At its August 19 meeting, the Houston County Board of Commissioners approved a settlement agreement with Sheriff Brian Swedberg and set his 2025 salary at $141,473, retroactive to January 1, 2025.
The meeting was called to order at 9 a.m. by Chairman Eric Johnson and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance. Board members present were Cindy Wright, Eric Johnson, Kurt Zehnder and Greg Myhre. Bob Schuldt was absent.
The board approved the agenda, along with the minutes from the August 5 meeting and the August 12 workgroup session. Johnson abstained from voting on the August 5 minutes as he was not present at that meeting.
Houston County residents packed the chamber and overflowed into the hall to voice their opinions about the Minnesota Legislature’s decision to repeal the state’s shotgun zones. Commissioners noted that a public hearing will be scheduled at a later date, as it does not take effect until 2026.
The comments switched to Wildcat Park. Longtime camper Jerry Knutson, who has camped there since 2004, expressed concerns about the lottery system, saying the commissioners were “shaking everyone up for nothing.” Knutson noted that the lottery appears to be intended to accommodate the long waiting list of campers by giving more people an opportunity. However, he pointed out that in his experience, “of all the lotteries I’ve been to, when they’re done, all the sites are not filled.” He added that if he were to gather signatures from fellow campers, he would recommend that if all the spots were not filled, the campers would be allowed to stay where they are at.
Larry Kirch of the City of La Crescent and Jeremiah Burish of Explore La Crosse provided an update on the upcoming USA Cycling Gravel National Championship. The event, scheduled for September 20, will feature race routes ranging from 31 to 110 miles, depending on the age group and rider category, and will pass through both Winona and Houston Counties. Organizers anticipate approximately 700 cyclists, with races beginning at 7 a.m. and concluding by 3 p.m. Explore La Crosse, serving as the primary host, will reimburse the county for services such as law enforcement and emergency medical support.
Wright made a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. Zehnder seconded. Motion carried.
The consent agenda included:
- Approval of the 2025 annual disclosure report for the City of Spring Grove Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts for the year ending December 31, 2024;
- Appointment of Nicole Karl as a Public Health and Human Services eligibility worker;
- Approval of a guardianship contract with Virgie Rud;
After a lengthy discussion with Environmental Services Director Amelia Meiners and input from Houston Planning Commission members opposed to approving the Interim Use Permit for building three greenhouses in a floodplain, the board voted to approve the application from Seth Brown and Dorian Keenan to operate a cannabis microbusiness with several conditions in Houston Township’s Agriculture Protection District. Wright made the motion to approve the Interim Use Permit, which was seconded by Johnson. The roll call passed 3-1, with Myhre voting no.
In other business, the board:
- Adopted the proposed T-Hanger rental rates, along with next year’s existing rental rates, and approved a priority system for offering the T-Hanger rentals, and established a timeline;
- Affirmed the grant and authorized the interim administrator to re-sign the resolution with the corrected project number, which was approved at the August 5 commission meeting;
- Approved BA 8-19-25 Crack Fill Grant and Resolution No. 25-26;
- Approved a $125,000 EDA loan to Sno Pac Foods for the construction of a cold storage facility in Caledonia. The loan carries a 3.5% interest rate over 10 years;
- Accepted a $200 donation from Brownsville Auxiliary Post 6801 to the Veteran Services Office, to be used for any veteran’s needs;
- Approved the creation of an Organizational Structure Review Committee, appointing Chairman Johnson, Commissioner Wright, and Interim Administrator Carol Lapham.
- Approved an increase in the fee for sheriff’s deputy time from $85 to $120, effective August 20, 2025. This increase is intended to offset the additional costs under the 2025-2027 LELS #237 contract settlement;
- Approved payments as presented by Lapham.
The meeting adjourned at 11:59 a.m.