CITY OF WANAMINGO
City Council Regular Meeting
Monday, April 13, 2026 7:00 P.M.
Wanamingo City Council Chambers – 401 Main Street
Wanamingo, MN
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Holmes.
PRESENT: Council: Ryan Holmes, Eric Dierks, Jeremiah Flotterud (Late), Rebecca Haugen, and Stuart Ohr
City Administrator: Michael Boulton
Deputy Clerk: Laurie Musselman
ABSENT: None
ALSO PRESENT: Brad Kennedy, Peter Grimsrud – Zumbrota News-Record, Andrew Deziel – Kenyon Leader, Tim Amundson, and Goodhue County Deputy Jordan Markegard.
ADOPT AGENDA: Ohr motioned to adopt the agenda, seconded by Haugen. Mayor Holmes noted that Kali Lentz of CohnReznick would not be able to attend the meeting to give the 2025 Wanamingo City Audit Presentation. Holmes noted that audit presentation and Wanamingo Resolution 26-025 Accepting the 2025 Wanamingo Audit will be moved to the May 11th City Council meeting. Passed 4-0-0.
CONSENT AGENDA: Haugen motioned, seconded by Dierks. Passed 4-0-0.
PRESENTERS:
A) Brad Kennedy reported on:
1) Riverside Park – water is on and garbage dumpster back out. Repaired door and door frame. Replaced and/or repaired screen and frame on the bottom portion of the shelter. The shelter is now opened back up for use. Will work on raking the volleyball courts and getting the nets up in the coming weeks.
2) Filled potholes with cold asphalt mix around town. Purchased a pallet of bagged cold mix that sets hard and lasts longer than traditional cold mix. This mix is for larger potholes. Also purchased one ton of cold mix from Rochester Sand & Gravel for small potholes. The cold mix from Rochester Sand & Gravel was all utilized. Staff will need to purchase one to two tons more on additional potholes around town. This past winter was harsh on the road conditions all around town.
3) Swept streets once so far this spring. Street sweeper air conditioning compressor will be replaced this week.
4) WWTP preparation work has been completed for use of Chlorine, which starts in April
5) Kennedy Groundworks hauled out nine loads of trees brush out of the City dump. Mead Johnson has agreed to reimburse the City for the cost to haul out the tree and brush pile rather than burning. The smoke can potentially shut down production, causing significant financial losses.
6) Salt/Sand shed has been cleaned out, pressure washed and is drying. The concrete will be sealed with special sealers to protect from salt and sand. The remaining salt is being stored in the City shop.
7) New banners and brackets from Main Street poles have been delivered. The brackets and banners will be put up in the coming month.
8) Well #4 motor drive went out. We are waiting for official pricing from Automatic Systems. Early estimates were $7,000 for the motor drive along with $1,500-$2,000 in labor costs to install and set up. The work has no official timetable to complete due to Automatic Systems backlog of work and the lack of competitors for this specialized work in the region.
9) Prairie Ridge Estates 5th Addition – underground piping work in complete and the road has been rocked. Installation of concrete is the next item that will be completed later this spring.
10) Emerald Valley Phase II – equipment has been delivered, driveway apron off Nelson Drive was installed, and silt fence was put up. The contractor is working on water and sewer service lines installation.
11) New signs for the City shop were ordered through Abel Signs out of Kasson. There will be one sign on the southwest side of the building indicating City of Wanamingo with the logo facing the MN TH 57 and MN TH 60 intersection. A second sign will be on the northeast side of the building indicating City of Wanamingo, the building address, and City logo. This signage will help with deliveries.
B) Jordan Markegard, Goodhue County Sheriff’s Deputy reported on:
1) Department is fully staffed with a couple of officers in FTO
2) Checked to see if there were any concerns
2) Let the Sheriff’s Office know if you see any concerns
Boulton stated that the Police Work Group met on April 10th and had discussed an incident at Midwest Machinery involving theft. Markegard stated that the Sheriff’s Office was investigating and has leads.
NEW BUSINESS:
RESOLUTION:
26-025 = Accepting the 2025 Wanamingo Audit: Ohr moved to approve, Seconded by Haugen. Passed 5-0-0.
26-026 = Approving a New Copier Lease Agreement with Metro Sales: Ohr moved to approve, Seconded by Haugen. Boulton stated that the City looked at new and used options from Metro Sales and Loffler. Metro Sales will no longer be carrying parts for the current copier with which the lease has expired. The recommended option is a Ricoh IMC4500 Copied. The combination monthly lease and quarterly service agreement is slightly less than the current copier. Passed 5-0-0.
26-027 = Approving Pay Request No. 1 For TK Contracting on Emerald Valley 2nd Subdivision: Dierks moved to approve, Seconded by Flotterud. Boulton stated that the pay request is for mobilization, silt fence, and temporary rock construction entrance. The total pay estimate is $16,039.80. Passed 5-0-0.
PUBLIC HEARING – Consideration of Re-Zoning Request for Certain Property from C-1 Central Commercial to R-2 Residential – Mayor Holmes opened the public hearing at 7:15PM. Boulton stated that Tim Amundson has requested to change the zoning of 125 2nd Street E (former Henry’s Small Engine Repair/Blossoms & Keepsake shop from C-1 Central Commercial to R-2 Residential for a single-family dwelling. Holmes stated that making a single-family dwelling would reduce traffic and parking concerns, which is what he has heard. Amundson stated that the concrete slab behind the building will be made larger for parking. Holmes stated that the property has a lack of off-street parking and that he appreciates a parking area being added. Boulton stated that he has received feedback from the public, prior to the meeting, regarding parking. Boulton stated that the requested use of R-2 would require less traffic and parking than a C-1 Central Commercial zoning district property. Amundson stated that they have started insulating the building, have installed a new furnace, and are working on installing new 4-inch piping under the floor. The plan is to renovate the building install a 2,600 square foot single level home. Holmes asked if the building would have windows. Amundson stated that he will need to cut out holes for windows for each of the bedrooms along with a sliding door. Mayor Holmes closed the public hearing at 7:24PM.
