Benning Printing & Publishing

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Verndale City Council held their regular meeting on Monday, October 12. Vandalism Update At the September meeting Deputy Troy Mayer reported that police identified children, ages 8 to 13, involved in graffiti and vandalism behind the hardware store and café. Some allegedly entered the hardware store and took paint and equipment. Police contacted the children's parents and are waiting for repair cost estimates before referring the

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Verndale City Council held their regular meeting on Monday, September 14. Sidewalk Snow Removal The Verndale City Council spent much time discussing a citizen petition that asked for the city to take over the responsibility of removing snow and ice from sidewalks, instead of having property owners do it. This idea relates to ordinance 93.02. The streets committee had already talked about possible compromises, like extending the

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Verndale City Council held their regular meeting on Monday, August 10. Petition Challenging Sidewalk Snow Rule Naomi Moyer, a longtime resident, presented a petition to the Verndale City Council asking them to stop enforcing a rule that requires property owners to clear snow from the new sidewalks built for Safe Routes to School. Moyer expressed that this requirement is especially tough for seniors, people with disabilities, and

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Verndale City Council held their regular meeting on July 13. Mayor Tara Erckenbrack was absent. Clash Over THC Licensing Fee and Sign Ordinance Brian Hagen raised concerns about the city’s new THC licensing fee and how it enforces its sign rules. Hagen questioned the $125 fee for a THC license, pointing out that he already pays fees to the state. He wanted to know what specific costs the city has for regulating THC. He argued th

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Verndale City Council held their regular meeting on June 8. Cannabis Business Ordinance The council approved the new ordinance required after Minnesota legalized cannabis and effectively told cities to set local rules within state guidelines. Mayor Tara Erckenbrack explained that the goal is not to recruit new cannabis businesses but to regulate what state law already allows, mainly by mirroring state setbacks from schools, dayc

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Verndale City Council held their regular meeting on Monday, May 11. New City Council Member Heather Ewert was sworn in. Cannabis Ordinance The city is tightening a new cannabis and low‑potency hemp ordinance. Council members directed staff to require that age‑compliance checks be handled by the county, not city staff, and to remove fixed sales hours for low‑potency hemp products, since those are already sold in existing businesse

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Verndale City Council held their regular meeting on Monday, April 13. Cannabis Licensing The city council discussed how to manage low-potency hemp and cannabis edibles now that local licensing is required following state approval. One local business has already received a license from the Office of Cannabis Management to sell low-potency edibles, prompting the need for the city to establish its own licensing process. Council me

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Verndale City Council held their regular meeting on Monday, March 9. Final Payment Approved For Sidewalk Project The recommended final payout to Ideal Construction is $48,102.19, representing the remaining amount due under the project, after negotiations with Moore Engineering. Council Member Jim Runyan repeatedly questioned whether the city should instead receive a total of $52,000 from Moore (combining an earlier discussed $30

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Verndale City Council held a special meeting on March 5 where they spoke with representatives from Moore Engineering over Zoom. The main topic was about who should pay for extra costs of about $75,000 on a project—whether it should be the city, the engineering consultant, or the contractor. Moore Engineering had previously agreed to cover $30,000 of this extra cost. The council thought this would resolve the issue, but then the c

by Trinity Gruenberg trinity@inhnews.com The Verndale City Council held a special meeting on February 24 to discuss the payment to Ideal Construction, the contractor Moore Engineering used for the city’s Safe Routes to School sidewalk project. The meeting was to address a dispute over unpaid work and conflicting guidance from Moore Engineering. The discussion centered on whether the city should pay Ideal the full amount requested for additional work that exceeded original e