The New Ulm City Council on Oct. 21 took several routine but programmatic actions: it authorized advertising for bids on an emergency slope and scour stabilization project for a Minnesota River bridge, approved a development agreement with Project Spark tied to a planned planned unit development, issued a lawful gambling raffle permit for a youth wrestling association, and accepted library and fire department donations.

Bids and bridge work

The council approved plans and specifications and ordered advertising for bids for the 2025 MSAS Improvement Project, a slope and scour stabilization project for the Minnesota River bridge identified in the staff report as Bridge Number 8520. Staff said the bridge required emergency attention after an underwater inspection found significant scour under Pier 1. The project is a 50/50 cost share with Nicollet County. The council set the bid opening for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, in City Hall Council Chambers and authorized staff to receive and open bids.

Project Spark development agreement

Council approved a development agreement with Project Spark that was required for rezoning the property from the R3 medium‑density residential district to Planned Unit Development No. 4. The agreement covers lots 1–8, Block 1, Integer Addition, generally located at 415 Thirteenth South and 1305–1315 South Minnesota Street. Staff told the council Phase 1 will construct two single‑family homes fronting Thirteenth South; Phase 2 would add 13 homes and a common building and could start as early as 2026. Staff also said, in response to a council question, that the homes will not require emergency shelters if built to Minnesota state building codes.

Permits and donations

The council granted a lawful gambling permit to the New Ulm Youth Wrestling Association to conduct raffles at Rolling Thunder Wrestling, 1607 South German Street, on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025. The council also accepted donations to the New Ulm Public Library totaling $1,540.57 and donations to the New Ulm Fire Department totaling $511 (donation line items were read into the record by staff). All motions carried on unanimous roll call votes called by Director Jorgensen.

How the council voted

All of the formal motions summarized here passed unanimously. Director Jorgensen recorded affirmative votes from Councilors Christian, Warmka and Mack and Council President Becker on the motions to advertise bids, to approve the Project Spark development agreement, to issue the gambling permit, and to accept the donations.

What’s next

Staff will proceed with bid advertisement for the MSAS bridge project and will manage procurement. For Project Spark, the developer and city will proceed under the executed development agreement; staff noted addressing for the site will be coordinated with police, fire and postal authorities before occupancy. The gambling permit authorizes the specific raffle event on Dec. 21; the donations were accepted into the respective city funds.