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Votes at a glance: Albert Lea City Council actions on March 24, 2025
Summary
A roundup of formal council votes on March 24, 2025, including consent agenda approval, four abatement orders, a TIF interfund-loan increase to $1 million, a first reading to split Public Safety into separate Police and Fire departments, approval of claims, and a motion to go into closed session.
ALBERT LEA, Minn. — The Albert Lea City Council took several formal actions during its March 24 meeting. Below is a concise summary of the motions, movers/seconders when recorded, and roll-call outcomes.
Votes at a glance
- Consent and approval of the agenda and routine consent items (minutes, licenses, gambling permit, drinking-water SRF application, fund-balance policy amendment). Motion by Councillor Baker; second by Councillor Anderson. Result: approved (unanimous voice vote recorded as "Aye").
- Abatement orders (see separate article for full discussion): 338 Broadway Ave. S., 809 Clark St. W., 915 Autumn St., 819 Garfield Ave. All four abatement resolutions were moved and carried unanimously on roll calls; motions and seconders are recorded in the minutes for each item.
- Interfund loan — Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District 5-33: Resolution increasing the interfund loan amount. City staff said the district’s interfund loan balance was about $541,000 and an earlier authorization was $200,000; the new resolution increases the authorized interfund loan to $1,000,000. Motion by Councillor Baker; second by Councillor Van Beek. Finance Director Christie Burling said the interfund loan is currently recorded in the general fund. Result: approved (roll call: yes votes recorded). Staff noted the TIF district costs will be repaid from future increment or land sale proceeds.
- Ordinance, first reading — Chapter 2 Article 4 (department organization): The council approved on first reading an ordinance that separates the city’s Public Safety Department into two departments — Police and Fire — each led by a chief. City Manager (name not specified) explained staff recommend the change to better match current staffing and anticipated needs; the Axtell report and internal staffing factors were cited as supporting reasons. Motion by Councillor Baker; second by Councillor Howland. Result: first reading approved (voice vote recorded as "Aye").
- Approval of claims (presentation of claims > $25,000): Council approved a resolution to pay claims including the following large items shown in the packet: HomeServe USA Corp. ($30,497.85), Freeborn-Mower Electric Cooperative (~$31,710.01), Motorola Solutions ($33,260.16), Wapasha Construction Co. / Waup Shaw Construction ($45,785.25 payment estimate for wastewater facility), League of Minnesota Cities Insurance ($118,989), and Inbuilt LLC (formerly Apex) payments totaling $587,349.74 for arena and aquatic center work and refrigeration equipment. Motion by Councillor Anderson; second by Councillor Van Beek. Result: approved (unanimous voice vote recorded).
- Motion to enter closed session to discuss disposal of property under Minnesota Statutes §13D.05: Motion by Councillor Baker; second by Councillor Anderson. Result: approved (voice vote recorded as "Aye"); council moved into closed session.
Procedural notes
Councilors used roll-call votes on items requiring formal record (the abatement resolutions and several other ordinances/resolutions). Staff repeatedly cautioned that abatement work above certain dollar thresholds will require competitive procurement and a subsequent council vote to award contracts. For the Broadway property, staff will obtain asbestos testing and formal demolition estimates and present those results to the council before committing to contractor awards or fund transfers.
