The Wells City Council began their meeting on Monday, Nov. 22, by welcoming new city administrator Connor LaPointe.

“Today was my first day on the job,” LaPointe told the council members. “I toured the city today and I am looking forward to getting started.”

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Todd Carlson, who lives at 245 North Broadway, told council members he owned the property adjacent to the new location for the future Jake’s Pizza.

“I am coming to the council with a request that Jake’s be required to have a fully enclosed area for their garage dumpster, an eight-foot privacy fence from the alley to the sidewalk and a sign for residential parking only by where I live,” Carlson stated.

The council took up the matter later in the meeting.

“I have talked to Dawn (Navaro), the owner of Jake’s, about some of the items we discussed at our last meeting,” council member John Herman said. “She told me they are turning in their liquor license and have no intentions of renewing it. She does plan on putting up a fence but it will not be done until next spring now. She said all of their deliveries are supposed to be during business hours.”

Herman told the council Navaro plans to be open from 11a.m.-2p.m. over the noon hour and from 5-9 p.m. at night.

“If COVID ever settles down, she may want to stay open until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights,” Herman shared.

It was brought up during discussion the fence would not be able to be eight feet high for its entire length because it would block traffic sight-lines when it gets close to the street.

The council tabled making any formal changes to the already approved conditional use permit (CUP) until they can confer with their city attorney, David Frundt.

City engineer Travis Winter was at the meeting and presented a change order for work done on the North Broadway Project.

“We found a buried manhole which had been filled with concrete and needed to be removed,” Winter explained. “We also had to remove a concrete foundation and some other concrete rubble.”

The council approved change order No. 2 in the amount of $10,913.

Discussion also took place on a request to add street lighting on the new Third Avenue SW street.

Crystal Dulas had sent a letter to the council with the request.

Council members noted there were other dark areas in the city and although nothing could be done immediately, they would ask members of the street department to make note of areas where lights may need to be added in the city.

“This is something we will look at next year,” Herman noted.

The council also discussed improvements being made on the Boy Scouts building located near the swimming pool.

Street Department foreman Mike Pyzick shared some information about the project.

“The Boy Scouts are giving their building a facelift,” he explained. “There are some local contractors who are helping out by donating their time and equipment. Bernie Schultz is removing two or three large trees overhanging the building and is also doing the stump grinding. Mike Schrader has already started doing some landscaping and will replace the trees,” Pyzick said. “Emily Hassing is donating signs and Lonny Schroeder is providing security lights for the building.”

Pyzick mentioned the installation of the watering system for Pat Frank field had been completed.

“It did not go as planned,” Pyzick informed council members. “But, we got the job done.”

The council also:

• Voted to accept the resignation of Craig Anderson of the Street Department. An exit interview with Anderson will be scheduled.

• Approved a resolution authorizing execution of the Minnesota Department of Transportation Airport Maintenance and Operation Grant contract.