BLUE EARTH– The mood was somber at the beginning of the Faribault County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday.

“I would like to open the meeting by asking for a moment of silence in honor of the three public servants killed in Burnsville,” chairman Bill Groskreutz said, referring to the two police officers and firefighter/paramedic who were killed during a domestic standoff in Burnsville on Sunday, Feb. 18.

Once the meeting resumed, the commissioners needed only 42 minutes to tackle the items on the agenda.

One problem which came to the attention of the board was the need to provide some training for county auditor/treasurer Amy Sathoff in regards to completing cross-county tax rates.

“Freeborn County brought to our attention that cross-county tax rates for the school districts have not been completed in our county,” Sathoff explained. “That means the adjacent counties cannot complete their work.”

Sathoff told the board she has no written instructions on how to complete the process within the county’s accounting system.

“However, Pat Martinson, who retired as the auditor/treasurer in Freeborn County, knows our system and is willing to help us complete the work,” Sathoff said. “I have a proposal for a contract with Martinson at an hourly rate of $60. It is estimated it will take 10-15 hours of time to get the work done.”

Sathoff pointed out that Faribault County shares school districts with the neighboring counties of Martin, Blue Earth, Waseca and Freeborn which is why there is a need for cross-county tax rates.

The County Board approved the contract with Martinson by a unanimous vote.

In other business, the board also:

— Voted to approve the training request of Brittney Gehrking of the Sheriff’s Department to attend a Dogs for Law Enforcement K9 seminar.

— Passed a motion approving Merissa Lore and Luke Schonborn of the Drainage Department to attend a Confined Spaces in Construction seminar.