IVANHOE - The Lincoln County Board appointed Commissioner Don Evers to the board of directors of Western Community Action (WCA) at its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday.
The appointment was made at the request of John Fitzgerald, executive director of WCA.
Western Community Action is a five-county agency originally founded as part of President Lyndon Johnson's "War on Poverty" in 1965, Fitzgerald said. Its board traditionally draws one-third of its members from clients being served by the agency, one-third from the community and one-third from elected officials.
"Around 2000 we kind of drifted away from having county commissioners on the board," Fitzgerald said.
Members of the board serve for three year terms, a maximum of two consecutive terms, though there is no lifetime limit, Fitzgerald said. Meetings are once a month, usually in Marshall.
After some discussion, the board agreed to appoint Evers and pay him a per diem. WCA's rules only allow for mileage expenses.
County Environmental Administrator Robert Olsen reported to the commissioners the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency had awarded the county a $21,000 grant to be used for septic system upgrades for property owners who cannot afford the full cost.
There is a 25 percent match required of applicants, and the grant funds will be available for a year-and-a-half.
The board also voted to accept a $1,750 grant from the Southwest Initiative Foundation for playground equipment for Norwegian Creek Park.
County Engineer Lee Amundson opened four bids submitted for a road grading and construction project in Limestone Township.
The bids ranged from $204,702 by Duininck Brothers Incorporated of Prinsburg, to a low bid of $135, 348 by Thompson Excavating, based in Taunton. Two Marshall firms, Midwest Contracting LLC and R&G Construction submitted bids of $179,700 and $161,070 respectively.
The board will award the contract at its next meeting.