The City Council approved the final plat and site map for the Central Water Treatment Plant on Monday, June 16.
The site map was unanimously approved by the Planning Commission on Monday, June 9 with a public hearing held for comments at that time. At the public meeting, audience members asked questions concerning exhaust from the facility, the project timeline, and how much of the project was being paid for by 3M.
Due to the connection between Well 5 and the 3M dumping sites in Washington County, 3M is paying roughly $14 million.
“Our public works staff have been working about as many angles as we can to try to get financing for this with the connection to 3M,” said Economic Development Director John Hinzman during the public hearing.
Of the site plan, one notable feature is the pedestrian fill station, which will allow residents to fill up jugs with water that has been treated for PFAS from the facility.
The bid is expected to open this week with a bid selected at the July 21 city council meeting. From that timeline, construction of the central water treatment plant would begin in August with a construction period of 18 months. Final completion is scheduled for May of 2027.
Hockey Day Minnesota
The city council also heard from United Heroes League President and former State Representative for Hastings Shane Hudella and United Heroes League Chief Digital Officer Jeff Taffe on the upcoming Hockey Day Minnesota.
While some details on the upcoming promotional events, merchandize and products were kept under wraps, Hudella provided a glimpse into what the event is going to look like while asking for various supports from the city.
Hockey Day Minnesota will run from January 17-24 with the last two days being televised. The event is projected to draw more than 100,000 visitors over the eight days with proceeds from the event going to benefit Hastings Hockey and the United Heroes League.
The event will take place at a site under construction at 2800 Ravena Trail that will be centered around a refrigerated rink that will be able to seat some 5000 spectators.
The site will feature a skating rink, mini puck golf, and a ¾ mile skating trail loop.
Hudella asked for various support from the city including assistance in promoting the event, both online and through hanging banners around town as well as the use of the Hastings water truck for the initial flooding of rinks.
Tickets are set to go on sale in August priced at $20/day during the week and $25/day on Friday and Saturday. Pricing was a particular consideration: We’ve done a lot to make the event affordable, said Hudella.
2024 Comprehensive Financial Report
The City Council heard from Ryan Englstad CPA of Bergan KDV for the 2024 comprehensive financial report.
Englstad gave the city an unmodified or ‘clean’ opinion, the best opinion an auditor is able to give the city.
Overall, Englstad’s report of city’s financials was glowing: “all-in-all, financials were in great shape.”
That being said, Englstad’s report did find “one material weakness matter in relation to the audit adjustments/corrected misstatements identified,” according to Englstad’s presentation but said that finding was “not indicative” of the city’s financials overall.