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Discussion of the proposed location of the Lakes Area Police Department headquarters was not on the agenda but, nevertheless, played a part in Chisago City’s Feb. 24 council meeting.

Resident Jonathan Dodge raised the subject with the council during the public comment portion of the meeting. Dodge questioned the wisdom of spending several million dollars to locate the department into a remodeled version of the present Lindstrom City Offices and Community Center. 

“Why are we spending $6 million to put the police department in the farthest end of its (service) area?” asked Dodge during open mic. He said that a new facility for the department, which serves both Lindstrom and Chisago City, should be built on land next to the Chisago City Fire Station at Karmel Ave. “as originally planned,” rather than being “shoe-horned into a 40-year-old structure” in Lindstrom with no room for future expansion. “If we look at future development of this area, it’s going to be from here (Chisago City) toward Forest Lake,” Dodge said. 

The council thanked Dodge for his comments.

Later in the agenda, the council scheduled a workshop session for 5:30 p.m. March 10 to discuss the Lakes Area Police Department building proposal. (Council workshop meetings are open to the public, but there is no public comment.) 

The council also agreed to enter discussions with Braden Carpenter, lease coordinator for the MN Department of Public Safety (DPS), to lease Chisago City council chambers for people taking written driver exams and road tests one day a week starting in January 2027. The state currently does drivers’ tests at Lindstrom’s City Community Center. 

Chisago City Administrator John Pechman said the state decided to seek space at Chisago City after Lindstrom gave notice the lease there would cease at the end of June this year. The lease has since been extended to the end in 2027, but Carpenter told Pechman the state was looking to enter a lease agreement for a driver testing site in the area— that would be available on a long-term basis.

Pechman told council that the lease arrangement would require storage space for road test supplies and needs some additional signage to avoid confusion because the state motor vehicle license bureau (which handles driver’s licenses and renewals, vehicle titles, and license plates) is adjacent to the Chisago City Hall. 

He said state employees would handle setting up driver’s test areas each week, and arrangements would have to be made for  internet service. Pechman said he had already approached Lindstrom to find out how much the state has been paying to lease space there but had not yet had a reply.  Council Member Nikki Battles supported the arrangement saying it would keep driver’s testing available locally, and the council agreed.

In other business, council:

- set a pubic hearing for 6:35 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, to receive comment on Kendall Howard LLC’s request for $1.725 million in business subsidy to cover costs to  purchase land from the Chisago City EDA and construct a 226,700 square foot  facility on 17 acres, or Lot 1, Block 1 Liberty Lane Shores II. The subsidy includes proposed tax abatement of up to $975,357.  

Kendall Howard manufactures computer and electronics equipment and has a facility currently in Chisago City.

Kendall Howard needs a public hearing to consider its request to seek financial assistance from the Minnesota Department of Economic Development (DEED) for expansion. The hearing will be during council’s March 24 meeting.  The county board has scheduled a public hearing for March 18 at 7 p.m.

Council unanimously approved the expenditure of $261,905 in six $49,755 annual payments for the lease-to-purchase of a new city street sweeper for the public works department. Fifty percent of the funds for the sweeper will come from the city’s capital budget, and 25 percent from the sewer and water funds for the next six years. 

A new sweeper was scheduled to be part of the city’s 2027 capital budget when a 2026 sweeper became available through a state contract at a reduced price if purchased by Feb. 28. The new sweeper will replace the 1999 Elgin sweeper that the city bought in 2015, which will be sold at auction.

Prior to the vote, Mayor Dresel said that he struggled with spending that much money buying a street sweeper that is used only a few times a year. He suggested taking some time to explore other options; however, the price of the new sweeper would increase by $9,000 after Feb. 28 and fellow council members felt the price would only go even higher if they waited another year. Based on past experience, the city hopes to use the new sweeper for at least 20 years. 

- agreed to enter a contract to modernize the city’s website in order to improve use, community engagement and to meet new ADA requirements mandated for March 2027. After interviewing four specialized government vendors, staff recommended entering a contract with Revize, at a cost of $9,000 for the initial set up and $2,000 a year for ongoing support and a free redesign after four years. A fund supported by the city’s cable TV franchise will cover the cost, Pechman said.

- heard from Chris Nelson, Kestrel Ave., of the Birch Lake Preserve Homeowners Association. The HOA has a failing communal septic system and is exploring the possibility of connecting to Chisago City’s sewer system. 

A portion of the affected area lies within Chisago City and a portion is outside city limits and would have to be annexed to the city in order to access city sewer. Mayor Dresel told the group that there are “a lot of questions” yet to be answered but he wouldn’t have any issues with it, if it is feasible. There is a potential for city sewer lines to be extended, during the Highway 8 improvement project.

- voted to send a letter to the United States Secretary of Transportation in support of Chisago County’s application for a BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) Grant to help reconstruct eight miles of US Highway 8.  Council Member Marie Rivers made the motion to approve saying, “I hope the letter has some impact.”

- following a  public hearing, voted to vacate drainage, utility and right of way access easements in the Ki-Chi-Saga Addition at the intersection of Karmel Avenue and Liberty Lane. The Chisago City Economic Development Authority (EDA) has requested that the area, which had been platted as three lots with an access road, be replatted as a single lot which requires new easements. 

- received the 2025 report of Fire Chief Zach Reed.  Reed said the department responded to 96 calls in 2025 compared to 86 in 2024.  The department logged 1,500 hours in ongoing training which is three times the minimum hours required. 

Recent fire department retirements included 24-year veteran Steve Pangburn, who retired April 1, 2025, 10-year member Adrian Hoff, who retired Sept. 1, before moving to Louisiana, and Marc Clay, 36-year veteran, who retired Jan. 1, 2026. The department currently stands at 18 members, which Reed said is adequate for now. They plan to add four new members this year. In conclusion, Reed said the department will continue to serve the community as it has since 1912.

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