The City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, October 27, 2025.
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), channel 997 (TDS) or channel 180 (Charter subscribers). The rebroadcast schedule is available here.
Council Highlights provide a summary of key agenda items and decisions made by the City Council. This overview may not reflect all topics discussed or actions taken during the meeting. For complete details, please refer to the meeting agenda. Official minutes are published once approved.
Public Service Announcements
Absentee Voting
City of Monticello residents can vote absentee at City Hall during regular hours, with extended hours this Saturday, November 1, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Monday, November 3, until 5 p.m.
Monticello school district voters located outside of the City of Monticello may vote early in-person at the Wright County Government Center. Absentee ballots can also be requested online through the Secretary of State website.
Election Day
Election Day is Tuesday, November 4. City of Monticello residents vote at their designated polling places. The city has 4 precincts, and polling locations can be found online via the Secretary of State’s website.
Monticello school district voters located outside of city limits will vote in the Mississippi Room at the Monticello Community Center. This includes Becker Township, City of Big Lake, Big Lake Township, and City of Otsego residents. Monticello Township and Silver Creek residents vote at their designated polling place.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Joint Workshop Reminder – Data Center Ordinance
The Planning Commission and City Council will hold a joint workshop on Monday, November 3, at 7 p.m. to continue the review and discussion of the draft data center ordinance. Staff will present a revised draft at the meeting.
Please note: Workshops are intended for focused discussion among members. There will be no formal public feedback collected during the workshop.
Hi-Way Liquors Fall Wine Sale
Hi-Way Liquors’ Fall Wine Sale begins Friday, November 7, featuring 30% off all wine. The sale runs through Sunday, November 23.
Farmers Market
The indoor Farmers Market returns for the season! Shop your favorite vendors and enjoy live music on Saturday, November 8, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The market runs on select Saturdays from November through March.
Winter Coat Drive
The City of Monticello’s annual winter coat has been extended through November 15. Donate new or clean, like-new coats and winter accessories. Donations may be dropped off at City Hall, the DMV, Hi-Way Liquors, or the Monticello Community Center.
Snowplow Route Checks
Public Works crews are inspecting snowplow routes and tagging personal items, like basketball hoops, found in the street or boulevard. Tagged items must be moved by November 15, when winter parking restrictions begin, or they will be collected by Public Works.
Department Updates
Construction Update
- Golf Course Road Trail Project: Crews are expected to complete storm sewer installation early this week. The roadway has been reclaimed with gravel. A portion of the roadway has been paved, with additional paving planned for the second week of November, weather dependent.
- MnDOT I-94 Gap Project: The project is still ongoing. Traffic is expected to shift back to its original lanes for the winter season.
City Council Decisions
Outdoor Recreation Grant for Bertram Athletic Park Improvements
The City was awarded a $254,170 grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Outdoor Recreation Grant program to support improvements at the Bertram chain of Lakes (BCOL) Regional Athletic Park.
The grant will support the construction of eight pickleball courts, a dedicated parking area, lighting, site amenities, landscaping, and trail access. The grant requires matching funds, which will be provided by the local option sales tax (LOST). The project must be completed, with matching funds spent, by December 31, 2027.
These improvements align with the City’s comprehensive plan, which supports phased development of the Bertram Athletic Park as funding becomes available.
Monticello Community Center Repair Project
The City Council approved a contract with HCM Architects to provide architectural services for water damage repairs at the Monticello Community Center.
This follows a separate contract with HCM in October 2024 to create a master plan for the facility and evaluate ongoing water intrusion issues. Despite a roof replacement in 2020, the MCC has continued to experience leaks, particularly in the upper-level windows, curtain wall systems, and northwest-facing areas of the indoor track.
HCM and Encompass will now prepare plans and specifications for the project, assist with material approvals, and provide periodic construction inspections. Once the design phase is complete, the City will solicit bids, with a construction contract expected to return to Council for approval. Construction is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2026.
The City remains committed to maintaining the Monticello Community Center as a valuable community asset and ensuring it continues to serve residents for years to come.
Minnesota Paid Leave City Policy Decisions
The City Council reviewed policy recommendations to prepare for the upcoming Minnesota Paid Leave Program, which begins January 1, 2026. The statewide programs allows most employees to apply for paid benefits to cover a portion of lost wages when taking time off to care for themselves or family members.
Participation is required for all Minnesota employers and employees, including full-time, part-time, seasonal, paid-on-call staff, and elected officials. The program is administered by the State of Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), which will collect premiums, process applications, and issue payments.
