Delano Digest
AUGUST 2024 | Monthly Newsletter | City of Delano, MN
Citywide Garage Sales - August 15-17
Delano Citywide Garage Sale Days will be held on Thursday, Aug. 15 through Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. For any questions, please contact The Delano Area Chamber of Commerce at (763) 972-6756 or dacc@delanochamber.com.
Taste of Delano - August 6 | 6-8 PM | Central Park
The Delano Digest is a monthly newsletter that shares important announcements, upcoming meetings, and summaries of the previous month’s commission and council meetings
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City
Calendar: August
City Council & City Hall
8/6 - City Council Meeting - CANCELED
8/20: City Council Meeting - 7 PM
8/27: City Council Meeting - 7 PM
Commissions & School Board
8/5: Public Safety - 7 PM
8/12: Planning Commission - 7 PM
8/13: Spirit of Community - 7 PM
8/19: Water, Light, Power - 7 PM
8/26: School Board - 5:45 PM
8/28: Parks and Recreation - 5 PM
The 17th Annual Taste of Delano is food and fun for all! Featuring Chopper, the worlds nuttiest DJ There will be a large beer and wine tasting hosted by Delano Wine & Spirits, and lots of local restaurants providing food Kid-friendly activities will be available, sponsored by local businesses All food, drinks and activities are included in ticket purchase Tickets are available for sale after July 10 at Coborn’s, Delano City Hall, Minnesota Lakes Bank and CorTrust Bank Advance tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children (10 & under) Tickets day of the event are $15 for adults and $10 for children (10 & under)
Primary Election - Tuesday, August 13
Early voting through direct ballot for the Primary Election is now open at City Hall during normal business hours (Monday-Thursday: 7:30 AM-5:00 PM; Friday: 8 AM12 PM) The last day to vote early in-person is Monday, Aug 12 There will be additional extended hours for in-person early voting on Saturday, Aug. 10 from 9 AM - 3 PM at City Hall. Polls will be open on Primary Election Day, Aug. 13, from 7 AM - 8 PM at City Hall. Find your polling place: pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us
Highway 12 Survey - Feedback Needed
MnDOT is currently soliciting public feedback on the Highway 12 corridor through Delano in advance of a planned 2030 improvement project The City is encouraging all community members to access the survey and provide feedback regarding any issues they experience with Highway 12 Input is being solicited online July 29–Sept 3, 2024 View concepts and share feedback today by scanning the QR code:
File for Candidacy - July 30 - August 13 | City Hall
Affidavits of Candidacy are now being accepted at the City Clerk’s office at Delano City Hall, during the filing period of July 30 through Aug 13, 2024, at 5 PM for the following City Council seats:
City Council Member – Four (4) Year Term
City Council Member – Four (4) Year Term
Candidate’s names will appear on the Nov 5, 2024, General Election ballot To learn more about filing for candidacy, please visit www.delanomn.gov/604/CandidateInformation.
The 2023 Financial Audit results are now available for viewing. The City of Delano received a “clean” audit opinion. View the full report online today by scanning the QR code: 2023 Financial Report - City of Delano
Delano City Council & Commission Meetings Recap
This section offers a brief summary of what was discussed during the previous month’s Council and Commission meetings and is not an official documentation of meeting minutes Official minutes will be posted at www.delanomn.gov/agendacenter upon approval.
Planning Commission - met on July 8
The Planning Commission held a public hearing before recommending approval of a preliminary plat called “Tula Chalada” with variances and right of way dedication The Planning Commission opened public hearing to discuss a zoning amendment that promotes affordable housing before the item was tabled Finally, the Planning Commission opened public hearing to discuss updating Delano’s shoreland overlay district to comply with updated state requirements This item was tabled until Aug 12
Public Safety Commission - met on July 15
The Public Safety Commission welcomed three new commission members Alejandro Najera, Kallie Tapie, and Casey O’Conner. The group spent time reviewing data to explore the possibility of a local police department. The group agreed to continue researching the concept. A presentation was also provided about how flooding events were handled in Delano this year. Overall, efforts were deemed a success and Bridge Ave never had to be closed. Commission members pivoted the conversation to driver and pedestrian safety at Tiger and Elm Dr. This item was tabled for further discussion.
Spirit of Community Commission - met on July 9
The Spirit of Community Commission discussed the Sesquicentennial celebration for 2026 It was clarified that the October celebration date discussed in the last meeting is tentative, not official A National Night Out invitation template was shared with the commission for feedback The commission also spoke about a potential volunteer fair in more detail Commission members gave suggestions on ideal timing and location of such an event Lastly, the commission reviewed that there are two open Youth Liaison positions on the Commission where 15 to 18 year-olds can give feedback and have direct input on community endeavors
Park and Recreation Commission - met on July 24
The Parks and Recreation Commission discussed the success of the Splashpad so far this summer despite having to close multiple times due to weather Members also brainstormed ways to expand the potential for facility rentals while keeping similar public hours The commission touched on ideas for the Sculpture Park off of Highway 12 As staff prepares a proposal for Council, commission members are invited to provide feedback and ideas The commission also looked over the seating options for the shade structure in Riverfront Park and gave their feedback about the seating designs and potential layouts Members asked staff to look for another option for a bench swing that would match the wood tones of the other proposed seating Finally the commission discussed the 2025-2034 Park Capital Plan, which outlines the budget for parks projects The commission will take a closer look at how to allocate funds next month
City Council - met on July 2, July 16, and July 31
July 2 (Special Workshop): Staff presented a code of conduct document for the City Council to review and consider adopting. The code of conduct pertains to councilmembers and describes what they should and should not do according to both legal requirements and general best practices. The document was recommended to be approved at the July 16 Regular Council Meeting. Staff also presented ways they are attempting to address workforce housing needs in the community.
July 2, 2024 (Regular Meeting): The City Council approved an event license for Brickside Grille and Tap and Wright County Optimists Club to host a Community Appreciation event on August 31, 2024. The City Council also approved a proposal from Brunton Architects and Engineers to conduct a feasibility and facility study for the Delano Fire Station.
July 16, 2024 (Regular Meeting): The City Council approved a City Council Code of Conduct. The City Council also held a public hearing before approving an updated version of the Admissions & Continued Occupancy Policy – a guiding document for the Crow River Villa. The City Council approved a preliminary plat called “Tula Chalada” with variances and right-of-way dedication. The preliminary plat is located off of Kelsey Street, south of Highway 12. Finally, councilmembers approved $4,000 per member per year to the Fire Pension Benefit This represented an increase of $300 per member per year
July 30 (Regular Meeting): Staff presented the results of a recent Housing Market Demand Study The Study estimates the volume of different housing types that Delano and its surrounding region can support according to current market demands Councilmembers also reviewed proposed zoning amendments from staff aimed at producing more workforce housing Staff also presented a proposal for new wayfinding signage Finally, the City Council considered options for how to regulate the sale of cannabis in the City of Delano