CITY OF NERSTRAND, MINNESOTA
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Sept 9th 2025
7:00p.m.
221 Main Street, Nerstrand
1. Call to Order/Pledge Allegiance
2. Roll Call: Betty Voge, John Harris, Todd Evavold, Pam Caron, and Karla Ingersoll
3. Approval of Last Month’s Agenda-Motioned by Betty Voge and Seconded by Pam Caron and all approved.
4. Consent Agenda
(All items on the Consent Agenda are considered routine and have been made available to the City Council in advance of the meeting. The items will be enacted in one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a council member or citizen requests, in which event the item will be removed from this agenda and considered in normal sequence.)
A. Regular Meeting Minutes of Aug 12th, 2025
B. Payment of Claims dated:
1. August 25th, 2025
2. September 9th, 2025
Motioned by Karla Ingersoll and Seconded by Pam Caron and all approved.
5. Clerk’s Report
1. League of Mn cities is increasing their dues by 5%
2. Water Billing Update: 1 shut off and 1 delinquent accounts.
3. Where is the back up polling place? And can someone draw a diagram?
4. We meet with Rice County and discussed elections, levy adjustments, and property assessments.
a. We need to our proposed levy number to them by Sept 30th . We can not increase only de-crease after this has been submitted.
b. There will be approx. 10-15 hours of training needed next year for elections judges and clerks. They will be during the day.
c. They recommended that we have 10 judges. And that the clerks not be judges. They even suggested that we cater food as the judges are not allowed to leave during their shifts. They suggested pay increases for judges. And made it clear that we should be paying the head judge more. Currently we pay $14 dollars all judges.
6. New Business
A. Dettling Lease is up (Oct)
1. Price-Increasing to $250
2. Lease Terms- The rest of the terms and agreement shall remain the same. We are going to offer to Dettling to renew but it they do not we will open to the public.
B. Resolution for the proposed levy-Levy was approved at 6.67 % this equals out to be an increase of $10,000 to the overall budget. Motioned by Todd Evavold and Seconded by Karla Ingersoll and all approved.
C. Family Leave-Budget item- Presented to the council to include with budget for employees.
E. Announcement of potential funding- Nerstrand has made the list to receive funding to help with our own going infrastructure projects. We will know the dollar amount at the end of September.
D. Resolution to open the bank account for streets- $50 deposit and name of authorized users-Tabled for the time being.
F. Small Cities Assistance Program\Grants-Council reviewed grants and assigned individuals to look into them further to see if Nerstrand would qualify.
G. Projector Options-Tabled until next month.
7. Old Business
A. Discussion regarding cannabis ordinance- Tabled.
B. Discussion regarding liquor ordinance and permitting-Tabled.
C. Street Paving-Paving to begin on Farm Street in the next couple of weeks.
D. House near school -Homeowner requested an extension on their clean up. This was granted because the homeowner has done exceptional work on this.
8. Reports of Officers
A. Public Works Director – Steve McDowell
1. It was requested of Steve to look into a Tree Grant.
2. Steve is looking into other grants as well. Primarily one for our Chlorine storage to become compliant.
B. Mayor –
a. Window sills at City Hall are needing to be replaced. A motion to approve this was accepted by Karla Ingersoll and seconded by John Harris and all approve.
b. Resident complaint about church parking. Church took the lead and got signs. Attendees are now parking where designated and not in homeowners yard.
c. We have a home owner that has requested using a burn barrel to remove brush and foliage. Council suggested using a weed burner tool to tackle then a burn barrel.
C. Fire Department – Joe Johnson-Tabled until next month
D. Council Members
a. Karla Financial Presentation
Karla has put together a proposed Financial Policy for the City of Nerstrand. Council members are to review it and see if it is beneficial for use. Karla created multiple excel documents with the City of Nerstrands Budget. Even providing a break down of our finances in a Pie chart to show the money flowing in and flowing out. Kalra also created an aid in understanding our budget and the time line of things the council, the clerk and public should keep up on with the budget so it is not an item that we touch only once a year. Karla and the clerks are going to work together and see if we can better improve the transparency of the Finances to residents so they can see how and where money is used.
E. Zoning Committee- Presented by Lu
a. Lu came to council with a map. Asking about swapping properties from R1 to R2’s or R2 to R1’s and whether a chunk of properties should remain commercial or be switched to R1 or R2.
9. Other Business
10. Adjourn
Motioned by Betty Voge and Seconded by Karla Ingersoll and all approved.
Next City Council Meeting is scheduled for October 14th, 2025, at Nerstrand City Hall
Date:
Todd Evalvold, City Mayor
LeAnna Anderson-Speiker, City Clerk
