Thursday, February 25, 2010
Volume 97; Number 37
Commissioners vote to
remove Solid Waste Director
By Tim King
The Todd County 4-H Horse
Development Committee
received approval from the Todd
County Board of Commissioners
to accept a $3,888.00 grant from
the Minnesota Horse Council at
the commissioner's Tuesday
February 16 meeting.
The money will be used to
improve the safety in the horse
barns at the Todd County Fair
Grounds, Nancy Becker, spokes
person for the Horse
Development Committee, told
commissioners. The primary
improvement will be to fill the
horse stalls in the barns. The
floors have been compacted over
the years and now are eight to
ten inches below grade, accord-
ing to Becker. She said filling the
stalls would create a healthier
environment for the horses and a
safer environment for horse own-
ers. It will also make the horses
more visible to Todd County fair
goers.
The money will also be used to
improve external lighting for the
horse exposition arena.
Improved lighting will increase
both safety and accessibility to
the arena, said Becker.
Commissioner Ruda support-
ed accepting the grant because it
made the facility more usable.
The arena and barns are used
by 4-H members, Prairie Dusters
Saddle Club, and Todd County
Sheriff's Posse, as well as the
general public during fair time.
Becker told commissioners the
posse, 4-H Horse Council, and
Minnesota Power and Light are
assisting the project financially.
She asked commissioners if the
county would help by providing
the fill for the stalls.
Commissioner Kircher asked
her to determine how much fill
was needed and to bring that
information back to the board.
2010 LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS
Commissioners passed a reso-
lution containing nine legislative
priorities they will urge area leg-
islators to support. Priorities
include asking legislators to sup-
port the creation of a committee
to study potential revisions to
the Minnesota ditch law, support
the inclusion of funding for the
Perham garbage incinerator in
the bonding bill, and to act to
delay the implementation of new
septic system rules by the
Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency.
Commissioners Kneisl and
Neumann attended a legislative
Wed. Feb. 24
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bonding hearing on February 17
with the purpose of lobbying for
Perham incinerator bonding
assistance. They also attended a
hearing on the new septic system
rules. Commissioner Ruda said
the Todd County Board of
Commissioners will continue to
engage in discussions with the
legislature directly as well as
through the Association of
Minnesota Counties and the
Minnesota Rural Counties
Caucus.
This is the first time the Todd
County Board of Commissioners
has developed legislative policies
and actively pursued them
though lobbying.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
GRANT
Commissioners voted to accept Pictured in front, left to right, are the 2010 Todd County Dairy Princesses: Tracy Perish,
a $5,600 grant, from the U.S. Megan Middendorf, Tiffany Hulinsky, and Emma Motl.
Department of Homeland In the back are the 2010 Todd County Junior Dairy Ambassadors: Tayah Smith, Kim
Security, for the purpose of creat- Blommel, Deandra Lunemann, Rachel Perish, Samantha Salber, Sarah Paskewitz, and
ing a hazard mitigation plan. Brenda Rausch. Not pictured: Rachel Stoterau, who was ill and unable to attend.
County Administer Burkett said
the plan is a mandate and,
because of that, it is difficult to
merge with other plans prepared
by the county.
Early Intervention into Reading
ZONING
Commissioners approved a
conditional use permit, and pre-
liminary plat, that will allow
Phillip Stueve to start a body
shop and sales lot for repairable
vehicles in Round Prairie
Township. The new business will
be south of Long Prairie, near
Midway Gas Station, on
Highway 71. Steuve said his
business will include auto body
and frame repair as well as a
sales lot with twenty to thirty
repairable vehicles for sale.
SOLID WASTE
Commissioners agreed to join
a joint powers authority with
Otter Tail, Becker, and Wadena
Counties to manage the Perham
incinerator. The new joint pow-
ers authority will be called
Prairie Lakes Municipal Solid
Waste Authority.
While supporting the joint
powers board agreement,
Administrator Burkett warned
commissioners they were dele-
gating part of the decision mak-
ing authority of the Todd County
Board of Commissioners to the
Prairie Lakes Municipal Solid The Browerville first, second and third grade classrooms have implemented EIR into their read-
Waste Authority. He said the ing program this year. EIR stands for Early Intervention into Reading. The program is used in con-
commissioners will now have to junction with their current program. EIR helps children who are struggling in reading and yet do
share decision-making authority, not qualify for other services. EIR is an intervention, so it helps teach children the basic skills which
regarding the incinerator, with they may not have yet mastered. The program gives children the basic skills that help develop them
the other counties. into successful readers. EIR works on finding strategies that help students read. They use many dif-
In a separate action, commis- ferent strategies to help them become better readers. EIR has been effective because the reading is at
sioners voted to remove Tim a level where children can be successful.
Continued on page 20.
WEEKLY WEATHER REPORT
Thu . Feb. 25 Fri. Feb. 26 Sat. Feb. 27 Sun. Feb. 28 Mon. Mar. 1 Tue. Mar. 2 Wed. Mar. 3
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