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Hugo City Council Meeting Minutes for February 6, 2023 <br />Page 9 of 11 <br /> <br /> <br />discussed the potential restructuring of the Public Works Department. He began by explaining <br />Public Works had a total of 22 employees with two in leadership positions, himself and the lead <br />worker. He proposed changes that would move the current lead worker position to a public <br />works supervisor position and create new lead worker positions specifically directed to streets, <br />utilities and parks. He said the benefits of having a lead worker position would be the ability to <br />provide on site direction to crews in the field to achieve the goals of the department. This <br />restructuring could be done without adding additional employees, and the pay structure was <br />accounted for in the 2023 budget. <br /> <br />Petryk made motion, Klein seconded, to approve the staff proposed organizational chart and job <br />descriptions and authorize staff to interview internal candidates. <br /> <br />All Ayes. Motion carried. <br />  <br />Approve 2023 City Council Focus Goals and Ongoing Priorities <br /> <br />City Administrator Bryan Bear provided a recap of the Council’s annual Goal Setting Workshop <br />held on Monday, January 23, 2023. The purpose of the workshop was to establish the 2023 City <br />Focus Goals and Ongoing Priorities. Some of the goals for 2023 focused on water conversation, <br />economic develop (specifically the City owned property along TH61), solar energy projects, <br />apartments and mix used development, and area planning on TH61. The City would also be <br />working on updating the Assessment Policy. The Capital Improvement Project for 2023 was the <br />Birch Tree Ponds area street reconstruction. Other goals included planning for the Northstar <br />Wetland Bank, and the Parks Commission will be working on the Clearwater Creek Preserve <br />area and planning for the Bernin Property. There were currently discussions happening on a <br />fulltime fire chief, Hopkins schoolhouse renovation, and reorganization of the Public Works <br />Department. The City will be planning for the use of ARPA funds, revamping the City website, <br />and following legislation regarding THC and marijuana laws. <br /> <br />Weidt made motion, Miron seconded, to approve goals for 2023. <br /> <br />All Ayes. Motion carried. <br /> <br />Consideration of Moratorium on Solar Farms Solar Energy Systems <br /> <br />Community Development Director Rachel Juba talked about discussions at the Planning <br />Commission and at the Council Goals Setting Session regarding policies on solar energy. Since <br />there is increased interest in building solar in the City at this time, Juba recommended Council <br />consider a moratorium on Solar Energy Systems while the ordinance was being reviewed. Juba <br />explained a moratorium would be on solar farms, not accessory panels, and a moratorium would <br />allow the City to temporarily suspend approval and consideration of those systems. If Council <br />approved the resolution approving a moratorium, staff would schedule a workshop to further <br />discuss. <br /> <br />Council agreed that if the City was going to have more of these projects, Council needed to <br />decide if there was anything in the ordinance they wanted to change. <br /> <br />