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Fosston, MN

Fosston public meetings in 2021

19 substantive meetings from 2021, with official agendas or minutes and plain-English summaries.

Mon Dec 13, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Fosston Council adopts 2022 budget, tax levy, and street assessments

The Fosston City Council approved the 2022 General Fund budget of $2,227,496 and certified a 2022 property tax levy of $446,026, an 8% increase over 2021. The council also adopted final assessments for the 2021 street and utility improvements on 1st Street East and the sidewalk at Skeie Drive, and approved a property management agreement for Omland Court Mobile Home Park. All votes were unanimous.

Tue Dec 7, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Fosston Council approves police hires, policies, and agreements

The Fosston City Council unanimously approved the hiring of Alex Bodensteiner as a patrol officer, adopted the police department's policies and procedures, and approved several agreements including joint powers agreements with the state, a court data services amendment, a holder of record agreement, a mutual aid agreement with the Polk County Sheriff's Office, and a waiver for door unlocks. The council also conducted swearing-in ceremonies for Chief of Police Dustin Manecke and Officer Bodensteiner.

Mon Nov 8, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Fosston Council approves tax abatement program, hires new police chief

The Fosston City Council approved a two-year property tax abatement program for new residential construction, hired Dustin Manecke as Chief of Police, and authorized applications for federal assistance totaling $15 million for industrial park, airport, and wastewater projects. The council also approved a master engineering agreement with Karvakko PA, rejected a change order, and accepted another for the 2021 utility and street project.

Tue Nov 2, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: City council interviews four firms for engineering services, no selection made

The Fosston City Council held a special meeting to interview four firms for city engineering services: Moore Engineering, Karvakko PA, Widseth, and AE2S. After discussing the pros and cons of each, no action was taken to select a firm. The council adjourned without making a decision.

Mon Oct 18, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Council approves 2022 health insurance, COLA, and police vehicle purchases

The Fosston City Council approved the 2022 employee health insurance renewal with Blue Cross Blue Shield, saving $15,000, and approved cost of living adjustments and step increases for city employees. The council also approved purchasing two 2021 Ford Explorer police interceptors for $73,046, awarded engineering contracts for the Airport T-Hangar/Industrial Park project to Karvakko and for the Wastewater Expansion to Widseth, and approved several pay estimates for construction projects. A change order for additional landscaping work on First Street was tabled for further discussion.

Mon Sep 27, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Fosston Council adopts preliminary 2022 budget and tax levy

The Fosston City Council unanimously adopted a preliminary 2022 General Fund budget of $2,227,496 and a proposed 2022 property tax levy of $446,262, an 8% increase over 2021 that results in a 5% property tax increase. The council also set a public budget hearing for December 13, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. The budget includes increases for law enforcement, streets, parks, pool, community development, and economic development.

Mon Sep 20, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Council approves $20K micro loan to PlayWorld, Inc.

The Fosston City Council approved a $20,000 micro loan to PlayWorld, Inc. for equipment inventory, working capital, and marketing, as recommended by the EDA. The council also approved hiring Dustin Manecke as Community Resource Officer, awarded FIT trail expansion engineering to Karvakko for $67,500, and approved multiple payments and change orders for street and utility projects. All other motions passed unanimously except the engineering award, which passed 3-1 with Bosselman opposed.

Mon Aug 23, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Council approves MnDOT trail construction agreement

The Fosston City Council approved Resolution 21-29, authorizing a cooperative construction agreement with MnDOT for State Project 6005-68, the West End Multi-Use Trail. The agreement covers the city's share of lighting and associated construction costs along Trunk Highway 2. The resolution passed unanimously with no opposing votes.

Mon Aug 9, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Council accepts cancellation of Omland Court Mobile Home Park sale

The Fosston City Council accepted the cancellation of the purchase agreement with Real Estate Acquisitions USA, Corp for the sale of Omland Court Mobile Home Park, after the buyer cited higher-than-anticipated improvement costs. The council also approved a variance for a garage, created a Community Resource Officer position, renewed the Public Works Director's employment agreement, and approved $4,000 in financial support for the East Polk Heritage Center.

Mon Jul 12, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Council approves $198,797.95 pay estimate and $135,939 change order for utility work

The Fosston City Council approved a partial pay estimate of $198,797.95 to Hagen Construction and Trucking, Inc. for 2021 utility improvements, and a change order of $135,939 for additional storm sewer and roadway work on Eaton Ave North. The council also approved a lease for the Ignite Youth Center, workers compensation premium options, and two resolutions: one authorizing a MnDOT airport grant agreement and another sponsoring a dock on Mule John Lake. All votes were unanimous.

