The Waite Park City Council approved a package of routine consent items, authorized an application to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Active Transportation Program for a potential crosswalk on Second Avenue South, and appointed David Steichen to the city’s open fire captain position.

The actions came during a regular council meeting in which councilmembers voted unanimously on each measure. Councilmembers approved donations to the city, renewed property and casualty insurance, granted a temporary gambling permit to the Midwest Youth Foundation and approved a Tri-County Humane Society agreement as part of the consent agenda; the council pulled the MnDOT Active Transportation Program application (item E) for separate discussion before approving it.

The MnDOT application drew concern from Councilmember Vic, who said the pedestrian crossing request “seems to be just putting the horse ahead of the cart a little bit” because the council has not yet decided details about the adjacent transit center. A city staff member responded that the Active Transportation Program application requires no local cost share, that the city may decline the funds if the project does not proceed, and that the application deadline is Jan. 17. “If we were selected for the funds and the project doesn’t come to fruition, then we just turn them down at that point,” the staff member said. The council voted to approve the application by unanimous voice vote.

On personnel business, the council approved the appointment of David Steichen to the fire department captain position. A staff presenter said the recommendation is supported by the fire chief and that the appointment would fill the open captain position; the appointment runs through Dec. 31, 2026. A motion to approve the appointment passed unanimously.

The council also moved to pay city bills during the meeting; that motion passed. The city administrator noted that the council’s next regular meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 21, because of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Votes at a glance

- Approve agenda: approved (voice vote).
- Consent agenda items A–D (donations; property/casualty insurance renewal; temporary gambling permit for Midwest Youth Foundation; Tri-County Humane Society agreement): approved after pulling item E (voice vote).
- MnDOT Active Transportation Program application (Item E) — authorize submission for a potential crosswalk on Second Avenue South: approved (voice vote). Staff said the application has no required local match and the deadline is Jan. 17; approval does not obligate the city to build the crossing.
- Fire captain appointment — appoint David Steichen through Dec. 31, 2026: approved (voice vote).
- Pay the bills: approved (voice vote).
- Adjourn: approved (voice vote).

No dollar amounts or numerical vote counts were specified in the meeting record for these voice votes; council members recorded the motions as passing unanimously.