Police chief updates council on roof leaks; council directs diagnostic tests on windows

The Isanti City Council heard an update on the police department building’s ongoing leaks and directed staff to run simple diagnostics and obtain a targeted inspection before budgeting for major roof work.

Chief Myers said the city had sent multiple contractors to examine the flat roof and related structure. “We’re just giving an update because council requested that,” he said, noting one consultant had suggested a fix but declined to share details immediately. Staff and an outside inspector, Brian Boss, flagged two possible problems: leaks in the middle of the flat roof and separate water entry around window openings in the masonry, which the inspector said is often caused by faulty window flashing.

The chair told staff he wanted a practical, staged approach: “I would like to see if you could do the test on the windows,” he said, urging staff to try a water‑hose test at affected windows to see whether water is entering at the window line and to budget later if the test shows repair is needed.

Staff recommended first using a hose test to confirm whether window flashing is the primary source of water and then, if needed, opening a single window to inspect the flashing and provide a firm repair price. Several council members noted the building has many windows on the affected side (staff estimated roughly 14–16) and suggested the one‑window diagnostic would inform a scope of work that would allow the city to solicit apples‑to‑apples contractor quotes.

Council did not authorize any major repair or replacement at the meeting. Staff said they will return with a cost estimate for a single‑window inspection or a proposal for an appropriate test and then prepare a scope for competitive bidding if repairs are required.

Next steps: staff will attempt the water test on the affected windows, obtain a price to open and inspect one window, and report back to council with cost estimates and recommended procurement steps.