IEDC Agenda - 08/04/2026AGENDA
INDUSTRIAL & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (IEDC)
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 | 7:00 a.m.
Monticello Community Center – Academy Room
Members: Chairperson Mike Huey, Vice-Chair Rob Stark, City Council Member Charlotte Gabler, Luke
Dahlheimer, Joe Elam, Shawn Hafen, Lori Hanson, Aaron Holthaus, Liz Kokesh, Sarah
Kortmansky, Sonja McElroy, Jarred Merchant, Joni Pawelk, Cory Ritter, Andrew Tapper,
Darek Vetsch, Tony Velishek
Liaisons: City Staff - Rachel Leonard, Tyler Bevier, Angela Schumann, Jim Thares;
Deb Meyer (Monticello Chambers), Dave Tombers (CMJTS), Tim Zipoy (Xcel Energy)
1. General Business
A. Call to Order
B. Consideration of June 2, 2026, Meeting Minutes
C. Consideration of Adding Items to the Agenda
2. Regular Agenda
A. Consideration of Table Topic – WCEDP Restructuring Update – Rob Stark, WCEDP
B. Consideration of Table Topic – Manufacturers Appreciation Event – IEDC Subcommittee
3. Liaison Updates
A. Wright County Economic Development Partnership (WCEDP)
B. Chamber of Commerce
C. Economic Development
• Sales Tax Revenue Collections
• Project Updates
• Prospect List
• August 4, 2026, Planning Commission Agenda
D. City Council Update
4. Next Meeting Reminder – Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2026
5. Adjournment (8:30 a.m.)
MINUTES
INDUSTRIAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (IEDC) MEETING
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 – 7:00 a.m.
Academy Room, Monticello Community Center
Members Present: Chairperson Mike Huey, Vice-Chair Rob Stark, Luke Dahlheimer, Joe Elam,
Charlotte Gabler, Lori Hanson, Sonja McElroy, Joni Pawelk, Greg Schultz,
Andrew Tapper
Members Absent: Shawn Hafen, Aaron Holthaus, Liz Kokesh, Sarah Kortmansky, Jarred
Merchant, Cory Ritter, Tony Velishek, Darek Vetsch
Liaisons Present: Tyler Bevier, Rachel Leonard, Deb Meyer, Jim Thares
Liaisons Absent: Missy Meidinger, Dave Tombers, Tim Zipoy
1. General Business
A. Call to Order
Chairperson Mike Huey called the meeting of the Monticello Industrial Economic
Development Committee (IEDC) to order at 7:00 a.m.
B. Approval of May 5, 2026, Meeting Minutes
C. Consideration of Adding Items to the Agenda
None
2. Regular Agenda
A. Table Topic – Legislative Update – Darielle Dannen, EDAM Lobbyist, Flaherty &
Hood, PA
Mr. Thares introduced Senior Attorney and Lobbyist Darielle Dannen of law firm
Flaherty & Hood, P.A. to the members via Teams. Ms. Dannen shared her
background and also gave a presentation on Minnesota legislation and activities
related to economic development.
B. Manufacturer’s Appreciation Event Discussion
Mr. Thares provided an overview of the discussion held at the previous
subcommittee meeting. Additional information was presented by Chair Huey
and Vice-Chair Stark. Next meeting of the subcommittee will take place on June
22.
3. Liaison Updates
A. Wright County Economic Development Partnership (WCEDP)
Rob Stark, Chairperson, provided a brief overview of high-level reorganization
and programmatic changes regarding WCEDP efforts and staffing adjustments.
IEDC Meeting Minutes – June 2, 2026
2
B. Chamber of Commerce
Deb Meyer provided updates and information on Monticello Chamber events
and activities.
C. Economic Development
Mr. Thares presented information on Sales Tax Revenue Collections (as of March
2026), project updates, and prospects; Mr. Bevier reported on the BR&E. He also
encouraged signup for upcoming visits. He also highlighted the Planning
Commission Agenda for the June 2, 2026, meeting.
D. City Council Update
City Administrator Rachel Leonard provided an update about the City Council
agenda items and various active projects and initiatives throughout the
community.
E. City Volunteer Picnic Event – June 25 at West Bridge Park
Mr. Thares noted the invitation for members to attend the City Volunteer Picnic
as indicated per the flyer in the agenda packet. He said the Volunteer Picnic is a
token of appreciation to the member volunteers for the time and involvement in
the City’s committees and commissions. He asked members to RSVP their intent
to attend to allow for food planning and prep on the day of the event.
4. Adjournment
The IEDC meeting was adjourned at 8:06 a.m.
