The City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, December 9, 2024. Below are the highlights from the meeting.
To view the agenda, and minutes when available, visit the Agenda Center.
To watch the recorded meeting, stream it online or tune in on cable channel 12 (FiberNet & TDS subscribers) or channel 180 (Charter subscribers). The rebroadcast schedule is available here.
Recognition of Councilmember Sam Murdoff
The City Council recognized Councilmember Sam Murdoff for his time and contributions to the City of Monticello. Mr. Murdoff’s term expires on December 31, 2024, and this was his last meeting. In addition to his service on the Council, he was also a long-time member of the Monticello Planning Commission and has served as Council Liaison to the Parks, Arts, and Recreation Commission and Industrial and Economic Development Committee. We’re very grateful for her service to the community!
Public Service Announcements
Meet Santa at the Indoor Farmers Market
Join us for a special visit from Santa at the Indoor Farmers Market on Saturday, December 14th, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the Community Center. It’s a great opportunity to capture a moment with Santa and do some holiday shopping. The Indoor Farmers Market is on select Saturdays through March.
Upcoming Holiday Closures
Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24: City Hall, Public Works, the DMV, and the Monticello Community Center will be closed. Hi-Way Liquors will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25: All City locations will be closed.
New Year’s Eve, Tuesday, December 31: City Hall, Public Works, the DMV, and the Monticello Community Center will be open standard hours. Hi-Way Liquors will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
New Year’s Day, Wednesday, January 1: City Hall, Public Works, and the DMV will be closed. Hi-Way Liquors will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the Monticello Community Center will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Christmas Tree Pickup
Christmas tree pickup is scheduled for January 6 & 7. Please place your tree curbside by 7 a.m. on Monday, January 6. Trees must be un-bagged and free of stands, ornaments, metal objects, wires, and lights. Wreaths are not accepted.
If you are unable to place your tree at the curb by the pickup date, you may drop it off at the Public Works Facility at 909 Golf Course Road.
Questions? Please call Public Works at (763) 295-3170.
Department Updates
Community Development Update
Angela Schumann, Community Development Director, delivered an annual update on the Development Services department. The presentation gave an overview of the department’s divisions – Community Development, Economic Development, and Building Safety and Code Enforcement – but also valuable development information for community members.
As part of the update, Schumann provided a high-level overview of the general development process within the City of Monticello:
- Initial Developer Contact: Developers contact Monticello to discuss their proposals and understand zoning requirements. Community Development staff provide relevant information on the City Code, zoning districts, and what Monticello offers businesses and residents. A Concept Review meeting may be held for initial Planning Commission and City Council feedback to the developer.
- Review Process: Land use applications are thoroughly reviewed by the appropriate city departments to ensure they align with the City’s Code and zoning requirements.
- Public Meetings: Community Development staff guide developers and community leaders through the formal decision-making process for land use application approvals.
- Post-Process Measures: Once a project is approved, there are key steps that are followed to ensure ongoing compliance with City regulations and building codes, as well as continued engagement with land use applicants to determine the City’s effectiveness during the process.
Looking ahead to 2025, Schumann highlighted the department’s commitment to supporting the Monticello 2040 Vision + Plan. Key initiatives include:
- Navigating increased development projects
- Promoting residential housing opportunities
- Collaborating with the Parks, Arts, and Recreation department on a Park Dedication Study and Tree Ordinance
We encourage community members to engage with these initiatives and stay informed about ongoing development discussions. Participating in future meetings or reaching out with questions is a great way to play an active role in shaping our city’s future.
IT Department Update
The City’s IT Department gave an annual update that included 2024 accomplishments, security awareness training updates, and upcoming projects. Some of the accomplishments from 2024 include:
- Migrations to new servers
- Updated hardware and software
- Online scheduling implementation for the utility department
- A new City of Monticello website domain in 2025: MonticelloMN.gov
Looking forward to 2025, the IT department will continue staff education and engagement on phishing training and testing, complete remaining server upgrades, decommission old server hardware, and continue a phased approach to replace aging hardware.
City Council Decisions
$8,000 Central Minnesota Arts Board Grant for Glow Parade
The City accepted an $8,000 Central Minnesota Arts Board grant to support the 2025 Glow Parade. There is no match to the funding, meaning the City is not required to contribute a specific amount of funding to qualify for the grant. The grant provides critical funding for this annual community event, held in February. The event is planned and hosted by MontiArts, and will include an all-ages glow dance party and parade.
Water Treatment Plant Funding - Minnesota Public Facilities Authority (MPFA) Agreement
Progress is being made toward the construction of a Water Treatment Plant.
While the City of Monticello has a Wastewater Treatment Plant, there is no Water Treatment Plant. A Wastewater Treatment Plant removes sewage and contaminants from wastewater so it can be safely discharged back into the environment. In comparison, a Water Treatment Plant’s purpose is to purify drinking water. Water will come from well locations and go through an enhanced treatment process at the plant to then be released into the water distribution system for the community.
The Safe Drinking Water Act requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to monitor public water systems for unregulated contaminants. The City of Monticello participates in the monitoring, and of the 30 contaminates tested, Monticello’s manganese levels stood out in concentrations higher than the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recommended guidelines.
Manganese is a naturally occurring mineral found in rocks and soil, and it can also be present in drinking water. While our bodies require some manganese to be healthy, excessive levels can be harmful. Scientists are still learning about the impacts of high levels of manganese in drinking water. The City is proactively working to address the manganese levels with the construction of the new Water Treatment Plant.
