A Year in Review: 2023 in Monticello

2023 was a busy year in the City of Monticello! From new construction and road improvements to public art installations and various grants and awards; here are some of our favorite moments, biggest projects, and highlights from the past year!  

Community & Economic Development 

There were 14 new development projects this year: 5 residential projects, 5 commercial projects, 3 industrial projects, and 1 mixed-use development for commercial and residential use. These various residential projects include: 

• 287 multifamily apartment units 
• 139 single-family lots 
• 60 townhome units (30 townhomes) for seniors (55+). 
   

Department of Building Safety and Code Enforcement 

• 1,073 building permits were issued (through Nov. 2023) compared to 903 total in 2022. 
• 44 single family homes were built in 2023 compared to 33 in 2022. 
• 109 blight notices were issued in 2023. 
   

Fire Department 

• In 2023 the Monticello Fire Department presented three Lifesaving Awards to Firefighters Eric Grant, Josh Samuelson, and Chief Mike Mossey for their roles and assistance in saving someone’s life earlier this year. 
• MFD celebrated 3 retirements in 2023, all of whom served their community for 20+ years! Thank you to Firefighters John Bauer (20 years), Don Anderson (20 years), and Captain Shawn Leach (28 years) for their selfless dedication and service to Monticello. 
• We responded to 386 total calls in 2023, compared to 388 in 2022.
   

Public Works 

• In 2023, 9 snow events were declared. 
• Construction season was BUSY in 2023. We had active detours from June-November and sent out 27 detour/construction update alerts (we know it felt like more). 
• In addition to the various detours, City staff were also busy doing maintenance on potholes and cracks. Our Streets Department went through 1,053 TONS of blacktop this year! 
• We installed new doors for the City’s compost facility this year and made 946 access cards for residents (1 card per property). 

Parks, Arts, & Recreation 

In 2023 we began Public Engagement for our 2023 Needs Assessment. We were at the Farmers Market, Walk & Roll, and various Riverfest events gathering feedback from the community. In 2024 we will be gathering additional feedback on our Parks, Arts, & Recreation (PAR) Master Plan, using the information from our 2023 PAR Needs Assessment. 

We also completed several projects around the Community Center, including: 

• Our new Romp 'N' Stomp indoor play structure opened in 2023. It is open for ages 0-12 and features four levels of fun! Including a spiral slide, wobble hopper, and a sit-n-spin. Kid tested and approved! 
• Artist Parker McDonald added a new mural in the MCC pool arena and touched up his existing work. We also completed annual maintenance and cleaning of the pool, water features, and spas. 
• Following a crash that damaged the MCC’s Walnut Street entrance in February 2023, we began moving forward with repairs. Construction on the entrance began in October. We were ecstatic to be able to celebrate the re-opening of the entrance just before Thanksgiving. 
    

MontiArts had a busy year offering over 220 arts opportunities (open studio, art socials, workshops, etc.) for our community! 
 

• MontiArts received 5 grants in 2023 
  • $28,000 for Arts Board Creative Support 
  • $20,000 for the East Bridge Park sculpture  
  • $6,400 for the 2023 Glow Fest 
  • $5,000 for the Ellison Park sculpture 
  • $3,500 for the new Downtown Mural 
• Monticello added 4 new pieces of public art 
  • The mini mural at the Monticello DMV 
  • The Yoga Tree at the Mindful Garden Yoga Studio 
  • East Bridge Park Dragonfly Sculpture 
  • The mural downtown on East Broadway 
• MontiArts hosted 2 Art Shows featuring local artists: In 2023 MontiArts hosted the Monticello School District’s Art Show, and an art show for local artist Stan Thorud.
   

2023 Grant Updates and Awards

Funding for Minnesota cities is reliant on property taxes. However, Monticello frequently seeks other funding sources, including state and federal grants, to limit greater impact on local taxpayers. We are incredibly grateful for the support and the additional funding of projects and improvements in our community. We’re also proud of City staff for their efforts and hard work finding and applying for various grants. 

• In 2020 we were awarded a $500,000 Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Grant for School Boulevard Safety Improvements. In 2021 we were awarded another $500,000 SRTS Grant for Elm Street; we were able to accomplish both projects in 2023. 
• In January 2023, the City was awarded $200,000 in federal funding from the Safe Streets 4 All (SS4A) program to complete a Safety Action Plan. One of the main goals of Monticello’s Comprehensive Safety Action Plan will be to help identify roadway improvements to increase multi-modal transportation safety to eliminate serious injuries and fatality accidents in Monticello.?Public engagement and a traffic study began in 2023 and will continue in 2024. 
• In June 2023 the City received $1,000 from the MN Business Finance Corporation (MBFC) for the EDA’s Hospitality Study, which was completed in 2023. 
• In August and September 2023, the City received two grants for our Parks Turf Conversion Project. $30,000 was awarded by Wright County’s Conservation/Restoration Grants, and $5,000 was donated by Monticello’s Rotary Club. The Turf conversion project was completed in 2023. 
• In October 2023, the City received a $30,000 grant from the Minnesota DNR for Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) management. The City used the grant to conduct a city-wide inventory of all public trees, including those in the right-of-way. The tree inventory was completed in December 2023.
   

2023 Grant Awards for Future Projects 

• In February 2023 the City was awarded a $970,625 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant to re-build County Ditch #33 in Monticello. Ditch 33 was built in 1917 and requires several repairs, estimated to cost approximately $3 million dollars. The proposed project will take place in 2024 and is being coordinated by Wright County, the City of Monticello, and the Monticello Township. 
• In April 2023 the City received $800,000 from the Transportation Alternatives (TA) Grant for a trail connection on CSAH 39 to Bertram Chain of Lakes (BCOL) Regional Park. The proposed project will take place in 2024-2025 and aims to connect pathways from Elm to Chelsea with Bertram. 
• In May 2023 we received $11 million from the State of Minnesota for the construction of a future Water Treatment Plant in the City of Monticello. 
• In June 2023 the City was awarded $485,500 from the Carbon Reduction Grant Program for the future construction of a proposed roundabouts at the intersections of School Boulevard at Edmonson and Cedar; and a $1 million grant from the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program for the future reconstruction of School Boulevard.  
• In September 2023 the City was awarded $80,580 from Wright County’s Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) for hydration stations to be installed throughout the Monticello Community Center in 2023 and 2024. 
• In December 2023 the Economic Development Authority (EDA) received $10,000 from the Initiative Foundation for future projects in the Downtown area. 

Thank you to our City Council, our volunteers, committee members, residents, and city staff for making 2023 a great year! We’ve got a lot in store for 2024, and we’re excited to see where the next year takes us!