Melrose Select Board approves $170,445 insurance renewal and two EMT hires

MELROSE — May 21, 2026 — Melrose Select Board approves $170,445 property insurance renewal and two EMT hires at May 21 meeting. The board voted unanimously to renew its coverage through the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust at $170,445, a 7.45 percent increase over the prior-year premium of $158,624, driven largely by an 8.17 percent rise in electric utility property coverage; the deductible was held at $5,000 to $15,000 and excess liability coverage was declined. Two EMT hires — Adam Schmidt and AJ Amundsen, both contingent on completing testing and screening — were also approved, with Chief Mouse saying the department expects to reach full staffing by approximately September. The board opened the meeting by presenting certificates to the Knowledge Bowl team, which won its third state title in four years and placed second nationally on April 16, and to the Speech team, which claimed its third state championship with the second-highest team score in state tournament history, including individual titles for Esther Kapsner and Teague Dusha. The city administrator search, managed by firm DDA, has drawn 31 applicants; candidate evaluation is set for June 8 and finalist interviews for June 30.