solar garden at the Public Safety Center, plans for the now-demolished downtown “gateway” block, land use at the historical society, and the Cannon River Wilderness Area management and care were among the long list of topics brought to the Rice County Board of Commissioners during a lengthy work session Tuesday morning, May 16.
As is the nature of a work session, no official decisions were made, but general discussion and direction was given.
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The site plans for the Rice County Public Safety Center may include a solar array to the east, as shown here. (Graphic by Colton Kemp)
First, Environmental Services Director Julie Runkel presented her department’s annual report. One slide in her presentation noted that “building permits decreased 31% from 2019 to 2020; however, they rebounded with an 84% increase from 2020 to 2022 to a record high of 920.”
Next up for review were solar panels. Commissioners discussed putting solar panels at the Public Safety Center, currently nder construction.
Explaining the costs and savings that would come with the solar power was iDEAL Energies Senior Vice President of Business Development Rich Ragatz. iDEAL Energies is a solar-energy group that has done most commercial solar in the state, as well as a number of public-sector projects.
“It’s no money upfront,” he said. “You get a 20% savings on the energy that’s created from the solar and that’s over a 20-year period. And during that 20-year period, we maintain the solar array. And there’s a 25-year warranty with the the product.”
Solar panels, and the tax credits they come with, would save on energy costs. The county would keep 20% of the amount saved for 20 years. According to Ragatz, the first year’s savings would total over $263,000, about $210,000 of which would go to iDEAL Energies.
By the end of the 20-year period, “you’re ahead of the game by $1.35 million and change,” he said. “Over the life, you’re looking at about $13 million worth of electrical savings ot there.”
However, as Commissioner Steve Underdahl noted, the payback structure and savings are contingent on the size of the solar array. Ragatz said the current plan is for a 5-acre site, but it depends on the condition of the land and other ecological factors.
Commissioner Jeff Docken asked Parks and Facilities Director Matt Verdick if the site is usable for anything else, and Verdick confirmed it is not. Commissioners also inquired about disposal cost, surrounding plants and glare possibilities.
Ragatz explained the panels are considered electronic waste, which currently runs about 50 cents per pound to dispose, and that panels have anti-glare glass.
“I think the thing would be that we would plant whatever is appropriate down there with an eye towards pollinators if it’s possible,” Underdahl said.
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What to do with the empty space next to the Faribault Police Department is up for debate by Rice County Commissioners, but they said on Tuesday morning they’d like tohear the public’s ideas. (Colton Kemp/southernminn.com)
Downtown ideas
Next on the docket, commissioners considered some possibilities for the “north block,” which is the buildings that were demolished near the current Sheriff’s Office and jail.
Verdick presented some options for the commissioner’s consideration: new development, parking or leaving it empty for something in the future.
“Is this something that we could have (County Communications Coordinator Suzy Rook) put a questionnaire together and put it out on Facebook or someplace and see what our community would like to see come in there?” Commissioner Jim Purfeerst asked. “There might be a whole lot of ideas that are a lot better than the seven of us would come up with. And I would like to hear back from the community (about) what they would like to see there.”
Commissioner Gerry Hoisington agreed.
“I think it’s very important to get some community input,” he said. “Whatever we put on that property, we need to do it right.… We’ve been through some controversy this past year, just tearing down the old buildings. … Public input is critical, I think, just so they feel like they’re a part of it and give them an opportunity to speak. I think we have a valuable piece of property here and we just need to do the right thing.”
County Administrator Sara Folsted said the topic “might be a good candidate maybe for a special evening meeting” with Faribault City Council and community members to give their thoughts.
Other news
The property next to the Rice County Historical Society also was discussed. Commissioners were in agreement that the land can be used by the RCHS, but that the county would still own it and get the deed to any structure RCHS chooses to build on it.
Then, commissioners agreed to support Great River Greening, a conservation nonprofit, which is applying for a grant for habitat restoration, protection and enhancement. The nonprofit sought to use part of the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Fund to estore and maintain the oak savanna and forest in the Cannon River Wilderness Area.
The project will include “clearing of invasive shrubs and trees, opening the canopy in the oak savanna, burning the oak savanna, mowing, followup maintenance on invasive species, seeding replacement species for buckthorn areas, planting oak savanna species and maintaining biochar/safer wood burning kilns on site for five years,” reads the project proposal.
Commissioner Galen Malecha said he’s received emails and phone calls from the Friends of the Cannon River Wilderness Area, a volunteer group that cares for the park, and he said “they are wholeheartedly in agreement of doing this.” Underdahl said he doesn’t see a downside, and Purfeerst agreed.
After some department updates, Folsted brought forward another unique funding opportunity: the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund, which is given to “public lands counties” for anything other than lobbying. A public land county is one with significnt portions of land owned by the government and open to the public, like parks.
The funds total $100,000 over two payments, and any unused funds would be forfeited. The first payment of $50,000 was already given to the county.
After some discussion on possible uses, it was determined that Folsted would return after looking at how it could help build the friendship garden, park improvements and/or repairs at the Rice County Fairgrounds.
