Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee
Houston County Commissioners approved the Houston County and City of Spring Grove inter-agency agreement for the city’s law enforcement services at the September 13 commission meeting.
The agreement is on the City of Spring Grove’s meeting agenda for next week, Tuesday, September 20.
Sheriff Mark Inglett explained, “Exhibit A closely defines the services that we will provide. Exhibit A has been designed and put into the contract as a document that can be amended as the need arises between the sheriff and the city administrator.”
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 meeting’s agenda and the minutes from the September 6, 2022, regular board meeting.
The Council unanimously approved consent agenda included hiring two full-time sheriff’s deputies, Luke Inglett and Kendra Heim. Inglett and Heim will be assigned to patrol Spring Grove; hired Nicole Karl as a probationary CSE case aide; reassigned Helen Olson from a case aide to a probationary Eligibility Worker; and authorized staff to begin a search for a case aide vacated by Olson.
In other business, the board:
•Approved Resolution 22-44 Final Acceptance for CP 2022-01, contract 322 with Bruening Rock Products, Inc. for shoulder rock on various roads within the County. The total project cost is $295,353.71, with the original contract amount of $297,493.81;
•Approved Resolution 22-45 Final Acceptance for SAP 028-599-098/SAP 028-599-100, contract 318 with Van Gundy Excavating LLC for the two Rooster Valley bridge replacements. The total project cost is $301,079.00, with the original contract amount of $294,951.00;
•Approved Resolution 22-46 Final Acceptance for CP 2022-05, contract 324 with Sir Lines-A-Lot LLC contract for pavement markings;
•Approved Resolution 22-47 Final Acceptance for SAP 028-599-094, contract 319 with Minnowa Construction Inc for the Looney Valley Bridge replacement at a total cost of $629,291.26;
•Accepted Resolution 22-48 to extend the current Houston County Comprehensive Local Water Management Plan to transition to one watershed, one plan.
Commissioner Severson announced that the ribbon cutting for the new bike/pedestrian bridge spanning Highway 14/61 in La Crescent is Monday, September 19. Severson also reminded commissioners that the county bus tour as part of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan process is Tuesday, September 20.
There being no closing public comments, Finance Officer Carol Lapham and five departments presented their 2023 proposed budgets and answered commissioners’ questions. Department budgets reviewed were Surveyor, Recorder, Public Health & Human Services, Highway, and Sheriff.
Commissioners conducted a thorough review of each department’s budget. Lapham noted that ARPA allocations were not added to the 2023 budget. More department budgets are on the agenda for the next regular commission meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 12:16 p.m.
The next regularly scheduled Houston County Commission meeting is Tuesday, September 27 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.