Newly formed Safe Roads Coalition met Monday in Ivanhoe

Pictured from left are Tyler Ambulance Coordinator Teri Hively, Avera Tyler Trauma Coordinator Sheena Strom, Safe Roads Coalition Coordinator Lauren Mellenthin, Lincoln County Sheriff Chad Meester and RTR Principal Dan Bettin at Monday’s coalition meeting in Ivanhoe.

By Mark Wilmes
tributeeditor@gmail.com

County officials and law enforcement officers from Lincoln and Pip­estone counties gathered in Ivanhoe on Monday as part of the Lincoln/Pip­estone Safe Roads Coali­tion coordinated through Southwest Health and Human Services. A grant was recently approved for the Lincoln and Pipestone County project. The Safe Roads Grant is funded by the Office of Traffic Safety through the Minnesota De­partment of Public Safety. Total Zero Death (TZD) Safe Roads grant funds are used to implement specific traffic safety activities that enhance other local traffic safety initiatives…

For the full story, read this week’s Tyler Tribute.

County Financial Accountant Robin Sterzinger resigns

Robin Sterzinger recently resigned from her position as Lincoln County Financial Accountant/Deputy Treasurer-Auditor to take a position with the State of Minnesota. Sterzinger has been working for the county for approximately 21 years.

By Shelly Finzen
lbvjeditor@gmail.com

Lincoln County’s Finan­cial Accountant/Deputy Auditor-Treasurer Robin Sterzinger is changing lanes on her career path. After working for LincolnCounty for 21 years, four of them as the Financial Ac­countant/Deputy Auditor-Treasurer, she has submit­ted her resignation and will begin working for the State of Minnesota
Sterzinger said she began her position as the Finan­cial Accountant/Deputy Auditor-Treasurer in 2015…

For the full story, read this week’s Tyler Tribute.

Board approves purchasing two squad cars for Sheriff’s Department

Chris Cauwels, the Network Systems Administrator for Southwest Health and Human Services, recently reviewed the county’s computer systems and presented a schedule for equipment replacement and upgrades at the Oct. 1 meeting.

By Shelly Finzen
lbvjeditor@gmail.com

 
The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday, Oct. 1. In Board Chair Mic VanDeVere’s absence, the meeting was led by Commissioner Joe Drietz.
Lincoln County Sheriff Chad Meester spoke to the board concerning the purchase of a new squad car for the department. During the July 16 meeting, the commissioners approved purchasing a Dodge Ram Special Service Vehicle through Mike Motors for approximately $39,000 including the upfit costs. Meester said that because of some production strikes in the automobile industry, the Ram has not been built yet and the Dodge representative did not know when it would be built…

For the full story, read this week’s Tyler Tribute.

Minnesota Attorney General hears from Southwest Minnesota farmers

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison met with Marshall-area farmers on Tuesday, Sept. 24 to hear about the problems farmers are facing.

By Shelly Finzen
lbvjeditor@gmail.com

 
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is traveling across Greater Minnesota and he wants to speak with area farmers. “I want to hear from you on the things that are going right, the things that aren’t going so right, and what we can do together to do something about it,” he said. Ellison visited the Allan and Kathleen Deutz farm on Tuesday, Sept. 24 to hear what Marshall-area farmers have to say. The primary focus of the discussion at this meeting was on dairy farming, but Ellison wants to hear what other farmers from other areas have to say as well.
Several topics came up during the discussion. Ellison explained some of the issues his office is currently working on, including wage equality, prescription costs, the vaping epidemic, the opioid issues and healthcare costs. But these issues aren’t all the office could be focusing on.

For the full story, read this week’s Tyler Tribute.

Correction to commissioner’s story

Last week’s Lincoln County Commissioner’s story incorrectly stated that the daycare being run on the neighboring prop­erty to the Newell prop­erty is run by the Persoon family. The daycare is ac­tually owned by Jason and Barb Brust. Also, Chair Mic VanDeVere was quoted as asking if the Persoon fam­ily had been contacted by the DNR, which should have referred to the Brust family. The ensuing sen­tence should have read “Jason Brust said that, while his opinion of a safe distance differs from the DNR, the DNR did commu­nicate with them.”
The building site owned by the Brusts was former­ly owned by the Persoon family.

