Kandiyohi County keeps 60/40 township road funding split after legal review

KANDIYOHI COUNTY, Minn. — The Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners voted Feb. 17 to maintain the existing 60% mileage / 40% population distribution for $605,861 in state town-road funds for 2026, after legal advice that Minnesota law requires population be part of the formula.

Public works director Mel Odin told the board the county received $605,861 this year and reviewed options townships had discussed, including moving to a mileage-only split. "We're talking, the total amount this year is $605,861," Odin said, and he described how the distribution has narrowed and why townships had proposed changing the formula.

County Attorney Baker told commissioners the relevant statute, Minnesota Statute 162.081, "indicates factors the board must consider include towns, population and town road mileage and other factors deemed advisable," and that a 100% mileage split with 0% population would be difficult to justify under the statute.

Commissioner Duane Anderson, who moved to keep the 60/40 split for 2026, said he sympathized with townships pushing for more mileage weighting but worried the county and townships could be put at legal risk if population were omitted. "I don't wanna get us in trouble, and I don't wanna get the townships in trouble either," Anderson said as he urged a pause to let townships continue discussion before any future change.

Several commissioners noted the formula review has not been updated in many years, and Odin said staff can return with revised options next year if the board wants further changes. The board formally approved Resolution 2026-12 adopting the 60/40 split for this distribution period.

What happens next: staff will issue the certified resolution to townships to meet statutory timing for distribution; commissioners encouraged continued township-level conversation on equity and alternative formulas ahead of future distributions.