11/24/2009 8:01:00 AM County board learns 'There are farmers under strees'
By Craig Moorhead
County commissioners approved a variance proposal on Nov. 17 for the Houston County Historical Society. The society is building a 10,620 square foot addition to their museum located at the 104 S. History Lane in the Houston County Fairgrounds in Caledonia.
The zoning application filed with the city of Caledonia included a 25-foot setback variance from the north edge of the property.
Commissioners had tabled the proposal at an earlier meeting to have time to investigate runoff issues. With no problems cropping up, the board signed off on the project, which includes a u-shaped building extending 65 feet to the west, behind the current museum, then 212 feet to the south, behind current historical structures.
The application calls for a stick built building with an estimated value in excess of $600,000.
Extension Office reports 'There are farmers under stress'
Jerrold Tesmer, County Extension Educator, appeared with Kelly Wilkins, County 4H Coordinator.
Tesmer brought a list of 23 projects and programs his office has been involved with in 2009, along with 14 others already slated for 2010.
Wilkins summarized 4-H activities in the county for the year.
Tesmer said that he expects to be busy next year with a program called the Minnesota Farm Assistance Network.
With farmer-lender mediations up, his office, along with a number of other agencies, will be trying to help farmers. Tesmer said that he's scheduled to attend extra training on the matter, although he remembers clearly the farm crisis years of the 1980s.
"Farmer-lender mediation is up 86 percent (from last year)," he noted, "the highest since July of 1988. I was very deeply involved with that when I first started with the Extension. I started in 1987. To be honest with you, I'm not looking forward to it, but I guess we'll live through it again."
"We all know what dairy prices have been and we know what hog prices have been... now we've got some crop problems too. There are farmers under stress. They're trying to get us prepared to assist them as best we can."
Wilkins reported that Houston County's 17 4-H clubs boast 360 traditionally enrolled youth members, supported by 119 enrolled adult volunteers.
She said that the total number of kids impacted by area 4-H programs is probably closer to 2000, with many more adults helping out as well.
The county fair saw an amazing 3,696 projects from 309 youth members, she reported. "That doesn't mean those other 51 weren't active throughout the year," she added.
Wilkins reminded the board that 4-H is not just about farming. She noted, "4-H has taken the initiative to make sure that we're educating kids and hopefully creating great scientists and engineers for the future."
Commissioners 'welcome efforts' to establish off-road rec area
The board passed a resolution in favor of establishing an "Off-Road Vehicle Recreation Area" near the city of Houston.
County Finance Director Casey Bradley explained that a group called the Minnesota Four-Wheel Drive Association (MNFWDA) has met with local leaders, and is working with the Minnesota Department of Natural resources to establish the recreation area near Houston.
"We've been meeting with the association for six months or so." Bradley said.
He explained, "County EDA coordinator Jordan Wilms has been working with them on and off to find land, and they've kind of identified an area that they're interested in. They had a public meeting in Houston and all the feedback from that's been relatively positive."
The resolution notes that representatives from the cities of Appleton and Gilbert, Minn., had attended the local meeting.
MNFWDA parks are already located in those areas. According to the document, the leaders stated, "The group is well received in the communities, that they patronize local businesses, and are mindful of natural resources as well as a benefit to the local economy."
DNR would purchase the land and regulate the area, Bradley said, "They'd be right on the edge of Houston... It sounds like a very positive program."
"The resolution just supports their efforts to move their organization into this county," Bradley concluded.
Other board news
The board set a public hearing for Tuesday, Dec. 15, to consider "the adoption of new fees as well as increases in existing fees." The hearing will be at 9:30 a.m. in the Commissioners Room at the courthouse.
Fees for copies, maps, professional services and civil attorney conferences will be covered at the meeting. The new schedule is set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2010.
Commissioners granted permission for auditor Char Meiners to purchase a new laptop computer for her office. The $1,478 unit would replace a computer that the office is currently using, which is no longer fully functional, Meiners told the board.
She said that equipment funds in her 2009 budget would cover the cost of the new computer.
Meiners reported that the Minnesota Counties Insurance Trust has paid the county a $98,034 dividend for 2009. That's about $3,000 more than last year, Meiners said.
The dividend is based on "favorable loss experience" within the pool of counties that have worker's compensation and property/casualty coverage through MCIT.
On a related note, personnel director Tess Kruger told the board that the Association of Minnesota Counties would be presenting Houston County with the award for "Most Improved Worker's Compensation."
Kruger said that she was pleased to receive the news, since it indicates that county employees have "made great strides" in the area of workplace safety.
Board meeting schedule
The county board meets the first four Tuesdays of each month, however they will not be meeting on Dec. 8 so the board can attend the Association of Minnesota Counties annual conference. The board will meet on Dec. 29 instead.
