Latest News
Child Care Bill Signed Into law
25-May-2018Legislation aimed at repealing burdensome childcare regulations received the governor's approval Sunday, May 20, and became state law. Before reaching the governor's desk, the bill, authored by Rep. Mary Franson, R-Alexandria, was passed unanimously in both the House and Senate. The bill exempts childcare providers from the positive supports training rules, and instead instructs providers to comply with the individualized education programs for children in their care with developmental disabilities or related conditions. The training rules involve extra regulations for providers by prohibiting certain practices, requiring additional training, and establishing additional administrative procedures and policies, according to Franson.
Fatal accident
21-May-2018A driver was killed when he hit a tractor that had just pulled out from a field in Meeker County in central Minnesota on Saturday night.The crash was reported at 10:10pm. A 62-year-old man from Darwin, Kevin Erickson collided with a planter the tractor was pulling.Erickson’s Ford Escape struck the planter on the rear right side as he drove north on Highway 15, near 180th Street in Collinwood Township – about 50 miles west of the Twin Cities.The tractor, driven by 56 year old Peter Peterson of Dassel had just pulled onto the highway according to the state patrol. Peterson was not injured.
possible human remains found
21-May-2018
The Otter Tail County Sheriff's office says someone walking in the woods around 3pm in New York Mills this past Saturday saw what appeared to be bones. The remains were found near a wooded area by the railroad tracks near the Lund Boat Company. Since then, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has set up a crime scene. The Otter Tail Sheriff's Office says there haven't been any recent missing people reported in the area.The last person to go missing was a disabled woman in the late 1980s. 23-year-old Carla Anderson disappeared in 1987, but there is still no confirmation that the remains belong to her. The bones will be sent for an autopsy.
sheriff's report
21-May-2018
On Saturday afternoon at 2:41pm the Todd County Sheriff's Office received a report of a grass fire in Turtle Creek Township section 20. A tree fell on some power lines knocking them to the ground causing the grass fire. Browerville Fire Department responded and put out the fire with the assistance of the Clarissa Fire Department. Todd Wadena Electric responded for the power lines.
On Friday morning at 7:25am the Todd County Sheriff's Office investigated a theft of construction material and tools from residential construction site in Kandota Township near Fairy Lake. The theft is believed to have occurred the night before. Anyone that may have witnessed any suspicious people or vehicles in this area are asked to contact the Sheriff's Office. The incident remains under investigation.
Commissioners Meeting
16-May-2018
At yesterday’s (5-15-18) Todd county board of commissioners meeting commissioners approved a Gambling permit for the Sauk Centre Rotary club, plus a one day dance license and a one day temporary on sale liquor license for the little Sauk Legion for August 18th. Commissioners also approved a Thousand sixty dollars for Memorial Day activities within the county. Approved $1400 dollars for Senior citizens centers in the county.Declared the weekof May 20th‐26th Emergency Medical Services Week in Todd County. Commissioners returned $584 in a tax error for a house that burned down in the county 2016 and wasn’t taken off the 2017 tax assessments. Commissioners agreed to pay their share of the cost for the extension work at the long Prairie airport. The county’s share is around $30,000 dollars. Work will be done sometime this fall or next spring.
Accepted the final plat for Sleepy Hollow Estates in section three in Bruce Township. Todd county ditch Inspector Nancy Uhlenkamp presented a Hold Harmless agreement for maintenance for 750 ft for county ditch 33 in Reynolds Township for Glen Middendorf. Mittendorf will pay for the cleanout. It was last cleaned out in 2005 but trees have grown into this area.
Executive director Lori Vlorlson from Central Minnesota Council on Aging gave an activity/ update for commissioners. Vlorson said she represents 14 counties including Todd County and that Todd county citizens over 60 years of age is about 4 percent of the population.
Todd County HRA executive director Kim Wallace gave commissioners an update of their activities and what they are currently doing on the county. Wallace said that the big need in Todd County is for more senior and workforce housing. Todd county Sheriff Don Asmus present the commissioners with several needs in his department all which have been budgeted for.
The Todd County Sheriff's Office dispatch needs to upgrade the PSAP equipment to have the ability to receive text to 911 calls. The Todd County 911 Committee also recommended entering into a contract with Vesta Solutions in the amount of $131,862.00 for a five year contract with payments made annually $26,372.00 which was approved by the board. The commissioners also approved the Sheriff’s Office purchasing the call handling software and training package from PowerPhone to certify dispatchers as Emergency Medical, Fire, and Law Enforcement dispatchers. The initial cost for this program will be $7,330.00 with an annual maintenance cost of $300.00 per year. Commissioners also approved Todd County Sheriff's Office entering into a Service Agreement renewal with Motorola Solutions to maintain the radio consoles in dispatch. This agreement is a five year contract which will be invoiced annually for a total amount over five years of $50,965.16. Motorola offered this five year contract at a discounted price over the current year to year contract. This is an annual increase of 3% versus 5% annually.
A CUP to operate a trucking service business in Little Elk Township was issued in April 2017. Conditions established for the CUP were not followed, and the applicant no longer lives at the address, and the trucking business no longer operates from that location and has relocated to Clearwater, MN. On May 3, 2018 the Planning Commission discussed the CUP and voted 5‐0 to recommend revoking the CUP. At yesterday Commissioner’s meeting commissioners also voted to revoke the conditional use permit.
A rezoning request from Paul Theisen to rezone 40 acres of land in section 27 in Birchdale Township from R- 10 to AF-1 zoning. Was approved with comditions.
Jeremey Claseman from Todd County Solid Waste requested the Contracts with Step to sort the recycling 2‐3 days a week be updated because the minimum wage went up. So the only thing changing in this contract is the wage for the coach is going from $10.00 to $10.50 per hour and wage for the crew is going from $9.50 to $9.65. That was approve and commissioners also approve the purchase of a new bulldozer for the transfer station.
Todd County Solid Waste has a 5 year replacement plan (Capital Expenditures) this year as part of it is to replace the dozer. After going thru the state bid process, Case and Caterpillar came in the lowest and the closest. Cat being the lowest... Total cost for the dozer from Ziegler is $162,548.
Commissioners are in the process of looking for a new county coordinator as may 23rd is current coordinator Joe Hatch’s last day working for Todd County. At yesterday’s meeting tabled authorizing to hire a search firm for hatch’s replacement. The County Board chose to appoint current MIS director Chris Pelzer an interim Coordinator until a replacement for Hatch can be hired. . And paying Interim Coordinator for 1/5 time, 8 hours per week at Step 1 of the position. Approximately 12 days during the recruitment process. Total cost would be $4,179.84.
Upcoming Local Events & KEYL/KXDL Events
Centracare Health Fair
May 25, 2018 Contact: Misty Lemke Communications/Marketing Sp CentraCare Health – Long Prairie will host its annual Community Wellness Fair, 1K and 5K runs from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 16 at the at First Baptist Church, 401 Fourth St. S. in Long Prairie. R..
Grill out, Chill out Giveaway
Grill Out, Chill Out Giveaway It's your chance to win a red Kenmore gas grill, Craftsman cooking utensils, outdoor table with 6 chairs from your local hometown Sears store in downtown Little Falls as well as $200.00 worth of meat from Osakis Family Foods. Register today at one of these..
