BLUE EARTH — Blue Earth City Council has given the go-ahead for the transfer of the Three Sisters buildings downtown to the Rural Renaissance Project.

The transfer is expected to be completed next month.

Three members of the Rural Renaissance Project visited with the council Monday to go over the details. One issue had to do with the actual entity that will own the buildings.

“We are having some issue with the non-profit (RRP) actually owning real estate,” Ann DeWitz of RRP told the council. “So we may have to form [a limited liability corporation] for the actual ownership, while the non-profit will concentrate on operating the buildings.”

Janie Hanson of RRP updated the council on the group’s plans. While they had not met the council’s goal of raising $1 million for the project, she did say they expect fundraising to improve once they have ownership and show progress on the project.

“We are also looking at doing one building at a time, starting with the larger one, but taking ownership of all three,” Hanson said. “We need to work with heating and air conditioning and plumbing right away and that is tied to all three. We would leave expensive items like kitchens for the future.”

The council discussed having a timeline added into the agreement that would have the city able to take the buildings back, should not enough progress on the project be completed in a two-year period.

In other business, the council:

o Authorized plans for street work in the West Industrial Park that will be paid for by the county and the city. Total cost is estimated at $367,125.

o Designated a dog named Thumper as a potentially dangerous dog after it bit the hand of a person in Steinberg Park.

o Approved the 2019 contracts for city engineer with Bolton & Menk and city attorney with Frundt, Lundquist and Gustafson, with no changes in rates.

o Also approved the 2019 city fee schedule, final 2019 tax levy and 2018 budget transfers from some city funds to other funds.