The Albert Lea City Council took two measures Monday aimed at saving money in the city’s budget.

The measures, which will help to alleviate some of the expected state budget cuts to local government aid, will save the city more than $50,000.

In the first measure, the council voted to no longer put up or maintain hanging flower baskets downtown.

Instead, Destination Albert Lea has offered to purchase seasonal flags to display on poles downtown. City staff will install the flags.

Albert Lea Mayor Mike Murtaugh said going with the flags would save the city the cost of daily maintenance of the flowers.

Councilors pointed out there will still be planters in front of the downtown businesses for business owners to plant flowers, and flowers will also be planted in the North Broadway Avenue parking lot and maintained by a local gardening group.

Murtaugh said though switching to the flags is a relatively small item, it will result in a cost savings that will still allow the downtown to keep a nice image.

The second measure passed by the council to save the city money was the approval of a staff-sharing agreement with Freeborn County for information systems services.

The agreement will go until the end of December and will allow the city to have access to the county’s four information services staff for rates between $19 and $36.70 an hour, depending on the position.

In the past, the city contracted out for information services assistance.

Third Ward Councilor Ellen Kehr said she thinks the agreement is “an excellent collaboration between the city and the county.”

“I’m pleased to see this happen,” Kehr said. “I would like to see more collaboration.”

The information services agreement in itself will save the city nearly $50,000 in budgeted expenses for 2009.

During the Monday meeting, the City Council also:

Heard an update from Shell Rock River Watershed District Administrator Brett Behnke about projects taking place in the district. Look to the Tribune for more about Behnke’s presentation.

Called a public hearing for April 13 about the proposed establishment of Municipal Development District No. 9 and TIF District No. 9-1.

The Albert Lea Port Authority is requesting the establishment of the districts, which includes property in the ALEDA Industrial Park.

The Albert Lea Planning Commission will review the request at its April 7 meeting.

Approved a request from Destination Albert Lea, First Lutheran Church and ShineFest to hold a downtown cleanup day on May 16. The groups will use the Freeborn National Bank and Jacobson buildings as a meeting place for the event and as a place to serve refreshments for workers.

 Approved a request from the Cloverleaf Lions of Albert Lea to use the main hangar at the Albert Lea Airport for their annual flight breakfast on June 7.

 Discuss appointments to the Charter Commission, which meets annually. The terms for three members on the current commission will be expiring May 31.

Murtaugh asked for members of the council and the public to submit names of candidates for that commission by March 19.