The Albert Lea City Council plans to move forward Monday with officially authorizing the Artspace Projects Inc. artist market survey, which is the next step toward creating artist living space in the area.

The survey, which costs $25,000, will determine whether there is sufficient interest from artists to move to Albert Lea to live and work.

The decision from the council comes after representatives from Artspace came to Albert Lea last month, toured four downtown buildings with city leaders, met with members of the local art community and conducted a public forum to inform area residents of their mission.

The representatives formed a report based on their visit, including their responses to the project concept, the market analysis, the site analysis, the financial analysis and local leadership.

At the conclusion of their visit, they indicated they were interested in conducting the survey to see if there is a market for artists in the region.

If there is enough interest, the project would be conducted in the Freeborn National Bank and Jacobson Apartment buildings.

After hearing the invitation from Artspace, the council voted to invite other stakeholders to pursue a partnership with the city in the survey — that way there would be a united front as a community.

In response to this invitation, the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce agreed to pitch in a $1,000 contribution for the survey, the Albert Lea Economic Development Agency agreed to a $5,000 donation and the Freeborn County commissioners agreed to a $5,000 contribution through its designated Housing Redevelopment Authority funds.

HRA Executive Director Jon Ford said he is also working to obtain $5,000 in grants for the project.

City Manager Victoria Simonsen said the survey would be conducted in the winter months while design of the building and pursuit of a commercial tenant occurs.

Artspace — a nationally known, nonprofit organization dedicated to creating affordable, loft-like studios where artists can live as well as work — began in 1979 in response to the decline of Minneapolis’ historic Warehouse District in the ’70s.

Since, it has become the national leader in the field of developing affordable space for artists through adaptive reuse of old warehouses, schools and commercial buildings.

Together with the cities it chooses to work with, it purchases and renovates buildings and then leases them back to artists at below-market rates.

On Monday the council will also:

Hear a request from the developers of the Wedgewood Cove golfing community to burn excess brush and trees that are being cleared during the construction of the development.

Simonsen said the city has not traditionally approved these requests since the burning ban was initiated, but in this case the fire and inspection departments have reviewed the request and have stated they could support it because of its location away from a heavily populated residential district.

If the burning is approved, the developers would be required to work with the fire department to make sure the ban occurs during appropriate weather conditions and is sufficiently supervised.

The brush and trees would probably burn for as long as three or four days, Simonsen said.

Vote on whether to authorize a contract with the Albert Lea School District to provide services for two school resource officers within the district.

The presence of school resource officers allows for a quick response in the case of a serious threat or need of intervention with students.

Under the contract, the city would pay 100 percent of the salary and benefits of one of the officers. Then the district would share in the cost to pay 50 percent of the salary for the other officer for the 2008-09 school year and then 50 percent of the salary and benefits for the days worked during each year afterward.

Vote to amend the 2008 fee schedule to include a permit fee for an establishment such as a dance hall.

After reviewing the fee schedules of other neighboring communities, city staff have recommended the council adopt a $2,000 annual fee for a dance hall permit. Staff also recommended that individual public dances that charge an admission fee be increased from $160 to $200 per event to cover the cost of additional law enforcement officers being present.

The $15 fee for public dances that do not charge an admission fee is being recommended to be eliminated.

Vote on whether to accept the winning bid and contract for the mill, overlay, curb replacement and sidewalk replacement on several state aid streets.

The project includes Hawthorne Street from Lakewood Avenue to Garfield Avenue, Lakewood Avenue from Richway Drive to North Shore Avenue, Lakeview Boulevard from Fountain Street to Vine Avenue, and Third Street from Madison Avenue to Newton Avenue.

Two bids were received for the project, ranging from about $336,000 to about $386,000. Ulland Bros. of Albert Lea submitted the low bid.

Project costs were estimated at about $451,000.

Vote on whether to accept the winning bid and contract for improvements on West Ninth Street and Wedgewood Road, including the installation of sanitary sewer, storm water and water main, as well as bituminous roadway.

Seven bids were received for the project, ranging from about $565,000 to about $681,000.

Sorensen Bros.of Albert Lea submitted the low bid.

Costs were estimated at about $648,000.

Vote on whether to accept the winning bid and contract for the first and last portions of the airport improvement project.

The first portion includes the grading of the future end of the runway and grading the relocation of Plaza Street, as well as wetland mitigation and construction.

The second portion includes constructing a bridge on the relocated Plaza Street, and the last portion includes paving Plaza Street.

Six bids were received for the three phases of the project, ranging from about $1.7 million to about $2.1 million.

Sorensen Bros. of Albert Lea submitted the low bid.

Federal funds for the second phase are anticipated to be available in 2009.

Vote on whether to accept the winning bid and contract for the demolition of two properties in the 100-year floodplain — a house on 313 College Street and the former Moose Club building.

Four bids were received for the project, ranging from about $43,000 to about $50,000, with the low bid coming from Jensen Excavating & Trucking in Clarks Grove.

Costs were estimated at $70,000.