The council meeting opened with a public hearing about the Fifth Avenue West project, which involved road stabilization and paving over approximately 0.9 miles. Residents, including Brian Urban, expressed frustration over the project’s execution and the handling of assessments. Urban questioned the breakdown of the total project cost, which stood at approximately $52,200, and pointed out an oversight involving a job on 10th Avenue that was not accounted for in the assessments. He raised issues about missing infrastructure, such as a manhole cover at the intersection of 19th and 5th, and queried whether the city would seek a refund for this omission.

Urban also addressed the problems stemming from the construction detour, which involved heavy water trucks potentially damaging the newly paved road. He noted the project’s lack of communication regarding driveway connections, which forced him to spend over $3,000 to connect his driveway, assuming this would have been part of the project responsibilities. Additional complaints included muddy streets post-construction and damage caused by a city grader.

Speeding and reckless driving at the intersection of 20th Street and Fifth Avenue were also points of concern, with Urban likening the area to a racetrack. Despite hopes that the paving would alleviate such behavior, residents found no improvement. The council paused the assessment decision. The City administrator committed to acquiring more information and notifying property owners about future discussions.

In another discussion, Eric Strand voiced opposition to the proposed development of the Kutasa building for police department or city office use. Strand criticized the building’s location in a residential neighborhood, emphasizing the lack of direct access to the town and comparing it to a home renovation without a clear budget. He highlighted a perceived lack of transparency in the property purchase process, recalling the council’s approval of the purchase for a dollar at a previous meeting. Strand presented a petition with 29 signatures from concerned residents, advocating for better communication and collaboration between the city and county.

The council addressed several other agenda items, including the approval of a contingent offer of employment for a vacant mechanic position and designating the Director of Public Works as the authorized representative for the USDA Rural Development application process. Both motions passed unanimously. Additionally, a routine maintenance agreement resolution between the state of Minnesota and the city for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 was introduced and approved without discussion.

A resolution to increase the benefit level for firefighters vested in the state volunteer firefighter plan also received approval. The council discussed the demolition of a property at 801 7th Street, which had been tax forfeited to the county and was complicated by legal constraints. Despite concerns about the property’s assessed value and potential financial implications, the council approved the demolition, with one member abstaining.

Lastly, the council set a canvassing board meeting for November 14th to review the results of the November 5th election, particularly focusing on a write-in candidate. The City administrator noted that the council would need to canvass the votes to determine the total for the write-in candidate, with the official count not available until that meeting.