CITY OF CLAREMONTCITY COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2026
7:00 P.M.
Mayor Jared Sultze called the regular City Council Meeting of the City of Claremont to order on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.
Present: Mayor Jared Sultze and Council Members: Krystal Sultze, Deb Ellis, Ethan Johnson, and Donna Gregory. Others present: City Administrator Elizabeth Sorg, City Attorney Mark Rahrick, Dean Gray, and Jamie Sultze.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Approval of Agenda
The agenda was approved with two additions: Resolution 26-15 and Snowplow. Motion to approve the agenda as modified was made by Ellis, seconded by Johnson. Motion carried unanimously.
Public Input
None
Consent Agenda
The Consent Agenda consisted of: the Minutes of the June 2, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting, Renewal of a CD, and Resolution No. 26-14: Resolution Expressing Acceptance of and Appreciation of a Donation. Motion to approve the Consent Agenda was made by Ellis, seconded by K. Sultze. Motion carried unanimously.
Committee Reports
Finance Committee
Motion to approve the financial reports was made by Ellis, seconded by K. Sultze. Motion carried unanimously.
Approve Payment of Bills
Regarding the payment of bills, Johnson raised a concern about a water main repair project that significantly exceeded its original estimate. He explained that the city's engineering maps were incorrect, causing the contractor to spend approximately three days locating the waterline rather than the anticipated one day, resulting in a final cost of approximately $22,654 against an estimated $6,400. Johnson asked City Attorney Mark Rahrick whether the city had any recourse against the city engineer responsible for the inaccurate maps. Attorney Rahrick indicated that the matter was worth pursuing, noting that the incorrect maps were arguably negligent and did result in quantifiable damages. The council discussed how to proceed. Gregory and K. Sultze expressed a preference for bringing the matter before the full council rather than handling it through a single private conversation. Attorney Rahrick suggested that Johnson first reach out to the engineer informally to gauge their awareness of the issue and invite the engineer to a future council meeting so all members could be present and informed. The council agreed with this approach, and Johnson agreed to make an initial call to the engineer. The item was noted for a future agenda. Motion to approve the payment of bills, including additions, was made by Ellis, seconded by K. Sultze. Motion carried unanimously.
Parks Committee
No report.
Personnel Committee
No report.
Planning and Zoning Committee
No report.
Public Health & Safety Committee
Fire Department Applicant. Aiden Peterson applied to be on the Fire Department. K. Sultze reported that Peterson had been interviewed and approved through the department's process and a satisfactory background check was done. Motion to approve Aiden Peterson as a fire department member was made by K. Sultze, seconded by Johnson. Motion carried unanimously.
Two First Responder Applicants. Kaitlin Sveen and Peter Hanson applied to be on the First Responder Department. K. Sultze reported that the two first responder applicants had been interviewed and approved through the department’s process and a satisfactory background check was done. Gregory asked about residency requirements, it was clarified that first responders and fire department members must be within a 10-minute response time of the city, either by residing nearby or by working nearby. Motion to approve Kaitlin Sveen and Peter Hanson as first responder members was made by Ellis and seconded by K. Sultze. Motion carried unanimously.
EDA
No report.
City Engineer
No report.
City Administrator
The total bill for the citywide cleanup day was $2,540.07.
The city received its first half levy payment. A spreadsheet with the breakdowns was distributed to council members.
Administrator Sorg attended the League of Minnesota Cities Annual Conference and gave a report on some of the sessions she attended. Key sessions included guidance on responding to misinformation. The session speaker advised against acknowledging anonymous complaints and encouraging engagement through questions and empathy. She also summarized a session on managing disruptive meetings, noting that public comment is intended for the council to receive information and that speakers should address the council rather than staff or visitors. She distributed a summary of Robert's Rules of Order for council reference. Sorg indicated she would develop a formal set of public comment guidelines for council approval at a future meeting, drawing on League guidance and examples from other cities. She also highlighted a civility-focused message from the conference emphasizing that treating people with dignity is more effective than personal attacks, and that contempt for others undermines even a just cause. She noted that all three attending staff members signed a civility pledge at the conference. This formed the basis for the introduction of Resolution No. 26-15: Civility Pledge.
Dodge County Ambulance: A check for $7,072 was included in the bills for the Dodge County Ambulance, representing half of the budgeted amount.
Budget Workshop: City Administrator Liz noted that the preliminary levy must be approved by September 30th and proposed scheduling a budget workshop. After discussion, the council agreed on a budget workshop for Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. It was clarified that no formal action would be taken at the workshop; it would serve as an open discussion.
Resolution No. 26-15: Civility Pledge. Sorg introduced a proposed resolution based on a League of Minnesota Cities model. The resolution commits the Claremont City Council to lead with civility, dignity, and respect, reduce polarization, and create an environment of shared goals, empathy, and genuine dialogue. Motion to approve Resolution No. 26-15: The Civility Pledge was made by K. Sultze, seconded by Johnson. Motion carried unanimously.
City Attorney
Mark Rahrick
City Attorney Mark Rahrick indicated his report would be addressed under later agenda items.
Old Business
Policy on Renting
City Hall Chambers
Sorg reported that the policy had been updated to include a prohibition on food preparation on the premises, as previously requested by the council. Motion to approve the Premises Use Policy as amended was made by Johnson, seconded by K. Sultze. Motion carried unanimously.