To implement the program, the City needed to finalize several policy decisions ahead of the start date, including the level of premium contribution between the City and employees, selection of a plan provider, and coordination of the new benefits with existing City disability coverage.
The City Council approved the following policy decisions to be incorporated into the final policy for approval in November:
- The City will split the premium contribution 50/50 with employees. When Paid Leave begins in 2026, the premium rate will be 0.88% of an employee’s wages. Employers are required to pay at least 50%.
- The City will use the State’s plan to administer Paid Leave benefits, instead of self-insuring or using a private insurance provider.
- The City will discontinue the short-term weekly disability benefit to full-time non-bargaining unit employees. Under the new Paid Leave program, all employees are eligible for a larger benefit amount including replacement income up to 90% of wages, based on income level for both medical and family leave. In addition, under the new Paid Leave program, employees can supplement wages with existing Paid Time Off.
Gas Energy Franchise Fee to Support Street Maintenance
The City continues to explore ways to strengthen Monticello’s long-term funding for street maintenance and improvement projects. As part of this effort, the City Council reviewed the implementation of a gas franchise fee to help fund the City’s Pavement Management Program.
Monticello currently funds roadway maintenance and improvements through a combination of property tax dollars, Municipal State Aid funds, and special assessments to benefiting property owners. While this approach has supported many projects, assessments can be a significant cost burden for residents and businesses. The new franchise fee could eliminate the need for special assessments on pavement management projects such as roadway reconstructions and mill and overlays.
Currently, residential properties are assessed approximately 30% of the total project cost of reconstructions and 50% for mill and overlays. Assessments would continue to apply only on urban to rural conversion projects where curb and gutter are installed for the first time.
Under state law, cities may impose franchise fees on utilities that operate within the public right-of-way. Following discussions at Council work sessions in April and August 2025, staff were directed to move forward with implementation of the fee through CenterPoint Energy. The gas franchise fee will create a dedicated, consistent funding source for pavement projects. The funding can also serve as a local match for state or federal transportation grants. Residential customers will pay $7 per month, with larger commercial and industrial accounts paying proportionally higher amounts based on natural gas usage.
The City currently has an electric franchise fee in place, which supports community lighting needs in two ways. First, the fee offsets the ongoing operating cost of streetlights throughout the City. Second, remaining funds are allocated to the Street Lighting Improvement capital projects fund, which is used to update existing lighting and install new lighting infrastructure as needed.
To promote financial sustainability and equity, the Council approved a gas franchise fee to be implemented. The gas franchise fee is anticipated to take effect February 1, 2026, approximately 90 days after the required filing with the Public Utilities Commission. The fee is expected to generate about $735,000 annually, which will be placed in a new Transportation Improvement capital projects fund.
This initiative supports the Monticello 2040 Vision Plan, which emphasizes maintaining and improving the City’s transportation infrastructure as part of a broader mobility and connectivity strategy.
The Pointes at Cedar Recreation Area: Regional Park Designation Application
The City Council approved a professional services proposal from WSB for assistance to complete the Step One application for regional designation of The Pointes at Cedar Recreation Area through the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC).
Regional designation would recognize the future Pointes at Cedar Recreation Area as a park of statewide significance, making it eligible for future grant funding through the Legacy Parks and Trails Fund. The process includes a detailed professional review to confirm that the park meets the Commission’s standards for recreation quality and natural environments. The application cost is capped at $16,500, funded through the Parks Department budget.
Envisioned as a year-round recreational destination, The Pointes at Cedar will highlight Minnesota’s unique natural biomes and provide a welcoming experience for both residents and visitors.
Public Hearings
Certification of Delinquent Utility Billing and Miscellaneous Accounts
The Finance Department presented the assessment roll for delinquent utility billing and miscellaneous accounts owed by residents and customers. To collect unpaid balances, the City certifies accounts that are over 60 days past due as special assessments on property tax statements. These overdue balances will be certified to Wright County for the 2026 payable tax year.
A public hearing must be held no less than 30 days after the property owner is given notice, so that they may have an opportunity to address the Council. This process allows the city to recoup debts while ensuring that property owners are given ample opportunity to voice their concerns. No comments were made at the public hearings.
Following the public hearings, the Council approved the certifications. Property owners will have a 30-day window to settle their outstanding balances in full. It’s important to note that once certifications are made to Wright County, an additional administrative fee of $75 will be applied to the customer’s account. This fee covers the costs incurred during the processing of delinquent notices and the certification of account balances. In addition, charges will accrue an interest rate of 6%, starting from the date of the public hearing, as permitted by Minnesota State Statute 116A.17. This ensures that property owners are encouraged to resolve their accounts promptly.