Latest news with #FreebornCountyBoardofCommissioners
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Board repeals contribution to Community Promise Scholarship after questioning legality of use of public funds
May 20—The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to repeal a resolution it made in December 2022 that allowed the county to designate $20,000 a year for five years to the Freeborn County Community Promise Scholarship. The scholarship allows qualified high schoolers in the county to attend Riverland Community College for free up to a certain number of credits. The program was launched by Riverland in 2022 with the support at that time by the Albert Lea Economic Development Agency, the city of Albert Lea, the county, the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce, the Albert Lea Convention and Visitors Bureau and others. The resolution approved Tuesday stated that after the local scholarship program was approved, the state of Minnesota introduced alternative funding programs that provides similar opportunities to students. The scholarship funds allocated by the county have not been utilized to date. The resolution states the allocation of public funds for the scholarship may not align with legal requirements of the Minnesota Public Purpose Doctrine, which mandates public expenditures benefit the community and directly relate to government activity, without primarily benefiting private interests. "The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners has determined that participating in the funding of the Freeborn County Community Promise Scholarship does not meet the criteria set forth under the Minnesota Public Purpose Doctrine and that the funds should be reallocated to purposes that directly benefit the community and align with legal requirements," it continued. Fifth District Commissioner Nicole Eckstrom said the scholarship funds have been a concern of hers even back to the time the resolution initially passed. At the time, she was elected for her seat but had not yet been sworn in. She said it raised concerns for her about whether it fit within that public purpose doctrine. She emphasized she didn't take the action lightly in wanting to undo the resolution from a previous board, and she did not want the public to think the board didn't support those types of programs. Eckstrom said when a group comes in and asks the county for money, even if it is a commendable purpose, it still has to fit the definition of that doctrine. She said she wants people to understand that the county did not have legal authority to support the program. Only two of the existing commissioners were on the board at the time of the original vote — Chairman Brad Edwin and Commissioner Chris Shoff. At that time, it passed 3-2, with commissioners Dan Belshan and Edwin voting against the action. Shoff said during the Tuesday meeting he did not recall having much time to consider the proposal before it was voted on. Commissioner Dawn Kaasa said she recalled Belshan questioning the legality of contributing to the program. Eckstrom said she would let the state auditor's office know of the board's decision, as she had been contacted in 2023 and again at the beginning of 2025 with questions about the county's participation in the program. County Administrator Melanie Aeschliman said Eckstrom came up with a checklist that can be used for entities coming to the board and requesting money that she said will give the county a good process moving forward. In other action: —The board approved a contract with Dodge County for assessor services through June 16. The county shall reimburse Dodge County for the independent contractor's wage and benefits (totaling $59.15 per hour) for the time the individual is in Freeborn County, up to eight hours per pay period. The board also approved an agreement with Matt Naatz for the services, which include $100 per hour, plus drive time and mileage. Compensation shall not exceed 35 hours per week without prior approval by the Freeborn County administrator. Aeschliman said she is optimistic the county has a strong candidate it will be pursuing for the permanent position. —The board voted to establish a policy review committee made up of the board chair, a commissioner, the Human Resources manager, the county administrator and the IT director. —Approved the union contract with Law Enforcement Labor Services Inc., representing patrol deputies, effective from Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2026. —Accepted the resignation of Christina Boardman, detective with the Freeborn County Sheriff's Office. —Accepted a donation from AgCountry for $600 toward the Sheriff's Office K9 fund. —Awarded the contract for paving on County State Aid Highway 35 and County Road 95 to Ulland Brothers Inc. for about $1.79 million. The project is being funded from unspent road and bridge budget dollars from 2024 that were recommitted for the fund for 2025. The engineer's estimate was about $2.3 million. —Approved the contract for culvert projects on County State Aid Highways 1 and 35 to ICON LLC. For $361,243. The engineer's estimate was about $530,000. —Approved the contract for a large scale crack sealing project to Fahrner Asphalt Sealers LLC out of Eau Claire for about $196,400. The county received four bids, and the engineer's estimate was about $758,000.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Interim assessor resigns; county still searching for new full-time assessor
