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The city is preparing to start curbside pickup from the Albert Lea Public Library later this month and is reviewing options for virtual programming, the Albert Lea city manager said Monday during an update to the City Council. 

The library has been one of the city’s facilities that has been shut down as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

David Todd said there are 10 part-time staff who have been laid off or not working — resulting in a savings of about $5,000 per month less unemployment costs — and five full-time and one part-time staff member were furloughed starting May 7. Three full-time staff are working from home. 

Todd said starting this week, staff will be cleaning the entire library, including materials, and will start preparing for the opening of curbside pickup, as well as preparing ads to outline the procedures for pickup.

On May 21, requests for curbside pickup are expected to start, with the actual service expected to begin May 26. 

Todd said the city has not yet decided on whether the swimming pool will open for the season and noted there has been no specific direction from Gov. Tim Walz on these types of facilities. He said while there is no evidence from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that COVID-19 can spread through water, ensuring social distancing would be difficult at the pool. There would also be concerns about staff safety should they have to perform any lifesaving resuscitation, he said. 

Other cities in the area have already announced they will close their pools for the season, and he said the city would save about $120,000 if the pool was not opened. Staff is also reviewing future capital improvements there. 

Second Ward Councilor Larry Baker asked whether the splash pad would be closed if the pool was closed, and Todd said the splash pad has many differences from the pool, including no locker room or concession stand. Staff are still reviewing that site as well.  

Todd said the city removed both sheets of ice at City Arena on March 17 and has plans to reopen on Sept. 1. The city is saving about $20,000 a month for utilities and other costs there, but it will lose about $20,000 in ice rental revenue. 

He noted two full-time arena positions have been allocated to the Parks Department, and no part-time help will be hired. 

The Senior Center has been closed since March 23, and all staff have been laid off. Savings there, not including unemployment costs, have equaled about $5,700 per month.

Todd said any recreation programs conducted by the city will be done by current full-time staff, and no temporary staff will be hired, resulting in a savings of about $30,000. The city is working on a partnership with the Albert Lea Family Y to help with programs and share staffing. 

The city is anticipated to have a loss of revenue of about $10,000 from volleyball, softball and youth soccer leagues and about $17,500 from canceled events at the city’s various recreation rental facilities.

Todd said the city is saving about $80,000 by reducing the parks maintenance staff, is saving $8,000 by not hiring an engineering intern and $17,000 by not hiring utility seasonal staff. Three open positions in the public works department are also not being filled. 

Projects on hold include pickle ball court maintenance and painting for $30,000, Memorial Park playground equipment for $50,000, replacing a tractor for $60,000, and picnic table kits for $5,000.

Baker asked Todd whether the city is looking at cutting staff in the future even after city facilities are opened, and Todd said discussions are underway about minimizing expenditures because of expected potential reductions in LGA and other revenue. He said 72% of the city’s budget is dedicated to paying employees. 

Staff will also be looking at the city’s capital improvement plan about any projects that can be postponed.

In other action, the council:

• Discussed the possibility of the city approving relief for businesses with liquor licenses so that licenses can be pro-rated without having to pay for the months impacted by closures. Many of the establishments with liquor licenses also serve food.

Third Ward Councilor Jason Howland asked if there had been any thought about waiving the license costs all together. 

Todd said the on-sale Sunday liquor licenses alone bring in about $37,000 annually, while other types of liquor licenses bring in anywhere between $600 and $1,200 total a year each. 

The councilors were to give Todd direction after the meeting about whether to bring back a possible resolution for relief for these establishments at the next meeting.

Howland said however the city goes about it, whether pro-rating or waiving license costs, this would be beneficial to these businesses, many of which have been some of the hardest hit. 

• Approved $45 in donations from Albert Lea Senior Center members.
• Approved the donation of $2,100 for the placement of a bench in Edgewater Park in memory of Grace Zimmerman, who recently died in a crash near Manchester. 
• Accepted the low bid for 2020 bituminous material submitted by MEIGS Paving Asphalts and Emulsions of Portage, Wisconsin. 
• Called a public hearing to adopt a five-year street reconstruction plan and to give intent to issue general obligation street reconstruction bonds related to the Bridge Avenue project this summer. The actions were necessary under the street reconstruction authority since the project is in partnership with Freeborn County and will be paid solely with taxes and not assessment revenue.