The start of the Phase E road and infrastructure project is right around the corner. City Public Works Director Shane Daniels informed the Tracy City Council on Monday that the project should begin at North St. on Sept. 1 and that tree removal will likely begin sometime in the next two weeks. Tree removal is the first of five phases of the project.
“We had a pre-construction meeting with R&G, and as of right now, their plan is to start on North St. first … the most that will happen is probably North Street and then First Street East from North Street to East Hollett this year.”
The area south of East Morgan, Daniels said, includes a storm line that runs through the ditch by the railroad tracks, so work there will happen in late fall or early spring so field work will not be disrupted.
The tree removal will take place all at once so as to include all areas encompassed in the project.
In other business Monday …
• The council officially accepted the resignation of Public Works Director Shane Daniels, whose last day will by Aug. 7.
• The council approved a number of requests related to this year’s Box Car Days celebration, including use of a City parking lot for the beer garden; a gambling permit; closure of streets for the grand parade and lineup, street dance and pickleball tournament; permission for a fire truck and police vehicle and City equipment for the parade; liquor licenses for Sept. 4-7; and a carnival license.
• Tracy Development Director Tom Dobson reported that the evening swim lessons have been very popular and that security cameras at the pool have twice been used to document incidents. He said the spec. house on 2nd St. East is nearly completed, and also suggested some mud-jacking be done at the City cemetery, as grass has been known to grow over grave markers.
• The council, on a 5-2 vote, approved a resolution amending the 2026 fee schedule for credit card fees for transactions over $500. Councilmembers George Landuyt and Seth Schmidt cast the dissenting votes.
• The council unanimously approved a resolution seeking better revenue sharing from the State of Minnesota to sustain the Deputy Registrar Office. The workload locally has increased, as has the fee per transaction, and cities are looking to get a bigger piece of the pie from the State.
• Dobson was appointed as deputy administrator, replacing Daniels.
• The annual National Night Out event in Central Park will be on Aug. 4.
• A preliminary budget meeting was set for Aug. 17 in the community center.
• Boxcar Liquors Manager Tam Schons reported that the store was for the fifth year selected as one of the Top 100 retailers in Minnesota.
• Librarian Val Quist said that historian Doug Ohman will give a presentation titled “America 250” at the library today (July 30) at 6 p.m.
