One notable issue surfaced during the public comments, where a resident named Juling voiced grievances over the city’s actions regarding his property in Hollywood Township. As a property owner since 1990, Juling expressed disappointment at the city’s alleged targeting of his land without prior notice. He claimed that the city owed him approximately $3 million related to a development project and accused an individual named Lumis of improperly placing a pond on his property. Juling further asserted that his constitutional rights were violated due to the city seizing land without notice or compensation. He urged the council to hold a closed session to address his concerns, emphasizing his willingness to negotiate and his desire to maintain the environmental quality of the river adjacent to his property.

Turning to educational matters, the meeting featured a presentation by the superintendent of the Watertown-Mayer School District, who provided an update on the state of the schools. The superintendent highlighted the district’s success in outpacing state averages in math and reading, reporting a notable recovery from COVID-19 setbacks, with a 14% increase in math over four years. Despite successes, the district faced challenges with declining enrollment attributed to competition from private schools and homeschooling. The community education program’s extensive offerings, including a popular aquatics program, were discussed, although staffing shortages remained a concern.

The school district presentation also underscored the positive climate within the schools, with high percentages of students and staff expressing satisfaction with the educational environment. The superintendent noted that nearly all high school students reported connections with adults and classmates who cared about their success. The district’s high ranking on niche.com and the designation of its elementary school as a Minnesota School of Excellence were celebrated as testaments to the staff and students’ collective efforts.

In infrastructure developments, the council deliberated over a proposal for a water tower mixer and SCADA equipment, ultimately approving the replacement unanimously. Another infrastructure topic involved a property owner’s request to connect utility lines through city-owned land to service a lot. The council examined the private agreement’s implications, expressing apprehension about the piecemeal approach to utility issues and the potential complications from future city annexations.

The meeting proceeded with the adoption of Ordinance 250, which amends city code to regulate hot air balloons in city parks. This ordinance, introduced in a previous meeting, passed unanimously, reflecting broad agreement on its necessity.

Budget discussions focused on the 2026 budget update, with adjustments noted in the general, water, sewer, and storm sewer funds. The general fund was projected to end the year with higher revenues than budgeted, primarily due to building permits exceeding expectations. Conversely, the water fund faced a shortfall attributed to lower residential water usage, offset by increased WAC fees and special assessment income. The council contemplated future fund transfers to support other projects, given the trend of higher revenues and lower expenditures.

The meeting also addressed the city’s utility billing system transition to a new electronic payment platform. Concerns were raised about the existing email system’s issues, prompting a proposal for a new system offering email and text reminders for bill payments. While the new system received positive reviews, the associated fees raised concerns among council members, notably for residents accustomed to no-cost options.