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• CHAPTER 16 1 Mitchell v.City of St.Paul,114 As far back as 1911,the Minnesota Supreme Court held that a contract with Minn.14,130 N.W.66(1911). a publicity bureau was a reasonable means to promote the general welfare of See 16 McQtnllin,Municipal the city. It is important, of course,that whatever a city chooses to do should Corporations§44.40. be within the bounds of the public rather than the private interest and benefit the community as a whole. 1. Bureau of information and publicity Minn.stat.§469.186. Any statutory city may establish and maintain a bureau of information and publicity.The purpose of the bureau is to furnish tourist information; provide outdoor advertising; and prepare,publish, and circulate information about the recreational facilities,businesses, and industrial conditions of the community. This law does not authorize a special tax levy. Because the statutes give every city the authority to appropriate money for advertising, this would seem to include authority to maintain a bureau of information and publicity. It is doubtful the publicity statute provides any additional authority for statutory cities. Sverkerson v.City of Almost all the home rule charters cities have adopted since 1930 or 1940 Minneapolis,204 Minn.388,283 contain omnibus grants of power authorizing the city,without more explicit N.W.555(1939). grants of authority,to do anything appropriate for a city that the Legislature • might have authorized. It seems clear from the Minnesota cases,that such 1 grants of power authorize expenditures for advertising. A.G Op.59-A-22(Dec.8,1965). The attorney general has ruled that under such a charter provision,the city may promote business and industrial development, and hire a staff for that purpose. It seems likely a charter city, without an omnibus grant but with a typical general welfare clause,has authority to make expenditures for advertising the city as long as the particular expenditures are for a public purpose. J. City district heating system Minn.Stat.§412.321,sued. 1. Any city may acquire, construct,own, and operate a city district heating Minn Stat.§465 74. system,and issue and sell general obligation bonds to finance any city expenditures related to the acquisition or operation of a district heating system. Cities may issue revenue bonds payable solely from all or portions of revenues the city receives from a district heating system. The city itself, by ordinance, may authorize a redevelopment agency to exercise any and all of the city's powers to issue these revenue bonds. • HANDBOOK FOR MINNESOTA CITIES 16-21 This chapter last revised 12/15/2004