Murray County approves ditch spraying contract, lists petitions and appoints engineer for DNR Judicial Ditch petition

At its Feb. 24 meeting the Murray County Board of Commissioners reviewed ditch inspection findings, listed drainage petitions and approved operational actions to maintain county ditches.

The board recorded that Petition 2026-001 (JD 14), Petition 2026-002 (CD 07) and Petition 2026-003 (JD 14) involve sections of Cameron Township and directed repairs as described in the inspector’s report. Commissioner Mark Carlson was listed in the report for District 2 petitions.

Commissioner Roger Zins moved, seconded by Commissioner Dennis Welgraven, to approve the quote from B&W Control Specialists for the 2026 aerial ditch spraying program for Group 2 with the addition of County Ditch 34 from Group 1; the motion carried.

The board also addressed a petition filed Jan. 7, 2026 by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, submitted by Bill Schuna, seeking to impound, reroute, divert and partially abandon drainage waters on Judicial Ditch No. 14. Following a recommendation from John Kolb with the law firm Rinke Noonan, Commissioner Jackie Meier moved, seconded by Commissioner Loy Woelber, that the state engineer be appointed to review the petition and the board adopted the related Findings and Order; the motion passed.

Commissioner Jackie Meier, newly assigned through SWHHS to the State Community Health Services Advisory Committee, was granted per diem for those meetings after a motion by Commissioner Mark Carlson and second from Commissioner Dennis Welgraven. The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:29 a.m.