League of Women Voters of Northfield

LWV Observer – Georgiana Campbell

All Commissioners were present

This meeting was unusual. A large number  of Rice County residents came to hear a discussion of the Subdivision Ordinance.  They were understandably interested since they represented Cannon City, Forest, Walcott, Warsaw, and Wells Townships, and were present in order to back up their request  for an Agreement between  Rice County and Wells Township.  The agreement  gives  subdivision ordinance administrative duties to the County.  Previous discussion regarding the establishment of a subdivision and subdivision ordinances with adjacent areas had not been satisfactory to Wells Township or the adjacent townships.  That led to this new approach which has the County administer the Township Subdivision Regulations, thus avoiding disagreement with adjacent areas whose subdivision  rules the townships did not find helpful.  The required public hearing held recently favored passing the resolution supporting the plan.  The County Commissioners also agreed.

Auditor/Treasurer – Fran Windschitl presented the joint powers agreement between Rice County and the state of Minnesota regarding the recount of votes cast in  Rice County during the recent election.and specification of the rules involved. Windschitl also presented the need to  select a delegate and an alternate to represent  Rice County as part of the MCCC membership.  Windschitl is the current delegate and Paul Beaumaster, County Attorney,  is the current alternate.  Both agreed to continue serving in those roles. Windschitl’s duties also include overseeing the care of County Ditches.  He requested setting up a meeting to discuss  a clean out on County Ditch 23. The meeting was set for December 11.   Estimated cost for the cleaning is $24,500.

Elected Official Salary Requests – From Windschitl, Beaumaster, and DeGroot, the County Recorder.  Each one described the work they did, the challenges of the job, the amount of work involved this year compared to last year.  All had a clear idea of how much their work had increased in the last year and also the increasing financial burden facing the county.

Sheriff – Richard Cook brought for approval a letter of agreement with Olmsted  County which will act as fiscal agent for regional Homeland Security and Emergency Management grants for Region l, which includes Rice County.  Olmsted County will apply for grant funds, purchase grant-eligible equipment, distribute and maintain the equipment, etc.

The commissioners considered and agreed to the requests  presented to them.  However,  decisions regarding the  elected officers’ salary requests will not be announced until later.