The Historic Campus & Riverfront Masterplan committee met for the first time in late 2021. At the April 29 meeting of the Preston City Council, Charles Aug, steering committee member, said the former Dairy & Farm building is a good place for a permanent home for the Preston Historical Society (PHS). He suggested the plan is feasible and has good support from the community.
Craig Britton, Widseth, reviewed steps taken over about three years by PHS.
Last November the city council adopted a resolution to begin a negotiation to work out an agreement regarding the former Dairy & Farm site which is owned by the city.
Since that time PHS has appealed for Legacy Grant funding and hired Widseth with a SMIF grant to aid with the planning. Widseth has since conducted a community survey. Eighty-eight community members responded to the survey and of those 84.1% agreed the new depot should include a permanent space to host public events. A community space is included in the floor plan.
Two-thirds of the survey respondents said an improved historic campus would attract them to the trailhead park and riverfronts.
An estimate in the amount of $363,000 was provided by Eickhoff Construction, Inc. for a six-phase renovation project of the Dairy & Farm building.
Mayor Kurt Reicks asked if 100% of PHS was backing the plan. Councilman Steve Hall said he couldn’t say it was 100% because he didn’t know if everyone voted, but there were no “no” votes.
Aug suggested PHS could do fundraising for each phase. The first four phases will need to be done to use the space. We are asking the city for a more formal agreement to occupy the space.
Reicks asked about plans for fundraising. Aug said he felt there is a lot of support for it; this is the time to do it. Hall called it a win-win for the city and PHS, noting, “I just want to move forward.”
City Administrator Ryan Throckmorton asked what the next step will be if the city council approves the resolution. Hall suggested they could have a negotiation committee established by the next city council meeting and also work with city attorney Dwight Luhmann during the next few weeks.
A letter endorsing the PHS Riverfront Master Plan and Depot Construction was provided by Widseth. The proposed project can be a benefit to the city of Preston and the southern Minnesota region. Their opinion was that the research, estimates, and Widseth’s budget review of PHS support the viability of the project.
The resolution as written by PHS for a Depot-Museum-Event Center & Campus was adopted. The resolution says the city accepts the submitted information and agrees to undertake negotiations for a long-term use agreement with PHS for the Dairy & Farm site.
Other Business in Brief
- A rezoning request (from R-3 Multiple Family to R-2 One and Two Family Residential) submitted by John and Cheryl Lustig for property at 108 Main St. SE was approved as recommended by the Planning Commission. No comments from the public were heard at the public hearing.
- An amended Fee Schedule Ordinance was approved. Changes to the fee schedule include the elimination of library fees, a fee for a special vehicle permit, a fee for request for special P & Z meeting, an increase in conditional use permit fee, and Park Board fee increases.
- Mandy Huston was hired as the Tourism/Chamber director. She has lived locally for the past five years and has worked for years in marketing.
- A ductless mini-split that offers both heating and cooling will be installed by Larson & Sons in the visitors center at a cost of $3,420. Frank Electric will wire the mini-split at an estimated cost of $500-$700.
- The area under the library stairs has been found to have high moisture. An estimate to wash, grind, and apply a lifetime sealer to the stairs from Yoder Masonry in the amount of $2,800 was approved.
- A request for proposals from qualified firms to prepare and audit the city’s financial statements for 2024 and the option for 2025 was approved.
- A new construction Housing Incentive Package for 2024 that includes a package specifically for builders along with a homeowner package was approved. The city has also teamed up with F & M Community Bank to offer a reduced interest rate to qualified builders.
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