City of Mankato News

On July 1, the Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force, with assistance from Mankato Department of Public Safety-police, Blue Earth County Sheriff's deputies, and the Minnesota State Patrol completed a narcotics investigation in Mankato that yielded two arrests for controlled substance crimes.

Tourtellotte Pool will close at 3:50 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, in observance of Independence Day. The pool will open at its typical time of 1 p.m. Saturday and there will be no evening hours.

The Mankato Department of Public Safety-Police has received multiple reports of criminal damage to property in which unknown suspects spray painted various words and symbols at several locations in the city.

Mankato Department of Public Safety firefighters responded to a fire alarm at Horizon Milling around 9:15 a.m. on Thursday.

A ribbon cutting was held recently for the new pergola in Sibley Park.

Area law enforcement cited 250 unbelted motorists during a statewide Department of Public Safety (DPS) Safe & Sober — Click It or Ticket enforcement effort, May 18–31. The area coalition includes the Minnesota State Patrol, Blue Earth County and Nicollet County Sheriff's Offices, the Mankato Department of Public Safety and St. Peter Police Department.

The City of Mankato's Heritage Preservation Commission was recently granted Certified Local Government status by the State Historic Preservation Office, which is a critical first step in undertaking a comprehensive historic preservation effort throughout the community.

As the days get nicer, more people are doing outdoor activities including recreational fires.

Shortly before 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, the Mankato Department of Public Safety received a report of an armed robbery that had occurred at Quick Mart, 402 North Second Street.

Public Safety Police Explorers recently competed in a state law enforcement competition and earned a record number of awards, which include: first place in traffic accident investigation, first place in gang investigation, first place in the 5k run, first place in fitness run, second place in interview and interrogation, fourth place in traffic accident investigation and fifth place in bomb scene search.

Reconstruction of Second and Mulberry Streets will begin Wednesday, May 6 and is expected to continue until the end of July.

Thinking about hiring a contractor for home improvements? There have been recent reports of contractor scams in the area. The City of Mankato encourages citizens to keep in mind the following tips when hiring a contractor:

The U.S. Census Bureau has launched a massive field operation to kick off the 2010 Census.

Mankato officials recently participated in a Local Government Aid (LGA) rally at the state capitol, hoping their voices will be heard so LGA will not receive further cuts.

Belle Avenue, from Dane to Pfau streets, and Guenther Street, from Madison Avenue to Marsh Street, are closed for street and utility reconstruction.

The Erosion and Sediment Control seminar is being aired on public access television.

The City of Mankato will receive $167,000 in federal stimulus funding for energy efficiency improvements. City staff will develop a final action plan once the fund distribution guidelines are available from the Department of Energy.

As per the December Minnesota Department of Revenue Sales and Use Tax newsletter (page 8), Mankato's one-half percent food and beverage tax will begin on April 1, 2009. The Mankato City Council approved the ordinance on September 8, and the ordinance became effective January 1, 2009. Items subject to the half percent tax are served food and beverages and ticket sales for entertainment purposes. Establishments will remit sales tax payments directly to the Minnesota Department of Revenue.

Moody's Investors Service has upgraded the City of Mankato bond rating to Aa3 (from A1). City Manager Patrick Hentges said analysts were impressed with the City Council's strategic decision making in the areas of budget management, cash reserves and debt management as being some of the primary factors in receiving the upgrade. Reviewers were impressed with the city's ability to structure debt in a manner that has grown the community in an orderly fashion (i.e. investment in infrastructure that has grown the community with a diverse tax base). Finally, there was confidence that Mankato's infrastructure is positioned to have more capacity in the next few years; thus, tempering borrowing needs.

The Executive Office of the President of the United States, Office of Management and Budget, has notified the State of Minnesota that effective immediately, the Mankato-North Mankato area now officially qualifies as a new Metropolitan Statistical Area. Included are the cities of Mankato and North Mankato and the counties of Blue Earth and Nicollet.

Join the City of Mankato and take the Minnesota Energy Challenge.