City Council tables advertising plan for athletic areas

By CHRIS VETTER

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The New Ulm City Council tabled a plan Tuesday that would have allowed the Park & Recreation Commission to sell advertising space in athletic areas.

Currently, the city does not have any ads at the baseball or football fields.

Council President Dan Beranek said he is not opposed to placing ads on ice-surfacing machines or scoreboards, but he wants to examine the possibility of expanding advertising.

The Park & Recreation Commission approved the plan last month.

"The consensus was that most communities allow advertising in their athletic areas, while other areas are reviewed on a case-by-case basis," Park & Recreation Chairwoman Mary Hussman said in a memo to councilors. "The commission, as a whole, feels there will be a significant increase in operating expenses with the new facilities coming on-line within the next few years. Revenues from advertising and promotions will be a great way to offset some of those expenses."

City Manager Dick Salvati opposed the plan, saying he doesn't want every hockey dasher board or outfield fence plastered with ads.

"Arenas don't have to look tacky," Salvati said. "A lot of them do. But ours doesn't have to."

The commission did not submit any projected advertising revenue streams, Beranek added.

Salvati outlined a proposal far more limiting than the proposal.

"I would recommend that such a policy ... include an absolute ban on advertising in city parks," Salvati wrote in a memo to councilors.

Under the commission's proposal, ads could be sold in the remodeled Vogel fieldhouse, the new ice rink/exhibit hall at the Brown County Fairgrounds, Johnson football and baseball fields, Harman Park, North Park and the new Mueller Ballpark.

No ads promoting firearms, tobacco or liquor would be accepted.

"Advertisers will be limited to the name, address, telephone number and logo of the advertiser," the proposed policy states.

Debate on the advertising proposal will continue, Beranek said.

"We want to proceed with extreme caution," Councilor Ron Fleischmann said.

In other action, the council tabled a plan for a new restaurant at the former KFC site to operate under the existing parking arrangement.

Under city code passed 32 years ago, the council has the right to order curb and gutter at the KFC site. When that restaurant was open, patrons simply pulled up to the building on a flat paved surface from 13th North Street.

The owners and perspective buyer of the KFC site said their purchase agreement will fall apart if the city requires the curb and gutter, which will add an assessment for the new owner, while eliminating some parking stalls.

Richard Prim, attorney for the owner, Lorline Enterprises, Inc., said the city code has hurt the possible sale of the building.

"Once (perspective buyers) hear about the possibility of them losing the parking lot, they go away," Prim said.

Fleischmann noted that the 1969 agreement allows the council to do what is the city's best interest regarding curb and gutter.

Prim noted that several area businesses, from Dairy Queen to Taco Johns, allow patrons to pull off a side street and directly up to the restaurant, without a curb and gutter blocking the route.

The perspective buyer declined to be interviewed until after the sale is completed, which is slated for April 3.

Discussion on curb and gutter will continue at the March 20 meeting.

In other news, the council approved the city's $1.8 million bonding plan for 2001. The money will pay for several alley and road improvement projects, including $200,000 for purchasing right of way and engineering costs along a bike trail, $253,000 for a parking lot at Mueller Park/Artstone Baseball field, $428,000 for road and sewer improvements to Westridge Road and $107,000 for site preparation for a soccer field at Artstone.

Several residents spoke against the planned installation of sidewalks in front of their property. They said sidewalks are not needed and do not currently connect with other sidewalks in town. But Beranek said that situation will change.

"The long-term plan in the city is to get sidewalks across the city where topography makes it possible," Beranek said.

The council approved the entire bonding plan, with the exception of one sidewalk where uneven topography would prevent the development of the lot.

City Engineer Steve Koehler said his office is working on plans for the bonding projects. Bids will be let in May, and projects should be completed by October, Koehler said. Assessments will then be determined for property owners.

In one final note, the council outlined a plan to sell its city bonds for 2001. The city will sell $1.8 million bonds for the street and alley improvements in April. The city will then sell bonds totalling $7.5 million in September for the new park and recreation facility projects.

Another $1.675 million of bonds will be sold in 2002, which accounts for the entire $9 million the city can legally obtain to construct the new park and recreation facilities.

Gary Gleisner, city finance director, explained that the city has to pay about $175,000 as a cost for selling the bonds.