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Board fills Commissioner Lenzmeier’s committee seats, appoints John Wicker to Board of Adjustment and discusses stipends and fee policy
Summary
Following Commissioner Lenzmeier’s retirement, the Stearns County Board reassigned his committee appointments, unanimously appointed John Wicker to the Board of Adjustment and raised questions about per diems for planning and board site visits and after‑the‑fact permit fees.
After the board declared a vacancy in District 4, commissioners redistributed many of Commissioner Lee Lenzmeier’s committee assignments, appointed a new Board of Adjustment member and discussed compensation and procedural issues for advisory boards.
Appointments and committee coverage: - The board approved interim committee assignments to cover Lenzmeier’s vacancies through the end of the year. Commissioners volunteered for several committees: Council on Aging (Commissioner Persky), Regional Rail Authority (Commissioner Bertram), Area Planning Organization (APO) alternate (Commissioner Clark), Tri‑County Solid Waste and Wetland Appeals Panel (Commissioner Notch), Emergency Services alternate and Airport Zoning (Commissioner Notch/others) and Law Library (Commissioner Clark) among others. Staff said annual committee appointments will be reviewed in late November or early December and adjusted as needed.
Board of Adjustment appointment: - The board considered nine applicants for an at‑large Board of Adjustment opening and appointed candidate H by voice vote; the board later disclosed the appointee’s name as John Wicker of Kimball. The board asked staff to complete an orientation and clarify whether members can attend by Zoom. “It’s really important that you participate,” a commissioner said about expectations for board members.
Per diems, site visits and fee-schedule questions: - Commissioners raised compensation questions for the planning commission and board of adjustment, noting time spent on site visits. Several suggested a one‑time $50 payment for site‑visit days in addition to the existing meeting per diem (which staff said is about $100 for meetings). Planning staff and administration said they will include stipend and fee‑schedule items in forthcoming fee and compensation discussions.
After‑the‑fact permits and enforcement: - Commissioners urged staff to review fee structures and penalties for after‑the‑fact permits and to consider higher fees as a deterrent where property owners or contractors proceed without required permits. Planning staff said they will review construction and conditional‑use fee schedules and report back.
Quotes from the meeting: - On participation expectations: “It’s really important that you participate,” a commissioner said to the newly appointed board member during the discussion about orientation and attendance. - On site‑visit compensation: one commissioner proposed, “for the site visits to do $50 a one time $50 to do the site visits.”
Next steps: - Staff will notify John Wicker of his appointment and provide orientation materials. Elections/administration staff and planning staff will return to the board with recommended changes to per diems, site‑visit compensation and fee schedules for after‑the‑fact permits for the board’s consideration.
