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Oakdale council approves public-works contract awards, sidewalk easements, hires officer 3–2; other authorizations pass
Summary
Oakdale’s City Council on March 11 approved multiple project contracts and authorizations, accepted a donation and confirmed a probationary police officer hire in a 3–2 vote.
The Oakdale City Council on March 11 approved a series of contract awards, project authorizations and routine items. Key outcomes included awarding contracts for the new public works facility, approving street reconstruction plans and bidding, authorizing actions related to the federally funded Greenway Avenue sidewalk project, accepting a donation of 16 wood duck houses, approving the claims roster and confirming the hire of a probationary police officer by a 3–2 vote.
Votes at a glance
- Resolution 2025-12: Award contracts for City Project B2024-1, construction of new public works facility — adopted by voice vote.
- Resolution 2025-14: Approve plans and specifications for City Project R2025-1 (2025 street reconstruction) and authorize advertisement for bids; waive prevailing-wage requirement (no state or federal funds associated) — adopted by voice vote.
- SEH supplemental letter agreement ($99,800) to prepare plans and specifications for Greenway Avenue North sidewalk (city project R2026-01) — authorized; council also adopted Resolution 2025-15 authorizing offers of just compensation to owners for acquisition of easements and eminent domain proceedings if needed.
- Resolution 2025-16: Accept donation from Madison Ruchi (Scouts BSA Troop 7580) of 16 wood duck houses valued at $1,440 to be installed in Oakdale Nature Preserve — adopted.
- Claims roster: Approved claims for period 02/26/2025–03/11/2025 in the amount of $1,697,755.11.
- Consensus motion E (personnel): Approval to hire a probationary police officer at a rate consistent with the city pay schedule — approved 3–2.
Hiring controversy and council remarks
Mayor Zabel stated he would vote against the probationary police hire, citing the applicant’s conduct the previous spring while leaving city employment and characterizing that conduct as “baseless and unprofessional attacks on other city staff and their professionalism and intelligence,” and said those actions disqualified the candidate for future city employment. The transcript records the mayor’s objections prior to the motion and indicates the final hiring vote passed 3–2; a roll-call breakdown by name was not recorded in the transcript.
Other items
Public works staff explained the public works facility award covers two remaining contract components that had been excluded from the prior guaranteed maximum price and that a formal resolution (2025-12) awards those contracts. Engineering staff presented the 2025 Street improvement project and noted that no state or federal funds are associated with that project; the council was asked to waive prevailing wage, which it did.
On the Greenway Avenue sidewalk, staff said the project uses federal grant funding and requires MN DOT review; the council authorized staff to execute supplemental agreements with SEH totaling $99,800 to prepare plans and to initiate offers for temporary easements, adopting Resolution 2025-15 to authorize offers of just compensation and eminent-domain authority if necessary.
The council also accepted a community donation: Madison Ruchi, a Scouts BSA troop member, led an Eagle Scout–service project that provided and installed 16 wood duck houses in the Oakdale Nature Preserve; council adopted Resolution 2025-16 to accept the donation.
The meeting closed after approval of the claims roster and adjournment.