Recorder: Anne Mueller__
Date approved: August 2, 2026
ATTEST: _________________________________________
Jim Thares, Economic Development Manager
Industrial Economic Development Agenda: 08/04/2026
2A. Table Topic – Consideration of Discussion of WCEDP Restructuring Update – Rob Stark,
2026 WCEDP Chairperson
Prepared by:
Economic Development Manager
Meeting Date:
8/04/2026
☒ Regular Agenda Item
Reviewed by:
Community and Economic
Development Coordinator
Approved by:
Economic Development Manager
REFERENCE AND BACKGROUND
Wright County Economic Development Partnership (WCEDP) is currently restructuring its
staffing, mission and primary work tasks. Rob Stark, IEDC Vice Chair, and also the 2026 WCEDP
Chairperson, will provide the IEDC members with an overview of the restructured (still a work
in progress) mission and workplan involving BR&E efforts as well general and more specific
programs and goals for collaborating with and supporting local Wright County communities to
achieve their economic development objectives.
SUPPORTING DATA:
A. WCEDP information from Web Page
Industrial Economic Development Agenda: 08/04/2026
2B. Table Topic – Consideration of Discussion of Manufacturers Appreciation Event format
and adjustments-activities-features
Prepared by:
Economic Development Manager
Meeting Date:
8/04/2026
☒ Regular Agenda Item
Reviewed by:
Community and Economic
Development Coordinator
Approved by:
Economic Development Manager
REFERENCE AND BACKGROUND
The IEDC Subcommittee formed to further develop the Manufacturers Appreciation Event plans
and outreach has met a couple of times since the early June IEDC meeting. It will review its
most recent suggestions and ideas with the full IEDC membership during the meeting.
Members are encouraged to further discuss and refine/adjust the format of the event activities
as needed to ensure a viable event and maximize impact and turnout.
SUPPORTING DATA:
A. Suggested Manufacturers Event Discussion Points-Items
IEDC Agenda 08/04/26
3. Liaison and Economic Development Updates
Prepared by:
Economic Development Director
Meeting Date:
08/04/2026
☒ Liaison Updates
Reviewed by:
Community & Economic Development
Coordinator
Approved by:
N/A
REFERENCE AND BACKGROUND
A. Wright County Economic Development Partnership (WCEDP) - Update provided by
WCEDP leadership
B. Monticello Chamber of Commerce - Update provided by Chamber staff and/or
leadership
C. City Economic Development - Jim Thares, Economic Development Manager
IEDC members are encouraged to ask questions as so inclined. Attachments include the
Sales Tax Revenue Collections, the Project Updates Summary and Projects-Prospects
List. The Planning Commission Agenda for the August 4, 2026, meeting is also included.
• Sales Tax Collections Update –
• Project Updates
• Prospect List
• Planning Commission Meeting Agenda – August 4, 2026
• BR&E Summary and Signup for August Visits
D. City Council Update - Rachel Leonard, City Administrator
SALES TAX RECEIPTS
Payment Date Spend Month Revenue Month Gross Revenue
Amount
Start-up Costs
(One-time only)
Miscellaneous
Deduction or
Addition (See
notes below)
Administrative
Cost Net Amount Paid
7/10/2025 April May 175,249.36 (16,116.45) (1,577.24) 157,555.67
8/10/2025 May June 204,919.19 (1,844.27) 203,074.92
9/10/2025 June July 203,551.14 (1,831.96) 201,719.18
10/10/2025 July August 217,249.10 (1,955.24) 215,293.86
11/10/2025 August September 200,916.80 (1,808.25) 199,108.55
12/10/2025 September October 199,196.68 (1,792.77) 197,403.91
1/10/2026 October November 219,355.63 (1,974.20) 217,381.43
2/10/2026 November December 225,114.69 (2,026.03) 223,088.66
3/10/2026 December January 226,193.47 (2,035.74) 224,157.73
4/10/2026 January February 179,512.82 (1,615.62) 177,897.20
5/10/2026 February March 166,133.41 (1,495.20) 164,638.21
6/10/2026 March April 201,434.09 (1,812.91) 199,621.18
7/10/2026 April May 219,950.03 (1,979.55) 217,970.48
8/10/2026 May June -
TOTAL 2,638,776.41 (16,116.45) - (23,748.98) 2,598,910.98
City of Monticello
7/31/2026
IEDC Agenda: 8/04/26
1
3b. Project Updates
Fairfield By Marriott Hotel:
Construction of the 98-room hotel development project is progressing. The Boulder Tap House
restaurant opened in mid-June. The hotel will open in late October 2026.
L&L Homestyle Café:
As of late April, building façade improvements at the newly opened restaurant located at 154
West Broadway have started. The improvements, partially funded through the EDA Façade
Improvement Forgivable Loan Program in the amount of $100,000, include new windows, new
doors, new awnings, stucco repairs, and painting and trim-accent updates. The total project
cost is approximately $173,000 +/-.
