Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council denies two snow‑removal appeals, directs staff to investigate third after contradictory timestamps
Summary
Council denied appeals for two properties, upheld charges, and directed staff to further investigate a third appeal after a resident presented contractor text logs and image metadata he said show snow was removed within the 24‑hour compliance window.
The New Ulm City Council on March 3 denied two of three appeals of city snow‑removal charges and directed staff to further investigate the third, after a resident presented communications and image metadata that he said contradict the city’s documentation.
Councilors debated the fairness of the city’s $150 administrative fee and whether the 24‑hour compliance period should be extended to 48 hours for hardship cases. One councilor suggested the city evaluate extending the compliance window; others cautioned about creating a precedent.
The three addresses under appeal were 1017 3rd Street South, 624 South Front Street, and 1326 South Payne Street. A councilor moved to deny all three appeals, then amended the motion to deny the first two and direct staff to further investigate the third pending additional evidence; the amended motion carried.
Resident Andrew Mower spoke on behalf of 1326 South Payne Street and provided a chain of text messages and an image whose metadata he said show his contractor completed snow removal Jan. 22 at 5:14 p.m. He also cited National Weather Service timestamps (airport) showing snowfall at 7:55 a.m. on Jan. 21, which, he argued, means the city enforced removal before the 24‑hour clock had expired. "The image provided by the city… shows that image was captured January 22 at 12:53PM, which is clearly before the 24 hours would be passed from the snowfall stopping 07:55 on the night before," Mower said.
City staff and the contractor’s invoice showed different timings: staff said the contractor invoiced work on Jan. 23 and that the city’s records indicate removal on that later date. Councilors asked staff to confirm contractor logs, complaint timestamps and photo metadata; the council directed staff to research the third appeal’s evidence and return with a recommendation.
The council carried the amended motion to deny the appeals for 1017 3rd Street South and 624 South Front Street and to have staff confirm the facts for 1326 South Payne Street before further council action.
