Month: April 2024

The Polk County Commissioners met on Tuesday at the Polk County Government Center.

The commissioners heard from Polk County Sheriff James Tadman, who was seeking approval from the board to accept the 2024 State of Minnesota County Boat and Water Safety Grant contract funds. “These funds are used for our boat and water program,” said Tadman. “So when they go out and are on the lakes in Polk County, they can use it for overtime (wages) and also maintenance of the boats. It’s also split up for supplies and expenses. The board ultimately approved The Polk County Sheriff’s Office to receive $10,318, which can be used through June 30, 2025, for the Polk County Boat and Water program.

The board next approved the recognition of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, which will take place from April 14 to 20. Tadman informed the board that this is a great opportunity to appreciate and acknowledge all the work the telecommunicators do within the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and nationwide. “There always are the ones that start the whole process and are behind the scenes,” said Tadman, “But they are never seen because they’re in their office. They’re taking the 911 calls and informing our first responders, police, fire, and emergency services to help people and assist them.”

K9 Jax paid a visit to the commissioners to thank Polk County Commissioner Joan Lee and her husband, Mark Lee, for the generous donation. The Lees, in conjunction with the Vested Interest in K9’s organization, donated a bulletproof vest to K9 Jax, which was valued at $1,800. “Joan and Mark Lee, of McIntosh, sponsored a $1,000 check towards that vest,” said Tadman, “And the organization Vested Interest in K9’s supported the rest of that vest. Thank you to Joan and Mark Lee; this is the second vest they have sponsored through K9 Vested Interest.”

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EAST GRAND FORKS OFFERS TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM
The commissioners continued the meeting by opening a public hearing regarding the Housing Incentive and Tax Abatement program for the city of East Grand Forks.

Like Crookston, East Grand Forks is offering the Housing Incentive Program, where applicants apply to the city to help offset the tax dollars property owners pay during the first two years after new construction. “This program has to be voted on by the city council first,” said Polk County Deputy of Property Records Annalee Jones. “The city council and respective cities will continue to offer the program. The county collects all of the tax dollars and distributes them throughout the year. Since we’re the ones that collect the tax dollars, we go through the abatement process and distribute the reduction to the list of applicants.” Last year, the commissioners accepted the abatement distribution to three applicants who constructed new homes; so far this year, twelve applicants are looking for the abatement.

The consent agenda included the approval of minutes from the previous commissioner meeting on March 19. It also included the approval of bills and disbursements in the amount of $6,781.58. The Polk County Commissioners will meet again on Tuesday, April 16, at 9:30 a.m. at the Polk County Government Center.

Minakwa Golf Course has announced it will fully open the course to golfers on Friday, April 5. The first tee time available is at 11:00 a.m.; however, golf carts for Friday is still a game-time decision depending on the condition of the course on Friday morning.

Co-owner of Minakwa Golf Course Brandon Carlson, Over the off-season, Carlson said the eighth green got “hit hard” with snow mold from the previous winter, which has required maintenance and touch-ups over the last couple of months. “Me and Zach looked around about a week ago, and the course looks really good,” said Carlson, “The only real damage on (hole) eight is there’s a few spots where deer decided to scrape at the green a bit, but it’s not anything major. Zach has been pleased with the condition of the course.”

Carlson is pleased to have the course fully open for business and encourages all golfers to knock the rust off those clubs and have some fun after a long off-season. “Go get some exercise maybe, chase some balls,” said Carlson, “After a long off-season, hopefully, you’re down the middle, but maybe you’ll be all over the place; you never know. Maybe get straight on the driving range first.”

Along with the golf course fully open on Friday, the driving range opened up on Wednesday this week after owners Brandon Carlson and Zach Strommen revealed the driving markers on the range.

Minakwa was recently contacted by American Crystal and notified that they will no longer be able to supply recycled water to the course. This is a huge loss to the course as they have supplied Minakwa with up to 10 million gallons per year. If the course were to purchase water from the city’s source, it would cost about $50,000 annually. That would most likely make it unfeasible to continue operating. Minakwa is now working with American Crystal to come up with alternative water sources and may be asking for additional assistance from the community in the coming months or years.

To book a tee time, you can download the Minakwa Golf Course app or click here.

The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council is pleased to announce the NW Annual Art Exhibit is at the Kittson County History Museum in Lake Bronson from April 3 until April 21. 

Adult artists from our 7 county- service regions (Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Polk, Pennington, Roseau, and Red Lake Falls) have entered 68 pieces of art. Students have entered 59 pieces, including oil, acrylic, watercolor painting, pencil drawings, pen and ink, pottery, sculpture, fiber art, glass mosaic, and mixed media. and are competing for $2,300.00 in cash awards. Attendees at the exhibit can vote for People’s Choice. Exhibit cash award winners will be chosen while the exhibit is on display by Pat Danielson, a qualified juror from Grand Forks. They will be recognized and receive their check at the Artist Reception.

