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Stacy City Council met August 14 for a regular meeting, all members were present. City engineer Dan Boyum was absent.  

The council opened the meeting agreeing to a contract proposal from Campbell Knutson Professional Services for legal services.  

The current attorney the city uses is James Monge. The new contract raises legal fees by $10 per hour to $180/hr. The council voted unanimously to approve the contract.

Council then approved an OSHA training contract with Hennepin Technical College. Cost for city employees training is $820.  

The council  discussed enforcement of code against a property along Elk Court that has a carport that does not meet the proper setbacks.  The homeowner had applied for a permit after the structure was built and ultimately was denied a permit. 

The neighbor of the property is suing for determination of the property line.  Council member Carolyn Cagle told the council this has been going on for quite some time.  The council agreed to table and let the civil litigation take its course.

A homeowner on 337th Street has continually opposed maintenance along the right-of-way in front of his property.  He is disputing the right-of-way boundaries including plowing and mowing. Attorney Monge suggested the city hire Stantec to do a survey which could run up to $1,500.  Mayor Mark Utecht asked if the surveyors could take photos as soon as the property is marked with flags to prevent someone from moving the flags before surveying is complete. Council approved the survey unanimously.

The council then had some discussion about hiring a contractor to do soil borings before each new road project.  Mayor Utecht reminded council about the last road project and data that was supplied to the contractor was incorrect. That left the city on the hook for the cost to de-water the project due to mud being found below grade and new material had to be brought in.  

Council agreed to require borings for each road project in the future.

Council then approved Stacy Lions to conduct legal gambling at the locations of Stacy Bar and Grill, The Hideout Restaurant, Station on 17, and Doyle Memorial Ballfield building.

Council approved  spending some of the remaining ARPA funds from Lent Township for a new floor in the Lent Town Hall for $1,184.29 and  $67,156.67 for replacement of the water metering system.   

Council then discussed a memo  from the former janitor of Lent Town Hall stating he did not want to work as a city employee but rather stay on as a subcontractor.  Under the city’s pay matrix, an employee would make less than he does now and have to provide proof of bonding and insurance.  

The city had received a quote from Genie Cleaning for $85 for cleaning Lent Town Hall and $55 for cleaning of Stacy City Hall.  Council member Tim Sawatzsky asked if the company could also provide a quote for cleaning the sports bar.  

The council agreed to hire Genie Cleaning for the two buildings and would address the sports bar if and when they received a quote.

Council discussed the patio fence at the sports bar.  The fence is poorly constructed and doesn't have any footings in the cement, making  it quite wobbly at this point.  Council agreed to look into a replacement fence.

Action was taken to realign the clerk and finance departments and clarify who reports to whom.  Clerk and treasurer tasks were combined prior to Stacy and Lent merging but a new ordinance has separated the two and  Stacy now has separate clerk and treasurer positions.

Tanya Smolke is lead in the clerk area and reports to city council.  Michelle Hayes is in finance.  Angie Comstock is still deputy clerk. 

Council agreed to hold the annual fall clean-up day Wednesday, September 18 at the Stacy maintenance building on Hemingway (across from Lent Town Hall.)  Clean-up will take place from 4-7 p.m. 

Reminder postcards will be mailed out.

Council member Carolyn Cagle told the council the EDA was looking into potentially holding farmers markets next season.  

Cagle also said the EDA is considering hosting a business expo which Cagle said Stacy has a lot of home businesses.  

Cagle ended the meeting stating that she did not file for city council this term, and cited she needed to spend more time at home.   She told the council she loved her time with the new group and will continue to serve on her committees.  Cagle will step down in January.

Council adjourned at 8:42 p.m.

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