League of Women Voters

LWV Observer - Georgiana Campbell

All commissioners were present.

This May 26 meeting of the county commissioners  featured the annual report of the Minnesota Counties Insurance Trust, of which Rice County is a part.  The Trust is a governmental pool which does not pay taxes and is a safety net for catastrophic losses. When  pools were first established  they were rare.  According to Gail Sater, the Trust representative who presented the information, the MCIT is doing well and of great help to its members who face liability claims  and auto claims.  The Trust prides itself on efficiency and good use of time.  So Ms. Sater  gave the report and was in and out of the meeting in about 20 minutes.

Public Health -- Mary Ho presented appointments to fill vacancies  on  the  Community Health Services Advisory Committee.  These were approved by the commissioners.

Social  Services -- Mark Shaw requested  approval of contracts having to do with home health care facilities and staff.  These too were approved.

Auditor/Treasurer -- Fran Windschitl  presented requests for renewal of three liquor licenses. These were appoved by the commissioners.

Planning and Zoning -- Julie Runkel brought several Planning and Zoning requests: one for the adoption of an amendment to the Rice County Zoning map, one  for  a final plat approval, one for a gravel mining CUP, and one for the conversion of a resort to a commercial  planned unit.

Highway Dept. -- Dennis Luebbe asked for  approval of two resolutions involving road improvement and particularly the financing of those projects.  One resolution is required by MN-DOT as part of a Federal Aid grant received for a safety improvement project (consisting of replacing guardrails and guardrail end treatments at 5 locations in the county). The cost will be $77,674 which is federally funded.   The second resolution  provided that the low bidder for the CSAH 86 reconstruction be awarded the contract once the contractor is approved.

Sheriff,Richard Cook -- Cook asked for the adoption of  a resolution sponsoring the Rice County Drug Task For MCIT (Minnesota County Insurance Trust) membership.    The Task Force is a joint powers agency for the purpose of enforcement of controlled substance laws.

The commissioners voted to sponsor the membership request.

Administration,Gary Weiers -- Encouraged setting the time for a public hearing on revisions to the Rice County Sewage and Wastewater treatment Ordinance.  It will be on June 4, 2009 at 7:05p.m.