NEW ULM — The New Ulm City Council approved a resolution to support a bonding bill and encourage lawmakers to work in a bipartisan way to pass a bonding bill in the special session to be held in September.

City Manager Chris Dalton said this bonding bill was shot down during the last two special sessions, but the state must finish projects. This resolution would show New Ulm supports passing the bonding bill.

Councilor David Christian made the motion to pass the resolution encouraging legislators to work in a bipartisan way to pass bonding. It was unanimously approved.

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A new, five-year lease agreement with the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame (MMHF) was approved.

MMHF currently leases a first-floor section of the city’s former library building to maintain an office and museum. The previous lease with MMHF was for November 1, 2015, to December 31, 2020. The new lease runs from November 1, 2020, to December 31, 2025. No rent is received and utilities are pro-rated and paid by MMHF.

City Attorney Roger Hippert said the only change in this lease was the dates.

Councilor Les Schultz said the MMHF was a tourist attraction people enjoyed and made the motion to approve the lease. The motion was unanimously approved.

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The council authorized the Red Cross to offer and serve blood donors 21 or older one free glass of beer after donating blood at city-owned facilities until December 31, 2021.

Dalton said the city authorized this several years ago, and the Red Cross has been offering beer at no cost to blood donors for many years, but given the lengthy amount of time since prior authorization, new authorization was considered appropriate.

Hippert said this is a unique tradition to New Ulm that has been in place for decades.

Councilor Lisa Fischer asked how this was legally different from a family hosting a reunion in a city park with a keg of beer.

Hippert said the difference was the Red Cross capped the free beer at one.

Schultz made the motion to reauthorize. He said it was a unique tradition.

“Whatever it takes, we always need blood. The blood drive is always looking to get people down there,” Schultz said.

The motion was unanimously approved.

Going forward, the city will re-authorize this each year.

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The council corrected a minor mistake regarding a conditional use permit (CUP). On August 4, the council approved a motion to permit Cala Contemporary Woodwork to operate a portable outdoor sawmill in an agricultural zoning district, but the permit required a resolution for approval. This resolution was unanimously approved.