025 Reflection Cove Housing Addition. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
City Administrator Muetzel introduced Resolution No. 36 of 2025 – Authorization to Submit Grant Application to the Greater Minnesota Housing Infrastructure Grant Program in Order to Obtain Funding from the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency.
Mr. Muetzel stated in April of 2024, the Southwest MN Housing Partnership applied for State of MN funding to construct the Reflection Cove Housing Development which is proposed to consist of 12 rental housing units (5 twin homes and 2 single homes). Unfortunately, the funding request was not approved. The Southwest Housing Partnership intends to move forward with the project and is now seeking funding to cover the development’s infrastructure cost.
Mr. Muetzel stated the estimated infrastructure construction cost for the 12 housing units is $454,604.00. To assist with this project, the Southwest MN Housing Partnership is seeking $227,302.00 from the Greater MN Housing Infrastructure Program. One of the program requirements is that local municipalities provide a $1.00 match for every $1.00 in State grant funds received. Therefore, the match requirement is $227,302.00 which will be in the form of an assessment on the development and paid by the Southwest MN Housing Partnership. Resolution No. 36 is a requirement of the grant program and provides that the City will sponsor the $227,302.00 grant application and use the grant for qualified expenditures.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to waive the reading of Resolution No. 36 of 2025 – Authorization to Submit Grant Application to the Greater Minnesota Housing Infrastructure Grant Program in Order to Obtain Funding from the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Guetter to approve Resolution No. 36 of 2025 – Authorization to Submit Grant Application to the Greater Minnesota Housing Infrastructure Grant Program in Order to Obtain Funding from the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
City Administrator Muetzel introduced the Street Foreman Position.
Mr. Muetzel stated the recent promotion of Darren Hacker to Street Superintendent created a vacancy for the Street Foreman position. The vacancy was posted internally, three applications were received, and all applicants were interviewed on May 28. Upon conclusion of the hiring process, the hiring committee’s recommendation is to promote Seth Breitkreutz to the Street Foreman position.
A motion was made by Council Member Smith and seconded by Council Member Guetter to approve the Street Foreman Position to Seth Breitkreutz. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Mayor Quackenbush requested updates from Staff on cannabis licensing. Redwood County is the current licensing authority for cannabis licenses in the City of Redwood Falls. City Administrator Muetzel and Deputy City Clerk Kodet stated Staff have received at least four inquiries from potential cannabis licensees and they have been referred to the County.
Mayor Quackenbush stated Plaid Hat Management, the property management company for Red Skye Lofts at 100 Fallwood Road, reported that 11 of the apartment building’s 46 units are currently vacant. The apartments have been available for approximately one year.
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 Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Arentson to adjourn the meeting at 5:51 p.m. Motion passed by unanimous vote.