Wed Jul 7, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Council discusses Rosebud Township annexation and law enforcement contract changes

The Fosston City Council held a work session to discuss the proposed annexation of Rosebud Township properties and the law enforcement contract with Polk County. No formal decisions were made; the council directed the city administrator to request a contract amendment to reduce deputies and to develop a job description for a new code officer position for the August meeting.

Wed Jun 30, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Council votes to raise city administrator's pay step from 2 to 9

The Fosston City Council held a special meeting solely to address City Administrator Cassie Heide's resignation notice. Mayor Offerdahl explained that Heide, who has 15 years with the city, was sought for a county position and that he wished to retain her. The council unanimously approved a motion to move Heide from step 2 to step 9 in the city's pay step program, a change the mayor said reflects her tenure and experience. No other business was conducted.

Mon Jun 14, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Council approves sale of Omland Court Mobile Home Park

The Fosston City Council approved the purchase agreement with Real Estate Acquisitions USA, Corp for the sale of Omland Court Mobile Home Park, as recommended by the EDA. The council also approved a $47,500 loan to MJ Café, LLC, and passed an ordinance repealing and replacing Chapter 93 on animal regulations. Additionally, the council approved a grant submission to the MN State Arts Board and a two-year Civic Center lease with the school district.

Mon May 10, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Council approves Highway 2 four-to-three lane conversion, 4-1

The Fosston City Council approved Resolution 21-21, giving municipal consent to MnDOT's final layout for the Highway 2 corridor study, which includes re-striping the highway from four lanes to three lanes in 2022 at no cost to the city. The vote was 4-1, with Councilmember Bosselman voting against. The council also approved a $75,000 loan application for MJ Café, tabled a $350,000 purchase offer for Omland Court, and approved a two-year civic center lease with the school district.

Thu Apr 22, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Fosston Council approves $631K bond for street and utility projects

The Fosston City Council approved the purchase of SRE pending an FAA Buy America Type III Waiver, approved a Karvakko Task Order for SRE Engineering Services, and adopted Resolution 21-20 authorizing the issuance and sale of $631,000 in General Obligation Bonds, Series 2021A, to finance street and utility improvements. The bond, purchased by First National Bank Bagley, carries a 2.05% interest rate and matures in 2041.

Mon Mar 29, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Fosston Council affirms dog attack rulings, eases one to potentially dangerous with relocation condition

The Fosston City Council held an appeal hearing on dangerous dog determinations for three dogs involved in a March 18 attack on a resident and his dog. The council unanimously affirmed the potentially dangerous dog designations for Gordon and Poseidon. It amended the dangerous dog designation for Huxley to potentially dangerous, on the condition that the owner permanently relocates Huxley to a rural address in Brooks, Minnesota; Councilmember Anderson dissented on that vote.

Thu Mar 18, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Council awards airport wetland project to Novco Inc. for $161,948.45

The Fosston City Council held a special meeting to award the Fosston Airport Wetland Mitigation and Removal project. The apparent low bidder, Davidson Construction, was deemed non-responsive due to mobilization costs exceeding the maximum allowed, so the contract was awarded to the second low bidder, Novco Inc., for $161,948.45. The decision followed Karvakko's recommendation and was made to meet FAA grant deadlines. The motion passed unanimously.

Mon Mar 8, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Council approves $400K tax abatement for 1st Street East improvements

The Fosston City Council approved a property tax abatement resolution to finance up to $400,000 in public improvements on 1st Street East between Brandt Avenue North and Granum Avenue North, with abatements collected over 10 years starting in 2022. The council also approved a resolution ordering a report and bids for the Skeie Drive sidewalk project, awarded a $256,660.14 utility improvement contract to Hagen Construction & Trucking, Inc., and approved several other items including liquor licenses, a skate park grant application, and a cooperative construction agreement with Polk County. A proposed $350,000 offer for a mobile home park was tabled for further discussion.

Mon Jan 11, 2021

City Council

✓ Decided: Fosston Council approves 2021 appointments, depositories, and road projects

The Fosston City Council held its regular meeting on January 11, 2021, and approved several routine annual resolutions, including designating official depositories, appointing boards and committees, approving collateral, and accepting donations. The council also approved participation in the Polk County Business Resiliency Grant Program Round 2, which provides $120,000 to qualifying local businesses, and authorized applications for two street reconstruction projects (Industrial Ave and Eaton Ave) under the MnDOT Local Road Improvement Program. Additionally, the council rescinded a real estate purchase agreement for two lots in Aspen Addition and approved the 2021 engineer services agreement with Widseth.