Joy Cohrs of New Auburn Township defeated Steve Gillaspie of Green Isle Township 751 to 497 in the District Four Commissioner race. Cohrs’ victory is also historic because she is the first woman to be elected to the Sibley County Board of Commissioners.

District Four includes the City of Green Isle, City of New Auburn, Green Isle Township, New Auburn Township, Transit Township, Bismarck Township, Moltke Township, and Grafton Township.

Cohrs will fill the seat held by Charlie Woehler of Green Isle Township. Woehler has served four and a half terms, according to the County Auditor’s Office.

Jim Nytes of Henderson Township defeated incumbent Leo Anderly of Jessenland Township in the District One Commissioner race 721 to 674. The First Commissioner District includes the City of Henderson, and Washington Lake, Henderson, Jessenland, and and Faxon Townships.

Harold Pettis of Gibbon was re-elected District Five Commissioner. Pettis, who was unopposed, has served three terms. The Fifth Commissioner District includes the Cities of Gibbon and Winthrop, and Severance, Cornish, and Alfsborg Townships.

Other County officials were unopposed in the election.

Elected were Attorney David Schauer, Auditor Lisa Pfarr, Recorder Kathy Dietz, Sheriff Bruce Ponath, and Treasurer Mary Fisher.

Thomas Pfarr was elected Soil and Water Supervisor for District One. Paul Wiemann was elected Soil and Water Supervisor for District Two. Both were incumbent candidates.

There was a 71.92% voter turnout in Sibley County, according to the County Auditor’s Office.

Roger Becker, who has served as mayor for 24 years, was re-elected with 88 votes. His challengers Pam Horton and Craig Lowden each received 41 votes.

Residents re-elected Elizabeth Frahm to a four-year term on the City Council with 106 votes and elected Sheri Lowden with 74 votes. Challengers Rebecca Brockoff and Linda Stark received 59 and 45 votes respectively.

Doug Munsch was unopposed for the two-year term of office. He received 138 votes.

Four candidates were vying for two spots on the Arlington City Council. Newcomer Jason Ruehling was the top vote-getter with 421 votes. Incumbent Curt Reetz also won a seat on the Arlington City Council with 410 votes. Jennifer Nuesse and Cheryl Rovinsky received 252 and 211 votes respectively.

Four candidates were vying for two City Council seats in Henderson. Kelly Braun and Randall Tiegs won those seats with 236 and 179 votes respectively. Daniel Reiman received 161 votes and Lamona Phillips 134 votes.

This was the only race for area townships. Brad Voss was elected to the two-year supervisor’s term in Transit Township, which was created by the resignation of Arden Kuehn. Wayne Grams was re-elected clerk.

Kelso Township voters elected Ed Hohnstein supervisor in a write-in ballot with four votes. No one filed for office. He will be contacted by township officials to see if he will accept the position.

Mary Ann Buck was elected to the two-year supervisor’s term. She had been appointed to the position following the death of her husband, Maurice Buck. Marlyes Latzke, who had served as deputy clerk for several years, was elected clerk. Long-time clerk Jim Pfarr did not seek re-election.

Incumbents were elected in other area townships.

In Alfsborg Township, James Kuphal was elected supervisor and Walter Asmus was elected clerk.

Dryden Township residents re-elected Allen Fredin supervisor and Lori Doering clerk.

In New Auburn Township, Dale Schauer was re-elected supervisor and Donald Wolff was re-elected clerk.

Sibley Township residents re-elected Ed Pioske supervisor and David Kahle clerk.

Sibley Township voters also approved combining the clerk and treasurer’s position 88 to 25. Kahle has been serving as both since the death of treasurer Karl Dietz last year. The office will be combined effective Jan. 1, 2011.

Four townships – Sibley, Dryden, Kelso and New Auburn – approved a measure to transition to six year terms for town supervisors. In the past, the supervisors have served four year terms. The votes in each township approving the measure were as follows:

Sibley – 75 to 42
Dryden – 87 to 38
Kelso – 74 to 58
New Auburn – 96 to 85

According to the State Patrol, Zeiher, 48, was driving a car westbound on Highway 25 when the car crossed the centerline and collided with an eastbound dump truck, driven by Homer C. Martin, 72, of Plato.

Zeiher was wearing a seatbelt and the airbag of his car was deployed. Zeiher died at the scene. Martin, who was wearing a seatbelt, suffered no apparent injury.

The State Patrol was assisted by the Arlington Ambulance, Green Isle Fire and Rescue, Belle Plaine Fire and Rescue, Belle Plaine Police Department, and the Sibley County Sheriff’s Office.

