Lake Elmo City Council — Transcript
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Consent Agenda Overview
Fourth Quarter Goals Update
Unaccounted for Water Analysis
2026 Legislative Priorities
New Financial Software Implementation
Votes (3)
Approval of Amended Agenda
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [0:02:18] · Seconded by Unknown [0:02:20]
The council moved to amend the consent agenda by pulling item number five, 'Approve Lions Park Playground cost adjustment,' for discussion during the regular agenda. This amendment was proposed and approved to allow for a more detailed review of the playground project's financial implications.
Approve Plans, Specifications, and Authorization for Bids for CASAW 14 Water Main Improvements
Dissent: None
Moved by Unknown [0:25:39] · Seconded by Unknown [0:25:54]
City Engineer Nate Stanley presented plans to replace a 6-inch water main on Stillwater Boulevard 14 (Cass 14) with a 12-inch HDP line. The existing 1960s pipe has experienced seven breaks in six years, necessitating an urgent replacement project estimated at $940,000. The council discussed the project's scope, the long-term benefits of the 12-inch line, the significant costs of emergency repairs ($20k-$40k per incident), and coordination with Washington County projects. The council approved the resolution to move forward with advertising for bids.
Approving Lions Park Playground Cost Adjustment
Dissent: None
Moved by Council member Hearn [0:29:41] · Seconded by Unknown [0:29:57]
The council debated a $7,295 cost increase for the Lions Park playground project, raising the total to $327,000, due to a lost early purchase discount. Council member Hearn proposed having Public Works staff install safety chips, potentially saving $5,000-$7,500 compared to the contractor's $12,000 quote. Concerns were raised about Public Works staff availability, especially with a new director, but it was noted the installation would occur mid-to-end summer, a less busy period. The council ultimately approved the full $327,000 but included a friendly amendment expressing a preference for Public Works to install the chips if feasible to save costs.
Notable Quotes (6)
The pipe has a pretty significant history of breaks with um seven breaks in the last six years. Um and actually five of those have been over the past three. So it's rapidly deteriorating [clears throat] as it as it sits in the ground.
It's anywhere between, you know, uh 20 and $40,000 um to to patch a leak like that in an emergency situation. probably earing towards the higher end these days. So again, you know, thinking back on um five breaks in the last three years, we've we've sunk hundreds of thousands of dollars into um fixing leaks that we'd like to just, you know, put in a new line and not have to worry about it for the next um 50 plus years.
A six to a 12 would be I don't even know if that's feasible. Got it. Um, and then we also, like I say, we're we're actually kind of relocating this a little further out into the road to avoid any sort of try to mitigate for future impacts.
I just I think this is an opportunity um to keep it within the budget uh that already has been raised from what we originally were planning on it. Um you know, I again I I feel like I was pretty fair with asking questions to make sure um that this wouldn't take um resources away from other critical things that we need to be doing.
I would suggest that we approve it to 327 because we're going to have a new public works director before then who may have a different view of whether the staff would be time would be better spent some, you know, somewhere else and spreading safety chips.
The friendly amendment would be it's so it still is the 327, but the preference of the council is to save the wood chip money by having public works install or supervise the installation of the wood chips.
Ordinances & Resolutions (7)
Approving the plans and specifications and authorizing advertising for bids for the CASAW 14 water main improvements.
Capital Improvement Plan, adopted in December, referencing project estimates.
A city plan for which Bolton and Mink is providing a cost estimate and proposal.
A city plan presented to workshop, awaiting council adoption pending public hearing notice discussions.
Information sheet created by the communications coordinator and finance director for community transparency.
Information sheet created for community transparency on a specific fee.
Document signed by the Valley Community Center for the old Lake Elmo Elementary School site.