2024.10.21 CC Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Council Meeting Minutes for October 21, 2024 Page 2 of 5 announcing the Hugo YRN would be celebrating their 15th anniversary in March, 2025. The YRN continued to send care packages and had so far sent up to 93,000 pounds. He shared photos taken during the packing events and many photos of the recipients. He also shared photos of Burger Night volunteers, donators, Family Meal Day, volunteers at Camp Ripley, Shoot for the Troops, Welcome Home Pheasant Hunt, a veteran’s birthday celebration, and Military Appreciation Hunt. Upcoming events included Shop with a Cop, a wine and paint event for spouses of deployed, Welcome Home Pheasant Hunt in March, and Secret Santa. Watershed District Update by John Waller This was added to the agenda by resident John Waller at 14010 Homestead Ave. John, a manager on the Rice Creek Watershed District Board, said he would be speaking as an individual, not as a board member. He provided the Council a copy of a spreadsheet with Washington County’s watershed district tax information by municipality showing that Hugo contributed $500,763 in 2024. He said Hugo was about $325,000 or lower five years ago and he is still advocating to see a bill at the legislature that requires 90% of money collected in Washington County stays in Washington County. He talked about issues he has worked on including removing Bald Eagle Lake from the impaired waters list, clearing up red tape such as requiring cities to report on money used for city projects, and getting the Board to allow money for maintenance on existing projects. He said he has applied for reappointment and talked about a letter of support the Council had provided three years ago. He further encouraged City staff and the City Council be aggressive in the City’s partners meetings. Petryk asked how projects were selected and if the money was being spread around geographically. John explained that the Board could create projects, cities could petition for one, and some could come from citizens. Citizens were allowed $7,500 for projects that were approved by the Citizens Advisory Committee, who along with staff also review more expensive projects. Some projects were instituted by individual groups like lake associations, and they also helped with the water reuses project for the golf course. He talked about the local beaver problem and said cities have more authority to take care of them than the Watershed District did. He said spreading the money around geographically was a topic with the County Commissioners, and he has lobbied for money to stay in the community. Mayor Weidt thanked John for keeping the City updated. A letter of recommendation for John’s reappointment to the Board of Managers will be on the next City Council Agenda. Approval of Consent Agenda Klein made motion, Petryk seconded, to approve the following Consent Agenda. 1. Approve Claims Roster 2. Approve Tobacco License for Hugo Tobacco Smoke Shop 3. Approve Resolution Approving Property Line Adjustment for 16155 Forest Boulevard North – Frank and Jody Puleo and Busy B Enterprises, LLC 4. Approve Ordinance Extending the Moratorium on Solar Farms All Ayes. Motion carried.