WAYZATA — The Wayzata American Legion will lead a series of Memorial Day ceremonies on Monday, May 25, 2026, with observances planned at several area cemeteries and Heritage Park.
The day’s schedule begins at 8:30 a.m. at Parkers Lake Cemetery and continues through the morning in Wayzata.
The official schedule includes:
8:30 a.m. — Parkers Lake Cemetery 9:15 a.m. — Greenlawn Cemetery 9:45 a.m. — Old Wayzata Cemetery 10:30 a.m. — Summit Park Cemetery 11:30 a.m. — Heritage Park
The ceremonies at Summit Park Cemetery and Heritage Park will include an extended program with the reading of deceased members’ names. Wayzata Mayor Andrew Mullin is scheduled to serve as guest speaker.
Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday in May, is set aside to honor members of the United States armed forces who died in service to the country. In Wayzata, the American Legion’s annual observance has long served as a solemn community tradition, connecting residents, veterans and families through remembrance.
Following the final ceremony, the community is invited to the Wayzata American Legion for a light buffet lunch. The luncheon will be offered as a free-will offering.
WAYZATA — The old cottonwood tree on Circle A Drive is gone, but the neighborhood legend that lived inside it has been given a new home.
For years, residents around Circle Drive have shared stories about Wise-Eddy, a small elf — or gnome, depending on the storyteller — believed by some neighbors to have resided inside the hollow of the towering cottonwood. The tree, described by residents as more than a century old, was recently cut down after concerns about its age and condition.
Rather than let the story end there, local residents Gordy Straka and Bill Berneking built Wise-Eddy a new house.
Neighbors recently gathered to dedicate the new home, turning the loss of an old tree into a small celebration of neighborhood lore, humor and continuity.
The Wise-Eddy story has become part of the fabric of the neighborhood, passed along with the kind of affection often reserved for old houses, familiar trees and quiet landmarks that become part of daily life. In a playful account written by Nan Sloan and Dean Knudson, Wise-Eddy was said to have taken up residence in the cottonwood in 1913 and watched generations of Wayzata life unfold from inside the tree.
Straka, described in the account as a local resident and self-proclaimed historian, helped keep the story alive as the tree’s removal approached. According to the neighborhood tale, Wise-Eddy had seen it all over the years.
The removal of the cottonwood marked the end of one chapter, but the dedication of Wise-Eddy’s new home offered neighbors a way to preserve the spirit of the old tree.
In a town where history often lives in depots, lakefront views, old homes and long-standing traditions, the gathering was a reminder that local history can also be found in smaller places — even in the hollow of a cottonwood tree, and now, in a handmade home built for an elf named Wise-Eddy.
The Wayzata City Council tabled action Tuesday on a special event permit for HIFI on the Lake, a proposed two-night concert event at Macanda Restaurant and the Boatworks area near the Wayzata Depot.
The application called for concerts July 17 and 18 from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., with an estimated attendance of about 1,000 people each night. The event would use the Boatworks boat launch area, private property near Macanda, and portions of the Depot parking lot. The permit application listed ticket prices of $69 for pit admission and $100 for VIP admission.
City staff recommended denial, primarily because the event would be the third Level 3 event proposed in July. Under Wayzata’s special event matrix, July is limited to two Level 3 events, which are events with 500 or more attendees.
“We encourage special events, obviously,” Director of Public Works Mike Kelly told the council. “This application happened to be the third of three applications for July and our special event matrix limits the number of Level 3 events to two in July.”
Staff noted that the council does have discretion to approve events outside the matrix if they meet city criteria and do not negatively affect previously approved events.
The discussion exposed a practical tension in the city’s event matrix: under the current attendance-based system, the Fourth of July Flying Pancake Breakfast and Wayzata Community Church’s annual rummage sale can count against the same July limit as a ticketed outdoor concert.
