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Watonwan County faced fiscal year 2011 with a projected shortfall of $450,000.00. This morning, County Auditor Don Kuhlman reported that as of this moment, with some other financial items to be calculated, the Watonwan County General Fund will complete the year in the black with a solid financial status completing the year. General Fund revenues were reported at $6 million and expenditures were $5.8 million. Watonwan County Commissioners thanked Kuhlman for his work in helping to make this happen and congratulated him on his selection as Minnesota State County Auditor of the Year at a recent award ceremony in Bloomington, Minnesota by the Minnesota Association of County Officers. “I was very pleased to receive this nomination of my peers for the award,” said Kuhlman. “There were many contributing factors in our finishing the year as a county in the black.”
Under the leadership of the new 2012 Commissioner Chairman, Scott Sanders, the Board continued to act on business at their regular January 17th meeting.
Minutes and bills were approved as printed with no questions regarding either.
Assistant County Engineer Mike Banks reported to the Board in place of Roger Risser who was absent from the meeting. Banks presented for approval the rental of a tar kettle and heat-lance for crack filling, which could begin sooner than anticipated due to a mild winter. The bid was for a duration of 80 hours at an estimated cost of $4,201.26, this does not include labor and material purchased and provided by the county. “The company[Bargen of Mt. Lake} will bill us for actual time used,” said Banks. “The rate is $37.95/hour.”Banks requested Board approval to advertise for 7 bridge replacements throughout the county in 2012 and two grade widenings(increasing shoulder width). The bridges shown on the map that Banks presented to commissioners were located in Adrian, Nelson, Odin, and other locations.
Commissioner John Baerg of Butterfield was appointed to represent the county on the County Ditch 13 board.
Baerg then presented a resolution asking commissioners to approve of the Magic Act which will come up before the state legislature in the near future. The Magic Act would make it easier for counties to do some things on their own without as much state approval. “At the present time 84 counties have signed the resolution,” Baerg said. “The Governor will have to sign off on it as well, he initially favored it but now seems to be hesitating endorsing it.” “The Magic Act would allow for more innovation at the county level,” added Baerg. “This comes from the Association for Minnesota Counties(AMC).”
Kuhlman reviewed bids for a new county vehicle, a 2012 Dodge-Chrysler Caravan, but will hold a discussion at the January 26 meeting as to which vehicles in the motor pool are high mileage and give some sort of priority to replacement.
Initial discussions were held among the commissioners as to the possibility of combining the office of auditor and treasurer in the county. The purpose of this would be to help the county government run more efficiently, address the potential of an early retirement, and the trend within the state of combining these two offices. The public is invited to give their in-put to such a re-alignment in the county government.
An extended sick leave in the Recorder’s Office has resulted in the need to increase the hours of a part-time employee from 28 to 35 weekly up to 12 weeks when it will be again reviewed should the disability extend beyond that. The Commissioners approved the increase in hours for the part-time employee.
Watonwan County faced fiscal year 2011 with a projected shortfall of $450,000.00. This morning, County Auditor Don Kuhlman reported that as of this moment, with some other financial items to be calculated, the Watonwan County General Fund will complete the year in the black with a solid financial status completing the year. General Fund revenues were reported at $6 million and expenditures were $5.8 million. Watonwan County Commissioners thanked Kuhlman for his work in helping to make this happen and congratulated him on his selection as Minnesota State County Auditor of the Year at a recent award ceremony in Bloomington, Minnesota by the Minnesota Association of County Officers. “I was very pleased to receive this nomination of my peers for the award,” said Kuhlman. “There were many contributing factors in our finishing the year as a county in the black.”
Under the leadership of the new 2012 Commissioner Chairman, Scott Sanders, the Board continued to act on business at their regular January 17th meeting.
Minutes and bills were approved as printed with no questions regarding either.
Assistant County Engineer Mike Banks reported to the Board in place of Roger Risser who was absent from the meeting. Banks presented for approval the rental of a tar kettle and heat-lance for crack filling, which could begin sooner than anticipated due to a mild winter. The bid was for a duration of 80 hours at an estimated cost of $4,201.26, this does not include labor and material purchased and provided by the county. “The company[Bargen of Mt. Lake} will bill us for actual time used,” said Banks. “The rate is $37.95/hour.”Banks requested Board approval to advertise for 7 bridge replacements throughout the county in 2012 and two grade widenings(increasing shoulder width). The bridges shown on the map that Banks presented to commissioners were located in Adrian, Nelson, Odin, and other locations.
Commissioner John Baerg of Butterfield was appointed to represent the county on the County Ditch 13 board.
Baerg then presented a resolution asking commissioners to approve of the Magic Act which will come up before the state legislature in the near future. The Magic Act would make it easier for counties to do some things on their own without as much state approval. “At the present time 84 counties have signed the resolution,” Baerg said. “The Governor will have to sign off on it as well, he initially favored it but now seems to be hesitating endorsing it.” “The Magic Act would allow for more innovation at the county level,” added Baerg. “This comes from the Association for Minnesota Counties(AMC).”
Kuhlman reviewed bids for a new county vehicle, a 2012 Dodge-Chrysler Caravan, but will hold a discussion at the January 26 meeting as to which vehicles in the motor pool are high mileage and give some sort of priority to replacement.
Initial discussions were held among the commissioners as to the possibility of combining the office of auditor and treasurer in the county. The purpose of this would be to help the county government run more efficiently, address the potential of an early retirement, and the trend within the state of combining these two offices. The public is invited to give their in-put to such a re-alignment in the county government.
An extended sick leave in the Recorder’s Office has resulted in the need to increase the hours of a part-time employee from 28 to 35 weekly up to 12 weeks when it will be again reviewed should the disability extend beyond that. The Commissioners approved the increase in hours for the part-time employee.
