PROCEEDINGS OF THE MURRAY COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

MURRAY COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER - SLAYTON, MINNESOTA

APRIL 16, 1996 - 9:00 A.M.

Pursuant to notice given, the Murray County Board of Commissioners met in regular session with all members present. Also present was Paul Malone, County Attorney.

A motion was made by Lennen Nelson, seconded by Gaylen Jensen, with all members of the Board voting their approval that all claims as presented were approved for payment less $202.50 from the claim of Murray County Memorial Hospital.  The Chairman was authorized to sign the Audit List dated April 16, 1996 with fund totals as follows and warrants numbered 54987 through 55061:

            COUNTY REVENUE FUND                         $ 31,076.57

            COUNTY ROAD & BRIDGE FUND                  5,645.69

            COUNTY PARKS FUND                                                  598.80

            END-O-LINE PARK FUND                                           1,625.00

            TRI-COUNTY RECYCLING                              3,930.53

            SCORE FUND                                                                 1,244.18

            FORFEITED LAND FUND                                                 16.00

            HOSPITAL EXPENSE                                               108,446.08

            TOTAL                                                                        $152,582.85

A motion was made by William J. Sauer, seconded by Lennen Nelson, with all members of the Board voting their approval to accept the agenda.

Randy Jorgenson, Director, Southwest Regional Development Commission, met with the Board to report on the Windpower Task Force.  The Task Force has been lobbying the Minnesota State Legislature to increase the rate of taxation on windpower generator towers in Lincoln, Pipestone, Murray and Nobles counties.  Murray County has a potential to produce 100 mega watts of electricity with the towers that are scheduled to be constructed.  Success on this issue would have meant a 20-30% reduction to current taxpayers in Murray County, but because the bill got tied up in politics”, it only made it through the Senate and not the House.  Another factor was that NSP, the largest taxpayer in the State, was against the bill.  The Task Force will meet to plan a course of action for the coming year.  The windpower bill has merit with there being only one (1) Senator opposed to it.  More can be done to draw attention to the positive affect the generator towers have made to the area.

Brent Hubers, Probation Officer, met with the Board and presented the first quarter report for 1996.  At the end of the quarter there were 25 juvenile and 21 adult cases open and one (1) juvenile placement.  Brent commented that Murray County has a low rate of juvenile arrests.

Brent has visited Pinnacle Programs in Magnolia and was impressed with the facility there.  He will recommend using them when he has a case requiring unsecured detention of a male juvenile.  This correctional facility is more for the hard core” individual.  Brent recently attended a gang awareness seminar in Redwood Falls with Ron McKenzie where zero tolerance was stressed.

Perry Loegering, MN DNR - Slayton Office, along with 11 other interested persons, came before the Board with a proposed resolution to allow the sale of 131.4 acres in Iona Township to the DNR.  On March 19, 1996 the Board passed a resolution involving this same land, disapproving of the sale to the DNR.  The sale now excludes 40 acres of tillable land which would keep good land in production.  The seller of the land, who was present at the meeting, stated that he feels the previous three (3) reasons for disapproving the sale have been satisfied with the removal of the 40 acres, and that the Board should approve the sale this time.  Lee Carlson, Ecologist, Heron Lake Watershed District, commented that he favors the sale to the DNR because it is part of a water management plan of the District.

Commissioner Gaylen Jensen offered the following resolution and moved its adoption:

RESOLUTION NO. 04-16-96

In accordance with Minnesota Statues 97A.145 Subd. 2, the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources on 4-9-96 provided the County Board and the appropriate town officers with a description of lands to be acquired by the State of Minnesota for water and wildlife conservation purposes.

Lands to be acquired are described as follows:

The North 500 feet of the East 1650 feet of the Northeast Quarter (NE1/4) of Section 31, T.105, R.41, and

The East Half of the Southeast Quarter (E1/2SE1/4) of Section 30, T.105, R.41, except the West 325 feet of the North 680 feet thereof, and

The East Half of the West Half of the Southeast Quarter (E1/2W1/2SE1/4) of Section 30, T.105, R.41, except the East 155 feet of the North 680 feet thereof.

IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, By the Board of County Commissioners of Murray County on April 16, 1996 that the State’s proposed acquisition of the above described property be disapproved.

The reasons for disapproval are as follows:

1.       The purchase will take land out of production.

2.       Public sentiment is against the sale to the DNR as evidenced by almost 400 signatures presented to the County Board by the Iona Township Board.

3.       The land does not contain any wetlands” as determined by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The foregoing resolution was duly seconded by Commissioner Lennen Nelson, and thereupon being put to a vote the following vote was recorded:

Ayes:  Gaylen Jensen, Lennen Nelson, Berneva Johnson and Steve Cohrs.

Nays:  William J. Sauer.

The Chairman declared the motion passed.

Nathan Richman, County Engineer, met with the Board to give the Highway Department report.  The Slayton Cemetery erosion problem can be corrected for less than originally thought, based on two (2) estimates.  The first option is with a product called Ankor-Mat with a material cost of $11,900, and a Murray County Highway Department contribution of another $2,850.  The second option is to use Gabions” or rock baskets, with a material cost of $12,970 and a Murray County Highway Department contribution of $8,125.  A motion was by made William J. Sauer, seconded by Gaylen Jensen, with all members of the Board voting their approval authorizing Nathan to proceed in obtaining quotes on both options, and to select the option that results in the lowest cost to the County.

