The council held a closed session to discuss an offer for a parcel of city-owned land located on Commerce Drive Southeast. After deliberations, the council agreed to sell the parcel at $134 per square foot, pending successful negotiations. A motion to accept the offer passed without opposition.

In another major discussion, the council focused on the future of the city hall and a vacant clinic building. A council member provided historical context, detailing efforts to recruit a medical facility to Lonsdale and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted the healthcare sector. With no medical entity showing interest, the council decided to repurpose the clinic for city operations. The council envisions developing a city campus that includes the police station and potentially a library in the future, aligning with the city’s growth.

The council also addressed the resignation of Jim Turk from the Lonsdale Fire Department after over 23 years of service. The fire chief requested approval for Turk’s retirement, acknowledging his contributions to the department. The council accepted his resignation with gratitude expressed for his service.

Following this, the council discussed the hiring of new firefighters. The fire chief reported receiving nine applications for open positions, with six candidates interviewed. The evaluation included agility assessments and background checks, leading to a recommendation to offer conditional job positions to four candidates: Michael Nebson, Alec Graham, John McNair, and Jordan Klein. The council approved these conditional job offers unanimously, emphasizing the need to maintain a full roster of firefighters due to recent retirements and the critical nature of having enough personnel to respond to emergencies.

The council also discussed the city’s 2024 property casualty insurance coverage, which saw an increase in premium costs to $166,600. The insurance representative attributed this rise to the city acquiring a vacant clinic building, now considered unoccupied and incurring higher rates. Once construction begins and the building is occupied, the rates are expected to decrease. The council approved the insurance coverage without opposition, recognizing the importance of adequate coverage against potential losses.

The meeting included updates on various public works projects. Mr. Dornfeld highlighted activities such as the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new disc golf course, blacktop patching efforts, and progress on the wastewater treatment plant permit. He also reported on the trail project set to begin mid-September, with completion expected by early October, and the rehabilitation of a booster station aimed for year-end completion.

Further updates included the successful processing of several deck permits. Additionally, the council approved a quote for $7,900 to replace the city’s handheld water meter reader, addressing delays caused by the malfunctioning current model.

The council also approved an application from the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 586 to conduct bingo on November 8, 2024, emphasizing community engagement through such events. A resolution was passed to transfer up to $35,000 from the liquor fund to the park fund for the Kina Park Disc Golf Course project.

The mayor expressed appreciation for public attendance and encouraged ongoing dialogue about the city’s initiatives and future projects.