<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0iLVrQ_1GxXQcAe00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0iLVrQ_1GxXQcAe00" width="740" height="500" ></figure>Public Works director/county engineer April Wellman presented an updated version of a policy governing roadside memorials in the right of way when she attended the Faribault County Board meeting on Nov. 3 “This is the proposed final draft and includes the changes which have been previously discussed,” Wellman commented. “This policy does not apply to memorial markers outside of the right of way or on the right of way line. Faribault County Planning and Zoning ordinances shall be followed for markers outside of the right of way.”The proposed policy, which was adopted by the County Board, limits the size of memorials.“The memorial shall be small in size, not exceeding approximately three feet in height by two feet in width,” Wellman said. “It must be placed in a location that is acceptable to adjacent property owners and outside of the traveling clear zone. A memorial will not be allowed if it may negatively affect safety, traffic flow or routine maintenance operations such as mowing or plowing.”The county will allow a temporary memorial to be placed in the right of way at/near the death location for up to 15 months.“Memorial markers within the right of way shall be approved by the Faribault County Public Works Department prior to placement,” Wellman remarked. “This can be done by calling the Public Works Department and providing contact information, memorial description, memorial location and the planned memorial installation date.”On a motion by commissioner Bill Groskreutz and a second by commissioner Tom Loveall, the board voted unanimously to adopt the roadside memorial policy.Wellman also had some construction updates which included the news that the bridge on CSAH (County State Aid Highway) 2 near Kiester and the bridge on CSAH 8 had both been paved.Wellman was happy to report that good progress is now being made on the installation of box culverts for the remaining county bridge projects.“Things are moving along at a nice pace now. The box culvert in Pilot Grove Township has been set and is being backfilled,” Wellman said. “Work has begun on the box culvert installation in Delavan Township and work is scheduled to start on the bridge in Lura Township in early November.”Wellman concluded her report by saying all the reclaiming work on CSAH 20 had been completed. Sheriff Scott Adams and deputy Chris Albers were also at the meeting with two different items of business.“The city of Kiester had entered a service agreement with the Faribault County Sheriff’s Office for contracted services for 2026,” Adams told the commissioners. “The city is seeking to renew the service contract for an additional year in 2027.”Adams explained the agreement for 2027 contains a $2,000 monthly fee.“The contract begins Jan. 1, 2027 and will be in effect for one year,” Adams said. “The city is talking about having a two or three-year contract with built-in increases following the completion of this contract.”Adams said the Sheriff’s Office has agreements with every city in the county for services except Blue Earth, Minnesota Lake, Wells and Winnebago.The board approved the contract.Albers presented a proposal to the board for the purchase of a 2026 Ford F150 XLT pickup for the price of $48,461 (plus taxes and fees as they apply).“Through the bidding process we found the best price at Mosaic Ford in Zumbrota,” Albers commented. “This is a budgeted item and the purchase price will be offset with the sale of a 2023 Ram truck, a 2022 Ford Explorer, a 2022 Ford F150, a 2020 Ford F150 and a 2018 Ford Explorer.”The purchase was approved by a unanimous vote.Benya Kraus, the president and CEO of SMIF (Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation), was at the meeting to present a yearly report on the organization. She began her presentation by introducing herself to the board.“I believe this is my first time coming before your board,” Kraus commented. “I have an ag background with my dad’s side of the family now in its seventh generation. My mom’s background is also in agriculture, although a little different since she is from Thailand.”Kraus shared she began her career as a social entrepreneur and was a co-founder of Lead for America, which is a national nonprofit that supports emerging leaders in returning and reinvesting in their hometowns.“SMIF has been a job and a dream come true for me,” Kraus said. “SMIF got its start some 40 years ago during the farm crisis of the 1980s.”She told the commissioners that SMIF focuses on three main areas.“We work with early childhood education, encouraging entrepreneurship and community vitality,” Kraus remarked. “Locally, we have worked with Muir Library in Winnebago on an Early Literacy Grant. The Wells Public Library and the Blue Earth Area schools also received that same grant. Blue Earth Area and United South Central have also received Leaders are Readers Grants through the Mitchell Perrizo Jr. Fund.”Kraus also highlighted an area business, Nutra-Boss Incorporated, which had received a loan and the city of Elmore, which was the recipient of a $10,000 Small Town Grant for sports equipment lockers which are located at the new Wildcat Activity Park.“For every $1 donation from Faribault County $12 is invested back into Faribault County communities,” Kraus concluded. “We look forward to continue working with you.”In other business:• The board voted to approve their annual list of approved depositories, designating the following institutions as brokers and authorized investment holders: First Bank Blue Earth, First Financial Bank of Winnebago, State Bank of Easton, Global Innovations Bank of Kiester, Fidelity Bank &amp; Trust in Frost, CCF Bank of Blue Earth and Wells, Farmers Trust and Savings Bank of Wells and Bricelyn, Wells Fargo, US Bank and MAGIC Fund – managed by PFM Asset Management.• The board scheduled a budget work session for Nov. 18, beginning at 1 p.m.• A proposal to approve purchasing one terabyte (1 TB) of additional file storage capacity was approved at a cost of $2,400 per year.• The board approved a one-year service contract for the AutoMARK election machines with Election Systems and Software, in the amount of $10,477. Switching to a new system would exceed $80,000.• A training request by Brady Rauenhorst of the Faribault County Assessor’s Office for Professional Assessment Certification and Education was approved.</div></body>

Block Source: Faribault County Register

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Public Works director/county engineer April Wellman presented an updated version of a policy governing roadside memorials in the right of way when she attended the Faribault County Board meeting on Nov. 3. “This is the proposed final draft and includes the changes which have been previously discussed,” Wellman commented. “This...

County passes roadside memorial policy

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Public Works director/county engineer April Wellman presented an updated version of a policy governing roadside memorials in the right of way when she atte

County passes roadside memorial policy

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