A petition was received by the Environmental Quality Board (EQB) in February requesting the preparation of an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for a proposed Bruening Rock Products 250 Pit near Lanesboro. At the March 10 Fillmore County board meeting the proposed pit was discussed.
EQB determined that the county is the appropriate government unit to decide whether or not an EAW is needed.
Land Use Director Blake Lea said the petition listed several environmental reasons for opposition to the proposal. The proposal is for a 19.68-acre construction grade sand pit (actual proposed excavation area 10.2 acres). Lea said the location is not in a karst area. It is in a flood plain and has been under water once during the last decade. He said it doesn’t meet the standards for a mandatory EAW but is close to those mandatory standards. Twenty acres does require an EAW. There is a “low” or “no” sinkhole probability at the proposed location.
The proposers of the quarry claim it is not an expansion of a current pit, but to be used when the current pit is depleted of sand.
Commissioner Duane Bakke said he would be more confident passing a conditional use permit with recommendations from the state agencies. Lea said, “Additional reviews help us write good conditions on a CUP. The EAW will let us know if there is a need for additional review or if there are potential effects on the environment.” It was noted that the Root River has changed over the decades; it has moved 15 to 20 feet just since 2008. The board voted unanimously for the preparation of an EAW for the proposed Bruening Pit.
Review of Managed IT Services
Shelly Caldwell and Christina Welke, Marco, reviewed projects, cybersecurity issues, and projects/services for 2026. Welke said a lot has been accomplished over the last 10 years. There have been a lot of shifts and a lot of federal and state regulation.
Threats have grown exponentially. In 2025 the use of ransomware was down with a pivot to data exfiltration, which is big business for cybercriminals. Any unauthorized movement of data is considered data exfiltration. Criminals will threaten to leak it later.
Training for employees is important for them to know what a good email is and what is not a good email. SEO poisoning is a malicious cyberattack technique to trick users into clicking seemingly legitimate links which can deliver malware or steal credentials. Education and training of employees to bring awareness was emphasized.
Caldwell said AI can be great but can be used by threat actors. AI has been added to the threat monitor; breaches can be expensive. Planning principles and policies need to be put into place. AI can help humans do jobs faster, but “it does not decide.” Caldwell recommended a committee be formed to assess the current AI risk. Ask employees if they are already using AI; it should not be allowed without a policy in place. Commissioner Mitch Lentz said AI is only as good as the people using it. County Administrator Bobbie Hillery noted some departments want AI locked down entirely. Welke added control can be put into place through Microsoft and what they have built.
Other Business in Brief
- The 2024 audit from CliftonLarsonAllen was approved. Approval was granted for the publication of a summary of the 2024 audit based on the legal bid from the Fillmore County Journal.
- A Southeast Minnesota Emergency Medical Services proposal using Opioid Settlement Funding was approved. Alex Catevenis explained it is an acceptable use of the funds to outfit current first responders that don’t have new equipment. The funds will be used to equip first responders in the communities of Wykoff and Ostrander with LUCAS devices and Zoli X-Series cardiac monitor/defibrillators and to provide education and training for first responders in these communities. NARCAN is not always administered or effective before an overdose turns into a respiratory or cardiac arrest. The funds to be used total $71,376.
- Approval was granted to seek quotes for the construction of a mound system at the Fillmore County Airport. County Engineer Ron Gregg said no cost share is required.
- The final payment in the amount of $81,384 to Rochester Sand & Gravel was approved for the resurfacing project in Sumner Township. The total value of the work was $1,627,684.
- A resolution was adopted in support of the submission of an application to the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) for funding for the restoration of the Forestville Bridge. The application will be submitted by the Minnesota Historical Society.
- Approval was given for a quote in the amount of $8,888 from Hiller Commercial Floors to replace the carpet in the courtroom.
- The retirement of County Engineer Ron Gregg was accepted with much thanks, effective June 4, after 13 years of service. Gregg said, “I have really enjoyed my service here.”
- Approval was granted to transfer Valerie Arnold, eligibility worker, to Public Health Social Worker, effective April 6. Advertisement for a replacement eligibility worker was approved.
- The public hearing to name a trout stream in the city of Peterson was rescheduled for 10 a.m. on April 14.
Leave a Reply