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Stearns County signs watershed joint powers agreement and backs AIS prevention funding
Summary
The county approved a joint powers agreement to implement the Mississippi River–St. Cloud Watershed comprehensive plan, adopted the plan, and approved signing a letter urging the governor to preserve aquatic invasive-species (AIS) prevention funding.
The Stearns County Board authorized two actions on water management and one on invasive-species funding during its Feb. 11 meeting.
First, commissioners approved a joint powers agreement to form a legal entity to implement the Mississippi River–St. Cloud Watershed comprehensive management plan. Becky Schlorf, watershed supervisor in county environmental services, told the board that the group had been operating under a memorandum of agreement for the planning phase and that Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) had approved the plan. She said the new joint powers agreement is required by the state to move from planning to implementation and that the agreement limits the entity’s funding sources to grants, gifts and other non-levy funds.
Second, the board adopted the watershed comprehensive management plan itself. Schlorf said the plan went through a 60-day public comment period, that the policy committee held a public hearing in December and that partners and BWSR had approved the final plan. After adoption, individual partner counties have up to 120 days to adopt the plan and begin implementation.
Third, on aquatic invasive species prevention funding, staff recommended and the board approved adding the county’s signature to a letter to the governor urging preservation of the AIS prevention aid base funding. Becky Schlorf told the board Stearns County has received about $250,000 annually since 2015 and that the governor’s proposed budget would cut approximately 50 percent. Schlorf said the county’s AIS committee asked the board to sign in support; several commissioners said the issue fits county priorities and the motion passed.
Commissioners asked staff to keep boards informed about joint powers entity decisions and to return to county boards with updates when grant or implementation steps are proposed. Schlorf said adoption of the watershed plan will supplant the county’s local water plan for that watershed area and noted one remaining watershed (Mississippi–Sartell) that still requires local planning.
