Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee
Houston County Commission Chairman Greg Myhre called the meeting to order at 9 a.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The board approved the agenda and the minutes from the June 2 regularly scheduled commission meeting and the June 9 workgroup session.
Commissioners in attendance included: District 1-Cindy Wright, District 2-Eric Johnson, District 3-Kurt Zehnder, District 4-Bob Schuldt, and District 5-Greg Myhre.
Several members of the public spoke in support of Beverly Hanson’s application to rezone her property in Yucatan Township from agriculture to residential. Commissioner Eric Johnson made a motion to accept the Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation to deny Hanson’s request to rezone her property with a second by Commissioner Wright. The motion carried with a three-to-two roll call vote with Commissioners Schuldt and Chairman Myhre voting no.
At 9:05 a.m., the commissioners held three concurrent public hearings.
The first hearing concerned amendments to Peddler Ordinance 13, including changes to the fee structure, a new requirement that peddler and transient merchants give a bond to the county, and a change to the license period.
The second hearing addressed an application to upgrade the current on-sale/off-sale 3.2 beer and wine license for Pine Creek Golf Course at 3815 N. Pine Creek Rd in La Cresent, to an on-sale liquor license with Sunday sales.
The third public hearing concerned an application for an on-sale wine license for La Crescent Snowmobile Club, 2485 County 6 in La Crescent, in conjunction with the current on-sale/off-sale 3.2 beer license.
Houston County Auditor-Treasurer Polly Heberlein presented the ordinance changes and both liquor license applications. No comments were received during any of the hearings.
At 9:15 a.m., the board heard the 2025 Annual Medical Examiner Report from Ross Reichard, M.D., of the Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner.
“This is what most counties dream of seeing,” Reichard said referring to a slide that illustrated that the vast majority of deaths in Houston County are from natural causes.
According to Reichard, there were no homicides in Houston County in 2025 and no deaths resulting from motor vehicle crashes. Reichard concluded his presentation by stating there was “nothing standing out that is concerning to us.”
The commissioners unanimously approved the consent agenda in a single motion. Items approved included:
•Liquor licenses renewals for Ferndale Golf, Ma Cal Grove Country Club, Valley High Golf Course, Shellhorn Bar & Grill, Little Miami, Money Creek Haven Campground, Lawrence Lake Marina, Gopher State Sportsmans Club, Lawrence Lake Marina and Houston Food Mart;
•Lower-potency hemp edible retailer registration for River Station in Brownsville and one for Kwik Trip in Hokah;
•Payment of county bills.
In other business, the board:
•Approved an amendment to the Peddler Ordinance #13;
•Approved the liquor license change for Pine Creek Golf Course, La Crescent;
•Approved the liquor license change to the La Crescent Snowmobile Club;
•Renewed a five-year lease with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicle Services for the rental of approximately 360 square feet of space in the lower lever of the courthouse. The space will be used for a driver exam station at a total cost of $1,260 per year from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2031, an increase of approximately $200;
•Approved an Interim Use Permit (IUP) for MNRE 1570 61-US 14, LLC to operate a cannabis business with a medical cannabis endorsement in the Highway Business District in La Crescent Township;
•Approved a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for Skyline Materials Ltd. to expand a quarry for mineral extraction in the Agriculture Protection District in Brownsville Township;
•Adopted a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) ordinance regulating illicit discharge, pet waste, and construction stormwater within the MS4 boundary that consists of county right of way within the city of La Crescent and a small portion of La Crescent Township. Commissioner Cindy Wright said it is “a good awareness for people.”
The board went into a closed session at 10:18 a.m. pursuant to Minnesota Statute 13D.05, Subdivision 2(b), to discuss preliminary allegations and private personnel data related to an employee grievance. Houston County Coordinator Brent Parker announced that no action was taken during the closed session.
Following the closed session, Commissioner Kurt Zehnder made a motion to deny the grievance, seconded by Commissioner Schuldt. The motion carried on a five-to-one roll call vote.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:13 a.m.
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