The Douglas County Board of Commissioners held its July meeting on Wednesday, July 12.
Commissioners voted to move ahead with two big projects for the county, received congratulations for being recognized as county of the year for its work on safety, and they heard from the county Housing and Redevelopment Authority whose mission is to provide safe, comfortable, and affordable housing. The board also voted on a number of other important issues brought by department heads and elected officials.
Sheriff’s Office
Sheriff Troy Wolbersen asked the board to accept a $1,000 donation from LaGrand Township for the Search and Rescue Dive Team. The funds will be used for the installation of buoys at Lake Latoka Beach.
Social Services
Director Laurie Bonds asked the board to approve a contract with Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging. The funds will be used for the Senior Services Coordinator who provides a number of services to the county’s aging population including distributing food through the Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS), providing impartial information on Medicare, coordinating a senior expo which features the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the Alexandria Police Department presenting on how to avoid and report scams and frauds.
Recorder’s Office
Douglas County Recorder Mary Skillings asked for, and was granted, permission to increase the Marriage Officiant Registration fee to $40 effective August 1. She said anyone is now able to officiate a marriage and there will be more training on the rules required for that duty. She said the increased fee will be consistent with other vital records fees.
Public Works
Public Works Director and County Engineer Tim Erickson was given permission to approve the low bidder for a grading project on County State Aid Highway 24 which is in Lund Township. The contract went to Midwest Contracting.
The board approved $14,425.00 for a contract with MSA Professional Services for routine bridge inspections. Twenty-one bridges will be inspected in September and October of 2023.
Commissioners approved the final payment to The Tradesmen Construction, Inc. for its work on the Brophy Park Visitor’s Center. The final payment was $20,415.06. The county paid the company a total of $1,855,914.91 for work on the visitor’s center.
There are new trails in Douglas County for ATV Riders. The trail begins at the Kensington Rune Stone Park and continues to Holmes City. The county approved a resolution to accept a $2,000 donation from ROAR for signs for that trail.
Land and Resource Management
Director Dave Rush presented items first heard and approved by the Planning Advisory Commission.
He said a proposal to plat eight lots from two tracts of land totaling 70 acres north of Lake Carlos State Park had received concern from neighbors at the Planning Advisory Commission meeting, however they had approved it because it met the conditions of the county’s comprehensive plan. A new township road will be constructed to meet the needs of the new homes. Commissioner Jerry Rapp expressed concern about the construction plan for the township road and voted no. The four other commissioners voted yes, and the preliminary plat was approved.
David and Mary Butler asking for a conditional use permit to allow their Century Chiropractic Center to relocate to the upper level of a detached garage on Lake Carlos. They would see 10 to 15 patients per day, all of which would park in the driveway. Appointments will be limited to Tuesdays and Thursdays. The board approved the motion saying it fit with the ordinance that allows home-based businesses.
Minnerath Investments requested a conditional use permit to allow for a 250-foot freestanding cellular communications tower to provide service coverage where there is a gap. Commissioners approved that request.
Buse Properties, which currently operates Odyssey Steel, a sheet steel and trim manufacturing facility, is asking to expand the business to include a full-service retail lumber yard. This business is located on County Road 7 in Brandon Township.
Douglas County requested and was granted a conditional use permit for an aggregate mining operation and a concrete and bituminous recycling/storage facility on land it recently purchased in Lake Mary Township. The county will do occasional aggregate mining and store road construction and maintenance material such as culverts, sand, gravel, milled bituminous and concrete and tree debris.
The board also heard from two important organizations here in Douglas County.
Emajean Hanson-Ford, the Executive Director of the Housing Redevelopment Authority (HRA), shared details of her organization which has a mission to provide safe, comfortable, and affordable housing.
Douglas County HRA includes a public housing program made up of 14 single family duplexes located in Alexandria, Osakis, Miltona, Brandon, Evansville, and Kensington.
There is a seven-unit apartment building in Evansville. Six of the units are subsidized. There are capped market rate apartments in the old Garfield Creamery Building, the Erickson Apartments in Evansville, Town Square Apartments and Cardinal Estates duplexes in Alexandria and Evansville.
Hanson-Ford shared there is a waiting list for these units and there is a great need for additional housing options.
Other programs include help with security or utility deposits and down payment and/or closing cost assistance which provides up to a $7,000 loan at 1 percent interest over 5 years. For more information about these programs, call 320-762-3849.
Rebecca Lynn Peterson and Greg Wagner with West Central Initiative (WCI) gave assurances to commissioners it is using all of its state and federal dollars to fulfill the goals assigned to that funding.
They reminded commissioners of the work WCI does for early childhood programs, small business relief grants, Safe Routes to Schools, and much more.
Auditor Treasurer
Auditor Treasurer Vicki Doehling was next on the agenda. She asked the board to consider forgiving a late penalty of $251.64 for a property owner undergoing chemotherapy treatments. She pointed out he has paid his taxes. The board approved that request.
She also shared a one day on sale liquor license requested by St. Nicholas Church in Belle River Township which is hosting the Rural Life Celebration for the Diocese of St. Cloud on August 20. Commissioners approved that license.
County Board
The board heard the annual report from Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT) which included congratulations for Douglas County being the county of the year. That award was given because the county has an excellent work safety program.
The board also voted to move ahead with the bid process for a new Boat and Water Building. This building will be located near the Public Works Building and will be used to store equipment used by the Sheriff’s Office and the Aquatic Invasive Species program under Land and Resource Management. It will also provide a meeting room and training space for water patrol, the dive team, and SWAT. Funding for the project is already included in the Capitol Projects fund.
The next board meeting is Tuesday, August 1 at 9 a.m. Meetings are held at the Douglas County Administration Building 821 Cedar Street, Alexandria.