FAIRMONT– The Fairmont City Council met Monday night and approved the sale of the former Senior Center building, approved amending license fees and Mayor Deborah Foster made two proclamations.

The history of the sale of the former Senior Center building located at 414 Downtown Plaza started on Feb. 8. The council approved moving forward with the process to sell the Senior Center building. On March 22, the council approved moving forward with the proposal submitted by Joseph Riemman with the intention of the property to be used as a brewery.

At the last city council meeting on April 12, the first reading of the ordinance and a public hearing was held as the city must sell the property by ordinance. At this meeting the second reading of the ordinance was read, the ordinance was approved and the purchase agreement was approved.

Also at the meeting was the approval of Resolution 2021-32 that increased license fees. The research was conducted by city staff and it shows that most of the current fees charged in Fairmont were established in 1991. These fees were compared to cities similar in population to Fairmont which included Alexandria, Waseca, St. Peter, New Ulm, Worthington and Grand Rapids. After that research, the results were that Fairmont’s fees were below the fees of those cities.

The licenses that will be affected by this resolution are intoxication liquor, Sunday liquor, club, on-sale 3.2 percent beer, off-sale 3.2 percent beer, on-sale wine, taproom/brewpub, brewer off-sale, temporary intoxicating, temporary 3.2 percent beer, consumption and display (set up), investigation fee and tobacco. All will increase when it comes to renewal in 2022. For the liquor part, it will be in June of 2022 and for tobacco, it will be in January of 2022.

Foster proclaimed the week of May 2-8 as National Travel and Tourism Week in Fairmont. Visit Fairmont executive Stephanie Busiahn said when she addressed the council was to take a minute to celebrate since 2020 impacted local businesses.

“I want to thank the community for continuing to support our local businesses through COVID,” Busiahn said. “They have come a long way and still have a long way to go, but the community support is helping them weather the storm.”

Board member Jason Subbert added that Fairmont is the halfway point between Chicago and Mt. Rushmore and that the summertime is the busiest for tourism.

Foster also proclaimed April 30, 2021, as Arbor Day and the month of May 2021 as Arbor Month in Fairmont.

In other action, the board:

— Approved authorizing the sale of the 2021A 2021B bond issues.

— Approved awarding the 2021-B, Resurface and Overlay Projects to Minnesota Paving & Materials of Mankato, Minnesota.

The next city council meeting will be held on Monday, May 10 at 5:30 p.m.