Blue Earth County commissioners approve organizational slate, policies, bids and property-listing authorization

Blue Earth County commissioners at their Jan. 7 organizational meeting approved a slate of administrative officers, adopted routine annual schedules and policies, awarded bids on several contracts, and authorized county staff to sign an exclusive listing agreement for county-owned property known as the poor farm.

The board approved a chair rotation naming Kip Brunder chair and Patty O’Connor vice chair, and approved slates for the county’s Economic Development Authority and Railroad Authority during back-to-back organizational sessions. Commissioners also adopted the 2025 Housing Choice Voucher utility allowance schedule after a presentation from Nicole Cunningham and Nancy Bockelman of county housing staff describing the methodology, which used local vendor cost data and HUD guidance.

Human Resources Director Laura Allebach presented a new personal vehicle reimbursement policy intended to standardize ad hoc reimbursements to employees; the policy was approved. The board also authorized recruitment for a criminal intelligence analyst at a higher pay grade (grade 5) than originally budgeted, following a consultant recommendation.

On procurement and finance, commissioners awarded the low bid for steel materials to Marshall Machine Shop for $356,000 (budgeted at $421,625), set the small-cities revolving-loan and ditch-balance annual interest rate at 7% (the policy sets the rate at 0.5% below prime, with a 4%–8% cap), and approved publisher selections for delinquent-tax lists and legal notices, using Maple River Messenger and the Mankato Free Press as recommended. The board also set the county’s crop-damage payment schedule and left gopher bounties at $1 per pocket gopher and $1 per 13-line ground squirrel.

Finally, the board approved a resolution authorizing the county administrator to execute an exclusive right-to-auction-or-exchange agreement with Winger Land Services Inc. to market two parcels of county property commonly referred to as the poor farm along County Road 16. Several commissioners noted the agreement follows prior work-session discussion and that inquiries about the property should be referred to the county’s selected agent.

Votes at a glance

- Chair and vice-chair rotation: Kip Brunder as chair; Patty O’Connor as vice chair — motion carried. - EDA slate of officers (chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer, executive director) — motion carried. - Adopt 2025 Housing Choice Voucher utility allowance schedule — motion carried. - Approve Blue Earth County personal vehicle reimbursement policy — motion carried. - Authorize recruitment for criminal intelligence analyst (grade 5) — motion carried. - Award bid for steel materials to Marshall Machine Shop — $356,000 — motion carried. - Set small-cities revolving loan interest rate at 7% — motion carried. - Approve publisher selections (Maple River Messenger; Mankato Free Press) and related insertion/printing items — motion carried. - Adopt crop-damage payment schedule — motion carried. - Set gopher bounties at $1 per pocket gopher and $1 per 13-line ground squirrel — motion carried. - Approve revision to Dec. 3 county board minutes to correct ditch levies — motion carried. - Authorize county administrator to sign exclusive right-to-auction/exchange agreement with Winger Land Services Inc. for poor-farm parcels — motion carried.

Most motions were taken by voice vote with the chair calling “all in favor say aye” and the record indicates each motion carried; the meeting minutes do not show named roll-call tallies for these votes.