The Polk County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday morning at the Polk County Government Center.
HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE REQUEST
Polk County Engineer Richard Sanders requested the board to continue with maintenance on County Ditch 19, 57, and County Ditch 83. In 2021 the Minnesota DNR replaced a Beaver dam that reached within the limits of the County Ditch 83 drainage system. “This has been functioning within the past couple of years well,” said Sanders. “Th only issue is the beavers are now creating issues with the dam. They’re pressing mud against it, cutting brush, and draining it.” Minnesota DNR wants to evaluate the dam to take preventative measures to ensure the beavers won’t do further damage. The DNR has been approved to add concrete planks around the dam.
Sanders then packaged a maintenance petition for County Ditch 19 and 57 for cleaning and upkeep. The board approved this petition as well.
PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT SEEKS CONTRACT AGREEMENTS
The Public Health Department appeared at the Polk County Board meeting seeking approval of three contracts relating to school nursing services. “I presented three, one-year term contracts with schools in the area for school nursing services,” said Public Health director Sarah Reese. “We work with Win-E-Mac, Climax-Shelly, Fisher, and the Crookston School Districts. Specifically, Our Saviors and Cathedral School.” The board approved the renewal of contracts with those school districts.
The board also approved the renewal of the Altru Health contract/business associate agreement, a contract used in the past. “The services in that contract are for a medical consultant for the Public health department and the physician of Tri-County community corrections,” said Reese. “That’s where we provide all of the correction health for both the jail and the Juvenile Center.”
The final contract approved was for the renewal of the Polk County DAC (Developmental Achievement Center), where nurse consultants will provide day training and habilitation services to adults with developmental disabilities.
BOARD APPROVES FINAL PLAT “GET AWAY ADDITION” IN CROOKSTON TOWNSHIP
The Polk County Zoning Department finalized a Plat located in the boundaries of the Crookston township. A plat is the process of splitting land up and legally describing it as separate lots. The Plat was finalized for the “get away addition” This addition is a plat that crossed sections 6 and 7 of the Crookston Township, on the edge of Polk County and Red Lake County. “For us to tie in properties that cross that boundary of sections, we needed to go through the platting process,” said Assistant Environmental Services Administrator Jacob Snyder. “The landowners for lot one needed to be buildable on.” The Plat will be separated across three lots which are approximately 557 acres. The Plat will separate hunting land from agricultural fields.
In hopes of using the rest of the American Relief Plan (ARP) funding, the board approved Daniel Peterson, Paul Muntur, and David Paschke for the Septic System Fix-Up grant, where they will have a 50/50 match for the installment and system.
POLK COUNTY FINDS AGREEMENT FOR THE CITY OF CLIMAX AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT
Polk County possesses American Rescue Plan funds and will ultimately put them toward the City of Climax water services. “Climax is essentially the point of entry for water coming from the North Dakota water system into Minnesota,” said Polk County Administrator Chuck Whiting. “This water system is going to expand into southwest Polk County, Norman County, and Clay County. The board has favored this since it’s been brought up.”
Polk County has agreed to contribute $584,000 to upsize the pipe that brings the water over, creating a higher volume of water to go further. “The water is already serving the City of Climax from North Dakota. This has been an interesting process to go through,” said Whiting. “Several communities now in Polk, Norman, and Clay are interested in when services can be provided to them.” The board believes the project will improve the quality of water around the area and enhance the everyday lives of community members.
CONSENT AGENDA
The Polk County Board approved the payment of bills and disbursement in the amount of $100,812.
The next Polk County Board meeting will be on July 25 at the Polk County Government Center.
