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Mayor Brandon Weiberg and Council member Larry Julik Heine were absent from the Taylors Falls Council meeting Monday this week,  so acting mayor Lee Samuelson took the reins. 

The council heard a 2022 wrap-up from Chisago County Sheriff’s Captain Anklan.  He advised the city’s calls for service seem pretty consistent with the regular data,  and nothing is rising to the top as far as concerning activity. He stressed that anyone who notices suspicious activity or wants to report an incident should do so at the time and not wait.  Untimely Monday reports of a crime that took place Saturday are not ideal.  “We are open 24-7, 365 days,” Anklan concluded.

Recreational marijuana dispensary businessmen Robert and Boone Apel introduced themselves, and said they hope to work with the city on opening a cannabis business. Their outlets will be known under the name “Mr. Budz Cannabis.” 

Boone Apel added that the law is new and kinks are still being worked out at the state level, and they understand that it could be 2025 before they’d open, but Taylors Falls is their number one preference for locating their business.  Personal possession is legal as of August 1.   Apel reminded the three council members state tax for recreational cannabis is 10 percent and local share is 10 percent of that, plus any local sales tax.  The family has a history in cannabis, as far back as a grandfather, Boone added,  who was involved in growing industrial hemp.  

Council thanked them for reaching out and being cooperative and said the city will monitor developments from the state.

Council member Tim Grote reported the online sewer and water payment system is going great and he thinks he was the first townsperson to pay his bill with it. The city has seen $10,000 submitted as late account payments since sending out notices (story May 18) and other customers have set-up plans to pay off delinquent bills.

A unanimous vote waived a $400 fee for a minor subdivision,  correcting lot lines for an applicant who advised council that this almost year-long process has been derailed and delayed,  blaming staffing issues related to the transition from a prior zoning administrator. 

In another agenda item, Council member Troy Aanonsen motioned to take the main street vacant lot just north of the Drive In— off the market and designate it “public space.” 

Samuelson and Grote raised a number of questions. They felt the full council needs to be in on this decision; along with planning and economic development committee members. The matter was tabled until the July 8 meeting.  

Aanonsen maintains the city is “losing money” and he wants to “return the lot to the people of Taylors Falls” but this was the site of a former maintenance base formerly owned by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. It was part of a complicated deal supported by the Chisago County HRA/EDA for downtown redevelopment. The city acquired the lot with a county financial boost, when MNDOT announced it would consolidate maintenance operations in Forest Lake. The deal kept the sand, salt and heavy equipment in the city, only it was moved to a new structure near city hall.  

Taylors Falls used the zero interest loan from the county to help the state relocate and city to secure the parcel, to create a tax generating property.  

Grote said there is no basis for the declaration that money could be saved if the lot is taken off the market, because the loan still has to be paid off.

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