At the September 6 Planning Commission meeting public hearings were held on two separate Conditional Use Permit applications, one for a commercial campground and the other for a sand pit. Craig and Julene Stortz, Section 15, Canton Township want to establish a campground on their property. Craig referred to it as a private campground, where he will provide two to four fully … [Read more...]
County approves updated road impact agreement with Highland Sand Co.
At the September 11 county board meeting, an updated road agreement was approved after a long discussion regarding the number of loads of industrial sand that can be hauled out of the Rein Sandpit per day, Section 35, Holt Township. Larry Thompson, president of Highland Sand, has requested approval of a new route. The final destination is Prairie du Chien, Wis., where the sand … [Read more...]
County 2019 budget takes shape
For the last several weeks, department heads have been reviewing their proposed 2019 budgets with commissioners during county board meetings. Budgets reviewed at the September 4 meeting included those related to community services, the sheriff’s department, soil and water conservation district, and the coordinator/auditor/treasurer offices. Having completed this preliminary … [Read more...]
County courthouse security system
Language which will become the Fillmore County Court Security Screening Policy was discussed at the board’s August 28 meeting. The policy is being modeled off of Dodge County’s policy. The policy states “weapons and prohibited items are not allowed in areas designated for court procedures and activities.” Commissioner Randy Dahl raised questions about the policy. Licensed … [Read more...]
County reviews 2019 budget proposals
The Fillmore County Board at its August 7 meeting continued the process of reviewing 2019 budget proposals from individual departments. Lisa Dierks, Southeast University of Minnesota Extension regional director, discussed an agreement between U of M Extension and Fillmore County. The agreement reflects a 2.2% increase for 2019 and a 2% increase for both 2020 and 2021. The … [Read more...]
County approves donation for veterans home
The July 24 county board meeting was attended by numerous veterans, demonstrating their support for the veterans home. The board’s agenda included a request for a veterans home donation. Commissioner Duane Bakke said the process for the veterans home is moving forward. The legislature approved $10.2 million for the Preston site in its bonding bill. Every local dollar brought … [Read more...]
County transition to complete managed IT services
The county board approved a transition plan from the current Information Technology staff to complete managed IT services at their July 10 meeting. At the last board meeting, a three-year contract with Marco for 24/7 coverage was approved. The transition to Marco complete managed IT services is to be complete by October 15. This service will eliminate the need for the IT … [Read more...]
SEMAC awards arts grants
On May 15, 2018, the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC) awarded 42 grants for a total of $241,465 in funding to applicants throughout southeastern Minnesota. This included twenty Arts & Cultural Heritage grants for $180,295, twelve Presenter/Production Assistance grants for $32,220, nine Small Towns/Rural Areas grants for $25,950, and one … [Read more...]
Citizens advocate for EIS on proposed hog feedlot in Fillmore County
The informational meeting held by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) regarding the proposed Catalpa LLC hog facility drew a large crowd to the Mabel Community Center Tuesday evening, June 19. More than an hour before the meeting was to begin, speakers demanding an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), a substantially more in-depth review, spoke to the crowd in front … [Read more...]
County awarded funds
The Minnesota State Set-Aside Committee for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) has recommended $2,800 be awarded to Fillmore County for Phase 35. These Federal funds are awarded by the Department of Homeland Security-FEMA and used to provide emergency food and shelter to people in need of them. The local board is made up of Workforce Development, churches, Semcac, … [Read more...]