Meeker County Board Meeting
The Meeker County Board of Commissioners heard a couple of annual reports during their Tuesday meeting. Land Use Records Director Greg Schultz and Woodland Centers Director Ashley Kjos both presented their annual reports.
Kjos says Woodland Centers covers a 7-county area with 240 staff members and an annual budget of $27-million. Besides his annual report, Land Use Records Director Schultz presented a list of zoning ordinance changes which the Commissioners approved. In the consent agenda, the Board approved of designating Commissioner Cheryl Van Ort as an ex-officio member of the Planning Commission.
Hospital CEO Mary Ellen Wells reported to the Meeker County Board that the Litchfield City Council gave final approval to the enhancement project at Meeker Memorial Hospital Monday evening. She says they are now in the final stages of design development and ground-breaking will take place this summer.
The Commissioners also had a visit from Meeker County Economic Development Director Lisa Graphenteen regarding modifying the statewide affordable housing aid. She says the Legislature provided aid to each county to address affordable housing needs, starting in 2023. Graphenteen says Habitat for Humanity has a goal of building 4 homes in Litchfield over a 5-year period with the first one to be constructed in 2027. She told the Board that the EDA would like to up the construction loan amount from $45,000 to $60,000, but after discussion, the Commissioners voted to table the matter.