ORDINANCE #216 – Re-Zoning Certain Property From C-1 Central Commercial to R-2 Residential: Flotterud moved to approve, seconded by Ohr. Flotterud stated that it is an easy choice to rezone from C-1 to R-2. The owner is looking at significantly investing in the property with improvements. It would be difficult to find a buyer for commercial use out of Main Street. The City does not need open buildings or additional storage. The property should stay zoned as R-2 but wouldn’t have a difficult time being rezoned back to C-1. Passed 5-0-0.
OLD BUSINESS:
Administrator Boulton provided an update on the Emerald Valley storm ponds and piping easement negotiations. Mayor Holmes, City Consulting Engineer Brandon Thoebald, City Attorney David Jacobsen and Boulton have been working with Randy and Trish Amundson on a comprehensive storm water easement agreement. The City has requested easements for the storm water ponds and pipes that were located on the former golf course and served a dual purpose of golf course hazards and public drainage. The stormwater ponds were constructed to take the water from the Emerald Valley subdivision. The City needs easements to connect into the north pond for future Emerald Valley planned growth. The City would like to work with Amundson’s on a comprehensive storm water easement agreement for all ponds on the former golf course that service public drainage. This would allow the City to maintain the ponds by removing tree brush growth and silt deposits and piping from silt build up. The use of the ponds and piping are in line with design from when were constructed, including taking storm water from the entire Emerald Valley planned development. The Emerald Valley Minnesota Pollution Control Agency stormwater permit is still active. The ponds were constructed per the planned subdivision to allow the storm water from the developed area to drain to the ponds. The land is sloped to temporarily drain surface water to the pond until the infrastructure is installed. This current phase is the only stormwater pond that does not have a pipe.
In discussions with Mayor Holmes, City Consulting Engineer, City Attorney, and City Administrator it was determined that the City is not interested in purchasing land or a portion of land. This is due to budgetary restraints and the City’s long-term strategic planning.
The City’s goal is to ensure long-term storm water management. Wanamingo Code of Ordinances Chapter 51 Storm Water Management regulates stormwater runoff and establishes a City-wide storm sewer improvement tax district. The Ordinance further lays out obligations of property owners to maintain stormwater ponds and piping. Long-term, the City believes that the stormwater ponds and piping maintenance should be a public burden and that the City is in the best position to comply with laws, rules, and regulations of managing storm water.
The ponds and piping previously served a dual purpose with the former golf course on Amundson’s property. With the golf course no longer existing and the need for dual purposes gone for the ponds and pipes, the City still must ensure they are properly maintained. The City has worked with Amundson’s in the past to receive oral permission to cut trees out around the ponds on an as-needed basis. However, the ponds and pipes will eventually require other maintenance obligations, such sediment removal. The proposed easement allows the City access and shifts that maintenance obligation from Amundson’s to the City. Without the proposed easement, the City will not have legal access or the obligation to do this work. Under Wanamingo Code of Ordinances 51.04, Amundson’s, as the property owners, would be required to perform this maintenance at your expense.
In previous good faith discussions with the Amundson’s the City has offered to draft the easement agreement documents, survey the easement areas to determine legal descriptions, and record the documents. The City is acting in good faith to take on long-term pond and pipe maintenance liabilities, liability insurance, crop damage compensation, and potential repairs from damage. Because of already in place infrastructure incurring costs for easements and agreeing to take on future liabilities the City cannot justify unreasonable/more than nominal compensation with public tax dollars. The City understands Amundson’s concerns with loss of use of land. Mayor Holmes and Administrator Boulton recommend reasonable/nominal compensation of $5,000 (originally offered $1,000) for the easements. We hope that the Amundson’s find this reasonable and a show of good faith. We have asked for a response and possible counteroffer of reasonable compensation by April 15th.
Flotterud asked if a storm water easement agreement is not in place could it hurt the City. Boulton stated that it would not hurt the City to have a comprehensive storm water easement but the City needed an easement for the proposed storm water line for Emerald Valley Phase II. Boulton stated that the rest of the ponds and piping are a long-term concern with maintenance. Holmes asked what would happen if an agreement was not in place while construction was finishing on Emerald Valley Phase II. Boulton stated that City Consulting Engineer Theobald has recommended installing the storm water pipe up to Amundson’s property line until an agreement is in place. There could be potential for the compensation to increase. If a simple agreement cannot be reached soon the City can consider other legal options to acquire the necessary easement for the Emerald Valley Phase II storm water pipe. Boulton and Holmes wanted to update the City Council on the progress and ask for any feedback from the Council. The Council agreed to the current negotiation strategy.
*Next City Council meeting on 5/11/2026 at 7:00pm.
The City Council will be touring the Wanamingo Fire Hall and receiving a 10-year capital improvements plan update from the fire chiefs at the June City Council meeting.
Adjourn: At 7:39PM a motion to adjourn was made by Dierks and seconded by Ohr. Passed 5-0-0.
Signed: Attest:
_____________________ ____________________________________
Ryan Holmes, Mayor Michael Boulton, City Administrator