Apr. 16—The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday accepted the resignation of Interim County Assessor Candice Lahann, about a month after the board brought her back for the role. In the interim role, Lahann has worked mainly in the evenings and on weekends but was still expected to supervise and monitor what is going on with the office. Before that, the county had been working with a county assessor in Houston County for interim services. The county has been without a permanent assessor since Oct. 16 after Lahann initially resigned after eight months in the position for a new opportunity in Olmsted County. State law requires counties to fill the position within 90 days, but the county thus far has been unable to find a qualified replacement. County Administrator Melanie Aeschliman said the county has already had a 90-day extension from the state to fill the position and has been approved for another 60-day extension. She said one of the challenges the county faces in filling the position is that the state requires county assessors to have a Senior Accredited Minnesota Assessor certification and does not allow a person to obtain that while in the role. Assessors with at least five years of assessment experience who hold an Accredited Minnesota Assessor license and complete the appropriate courses may obtain a SAMA license. A person with a SAMA license can perform all duties required in the classification and appraisal of real and personal property for property tax purposes, according to the Minnesota Department of Revenue. The county is in its second round with DDA Human Resources Inc. to help recruit for the job. Aeschliman said the county is dedicated to filling the position. Lahann's resignation is effective May 6.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
County board votes against battery storage project near Glenville
Apr. 15—The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted 3-1 on a resolution that opposes the proposed battery energy storage project near Glenville after hearing several comments both in favor and against. Commissioners Dawn Kaasa, Lukas Severson and Brad Edwin voted to oppose the project, while Commissioner Chris Shoff abstained from voting. Fifth District Commissioner Nicole Eckstrom was absent from the meeting. Shoff said he did not recall the board making a blanket statement previously about a project reviewed by the Public Utilities Commission and said in the past he thought commissioners could voice their opinions individually if they chose. Shoff said while he would have been in favor of drafting something that said the board was concerned about factors such as the proximity of the project near the Shell Rock River and Glenville-Emmons School, he was against jumping forward and flat-out saying the board was opposed to the project as a whole. The action comes as discussion about the proposed project, called the Midwater Energy Storage Project, has been heated in the community. As the state reviews the project, many Glenville residents have questioned the safety of the project for wildlife and for residents, particularly with the location, and what would happen in the event of a fire with the system. The 150-megawatt battery energy storage system proposed by Florida-based Spearmint Energy would be off of U.S. Highway 65 south of Glenville on land adjacent to the ITC Midwest substation. The storage system is designed to take energy off the grid that is coming from various sources, whether that be wind, solar, gas or other carbon-based resources. According to the project application to the state, the system would have the potential to store enough energy to provide electricity for approximately 100,000 households for up to four hours, based on an average household's electricity consumption. Third District Commissioner Lukas Severson said the board's resolution was a tool for the commissioners to make a statement about the project and acknowledge the citizens who have voiced their concerns. He referenced over 100 letters. The resolution states the project would utilize new technology that is rapidly evolving, and stated there is not a well-documented history of impacts of those projects on local communities, residents wildlife or the environment. It referenced health and safety concerns and pointed to continuous noise that would cause a nuisance to people and wildlife. The nearby Shell Rock River Watershed is a DNR-designated state water trail and is enjoyed by kayakers, canoers and fishing enthusiasts. The resolution also questioned the long-term economic benefits to the county and said it would instead burden the county with health and safety risks, costs, negative impacts on property values and others. While the resolution specifically states it opposes the development and operation of the development in its proposed location near Glenville, it would also oppose the development and operation of a battery energy storage system near other communities, waterways or wildlife management areas. Second District Commissioner Dawn Kaasa said there were vast areas the project could be built on and questioned why the company could not research and choose another location. She said she took offense to comments made by former 3rd District Commissioner John Forman, who compared the resolution to the story of Chicken Little, who stated that the sky was falling, as a means to sway the rest of the county against the project and green energy. Forman, the father of Mariah Lynne, owner of Good Steward Consulting, who has represented Spearmint Energy, said the board's resolution would be seen as negative by other green energy companies and other businesses looking to relocate to the county. Regarding speculation that the project was being kept secret until more recently, Forman talked about a meeting he had been asked to attend with former Administrator Ryan Rasmusson and Trevor Bordelon with Environmental Services with the county. At the time, Forman served on the Planning Commission and a few other boards dealing with similar topics and it made sense for him to attend. During the public forum, a handful of employees of Good Steward Consulting spoke in favor of the project as individuals. Emma Thompson said battery energy storage projects help stabilize the grid and said the system would have 24/7 monitoring and internal sensors. She said thermal events are rare and compared the opposition to the project to banning cars or bridges because of the possibility they could fail. Tiffany Paino described the