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New Germany council approves 2026 engineering services, amends loan payment and increases fire department pay
Summary
The New Germany City Council approved an $8,000 annual engineering services agreement with SEH, adopted Resolution 2026-01 and amended a prior loan payment; it also approved increases to Fire Department call pay and training pay effective Jan. 7, 2026.
Mayor Shirley Jaeger called the City of New Germany council to order on Jan. 6, 2026. The council approved a slate of routine business including an $8,000 annual engineering services agreement with SEH, adoption of an organizational resolution and an amendment to an internal loan payment, and it approved a pay increase for the volunteer Fire Department.
Justin Black of SEH reviewed the firm’s role advising the city since 2017 and said SEH is assisting with wetland delineation for the Lemmermann proposal. Councilor Kevin Grove moved and Councilor Thomas Mielke seconded approval of the unchanged $8,000 annual engineering services agreement for 2026; the motion carried 5-0.
The council adopted Resolution 2026-01 (organizational summary) on a 5-0 vote after a motion by Paul Roepke and second by Mielke. The council also approved an amendment to Resolution 2025-19 that adjusts line #8, an internal fire truck loan payment of $13,080.00 (motion by Kevin Grove, second by Mielke; 5-0).
Council approved the city’s Minnesota pay equity report (required every three years); Kevin Grove moved and Paul Roepke seconded the motion, which passed 5-0.
The council addressed Fire Department compensation after members of the department had voted in October 2024 to increase call and training pay. Fire Chief Ryan Goede reported that the department had 82 calls in 2025. Councilor Thomas Mielke moved and Councilor Kevin Grove seconded increasing call pay from $10 to $15 and training pay from $5 to $10; the council approved the change with implementation in the Jan. 7, 2026 payroll (5-0).
Goede also reported that a generator has been installed but vendor Frontier must schedule another representative to finish installation after a previously assigned employee was hospitalized; Frontier will provide an updated completion date. The council reviewed vendor maintenance contract options (1-year $449, 3-year $1,348, 5-year $2,248) and discussed aligning maintenance start dates so all town generators are on the same rotation beginning January 2027.
Other procedural and operational matters included a reported building permit for door replacement at 271 State Avenue S, the annual noxious weed report submission, planned street-cleaning operations, and several Public Works safety items (including bobcat jack capacity and rights to trim trees encroaching into the city right-of-way). The council approved the consent agenda (minutes, claims and financial reports) and adjourned at 7:47 p.m.
Votes at a glance: SEH 2026 Engineering Services Agreement — mover: Kevin Grove; second: Thomas Mielke; outcome: approved 5-0. Resolution 2026-01 (organizational summary) — mover: Paul Roepke; second: Thomas Mielke; approved 5-0. Amendment to Resolution 2025-19 (internal fire truck loan payment $13,080) — mover: Kevin Grove; second: Thomas Mielke; approved 5-0. MN Pay Equity Report — mover: Kevin Grove; second: Paul Roepke; approved 5-0. Fire Department wage increases (call pay $10→$15; training pay $5→$10) — mover: Thomas Mielke; second: Kevin Grove; approved 5-0. Consent agenda — mover: Paul Roepke; second: Kevin Grove; approved 5-0. Adjournment — mover: Paul Roepke; second: Kevin Grove; approved 5-0.
The council asked staff to follow up on the generator vendor schedule and to return with any procedural recommendations regarding insurance for the FD tournament and related event logistics; no other policy changes were established at the meeting.
