Posted: 5/15/07
Evans gets nod from county board to proceed with Hwy. #25 project
By Charlie Warner
Argus news Editor
After nearly half an hour of discussion, the Houston County Board decided to go along with County Highway Engineer Macus Evansí recommendation to improve a flooding situation on the Mike Kelly property in Mound Prairie Township. Kelly, 9633 Day Valley Drive, rural Houston, was present at the May 8 commissioners meeting to discuss the situation.
According to both Evans and Kelly County Road 25 is closed nearly every spring for several days when the Root River goes over its banks and submerges the roadway. When the water recedes, a portion of Kellysí field, which is adjacent to the road, is covered with sand and gravel, which washes off the road.
Evans felt the best solution for the on-going problem would be to rip-rap the east ditch of the roadway. This would have a two-fold effect, as it would hold the roadway in place and also slow down the velocity of the water, which would minimize erosion.
Evans said he spoke with Kelly, as well as the DNR and they agreed with his plans. The section of roadway to be rip-rapped would be 450 feet long. A layer of rock measuring three to six inches would be enclosed in a wire mesh along the slopes of the ditch. A layer of rock 12 to 15 inches in diameter would be placed along the bottom of the road ditch.
The estimated cost of the project is $16,000 to $17,000, which is much more economical that rebuilding the road. The board decided to go along with Evansíí recommendation and will pay for the project through the countyís road maintenance fund.
In other action:
Airport commission set
After spending the past two months seeking names of possible members, the county board approved the seven persons who will make up the Houston County Airport Commission. The commission will be made up of one resident from each of the five county commissioner districts and two at-large residents.
The airport commissoners are: First District- Jerry Bertilson, La Crescent; Second District- Michael Markegard; Houston, Third District- Allen Schulze, Caledonia; Fourth District- Bob Cummings, La Crescent; Fifth District- Dale Scobie, Spring Grove; at large members- Tom Falbo, Spring Grove, and John Benton, La Crescent.
Those will be the seven voting members of the commission. Two additional non-voting persons will also be on the board. They are representatives of the two active flying clubs in the county.
Water Patrol set
Houston County Sheriff Doug Ely informed the board the state now mandates counties provide water protection during the summer boating season. With the entire east border of the county situated along the Mississippi River, the Sheriffís Department needs parttime summer help to staff the water patrol.
Ely brought the names of five persons to be used as needed during the summer months for the water patrol. They included Robert Schuldt, Mike Ernster, William Hargrove, David Breault, and Tim Irwin.
Ely explained the department will have a boat with one deputy and one of the five summer patrol members patrolling the river from Friday through Sunday each weekend from May 25 through Labor Day, which is the peak boating season.
Ely also asked if the board would approve adding Debbie Schellsmidt and Kevin Walther to be used as transport officers to help transport prisoners as needed. Last week the Sheriffís Office had 11 out-of-county prisoners housed in county jails as far away as Stearns County (St. Cloud). By adding several transport officers, he would be able to free up deputies to conduct law enforcement duties, instead of riding in squad cars to and from other counties to transport prisoners.
Elyís request was unanimously approved.
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