NEW BRIGHTON

Thursday: The city will hold its annual town hall meeting from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Family Service Center, 400 10th St. NW. The meeting's theme is "Viable Communities: Leadership, Relationships & Vision." The meeting will be preceded by a community fair, with exhibitors including community organizations, at 5:30 p.m. Presenters include city manager Dean Lotter, Mayor Steve Larson and other city staff.

CRYSTAL

Dec. 13: The City Council will interview candidates for the open Ward 3 City Council seat at a work session. The city received eight applications for the seat that was vacated by Lindsay Krantz, who resigned Nov. 5 because he was moving out of the city. City staff is recommending that the council narrow the candidate field to four for the interview process. The selected candidate will serve until Dec. 31, 2008.

RAMSEY

Friday: An auction for 150 acres of land in the Ramsey Town Center is scheduled for Friday. This is the fourth rescheduling of the auction this year. Minnwest Corp., the bank that holds the mortgage on the foreclosed land and has postponed the auctions, has continually asked the city to reconsider the development agreement for the Town Center project. City officials have said they are willing to negotiate parts of the development agreement but they are still pursuing a court ruling that would allow them to keep the agreement intact.

MINNEAPOLIS

Monday: Planning is underway for what to do with Shoreham Yards, a 230-acre rail yard that is the state's largest polluted site. The Shoreham Area Advisory Committee is holding a community meeting to discuss how the site can be redeveloped. Shoreham Yards is near the border of northeast Minneapolis and Columbia Heights between Central Avenue and University Avenue and 27th Avenue NE and St. Anthony Parkway. The meeting will be from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Salvation Army Center at 2727 Central Ave. NE.

ERIC HANSON AND LORA PABST