The city of Blue Earth was the successful bidder for the Wells Fargo building at a bid of $225,000. It will become the new Blue Earth City Hall.

On Wednesday, Nov. 1, the Blue Earth City Council concluded a discussion which has extended across four separate closed sessions, two of which occurred on Wednesday at 8 a.m. and at 3 p.m.

After re-opening the meeting to the public on Wednesday afternoon, the council was ready to announce the city’s plans to purchase the former Wells Fargo building on E. Seventh Street. The council confirmed that the city wants to relocate City Hall to that location.

The council authorized city administrator Mary Kennedy and mayor Rick Scholtes to complete the necessary paperwork to acquire the building and its parking lot. The city intends to purchase the property for $225,000.

City attorney David Frundt explained that the council’s long, closed-session discussion – which was started at a regular meeting on Oct. 16 – was held to address safety and security issues for Blue Earth city employees.

“The conversation has lasted a number of meetings to gather additional information,” Frundt explained. “Primarily, the discussion started out with concerns about access for the public to city employees, in this building (City Hall) and elsewhere.”

He reported that, recently, four separate restraining orders have needed to be issued to members of the public on behalf of city employees.

“We worked on, applied for and granted those to city employees,” Frundt said.

He added the council also discussed potential renovations to City Hall which would address its safety and security issues. Additionally, the improvements would bring the building into ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance.

According to Frundt, an architect estimated that the necessary renovations would cost over $500,000.

At an upcoming regular City Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 6, at 5 p.m., Kennedy will present paperwork detailing the improvements which would have been covered by that $500,000 estimate.

Frundt said that given the steep cost of renovations to City Hall, the council then examined potential alternative locations for City Hall which would address the city’s security needs.

As part of this closed session discussion, the council received updates about the city’s participation in an auction for the Wells Fargo property. According to Frundt, the property came up for auction while the council was in the midst of conversations about safety concerns at City Hall.

“The council discussed this for the purpose of comparing that property versus this property (City Hall) for safety and security issues,” Frundt explained.

He reminded the public that the council has also updated the hours at City Hall as part of its efforts to ensure staff’s safety at City Hall.

Following their closed session discussion on Oct. 16, the council voted to decrease the hours during which City Hall is open to the public. Now, it is open from 9 a.m. to noon, and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Fridays.

The hours went into effect on Monday, Oct. 23, and will remain in place through the end of the year.

When City Hall is relocated, Scholtes said he assumes the city will either keep the building which currently serves as City Hall, or rent it out.

He reported that the closing date on the Wells Fargo building will need to be scheduled prior to Nov. 30, so the purchase is expected to be finalized this month.