After seven years with little or no growth,  Sherburne County officials are again looking into expanding the Government Center.

 

Tuesday, the board of commissioners approved a design agreement with architectural firm BWBR for the Government Center expansion, which was put on hold back in 2008 after the economy went bad.

 

In April, 2008, there were major plans developed to increase the size of the Government Center to expand, update and redesign the District Court area and alleviate space issues for the various county departments.

 

Plans called for a new $15.5 million building that included 47,300 sq. ft. for the courts and 20,000 sq. ft. for a new entryway, circulation area and support space.

 

Those plans, also designed by BWBR, went nowhere once the economy stalled and all the projected growth stopped. But with the economy improving over the past few years, county officials decided it was again time to look to the future.  

 

Under the agreement, BWBR will review the master plan and all the documents from 2008, as well as current stormwater regulatory standards. BWBR will also conduct meetings with department heads, court personnel and county officials to gather information regarding space needs and design preferences.

 

BWBR will update the master plan to reflect the county’s projected space needs through 2027, including potential rental space for other organizations.

 

Total cost for BWBR’s design services is $135,850.

 

The new master plan is expected to be completed by mid-2016, with construction, if approved, beginning soon after.

 

After a brief public hearing, the board approved a tax abatement of $89,930 for Morrell Companies.

 

The company, which started as a common carrier trucking company, has been located in Elk River since 1962 and currently employs 105 people with an average wage of $23 per hour.

 

The abatement will run for 10 years and would help fund the construction of a 13,824 sq. ft. stand-alone building in the Nature’s Edge Business Center in Elk River.

 

The project will generate an estimated $35,311 a year in property taxes and create eight new jobs with an average wage of $23.21 by 2017.

 

The board also approved a tax abatement of $649,476 for Sportech to build a new facility in the Nature’s Edge Business Center in Elk River.

 

Sportech is a plastics thermoform manufacturer in that specializes in making snowmobile parts.

 

The company currently employs 204 people.

 

The project will consist of a 105,000 sq. ft. facility with plans of a 73,500 sq. ft. addition in the near future. The initial project is estimated to bring in $216,400 in property taxes a year and create 72 new jobs by 2020.

 

The abatement term is 12 years.

 

The board accepted a $10,000 grant from Blandin Foundation to link Sherburne County History Center to the county fiber network and provide several wireless access points throughout the building. The board approved matching funds of $25,000 to cover the rest of the project.

 

The board also accepted a $25,000 grant from the Blandin Foundation to conduct a feasibility study of a geographically-based broadband network throughout the county.

 

The board approved 2015-2016 liquor license renewals for Kinitski’s (Palmer Twp.); KJ’s Refuge Bar & Grill (Orrock); Ridgewood Bay Resort (Baldwin); Bailey Ray’s (Santiago); Briggs Lake Liquor (Palmer); Safe Discount Liquor (Becker); Sand Dunes Spirits (Orrock); Fairway Shores (Baldwin); Finish Line Cafe (Baldwin).

 

The board approved the following appointments to the Sherburne County Economic Development Authority (EDA): Amanda Othoudt, Economic Development Director for Elk River, through May 31, 2019; Jared Johnson, Cargill, through May 31, 2016; Therese Haffner, Becker City Planner, through May 31, 2017; Bill LaVigne, Bank of Elk River, through May 31, 2021.