amount of misinformation that has been out there about the project and said it was imperative to depend on reputable sources rather than fear-mongering. Holly Rahn said she has lived in Albert Lea her whole life and said she believed the board's vote was premature. She said by investing in solar, wind and battery storage projects, it can position the county as a forward-thinking leader. Theresa Nicholson, who spoke on behalf of the company, said Good Steward has worked on 100 energy projects in over 20 states, and Minnesota has the most stringent permitting process. She pointed to the myriad of studies required and the transparency and public participation that the Public Utilities Commission has undertaken. Cole Pestorious read a letter on behalf of Lynne, who was in Seattle, which also referenced a rigorous permitting process and review by numerous agencies. Greg Olson, who lives on South Shore Drive, said he had some concerns about what was being proposed and was concerned about the effect it could have on wildlife. He said the Shell Rock River should be treated with the same respect as the lakes in Albert Lea, noting a system like this would never be built that close to Fountain or Albert Lea lakes. Tim Kaasa of rural Glenville, said the Shell Rock Township also recently passed a resolution against the system being at that location and said there were multiple other locations near substations that could be considered. Jeff Jackson, a representative with Spearmint Energy, asked the board to reconsider their vote and also referred to the comprehensive evaluation that is conducted on the state level that details environmental and human impacts. He said the Public Utilities Commission is undergoing an environmental assessment of the project. The PUC oversees the review and approval of all battery energy storage systems in the state. The environmental assessment evaluates potential impacts of the project and incorporates public comments and concerns. The Public Utilities Commission is currently seeking public input on issues that should be reviewed in the assessment, and that scoping period will close April 21. After that, the PUC will prepare an assessment that will then be shared with the public, and at that time, there will be additional opportunities for public comment. After the meeting, Spearmint Energy released the following statement about the project: "Spearmint Energy designs all of our projects to comply with all applicable regulations and requirements — including Minnesota's rigorous standards for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) — while ensuring the health and safety of the communities we serve are a top priority. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is in the process of conducting its detailed Environmental Assessment (EA) of our Midwater BESS, including public comments, and Spearmint continues to engage with numerous stakeholders, including County staff, Shell Rock River Watershed, local first responders and ALEDA. We remain committed to ensuring we address the community's feedback as we bring this project to fruition."
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Work slated to begin this summer to refurbish Bent Tree Wind Farm
Mar. 14—Preparations are being made for a site-wide refurbishment project at the Bent Tree Wind Farm in Manchester and Hartland starting this summer and continuing through November 2027. Richard Miller, senior strategic project manager with Alliant Energy, and Greg Kaelberer, site manager with the Bent Tree Wind Farm, presented about the project to the Freeborn County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday during the board's workshop. Bent Tree Wind Farm has been operational since February 2011, includes 122 turbines and is capable of producing up to 201 megawatts of energy, enough to power 53,000 homes. They stated Alliant Energy's clean energy vision calls for achieving a 50% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2005 levels by 2023, eliminating all coal from their generation fleet by 2040 and meeting a goal of net-zero carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity they generate by 2050. As the company continues toward that vision, it is the third largest owner-operator of regulated wind in the United States with nearly 1,800 megawatts of power in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. Bent Tree Wind Farm, specifically, has thus far reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 3.5 million metric tons and is estimated to reduce emissions by an additional 11 million metric tons by 2040, according to the information shared. To date, it has also generated over $5 million of tax revenue to Freeborn County and over $1.4 million to Hartland and Manchester townships, according to information presented to the board. Landowners have received over $10 million in lease payments and are estimated to receive $32 million more over the next 20 years. An evaluation was conducted on the wind farm to determine whether to repower, or replace aging parts with new components, and the evaluation validated doing so. The Inflation Reduction Act also provided for Alliant to qualify the farm for a new 10-year period of production tax credits. The project calls for replacing box pads for padmount transformers, the padmount transformers, gearboxes, main bearings, generator bearings and cooling system, blade bearings, yaw and pitch systems, blade protection application and blade fiberglass image, as well as a variety of other internal components. The box pads and the padmount transformers will be replaced from August through November of 2025, with other parts replacement from May to November 2026 and from May through November 2027. Miller said the company is working on a road use agreement with the county that is based on a similar refurbishment project. During the project itself, they plan to have weekly meetings with the county to discuss and address any issues, such as dust control or others. Miller said cranes