Rice County Commissioners May 20, 2025
Present: Underdahl, Purfeerst, Hoisington, Peters, Malacha
Parks: Dennis Lubbe.
Letter of support from Mill Town Trail JPB for CSAH 78 Reconstruction- Armstrong Road from Northfield to Dundus. Draft letter has been written, DNR has suggested waiting until legislative session has ended, to see how the bonding bill shapes up. Looking at county support for the letter and potential funding sources. It will be desirable to link the bike trail and road replacement.
Trunk highway 19 is scheduled to be worked on same year as above, from Decker Ave to highway 3. Armstrong Rd could be delayed by a year.
Shore Fishing Projects: DNR grant-Get Out More programs has money to enhance mobility and access to recreation, in this case, fishing. Trails would be ADA accessible, with one handicap accessible parking spot, and funded by this program. Draft agreement ready for review, would be for 2026 implementation.
Consultant proposals- Application for Regional Park Status- Cannon River Wilderness Park. HKGi proposal for plan and public engagement, if necessary. If not, bid at 28.000. Wigseth Engineering provided proposal of 25,000. HKGI has worked with Rice County before. Mr. Purfeerst is interested in company with the lower bid, as does Mr. Underdahl. He also points out importance of moving forward, not shelving these various projects. Mr. Malacha also agrees; Wigseth is working on housing project near safety center. Commissioners will consider, vote next week. IF all goes well, expect status update early in 2026.
Park updates: Lakes associations looking at cooperation public access points, needs and maintenance, beaches, fishing piers. County with DNR- lakes east of Faribault.
Donations – Shields Lake Association to donate money for bench, will come to the Board next week for a vote to accept.
Cannon and Wells Lakes- donation coming for sign replacement
Mowing season- looking at managing resources in best way with limited staff and equipment, to best manage grass. There are 19 acres to mow at the fairgrounds alone.
Parks dept has one FT employee, 2 mowers and is hiring two PT summer positions. Facilities has at least two mowers. In the winter, Parks is assigned to Facilities for snow removal, first for all campuses, then parks roads.
Highways: Dennis Luebbe. Refurbishing a 2008 truck, turning an old plow truck into a water tanker, to help tamp down dust on roads and bridges. Hope to use for anti-icing and deicing in the winter. Replacing a 1988 water truck. Cost to refurbish was 18,000.
Construction- culvert is done on county road 9, storm sewer going in. Spring Creek Road likely to be shut down in about 10 working days. for work. Project is on schedule.
County Road 27- Nerstrand Blvd, starting early June, needs to be completed by 6/26.
County Road 20 project to not include Hwy 3, originally. City of Dundus and MNDOT to replace lights at intersection near Menards- money difficulties with the city. Now interest in looking at a project with County 20, Highway 1 and Hwy 3 corridor- three intersections. Updates as they become available.
Northfield working on Mill Street bike path underneath Hwy 19 just north of Carleton College, which will necessitate temporary closure Hwy 19. In the planning process.
Adjourn
