The Austin City Council’s priorities are in for which of the 14 grant submissions most deserve The Hormel Foundation’s grant money.

The top priority was the Austin Public Library’s summer reading program, which requested $8,000, followed by a Cedar River/Mill Pond dam enhancement project that asked for $25,000. In third place was money for the Main Street Project to continue renovation work on storefronts along Main Street.

Tallied as least important by the council were grant funds to replace worn tables and chairs for the Ruby Rupner Auditorium at the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center.

Council members and Mayor Tom Stiehm ranked the 14 ideas in order from most preferred to least at a work session following Monday’s City Council meeting. The council was waiting on input from Council Member Steve King, who was not present at the meeting.

None of the items saw a consistent ranking across the board from council members and the mayor. The council’s recommendations serve as guidelines for The Hormel Foundation, which will determine where it will award grants in September and disburse the money in January.

1) Library summer reading program, $8,000

2) Cedar River/Mill Pond dam enhancement, $25,000

3) Main Street Project, $100,000

4) Nature Center education program, $33,330

5) Fire prevention and education, $3750

6, tied) Mill Pond fountain, $12,000

6, tied) Police security cameras for downtown, $50,000

7) Commercial/retail economic development fund, $50,000

8) Police medical bags, $3,500

9) Nature Center pedestrian trail, $55,000

10) Bike safety helmet program, $7500

11) “One Card” feasibility study, $2,000

12) City website redesign, $15,000

13) Ruby Rupner tables and chairs, $19,238