Posted: 2/28/06
County accepts ìgraciousî land donation
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
Houston County commissioners accepted a donation of 40.8 acres of land at their February 21 meeting.
Robert Botcher of Caledonia donated the parcel, which is located in sections 19 and 20 of Sheldon Township. It has 230 feet of frontage on County Road 10, about 2-1/2 miles north of Sheldon.
The warranty deed states that Botcher will be able to cut firewood on it for his own use. It also excludes any development.
ìIt should retain its pristine character,î Caledonia attorney Bill Von Arx told the board.
Botcher did not attended the meeting. ìI think heís a very low profile kind of person and heís a generous person,î said Von Arx, who drew up the deed.
ìI think thatís a very gracious offer,î commissioner Kevin Kelleher said.
ìHeís a very gracious man,î county assessor Dick Walter replied.
Walter surveyed the parcel and called it a beautiful piece of property. It contains ridge land, low land near Beaver Creek, and shale outcroppings.
Commissioner Dave Corcoran, who made the motion to approve the donation, said the land will be a good place for future generations to go and view nature. It will be especially good for school children on field trips, he said.
Thatís the kind of thing that Botcher has in mind, Von Arx said.
A final plat on the transfer will be approved at a future meeting.
New highway equipment coming
Commissioners approved several budgeted purchases for the highway department. They are:
ï new end loader for $61,837 from RDO Equipment in Rochester, including $102,000 trade-in value for old loader;
ï new plow truck from Boyer Ford in Minneapolis, for $78,952;
ï new truck for recycling from Boyer Ford for $80,650.
One of the old trucks will be sold on bids. Commissioner Tom Bjerke asked why this wasnít traded in like the old loader was.
ìItís kind of a community service kind of thing,î Corcoran said. He said the county gets a new truck every year, and sells the old one on a bid to cities, townships, or contractors.
Personnel matters
Jail administrator Mark Schiltz had his job reclassified by commissioners at the meeting. Personnel director Tim Comstock requested the change because of the extra duties Schiltz has taken on with the proposed criminal justice center. Schiltz will also have more comprehensive duties once the facility is complete, Comstock said.
Schiltzís comparable worth rating will go from will go from B32-2 to C41-2. The change is effective at the start of the current pay period.
Schiltzís new wage will not be finalized until the salary rate for a new lead jailer/dispatcher that the board also approved is negotiated with the (LELS) union.
Thompson said that Schiltz had done a lot of extra work with the jail project.
The lead jailer/dispatcher position will help with some of the day-to-day things that Schiltz now does, Comstock said. The salary will be negotiated with the Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS) union.
ìWeíre not adding staff, weíd just be promoting from within,î Comstock said. The board approved this request too.
Other personnel approvals included:
ï moving home health aide (HHA) Jennifer Williams from full-time to .6-time to accurately reflect what she is already working;
ï adding Amanda Breault, Jessamine Breault, Kim Seitz, and Laura Strum as on-call matrons. They will be used to transport female inmates;
ï a 30-day leave of absence for HHA Angie Happel.
Other business
ï Meeting date changed: The criminal justice meeting that had been scheduled for March 14 has been changed to thursday, March 16. This is because March 14 is township elections. The board will meet at 1:30 in the commissioners room in the basement of the courthouse. The jail planner and architects will be present to discuss more detailed plans of the proposed building. A public forum will be held that evening at 6 p.m. in the Caledonia Middle/High School auditorium. People can view displays of the proposals in the school commons at 5:30 p.m.
ï EDA appointments: The board approved the appointment of John Benton, La Crescent, to the Houston County Economic Development Authority (EDA) board. He will fill the three year position, and Sheri Johnson of Houston, who was appointed to the EDA board in January, will fill the one-year position.
ï Gambling license: The board approved a gambling license for the Caledonia Touchdown Club for an event on June 10 at MaCalGrove Country Club.
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