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Stacy City Council met September 10 for a regular meeting, all members were present with 11 residents also attending.

In public comment, resident Chris LeDoux from Fenway Court told the council his road pavement was really getting broken up. LeDoux told the council he was told a year ago the road would be fixed.  “We have to weed the middle of the road, it's so broken up,” he said.  Mayor Mark Utecht thanked LeDoux and assured him, if in the budget, the road will be at the top priority.

County Commissioner Ben Montzka then gave a brief update on goings on at the county level.  Montzka told the council the County Road 19 bridge has officially made it into the county’s road plan.  He said the project is scheduled for three years out but noted the county recently approved a $100k scope study.  

Montzka then told the council the county is in the midst of compiling a housing study.  Montzka said the lack of affordable housing in Chisago County is disturbing and his own children can’t afford to purchase or live in the county.  Montzka asked people to please use the qr code he handed out to fill out the short survey (we have the qr in this week’s paper).  

When Montzka asked the council if there were any pressing issues, council member Tim  Sawatzky asked what Stacy had to do to earn a little bit more attention from the county.  “Seems like we are an afterthought. We pay alot and get very little back” he said.

Resident Steve Johnson then asked the council what the plan is for solar panels that are outdated.  Council member Carolyn Cagle said Lent required a bond worth 125 percent of the decommissioning costs, when arrays were installed. 

In the engineer’s report, city engineer Dan Boyum told the council the city has submitted the required lead service line inventory to the Department of Health.   Boyum told the council the survey found zero lead systems, one galvanized 551 non-lead and 107 unknown material.

Boyum was asked by Mayor Utecht if his company could get all of the digital information to the city in the near future.  Utecht told Boyum multiple times the city has requested information, and the city can not pull it up because Stantec has the information.  Boyum told the council there was a new software that many cities are using now called Ersi.  Stacy currently uses InfoSeek and Boyum pointed out that transition from InfoSeek to Ersi has been seamless and Ersi’s software can be accessed by both the engineering and the city.  Boyum agreed to compile some pricing for Ersi for an upcoming council meeting.

The council then passed resolutions for a home business interim use permit on Ivan Avenue, a preliminary and final plat for  property on Kale Avenue, and  a minor subdivision along Elmcrest Avenue.

Council then passed the preliminary budget at $1,797,368, which is an increase of 3.42 percent.  Most of the increase will be for road improvements. 

The council then passed a 2025 contract with the Chisago County Sheriff’s Office for 120 hours a month of patrol time.  

Council then discussed with finance director Michelle Hayes the 4M Money Market Fund.  Council member Jeff Barrett had some questions about certain areas of investments suggested.  Mayor Utecht brought up the idea of having a city 4M investment committee for the purpose of having more than one person responsible for city investments.  Council passed the committee formation unanimously.

Council then denied a request from the Chisago County Historical Society asking for a donation.  “Our policy has always been not to donate,” Mayor Utecht said. 

Finally, the council then agreed to allow the purchase of cutting edges for snow plowing to be used on city trucks and other vehicles such as a tool cat.  The edges cost came to $8,228.

Council then adjourned at 8:42 p.m.

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