GRANITE FALLS -- Yellow Medicine County's board of commissioners is opposed to plans by District 8 of the Minnesota Department of Transportation to spend funds outside of the district when those funds are not being matched.
The county commissioners approved a resolution stating their opposition following a discussion of plans for the state Highway 23 bypass in Paynesville at their meeting on Tuesday, according to John Chattin, county administrator.
The discussion came when commissioner Gary Johnson reported on an Area Transportation Partnership meeting at which Mn/DOT's request for funds for the bypass project was heard.
District 8, with its main office in Willmar, is proposing a $44 million project in 2009 to build a bypass in Paynesville.
District 8 is seeking $22 million from the Area Transportation Partnership for the project. It has earmarked $10 million in federal funds for the project.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Paynesville bypass is located outside of District 8 in District 3, which has its office in St. Cloud. District 3 has not earmarked any of its Area Transportation Partnership funds for the project.
District 8 has proposed the project as part of its on-going effort to upgrade Highway 23 to a four-lane route from Willmar to St. Cloud.
In their resolution, the Yellow Medicine County commissioners said they opposed the use of district funds outside of the district unless equal funding is provided by District 3 for the bypass project.
The commissioners also discussed the road needs within the county. County Engineer Andy Sander commented on how the expenditure of funds outside of the district could affect the county.
The commissioners do not know if any other counties in District 8 have gone on record as opposing the use of the district's highway funds outside of the district without a match, according to the county administrator.
In other business, the commissioners adopted a resolution of support for a proposal by an independent businessman to develop an airport with a 6,000 foot runway south of Clarkfield.
Johnson told the board that he has had discussions with Joseph Driscoll about the proposal. Driscoll has stated to this newspaper that he intends to invest $2.5 million, purchase land and develop an airport capable of handling jet aircraft. He would transfer ownership of the airport to a regional board.
Driscoll, who some published accounts list as having a Dallas, Texas, address, said he has land south of Clarkfield where he keeps Arabian horses. He said his work with Driscoll Holdings requires that he have access to an airport with the capability of handling jet aircraft.
ADVERTISEMENT
In their resolution, the commissioners noted that the airport could promote economic development in the county and that the offer by Driscoll did not request any county funding.
In another matter, the commissioners set 7 p.m. on Jan. 17 as the time and place to interview candidates to succeed Sheriff Rich Rollins, who announced plans to retire on Feb. 28, 2006. The position is being posted this week within the Yellow Medicine County Sheriff's office. The commissioners are anticipating two or three candidates to express interest, according to the county administrator.
Rollins is leaving his post after 34 years of law enforcement service. He has served as the county's sheriff since being elected in 1983.
