Red Wing City Council briefs

Incubator plans forming

A local U.S. Ignite team is in the process is organizing a business incubator and is looking into using the Community Development building, Port Authority Director Randy Olson told the City Council Tuesday night. The site would be for startups to get off their feet.

“We want them to grow and leave the building,” Olson said. “The mission is really to incubate and grow these technology companies in Red Wing.”

The U.S. Ignite program highlights communities that have high-speed broadband connections, such as Red Wing, and encourages development of new technology applications. However, there are no funds tied to the distinction, Hiawatha Broadband General Manager Jerry Olson said Tuesday.

The local Ignite group is proposing the city invest $150,000 in capital improvements at the building and consider a donation of $50,000.

Some council members were concerned about the timing since the budget process for 2013 is set to wrap up in early December. Members did not make a decision on the matter Tuesday night.

Xcel, city partnership moving ahead

Staff is moving forward on negotiations with Xcel Energy for the company to burn some of the city’s waste. Public Works Director Rick Moskwa said they are aiming to put a contract before the council in December.

Xcel has said it would agree to wait until July 1, 2013, to begin receiving waste from the city.

The agreement would be necessary whether the state decides to enforce a waste rule that would bring more materials to the Red Wing facility or the City Council decides to mothball the incinerator, staff said.

“We as a council … have been asked to look at ways to do government differently,” Council member Dan Bender said. “This is an opportunity to do that.”

“This contract allows us the opportunity to get rid of the waste in the environmentally sound way we promised our citizens we would,” Council member Marilyn Meinke said.

In other news …

• Council members approved 4-2 an agreement with the Red Wing Riverview Riders Snowmobile Club for the use of the Burnside trail for snowmobilers. The council gave permission for the use in February. Council President Ralph Rauterkus and member Mike Schultz voted against approval Tuesday.

“I was not in favor of it then and I’m still not,” Rauterkus said.

• The City Council unanimously approved three appointments at Tuesday’s meeting: William Christianson to the Library Board to a second term expiring Dec. 31, 2015, Tao Peng to the Sister Cities Commission to a second term ending December 2015, and Annette Martin to the Heritage Preservation Commission to a partial term ending Dec. 31, 2013.

Meeting watch

Tuesday’s City Council meeting lasted just more than two hours before going into a closed session so members could discuss litigation related to Mississippi National Golf Links. Council member Lisa Bayley was absent.

— Compiled by Danielle Killey, staff writer

Tags: red wing, city council, government