Rebecca Charles of CEDA (Community and Economic Development Associates) appeared before the City of Rushford Village Council Meeting on February 6 to present her monthly report and the news that she had just been informed that CRV had been selected for funding through the Minnesota Department of Transportation recent Safe Routes to School solicitation. Charles shared that the city of Rushford was on board with connecting routes with their existing trails.
Charles estimates the grant will be around $25,000. Planners are looking at four different locations for the potential route; soil testing and design will be completed later. The council voted to accept the grant.
A kick-off meeting will be held later with people from the community. The trail study will not be placed online, but copies of the study will be available at CRV City Hall.
Charles shared that the mission statements and goals will be included in the CRV comprehensive plan.
R-P Valley Chamber of Commerce
Stephanie Eggert, executive director of Rushford-Peterson Valley Chamber of Commerce, appeared before the council to provide an update on the work of the Chamber. Eggert encouraged the council members to attend the upcoming annual meeting to be held February 21 at 4 p.m. at the Creamery in Rushford. The University of Minnesota guest speaker will be presenting on Entrepreneurial Development Profile; the meeting will focus on entrepreneurial opportunities in the R-P Valley area. The Chamber plans to once again have an Open Doors Tour of buildings in the area. An update on some of the Farmers Win Coop site plans will be provided as well.
Eggert encouraged the council to contact her regarding any buildings they’d like added to the Open Doors Tour. The Chamber and R-P Schools are working on another Career Day for students; Eggert asked the council to let her know of any CRV businesses wishing to participate in the event. She stressed that the Chamber works for CRV and urged the council to contact her for anything she can help them with.
The council approved their $618 yearly membership in the R-P Valley Chamber of Commerce and thanked Eggert for her work.
ARPA Funds Spent
The CRV council still needed to spend the remaining ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) Funds of $10,938.08. City Clerk Mary Miner suggested that the work being done on the city maintenance shed could be paid for from the fund since it was a safety issue for employees to be able to get cleaned up.
STS Plumbing and Heating has finished the bathroom; Norman’s Electric Service has wired the bathroom and the fuel barrel light. Walls and bookshelves will be soon put up in the building. Miner noted that the lumber, insulation and tin for the building had been delivered.
Rebecca Charles commented that this would be a good use for the funds. She noted that CRV doesn’t have its own EMS, fire department or ambulance department to use the money. Acting Mayor Mike Ebner pointed out that the CRV was designated as an emergency operations center, however. He said he was looking at working collaboratively with Peterson and Rushford to have each of the cities become back-ups for the others in emergencies.
A backup generator was suggested as another possible way to use the remaining funds. The CRV council decided to approve having STS install eyewash stations in the shed and use the funds to pay for STS work on plumbing the bathroom in the maintenance building.
Planning and Zoning
Planning and Zoning Administrator Jon Pettit reported new permits were issued to Troy and Audra Skalet to replace a door and flooring; Jeremiah Smith to re-side a house; Daniel Sorum to build a calf shed.
A phone call had been received by Pettit regarding a potential development area, but nothing further has happened at this time. Ben Bernard is planning to build a new home on land near Glen and Kaye Bernard’s home, but has not yet submitted the plans for the home to Planning and Zoning.
Presidential
Nomination Primary
Since this primary election will be held at CRV City Hall on March 5 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., CRV council will not meet that day. March 19 will be the only CRV meeting in March.
Miner informed the council that election judges will be Karen Thompson, Liz Atkinson, Catherine Bakken, Gordy Elliott, Bonnie Elliott, Judy Graham and Mary Miner.
The next meeting of CRV will be February 20 at 7 p.m. in CRV City Hall; the public is encouraged to attend.
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