Oakdale Council approves property management overhaul, spending
The Oakdale City Council unanimously approved new policies for managing unclaimed property and authorized nearly $11 million in city spending at its January 14 meeting, as officials work to streamline operations and reduce outside storage costs.
The council passed Ordinance 958, which updates how the city handles unclaimed property like evidence and uncashed checks. City Administrator Chris explained the change aligns Oakdale with state law and other cities' practices, allowing the city to auction or dispose of items in certain situations. "We are intending to get rid of our outside storage in the next few months," Chris said, highlighting the practical benefit of the new authority.
To support the ordinance, the council also amended existing Policy FR015—renaming it "Unclaimed Property and Uncashed Checks"—and adopted a new companion policy, FR015A, titled "Unclaimed Property - All Others." All three measures passed unanimously.
In other business, the council approved two claims rosters totaling $11.05 million in city expenditures. The first covered December 10-23, 2025, and totaled $4.25 million. The second, spanning December 24, 2025 through January 13, 2026, came to $6.79 million. Officials noted the larger second amount reflected a month-long gap in approvals.
The council also unanimously approved a $500 donation from John and Kathy Spencer for the 2025 Winter Wonderland event, which was used to purchase four quality slides as giveaways. Public Works Director Corey Tits explained the donation was accepted by the city administrator due to timing constraints, and the council's approval was sought retroactively.
Other unanimous approvals included a secondhand goods dealer license for Shorty's Appliances and More LLC, affirmation of 2026 council liaison and board assignments, and designation of Council Member Morham as Acting Mayor for the year. Mayor Zabel joked about his planned vacations, saying "I'm planning a lot of vacations in 2026," before handing responsibilities to Morham.
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Other Topics from This Document
Planning Commission Activities for 2026
Community Support and Social Issues
City Services and Infrastructure Updates
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