A home in Big Lake has been declared a public health nuisance.
During a special Community Health Board meeting as part of last week’s Sherburne County Board meeting, Community Health Services Administrator Nicole Ruhoff said law enforcement notified her regarding a home on Helen Way.
“On March 5 I got a call from local law enforcement that they had discovered a clandestine lab and the homeowners were arrested,” she said. “The preliminary assessment was that DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) was being manufactured at that property.”
She consulted with then County Attorney Kathleen Heaney. They agreed the property should be posted.
Some chemicals were removed from the property, and other chemicals were also discovered, including methamphetamine, clonazepam, diazepam, alprazolam, cocaine and various types of pipes and needles.
“Based on that information, we felt confident that a public health nuisance did exist and we issued an abatement letter to the homeowners,” said Ruhoff.
The County Health department consulted with West Central Environmental Consultants to ask about a process for moving forward.
“We talked with the MN Dept. of Health, EPA, MPCA biohazard specialists and what was determined is methamphetamine residue is used as a proxy for any chemicals used in illegal manufacture. So we moved forward with the assessment and testing of that property.”
Several firms were contacted about abating the property and quotes were received. Now the homeowner is responsible for the cost of cleanup. Ruhoff said she is “not confident” that the homeowner is capable of covering cleanup costs. In that case the county may have to move forward with the abatement, then try to recoup the expenses.
“We would get in the business of cleaning up if the property owner fails to comply with the statutory notice...” said Administrator Bruce Messelt. “We should be the last resort. We don’t budget for these types of activities.”
The board passed a resolution to abate the property.
“This is definitely a thing where we don’t want to get into this. But you have to,” said Commissioner Gregg Felber. “Somebody has created a toxic dump in the middle of a neighborhood and if they can’t clean it up, we’re going to have to.”
Record Storage Policy
The board approved a policy for long-term record storage. Prior to the 2018 building project, long-term documents were stored at the Zimmerman Public Works Facility. The documents have recently been moved and are being stored on the third floor of the Courts Wing.
The new policy directs how records will be stored, how storage boxes are labeled and indicates a destruction date when the documents can be shredded at a recycling plant. Building Facility staff will visually watch the materials being destroyed to ensure confidentiality.
Sewage Agreement
The board approved an agreement with the City of Becker to Regulate Subsurface Sewage Treatment Systems (SSTS) within the City of Becker. Under the agreement the county will undertake permitting, inspections and enforcement for all septic systems located within the City of Becker’s jurisdiction.
Interchange Agreement
The board passed a resolution and approved a Cooperative Construction Agreement between MnDOT, Sherburne County and the City of Zimmerman pertaining to the Hwy. 169 and Co. Rd. 4 Interchange Project. The agreement establishes responsibilities for the project and is consistent with state, county and city maintenance policies and procedures.
Veterans Grant
The board approved and accepted a $15,000 Annual Operational Improvement Grant from the MN Dept. of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2026. The funds can be used to: Provide outreach to the county’s veterans; assist in the reintegration of combat veterans into society; reduce homelessness among veterans; collaborate with other social service agencies, educational institutions, and other community organizations for the purposes of enhancing services offered to veterans; enhance the operations of the county veterans service office.
Other Business
In other actions the board:
• Approved and accepted a Community Living Infrastructure (CLI) grant award in the amount of $82,000. The grant funds will support the housing social worker positions within HHS for fiscal years 2026 and 2027;
• Approved the utilization of $77,000 in Year End Savings Account funds for the purchase of RAVE Mobile Safety application software and subscriptions for five years.
