The Sherburne County Board Tuesday approved a three-year lease with the Sherburne County Agricultural Society for leased space on the Sherburne County Fairgrounds, effective June 1, 2025, through May 31, 2028. The annual lease fee of $1 remains unchanged.
The lease is a modified extension of the agreement that has been in place with the Agricultural Society since 2015 and may be extended up to an additional 25 years through the end of May, 2053.
Administrator Bruce Messelt said the Ag Society originally requested a 50-year lease so it could develop a long term plan for the site. He said the three-year lease includes several performance expectations that should help the county determine how things will work going forward.
“The performance measurements we added were things that the History Center already does, so we’re really bringing the Ag Society up to where the History Center is: attendance, basic budget, revenue generation, expenditures... those type of things, just so that we have better metrics going forward,” he said. “I think the Ag Society is figuring out that a long-term strategic plan is needed for that facility, specifically on the capital.”
Those performance measures include:
• Create and publish a fee schedule for events, activities, and storage;
• Develop a baseline calendar of recurring and one-time events and revenues generated and create an annual plan for the number of events and revenue targets;
• Create an event registration portal for utilization by outside organizations;
• Create a similar registration/availability portal for vendors interested in scheduled events/activities;
• Increase marketing, utilization, and annual revenues generated from outside events;
• Create a projected 5-year schedule for Operations, Maintenance, and Capital Improvements, including identification of funding and funding gaps;
• Develop Membership targets and revenue goals for dues /fundraising efforts;
• Increase volunteer participation, volunteer hours, and dollar value of such participation;
• Document and expand community, business, non-profit and public partnerships.
Veterans Transport
The board recognized the Veterans Service Volunteer Drivers with Certificates of Appreciation. Six core volunteer drivers: Daniel Ziebarth (start 2017), Allen Storby (2017), Steven Freeberg (2020), Richard Persiko (2021), Bruce Brown (2022) and James Eich (2013) were critical to the success of the program. They drove 299,097 total miles, ensured their fellow Sherburne County Veterans were able to attend 3916 vital VA healthcare appointments.
Intersection Improvements
The board passed separate resolutions to acquire property for the Co. Rd. 4 at Co. Rd. 11 Intersection Improvement Project in Becker Twp. and to acquire property for the Co. Rd. 4 at Co. Rd. 46 Intersection Improvement Project in the City of Zimmerman. Roundabouts are planned for both sites, with construction in 2026.
Bridge Project
The board awarded the contract for the replacement of the Co. Rd. 15 bridge over the Elk River to Redstone Construction, LLC at $3,749,975.35. The engineer’s estimate was $4,076,709. Project construction dates will be contracted June 9, 2025 through Nov. 14, 2025.
Road Project
The board awarded the contract for intersection improvements at Co. Rd. 2 and Co. Rd 29 to the lowest bidder, Meyer Contracting, Inc. at $3,717,489.58.
Other bidders on the project were: New Look Contracting Inc. ($3,851,482.05); Landwehr Construction ($4,082,475.12); Douglas-Kerr Underground LLC ($4,120,576.94); Park Construction Company ($4,406,601.79) and (J.R. Ferche Inc. ($5,066,045.40). The engineer’s estimate was $4,218,924.49.
Other Business
In other actions the board:
• Proclaimed May, 2025 as Foster Care Month in Sherburne County and recognized Outstanding Foster Child of the Year, Adult Foster Care Provider of the Year and Child Foster Care Provider of the Year;
• Approved drafting a letter on behalf of the District 4 Farmers impacted by the Northland Reliability Project to the Public Utilities Commission.
