The city was one of four to receive the League of Minnesota Cities’ 2008 City of Excellence Award from among 30 nominees at the organization’s annual awards banquet.

Sartell will receive a check for $1,000 and a plaque for its efforts to incorporate rainwater gardens into city street reconstruction projects.

Homeowners along the Mississippi River volunteered for the $106,000 project, which allows stormwater runoff to be captured and filtered before making its way into the river.

The process involved excavating in 51 homeowners’ yards, filling them with material engineered to help trap and filter the water, and edging and mulching them during street reconstruction.

Breezy Point, Luverne and Woodbury also received the award, which recognizes improved city services, innovative solutions to community problems, cost-saving solutions and more.

Judges for the awards included Beth Heidelberg-Wielde, professor of urban studies at Minnesota State University-Mankato, Dane Smith, executive director of the liberal think-tank Growth & Justice, and David Sturrock, professor of political science and Southwest Minnesota State University and former Republican congressional candidate.