Delano officials want more information before talks progress

By Ryan Gueningsman
Managing Editor

DELANO, MN – Responding to a request from the City of Independence to meet regarding utility expansion, Delano City Council agreed Tuesday night to form a subcommittee and have a meeting with Independence officials this week.

The item was discussed by the Delano City Council at an August work session, and it was noted it appears the proposal from Ryan Companies is off the table. City Administrator Phil Kern said Independence is receiving interest from other development groups on the site at the northeast corner of Highway 12 and County Line Road, just across the Wright/Hennepin county line.

Consensus from the work session was that the city isn’t interested in talking about speculative development, and that without any specific proposal, there isn’t anything to discuss, Kern said.

“Independence has conveyed that a more specific development project is possibly in the works, and the timing of the discussion would be appreciated,” Kern said in a request for action to the council.

It was noted this meeting will be informational only, and discussion took place amongst the council about a subcommittee representing the city in this initial meeting.

“The fewer people we send, the less info we have to give them,” Council Member Derek Schansberg said.

Council Member Dan Vick said it would be good to show interest and hear what Independence officials have to say.

It was the consensus that the subcommittee of the city that will meet with Independence officials will be made up of Mayor Dale Graunke, Vick or Council Member Betsy Stolfa, Kern, and Hal Becker and Larry Bartels of the Delano Water, Light, and Power Commission.