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Stacy City Council met April 8 for a regular meeting.  Council member Mike Hoppe was absent.

In Open Forum Jessica Hanson and Michael Barthel spoke to the council.  They have applied for an Interim Use Permit for their property to keep five horses.  Stacy’s ordinance only allows one horse per two acres.  Hanson said she was charged $500 for the permit and another $500 for escrow.  Hanson said she recently got a bill for $2,500 on top of the $1,000 they already paid.  Hanson said they contacted Chisago County and their bill would have only been $946 total.  Barthel added, “How did we get here? We are asking for three additional horses at a cost of $3,500?”

Mayor Mark Utecht told the couple he understood their frustration. He added the city did look into the matter in December and did reduce the bill.  Utecht said the city is not making money on the application.  Utecht also told the council the city needs to work on clarity - “The last thing we want is a resident to be blindsided by large bills”.

Next, Deputy Kyle Jones from the Chisago County Sheriff’s Office gave an update of patrols in Stacy. Jones said there were 2,200 calls in Stacy in quarter one of 2025, with 300 traffic stops.  There were 50 citations given out and 20 arrests.  Council thanked Jones for staying in touch.

In old business, attorney James Monge told the council he has looked at a resolution for the city to terminate the purchase agreement with XPress Trucking. The city had not received a payment or communication in many months and currently has a buyer interested in that property.  Council then passed a resolution terminating the contract of sale after 30 days of notification.

In the engineer’s report, city engineer Dan Boyum told the council he was having difficulty lining up a meeting with the MN Dept of Health to discuss the water treatment plant pump that is currently inactive.  Council agreed they do not need to be present if Boyum can schedule a meeting with maintenance supervisor Troy Olson, Boyum and the Department of Health.  

Council then approved the 2025 street improvement plan which will include work along Erie Lane, 352nd Street, 340th Street, Floral Avenue, Fenway Avenue and Court, and Finch Avenue and Court.  The scope of work can now be distributed for   bids on May 8.

Council then accepted a donation of $1,200 from the Stacy Lions Club.

Council agreed to purchase a laser fiche system for storing city files as a back up. Cost of the software is $3,255 per year.  

Council then passed a motion dedicating $532,882 to the street reserves fund. Some of that money was from Lent’s street account that transferred over.

Council then passed renewing 3-2 beer license at the Marathon Gas Station on County Road 19.

Council approved the hiring of three firemen to join the Stacy Fire Department.

Council then set May 21 for the official city clean-up day.  Collection site will be the old Lent Town Hall.

Council approved council member Dennis Thieling to attend the League of Minnesota Cities conference in Duluth.

Council adjourned at 9:14pm.   

 

 

 

  

  

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