The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has confirmed cases of Emerald Ash Borers in ash trees within Blue Earth.

According to the MDA’s report, the infestation was detected on the border of the city boundary after MDA employees noticed some ash trees that showed signs of infestation while traveling through the area.  The infested ash trees were found at the I-90 westbound Blue Earth Rest Area.  The report further states that any ash trees within the area of detection has a high likelihood of have EAB to some extent, whether showing signs of infestation or not.

As a result of the new detection, Faribault County will be placed under quarantine to limit the movement of any ash material, and all hardwood firewood.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture will be hosting a virtual information meeting on April 13^th.  Visit the MDA’s Facebook page or website for more details.

The Blue Earth City Council held its regular meeting on Monday night, handling some house keeping and a new hire and updates pertaining to Emerald Ash Borers were given.

Blue Earth Police Chief Tom Fletcher attended the meeting to show his support for a new full time officer hire, Andrew Thorson, by providing some background for the council.  Thorson has worked part time in the county jail since 2019, previously worked in Winnebago prior to 2019, has 2 years of college education under his belt and currently works for the Olmstead County Attorney’s Office.  Chief Fletcher stated that Thorson is a “good Hire and good worker.”

The council like what they heard and said they trust the Chief’s opinion, leading them to vote in favor of hiring Thorson.  His expected start date in the city of Blue Earth is April 1^st.

In a couple of other brief update, City Attorney Frundt informed the council that the Three Sisters Organization wants to move forward in giving the Three Sisters Building back to the city.  Otherwise, no other progress has been made at this time.

City Engineer Wes Brown informed the council that the city was not successful in earning the Emerald Ash Borer grant funding to handle ash tree treatment for the larvae.  City Administrator Mary Kennedy added that EAD has been confirmed to be in Blue Earth by the state.

The Blue Earth City Council held a special meeting on Thursday to discuss a potential annexation between the Township of Blue Earth City and the City of Blue Earth with Riverside Heights Residents.

The annexation had been authorized on February 21^st, however, Mayor Rick Scholtes clarified that the council has not officially voted to annex Riverside Heights.

He added that the annexation had been under consideration for many years.

The council visited the possibility of annexing the area when they learned Riverside Heights is in need of a new sanitary sewer system.

Bolton & Menk had drafted an engineering estimate, laying out the cost of Riverside Heights’ alternatives for addressing the issue.  Construction of a new sanitary sewer system is estimated to cost $498 per month, per resident, while connecting to the city’s sanitary sewer, without annexing to the city, would cost residents $301 per month.  Connecting to the city’s system and annexing to the city would cost residents $193 per month.

The council clarified that Riverside Heights will not have the option of connecting to Blue Earth’s sanitary sewer if they are not annexed into the city, per city ordinance.

Riverside Heights residents explained their primary objection is the lack of notice they received before Frundt was directed to prepare for annexation, to which Mayor Scholtes responded that he was under the impression that the residents were invited to attend the previous meeting on February 21^st.

The residents also wanted to know what a street and sanitary sewer improvement project would entail, should Riverside Heights be annexed.

The council clarified that the projects estimated cost assumes its eligibility for a Point Source Implementation Grant, which would fund 80% of the project’s eligible costs.  City Engineer Wes Brown said he is fairly confident the project will receive the grant funds.

The project’s remaining cost will be funded much as any improvement project is funded in Blue Earth.  Tax increases for residents would be phased in over five years.  Starting in 2024, their property taxes would be paid to the city of Blue Earth, but their taxes would not increase until 2025, when they would go up by 20%.  Taxes would increase by that amount for the next five years.