On December 9, 2024, Mayor DeWayne (Tank) Schroeder presided over his last city council meeting after serving as Mayor of Caledonia for 12 years.
The council held its annual Truth in Taxation public hearing, during which Mann shared the final 2025 budget with the council. She reviewed the department budgets, capital equipment and improvements spreadsheet, and special revenue funds. Additionally, Mann also shared three sets of charts comparing the 2024 certified levy and per capita data for the seven towns in Houston County, cities in southeast Minnesota, and nine other Minnesota cities of similar size (Byron, Caledonia, Kasson, Lake City, Pine Island, Plainview, Stewartville, Wabasha and St. Charles). Mann noted that the state average is 8.8%, almost 9%. Following the public hearing, the council unanimously voted to set the final levy at 12%. The total levy will amount to $1,397,898, with a per capita of $505.20.
The minutes from the November 25 regular city council meeting were unanimously approved after the mayor called the meeting to order and led the Council and the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The approved consent agenda including the payments and disbursements totaling $547,174.40; advertising for bids for a legal newspaper; an increase for the Fire Relief contribution, the 2025 fee schedule; the 2025 employment agreement with police chief; a salvage yard permit for Betz Enterprises at 109 Hi-Way Street, tobacco license renewals for Kwik Trip, Caledonia Mart, Dollar General and Quillin’s IGA; cannabinoid license renewals for Hometown Liquor, Tree Huggers Cannabis, and Kwik Trip; and liquor license renewals for The Wired Rooster, Elsie’s, and Good Times.
It has been a while since there has been any news about the roundabout at Hwy. 44 and 76. Clerk/Administrator Jake Dickson said he recently had a meeting with MnDOT, noting that a design team has been selected, and the city provided immediate feedback, particularly regarding the pedestrian crossings on the northbound side of the roundabout. However, they were informed that this was highly unlikely, since it is a federal project. The conversation centered around one or two detours that the state would build. Since the bypasses would be expensive to build, the city offered Warrior as a permanent detour. Dickson believes they are making progress on that proposal.
Dickson reported on the progress at the wastewater treatment facility. Dickson and Public Works/Zoning Director Klug were hoping that they would start the facility up on January 14. That was the date the contractor had previously mentioned as a possible startup date, but it now appears that the start date will be pushed back to March or April. The contractor is making progress but not as fast as expected. The council accepted Dickson’s recommendation to pay request number 34 in the amount of $319,415.58 in full for the work completed.
In other business, the council:
• Accepted the 2025 non-represented employee pay rates reflecting a 3% cost of living adjustments for Jake Dickson, Casey Klug, Mike Tornstrom and Kurt Zehnder.
• Reviewed the overtime report for the pay period ending November 24.
Being there was no old business, the mayor announced before adjourning the meeting that there is not another meeting in December.
Before the 6:40 p.m. adjournment, Mayor Schroeder thanked fellow councilmembers Bob Klug, Amanda Ninneman, David Fitzpatrick and Ryan Stenzel, and city employees Public Works/Zoning Director Casey Klug, Clerk/Administrator Jake Dickson, and Finance Officer Stephanie Mann for all their time and effort. He said that “time flies when you have a good time.”
Schroeder listed city projects that had were completed over the last 12 years. For example, the Kingston Street project, the swimming pool, building a pickleball court, the sewer plant, refurbished the gym, and other streets that were fixed.
Councilor Klug thanked Mayor Schroeder for his 12 years of service to the city of Caledonia. The rest of the council echoed his sentiments.
With emotions showing on his face, Schroeder repeated, “Thanks a lot for everything.”
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