Alexandria City Council member honored by American Legion

Longtime Alexandria Ward 4 council member Dave Benson was honored by the American Legion Post at the Alexandria City Council meeting Monday night, May 24.

Owen Miller from the Legion presented Benson with a plaque commemorating his 50 years of faithful, continuous membership into Alexandria Legion Post 87. Miller also noted Benson's service as a police officer and his many years on the council.

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Following are other items from the May 24 meeting not reported in other council stories.

The council voted to close a portion of the meeting to discuss "active investigative data," which is allowed under Minnesota's open meeting laws.

According to the brief explanation in the council's meeting packet, city staff requested the opportunity to update one active investigation. No other details were given.

Alexandria Police Chief Scott Kent was at the meeting.

The council issued a transient merchant license for Tracy Hayes of Alexandria.

The council had tabled the request at its last meeting to find out more information about the items Hayes would be selling.

Hayes has since told the city he would limit the items to bottled water, pop, chips and candy.

The police chief recommended approving the application.

Two other licenses were approved:

• Indoor sale of fireworks at Walmart to TNT Fireworks.
• Outdoor display of fireworks and pyrotechnic special effects for the Willmar Stingers baseball game at Knute Nelson Field on July 1 at dusk.

The council gave preliminary approval to a request from Douglas Machine to vacate the easement on a portion of Iowa Street in the Airport Industrial Park.

In 2019, the company completed a building addition and the public utility lines were relocated. Vacating the land will release the easement and clear the title.