Minnetrista City Council — Transcript
Monday, May 4, 2026
City Development and 'Minnetrista Main Street' Concept
Monthly Water Utility Billing Outsourcing vs. In-House Processing
Routine Administrative Approvals (Consent Agenda)
Inter-Agency Fire Services and Regional Planning Initiatives
Votes (1)
Master Services Agreement with Infosend for Monthly Bill Mailing
Dissent: Mayor Lisa Whalen questioned the decision to outsource without first attempting an in-house solution with updated equipment. Council Member Brian Govern emphasized promoting paperless billing to reduce mailing expenses.
Moved by null · Seconded by null
City Administrator Jasper Krugel presented a proposal to outsource monthly utility bill mailing to Infosend, citing staff's inability to manage the increased workload from quarterly to monthly billing. The agreement was for a 3-year term, with an estimated annual cost of $25,000, representing an additional $7,700 over current in-house methods (primarily due to printing and stuffing costs, as postage is a fixed expense). Mayor Lisa Whalen expressed reservations, suggesting staff first try to manage the process in-house with potential equipment like letter-folding machines. Council Member Brian Govern advocated strongly for promoting paperless billing via social media to reduce overall mailing volume. The Council decided to defer a decision, instructing staff to research the costs and feasibility of in-house automation, compare practices in other communities, and investigate potential volume discounts with Infosend if paperless adoption significantly reduces mailings. The goal is to make a decision by June 1st, anticipating the first monthly bills for July usage would go out in early August.
Notable Quotes (3)
The estimate for the total per year for all of the accounts to be sent, so that's 30,000 mailings um a year is estimated at $25,000. The The price for postage is a big component of that number. We have to do that no matter what. Um that's 59 cents uh per letter for bulk mail. Uh The remaining balance is for the printing and stuffing of the envelopes...
So, we want this to go out July 1st. So, why don't you find out what a folding machine would cost, what envelopes would cost, what paper would cost, um kind of see if other communities do this um on their own. What are they talking in terms of timing? Cuz even if even if there's self-folding, you know, that kind of thing, there's still staff time involved in that. So, let's see what let's research it a little bit more. Bring it back to the May 18th meeting.
Everything I've been a part of in the last 20 years says they want to go paperless. And they want to send you emails. I think people have to be proactive if they want information. ... Wouldn't you like to save your city some money? You know, contact If you live in Minnetrista, contact us now and sign up for paperless billing. Why don't we try something like that?
Ordinances & Resolutions (13)
Agreement between the City of Minnetrista and 1205 and 1195 Sunnyfield Road North.
A resolution to accept a specific task order related to risk and resiliency easement.
Approved permit for installing ground-mounted solar panels.
Approved amendment to the city's comprehensive plan for a specific property.
Approved ordinance to change the zoning classification of a specific property.
Resolution authorizing the publication of this ordinance by title and summary.
Resolution to approve an exception to front yard setback requirements for a property.
Resolution to award a Capital Improvement Project purchase for a leveling bar replacement.
Fee schedule amendment to the 2026 fee schedule due to a Minnesota Department of Health fee increase.
Approved renewals of existing liquor licenses.
Authorization for city staff to enter into an agreement with GTEL Advisors LLC.
Proposed agreement for outsourcing monthly utility bill mailing services.
Minnehaha Creek Watershed District's long-term planning initiative.