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Record of Proceedings

Faribault City Council Meeting - September 8, 2026: Budget, Appointments, and Awards

City Council — Tuesday, September 8, 2026
BodyFaribault, Minnesota
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, September 8, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
Meeting Thumbnail
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Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Unassigned speaker

0:03

All

Speaker 1

0:03

right, ladies and gentlemen, just last we got 30 seconds or so to go here.

Speaker 2

0:08

Nobody heard that.

0:10

Nobody heard the

Speaker 1

0:12

microphone.

0:29

All right, ladies and gentlemen, we will call the Tuesday, September 8th, Fairball City Council meeting to order.

0:36

Our first item on tonight is roll call.

Speaker 3

0:38

Councilmember Barnes.

0:40

Here.

0:40

Ross.

Speaker 1

0:40

Here.

Speaker 3

0:41

Rowan.

Speaker 1

0:41

Here.

Speaker 3

0:42

Ansle?

Speaker 1

0:42

Here.

0:43

Here.

Speaker 3

0:43

Mayor Spooner.

Speaker 1

0:44

Here.

0:45

Pledge of allegiance.

Speaker 4

0:49

To the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

0:56

One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for

Unassigned speaker

1:01

all.

Speaker 1

1:06

Second item on tonight's agenda is approval of the agenda of Mandy Barnes.

Speaker 5

1:11

Mayor Spooner, I make a motion to move item eight F to approve the appointment of Kim Anderson to the vacant city council position to immediately follow the approval of the agenda.

Speaker 1

1:23

Second.

1:25

Is there a mo there's a motion and a second to approve the agenda as amended by Barnes and Van Sluce?

1:33

All those in favor signify

Unassigned speaker

1:35

or say aye.

Speaker 1

1:35

Aye.

1:38

That is

Speaker 5

1:38

approved.

1:39

Mayor Spooner.

1:40

Next, I make a motion to approve the agenda as amended.

Speaker 1

1:45

Correct.

Speaker 6

1:46

Second.

Unassigned speaker

1:48

So

Speaker 1

1:48

move.

1:49

There's a motion and a second.

1:50

All those in favor signify by saying

Unassigned speaker

1:52

aye.

Speaker 1

1:52

Aye.

1:53

All opposed.

Unassigned speaker

2:03

If you

Speaker 4

2:03

would please raise your

Speaker 3

2:04

I have to read

Unassigned speaker

2:05

off it.

Speaker 3

2:06

You don't get

Speaker 4

2:06

it.

2:08

If you'd please raise your right hand and repeat after me.

2:11

I, Kim Anderson.

Unassigned speaker

2:12

I'm Kim Anderson.

Speaker 4

2:13

Do solemnly swear.

2:15

Do

Speaker 7

2:15

solemnly

Unassigned speaker

2:15

swear.

Speaker 4

2:16

To support the Constitution of the United States.

Unassigned speaker

2:19

To support the Constitution.

Speaker 4

2:21

And of the state of Minnesota.

2:23

And

Speaker 7

2:23

of the state

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Fiscal Sustainability██████████████████████████26%
Procedural█████████████████████████25%
Engineering And Infrastructure████████████████16%
Public Safety███████████11%
Environmental Protection█████████9%
Public Engagement██████6%
Budget Equity Analysis█████5%
Water And Wastewater Management██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Faribault City Council Meeting - September 8, 2026

The Faribault City Council met on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included the swearing-in of a new council member and a fire captain, recognition of life-saving efforts, and approval of the preliminary property tax levy for 2027 along with several resolutions for infrastructure and cannabis licensing.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Agenda – Amended to move Resolution 2026-273 (Appointment of Kymn Anderson) to immediately follow the agenda approval. The amended agenda was approved unanimously.
  • Approval of Minutes – Minutes from August 25 (regular and two closed sessions) and September 1, 2026 were approved.
  • Consent Agenda (Items 6A-6J) – Approved unanimously, including claims lists, board minutes, hiring firefighters, utility billing policy update, purchase agreement for 20 1st Street SW, tuition reimbursement agreement, purchase of a 2026 John Deere 4066R compact utility trailer, creation of an administrative coordinator position, acceptance of a donation to Parks and Recreation, and a special assessment hearing for 2025 Miscellaneous Street Reconstruction.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were received.

