LITCHFIELD -- The Meeker County Board of Commissioners has approved a two-year contract to provide police services for the city of Dassel.
In a cost saving effort, the City Council in Dassel eliminated the city police department in December.
The department included two full-time officers and three part-time officers.
The cost savings is estimated at $30,000 for the first year of the contract, according to Myles McGrath, Dassel city administrator.
The Dassel council approved the policing contract at a Monday meeting. Under the agreement approved by the county at its regular meeting Tuesday, the county will charge the city $33.25 per hour for 4,160 hours of policing this year.
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The city agreed to pay four quarterly payments of $34,580 for the service.
The contract stipulates that the county can't charge more than $36 per hour or a total of $37,440 in 2008.
The county has also agreed to purchase a 2006 Chevy police car with full equipment from the city of Dassel for $26,000, according to Paul Virnig, county administrator.
The county Sheriff's Department has been providing patrols in Dassel for the past six weeks and city officials have received positive comments about the service provided, McGrath said.
In other action Tuesday:
- The County Board approved a six-month moratorium on zoning applications in the Greenleaf State Park area. The moratorium is needed to prevent development in the area that has been designated as a state park while state legislators work on funding issues for the park.
- The board tabled a decision on what type of pavement to use for the County Road 14 project planned for this summer. The estimated $2.75 million project includes 7.3 miles of road north of Darwin.
A committee of two commissioners, highway engineer Ron Mortensen and Virnig will meet and discuss whether to use bituminous or concrete for the roadway. The price of bituminous paving has doubled over the past two to three years, Virnig said, making a more compelling argument for the more expensive, but more durable concrete.
