BLUE EARTH– The Blue Earth City Council received some possible good news during its first meeting of the new year held on Monday

However, the good news does mean that the 2025 Street and Utility Project could have a later start date than past projects.

City engineer Ben Rosol explained to the council that the city of Blue Earth is “well positioned” to receive two possible grants to help fund the 2025 project.

“On the water side of the project the city and Blue Earth Light and Water could receive $530,000,” Rosol said. “There could also be $640,000 to pay for one third of the street portion of the project.”

That would tally to $1.1 million of the project cost, which Rosol said was estimated to be just under $3.4 million.

Waiting to see if the city would receive these grants means the start of the project itself could be delayed.

“There is no guarantee that the city will get these,” Rosol said. “It mainly depends on whether the state legislature will pass a bonding bill this session.”

A delayed start to the project means that the entire project may not get completed this construction season and would have to be finished in 2026. However, the engineer said that the contractor would be instructed to not leave an area unfinished over the winter.

After some discussion the council passed a motion to follow the engineer’s recommendation and see if the city gets the funding before starting the project.

In other business at the first meeting of the new year, the City Council:

— Had the city attorney swear into office the recently re-elected council members John Husiman and Mike McNerney and the mayor, Rick Scholtes. Re-elected council member Stephanie Walter was not able to be at the meeting.

— Passed a series of items that pertain to the start of the new year. Those included designating First Bank Blue Earth as the depository, the Faribault County Register as the official newspaper and CarlsonSV as the official auditor.

They also set the council, boards and committees meeting dates as well as approved the mayor’s recommendations of appointments to various boards and commissions.

— Approved a new representation agreement with the law firm of Frundt, Lundquist and Gustafson to serve as the city attorney.

— Appointed Andrew Willner as the assistant fire chief and Jeff Eckles as a fire department lieutenant.

— Decided to continue to list the remaining five lots in the Prairie View Housing Subdivision with two local real estate agencies.