by April Scheinoha
Editor
Some Pennington County property owners will be receiving corrective action notices related to their noncompliance with the Minnesota Buffer Law. At its meeting Tuesday, Oct. 14, the Pennington County Board heard about several matters related to buffers.
County Engineer Mike Flaagan said there were probably close to 60 parcels for which the county would be issuing corrective action notices. While that number is nearly 60, Flaagan noted that a landowner may have more than one parcel out of compliance. Once a corrective action notice is filed, the landowner will have a year to comply.
According to the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, “Minnesota’s Buffer Law requires perennial vegetative buffers of up to 50 feet along lakes, rivers, and streams and buffers of 16.5 feet along ditches. These buffers help filter out phosphorus, nitrogen and sediment.”
Commissioners removed the penalties related to buffer enforcement on Arlene Peterson’s property. After speaking with Peterson’s children, Flaagan learned that she most likely hadn’t corresponded with the county due to health issues. Flaagan, Assistant County Engineer Alex Bladow and Pennington Soil and Water Conservation District Manager Peter Nelson toured the property, learning that it was now in compliance.
Flaagan told commissioners that he believed the renter had cultivated a portion of the buffer during seeding last fall. Since that time, it hasn’t been seeded and the buffer grew back. Recognizing the above health issues and current compliance, commissioners then removed the penalties.
County Board rescheduled the Truth in Taxation hearing since the public hearing coincided with another meeting and the Holiday Train. The meeting will now be held Monday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. at the Justice Center. The County Board will also meet that evening at 5 p.m., which is a change from its usual meeting schedule. Those meetings were initially scheduled for the following evening.
Commissioners accepted the resignations of two office support specialists – Kim Hiemstra and Erin Dicken – at the Human Services Department. Hiemstra has worked for the county for 23 years. Dicken has worked for the county for about a year.
In a separate, related motion, commissioners approved posting, interviewing and hiring for the positions.
The next County Board meeting is scheduled Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. at the Justice Center.