Staff photo by Fritz Busch By a 4-1 vote Tuesday, the Sleepy Eye City Council approved a year-long conditional use permit extension for Open Bible Church to operate at 144 Main Street West, Sleepy Eye. The church opened in August 2022. Pastor Kyle Asp of Storden holds Wednesday night bible studies and Sunday morning services.

SLEEPY EYE — By a 4-1 vote Tuesday, the Sleepy Eye City Council approved a year-long conditional use permit extension for Open Bible Church to continue to operate on West Main Street.

Approval came on a motion by councilor Nate Stevermer, seconded by Scott Krzmarzick.

Stevermer said he has not heard any complaints from neighbors about the church located at 144 West Main Street.

“It’s just getting (the church building) up to code,” said Sleepy Eye City Manager Bob Elston.

Open Bible Church Pastor Kyle Asp asked the city council if they would approve of him putting a temporary “bus parking only” sign in front of the church because he has a lift on the bus and it would enable better use of it and prevent his parking space from being lost in front of the church during Wednesday evening services.

“I pick up and drive home parishioners on the bus. Is it something we could talk about in the future? It would be nice if I could reserve a parking spot,” said Asp.

“I suppose it’s up for debate, yeah,” said Elston.

Pelzel said there is angled parking on the side of the church building.

Asp said he needed to pull up to the curb to use the lift on the bus and angled parking would not work well with it. He said he would bring a parking sign proposal to a future city council meeting.

Outside the meeting, Asp said he spent about $2,500 getting the building up to code by adding lighted exit signs with battery back-up, a back door ramp, fireproof ceiling tiles and a new front door.

City Councilor Doug Pelzel cast a dissenting vote on the measure, saying he felt a new door required at the church should be installed before he would approve the permit to allow a church on Main Street.

“I’m still looking for someone to install the new front door,” said Asp.

Open Bible Churches is an association of Finished Work Pentecostal churches, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa.

The second reading of Ordinance 226 to annex property at the corner of Highway 14 and CR 27 at the east end of town where a large U.S. flag is planned to be installed, was approved by Stevermer, seconded by Windschitl.

Donations of $250 from Duncan McGreggor for the Dyckman Library, $20 from Jennifer Helget for Sleepy Eye Ambulance and a $1,000 anonymous donation to the Sleepy Eye Ambulance were approved, motion by Stevermer, seconded by Christina Andres.

Elston praised election judges Michelle Strate and Rita Weiss for their Election Day work.

“It was a long day, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. It went extremely smooth and we appreciate all the effort,” said Elston.

Strate said as of 7 a.m. on Election Day, there were 2,072 registered voters in Sleepy Eye. Another 147 individuals registered to vote on Election Day. There were 408 absentee and mail-in ballot and 1,335 people voted at the Sleepy Eye Community Center.

Election canvassing results were unanimously approved. Action came on a motion by Windschitl, seconded by Stevermer, showed Joann Schmidt received 1,382 votes for mayor. There were 100 write-ins. Ward 1 councilor Scott Krzmarzick got 596 votes. There were five write-ins. Ward 2 councilor Christina Andres got 850 votes. There were 27 write-ins.