The Sherburne County Board Tuesday approved the expenditure of up to $188,000 as the county’s share to purchase five buses for the NorthStar Link service.
In August, the NorthStar Corridor Development Authority (NCDA) Executive Committee approved the purchase of five buses to replace the current fleet used for the Link. All five buses are at least 18 years old and are beyond their useful life.
The replacement cost for five new buses is $3 million. But under a state program, MnDOT is expected to pay 80% of that cost ($2.4 million). The remaining cost of $600,000 will be paid locally. The NCDA is contributing $130,000. Stearns County will pay $282,000 for three buses in 2017 and Sherburne County’s share is $188,000 in 2018.
Taylor said the money would come from existing Regional Rail Authority fund balance.
Pubic Works Director
Sherburne County Administrator Steve Taylor introduced the county’s new Director of Public Works Andrew Witter during Tuesday’s meeting.
Witter was hired in July to replace John Menter, who retired in May.
Witter worked for Anoka County for more than 16 years, the last eight-plus as assistant county engineer.
“I’m very excited to be here,” he said. “I’ve been meeting with department heads and I’ve been received with open arms and warm welcomes.”
Witter said he did some substantial projects while with Anoka County.
“We were able to join in and become the first locally-led agency to do a design build project,” he said. “It took a 10-year project and condensed into about two years.”
The $36 million project reconstructed three miles of Co. Rd. 14 between Co. Rd. 65 and Hanson Blvd. to convert the two-lane road into a four-lane divided urban roadway. The project included a new bridge over the BNSF Railroad, five traffic signal replacements, several water quality ponds and the realignment of a portion of a county ditch near Blaine High School.
“I’m looking forward to many great things here,” he said.
Witter started just over two weeks ago. He is also the county engineer, having replaced Rhonda Lewis.
In other action, the board:
• Approved an interim use permit (IUP) for Steven Willprecht to locate a temporary manufactured home for a parent on his 8.85-acre property in Big Lake Twp.;
• Approved a conditional use permit (CUP) for Vinson Carlson to construct a 24’x32’ personal storage shed on his .16-acre property in the Hunter Lake Addition in Livonia Twp.;
• Approved an IUP for Novel Energy Solutions to build and operate a 3.25 Megawatt solar garden on a 24.06 acre site on 70th Ave. SE in Clear Lake Twp.;
• Approved a CUP for T-Mobile/Vertical Bridge for a communication tower on a 9.28-acre parcel on Co.Rd. 1 just north of 289th Ave. NW in Blue Hill Twp.