that will be used will be broken down and transported on Department of Transportation-permitted flatbeds for each turbine, and no crossings will take place over county drainage tile to mitigate any potential damage. Alliant Energy is reaching out to landowners about the project and timeframe, as well as erosion control and to provide coordination of crop dusting to mitigate crews being sprayed. Interim County Administrator Darrell Pettis, who was not working for the county when the wind farm was initially approved, asked whether the farm was approved by the Public Utilities Commission or through a conditional use permit. The men said it was approved by the Public Utilities Commission, and Kaelberer said as long as they are not changing the size of the turbine blades with this project, it is just considered major maintenance. Commissioner Dawn Kaasa asked about a construction use agreement for tile crossings and County Engineer Phil Wacholz and Auditor-Treasurer Kelly Hendrickson said it will be signed off on by the county's lawyer. The agreement will outline when the company will fix tile that is damaged because of the construction.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
County board approves support for grant applications for new shared user trail to Hartland
Mar. 6—The Freeborn County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved supporting applications for grant funding toward the first phase of construction of the shared user trail planned on the abandoned Union Pacific Railroad line from Albert Lea to Hartland. The first grant application, for $2.5 million, is through the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. If awarded, the funds would go toward the construction of the portion of the trail from Fountain Street in Albert Lea to Manchester, excluding the Minnesota Highway 13 crossing. The engineer's estimate for that span of the trail is $7.3 million. County Engineer Phil Wacholz said in his background information on the project that all right-of-way has been acquired for the project, which is typically a hurdle to similar projects. Construction will include culvert replacements, grading, aggregate base, pavement, slope restoration and other pertinent items. The grant would require an $833,000 match, which could include expenditures made from local sources prior to the grant award. The second application, for projects up to $400,000, would be through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Regional Trail Grant and would go toward rehabilitating three railroad bridges in the rural portion of the trail. If awarded, the county would receive $300,000, and the county would be required to have a $100,000 match. The third grant is one the city of Albert Lea is applying for to replace the bridge near Shoff Park with a new pedestrian bridge. The grant is through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Local Trail Program Grant and could be used for projects up to $400,000. It would also require a 25% match. Second District Commissioner Dawn Kaasa brought up a concern about all of the match funding needed if the grants were awarded. Wacholz said presently the county has $650,000 set aside for the project, and the county is setting aside $110,000 each year toward trail construction and $40,000 for trail maintenance. Freeborn County and the city of Albert Lea have been working toward the development of the trail for the last several years and in 2023 approved a joint trail action plan that discusses the development of the property. The plan breaks the trail up into possible development segments that could be completed, as well as possible costs. Trail enthusiasts and city and county officials say the trail would benefit people walking, and biking and improve access to schools, parks and even the rural areas. When complete, the trail would run 15 miles from Albert Lea to Manchester and then north to Hartland, where eventual plans call for extending it to New Richland, Waseca and even Waterville, where the Sakatah Singing Hills State Bike Trail is located. In other action, the commissioners: * Approved the county's registration ordinance for cannabis businesses. * Recognized Sara Barnes with the Rose Olmsted Advocacy Award. * Amended the Third Judicial District's veterans court contract with the state to allow for a reduction in the state allocation toward the program. Probation Director Lyndon Stinson said there had been some overlap in funds from state and federal grants, and the district will return the unused funds. The grants fund the program in its entirety. * Approved sending three team members of the veterans court to the National Association of Drug Court Professionals conference in May in Kissimmee, Florida. The cost, estimated at $6,500, will be covered by state funds. * Approved a railroad crossing agreement with Union Pacific for Margaretha Avenue improvements in Albert Lea. The project includes railroad signal upgrades, roadway and sidewalk improvements and railroad crossing improvements. MnDOT will use federal railroad safety funds for the new signals that will be installed. * Approved an expansion of the conditional use permit for Peterson Excavating and Demolition to add a 5,000-square-foot hoop building to the property for storage of black dirt. * Approved an expansion of a conditional use permit for David Malakowsky for the addition of a 30,000-bushel storage bin and an air system from an existing dryer to the storage bins on property in Freeborn Township. * Approved the resignation of Alexa Jacobson, a public health home and community registered nurse. The board also voted to refill the position. * Voted to fill an open public health community health worker position, after the individual who had been working in the role accepted a new position as a family home visitor. * Accepted the resignation and retirement of Elaine Wulff at the end of March. * Approved the Minnesota Deferred Compensation Plan. * Approved a policy for phased retirement with the county.
