HomeMy WebLinkAbout05(H) - Resolution Appointing Members to Serve on the City of Prior Lake Planning Commission ReportCITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: October 28, 2025
PREPARED BY: Jake Skluzacek, Planner
PRESENTED BY: Casey McCabe, Community Development Director
ITEM: SH
AGENDA ITEM: Resolution Appointing Members to Serve on the City of Prior Lake Planning
Commission
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approval of a resolution appointing four new members and reappointing three current members
to serve on the Planning Commission.
BACKGROUND:
The Prior Lake Planning Commission is comprised of five members, appointed by the City
Council. Only residents of the City who are at least 18 years old shall be considered for
appointment. Said members shall serve a term of three years beginning November 1st and ending
October 31st.
In addition, the City Council may appoint two alternate members. Alternate members attend all
meetings and participate in all discussions but may participate in the voting process (to include
the making and seconding of motions) only if a regular member of the Commission is absent.
The Commission shall be representative of the citizens who live in Prior Lake. Commission
members may serve additional terms upon approval by the Prior Lake City Council, based upon
satisfactory attendance and participation, continued residence within the corporate limits of the
City of Prior Lake, and in accordance with the term limit policy established in the Planning
Commission Bylaws.
Current Circumstances
Planning Commissioners Tschetter and Pasquarette have moved outside of the city and have
resigned their appointments to the commission, creating two vacancies.
The current terms of Planning Commissioners Dan Ringstad, Doug Johnson, Christian
Fenstermacher and Michael Tennison expire on October 31, 2025. Members of the Planning
Commission serve three-year terms and are term limited to three (3) terms, or nine (9) years in
total. Commissioner Ringstad has served three consecutive terms and is not eligible for
reappointment and commissioner Johnson has elected not to seek reappointment to the
commission, creating two additional vacancies.
Commissioners Fenstermacher and Tennison have served less than three terms and are eligible
for reappointment; both have expressed interest in serving another term. The Planning
Commission Bylaws state, if an appointed member of the Commission reaches the end of a three
year term and is eligible for reappointment, the City Council Liaison and Commission Chair, or
Commission Vice Chair in the event the Chair position has reached the end of a term, shall
determine if eligible incumbents shall be put forward for reappointment or if the vacancy shall be
opened for public application. The City Council Liaison and Commission Chair have determined
Commissioners Fenstermacher and Tennison shall be put forward for reappointment.
City of Prior Lake I 4646 Dakota Street SE I Prior Lake MN 55372
Planning Commissioner Yurko is currently serving in her first term as an alternate member of the
commission and has expressed interest in serving as a regular commissioner. The Planning
Commission Bylaws state, if a member of the Commission resigns, is terminated, or otherwise
vacates a seat of the Commission, the City Council Liaison and Commission Chair, or
Commission Vice Chair in the event the Chair position is vacated, shall determine if an Alternate
Member of the Commission shall be put forward for appointment or if the vacancy shall be opened
for public application. The City Council Liaison and Commission Chair have determined
Commissioner Yurko shall be put forward for appointment as a regular commissioner.
Section 205 of the Planning Commission Bylaws addresses filling a vacancy on the Commission;
stating, if an appointed member of the Commission resigns, is terminated, reaches a term limit,
or otherwise vacates a seat on the Commission, the Prior Lake City Council shall appoint a
replacement in the following manner:
•Applications are solicited. A notice of the vacancy is made public, and individuals may be
encouraged to consider the position. The notice shall state the deadline for submitting
applications.
•Screening Committee. The City Manager or their designee, the City Council liaison to the
commission, the staff liaison to the commission, and one member of the commission
appointed by majority vote of the commission shall serve as the Screening Committee.
•Appointment. The Screening Committee shall interview all candidates who have applied
for appointment and make a recommendation to the City Council. The recommendation
of the Screening Committee will be presented to the City Council. The Council may accept
or reject the recommendation. If the recommendation is rejected, the City Council may
appoint another individual or reopen the application period and invite new candidates to
apply.
Notice of the four vacancies was posted on the City of Prior Lake website and publicized on the
City's social media platforms and electronic signage. Nine applications were received and all
candidates were interviewed by a screening committee consisting of City Council Liaison to the
Planning Commission Hellier, Planning Commission Vice-Chair Ringstad, Community
Development Director McCabe, and Planner Moretto during the week of September 29th in
conformance with the Planning Commission Bylaws.
The screening committee was very impressed with the background and experience of all
candidates interviewed and is recommending the appointment of Sam Rook and Bryan Fleming
as regular commissioners and Shelley Schmokel and Daniel Nicholson as alternate
commissioners.
►Rook is recommended for a three year term beginning on November 1st 2025.
►Fleming is recommended for a one-year term beginning November 1, 2025, filling the
remainder of a vacated term on the commission. Fleming would be eligible for
reappointment to an additional three-year term following the end of the initial one-year
term.
►Schmokel is recommended for a one-year term beginning November 1, 2025, filling the
remainder of a vacated term on the commission. Schmokel would be eligible for
reappointment to an additional three-year term following the end of the initial one-year
term.
►Nicholson is recommended for a three year term beginning on November 1st 2025.
Item 5I
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FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Per meeting compensation is paid to commissioners and is included in the 2025 and proposed
2026 budget.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Motion and second, as part of the consent agenda, adopting a resolution appointing four
new members and reappointing three current members to serve on the Planning
Commission.
2. Remove this item from the consent agenda for additional discussion.
4646 Dakota Street SE
Prior Lake, MN 55372
RESOLUTION 25-____
A RESOLUTION APPOINTING MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THE CITY OF PRIOR LAKE
PLANNING COMMISSION
Motion By: Second By:
WHEREAS, vacancies existed on the Planning Commission as of October 31, 2025; and
WHEREAS, applications were solicited from persons in the community who were interested;
and
WHEREAS, notice of such vacancies were advertised on the City Website; and
WHEREAS, applications were received and interviews conducted.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PRIOR LAKE,
MINNESOTA as follows:
1. The recitals set forth above are incorporated herein as if fully set forth.
2. The following individuals are appointed to fill the following terms on the Planning Commission:
Appointee Date Appointed End of this Appointment
Sam Rook November 1, 2025 October 31, 2028
Bryan Fleming November 1, 2025 October 31, 2026
3. The following individuals are appointed to fill the following terms as alternate commissioners:
Appointee Date Appointed End of this Appointment
Shelley Schmokel November 1, 2025 October 31, 2026
Daniel Nicholson November 1, 2025 October 31, 2028
4. The following individuals are re-appointed to fill the following terms:
Appointee Date Appointed End of this Appointment
Michael Tennison November 1, 2025 October 31, 2028
Christian Fenstermacher November 1, 2025 October 31, 2028
5. The following individual alternate commissioner is appointed to the following regular
commission term:
Appointee Date Appointed End of this Appointment
Kate Yurko November 1, 2024 October 31, 2027
thPassedandadoptedbythePriorLakeCityCouncilthis28day of October 2025.
VOTE Briggs Braid Churchill Lake Hellier
Aye
Nay
Abstain
Absent
Jason Wedel, City Manager
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