Monticello City Council Highlights - July 26, 2021

MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS"City

July 26, 2021

EDA Annual Update

Economic Development Manager Jim Thares presented the annual Economic Development department update.

"EDA“The 2020-2021 workplans included six components: downtown redevelopment was the top goal or priority for the EDA. Promoting industrial and commercial development was the second priority, housing development was third. The IEDC’s priorities were labor force development and business retention and expansion. In 2020 the CARES Act came to the city and money was provided to the EDA and that’s where the COVID-19 emergency response efforts were established,” said Thares.

He then elaborated further explaining that Block 52 was the top priority of the Downtown Redevelopment work plan as well as the Façade Improvement Program. One highlight was that the façade improvements to the Agosto building were completed in late 2020, with three new applications submitted this spring/summer, all of which are on Block 35.

According to Thares, there were 38 EDA CARES Act grants approved for $5,000 each. Eight additional City CARES Act grants were also approved for restaurants and microbreweries in the community.

Riverfest Recap

Riverfest 2021 was a huge success according to Riverfest City Liaison Tom Pawelk.

“Overall, it was a good turnout. Second highest gross sales that the Riverfest committee has ever seen, so that’s pretty good. Record beer sales… and duck adoptions were basically sold out, so that’s 5,000 ducks sold,” said Pawelk.

The first night [Thursday] kicked off at Pioneer Park, with a Monticello firefighter showing up strong for a second year in a row and winning the pie eating contest. Mayor Hilgart teased that may only be because he’s “not invited back” to the pie eating contest after winning twice.

“Friday night, the talent show had 22 acts and we followed it up with a wonderful fireworks display, sponsored by the City of Monticello. The Lions Bean Bag tournament on Saturday had 49 entries,” said Pawelk.

Pawelk added that while Sunday’s parade was shorter than past years, with no royalty candidates or visiting royalty; the shorter parade might have been preferable given the heat. He joked that the kids didn’t seem to mind because they still got plenty of candy.

Online Building Permits

City of Monticello is now offering online building permits for permits that do not require a plan review. Visit our website to check it out! 

Council Approval

  • Council approved Special Event Permit
    • City Council approved a Special Event Permit and temporary liquor license for the Rotary’s Taste of the Towns event. The event will be held on Thursday, September 16 in the commuter lot on Deegan Ave. 

  • Council approved new restrooms for Ellison Park
    • City Council approved the purchase of modular restrooms to replace the existing restrooms at Ellison Park. The project will also include ADA improvements in the area around the bathroom.
  • Council approved proceeding with bids for DMV relocation
    • City Council approved notifying the State of Minnesota of intent to move the DMV from its current location to the Prairie Center building at 118 W. 6th Street. Council also approved proceeding with bids for the improvements necessary to remodel the first floor of the building for the DMV. City Council will consider officially ordering the improvements at a future meeting.

WATCH A CITY MEETING

Citizens are welcome to attend City Council, Planning Commission, and Economic Development Authority meetings, but we understand that attending in person is not always an option. As an alternative, we offer the following options to stay engaged with your local government:

  • Meetings are broadcast live on cable channel 12 (FiberNet and TDS subscribers) or channel 180 (Charter subscribers).
  • Meetings are streamed live online. View the live stream on the Monticello Live Stream website.
  • Meetings recordings are available online to watch when it's convenient for you. View the meeting recordings on the Monticello Live Stream website.
  • Meetings are rebroadcast throughout the week on cable channel 12 (FiberNet & TDS subscribers) or channel 180 (Charter subscribers).

 

Jun 26

[ARCHIVED] Council Highlights June 9, 2025

The original item was published from June 26, 2025 7:53 AM to June 26, 2025 7:59 AM

The City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, June 9, 2025. 

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

2024 Consumer Confidence/Annual Water Report

The City of Monticello Utility Department provides an annual Drinking Water Report that outlines the quality of our drinking water, what it contains, and how its quality compares to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and State of Minnesota standards. The 2024 report is now available online on the City website. The report includes testing results based on monitoring from January 1 through December 31, 2024. Past reports can also be viewed online.

Farmers Market

The Farmers Market continues Thursdays from 3:30 – 7 p.m. in the Public Library Parking Lot with a variety of vendors and live music. This Thursday is the first 55+ market day of the season, held on the second Thursday of each month. Customers 55 years and older can receive $4 in tokens to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. Stop by the information booth for more information and tokens. 

Movies in the Park

Join us this Friday, June 13, for Movies in the Park. We will be showing Moana 2, starting shortly after 8 p.m. at Pioneer Park. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket and some snacks. Concessions will be available for purchase. 

Walk & Roll

Get ready to walk & roll this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at West Bridge Park and River Street!

