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WHAT’S HAPPENING: Community calendar PAGE 3
Lino Lakes continues to discuss cannabis
Dealing with transition at Centerville City Hall Athanasia Lewis will serve as Interim City Administrator. Council elected to hire a professional search firm to do the work of finding Statz’s replacement. Five search firms submitted proposals and three were interviewed. Council and city staff checked references for the final two firms left in the running. Following discussion at the workshop prior to the start of the regular council meeting, council chose GMP Consultants as the search firm. The city will pay GMP between $15,000 to $22,500 to advertise, research and narrow the field of candidates for city administrator.
LORETTA HARDING CONTRIBUTING WRITER
First, longtime Public Works Director Paul Palzer announced his retirement in December. Then, longtime Centerville City Administrator/Engineer Mark Statz announced he would be leaving to accept the city administrator position in Forest Lake. Now, the city will lose its city planner to retirement, after Phil Carlson of Stantec announced his retirement, effective June 1. Much of the last Centerville City Council meeting was taken up with talk of navigating these transitional times.
BY MADELINE DOLBY EDITOR
The Lino Lakes Planning and Zoning Board continues to discuss the city’s cannabis ordinances. Adult-use cannabis was legalized by the state Legislature in 2023 and signed into law in 2024. In response to the legalization of cannabis in the state of Minnesota, cities are required to amend the zoning code to reflect the changes that have been set by the state. The law also created the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to oversee the implementation and regulation of the adult-use cannabis market, the medical cannabis market and the consumer hemp industry. Beginning in 2025, the OCM will be responsible for licensing cannabis businesses. There are 13 different types of business licenses. While the law provides certain means of oversight by local units in government, the city cannot ban a cannabis business outright or limit operations in a manner beyond those provided in state law. The city can, however, limit the number of retailers and businesses with retail endorsements allowed within the community. “The city is going through a couple amendments,” said Community Development Director Michael Grochala. “Chapter 617 is being amended by the City Council related to the registration process and specific requirements to buffer zones as well as hours of operation. “I would point out for the board, per your recommendation, that the council did shorten those hours of operation from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Saturday, so daily.” Chapter 617 of the city code established registration requirements. These requirements include retail restrictions, local certification of zoning compliance, retail business registration and hours of operation. The first reading of the amendment took place at the Lino Lakes City Council meeting on Feb. 10. “Buffers are also in the 617 (chapter). The council went with 1,000 feet from schools (and) 500 feet from residential treatment facilities, and no buffer was proposed for day cares,” Grochala added.
SEE TRANSITIONS, PAGE 8
Freshly fallen snow creates winter wonder
SEE ORDINANCE, PAGE 2
LEANN MICHAEL | CONTRIBUTED
Lino Lakes resident LeAnn Michael captures freshly fallen snow on a pine tree located in her yard after a snowstorm.
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City staff will prepare a proposal that will be brought back to council for approval. As soon as the search firm is hired, the city’s Personnel Committee will serve as the city’s liaison. Statz served as city engineer for 14 years, then wore the two hats of city engineer and city administrator since 2017. Council has appointed Tedd Peterson as interim public works director until a city administrator is hired. With the added responsibility, Peterson’s annual salary has been elevated to Pay Grade 11, Step 7 to $103,168.
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