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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026.07.06 CC MinutesMINUTES City Council Meeting City Hall Council Chambers Monday, July 6, 2026 7:00 p.m. Call to Order Mayor Weidt called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Roll Call and Pledge of Allegiance COUNCIL PRESENT: Krull, Miron, Petryk, Strub, Weidt COUNCIL ABSENT: None OTHERS PRESENT: City Administrator Bryan Bear, Community Development Director Rachel Juba, City Engineer Mark Erichson, City Clerk Michele Lindau Approve Minutes for the June 15, 2026, City Council Meeting Petryk made motion, Krull seconded, to approve the minutes for the City Council meeting held on June 15, 2026, as presented. All Ayes. Motion carried. Approval of Agenda Weidt made motion, Miron seconded, to approve the agenda as amended to add Mark Koll to talk about the pension increase and the pension itself. All Ayes. Motion carried. Approval of Consent Agenda Miron made motion, Strub seconded, to approve the following Consent Agenda: 1. Approve Claims Roster 2. Approve Annual Performance Review for Public Works Utility Lead Worker Jeff Maas 3. Approve Annual Performance Review for Building Inspector Mason Libke 4. Approve Annual Performance Review for Public Works Worker Mike Perron 5. Approve Resolution Appointing Election Judges for 2026 Primary and General Elections 6. Approve Special Event Permit for the Hero Gravel Classic Bicycle Race on Saturday, August 22, 2026 7. Approve Hugo Firefighter’s Relief Association Request for Increase in Lump-Sum Pension 8. Approve Resolutions Approving Preliminary Plat and PUD for Oneka Lake Reserve 9. Approve Reduction in the Letter of Credit for Liberty Classical Academy 10. Approve Purchase of 2027 Vactor Sewer Cleaning Truck 11. Approve Purchase of Playground Equipment for Frog Hollow Park All Ayes. Motion carried. Council Meeting Minutes for July 7, 2026 Page 2 of 6 Approve Claims Roster Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the Claims Roster as presented. Approve Annual Performance Review for Public Works Utility Lead Worker Jeff Maas Jeff Maas was hired by the City of Hugo on July 24, 2006, as a Public Works Worker and promoted to Utility Lead Worker on July 21, 2025. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the annual performance review for Public Works Worker Jeff Maas. Approve Annual Performance Review for Building Inspector Mason Libke Mason Libke was hired by the Council on July 7, 2025, as a Building Inspector with a starting date of July 7, 20206. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the annual performance review for Building Inspector Mason Libke. Approve Annual Performance Review for Public Works Worker Mike Perron Mike Perron to was hired by the Council on July 7, 2026, as a Public Works Worker with a starting date of July 16, 2026. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the annual performance review for Public Works Worker Mike Perron. Approve Resolution Appointing Election Judges for 2026 Primary and General Elections Minnesota Statute 204B.21 requires election judges for precincts in a municipality to be appointed by the governing body of the municipality. Staff has prepared a resolution with a list of 68 judges who have signed up to work the 2026 elections. Staff recommends Council approve the resolution to appoint election judges for the 2026 Primary and General Elections subject to completion of required training. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved RESOLUTION 2026-16 APPOINTING ELECTION JUDGES FOR THE 2026 PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS. Approve Special Event Permit for the Hero Gravel Classic Bicycle Race on Saturday, August 22, 2026 Fred Stori from the Chilkoot Velo Cycling Club of Stillwater has applied for a Special Event Permit for the Hero Gravel Classic Bicycle Ride to be held on August 22, 2026. The event is a 30 and 50-mile bicycle ride on gravel and paved roads beginning and ending at the Bavarian Hunter Gasthaus Restaurant in Stillwater. A Special Event Permit approved by Council is necessary because there may be up to 300 people participating. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the Special Event Permit for the Hero Gravel Classic Bicycle Race on August 22, 2026, subject to the conditions in the staff memo. Approve Hugo Firefighter’s Relief Association Request for Increase in Lump-Sum Pension The Board of Trustees for the Hugo Firefighter’s Relief Association has formally requested City Council ratification of an increase of $2,000 per year of service in their lump-sum pension benefit. The Finance Department has reviewed this request and finds it to be financially feasible Council Meeting Minutes for July 7, 2026 Page 3 of 6 and consistent with the Pension Fiscal Policy adopted in April 2012. