Red Wing City Council Regular Meeting - October 27, 2025

The Red Wing City Council held its regular meeting on October 27, 2025, at 6:04 PM in the City Council Chambers. All council members were present. The meeting included presentations on stormwater management and the Ikata student exchange program, public comment from one resident, approval of the consent agenda with one item pulled for separate discussion, and votes on a tax abatement bond for the demolition of the former Central Research Building and amendments to the city's telework policy. The meeting adjourned at 7:50 PM.

Presentations

• Annual Stormwater Presentation: Engineering Director Zach Regnier presented the city's MS4 permit compliance for 2024, covering public education, illicit discharge detection, construction runoff control, and pollution prevention. He highlighted that the city collected over 1,200 cubic yards of debris from street sweeping (over 1,000 hours) and 4,600 cubic yards of waste from the city waste campus. The current permit expires at the end of 2025, and a new e-permitting system is expected from the state. Council Member Vicki Jo Lambert inquired about the acronym BMP, and Director Regnier explained it stands for "best management practices."

• Ikata Student Exchange Program Presentation: Ashlyn Werner, a pediatric speech and language pathologist, introduced four Red Wing High School students who participated in the 2025 Ikata Student Exchange, organized by the Red Wing Sister Cities Commission. Students Nisha Yanette Catarino Santiago, Audrey Larson, Bella Paradis, and Marek Sparby shared their experiences visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Ikata. They described cultural activities, local cuisine, and interactions with host families. All expressed gratitude to the City Council and Sister Cities Commission for the opportunity.

Consent Calendar

The consent agenda included routine approvals and was approved unanimously (7-0) after one item was pulled for discussion:

• Item 8.I (Agreement with Kavira for Direct Primary Care for Employees) was pulled by Council Member Becky Norton for clarification. After confirmation that the agreement covers all employees (on ICHRA and the self-insured plan) starting January 1, 2026, the council approved it unanimously (7-0).

All other consent items were approved as a block: bills totaling $2,128,912.54 (warrants #124792-125012), meeting minutes, finance report, airport hangar lease renewals (four leases and two transfers), a minor subdivision and final plat (Tyler Station Replat 2), prosecuting services agreement with Goodhue County for 2026-2027, waiver of tort liability limits for League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (Resolution No. 8130), and the private use of public property application for the 2025 Holiday Stroll (scheduled for November 28, 2025).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Amber Plank (Ward 4, Red Wing) spoke during two three-minute segments. In her first segment, she expressed disappointment with the nomination process for the Amos Owen Award, criticizing a lack of transparency and insufficient discussion of human rights issues by the Human Rights Commission (HRC). She also questioned why a backlog of HRC applications had not been processed. In her second segment, she raised concerns about racism in Red Wing schools, describing an incident where her daughter was confused with another Black student and reporting that her daughter's knee pain was dismissed by school staff, only to later require surgery for septic arthritis. She also reported that students in her daughter's 504-plan safe space used racial slurs, and criticized the district's response.

Discussion Items

• 9A. Tax Abatement Bond for DEED Demolition Loan (Former Central Research Building): Community Development Director Kyle Klatt presented the proposal to use property tax abatement as a financing mechanism for a $232,000 loan from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) to demolish the former Central Research Building at 205 Highway 19. The loan has a 2% annual interest rate, payments begin in February 2028 with annual principal payments of approximately $17,800, and up to half the loan ($116,000) may be forgiven upon approval of a development plan for the site. The abatement would apply to a parcel owned by CUSI Group on Moundview Drive, using only the city's portion of property tax revenue without affecting the owner's tax liability. The council held a public hearing at 7:21 PM; no public testimony was offered. The council then adopted Resolution No. 8133 approving property tax abatements (7-0) and Resolution No. 8132 accepting the DEED bond offer and authorizing the loan agreement (7-0). Council Member Ron Goggin noted that although he had opposed the direction for the property, he considered this the most cost-effective way to proceed.

• 9B. Amendments to the City's Telework Policy: Council Administrator Chris Heineman presented updates to the existing telework policy, developed post-COVID, to formalize and standardize remote work arrangements. The policy does not eliminate telework but establishes parameters and requires a vetted remote work plan. Council Members Becky Norton and Vicki Jo Lambert discussed the impact on specific positions, with Administrator Heineman confirming that most city positions are front-facing but that the policy will be applied case-by-case. The motion to adopt the amendments passed unanimously (7-0).

Key Outcomes

• Votes: All votes were 7-0 in favor. Key resolutions included: approval of the consent agenda (minus 8.I), approval of the Kavira direct primary care agreement, adoption of Resolution No. 8133 (property tax abatements) and Resolution No. 8132 (bond issuance for DEED loan), and adoption of the telework policy amendments.
• Directives and Next Steps:
  • Staff will look into the baseball fundraiser request and possibly bring it back as an agenda item.
  • A presentation on Open Meeting Law best practices will be scheduled; Council President Janie Farrar expressed interest in holding the discussion before the annual organizational meeting in January to facilitate policy/procedure review.
  • Administrator Heineman reminded the council of the Red Wing Housing Summit on October 29, 2025, and the upcoming budget workshop on November 3, 2025, which will also include a presentation from Bolton & Menk on the wastewater treatment plant study.
• Liaison Reports and Council Comments:
  • Council Member Ron Goggin reported the Planning Commission proposed an ordinance to reorganize the non-residential zoning code into a table format.
  • Council Member Beth Snyder noted the HRA has increased funds in the Affordable Housing Fund and highlighted a successful Sheldon Theatre fundraiser.
  • Council Member Vicki Jo Lambert announced that the Sister Cities Commission has extended the deadline for adult chaperone applications for the next Japan trip.
  • Mayor Gary Iocco welcomed the last boat of the season (estimated $800,000 revenue), commended the Police Department for resolving a doxing incident, and reminded of the Veterans Celebration on November 7, 2025.