Isanti County board directs RFP for new highway facility and votes to seek $25 million sales tax authorization

Isanti County commissioners on Jan. 20 directed staff to issue a request for proposals for design services for a new county highway facility and voted unanimously to ask the Minnesota Legislature to authorize a 0.25% local-option sales tax that the county projects will support $25,000,000 in bond repayments.

The board’s action follows a predesign presentation by county engineering staff and consultant team members, who presented three options — "good," "better," and a cost-trimmed "blended" alternative — and a revised project cost range the board discussed during several hours of deliberations. Justin Bergerson, identified in the presentation as the county engineer, summarized the funding dynamics and the rationale for the blended approach: "We would be able to likely sufficiently cover that $25,000,000 bond repayment" through the quarter-percent sales tax under current revenue assumptions.

Why it matters: County staff and consultants said the existing highway facility is decades old and operationally inefficient, creating maintenance and space…