New Ulm council orders 2026 street and alley improvements, sets resident assessments; tables roller repair

The New Ulm City Council on Tuesday opened public hearings and voted to proceed with multiple 2026 street and alley projects, approving staff to prepare plans and specifications and authorizing the projects to proceed to bidding.

City Engineering staff presented two surface reconstruction locations — Jonathan Drive (from Summit Avenue to the south leg of McIntosh Drive) and Cottonwood Street (from Broadway to Bridge Street) — and a separate 2026 Utility Street and Alley Improvement Project covering eight locations across the city, including State Street and sections of Oakwood Avenue and several alley blocks. "The city council has previously scheduled a public hearing on the proposed 2026 surface reconstruction project," City staff said, noting hearing notices were mailed to 35 affected parcels and that both projects were included in the city'9s adopted 2026 Capital Improvement Plan.

Residents who spoke at the hearings pressed staff for timing and cost details. "I just am wondering what the timing of the road construction on Jonathan will be," said Annalise Johnson, who lives at 2 Jonathan Drive. City staff said reconstruction work would likely start in late July or early August, with about a week'9s notice to affected residents. For Jonathan Drive, staff cited a proposed assessment of $2,140 payable over a 10-year period for the example parcel discussed.

Property owner Gordon Batsloff raised concerns about possible double billing where lots share a corner: "I'9m concerned that I'9m gonna get double billed because I have 2 properties with 1 corner lot." City staff responded that assessments are levied on a per-parcel basis under a city policy dating to the 1990s and that a single parcel with frontage on State Street would be the only parcel proposed for assessment in that situation. For the residential segment on State Street staff cited a proposed per-parcel assessment of $4,750. For alley and sidewalk segments staff described a proposed assessment rate of $65 per lineal foot.

After public comment and discussion, the council voted to "order in" the surface reconstruction project and the Utility Street and Alley Improvement Project and to authorize staff to prepare project plans and specifications; Director Jorgensen called the roll and councillors voted in favor on the recorded roll calls.

Permits, licenses and appointments

The council approved a lawful gambling permit for Sioux Trails Ducks Unlimited to hold raffles at the New Ulm Legion on March 21, 2026. It also authorized an extension of a liquor license and temporary alley/parking-lot closures for a Chamber of Commerce street event scheduled for Feb. 28, 2026, subject to conditions. Several council members said they prefer to continue one-off approvals until staff returns with a more comprehensive event right-of-way policy. Chief Borchard was reported not to have registered complaints about past events.

The council appointed Tamara Firth to the Sister Cities Commission for a three-year term ending Dec. 31, 2028, and welcomed her.

Deer control program

Councilors accepted the 2025 deer-control summary and authorized the 2026 Special Archery Deer Control Program. Staff said the city saw an increase in deer taken in 2025 compared with 2024, and that the Earn-a-Buck program will continue for 2026.

Equipment repair tabled

Public Works Superintendent Jeff Hoffman described a hydraulic-pump failure and contamination of the hydraulic system in the 2022 Bomag rubber-tired roller. He reported vendor evaluations that replacing two damaged pumps and cleaning the system could cost $63,124.98, while a full cleaning (without guaranteed metal removal) might be in the roughly $40,000 range. Hoffman said vendor quotations for a new roller and trade-in allowance were discussed but the transcript records unclear numeric figures for the new-unit quote.

"The total bill to clean everything and to replace those 2 pumps would be $63,124.98," Hoffman said. Councilors discussed warranties, the equipment fund that pays for large purchases, and whether to pursue repair or replacement; they asked Hoffman to return with clearer pricing. The council moved to table the repair until the next council session.

Claims paid

Councilors approved the report of claims paid in the amount of $3,056,441.50.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: approved (voice vote). - 2026 Surface Reconstruction Project (Jonathan Drive / Cottonwood Street): ordered and authorized to proceed (roll call; council voted yes). - 2026 Utility Street and Alley Improvement Project (8 locations): ordered and authorized to proceed (roll call; council voted yes). - Sioux Trails Ducks Unlimited lawful gambling permit (raffles, 3/21/2026 at New Ulm Legion): approved (voice vote). - Liquor license extension and temporary alley/parking-lot closures for street event (2/28/2026): approved, subject to conditions (roll call/voice vote). - 2026 Special Archery Deer Control Program and acceptance of 2025 summary: approved (voice vote). - Appointment of Tamara Firth to Sister Cities Commission (term to 12/31/2028): approved (voice vote). - Repair of 2022 Bomag rubber-tired roller: motion to table until next council session: carried (voice vote). - Report of claims paid, $3,056,441.50: accepted (voice vote).

What happens next

Staff will prepare final project plans and specifications and — if ordered tonight — open bids for the street projects; residents were advised to contact the city in May for contractor-specific scheduling. Public Works will return with clarified pricing on the Bomag roller repair or replacement at a future meeting.

Note on transcript inconsistencies

A small number of numerical figures in the recorded discussion of equipment pricing appear inconsistent in the transcript (for example, an unclear single-line quote for a new-machine price). The council instructed staff to obtain clearer vendor quotes before making a final repair-versus-replace decision.