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The North Branch City Council observed the swearing in of the city’s newest police department hire, Officer Lausen at the start of  last week’s council session.

Then, the vocational skills outdoor testing and training facility, proposed on the north end of town, at County Road 30 and 415th was granted approval on a 4-0 vote with Kelly Neider absent.  (See Press story July 25 about the facility review at the planning commission meeting.) 

The facility will have parking for about 25 cars, a building and will be open a few weeks in the year.  The site will include a wind turbine and other special features to be used for hands-on training.  There will be instruction on laying pipe, earthwork for roads,  and other heavy equipment skills.

The plan called for a new definition to be added to Conditional Use Permits, a rezoning of half the property and for the Comprehensive Plan to be amended.

Municipal Liquor Store management got full council support to move forward on putting together pricing and a point of sale system to enable selling hemp derived, THC containing and CBD products at the city-owned stores.  

Council heard there are other nearby outlets selling these in-demand products and in order to compete, and give local customers what they want, there are special measures that need to be implemented to offer these items.

Council was advised these would probably be introduced at store number one (east of the freeway) because it has sufficient display space and items can be monitored.  Any edibles will be kept behind the counter.

Managers will report back when the rules for the products have been completely investigated and items are closer to being ready to go on sale.

North Branch Public Works Director Shawn Williams announced the Highway 95 rebuild finished a month ahead of schedule,  and on budget. He felt everything “went well.”  

Williams floated the possibility that Elm Street and Maple Street could remain non-stop as they have been in use as #95 detours.  

He thought maybe a survey could be done to see how directly affected property owners along these streets feel.  The current configuration of no stops would remain even once Highway 95 is fully returned to traffic.  Council suggested a speed limit of 25 mph be maintained.  

Staff will develop more information.

Council okayed (with member Neider absent) to spend up to $750 to be more welcoming to visitors attending Hay Days motorsports extravaganza.  

The city could hang banners or put signs out ahead of the Hay Days weekend in September and give it more visibility and be more inviting for local merchants and food establishments.

The vacancy in the community development director position due to the resignation of Jason Ziemer (while he was acting as interim administrator) needs to be filled.   

Interim Administrator Lynda Woulfe recommended the search firm GMP can do an internal review or broaden the scope to an external search, but said Nate Sondrol, the city parks and GPS coordinator and grant writer, has an interest in the post.  She added he would be an “excellent” internal candidate.  

GMP can write a job description and align it with what “stakeholders” who are being interviewed about the city administrator hire view as qualities for a Community Development Director.  Woulfe said, if there is a person in the CDD position when a fulltime city administrator is hired (hopefully sometime in fall) it “would be a service to any new administrator.”

Council was agreeable to see what the search consulting firm comes up with as a non-permanent development director’s job duties and terms,  and keep the momentum of an internal hire proceeding.  

Mayor Schieber stated he has a “gut feeling” Sondrol would be a good fit but he wants some homework, or “due diligence’ done on this approach first. 

Council member Peter Schaps was the lone voice of opposition, saying he wanted to iron out who the new administrator will be first.

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