The exhibit is at the Kittson County History Museum at 332 East Main Street, Lake Bronson, and will be open for the public to view art and vote for People’s Choice on Mondays through Fridays from 9 AM to 5 PM. Watch our website and Facebook page for additional evening and weekend hours. Visit https://northwestminnesotaartscouncil.org/blog/nw-annual-art-exhibit-is-open-april-3-21.

There will be a reception and program on April 21 at the Kittson County History Museum. The exhibit will open at noon that day. Mingling and light refreshments will start at 2:00 PM, with the program at 3:00 PM. Of the Year Awards will be presented to Potter Betsy Saurdiff for the NW Star Award — Lifetime Achievement, Musician Randy Larson for Artist of the Year, and Radio Host Rom Ogaard for Arts Advocate of the Year, in addition to exhibit awards. Randy Larson will play the music with his adult children. The exhibit and reception are open to the public and are free to attend. Many pieces of art are for sale, and the public is encouraged to shop. Purchases can be marked as sold and picked up on April 21 after the reception. The exhibit provides an opportunity to see what our regional adult and student artists are creating in their studio spaces and in the classroom. The reception is a wonderful day of celebrating the arts in our region. 

Visit the NW Minnesota Arts Council website for more information at www.NWArtsCouncil.org. Funding for these awards is provided by the McKnight Foundation and the Minnesota State Legislature.

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Travelers should prepare to slow down for construction work zones as road projects begin to ramp up across the state, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced today. The agency has nearly 200 road construction projects this season that will help maintain and improve Minnesota’s roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure; improve safety and mobility; and support jobs that will be worked on statewide.

The 2024 construction season includes 193 planned road and bridge projects, plus 54 projects that will improve airports, water ports, railroad crossings and transit infrastructure.
“Drivers throughout Minnesota can expect to see more work zones, more orange cones, more closed lanes, and more people working along the road wearing their high-visibility gear,” said Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger. “We need everyone on the road to work together to keep our crews, and yourselves, safe in work zones. When we all slow down and obey work zone speed limits, set aside our cell phones and other distractions, plan ahead and remain patient, we become safer together as we share the limited space inside work zones.”

SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS THIS YEAR INCLUDE-
· Reconstructing Highway 220 north of East Grand Forks with pavement and culvert replacements to improve drainage and the driving surface.
· A three-year project to improve the 11th Street underpass in Moorhead will involve constructing two underpasses under BNSF rail lines, sidewalk and other improvements.
· Two new roundabouts will be constructed during a two-year complete streets project on Highways 59 and 108 in Pelican Rapids, which will also improve a shared-use path, sidewalk and city utilities.
· Replacing and repairing bridges on Interstate 494 between Edina and Richfield continues for the second year of a four-year project that also includes reconfiguring the I-35W/I-494 interchange, building a pedestrian bridge, adding E-ZPass lanes, and constructing noise walls. Other major projects in the Twin Cities Metro area include pavement improvements on I-94 between Oakdale and Lakeland and Highway 36 between Roseville and Little Canada, and the start of a three-year project to repair the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis.
· Completing bridge work on I-35 between the Twin Cities and Duluth and resurface pavement near Hinckley, and the Atkinson bridge over Carlton County Road 61 will be repaired. Roadwork will also continue on I-35 in Duluth.
· Completing the I-35 Faribault project will include ramp, bridge and pavement improvements.
· Crews will begin a three-year project to improve the I-90/Highway 52 interchange southeast of Rochester which involves replacing the I-90 bridges, constructing a new ramp/bridge over Highway 52 and other improvements.
· Resurfacing the Hwy 25 bridge over the Mississippi River in Monticello, including drainage and sidewalk updates.

SAFETY IN WORK ZONES
Motorists should always be prepared to encounter traffic changes when approaching work zones including lane closures, lane shifts, uneven road surfaces, slow-moving heavy equipment and slow or stopped traffic. To keep everyone safe, drivers must:

• Obey posted speed limits. The fine for speeding in a work zone is $300.
• Drive undistracted. Avoid using cell phones and mobile devices, adjusting the radio – and even eating –while in work zones.
• Move over. Give workers room to complete their work safely.
• Know before you go. Get real-time information about traffic and road conditions at 511mn.org or get the free 511mn smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.
• Be patient. Expect delays, especially during peak travel times.
• Do the zipper merge.
• Avoid making unnecessary lane changes.
• Never enter a road blocked with barriers or cones.

2024 Minnesota road construction planning and travel tools. Travelers can use several online tools to plan for construction impacts like detours and lane closures.

Visit mndot.gov/construction for the statewide view of the 2024 construction season’s projects. The site includes interactive maps linking to more detailed construction project websites, complete project lists, and other information.