Apart from attending to regular business, the Winnebago Economic Development Authority (EDA) said ‘farewell’ to a staff member at their monthly meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 7.

“This is my last official EDA meeting,” EDA specialist Angie Stier announced to the board on Wednesday evening. “I am going to be working closer to home and taking a contract near St. Peter.” 

Stier also introduced her replacement, EDA specialist Jennifer Howard, to the board.

Howard - a Winnebago resident - has been working with CEDA as a Faribault County EDA specialist since March. Currently, she is working two days a week in Fairmont, and she plans to spend Mondays and Wednesdays in Winnebago following Stier’s departure.

Stier and Howard are already making plans for a smooth transition. Stier intends to help Howard over the next few weeks as she adjusts to her new position.

Stier also plans to stay in touch with Winnebago’s Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP) group.

“I will be attending the October (MHP) workshop to make sure everything transfers over,” Stier assured the EDA board.

The board thanked Stier for her service to the Winnebago community.

“Thank you for all you did for us,” Amanda Johnson, an EDA board member and Winnebago business owner, said to Stier.

Howard, meanwhile, is excited to step in as Winnebago’s new EDA specialist.

“I always wanted to be working with Winnebago,” Howard said.

The Winnebago EDA also held a serious discussion about a $1,644.76 bill which is causing the board some grief.

The bill is the result of advertising for a fundraiser which the Winnebago community recently hosted for the Howe family, whose home was destroyed by a fire last June.

In preparation for the fundraiser, its committee placed an ad with KBEW radio station for several weeks to encourage area residents to donate to the cause.

KBEW’s $1,644.76 bill for the ad was made out to the Winnebago EDA, which mayor Scott Robertson admits is per instructions he gave to KBEW.

When the issue arose, EDA board member Doug Hill conducted research regarding whether it is appropriate for the EDA to supply the funds. He informed the board of his findings on Wednesday.

“It is pretty typical that the ad cost be paid out of the proceeds of the fundraiser,” Hill said. “I just don’t think (this is) appropriate for our money.” Hill concluded that the bill should have been made out to the fundraising committee.

City administrator Judi Hynes added, “(The bill) would not qualify under the use of public funds for the city, if it’s going to an individual.” 

“If you look under the EDA guidelines, it doesn’t qualify either,” Hill agreed.

The situation became more complicated when the EDA board learned that all the proceeds from the fundraiser have already been distributed to the Howe family.

“I guess you can blame me, if someone is looking to be blamed,” Robertson responded. He added, however, “I disagree with Doug.”

When Hill still insisted that EDA guidelines do not support the EDA donating to charitable fundraisers, Robertson suggested the EDA board check and see if any more funds have been deposited in the account which was set up for the Howes at First Financial Bank Winnebago.

If the account does not contain sufficient funds to pay the $1,644 bill, however, the EDA is still unsure how they will handle the situation.

In the meantime, Melissa Engelby, EDA vice president, proposed the board should communicate with KBEW that the bill will not be paid in the immediate future.

Hynes also suggested the City Council could appropriate funds from the city’s 10 percent gambling fund to pay the bill. However, she and several board members worried this would set an inappropriate precedent for the future.

Hill concluded, “We’re stuck with the bill, and that’s a problem. We’ll just have to figure out how to handle it.”  He added, “No one’s questioning that it went to a good cause.” 

In other business, the Winnebago EDA: 

• Approved a Housing Study Request for Proposals which has been submitted to area agencies. The study is due on Friday, Sept. 9, at 4 p.m., at which point the housing team will review the submitted proposals and recommend several to the Winnebago City Council at their meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 13.

• Selected the Huntley Cafe to provide meals for Manufacturers Day on Monday, Oct. 3.

The meals will cost a total of $674.94, with each lunch including a pulled pork sandwich, a portion of potato salad, a bar and a bottle of water.

• Approved the purchase of a two-sided, four-by-eight foot plywood sign from Stauffer Graphics & Signs for $895.

The sign will be placed on the lot at 34 S. Main Street in Winnebago, which was previously the site of the SuperValu building. It will advertise the lot for redevelopment, highlighting incentives available to redevelopers.

• Approved a Commercial Exterior Grant for the Winnebago Area Museum in the amount of $2,175.

The grant will fund half of a $4,350 improvement project the museum will be undertaking to remove and replace 93 feet of sidewalk on the north side of the museum.

• Awarded the EDA’s September Business Spotlight Award to Amy Bartlett Family Child Care.