All members of the Big Lake City Council were in attendance for the Oct. 22 meeting of the Big Lake City Council.
Residents living near Mitchell Farm Park were again in attendance to express their displeasure with the council’s recent decision to remove the playground equipment at their park with no immediate plans to replace it. The council received their comments and then moved on to regular business.
2026 Meeting Change
Council voted on four motions that would allow them to meet monthly beginning in 2026, instead of meeting bi-monthly. Multiple motions had to be approved to amend a city ordinance and city council bylaws concerning council meetings. Upon approval of those motions, the 2026 schedule had to be approved and authorization for publication of the new ordinance had to be passed. All motions passed 4-1, with Council Member Ken Halvorson being the lone descent. City council meetings, beginning in 2026, will be held the third Wednesday of each month.
Playgrounds and
City Hall
During the time reserved for meeting updates from council members, Halvorson called for a consensus vote to get the Mitchell Farms playground back on the agenda to reevaluate it. Council member Kim Noding seconded the motion. The motion failed 2-3, with both Noding and Halvorson voting for the motion.
In his final statements, Halvorson spoke about the proposed Big Lake Public Safety Facility which would house City Hall and the Police Department. He asserted that financing the $33 million project through the Big Lake Economic Development Authority would cost the city an additional $2 million. Halvorson argued that by financing through BLEDA, taxpayers will have no input and they deserve to know.
Mayor Paul Knier said that the process has been transparent and that it, “only makes sense to go through EDA.”
Council Member Ken Geroux echoed Knier’s statement and said it was the best way to maintain costs, keep the project under budget, and avoid delays.
The Big Lake Public Safety Facility was the main topic of the September 24, 2025 city council workshop. During the workshop, City Administrator Hanna Klimmek stated that the overall cost of the project was estimated to be $31,144,950 with a not-to-exceed budget of $33 million. She also defended the city’s financing decision stating, “A Lease Revenue Bond will allow the city to structure payments, timing, and project-specific funding more flexibility than a traditional CIP (Capital Improvement Project) Bond, and a LRB (Lease Revenue Bond) will distribute repayment through existing revenues rather than a dedicated new tax levy.”
Upcoming Meetings
Finance Director Deb Wegeleben reminded the council of two upcoming meetings to be held during regular city council meetings. The Truth and Taxation Meeting will occur on Tues., Nov. 25, 2025 and the Final Budget and Levy Meeting on Wed., Dec. 10, 2025.
The BLEDA will hold a public hearing on Jan. 12, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. to consider and approve the resolution establishing the Economic Development District.
A special BLEDA meeting will be held on January 21, 2026 at 6 p.m. for approval of the bond sale and authorization of the lease documents with the city. That same evening, at 6:30 p.m., the City Council will take formal action to approve the BLEDA bonds and authorize execution of the lease documents, finalizing the financing process for the new public facilities project.
