Blue Earth city staff stepped up to the plate to answer questions from residents and council members alike at a meeting held on Monday, June 6.

The first inquiry of the evening was addressed by city engineer Wes Brown.

Several Main Street business owners voiced concerns about the lack of parking along the block between Seventh and Eighth Streets.

Michele Hard, owner of Michele’s Quilting and Sewing Center, urged the council to consider adjusting the parking spaces on the west side of the block to angled parking.

“Even if we just did one side angled, that would make things free up a little more for our customers,” Hard said.

Brown responded that Main Street, which is a county highway, has to follow state regulations. Currently, restrictions deem the road too narrow to accommodate angled parking spaces.

“At this point, without some sort of variance process through the state, which I don’t think the county would support, I don’t think it can be done,” Brown said.

Marie Northwick, owner of Headlines Plus, inquired whether the council has any other solutions for parking along the popular block.

“We hate to discourage customers, and many won’t park because it’s parallel parking,” Northwick said. “It’s just bad, and it’s never been addressed.” 

Mayor Rick Scholtes responded the city will keep the issue under consideration in the future.

Another inquiry was addressed by city attorney David Frundt.

Due to recent confusion regarding the relationship between the Library Board and the city, Frundt clarified that the Library Board is designated as a statutory board according to the Blue Earth City Charter.

If the Library Board were designated as an advisory board, it would cede more authority to the city than it does currently as a statutory board.

Frundt advised the council about the possibility of changing the Library Board’s status.

“Staff has had an opportunity to take a look at other cities that have library boards with charters, specifically Austin,” Frundt said.

He explained if the council was interested in amending the Charter, and, by extension, the Library Board’s status as a statutory board, he and city administrator Mary Kennedy could study Austin’s charter as a basis for crafting a proposal to bring to Blue Earth’s Charter Commission.

The council expressed no objections to Frundt’s suggestion.

“I think it would be worth looking into,” Scholtes responded.

Then, Brown was up to bat once more, this time to update the council about the structural integrity of the Veterans Baseball Field dugouts.

Brown reported a structural engineer has examined the dugouts and saw no imminent risk of their collapse.

“There are cracks in the joints, but the blocks haven’t really shifted out of alignment,” Brown explained.

He added aesthetic fixes could be implemented to improve the dugouts’ appearance for the time being.

In other business, the Blue Earth City Council: 

• Conducted a first reading of an ordinance to amend the regulation of urban chickens.

The proposed amendment would allow the council to issue a residential poultry permit in the event that a resident’s neighbors refuse to offer consent.

The council scheduled a public hearing for the amended ordinance at their next meeting, which will be held on June 21.

• Approved a proposal for impound services from the Faribault County Humane Society (FCHS), under the contingency that a new agreement will be drafted when the FCHS has relocated to their new building and finalized any changes to their budget and fees.

• Approved an agreement between Blue Earth resident Jim Pollard and the city of Blue Earth for the display of fossils and artifacts in the Blue Earth Community Library and Fossil Discovery Center.

• Consulted with Blue Earth Wine & Spirits manager Dave Olson about proposed improvements to the store’s checkout counters.

Olson brought two design options for the council’s consideration. One option offers two separate checkout counters, while the other option offers two checkout stations located along one continuous counter.

The council requested Olson put both options out for bid and bring the estimates back for the council’s consideration.

• Adopted a resolution providing for the issuance and sale of $5,015,000 in General Obligation bonds to Northland Securities, with a 3.13 percent rate.

Proceeds of the bonds will be used to finance various street improvement projects and utility projects.

• Approved an agreement designating a payment of $1,500 to the Blue Earth Area Baseball Association to be allocated for the maintenance of the baseball fields over the summer.

• Heard an update from Kennedy about the Blue Earth Fire Department’s search for a new firetruck.

She shared the search has been difficult, but the department is interested in a 2023 Pierce Contender Maxi Metal 3,600 gallon tanker from MacQueen Emergency.

The department is waiting for a closer price estimate, but the current estimate is $425,000.