Noise was also part of the discussion. Staff said the city had received complaints related to previous electronic music events, including Macanda’s prior event and WAAM Fest. The proposed stage orientation also drew scrutiny because it would face toward downtown and nearby residential areas.
Asked whether staff would have recommended approval if not for the July event limit, Kelly said the application otherwise appeared to meet city standards.
“The application would have met the standards of application procedures,” Kelly stated. “I think we still would have referenced the noise complaints that we’ve had in the past and probably recommended approval.”
The applicant pushed back on the characterization of the event as a typical EDM concert, saying the music and audience were being misunderstood.
“I really, my heart thinks it’s kind of cool for the city,” Aaron Switz of Macanda said, indicating that communities such as West Palm Beach, Montecito, the Hamptons, and Aspen hold similar events.
The applicant also said the event drew a heavily local crowd last year and suggested he was open to modifying the proposal, including moving to one night and potentially changing the date to avoid the July event limitation.
“So I’m looking for one day in the whole year,” Switz said.
Council Member Molly MacDonald raised concerns that the proposal did not appear to fully account for previous council feedback on event length, start time and stage orientation.
“My first instinct was, oh, you didn’t catch any of the feedback we gave you,” she said.
MacDonald said she would have trouble supporting the application as presented. “As this is presented, I’m now hard to support that without any of those considerations made to the residents,” she said.
Mayor Andrew Mullin said he was not ready to deny the application outright after hearing the applicant’s willingness to revise the proposal.
“I’m hard pressed given the new information that was presented to already deny this,” Mullin said. He said possible changes, including a one-night format or a different date, deserved further consideration by the full council, as was provided to a previous applicant.
Mullin also noted the event appeared to serve a younger local audience.
“It did strike me how many local kids were there and their parents,” he said, adding that young people are a stakeholder group Wayzata does not always hear from in city discussions.
Council Member Ken Sorensen said the discussion helped clarify the issue, noting that staff’s recommendation might have been different if the event did not exceed the July matrix limit.
“I was looking forward to this discussion, because actually I came here uncertain as to how I might come down on this issue,” Sorensen said.
Council members Alex Plechash and Dan Koch were absent, leaving Mayor Andrew Mullin and council members Molly MacDonald and Ken Sorensen to discuss the application. With only three members present, the council tabled action rather than approving or denying the permit that night.
Council members indicated they wanted clarity on whether the event would be one night or two, possible date changes, stage orientation, hours, and conditions aimed at limiting impacts on nearby residents and downtown businesses.
The permit application included draft conditions requiring the applicant to follow an approved sound mitigation plan, provide private security, coordinate with police on contractual overtime, notify property owners within 1,000 feet, maintain marina access for slip holders, and cover costs related to relocating temporary restrooms at the Depot.
The Wayzata City Council accepted the city’s 2025 audited financial reports at its May 19 meeting, after the city’s outside auditor reported a clean opinion and no legal compliance findings.
The audit was completed by LB Carlson for the year ending Dec. 31, 2025. State law requires the city to have its financial statements audited each year by an independent certified public accounting firm.
Bill Lauer of LB Carlson presented the audit summary to the council. According to the city’s agenda report, the city received an unmodified, or “clean,” opinion for 2025.
The audit did include one finding related to internal control over financial reporting. The finding involved limited segregation of duties, which the report attributed to the small size of the city’s finance staff. The city noted that this is a recurring finding Wayzata has historically had because of staffing size.
The special purpose audit report described the issue as a significant deficiency, but not a material weakness. The report also stated that the audit found no reportable instances of noncompliance under Government Auditing Standards and no findings related to the city’s compliance with Minnesota laws and regulations.
Lauer also walked through several year-end financial highlights, including the city’s General Fund performance.
“As I mentioned, your general fund revenues came in at about $478,000, roughly 5.5% over budget,” Lauer said. “The biggest reason for this variance, frankly, was conservative budgeting.”
