Council asked to facilitate block grant for Sunshine

Following a Public Works Committee meeting beginning at 5:45 p.m. Monday night, the Spencer City Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall for the first of two scheduled meetings during the month of December.

A public hearing has been scheduled, immediately following the consent agenda, on a proposal to submit a Community Development Block Grant application for an estimated $350,000 to the Department of Economic Development on behalf of Sunshine Services.

The grant, if approved, would be used for the purchase of an existing building and remodeled into the agency's new sheltered workshop facility.

The resolution also sets out that City Manager Bob Fagen would be designated as the contact person for the city in the matter.

The council members will consider a motion to direct staff to proceed with the annexation of property referred to as Green Industrial Park.

The city and SMU jointly purchased property from the Green Family Trust that would be used for a future Industrial Park.

A portion of the land is located in unincorporated Clay County.

City staff is requesting authorization to begin the process of annexation of the property as well as creating an Urban Renewal District.

Spencer's council will consider a resolution authorizing and approving a loan agreement, and providing for the sale and issuance of $1,350,000 General Obligation Landfill Facility Improvement Bonds, Series 2008A and providing for the levy of taxes to pay the same.

The proceeds of the bond will be used for the funding of a portion of the DNR required Post Closure Account as well as fund the new cell that is needed at the landfill.

The debt repayment of the bonds will come from revenues of the landfill. The city recently had its bond rating of A1 affirmed by Moody's Investor Service. The actual bond sale is scheduled for Monday. As a result Fagen aniticipated that he would be bringing the results to Monday night's council session.

Mayor Reynold Peterson is expected to appoint Les Hicks, to fill a vacancy on the Airport Board of Trustees created by the resignation of Harry Rasdal. Hicks' term expires June 30, 2011.

Eight different city department heads are scheduled to give reports to the council.