During the open forum segment, Chief Balloon presented Officer Preston Voit with the Becker Police Department life-saving award. Chief Balloon recounted the events of May 13, 2024, when Officer Voit responded to a structure fire on Grund Avenue. On arriving at the scene, Officer Voit saw flames reaching 20 feet into the air and heard a man calling for help from inside the residence. Unable to enter through the front door due to the intensity of the fire, Officer Voit accessed the home through a broken patio door. Despite thick smoke and poor visibility, he located the man, who was in a wheelchair, and successfully assisted him outside to safety. Officer Voit also rescued a dog from the residence before being treated for smoke inhalation. Chief Balloon emphasized the rarity and importance of such acts of bravery, leading to a unanimous decision to honor Officer Voit.

The meeting also saw the council discussing community center renovations. Bart presented the need to address significant moisture issues affecting the community center’s flooring. Sections of the flooring had deteriorated due to moisture levels as high as 99.6% outside the locker rooms, far exceeding manufacturer recommendations. The proposed solution involved removing the affected areas, installing a moisture barrier, and re-installing the flooring. The community center had a surplus of vinyl flooring from previous projects, which would help mitigate costs. The council approved the engagement of Laser Flooring and Polished Concrete for the project, budgeted at $30,000, part of the 2024 Capital Improvement Plan.

In addition to the flooring, extensive locker room renovations were also discussed. The existing locker rooms, which had only received cosmetic upgrades over the years, were deemed increasingly dated, particularly regarding privacy in showering facilities. The proposal included adding partitions to the shower stalls, replacing the worn wood benches with more durable plastic options, and addressing rusting fire sprinklers. The locker room flooring would also be replaced due to wear and glue residue from previous installations. The council authorized staff to proceed with the locker room renovations.

Another topic was the annexation petition for a 12.08-acre property owned by Ross Imholt of Imholt Bros LLC. The owner petitioned for the annexation of unplatted land under 200 acres, in accordance with Minnesota statute. Notifications of this request were sent to the Clear Lake Town Board, the Sherburn County Board, and the state’s municipal boundary adjustment unit. The Clear Lake Town Board was set to discuss this item later that evening. The council sought to waive the 90-day objection period required for the annexation process. Both the council and the Clear Lake Town Board needed to waive this period for the annexation to proceed, with the final approval set for the September 3 meeting. The council adopted resolution 2371, waiving the 90-day objection period, in a unanimous vote.

The council also addressed the parking lot for the archery range. The initial use of road millings for the parking lot surface had resulted in a suboptimal driving surface, which was too sandy and prone to ruts. A proposal was made to raise the parking lot slightly to improve drainage and apply a permanent surface. The total cost for this project, estimated at $226,400, was to be funded through ARPA funds. The council approved the proposal from Ruck Construction.