Month: January 2023

The Polk County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday morning at the Polk County Government Center for a regular meeting.

ADMINISTRATION OF OATH OF OFFICE FOR COMMISSIONERS

Before the Call to Order, the board invited Ninth Judicial District Judge Jeffrey Remick to swear-in Mark Holy, Joan Lee, and Warren Strandell back into their positions as Commissioners of their districts for another four years. A picture of the ceremony can be seen below-

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

After the Call to Order, the board began an election process for a new Chair and Vice Chair. Commissioner Gary Willhite and Gerald Jacobson nominated Vice Chair Commissioner Warren Strandell to be promoted to the new Chair of the board. While he was delighted to receive the nomination to become the next chairperson, Commissioner Strandell explained that he planned to continue working with his fellow commissioners as a team to help the county grow. “County government is a team effort, and the county board is a team,” Commissioner Chair Warren Strandell explained. “There’re not many times where we have split votes or anything like that, so we try to do things together for the best interest of everybody involved.”
For the Vice Chair election, Commissioner Joan Lee nominated third District Commissioner Gary Willhite to become the board’s vice chair. The board approved both nominations unanimously.

CONSENT ITEMS

The board’s Consent items included approving the board minutes from their meeting on December 20, 2022, and the auditor warrants. The board approved the Consent Items unanimously.

ADMINISTRATION-CHUCK WHITING

The board was then approached by County Administrator Chuck Whiting, who came forward with a review of the Polk County Justice Center’s Projects. He was joined by their Architect, Todd Blixt of ICON, via a web meeting and Facilities Director Rick Langlois to review options they could use to go ahead with the Center’s roof replacement, boiler replacement, and glycol heating couplers replacement projects.

Architect Blixt had a few thoughts on how they could complete the projects. Blixt explained that they would split the roof replacements into three sections and use the same material as the previous one. They would also replace the skylights, as many of them were leaking. For the Boiler replacement, a lot of the piping seemed to be failing in multiple locations, and some may not have been appropriately grouped or added with the wrong type of couplers. Langlois reported that there were a few leaks in a certain area, but he could not find any specific area that caused the problem but noted they mainly happened when there was a dramatic drop in temperature. Langlois reported that they wished to pull a sampling test to check if all the couplers were put in correctly and ensure they all worked before they get a full assessment on the rest of the project. “The couplers have been a chronic issue with leakage, so we need to look into an assessment in the spring where we can shut our system down to determine how much we really need to do to get this system to make sure that we can eliminate this chronic issue of couplers starting to leak in the future,” Rick Langlois explained. “It’s one of those things that’s difficult to get a handle on until we can assess how big the project will be. It’s all going to depend on the assessment that we go forward with in May.”

Blixt reported that the roofing and boiler replacement project’s plans and specifications would be finished by the last week of February, and they would open bids by March 17. During bidding, they would submit drawings to the state for building plan reviews and permitting, which could range anywhere from one to three months, depending on the workload, so they could get the building permit by the middle of May. Then in May, they would shut down the steam to the Justice Center and do exploratory work verifying the condition of multiple couplers and piping the determine the next steps in its replacement. Once those would be determined, more plans and speculations would be created, though he noted he was unsure of the timeline for when this would be completed as it depended on the scope of work, though he believed they would be ready for bidding by the fall or winter of 2023 and have repairs done by the summer of 2024. Langlois explained that the uncertainty of getting construction materials on a timely basis would be one of the main reasons it would take so long to complete but would allow them to have plenty of time to do the project properly and get the materials as needed.

Blixt explained they would have to discuss adjusting the fees with the consultants for the projects, but the roof work was contracted at $49,500. Blixt explained they would need mechanical and electrical consultants to replace the boilers and would ask for the approval of the design work once the costs from the consultants came in. County Administrator Whiting explained that they would amend their Capital Improvement Plan with the Capital Improvement Bonds so they could use them for the project and open a public hearing to continue with it. “They’re Capital Improvement Bonds, which requires a five-year Capital Improvement Plan, which when adopted, requires a public hearing, and if you amend the plan, which we’re going to, then you have to have a second public hearing to amend the plan,” Chuck Whiting explained. “It’s relatively minor, but it’s a legal requirement of the use of those bonds, so we’ll do that when we’ve got our plans firmed up, and we’ll set up the hearing.”

