Two weeks after gaining a 7-0 victory from the Albert Lea City Council, members of Destination: Albert Lea began discussing steps ranging from having a historic preservation committee appointed, to attempting to buy a vacant downtown building to get a renovation trend started.

Wednesday, November 28, 2001

Two weeks after gaining a 7-0 victory from the Albert Lea City Council, members of Destination: Albert Lea began discussing steps ranging from having a historic preservation committee appointed, to attempting to buy a vacant downtown building to get a renovation trend started.

In the meantime, a resolution passed by the council in favor of the group’s half-percent sales tax proposal has been forwarded to St. Paul, where legislative staffers have already started crafting it into a bill, said DAL President Randy Erdman.

The bill should be introduced shortly after the legislative session begins in January, Erdman said.

Members of the group, settling into a waiting period before the legislature begins, brainstormed ideas to keep their movement vital in the interim. Some said the group should press the city council to form a historic preservation committee, which is a necessary step for a city to qualify for many grants for historic buildings.

The committee would be an advisory board to the city council, making recommendations on matters related to buildings on historic registries. The panel might also be involved in recommending how sales-tax proceeds be spent, if the tax is approved by the legislature and voters.

&uot;Whether (the sales tax) goes through the legislature or not, we have to have a preservation board,&uot; said DAL member Karen Smed.

DAL members agreed that in order to prepare for a historic committee proposal, they will meet with a representative of the Minnesota Historical Society to learn more about how the committees work.

The idea of purchasing a building is in its infancy stages, but some members were enthusiastic about the idea of demonstrating their commitment by rehabilitating an old building. Erdman said City Manager Paul Sparks has agreed to provide the group with a list of available buildings and a description of the obstacles each faces. It was unclear how the group would finance the purchase.

Other members are already thinking about building support and getting their message to the public, although a city-wide vote will not be assured unless the legislature passes the proposal.

&uot;We need to get downtown business people and see if they’re on board,&uot; said DAL Secretary Mary Ellen Johnson. &uot;Otherwise, who are we doing this for?&uot;

Some feared the community may be short on facts about the proposed sales tax; members said they’ve heard many questions about the idea. Erdman, however, was confident the proposal would speak for itself.

&uot;This is not as complicated as it’s made out to be, and it won’t be that complicated to sell,&uot; Erdman said.

The sales tax, if approved by voters, would apply to retail sales within Albert Lea. Any items already exempted from state sales taxes – including clothing, housing, cars and most food – would also be exempt from the local-option sales tax.

Several other Minnesota communities, including Rochester, Mankato and Winona, already have half-cent local-option taxes in place; only two have a one percent tax, the amount proposed by DAL before the group cut its request to a half percent.

The group plans to hold a meeting in December with a state historical society representative, and hoped to encourage attendance by city officials and those interested in downtown.

&uot;I think it’s critical that we keep our momentum on this,&uot; said DAL member Tony Trow.