Thursday, February 27, 2025 · 6:00 PM
One-line summary
The Council approved the amended consent agenda, delegated cannabis retail registration to Anoka County, approved the fourth quarter financial report, tabled the 2024 budget amendment, discussed the council vacancy and special election timing, and scheduled a May 8 town hall.
18 items as recorded in the agenda, packet, and minutes, each with a plain-English summary of what was at issue.
1Call to Order
Call to Order, Pledge of Allegiance, Roll Call, and Approve Agenda.
The agenda was amended by removing item 3e from consent, removing item 6b from new business, and moving item 6c to consent.
2Public Forum
Public Forum.
A resident urged the Council to consider appointing someone instead of spending money on a special election. Staff reported seven applications and 24 submitted questions for the vacant council seat, with interviews planned for March 6, 2025. During the 2025 goals discussion, Mr. Boyles again suggested postponing the special election to 2026, and staff was asked to confirm election deadlines.
One resident spoke about preferring appointment over the special election cost.
3aApproval of February 11th, 2025, City Council Meeting Minutes
Approval of February 11th, 2025, City Council Meeting Minutes.
The Council approved the amended consent agenda, which covered the February 11 minutes, claims, the Anoka Ramsey Athletic Association donation, the planning and zoning administrative fee increase, and the 218th Avenue culvert item that had been moved to consent.
Approved as part of the amended consent agenda.
3bApproval of Claims from February 5th, 2025, to February 19th, 2025
Approval of Claims from February 5th, 2025, to February 19th, 2025.
The Council approved the amended consent agenda, which covered the February 11 minutes, claims, the Anoka Ramsey Athletic Association donation, the planning and zoning administrative fee increase, and the 218th Avenue culvert item that had been moved to consent.
Approved as part of the amended consent agenda.
3cAccepting the Donation from Anoka Ramsey Athletic Association
Accepting the Donation from Anoka Ramsey Athletic Association.
The Council approved the amended consent agenda, which covered the February 11 minutes, claims, the Anoka Ramsey Athletic Association donation, the planning and zoning administrative fee increase, and the 218th Avenue culvert item that had been moved to consent.
Approved as part of the amended consent agenda.
3dIncrease Planning and Zoning Administrative Fee
Approve Increase to Administrative Fee for Planning and Zoning from $200 to $250.
The Council approved the amended consent agenda, which covered the February 11 minutes, claims, the Anoka Ramsey Athletic Association donation, the planning and zoning administrative fee increase, and the 218th Avenue culvert item that had been moved to consent.
Approved as part of the amended consent agenda.
3eApprove Verizon Phones Proposal
Approve Verizon Phones Proposal.
The Council removed the Verizon phones proposal from the consent agenda and removed the interim administrator wage adjustment from new business. The minutes record no later action on either item.
Removed from consent and not later acted on in the minutes.
4aCannabis - Delegation of Retail Registration Authority
Cannabis - Delegation of Retail Registration Authority.
Planner Nash recommended delegating cannabis retail registration and authority to Anoka County, and the Council adopted the resolution to do so. The packet explained that the City would retain zoning authority while Anoka County would handle registration and related compliance duties.
The Council adopted the delegation resolution.
5aCity Council Member Appointment Process
City Council Member Appointment Process - How many applications and questions received?
A resident urged the Council to consider appointing someone instead of spending money on a special election. Staff reported seven applications and 24 submitted questions for the vacant council seat, with interviews planned for March 6, 2025. During the 2025 goals discussion, Mr. Boyles again suggested postponing the special election to 2026, and staff was asked to confirm election deadlines.
The Council discussed sequencing major 2025 work, including filling the fifth council seat, the special election, city administrator recruitment, and League of Minnesota Cities work on council-staff relationships. The discussion focused on the burden of a 2025 election and whether recruitment and LMC work should wait until the Council is complete.
Staff reported application and question counts and said interviews would be held March 6, 2025.
5bUpdate on Name Brand Storage
Update on Name Brand Storage.
Mr. Boyles was still reviewing complaints, police reports, and previous city letters about Name Brand Storage. The minutes record concerns about police calls, abandoned cars, and rubbish, and staff planned to develop a plan of action and consider a letter to the property owner.
