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County approves Public Works bids, annual reports and Eagle Lake engineering contract; awards EV grant funds
Summary
The board awarded construction contracts for a county slope-repair project and a highway safety improvement program contract, approved Public Works and Parks 2024 annual reports, authorized MnDOT contract administration and a project sponsor agreement with Eagle Lake, and accepted Carbon Reduction Program funds for two electric pickup purchases.
Blue Earth County commissioners on July 8 approved several Public Works procurement and reporting items and accepted federal and state agreements tied to local projects.
Contracts and awards: Public Works recommended and the board approved awarding the CSAH 40 slope repair contract to R & E Enterprises (low bid $246,407.50, substantially under the engineer’s estimate). The board also awarded the 2025 Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) contract to Safety Signs Incorporated after the bids were higher than the engineer estimate but the project advanced through MnDOT approval.
Annual reports: The board approved the Public Works 2024 annual report (summarizing county road miles, expenditures and major projects) and the Parks Department 2024 annual report (camping nights, reservations and revenues). Public Works staff summarized construction and maintenance expenditures and noted that approximately 70% of the budget is spent on construction.
Eagle Lake trail project: The board approved MnDOT contract 1060249 that lets the county administer federal preliminary engineering funds for a shared-use trail and sidewalk in Eagle Lake, adopted the associated agency agreement (SP7090006) and approved a project sponsor agreement with the City of Eagle Lake to document responsibilities between the county and the city.
Fleet and sustainability: Public Works announced it received FY2026 Carbon Reduction Program funds to cover 80% of the purchase price for two electric pickup trucks; county match is budgeted. Staff said operational constraints mean EVs are best used by employees who return vehicles nightly for charging.
Other items: The board approved an increase to Ponderosa Landfill's mattress recycling fee to $25.64 per unit, effective July 14, 2025, to reflect higher recycling costs after the county used additional recyclers.
Board action: All motions to award contracts, approve reports, authorize agreements and accept the CRP grant carried on voice votes; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.