The current estimate for the cost of constructing the plant is $42 million. The City Council prioritized this project and secured $11 million from the State of Minnesota to help fund construction. To access the funds, the City needs to enter into a grant agreement with the Minnesota Public Facilities Authority (MPFA). City Council approved the agreement at the meeting. Staff will continue to pursue additional funding requests for the project as they become available. The City is currently in the process of securing low-interest Public Facilities Authority (PFA) loan funding from the State to fund any costs not otherwise funded with grants. Construction is expected to be completed by 2028.
Comprehensive Safety Action Plan
On Monday night, the City Council accepted the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. This action plan was completed in conjunction with the Safe Streets 4 All (SS4A) federal grant program. The SS4A secured funding to identify roadway improvements to enhance multi-modal transportation safety in our community. The Comprehensive Safety Action Plan provides a blueprint for future infrastructure improvements and transportation safety policies in coordination with the City’s goals and will be a foundational document in pursuing future federal infrastructure grants.
The Comprehensive Safety Action Plan is a community-driven document built from stakeholder engagement, data collection, and accident analysis to address local transportation challenges. Key findings reveal concerns from residents regarding inadequate lighting on sidewalks and trails, long distances between destinations, and sidewalk/trail maintenance. The safety data analysis found serious safety risks emphasizing the need for targeted improvements, particularly on high-traffic routes on State Highway 25, Broadway Street, School Boulevard, Chelsea Road, and Fenning Avenue.
In addition to infrastructure enhancements, the CSAP includes future public education opportunities like walk/bike safety education, walking/biking route maps, and a community safety campaign to promote safer travel practices in our community. Draft policies for lighting, pavement marking, signage, and traffic calming were also developed for future Council consideration.
MontiArts Leadership Transition
MontiArts will see a change in leadership in 2025. Sue Seeger, who has served as our Creative Arts Consultant since 2018, has announced her departure at the end of 2024. Under Sue’s guidance, MontiArts has flourished, with innovative projects and programming that make our community unique.
Erica Witzmann, a valued part-time member of the MontiArts team & long-time participant, will step into the role of Creative Arts Consultant in 2025. City Council approved her contract at Monday’s meeting. She will officially begin her leadership responsibilities on January 1.
To ensure a smooth transition, Sue will remain available to assist throughout the first year, to provide valuable insights, guidance, and continuity as MontiArts moves forward.
The role of the Creative Arts Consultant plays a crucial part in the success of the MontiArts initiative. The consultant sets the overarching strategic vision and ensures its programs and initiatives fulfill our mission: to build community and strengthen our town through arts and cultural activities, events, and installations. They also oversee general operations and manage grant projects.
We look forward to welcoming Erica Witzmann to the role and extend our heartfelt gratitude to Sue Seeger for her outstanding leadership and vision.
2025 Budget
The 2025 annual budget was approved by the City Council. The budget is an essential tool for communicating the city’s plans, policies, procedures, and objectives regarding the services to be delivered and the assets to be acquired in the upcoming and future fiscal years.
Leading up to this decision, the City Council and staff discussed at length the priorities for the community and a budget that will help achieve our goals. The City Council has identified six “big” projects, four of which have expenditures budgeted in 2025:
- Water Treatment Plant
- Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Athletic Park
- School Boulevard Roundabouts & Installation of Playground Equipment
- Fallon Avenue Deep Trunk Line & Improvements
The two remaining projects of significance, Downtown Revitalization and a new Public Works Facility remain priorities but are planned for future budget years.
Operating expenses are a significant portion of the City’s budget. Wages and benefits, supplies, small tools and equipment, contracted services, repairs and maintenance, are required to run the City day-to-day. In 2025, there will be a new administrative support position for development services, a 3.5% cost of living adjustment the City’s pay scales, compensation and park dedication studies, response to Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in public trees, new technology, and adjustments for inflation and price increases.
For more information on this item, please see Item 4A 2025 Budget. Watch the item presentation here.
Public Hearings
2025 City Fee Schedule
The fee schedule establishes the City’s service charges. Staff review the schedule each year to assess whether the fees cover the costs of providing the services. A public hearing was held after city staff presented the item. The public hearing provides an opportunity for formal comments to be shared by the public. No comments were made.
The City Council adopted the 2025 City Fee Schedule following the public hearing. To view the schedule, see Item 3A 2025 Fee Schedule.
2025 Property Tax Levy
The City Council approved a final 2025 City tax levy of $14,117,000 ($1,043,000 or 8.0% higher than 2024) and a Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) levy of $499,000 ($48,000 or 10.6% higher than 2024). A public hearing was held prior to the council acting. No comments were made.
The City Council held several budget workshops from July through September. Council members considered the changes in taxable market values of properties within Monticello, inflation, and cost of future projects. The preliminary levy ensures consistent levels of services and programs, while allowing for planned growth in 2025.
Most of the city’s tax levy goes into the City’s General Fund that supports many of the basic functions of local government, including public safety, snow and ice removal, planning and zoning, and more. The HRA levy is used by the Monticello Economic Development Authority (EDA) to fund housing and redevelopment initiatives throughout the community. Minnesota cities are reliant on property taxes for funding. Monticello frequently seeks other funding sources, including state and federal grants, to limit greater impact on local taxpayers.
See Item 3B 2025 Final Levy for more details.