New Richmond council OKs PUD for affordable housing, tightens school-bus warning-light rules, approves lead-service program and multiple utility and equipment b

The New Richmond City Council approved a package of ordinances, contracts and financing actions at its meeting, including a planned unit development (PUD) ordinance intended to encourage affordable housing, a revision to the school-bus warning-light ordinance following a public safety request, a loan-assistance program for private-side lead service-line replacement, awards for multiple utility and equipment contracts and a supplier for an industrial development study. Council members also authorized moving forward with a $1.08 million replacement rescue-pumper for the fire department and approved a state trust fund loan application to help close a remaining financing gap on the new library project.

The measure to update the city’s PUD rules — labeled in the agenda as Ordinance 6-29 — passed after staff described the text as a tool to give developers flexibility on lot size, lot coverage and density where the city determines such adjustments could yield lower-cost housing. City staff recommended approval of the draft ordinance and said an approval process would include a pre-application conference, a concept-plan review by the plan commission and city council, required public hearings and a development agreement if the council approves a PUD.

The council also amended the municipal school-bus warning-light ordinance (Ordinance 6-30) after a public comment from Donovan Sullivan, who identified himself as the safety manager for the local school bus company Cobus and Buses. Sullivan described several on-route incidents — including a child chasing a pet under a bus and a special-education student leaving a caregiver’s side — and asked whether traffic should be stopped when students could potentially be in the roadway. City staff told the council the revised ordinance clarifies that bus operators should activate warning lights and require traffic to stop in both directions when students are being dropped off or picked up and when students might cross the roadway, regardless of curb or sidewalk presence.

Council members approved updates to the New Richmond Code to enable a lead service-line replacement loan assistance program (Ordinance 6-31). Staff said the program, which received required Public Service Commission approval, would allow customers to receive a loan up to $4,000 for private-side service-line replacement, repayable over up to 10 years at about 3 percent interest.

In utility and equipment procurement, the council accepted staff and utility-commission recommendations to: - Award a programmable logic controller/SCADA upgrade to TPC for $407,000; staff noted the city’s capital estimate had been $250,000 but bids varied widely. - Purchase two trailer-mounted portable generators from Northstar Logistics. The utility-commission recommendation listed $59,364; during the council motion a slightly different figure ($59,003.64) was moved and the council approved the award (the record shows the council approved the bid despite the minor discrepancy in quoted amounts). - Accept a low bid from Lindstrom Equipment for a grapple bucket at $18,300 for compost-site and curbside operations. - Authorize staff to solicit bids for replacement of truck No. 36 (a half-ton pickup for the electric department) as listed in the 2025 capital improvement plan.

For economic development work, the council approved moving forward with SRF Consulting Services (SRF) to advise the city on industrial development strategy and options for the roughly 50 acres remaining in the city’s industrial park. The council approved entering an agreement with SRF to begin scoping services; the contract amount and detailed scope will be returned for council approval once the city and SRF define the work.

The council also voted to accept the Fire Board’s recommendation and proceed with a Fire Service Inc. order for a stainless-steel E-1 rescue pumper at a contract price of $1,084,765, with an estimated delivery lead time of 12–14 months. Staff said the vehicle is the department’s primary response apparatus, the existing truck shows frame and equipment deficiencies, and a production- and emissions-related cost increase (an $85,000 engine upgrade tied to new emissions standards) will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027. The city’s share of the purchase was listed at 55.5 percent (the memo cites the city’s share for budgeting and financing allocations; each participating jurisdiction is responsible for its own financing plan).

Finally, the council approved submitting and adopting the resolution for a State Trust Fund loan application (ID 05606219) to cover a remaining estimated library project funding gap. Staff said the overall library project estimate sits between $15.1 million and $15.5 million, with a gap of roughly $1.6 million after prior revenue-lease bonds, donations, grants and cash on hand. The recommended approach is a two-year interim State Trust Fund loan with the first payment due in 2027 and then refinancing on the open market when the city seeks longer-term financing.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance 6-29 (PUD to support affordable housing): approved (motion to suspend rules and adopt). Roll-call recorded affirmative responses from Alderman Vries, Alderman Weinmeier, Alderman Gartner, Alderman Volkert and Alderman Montello. - Ordinance 6-30 (school-bus warning lights): approved (motion to suspend rules and adopt). Roll-call recorded affirmative responses from named council members; public comment from Donovan Sullivan was received before the vote. - Ordinance 6-31 (lead service-line replacement program): approved (motion to suspend rules and adopt). Staff noted PSC approval had been received. - PLC/SCADA upgrade (award to TPC): approved (award amount $407,000). - Portable generators (award to Northstar Logistics): approved (motion referenced $59,003.64; packet recommendation listed $59,364). Note: the packet recommendation and the moved dollar amount differ slightly; council approved the award. - Grapple bucket (award to Lindstrom Equipment, $18,300): approved. - Authorization to solicit bids for Truck No. 36: approved. - RFQ award: SRF Consulting Services selected (council authorized entering agreement; cost/scope to follow). - Fire truck replacement (Fire Service Inc., $1,084,765): approved; city share listed at 55.5 percent (approx. $602,000); lead time 12–14 months; potential $85,000 engine cost increase after Jan. 1, 2027 if not built before new emissions rules. - State Trust Fund loan application (ID 05606219) and Resolution 102505: approved.

What councilors said Donovan Sullivan, safety manager for Cobus and Buses, told the council: "If we have students that could potentially be in the road, do we want traffic stopped or not?" City staff said the ordinance revision clarifies that bus operators should activate warning lights and require traffic to stop in both directions when students are being dropped off or picked up or might cross the road.

Context and next steps Several items require further administrative work: finalized development agreements under the new PUD process, a formal loan program setup and paperwork for the lead-service assistance, contract documents and scheduling with vendors (notably for the fire truck and the TPC SCADA upgrade), and a scoping and fee proposal from SRF Consulting before the city approves specific consultant expenditures. The library loan application and the fire-truck financing will proceed through the city’s normal borrowing processes; participating municipalities will determine their own financing plans for the fire truck share.

Meetings and public participation The meeting included a public-comment speaker on the school-bus issue and multiple staff presentations. Staff said the library project remains on track for substantial completion late this year, and the residential portion of that project had about 45 signed leases out of 69 units at the time of the meeting.

(Reporting based on the New Richmond City Council public meeting transcript; motions, ordinance numbers and dollar figures are reported as they appear in the meeting record and packet materials.)