County commissioners hear MnDOT presentation that includes detour

The Nobles County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday in regular session.

Commissioner Justin Ahlers explained that the meeting began with Nobles County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Michael Schei being recognized for 15 years of service. Ben DeVries, who works in grounds maintenance with the public works department, was recognized for excellence in performance.

A special presentation from Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) staff offered an update to the State’s Capital Highway Investment Plan for District 7. The Capital Highway Investment Plan illustrates a 10-year window of District 7’s projected highway-improvement projects.

Following a public hearing, commissioners approved a property tax abatement request from Greg and Barbara Raymo to build a single-family home at 1816 S. Shore Drive.

Next, a conditional use permit for the addition of a 40-feet by 64-feet pole style storage shed for Nobles 2 Power Partners LLC of Wilmont was approved. A detour agreement followed on the agenda.

"There was a detour agreement for the I-90 bridges that will be redone next summer by MnDOT," Ahlers explained. "They will be doing the bridges on 90 over 59 next summer, so we'll be detouring to County Road 3."

After that came another taxes-related matter.

"By Minnesota court, we have been ordered to abate the property taxes of Lewis and Clark Rural Water," Ahlers said. "We will have to pay them back the property taxes they paid the last, I believe, three years."

The total refund amounts to $77,400.

Terms of sale were also approved for a tax-forfeited property in Round Lake. Job reclassifications for sheriff's office staff were also acted upon by commissioners. A pre-certification of the 2027 budget and action on child daycare support efforts were both tabled.