The Murray County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, May 16, 2023. The Murray County Parks account was benefited with a monetary donation from a recent camper. The $20 was presented in appreciation of the care given to the park.
A special meeting date of July 10, with the possibility of extending the meeting to July 11, was set for the Board to begin discussion of the budget for the coming year. Typically each department head will discuss the needs of that department and any purchases that may be upcoming that will affect that budget.
A Resolution was authorized to advance funds bonded for the improvement of Judicial Ditch 6 to other ditch accounts that may be short of funds. The extra monies were realized from lower than expected construction costs on the system.
JD 6 will be repaid with interest as assessments are paid into the deficit system accounts.
Auditor Treasurer Heidi Winter presented the decision of the ARPA committee to use $53,316.42 to replace the sewer line from the old portion of the Sheriff’s department building. This is a concrete tile line that has deteriorated over the years. This should be the final replacement of the old concrete sewer lines. Another $2100 was authorized for a grant writer for the City of Currie.
The city is applying for a FEMA grant for equipment for the fire department. Of the ARPA monies received from COVID programs by Murray County in the amount of $1,591,588 there is a remaining balance of $468,414.67. The monies were designated for public safety, broadband, infrastructure, and grant writing and miscellaneous. The meeting for approval of the Redetermination of Benefits on County Ditch 76, County Ditch (76A) 18, Judicial Ditch 14 and Judicial Ditch 15 continued from April 18,2023 was held.
Kevin Vickerman, John Schuller and Luke Olson were the viewers of those ditch systems.
At the April meeting an error in the reports was noted with a figure of 100% being used for maintenance costs. The figure was intended to have been 2 ½%. Hub Sandman was the petitions for approval, two in Leeds Township and one in Fenton Township.
Randy Groves was once again reappointed as County Engineer for another term of four years.
County Recorder Karen Brown was given approval for an Out of State travel to allow her to attend training in Davenport IA presented by Fidlar Technologies on the system used in her office.
Zoning Administrator Jean Christoffels presented the findings of the Zoning Committee for a project of Doug Rupp. The Conditional Use Permit will allow placement of 1000 cy yards of fill in Section 16, Slayton Township for the development of the land. One condition of the permit will be the placement of a silt fence between the site and the lakeshore. The Commissioners approved the CUP with the additional condition that vegetation be established between the fill site and the silt fence within six months of the filling.
The CUP of USS Slayton Solar, LLC was extended to August 1, 2024 due to the length of time that has been needed to procure the supplies needed for construction.
The Edgewater Bay Campground Expansion will not require further environmental studies and will be allowed to proceed. Jeff Barstad will be expanding a campground in Section 2, Mason Township an additional 110 sites. The campground will total 310 sites on completion. According to the plan there will be no work done along the shore of Lake Shetek. Parks Director Justin Hoffman requested approval of a fairgrounds fence project. The trees and fence along the east edge will be removed with a new fence to be installed. Michaels Fence of Sioux Falls was the lower quote of $26,110. The Commissioners requested a survey of lot lines or assurance from the City of Slayton that the present fence is actually on the lot line of all the properties.
Human Resources Director Ronda Radke has filled two seasonal Parks Maintenance positions. Adam Winter will begin work on May 17 with Dylan Kluis beginning on June 5. Kele Moudry was chosen as the season IT intern with a limit of $4,000 set by the budget.
The Joint Powers Agreement with the Redwood Cottonwood River Control Area was renewed for two years. Murray County is one of eight counties in the JPA with a share of $4,320 in the budget of $80,000. The Redwood Cottonwood River area covers 2024 sq miles.
