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Sibley County firefighters will soon have an opportunity to train at a tax-forfeited building site purchased by the county last spring.

In May, Sibley County Commissioners purchased a three-acre tax-forfeited building site in Sibley Township, about three miles southeast of Gaylord. The County purchased the property in order for the Sheriff’s Office entry team to use it for training.

The Sheriff’s entry team training is nearly completed, and now the commissioners approved allowing the Sibley County Fire Chief’s Association to use the property for training. The County also approved paying costs needed for asbestos testing in the house.

Commissioners asked that the training be completed no later than mid May. At that time, the commissioners plan to sell the property.

Earlier this year, the county had asked the Department of Revenue to allow the Sibley County entry team to train at the abandoned farm site. The Department of Revenue denied the request because it did not believe that it did not qualify as a authorized use because it would not be available to the general public. However, the Department of Revenue stated that it would not object if the county chose to purchase the property for that purpose.

In other business, the Commissioners:

• Accepted a bid of $830 from Wayne Quast to clean up abandoned vehicles, eight appliances, 15 tires and miscellaneous items from the Sibley Township farm site. Five bids were received. The project is to be completed by the end of November.

• Learned that the county had earned $541,824.52 interest income through October. Treasurer Mary Fisher had budgeted $400,000 in interest income in 2007 and $580,000 in 2008.

• Approved an application for 2008 Combined Clean Water Legacy Grant Funds for the Bevens, Carver and Silver Creek Watershed in eastern Sibley County. If approved, funds would be used as loans to upgrade septic systems and for tile intakes and CRP buffers, according to Ron Otto, water planning coordinator.