Litchfield City Council Meeting

The Litchfield City Council addressed numerous topics last evening with a very full agenda. One of the more contentious items was the renewal of the concession stand agreement at the Civic Arena.

Councilman John Carlson spoke up against renewing the one-year contract as proposed which he said was 100% skewed toward the hockey program so that other organizations that host events at the Litchfield Area Recreation Center do not benefit fairly. Council member Darlene Kotelnicki argued that the Youth Hockey organization owns the equipment and keeps it stocked and staffed. Carlson introduced a resolution, which was approved, to accept the contract with Youth Hockey for the concession stand for one-year, but to allow other groups to use the community room at the Litchfield Area Recreation Center to sell concessions during their events.

The Council approved of a land transfer for a transmission project with the Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency which wants to use land near the City’s well field and land near the power plant. A second reading – with an amendment – was approved for ordinance #841 – related to the Minnesota state building codes and plumbing codes.

Deputy Registrar Linsey Stoppelman from Litchfield and Cokato Licensing spoke to the Council about a resolution of support about revenue-sharing as deputy registrars state-wide are hoping to get the state to share filing fees. The Council approved of supporting this effort.

Beth Cronk approached the Council with a request for a 3% increase in the City’s 2027 budget for the Pioneerland Library. No action was taken, but city staff will consider the request and bring back a recommendation to the Council. Janet Forstrom spoke to the Council about using $10,000 of her father’s memorial money towards new flagpoles and lighting at Lake Ripley Cemetery. A motion was passed to have Forstrom meet with city staff to look into costs and where this project would land on the Council’s priority list of projects.

Also last night, the Litchfield City Council approved of several Certificate of Appropriateness Applications from the Heritage Preservation Commission for projects on North Sibley Avenue – at 207, 210, 226, 236, 241 and 242 North Sibley Avenue.