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the Board of Trustees request for a $2,000 increase in their lump-sum pension benefit and corresponding change to their bylaws. Approve Resolutions Approving Preliminary Plat and PUD for Oneka Lake Reserve The applicant is requesting approval of a preliminary plat and PUD general plan approval to allow development of the 6.7-acre site with 50 townhomes. The proposed development includes 50 units in a mixture of two-unit, three-unit, and four-unit buildings and ½ acre public park. At its June 25, 2026, meeting, the Planning Commission held a public hearing and considered the request. There were several residents that spoke during the public hearing from the adjacent neighborhood to the north and east. Following the public hearing and discussion, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the Preliminary Plat and PUD, subject to conditions in the resolution. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved RESOLUTION 2026-17 APPROVING A PRELIMINARY PLAT AND PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT (PUD) FOR ONEKA LAKE RESERVE LLC, FOR “ONEKA LAKE RESERVE” ON PROPERTY LOCATED NORTH OF 150TH STREET NORTH AND ACROSS FROM GENERATION AVENUE NORTH. Approve Reduction in the Letter of Credit for Liberty Classical Academy The addition at Liberty Classical Academy has had substantial work completed to date and the Liberty Classical Academy along with Gunderson Construction, Inc. is requesting a reduction in the letter of credit. The current letter of credit for the Liberty Classical Academy Project is in the amount of $242,267.75. Staff has inspected the work completed to date and recommended approval. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the reduction in the letter of credit to $24,227 based on the value of work remaining to be completed. Approve Purchase of 2027 Vactor Sewer Cleaning Truck Included in the City’s Equipment Purchasing Fund is funding for the replacement of Public Works 2013 Kenworth Vactor truck. Constant repairs have made the truck unreliable for emergency sewer and stormwater backups. In addition to emergencies, the Vactor truck is used for the cleaning of storm and sanitary sewer lines, cleaning of sanitary wet wells, hydro excavation for potholing utilities, and pumping of storage tanks and sumps. Public Works staff would like to replace the truck with a 2026 Mack chassis equipped with Vactor components. The total cost would be $701,058.20 and purchased through the Mn/DOT Cooperative Purchasing Venture contract, ensuring the best price available. The 2013 Kenworth would be sold after receipt of the new Vactor truck in 2027. Adoption of the Consent Agenda authorized the purchase of the 2026 Mach Chassis equipped with Vactor components in the amount of $701,058.20. Approve Purchase of Playground Equipment for Frog Hollow Park At the meeting of March 2, 2026, the Council approved the request for proposals to replace the playground at Frog Hollow Park. The Parks Capital Improvement Plan includes $300,000 for improvements to Frog Hollow Park in 2026. In addition to new playground equipment, staff recommended minor updates to the park including replacement of the wood fiber soft surfacing Council Meeting Minutes for July 7, 2026 Page 4 of 6 in the playground, planting shrubs to buffer the playground from the street, and installing a new bench and picnic table. The Parks Commission held a neighborhood meeting on May 20, 2026, and gathered input on proposals from four playground designers. A revised playground design was presented to the Parks Commission at their June 17, 2026, meeting. Adoption of the Consent Agenda approved the proposal from Play It Creations in the amount of $184,701 to replace the playground equipment and wood fiber surfacing at Frog Hollow Park. Approve Ordinance Repealing and Replacing Chapter 90, Zoning and Land Use City staff have been working with Landform on a comprehensive repeal and replacement of Chapter 90 (Zoning and Land Use) and an update to the Official Zoning Map in preparation for the 2050 Comprehensive Plan. The revisions modernize permitted uses and development standards, update statutory references, eliminate inconsistencies, revise zoning districts, and update the zoning map. The update also includes the City of Hugo’s Multi-Family Design Guidelines. On June 25, 2026, the Planning Commission held a public hearing to consider the proposed ordinance. No public comments were received. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the ordinance to repeal and replace Chapter 90 in its entirety and to adopt the Multi-Family Design Guidelines. Landform Planner Kendra Lindahl explained the updates reflect a two-year effort to improve organization, readability, and consistency, while establishing a foundation for the 2050 Comprehensive Plan. The project was supported in part by a Livable Communities grant. Several meetings were held beginning with a joint meeting of the Council and Commissions in September 2024 followed by a roundtable discussion with developers in October, who were generally supportive of the proposed changes. Most recently, a joint work session was held with the Planning Commission in April, and a Public Hearing was held at the Planning Commission meeting in June 