---

The ongoing saga with the anticipated Hursh Metal Erectors facility on empty lots in the Taylors Falls Business Park,  saw some movement off dead-center, with action by the city council this week.  

A  “substantial completion” clause in the original contract, which granted Hursh acreage in Taylors Falls, for $1, was officially declared to be unmet. 

The agreement was still fully supported in concept however.  The Taylors Falls City Council then waived the penalty for failing to meet the contract terms which  carried a deadline of this August. 

Staff was positive about the new ironworking plant potential and told council the project is feasible and welcome.  Council granted Hursh a new deadline of April 30, 2027. 

 Council was advised that footings could be placed yet this fall, in comments  by Joel Hursh,  who attended the council meeting this week, reporting progress on developing the new site in partnership with Taylors Falls.  The ironworks company is now located on the edge of Center City, near Pioneer Lake.  Press readers will be familiar with displeasure repeatedly expressed by citizens in Center City because the relocation plans have been delayed.  

The first contract  between Hursh and Taylors Falls was adopted in 2023 and disgruntled  property owners near the current facility,  were assured their operational complaints would soon be moot.  But promised groundbreaking, sitework and various milestones for relocating the ironworking facility did not transpire.

Hursh told Taylors Falls council members that his goal is to resubmit to the county what was deemed to be an “incomplete” building permit application — just as soon as design and regulatory hurdles are overcome. Hursh said he has engineers “actively working” on needed documents for the building permit. He added that the biggest unaddressed hurdle is plumbing;  and whether the state plan reviewers at Labor and Industry need documentation.  

In other business: Security upgrades at Taylors Falls City Hall/Fire Hall were given the green light Monday this week by council. 

With Mayor Brandon Weiberg absent, the vote was 4-0 to spend some of the Capital Improvement Plan bonding proceeds on bullet resistant glass and emergency silent alarms for staff safety.  The panic button system and private company monitoring is $1,231 to install and a monthly fee of $34.  White Bear Glass submitted the best quote for the security glass and installation at approximately $8,000.

An incident involving an alleged unstable person who was carrying a firearm in city hall, was the motivation for council to have this issue on the agenda last month to discuss options. Over the last few weeks materials and installation quotes were received and council agreed to act on security measures this week.  The work will progress as soon as is practical. 

Carpet is being replaced in most of the fire hall meeting areas and main floor of city hall as well. 

The quote presented from Giese Carpet was approved  for $50,000.

These projects are funded by the bonding sold for major work that has been done at city hall replacing roofing, leaky window frames, ventilation and related deteriorating materials.  The needs were defined in the original Capital Improvement Plan.  This is a separate fund from what was taken out in debt for the fire truck, council noted.

On the topic of finances, council also adopted a preliminary levy and budget for 2027 at an increase of 7.2 percent.  This is a preliminary maximum amount and between now and December the final numbers need to be determined.

The Truth in Taxation public hearing was set for December 2, at 6 p.m. at city hall.

Highlights for next year included an increase in the sheriff patrol budget (the hourly rate and animal control services) and the general fund is up at this time by 11 percent.  

Reductions include street improvements going to $100,000 from $112,000 in 2026. Special project account was decreased by $5,000.  Park improvements went to $12,000 in funding from $16,000.

The levy total for this year is $926, 359 and is proposed to go to $993, 098 in 2027.

Watch for public notice for a hearing to adopt a system of administrative enforcement of nuisance code.  Council got early details from legal counsel about using non-criminal tools to abate non-compliance issues in town.  The members at the council meeting this week gave direction to city attorney Fritz Knaak to move the administrative process ordinance forward. 

Council member Robert Bayer commented that it is well-known the sheriff deputies don’t prioritize nuisance abatement with criminal enforcement measures,  and that the city zoning administrator is “frustrated.”  He said the city seeks this alternative as a “friendly” tool to address problems with unfinished construction, abandoned vehicles, yard debris,  and such.

And, Taylors Falls will not deal with automated license plate reader devices in town for at least a year.  While the system is active all around the city in areas of county jurisdiction, council put a ban on ALPR until September 2027.

The next meeting will be October 13 as the Monday for that week is a holiday.

---