At the county board’s April 5 meeting, a pre-design contract with BKV Group, for the county jail, was unanimously approved. After some clarifications and a few changes, the board took another step forward. Bruce Schwartzman, BKV Group, had met with engineers and some county staff last week to take a critical look at the existing jail building. They determined it can definitely … [Read more...]

At the March 22 Fillmore County Board meeting, Sarah Monroe, DFO Victim Services; Laura Nauman, Women’s Shelter; and Andrea White, Regional Safe Harbor Navigator, asked the board to consider proclaiming April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Monroe noted Sexual Assault Awareness Month was first observed nationally in 2001. It is an effort to bring further awareness of … [Read more...]

The architect firm BKV Group walked the Fillmore County Board through the planning process and presented a preliminary concept for an upgraded jail at the board’s March 8 meeting. Henry Pittner, senior jail planner, and Bruce Schwartzman, partner most involved in correctional work, presented a preliminary plan for the county’s jail. The full-service firm has been in operation … [Read more...]

A discussion continued at the Fillmore County Board’s March 1 meeting on a Work Remote Policy. The county already has a Telecommuting Policy. Last week the discussion began with the original rough draft of the policy for working remote; it has since been trimmed down and made more concise. Today the question was whether another policy was even needed; the policy for … [Read more...]

At the Fillmore County Board meeting held on February 22, it was decided by consensus to go forward with contract negotiations for the county jail. Three architectural firms had been interviewed February 17. Each firm was given about two hours to deliver their presentation and to answer questions. The committee composed of two commissioners, the sheriff, county administrator, … [Read more...]

Fillmore County Administrator Bobbie Hillery reported at the county board’s February 8 meeting that five firms had submitted proposals for the jail. A committee consisting of board chairman Mitch Lentz, vice-chair Larry Hindt, Hillery, Sheriff John DeGeorge, and Jail Administrator Jamie Fenske chose three firms from the five submissions to be interviewed. County Attorney Brett … [Read more...]

During a relatively brief meeting of the Fillmore County Board on February 1, Chairman Mitch Lentz, during committee reports, related that he had attended a workshop on human trafficking in southeast Minnesota. Lentz said he was disappointed and surprised to learn that human trafficking is prevalent in our own backyard. Bonita Underbakke, during the Citizens Input portion of … [Read more...]