Riverfront dropoff Someone apparently decided the Crow Wing River bank was their own personal dumping grounds. Too cheap to dispose of properly, they dropped off an old mattress and a couple of used couches between McGivern Park and The Vintage golf course. (Staples World photo by Tom Crawford) A Staples com- munity sign is considered a good thing. If so, it's somewhat strange as it also seems like a hot potato.

Who should own and control it and how should it be operated are questions without easy answers, as members of the Staples Economic Development Authority (SEDA) found out at their Nov. 24 meeting.

The current community sign is over 20 years old and no longer sits adjacent to Highway 10 traffic, since Highway 10 moved a block south of the sign located on private property between Third and Fourth Streets. While it was built by the Staples Host Lions Club, it's long been the property of the Staples Motley Area Chamber of Commerce. The chamber changes the sign when necessary.

Jim Hofer, who has volunteered to work with a committee on a new sign, discussed options with SEDA members. Two major questions appear to be ownership and location. Potential owners included the chamber, the EDA and the LEAP organization. LEAP has $10,000 earmarked for sign replacement or upgrading.

"Whoever, we need the owner and manager to be the same entity," EDA member Mark Schmitz commented during the discussion. How's it done in other communities? In Hutchinson, their chamber owns the sign. In Menahga, the local school district owns a sign.

There was much discussion but few decisions made during the EDA ses- Someone apparently decided the Crow Wing River bank was their own personal dumping grounds. Too cheap to dispose of properly, they dropped off an old mattress and a couple of used couches between McGivern Park and The Vintage golf course. (Staples World photo by Tom Crawford) sion, which delved into the messages on the sign. Would they be free, or would there be a charge? Who controls the message and who receives the revenue. Who takes care of up keep and insurance?

Jim Hofer noted those questions could be answered later, but first the ownership and location need to be ironed out. Do they want to use the present site and either upgrade or replace the present sign. Could city-owned property be used for this was a question asked, with ownership apparently following.

Stan Carlson didn't feel comfortable with that idea. "I don't see the city or EDA getting involved. It's a great idea and it's needed, but not by us."

EDA chair Chris Etzler suggested perhaps the city could help by loaning money to the chamber, while Doyle Yoder wondered if someone private might operate the sign.

A site on current Highway 10, such as near the Highway 10-210 intersection, would be the best possible location. While considered a long shot to obtain property owned by the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe railroad, it was decided that Jerel Nelsen would contact the BN-SF land management officials to explore that possibility. Other questions remained somewhat up in the air.

Another item of discussion for the SEDA members concerned the former Carter-Ringer plant, property now owned by Norbert Johnson. The city of Staples has a mortgage against the property, which is likely to go tax forfeit in 2011. City Attorney Joe Krueger was instructed to research what options the city has, and he presented both a written and oral report. Since the city loan is delinquent, the city could pursue foreclosure prior to the tax forfeit action, but the city would be required to pay off two mortgages (to the North Central Regional EDA) for at least $80,000.

A second way to acquire the property would be by the city paying off delinquent taxes after the property goes tax forfeit. This also could cost the city more than the $40,000 loan it has against the property. The city's long term goal would be to use the former Carter Ringer building as a business incubator building.

In other matters, the SEDA board:

o OKAYED extending interest only payments on a loan to Liberty Machine (owned by Ron Riisager) for an additional three months.

o APPROVED a $12,000 loan for three months, at 6 percent interest to pay suppliers and built up inventory for Bill Paulson, doing business at PCM Products in the Staples Industrial building. His farm product business has been so good the past three months he needs to acquire additional equipment and operating capital.

o NOTED that the EDA wetland mitigation project on the city's southeast side is going well. Contractors working on the Ernie's site hauled over 20,000 yards of sand from the wetland site to the Ernie's location for fill, with still more fill available. The city was required to replace (two acres for every one lost) about 1.8 acres of wetland lost due to development south of new Highway 10, so the excavation site is proposed for 3.69 acres. Jerel Nelsen said the income from the sale of the fill material to Ernie's will pay for the city's cost to develop the wetland. That property was purchased by the city several years back prior to having a use for it.