Minutes

1 COMMON COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2026 AT 7PM 1. Call to order/Roll Call- Mayor Burgess called the meeting to order at 7:05PM. Alderpersons Boeck, Hill, Nigbor, Przybyl, Sorenson, and Stobbe were present. Staff present were City Administrator, Jessi Balcom; Deputy-Clerk Treasurer, Debra Thiel; and Assistant Chief of Police, Noah Knetzger 2. Seat Virtual Attendees – None. 3. Pledge of Allegiance 4. General Public Comments – None. CONSENT AGENDA: The Consent Agenda contains items which staff considers to be routine and have already been discussed and recommended by a committee, board or commission at a previous meeting. Staff recommends that Council act on all of these items on a single roll call vote. If any member of Council wishes to have any item removed from the Consent Agenda and discussed, the Council member may request that item be removed from the Consent Agenda prior to the adoption. 5. Waive the reading of ordinances and resolutions. 6. Accept and place on file reports from the City Clerk, Treasurer, and Building Inspector. 7. Approve payment of bills. 8. Approve minutes from the 1.13.2026 Common Council Meeting and 1.13.2026 Closed Session Common Council Meeting. 9. Remove loading zone at 123 S. Pearl Street and establish two 2-hour on-street parking spaces. RECOMMENDATION: Approve removal of the loading zone at 123 S. Pearl Street and establish two 2-hour parking spaces as recommended by the Committee of the Whole. 10. 2026 Budget Amendment and recognition of capital funds to be taken from reserves for 2024 and 2025. RECOMMENDATION: Move $114,000 ($38,000 for each year) from reserves to capital for squad car purchase and taser purchase as recommended by the Committee of the Whole. 11. Ordinance #02-26 An Ordinance Revising Setbacks in B-1 Business District RECOMMENDATION: Approve Ordinance #02-26 to revise setbacks in the B-1 Business District as recommended by the Plan Commission. 12. Ordinance #03-26 An Ordinance Revising Fee for Satellite Earth Station Permit Application RECOMMENDATION: Approve Ordinance #03-26 to revise the fee for Satellite Earth Station Permit Applications as recommended by the Plan Commission. 13. Ordinance #04-26 An Ordinance Amending Section 2-509 of the City of Berlin Municipal Code, to Reduce the Plan Commission Quorum Requirement from 5 Members to 4 Members. RECOMMENDATION: Approve Ordinance #04-26 to reduce the Plan Commission quorum requirement from 5 members to 4 members as recommended by the Plan Commission. 2 END OF CONSENT AGENDA Alderperson Hill made a motion to approve the consent agenda, with a second by Alderperson Przybyl. Roll call vote carried (6 ayes: Boeck, Hill, Nigbor, Przybyl, Sorenson, and Stobbe; 0 nay; 0 absent). 14. Appointment of Park and Recreation Commission member - Alderperson Przybyl made a motion to confirm the Mayor’s appointment of Patrick Hanrahan to the Park and Recreation Commission, with a second by Alderperson Sorenson. Voice vote carried. 15. Authorize Police Department to apply for a Small, Rural and Tribal Department matching grant for Body Worn Cameras and supporting equipment/software, matching funds not to exceed $30,000 – Alderperson Przybyl questioned if money was budgeted for this purpose. Assistant Chief Knetzger explained fund 15 roll over monies are used to pay for technology and the account currently has about $85,000. Alderperson Stobbe made a motion to authorize the Police Department to apply for a matching grant for Body Worn Cameras/equipment/software, matching funds not to exceed $30,000, with a second by Alderperson Nigbor. Voice vote carried. 16. Class “B” (Picnic) License for Bugle Mouth Bass Fishing Tournament on July 25, 2026 at 455 River Drive. Alderperson Nigbor made a motion to approve a Temporary Class “B” License for the Berlin Bugle Mouth Bass Foundation Inc to allow the sale of fermented malt beverages at the Bugle Mouth Bass Fishing Tournament at 455 River Drive in Berlin on July 25, 2026, with a second by Alderperson Stobbe. Voice vote carried. 17. Municipal Court Attorney Fees – Mayor Burgess explained the Council knew another bill would be received from Chier Law Office. City Administrator added that there would be another bill for services through January 22 and potentially into February with the transition to Dretske Law and explained that this is not the final bill from Chier, but is the final bill for 2025. Mayor Burgess asked City Administrator Balcom for the 2025 Chier charges to date which City Administrator Balcom stated was about $287,000. Mayor Burgess questioned how much was budgeted for 2025, which was unknown at the time of the meeting, adding she was curious how far over budget these expenses were. City Administrator added that the money paid in 2025 does include some money for services in 2024. Mayor Burgess questioned how close to budget attorney fees are for this year. City Administrator discussed there would be expenses from Chier for the remainder of the contract term and Dretske Law. She added that Dretske Law has provided detailed billing so far, which is appreciated. She discussed that there would also be attorney fees incurred by the city attorney, outside legal, and municipal attorney fees. Discussion that the attorney fees were combined in the past, but are now separated. Alderperson Hill made a motion to approve payment of 2025 Special Counsel and Municipal Court Attorney fees to Chier Law Office LLC, with a second by Alderperson Przybyl. Voice vote carried. 18. Request for proposals for the Future of the Berlin Aquatic Center – City Administrator confirmed no changes to the Request for proposals for the Future of the Berlin Aquatic Center (RFP) were made since the last meeting. Mayor Burgess asked the Council if anyone had questions or had any changes to be made. Alderperson Hill commented that she thought it was thorough. Mayor Burgess asked if the RFP would come back to Council again, or if 3 this was the final version. City Administrator explained that she would make any final edits and ask Adam Ruechel of Baird to review it. She asked if there were directives from Council to change. There were none. City Administrator Balcom was thanked for her work on the RFP. 19. Old Business – None. 20. New Business – None. 21. Adjourn. A motion to adjourn was made by Alderperson Stobbe, and seconded by Alderperson Nigbor. Voice vote carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:16PM. Respectfully submitted by, Brittani Majeskie, Deputy Clerk-Treasurer