06.a3 Draft minutes 06-04-2025 Work Session
June 4, 2025
A work session meeting of the Scandia City Council was held on the above date. The meeting
was conducted in the Council Chambers at the Scandia Community Center and over an
electronic platform. All participants who joined the meeting remotely could hear each other and
contribute to discussions.
Mayor Steve Kronmiller called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. The following were present:
Council members Jim Gribble, Kirsten Libby, Mike Lubke, and Mayor Steve Kronmiller.
Absent: Council member Jerry Cusick. Staff present: City Administrator Kyle Morell, Fire Chief
Mike Hinz, and City Clerk Brenda Eklund.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Mayor Kronmiller announced Agenda Item #2 was removed due to a conflict for County
Attorney Magnuson’s schedule to attend, and to move Agenda Item #6 Hiring Volunteer
Firefighters up to Agenda Item #2.
Gribble, seconded by Lubke, moved to approve the agenda as amended. Motion carried 4-
0.
APPROVE HIRING VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS
Fire Chief Hinz recommended hiring three firefighters who have been interviewed for the fire
department. This spring’s recruiting resulted in 10 applicants, 2 of whom did not meet the 8-
minute response time. Hinz recommended hiring the 3 highest scorers contingent on passing
medical and criminal background checks. Two applicants were recommended for an eligibility
list if there is an opening on the department before the next hiring cycle.
Lubke, seconded by Gribble, moved to approve conditionally hiring Bryce Lindahl, Pam
Mrozik, and Michael Stearns, and to place Ryan Zahn and Joshua Ragan on a one-year
eligibility list. Motion carried 4-0.
DR. STEVE MASSEY (FL SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT) AND SHANNON
CARUFEL (SCANDIA ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL) – SCANDIA ELEMENTARY
ENROLLMENT
Forest Lake School District Superintendent Dr. Steve Massey and Scandia Elementary Principal
Sharon Carufel appeared with a presentation on the district’s recently adopted elementary school
boundary adjustments, consolidations, and grades K-5 model being implemented this fall.
Boundary adjustments, effective with the 2026-27 school year, will address Scandia
Elementary’s declining enrollment. The school is at 72.7% capacity, and these efforts to increase
the geographical boundaries are a tool to help balance enrollment across the district. Dr. Massey
stated that the district is committed to preserving Scandia Elementary as a community school.
Mayor Kronmiller thanked them for their attendance and presentation on how the school district
is proactively addressing enrollment issues. Kronmiller asked what the city can do to assist with
the school’s viability. Dr. Massey responded that housing development helps.
Scandia City Council Work Session
May 7, 2025
Page 2 of 3
ADMINISTRATIVE CITATION CODE AMENDMENTS – CITY ATTORNEY
AMANDA JOHNSON
City Attorney Johnson introduced proposed code enforcement amendments to improve the
process for compliance of code violations. After working with the Administrative Citation
ordinance since 2023, staff recognized that changes were necessary.
City Attorney Johnson explained the steps to gain compliance, beginning with a compliance
letter requesting compliance by a certain date. When there is no response to the letter, an
Administrative Citation with a fine is issued for non-compliance. If continued non-compliance
from the property owner, abatement measures are conducted with costs assessed to the property
owner. Criminal citations could be issued as a last resort.
City Attorney Johnson explained the proposed amendments to the city’s Code of Ordinances,
basically repealing and replacing Chapter 32 – Administrative Citations and other sections of the
code which support the new language. When failure to respond to a compliance letter, an
Administrative Citation will be issued at a fee of $200 then doubling for each subsequent citation
issued for non-compliance up to a maximum amount of $2,000 per citation. Section 32.05
describes the procedures for contesting the Administrative Citation. An amended abatement
process will replace Section 91.08 and 91.09 of the Nuisance Ordinance.
Mayor Kronmiller said this will be an improved ordinance for the tools the city uses to gain
compliance. Right now, some property owners are paying continued citations and not cleaning
up their property.
A public hearing on the ordinance amendments has been scheduled for the City Council meeting
on June 17th.
INPUTID MAPPER DEMONSTRATION – CITY PROJECT ENGINEER ISIAH
BUBANY
City Engineer Isiah Bubany joined the meeting on Zoom and demonstrated a mapping tool called
IDMapper which will be available as a link on the city’s website. Residents will be able to leave
comments for locations in town that need attention. The public will be able to see comments but
not the person who posted the comment. Administrator Morell said this can be a tracking tool for
troublesome properties in a way that the current system for complaints does not format.
The Capital Improvement Committee will be using the IDMapper to gather public input on the
city’s road maintenance efforts, and will be reviewing comments at their next meeting in July.
Administrator Morell noted that the software has potential to serve as a survey apparatus for
Tourism and EDA to analyze and gather feedback on topics of interest.
RURAL CENTER DENSITY MEMO
City Planner TJ Hofer prepared a memo for part two of a discussion on what options exist for the
city regarding density. The memo reviewed the Rural Center Community Designation for the
Village Areas in the city’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan. There will be more discussion on this
topic at the next Council meeting.
Scandia City Council Work Session
May 7, 2025
Page 3 of 3
ADJOURNMENT
Libby, seconded by Lubke, moved to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 4-0.
The meeting adjourned at 8:12 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda Eklund
City Clerk