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Cottonwood County approves MnDOT signal agreement, watershed plan and personnel actions; board endorses $50,000 conditional Seed Capital loan
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Summary
At the April 7 meeting the Cottonwood County Board unanimously approved a cooperative agreement with MnDOT covering a $134,404.81 county share for a Windom traffic signal replacement, adopted the Blue Earth River Watershed plan, approved hires, travel and warrants, and expressed conditional support for a Seed Capital loan of up to $50,000.
The Cottonwood County Board of Commissioners on April 7 unanimously approved several measures and took a set of routine personnel and financial actions during its regular meeting in Windom.
MnDOT cooperative agreement and cost: Interim County Engineer Stephen Schnieder presented MnDOT Contract No. 1061440 for replacement of the traffic signal at Trunk Highway 60 (6th Street) and County State‑Aid Highway 17 in Windom. Schnieder told the board the county’s estimated share of the project is $134,404.81. The board adopted resolution 26‑04‑07B by unanimous roll‑call vote to enter the cooperative construction agreement.
Watershed plan adoption: The board also adopted and directed implementation of the Blue Earth River Watershed Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan by unanimous roll‑call vote; the resolution is on file in the County Coordinator’s office.
Appointments, hiring and travel: The board adopted resolution 26‑04‑07A recommending the appointment of Andy Geiger to the Red Rock Rural Water System Board of Commissioners. The board approved hiring a part‑time Jailer/Dispatcher at Range 12, step Minimum ($25.85) pending completion of hiring requirements and allowed new Building and Grounds employee Joe Riihl to use up to 64 hours of unpaid time between April 6 and Sept. 30, 2026, because of previously planned vacation. The board unanimously approved sending Mike Meeks, Lead Heavy Equipment Mechanic, to the Samsara conference in Chicago May 11–13, 2026 and authorized use of a county vehicle and county credit card for fuel and hotel.
Seed Capital and labor contracts: The board received a preliminary Seed Capital Funds application and directed the applicant to submit a final application; the board expressed willingness to lend up to $50,000 if terms are acceptable. County Coordinator Kelly Thongvivong said the LELS representative for deputies contacted the county about starting union negotiations; the board reached consensus to have the county’s labor attorney review existing contracts for discrepancies before initiating negotiations.
Warrants and other updates: The board approved April warrants totaling $181,525.77 across multiple funds. Chairman Tom Appel and other commissioners provided updates on local ditches, wind farm matters and county facilities; Commissioner Stevens asked that the board consult Sonja at DVHHS about a daycare fund request before taking further action. Brad Hutchison raised a public‑comment concern about the Big Bend Wind Project, saying tower layouts changed between 2020 and 2022 and that citizens were misled about maximum sound levels; the minutes record the comment but no follow‑up action was recorded.
The meeting adjourned at 11:16 a.m.