Council received an information briefing on the city’s industrial park and directed staff to proceed toward renewing expiring leases while addressing recurring complaints about dust, snow removal and weed control.

Alan, a city projects staff member, presented a 2025 industrial-park spreadsheet that lists lessees, lot numbers and contract-expiration dates and showed a flat map and overhead imagery of the park. He said several leases expire this year and over the next several years and recommended beginning contract drafts on the city’s standard template. The spreadsheet identified open lots (lot 14 and lot 20) and showed which lessees occupy multiple lots.

Council members and staff discussed complaints from tenants about dust from unpaved lots and from vehicles looping through the park, and they noted areas with overgrown weeds and thistles that require abatement. Council members asked staff to review lease language to add explicit tenant obligations for nuisance-generating activities (for example, dust control) and to plan for enforcement. Staff and council also discussed snow removal and whether the city’s and tenants’ responsibilities are clearly defined in existing leases.

Alan reported that several project items are waiting on Union Pacific Railroad real-estate approval; the Second East Board agreement is fully executed with the railroad and carries the mayor’s and Chris Jones’s signatures, and one Main Street parcel is waiting on the railroad’s final approval before contractor scheduling can begin.

Councilman Paul Britton and Councilman Mitch Hart asked council members to visit the park, compile parcel-level notes and return recommendations; staff said it will prepare drafts of renewed leases and meet with lessees. No formal ordinance or lease approvals were made at the meeting; staff will present contracts for council approval in future meetings.