Staff asked for direction on hiring a seasonal public works employee. The minutes say the position would be posted, interviews would be conducted if more than one applicant applied, and a hiring recommendation would come back to the full Council.
Staff and consultant were still reviewing documentation and preparing a plan of action.
6aCity Council and Staff Goals in 2025
Coordination of steps and timing to accomplish key City Council and Staff Goals in 2025.
A resident urged the Council to consider appointing someone instead of spending money on a special election. Staff reported seven applications and 24 submitted questions for the vacant council seat, with interviews planned for March 6, 2025. During the 2025 goals discussion, Mr. Boyles again suggested postponing the special election to 2026, and staff was asked to confirm election deadlines.
The Council discussed sequencing major 2025 work, including filling the fifth council seat, the special election, city administrator recruitment, and League of Minnesota Cities work on council-staff relationships. The discussion focused on the burden of a 2025 election and whether recruitment and LMC work should wait until the Council is complete.
No motion was recorded; staff was asked for election deadline information and Boyles planned to seek clarification from SCSC.
6bWage Adjustment for Interim City Administrator Natalie Johnson
Wage Adjustment for Interim City Administrator Natalie Johnson.
The Council removed the Verizon phones proposal from the consent agenda and removed the interim administrator wage adjustment from new business. The minutes record no later action on either item.
Removed from new business and not later acted on in the minutes.
6cCulvert Replacement on 218th Avenue
Approval of Resolution 2025-XX Accepting Bid for Culvert Replacement on 218th Avenue.
The Council approved the amended consent agenda, which covered the February 11 minutes, claims, the Anoka Ramsey Athletic Association donation, the planning and zoning administrative fee increase, and the 218th Avenue culvert item that had been moved to consent.
The 218th Avenue culvert item was moved to and approved on the consent agenda, based on a packet recommendation to contract with Dave Perkins Contracting. Later in the meeting, staff discussed leaving 218th Avenue as dirt for a year so the road base can settle, then patching blacktop in 2026, and CM Rainville suggested notifying the cul-de-sac residents.
Moved to consent and approved with the amended consent agenda; minutes later include additional discussion on timing and paving.
6dSchedule a Town Hall Meeting
Schedule a Town Hall Meeting with Residents to Hear Questions and Clear Misconceptions.
The Council scheduled a town hall meeting with residents for May 8, 2025 at 6:00 p.m., with each resident limited to three to five minutes to address the Council.
The town hall was scheduled for May 8, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.
7a.1Approval of Fourth Quarter Financial Report
Approval of Fourth Quarter Financial Report.
The Council approved the Fourth Quarter Financial Report. The related 2024 budget amendment was tabled so questions could be answered by financial advisor Lori Yager at the next Council meeting.
The Fourth Quarter Financial Report was approved.
7a.2Resolution Amending the 2024 Budget
Approve Resolution 2025-XX Amending the 2024 Budget.
The Council approved the Fourth Quarter Financial Report. The related 2024 budget amendment was tabled so questions could be answered by financial advisor Lori Yager at the next Council meeting.
Tabled until questions could be answered by Lori Yager at the next Council meeting.
8Items Moved from Consent Agenda
Items moved from consent agenda, if needed.
No separate item moved from consent was acted on under this heading in the minutes.
9Adjourn
Adjourn.
The meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
5 motions on the record. Split votes are highlighted.
M001MOTION BY CM BREYEN, SECONDED BY CM GLASER TO APPROVE THE AMENDED AGENDA.
moved by Breyen, seconded by Glaser
4 AYES
M002MOTION BY CM RAINVILLE, SECONDED BY CM BREYEN TO APPROVE THE AMENDED CONSENT AGENDA.
moved by Rainville, seconded by Breyen
4 AYES
M003MOTION BY CM BREYEN, SECONDED BY CM RAINVILLE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION DELEGATING CANNABIS RETAIL REGISTRATION AND AUTHORITY TO ANOKA COUNTY.
moved by Breyen, seconded by Rainville
4 AYES
M004MOTION BY CM BREYEN, SECONDED BY CM RAINVILLE TO APPROVE THE FOURTH QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT.
moved by Breyen, seconded by Rainville
4 AYES
M005MOTION TO ADJOURN BY CM BREYEN, SECONDED BY CM GLASER.
moved by Breyen, seconded by Glaser
The amounts the council actually voted to approve, each with the vote that approved it. Drawn from the official minutes.
