All five Yellow Medicine County commissioners agree that they prefer county departments to shop locally. But that didn’t stop a majority from defeating a resolution that would have required the purchase of fuel from only Yellow Medicine located businesses.
The issue was brought to the board when commissioner Louis Sherlin was contacted by a local fuel supplier who questioned why the YMC highway department was accepting quotes from businesses from outside of the county. His logic was that, as a taxpaying business in Yellow Medicine, his county dollars should not be going to non-tax paying entities if not necessary.
Sherlin pointed out that some counties have made it a policy only to make certain purchases within the county and stated his preference.
“I would like to use local distributors,” he said.
County administrator Ryan Krosch commented that the departments shop locally when they can but to pass a resolution “may come back to bite us.” It was noted that for some fuel purchases in Yellow Medicine, the highway department had only received two local bids.
“I like the idea, but I don’t know if we have the luxury with only two or three local distributors,” said board member Ron Antony.
Antony and Sherlin voted for the resolution while commissioners Gary Johnson, Jane Remiger and Dick Wambeke voted against.
Other news:
•Because certain areas of the courthouse received minor flooding following recent rain events, commissioners approved a request by Krosch to seek bids for landscaping and roofing repairs that would stave off future issues.
The resolution approved an expenditure up to $30,000. If costs exceed that amount, Krosch will have to further consult with the board.
•Prairie 5 Rides provides general transportation services to individuals in Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift and Yellow Medicine Counties. According to Ted Nelson of the Prairie 5 Community Action Council, more people are using the program resulting in more expense.
In Canby alone, he said the number of rides from January - July 2010 compared to the same time period last year increased from 8,433 to 9,462. As a result, he requested that the Yellow Medicine up their 2011 funding from $5,000 to $7,000 to cover the increased costs.
Commissioners unanimously approved the increase.
•Following the recommendation from the YMC Planning Commission, board members unanimously approved two Conditional Use Permit (CUP) requests.
Ervin and Joyce Gelhar of Clarkfield sought a CUP that would allow them to place a 16’ x 80’ Type I Mobile Home on their property located approximately three miles northwest of Clarkfield.
County ordinance requires that a permit be obtained if a Type I Mobile Home is to be placed in a Rural Preservation Management District. According to planning commission minutes, the Gelhars wished to locate the home at the site to house their parents.
Conditions placed on the permit included a requirement that the mobile home comply with all Minnesota building codes and that when the home is no longer occupied by any party it must be removed from the premises within one year.
Mark Wilson of Granite Falls was in attendance to apply for an after the fact permit to excavate fill for extractive use in a Rural Preservation Management District located on his property approximately 5 miles east of Clarkfield along Highway 67.
Planning and Zoning Director Randy Jacobson said he notified Wilson about the need of a CUP after a nearby resident, who had to acquire permit for a gravel pit, contacted him.
Most of the excavation, which was said essentially result in the leveling of a hill, had already been done by the time Jacobson informed Wilson of the need of the permit. Wilson said that he would like to excavate 500 more yards to complete the project. The fill has been sent to Prairie Grain Elevator in Clarkfield.
Two conditions accompanied the recommendation. First, that the site be reclaimed by December 31 of this year as stipulated by county ordinances. Second, that any further excavation requires the application of a new CUP.
