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Bellechester council approves routine business, previews 2025 budget and defers police contract
Summary
Council approved June minutes and bills, received multiple administrative updates including plans to migrate municipal email to Login.gov, reviewed preliminary 2025 budget numbers, and scheduled the police contract and junk ordinance for discussion at the August meeting; Sheriff Kelly's letter on service hours was noted.
The Bellechester City Council on July 17 approved routine business and heard a series of administrative reports. Councilmember Jered Buxengard moved to approve the June 19, 2024 regular meeting minutes; Rich Majerus seconded and the motion carried. Later the council approved payment of bills after a motion by Rich Majerus and a second by Mark Gerken.
City Clerk Lisa Redepenning reported that both Goodhue and Wabasha County property tax payments and special assessments have been received. She said the city plans to migrate municipal email to Login.gov, a free .gov email option for government entities, which will allow the city to stop paying Nuvera's monthly hosting fee of $6.95. Redepenning also noted that, with the street project bond payments ending, the city has more flexibility to absorb increases in police fees; she read 'police Approved Rates' for 2025–2027 as listed in the minutes but did not specify what the figures represent. The numbers recorded in the minutes are: 2025 — $87.70 and $17,364.60; 2026 — $90.63 and $17,944.74; 2027 — $93.68 and $18,548.64.
Redepenning read from a May 29 letter from Sheriff Kelly that the GCSO should maintain the historic 198 hours of service from May 15 to Sept. 15 as described in the letter or discuss alternative policing hours "at or above the minimum of 219 hours per year." The council did not take action on the police contract and will revisit it at the August meeting. The clerk also presented other budget-related FYIs: a projected drop in telephone costs after a switch to Verizon, lower loan payments with the street project paid off, pending LGA amounts, and completed quarterly filings. Treasurer Kyle McKeown said shutoff notices for utilities will be sent; the water/wastewater report noted an extra discharge was required because of excessive water.
Councilmembers raised no mayoral or council concerns, and Rich Majerus moved to adjourn at 7:21 PM; Jered Buxengard seconded and the motion carried.
Next steps: the council will revisit the junk ordinance and the police contract at the August meeting and continue budget preparation for 2025.
