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Murray County commissioners approve lighting contract, ditch repairs, loans and budget transfers
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Summary
At its Dec. 2 meeting the Board approved an Engelkes Electric contract for racetrack lighting, three ditch repair petitions, a small water-quality grant payment, AIS Plan amendments, a $100,000 forgivable loan to Wonder World and a $300,000 transfer to the EDA revolving loan fund, and set 2026 meeting dates and meal reimbursement rules.
The Murray County Board of Commissioners approved several motions and funding actions on Dec. 2 as part of routine county business.
Capital and safety: The Board accepted Engelkes Electric’s bid for racetrack lighting replacement in the amount of $345,880, noting the current 70-year-old system was failing and posed potential fire hazards. The motion to accept the Engelkes bid was moved by Commissioner Mark Carlson and seconded by Commissioner Roger Zins; the motion passed.
Infrastructure repairs and conservation: Commissioners approved three ditch repair petitions (2025-39 JD 10 Mason Township; 2025-40 CD 20 Lowville Township; 2025-41 CD 29 Shetek Township) on a motion by Commissioner Roger Zins, seconded by Commissioner Mark Carlson. The Board also approved the use of $10,773.75 in FY2023 Capacity Grant matching funds to pay for a certified grassed waterway installed for Mary Eisfeld in Skandia Township; that motion was moved by Commissioner Jackie Meier and seconded by Commissioner Mark Carlson.
AIS plan and budgets: The Board approved proposed amendments to the 2026 Aquatic Invasive Species Plan, including the 2026 AIS budget; changes listed in the plan include outreach adjustments, a proposed 50% funding cut in 2027, and a name change from Prairie Ecology Bus Center to Wild Compass Environmental Education. The AIS amendment motion was moved by Commissioner Mark Carlson and seconded by Commissioner Loy Woelber.
Governance and policy: By resolution the Board adopted 2026 regular meeting dates (with an amendment to move the Dec. 22, 2026 meeting to Dec. 29, 2026). Commissioners also set the 2026 meal reimbursement rate at $50 per day (same as 2025), requiring original receipts for claims.
Economic development loans and transfers: The Board approved a $100,000 forgivable loan from the EDA Revolving Loan Fund to Wonder World, forgivable over 15 years (motion moved by Commissioner Mark Carlson, seconded by Commissioner Roger Zins). The Board amended an earlier October 1, 2024 motion to remove a specific $3.5 million project reference and clarified that the EDA would transfer $100,000 from its operations fund to the revolving loan fund to fund the forgivable loan (motion moved by Commissioner Loy Woelber, seconded by Commissioner Mark Carlson). The Board also approved a $300,000 transfer from the Murray County General Fund to the EDA Revolving Loan Fund to provide additional capital for economic development; that motion was moved by Commissioner Roger Zins and seconded by Commissioner Mark Carlson.
Votes and minutes: Where specific mover and seconder names are shown in the meeting record, those names are reported above; the meeting minutes record the motions as passed but do not include roll-call tallies in the minutes excerpt provided to the Board. The Board adjourned after committee reports.
The actions taken update the county’s capital and economic development posture and allocate funds to ongoing infrastructure and community projects.