The City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, February 10, 2025. Below are the highlights of the meeting.
To view the agenda, and minutes when available, visit the Agenda Center.
To watch the recorded meeting, stream it online or tune in on cable channel 12 (FiberNet & TDS subscribers) or channel 180 (Charter subscribers). The rebroadcast schedule is available here.
Public Service Announcements
Presidents Day
City Hall, Public Works, and the Monticello DMV will be closed on Monday, Feb. 17, in observance of Presidents Day. Hi-Way Liquors and the Monticello Community Center will be open their standard hours.
Spring Tree Sale
The City’s Spring Tree Sale began on February 3. Trees cost $50/each and quantities are limited. Orders are due Thursday, April 24. Orders may be placed in person at City Hall, online, or by mail. For more information, visit the City website.
MontiArts Balloon Lantern Workshop
MontiArts is offering a Balloon Lantern Workshop on Saturday, February 15, from 10 a.m. – noon., where you’ll be able to create a lantern for the upcoming GLOW Fest. It’s a free, all-ages workshop, but registration is required. Please visit the City website’s event calendar for more information and to register.
GLOW Fest Parade
GLOW Fest returns Saturday, February 22. Join us for a parade and celebration featuring glowing creatures, vibrant signs, fun wearables, and more! The parade kicks off at the Monticello Community Center at 7 p.m. and will follow Walnut Street to a Glow Party in West Bridge Park.
Department Updates
WCSO Quarterly Update
The Wright County Sheriff’s Office provided their quarterly and annual update to City Council:
- Calls for service are down 8.5% in 2024, compared to 2023.
- There is also a decrease in burglaries and damage to property in 2024.
- In relation, WCSO’s Criminal Investigation Division, Special Investigation Unit, and Major Crimes Investigation unit have seen a decrease in reports. However, the Computer Forensics Unit saw an increase in reports from 7 in 2023 to 10 in 2024.
- The School Resource Office Division saw a decrease in reports from 41 in 2023 to 31 in 2024. SROs work closely with students and school administration and staff to keep schools safe and secure. WCSO reports that there is a continued decline in cases where SROs are involved inside the schools.
- There has been an increase in traffic calls in Monticello for 2024, with a 40% increase (88 total) in DUI-related calls.
- In 2024, there was a decrease in theft, drug, and assault-related incidents. However, there is an increase in fraud incidents. WCSO reports that this is an issue on the rise in other communities as well.
- The Sheriff’s office also provided an overview of the number of calls by Time of Day and Day of the Week. The highest numbers of calls were at 1 a.m. and 4 p.m., with most calls on Fridays and Mondays.
MCC 25th Anniversary Recap
The City’s Parks, Arts, and Recreation Director presented an overview of the Monticello Community Center’s 25th Anniversary celebration on Saturday, February 8. The presentation included photos of the construction of the MCC in 1999 and recognition of MCC and Parks Department staff who have been with the City since before the MCC was constructed.
The MCC offers services and programs for the community, including swimming lessons, room rentals, fitness classes, Farmers Market, and events like Music on the Mississippi and Movies in the Park. The MCC also houses City Hall, the Senior Center, and National Guard.
The 25th celebration included giveaways, the indoor Farmers Market, and a Senior Center Open House.
City Council Decisions
CMAB Grant for Musical Workshop Series
The City of Monticello accepted a $3,500 grant from the Central Minnesota Arts Board for an 8-week musical workshop series, “How to Play in Bands” with artist Ketan Kulkarni. No match is required for the grant. The City has received a first payment of $2,800 in grant funds to support the project, with the balance received upon completion of the workshop.
The workshop is designed for young musicians aged 15 to 18. Musicians will learn how to collaborate with other musicians and play instruments together. The program will use the MontiArts garage space at 349 W Broadway.
2024 Operating Transfers
The City Council approved final 2024 operating transfers. Transfers shift money from one fund to another and may be done for a variety of reasons, including repaying debt, covering unanticipated operating expenditures, closing or opening city funds, and financing city projects.
Highlights from the final transfers for 2024 include:
- A budgeted transfer from Hi-Way Liquors to the Capital Projects Fund to provide $1,000,000 in funding for the Downtown Roadway & Pedestrian Improvement Project.
- A budgeted $100,000 transfer from the Monticello DMV Fund to the Community Center. This reinvests DMV revenue back into the community and helps limit membership fee and tax levy increases.
- A $500,000 transfer from the General Fund to the Facilities Maintenance Fund. The Facilities Maintenance Fund is relatively new; it’s an internal service fund used for budgeting and tracking the maintenance at all city buildings. The transfer provides support as we establish the annual needs for facilities maintenance. Using the information gained in 2024, the 2025 budget in the Facilities Maintenance Fund was increased to more accurately reflect the activity in that fund.
- A $700,000 transfer from the General Fund to the Capital Projects Fund shifts fund reserves at the end of the year to where they can be used for future one-time projects.
Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Athletic Park Pickleball Improvements
Improvements at the Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Athletic Park continue to move forward. City Council authorized design firm, WSB, to prepare plans and specifications for pickleball improvements at the park at a cost of $50,397.
Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park is co-owned by the City of Monticello and Wright County, and each organization has specific responsibilities within the park. The City of Monticello is responsible for the development, operations and maintenance of the Athletic Park. The City of Monticello adopted a master plan for the Athletic Park in 2016 to guide phased development over time. Following adoption, the City began phased improvement projects following the master plan. WSB was the consultant on the feasibility report, master plan, and subsequent improvements for the park.
The next improvement to the Athletic Park will be pickleball courts. This amenity was selected due to the popularity of the sport, as well as feedback from stakeholders such as the local school district, local pickleball enthusiasts, and the City’s Parks, Arts, and Recreation Commission (PARC). WSB will prepare construction documents to go out for bid, with the goal for the new pickleball courts to blend seamlessly with the park’s existing features and future planned developments.
In November 2024, residents voted to approve a 0.5% local sales tax that will be a source of funding for the improvements at the Athletic Park. The sales tax will go into effect April 2025.