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Wright County Board adopts spring weight restrictions, a MnDOT agreement and expands sales-tax project list to add two interchanges
Summary
The Wright County Board on March 3 unanimously adopted Resolution 26-18 (spring weight restrictions), Resolution 26-19 (cooperative agreement with MnDOT), accepted HHS donations, and amended and adopted the local option sales tax project list (Resolution 2620) to add the County State Aid Highway 22 Neighbor Avenue and Orchard Road interchanges after public comment.
Wright County commissioners on March 3 approved several routine transport and HHS measures and amended the county’s local option sales tax project list to add two major interchange projects for scoping and potential matching with state or federal funds.
Highway staff member Chad told the board Resolution 26-18 would impose spring weight restrictions; the board approved the measure unanimously. Chad also presented a cooperative construction agreement with the Minnesota Department of Transportation for the county’s share of a project at the County 24 interchange in Clearwater; the board adopted Resolution 26-19 unanimously.
During the Health and Human Services portion of the agenda the board also approved Resolution HHS26-03 accepting donations to HHS.
The meeting included a public hearing on the local option sales tax (LOST) project list. Steve Bot, speaking for the City of St. Michael and as chair of the 94 Coalition, urged the board to keep and use the LOST program to fund transportation projects without raising other taxes. "This has been a great source of funding for getting a lot of needed transportation projects going," Bot told the board.
After public comment and a discussion of project scoping and federal match opportunities, Commissioner Shane moved to amend the LOST exhibit to add County State Aid Highway 22 (Neighbor Avenue interchange) and the Orchard Road interchange. The board approved the amendment and then adopted Resolution 2620 with the two additions by unanimous vote.
Earlier in the meeting commissioners discussed whether the county should apply as the fiscal applicant for a federal funding request for the Wright Tech Center. Commissioner Dietrich said he had spoken with Representative Emmer’s office and that Emmer’s staff encouraged submission. County staff and several commissioners cautioned about legal capacity and precedent if the county were to serve as applicant or fiscal agent for a separate entity, noting potential liability if federal funds were used incorrectly; the appropriations deadline was noted as imminent. The board agreed to continue supporting the tech center through letters of support, lobbying assistance and guidance and to ask staff or legal counsel to review whether the county could or should be the applicant before taking any action.
The board also set a public hearing on fee schedule changes for March 17 and scheduled a joint meeting with the Wright Soil and Water Conservation District for April 14. Personnel committee minutes authorizing recruitment for several positions were approved, and the meeting adjourned at 9:43 a.m.
Outcomes: Resolutions 26-18, 26-19 and HHS26-03 were adopted unanimously; Resolution 2620 (LOST project list) was amended to add Neighbor Avenue and Orchard Road interchanges and adopted unanimously.
