BLUE EARTH — The city of Blue Earth may use the proceeds of a new city sales tax to accelerate the number of street reconstruction projects it does each year.

The City Council on Monday discussed the possibility of using up to $1 million per project, for a total of $5 million over the next few years.

“Right now, we are doing about $2 million per year on our street reconstruction projects,” said Mayor Rick Scholtes. “If we add $1 million to the total, we could start doing two projects in one year starting in 2021.”

Voters in the city gave the go-ahead to having a half-cent sales tax in Blue Earth. The city then had to make application to the state to implement the tax, which was authorized this past legislative session and recently signed by the governor.

“The state wants us to narrow down exactly where this sales tax money will be used,” said city administrator Tim Ibisch. “So we need to dedicate the funds to specific projects.”

Ibisch added this needs to be done quickly, if the city is going to start collecting the city tax in the third quarter of the year.

“I think this is the best use of the money,” Scholtes told the council. “I think we could then do the project we have planned for 2021 and the one for 2022 both in 2021. We could do six projects in the next three years and make a big impact.”

The council agreed and decided to put the plan into the form of a resolution for the next meeting.

In other business at the meeting, the council:

o Passed a motion to allow temporary event liquor permits to be issued to the Blue Earth Community Foundation, acting as an agent for the Project 3 Sisters group. The permits would allow events to be held in the Three Sisters buildings in downtown Blue Earth to offer liquor. Project 3 Sisters owns the buildings but has not been in existence long enough to apply for the liquor permit, so it was done through the foundation, Ibisch explained.

o Heard a report from city engineer Wes Brown of Bolton & Menk on the various projects in the city. Included was an update on the joint powers project with Faribault County to repave streets in the West Industrial Park. Brown said the county has adjusted the city’s share of the cost and it is now at $55,288, just under the preliminary estimates for the work.

o Discussed putting up so-called “jake brake” signs that would warn truckers and others of a noise ordinance when they slow down when coming into city limits.