Snowplow
Council has had many discussions regarding whether or not to buy a different snowplow. The current snowplow is too big to be able to plow around corners and property. Maintenance Supervisor Dahl found 1 snowplow, which is older than what the city currently has but is the right size for the town and has a stainless-steel box and spreader. A rough estimate of the value of the current plow is $35,000 - $60,000. The council would like to see more plow estimates and see if the current one can be sold. Council would like the current plow cleaned up and listed on marketplace for $60,000. Motion by Johnson to list the current plow for $60,000 or best offer, pending council approval, seconded by K. Sultze. Motion carried unanimously.
New Business
Resolution No. 26-13:
Resolution Appointing Election Judges and
Rate of Pay
Sorg reported that the current pay rate for election judges was $13 per hour for regular judges and $14 per hour for the head judge, rates that had not been updated in approximately two election cycles. K. Sultze noted that townships were paying over $20 per hour and suggested the rates be increased to remain competitive. The council agreed to increase the rates to $14 per hour for regular judges and $15 per hour for the head judge. Motion to approve Resolution No. 26-13 with the increased rate of pay of $15 per hour for the head judge and $14 per hour for regular election judges was made by K. Sultze, seconded by Ellis. Motion carried unanimously.
Rental Property
Inspections
Sorg presented information on implementing a rental property inspection program, noting that the city's current rental ordinance only involves a $15 annual registration fee with no inspection process. She expressed concern about the living conditions in some rental properties in the community and suggested that inspections be conducted annually or biennially, with the inspection fees passed on to property owners. She identified Safe Build as the only company she had found to administer such a program. Under their model, inspection fees of $95.00 per unit, with reinspection fees of $75.00 and missed inspection fees of $50.00. City Attorney Rahrick provided context, noting that the city's existing ordinance already effectively addresses repeat nuisance calls by tying the rental registration to police response activity. He explained that the inspection component of the city's ordinance was removed in 2010 and that reintroducing it would require a new ordinance with defined inspection criteria. He referenced the City of Medford's process of developing a focused, manageable checklist that prioritized safety items — such as smoke detectors and safety equipment — over more minor cosmetic or structural concerns. The council agreed that basic safety requirements, including smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, were a clear priority. Discussion touched on the appropriate scope of inspections, whether to apply the program to single-family rentals versus multi-unit buildings, and the potential for mold and structural issues in some properties. There was general council support for moving forward. Sorg agreed to gather additional information, consult with other cities, and bring a refined proposal to the Public Health & Safety Committee before returning to the full council.
Domain Name:
Claremontmn.gov or Claremont.gov?
Sorg recommended adopting claremontmn.gov as the city's domain name, noting that there are other cities named Claremont in several states, which has historically caused confusion. The council agreed, and email migration was noted as a separate future matter. Motion to approve the domain name claremontmn.gov was made by Ellis, seconded by Johnson. Motion carried unanimously.
Brush Dump
Sorg reported that the brush dump had been set on fire in late June, requiring the fire department's response. She noted that a donated trail camera had been installed at the site at an annual plan cost of $12.99/month for unlimited images, and that the camera is monitored via the city maintenance phone. Staff are continuing to work on properly calibrating the camera's field of view. The council agreed to continue monitoring the situation with the camera in place and took no additional formal action at this time.
Movable Security
Cameras
Sorg reported ongoing vandalism concerns, including the removal of bricks from the exterior of City Hall, damage to memorial trees in the park, and vandalism to other city property. She proposed purchasing two movable, solar-powered security cameras that could be repositioned as needed to monitor vulnerable locations such as City Hall, the parks, and the walking path, where garbage dumping had also been reported. The council discussed camera types, including 360-degree models versus fixed directional cameras, and agreed that staff should evaluate options based on placement needs. Motion to authorize city staff to spend no more than $600 on two movable security cameras was made by Ellis, seconded by Johnson. Motion carried unanimously.
Time Capsule
Sorg reported that back in 1976, Claremont had a bicentennial celebration and unveiled new street signs and announced that a time capsule will be buried. It is a brass tube with pictures of the celebration, a program of the day’s events, and possibly other items and it is buried at the corner of Front and Elm Street. “A metal plaque will mark the spot with directions not to monkey with it until 2076”. Staff looked and can’t see a plaque or anything unusual, but Sorg was informed in the late 1990’s that it is next to the street pole. No formal action is needed.
MN State Demographer's Annual Population and Household Estimates
Sorg noted that the Minnesota State Demographer's annual estimates showed little change. As of 2025, the City of Claremont has an estimated population of 508 residents and 228 households.
Final Word
Dean Gray raised the topic of the snow plow search under Final Word. He recalled a previous discussion about front-end loaders used in other communities such as Medford, noting their superior maneuverability and visibility compared to a traditional plow truck. He suggested that city maintenance staff Casey Dahl also research front-end loader options as part of the ongoing plow truck evaluation. It was noted that a front-end loader would require a separate salting solution, such as equipping the city's existing pickup truck with a salt spreader, estimated at approximately $10,000. The council agreed to include front-end loaders in the research Dahl will be conducting for next month's agenda.
Adjourn
Motion to adjourn was made by Ellis, seconded by Johnson. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 8:21 p.m.
Elizabeth Sorg, Administrator
Jared Sultze, Mayor
