Ask the Chief By Minneota Police Chief Bill Bolt

It is time for my friendly reminder about “Snow Emergencies” in Minneota. We have a city ordinance that says no vehicle shall be parked on a street after a snow emergency is declared. To give you as much notice as possible we use the following procedure: (1) The Minneota Street and Police Department agree that a future Snow Emergency will be needed. We make this decision based on the National Weather Service forecast. (2) We provide a minimum of a 12-hour warning before the Snow Emergency is enforced. This warning is posted on the City of Minneota Facebook page, a cell phone message via Nixle is sent out, and given to the Marshall area radio stations to broadcast when possible. The notice is posted by 4 p.m. (4) At 4 a.m., the following morning (12 hours following the notice) we begin plowing the streets. This is the same time I start writing tickets. Any vehicle found parked on a street will be cited. (4) The Snow Emergency remains in effect until it is canceled on Facebook and Nixle. For severe weather, a Snow Emergency may last several days. Tickets will be issued every day at 4 a.m. until the Snow Emergency is canceled. (5) If necessary, vehicle may be towed at the owner's expense in compliance with state statute.
To avoid a ticket or having your vehicle towed we encourage you to follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Minneota or to sign up for the free Nixle messaging service. You can sign up for Nixle by messaging our zip code – 56264 to 888777. If you have concerns or questions, contact Chief Bolt at 507-360-7864 or stop in at the Minneota City Hall.