2023 OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER & PUBLISHING BIDS

Property Records Director Sam Melbye then approached the board with the opening of publication bids. Sam reported they had sent out bid invitation ads and official bid forms for the Official Publishing for the County of Polk for 2023, with bids opening today. He reported they had sent requests out to The Crookston Daily Times, The Erskine Echo, The Exponent, The Fertile Journal, the McIntosh Times, and The Thirteen Towns. The first bid they had received was from The Exponent for $5 per column with $6 per column for the Delinquent tax list. The McIntosh times bid for $2.45 per column for the official newspaper and delinquent tax list. The final bid they received was from the Fertile Journal for $2.45 per column for the official newspaper and $4 per column for the Delinquent tax list.

Designating Publication of the Delinquent Tax List Statement of Polk County

After much discussion, the board chose to designate The Fertile Journal as the official newspaper with a bid of $2.45 per column and The McIntosh Times for the Publication of the Delinquent Tax List Statement with a bid of $2.45. The board approved both motions unanimously.

COUNTY BOARD MEMBERS ISSUE FORUM

The board’s issue forum consisted of reviewing their Board Committee Assignments for 2023. They reported the delegates and alternates they had set for each committee. The board approved the assignments unanimously. The full table of assignments can be seen below.

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AMC 2023 Policy Committee & Voting Delegate Appointments

The board then began appointing the voting delegates for the 2023 Policy Committee. After much discussion, the board selected Commissioner Gerald Jacobson for the Environment & Nature Resources Policy Committee, Commissioner Gary Willhite for the General Government Policy Committee, Commissioner Joan Lee for the Health & Human Services Policy Committee, Commissioner Warren Strandell for the Public Safety Policy Committee, and Commissioner Mark Holy for the Transportation & Infrastructure Policy Committee. The board approved the appointments unanimously.

The Board of Commissioners will next meet on Tuesday, January 17, at the Polk County Government Center.

The post POLK COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RETAKE OATH OF OFFICE AND ELECT WARREN STRANDELL AS NEW BOARD CHAIR appeared first on KROX.

The number of home radon tests completed during real estate sales in 2022 was down 39% from 2020, even though home sales did not decline, a new analysis from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) shows. Reduced testing means fewer home buyers are identifying and reducing this cancer-causing hazard.

MDH analyzed professional radon testing data for 2020 to 2022 and found that in 2022 there were 19,976 real estate tests reported by professionals, which was lower than the 32,537 tests reported in 2020.

The colorless, odorless gas occurs naturally in Minnesota soils and is found at elevated levels in about 40% of all Minnesota homes. It is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Each year, radon kills more than 21,000 people across the country. While there are ways to test for radon and fix it, many people are unaware of the risks.

Fortunately, the radon risk is largely preventable by testing homes and reducing radon problems by installing radon reduction systems. Real estate transactions allow home buyers to reduce their lung cancer risk. If the radon level is high, buyers could request that sellers install a radon mitigation system. With more people working from home, it’s more important than ever to test homes for radon, health officials say. 

During January, Radon Action Month, MDH is making a special push to urge everyone to test their home for radon, including when purchasing a property.

“Unfortunately, we have seen a decline in radon testing reported to us during home sales,” said Dan Tranter, supervisor of the MDH Indoor Air Program. “Radon professionals have also told us about a decline in their services. During the hot housing market in the last couple of years, some home buyers were skipping home inspections and radon tests.”

Health professionals recommend testing for radon during real-estate transactions. Sellers must disclose any prior radon testing and provide a two-page publication to buyers under state law. Radon tests should be incorporated into a home inspection. MDH licenses home inspectors and other professionals who test for radon. A list of currently licensed radon measurement professionals can be found on the Find a Radon Measurement Professional page on the MDH website.

“From 2018 through 2020, we experienced a tremendous increase in radon testing,” said Doug Laurent with Homefax Radon Services, a Plymouth-based home inspection company. “However, in early 2021, the market conditions drove many buyers to forgo a home inspection and, with it, radon testing. Buyers that waived their home inspections and radon tests are not following up with testing after they move in, at least not with a professional.”

The average radon level in Minnesota homes is about 4.2 picoCuries per Liter (pCi/L). MDH recommends installing a radon mitigation system when the radon level is at four pCi/L or above. But you can’t know what the radon level in your home is unless you test, Tranter said.

Amanda Klecker of Healthy House on the Block, a White Bear Township home inspector and consultant echoed the importance of testing. “Over the past few years, I’ve seen a steady decline in radon testing that is contingent on a home sale – many homeowners have been purchasing without even a home inspection to make their offer more competitive,” she said. “Thankfully, some realtors are highly knowledgeable about the harmful health effects of radon and have been encouraging their buyers to have the home tested after closing. While it’s unfortunate the testing isn’t being done prior to closing, buyers can still test after closing to ensure their home is safe for their family.”

