KIESTER CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Monday, May 12, 2025
THESE ARE APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL
The Kiester City council held a regular meeting on Monday, May 12, 2025, at the Kiester Community Center.
Mayor Hope Bauman called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. Council Members Present: Larry Dahleen, Brandon Hagenson, Kurt Grobe, Jason Kluender came before public comment. City Maintenance: Gary Skartland; City Clerk: Doris Troll; Members from the public: Marcia Dahleen, Jason Zinter, Shane Steinke, Tammy AAdsen, and Michele Aphs.
Agenda: Motion to accept agenda By Brandon Hagenson, seconded by Larry Dahleen, vote 4-0 carried.
Council minutes: Motion to accept Regular meeting minutes on April 12, 2025 and the Special meeting minutes, on April 29,2025 with changes made by Kurt Grobe seconded by Hope Bauman, vote 4-0 motion carried.
Claims: Motion by Hope Bauman seconded by Larry Dahleen approving claims totaling $224.711.92 vote 4-0, motion carried.
Financials: Motion by Larry Dahleen seconded by Brandon Hagenson approving financials as presented, Vote 4-0, motion carried
Past Due Water Billing: Motion to shut off on 5-27-25 if not paid by Brandon Hagenson, seconded by Kurt Grobe. Vote 4-0, motion carried.
Building Permits: Building permits were presented for P Lucas, and K Grobe, motion to approve by Brandon Hagenson, seconded by Larry Dahleen. Vote 3-0, motion carried, with Kurt Grobe abstaining.
Bolton & Menk Updates: they have started at a5th and Roberts Street, they have temporarily water hooked up on 2nd street. They should be able to start work on Front Street as soon as the railroad says that all the paperwork has been fulfilled. At the next construction meeting, Ulland will bring an updated schedule. They feel they still can get everything done that needs to be done this year. The water meters bid has been accepted and Hope has signed off on the contract. Now everyone else has to sign off and then we are ready to start the next round of bonding. USDA has asked us for more numbers for work on the Water Tower, so we hope that means there will be more money for that part of the project. There was the question about the yards on 7th and 8th Street. Yes, the issues will be addressed by the end of the summer.
Ambulance: The ambulance squad would like the council to approve the purchase of a power cot for the Rig.
Monies for this purchase are from the EMS one time monies for 2025 and donations to the squad. Motion to approve the purchase by Larry Dahleen seconded by Brandon Hagenson, vote 4-0, motion carried.
The ambulance squad is always looking for members and we ask the council and the residents to help us with the recruitment of new members to the squad.
Fire: No new updates on the fire truck.
Library: April numbers were 93 adults and 18 juniors. The find of the Chocolate Easter bunny hunt was a great success. The library has teamed up with the 4-H group to have a kid’s program this summer d all children are encouraged to register. The library is asking anyone who is interested in the event on May 15, 2025, Ann Peterson, who is the Former Museum Manager at Minnesota State Public School in Owatonna. To please contact the library so they can know numbers where they need to hold the event.
Eda: The EDA group has received a $30,000.00 grant to install a pickleball court up at the park. Motion to accept a donation from Taylor Family. by Kurt Grobe seconded by Larry Dahleen, vote 4-0, motion carried.. this grant will be a city fund match of $5000.00 and also a $5000.00 match from the EDA funds. Motion to match the funds by Hope Bauman seconded by Kurt Grobe, vote 4-0, motion carried.
Kiester Days: Shane was present from Forever Berma’s requesting that main street from center street to County road 2 to be closed off on Friday June 27, 2025 for a street dance. And then main street just north of the Market to county road 2 on Saturday 6-28-2025 for a bean bag tournament. motion to approve the street closings was made By Brandon Hagenson seconded by Larry Dahleen, vote 4-0 motion carried.
Tammy Aadsen was present to request that center street from main to 6th street be closed on Friday 6-27-2025 for the car show. Motion by Brandon Hagenson seconded by Larry Dahleen to approve of the closure, vote 4-0, motion carried.
Public Comment: None
Maintenance: The 2nd round of discharge is done, the park bathroom is open. USC will come to help clean up the park. Gary has checked into the phone line at the water plant and Bevcomm. Can take over for apx 200 to set it up.. Gary was told to verify the end of the frontier contract and then proceed. Sentenced to serve will come to paint crosswalks and curbs.
The County Wide Clean up day is coming up from 9 am to noon. They will be by the ambulance garage.
There was an extra camera when we placed all the cameras in the park and Gary has found a spot he would like to mount it. So if ok with the council, he was going to get quotes. The council gave Gary the ok to go ahead with getting it up.
Gary is getting bids for the following item: to have the water main to the curb stops replaced on Kapplinger street, and for blacktopping Kapplinger, for the spot on a Main street by Berma’s and for the spot on county road 2.
Gary will flush some hydrants, not all of them this spring because of the road work in town. Gary was informed that some of the residents had seen some of the dirt mounds covering the temporary water lines were wet, like there could have been an issue. Gary also noticed this and informed the construction crews.
Gary also will get a quote from M & E Plastics to repair the slide at the park. When the clerk called the insurance company, she was informed that the open space at the park was not on last years policy. So this will not be covered under insurance.
One Resident at this point had a public comment: they asked that they had heard nothing more about the smoke test. Gary said Rural Water will be down with a push camera to help isolate the point of issues. So the residents have a better idea of where to start.
Clerk Update: Sheriff’s contract. We need to update this, and the clerk asked the council if anyone in the world like to negotiate with the County? Hope and Brandon said they would. There was an example of the League of MN Cities had for a starting point. There was an invitation to a MNVAC event if the council would like to attend..
The following are CDs that need to be rolled over as they will no long accrue interest:
CD 6743 for the ambulance department motion to rollover by Brandon Hagenson, seconded by Jason Kluender vote 4-0 motion carried with Hope Bauman abstaining.
Cd 7055 for the EDA motion to rollover by Kurt Grobe, seconded by Hope Bauman, vote 5-0, motion carried. CD 7054 for the fire department motion to rollover by Brandon Hagenson, seconded by Kurt Grobe, vote 5-0, motion carried.
The clerk shared an email with the council about the LGA dollars that cities receive from the state of MN. As of today, they want to cut the funding by 3%. This would mean that in order for Kiester to make up that loss, we would have to add an extra 3% to our levies. The clerk asked that each of the council members contact our representatives and explain the hardship this will have on the smaller cities.
H & MJ Holdings LLC, has received their buyers card from the state of Minnesota, and the
city needs to approve their operating license, Motion to Grant H & MJ Holdings LLC an off sale liquor license by Hope Bauman, seconded by Larry Dahleen, vote 5-0, motion carried.
Mayor Update: Doris and I have been working hard at the Liquor Store, sold and back up and running for the community.
Motion to adjourn made by Brandon Hagenson and seconded by Kurt Grobe Vote 5-0, motion carried.
Respectfully Submitted by
Doris M Troll
City Clerk/ Treasurer
