If there was one story that defined Sherburne County in 2018, it was the opening of the new Justice Center in early June.

 

More than 100 people celebrated the grand opening. The crowd was filled with members of the general public, government officials, judges, department heads, county staff and former officials as they listened to an account of the long process it took to finish the 100,000 s.f. building as part of the $60 million Government Center expansion project, which was planned back in 2007 but shelved because of tough economic times.

 

Renovations continue on portions the Government Center building, as some departments are being relocated after the courts and county attorney’s office moved to the new building.

 

Along with the building project, the county also updated its website and developed a new logo.

 

 

Another big story happened in September, when the county board approved  a 1/2% local option sales tax for transportation. 

 

The county has been falling behind on road projects because of a lack of funding. Public Works Director Andrew Witter presented the board with a list of projects from 2023 through 2040 that would cost about $219.1 million, far more than could be raised through grants and property taxes.

 

A University of MN Extension study estimated a 1/2% sales tax in Sherburne County would bring in about $3.26 million a year, with 70% ($2.34 million) paid by county residents and 30% ($0.924 million) coming from non-county residents spending money in Sherburne County.

 

Hopefully, that will accelerate the county’s project list into the future without adding a burden to property owners.

 

 

After months of discussions with Great River Energy (GRE) and other counties, the board decided in November not to make an agreement to bail out GRE’s Resource Recovery Project in Elk River.

 

The project, which converts trash into energy, has been losing money for years. In July, plant manager Matt Herman told the board they lost over $11 million in 2017, and company officials were considering closing the operation if a solution couldn’t be found to make the plant at least break even.

 

Discussions focused on the lack of municipal solid waste required to keep the plant in the black, and the lack of willingness by Anoka and Hennepin counties to share the burden.

 

The commissioners decided there wasn’t any way to guarantee enough solid waste to break even, and declined to make an agreement with GRE.

 

 

In early April, the board approved an agreement with Palmer Wireless for the lease of the county’s conduit and vault system along Co. Rd. 3.

 

Use of the conduit allowed Palmer to serve 20 unserved households, 10 unserved businesses and one underserved community institution in Sherburne County in an area near the St. Cloud Airport with speeds of 1 Gbps download and 500 Mbps upload.

 

 

In May, the Sheriff’s Dept. began using body cameras to help with accountability, proof in criminal cases and protection from false accusations.

 

 

On May 5, a fire destroyed the main building at the 4-H Camp near Lake Ann. Fire officials determined it was intentionally set.

 

The Sherburne County Camp Association has  started a fundraising campaign to fund the a new building. The goal is $200,000.

 

 

In June, the board approved revisions to the county’s park ordinance. One of the biggest changes in the ordinance is the prohibition of tobacco use in all county parks and trails.

 

In August, the board adopted a new ordinance regulating licensing and the sale of alcoholic beverages. Under the ordinance, penalties apply to the license holder if any of the employees sell alcohol illegally. 

 

The ordinance also set new fees: First violation - $200 civil penalty; Second violation - consecutive two working-day suspension and $400 civil penalty; Third violation - consecutive three working-day suspension and $600 civil penalty to be paid before expiration of suspension; Fourth violation - license revocation.

 

 

In September, the board approved the preliminary 2019 levy of $48.5 million a 4.75% increase. They lowered that amount to $48.235 million for the final levy in December. Then, because the new local sales tax can be used for transit purposes, they cut the Regional Rail Authority levy to $0, bringing the total levy increase to just 0.9%.