Winona County public meetings in 2022
12 substantive meetings from 2022, with official agendas or minutes and plain-English summaries.
Road & Bridge Committee
The committee approved the October 18, 2022 minutes. Members discussed a proposed cattle pass policy and the committee's makeup, but no formal actions were taken on these items. Staff provided updates on winter maintenance and construction projects.
- Approved amended agenda (unanimous)
- Approved October 18, 2022 minutes (unanimous)
Planning Commission
The Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of a Conditional Use Permit for Becky Clark, Mark Clark, and Angela Clark to expand an existing animal feedlot beyond 300 animal units. The recommendation includes specific conditions regarding regulatory compliance and site inspections. The request will be considered by the County Board on January 3.
- Approved agenda (8-0)
- Approved November 17, 2022 minutes (8-0)
- Recommended approval of Conditional Use Permit for feedlot expansion to County Board (7-0)
Whitewater Joint Powers Board (WWJPB)
The Board approved two cover crop payments under the Whitewater Drinking Water Protection grant. Members also reviewed updates on nitrogen reduction and well sealing grants.
- Approved minutes of October 20, 2022 (All Yes)
- Approved amended agenda (All Yes)
- Approved consent items and bills payable (All Yes)
- Approved two cover crop payments for Whitewater Drinking Water Protection grant (All Yes)
Winona County Board
The Board approved the fiscal year 2023 budget and a $100,000 special benefit tax levy for the Southeastern Minnesota Multi-County Housing and Redevelopment Authority. Commissioners also requested state authorization for a 0.25% local option sales tax to fund a replacement jail. Additionally, the Board set a special election schedule to fill a District 3 vacancy.
- Approved FY 2023 Budget and $100,000 special benefit tax levy (4-0)
- Approved request for 0.25% Local Option Sales Tax for replacement jail (4-0)
- Approved special election schedule for District 3 vacancy (4-0)
- Approved 2023 salaries for Sheriff, Attorney, Recorder, and Auditor-Treasurer (3-1)
- Approved 0% salary increase for County Commissioners for 2023 (4-0)
- Approved health insurance premiums for retired elected officers (4-0)
- Approved contracts with Sim Sound, Port53, and Safety Gal Consulting LLC (4-0)
- Approved Conditional Use Permits for Jeremiah and Kelsey Littmann and Craig and Debra Spies and Jody and Ryan McQuin (4-0)
Mississippi River Winona La Crescent One Watershed, One Plan (1W1P)
The Policy Committee approved recommended revisions to the watershed plan following a formal review. The committee also approved the October 3, 2022 minutes and current financial reports. A public hearing was scheduled for January 26, 2023, though a formal motion to finalize the format was not voted on due to loss of quorum.
- Approved minutes from October 3, 2022 (Unanimous)
- Approved financial report and invoices for Root River SWCD, Winona County, and Houston Engineering (Unanimous)
- Approved recommended Plan revisions following formal review (Unanimous)
- Selected January 26, 2023, as the Public Hearing date with January 30, 2023, as backup
- Selected Minnesota Technical College Southeast as the Public Hearing location
Winona County Board
The Board voted against offering the County Administrator position to Brian Anderson and tabled further recruitment discussions until January 2023. By consensus, the Board agreed to decrease reserves by 0.40% to reduce the 2023 Levy to 8.5%.
- Denied offer for County Administrator position to Brian Anderson (2-3)
- Tabled discussion of remaining County Administrator candidates until Jan 24, 2023 (3-2)
- Decreased reserves by 0.40% to reduce 2023 Levy to 8.5% (consensus)
- Approved 2023 County Board Meeting Schedule (5-0)
- Approved Special Assessment for 46937 Riverview Drive, La Crescent, MN (5-0)
- Approved early ordering of Highway Department Loader (5-0)
- Approved closed session for Daley Farms v. Winona County litigation update (5-0)
- Approved future agenda item to discuss Road and Bridge Committee makeup (5-0)
Planning Commission
The Planning Commission recommended approval to the County Board for two Conditional Use Permits to build dwellings in Agricultural/Resource Conservation Districts. The commission also recommended approval of zoning ordinance amendments regarding timber harvesting and recreational cabins.
