Todd County repays solid waste fund

The loan in the amount of $300,000 that was borrowedby the county from the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund to help with the costs of the Health and Human Services Building renovation project, was paid back in full. The action was noted at the Todd County Commissioners meeting July 19.

The 2014 and 2015 installments of $30,000 each year for a total of $60,000 had already been paid leaving a balance of $240,000 still owed.

The Finance Committee along with the commissioners in their 2016 budget planning had authorized the loan to be fully repaid instead of making annual installments.

The $240,000 will be transferred from the General Fund to the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund.

Along similar lines, funds in the amount of $6,632.50 were transferred from the County Ditch Fund to the General Fund for hours worked by the county ditch inspector.

The county ditch authority has approved having the hours worked by the ditch inspector charged back to the ditch fund. The time period covered was from July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016.

A total of 189.5 hours were billed at $35 per hour on various ditch systems throughout the county.

In other business:

o According to Todd-Wadena Community Corrections Director Kathy Langer, the counties have had no single document that addresses all the terms of the corrections agreements.

Since 1976, Todd-Wadena Community Corrections has operated as a joint powers entity.

According to Langer, there is “extensive documentation dating back to 1975, which references the agreement between Todd and Wadena counties for Todd-Wadena Community Corrections, and vests authority in the Executive Committee to implement and maintain correctional services for Todd and Wadena counties.” 

The board approved a Joint Powers Agreement that establishes the specific terms of agreement between Todd and Wadena counties.

o The board accepted the bid and awarded the contract for the Burnhamville Township Bridge Replacement Project on 331st Ave to Structural Specialties, Inc. of Hutchinson, based on their low bid of $348,136.

County Engineer Loren Fellbaum had a public informational meeting scheduled for later that evening to help address concerns of citizens.

Commissioner David Kircher said that he had heard some concerns related to the lake possibly going down - this bridge outlets to Little Swan. sometimes known as Pillsbury Lake.

Fellbaum said that this is a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources dam so it will be exactly where it is today and should not effect the lake elevation at all.

o Accepted the resignation of Ryan Hanson a part-time deputy.

Sheriff Don Asmus said that he was down to just one part-time deputy, David Determan who also works in another department in the county full-time.

He said that two other part-timers were hired on as full-time. They do have five part-timers in the court, but three of them have full-time employment elsewhere.

Asmus said he would like to have a pool of three or four in court security.

The board approved posting in-house and advertising for part-time deputy positions.

o Approved to change the existing nonconforming use (dwelling) to another nonconforming use (accessory storage structure) for Sandra Anderson on Lupine Drive on Pine Island Lake.

o Approved a zoning change from an AF-1 to Shoreland for a winery for Curt and Dawn Richter for 19.65 acres in Round Prairie Township. Part of the property is already zoned Shoreland. A winery is not allowed on property zoned AF-1.

o Along with the zoning change, the board also approved a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) request to establish the winery to include on/off sales of wine and food, sale of retail items and to host special events and weddings.

o Approved a CUP for Ammon Gingerich to establish a 24’ x 40’ schoolhouse as well as support buildings including a 24’ x 20’ lean-to and a 14’ x 24’ horse shed.

Kircher asked if the intent was to take this off the tax rolls because this is why he had a problem passing these.

Planning and Zoning Director Tim Stieber said that there was another home-based business on the property and said it would be difficult to remove the property from the taxes.

o Heard an update on the Hilltop Regional Kitchen in Eagle Bend from Health and Human Services Katherine Mackadanz and Eagle Bend Senior Citizen Center President Rick Hest.

They are at 92 percent of their fundraising goal of $628,145 and fully expect to be finished fundraising for Phase I of the project this fall.

Hest said they hope to be producing meals out of the facility by spring 2017.

o Approved the hire of Lea Seidl to fill an open position as a Child Protection Social Worker.

o Approved the hire of Registered Nurse Teri Kuehne in the Adult and Disabilities Unit.

o Approved advertising for a full-time administrative assistant beginning Aug. 1. This position has been vacant for over three months. Kircher said they needed someone in payroll.

Human Resources Karla Nalezny said that the administrative assistant position had some payroll functions, but was not specifically a payroll position.