By Robert Williams

Editor

Board Chair John Okeson announced the results of an evaluation of County Administrator Carrie Smith at the meeting of the Becker County Board of Commissioners Tuesday, Dec. 17.

Smith, the former Human Resources Director, was named interim administrator in February after former Admin Pat Oman was terminated by a 3-2 vote of the board. Smith performed both roles and was officially appointed to the county administrator position in June.

“It came out very positive,” Okeson said. 

Okeson listed off a number of Smith’s best attributes since taking over the position with the first being keeping up with communication between all board members. That was a tenuous part of the job the board stated Oman lacked when he was let go.

“She keeps us in line, in tune and up to speed,” Okeson said. “We receive a lot of positive feedback from department heads and employees on how she handles the county.”

Okeson stated, as the chairman, one of the most important aspects to him was Smith’s willingness to take the lead on certain items that come up, like meeting with other counties, other entities, and with study and research keeps the county moving forward with issues.

“Carrie conducts herself in a very positive, firm leadership while bringing the county together as a whole to be more functional and to represent us as working for the taxpayers of the county,” Okeson said.

All five commissioners thanked Smith for her efforts.

Okeson concluded by recommending Smith advance to the next pay grade on her hire date anniversary in February.

Appointments

Ben Grimsley was appointed to the Lake Agassiz Regional Library Board.

Commissioner Barry Nelson thanked  outgoing LARL board member Terry Kalil for her efforts after completing a full three terms of nine years on the board.

“Terry poured her heart and soul into the library and the Lakes Agassiz system and I think she is going to try to be part of the transition team up in Moorhead when LARL moves to the new system next year,” he said. “Terry, thank you for everything you’ve done at the library and I acknowledge how important your time there was and part of the success of the library is because of Terry and her passion for it.”

Sam Blattenbauer and Jeff Moritz were reappointed to the Cormorant Lakes Watershed District.

Highway

The board approved the final payment of County Highway 30 (East Main Avenue) bridge deck repair. According to the county construction status website, the majority of the work has been completed for this season. Final shaping and bituminous will be completed in the spring.

County Highway Five Year Plan: presented by County Highway Engineer Jim Olson.

2025 Road Projects:

• Reclaim and Paving on CSAH 26 from CSAH 21 to Killian Rd and Duffney RD to CSAH 29

• Various Roads – 6” Edgeline Painting, Edgeline Rumble Strips, Intersection Lighting

• 2024 SMART (Safe, Multi-Model, Active Responsible Transportation) include:

• The county has committed $150,000 for a roundabout at Wannigan Regional Park Entrance

• Shoulder widening on CSAH 7 from CSAH 14 to CSAH 16

• Shoulder widening CSAH 16 from CSAH 7 to Clay County Line

• Mill and Overlay, Sidewalks, ADA Compliant on CSAH 7 in City of Lake Park

• Reclaim and Paving on CSAH 34 from Richwood to CSAH 143

• Paving on CSAH 35 from CSAH 143 to TH 113

The board approved the projects and the use of the SMART sales tax to pay for them.

The tax began in 2014, according to Olson, and has been a “very great funding source for our roads.” 

Over the past 10 years, the tax has raised approximately $30 million.

“We’ve delivered $28 million of projects on that,” Olson said.

Planning and Zoning

A request for a change of zoning from Agricultural to Residential by Brian and Jill Andring was approved by a vote of 4-1 with Commissioner Nelson being the only negative vote.

“We’re short of housing in this county and somebody needs to do more development,” Commissioner Richard Vareberg said. 

According to Commissioner Erica Jepson, there was one person at the Planning and Zoning meeting that spoke about the change. 

“I don’t know that they necessarily spoke against it,” she said. “As much as concerns about water management and drainage. It makes sense. It’s within our new comp plan to become residential.”

Soil and Water

The commissioners approved a memorandum of agreement between the counties of Becker, Cass, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Todd, and Wadena by and through their respective County Board of Commissioners, and the Becker, Cass, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Todd, and Wadena Soil and Water Conservation Districts, by and through their respective Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors to carry out environmental programs and land use controls of the Crow Wing River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan.

The purpose of the agreement is to collectively implement, as local government units, the Crow Wing River Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan. Parties signing this agreement will be collectively referred to as the Crow Wing River Watershed Collaboration.

The agreement is effective upon signature of all Parties in consideration of the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) participation requirements for participation in Watershed Based

Implementation Funding; and will remain in effect until cancelled according to the provisions of this agreement, unless earlier terminated by law. The agreement end date will run concurrent with the BWSR grant agreement end date of December 2033.

Becker County is currently represented by Kyle Vareberg, Planning and Zoning Administrator and Bryan Malone, Becker SWCD District Administrator.