Road construction on old Highway Number 10 (Second Avenue) through downtown Staples will begin this summer, a project engineer from the engineering firm of Widseth Smith Nolting told the Todd County Board of Commissioners at their March 16 meeting.

The project, which includes the city’s downtown business district, will include underground utility work, new road surface, curb and gutter, sidewalks, streetlights, benches and green spaces, including trees and boulevards. A portion of the construction project will be funded through the state. When completed, the state will turn the road over to the city and it will become a city street.

For the purpose of the construction project, the roadway has been designated as a County State Aid Road and thus the county board offi- cially had to okay the project.

The project also includes two blocks of Fourth Street in Staples, which is the south two blocks of County Road 43 which runs through the city on a north-south route.

Historic courthouse

It was the consensus of the Todd County board that consultants should continue with the study of the historic courthouse. Consultants were hired in October to evaluate the condition of the historic building and to look at the costs to restore or remove it.

The 1883 building is in very good shape and is structurally sound, said Craig Milkert of the Collaborative Design Group in Minneapolis. “It’s a very fine, solid building,” he told commissioners at their March 16, meeting.

Some of the County’s departments are scattered throughout the various county buildings, said consultant Johona Harris. The consultants held meetings with each department head to look at future growth and overlapping services.

These meetings resulted in a proposal by the consultants to move tax and land services departments to the historic courthouse. This would include such departments as auditor/ treasurer, assessor, GIS, recorder and planning & zoning. The proposal would also move the county boardroom into the old courtroom on the second level of the building. Other administrative offices would also be on this floor.

The historic courthouse has a great deal of structural integrity, said Commissioner Gerry Ruda. He said he does not want to see the building crumble and not be cared for.

The next step will have the consultants come back to the Board with cost estimates to restore or replace the building. Commissioners plan to hold public meetings throughout the county this summer. They want to place the issue of restoring or removing the historic courthouse on this year’s ballot in November.

New state septic system rules

Commissioners agreed that the current county ordinances regarding septic systems would remain in effect. A recent public hearing by the county’s planning commission was held to discuss changes in septic system regulations that have been approved by the state legislature.

The planning commission voted to advise the county board that they should not adopt any of the state’s new septic ordinance updates.

County Board Chair David Kircher said there is now pending legislation to delay for two years the implementation of the new state rules. This will give legislators time to receive input from counties and time for more public hearings, Ruda said.

Retirements

A certificate of appreciation was awarded to Kitty Tepley of the Todd County Soil and Water Conservation District. Tepley is retiring after 14 years of service. Sandy Rohr, Conservation District Manager, said Tepley had brought in millions of dollars for the county, helped partnership with other agencies and left a wonderful legacy. Commissioners toasted Tepley with a glass of water, provided by Commissioner Ruda.

“On behalf of our generation and succeeding generations, you have ensured clean water for all of us,” Ruda said.

Mark Anderson, jail administrator for the sheriff’s department, was also awarded a certificate of appreciation for his 33 years of service in that department. He knows the jail and has done an excellent job, said Sheriff Pete Mikkelson. Kircher, who was his former boss, told Anderson he is admired throughout the state for his leadership and knowledge of jail systems.

“ You have my utmost respect, the county can be proud of what you have done,” Kircher said.

Equipment lease

The county public works department will lease two used 2010 plow trucks and one 2007 tractor and mower. The equipment, valued at a total of $477,500, will be financed at an interest rate no greater than 4.15 per cent for no more than seven years with a Todd County bank. At the end of the lease, the county would own the equipment, said County Engineer Loren Fellbaum.

Due to decreasing budgets over the last number of years, Fellbaum said his department has fallen behind in the scheduled replacement of equipment. This will get the department on the right track for equipment replacement, said County Administrator Nathan Burkett.

Joint powers agreement

Todd County will enter into a joint powers agreement with the state under the Child Sexual Predator Program. Chris Gorr, investigator in the sheriff’s department, will be investigating the exploitation of children through the Internet, Sheriff Mikkelson said.

This agreement will provide the county with about $5,000 in grant funding for reimbursement of overtime pay, travel, training and equipment purchases.

Veterans scenic drive

A motion by Commissioner Randy Neumann to place County Highway Number 55 along Lake Osakis on a scenic route died for lack of a second. The motion would have eliminated the road to Battle Point County Park. It would have adjusted the route to include the city of Long Prairie. It would also have named the scenic route the Armed Forces Scenic Drive. Neumann apologized to the veterans in his district and in the county.

Commissioners passed a motion at their March 2, meeting to establish a route for a Veterans Memorial Highway, from the northern border of the county at County Highway 23, to the city of Bertha. There, the Scenic Drive will connect with County Road 11, which passes through the center of the county to the Stearns County line near Sauk Centre. It does not include County Road 55.

In other business, commissioners:

o HEARD a report from County Administrator Nate Burkett on the 2009 budget. The departments should be commended for the good management of their budgets last year, Burkett said. “I’m extremely impressed with the department managers,” he said. A few departments went slightly over their budgets, but there are no reasons for concern, he said.

o HELD a public hearing during the board meeting, in which they discussed and agreed to the replacement of a railroad bridge located on County Ditch 20 in Villard Township. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Company will pay for the bridge replacement.