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The Murray County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on October 19th with Chair Dennis Welgraven presiding.
Auditor Treasurer Heidi Winter presented the list of warrants to be paid with one small change. The Board approved the warrants. The Board accepted a donation of $15,000 from the Murray County Historical Society, with the funds designated to offset the costs of the painting and tuck pointing project currently being undertaken at the Dinehart-Holt House. Commissioner Thiner mentioned his frustration in the pre payment of $22,000 that was made for the painting that has not yet begun.
Shelly Lewis, Murray County Soil and Water Conservation District Administrator requested the quarterly allocation of $49,069.75. She, along with Craig Christensen, outlined the completed projects that will receive payment by her Board. Three water-ways have been completed as well as one dam repair. Lewis and Jean Christoffels, the land use administrator, outlined the FY 2022 Capacity Grant in the amount of $14,400. As budgeted, Murray County will match the grant using water quality dollars. This grant has been received in 2018-2019 and 2020.
Three bids were received for the Courts Restrooms Renovations. The work is necessary to make those restrooms ADA compliant. Doom and Cuypers submitted the lowest bid at $98,186.00. The contract stipulates that all materials must be on hand before the current restrooms are demolished. This was done to lessen the time the restrooms will not be usable. Commissioner Thiner stressed that the plans need to be approved by the State prior to demolition. He also wants assurance that a licensed plumber is used.
County Highway Engineer Randy Groves was present for the opening of bids on four projects with interest of several contractors for each of those. Midwest Contracting appears to have submitted the low bid of $463,305.85 for replacement of box culverts on CSAH 7 and 25. This was slightly over the estimated of $440,182.02. For the replacement of the bridge on CR 86, Prahm Construction appears to have the low bid at $675,144.00 well below the estimate of $767,793. Light grading and drainage improvements on CR 86 received a low bid of $375,451.50 from R & G Construction. Again this was well below the estimate of $583.785. Town & Country Excavating bid the reconstruction of CSAH 29 Hadley at $2,006,443.20. This was below the estimated cost of $2,279,787.35. Final figures and awarding of the bids will occur at the next meeting of the Commissioners on October 26.
John Kolb, legal counsel for the Board, used Zoom for a discussion of County Ditch 11 issues. The ditch was realigned in September of 2019 after a collapse of State Highway 30 near Lake Wilson. The ditch was constructed in 1920. Murray County allowed emergency realignment of the ditch with the assurance of MN Dot personnel that the landowners would not bear those costs. Several meetings were held with audio and meeting minutes made of the conversations. MN Dot now asserts that it bears no fiscal responsibility. Kolb was instructed to return to MN Dot to outline the process that was undertaken in this emergency situation and to request payment.
Jason Kloss presented revisions to several Public Health Ordinances that will meet the minimal standards set by the State of Minnesota in 2019. He requested a public hearing be set for November 19 to take comments on the changes.
Human Resources Director Ronda Radke announced the hiring of Jakob Etrheim as the regular part time Historical Museum Coordinator effective October 20. He replaces Janet Timmerman following her retirement on November 5. Etrheim also serves as the End O Line Director on a part time basis.
The Board approved the reappointment of two directors to the Red Rock Rural Water System Board for an additional four year term. Mike Carlson and Jay Mickelson both currently serve with terms expiring on December 31.
A Joint Powers Agreement for the Rural Minnesota Energy Board was approved. The agreement includes eighteen counties in the southwest counties of Minnesota.
