The street lights from downtown Albert Lea will not be traveling far to their new home after the Broadway reconstruction project.

The Albert Lea City Council voted Monday to sell up to 20 of the decorative lights to New Richland at a price of $50 for each pole.

City Manager Chad Adams said New Richland plans to rewire and retrofit the lights with LED energy-efficient lighting after the poles are removed from Broadway.

“Economically, it’s cheaper than buying new ones,” said New Richland City Clerk Wayne Billing.

He said the lights New Richland has were installed in the late 1960s and look more like something that would be found at a freeway interchange than in a downtown.

“There were a few civic-minded individuals who thought it would be nice to do something differently,” Billing said.

Twelve lights will be put up right away, a few will be saved as backups in case of damage and a few more may be installed at a later date, the city clerk said.

The project is being made possible through a $40,000 donation from the State Bank of New Richland.

The lights will be transferred to New Richland by Albert Lea Electric crews.

In other action, the council:

• Approved the termination of a preliminary development agreement with Freeborn Partners LLC for potential redevelopment of the Freeborn Bank and Jacobson buildings. • Ordered the improvement and preparation of plans for the West Ninth Street bituminous reclamation and overlay project on Ninth Street from U.S. Highway 69 to Fourth Avenue and a mill and overlay on the road from Fourth Avenue to South Broadway.

• Awarded the contract for the 2013 state-aid neighborhood overlay improvement project, including streets in the Shoreland Heights area, to Ulland Bros. of Albert Lea for $944,299.

The engineer’s estimate was $1.03 million.

• Awarded the contract for the 2013 state-aid neighborhood improvement project to Ulland Bros. for $346,000 for the bituminous mill and overlay, curb and gutter replacement and sidewalk installation on Fourth Avenue from West Ninth Street to Front Street.

The engineer’s estimate was $364,666.

• Authorized Broadway Ridge Grant agreements with Stadheim Jewelers, Plymouth Shoes and Scott Boyer for up to $2,500 each for improvements to the entrances of their downtown businesses.

• Authorized the sale of a 12-foot fiberglass Shell Lake boat and trailer with a 1999 Mercury 9.9 horsepower motor to the city of Alden.

• Revised the municipal state-aid street system.

• Recognized the graduates of the Albert Lea Citizens Academy, who recently completed an eight-week course to learn about the Albert Lea Police Department.

• Accepted bids for the purchase and installation of a dehumidification system at City Arena.

The low bids came from ARID-Ice for $43,437 for the unit, $2,900 for electrical work to be done by Bowman Electric LLC., and $10,976 for ductwork and gas piping by Kelley Plumbing.

• Accepted a gift of property at 310 S. Broadway to the city from James Wangsness and waived the assessments and taxes on the property.

• Appointed Pamela Schmidt to a vacant position on the Albert Lea Planning Commission.

• Accepted a donation from Alamco Wood Products for $3,850 worth of roof decking and laminated roof beams for a new shelter at Shoff Park, along with a donation from Pro Manufacturing for $1,200 worth of steel beams.

• Accepted a $1,070 donation from the Friends of the Albert Lea Public Library for the supplies needed for the summer reading program.