W’bago passes cannabis ordinance
Council takes care of other items at special Dec. 30 meeting

The Winnebago City Council held their last meeting of the year on Monday, Dec. 30.
After calling the meeting to order, the council held a public hearing on a proposed ordinance to regulate cannabis businesses.
No members of the public were on hand to voice any concerns and the public hearing was closed. The council then proceeded to approve the cannabis ordinance by a unanimous vote.
The vote on the ordinance was the first of many housekeeping items that council members took up during the meeting.
Next on the list was the subject of transferring funds the city receives as rental income from Verizon for equipment the company has on the city’s water tower and the building that Verizon has on city-owned property below the water tower.
“The auditors are concerned that we get the money we received in 2024 designated by the end of the year,” city administrator Judy Hynes said. “We can either transfer the entire $12,266.76 to the 601 Water Fund, or we can transfer half of the amount, $6,133.38, to the 601 Water Fund and leave the other half in the General Fund.”
During discussion council members voiced their opinions that the money should be split this year and possibly next year but felt the goal should be to eventually have all of the money go to the Water Fund.
The resolution to split the money equally between the Water Fund and General Fund passed on a unanimous vote.
Council members also approved a new lawn mowing contract with More than Mowing for grass mowing, trimming and related lawn care services in the city of Winnebago.
“The new contract is for $750 per time,” Hynes told the council. “Last year it was $900 but the baseball field at the school will now be cared for by the group leasing it and we also sold a vacant lot that we will no longer be responsible for mowing.”
After discussing new contracts with B&B Sanitation and Recycling at last month’s meeting for both solid waste removal and recycling, council members approved new three-year contracts for both services.
The new solid waste removal contract will cost each household $25.21 per month for a 64-gallon roll cart. The recycling contract will cost each household $5.71 per household per month for a 96 gallon container.
The last item on the housekeeping list was to approve the Winnebago Ambulance officers for 2025.
Cari Jenkins will serve as the captain, Rick Mauris will be the vice captain, the scheduler is Marilyn Vosberg, the secretary HIPPA officer is Amber Franklin, the maintenance officer is Doug Jenkins and the training officer is Makayla Nepp.
Hynes then asked council members for direction regarding the sale of the Chevy Tahoe that the Winnebago Police Department is ready to part with. She wanted to know if it should be sold by a sealed bid or put up on MNBid, which is the online auction website for the Minnesota Department of Administration’s Surplus Service.
“MNBid gets a lot of attention,” council member Paul Eisenmenger offered. “More people will look at it if MNBid is used.”
Council members directed Hynes to utilize MNBid to sell the Chevy Tahoe.
Hynes told council members the last thing to discuss was a request by the group that purchased the old school building to have the city act as a pass-through entity so that the group would be eligible to receive possible grant funds they are applying for from the Minnesota Department of Education.
“I feel like it is something we should do,” council member Calvin Howard said. “It would be good for the community and I think we are dealing with a reputable group. I support doing this.”
The other council members agreed and unanimously approved a motion to act as the pass-through entity for the new owners of the school in their quest to obtain a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education.
The next regular meeting of the Winnebago City Council will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, at the Winnebago Municipal Center. It will begin at 7 p.m.