Council approves grants, vehicle and park equipment purchases and adopts direct-seller/mobile-food ordinance

The New Richmond City Council took a series of votes on city grants, equipment purchases and a business-licensing ordinance during its most recent meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Tourism grants: Council approved the tourism committee's first-quarter grant recommendations, which staff described as totaling $2,444.06 in awards for events, promotions and marketing materials. The committee recommended support for the New Richmond Area Chamber of Commerce (Cabin Fever event), MBL Promotions (spring promotional event) and production of window-cling marketing pieces for hotels and restaurants. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with Aldermen Vries, Weinmeier, Gartner, Volker, Montello, Kittle and Breeze recorded as "yes." (Outcome: approved)

- Police detective vehicle purchase: Council approved a staff recommendation to purchase a nearly new Jeep Grand Cherokee to replace an aging detective vehicle for a purchase price listed in the staff memo as $29,091.91 (trade-in value noted as $9,000), plus a $1,000 maintenance package and up to $10,000 to outfit the vehicle. Alderman Montello recorded an abstention; other named aldermen voted yes. (Outcome: approved)

- Will's Playground fence replacement: Council authorized awarding the fence-replacement project to Cyclone Fence for $16,152, using remaining Will's Playground maintenance funds and insurance proceeds. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with the recorded yes votes in the transcript including Aldermen Volkert, Montello, Kittle, Weinmeier, Gartner and Breeze. (Outcome: approved)

- Parks equipment: Council approved replacement of a John Deere UTV (Gator) and a Skag zero-turn mower as outlined in the 2025 capital-improvement plan; low bids cited in the packet were $29,007.39 for the UTV and $10,233 for the mower. Council discussion noted the replacements came in higher than earlier estimates and that staff will pursue surplus sale or state-auction options for retired equipment. The motion carried on a roll-call vote. (Outcome: approved)

- Ordinance 6-25 (direct sellers and mobile food establishments): Council approved Ordinance 6-25, which separates direct sellers (door-to-door or booth vendors) from mobile food establishments (food trucks and similar vendors) and clarifies exemptions, background-check requirements and fee structure. The ordinance was approved "pending legal review" as moved on the floor; the transcript records multiple aye votes. Council and staff agreed to treat the fee schedule as a separate item for later discussion. (Outcome: approved, legal review pending)

Other action and recommendations

- Riley Avenue water and sewer main replacement: Staff and the utility commission recommended awarding the Riley Avenue water and sewer main replacement contract to Total Excavating and Grading for $55,100, to be performed this summer in conjunction with school construction at Nurton Middle School. The recommendation notes the school district solicited bids and awarded the general project to the low total bidder; the city would pay the water/sewer portion rather than the school district. No formal council vote on that award was recorded in the provided transcript excerpt; staff characterized the award as the utility commission and staff recommendation.

What the ordinance change does and next steps

Michelle (city staff) and other staff members explained that Ordinance 6-25 clarifies terminology and licensing: direct sellers are those who sell products or services directly to the public (door-to-door or in a booth), while mobile food establishments are food trucks and similar vendors and are subject to county or state health licensing and inspections. Staff noted the city intends the permit fees to discourage uninvited door-to-door solicitation, that farm-produce sales and youth fundraising are exempt, and that brick-and-mortar businesses that operate a mobile service are treated differently under the fee structure.

Council members asked staff to collect additional data on fees charged by surrounding communities and to solicit feedback from downtown restaurants on whether food trucks materially affect their business. Staff said that county licensing and inspection requirements already apply to most food trucks and that the city's fee would be additional and could be structured as annual, monthly or per-event depending on the vendor.

Several motions and roll-call votes recorded in the transcript adopted the recommendations and purchases described above. Where the transcript captured the roll-call, the article lists the individual yes/abstain votes recorded there; in other cases the packet figures and staff recommendations are reported as described by staff and the utility or park boards.

Council members also received routine administrative reminders (board of review date, assessor outreach) and personnel updates from public safety.