At the May 12 Harmony City Council meeting, the consent agenda was approved and included the minutes of the regular April 14 meeting and the special April 28 meeting, the claims and April checks, the investment report, the cash balances, the year-to-date budget, liquor license approvals for Everybody Eats, The Bite, Harmony Spirits, On the Crunchy Side, Pam’s Corner Convenience, and Harmony Golf Club; 23 nuisance letters for property owners, a lease agreement with Fillmore Central for classrooms and access to the community center, and the 2026 parade route and detour approval.
Pay request #6 in the amount of $145,967.50 for the wastewater treatment plant UV project was approved as recommended by Stantec. The UV system has been running for a month and a half now and chlorine and water usage has already decreased.
An ordinance amendment rezoning Hershland Properties from industrial to R2 was approved as recommended by Planning & Zoning.
Multiple areas in Harmony are in need of patching and/or sealcoating. A bid from Driveway Specialist was approved in the amount of $18,967 for the street patching, and a bid from Pearson Brothers in the amount of $50,784.30 was approved for the seal coating.
Corey Whalen requested a 6-foot variance for the east side of his property so he can build a garage addition onto his home. Planning & Zoning reviewed the variance and recommended that the council approve it, which they did.
Harmony Ambulance Director Samantha Grabau asked the council to approve the addition of a co-director position for the service. Calls are up 10% from last year with a total of 108 so far this year, which means more time spent billing, taking care of inventory, doing maintenance, and ensuring that the service is in compliance. EMT Kyle McIntyre has been assisting Grabau, and she will continue to need his help with those duties. She asked that he be hired as the assistant director for the ambulance service starting June 2026 with a review at the end of the year. She also requested that weekend and holiday pay be increased for retention and recruitment purposes, noting that weekend pay has not been raised in over 10 years. Council member Tara Morem recommended that the personnel committee be shown a list of delegation of duties for the director and the proposed assistant director position. The request was tabled with Jesse Grabau abstaining to allow the personnel committee time to review it. A motion to increase the weekend and holiday pay with a review at the end of the year to ensure sustainability was approved with Jesse Grabau abstaining.
The EDA reported that the data center ordinance joint planning meetings have wrapped up. The city approved a contract with an attorney from Eagan, Minn., to help draft the data center ordinance and help refine it. EDA Director Chris Hahn has been reaching out to area businesses to discuss ways that the EDA can help support them.
The Harmony Area Chamber of Commerce will be selecting the design for the 4th of July button soon. The 2026 Harmony Visitors Guidebooks are now available. The visitor center’s seasonal hours have begun, and it will be open from 10-3 Mondays through Saturdays.
The Harmony library now has a volunteer policy in place along with a liability waiver. The 2026 Summer Reading Program will begin in early June.
Raffle tickets are on sale now from the Harmony Fire Department. Proceeds will help to fund the 4th of July fireworks display.
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