GRANITE FALLS -- Yellow Medicine County is re-evaluating what to do about the county museum.
The commissioners took action at their meeting Tuesday to create a six-member committee that will be responsible for recommending a new overall plan for the museum.
The county and County Historical Society had been on the verge of purchasing property and seeking grant funds to move the county museum building to possible sites near Prairie's Edge Casino Resort or the Granite Falls Municipal Airport.
The Historical Society has been seeking a new location for its museum in Granite Falls because of its vulnerability to flooding.
County Administrator Ryan Krosch said he recommended that the county take a step back and re-evaluate the situation. The process will include looking at what role the Historical Society sees for a museum in terms of the artifacts it should hold, the number of visitors it should host, and its responsibilities in public education and community involvement.
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As part of that process, the committee will also be analyzing where the museum should be located. The search for a site will include reconsidering offers by communities interested in hosting the museum.
Commissioner Jane Remiger, of Wood Lake, and Chairman Ron Antony, of Canby, were appointed to represent the Board of Commissioners on the committee. They will join the county administrator and three representatives of the Historical Society board of directors yet to be named.
In other business, the commissioners approved a resolution that requests that the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission be allowed to partner with the Land of the Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging. The agency's service area includes 21 counties in the northwestern part of the state.
At issue is the administration of various services to senior citizens in the counties, such as the congregate meals program.
The Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission represents the counties of Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift and Yellow Medicine. It had been part of a joint powers agreement with regions 6E, 8 and 9 known as the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging. Region 6E includes Kandiyohi, McLeod, Meeker and Renville counties, while regions 8 and 9 include the 18 counties in the southwestern and south central portion of the state.
The Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission terminated its participation in the joint powers agreement earlier this year. The Minnesota Board of Aging will designate a new Area Agency on Aging to serve the five counties represented by the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission.
The resolution points out that the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission has served as the Area Agency on Aging for the five counties for more than 33 years and would like to continue to do so as a partner with the Land of the Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging.
Also Tuesday, the Yellow Medicine County Commissioners heard a request by Dawn Hegland, representing the Prairie Waters tourism coalition, for the county's continued financial support. The five Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission counties support the regional tourism group with annual contributions based on their populations. Yellow Medicine County's share for 2008 is $13,310.
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The commissioners discussed the tourism coalition's marketing strategy. They expressed interest in seeing more of the funding directed to attract visitors from areas in closer proximity to the region.
