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Faribault City Council approves agreement to raise buried transformer on Central Avenue
Summary
Council approved Resolution 2025-185 to pay Excel Energy $2,511 to raise a buried transformer behind 322 Central Avenue and to sign a coordinating agreement with DIC Holdings LLC; the work requires a temporary power shutdown for affected tenants and the city will supply gravel for the site.
The Faribault City Council voted to approve Resolution 2025-185, authorizing the city to sign an agreement with DIC Holdings LLC and to contract Excel Energy to raise a buried electrical transformer behind properties on Central Avenue.
City staff said the issue dates back to a stalled 2009 alley improvement project. Staff reported that the transformer currently sits below grade behind what is now 322 Central Avenue and that Excel Energy is the only party that can perform the lift. Excel provided a cost estimate of $2,511 to raise the unit; the city will provide gravel and coordinate property-owner and tenant notifications. The work will require the transformer to be de-energized during the lift, which staff estimated could last “four to eight hours,” and will be scheduled once Excel places the job in its work queue.
Staff member Jessica Kzer summarized the history and recommendation, saying the matter "has been an issue for 15 years, and we'd like to bring it to conclusion with your approval of this resolution and the signing of both agreements." Kzer also said staff could assist the property owner with tenant contact information for required shutdown notices. The city did not identify a firm start date before Excel schedules the work.
A council member asked whether the police department would be affected by any power interruption; staff replied that city public-safety functions would not be impacted and that the outage would affect Central Avenue commercial properties only. The council moved to approve the resolution (moved by Roland; seconded by Teal) and approved it on a voice vote.
The resolution authorizes executing the Excel Energy work order and the agreement with DIC Holdings to proceed with the transformer raise and related site work.
