Lanesboro resident Sandy Webb spoke during the public comment portion of the March 2 Lanesboro City Council meeting, representing the Lanesboro Community Theater. This summer, the theater will be performing “A Wrinkle in Time,” and to kick that off, a community read of the book by Madeline L’Engle will begin on March 14. Copies of the book will be available at the Lanesboro and Preston Public Libraries for anyone who wants to participate.
The consent agenda was approved and included the accounts payable, donations to the Lanesboro Fire Department and the Lanesboro Public Library, and a fireworks permit for Buffalo Bill Days. Resolutions authorizing applications to the Clean Water Revolving Fund and the Drinking Water Revolving Fund for the Highway 250 project were approved as well as a resolution authorizing an application to the Drinking Water Revolving Fund for the lead service line replacement project.
Lanesboro Fire Chief Rob Wagner reviewed the department’s 2025 year with the council. The crew responded to 23 rural calls and seven in-town calls, and the crew completed some trainings through Riverland. The Self-Contained Breathing Apparatuses, or SCBAs, are supposed to be replaced every 15 years, but are currently 25 years old. The estimated cost to replace them will be $175,000. The First Responder truck is also due to be replaced and will likely cost around $300,000. Councilor Mindy Albrecht-Benson asked if money is put away each year towards replacement costs for purchases like that. Wagner said that’s something the department is working towards, and there is currently over $300,000 in the equipment fund. He will continue to look for grant opportunities to help offset costs as well.
Police Chief Blaise Sass gave a report to the council. The department responded to 1,600 calls in 2025 and has seen an increase in fraud/scam reports. They have been working on community education to learn how to avoid scams. A 2026 Chevy Silverado was purchased last year to replace the chief’s squad vehicle. It was supposed to arrive in September, but was delayed and hasn’t been delivered yet. Another squad car was totaled by a deer, and so a 2026 Dodge Durango was purchased to replace that.
At the February meeting, the council authorized the city attorney to send a letter to Joel and Brooke Pfeffer, owners of Sparrow Valley Properties, LLC regarding unpaid property taxes, utility bills, and EDA loan payments with a 30 day window to resolve the issues. The letter was sent on February 6, making March 6 the final day to see improvements. As of yet, nothing has been paid and there is no indication that the plumbing code violations that the city was notified of by the Department of Labor and Industry have been remedied. Brooke Pfeffer was present at the meeting via Zoom and noted that she had spoken with City Administrator Mitchell Walbridge and EDA Director Michelle Marotzke about the EDA loan and her current inability to pay it due to lack of income from the rental property. Mayor Alicia Pearson asked if the plumbing code violations have been repaired, and Pfeffer stated that there were none and that her husband Joel, a licensed plumber, had done the work. She also said that the letter from the Department of Labor and Industry was sent to the wrong address, and so she did not receive it in time to address it. Pfeffer asked for the tax abatement to be removed as she felt that it was keeping them from making money from the property with short-term rentals. City Attorney Joseph O’Koren noted that even without the tax abatement, the property is not zoned for short-term rentals. Pfeffer said that they have asked for help coming up with a plan to mitigate the unpaid bills, but have not received any. “We are not responsible for a failed business plan,” council member Chase Bakke stated. “It’s unfortunate and I feel for them, but that’s the reality.” Albrecht-Benson concurred. “We have tried to work with them even if they don’t feel like we have. I haven’t seen any effort from them.” The council discussed several options to deal with the situation. A motion was made to terminate the tax abatement and development agreement and call the loan balance due in full if things are not remedied by the March 6 deadline.
A contract with STAR Energy Services allowing them to collect data and map the city’s electrical system was approved. Doing so will allow engineers to obtain more information so the city can determine how to handle solar applications.
MnDOT performed some soil borings in preparation for the Highway 250 project, but they did not provide the city with the information it needs to extend the water main and sanitary sewer under the river to reach the Little Norway area. The bid from geotechnical firm Terracon in the amount of $14,300 to complete the necessary borings was approved.
A $20,000 revolving loan application for 3 Peas in a Pod LLC to launch an ice cream parlor called The Scoop in Lanesboro was reviewed and approved.
A parking closure application was received and approved from Sylvan Brewing to block off a parking area for food trucks in front of the brewery.
Fire Chief Rob Wagner requested permission to purchase around 17 badges for some of the crew at a total of about $2,500, noting that about half of the members have not received one yet. He also said that other articles of clothing/uniforms had not been issued to newer members as they should have been. The council approved a motion to table the request until the next meeting to allow Walbridge to put together a new member policy detailing what each one will receive when joining the fire department.
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