The Sherburne County Board has again confirmed its commitment to bring broadband to all areas of the county.
Tuesday, the board approved individual letters of support and a commitment of $500 each to assist Frontier Communications, Midcontinent Communications (Midco), Arvig and Windstream in their pursuits of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program (BEAD) grant dollars for eligible projects located within Sherburne County.
BEAD Program provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed Internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs.
Frontier, Midco, Arvig, and Windstream all plan to submit individual BEAD grant applications for grant-eligible locations in Sherburne County. The application process awards points for both local support and for financial commitment.
Frontier’s project would connect 184 eligible locations in Clear Lake, Haven, and Palmer Townships.
Midco’s projects would connect eligible locations that include the cities of Baldwin and Elk River plus Big Lake, Blue Hill, Clear Lake, Haven, Livonia, Palmer, and Santiago townships. If each of the project areas were awarded funds, over 800 locations would be connected.
Arvig’s project would connect 51 eligible locations in Big Lake Township.
Windstream’s project would connect 294 eligible locations in Big Lake and Zimmerman.
Kathleen Heaney Day
The board approved a proclamation declaring April 30, 2025 as Kathleen Heaney Day. Heaney is retiring as Sherburne County Attorney after a distinguished career of more than 30 years of serving Sherburne County, including 22 years as county attorney.
Later in the meeting, the board appointed Ms. Dawn Nyhus as Sherburne County Attorney, effective May, 1 2025.
Road Projects
The board awarded the contract for 2025 pavement resurfacing projects to OMG Midwest Inc. dba Minnesota Paving & Materials at $3,028,089.88. The project includes Co. Rd. 13 from Co. Rd. 12 to Line Ave; Co. Rd. 37 from 325th Ave. to the Eat County Line; Co. Rd. 62 from Co. Rd. 20 to Co. Rd. 6; Co. Rd. 76 from Co. Rd. 8 to State St, and Clear Lake Twp. White Farm Estates.
The board awarded the contract for the Hwy. 10 and Co. Rd. 61 Intersection Improvement Project to Landwehr Construction, Inc. at $797,637.23. The entire cost of the project, including design and construction, will be fully 100% reimbursed by MnDOT, with zero cost to Sherburne County.
Other bidders were Knife River Corp. North Central ($834,358.16); PCiRoads, LLC ($849,791,690) and J.R. Ferche, Inc. ($908,611.55).
Govt. Center Repair
The board approved the low bidder, Caulkers Co. Inc, for the 2025 masonry repair (sealing) on various sections of the Government Center. The areas proposed to service this year are 23 to 27 years old and are showing signs of failure.
The project is being done in four separate phases with the first phase completed in 2024. Phase two would begin in the summer of 2025.
Cannabis Agreements
The board approved a joint powers agreement with Becker Twp. for the enforcement and regulation of Cannabis Retail Business Registration. Any fees or penalties collected for retail registration and enforcement will remain entirely with the county. The county will also retain any Local Government Cannabis Aid Account funds allocated to Becker Twp.
The board also approved a joint powers agreement with the City of Zimmerman for the enforcement and regulation of Cannabis Retail Business Registration. Any fees or penalties collected for retail registration and enforcement will remain entirely with the county. The county will also retain any Local Government Cannabis Aid Account funds allocated to the county by the State, and the City of Zimmerman shall remit to the county 75% of any Local Government Cannabis Aid Account funds allocated to the City of Zimmerman by the State.
Zoning
The board approved a Conditional Use Permit for using alternative elevation methods for a residential structure in the Floodplain District of Julia Lake and Rush Lake. The applicant is proposing to remove the existing cabin on the property and replace it with a new cabin on pilings with a holding tank. The applicant has requested four variances: three for setback requirements and a fourth for building a home on a septic tank.
In other zoning decisions the board:
• Approved the Residential Preliminary and Final Simple Plat of “MJ Acres,” consisting of one lot on 160.71 on 120th Ave. SE in Palmer Twp.;
• Approved an Interim Use Permit (IUP) for a Solar Farm on 41.63 acres on River Rd. SE in Clear Lake Twp.;
• Approved an IUP for a Solar Farm on 18.39 acres at 6093 Hwy. 24 SE in Clear Lake Twp.
Other Business
In other actions the board:
• Approved a MN Lawful Gambling Application for the Ruffed Grouse Society - Rum River Chapter, to be used at Wild Marsh Sporting Clays on Co. Rd. 3 in Clear Lake for an event on May 31;
• Proclaimed the week of May 4-10 as Correctional Officers’ Week in Sherburne County;
• Proclaimed the Month of May as National Military Appreciation Month;
• Approved fund transfers totalling $50,000 to the Planning & Zoning Dept. Budget from the gravel tax account;
• Approved the final payment for the 2023 Co. Rd. 43 reconstruction project. The final project cost is $4,879,213.99;
• Approved a letter of support for the Hwy. 25 Area Planning and Environmental Linkage (PEL) Study;
• Passed a resolution supporting the Snowmobile Trails Assistance Program Application and Sponsorship;
• Awarded the contract for the 2025 Pavement Markings Project to Sir Lines-A-Lot, LLC at $346,178.58;
• Passed a resolution prohibiting parking on Co. Rd. 4 from Main Street to 1,000’ East of Hwy. 169;
• Approved a Professional Services Agreement with Bolton & Menk for construction administration services for the Hwy.169/Co. Rd. 4 Interchange project at a cost of $2,032,521;
• Accepted donations totaling $620 to the Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit. Donations will be put towards outfitting a new Sheriff’s Office K-9 squad car and the training of a new K-9 deputy and dog;
• Approved the 2025 Federal Boating Safety Supplemental Patrol Grant in the amount of $3,000 for overtime shifts for enforcement on various lakes within Sherburne County;
• Approved needed capital improvements to the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Firing Range, utilizing $175,391.26 in available Jail Commissary Funds. Construction will begin as soon as practicable in Spring/Summer 2025.
