NEW ULM — The City of New Ulm will consider awarding contracts for the Recreation Center Reinvest in New Ulm (RENU) project.

The project includes a new pool area with zero-depth entry and water park amenities, new strength and wellness center, new entry and an indoor playground.

On June 4, bids for the project were received along with 12 alternative bids. The total project without alternative add-ons came in at $10.753 million. The RENU Oversight Committee on June 9 chose to recommend all but one of the alternative add-on bids. Add-ons include an aquatic ninja course, climbing wall, aquazip line, life flooring in the pool area, lane line storage containers, plastic lockers and benches, evacuator deck drains and telescoping bleachers. This brings the project cost up to $11.567 million.

In February, the city council was presented with an estimated budget of $11.5 million. The recommendation is near that budget amount. The cost breakdown for the project is $10.859 million from RENU sales tax, $193,713 from the previous RENU maintenance fund, $265,049 from the General Fund and $250,000 from the Economic Development Authority.

This project is scheduled to begin in July.

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The New Ulm City Council will consider an amendment to the Sidewalk Cafe Policy to require fencing for businesses selling on-sale alcohol.

Minnesota law prohibits an on-sale licensee from allowing customers to take alcoholic beverages off the licensed premises. Communities that allow sidewalk cafes typically require a physical barrier to help licensed owners comply with the law and the owner’s patrons know the area on the sidewalk where they may legally possess and consume alcohol.

The city previously had a policy that required on-sale establishments to place portable fencing around cafe areas, but the requirement was removed in 2010 because the fences were interfering with the watering of hanging baskets on Minnesota Street. The amendment removing the fencing requirement also required markings on the sidewalk to identify the cafe area. In the 10 years since the fence requirement was removed, the city has repeated situations in which a patio or sidewalk extension has had patrons possessing and consuming alcohol outside of the licensed area, and there are no markings indicating the area of the sidewalk cafés.

The city is considering reinstating the fencing policy to eliminate or reduce violation of the city ordinance.

If approved, the policy would not require elaborate, expensive fencing. The regulation could be followed by creating a temporary barrier including collapsible accordion-style fence or pylons and ropes.

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The city will consider entering negotiation with Cala Contemporary Woodwork to sell city land. The city received a letter of interest from Cala Contemporary Woodwork regarding land at 1200 N. Water St.

Cala Contemporary Woodwork specializes in custom handcrafted furniture made from wood and metal. The company is expanding to include wood processing using a sawmill and wood kiln to produce live-edge slabs for furniture building. The property would accommodate the business.

City staff has expressed interest in proceeding with negotiations for the land.

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The council will consider authorizing 27 parking stalls by the New Ulm Craft & Vendor Events (NUCVE) for a craft and vendor fair in the 2nd North and Broadway parking lot adjacent to City Hall. The authorization is for craft shows on July 18 and September 12. In the case of inclement weather, the dates would change to July 25 and September 19.

These requests were authorized by the council last October for June 6 and August 8, but the June 6 date was canceled due to COVID-19. These two additional dates were submitted as replacements.

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The council will consider accepting a $4,000 grant from the New Ulm Area Foundation for interpretive signs in Riverside Park.

The Park and Recreation Commission unanimously recommended accepting the grant on June 8.

The signs are part of an initiative of the Riverfront Development Advocacy Group (RDAG) founded by the Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 visioning efforts and the Park and Rec Department. Signs will be placed on the building’s rear outdoor classroom and event deck with themes connected to New Ulm and Goosetown history, along with river history and environment. The project will be complete late in 2020 or spring 2021.