Neighborhood residents and others affected by the proposed road closings at Winter, Water and Washington streets in Albert Lea will have a chance to share their concerns with council members at a public hearing tonight.

Monday, March 25, 2002

Neighborhood residents and others affected by the proposed road closings at Winter, Water and Washington streets in Albert Lea will have a chance to share their concerns with council members at a public hearing tonight.

The city has been approached by the Minnesota Department of Transportation with recommendations about road closings and other upgrades at railroad crossings in the city. Most of the costs of changes would be covered by either state or federal funding, but the city must approve the recommendations for the project to go forward.

According to city officials, all three proposed closings are not of equal importance, and closing the Winter and Water streets may lead to unnecessary complications for both neighborhood residents and city snow plows. Those sorts of potential problems are not foreseen for the proposal to close South Washington Avenue.

At Monday night’s meeting, the council will also need to set the date for a public hearing on the creation of a TIF district for the old Farmland site and the site that’s being proposed for a new plant. The city’s ability to create the district is contingent on special legislation currently making its way through the legislature. If Farmland does not rebuild here, the process of creating the TIF district could be ended and any actions up to that point rescinded.

In other business, the council:

– Will discuss purchasing a new, larger snow plow to use on more exposed city streets on the outskirts of town. The truck the city is considering buying will be purchase via state bid, and would cost the city slightly more than $132,000.

– May consider a request from ATT Wireless to rent space for wireless antennas on the legs of the downtown water tower.

– Transfer funds into a citywide TIF district to deal with pending deficits. The deficits are the result of changes in TIF financing set in place by the Legislature.

The council meets at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers on the top floor of the City Center.