Trending
BLUE EARTH -- Both the Blue Earth City Council and the Blue Earth Economic Development Authority (EDA) voted Monday night, May 17, to grant an extension to a development agreement with Project 3 Sisters LLC.
The agreement concerned having certain improvements made to the Three Sisters buildings in downtown Blue Earth. Those improvements include painting the south wall and installing HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) equipment.
The original agreement called for the improvements to be completed within 18 months of the sale of the buildings from the city and EDA to Project 3 Sisters, but it also had been previously extended six months to June 1.
After a report from Janie Hanson of Project 3 Sisters concerning plans for both financing the construction work and starting the work itself, another extension was granted.
Members of the EDA board, who were present at the council meeting, voted first for the extension, with one board member, Ann Hanna, voting no. Hanna stated that if there was to be an extension, then she would like to see the development agreement rewritten.
After the EDA vote, the council also voted, unanimously, to grant the extension which moved the date for completion of the wall painting being completed and HVAC system installed and operational to Sept. 30 of this year.
In other business at the meeting, the council:
-- Passed a resolution to sell bonds in the amount of $6.39 million which will be used to fund street and utility projects. The actual bond sale will be on June 21 at 11 a.m.
-- Agreed with a request from Public Works supervisor Jamison Holland to close three blocks during this summer's street construction project to use for reserved parking by South Nicollet residents only, while their dead end street is being worked on.
The limited parking would start after the 10th Street construction is completed and the street surface is returned to a gravel base.
The three blocks are 10th Street between Main and Linton streets and Nicollet Street from Ninth to 10th streets.
-- Passed a motion removing the requirement of wearing masks and practicing social distancing at city meetings because of the CDC and governor's recent announcements.
-- Looked at a list of tax-forfeited properties in the city limits and will decide at a later meeting if the city is interested in taking ownership of any of them.