Goodhue City Council Work Meeting Minutes
City Hall ~ March 11, 2026 ~ 6:00 p.m.
Members Present: Mayor Chris Schmit, Council Members Michael Brunkhorst, Jeannine Nagel, Eric Brandt,
Katie Kurtti
Members Absent: None
Others Present: Lisa Redepenning, City Administrator, Lori Luhman, Administrative Assistant/City Clerk,
Jason Mandelkow, Public Works Director, Pete Grimsrud-News Record
Remote: Bob Vose, City Attorney
Call to Order
Mayor Schmit called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
Approve or amend Agenda
Amendment to the agenda is to move the “EDA-Plan-Meeting” Process to third item for convenience of
Attorney Vose. A motion to approve amended agenda made by Brandt, seconded by Brunkhorst, motion carried
5-0-0.
Approval of Minutes
Motion to approve the February 25, 2026 council meeting minutes made by Brandt, seconded by Brunkhorst,
motion carried 5-0-0.
Approval of Bills
A motion was made to approve the bills by Brandt, seconded by Nagel, motion carried 5-0-0.
New Business
Fire Truck Association Joint Power Agreement
Council discussed discrepancies between different versions (version 3 vs version 5), with concerns
over incorrect voting (7 of 10 members vs 14 of 20) members with capital M “Members” meaning
communities and lowercase meaning individual board members. Lack of clear document ownership
and control between the city’s attorney (Bob Vose) and the Fire Association’s attorney (Bob Ruppe).
Council member Kurtti requested that the document have more control with track changes and a
summary of changes for transparency. Also needed was an accurate map (Exhibit A) showing the fire
service territory.
Council agreed that the Fire Association’s lawyer should control the master document, but the city will
provide requested changes and require the latest version for review.
Council asked the attorney Vose to contact the Fire Association’s attorney to obtain the latest version,
confirm version control, and submit city’s requested changes. Council is requesting final review after
the changes.
Garbage Bid Update
The city is soliciting bids for garbage collection, as the current contract expires at the end of
August. The City will mail bid information to interested parties and advertise for a month to
ensure competitive responses. Attorney Vose confirmed current process is compliant with
state law. Council agreed the bid application can place on consent for approval at the next
meeting.
EDA Plan – Meetings
The Economic Development Authority will revert to meeting only as needed. The ongoing
function is administering the façade grant program. Grant opportunities will be monitored by all
council members and staff (previously handled by Todd Keiffer of CEDA). Council agreed to
notify staff for EDA topics to be added to the agenda as needed.
Pool Manager/Lifeguard Recruitment Update
There are two Pool Manager candidates and four Lifeguard applications so far. Emphasis was
on manager presence, keeping the pool open during scheduled hours, improving
communication and scheduling. A new app called “Sling” was tested and may be implemented
this year for helping with the pool staff coverage. There is a persistent challenge of staffing late
in the summer due to sports and school. Suggested incentives/bonuses for staff who work the
full season. Council also reviewed pool concession sales, need for better inventory and sales
tracking. Suggesting a POS system like Clover or Square. Staff investigated this option last
year and it was costly. Public Works Director noted that there are upcoming maintenance
needs for the pool floor and tile joints. Quotes will be obtained and repairs done as weather
allows.
Review Emergency Plan/designate local emergency contact for Goodhue
Council reviewed and updated emergency contact information and roles in the city’s Emergency
Operations Plan. Council member Brant stressed noting the need for formal approval from the Fire
Association to use the fire station as a Emergency Operations Center once the Joint Powers
Agreement is finalized. Council members and staff agreed to update committee members and replace
city clerk with administrator. Council member Kurtti also noted the need for version control of the
document with summary of changes and clarification of attachments/maps of the plan. Council
discussed having an EOP committee meeting once a year to make necessary updates. Also
confirmed that emergency alerts and communications are accessible in Spanish and other
languages.
Safety Program
The City’s previous group safety training arrangement (with Zumbrota and MMUA) was deemed non
compliant by MMUA so the city must start with a new provider. The proposal is to contract with IEA of
Rochester for its OSHA/safety program which includes on-site training, policy updates, safety
committee establishment, and job hazard analysis. IEA suggest starting with the nine days of training
and that it can be adjusted as needed. Goodhue Gas Commission will continue with MMUA for gas
related training but will participate in IEA for OSHA related topics. Council agreed that we need to
move forward with this immediately and added it to consent for approval at the next meeting.
Financial Reporting
Council requested more detailed, regular (monthly) reports showing budget vs actual for main
expense categories and funds, even if a month delayed due to reimbursements. The need for better
tracking of restricted/earmarked funds (e.g. Lions fund/truck-plow funds, sanitation district, etc.).
Council asked if idle funds could be moved into higher interest CD’s and getting back to them about
this. Also suggested inviting bank reps to advise on the City’s financial health.
Ag Day Road Closure Request
Council was familiar with the request and added to the consent agenda to be approved at the next
meeting.
Façade Payment Request for Vine Haven Hardware
Council reviewed the receipts and agreed to reimburse Vine Haven Hardware for the $2000 façade
grant. Request will be added to consent for approval at the next meeting.
Committee Updates
Council member Brunkhorst reported that the Zumbrota ambulance received a new rig that replaced
a 2014 model. Discussed the per capita payment schedule and budget impacts for future years.
There will be more information after the next meeting in August.
Mayor Schmit reported that the Gas Commission is looking at upgrading gas meters to implement
remote meter reading and that project is funded by CD interest.
Public Works Update
The city will be excepting spring quotes for labor and equipment rates for excavation services. It is
standard practice to except them all so we can use whoever is available. All public works vehicles,
including dump trucks, are inspected and logbooks are maintained.
City Administrator Update
Administrator Redepenning provided updates on savings account balances and the need to maximize
interest on idle funds. Council member Kurtti asked if statement balances and depreciation schedules
for city vehicles and equipment could be provided. Staff will work on getting the information
Council Comments-Confirmed EDA meeting details that will meet and will be added to agenda only
as needed.
Adjournment
A motion to adjourn the meeting was made at 8:46 pm by Council Member Nagel, seconded by Kurtti, motion
carried 5-0-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Lori Luhman, Administrative Assistant/City Clerk
