Goodhue County Board briefs

Sheriff’s office earns TZD grant

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety awarded the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office a federal grant for demonstrating extraordinary commitment and achievement in traffic safety enforcement as part of the Toward Zero Deaths initiative.

The sheriff’s office received $3,000 and was one of 13 winning agencies from across the state. Sheriff Scott McNurlin said Deputy Jeffrey Sjoblom deserves the credit for any recognition of the county’s Toward Zero Deaths efforts.

“The program is a success in Goodhue County because of Deputy Sjoblom,” McNurlin said.

The office was recognized back in March, but was officially presented its award at the County Board meeting Tuesday. Through Toward Zero Deaths, county law enforcement has been able to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries, raise traffic safety awareness and encourage child passenger safety.

“To make our community and our roads safer, traffic enforcement and education is a necessary duty that we see as a priority,” Sjoblom said. “It’s an honor to be recognized for our traffic safety activities and we’ll continue our efforts to ensure safe roads in Goodhue County.”

Company chosen for County Road 168 grading project

Revisiting an issue that was tabled at the board’s May 1 meeting, commissioners voted on awarding a contract for a grading project of County Road 168 from Highway 60 to Highway 52.

Goodhue company Fitzgerald Excavating turned in a bid of about $582,000 for the project, but past issues with compliance had the county uneasy about awarding the contract to the lowest bidder.

Public Works Director Greg Isakson got feedback from four other counties that all said they’d experienced problems with Fitzgerald as well, ranging from inability to follow timelines to not completing necessary paperwork.

Contract specifications call for awarding the project to the “lowest responsible bidder.” Determining that Fitzgerald Excavating didn’t meet the board’s definition of a responsible bidder, it rejected Fitzgerald’s bid.

Commissioners unanimously voted to award the contract to Schumacher Excavating of Zumbrota.

Meeting watch

Tuesday’s County Board meeting lasted one hour. All members were present.

— Compiled by Regan Carstensen, staff writer

Tags: goodhue county, county board, government