BLUE EARTH– As Blue Earth wraps up its summer street improvement projects, it has shifted its gaze from past projects to projects yet to come.

At a City Council meeting held on Monday, the council formally received a feasibility report from Bolton & Menk and scheduled a public hearing for proposed 2023 street improvement projects.

The proposed improvements concern sections of Moore Street, Galbraith Street, Ramsey Street, First Street and Third Street – a total of 15 blocks.

Following the proposed improvements, the area of north of Fifth Street, apart from Rice Street, will have been entirely rehabilitated.

“Overall, all of the streets share similar characteristics. They are all in poor shape, and have running potholes and poor drainage,” Bolton & Menk engineer Ben Rosol summarized. 

Bolton & Menk estimates the recommended improvements will cost $4,754,600.55.

“This cost does account for a five percent contingency for unknowns,”  Rosol clarified.

The council voted unanimously to pass Resolution 22-25, formally receiving Bolton & Menk’s report and calling for a public hearing on Dec. 5.

The council also voted on several ordinances, one of which has been of great interest to the public.

After several months of back-and-forth, the council approved Ordinance 22-18 relating to the keeping of urban chickens on a 5-2 vote, with council members Russ Erichsrud and Ann Hanna in opposition.

The ordinance will redefine chickens as separate from other farm animals and allow Blue Earth residents to keep chickens within city limits if they follow the proper permitting process.

The council also approved Ordinance 22-17, authorizing the sale of city-owned property to G&S Drainage and Excavation for the amount of $3,000.

In other business, the Blue Earth City Council:

— Reviewed the proposed 2023 budgets for the Blue Earth Police Department, the Blue Earth Public Works Department and the Blue Earth Wastewater Treatment Plant during a worksession.

The police department wants to increase its budget by $169,183.83, or 19 percent, to accommodate the purchase of new body armor and hiring an additional full-time police officer.

The public works department wants to increase its budget by $387,890.73, or 26 percent, while the wastewater treatment plant wants to increase its budget by $492,764.14, or 28 percent.

— Approved a $4,500 contribution to the Faribault County Historical Society to relieve its utility expenses.

— Approved a $459.99 one-time sewer credit to residents Matt and Kiera Meyer to offset a large sewer charge they received in June.

— Reimbursed residents Bob and Kay Bogan in the amount of $43.98 for fertilizer they purchased for a portion of their lawn which was reseeded by the city.

— Approved a variance request from Benjamin and Chelsey Gjere, which will allow them to build a fence along their property line.