The Houston County Board of Commissioners did not approve Resolution No. 26-12 and No. 26-1, making the Recorder and Auditor/Treasurer positions appointed at its March 24 regular meeting.
The board opened a public hearing at 9:05 a.m. and closed it at 9:07 a.m. to hear comments on the proposal to change the offices of Recorder and Auditor/Treasurer from elected to appointed. County Coordinator Brent Parker explained that today’s hearing is required by Minnesota State statute to be held on the same agenda as voting.
Yvonne Krogstad of Spring Grove said, “I believe that if you pass this resolution, you are taking away another right of the citizens of the county.”
Former commissioner Bob Burns emphasized the importance of expertise for both positions. “In the case of an elected person filling those positions, you don’t know what you’re gonna get as far as quality of expertise. When you do an appointment, you can look and see what their record is, what their capabilities are, and you have a better quality of employee, as far as I’m concerned. So, I think it’s okay to switch from elected to appointed – you know what you get.”
To approve both resolutions, a 4-1 supermajority vote is required.
The board conducted a roll call vote, with Commissioners Kurt Zehnder and Bob Schuldt voting “no” in favor of keeping the positions elected. Zehnder described the choice as extremely difficult, stating that his decision ultimately came down to representing his constituents and listening to their concerns.
Schuldt added that the county has historically attracted qualified candidates, saying, “If it’s not broke, I don’t believe we should fix it.”
Commissioners Cindy Wright, Eric Johnson and Greg Myhre all voted “yes” in support of the resolutions.
Wright stressed the importance of preserving the public’s right to vote, while also noting that, from an accounting and business perspective, “It’s very good to have people that work in these offices, have the skills, and have the abilities to run this office.”
Johnson called it one of the most difficult decisions of his tenure as a county commissioner. In the past, he has wanted to let the voters decide, he also agrees with Wright’s perspective.
Chairman Myhre highlighted that opening the positions would allow any qualified county resident to apply, which he sees as a positive step.
The board approved the meeting agenda, and the minutes from the March 17 meeting.
The consent agenda was approved unanimously. It included hiring April Ledebuhr-Kerrigan as a full-time Public Health nurse and Thomas Pecinovsky as a full-time Recycling lead worker. Other routine items included changing the employment status of Assistant County Attorney Daniel Coogan from probationary to regular and approving the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Great Rivers United Way.
There was one public comment. Yvonne Krogstad of Spring Grove said, “I don’t know how many county residents are aware that the board approved a courtesy car for the airport. I believe that if a person comes to the airport for business, the people they’re doing business with should provide that transportation. If they come for pleasure, either relatives or friends should provide that courtesy. County taxpayers should not be responsible for the expense of the car and maintenance. I realize that the city is providing insurance, but the car and maintenance are still an expense that taxpayers should not have to pay.”
In other business, the board:
- Approved the purchase of the Land Notification Program at a cost of $11,000, with an annual fee of $1,500;
- Approved the low quotes from Ness Pumping and Porta Potty Rentals for both Wildcat Park and Bob Botcher Park;
- Approved a work order under MnDOT’s Master Partnership Contract to provide pavement markings for Houston County;
- Approved the State Cooperative Purchases contract for treated salt;
- Accepted donations totaling $4,095 to the Extension’s Tesmer Farm Safety Day;
- Approved payments as presented by Director Carol Lapham, who said there was “nothing out of the ordinary.”
With no closing public comments, Coordinator Support Allison Wagner reminded attendees about the Clean Sweep event on April 25. Commissioner Wright noted that empty cans are not accepted, and Commissioner Johnson said dried paint in cans should be taken directly to the recycling center.
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