Kid’s Haven Childcare Center:
Key milestone approvals have occurred for the proposed Kid’s Haven Childcare Center. The
City Council approved the sale of a 2.93-acre City-owned site in Jefferson Commons near the
bowling alley and immediately adjacent to the Emagine Movie Theatre. The EDA also approved
a $250,000 loan from its Small Cities Development Program loan fund. The EDA funding will fill
a gap in the nearly $6,065,000 development proposal and is to be used specifically to purchase
kitchen, laundry, and playground equipment and classroom materials. The land sale
transaction closing is expected to occur in early August. The 26,704 square foot childcare
facility will have a capacity to serve 316 childcare slots, reducing Monticello’s deficit of 700. A
total of 40 new FTE jobs will be created. The facility is expected to open in early 2027.
Schneider – Kustom Blinds & Draperies - 112-114 W. Broadway:
Building façade improvements are mostly completed at 112-114 West Broadway (former
Dominos). Interior work continues for a new Pizza Factory location. The improvements,
partially funded through the EDA Façade Improvement Forgivable Loan Program in the amount
of $50,000, include new awnings, front, side, and alley façade LP siding, and cornice.
The total project cost is approximately $56,000 +/-.
CHC Twin homes – 7th Street West - Phase 2 Project (22 Twin home units [11 pad sites])
Significant delays have occurred in work efforts to complete the phase 2 portion of the twin
home development along 7th Street West. The developer is working to address the issues with
the on-site contractor team(s). The EDA approved Affordable Housing TIF assistance to support
IEDC Agenda: 8/04/26
2
this development in late 2022. The first phase of the twin home project (60 units) is fully
complete and fully rented. Forty percent of those units (24) are required to be rented to low-
and moderate-income households.
Project SCS 50-30 (Seat Cover Solutions) – Industrial Warehouse - Otter Creek Business Park:
The Project SCS is development proposal is evolving to better adjust to the company’s rapid
growth. The firm originally proposed developing a first Phase 55,000 square foot warehouse
and processing facility in OCBP. Its rapid growth has now forced it to adjust those plans and
instead resize the facility to now include the future expansion phase as well, resulting in new
plans for a 110,000 square foot building. As a result, the public funding review efforts and
steps related to the proposed warehouse and processing facility are being adjusted to allow
redesign tasks to occur along with additional discussions with the private lender and MN-DEED
staff regarding project funding-structuring. New full-time equivalent jobs associated with the
SCS facility could range between 50 to 100 fte. The total project investment will likely reach
approximately $15,000,000 +/-. The EDA’s timeline to complete steps to establish TIF District
1-48 to support the development is being adjusted as well. That set of tasks includes a public
hearing originally called for at the July 13, 2026, City Council meeting and to be held during the
August 10, 2026, City Council meeting. It is now postponed and a future hearing will likely
occur in late Spring 2027. Staff are arranging a meeting with MN-DEED staff and Seat Cover
Solutions executives for early August to discuss-review the larger development proposal with
the goal of providing information allowing MN-DEED to re-score the project and hopefully have
additional funding availability through the MIF and JCF programs.
Project Firefly:
Staff are continuing discussions with a regional firm regarding a concept stage development
proposal of approximately 190,000 sq. ft. +/- of warehouse and service facilities for a site in
Otter Creek Business Park (OCBP). The proposal was reviewed by the EDA as part of an initial
purchase offer consideration by the firm in April 2026. The EDA provided feedback to staff
regarding pricing to in turn be provided to the firm. The proposed development could result in
120 to 170 new fte jobs at this site as well. As the firm solidifies its concept plans in the near
future, more review processes and discussions will occur City staff and policy leaders as
appropriate and/or required.
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6551 Jansen Ave NE
Otsego, MN 55301
Grant Pawlak
763-334-3581
grant@seatcoversolutions.com
SEAT COVER
SOLUTIONS
PLAN LEGEND:
Date of
Contact
Company Name Business Category Project Description Building‐Facility Retained Jobs New Jobs Total Investment Project Status
5/22/2018 Karlsburger Foods Food Products Mfg.Facilty Expansion 27,000 sq. ft. +/-42 10 to
20
$4,500,000 On Hold
2/28/22-01/27/26 Project Emma II Light Ind-Assembly New Construction 40,000 sq. ff.0 5 $4,350,000 On Hold
5/30/2023 Project Flower-M
& M
Commercial Concept Expansion ????Concept
6/9/2023 Project Pez Mfg New Construction 30,000 to 35,000 sq. ft.19 17 $4,900,000 Paused
2/12/2024 Project Lodge-
MSMWDC
Lodging-Hospitality New Construction ?0 10 $22,500,000 Under Const
3/5/2024 Project Panda 20‐
MS
Child Care Facility New Construction 27,100 sq. ft. 0 43 $6,500,000 Set to start
construction
5/30/2024 Project EP-BDDC
LACW
Data Center - Hyper Scale New Construction 2,150,000 sq. ft. +/-0 190 $3,000,000,000 Identified Site
9/2/2024 Project Scannell
Data Ctr
Data Center Enterprise New Construction 1,200,000 sq. ft. +/-0 135 $2,000,000,000 Identified Site
1/14/2025 Project Megawatt Industrial New Construction 650,000 to 1,300,000 sq.
ft.
