The Blue Earth Economic Development Authority whizzed through a short agenda on Thursday morning, Feb. 9.

The EDA debuted a new start time for their monthly meeting that morning – 7:30 a.m. The board agreed to continue meeting at that time for the foreseeable future.

The board reviewed a proposal from KEYC News Now to run three commercials promoting the city of Blue Earth for the next seven months, February through August.

The advertising package would cost a total of $5,000.

“This quote is for the commercials that were done a year and a half to two years ago,” EDA specialist Amy Schaefer explained. “We do get a lot of attention from them.”

Mayor Rick Scholtes observed that EDA’s budget does not support the cost of the advertisements, and that their benefits extend beyond the EDA. As such, he suggested that the quote could be brought before the City Council, instead.

“We should see if we can get the Liquor Store Fund to pay for it,” he said. “This is not specific to the EDA; it is specific to the whole town. The EDA started it, and maybe the City Council can continue it.”

The EDA agreed to look into other methods of funding the advertising campaign, and took no action for the time being.

The board also reviewed the EDA’s 2024 Work Plan, which Schaefer had revised after discussion held at January’s meeting.

“We discussed we would just start fresh,” she reminded the board. “I did add childcare and workforce as additional goals.”

She also added revisiting the development of the Mankse tracts and the Barco property to the work plan.

In other business, the Blue Earth EDA:

• Approved its first-ever Utility Revolving Loan Fund application, which was submitted by Cedar Inn Drive-In.

The $1,600 loan will fund improvements needed for the business’s HVAC system.

• Learned that Blue Earth will no longer be partnering with Winnebago to apply for the First Children’s Finance Rural Child Care Innovation Program.

“We tried to assemble a core team – we wanted 14 people, and we had nine without staff,” Schaefer reported. “We could not assemble a team in time for the application.”

She added, “It’s getting harder and harder to get people to volunteer their time. We’ll see if we can figure out something else to do, maybe on the local level.”

• Received an update about a large leak recently discovered at the Ag Center, in the space formerly occupied by the Center for Specialty Care.

City administrator Mary Kennedy explained that a pipe burst within the unit during the January cold snap, resulting in hundreds of gallons of water flooding the space.

She said the plumbing to the suite has been capped, and an insurance adjuster has been on site to evaluate the damage. They recommended hiring a damage mitigation company for further assessment, and to determine the scope of the insurance claim.

“We’re in the process of getting it cleaned up and getting quotes for repairs,” Kennedy said. “It will be a while.”

• Reviewed the 2023 EDA Annual Report, which Schaefer will soon be presenting to the Blue Earth City Council.

“This looks very nice,” EDA president Bill Rosenau observed.

• Was informed by Schaefer that the city does not own any stock photos to use for promotional purposes.

“I reached out to the school, and they have a photography class,” she said. “I’m hoping the students can do a project for stock photos for the city.”