This winter, MDH is partnering with local public health departments and other organizations to make test kits available to all Minnesotans at low or no cost. Participating agencies and vendors can be found on MDH’s Radon Testing website. Hardware stores may also stock test kits. Licensed professionals can also conduct testing.

Tests should be done in the lowest level of the home that is frequently occupied. Test devices are usually placed in the house for two to five days. The best time to test is during the heating season, but testing can be done year-round.

In homes with high radon levels, radon reduction typically involves installing a venting pipe and fan to pull the gas from under the house to the outside. Professionals conducting radon mitigation must be licensed by MDH, follow standards, and affix an MDH tag to the system. A list of licensed radon mitigation professionals can be found on the Find a Radon Mitigation Professional page on the MDH website.

MDH conducts free inspections of radon mitigation systems installed after June 1, 2020. The inspections ensure systems were installed correctly. Contact the MDH Indoor Air Unit to request an inspection at health.indoorair@state.mn.us.

More information about radon in Minnesota is available on the MDH website at Radon in Homes or by calling the MDH Indoor Air Unit at 651-201-4601 or 1-800-798-9050.

The post MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REPORTS RADON TESTING DURING HOME PURCHASES DECLINED NEARLY 40% IN 2022 appeared first on KROX.

With the COVID-19 outbreak seemingly behind us, Wonderful Life Foods has made some changes to the store and its management that have already taken effect as the store is looking to bring back some services it previously had along with other new services.

One of the services the store has already brought back includes its self-service area for customers to choose from a few warm breakfast and lunch options with add-ins. “Coming back are some of the things we did before the COVID pandemic, and we’re looking to reintroduce some of those things. We’re offering the self-service soup starting this year. Years past, we’ve always just done one soup, and now we’re concentrating on two different soup options for people. That’s one of our more favorite items of our customers, so we’re expanding that selection a little bit,” Wonderful Life Foods owner Shawn Rezac. “In the last couple of years, people have always loved our baked goods, and we offer cold items for breakfast. But what I’m doing this year is offering oatmeal for a warm breakfast option. I have all of the sides to go with it, honey, granola, toppings, and things like that. So, we’re concentrating more on those self-service items for customers.”

Along with the soups and their baked goods, the store is looking to sell more individual options for customers, such as single cookies and cupcakes for a snack option. Rezac revealed that he also is looking to introduce some new baked items, such as two new sizes for their muffins (regular and jumbo size), banana bread, and expanding on their keto items. Specifically, items that he makes in the store, like their granola bars, protein balls, and other grocery items.

Another pre-COVID service the store is bringing back includes the working area in the back of the store by the kitchen for groups and organizations to meet privately for lunch or coffee. “In the past, different groups wanted to come in and have a little more privacy, so we’re giving them that option again. So, if people have some larger groups, they can be off in the back and don’t have to worry about being up in the front where all the foot traffic is,” Shawn Rezac explained. “That’s another thing I’m bringing back from when COVID happened. It was something that was pretty popular, but I just wasn’t super comfortable until now to start reintroducing that to people.” Rezac explained that the room will be on a call-ahead option for groups to reserve and give the store time to set up. With him requesting a longer time notice if there is a bigger group and will work on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Rezac also revealed that the store has undergone an ownership change, with him now being the sole owner of the store rather than a co-ownership, but announced that not many things will change on what the store has to offer. However, he is looking to enhance the shopping experience for customers with some new ideas. “Each week, I’m going to try and introduce a few new items because I’m going to keep with the core of what I’ve always been doing, but I don’t want to get overwhelmed with too much at once. So, keep an eye on Facebook because I’ll be posting all the new things that I’m going to be offering. But, especially around the holidays, like on Valentine’s Day, I’m going to be running a promotion during that time and offering a few new baked items that I haven’t done in the past during the month of February. The same with St. Patrick’s Day and Easter. I have a couple of ideas for specific baked goods items for those couple of holidays in the spring. We’ll see how that goes and what the customers say, and we may continue to do those and expand on it.”

To stay up to date with the latest items and offers coming to Wonderful Life Foods, follow the store’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WonderfulLifeFoods. If you have any questions or would like to book a group table, you can call the store at 218-281-1125.

Pictures of some of the new changes to the store can be seen below-

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