Discussion Items

  • Swearing-In of Chris Bauer as Fire Captain – Fire Chief Dusty Deeds administered the oath. Bauer has served 25 years with the department, 10 full-time. Badge number 2160.
  • Faribault Police Department Award Presentation – Police Chief John Sherwin recognized city employees, citizens, and first responders who saved a man in cardiac arrest at the community center on August 6, 2026. Recipients included: Julie Weir, Rochelle Anderholm Parsh, Devin Pawararick, Stacy Zensen, Mary Tatke, Kevin O'Brien, Chloe Christiansen, firefighter Rick Martinez, firefighter John Vargo, police officer Christopher Ferris, paramedic Javier Barajas, and EMT Michelle Bauer. Certificates were presented.
  • American Red Cross Award Presentation – Melanie Cheetah, Executive Director of the Southern Minnesota chapter, presented awards to six individuals as the "Faribo Community Center Life Saving Response Team": Kevin O'Brien, Mary Tadi Taji, Rachelle Anderholm Parsh, Stacey Zensen, Devin Pawarek, and Chloe Christensen. The survivor, who was visiting from Arizona, watched via livestream.
  • Ordinance 2026-12 – Zoning Map Amendment for 17575 38th St NW – Second reading approved unanimously (roll call vote 7-0). Rezones property from TUD to I1 Light Industrial. Summary publication also approved.
  • Resolution 2026-261 – 2027 Preliminary Property Tax Levy – City Administrator Jessica Kinzer presented the levy overview. Total levy of $16.5 million, an 8.58% increase for property owners. Market value grew 5.4%; net tax capacity increased 3.5%. General fund expenditures nearly $27 million. LGA is 26% of general fund revenue, property tax revenue is the largest. The preliminary levy uses 55.95% of available tax dollars (highest since 2018). Fund 240 (Community and Economic Development) requests $403,000; tax abatement fund $188,000; debt service funds reduced. No new debt proposed for 2027. The HRA and EDA max levies are $465,000 and $456,000 respectively. The final levy will be set December 8, 2026. Approved unanimously.
  • Resolution 2026-262 – Faribault EDA 2027 Preliminary Tax Levy – Approved unanimously.
  • Resolution 2026-263 – Faribault HRA 2027 Preliminary Tax Levy – Approved unanimously.
  • Resolution 2026-270 – Westwood Drive Stormwater Treatment Structure – Approved plans, specs, and bid date for Contract 2026-15. Estimated cost $230,000 from stormwater utility fund. Will meet MS4 permit requirements for water quality treatment. Bid opening end of September, likely spring 2027 construction. Approved unanimously.
  • Resolution 2026-273 – Appointment of Kymn Anderson to Vacant City Council and Mill Towns State Trail Joint Powers Board – After a procedural correction, the appointment was approved unanimously. Anderson was sworn in earlier in the meeting.
  • Resolution 2026-276 – Cannabis Mezzobusiness for Faribo Greens LLC – Approved unanimously. Faribo Greens (located at 1512 30th Street NW) requested upgrade from micro business (up to 5,000 sq ft canopy) to mezzobusiness (up to 15,000 sq ft canopy) due to increased demand. No retail endorsement currently; manufacturing endorsement held. All planning regulations met.
  • Resolution 2026-271 – 2025 Miscellaneous Watermain Improvements – Approved plans, specs, and bid date for Contract 2025-07. Four segments of watermain replacement or looping, total estimated cost $1.375 million. Directional drilling. Funding re-budgeted into 2026. Bid opening October 13, 2026. Approved unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Kymn Anderson was sworn in as a new council member and appointed to the Mill Towns State Trail Joint Powers Board.
  • Chris Bauer sworn in as Fire Captain.
  • Life-saving awards presented to six city employees and first responders; Red Cross awards given.
  • Preliminary tax levies for City, EDA, and HRA set at maximum amounts for 2027. Final levy will be set December 8.
  • Westwood Drive stormwater treatment project approved for bidding.
  • Faribo Greens cannabis mezzobusiness license upgrade approved.
  • Two Rivers Siphon Improvements contract awarded to Geislinger & Sons, Inc. for $1,850,719 (with $176,000 in value engineering savings to be formalized). Approved.
  • 2026 ReLEAF Tree Removal Program contract awarded to CARS Tree Service for $173,737. Grant-funded program removes diseased ash trees for income-qualified homeowners; 114 trees identified.
  • Upcoming meeting: September 9 Council Chat at Central Park (5:00 PM).

Meeting Transcript

All right, ladies and gentlemen, just last we got 30 seconds or so to go here. Nobody heard that. Nobody heard the microphone. All right, ladies and gentlemen, we will call the Tuesday, September 8th, Fairball City Council meeting to order. Our first item on tonight is roll call. Councilmember Barnes. Here. Ross. Here. Rowan. Here. Ansle? Here. Here. Mayor Spooner. Here. Pledge of allegiance. To the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Second item on tonight's agenda is approval of the agenda of Mandy Barnes. Mayor Spooner, I make a motion to move item eight F to approve the appointment of Kim Anderson to the vacant city council position to immediately follow the approval of the agenda. Second. Is there a mo there's a motion and a second to approve the agenda as amended by Barnes and Van Sluce? All those in favor signify or say aye. Aye. That is approved. Mayor Spooner. Next, I make a motion to approve the agenda as amended. Correct. Second. So move. There's a motion and a second. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. All opposed. If you would please raise your I have to read off it. You don't get it. If you'd please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, Kim Anderson.

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