F014
$21,150
F016
$11,440
F017
$7,000
F019
$50,000
F022
$345,000
F023
$4,132,000
F024
$2,973,000
F025
$723,000
F026
$3,409,000
F028
$2,261,208
F029
$2,972,804
When someone referred back to earlier business, we found the matching prior discussion and tied it in here.
As previously discussed, the City needs to make a determination on whether it will retain retail registration authority or delegate that authority to Anoka County.
— Cindy Nash
What this is about
Planner Nash referred back to earlier Council discussion about whether the City should keep or delegate cannabis retail registration authority.
The records I searched do not contain a prior Council decision matching Planner Nash’s recollection about whether the City would retain cannabis retail registration authority or delegate it to Anoka County. The only cannabis-related search result was in the February 10, 2026 packet, where a city attorney candidate’s background noted experience with Minnesota’s marijuana legalization, drafting ordinances, and advising cities about the possibility of a municipally run cannabis retail business. That item does not show a Council discussion or vote on retail registration authority.
He also suggested once again postponing the special election to 2026.
— Mr. Boyles
What this is about
Mr. Boyles referred back to his earlier suggestion to postpone the special election to 2026.
The records show a partial match. In the March 11, 2025 City Council agenda packet, under “City Council/Staff Goals in 2025,” Mr. Boyles addressed the goal of appointing the fifth City Council member and “suggested once again postponing the special election to 2026.” The excerpt does not show a motion, vote, or formal council decision on postponing the special election. The related February 27, 2025 minutes show the council was working on the vacant council seat appointment process: Mr. Boyles reported there were seven applicants, that he had received 24 proposed questions from council members and residents, and that interviews were scheduled for March 6, 2025. The records provided do not contain the earlier instance of Mr. Boyles making the same 2026 special-election suggestion.
CM Rainville thanked CM's Breyen and Glaser for reconsidering the possibility of canceling the special election.
— CM Rainville
What this is about
The minutes record that council members were reconsidering earlier positions on canceling or keeping the special election.
The records I searched do not contain a prior discussion or decision matching this recollection about canceling or keeping a special election. The results include several meetings involving Council Members Rainville, Breyen, and Glaser, but they concern unrelated items such as agenda approval, consent agenda actions, a memorial plaque, and facility repairs. Based on these search results, there is no record here of Council Members Breyen or Glaser changing or reconsidering a position on whether to cancel a special election, and no formal vote on that issue appears in the materials provided.
Scott lives in Ramsey and is a graduate of Anoka High School where he met his wife of 33 years. They have three children, all of whom a
CASWELL ENGINEERING CO. ENGINEERS & LAND SURVEYORS ## BIRCHWOOD ANOKA COUNTY, MINNESOTA KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That The Elk R
## RESOLUTION No. 2026-XX ### A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE 2025 ANOKA COUNTY HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN WHEREAS, the City of Nowthen recognizes the threat of natural hazards to people and property within the
NOT PLATTED PID: 17-33-25-31-0004 IP Y2 RNE 25 0 I Shed 93 8194 % Certificate of Survey for K Land Development Part of Section 17, Township 33, Range 25 City of Nowthen, Anoka County, Minnesota Existi
TITLE OF ISSUE: Adoption of the Anoka County Emergency Operations Plan BACKGROUND AND SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: The Anoka County Hazard Mitigation plan was revised in 2025. Adoption of the County plan
Documents and recordings archived for this meeting, when available.
Meeting City Council Meeting — Minutes (2025-02-27)
Minutes · Thursday, February 27, 2025
5 pages
Meeting City Council Meeting — Agenda Packet (2025-02-27)
Packet · Thursday, February 27, 2025
109 pages
Meeting City Council Meeting — Agenda (2025-02-27)
Agenda · Thursday, February 27, 2025
1 pages
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