Easton meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

County boards review loan, drainage payments, cannabis permit in weekly roundup

Faribault County boards met Aug. 4 and Aug. 12, but minutes have not yet been published, so no official decisions are confirmed. Agendas included a $19,970.85 septic system loan, drainage project payments, and a grant approval. The county board will meet again Aug. 18 to consider a cannabis microbusiness permit and tax abatements.

Recent meetings

Board of Commissioners (Aug. 4)

The agenda included a request for a $19,970.85 SSTS loan to Brent & Alicia Murphy for parcel #18.026.0500 in Verona township. The board also heard a presentation from the Minnesota Department of Transportation on District 7’s 10-year Capital Highway Improvement Plan, considered a resolution seeking state revenue sharing for Deputy Registrar Offices, reviewed the Faribault County Fair Board budget, and discussed a proposed mobile device stipend and email address for Cody Berndt with Public Works.

Drainage Authority (Aug. 4)

The Drainage Authority, acting as the Board of Commissioners, considered two tile projects. For the JD4FM Tile Improvement Project, it reviewed change order #1 for $8,800 and pay application #1 for $67,618.81 to Leland Drainage & Excavating LLC. For the CD14 Branch A & T Tile Replacement, it reviewed change order #1 (a decrease of $4,870.00) and pay application #1 for $48,322.70 to Ground Works Backhoe Service. The board also approved the CD26A Contract Acceptance Hearing Meeting Minutes from July 21, 2026.

In a separate meeting, the board held a closed session to receive attorney-client privileged communications regarding construction claims on Judicial Ditch 9, Judicial Ditch 13, Judicial Ditch 24, and County Ditch 52. The board reconvened for any actions before adjournment.

SWCD Board (Aug. 12)

The Faribault County Soil and Water Conservation District Board considered several action items: approving the August RCPP batching, the 2026 Soil Health Delivery Match, the Bass Lake CWF grant, cost-share contracts and payments, and an IRS mileage increase effective Sept. 1, 2026. No votes were recorded in the agenda.

Upcoming meetings

Board of Commissioners (Aug. 18)

The regular meeting will consider a conditional use permit for The Herbal Care LLC to operate a cannabis microbusiness, hiring Terri Grabow and Liz Raveling as part-time dispatch-jailers, a tax abatement for 2026 taxes (estimated $1,359) and a tax credit for 2027 taxes (estimated $2,900), an RFBA mileage rate increase, and training requests for multiple county staff.

Drainage Authority (Aug. 18)

Two drainage authority meetings are scheduled. One will reconvene the Aug. 4 meeting and hold a closed session on construction claims for JD 9, JD 13, JD 24, and CD 52, followed by board action in open session. The other will approve voucher bills and consider accepting inspection reports for CD5, CD59, CD79, CD83, and CD92 into the legal record. The reports note planned repairs for CD59 (outlet crossing under County Road 19) and CD83 (sloughs near outlet), and erosion at CD92’s outlet into CD80.

Board of Commissioners work sessions (Aug. 18 and 19)

Two work sessions will discuss the 2027 budget and levy. No formal decisions are listed on either agenda.

Coming up

• **Aug. 18, 9 a.m. (tentative)** – Board of Commissioners regular meeting and work session; Drainage Authority meetings (closed and open).
• **Aug. 19** – Board of Commissioners work session on 2027 budget and levy.

All meetings are open to the public unless noted as closed sessions. Check the county website for agendas and locations.

County Board, Drainage Authority Weigh Payments, Loan, and Highway Plan

The Faribault County Board of Commissioners met Aug. 4 in two capacities—as the county board and as the Drainage Authority—to consider a range of items, including construction payments, a septic system loan, and a 10-year highway plan. No decisions have been published yet; the minutes for all three sessions remain pending.

Drainage Authority: Tile Project Payments and Change Orders

Meeting as the Drainage Authority, the board reviewed payments and change orders for two drainage projects. For the JD4FM Tile Improvement Project, a change order for $8,800 and pay application #1 for $67,618.81 to Leland Drainage & Excavating LLC were on the agenda. For the CD14 Branch A & T Tile Replacement, a change order decrease of $4,870.00 and pay application #1 for $48,322.70 to Ground Works Backhoe Service were considered. The board also had on its agenda approval of the CD26A Contract Acceptance Hearing Meeting Minutes from July 21, 2026.

Closed Session on Drainage Claims

The board, acting as the Drainage Authority for County Ditch #52, held a closed session to receive attorney-client privileged communications regarding claims related to construction work on Judicial Ditch 9, Judicial Ditch 13, Judicial Ditch 24, and County Ditch 52. The agenda indicated the board would reconvene for any actions before adjournment, but no public actions have been reported.

County Board: Loan, Highway Plan, and Other Items

As the county board, commissioners considered a $19,970.85 SSTS (septic system) loan to Brent & Alicia Murphy for parcel #18.026.0500 in Verona township. The board also received a presentation from the Minnesota Department of Transportation on District 7’s 10-year Capital Highway Improvement Plan (CHIP). Additional agenda items included a resolution seeking State of Minnesota Revenue Sharing Fund for Deputy Registrar Offices, a Faribault County Fair Board budget consideration, and a proposed mobile device stipend and email address for Cody Berndt with Public Works.

All items were listed on the agenda only; official minutes have not yet been published, so the outcomes of these considerations are not yet known.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings were listed for the next 14 days.