Houston County Planning Commission held a meeting on Thursday, August 25, 2022, to review a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) Environmental Services from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to repair a levee along the Root River in a flood plain district in Hokah Township. The CUP application states, “fill material for the repair will be obtained from on-site, previous ag fields facilitating wetland enhancements.”
Zoning Administrator Martin Herrick provided background on the project. USFWS recently purchased the property in question. Landowners approached USFWS and asked them about repairing the damage caused when the levee “blew out” in the spring of 2019. The USFWS filled out the application and submitted it to the county.
“The four landowners/farmers are responsible for paying for the work,” stated Herrick. The county got involved because the project includes fill in a flood plain.
Herrick hopes that everyone understood, “This is being restored to naturally what it was. It is not going to be higher or wider. The dimensions are like for like repairs.”
The needs assessment conducted by USFWS is not sure that this work will hold forever.
The county received three letters opposing the CUP; James Zibrowsi, Larry Kreibich, and Tim Runningen. The concern voiced is that the “blow up” helped their property.
The CUP was approved four to one, with Commissioner Teresa Walter, the lone dissenter.
After calling the meeting to order, Chairman Greg Myhre led commissioners Teresa Walter, Robert (Bob) Burns, Eric Johnson, and Dewey Severson and the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Commissioners unanimously approved the agenda and the minutes from the August 23, 2022, regular board meeting.
Commissioner Severson made a motion to approve the consent agenda as approved. Johnson seconded. Motion carried.
The Children’s Mental Health Respite Grant was extended for six months at 50% of current funding. The new expiration date for the grant is December 31, 2022.
Personnel requests submitted by Director Tess Kruger included a search for one full-time DeputyAuditor/Treasurer and one half-time Deputy Auditor/Treasurer, hiring Lane Kountkofsky as a Drop Site Supervisor, changing Amelia Meiners’ job classification from Environmental Specialist to Environmental Specialist Senior; hiring Keyloe Xiong as full-time Network/Helpdesk Technician depended on a successful background check; reassign Kathlene Barnet from Deputy Auditor/Treasurer to full-time Deputy Recorder, and hire Tim Klug as a Veterans Services driver as a 67-day casual employee.
Approved the CUP application submitted by William Gartner to place a cabin in the agricultural district, Section 14-14.3, Subdivision 1, Subsection 5, Winnebago Township, for recreational use. Herrick noted that Gartner was charged triple fees for applying for the CUP after the fact. Herrick confirmed that it is a primitive cabin and that Gartner has a soil and conservation plan. The Planning Committee unanimously approved the permit.
The commission approved the CUP from Jordan and Rachelle Meyer to remodel a garage into a farm outlet store for direct sales to consumers. The biggest question the Planning Commission had was regarding signage. Herrick confirmed that there would not be a sign near the road. Instead, a sign will be on the side of the building.
In other business, the board:
• Approved the AECME memorandum of agreement, the county’s largest union, pertaining to the 2022 step placement, contingent on AECME ratifying the agreement;
• Accepted the seal coating contract with Scott Construction Inc;
• Declared a state of emergency for conditions resulting from a heavy rain/flooding event on August 24, 2022;
• Approved the four taxpayer abatements submitted by County Assessor Luke Onstad.
After the closing public comments, department heads and Finance Office Carol Lapham appeared before the board to answer commissioners’ questions regarding the department’s 2023 budget. More department budgets will be analyzed at next week’s commission meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 11:48 a.m.
The next regularly scheduled Houston County Commission meeting is Tuesday, September 13 at 9 a.m. in the County Commission Board Room 222, located on the second floor in the Historic County Courthouse, Caledonia, or via the county conference call line (312) 626-6700 enter ID: 994-7297-7175 and password 368422. Public attendees are requested to mute their line until addressed.
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