The Blue Earth City Council discussed multiple impending improvement projects on Monday, Oct. 2.

The city has been gradually implementing improvements to its roadways for years, and it is now in the process of determining what work will be done in 2024.

On Oct. 2, the council reviewed a preliminary engineering report for the proposed 2024 street and utility improvements.

Bolton & Menk is suggesting full reconstruction of Rice Street from Seventh Street to First Street, First Street from its dead end to its intersection with Rice Street, and Second Street from Gorman Street to Rice Street.

The blocks of 10th and 11th Streets between Ramsey and Rice Streets are slated for pavement maintenance and utility improvements.

The project’s total estimated cost is $3,538,106.

Bolton & Menk requested the council’s feedback on sidewalks. The report accounted for replacing all existing sidewalk in the project area, but it also suggested adding sidewalk along several blocks of Rice Street to fill in gaps between existing sidewalk sections.

“I’m one of those council people that thinks every street should have a sidewalk,” council member Ann Hanna replied. “We have lots of citizens saying they want places to walk – I just think sidewalks are safer.” 

The council agreed to add the suggested sidewalk along Rice Street, along with replacing the existing sidewalk in the project area.

The council also discussed some properties in the proposed project area which were recently assessed for a separate project. They decided to evaluate those properties and consider crediting them on the final assessment roll.

With those clarifications, the council approved the feasibility report. They also scheduled a public hearing for the proposed improvements on Nov. 6, and approved a proposal for televising and cleaning services in the project area. The services will cost a minimum of $7,400.

Additionally, the council reviewed an inspection report for the bleachers at Veterans Field. The bleachers have been closed to the public for several months due to safety concerns.

The report recommended redesigning the guardrail, cleaning and painting corroded connections, correcting a misaligned railing post, resetting vertical support members and reattaching the chain link backstop.

The city obtained an updated $19,500 quote from SAAFE, LLC for the improvements. City administrator Mary Kennedy noted that the updated quote is about $4,000 less than the original quote due to work which was done by Blue Earth’s Public Works Department last summer.

Council member Mike McNerney informed the council that funding for the project may also be available through a Minnesota Twins program.

Taking that information into account, the council approved the quote, but directed Kennedy to inform SAAFE that the city will need time to research funding opportunities before work on the bleachers is started. The council also wants to present the report to the City and School Joint Powers Facility Committee before the work begins.

In other business, the Blue Earth City Council: 

• Went into closed session to discuss a piece of city-owned property – the former Kerr-McGee property – which was previously suggested as the site of a veterans memorial.

Citing interest from another buyer, the council had notified the American Legion several months ago that it must present plans for the memorial by Sept. 30 if the city is to continue holding the property.

The city had not received correspondence from the Legion on Oct. 2, so the council designated the property as surplus and put it out for bid. Bids for its purchase will be due on Oct. 13.

• Discussed the city’s sewer forgiveness policy, and reviewed several examples of sewer forgiveness policies which have been adopted by area cities.

The council favored Hibbing’s sewer forgiveness policy, and directed Kennedy to use it as a model to draft a policy for Blue Earth. The council will review the draft at a future meeting.

• Discussed a draft of the city’s snow plowing policy at length before deciding to table the discussion for a future work session.

• Directed Kennedy to draft a policy change to the Blue Earth Fire Department’s by-laws. The new policy would clarify that the chief, assistant chief, captain and lieutenant positions are selected via interview.

The policy would also state that the chief and captain will be appointed at the first City Council meeting every even-numbered year, while the assistant chief and lieutenant will be appointed at the first council meeting every odd-numbered year.

• Directed staff to review a resolution which would approve Faribault County’s application to rezone a tract of land by the courthouse to install a parking lot.

The council did not want to approve the resolution on Oct. 2 due to concerns about spot-zoning a single lot.

• Reviewed proposed revisions to the city’s wages for part-time employees, which would be implemented in 2024 if approved.

“I think it’s important for us to remain a competitive employer,” Kennedy said.

• Received additional public comment about a proposal to relocate the Senior Center to St. Luke’s Lutheran Care Center.

Janet Gaylord informed the council that the Senior Center board voted to recommend that the Senior Center not be relocated.

Gaylord also said a petition to keep the Senior Center downtown has received 185 signatures.

• Received additional public comment about the city’s dog park. Marilyn Oswald requested that the existing dog park be allocated more parking.

• Approved Resolution 23-30 adopting the city’s Parks Master Plan. The council reviewed the final draft of the plan at a 4:30 p.m. work session.

• Learned that four of the eight Blue Earth properties which were issued orders of abatement for code violations on Aug. 21 are now in compliance. The city will file a court order for the remaining properties and request a hearing to address the code violations.

• Approved three assessment deferrals. Two referrals, in the amounts of $4,364 and $27,878, were deferred based on the age and income of the residents, while the third, in the amount of $5,040, was deferred because it was assessed to an undeveloped parcel of land.

• Granted Chuck Healey a CUP to construct a shed at his property near Southview Estates.

• Approved Open Door Health Center’s request to hold an event at the Ag Center on Oct. 3.

• Approved Denise Karau’s resignation as campground host.