This grave marker for infant Henry Burleson is not necessarily where the actual location of the grave is at the historic church.

The Blue Earth City Council attended to business briskly at a meeting held on Tuesday, June 21.

At the beginning of the meeting, Faribault County Historical Society (FCHS) director Randy Anderson brought a potentially ‘grave’ issue to the council’s attention.

According to Anderson, the issue came to light when the FCHS applied for a $162,300 Minnesota Historical Society grant to repair and stabilize Blue Earth’s Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. Discussion arose with the MNHS and Minnesota’s state archeologist, Amanda Gronhovd, regarding the unmarked grave of infant Henry Burleson, which is known to be located somewhere on the church’s grounds.

Anticipating soil disturbance during the restoration project, the FCHS conductted site searches last September and October to locate Burleson’s grave. They eventually located the burial site on the northeast corner of the church’s property, buried roughly 18 inches below the ground’s surface.

It is possible a retaining wall which borders a group of storage sheds on the Crescent Apartment property collides with Burleson’s burial site. If this is the case, the wall may be in violation of Minnesota State Statute 307.08, which governs human remains located outside of recognized cemeteries, Anderson reported.

Anderson was curious as to how the Crescent Apartment site received permitting to expand as near to the church’s property as it had.

“I can affirm that I have discovered in our files no notice of public hearing, or determination of easement, that would have permitted this westward development of Crescent Apartments’ property,” Anderson noted in a written correspondence to the council.

He informed the council that state archeologist Gronhovd will conduct a detailed site study and formally register the burial this fall. He also suspects if the retaining wall is in violation of State Statute 307.08, it will be proclaimed so at that time.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she (Gronhovd) issues some sort of determination saying the (retaining) wall has to be removed,” Anderson predicted.

Mayor Rick Scholtes replied that at the time of the wall’s construction, he does not believe there would have been restrictions to its location as long as properties on either side of the property line respected utility right-of-ways.

He advised Anderson to keep the council informed regarding the results of the inspection, suggesting the council can wait to make a decision regarding the issue until the city and FCHS have more information.

“If we have to adopt and adjust because there’s a grave site there, we’ll get to that,” Scholtes said. “Just keep us in touch with what you learn.”

In other business, the Blue Earth City Council: 

• Received Blue Earth’s 2021 audit report from Dean Birkeland, of CarlsonSV CPA’s and Advisors. He reported most of the city’s financial statements received an unmodified opinion.

Birkeland also added the city’s general fund balance seems to be in good shape.

• Approved Chase Brandt, a financial advisor at Edward Jones, to join the Economic Development Authority.

• Unanimously approved Ordinance 22-13 amending Subsection 360.15, Subd.3, which regulates the permitting process for urban chicken ownership.

-Approved a sewer forgiveness request from M&M Insurance Agency in the amount of $595.77. The council also approved a sewer forgiveness request from Jerica Wolf in the amount of $535.78.

• Approved a draft of an agreement with the Faribault County Baseball Association regarding the maintenance of the baseball fields.The draft will be sent to the Baseball Association for their review and approval before the policy is put into effect.

• Received an update regarding the summer street improvement projects from project engineer Ben Rosol. Rosol noted Seventh Street will be closed for construction on Monday, and the first phase of construction on the First Street area should be done by early next week.

• Approved the first and final pay estimate for drain tile replacement at the Blue Earth Municipal Airport in the amount of $20,353.25.

• Approved updated impound rates proposed by the Faribault County Humane Society. A $500 per month fee will be paid to the FCHS by the city of Blue Earth, along with a rate of $20 a day per dog kept in the facility, and $5 a day per cat.

• Scheduled a public hearing on July 5 for a beekeeping permit application at 205 First Street.