Photo by Kirsten Zoellner
At the December 10 meeting, the Peterson Council heard from Fillmore County Engineer Ron Gregg regarding the replacement of the Root River bridge which is the main thoroughfare in and out of the city.
The 1960s-era bridge will see a $6.1 million overhaul that is estimated to cost the city just $20,000. Federally-designated bi-partisan infrastructure funding will cover nearly all the bridge replacement cost.
“I’m trying to incorporate as much as I can in that grant,” said Gregg. “If it goes over that $6.1 million, we’ll use our county state-aid funds to fill in the gaps.”
The city’s cost share amount will cover curb, gutter, and a sidewalk on the south side of the bridge. The sidewalk will extend down to the Department of Natural Resources canoe launch, which will also see some changes following the completion of the bridge reconstruction. Plans are 99% complete, according to Gregg and call for the existing bridge to remain as a one-lane, traffic light controlled roadway for the duration of construction, but Gregg noted the contractor will have some discretion regarding this timeline. The four-span bridge will be constructed with pre-cast concrete beams set on existing piers with decking above.
Bridge realignment is a key feature of the project with the bridge shifting the intersection of County Road 25 and Highway 16 to a better angle. This will diminish some of the parking in the canoe launch area. Once the bridge-phase is addressed, the canoe launch work will begin. It’s expected that the launch area will be inaccessible to the public during the project timeline.
According to Gregg, the Minnesota Department of Transportation has right-of-way from the road all the way to the river via a Conditional Use Permit acquired by the DNR. During the meeting, Duane Ostrem, executor for the estate of Donald Boym, indicated there may be a discrepancy in ownership of the land, which will need to be clarified. Gregg expressed willingness to provide documentation on land ownership, but the matter will be determined between the two parties.
Bid opening for the project is scheduled for February with construction to begin in April/May. The county anticipates the project will be complete by October 2026 in order to meet Department of Natural Resources/Department of Fisheries requirements.
The county provided the city with a cooperative agreement which will need to be in place prior to bid opening. This will include details on the responsibility of moving the city sign and adjacent granite, which was just installed last year.
Also in attendance was Rushford-Peterson Superintendent Ben Bernard who was there to discuss the upcoming building referendum with the council and citizens present.
The district is seeking the authority to issue $24,015,000 in general obligation bonds to fund facility improvements. The district anticipated ver 51 percent of the cost would be funded by state funds through disaster relief funding that was granted following the 2007 flood in Rushford. Eligibility to use the funds runs out in 2034.
“If we need that in 10 years, we’re footing the bill for all of it and that disaster relief funding will go away,” said Bernard. “If it passes, great. If it doesn’t, that’s fine. We still have the best facilities in all of southeast Minnesota.”
Three informational sessions for the public will be held in roundtable format. They will be held on December 17, January 7, and January 21. Architects, building construction managers, and financial consultants will be present at the sessions for further information. The referendum election will be held on February 10, 2026.
In other news, due to changes in auditing requirements, the city is now under the threshold for a city needing to conduct and annual audit. Instead, the city will be able go through the process just once every five years. With an annual cost of roughly $8,000, the savings for the city should be significant over that timeframe.
Clerk Chris Grindland indicated he likes the transparency offered by an audit and that the process provides a complete snapshot of city finances. This includes not just revenues and expenditures, but utility cost projections and rate guidance, as well as debt standing.
The polling place for 2026 will remain mail-in balloting. In 2024, the city conducted a survey regarding polling preferences and mail-in garnered the majority.
FEMA public assistance for the windstorm this fall was submitted in the amount of $33,160. The council approved the report unanimously.
The council also discussed the Community Economic Development Associates grant. The city will receive 130 hours of assistance from the state of Minnesota, as well as $13.500 to implement the grant. Of the four categories for which grant applicants could apply, the city opted for business retention and expansion, however, this allows for some flexibility from the state should them deem another category more appropriate.
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