DNR land acquisition stirs some controversy

The Newell family and the Minnesota DNR spoke to the board of commissioners on Tuesday, regarding a land acquisition by the DNR.

By Shelly Finzen
lbvjeditor@gmail.com

The Lincoln County Board of Commission­ers met for their regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 17. All board members were present.
A member of the Newell family and Amber Knutson of the Minnesota Depart­ment of Natural Resourc­es spoke to the board re­garding a resolution that would show county sup­port of the DNR purchas­ing the Newell family land for public hunting land. According to discussion, a daycare was being run on the neighboring property, owned by the Persoon family, but the plans to turn the Newell land into public hunting ground caused the daycare to close…

For the full story, read this week’s Tyler Tribute.

Council hears rezoning requests, audit report

Legion members Larry Wyttenback (left) and Duane Blake were at Monday’s meeting to thank the City of Tyler for its support.

By Mark Wilmes
tributeeditor@gmail.com

 
The Tyler City Council worked through a long list of agenda items during a three-and-a-half- hour meeting on Monday evening at the Tyler Fire Hall.
A Public Hearing was held at 7 p.m. for the Small Cities Development FY18 Grant. Vince Robinson of DSI spoke to those present.
“For Tyler, you are approved for construction from the state of $208,000,” Robinson explained. “Then you had committed $15,000 towards it for a total construction fund of $223,000. Of those funds, currently available we have $182,550 left. Our rehab goal for Tyler was 13 (homeowners) and we have two under contract right now. We’ve had five applicants who are not yet under contract. This is an owner-occupied rehab program.”

For the full story, read this week’s Tyler Tribute.

Lincoln County receives clean opinion on 2018 audit; approves 3% increase

Cody Pederson, pictured with Lincoln County Sheriff Chad Meester, began his duties as a Lincoln County Deputy Sheriff on Tuesday, Sept. 3. He was introduced to the commissioners before the meeting began.

By Shelly Finzen
lbvjeditor@gmail.com

The Lincoln County Board of Commission­ers met for their regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 3 in the meeting room of the Lincoln County Court­house in Ivanhoe. All com­missioners were present for the meeting. Before the meeting began, Sheriff Chad Meester introduced new county deputy Cody Pederson to the board.
Following the approval of the consent agenda, Doug Host of Clifton Lar­son Allen LLP presented the 2018 Audit Report…

For the full story, read this week’s Tyler Tribute.

Stephanie LaBrune accepts Tyler City administrator position

Stephanie LaBrune

By Mark Wilmes
tributeeditor@gmail.com

 
Stephanie LaBrune has accepted the position of city administrator for the City of Tyler and will begin duties on Sept. 9, pending final approval of the employment agreement by the city council at the September meeting, according to Vince Robinson of Development Services, Inc. (DSI).
LaBrune lives on a farm near Holland with her husband Ryan and children Danica and Lincoln. The LaBrunes own Ultimate Woodworking, Inc., which Ryan operates out of their home.

For the full story, read this week’s Tyler Tribute.

FY2020 budget discussed by the county board at regular meeting

Vince Robinson and Lisa Graphenteen of DSI spoke to the county board regarding the ITC broadband grant application at the Aug. 20 meeting.

By Shelly Finzen
lbvjeditor@gmail.com

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners met for their regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 20. All commissioners were present for the meeting.
Vince Robinson and Lisa Graphenteen, both of DSI, requested board approval for a resolution supporting the ITC Broadband Grant Application. ITC is applying for a $5 million grant. If the grant is approved by the state, Lincoln County’s contribution to the border-to-border project would be decreased to $2 million, and $1 million would be applied to the cost of bringing broadband to Hendricks.

For the full story, read this week’s Tyler Tribute.