Nathan was asked by the Board to help with the specifications for replacing the roof of the Courts Building and to advertise for bids.  A motion was made by Lennen Nelson, seconded by Berneva Johnson, with all members of the Board voting their approval authorizing Nathan to advertise for bids for the replacing of the roof of the Courts Building, with the specifications to call for a sprayed on foam type roof.

The Board granted Nathan permission to have a plumber hook up city water to the new restrooms which are part of the Enhancement Project at End-O-Line Railroad Park in Currie, and to get quotes to purchase culverts for 1996.

Nathan informed the Board that he has gotten two (2) in-house applicants for the positions of Maintenance Worker I & II but he wants to open it up to the public to have more selection.  20 applications have been received other than in-house.  A motion was made by Lennen Nelson, seconded by William J. Sauer, with all members of the Board voting their approval to open the positions to the public.

Nathan informed the Board of some damage to trees on private property which the owner claims is the result of blown snow from County plows.  Nathan indicated to the Board that the damage is from the winter and that the County has no responsibility in the matter.

Parts of CSAH #3, 24 and 10 have had 5-ton weight restrictions posted because of severe frost problems.  Nathan was granted permission to advertise for bids for bridges in Bondin, Lime Lake and Moulton Townships, with bids to be opened June 18 at 10:30 A.M.

Nathan was informed by the Board that the Murray County Soybean Growers will give $1,000 worth of soapstock to control dust at the fairgrounds for a demonstration.

Ansel Doll, Pioneer Public TV, Jerry Huiting, Coordinating Engineer, and Rueben Boxrud met with the Board to open bids for transmission line for the Chandler TV Tower.  New bids were received because of a change in specifications which resulted from an upgrade in the FCC license allowing for a 60 kW transmitter to be installed.  The following bids were received:

            Dielectric                      $93,561

            Myat                              95,935

            Harris Allied                   93,906

The bid of Harris Allied was disqualified because it did not include all of the items required in the specifications.  A motion was made by Gaylen Jensen, seconded by William J. Sauer, with all members of the Board voting their approval to accept the bid of Dielectric of $93,561.

A motion was made by Berneva Johnson, seconded by Lennen Nelson, with all members of the Board voting their approval to accept the minutes of the April 2, 1996 meeting as mailed.

A motion was made by William J. Sauer, seconded by Lennen Nelson, with all members of the Board voting their approval to appoint Bernard Ramert to the Planning and Zoning Commission.

A motion was made by William J. Sauer, seconded by Gaylen Jensen, with all members of the Board voting their approval to appoint John Muller to the Economic Development Committee.  (The Committee will be meeting for a retreat at Key Largo tonight.)

A motion was made by Lennen Nelson, seconded by Berneva Johnson, with all members of the Board voting their approval to approve the following liquor licenses:  Key Largo (subject to submitting a Certificate of Insurance); Corral Supper Club, Inc.; Valhalla Steakhouse, Inc.

A motion was made by William J. Sauer, seconded by Lennen Nelson, with all members of the Board voting to accept the following adjustments recommended by the personnel committee:

            David Hansen               No Change

            Paul Malone                 No Change

Carla Goedtke requested permission, on behalf of the Murray County American Cancer Society, to use the fairgrounds on August 10 for a Relay To Life Fund Raiser.  A motion was made by Lennen Nelson, seconded by Gaylen Jensen, with all members of the Board voting their approval to allow the Cancer Society use of the fairgrounds on August 10.

Chris Lang, Plum Creek Library, Ron McGriff, Consultant, and Sharyl Larson, Librarian, Slayton Public Library, met with the Board to present the 1995 annual report of the Plum Creek Library System.  Ms. Lang also distributed the proposed Roadrunner I and II Bookmobile schedules.  A motion was made by Lennen Nelson, seconded by William J. Sauer, with all members of the Board voting their approval to approve the Bookmobile schedules as presented.

Claris Nord, Deputy Registrar, presented the Board a proposed resolution that would allow her, and her assistant, direct computer access to the State for drivers license and motor vehicle records.

Commissioner Berneva Johnson offered the following resolution and move its adoption:

RESOLUTION NO. 04-17-96

BE IT RESOLVED, That the County of Murray enter into an agreement with the State of Minnesota, Department of Public Safety, for the purpose of receiving from the State of Minnesota, Department of Public Safety’s Driver and Vehicle Services Division, direct computer access to driver license and motor vehicle records maintained by the Driver and Vehicle Services Division for use by the County Deputy Registrar.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That the Deputy Registrar and Assistant Deputy Registrar be and they hereby are authorized to execute such agreement.

The foregoing resolution was duly seconded by Commissioner Gaylen Jensen, and thereupon being put to a vote all members of the Board voted favorably for its adoption.

A motion was duly made, seconded and carried to approve payment of the commissioners expense forms.

There being no further business appearing at this regular session of the Board, a motion was duly made, seconded and carried to adjourn the meeting at 3:50 P.M.