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Murray County Commissioner Mark Carlson presents certificate to Robert Ossefoort
Murray County Commissioners begin new year with committee appointments and a Thank You to Robert Ossefoort
Murray County Commissioner Mark Carlson will chair the Murray County Board for 2026, with Commissioner Roger Zins serving as the vice chair. Both were approved Tuesday, Carlson on a 4-1 vote, Zins unanimously.
In other new year business, the commissioners approved 2026 citizen committee appointments all as recommended, with Sara Heintz and Dennis Opdahl appointed to Extension, Mike Kirchner and Stacy Posthuma to Fairgrounds Advisory, Jon Hoyme to Parks and Recreation, Dan Bierma and Merri Post to Planning/Zoning, Trevor Humphrey, Kyle Krmarzick and David Maquire to SAWS and Cory Reith to Heron Lake Watershid District.
Post replaces Robert Ossefoort, who was recognized by the commissioners for his 32 years of service on the Murray County Planning Commission and nine years on the Murray County Board of Adjustments.
According to Zoning/Environmental Administrator Jean Christoffels, Ossefoort was a strong advocate for the agricultural community, making sure that regulations adopted into the land use ordinances were there to protect the citizens of the county.
“His historical knowledge of land use in Murray County will be greatly missed,” Christoffels told commissioners.
Ossefoort said he was glad for the opportunity to serve the county, mentioning that he began serving while feedlot ordinances were being established.
“Time flies when you’re having fun,” he quipped.
The commissioners also approved their own committee assignments with very little change from 2025. The biggest changes came from chair and vice chair assignments, with Carlson and Zins taking over for 911, audit, investment, personnel and state revolving fund committees. Auditor/Treasurer Heidi Winter asked that all five commissioners be part of the budget committee, rather than past practice of just the board chair.
Annual appropriations were approved, for a total of $514,329.
Murray County Medical Center CEO Luke Schryvers gave his monthly update, reporting that David Majewski has accepted the full-time ER position. Majewski had worked in a casual role for MCMC and will move to the full-time position this month.
MCMC has signed an agreement with Pipestone County to increase the availability of speech therapy services.
Schryvers reported that MCMC has received a $12,000 grant from the Office of Emergency Medical Services to offset future expenses. A grant application was submitted for a Rural Hospital Capital Improvement grant, but they do not expect to hear back on that grant until March or April.
Statistics show that acute admissions to MCMC are down 31 percent compared to this time last year, yet surgical procedures year to date are up 8 percent. Emergency room visits are down 13 percent year to date.
Schryvers said 90 percent of their hospital admissions come from ER cases.
