Delano Digest
October 2025 | Monthly Newsletter | City of Delano, MN
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Upcoming Events
Book & Puzzle Sale | Senior Center
Stop by and find your next fun read or puzzle!
Oct. 15: 8 AM - 4:30 PM
Oct. 16: 8 AM - 4:30 PM
Oct. 17: 8 AM - 2 PM
Trunk-Or-Treat | Senior Center
Trunk-Or-Treat will be held in the Delano Senior Center parking lot on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 from 3 - 5 PM. Come on out!
City Calendar: Oct.
City Council & City Hall
10/7: City Council Meeting - 7 PM
10/21: City Council Meeting - 7 PM
10/28: City Council Meeting - 7 PM
Commissions
10/6: Public Safety - 7 PM
10/14: Spirit of Community - 7 PM
10/20: Water, Light, Power - 7 PM
10/22: Parks and Recreation - 5 PM
Voting Information | Special Election | MN District 29
The Governor has issued Writs of Special Election to fill the vacancy in Senate District 29. Senate District 29 includes much of Wright County and parts of Hennepin and Meeker counties. Absentee voting started on Sept. 18, 2025. Pre-register to vote by Oct. 14 or register on Election Day.
Delano City Hall will be open on Election Day, additional early voting hours on Saturday,
Delano City Hall is the polling place for city residents only. please visit pollfinder.sos.mn.gov.
Road Closure Notice | Ebersole Ave | Oct. 6 - Oct. 28, 2025
Ebersole Avenue will be closed from Oct. 6 through Oct. 27, 2025 for intersection improvement work. Please follow posted detour signage during this time. This project is part of the River Waters development and is being completed by the developer. The City of Delano is sharing this information on the developer’s behalf. For questions, please contact the developer, Capstone. Thank you for your patience!
Buy-A-Brick | Perfect Gift Idea!
Honor your family, business, or a special memory with a personalized brick in the Sesquicentennial Heritage Foot Path at Delano Sculpture Park. For just $100, your brick will be engraved with 3 lines of text that will serve as a lasting tribute to Delano’s 150th year. Learn more: delanomn.gov/614/Delanos-150th-Anniversary
Park Updates: Spirit Park & Riverway Park
Spirit Park is almost finished! This facility is being built around the Delano Sports Arena, and features a dual ice rink facility, including one open-air, covered sheet of ice and one outdoor pleasure (non-hockey) skating rink. This space is shared with Delano Hockey, and will be used for recreational programming both in the winter and the summer. Crews are finishing up grading, restoration, and cleanup. The concrete slab for the refrigerated hockey rink was poured on Sept. 9, 2025 and will cure for 40 days before the boards are installed. Substantial completion is expected in mid-October 2025, with the rinks opening for Delano Hockey and public use shortly after!
Riverway Park, located along Highway 12, is getting improvements to better accommodate parking and mobility needs. The project includes new pathways for easier access, a covered seating area, and an expanded parking lot. These updates will enhance the pickleball courts and sculpture walk, making the park more enjoyable and accessible for everyone. Construction is underway and is expected to be completed by late October 2025.
Delano City Council & Commission Meetings Recap
This section offers a brief summary of what was discussed during the previous month’s Council and Commission meetings and is not an official documentation of meeting minutes. Official minutes will be posted at www.delanomn.gov/agendacenter upon approval.
Public Safety Commission Recap - Met on Sept. 8
The Public Safety Commission discussed Community Emergency Response Teams and the possibility of re-starting the Delano team, the school resource officer program, and the commission's meeting structure. Staff presented an update on traffic data from Franklin Ave W where a speed reader was placed from June to September.
Park and Recreation Commission Recap - Met on Sept. 24
The Park and Recreation Commission welcomed new member Tom Screeden and discussed the Parks Capital Fund and pocket park designs for a City lot on 2nd Street and Bridge Avenue. City staff presented updates on the installation of a Lacrosse Wall at the Spirit Park site, the next steps of the Central Park Improvement Project, and the timeline of the New Community Park.
Planning Commission Recap - No Meeting
Spirit of Community Commission Recap - No meeting
City Council Recap - Met on Sept. 2, 16, & 23
Sept. 2: (Regular Meeting): The City Council proclaimed September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and announced a workshop with S.A.V.E. and NAMI. Consent items included approval of gambling licenses for community fundraisers, hiring of two firefighters, purchase of fire radios, and final project payments. Council discussed long-term leases at 1051 McKinley Parkway with Ridge Water College and the Wright County EDP. The 2026 preliminary levy of $5.73 million was adopted, reflecting a 7.1% increase largely tied to public safety, though the overall tax rate is expected to remain stable. Commission updates included a proposed wall ball practice structure at Spirit Park and Ridgewater College’s Sept. 10 open house.
Sept. 16 (Special Meeting): City Council interviewed candidates for vacancies on the Water, Light & Power Commission and Park & Recreation Commission. Nicholas Willing was appointed to Water, Light & Power through February 2026. Thomas Screeden was appointed to Park & Recreation.
Sept. 23 (Regular Meeting): The City presented the annual Clay Cup trophy to Franklin Township for this year’s trap shooting event. Consent items included lease agreements with Ridgewater College and the Wright County Economic Development Partnership for use of 1051 McKinley Parkway and payments for the Spirit Park Project. Council authorized funding to partner with Independence and Maple Plain in Highway 12 advocacy efforts to push for long-term safety improvements. Three zoning ordinances were adopted: limiting outside vehicle storage across all residential zones, replacing the conditional use permit process with a rezoning process, and updating landscaping requirements to clarify standards.
Sept. 30 (Workshop Meeting): Council welcomed new Building Inspector Nick Abel and heard from a District 29 Senate candidate. Discussion items included a potential sexual offender residency ordinance, Franklin Township annexation progress, and collaboration with Delano Schools and the library on a future early childhood/community facility. Council also reviewed options for implementing the state Paid Family and Medical Leave Act and restructuring the vacant Emergency Services Director role.