General Fund revenues totaled about $9.28 million in 2025, coming in $477,955 over budget. The largest positive variances came from licenses and permits, intergovernmental revenue, charges for services and investment earnings.
General Fund expenditures totaled about $8.58 million, which was $439,136 under budget. Public safety spending was under budget by $376,387, largely because the city budgeted for full police staffing but had several openings during the year.
The General Fund ended 2025 with a fund balance of $5.2 million, an increase of $279,411 compared with a break-even budget. The city’s unassigned fund balance stood at 49.8% of the next year’s budgeted expenditures and transfers out, above the city’s 40% policy target.
Citywide, Wayzata’s governmental funds ended the year with combined fund balances of $12.42 million, a decrease of about $2.09 million from the previous year. The decrease was tied largely to planned capital spending, including the Klapprich Park project, equipment purchases, street improvements and other capital work.
The city also reported no new debt issued in 2025. Scheduled principal payments reduced total bonded debt by about $1.46 million during the year.
The city’s enterprise funds, which include utilities, motor vehicle licensing, the municipal liquor operation and the marina, were also reviewed. The Liquor Fund reported $6.87 million in gross sales for 2025, down $213,289 from the previous year, and transferred $220,000 to support the General Fund.
Following the presentation, the council voted 3-0 to accept the city’s 2025 audited financial reports.
“McLean Roeder scored three goals with Lulu Frys and Ryan Hoefker adding two goals and two assists each to help the Wayzata girls lacrosse team score an 11-8 win over Maple Grove. Roeder’s first goal of the game broke a 1-1 tie in the first quarter to give the Trojans the lead for good. It was the fifth straight win for Wayzata (6-2). Ryley Dunn netted five goals and Taylor Soukup three to account for all the scoring for Maple Grove (5-3).” via CCX Media.
“The Wayzata boys lacrosse team stayed unbeaten this season, pulling away for a 13-4 win over Maple Grove. Ryder Alstead had four goals and two assists for the Trojans, with Cam Johnson adding two goals and three assists. Thor Soukup and Odin Schon each had a pair of goals for Wayzata. After leading 5-2 at halftime, Wayzata held Maple Grove to a pair of goals in the second half while putting four on the board in the third quarter and four more in the fourth. Wayzata is now 8-0; Maple Grove is 6-3.” via CCX Media.
Rendering of the Paul Klappirch Statue, courtesy City of Wayzata.
The Wayzata City Council approved a donation for a new statue honoring Paul Klapprich during its May 5 meeting, adopting the item as part of the consent agenda.
The statue is proposed for Klapprich Park and would serve as a tribute to Klapprich’s longtime contributions to youth hockey and the park that bears his family name.
According to the city’s agenda report, the donation is being made by Tom Shaver, Kurt Klapprich and Ed Turnquist. The proposed artwork is a life-size, bronze-coated statue of Paul Klapprich, with a stainless-steel interior. The estimated value of the donated statue is between $75,000 and $100,000.
The statue is expected to be placed northeast of the existing warming house and southwest of the new playground area. Final placement will be determined after utility locates are completed to avoid conflicts with existing infrastructure.
The donation group plans to commission artist Bret Overturf for the sculpture. City staff indicated the anticipated timeline for completion is about one year.
Under the proposal, the donation group will fund and donate the statue, while the city will pay for the concrete base and evaluate possible uplighting. Those city costs would come from the Public Art Fund.
The proposal was previously reviewed by the city’s newly established Public Art Committee, which discussed the item at its January, February and March meetings. The committee unanimously recommended approval.
Before installation, city staff will work with the donation group on a formal agreement addressing maintenance, cost allocation, potential relocation and other details. That agreement will return to the council for review and approval.
The Wayzata City Council voted 5-0 at its May 5 meeting to award a contract to Creekside Lawn & Landscape for the Library Path and Garden Project near the Wayzata Library.
