Murray County Board set to vote on public bond sale for County Ditch 21 and 22; recent budget reviews remain without published minutes
Murray County residents have no confirmed decisions to report from the past two weeks of Board of Commissioners activity, as minutes from three July meetings have not yet been published. The next regularly scheduled meeting on July 21, however, includes a public bond sale and several equipment purchases set for roll-call votes.
What happened July 7–8: agendas only, no outcomes yet
The Board held three sessions between July 7 and July 8, but all are listed as "agenda only (minutes not yet published)." That means the items below were scheduled for discussion or review, but no votes, dollar amounts, or outcomes can be confirmed from the available record.
July 7 — Regular board agenda. Scheduled items included a sheriff's office vehicle purchase, a highway BAS controller replacement, a letter of support for Nobles County's Certificate of Need, the County's role as fiscal agent for a State Homeland Security Program grant, and a donation of a fire training house on wheels. Department updates were also listed from the medical center, ditch bills, and waste services.
July 7 — 2027 budget review session. Commissioners heard presentations from department heads. Scheduled topics included Planning and Zoning, Buffer Strip/Riparian Protection, Aquatic Invasive Species, Water Planning, and the Water Quality Loan Program (presented by Jean Christoffels at 10:45 AM); the Dinehart House and Historical Museum/End O Line at 1:00 PM; Sheriff and related accounts at 2:00 PM; County Coordinator/HR at 3:30 PM; and Auditor-Treasurer, Accounting and Auditing, and Elections at 3:45 PM. No votes were scheduled.
July 8 — 2027 budget review continued. Additional department presentations were scheduled: License Center with Terry Beers at 8:30 AM, Congregate Housing Facility (Sunrise Terrace) with Jessica Staples at 8:45 AM, Assessor with Chad Benda at 9:00 AM, Economic Development loan and operations with Bryan Stading at 10:00 AM, and Solid Waste and Recycling with Jon Bloemenda at 10:15 AM. Again, no decisions were indicated on the agenda.
Until the County publishes minutes from these sessions, residents should treat all of the above as proposed or discussed — not decided.
Coming up: July 21 meeting with roll-call votes
The Board's next meeting on Tuesday, July 21, includes several items scheduled for roll-call votes:
- **Public bond sale** to fund County Ditch 21 and County Ditch 22.
- **Purchase and outfitting of a plow truck.**
- **Purchase of a motor grader with trade.**
- **Purchase of new dash cameras** for the sheriff's office.
- **Hiring of a new HR manager.**
- **Acceptance of a donation of black dirt and clay** to the landfill.
The bond sale for the two county ditches is the most consequential item on the agenda, as it involves public borrowing tied to drainage infrastructure. No dollar amounts were included in the available agenda summary; residents seeking specific figures should consult the full agenda packet or attend the meeting.
Coming up
- **Board of Commissioners** — July 21, 2026. Items listed above are scheduled for roll-call votes. Residents interested in the County Ditch 21 and 22 bond sale, equipment purchases, or the HR manager hiring may want to attend or review the agenda packet in advance.