BLUE EARTH– With the planned move of the Veteran Services Office from its current location in the Ag Center in Blue Earth to the Sixth Street Office Building (the former Blue Earth City Hall), the Faribault County Board approved some safety and security upgrades to the Sixth Street location during their meeting on Tuesday.

“We are proposing to install windows in the lobby area at a cost of $7,920,” Building and Grounds director Saxon Warmka said. “These would be purchased from Fairmont Glass.”

Another component of the improvements will be the installation of a camera system.

“This is the same camera system that the Sheriff’s Office uses throughout the county,” Warmka told the board. “The cameras would be purchased from Tvedten Electric at a cost of $7,207.”

Sheriff Scott Adams, who was at the meeting, spoke in favor of the improvements.

“Using the same cameras throughout the county means that our personnel does not have to learn different systems,” he added.

The improvements were passed on a unanimous vote.

Also at the meeting, Human Resources director Amanda Shoff presented a resolution to change the way part-time deputies are covered for their retirement plan.

“Currently all part-time deputies are covered under the PERA (Public Employees Retirement Association) Coordinated Plan,” Shoff explained. “Minnesota statutes permits the board of commissioners to declare that a position is that of a police officer and that the person who holds said position on a part-time basis is to be covered by the police and fire retirement plan if certain employment duties and qualifications are met.”

During discussion it was mentioned that this change had been planned right before the COVID pandemic occurred and that it got lost in the shuffle.

“Many of my part-time officers work as a full-time officer somewhere else,” Adams commented. “By making this change they will only have one plan to deal with instead of two.”

In other business, the commissioners:

— Approved the hiring of Lincoln Reynolds for a full-time deputy position in the Sheriff’s Office.

— Approved Merissa Lore, Dustin Anderson and Luke Schonborn of the Drainage Department to attend the Minnesota Association of Drainage Inspectors Fall Conference.

— Approved the request of county auditor/treasurer Chuck Schrader to attend the Minnesota Association of County Auditor/Treasurer/Finance Officers Southern Region Fall Meeting.

— Approved Emily Bonin of the Sheriff’s Department to attend the Minnesota Fraud Investigator Conference.

— Approved Darrel Boeckman of the auditor/treasurer’s office to attend the 2025 Auditor/Treasurer Meeting.