The project will add a new flagstone path along the east side of the library, connecting City Hall Park to the Children’s Garden. It also includes garden bed improvements in City Hall Park, irrigation work, and the planting of approximately 10 fruit trees along the path, including apple, cherry and plum varieties.
The contract totals $40,200, which is below the $53,600 budget allocated in the Parks and Trails Capital Improvement Fund. Staff said the parks fund has adequate balance to cover the work.
Three estimates were received. Creekside Lawn & Landscape submitted the low bid at $40,200. MSP Outdoor Services submitted a $43,555 estimate, and Great Northern Landscapes, Inc. submitted a $59,036 estimate.
City staff said the project has been identified in the Parks and Trails Master Plan since 2019 and has more recently been discussed in greater detail by the Parks and Trails Board.
Garden bed enhancements are planned on both the east and west sides of the lookout area. The southern garden bed will remain planted with annuals, while the remaining beds are expected to function as an edible garden, with plantings such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, depending on availability.
Small cedar planters are also proposed along the south side of the library and would be constructed by city staff.
Creekside previously completed the Heritage Park improvement project in 2025. Staff said the contractor has indicated availability to begin construction in early summer.
The vote came during a relatively light council meeting, notwithstanding a closed session to discuss the city’s short-term rental lawsuit and a workshop discussion on Panoway planting plans.
Dr. Shawn Sailer, Dr. Barbro Brost, and Dr. Caroline Brost-Sailer pause for an impromptu photo at the Brost Clinic.
WAYZATA — When Dr. Barbro Brost and her husband, Dr. Gerald Brost, opened The Brost Clinic in Wayzata in 1986, the practice began with just two treatment rooms on the lower level of a building along Wayzata Boulevard.
Four decades later, the clinic has grown into a 7,400-square-foot practice with 25 employees, serving patients from Wayzata and surrounding communities.
For Barbro Brost, the milestone is difficult to separate from the community that helped shape the clinic’s growth.
“The Brost clinic has been very well received in the Wayzata community, where we have a population who are more health focused than many other communities,” Brost said.
Over the years, she said, the clinic has treated thousands of patients — often including multiple generations from the same family. That trust, she said, encouraged the practice to keep evolving with new research, developments in chiropractic care, nutrition, and non-pharmaceutical approaches to pain relief and wellness.
“What really stands out is the strong search for and acceptance of alternative answers for pain relief and care for health problems by people in our community,” Brost said.
The clinic’s growth exceeded what she imagined when the doors first opened.
“When we opened The Brost Clinic in 1986, I could not in my wildest dreams have imagined that we would grow from two treatment rooms in the basement — we called it garden level! — to a 7400 square foot clinic in the prime space of the same building and have 25 employees,” Brost said.
She described the clinic’s evolution as “an exciting ride,” adding that it is “by no means over.”
Today, that next chapter is being carried forward by Dr. Caroline Brost-Sailer and Dr. Shawn Sailer, who now lead the clinic after Barbro’s retirement last year.
For Caroline, the transition is both professional and deeply personal. She grew up with both parents working as chiropractors, spent time around the clinic from childhood, and worked in nearly every role in the practice before becoming a doctor herself. She is now celebrating 20 years of treating patients.
“Natural health was just a way of life for me,” Caroline said.
She said choosing chiropractic was not automatic, but over time it became a natural path.
“Choosing chiropractic felt like a very natural progression,” she said. “I always thought it would be great to follow in the family footsteps and continue the family business.”
“In a match-up featuring two of the best boys tennis teams in the state, 2025 Class AA state champion Wayzata swept last year’s Class A state champion St. Paul Academy 7-0 Monday. The Trojans won six of the seven matches in straight sets with first doubles needing a third-set tiebreaker to win. Wayzata is the top-ranked team in Minnesota again this spring. The Trojans improved their record to 11-0 with seven of their wins finishing in sweeps.” via CCX Media.
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