The Sherburne County Board last week approved the 2023 SCORE budget in the amount of $620,647.23. The Select Committee on Recycling and the Environment (SCORE) was adopted by the state in 1989 to provide state funding for recycling programs, waste reduction, management of household hazardous wastes and problem materials.
Under the 2023 budget, the largest amount, $130,000, will fund mobile household hazardous waste collection events. The county is planning eight events this year. In 2022, 1,246 households participated in the events.
Another $101,511, will fund city and township Cleanup Day events and another $155,000 is allocated for public yard waste sites in Becker ($40,000), Big Lake ($40,000), Elk River ($40,000) and Zimmerman ($35,000).
SCORE will also fund two publications: Environmental Educator Newsletter Quarterly at $45,000 and Business Recycling Educator (semi-annually) at $5,000.
The Stearns County Household Hazardous Waste Facility, which allows Sherburne County residents’ free disposal of products year-round, will receive $35,000.
The Becker Boy Scouts Paper & Cardboard Recycling Program will get $16,000. The Civic Betterment Club Paper & Cardboard program gets $8,360. The battery recycling program gets $9,000 and the pharmaceutical collection program receives $4,500.
SCORE revenues come from two state payments of $144,403; a 75% county match ($216,604) and $28,000 from Paint Care & Waste Pesticide Programs. The budget also includes a carryover of $87,237.23 from 2022.
There is also $43,956.23 in unallocated fund to be used for future proposed programs and grants applications that align with the SCORE fund policy.
Broadband
The board approved a letter of support for Lumen/Century Link’s application for a Border-to-Border Broadband Development grant. The company is seeking a grant to assist in bringing additional fiber to areas within Elk River/Big Lake Twp. with a total project cost of $233,000.
The board also approved a letter of support for Arvig’s Border-to Border applications to bring reliable broadband to underserved areas of Clear Lake Twp.
County Projects
The board awarded the contract for construction of the Grams Park picnic shelter and play structures to SafetyFirst Specialty Contracting, Inc. †he company bid $547,625. The other bidder was Parkstone Contracting, LLC at $673,605. Project construction dates will be contracted from June 26, through August 18, dependent on availability of materials.
The board awarded the contract for the reconstruction of Co. Rd. 63 from Co. Rd. 8 to the St. Cloud Park/Ride to Kraemer Trucking & Excavating Inc. at $470,569.73. Kraemer was the lowest of eight bid received. The engineer’s estimate was $510,782.55. Project construction dates will be contracted from May 15 through June 30.
The board approved a resolution in support of applying for funding to make improvements to Island View Park. The preliminary engineer’s estimate for the project is $700,000. The grant requires a 50% match and would reimburse the county for up to 50% of the project cost. The county match of $350,000 would come out of the Parks Capital Improvement Fund.
Veterans
The board gave its approval to Veteran Services to cancel the previous purchase order for two 2022 Toyota Sienna Vans and replace them with two 2023 Kia Carnivals from Cornerstone Kia at $37,125 per van.
Other Business
In other actions the board:
• Approved an application for a Gambling Premises Permit for the Minnesota Paralyzed Veterans of America, whose event will be held on March 19, 2023 at McPete’s in Big Lake;
• Approved an IT consulting agreement with Baldwin Township. The county will provide the services as requested by the Township at a rate of $80 per hour worked for an estimated 20 hours in 2023;
• Approved a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with Isanti County for the reconstruction of Co. Rd. 28. The road will be reconstructed from Co. Rd. 19 to the east county line. A bypass lane will be constructed for 96th Street, which is a local road located on the Isanti and Sherburne County Lines. The bypass lane will require the reconstruction of Co. Rd. 28 to extend into Isanti County;
• Approved a Joint Powers Agreement with the City of Becker for the Co. Rd. 53 improvements;
• Appointed former commissioner Barbara Burandt as the Member At Large to the Sherburne County Extension Committee. The committee has a member from each commissioner district as well as one at-large member and two youth members.
