When Minnesota has in the past suggested that it give state roads to county jurisdiction, Koochiching County Engineer Doug Grindall has opposed the idea.

Now, he said he has three million reasons to recommend the county board accept a recent “turn back” proposal; and those reasons come in the form of dollars.

Tuesday, Grindall reiterated his support for a proposal by the Minnesota Department of Transportation to give the section of Minnesota Highway 332 between U.S. Highway 53 and Minnesota Highway 11 East to the county along with $3 million.

The board is expected to consider Grindall’s recommendation to accept the state’s proposal when it meets Sept. 1.

In the past, such proposals have come with no financial incentive, Grindall told the board.

“This is great for all taxpayers in the county,” he told the board Tuesday.

The section of the road proposed for “turn back” would become a county state aid highway and maintenance would be paid from the CSAH regular maintenance account.

State funds allocated to the county for CSAH roads are adequate to cover maintenance and reconstruction of the road proposed for turn back, Grindall told the county board earlier.

The state’s budget deficit prompted Walter Leu, MnDOT district state aid engineer, to offer the proposal, according to Grindall.

And, because of cuts in state funding to the county, the $3 million would come in handy to help meet the needs of the county’s road system. Equipment replacement, gravel crushing, and preservation of blacktopped roads have been delayed for the past several years, he noted.

Grindall recommends the county accept the proposal and place the $3 million in a reserve account that will be drawn down by about $300,000 per year for the roadway needs.

The county needs the approval of the city of International Falls because a portion of the road is within city limits.

This proposal is separate from another issue involving the city, MnDOT and the county, attorney Jay T. Squires told Grindall. Squires has represented the county, through its insurance provider, in a legal dispute between the city, MnDOT and the county regarding the county’s proposal to construct a new northern entrance to Highway 332 and a decision by MnDOT Commissioner Tom Sorel that the county did not need city approval to construct a new road within the city limits.

City Attorney Rod Otterness told the board Tuesday that he was there to reiterate that city officials want to sit down with county officials in a private session to resolve the pending legal issue as well as consider the county’s request for approval on the “turn back” proposal, as was written in a letter to Grindall by city Attorney Joe Boyle.

Commissioner Wade Pavleck called acceptance of the MnDOT proposal the “ultimate no-brainer” because of the benefit to taxpayers, who would see improvements in the county’s road system that they would not otherwise.

Nothing will be resolved if the city attempts to tie the turn back to the pending litigation, said Pavleck.

“It will cost the people of Koochiching County $3 million,” he said. “Is it worth it?”

Grindall noted that Squires has recommended that the legal issue be decided in the court system.

Board Chairman Mike Hanson said the board would consult with its legal advisors on the issues raised.

Meanwhile, Grindall told the county that Boise Inc. is wiling to give the county an easement for the existing Boise road between Highways 322 and 11 that is now gated. The road would be opened to the public upon approval by the county board, which would relieve the “Burner Road” from some local traffic. The Burner Road could be vacated to Boise when the jurisdictional transfer is complete, he noted.

In addition, he said Boise is willing to give the county an additional easement to construct the northern entrance to 332 from Highway 11, when safety requires it. Heavy use by area residents may also require reconstruction, Grindall noted.

Koochiching County board news notes
• The Koochiching County Board Tuesday heard that an Aug. 5 timber auction sold 17,579 cords of wood for a total auction sale value of $349,611. The total sale aspen price ranged from $15.50 per cord to $33 per cord. The total sale aspen average price was $24.57 and the total sale all-species average was $19.89 per cord.

• The board awarded a contract to low bidder Wagner Construction, International Falls, for reconstruction of County State Aid Highway 77 at $705,898. A contract for replacement of 2,500 signs for CSAHs in the county, as required by the federal government, was awarded to Neuman Sign Co. for $87,186.

• The board tabled action on a request by the Littlefork City Council to blacktop Unorganized Township Road 168 until city officials can meet with county Engineer Doug Grindall.

• The board asked Commissioners Chuck Lepper and Brian McBride to clear up a scheduling misunderstanding with the city of International Falls. The two commissioners are to meet with city officials to schedule a meeting between the city council and county board. A date of Sept. 3, which the city council previously approved, will not allow for all commissioners to attend. In addition, commissioners wondered whether issues other than the Koochiching Economic Development Authority should be added to the agenda.

• The board agreed to publish the hours of Veterans Service Officer Kathy Sikkila as 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday in the office on the third floor of the courthouse.