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Isanti leaders seek bids for police roof, favor $7,500 LED retrofit for shop lighting and delay utility-manager hire
Summary
Councilors heard staff reports about recurring leaks in the police-department roof and a shop lighting plan (144 fixtures, 93 out). Members favored a $7,500 LED retrofit for burned-out fixtures and approved staff to pursue bids for roof repair; they also agreed to delay hiring a utility manager and instead hire a maintenance technician now.
Councilors in Isanti heard multiple public-works updates at the meeting, including a recommendation to seek additional bids for repairs to the police-department roof, a proposed LED retrofit for the public-works shop lighting and a staffing plan that delays the utility-manager hire until January 2027.
Travis (speaker 7), addressing the council, described chronic leaks in the police-department roof and interior damage: "We've had leaks... the sheetrock's falling in," he said, noting contractors had inspected the roof and offered a range of repair or replacement options. Councilors discussed whether a short-term "band-aid" patch could hold for a few years while planning a long-term fix and whether mold testing was warranted for wet interior framing.
Public-works staff (Josh, speaker 8) reported the shop has 144 fixtures and that 93 are out. A lighting scope presented options: an LED retrofit (bypass ballast) at about $7,500 for a 35 foot-candle level, a full LED fixture upgrade around $21,000 for 70 foot-candles and higher-end 100 foot-candle options near $24,000. Councilors favored the $7,500 retrofit as a cost-effective near-term fix, and staff said they would check the police budget and schedule the work if funds are available; Miss Wood (speaker 5) said any unbudgeted expense would return to council for formal authorization.
On staffing, Miss Wood proposed postponing the utility-manager hire until January 2027 and instead hiring a maintenance technician now; she estimated near-term savings from not filling the utility-manager role (approximately $55,000–$60,000 this year) and argued the reallocation would let the city bring more projects in-house. Councilors discussed adding tree-removal skills as a preferred qualification and cross-training existing staff.
Council action: staff were directed to gather more roofing bids, explore repair versus replacement options and move forward scheduling the lighting retrofit if budget allows. The meeting ended after a motion to adjourn that carried 5–0.
