By Joanne Bergman The Murray County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, June 20, 2023. The first item of business was the approval of the commissioners warrants and the bills for ditch repairs as presented by Auditor Treasurer Heidi Winter. Several new petitions for ditch repairs were approved. Systems included in those repairs were County Ditches 43A, 75,72,68 and 42. There was also a petition on Judicial Ditch 14.
Sheriff Heath Landsmann presented an overview of the activities of the Buffalo Ridge Drug Task Force for the last quarter of the year 2022 and the first quarter of the year 2023. Of special importance was the seizure of 229 grams of Fentynal and one death due to an overdose. There were also ten guns confiscated. The drug force is a multi county partnership working in partnership with other agencies to lessen the impact of drugs.
Jason Lohrenz, the County IT administrator, discussed the latest funding initiatives to provide Border to Border Broadband in the less populated areas of Minnesota. The legislature has funded 100 Million dollars over the next two years with rural less populated areas to be selected for 75% grant monies. Commissioner Malone asked to have costs projected for areas of the county that would likely qualify on that basis. The Board could then budget in anticipation of those costs over the next years.
Highway Engineer Randy Groves requested support of resubmission of a Capital Budget Request to fund the addition of a cold storage shed and fuel pumps at the site of the new highway department building. Both of those items had previously been dropped from the current construction due to finances.
A quote was accepted for a ten ton bridge crane for the highway building. The price of $174,815 was slightly below the $175,000 threshold required for bidding. Installation of the crane will be $34,510 bringing the costs $25,000 below budget.
The meeting was adjourned. The Board of Appeal and Equalization meeting was scheduled for 6:00 p.m. At that meeting two appeals were to be heard. One from Duane and Marilyn Jans Revocable Intervios Trust for property in Belfast and Des-Moines River Townships. The other appeal is from Ellen Arnt and Paul Malone on property in Shetek Township. Appeals can only be brought to the Board of Appeal and Equalization following an appeal made on the township level. Those meetings were held in the months prior to this meeting.
