At the September 9 Harmony City Council meeting, Harmony resident Mary Sack noted that she had brought an issue with the handicap door at the community center to the attention of the city offices and was wondering if there had been a resolution yet. The door does not stay open long enough to allow someone with a mobility device to go through it. City Administrator Alyssa Stelpflug has looked into the issue and found that it is not able to be adjusted so she will reach out to the company that installed the door to see what can be done.
The consent agenda was approved and included the minutes of the August 12 meeting, the claims and August checks, the investment report, the cash balances, and the budget.
Cindy Vitse from Semcac updated the council on the Small Cities Development Grant program in Harmony. The goal for commercial rehabilitation projects was 15, and she was happy to announce that 18 have either been completed or will be soon. The same goal was set for owner rehab projects, but only 13 have been completed with another still in the application phase. Vitse noted that there is still money available for projects and applications can be accepted as long as she is notified as soon as possible. Resolution 25-13 adopting the policies for the Small Cities Development Grant was adopted.
The preliminary tax levy for 2026 was set at $1,015,307, which is a 6% increase. It was noted that the final tax levy can always go down, but will not increase from the preliminary amount.
Vicky Tribon from the Harmony Area Historical Society gave an update to the council on the McMichael Grain Elevator restoration. Due to the project being divided into two phases for grant opportunities from the Minnesota Historical Society, the amount that the HAHS had requested from the city in July was changed. A motion to amend the amount from $15,000 to $10,000 was approved.
The annual inspection of the visitor center and waste water treatment plant roofs was recently conducted. No repairs are necessary at the plant, but the visitor center roof needs some minor repairs due to normal wear. The costs will not exceed $3,658. The council approved the repairs.
The welcome signs into Harmony were recently powerwashed to freshen them up. The light bulb for the sign on the north side of Harmony was replaced and seems to be working now. The light on the east side sign is out of commission as the underground wiring is bad. It would be costly to find and repair or replace the wiring. A quote from Morem Electric for two solar light kits to replace the lights on both signs was reviewed. The total cost for two kits was $18,200. If only one kit was purchased, the freight cost would stay the same at $1,145. Councilmember Jesse Grabau made a motion to purchase two solar light kits for both signs due to the cost of the freight and to keep both signs looking similar. The motion passed with Mayor Steve Donney opposing.
At their last meeting, the EDA discussed the problem of sinkholes in the Industrial Park as well as childcare options in Harmony.
Erica Thilges from the Harmony Chamber reported that the last Back Alley Jam of the season was very well attended. The last Ladies’ Night Bingo will be on September 17 and will be co-ed that night. Fall for Harmony is on September 20. Jayda Walker was hired as the part-time membership and event coordinator for the Chamber.
The council approved the hiring of Cara McCoy as the new Harmony Public Library Director. The Code of Conduct for staff and patrons was approved with the dress code section removed. Cameras will be installed at the library.
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