County Recorder David Kiehne was first to comment during the public hearing at the board’s July 27 meeting. Kiehne submitted a letter to the board on July 6 informing them of his intent to retire on December 31, 2022, the end of his current elected term.
Legislation signed into law in 2019 allows the appointment of a county recorder with the retirement notification provided by Kiehne. Today was the first of two public hearings. Kiehne noted that this question was asked four years ago and the public voted at that time to keep it as an elected position. Now, that legislation allows the position to be appointed, Kiehne said the public should still be heard and be okay with it.
Kiehne has stressed the importance of getting an account technician hired to work with him for a year or more to train that person; he said the position requires a long learning curve. The cost of this additional account technician was included in his budget for 2022. Commissioner Duane Bakke commented that if a person were to be elected to this position, that person could potentially come in with no knowledge of the recorder’s duties.
Bonita Underbakke, the only person from the public to comment, urged the board to facilitate the appointment of the recorder and to allow for the necessary training. There were no other comments in person or on webex.
Kiehne presented quotes for an upgrade of Images and Search software to search records by legal description. A quote in the amount of $126,822 from Arcasearch was approved. The annual maintenance fee is $2,768. The project was approved with the understanding that it would be paid for with American Rescue Plan Act funding.
The payment of e-commerce fees and the one time installation in the amount of $2,495 was approved. There will be an annual fee in the amount of $1,399. This together with the Arcasearch software will allow the public with a subscription to look up images online from 1853 through 1995. One reason the public will likely use it is to look into their family history.
Kiehne presented his 2022 proposed budget. County Administrator Bobbie Hillery said preliminary budgets will include a possible 12% insurance increase and 3% cost of living increase. These numbers are for budgeting purposes and may be on the high side.
County Staff Appreciation Day
July 27 was declared County Staff Appreciation Day. Commissioners treated the staff with fruit and doughnuts. This was to thank them for taking personal risks and delivering essential services during the pandemic. Many worked to distribute economic recovery appropriations to help local businesses survive, managed an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots during the election, assisted with vaccination rollout, and prepared for a multi year recovery effort. The Association of Minnesota Counties requested the office of the governor and the lieutenant governor proclaim July 27 County Staff Appreciation Day; the request was granted.
Other business in brief
•Stephanie Silvers Morse, library director, spoke of how the seven Fillmore County libraries came through the pandemic stronger and better. They increased services to communities. Some did a building upgrade or remodeled during the last year. Services never stopped during the 2020 lock down.
The board approved a funding contract to SELCO for the next three years. The contract payment will increase by $7,000 for each year of the three-year contract, or between 2-3%. In 2022 the county agreed to provide funding in the amount of $251,809. Chairman Randy Dahl thanked them for the services provided by the local libraries.
•Jessica Erickson, director of nursing, requested and received approval for the purchase of four new 800 MHZ radios. The cost in the amount of $14,415.05 will be paid for with a Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 grant.
•County Attorney Brett Corson updated the board on the septic litigation. The U.S. Supreme Court without oral arguments made a decision to remand the case back to the Appeals Court. Four Amish families had still been using a straight pipe to discharge waste fluids which has not been legal since the 1970s. They brought the suit and argued that they could use a mulch pit to filter contaminants. The Minnesota Court of Appeals and Minnesota Supreme Court agreed that a mulch system was not an option. The District Court had required the installation of gray water systems.
Corson went over some options going forward. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) could take years to determine if a mulch system could work in the area’s karst topography. Corson said maintaining an adequate mulch system could be work intensive and cost more than installing a gray water system over time. He said it is not feasible in Minnesota. The Amish families could lose by winning. Bakke said the county’s rules are the MPCA’s rules. Corson added that there are six Amish districts in the county and five districts have been putting in gray water systems.
The Court of Appeals may affirm that which has been decided, or let the plaintiffs put in mulch pits, or send it back to the District Court.
Corson reviewed his proposed budget. Basically the only increase is in wages and benefits.
•County Engineer Ron Gregg was able to secure some available bonding money for a bridge on CSAH 15 in Carimona Township. A resolution was approved agreeing to the terms and conditions of the grant consistent with Minnesota statute. The grant is in the amount of $121,047.45 and any cost over the estimate will be paid for by the county or any unused funds will be returned to the Minnesota State Transportation Fund.
The low bid to replace a bridge on CSAH 29 in Newburg Township submitted by Zenke Inc. in the amount of $180,991.50 was approved. The engineer’s estimate was $194,428.
•Christy Smith, county auditor/treasurer, discussed the lawsuit regarding Minnesota Energy Resources. They filed a law suit in tax court and won. The total refund, due to lower valuation, is to be $51,064. The state portion of that is $10,388.27. To be consistent with the last similar law suit, the board voted to use past practices and take out money owed by school districts (about $8,000), townships and cities (about $23,000) from the tax settlement with these localities. The county’s portion is about $9,300. A letter will be sent out to localities as soon as possible so they can budget and prepare for next year.
A request to add a marriage record amendment application was approved. This will be an additional service. No new software will be required. Smith proposed a fee of $40 for the service which will help some people, for example, who are applying for a Real ID.
The A/T budget was reviewed.
•Dacia Inglett was hired as a replacement office support specialist, Sr. in Social Services, effective August 17.
•An access permit was approved for Jeremy and Harlea Wood, section 34 Bristol Township. The access to their property is from CR 116.
An access permit from CR 15 was approved to widen an existing access, to accommodate semi trucks, for Larry Broadwater, section 13 Carimona Township.
•Kristy Ziegler’s appointment as district 5 Extension Committee representative was approved.
•Law Enforcement Labor Services negotiations for 2022 were held. LELS will come back with their counter offer on September 14.
Leave a Reply