City engineer Wes Brown, center, goes over the proposed street/ utility project during the public hearing.

The Blue Earth City Council met on Monday evening, Nov. 1, at 5 p.m. to discuss 2022’s street improvement plans and their inevitable companion: property assessments.

City engineer Wes Brown presented the council and assembled members of the public with a detailed plan regarding which streets will go under the bulldozer next year.

Brown presented plans to reconstruct First Street from Main Street to Gorman Street, and Gorman Street from Seventh Street to First Street.

The Galbraith Street area will also receive some attention. Fourth Street from Galbraith Street to Rice Street will be reconstructed, as will a block of Galbraith Street before the railroad tracks near Leland Parkway.

Finally, a small leg of Moore Street between First Street and the railroad tracks will also face reconstruction, and a half-block by Blue Earth Monument.

Additionally, included on the schedule will be Galbraith Street between Third Street and Fifth Street; one block will only be slated for mill and overlay.

“Those of you who live out there know what street conditions are like,” Brown reasoned. “There is a lot of deterioration on the pavement, narrow street widths, and the sewer is in pretty poor condition as well.” 

“The sanitary sewer is aging with deteriorating PVC pipe and manholes,” he said. Brown noted some blocks along First Street and Gorman Street do not have sanitary sewer, resulting in long services to residents.

Brown also noted the aging storm sewer along portions of the streets slated for improvement, which is resulting in poor drainage.

“Any time there is water sitting on the roadway, it deteriorates after,” Brown explained.

Finally, Brown sees similar issues with aging and deterioration in watermains.

“Aging and undersized watermains will increase the frequency of breaks,” Brown concluded.

Due to these issues, Brown explained the project’s objectives include improving street surface conditions, reducing sewer inflow, infiltration, and obstructions, increasing water system flow capacity, replacing deteriorating infrastructure, and decreasing maintenance.

The complete upheaval of an entire city block does present an opportunity for some re-design. Brown shared a few differences which will occur along certain blocks’ sidewalk paths.

“We are currently proposing to construct and replace new sidewalk in the blocks between Main and Galbraith,” Brown shared. He added there are currently no plans to construct a sidewalk on the south side of First Street.

Plans for the reconstruction of Gorman Street indicate sidewalk along its west side, but not its east side. Gorman Street’s sidewalk will intersect with sidewalk along the south side of Fourth Street.

Galbraith Street will include sidewalk on its west side, between Fourth Street and Third Street. Sidewalk will also be built along its east side. Additionally, sidewalk will run along the south side of Fourth Street between Galbraith Street and Rice Street.

Sidewalks, in fact, turned out to be the most contested issue of the evening. Several citizens voiced confusion and concern at the idea of losing some existing sidewalk. Some simply wanted clarity regarding how the city determines where sidewalk will be laid.

One resident remarked, “Maybe five years ago, we just replaced the whole sidewalk there (First Street). I  do an in-home daycare there, and we use the sidewalk a lot. If there’s any way to keep the sidewalk on the south side it would be a great help to me.” 

Some citizens disliked the idea of losing any sidewalk at all.

“Why would they do that? Remove the sidewalk?” one resident said. “That’s why people are walking in the street. You might as well not have any sidewalks.” 

Brown responded, “We hear a lot of people who don’t want sidewalk in front of their house. We’re trying to pick one side or another to make one walk.”

He added, “It’s up to the street committee and council to decide what they want to do, and where they want to put sidewalks.” 

Of course, any improvements come with a cost, sidewalk or no sidewalk.

Brown estimates assessment rates using a three-year rolling average of the Blue Earth area, producing a fairly accurate guess as to what residents will have to pay in assessment fees.

As of now, the estimated project cost sits at $5,139,565, with affected Blue Earth residents being assessed for a total of $983,534.

As usual, applicable residents who are over the age of 65 or in active military duty may apply for determent from assessment fees.

Monday’s hearing was the first step in implementing the street improvement plan. After the hearing, the council had the opportunity to pass a resolution to put the plan in motion.

The council had a lengthy discussion about residents’ comments regarding sidewalks.

“I don’t feel comfortable making all these quick decisions tonight,” council member John Huisman said. “Can we come back to this?”

He continued, “We’re hearing tonight from some people who do want sidewalks. And we have to take those under consideration. I’m suggesting we have the engineer lay out sidewalks street by street so we can take into account what the public wants.” 

Agreeing with Huisman, the council passed a motion for Brown to go ahead with the bids which he had presented, and work on plans for Blue Earth’s sidewalks through the design process.

In other business, the council addressed the following topics: 

• Options for the layout of a new recreational complex in Putnam Park.

Brown presented four options to the council, the fourth of which was favored by the group. It featured six tennis courts located where Putnam’s existing tennis court facility sits, plus an additional two tennis courts, three pickleball courts, and basketball court on a lot across the street, currently owned by the HRA.

“Those two combos should be what the school needs and what the city needs,” said council member Glenn Gaylord.

The council agreed, however, that the plans must be discussed and approved with both the Blue Earth Area School District and the HRA before any concrete decisions regarding Putnam Park’s layout are made.

• Reviewing classification and compensation study proposals from Flaherty and Hood, P.A., DDA Human Resources, Inc., and Abdo, Eich & Meyers, LLP during a work session at 4:30 p.m.

At the regular city council meeting, the council selected Flaherty & Hood, P.A. to perform the study, citing their competitive cost estimate of $15,050 and their successful services for the city of Wells as noteworthy benefits.