by April Scheinoha
Editor
Adjacent property owners will have an opportunity to hear about the design of the upcoming Pennington County State Aid Highway 11 project. They are invited to a meeting about the project Thursday, July 10 at 6 p.m. at the Joint Use Facility, located south of Westside Motors in Thief River Falls.
As part of the project, Pennington County will reconstruct CSAH 11 (formerly known as County Road 62) from the area north of the Kendall Avenue curve to Hanson Drive. Curb, gutter and storm sewer will be installed as part of the project.
Pennington County has already received a $1.5 million Local Road Improvement Program grant for the project, which also includes Rocksbury Township’s plans to reconstruct and pave nearby 150th Avenue Northeast. Of the grant award, $500,000 would be used for 150th Avenue Northeast. The remaining $1 million would be used for CSAH 11. The grant doesn’t cover engineering or right-of-way acquisition, which would have to be covered by Rocksbury Township and the county.
The remainder of the county’s portion, including costs in excess of $1 million, would be covered by state aid.
The project is being undertaken due to an increase in traffic along that roadway and nearby 150th Avenue Northeast. That additional traffic has resulted from motorists traveling to and from Challenger Elementary School, Sanford Health, DigiKey and Arctic Cat.
Besides scheduling that meeting, Pennington County commissioners approved other matters at their meeting Tuesday, June 10.
In a separate, related matter, commissioners approved a memorandum of understanding with the City of Thief River Falls pertaining to a portion of CSAH 11 and an adjacent portion of Kendall Avenue. The Thief River Falls City Council has already approved the memorandum.
The governmental groups will split construction costs equally with the city’s portion capped at $85,000 for a joint segment of CSAH 11 from its intersection with Tindolph Avenue, around the curve and onto Kendall Avenue. Currently, the only portion of Kendall Avenue to be improved is north of the curve to the first home on the east side of Kendall Avenue.
The city will also be responsible for purchasing some right-of-way in the inside of the curve since the current curve doesn’t meet standards. The county will pay the engineering costs.
The memorandum enables city leaders to decide how they wish to handle the remaining gravel segment of Kendall Avenue south of Greenwood Street to the area north of the curve. The council has yet to formally decide what, if anything, it will do in the future regarding that segment.
Contingent on approval from the City of Thief River Falls, County Board approved releasing restrictions related to its use of the Solid Waste Transfer Facility.
Pennington County acquired the tax-forfeited property, which was then known as SWIS Pennco, on Oct. 31, 2003. The conveyance required the county to continue to operate the property as a municipal solid waste transfer station for at least 20 years. If it failed to do so, the property would revert to the state. The county now wants the opportunity to use the building for other options if it so chooses.
Since the property is located in the city, Interim County Attorney Nathan Haase said the city is required to approve the change or not object to it.
Commissioners accepted the resignation of corrections officer Sadie Anderson, effective Tuesday, June 17. Anderson has accepted a job as a Thief River Falls police officer.
The next County Board meeting is scheduled Tuesday, June 24 at 10 a.m. at the Justice Center.