Zeiher’s obituary is published in the obituaries.

In the same motion, Commissioners placed a moratorium on probationary and merit performance increases for employees. Sibley County Commissioners will not be receiving a wage increase next year.

Hourly wages for seasonal/temporary employees were also increased 2% on the top end of the salary schedule.

Sibley County will also be increasing its contribution toward employee health insurance next year.

Commissioners increased the monthly contribution for single coverage by $30/month and for family coverage by $50/month. Sibley County, in 2011, will be contributing $540/month toward single coverage and $680/month toward family coverage.

In other business, Commissioners approved a resolution, setting the Amberfield Project Levy request for taxes payable in 2011 at $120,800.

High Point Farms, LLC, of Cleveland proposes to construct two, 2,400 head finishing barns approximately six miles southeast of Gaylord. The farm does wean to finish research.

The barn proposed in Section 22 will be 2,175 feet from the nearest neighbor, while the barn proposed in Section 27 will be about 1,800 feet from the nearest neighbor.

Both of these barns will exceed the requirements of the Sibley County Zoning Ordinance, consisting of 746 animal units in the general agricultural district.

Sibley Township supported the permit applications. Sibley County’s Planning and Zoning Commission also recommended the permits be issued without conditions.

In other business, the County Commissioners:

• Renewed a dog kennel permit for Julia Gildea in Green Isle Township, appliance salvage yard for Eldred Bach in Henderson Township, semi-trailer renewal for David Faust in Washington Lake Township, and salvage yard for Joe Voss in Washington Lake Township.

• Renewed mobile homes for Fred Adams, Henderson Township; Frederick Bauer, Sibley Township; Brian Grewe, Moltke Township; Brian Steffer, Green Isle Township; Robert Gleason, Alfsborg Township; Robert Walters, Green Isle Township; Paul Loftness, Severance Township; John Flannery, Jessenland Township; and Jeff Lindbeck, Washington Lake Township.

V & V Properties Partnership, LLP, a stained glass company owned by Ronald and Nancy Wittman-Beltz of Chaska, have been found to be in default of the development agreement created between the City of Green Isle, and Sibley County.

According to the Sibley County Auditor’s Office, an event of default may be defined as the failure by the company to pay ad valorem real property taxes, special assessments, utility charges or other governmental impositions with respect to the properties.

The firm has $31,350.74 remaining in unpaid real estate taxes for 2008 and 2009. The firm has paid $16,605.

When a letter is sent to V&V Properties Partnership, it will allow 30 days for the delinquent property taxes to be paid.

Failure of the firm to pay the taxes could result in the following:

•The City and County may suspend its performance under this agreement until it receives reassurance from the company, deemed adequate by the City, that the company will cure its default and continue its performance under this agreement.

• The City and the County may cancel and rescind the agreement.

• The City and County may declare the principal of the unpaid loan immediately due and payable.

• The City and County may take action, including legal or administrative action, in law or equity, which may appear necessary or desirable to enforce performance and observation of any obligation, agreement or covenant of the developer under this agreement.

Currently a 10 year tax abatement is in place for the business.]

During the County Board meeting, the owners called the Sibley County Attorney’s Office and offered to meet with the County Board. Commissioners decided to wait two weeks before taking action on this matter.

County Commissioners, Tuesday, approved advertising and setting the bid opening date for Thursday, Oct. 21 at 11 a.m. at the County Board Room. The project is estimated to cost $200,000.

Darin Mielke, Public Works Director, said that federal emergency funds will pay for 75% of the project cost. It is not yet determined what portion of the project the state will fund. Initially, Sibley County thought that the state would pay for 25% of the project. It is unknown whether there will need to be a local match.

Mielke said that the project is expected to take place in late November or early December. Completion is required in mid December, he said.

In other business, the County Commissioners:

• Approved donating a computer to the Sibley County Food Shelf.

• Approved the fiscal year 2011 Natural Resources Block Grant Agreement. Sibley County will receive $76,123, about $14,000 less than one year ago.

• Approved a $2,500 budget request for the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation.

• Hired Marisa Eccles as a full-time deputy recorder II/abstracter in the County Recorder’s office, to fill an existing vacancy.

• Approved changing the employment status of Ricky Buboltz, full-time highway maintenance staff, to part-time (.75). This change was made at the request of the employee.

• Approved the termination of Leonard Donney, public works maintenance staff, effective Sept. 17.

• Approved the fiscal year 2011 snowmobile maintenance grant agreement for County Seat Trails for $37,703.40, effective Sept. 25, 2010 through June 30, 2011.