The Sherburne County Board Tuesday approved the 2022 SCORE line item budget in the amount of $577,677.36. The Select Committee on Recycling and the Environment (SCORE) was adopted by the state legislature in 1989 to provide a state funding source for recycling programs, as well as waste reduction, management of household hazardous wastes and problem materials.

The county’s budget was presented to the Sherburne County Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) at the Jan.12  meeting, where it was recommended for approval.

Under the budget, city and township cleanup days will get the biggest appropriation ($117,107) followed by household hazardous waste collection events ($105,000).

The Environmental Educator quarterly newsletter is allocated $44,000. The county’s business recycling program gets $40,000, as does Becker’s yard waste site, Big Lake’s yard waste site and Elk River’s yard waste site.

Stearns County Household Hazardous Waste Facility, which accepts waste from Sherburne County residents, gets $30,000 and the Becker Boy Scouts paper and cardboard recycling program gets $16,000.

The Civic Betterment Club paper and cardboard recycling program will receive $8,630. The car seat recycling program gets $6,896. Another $6,300 is allocated for the recollect search tool. The battery recycling program gets $6,000 and the 4H County Fair organics recycling program receives $5,190.

The remainder is for programs receiving under $5,000 each: Business Recycling Educator ($4,946); Elk River Municipal Liquor Store film plastic and cardboard recycling ($3,500); pharmaceutical collection and disposal program ($3,000); Elk River Re-use Event ($2,250) and $2,000 for administration costs.

Bonding

The board approved the issuance and sale of  Health Care Facilities Refunding Revenue Bonds in a principal amount not to exceed $10 million at the request of Guardian Angels Health Services, Inc. The county is acting as a “conduit” for the bonds. Guardian Angels had worked with the county as the conduit issuer of the Health Care Facilities Revenue Bonds, Series 2015A and with the City of Elk River. They are now seeking to refinance the bonds from 2015 with this issuance. The county does not assume any responsibility for the repayment of the bonds.

Broadband

The board approved a letter supporting East Central Energy’s (ECE) pursuit of installing broadband throughout its service territory in Northern Sherburne County.

The company is a member owned, not-for-profit organization, whose purpose is to bring safe, reliable, and affordable electricity to people in underserved areas of the state. ECE has been in business for 85 years and serves over 63,000 members.

ECE is only looking for the county’s support to explore the feasibility of the project. They are not currently requesting any financial assistance from the county.

Corrections Board

The board approved the appointment of the following individuals to the 2022 Sherburne County Community Corrections Advisory Board: Kenneth Asangwe, citizen; Mary Jo Cobb, citizen; Barbara Burandt, Sherburne Co. Commissioner; Carter Diers, DOC District Supervisor; J. Hancuch, Sherburne Co. Community Corrections Director; Angie Charboneau-Folch, Big Lake High School Assistant Principal; Honorable Judge Mary Yunker, 10th Judicial District; Joel Brott, Sherburne Co. Sheriff; Steve Doran, Sherburne Co. Chief Deputy (Alternate); Dawn Nyhus, Sherburne Co. Lead Assistant Attorney; Kathy Heaney, Sherburne Co. Attorney (Alternate); Lisa Hallberg, Sherburne Co. Chief Managing Attorney - Public Defense; Amanda Larson, Sherburne Co. Health & Human Services Director; Jodi Herung-Dick, Sherburne Co. Health & Human Services Planner (Alternate); Hannah-Ruth Patterson, Rivers of Hope Director.

HHS Position

The board approved the addition of one overstrength position of Child Welfare Lead Worker due to rising caseloads, existing staffing challenges, and the added complexity of client/family cases largely attributed to the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic and related community stresses.

The annual cost of a Lead Social Worker is $96,645.27 which includes salary, taxes and fringe benefits. An additional $10,961 in one-time expenses will also be incurred.

Co. Rd. 81 Road Project

The board awarded the contract for the Co. Rd. 81 reconstruction project to OMG Midwest Inc. (dba Minnesota Paving & Materials) at $2,346,174.24. The project covers a section of Co. Rd. 81 from Lake Ridge Drive to Co. Rd. 73 and is scheduled for 2022.

Other bidders on the project were: Meyer Contracting Inc., $2,441,401.47; Knife River, $2,627,387.41; Forest Lake Contracting, $2,891,250.70; and Park Construction Company, $3,356,657.48. The engineer’s estimate was $3,027,697.55.

Zoning

The board approved an Interim Use Permit (IUP) application by Pickerel Garden LLC for a 1 MW Solar Farm on 50.5 acres in Clear Lake Twp.

The board approved the preliminary and final simple plat of “Moto Estates,” consisting of two lots on 15 acres at 299th Ave. and Hwy. 169 in Baldwin Twp.