Richard “Dick” Boecker was presented with the Certificate of Volunteering Service from the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, St. Cloud Medical Center for his service as a veterans transportation driver. 

 

Sherburne County Veterans Service Officer Eugene Graff said Boecker was supposed to be presented with the certificate at an awards banquet in St. Cloud on May 29, but was unable to attend.

 

“We at the Sherburne County Veterans Service Office felt that this recognition could not go unnoticed,” said Graff.

 

Board Chair John Riebel presented the award, and noted that Boecker had something more important to do the day of the banquet.

 

“His granddaughter was having a birthday party that day,” said Riebel.

 

Boecker’s family was present, including his granddaughter, at Tuesday’s meeting to see him receive the award.

 

Boecker, a Korean War veteran, lives near Big Eagle Lake. He has been a veterans transportation driver for the past 15 years and has put in 8,466 hours of volunteer time.

 

After the award, he didn’t talk about his accomplishments, but thanked the board for having the free transportation service.

 

“I tell veterans they’re lucky they live in Sherburne County,” he said. “I think you people  should be highly commended for giving people this service.”

 

The board awarded the contract for intersection improvements at Co. Rd. 4 and 39 and Co. Rd. 3 and 5 to Hardrives at $849,943.36.

 

Other bidders were Knife River at $861,988.40 and New Look Contracting at $897,796.50.

 

The board awarded the contract for countywide pavement marking to Traffic Marking Services at $362,013.52. 

 

Farner Asphalt bid $423,981.15. 

 

Triple A Striping bid $348,161.41, but the bid was disqualified because the company did not purchase the required bid proposal package.

 

After a brief public hearing without public comment, the board amended language in the county’s Solid Waste Management ordinance. Changes included updating definitions to be consistent with industry standards and providing closure standards for intermediate closure facilities.

 

Environmental Specialist David Kastner said the language was reviewed and approved by the county attorney and the waste management committee. The changes were also sent to all licensed facilities in the county and no written comments were received.

 

In other action the board:

 

• Approved a contract with Tri-CAP to provide bus service in Sherburne County from July 1 through Dec. 31, 2014;

 

• Approved a $500 donation from the Zimmerman Lions Club to the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Officer Reserve Unit;

 

• Approved a gambling premises permit for Mystic Riders Snowmobile Club at Finish Line Cafe in Baldwin Twp.;

 

• Approved a contract with SafeAssure for providing safety training and OSHA compliance for one year at a cost of $9,774;

 

• Approved advertising for bids for culvert replacement on 18 different county roads;

 

• Approved advertising for bids for tree clearing and grubbing on 10 different county roads;

 

• Proclaimed the week of July 13-19 as National Pretrial and Probation Supervision Week;

 

• Approved 2014-2015 liquor license renewals for Palmer House and Briggs Lake Liquor (Palmer Twp.); KJ’s Refuge Bar & Grill and Sand Dune Spirits (Orrock Twp.);

 

• Safe Discount Liquor (Becker Twp.); Bailey Ray’s (Santiago Twp.); Ridgewood Bay resort, Fairway Shores, and Finish Line Cafe (Baldwin Twp.);

 

• Approved out-of-state attendance for HHS Supervisors Cathy Stubbs and Gina Anderson at the National Eligibility Worker’s Association Conference in Las Vegas Aug. 3-6.