2026. Key updates include revisions to zoning districts and the introduction of new and renamed districts. The former CR-3 district has been eliminated and replaced with a new R-3 district, which allows for smaller lot development. The Neighborhood Service (NS) district has been eliminated and properties reclassified, primarily to C-1. A new mixed-use district was established to support high-quality development while functioning as a holding district until rezoning or a planned unit development is approved. The existing R-3 district was reclassified to R-2, allowing lower density residential development. These changes significantly reduced nonconformities in residential districts. Interim uses were added across districts, and regulations related to liquor uses were updated to reflect recent statutory changes. The Multi-Family Design Guidelines apply to all multi-family residential developments. Under the State Building Code, single family homes are two units or less, both attached and detached. Multifamily would be three or more unit apartments and townhomes. The overall framework of the guidelines remains unchanged but has been updated to improve clarity and usability for developers. Additional standards were introduced to encourage smaller-scale buildings and to establish higher design expectations for larger buildings of 19 units or more, including enhanced exterior materials and underground parking requirements. Mayor Weidt commented on the extensive outreach and number of meetings involved in the ordinance update and noted the positive impact of reducing nonconforming properties. Council Meeting Minutes for July 7, 2026 Page 5 of 6 Miron made motion, Strub seconded, to approve ORDINANCE 2026-549 REPEALING AND REPLACING CHAPTER 90 (ZONING AND LAND USE) OF THE HUGO CITY CODE. Roll call vote- Ayes: Petryk, Krull, Strub, Miron, Weidt Nays: None Motion carried. Miron made motion, Krull seconded, to adopt the Summary Ordinance for Ordinance 2026-549 for publication of the ordinance. Roll call vote- Ayes: Miron, Petryk, Strub, Krull, Weidt Nays: None Motion carried. Krull made motion, Petryk seconded, to approve the Multifamily Guidelines as presented. All Ayes. Motion carried. Fire Department Pension Comments - Mark Koll This was added to the agenda to allow Mark Koll, 4940 128th Street North, to address the Council regarding concerns about the Fire Department’s pension. It was noted by the Mayor and City Attorney Dave Snyder that there is no current provision for random public comment; however, an exception could be made at the Council’s discretion. Mark began by addressing the $2,000 pension increase to the fire department, saying he was on the Fire Department for 20 years and never saw that kind of increase. He said the former retirees did not get the pension they deserved, were underpaid, and the current staff is getting overpaid. Koll referenced some documents he handed out and wanted to address the SC22, which he referred to as the qualifying form for pension, and he wanted to know how it got approved. He talked about the requirement to have 20% yearly service credits and referenced an individual who did not reach that percentage and still received a pension. Koll wanted to know why. Snyder explained that public comment should not include direct interrogation on matters and encouraged the Council to decline any questioning or commenting on personnel or employment issues. Koll stated he wanted to address a nonqualified disbursement of a pension fund for the Hugo Relief Association. He said he had documents that showed a person did not qualify, and he asked if anyone had an interest in finding out what happened and he asked how he could get an answer. Weidt asked if he talked to the Firefighters Association, and Koll replied that he did and was directed to the City because the City approved it. Council Meeting Minutes for July 7, 2026 Page 6 of 6 Weidt recommended that he talk to the City Administrator since it was a personnel issue. Schedule Arbor West Grand Opening on Tuesday, July 28, 2026 Council has been invited to attend the Grand Opening of Arbor West Luxury Apartments on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, from 3-6 p.m. at 4631 Rosemary Way. Miron made motion, Petryk seconded, to schedule a meeting to attend the Arbor West Grand Opening on July 28, 2026 All Ayes. Motion carried. Schedule Night to Unite on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 Strub made motion, Krull seconded, schedule a meeting to attend National Night Out events on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. All Ayes. Motion carried. Schedule Midyear Budget Workshop for Thursday, September 3, 2026 Staff recommended Council schedule the Midyear Budget Workshop for Thursday, September 3, 2026, at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers. This date did not work for all Council members. Staff will come back with another date. Adjournment Miron made motion, Petryk seconded, to adjourn at 7:26 p.m. All Ayes. Motion carried Respectfully Submitted, Michele Lindau, City Clerk