Regular Meeting of the Mazeppa City Council
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
The regular meeting of the Mazeppa City Council was called to order at 6:03 PM by Mayor Chris Hagfors.
The Pledge of Allegiance was said.
Present: Mayor Chris Hagfors. Council Persons Steve Liffrig, Michael Hammes, Dustin
Wiebusch, and Erica Young.
Others Present: City Attorney Luke Lamprecht, City Engineer Matt Mohs, Municipal Liquor
Store Manager Todd Ihrke, Public Works Director Scott Ellingson, Andrew Miller,
Wanda Schafer, Seth Beyer, Pete Grimsrud from the News Record, and City
Administrator-Clerk Karl Nahrgang.
Present via electronic meeting: Wabasha County Sherriff’s Chief Deputy Jim Warren.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve the agenda. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Hammes to approve the agenda addendum. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve the October 9, 2024, regular Council meeting minutes and the November 10, 2024, Council quorum minutes. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to close the regular meeting and open the Ordinance 2024-04 regulating cannabis businesses public hearing. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Regular meeting was closed and public hearing opened at 6:05 PM.
Ordinance 2024-04 sets ordinance for Cannabis Businesses in Land Management Ordinance, Article XXII.
Wabasha County Sherriff Chief Deputy Jim Warren said that most of the communities have opted to have Wabasha County administer licensing of cannabis businesses and limiting licenses countywide to two.
There were no other comments.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to approve closing the public hearing and re-open the regular meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Public hearing was closed and regular meeting re-opened at 6:17 PM.
Wabasha County Sherriff’s Chief Deputy Jim Warren gave the monthly Incident Command Report. He said that there were many equipment violations for automotive lighting and that officers are issuing “Lights on for Safety” vouchers that reimburse for the light replacement. Chief Deputy Warren said that there has been increased deer strikes and reminded everyone to drive safely.
Public Works Director Scott Ellingson gave the Public Works report and said that the new loader arrived, and that staff are familiarizing themselves with its operation.
Administrator Clerk Karl Nahrgang read the Fire Department report.
Municipal Liquor Store Manager Todd Ihrke gave the liquor store report.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to close the regular meeting and open public hearing for input on adopting an official trail map for the City of Mazeppa. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Regular meeting was closed and the public hearing opened at 6:30 PM.
Andrew Miller and Wanda Schafer from the Mazeppa Trails volunteer committee presented information on the trail plan and grant applications. Phase one will be from Vally High Drive to Cherry St. E, a planned crossing at 3rd Ave. SE, to Cedar St. and to Herb Vik Park. This is planned to be funded mainly by the Safe Routes to School grant. Phase 2 would be from Herb Vik Park, under the Highway 60 bridge to 2nd Ave. SW and to Walnut St. to access the Walking Bridge to Walking Bridge Park. An Active Transportation grant has been applied for this phase. The trail group has also talked to legislators to see if the State of Minnesota has funds available to pay for a portion of the engineering costs that are not grant eligible.
The project would connect the portion of the community that lies south of Highway 60 to the north, creating a marked crossing at 3rd Ave. and an under highway crossing at the Highway 60 bridge creating a safer pedestrian environment for those walking to school, parks, or other areas in the community.
No other comments were presented.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to close the Public Hearing and re-open the regular Council meeting. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Public Hearing was closed and the regular meeting re-opened at 6:50 PM.
City Engineer Matt Mohs presented the engineering report.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve Resolution 2024-35 Approving the official pedestrian/bike trail map. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Seth Beyer from the Zumbrota Mazeppa wrestling Booster Club asked permission for the Booster Club’s raffle to be drawn after the January 16, 2025, match at the ZMMS building in Mazeppa. The raffle follows all MN Alcohol, Gambling Enforcement regulations and is legal with Council approval.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to allow the Zumbrota Mazeppa Wrestling Booster Club draw its fund-raising raffle on January 16, 2025, at the ZMMS facility in Mazeppa. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Wiebusch to approve building permits: 24-920-090, 1371 River Bluff Rd. SE -new home. 24-920-093, 227 Highway 60 E -roof-top solar. 24-920-086, 322 Maple St. NE -re-roof. 24-920-063 331. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
A Human Resources committee meeting was set for Wednesday, November 20, 2024, to review the proposed Employee Handbook.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to approve Ordinance 2024-04 Adding Article XXII to the revised Land Management Ordinance to regulate cannabis businesses. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve Ordinance 45-1.25 Establishing Fees for 2025 for the City of Mazeppa. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to Resolution 2024-31 Approving Grant Navigation Support application. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to approve up to $5000 in grant consulting for the trails grants. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Young to approve Resolution 2024-32 Supporting the City of Mazeppa’s funding request from MN DOT’s Active Transportation Program to fund phase 2 of the City’s trail project. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Liffrig, second by Wiebusch to approve Resolution 2024-34 Supporting the City of Mazeppa’s funding request from MN DOT’s Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Grant program to fund phase 1 of the City’s trail project. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Liffrig to approve Resolution 2024-33 Accepting a donation of $31,070 from Mazeppa Fire Relief for Mazeppa Daze expenses. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
The voting abstract was presented to Council to canvass the November 5, 2024, General Election.
Mayor: Chris Hagfors: 443
Write In votes: 19
Council: Erica Young: 290
Steven Liffrig: 281
Jason Hughley: 264
Write In Votes: 13
Council members, acting in their duty as Canvassing Boad, reviewed and signed the Abstract of Votes Cast.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to approve up to $3360 to CRW Architecture and Design Group to perform an A.D.A. Evaluation to comply with USDA Rural Development grant terms. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Hammes to approve Resolution 2024-36 Requesting Wabasha County support and to act as fiscal agent for Safe Routes To School Grant application. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Young, second by Hammes to approve Resolution 2024-37 Requesting Wabasha County support and to act as fiscal agent for Active Transportation grant application. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to approve Resolution 2024-38 Certifying past due water sewer account to be assessed to property tax. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Liffrig, second by Wiebusch to approve Resolution 2024-39 Accepting a donation of $10,000 for improvements to buildings at Lion’s Park. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Motion by Wiebusch, second by Liffrig to pay the bills and claims. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Council members thanked the Lion’s Club and Fire Relief for their generous donations.
Congratulations were expressed to the winning candidates during the election.
Motion by Liffrig, second by Hammes to recess the meeting until November 14, 2024, for the WWTP groundbreaking ceremony. All in favor, none opposed. Carried.
Meeting recessed at 7:29 PM.
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Administrator-Clerk
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Mayor
Next meeting: 10:00 AM, November 14, 2024.
Next Regular meeting: 6:00 PM, December 11, 2024
