Thursday, June 10, 2010
Volume 97; Number 52
Planning
& Zoning
will visit
lake
shore
owners
By Tim King
Some lakeshore property owners on
Big Birch, Maple, Osakis, and Latimer
Lakes will be receiving a visit from the
Todd County Planning and Zoning office
this summer, Garry Johanson, the depart-
ment's manager, told Todd County
Commissioners at their Tuesday June 1
meeting.
During the winter Johanson reviewed
the files of approximately 1,200 septic
systems on the four lakes. He found that
approximately 650 of them are non-com-
pliant. Johanson told commissioners that
a non-compliant septic system is not nec-
essarily a failing system. It is simply a sys-
tem that has not been inspected in the last
four to six years. A failing system is one
that is depositing raw sewage on the
ground or in the water. Johanson told
commissioners he did not know of any
failing systems on any of the four lakes.
However, he said his department
wants to eventually bring the approxi-
mately 650 non-conforming systems in to
conformance with state and county regu-
lations. To do so may only require a visit
and some minor paper work, he said.
Johanson also said he hoped to cover any
costs associated with bringing a system
into compliance with grant funds. No grant
funds have been obtained, however
landowners will be notified in advance of a
Neals Motorsports donates
use of Jet Skis to
Todd County Sheriff’s Department
The Todd County Sheriff ’s
Water Patrol was recently given
the use of two
Kawasaki Jet
Skis through
N e a l s
Motorsports of
rural Long
Prairie. Neals,
along with
Kawasaki,
donated the use
of the watercrafts for a 90 day time
period. The Sheriff ’s Office is
responsible for insurance, mainte-
nance and fuel costs on the equip-
ment.
Wed. June 9
Partly Cloudy
79°/53°
A community newspaper serving Browerville, MN and surrounding areas. USPS 067-560
visit from the Planning and Zoning depart-
ment.
The Planning and Zoning department
will only be looking for failing septic sys-
tems. Johanson said it is possible that on-
site investigations this summer may turn
up one or more failing systems. Next sum-
mer the department will return to the four
lakes to check all the non-compliant sys-
tems.
Lakes Osakis, Maple, and Big Birch
are in the Sauk River watershed. Latimer
is in the Long Prairie River watershed.
In a separate discussion, County
Administrator Nathan Burkett announced
the Planning and Zoning department has
hired an environmental technician. Chris
Ahrens, the technician, will be responsible
for inspecting septic systems on the four
lakes. Ahrens may be shared with the
highway department during the winter
months, Burkett said.
BREAKFAST ON THE FARM
Extension Educator Randy Pepin invit-
ed the commissioners, and all Todd
County residents, to attend the second
annual Breakfast on the Farm, Saturday,
June 12. The Breakfast, sponsored by the
Todd County Livestock Advisory Council,
will be held at Clasemann Dairy northwest
of Long Prairie. In addition to breakfast,
farm tours, prizes, and a petting zoo will
be available to visitors. Visitors can park
at the Long Prairie High School Parking
lot and receive free shuttle bus trans-
portation to and from the farm.
Pepin said although more than 400
people attended last year's event it was
never crowded. The breakfast and farm
visit is from 8 to 11 a.m.
HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PRO-
GRAM
Katherine Mackedanz, Todd County
Public Health, gave commissioners an
update on the State Wide Health
Improvement Program, or SHIP.
Mackedanz, who said the money for SHIP
came from the Minnesota legislature,
reported that $14,055 had been awarded
to farmers markets and community gar-
dens in Morrison, Wadena, and Todd
Counties. In Todd County she awarded
The Jet Ski’s will be used pri-
marily on the smaller lakes and for
emergency sit-
uations where
quick access to
a lake is
required. Neals
provided train-
ing on the oper-
ation of the jet
skis to the
Water Patrol
Deputies prior to use.
In addition to the donation of
the jet skis, Neals provided the use
of a trailer for transporting the jet
skis from lake to lake.
WEEKLY WEATHER REPORT
Thur. June 10 Fri. June 11
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72°/62° 77°/57°
www.bladepublishing.net
$3,940 to the Staples farmers market and
75¢
community gardening projects in the
county. The money for the Staples farm-
Christ the King graduations
ers market has been used to assist the
market with promotion and to purchase a
tent to shelter the market.
The program has also awarded funds
to schools in the three counties to imple-
ment school garden projects, increase
student recreation opportunities, and plan
nutrition education programs.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT and
DITCH INSPECTOR
County Engineer Loren Fellbaum and
Ditch and Weed Inspector Nancy
Uhlenkamp made presentations to the
commissioners regarding their depart-
ment's accomplishments last year and
their proposed goals for next year. The
presentations were the first step in budg-
et discussions for the 2012 budget year.
Other departments will make their presen-
tations in the coming weeks.
One of Fellbaum's priorities is road
safety and a lower number of accidents
on Todd County roads. Among other 6th Grade Graduates of Christ the King Catholic School:
things, Uhlenkamp said she wanted to Front Row: Fr. Ralph, Cody Lisson, Austin Twardowski,
continue to get high quality information Noah Becker Back Row: Shana O'Brien, Eliza Gould,
about county ditches to county residents. Danielle Sand, Taylor May, and Ms. Desotell
County Administrator Burkett said presen-
tations such as Fellbaum's and
Uhlenkamp's give more meaning to
abstract budget numbers. Cutting, or
increasing, budget numbers will have
more meaning following departmental
presentations.
MEET THE COMMISSIONERS
Commissioner Neumann announced a
public informational meeting with all the
commissioners will be held at Kandota
town hall, June 11, at 7 p.m. All members
of the public are invited to attend and
meet with the Todd County
Commissioners. Meetings across the rest
of the county were announced in late May.
CTK Legacy Awards
Below: Kindergarten The following 6th grade students were presented a Legacy
Graduates of Christ the King Award from Christ the King Catholic School for following in
Catholic School: their parents and grandparents footsteps who also graduated
Travis May, Shayla Host,
Jacob Buhl, Leona May,
from Christ the King (St. Joseph's & St. Peter's).
Grand Legacy Award to Noah Becker (Chad Becker &
Joseph Tynio, Madeline
Irsfeld, & Trent Kolles
Richard Becker), Taylor May (Russell May & Herbert May),
Award to Austin Twardowski (Randy Twardowski & Alvis
Twardowski), Cody Lisson (Mary May & Herbert May)
Sat, June 12 Sun. June 13 Tue. June 14 Wed. June 15 Thur. June 16
T-Showers Partly Cloudy Partly Cloudy T-Storms T-Storms
67°/52° 75°/53° 77°/54° 77°/54° 79°/53°