- Recommended approval of Conditional Use Permit for Jeremiah and Kelsey Littmann to build a dwelling on 25.1 acres (Yes-All)
- Recommended approval of Conditional Use Permit for Jody and Ryan McQuin to build a dwelling (Yes-All)
- Recommended approval of zoning ordinance amendments for Timber Harvesting and Recreational Cabins (Yes-All)
- Approved meeting agenda (Yes-All)
- Approved October 20, 2022 minutes (Yes-All)
Board of Adjustment
The Board of Adjustment approved a variance to allow a home on prime agricultural soils and a variance to reduce septic system setbacks. Both requests were approved unanimously following public hearings.
- Approved variance for Cortney & Mitchell Campbell to build a single-family dwelling on class I-III soils (Yes-All)
- Approved variance for Janessa Buddenhagen & Marcus Satory to reduce septic drainfield setbacks from 20 to 5 feet and property line setbacks from 10 to 5 feet (Yes-All)
- Approved the meeting agenda (Yes-All)
- Approved the September 15, 2022 minutes (Yes-All)
Winona County Board
The Board approved several administrative items including a Safe Roads grant and a mosquito abatement contract. Two conditional use permits were granted, and an updated cattle pass policy was adopted. The discussion regarding County Administrator candidates was tabled until November 22, 2022.
- Approved Conditional Use Permit for Cortney & Mitchell Campbell and Thomas & Janet Campbell (5-0)
- Approved Conditional Use Permit for Dean, Greg, and Randy Smith – D&D Dairy (5-0)
- Adopted updated Cattle Pass Policy (5-0)
- Approved 2023 Toward Zero Death Safe Roads grant agreement (5-0)
- Approved renewal of purchase contract with Driftless Region Vector Control LLC for mosquito abatement (5-0)
- Approved 2023 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Septic System Program Grant Agreement (5-0)
- Confirmed payment of disbursements totaling $6,027,762.93 (5-0)
- Tabled discussion of remaining County Administrator candidates (5-0)
Parks & Environment Advisory Committee
The Parks & Environment Advisory Committee approved the purchase of Zipventure Freedom equipment from St Croix Recreation Fun Playgrounds Inc for Farmers Park and selected red as the equipment color. The committee also approved the 2023 meeting schedule.
- Approved order of Zipventure Freedom equipment from St Croix Recreation Fun Playgrounds Inc (All Yes)
- Approved red color for Farmers Park playground equipment (All Yes)
- Approved 2023 meeting dates (All Yes)
- Approved agenda (All Yes)
- Approved amended September 6, 2022 meeting minutes (All Yes)
Economic Development Authority Board
The Economic Development Authority approved financial reports for July through September 2022. The board reviewed the transition of Revolving Loan Fund applications to an online portal via OpenGov. No actions were taken regarding changes to the Revolving Loan Fund.
- Approved agenda (Yes-All)
- Approved July 28, 2022 meeting minutes (Yes-All)
- Approved July-September 2022 financial reports (Yes-All)
Winona County Board
The Board decided not to pursue an interim zoning ordinance moratorium for dog breeding facilities, instead directing staff to conduct a study by February 2023. Other actions included awarding a bridge replacement contract and accepting over $13,000 in donations.
- Denied interim zoning ordinance moratorium for dog breeding facilities; directed staff to conduct study by February 2023 (4-1)
- Awarded bid for Runaway Road and Cocker Drive Township Bridge Replacements to Minnowa Construction (5-0)
- Accepted $13,299.33 in donations from 7/1/2022-9/30/2022 (5-0)
- Approved Memorandum of Understanding for Regional 911 Phone System (5-0)
- Approved LG220 Gambling Application for Exempt Permit-Winona/Root River PF (5-0)
- Approved USI Consulting Group/HILDI Agreement for Post-Employment Benefit Valuation Report (5-0)
- Confirmed payment of disbursements totaling $4,570,461.69 (5-0)
- Approved future agenda item to consider invitation letter to City of Winona regarding police department location (5-0)