PRESCOTT – During public comment time at the Sept. 14 Prescott City Council meeting, property owner Todd Langenfeld, who owns 220 Broad St., was not “a happy camper.” His disdain centered around flooding issues in his building for which he blames past city decisions.

Langenfeld has owned the 1856 former bank building since the 1990s. He said years ago, when redoing the alley behind 220 and 216 Broad St., city staff told him they would alert him when the project was starting so he could also redo his parking lot. He claims they didn’t and ever since, heavy rainstorms cause water to flood his basement thanks to the grade of the alley leading water right into the building. He said he built up a curb behind the building to try to hold back water, but it doesn’t work during “gully washers.” He described his relationship with former City Administrator Jayne Brand back then as going from “good to bad to sour to disgraceful.”

The topic has come to the forefront again because the city is working with Megan and Troy Langer of Prescott Lodging LLC, who recently purchased 216 Broad St., to identify a stormwater management solution for the area. The Langers plan on tearing down the former Lucille’s building as part of a proposed redevelopment project and would like the water drainage problem mitigated.

“Because contractors and equipment will already be on site, staff believe there is an opportunity to coordinate the storm sewer improvements with the private development,” a city council memo states. According to the Aug. 24 city council meeting minutes, Mayor Mike Gerke told the council that he spoke to Langenfeld, who was willing to work with the city and Prescott Lodging LLC on the repairs.

Langenfeld said he is willing for the project to be completed, but he refuses to pay for any of it. City Administrator Matt Wolf estimated Langenfeld’s portion would be $5,000 to $8,000.

“I’ve got no problem with Ms. Langer. I think whatever they do is fine. I’m pretty much an entrepreneur myself. If I hooked up to that and that’ll help the engineering and that’ll help the city correct what they messed up, royally messed up years ago, I shouldn’t have to pay for it. I’m already hooked up,” Langenfeld said. “If you go ahead and do it and I get 1 ounce of water in that basement again, you’re going to get a nasty gram from a lot of lawyers.”

Langenfeld then went on a tangent about a disagreement with the city years ago about his apartment buildings’ address numbers on Orrin Road, being told he had to pay for curb and gutter improvements after alleging the city told him he wouldn’t have to, and how he donated land when Orrin Road was built and connected to Pearl Street. He claimed Brand had the police chief at the time rough him up and throw him out of City Hall.

“He assaulted me,” Langenfeld said.

Wolf broke in and asked Gerke how long he planned to allow Langenfeld to go on. Langenfeld turned around and barked, “What’s your problem?” to Wolf and kept going.

Alderperson Bailey Ruona broke in and asked if Langenfeld was referring to storm sewer or water and sewer problems.

“There’s no storm sewer in the back, so both him and the neighboring property, their property is sloped toward their buildings, so they drain into the buildings,” Wolf said.

“They didn’t put enough fill in there years and years and years ago,” Gerke added.

“My experience with the City of Prescott, not with you guys, but the City of Prescott has been less than favorable,” Langenfeld added.

Ruona asked if Langer’s project is dependent upon she and Langenfeld hooking up to the city’s storm sewer.

“What we’re requiring of both Megan and Todd is if they want to have a private hookup to our public storm sewer system, they have to pay for the private improvements,” Wolf said.

He reiterated that the final cost is estimated to be between $5,000 and $8,000.

“I’m not a happy camper,” Langenfeld said. “They changed the slope of the alley and added parking lots and now I have a swimming pool in the basement.”

Lake Street

Resident Joseph Baumann, who lives at 440 Lake St., asked the city to work with the Department of Natural Resources to modify the no wake zone. He proposed extending it north about 300 yards from the white flat-topped house on Lake Street and angling it toward the marina on the Minnesota side. 

“The wakes from the boats artificially erode that land there,” Baumann said. “It causes damage to personal property. When the road was redone in 2021, the city put riprap in at my riverfront because it was so eroded. That’s just going to continue to happen.”

Wolf said the city will reach out to the DNR.

Other business

• Dallas Eggers gave an update on the Prescott Historical Society’s year, which included increased attendance, visitors from 30 states and 16 countries and more events. The council approved a $3,000 donation toward the PAHS’ operating budget.
• Gerke congratulated the Riley sisters and volunteers for a successful Prescott Daze, held Sept. 11-13. He said he heard nothing but positive comments.