0 592 $757,000,000 Active Search
7/19/2025 MC Outdoors Industrial Service New Construction 8,200 sq. ft.0 14 $1,500,000 Site Selected
9/4/2025 Project Starfish Industrial New Construction 70,000 sq. ft. to 92,000
sq. ft.
$8,500,000 Active Search
10/24/2025 Project 2834-120-2kj Industrial New Construction 1,265,000 sq. ft.1,350 $1,900,000,000 Active Search
PROSPECT LIST 07/30/2026
Date of
Contact
Company Name Business Category Project Description Building‐Facility Retained Jobs New Jobs Total Investment Project Status
PROSPECT LIST 07/30/2026
11/13/2025 Project Firefly Industrial New Construction 190,000 sq. ft.?140 $5,800,000 Site Identified
11/24/2025 Project RBD 20K Industrial New Construction 18,000 to 20,000 sq. ft.0 15 $3,700,000 Active Search
11/24/2025 Project ET 12K Industrial New Construction 11,000 to 12,000 sq. ft.0 11 $1,600,000 Paused
1/30/2026 Project Sol Industrial New Construction 600,000 sq. ft. - 75
acres
0 330
[214]
$339,000,000 Active Search
2/3/2026 Project SP-65-80 Industrial New Construction 65,000 sq. ft. - 6.30
acres
70 10 $8,150,000 Active Search
2/14/2026 Project PS 70-45 Industrial New Construction 70,000 sq. ft. 6,67 acres 0 45 $8,750,000 Site Identified
3/1/2026 Project SCS 55-30 Industrial New Construction 55,000 to 90,000 sq. ft. 0 30 $7,425,000 PDA approved
by EDA
3/24/2026 Project CM - 60-50 Industrial New Construction 60,000 sq. ft. 0 50 $8,200,000 Paused
5/28/2026 Project Pentagon Industrial New Construction 500,000 + sq. ft.0 1,500 $110,000,000 Active Search
GMSP
Contacts: M
= 03 YTD =
15
AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING – PLANNING COMMISSION
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 – 6:00 p.m.
Mississippi Room, Monticello Community Center
Commissioners: Chair Andrew Tapper, Vice-Chair Melissa Robeck, Rick Kothenbeutel,
Teri Lehner, Rob Stark
Council Liaison: Councilmember Kip Christianson
Staff: Angela Schumann, Steve Grittman, Bob Ferguson, Tyler Bevier
1. General Business
A. Call to Order
B. Roll Call
C. Consideration of Additional Agenda Items
D. Approval of Agenda
E. Approval of Planning Commission Minutes
• July 7, 2026 Regular Meeting
2. Public Hearings
Chairperson reads the following: Each speaker addressing the Commission on a public
hearing item will be allotted five minutes for comment and will be given a 30 second
warning to conclude comments. Speakers are respectfully requested to address the
Commission once during the individual hearing.
A. Consideration of an amendment to the Conditional Use Permit for a Restaurant
within 300’ of a Residentially Zoned Property, and for a Variance to §153.067
Off-Street Parking, for a second curb cut access on a single parcel at a distance
less than 125 feet of street frontage.
Applicant: Wan Qun Lin
B. Consideration of a Preliminary Plat for Featherstone Seventh and Eighth
Additions.
Applicant: SML Holdings LLC
C. Consideration of an Amendment to the Conditional Use Permits for Cross-Access
on a 7.01 acre site in a B-4 (Regional Business) district, for a Day Care Center use
and Revocation of a Conditional Use Permit for Cross-Access.
Applicant: Kid’s Haven Childcare and Preschool
D. Consideration of Revocation of the Conditional Use Permit for Drive-Through
Services as an Accessory Use in the B-3, Highway Business District
Applicant: City of Monticello
Planning Commission Regular Meeting Agenda – August 4, 2026
2
3. Regular Agenda
A. Consideration of adopting Resolution PC-2026-42, a Resolution Finding that the
Acquisition of Certain Land, PID 155164002020, by the City of Monticello is
Consistent with the City of Monticello Comprehensive Plan - Monticello 2040
Vision + Plan
4. Other Business
A. Community Development Director’s Report
5. Adjournment