Sheriff Scott Adams, left at table, and deputy sheriff Chris Albers, discuss the purchase of a squad car with the County Board, above.

The Faribault County Commissioners had very few business items on their agenda when they met for their first meeting of the month on July 1.

Alissa Oeltjenbruns, who is the vice president of philanthropy for SMIF (Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation), was at the meeting to provide the board with an annual update of SMIF’s activities in the county.

“I want to begin by reminding you that Tim Penny has stepped down from SMIF and that Benya Kraus is the new president/CEO of the organization,” Oeltjenbruns said. “The goal of SMIF remains the same. We want to assist entrepreneurs, improve accessibility to childcare and promote community development and vitality.”

She mentioned they are seeing some interesting initiatives in childcare facilities.

“It is becoming more common to combine a memory care/assisted living facility with a childcare facility,” Oeltjenbruns commented. “We are seeing more of these partnerships.”

She also talked about the various grants that are available for Faribault County towns to apply for.

“It is through these grants, along with loans and programming, that SMIF is able to invest money back into Faribault County,” Oeltjenbruns continued. “In fact, for every $1 donation from Faribault County, $11 is invested back into the county.”

Sheriff Scott Adams and deputy sheriff Chris Albers were also at the meeting with two items to bring before the board.

“The Faribault County Sheriff’s Office has budgeted for three squad car purchases for the 2025 budget year,” Adams said. “Through the bid process we obtained bids from the state bid dealership and out-of-state dealerships.”

Albers then presented a proposal to purchase one 2025 Police Interceptor Utility vehicle at the price of $44,143 (plus taxes and fees as they apply).

“The dealer is Karl Chevrolet in Ankeny, Iowa,” Albers noted. “Their bid was less than the one from the state bid dealership.”

Adams shared that the department had waited to purchase a vehicle until now thinking that prices might decrease.

“A vehicle like this (Ford Explorer) was priced at $51,000 at the beginning of the year,” Adams commented. “So it has come down just about $7,000.”

Adams also told the commissioners that the Sheriff’s Department will be selling three used squads during 2025 for an estimated $55,000.

“This will help offset the new squad purchases,” he stated.

The purchase was approved. The new Ford Explorer will be used for the K9 unit.

While at the meeting, Adams also sought, and received, approval to accept the ATV Grant.

“We have to use the grant dollars or we will lose them,” Adams said. “We have decided to use the money to help us trade our 2017 side-by-side for a new 2025 model. This is a crew-cab model.”

County engineer April Wellman was on hand to provide the County Board with an update on the county’s construction projects.

“The paving on County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 17 is in progress and should be done by the end of the week,” Wellman commented. “Shouldering will follow and the striping will not be completed until later.”

She reported that work on the bridge located on CSAH 19 is still slated to begin in August.

“The work in the city of Bricelyn will be done in two phases,” Wellman explained. “Work on the road leading to the elevator will not begin until early next year. That means the road will be open during harvest this year.”

The board accepted a bid from Holtmeier Construction, Inc., in the amount of $50,440, for concrete crushing at the Baker Pit.

“The engineer’s estimate and the budgeted amount were both $55,000,” Wellman told the board members. “So, we came in a little under budget.”

Discussion then moved to the problem of the wild parsnip weed that is prevalent in many of the county’s ditches this year.

The pros and cons of spraying the weed were discussed versus mowing the weed.

“If the weed is sprayed then the grass in the ditch might not be able to be used for livestock feed,” Wellman noted.

Wellman reported that the county’s weed ordinance had not been updated since John McDonald was the engineer and offered to find out what other counties are doing to combat the wild parsnip problem.

In other business:

• The board voted to approve a solid waste hauler license for DFM Dumpsters.

• Approved the training requests of Erin Beske and Marissa Spencer of the Sheriff’s Department. Beske will be taking advanced data practices training and Spencer will be working on her PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) certification.