By Joanne Bergman The Murray County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. Auditor Treasurer Heidi Winter presented a list of payments for drainage ditch repairs in the total amount of $32,062.37. Those costs will be paid from the funds available in the fund for each of the individual ditches receiving repairs. The next item was to discuss the future funding for ditches with large improvement expenses. It may be necessary to bond for the expense of redetermining benefits along with the future improvement of CD 41. That cost is estimated at slightly over $3M. No decision was made at this meeting on a future bond.
Bids were opened for the installation of the Lake Sarah Rock Arch Rapids. Of the ten competitors the lowest bid came from Rupp Construction at a cost of $205,675. Murray County will pay 10% of the bid price with the balance paid from a grant that has a limit of $333,000.
Two retiring members of the Planning & Zoning Commission and Board of Adjustment were honored with certificates for their service. Marc Hollahan has served four years. Vern Carlson has served fourteen years.
Larry Fillipi of the Contegrity Group presented an update of the $15M Highway Building construction project. The work is going well budget wise with over half of the project completed and ahead of schedule. An April completion is expected, earlier than the projected June date.
Human Resources Director Charlotte Seager received the OK to begin ads for the newly created position of Facilities Director. Darren Saner has been hired for the position of Highway Maintenance Worker. He has twenty five years of experience and received very positive comments of previous supervisors.
County Administrator Carolyn McDonald presented the 2024 lease agreement with Southwest Health & Human Services for its office on Maple Avenue. The rent remains at $8000 per month.
A new member of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Terry Giesen, was approved. He will represent District 4.
The discussion of the design for a new Commissioners chambers desk was forestalled and will become a subject for the building committee. The lack of space in the board room makes any design configuration change difficult.
A donation of $3,000 from EDG Renewables was accepted to use towards the purchase of a new drag for the horse show ring. Parks Director Justin Hoffmann will be handling the purchase of that drag. Hoffmann also received approval to purchase three new mowers for the department at a cost of $12,000 with the trade in of the three current units. The lease agreement with the Racing Ass’n was approved for the next two years under the same terms. One dollar of each ticket will be paid to the County along with $100 for the concession stand.
Economic Development Coordinator Justine Wettschrek received approval of $250,000 loan to Operation Prairie Venture for the construction of an assisted living/memory care facility. OPV will be asking for State Bonding funds to build the $5M facility. City of Slayton Administrator Josh Malchow was on hand to explain that the site is shovel ready and is reserved by the City for construction of such a facility. The bonding request has bipartisan support in both houses of state government. The loan will not be disbursed until a project is finalized.
Emergency Management Director Carl Nyquist advised the Commissioners of a FEMA Grant for the installation of a mechanical storm-warning siren at Seven Mile Park in Fulda in the amount of $21,201.75. The City of Fulda and Murray County will each pay $3533.63 in sharing the remaining costs.
Sheriff Heath Landsman received a NO to his request to pursue a grant to fund a K-9 drug dog for the use of his department. In denying the request, the commissioners questioned the further costs involved with the dog and whether there was a real need within the county for the dog.
