Nicollet City Council Member Mary Wels and Mayor Fred Froehlich read the oath of office during the first Nicollet City Council meeting of the year. Wels and Froehlich were both reelected to their positions in November. Both were first elected to their positions in 2012. By Karen Fluegge

NICOLLET – Troy Hewitt and Kent Evans, two of the owners of Hewitt Manufacturing, attended Monday’s Nicollet City Council meeting to continue their discussion from last month regarding their expansion plans.

Since last month’s council meeting, Hewitt and Evans met with Council Members Kevin Ostermann and Mary Wels, City Clerk Vanessa Drill and Joe Duncan of Bolton and Menk to discuss the possibility of vacating 9th Street. They are requesting vacating only the section of 9th Street that is located between their production/storage buildings.

Ostermann explained that Hewitt and Evans would need to have the property surveyed and marked with pins. He also encouraged them to call to have the utilities located.

“Is there a possibility that you will build on to these buildings?” asked Mayor Fred Froehlich.

“Not at the present time. There are a couple that we might want to add on to, but first we need to figure out where the utilities are located and how we can move those. For now, we want to use it for outside storage,” said Hewitt.

“The street is dangerous because of all the blind spots so it would be good to eliminate traffic,” said Evans.

The council made a motion to hold a Public Hearing regarding the possibility of vacating a portion of 9th Street after the surveying is finished.

Another issue requiring a Public Hearing is the issue of cannabis. Clerk Drill reviewed a letter from Joseph Sathe, Assistant City Attorney at Kennedy & Graven that the city received regarding the initial cannabis regulatory decisions. There are two main decisions that need to be made regarding administrative and zoning issues which require a public hearing. This hearing will be held on February 10, prior to the regular council meeting.

Clerk Drill provided information on a 2015 leaf vacuum, seventy-five horsepower, which could be used to pick up fallen leaves from residents’ properties. The vacuum is currently located in the City of Hutchinson and the cost is around $20,000.

“I’m sure our residents would appreciate this service, and it would stop leaves from being washed into the storm sewer,” Froehlich said.

The council agreed that Maintenance Supervisor Darin Drill and maintenance worker John Kent should look at it and report back at next month’s council meeting.

Froehlich was contacted by a resident regarding the blacktopped alley behind the creamery, next to the city park. There are residents who park in the alley. When people want to go through the blocked alley, they drive off the blacktop which makes for ruts and causes mud to be carried on to the blacktop. After discussion, the council agreed to put up no parking signs in the alley.

The council members who were present, Ostermann, Wels and Mayor Froehlich took care of organizational issues. Council members Phil Radel and Matt Anthony were absent.

ProGrowth continues to be the city’s official depository. St. Peter Herald is the primary newspaper with the New Ulm Journal as secondary.

The city council assignments for 2025 are as follows: Planning/Zoning, Froehlich and Radel; Rural City Fire Association, Ostermann and Froehlich as secondary; Streets, Froehlich and Ostermann; Utilities (water/sewer), Ostermann, Wels; Nuisance/Blight, Anthony and Radel; MN Council of Government, Wels; Highway 14 Partnership, Froehlich and Radel; Personnel Committee, Anthony and Wels.

Council Approvals

The Drill Family Farms provides a place to haul the city’s compost. They have requested the payment be changed in 2025 from Spencer Drill to Ethan Drill. The council approved this change.

The LG220 Application for the Sioux Trails Ducks Unlimited Bingo Event for March 1, 2025, was approved. Also approved was $12,250.48 to the River City Electric Company for the final payment for the safety light on Highway 111/6th Street; and the 3-year renewal contract for building official/inspection services from 101 Development Resources, Inc.

Upcoming meeting date for a Public Hearing for administrative and zoning issues regarding cannabis on Monday, February 10, at 6 p.m. followed by the regular council meeting.