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County road projects still on track

Board hears that despite rain, progress being made on highways

By Kevin Mertens - Staff Writer | Jun 9, 2024

County Public Works director/County Engineer April Wellman, left, and staff engineer Taylor Doering, addressed the County Board Tuesday.

Progress continues to be made on Faribault County highways, according to Faribault County Public Works director/County Engineer April Wellman.

Speaking at the County Board meeting on Tuesday, June 4, Wellman provided the commissioners with the latest construction update.

“Paving and shouldering are done on County Road 17 with only the striping for the railroad crossing remaining to be completed,” Wellman shared. “The final shouldering is scheduled to be completed on CR 23 later this week.”

Wellman also had news about CR 11.

“Shaping the road is underway,” she said. “Paving is supposed to begin tomorrow (June 5), weather permitting.”

Wellman noted that work on CR 51 would begin upon completion of work on CR 11.

“As far as CR 60 in Wells is concerned, we are still waiting for a hydraulics report to come back from the state,” Wellman commented. “The work on Bridge No. 9967 on CR 1 has been moved back to a June 10 start date and the work on Bridge No. 92804 on CR 2 is also being delayed.”

Wellman informed the commissioners that a Joint Powers Agreement for a city reconstruction project in Wells has been reviewed by County Attorney Cameron Davis.

“We are waiting on the hydraulics report to come back so we can finalize the split between the county and the city of Wells for the storm and sewer work,” Wellman explained.

Chera Sevcik and Caroline McCourt, representing Human Services of Faribault and Martin County, attended the meeting virtually to discuss the usage of the opioid settlement funds Faribault County is receiving due to the $36 billion multi-state settlement agreement, reached in 2021, with manufacturers and distributors of opioids.

“The settlement payments are front-loaded and Minnesota is unique in that the bulk of the payments (75 percent) are going to local governments,” Sevcik said. “The funds are restricted to an approved list of expenditures (evidence-based treatment and prevention activities).”

By the end of this June, Faribault County will have received over $206,000 of payments distributed. In five years, Faribault County will have had $446,000 in payments distributed.

“At the end of the settlement, on July 31, 2038, Faribault County will have had $806,000 in payments distributed,” McCourt noted.

Recommendations by the Stronger Together Coalition are to develop a Request for Proposal (RFP) process that will allow for annual applications for the available funds.

It is also recommended that a review process be developed to review and score applications.

An assessment of resources, needs and community funding priorities related to the opioid settlement spending found the public was equally split whether to use the funds for treatment or prevention projects.

Treatment priorities include hiring support coaches and recovery specialists and expanding the availability of services to treat Opioid Use Disorder locally.

Prevention Priorities outlined in the assessment include public education campaigns, the funding of community anti-drug coalitions that engage in drug prevention use and providing training in harm reduction strategies to health care providers, recovery professionals and others who provide care to people with Opioid Use Disorder.

“Projects are capped at $24,000,” Sevcik said. “Anything over that amount would require additional reporting requirements.”

It was also noted that the funding for projects would be available on an annual basis and that applicants can reapply for projects that demonstrate success in achieving outcomes.

Following discussion, the board took the first step and voted to have Human Services administer and oversee the grant process.

Global Information Systems (GIS) coordinator Brandee Douglas and County Surveyor Joe Haefner were also at the meeting to seek approval of a Professional Services Scope of Work proposal from Bolton and Menk which would fulfill the requirements of the 2024 Public Land Survey System Monument Grant.

“Part of the requirement of the PLSS Monument Grant was that we identify a licensed land surveyer,” Douglas said. “The County Surveyor is responsible for the administration of the PLSS re-monumentation program.”

Douglas reminded the commissioners the amount of money received through the grant is $299,950.

“We will be doing the work in Dunbar and Rome townships,” Douglas offered.

Commissioner Greg Young asked how accurate the GPS is when placing the monuments.

“The grant has a requirement that it has to be within six-hundredths of a foot,” Haefner answered. “Our equipment is accurate to within three hundredths of a foot.”

The board approved the proposal.

The board also:

• Passed by a 3-2 margin a motion to approve a proposal by the Faribault County and Martin County Human Services to implement a 1.0 FTE (full-time equivalent) social worker position for the Local Homeless Prevention Act.

• Approved a resolution authorizing Kari Jacobson, Tammy Emery and Nadia Lane of the county auditor/treasurer’s office to make electronic funds transfers on behalf of Faribault County.

• Approved a cell phone stipend of $50 per month for Jacobson. Approval was also given to issue a credit card to Jacobson with a limit of $2,500 for uses approved in the Faribault County Credit Card Policy.

• Voted to approve the training request of Department of Motor Vehicle supervisor Amy Wachlin to attend the MDRA (Minnesota Deputy Registrars Association) meeting.

• Approved the request of Jacobson to attend the Minnesota Association of Auditors, Treasurers and Finance Officers Summer Conference.