Photo by Kirsten Zoellner
A swift November 12 Rushford Council meeting saw just two general business agenda items and both will bolster the city’s emergency services.
The first item is a $15,000 donation from the Rushford Fire Relief Association to the Rushford Fire Department. The department will utilize the funds to purchase equipment. Specifically, this includes two portable radios with programming and accessories, two thermal imaging cameras with extra battery and warranty, and a skid unit for the 2019 Rescue Ranger.
The second set of funds is a $2,500 grant from the Taylor Family Farms Foundation for the Rushford Ambulance Service. The foundation, a charitable legacy plan with donated assets of $172 million, was recently formed and is funded by businessman and politician Glen Taylor, owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx. Donations to the Ambulance Fund will match the grant for the purchase of equipment. This includes CORE digital stethoscopes for 12 Emergency Medical Technicians and in the two ambulance rigs.
During reports, the council received more clarification about the ongoing process for the former Farmers Win cooperative site. City Administrator Tony Chladek provided an update of the feasibility study for the redevelopment piece of the property while the city waits for feedback on the feasibility study.
“In the end, the community, council, and EDA (Economic Development Authority) will decide. It’s going to break one of two ways. Either it’s going to go a housing direction, and that has its own path, or it’s going to go an event/entertainment path,” said Chladek.
According to Chladek, they put together a grant application for the University of Minnesota’s Empowering Small Minnesota Communities program in preparation to support a potential Phase II of the site as an entertainment, event, and green space. The grant is a time-sensitive opportunity. Setting it up prior to the feasibility results allows the city to be poised to take advantage of funding and continue momentum. He noted receiving the grant will enable incorporation of community feedback to refine the project further and support the space. It will also help the city pull together a non-profit governance board, do more economic impact analysis to spell out clear benefits for the community and businesses, create targeted marketing and promotion strategies, and identify a long-term funding strategy to ensure project viability should this path be taken. It will not cost the city to get these services.
“We position ourselves should we decide to go down that road with these extra resources,” he added.
Chladek also noted that if the feasibility studies identify housing as the most viable use, the UMN Phase II grant support would not be necessary. Additional community interaction will be included after the feasibility study and during the design portion. Part of the process also will be determining ownership if it comes down to an entertainment/event/green space. The idea all along has been that the city does not want ownership.
“It’s making sure this thing was successful. That’s what this whole process was,” said Chladek. “It was all about helping us get set up and help us start moving forward, but to maintain the momentum.”
Another report update related to the recently approved contract with ESRI for Global Information System (GIS) services. The contract cost will be $1,225 annually. This is $190 less than anticipated.