The Murray County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. All members of the board including Chairperson Molly Malone, Lori Gunnink, Jim Kluis, Dennis Walgraven and David Thiner were present.
Auditor Treasurer Heidi Winter presented the Fenton Wind Project Decommissioning Bond report for Zoning Administrator Jean Christoffels. Wind project developers are required to provide financial assurance if the project is abandoned and the County has to remove the wind farm facilities. A prorated schedule was approved with the bond total to be shared with Murray and Nobles Counties ranging from $2M in 2022 to $7.17M in the year 2027. The wind farm has a life expectancy into the 2030’s, according to the Fenton Wind Farm spoke person.
Ditch Inspector Travis Radke presented three repair petitions to the Board. Tree debris was causing flooding on CD #67 in Cameron Township. Blowouts were repaired on CD#34 in Ellsborough Township and CD#76A in Mason Township.
Solid Waste Administrator Jon Bloemendaal received approval for the annual payment to SEH for engineering work on the demolition Landfill. He requested the purchase of new tires for the pay loader used at the Landfill. The current tires purchased in 2017 have reached the stage of no longer being repairable. On the action of the board he was asked to purchase four tires using funds designated for solid waste management.
EDA Coordinator Justine Wettschrek received approval for the acceptance of $5200 grant funds from TC Energy. That amount along with $4,000 donated by Compeer Financial will be used for 41 new LED lights in Olson Arena on the fairgrounds.
In a special meeting held the previous week, another project for the fairgrounds had been approved. $10,500 of ARPA funds will be used for some additional sidewalks to improve mobility. C & B Equipment will be donating volunteer labor for the project.
The next agenda item presented by Parks Director Justin Hoffmann was setting a date to open bids for the Olson Arena project. The date was also set to receive bids for two fairgrounds buildings, the South Commercial Building and the Creative Arts Building, for use as winter storage.
Houston Engineering was given the go ahead to continue the design and permitting of the Lime Lake Dam Modification at a total cost of $120,000. A grant of $400,000 has been approved for the project with a 10% cost share by the County. Work is slated for late 2022 with final clean up Spring 2023.
The final item of business was approval of the Detour Agreement with Leeds Township covering the construction work on CSAH 29 through Hadley.
The other topic of discussion at the Special Meeting of the previous week was the use of ARPA monies to fund an update of a 2018 feasibility study in regard to broadband coverage in Murray County. It was the decision of the board to continue to work with current firms to obtain grant funds for a small portion of the Lake Sarah area to connect with an area already covered in an attempt to submit a grant request in the narrow time frame still available for consideration.
