New Marshall Head Start facility being planned
The Lyon County Board Tuesday went to bat for United Community Action Partnership (UCAP) to help them construct a new Head Start facility next to the corporate office in Marshall.
It would provide efficiencies for both the organization and consumers using the UCAP services.
The board approved “conduit” funds to help finance the acquisition, construction and equipping of the new facility.
The county board approved a private activity tax-exempt financing policy and a resolution calling for a public hearing for the proposed issuance of a conduit revenue program.
“Conduit” bonds are initiated by and issued for the benefit of private entities. Lyon County will not be responsible for the bonds.
The “private entity” repays the loan in an amount sufficient to pay principal and interest on the bonds. The loan is handled entirely by a separate bond trustee. After the bonds are issued, the county will have almost no role in payment or administration of the bonds.
Nancy Straw, Executive Director of UCAP, indicated leased classroom space for Head Start was no longer available and after checking existing buildings and other options, it was decided to build a new facility.
“UCAP would have had to incur the costs of renovating a replacement space for the corporate office to expand,” said Straw.
“The most viable option for UCAP is the construction of a new Head Start facility,” she added. The planned building is on Saratoga Street, next to the current UCAP offices.
The proposed facility includes rooms for infant and toddler care expansion (Early Head Start) plus office space.
“A new Head Start facility in Marshall is critical to ensuring early childhood education needs are met,” sited Straw. She added that, “A new facility will also create a sense of stability for families and teaching staff.”
IN OTHER action the board:
•Received and approved a grant to improve recycling at multi-family dwellings (apartment buildings). The grant award is up to $9,620. The county’s cost share is in the form of staff time implementing the grant work plan.
The environmental department has found some multi-family properties who were offering recycling, while others were not. This plan outlines a plan to take steps to work with owners and managers as well as residents to improve recycling knowledge.
•Considered a request by the Islamic Society of Marshall for abatement of penalty and interest on past due property taxes on their parcel of land. The taxes with penalty, interest and costs totaled $4,309.73.
Commissioner Charlie Sanow indicated a need for responsibility to pay the taxes due. “We have to live within the state law, so I don’t think we can forgive it,” said Commission Chairman Gary Crowley.
The board did not approve the request for abatement.
•Noted the Minnesota Department of Transportation will be resurfacing Highway 23 from Cottonwood to Granite Falls in 2020. They have requested eight miles of Lyon County 22 as a detour route for about six months. The board approved the request.
•Approved two tandem trucks to replace older models. The cost of the two from Boyer Ford Western Star of Lauderdale, MN is $461,203.77. A warranty was provided for $6,105 for each vehicle.
•Approved hiring Beau Swenson as a correction officer starting July 8 at a salary of $18.43 per hour.
New plan to reduce waste loads
A proposal concerning efforts to reduce rejected construction and demolition waste loads was presented by Kaleigh Barkaszi, Lyon County GreenCorps service member.
The GreenCorps initiative is to help preserve and protect the environment by training a new corps of environmental professions.
“Our goal is to encourage construction, demolition and waste reduction, recycling and decontamination through education and outreach,” said Barkaszi.
Barkaszi suggested a “bag program” and “Green Contractor Program,” plus interactive homeowner classes and other forms of education.
“We have had a lot of responses from homeowners,” said Barkaszi. She showed the bag to be used and indicated one of the goals is to get people to reduce waste and recycle during the moving process.
The bag program will provide tools for easy diversion, help homeowners and contractors get involved and make the bags free and accessible.
“Homeowners are excited about this,” she said.
In the past, those moving tenants have left behind hazardous materials so this program is intended to cut down those problems.
A moving guide tells those moving where to drop off wastes and how to dispose of them properly.
The free bags will be brought to the landfill along with construction and demolition waste, thus minimizing the cleanup hazards.
“The Lyon County Landfill will allow for disposal of the waste bag at no addition cost if the waste is not contaminated,” said Environmental Director Roger Schroeder.
“The waste bag is for trash, and should not be contaminated,” he said.