At the recommendation of the Sherburne County Waste Management Advisory Committee, the county board Tuesday approved just over $410,000 in SCORE funding grants to various organizations and government entities in the county.
SCORE, the Select Committee On Recycling and the Environment, provides Minnesota State dollars for distribution to entities undertaking projects that support environmentally responsible waste management.
Of the $410,000 designated to different programs, $100,000 will go towards household hazardous waste events. County residents can deliver unwanted products free of charge at 12 different mobile collection events throughout the year.
Cities and townships will share $80,000 for their annual clean-up day events. Funding is based on their average recycling and advertising costs for the previous three years.
The Municipal Recycling Board will receive $56,000 to cover grinding and chipping costs at four public compost sites in the county. County residents can use the sites for free. Non-residents pay an annual $50 user fee. Commercial users are charged $200 per year.
The Environmental Educator, a newsletter mailed to single family households, will receive $38,000.
Tri-County Household Hazardous Waste Facility will receive $15,000 for its disposal costs and staffing at the facility in Waite Park.
Funding of $12,345 will go to the Sherburne County 4-H Club for performances at all elementary schools. Zoning staff will be involved in script writing to ensure that the theme fits SCORE funding criteria.
County parks will be allocated $10,000 for the purchase of recycling containers. Currently, parks only have trash cans.
Another $10,000 will be allocated to implement a separation program for organics at the jail. Currently, all food waste inside the jail is disposed of as solid waste instead of being composted.
Becker Boy Scout Troop 92 and Zimmerman Girl Scout Troop 578 will each get $5,000 to help fund their monthly paper/cardboard recycling events.
Other funding grants include: Car seat recycling program $6,000; battery recycling program $5,000; solid waste administrative costs $4,000 and leaf drop program $3,000.
The remaining $39,343.53 goes into a reserve fund for special projects or proposals, which must go before the solid waste advisory committee for a recommendation to the board.
Abatements
The board approved the following property tax abatements: $1,973 to Marion Brown because of a fire that destroyed her house and garage in Zimmerman in January, 2013; $1,161.15 to David & Diane Ford because of fire that destroyed their house and garage in Elk River in April, 2013; $327.37 to David & Linda Nims because of a fire that destroyed their house and garage in July, 2013; $348 to Mark & Ruth Wimmer because of a classification change to homestead on their property in Becker Twp.
Other Business
In other action the board:
• Approved the final contract payment of $256,546.51 to Knife River Corp. for seven overlay projects throughout the county in 2013;
• Accepted a donation of $100 from Granite Electronics to the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit;
• Approved a letter of support for expansion of the Nature’s Edge Business Center in Elk River. The letter will be included with a grant application to the state for $500,000 in funding.
