The Hampton City Council met on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at Hampton City Hall for the regularly scheduled meeting. Present were Mayor John Knetter and Council Members Jerry Huddleston, David Luhring, Anthony Verch, and Nick Russell. Also present were Brad Fisher of Bolten & Menk, Chris Meyer Treasurer, and Katie Donovan
Regular Meeting Called to Order – Mayor Knetter called the regular meeting to order at 7:00pm.
Disclosure of Interest – None
Approval of January 7, 2025 Public Hearing and Regular Scheduled Meeting Minutes – Motion by Verch, seconded by Huddleston, to approve the January 7, 2025 public hearing and regular scheduled meeting minutes. All voted in favor. None opposed. Motion passed 5-0.
Approval of Disbursements - Motion by Luhring, seconded by Russell, to approve the February disbursements. All voted in favor. None opposed. Motion passed 5-0.
Public Comments: None
Petitions, Requests, and Communications: Katie Donovan addresses the council, expressing her frustration with the lack of transparency surrounding the potential data center project. She began her data request because the first AUAR meeting left her with more questions than answers. In response, she and Erik have been conducting their own research through public data requests to gather information that should be readily accessible to citizens. However, Donovan is frustrated with the slow response from the city, noting that it’s been over 10 weeks since she submitted her request on November 21, 2024, and it was not even acknowledged until December 18th.
At the AUAR meeting last month, Cory Beinfang suggested that the request should have been completed within a week, but a month has passed without any results. Despite following up with Kelly, Donovan has been told that the city engineer hasn’t replied to her request. She questions why the city clerk isn’t getting responses from the city engineer about a public data request.
Donovan and Erik have been open in sharing the findings of their research to help inform the public and the council, but without the completion of her data request, they can’t fully present all the information they've uncovered. This leaves them with even more questions about what might be hidden or withheld. While Donovan’s research has made her feel less concerned about the data center itself, she emphasizes that there is still much to learn.
She acknowledges that the data center could potentially benefit the City of Hampton, but warns that if the city continues to keep citizens in the dark, there will likely be continued pushback from the community, possibly leading to outright rejection of the project. She urges the council to prioritize transparency, as it’s crucial to building public trust and ensuring the success of the project.
The council thanks Katie for her time.
Mayor Knetter introduced the email retention policy, noting that Kelly included a document in the packet to clarify what constitutes a government document. The policy encourages deleting non-government documents, following guidance from the League of Minnesota Cities. Knetter concluded with this communication as the only update on the topic.
Treasurer Chris Meyer presented the 2024 treasury year-end summary, a required annual report detailing the city's checking account, diamond money market account, and two escrow accounts (landscape and Lemon Bridge Park). The report outlines monthly deposits, interest, disbursements, transfers, and balances, but no action is needed from the council. Meyer also informed the council about the 2024 year-end financial statements, which must be reviewed by the council within 45 days of year-end, with a draft to be provided by February 14th. A final version and presentation will be given at the March meeting. The council thanked Chris for the update.
Ordinances and Resolutions:
Resolution 2025 __(01) Resolution for Waiver of Municipal Consent – Motion by Knetter. Seconded by Huddleston to approve Resolution 2025_(02). All voted in favor. None opposed. Motion passed 5-0.
Reports of Officers, Boards, and Committees:
Engineer Report – At the start of the meeting, John Knetter asked if anyone had an issue with Brad Fisher starting his Engineer Report first, as he had a meeting to attend. Luhring approved this change. Brad Fisher then addressed the council, providing updates on two key items.
First, Fisher gave an update on the water tower project. After nearly two years of planning and specifications development, the contractor is now on board and preparing to begin work for the upcoming construction season. One final detail that needed confirmation was the water tower’s color scheme and graphic design. Fisher presented updated renderings, seeking the council’s feedback on the design. The main question was whether to match the base color of the existing tower and how much red should be on top. The council discussed the three options presented, with most members leaning toward a design without the graphic of the current water tower. Instead, they favored using the existing block-style lettering, horizontally placed, to maintain consistency with the city’s current look. The design would feature a red top and a combination of gray and black at the bottom to prevent mold visibility. The council also confirmed that the tower would face north-south along the 52 corridor. Fisher received clear direction from the council and noted their preference for a simpler, modern design that still honored the city’s water tower heritage.
The second agenda item involved a Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDot) project for Trunk Highway 50, which is scheduled for construction in 2026. MnDot introduced plans for the highway, extending from Trunk Highway 52 to Trunk Highway 61, with the project impacting mostly the township, but also slightly touching the southeast corner of the city. Fisher explained the process of municipal consent, where cities typically review and approve design changes. In this case, the council determined that the project was minor enough that it would be in the city’s best interest to waive municipal consent. This decision would allow MnDot to proceed with the project without additional city involvement. The council discussed the project briefly, including the possibility of a roundabout or other changes, but Fisher clarified that the plans do not include such changes due to the limited space. After a brief discussion, the council unanimously passed a resolution (2025-02) waiving municipal consent, allowing MnDot to move forward with the project.
The meeting with Brad Fisher concluded with both items moving forward as planned, with the council’s unanimous support for both the water tower design and the MnDot project waiver.
Water / Sewer Report – Mayor Knetter provided an update on the city's work with the state to test city wells for PFAS, noting efforts to align schedules with the firm conducting the tests. He also mentioned submitting the sewer-related portion of the 5-year permit to the Office of Pollution Control Agency, though he hasn’t received a response yet. Knetter thanked Josh and Bolten & Menk for their efforts in ensuring the submission was completed on time, avoiding any delays.
Park Report – Nick Russell updated the council on the rink, stating they are continuing to flood it. Regarding graffiti removal, he contacted A Brighter Image of Minnesota, but they won’t be able to assist until spring. Russell suggested considering repainting the entire pavilion, including sandblasting the brickwork.
Mayor Knetter mentioned he would look into finding a source for park-quality wood chips and, with the ground frozen and no snow, suggested getting them dumped into the old park to avoid damaging the sod.
Street Report – Nothing to report.
Unfinished Business:
Engine Brake Ordinance – Knetter: We can quit carrying that. I want to delve into compliance and signage.
New Business: None
Adjournment - Motion by Verch, seconded by Russell, to adjourn the meeting. All voted in favor. None opposed. Motion passed 5-0. The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Kelly Roan