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Royalton council approves police scheduling change, union contract and several policy updates
Summary
At its March 3 meeting, the Royalton City Council approved multiple personnel and police-related measures — including a new AVM/GPS policy (3–1), a police payroll-week change, the 2026–27 LELS union contract, a PERA resolution and a $125 hemp-edible registration fee — and authorized payment of city bills.
The Royalton City Council on March 3 approved a package of personnel, police and administrative measures, including a new AVM/GPS policy and a police payroll-week change.
Council members present — Weiss-Pesta, Sowada, Cimenski and Verley — unanimously approved routine business including the minutes from Feb. 10 and payment of vouchers 40798–40816 for $12,432.92. Council also accepted the resignation/retirement of firefighter Travis Holm effective Feb. 17, 2026.
The council adopted an AVM/GPS policy after review; Weiss-Pesta, Sowada and Cimenski voted aye while Verley voted nay. The motion carried. The council also approved two police training/travel expenditures that Police Chief Jason McDonald had requested: attendance at the Minnesota Police Chief’s Conference in St. Cloud for $585 and Pepper-ball training for $650. Both training motions were moved or seconded by council members and approved unanimously.
To aid scheduling and weekend coverage, the council voted unanimously to change the police payroll week to Wednesday through Tuesday, separating police payroll from other biweekly employees. Administrator Rian Hofstad reviewed broader personnel-policy changes, including pay-week adjustments and health insurance benefits; the council approved those revisions unanimously.
On labor and benefits, the council approved the Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS) contract for 2026–2027 and adopted Resolution PERA 3-3-26-1 to keep part-time officers in the Police/Fire PERA plan; both measures passed with all members present voting aye.
The council also approved a change to the city’s gambling-license payment timing so state license holders will pay the city within 90 days at the end of each month rather than monthly, and added a Lower-Potency Hemp Edible Registration Fee of $125 to the 2026 fee schedule. Both motions passed unanimously.
Procedural notes: most votes were recorded as unanimous among members present. The AVM/GPS policy was the only item with a recorded dissenting vote (Verley). Several items — including training approvals and the LELS contract — were presented by Police Chief Jason McDonald and Administrator Rian Hofstad and moved/seconded by council members, as noted in the official minutes.
The council adjourned at 8:24 p.m.
