HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson City Council gave approval to a contract with Siemens Wind Energy for use of the rail spur that the company uses to ship out its products.

The agreement is needed after Siemens set aside its renewables sector to stand on its own, thus creating Siemens Wind Power Inc.

The original agreement has been in place since the plant opened in 2006.

Also Tuesday, the Council approved an ordinance for the hospital facilities revenue bonds needed to fund the Hutchinson Regional Medical Center improvements.

The hospital plans to build a $37 million expansion of its ICU unit and make improvements to the hospital’s electrical system building-wide. Work on the expansion is expected to begin in January and be completed by the summer or fall of 2018.

The Council also heard a presentation from four engineering students at KU who worked with the city’s planning department to build prototype housing for four vacated lots. The council also took time to discuss some of the obstacles that come with developing housing in the older parts of the city where housing continues to be an issue.

The work was part of the students’ post-graduate studies.