The event kicks off at 9 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting for the new West Bridge Park playground. Then enjoy more than 50 Pathway Partner booths, live DJ music, bounce houses, Farmers Market vendors, and concessions, including ice cream.

Don’t miss the live prize drawing at 11 a.m.—we’re giving away over 40 bikes! Discounted bike helmets will also be available for purchase. Visit the City website for full event details and how to enter the drawing.

Please note: River Street will be closed from Highway 25 to Walnut Street from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. on event day.

Bubble & Foam Party

Join us Tuesday, June 17, from 5-6:30 p.m. at Pioneer Park for the Bubble & Foam Party. This is a free family-friendly event for all ages with a live DJ, food vendors, and a special visit from the Monticello Fire Department, featuring their "ladder truck splash pad".

Music on the Mississippi

The first Music on the Mississippi this summer is on Wednesday, June 18, at West Bridge Park. Bring a chair and your dancing shoes and enjoy some great live music! Food, beer, and beverages are available for purchase from 6-8 p.m. Live music by the Shane Martin Band starts at 6:30 p.m.

Juneteenth

City Hall, Public Works, and the DMV will be closed on Thursday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth.

Hi-Way Liquors and the Monticello Community Center will be open their standard hours.

Department Updates

Construction Update

Work continues on the School Boulevard Improvement Project. The contractor is installing storm sewer, curb, and sidewalk. Private utility companies are also on site, relocating their infrastructure to accommodate new improvements.

Weather permitting, the contractor plans to pave a portion of Cedar Street at the end of the following week. 

Looking ahead, the next phase of construction will include one night of overnight work to complete storm sewer installation. This is expected to occur in two to four weeks. Once a date is confirmed, it will be posted to the City website at MonticelloMN.gov/675.

Human Resources Annual Update

The City’s Human Resources Manager provided an annual update to the City Council. 

The update included an overview of the number and types of employees that work for the City of Monticello. The City currently employs 63 full-time staff, 142 part-time staff, 30 paid-on-call firefighters, and 21 seasonal staff.

The City saw most interest in positions in human resources, planning and development, clerical and data entry, administration, customer service, and parks. The City advertises its open positions on the City website, Indeed, the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) and other sources. Interested applicants can sign up for job and volunteer notifications through the City website’s employment portal.

City Council Decisions

Event Donations

The Council accepted the following donations:

  • $300 from Sweep Home MN LLC and $300 from Healing Moments Counseling for the Farmers Market Power of Produce Kids Club
  • $348.08 from Donna Dunkerson for flowers for the Parks, Arts, and Recreation Department

Thank you for your donations!

City Supports Karlsburger Foods Expansion through Endorsement of Grant Application

The City Council has endorsed Karlsburger Foods’ application to the MN-DEED Job Creation Fund (JCF) to support the expansion of its facility at 3236 Chelsea Road. 

The company plans to invest $2.8 million in the first phase of an estimated three-year project, which includes remodeling the current facility, expanding parking, and adding office space. The project is expected to create at least 10 new full-time jobs.  

While the City is not directly involved in or responsible for the grant submission, the City’s endorsement is required by the JCF program to recognize the project’s local economic impact. The City supports this expansion as it aligns with the Monticello 2040 goals for business retention, reinvestment, workforce development, and a growing tax base, to build a strong and diversified economy.

Amendment to Parking Standards in the Central Community District (CCD)

The City Council approved an amendment to the current off-street parking regulations in the Central Community District (CCD), located in Downtown Monticello. 

Previously, City ordnance calculated available parking for businesses within 400 feet of its primary entrance. If additional parking is needed, the business would pay into the parking fund. The amendment extends the distance to 450 feet, about one and a half blocks between parking and a destination.

The amendment also better clarifies within the CCD section when conditional use permits (CUPs) are needed for shared parking arrangements. There are two forms of shared parking, and both require a CUP:

  • Joint Parking: allows two sites or uses to share spaces based on different hours or uses. 
  • Cross Parking: two neighboring sites allow mutual access to parking lots. 

The amendment also clarifies that existing parking deficiencies are not grandfathered into the parking requirement calculation when a new use demands more parking.

The amendment also provides updated parking standards specific to restaurants. It is now based on occupant load (per the building code) instead of square footage. It allows for one parking space per three occupants. This better reflects actual customer demand.

The amendment aims to better support businesses and walkability, in line with the “park once” strategy from the Downtown Small Area Plan. It is also supported by the Monticello 2040 Plan to use zoning regulations to support a vibrant and walkable Downtown. 

Tag(s): Meeting, Karlsburger, Events, Economic Development, Downtown Parking, City Council Highlights, City Council